Wolf RPG

The boy had sat down by the side of the lake, not really sure what to do with himself.  The weather was still fairly cold, even if it was starting to warm -- he wasn't going to go out on whatever ice was still out on the lake, no thanks -- but he was starting to feel rather like a failure out here on his own.  He thus far hadn't found anything secure and permanent.  There was a lot of nothing out in the world, apparently.  He also had to wonder how much longer he could wander before he needed to find his way back to Elysium to see his sister.  Right now at least there was nothing to report, so he didn't need to run... But still. He didn't want to screw up his promise.

But where did that leave him?  Apparently beside a lake wondering where he'd get his next meal.  The last week or whatever had ended up being pretty scarce, so he was good and hungry, just needed to get lucky and find something.  He was totally finding something by sitting there and scratching his ear.  Yep.  Food was just gonna stumble right out in front of him.

After visiting the abandoned caldera and wandering down the limited memory lane available to him, a spontaneous decision to head north caused Titmouse to delve through the Bramblepoint; it was just as unremarkable and empty. He was thankful when something finally spasmed in his periphery - a small startled creature, moving too quickly for him to discern truthfully, but enough of a flash of movement to initiate his need to give chase. The hare was larger than any rabbit he'd seen before, but maybe he was out of practice. Living on a beach for as long as he did, one tended not to see rabbits --- oh.

The boy emerged from the forest and was facing a sprawling vista; light glimmered off a distant surface, and he immediately forgot about his game of run-and-chase. Soon enough he was nearing the lake's edge, and when he stopped he was looking out at the deep blue-green, finding his mind wandering back to thoughts of Undersea. He didn't notice the wolf visiting the lake nearby, as Mal was standing on his blind side.

well it wasn't food, and it wasn't stumbling, but it was tegan. so, next best thing, i guess. tegan had noticed the little white and black wolf and found himself hardcore craving some social interaction. he hadn't had anyone to be a dick too since fuckass kiwi and her slutty mother had seriously framed him. life fucking sucked. no one ever believed tegan ever -- and he really didn't know why. despite kind of being a wuss and a little bit of a hard-head, tegan was general really honest. like, bluntly honest. but tegan still felt like everyone always took someone else word over his. except towhee, maybe, but he didn't even wanna think about his sister right now. 

so he started to stroll up, but not before a gust of wind hit him with a scent so strong and foul that he almost blew chunks all over the damn place. no. fucking. way. NO FUCKING WAY. tegan whipped around, hoping it was just a fuckin fluke. but nope, sure enough, there the guy was. despite how far away he was (he couldn't quite see the missing eye) he could make out that gnarly scar that wrapped around his throat like a fuckin collar. way to go, cerberus, at least he's recognizable from a distance. 

in a hushed whisper, tegan went pssstttt to the wolf he'd intended to meet, and then whispered lowly, "hey -- you -- this is weird, but important -- that guy over there? tried to kill half my family --" what did i just type about tegan being honest? well, i mean, it had some truth to it... "i need to take him down. will you help me?" his gaze darted to-and-fro from the wolf to screech, heart muhfuckin racing in his chest. 

ugh. this guy was gonna think he was a total nutcase. tegan knew it, too, but it was worth a shot.

So Mal just sat there, scratched an ear a bit, and just pondered the meaning of life.  Or at least he did until some motion caught his eye.  He looked over briefly -- just another wolf, didn't seem to notice him so Mal didn't give him much thought and went back to whatever his own brain was pondering.  Then a second wolf whispered to him and told a tale of murder.. Or something.

But this was Mal.  He was a boy who knew little of the world but had started this journey watching two wolves basically murder each other for no reason.  What was said wasn't yanking the rug out from under him.  It was more like the floor was falling away brick by brick and all he could do was watch.  Again, killers came calling.  Wha--? was about all he uttered, staring for a moment longer before slooooowly turning his head to look a the indicated wolf.  That guy had been chewed up and spat out like the ones at the beach.  Did water just bring out the crazy?  His deer-in-headlights stare shifted back to Tegan again, horrified and terrified at everything, unable to talk or move.  For all his bravado about going out to solve all the issues in the world, he was still just a kid.

Soon enough there was a second wolf, but Titmouse was oblivious. He was too busy doing his own thing - and even if he had noticed the two wolves, chances of him actually seeking them out for any reason were slim to none; maybe he'd recognize Tegan, maybe he'd assume they were utter strangers to him (which was more likely) and continue to enjoy the beautiful lakeside. If Tegan was hoping for more reason to target Tit, he wasn't going to get it. Titmouse didn't hear the quiet commentary between the two wolves and was turning away from them - giving them ample time to sweep in and attack if they wanted to, and from behind! It was a perfect set-up for the Blackthorn; how unfortunate for Titmouse that he'd caused so much hatred in his past life.

the kid seemed totally blindsided... which, okay, fair. tegan probably should've eased up a little bit, but what did he know about easing up. go hard all day all night bayybeeee. anyway, not the point. screech still hadn't noticed them, and even if he had tegan was still pretty positive he would've fuckin hunted his ass down. the trail would be fresh and tegan could figure out who what where when why how and get back to the redhawks. 

aw, fuck. this meant... fuck. maybe he should just... leave screech... maybe.. no. fuck. this was something he had to report back. 

"are you gonna  help or what? cause i gotta get a move on, but i could really use the help," tegan said sort of gruffly. truthfully, if i were mal, i'd fuckin bolt. but i dunno, i don't write him. tegan looked back at screech, itching to start sprinting.

Again Mal just stared.  He couldn't really comprehend why it was all of these wolves were just out to kill each other.  Why did it keep happening to him? How did he keep being in the middle of it?  He just was minding his own business and then the murders began or something.  He didn't leave that hellhole just to end up in someone else's troubles.  He just wanted a home for himself and his sister and this was not how you got one.  He needed to be alive to go back.  He wasn't abandoning Brillo, even if right now he was far away on his quest.

His brain finally finished processing, and his gawking, empty eyes finally found their focus.  His jaw snapped shut (it had been hanging open quite daftly), and Mal skittered to his feet, away from Tegan, away from the shore.  Distrustful and sharp, his every action and posture incredibly defensive now, as if expecting Tegan to turn on him instead.  Honestly, he hadn't even looked back at the messed up dude again.  Everyone just wants to murder each other -- what's wrong with all of you.  Apparently he hadn't lost the horror and disgust about it all, of everything that had happened to him, even though it wasn't like he was really saying anything.  They were all abso-friggin'-lutely insane.  Was he somehow causing this?  He seemed to have a 50/50 chance of just making people suddenly go all murderous and stuff.  He started slowly backing away, keeping Tegan in his sight.

Mal was not going to play.

He was too far to notice the conversation happening nearby, or the skittering, panic-driven repulsion of Mal from the Blackthorn; he did, however, catch a shrill noise in the air that sounded like someone saying murder and that made Tit pause. He wasn't sure if he heard that right - and he was looking around, but didn't notice the others until the very last second.

When he saw them — saw Tegan, recognized him behind the bizzaro-world fog that usually dominated his mind, and for a moment time stood still.

There was no time to consider his options; as was the case whenever he met family, Titmouse was at an impasse and he didn't have a moment to think. The only thought to cross his mind - besides the startling, instantaneous, powerful sense that he was in danger - was the thought of Blackfeather. Of Maegi. Of how fucking stupid he was for being caught out in the middle of nowhere.

She'd made him stay on the island for a reason; in the dark forest, in secret, for a reason. Now he was a target and he knew it. So Titmouse did the only thing he could do.

He bolted in the opposite direction.

"keep your fucking voice down --" but it was too late. just as the kiddo was backpedalling and exclaiming tegan watched as screech looked dead at him. mother FUCKER. and mal might've been nervous or whatever and started running away afraid of him but what the fuck ever. tegan didn't give a shit about him, not when screech was right there. 

well, he was right there. now he was sprinting in the opposite direction. and now so was tegan. mal was entirely forgotten. 

his feet sank against the soft bank, but were soon pounding as they made contact with harder, more stable land. and tegan ran. ran and ran and ran to take down the son of a bitch that had taken down the lives of so many others. no guarantee tegan would catch up, but oh... he'd track this mother fucker to the end of the earth.

Good, it seemed he was going to be ignored.  A silly thing to be happy about for some, but right now it was awesome.  He didn't want to be a part of this.  It was not his circus.

Whoever the hell the guy was, he was off after the messed up guy and Mal was left alone.  Again.  But a good thing, as mentioned before.  He started to relax just a little as he was left in the dust.  However, this kid was gonna watch from a distance just in case he needed to actually flee the scene.  He wasn't going to chase, let alone interrupt, but it was another of those train wreck kind of scenarios that just kept his attention when he really should be doing something else.  And if they went out of sight?  Then he could just keep going.. Somewhere.

The air rippled around him, pulsing across his cheeks and chest as if to counter his efforts, sending his scent back to where Tegan could easily find it. Titmouse should have known not to wander this far from the woods - he had found the Cerberus, and now his homicidal cousin. All he could do was run. He did not want to fight the other boy, and yet he wanted to keep himself alive and Maegi safe ---

Maegi. She was still in the woods; her brother Ramsey too, the rest of them --

— kicking off the dirt with a new wave of speed, letting his chest burn, his muscles hiss like they were peeling off the bone -

- just cross the hills, just get a little farther to safety, let this rage fueled boy follow him all the way back to the woods.

They would be waiting, they would know what to do.

tegan chased him as far as he could, but god damn it if screech wasn't fast. that must've been how he'd gotten away so many times, his stamina was unmatched. tegan had to slow down eventually but fuck you if you thought he was giving up. tegan would track him, from a distance, to wherever he was fucking hiding. whatever portal to hell had opened up, tegan would find. but he'd be smarter about it this time. 

god damnit.