Horizon Ridge the lotus-eaters

For @Silvermane ! This is a fair ways away from NB, sorry. It seemed like a logical place for Basilie to be, since she started out in the Emberwood. Maybe Silvermane went herb-picking or something. x)

She left her darling brother and headed south, this time trailing away from his bloodied scent in the hopes that she'd encounter someone with knowledge of Hadrian. When she was met by a great wall of mountainous terrain, Basilie followed the natural corridor to the west until there was a break; the heavily wooded chasm between peaks served as her entryway in to the belly of the wilds. The trees gave her enough of a foothold so that she could scale the repetitive ridges, and through the long hours of the night, this is what she did. The diligent girl searched as she wandered - hoping for some sign of Hadrian, or at the very least, someone to give her some insight.

It would not be so easy. The night gave way to a crisp, cold day. Pale light slipped through the canopy, and the girl was in a wretched state of mind. Her attempts to find a route down to the plains from the cliff-side were fraught with disappointment; on more than one instance, she nearly lost her footing and went careening down the mountain. By midday she had been battered by the stoic trees which caught her in these trying times, and when the exhaustion of travel met the hunger of her empty belly, true hell threatened to break loose from within her.

When the trees finally began to thin out, Basilie breathed a great sigh of relief and chose to take a moment to collect herself. She was careful in her positioning - bracing herself against a copse of trees, the fur of her back catching upon the weather-worn bark - and looked out upon the distant plains with a renewed sense of purpose.

Warning! Silvermane tends to swear XD

Silvermane was a tired sort, the entire day he had been scavenging and searching for the little bits of Deadly Nightshade. He had been spending a couple of days searching for them before, and this time he had no better luck, he was spending his time in the cold dawn searching the dim forest which he had already been looking into the night before, "Fuck me.." he called, pissed off with the average work, he didn't have to do this, but, the Deadly Nightshade was key to his success. The crisp, and cold day's breezes had still not pierced his white fur, his body had been prepared for the snowy days, as even if he had been injured sortly before, the Winter had to be worked on.

By the end of the day, his body had been aching from the neverending and nod-like wandering. He tried one last time, before he gave up, but as he was sniffing, he had caught a distant and dim smell. "Seriously?" he stretched lightly, Silvermane walked off in that direction, If I find that fucker, he thought, he didn't know why, but he guessed he just wanted to punch something, anyways, if it was a small wolf, maybe Silvermane could turn him into a little Nightshade-picking slave. Silvermane had atleast smiled on that thought, but doubted it, as he slowly began to come into view, he was started "Oh shit.." he said softly, this wolf seemed like a male, a rugged one, but as he stood abit closer, he identified a cut tail, a slicked muzzle and a lack of heavy muscles on the body, is it a female? or just a skinny boy?, He stepped abit forward, seeing that she was leaning against a tree..

Silvermane slowly walked in, and stepped back a couple of feet away from the unidentified wolf, "Hey, retard, are you trying to hug the tree or fuck it?" he taunted, trying to annoy the odd wolf.

Hey, retard, are you trying to hug the tree or fuck it?

Excuse me? Basilie heard the voice and turned to face it, as if to meet the foul language head-on. The look upon her face was a mixture of surprise and insult, with a thin array of spiking fur along her shoulders. Her eyes flashed with ire, although the entire moment was over and dealt with within a heartbeat. Did she wish to dignify such an awful sentiment with an answer? Not really.

But when she caught sight of his pale figure, she couldn't help but make a sharp-toned remark: Clearly neither. It wasn't as lengthy a response as she could've made, but Basilie didn't want to deal with him - already judging the stranger as beneath her. Commoners... I will never understand your kind. She commented sourly to herself as she got to her paws, leaving behind the tree with a few swift strides.

Im gonna powerplay a teeny bit on the way that Silvermane had caught sight of her annoyance in her posture, if thats not ok, ill edit it right out

"Commoner?" he called, "Commoner!?" he galloped next to her, abit behind, Just because I asked a vulgar question doesnt mean you have to degrade me, missus," he called, his annoyance building, he went down and barked at her, "Are you seriously walking away? Dont be a bitch, miss, you know your much more punchful than that.." he remarked, her annoyed posture

Oh come on, your ' Highness" as he said this in a peculiar and old-fashioned victorian accent, he bowed sarcastically Do not be so utterly borin, ya snobby bitch." he replied, this time dropping the accent and just going full on asshole, pestering the woman.

Silvermane currently reminds me of that video about cat-calling where the lady just keeps walking in silence, and dudes follow her around like creeps. And yeah that's fine!

Were all low-bred men like this? Believing that they could shout so rudely at a lady and then be expecting pleasantries in return? It shouldn't have been so surprising to her, really. But when he advanced upon her with further verbosity, Basilie rounded upon him and flashed her teeth. It didn't matter so much what he said at this point, but the fact that he was drawing closer and continuing to insult her did not do him any favors.

You presume I am here to be your entertainment, then? Rhetoric. A concept developed by the Greeks, yet a piece of their culture she would readily assume. Her head ducked at his own bow, although not as low and flamboyant as his own movement. She was being defensive and hiding away her throat just in case this fool went beyond his verbal abuse.

Leave me be. I did not ask for your company. The girl's shortened tail lashed against the grass, and she began to draw herself further from him with slow, deliberate steps.

XD Well, I hope Silvermane isnt a creep, just an asshole XD As hes not trying to pick up chicks, he's trying to piss her off xd Plus, Is it misfitting that im listening to Its beginning to look alot like christmas by micheal buble? Ugh, jazz XD

"No, I expect you to react alot more like the bitch that I expected to be brought out, that is called "Baiting" and it is a very nice sport" he joked, but not really as in a way to make anyone laugh.

He turned his head to the side, as if looking like "Whats wrong" as the same face puppys make when they are confused, but as she came closer, Silvermane chuckled deeply but not loudly "Finally! This gal is being more aggressive," he stepped a mighty step forward, as if trying to make himself look alot more... evil.

"Sorry Miss," he said, looking at the lady innocently "You didnt ask, but you got it." he said apologetically, "And your going to have to deal with it.."

She would give him one last chance to back off, maybe. If her temper could handle further discourse with the fool. He prattled on and she only half listened. When he boldly stepped towards her though, the strength of her Roman upbringing became too great - she couldn't stop herself from lurching towards him, of fluidly side-stepping and snapping her teeth.

A rumble emanated from her chest, and as the bestial sound carried to him, it distorted the sound of his false apology. She knew this game, too. Many days of training were coupled with events such as this during Basilie's upbringing - she had bested many of Aku's warriors in her pursuit of that warrior status, and this creature paled by comparison to those trained under her father.

Whether her initial strike hit or not, she pulled back and swept to one side, again. If he chose to counter her then she would be ready; trying to make him turn sharply and stumble with the effort. As long as she kept moving, he'd be at a disadvantage.

Silvermane had quickly pulled back, her teeth ripping off some of the beautiful Silver fur that had been tuft into his mane that elongated from his neck, but not piercing through the skin "Hey, watch the hair!" he called, before he attacked once more, he waited, gazing at her frantic movements, he stepped abit back "Before I do, am I allowed to hit a girl?" he asked aloud, hoping that she would answer the question,

Intentionally, he opened his stance for an attack, a false wrong that would be misinterpreted as a faulty defense stance, which he would then ensnare her if she was dumb enough to pounce, but what would Silvermane do then? Probably leave a mark, but theres not much more he could do to a girl. but he still opened his stance even more than before, but close enough to change at the last minute

..."Try again,"

As she wheeled about him, grasping the fur of his scruff and pulling away, she heard his stabbing words. The fur she spat out with a cant of her head, but there was no verbal response to his cajoling. The obnoxious little gnat of a man seemed to be eager for a beating, and Basilie was eager to oblige.

The pale wolf set himself up poorly with his positioning, as if to invite her close. There was a very brief moment of doubt prior to Basilie plunging in close, but it was ignored - this brute was smaller than her, and apparently less trained going by his dreadful skills, and he was not a wolf of Rome; this final fact put her ahead of him by breeding alone. The blood of warriors coursed through her veins.

So she dove in. Her head was ducked to protect her throat at first, but when she saw an opening - the rather obvious opening he presented - she took the bait. Her teeth slid through fur once more and were eager to sink in and tear the skin beyond.

Should we make a sparring thread to go with this?

Silvermane tried to go with the planning, to sidestep the beast, and grapple her, but her teeth had pierced his deep skin, and he just clenched his teeth harder, before he tried to slam back into her, as to push her off the bite, and slam her down.

As Silvermane begun to try and grabble the ubnoxiously large wolf, He was not that much smaller than that one, and he had been grown as a mountain one, so if he could just find a way to overpower her, he would be up and gone at last, but his wound had stung, and little drips of blood had been lightly slipping down, ruining his white fur.

I think it'd be a lot faster / easier to spar without dice, if you're OK with that? Basilie is gonna beat him up as we planned, and you have permission to damage her a bit too, since that'd be realistic (Silvermane is an arctic wolf after all and they are very compact compared to Basilie's subspecies mix).

As her teeth sliced and blood flowed, Basilie felt a great satisfaction. Perhaps this fool would learn from the experience of having his body torn to pieces? Although that wasn't likely; men were stubborn, slow beasts. There were exceptions who were highly tactical and thus powerful, but Basilie doubted this boy would ever become like that.

He pulled away from her at first - an initial reaction to the tightness of her hold - and then forced himself closer. This effectively pushed her face in to an awkward position, threatening to loosen the hold she had upon his skin, but all Basilie needed to do was adjust. She allowed the boy to shove her around a bit, correcting her posture by moving in swift steps alongside him.

She let go - briefly. Very briefly. And then she set upon him again.

Her teeth snapped and grabbed at his body, not any specific area, and sought the blood flowing beneath the pristine surface of his pelt. The red fluid was starting to stain the adjacent area with streaks of red, serving to incite further assault from the Roman; she was so taken by her blood lust that Basilie would not cease.

Silvermane is going to make up a "Perfect Plan" which will go horribly wrong XD Im just going to set high expectations for him, maybe when he tries to drive you down you could snap at his leg, and break it? That would be a cool idea, but Basilie might get hurt in the process... (Silvermane is gonna bite her abit, and also, if she does break his leg, he is quite heavy, and if he falls on her... XD she might be bigger than him, but he is still pretty heavy.

Silvermane had realized that, as youngersters would call it "This bitch is crazy!" he immediatly pushed himself down, and for a second pertended to look like he was in pain, he would wait until this lady would strike once more, and if she did, she would have her head torn off, the tactic would be simple, if she would bite to his exposed side belly, he would snap at her incoming neck and drive her into the ground, then, he would twist it until it would snap, or atleast until she begged for mercy. Either way, all he had to do is suffer several more bites, and he would crush.

Broken leg, coming up!

As trained as she thought she was, this boy had a bit of an advantage which would serve him well. He was the defender in the assault, and he was a pack wolf; both factors meant that Basilie was the weaker of the two. He was well fed and strong, and she was a rogue who lived from scant meal to scant meal. Regardless, her anger was piqued and she was true to form: eagerly diving at the soft tissue of the stranger's belly.

But he was prepared, and countered her attempt with a snap of his own teeth towards her neck. Naturally she ducked and tried to maneuver out of the way. His teeth caught at the base of her nearby ear, and in her attempt to be free of him, Basilie felt the pinch and the tear of skin. Blood ran down the side of her head - but the pain incited further mayhem from her.

He was not as nimble as he thought. That, or Basilie had stepped it up a notch because of the sudden strike against her. She ducked and wove out of the way, no longer aiming for his exposed belly or even his throat, but for one of his legs. A snap of her teeth later, and she had a firm grasp at his elbow - so she began to pull, hoping to disorient and unbalance her enemy. The force she placed upon this hold was meant to hold. In her haste and in her pain, as soon as her teeth touched upon the limb, her jaw set like a vice and began to crush the very bone.

Is it ok if Silvermane gets one small final hit? XD Also, Basilie has turned into Satan XD

Silvermane immediatly growled as he felt the pain shooting up against his limb, not because he was angry, but not to show the pain. He heard a small crunch sound, and with that, his vision turned red. The pain had flared up from his limb, burning, blood covering the side of his arm. It would have been completely crushed, if he had not immediatly reacted. Blood, still spraying from the side of his leg, he had begun to infuriate, his jaw snapping against her neck he had hoped she had not ripped it off. Luckily, he had only felt the crunching of a bone, which would probably mean that his arm had been dislocated, or maybe the bone had been split.

His teeth had come near her throat, and his snap would probably leave a mark, but it was his own foolishness that had broken his own leg, if he were smarter, he would have most likely won. The bite would be strong enough to take her away from his leg, and maybe after this, she wouldnt be so heartless to leave him to die here, but with that thought, he would have to find a way to make himself live, the blood was being lost quickly, and this horrifying creature was barbaric. He had not struck her hard, for the fear she might not have gotten back up, but this monster had no sense of play,

Yeah sure you betcha.

The sound of the bone breaking was immensely satisfying, but she wanted more; and she would've gotten away with it too, if it weren't for the boy's sudden revival. Instead of buckling over with the pain he responded like a Roman would - seizing upon it, fueling himself with it. And as she released him, he came for her. The speed of his counter-attack was surprising to her; he was a blur of white and red, snapping his teeth in a dangerously close place. His teeth slid through her fur and in to the skin of her shoulder, pulling and wrenching at the flesh. The girl felt the pain of this attack and relented in her own - there would be a mighty scar left there, provided she survived. It all depended on who escaped first, for they were both losing blood now. The fun was over.

Thanks for not letting Silvermane die a loser XD Also, Ill bump this to the future

Silvermane had felt a great feeling as the his teeth pierced through her skin, Finally, a actual cut! for a second, he had forgotten his pain, and his bloodlust peaked, a wrath climax. He quickly clenched his jaw, and pulled backwards, if she was unlucky enough to pull back, some of her muscle tissue might be torn, if only he could pull hard enough...

Once again pain shot up his leg, and whined, releasing his horrid grasp on the woman. He would surely die if someone could not immediatly help him, and he doubted this lone wolf would, especially help him, He contorted, his body turned over, he whined with pain. The blood had begun to rush more with him moving too much. "Poppy" he barked rasped and lightly, if only he could get enough of the seeds he could die atleast sleeping, and slow and soft.

Exit from Basilie! :D

He gripped her and she wanted to scream with the pain of it; however, Basilie was trained well. She resisted the temptation, refusing to give him the satisfaction that would surely arise. The girl snapped at him but could not get another precise hit or hold, blinded as she was by the pain. But the pain in his own body was enough to make him release her - and Basilie took the chance to stumble away. She made it a few steps before feeling her limbs tremble - a mixture of adrenaline and shock from her wound.

The stranger slurred some sort of word, but Basilie wasn't listening. She lifted herself and began to stride away, marching to relieve the level of energy within her body. The more she walked, the better she felt - until the activity caused her freshly torn shoulder to smart with pain. A streak of red slid towards the ground, leaving a clear trail that Basilie would've covered or obscured had she been mindful enough... But her enemy was not going anywhere too quickly.

Before long she had put quite a distance between the two of them, and her silhouette vanished in to the dark.

Well crap, now how do I save him? XD

Silvermane just let himself go limp, the woman had left, so his proper death could never work, he would die like this, surely, if noone would help. Hopefully, if he could, a wolf which would be lucky enough to come here, would help, but Silvermane had usually none such luck. He placed his head up, and howled, a painful, sad howl for anyone to help him, and with that he let his head fall down. If he could, he would cry, but instead, just closed his eyes, and let himself die.

[Fades to black]