Icy wind ~Open~

[Dusty]

[]

Dusty trotted along the icy ground, her short leg dangling a couple of inches from the ground and her tail bobbing up and down behind her. Her fur was thin and not well equipped for icy conditions. "When will this cold weather end?" She muttered to herself, her small butterfly wings flapping slightly. She wondered if there were any other wolves nearby as she took a moment to observe her surroundings.

Snow, snow and more snow, She thought bitterly, as she resumed her search for a warm den. Night was approaching and she did not want to be caught in the dark with nowhere to stay. As she trudged on, she became aware that the wind was picking up quickly. Her antennae swiveling, she quickly predicted that it would only be a small storm; nothing to be worried about. She sniffed the air, in hopes of finding anything that would lead her to a decent resting place.

The only thing that Dusty smelled that was significant was a Jackalope and as she took in that scent, she realized how hungry she was. She wandered around, trying follow the scent of the Jackalope and she stumbled on a small hole that she could just fit into. She cautiously peered inside the 'den,' but it seemed clear. She squeezed inside to be surprised by a rather spacious den. Well, not exactly spacious, but large for the size of the entrance.

The only problem was that the floor was dotted with sharp rocks, and, as she looked through the small circle of light that was the den's entrance, she decided that it would be almost impossible to find good materials for a bed before nighttime. But still, she wanted to get something to eat. She carefully picked her way to the entrance, trying her best to avoid the rocks. As she emerged she shivered. It had been much warmer inside the den. She sniffed the air, but to her dismay, she had lost the scent of her potential prey; the Jackalope. She looked up to the sky. She had barely enough time to find something to eat, but she could take a short walk and see what she could find. She started to wander around, mainly in the direction that she thought the Jackalope's scent was in.

[[Have to go now. Sorry for the fail ending.]]

[sentury]

[[Hi I'm new, also not a terribly advanced writer, so I thought we could practice with each other!]]

Sentury started as a Jackalope screamed past him in a flurry of fur and antlers. He nearly yelped, having been so lost in his own thoughts he didn't even smell the animal dashing his way. His heart instantly started hammering, but he knew he had to act quickly. A gnawing hunger had been burning in his stomach for almost two full days now, and he couldn't pass up the opportunity for a meal.

He turned tail and sprinted after the rabbit. It was in his sights but somewhat far away. He saw it dive behind a bush, and instantly slowed his pace. The thing was obviously scared out of it's wits, and if he kept chasing it would only keep running. He trained his eyes on the bush, pawed lightly, and paid mind to his tail to keep it from making too much noise. He did a wide half circle into the trees, until he came to rest a few yards away from the bush.

The fur and plants on his neck bristled, camouflaging him so he was part of the forest. Sentury's bi-colored eyes were sharp and focused where the rabbit had dived, and it wasn't long before the Jackalope emerged, apparently also ravenous.

Every muscle in Sentury's body tensed, his pupils dilated, and he waited for the opportune moment. He choked down the impulse to pounce immediately, the pangs of hunger raging inside him at the sight of the prey. Finally, the rabbit was within three feet of him and he leapt, his teeth catching it's back leg before it could bound away again.

Growling in excitement, Sen snapped the neck. He yipped happily, and was just about to tear into the Jackalope when he heard the forest floor crunching, and a figure moved in his direction.

[Dusty]

[[Ok c8]]

After wandering for a while, she finally spotted it. The young female jackalope that she had been trying to find for what seemed hours. She readied herself to pounce when it took off, it's legs kicking up the snow in her face. By the time she had gotten most of the snow away from her eyes, it was out of sight. Sighing, she sniffed the air to try to locate where it had gone, she was 'greeted' with the scent of another wolf. And the blood of the jackalope that she had spent ages trying to catch. She sighed heavily, her body going limp with disappointment. Dusty decided to find the wolf. She had nothing better to do, and maybe she could somehow get the kill off him. It would be the only way for her to get food for the night she thought, eying the sun, now getting lower in the sky.

She followed his scent for a very short amount of time. He was fairly close and it only took about a minute to reach him. The jackalope was at his feet and he looked like he was about to eat it. To her disappointment, the carcass looked tiny. Too small to share...But still, she could somehow work out a deal... She trotted over to him, turning around so they were face to face. She hadn't seen a Kuikken before. He looked strange, with all the plants on his mane, but she decided to just get on with her little act. "Nice kill you have got there... too bad for me that it was the same jackalope I have been chasing for the whole afternoon. Now I guess I am going to have to go hungry..." She sighed with fake disappointment. Her goal was to make the male sorry for her so he would give up at least some of his kill, hoping that her act was believable enough. She felt low to be scrounging off other wolves, but she was starving and wanted to get something to eat before nightfall.

[[REALLY have to go now D: I may edit in more stuff later if no-one replies for the day]]

[sentury]

As he watched the other wolf approach, Sentury tensed up. He was in no condition for a fight. His strength was low, and the cold had leeched so much energy from his body. The wolf was a female, he could tell, and her coat an intense, deep shade of red in the setting sunlight. He'd never seen another wolf quite like her.

The same Jackalope she'd been chasing...?

His first instinct was to put up a fight. He was hungry, and he was the one who had killed the Jackalope. She could be lying, playing to his sympathy, to get the kill. But the Jackalope had been running already--fleeing, rather. He decided she was telling the truth.

The she-wolf looked thin, though, and he noticed the slight gimp in her step. Sen knew he could last another day without food, despite how hungry he was. There was also a chance the stranger would would put up a fight for the Jackalope.

"Oh... I... I didn't realize you'd been tracking it," he replied softly, his natural submissiveness losing him his meal, "You probably need it more than I do."

He nosed the Jackalope towards the she-wolf, and took a few steps back.

[Dusty]

Dusty listened to the male's reply, to be rewarded for her little act with the jackalope. She was somewhat surprised at the fact that her tactics had worked. She glanced up at the male, feeling a little sorry for him. But after all, she had been chasing it...for a little while... She decided that she should drag the jackalope back to the den she had found, and eat it there. After all, she didn't want to be caught in the dark while she was enjoying her meal. Looking at the male again, she smiled a little for the first time in ages. "Thank you," She said in a rather cheerful tone, then picked the jackalope up.

It was surprisingly heavy, and she started to have second thoughts about taking it back to the den. Maybe I should eat a little, so it would be a little lighter. But glancing up the the sky, she saw that it was starting to get dark. She had two choices; eat a little of the jackalope and possibly get caught in the dark, or drag it back to the den but possibly collapse with exhaustion... Or was there a third option?

She eyed the male. Maybe she could give some to him, losing some of the meat, but not wasting as much time or energy. Or maybe he could help her carry it back to the den, which would mean him most likely getting some of the kill and most likely him staying with her in the den. Dusty decided that she would try her luck with the male. She dropped the carcass and started to speak. "Uh... I am going to... Um... Bring this jackalope to the... Uhh... A den I found. But I don't think I will be able to carry it on my own, so... Uh... Maybe you could eat a little so it would be lighter for me to carry, or help me bring it back to the den?" She liked the idea of him eating a little bit right there, as she was very reluctant about the idea of having another wolf in a den with her. She had never been good with words, but the male probably needed food almost as much as she did. She hadn't explained that he would get those rewards, but she decided that she should let him figure it out for himself. If he decided not to come with her, she was fine with wasting a lot of energy...

[]

[sentury]

Sentury's ears perked at the offer the she-wolf made. It was obvious how standoffish she was--it appeared to go against her very nature to make such a suggestion. It was clear at this point that the last thing she wanted was a fight. He adjusted his feet a little bit, pondering.

A trap was possible, but he had not smelled any other wolves on his way through. She didn't seem like the conniving type. "You have a den? I wouldn't mind helping you carry the Jackalope back if you didn't mind me staying with you. It's going to be cold tonight..." He thought out loud. A den with two would be perfect, and they wouldn't have to worry about freezing to death.

Sen walked toward the she-wolf, slowly, bowing his head a little to show he meant no harm, "Perhaps I could just have a leg... I can catch some mice in the morning. My name's Sentury, what's yours?"

Though he kept his guard up, Sen attempted to put out warm, friendly vibes so that the female wouldn't feel threatened by him. He'd had enough of being alone recently, and some company sounding more appealing than it usually did to him. Perhaps, even, they could become friends and travel together for a short while, though Sen knew he would eventually have to find a pack of Kukkien's to make his permanent home with.

[Dusty]

She then listened to him for a while, then replied. "Yes. I found a den, although it may be a tight squeeze to get in..." She said doubtfully, remembering how she barely fit into the entrance. She wasn't exactly sure if the male would be able to get inside, but still... She did need help to bring the carcass back... "Oh, and by the way... My name is Dusty... Nice to meet you... Sen... So, shall we bring the kill to the den I found now? Would you be able to carry it first? We'll eat it when we get back to the den, it is getting late."

As she made her final remark, she glanced up to she sky. It was getting much darker, and if they didn't hurry up, they'd be caught out in the dark and the cold. Her antennae swiveling, she figured out that there would possibly be a minor snowstorm... Well, minor if they were in the den, of course. She nudged the jackalope towards Sentury "We'd better hurry up, I think there is going to be a snowstorm... Nothing major, but still, it isn't something we would want to be caught in." She started towards the direction of the den. The wind was picking up slowly and it was getting very dark. She turned back to wait for Sentury to catch up.

[[Sorry for the late and bad quality reply; I am pretty muse-less today]]

[sentury]

Sentury waved his tail, happy he would have a warm place to stay for the night. He pawed forward, snatching the rabbit in his jaws and trotting to catch up with Dusty. She still seemed hesitant, he had noticed, but Sen hoped that if he spent just a little more time with her, she would learn he meant no harm.

Now that she had mentioned it, Sentury could feel the storm coming. His thick fur kept his body warm, but he noted the hard, iced quality of the ground underneath his claws, and the tense chill in the air. Dusty was bringing him back the way he had came just a little while earlier, until she veered onto an unfamiliar path he wasn't aware of. Had he not been offered the den, Sen had been planning to either find a hollow tree or a dense bush to house himself in for the night.

Sentury wanted to make conversation but his mouth was full and the she-wolf didn't seem to be in a loquacious mood anyway. Instead he kept his eyes on her, taking note of her movements, her odd appearance. It wasn't her coloring or manner that threw him off, but the antennae and wings. He'd only ever seen such features on butterflies, and was in awe that a wolf could have them. Who was this Dusty?

It was a longer walk than Sen expected, and all of the day's excitement was wearing him down. He hoped they would reach the den soon.

[Dusty]

After walking for a while, she stopped at the small entrance of the den. Glancing back at Sentury, she hoped that he would be able to get inside. She lowered her head, then burst into the den. She turned around when she got inside, poking her head out. "You can give me the jackalope now... And by the way, when you get in, beware of the sharp rocks on the ground..." She told him If you get in...

Dusty was very tired and hungry. Her nose twitched with anticipation, getting fairly excited about the thought of a meal. The male seemed to be friendly, but tricks were always possible. She still kept her guard up, even though he seemed harmless. She took a moment to let her mind wander. Looking at Sentury, she started to think about all of the strange wolves she had encountered. She had never seen any with plants growing on them... She turned her gaze to the jackalope. It's blood was dripping to the ground, forming a small red puddle that stained the snow a rich scarlet. The thought that she would have a full stomach soon made her smile.

[[Writer's block x3x]]

[sentury]

Sharp rocks... Sentury thought. On impulse, he trotted off a few yards away from the den. A few dying conifers had weak, low hanging branches that he managed to get his teeth around. Sen detached three from the trees and dragged them to the mouth of the den. They wouldn't provide a huge amount of comfort, but would at least form a small barrier between the wolves and the rocks. "These should help!" He yipped, setting them at the mouth of the den for Dusty to pull inside.

The smell of the rabbit blood was making Sentury's stomach tighten, but he tried to ignore it. He had decided to let Dusty eat her fill, and be happy with what he got. She was sharing her den with him, after all. At first he was nervous about trying to get in, but found himself grateful for his small frame.

He sniffed the outer section of the cave, and then crouched, inching his way into the opening. After a little scrambling, and a very difficult turn around, he was in the den. It wasn't a comfortable fit by any means, but it would keep both of them warm. Sentury felt a bit riddled with guilt, somewhat anxious--maybe Dusty didn't want him in the den at all, and only felt obligated since he had given up the Jackalope so easily.

In the morning she might simply kick him out and he would be off on his own again, searching for traces of other Kukkien.

Although he was still hungry, Sen closed his eyes, got as comfortable as he could on the hard ground, and started falling asleep. He had encountered several strange animals, including wolves, on his journey so far. If there were so many different kinds, perhaps there were mixed packs too? He fell asleep wondering if he would ever find his place in the world.

[No worries, if you want to wait til your writing block is over to reply you can!]

[Dusty]

Dusty blinked and dragged the branches inside, one by one. It was hard work but it paid off, covering the bulk of the sharp rocks. She also pulled the jackalope inside. Dusty lied down and made herself comfortable, pulling the jackalope towards her. She ripped at the skin, splattering blood all over her face, then started to eat. She had eaten nearly all of the jackalope when she remembered about Sentury. She nudged the jackalope- or what was left of it, at least, to him. He looked like he was asleep, so she did it as quietly as she could. She rested her bloodstained muzzle on her paws, but didn't feel comfortable. She wriggled into a different position, but that also didn't feel very comfortable. She switched positions for a while longer until finally drifting off to sleep.

"Hey, everyone!" One of my sisters yipped. "Lets sneak out to the big lake!" "I don't really think that is a good idea..." My brother replied. "C'mon it'll be fun! Or are you scared?" My other sister teased. "I'm not scared! ...Just that I don't think it is a good idea. What if something bad happened?" My brother asked her. "Scaredy wolf, scaredy wolf!" My two sisters chanted, and I soon joined in. "Fine, I'll come with you... But I have a bad feeling about this..." "We'll be fine!" One of my sisters barked. "Race you!" She declared, and took off, all of us hot on her tail. Once we reached the river, we started to wade into the water, splashing about and making a lot of noise. Then the Cael jumped out of the water, snapping up one of my sisters. I was then whisked away to another part of my memory; my first month on my own. The lyxxus came out of nowhere, tackling me to the ground. It was getting ready to finish me off...

Dusty woke up with a start. It was in the middle of the night, and she could hear a raging storm outside. She shivered, she had been having a lot of dreams like that lately. She changed positions then listened to the roar of the wind. She was glad that she was inside the den; it would be freezing outside. She glanced over to Sentury. He looked like he was still sleeping, but it was hard to tell in the dark.

[sentury]

Sentury was dreaming of running through a field--he was with dozens of other wolves. It was a glorious summer day, and the grass was long and lush. The sun was warm, doting with it's rays. The wolves around Sentury were all different shapes, sizes, and colors. Some were blue like the sky, others green like the grass; some had wings, some had scales; some were tall with long, thin legs, while others were short and fat. They were all immensely different, but running together, with the same purpose. In the dream, Sentury felt a unity with the wolves he'd never really experienced before.

His dream was interrupted by a nudge from reality.

Slowly, his eyes opened, and at first he couldn't remember where he was. And then he felt Dusty's body next to his, and as he woke up the day before came rushing back. And the smell of blood was strong, he turned his face around to see the last scrap of Jackalope sitting in front of him.

He could hear wind howling outside the den. Had that been what woke him up? He noticed Dusty's breathing--she was definitely awake. Perhaps she had started, and that was the nudge that had woken him. "Dusty, are you alright?"

[Dusty]

Dusty yawned, feeling Sentury move a little next to her. He seemed as if he was just waking up. After a little while he started to speak. "Dusty, are you alright?" She thought about the question for a while then replied. "Yeah, I am fine... Just a dream..." She let out a long sigh. "A scary dream..." She muttered under her breath, intended to be too soft for Sentury to hear. She noticed that the wind was slowly becoming a little softer. Dusty had no idea of how long it would be until morning, but she hoped that the storm would be over by the time she planned to set out again, which was at first light. She still felt rather tired, so she found a comfortable position to lay in. She wanted to have as much energy as possible, since she planned to find a place that wasn't covered in snow and she didn't know how long that would take.

As much as she tried, she simply couldn't get to sleep. The loud noise of the storm didn't help. She knew that, at this rate, if she didn't get to sleep she would still be exhausted by morning. She let out another heavy sigh, closing her eyes and trying to think about nice things. She really didn't want to have another frightening dream.

[sentury]

Sentury could tell Dusty was disturbed somehow, but didn't know what to do or say. He still knew next to nothing about the she-wolf, and could offer no words of comfort.

After a while of laying there with his head up, staring into the darkness of the den, he finally decided that if she wanted to talk she would. The wind's howling had calmed slightly, but Sentury was sure it had snowed at least half a paw deep.

He starting thinking about how thankful he was for the wolf next to him--sharing her den and food had been a selfless act and somewhat of a risk, even if she had needed the help carrying the Jackalope back. He made a mental note to thank her in the morning.

| | |

It wasn't long before the sun's rays broke through Sentury's dreams and forced him to open his eyes. Despite the tense mood of the evening and the screaming wind, he felt quite refreshed and ready to face the day.

As Dusty was still sleeping, Sen decided to carefully crawl out of the den and give her at least a few more minutes of rest. The sun had just risen, and Sentury figured he could pick off a few mice for breakfast, as the little animals were bound to be emerging from their hiding places to find food.

He stepped out into the sunlight, paws sinking into a thin layer of snow. Sen shook his fur out and stretched the last of the sleepiness out of his limbs.

After quietly padding several yards away from the den, Sentury found a bush that still had the tiniest bit of foliage left decorating it. Perking up his neck fur, he hid behind to bush to begin his waiting game.

[Dusty]

Dusty fell into a light, restless but luckily dreamless sleep after a while of shifting positions. She slept for what seemed for a few minutes, but could have been a few hours, until being woken up by something moving next to her. Yes, something was brushing against her fur. Her heart nearly skipped a beat. She had forgotten about Sentury but the memories of the day before quickly flooded back into her mind. She made no effort to move as the male crept out. She didn't care if he left to somewhere without her; she wanted to sleep in for a little while longer. After all, she would probably be better off with some more rest.

After laying down a little longer than she probably should have, she opened her eyes and wearily got to her feet. She padded outside. She noticed something that she had not before. It was easier to get out than to get in. Letting out a shivery yawn, she also discovered that it was very cold outside. Much colder than inside the den. She should have expected it, but she had grown used to being shielded from the wind by the walls of the den. It was like being in a freezer [even though she had never seen a freezer, let alone been in one]. She decided that she should start looking for a warmer place, and quickly. She felt like she might become a living ice-block if she didn't get out of the biting wind soon. But she decided that she should tell Sentury that she was leaving. After all, even though she hadn't had much practice in manners, she thought it would be a bit... Well, a bit mean to leave him wondering what on earth had happened to her.

[[Whattttt? Dx the first time I wrote this it glitched and the site went down for the day [true story; all I got were 'problem loading page' notifications until now ] so I had to wait a whole day before writing this and didn't have as much muse on the second time round.]]