Ghastly Woods take me to church

@Karina
Partly Cloudy, 43F

The sun was slowly becoming more common than the clouds. Graced with rays of white light, the earth was beginning to warm – and with the longer days and milder nights, the male found his coat was beginning to blow. Once freed from his den, he began to roll in the damp earth, rub up against the scratchy bark on trees. It was a long process, but it meant spring-time was coming, and with the fairer weather would come greener pastures – and better things to eat. Licking his chops, Kjors rumbled pleasantly at the very thought. It was the tail end of shedding, by the end of April, but he still had longer patches of fur to be rid of. With half a mind to head north towards the spring for a swim and a roll – nothing got rid of unwanted hair like a good mud bath. Before he did, however, he had more immediate needs. A quick check of the wind told him Urotho was still in her den – whatever she was doing was not his business, the timber wolf simply wished to know where to find his companion if he needed to. Turning his head, he lifted his snout again, cheeks puffing in and out as he tested the breeze for anything to eat. Alone, and hungry, he had not the patience or effort to hunt another fawn for himself. There were plenty of birds about, though he reckoned those would be more flighty than the fawns – of course, that left the possibility of a squirrel. Or perhaps a rabbit. Deciding the last idea was the most appealing, Kjors shifted towards the thicket. That would be the best place to start.

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The River princess’s unusually sensitive nose was hard at work, guiding her through the dreary woods. It was starting to get dark—either it was near sunset or she was entering a spot in the forest where sunlight didn’t penetrate.  In this whole wide forest, the only thing she had to go on to find Kjors’ den was “a dead tree”.  Her friend had forgotten to mention that all the trees looked dead, twisted and gnarled with only a few trademark, withered leaves clinging to their branches. Karina drew to a stop and released the salmon from her jaws. The large fish flopped down into the dirt, one dead eye staring up at the pup. Karina shivered. She didn’t like dead creatures at all, and a fish had been the only thing she could stand to cart along with her—she couldn’t imagine if it had been a rabbit staring up at her. She knew she needed something to convince Kjors, and maybe if he was reminded of how well fed pack wolves were he would consider going with her back to Cut Rock River.

“Kjors?” she called, a slight tremble apparent in her high pitched, puppy bark. Truthfully, the child wasn’t even sure if she had found the correct “ghastly wood,” because every strange place appeared frightening and unwelcoming to her. The fish continued to stare at her with its vacant expression, making the situation all the more uncomfortable. Now that she had let go of the pungent fish, she could smell her friend’s scent all around. If this wasn’t Kjors’ densite he had at least been here recently, and perhaps he was still in the area. “Hello? It’s Karina..” As she called a second time into the still air of the wood, she wondered if it was such a good idea to be making her presence known in this strange place. What if it wasn’t Kjors that came to find her, but something else?  Something… scary?

   

    
 

The snap of a twig alerted him to the presence of another in the wood – for a moment, he paid it no mind.  He was upwind and only assumed it was the badger-like wolf who shared the area with him.  The motion without a greeting or a call only furthered the presumption that it was Urotho.  Ears flicking back forward, the wolf slowly lowered himself to the ground, slowing his breathing as his belly dusted the damp earth.  If he wanted to catch a rabbit, he would have to use stealth, followed by a quick shot of speed.  The hunt was an art he'd long mastered, but prowess did not guarantee simplicity.  He'd just scented a burrow and begun to inch forward into the brush when his name echoed among the trees. Perplexed, he lifted his head, ears pivoting in all directions.  The squeak sounded nothing like his traveling companion – the massive female sounded more like thunder and rain than she did a distressed damsel.  He'd only cast it off as a trick of the woods when a second name bounced through the gnarled trees.  Heart skipping a beat, the dragon quickly abandoned his post.  Undergrowth snapped under his paw pads as he surged through the woods.  The shadows cloaked him as he scented the air aggressively, ears straining as he waited for another call.  Karina did not summon him again and his pace increased, only stopping once he'd targeted his young friend. Trotting up to her side, the grizzled male reached out to brush his muzzle against hers in greeting.  "'lo there, Princess," he murmured, an unusual waver in his gravelly voice.  Kjors took a step back to give the female a once over, golden orb searching her for any sign of damage.  When he found none, he allowed himself a satisfied huff, and then he did address her again, casual drawl returned.  "Yer here, Princess.  Wha's wrong?  Y'okay?" He did promise she could come if she ever needed his help – and here she was, long from her pack home.

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(This post was last modified: Apr 23, 2015, 08:06 PM by Kjors.)

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

The Baranski princess whirled around upon detecting a stranger’s approach, wide eyes searching until they landed on Kjors’ familiar form. ”Kjors,” she breathed, smiling as relief flooded her. “I- I thought you were…” A bear?  A wildcat?  A monster?  A figment of her imagination dreamed up out of desperation for someone that understood her? “You’re here!” she finished, equal parts glad to see him and proud of herself for finding him. She lowered her body as he approached, tail thumping the ground as he reached out to greet her. She graced his chin with a few small, reverent licks, as she might greet her parents or a close family friend. Her companion pulled away to survey her, and Karina watched as his golden eye flicked up and down. He was just as she remembered him—not a figment of her imagination at all!

“Oh...” was her small, sheepish reply to his question, ears and tail drooping as she assumed a very guilty expression. She hadn’t meant to worry him. “I’m fine, I’m not hurt or anything. I just wanted to see you.” Was that wrong? She didn’t recall Kjors telling her she could only visit for emergencies, but now that she thought about it, it was an awful long journey for a mere social call. Karina was beginning to feel a little silly, and that damned fish eye staring at her mockingly wasn’t helping things at all. How ridiculous it was for her to expect a busy man like Kjors to just be waiting here for her, ready to drop everything at her beck and call. He had his own pack to build, after all. “I have something to tell you,” she offered with an uncertain glance back at the salmon on the ground. It glared back at her as if to say, get on with it!

   

    
 

A dragon, he didn't finish her sentence. Ah'm a dragon, lassy. Couldn't she see his wings, hidden and tucked away? Couldn't she feel the fire that burned in the pit of his belly, radiating heat and power from his core? Before he could continue on the self-reverent path of thought, Karina piped back up after greeting him properly. (And wasn't that a nice change of pace?) "Oh, Ah see. Couldn' stay away from ol' Kjo," the male rumbled, a sick sense of humor glinting in his moonlight eye as he leaned in to nibble at her muzzle again. In truth, he hadn't much expected to see the youth again lest she need something from him. While the timber wolf had no reservations about such a prospect, it startled to see her here for with no selfish intentions. The wolves in these woods were strange, he determined silently, and gingerly took her muzzle in his mouth in a more affectionate greeting. Once she was given a little shake, he finally allowed her some space – and finally cast his eye over the dead salmon staring back up at him. "Y'brought a fish," he deadpanned, expression as lifeless as the salmon staring back at him. Despite his apparent sang-froid, something stuttered in his chest, sparking up his spine as he stared down the cadaverous creature. Was this— An offering? Something unbidden leapt with glee across his mind before forcibly stuffed into a dark recess, the man's thoughts racing behind his single eye as he slowly lifted his attention back to his companion. "…y'brought me a fish, Princess?"

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The pup giggled as Kjors’ teeth tickled her nose, her own maw yawning open playfully.  Still a little wound up when her companion pulled away, she snapped at the air a few times before settling in place. Karina’s periwinkle eyes lit up in silent agreement with his statement, and thank the gods—he didn’t seem annoyed with her at all. Karina shot a satisfied look back at the taunting salmon, and the eye that stared back at her was dull and lifeless, humbled for now. The child’s glance returned to Kjors, whose eye couldn’t be more different, full of vitality and drive; a single smoldering ember in a bed of ashes and coal.

The swarthy man directed the conversation back to the dreadful fish, and Karina shuffled her paws in the dirt. How was she going to explain that?  Kjors repeated himself, this time asking it as a question, and Karina knew she was going to be expected to come up with some sort of reply

“Well… yes,”  she began, surprised to hear confidence in her own voice. “You see, we live by the river, and this is mostly what we eat.  We always have extra..” The salmon watched her smugly, a sure sign that Karina was losing her train of thought.  “Anyway, I thought you might be..” Hungry?  No, she couldn’t say that! Kjors was a grown man, he could hunt for himself! “..Interested in tasting it. In case you were considering maybe joining us. Cut Rock River.” Karina went back to shuffling her feet. She had no reason to think that Kjors had given her pack a second thought at all, especially with ambitions to create his own following. But still.. it was worth the try.

   

    
 

For the record, I listen to 'take me to church' on repeat while I write replies to this. * _ * Really sets Kjors' mood for me, for some reason.

Elation flushed through him like a wicked poison, setting his skin alight and electricity racing through his pelt. Karina had brought him a gift. Karina had brought him a fish. His flag began to wriggle behind him furiously as the man fought to main his too cool façade, but the wild grin reached his golden eye as he leaned forward to lick the princess' muzzle in unadulterated glee. Someone knew. Someone understood. Why, if she wasn't a dragon herself (and he was not yet convinced she didn't have wings hidden under that demure demeanor), she could mostly certainly be a dragon priestess of some sort. She understood. "Yer a clever lass, yanno tha'?" he spared her before leaning down to tear into his gift. It was still fresh, blooding his muzzle as he crunched through delicate bones and tender flesh. It was so sweet! The new delicacy cavorted across his tongue in the most delightful way – hungry as he was, the lone wolf made quick work of the salmon's head and belly before pulling up his snout. With a shake, he flung iridescent scales into the damp forest floor. "Ah've been tryin' fer ages t' catch one a' those lil' bastards. Y'might have t' show me how, sometime," he rumbled, leaning down to nose the remain of the kill towards the lass. She might be hungry after her effort, of course, and if he was going to foster a favorable relationship, it would serve Kjors well to show her some kindness. "Y'wan' some, lass?" he asked, licking his chops as he allowed himself another moment or two to consider her final thought. Cut River Rock. He hadn't put it entirely out of his mind – he'd only met wolves he liked from the group. Aleksei would be a fair companion, he thought, and had already proven to be a worthy hunting partner. It went without saying that he had a soft spot in his little black heart for the bleary-eyed princess standing beside him. He certainly wouldn't mind seeing Amisun again – there was plenty he could learn from the botanist as well. "Suppose Ah might be. Depends on if yer folks would have me, darlin'. Ah ain' always – pack material. Ain't got no love 'fer bein' bossed 'round. Long as Ah'm left t' me own devices…" The dragon offered her a casual shrug. "Ah can behave myself, Ah suppose. Depends on who's askin'. Yer pack askin'? 'er is it you, gem?"

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That song is SO Kjors! It has the same ominous, powerful undertones as his character, and it also has the odd spiritual references, just like him..

Karina watched as her companion tore into his gift, and she was so glad to see him enjoying his meal that she nearly forgot to be squeamish at all the carnage. In truth, it was a relief to see that judgmental eye disappear into Kjors’ hungry jaws. They could finally be alone. Karina wagged her tail at his compliment, though she simultaneously tilted her head in confusion. “Cleverness” was not a trait she was typically praised for—well, not outside Lachesis’ den at least. She couldn’t think of a thing she had done to deserve to compliment. The swarthy male spoke again as he slid the remains of the meal to her, and Karina realized he must have thought she caught the fish herself. She agreed to his suggestion with a half-smile. Just because she had picked out this particular salmon from the cache didn’t mean that she hadn’t caught fish (albeit considerably smaller ones) in the past.

“Thank you, sir,” she piped in a small voice before picking through his leavings delicately. Though she avoided meat for the most part now, fish she still took no issue with eating. Unlike deer, or rabbits or other critters, a fish’s fear was not palpable during the hunt and they did not scream in pain as they died. She perceived them as somehow less animal-like, and so she consumed their flesh without guilt.

The princess looked up from her meal as Kjors finally answered her question. She blinked, surprised to hear that he had given her and Cut Rock River some consideration. The pup nodded at his concerns, which were valid, though she couldn’t imagine her own parents as really being considered “bossy”. They required sufficient respect when the pack was gathered, but otherwise just seemed to keep to themselves. They rarely commented on even their own children’s’ affairs, let alone those of the rest of the pack. Karina doubted she would see them at all in the weeks following her younger siblings’ birth.

“It’s.. its me asking,” she admitted at last, wondering if that was what he was looking to hear.  “But I’m sure Leki and Ami will speak for you too.” Karina paused, searching for something to say that would make the River sound more appealing. “You have to submit to my parents.. but as long as you’re contributing they will leave you alone.” That was true, wasn’t it? Mark the borders occasionally, add more to the caches than you take, chase off any intruders, and you are considered a valuable member of the pack. “Really!” she insisted, fish carcass all but forgotten. “Tell them... tell them you can teach me how to fight with my sight disadvantage.” Her parents had certainly gotten wind of how poor a fighter their daughter was.. how could they turn down an offer like that?

   

    
 

Such a princess she was, delicately picking through her half of the prize. The male allowed himself a knowing smirk – clearly, the little one had never gone hungry in her life. You only had to starve a handful of times before you began to gobble your food down in case it was another week before you had another chance at a meal. Still, he made no comment, allowing her to eat and speak in her own time. Here, near his den site, they were in no danger of predator or hunger. They could converse leisurely, until it was time for Karina to return – and then he might consider following her back into pack lands he had neatly avoided until this point. Once she was done, he leaned forward to lick bits of tender pink flesh before he tipped his head as she explained her parental units. While the entire idea of submission was less than ideal, Kjors was well aware he would not find an alpha who did not demand such things. Perhaps more importantly, it seemed he would be left well enough alone as long as he caused no civil unrest. "Since yer asking, Princess, Ah'll consider it," he rumbled, turning his head. "C'mon, follow me this way." Turning about as the wind shifted, he followed his nose – it was a shame he hadn't scented this kill before he'd gone hunting. But then again, he'd been given a gift, and that was entirely more satisfying than any energy spent on a well-executed hunt. Picking through fallen branches and bounding over large rocks, the timber wolf drew to a halt as they found the abandoned deer kill. Eye gleaming, he leaned in to help himself, and then paused, ear flicking towards Karina despite his empty socket. A few mouthfuls later, he spoke again. "Suppose Ah could offer tha'. Was thinkin' a bringin' them some a' this – though Ah suppose y'said y'got plen'y o' fish. Ya wanna fight, gem? Ain't you got nobody to fight for ya?"

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