~Life between the teeth~ [Howl]

[`Obscurus`]

Concentrate... concentrate... focus... watch..

Never in a million years did the off-white creature think that fishing would be this difficult. He'd seen others do it dozens of times, seen them scoop fish out of the water effortlessly, flopping it up onto land and then beaming at their catch. When he asked them how they did it none could give him a straight answer, but most had said that once you get the hang of it, it's as easy as breathing. And even when salmon season was fast approaching, he spotted one damn fish. I mean sure, the occasional school of minnows here and there, but nothing worth throwing himself in the water after.

Snorting he was just about to draw back and survey the rest of the stream's glittering surface, when a startling flash of pink caught his eye. Without a moment's hesitation he leaped into the water, thrusting his snout below the surface and snagging the fish's head between his teeth. Lifting back quickly he tossed his head, throwing the fish onto shore. Quite pleased with himself he trotted out and looked down at the helplessly flopping creature at his feet. Quite a pathetic thing really. Gasping for air, it's thrashing becoming weaker by the moment. Easy pickings. The male wolf observed.

Alu was never a merciful being himself, though somehow he managed to make others see this absent trait within him. And as he watched the fish die, something inside him wriggled in contentment. This is what he was put on this earth for. To kill and the revel in it. He felt so much joy and contentment when watching another struggle to hang on to their only life. It was quite amusing as well.

But he was growing weary. So, dipping his head he took the fish in his jaws once more and clamped down, hard, a sickening crack quickly following. So satisfying. A bit of it's blood dribbled down his chin, staining the milky fur. He wasn't going to enjoy his kill just yet.

[jenks]

A low rumble escaped her throat as she slunk stealthily through the deep undergrowth of her comfortable yet sometimes boring little abode she had made herself here since joining the bountiful lands of the Souse. She like many of her kind here had been assigned to the Huntress position though not because her weakness in combat but for the sake of preserving her god-given ‘talents’ and nourishing her body for what it was really good for – bearing beautiful pups and being a little eye-candy for the boys that cared to stare. The white she-wolf slowed to a comfortable trot and allowed her paws to bounce teasingly against the moss beneath her feet as she came into contact with the delicious scent of fresh water and fish. Was it the season for the salmon? Maybe not for the spawning but perhaps the stragglers that had been left or the young ‘uns making their way up stream early to the biggest struggle of their life. A cruel smirk etched across her maw as she came into the clearing bursting with the rippling music of the waters confirming what her crafty nose had told her only moments ago.

She was quickly approaching where her nose made her follow when another probably more welcome scent caught the attention of her nares. A wolf. Judging by the waft of testosterone mingled with this wolfs scents he was about eighty-nine percent sure that it was a male she was sure to encounter as she drew nearer. Perhaps it was a blessing that she was to meet another of her pack to early in her enrollment here however her instincts niggled at her to stay downwind for the moment. Pfft. Since when did she listen to those niggling thoughts? Pulling herself a little straighter than she might have if she was on her own the white wolfess strolled casually with an air of silk into the surrounding area of the stream. She pretended not to notice the tempting scent of blood and flesh in the air as she approached the water and gently rested her haunches against the soft grass beneath her. After a moment or two she looked over in the general direction of her host and plastered a welcoming yet somewhat flirtatious grin towards the clearly ivory hued male in her company. She couldn’t help it if she was stunning…

“I didn’t think I’d have company here this early.” She purred loud enough for him to hear her melodious voice.

Lowering her chest closer to the ground she licked at the water testingly then drank at the cool water listing all the while for this male to speak.

[`Obscurus`]

Alu had just been going to dip his head to rip into the fish when a hot sting of white caught his pale lemony eyes. He stopped momentarily and glanced up, mouth still open and poised to rip into his much deserved kill. The wolf sauntered more into view and he noticed the sinuous length of it's body and the way it moved. A femme most likely, or a very disturbed male. And the way she was moving about, conveyed nothing to him but flirtatiousness and a haughty attitude. Which, you know, didn't bother him much, it wasn't his fault that she thought she was hot stuff. In fact, he kind of admired that in femme's, a strong confident air, not the ones that were insecure. They were cute sure, but just not of his particular tastes.

Pretending to barely notice he finally sunk his teeth into his kill, the sweet coppery taste of blood making his tongue tingle in delight. More of the scarlet liquid stained his muzzle, along with a grayish matter from the organs. But he paid no mind, at least until she spoke.

“I didn’t think I’d have company here this early.”

Alu quirked a brow and looked up at her, swallowing a bit of fish that had caught in his throat. He smirked ever so slightly and drew out a bone from the body, chewing on it thoughtfully.

"You know what they say. The early bird gets the worm. I couldn't have anyone up here stealing my fish now could I?" His voice was a deep and alluring rumble, sometimes barely audible to those who weren't listening properly. He had a light, joking air about his words that even the shallowest creature could have picked up on.

He stopped chewing for a moment, raising his large head and cocking it ever so slightly. Giving him a cute factor.

"You are... Desdemona? Correct?" He said not at all uncertainly. He knew her name, he was just playing around. Might as well enjoy himself before he puts his plans into motion. Every time he spoke his tone would match hers, a light flirtaciousness quivering in it's hollow depths.

[jenks]

Normally she would have been a bit miffed that her presence would go so unnoticed especially if she was in plain view and he was actually making the effort to ignore the Goddess that was Desdemona but this time she decided to let it slip as he seemed to be preoccupied with his delicious looking meal rather than be searching for some company. That was all it was, a little bit of harmless chatter as they dined together for possibly the last time until she brought some food back to the den and even then a Huntress was only supposed to hunt as a group activity though pack hierarchy often got her restless in the case of mealtimes. Acknowledging his obvious ignorance to her she flicked her snowy tail in acceptance of their neutral presences again until he answered her with a commonly used phrase and a playful question. It was all good small talk of course. It was so annoying when one says hello in mild passing and they spill their life story like that.

Her dark coffee orbs swiveled to face him as she brought her cranium to a proud high to face this wolf male. She looked from his kill to his face in good pace as she studied him loosely. His voice suited him very nicely, dark but airy and not looking out of place with his large body. The two of them were similar in some areas but different in the face and size meaning that he was most likely a Timber or a Grey where else she was neither. She didn’t speak for a moment while she carried out her little study but in fear that she might find herself admiring another other than her own she drew herself away.

“Perhaps the worm doesn’t want to get ‘got’. Perhaps the worm doesn’t even belong to the early bird in the first place.” She spoke smoothly in a clearly curious tone as she thought through her words. “I thought you may have been a… visitor. I judged too soon it seems.”

With a curt chuckle she raised herself to stand. Despite being smaller than him she didn’t allow herself to feel intimidated by this somewhat familiar face. He was part of the pack anyway, he reeked of blood and Souse pack territory. Knowing this she found herself becoming somewhat more comfortable in his presence than before. Apparently so did he, giving her that deceiving puppy face of his when she had just witnessed him near mauling the remnants of that fish. He knew her name at least. Desdemona was hard to forget.

“Correct though I don’t have a clue of your name. Warrior I presume?” She said more matter-of-factly than asking.

[`Obscurus`]

He caught her examining him but said nothing, only let his smirk still play across his blooded maw. He bent his head again, taking another bite of fish while she hurriedly turned away. He couldn't help but let out a low chuckle, which sounded more like a choke. He didn't know how she would react if she found out he was laughing at her. Probably not too good he guessed.

“Perhaps the worm doesn’t want to get ‘got’. Perhaps the worm doesn’t even belong to the early bird in the first place.”

Alu looked up at this, rather amused by the statement. Well, it made sense.

"But don't you think, that the early bird deserves to get the worm? It is not a question of belonging. It is his right, in a sense, because he was there before the others. It is not to worm's choice whether or not he wants to be claimed, it is the bird's, since it decides the worm's fate." Alu said, his voice bemused. Such a strange little debate. But a fun one no doubt. She just my prove to be an interesting character.

“Correct though I don’t have a clue of your name. Warrior I presume?”

He smiled that same, serene smile, the same smile that seemed to put others at ease. A smile to show he was here for good fun and to be friendly, when inside he felt the total opposite.

"I am called Alu. Your assumption is correct. I am a warrior. It is a pleasure to meet your acquaintance Desddemona. And what have you been labeled? Hunter? " He asked in mild curiosity, sitting back and swiping a delicate pink tongue around his already stained lips.

[jenks]

"No he does not have any rights what-so-ever."


It was such a shame that the few traits she had inherited from her dearly departed mother from her shone brightly when in the presence of another like-minded creature one being that of being read so easily. Like now for instance she displayed much of the characteristics of a pup being scolded despite her desperate attempts to conceal those troublesome feelings of being put down without realizing it. Pulling herself together she inched closer to him then lowered her delicate frame to lay but a few feet away from him and his catch. She meant nothing of it of course other than to display herself before him like some sort of doll screaming ‘I’m pretty to look at but I bet I can look just as relaxed around you as you are’.

His words were wise of course but wrong in her opinion. The worm was not the birds at all. She shook it off with yet another casual flick of her tail as she listened to his deep tones blabber on about things that weren’t really that important in her world yet they never failed to annoy her when brought up in casual conversation.

“Then tell me why the bird was near the worm in the first place when he was not supposed to be there in the first place. The bloody bird should know when to stay in his hunting grounds or be pecked off by another rightful, bigger bird.” She replied with a little haughtiness that her words did not express earlier. Her view on territorial boundaries was firm even for a pack dweller of her standards. The worms of course belonged to her when she walked the ground. Gazing over at the restless water she frowned as she thought over these things in her head. It was not becoming of a lady to think so much but she was already at least once a lady. The only movement in the snowy femmes body was the swiveling of her ear to listen to his name which she noted as Alu. Not a very common name but pleasant to the aud.

“Yes for now a Hunter. I’ve not been blessed with such a task as defending the pack boundaries from packless vermin and so have been cursed the task of gathering scraps from the rivers and forest. Not unaided of course.” She spoke the last few words with a little bitterness as she had not formally been allowed to conduct a proper hunt on her own. She did not like to follow orders from a less worthy fae.

[`Obscurus`]

“Then tell me why the bird was near the worm in the first place when he was not supposed to be there in the first place. The bloody bird should know when to stay in his hunting grounds or be pecked off by another rightful, bigger bird.”

The off-white male only chuckled, a low and raspy sound but not unpleasing to the ears. The white male lifted his head, smiling ever so slightly at the snowy female. Honestly, her statement would have made sense, if they were talking about birds from different flocks, when in the first place these birds were in brought into the conversation to represent the present wolves themselves. He, nor she, were outsiders to this part of their territory, they had free reign over it pretty much because their leader claimed it.

"I see. Your views are... particular. But I was meaning birds of the same flock. If they were not so, then that would be an entirely different story. Which you have just so eloquently explained. And of course, as you pointed out also, the food chain must come into play and we needn't forget the larger birds." He said, but wasn't exactly scolding her, in fact, his voice had been very absent of emotion when saying that, a good way to show patience.

“Yes for now a Hunter. I’ve not been blessed with such a task as defending the pack boundaries from packless vermin and so have been cursed the task of gathering scraps from the rivers and forest. Not unaided of course.”

He smiled. Packless vermin he could handle, maybe because he had a strong distaste for them. His own pack, many years ago, had been overrun with them that the Alpha's had taken in. Filth they were. All of them. They were packless for a reason, and were better off staying that way.

"Unaided? Does Nara think that you can't handle a few bits of prey on your own? You look capable enough to me." The milky animal said, giving a light snort.