when my face don’t seem to want to shine
#1
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The cream-colored wolfdog padded noisily through the woodland, shoulders knocking into leafy bushes and paws stepping on dry twigs. He had no desire to conceal himself, anyway; the expression of tired rage on his face made his inward turmoil evident, and running into someone for yet another little scrap would only serve as an outlet for those emotions. The only logical thought at the back of his mind was that he should maybe decide to head home soon, but there was nothing but death waiting back home, so he put off that decision—for another few hours at least.

Right now, Skoll marched onward stupidly: without vigilance or care, without even a destination in mind. His spirit was a vessel for little more than grief, and that grief was like water sloshing in the hollow of his body, weighing down his legs and belly. It made him heavy and sluggish, and there was little urgency even when the pungent scent of marshland and honeysuckle reached him: combined with the sharp tinge of salt and coyote, something that marked pack lands even if the general smell of the turf did not.

The odor grew stronger as the boy drifted further to his left, and suddenly he caught a glimpse of white shapes through the trees: blobs against bark that took form as long-muzzled skulls. Bright green eyes grew wide as twin suns, and he nearly trembled as he stepped a little closer. Fear, revulsion, and budding anger swarmed within him as he looked at the gruesome display. He wasn’t sure what to think, what story was behind these mounted canines, and he found himself really incapable thought. All he could do was stare, a tiny growl of protest working up in his throat. Regardless of if the skulls belonged to innocent victims, prisoners of war, or even the sacred dead of those in the pack, it was morbid and it was another example of how the world wasn’t like those in the storybooks.


332
For Nathaniel! Dated before the hurricane around the twelfth or thirteenth (but feel free to assume whatcha want for your own timeline).

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#2
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>Big Grin yay!

The deep shade of red littered about his fur shone brightly in the harsh sunlight of the midday. The landscape was a similar shade of biting yellows and reds and oranges; the sun, so bright in the fiery sky, only completed the heated landscape. It beat down on his head, only serving to fuel his aggression and his need for the heat of a spar to finish the day.

A scent could be caught on the wind. He drew in a deep breath, taking no time to exhale. Wolf. Perhaps his wish would be granted today; he paced towards the borders of his home lands, muscled legs jogging on the hot sand and dirt in a rhythmic pattern. He could soon see the man who waited at the borders, seeming to be staring up at the spiked skulls; his lip was curled ever so slightly to expose a single fang.

Nathaniel drew closer, eventually pausing at the marked border and resting a hand on the pole that held a skull. The wolf was taller than him, but Nathaniel was not intimidated, and did not show it either. His ears were erect and his tail was high, his wolf heritage coming out in his behavior and, perhaps, his aggressive, barking voice;

"You're at the borders of Inferni," he said, golden ochre eyes gleaming. "What d'you seek here, wolf?" Although his attitude towards wolves had softened considerably in his time in Inferni, he did not quite like this one's demeanor; it could mean trouble. But trouble, he thought, was something he might even enjoy right then.

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#3
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As the wolfdog lingered so close to the borders of the coyote pack, it wasn’t long before one of its members picked up on his presence. His posture remained slack but ready even when he heard the footsteps approaching, his shoulders rolled back and his arms dangling at his sides, hands curled into loose fists. One foot shifted when the other Luperci appeared: a wiry, reddish-brown male, bigger than most coyotes but still more than half a foot shorter than the large hybrid.

Skoll stared back at the other young man dumbly, a single ear twisting in a gesture of uncertainty until the coyote spoke. The words confused him, mainly because he didn’t even have an answer to that question. It was good to know that this was Inferni, though, even if he hadn’t heard a lot of stories about the fire clan due to the distance between packs.

“I’m not seeking anything, uh, coywolf,” Skoll replied, his defensive tone dropping into confusion again. Why was the other pointing out he was a wolf? It was needless, and he was a hybrid anyway; the coyote looked like a hybrid, too, with blended features that reminded him of Terra.

He shifted his weight awkwardly, his body tensing though there were no overt signs of aggression; he just felt awkward and wary, his high and hot energy burning in the back of his mind. Deciding he might as well get an answer while he was here, he gestured carelessly to the skulls and let his lip curl with a hint of disdain. “Why do you put those things up? It’s really sad and disrespectful.”


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#4
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Large nostrils expanded and then contracted, leaving a small puff of air in the wake of Nathaniel's gruff, slightly impatient snort. He eyed the wolf suspiciously as he shifted, prepared to take him on if he wished to cross the borders.. he was taller than Nathaniel (nearly all full-blooded wolves were), but Nathaniel had experience in fighting, and a lust for the sport that left him hungry for more.

The red coywolf let out another snort, gleaming yellow eyes narrowing at the yellow canine. Wasn't seeking anything? No one simply sauntered so close to the Inferni borders without seeking anything, nor wishing to cause a fight. He took a step closer to the other man, muscles tensed and the gleam in his eye merely growing larger.

"If you aren't seekin' anything," he said gruffly, ignoring the question referencing the skulls - sad? disrespectful? He would show this yellow man something sad soon - and getting straight to the point of the matter. "Then I suggest you leave. Now." He gave the wolf a strange little grin, a mix between a threatening snarl and a battle hungry smirk.

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#5
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The ruddy coywolf only ignored his questions and snorted at him, and Skoll flattened his ears petulantly at the disrespect. He hadn’t been doing anything wrong, not trespassing or anything, and he hadn’t been necessarily rude to the other Luperci either. There was no point in him acting like that, even if he was on his own territory. The prince had learned courtesies at a young age, but that and his dominance made him expect to be treated like the individual he was; he didn’t quite grasp the concept that he wasn’t on that same pedestal in others’ eyes. The Haskel and Catori lineages, and the pride of Cour des Miracles, were nothing to a fiery ’yote from the north.

The Infernian gave him a thinly veiled order then grinned, and the wolfdog let his lips wrinkle back fully to show white teeth. “Maybe if you ask me nicely; I didn’t do anything to you,” he growled, refusing to budge until the coywolf dropped the attitude. Claw-tipped fingers flexed as the fur began to rise along his spine, accentuated by his dominant carriage.


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#6
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As the yellow male's hackles rose, and his claws emerged, so did Nathaniel's. The coywolf's fur stood on end, and his posture straightened, making him look far larger and taller than he had previously. His yellow eyes narrowed dangerously, and he curled back his lips to reveal sharp canine teeth; how dare this wolf act so impudently on Inferni borders?

"I don' care who y'are back home," he growled softly, taking a step closer to the wolf, "but here, th'only worth you have is as a nice border decoration." He pointed up to the numerous wolf skulls lining the borders - all wolves who had trespassed, or had been so idiotic as to refuse to leave the borders of the fiery coyote clan as this man was. He was not in his own territory, and he was not owed any respect - and Nathaniel did not intend on giving him any, either.

"Now leave b'fore I make you," the man growled - a final warning before he would show the wolf just how the coyotes of Inferni dealt with whining, self-righteous wolves such as him.

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#7
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The coywolf straightened and unsheathed his claws, and Skoll realized that, despite his height, he wasn’t quite at the advantage he’d thought he was. Something like the beginnings of uncertainty and common sense passed over him as he realized how little training he’d had despite his tier and his promise. This ruddy hybrid, on the other hand, likely had no shortage of experience compared to his age.

The Infernian’s implication and gesture to the skulls made Skoll flatten his ears and bare his teeth, and that common sense began to roll away as discomfort tightened his belly. He could only imagine how his family would’ve reacted to the threat, and he liked to think that Cour des Miracles would come out on top in the resulting conflict. He thought he was in the right, of course; it wasn’t Skoll who was telling a perfect stranger that he only had worth as a head on a stake.

“Those are dangerous words,” was all he said, his voice a rumble. He hesitated when the other delivered the final threat, and he took a small step away, his body still tense and his teeth still bared, perhaps taking too long to decide whether to swallow his pride and flee like he’d done something wrong.



I had all this written up on my phone but I lost it. :C So this is a crappy remake. xD; Anyway, Nate can lunge at him/scratch him up a bit (pp is fine) and Skoll will run off for good probably.

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#8
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This male really was below average intelligence, wasn't he? Rather than turn and run with his tail behind his legs - a good, proper reaction to pissing off a hostile Clan - he sat on the borders, staring dumbly at Nathaniel, only bothering to mutter that his words were dangerous. Nathaniel's face contorted into a vicious, frightening grin, all his pearly sharp teeth exposed to the yellow wolf; his hackles raised, and his tail did as well, his eyes glimmering with danger.

He did not know the man, but his actions told him enough - self-righteous, thinking it proper to come to a hostile, foreign Clan and tell their members what to do and what not to do, and what is right and what is wrong. Nathaniel never bothered with that - it was a world where you eat or get eaten, and there was no room for morals. If you were strong enough, you would be able to protect yourself - and if you weren't.. well, perhaps you would be better off not getting in anyone's way.

Without a word, he lashed out at the man, swinging his clawed hand at the man's chest with a loud snarl. Although his coyote blood made him vicious, he still had wolf in him - and that wolf inside made him want to make the man submit or run away like he should have the first time Nathaniel had told him to leave.

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#9
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When the red-haired coywolf grinned that terrible grin, Skoll realized that he was probably insane and just as dangerous as he was threatening. His ears snapped back again, his wrinkled muzzle showing fear rather than aggression as he tried to step away from the borders, but he wasn’t fast enough. The Infernian lunged for him, swiping at his chest and clawing out a loose tuft of fur there. Skoll could feel his flesh sting from where the claws scraped the skin, and if he looked down he knew he’d see a thin line of blood running downward. But he wouldn’t dare look down, instead keeping his green eyes locked on the threat as he backed away, a sharp growl leaving him.

Other than that last defensive noise, however, the yellow wolfdog spoke no more. He turned tail and ran, feeling like a coward but also realizing that the other man could easily chase him down and beat him into a pulp. The coyotes here were crazy.




Go ahead and archive once you've read! Thanks for the thread. Big Grin

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