The Heartwood monsters of smoke and mirror

He strayed back towards his originating point after venturing towards the heart of the region, though this was more or less unknown to him. Mordecai really didn't give too much mind to where he was going on any particular day. Forests had the tendency to gain his attention, where in this case he had followed an equally stray creature of prey into the sprawling timber. The sun high in the sky, the wind scattered some of the blooms from the timber about, and it was only a matter of minutes before he completely lost interest in the chase. It wasn't worth the expended energy to be after a weasel, anyway.

Drawing in a deep breath, the gold-eyed Ostrega let it out sharply, bringing himself to calmer energies. The adrenaline he felt moments ago still flared, lending to him a momentarily disorientation in the form of hyper-vigilance. It wasn't unwelcome, because he only then spied out where the weasel had found itself, but the desire to give chase had passed. He huffed in its direction, watching it scurry well out of his view in response, and set off for deeper parts of the forest. The shade there would be better, or so he hoped, and a little time for relaxing had come. So he hoped, anyway.

A feminine silhouette padded through the lands, her nose close to the ground as she approached, the tangy scent of blood getting stronger. At the distance Cara made out the shape of another wolf walking away, its ears pricked with interest.

Cara raised her tail and parted her mouth to taste the air, the wolf she was looking at was park of her pack, she recognized Jinx peculiar fragrance, the same she now wore on her pelt. The young female didn't bother to call her packmate's attention, she trotted behind him figuring that she could help him in case he were hunting.

Kaname's post was in error and they had it removed so I'm gonna work without their accidental inclusion. Also hopefully this isn't too disjointed, it's so freaking hot in my apartment right now and I still refuse to turn on the air conditioning. :X

At first his strides were long as he settled into a decent pace, followed by the slight lolling of his tongue in a pant. Winter, for the time being it seemed, was truly gone and the warmth that he remembered so very well had come surging back. Mordecai never really minded the heat, but the humidity was quite a different story. Though it wasn't nearly as stifling as it could have been, it already seemed as though it had a considerably palpable feeling. Like a wet blanket had been draped over him, for example. The Wilds were most certainly not like any other place he had been to, but it had only been maybe half a year since he had left the deserts and highlands behind for the coast.

After several minutes, he found a massive oak in which to lie in the shade of and settled down on the moist earth near its base. Only then did he allowed himself to rest, thinking that he was truly alone. He had no idea that someone would be trailing him, and the forest so far had did their job of hiding them from his ever increasing drop in his guard.

oh alright I'll assume it was Mordecai who she saw instead and she thought it was from her pack since he was around? lol xD the scent could be explained by him rolling onb something and having Jinx smell on him? idk

As she treaded quietly behind the other wolf, she began to wonder if he really belonged to the pack. Of course he had traces of Jinx's scent impregnated on his fur, but wouldn't anyone who rubbed against a tree or shrub get it too?

The pale female grew suspicious of the canine in that trotted in front of her, she raised her tail and hurried behind him, her ears pinned to the back of her head. She waited for the wolf to settle under the shade of a large tree, and waited until he looked genuinely distracted to make her move.

The element of surprise was Cara's especiality.
"Are you lost?" she barked, as she revealed her position, her tail was held erect in a defiant position and her pretty pale eyes narrowed into angry slits of yellow.

I keep loose timelines so theoretically he has met Jinx, but I don't know if he'd retain any hint of their encounter this far in. That thread's still in progress so dunno. I'm OK with passing it off as Cara being territorial like she is right now though!

Just when he thought the tension of the day was beginning to wear off, his solitude was firmly and sharply interrupted. She came out from his periphery, nothing more than a peppered piece of granite bristling with pride. Startled, he rose to his feet quickly, bristling in response more out of irritation than defense. A growl rumbled low in his throat as he sized her up, drawing whatever scent he could to identify her. The wind, however, was not in his favor, and Mordecai would later ponder whether or not that was how she had came after him in the first place.

That said, she was small, but unquestionably feisty to bother him. “Not at all,” he said lowly, gold eyes fixed firmly to her being. “Are you?” She seemed younger than he was, but how much so he couldn't have been too sure. Maybe a yearling, maybe a touch older, or maybe her size lent her the youth that would eventually fade from others. Still, he met her pose point for point, down to the aggressive note of curling his own tail skyward. It was for show mostly, but Mordecai was willing to see how far his half-pint aggressor was willing to go against a larger canine.

To her delight the wolf was caught off guard, he raised his head and abruptly jumped to his feet, meeting Cara face to face, his eyes defiant as well. "Ah, I see, strange thing to see a lone wolf feel so at home in a claimed territory.."she sneered, her tail lashing irritably to the side. Even if she had been a lone wolf for the majority of her life, she had to defend her new pack's boundaries.

Of course Cara knew he nearly doubled her size, she was not stupid. She would not pick a fight unless she absolutely had to, insults and growls would suffice for now. "No I'm very well at home" she growled answering to his edgy remark.

Her eyes never left his for a second, like a staring contest Cara remained glued to his face. Her neck fur bristling. "What do you want lone wolf?" she spat raising an eyebrow.

Claimed territory? That was news to him. The last time Mordecai had checked, the only pack that was nearby that he could gather was the one he surmised as belong to Jinx. And then there was the Plateau, but they were well away from there. Still, she threw his lack of a committed home right in his face and if not for the irritation, he may have started laughing then and there.

But instead, his mouth got the better of him. “If this forest belongs to you, then you should learn to mark your borders better,” but even then, he doubted she was in control of anything. “But if you think this patch of ground is yours, maybe you should prove it.” He didn't answer her question, and instead thought of her just as he was. Another wayfarer, picking a fight over nothing. With a snarl, the tawny Ostrega drew his lips back from his teeth. If she didn't back down, the posturing would turn into more than just a warning.

Cara was loosong her patience, it was clear this wolf was nothing but an insolent loner who thought he owned the world -but wasn't she that way too? Perhaps that was what bothered her so much, that he was just like her.

When the male was done blabbering Cara rolled her eyes, "I never claimed this territory to be mine. But it is my pack's land and hence part of my home too" she snarled, her pretty face contorted into a frown.

Then the male poised himself into an defensive stance, lips curled back and teeth bared. Cara knew he meant buisness and as much as she wished to get a good nip in the male's rear she knew his size was a great disadvantage to her.

With a growl still erupting from her throat, she took a small step back. If he were to strike first then she'd fight but until then she'd stall as long as possible. "I'll show you alright.." she whispered between her exposed fangs.

She had to be a headstrong yearling, there was no other explanation for it. Mordecai could only think of how some of them had acted here, there, and yonder (himself included at one point), and it always added up. Some of them were just arrogant and cocky enough to go out picking fights. And while there was that inkling of rage that tempted him to go and start that fight, he held off knowing better. Taking note of the step she took backward, he took a tentative step forward, keeping their distance the same. It would only take a few steady lopes across the earth to close that gap, and Mordecai wanted to keep her out of the comfort zone of fleeing.

This time, he offered her no words to parry back with, only a growl.

The two options played out in her mind : she could either run away, and leave her dignity behind, or she could hold her ground and risk an injury.

The pretty she wolf curled her lips back and gave a tiny growl when he took a step forward. Her tail lashed with anger and annoyance, she knew she had to make up her mind, still she was determined not to start a fight unless she had to.

"Answer me!" she snarled, "What do you want?" she snapped at the air, and lifted her chin to show dominance over the wolf.

Have I gone to far? she wondered nervously, hoping the wolf would retreat.

Her demands became louder and sharper; actions followed suit as well. Mordecai couldn't help but wonder at which point she would come to first: attacking him, or fleeing from him. He feared no immediate resistance from anyone else joining their fray, because if that were truly the case then he expected it would have already happened. They had to have been far enough away from whatever pack she thought she had, or came from, or whatever the case was. None of that really mattered because she had certainly done more than fouled his shady bout of rest. She had threatened him.

As he took another step forward, his streamlined frame sunk a little bit. Not in submission, but in further aggression. He wanted to give that illusion that he was preparing for an attack, when in reality he was also defending himself against any opportunity that she would take against him. He had no hopes of disregarding violence; if it happened, it happened. His jaws parting, he gave her a throaty, harsh growl. How's that for an answer?

Fight or flight?

Cara held her ground, even when the male took yet another step towards her. She was young and had never been in a serious fight before, her knees trembled with anxiety, she did not really want to risk a fight, since he wasn't doing anything really but tresspassing. But if she back down she'd look like a coward.. oh decisions!

Again the wolf failed to answer her question, instead he gave an uproaring growl that made Cara's fur bristle. She met his glare while she decided what to do next? Fight or flight?, she asked herself, fight or flight dammit?!

Flirt!
She screamed internally as her hostile snarl faded into an inviting smile, if she couldn't use force to battle this male she'd use her cunning abilities of manipulation and her good looks to keep him hooked. "Calm down bad boy" she mused with a slight wag of her tail.

And just as suddenly as it began, just as he thought it was going to end… it did. Sort of. He eased only slightly when he saw that she started to back down from her aggression, thinking that just maybe she had seen the error in disturbing him. But as the smile began to spread across her face, a sense of distrust crept readily into his thoughts. He couldn't just believe that she would flip things around in such a way, and he was genuinely surprised. Disbelief churned in the depths of his gaze, and behind it came even further annoyance when she waved her tail alluringly. She had to be kidding.

“Leave, now,” he warned her. His tone withdrew the ire that had been there before, replaced by something much more calm, yet stern. Not that he wasn't impervious to her charm — he supposed in time she would most certainly catch the eyes of others — but there was no point in it. She wouldn't be sweet talking him to get him to drop his stance, but he was willing to overlook her threats if she took herself and left. If she persisted, then Mordecai would deal with it, and her, accordingly.

haha loved his reaction, she'd be so mad he didn't fall into her traps <3 wrapping up, thanks for the thread

Cara's smile became a dull frown, she stood there completely dumbfounded for a minute, never before she had been turned down so rudely! Cara was a vain girl, nurtured by the compliments and attention given by other wolves, she was one who desperately sought others recognition -not acceptance- but admiration.

She craved being pampered just like when she was just a child and her dad spoiler her more than her other two sisters. When the wolf seemed indifferent to her charms she felt offended. "Very well, but don't you dare spend the night in this territory" she snarled and backed up, her tail curled over her back.

Then without another word she left, trotting off into the forest. That was a first.. a male that didn't swoon before her paws..

I have to admit, I didn't see her trying to hit on him at all lmao. But, good thread! :D

As she departed into the depths of the forest, Mordecai huffed to himself. He'd rest where he damn well pleased, or at least that was the arrogant thought that lingered behind for quite some time. With a glance cast back to the place where he had settled in earlier, he decided it was ultimately time to move on. He'd find somewhere else, if only to avoid the irritating yearling coming back to make sure he hadn't stayed. Chances were though, he knew if he hung around that they would probably cross paths again, and in ways he didn't anticipate. In due time, his ire faded away swiftly, and the gold-eyed Ostrega would laugh about it.