Short Fuse {Admiral}

[Electus]

"GO AWAY!!"

Umbra laughed, fangs bared. "At last! Come, little demon! I shall show you the way to victory everlasting!"

Saevam iram

Umbra pushed himself forward in a powerful lunge, his forelags slashing at Orem. He didn't hold back. He knew Orem would dodge...he knew he was different.

Iram et dolorem.

"Let your rage flow, smell the blood and feel it burn in your veins!"

Ferum

"Be FEARED!"

Umbra snapped his fangs at the pup, eye hard.

Terribile!

"Be the thunder on a battlefield!"

Qui mortem invitavis

"Be a DEMON!"

Poena funesta natus!

[nightblood]

"At last! Come, little demon! I shall show you the way to victory everlasting!"

He jumped forward. The pup didn't move. He was not frozen. He was waiting. Inside, Orem was horrified. Why didn't the berserker move? Was it suicidal? He didn't want to die!

"Let your rage flow, smell the blood and feel it burn in your veins! Be FEARED!"

Not yet. Get a little closer. Go ahead, snap your jaws. You won't get anything. You're only making yourself less aerodynamic. You're losing speed. Hurry up.

"Be the thunder on a battlefield! Be a DEMON!"

~ARE YOU GOING TO MOVE?!

Without a word, the pup launched himself forward, over Umbra's jaws. He spun in the air, reaching out with his right paw to grab onto his Uncle's head with his claws. If it connected, he'd drag his claws into the skin, slowing him to a stop. He'd latch onto the back of his neck and power his jaws into the spinal cord. His jaws weren't strong enough to bite through or snap, but he'd at least cause a migraine.

[Electus]

Are you sure you know what you're doing?[/color]

Yes. Remember, he's almost like us, in a way.[/color]

Hmph. I feel guilty enough as it is.

You're soft.[/color]

Umbra skirted around the darting Orem. By the gods, that furry ball was fast. The berserker skidded and then moved to attack again, lashing out with slashing fangs and paws.

[nightblood]

The berserker growled, but Orem gave a huge sigh of relief when his claws snagged dirt instead of skin. Crazed green eyes, not the usual soft ones of Orem, focused hard on the big gray wolf as he turned to attack again. Before his Uncle could turn completely around, however, an idea struck him. As quick as his little legs would motor, he darted into a hollow tree. The opening was tall, but narrow. As he coiled inside, ready to spring, he knew that Umbra could only attack him from head on. It was up to him wether the pup would attack his last eye, or his throat, depending on how high his head was when he came forward.

Inside, Orem was desperate to get control again. He would call for help, or run to the den. Anything to get away from this, but the berserker wouldn't have it. It knew both Umbra and Mortil were friends, and that it should not be fighting them, but it was having too much fun. It would not kill him, but it could not resist the chance to maim.

~Let's get out of here! Please!

No response.

~C'mon! Mom can handle him!

No answer.

~I want this!

Nothing.

~I wanna go home!
-SHUT UP!

[Electus]

Umbra slowed, one eyebrow raised. Tactics? The berserker sighed and sat. "If you insist." Umbra said lightly, closing his eye.

"I will wait."

How long do you intend to drag this on?

Until he regains control.

And how long might that be?

As long as it damn takes.

[nightblood]

The berserker sighed. The older wolf was too smart for this move. And, by his own lack of experience, he was now trapped in a hollow tree with only one way out. Forward. Toward the danger. Well, it left time to think, at least. If the little bug in the back of his mind would let him. His fear scent was sickening.

Orem was loosing it. The dark half had never spoken to him before, though he always felt his presence as well as his mood. Now that he had established communication, did it mean that the berserker was getting stronger? That he was getting more insane? When did it end?

-... He's just sitting there...

Should he answer? Orem chanced a look out of his eyes. The berserker hadn't lied. Umbra was seated on the ground, his eyes closed in thought. Or was he listening for his movements? He'd been the only one to hear Zuka tell their mother about the lesson. Yes, that was probably what he was doing now.

-... Waiting for something...

Something other than for him to move? What, then? If Mortil and Umbra wanted so bad to fight him, why weren't they attacking him? Even with this basic tactic, he'd hardly get injured by such a small pup. He had nothing to fear. Unless...

-You have an idea?
~How do you know?
-You emotions give you away. You're calmer. Tell me.
~I think they only wanted to fight you. Or at least get you to come out. Since they've done that-
-They don't need to carry on... You have some weird friends. But what if you're wrong?
~You take over and get us the heck over to mom.

At the flick of an ear, the berserker retreated into the depths of Orem's mind so that the softer side could have control. At first, he had to get reacquainted with his body. He had not been able to control anything but his own thoughts for the passed few minutes, but even in that short amount of time, it was still like first learning to walk. He stood up, a little wobbly at first, but was able to get himself out of the hollow tree.

Ears folded, he stopped, ready to bolt toward his den if Umbra attacked again. He was still wary of the older wolf's intentions, even though he was sure he'd figured it out. Even if he hadn't gotten it right, he was no threat to Mortil's body, so Umbra had no need to attack again.

[Electus]

"Hm. From the slowing of your breathing and the lightness of your footsteps, I assume you've done what was expected of you." Umbra said in a quiet voice, his eye still closed.

"Well done."

The ash-grey wolf opened his single eye lazily, blinking slowly at Orem.

"And now? What is your feeling on this matter?"

[nightblood]

"Hm. From the slowing of your breathing and the lightness of your footsteps, I assume you've done what was expected of you. Well done."

It was all Orem could do to keep from growling at the older wolf. If he did, he'd probably be at the receiving end of some cruel chastisement. Maybe being sat on or something, but he doubted any painful retribution.

"And now? What is your feeling on this matter?"

"What matter? The fact that you're crazy?" Orem spat, sitting down.

He didn't detect any threatening behavior from Umbra... yet. The berserker side of himself was still alert to any maliciousness, which made the pup feel a bit safer.

"I don't want to talk to you," he growled, turning away, "I don't want to talk to either of you. But I'd rather be made to talk to Mortil if you're not going to leave me alone."

-Do you have a death wish?
~Shut up.

[Electus]

"I don't want to talk to you," he growled, turning away, "I don't want to talk to either of you. But I'd rather be made to talk to Mortil if you're not going to leave me alone."

Umbra laughed, shaking his head. "Oh my, little demon. You remind me so much of Albireo when he was younger. Yet he was eager...to learn how to fight. But then again, after meeting me..."

The warrior laughed again. "Let's just say that you're right to be a little angry. But still..."

"You are a very intriguing pup. But I will tell you this...fighting is all you will have, little demon. All you will have."

With that, Umbra turned and began to walk in the direction of Nightblood's den, expecting Orem to follow. The older wolf would have words with the young one's mother, that's for sure.

[nightblood]

"Oh my, little demon. You remind me so much of Albireo when he was younger. Yet he was eager...to learn how to fight. But then again, after meeting me..."

Orem could only guess that Umbra was talking about Mortil when he mentioned 'Albireo'. After all, there was no one else he knew when they were a pup. He heard his whole pack was dead because of him. Apparently Zuka hadn't been paying attention to that particular story.

"Let's just say that you're right to be a little angry. But still..."

There were so many words Orem wanted to scream right now, but for some reason, his mouth wouldn't move. He growled inwardly. So the berserker was keeping his mouth shut.

-Keep quiet. I don't feel like dying today.

"You are a very intriguing pup. But I will tell you this...fighting is all you will have, little demon. All you will have."

It was only then that the berserker let go of all control, but now Orem lacked the strength to keep his jaw up, so it slacked a little. His ears dropped backward as his gaze followed the older wolf. It was with little thought that he noticed where he was going. Back home. He was meant to follow, but he couldn't pick up his legs to do so. Yet... they moved.

As he followed Umbra at a slow, heavy pace, Orem was left without the need to think about putting one foot in front of the other, so his mind was left to reflect. He would always be on the look out for danger that would set off the berserker. He would always be hiding. Or he would do as his pack commanded and fight, relinquishing his body to the dark half of himself for the pack's own use, nothing more then a tool they could wield whenever they saw fit. He had no choice. There was death beyond the borders for him, or he could bring death for others here. Death was everywhere. It was unavoidable.

A tear landed on his paw as he stepped forward.

[Electus]

As the ash-grey wolf neared Nightblood's den, he raised his voice. "Nightblood," he said evenly, "We need to talk."

The warrior looked at the other balls of furr around the Beta's den. "In private."

He looked at Orem, a look of sympathy on his face. But his eye was determined. For Arnlan's sake...anything was worth it. Even the risk of Nightblood tearing his head off.

[nightblood]

-I don't see why you're so upset. Fighting's fun.
~It doesn't bother you that we only exist for that one reason?
-Could be worse.
~I don't see how.

As Orem neared the den site, he hurriedly tried to dry is face. He didn't want to be questioned by his siblings if they were awake. In all reality, he just wanted to sleep. If he could sleep for the rest of his life, he would. As he scaled the rocks to the mouth of the cave, the pup could see the seven small forms of his brothers and sisters. How would it effect them, he wondered, to know the real reason of their birth? He knew his mother never really loved his father. He could see it in her eyes. It probably killed her to have to bare his children instead of Armageddon's, the dark male whom he'd seen more of than his own father. They were a product of forced breeding, to be used for war, nothing else.

He scoffed at the ground, kicking loose a rock and launching it at the wall. The noise might have woken some of his siblings, but he didn't care. Orem walked over to a dark corner of the cave, far away from everyone else, and layed down, turning away from his family.

"Nightblood."

The Beta had been sleeping lightly, which was rare for her, so she was quick to respond. She flipped over, having been sleeping on her back, and raised her head, shaking her ruffled up fur.

"We need to talk."

Blinking, NightBlood stood up slowly. She looked around the room and was quick to spot the eighth pup in the far corner, away from the group. At first, she was happy to see him breathing, but as she focused, she noted his shivering and shallow breathing. There was no scent of blood, so he was uninjured, which left only one reason as to why he was acting this way. Her ears fell as she turned back to Mortil, eyes dim with despair.

"In private."

Lowering her head, she stepped forward, around her pups, and led her adoptive brother outside of the den and around the corner. To her knowledge, only Orem was awake, so they would not be heard.

~So what do I call you?
-...Blayde.
~What does that mean?
-It's Draviran for 'Blood'. In mom's old pack, the tougher-sounding part of the dual name would be the tougher side of the split. Since you don't have a dual name, we'll use mom's.
~Fantastic.

"What's wrong with him?"

"Shh!"

Once she was sure her mother and Mortil were out of the den, Zuka lifted her head and strained her ears to listen. Closing her eyes, just as she had been taught, she focused on the sounds. She heard her brother stir until he woke up. He must have spotted Orem, who she could hear breathing at the far end of the cave.

[Electus]

Mortil followed Nightblood out around the corner, his eye tinged with equal amounts of pity and grimness.

"You know me too well for me to give you anything but the truth Nigthblood. I'm sure you're aware of Orem's condition."

He circled restlessly before sitting.

"Orem is...special. Which is why I decided to inform him of the two purposes he and his siblings are being trained for. War and as a safeguard to Umbra."

Mortil shrugged half-heartedly. "He's not so thrilled with the idea that he might have to kill me one day."

"There's also something...else."

[nightblood]

"You know me too well for me to give you anything but the truth Nigthblood. I'm sure you're aware of Orem's condition."

"He has what most Dravirians fear, a second self. I had my own. It is... curable, in a way, I guess," NightBlood said as she watched Mortil circle.

Orem's ear flicked from inside the cave. Curable?

"Orem is...special. Which is why I decided to inform him of the two purposes he and his siblings are being trained for. War and as a safeguard to Umbra. He's not so thrilled with the idea that he might have to kill me one day."

"I'm not so thrilled about it either, Mortil-"

"There's also something...else."

"Bad news or good?" the Beta asked, pulling her ears back.

[Electus]

"Bad news or good?"

Mortil turned away from Nightblood. "That depends on what you define as bad...or good."

He turned back to face her, voice shaking a little. "I...I forced Orem's other side out. To see if he could control it. He managed to, after awhile."

The warrior circled agitatedly again, his shoulders low. "God damn, Nightblood! I don't know how long I can keep doing this. I feel like I'm about to break down. Hell, how hard is it to tell someone that they might have to kill you? How does one cope with that!?"

Mortil looked at his foster sister, eye bloodshot. "How far is the limit, Nightblood? How far is the limit?"