Red Fern Forest {BWP} I spy with my little eye

OOC: Anyone: feel free to pop in! @Sachiel (or whoever you want! No pressure. He's just the character name I copied to tag you)

I feel numb, born with a weak heart

Vaken yawned deeply, laying comfortably beneath one of the many trees. He looked happy, but a little tired. His fur was tangled and his legs were sprawled out on the forest floor. He looked oddly content in his placement. His mouth hung open while he panted, enjoying the warm weather. He had been hoping to find more wildlife here, find some food. His hunting endeavours had been only mildly successful, and it was showing on his body. His bones weren’t jutting out, but the outline of them was there. Only where his fur was the longest did he look well-fed and plump, and that was only an illusion. Already small in stature, his failed hunting missions made him look even more thin and frail. He grunted softly, wondering if he should try to hunt again before dusk.  

He wasn’t starving, just mildly hungry. He had found an old rabbit carcass a few miles away, and the proof was there. Dried blood stuck on the fur beneath his mouth and along his throat. It made him look a little more intimidating. He lapped at it with his tongue desperately trying to taste the remnants. All he could taste was dirt, but it didn’t stop him. He wanted to taste fresh meat. Picking at leftover bones and fur was unsatisfying and truthfully disheartening. His eyes were narrowed in concentration, deep in thought. The smells were overwhelming, hard to differentiate. He was vaguely worried about some scents: fresh wolf, coyote, other predators? He sighed. It was too late to leave the area. Who knows what he’d be walking into. He felt it was safest here, despite how strong the possibilities were of danger. He would sleep the night away under the tree.

He pressed his head between his paws in denial, completely relaxing. He was staying put. If he needed to, he could out run whatever was coming his way, hopefully. Maybe he’d only take a short nap and move out at night somewhere where the smell of wolf and coyote wasn’t so strong.

(This post was last modified: Jul 11, 2018, 01:38 PM by Vaken. Edit Reason: trying to fix broken code )

currently travelling with Circe (she can jump in any of his threads)

Apparently the boy was a glutton for punishment.

Or encountering coyotes. Maybe both.

But instead of seeking out his peppered sidekick, @Hawthorne, Sachiel ventured out into the crimson forest on his own once more. Maybe, subconsciously, he was hoping to encounter the “girl who looked as though a bird had shat on her face” (as @Askan had so eloquently described her) once more. It had been a few days since he had seen her and he was beginning to wonder if she was no longer interested in staying.

His shoulders rolled, indifferently, at the thought.

Whatever.

He had not expected her to hold up to her promise. Unless she proved that she was a wolf of her word Sachiel had no reason to trust her.

He kept a quick pace as he maneuvered through the scarlet ferns, his mismatched eyes scanning his surroundings to ensure that there were no mangey coyotes lurking around. It was certainly possible that he’d encounter another one (or three), as they seemed to be fond of the territories surrounding the falls. It made him wonder how many Hawthorne had encountered on her own… wasn’t he supposed to be keeping her safe, too?

His nose twitched as an unfamiliar scent pulled him away from his thoughts. His steps began to slow as the crimson forest became more vibrant. The fur on the back of his neck bristled as his tail rose and aligned with his back. His posture did not relax even when he realized that the scent belonged to a wolf. He spotted the blonde and black wolf nestled at the base of tree, his maw sporting the evidence of a fresh kill.

Are you aware there’s ‘yotes around here?

Sachiel could ask himself the same thing but he kept his composure, expression hardening as he studied the golden-eyed stranger.

ridge is a mature character

aka he curses a lot due to his frustation with his memory loss

x

ridge associates colours with moods/feelings & uses them to describe others

You realize that two coyotes have been following you.

OOC: Looks like we got company. Hopefully someone else joins and helps us fight these bad boys off

I feel numb, born with a weak heart

The smell of the approaching wolf hit Vaken like a brick wall. His eyes narrowed instantly and his fur raised. He didn’t growl, but the fear quickly turned into adrenaline. His body moved quickly in an upright position. His paws slid underneath him to stand and his back straightened out. All signs of his fatigue vanished. He was in a dangerous situation. He hadn’t experienced too many wolves in the area, and seeing this one scared him. This wolf was a bit taller than him, and quite a bit larger in frame. Vaken thought about it for a moment, questioning his own fighting skills. Could he take on a wolf slightly bigger than him? His eyes lightened in consideration, but then he scoffed at himself. He knew that it was a stupid thing to even consider. Even a small wound could mean life or death to him without the resources of a pack. He was brave, but not stupid.

He consciously tried to drop all signs of aggressive. It wasn’t worth the risk. His tail lowered slightly and he attempted to relax his fur. He didn’t want to egg on any rough housing. When the wolf spoke, Vaken completely withdrew any signs of hostility. The sound of the wolf’s voice was comforting. Surely if the male was trying to warn him of danger, he wasn’t a physical threat. He nodded slightly and let the words register. His shoulders lowered and he licked his chin once more.

Coyotes. Yes, he had smelt them in the distance. He took another inhale of breath instinctively, realizing the smell was heavier than before. He hadn’t noticed it over the other wolf’s scent. He didn’t think much of it, shifting his weight until he was comfortable. The stranger had his full attention. "Yes," he said carefully. “I’ve smelt them around." His voice was confident and hard, but he was being polite. There was no bite to his words. He was alert, but trying not to appear menacing.  

He took another breath, and this one made his fur bristle again. The smell was definitely closer now. The adrenaline had returned, but rather than be targeted at the stranger, it was targeted behind the stranger where two pairs of eyes had appeared. "Didn’t have a problem with them until you came around," he noted with light humor, jerking his head forward to point them out. He tried to hide his fear this time, but lowered his head in warning to the approaching coyotes. They must have heard them talking and come over to inquire.

He let out a warning bark. When the coyotes kept their pace forward he growled and yipped again. Normally that was enough to warn them away. He had experienced coyotes before, but they were normally not this aggressive. Vaken counted two of them stalking forward. He didn’t like those numbers. Two wolves versus two coyotes would be risking it, and Vaken wanted to avoid danger at all costs. He raised his voice, letting out a bunch of growls and howls to alert the coyotes that he meant business. If Vaken was bigger, or there was another wolf, Vaken would have been more confident in his ability to scare them off. With only the two of them, the coyotes posed too big of a threat.

I guess I must be having fun

(This post was last modified: Jul 11, 2018, 01:40 PM by Vaken. Edit Reason: fixing code. )

currently travelling with Circe (she can jump in any of his threads)

“Sachiel, are you an actual coyote magnet?”

He might have rolled his eyes if the situation weren’t so problematic. That they weren’t going away was bad enough – but it seemed like the young Leigh-gone-Selwyn had a beacon plastered to the top of his head that screamed ‘HELLO COYOTES COME BOTHER ME’. It was a damn near miracle they hadn’t followed him into Shallow’s Edge yet. (Not that Reyes expected – or even considered – that the yearling might not come home, but they were so brazen already, when would the next step be taken?)

The alpha rolled up next to the Edge yearling, considering the loner for a moment. He might have blamed the stranger, but – well, he was perfectly aware of Sachiel’s increasing streak of awful luck lately. He cupped his ears forward. “You ain’t lookin’ half bad for a guy who’s had to compete with all these coyotes lately,” he quipped, “though it looks like maybe your kill’s brought ‘em closer.”

@Sachiel -- Bad dad is here to help, 'aayyyyy.

(This post was last modified: Jul 11, 2018, 12:17 PM by Sahalie. Edit Reason: fixed 2 open divs )

Unfortunately, for Sachiel, the coyotes appeared to like him. Maybe he should have stayed in the shallows, where the frequently marked borders kept the vermin at bay. He was a beacon for these creatures and seemed to attract them no matter where he went or who he was with. Askan and Reyes were going to be pissed.

Didn’t have a problem with them until you came around.

A frown deepened across his tawny features as he turned in the direction that the dark strange had motioned toward. What th— He almost uttered an apology, as it was likely Sachiel that had attracted the coyotes to the loner, but the dark male had uttered a warning bark at the pair of coyotes. A bugger off! type of bark. For whatever reason, he started, his words pouring through his teeth as the fur on the back of his neck bristled, these ones don't give a shit. They ain’t scared of us. And it was incredibly frustrating.

Sachiel, are you an actual coyote magnet?

The boy’s eyes went wide as his head snapped to meet the glacier pools of his leader. Immediately his ears swept back around his crown as he flashed the male an apologetic smile. He’d gone off on his own again—after he and Askan had told him to take someone with him. If he didn’t get a scolding after they fended off the coyotes Sachiel was going to be very surprised. Three against two, he commented as he glanced back at the loner, his mismatched eyes swept from wolf to wolf, the odds are in our favour. Flee or fight 'em off? The last question was directed at his scarred leader as a mischievous expression rolled onto his tawny features.

ridge is a mature character

aka he curses a lot due to his frustation with his memory loss

x

ridge associates colours with moods/feelings & uses them to describe others

I feel numb, born with a weak heart

There were too many surprises for Vaken’s liking. The small male didn’t know where to direct his eyes as the new stranger approached, rotating from the coyotes to the two pack members. He watched from his peripheral vision how the younger wolf reacted to the dark brown male. They clearly were familiar with each other. He jolted his cold stare back on the coyotes. Of course they were familiar, they smelt the same. They were from the same pack. Connecting those puzzle pieces didn’t give him any satisfaction. With the threat closing in, he didn’t have time to read the body language of either wolf too extensively. He didn’t even get a good look at the muscular new form. He was too afraid to even break eye contact from the coyotes for a second.

His ears flattened more against his head as he stuck his neck out. He was too busy snarling to speak, clearly ill rehearsed in politeness. He didn’t like danger, and he was in a lot of it. Saliva dripped off his glistening fangs, his pupils dilated and his body tightening each muscle.

He knew he should run. He was quick, and with any luck the coyotes would be too distracted with the other two to follow.  This was a lot of action in a small amount of time for the loner, and when the going gets tough. He felt his legs twitching to run, the muscles vibrating beneath his thick fur. Keeping himself safe was his only drive. He wasn’t pack. He had no obligation to stick around and befriend these two wolves. Regardless, he felt it was in his best interest to stay put and make possible allies.

Three against two.

Vaken dug his claws into the ground. He knew what those words meant: fight. He didn’t question his own capabilities. He wasn’t muscular, or even well-fed, but he was another body and that’s all they needed. He was quick and had a sharp pair of teeth. He grunted between his growls, clearly in agreement. Instinctively, he flashed his gaze over to the newest stranger. That’s when he saw just how bulky he was. Vaken’s growls stopped instantly while his eyes followed the trail of scars to his grey eyes and muscular back. He should have known from his voice how strong he was. He had to force his gaze away and back on the coyotes, but he wasn’t growling nearly as desperately. "I’m surprised they’re still even coming at us,” he stated calmly, cracking a small smirk. "I know I’m not too much to look at, but hell- this guy?

He let his smirk turn back into a growl when he heard how close the coyotes had become.

I guess I must be having fun

(This post was last modified: Jul 11, 2018, 01:42 PM by Vaken. Edit Reason: fixing code )

currently travelling with Circe (she can jump in any of his threads)

You know what? It was nice to be appreciated sometimes. He kinda liked this guy. Sure, his mood was foul because of these damn coyotes and he was always a little suspicious of loners near the pack kids, but-- Well. This particular loner wasn’t so bad.

Reyes cracked Vaken a toothy grin before rolling his shoulders, allowing himself just a moment to shake thick muscles out before giving a short nod. Warnings weren’t working. Chasing them off had worked, but not for long. They weren’t gonna let them off easily.

“Oh, we’ll get ‘em. We’ll feed ya if you help us out.” He nodded to Vaken – they could have introductions after – and hey, if he wasn’t so bad, maybe he’d get more than a free meal. He rumbled then, ears pinning backwards, and then his tail flagged, the guard hairs on his spine bristled furiously, and the dark wolf burst into a rush. The coyotes hadn’t been cowed by the barking, but they clearly hadn’t been expecting things to go from zero to one-hundred like this. The pair paused, waiting to see if the other wolves followed suit.

@Sachiel @Vaken -- Sorry for the wait, guys!  Feel free to boop me, especially since it's BWP.

(This post was last modified: Jul 11, 2018, 12:17 PM by Sahalie. Edit Reason: fixing 2 open divs )

The dark strange seemed apprehensive at first; rightfully so. Two strangers showing up, out of the blue, alongside a pair of coyotes? It was a little too coincidental. Part of Sachiel, deep down in the pit of his stomach, almost felt guilty. The coyotes had taken a liking to him since their arrival in the Lore. He did not know why, nor did he care to ask. He wanted nothing to do with the mangey creatures.

But he couldn’t keep running from the coyotes.

He had narrowly avoided them on a number of occasions, but there was only so much running he could do. How was he supposed to be a coyote bounty hunter if all he did was run from them? Sachiel knew that it was situation dependent. If he was on his own it was both stupid and reckless of him to try and taken down a gang of coyotes. But with numbers why not challenge the mutts?

He sprung into action seconds after his dark leader rushed forward. He was aiming for the mutt on the right, his brows narrowed darkly with determination. Without hesitation the boy flung himself at the canid, his jaws reaching for the coyote’s scruff in an attempt to knock it off balance.

@Vaken

ridge is a mature character

aka he curses a lot due to his frustation with his memory loss

x

ridge associates colours with moods/feelings & uses them to describe others

@Reyes

I feel numb, born with a weak heart

When Sachiel pounced, Vaken adjusted his attention to the coyote on the left of Reyes. He wasn’t strong, but a single coyote wasn’t too large of a target- not if he was quick. He opened his mouth and closed it on the soft flesh on the vermin’s side, letting out a deep growl. He didn’t need to kill the creature, he just had to scare it. He nipped at its legs and gave it a heavy push with his body. When the coyote tried to bite back, Vaken danced out of grasp.

He normally avoided physical confrontation. It usually wasn’t safe to risk injury. He trusted these wolves to help him though, and that kept him fighting. When Vaken shoved the coyote again, it seemed to get the message. It hesitated, then looked between Sachiel and Reyes, realizing it didn’t stand a chance. Before Vaken could say anything, it sprinted off into the woods. He smiled proudly, puffing his chest a little more to brag about his success. “I might have to take a rain check on that free meal,” he admitted.

Vaken mimicked the body language of Sachiel. It was clear now that Reyes was the dominant wolf, so he bowed his head respectfully in his direction before standing straight. “I’m heading south. I’m trying not to make too many stops.” He hated to turn it down, but he wanted to get some more distance before nightfall.

I guess I must be having fun

currently travelling with Circe (she can jump in any of his threads)