Post by Therdde on Sept 24, 2008 22:52:32 GMT -5
Summary:
An insanely long scene in which Skelaghe rescues Sketch from a human that captured her during the recent TP.
Characters:
Sketch - Female Adolescent Dog
Skelaghe - Female Wolf
- Old Chestnut Tree -
For the first few minutes she was frantically pulling at the end of the rope, trying to desperately yank herself free from the confines of the leash. Failing that, she spent the next several minutes trying to gnaw her way through the rope, but only succeeded in mangling it part of the way through and causing some rather nasty cuts in her mouth. And so now Sketch is found curled into a ball at the base of the large tree, glumly waiting for the human--her /captor/!--to return and release her from this prison. Even if... only to transfer her back to her regular prison.
Skelaghe speaks well, and by and large she believes what she says. With the first true bite of cold as autumn advances, though, she felt drawn to look once more for her former packmate where she last saw him, which has led her here. She let her companions know that she would be gone two, three days at the most, and she has been walking since then. It's not as cold as it was when she first woke up, but she still enjoys the feel of how the sun warms her back when she manages to walk in it for a few minutes. She is less than quiet as she travels through the forest, heading directly toward the old tree and smelling around for any signs of the male wolf she has not seen in far too long.
There's not really anything about her current situation that Sketch hasn't already run through the best creativity her mind can muster right now, though she tries once more. If nothing else, it helps to curb the overwhelming sense of depression that ever threatens to take over. The German Shepherd is tied, securely, and left all alone while her human captor strode off toward the east. His purpose? Sketch has no idea, but it's the duration of his absence that she's most concerned about. What if he's gone for several days? Or what if he doesn't come back at all? With a small sigh, she readjusts her weight to allow her to watch in an easterly direction. If he does come back, she'll see him.
The scent that Skelaghe first manages to catch is not entirely unfamiliar, but it was most definitely not what she was looking for. Man! Perhaps she was too hasty in believing they were all gone, and even though this scent is faint, it puts the normally relaxed wolf on edge. Things have been going so well. She can't handle more devestation, not yet. She needs this winter to recover, to rebuild ties with her friends and to rekindle her faith. Shortly after catching that first scent of the hairless animals, she finds another. Dog. Undoubtedly one devoted to its human, too. Quietly, she gives a whispered prayer, nothing more than a simple, "Please, no." Then she begins creeping forward again. She gave up on her obsession with man when Jage functionally expelled her from the female elkhound's territory, but she wants to know what this one and his pet are doing here, now. It doesn't take her long to reach the edge of the clearing created by the old tree's far-reaching branches that prevent any sun from reaching new growth on the ground, and she remains halfway behind a tree as she scans the clearing.
Sketch wouldn't consider herself an impatient canine by any stretch of the imagination, but even still, she's finding herself already trying to figure out how long it'll be until she feels like she can continue trying to sever the rope. From the way her mouth feels right now, it'll still be quite some time. She /does/ make the mental note not to be so frantic about it next time. It shouldn't be so bad if she's careful to keep the rope only between her teeth. She gives another sigh and closes her eyes. The human almost certainly won't be back before she finishes a nap, so why bother wasting her time? Maybe her mouth will feel better when she wakes up.
Skelaghe is shocked by what she sees. There is no sign of the human, and the dog she smelled... There is something just vaguely familiar about her, but Skelaghe could not possibly place it. And she's young, and tied up besides. The wolf's heart goes out to the young canine. No animal should be tied up like that. It doesn't help to make her much more trusting, though. There is an unusual wariness to her as she steps out from behind the tree and says, in a cautious tone, "Hello." At the first hint of the human returning, she'll be gone, and rather quickly at that. For now, though...
Whatever thoughts or dreams she might have had during her nap will never be known, as the wary greeting brings the awareness of the lupine's presence crashing into her mind as her eyes open and see the she-wolf standing a rather short distance away. Instinctive reaction: flee. Sketch leaps to her feet with a startled yelp and dashes off in the opposite direction. Or rather, /would/ have dashed off, had the leash not brought her to an abrupt and equally painful halt, coupled with another startled yelp and a collapsing in spectacular, clumsy fashion. Not good.
Skelaghe doesn't have time to react until after Sketch tries to flee, and when she does, it's with a wince and a restrained whine. That can't have felt good. Skelaghe ventures no closer, only moves to lower herself to the ground, ears laid back. This dog is not a threat to her. Sketch's reaction proved that. And Skelaghe is so inherently sympathetic that she wants to do what it might take to prove that she isn't a threat either, even if it means temporarily leaving off of her search for any clue the human might be returning. The first words the wolf says are, "I'm sorry. I didn't mean to frighten you." In her tone is a plea. Please, don't start calling to your human.
If the shewolf had spoken immediately following Sketch's abrupt halt, the younger girl probably wouldn't have heard it. It takes a second or two for the pain-fueled mental noise to dissipate, and then the spoken words sink in. This wolf is... apologizing to her? The rope's jerking back of her has caused her position to be more or less facing Skel, so as she flicks her gaze upward to stare at the lupine, Sketch is astonished to see a significant lack of dominance in the other's stance. Not the typical norm from what she recalls of wolves' behavior toward dogs. Instead of a verbal response, she only remains as still as possible, huddled against the ground, just waiting for Skel to lunge forward or do some other action that proves she really is, in fact, just toying with Sketch before attacking her.
Skelaghe remains where she is, at least for now. Her tone still has that hint of apology in it when she speaks, but it no longer sounds quite as pained. At least the dog doesn't try to run again, or start barking, or anything of the sort. "It looks like you're not used to being tied up like that." Not only because she ran, but also because Skelaghe can make out the signs of chewing on the rope. She's concerned for this dog. Every dog she has me in the past has either been appreciative of humans or hasn't spoken of them at all, but she doesn't see how anyone could appreciate /this/.
"I'm getting used to it again," Sketch admits, with more than a touch of defeat in her voice. Not like the wolf cares, anyway. If anything, it's probably glad. "So... why are you still here with me?" Sketch gulps. "I mean.. aren't you afraid that the human will come back?" She refuses to refer to the man as /her/ human, but there is a definite implied request to her question: please go away and leave her alone. More because she's still fighting that internal fear that this wolf will suddenly attack her while she's helplessly tied. That's the kind of opportunity that a wolf would take, no?
Skelaghe /is/ afraid that the human might come back. She doesn't /want/ to die. She still has work to do here. Animals she thinks might benefit from her presence. If it happens, though... Well, it was probably meant to happen. She remains lying down where she is, making no threatening moves towards Sketch. "I thought, maybe, that you could use some help." If she /wants/ to be tied up like that, well... Skelaghe will leave her be. But she still doesn't see how anyone could /want/ that.
Sketch narrows her eyes slightly, feeling that bit of suspicion toward this wolf only growing stronger. "I could use some /help/? Like what.. you'd like to put me out of my misery and provide a meal for you at the same time?" Not that Sketch would be able to do much to stop the lupine, given her current predicament. "If that's the case, why are you talking to me at all?" Why not just attack her and get it over with? Maybe it's because she's trying to relax Sketch in order to keep her from being ready to defend herself. That sounds like the kind of cunning thing a wolf would do.
Skelaghe is not unused to animals, especially dogs, distrusting her because of what she is. As such, she doesn't seem to take offense, though her expression does take on a hint of sadness. She is tired, and after the amount of work she has done, she is no closer to her goal than she has ever been. Yet another reason she needs a peaceful winter to rest. Slowly, she shakes her head. "I don't talk to anything I'm going to try to catch. It's distasteful." Which is another reason she's really thankful to have companions, now. She has never been much of a huntress. She finds too many things to be distasteful.
"That's what I was wondering about, but I wasn't going to take anything for granted." Sketch might feel a tiny bit more confident now, but does her best not to let that show. Make the wolf think that she's still really suspicious. "You still haven't answered my question. Why do you think I need help?" Most likely the wolf was merely observant, but Sketch isn't going to rule out the possibility that this lupine is also just making something up.
"Because no one should have to be tied up like you are." It's... Unnatural. Like the wounds she saw on that one young fox, a while back. Simply not the way things are supposed to work. Skelaghe's tone is not particularly judgmental. If anything, it's sympathetic.
Sketch finally realizes the bold and suspicious demeanor she's been displaying is probably the most foolish and dangerous thing she could be doing at this point. She swallows hard and goes silent for a moment, trying to think of how to salvage this situation. She's really not sure what the wolf is up to. It's talking to her, which is odd, and thinks she needs help, which is even more odd. But apparently it doesn't want to kill her, which is also odd... but Sketch doesn't mind that part as much.
The girl's silence is... Well, encouraging. At least she's not still openly distrustful. And Skelaghe can be reasonably certain the dog isn't about to start barking as loudly as she can, now. So, slowly, she rises to a sitting position. She still moves no closer to Sketch, though. "For what it's worth... My name is Skelaghe." Now that the initial confusion and suspicion has been handles, the shewolf give her half of an introduction.
Okay, now the wolf is /introducing/ herself to Sketch? What is going /on/ here? The girl doesn't even try to mask her surprise: "I.. don't understand. Why are you telling me your name? Why are you even talking to me at all?" Hmm. Maybe she /should/ try and be more antagonistic. Being put out of her misery suddenly doesn't sound like the bad idea that it did a few minutes ago. Being captive of that human for the rest of her life might as well be a living hell as far as Sketch is concerned. Better to die quickly at the jaws of a lupine?
Why? Well, because it seemed rude not to introduce herself. All the same, Skelaghe can take a hint, and she has had plenty of experience with trying to force herself onto dogs, trying too hard for that acceptance. "Because it seemed the right thing to do. Since you're not interested, though..." Skelaghe stands, still moving no closer to the dog. "I'll leave you be."
Wait, no! Sketch doesn't want the wolf to leave now! "You're just afraid, aren't you?" is the sharp retort, though Sketch's eyes are filled more with fear than anger or hostility. She still hasn't moved from her cowering position against the ground. "Afraid that you can't best me in a fight? Or maybe you're afraid that you won't be able to kill me quickly enough before the human returns and kills /you/?" Bold words, and Sketch is even a bit proud of herself for injecting at least a /bit/ of overconfidence--though she certainly doesn't feel a bit of it!--into her voice.
Skelaghe doesn't walk away as the dog speaks again. Her tail remains down, relaxed. If this is Sketch's attempt to anger Skelaghe, it isn't working, apparently. She looks over the dog, confused, momentarily. She does answer, though. "I don't see any reason to fight you. You're tied up. And I'm pretty sure I can run faster than your human, so... Why would I be afraid?" With or without his unnatural tools. She is not far from the heavy forest, and with a couple steps, she could be out of easy sight.
"You /have/ to fight me! You're a wolf!" Anger and hostility is slowly giving way to panic and pleading, and Sketch finally decides she'll just have to try and force this. With the loudest snarl she can manage, she lunges forward for the wolf, but, unfortunately, is once again abruptly checked by the leash, leaving her to fall into a tangled mess of limbs. She's relatively quick to get back on her feet, and straining at the leash, growls, "You're showing your own cowardice by not fighting! I'm challenging you and you aren't fighting! You're a disgrace of a wolf!" If only Sketch was a skilled enough orator to back her antagonizing words with any conviction.
Skelaghe winces again as Sketch lunges forward, though this time it is without the whine. Earlier, it was a forgetful, accidental move. This time, it's just careless. Stupid. And Skelaghe isn't falling for it. She remains well out of range of Sketch, and merely frowns. "I am not going to harm you, or let you harm me." That would be against the very core of Skelaghe's beliefs, and she will not sacrifice those for many animals, much less a stranger.
There's a new complication that's picked up first by Sketch's nose, and then a fraction of a second later by her ears. It's him. He's on his way back. "Can you hear that? Or smell that?" Sketch tries one last-ditch effort at convincing the lupine to attack her. "That's the human that's.. /keeping/ me." Although, this will probably just convince the wolf to take off. She needs a new idea, a new strategy. "If you don't fight, then.. I'll start barking to make him rush over here!" It's her last option.
The dog isn't the only one who catches the fact that the scent of human is growing considerably stronger. And while the threat does concern Skelaghe, she stands by what she said earlier. Sketch is tied up, and she can run faster than any human. She forces herself to remain calm, to not show that she is, in any way, upset. Standing still, she says, "You know, you probably don't need my assistance if that's what you want. From what I've heard, humans don't like it when their slaves try to escape." She is obviously referencing the frayed rope. "So if you don't want my help, I will leave /him/ to sully his conscience with your death."
She's so frantic right now that she's apparently not going to be able to out-think this wolf. The lupine really doesn't have anything to fear from her, or from the approaching human, and she knows it. Sketch visibly loses every trace of the hostility that she had previously shown, and slinks over to lie down on the side of the tree opposite of where the human will most likely emerge from the trees. "Just go away, then," she mumbles, closing her eyes. "Or he really /will/ kill you when he comes back."
Skelaghe takes a step closer to the canine. She's no longer verbally attacking her, so now maybe Skelaghe actually has a chance to make the dog understand. Her tone remains far from judgmental when she speaks. "Let me help you. I would hate to see you hurt for no greater a crime than wanting to be free." Regardless of the dog's initial hostility. This is her last attempt, thugh. After this, she will follow the dog's advice. She will go, at least far enough that she won't be seen.
But /why/ does the wolf want to help her? Why would she hate to see Sketch hurt? It just doesn't make sense! Sketch is about to answer but then time runs out. She can hear the human only a couple of seconds away, and so she snaps: "Get away, /now/!" and then falls silent. Sure enough, the man appears shortly afterward, carrying a dead fox over his shoulder and his rifle over the other. "See this?" the human says triumphantly, walking over to the tree. "See this, dog? This is what you'll be hunting for me, once you learn to show some /respect/!"--the final word is punctuated with a sharp kick in Sketch's ribs, causing her to yelp in pain.
Skelaghe ducks back quickly once the human arrives. She is not foolish enough to attack an armed human, no matter what. Not even to protect someone, though it kills her to stay put. Stay put she does, silently praying for the human to leave again, /especially/ after the kick and the yelp that she hears. She doesn't understand the noises the human is making, and if she did, they would just upset her more. As it is, it's all she can do to force herself to breath, and to avoid growling. Oh, please, let him leave, and then to hell with what the dog /wants/. No one should be subject to that type of treatment.
Sketch trembles as she waits for an expected second kick, and it's not long before her expectations are met. Again, she yelps in pain, followed by an attempt at crawling backward to get out of range. Unfortunately for the adolescent, the rope is more or less stretched taut, preventing her from moving any farther back. The human just stands and watches, then finally lets out a loud laugh. "You are such a /miserable/ excuse for a hunting dog, but you're all I've got. Sleep well; your training starts tomorrow." He sets down his backpack and begins pulling out various items. Sleeping bag, matches, and other assorted things needed for setting up camp.
Skelaghe has to fight to keep from whining with the dog's second yelp, and she ducks back further. It takes her a moment to work up the strength to creep foward again, and she doesn't like what she sees when she does. He's setting up camp, not leaving. Still... It's getting late... Perhaps he'll sleep soon? And then, just /maybe/, Skelaghe will have her chance. She's not quite brave enough to risk rushing hm, even if he doesn't have his gun ready. She's not entirely certain how it works.
It's with some sense of relief that she sees the human begin to set up camp. At least he's not going to drag her around the forest again, trying to impress her with his hunting skills. Sketch can still smell the wolf's presence, but she dismisses the resulting confusion about /why/ in order to concentrate on what the human is doing. He starts a small campfire and sits back against the side of the large tree, staring into the flames. After a minute, he lets out a long yawn and rolls out his sleeping bag, appearing to be getting ready for sleep.
Skelaghe remains mostly hidden behind a couple of trees. She hasn't really seen a human this close up in, well... Ever. Even when there were humans at the farm, there was too little cover for her to get a good look. For a brief moment, even the fire entrances her. She can't help but attach a spiritual significance to it, and she has to wonder if her Tobba truly favors her over the beast that can harness the power of warmth and light at will. Finally, though, she decides to take it as a sign that she is in the right place, that this /is/ what she is supposed to do. This belief is enhanced when she turns her attention back to the human and sees him yawning, something she knows, even if she doesn't recognize the sleeping bag.
The human makes one more insulting commenting toward Sketch before crawling inside of his sleeping bag. Interesting, he doesn't zip it up, but leaves one side open with his rifle right next to him. Sketch watches him carefully, eyes glittering in the firelight, but makes no movement otherwise. She knows from experience that it can take him quite a while before he'll fall completely asleep, and even then, he'll easily awake with only a small amount of noise.
Skelaghe knows no such thing, though. She does remains still for a time, just watching the human. Once he does not move, though, she begins creeping forward again. Her paws make no sounds that can be heard over the noise of the fire, and she does not speak. Now she can only hope that Sketch is equally quiet, because even if she doesn't know how light a sleeper this human is, she can guess that any barking from the dog would be enough to rouse him.
Sketch doesn't notice the wolf approaching again, at least not for the first few seconds. Then she hears the slightest bit of crunch underfoot as her ears swivel, and her whole body stiffens. Is the wolf /mad/?! She's very tempted to make some kind of alerting noise so the human will get up, but she hesitates. Maybe it would earn her some favor from the human and lessen the physical abuse... but maybe it wouldn't. And she /is/ curious as to why the wolf is defying all logical reason by trying to enter a human-occupied campsite!
Skelaghe looks intently at the dog. She wants to get through this without waking the human, which means not ventureing too close to him... Which means leaving that gun in play. It's dangerous, but if she can get Sketch and herself out of here quickly... She continues creeping towards the dog, unspeaking. Her tail is low, and she is moving slowly. This is not the manner of a wolf intending to attack, but in order to free Sketch... Will the dog be capable of believing Skelaghe could possibly mean well?
Sketch is well aware that Skelaghe doesn't /look/ like she's going to attack Sketch, but then again, just by being here in the first place, she's thrown all the rules out the figurative window. What is the lupine /doing/? Sketch is desperate to whisper a question, or something, or /anything/, but she's worried that doing so might disturb the human's attempt at falling asleep. The adolescent slicks her ears back as she watches the wolf, huddling against the ground. This is getting stranger and more dangerous by the second.
Skelaghe stops when she is reasonably close to Sketch. How can she tell the dog what she intends to do, promise that she means no harm, without speaking? This would be easy if Sketch were a wolf, were at all open to contact to begin with. As it is, Skelaghe can only rely on what she last said to the dog and her facial and body expressions. Without a sound, she lowers herself onto her belly, then creeps forward a little further. The best she has is this obviously submissive display. She means no harm. She will not even defend herself. So please let her help?
The wolf's submission is the only thing that Sketch understands... and yet it is the very reason for her confusion. A wolf with that demeanor... to a dog? A captive dog? With a human nearby? Sketch still makes no noise, but doesn't feel any more confident about her understanding of the situation, or of the wolf's intentions. Her ear flicks to the side as the human stirs.. but doesn't do anything other than roll over in his sleeping bag. Whew.
Skelaghe doesn't get back up. She freezes as she hears the human move, and it is a moment before she begins crawling forward again, closing the last of the distance between herself and Sketch. Once there, she attenpts to lift her head, to rub against the rope holding Sketch with her nose. It is a slow and gentle move, and she is ever watchful for signs that Sketch is going to become alarmed, going to do something to wake the human. If she is allowed to complete it, though, hopefully it will give Sketch some idea of what Skelaghe has in mind.
It is odd, Sketch can't help but think, that she would feel a sense of relief that the human didn't wake up and notice the wolf there. Why should Sketch care if the wolf is seen and shot? But as the wolf finally gets close enough to rub her head against the rope, it finally starts to make sense. Sort of. It's still an unimaginable conclusion that she's drawing, but... "What are you going to do to me?" she asks in the quietest possible whisper. "Why didn't you just leave?"
Skelaghe shakes her head. This is /not/ the time to talk, and she emphasizes this with a look to the human sleeping entirely too close to the two of them. She can answer any number of questions... Later. When they're safe. After the look to the human, Skelaghe looks back to Sketch, an imploring expression on her face. She absolutely will not do anything without Sketch's consent, but she has to believe there's no way Sketch could /want/ to live with an abusive human.
Well, she /thought/ the wolf was going to continue gnawing on the rope, but now she's not so sure. Why won't she answer the simple questions, and why now is she looking at Sketch like this? "He won't hear you if you keep your voice low," the adolescent whispers. "What do you plan on doing?" It could be any number of things, but Sketch wants to make absolutely sure she knows what's going on.
Skelaghe is still nervous about speaking this close to the sleeping human. She is capable of whispering, though, so taking the dog's word for it, she replies with, "I want to free you... if you'll let me." It's what Skelaghe has wanted to do almost since she set eyes on Sketch. Is hasn't changed. There was maybe a brief period when it could have, but after hearing that human kick the young dog...
Freedom. Just the word is enough to cause Sketch to let out a small, hopeful whine, though she cuts it off in horror as soon as she realizes what she's doing. The human stirs again, then mutters something under his breath. Sketch watches fearfully as she waits for him to get up... but he never does. He never even so much as looks over in their direction. "Please," she murmurs, still wondering why in the world the wolf is doing this. Why help a dog? They're supposed to be enemies, no?
No. They're not. And though Skelaghe remains perfectly still, frozen, as the human moves again, after the dog asks, Skelaghe again lifts her head to be able to reach at the rope. This time, she is not so gentle. She attempts to grab the rope with her teeth, approximately in the same area where Sketch must have been gnawing before. Luckily, this leaves her well away from the dog's fur or skin, so there is no chance of biting her, but depending upon how tightly the rope is tied around Sketch's neck, it will probably not feel good.
No, it doesn't feel good. But Sketch is very careful not to let out any more whines or other noises that would alert the human. It doesn't feel good at all. But neither does being kicked or smacked with his rifle. Neither does being yelled at and scorned. Neither does being captive to this monster of a human. Just the thought that she might be free from his grasp sends a chill down her spine.
Skelaghe makes quick work of the already-frayed rope. When she feels the final fiber give between her teeth, she releases the segments and begins to back up. Her task completed, the only thing left to do is get well out of range of this human. Let him find Sketch missing when he wakes on his own, in the morning. After they are already far away, ideally a good portion of the way back to her home.
Except that Sketch doesn't just want to get away. She wants freedom in the true sense of the word. There won't be any nightmares or chances of being captured again if she's going to be truly free, and there's only one way to accomplish this. As quietly as she's capable of being, she stalks over to where the human is still sleeping. Right behind his upper body. Letting her long-simmering hatred for this captor to energize her attack, she lunges forward and sinks her teeth into his neck, prompting both a snarl from her and a startled yell from the human as he wakes and begins trying to both reach for his gun and pry the jaws off of his neck.
Skelaghe is so intent on her own retreat that it is entirely too late when she realizes what Sketch intends to do. She spins to face Sketch and the human at the snarling noise, and stares for a moent, shocked. No! She wanted to /avoid/ any injury or death, not facilitate it! When she spots the human reaching for the gun, though, she is forced into making a split-second choice. Either the human lives, or Sketch does. She can no longer have both. So, she springs forward, attempting to do no more than separate the human from his gun. She will /not/ participate in murder, but she won't stand by as the human hurts the dog again, either. Besides, judging by the placement of Sketch's jaws... The human is likely dead already. It's just a matter of whether he takes Sketch down with him.
But to Sketch, it isn't murder. It's pre-meditated self-defense. Both for herself, and for any other creatures that he might capture in the future. And even if there /are/ elements of revenge woven into her attack, right now she really doesn't care. The warm taste of blood and the panicked yells by the human only causes her to tighten her grip and continue snarling. The gun doesn't even get any attention from her, and neither does the suddenly-returning wolf. All she's focused on is the certainty of death. Preferably the human's.
Skelaghe places a paw on the hand nearest the gun, and remains there. She won't see her work destroyed, but after ensuring that the dog will be safe, she looks away. She doesn't have much of a stomach for violence, especially needless violence, which is all this is, in her mind. It's not that she can really blame the dog, but... She certainly has to think twice about whether she wants Sketch anywhere near her, now. That's what is on her mind as the dog's snarling and the human's yelling assault her ears.
And finally, it's over. The human goes limp and Sketch finally releases her grip on his neck, backing away and staring at what she's done. Her gaze travels up to stare at the wolf, and suddenly she bursts into tears. "You've given me freedom, wolf." What did the lupine say her name was? Skelaghe? "I owe you my life. But... why did you do it?"
"Because it was the right thing to do." And, with little else, Skelaghe turns to begin walking northward. The tears of the dog don't do anything to sway her. She needs distance, a lot of distance, between herself and the dead human. She doesn't regret her decision to free Sketch, but this is not how it was supposed to end, and until she can calm herself, she's not sure how much comfort she can offer the recently-freed canine.
As far as Sketch is concerned now, she is going to follow Skelaghe now. She has nothing else left in life. Jolon is gone forever as far as she knows--killed or left for good, but still gone. She has nothing else to return to. Why not follow the one who just saved her? Even if.. even if her rescuer /is/ a wolf? Even as she follows behind, Sketch can't help but stare curiously at the other. She's seen wolves before, for sure, but never this close, and never without hostility. Fearsome creatures, to be sure, but... she'd never thought them capable of doing the kind of act that Skelaghe has done for her. Set her free, at her own peril.
Skelaghe doesn't speak again. She can hear Sketch following her, and she simply keeps the same pace. It isn't terribly fast. She has, after all, been walking most of the day. It will be some time before the shewolf feels there is enough distance between herself and the human to allow her to stop, and until then, she just keeps to her own troubled thoughts.
- Maple Glade -
The activities of the recent past, coupled with the sheer adrenaline of it all have left Sketch drained of energy. And that was /before/ they started on this journey to wherever Skelaghe has in mind. Sketch has made sure not to say anything that could be construed as complaining, however, as she's far too grateful to the wolf to want to offend her in any way. No.. she'll just endure, and sleep all the harder when they /do/ rest. Step after step. Pantpant.
Skelaghe scarcely notices as fatigue creeps up on her, with the way she has been so wrapped up in her thoughts. She navigates through the area as much by memory as by the moonlight that manages to shine through the limbs that are starting to show bare spots. Only once she stumbles over a fallen branch does she realize how tired she is, and after catching herself, luckily before she hit the ground, she decides to sit, perking her ears back towards the dog she knows is still following her. It's still a fair distance back to her home, but they're far enough away from that human that she no loger feels the drive to keep moving.
Sketch definitely has enough thoughts of her own to occupy her while they journey onward, so it's an abrupt surprise when the wolf not only stumbles in front of her, but then halts their trip by sitting down. The German Shepherd adolescent doesn't say anything, but raises her eyebrows curiously and sits as well. Something wrong, perhaps? Or maybe they're just taking a break? Either way, Sketch is appreciative of the chance to catch her breath.
Skelaghe is no longer as upset as she first was when Sketch attacked the sleeping human. It's still there, will be there for a while, but she is capable of pushing it back now. As such, when she speaks, her voice is calm. "Are you hungry?" She won't be hunting tonight, but if Sketch hasn't eaten in a while, perhaps first thing in the morning. She should be home before tomorrow night, and she doesn't want to leave Sketch with an empty stomach before they part ways, because as of right now, she is thinking that they /will/ part ways. She has made it clear to every wolf who has her welcome that they must treat dogs respectfully, and she doesn't need those wolves subjected to a dog with violent tendencies who distrusts wolves. She would rather no more blood be shed over this whole encounter.
"A little, yes," Sketch says meekly, lowering her head a little. She still finds it hard to believe that she's being asked this by a /wolf/. And again, the questions come to mind of why Skelaghe is bothering to help her out at all. "Don't.. don't worry about it though. I'll be fine." She can always go out and try to catch something herself later on, when the wolf is asleep. She's not /that/ helpless, is she? Well... she's never been all that great with hunting, but she'd rather go hungry than have the wolf bother herself even more with trying to take care of her.
Skelaghe isn't particularly worried. Not enough that she stands back up, anyway. Rather, as she turns to face the dog, she says, "I doubt I would do either of us any good by attempting to find food tonight, but in the morning, I can." If the dog does have to rely on her for food, it's entirely likely that she'll eat sooner if Skelaghe waits to hunt than if she attempts to go catch something right now, anyway. She's not a great huntress herself, and she'd likely do nothing but wear herself out more if she attempted it while already this tired.
Unfortunately for Sketch, she's also feeling far too tired to really hunt anything. Her muscles are weary almost to the point of failure, and she knows that she has enough difficulty catching anything even at full strength. "I'm sorry, Skelaghe," she admits, speaking the wolf's name for the first time. "I'm being a hindrance to you, and I'm not even a wolf."
Skelaghe shakes her head at the apology and, for the first time since she stumbled upon Sketch, smiles. "You're no hindrance." After all, the animal she was actually looking for only hunted for himself once or twice in the many weeks that Skelaghe cared for him, and even then it was probably only because she wasn't around. Hunting for Sketch once won't hurt her, not at all. That she has caused Skelaghe to feel guilt is in the past, something Skelaghe will handle on her own time. "And being a dog does not make you less worthy of my help, though if you appreciate it, you might give me /your/ name."
"My name is Sketch, and I'm a German Shepherd." For all she knows, the wolf might be familiar with various dog breeds already. "You said your name was Skelaghe... are you part of a wolfpack somewhere?" The implied question: where are you taking me? She's thought about staying with Skelaghe; the thought of her actually being part of a wolfpack somewhere is nowing causing some concern. One wolf is difficult enough... but many?
It seems like it, from time to time. Not that Skelaghe minds, certainly, especially in the winter months. Still, it's a far cry from what she would define as a pack, a far cry from the pack in which she was was raised. "Not anymore, but... I do live with several wolves." And a few other animals who come and go as they please. "We do not live near here. You will have plenty of time to go your own way before I get home." The implied answer: she is not taking Sketch /anywhere/, and if Sketch expects to accompany her... Well, Skelaghe has concerns of her own, and she has animals she cares for much more than she cares for this dog... Which doesn't mean Skelaghe couldn't help Sketch attempt to find some other home. Maybe with Jage, who aches for companionship as strongly as Skelaghe does.
Her own way. But.. what if she doesn't have 'her own way'? What if she doesn't want to? The idea of starting a new life, so-to-speak, with this wolf... Sketch is liking the idea more and more. She really doesn't have anything else to go back to, and the chances of her surviving on her own probably aren't the greatest. The adolescent doesn't respond verbally, instead giving the faintest of nods and swallowing against the sudden lump in her throat.
Skelaghe keeps her eyes on the young dog, and spends a moment in silence as she thinks over how Sketch behaved when first meeting her. Skelaghe really tries not to judge anyone critically, and the dog did have good reason to be scared. She was alone in the wild and facing a stranger. Unfortunately, the dog also made her prejudices against wolves very clear, so even though Skelaghe holds no hard feelings, she is reluctant to invite Sketch back with her. This reluctance shows itself in her tone and her words, when she addresses Sketch's lack of enthusiasm about the idea of parting with her. "If you do expect to follow me back, there will be certain... guidelines... I'd suggest you follow." Not /quite/ rules. She's willing to let those around her work out their differences on their own. But she's also more than prepared to step in on the side of whomever she feels in being wronged, should things get out of hand.
Her breath catches as she hears the all-important 'if'. That implies a possibility, and that's all Sketch needs at this point. A very small part of her wonders what Jolon would think of her, but that's quickly suppressed with the remembrance that Jolon is more or less gone forever, and the here and now are all that matter. Without trying to sound too enthusiastic, Sketch manages a small nod. "What.. what kind of guidelines do you mean?"
Skelaghe slowly lies down. She does not want to come off as being too confrontational, and besides, she /is/ tired. Her head remains up and her eyes remain on the dog as she answers. "I would expect you to treat my other companions respectfully, at least for so long as they do the same." There is only one who might have trouble treating Sketch respectfully. Well, two, should Helaku ever arrive, but... She'll handle that if the time comes. As for the other one, though, Skelaghe will have to make a point to talk to her as soon as she returns. "Not many of my companions have a lot of expreience with dogs. In the event that something upsets you, I'd prefer you brought it to my attention and let me handle it, but I do not expect you to subject yourself to anything that makes you uncomfortable." In other words, if Sketch has no choice, if she isn't allowed to retreat, then she is allowed to defend herself. Skelaghe doesn't expect that it will ever become an issue, but if it does... Well, the shewolf is truly not unreasonable, and she wouldn't have helped Sketch escape one abusive situation if she meant to lead her directly into another one.
Sketch manages a weak smile as she follows the wolf's example and lies down as well. "I don't really have a lot experience with wolves either, save for the few times when I or one of my friends was about to be attacked." She doesn't mean for that to sound like an excuse, but possibly an explanation into why her instinctual reaction to wolves is based on fear, rather than understanding. Sketch also isn't going to say anything in response to the whole 'uncomfortable' part. She's spent most of her life being uncomfortable, and so she can endure some mistreatment if that's what it takes to guarantee shelter and protection. As far as food is concerned... well, she's learning. Hunting for herself will come in time.
And for all Skelaghe knows, the experiences most of her companions have had with dogs may be very similar to Sketch's. None at all, unless they were about to be attacked. After all, isn't that how /her/ first encounter with a dog went? She takes a deep breath, then says, "I can't promise you much, Sketch, but I can promise that if any of my companions attacks you without just cause, it will not be overlooked... And the same goes, should you attack one of them." She's offering to treat Sketch exactly as she would treat a wolf who came to her for friendship and shelter. She can't offer more.
Sketch looks taken aback. "Why.. why would I attack one of your companions?" She's not an aggressive type at all. Killing that human had been the first time she'd ever even attacked one, and it was most done in such a blind rage that she barely even remembers what happened. The adolescent has another question, but she'll wait until later to ask. Best to not to be an annoyance.
Skelaghe cannot pretend to know /why/, not for certain, though she knows there are plenty of reasons. She can only recognize it as a possibility. "I'm just making sure we understand one another." And, really, Skelaghe's voice is not unpleasant. She just wants to make sure she has no reason to be unhappy with anyone who is staying in the land she thinks of as home, and making sure there are no misunderstandings is a good step towards ensuring that.
This time, it's a much more genuine smile. "I don't know how I'll ever repay you for saving me from that human. But.. I'll do my best to help you out in any way that I can." Unfortunately she knows that there really /isn't/ anything she can do yet that the wolf surely can do much better. Like hunting, for example.
Skelaghe returns the dog's smile, then lowers her head until it rests on top of her paws. "There is no need to repay me, Sketch. You are not in my debt." She had her own reasons for doing what she did. None of them centered around the thought of what this dog could do for her in return. And though, yes, it is a good thing that Sketch is willing to pull her own weight, or at least attempt to, she does not want Sketch staying with here merely from a sense of obligation.
"But.. I /am/ in your debt!" Sketch really doesn't want to argue over this point. The wolf saved her. She owes the wolf. End of discussion. If that means dealing with suspicious, antagonistic, and hostile packmates, then Sketch will deal with them. She'd never be able to live with herself if she just abandoned Skelaghe after the wolf risked her life to save her. And Sketch isn't even a wolf, at that. She saved a /dog/. It's probably the first time that the adolescent feels almost ashamed of what she is. Although.. 'ashamed' might not be the best word. 'Inferior' doesn't quite fit, either. Hmm. Perhaps 'humbled'?
Skelaghe gives a slight shake of her head, but she does not argue the point verbally, in large part because she knows what it's like to feel as though she owes someone something. No, not exactly. Because she knows what it's like to want to do something nice for someone, after getting a favor. Or before getting a favor. Or without a favor involved at all. Regardless, it doesn't matter. She could argue this all night, and Sketch would probably remain unconvinced. "Very well."
An insanely long scene in which Skelaghe rescues Sketch from a human that captured her during the recent TP.
Characters:
Sketch - Female Adolescent Dog
Skelaghe - Female Wolf
- Old Chestnut Tree -
For the first few minutes she was frantically pulling at the end of the rope, trying to desperately yank herself free from the confines of the leash. Failing that, she spent the next several minutes trying to gnaw her way through the rope, but only succeeded in mangling it part of the way through and causing some rather nasty cuts in her mouth. And so now Sketch is found curled into a ball at the base of the large tree, glumly waiting for the human--her /captor/!--to return and release her from this prison. Even if... only to transfer her back to her regular prison.
Skelaghe speaks well, and by and large she believes what she says. With the first true bite of cold as autumn advances, though, she felt drawn to look once more for her former packmate where she last saw him, which has led her here. She let her companions know that she would be gone two, three days at the most, and she has been walking since then. It's not as cold as it was when she first woke up, but she still enjoys the feel of how the sun warms her back when she manages to walk in it for a few minutes. She is less than quiet as she travels through the forest, heading directly toward the old tree and smelling around for any signs of the male wolf she has not seen in far too long.
There's not really anything about her current situation that Sketch hasn't already run through the best creativity her mind can muster right now, though she tries once more. If nothing else, it helps to curb the overwhelming sense of depression that ever threatens to take over. The German Shepherd is tied, securely, and left all alone while her human captor strode off toward the east. His purpose? Sketch has no idea, but it's the duration of his absence that she's most concerned about. What if he's gone for several days? Or what if he doesn't come back at all? With a small sigh, she readjusts her weight to allow her to watch in an easterly direction. If he does come back, she'll see him.
The scent that Skelaghe first manages to catch is not entirely unfamiliar, but it was most definitely not what she was looking for. Man! Perhaps she was too hasty in believing they were all gone, and even though this scent is faint, it puts the normally relaxed wolf on edge. Things have been going so well. She can't handle more devestation, not yet. She needs this winter to recover, to rebuild ties with her friends and to rekindle her faith. Shortly after catching that first scent of the hairless animals, she finds another. Dog. Undoubtedly one devoted to its human, too. Quietly, she gives a whispered prayer, nothing more than a simple, "Please, no." Then she begins creeping forward again. She gave up on her obsession with man when Jage functionally expelled her from the female elkhound's territory, but she wants to know what this one and his pet are doing here, now. It doesn't take her long to reach the edge of the clearing created by the old tree's far-reaching branches that prevent any sun from reaching new growth on the ground, and she remains halfway behind a tree as she scans the clearing.
Sketch wouldn't consider herself an impatient canine by any stretch of the imagination, but even still, she's finding herself already trying to figure out how long it'll be until she feels like she can continue trying to sever the rope. From the way her mouth feels right now, it'll still be quite some time. She /does/ make the mental note not to be so frantic about it next time. It shouldn't be so bad if she's careful to keep the rope only between her teeth. She gives another sigh and closes her eyes. The human almost certainly won't be back before she finishes a nap, so why bother wasting her time? Maybe her mouth will feel better when she wakes up.
Skelaghe is shocked by what she sees. There is no sign of the human, and the dog she smelled... There is something just vaguely familiar about her, but Skelaghe could not possibly place it. And she's young, and tied up besides. The wolf's heart goes out to the young canine. No animal should be tied up like that. It doesn't help to make her much more trusting, though. There is an unusual wariness to her as she steps out from behind the tree and says, in a cautious tone, "Hello." At the first hint of the human returning, she'll be gone, and rather quickly at that. For now, though...
Whatever thoughts or dreams she might have had during her nap will never be known, as the wary greeting brings the awareness of the lupine's presence crashing into her mind as her eyes open and see the she-wolf standing a rather short distance away. Instinctive reaction: flee. Sketch leaps to her feet with a startled yelp and dashes off in the opposite direction. Or rather, /would/ have dashed off, had the leash not brought her to an abrupt and equally painful halt, coupled with another startled yelp and a collapsing in spectacular, clumsy fashion. Not good.
Skelaghe doesn't have time to react until after Sketch tries to flee, and when she does, it's with a wince and a restrained whine. That can't have felt good. Skelaghe ventures no closer, only moves to lower herself to the ground, ears laid back. This dog is not a threat to her. Sketch's reaction proved that. And Skelaghe is so inherently sympathetic that she wants to do what it might take to prove that she isn't a threat either, even if it means temporarily leaving off of her search for any clue the human might be returning. The first words the wolf says are, "I'm sorry. I didn't mean to frighten you." In her tone is a plea. Please, don't start calling to your human.
If the shewolf had spoken immediately following Sketch's abrupt halt, the younger girl probably wouldn't have heard it. It takes a second or two for the pain-fueled mental noise to dissipate, and then the spoken words sink in. This wolf is... apologizing to her? The rope's jerking back of her has caused her position to be more or less facing Skel, so as she flicks her gaze upward to stare at the lupine, Sketch is astonished to see a significant lack of dominance in the other's stance. Not the typical norm from what she recalls of wolves' behavior toward dogs. Instead of a verbal response, she only remains as still as possible, huddled against the ground, just waiting for Skel to lunge forward or do some other action that proves she really is, in fact, just toying with Sketch before attacking her.
Skelaghe remains where she is, at least for now. Her tone still has that hint of apology in it when she speaks, but it no longer sounds quite as pained. At least the dog doesn't try to run again, or start barking, or anything of the sort. "It looks like you're not used to being tied up like that." Not only because she ran, but also because Skelaghe can make out the signs of chewing on the rope. She's concerned for this dog. Every dog she has me in the past has either been appreciative of humans or hasn't spoken of them at all, but she doesn't see how anyone could appreciate /this/.
"I'm getting used to it again," Sketch admits, with more than a touch of defeat in her voice. Not like the wolf cares, anyway. If anything, it's probably glad. "So... why are you still here with me?" Sketch gulps. "I mean.. aren't you afraid that the human will come back?" She refuses to refer to the man as /her/ human, but there is a definite implied request to her question: please go away and leave her alone. More because she's still fighting that internal fear that this wolf will suddenly attack her while she's helplessly tied. That's the kind of opportunity that a wolf would take, no?
Skelaghe /is/ afraid that the human might come back. She doesn't /want/ to die. She still has work to do here. Animals she thinks might benefit from her presence. If it happens, though... Well, it was probably meant to happen. She remains lying down where she is, making no threatening moves towards Sketch. "I thought, maybe, that you could use some help." If she /wants/ to be tied up like that, well... Skelaghe will leave her be. But she still doesn't see how anyone could /want/ that.
Sketch narrows her eyes slightly, feeling that bit of suspicion toward this wolf only growing stronger. "I could use some /help/? Like what.. you'd like to put me out of my misery and provide a meal for you at the same time?" Not that Sketch would be able to do much to stop the lupine, given her current predicament. "If that's the case, why are you talking to me at all?" Why not just attack her and get it over with? Maybe it's because she's trying to relax Sketch in order to keep her from being ready to defend herself. That sounds like the kind of cunning thing a wolf would do.
Skelaghe is not unused to animals, especially dogs, distrusting her because of what she is. As such, she doesn't seem to take offense, though her expression does take on a hint of sadness. She is tired, and after the amount of work she has done, she is no closer to her goal than she has ever been. Yet another reason she needs a peaceful winter to rest. Slowly, she shakes her head. "I don't talk to anything I'm going to try to catch. It's distasteful." Which is another reason she's really thankful to have companions, now. She has never been much of a huntress. She finds too many things to be distasteful.
"That's what I was wondering about, but I wasn't going to take anything for granted." Sketch might feel a tiny bit more confident now, but does her best not to let that show. Make the wolf think that she's still really suspicious. "You still haven't answered my question. Why do you think I need help?" Most likely the wolf was merely observant, but Sketch isn't going to rule out the possibility that this lupine is also just making something up.
"Because no one should have to be tied up like you are." It's... Unnatural. Like the wounds she saw on that one young fox, a while back. Simply not the way things are supposed to work. Skelaghe's tone is not particularly judgmental. If anything, it's sympathetic.
Sketch finally realizes the bold and suspicious demeanor she's been displaying is probably the most foolish and dangerous thing she could be doing at this point. She swallows hard and goes silent for a moment, trying to think of how to salvage this situation. She's really not sure what the wolf is up to. It's talking to her, which is odd, and thinks she needs help, which is even more odd. But apparently it doesn't want to kill her, which is also odd... but Sketch doesn't mind that part as much.
The girl's silence is... Well, encouraging. At least she's not still openly distrustful. And Skelaghe can be reasonably certain the dog isn't about to start barking as loudly as she can, now. So, slowly, she rises to a sitting position. She still moves no closer to Sketch, though. "For what it's worth... My name is Skelaghe." Now that the initial confusion and suspicion has been handles, the shewolf give her half of an introduction.
Okay, now the wolf is /introducing/ herself to Sketch? What is going /on/ here? The girl doesn't even try to mask her surprise: "I.. don't understand. Why are you telling me your name? Why are you even talking to me at all?" Hmm. Maybe she /should/ try and be more antagonistic. Being put out of her misery suddenly doesn't sound like the bad idea that it did a few minutes ago. Being captive of that human for the rest of her life might as well be a living hell as far as Sketch is concerned. Better to die quickly at the jaws of a lupine?
Why? Well, because it seemed rude not to introduce herself. All the same, Skelaghe can take a hint, and she has had plenty of experience with trying to force herself onto dogs, trying too hard for that acceptance. "Because it seemed the right thing to do. Since you're not interested, though..." Skelaghe stands, still moving no closer to the dog. "I'll leave you be."
Wait, no! Sketch doesn't want the wolf to leave now! "You're just afraid, aren't you?" is the sharp retort, though Sketch's eyes are filled more with fear than anger or hostility. She still hasn't moved from her cowering position against the ground. "Afraid that you can't best me in a fight? Or maybe you're afraid that you won't be able to kill me quickly enough before the human returns and kills /you/?" Bold words, and Sketch is even a bit proud of herself for injecting at least a /bit/ of overconfidence--though she certainly doesn't feel a bit of it!--into her voice.
Skelaghe doesn't walk away as the dog speaks again. Her tail remains down, relaxed. If this is Sketch's attempt to anger Skelaghe, it isn't working, apparently. She looks over the dog, confused, momentarily. She does answer, though. "I don't see any reason to fight you. You're tied up. And I'm pretty sure I can run faster than your human, so... Why would I be afraid?" With or without his unnatural tools. She is not far from the heavy forest, and with a couple steps, she could be out of easy sight.
"You /have/ to fight me! You're a wolf!" Anger and hostility is slowly giving way to panic and pleading, and Sketch finally decides she'll just have to try and force this. With the loudest snarl she can manage, she lunges forward for the wolf, but, unfortunately, is once again abruptly checked by the leash, leaving her to fall into a tangled mess of limbs. She's relatively quick to get back on her feet, and straining at the leash, growls, "You're showing your own cowardice by not fighting! I'm challenging you and you aren't fighting! You're a disgrace of a wolf!" If only Sketch was a skilled enough orator to back her antagonizing words with any conviction.
Skelaghe winces again as Sketch lunges forward, though this time it is without the whine. Earlier, it was a forgetful, accidental move. This time, it's just careless. Stupid. And Skelaghe isn't falling for it. She remains well out of range of Sketch, and merely frowns. "I am not going to harm you, or let you harm me." That would be against the very core of Skelaghe's beliefs, and she will not sacrifice those for many animals, much less a stranger.
There's a new complication that's picked up first by Sketch's nose, and then a fraction of a second later by her ears. It's him. He's on his way back. "Can you hear that? Or smell that?" Sketch tries one last-ditch effort at convincing the lupine to attack her. "That's the human that's.. /keeping/ me." Although, this will probably just convince the wolf to take off. She needs a new idea, a new strategy. "If you don't fight, then.. I'll start barking to make him rush over here!" It's her last option.
The dog isn't the only one who catches the fact that the scent of human is growing considerably stronger. And while the threat does concern Skelaghe, she stands by what she said earlier. Sketch is tied up, and she can run faster than any human. She forces herself to remain calm, to not show that she is, in any way, upset. Standing still, she says, "You know, you probably don't need my assistance if that's what you want. From what I've heard, humans don't like it when their slaves try to escape." She is obviously referencing the frayed rope. "So if you don't want my help, I will leave /him/ to sully his conscience with your death."
She's so frantic right now that she's apparently not going to be able to out-think this wolf. The lupine really doesn't have anything to fear from her, or from the approaching human, and she knows it. Sketch visibly loses every trace of the hostility that she had previously shown, and slinks over to lie down on the side of the tree opposite of where the human will most likely emerge from the trees. "Just go away, then," she mumbles, closing her eyes. "Or he really /will/ kill you when he comes back."
Skelaghe takes a step closer to the canine. She's no longer verbally attacking her, so now maybe Skelaghe actually has a chance to make the dog understand. Her tone remains far from judgmental when she speaks. "Let me help you. I would hate to see you hurt for no greater a crime than wanting to be free." Regardless of the dog's initial hostility. This is her last attempt, thugh. After this, she will follow the dog's advice. She will go, at least far enough that she won't be seen.
But /why/ does the wolf want to help her? Why would she hate to see Sketch hurt? It just doesn't make sense! Sketch is about to answer but then time runs out. She can hear the human only a couple of seconds away, and so she snaps: "Get away, /now/!" and then falls silent. Sure enough, the man appears shortly afterward, carrying a dead fox over his shoulder and his rifle over the other. "See this?" the human says triumphantly, walking over to the tree. "See this, dog? This is what you'll be hunting for me, once you learn to show some /respect/!"--the final word is punctuated with a sharp kick in Sketch's ribs, causing her to yelp in pain.
Skelaghe ducks back quickly once the human arrives. She is not foolish enough to attack an armed human, no matter what. Not even to protect someone, though it kills her to stay put. Stay put she does, silently praying for the human to leave again, /especially/ after the kick and the yelp that she hears. She doesn't understand the noises the human is making, and if she did, they would just upset her more. As it is, it's all she can do to force herself to breath, and to avoid growling. Oh, please, let him leave, and then to hell with what the dog /wants/. No one should be subject to that type of treatment.
Sketch trembles as she waits for an expected second kick, and it's not long before her expectations are met. Again, she yelps in pain, followed by an attempt at crawling backward to get out of range. Unfortunately for the adolescent, the rope is more or less stretched taut, preventing her from moving any farther back. The human just stands and watches, then finally lets out a loud laugh. "You are such a /miserable/ excuse for a hunting dog, but you're all I've got. Sleep well; your training starts tomorrow." He sets down his backpack and begins pulling out various items. Sleeping bag, matches, and other assorted things needed for setting up camp.
Skelaghe has to fight to keep from whining with the dog's second yelp, and she ducks back further. It takes her a moment to work up the strength to creep foward again, and she doesn't like what she sees when she does. He's setting up camp, not leaving. Still... It's getting late... Perhaps he'll sleep soon? And then, just /maybe/, Skelaghe will have her chance. She's not quite brave enough to risk rushing hm, even if he doesn't have his gun ready. She's not entirely certain how it works.
It's with some sense of relief that she sees the human begin to set up camp. At least he's not going to drag her around the forest again, trying to impress her with his hunting skills. Sketch can still smell the wolf's presence, but she dismisses the resulting confusion about /why/ in order to concentrate on what the human is doing. He starts a small campfire and sits back against the side of the large tree, staring into the flames. After a minute, he lets out a long yawn and rolls out his sleeping bag, appearing to be getting ready for sleep.
Skelaghe remains mostly hidden behind a couple of trees. She hasn't really seen a human this close up in, well... Ever. Even when there were humans at the farm, there was too little cover for her to get a good look. For a brief moment, even the fire entrances her. She can't help but attach a spiritual significance to it, and she has to wonder if her Tobba truly favors her over the beast that can harness the power of warmth and light at will. Finally, though, she decides to take it as a sign that she is in the right place, that this /is/ what she is supposed to do. This belief is enhanced when she turns her attention back to the human and sees him yawning, something she knows, even if she doesn't recognize the sleeping bag.
The human makes one more insulting commenting toward Sketch before crawling inside of his sleeping bag. Interesting, he doesn't zip it up, but leaves one side open with his rifle right next to him. Sketch watches him carefully, eyes glittering in the firelight, but makes no movement otherwise. She knows from experience that it can take him quite a while before he'll fall completely asleep, and even then, he'll easily awake with only a small amount of noise.
Skelaghe knows no such thing, though. She does remains still for a time, just watching the human. Once he does not move, though, she begins creeping forward again. Her paws make no sounds that can be heard over the noise of the fire, and she does not speak. Now she can only hope that Sketch is equally quiet, because even if she doesn't know how light a sleeper this human is, she can guess that any barking from the dog would be enough to rouse him.
Sketch doesn't notice the wolf approaching again, at least not for the first few seconds. Then she hears the slightest bit of crunch underfoot as her ears swivel, and her whole body stiffens. Is the wolf /mad/?! She's very tempted to make some kind of alerting noise so the human will get up, but she hesitates. Maybe it would earn her some favor from the human and lessen the physical abuse... but maybe it wouldn't. And she /is/ curious as to why the wolf is defying all logical reason by trying to enter a human-occupied campsite!
Skelaghe looks intently at the dog. She wants to get through this without waking the human, which means not ventureing too close to him... Which means leaving that gun in play. It's dangerous, but if she can get Sketch and herself out of here quickly... She continues creeping towards the dog, unspeaking. Her tail is low, and she is moving slowly. This is not the manner of a wolf intending to attack, but in order to free Sketch... Will the dog be capable of believing Skelaghe could possibly mean well?
Sketch is well aware that Skelaghe doesn't /look/ like she's going to attack Sketch, but then again, just by being here in the first place, she's thrown all the rules out the figurative window. What is the lupine /doing/? Sketch is desperate to whisper a question, or something, or /anything/, but she's worried that doing so might disturb the human's attempt at falling asleep. The adolescent slicks her ears back as she watches the wolf, huddling against the ground. This is getting stranger and more dangerous by the second.
Skelaghe stops when she is reasonably close to Sketch. How can she tell the dog what she intends to do, promise that she means no harm, without speaking? This would be easy if Sketch were a wolf, were at all open to contact to begin with. As it is, Skelaghe can only rely on what she last said to the dog and her facial and body expressions. Without a sound, she lowers herself onto her belly, then creeps forward a little further. The best she has is this obviously submissive display. She means no harm. She will not even defend herself. So please let her help?
The wolf's submission is the only thing that Sketch understands... and yet it is the very reason for her confusion. A wolf with that demeanor... to a dog? A captive dog? With a human nearby? Sketch still makes no noise, but doesn't feel any more confident about her understanding of the situation, or of the wolf's intentions. Her ear flicks to the side as the human stirs.. but doesn't do anything other than roll over in his sleeping bag. Whew.
Skelaghe doesn't get back up. She freezes as she hears the human move, and it is a moment before she begins crawling forward again, closing the last of the distance between herself and Sketch. Once there, she attenpts to lift her head, to rub against the rope holding Sketch with her nose. It is a slow and gentle move, and she is ever watchful for signs that Sketch is going to become alarmed, going to do something to wake the human. If she is allowed to complete it, though, hopefully it will give Sketch some idea of what Skelaghe has in mind.
It is odd, Sketch can't help but think, that she would feel a sense of relief that the human didn't wake up and notice the wolf there. Why should Sketch care if the wolf is seen and shot? But as the wolf finally gets close enough to rub her head against the rope, it finally starts to make sense. Sort of. It's still an unimaginable conclusion that she's drawing, but... "What are you going to do to me?" she asks in the quietest possible whisper. "Why didn't you just leave?"
Skelaghe shakes her head. This is /not/ the time to talk, and she emphasizes this with a look to the human sleeping entirely too close to the two of them. She can answer any number of questions... Later. When they're safe. After the look to the human, Skelaghe looks back to Sketch, an imploring expression on her face. She absolutely will not do anything without Sketch's consent, but she has to believe there's no way Sketch could /want/ to live with an abusive human.
Well, she /thought/ the wolf was going to continue gnawing on the rope, but now she's not so sure. Why won't she answer the simple questions, and why now is she looking at Sketch like this? "He won't hear you if you keep your voice low," the adolescent whispers. "What do you plan on doing?" It could be any number of things, but Sketch wants to make absolutely sure she knows what's going on.
Skelaghe is still nervous about speaking this close to the sleeping human. She is capable of whispering, though, so taking the dog's word for it, she replies with, "I want to free you... if you'll let me." It's what Skelaghe has wanted to do almost since she set eyes on Sketch. Is hasn't changed. There was maybe a brief period when it could have, but after hearing that human kick the young dog...
Freedom. Just the word is enough to cause Sketch to let out a small, hopeful whine, though she cuts it off in horror as soon as she realizes what she's doing. The human stirs again, then mutters something under his breath. Sketch watches fearfully as she waits for him to get up... but he never does. He never even so much as looks over in their direction. "Please," she murmurs, still wondering why in the world the wolf is doing this. Why help a dog? They're supposed to be enemies, no?
No. They're not. And though Skelaghe remains perfectly still, frozen, as the human moves again, after the dog asks, Skelaghe again lifts her head to be able to reach at the rope. This time, she is not so gentle. She attempts to grab the rope with her teeth, approximately in the same area where Sketch must have been gnawing before. Luckily, this leaves her well away from the dog's fur or skin, so there is no chance of biting her, but depending upon how tightly the rope is tied around Sketch's neck, it will probably not feel good.
No, it doesn't feel good. But Sketch is very careful not to let out any more whines or other noises that would alert the human. It doesn't feel good at all. But neither does being kicked or smacked with his rifle. Neither does being yelled at and scorned. Neither does being captive to this monster of a human. Just the thought that she might be free from his grasp sends a chill down her spine.
Skelaghe makes quick work of the already-frayed rope. When she feels the final fiber give between her teeth, she releases the segments and begins to back up. Her task completed, the only thing left to do is get well out of range of this human. Let him find Sketch missing when he wakes on his own, in the morning. After they are already far away, ideally a good portion of the way back to her home.
Except that Sketch doesn't just want to get away. She wants freedom in the true sense of the word. There won't be any nightmares or chances of being captured again if she's going to be truly free, and there's only one way to accomplish this. As quietly as she's capable of being, she stalks over to where the human is still sleeping. Right behind his upper body. Letting her long-simmering hatred for this captor to energize her attack, she lunges forward and sinks her teeth into his neck, prompting both a snarl from her and a startled yell from the human as he wakes and begins trying to both reach for his gun and pry the jaws off of his neck.
Skelaghe is so intent on her own retreat that it is entirely too late when she realizes what Sketch intends to do. She spins to face Sketch and the human at the snarling noise, and stares for a moent, shocked. No! She wanted to /avoid/ any injury or death, not facilitate it! When she spots the human reaching for the gun, though, she is forced into making a split-second choice. Either the human lives, or Sketch does. She can no longer have both. So, she springs forward, attempting to do no more than separate the human from his gun. She will /not/ participate in murder, but she won't stand by as the human hurts the dog again, either. Besides, judging by the placement of Sketch's jaws... The human is likely dead already. It's just a matter of whether he takes Sketch down with him.
But to Sketch, it isn't murder. It's pre-meditated self-defense. Both for herself, and for any other creatures that he might capture in the future. And even if there /are/ elements of revenge woven into her attack, right now she really doesn't care. The warm taste of blood and the panicked yells by the human only causes her to tighten her grip and continue snarling. The gun doesn't even get any attention from her, and neither does the suddenly-returning wolf. All she's focused on is the certainty of death. Preferably the human's.
Skelaghe places a paw on the hand nearest the gun, and remains there. She won't see her work destroyed, but after ensuring that the dog will be safe, she looks away. She doesn't have much of a stomach for violence, especially needless violence, which is all this is, in her mind. It's not that she can really blame the dog, but... She certainly has to think twice about whether she wants Sketch anywhere near her, now. That's what is on her mind as the dog's snarling and the human's yelling assault her ears.
And finally, it's over. The human goes limp and Sketch finally releases her grip on his neck, backing away and staring at what she's done. Her gaze travels up to stare at the wolf, and suddenly she bursts into tears. "You've given me freedom, wolf." What did the lupine say her name was? Skelaghe? "I owe you my life. But... why did you do it?"
"Because it was the right thing to do." And, with little else, Skelaghe turns to begin walking northward. The tears of the dog don't do anything to sway her. She needs distance, a lot of distance, between herself and the dead human. She doesn't regret her decision to free Sketch, but this is not how it was supposed to end, and until she can calm herself, she's not sure how much comfort she can offer the recently-freed canine.
As far as Sketch is concerned now, she is going to follow Skelaghe now. She has nothing else left in life. Jolon is gone forever as far as she knows--killed or left for good, but still gone. She has nothing else to return to. Why not follow the one who just saved her? Even if.. even if her rescuer /is/ a wolf? Even as she follows behind, Sketch can't help but stare curiously at the other. She's seen wolves before, for sure, but never this close, and never without hostility. Fearsome creatures, to be sure, but... she'd never thought them capable of doing the kind of act that Skelaghe has done for her. Set her free, at her own peril.
Skelaghe doesn't speak again. She can hear Sketch following her, and she simply keeps the same pace. It isn't terribly fast. She has, after all, been walking most of the day. It will be some time before the shewolf feels there is enough distance between herself and the human to allow her to stop, and until then, she just keeps to her own troubled thoughts.
- Maple Glade -
The activities of the recent past, coupled with the sheer adrenaline of it all have left Sketch drained of energy. And that was /before/ they started on this journey to wherever Skelaghe has in mind. Sketch has made sure not to say anything that could be construed as complaining, however, as she's far too grateful to the wolf to want to offend her in any way. No.. she'll just endure, and sleep all the harder when they /do/ rest. Step after step. Pantpant.
Skelaghe scarcely notices as fatigue creeps up on her, with the way she has been so wrapped up in her thoughts. She navigates through the area as much by memory as by the moonlight that manages to shine through the limbs that are starting to show bare spots. Only once she stumbles over a fallen branch does she realize how tired she is, and after catching herself, luckily before she hit the ground, she decides to sit, perking her ears back towards the dog she knows is still following her. It's still a fair distance back to her home, but they're far enough away from that human that she no loger feels the drive to keep moving.
Sketch definitely has enough thoughts of her own to occupy her while they journey onward, so it's an abrupt surprise when the wolf not only stumbles in front of her, but then halts their trip by sitting down. The German Shepherd adolescent doesn't say anything, but raises her eyebrows curiously and sits as well. Something wrong, perhaps? Or maybe they're just taking a break? Either way, Sketch is appreciative of the chance to catch her breath.
Skelaghe is no longer as upset as she first was when Sketch attacked the sleeping human. It's still there, will be there for a while, but she is capable of pushing it back now. As such, when she speaks, her voice is calm. "Are you hungry?" She won't be hunting tonight, but if Sketch hasn't eaten in a while, perhaps first thing in the morning. She should be home before tomorrow night, and she doesn't want to leave Sketch with an empty stomach before they part ways, because as of right now, she is thinking that they /will/ part ways. She has made it clear to every wolf who has her welcome that they must treat dogs respectfully, and she doesn't need those wolves subjected to a dog with violent tendencies who distrusts wolves. She would rather no more blood be shed over this whole encounter.
"A little, yes," Sketch says meekly, lowering her head a little. She still finds it hard to believe that she's being asked this by a /wolf/. And again, the questions come to mind of why Skelaghe is bothering to help her out at all. "Don't.. don't worry about it though. I'll be fine." She can always go out and try to catch something herself later on, when the wolf is asleep. She's not /that/ helpless, is she? Well... she's never been all that great with hunting, but she'd rather go hungry than have the wolf bother herself even more with trying to take care of her.
Skelaghe isn't particularly worried. Not enough that she stands back up, anyway. Rather, as she turns to face the dog, she says, "I doubt I would do either of us any good by attempting to find food tonight, but in the morning, I can." If the dog does have to rely on her for food, it's entirely likely that she'll eat sooner if Skelaghe waits to hunt than if she attempts to go catch something right now, anyway. She's not a great huntress herself, and she'd likely do nothing but wear herself out more if she attempted it while already this tired.
Unfortunately for Sketch, she's also feeling far too tired to really hunt anything. Her muscles are weary almost to the point of failure, and she knows that she has enough difficulty catching anything even at full strength. "I'm sorry, Skelaghe," she admits, speaking the wolf's name for the first time. "I'm being a hindrance to you, and I'm not even a wolf."
Skelaghe shakes her head at the apology and, for the first time since she stumbled upon Sketch, smiles. "You're no hindrance." After all, the animal she was actually looking for only hunted for himself once or twice in the many weeks that Skelaghe cared for him, and even then it was probably only because she wasn't around. Hunting for Sketch once won't hurt her, not at all. That she has caused Skelaghe to feel guilt is in the past, something Skelaghe will handle on her own time. "And being a dog does not make you less worthy of my help, though if you appreciate it, you might give me /your/ name."
"My name is Sketch, and I'm a German Shepherd." For all she knows, the wolf might be familiar with various dog breeds already. "You said your name was Skelaghe... are you part of a wolfpack somewhere?" The implied question: where are you taking me? She's thought about staying with Skelaghe; the thought of her actually being part of a wolfpack somewhere is nowing causing some concern. One wolf is difficult enough... but many?
It seems like it, from time to time. Not that Skelaghe minds, certainly, especially in the winter months. Still, it's a far cry from what she would define as a pack, a far cry from the pack in which she was was raised. "Not anymore, but... I do live with several wolves." And a few other animals who come and go as they please. "We do not live near here. You will have plenty of time to go your own way before I get home." The implied answer: she is not taking Sketch /anywhere/, and if Sketch expects to accompany her... Well, Skelaghe has concerns of her own, and she has animals she cares for much more than she cares for this dog... Which doesn't mean Skelaghe couldn't help Sketch attempt to find some other home. Maybe with Jage, who aches for companionship as strongly as Skelaghe does.
Her own way. But.. what if she doesn't have 'her own way'? What if she doesn't want to? The idea of starting a new life, so-to-speak, with this wolf... Sketch is liking the idea more and more. She really doesn't have anything else to go back to, and the chances of her surviving on her own probably aren't the greatest. The adolescent doesn't respond verbally, instead giving the faintest of nods and swallowing against the sudden lump in her throat.
Skelaghe keeps her eyes on the young dog, and spends a moment in silence as she thinks over how Sketch behaved when first meeting her. Skelaghe really tries not to judge anyone critically, and the dog did have good reason to be scared. She was alone in the wild and facing a stranger. Unfortunately, the dog also made her prejudices against wolves very clear, so even though Skelaghe holds no hard feelings, she is reluctant to invite Sketch back with her. This reluctance shows itself in her tone and her words, when she addresses Sketch's lack of enthusiasm about the idea of parting with her. "If you do expect to follow me back, there will be certain... guidelines... I'd suggest you follow." Not /quite/ rules. She's willing to let those around her work out their differences on their own. But she's also more than prepared to step in on the side of whomever she feels in being wronged, should things get out of hand.
Her breath catches as she hears the all-important 'if'. That implies a possibility, and that's all Sketch needs at this point. A very small part of her wonders what Jolon would think of her, but that's quickly suppressed with the remembrance that Jolon is more or less gone forever, and the here and now are all that matter. Without trying to sound too enthusiastic, Sketch manages a small nod. "What.. what kind of guidelines do you mean?"
Skelaghe slowly lies down. She does not want to come off as being too confrontational, and besides, she /is/ tired. Her head remains up and her eyes remain on the dog as she answers. "I would expect you to treat my other companions respectfully, at least for so long as they do the same." There is only one who might have trouble treating Sketch respectfully. Well, two, should Helaku ever arrive, but... She'll handle that if the time comes. As for the other one, though, Skelaghe will have to make a point to talk to her as soon as she returns. "Not many of my companions have a lot of expreience with dogs. In the event that something upsets you, I'd prefer you brought it to my attention and let me handle it, but I do not expect you to subject yourself to anything that makes you uncomfortable." In other words, if Sketch has no choice, if she isn't allowed to retreat, then she is allowed to defend herself. Skelaghe doesn't expect that it will ever become an issue, but if it does... Well, the shewolf is truly not unreasonable, and she wouldn't have helped Sketch escape one abusive situation if she meant to lead her directly into another one.
Sketch manages a weak smile as she follows the wolf's example and lies down as well. "I don't really have a lot experience with wolves either, save for the few times when I or one of my friends was about to be attacked." She doesn't mean for that to sound like an excuse, but possibly an explanation into why her instinctual reaction to wolves is based on fear, rather than understanding. Sketch also isn't going to say anything in response to the whole 'uncomfortable' part. She's spent most of her life being uncomfortable, and so she can endure some mistreatment if that's what it takes to guarantee shelter and protection. As far as food is concerned... well, she's learning. Hunting for herself will come in time.
And for all Skelaghe knows, the experiences most of her companions have had with dogs may be very similar to Sketch's. None at all, unless they were about to be attacked. After all, isn't that how /her/ first encounter with a dog went? She takes a deep breath, then says, "I can't promise you much, Sketch, but I can promise that if any of my companions attacks you without just cause, it will not be overlooked... And the same goes, should you attack one of them." She's offering to treat Sketch exactly as she would treat a wolf who came to her for friendship and shelter. She can't offer more.
Sketch looks taken aback. "Why.. why would I attack one of your companions?" She's not an aggressive type at all. Killing that human had been the first time she'd ever even attacked one, and it was most done in such a blind rage that she barely even remembers what happened. The adolescent has another question, but she'll wait until later to ask. Best to not to be an annoyance.
Skelaghe cannot pretend to know /why/, not for certain, though she knows there are plenty of reasons. She can only recognize it as a possibility. "I'm just making sure we understand one another." And, really, Skelaghe's voice is not unpleasant. She just wants to make sure she has no reason to be unhappy with anyone who is staying in the land she thinks of as home, and making sure there are no misunderstandings is a good step towards ensuring that.
This time, it's a much more genuine smile. "I don't know how I'll ever repay you for saving me from that human. But.. I'll do my best to help you out in any way that I can." Unfortunately she knows that there really /isn't/ anything she can do yet that the wolf surely can do much better. Like hunting, for example.
Skelaghe returns the dog's smile, then lowers her head until it rests on top of her paws. "There is no need to repay me, Sketch. You are not in my debt." She had her own reasons for doing what she did. None of them centered around the thought of what this dog could do for her in return. And though, yes, it is a good thing that Sketch is willing to pull her own weight, or at least attempt to, she does not want Sketch staying with here merely from a sense of obligation.
"But.. I /am/ in your debt!" Sketch really doesn't want to argue over this point. The wolf saved her. She owes the wolf. End of discussion. If that means dealing with suspicious, antagonistic, and hostile packmates, then Sketch will deal with them. She'd never be able to live with herself if she just abandoned Skelaghe after the wolf risked her life to save her. And Sketch isn't even a wolf, at that. She saved a /dog/. It's probably the first time that the adolescent feels almost ashamed of what she is. Although.. 'ashamed' might not be the best word. 'Inferior' doesn't quite fit, either. Hmm. Perhaps 'humbled'?
Skelaghe gives a slight shake of her head, but she does not argue the point verbally, in large part because she knows what it's like to feel as though she owes someone something. No, not exactly. Because she knows what it's like to want to do something nice for someone, after getting a favor. Or before getting a favor. Or without a favor involved at all. Regardless, it doesn't matter. She could argue this all night, and Sketch would probably remain unconvinced. "Very well."