Silent Paws in this Haunted Land (any)

[scruffy]

As Kiazi padded silently through the cemetary, he kept his one good eye open for any danger or sudden movements. This place creeped him out, but neverthe;ess he felt safe here. Pandora would never think to look for him here. At least he hoped not.

His brown eye shifted back and forth with his head, and his bangs swished back for an instant, revealing a horribly scarred and shut eye. That injury was old, but the pain was still there. The emotional pain, the fury, the hatred contained in the blow that had blinded it. Just thinking of these things made it throb.

Suddenly, Kiazi jumped. He'd snapped a twig beneath his paw, and it's sound bounced off of the tombstones. Kiazighed and whispered, "Steady, boy." He continued on, watching the ground in front of him more carefully.

At last, he reached a large tree. At its base, the roots stuck and parted to reveal a little nook. Kiazi squeezed onto it and curled up. He had plenty of space to move around, and he could see outside. He was still in plain sight, but at least the roots would provide some type of protection.

His dark ears lay flat on his skull and Kiazi aly down his head. He kept his eye opened and fell into a half sleep. He'd travelled for days, and he was exhausted. He was also hungry, but that would be remedied later.

[frost]

(hope you don't mind if I join)

Frost padded silently through the night. His unseeing eyes stared blankly ahead, and his still working heightened senses were straining to pick up any information they could. His nose quivered checked the scents carried in the cool wind. Suddenly there was a loud SNAP!

Growling quietly Frost turned his head in the direction of the sound. It sounded close by and being curious he decided to tread in the direction of the sound. His paws taking careful steps as he made his was through the night. Soon he brushed up against a large tree. On the other side her could here the breathing of what he had been tracking.

Creeping closer to get a better sniff Frost didn't pay attention to the ground beneath him. Crack!!! The noise made Frost stop dead in his tracks. He himself had just stepped on a large twig snapping it. Cursing silently, he knew what ever was on the other side of this tree was bound to hear him and his white fur made him stand out all the more in the dark night. Crouching he laid his ear against the ground listening for any movement on the other side.

[Electus]

(I also hope you don't mind if I join)

Mortil sat pensively on his haunches, staring into the night sky. Stars dotted the midnight black landscape, like pinpricks on black satin. The rogue wolf often like to frequent the gloomy graveyard, and tonight was no exception. On a sudden gut instinct, he got up and started to pad around.

His action was rewarded by two sharp cracking sounds, one and then the other coming slightly after. His ears perked at the unbearably loud noises, and he tensed. He started to prowl in the direction of the first snap, sniffing in the air. He caught two scents, but that was only natural. There were two cracks. Two and two make four.

He could see one of them up ahead. A wolf of white fur, perhaps? It was a little hard to tell in the lack of light. He had only moonlight to go with, but Mortil wagered his tail that wolf had white fur. He padded silently up, making no more noise than a ghost. He crouched down behind the wolf, just near his tail, and spoke.

"Looking for something?"

[frost]

(Frost's a dog. Hope I'm not sounding rude.)

"Looking for something?"

Frost Jumped as he heard the voice from behind him. His heart pounded in his ears as the realization of being caught by another while he himself had been tracking Turing slowly still keeping o flopped earback listening for the wolf, he guessed, to be on the other side. This was turning out to be one interesting evening.

Staring directly in the direction of the voice his eyes "stared" directly into the eyes of what ever was behind him. Frost could tell it was larger than him by a few inces and stretched as tall ashe could. Even though he was blind his gaze was focused and determined.

"Do you mind?" He growled impatiently his canines showing coldly in the night. Frost hoped that this would just be a passerby and he could continue with his little investigation.

[scruffy]

Kiazi was just about to fall completely asleep when he heard a loud snap. It made him jump and he bumped his head on a root. He put his paw on his head, rubbing it and using his mother's choiciest curse words. He glared up at the root, but stopped when he heard talking.

"Looking for something?"

The question wasn't directed at him, meaning at least two animals were close by. Kiazi growled quietly, threatening the intruders. Bugging him when he was tired was a baaaaad idea.

"Do you mind?"

The second voice sounded dog-like, so Kiazi now kenw he was in the compant of a dog and a wolf. The dog he could probably handle, but dealing with a wolf with only one good eye would be hard. Best to avoid a confrontation.

Kiazi;s veiled head revealed itself, and he yawned. He got out of his nook and shook himself off, saying, "Bloody hell, you two are loud." He stretched, rthen sat down and scratched himself behind the ear. He chuckled. "Then again, how can one expcet to sleep in a place like this?"

[Electus]

( Eh, sorry. Didn't know...)

Mortil tilted his head to one side, looking at the dog curiously as the dog bared its fangs at him. He lolled his tongue out in his odd version of a laugh, and then stopped.

"Do you mind?"

Mortil gave a half-hearted shrug. "Eh, not really. But what would anyone be doing in a place like this?" His question was left unanswered, as another poked his head out from under a nook. The head was soon followed by a body, and Mortil found himself in the company of two.

"Bloody hell, you two are loud. Then again, how can one expect to sleep in a place like this?"

Mortil grinned. "I don't know...I suspect the dead ones buried here can tell you that." He sat on his haunches, his tail swishing silently through the air behind him. "And I thought this place wasn't that popular. Looks like I'll have to find another place to sit and think without being distubed."

[frost]

(it's ok)

"Eh, not really. But what would anyone be doing in a place like this?" Frost did not answer mainly because he had no reason for really being here...whereever here was. It reaked of old corpses so he suspected a graveyard. How nice.

"Bloody hell, you two are loud. Then again, how can one expect to sleep in a place like this?"

"Nice of you to join us." He said smoothly as the wolf he had followed spoke up. "Have a nice nap?" He added sarcastically.

"I don't know...I suspect the dead ones buried here can tell you that. And I thought this place wasn't that popular. Looks like I'll have to find another place to sit and think without being distubed." Frost guessed he was addressing the other wolf's question.

"I guess you will, but I hope you won't. It's nice to here another voice after traveling on your own for a bit." Frost was trying his best to make pleasant conversation. He tried to grin, but his teeth made it look more like he was snarling. If the edges of his mouth weren't curved up slightly it migh have been. No use making enemies, he thought nervously. Especially with wolves..

[scruffy]

"I don't know...I suspect the dead ones buried here can tell you that."

Kiazi chuckled. Yep, that was probably true. If the dead could speak, they'd tell you that at least.

"And I thought this place wasn't that popular. Looks like I'll have to find another place to sit and think without being distubed."

Kiazi cocked his head. "I'd like it if you stayed, actually. I'm not so tired now, and I don't like being alone in a place like this. It creeps me out."

"I guess you will, but I hope you won't. It's nice to here another voice after traveling on your own for a bit."

Kiazi looked at the dog and nodded. He chuckled when he tried to smile, it looked more like a whimpy snarl. He lay down, tucking his hind feet under him, and spoke quietly. "I am Kiazi. I probably won't be here long, but I could use company while I am...you see, I have some wolves what want me dead."

[Electus]

"I'd like it if you stayed, actually. I'm not so tired now, and I don't like being alone in a place like this. It creeps me out."

Mortil grinned. "Very well. I'll humor you. My name's Mortilitas Umbra. Call me Mortil." He tilted his head to one side again, surveying the two absently.

"I am Kiazi. I probably won't be here long, but I could use company while I am...you see, I have some wolves what want me dead."

Mortil raised an eyebrow. "Really?" he asked bluntly. "Perhaps you'd like me to make them disappear?" he offered, his single eye glinting. "I have a talent for such things, if you will."

[frost]

This Kiazi was wanted dead? The thought unnerved Frost just a bit. What bugged him more was that Mortil seemed so willing to help him be rid of his pursuers. He shuddered slightly as he heard the willingness in the wolf's voice. Frost knew it was not wise to poke his snout into others' business, but he'd like to know what sort of situation this was. If this wolf was wanted dead why should he trust him? And why should he trust that Mortil? Frost knew better to judge by first impressions but this guy just gave him the strangest feeling. Returning to his original thoughts Frost decided to ask his question.

"Well, since were having this personal moment my name it Frost....just Frost if you will. Hope I'm not being intrusive but why exactly do these wolves want you dead? No offense to you it's just I'd rather avoid trouble." His words were dripping with so much politeness it was almost cheesy. "I know it's probably none of my business...but how about and explanation."

[scruffy]

"Very well. I'll humor you. My name's Mortilitas Umbra. Call me Mortil."

"Well, since were having this personal moment my name it Frost....just Frost if you will. Hope I'm not being intrusive but why exactly do these wolves want you dead? No offense to you it's just I'd rather avoid trouble."

Kiazi nodded. "It's a pleasure, Mortil and Frost." He paused before he continued, allowing Mortil and Frost to speak.

"Really? Perhaps you'd like me to make them disappear? I have a talent for such things, if you will."

"I know it's probably none of my business...but how about an explanation."

Kiazi sighed. "Mortil...I doubt you'd be any match for her." He looked up at the now present moon, his bangs falling to reveal a grusomely scarred eye that was sealed shut. "Pandora. She's a demon. And she's my mother. She thinks I'm weak, and too kind. She wants me dead, and is training my brother Diablo to help her. My father, Ronan, is their punching bag, and he's the only one in my family that cares about me, but he's too much of a wuss to even stand up for himself, let alone me." He looked at the two, recognizing that Frost was blind. What he said next was directed at Mortil due to this realization. "You see this eye?" He pushed back his bangs, once again revealing the scarred eye. "She did this to me. She would have done much worse if I'd had the stupidity to stick around. She'll do worse to you if you try to protect me. That's how the bitch works."

[Electus]

Mortil was still as Kiazi explained. As the other wolf revealed his scarred eye, Mortil grinned. Another like him? The world was full of surprises. Mortil motioned to his own left eye, scarred and useless.

"I doubt your mother could do much to me, but for the sake of the argument, let's chalk it up to me being arrogant. Pandora she may be named, but "Death Shade" is mine. She's a demon, but I'm Hell. Besides, you can't keep running can you? There are few places that are safe these days." His eyes narrowed. "Besides, what about your father? You're not going to do anything to help him?"

Mortil chided himself silently, regretting the last line. Having his parents die when he was only a pup stole from him any chance of a normal life. He was inwardly envious of anyone who had at least one parent that cared, and fiercely angry towards parents who mistreat their offspring.

[scruffy]

"I doubt your mother could do much to me, but for the sake of the argument, let's chalk it up to me being arrogant. Pandora she may be named, but "Death Shade" is mine. She's a demon, but I'm Hell. Besides, you can't keep running can you? There are few places that are safe these days."

Kiazi sighed. This was true. He wasn't safe out in the open. He needed to find a pack...or kill Pandora.

"Besides, what about your father? You're not going to do anything to help him?"

Kiazi flinched, growling slightly. That question rubbed salt in his festering gap of a heart. He looked at the ground and sighed. "Mortil..." he said sadly. Suddenly, his eye narrowed and he looked up with an angry glare. "WHAT THE HELL CAN I DO?!" he yelled. He panted, and calmed down. He looked back at the ground. "If I tried to help him, if I showed my face..." he closed his eye. "Pandora would kill me, and him along with me!"

Kiazi lay down, his eye focused intently on the ground. "You're right. I'm not safe here. I'd be safer if I joined a pack. That way, if Pandora found me, I'd have the pack to protect me." Kiazi pushed himself up and looked at Mortil. "But I don't want to join a pack alone. Would you come with me, either of you?"

[frost]

Frost flinched at the anguish in the poor wolfs voice.

"You're right. I'm not safe here. I'd be safer if I joined a pack. That way, if Pandora found me, I'd have the pack to protect me.But I don't want to join a pack alone. Would you come with me, either of you?" Frost suddenly felt bad for this wolf he barely knew and whimpered slightly. No one deserved to be treated so unjustly.

He got up and said confidently,"I may not look like much, but I'm loyal as anything. I'd join a pack with you, but what pack accepts wolves and dogs?" Frost only knew of packs that accepted either or. "Most of the wolves I've known have been hospitable, but I've heard of one in particular that in quite nasty towards my kind."

[Electus]

"But I don't want to join a pack alone. Would you come with me, either of you?"

Mortil regarded Kiazi with some degree of pity. "Well, I'm not sure. I plan to join Arnlan. I plan to travel quickly too, without rest or sleep."

"Most of the wolves I've none have been hospitable, but I've heard of one in particular that in quite nasty towards my kind."

Mortil's eye narrowed. "That pack would probably be Sallin. Scum, every single one of them. I wouldn't stray near their lands if I were you. They're vicious." The rogue wolf looked back to Kiazi. "I can promise this much. If you ever need my help, just ask. I will help in any way I can." He arched a regal brow. "But I can't simply fight battles for you. You'll have to learn how to fight better, I guess. After all, if your mother and brother come after you, you just can't expect the pack to protect you, right?"