Post by Therdde on Apr 19, 2009 20:36:36 GMT -5
Characters:
Malak - Male Cougar
Revan - Male Cougar
Sketch - Female Dog
Nayeli - Female Cougar
Kein - Male Cougar
- Wind-Blown Lowlands -
It was a surprise to see his brother in the area, and even more surprising to find that Revan had encountered Aylin, and learned about his cubs, first. Of course, malak had not suspected that his brother had fallen to any creature or to inability, but he /had/ figured Revan had long since moved on. After all, neither of them ever figured that they would travel together indefinitely. They get along well enough, but Malak certainly does not intend to settle the same permanent territory as his brother. Regardless, this reunion has been good. It has helped him to refocus his priorities... As well as to think about how he might continue his mission, one day, without Revan's help. Currently, Malak is just scouting the area around the base of the mountain. If Aylin insists on raising her children on this mountain, near her nephew, he can at least make sure the area is relatively safe, as one last favor before he leaves. To help his brother's, his father's, bloodline thrive, even if they are not his children, and even if he and Aylin just barely get along.
Though he had never once specified when or how he would leave his brother, Revan had always envisioned at least a discussion before the actual event happened. The flooding had been a circumstance outside of his control, and though Revan had indeed survived, it was certainly not optimal. Despite being with Whiskers and starting to raise their cubs together, he had been cut off from his brother. And, apparently, from another litter of cubs he had not even been aware of. Not that he doubted Aylin's heat or strength, but the certainty of pregnancy was not something he had taken for granted. A pleasant surprise to discover his other children, even if such a surprise was not mutually felt by their mother. But where to go from here? What to do now? He fully intends on returning to Whiskers; his trip over here has been too long as it is. Will his brother return with him? Stay with Aylin for reasons only Malak knows? Or perhaps part ways with all of them and strike out for territories undiscovered. For the immediate present, Revan is silent, waiting for Malak to speak first.
Malak does not know, himself, what the immediate future holds. He does not like Whiskers. He hardly likes Aylin. He does like Moonseeker, but besides her, this land holds nothing for him. No more than Revan's new home holds for him, but at least there, he would have a chance to break out of the apathy that has consumed him. He keeps these thoughts to himself, though, as a scent catches his nose. Wolves, dogs, horses, foxes... This section fo the base of the mountain just seems to be positively infected with lesser species, and suffice it to say that Malak is not pleased about it.
As long as his brother does not speak, Revan keeps silent as well. There is much to be thought about, though it would certainly help to know what his brother is planning on, or even mentally debating at this very moment. Should he ask Malak to come back with him, or should he leave that possibility unspoken? The female that Malak has taken an interest to, Moonseeker, comes briefly to mind, but he doubts that Malak would ever let a female tie him down to any particular location. The brothers do indeed have their differences, despite their unified front. Of course, there's also the--wait. Revan stops abruptly, sniffsniffing. That's the stench of canine, similar to the other scents they've run across, but this one is far more fresh and recent. But what really surprises him is the scent of a cougaress.. also recent. What is this? Another fellow cougar on the hunt of a canine? His eyes narrow and lips curl in satisfaction. Excellent. Hunting is always a good means of refreshing one's self. Perhaps afterward his brother will be more open to discussing their immediate future. "Shall we?" Revan asks softly, knowing Malak will have undoubtedly caught the same breeze.
It has been too long since Malak has tasted the blood of anything save rabbits, hares, and deer. For all their weaknesses, at least those species generally know that they are inferior. And now, with so much about Malak's future uncertain, the opportunity to work out he aggression, especially since that canine smell is somehow familiar... Malak responds to Revan's question that, were there any doubt that Revan will not be the outlet for Malak's more violent tendencies, would certainly be described as unpleasant. He does not answer verbally, though. There is no telling /precisely/ how close that creature is, and so it is in silence that Malak turns to follow the scent.
Were Sketch able to do anything to disguise her scent, no doubt she would hav done it a long time ago. Would that stop an attack from the two cougar brothers? Probably not, but at least it would hopefully keep the extra murderous edge out of their approach. For her own part, the Alsatian is quite unaware that she's being stalked, as her attention is entirely on the cougaress in front of her, giving her a short 'lesson' in group leadership.. from a slightly different perspective than what Kein might have taught.
All things considered, Nayeli is rather enjoying herself. Granted, it's time spent away from her beloved mate, but the matron considers this a valuable opportunity to strengthen and encourage someone who has come to trust Amaranth as friends. Besides, she'll see Kein again soon, most likely as quickly as he can travel to Ama and then back here. Just the thought of his reaction to what she's teaching this canine is.. a bit amusing.
It's as though this was meant to happen. Revan could not have hoped for a better wind to disguise their approach; blowing furiously in their direction, it should help mask not only their scent, but whatever little sound their paws make as the two males slink forward. Revan knows instinctively that his brother will target the canine, as now he recognizes the familiarity as well. Very well, then.. he'll stand by and watch, though he wonders if the cougaress is going to appreciate the assistance in killing this canine.. or if she'll be offended that she wasn't allowed the opportunity to finish her hunt alone. But wait.. that surely can't be conversation he hears? The cougaress /speaking/ to the lowly canine? Revan's dark eyes narrow as a surge of revulsion races through him. Apparently the cougaress, in teaching her lesson to the dog, needs to be taught a lesson in kind. A lesson of a much more serious nature. Angling slightly off to the side, he'll swing around to where he can ambush the female cougar at the appropriate time.
Truthfully, Malak does not despise lesser species much. Dogs, of course, are the exception, strictly for the way they ally themselves with other species so easily. Abomination. As he follows the scent, his anger grows, but only because he places who, exactly, this creature is. That little pest that tied herself to the crafty shewolf when she could find no human. Malak bares his teeth, but it isn't until he hears the same pleasant-sounding conversation that Malak's temper is really honed. So. The wolf was smart, and disappeared, and in absence of a wolf, the little dog decided to find herself a new substitute human... And a cougar, of all animals, allowed it. Malak has to fight back a growl, and if it weren't for the fact that he catches the sight of Revan moving away from him, slightly, to intercept the cougaress, Malak might be forced to change his target, to eliminate the dog's substitute human before he turns his attention to the hated dog. Luckily, his brother knows him well, and as they near the end of the long grasses, Malak crouches down, tracking the dog as much by sound as by scent. The only betrayal of his position is the subtle shifting of grasses and the whisper of his paws on the ground.
She might be receiving a lesson in leadership, but what Sketch really needs is a lesson in situational awareness. Granted, the two cougars presently stalking her possess a formidable amount of training in remaining undetected, but.. Sketch isn't paying much attention at all to what's around her. Her subconscious assumption is that Nayeli will be doing that for her, or maybe she's just too focused on what the cougaress is teaching her at the moment. Big mistake.
Something isn't right, and Nayeli suddenly stops in the middle of what she was saying, ears swiveling as she listens. Something.. isn't right. Maybe it's not anything specific she can articulate, but something is making her feel uneasy, and she doesn't like it. "Sketch, I think we should.." Suddenly she tenses up, but it's too late. Roughly two hundred pounds of cougar is already airborne, and she barely has time to snarl before she's easily flattened to the ground. Any thought of resistance is quickly dispelled as she can feel hot breath and sharp fangs lightly pressed against her throat, though not hurting her beside the discomfort of being pinned down. Her eyes flick over toward Sketch, silently begging for the canine to flee to safety.
All too easy. Even as Revan easily pins the cougaress to the ground, clamping his jaws around her throat to discourage any struggle, his eyes are on the canine to watch Malak's attack on the inferior creature. Yes, this was indeed too easy. Not that he expected it to be difficult, but... Revan does like a challenge, which this, obviously enough, was not.
Malak would not say he would have minded it, had these two managed to mount a successful fight. He is not upset about the easy with which this canine, who caused him so much trouble, who cause him and Revan to be separated and all of the ensuing trouble. Before Sketch has a chance to flee, almost immediately after Revan leaps at Nayeli, Malak follows suit, springing from the grass toward the last position where he hear the voice of the dog, his claws unsheathed and prepared to dig deeply into the flesh of the nearby creature and his teeth still bared as Malak is viciously driven to taste the blood of this hated dog.
Sketch blinks, looking in confusion at the cougaress. "What's wrong?" she asks, puzzled at the matron's unexpectedly odd behavior. And then everything turns to nightmarish as a huge male cougar is suddenly knocking the matron down to the ground, teeth at her throat. What the--! Sketch gives a horrified yip, but has no time to decide to either help Nayeli fight her attacker off.. or simply just flee.. as lines of fiery pain slash down her sides, knocking the breath out of her from the sheer agony of it. Who--? What--?
"Nooo! Please, stop!" Nayeli can barely get the words out through the stranglehold the male has on her throat. The /first/ male, it would seem, as suddenly there's a second, and just as terrifying as the one on top of her. The matron watches in stunned horror as the second male viciously attacks the female canine, and with a detached realization, Nayeli knows that neither of them are going to survive this. Oh, Kein...!
Their assault was flawless; he has the cougaress helpless beneath him, and his brother is making short work of the canine. Excellent. The only question is, what to do with this pitiful excuse for a female cougar? Should they kill her too, or should they let her live? If the latter, some sort of punishment must be given to answer the audacity of what she's done, befriending such an abomination! Wait.. he has an idea. "Malak, don't kill the dog yet." Yes, this might work quite well.
Malak had no intention of killing the dog immediately. He wanted to see recognition, wanted this dog to know who he was before he ended her life. His brother's voice, though, easily breaks through his violent nature, and seconds before Malak intended to lower his mouth to take a chuck of the dog's flesh, he draws himself back from the torture he had in mind for her. Even so, he flexes his claws and tries to drag them back through the flesh of the dog under him, just a little, breathing deeply to take in the scent of the dog's blood before he looks, with carefully-held self control, toward his brother, to see what Revan wants.
This is the perfect way to find out whether or not this cougaress is willing to prove her strength, her worthiness to live. Teeth are removed from Nayeli's neck as Revan replaces his stranglehold with a set of claws, ready to slash the female's throat if she moves. "It's quite simple, brother. We let this cougaress have the opportunity to kill that dog. If she agrees, we let her live. If she refuses, you kill that dog as slowly as you want, and then I'll kill her." Revan's teeth return to the cougaress' throat as he waits for his brother's response to his proposal.
Revan wants him to relinquish his claim on this dog? Malak attempts to dig his claws deeper into the dog's flesh just at the thought of losing his prey. /His/ prey. Then he calms down a little from the suggestion, though. Giving the female cougar the opportunity to agree to kill the dog isn't the same thing as letting her kill the dog... At least, it isn't so long as the cougaress doesn't know what is on his mind. So long as she thinks she'll be expected to make good on her agreement to kill the cur, there is no reason that he can't just go ahead and kill the dog after Nayeli agrees to do so in order to save her own life, anyway... And it will likely have much of the same effects. Mollified, Malak affixes Nayeli with a penetrating gaze and a vicious grin as he asks, "What do you say?"
What did she ever do to deserve such a damnable choice like this? Kill this poor Alsatian in order to spare her own life, or refuse and end up dead anyway? Nayeli can only stare over at Sketch, sickened by the amount of blood seeping from the dog's fur. Sickened by the expression of grim satisfaction on the cougar's face. Sickened by the impossible decision that expect of /her/, now. She's the matron, and not unfamiliar with difficult choices... but this? This is impossible.. ethically, morally, diplomatically, logically.. whichever. Where's her inner strength to fight back? Where's the plan she's supposed to be forming to gain control over the situation? Is that even possible at this point? "Never!" she finally snarls, wincing at the slight tightening of jaws on her throat. "Killing a friend isn't strength, even if she's not a cougar!"
Revan narrows his eyes at the female's refusal, though he's not entirely sure whether he's surprised. Would he have expected her to kill the creature that she was just conversing with not five minutes ago? That she gave shelter to, preventing he and his brother from killing it a long while back? No doubt what does surprise Revan is the female attempting to define 'strength' to /him/. Does he not embody strength in every aspect of the word? Malak as well? They've trained their entire lives, physically and mentally alike, and now this cougaress beneath his jaws is trying to prove him wrong. Incredible. Defiance, however, will not be tolerated. "Very well, then. Malak, do as you will with that disgusting creature."
The death Malak has planned for Sketch is not an easy one. This dog led them on a chase that took many days and ended in a failure that threw him off his game for entirely too long. A quick death would be far too kind, and Malak is not in a kind mood. Lowering his head, Malak whispers to her, "You should have run much further, dog, or not at all. Your wolf was smart, but I'll bet your dog was not. Don't worry, though. Your body won't be desecrated. Much. I want him to see it." During his speech, and only during his speech, were the claws still embedded in her held still. As soon as he finishes speaking, though, he draws his claws back to tear through her flesh, looking to cause her some pain without destroying her, to give her time to anguish between the words he said only for her and the pain his claws cause before he proves to be truthful to his word and snaps at her neck, wanting to leave an easily recognizable corpse for the dog that was with her last winter.
The pain is so excruciating and intense that Sketch can barely comprehend what's being said and done. All she knows is that she's never experienced anything so awful and so total before. The girl can barely make a whimper as she's quickly going into shock, both from the pain and from the blood loss. Distantly, she's aware of a choice being given to the cougaress, something about her dying, but there's a calm realization that she's probably going to die as it is, and nothing Nayeli says or does can change that now. And then.. it starts. Claws shredding through her flesh, and then the fangs, crushing her throat. The last thing that Sketch is consciously aware of is Nayeli's oddly faint-sounding scream as everything goes silent... and black.
"Sketch... nooo.." Nayeli cries, feeling utterly helpless as she watches the canine easily killed by the much bigger and stronger cougar. How could they do this? What did Sketch ever do to earn such a horrendous fate? The way the male speaks, though, is what truly terrifies Nayeli. They're /monsters/! Killing for the sadistic purpose of killing? And wanting Vincent to see Sketch's mutilated corpse? Twisted.. sick.. "Monsters!" the matron snarls, tempted to struggle and try and get free. But no--the fangs at her throat are much too sharp.
The death of this dog, /this/ dog, lifts a weight from Malak. Is it possible that, had they caught the dogs and that wolf a year ago, that Malak's relations with Aylin would have been much more pleasant? Yes. And now, it doesn't matter. The beast that irritated Malak the most is gone, and it is as though a thorn has been removed from his flesh, and the results of that festering failure have already begun to subside. With no more breaths coming from the creature, Malak slowly removes his claws from the dog, and his idle grooming of a paw as he listens to Nayeli's speech brings him the pleasant taste of his tormentor's blood. When he looks to Nayeli again, though, nothing about his expression seems to have changed. He is not at peace. He is every bit as vicious as he was before he brought an end to the dog's life. "You harboured this beast against those of your own kind for a year. /We/ are the monsters?" Malak will not mourn this cougaress's death. Far from it.
They left Amaranth. Kein cannot claim to be surprised, and he has no right to be upset, but he /is/ concerned. Why? To see Hahnee? What if the other one is with him? To see Skelaghe? What if her mate, the one she left Amaranth to join, doesn't appreciate the presence of a cougar in his territory? With the same worry that gnawed at him when he tracked Ama's scent along this route, he comes to the top of the final foothill before the terrain levels out into grass-covered ground, and he attempts to see his mate or her companion in the distance. Luck is not with him, though. He remains too far away to see or hear them, and the wind continues to blow northward, meaning not only that the scent of blood and death escapes him, but that his own scent is being carried toward the yet unseen animals in the grasses. After a short period spent scanning the horizon, he begins walking down the slope of the hill, still tracking the scent trail that brought him this far.
"It is truly a shame that your worldview is so evidently in need of correcting," Revan whispers. "How can you possibly see that dog as worth your time, energy, or attention? Or worse, something equal to yourself? I told you that if you refused to kill it, you would also die, and I meant it." His voice turns into a snarl, and his breath is hot against Nayeli's throat as he grabs ahold of her throat again, this time a good bit rougher than last. The stench of her fear is not nearly as pleasant as that of a lesser creature, and for a fleeting moment he's tempted to just leave her. After all, she /is/ another cougar, and he's reluctant to kill one of his own kind. And yet.. she's deserving of death, and he's already given his word. Revan inhales one last breath of her fear, and suddenly realizes that the same wind that protected their stealthy approach is now bringing the scent of another approaching cougar. Cursed luck; it's the cougaress' mate, the chieftain of the mountain tribe. Revan remembers the scent well, and knows that the brothers have a choice to make now. Kill the cougaress and stay to kill the newcomer? Or leave now and avoid possible injury to them both?
The scent that reaches them is not unknown to Malak. It was all over the southern part of the mountain. Aylin's nephew. Azriel's son. That one cub's father. Malak is just about to open his mouth, to warn his brother, when his sight focuses on Revan, and he can tell that his brother already knows. He knows approximately how old this female is. He has no way to know how old, how experienced, the approaching male may be, though, and besides that, Kein's family make him a potentially very dangerous enemy. Malak cannot simply run away, though. Finally distancing himself from the dog beneath him, he says, "I think you ought to leave this cougaress with something to remember us by, Revan... Something she can share with her companions so they do not make the same mistake again." Malak and Revan can save face without jumping into a situation without knowing what they're getting into, which would just be foolish.
Something for her to remember he and Malak by. Hmm. If he had more time to think, Revan might come up with a suitable injury or other manner of lasting impression, but given that time is now against them, he'll have to settle for something simple. He increases pressure with his jaws, possibly bruising the female's throat slightly, before letting go and pulling his head up an inch or two. "Such a shame you've made these wrong decisions and chosen the wrong path in life. You seem like you could have been a strong and worthy cougaress, were your ideals a bit more.. intact." With a snort of derision, Revan swiftly moves off of the female and with a subtle nod at his brother, heads back in the direction they came from. They still need to discuss their immediate future, and with the canine's blood still fresh on his claws and fangs, perhaps Malak will be a bit more open to conversation.
Malak considers issuing a warning about what he will do, should Nayeli move the corpse of that canine, or otherwise interfere with him. She heard his whispering to the dog, he knows, and she might just be stupid enough to do it. In the end, though, he decides that she has plenty enough to worry about besides the dead dog, that it should remain long enough for the other dog to find it, so when he joins his brother, it is without another word to the cougaress. Of course, he continues to listen to what is going on behind them, remains prepared to defend himself should he be wrong about how the Amaranth Chieftain will react, but otherwise he leaves those to the south alone, now.
Malak - Male Cougar
Revan - Male Cougar
Sketch - Female Dog
Nayeli - Female Cougar
Kein - Male Cougar
- Wind-Blown Lowlands -
It was a surprise to see his brother in the area, and even more surprising to find that Revan had encountered Aylin, and learned about his cubs, first. Of course, malak had not suspected that his brother had fallen to any creature or to inability, but he /had/ figured Revan had long since moved on. After all, neither of them ever figured that they would travel together indefinitely. They get along well enough, but Malak certainly does not intend to settle the same permanent territory as his brother. Regardless, this reunion has been good. It has helped him to refocus his priorities... As well as to think about how he might continue his mission, one day, without Revan's help. Currently, Malak is just scouting the area around the base of the mountain. If Aylin insists on raising her children on this mountain, near her nephew, he can at least make sure the area is relatively safe, as one last favor before he leaves. To help his brother's, his father's, bloodline thrive, even if they are not his children, and even if he and Aylin just barely get along.
Though he had never once specified when or how he would leave his brother, Revan had always envisioned at least a discussion before the actual event happened. The flooding had been a circumstance outside of his control, and though Revan had indeed survived, it was certainly not optimal. Despite being with Whiskers and starting to raise their cubs together, he had been cut off from his brother. And, apparently, from another litter of cubs he had not even been aware of. Not that he doubted Aylin's heat or strength, but the certainty of pregnancy was not something he had taken for granted. A pleasant surprise to discover his other children, even if such a surprise was not mutually felt by their mother. But where to go from here? What to do now? He fully intends on returning to Whiskers; his trip over here has been too long as it is. Will his brother return with him? Stay with Aylin for reasons only Malak knows? Or perhaps part ways with all of them and strike out for territories undiscovered. For the immediate present, Revan is silent, waiting for Malak to speak first.
Malak does not know, himself, what the immediate future holds. He does not like Whiskers. He hardly likes Aylin. He does like Moonseeker, but besides her, this land holds nothing for him. No more than Revan's new home holds for him, but at least there, he would have a chance to break out of the apathy that has consumed him. He keeps these thoughts to himself, though, as a scent catches his nose. Wolves, dogs, horses, foxes... This section fo the base of the mountain just seems to be positively infected with lesser species, and suffice it to say that Malak is not pleased about it.
As long as his brother does not speak, Revan keeps silent as well. There is much to be thought about, though it would certainly help to know what his brother is planning on, or even mentally debating at this very moment. Should he ask Malak to come back with him, or should he leave that possibility unspoken? The female that Malak has taken an interest to, Moonseeker, comes briefly to mind, but he doubts that Malak would ever let a female tie him down to any particular location. The brothers do indeed have their differences, despite their unified front. Of course, there's also the--wait. Revan stops abruptly, sniffsniffing. That's the stench of canine, similar to the other scents they've run across, but this one is far more fresh and recent. But what really surprises him is the scent of a cougaress.. also recent. What is this? Another fellow cougar on the hunt of a canine? His eyes narrow and lips curl in satisfaction. Excellent. Hunting is always a good means of refreshing one's self. Perhaps afterward his brother will be more open to discussing their immediate future. "Shall we?" Revan asks softly, knowing Malak will have undoubtedly caught the same breeze.
It has been too long since Malak has tasted the blood of anything save rabbits, hares, and deer. For all their weaknesses, at least those species generally know that they are inferior. And now, with so much about Malak's future uncertain, the opportunity to work out he aggression, especially since that canine smell is somehow familiar... Malak responds to Revan's question that, were there any doubt that Revan will not be the outlet for Malak's more violent tendencies, would certainly be described as unpleasant. He does not answer verbally, though. There is no telling /precisely/ how close that creature is, and so it is in silence that Malak turns to follow the scent.
Were Sketch able to do anything to disguise her scent, no doubt she would hav done it a long time ago. Would that stop an attack from the two cougar brothers? Probably not, but at least it would hopefully keep the extra murderous edge out of their approach. For her own part, the Alsatian is quite unaware that she's being stalked, as her attention is entirely on the cougaress in front of her, giving her a short 'lesson' in group leadership.. from a slightly different perspective than what Kein might have taught.
All things considered, Nayeli is rather enjoying herself. Granted, it's time spent away from her beloved mate, but the matron considers this a valuable opportunity to strengthen and encourage someone who has come to trust Amaranth as friends. Besides, she'll see Kein again soon, most likely as quickly as he can travel to Ama and then back here. Just the thought of his reaction to what she's teaching this canine is.. a bit amusing.
It's as though this was meant to happen. Revan could not have hoped for a better wind to disguise their approach; blowing furiously in their direction, it should help mask not only their scent, but whatever little sound their paws make as the two males slink forward. Revan knows instinctively that his brother will target the canine, as now he recognizes the familiarity as well. Very well, then.. he'll stand by and watch, though he wonders if the cougaress is going to appreciate the assistance in killing this canine.. or if she'll be offended that she wasn't allowed the opportunity to finish her hunt alone. But wait.. that surely can't be conversation he hears? The cougaress /speaking/ to the lowly canine? Revan's dark eyes narrow as a surge of revulsion races through him. Apparently the cougaress, in teaching her lesson to the dog, needs to be taught a lesson in kind. A lesson of a much more serious nature. Angling slightly off to the side, he'll swing around to where he can ambush the female cougar at the appropriate time.
Truthfully, Malak does not despise lesser species much. Dogs, of course, are the exception, strictly for the way they ally themselves with other species so easily. Abomination. As he follows the scent, his anger grows, but only because he places who, exactly, this creature is. That little pest that tied herself to the crafty shewolf when she could find no human. Malak bares his teeth, but it isn't until he hears the same pleasant-sounding conversation that Malak's temper is really honed. So. The wolf was smart, and disappeared, and in absence of a wolf, the little dog decided to find herself a new substitute human... And a cougar, of all animals, allowed it. Malak has to fight back a growl, and if it weren't for the fact that he catches the sight of Revan moving away from him, slightly, to intercept the cougaress, Malak might be forced to change his target, to eliminate the dog's substitute human before he turns his attention to the hated dog. Luckily, his brother knows him well, and as they near the end of the long grasses, Malak crouches down, tracking the dog as much by sound as by scent. The only betrayal of his position is the subtle shifting of grasses and the whisper of his paws on the ground.
She might be receiving a lesson in leadership, but what Sketch really needs is a lesson in situational awareness. Granted, the two cougars presently stalking her possess a formidable amount of training in remaining undetected, but.. Sketch isn't paying much attention at all to what's around her. Her subconscious assumption is that Nayeli will be doing that for her, or maybe she's just too focused on what the cougaress is teaching her at the moment. Big mistake.
Something isn't right, and Nayeli suddenly stops in the middle of what she was saying, ears swiveling as she listens. Something.. isn't right. Maybe it's not anything specific she can articulate, but something is making her feel uneasy, and she doesn't like it. "Sketch, I think we should.." Suddenly she tenses up, but it's too late. Roughly two hundred pounds of cougar is already airborne, and she barely has time to snarl before she's easily flattened to the ground. Any thought of resistance is quickly dispelled as she can feel hot breath and sharp fangs lightly pressed against her throat, though not hurting her beside the discomfort of being pinned down. Her eyes flick over toward Sketch, silently begging for the canine to flee to safety.
All too easy. Even as Revan easily pins the cougaress to the ground, clamping his jaws around her throat to discourage any struggle, his eyes are on the canine to watch Malak's attack on the inferior creature. Yes, this was indeed too easy. Not that he expected it to be difficult, but... Revan does like a challenge, which this, obviously enough, was not.
Malak would not say he would have minded it, had these two managed to mount a successful fight. He is not upset about the easy with which this canine, who caused him so much trouble, who cause him and Revan to be separated and all of the ensuing trouble. Before Sketch has a chance to flee, almost immediately after Revan leaps at Nayeli, Malak follows suit, springing from the grass toward the last position where he hear the voice of the dog, his claws unsheathed and prepared to dig deeply into the flesh of the nearby creature and his teeth still bared as Malak is viciously driven to taste the blood of this hated dog.
Sketch blinks, looking in confusion at the cougaress. "What's wrong?" she asks, puzzled at the matron's unexpectedly odd behavior. And then everything turns to nightmarish as a huge male cougar is suddenly knocking the matron down to the ground, teeth at her throat. What the--! Sketch gives a horrified yip, but has no time to decide to either help Nayeli fight her attacker off.. or simply just flee.. as lines of fiery pain slash down her sides, knocking the breath out of her from the sheer agony of it. Who--? What--?
"Nooo! Please, stop!" Nayeli can barely get the words out through the stranglehold the male has on her throat. The /first/ male, it would seem, as suddenly there's a second, and just as terrifying as the one on top of her. The matron watches in stunned horror as the second male viciously attacks the female canine, and with a detached realization, Nayeli knows that neither of them are going to survive this. Oh, Kein...!
Their assault was flawless; he has the cougaress helpless beneath him, and his brother is making short work of the canine. Excellent. The only question is, what to do with this pitiful excuse for a female cougar? Should they kill her too, or should they let her live? If the latter, some sort of punishment must be given to answer the audacity of what she's done, befriending such an abomination! Wait.. he has an idea. "Malak, don't kill the dog yet." Yes, this might work quite well.
Malak had no intention of killing the dog immediately. He wanted to see recognition, wanted this dog to know who he was before he ended her life. His brother's voice, though, easily breaks through his violent nature, and seconds before Malak intended to lower his mouth to take a chuck of the dog's flesh, he draws himself back from the torture he had in mind for her. Even so, he flexes his claws and tries to drag them back through the flesh of the dog under him, just a little, breathing deeply to take in the scent of the dog's blood before he looks, with carefully-held self control, toward his brother, to see what Revan wants.
This is the perfect way to find out whether or not this cougaress is willing to prove her strength, her worthiness to live. Teeth are removed from Nayeli's neck as Revan replaces his stranglehold with a set of claws, ready to slash the female's throat if she moves. "It's quite simple, brother. We let this cougaress have the opportunity to kill that dog. If she agrees, we let her live. If she refuses, you kill that dog as slowly as you want, and then I'll kill her." Revan's teeth return to the cougaress' throat as he waits for his brother's response to his proposal.
Revan wants him to relinquish his claim on this dog? Malak attempts to dig his claws deeper into the dog's flesh just at the thought of losing his prey. /His/ prey. Then he calms down a little from the suggestion, though. Giving the female cougar the opportunity to agree to kill the dog isn't the same thing as letting her kill the dog... At least, it isn't so long as the cougaress doesn't know what is on his mind. So long as she thinks she'll be expected to make good on her agreement to kill the cur, there is no reason that he can't just go ahead and kill the dog after Nayeli agrees to do so in order to save her own life, anyway... And it will likely have much of the same effects. Mollified, Malak affixes Nayeli with a penetrating gaze and a vicious grin as he asks, "What do you say?"
What did she ever do to deserve such a damnable choice like this? Kill this poor Alsatian in order to spare her own life, or refuse and end up dead anyway? Nayeli can only stare over at Sketch, sickened by the amount of blood seeping from the dog's fur. Sickened by the expression of grim satisfaction on the cougar's face. Sickened by the impossible decision that expect of /her/, now. She's the matron, and not unfamiliar with difficult choices... but this? This is impossible.. ethically, morally, diplomatically, logically.. whichever. Where's her inner strength to fight back? Where's the plan she's supposed to be forming to gain control over the situation? Is that even possible at this point? "Never!" she finally snarls, wincing at the slight tightening of jaws on her throat. "Killing a friend isn't strength, even if she's not a cougar!"
Revan narrows his eyes at the female's refusal, though he's not entirely sure whether he's surprised. Would he have expected her to kill the creature that she was just conversing with not five minutes ago? That she gave shelter to, preventing he and his brother from killing it a long while back? No doubt what does surprise Revan is the female attempting to define 'strength' to /him/. Does he not embody strength in every aspect of the word? Malak as well? They've trained their entire lives, physically and mentally alike, and now this cougaress beneath his jaws is trying to prove him wrong. Incredible. Defiance, however, will not be tolerated. "Very well, then. Malak, do as you will with that disgusting creature."
The death Malak has planned for Sketch is not an easy one. This dog led them on a chase that took many days and ended in a failure that threw him off his game for entirely too long. A quick death would be far too kind, and Malak is not in a kind mood. Lowering his head, Malak whispers to her, "You should have run much further, dog, or not at all. Your wolf was smart, but I'll bet your dog was not. Don't worry, though. Your body won't be desecrated. Much. I want him to see it." During his speech, and only during his speech, were the claws still embedded in her held still. As soon as he finishes speaking, though, he draws his claws back to tear through her flesh, looking to cause her some pain without destroying her, to give her time to anguish between the words he said only for her and the pain his claws cause before he proves to be truthful to his word and snaps at her neck, wanting to leave an easily recognizable corpse for the dog that was with her last winter.
The pain is so excruciating and intense that Sketch can barely comprehend what's being said and done. All she knows is that she's never experienced anything so awful and so total before. The girl can barely make a whimper as she's quickly going into shock, both from the pain and from the blood loss. Distantly, she's aware of a choice being given to the cougaress, something about her dying, but there's a calm realization that she's probably going to die as it is, and nothing Nayeli says or does can change that now. And then.. it starts. Claws shredding through her flesh, and then the fangs, crushing her throat. The last thing that Sketch is consciously aware of is Nayeli's oddly faint-sounding scream as everything goes silent... and black.
"Sketch... nooo.." Nayeli cries, feeling utterly helpless as she watches the canine easily killed by the much bigger and stronger cougar. How could they do this? What did Sketch ever do to earn such a horrendous fate? The way the male speaks, though, is what truly terrifies Nayeli. They're /monsters/! Killing for the sadistic purpose of killing? And wanting Vincent to see Sketch's mutilated corpse? Twisted.. sick.. "Monsters!" the matron snarls, tempted to struggle and try and get free. But no--the fangs at her throat are much too sharp.
The death of this dog, /this/ dog, lifts a weight from Malak. Is it possible that, had they caught the dogs and that wolf a year ago, that Malak's relations with Aylin would have been much more pleasant? Yes. And now, it doesn't matter. The beast that irritated Malak the most is gone, and it is as though a thorn has been removed from his flesh, and the results of that festering failure have already begun to subside. With no more breaths coming from the creature, Malak slowly removes his claws from the dog, and his idle grooming of a paw as he listens to Nayeli's speech brings him the pleasant taste of his tormentor's blood. When he looks to Nayeli again, though, nothing about his expression seems to have changed. He is not at peace. He is every bit as vicious as he was before he brought an end to the dog's life. "You harboured this beast against those of your own kind for a year. /We/ are the monsters?" Malak will not mourn this cougaress's death. Far from it.
They left Amaranth. Kein cannot claim to be surprised, and he has no right to be upset, but he /is/ concerned. Why? To see Hahnee? What if the other one is with him? To see Skelaghe? What if her mate, the one she left Amaranth to join, doesn't appreciate the presence of a cougar in his territory? With the same worry that gnawed at him when he tracked Ama's scent along this route, he comes to the top of the final foothill before the terrain levels out into grass-covered ground, and he attempts to see his mate or her companion in the distance. Luck is not with him, though. He remains too far away to see or hear them, and the wind continues to blow northward, meaning not only that the scent of blood and death escapes him, but that his own scent is being carried toward the yet unseen animals in the grasses. After a short period spent scanning the horizon, he begins walking down the slope of the hill, still tracking the scent trail that brought him this far.
"It is truly a shame that your worldview is so evidently in need of correcting," Revan whispers. "How can you possibly see that dog as worth your time, energy, or attention? Or worse, something equal to yourself? I told you that if you refused to kill it, you would also die, and I meant it." His voice turns into a snarl, and his breath is hot against Nayeli's throat as he grabs ahold of her throat again, this time a good bit rougher than last. The stench of her fear is not nearly as pleasant as that of a lesser creature, and for a fleeting moment he's tempted to just leave her. After all, she /is/ another cougar, and he's reluctant to kill one of his own kind. And yet.. she's deserving of death, and he's already given his word. Revan inhales one last breath of her fear, and suddenly realizes that the same wind that protected their stealthy approach is now bringing the scent of another approaching cougar. Cursed luck; it's the cougaress' mate, the chieftain of the mountain tribe. Revan remembers the scent well, and knows that the brothers have a choice to make now. Kill the cougaress and stay to kill the newcomer? Or leave now and avoid possible injury to them both?
The scent that reaches them is not unknown to Malak. It was all over the southern part of the mountain. Aylin's nephew. Azriel's son. That one cub's father. Malak is just about to open his mouth, to warn his brother, when his sight focuses on Revan, and he can tell that his brother already knows. He knows approximately how old this female is. He has no way to know how old, how experienced, the approaching male may be, though, and besides that, Kein's family make him a potentially very dangerous enemy. Malak cannot simply run away, though. Finally distancing himself from the dog beneath him, he says, "I think you ought to leave this cougaress with something to remember us by, Revan... Something she can share with her companions so they do not make the same mistake again." Malak and Revan can save face without jumping into a situation without knowing what they're getting into, which would just be foolish.
Something for her to remember he and Malak by. Hmm. If he had more time to think, Revan might come up with a suitable injury or other manner of lasting impression, but given that time is now against them, he'll have to settle for something simple. He increases pressure with his jaws, possibly bruising the female's throat slightly, before letting go and pulling his head up an inch or two. "Such a shame you've made these wrong decisions and chosen the wrong path in life. You seem like you could have been a strong and worthy cougaress, were your ideals a bit more.. intact." With a snort of derision, Revan swiftly moves off of the female and with a subtle nod at his brother, heads back in the direction they came from. They still need to discuss their immediate future, and with the canine's blood still fresh on his claws and fangs, perhaps Malak will be a bit more open to conversation.
Malak considers issuing a warning about what he will do, should Nayeli move the corpse of that canine, or otherwise interfere with him. She heard his whispering to the dog, he knows, and she might just be stupid enough to do it. In the end, though, he decides that she has plenty enough to worry about besides the dead dog, that it should remain long enough for the other dog to find it, so when he joins his brother, it is without another word to the cougaress. Of course, he continues to listen to what is going on behind them, remains prepared to defend himself should he be wrong about how the Amaranth Chieftain will react, but otherwise he leaves those to the south alone, now.