My Shadow And I

[Deirdre]

Quiet. Not an ordinary quiet, but a deafening quiet. The kind that smothered those who dare confront it. The kind that drowned out any words spoken, any movements. A rustle of a bush, the bray of a lost fawn. Nothing. Though the conditions were perfect for a glimpse of the not-so-anticipated arrival of the female.

Precision was the battle. To match each and every step with the counter before it. A perfectionist? Nah. Just a hearty player in this game. Life. She played by her rules, making any tweaks where they might be needed to put the game on her own standards. Amendments were formed her and there such as silence... a perfect course in the term.

To blend with shadows… to mute with the wind… and to be the thing that may be inches away from slitting a throat, but vanishes the instant one came to figure out that there was an oddity in the surrounding. Yes, this was the game, stealth… grace… elegance… all sworn into a single word such as movement. Sure enough, they’d be toying with an expert.

Chocolate splashed ears cupped, almost straining to hear nothing but her own faint heartbeat. Not even the cheerful song of the evening warbler singing it's soprano tune was heard. The oddity in it all, as the sun was noticeably beginning to set. Warm outlines were cast upon every single object, still in the full glow of the sun, becoming intricate with a hazy outline of orange and pink, but nearly unnoticeably. A small note was taken to the beauty, but quickly passed on.

The regular earthen pallet, or candy store, began to trot. A ridiculous name like this? Her coat varied from shades of cream, caramel, and chocolate. It was hard not to label her something.

A flag of her tail, an earthen signaled that she was in a territory, yet the slight smile that laced her lips told her that the scent dysfunction was purpose. To talk to an Alpha today was what she hoped, to be flayed... not so much... yet this life was worth risks, no?

It impressed her that in her age her eyes still concealed so much of her true self, always shinning stupidly with lightness. Was the world so light, so gay? Apparently her looks thought so. A quick stream of air blew from her nostrils in a muted laugh. Yes, it seemed everything was mute her.

Her shadow seemed to dance next to her, paw to paw, never seeming to let her alone. In the area, still mostly daylight, her shadow seemed to fit her looks, as if every step were a prance... but how could she complain? The way she sashayed about everywhere? She glanced up to see some of the last cherry blossom fragments falling. Summer was on the brink, and it was just her and her shadow.

[Tak]

The very least Tak could do was wander...and wander into an area he had seen little of. For good reason, too, he convinced himself; and so soon on in the travels. There just wasn't anything here! Perhaps a stroll elsewhere would have given him better results...

Evening was approaching fast, and even the hum of a cricket was nonexistent. The alpha was loosing hope in this area.

Though, the scent of life was everywhere—vegetation was rather obvious—it seemed whatever dwelled in the shadows kept the silence alive. Oh. So. Irksome...

His paw steps weren't quite as organized, and well played out as the first's--of which he had yet to notice. The silence was overwhelming, irritable, and aggravated the male to his last standing nerve. He, if it weren't clear enough, hated the silence so much so that he worked his tense paws into a fury of noise.

Perhaps not an intelligent move, but what was to be confronted here? The silence told him, nothing. Nothing was here. Nothing was going to get him...nothing, nothing, nothing...

Or was it the silence, which demanded those who lived here to remain in the quiet? A bold thought. Tak discarded it and continued, his pace heavy, quick, and nonchalant.

A scent or two, nothing new, tickled his flaring nostrils. Old and recent, both told him stories of the area's events; ah, much like memories.

The sun was against the horizon, Tak noted, as the orange light filtered through the underbrush and flattened his shadow neatly beside him. It was a warm feeling, and he couldn't help but ease his steps, and lessen his aggravation. Each muscle, in his shoulders and legs, had been tense with frustration; hardly with caution.

He finally halted, pressing his paws taught against the ground. The thought of a nice skirmish put him back into a better mood...even if it were just a slight change. He willed himself to find something. If only a mouse...it would do.

Agitated, he shook his bark and tan coat; the feeling of insects crawling throughout his fur made his skin prickle uneasily. He ran his rosy tongue across his lips, and blinked simply...

Tak removed his sapphire eyes from the setting sun, and placed them back upon the terrain. Trees were still green, but grew yellow in places, while others were already red. With a half hearted sigh, the alpha picked up his paws and willed them to course through the brush silently; or at least, a bit lighter than before.

The light, late summer breeze fell through the plants, and brought to him the odors of different things, ah, new and old again. He had only taken several paces, before he immediately drew up his head and tail; with his ears flicked forward and strained. Now, he wished the silence were only half a note quieter...

This was not a mouse, or a bird. Something, larger...something...

He was compelled to break the unnerving silence.

Within that instant, Tak flung his muzzle skyward, and allowed a note to pass through his parted lips. Hardly a song to consider, for it was short lived and low...but he listened as it echoed, and bounced from tree to tree.

He considered trying that again.

[Deirdre]

As a completely random, and near by howl went coursing through the trees, nearly blowing her over if sound had that much force, the female flinched, cursing lightly under her breath. Damn, that aggravated her, when she was caught off guard like that, and besides the mishap her legs at rather odd angles (which she quickly corrected) by the sudden impact of the split silence, her body still looked as bright and shiny as ever. Oh how frustrating.

The howl hadn’t been really… forceful; it simply caught her off guard. Even a small sound could be magnified to an eardrum shattering tone. The female flicked a dark brown ear again in slight irritation. The fact that a wolf so close had slipped her awareness irked her.

Another soft stream of curses escaped her mouth as she decided whether she felt like replying. It was no doubt the Alpha; she’d not smelled any other scents that gave indication of other pack members. In fact, the borders, which seemed slightly neglected, gave note that there was simply a landlord, a male.

‘It’d be stupid not to answer,’ she thought with a chuckle.

Lifting her head, delicately pointing her nose tip toward the pink sky, she released a howl in response. The tone was wavering between alto and soprano, having a certain edge to the tone which was a bit chilly. Whether she sounded welcoming or not was uncertain, but she would clearly put out the fact that she meant business before the landlord got to her, slightly under-sized and looking particularly well-groomed, and burst out laughing.

Hell on them if they were to suppose something weak out of her. Of course, her lighter nature would be there. Something to throw in, to make the conversation (be that there was one) unique.

[Tak]

As the echo died away, Tak focused his ears ahead, eager to hear the scared song of a cricket or owl...or possibly even... The late summer breeze did not lie. There was another canine--a wolf at that--here. Though he cared little about the area, and he was more surprised than worried about his territory, Tak willed himself to find this stranger.

His suspicions were only confirmed as a second song beat against his eardrums. The notes wavered, and he listened intently. Indeed, this was a stranger; the voice and tune of the melody was unknown to him. Though, not to say that he remembered old souls.

Tak shifted his sapphire gaze over the horizon, peeking through the foliage before settling his attention ahead. Twilight had settled, and the night would soon follow. It would only get darker; and who knew what commanded silence over the area. The male would not stand and wait to find out. He was not a coward, but he valued the sake of his life--if there was anything here to take it away...

If his low, and short, note could have been noticed, he demanded a few words instead of song this time. It felt good to sing again, when there was someone there to listen. It had grown old, when he was alone...

"There is no use in hiding now." His voice was calm, yet deep, and not hinted with exclamation, "There seems to be only you and I..." At this, Tak rose his head high above his shoulders, peering over the leafy vegetation that rested in front of him. He was more than keen on seeing the trespasser, and willing to fight if need be.

Oh, how willing he was!

Tak flexed his claws, digging them into the soft soil under his paws, simply waiting...his eyes were sharp, and focused, wide in curiosity and filled with questions. How long had it been since he left his original home? That wasn't one that was portrayed within the dancing sheen that swam across his pupils.

No...

o o c : EAT THE SHORT! Dx

[Deirdre]

Her slightly ruffled irritation had died down in the slight time of waiting between a response and a presentation. Hell if she was going to move to him, but that didn’t seem a problem because it hadn’t taken long before she could smell, faintly, another. A few crackles of vegetation were dimly noticed; traces of the previous year’s leftover leaves spangled the ground, littered with sticks that had, in some way or another, been knocked out of their trees.

She was actually quite enjoying the scenery, which was aglow with the fierce light of the sun, which the majority of it hadn’t passed over the nearest hill yet. She enjoyed the smell of the ash and cherry trees, which had eventually brought her to reside beneath one. Surely if she was going to greet the Alpha she shouldn’t just keep walking away.

How the sun did wonders to her coat during this time of evening, as the glare intensified before resuming its nightly dwell away from it all. The regular brown of her coat was alight revealing soft highlights of amber which added more profile to most of the color which had been blessed in the first place.

"There is no use in hiding now. There seems to be only you and I..."

‘Dear, I’m quite sure I wasn’t hiding,’ she thought plainly.

“Oh!” the falsely surprised tone sounded, though not loudly, she turned around to see a set of eyes peering at her, belonging to a quite tall wolf, expanding his height to exceed that of the vegetation. He could only be the Alpha.

”Greetings, landlord,” came the voice in response, tone not completely high, in fact bearing a lower feminine tone, dripping with a honey glazed quality. In fact, her voice matched her, yet a lot sweeter. She was a just a big pool of honey… with say, a few drops of black food coloring, tainted? Perhaps. "I am Deirdre."

She bowed down in respect toward him. There was nothing false in this act. Her eyes were upon him, yet directed away from his own eyes, for direct eye contact was an immediate sign of dominance, and Deirdre had no wish of having herself flayed today.

OoC| Ack.. nothing special here. e.e

[Tak]

What a day.

He had hardly expected this much to happen, thus far. Tak assumed it would turn out to be as...everyone day had been. Aside, that he had ventured to the silenced part of his land; he never did this. What a foolish mistake it would have been had he not...

The alpha ran his eyes over the growing shadows, until a shaft of golden sunlight caught his eye. There, in the sun, stood this stranger. A female, he concluded at last, taking in the shape and form of her body from afar. For a moment, at this distance, he observed and formed his first few assumptions of her.

She responded...and with respect. He had little reason to attack her, and underneath his breath--within the depths of his mind--he cursed her. Still, with distance between them, he nodded for her to rise.

"Landlord is not a title I've assumed many times," his voice was lower this time around, and he took several steps forward--head raised and struggling to keep his fur lying flat. The title was not an insult, he was simply too eager to fight. How long...had it been? No, no, no such thing as blood lust ran through him. He could go a day without having the taste of warm blood slide down his throat. It was simply, the excitement. The adrenalin. The thrill.

He couldn't quite explain it.

Tak came to a halt, his muzzle pried open and ready to speak once more, but a voice cut him short. It was masculine, and at a distance. Yet it held a boastful beat, and was...lyrical. At least the silence was parted... maybe this strange guy would hold his voice until Tak decided to leave his irritable place.

Praise the idiot who sang!

He blinked, and turned his attention toward the tune, as the song disappeared and was replaced by a soft howl. Tak had surely missed the memo, because he was utterly lost...

His ears were still on this stranger, but his eyes in the direction of the lone note.

And then, Tak was gleeful. Perhaps a broken silence and a good scrap! Then again, that was too good to be true. Only so many good things could happen in one day.

What. A. Day.

[Deirdre]

With his motion she assumed a regular stance, yet still had her head sagged a bit low.

"Landlord is not a title I've assumed many times,"


She may have replied, but his voice had assumed a lower note now. Oh dear, this could be trouble. She may have quirked a brow at him, but was going her very best to lie low on anything that might set a stranger off. Perhaps it was just her, but a slight feeling of instability in the Alpha seemed to be showing. Then he took a few steps forward, how nerve racking this was. She figured she could snake her way out of any problems, most likely, yet she hoped she didn’t have to.

Whence another howl rang its mournful melody upon then, he seemed to change, at least adverting himself away from, Deirdre, who’d slumped her head slightly again, out of blunt nervousness… if anything she didn’t plan to be killed out of pure bloodlust, not today. Perhaps she could be someone’s whore for a day, but that was a different sort of lust… one that didn’t include having a throat ripped apart, eyes gouged out, and being flayed in short terms. No, this was not pleasant.

The female was at least staying clear of her regular antics. She didn’t expect the Alpha to phased by anything, and surely enough he wasn’t. Deirdre certainly knew she wasn’t up for a fight. Hell, she was a slightly under-sized female loner… malnourished if anything from the lack of success in solitary hunting. Wit didn’t snake one out of everything, and as quick as she was, she found herself growing rather tired from extended traveling and lack of food.

Of course, if she did die, it wasn’t as though anyone but herself would be loosing something. While she was perhaps a valuable pack member, she belonged to no pack, which really made her nothing more than a hoe for a few males here and there, except, she didn’t get paid for any of her past service. Ah well.

‘Oh dear me,’ was all she thought. Even through a stone expression and a nervous mind she could still find it in herself to use some sarcasm. Oh wasn’t life grand?

[Anezka]

Cream colored paws treaded carefully upon the ground beneath her as chocolately brown ears flicked forward at the drifting songs of others. A glimmer of fear flashed through pale amber eyes and the she-wolf seemd to draw back in fear. Legs quivering, the petite wolf side-stepped into the shadows that formed from the setting sun; a shuddering sigh was taken as the female's eyes fluttered closed in a brief moment of the recollection of her nerves.

What is the fear the burdens your mind...Fear is but an emotion, something that you can rid yourself of! Anezka contradicted with herself, amber eyes darting about as the area was noted. And besides, these wolves are different...Not like the other dirty bastards that murdered my parents and forced me to be their slave... By now, a scrowl had formed over Anezka's white lips at the horrid memories that had been burned into her mind.

Shaking her head to rid herself of the memories, Anezka felt a burst of renewed confidence, something she had not felt since she was but a mere pup. Paws carried the she-wolf from the comfort of the shadows and towards the sounds of the other howls that had once penetrated the stillness. A soft breeze whisked across Anezka's earthy pelt, stirring the mixture of reds, browns, blacks, and whites. Breathing in, a mental note was made that there were three wolves - if they were in the same pack still lingered unknown within Anezka's intelligent mind.

Lifting her muzzle to the ever darkening sky, she released a soft, melodic howl from within her vocals; the howl lingered within the air for a few moments before fading away into nothingness. Would these wolves respond? A fiery hope burned within Anezka as she padded forward; her earthy brown tail swayed gentle behind her as she switched gaits from her suttle walk to an easy lope.

Pausing once again, Anezka feared that if she drew too close before a reply, things could turn out badly. Even though the restlessness to continue on began creeping upon her, she simply waited, struggling to keep this new urge down.

Would they reply? Anezka hoped so...

[Deirdre]

Silence, again. Oh the blessed curse, rearing its ugly head upon the forest. Deirdre, on the other hand, quite liked the change. Where there was sound, there still wasn’t, and that seemed to add a unique aura to the area… or perhaps it was just her mind doing another one of those little twists. Everything twisted seemed to appeal to her in some odd way or another.

Then he showed up. Stance lowered in a seeming casual submission to who was plainly higher in rank he had made a comment on the day. Deirdre cocked an ear slightly, almost willing herself to chuckle, but finding it in herself to keep it in. The evening was beautiful of course, but as for the humidity, this was where her body slightly disagreed. There was no sign in the sky of any rain to arrive soon, seeing as the heat would slowly continue. Fall would be showing itself of course, but that didn’t make the ending days of August any less intense, in fact, the yearn to cool off again and be in the snow of which she loved almost made the heat worse. Her tongue had been threatening to loll out of the mouth, and expel some of the building heat, but she seemed to control herself well, resuming her quiet sit as she waited for the Alpha to speak… she had no desire to respond to the male anyway. At least the sun was beginning to set; the fireflies would be out soon to dance and stream glittering light in the cooled setting.

He seen flicked his gaze to her, flashing a polite smile before stating his name, Odeon apparently, as well as a comment about having wandered in. Oh, she’d concealed her emotions so well so far, couldn’t she at least let it slip for a split second?

Yes.

She flashed him one of those charming smiles that she’d mastered so well. Completely fake, the smile, but the charm was certainly there… as well as a glimpse at a crooked halo? But of course.

Then another howl split the air, leaving a lasting ring in both ears. She must have been loosing her sense of smell or something, because she'd scented not a second loner, much less a third.

'It's turning into a regular party,' came the sarcastic remark, though unheard by anyone other than herself.

[Tak]

o o c : YOU LIE O-MAN.

b i c :

Tak regained his composure. Of course there wouldn't be such thing as that...he had no reason to fight these strangers. In that thought, he heaved a sigh and straightened himself; if it were possible to stand any taller.

He blinked away those motives, and cast a glance to the setting sun. He really didn't want to stay here after dark. "Alright," he growled to the slumping female, quickly growing tired of her submissive postures, "Get up. Show some backbone..." His blue eyes were cast aside, to the off-white male that had recently joined them.

As his eyes were set aside once more, a second song fell over the silence. Suddenly, Tak felt surrounded...was it a trap? There was a feeling, deep down within him, that it wasn't; though he couldn't shake the thought. He felt as if he should ask for their purpose, but assumed it would be like all the others. Just out wanderin' ya know? Sure you do. Okay, bye.

And...despite his nerves, the alpha was quickly growing to appreciate the new male's outright attitude--though it was rather bold of him. Tak was on the verge of replying, but caution was stronger, and he did not engage in conversation so quickly. This Odeon was not one he would turn his back on...not soon anyway. Though, the alpha was truly obliged to converse...

Tak was compelled to chuckle at the male's eagerness for conversation, but he wasn't complaining. Despite his eerie, suspicious feelings, Tak was confused as to the male's quick responses. Silence was...dull. Still, he would have very much rathered fight instead of talk.

He was...after all...not quite so keen on general discussion with a stranger anyway.

"Alright, what are your names again?" Tak questioned, taking a few steps back so that each of them were clearly in his vision. He eyed them, studying their builds, coats, scents...for future reference. If they had one of these marks, I wouldn't have to make so many mental notes... Life had grown too easy for him, since pack life.

The tan and ginger male, blinked, before running his eyes over the foliage and landscape in search of the third wolf who sang out. Instead of returning a kind note, he barked a scratchy reply, urging the newest arrival to show themselves. "Alright, stranger, come out! No sense in hiding, I want to see those that trespass..."

Even if he neglected the land, he still kept his eyes over it...occasionally.
Hardly ever.

...It was still his.

He caught the side-glance that the female cast to Odeon. Tak grew ever more suspicious. He coughed uneasily, and flicked his ears back in annoyance. "What was that...? Do you find my authority boring?"

[Deirdre]

Once again, a signal to stand taller. Fine then, she could do it, as if she liked to be offering her neck on a platter, barely able to jump back if he did decide that she looked like a more valuable trophy than member. Hell, she was only putting up with this, willing herself to openly submit, due to the fact that in the back of her mind, a craving for pack life was beginning to chew away at her sanity.

‘Pack… pack… others… others. You know you’re lonely, Deirdre.’

She had too much pride in her heart to will herself to admit it vocally to herself, to satisfy her conscience, but she’d none the less out her mind set on joining one. How well had the search gone so far? The real question was how selective was Deirdre in finding a suitable environment for herself? For one thing, she didn’t want to join a single alpha female, a single male, yes, a pair, sure, but she probably wouldn’t find it in herself to adapt to a female’s nitpicking all the time. Even she admitted now that single females weren’t to lead packs alone. That would need eased in to. A small pack was what she wanted to join as well, for at least there may be a place for her. Loners bragging about joining Cadre with over one hundred wolves? Yeah, that sure seemed to last a long while, certainly they couldn’t find it satisfying if Deirdre were to come across their haggard little bodies in the first place.

She wouldn’t need asked again. Her shoulders perked and her back straightened, though head remained relatively average height, for she couldn’t see herself just deciding to play a game in ‘who could stand taller than the mighty alpha.’ She still looked through him, eyes focusing on something about the area of his chest.

There was a newfound glimmer of enkindled light flashing in the cream caramel area surrounding her pupils. At least he wasn’t basking in the glory of her simple notion of a respectful submission, which, if it mattered, put him on a better side in her view; of course, he wasn’t the one simply traipsing into an owned territory.

Names? Had she even said her name… most likely, but it was called for again.

“Deirdre.”

The answer, lacking any specific emotion, but obviously not quaking with anything known as fear, did not hesitate to be repeated. She wanted those which would ask to know her name, and remember it. Oh the perks of being Deirdre. If he wanted her to quit sucking up so much, she would greatly oblige.

"What was that...? Do you find my authority boring?"

This, as well, was struck as being a quite interesting question. Why did he think she was here in the first place? She wasn’t one of those yearlings who meandered into a territory and then had a near fit when they were discovered, claiming mercy upon their carelessly lost carcasses. There was reason for her being here.

“I’m quite sure that if I found authority of any sort boring, I’d not be here right now,” she answered in a straightforward way. She wasn’t going so far as to eliminate the respect that was certainly present in her voice, but she wasn’t making any pitiful excuses and begging for mercy upon her little soul.

[Anezka]

Anezka was beginning to guess that the wolves weren't going to reply when a barking voice suddenly arose, commanding her to come forth. At the tone, Anezka's pale amber eyes flashed; the once-beaten fear stirred within the she-wolf's eyes and she stepped back nervously, her legs trembling nervously.

Calm down, Anezka, calm down... she told herself, yet, how could she calm down when such torture had been placed upon her at such a young age? Certainly fate didn't mean for the terror to go as far as it had...Or did it? Shaking her creamy white head, the female timidly padded forward, her bushy tail swinging limply behind her.

As she entered the clearing, she dropped into a submissive stance, extending one forepaw and lowering her torso. "Good evening, my Lords and Lady. I am Anezka."

o o c; EWW! Short post! My mom made me get off. );

[Brey]

A pair of light golden eyes wandered about the gathered wolves. Half of her, wanted to be with them, to be with company. The rest though, was terribly afraid. She had been alone for so long, now it seemed like it was over. That terrible dread that company brought though, it made her unsure as well.

She could not live like this forever. Broad ribs protruded from her sides, fur stuck up in random spots, with livid scars etched upon her silvery white muzzle, she was a mess. Yet, she had been able to survive. Maybe though... she wouldn't much longer.

Food, growled her instinct. Prior knowledge kept her rooted to the spot. A simple battle began in her mind, stay... or go? From the dawn of her birth, it had been exactly the same instinct that had kept her alive. What would it say this time.

I must stay.. she finally growled softly, so that only she would have heard....

The She-wolf stayed where she was though, inhaling deeply. I can do this... Even if my life was in danger, I could easily outwit all of them. A smirk graced her muzzle, her arrogance had finally returned.

As she exhaled, a lonely howl rose up from the shadows of where she stood. It stopped abruptly though, and she waited... for an answer.

Silence...

Her pale yellow eyes rifted over to the clear sky, letting her waving tail droop to her heels absentmindedly. Would there be rain tomorrow? It certainly seemed very clear out here. Not a cloud in the sky...

Forepaws scuffed lightly on the ground, she was anxious, very anxious. What if they don't want me? Again, her arrogance was fading. She was beginning to return to the skittish shadow of her former self...

She waited once more...