Vigils Keep it's not a stick

RE: Judas, you disturb a snake who is bathing in the water. @Ellery

Judas Archer hadn't realized how much the lands of Vigil Keep had grown on him until he had been made to leave it, trekking down south to the Shallows territory for 'forgiveness'. When he returned home it was with a satisfied sigh and he had lazily and tiredly moved into the vast cavern of the communal den to rest off his travels.

By the next morning he was awake, restless. It was still very much early and though normally he was a night stalker his travel to the other pack had thrown off his schedule. Outside he would be happily greeted to an overcast day, many white clouds cluttering the skies though seemingly without any true threat of rain.

He went for a stroll as he had time and time before, moving along the territory of his home as he worked on getting to know it like the back of his paw like he had Devilsbite Dell. Down to the lake he went where the edges of their territory markers lie. The lake water was crisp and cool as always and he took a few steps in, lapping up some at the same time. Unfortunately, he was not the only resident this early morning. A northern water snake lay nearby in the shallows bathing, content with a full belly. Judas had otherwise missed it's warning as it readied itself to strike...

tags for @Neha @Nineva and @Elias but no posts until okayed from Vami and I c:<

she smiles like a georgia summer

Mother and Papa were both back and all was right with the world again. Boy, had she missed both of them. Things were still tense around the Keep, but not nearly as bad as what they had been. Ellery hadn’t been asking too many questions about the situation, which was unusual for her, because she didn’t want to stress her parents out anymore than they already were. So, she was exploring a bit on her own. She wasn’t as bored, being able to explore their kingdom on her own. She would gather questions throughout her travels and ask the silver matriarch or the blonde right hand until they’d tell her to hush and go to sleep.

She was meandering her way through one of the corridors she’s become familiar with when she caught the fresh scent of the dark Queensguard Judas. Always happy for the company of her packmates, the girl followed the scent. Twisting and turning through the eroded passageways, finally she came upon the rocky beach that the path led to. A dark spot in the distance grew larger and larger as she neared, proving to be the one she was looking for. Her platinum jaws opened to woof a greeting, but she was stalled by a strange sight.

A thin thing, looking to possibly be a stick, bobbed up above the water just behind the man. Yet, as she grew closer her hackles began to raise. It was no stick, but a snake instead! Her and her Mother had come across them a few times before in their travels and the girl had been instructed to give them a wide berth. She’d been told that their bites could make her very sick and she’d done good to obey the warning. But, as the animal coiled in preparation to strike her unknowing packmate she found she could no longer do such a thing.

With a snarl, the girl ran forward teeth bared and tail flagged in aggression. For a moment, it seemed as if she was moving to attack Judas. Yet, at the last moment she swept forward to sink her teeth into the body of the reptile. Having never fought one before, she didn’t know to bite it just behind the head. So, instead she grabbed it by the middle. The girl was quick to move away, distancing the dangerous predator from the one it had been setting its sights on. She violently swung her head, growls rippling through her throat. But, the growl was replaced by a yelp in a moment’s notice. The snake had coiled back, sinking its fangs into her neck. She released it, skittering backwards as her neck seared with a pain that was foreign to her. A strange, growling-whine escaping her jaws as she kept a distance from the northern water snake. Blood trickled down from her wound.

she laughs like the sound of thunder

Warning for curse!

Judas was so blissfully unaware, lapping up the water, shifting in the cool water. The rush of padding feet is what only caused his attention to turn, lifting his head and tossing it around in time to catch the little snarl placed on the princess of the Keep. His body tensed, eyes wide as he braced himself for her assault. Maybe she was angry because of the drama he had caused with that other pack? Maybe she was angry cause he had the hots for her mom? He tried to find an answer but doubted either of those and as that second or two slipped by, it became clear that she hadn't been charging him after all, but a snake that had been just near, angered at Judas sudden arrival in the water he had been soaking in.

She lunged for it, taking it by the middle and yanking it viciously away from him, all to Judas surprise. Was he just saved by a kid? Though as she drug it away, the creature lurched in it's own defense, striking Ellery at her neck. The yelp caused Judas to jump and in an instant his shock turned to worry. "Shit, Ellery!" Okay, so maybe he wasn't the best influence. Like, at all. But he still cared for the safety of the pup and her getting bit was not something he had wanted to happen on his watch.

Jumping out of the shallows he pounced at the snake himself, grabbing it by the tail and tugging it away from Ellery in the same fashion she had for him. It turned, striking a blow at Judas front ankle, but not enough to save it. Judas but down hard, releasing and then biting again, this time closer to the head. The snake didn't land another strike before it was dead at the black youth's feet. "You okay?" He asked the pup, walking towards her and then lifting his injured ankle with a crinkled muzzle. "Gah, it burns."

she smiles like a georgia summer

Judas was quick to grab the snake, though in a moment’s notice her efforts to save him were extinguished as he, too, was bitten. Her auds laid flat against her head, a sharp frown very reminiscent of the one Nineva wore when she was displeased etched onto her young face. But, the man succeeded where she had failed and killed the snake, the girl making a mental note of the technique he’d used.

He asked if she was okay, mentioning the burning, and it was at that moment she realized exactly what had just happened. The adrenaline was starting to wear off despite her still rapidly beating heart and she winced at the throbbing sensation that was spanning across her neck. “Yeah. I’m okay,” she replied, giving herself a shake in an effort to relieve some of the pain. “Mother said snake bites can make you sick. I tried to help,” she said, though a small squint was given to his bite as if to say fat lot of good it had done. “She’s gonna be really mad,” the girl sighed, wincing again at the movement as the burning slowly started to get worse.

she laughs like the sound of thunder

(This post was last modified: Aug 11, 2018, 12:39 AM by Ellery.)

She said that she was okay, which Judas would have accepted had it not been for the fact that she, too, had gotten bitten and not only had she but she had on the neck. He couldn't help the sheepish expression over his muzzle as her expression was made when saying she had tried to help him, keep him from being the one who got bit. "Ah, we Archers are strong - I'll be okay." He spoke, hoping the words would be enough to insure the little girl that he would be just fine. Truth of the matter was, Judas knew very little when it came to snakes. His mothers had used them to their advantage at some points or so the 'stories told' but he didn't know if this was was truly deadly to the wolves or not. Obvious worry ran through Judas' mind but he did all he could to shield the expression from forming over his features.

"Ooooh, yeah she is." He spoke, a half-hearted chuckle making way past his lips as he came closer to the girl. "But don't worry. I can take the rap for it. I'm used to your mom being angry with me." He spoke as he came to settle down near the little girl. His paw did really burn a lot and it felt as though it were throbbing. He wondered if it was just because he had been bitten or if something was really wrong, if it would get worse... "Lemme take a look at ya." He spoke, nosing his muzzle through the furs of her neck.

Elias didn't like being away from his pudding, but he knew that following her around like a shadow probably wasn't the best idea either. She needed room to breath, to be herself, without having to worry about what her Pa thought. It was on one of these rare occasions did something happen to go wrong, as hecking always. The scent of blood had Elias skittering along, his eyes wide with panic as he narrowed in on his wounded daughter.

What had happened? Why was she bleeding? Heck, why was Judas bleeding?

The Selwyn paced back and forth, his ears pinned to his skull as his tail curled between his hindlegs. With an ungraceful thump he pressed his stomach to the floor so he was on his daughters level. He looked tiny-as much as he could manage, anyway- but this was better than pacing till he toes hurt.

"Are you okay?" He shoved his snout against her fur and inhaled, only to snuff down till his nose was inches from the wound on her throat. He reeled back, his eyes wide. He couldn't tell what sort of snake it was, but he knew a reptile when he smelled it. "Oh El. Does it hurt, what can I do?" He would have done anything to take the pain away.

What if the bite made her really sick though? What if he lost her like he did her brothers? No no no, surely they could do something. They had wolves who knew about plants, maybe they could help.

He belatedly realised that Judas had suffered the same fate. Oh. Well now he felt a little bad for ignoring him, though he supposed it couldn't be helped...

she smiles like a georgia summer

Judas didn’t seem all the concerned about their current situation, which did help to ease her worries a bit. After all, she may have been smart for her age but she was still a child. Judas was an adult, a big. Maybe he knew something that she didn’t. Still, her pale lips turned down with a displeased look when he mentioned that he would take the trouble from her mother. He hadn’t done anything wrong. He hadn’t know there was a sneky snek waiting to ambush him where he stood. He’d just been in the wrong place at the wrong time. And, even if Ellery did get scolded she would take it lightly. She knew in her heart that what she’d done had been right. The girl had a strong sense for those sorts of things.

She flinched away when Judas started nosing through her fur, the pressure making the burning even worse. A well-known scent wafted over her and she turned to find her father limp-walking quickly over to her. Oh, great. Instantly he was all over her, looking at her with those wide blue eyes. The girl let out an exasperated sigh. “I’m okay, Papa. Maybe we go find Mother?” she said. If anyone could really help at that moment, it would be the silver matriarch. If they were going to be in trouble, they might as well get it over with.

she laughs like the sound of thunder

(This post was last modified: Sep 01, 2018, 10:41 PM by Ellery.)

Years later... Brought this babe back to life so it can at least get finished and archived properly so it don't suffer in the dead section. Sorry guys for dropping the ball.

The damn slitheren sneky snek... Judas grumbled to himself, trying to keep his calm in the situation. Having lived with mothers who liked to dabble a little bit in poisons, he had been told that even if all bites hurt not all meant extreme sickness or death. Judas could only pray to Moon Mother that the water snake by the lake was just that and not another type which looked quite similar and yet far more deadly.

The girl flinched from his nosing and he huffed, knowing he wasn't sure what to do other then lick it clean and slap some mud on it. By then Elias was rushing forward, causing the black leggy youth to back away from the pup. His tail tucked against his stomach, ears back, he fell to the ground and nosed it his little girl. Judas dark grey eyes rolled, cutting to the side as he stood away. There was no stopping the odd feeling in his gut when he saw Elias, knowing very well that he had an eye for the same woman whom Elias had a kid with.

Once Ellery spoke up, Judas got into a kick start, only now noticed by Elias that he, too, had been injured. Passing the golden wolf a glance, Judas brushed passed Ellery, set on her idea. "Yeah we should probably have her and Neha take a look sooner then later..."

(This post was last modified: Nov 13, 2018, 02:35 AM by Judas.)