The Wildwood Foreign

"Get the sedation, this one needs more."

Lights. Odd scenery. Two leggers. Things that rumbled like storms but moved like beasts. The wolf came to and from, never understanding the mubo jumbo of the skin walkers. What did they want from her? They were...touching her? Rubbing something onto her fur?

A large two legger drew near, and with a small prick in her shoulder it was lights out for Annaliese.

The time that had passed was unkown as the yearling came to. Instead of sand there was....some foreign coldness beneath her. Was that snow? She'd heard of snow before. She blinked her blurry eyes. Everything was hazy and spinning about her. Why did they bring her here? She needed to survive- was this some cruel joke? Ana snarled to herself.

As clarity in her vision came she jumped the gun, leaping forward in attempt to stand on all fours. Instead her hind legs pitifully buckled and a wave of drowsiness washed over her. What was this? Annaliese stared down at her paws before taking in the trees around her. More slowly and precise this time she found her footing. Her still somewhat sedated body trembled at the efforts of the young wolf. She could smell others. Her fur instinctively bristled before realization hit her. She smelt like strangers. Her brows furrowed in disbelief and disgust.

(This post was last modified: Jan 09, 2021, 02:26 PM by Annaliese.)

Currently Annaliese smells vaguely like Valle wolves. During transportation, the humans rubbed her with their scent.

what i really need now is a double shot of crown

Vayko was not amused. The more time he spent here, the more time he decidedly did not like it. At least there were other wolves; he’d run into that one – Huddy, and then of course he had his cousins. There was just one problem: where were all the women? Was this meant to be some fresh internal hell where he was stuck around other men for the rest of his life, only to die off? God, he hoped not. He had no idea who had been subjected to this, but all he knew was that he did not deserve it.

He sighed as he glanced around the god forsaken forest, overgrown in it’s entirety though bits and pieces of it suggested that wolves had lingered here once before, if only distantly. He found it rather disdainful, to drop him and his cousins in a place that clearly was uninhabitable if wolves once existed there but no longer did. He scowled at the very thought… and that was when he heard a feminine snarl in the distance, his ears perking up and eyes wide as he quickly made his way through the woods, latching onto the scent and following it as his life depended on it.

Who knew, perhaps it did. He knew nothing when it came to these lands.

He loathed strangers with a passion, but survival was key. Survival was what he was here for. If he didn’t survive, he couldn’t put his plans into motion. As soon as he arrived, he sized her up, catching sight of her. She was a little taller than him, a little heavier but he was far from afraid of her. “And who are you?” There was that usual brashness he carried in his tone, lest he be trying to achieve something productive here.

“What do you know of this place?” He needed information if he was to get the upper hand around here.

(This post was last modified: Jan 09, 2021, 07:02 PM by Vayko. Edit Reason: table code fix )

A warren of rabbits is hidden under a nearby tree. +3 Health

@Vayko

No sooner had she noticed the forgien scents upon her pelt did she hear the harsh tones of an unkown male. Her lips twitched slightly, tongue slinking out in agitation. She glared at him, then snorted, "No, who are you coming up to strangers and demanding their identity?" She took a shaky step in his direction, eyeing him up and down. He looked as if life had perhaps handed him the paw it had withheld from her. Not to mention the stink of pack life lingered to confirm such...were those scents...were they familiar? Did she...smell like him? She pushed the thoughts back, focusing on the current predicament. He was smaller than her, no doubt she could handle him if needed. As long as his pesky companions didn't show up, that was.

Her ears pressed forward at his next question. We're they both uprooted from their birthlands? She gave him a narrowed, questioning, look. Before she could answer the scent of rabbit wafted up into her nostrils. A dirty little smirk crossed her dark lips. "If you help me hunt, I'll tell you what I know." Not waiting to hear his answer she stepped off.

There was a visible trembling in her posture as the dark female stalked closer to the tree. She was still slowed by sedation and her body weakened. Brown orbs studied the entrance, considering how she might get a delicious morsel.

Currently Annaliese smells vaguely like Valle wolves. During transportation, the humans rubbed her with their scent.

@Annaliese

what i really need now is a double shot of crown

A scowl lit his features as distaste formed on his tongue at the way she greeted him. He was not expecting the wolves here to be so harsh; normally, that was his job. “I am the king of these woods and you would mind me and pay me proper respects.” He’d been there first, therefore he claimed ownership over these lands. Sure, he was just slightly younger than his two cousins, but in his mind, he was also much smarter than both, bless their hearts. There was something oddly familiar about her scent, but he could worry about that later. For now, he was more concerned as to what information she had.

He’d figure out a way to get it too.

He scented the rabbit warren on the way over, but he was far more concerned with getting the lay of the land because of the eager feast his cousins had found with him just two days prior, head tilting to the side as he narrowed his eyes. That dirty little smirk on her features had all the makings of a conniving mind. How interesting. “And if you know nothing? Do you expect to use me for my hunting prowess and then cast me aside? How rude.” The words had a darker nature to them, a light tease in his tone.

She was walking away, moving closer to the tree and he simply sat to watch, intent on analyzing how she moved, seeing if any weakness might give way to how to bend her to his will as he did with all others. Mother had taught him well, thank you very much. Besides, he was not the best hunter, more of a fisher, and so perhaps watching her might give him some indication on how he was to improve now that he had no choice.

(This post was last modified: Jan 09, 2021, 07:03 PM by Vayko. Edit Reason: table code fix )

@Vayko

Annaliese rolled her eyes with a humored snicker, paying him little to no mind. "If you were the king of this wretched, forsaken, snow laden place- She paused, noting how she got briefly carried away in an onslaught of insults. Taking a calming breath she finished her thought, "you wouldn't be asking me anything about it." The expression on her face seemed to offer its own snotty matter-of-fact emphasis to her words. He was as self righteous as packers tended to be. Claiming entitlement instead of earning it. It irked her to the very core of her being. Some wolves had to work hard to see their next sunrise, while pampered pups like him were catered to.

The female's groginess was coming to a cease now, but she still felt rather weak. What ailed her so she could not say but the nasauting idea of it having to do with the skin walkers crossed her mind. They'd done something to her...trapped her, pinched her, put the scent of others on her, and worst of it all...taken her from the coast. The thought made a snarl bubble up into her throat but it was quickly suppressed.

She turned to look back at the boy, a pleased grin upon her features. "Nimble minded, are we?" she teased with a michevious glint, "You're right. I know jack about this land....but. She held the information back, raising a brow, "I have a few details that my interest you regardless." Who knew if he cared to know how they got here but she did offer up an answer to it. If only she got what she wanted. Hopefully he'd be intrigued, and if not, well she'd always got along fine without help before.

The faded black wolfess neared the tree, "Watch for exits, will you please?" She said before digging into the nest. Snow and dirt flung backwards and out to the sides. She gnashed her chompers about and offered a vicious growl. With any luck they'd become frightened by the commotion and attempt to flee out another hole somewhere close by.

Currently Annaliese smells vaguely like Valle wolves. During transportation, the humans rubbed her with their scent.

what i really need now is a double shot of crown

He listened, lacking the amusement she seemed to find in his statement. She carried on the insults and he let out a disinterested sigh. Here he thought she was going to be interesting. “It’s a recent expansion.” He stated dryly in return, his steely golden gaze holding steady and unaffected on her form. If he wanted to be insulted, he would have sought out someone else, someone who knew him better who might actually know how to hit him where it hurt… he couldn’t disagree, however. This land was wretched, forsaken and snow laden… and he would no doubt be the king of it in due time. “Finders keepers.” He added in, because it was a philosophy that only the most cutthroat lived by in his opinion.

He missed the coast. He missed the salty tang the air always seemed to have, but he had learned in just a short matter of time that he could not dwell. He needed to do more than survive. He needed to thrive just as he would have had he been back home. He would find his mark. He would do here what he had failed to do back home due to the misfortune of the year of his birth, of how young he still was. He loathed, it, despised it even. She had a mischievous glint to throw right back at him, a soft snort of amusement as her bluff crumbled around her. “Do you now?” He asked with thinly veiled interest. “I’m afraid I only take payment up front.” He knew at this point she wasn’t stupid, but neither was he and there was nothing stopping her from bolting or refusing to give him information after she had already gotten her fill.

She was a lone wolf just as he, but at least he had his family to fall back on. What was that old saying? The lone wolf died but the pack survived. He was going to lay claim to these lands, or at least some land in the area, soon enough. She told him to watch for exits and he sighed. “Fine.” The words were short and clipped as he moved through the snow that almost brushed against the fur of his underbelly. He watched as she growled, the rabbits running. “Northwest, two of them.” He felt the invigorating feeling of the chase washing over him as he bolted, using the limber speed of his smaller size to his advantage as he rushed the creatures.

(This post was last modified: Jan 09, 2021, 07:03 PM by Vayko. Edit Reason: table code fix )

@Vayko

An expansion? Annaliese didn't hold back the curt laugh that parted her jaws. If that's what he called it to help him cope, then alright. Who was she to deny a packer heir their fancy meaningless titles?

She laughed again, "Losers weepers" then rolled her eyes once more at his childishness. "By the blood and sweat of your brow you reap what you sow." She replied curtly, unamused by the idea that simply finding something meant it was yours. No. Wolves had to make your claim through trial and error. Such was the way of the wilds. Finders keepers only worked if they had a way to back up their runty little blabbering mouth. And undoubtedly he seemed but a coddled child. Perhaps this uprooting was the harshest thing he'd ever even experienced. She wouldn't go easy on him though, she wasn't his ma. Nor someone who'd try and shield someone from realities. No she rather shove them down a wolf's throat and watch them metaphorically choke.

This world was do or die and he needed to get with the program. It wasn't about pleasures, simple survival. Through and through. Claiming a land was just a waste of valuable hunting time. Sure they secured hunting grounds and there's safety in numbers...but being a packer made a wolf soft. What happens if...hey, say the whole family ends up in an unkown land? Like right now. This kid didn't seem to be with anyone despite the scents on his pelt. He also didn't really seem like the type to make it out here all on his lonesome.

"Can tell you how you came upon your...expansion." She threw his words back at him snarkily. "Well I'm afraid that's not how a loner operates sweetheart."  She huffed in exaggeration, an effortless mocking smile on her lips. A few girlish giggles his direction and she was back on task, focusing on what actually mattered. Ruffling up the boys feathers could prove fun, but their were greater things at stake. Her belly grumbled loudly enough for her...savory...company to hear if he were paying attention.

"Thank you"

She sighed quietly to herself, relieved that he'd begrudgingly given into her. This would be easier with a second set of eyes helping. It couldn't hurt him to aid her, what's one measly meal to a packer? To her it was the difference of starving or not...but him? Surely he could jump off his high horse for a moment or two. She dedicated her little bit of remaining strength to her task until he spoke. Annaliese reeled back, pulling herself from the den. Without a second thought she bounded after the rabbits.

Currently Annaliese smells vaguely like Valle wolves. During transportation, the humans rubbed her with their scent.

@Annaliese

what i really need now is a double shot of crown

Her curt laugh was met with a few sharp lashes of his tail from side to side, ears pressing flat against his skull. Never before had he met a loner as infuriating as the one in front of him. She thought she was hot shit, but all Vayko saw was a sack of skin and bones that could be taken down just as easily as any other wolf. Perhaps he ought to fight her, or even go get his cousins to help teach her a lesson, not that he needed them in order to teach her a lesson. He could do that perfectly fine on his own.

It was like she was mocking him, and he felt his nose twitch, his teeth baring for a moment. “Check yourself before you wreck yourself.” He shot back rather hot-headedly. There was a safety in numbers, and he wasn’t a daredevil. He was much smarter than that. He’d rather have an army of minions protecting his throne than the pride of surviving by himself. It was part of the appeal of the Valle, of his family’s ways. Sure, there was the council to contend with, but really they were just puppets for him to exploit as well, weren’t they?

“I know how I came upon my expansion.” He shot back, irritated at her implication. “Strange two-legged creatures bit me with something and I woke up here. Clearly this was their doing. Tell me something I don’t know.” He scoffed before chuckling softly. “Loners are just mangy scavengers who don’t have the social skills to survive in society. It’s the reason so many of them die so get your head out of your ass, would you?” He was practically itching for a fight, but he was not going to be the one to make the first move.

Still, he did take some ounce of pity, and while stubborn, he wasn’t stupid. The harsh winter weather was upon his strange land, and that meant he needed to take a meal whenever he could get one… he could not take food for granted. Even packs didn’t have it easy in the winter. She thanked him and he just rolled his eyes. “Yeah, yeah, just focus on the hares would you?” He shot back begrudgingly before he was bolting after the rabbits. There were two, and they were equal in this hunt so he went after one of them, pursuing it before launching himself at it, landing atop it as he quickly snapped it’s neck with a quick and sharp bite. He left her to her own devices, picking up his in his jaws to make his way back over to where he had first met her. He could afford to take his time, and he didn’t want to watch her chase after some rabbit. It wasn’t his fault he was just faster than her.

He settled down and started in on his kill with a soft hum.

(This post was last modified: Jan 09, 2021, 07:04 PM by Vayko. Edit Reason: table code fix )

Whoa...Annaliese hadn't meant to ruffle his feathers that much. She watched his building agitation, noting any physical changes. Still she snorted at him when he told her to check herself. It was he who needed to check himself, not against her, but this world. His arrogance would surely cost him if he didn't learn otherwise. Packers...she thought shaking her head. He wasn't her problem though, she was out for number one.

Ana quietly mulled over his words with a frown, "I didn't realize with what you'd said." She started picking her words carefully, "Sadly I know as much as you then...but maybe we can help eachother? I'm sure we could find a native to the land." It benefited her to find something out as much as it did him. Her ears pricked forward at his next words, silently taken aback. She hid it well though, the hurt, instead she offered him a softened expression. One a mother gave a child who'd gotten a boo boo. "And when that society crumbles? Packers rarely have the survival skills." her voice tender, "No, we die because we weren't born into a dynasty. We didn't have multiple wolves looking out for us. Instead our parents starved to feed us- gave everything. While packer heirs never need worry." A sour frown briefly crossed her face. When was the last time she'd thought of her family?

“Yeah, yeah, just focus on the hares would you?”

Annaliese growled a little under her breath. She was trying to be nice! He was something. She didn't respond, accepting his rude words for what they were...words. Her legs sprung forward, paws hitting the ground in steady rhythm. She closed in on the rabbit, having to swerve a few times in the process, and nipped at its behind. Her first attempt missed, but she could not afford to make that mistake twice. With little to no grace she snatched up the rabbit and the poor thing let out ungodly squeals. She shook it violently until it stopped then plodded after her new acquaintance.

She nestled down a good several feet away from him, not wasting a moment to shred into the rabbit. She ate everything that she could crush and swallow. The fur included. The remains didn't even include organs when the girl was done. All the while silence filled the air between them besides for the chewing. Blood stained muzzle lifted as she stole a glance his way. A brief thought to make an attempt for his meal crossed her mind, but she decided it wasn't worth it. Wasn't worth the wounds in this weather. Had he been a bit smaller she might've tried bullying him into giving it up. Instead the girl rose up and dared to approach him. She stopped a few feet back and laid down, curling about herself. "Were you scared when the skin walkers came?"

"I was terrified." A genuine confession. She licked some flesh off her paws, "I was fishing in the ocean when they took me. I...I didn't see or hear them. Hadn't known anyone was coming....failed to have my own back. As soon as I left the waters they got me. A painful pinch, drowsiness, and then they were surrounding me. Putting me up into one of those rumbly things. I kept coming to and from...those...monsters were rubbing me with something. And now I smell like a packer." She paused for a weak laugh, "Guess they didn't like me being awake...bit me again and it was lights out. Woke up here and suddenly got some wolf asking me who I was." She shook her head, why was she telling him this? Self pitty? Boredom? Loneliness?

Annaliese laid there, pondering for another long quiet moment shared between the two. "The only thing I can tell you that you don't know, is I'm Annaliese."

(This post was last modified: Jan 09, 2021, 10:35 PM by Annaliese.)

Currently Annaliese smells vaguely like Valle wolves. During transportation, the humans rubbed her with their scent.