Reaching New Heights {Akree/any}

[Akree]

Uin giggled as she saw Ziro climbing NightBlood as a squirrel would do a tree. She nodded at NightBlood reply knowing she was a bit busy with Ziro literally all over her face. She turned to look at Levy who had laid down a little farther away, maybe he felt left out thought Uin a little sad. NightBlood threw Ziro into the air and she smiled as she heard the young pup wishing for more.

"You, sir, need to stop eating so many squirrels." said NightBlood to the pup.

Uin chuckled "Maybe you would fall less" Uin said while nudging Ziro with her muzzle.

She turned to look at NightBlood and then at Levy, cool, she thought, it's like a reunion of four completely different wolves, she chuckled to herself.

[Squeeji]

Levy watched the old sentry with leery blue eyes. "I know you haven't...but I know who you are..." the temptation for the young male to scream at the top of his lungs his indignation of being forgotten once again was over whelming. After all, he was short, not deaf, and had heard the Sentry howl at all hours of the night...and it wasn't as though Nightblood had a voice one could forget. "You're Nightblood, Ziko told me about you." With that Levy put a quick paw over his mouth and gulped.

He had only heard rumors of what had happened to his friend, both Nightblood, Ziko and that strange wolf had left Arnlan...and only the female returned. Levy could only imagine what a bitch as big as the black and tan could do to Ziko...let alone someone more diminutive like himself. But not for his sake, and more for his fallen friend Levy stood up upon his solid frame, stern and brave looking, he wasn't going to be scared of some puppy murderer.

"I'm Levy." he barked his name, his eyes boring into the female, now seeming very protective of Uin and Ziro, he stomped a large paw on the ground and frowned.

[nightblood]

"You, sir, need to stop eating so many squirrels."

"Maybe you would fall less."

"Hey!" Ziro giggled as he raised a paw to Uin's muzzle when she nudged him.

"I know you haven't...but I know who you are..."

NightBlood turned her good eye to the brown male. His voice caught her off guard, but she was then reminded of stories told by old Dravirians. They spoke of all sorts of biological mysteries. Amung them were the short wolves. Those who didn't grow much taller than a pup. She'd caught glimpses of one or two in Draviria, but had never spoken with them as they seemed to be super strong super puppies. Being in Draviria, they were ideal spies and even assassins.

"You're Nightblood, Ziko told me about you."

Blood's heart sank so low in her chest that it threatened to implode on itself. At the mention of the pup's name, NightBlood lowered her head and let Ziro off of her. She picked her head back up again and looked at the dwarf again, anger in her eyes. She could sense the tenseness in his words. She knew he was aware of Ziko's absence, so why wasn't he upset? Or at least feeling a bit of remorse for his fallen comrade? Why did he speak to her with such anger dripping from his words?

"I'm Levy."

NightBlood growled as she saw the threats coming at her from his eyes. She stood up and began walking toward him. She paused a few feet away from Ziro and Uin. This was not their concern. They hadn't been in the pack when it happened.

"What is your problem with me?" she asked rather gruffly, lowering her head and her voice so only Levy could hear her.

Ziro stared blankly at the larger female and smaller male until NightBlood lowered her head and spoke lowly. He knew this gesture all too well. He turned to Uin and put a paw on her leg.

"Want to play hide-and-hunt?"

[Squeeji]

"What is your problem with me?"

Levy sighed, and then put a paw over his eyes, rubbing it like he was massaging some obvious headache out...a headache brought on by the Sentry's obliviousness. Though still growly, he was put better at ease that Uin and Ziro were getting out of harm's reach. "Must I spell out the obvious?" his tone was low, he had the respect enough for the pack not to blow all this dirty laundry out for others to hear...this was between him, and the huge bitch.

"You killed him. Why shouldn't I have a problem with that and subsequently....you." He had a well versed vocabulary when it was roused to the surface...after all, this might have been the most he had spoken since Ziko had disappeared. "you left the pack borders with that odd wolf and Ziko, and you were the only one to return alive...and I heard the Scout saying that he was probably dead...and you know what that tells me? That you killed them both as soon as you got out of the pack's sight."

Levy gestured his paw wildly as he hissed in hushed tones to Nightblood, there was a great deal of contempt for the Sentry in his voice, not for his sake, but for Ziko's he felt so terrible for his friend, who had wrongly put his trust in this brute of a female. "Its not like he would have stood a chance you know."

[Akree]

The atmosphere around the that area had changed completely. NightBlood and Levy hissed at each other, she quickly gestured for Ziro. The puppy put a paw on her own and she knew all to well what he was thinking. She lowered her head toward Ziro, lowering to his height to hear his words.

"Want to play hide-and-hunt?" said the orange pup.

She smiled feeling comforted by the pups words "Okay" she said.

She nudged Ziro, not sure if they should stay, but knowing very well not to get involved. Levy's problems were his own and his own alone, she just hoped he knew better than to pick a fight with a wolf that size. She walked farther away from the two wolves, and turned her muzzle toward Ziro, waiting for the pup to catch up, she wouldn't leave him behind.

[nightblood]

"Okay"

Ziro ran off in one direction, away from the two fighting wolves. He'd lead Uin away from them. The pup had lingered once when told to leave the area. He'd almost gotten injured because of it. He'd never want to get into that situation again. Once he thought they were far enough away, he turned to her, faking a smile.

"Not it! Start counting!"

With that, he bounded off into some unknown area of Arnlan. He'd probably end up hiding under a bush or something.

"Must I spell out the obvious?"

NightBlood raised an eyebrow at the question. If something was obvious, she'd missed it. She was known for such incidents in her younger years.

"You killed him. Why shouldn't I have a problem with that and subsequently....you."

The sentry raised her head and shook it in alarm. She'd never been accused of murder. Yes, she'd killed before, but never a pack mate and certainly never a pup.

"you left the pack borders with that odd wolf and Ziko, and you were the only one to return alive...and I heard the Scout saying that he was probably dead...and you know what that tells me? That you killed them both as soon as you got out of the pack's sight."

"I didn't-!"

"Its not like he would have stood a chance you know."

Almost distraught by his words, NightBlood leaned down and glared at the small wolf.

"I did not and will never harm a pack mate. What would be gained by doing such a thing?"

True, she was a brute of a female, but she was in no way cruel.

[Squeeji]

Levy had a very skeptical look on his face, he sighed, but knew that he had her right where he wanted her, while Nightblood was not very cruel, it appeared the short wolf was damn near cutthroat when he had a cause to go behind. His ears swiveled back, and his brows knitted as the female spoke, and he shook his head like it was biggest load of crap he had ever been fed in his life...


"I did not and will never harm a pack mate. What would be gained by doing such a thing?"

Again the clever wolf seemed almost disappointed with the sentry..."Any wolf who's ambitious knows...the best way to get ahead is to get rid of any of your dissenters...you know, wolves who would not agree with you being of a higher rank...and you'll get far..." Levy began to pace, gesturing with his large paw as he spoke. "And I know Ziko and you didn't exactly get along...and...Tricker...right...that was his name...he was your little blunder at the border...wasn't he?"

Levy snapped his teeth, he was utterly disgusted at the female before him, "You get rid of little problem, you look better to the alphas right?"He was a shrewd cunning little cuss, and wasn't scared to show her that he meant business...

[Akree]

Uin obeyed Ziro's command. She turned herself in front of a tree, she lowered her head and closed her eyes. She felt more relaxed now, away from the two very tense wolves. Her ears twitched in thought, but shook her head, making them disappear. She smiled to herself and flicked her tail.

"One, two, three, four..."

She heard a few hares scramble around the forest floor, very near to her, probably wondered what was she doing. She squeezed her eyes shut, trying to think of playing with Ziro, but couldn't help, but wonder what kind of future awaited her in this pack.

"...five, six, seven..."

She heard the sound of Ziro's paws scrambling around, she smiled to herself.

"eight, nine and ten..."

She raised her head and took a few steps away from the tree. She searched around, a little dazed to the force she used to keep her eyes closed. She blinked seeing black points in her vision, she shook her head and searched the scenery. She raised her head to look at a crow perched on the tree above her. She switched her footing, feeling a little excited, the future could wait, right now she was going to play with Ziro.

"Ready or not here I come!" she yelled at the wind.

She giggled a little and ran of through the bushes.

[nightblood]

"Ready or not here I come!"

Ziro looked over his shoulder to see the distant form of Uin moving about in her search for him. He still hadn't found a good hiding spot. He jumped and moved quickly under a bush, probably making it tremble. Her curled himself around the base, trying to stop their movement before she noticed.

"Any wolf who's ambitious knows...the best way to get ahead is to get rid of any of your dissenters...you know, wolves who would not agree with you being of a higher rank...and you'll get far..."

NightBlood gritted her teeth and lifted her lips into a snarl, but forced herself not to growl at her packmate. She was not like other wolves. She wan't like those who had killed her father.

"And I know Ziko and you didn't exactly get along...and...Tricker...right...that was his name...he was your little blunder at the border...wasn't he?"

The Sentry sat down and pulled her ears back at the name. She didn't want to be reminded of the friend she had to betray.

"You get rid of little problem, you look better to the alphas right?"

"I led him away on Sofika's order!" she snaped, her patience running thin after holding herself back to let him finish, "I did what I was told to do. Ziko was to come with me. He ran away once he figured out that we were abandoning Tricker!"

In her attempt not to attack the wolf before her, she couldn't help but start the cry as she explained what had happened. The recolection of such a deed was enough to make her want to find a hole in the ground and hide from it.

"Tricker was my friend! Sofika ordered me to betray him and I OBEYED! Yes, perhaps I did condemn Ziko to death by not going after him, but I would have had to kill him anyway! Sofika said that the punishment for leaving Arnlan was death! Now you figure out what I should have done!"

[Akree]

Uin sniffed around the ground in search for the pup. She lifted her head to look back as she hard NighhtBlood's yell echo throughout the forest. She shook her thoughts away before they even came and concentrated more on Ziro. She heard a rustle of leaves and chuckled to herself. She circled a bush that was trembling and smiled as Ziro's scent found its way into her nostrils. She smiled and grabbed one of the bush's branches between her jaws, she smiled and shook it with force, making the pup exit his hiding place at will. She smiled at Ziro.

"Caught you!"

She chuckled and nudged the pup. The orange pup looked a bit dazed. She laughed at Ziro and dropped to a play bow.

"What do you want to do next, Ziro?"

[Squeeji]

The little wolf's face deadened watching the sentry's emotions bob more than a acorn on the surface of the water, had he been a cold hearted male, he might have laughed, or showed scorn.

"In your situation, I'd have done what was right, no matter what and had not have balked at keeping to my convictions." he gestured a huge paw over his chest and shook his head. "But then again, I'm not the one with obviously such a guilty conscious." the anger, the sadness, the rage and the indignation of Nightblood seemed to speak volumes to Levy, who watched her with nearly dispassionate though interested eyes.

"Be that whatever it may." he should his head, it was one thing had the she-wolf done the right thing, but it was another that she did not except that things were so...after all, the sentry made her den...and she best lay in it...even if it was tended with the greatest loyalty. He eyed Nightblood flippantly, to him she was something of a coward, both boasting and condemning her actions, and for that, he looked, almost...disappointed at her.

[nightblood]

"Caught you!"

Ziro blasted out of the bush as soon as he heard the leave crackle under Uin's jaws. He spun around on the spot, then wagged his tail. He didn't like staying still for very long, which made him wonder why he volunteered for hide-and-hunt.

"What do you want to do next, Ziro?"

"Hmm... Let's play..." the pup began while stepping forward, "TAG! YOU'RE IT!"

He aimed a rough swipe at Uin's paw and ran passed her as if his life depended on it.

"In your situation, I'd have done what was right, no matter what and had not have balked at keeping to my convictions."

NightBlood stared at him. Who was he to judge which one was the right decision? She followed the Alpha's order. Wasn't that the right thing to do? That's what she had been taught to do all her life. Though she didn't follow blindly, she wasn't about to argue with her over that matter.

"But then again, I'm not the one with obviously such a guilty conscious. Be that whatever it may."

"You're not the one in my paws," she growled, forcing her temper down, "What would you have done? What was the right thing to do?"

[Akree]

Uin laughed as the pup sprang from within the bush and watched him wag his tail. She looked closely at Ziro and shook herself, wanting to run around wildly.

"Hmm... Let's play...TAG! YOU'RE IT!" said the pup excitedly.

He jumped and poked her paw, which she lifted after the pup poked it. She tilted her head to the side, but before she could even think about what was she going to say the pup disappeared into the darkness of Arnlan. She smiled to herself. She better play along, she thought, she was going to suggest another game, but the pup had clearly made up his mind. She began to run throughout the forest, keeping a good ear on Ziro's footsteps. She followed the pup, keeping sure she wouldn't smash against anything, like she used to do when running around. She stopped in a clearing, before deciding where the pup went. She had stopped to think and Ziro had taken a good lead, she smiled at her stupidity, Oh, well, not changing that now, she thought to herself.

[Squeeji]

Levy yawned, smacking his jaws as he did so. "Had I been in your position...I'd have done whatever in my power to find my peace. But my answer would be irrelevant, since...I'm not you and thus would have dealt with it, I would think, in a much different way. " The pup like wolf shook his head, looking the female up and down with his soulful blue eyes. "BUT you're the one who's all touchy...what would have you done if you could redo things?" he scoffed, shaking his head like it was silly that Nightblood would turn it around on him...after all, she was a ranking sentry...he was a subordinate...and he was disappointed that it was coming apparent...her intellectual superior.

"The most suspicious part about your story for me...is your guilty conscious." He could believe the line the big female fed him about Sofika's commands and about Ziko running off, and all of those things, but the way Nightblood acted, half sullen and half enraged didn't endear her to any trust from Levy...

[nightblood]

Ziro ran as fast as he could. Dodging trees and rocks until he came upon a rotted log. He hid in there, reverting back to Hide-and-Hunt. He liked that game better. He didn't trip over his paws as much.

"Had I been in your position...I'd have done whatever in my power to find my peace. But my answer would be irrelevant, since...I'm not you and thus would have dealt with it, I would think, in a much different way. " The pup like wolf shook his head, looking the female up and down with his soulful blue eyes. "BUT you're the one who's all touchy...what would have you done if you could redo things?"

"I'm touchy because I cared about Ziko like I would my own pup," she growled, turning away from him. She felt that she might attack him for bringing all this up if she didn't break eye contact, "I don't think I would have had the strength to bring him back against his will. It would have turned out the same. But I would have at least tried to talk to him..."

"The most suspicious part about your story for me...is your guilty conscious."

"Because I was there. Because I was the one who should have done something but didn't," she snarled, turning her eye on him once more. She did not stop herself from showing her fangs. Levy needed to know that he was stepping on her weakness and that she could break at any moment. "I won't allow anyone to fall again. Not on my watch. I'll make sure everyone in Arnlan is safe."