Cedarwood Forest everything you do is a balloon

Random Event: Grizzly Hollow, a bobcat is lurking on your borders.

http://i1081.photobucket.com/albums/j347/holdbacktherain/tables/sibyltab.png) bottom center no-repeat; background-color: #33353b;"> Her leathery nose twitched, the scent of an animal, of a cat, thick upon the cool evening air. It was no little house cat, to be sure. Sibyl's bristly black shoulders shuddered at the thought of the bobcat which must have wandered through not too long ago. Lifting her snout from the soil, she glanced around at the tall trunks of the cedars, her bronze eyes wide and red ears twisting in worry as she searched. It wasn't very close to the den, yet concern for the steadily growing yet still young pups gnawed at her mind. She didn't want anything to do with the cat, certainly not after seeing Follko's battle scars having tangled with one. If such a slight creature managed to do that sort of damage to Follko with Borden at his side, Sibyl didn't want to think what it would do to her alone. She hunched down, a small whimper emerging from her quaking form at the thought of her innards being slashed out by a spitting hellcat, where the beast would gobble her up, then move on to the pups for dessert. She scrunched her eyes shut, trying to think of what she should do. She wanted to run away, her limbs vibrating with unleashed energy. She was tired of being scared and she wanted to be the hero for once, but she didn't think she could do it. She thought back to what Follko had told her. He had said it was okay to be scared, as long as you had the courage to stand up to the things that scared you. And he had fought a bobcat... Her eyes popped back open, and she tried to remember the little fighting move he had taught her. Dash, grab, pull; she couldn't imagine any of it working on a bobcat. Who was she kidding. She would probably get mangled by a bobcat and everyone would laugh at her burial. Poor Sibyl, couldn't even fight a kitty cat, they would say. At this point, she was shaking with both fear and embarrassment. She could call for help, but then they might think her weak. If she didn't call for help, then she would have to take on the cat alone. That wasn't a fight she was sure she could win, if she even had the heart to engage. She was afraid that if she ran away, perhaps the pack would get mad at her for not warning anyone about it. Her indecisiveness held her immobilized and she hunched further towards the ground, her wirey tail tucked far under her.

table by bryony

<3 This is gonna be so fun.

That Scent.

Since her run in with the younger members of the Hollow she had promised herself she would get to know he pack mates better. She would make an effort to mingle and she would try to fit in. So today, of all days she had finally decided to make good on it. And she had stumbled across one of them... Well not quite across, but the stench of it filled her nostrils and stoked panic in her heart.

Bobcat.

The silver highlighted wolfs fur puffed like an angry house cat and she slunk forward, tail tucked, ears flat, eyes wide and nose on the alert. With any luck she would slink straight past without an issue, and perhaps some of the big strong males she was sure the pack was full of could deal with the beast. She had a hard enough time with nice members of her own species. She would hardly do well against hostile members of another...

It was then she passed another familiar trail. Not so familiar as to put a face to the name, but she carried the scent of home, and the small wolf drew a little courage from that. Maybe this wolf would be bigger than her, and stronger, and brave?

She drew a little courage from the fact she wasn’t alone... well enough to not fall straight to the floor and start crying for her mother... but only just. When she finally found the other wolf, her hopes were dashed. She was just as small as she was. She looked like a smaller version of her sister though, and that helped her draw enough courage to actually talk to the stranger.

They were both on the trail, both tails invisible. Aniu slunk forwards like a fox stealing into a hen-house and took a space close to the ground next to her would be savior. On closer observation, she may even be considered a little more muscular than the girl besides her. That was a first...

Golden eyes were lit with fear but it would be two against one. Surely they couldn’t just do nothing with pups about? “W-w-whaddawedo?” She questioned the wolf before her. She supposed it would be more polite to introduce herself first... but this was hardly the time for pleasantries. There was a monster prowling about their home, and nobody was here to check the closets for them.

http://i1081.photobucket.com/albums/j347/holdbacktherain/tables/sibyltab.png) bottom center no-repeat; background-color: #33353b;"> The distant sound of paw steps caused her to flinch and shy away while turning to face the noise. A startled sniff told her it wasn't the dreaded bobcat, but an unknown wolf making it's way towards her. She had hoped if anyone were to appear, it would have been Borden, or Follko, or that ivory Amazon of a wolf with the milky eye. Any of them would know what to do about the bobcat, but perhaps a stranger could offer some help as well. Hopeful, she watched as a cloudy colored female emerged from the distance. A small tinge of disappointment and dread crossed her worried brow when she saw how tiny, how helpless, how scared the wolf looked. It wasn't the Amazon warrior she had prayed for, but it was something, and Sibyl forced her lips to pull into a smile too nervous to be welcoming. Before Sibyl could begin to wonder just who this wolf was, or where she came from or any of that, the woman sat before her and blurted something. Sibyl's head tilted, her bronze eye's scrutinizing Aniu's face for a moment too long as she picked apart the word. What do we do, she realized, before quickly ducking her head down to stare at her ground between them. She didn't exactly know, and had been betting on a stranger having some sort of plan ready. She squeaked an unsure noise before speaking, <b style="color:#8a90a1">"I... I don't know... Do you? I mean- It can't stay here. The cat, I mean. But I can't make it go away. It's gonna kill me." She murmured, her head jerking up and her eyes somehow wider than they had been. The hairs along her back had been tickling uncomfortably, though she couldn't tell whether that was due to her nerves or whether the feline was really watching them. She looked over her shoulder, though she saw nothing. Not yet, at least. She certainly couldn't run now, not with someone as a witness. She took a deep breath, her chest shaking as she did so. It was hard to think through all the fear, especially with the scent of the bobcat still hanging on the air. Her sudden companion helped a little with her confidence, but not by much. <b style="color:#8a90a1">"We have to get it out of here, before it can find the pups," she said, a little firmer this time but her voice still unsteady.

table by bryony

She was shivering, but not from the cold. Wolverines were one thing, she had grown up with those things, but bobcats? They had teeth and sharp claws... She listened intently to the other wolf. She kind of looked like a smaller version of her sister... What would Naira do to a bobcat? Probably the same thing she did to wolverines...

Frantic nodding met the other females words. Yes, it was going to kill her. It was going to kill them both. But they couldn’t just leave it. There were pups to think of. Taking a deep breath she confirmed. One.

“Well ah... two against one, we might be ok... what if it’s just a baby?” She questioned hopefully, allowing the beginning of a nervous smile to twitch at the edges of her lips. Yeah, thats right, try to put a positive spin on it. A bobcat kitten wasn’t nearly as imposing as a full grown adult right?

Inching closer her shoulder bumped against the other wolf’s reassuringly and she rose herself up, tail held behind herself like a banner. “We’ll just uh... Pretend it’s another hunt yeah? I’m sure we can manage that...” she said to the other with a smile far more confident than she felt. “I’m Aniu...or just Ani...” she mentioned in a hushed voice as her nose dropped to the ground. They could do this... She hoped.

http://i1081.photobucket.com/albums/j347/holdbacktherain/tables/sibyltab.png) bottom center no-repeat; background-color: #33353b;"> Sibyl's head quickly bobbled in a nod, she wanted to believe Aniu. Yes, just a baby bobcat, nothing to worry about at all. Aniu's attempt at confidence bolstered Sibyl's own small reserves of courage. It wasn't hard for Sibyl to make herself believe the woman knew what she was doing, even if she was just as scared as herself. The nudge to her shoulder was met with a startled flinch, red ears folding down as she realized a moment later that it was friend rather than foe which had made contact. <b style="color:#8a90a1">"A... A hunt. Yes, I think we can both scare it off. Maybe... If it's just a tiny one." She stammered quietly, more for her own benefit than her companion. Aniu already had her nose to the trail, and Sibyl quickly followed suit. She wasn't really familiar with bobcats, but found the foreign stench easily enough. She stayed at Aniu's side as they searched, not wanting to run into the cat alone face first, but not wanting to be snuck up on by it either. <b style="color:#8a90a1">"Oh- Sorry. My name's Sibyl." She whispered nervously, remembering that she'd forgotten to give her name in exchange. Aniu seemed nice, though Sibyl hoped that they could have met under less terrifying circumstances. Following the bobcat's scent brought them to the fringes of Grizzly Hollow territory. Her hairs prickled and her heart pattered erratically in her chest as she prepared herself for the worst. Every twist and turn, every branch and bush, she expected a hissing hellcat to burst forth from. It was only Aniu's presence that prevented her from running. It wasn't necessarily that she thought the two of them were enough for an intruder, but rather she didn't want to look like a pathetic wimp in front of someone else. Nearly all of this went out the window when a plaintive yowl echoed through the trees. With a tiny whimper Sibyl moved closer to Aniu, shaking and all but glued to the other female. <b style="color:#8a90a1">"W-what do we do, Miss Aniu? Just run at it?" She squeaked.

table by bryony

It was so much easier to pretend to be brave when someone was even more terrified that she was. So she chose to loose herself in the scent. It really was just another hunt now. She knew she was going to have to be quick on her feet...

Her father would have told her that it was her duty to be strong for her pack. That she needed to be brave, even though she was terrified... But it was so much easier to be brave when you were almost as big as a bear, like Naira and Chulyin. She was just a runt, and she didn’t have a bigger brother or sister to back her up this time. She really hoped Sibyl wouldn’t let her down.

The tables had been turned.

She strode forward with purpose, appearing so much more brave than she really felt. The scent was getting thicker, along with the scent of fear that rolled off the combined coats of Aniu and Sibyl... and her static cloud of a coat puffed out, hackles standing on end. Her legs stiffened and her eyes narrowed.

They were so close.

The yowl changed everything.

It was far deeper than a kittens would be, and when Sibyl moved close she realised she could not be afraid. At least one of them needed to appear fearless, and lend strength to the other. Her tail inched higher as her lips pulled back from her teeth, a threatening growl sounding in response to the felines query.

Her nose twitched and her ears swiveled to pinpoint the noise. It didn’t seem to be coming from their level. Her eyes traveled upwards and there, on a low branch, just out of her reach, was the bob-tailed beast. Not yet fully grown, but big enough to pose a serious risk to the cubs.

“We need to get it out of here...” she said decisively as she marched forwards to the base of the tree. Her growl laced her words as she barked to the cat in the tree. “Hey you! Fish Breath! Get outta that tree you big... you big... Pussy!”

"speech"

http://i1081.photobucket.com/albums/j347/holdbacktherain/tables/sibyltab.png) bottom center no-repeat; background-color: #33353b;"> Sibyl turned her wide-eyed expression up to Aniu, in awe of how the woman had transformed before her eyes. A little courage went a long way, and Sibyl found herself standing just a bit taller once she unattached herself from the grey lady. Following her gaze up into the canopy, Sibyl nearly lost it again once she saw the little devil crouched in the boughs. But Aniu didn't move back, and Sibyl dogged along at her heels to the trunk of the tree. Growing bolder, the little wolf braced her paws against the rough ridges of the tree’s trunk and barked up into it’s branches. <b style="color:#8a90a1">“Yeah, kitty! Hey, get down from there!” Her face scrunched up in thought. She didn’t really want it to come down; she just wanted it to leave. But unless the cat grew wings, it would have to come down to earth in order for it to get out of the territory. Her bravado was short lived however, as single hiss issued from the perturbed feline was enough to send Sibyl skittering away from the tree with her head craned up to stare at it. She waited a moment with her round eyes locked on the cat before she was sure it wasn't going to do anything. Strangely enough, the bobcat wasn't all that scary. At least, all the way up in the tree it wasn't. If they were to get it out of Grizzly Hollow though, they'd have to get it down somehow. She looked to Aniu for guidance, then back at the base of the tree. <b style="color:#8a90a1">"Uhmm... I... I think it's more afraid of us? I don't think it'll come down from there, not with us here at least." Her head tilted up to the bobcat, which swung a wide paw at the air in accompaniment to a hiss. <b style="color:#8a90a1">"Miss Aniu, can you climb a tree?" She asked, the hint of a laugh in her voice.

table by bryony

(This post was last modified: Oct 25, 2012, 06:16 PM by Sibyl.)

Her nails dug deeply into the bark of the tree as she pushed with her hind legs, stretching, reaching. If only she was just a little larger she could snap at a limb or its face and hopefully drag it down. Frustration boiled as she searched with her leg for something to boost her up, just a little... but it was hopeless. The cat was firmly entrenched, its claws leaving gouges in the supple bark of the branch that was its salvation. For now.

What would her siblings do in this situation? Chulyin was the take charge type, although being roughly the size of a small bear meant the height of this particular branch wouldn’t cause him any problems. Naira was the diabolical one, forever pulling pranks until she lost her temper... Sure she had mostly grown out of it but a streak would forever be there. If she could only think like her sister...

Her eyes travelled along the branch to where it grew thin and drooped just a little closer to the ground and a devious smile passed her lips. It was a game now. Sibyl was right, the cat was clearly terrified, hissing and swatting at them although they were well and truly out of reach. “Watch out!, get back a bit!” she called as she bounded towards the branch and leapt up, grasping the bushy end in her mouth and allowing her weight to drag the branch down.

The bobcat seemed to comprehend what she was attempting and moved towards her with a feral glint in its eye. Just before it reached her, she let go and the brach shook violently. There was a heavy thud as the cat fell to the ground. She took a moment to shake before resting satisfied golden eyes on the beast. It looked ready to run. Now they just needed to herd it in the right direction. “Remember, it’s just a regular ol’ hunt and we’re the chasers, and the big strong catchers are out there...” she said calmly, hoping Sibyl was as caught up in the adrenaline as she. Enough to not be afraid anymore. They had a job to do. For the pups.

http://i1081.photobucket.com/albums/j347/holdbacktherain/tables/sibyltab.png) bottom center no-repeat; background-color: #33353b;"> Sibyl continued to stare up at the cat while her paws did the unsteady dance of indecision. She had no clue how they were supposed to get that cat down and out. But it seemed, in her own way, Aniu could climb a tree. Sibyl stepped back, amazed as the little grey wolf practically flew into the air and latched on to the end of the branch. Sibyl watched the branch curve down further and further under the wolf's weight, and she watched the bobcat move to defend it's perch. Sibyl gasped, ready to shout or run or do something before Aniu ended up with a face full of claws, but Aniu seemed to have everything figured out. Suddenly the branch had become a swinging blur, with Aniu and the bobcat both on the ground. For a moment, Sibyl was astonished. She certainly wouldn't have thought of that. The moment of awe was short lived however, when the silver wolf's words pulled Sibyl back into things. Not allowing herself the time to really think about what she was going to do, Sibyl started to run. In a not-so-terrifying display she ran at the cat with hackles raised and fangs bared. It was more the suddenness of the attack than its ferocity that had the bobcat running as well. While she might be fearful, she was still a wolf at heart, and once her "prey" was on the move she found it quite easy to keep up the chase. She had even mustered enough courage to afford a few barks at the hapless feline.

table by bryony

Feel free to wrap it up in your next post then we can claim LP :)

She hadn’t been certain until the cat hit the ground that her companion would have the gall to help her finish the job, but when the tawny girl threw herself after the cat, so did she, with a happy yip and a few clicks of her teeth towards it’s rear just to make sure the message was clear. This is not a good place to be kitty...

Finally, they were nearing the borders. Away from the children, away from the pack. The small wolf felt as though she could run for days with the adrenalin coursing through her veins but she knew they would have to stop eventually. Even when the cat stumbled and slid in the thick blanket of leaves she had held back, content to believe that this was a lesson the small beast would never forget.

Shortening her strides once they were clear of the strong markers left by Borden and Jayse, she took a moment to catch her breath before flinging her victorious voice, full of well earned confidence onto the chilled breeze that spoke of a long winter ahead. “Come back again kitty, and we’ll eat ya! Ya hear?!”

She couldn’t contain the giggle that escaped her mouth then, as she turned to Sibyl with a victorious smile. Who on earth would ever actually want to eat a bobcat?