Umbra Copse I'm Lost,

"Damn!" He shouted out angrily to no one in particular- no one sentient anyway. Oliver was lost- he had just passed the same gnarly faced tree for the eighteenth time. It was foggy, dense, and dark, wonderful catalysts for his paranoia to act up. Not to mention that he was hungry, depressingly tired, and sick of eating birds. The small wolf had been on his way up north- for no specific reason, as he was a lone wolf expressly on his own. He had been on his own for two years. Hours of pent up frustration exploded in his chest.

Eager to take it out on something Oliver whipped around and screamed at a petrified stump. "Damn you!" He stamped and yelled at a pale frog. "Damn you!" He turned his attention the aggravating gnarly faced tree- "Damn you doubly so! I hope you burn with a lighting strike, or a forest fire, or a damn heat-wave! I hate you! And I hope you never get the satisfaction of being a territory marker!" The tree stood stoic against his words, obviously unbothered. Oliver wanted to bring it crashing down, but he was too small. So he sat, tired and spent, perplexed and disturbed, and most of all- lost. Completely and totally lost- and the worst part was, there was no one to look for him.

No mother, no father, no pack-mates or siblings. No one, not even Galley, the one wolf that would look for him. "Damn you all." He breathed raggedly.

Hope you don't mind me hopping in :)

The disappearance of Mercy had set her back a few pegs she would admit, but the recent disappearance of Borilla had motivated her. Once more she had goals, and now she just had to work about meeting them, though this would take some time. As a yearling she was not a viable candidate to lead, at least on until her second birthday, but that meant she had 7 months to win over the pack's favor and more importantly Phineas'. So now she was doing what she did best, scout she spent as much time as possibly working. Constantly marking the borders or filling the caches when she was within the territory but mostly exploring the surroundings, looking for every and anything that might be valuable to her leader.

Which was why the silver yearling found herself so far south from the territory, well within the Umbra Copse, or Shadow Forest. Luckily for her she had been taught well when she lived within the Ghastly Woods, she knew enough to leave markers she could follow so she could get out the same way she came. The fog that surrounded her casted her fur and pale eyes in almost invisibility, someone would not know she was there until she was directly upon them. Which was where she was now, circling the scene of a male who seemed to have lost his mind and was swearing and attacking a stump. With a smirk she stayed far enough away she knew the fog would hide her, "Quite a display If I do say so myself." Her words were like ice, cold and calculated enough that they should send a warning to this male; she meant business.

c: Not at all!

Oliver tensed up, hearing a cold, commanding voice- it's source unknown to him. His ears pinned back, he wanted to yell at it- if whoever was there had been there the whole time, why didn't it help him? It could be his paranoia playing tricks on him. Or, of course, there was the possibility that he had stumbled into pack borders, and was in very deep trouble. Not wanting to cause alarm, he lowered himself to the ground.

"Just one of my many talents, miss-" the mysterious voice had sounded like a female. "You wouldn't know the way out of this forest, would you? This weary soul has had enough of dark mazes." Oliver's nose twitched, trying to sense his spectator- if it gave a cryptic non-answer it would surely be of the hallugenic sort. Something he wanted nothing to do with. If it was a living, breathing wolf, perhaps he could get on with his rather melancholy trip northward. Or perhaps it might use the dark fog to it's advantage. His legs bunched up to run, his tail stiff with the adrenaline pumping through his veins. Yet Oliver still stayed low, determined not to get on the voices' bad side- at least, not yet.

"If you wouldn't mind, could you tell me if I'm trespassing on any territory? If I am, I certainly didn't mean to- this forest is very confusing."He wanted to tell the voice to come out and show it's face- the ambiguity of it's nature was wrecking his nerves.

(This post was last modified: Aug 23, 2014, 03:37 AM by Oliver.)

Ooc. Sorry this took so long. Schools been kicking my butt.

On and on she circled, easily finding her footing so she was relatively quiet, though she was keen enough to stay out of view. After all, this was quite the entertaining game she had stumbled upon in the woods, and if she played her cards right it could benefit her in some way. A smirk played across Aponi's silver maw as the man practically collapsed in front of her in submittal, it was almost too easy. One question was rapidly followed by another and the yearling chose instead to answer neither, "I could answer your questions, but of course it would come at a price. Tell me oh multi-talented one, just how much is the information worth to you?" It would be too simple just to lead the shadowy wolf away from the forest, back to safety, or to allow him relax by telling him he stood on neutral ground. More importantly though, doing these things wouldn't benefit her in the slightest.
<p>
Aponi was a selfish wolf, this much even she knew. Some might even find her actions cruel at times and never had she been described as friendly or easy to please. She liked to think it made her smart, cunning and independent rather than just overly proud and in some ways it did. Every set back and abandonment which might have broken a lesser wolf made her more aloof, more cold, more determined to get what she wanted and crush anyone who stood in her way. This poor stranger who so obviously was lost and in need of aid was just her latest victim. His angel from hell had arrived.

The answer he got from the mysterious voice was not what Oliver had expected. He didn't know how to categorize it. However, he did remember Galley once telling him to be wary of wolves who ask the worth of something you want- they usually weren't of the kind you wanted to run into. So he answered thus- "Depends on the cost, miss. I don't have much to lose, but I am rather fond of my arteries. And my ears." He wanted to run so badly. Run and perhaps bump into a different voice that would be kinder. But the fog made it nearly impossible to tell whether the voice was alone, or merely the spokesperson for a whole pack of malicious personages.

Oliver wished he was bigger- more intimidating. Or at the very least, a bit more appealing. His small stature and strange body didn't make for an attractive potential subordinate. Although, true to his word, he could do a lot of things. Galley had called it being a Jack of All Trades. Told him to play it up. Perhaps the time to do that was now...

"I may not look like it, but I'm a good wolf for subordinate work. I've many skills and no grand ambitions. If you have the need- if it fits the bill for a way out of this forest- I can become a willing member of your pack." Oliver's jaws then became still, and his ears- while still pinned to his skull- tried to strain for a particular sound: the mysterious voice's answer.

(This post was last modified: Sep 08, 2014, 02:16 PM by Oliver.)

There is a deer that was killed by a lynx nearby. +10 Health

Aponi chuckled then, fond of his arteries and his ears this strangers was. Practically purring now in joy at the torment of the obviously older wolf, "Yes, arteries and ears are rather important now aren't they?" The dark man in front of her meant nothing to the yearling, he was but a pawn in her game of cat and mouse, though she supposed he could keep his physical body if he cooperated. The vanishing of Mercy has stoned her heart and until now she had grieved with no closure, but now the sadness had morphed. No longer was she vulnerable, sad, now the silver fae felt nothing but anger, cold and pulsing through her veins. Until now she had had no one to take out this anger on, but now, oh now she had an unsuspecting stranger who no one would care about.

So many had left her, first her mother had left her emotionally though she had been very much so physically present. Then Karpos had had the nerve to fling her from his graces as if he was worth anything, then K'arnae, and now Mercy. Even @Nova, the sister she thought so inferior to her had not shown up even after she had rescued the pathetic snivelling excuse for an Aquila.

All of this had been building within her, freezing her to the world, and now this man was about to feel the wrath that burned for all that scorned her. Snarling she cried, "Oh you fool, you do not choose us, we must choose you. What makes you think you are worthy to be even in my presence now? Now she stepped forward through the mist, it clung to her pelt making her blurry around the edges but her icy eyes glowed clear. Though the man before her was much older Aponi was easily much larger, taller, longer, heavier and she had the advantage of youth on her side. Like a banner her tail sat above her back and her teeth barred. Your move you fool.

Seeing the beautiful, intimidating, cold yearling step out of the mist and into his sight, Oliver had but one word for his situation; shit. But he dare not speak it out loud- this wolf of the wood was enraged. At whom, he did not know. What he did know was that wolves who were enraged always picked on the weaker. Though she was young, she was stronger, perhaps even faster, and certainly heavier than he was in his age. That made him the weaker one. Not a good situation indeed.

He flinched at her snarling cry- had this been Galley yelling at him, Oliver would have promptly bumped him playfully, accept whatever cuffs to the snout he got, and tell his mentor to lay off the berries. But this wasn't Galley, and he had no idea what to do. What makes you think you are worthy to be even in my presence now? He didn't want to be worthy- her presence was freezing, sending chills up Oliver's spine like it was the dead of winter. Her words were like daggers- if the older male hadn't been so used to abuse, it would have upset him. This was a very dangerous wolf. And he didn't want to be held captive by her games any longer.

"You are right," he whimpered, making sure to keep his voice quivering, whining. His ears practically buried themselves in his pelt. "I am not worthy to behold a powerful beauty like yourself, obviously on her way to a great destiny." He weaved his words carefully, making sure they sounded sincere. His back legs raised at little, and began to slowly drag his front half away from her threatening posture. "With your permission, my Lady, I will leave posthaste."

Once you post your exit with Oliver I'll have Aponi exit and then we can archive :)

Aponi couldn't contain herself when the man started whimpering before her, snivelling imbecile she should have castrated him. Then his physique would match his inferior less than masculine personality. Chuckling out loud she moved forward, blue eyes flashing with glee as she eyed the loner over at his words. Tutting her tongue against the top of her mouth she murmured, "A great destiny indeed, anyone would be lucky to behold it. Yet here you are begging to leave." Stepping closer again her eyes narrowed and her teeth barred in a twisted smile as the mist swirled around her paws, it was almost as if she was a phantom.

Leaning closer to the male she whispered into one of his raggedy ears, "Tell me 'multi-talented one', do I scare you? Do I make your blood run cold and your muscles scream to flee? Tell me, do you believe in karma, that if you're good that good things will happen to you? I don't, I believe bad things happen to everyone, and I rather enjoy helping them along." Chuckling again Aponi pulled back so she could watch the effect her newest move would have on her pawn. Rolling her eyes at the sight of such a pathetic male she flicked her tail dismissively, "Fine then, go if you must. Though I will leave you with some advice... If you come across a forest of pink petals where a pack resides within their perfumed boughs, run. Run as fast as you can, because I'll be waiting." Whipping around the yearling snapped her jaws just centimeters from the man's muzzle, letting the saliva drip onto the ground between them. Cold blue eyes watched, waiting patiently for the man to flee.

Oliver stood stock still as she whispered dark and foreboding things into his ear. His face showed more than one emotion however- fear, disgust- anger. Taking in her warning like a sponge, the small man dashed away from her on instinct. What wasn't instinct came next- before he knew what he was doing, Oliver looked over his shoulder and spat back at his assaulter:

"I know bad things happen to wolves who try their best to be good their whole lives long. What I don't know, Your Highness, is if any wolf would be willing to follow one with a great destiny that is so obviously tainted. When I see you on the other side, I hope you'll know we're not so different in terms of karma afterall." Then, before she could catch him, he sprang on a dime and ran.

He ran as fast as his legs could take him. Over rocks and fallen trees, ever forward in a straight direction- away from her. As far as he could go. If indeed she would be waiting for him at the pack of pink petaled trees, Oliver would make sure to stay away- he didn't even know what possessed him to say the final word.

No wait, he did know- it was anger. Anger that had been boiling for years. And it had to have some sort of outlet. Better to be channeled through words than a fight, especially with his stature. Congratulations, Oliver berated himself as he vaulted over a stream at his top speed- You've made your first enemy within these lands.

Oliver exit.

(This post was last modified: Oct 16, 2014, 11:35 PM by Oliver.)