Firefly Grove i am brave, i am bruised

They weren't wolves. Their limbs were too spindly, their ears too tall. Not foxes, either. Pip couldn't figure out just what they were, but she knew they were intent on her meal. The little mute had managed to take a young hare who would never have the opportunity to fulfill his duty during this breeding season. She'd caught it fair and square, so what made these two...things think she'd give it up just because they were cackling and circling her like buzzards? Their speech was too fast for her to catch, but they were awfully excited. She backed nervously into a tree, lips lifting around the prey in her mouth in silent threat.

Pip's tail curled under her even as her hackles stood high and bristled on her back. No. She wouldn't give this up just because they wanted an easy meal. She wasn't that easy to steal from anymore. Even if they were nearly as large as she was... A band of bullying bachelors is what they were and she was done bowing to bullies.

The little female set her prey down and hovered over it defensively. She clicked her teeth in agitation at the pair, earning more cackling laughter. One was bold enough to dart forward as if to steal the hare from between her paws. When she lunged for that one, the other was wily enough to snag it away. Determined, Pip lunged for that one and managed to grab it by its back leg. The animal was surprisingly light and she found herself shocked when she was able to throw it to the ground in her anger. His pal pounced on her back, biting at her shoulder viciously, but Pip refused to relent on the now screaming canine beneath her. It relinquished her meal and scrambled away through the snow with drops of blood in its wake. With that one gone, Pip was left to deal with the one on her back. Though its friend had already fled and stood waiting a good distance away through the trees, yipping and yawing for the other to join, the larger male was as equally determined as she was and snarled and screamed. How it could even make that noise was beyond the mute, but she imagined it was just as mystified by her inability to make any at all. No doubt the sounds of the fighting wouldn't escape the notice of any in the vicinity.

The day had been uneventful for Reid he had gotten up and gotten something to drink before he had started on a border patrol. Nothing out of the ordinary. Just another day and then he had heard the racket. It sounded like screaming. Without a thought the red man had turned away from what he was doing and raced off to find the source and figure out what was going on. If there was a fight he wanted to make sure that it wasn't with one of the River wolves and surely not with Sana. That thought made him speed up his paws digging into the frozen earth as he dashed between the trees.

It wasn't hard for him to find the source. All the cackling and screaming an easy guide for him to follow. When he did find the source it took him but a glance to see what was the cause and who they were fighting. It looked like two coyotes had decided to pick on a small female a hare laying on the ground. There was one creating a racket a ways away but that one didn't hold his attention as much as the one clinging to the females form.

His lips curled up to reveal fangs as he snarled. Having barely slowed down to assess the situation he used his force to propel himself at the coyote. Jaws clamped around a back leg and he violently shook the offending figures leg. A loud yelp came from coyote as it realized that it suddenly had more than one wolf to deal with. Reid felt a vicious smile cross his face as he tasted blood and bracing himself he began to pull the coyotes frame off the thin females. It whirled around to snap at his face and he could feel its fangs slice against his muzzle. A growl echoed up his chest as he responded with a hard tug that brought the coyotes form to the ground. It hit with a thud and Reid let go so that he could try and lunge for its throat but it managed to slip from his grasp before he had a chance to reach his goal. Snarling the red man glared at the coyote his hackles raised as it slid up next its friend before turning back to watch them. The two menaces proceeded to yap at each as they watched from a safe distance.

(This post was last modified: Jan 13, 2018, 05:01 AM by Reid.)

Tiny as she was, Pip could put up a decent fight. An overwhelming will to survive could do that. The little mute bucked and twisted and turned and rolled in an effort to shake the coyote off her back, but it clung stubbornly to her scruff. Desperation sank in when she heard a third snarl. Another?? Two were difficult enough to defend against, but three? She didn't know that she could take three.

The odds were more even than she realized. Instead of a third coyote, a wolf had joined the brawl. Pip felt the sudden weight leave her back as the male was ripped away from her. Deciding she wasn't as much a threat as the red male who'd joined in, the coyote twisted to snap at her rescuer before fleeing from his fangs to join the other who stood a ways off. Their yaps and yips grated on Pip's ears and she feinted a charge after them with teeth bared that sent them racing off with no hint of return.

The little female quickly returned to her meal and snapped it up possessively in case the wolf decided to take payment for his help with her meal. She held it close to her chest, chin tucked to keep her prey protected. Pip managed a nervous tail wag, but otherwise held her ground. It didn't matter that he was bigger than her; she was hangry and she'd caught it fair and square.

He had been able to get the coyote off her but now they stood watching and Reid didn't like it. Lowering his head he growled again as the female charged them before pulling back. That was all it took to scare the menaces and they turned to race away from the wolves their forms disappearing from sight. Reid kept his gaze on them until he could no longer see them.

Once he was sure that they weren't returning he gave himself a good shake to fling off the tension that had gathered between his shoulders and to smooth his fur before he turned to the female a grin on his face. However, it faltered as she quickly snapped up the hare before turning to watch him with wary eyes. A snort of amusement came from him noted that her tail was wagging behind her hesitantly. She was wary of him but she hadn't bolted just yet.

I don't want your rabbit. He told her lightly an easy smile on his face. However I do want to know how bad your hurt. The smell of blood was still fresh in the air and he wanted to know just how much of it was hers. Reid knew that a small bit was his and he could feel blood dripping down his muzzle as he spoke. He could grab Lachesis if she needed medical attention but he didn't think his own wounds would require it.

Taking a step forward he tipped his head to try and see if she was hurt badly or not. The fur around her shoulder was messed up and he thought he could see blood but was it hers or the coyotes? How's your shoulder? She was pretty thin as well and that just made Reid more inclined to not take her rabbit. If he was hungry he could grab something from the caches or get something on his own. He didn't need to take her food.

Much to her relief, the male was quick to reassure her that he wanted nothing to do with her rabbit, but was more concerned for her welfare instead. Odd for a pack wolf to share so much concern for a loner, but she supposed any wolf would ally with another against those pesky vermin from before. A quick sniff confirmed he came from the nearby pack led by Lachesis. He'd been kind to her before and it seemed he harbored the same in his subordinates.

With the adrenaline fading, Pip took stock of her injuries. She glanced at her shoulder and gave it a quick roll to better evaluate it and ensure it was still in working order. A memory of another attack on her shoulder brought a pang of grief - the one responsible for that attack was gone from the world. Shaking it away, Pip turned back to the stranger. Just a small wound, really. The brats apparently wanted to make her angry and distract her more than anything else.

The little mute smiled around her rabbit, appreciative of his help now that she knew he expected nothing for it. Since the male already said he had no intent towards her kill, Pip dipped her head down to grasp it with her paws and begin eating right away to stave off the worst of the lingering grouchiness. At the first taste, she was already more relaxed and willing to wag her tail. Normally, she would never eat in front of a stranger, but hard times had changed a lot of things about the little mute.

Despite herself, she couldn't help but offer him a piece. He deserved something for helping. The tawny female tore a haunch free and left it on the ground before carrying the rest of it a few paces away where she lay to eat more from it. She caught the male's eye and inclined her head towards it with a smile as if to tell him it was okay if he had some after all.

Now that the coyotes were gone he couldn't help but wonder just how long they had been in the area. At the moment he could only hope that their scuffle hadn't pushed them closer to Hearthwood were they might try and attack the younger wolves. A frown marked his face as he glanced towards the direction that they had vanished. Maybe once he was sure that she was okay and that she wouldn't need medical attention. Of course, there was also the chance that they had been following her around which did not make the red male think on them favourable but then he hadn't liked them to begin with so there wasn't a problem with that.

His attention returned to her and he watched as she assessed her shoulder even moving it about to see if it was alright. She seemed okay from her movements. She also didn't seem too worried about it so he nodded his head in acknowledgement. If it starts to bother come visit Hearthwood I can grab out healer and see if he can help you out. If Lach was willing to do so would be another matter but he was fairly certain that the other man wouldn't send her away without helping her out a bit. He had helped Reid out after all and he had even irked the man too.

A smile was given to him and Reid's grew larger in turn. Then without even pausing she went ahead and started to eat. The red man decided that he could at least make sure that the coyotes didn't return so he sat down and kept on eye out to make sure that her meal wasn't taken from her. Movement and he saw her tear a piece of the rabbit apart and leave it where it was before she moved away. He stared at it curiously before he looked at her. She nodded at it with a smile.

So she had decided to share with him. He was tempted to take her up on the offer, because why not? It would be rude to refuse, however, she looked like she needed it more than he did. Picking up the offered piece he went and placed it between her paws. I said I wasn't interested in your rabbit besides if you run into those coyotes again you'll need the energy. He told her as he backed off so that he wouldn't make her uncomfortable. Thanks for the offer though. The smile was still on his face to help hold off the sting of the rejection because he wasn't trying to throw the offer in her face. He would have more fun doing that to someone he actually didn't like and so far the small female hadn't made him think ill of her.

(This post was last modified: Feb 10, 2018, 07:27 AM by Reid.)

At his offer for healing, Pip smiled sweetly. @Lachesis had already done so much for her. She would hate to impose upon him again without having anything to show in return for it. Instead, she shook her head. It wouldn't be necessary. Besides, she had to come up with some way to repay him for the first time he helped out.

But Pip turned her attention fully to her meal, gaze only flickering up when the red male carried the rabbit leg back to her and encouraged her to eat it as well. She was grateful for it, for too soon, the carcass was all but picked clean and hunger still gnawed. Being able to consume the leg - with what meager meat it had - was a gift in itself. The mute would flick occasional glances at her companion, curious as to why he'd stuck around. Was he standing guard so the vermin wouldn't come back? That was awfully kind of him. Perhaps he learned such selfless behavior from his Alpha.

In different circumstances, Pip imagined she could be happy with such a pack. Part of her longed to stay with them, but her feelings were complicated. She already had a family. Somewhere... But maybe...maybe they'd forgotten about her. After all, her own siblings had as well when they moved on without so much as a goodbye. And yet, even with that thought in mind, Pip couldn't bring herself to even request joining. What if Kjell and Aegir and Kyrios found her a few days from now and were ready to leave and she was stuck with pack bonds to be broken once again? It had been hard for her to leave Grizzly Hollow before. Leaving again seemed too impossible a task. But that didn't mean she couldn't hang around and make nice, right?

As she polished off the rest of her rabbit, Pip stood and shook out her fur. Once more, she rolled her shoulder. A little achy, but nothing that would prevent her from hunting or otherwise. Before Lachesis had housed her in his infirmary days prior, it would have been a different story. But with rest and food from his caches, she'd regained some of her strength. This meal only added to it. Pip was starting to find herself once more. When Kjell finally found her again, would he even recognize her? She smiled absently at the thought. He better be impressed!

But now came the task of repayment. The red male had helped her, now she was duty-bound to help him, too. Chasing off those bratty vermin seemed like a good way to even the scales. Pip trotted up to him and paused at his side. Next to him, she was practically a dwarf, but that didn't mean she couldn't chase down pesky coyotes! She inclined her head off in the direction they had run, a question in the lift of her brows. Did he want to go after them? She would help!

Once more she denied the assistance of a healer and Reid nodded in acknowledgment. She had smiled so she must have either been thankful for the offer on its own or the gesture that it was. Most pack wolves wouldn't go out of there way for loners that didn't know or even the ones that they did. However, if she thought she didn't need a healer now or in the future for the wounds she had gained that was her decision and he wasn't about to push it with her.

Even as he sat there watching for the coyotes he could feel her gaze on him and he wondered just what she could be thinking about. It was apparent that she either couldn't talk or refused to so it wasn't like he could ask her. He had known a wolf like her once when he had been an omega or lowest. It had only been a month and the two of them hadn't been the closest either before the larger male had been killed. Lost in his thoughts Reid didn't notice that she had finished her meal until she was at his side staring at him questioningly as she tipped her head in the direction the coyotes had gone.

Reid raised his own brow at her. If you're sure you're up to it. He would appreciate her help but she didn't have caches waiting for her and the rabbit she had just eaten hadn't been much to begin with. With a mental shrug, he stood if she wanted to help him that was fine and dandy. The red man gave her toothy grin. But I guess if we're doing this we better get going before those overgrown foxes go too far. Better to put a stop to their wolf attacking days before they actually went after someone that couldn't handle them.

Oh, yes! She was more than willing. Those vermin had to gall to attack her and try to steal her kill right after she rightfully hunted it! They deserved a good chase, and with her belly at least partially sated by the rabbit, she was aching to mete out some justice. Besides, if she had been a pup...things could have ended differently. Pip hoped if Aegir had ever been in such trouble, a wolf would come to his aid or do something to prevent something from endangering him in the first place.

The mute sneezed, head shaking quickly in excitement while she licked her lips. She doubted those coyotes got too far - they were probably hoping to double back after the red male had gone to try again! Too bad for them she'd already eaten all of it aside from fur and a few measly bones that held scarcely any meat at all. It was better left to the birds and not worth the trouble.

Without waiting for the red wolf, Pip took off, her small form racing fast across the snow as she practically glided on top of it. Those coyotes wouldn't know what hit them!

OOC: We probably fade with them searching or if you want we can rp them against the coyotes. Up to you. ^^

Her sneeze startled him but she was rather eager to agree to go after the coyotes as her head nodded quickly. Maybe she was hoping to get some revenge on the creatures. It suited Reid just fine. The more jaws to snap at the overgrown pests the better. If he were to wait they might be able to slip away but with the trail still hot and an eager companion he doubted that they would be that lucky today.

A short bark of laughter escaped him as she raced off not waiting. Then he chased after her because he didn't want her to catch up and have all the fun without him. He was trying to catch up to her but she had a lot more speed than he did and if she didn't slow down a bit he was going to lose sight of her and have to follow by scent.

Oi! Speedy slow down a bit! He called after her still laughing. Speed in this was good but they didn't need to burn themselves out in the process. They would need that extra energy for the scuffle that was coming.

(This post was last modified: Feb 25, 2018, 04:42 AM by Reid.)