Larkcall Lowlands Scritchity-Scratch

His swipe landed straight across Askan’s jaw, which seemed to snap the brute into giving a verbal response and consequently release the painful hold on his thigh. Golden eyes widened as Askan questioned him sarcastically as the brute’s dark form towered over him. Their faces almost pressed together, Lorcan reiterated through gritted teeth. “Yes.” He growled as he shifted himself back onto all fours, paws spread apart and hackles raised as he kept himself low to the ground in defence.

“SHE WAS DROWNING!!” He snarled, finally reaching the end of his tether. He didn’t deserve to be abused. He had done nothing wrong and he was not going to put up with such violent behaviour. “I pulled her from the water!” He shouted, less viciously now. His brows arched into a frown as he glared at Askan. Why was he so protective over the pup anyway? Was she his? His golden gaze blinked back momentarily towards the area where the small dark pup had once lay, as he considered their possible resemblance, jaws parting in horror as he spotted the young girl sprinting towards them – for a split second he began to shake his head towards the pup, to tell her to stop – but Askan’s snarl snapped his attention away.

His eyes blinked back to see Askan’s head reared up and his jaws parted, fangs flashing as they plummeted down towards his neck. Twisting in an instant, Lorcan coiled his head away and a split second later his paws followed in the same direction, hoping to avoid another potentially fatal bite with the sudden manoeuver. He hadn’t noticed the pup clamp onto Askan’s ankle, his eyes now fixed firmly on the brute should he try to strike him again.

# P O R C A N

sometimes, two people have to fall apart to realise

how much they need to fall back together

Who would have guessed that Lorcan was such a compulsive liar? Askan certainly wouldn't have. He didn't seem that way during their first encounter, then again looks could be so deceiving. Combined with the fact that Askan wasn't a great judge of character, he probably should have seen this coming, or at least anticipated that Lorcan wasn't all what he seemed.  It was safer just to assume that everyone was his enemy until they proved otherwise. He felt like a fool, and how he was paying the price for it.  At least this time he'd be able to sort out this mess once and for all.

Askan dismissed Lorcan's lies with a bitter growl, and his following actions simply made Askan all the more irritated. He was a squirmy one, it was difficult- almost impossible- to latch onto his throat with him flailing his paws around like that. It was an effective defensive technique, but Askan had fury fuelled determination on his side. He wasn't going to let this little trick stop him. Askan felt a sting of pain on his back right leg, as though a bunch of needles had been pressed into his skin.  It hurt! It wasn't agonising, and Askan could have ignored it if he pleased but it was enough to catch his attention and to make him pause.

He didn't know what he had expected. This whole scuffle had been in Percy's defence, but it hadn't occurred to him that she would actually get involved. In a way, in the back of his mind, he was glad that she had. If she was up on her feet and biting down onto his leg then it meant she was okay, right? She wasn't hurt. But at the same time he was completely baffled, taken back by her presence. What was she doing diving in like that? What sort of idiot would interrupt a fight like this? Did she have no sense of self preservation? Probably not, she was just a pup still, she clearly hadn't thought things through.

Askan remained frozen for a moment longer, before he sagged. He was still pent up, he was in dire need of some sort of coherent explanation, but there was no way he was going to keep up his snarls and snaps with Percy clinging onto his leg. Thank the Gods he hadn't shaken her off in a fit of temper. It had been... close.

"Let go." Askan's voice was cold and callous, far more so than usual. His eyes still glinted with unquenchable anger, no doubt, he was still royally pissed off, but he was willing to back down for the moment.  "Pup, let go." He repeated, unwillingly dragging his gaze way from Lorcan to look at said pup.

She understood the words he spoke, but the tone was so foreign. Eyes narrowed in a challenge as lips curled up to wrinkle her muzzle. She didn't like that voice at all.

With a wet cough she released the limb but if she thought she would move back, he was sorely mistaken. As much displeasure as it caused her to admit that she had needed help, killing the man so he never told anyone wasn't on her list of potential fixes for the problem. Her shoulders hunched forward as she stomped forward, mimicking the way Askan moved when he was feeling particularly grouchy. She stepped between the two adults and tried to lock eyes with the towering beast before her. When he wouldn't look down she rose up to balance her forepaws on his chest with a shove back towards the trees.

Percy made a show of shivering, she still hadn't taken the time to shake the water from her coat. "Let's go," it was the closest she had ever come to pleading with the male. "I'm cold and wet and I wanna go home." The itchiness of earlier in the morning all but forgotten as she pushed with all her might again. "Let's go!"

(This post was last modified: Sep 14, 2016, 11:38 PM by Phoenix.)

“Let go.”

Lorcan’s brows furrowed in confusion, his muzzle wrinkling in agitation. He wasn’t even holding onto the brute.

“Pup, let go.”

Charcoal lips parted momentarily as a snarl bubbled in his throat, ready to voice his protest against the swarthy brute before he noticed the male had in fact turned his yellow glare elsewhere. Lorcan’s golden eyes followed in the same direction and his eyes widened in surprise and horror as he spied the small wet pup which clung to Askan’s ankle.

With Askan no longer looking, Lorcan took the opportunity to slink out from underneath the brute’s towering stance, traipsing low along the ground to move away and get himself safely out of the firing line. He turned his head once to acknowledge the blood which oozed from the bite on his thigh, his top lip twitching in discomfort as he tried to ignore the pain for the moment. Instead he opted to stand, limbs spread wide and neck hanging low in a defensive stance so he was ready should Askan turn on him again.

The pup’s cough snapped his attention back and he watched silently as she released Askan’s ankle. Inwardly he breathed a sigh of relief, relieved that the pup had not been injured in the scuffle, but his hackles quickly raised in unease as he saw the pup stomp right up to the brute and planted herself right between them both. Russet ears fell back and his posture slackened in defeat, unwilling to continue the confrontation whilst the pup was in the way. Golden eyes blinked first to the brave pup, then to Askan, muscles stiffening awkwardly as he watched the pup attempt to shove him away, a look of disbelief plastered across his face. He silently pleaded for Askan not to retaliate, for that was a sure way to start the scuffle all over again as Lorcan would then feel obliged to protect her.

Lorcan watched in disbelief as the shivering pup demanded to leave, shoving the swarthy brute again. “I would take your daughter’s advice, Askan.” There was a subtle twinge of threat in his words. Should the brute wish to start on him again, Lorcan would have no qualms with calling for his pack mates to give Askan more than just a slap across the face. His golden eyes searched for the pups and he attempted to offer her a nod in thanks should she succeed at making the brute exit.

# P O R C A N

sometimes, two people have to fall apart to realise

how much they need to fall back together

Askan didn't even notice Lorcan wiggling out from underneath him, but if he had it was unlikely that he would have made a move to stop him. With Percy clinging on as she was,  he didn't dare to make a move in case she got caught in the fray. As the seconds passed, his temper began to simmer and wane. He was still royally pissed, make no mistake, but it wasn't enough for it to actually force him into action. He could resist the urge, even if it was a trying thing to do. Enough that he had to grit his teeth and squint in effort.

When Percy finally let go, Askan lifted his paw gingerly off the ground, before adjusting his stance so he could put less weight on it. It wasn't enough to make him lame, he'd be able to walk well enough, but the stinging warranted some sort of effort to lessen the discomfort. He was sure it would wane in a few minutes or so, so it wasn't too much of a bother. He'd be fine.

Percy was at the centre of his attention, and Lorcan temporarily forgotten. He wasn't an idiot, he knew full well what she was trying to do, but when she pleaded like that and even tried to physically push him away he didn't have it in him to deny her. For all the good it did, she might as well have been trying to push a mountain out of the way, but for her he conceded. He drooped his head, closed his eyes and inhaled deeply in an attempt to calm down. It worked, somewhat.

He had just been about to admit defeat when Lorcan had to go and make himself known again. Askan's eyes snapped open and darted to the other wolf, who was now standing a safe distance away. The Yukon wolf bristled and his tail stiffened in annoyance. Askan was no mind reader, so of course he couldn't have anticipated what Lorcan was going to say. But the words that passed his lips were certainly odd ones. Daughter? Askan glanced at Percy and then back to Lorcan. He supposed that he and Percy shared a slight resemblance, based solely on the fact that they were both dark.  But that wasn't enough to jump to such a conclusion. The idea of him being a Father was truly.... Disturbing, so much so that Askan  didn't know what to make of it. 

Before he knew it, he was scowling again. "She's not mine." He stated, as though it were obvious. It should be obvious really, who in the world would want a child of his? 

That was all he was willing to say to Lorcan. He didn't want to look at the bastard, let alone even talk to him. He wasn't worth his time or effort.  Percy on the other hand most certainly was.

Askan sighed, and shook his bulky shoulders. He was starting to feel a little stiff. Their tumble to the floor had been forceful, and now he was starting to feel a little sore. No doubt he'd have a few bruises to show for it. The scent of blood lingered in the air and he instinctively knew it wasn't his, nor Percy's (thank the Gods.) Askan felt no pity nor regret, the bastard had gotten what he deserved and there was no way that he was going to get an apology. He didn't deserve one. 

Percy on the other hand did not deserve his ire, so Askan did his best to smother it. "Yeah, alright. Let's go." He responded eventually, his voice stiff and strained. 

Turning his back on the Whitestone wolf, Askan motioned with his snout for her to follow. They were done here, Askan wanted out.

(This post was last modified: Sep 15, 2016, 05:04 PM by Askan.)

@Askan and @Lorcan I'm gonna archive this one now, thanks for the great thread!

The stranger was barely acknowledged with the tip of an ear turned in his direction when he spoke, his words little more than static in her ears as most of her focus was on maintaining a cross enough expression to try and make Askan move. But she heard his response. It was unexpected, and it hit her like a knife in the heart. She's not mine. Brows drew down in confusion, mouth slightly agape. She would have no problem telling anyone he was her Askan, so why wasn't she his? So wrapped up in her own racing thoughts she missed the cue and the shake of his shoulders was enough to dislodge her. She hit the ground with her forepaws rather heavily, her head dropping just a little lower. Could this day get any worse?


But this was hardly the time or the place. With a small shake, finally dislodging some of the water from her dripping coat she tried to look back and offer the stranger a thank you smile but she couldn't manage much more than a grimace, her tail waving once, then twice in thanks before she set off after Askan leaving space where usually she would be pressed against his flank jumping at his face. She doubted she would be able to talk him into keeping this one a secret, and she had to mentally prepare herself for the scolding to come.