Terra was a tad curious about the pack that had come over to the court to trade. Not Hotaru's, but the one accompanying them. Deciding that now was as good a time as any to investigate it Terra stepped over to their borders. She didn't trespass, instead taking the chance to show Skoll how to measure the strength of the pack without having to meet a member. Where it was thick, how often they passed by, how quickly an alarm came after trespassing.
The one would be a longer demonstration, since Terra actually did a brief cut over the border before breaking into a short run further up. Her trail still moved along the border, tail swishing happily as she waited for the response. Skoll was probably used to this by now, since she had gone and stolen an entire moose, still warm from being killed, off a bear while they were together. He was almost an adult. Surely he could handle it.
Terra
Wordcount :: +000
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Skoll was visibly nervous as he stood on the edge of the pack territory. He had listened intently as his tutor instructed him on how to gauge a pack’s strength, but he didn’t know why that would be important—unless one was going to perhaps steal from them, or if it came to war.
He licked his lips, gingery ears pinned flat against his head. He did not relish the thought of war; even though his experience had been limited, he still remembered the hunched shoulders and hard gazes of the pack as they left to do battle with the once-enemy Tribe. The war had taken his daddy away from him, too, even though he had not suffered badly as a result. Now that he was a squire and ready to fight, he was afraid of what another war might mean.
And the coywolf’s dancing back and forth across the border might provoke hostile feelings. Even though her crossing had been brief, the golden boy was still anxious as he padded slowly after her. Stealing from the bear had been one thing, but he was more afraid of luperci than bears. Wolves traveled in packs for good reason.
Terra, Skoll started to call, but he choked off the rest of his whining. She wouldn’t listen even if he started blabbering at her. Instead, he plopped his rear on the ground by a rock and stared intently into the territory, his nostrils flaring as he tested the scent.
The pack was strong, he could tell that much, but he also knew something else about the pack—had met one of its members before. His brow furrowed as he tried to remember his interaction with the warrior-girl and what the place had been called. It started with a C, and it was a place for fighters, trained and strong and probably willing to knock out a certain pesky hybrid.
Hope you don't mind but I timed it as morningish time
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Morning came with a flash of color and a brightness that burst into his room and burned through his eyelids, waking the male up instantly. The vibrant flare of dawn filled him with an optimistic energy that rose him from his bed much earlier than he would have. He turned about and stared with loving tenderness at the much smaller female that lay wrapped in the sheets she had wrested from his during the night. Normally he would have lain with her and listened to her breathing but today the life in him demanded that he made himself useful.
Down the forts long corridors and the front steps out into the courtyard he tred. Here the Knight swiftly shifted into his secui form. Of the two forms he used the most, optime and secui, this was the quickest to travel in. He could more easily navigate the underbrush without getting himself caught in the branches and vines. His journey to the borders was uneventful, he passed no wolf and only the sounds of the early birds reached his ears. He turned south making his way away from the fort.
He was barely ten minutes into his patrol when he came across two unfamiliar scents very close to Casa's borders. His fur bristled automatically, hackles rising slightly. He looked about himself intensely, searching for any visual cues as to which direction the strangers had gone in. With his nose to the ground Lorenzo followed the two distinct scent trails, if they were just lost loners that were trying to skirt the pack then that would be perfectly fine. Until the point that Lorenzo reached where one of the scents darted across pack borders into Casa. The powerful male growled darkly as he followed the trail as it twisted and turned. Suddenly he raised his head and howled furiously, Trespassers! The message and anger were clear. He picked up his pace and loped quickly towards the strangers, if they were still inside Casa then they would taste his fangs and the sharpness of his claws.
Terra glanced back, finding Skoll sitting at the border, looking in. Skoll, we can't stop here. We're just testing the pack. This means we do not hang around waiting to be chased off by some muscled wolf. As if punctuating her statement a howl came out, loud and angry. See, this is a strong pack. Rapid response. Not someone to mess with. Now, we run. There was a reason why Terra hadn't lingered on their territory.
Nudging Skoll she looked around, searching for a good path. It would have to be large enough for the pair of them, while still keeping the one following off their backs. In a flash Terra was at the undergrowth, pawing at a bush. It was only an instant before she revealed the path behind it. Move! Now I'll show you how to lose a tail. Terra laughed softly, excited by the danger that was following.
Terra
Wordcount :: +000
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Word Count → 335 · Not sure where this thread was supposed to go, but I took the most interesting course of action? xD
Terra glanced over her shoulder and scolded him for just sitting still. The thought that they might have to run away made his fur bristle, and he scowled at her. If it's gonna get us chased off, why bother doing it? he demanded, his irritation spiking -- but it was short-lived. He knew he was at the hybrid's beck and call, and her other insane and oft-dangerous games had turned out to be useful scenarios. He would draw the line at making a bad impression on a warrior pack, though, or so he told himself fiercely. His ears came up a notch, and he presented her with a strong front, but that was shattered in a heartbeat.
The howl was almost a bellow, an indignant cry that would warn off any sensible canine (though they had to be senseless or suicidal to trespass anyway). He scrambled hurriedly to his feet, hardly even hearing Terra's matter-of-fact analysis of what the angry roar meant. The normally dominant wolfdog's tail snapped down between his legs, and he started to shrink near the earth to appease whatever monster was thundering toward them; it sounded big.
But the coyote only pawed the vegetation ahead, opening a path for the two of them. Skoll gulped and rushed into the space she left, wondering what the pack wolf would do to them if it caught them. He didn't think that death would be in order, but at best they'd get told off and the pack would look badly upon the Court. Image meant a lot to the prince.
Running like a coward would serve for now, though, his proud instincts dashed in favor of keeping himself unharmed. Blundering through the undergrowth, keeping the coywolf in his sights, he thought he was home free when his paw struck a root and he fell chin-first onto the earth. The plant was not so quick to relinquish his foot, either; it ached when he tried to twist it free. He let out a loud whine.
Loool Lorenzo is pissed, not sure if you're wanting him to catch Skoll or not, so I left it out for now ^^
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The normally placid and friendly male quite frankly drew the line at those rude enough to trespass upon his pack's lands. There was no excuse for it, the borders were clearly and firmly marked, Casa was a many member strong pack after all and there was a constant patrol that checked these borders. Any canine, whether wolf, dog, coyote, or hybrid would have to be very foolish to set paws over the line.
The beast's footsteps thundered through the undergrowth; branches snapped and small saplings were felled as he forced his way through using brute strength, leaving a gaping hole of crushed leaves behind thick the smell of fresh tree sap. The forest would recover from his rampage, new plants would grow in the place of those fallen. The scent of the invaders was getting stronger in his nose and the male could almost sense that he was closing in on the two trespassers.
As he neared them the male let out another intimidating howl followed up by several powerful barks that would leave no doubt as to the size and strength of him and his willingness to protect Casa. If he did manage to catch them whoever it was would be in for a painful reminder of just who's land this was.
OOC believe it's supposed to be practice for tracking
They were making fair progress through the bush, if slower than Terra would have liked. She heard something snap behind her. Twisting she found Skoll, planted down on the ground. In a flash she was back at his side, whining softly as she nudged at him. Stepping back to where the plant had hooked on his foot she bit through. Her ears pricked up as the sounds drew nearer. This wasn't just an ordinary chase. This one knew how to track.
Crouching down near Skoll Terra thought about how to lose him. There was a stream nearby they could cut through, but that alone wouldn't be enough. Aiming for places tight in undergrowth would be needed as well. Skoll wasn't as experienced at moving through thick bush as she was, so she'd have to choose their route with care. If he managed to keep up, she should be able to get the wolf off their trail. Is your paw alright?
Terra
Wordcount :: +000
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An earth-shaking howl burst through the trees, and Skoll jerked at his paw with increasing worry. His chest heaved, and his only thought was that he had to somehow calm down the monstrosity barreling their way and crushing trees as it went. Sucking up to said monstrosity was the only course of action his brain and gut could agree on, despite the fact it went against his proud nature. Right now, though, it didn't matter -- he had done something bad for a respectable pack wolf to do, or at least sat and let it happen, so Skoll was in the wrong and had to make up for it -- quick.
And so he started barking hysterically.
I'm sorry, it was her idea, I didn't mean to do anything, I'm not even a grownup! The stream of whining yaps left him at an alarming speed, just as the thunderous footfalls grew nearer and nearer. He winced as something landed close to him, but it was only Terra, nudging at his paw. He respected some remorse and panic on her end, but she only snapped through the tendril and crouched as he flapped his paw experimentally.
He stood, putting his weight on his paw, which luckily hadn't twisted at an extreme enough angle to sprain it. It ached a little, but adrenaline alone would ensure that he didn't feel the pain when they started sprinting away from this mess. Her question made him growl, hackles rising but his tail still firmly tucked between his thighs. No thanks to you, Skoll started to whisper angrily, but the sound only got closer and closer, and he shut his mouth as wide, terrified eyes flashed to the coyote hybrid. What were they going to do?
