Alone

Number of posts : 160 Registration date : 2011-01-31

His muzzle was low, his head bowed to the ground and his nares inhaling every scent that crossed his path. A few twigs and leaves had been kicked up alone this path, the soil flattened by the pads of others. Tyke may be alone now, but he was definitely not the first to walk this trail. As he raised his head, letting his hazel orbs survey the area, his ears twitched with the breeze, trying to catch any nearby sounds, whether the movement of prey or the voices of friend or foe. He enjoyed tracking, definitely a good things as it was necessary for survival while he spent his days alone. Then again, he had spent time with a brilliant teacher in his past. But it was partly his choice to travel these lands single.

He did not know what was guarding the place his treasure lay, but what or whomever they were, he had to be prepared to meet them face to face. He may have come from a neutral family originally, but thanks to his choices and the way he had been raised since, he was no longer afraid of confrontation. It was true, he preferred to avoid most conflict, but sometimes it was necessary. Especially considering that what he was currently seeking was probably trapped by enemies that dared to stand in his way.

His gums were dry but he dared not moisten them with his almost equally dry tongue, for he did not want to risk his prize falling to the dry, summer earth. The sun shone bright and the rays glinted off the gem that was clutched in his jaws. This was his treasure. This was his survival proof. This was that he needed to present to prove that not only was Ixtab a great teacher, but that he was also a good student. He had truly loved her for those months he spent training with her. She had found him in his greatest time of need and was like a second mother to him. Now older, his memories of his biological family and pack had severely faded, but the fond thoughts and memories of Ixtab remained.

Tyke's tail whipped behind him as he stalked his way closer to the mountain-side cave. A rare smell hit his nostrils and he was momentarily confused and disgusted. Through the trees he could see them. Creatures that he had never before come across, and hoped never to cross paths with again. Front what he had learned, they were dangerous. They stood on hind legs and carried foreign objects in their front paws. But they didn't look like any paws he had seen before. Even more so strange were their faces. Void of fur and shorter muzzles. They were wrapped in hide of prey that he did not recognize. tyke was older now, and had learned to venture alone, but he could not deny his fear. He was scared, but he must put this behind him. His pillared legs trembled but he ignored the sensation. He would only kill if he had to, but otherwise, his preferred choice of attack was pure stealth.

A mixture of scents his his nares and he panted slightly, his heart thumping in his chest with excitement and curiosity of what was to come. Blood. Not too old, but definitely not instant. Considering the present wind, he knew the metallic scent wasn't strong enough to indicate it's original source. Other wolves were situated ahead and he could tell they had carried the scent of blood in their pelts. Where they directly related to the source or had they simply passed innocently? There was a bru. A bru and a pup, of what gender, Tyke was unsure of. Female? He didn't want to close his options. Although he had aged since last wandering these lands, he was still young. His legs were more gangly. Such a young pup he was when he was found by Ixtab. Possibly younger than the pup that stood ahead, but he was aged at least four months since he had left his trainer's side.

Closer. He must get closer. The humans trod up and down in front of the entrance. Peculiar noises issued from their lips but Tyke was unsure of their speech. They stood in his way. Was it possible for him to sneak past? And even if he could manage it, was he able to exit? Having never encountered people before, he wasn't too sure how they attacked, or even if they would. Perhaps they were hunters, but the way the trekked up and down the mouth of the cave, he deduced that they were not there coincidentally. Taking a chance, he snapped. A quick bark issued from his throat, hoping to draw their attention. Heads turned in his direction and his eyes widened. Silently, he moved away from his sheltered place as the humans moved forward. He had hoped they would leave the place of his destination uncovered, but as only two of the three moved in his general direction, one remained. This was not part of Tyke's plan. How could he get this man to move?

And there was that familiar scent. The scent that set his heart in motion. Excitement. He considered her his mother, and although he had chosen to travel these lands alone of proof to her teachings, he could barely control himself. He wanted to be by her side once more, even if he was no longer a student. This mission of his had been to present her with the jewel currently clutched in his jaws. The sole purpose of his journey had been to cross her path again, and there she was. He could not see her from where he stood, but he could definitely tell by her scene that she was there. Was this pup her new student? Was the bru her mate? He may soon find out. He didn't want to approach so soon as to avoid alarming the pup, or any of the three, so he stayed low to the ground and approached slowly, wondering if she, too, sensed his presence. His stomach growled with hunger. An elk lay near, perhaps the trio's feast, but he must not run, no matter how empty he he felt due to a lack of food. In addition, he hoped an oasis lay near these lands. He could barely stand the dryness of his tongue.

Stalking closer, he moved nearer the mouth of the cave and the remaining human. He feared this situation, but must not run from it. Why didn't the man move? Irritation seeped through Tyke as he faced this seemingly impossible task. He did not want to kill, but he might have to. "Ixtab, please forgive these actions." Tyke spoke to himself. Taking a leap forward, he wrapped his jaws around the throat of the human, bringing him to the ground. This would stop him crying out. As the human's head hit the rocky floor, he discontinued moving. At least this plan of Tyke's had gone half right. What he did not anticipate was the loud bang that issued from the black stick the human had been clutching. Tyke jumped in fear and startle. Then he heard voices. Attention had been returned to the cave. Tyke had to move in an out with the gem before the others returned, otherwise he would most certainly be trapped, and if the others moved inside, he was probably be dead before he could hold the jewel. Taking a sprint inside, he noticed the glittering crystal inside. It was much closer than he had thought. Perfect. This gave him more time to escape. Snatching at his prize, he bolted out of the cave to more loud explosions of black sticks. He ran. Tyke ran for his life. Tyke ran faster than he had ever run in his life. He had it, but could he get away?

An elk lay near, perhaps the trio's feast, but he must not run, no
matter how empty he he felt due to a lack of food. In addition, he hoped
an oasis lay near these lands. He could barely stand the dryness of his
tongue. He continued to crouch low. Should he approach Ixtab first, or did she already know he was there? Perhaps the other two had sensed him and were now on the alert. Unless Tyke moved closer, he did not know. He had only aged four months and now looked like an older pup. Perhaps the stranger bru would notice this and take pitty. But from experience, if he was a dark wolf, he might not care what age Tyke was. He was a stranger, possibly trespassing, and clutched in his jaws was something very valuable.

Subject: Re: Alone Fri Jun 08, 2012 12:25 am

She didn't immediately answer Kasumi's question. Instead, her tail twitched as she swallowed her last bite. Opening her maw, Ixtab replied, as if this had been planned, "First, you are going to meet someone quite close to me. He's nearby, similar to your age, and he's not hiding his presence. Find him and invite him over. We'll see what happens next. Perhaps we'll find something else to track, or you two can play or adventure nearby."

Although Ixtab was good at playing with young wolves, she'd rather not all the time. This would be a good opportunity to let Kasumi and Tyke have some fun with another closer to their age. Perhaps Tyke could also help to teach her a few things, too. One truly understands their lessons if they can explain it to another.

How long had it been again since she'd seen him? About four months, maybe five. Tyke wouldn't be an adult yet, but he should have grown quite a bit, and she wondered if he'd completed his task.

He'd been itching at a chance to prove himself and wasn't afraid to vocalize it. She knew to wait, though. He was getting better, but he wasn't good enough yet. Soon, though. Another two weeks and she'd allow him to go, a task in hand. Perhaps that mountain range outside of the lands of Fire and Ice. It was on the way to her birthlands, but far enough from it that she felt comfortable allowing him to find something to prove his abilities. He'd have to hunt for himself, something that he'd been practicing. While they were too few to tackle elk, she did show him how to catch deer in pairs, and how to catch most smaller prey solo. There was no reason he'd starve.

She had spent the last week touching up on his fighting skills. They weren't the best since he was still young, but he'd survive most encounters if he was resourceful. His honed tracking skills should allow him to avoid most danger before it even got close. Now he was ready, to do what he had wanted. Go off alone and prove his abilities. Prove he didn't have to rely on her, and that he didn't have to be sheltered.

"Today is the day I allow you to go," she'd said after a day of rest. "You're ready for most of what the world can offer. You have two choices once you leave- come back or leave for good. I'm not going to force you to come back if you find someplace you'd rather be or feel like you belong to. If you decide to come back, you must bring something back to prove it as well as track me down in the Lone Lands. There is a crystal that forms in a particular mountain. You'll need all your skills to bring it back, because it's guarded. For what reason, I know not. Perhaps there's something of value for them. Nevertheless, the jewel is unique to that area, so if you bring it back, I'll know you've succeeded." She proceeded to tell him how to get there, and could do nothing more but watch his form disappear into the distance. Only when she lost sight of him did she move, continuing her travels. For a while, she'd be able to be unrestrained and let loose.

She smiled at the memory and turned to glance at King, saying, "My former student. He's no threat to us. His timely return here is probably for the best. A new brother of sorts for 'Sumi, should they get along." They could be like a family, if not an odd one where none of them were related. Her gaze turned thoughtful as she thought of it. She'd killed many males for abusing their mates or terrorizing other females, but he didn't seem to be the type so far. Perhaps she could grow to at least somewhat trust him.

Subject: Re: Alone Tue Jun 12, 2012 9:48 am

It took a couple minutes for the female to tell her the next thing to do for her survival training. She had crewed the last piece of food and was acting like she knew what was going to happen next. The young female pup was thinking about the sky before Ixtab had started to talk, about the moon. How it isn't angry that all the animals are sleep and a small piece of animals are out during the day. That confused Kasumi, but it made her wonder more about the words of Ixtab.

When the fem had got done chewing, she started to say that she wanted to her to meet a new wolf, around the same age as her. She had asked a simple favor, which was find the young bru that was going to be here with them three. The little Kasumi thought of it like a survival quest to; finding your way back to your home. The pup nodded and walked into the distance.

She knew that it would be hard to walk back to the camp and the desert looking the same all the way around. So each couple yards, she would dig a hole in the ground; a small hole to find her way back. Then she had started thinking about the moon, while still digging the holes. It seemed just werid to her about the moon. Before long, she saw a bru, the same age as her, and was redish-brown. She was sure that was the wolf she need to see, she she walked up and spoke to him. "Hiya. I'm Kasumi. Would you happen to be the one that knows Ixtab, would you?" She breathed sotfly and waited for a responce from the bru, who had been a close student to Ixtab.

Subject: Re: Alone Tue Jun 12, 2012 1:37 pm

Tyke was bent low to the ground, the gem beside him, his tail stationary but his ears twitching rapidly, trying to pick up any sounds that could indicate the presence of another. He could not quite hear voices, so any plans that Ixtab and the other two had, Tyke was not aware of. He might have to step forward and find out for himself. If he chose this more dominant form of action, he was unsure how his presence would trigger a response in Ixtab or the others. He was sure that she would let them know who he was before they attacked.

As he came to this decision, he noticed that the smell of the pup was growing stronger. Closer. He heard a rustling. Tyke changed his mind and decided to let the pup find him instead of him finding them, if this femme was capable enough. If she was trailing Ixtab, she might be a new student of hers, but how much had she learned to date?

Her dark being stepped out and into Tyke's line of vision. Her raised his body to stand and stood his ground, watching her as she drew closer. "I am indeed well acquainted with Ixtab. I was a student of hers. I am Tyke." He bowed his head ever so slightly, not taking his orbs off Kasumi. It felt strange to talk with another. It had been a while since he had a need to use his voice, and he wasn't one to vocalize his opinions to his prey.

Subject: Re: Alone Tue Jun 12, 2012 2:11 pm

Kasumi looked around the place which she had found the young bru, and it seemed barren. She looked at his hazel eyes as he spoke to her, not taking his eyes off of her hazel eyes. It was strange that they both had the samw eye color, like they had met to be the exact same. She flicked her tail slightly, in curiousness when she had found out his name. Tyke. What a name so easy to say, as some wolves may not know how to pronouce it.

The black fem watched him bow slightly to her; their hazel eyes still looking at the other hazel eyes. She nodded a bit and continued the conversation. "It's nice to meet you Tyke. Ixtab had told me about you before my search to find you. She said you both was very close. Come along now, I wish to take you to Ixtab, to see each other again." She nodded slightly again, turned, and walked the way she had come from.

Marking the ground by digging was quite useful truefully, since Kasumi was terrible at drections. She looked at the ground and watched for her dig marks. She looked behind her to see if the bru was coming behind her. She turned back and realized they was close to Ixtab, because she had put a leaf on her first one. She started to trot when she looked and saw the adult fem. She sat down in the spot she was earilier and waited for the talk from Ixtab and Tyke to begin and end; then she would go into the spot of trees and adventure there.

Subject: Re: Alone Tue Jun 12, 2012 2:58 pm

Kasumi seemed to observe Tyke quite thoroughly. Did she do this with all wolves she met, or was she simply interested in their similarities. Being a couple of months older than the fae, Tyke's shoulders were higher, but as they were both still growing, it was difficult to know their eventual size relation.

"Ixtab and I were indeed very close. She was like my mother." Tyke's thoughts drifted to the memories he shared training with her. He could still remember his real mother, her limped stride walking away from him. But Ixtab had bettered him as a whole. It would be nice to see his teacher again, and prove his worthiness to her.

He picked up the gem from the dry earth and followed Kasumi as she walked. It was interesting to watch her treck back to the others. Her eyes were fixed on the ground and ever so ofter Tyke could see a clawed out indent. If this wolf was a student, perhaps Ixtab hadn't yet taught Kasumi how to use her other senses. But Tyke did not interfere. He was amused by the style of this wolf's tracking. If she had not yet learned how to retrace her steps, her use of markers was a fair idea. From first impressions, Tyke thought that Kasumi seemed rather intelligent. She had nice ideas. Good. This could help her learn fast. He had always wondered what facing against or beside another of his age would be like, but only if the other was on his same level.

Then he saw her. The trees grew thin and an elk lay on the floor. A strange bru stood nearby and Kasumi distanced herself. And there was Ixtab. It was so good to see her again, but he mustn't rush over to her. He had to control his excitement. There was time to reminisce later. Tyke kept his body low in submission and he stepped towards her, placing the gem at her feet. "I hope I have made you proud." He spoke, wondering what Ixtab's reaction would be to his return.

Subject: Re: Alone Tue Jun 12, 2012 6:55 pm

Orange orbs turned towards the signs of a pair arriving. She didn't know how Kasumi had fared finding Tyke, although he could probably tell her later or...

And there was the gem, placed on the ground before her. She knew not of its name, but did recognize it. It was essentially worthless to wolves, but to the two-leggers... She looked at his form, noticing how he held himself. She wasn't a healer, but she could tell when there was something wrong and knew the most crude of methods. Anyone with her lifestyle should have at least that, although most were more adept than she.

She looked between the gem and Tyke, her expression blank, and would find it amusing if she was starting to make him nervous. Suddenly, her face broke into a smile as she said, "Come here and greet me properly, Tyke. You've done well, and matured even more while you've been gone. How long did it take to find me once you stepped foot back in the lands of Fire and Ice?" For the most part, she'd muffled her presence to almost the level of a scout not wanting to attract too much attention, so Tyke would have had to primarily rely on his tracking abilities until he got close enough to her location to sense her. She stepped closer to him, and licked his ear in affection.

Turning to Kasumi, she said, "Good job finding him. What was simple, or what was difficult to do?"

Subject: Re: Alone Wed Jun 13, 2012 1:00 am

The moment she smiled, Tyke knew that he had done good. The main goal in his life had been to make Ixtab proud, for he had her to thank for his life today, not only for who he had become, but for saving him all those many months ago. Tyke raised his head and he no longer feared her reactions.

"It took slightly longer than I expected, but that forced me to use various tracking methods that I otherwise wouldn't have resorted to had I known your initial location. I think it was good for me to learn." Tyke let Ixtab lick his ear and he nuzzled her jaw when she bent down. "So what worth does this gem have, anyway?" Before seeing it in the cave, he had no idea what it looked like, but he knew this was the prize.

After travelling for months, exerting both body and mind to that extent for the first time, he felt exhausted. He didn't necessarily want to sleep, but his muscles ached and he longed not to think too hard, although he had grown used to the cuts and scraps that grazed him body. They were nothing, and seeing Ixtab again wiped pain from his mind. He looked over to Kasumi. So far, he liked how she held herself. She was intelligent, seemed willing to learn, and hopefully he could pass on some skills of his own. It would be good to have someone closer to his age to practice hunting and tracking with, and perhaps the occasional break to play. True, he was still a pup, but even adults must play some times. Then again, he mustn't let his mind wander from any tasks. He was still unsure where his heart lay, whether pure or not, but if not, he might have to make many sacrifices to his childhood to get the job done.

Subject: Re: Alone Tue Mar 12, 2013 2:50 pm

King had just watched the "family reunion". Altough he could hardly find himself part of it, it warmed is heart a little of seeing the two younglings return. While he seemed on his ease, his nose was tilted slightly up, to better note new scents, and the threat he had been aware of the moment he had reached the carnage caused by the unknown attackers. He was sure Ixtab was edgy too, and personally he wanted to move away from this spot. quickly. He moved over to Ixtab, intend on informing her on what he had learned during his earlier scan of the surroundings. He moved into her personal space, but he did in a subtle way, as to not completly disturb the conversation.

"Our "friends" are coming closer, atleast three, we should start to move. Is there any river or creek nearby?" He whispered his words, so the pups weren't allerted. "If you know of one, or another way to shake them of your scent, lead the pups through it, ad then keep heading eastwards, so I can find you back. I circle around them, and try to either scare them of or atleast slow them down." He waited in place, but half-ready to leave at her words. his orange eyes blazed shortly while she looked towards her.

Subject: Re: Alone Sat Mar 23, 2013 11:49 pm

She'd been about to respond, but something suddenly drew Tyke's attention away. No matter, if it was important. Ixtab wasn't worried about him, since he'd proven his skills and succeeded. She felt a disturbance in the air immediately around her, and noted that it was just King, getting a bit close than she was comfortable with. Ignoring this invasion of space for now, she listened to his words and responded just as quietly after a quick glance around, "Not sure about rivers in the immediate area, but some of the foliage here is strong enough to diminish our scent. A good tracker would still find us through the river." It was lucky they weren't in the heart of the lone lands, where sand was the only thing for miles.

"Call if you need backup," she said before turning to Kasumi. Stepping away from King, she said, "Come on, 'Sumi. We should keep moving. King's going to continue scouting around as we travel, but he'll catch up by darkfall." At this, she gave him a pointed look. She would go back to find him were he to be late, after making sure their charge was safe. Part of her increasingly wanted to just least Kasumi in King's care and just slaughter their followers. On the other hand, she still didn't quite trust him yet. Perhaps not all males deserve death, but in general, they weren't worthy of trust. Or at least, that was the case where she came from.