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Post by nightblood on Jun 17, 2008 11:51:20 GMT -5
Ziro wasn't at all adapted to the ground just yet. Though he was (slowly) starting to grow into his giant paws, he was still managing to slip or trip on something or other. For now, he much preferred the water. Here in the river, his big paws were perfect paddles. They pushed him forward and, with a twist of his body, allowed him to turn in any direction underwater.
The big pup hadn't encountered the Arnlan river before. He had tested the temperature first with a quick dip of his toe into the water. It wasn't terribly cold, but still a bit icy from the winter months. Next he tested the current. He waded in up to his ankles and judged how fast the water was going. Figuring it was safe, he waded in a little deeper. The current was slightly faster now, but not enough to push him very far.
Cautiousness over, the young wolf darted back out of the water. He ran a few yards away from the river and stopped. Glancing back, he glared at the water. He turned around, prepared himself, and dashed back toward the river. When he was at the water's edge, he launched himself up and forward, landing in the middle of the river and making a huge splash.
Ziro was no stranger to water. He found it easier to maneuver in. There were no rocks or logs to trip on here.
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Post by Brink on Jun 17, 2008 12:17:48 GMT -5
Much unlike Ziro, Will was perfectly suited for both water and land. Water was greatly preferred by him though. So much freedom unlike on land, where you were there seemed to be so many obstacles. Trees, ditches, human cities; all huge and annoying hindrances that made everyone’s day worse. But water wasn’t like that. There was the occasional strong current or icy water. William was enjoying all this freedom, when he spotted something. A brown creature stood at the bank, maybe watching for a passing fish or testing the icy river. The frothing water distorted the image, but he could tell that it was another one of those wolves. Maybe a dog. He hoped not. Dogs usually meant humans.
With little consideration for the stranger, Will moved forward. His plan was to pop up right in front of whoever it happened to be and greet them, praying to God all the while that he wasn’t going to be eaten. Unfortunately, the other person decided to throw himself into the water.
Right on top of Will.
After being swirled about in the current for a brief moment, the otter shot towards the surface, and took in a deep breath. Then, he dove back down to confront the assailant who had almost sent him down the river.
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Post by nightblood on Jun 17, 2008 12:30:06 GMT -5
Ziro knew something was wrong once he hit the water. He had felt something furry move under him. He hoped dearly that it wasn't an older wolf (namely Mortilitas Umbra) that he had landed on. Luckily, he managed to keep a hold on his air and he began blinking in the water, glancing around for the creature he had disturbed.
He didn't spot it immediately, but he wasn't surprised when he did. A River Otter. He pulled his ears back and gave the wolfy "sorry" smile. Unfortunately, he was reduced to his natural body language under water. He didn't know if the Otter was as well. Either way, Ziro wagged his tail in greeting, albeit a little slowly as the water snagged at it.
Ziro had seen River Otters before, but had never gotten this close to one. By what he had heard, they were generally a very friendly lot. Hopefully it was true. Now that he was running out of air, he'd probably face a long chastisement when he broke the surface. Preparing himself for being yelled at, he began paddling to the surface.
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Post by Brink on Jun 17, 2008 13:38:34 GMT -5
The idiot who had decided to do a belly-flop on Will was still floundering around when Will spotted him. Surprisingly, he wasn’t a very large creature, just a pup. That was lucky. If a wolf the size of NightBlood had landed on him, he might have ended up unconscious or injured. Luckily, he was fine. Only a little shaken up. Thank god. The indignant rage faded a bit after he realized thus. The apologetic smile also cooled his anger some more, but he shook his head in an almost disappointed fashion.
The pup, obviously needing another breath of oxygen, rose towards the surface. William, now more annoyed than angry, followed close behind. Once the broke the surface, William turned towards Ziro and, exasperated, he said “What was that for?!” in a high voice. It might have considered quite rude since the young canine seemed sorry, but Will didn’t appreciate having other creatures launching themselves in his direction. He was small after all, and not very strong compared to others. What would his family do, if he ended up dead because some creature decided that they would use him as a bed?
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Post by nightblood on Jun 17, 2008 13:59:14 GMT -5
“What was that for?!”
The voice came immediately when he broke the surface and gasped for air. Once his lungs were full again, Ziro folded his ears back once more and looked at the small creature with apologetic eyes. He didn't mean to scare him like that. It wasn't like he was aiming for him.
"I'm sorry," he said, lowering his head as far as it could go without drowning himself, "I didn't see you."
Then an ugly thought came to his mind. The high rankers didn't like the members of Arnlan to be slacking off. Since the otter wasn't afraid of him, perhaps he had already had contact with the wolves of Arnlan. Did he know the Alphas? The Beta?
"Oh, please don't tell anyone I was playing just now," he pleaded, "NightBlood'll chop off my head..."
Well... that might have been an exaggeration. NB wasn't one for killing pack members, as far as he could tell. Mortilitas Umbra, on the other paw... might be someone to watch out for. panicked, the pup began looking around for any other wolves who might have seen him.
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Post by Brink on Jun 17, 2008 14:51:22 GMT -5
A rush of words exploded from the youngster once he had gulped in some air. "I'm sorry. I didn’t see you. Oh, please don't tell anyone I was playing just now, NightBlood'll chop off my head..."
A bit surprised, Will took a minute to process all the information. NightBlood? Chopping off heads? What was going on here? Had she suddenly become rabid or something?! Will hoped not. He would certainly be disappointed. Wait… if he knew NightBlood… then he must be part of Arnlan!
Ziro’s outburst had been a bit weird and then he started spouting out statements so confusing that Will wondered if something positively horrible had happened in ‘Arlnan’. “Calm down, boy, calm down! Everything’s fine, no harm done. See, I’m fine.” he turned around in a circle to show that he was perfectly fine. “Now tell me, what’s happened in Arnlan?” The little otter’s voice rippled with worry and fear. “What’s wrong with NightBlood?” Fear for his friends had caused him to rise onto his hind legs and stare earnestly into the emerald eyes of the young wolf. “Come on, spit it out!”
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Post by nightblood on Jun 17, 2008 15:11:32 GMT -5
“Calm down, boy, calm down! Everything’s fine, no harm done. See, I’m fine.”
Ziro took a moment to breathe deeply. He exhaled and looked over the otter. True, he wasn't harmed. Glad that he hadn't caused the creature any pain, he smiled and began swimming to the bank. He could fake that he had been fishing if there was no one around.
“Now tell me, what’s happened in Arnlan?” The little otter’s voice rippled with worry and fear. “What’s wrong with NightBlood?”
Ziro climbed up onto the shore and sat down, wishing he wasn't so rattled with questions. Apparently this guy did know some of Arnlan. Should he tell him about the new ranks?
“Come on, spit it out!”
Well, he couldn't argue with that.
"NightBlood's the new Beta, but she's been off ever since they made that announcement. She's supposed to have pups with that big blonde guy... Anek, I think was his name. Alphas want more pups. Strong pups by the look of those two."
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Post by Brink on Jun 17, 2008 16:02:41 GMT -5
Ziro seemed to think Will was fine, so he swam towards the shore. The otter darted forward, in pursuit and wanting answers badly. At first, the pup seemed slightly hesitant, but soon gave in. "NightBlood's the new Beta…” He could have give a whoop of joy. True, he didn’t know what a ‘beta’ was, but it sounded important, so he believed he should be happy for his friend. Before he could make any such noises of joy and delight, Ziro finished his sentence. “…but she's been off ever since they made that announcement.”
Damn. Something was wrong. He had guessed correct unfortunately. He was still standing on all fours in the shallows, his puny brown eyes growing wider as the bad news came out. “She's supposed to have pups with that big blonde guy... Anek, I think was his name. Alphas want more pups. Strong pups by the look of those two."
“WHAT?!” It was shrill cry of horror, almost a shriek. What gave them the right? Infuriated, he rose once more onto his back legs, as if anger had forced him to stand erect. It made him more powerful, standing at his full height of two feet and ten inches. “Whatta ya mean?! What does NightBlood have to say about this?! When did this happen?!” He didn’t seem to want his questions answered, because in the next instant, he reached out with one tiny, muddy brown webbed paw and grabbed hold of a clump of Ziro’s fur. He tugged on it gently, and said “Come on, boy! I need to talk to someone about this!” Will’s voice expressed his outrage but was also layered in urgency. While he began to scurry away, not sure if the pup was to follow, he expressed this fiery rage in an angry voice.
“How could they do this to her, the, the… MONSTERS! What right do they have to do this?! It’s her own business who she wishes to be mates with and have children with! But why, oh, why would they do this to poor Nightblood?!” His passionate, angry, and high voice rang out among the still forest. But who would he go to? NightBlood? He knew very well that her loyalties lay with her pack. And to the Alphas? He might as well serve himself on a platter with some fish and chips. Mortil, the wolf he had met before? Probably not. What would he be able to do anyway? And this young wolf... what's his name? 'I don't know his name,' he reminded himself. "M'name's Will, by the way, boy. William Riverbound." Good enough for now.
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Post by nightblood on Jun 17, 2008 21:05:01 GMT -5
“WHAT?!”
Ziro half jumped at the shriek, eyes widening as the creature stood up on his back legs, eye level now equal to his. He was astounded that an otter would have any oppinion about the goings on in wolfdom.
“Whatta ya mean?! What does NightBlood have to say about this?! When did this happen?!”
The questions caught him off guard. he had no time to react when a tiny paw grabbed hold of his fur.
“Come on, boy! I need to talk to someone about this!”
"From what I know of NightBlood," he stated calmly, "She'd probably say it was her duty as Beta to serve the pack. Being second in command is a big job. She wants to do it right. She was pretty shocked yesterday. I had to step on her paw to wake her up."
“How could they do this to her, the, the… MONSTERS! What right do they have to do this?! It’s her own business who she wishes to be mates with and have children with! But why, oh, why would they do this to poor Nightblood?!”
"She's Beta... and strong. The pack needs warriors..."
Ziro could have slapped himself for defending the intentions of the Alphas. He might have been just as blindly loyal as NightBlood.
"M'name's Will, by the way, boy. William Riverbound."
"Ziro."
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Post by Brink on Jun 17, 2008 21:27:49 GMT -5
"From what I know of NightBlood. She'd probably say it was her duty as Beta to serve the pack. Being second in command is a big job. She wants to do it right. She was pretty shocked yesterday. I had to step on her paw to wake her up."
“Big shock indeed!” he muttered. To learn that out of the blue you were being promoted, but then you were being forced to have someone’s kids who you didn’t even like.
"She's Beta... and strong. The pack needs warriors..."
William Riverbound couldn’t believe what he’d just heard. How could anyone…” In a violent motion, he whipped around on the pup and wasn’t once again on his short and stubby hind legs. Those muddy brown eyes stared with disbelief, hatred, and indignation. “You… You… YOU…!” he tried searched in vain for some word that would fit the pup. Unfortunately, the only words that came to mind were all curse words. Had Ziro been older, he would have screamed and cursed at him until his heart gave out, but he managed to tone it down a bit. “You’re a stupid, spineless wretch, you know that? How in the world could you agree with all that bullshit?! It’s cruel and malicious, borderline tyrannical for a damn Alpha! How can you agree?! Does you just not care about NightBlood? Or are you just so stupid that you’ve been brainwashed, you worthless coward?”
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Post by nightblood on Jun 17, 2008 21:55:17 GMT -5
“You’re a stupid, spineless wretch, you know that? How in the world could you agree with all that bullshit?! It’s cruel and malicious, borderline tyrannical for a damn Alpha! How can you agree?! Does you just not care about NightBlood? Or are you just so stupid that you’ve been brainwashed, you worthless coward?”
Will's words cut into him like ice. He lowered himself to the ground and folded his ears back as he was chastised, but a growl erupted from him when the word coward was sounded. He stood up and bared his teeth at the otter, ruffling up is wet fur.
"I am NOT brainwashed. I'm not a damn coward either," he said, "But NightBlood would follow the Alphas into a human city if asked too. She's more brainwashed than I am, ust because all she ever wanted was to BE Beta. Now that she has that, she's not going to disobey and risk loosing it!"
Ziro took a deep breath and calmed himself down. He sat on the sand and exhaled slowly, trying not to kill the otter.
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Post by Brink on Jun 17, 2008 22:37:16 GMT -5
"I am NOT brainwashed. I'm not a damn coward either. But NightBlood would follow the Alphas into a human city if asked too. She's more brainwashed than I am, just because all she ever wanted was to BE Beta. Now that she has that, she's not going to disobey and risk loosing it!"
The fact that the pup seemed to cringe, surprised him more than the growling and the angry words. Most dogs and wolves were arrogant creatures that didn’t appreciate having their pride wounded. Even though Ziro happened to be yelling at him, he could have puffed his chest out when he heard the pup defend himself, as if Will himself had taught him everything he knew about not letting anyone put him down. A broad smile enveloped his features even though he was on the verge of being torn limb from limb. “You better not be.” There was enthusiasm in his voice. Ya’ know, he wasn’t half bad.
As he dropped back onto his webbed paws and pushed forward, into the heart of the dark forest that Sofika and Karolek had claimed as their own, he murmurred, “Nice ta meet ya, Ziro,” and then turned to smile politely at the other. Well, better late than never, right?
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Post by nightblood on Jun 17, 2008 23:07:48 GMT -5
“Nice ta meet ya, Ziro,”
The pup watched as Will moved forward toward the forest. He looked a little awkward on land. A few moments of watching him caused him to wonder why he was moving in that direction. Then it hit him.
"HEY WAIT!! he shouted.
Gathering himself up, he bolted forward and stood in the otter's way, blocking him from the forest.
"You think anyone will care what you have to say? How valuable are your words to them if you're not wolf? You don't have any business even THINKING about them! You're not our kind! They'll never listen!"
The tone in his voice was urgent, not aggressive. He wasn't trying to make Will seem unimportant, but he was in the alphas' eyes. He was sure of it.
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Post by Brink on Jun 18, 2008 16:20:12 GMT -5
When Will heard the shout of “HEY WAIT”, he immediately stopped. Was the pup actually going to come with him? It seemed unlikely since he seemed on the verge of having otter for lunch not moments ago. He turned around to see the Ziro charging towards him. Fearing for his life, he ducked down. However, the pup wasn’t about to squash him or eat him. But he was in Will’s the way and then suddenly and urgently spoke to him, while he stood up, a little ashamed.
"You think anyone will care what you have to say? How valuable are your words to them if you're not wolf? You don't have any business even THINKING about them! You're not our kind! They'll never listen!"
“I don’t have any business thinking about them?” Outrage, once again, warped his voice until it was high at shrill. This time, though, his anger didn’t seem to be directly at Ziro. More at the fact that he knew that the young wolf was right. Nobody gave a damn about what he said. He was an otter, for crying out loud. Just a snack for most wolves. “If my friends are in trouble, or hurt, or need my help, then I have EVERY right to about them and what happened to them.” He looked up at the young pup. “And, yes I’m not a wolf or even a dog, or coyote, or a dingo! I’m well aware of the fact that I’m nothing even relatively close to a canine. But I don’t care. I know that, in there,” the tiny otter motioned towards the forest, “I’m nothing. They won’t care about me or listen to me; they might even try to eat me for standing up to them. I know that I don’t have a snowball’s chance in hell in there. But that doesn’t matter to me.” Defiantly, he stood on his back paws again so that he was eye to eye with the pup. “I don’t care because NightBlood is my friend. ‘N I don’t know if you have any close friends, Ziro but if you do, then you’ll understand: it doesn’t matter who or what you’re going up against. The only thing that matters is protecting those you care about.”
With that last statement, William Riverbound dropped down on all fours again and gave a nod. Because he knew that he couldn’t push the pup aside, he had to think of some other way to get passed him. With the air of a creature with an enormous task and the determination to do this task, he proceeded forward. Will ducked his head and lowered himself a bit closer to the ground as he walked under the pup. All he had to do now was hope that Ziro didn’t sit down and then stand up to two huge wolves and their pack. Simple, right?
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Post by nightblood on Jun 18, 2008 16:51:11 GMT -5
As the otter walked under him, Ziro had the urge to simply sit on him to keep him away from the alphas. He knew, however, that it would be very degrading to do so. Instead, he jumped away from the otter, turned around and aimed a bite at his tail. If he caught him, he wouldn't bite down too hard. Like a mother carrying a pup, he'd only bite down enough to hold him, not to draw blood or cause injury. He would drag him back and spin him around to face him once more.
Wether or not he was able to do so, he would still warn Will of the danger of speaking to the Alphas.
"They'll see you as suicidal prey. And NightBlood wouldn't be too happy that you, of all creatures, were poking in on her affairs without her knowledge. How about you talk to her first?" he asked, "You're more likely to live longer..."
He knew where NightBlood's den was, but wasn't entirely sure it was a good place to look. After all, Sofika did say that she was to get started on her task right away... He shuddered at the thought.
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