Searching

[worship]

(Hah.. couldn't resist)

Worship was having one of those ‘dumb blonde’ moments when you just can’t help but to do something you know is completely stupid or wrong to do. What exactly was he doing that would make him wonder if he didn’t have blonde hair some where? He was walking right into the lions den with a steak tied to his neck. No, actually it was something like that, but it was wolves, the Sallin pack in fact, instead of lions, and his bloodline of domestic canine instead of a juicy steak. He was basically a dead dog walking.

The pretty boy knew there were others he could join to get that wild a free feeling that he ached to feel just once in his life, but none of them were any where as close as to the savage appearance of the timber wolves of the Sallin pack. Wor had seen them once when he was very young, just once, but that one time had awoken something in him that made him want to run with them. He knew that they could kill him with one bite if they wanted to, but that was a risk he was willing to take. Hell, if he could just see them Wor would be satisfied, even if they didn’t accept him.

Worship took a chance to sniff the air for any sign that the pack he sought was close by his location. He caught only the slightest whiff of the pack from his quick little sniff, but it was good enough for him to change his direction towards the scent. He knew that they had probably already smelt him long ago, and might even have set up a welcoming party to rip him into shreds, but like before… Worship wasn’t the sharpest spoon in the shed.

[Nightshade]

ooc/ Sorry, kind of short and sparse. x.X Thought it was better than nothing.

There were scouting parties to guard the borders of the Sallin nearly continuously. It was a difficult territory to cross into unnoticed. But, against all odds, the timber wolf who scented Worship was no border scout, but the feared Alpha herself: Nightshade.

As her nose caught the scent of a filthy, mangy dog, her lip curled in a magnificent snarl, a growl rising in her shaggy throat. She stalked forward, eyes narrowed and ears flat; yes, there, walking boldly through the trees, was the intruder. The idiot, thought Nightshade with savage satisfaction. If any domestic canine was stupid enough to wander into this territory, she herself would have the pleasure of dealing with it. In one effortless, fluid bound she was in front of the dog, blocking his way.

Her face and voice were utterly impassive as she considered. Perhaps, being in the indulgent mood that she was, Nightshade would give him a chance to speak: a false hope, a spark of doubt as to whether he would really be killed. Then when the last drop of blood left his throat his despair would be all the sweeter. "Why do you trespass here, dog?" she hissed. "Surely you know that any wolf of the Sallin has received my orders to kill you on sight - without warning."

[worship]

Worship had only seen a real full blooded timber when he was little, but he still remembered just how savage they looked and how wild and free they were. Nightshade was a perfect example of this to him, and so much more. Really he had thought that he would be killed as soon as he was spotted. Maybe tortured for a while until he begged for death. Something, anything, other than a chance to speak. It surprised him enough for Worship’s determination to falter and make him take a step back.

“I have heard of the rumors—who hasn’t heard of the Sallin pack?—and I have taken the risk anyway. I do know that I could be killed at any second, and I still come searching for the Alpha.” Worship remembered to keep his saggy tail low to the ground even if it meant that it would be dirty. His mismatched ears were pulled down as far as he could, not out of fear, well okay out of fear, and respect of the great wolf.

Wor really didn’t know what to do after that. He was once a pampered pooch that had whatever he wanted, but now that he stood in front of what he wanted he couldn’t think of anything to say. He could come out and speak of why he was here, but he didn’t have any way of knowing that this was Nightshade. He had only heard little snatches of the Sallin pack and their Alpha, but never what they looked like. Wor’s instincts did tell him that this was a wolf to fear though.

[Nightshade]

ooc| Sorry, I'll reply soon. ^^ Caught up with Neopets Altador Cup and writing for the Neopian Times, I'm sort of on fire with my story right now.

[smartie]

Lying in the shade of a cluster of bushes, Smartie stirred. Her ears pricked upwards, and she lazily opened one of her eyes. Her brown hues clouded over, and she shut it again, inhaling a slow, deep breath. She had thought she heard the voices of wolves, and she had thought she smelt the dominant scent of the Sallin Alpha. Had she really? Or was she dreaming.
"Surely you know that any wolf of the Sallin has received my orders to kill you on sight - without warning." Smartie leaped to her paws, straining some muscles as she did so. She whimpered, and her breath quickened. Who is that, is that wolf talking to me? Still half asleep, but half alert, Smartie peered between the branches of the bushes, her eyes widening to the sight of Alpha Nightshade. Smartie gulped. I am so close to my Alpha, I wonder if she will realise I am a Sallin member, recruited by a border scout... Smartie lay on the cold hard floor, her heartbeats pounding in her head. She feared that she would not be recognised by Nightshade; thought to be an outsider who had so easily evaded sight of the guards. Smartie inhaled suddenly, sniffing particles of dirt as she did so. Her nose twitched, and she sneezed, forcing scared birds to flutter noisily into the air.

She did not move, did not breath. Her eyes widened, and she lowered herself to the ground. She closed her eyes, and thought to herself. What will I do now? I know... if she comes to me, and forces an attack on me... I shall run. She'll never catch me... Smartie peered over the hedge again, and stared at Nightshade. Wait a moment Smartie... You have the scent of Sallin, and the guards would have informed her of you being recruited. You idiot... You should not be fretting. Your just nervous about meeting her... that is all... Smartie exhaled deeply, and then gulped down the air. She had not realised that she had held her breath for so long, and she stood. She wandered steadily from the bushes, lowering her maw. She looked up at Nightshade, grinning. See... you were still half asleep you stupid wolf... Yes, she had been still half asleep; still lost in her dream that she had had before waking so abruptly.

Smartie cleared her throat, and the shine came back to her hues. She certainly felt awake now. " Ah... Nightshade. It is a pleasure to see you. I thought we'd never meet..." Smartie smiled, and inhaled the strong, dominant scent of Nightshade. The female grinned, her fringe, covering her face, but not her eyes; they were so piercing, bright. Smartie was still so young, but she was smart. She was a master of stealth; nimble on her paws; speed and stealth were her advantages against most other wolves. The slender frame of the she wolf stood at a strange angle. She was leaning slightly to the right, her head was turned at a left angle. She was looking wearily at the dog, wondering how he had wandered so far into the territory, only now, being caught off guard by the Alpha herself; and now he faced two wolves of Sallin.

[worship]

nightshade said:

ooc| Sorry, I'll reply soon. ^^ Caught up with Neopets Altador Cup and writing for the Neopian Times, I'm sort of on fire with my story right now.

OOC: It's okay. Just post when ya can <3 I know how the Altador Cup can be x3

[catahoula]

"Could be killed at any second," snorted Nightshade, and her scornful laugh rang through the trees. "By my orders, you are to be killed straightaway. Be glad, cur, that you did not meet one of my scouts. It may have saved you a few seconds of the end of your miserable, worthless life. You stand cowering there, and expect me to allow you the honor of serving me?"

The Alpha took one long, deep, hissing breath as she glared at the dog, eyes narrowed in all her mad hatred of dogs. "Still, there is some courage in you, as futile as your own existence; and as a reward for that - and because my mood is indulgent - I will allow you the privilege of choosing the manner of your death. Shall I simply sink my fangs into your throat? Or would you prefer to be torn apart by my scouts - perhaps a slightly more noble death. Or, better still, you could be fed to our pack - alive." She smiled, an utterly merciless smile, a cruel smirk of disgust and revenge.

Smartie she ignored completely. The wolf would be useful, perhaps, when the time to kill this dog came. Apart from that...

ooc| Don't worry. XD Your dog shouldn't get killed unless he does something truly outrageous.

[worship]

Worship pulled himself back up when he finally regained the courage that had him out here in the first place searching for this wolf. Yes, he was scared out of his mind, but no he wasn’t just going to cower there like a pup separated from its mother. He was looked into the face of death without even flinching that much. He was determined to show his worth to this wolf, even if she did see his entire species as a waste.

Worship was a mutt and he knew that because of that he wasn’t as intimidating as Nightshade, but even now he at least tried to seem like he wasn’t such a waste. Hell, there were rumors that he had wolf in him, if they were true was another story. For right now though he was still holding his submissive stance because, well, he wasn’t dominate to this wolf at all.

“Scared I may be, but I am no coward. Someone would have to be an absolute fool not to be scared of you. I know that my bloodlines may not be as pure as yours are, but I am not weak. I can be of use to you.” The dog raised his head only a few degrees to look at Nightshade, a grin spreading on his face. “Please, hear me out before you decided to slaughter me where I stand.”

[smartie]

Her nose wrinkled and she looked at the little dog sucking up to Nightshade. Pathetic... thought the she wolf, and she then averted her gaze to Nightshade, who was obviously ignoring her. This made Smartie feel angered by this, but she concealed her feelings and did not say anything. The dog seemed to not have noticed her, and Smartie raised a brow at him. By being ignored she was unable to conclude if she was wanted here. She almost figured that this was a hint to go away, but she remained, and she watched in silence until she was spoken to.

Her ears flickered and the female looked away into the trees behind Nightshade. It seems to be fairly well lit over there... Observing the scenery was something Smartie had only recently started to do. She had only just begun to watch clouds formations in the sky to determine whether it would rain or whether it would be nice. The female yawned, her jaws opening wide and her eyes shut as she did so. The rumors however of Nightshade and her deadly dive to the throat maneuver, meant that Smartie was standing in such a way that she could easily avoid this, and make a run for safety. Her early days of being alone had taught Smartie many things about how to protect herself. She was always standing defensively and never picking fights with others so that the outcome was her life or injury to her. She was wise in these ways, and Smartie also stood a respectable distance from the two wolves. Her tail was curled between her legs, but she was not showing signs of submission just now; but she would when the time came to. She would do so when the attention was on her, and she had to show that she respected the rank and dominance of this wolf.

The female looked lazily around her. Smartie was bored now, and felt agitated. She wanted to wander off and explore these lands that were forbidden to her. Only when she was accepted by this wolf would she be permitted access to the lands, and then she could feel more at ease. Now she felt tense, and her muscles were tense, and her ears were pricked in alert. Her eyes, although seemed to be lazy looking, where alert to her surroundings, and she was watching for any sudden, unexpected movements by Nightshade. Smartie had no fear for the dog, nor any respect for it, he seemed to only be grovelling to keep his life.

[catahoula]

Nightshade's eyes burned into his, and her jaws slavered with the temptation. Temptation to kill this miserable whining cur that stood in front of her. "You disgusting coward," she snarled. "You really think that mere words will turn the mind of me? I, Nightshade, the ruler of the Sallin and rightfully of all the lands beyond. But you are right. You can be of some use to me. Your task is this." She paused, and drew back from the dog, eyes still narrowed; but now she was almost disinterested. There would be no immediate spilling of this creature's blood. "You will go into the pack of rebels, and you will bring back one of them. Then - and only then - when my warriors have feasted on that traitor's blood, you will be allowed the honor of joining our ranks.

"Should you fail in your mission, your life will be forfeit. I will send my Master of Spies, and he will find you, and his scouts will feast on you instead. Those, cur, are my terms."