Terra's fascination with Inferni was pointless, and she knew it. She longed for other coyotes though, and this pack of wolfish hybrids seemed to be the closest she would get. Terra faced the row of skulls along Inferni's border, thinking about when she'd first seen it. The sight of the skulls had convinced her that extremely violent wolves lived there. When she'd come back, taking the skulls and defacing them Terra had discovered that canines calling themselves coyotes lived there. It was unacceptable in her mind, but there was no helping what they called themselves.
An urge to trespass crossed Terra's mind, but even she wasn't stupid enough to do that. The wounds that she'd gained had taught her that they didn't even like strangers sniffing around the borders, let alone trespassing. Wanting to live for another day Terra remained outside, pacing along the edge. Maybe someone would come out that she could taunt. Terra wouldn't howl, calling attention to herself, as she valued stealth. Still, the mark of an unknown coyote traveling the borders should grab someone's attention.
[html]
<style type="text/css">
#halosimple {width:440px; padding:10px; margin:auto; text-align:justify; background-image:url(http://dl.dropbox.com/u/5697571/lykoistar10.png); background-position:center; background-repeat:no-repeat;}
#halosimple .ooc {text-align:right; font-family: times new roman, helvetica, sans-serif; font-style:italic; line-height:1.2em;}
#halosimple p {text-align:justify; line-height:1.5em; text-indent:30px;}
#halosimple .bottom {text-align:right; font-family: times new roman, helvetica, sans-serif;}
#halosimple .bottom p {line-height:1.5em; margin:0px;text-align:right; line-height:1.2em; }
#halosimple .name {font-family: 'Calligraffitti', arial, serif; font-size:32px; line-height:1.5em; }
</style>
sswm 342
Although she loved them dearly, once she had received that prolonged taste of what it felt like to be without the children, she did allow herself short trips within the clan’s territory or by their borders. During most of her trips along the forever watchful skulls, she had been wickedly unfortunate to run into others that did not belong to their ranks disturbingly often. It offered her gloomy anticipation, and she felt restless lingering around the mansion without taking trips to scout for potential danger. It wasn’t her duty to do so, but she was protective of Inferni’s claim, and would make sour comments about this whenever next she was unlucky enough to run into her blonde Aquila.
Hackles rose with instantaneous fury when a stranger’s fresh scent was the first thing she ran into when she reached the well-marked claim that separated her home from free territory. There was no true crime committed as long as they didn’t break into the lands, but Halo could care more about such silly details. Although the skulls, so prettily lined up along the scent of ownership, had no voice of their own, their presence spoke of what had happened here. The clan did not approve of unannounced visitors. Some clan members were friendlier than others, but Halo despised those who dared to travel so close to Inferni. Rat-tail Zana might allow fools to leave here unharmed, but Halo would not. The kids had gnawed her wolf pelts apart, and she wanted new ones.
On quick feet, the warmly hued Halo stalked after the scent, in hot pursuit of the owner. The smell of a wolf pack more distant than most. She recognized it today, as she had been nearby their borders only a few days ago. Red eyes were hot with her cruel intentions. It didn’t take too long before she managed to catch sight of the guilty creature in the distance. The Lykoi female did not slow as she released a sharp bark.
Her wish had been granted. Terra had traversed the full length of the eastern side of Inferni, and she guessed that her scent had dragged all along. A sharp bark caught at her attention, turning Terra's head. A dark female coyote with glowing red eyes was charging towards her, death in her eyes. That definitely hadn't been the result that she'd expected from her little trip, but a game of chase was always entertaining. Lithely Terra bowed down in a mockery of the other's seriousness before twisting to the side out of the way. She darted a short distance to under a bush, knowing that that wouldn't stop someone that was around the same size as her.
Thanks for the warm welcome. I'm Fleta, and you are? Terra doubted that she would get an answer to her question, instead using the time to edge around to the other side of the bush, gaining more distance. Just behind her was the forest full of traps she'd run through last time. Maybe she'd get lucky, and be able to lure the female into a trap. Terra wasn't too sure where all the traps were, but being used to such things allowed her to spot them, and she doubted all the pack members were intimately used to them.
[html]
<style type="text/css">
#halosimple {width:440px; padding:10px; margin:auto; text-align:justify; background-image:url(http://dl.dropbox.com/u/5697571/lykoistar10.png); background-position:center; background-repeat:no-repeat;}
#halosimple .ooc {text-align:right; font-family: times new roman, helvetica, sans-serif; font-style:italic; line-height:1.2em;}
#halosimple p {text-align:justify; line-height:1.5em; text-indent:30px;}
#halosimple .bottom {text-align:right; font-family: times new roman, helvetica, sans-serif;}
#halosimple .bottom p {line-height:1.5em; margin:0px;text-align:right; line-height:1.2em; }
#halosimple .name {font-family: 'Calligraffitti', arial, serif; font-size:32px; line-height:1.5em; }
</style>
sswm 495
Her speed was designed for catching up only, though she quickly seemed to learn that it would seem like she was intent on an aggressive chase from the very start. She had expected a wolf, but had been wrong. She had also expected to be met with some kind of submission once she caught up with the canine draped in both shape and style as a coyote. The warmly pelted Triarii might be protective of the borders, but her behaviour would have been more controlled at the discovery of a fellow coyote. Racism ran thick through her despite the unfavourable amount of wolf infesting her blood. But it hadn’t been as bad as she once had thought it to be, and nature had been kind to grant her the petite appearance of a coyote, exotic in her darkened, vibrant colours. Beauty and madness ran thick through both sides of the family, and she had received a sizeable share by each.
Silky locks whipped about her face with the caress of an untamed breeze. She breathed in the scent of the jester as scarlet eyes watched her reasonless mockery. Although her stance was dominant, oversized ears were quick to swivel back with the slight confusion that was offered. The Inferni was a clan that got to see it all. Their borders were feared, and those who did not keep their distance had varying reasons. Some were murderers and racist, others simply didn’t know any better. Halo had known more than one dimwit during her years of life, and thought perhaps that was what she was faced with now. Disapproving eyes watched as the other woman crawled in under a dry bush. A disapproving eyebrow rose at the display of exceptional behaviour.
The bush spoke words that strengthened the warrior’s suspicion. It didn’t please her, for she disliked facing situations she was unfamiliar with. Arms crossed beneath the crimson brand that spoke, without words, of the clan woman’s royal blood. Her dark tail waved behind her, brought to life by the same breeze that played with her dark hair. Her spirits didn’t rise as she continued to analyse the female’s scent. These lands did no longer support Darwin’s theory of Evolution was not followed. She refused to believe that the clan would take in an individual with crippled, limited mentality if one was found by the borders, but it seemed the southern wolf packs would. Lips curved the slightest at the thought of their closest neighbour and their intriguing habits. Perhaps they’d like to acquire such a clown.
Scarlet didn’t remain on the speaking bush, though, for although the one scent of Cour des Miracles was left in her nostrils, there could be more of them. Perhaps a guardian not doing their job at keeping an eye at their strange pet? Lips withdrew to bare her perfect row of cruel teeth, silent and horrible.
Used to near instant aggression Terra was surprised when the female stopped, halting to study her. Swiftly Terra's head peeked out of the bush, watching the other warily. She wasn't about to shift to optime form to match this stranger, choosing to stick to her strengths where her size and speed worked with her. If she needed a quick getaway she could do it much easier this way than having to battle with the clumsiness lack of practice gave her on two legs. Again Terra resolved to work on remedying this, and again the thought was pushed aside to deal with the curiosity of the moment.
Unabashedly she stared at the scarlet hybrid standing before her. A scar marred the female's breast, forming a star. That was a mark of death, a sign of the dead. Terra believed that coyotes went to the stars after they died, and to carry a star on one's body was a sign that death traveled with them. Terra most certainly did not want to tangle with death. Her trickster nature rebelled against showing fear though. Often she had danced with death, and felt herself intimately familiar with it. This dance would just be more open than the ones she was used to.
Stepping out from the bush Terra smiled cockily. Her stance wasn't submissive, but it was still lower than the one that the Inferni female held. Not being naturally dominant made it easier to lower herself, though she wasn't someone who would flash her belly to anybody who asked. A death carrier, are you?
[html]
<style type="text/css">
#halosimple {width:440px; padding:10px; margin:auto; text-align:justify; background-image:url(http://dl.dropbox.com/u/5697571/lykoistar10.png); background-position:center; background-repeat:no-repeat;}
#halosimple .ooc {text-align:right; font-family: times new roman, helvetica, sans-serif; font-style:italic; line-height:1.2em;}
#halosimple p {text-align:justify; line-height:1.5em; text-indent:30px;}
#halosimple .bottom {text-align:right; font-family: times new roman, helvetica, sans-serif;}
#halosimple .bottom p {line-height:1.5em; margin:0px;text-align:right; line-height:1.2em; }
#halosimple .name {font-family: 'Calligraffitti', arial, serif; font-size:32px; line-height:1.5em; }
</style>
sswm 552
The woman had assumed without a second thought that the strange, puppy-like behaviour was to continue. Whether or not she’d best chase after the other had yet to be decided, though it was being considered. The warrior thought all those who did not belong to these lands to be fools to come here, and this was just another one. But the cheekiness of her behaviour was what puzzled her the most. Could it be that the other female was only here to ridicule the clan and its members? Such a simple thought was difficult to hold on to, because only puppies behaved in such simple ways. This wasn’t the truth, but it was Halo’s belief that only children and youth lingering on the threshold of adulthood would play such games just for the sake of it. Why gamble one’s life without a tangible reason?
But other canines weren’t the ones she knew, and sharp teeth glared warningly at the unwanted lupus female as her petite face peered out through her poor, branched excuse for a shield. The copper painted woman’s silky fur was rising as her initial confusion slowly made room for the usual rage that so loved to travel under her skin. Halo Lykoi was an easy individual to anger, and the unnatural behaviour of the other could only delay her so much. The sword had yet to fall into her angry palms, though fingers on both hands had turned into fists, gradually tightening. Behind her, the dark Triarii’s tail danced, though not to liberate positive emotion. She wanted to ask where the rest of the dumb scouts of Inferni were, for it angered her to know that such presence had been allowed by the borders until now. Why did the warriors have to come all the way out here to deal with retards?
Unexpectedly, the four legged coyote smiled and stepped forth from her poor hiding spot. Oversized audits draped with brightened auburn swivelled on top of her dark head, expressing renewed curiosity, though her eyes were sharp and bright with ill intent. Had the other been much closer, she’d get Halo’s katana through her throat. But to threat the trespasser on this distance just would not do, for she didn’t wish to play cat and mouse games.
The question that was cast over the distance was a strange one, though a low hiss escaped the space between the warrior’s bared teeth. ”I can be,” she snarled back, tail lashing behind her. It was that obvious, yes? Exactly what the insolent coyote meant with that was another thing. She supposed she was a carrier of death, for she had taken many lives by these borders. As a warrior of Inferni, she’d dealt death to intruders and soldiers of war alike. She didn’t know the significance that her branded Lykoi star had in the eyes of the other. For her it was a mark that revealed that she was tied through blood to one of the more infamous families in ‘Souls.
It was a common sign nowadays though, and with the masses of Lykoi descendants, some had started to join wolf packs rather than honour family and loyalty. It was disgusting.
Hearing the female speak took the edge off of Terra's fear. She was beginning to see just a simple warrior. A brilliant one indeed, but still just a warrior. The agreement to being a death carrier didn't surprise Terra, as it wasn't something that she seemed able to hide. The warrior's tail lashed, and she could see her death reflected in the other's eyes. Terra was confident she'd survive the encounter though, and the chance was good that her escape would be a good mark on the warrior's record.
Terra considered moving closer, but decided that it would be best to keep some distance between her and her dance partner. Do you choose who dies, or does death make the choice for you? This could be a painful question for death carriers to answer, as some had watched those they cared for drop dead around them. Terra didn't care though, was just pushing until the moment when the female would snap, or something else would happen to change it.
[html]
<style type="text/css">
#halosimple {width:440px; padding:10px; margin:auto; text-align:justify; background-image:url(http://dl.dropbox.com/u/5697571/lykoistar10.png); background-position:center; background-repeat:no-repeat;}
#halosimple .ooc {text-align:right; font-family: times new roman, helvetica, sans-serif; font-style:italic; line-height:1.2em;}
#halosimple p {text-align:justify; line-height:1.5em; text-indent:30px;}
#halosimple .bottom {text-align:right; font-family: times new roman, helvetica, sans-serif;}
#halosimple .bottom p {line-height:1.5em; margin:0px;text-align:right; line-height:1.2em; }
#halosimple .name {font-family: 'Calligraffitti', arial, serif; font-size:32px; line-height:1.5em; }
</style>
--
Pale eyelids drooped over glorious pools of fresh blood-red hues, arrogance vivid within her visual expression as a foolish question was released by a being obviously ignorant of who and what she was talking to. Perhaps Halo simply didn’t understand the question as she was expected to, but it rung clearly within her ears, and it sounded only moronic within her silky audits. The pearly glimpse of her sharp teeth weren’t obscured by dark lips. But she had the woman’s scent now, along with an appearance not commonly found within the ranks of a wolf pack.
”I am the reaper, and so the choice is mine,”naturally. The Lykoi spoke through barely parted teeth, darkness apparent within red. ”Now leave.” she had yet to discover any purpose for the four legged garbage’s presence, and therefore she had to go, or face consequences in one way or the other. Perhaps Zana ran around and played nice with trash disrespecting Inferni’s borders, but Halo wasn’t here to play. Curved, cat-like nails rasped against the softness of her palms, but she remained still yet. The female’s initial behaviour had hinted of the personality she was dealing with. The worst kind of trash.
Surprise for Terra, the death carrier chose her own kills. Then again, maybe she shouldn't have been so surprised, considering the aggression she faced. It was rare though, and something she could appreciate. So few could claim what this one did, the ability to walk with death and choose it's mark. Granted, the female probably killed many with her own hands, but that wasn't to say she hadn't wished ill on another and watched that one waste away in a mysterious fashion.
Asked to leave Terra twitched her tail, bowing down playfully. Leave? When I just got here? What's the sense in that? Terra's business with Inferni was quite simple really: to rub at the wound keeping her separate from them and to find someone and annoy them with her tricks. The first purpose was coming along quite well, Terra again reminded how wolf like these coyotes were, how even in the midst of dozens of her relatives Terra would still be quite alone. The second one was coming along nicely as well, though Terra was definitely pushing it mocking a death carrier.
[html]
<style type="text/css">
#halosimple {width:440px; padding:10px; margin:auto; text-align:justify; background-image:url(http://dl.dropbox.com/u/5697571/lykoistar10.png); background-position:center; background-repeat:no-repeat;}
#halosimple .ooc {text-align:right; font-family: times new roman, helvetica, sans-serif; font-style:italic; line-height:1.2em;}
#halosimple p {text-align:justify; line-height:1.5em; text-indent:30px;}
#halosimple .bottom {text-align:right; font-family: times new roman, helvetica, sans-serif;}
#halosimple .bottom p {line-height:1.5em; margin:0px;text-align:right; line-height:1.2em; }
#halosimple .name {font-family: 'Calligraffitti', arial, serif; font-size:32px; line-height:1.5em; }
</style>
--
Pale whiskers pulled back along her narrow, coyote-styled muzzle, wrinkled and disapproving in every fashion. Ivory teeth flinted like they wished to dig into the warm flesh beneath the latte fur of the other’s, but along with her ripening age, Halo had steadily moved away from such savageness. This female’s blood was not worthy of leaving its lingering taste of filth upon her tongue. It was one of many reasons why she adored the katana strapped onto her back. She didn’t have to dig in with teeth and claws, only her beautiful, sharpened blade.
”Leave now or face the consequences,” the woman breathed, and it was a promise. There were alternative ways to get back at a lowly trickster, and perhaps taking on this in a different manner would be good for her. The woman’s hand reached up and over her shoulder, settling on the dark, glossy handle of a weapon that was nothing short of beautiful. If the girl desired to be a fool for no reason, then the Lykoi could not deny her that, but she was a creature that held long-lasting grudge.
The weapon leaped forth over her shoulder and swung down to linger as an extended part of the woman’s hand along her curvy side. It probably wouldn’t be used today, but the silent threat was always something, even if this filth was unable to treat the scene seriously. Some individuals never grew past the puppy stage of life, and it was this stranger’s parents she resented for allowing her to live despite the obvious issues that were now on display.
Teeth were bared, something Terra happily mimicked, her tail wagging. While the death carrier's was a snarl, threatening Terra, her own was a smile, mocking every bit of seriousness within this soldier. The blade was drawn, and Terra watched it lazily. Not the most impressive maneuver. Terra would have been a lot more impressed if an attack had actually been pressed forward. All this posturing meant very little to her. It was a warning, one that told her how soon her skull would join the others at the border, but that didn't mean Terra would listen. She made a living out of ignoring warnings. If she didn't, Terra would never have been bold enough to deface the skulls.
Her body crouched, ready to fly at the slightest hesitation. Terra moved to the side, sidling along, one eye kept on the escape route she'd be taking. Grinning she spoke up. Maybe I was mistaken. For a death carrier you certainly lack the fierceness they hold. A true one would have killed me by now. Terra feinted a lunge towards the borders, testing the other. She knew that her existence was frowned upon, but it was something that came with being a coyote. Wolves hated the trespassers and thieves. She could become civilized, act like a wolf, but this was so much more fun.
