Sleepless I dream of the day [m]

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The idea that he was more comfortable outside his lands than in was a strange one, but lately it seemed the Alpha male could only catch his breath when he departed for a time, allowing cares to beat in the background for a time rather than clamoring about overwhelmingly.  This time he did not go south, but west, a short distance only from his secluded home.

The destruction of the storm that laid waste to the south lands had not touched here either, not in any large capacity.  He picked his way carefully down the slope, knowing that a fall could be disasterous, and slowly approached the spring that defined this small territory.  It was a clear, cold source of water and he drank his fill before looking out over the glen below.

A guilty sort of dread came over him upon thought of returning this night, so he sat instead, trying to enjoy some peace before he would make the trip back.  Traversing the mountain would be difficult once evening fell.

Charon had wanted to visit Blacktail Deer Plateau, really, to look if they'd found Osprey yet, but he ended up beelining around it. He told himself it was to see how the storm had touched the surrounding territories, but in truth he was just avoiding going there; afraid of the answer, perhaps. "It looks like the storm went easy on this place," Charon said to himself while he started on a narrow path that lead down from the mountain ridge he'd been travelling. He suddenly felt odd talking to himself -- it reminded him of the time he'd still had Drake, before he was old enough for that sort of stuff.

When Charon came upon the spring, he was positively surprised by its untouched beauty. He stood and stared at it in marvel for a moment or two -- however, his joy did not last long, for while he looked around, he als osaw Dante not far off. Just his luck.

As it was too late to just wander off and ignore Dante, as he might've already seen Charon, too, the young Beta decided to walk up to him. He might as well ask him about Osprey, although Dante was the last wolf that Charon wanted to hear any bad news from. "Did you find Osprey?" Charon asked, skipping pleasantries. It was phrased as a question, although it was evident from the wry expression on his face that he did not expect a positive answer.

:D

This time was necessary, Dante knew, and therefore he was not in a huge rush to get home. Taking the time to organize his thoughts and feelings was becoming increasingly important as well as increasingly hard to do. It was like untangling a web, pulling each knot in the mess and untangling it. He had gotten through very few of them.

Of all the ones to come upon him that day, it had to be Charon. He had no great love for the boy and knew the feeling was mutual. Not only that, but he abruptly put forward a subject that the alpha had managed so far to get by without - Osprey. Hearing her name, and his own failure, so pressed made him flinch internally. He managed to hide the reaction before it could express, but his voice wasn't particularly gentle when he gave the news. He didn't owe the Stavanger wolf anything, but as a friend of Osprey, Dante relented.

"No. I didn't." He did not turn to face the younger wolf, but remained seated where he was. Perhaps the wolf would move on.

i can never resist a charon-dante thread! >:D

Dante looked cold, like he just didn't care what had happened to Osprey. It infuriated Charon that he was being so cold about the disappearance of someone who considered him a friend. Did he not return the sentiment at all? Charon clenched his jaw at the reply, although at least Dante was admitting guilt and did not try to side-blame his pack, uncle Mordecai, or anyone else for her disappearance. He did not find Osprey.

"You should've looked after her," Charon said with an angry tone in his voice, completely failing his intent not to play any blame cards. He was hurt, he hated feeling helpless about the subject of Osprey. She was a good friend, and with all that had happened lately -- Jorunn's disappearance, Atreyu and the bear, the storm -- Charon had needed her, and now she was gone forever. The worst thing was, nobody but him seemed to give a damn.

they make me happy. This could get interesting!

He did not leave.

Instead he seemed intent on laying blame.  Dante was no stranger to this.  He himself felt at fault partially for all that had transpired - if he'd only been there, only been quicker.  But he wasn't ready to have it dished out so plainly by another, and especially not Charon.  He felt the restraint and control of these past few weeks fracture, spiderweb cracks that threatened to shatter.

Stiffly he rose, finally turning to glare at the other, hackles rising.  "Excuse me?" That Charon was Osprey's friend no longer mattered.  He had no right to talk, to make it appear that Dante hadn't done all he could.  He wasn't there.  It didn't matter that Dante blamed himself either.  Hearing it from another was too much, and the outlet for the anger he'd kept carefully withdrawn too tempting an offer.

The way that Dante rose and stared at him while he spat out the words was threatening. And Charon didn't like to be threatened. The nerve of Dante that he dared to play innocent, that he dared deny that he should have done more for Osprey. Someone should've saved her -- if she'd lived in Stavanger Bay, then she would've been safe. Charon would've made sure of that (he conveniently forgot about Jorunn for the moment; that was totally different). And at least if someone would tell him he'd done wrong, he would admit it (uh huh) and take the blame (of course).

"You heard me fine," Charon said, and he flashed his teeth in a snarl. Charon hadn't actually fought that often, for usually threats were enough, but right now he'd had enough. The young Beta did not intend to stand down to Dante again. Dante didn't deserve to be Alpha of his own pack, and he certainly didn't deserve to be Osprey's friend. He just didn't seem to care at all.

Charon lifted his tail over his back to match his snarl, exuding the dominance he had grown so used to as Beta of a pack whose Alpha was barely present in spirit. "I don't think you ever cared for her at all. You didn't deserve a friend like her, or your pack, or any of the other stuff you have, you stupid fuck." While he did not attack, Charon made it evident with his body language he didn't intend to stand down. He wanted nothing more than to throw Dante down to the ground by the scruff and make him physically repent, add actions to his words, but for now he didn't.

oh my, this was actually quicker than I thought

I love Charon so much :)

Dante stiffened when Charon snarled. He hadn't been looking for a fight when he left home but it appeared he was going to get one. Charon's words took it way past the alpha's limit and any reservations fell away, totally annihilated by the fury that reared its ugly head.

Neither diplomacy nor pack politics could stop him now. Even in fighting Koda he hadn't been nearly this enraged. He didn't bother putting forth any words, but instead silently lunged, aiming for the throat, the shoulder, or the chest. Thought disappeared and narrowed to a single moment; he wanted to taste this whelp's blood. If he struck he would bite without mercy or restraint.

He wasn't about to stand there and take that, not when he had heard the same doubts echoed by his own mind so often. And definitely not when there was no way the insolent wolf in front of him understood anything about him.

<3

Although Charon was readying himself for a fight, he didn't expect things to escalate this quickly. He had imagined he'd jump aside if Dante would come for him, but truthfully... He had not expected Dante to actually attack at all. Dante had never been offensive to him and Charon had expected, like all of their previous encounters, for Dante to be a right asshat and be smug about himself and think himself pretty smart, and fight -- in words.

So when teeth came blazing his way, Charon didn't, in fact, duck away like he had planned. There was a brief look of surprise in his expression, in his eyes, when he tried to duck away, too late. Dante's teeth connected to the front of his right shoulder (between leg and neck), and in Charon's mind flashed the time he'd been attacked at Dawnlark Plains while he let out a surprised and pained yelp. He'd been so scared he'd wet himself that time. But he had been a little boy then.

Now, he was a man.

Charon tried to rip himself free from Dante's grip on him, even though every tug hurt. In the meantime he set his teeth upon Dante, trying to reach his head -- though if any part of it, he could probably only reach Dante's ears -- or any other nearby part of his enemy that he could grab, not holding back after feeling the strength in Dante's bite.

gonna make this one a priority now since it affects both our characters' state ;)

An if at any point you have an issue with a move Dante makes, don't hesitate to ask and I can edit!

Dante's jaws connected solidly with the shoulder area and he bit down hard, a low rumble coming forth at the satisfaction of drawing blood.  His jaws clamped harder and he pulled, hoping to tear a sizable wound in his opponent.  If his jaws held their purchase then he would, but if not his teeth would slide from the flesh they held.  Charon managed to catch hold of his ear, and his teeth as they flew past sliced open a cheek.  Blood welled and was ignored as he attempted to jerk free, any damage unavoidable once Charon's bite was set.

Nothing mattered now but inflicting as much injury as possible.  He didn't aim to kill, but he was angry enough that he wasn't taking care not to either.  The pain in his face and ear gave him no pause as he now went for Charon's side with his forelegs, attempting to overbalance the younger male and pin him beneath.  Charon wasn't small, but calculatingly Dante knew he had at least one advantage in this fight - experience.  He guessed the other hadn't seen many fights nor dealt with many injuries.  If he was mistaken, then perhaps this fight would run longer and be bloodier than he surmised.  This was fine with him.

As he rose to push Charon over, he inclined jaws for the nape, prepared to drag as necessary as well.

ditto! :)

Charon's heart raced in his throat and adrenaline surged through his body as his teeth grazed the side of Dante's face and tore at his ear. An ear was hard to hold on to, but Charon kept his teeth firmly clamped shut, hoping that he would be able to at least tear a deep gash in it or take part of the ear with him so that Dante would have something to remind him never to mess with Charon Starchaser Ostrega again.

Meanwhile, Dante's grip on his shoulder tightened and deepend, causing Charon's determination to harden and his teeth to grip Dante's ear tighter. He didn't feel how much of the ear he had between his teeth, but it was the farthest from his mind right then.

The grip on his shoulder lessened when Dante tried to push Charon over, and the young Beta took the opportunity to duck to Dante's other side. An intense pain filled his right side as he moved from the deep wound in his shoulder, and he hoped that when he moved his head sideways that he would at least be able to take some of Dante's ear or create a gash, though he had no idea how much of the ear he had between his teeth.

The fact that Charon avoided being pushed over was mostly coincidence and speed, although he did not consciously avoid this particular move. However, he did feel Dante's teeth connect to his flank as he tried to snake around to Dante's other side (the bite that had been aimed at his nape). At the moment he felt the teeth upon him again Charon lowered his head and tried to duck upwards towards Dante's chest, where he tried to grab hold of whatever he could grab there -- chest, leg, whatever. He did not aim for the throat, knowing such areas vulnerable and not here to make any purposeful kills -- he just wanted to put Dante in his place and punish him for all that he'd taken from Charon (which, in reality, was a lot less than Charon thought).

Straining, finally Dante's ear came free, leaving behind a large portion in the process. Warm blood immediately began to flow freely down the side of his head. Luckily it was far enough back that it did not impede his vision.

The pain was overcome by adrenaline, but later would be excruciating. Charon managed to keep his feet and Dante only managed to get a glancing blow at his flank as he sidled away. Pulling away, he managed to avoid Charon's snap, recent spars and training paying off. He'd specifically focused on bettering his agility these past few months since his spar with Koda. He still had improvements to make, but it was better than it had been.

Insistently, he did not remain back long. First he feinted left, hoping Charon would come to meet him defensively. If so, he would quickly switch right and make a bid for his foreleg, ideally ducking the brunt of retaliation. Charon's defense made him now choose a bit more strategy. Before savagely he had simply confronted head on. Now he had some measure of his opponent and that more caution was necessary.

maybe we should mark this mature in title / OP just in case? we're not being overly gory but idk where the limits are so better to be safe :)

Charon's teeth clasped together, eager for the taste of more blood, but they caught nothing. Charon kept his nose low to the ground on instinct -- to protect his neck -- and turned his eyes sideways as he looked at Dante. His breathing had sped up in the heat of battle, something that Charon was not as accustomed to -- had not had as much training in -- as Dante, adrenaline gushing through his veins, every move each of the wolves made crisp and sharp, crystal clear, and at the same time distorted and chaotic, easily forgotten a second later.

When Dante feigned attacking on the left, Charon met him head-on. The youth extended his teeth to try and grab part of Dante's face as he attacked, but once more his teeth caught nothing but air. When Charon saw that Dante was going for his left foreleg instead, it was too late to act upon it and Dante had a firm grip on his leg, which did not only cause pain, but also caused Charon to lose balance.

When Charon felt that he might fall soon, if Dante put any pressure on the leg at all, he tried to make a go for Dante's head again, teeth parted. He hoped that attacking his bad side, the one with the ripped ear -- only now did Charon see the damage done to it in some degree, by the flow of blood that came from the wound -- would cause enough pain and distraction for Dante to either fall as well, or back off long enough so that Charon could scramble to his feet again. It was possible that he'd miss because he would not be in time after falling, but Charon at least hoped to damage Dante or make him back off by keeping the attacks coming while he fell.

When he caught hold of the leg, he meant to pull it aside to once more try and knock his opponent to his side, but before he could, Charon's jaws connected with his wounded head.  Immediate and intense pain rocketed from the tattered ear and Dante jerked out of instinct.  The move was not deft as it would have been, and was accompanied by his own legs bending as he released his hold, a hiss of pain escaping.

He wasn't able to maneuver when surprised so by the pain, so when Charon did fall, he took Dante with him.  Unfortunately for him, Charon actually landed partially atop.  Cursing the clumsy move, Dante struck out with his forepaws and hind legs, aiming to gouge and eliminate any intentions Charon might gain of pinning him more firmly.  He would hopefully now be able to give himself enough space to thrash his way to his feet, or into any situation aside from the current.

When Charon's teeth found their mark on Dante's wounded head, he jerked back instinctively, which caused Charon to fall even though the grip on his leg was soon removed. Had Charon fully realised what was happening he might have tried to gain an advantage, but his world toppled upside down and he did not fully realise that he landed on top until he actually did. By that time, Dante was already flailing his legs around to try and get him off, and this caused Charon -- who, despite at his adult height, was still fairly lanky and light since he was only eleven months old -- to somersault over Dante's back and onto the ground, freeing his opponent.

Getting to his feet made Charon feel the pain in his shoulder, and for a moment he wanted to run away and leave, since this wasn't worth it. But then he saw the blood dripping down the side of Dante's face, and all he wanted to do was win. Punish him for letting Osprey die. Show him that he was nothing.

Teeth parted and without hesitation Charon attacked again. He tried to apply the same tactic that had worked on him moments before, diving left with head low, as though he was going for the left side of Dante's neck, and then defaulting to the right, where he would try to grab a hold of anything he could grab if he would succeed.

Fortunately for him Charon did indeed fall off, freeing him from beneath.  As quickly as he could he sprang to his feet (though at this point it was a bit more a struggle) and was already forced to counter as Charon came at him.  When Charon switched he was watching carefully, but knew he had no time to avoid the attack fully.  So in an instant he prioritized, withdrawing and turning so that the target area was forced away from his neck and towards his side.  He could not allow Charon a crippling blow.

Teeth met near his neck and he too took a page from his opponent's book, bending and lunging at Charon's injured shoulder, trying to put him on the defensive.  He was protecting nothing here, but he could not run.  Not again.  Since coming here he had lost every battle that counted.  If he ran, Charon would be proven right.  He would show himself undeserving of his station and the respect he attempted to command.

Though he did not manage to grab the area that he intended for, Charon's teeth found something. He tried to bite down as hard as he could in Dante's side, but since he was swaying away from Charon, and there were little curves to grab hold behind, Charon mostly grazed the skin. A low growl rumbled in his throat while he tried to arch his neck so that he could get to Dante's neck when the shoulder was attacked.

With a high-pitched yelp out of reflex Charon let go of his target. He tried to pull back to get some overview, trying anything to get away from Dante. This caused all the more pain, and if Dante would let go or if Charon could manage to get himself free by jerking Charon would try to back off to get an overview of the fight and try again after his failed maneuvre. If Dante would keep hold onto his shoulder Charon would, after realising jerking was useless, try to get his teeth drawing blood anywhere to stop the pain in his shoulder.

do we want to roll for the outcome? Highest number can get a stunning blow in or something :) or make the other run, depending on what fits the feel of the thread. We don't have to wrap up now but then we would know for reference. Unless you have a strong preference either way!

His side was only grazed, but he did not press his luck. Instead when he caught the shoulder he held, anger at his opponent making him latch on to the source of obvious pain for the wolf. Charon could easily reach him to retaliate, but he judged the pain would be worth it. He wouldn't let him go home without some mark to wear.

As he held he pushed, again trying to get his opponent over before he was able to sink teeth into some other part of Dante. It was unlikely it would work, but he fought with his advantage, hoping his size would win out in the end.

PMed you! :3

While Charon let Dante's side be for now and tried snapping for another part of him, Dante suddenly pushed to try and throw him on the ground again. Charon didn't see this coming, so consumed in his anger and desire to hurt Dante -- and blinded by the pain the grip on his shoulder caused -- and so he found his balance shift and fall.

As soon as he felt that he was falling, Charon tried to sink his teeth into any part of Dante he could find -- snapping his teeth upwards and hoping to protect his scruff for a lockdown that way -- and flailed all four of his paws. This way, he hoped to get Dante off him so that he could get up as fast as possible; Charon was perhaps the size of an adult wolf, but he was still scrawny due to his young age. He didn't want Dante to get any advantage, because that might be the end of the fight for him, so he kept snapping his teeth, consumed by rage, in hopes of preventing this from happening.

When Charon was down, dante releases his shoulder and immediately went for the neck once more. It seemed his opponent anticipated this, for he met only teeth. His muzzle sliced, he pulled his head back. One of Charon's paws caught him in the chest, pushing him back and knocking the wind slightly or of him.

Breathing heavily, he took only a moment for recovery before attacking again. If Charon found his feet by then, Dante would tear up to get a grip on his back and do some painful damage there. If not he would come in from the side and go for the hind leg. All the while he burned with cold fury, now trying to figure out where he could deal a blow to end this.

Charon did not stop snapping his teeth when he felt them graze Dante's muzzle; only when he accidentally hit Dante with one of his paws he stopped and managed to scramble to his feet. He panted as he got to his feet, exhausted from the struggle -- but glad that it had been effective. Charon was not given much rest, for just as he licked Dante's blood from his lips he saw Dante approach again.

Although he tried to move out of the way by swaying his body to the side, Charon was not fast enough and he felt Dante latch onto his back. The zing of pain running through his spine caused Charon a loud yelp, and he sank through his hind legs at the impact, nearly toppling over again and unable to respond in kind because of the intense pain.

Finally another substantial hit. Charon seemed unable to fight back and Dante gripped harder, filled with sudden and overwhelming anger. He wanted to kill this wolf. Bite down until he met bone and keep going. The urge rose in his throat like bile and he teetered, almost mindless with the fury of it.

Luckily, a voice came through from somewhere in his rational mind. This was not the wolf he wanted to kill, not truly. And as this reason gained ground, another made it's way through. What war would he invite if he did so?

So he let go, wheeling backwards a short ways before lowering his battered head with a full, albeit weary snarl. Go, he thought violently, and it showed in his posture clearly. Go now. If Charon wanted another go, he would meet it. But he would have a harder time staying his violence next time he knew.

As pain shot through his body, Charon found himself wondering if this was the end. This gave him a brief adrenaline boost and the desire to fight again, for his life, for getting home safely. In a last attempt to salvage something he snapped teeth towards Dante's head, but he didn't manage to hit any part of him and ended up only increasing his own pain by moving.

When he was finally let go Charon slumped to the ground. Charon licked his lips as he looked up from the corners of his eyes at Dante. The stinging pain in his back was still there, as was his desire to fight, but instinct kept him from doing the latter. Charon's legs quavered as he tried to get up briefly, but he slumped down on the ground again, unable to get up and meet the nonverbal demand his opponent made.

Shamefully tucking his tail between hind legs Charon curled up, which caused pain to shoot through his back again. Charon let out a yelp because of the sudden pain and he closed his eyes as he remained on the ground, pride so dented he could not even look at Dante; waiting for the end to come, or for Dante to go away, because he was unable to flee himself.

last for me! Thanks for the awesome thread <3

Charon didn't leave, but neither did he attack again. It soon became clear why this was in his struggle to rise. He couldn't. Having already decided that it wasn't worth the repercussions, Dante instead departed without a glance back. These weren't his lands to defend. He wouldn't finish Charon, but neither would he stick around to ensure he made it home. Their packs had been friends, and once he had felt almost cordially towards the younger male. Now his words had brought to the surface a rather ugly side, one that likely had just exterminated any alliance they may have held.

He felt no guilt.

Now that the battle had ended, though, the pain and exertion hit him hard, and he veered aside to find a safe spot to rest. He would return to the plateau after and deal with any questions that may arise.

<33

Absorbed into his own world and his own pain, Charon did not know whether Dante had left or not. He lay for a quarter of an hour before he turned his head to look around and realise he was alone. It was only then that the adrenaline from the battle was beginning to subside, now that he realised that he was alone again.

With the adrenaline flowing from his veins, the pain intensified. Charon had always been particularly self-centered and in need of attention, but now this was the case a thousandfold so. He wanted -- and needed -- Thistle and Levi, Atreyu and the pups, and even Saskia's face would've been a sight for sore eyes. He thought about how stupid and unfair life was, and how stupid and unfair Dante was.

It was the first time that his attitude had gotten him into a phsyical fight, and as he lay there, the only thing Charon had learned was that everyone was an even bigger incompetent dickshit asshole than he already thought throughout the rest of his life. Especially Dante. Hatred pulsed with every second that pain shot through his back, with every trickle of blood that flowed freely from the wounds, particularly the one in his shoulder.

Charon Ostrega hated the world, and everyone in it who thought they were better than he.

Unable to look after his own wounds Charon remained on the ground feeling sorry for himself. How he wanted to punish Dante, and all the Dantes of the world, for this, and for thinking that they could get everything they wanted at the cost of others. At one point Dante had just been a dumb-ass leader and Osprey's friend, but now... Now, it was personal.

Eventually Charon drifted off to sleep. He shot awake, sometimes with teeth snapping, a lot of times and slept uncomfortably, woke up stiff and feeling worse than when he drifted to sleep. He didn't know what would happen next, but right now he had no energy left to think about that.