Just a breather?

[ziko]

Ziko looked to Tricker, still thinking that he spoke very oddly. Why did he do that? Why couldn't he just talk normal like everyone else? Frowning he gladly accepted the break Nightblood had offered for Tricker who looked terribly out of breath. As he sat down, a white dust cast up into the earth and twirled about his feet. Looking around he realised that they were very far away from Arnlan.

They were in Manor now.

It was dark, and creepy. The trees hung low and dead, stones stood broken into the earth, mist floated lightly around the area, the moon broke through the clouds and shone down; casting an earie glow over Manor Cemetary. Ziko smirked. This place is so cool he thought and stood back up again. His nose twitched as he sniffed the air; there were no signs of anything living here. Just as well they were only passing through.

We are only passing through right?

The young wolf looked to Nightblood, and then to Tricker giving them both peculiar looks. He highly doubted they would find anyone or anything of use here. And of course, Ziko didn't understand what this place was. He didn't understand the name and neither the word 'cemetary'. Ziko did not know this place existed, perhaps that was why it looked so cool. That or he liked spookyish things. Not too spooky mind. He sighed and waited for someone to say something.

[Donn]

Tricker looked around, and remain frozen still for a moment. He recognised the Manor Cemetary. It was cold at this time, which Tricker was glad of, and he spoke again, to NightBlood. "Manor is... plusknown to... ourselves." He took in a few deep breaths, and sat down for as long as NightBlood would allow. His breathing returned to a regular rate, but Tricker could still feel his heart working very hard, his thick blood doing it no favours, but at least the dizziness and blurred vision had left him. Tricker knew he could not run like that again. He'd have to stop them more regularly, or they must travel at a slower pace. "NightBlood... request decrease... limb velocity. Unstable... at high velocity." He was sure she would understand, she knew his limit now.

[nightblood]

"NightBlood... request decrease... limb velocity. Unstable... at high velocity."

"Sure... Whatever."

Blood stood up and continued to lead the males to Manor once she knew Tricker could make the treck without fainting. Head hung low and tail down, it was painfully to tell that the big wolf was in a different mood than before. She should not have kept the tiny group quiet. It allowed time for reflection, time that should have been used differenty in order to keep her mind from wandering to that subject.

Perhaps it was the return to such a dark place that had triggered the dark memories of the passed few days. She was now the last member of the line of RibCage. Her cousin was gone. Gone at the teeth of Archer's teacher. At the time, it meant nothing to her whom he was killed by, only the fact that ShadeBlood was dead lingered in her mind. She had been there... She could have prevented it.

NightBlood ran that cursed moment through her mind over and over again. Archer and Mortil had been too far away to do anything before he bit down. If she had put on a burst of speed, could she have reached him? Perhaps throw Bloodloose down before Shade got to him? No. Shade would have killed her instead. She knew he'd kill himself anyway.

Barely paying attention to where she was going, NightBlood was brought back to reality as she brushed up against a rather large, rather old headstone. She picked her head up and looked at it curiously. She vaguely remembered placing a paw on it last night. Recalling meeting a black and orange wolf, she caught his scent behind her.

Blood turned and watched Tricker for a while before laying her good eye on Ziko. The pup she'd met back in Arnlan? When did he get here? And when did he get so big? With a confused scowl on her face, NightBlood lifted her head and only then realized that she had been living in the past.

"Oh..." she said quietly.

Like a ghost, she continued to lead them deeper into the cemetary, keeping herself low. She had realized her unwarry entrance into such a place had the air of idiocy- and they were still to close to Sallin to allow much comfort. More alert now, she kept her ears up and rotating around toward every whisper of a sound in the hanging mist. She would be more careful on her second visit here.

[ziko]

Ziko heaved a deep, deliberatly loud groan and rolled his eyes as Nightblood wandered into her thoughts as they went. She seemed so... spaced out. Perhaps she is scared.... Nah, a big wolf like Nightblood? Never. Or could she be? Shaking his head he dismissed the thought but immediantly fell back into it. He wasn't paying attention to where they were walking and nearly tripped over a hole in the ground on the path they were taking. Well, she's only female so we can't expect her to fight for us should we come into trouble... Here's hoping Tricker's got good strength or we are screwed... I'm no use in battle I know that.

His attention was caught when they stopped, and when the black and tan female pressed a paw onto one of the boulders that where stuck into the ground. Ears fell as she turned a good eye to him. Had he done something wrong? No, but his face had a guilty look on it nonetheless. Maybe she knows I was thinking about how big she is... Damn I hope she isn't psychic or I am stuffed... Oh she's looking away... good...

" Oh... "

Oh...? Why oh.... Oh no... We're not lost are we? Damn her! Taking us into dark places without a sense of direction! Stupid female! He cursed into his head and looked away, scowling. Then he realised his scowl could have been seen by Tricker and he gulped, gave a sly smirk and turned back, screwing his face. Maybe that oh was a good thing? No... it didn't sound good. Was she unhappy? Yes... she is unhappy with their progress. Bet it's cause this fat lump behind me can't run anymore. Ziko was so lost in his own thoughts and cursing that he walked head first into a grave stone and tumbled back with a painful yelp.

" OOOOOOOOWWWWW!!!!! " he yelled and rubbed his head, messing up his unkept hair even more. In the distance crows squaked and the trees began to rustle. His voice echoed around them and an owl hooted angrily. Ooops...

[Donn]

There had been a change in NightBlood, Tricker thought. As she came up to the old headstone, she turned and looked at him. He stopped, and looked back. What was it? He tilted his head, and was about to ask her what she was doing, when she put her attention on Ziko, and said:

'Oh..."

Uncertain of what NightBlood meant by it, he followed her silently. Ziko was giving him an odd look, frowning then smirking. Tricker stared at the odd face Ziko was pulling, before picking up a bit of speed and moving in front of him. Tricker thought Ziko was being very weird, and it made him feel slightly uncomfortable. He didn't want to see that wolf's face again anytime soon, and so faced forwards without concern for the wolf he'd just put behind him. Tricker was not particularly concerned for listening for sounds as NightBlood appeared to be, for Tricker had awful hearing anyway. But not even the deafest of wolves could have not heard Ziko's outburst. Tricker stopped, and turned around. What was this silly pup doing? Tricker spoke in a lower tone. "Si-lence" before turning back and returning to following NightBlood.

[nightblood]

" OOOOOOOOWWWWW!!!!! "

NightBlood cringed at Ziko's pained howl. She turned to him, unconcerned for his injury. They were departing from the border of Sallin and they did NOT need to be found now. She stared as the pup rubbed his head.

"Can you be ANY louder?!" she whispered breathlessly.

"Si-lence."

With that, NightBlood pulled forward up a rather large hill. At the top was the edge of the cemetary, marked by a decaying fence and a broad tree line. They were at the far edge of Manor now, coming very close to Dante's Pass.

Blood stoped at the top of the hill and turned to view the horizon. It was a good vantage point, should they find themselves being attacked. Looking behind her, she saw that an incredibly large headstone resided up here. There was a smaller one, broken, and leaning against it. She turned to Ziko and Tricker.

"We'll rest here for the night, take turns keeping an eye out. I'll take first watch."

That said, she faced forward and sat down, leaving them little chance to argue.

[ziko]

" Oww oww oww ooow! " he trailed off but when Nightblood turned around and spoke to him he immediantly shut up and looked at her with hurt eyes. The pain would have brought tears to his eyes but he didn't want to cry infront of them. The throbbing would go away soon... he hoped.

The boy followed Nightblood up the hill and snorted when she immediantly nominated herself to watch over. I want to watch over first... he moaned inside and gave her a stern look. Even though her back was turned, he wasn't going to let her get her way so he stepped over to her and snorted in her ear.

" I want to watch first Nightblood," he demanded and moved so that he was infront of her now. Ziko didn't care whether she was in charge or not, she was too high up on her horse, thinking she was better than everyone else. How could she be? She was a damn, moany female. So he stood firm and looked her into her one good eye with a determined look on his face.

[Donn]

Tricker stared at Ziko in surprise. Did he ever stop being trouble? Why would you want first watch, rather than rest? Tricker shook his head, staring blankly at Ziko, before slowly settling down to rest. Still, NightBlood had been acting strange all day. So grumpy, and every word unpleasant. This latest command of hers had evidently irked Ziko as much as NightBlood's indiffernet repsonses of "Whatever" had really irked him. He wondered how this would pan out. He didn't know how much of a friend Ziko was to NightBlood, but he'd soon find out.

[nightblood]

" I want to watch first, Nightblood."

NightBlood watched in distain as Ziko confronted her. Her eyes narrowed at his demand. He would grow to be a problem if he wasn't educated properly. This was not a job to be taken lightly. They may be fore from Sallin now, but that was no cause for reliefe. They were near Hallow, which reeked of humans. She'd had her run-ins with the two-legged beasts.

Blood scowled at the yearly and lowered her head to were it was just inches higher than his, and just about a foot away. It took all she had not to bare her teeth and snarl at her pack mate.

"You think this is a game, pup?" she accused, her sence of duty skyrocketing, "You know the difference between a twig snap and a gun being caulked? Can you figure the size of an enemy by the mere sound of his foot steps? Do you know the weekpoint of an eight hundred pound bear?"

She stood up, raising her tail, pressing her ears forward and walking directly at him until their noses were just inches apart. She stared him in the eye, not to threaten him, but to intimidate him... or to scare him. Whichever came first.

"The correct answers are: No, no, and no."

She snorted and pulled her head up, gazing around the area and listening to the chirping of the crickets. Perhaps she was being too agressive, but this pup needed to learn that he was not the most important thing in existance and that he did not know everything there was to know. She had more experience than him, perhaps more than he would ever achieve if he were to stay in Arnlan (which he would if he didn't want to die).

Blood looked back at the black and red pup after a brief moment of contemplation. She smirked at his ignorance. She would play his game.

"You want first watch? Fine."

The black and tan female looked around once more, then to the far left where she had to turn her head further to see. There was a higher hill there with a tall, pillar-like headstone. She turned back to Ziko.

"Wake me when the moon hits the tip of that big rock thing over there," she said, jerking her head in its direction, "Or when your green-horn ears pick up something out of the ordinary."

NightBlood turned and started to walk away. She paused and turned her head to view him over her shoulder.

"It's on your head if we're dead by my shift," she warned with a hint of a growl. She looked over at Tricker, seeking his eye. She gave a slight nod, bidding him good night.

With that, she lumbered over to the large headstone and layed down in it's shadow, her front legs extended as she layed her head on them. She twisted her head and shifted until she was comfortable and, when she was sure the yearling wasn't looking, opened her good eye to view him. She was planning on staying awake as long as she could to make sure he was doing a good job guarding them.

[ziko]

Ziko hadn't prepared himself for such a detailed response from Nightblood and as she rose and gave him a steely eye he moved slowly backwards. His ears fell and then rose as she spoke and his tail curled a little but not too much. Cranky... Nightblood had taken is words way to personally. What about experience? Watching for trouble didn't need experience he snorted, he was blind to the fact that it did.

" No... I... he, " stuttered as she didn't give him a chance to answer. He just sighed and watched her carefully. But wait, what was that? Was she... threatening him? Ziko thought it wise not to bare his teeth or make a sound while she spoke for sake of saving his hide. When she pushed by he crunched his face up angrily, tilted his ears forward and looked back, releasing his facial expression.

My head? We're not going to die or anything. The only reason he wanted to watch first was so that, once his turn was up he could sleep without having it disturbed. Obviously Nightblood had other ideas.

" Wait. You said we were taking turns. So what does it matter if I watch now, or watch later on when you're deeply asleep eh? If I watch now then that's my turn over with. " He growled back to her, turning and watching her rest in the shadows.

" OH! I know what it is. You don't trust me do you? Well, that's nice to know Nightblood, really that is. And you think you're better then everyone else. The way you hold yourself, the speed at which you run, the tone in which you speak... It's as if you're missus high and mighty when you're not. You're just a sentry damnit. "

Now he was all fired up and was no doubt not talking any sense because he was so frustrated. But who did she think she was? bossing him about and blatantly insulting him. She may as well just tell him straight that they would die under his watch instead of saying, oh if we do it's on your head. Glaring at her as she lay there, he was secretly bracing himself inside. He had no idea how big the hole he just dug for himself was.

[Donn]

Tricker, though he was aware of NightBlood's change in attitude to what he remembered, was caught off by her condescending speech to Ziko. It seemed something a more aggressive, arrogant wolf would say, and Tricker wouldn't have thought it came form NightBlood. Still, he was new to the pack. Perhaps that was how they taught their pups. By putting them off with all that about guns and footsteps and bears. Tricker felt worried now about his own watch. He couldn't distinguish between twigs and guns! Tricker didn't doubt that Ziko was more apt to the task than he, so made no comment to NightBlood lest he be spoken to the same, and when she nodded to him, he responded in kind with a nod. Then Ziko spoke once more, though NightBlood appeared asleep. Tricker sighed. Does he always need the last word? He spoke up, his eyes closed. "Ziko, request si-lence. The... best of the night... to yourself." With that Tricker began to drift off.

[nightblood]

" Wait. You said we were taking turns. So what does it matter if I watch now, or watch later on when you're deeply asleep eh? If I watch now then that's my turn over with. "

Blood snorted. She had planned on spending half the night awake and letting Tricker take over, skipping over the pup. The black and orange wolf might not have the gratest of sences, but he was experienced in being on his own, that much she knew. That was enough to rank him over Ziko.

" OH! I know what it is. You don't trust me do you? Well, that's nice to know Nightblood, really that is. And you think you're better then everyone else. The way you hold yourself, the speed at which you run, the tone in which you speak... It's as if you're missus high and mighty when you're not. You're just a sentry damnit. "

NightBlood growled and raised her head, her lips twitching as she attempted to keep from showing her fangs. She sat up and stopped herself from standing. If she did, she'd be more than tempted to walk over to him and disapline him... possibly more brutally than his mother would have.

"I trust you not to turn your back on us. I trust you not to betray us. I don't trust you not to make mistakes. I know I'm not better than everyone else, unlike you. And, like you said, I act like that because I have more experience than you. I know what is expected of me."

"Ziko, request si-lence. The... best of the night... to yourself."

The sentry had turned her head sharply to view Tricker as he interrupted, but calmed as she heard his words. She nodded and turned back to the arrogant pup.

"Now. You'll kindly do us both the favor of shutting that great cave of yours and doing your job, which is does not include arguing with me."

With that, she turned away from him. Not bothering to lower herself gently to the ground, she let her front half fall on its side, her head slaming on the hardening winter ground, a vain attempt to keep her mind off of the real reason she was being so easily aggitated. She kept her ears up and rotating, twisting to hear every sound that came from the cemetary.

"Perhaps I shouldn't have taught him to speak," she mumbled to herself.

She knew it was unwise to pick fights with those who have done nothing wrong, but she saw no other way to vent.

{{Modified slightly. Read all of this post, please.}}

[ziko]

" Unlike me? Are you saying that I think I'm better than everyone else? How so Nightblood how so? I don't parade about the pack trying to do everybody's job. The way you strut about it's like you think you can do everything better than everyone. Do I do that? No, I don't. I don't see or act myself above anyone as you are suggesting. "

How dare she imply that he thought he was better. Wait until she realised she couldn't think if any time he acted better than anyone else. Then she'd feel dumb.

Ziko ignored Tricker and growled under his breath. His dislike for the wolf was beginning to grow over his curiosity of him. Ziko wasn't going to take any of his requests on board.

Naturally he did want the last word, as Tricker had picked up on. He wasn't going to shut his 'great cave'. If anyone had that it was definitely Nightblood. Too much to say for herself.

" Oh I'll do my duty and I'll do it well. You'll see. "

Or maybe I'll wait until she is asleep sneak off and hope someone comes along and gets rid of her for me. He couldn't believe this was only the first evening of their trip.

[Donn]

It was still dark when Tricker awoke. He took this as a very good thing, as he would not wish not miss his watch, or NightBlood would surely be disappointed. They hadn't clearly said the when and wherefore of who's turn was who's, but as far as Tricker's eyes could see, the distance white object NightBlood referred as the moon had just come between the rock and them at the tip, as she had said it would. He squinted at it for a bit. Whilst he had slept, in fact most time she slept, his temperature had dropped to something to other wolves as ridiculously cold, so now the night felt quite warm, despite the graveyard's actual climate. He decided to relieve Ziko of his watch, Tricker's weak eyes able to discern between the large wolf and the smaller one. In an endeavour not to wake up NightBlood, or draw attention to themsleves, Tricker whispered in a rather raspy voice, having just woken up. "Ziko? Yourself's... duty is completed. Self shall begin... observations. Yourself may revitalise." Tricker stood up, walked a few paces towards Ziko, and sat down, blinking out at the misty graveyard. It was a peaceful sight to him, lacking enough hormones to be afraid of the headstones. He began to listen and take careful watch as best he could for any movement.

[nightblood]

A black shadow enveloped the earth. Blackness reigned around her. The scene that played before her was one she was well familiar with. ShadeBlood leaped in a blind fury at Bloodloose. The gray and tan male turned and grinned malisiously at his new opponent. His eyes flashed once and then the elder male was gone. In his place stood a black demon with brown eyes and long bangs.

Just as suddenly, NightBlood found herself standing above the mangled form of Bloodloose, a growl of vengance errupting in her throat. Her eye sight dimmed and she was immediatly thrown in the male's place. Now Archer stood above her, snarling in his rage. His jaws parted as he aimed his fangs at her.

NightBlood pulled her head up with a loud gasp.

"Yourself may revitalise."

Confused, the Sentry glanced around as she gasped for air. A black and orange male was sitting up with his backed turned to her. A red and black yearling was there too. Tricker and Ziko.

"Damn it..."

Just a dream... She had just been in a dream. Nothing more. Her breathing slowed as she calmed herself down, but she was already angry with herself for the mear presumtion that she had made it so obvious to the other two.

Slowly letting her anger die off, she got up and followed Ziko to whatever sleeping spot he had chosen and sat down beside him. She had learned from her time in Draviria that quarrles between packmates were mearly seeds of deception and lies waiting to grow. Ziko was one of the few that she could not permit herself to have a lasting hatred towards. It was best to quell the fighting now. She held her head up, but kept her ears back, not wanting to let any more arguing ensue.

"I know you must be tired... but can I speak with you?"

She kept her eyes pinned to the ground. It was unlike her to stop the fighting. It was usually her habit to start it.