It was becoming more rare that Palisander and Isley were apart but as they tried to find a suitable place to live it had become a better move to separate. Isley had taken to the north, finding a stream to sniff along. There was a pack nearby but she wasn't familiar with them and so far none of the wolves scents were familiar to her so she stayed away. The redhead stopped on the edge of the stream to get a drink, hoping that if she quenched her thirst then perhaps she might have a clearer head for her task.
Isley was hoping to find somewhere suitable for them to stay - perhaps there would be a claim to assist, or maybe a pack more closely aligned with her ideals. Someone might benefit from her knowledge and she was sure Palisander could be useful too.
I uh... kind-of got carried away and began rambling at the waterway parts, you don't have to match the amount of text. x,D
Goliath had recently been studying the waterways that were close enough to Sleeping Dragon to prove efficient. He had recently decided to check up on Whitebark stream, it had been some time since he had last fished there, so he tested these waters once more, and found them to prove sufficiently fertile.
Finding plenty of clusters of salmon eggs, and a significant surplus of bass and minnows he realized that it must have been spawning time quite recently for the aquatic life in Whitebark, and thus he decided not to interrupt any activity in fear of disrupting the cycle.
It was hard to do, seeing as he was a massive chunk of fat and muscle slowly treading in the waters, but he managed to not step on any important chunks of the stream. Well, except for a Suckermouth minnow that he quickly picked off as a small snack.
Popping it's head off with his massive jaws, a bit of blood stained his thick, mismatched fur a dark, crimson red. He devoured the rest, taking a break once in a while to cough out a spine or two. He didn't gut it well enough.
Making sure the rest of the waterway was as healthy as the top was, he ventured down and caught sight of a lone smudge of brilliant, bright red fur. Looking closer, he realized it was a lone red wolf.
About 20 meters away from her, Goliath slowed down his pace, kept his head high, and called from the other side of the river.
"HALT!" he boomed, his voice easily traveling down the empty plains like the crack of thunder. He slowly moved towards the loner, in hopes of questioning them, and to practice for becoming the new royal guard of the pack.
Isley was far from any scents or claims, exploring on her own for a bit while Palisander was off doing whatever it was he was choosing to fill his time with. While they had spent a large amount of time together they were not inseparable and the time apart left her chances to think freely and access. She was still reluctant to leave her Meadow, and yet, there was a growing sensation in her of anticipation and excitement. It would probably not be something she would vocalize to Palisander, at least not for awhile, and so she would hold it in until she couldn't anymore.
She was filling her thirst when a booming voice cut across the terrain, and for a moment Isley lifted her head to observe. The sulking beast was massive - and most definitely he was male. She frowned, pelt bristling as she backed a few steps back. Her emerald eyes cut across the lands trying to anticipate where she might get away from him. She didn't want to be cut off by the river itself, perhaps she would return the way she came - if she could put enough distance between them surely she could outrun him.
Goliath's eyes narrowed, his call was responded by silence and disobedience. The red female had taken a few steps back, and in return, Goliath began to trot down towards her. "What do here?" he barked, his time patrolling the borders was relatively peaceful, so a conflict was a very welcomed change to his usual schedule.
He quickly scanned the fox-like lady from a distance, a usual precaution to better understand those who wish to cause havoc and those who travel by peacefully. This one was rather... sketchy. Wether Goliath assumed right or not, he still kept moving forwards.
Rather than blindly obey a stranger - a male - who wanted to shout orders at wolves they didn't know, Isley was considering her options. She preferred to keep her hide intact and she didn't wasn't above using her speed to work to make it out. "Nothing," She spat out quickly - she'd clearly just been taking a drink when this moron started shouting at her.
She was too close to the stream and although it wouldn't be too hard to get across it there was the potential she could slip or struggle and be slowed down. She felt confident that she could outrun the male, all she needed was to find a clear enough path to get her to the woods nearby. That was probably where Palisander was lurking, maybe focusing on catching them something to eat, she wasn't sure. As she flipped through her options she shifted her focus back to look at the male.
He perked his nose, this one was sketchy. Her eyes drifted off him for a while, and he couldn't help feel unease. Finally arriving near enough, he knew the pack wouldn't want any drifters on their foodsources. The female's sharp answer upset him, she was doing something here before, and if she wouldn't give Goliath her motives, then he would need to bring her to the Heda to talk...
"Me thinks Goliath take you to Heda." he growled, taking a step towards her. This woman could either take the hard way, or the easy way. If she would dare run, he would try to chase her into pack territory, and there his packmates would hunt her down. "Woman come with Goliath to pack easy, or Goliath hurt." making his intentions clear. He took another step forward, ready to pounce if she disobeyed.
Heda? Who the fuck was that? Isley's pelt bristled and her neck lowered instinctively, already reading nothing but bad intentions from the massive male. Nothing of this felt right or felt good, after all, and Isley was already certain that nothing god would come of this. "You will take me nowhere." She hissed. "Getting a drink is not a crime, these are no one's lands." The Kali pointed out.
She took a couple steps back, away from the male, trying to ease her own tensions some by putting some space between them. She had liked it much better when there was land between them, when she would have gotten away more easily.
PP with permission of Isley
Her final stand of disobedience was the final straw. A bone-curling growl began to form, starting as a deep, gutteral sound in his torso to a full blown snarl, it was the perfect resemblance of hostility. His eyes narrowed and locked onto the female, ears slowly curling back. What could have been a simple report turned into something much more malicous.
One step after another, he dragged his large, lumbering body nearer. He was seconds away from lunging towards her and tearing off her unruly head from her spine...
"This..." he began, one step taken after every word.
"Is.." he continued, closing in.
"Drageda" his voice had changed from a snarl to a sharp, shrill bellow
"Land!"
With that said, he pounced forwards, barreling his much larger frame against her, jaws open and snapping, his eyes were blurred with bloodlust, and thus when he tasted the thick, dirty taste of fur, he bit down as hard as he could and pulled with his mouth. The bright red wolf was able to rip out of his grip however, accidentally tearing off a piece of her skin. This only infuriated him more.. Wanting to taste blood, he struck again, this time a quicker jab towards the neck, catching her in-between her dodge, nipping off a piece of fur and making a nice, red cut by the side. His teeth were splattered with crimson, the flavour giving him a signal to survey the situation out of frenzy mode once more.
Looking at the damaged trespasser, he had decided that now was a time to show who's boss.
"You fucking scum. Goliath hurt until respect." he growled, and threw in a final bite to attempt to grab her neck, then, he could slam it a bit more into the ground, and drag her to the pack's leaders for further instructions.
For the woman there were few options - she was not on any packs lands and this was as neutral as the sky was blue. The moment that he started snarling she bared her own teeth, her stands defensive rather than aggressive. She wanted nothing to do with him. She only wanted to be left in peace. When he lunged at her Isley was quick to move, ripping her flesh from his teeth with a snarl of pain. She didn't seek to attack, her teeth aiming only to snap and release quickly on whatever of his flesh was close enough. His attacks were aimed mostly around her head and shoulders and the woman dodged, moving to push her face and neck further from his range.
His teeth caught in the process, ripping at her side and the Kali seethed with rage. She called out immediately, howling for
@Palisander - forced into desperation the male was the first one she thought of. She refused to cry out for the larger male again she refused him the satisfaction of her pain. Instead she dropped a shoulder down, twisting as she moved. She'd sacrifice a lesser part of herself so that she was less likely to take a mortal wound to her neck. He snagged her on her side, closer to her flank. His weight pressing her down. A second call rang out, the woman already plotting the escape route they would take to get away from him.
Palisander wasn't really that far away from the female, he was just in howling reach, only just. He had been tracking a scent into her direction which happened to be a coincidence. The young male snapped his head up when he heard a faint howl. His muscles tensed and his ears listened for another howl. That was Isley!! She was in trouble! She had to be. It sounded so desperate.
The male howled to her in return that he was coming. He rushed forward from this location. Though surely the wolf was still a few miles away from her. The black and tan male pushed on further. He was not the fastest wolf around but hearing that Isley was in trouble made him sprint a bit harder towards her. His tongue hung from his mouth to get the excess heat out of his body as he ran, letting out another howl that he was closer, perhaps to scare off the other.
It seemed fair to me that Pali would need to travel to them first so his next post he will arrive! :D
Goliath was too busy and angry lifting up the female's head as high as possible to notice the howl ringing back, and instead focused all of his energy slamming her down against the floor, a satisfying crunch came out, and he saw the extent of his damage from the puddle of blood forming near his forepaws. He grinned, this was what he needed after all of this patrolling, a proper curb-stomp beating, and this part was the curbstomp. Taking a slow breath to calm himself from his anger, he grabber her by the scruff and began to pull the woman away, back to pack borders where they would decide her punishment would be god-knows-what. This was probably already more than enough.
That's when he heard the second howl, and in an instant dropped the female. It was a male voice, and the echo rolled back through the taiga. MORE beating bags? This was going to be fun, and simply to thicken the plot, howled back. His voice crawled and cracked like thunder, echoing several times stronger across the area by the river. Hopefully that would already give off a first impression not to fuck with him. Smiling, he waited for a new foe.
He was strong and she was tiny, even as she was lifted up Isley kicked and struggled against him, scrambling and snarling to give herself the best chance of getting away. She was thrown down, an angry crunch as her shoulder struck the earth. Her movements would be hindered some, but, she could still make do. She still snapped angrily, her heart pounding in her head. The adrenaline was enough to keep her from recognizing any pains right then.
Palisander called back to her and she felt her heart stammer for a moment grateful and still angry but the beast left her on the earth to wait for Palisander. Isley quickly scrambled to her feet, moving away from the male and towards where Palidander had called from.
also using one post to arrive, one post to physically be in proximity!
he had been browsing the liberal clutch of fisheggs when the sound of an altercation boomed down the waterway -- murgash lifted his sodden head from the water and pricked his ears. sops of liquid smoothly departed from his chin, dribbling into the rushing boil of the stream below him.
he wasn't really inclined to leave a potential scene without instigating it, so casually he waded along the bank at a leisurely, arrogant pace. it was not until a female's howl called that he felt compelled to speed up his gait -- lady? his ears pricked in interest.
in his head he had already done the math:
stride in smooth as an otter's back, demand lady
fight off lady's attacker, kill it
lady falls madly in love with him, the dark (and mangy!?) knight
unable to fight her feelings, lady returns the favor by sexs
endless lady-bangings for murgash
it was an infallible theory, and one he pressed forward to test.
he was not so close that he could quickly intercept the assailant, though when he saw a grey blur and a red blob in the distance he called in his loud, permeating brogue:
"OI! MALE DET BES TOUCHIN' DET LADEE." he started, slowing to a casual, cocky walk.
"ye gives ladee to ole murgashy en he wont bites ye arseways, geddit?" he hoped from his distance that his mangy, offputting presence would be feared -- boldly, he placed his tail high over his head as he made way for the scrapping pair.
Palisander was angered even more when another male howled back to him. Almost like the other was taunting him that he had his female. Palisander had never thought so possessively over Isley but in the most non sexual manner she was his friend first and Palisander was loyal towards his friends. Perhaps his motives were that of more than a friend but that was not something he was going to debate now.
He charged forward when seeing Isley with the massive giant of a male. He let out a huff, though as he approached he heard something behind him. He looked over his shoulder as he traveling to Isley, who was also trying to flee. Towards him it seemed. Instead of charging at the giant Palisander moved to Isley. His eye on the giant and trying to keep an eye on the dark male. This might work in their favor.
He nudged Isley briefly. "Run. I will be right behind you," he urged her. Palisander had a plan and he needed the dark male for that. He growled at the giant, hackles raised, to show the black male that he was on his side. His blood orange eyes taking in the black male. "Lets attack him together!,' he called out to the dark male. However Palisander had no such intentions. Once the black male would charge the giant he would take a run for it and catch up with Isley. Hence why he kept some distance between him and the giant. Hopefully the dark male would have more drive for a fight than he had.
Ew. Talking.
One dark, ugly wolf called for him, while the other new combatant hesitated to attack him directly. It was fairly disappointing, he would have to kill a coward and a disgusting hobgoblin. Originally he believed he would fight a true opponent, but apparently two freaks would do.
All the chit chat began to annoy him, and thus decided to roar so that they would finally shut the fuck up. "Goliath will crush all!" he bellowed, and with that, began to charge towards the uglier, much louder of the two: The black male. Emmiting a loud snarl as he tumbled his massive weight forwards, he narrowed his eyes onto his first target. Knock one down, then kill the others. That seemed like a pretty solid plan, and was one that Goliath's simple mind simply had to settle with.
For the woman she knew that later she would be in pain. She refused to let any weakness show right then though, because she had not only her life but Palisander's on the line and now a stranger she'd never met before. Her eyes met the orange of Palisander and when Isley tried to shake her head she found that she could not. No doubt it was a tear, muscle, flesh, tendon she did not know. Instead she offered the softest whine, wanting Palisander to stay safe. "We have to..." God, it hurt to speak but Isley would not abandon either of them.
"D-distract him, like the doe - then...then split off. He cannot chase us all." Isley suggested quietly. She would be no help in this fight but she also couldn't leave either male to just die because of one berserker monster. If all three ran in different directions it would be impossible for them to all be caught and their chances of getting away were great. "If- if we separate, meet in our meadow." Isley gasped out.
already the big one had turned to face murgash, and as he came closer he saw that he was clear he was goliath's next target.
not about to be outshined, even by a wolf that was two times his size, murgash rallied -- palisander's suggestion was taken at face value and with a gallumph he slid into a gallop to close the distance between them.
"oi! fukface! pick awn somethin' yer own size!" murgash bellowed, his tail raised behind him in challenge. oh shit he thought as he realized goliath was not the same size as him, and that maybe he had spoken too soon.
oh well. no time like show-time.
goliath ran to him as true as an arrow -- with an oomph murgash was propelled back, nearly taken off balance by the blow of goliath's shoulder colliding rough with his chest. adrenaline and blood alike surged through murgash and as he was forced back he swung his muzzle around to goliath's cheek, teeth seeking to clamp on the region of fur where a collar would sit. his teeth would (hopefully) sink around the soft scruff and clothesline the male from going any futher, hopefully giving palisander time to close in for the win (murgash had yet to notice he had not followed him) and time for the red woman to flee.
Palisander stood close to Isley. "Go. I will see you in our meadow," he spoke back urgently and nudged her to get her going. He wanted her to get out of here and it seemed that now was her best way to escape she was not her fastest with the injuries she might be sporting. Palisander instantly turned around and watched the giant charge at the black male. His heart sunk a bit because he would almost feel bad for leaving the black one take a fall for them.
Palisander was sometimes a bit arrogant but only about the things he was confident about. Fighting was not one of them. As the male seemed engrossed with the black male Palisander snuck around the two and dashed forward in a different direction than Isley left. He moved through the rushing water behind the fight and then ran so fast his life depended on it. He was not proud of this moment but he was certain that if he would fight this brute he would be end up being his dinner. Palisander rather wanted to live, hence why he needed this trickery. With a huge loop he navigated his way back to the meadow he met Isley.
-Pali out! -
Goliath, having seen the attack beforehand, was able to brace himself properly and easily was able to parry the small attack with a sharp shove towards the male, feeling the clack of teeth as his fur went unscathed. While it left him uninjured, It did, however, infuriate him more. Turning his head to face the assaulter, he snarled and lunged forward, aiming to get his massive jaws around his opponent's scruff, if by chance Goliath's aim is true once more, he would be able to pin the opponent down and slowly bash its small, grotesque head into a pulp.
While thinking these thoughts, he was completely oblivious to the ongoings around him. The situation had succesfully distracted him completely from the two wolves which were now far enough to run away unharmed (except for the lady, she was bruised quite badly) and - hopefully- never come back again.
Surely his backer would have arrived by now, right?
Murgash didn't have time to check, not before teeth sunk deep into the meat of his neck. He panicked, a snarl ripping through his throat -- with a mighty alligator-like roll he flipped his body sideways with a heave to escape Goliath's onslaught. The pain he felt was too close for comfort and blood dipped from his neck as he lunged, his jaws parting to seek the soft roundness of Goliath's face and eyes.
Their proximity made it easy, and Murgash was not in the least sorry for resorting to such a cheap tactic. His teeth would seek and destroy, gnash and bend -- cleaving bone and sinew alike in the attempts to brutalize his assailant.
sorry for the wait guys, have had a rough couple weeks xx
Isley felt lightheaded. She was aware from the blood she had spat out that she'd probably bitten her cheek, if not something else, and she needed to get a headstart before she was caught again. The bumbling giant no doubt would want to finish what he'd started. "Please, do not let him harm you.." Isley murmured as Palisander nudged her into running. A final glance back as she cut at a random pattern - purposefully making her path to the Meadow longer. She did not see Palisander abandon the stranger who had come to her aide; had she, she would have certainly doubled back out of guilt.
Once she arrived in the Meadow she began to tend to her wounds as best as she could, waiting anxiously for Palisander to arrive and to be able to assess his injuries and prepare the best course of treatment for them both. She already knew she wanted to be far from the area that wolf had been in - she would wish to travel west again, over the mountains, and see what might bring them better prosperity.
Goliath roared in pain as the gob latched onto plump face. In a fit of suffering, Goliath ripped his face away from the mangy attacker's grasp, and in a blind fury, attempted to ram into his opponent.
However, his coordination had been not nearly as good as it should have, and as his view blocked with blood, Goliath simply tumbled forwards into the ground, pile driving the heap of mud.
Bedazzled and confused, Goliath slowly pushed himself back up, shaking the excess crimson on his face away.
Now he would not hold back.
okay to fade?
murgash expected tolitarian pain rained upon him; as he readied himself it seemed his assailant misgauged his distance and stumbled. murgash wasn't about to hang out and see the outcome, especially since his lady friend (and the jerk that tricked him!!) had peaced out. well fuck.
hoping to use goliath's momentary blunder to his advantage, murgash turned tail and ran -- as fast as his fat, stumpy legs could carry him.
Goliath watched as his opponent ran off into the distance; and he began to walk back to his pack territory:
Another job well done.
~Fade~