07-21-2009, 04:40 AM
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| http://digital-bonsai.com/katew/rp/kae/ ... tblood.jpg); background-position:top center; background-repeat:no-repeat; background-position:fixed; padding-top:248px; padding-left:25px; padding-right:25px; padding-bottom:10px;"> Inferni had expanded its lands, it seemed. The coyote woman was glad for that, since they had been expanding in size... at least, that is, until Enigma and Zana had left. The silver woman didn't yet know the reasoning behind either of the departures, though she was rather upset that both had gone before she'd had a chance to truly know either. The coyote kicked the ground in anger, glancing upward to the brewing storm. It was alright; the weather matched her mood this afternoon: dark and unforgiving. Let it rain on her, she was already fuming on the inside. Departures were always the worst, and the Lykoi matron hadn't even had a chance to know Zana besides their brief, awkward meeting on the borders. She had at least had a civil conversation with Enigma. Sighing heavily, she headed away from the caves, seeking to browse along the borders to pass the time. Thankfully, their expansion hadn't much altered their state of decorations, since those affected by the expansion had already been transplanted to the new borders, proclaiming more land belonged to the coyote clan. The bunch of miserable hybrids and tiny cousins of the wolf had formed a clan, and it was supposed to have perished months after its inception. Only here it was still, nearing seven years later and in a different location, but bearing the same name and the same insignia, the very same bearers of fire and death that had eked out their survival on that thin strip of beach in the former territories. They were pretty damn strong now, though their strength was within their individuals, rather than their number as a whole—Gabriel, Anselm, and Kaena were fearsome, and Jezebel was nothing to scoff at, let alone the rest of their ranks. Ryan was beautiful but formidable, and there was a veritable army of young Lykoi spawn, some more eager than others to be molded in the ways of warfare. Halo leaped to mind, and Kaena also remembered Jael's anger at his father. Such things could be channeled, even if the pallid hybrid had expressed distaste at the idea of mindless slaughter. Given reason, most creatures could be pushed and pressured to kill. The grizzled old woman wandered among the trees, inspecting the new Inferni border and adding her scent to the mix where she thought appropriate. The hybrid meandered a bit off track after that, wandering deeper into the spider-woods even as the rain soaked her entire body, dripping from her face and stomach. She paid it little mind, meandering rather than walking with a purpose, clearly showing no heed for the storm. The forest was strangely calm, the darkness cast by the trees aided by Lightning illuminated the shadow for a moment, and Kaena's eyes fell on the most pathetic, decrepit cabin she'd ever seen. The hybrid woman snorted, seeing the shadow and darkness where the open wall allowed the innards of the cabin to rot even further, and sauntered forward, intent on passing it by. She wandered toward the cabin, confident that it provided so little shelter that no creature would have sought to use it for such purposes; unfortunately, she was wrong. She didn't even see the eyes peering forward at her from the darkness for a moment, and she bristled, inhaling sharply to pick up a scent of the canine, unfamiliar azure eyes staring at her from the pitch black shadow provided by the clouds and the ruined cabin. She was silent for the moment, though she knew she'd already been seen. The rain made scent difficult to utilize, and the coyote woman had no idea what manner of canine had sought shelter in the remnants of the human building. Wariness showed in her features; her ears had swept back against her skull and that razor line of charcoal fur had risen along her shoulders and spine, though it was certainly hindered by the pounding rain. |