While Death Taunts, Voices Struggle

Anyone is welcome to answer. @crescendo

Muck clings to his paws, he snarls at it. All around the area water lay in still patches. He was in a swamp. What a horrid place in these woods. He had been following the scent of blood, of wolf's blood. Someone was injured. That makes him grin. Kill, the voices chorus. If the thing is still alive. Search, they plead. Golden eyes skim the damp area. He hopes it still lives, even if barely. He could find the poor creature, put it out of it's misery. A shiver racks his body. It has been a long while since he has killed. He is eager to do so again. But what if it is dead? A growl hums low in his chest. To tempt him with such desire is almost painful. It has to still be alive. Alive, the voices agree. Hunt, they urge. Cold, damp ground kisses his nose. It hides the trail. He sneezes his frustration at it. Truly this place is the worst part of these beloved woods. Such darkness and wonder it had held when he first stood at it's boarders.

A black entrance meets his gaze across the swamp. He strides towards it. Sniffing into it's depths once at the edge. The smell of the wolf blood strongly lingers inside. His breath hastens, claws digging into the soft earth. It is a tunnel. Here, the voices taunt. Yes, the wolf was in there. Hurry, they call. He takes a slow step forward. Could he go in there? He pauses just inside. Dare he? The moon cast broken shadows over him. His own large shadow melds into the tunnel. What if the pack does not allow newcomers down in the depths of this place? He is supposed to hide his intentions here. He sits, his shadow following. Squinting into the darkness, a glow catches his eyes. Light? Why was there light in a tunnel that leads down into the earth? It is as if the tunnel invites him. He forces himself to stay, teeth grinding.

If the wolf was bleeding out then it would be dead soon. He could go down there, sit in front of the wolf. Watch it desperately beg him for help. He would grin, eyes wild. Slowly the light in its eyes would fade. He would lean close, telling the wolf no one would save it now. Watch the panic roll over it's body. Watch it thrash and struggle. Then he would strike out, take it's throat in his jaws and tear it open. Warm, luscious blood would flow over his muzzle. He licks his lips at the thought, the taste on his tongue. The ominous wolf stands, he takes another slow step forward. Then another paw brushes over the ground. He stops again, fighting the longing. Why stop? The voices question. Pretend, they answer. He snarls at them silently. Maybe he should look for another pack member? He would naturally be curious about such a place. Nothing suspicious there.

He backs out of the entrance, sitting at the edge once more. Singing frogs irritate his ears. Turning, he spots one sitting close enough. He lunges forward, teeth bared. Something squishy struggles in his mouth. White points clamp down savagely; thickness wets his jaws. Strong paws grip the small creature; daggers shred it. Blood splashes his face and chest. His eyes gleam in the moonlight from the kill. That felt a little better. Something cold soaks his paw. He had stepped in swamp water. Glancing down, a dark and crazed face stares back. Blood splatter drips from his muzzle causing the water to ripple. Control, the voices growl harshly. They were ones to talk. Trust, the voices say. A paw splashes in the murky water, then attempts to clean the mess from his face. He is discovering that keeping his nature at bay is nearly impossible. The voices are no help either. They were confusing him.

Wait no longer. Your response is here! *Superhero Music sounding in the background*

The large grey wolf decided it was time to do some more exploring on the grounds he got admitted too. The wolf was fascinated by the illuminated tunnels under the territory. It felt like a massive den connected by tunnels. The darkness calmed his sensitive blue eyes. The large grey could often watch the glowworms crawl, or studying of the mushrooms. Would they contain a power or magic? The rumors of this pack were about the priestess doing magic. Burke firmly did not believe in such things. But since he had discovered these sources of light he was starting to doubt his strong opinion.

It was time to resurface again. The large grey couldn't stay in the tunnels forever. Yet, they had such a calming effect on Burke. Which was saying something because the large male was always calm of mind. He thought about what he did or said and never really panicked. The grey's docked tail let out a flicker as his body guided himself a way out of the tunnels. His ears perked up when there was a hint of another wolf. Burke figured it was one of his pack mates. He would meet them eventually. The male didn't rush to see the individual.

Once he got to the entrance of the tunnel there was indeed another wolf. The five year old was easily heard. He was not a fan of startling other wolves and ending up with him being between their jaws. Such injuries could easily be avoided. The blue eyed male give a nod with his head in greeting. He waded into the murky water, too, his docked tail a bit raised. Well that part of his body wasn't going to get wet very soon. Burke didn't mind the swamp, if only he wouldn't smell so bad afterwards. For now he embraced the scent, he wanted to smell of this territory and embed the smells of his new pack into his fur.

His head turned to the other male one brow a bit more raised. "Greetings," he then spoke with a calm tone. They had not been introduced. One of many actually. He had only met Slade, which was a pretty good man to converse with, and the priestess of course. He had met her too.

OH MY GOD! Thank you for saving this! I LOVED this intro for Grim. I was so worried I would have to delete it :( Thank you! Thank you! <3

Someone is coming out of the tunnel. Grim can hear the paw steps of a heavy wolf. His head turns to watch a large grey male appear from the earth. Curious eyes focused intently on this wolf. He can't believe how huge the stranger is. Grim is used to being larger than most himself. He feels somewhat intimidated. Nose sniffing, he finds this is a pack mate. What had this wolf been doing beneath the ground? Was he the reason for the smell of death below? He takes another sniff. No scent of blood marked him. This wolf has nothing to do with what was going on in the mysterious tunnels. That disappoints Grim. He turns away as the grey enters the swamp next to him. A small, silent snarl on his lips. The male offers a greeting. Grim forces a smile, turning back to the stranger. "Hi," he replies simply. Watching this wolf, he lowers his head to lap at the stingy water. A bitter taste assaults his tongue. Ears pin back against his head. He takes a step out of the foul swamp water. He hopes the stranger hadn't caught his little show with the frog. Hopefully he also removed the pieces of frog from his coat.

Does this male know what the source of the blood is? "Is there an injured wolf beneath?" he questions. Golden eyes glance between the large grey and the tunnel. Grim feels he must know what is going on. The longing is killing him. Kill?the voices question. No not himself. Find the kill, they correct themselves. A snuff escapes him. He does not care for the stupidity of his inner self. Of his true self. Perhaps it would be best to remain as he is. Those stupid voices will get him killed one day.

The size of this wolf is really getting to him. Grim wishes to prove that he is the stronger one between them. His head raises high. He is the dominant male here. Not this grey. The fight would be enjoyable, he has to admit. Such a large wolf will test him greatly. It will make him feel even stronger if he can defeat the stranger. It would be no easy task. How would he start? Jump into the wolf's side in an attempt to knock him to the ground? Grim doesn't believe there is a high chance in that. So then what could he do? Surprise attack from behind? Land on the male's back and sink his teeth in. Then if he is thrown, aim for the grey's legs. Attempt to break bone or lame him. Grim has a better chance if the strong looking wolf is limited. Since the grey is so large will that make him slow? Perhaps that is the more important question. If this wolf is slow, then Grim can tear away at him until the male falls. Lunge in and out, landing a blow here and there. Take fur and flesh with teeth. He has a chance of winning that way. What if the grey is able to hold him down? No. Grim won't let that happen. Not if he can dodge any lunges or charges the larger wolf attempts. His odds depend on the strangers speed it seems.

AH!! I'm glad I made you so happy! :D This is going to be great! Grimnir is an interesting character to say the least! Also, sorry if my posts are not as long as yours I still need to get into Burke's thought process xD

A blue gaze was turned into the younger wolf's direction. The moody water did not show the other's full body. Burke already had established that he was the bigger one of the two, which wasn't that hard since he had never met a wolf his size. Sometimes he felt a bit like a giant. His brows raised a bit when he got a common 'hi' back. Well then. Burke's face gave nothing away. He had to remind himself that not every other wolf in this pack was like Slade. The large grey had liked that black wolf. They were the same age, maybe that was why, and they seemed to be on the same level in life. He wondered about the younger wolf across from him. Would he earn the same respect Slade had? "How will I call you?," he asked before the other fired him a question back. A grey brow furred at the brunette's inquiry.

The male had no clue what the other talked about. Burke could not miss the scent of blood did he? No. He was certain. Burke made sure he kept his questioning frown to a minimum. Slowly a sly smirk turned on his lips. "Why don't you go see for yourself?," he drawled in reply. His docked tail rose. The wolf didn't seem fond of the swamp water. By the murky color of it Burke had already been wise enough to know that it was not suitable for drinking. The water was still. No movement other than what their bodies created. It was probably filled with bacteria. The older male was not phased by the thought of it. He had no cuts or wounds on his legs to get infected. He waded deeper into the swamp, his long legs keeping him standing where others might have lost their footing. The calm wolf noticed how the brown one was looking at him. He didn't appreciate it, yet, the relaxed male also wouldn't make a fuss. He would see where the younger one's thought process would bring him.

Burke returned to the muddy bank. He was right. This still swamp water was of nothing useful to him other than creating loud croaking frogs and attract vermin. If one was very hungry it might be able to catch a fat rat around here. The dripping male shook out his fur, and, since he was big, a lot of water was flying around. Although the male's lack of tail didn't make the water not fly that far. "Woken up from your thought process, young one?," he spoke on that same calm tone. Burke wasn't stupid. He had seen the other's head and tail rise. Technically the male was probably higher in rank. But, Burke wasn't going to create a fight. A pack should be a unity. Although the behavior of the younger one did make Burke want to put him into place. Maybe the priestess would notice and place him on a higher rank. But then, Burke's mind calmed once more. He fought with his brother many times. His scars and docked tail proved he was a warrior and he wasn't going to fight this pup just to prove that he was better than him. He had grown out of that stage. He learned the act of patience, which was probably something he was going to need a lot of with this one across from him...

Don't worry about matching Grim's posts. They usually start off large, but dwindle after a few. I've found that I like making long introductions.

"Grimnir," he offers the large male. Ignoring the comment of 'waking up from' his 'thought process'. He did not like being called 'young' as well. He has been on his own from a younger age. He has every right to be respected. Internally, he growls at this brute for the insult even if unintended. The older wolf wades back out of the swamp to stand on the bank. Grim's nose twists in disgust. The stench on his own fur from cleaning off the frog fills his nose. The grey male's smell is even stronger. Grim will have to find cleaner water after this. The smell doesn't suit him. Plus the feel of the water is uncomfortable. Thick and heavy, it coats his fur. Hopefully he can rid his nose of the scent. "Perhaps I shall make for the tunnels to escape your current smell, old wolf." A paw covers his nose in an attempt to block the smell. No luck though. As much as he likes death, he tries to stay away from the stench. This swamp is no better than rotting meat.

He gazes at the tunnel entrance. At the glowing light. Golden eyes squint in an attempt to find the source. "And you are?" He asks the wolf. Not that it matters his name. Grim doesn't give a rat's ass about this male. Why should he care? The old grey will end up dead anyway. Kill, the voices chorus. Now, they command. Ignoring them, he wonders if the stranger knows of the reason for the light in the tunnel. Or where the tunnel leads. That underground passage really has him curious. He would ask more about what lay beneath, but this wolf has already made it clear that he will not answer Grim. A lip slightly twitches in annoyance. He contains a snarl. If he walks away and into the tunnel will this male follow? Grim takes a hesitant step in that direction while waiting for a name from this brute. As well as an indication of whether or not the large wolf will follow.

What will he find down in the tunnel besides a possibly wounded wolf? More tunnels? Meldresi had mentioned entering the them once he had met all the wolves. Can he still enter them even if he has not met them all? How man wolves are even in the pack? The tunnel must be where the pack lives. Does that mean the pups will be down there? That thought excites him a little. He wants to meet the Alpha's pups. He wants to know if Bane really is the mate to Meldresi. Will there be any white pups? His inner self smirks. He hopes that there is. He will enjoy killing those more than the others. Light does not need to exist in this world. He will crush as much of it as he can. That stupid white wolf. He can still see the smile on his muzzle as he laughs at Grim. That wolf will pay. He will make Bane regret laughing at him.

Ohh good to know. I do like to read Grim's thought process. He is interesting!

The older grey bobbed his head. The two lighter spots on his brow raising a bit. This male did seem mature enough to not comment on his little teasing. Well that got him some more respect of the older wolf. Slowly a charming smile tugged on his light grey muzzle. "Old wolf? I guess I deserved that one. My name is Burke Sebastian Rochester but you can call me Burke," he returned. The larger male wondered why Grimnir talked about a corpse before and why he didn't dare to go into the tunnels. Maybe he was afraid. "Then please, leave me be if you sensitive nose can't handle the scent of your own pack.," he returned. A pack marked the area they lived in, just as well the nature marked them back depending on what grounds that said pack lived. Black Feather had a swamp well then most wolves would smell like one. "Or find another home if you can't stand the smell."

Burke studied the male's hesitant step. The grey one didn't move a muscle. His stance was dominant relaxed while he felt the other one was all over the place. He wondered why he got that vibe. Burke's keen blue eyes never left the male, more in curiosity than in pure aggression. Burke could have his sadistic ways but he only showed them when he wanted someone to see that. He kept his outside mask, which was funny because his face markings had a darker mask, into his calm charming wolf to only reveal his true self if he felt it was needed. His giantism seemed to agitate the smaller Grim even more, maybe that is why he got that vibe from he other, because his height unsettled him.

A low growl sounds from Grim. "I do not dislike the scent of this pack. The smell of the wood surrounds them more than the stentch of this swamp." Is the nose of this brute broken? Since when has the pack been so over run with such a gagging smell? His teeth slightly show in disgust. The large male hadn't made any move towards the tunnels as Grim had been hoping. He won't ask Burke to come with him either. He doesn't need anyone. He had always been alone. With a snort and a wave of his tail Grim raises his head and starts off towards the tunnels.

He pauses for a minute to say over his shoulder, "Thanks for your time, Old Wolf." He continues on without a second thought towards the brute. It is time to discover the underground tunnels. He passes through the entrance, feeling as if he is being engulfed by the earth. The lights that brighten the tunnel give an erie feel to the place. He is eager to discover all that there is to this tunnel. The smell of blood still taints the air. He is mostly wanting to figure that one out. What does this pack do beneath the swamp? What secrets do they keep from the outside world? With each new discovery Blackfeather becomes more and more loved by Grim.

Lets make this to 10 posts! :3

Burke loved to get other wolf offended and see how they would react. The older male studied the other one. There was something about him that the older grey couldn't place him with. Burke knew he could be a bit insane at the time but this one seemed totally crazy. He wasn't sure if it was in a good or bad way. The grey male was surprised that Grimnir would thank him for his time. He wondered why that was. He got the vibe the other one actually disliked him.

Burke followed with him into the tunnels. "If you want I can show you around. If not I will be leaving," he responded. The male felt like he would get a no. Well then he would just leave. He would find other things to do.

The brute's voice causes Grim to pause and look back. Golden eyes narrow. The male had not indicated that he had any real wish to join Grim when he had taken a step towards the tunnels. He does not wish for the company of this large wolf at any rate. Burke irritates and intimidates him. "I'm sure you have better things to do." With a flick of his tail he turns to continue on into the depth of the tunnels. He will find his way around by himself. If he comes across something that he should not, well he can deal with it if need be.

Burke grinned. He had better things to do. Well then, that is fine. The late brute turned around abruptly and then left the crazy male. He could make himself more useful than bugging him. His docked tail was in the air as he left the tunnels into this darkness of the forest. His new home.