Poison Path Reconnoiter

Set just after Ash has passed by on patrol, so it will probably be a while after this if anyone decides to jump in. Also, the snow should - for the most part - have covered his tracks by this point (that is if anyone decides to jump on it).

It hadn’t been enough. Their offering wasn’t enough to satisfy Unelanuhi. Blackcrow’s curse remained, and so, the sly wolf watched. The pack he saw below was divided, their turmoil plain for anyone with eyes to see. Two queens in a deadlock - A pack divided was hardly a pack at all, and their routine was exactly that. Predictable. It sent a shiver of glee through his core to watch the soft wolves of the west. So ignorant, so vulnerable. There were three here, a young girl, as pretty and innocent as the first... a dreamer, but it hadn’t been enough before. The dark child was cautious, he would be far more difficult to lure out... but it hadn’t been either of these who had caught the dark males eye. The third had fur the colour of the sun. A sight to see, for sure. Headstrong, rebellious. He could be such an easy target with time. Perhaps his eye-catching pelt was a sign. Perhaps he was marked for the gods? The dark smile that stretched his face was shared with the empty expanse of snow. For now, they were outnumbered. But this was not a time for action, this was a time for reconnaissance. The closest pack to their tainted home - these would be ones to keep an eye on. The stranger turned then, as the snow began to fall again, to continue down the mountain. It was time to begin.

{exit}

(This post was last modified: Dec 31, 2012, 09:54 PM by Slyscar.)

After his patrol in the morning, Ash had taken some of his own time to catch up on rest. It had been some peaceful time for himself, and now, after hours had past, he was going back for another. His paws thundered against the ground at an easy pace, his green eyes scanning the territory, pleased with the white scene before him. When he wasn’t too far from the borders, he froze, his nose twitching at the foreign scent that had crossed their borders. His light mood that had traveled with him after he had rested was no more. All of his mood was replaced with pure rage. Who had missed their patrol? Surely, he he had done what he was suppose to do. Someone else had either been slacking off or completely missed their shift.

His eyes flashed and his pelt bristled in anger. There was going to be a discussion about this right now. No sooner and surely no later. Lifting his muzzle up he called for Kamota and Steel, his voice commanding them to come to him. His tone was filled with anger, and if Athena or Tlarx wanted to join their little gathering, then Ash would surely enjoy himself. His tail lashed behind him in anger as he waited, trying to map out who had patrol this time and a part of him screamed…saying that it was Ava’s shift…but he had been sure Kamota or Steel had taken up her patrols…he had spoken to them about it. With a loud snort he waited, his anger releasing itself, trying to rid of it before his two pack mates arrived.

I think I've finally seen the light..in you.

The burly black and white wolf was worn to the bone and taking one of his infrequent rests. The cool smooth boulder that he lay upon felt as soft as a bed of leaves to his tight muscles. With Ava gone, it gave him even more reason to do endless mindless patrols. He rarely met anyone at the borders, be it by chance or the fact that Mountains and their surrounding area were not overly hospitable to strangers. The land itself discouraged newcomers. Despite the extra patrols, he was content. He was left alone for the most part, which suited him just fine.

As he was laying his white muzzle on equally stark paws a howl split the air, a command to appear. Steel bristled at the tone of anger and demand that laced Ash's voice. Even after all of this time, his first urge was to leave and avoid others. But this was Ash, Athena's Second and head Guardian. Much as he hated being under the control of another, by placing himself under Athena's will he also placed himself under Ash. With a low growl and a shake of his two-toned head, he rose stiffly to his tired feet and headed off, heeding the call.

When he approached Ash, he lowered his tail slightly and dipped his head a smidge lower than his Second's. It was the best he could do... it was the best he would do to show another respect. He would grovel and supine himself for no wolf. Not even Athena. They could take it or leave it. His dark blue eyes met the bright green one's of his pack mate. "Ash." He respected the male, but he'd been on his own for far too long before joining Poison Path and been far too tainted by his mother's teachings to humble himself for anyone.

Kamota had been a bit farther away from Ash, patrolling the borders to make sure they were well marked, keeping his eyes out for prey as well. He hadn't rushed anything to prevent Ash's anger, but a call went out summoning him and Steel. It was from Ash and Ash sounded angry. What did I do? I've been patrolling like he was instructing me to do. He broke into a run, never letting his eyes waver from the borders, not even at the scent of a hare. He arrived and went into submission as fast as he could. "Ash." He responded in welcome, he was in trouble, but for what. "Sorry it took me so long to get here. I was patrolling farther down the line." He apologized for the state of his punctuality.

He then noticed something, probably why Ash was angry, there was a loners scent, or at least a foreign scent on the territory. Shit, if I had gone a bit faster I would have caught this stranger. He scolded himself as he looked at Ash, it seemed the loyal and vigilant second was pissed beyond relief. He let his eyes waver to Steel, the guardian did not seem to be affected by the Seconds anger. This made Kamota curious, was he the only one who feared the wrath of other packmates angers? Surely not, he'd been stretched thin by his own problems. He had brought Namara into the pack and needed to keep an eye on her, he'd needed to hunt to keep the cache clean and he had to patrol twice a day due to Ash's wishes.

-Like a phoenix, I rise from the ashes.-
~Anger is a short madness.

His heart beat did little help to calm him down, his nerves reaching their high peaks. His mind continued to race, his head wrapping around the facts that had been laid out in front of him. Another wolf, not marked as Poison Path had walked into their territory right under their noses. He had been on his correct shift and he didn’t like it when other wolves slacked off. They were here for a reason and if they didn’t find it good enough to patrol the borders to protect the pups then they would definitely hear a word or two from him. When Steel arrived he quietly nodded his head to the male, pleased that he had arrived quickly. His submission was put into consideration and Ash quietly observed him. The guy looked exhausted and Ash knew that this was a man of hard work…that would only mean Kamota.

When the other man arrived Ash didn’t bother in any hesitation and when the smaller wolf’s words registered to his ears, he stared with a start for one moment. Why was Kamota on his shift? That was it then…the gray male had been doing Ash’s shifts while the second was still doing the runs. His green eyes flashed, this was the other man’s fault. His shift was to have been right after Ash’s this morning. His tail flicked behind him, a sharp growl emitting from his chest, “A wolf, not of us, has walked over our lands…shortly after my shift this morning. One of you, missed your shift, care to tell me who it was?” His green eyes gleamed as he looked at the gathered…of course lying to him would do no good, for he already knew the answer. He just wanted to see if the boy would tell the truth to the large Second.

I think I've finally seen the light..in you.

Steel's exhaustion had dulled his senses somewhat, which was why he finally allowed himself to rest earlier. He would be no good to his pack if he missed things. That was also why it took him a moment to register the unfamiliar scent well within their borders. The tracks had been mostly covered by fresh snow, but the underlying scent was like a smack in the bi-colored wolf's face and his lips lifted in a silent snarl, stormy blue eyes locked in the direction of the offending scent and tail lashing in anger.

Ash remained silent until Kamota arrived a while later, greeting the Second and going into complete submission and apologizing for his tardiness. Steel let his lips cover his fangs once more and glanced briefly at the smaller male, before Ash began to speak, almost snarling the words out. “A wolf, not of us, has walked over our lands…shortly after my shift this morning. One of you, missed your shift, care to tell me who it was?” Missed shift? He hadn't missed a shift. In fact, part of the reason he was so worn was because he pulled an extra midnight shift, when the others were asleep, safe in the den that he avoided like the plague.

The burly wolf glanced at Kamota once more, wondering briefly at the mix up, before his stoic gaze moved forward once more to a random spot on his ranking wolf's chest. He kept his usual stoic silence.

Kamota hung his head low, he knew the punishment was coming anyhow. "I was hunting and I didn't notice the time until I had missed my shift. I'm sorry, I really didn't mean to, I was on the trail of prey to try and keep the caches full." He said, he would admit that the duties he had missed had filled they're cache a bit more and he knew he should have been on patrol. He'd caught a vole and some mice. It wasn't full necessarily, but with Ava now gone, he was the only one who was suppose to focus mainly on hunting. "It's just I have to focus more on hunting now with Ava having disappeared." He told them, he couldn't do everything, he was only one wolf, he couldn't do it all.

Kamota was ready to accept the criticism and punishment that was to follow. He avoided Ash's and Steel's eyes. He couldn't face them after that, he'd failed to do one of his duties, despite the other one being to feed the pack. He was charged with guarding the pack borders as well, and he knew it. He kept his tail curled up against his belly, and he was use to being submissive from his childhood. What will Ash do to me? Is it true that I'm the last person right now going for the official 'hunters' title? If so, what will happen? I have a duty to the pack to hunt. I'm no guardian, I'm no fighter.

-Like a phoenix, I rise from the ashes.-
~Anger is a short madness.

His cold eyes looked over the ones gathered and his gaze met each of theirs…expecting an honest answer from one of them. When it finally came, they flashed towards Kamota… This was his second strike and if he earned a third one Ash would be sure to kick his ass straight to the curb, no looking back into the decision. With a stiff growl, Ash listened to his words, a hidden anger growing within him at the words of focus more on hunting now that Ava has disappeared. The brute glared at the male, having being reminded of his lost partner once again. He turned towards Steel nodding his head to the large quiet man. “Your presence is no longer needed, Steel…thank you.” He then nodded his head and waited for the gray man to depart before his green eyes turned onto the cowering form of Kamota…time to scare some serious shit out of this guy.

His fangs were instantly revealed and a threatening snarl erupted from his muzzle, “May I make it clear that the rest of us aren’t handicapped? Just because Ava is gone doesn’t mean the rest of us have slacked off, like you. We can hunt just as well as you, I’m sure. Don’t you doubt the rest of us!! We share our jobs equally with one another in Poison Path and do what we are assigned, along with other jobs on the side when we have time. You were assigned for that border patrol, and because you missed it, another loner came through out lands. This is completely unacceptable.” By the end of his rant his muzzle was in Kamota’s face, as if he were forcing him down to be under him. He was the superior, and he surely didn’t appreciate it when others slacked off. Punishment was to be ensued.

I think I've finally seen the light..in you.

The burly blue eyed male listened to Kamota as he stammered out an apology and an explanation. He sent a quick glare in his direction. Truly, he didn't care what any others did as long as he was left in peace and Athena and the young were safe. Because of Kamota's slip up, both of his basic needs had been messed with and he was not pleased. He left it at the dark look, since he could see the storm brewing in his second's eyes and knew that the lad would already be in a lashing.

When Ash told him that he could go, he gave him a brief nod and took his leave without a backward glance. He still had a small amount of time tor rest before he began his next round and the ache in his bones told him that he needed it. He found his nook from earlier, before the irate call, and curled up with an exhausted grunt. Before he drifted off he thought of Kamota once more and was surprised that he felt a pang of concern for him. Ash had been beyond furious. With a shrug, he pushed the thought away and drifted of into an exhausted, dreamless sleep.

(This kinda just came to me, more like no internet on the bus so type type type XD)

Kamota looked at him with fear, he understood that, but more was expected of him he felt. After all he was the one going after the official title as hunter, so he was expected to put more of a priority on hunting. That was unless Ash had decided that Kamota was to be a guardian when he was told that he had to do patrols. He was a wimp; he was too scared to face his own brother. His sister was under his close eye as well. If she fucked up, he had to fix it before they were both kicked out. It made him kind of angry, but ash was still he superior. ”I-I’m sorry Ash, I know everyone can hunt.. it’s just… just that I’m going for the official Hunter title… isn’t more expected of me then the Guardians who guard the borders? Aren’t I expected to bring in more prey? It was a mistake that will never happen again, I swear.” He whimpered his thoughts. Ash could correct him if he was wrong. He was just trying to do something right for once and with winter, prey was scarcer. If he was on the track of prey to fill the caches and the bellies of his packmates; then surely he wasn’t expected to give that up. He knew that the nightshade haunted borders were the gateway to the lands and they deserved enough attention, but prey kept those guardians alive. He gently licked Ash's chin in apology. Ash's would probably murder him anyways. But he did not care. Next he went and laid down, exposing his soft white belly and his neck. Full submission was called for and it was shown. He was shaking in fear.

The mountain wouldn’t wait for Kamota to have time to hunt, neither were the prey. He hadn’t meant to miss his shift and he was ready for punishment. He needed to prove himself, so far, he was screwed. It seemed like Ash, he’d never forgive him for any mistakes he made. Hadn’t Ash ever made any mistakes before? He was still adjusting to this pack and trying to prove. It was all about proving himself. That’s all it was about. Once he was more adjusted, once he was welcomed and he was alright, then he would take more and more responsibilities. He hoped to be as trusted as Tlarx or Ash someday. If he could do that then he was close to doing all he could for the pack. He knew what he needed to do, but he’d failed. What would happen now? He just hoped to stay in Poison Path. He already felt at home, like he was one with the mountain and he wasn’t ready to leave that. Perhaps if he was kicked out, he would search out Ava. She was still in the lore right? He wasn’t sure; maybe he could seek help or guidance from her. If she wasn’t in the Lore, then he would search from her. Maybe if he brought her back, that he would be accepted again. Was Ava even looking for Poison Path? Surely not then. No, she couldn’t be because she left.

(This post was last modified: Feb 01, 2013, 03:35 AM by Kamota.)

-Like a phoenix, I rise from the ashes.-
~Anger is a short madness.