DATE OF EXPIRATION,

[keiku]

Keiku,

The Liazo. A pack thats name had popped up so many times during his wanders that he simply had to check it out. He wasn't entirely sure why, but the lands seemed to play an important part in his masters plans, so naturally, he had had to investigate himself. Not that he could see the appeal, of course. The Liazo territory seemed just as dead as the next territory, and the one after that too. But, if his master thought highly of it, then it must be worth something. The large, bulky male lifted his face into the chilled winter breeze, breathing in the mingle of scents and then seperating them in his mind. The area was fairly deserted, he could tell that much, and it had been a long while since anyone important had last passed through here. The odd lone wolf perhaps, yes, but he struggled to find any trace of pack members.

He wanted power. He wanted authority. And climbing to the top of the hierarchy was what he did best. He wanted to be part of the most powerful group to overthrow this dreary Island, and being in Zenthas good books would allow him to acheive just that. He needed to impress his master, needed to climb the ranks, to be looked upon with fear and respect, just as he had been before. Needed to get one over on his siblings, and Zentha was the best way of doing so.

Keiku didn't need the hastle of bringing all of the Liazo pack to him. He'd probably end up dead if that happened anyway. Best to avoid large confrontations in his experience, unless backed up by other wolves. Perhaps if he had had Credo or Scarlett here, things would go differently. But no, he needed lone pack wolves. He needed information. He needed the Alpha.

[suko]

Muscle rolled and joints flexed, propelling a wolf over the terrain at a steady pace. Not running from something or to somewhere. Just running for the sake of running, feeling the glide of skin over muscle, the ground disappear beneath her paws, the wind in her fur. She had been away from home for too long it seems. The land was quiet as animals where in hibernation and herds moving in search for food. Had her pack been prosperous, she should have heard the tramp of paws hunting, howls from a triumphant hunter, the smell of comrades and fresh meat. But all was quiet and the breeze blowing carried only the smell of snow and trees. Suko slowed to a walk, her breath coming in quick shallow pants from her exertion. The area she was in seemed deserted with no fresh scents in the area, then the wind changed, with it came a new scent. Her hackles raised. It wasn't one of her few. She turned in the direction of the breeze and headed towards it. She had no back up and she couldn't be sure that this wolf had others with it within calling distance, but this was her territory and she wasn't about to back down without trying. Fights where mostly bothersome, but she wouldn't go down without one. With any luck it was a lone wolf that had wandered in by mistake and would leave with just a bluff, but her luck wasn't the best as she came into sight of the wolf in question. Brute, easily as big as her father if not bigger. Something to be said as he was no lightweight. This one also had fight scars apparent from a distance. Despite it all she drew closer, tail raised and head high. He may be big, but she was no pushover either, after all, she fought her own father for freedom and killed him. She still stayed cautious though, and stopped a few feet away before demanding in her alpha voice,

"What are you doing here!"

[keiku]

It wasn't long before his presence was detected, and another wolf stalked into the area. Keiku watched the stranger with judging eyes, assessing everything he could. He raised his maw into the breeze, breathing in the wolf's scent and calculating things in his mind. This was a femme, that much was clear. It was sort of a relief, actually. A female was much easier to handle than a male, even if they were strange, exotic creatures that he did not completely understand. Still, should things turn nasty, he'd much rather be up against a fae than a Brute. Much more dealable. The girl plodded towards him with a confident stride, head held high and tail tall, yet he could still detect the signs of cautiousness in her posture. An amused mirk quirked the sides of his mouth as he watched, awaiting patiently for her arrival.

'What are you doing here!'

Ah, the Alpha. He should have seen it sooner, really. Both her posture and her voice reaked of dominance. Of leadership. She carried no scent pack with her, however, which suggested that she had not been here for long? And their was definitely no trace of a male, which suggested she was not claimed by an Alpha Brute. It was odd, really, for a female to rule over territory without the dominance of a male with her, and yet, she was definitely alone. Keiku glanced her over, taking in her appearance. She was brown furred, with a whitish underbelly, and was carrying her fair share of battle scars. An impressive sight, in all honesty. But, he was not here for that. He was here for information, and information only. Greetings. I trust you are the Alpha of these lands?

[suko]

'Greetings. I trust you are the Alpha of these lands?'

"I am. Ever since i came to this land and marked it my own as the original Liazo abandoned it, or died, never did know. Now i lead the new Liazo in an effort to reclaim the glory of the assassin world that drew me here in the first place. You are treading on my ground so answer me, Why are you here!"

She had told him the truth. When she came, the lands where deserted with no trace of the original occupants. With no competition she marked the boundaries with her scent and has been trying to recruit new members with little luck. Narrowing her eyes at the brute she made a mental note to remark the boundary line again. If he got in and didn't catch on right away that this was her land, then the scent marks are too weak. She studied the male as she waited for his reply, not bad looking in her opinion. Bigger than most wolves would give him a fight edge, one he could use if she studied his scars right. This guy was no low ranker. Given the chance he might make alpha rank on power alone. She looked in his eyes and saw something that reminded her of herself. The spark of fire that drive wolves to Seek the top. She saw in his eyes the same inferno that she carried while under her fathers paw. A inferno that she still carried that enabled her to keep her position as alpha. But it wasn't totally the same. It had a taper to it, a reverence for someone, or something, that kept him from totally taking over. She puzzled at this, and tries to figure it out....

(done)

[keiku]

Keiku stayed stood on all four paws as he waited, watching the Liazo Queen with greedy eyes. She held herself with all of the power and glory that one would expect from a pack Alpha, and only seemed to be lacking in one thing- the actual pack. It was strange, he had invited himself onto this territory, neither annoucing his presence nor requesting permission, and the only wolf he had actually come across, the only wolf who had decided to challenge him, was the alphess herself. Where was her backup? Where were the rest of these mighty assassins? Were they not supposed to be here, protecting their alphess? Perhaps this was all part of the strategy. Perhaps they were already here, hidden in the surrounding foliage, watching and waiting.

'I am. Ever since i came to this land and marked it my own as the original Liazo abandoned it, or died, never did know. Now i lead the new Liazo in an effort to reclaim the glory of the assassin world that drew me here in the first place. You are treading on my ground so answer me, Why are you here!'

Although he had not doubted, there was the proof. She was the new Liazo queen. A very powerful female, by the looks of things, even if the nervous signs were showing slightly. Keiku smiled frostily, his eyes sweeping the surrounding area for any signs of company. So, the old Liazo had dissappeared, leaving the lands open for anyone to claim? He wondered for a second whether that dissappearance had had anything to do with his master. He had not been told anything about it, but then, he was still in the process of gaining the groups trust, and climbing the ranks, which was taking far longer than he had first expected. With another smirk, he gave her his answer. I am here on command, gathering information on your 'assassin' pack. The Brutes eyes switched to the fae again, trying to recall what he had been told about the three pack Alphas. The names of the Xyla and Skyla were easy, since he had grown up with both Kaija and Kishi, but this one? Her name was on the tip of his tongue, and yet he simply could not think what it was. Tell me, do you own a name?

[suko]

Suko's fur bristled slightly as he asked if she owned a name.

"I have owned a name since i was born, Suko. A name you should remember forever around here. If your gathering information, and being forward about it, then you must be a part of the Zentha followers if i remember the rumors circulating. Supposedly he is 'returning' from parts unknown back to here. If he really came from here at all. That was before my time as i have ruled here before the rumors began but know not of him. If you in fact are from his 'group' then i send a message to him,
'There is nothing her for him as winter has stripped the land of easy game and holds no support for him.'
Tell this to him for me as i probably won't see him."

If she had connected the dots right, then the taper of his motivation came from this mystery wolf who no one has yet seen outside his band. As she looked at the brute she made a small decision.
"Though there is nothing for your leader, you are welcome to come back if you wish company in these cold winter nights, be aware that if you wish to get personal, i am a Fae that is looking for commitment. You share one close night with me then you spend the rest of them with me."
She watched for his reaction, turning her body so he faced her shoulder, but still could defend herself, and sat down. Suggesting that if he had a place to go, he was dismissed.

[keiku]

'I have owned a name since i was born, Suko. A name you should remember forever around here. If your gathering information, and being forward about it, then you must be a part of the Zentha followers if i remember the rumors circulating. Supposedly he is 'returning' from parts unknown back to here. If he really came from here at all. That was before my time as i have ruled here before the rumors began but know not of him. If you in fact are from his 'group' then i send a message to him, 'There is nothing her for him as winter has stripped the land of easy game and holds no support for him.' Tell this to him for me as i probably won't see him.'

Suko. Yes, that was it. Suko. A memorable name, that had passed the lips of many strangers. Suko, the assassin queen. He was curious to know what her skills were like, since she seemed to hold herself with such high regards. Personally, he wasnt fussed over prey quanitities or the likes, since these were not his lands, nor would they ever be his lands. He could go and please as he wished, taking his meals from whatever land he happened to be on at that particular time. Keiku cared not for things like that, but it seemed his master felt differently. The fae certainly had sussed him out quickly, anyway, whatever her status was. She was a brave one, addressing Zentha directly the way she just had, even if the Brute himself was not here in person. she dared speak of him as though she knew him personally, as though he was not a threat to her, to her pack, to her way of life. Still, her 'message' was mildly intruiging. So the Liazo land had been stripped of food, huh? How well was the pack surviving? Had they suffered any losses? Had they had to venture onto other territories in search of food yet? All were questions he wished for her to answer. The Brute simply chuckled though, as though her confidence amusing.

'Though there is nothing for your leader, you are welcome to come back if you wish company in these cold winter nights, be aware that if you wish to get personal, i am a Fae that is looking for commitment. You share one close night with me then you spend the rest of them with me.'

This caught him off guard, and the male found himself staring at her in a startled manner. What was this? Some sort of new approach? What was her angle here? he cocked his head to one side, watching the female as she turned her body slightly and sat down, in a manner that suggested he was to leave now. Keiku narrowed his eyes, still unsure of what this sudden change in behaviour was about, but at the same time was careful to keep his emotions in check, trying to suss out what her angle here was. Why spring this offer on him now? What was this devious little minx up to? Did she have no Alpha? Surely a lady such as herself with such power over a territory was claimed by somebody? Yet, he saw no signs of a male presence. No swollen belly, and since mating season had just occured, it would be natural for Alpha pairs to be producing little wolfletts around this time. Their was no male scent marks, either. Nothing. Let me assure you that I have no interest in comitment, nor spending the night with you, as tempting as that may seem. But why are you alone? One would have thought that a fae such as yourself would have male company.

[suko]

Suko listened as the male turned down her offer, then sighed. She figured he would, but it still was disappointing as he looked promising. Still, he was like every other strong male, moves on with any shift of the wind. Still, she had hoped. She regarded him carefully, turning her body so she faced him full on, but held a 'you may leave if you are done' posture. After a moment of silence, she spoke again addressing him directly,
"I have no male as they seem to fall into two categories. The first is that they want to stay, but are to weak to be a real contender for alpha male and are just seeking a safe place to hide in a pack. The other is males like you. Big, strong, perfect alpha male material but have commitment issue's and want one night then gone with morning light. It tires me how many males i have talked to just to find my other half." She sighed and stared off into the distance behind him in thought. She quickly came out of it though as a thought struck her.
"I have been talking about me and my pack but you have never even given me your name. Tell me or i will talk no further until i hear it."
With that she tucked her tail neatly around her paws and continued to watch him with a deliberate silence.

OC- Sorry for the late post, took me a while to think of a good reply.