Post by Therdde on Nov 22, 2008 3:22:12 GMT -5
Characters:
Skelaghe - Female Wolf
Sketch - Female Dog
Vincent - Male Dog
Storm - Female Wolf
Miakoda - Female Wolf
- Rippling Stream -
Sketch's question still hangs between them. Skelaghe can do nothing but focus on running, on not giving into the pain that nearly threatens to cripple her as the run becomes an extended one. It is not until the stream is in sight that she even begins to slow down, but very soon after she slows, she stops moving altogether, panting heavily and standing only on three legs. She wants to look behind her, but she's afraid of what she might see, as if the cougars worked up the courage to follow them, there will be no escape. She gave everything she had to that plan, and if it failed...
... but thankfully, it didn't fail. Sketch comes to a gasping halt as the wolf stops, keeping herself between Skelaghe and their pursuers; thankfully it's an unneeded caution as there is no sign of the cougars. Why would they have just stopped chasing them? Tired already? Or perhaps they were just chasing them for fun without intending to actually do anything to them? Neither possibility is very comforting, but now that they're safe for the immediate present, they can catch their breath and rest. And as she looks over to the wolf, Sketch notes with concern that the lupine's injury seems to be acting up again.
Vincent sits by the water, his head folded on his paws. Although a fair distance away with no breeze to carry a scent, Vincent could hardly miss the ragged panting of two escapees from... well, whatever it is they're running from. He climbs up to his paws, shaking off the accumulated dirt, then begins to make a beeline towards the two. He proceeds somewhat cautiously, but cautious was never... intrinsic... to his nature. The male sniffs occasionally, trying to obtain a hint. "Hello?" he calls to the trees, tail swishing lightly. "You okay?"
Skelaghe has not had to chase down any prey that far or that fast since she was injured. Yes. It hurts. But after a moment, she takes a couple steps closer to the water, still favoring her injured hindleg greatly. She nearly jumps when the sudden voice reaches her ears, and her turn to face that direction is slow, stiff. After running for her life, her trusting nature has taken a slight hit, even if it will only be temporary.
Sketch is rather startled as well, though after what they just endured, perhaps it's understandable that she's still a little on edge. But when she recognizes the owner of the voice as he approaches, her surprise only grows, and is now joined by delight, shyness, anxiety, and.. just about everything else. Going from being chased by monstrous cats to suddenly running into the very dog she was asking Skelaghe about earlier? It's been quite a crazy day so far. "Vincent!" she calls, tail instinctively wagging a little bit. Should she ask for his help in assisting Skelaghe to the water's edge? Would the wolf want to be helped by another dog?
Vincent blinks twice in surprise. Well, that's an... unexpected, but entirely welcome, voice- "Sketch!" he replies, bouncing forward- temporarily forgetting the reason why he investigated the noises in the first place. Smiling broadly, he pushes through the undergrowth to reveal himself, tail swishing happily- his face slowly becoming concerned. "Hey, uh- you two a'right?" he asks, padding closer, inspecting both Skelaghe and Sketch in turn. "What's happened?"
Skelaghe relaxes noticibly when the dog appears, when it becomes obvious that Sketch knows him. Though she is not a proud animal, she is determined to stand, and she would not be very accepting of help in this moment. To whatever is watching them, after that chase, she must appear strong, capable of taking care of herself and her charge. The last thing she could handle right now is an attack, and the best way to avoid that is to appear strong. Not an easy target. She gives a nod to Vincent's first question. They. Are. Fine. She then turns to face the water again, leaving Sketch to answer his second question, and forcing herself to walk normally, regardless of how much it hurts. To anyone who knows her, it is clear that she is behaving far from normal, not her upbeat, pleasant, social self.
"We just got chased.. by.. *pant*.. these huge.. cat monsters!" Sketch knows that it would sound like a crazy and impossible story, aside from the fact that they look very much out of breath, plus Skel's obvious injury. She takes a long, shaky breath, trying to calm herself down. It's good to see Vincent again, yes, though perhaps it might have been better under slightly less.. awkward circumstances. The female Alsatian's attention turns back to her wolf friend, and she pads alongside, encouraging the wolf to head to the water's edge. Nothing like a crisp drink of water after a long run, right?
Vincent ponders for a moment. Skelaghe seems... well. She seems obviously hurt, but the injury doesn't seem to be affecting her very much, except that there's a definite stiffness there- very different from how she was when he last saw her. Still, obviously something's gone wrong, so... he focuses his attention on Sketch. Skelaghe seems injured but coping- Sketch doesn't seem wounded at all. "Cat... monsters?" he asks, frowning curiously. He turns and follows Sketch to the water, tail swaying around behind him. "I don't understand. I mean..." his voice seems to grow a little nervous. "Just... exactly how large were they?"
"Cougars." Skelaghe winces as soon as the word leaves her mouth. No, she cannot let Sketch become fearful of those felines, and she adds, quickly, "Most I have met have not been that... Aggressive." Not so long as they are shown the proper respect, anyway. It takes her a few moments to reach the water, and she actually just sits. She doesn't want to crouch down in order to get a drink. She just wants to rest, preferrably lying down, but... Who knows how long it may be safe to stay here? Those cougars chased them a bit into the copse. If they had only wanted to scare the dog and wolf away, they would have stopped as soon as Skel and Sketch started running. If they really want to make sure the two of them never come back, would they go so far as to track them around the copse? No, she and Sketch cannot stay here long.
Cougars? So that's what they're called. Sketch notes their name, though she doubts with such a vivid first encounter she'll ever have trouble remembering. Her ears perk a little at the wolf's words; apparently cougars are a lot more friendly than that? They sure /look/ monstrous, though! "They were bigger than us, Vincent. Very scary-looking." And they sure could run! Once again, Sketch is puzzled as to why they broke off the chase, and wonders if the wolf has any idea.
Vincent seems to understand, nodding his head thoughtfully. "Cougars," he echoes, nodding once again. Yes, yes- that would make sense. Not giant cat monsters, each the size of a horse, roaming around the countryside devouring innocent puppies for breakfast... no, that's just a terrible, terrible nightmare and not true at all. "I'm sure they looked scary," he admits, "but... Skelaghe is right- they usually are not so dangerous. Not usually, anyway... it's very strange." He noses Sketch in a friendly fashion, smiling lightly at her. "You a'right?"
Well, that's a relief to hear. Sketch can't exactly picture what a /friendly/ cougar would be like, but she's sure that if Skel and Vincent both say that they exist, then she wouldn't mind meeting one some day. "I'm.. fine," she acknowledges, nosing back at the male. "Skel said that you could stay with us, if.. well.. you wanted to." It's probably more of a question than a statement, and although her voice is low, it probably could be overheard by the wolf. Definitely the perfect time for his company though; perhaps with his additional help, the cougars wouldn't be brave enough to try their attack again!
Vincent seems to be relieved by Sketch's words, his smile growing. "Hey, that's great!" he says, seeming relieved at that. "I'd love to- sounds like a plan." He subconsciously keeps his voice low as well, simply because Sketch is doing it. Maybe she's just trying to be quiet so that the cougars don't find them... or something. Vince' was never the brightest tool in the shed, so this line of reasoning sounds perfectly acceptable to him. "Don't worry. It's not likely they'll follow you this far. Uhh, normally... I'm sure we're okay here." He smiles. "I'm glad to see you again. I'd thought... well."
Skelaghe winces again at what Sketch says. Yes, she said that Vincent could stay with them, and she was being sincere. The timing of this all, though... Slowly, she shakes her head and looks to Vincent and Sketch. "They should not have followed us as far as they did." Skelaghe has many faults, many weaknesses. Reading animals is not one of them. She has devoted her entire life to listening to what animals are saying and, in many cases, what they are not saying. "It isn't safe here. We will have to keep moving." Maybe not right this second, but she doesn't agree with what Vincent said, and she doesn't what Sketch to think that their journey is over, that they will be able to rest here.
Who cares if they have to keep moving? Vincent's joining them! Sketch looks immensely relieved--see, that wasn't difficult at all!--and even a tiny bit gleeful. Vincent is glad to see her again? That eases a good bit of her anxiety and shyness, and even gives her enough courage to give him a quick lick on the cheek. And then she's blushing, moving away from the male to try and hide it, stepping toward her wolf friend. "Are you able to keep walking, or do you need to rest for a bit? Vincent and I can protect you, of course." Brave words, and nearly laughable at that. But Sketch is entirely serious.
Vincent looks pleased too. The male gets to hang around with Sketch all the time, along with Skelaghe who he's heard so much about- can't say he's going to complain at all! His tail swishes happily behind him, despite the implied threat of further couger trouble. Vince smiles at the lick, giving the slightest smirk at her blush- hehe. Still, as Sketch moves away from him, he gives a cautious glance around at the woods nearby, just to appease his paranoia. He nods at Sketch's reassurances, although obviously, well, an attack now would be... quite disasterous.
Skelaghe knows that Sketch would certainly try, but the two dogs are no match for two violent cougars. "I'll be fine, but..." Skelaghe glances off to the south. She has taken that journey many times, and though she knows it leads through Lazuli territory, she was never afraid when it was just her. But the Lazuli are not friendly towards dogs, and she isn't sure that her vouching for them will sway their opinion any. "We'll have to be careful. There is a wolf pack south of here, and... I'm not sure we'll be very welcome." She lets out a deep sigh. This is not how she had imagined her day going, earlier, when she was just enjoying the spring sun.
While alone with Skelaghe, the female Alsatian could almost believe that wolves really weren't the scary creatures from her childhood. But now, faced with the apparent dangerous trip through wolf territory, those fears threaten to come back. But.. with Skelaghe with them, shouldn't they be okay? What other options do they have, however? Face the cougars again? Sketch trusts Skel's wisdom far more than her own, so she just nods slowly, willing to do whatever is necessary.
Vincent nods his head to Skelaghe, agreeing with her. "Then careful we should be," he says, nodding his head for emphasis. "I don't know how they'll handle a pair of dogs and a wolf- if it will help, Sketch and I can probably skirt the borders of their lands, skipping around most of their territory." He pauses a moment, thinking. "It's also possible they might let us through, I don't know... it's just a suggestion." He chuckles a little. "Coming up with cunning plans is not really my forte, sorry."
It will be okay, if she can just find Bodhi... Or so she hopes. Bodhi will know she means no harm to Lazuli, and maybe he can speak for them, because... Well, running through the copse worked. The cougars didn't follow them into the land that had the strong scent of canines. If they can stay in Lazuli until she is healed, then... Well, then they can continue on until they are far away and really safe. She stands to begin walking south. They have rested long enough. Too long, maybe. After she takes the first step, she addresses what Vincent said by replying with, "Whatever you do, you stay close to me. Both of you." If Sketch and Vincent are caught in Lazuli while Skelaghe is not around... She would hate to think about what might happen.
Sketch certainly intends to do just that, and as they start off, her ears flatten a little even as she's gazing from side-to-side, wondering how many wolves they're going to encounter. There's no way they'll be able to outrun them, and Sketch feels as though she could rest a whole three days right now. They'll just have to hope that either they don't encounter any at all, or else Skelaghe's going to be hard-pressed to talk them out of any situation they find themselves in.
Vincent keeps himself close to Skelaghe, his tail still as he follows close by the female, giving an occasional glance to her and Sketch. This is... a risky plan, but it should work. Might work. Well, it's the best they can do... "Not a problem, close it is," he says with a nod of his head. He gives Sketch a reassuring smile, tail wagging just a bit. "Don't worry. Skel' will handle it, okay?" He doesn't quite believe it himself, but... well. Sketch looks more worried than him at this point.
- Crooked Brook -
It does not take them long to arrive in an area where the scent of wolves is getting stronger. By then, Skelaghe's limp has returned, more pronounced than it was this morning. She could not handle walking normally for long. Unless she spots Bodhi, her plan is currently to walk straight through Lazuli. It wouldn't take the cougars long to find them north of here, but to travel through all of Lazuli territory... Well, it would buy them time, but it /is/ risky, and Skelaghe keeps her attention devoted to her surroundings as she leads the two dogs.
They won't be able to continue for long; Sketch can tell that much simply from glancing at the wolf. But how long is necessary? Or a better question: how far do they have to travel before being clear of wolf territory? It was fairly obvious when they entered, and now the heavy scent of lupine is all around them, only adding to her fear. Will they make it out alive? Hopefully they'll remain undetected.
Vincent walks alongside Sketch behind Skelaghe, cautious and wary. He keeps an alert visage, looking out for danger... well, to the best of his ability, anyway. He gives Sketch an occasional, reasurring smile, although he doesn't feel very confident himself. With good reason, one can definitely assume.
With the threat of cougars all around the pack have been on full alert, going undetected now is not going to happen. The aging alpha is standing among the brush, her bright gaze settling upon the three as they move ever closer. A thin frown crosses Storm's maw while she suddenly moves forward, hackles raised and tail lifting while her head lowers as she comes into view. "What are you three doing this deep in the forest?" One is a wolf, the other two dogs, dogs is not somthing she wants in her home and its not going to change now.
Miakoda is right behind Storm, likely having gone out on dual patrols with her Alpha. Her head is kept low, eyes alert though mind distant. Her jaw is set tightly as she moves, though the scent in the breeze is difficult to ignore. Ears flicking back, she glances to Storm before looking ahead, eyes catching movement. A wolvish figure, and ... two not so wolvish figures. A low growl rises instinctively as the scent of dog is inhaled, and the two unknown creatures are eyed as he steps to Storm's side, silent for now.
Skelaghe turns stiffly to face the voices. Wolves. One of them is very vaguely familiar, but neither of them is the one wolf she would have hoped to run into. It figures that she would be able to find him anywhere /but/ his home territory. She moves to place herself between the coming wolves and the two dogs that have been following her, limping even for this short period. With a bow of her head to the wolfess who spoke, she says, "I am sorry for our presence. It is only due to necessity, I assure you."
So much for remaining undetected. The wolves' sudden entrance throws Sketch into a panic, though there's nothing she can do, save to crouch down and be as submissive and unthreatening as possible. Her eyes briefly look over at Vincent, wondering what he's thinking. Probably something along the lines of what a foolish idea it was to come with she and Skelaghe. If he's killed here because she wanted him to come along, she'll never forgive herself. Of course, she'll likely die too, and forgiveness would be a moot concern at that point.
Vincent's tail drops as well, the male taking a step or two backwards, cautiously backing up and displaying a similarly unthreatening, submissive posture. The male keeps silent, glancing back at Sketch, trying to appear confident. Hmm... this is a pretty pickle they've gotten themselves into, but... hopefully one which Skelaghe can extract them from. There's not much he can do to assist at this point, so he wisely shuts up.
Storm ears flick forward while she sniffs at the air still standing her ground in the process. "If it is such a necessity then you will need too tell me why." She says with a thin tone. "I'm Storm, Alpha of the Lazuli pack who lands you happen to be upon at this very moment in time." Her gaze turns to the male dog and she eyes him thinly before she looks to the other dog and then once more the wolf as she awaits answers.
Miakoda's eyes remain on the dogs, taking in their size. Their coating. Their stances. As submissive as the two of them appear, the look of immense distaste fails to leave her eyes, and her growl only quiets once Storm speaks again. Her ears remain raised, as does her head, though it's kept practicedly a tad lower than Storm's. It's an intricate dance of ranking, and one that Mia has perfected over the years. Eventually do her eyes skip to Skelaghe once more. She's seen this wolf before at some point long ago, though running with dogs seems to be enough of a black mark to devour any thoughts of a greeting or acknowledgement of that.
"Yes, I have heard much about you and your mate." Skelaghe keeps her head low. She has no status here. In this moment, she really would prefer not to be here at all, even though she has been this far into Lazuli territory many times in the past. She will do nothing to provoke either of the Lazuli wolves to attack. Her tail is low, her ears splayed. "I would not have trespassed, but we have been chased here by violent cougars to the north. The two behind me mean you and your pack no harm, harbor no ill will toward wolves. You have my word." For whatever little that might mean to the two wolves in front of her.
Obviously she and Vincent mean no harm toward wolves; they would hardly be with Skelaghe if they did! Sketch can't help but stare at Storm, thinking of just how little she knows of wolfpack hierarchies; the alpha female would no doubt deserve every ounce of respect Sketch can give, but are there any other protocols that she needs to be aware of? Things to say or not say?
Vincent, much like Sketch, knows very little about wolves and the way their societies function. Still... well, not much better ways to find out than to observe, right? Naturally he'd prefer if such observation didn't get him killed, but... well. At least the somewhat-dim dog is learning something. He shuffles closer to Sketch, keeping his muzzle shut and watching the exchange.
Storm blinks as she listens to the wolf, her ears flick back and a glance is offered to Mia at the talk of cougars before she looks back to Skelaghe. "An you felt the need to run through my land and perhaps bring them to my door?" She questions, suddenly /very/ mad at the thought. The alpha steps forward, hackles raised once more and a low growl escapes her. "An I'm suppose to just let you go through my lands so they may follow your scent through them?"
"Cougars?" It is the first word that Miakoda has spokent, and it's said with a subtle sound of alarm. Cougars ... /violent/ cougars chasing a wolf and two dogs? Perhaps they're against the queer alliance as well ... but to do as much to give chase so far? Her eyes flit to the dogs with a renewed look of loathing, but her words are spoken solely to the female wolf of the odd pack. "Why do the cougars seek you and your mongrels?" she asks, speaking the last word gruffly, as if it contains an acidic aftertaste. "So much so that they are compelled to chase you like prey?"
"If I knew why, I could have fixed it." Skelaghe's tone remains calm, but she is definitely insistent as she addresses Miakoda, the familiar one, first. They have done only what they had to so they can survive. She turns her attention to Storm. "You are many. We are few. The cougars did not chase us through dog territory. They will not chase us through your territory. I said they were violent, not that they were stupid. I would not do that to you or your pack. I have friends here." Storm and Miakoda may not be among those friends, but even so, Skelaghe would not wish them ill.
Mongrels? Is that really how wolves view dogs? Sketch finds herself shrinking down even more, swallowing hard at the insult. It really hits home just how much Skelaghe's company has meant to her over the last weeks, and she can't help but wonder to what extent Skel views her as a mongrel as well. Is that just a natural tendency for wolves, being the stronger, smarter, and superior species? But even as she listens to Skelaghe reply, she can't help but wince a little. Her friend is speaking in short, choppy sentences that can only reflect her own anxiety with the situation.
Vincent slinks down further as well, lowering his head, keeping well back and absorbing the information. Well... this could be friendlier, for sure. Still... Vince is glad Skelaghe is here. She'll be able to handle them. His eyes look over the other wolves gathered here, examining them. There sure are a lot of them, and they look tough... arrg. This isn't so good, no, not at all...
"You have not ever dealt with cougars before this then I take it?" Storm questions to the other wolf while shaking her head. The pack had to deal with a bear once, and she saw cougars on her travels when she was younger but never dealt with them. "If they want something badly enough they will go where ever they want to. Numbers don't matter to them." Cougars are stronger then wolves its a given fact, and most cougars don't not travel in pairs, other then what she knows of the ones up in the mountain. "I can not permit you to come any further. I suggest you find another way around to get away from the cats." It might be a harsh call but the aging alpha is in no mood to deal with things like this, specially a pair of mad cougars if they should follow after the trio.
Miakoda lightly snorts out a breath and shakes her head faintly, scoffing at the phrase of dog's territory. "Perhaps you should have stayed in dog 'territory'," she retorts with a look back to the tio, pointedly settling her golden gaze upon the female dog, "if it was so luxuriously cougar-free.." Spoken as if the words are difficult to believe. She quiets then, eyes turning to Storm as she speaks and lays down her verdict of the situation. She will follow whatever Storm says, and she nods to herself. The Alpha's word is law, besides.
Skelaghe has, on the other hand, dealt with cougars often. They can be reasoned with. They are intelligent. They do not take uncalculated risks. Her heart sinks when this Lazuli alpha forbids them from traveling along the river, though. Even if it is only because of the dogs who are accompanying her, it hurts. It hurts, that she is being denied one of her very few chances for survival, when the risk to these wolves is so small. When she has done everything she can to watch out for members of Lazuli, or at least for wolves who posed as members of Lazuli, when they were outside of Lazuli lands. It takes a moment of silence so that she can hold herself back from what she wants to say. The Alpha /is/, after all, looking out for her own. Skelaghe should not attempt to make her feel guilty for that, even though she knows how minimal the risk is, and how the Lazuli wolves /would/ be able to drive the cougars back, possibly even kill them, if they stood together. It is tempting, though. Finally, she nods. "I understand."
Storm merely stands her ground as she watches the trio still. There was no point trying to pull a guilt trip on her she's been here too long, and dealt with too much. She is indeed trying to keep her pack save. After all Felstride and herself are not young wolves anymore, an even though she is still in her prime she would rather not deal with a cougar, or more then one if given the chance. A simple nod is offered to the other wolf. "Be well on your travels, an do try to stay safe. That is what I can offer you." A slight glanceis offered to Miakoda, possible to get her take on this to see if she agrees with her call.
Miakoda flicks an ear before she turns her head to nudge gently at Storm's shoulder with her nose. Yes, it seems as if she agrees, and her reassuring touch is a sign of solidity of the Alpha and Beta pair. Though the dogs are disregarded, her head is very faintly dipped to Skelaghe. She is a kindred wolf, after all. A sister, in a sense, and she wishes no harm to come to her. "Truly," she offers in addition, her tone less harsh, less ill-tempered than before, "do tread carefully. Keep your wits about you," she advises, likely assuming that her companions are imcapable of doing such for themselves.
Skelaghe still does not want to leave Sketch and Vincent vulnerable to a potential attack from the wolves. She looks back to them and gestures with her head that they should head back northwards. They'll travel a short while, and then follow Lazuli's northern border east. They have no choice... But they won't be able to get to safety yet today. She knows that. She can only hope to get far enough that the cougars won't manage to catch up with them while they rest. After making that gesture to the dogs, she glances back at the female wolves. She has never wished any group, or any animal, ill, and she doesn't now, but after the chase this morning, the aggravation of her injury, and then /this/... Well, it is easy to see why Bodhi spends so much time away from his pack, something she thought she would never do, never understand, were she to find herself a new pack. She ignores their comments, looking away again, because all she can think about the the death sentence that those two wolves likely just gave to her and her companions.
Tread carefully? Be well? Keep their wits? Stay safe? Those words are nothing more than a complete and total slap in the face. For all their consoling words, these wolves are forcing the three to return to certain death! If the cougars are waiting for them, then how are they supposed to survive? Perhaps Sketch and Vincent might--/might/--be able to outrun them, but there is /no/ way that Skelaghe would be able to, as injured as she is right now. And with a sudden flash of insight, Sketch realizes what she needs to do. Still cowering close to the ground, she crawls forward toward the wolves, ears slicked against her skull. A few feet in front of Skelaghe, she stops, and looks pleadingly toward Storm. The alpha. The one with the authority to make the all-important decision. "Please," she whimpers. "I owe my life to Skelaghe for her rescuing me, and can't bear the thought of her being ripped apart by those cougars. Can you at least allow her to stay long enough to recover from her limp? Vincent and I will leave, as requested."
Storm blinks as she looks to the dog, watching as she grovels before her basicly. She says nothing, and shows no emotion. "I don't think she would stay if I offered that to her. I've made her mad because I told her you must leave." The alpha says softly, the younger canine does pull at her heart but she can not put the safety of strangers above her family. "You must leave now, follow along the border of the land if you must that is all I can off you." Not like she can keep them from doing that to start with. "If Skelaghe wishes to stay and rest she may for a short time but that is all I will offer."
No! Skelaghe has done everything she can to downplay Sketch's life debt because she /doesn't/ want Sketch killed trying to repay it. She looks at Sketch, silent for as long as Storm speaks. Without looking back to the alpha, Skelaghe says, "You know as little about why you have made me angry as you know about cougars, or any species not your own." There is only the briefest of pauses, then Skelaghe speaks again, directly to the dog at whom she is looking. "We are leaving now, Sketch. I would not stay in a place that could send a young animal out to die when the risk to them is practically nonexistant. Now move." Skelaghe does not like the anger... But it is better than the fear and distrust that she had, previously.
Sketch is already cowering, but at Skel's words from behind her, she wilts a little, then finally drags herself to her feet. Well, she tried. Crestfallen, the female Alsatian turns around and begins walking toward the north. Is there a chance that the cougars might have left by now? Her opinion of wolves has definitely been shaped by what has happened here.
Vincent looks about to say something- but wisely shuts up. He gets up when Sketch leaves, walking out with her, tail low and dejected. "I thought that was very brave of you," he says to her as he leaves, glancing at Skelaghe as he departs, nodding to her. He knows she did the right thing, although it's hard.
Storm lifts a brow as she hears Skelaghe and shakes her head. "An you know little about me and my pack then. Do not think I have not thought about what might happen to you three. But I will not put your lives over that of my family. You seem to have a relationship with the dogs you are with then why not go to that piece of area where the dogs are then instead of coming into the forest?" She snorts and shakes her head while turning to leave. "Do not return Skelaghe.." Do not make the alpha say that again, because if she does there will more trouble for sure. She moves back to where she was before coming out to 'meet' the dogs and settles down, Miakoda following after her and the two merely watch as they leave, no more words to offer the trio.
It is not that the alpha is turning them away. Skelaghe held her tongue when it was just that. It is that Storm is hiding behind the idea of protecting her family, even after saying that Skelaghe could stay to rest for a short time while insisting that the two dogs, one of whom is barely an adult, leave. Skelaghe is not welcome amongst dogs, not even ones who would consider her a friend. There is only one other choice. She will walk until she can not walk any further, rest for as short a time as possible, and then continue, and hopefully they can make it to the mountain, to the only other place she imagines they will be safe. She does not speak again, and will not until they are well away from Storm. As much as she dislikes the anger, she /really/ doesn't want to act on it.
- Maple Glade -
They are barely outside of Lazuli territory when Skelaghe turns to head west. She has never felt anger this strong before, and it takes a long time to burn itself out. It drives her to walk in silence, ignoring her companions for as long as they do not venture too far away from her, until she trips over an exposed tree root that was hidden by thick brown leaves from last fall, yelping and stumbling as she attempts to keep from falling. She keeps her footing, barely, but it forces her to stop, to admit to herself that they should probably rest. Her entire leg is aching, she is tired, and she desperately needs to lie down, even though they remain far from safety.
If she was afraid before, now Sketch is all but completely paranoid. She can practically feel the predatory gaze of the cougars watching them, waiting for the perfect time to strike. And when Skelaghe stumbles and yelps, Sketch nearly jumps out of her skin. Once she realizes what happened, she rushes to the wolf's side, nosing at her. "Are you okay?"
Vincent follows Sketch, his mood dejected and just a little frightened. The silent, fightened walk is broken only by Skelaghe tripping over... with a response from Vince' that is entirely predictable- Vince panics and nearly bolts, jumping almost his own height into the air and completely spinning around, hackles raised. "AAAH! AAAH!" Pant, pant, pant. The male slowly calms himself, turning back around to face Skelaghe and Sketch, grinning sheepishly. "... wow, sorry. Um. You okay there?"
Skelaghe is not surprised that her sudden yelp scared her companions. She is silent, though, as they both realize what happened, and then ask her if she's okay. No, she's not, but what is wrong with her has little to do with her leg, so after a brief pause, she nods. "I will be okay. I just need to rest." None of the anger that was in her tone the last time she spoke is there now. They will have to speak about the reason for her anger in the future, but Skelaghe has no desire to address it, right now, so for as long as Sketch is willing to avoid the topic of her life debt, Skelaghe will do the same. After speaking, she lies down slowly.
Rest sounds like a great idea, and immediately Sketch is doing what she can to assist the wolf down to the ground, followed by another nosing to try and comfort her. "You go ahead and rest; Vincent and I will keep watch." She tries to sound more confident than she feels; if the cougars do find them, what can she do? Act all big and scary? Hah!
Vincent nods at Sketch's statement, watching her care for Skelaghe, tail flicking slightly behind him. His attention is then turned outwards, towards the glade- watching for cougars. Or whatever. His nerves are still a little on edge from it all. "Yeah, we'll keep watch," he echos, nodding towards Skel' and giving her his best comforting, confident smile. It's not bad, but it's obvious he's stressed. Who wouldn't be, really?
They should not be keeping watch. They should be getting sleep too. All three of them will need it, but at least Skelaghe is used to traveling the types of distances they will be traveling. "We cannot stay long. Rest lightly, but rest." Why not? After all, if the cougars appear, they're all dead. Or, at least, she is.
There is always the chance that Vincent and Sketch could lead the cougars away from Skelaghe, hopefully keeping the wolf from being killed. But hopefully they won't be bothered at all. Sketch isn't sure that she'll be able to sleep at all, as the thought of waking up to jaws around her throat or claws tearing into her body is a nightmare waiting to happen. She can, however, help the wolf rest, so she lowers herself down next to Skelaghe. "Thanks for.. trying.. and.. all that you've done for us so far." Her voice is grateful, even if a little frustrated. It's certainly not directed at the wolf, as she did try everything possible. Sketch's frustration is mostly at the wolfpack for not wanting to help.
Vincent was thinking the same thing as Sketch, but fortunately like her he does not voice his... plan. His hopes lie in remaining undisturbed. His tail taps gently on the ground and he nods to Sketch. "Thanks," he echos, then adds, "But I think rest is a good idea too, on reflection. I'm a little fresher than you two- I didn't run all day. I'm happy to stay up a bit longer if necessary. But you two definitely need to sleep... so I'll watch for a little, in case they come back. If they don't, then I'll sleep too. Sound like a plan?"
Skelaghe closes her eyes when Sketch lies down beside her. She is trying not to think much, because her thoughts are invariably unhappy. When Vincent speaks, her eyes open again. She speaks, but her tone is not judgemental. "We have far to go, yet. If you get a chance, sleep. We should not stop often." Paranoid? No. Smart? Yes. This is not, after all, her absolute first encounter with adversity. That doesn't make it easy, though.
"Thanks for staying with us, Vincent," Sketch says, eyes betraying her gratitude as she looks at the male. There's a big difference between being friendly, which Vincent has been, and being an actual friend, which he's fast becoming. "That means a lot to me, and I'm sure it does to Skel as well." She smiles, then rests her head down on her forepaws, "Please do get some sleep before too long."
"Not a problem," Vincent says, returning the smile to Sketch. He sits, slowly grooming at a paw, cleaning it and settling down to watch. "I will," he promises her, seeming pleased. "In a little while... when everything's calmed down." The male looks out over the area, keeping a watch. "Now you two... sleep, okay?"
He does not have to ask a second time... Or even the first time, really. Skelaghe closes her eyes again. Sleep comes surprisingly easy, after the past several hours, but it /is/ a light sleep. Her ears twitch often, and she even occasionally opens her eyes, but it will be at least a couple hours before she really stirs, unless something happens to bring her out of sleep.
Skelaghe - Female Wolf
Sketch - Female Dog
Vincent - Male Dog
Storm - Female Wolf
Miakoda - Female Wolf
- Rippling Stream -
Sketch's question still hangs between them. Skelaghe can do nothing but focus on running, on not giving into the pain that nearly threatens to cripple her as the run becomes an extended one. It is not until the stream is in sight that she even begins to slow down, but very soon after she slows, she stops moving altogether, panting heavily and standing only on three legs. She wants to look behind her, but she's afraid of what she might see, as if the cougars worked up the courage to follow them, there will be no escape. She gave everything she had to that plan, and if it failed...
... but thankfully, it didn't fail. Sketch comes to a gasping halt as the wolf stops, keeping herself between Skelaghe and their pursuers; thankfully it's an unneeded caution as there is no sign of the cougars. Why would they have just stopped chasing them? Tired already? Or perhaps they were just chasing them for fun without intending to actually do anything to them? Neither possibility is very comforting, but now that they're safe for the immediate present, they can catch their breath and rest. And as she looks over to the wolf, Sketch notes with concern that the lupine's injury seems to be acting up again.
Vincent sits by the water, his head folded on his paws. Although a fair distance away with no breeze to carry a scent, Vincent could hardly miss the ragged panting of two escapees from... well, whatever it is they're running from. He climbs up to his paws, shaking off the accumulated dirt, then begins to make a beeline towards the two. He proceeds somewhat cautiously, but cautious was never... intrinsic... to his nature. The male sniffs occasionally, trying to obtain a hint. "Hello?" he calls to the trees, tail swishing lightly. "You okay?"
Skelaghe has not had to chase down any prey that far or that fast since she was injured. Yes. It hurts. But after a moment, she takes a couple steps closer to the water, still favoring her injured hindleg greatly. She nearly jumps when the sudden voice reaches her ears, and her turn to face that direction is slow, stiff. After running for her life, her trusting nature has taken a slight hit, even if it will only be temporary.
Sketch is rather startled as well, though after what they just endured, perhaps it's understandable that she's still a little on edge. But when she recognizes the owner of the voice as he approaches, her surprise only grows, and is now joined by delight, shyness, anxiety, and.. just about everything else. Going from being chased by monstrous cats to suddenly running into the very dog she was asking Skelaghe about earlier? It's been quite a crazy day so far. "Vincent!" she calls, tail instinctively wagging a little bit. Should she ask for his help in assisting Skelaghe to the water's edge? Would the wolf want to be helped by another dog?
Vincent blinks twice in surprise. Well, that's an... unexpected, but entirely welcome, voice- "Sketch!" he replies, bouncing forward- temporarily forgetting the reason why he investigated the noises in the first place. Smiling broadly, he pushes through the undergrowth to reveal himself, tail swishing happily- his face slowly becoming concerned. "Hey, uh- you two a'right?" he asks, padding closer, inspecting both Skelaghe and Sketch in turn. "What's happened?"
Skelaghe relaxes noticibly when the dog appears, when it becomes obvious that Sketch knows him. Though she is not a proud animal, she is determined to stand, and she would not be very accepting of help in this moment. To whatever is watching them, after that chase, she must appear strong, capable of taking care of herself and her charge. The last thing she could handle right now is an attack, and the best way to avoid that is to appear strong. Not an easy target. She gives a nod to Vincent's first question. They. Are. Fine. She then turns to face the water again, leaving Sketch to answer his second question, and forcing herself to walk normally, regardless of how much it hurts. To anyone who knows her, it is clear that she is behaving far from normal, not her upbeat, pleasant, social self.
"We just got chased.. by.. *pant*.. these huge.. cat monsters!" Sketch knows that it would sound like a crazy and impossible story, aside from the fact that they look very much out of breath, plus Skel's obvious injury. She takes a long, shaky breath, trying to calm herself down. It's good to see Vincent again, yes, though perhaps it might have been better under slightly less.. awkward circumstances. The female Alsatian's attention turns back to her wolf friend, and she pads alongside, encouraging the wolf to head to the water's edge. Nothing like a crisp drink of water after a long run, right?
Vincent ponders for a moment. Skelaghe seems... well. She seems obviously hurt, but the injury doesn't seem to be affecting her very much, except that there's a definite stiffness there- very different from how she was when he last saw her. Still, obviously something's gone wrong, so... he focuses his attention on Sketch. Skelaghe seems injured but coping- Sketch doesn't seem wounded at all. "Cat... monsters?" he asks, frowning curiously. He turns and follows Sketch to the water, tail swaying around behind him. "I don't understand. I mean..." his voice seems to grow a little nervous. "Just... exactly how large were they?"
"Cougars." Skelaghe winces as soon as the word leaves her mouth. No, she cannot let Sketch become fearful of those felines, and she adds, quickly, "Most I have met have not been that... Aggressive." Not so long as they are shown the proper respect, anyway. It takes her a few moments to reach the water, and she actually just sits. She doesn't want to crouch down in order to get a drink. She just wants to rest, preferrably lying down, but... Who knows how long it may be safe to stay here? Those cougars chased them a bit into the copse. If they had only wanted to scare the dog and wolf away, they would have stopped as soon as Skel and Sketch started running. If they really want to make sure the two of them never come back, would they go so far as to track them around the copse? No, she and Sketch cannot stay here long.
Cougars? So that's what they're called. Sketch notes their name, though she doubts with such a vivid first encounter she'll ever have trouble remembering. Her ears perk a little at the wolf's words; apparently cougars are a lot more friendly than that? They sure /look/ monstrous, though! "They were bigger than us, Vincent. Very scary-looking." And they sure could run! Once again, Sketch is puzzled as to why they broke off the chase, and wonders if the wolf has any idea.
Vincent seems to understand, nodding his head thoughtfully. "Cougars," he echoes, nodding once again. Yes, yes- that would make sense. Not giant cat monsters, each the size of a horse, roaming around the countryside devouring innocent puppies for breakfast... no, that's just a terrible, terrible nightmare and not true at all. "I'm sure they looked scary," he admits, "but... Skelaghe is right- they usually are not so dangerous. Not usually, anyway... it's very strange." He noses Sketch in a friendly fashion, smiling lightly at her. "You a'right?"
Well, that's a relief to hear. Sketch can't exactly picture what a /friendly/ cougar would be like, but she's sure that if Skel and Vincent both say that they exist, then she wouldn't mind meeting one some day. "I'm.. fine," she acknowledges, nosing back at the male. "Skel said that you could stay with us, if.. well.. you wanted to." It's probably more of a question than a statement, and although her voice is low, it probably could be overheard by the wolf. Definitely the perfect time for his company though; perhaps with his additional help, the cougars wouldn't be brave enough to try their attack again!
Vincent seems to be relieved by Sketch's words, his smile growing. "Hey, that's great!" he says, seeming relieved at that. "I'd love to- sounds like a plan." He subconsciously keeps his voice low as well, simply because Sketch is doing it. Maybe she's just trying to be quiet so that the cougars don't find them... or something. Vince' was never the brightest tool in the shed, so this line of reasoning sounds perfectly acceptable to him. "Don't worry. It's not likely they'll follow you this far. Uhh, normally... I'm sure we're okay here." He smiles. "I'm glad to see you again. I'd thought... well."
Skelaghe winces again at what Sketch says. Yes, she said that Vincent could stay with them, and she was being sincere. The timing of this all, though... Slowly, she shakes her head and looks to Vincent and Sketch. "They should not have followed us as far as they did." Skelaghe has many faults, many weaknesses. Reading animals is not one of them. She has devoted her entire life to listening to what animals are saying and, in many cases, what they are not saying. "It isn't safe here. We will have to keep moving." Maybe not right this second, but she doesn't agree with what Vincent said, and she doesn't what Sketch to think that their journey is over, that they will be able to rest here.
Who cares if they have to keep moving? Vincent's joining them! Sketch looks immensely relieved--see, that wasn't difficult at all!--and even a tiny bit gleeful. Vincent is glad to see her again? That eases a good bit of her anxiety and shyness, and even gives her enough courage to give him a quick lick on the cheek. And then she's blushing, moving away from the male to try and hide it, stepping toward her wolf friend. "Are you able to keep walking, or do you need to rest for a bit? Vincent and I can protect you, of course." Brave words, and nearly laughable at that. But Sketch is entirely serious.
Vincent looks pleased too. The male gets to hang around with Sketch all the time, along with Skelaghe who he's heard so much about- can't say he's going to complain at all! His tail swishes happily behind him, despite the implied threat of further couger trouble. Vince smiles at the lick, giving the slightest smirk at her blush- hehe. Still, as Sketch moves away from him, he gives a cautious glance around at the woods nearby, just to appease his paranoia. He nods at Sketch's reassurances, although obviously, well, an attack now would be... quite disasterous.
Skelaghe knows that Sketch would certainly try, but the two dogs are no match for two violent cougars. "I'll be fine, but..." Skelaghe glances off to the south. She has taken that journey many times, and though she knows it leads through Lazuli territory, she was never afraid when it was just her. But the Lazuli are not friendly towards dogs, and she isn't sure that her vouching for them will sway their opinion any. "We'll have to be careful. There is a wolf pack south of here, and... I'm not sure we'll be very welcome." She lets out a deep sigh. This is not how she had imagined her day going, earlier, when she was just enjoying the spring sun.
While alone with Skelaghe, the female Alsatian could almost believe that wolves really weren't the scary creatures from her childhood. But now, faced with the apparent dangerous trip through wolf territory, those fears threaten to come back. But.. with Skelaghe with them, shouldn't they be okay? What other options do they have, however? Face the cougars again? Sketch trusts Skel's wisdom far more than her own, so she just nods slowly, willing to do whatever is necessary.
Vincent nods his head to Skelaghe, agreeing with her. "Then careful we should be," he says, nodding his head for emphasis. "I don't know how they'll handle a pair of dogs and a wolf- if it will help, Sketch and I can probably skirt the borders of their lands, skipping around most of their territory." He pauses a moment, thinking. "It's also possible they might let us through, I don't know... it's just a suggestion." He chuckles a little. "Coming up with cunning plans is not really my forte, sorry."
It will be okay, if she can just find Bodhi... Or so she hopes. Bodhi will know she means no harm to Lazuli, and maybe he can speak for them, because... Well, running through the copse worked. The cougars didn't follow them into the land that had the strong scent of canines. If they can stay in Lazuli until she is healed, then... Well, then they can continue on until they are far away and really safe. She stands to begin walking south. They have rested long enough. Too long, maybe. After she takes the first step, she addresses what Vincent said by replying with, "Whatever you do, you stay close to me. Both of you." If Sketch and Vincent are caught in Lazuli while Skelaghe is not around... She would hate to think about what might happen.
Sketch certainly intends to do just that, and as they start off, her ears flatten a little even as she's gazing from side-to-side, wondering how many wolves they're going to encounter. There's no way they'll be able to outrun them, and Sketch feels as though she could rest a whole three days right now. They'll just have to hope that either they don't encounter any at all, or else Skelaghe's going to be hard-pressed to talk them out of any situation they find themselves in.
Vincent keeps himself close to Skelaghe, his tail still as he follows close by the female, giving an occasional glance to her and Sketch. This is... a risky plan, but it should work. Might work. Well, it's the best they can do... "Not a problem, close it is," he says with a nod of his head. He gives Sketch a reassuring smile, tail wagging just a bit. "Don't worry. Skel' will handle it, okay?" He doesn't quite believe it himself, but... well. Sketch looks more worried than him at this point.
- Crooked Brook -
It does not take them long to arrive in an area where the scent of wolves is getting stronger. By then, Skelaghe's limp has returned, more pronounced than it was this morning. She could not handle walking normally for long. Unless she spots Bodhi, her plan is currently to walk straight through Lazuli. It wouldn't take the cougars long to find them north of here, but to travel through all of Lazuli territory... Well, it would buy them time, but it /is/ risky, and Skelaghe keeps her attention devoted to her surroundings as she leads the two dogs.
They won't be able to continue for long; Sketch can tell that much simply from glancing at the wolf. But how long is necessary? Or a better question: how far do they have to travel before being clear of wolf territory? It was fairly obvious when they entered, and now the heavy scent of lupine is all around them, only adding to her fear. Will they make it out alive? Hopefully they'll remain undetected.
Vincent walks alongside Sketch behind Skelaghe, cautious and wary. He keeps an alert visage, looking out for danger... well, to the best of his ability, anyway. He gives Sketch an occasional, reasurring smile, although he doesn't feel very confident himself. With good reason, one can definitely assume.
With the threat of cougars all around the pack have been on full alert, going undetected now is not going to happen. The aging alpha is standing among the brush, her bright gaze settling upon the three as they move ever closer. A thin frown crosses Storm's maw while she suddenly moves forward, hackles raised and tail lifting while her head lowers as she comes into view. "What are you three doing this deep in the forest?" One is a wolf, the other two dogs, dogs is not somthing she wants in her home and its not going to change now.
Miakoda is right behind Storm, likely having gone out on dual patrols with her Alpha. Her head is kept low, eyes alert though mind distant. Her jaw is set tightly as she moves, though the scent in the breeze is difficult to ignore. Ears flicking back, she glances to Storm before looking ahead, eyes catching movement. A wolvish figure, and ... two not so wolvish figures. A low growl rises instinctively as the scent of dog is inhaled, and the two unknown creatures are eyed as he steps to Storm's side, silent for now.
Skelaghe turns stiffly to face the voices. Wolves. One of them is very vaguely familiar, but neither of them is the one wolf she would have hoped to run into. It figures that she would be able to find him anywhere /but/ his home territory. She moves to place herself between the coming wolves and the two dogs that have been following her, limping even for this short period. With a bow of her head to the wolfess who spoke, she says, "I am sorry for our presence. It is only due to necessity, I assure you."
So much for remaining undetected. The wolves' sudden entrance throws Sketch into a panic, though there's nothing she can do, save to crouch down and be as submissive and unthreatening as possible. Her eyes briefly look over at Vincent, wondering what he's thinking. Probably something along the lines of what a foolish idea it was to come with she and Skelaghe. If he's killed here because she wanted him to come along, she'll never forgive herself. Of course, she'll likely die too, and forgiveness would be a moot concern at that point.
Vincent's tail drops as well, the male taking a step or two backwards, cautiously backing up and displaying a similarly unthreatening, submissive posture. The male keeps silent, glancing back at Sketch, trying to appear confident. Hmm... this is a pretty pickle they've gotten themselves into, but... hopefully one which Skelaghe can extract them from. There's not much he can do to assist at this point, so he wisely shuts up.
Storm ears flick forward while she sniffs at the air still standing her ground in the process. "If it is such a necessity then you will need too tell me why." She says with a thin tone. "I'm Storm, Alpha of the Lazuli pack who lands you happen to be upon at this very moment in time." Her gaze turns to the male dog and she eyes him thinly before she looks to the other dog and then once more the wolf as she awaits answers.
Miakoda's eyes remain on the dogs, taking in their size. Their coating. Their stances. As submissive as the two of them appear, the look of immense distaste fails to leave her eyes, and her growl only quiets once Storm speaks again. Her ears remain raised, as does her head, though it's kept practicedly a tad lower than Storm's. It's an intricate dance of ranking, and one that Mia has perfected over the years. Eventually do her eyes skip to Skelaghe once more. She's seen this wolf before at some point long ago, though running with dogs seems to be enough of a black mark to devour any thoughts of a greeting or acknowledgement of that.
"Yes, I have heard much about you and your mate." Skelaghe keeps her head low. She has no status here. In this moment, she really would prefer not to be here at all, even though she has been this far into Lazuli territory many times in the past. She will do nothing to provoke either of the Lazuli wolves to attack. Her tail is low, her ears splayed. "I would not have trespassed, but we have been chased here by violent cougars to the north. The two behind me mean you and your pack no harm, harbor no ill will toward wolves. You have my word." For whatever little that might mean to the two wolves in front of her.
Obviously she and Vincent mean no harm toward wolves; they would hardly be with Skelaghe if they did! Sketch can't help but stare at Storm, thinking of just how little she knows of wolfpack hierarchies; the alpha female would no doubt deserve every ounce of respect Sketch can give, but are there any other protocols that she needs to be aware of? Things to say or not say?
Vincent, much like Sketch, knows very little about wolves and the way their societies function. Still... well, not much better ways to find out than to observe, right? Naturally he'd prefer if such observation didn't get him killed, but... well. At least the somewhat-dim dog is learning something. He shuffles closer to Sketch, keeping his muzzle shut and watching the exchange.
Storm blinks as she listens to the wolf, her ears flick back and a glance is offered to Mia at the talk of cougars before she looks back to Skelaghe. "An you felt the need to run through my land and perhaps bring them to my door?" She questions, suddenly /very/ mad at the thought. The alpha steps forward, hackles raised once more and a low growl escapes her. "An I'm suppose to just let you go through my lands so they may follow your scent through them?"
"Cougars?" It is the first word that Miakoda has spokent, and it's said with a subtle sound of alarm. Cougars ... /violent/ cougars chasing a wolf and two dogs? Perhaps they're against the queer alliance as well ... but to do as much to give chase so far? Her eyes flit to the dogs with a renewed look of loathing, but her words are spoken solely to the female wolf of the odd pack. "Why do the cougars seek you and your mongrels?" she asks, speaking the last word gruffly, as if it contains an acidic aftertaste. "So much so that they are compelled to chase you like prey?"
"If I knew why, I could have fixed it." Skelaghe's tone remains calm, but she is definitely insistent as she addresses Miakoda, the familiar one, first. They have done only what they had to so they can survive. She turns her attention to Storm. "You are many. We are few. The cougars did not chase us through dog territory. They will not chase us through your territory. I said they were violent, not that they were stupid. I would not do that to you or your pack. I have friends here." Storm and Miakoda may not be among those friends, but even so, Skelaghe would not wish them ill.
Mongrels? Is that really how wolves view dogs? Sketch finds herself shrinking down even more, swallowing hard at the insult. It really hits home just how much Skelaghe's company has meant to her over the last weeks, and she can't help but wonder to what extent Skel views her as a mongrel as well. Is that just a natural tendency for wolves, being the stronger, smarter, and superior species? But even as she listens to Skelaghe reply, she can't help but wince a little. Her friend is speaking in short, choppy sentences that can only reflect her own anxiety with the situation.
Vincent slinks down further as well, lowering his head, keeping well back and absorbing the information. Well... this could be friendlier, for sure. Still... Vince is glad Skelaghe is here. She'll be able to handle them. His eyes look over the other wolves gathered here, examining them. There sure are a lot of them, and they look tough... arrg. This isn't so good, no, not at all...
"You have not ever dealt with cougars before this then I take it?" Storm questions to the other wolf while shaking her head. The pack had to deal with a bear once, and she saw cougars on her travels when she was younger but never dealt with them. "If they want something badly enough they will go where ever they want to. Numbers don't matter to them." Cougars are stronger then wolves its a given fact, and most cougars don't not travel in pairs, other then what she knows of the ones up in the mountain. "I can not permit you to come any further. I suggest you find another way around to get away from the cats." It might be a harsh call but the aging alpha is in no mood to deal with things like this, specially a pair of mad cougars if they should follow after the trio.
Miakoda lightly snorts out a breath and shakes her head faintly, scoffing at the phrase of dog's territory. "Perhaps you should have stayed in dog 'territory'," she retorts with a look back to the tio, pointedly settling her golden gaze upon the female dog, "if it was so luxuriously cougar-free.." Spoken as if the words are difficult to believe. She quiets then, eyes turning to Storm as she speaks and lays down her verdict of the situation. She will follow whatever Storm says, and she nods to herself. The Alpha's word is law, besides.
Skelaghe has, on the other hand, dealt with cougars often. They can be reasoned with. They are intelligent. They do not take uncalculated risks. Her heart sinks when this Lazuli alpha forbids them from traveling along the river, though. Even if it is only because of the dogs who are accompanying her, it hurts. It hurts, that she is being denied one of her very few chances for survival, when the risk to these wolves is so small. When she has done everything she can to watch out for members of Lazuli, or at least for wolves who posed as members of Lazuli, when they were outside of Lazuli lands. It takes a moment of silence so that she can hold herself back from what she wants to say. The Alpha /is/, after all, looking out for her own. Skelaghe should not attempt to make her feel guilty for that, even though she knows how minimal the risk is, and how the Lazuli wolves /would/ be able to drive the cougars back, possibly even kill them, if they stood together. It is tempting, though. Finally, she nods. "I understand."
Storm merely stands her ground as she watches the trio still. There was no point trying to pull a guilt trip on her she's been here too long, and dealt with too much. She is indeed trying to keep her pack save. After all Felstride and herself are not young wolves anymore, an even though she is still in her prime she would rather not deal with a cougar, or more then one if given the chance. A simple nod is offered to the other wolf. "Be well on your travels, an do try to stay safe. That is what I can offer you." A slight glanceis offered to Miakoda, possible to get her take on this to see if she agrees with her call.
Miakoda flicks an ear before she turns her head to nudge gently at Storm's shoulder with her nose. Yes, it seems as if she agrees, and her reassuring touch is a sign of solidity of the Alpha and Beta pair. Though the dogs are disregarded, her head is very faintly dipped to Skelaghe. She is a kindred wolf, after all. A sister, in a sense, and she wishes no harm to come to her. "Truly," she offers in addition, her tone less harsh, less ill-tempered than before, "do tread carefully. Keep your wits about you," she advises, likely assuming that her companions are imcapable of doing such for themselves.
Skelaghe still does not want to leave Sketch and Vincent vulnerable to a potential attack from the wolves. She looks back to them and gestures with her head that they should head back northwards. They'll travel a short while, and then follow Lazuli's northern border east. They have no choice... But they won't be able to get to safety yet today. She knows that. She can only hope to get far enough that the cougars won't manage to catch up with them while they rest. After making that gesture to the dogs, she glances back at the female wolves. She has never wished any group, or any animal, ill, and she doesn't now, but after the chase this morning, the aggravation of her injury, and then /this/... Well, it is easy to see why Bodhi spends so much time away from his pack, something she thought she would never do, never understand, were she to find herself a new pack. She ignores their comments, looking away again, because all she can think about the the death sentence that those two wolves likely just gave to her and her companions.
Tread carefully? Be well? Keep their wits? Stay safe? Those words are nothing more than a complete and total slap in the face. For all their consoling words, these wolves are forcing the three to return to certain death! If the cougars are waiting for them, then how are they supposed to survive? Perhaps Sketch and Vincent might--/might/--be able to outrun them, but there is /no/ way that Skelaghe would be able to, as injured as she is right now. And with a sudden flash of insight, Sketch realizes what she needs to do. Still cowering close to the ground, she crawls forward toward the wolves, ears slicked against her skull. A few feet in front of Skelaghe, she stops, and looks pleadingly toward Storm. The alpha. The one with the authority to make the all-important decision. "Please," she whimpers. "I owe my life to Skelaghe for her rescuing me, and can't bear the thought of her being ripped apart by those cougars. Can you at least allow her to stay long enough to recover from her limp? Vincent and I will leave, as requested."
Storm blinks as she looks to the dog, watching as she grovels before her basicly. She says nothing, and shows no emotion. "I don't think she would stay if I offered that to her. I've made her mad because I told her you must leave." The alpha says softly, the younger canine does pull at her heart but she can not put the safety of strangers above her family. "You must leave now, follow along the border of the land if you must that is all I can off you." Not like she can keep them from doing that to start with. "If Skelaghe wishes to stay and rest she may for a short time but that is all I will offer."
No! Skelaghe has done everything she can to downplay Sketch's life debt because she /doesn't/ want Sketch killed trying to repay it. She looks at Sketch, silent for as long as Storm speaks. Without looking back to the alpha, Skelaghe says, "You know as little about why you have made me angry as you know about cougars, or any species not your own." There is only the briefest of pauses, then Skelaghe speaks again, directly to the dog at whom she is looking. "We are leaving now, Sketch. I would not stay in a place that could send a young animal out to die when the risk to them is practically nonexistant. Now move." Skelaghe does not like the anger... But it is better than the fear and distrust that she had, previously.
Sketch is already cowering, but at Skel's words from behind her, she wilts a little, then finally drags herself to her feet. Well, she tried. Crestfallen, the female Alsatian turns around and begins walking toward the north. Is there a chance that the cougars might have left by now? Her opinion of wolves has definitely been shaped by what has happened here.
Vincent looks about to say something- but wisely shuts up. He gets up when Sketch leaves, walking out with her, tail low and dejected. "I thought that was very brave of you," he says to her as he leaves, glancing at Skelaghe as he departs, nodding to her. He knows she did the right thing, although it's hard.
Storm lifts a brow as she hears Skelaghe and shakes her head. "An you know little about me and my pack then. Do not think I have not thought about what might happen to you three. But I will not put your lives over that of my family. You seem to have a relationship with the dogs you are with then why not go to that piece of area where the dogs are then instead of coming into the forest?" She snorts and shakes her head while turning to leave. "Do not return Skelaghe.." Do not make the alpha say that again, because if she does there will more trouble for sure. She moves back to where she was before coming out to 'meet' the dogs and settles down, Miakoda following after her and the two merely watch as they leave, no more words to offer the trio.
It is not that the alpha is turning them away. Skelaghe held her tongue when it was just that. It is that Storm is hiding behind the idea of protecting her family, even after saying that Skelaghe could stay to rest for a short time while insisting that the two dogs, one of whom is barely an adult, leave. Skelaghe is not welcome amongst dogs, not even ones who would consider her a friend. There is only one other choice. She will walk until she can not walk any further, rest for as short a time as possible, and then continue, and hopefully they can make it to the mountain, to the only other place she imagines they will be safe. She does not speak again, and will not until they are well away from Storm. As much as she dislikes the anger, she /really/ doesn't want to act on it.
- Maple Glade -
They are barely outside of Lazuli territory when Skelaghe turns to head west. She has never felt anger this strong before, and it takes a long time to burn itself out. It drives her to walk in silence, ignoring her companions for as long as they do not venture too far away from her, until she trips over an exposed tree root that was hidden by thick brown leaves from last fall, yelping and stumbling as she attempts to keep from falling. She keeps her footing, barely, but it forces her to stop, to admit to herself that they should probably rest. Her entire leg is aching, she is tired, and she desperately needs to lie down, even though they remain far from safety.
If she was afraid before, now Sketch is all but completely paranoid. She can practically feel the predatory gaze of the cougars watching them, waiting for the perfect time to strike. And when Skelaghe stumbles and yelps, Sketch nearly jumps out of her skin. Once she realizes what happened, she rushes to the wolf's side, nosing at her. "Are you okay?"
Vincent follows Sketch, his mood dejected and just a little frightened. The silent, fightened walk is broken only by Skelaghe tripping over... with a response from Vince' that is entirely predictable- Vince panics and nearly bolts, jumping almost his own height into the air and completely spinning around, hackles raised. "AAAH! AAAH!" Pant, pant, pant. The male slowly calms himself, turning back around to face Skelaghe and Sketch, grinning sheepishly. "... wow, sorry. Um. You okay there?"
Skelaghe is not surprised that her sudden yelp scared her companions. She is silent, though, as they both realize what happened, and then ask her if she's okay. No, she's not, but what is wrong with her has little to do with her leg, so after a brief pause, she nods. "I will be okay. I just need to rest." None of the anger that was in her tone the last time she spoke is there now. They will have to speak about the reason for her anger in the future, but Skelaghe has no desire to address it, right now, so for as long as Sketch is willing to avoid the topic of her life debt, Skelaghe will do the same. After speaking, she lies down slowly.
Rest sounds like a great idea, and immediately Sketch is doing what she can to assist the wolf down to the ground, followed by another nosing to try and comfort her. "You go ahead and rest; Vincent and I will keep watch." She tries to sound more confident than she feels; if the cougars do find them, what can she do? Act all big and scary? Hah!
Vincent nods at Sketch's statement, watching her care for Skelaghe, tail flicking slightly behind him. His attention is then turned outwards, towards the glade- watching for cougars. Or whatever. His nerves are still a little on edge from it all. "Yeah, we'll keep watch," he echos, nodding towards Skel' and giving her his best comforting, confident smile. It's not bad, but it's obvious he's stressed. Who wouldn't be, really?
They should not be keeping watch. They should be getting sleep too. All three of them will need it, but at least Skelaghe is used to traveling the types of distances they will be traveling. "We cannot stay long. Rest lightly, but rest." Why not? After all, if the cougars appear, they're all dead. Or, at least, she is.
There is always the chance that Vincent and Sketch could lead the cougars away from Skelaghe, hopefully keeping the wolf from being killed. But hopefully they won't be bothered at all. Sketch isn't sure that she'll be able to sleep at all, as the thought of waking up to jaws around her throat or claws tearing into her body is a nightmare waiting to happen. She can, however, help the wolf rest, so she lowers herself down next to Skelaghe. "Thanks for.. trying.. and.. all that you've done for us so far." Her voice is grateful, even if a little frustrated. It's certainly not directed at the wolf, as she did try everything possible. Sketch's frustration is mostly at the wolfpack for not wanting to help.
Vincent was thinking the same thing as Sketch, but fortunately like her he does not voice his... plan. His hopes lie in remaining undisturbed. His tail taps gently on the ground and he nods to Sketch. "Thanks," he echos, then adds, "But I think rest is a good idea too, on reflection. I'm a little fresher than you two- I didn't run all day. I'm happy to stay up a bit longer if necessary. But you two definitely need to sleep... so I'll watch for a little, in case they come back. If they don't, then I'll sleep too. Sound like a plan?"
Skelaghe closes her eyes when Sketch lies down beside her. She is trying not to think much, because her thoughts are invariably unhappy. When Vincent speaks, her eyes open again. She speaks, but her tone is not judgemental. "We have far to go, yet. If you get a chance, sleep. We should not stop often." Paranoid? No. Smart? Yes. This is not, after all, her absolute first encounter with adversity. That doesn't make it easy, though.
"Thanks for staying with us, Vincent," Sketch says, eyes betraying her gratitude as she looks at the male. There's a big difference between being friendly, which Vincent has been, and being an actual friend, which he's fast becoming. "That means a lot to me, and I'm sure it does to Skel as well." She smiles, then rests her head down on her forepaws, "Please do get some sleep before too long."
"Not a problem," Vincent says, returning the smile to Sketch. He sits, slowly grooming at a paw, cleaning it and settling down to watch. "I will," he promises her, seeming pleased. "In a little while... when everything's calmed down." The male looks out over the area, keeping a watch. "Now you two... sleep, okay?"
He does not have to ask a second time... Or even the first time, really. Skelaghe closes her eyes again. Sleep comes surprisingly easy, after the past several hours, but it /is/ a light sleep. Her ears twitch often, and she even occasionally opens her eyes, but it will be at least a couple hours before she really stirs, unless something happens to bring her out of sleep.