Iridescent Lagoon Walking On Broken Glass

After many days spent travelling, Faolán was more than delighted to happen across the large lagoon. As he staggered desperately towards the deep body of water, his legs seemed to give way as he forced his pace to quicken. Large paws clipped the jagged face of a small rock before his body was immediately sent tumbling towards the waters edge. His body landed with a thump and his eyes flickered open to peer listlessly through the thick plume of dust and dirt. A small whimper whistled in his throat, but was silenced by the wind which sighed past his face. Amber eyes crawled along the ground upon which he was currently sprawled awkwardly across, and then glanced ahead towards the water. The sight made his mouth water as his limbs tremble as he strained forwards, tongue brushing lightly along the cool surface of the liquid.

Its taste did not disappoint the young male, for stricken with thirst he would have gladly lapped the murky liquid from a puddle if given the chance, the fact that he had stumbled upon a body of fresh water was nothing less than a luxury. Food was also becoming an issue for the young male. He had grown up with small portions, never had he been daring enough to claim the choicest cuts of meat, he had lived on scraps for as long as he could remember. He had done fine back then, but now, having not eaten in days his body was beginning to suffer. The smooth curve of his ribs where beginning to show through his dense coat of fur. He continued to lap desperately at the water’s edge as him paws slowly shifted his limbs into a more comfortable position by his side. The cool liquid felt good sliding down his throat and his mind began to feel at ease as he relished its invigorating taste.

Slowly but surely aplomb had started to appear in Indru's appearance naturally once again; while the male had always managed to tread quite successfully on the fine line between confidence and arrogance before, since returning expressing confidence had not come quite as naturally. The leader rank had felt heavy on his shoulders as he recovered from his injuries and it had left Indru restless on his security in the position as well as he had hidden it but now, with his strength and health returning he found his confidence doing the same. Leadership had been something Indru had taken to like a fish to water — he had an easy grace and size enough to warrant the role on first impressions and then when that was tested most often felt satisfied beyond that as well. Swift River was home and leading it was part of what made it so.

The Tainn male did not like to leave home for long now, nor did he wish to push his recovery too far, but on occassion and after a good stretch he stretched his usual patrol further, eager to leave his mark throughout the surrounding territories as an even further deterrent. The pack had pups after all, his pups, and it proved vital that he made sure other had a healthy respect of the packs strength, even if for a while it had all be a farce. The Lagoon was not somewhere he travelled too often (having ample water supply at the River he called home) but after a brisk run south from the borders and then west through the Dropping Willows a quick visit had been to enticing to miss.

As usual a foray of stale, strange and unfamiliar scents coated the non-claimed lands of Relic Lore, a fact that had long since become uninteresting to Indru now, especially since mating season had gone and passed. It was only the fresh ones that perked any sign of interest and as it seemed there was only one; a wolf unmarked with the scents of others, a male, and one who had only just recently grown into their adult body. Hesitation marred Indru's confident posture for a moment before he decided and prowled forward, his hackles rising slightly along his spine, his tail rose only just above the height of his back in a quiet confidence and his ears perked forward, alert. Sometime offence was the best defence and Indru was aware that his sheer size could sometimes provide a good tool for such a manoeuvres, he shifted his weight from his still healing leg trying to conceal a small limp as much as possible and halted, waiting, when the brown male on the ground came into view.

Had he not been so calm, he might have noticed the dull thud of footsteps that approached from behind him. His sense of smell could never be deterred however, so when the heavy scent of a dominant male much older than himself drifted past his nose, Faolán could not ignore it. The scent in itself sparked fear within him, made him feel apprehensive and uneasy. He associated dominance with punishment and so his muscles instantly tensed at the thought that such an individual was roaming nearby. His tail shifted to wrap supportively by his side as he tried to hold his nerve and attempted to comfort himself. His ears fell back too, unable to dip his head any lower, he tried to appear as small and insignificant as he could whilst all the while trying to act and appear relatively normal.

A slight shiver ran up his spine, causing his hackles to rise momentarily as he suddenly felt the dominant presence directly behind him. He had hoped that by ignoring them they would have done the same in return. This, however, seemed not to be the case as he now stared firmly at the ground wondering if he should even attempt to look at the individual that stood behind him. Should his eyes wander to high and meet the gaze of his onlooker there would surely be hell to pay. Muscles tensed instinctively and his breathing almost seemed to freeze as his lungs began to tighten in panic. The young male figured the only way he was going to walk away unscathed was if he gave the larger male exactly what he wanted. Submission seemed the most likely option and so, without a single word he struggled over onto his back and rolled his head back against the dirt to offer his throat.

Out of the very corner of his peripheral vision he could just make out the male’s reflection in the water which made him feel a little less vulnerable. Though, needless to say, in situations like these he would always feel vulnerable. He was, after all, offering a completely unknown male his throat – his life – and there was never any certainty that his surrender would be accepted.

When submission was presented so freely it was natural instinct to dominate the other and so Indru's posture shifted instantly from the neutral but confidently poised one he had previously held to one more suiting. Though his tail had been held near level with his back it now raised to a vertical, ninety degree angle to his spine and as he stepped towards the younger male his movements were stiff and rigid, empathising the strength in his limbs. Each step brought him closer to the wolf and then, eventually, over him as well as Indru placed his paws either side of the cringing male on the ground, dropping his nose to the others underbelly and examining the scents on him more closely. It was clearer now that the wolf was not in the best condition, the harsh life of a lone wolf was obvious on him and judging from his attitude Indru felt right in presuming he had never held a dominant role in a pack. The lack of dominant scents on his fur had been obvious enough to declare him a lone wolf before being this close but now Indru could deduce that he had been a loner for some time as any scents remaining on him were stale if detectable at all. A low grumble escaped from Indru's chest in warning as he stepped closer to the others face, his body now crossing the others horizontally and his front paws rested next to the males left shoulder, his nose proceeding to absorb the scents around the other's muzzle. The prey this wolf had caught was meagre at best and it seemed he had not had any for some days, life alone was not suited to this one and Indru couldn't help think his days were most certainly numbered if he remained living as such.

Slowly he followed the path of his front paws, stretching his back limbs over the others belly until he was paused by the younger male's left side. A wolf, even a meek one like this, was useful to a pack and Indru pondered over Swift River and his pups quickly. Letting unknown wolves into his pack was a more important decision with pups around, they were defenceless and their safety had to be considered when assessing the other. For all Indru knew this submission was a farce and ploy to sneak into his pack's safety, but the position and whimpering did not seem new the wolf, and his condition seemed to state otherwise. What do you seek, wolf? His tone was neutral, neither friendly nor unwelcoming, but it had a hardness that expected an answer and also one that was confident that he would receive one. Indru felt no need to point out the obvious, the fact that he lead a pack was clear from his scent alone and the multitude of weaker, less dominant scents that coated his fur and represented his pack mates. If it was a pack that the wolf wanted he was able to offer one.

(This post was last modified: Sep 07, 2011, 04:23 PM by Indru.)

As his limbs splayed apart, paws dangling helplessly at their hinges, Faolán shifted slightly to better expose his underbelly. From what he could see in the reflection of the water, the male seemed for the moment calm and neutral. A sharp sigh hissed past his charcoal lips in relief before twisting his head around and up to one side to gaze meekly at the large paws that stood frozen beside him. Faolán squirmed a little, the centre of his body snaking against the ground as he tried to emphasize his submissive state – unsettled by the silence that stirred between them. The young male had expected an immediate reaction from the much larger male and he was beginning to grow impatient. He hated acting like such a weak individual, but sadly for him it was the only way he knew how to act; he had never allowed to behave in any other way by his siblings or his parents. It was all he had ever known. It was instinctual.

And it was instinct that eventually summoned the larger male to step in closer, stepping towards the boundaries of personal space and then promptly continuing strait through it. Paws stepped over his body, the movements stiff and practised as the older male stood dominant over Faolán. His squirming ceased and his head fell back to the ground again as his body loosened beneath the shadow of his capture, completely falling limp to allow the inevitable inspections to begin. The hot breath of the male sinking through his fur was enough to intimate the young male, for he made not a sound or move in protest. As the male moved closer, muzzle sifting through the hairs towards his throat and face, a low grumble met his ears. The noise seemed to reverberate through his stomach, bouncing against the walls of his chest, causing the young male to freeze immediately and without hesitation.

Scents were samples around his muzzle and lips. Faolán eyes slid shut during such a close inspection, not wanting to stare directly into the eyes of his superior. Eventually the larger male turned away and allowed his back limbs to slowly step over him, abandoning his dominant position over Faolán. Now longer captive, the young male took his chance to do some inspections of his own and now rolled over, half-way into a sit, as he strained upwards to sniff cautiously around the male’s mouth and neck. His dominance was obvious but it was only proved true by the collection of other scents that could be found on his fur. He was a pack wolf – and high ranking. His nose twitched. There was something not quite right. The male was not in perfect health, but them again, neither was Faolán. Dismissing any concerns for now, the young male reached up to lick at the males mouth whining softly to relieve any tension.

”What do you seek, wolf?” Faolán stopped his submissive licking and slunk back down, this time crouching down on all fours. ”Trouble, I – I don’t want any trouble.” He replied nervously.

Submission seemed to come as easy to this wolf as easy as dominance came to Indru, he did not stop to ponder as to why this is, or what caused it, but instead was pleased with the others response and respect of his position. The male froze beneath him as Indru continued his inspections and it only confirmed his speculation that this was not the wolf's first experience in doing so. Indru had yet to deduce if this wolf was submitting only to avoid trouble and inevitably be left alone, or if he had an ulterior motive to try and seek a home as well and when Indru stepped from the male, satisfied, he waited for him to react to his question. The River wolf did not expect trouble from this stranger but even so he decided to keep his height, taking a step closer and lifting his muzzle proudly as the other sniffed lightly beneath his chin, his fiery eyes directed down towards the amber ones as he did so. The scent of dominance coated him like a second skin and so he let the wolf breathe it in as it would only reinforce his control further, it spoke that other wolves respected his authority also. Silence only increased the tension between them and Indru's hackles rose once again to reassert his dominance as the young male continued to examine his own scent without answering the question Indru had asked of him. He felt a tongue brush the fur on the underside of his muzzle in response and then a quiet whine but still he did not receive what he wanted and a low growl escaped Indru as he expressed his displeasure.

Well I am of no mind to start any, the leader replied after the other spoke, though Indru's tone and posture clearly implied that if this wolf did he would not end up in this other's position upon the ground quite so easily. However this stranger had only confirmed what he was already sure about, from his posture an avoidance for trouble was clear, with or without him seeking a pack and so Indru took another step forward, his left paw placed near the others belly, his form once again almost looming over the other. Is it a pack you seek, wolf, or a desire to continue on alone? For Indru was getting impatient, if he wished for peace the leader would drink and then give it too him for he had no desire to stroll around Relic Lore picking fightings. However, a potential pack mate was a whole other matter and one for which he may delay his return home for.

As he sniffed lightly at the male’s coat, taking time to breath in the concoction of scents he felt spark of tension reignite between them both. It was something like magnetism that had pulled him in closer to the authorities figure; the need to get close, to touch and to taste. But now their bodies seemed to repel from each other, as the larger male’s hackles prickled sharp along the length of his spine. Faolán took a few stumbling steps back, creating some space between them before continuing his sensory inspection. He was not aware that those actions would cause displeasure in his superior but was swiftly made aware of the fact. The older male stepped forwards, closing the gap that the younger male had just moved to create. “Well I am of no mind to start any,” Faolán paused and sat quietly. The tone in his voice made him uncomfortable and so he avoided any physical contact from that point forth.

He watched in slight confusion and dread as the larger male continued to close the gap between them. Faolán could sense, could feel, that the male was no completely trusting of him. Tension rippled like electricity between them. He had hoped that by licking at the male’s muzzle, like a pup would to its superior, all tension would have been broken. But it was beginning to seem as though the young male’s attempt to tap into the male’s nurturing side had failed. Instead he was once again dominated, as the older male loomed over him, once again closing in on him. Faolán tried to show his submission once again with a small whine – pulling back his lips into an uneasy ‘smile’. Ears flattened against his head and his tail now tucked tightly between his legs. ”Is it a pack you seek, wolf, or a desire to continue on alone?” He knew he couldn’t last much longer alone. He didn’t trust this wolf, but he was hungry. If he could join a pack it would mean he would be fed. His tongue tugged apprehensively along the corners of his mouth. ”Pack..please?” He almost seemed to beg.

As much as Indru wasn't a sadistic wolf he used, like any wise leader, dominance to get what he wanted from the other, especially a wolf where submission had seemed to come naturally so far. When pushed that much further the wolf gave him the answer he wanted and as his tailed curled beneath his hind quarters Indru relaxed slightly, his fur lowering to rest precariously along his spine once again as the tension dropped once again now his orders had not been ignored. Yet Indru kept his closeness to the other and the advantage of his height as if it was a home he wanted, his home, he would need to get used to Indru as his leader. What is your name? Their was aplomb in Indru's speech and nor was it quite as distrustful as before, so far the wolf had not challenged his authority and had corrected any mistakes Indru had felt he made. The wolf by his feet reminded him of his younger brother Kenai in many ways, not in appearance but in his attitude, submissive wolves were not useless to a pack after all, they played a calming role within the ranks and Indru had begun to miss his brothers presence once again when tensions were so high.

Now that this male had caught Indru's scent he had no doubt that if he were to stumble across their borders he would know who they now belonged too. My pack is to the north east of her, our home is near a swiftly flowing river. They were a recovering pack, no longer weak but with wounds, yet still Indru was confident they remained the strongest in the area, and with pups they would only get stronger still. The smell off his offspring should cling to his fur rather freshly so this wolf would know they were not a pack without future, and that truly is where the strength of a pack laid. Slowly Indru lowered his head from its proud position, his jaws opening to gently grasp the muzzle of the male in his own, his teeth resting against the fur but not breaking the skin. Heartbeats passed and then Indru pulled away, his tongue brushing against the place his jaws had just left to reassure the male once more.

Faolán’s answer seemed to please the larger male, for his posture became more relaxed which enabled the young male to relax a little himself. The tension that had sparked between them had faded, giving Faolán the opportunity to shift his weight fraction so that he now crouched alongside the older male, raising his body ever so slightly. His ears remained flat however and his tail did not uncoil from beneath him – but it swayed subtly, a sign of respect and acceptance towards the more dominant individual who continued to loom over him. It was clear who was in charge but somehow that no longer seemed to bother the young male. He felt more comfortable now that they both seemed to be on neutral terms and looked at the older male in a new light, seeing him as no immediate threat. ”What is your name?” The young male’s ears perked momentarily at the question, and remembering the warning he had received after the last question, answered immediately. ”Faolán, sir.” He addressed the older male in a respectable manner having yet to learn his name.

As his amber eyes wandered across the floor and up the large paws that stood firmly in front of him. A breath of wind swept past him then carrying with it a distinctive scent. Black nostrils flared and followed the ribbon of scent directly towards Indru’s injured leg. His eyes scanned the healing wound quickly, a shy concern shimmering in his lucid gaze, before he turned away. It was not his place to ask any questions but his curiosity continued to linger even after he had dismissed the idea of asking how it got there. ”My pack is to the north east of here, our home is near a swiftly flowing river.” Faolán licked his maw as he turned his head in the direction he had described, chin tipped curiously. The thought of meeting potential new pack-mates both scared and excited him, so much so that he realised a small yip, unable to contain his mixture of emotions as he glanced back and forth to the male. Indru’s jaws slowly reached down to clasp a firm hold around his muzzle. Faolán’s anxiety settled, now reassured with a light lick to his nose. Faolán shifted slightly, pressing his nose closer before leaning in to brush his cheek firmly along the male’s side – placing his trust in the male he now hoped to call his leader.

(This post was last modified: Sep 08, 2011, 01:46 PM by Faolán.)

The wave of Indru's tail, still held above the height of his pack, gave sign of his approval at the wolf's quick response. Indru Tainn, the leader responded, the pack mainly consisted of his kin, but all of those accepted were considered family. It was redundant to state the number of the pack as the scents on his fur gave him that information; it was the strongest in the area and that was the most important fact. Once the male had been accepted, pushing his muzzle against Indru's side in response, Indru pulled away satisfied that the younger wolf was calmer now that the anxiety had fled the meeting. Now, however, Faolán's fur was conflicting in the smells that covered it; it had traces of a dominant wolf but no full claim to make him pack. To fix this Indru pulled away from him briefly before dropping down to a crouch to brush his side up tightly against Faolán's, their fur intermingled and the young male's scent joined in with the myriad of scents on his own, but most importantly Indru's more dominant scent marked the others, the weaker ones of the pack brushing over the submissive male thus making him pack. Indru stepped over him once again but only to repeat the same over his back and then his other side, soon Faolán would smell of the place he would think of as home.

When Indru was content that the other would be recognised as a River wolf, and thus granted the protection the label gave, he pulled away from him and left a space between them, an invitation to rise. Indru's tail rose and his head was raised proudly as he waited for the other to lift to his feet, a quiet reminder of who had claim of dominance between them. Let's go home, Faolán, the leader suggested, a grin on his face and his stiff tail took a moment to wave excitedly. Just before Indru turned in the direction of home, missing it already, he placed the weight of his maw on top of Faolán's, a reassuring gesture and one of acceptance, before he pulled away again and started to lope back towards the river expecting him to follow.