Dragoncrest Cliffs these long cold days of grey

The days come early for Ajatar. The birds have mostly stopped singing as they’ve migrated south and only the first hint of daylight disturbs her sleep. She is up easy, stretching out her limbs and shaking out her fur, having spent the night outside instead of in Hougeda, and she adjusts her position to the southern borders of Drageda.

Ajatar enjoys her time alone but it is much more difficult here than home in Trigeda. She knows the wolves there well enough that she doesn’t feel awkward around them, or as if they are judging her for being here. Sometimes they look at her like a threat when Trigeda took care of her, making sure their next leader is comfortable and prepared. Thuringwethil’s absence as of late has put a hindrance on the things she really needs and any chances of learning have often been waylaid.

Most mornings, the first run of the borders are boring. Outside of war, little happens in the morning, and she enjoys the peacefulness of a gloomy day. The sun is long forgotten for the time being, hidden by a thick roll of clouds that threatens their weather later with hail or snow or freezing rain. For now, she enjoys the chill of the wind as it blows by, unaware of the coyote lurking ahead.

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Bobby, as usual, was lying down on a rock, trying to get some rest in. He’d finally been added to the Drakru ranks, of which he’d been proud for a day then resumed his usual schedule. Blixen had done a good job of motivating him for a week or so, but he’d lost it again. He needed something else to push him, to do more and try harder. But without Nomi around he really didn’t have it. So today, like most other days, Bobby was asleep. 

Little did he know, that nearby a coyote was lurking. While he wasn’t a small pup anymore, he still wasn’t full grown. His large feet showed that he had a lot of growing to do, and overall could be a pretty decent sized male. But for now, he was still little Bobby, and a full grown coyote could prove a problem for him. Especially since he wasn’t much of a fighter as much as he was a runner. His black pelt rose and fell with his breathing and with every breath his stalker drew closer.

The coyote pounced, and Bobby’s golden eyes snapped open in surprise as it landed on top of him. He thrashed about underneath it, paws and jaws going wild to catch anything he could. If he’d been awake it wouldn’t have caught him off guard, and he could’ve taken it. But the coyote had the element of surprise, and it had Bobby down for now. All he could down was hope one of his attacks would do enough damage to make the dumb canine move. He let out a yelp, and anyone nearby would hear.

The morning continues on the next few seconds as before, quiet and gloomy, causing her lids to become a little heavier than they should, but she admits to likin this type of weather anyway. The lull of sleep is easily just around the corner and, with nothing to do but this, she considers very briefly cutting it short and finding somewhere to rest. The yelp that comes out of nowhere grabs her attention instantly and she straightens up, body stiffening and her fur bristling around her neck. She doesn’t try to figure out what it is yet, instead moving in that direction only to find the scuffle.

Coyote stench fills her nose quickly, and so does the runt of Thuringwethil’s litter (she doesn’t remember is name, nor much about him), and it keeps her feet moving quickly. The coyote, scrawny and hungry, has made a daring move against the superior species but does not realize the fate he’s stupidly stepped into.

Letting no time waste, Ajatar moves quickly and launches forward. She does not hide her sudden presence from them, either, with a throaty snarl upon her landing that’s much too fast for either of them to react in a timely manner. With open jaws, she clamps down on the canine’s rump and tail, using the rock for leverage, and pulling back with everything she has. She is more than three times the size of the coyote, making it easy, but it doesn’t go without trying to get something from Bobby, only to quickly turn around and try to get something from her while most of its front end is uncontrolled.

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Bobby continued to struggled under the coyote until suddenly the weight was lifted off of him. Not wait a moment to figure out who it was, the black and red male scrambled to his feet and leapt upon the front half of the coyote, which was still free. He grabbed its scruff in between his teeth and pushed it down with all his strength. It writhed under him and his pack mate, and with an angry snarl Bobby bit down harder, drawing blood from the coyote. It tasted warm in his mouth, and seeped out onto his own fur. The coyote howled and continued to buck.

I held off on Bobby killing it in case you want Ajatar to :)

Bobby can have it :D

As the coyote whips back around, he manages to bite the side of her rib cage. His teeth puncture in two places, and then tear as he flings back around. She hadn’t noticed Bobby righting himself to fight back, mostly expecting him to get out of the way at least, but his grip on the coyote brings it back. Ajatar’s jaw tightens around the coyote’s hip and groin as he fights back from the other end, now focused on Bobby and trying to get away. There’s a sickening crunch and tear of bone and ligament beneath her teeth that adds to the yowling creature’s pain. The boy has managed to pin the other half and she does her best to keep the back side still so the rest of his body can give out on him between the two wolves.

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Bobby waited no more, he shoved the coyote’s head to the ground and let go of its scruff, lunging for its soft exposed neck. His pearly white teeth sank into it and Bobby pulled. The sound was sickeningly gross, as he basically tore out the animal’s throat. It stopped moving in a matter of seconds, it’s eyes frozen on Bobby. He stood there silently for a moment, looking down shakily at his kill. It had all happened so fast, he hadn’t had much time to think. His instincts had completely taken over, and with the help of the other female, he had demolished the smaller canine.

Bobby had never really killed another canine before though, so part of him felt guilt instantly. But mostly he was just relieved, glad that it was over. Blood dripping down into his copper chest fur and staining it further red, Bobby began to feel the pain from the coyote’s  attacks. It’d managed to bite his shoulder, and blood was oozing own from it slowly. The young male turned to look at his companion for the first time, still breathing heavily. Thanks. He said, offering her a faint smile.

It doesn’t take long, or much more effort, for the coyote to finally fall still. Bobby gripped the creature’s neck and pulled, tearing flesh as one might in battle rather than a hunt. Ajatar slowly unlatches her jaw from the broken pelvis of the coyote, stretching out her muscles a little, and then snapping her teeth back together. Blood smeared her white muzzle and it oozed from her side, red staining her ribcage, a little flap opened up that gives her a little concern but not enough pain the moment to do something about it right away. For now, her attention is on the boy as she glances back, seeing the wound on his shoulder.

“You should pay more attention when you’re on the borders,” his her response, her feet firmly planted on the ground as the coyote lay dead at their feet. She lowers her head only briefly to sniff at the carcass, finding nothing particularly wrong other than a hungry, pre-winter starved coyote. “Where’s the nearest cache?” she asks, having debated whether or not to eat it now or save it for later, or someone else.

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As soon as the older girl opens her mouth, the smile fades off of Bobby’s face. He didn’t want a lecture about what he’d done wrong, especially not from another pack mate. She wasn’t his mom, she wasn’t even his sister. His eyes narrowed a bit but he didn’t retaliate, he kept his discontent towards her comment to himself. She asked where the nearest cache was, and Bobby nodded towards further into the territory. Not far. He replied, bending down his head to sniff at the dead creature.

Realizing that he didn’t know the other girl’s name, Bobby looked up again to ask, What’s your name? I forgot.

She notes the change in Bobby after her statement but she doesn’t alter her expression or pursue it further. There is no resistance to her logic and without his argue, he realizes his fault and just doesn’t like to have it pointed out. Stubborn. Her pale eyes narrow when he does respond, answering her question instead with a follow up impromptu introduction. Ajatar hadn’t been properly introduced to the pack except in passing, or when it became relevant and she’s had little desire to hang around the Heda’s children out of skepticism of the situation.

“Ajatar,” is all she responds, then points down with her nose at the coyote. “We’ll add this to the cache,” she adds and leaves little room for debate.

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Ajatar, the girl said and Bobby realized he knew a little bit about her. She was the one who was supposed to be the leader when Nomi died. That was a subject he didn’t like to think about, and looking at his mom’s successor was not his favorite thing. Also it bothered him that neither he nor his siblings would be able to take lead. They were Nomi’s actual children, Ajatar was a nobody to him. It wasn’t like Bobby actually wanted to lead, he currently had no wish to do such a thing, but he felt like Blixen or Artaax would make great Heda’s someday. And here was this girl, taking away their prospects. It sucked.

Bobby’s prejudice against this girl was stacking up pretty quick, and as of now the only thing she had going for her was that she had kinda saved his ass. For that reason, she still had a chance at making friends with Bobby. Bobby. He replied with his own name, then listened as she commanded the coyote taken to the cache. He had sort of wanted to eat the coyote now, he was hungry. He wanted to protest, but he sighed instead and nodded, picking up the front end of the coyote by its scruff. You get its butt. Bobby said through a mouthful of coyote neck, a bit of a smug tone in his voice.

Ajatar doesn’t move when he tells her what side of the coyote to take. Her gaze doesn’t fall away, either, as she stares hard at him. As a few second passes, she squares her shoulders and raises an eyebrow. With no intention of helping the child, nearly full grown, carry a coyote less than half his size. She snorts quietly. “You’re not strong enough to carry it on your own,” she asks in a way that doesn’t necessarily sound like a question. Holding the coyote by the scruff has most of it anyway but her feet remain firmly in place in the meantime.

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I just went back and re read that first paragraph of my last post, it had so many typos I’m so sorry.

Bobby didn’t avert his gaze at Ajatar’s challenge, she may be older and more special or whatever, but Bobby felt no obligation to back down. He was still the Heda’s son, which had to count for something. Of course I’m strong enough to carry it on my own, it would just be nice if you helped. Unless your too good to carry meat back to the cache. He mumbled a little under his breath, his honey golden eyes finally shifting away from her and back down to the coyote. He picked it up again and began to drag it towards the cache, wondering whether or not she was sill following. At this point he didn’t care, he’d made up his choice about her.

Reply again or archive?

She hears the beginning of what Bobby has to say, mumbling under his breath, but it becomes inaudible with the coyote in his mouth as he continues further away. She stares at his form for a moment longer, eventually rolling her eyes when he isn’t looking, and she turns, returning to the borders. She’s long since calmed down, her breath back to normal, and she’s already shed the useless child—that would have come out a lot worse with the coyote if she hadn’t been around—and her focus returns to the borders, listening for anything out of the ordinary.

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