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p; Anselm, the Waste
Her paw fell with careful positioning, slowing moving downward onto the ground between the tall strands. They tickled her belly and itched the bottoms of her paws. Concentration was written across her brow and silence was the one word that continuously circled her brain. With the wind in front of her and the tall grass to hide her, she was the only thing that could ruin the moment.
Her black nose rose between the blades of grass, her body low attempting to use the sea of grass to cover any view of her body. She took in the scent of the group of deer, quickening the pace of her heart and making her mouth water in anticipation. When her stomach was on the line Anu was pure business. Another step, eyes still watching for a change in their movement. An ear swiveled, and black eye blinked, but there was still no break in their relaxed posture.
She was close, so close that if she wanted it would only take three long leaps to touch the nearest doe. Her excitement rose, teetering over the edge. Regaining control Anu kept her position and prepared for one last slow step. Paw up, she leaned forward with a fluid grace setting the light tan painted paw to the ground. Until that moment Anu had been able to avoid all of the jagged stones that littered the vile land. But, even with her persistence she let herself get lost in hunger and ignored her footing.
The cry was no more then a small and almost silent whimper, but already having stalked so closely it was impossible for the female deer not to hear her. The last pace had been the final single step and the first of her sprint. Pushing far again the sharp stone she was unable to keep her concentration and watched with growing anger as the deer loped off into the vast distance. Her small size would have not been able to bring even the smallest of them to the ground without some sort of miracle anyway. Anu turned her back to the disappearing meal with resentment and settled to examine her injury.
Cursing she looked to find only a small cut across the side of her paw. The blood would stop soon, and she would hardly have a limp. The small injury could never compare to the loss of the meal, and she felt foolish from not running through the pain after the doe, she hadn’t even tried.
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lawl, Anselm cracks me up sometimes. XD
 Inferni had claimed the majority of this territory, and in some ways Anselm considered even the neutral zones an unofficial extension of their land. It was kind of like the run down park behind there house that nobody ever bothered to visit anyway--except for today. From a distance, he observed as the sandy lady manoeuvred about the rocky terrain. She was attempting to stalk deer alone on unfamiliar ground; how amusing. A grin spread across his face and he rose lightly to his feet. Perhaps he could lend a paw; at bare minimum he'd get a free meal out of it, and maybe if he was lucky she'd be impressed enough to offer more.
Unfortunately, he hadn't quite positioned himself as he would have liked by the time that the deer rose on alert. They scattered, and the one that Anu had targeted disappeared. In a flash he moved forward, his large paws spreading out his weight and seeming to grip the rocks. In the commotion, a fawn had gotten away from its mother--an easy enough target for such undesirable circumstances. He leapt after it, and managed to nip at its hind leg with his teeth. It stumbled for an instant, and that was all he needed. His jaws wrapped about the young deer's neck, and after a good shake it stopped struggling.
He rose to his full height, chest puffed out, ears forward, and eyes in search of the female. He spotted her ahead and began to move toward her, and he dropped the kill in front of himself once they were within talking distance. "Care to share?" he asked casually. It was enough for them to each have a decent meal, even if they wouldn't be stuffed. |
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ohhh my cat is eating out of my dog’s bowl..
Her disappointment was quickly but on the back burner when her noticed she was not alone. She sat rigid in her spot as her head moved to follow the other hunter. In her concentration Anu had been unable to notice that he was lounging so close. The idea being watched in such a strange place gave her an uneasy feeling.
Her ear straitened, and her eyes grew wide when she saw him take the fawn to the ground. She was even more intrigued when he approached her with it hanging from his maw. Once he moved closer it was obvious he was no wolf, but a large coyote. Her nose worked through the details, and she fought a cringe when she found a mixture of other coyotes mingling in his scent.
It was wrong to stereotype, Anu understood that much, and she had met plenty of friendly coyotes in the past. But his large stature, rugged look and blood red eyes did make her weary. Though, her mind argued, a predator that shared its meal had to be a decent creature. Taking this all in mind Anu gave him a small smile, growing more at ease by the moment. Standing she closed the gap between them by a few steps.
Vigilant on keeping space between them Anu stopped before getting close enough to touch the meal. Even with all the polite conversation that canines shared, she knew better then to threaten another’s kill. “If your whiling." She paused still embarrassed about her hunting performance. “I guess you caught my miserable attempt.” It was better to poke fun at yourself then let him do it himself.
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Just so you know, Anselm is actually only about 25% coyote, and the rest is wolf, so he shouldn't alarm her too much by appearances (although he definitely reeks of Inferni). XD
She seemed wary of him, but he couldn't blame her. He was obviously in his element, and although she wasn't lost, it didn't seem like she'd been up this way before. Beyond that, he'd now caught the faint scent of Iskata's pack--presumably she'd heard of the violence Inferni often got caught up in. It didn't seem like she recognised him in particular, though, so maybe it was still worth a shot. Nudging the kill forward slightly, he offered a winning smile and started to work on the belly of the young deer. When she spoke again he paused and offered a shrug. "It takes a little getting used to--this kind of terrain."
Yanking out some of the entrails and organs for himself, he backed away from the food so she'd feel more welcome to helping herself. He chomped down on the liver and managed to get it down in two or three easy bites. "So what are you doing way up here? I must admit it's kind of strange finding visitors out this way." He glanced up again, watching her with polite interest. And by that, he was running his eyes over every curve in her body, watching how the muscles moved beneath her coat, and every so often catching a sideways glimpse of her stunning azure eyes. |
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o no! it would be embarrassing to call him a coyote the entire thread! ok, let me readjust a little. :3
With everything that was happening between the different packs Anu had become quite lost in the details. The mentioning of a great fire made her pack even more nervous, so preparations were suddenly being made. That plus the wars between coyotes and wolves made her head spin and her heart sad. Why was it that violence was the answer to so many creatures’ problems?
Never able to answer such a question Anu decided that she would not chastise this wolf for the company it smelled like he kept. Instead she met his smile, and set her guard just below high alert. After a few moments his blood colored eyes did not shock her as much, and became warm and inviting. He made it easy for her to help herself to the warm meal.
He made a good excuse for her lack of an attempt, making her try hard to not snort. More relaxed then she once was, Anu closed the gap and began to eat. There was no real reason for her to not be much closer to her home, other then that fact that she had been spending so much time away in Twilight Vale. It was always hard to be torn between two things she enjoyed so much.
Giving him a shrug of her own, “Just exploring, curiosity will surely be the death of me.” If she didn’t know any better she would walk off a cliff just to know what the fall felt like. Maybe the rumors of Inferni had made her want to just get a glimpse of the beasts herself. “I’m Anu. From Phoenix Valley.” Eager to know his name and to have her suspicions of his alliance confirmed she watched him intently. All the while unaware of his wandering eyes.
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Phoenix Valley. So that was the name of Iskata's blasted pack; that was where that weird grey wolf that had almost attacked him was from, too. Admittedly he didn't have the best record with them--in some ways, he considered them only a notch or two below Dahlia de Mai on the threat level, mostly because their leader obviously had beef with Gabriel (and now himself, too). Oddly, though, she seemed to carry another scent--one which he regarded as considerably better. Twilight Vale. Being a pack of wolves, he probably couldn't regard them as highly as he did Esper Hollow, but he actually sort of liked Naniko and Savina.
"Anselm," he offered. "I live just south of here." She'd probably knew what he meant, and there was little use in denying his company. Unlike her, his scent wasn't nearly as ambiguous. He spent the majority of his time within Inferni's borders or on them, adding his own scent markings along with Gabriel's. In that light, Inferni might have stank of him just as much as he did of Inferni. Originally he preferred the anonymity of having no pack scent, but those times had past. No longer could he rely on the ignorance of the wolves to get him information directly; instead, he had to rely on his own wit and detective work. It all worked out in the end.
"So do you enjoy exploring our dingy beach?" he asked impishly, not even sure what he himself was driving at. It certainly wasn't paradise; there was no soft white sand, but only a jagged collection of rocks. Still, he was curious as to what she had to say--obviously something about here had struck her fancy, or else she wouldn't have bothered to stay for very long at all.
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As the moments passed Anu became more and more relaxed. The filling feeling her stomach was enjoying helped her in her comfort, but his polite and non-threatening manner truly sped up the process. It was just to easy to make her comfortable, her trusting nature would certainly get her in trouble some day, but she could never imagine it would be today.
His introduction was slightly disappointing, not really giving her the information she was so eager to obtain. Instead he left her with a vague description of the general direction in which he lived. He certainly did smell of coyotes, but not that same way Laurel had. What if he wasn’t an Inferni member at all? She would hate to treat him like something he wasn’t. Watching with interested eyes, his mannerisms stayed as calm and casual as ever.
Even as the snack they shared disappeared, neither of them became possessive of the remains. She sat, licking her lips lightly. “I think I just came across it, just came down from the mountain over there. I didn’t even have much time to explore the shore.” He had hear talking now, “Kind of still wanted to check it out. You must know this area pretty well, being from just south of here.”
Even if he was of the rogue pack, why couldn’t they be friends? Inferni hadn’t hurt her pack directly. Why did there always need to be so must hostility?
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Some combination of arrogance and apathy kept Anselm from ever feeling too uncomfortable--he was confident enough in his own abilities to know he could at least escape from nearly anything with his life, if not tear whoever was causing the problem a new one. He'd dealt with madmen and criminals his entire life and enough time with the wrong crowd had left him numb to nearly everything. There were very few things that could disgust him, and even then those things were situational--namely, it mattered completely whether it affected someone he knew or gave a damn about. Otherwise, it was almost too easy for him to turn away and keep going. Such was life.
Fortunately for the rest of the world, Anselm had built up a wall of resistance. He'd refuse to sink to the same level as those he worked or collaborated or battled with, and frankly, Anu had no reason to be worried. Perhaps he was interested in the pleasures her body could offer, but he'd never force himself on anybody and he didn't even care enough to be persistent or pressuring when it came to girls. He was handsome in a rugged way and if he got turned down he'd just go look somewhere else (assuming he even cared to do that).
Her response amused him, and he shook his head slightly. "If you're looking for something interesting or beautiful, you'd be better off trying your luck on the southern coasts. There's nothing but rubble here... but on the ocean side, there are caves, ledges, and soft sand." There; he'd just saved her a load of time. Unless she was particularly interested in the marine life that clung to this coast or a geologist enraptured by the pointy rocks, there really wasn't much to look at or experience here. Other than each other, of course.
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she's SUCH a dork!
Was he not cooperating with her on purpose? She found it amusing and extremely curious. The more he claimed that was nothing to be excited about the shore line, the more she wasn’t to go and see if he was hiding something from her. She watched him closely, before turning her head to look in the direction of the salty scent. It didn’t exactly look like paradise, but that was all in the eyes of the beholder.
If he didn’t want to play host and show her around properly, then she would turn her attention to him. Excluding the scenery there was still much to discover. “So, if its such a drag, then why are you hanging around?” How come he was here if it was all just so prosaic? Living near by or not, if it sucked, why be there? Anu stayed seated, eyeing him with a small grin. Maybe she had gotten the better of him.
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-Pretends to be conscious.-
Her question had two easy answers, one being more glaring than the other. He lived here (or close enough); why wouldn't he be hanging around? Anselm made a point of scanning their borders several times a day, but he often pushed further into the Waste, Arachnea's Revenge, and the Dampwoods just to see who was lingering about. Outright trespassers were not his only concern, as he knew full well most of his spying occurred safely on the neutral grounds just outside of claimed territory.
The second answer would still be fairly obvious to anyone that knew the wolf. Although he worked in strange, mysterious ways, he wasn't far from opaque when it came to hormonally driven instincts. He was dominant, territorial, and he certainly saw nothing wrong with sprinkling his genetic material around. Perhaps, though, this girl was oblivious--did she really think he'd caught that food for her out of the kindness of his heart? Smoothly, he expressed his intent more clearly, although in a much more flattering way: "I was about to go on my way, but then I saw this beauty with stunning blue eyes." He followed the line up with a small, flirtatious smile, then went about to grooming away the blood that had gotten on his coat during their feast. No pressure.
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enter… the ice queen -pretends to have a life- (yay 100 posts!)
His response was a surprise; there were few that had ever truly flirted with her. She looked him over once more, looking at him in a different light. Part of her was able to take in all the features that made him an attractive male, but there was no real part that wanted him, like she wanted Naniko.
It was another surprise, to find that part missing.
She did find it charming, even if he was rough around the edges. Realizing that he just might have caught their little snack because of her baby blues, she could not help but smile. Even though Anu was naïve in many ways, her innocence would not stop her from having just a bit of fun.
“I’m flattered.” Still smiling, “But I’m not sure you’re my type.” Charmed still she let her tall thump on the ground, wondering if he even had a type, or if he was just enjoyed everything and anything.
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Anselm certainly had a type--the type that didn't ask questions and didn't mind waking up alone in the morning. Fortunately, at least some of the women out there could fall into this role... and also fortunately, he was usually pretty upfront with what he wanted. It wasn't necessarily that he cared if he broke some naive girl's heart; he just didn't want to deal with the tears, the drama, or the stalking. Anselm wasn't necessarily opposed to letting something more meaningful develop by its own accord, but at the same time he didn't feel like wasting away his prime years.
Maybe then, if he wasn't her type it was just as well--she probably wasn't the type he wanted, either. He did respect her for rejecting him outright, though--in a weird way, it was better than getting jerked around for nothing. And so, he simply shrugged. "Perhaps not, but if you're ever in the mood for acting out of character, you look me up," he said fluidly. Didn't everyone get bored eventually? He couldn't pinpoint any male scents strong enough to suggest a mate, after all.
At this point he rose to his feet, figuring a smooth exit would be least awkward. He regarded her with a cool gaze and a final quick smile before turning and getting ready to leave. At least they'd both gotten lunch out of the deal, even if the "date" didn't go over so well. Absently, he began running the list of things he meant to do for the day through his mind as he headed back toward Inferni.
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… !
She was a waster, enjoying all the loathing and bitterness that a long committed relationship brought. Happily shackled to one certain person, Anu enjoyed nothing more then sleeping beside the same face and body every night. The casual way he flirted with her was amusing as well as surprising, it wasn’t exactly what she had expected.
The tip of his head and the abrupt goodbye kept her stunned in her seat. At first she wondered if she had offended him, but there was an air about him that told her he didn’t care enough to become insulted so easily. It took a moment, but she figured out why he was walking away.
“Hey.” Calling and walking after him she narrowed her eyes a bit, bringing her brow down in contemplation. “You’ve never heard of ‘just friends’?” Was she not worth his time if she wasn’t going to go for the full ride?
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(!@#$%)He was somewhat surprised when she called after him; his ears flicked slightly at the sound of her voice and he paused a moment in his steps. He finished placing his foot on the ground as he turned his head around to look at her for a moment before continuing on. If she wanted to keep talking it was fine, but by now he felt like moving around a bit more. He considered the question for half a second more before offering a matter-of-fact Nope, not really, and a shrug.
(!@#$%)It was pretty much the truth. Anselm hardly considered anyone his friend--in his mind the other members of Inferni were comrades, partners in battle or on the hunt. Everybody was kept at an arm's length for a reason--they'd probably disappear later anyway. Things went more smoothly if he simply opted not to care and apathy was generally made easier by distance. Only Gabriel did he truly consider a friend and they had been working together for months now. They were related by blood. Gabriel was his leader and Anselm knew that the doggish hybrid would sooner die than abandon his post. It was a matter of trust--Anselm trusted that Gabriel knew what he was doing and that he wouldn't vanish into thin air like most of the joiners did.
(!@#$%)Either way, the concept of just "hanging out" with someone when it wasn't strictly for business was foreign to the golden hybrid. The idea of having a friend that didn't need to be trusted was just as bizarre. Maybe if someone else was around enough for some kind of trust to develop he'd come to consider them a friend, but random meetings that lasted less than one hour in duration didn't count. They couldn't. Ultimately, then, it had little to do with sex and everything to do with his borderline schizophrenia.
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there sooo not meant to be together! &.. she’s a dork
Apparently there was there nothing else he had to say to her. Anu could hardly understand how someone could be so rude. She walked behind him for a few steps, watching him shrug his shoulders and shoo her away once again. Speeding up her movements she close their gap. Her eyes were annoyed, brow low and her ears forward.
“How about you look me up when you find some character.” Now she shrugged him off. Taking to her feet she trotted off, over the rocky ground. Her tail hung curled over her back, but her posture would not hold as she stumbled over yet another stone. Catching herself she refused to look behind her to see if he had caught her falter, once again.
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XDD I guess not.
(!@#$%)Anu approached him then spat words at him laced with distaste. He was slightly surprised by her reaction, although he wasn't sure what he was expecting, either. She couldn't read his mind--she couldn't know that his statement was rooted in paranoia, not just being sort of slimy. One brow raised quizzically as he turned to look at her, but she was already stalking off. She tripped again but didn't look back, and his whole head tilted to one side as he watched her go.
(!@#$%)Hardly one to get upset over a near stranger insulting his character, he simply stared a short while longer before turning and continuing on his way. Honestly, he didn't know what the big deal was. He'd caught her some food, he'd offered her a night of debauchery and pleasure... that was it! Although he could probably explain himself a little better and seem like less of a creep, he figured it wasn't worth the effort. She'd already turned him down, anyway. He couldn't win 'em all, he supposed.
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