A Miserable Failure

[sarhea]

The voices in his head argued back and forth. "You're a failure!" they screamed, and in a way, they were right. Orion hadn't proven useful in anything so far in his newfound freedom. He'd run into intruders near the boarders and hadn't handled that well; he couldn't hunt worth a flip, and he'd had more company when he was stuck home with his parents. Orion was a bit frustrated. He wanted to be useful to his pack.

At the moment, Orion stood in the middle of a small clearing among the dark trees of Arnlan. Multiple holes were scattered about, hastily dug; snow scattered about. He'd been trying to hunt....the one thing that hurt his pride most was his terrible hunting skills. How could a small creature such as a rabbit be smarter than he? He shook the thoughts from his mind. They were doing him no good at all, only distracting him from his prey.

Orion held his breath a moment-yes, he heard the faint sounds of the rabbit that had been eluding him all afternoon. It had some sort of tunnel system under the new snow that had fallen the previous night, and Orion just couldn't figure it out. The sounds were coming from a spot very near to him. Maybe, if he pounced just in time....Orion listened carefully, and when he thought his timing was good, he lunged up and out, leaping above the snow for a split second before landing in a fury on the location he'd pinpointed the rabbit's movements. Snow flew everywhere, and suddenly, a startled white rabbit sprung from the snow right between his furiously digging paws.

The sudden appearance of the rabbit caused him to flinch in surprise just a second to long, and the creature escaped the snap of his jaws. It bounded over the snow, and Orion tore after it, carving a messy, unplanned trail in hot pursuit. The rabbit darted through a small cluster of brush, and without thinking, Orion plowed through the brush....

And out into open air as the ground behind the brush dropped sharply at least 15ft down to a large frozen muck pond. He didn't have time even to yelp as he finally fell back to the earth half way down the steep incline, and slid the rest of the way down until he finally hit the cold ice and slid halfway out to the middle.

He sat there, legs sprawled out in all directions, trying to comprehend what had just happened. A noise caused his head to jerk around to the edge of the bank on the other side. The white rabbit stood there, almost like it was mocking him, before it turned and disappeared into the brush.

He snarled at himself, and tried to stand, and after a few failed attempts and slipping back to the ice, he made it to solid, unslippery ground. His pride had taken a horrible blow. He shook his dark pelt and hoped to no end that no one had seen his miserable, embarrassing show....His ears pinned to his head, he began to leave the scene.....He had to learn to conquer the rabbit....that was his only goal now....

[Squeeji]

Pollux watched as a small white rabbit bounced off by her, the little beast was in quite an outrage, perhaps someone had been chasing it? Her ears tilted back as she was quick to note: there was no one chasing it -now- or they had come by this way already. The metallic colored she-wolf sighed, glancing about, there was no one in sight...but she could smell someone.

There had been very little on Pollux's mind as of late, the chill had at least kept her mind off things, the winter bite being a more obvious threat than a slow descent into depression. It was the little things that counted after all, and she was a fan of keeping her pulse. Idlely she followed the rabbits haphazard trail, only to note that there was a bit of a struggle.

Her interest now completely perked Pollux bounded after the paw prints and snow-light scent of a wolf, only to find herself looking down upon a mud hole, and a young charcoal colored male pulling himself out of the muck. He looked injured, which only added to her alarm, but little did she know that his was not an injury of body, but one of ego.

"Hey, you, you alright?" she barked down at the younger wolf, hoping that he would respond, before she had to come down there after him. "What happened?" As she barked over the ledge her own paws started to slide just a bit, her claws trying to grapple the failing earth between her toes.

Sufficient to say, Pollux made a very loud, rude curse word as she made a loud stiff plop into the mud-lake below, a bit winded it took the female a bit before she caught her breath and pulled herself back onto her feet. Grumbling and cursing the whole while. Shaking herself of the mud she cracked her neck and pulled herself up to where Orion was standing.

As Pollux looked up at the young male, there was a slow realization of who he was. "Oh...its you. You okay?" she smiled shaking some of the mud off her back and side. "That last step was something else wasn't it? Hah." she didn't seem to have that same indignant pride as some wolves had, and seemed to just laugh it off even though she wouldn't lie that it stung a bit.

[sarhea]

"Hey, you, you alright?"

Those words that came from behind him up the hill made Orion freeze in place, cringing at the thought that someone had seen him in all his "glory". He'd hoped that he'd get away from this place before anyone came across the mess he'd made. His ears pinned to his scull as he slowly turned to see the light colored female who'd questioned him. And she was much too close to the edge.

"Watch....!" He started to say, but it was too late, and the female lost her grip on the slippery earth and came sliding down the steep embankment-at least she didn't willingly launch herself out over it, the voices in his head mocked him. He pushed the thoughts away and turned back to the muck pond as she landed with a thud into the icy muck. And she wasn't too happy about it either. He only caught a bit of her cursing rant as she came down, but it was enough. He stepped back into the edge of the muck, coming to see if she was alright, but paused as she caught her breath and picked herself up from the mud, cursing the whole time, and slinging the mud from her metalic colored pelt. Then it hit him....this was Pollux....his older sister.....

His ears tilted back. Oh, now this was really lovely....this had been one of the most embarassing moments of his life, and of all people, his older sister had to see it....granted, he really didn't know her....being from 2 different litters several years apart was the cause, and he mainly knew of her. She held the rank of scout....she held a rank.....

"Oh...its you. You okay?" "That last step was something else wasn't it? Hah."

Her voice and the recognition brought him out of his thoughts. He forced a chuckle...at least she'd become part of the action, not just an observer....

"Yeah, I'm alright, and yes, that last step took me quite by surprise. You alright?" he questioned in response. It struck him odd that she seemed not to be phased one bit over the occurance, other than her language on the way down....how he hoped she wouldn't question him on why he was here in the first place....

[Squeeji]

Pollux scrunched her nose as she noted that she hadn't gotten all the mud out. She hated to be over dirty. "Ah I'm fine, a little messy, maybe a bruise, but no worse for wear." She moved around some, testing her muscles and limbs, for an older wolf she made it out in the clear. Something she appreciated. "So what happened?" The scout had been putting two and two together. A frightened rabbit and a dirty young wolf...the two had to be connected. Not that she'd have mocked her little brother, blunders like that were for the grace of the young like him...to be expected.

Trotting further into drier land Pollux plopped down on her haunches, itching at some of the drying earth.

[sarhea]

Orion cringed inside, trying not to show his displeasure at the question outwardly. His stubborn hurt pride didn't want to answer, but he had been taught the value of truth also. As the two sides battled in his mind over how he wanted to answer, he backed away from the muck pond, and gave his pelt a good shake, trying to rid the bits of mud. He realized his left paw was a bit sore, and glanced up at the hill that he'd fallen down. Right about the place he'd hit the slope, there was a grouping of small rocks....dang it....he thought, and took a little of the pressure off it as he sat down.

He watched Pollux trying to rid her own pelt of the mess. He missed having someone to talk to, and found himself eager to talk to her, even if she was his sister. Telling her the truth eventually won out. He looked at the ground...

"I was trying to hunt. I swear this rabbit was smarter than any creature I've met so far. When it went throught the bushes, I never dreamed this pond was down here...."his voice trailed off as he glanced up at her, and then back to the snow. More than the present situation, he was mad that in general his hunting abilities were lacking. The more he thought about it, the more frustrated he became. Until he could hold it in no longer.

"I just want to be useful! Since I left home, I have seen hardly anyone, and everything I do is wrong!"he burst out, his softer side coming forth, the softer side that hadn't shown itself in quite some time.

A movement a distance off in the brush caught his eye....the pesky white rabbit...his ears lowered and he let out a low growl...

"And I want more than anything to catch that rabbit and rip it to pieces," he growled.

[Squeeji]

Pollux just sighed with a humoring smile on her muzzle. So impetuous this young one. Her brother even! "Let me guess, was it white?" she perked her ears and she almost laughed a little "The winter rabbits are the toughest to catch, if they live til winter, well...they're obviously pretty clever....though I fail to see where ripping the little critter asunder is going to do any good...you wouldn't possibly be able to eat it..." she smiled and nipped at him playfully.

"I wouldn't worry...you're still young...and you're just trying to hard. Keep doing whats natural to you...so you can't catch a rabbit..." Pollux shrugged. "I can't fight as well as most wolves...but that doesn't make me useless..." she cocked her head curiously, obviously she hadn't understood completely Orion's plight, or more over had, but over time had grown out of it. It hadn't been so long ago when she was a young wolf trying to figure out what to do with herself...but then again, she still did not know what to do.

"You're not doing anything -wrong- Orion. Just keep trying new things, until you find something you're good at, and keep at it. Of course, make sure you enjoy what you do...or you'll regret every day of your life." she smiled wistfully, her eyes becoming downcast. Perhaps she had said too much. Perhaps.

[sarhea]

Orion took his gaze off the white rabbit in the distance when Pollux questioned it's color; a somewhat playful glare in his eyes. He listened as she spoke about the winter rabbits, and was totally not expecting the playful nip, and sprung to his feet, side stepping the gesture. He shot her a playful glance in return.

"Hey!" He exclaimed, and somewhat strutted back to sit off to the side of her where he could see both her and the rabbit.

"And it would feel good to rip that rabbit apart because it is the reason both of us are dirty and sore. I know it wouldn't be much on eating, but heck, I'm a bit hungry and angry, so it's death would please two desires...."

He turned his attention primarily to Pollux as she began to speak again.

"I wouldn't worry...you're still young...and you're just trying to hard. Keep doing whats natural to you...so you can't catch a rabbit..."

His expression darkened with frustration, and he was about to protest when she continued...

"I can't fight as well as most wolves...but that doesn't make me useless..."

He sat and thought about what she said. It was true, he was probably being harder on himself than he needed to be. And he hadn't been a real part of the pack long enough yet to find his place. He shook his head. His aging parents had tried to teach him as much as they could, but there was only so much another could teach you before you had to figure it out on your own.

"I just want to be able to hunt better. I don't want to live off the leftovers from other's kills or live off the pack's stores. Our father was getting a bit old to go out on hunts with me, so I didn't get much training...."

"You're not doing anything -wrong- Orion. Just keep trying new things, until you find something you're good at, and keep at it. Of course, make sure you enjoy what you do...or you'll regret every day of your life."

Her last statement halted his self pitying rant....then he remembered the stories....His sister had been through a terrible experience...it had happened before his birth, but still he knew the story. The expression in her eyes made him soften.

"Thank you, Pollux, for your encouragement. I will keep everything you said in mind..."he smiled gently, before cocking his head and raising a brow, a coy smirk replacing the smile.

"Can I ask one thing of you? How bout a quick hunting tip for you slow little bro....or better yet, help me catch that rabbit over there? I know it's not much, but I'll gladly share it with you, and it can pay for causing us both to get dirty. How bout it?" He said with a mischievous smile.

[Squeeji]

The dark among Pollux's expression lifted some as Orion asked for her help for something. Though there was a skeptical expression upon the older female's face she couldn't help but grin some.

"You want -me- to help give you pointers?" it was laughable, just a little bit, not that she couldn't hunt, it had just occurred to her that this was the first time any youth had asked for her help, it almost made her feel a bit important...as though she finally gained the wisdom that came with her age. "Well sure...I can help, what are you having problems with?"

Pollux paused to look at them both covered with mud tip of nose to tail, perhaps it would be best to start from the top. "Follow me, lets see if we can catch ourselves that rabbit." She darted off, kicking back mud as she went with a bit of a laugh.

[sarhea]

Orion smiled widly at his older sister's skeptism. It made him feel a little less silly for asking.
She appeared as if she'd never had anyone ask such a question of her.

"Well sure...I can help, what are you having problems with?"

A slight shadow of frustration came over his features. He really had to think, for he didn't really know what was causing his difficulties with hunting. He was strong and fast, and no matter how long he chased creatures like rabbits, they always seemed to out smart him. He never realized that his problem was just a matter of poor strategy-he just didn't realize to catch a rabbit, you had to know what it's next move would be....

"No matter how fast I chase the rabbits, they always get away. Their such tricky, clever creatures," he muttered, the frustration growing. He gave Pollux a curious look as she seemed to be examining the dirty situation they'd gotten themselves into. Finally, she seemed to brighten.

"Follow me, lets see if we can catch ourselves that rabbit."
Orion brightened considerably as she started off, kicking up the mud as she ran, a light laugh escaping her maw as she ran. Orion leapt to his feet, and in a few quick strides, he was running along side his sister, a determined, but excited grin plastered across his face.

"Let's get that little white devil!" he huffed as he ran.

[sorry it's kinda 'off'-]

[Squeeji]

Upon reaching the rabbit hill, Pollux didn't run or scamper off like her brother had, she smiled and then looked at him, "Gotta stay quiet, listen for them, moving under the snow....its not about speed, because the rabbit is gonna be faster than you..." she paused, and listened, her ears swiveling about hoping to hear the beast rustling about..

"Do you hear it? If you hold still, it might hop right up under you, then...all you do is pounce." she nodded sagely, seeming to be pleased with giving Orion a lesson. But she was no hunter, so she couldn't exactly show him the skill with any expertise...