Sex: MaleRounding the top of a crest in the Blackberry Fields, Lugh surveyed the expansive field of white before him. He'd been searching all morning, yet still came up empty pawed. The whipping winds and blinding snows had long since died down, but Kova and Noble had yet to return. The weeks that had passed since the cubs' disappearance had steadily worn down the herbalist's optimism, leaving behind an uncomfortable, unfamiliar sense of dread. Lugh found his eyes drifting westward, towards the tangled forest of the thicket. He usually gave the place a wide berth, knowing the Woodlands wolves to be not particularly friendly. It seemed like a beehive best left un-poked. However… What if they cubs had gone that way? Any tracks within the fields had been long since buried, but perhaps the protection of the woods might have preserved some evidence. A determined look taking his bright yellow eyes, Lugh set off. Lugh was hesitant as he neared the edge of the Thicket, nostrils flaring to catch the scent of Solomon’s seal and unfamiliar wolves. He would just have to call and hope someone could tell him if they had seen… Wait! What was that? Right there, a set of small paw-prints in the snow, just about the right size for a cub going on yearling. He didn’t consider himself much of a sleuth, but there were even black little hairs sticking out of the snow. It must be Noble! Who else could it be? Not bothering to check the scent, he was bounding after the tracks, blowing clear past the borders of the Woodlands, intent on finding the cubs. |
The Zamora had been doing one last border patrol round before allowing himself to go return to wherever Nova may be. Though before he could finish his round something, no, someone caught his attention. The didn't smell anything of Secret Woodlands. A very bad sign. Especially since Camio wasn't in a rather good mood at the moment. Although the wicked side slipped out and he decided to have a bit of fun. He wouldn't chase this one off just yet. Prowling forward he stalked the small male like he was merely prey. Closing in on the male with each long stride Camio growled out deeply. Pulling his lip above his teeth, his tongue briefly flicking out in warning. "You must have lost something worth dying for to cross over our borders." Flicking his tail behind him Camio raised it slightly. His hackles raising with his tail. Either this male was purely stupid or he truly did have something worth dying for over in Secret Woodlands. Last time he check though, nothing and no one had gotten lost in Secret Woodlands for some stranger, a pack wolf, to come so suddenly prancing into and through their borders. Another low deep growl came rumbling out from his chest. "Please do share what it is you are looking for." Baring his teeth at the stranger Camio wasn't willing to take any bullshit from this male. "And it better be damn good or your pelt will be lining our den..I promise that." It was no lie that Camio was willing to skin this male. His pelt was surely small enough for the cubs to make use of, even though they were almost yearlings at this point. "Speech." |
in coffins and boxes, a museum of the dead
No one would ever accuse her of being a woman of many words. Iopah slipped over the pack's border without a sound, muzzle tense around her modest catch. It had taken her hours to find; she was nearly livid when her jaws finally closed around the prey. It swung erratically from her jaws as her path merged with one of the many wolf trails that networked their land. This was not enough. Not nearly. It would be gone before darkness fell, down the throat of a child likely. She was nearly too angry to eat anyway, and could only think of having to go back out with nowhere to hunt.
She didn't need words, with her ram-rod straight tail to tightly pinned ears, for someone to understand she was upset. Her legs snapped forward with unspent energy. They would have to travel further now. The meadow could not feed two packs, just as she knew it wouldn't, just as she had told Tokino months ago.
A wisp of scent and the raised voice made her slow, turning around sharply at the interruption. Slowly, curious, she started in their direction. Her jaws opened to taste the scent better and then her lips peeled back from teeth. She knew the pack that claimed him. The voice continued, but she had all she needed to know. Here was an opportunity to vent her anger and she raced towards it. The path was abandoned. Speed was all that mattered, she said nothing. The only sound was her rapid footfalls.
She charged him, rolling her shoulder at the last moment so it hit him with all her weight. The impact sent her reeling back and she struggled to find footing beneath the snow. A rapid shriek rose from her open jaws, rallying her pack mates against the intruder. Iopah spun, gathered her feet under her, and lunged for Lugh. She wanted his flank, but would take anything she could get.
Lugh frantically chased the trail of pawprints, convinced that they would lead him to the wayward cubs. His excitement was overwhelming, his focus solely devoted to the task. A barrage of strange scents hit his senses, leaving him blind to the wolf that trailed him. A deep growl finally broke his concentration. Noticing the menace in the tone, he dug all four paws into the snow and skidded to a stop. Winded from sprinting, the Whelan wheezed. Instantly, his tail tucked and curled up beneath his belly, ears pinned back flat against his head. He was no sneaking rogue. What better reason could there be than looking for lost children? Even with the packs' disagreements, surely, they would understand! "Please, yer must understan', this is important! Th' cubs, I've seen their tracks, they're 'ere! Kova an' Noble!" Lugh yipped anxiously, trying to be pleading with the man to understand his cause. Out the corner of his eye he spotted a flash of light tawny fur, nothing more than a blur leaving him no time to react. A yelp forced its way from his voicebox on the impact. The lightweight herbalist felt his paws leave the ground, spindly legs clambering as claws reached for traction. He managed to stand, keeping his body ducked low and nearly curled into a ball. He had only a moment to gain his senses before the woman shrieked like a banshee, already rounding back for a second strike. He wasn't here for a fight, and he didn't want to hurt her. This was all just a misunderstanding, but it seemed they didn't want to hear any of it. "Waitwaitwaitstopstopstop!" He yelled as Iopah reached towards his haunch, teeth pinching into the skin over his thigh despite his best efforts to pull away quickly. His neck and spine arched to face her, his narrow jaws clacked towards her face, only trying to get her to let go of him rather than do any actual damage. |
Iopah showed up quicker than Camio could stifle out another harsh reply. Watching for a moment he flicked his tail as a wicked smile was quick to emerge upon his face. Then the order was given. Iopah's harsh voice came out and Camio took charge. An open leg was available to take from the male and Camio would take it. Running up against the hind left leg Camio craned his neck to launch down on the stifle of Lugh's leg. His teeth would find flesh, maybe his teeth would break flesh or even worse crack something, of course these thoughts were overwhelming. When his teeth had given enough pressure onto the male's leg the Zamora decided to pull away. Stumbling back for safety Camio's eyes glanced over to Iopah. To see how much damage she had or would cause. This was exciting and a rough mixture of a howl and bark broke out. Certainly a chant to cheer on Iopah and scare the male. When the two Woodland wolves were done with him the male would either be dead or on the brink of death. Or at the very least he would be finding the trek home to be very harsh and painful. A wicked smirk curled up to find home on Camio's lips. He did enjoy this moment so very much. Enough to a point where he found himself wanting to jump in again. Although he thought it may be best to let his pack mate get another good swing too before trying to take another blow on the male. Wild eyes blocked out the mind of a well mannered man. In fact Camio was becoming the monster he feared. In the moment though it felt right. He wanted to taste the flesh and blood of the other. Things would not go well for their little visitor. "Speech." |
in coffins and boxes, a museum of the dead
There was little difference between biting down on the hind-leg of a deer and biting down on the hind-leg of a fellow wolf. From such a close distance it was all brown and gray fur anyways. He struggled to turn. It was an attempt Iopah would have expected from a deer, only this time it was stained teeth and not a full set of antlers brandished in her face. She countered the same way she would have with the more usual prey.
To keep him from retaliating she had to keep his balance off. The huntress braced her feet into the snow and pulled hard, feeling the wound rip further under her jaws. Blood leaked into her mouth and she jerked her muzzle roughly to the side. She shook him like a large squeaky toy, hoping to shred the muscle underneath. This is a mistake she didn't want him walking away from. The grip was not ideal and bit by bit, it tore loose. She stumbled back as the connection snapped between them.
Camio had inserted himself into the attack by then. Iopah panted for a moment, feeling moisture freeze on her lips and knowing it wasn't saliva. Blood welled from a small cut on her ear. She circled Lugh swiftly, feeling her limbs tingle with adrenaline and snapped out at him randomly. When Camio drew back their eyes met and Iopah surged forward again. Her teeth met the flesh on Lugh's lower back and her jaws grappled wildly for purchase. The musculature of his lumbar vertebrae slide under her ivories and she longed for the grip that would damage the crucial muscles there.
she is attacking the left side of his back (the same side that Camio had), coming at him from behind
Lugh's pleas had fallen on deaf ears. None of it mattered to them, it was as if he'd said nothing at all. In the back of his mind he worried about the missing cubs, but it was a fleeting thought quickly replaced by more urgent matters. There was little room left for pondering, only survival instinct. Lugh typically thought well of others, usually affording them the best intentions, but here those ideals vanished. He could hear it in their snarls, see it deep in their eyes; they meant him harm. His teeth continued to clash towards Iopah, but nothing he did could get her to let go. His movements became more panicked, and any hesitancy he had about hurting them had vanished. He would do anything to escape. As the female tore into his thigh, Lugh could see smears of red -- his own blood -- dribbling out of his leg, smeared across the she-wolf's muzzle. His head felt light and his ears felt like they were stuffed with cotton as sounds became distant. His vision tunneled in to a pinpoint, but he fought to stay conscious. Deep down, he knew if he fainted here, they would make sure he never woke. Lugh had all but forgotten the male, and was all too harshly reminded of his presence as the brute shoved in towards him. A searing pain like none other burned through his knee; fur, skin, and muscle cleaved through by the Camio's sharp teeth. Somewhere, sounding distant and muffled, he could hear a high pitched, wavering wailing-- Was that his own voice? The russet male had released his hold, and before Lugh could even think of what to do, the healer lunged forward. He needed to run, escape, but his hind leg began to buckle under his weight and he staggered as he fought to regain his balance on the other three. A dull ache remained in his leg, sensation buried beneath coursing endorphins, but Lugh could tell there was something terribly wrong with it. Lugh began to quickly shuffle forward, his hind left paw dragging pathetically in the snow, when he felt teeth sink in to his back. Unable to support the sudden burden, his hindquarters crumpled crookedly, leaving him in an awkward half-sitting position. Broken, but still frantic, he desperately continued to snap his plant-yellowed fangs towards Iopah, forelegs digging into the snow as he tried to drag himself in closer for a strike. |
Things were going so well for Camio and Iopah. The strong marks of the Woodland wolves would be left upon this damn bastard. He should have known better than to just come waltzing in like he owned these thickets. With hackles raised and tail flicking and lashing like an angry cat Camio watched Lugh and Iopah with careful eyes. Running forwards aiming for a neck Camio didn't expect to trip on some rubbish thorns and sticks. A yelp of his own was given went a few thorns nicked at his ankle and paw causing some of his own blood to be drawn. While this ruined any attack the Zamora male wanted to have on the intruder he offered a harsh snap of yellowing teeth at Lugh's face. Close enough to almost nip at the side of his face (maybe it does?).
"GET OUT OF HERE YOU BASTARD!" His voice was loud deep and harsh. Camio's tail flicked up behind his back with anger and the force of an angry buck he stumbled backwards staring at the smaller male angry. "I'll eat you alive and use your pelt to line the den!" His threats were filled with a harsh and strong step forward. Camio was set on using this male's pelt as a den liner for the young ones. Of course Camio was also willing to just chase the male out on his heels offering a few nips to make sure that he wouldn't return. Glaring at Iopah he wondered if she was gonna throw any more good hits at the male's already crumpling body.
in coffins and boxes, a museum of the dead
She was accustomed to hardier targets, stout deer and bulky elk. They were prey far different than what currently struggled under her jaws. The distinction had blurred and any semblance of civility was gone now. Wolf, elk... what did it matter? It's blood tasted the same to her and she treated it the same. Iopah was not, would never be, a woman that could bring such an animal down with her weight alone. Caught up in the moment, she'd lost track of the critical difference: this was a male wolf and smaller than her.
Lugh crumpled into the snow without warning. The world tilted under her and she followed after it. All at once she was not standing, but floundering wildly in the kicked up and bloodied snow. Her half-way achieved grip was abandoned as she found herself staring into a face that was neither elk nor deer. Yellowed teeth snapped around her face, wincing when an ear was caught. The yelp was a mixture of fury and fear.
She scrambled back, as undignified as was possible and glared with her breath coming fast and heavy. It seemed a stalemate. Iopah glanced at Camio, saw the fresh blood on his feet, and turned back to the scuttling figure with a condemning look. He had drawn blood? Had set his teeth on her pack-mate and thought to escape with his life? No, her feet flew forward without inhibition, that wasn't how this worked. Her morals did not run in the same veins as most others, and there was nothing holding her back now. Nothing at all. She sprang forward, prepared to pursue him to their borders and beyond if needed.
A commotion from behind, out of sight now, snapped her attention around. She stumbled to a halt and alternated between glowering at Lugh's receding limp and and craning her head at the concerned voices rising in the other direction. What to do? Inflict punishment or check on her pack-mates? Finally the latter won out and Iopah raced back to Camio.