She had fallen asleep—or else fallen unconscious—in the forest near Horizon Ridge's fringe. When she awoke, the sun was already burning high in the sky, and she was incredibly stiff. It took her a nearly a minute to gather her wits and force herself to her feet, presently numb to the pain... But that pain, and the memories of the fight the prior night, came rushing back when she stretched and tore open the wound at the side of her neck. The initial rip of her flesh was so unexpected and so excruciating that Jinx bit her tongue trying to stifle a cry, and tasted iron when her jaw unclenched. Her nose stung, but the gouges had knitted themselves into sufficient scabs, so they were easy to ignore.
The other pains, the aches and groaning bones from exertion as well as the burning and constant pain from her bruised ribs (she was certain now as she began walking, wincing with every ginger step, that the fat fucker had broken at least one of them), came when she began to move. Jinx gritted her teeth and steeled herself against the pain, accepting it as a reminder of her defeat, and fuel for her fire. It could never be known that all the Kesuk warrior had inflicted were a few scratches and a tear in the other wolf's nostril; she could not claim to be anything but inept if that were ever found out.
She proceeded in this slow, laborous, pained fashion until at last she reached the coast. Dread filled her stomach as she directed her feet to the water, dread and reluctance... But she forced herself to enter the sea's swells, knowing there was no other way to wash desiccation from her neck. She tried her best to keep her mouth tightly shut as she sunk deep enough to plunge her wound into the ocean water. But despite all her efforts, Jinx cried out and moaned when the salt water stung her most grievous wound, and felt her breath come in quick, agonized huffs as she fought to keep from rearing out of the water that seared her so.
I feel like I'm hogging you but, well, I did this to you and now I need to fix it! LOL... also, I could not resist this golden opportunity for some character development.
Pied was combing along the foot of the ridge in search for soft items to line the lair that would one day soon be her whelping den. Presently, she held a few bits of dried kelp in her maw. She was just about ready to make a trip back to the den site to drop off her findings, then return and fill up again, when she heard a cry from the direction of the beach.
She froze in her tracks, then quickly deposited the kelp and pivoted, trotting quickly toward the open sands. The Delta came to a grinding halt when she saw Jinx playing in the surf. She growled under her breath, irritated at the she-wolf for making such an awful sound and scaring her. Not wanting to be detected, Pied began to turn away to resume her search.
That's when the scent of blood registered in her nose. Slowly, Pied turned around and peered harder at Jinx's figure. Her breath caught in her throat when she squinted and noticed the red streak on the side of her pack mate's face. She took a step forward, a desire to lend her assistance washing over her.
Quick in its wake came another and much less altruistic sentiment. She's a threat, a voice in her head reminded her. She's weakened. If you put her in her place now, you'll secure your chance at motherhood... The voice paused, then added, You could probably even kill her, if you wanted, and eliminate the threat entirely.
Pied shook her head lightly, as if trying to get rid of a pesky fly. She knew that her true, caring nature was being overruled lately by the instinct to dominate and procreate. Having puppies was incredibly important to her but, even with the feral urges rising in her even now—urges she actually embraced, for the most part—she couldn't bring herself to kill Jinx over it. She could merely hurt her but even the recently ambitious Pied knew only a coward would kick Jinx while she was down rather than challenge her honorably.
"Agh," Pied muttered under her breath, trying to ignore the voicet—lest it lead her into spineless temptation—as she began running toward Jinx. If the Gamma turned, she might not be able to read her subordinate's intentions; was she running to her aid or preparing to rush her? The piebald yearling enjoyed this for a moment before making her intentions clear: "What happened? How can I help?"
OOC: It's okay I was hoping Pied would come and be like "bitch, submit" anyway (even though she isn't doing that)!
<style type="text/css">q {font:13px Georgia; color:#9E0853; font-weight:bold;}</style>Time passed, and though she prayed for the pain to lapse into numbness, it never truly did. Pain tolerance was achievable through repeated exposure, as was any sort of tolerance, but in this case, tolerance could not be had. The pain of the water rushing against her neck was enough to make her feel faint, but she made herself stand, made herself take it. The thought of will collapsing and crawling back to shore, a pathetic failure to her family's strong name, broke any desire to escape her self-inflicted torture. Still, nose ducked toward the water as she squeezed her eyes shut, desperately searching for any stimulus aside from the pain to distract her.
She swivelled in the water, wincing as the generated current swirled against her injured neck, and opened her eyes to see Pied, of all wolves, rushing across the sand. Her ears instinctively flattened to her skull and she growled, lowering her snout over her injury protectively, as if her pack mate would come and sink her teeth into it and make it worse. What gave her that thought was largely unknown, but if asked, Jinx would chock it up to distrust, which was surely not misplaced. Yet Jinx knew nothing of Pied's new-found desire to be on top, so the thought of distrust would have seemed odd.
The female's ears lifted marginally and her growl died in her throat, replaced by a stormy and uncertain expression, when Pied asked what she required. Passive aggressiveness welled in her throat, and she narrowly avoided spitting nothing at the Delta, but reminded herself that not long ago, they had shared a moment. It hadn't been much of a moment, and was a far cry from relationship-defining, but nonetheless, Jinx had held her tongue once, and would do it again.
Some psychopath decided he wanted to fuck me up,
she half-lied, though for all she knew, the demigod wolf had been a psychopath. He certainly hadn't stopped to ask questions, but then again, Jinx had been non-compliant with his visual warning. She was entirely to blame, but she wasn't about to tell Pied that. I was scouting near the plateau. Guess he decided I was too close.
Much too close, in fact, but again, she withheld that in her own interest. So much for that pact I was kindly informed of,
she added through gritted teeth as she lowered herself further into the water and felt the sting behind her ear.
As for what Pied could do, well, Jinx wasn't too sure of that. Her herb-lore had once included healing plants, but she had conveniently forgotten much of it... Or it had been knocked out of her conscious memory when she had knocked her head on the rocks of the river, and lost her rationality with it. I can't clean it very well alone,
she finally said, somewhat lamely, for asking for Pied's help cleaning the wound hurt her pride.
But Jinx couldn't afford pride right now, and defiant as she was, she was aware of that, too.
Jinx's explanation made Pied furrow her brow, particularly when she mentioned the plateau. Blacktail Deer Plateau? she almost asked but swallowed the question before she could make an idiot of herself. Of course. The piebald yearling wanted to protest, as if there was anything to refute in her pack mate's tale, yet she said nothing. A stony look of consternation cemented itself onto her pale features as she wondered what this meant for the relationship between the packs.
She wanted to ask for details, yet there was a more pressing matter: the wound on the side of Jinx's face. Pied hesitated for only a beat before wading into the surf and lining up her smaller body with the Gamma's. For a moment, she was tempted to posture herself higher than the other she-wolf, yet she decided to ignore poise altogether. She reached her snout toward Jinx's torn cheek. It still bled freely, yet much of the wound was caked and matted, as if she'd sustained the injury hours ago.
Although quizzical about this, Pied still said nothing. Gingerly, she licked at her comrade's wound. All the while, she braced herself not only against the onslaught of the sea pulling at her legs but also for a possible snap from Jinx. Surely this stung and Pied didn't trust Jinx not to lash out at her. She remained prepared for any defensive movement even as she cleansed the wound to the best of her ability, which left her mouth tasting extraordinarily salty and metallic.
She watched warily as Pied wordlessly stepped into the surf, and despite herself, her shoulders tensed. She trusted nobody, least of all the piebald Delta, but she had no other options. Without the mottled female's help, Jinx's wound would fester and kill her, for salt water could only do so much for it. Thankfully, Pied's advance was not gilded with any sort of arrogance, and when she stopped alongside Jinx, she didn't bear a stance suggesting she wanted to sink her teeth further into the Kesuk's neck.
She winced and hissed when Pied's tongue flicked dutifully against her wound. She bit back a growl, but her body shuddered each time the wound was touched, and she felt cold whenever the pain began to fade. Thank you for doing this,
she said between licks, when she could get a word in without a growl bubbling through. Attitude would do her no good here; she was at a disadvantage if Pied decided she wanted to take Jinx's rank.
She didn't worry about it now. Had Pied wanted it, she need only lift her head, and Jinx would be forced to submit by her condition. It didn't mean she wouldn't come back once recovered and forcefully take it back, but risking further injury—not by Pied's teeth, surely, but by her own exertion—but there was no sense worrying about it. She would have no choice, and Pied had thankfully not raised her head yet.
The words of gratitude were so unexpected that Pied froze for a beat, wondering how to respond. It just felt weird, being thanked by Jinx. "You're welcome," she said at length, her words sounding strange and wooden. She then resumed her ministrations, dutifully wiping away the last of the clotted blood. It still bled, albeit more slowly now, and there was not much to be done about the pink streaks in Jinx's snowy fur.
Motioning for Jinx to follow her, Pied trotted back onto the beach, then braced all four legs to give her pelt a vigorous shake. She winced when a cold breeze licked past, sinking its frigid teeth into fur, flesh and bone. After checking to make sure Jinx was following, the Delta then began loping slowly over the cold sands, heading for the relative shelter in the shadow of the ridge.
When Jinx joined her, Pied waited for the other she-wolf to settle, then moved so that her body pressed against her pack mate's. She then began to lick the moisture from Jinx's fur, hoping that she would return the favor if she could. If they dried and warmed one another, they could hopefully chase away this awful chill.
Between licks, Pied finally voiced one of the dozens of questions rolling around in her head. "Do you know who he was?" Pied paused, then added another, "Should I call Akhlut... or anybody else?"
The woman couldn't help but grit her teeth and wince every time Pied's tongue touched the raw flesh uncovered by the removal of the blood clot, but she behaved: she did not growl savagely, or react unfavourably, as she might have otherwise. Whatever issues she had with Pied were dropped in this instant, and anyway, the totem she had made with the catnip had been accepted. If the dappled Delta had suspected her of any voodoo mischief, she hadn't made it known yet. Its effect could be good or bad; it was for fertility, but also complicated pregnancies.
Only when consumed, usually... But Jinx had added plants and salt, all which amplified magic. She had at the time hoped it would prevent pregnancy, but now she found herself not caring one way or the other. As petty as she could be, Jinx did eventually get over things, and perhaps the altercation with Pied was simply one of those things that, with a little more time, would be forgotten. Presently, it was not affecting her; she followed the pale woman out of the surf and into the shadow, found herself a spot on the ground, and dutifully returned the ministrations of tongue on fur that Pied began.
When questioned, the Gamma took a few extra moments to comb her teeth through her comrade's fur with the purpose of comforting and untangling, before answering. "He gave no name. He greeted me with only his teeth." Perhaps she could tell how his teeth had been cracked and yellow, his breath pungent, and his manner that of an uncultured, raving madman... But there was no point, she decided with a sigh. "I will speak with Akhlut later. He has been busy; I have not seen him lately. I suspect he has much going on, and will have time for me when he is less preoccupied." Or when Hawkeye showed up at the door, furious with her trespass... One or the other.
Personal vendettas laid aside, at least for the moment, the pair of she-wolves groomed one another without qualms. Soon they were damp rather than soaked and, though occasional shivers and trembles passed through the young Delta's body, she felt relatively warm.
Jinx did not know the identity of her attacker and did not want to summon Akhlut presently. Her remark made Pied's gut twinge uncomfortably. Speaking slowly and deliberately, Pied answered, "I've noticed that too." She hadn't really thought much of it until just now and it was incredibly ironic that Jinx should be the one to bring it to her attention. "What do we do if he fails us?" she wondered aloud, her voice low, wondering what Jinx would do if put in the very situation to which she had subjected the wolves in Bon Dye.
Even as she asked, it occurred to her that Jinx would likely seek the throne herself should anything ever happen to Akhlut's supremacy, thrusting Pied back into the role of Jinx's follower. There was a big distinction to be made between being her subordinate and her disciple. Her throat felt strangely tight. Pied felt threatened by the very idea, particularly because she knew that Jinx would almost certainly prohibit her from breeding. The yearling herself did not seek to be an Alpha—although she was certainly exhibiting more ambition as sexual maturity encroached...—and she wondered if she would fight Jinx for the rank anyway, considering the stakes. Motherhood meant everything, so she'd either have to fight or leave.
Despite the companionable grooming and civil conversation, Pied suddenly became stiff, mute and distant, her ears alone twitching as she waited for Jinx to confirm her suspicions. Meanwhile, she tried to silently reassure herself that Akhlut would become more invested, saving her from this terrible predicament.
Jinx hadn't considered it much either. As before, her belief was that Alphas had much busier lives, and did not always have time for their subordinates, even if it could be argued that an Alpha's time should be solely for their subordinates. Nanuq had had little time for her children, and then had ultimately left them. When put in the position of Mambo, the night she would have killed her siser or been killed herself for the throne of Shearwater, she had discovered her time for her other siblings, her aunt and uncles, had also been limited. Therefore, she saw in Akhlut her own self, one year ago, struggling to balance work and play. He was young, and probably inexperienced in juggling.
Nevertheless, she thought about it now, when Pied voiced a legitimate concern aloud. What if Akhlut failed? Why, he would leave behind prime property, with followers seeking a leader to guide them... And she was all too happy to return to her rightful role of Warchief. Realizing that that would probably piss Pied off, she said, "then somebody will take his place. Perhaps myself." A smirk before she quickly added, "or perhaps you, or your mate, or another wolf claiming to be strong and aaable. Who can say? It has not come to pass yet." To be sure, if it did, then Jinx would fight the contenders as she had fought Kaskae and would prevail with her Gods' blessings... Or she would fall, and be remembered nobly.
"We need not be hasty," she decided at last, attempting to groom the back of the other woman's neck once more as a reminder that nothing had happened... Yet.
Jinx's remark set Pied's teeth on edge. She said nothing, staring insteadat the choppy sea even as Jinx reminded her that nothing had happened yet. She didn't sound overly concerned, but then Jinx hadn't lived through this scenario just a few months ago. At the word hasty, the Delta's ears lay back indignantly and she almost snapped at Jinx, reminding her that she hadn't been involuntarily abandoned lately and that she didn't know what it was like to be facing the possibility again so soon. Pied hadn't been aware of her own complex until now.
"You'd better—" Pied began to say, only to pause and then continue, "—get some rest." It was clear that she'd been about to say something else, only to reevaluate and go in another direction. "I've done everything I can do for you," she added, slowly rising onto her feet and blinking blankly down at the injured Gamma. "Do you have somewhere you can take shelter? And can you get there on your own?"
Pied's dismissal was abrupt, but not so out of place that Jinx suspected anything, for she could have been about to say anything at all; she would have agreed that there was nothing more the dappled female could do. The wolves were still damp, but devoid of the chill that could have killed them due to their own efforts, and so there was no point in lingering. As Pied rose to her feet, Jinx followed suit, carefully eyeing the Delta lest she do anything... But the Kesuk's suspicion was not as great as it had once been, so there was little for her to fear.
"It's not far," she said, turning herself in the direction of the den she rarely ever stayed in. It was mostly to hold her stores, and less for her occupation... She slept beneath the stars, where sounds weren't muted by dirt. "Thank you," she offered awkwardly before she began to limp toward her safe haven, away from Pied.
Jinx did not need her help, nor did she seem suspicious of Pied's suddenly cold demeanor. As she began to limp away, the Delta's two-toned eyes followed her pitilessly. Although a caring individual, even toward Jinx—as had been exemplified just moments ago—she simply couldn't focus on anything but the worries now swarming her head.
With a quiet huff, Pied turned and began to walk, then run, heading in no particular direction nor with any certain destination in mind. Rather, it was almost as if she was trying to outrun her thoughts... but there was no escaping her own head.