e n d of a chapter / / .

[moz]

Denver

The sun-baked sand blushed under the caress green-blue sea. White foam frothed along the sea line while soapy tendrils laced through washing tide. The clear water turned to a deeper gradient as it distanced but closer to the golden sand beach a rich green color comprised the cool swashing ocean. Little colourful fish played in the waves, each whizzing by like the flash of a comets tail.

Overhead the cries of hungry chicks sang to the thunder of the sea, as if in celebration of spring’s return. Sea gulls dived and danced together in the cloud streaked sky, eager to feed their newly hatched young. Even the winds rang out welcome to the surprisingly warm weather, rustling the dune grass and playing music to the beat of the sea.

Denver’s large paws thudded against the wet sand as he loped along the shoreline. Even he was in an exceedingly light mood that morning, with the wind streaking through his coat and a belly full on the rich bounties of the beginnings of spring. The winter had been harsh and prey levels had spiralled, leaving those who didn’t have safe dens or territory to hunt on to perish. He had never seen so many die and had resorted to picking the meat from another wolf’s frozen bones to pull through the last of the deathly season. It was for that reason he was trespassing on another pack’s land, in hope that they’d accept him and he’d never have to face such desperation again. However, he had ate well over the past week, feasting on freshly hatched chicks as their parents hunted at sea, and his form was slowly returning. His coat was already beginning to shine and his eye had a fresh spark.

He had been following the coast for a few days, in the knowledge that as soon as he could touch sand he’d be in Skyla territory. So far he’d gone unnoticed and he wondered if their patrollers had died during the winter, how unfortunate. Death didn’t faze him any more, he had seen it and caused it, there was nothing to fear. Some times he’d go to say he enjoyed death, enjoyed watching the pain in his enemy’s eyes but not today. Today he was in to good of a mood, a little apprehensive though. He’d heard a lot of Senna, the fae who enjoyed torturing those who rose against her. Kaija, the alpha, was rumoured to be just as tough and a noble ruler of the most feared pack. He knew that if they sensed him as a threat, especially as it is the whelping season, they run him down and kill him. He could proberly take on one of them but not the two together. Yet he carried on, down their beach, trying to find the right spot to signal his presence.

His paws now moved at a lazy walk, leaving large impressions in the sand, slightly upturned by his sharp claws. Ears now pricked as he neared the end of the beach and came to face a steep cliff. There was a small trail of trampled grass over the top of the closest sand dune, proberly where they accessed this end of the beach. He lowered his hind-end to sit on his haunches and took a deep breath. A strong drawn out sound rumbled through his chest and throat before escaping in a loud howl. As it faded and stopped he took another breath, this was the end of another chapter. Soon, hopefully, he’d be part of a pack for the first time in his life.

Muse: Rusty : P
Words: 601 words
Other: Denver's attempt at joining the Skyla pack.

[`Senna]

The cool, salty waters lapped upon golden sands as seabirds cried high above in the skies. The surprisingly warm weather was a sure sign that spring had finally sprung, and not a moment too soon. For the first time in weeks, she saw blue skies and sun;it was hard not to bask in the beauty of Petra beach, at least for awhile. Everything just looked perfect.. for her at least. The sand behind her, were recently painted in scarlet and soft down from dead birds, all leading up to a large dark figure in the sand..Senna.

It was most certainly a harsh winter, even for her pack. Most of her pack had either perished or left the Skyla in search of food.. in which they probably died trying. The only ones that survived was her family and the two opakti's. She didn't lose too much weight, thankfully, after some poor unfortunate creatures wandered back onto her lands. Some of those fools happened to be of her own kind.. not like it mattered. They still dared to tresspass onto her territory-not even howling to annonce there presence- just to beg and plead for food.. or force some from her. That, was a mistake. No one, at least in her mind, could just walze into the packlands without a better excuse. So, she punished them by death. It wasn't that bad of a punishment, they lived for several hours of torture until she could no longer hear there blood-cuddling cries. Besides.. it came out to be a win-win situation. She had a chew toy for some time, and somewhat of a meal. Not so great to eat, but it was better than starving through the winter.

The alphena was sprawled out across the warm sands, her paws stretched out over a terrified bird. Once again, Senna was playing one of her 'games' with an innocent little animal. Her claws were sunk into a few puncture holes made earlier into the avians sides, drops of that sweet, metallic liquid coating her fur. "Your pretty quiet, aren't you.." Her innocent, dulcet-sounding tone drifted from parted jaws, yet masked with a hint of sinister delight. Only moments after those words were released, the vixens claws suddenly ripped through one side of her victim as feathers were plucked and flesh was torn. The little gull tried desperatly to flap it's wings to make an escape from her grip. Too bad it was no use. Senna's lips curled into an ominous smirk, reveling her canines to her new toy. "Now, if you try to fly away from me, you won't have any limbs to support you soon," She cooed, though it was like the seabird knew of her dark desires as it's body squirmed even more under her legs weight. This, was actually quite the amusing sight for her twisted mind. Just to hear it's shaky squaks that it emitted, to feel his trembling body, and to smell the overwhelming scent of fresh blood.. perhaps two hours of torture was enough for the poor little fellow. With a brief nod of her head, the females jaws widened, only to clamp back shut around the toys neck to hear it make a cracking noise. Lapping up the blood from her kill, she slowly rose upon all fours and looked at the perfect mess she made. The scent of blood will likely attact other canivorous animals to the scene, and then she would have some more 'playmates' to play with.

"Honestly.. what's the point of doing that?"

Her little guardian scowled a few feet away-seemed like her pest of a jackel was watching the whole time. "The point of it is to make other stupid wolves come here so I'll have a few for to teach a few lessons on with the pups." Those words alone sent chills down his spine. His first thoughts, what kind of mother was she..?! The next thought- demented images of shreded canines with pups ontop of them, biting and mauling at the mess.. "Besides, that bird seemed to get alittle mad after I.. played with it's mate. It got what it deserved." The jackal shoke it's head. That was the Skyla alpha for you. Vile and .. just plain weird. With fur soaked in crimson liquid, she began to tred towards the water to wash off, until she heard the call of another lupine. Dark colored auds swiveled around to pinpoint the sound, her optics narrowed slightly to the noise. Hanataro, doing the same, looked to his master. "I take it your master plan worked already." The smaller canines mocking didn't faze the she-wolf the least.. though she doubted this wolf came because of the blood. It was too early.. unless of course, there was a wolf in her territory beforehand.

The alphess bounded across the shoreline with her tail and head held high to show her dominance. At least this guest announced their arrival.. but weither they were hostile or not was the question. Then again, it only made encounters alittle more interesting. After some time, she could finally see the wolf's figure sitting so compfortably on her sands only a short distance away. She slowed her paced as she made her way up to the other. Almost immediatly, she started to look over the wolf, noticing that it was a fairly large brute who didn't smell like any other pack.. a loner, no doubt. Moving up to a few feet away from him-with her brown coat still tinted red from blood- she cast an emotionless look at the newcomer. "What bussiness do you have here..? And if you have none, I suggest you leave."

[Didn't think I was going to type that much.. *.*']

[moz]

Denver

Barely minutes later he saw her galloping towards him. A dark wolf, female and carrying the unmistakable smell of death about her. His chest expanded, getting a large lung full of the bittersweet scent as it drifted on the salty wind. Momentarily, his lips parted to express a wolfish grin, ‘she lives up to her reputation then’ he thought to himself. He was rather pleased that she did, a good leader should be able to evoke fear into those who rebel, and that she certainly could.

But what was this? Another creature bounded at her side, a Jackal none the less. He had never heard of the two competitive carnivorous species living in harmony. There had been stories of guardians when he was just a pup but he had always imagined something… other. He had never been fond of the species, kind the opposite actually. Being a loner he had to make do with what he had and more than once had his kill been stolen by a band of Jackals. He felt the bubbling heat rise in his stomach and chest – no – he mustn’t. This creature was obviously close to the Alphess, moving against it could be a fatal move. Despite the overwhelming need to jump up and chase it he fought and managed to keep himself composed.

He rose to his feet slowly, keeping his head bowed and tail equally low. His tendons flexed, digging his claws into the sand, trying not to look at the Jackal and keep himself from staring at Senna. Now the metallic smell of blood was tainted by the oh-so familiar stench of the scavenger. He shook himself to clear his head, he knew he’d kill for it if the Alphess asked and tried to concentrate on what to say instead of her companion. “Greetings Alphess” he said in his smooth, almost lyrical voice. He raised his head so his eyes could meet hers but made sure to keep a submissive posture. “My name is Denver and I have ventured here to join the Skyla.” He kept it simple for the lack of anything better to say. He should have prepared something on the way but it was too late for that now.

Muse: Urhh…
Words: 370 words
Other: Denver doesn’t exactly love Jackals 0_o

[`Senna]

It seemed like such a long time when she heard those words spoken from another wolf. Then again, not many wished for acceptance within this violent pack. Usually they would go for the more 'peaceful' packs, like the Xyla or the Liazo.. she honestly didn't see how great they were. They were all just a bunch of lowly scum- she could never see herself wanting to waste precious time with them if she were a loner. Her piercing gaze locked onto the brute once her thoughts resided (for the time being), wondering what type of wolf this male was. Hostile? Psycho? Then she noticed the brute move himself into a submissive position. Damn it.. Polite. Right then and there, the alphess released a soft snort. She could already tell that this one was going to be interesting..

It wasn't like there was anything wrong with him submissing himself in front of a higher rank, but still.. she wanted to at least see alittle more bravery from someone wanting to join. It was like every wolf that wanted to get into the Skyla lowered herself before her(not saying that was a bad thing, for she did enjoy it most times). They did it for good reason though, weither they looked upon her as the embodiment of bloodthirsty evil and feared her, or they did it because every other pack expected you to do it for them. Of course, like in most cases, Senna was slightly different. She needed to see feirocity in there eyes, have streangth, tenacity, and a sort of fearless attitude about them. They only thing that convinced her that he would be a great addition to the pack was his build and scars. While her expression remained blank, her opakti moved up to her side, sitting back onto his haunches and looking up to his master. "So, you gonna accept him?" Hanataro tried to advert his gaze away from this one, simply because he had been giving him a slightly.. ackward feeling. The look the other wolf gave him was.. just weird. He wasn't exactly sure why, but he pushed the thought out of his mind and put his attention back on the she-wolf. Senna rose back upon her feet again, this time with her fur slightly bristling. Hanataro, you know better than that.. I'm not going to simply take him in without knowing alittle about our guest first.. The alpha's thoughts had a taunting demeanor to it, making the jackal think it was sort of good that others could and never would hear the thoughts they shared. If they could.. well, no one would ever feel safe in there presence.

"So, Denver.." Her voice was even colder than the stare she gave the newcomer as her bodice began to tred dangerously around him, as if she was about to interagate a suspect. "What makes you think that I want you in my pack..? What would you bring to the Skyla?" Hanataro watched silently as his master went through her usual test. Inspecting the wolf, ask questions, try to strike fear into them to see if they could handle her ways or not.. and depending on how things go, they either become nothing more than shreded flesh between her teeth, or a new member. Not very many times has he seen the latter.. which was probably why they didn't have any damn members here anymore. The alpha stop dead in her tracks when she was about two feet away from the male's face, her sapphire orbs glaring. "Look.. The Skyla is a vile, sadistic bunch who would do nothing more than cause fear and havoc for any smart-ass who thinks they can get in our way. We will do what we want, when we want, however we want.. weither that be ripping out your insides just for our simple amusment, or for protecting our land." She was going to be blunt as hell, just to make it clear what the skyla were all about. He might as well know it now, because if he got the wrong idea, thinking that they were 'tranquil' and all that 'peaceful' crap, then he was horribly mistaken.

[Finally finished. *.*' Sorry for the wait.. ^^;]

[moz]

Denver

Denver kept his cool. He knew joining wasn’t going to be straightforward and was prepared for about anything. His ears swivelled to follow her as she circled him, passing though into his blind side. His eyes instinctively tried to follow the soft padding in the sand but the damaged eye strained and rolled with out avail. To begin with living with one eye was difficult, hunting especially. Trying to successfully grab an animal with little depth perception was an almost impossible task but now he could rely on his hearing and follow the presence of the body with out his sight. Now it was almost an attribute, making killing during dark just as easy as in daylight.

He kept his head facing forward, scenting the strong musk as it stung the insides of his nose. It sent hot flushes through his body, urging his hackles to stand and his lips to peel back into a menacing snarl. At times like this, when presented with something like Jackal, his rage was all he could think about. It clouded his mind and when living alone he found he could express his anger with out consequence, on a spraying skunk, a territorial stag or even the passing wolf. It had earned him a reputation with those who knew about him, mainly the bands he once travelled with. But now he had to be careful not to release it on the wrong creature, in other words the mangy scavenger who only feet away from him. A sign of weakness no doubt that it took so much effort to control himself. He barely heard the cold words that slipped the Alphess’ tongue as she began her inquisition. It took him a few moments to come back around, “I have spent most of my years in seclusion, mauling and murdering to keep myself alive. During which I have learnt how to deal a swift and successful kill, along with how to prolong it enough to get what I needed to prosper. I know of the art of killing and torture, better than anyone I have met during my years wandering.” He spoke clearly, snapping out of his trance, he needed to keep concentration.

He waited for the next question silently, opening his mouth slightly to avoid the smell. He wondered, if he was accepted. How he’d deal with a Jackal being around all the time. He’d have to learn to control these urges. He hadn’t had to when he lived alone. Whenever he needed to vent his anger there was never anyone to come between him and whatever angered him. When on a couple of occasions they had it hadn’t ended well. That is why he only lived with bands for a few days at a time, leaving as soon as he’d killed or savaged another wolf. It was almost impossible to tell friend from foe during his rages and to be honest, when he was angry, he didn’t really care.

The next words came but not as a question, more of a statement. Explaining clearly what the Skyla were about. He listened intently, looking straight into her blue eyes with his one yellow. “I can ensure you, Alphess, I am neither a coward nor fearful of your ways. I have seen many terrible things; I have done many terrible things and I expect nothing less from you and your pack.” He held up his head assertively. He had showed her his respect and now he had to show her that he was no pup that would lay down and take a beating.

Muse: Tired...
Words: 597 words
Other: That's okay. I've been pretty busy myself :3

[`Senna]

This wolf, 'Denver' never showed even the smallest amount of fear, hostility, or anger upon his visage when the demoness circles him like he was a victim. It was actually.. intriging. Most wolves would either get pissed off at her or panic. He, on the other hand, sat there, and took it in like osmosis.. she wasn't quite sure if this was a bad sign or not, but either way, she was no where near through with him yet. She knew from situations in the past, that no matter how calm the demeanor of another can be, you can never trust a newcomer. Hanataro sat a fair distance away from Senna, knowing it was best to stay away from her during times like this. Perhaps it wasn't the best time for guest's to intrude on her land.. mostly because of her pups. Sure, they were halfway across the territory, but he knew her. Caution was one of her top priorities when it came to her little whelps, and if anyone dared to come between them- well, there would certainly be a heavy price to pay.

Suddenly, something unexpected came from the brute. A snarl.. And when things were going well. Sapphire-hued optics narrowed immediately, her auds falling back against the alphess' skull. At first glance, she thought his swift turn in expression was directed at her, but as she watched him closer, she could see who his growl was intended at. Her opakti. She could see why, even though the jackal couldn't. It wasn't exactly common for a different canine species to traval around with a wolf.. hell, it wasn't actually common at all. Yet, in her case, he was.. well, he would be stuck with her for life weither she liked it or not. Hanataro was her opakti-her 'guardian', as he put it. She still wasn't entirely sure on why she was stuck with the forsaken mutt, but he did come in handy at times. She shortened the distance between her and Denver by taking another step closer, a warning growl rumbling deep withen her throat. She wasn't sure if he had heard it or not, after he snapped out of his thoughts and answered her questions like nothing occured.

As he explained why he thought he'd be a good addtion to the pack, he gave her flashbacks to when she was a loner for a short time. She too had to find out how to murder the hard way, to get the things she desired most. After awhile, it seemed like second nature to her, and soon after it was like child's play. It wasn't long before she began holding othe wolves as hostage, just to see the flesh rip off there mangled bodies, the blood matted fur, her nares being invaded by the sweet stench of blood.. It was then she knew that she was addticted to the game. She pushed her thoughts aside as she began to enter another one of her minds debates: Should she accept him into the pack..? Are you mad?! Did you see the way he looked at me? Hanataro's thoughts interupted hers- how surprising. I did. Maybe if I let him into the pack he'd take care of this pest problem I have.. Keep your mouth shut. I'm deciding weither or not he gets in, not you. It wasn't hard for the smaller canine to keep his mouth shut after that snappy demand. It was best for him to just obey her orders, otherwise he knew he would face the consequences.

Senna couldn't believe she was actually thinking about accepting someone to the Skyla again. Her thoughts were divided, thinking about the pros and cons of letting Denver in. She certainly didn't want to kept prodding at him with question after question.. that wasn't her style. All you had to do was look at a wolf to see if they could handle a fight, and he looked like he had been in quite a few. He spoke again, but this time, it was different. He didn't have that charming, polite crap-of-an-attitude about him. His head was heald high, and his voice sounded true; he spoke like a warrior ready for battle. His golden optics wer filled with detirmination- and only then did she realise that it was only one golden eye. She wasn't exactly fond of asking personal questions about others, mostly because she wasn't exactly the social wolf. She stared the male down as silence cosumed them. It was time for her to decide.. And right now, it seemed to pros were outweighing the cons. Her pack consisted of six members right now, and they were her four helpless pups and two alphas. They needed members, badly..

"Hm," Was all that was released from her smirk-striken maw. "Well, Denver.. After that little speech, I guess I'm gonna have to let you in." So, the beast accepted her new puppet of war. She hoped that in the future, she would gain more members, and then her pack could truely have well deserved 'fun' with the other packs. Yet, something sparked her memory. "Oh, one last thing though.." Charcoal lips slowly pulled back along her ivories, flashing the sharp weapons to him before a twisted-sounding snarl escaped her chest. "If you ever make a false move on one of the pack, including the pest behind me.. you will regret it." Well.. at least she was nice for a minute. Senna's bodice moved passed the brute's body as her silken cur brushed up against his to ensure that he was marked with the pack scent now, making it official. He was in the Skyla. The jackal showed his displeasure of his master's choice by groaning and complaining thoughts into the alpha's head, but by now she learned to ignore him. He was in, and that was that. He would just have to except that from now on. Besides.. there was more wolves who would want to join, so he couldn't act like a child and want his own way, because she definatly wasn't giving it to him. She looked back at the male and parted her jaws to speak again. "As of right now, you'll be a sub'ordinate-it's not a high up rank or anything, it's just where newcomers are assigned when they first get here. You have to earn your place here if you want to climb up through the ranks. She probably didn't need to explain that.. but she felt the need to after dealing with a few naive wolves in the past. She just hoped that he would do what was asked of him so he wouldn't become another one of her toys.

[Rawr, sloppy post.. but at least now there's actually a member to the pack other than alpha's. ;3]