|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
 Posted: Sun Jun 29, 2008 8:15 pm
Stryder pondered, mulling over the question. Other wolves? He had been with the cruel light ones for so long, he couldn't remember his pack... if he had had one.
"Well, I was lucky. Chernabog let us both go so I only had the scrapes I'd gotten from the bear," Stryder answered.
He continued, "I don't remember much before the light two-leggers. I don't have a mate or any pack... The only wolf I've met other than you is Venda. She is a lone wolf, blind and the one who I escaped Chernabog's lands with. We've become friends but alas, she is... my only friend, the only wolf other than Chernabog I have actually met after escapement."
|
 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Posted: Mon Jul 07, 2008 9:00 pm
Aguta's attentive ears and ever present observation took in the words that were spoken as well as the way they were presented. To the large, calm wolf, they seemed lonely, haunting almost, but most of all full of regret when not just blunt enough to get the story swiftly across the Aguta. Maybe that was regret in that he had not had the life most wolves would have encountered. All the same, that made little difference to the large wolf. He was not one to offer pity and hardly regarded the stranger's emotions as a reason for him to join the pack, but instead looked to what he offered, including those experiences out on his own.
"Hmm...so you've not known many," he muttered, this comment more rhetorical than meant to be answered, "It's a wonder you've found yourself alive after the hardships you've been forced to endure. No doubt those experiences have honed you into a stronger wolf. This is something I appreciate, no matter how regrettable the circumstances are. If it is your wish to join a pack I will offer you a chance here. You will be my first mate with surely others to follow, if all goes as planned.
With this, Aguta stood, staring over the other wolf with his same stoic expression. Except...there was something different, something like pride mixed into those ever tranquil eyes. "But first, I would like to know your real name. If you would give me this much, I may offer mine."
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Posted: Tue Jul 08, 2008 7:31 pm
Stryder watched the alpha, thankful for not being pitied. He wanted to be in useful position with a pack, not just for he was lonesome. It would give credit to his abilities, to be useful and not pitied. Doing work for not just himself.
He tilted his head just a tad, not even very noticeable, taking in Wraith's words. He already knew how he would answer, he only had one question.
"I see, a compromise. A name for a name," Stryder muttered. He looked into the alpha's eyes and continued, "I would honored to be first. I wish to offer my services to you, be useful. For that, I know that I must be trusted and be able to trust. I shall give you my real name. I actually gave you it earlier but hid it. My name is Stryder. The others... truly are not."
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Posted: Tue Jul 08, 2008 7:53 pm
The vigilant eyes watched him while he listened to his explanation as the name was given, or more or less uncovered by the cloaked figure. Aguta, naturally, was appreciative that the male did not withdrawal the information from him, gave it to him willingly and then in turn expected his true name as a sort of compensation. Without question, though it was rare for the alpha, he offered his own. "Stryder. I may have stated it before, but that is a strong name. In front of other packs , lone wolves and even potential members I will refer to you as one of your aliases. That's only natural considering the circumstances. I want you to do the same for me. Never reveal my true name...I trust you will be capable of keeping that secret till your last breath," he murmured before continuing, "Aguta is my birth name, but you may still refer to me as Wraith."
He was about to continue when something caught his attention, forcing his muzzle still as well as his entire body. The bay had reappeared in the distance, closer this time than ever before. While the two wolves were hidden within the comfort of the cave, it was only a matter of time before the hounds would pick up their trail and bound forward. Now it was possible to escape farther back into the caves, and Aguta, who new which tunnel connected to which cave mouth was an expert as to where they would end up if they were to either turn to the right or the left.
"The hounds have returned. Shall we stay and eradicate them or leave them be this once and retreat into the tunnels?" he asked, wondering what Stryder would do in this situation. Normally he would have escaped into the caves wanting to avoid bloodshed and considering he was previously solitary it wouldn't have minded him if the dogs discovered the den time and time again. But now that he was forming a pack this would be a problem. If they knew where the den was located they could return another time if they were left unharmed now. Maybe he needed to make an example out of one of them?
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Posted: Wed Jul 09, 2008 9:52 pm
Stryder nodded his acceptance of the alpha's, his now, words. He replied, "Jaeger will work fine as my alias then, Wraith. I do not need to reveal your secret, your true name. I see no reason to."
He listened to wind, hearing the howls that the alpha must have heard as well. The hounds, they were getting closer to the caves, the den. Stryder looked to the alpha, wondering what he would do. Normally, Stryder would have evaded the hounds, but this cave... this den. It seemed like a place for the alpha... and his pack. Wouldn't they run risk if the hounds were let free?
"We can wound the hounds, to serve as warning against them. To learn that this den is not theirs to come and go as they please," Stryder suggested.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Posted: Thu Jul 10, 2008 12:20 pm
Stryder spoke what Aguta was thinking. His lifted tail flagged the cry of battle while his eyes looked forward before flitting over to the cloaked male. He was correct. They needed to get the point across that they meant business. "Then let's finish this," he murmured hardly audible. Ruffling his fur, he readied himself, stretching his claws into the rock floor beneath his ebony pads. Without a word he lunged forward out into the dead daylight silently, moving his paws with expert ease without creating hardly a sound knowing how to land each pad just the right way to muffle the noise.
The holler and bays of the hounds grew louder as they neared until a single dog came into view some twenty feet away. Normally Aguta would have stayed to the shadows and attacked one without drawing attention to himself, that was the easiest way to kill a target with the best results. But not now. He wanted to prove a point to these precarious canines and needed them to see. But unlike Stryder, his intention was less kind...wounding them would serve no purpose to the assassin whose aim was to kill.
Pausing, he breached his head skyward, allowing forward from the depths of his bowls a deep baritone howl that stilled the barking of the dogs. They reached up to listen, knowing that their target was only some feet away. Each shook with anticipation...or fear. All the same, they turned as a unit toward the noise meaning to attack as a whole as their human's trained them. One dog was no chance against a wolf, but ten? Aguta lowered his head, focusing in on the dog that previously nosed in his sight that was now padding toward him with lengthy thin tail waving in the air. His annoying obsessive yap was first to be silenced as the large wolf bounded at him, landing a paw on his muzzle forcing his head down and taking with it the rest of his body.
As the other dogs were looking on his jaws clamped down onto the pitiful creatures neck and with the swift jerk of his head the rattling crack that sounded was enough to pull their attention forward. Blood dripped lightly from his fangs; having not wanted to create a mess he thought it best to dispose of the animal with a cleaner method that only created a few puncture holes in the thin fur. The limp body was testament enough to the hounds that the large alpha was serious.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Posted: Thu Jul 10, 2008 9:17 pm
Stryder raced, following after his alpha towards the hounds. A fight! He hadn't been in one since helping Venda and he was in for more blood this time, like the old times. Stryder's eyes glinted, watching his alpha make the kill.
Stryder quickly stalked his prey. Sure, there were quite a few hounds but he'd dealt with hounds before. Using past experience built up fighting against hounds, Stryder weaved into the little hound pack and knocked one hound closer to the outside out, away from its group with one heavy blow. Howling as best as he could with the muzzle still constraining his jaws, Stryder clawed the dog's abdomen knocking the dog to the floor and spilling blood on his claws. Springing forward, Stryder's paw came down on the dog's head, where neck and skull met. The sharp and loud crack resounded into the air.
Quickly Stryder went back knocking another dog out, the dog's head hitting the floor quite soundly. He stayed this time, ready to act. Two dogs were dead, and one knocked to the floor but still living. He wanted to know what his Alpha would do... what the remaining hounds would do with two dead and no two legger masters around.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Posted: Sat Jul 12, 2008 5:48 pm
"Get out of my territory," he muttered.
Pulling his head over to look at his pack mate, the wolf narrowed his eyes, observing the bleeding form and the unconscious creature laying at the crimson paws of the wolf. He hadn't lied when he had said that his strongest feature were those sharp talons of his. This, Aguta appreciated and thought highly of, after all, they could come in handy, especially with Stryder's good sense and swift reactions. He hadn't had the chance to watch him in action until the duty was over with, but the aftermath was enough. Like Wraith, he had snapped its neck rather than tar out its throat, though, it was obvious his attack had done quite a lot of damage bodily and it was only a mercy to kill the dog quickly.
The hounds were yipping and crying among themselves, thrown in to a panic at the sight of their comrade’s deaths. Stricken with fear they were left in a stupor, some even circled several times before finding the opposite direction of the wolves and ran off with their tails ducked between their legs. Some snapped at the wolves, clearly vengeful and spoke a few hateful words to the pair before giving in like the others who swiftly ran back toward the direction of their humans, understanding the wolf's message without hardly any words passed between them. They even left their unconscious friend behind in their fright.
When all of the hounds were out of sight and their bays silenced by their distance, Aguta turned to Stryder, looking him over before finally speaking. "You've done well. I don't regret accepting you into the pack. I'm eager to see more from you," he murmured, ever soft. Now they were left with the task of dealing with the bodies as well as the single dog left behind. It was Aguta's idea to just leave the animal be, but for the stiff they would have to be rid of, Aguta, not one to leave carcasses laying around. Turning fluidly, his animated body slowly moved forward to pick up what he could with his maw and turned away, heading back into the woods. For now regret would not plague them. And in a little while they would find the chance to rest. The pack's future was uncertain, but to the large alpha, it seemed it had a good prospect of blooming into something far more powerful. Maybe one day the little pack would become what imagination allowed burst forth in futures sight.
((I think we should end this now. I've no more to add with Aguta except them returning to the den and that, to me, would seem as though we would be dragging this thread out unnecessarily.))
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Reply
