Panther Park monsters in the shadows

set midday, 8/21

God, his head hurt so badly. Pain lanced behind his skull, dizzying pressure that made it hard to continue walking. But he'd got turned around, and he couldn't find his way home, and... everything was so bad. His ear was still messed up - noise was muffled on his left side, and his legs were aching from all the walking. But he figured, as long as he walked in one relative direction, he might be able to find someone that could help. 

He trembled, pelt sodden with the neverending rain that fell from the sky. He was so tired, so hungry, so in pain. He just wanted to go back, to Orochi, to the Yuelong wolves. Even that horrible forest would be preferable to this. 

The forest here wasn't good, either. He kept stumbling into trees, getting tangled in undergrowth. It was pathetic, and he didn't know how he was gonna get out. Didn't know how he was gonna get home. 

He sneezed, pausing for a moment to catch his breath. The boy needed to rest, he knew that, but he didn't know where he could go to get out of this rain.

It seems the rain has stopped. For now anyway. Though, the threat of another rain shower is upon them with seemingly ever present, black clouds that have been looming over the flooded lands of the Teekon Wilds for days — weeks even. The gloomy overcast is getting to him. The flooding of the canyon is making him irritable. The constant, nagging thought of his enemies breathing over his shoulder an constant reminder in his mind.

He wants to do some scouting. Perhaps find out about the surrounding area. The thought of bringing Renard along for company has him grinning and before he leaves the canyon he calls for them. A deep howl cracking through the sky like thunder. He’ll wait for @Renard to show before carrying on.

renard hadn't spent much of their time in the canyon lately. call it boredom – that was the closest they could pin to it. no avoiding the question now – ursus had provided a little entertainment, but donovan probably intended his declaration of protection. what a joke. if they couldn't protect themselves, what use were they?

and if they could protect themselves, they were a distraction. nothing more.

so it had been causing trouble with neverwinter. one after the other. a shame, in some ways, since they were restricted from their preferred type of work, but chasing one of them back to their forest with a ruined eye was still a satisfying sort of warning. probably beneath them, but then, they weren't supposed to be kept pacing in a cage for this long.

lucky for both of them, when the call came up, rising along the very edge of redsand's border, they were close by, investigating a trail that likewise seemed familiar – not neverwinter, though. not one they could put a finger on yet. not one that they would be putting a finger on soon, it seemed, since their presence was required.

it was still a few minutes before they slunk from the treeline, even approaching at a trot – plenty of time to consider what his summons was for. ultimately, donovan had done nothing to suggest that he knew what they were up to, but it lingered in the back of their mind as they emerged from the pines. a healthy bit of suspicion was always smart. typically, renard had more than a healthy bit of suspicion.

regardless, it wasn't information they'd be volunteering. "you called?" they asked, smile already rising along their lips.

A howl was the first sound he'd heard from another wolf in days. Hide's ears perked and part of his exhaustion was forgotten in his haste to run after the sound. Branches and underbrush stung his face as he ran toward the source of the howl, but he couldn't care less about that at the moment. There were others here - perhaps someone who could help him get back home. 

Logically, he knew that it hadn't been that long. A week, maybe, at the most, but that was still far longer than he'd ever hoped to have been gone. Retracing his steps didn't work - the rain washed them away and he was left spiraling and walking in circles. So this was his chance at finding his way back home.

There was another voice - conversational, not calling - and Hide skidded to a clumsy halt before the two wolves. A quick test of the air told him that they were likely part of a pack together, but the smells were muted, and he couldn't really tell. But there were two.

"Um," he began, chest heaving and ears angled toward the two. "I'm... sorry to bother you, but my name's Hide and I got lost in the storm. I can't find my way back." It was probably a bad idea, but he had to ask. This was his only chance to get back to his pack. "Have you heard of Neverwinter?" It wasn't his pack, but it was where he was staying. Yuelong had been driven from their seaside home, and he couldn't imagine them going back just yet. The rain was still far too heavy.

Eventually, Renard shows themself. Padding towards Donovan with a ghost of a smile on their face. He returns his of smile back and nods to them. “I did. Wanted to go scouting and figured you should come along. Since you’re itching for a purpose and something to do.” He smirks more deviously towards the end, teasing the other wolfdog with a playful tone. 

Then he hardly gets to his next sentence when the presence of another shows themselves to the two Saints. It’s a smaller red wolf. He stars past them and when Donovan meets his eyes all he sees is a bland milky whiteness in them. He’s blind. Now Donovan doesn’t instantly go on the defensive cause, hell, he could snap his neck in two much too easily. So he tilts his head at his voice and listens to the words that leave his mouth. 

He speaks of Neverwinter and instantly he familiarizes himself with the image of Simmik. “I might.” He says mischievously, giving a quick glance to Renard before going back to the other. “Who’s asking and what pack are you with? Are you with them?” He asks casually.

donovan smirked at them, as though his observation was some sort of revelation. renard supposed it was, for him. their estimation was so low at this point it was almost impressive he'd managed to get that far, even though they'd essentially told him that to his face.

before they could respond, something rustled in the brush.

renard turned their muzzle to the sound, smile unchanging even as their focus sharpened to a point. the figure crashed into view, and they almost expected an army to come charging after him – why else would you pay so little attention – but it was just him.

he was blind.

and he didn't know who they were.

it was a shame donovan was here. renard wouldn't have even had to try to send him back to – neverwinter? – in pieces, if he could even find his way back. punctured eyes meant little when you were blind already, but a missing tail, perhaps a limb...that would send just as much of a message. and if he never made it home, with all of their pack around lately, there would be someone else before long.

but donovan was here. that was too much of a hand to tip. and for all of his reputation, renard had seen nothing to indicate he was just as willing to rip apart intruders by the borders as nemisis' head from her shoulders. that was why they'd been doing it instead – if what had happened so far wasn't enough to summon them, they would happily do the work for a better view of the fallout.

returning his glance, they let him speak, pacing a quick and quiet half-circle around the blind man. if donovan decided to attack after all, and he ran, they wouldn't let him get too far away. just far enough to think he'd escaped.

Oh, this was weird. Hide hesitated slightly at the tone in the first wolf's voice, and the second one moving around behind him. He flicked his ears back and forth between the two, the fur along his spine rising uncomfortably. It almost felt like he was being hunted, in a way, and he was put a bit on guard. The pounding behind his skull also did nothing to help the situation, only furthering his confusion and lack of judgment. 

Perhaps that was why he was honest with them.

Fortunately, he did think quickly on the subject of his name. "My name is Kajiura. I'm with Yuelong," he responded, body slightly tense, though his tone was kept as light as he could manage, plastering a sheepish smile on his maw. "And, uh, you can probably already tell, but I'm blind and I'm having a hard time navigating in all this rain and stuff. So, if you don't mind pointing me in the right direction, I'd really appreciate it!" But that wasn't how this was gonna go, was it? These two were acting a bit too strangely for that.

His canary hues dance over the small wolf’s body. Noticing the unease in his stance and body language. The bristling of his pelt and the raising of hair along his spine. He’s on high alert. Perhaps he should be too. If Donovan is being honest he isn’t planning on fucking with him too bad until the words Yuèlóng come from his mouth. To which he’s quickly widening his maw maliciously in a savage baring of teeth that could also be called a grin. 

He almost feels bad for the poor, innocent blind wolf. He can hear the worry in his bouncy, kind voice. The hope that everything will be alright despite the sketchy behavior of the two Saints. He wants so bad to spite that brown and black shewolf known as Yuèlóng’s Alpha. Her vicious words play like a mantra in his mind. He wants to rip her throat out, maybe fuck her before he does so. Either way he’d be getting what he wants. 

So spite her he will. 

With his horrid grin he steps closer to the blind male. “Oh you’re with the coastal wolves, huh, peaches.” He teases horribly. Obvious malice in his voice, yet it’s tinted with a mischievous and playful lilt. “I don’t think I like that.” 

Donovan is inches away from him now. Up in his face then he veers off to the right side of the smaller. Their shoulders brush and Donovan snaps teeth to quickly pinch together the skin of his flank. Beads of blood will collect at the surface of Hide’s leg. Before Donovan goes past to saunter around Renard, sharing a dark, knowing glance with the other.

“You’d be lucky if we let you leave here alive.”

it wasn't revenge that was renard's concern. they didn't think they'd bothered with the idea once since their childhood – it had been stomped out of them fast. yuèlóng meant as much to them as neverwinter forest did. nothing personal. just the job.

but it didn't take much to see it was personal to donovan. the moment the name left the stranger's mouth he started grinning. not his usual grin. no, he had a preferred expression just as much as renard, and that was half of their frustration, getting him to wipe it off his face for even a moment and take things seriously.

he was taking things seriously now. and all it had taken was a single word.

renard watched him stalk forward. there was real malice in his voice now, an impressive amount. for all of that sparring they'd never gotten to see him do anything but tease; this was the insight they'd been missing, and they committed every part of it to memory as donovan's teeth came along the other's flank.

"if you know what's good for you, you'll start running." they smiled. their expression was still much more pleasant than donovan's, but it hardly mattered when nobody could see it.

they'd give the kid a second to react. and then, regardless of whether he'd taken the bait and moved or not, renard would come after him, snapping at his hind legs and tail. nothing too much, for now. not until donovan made his move.

whether the grandmaster wanted him dead or not...they were interested to find out.

As it would happen, honesty was not always the best policy. Huh. Well, if he survived this, Hide was going to be more careful with that in the future, but it really hadn't occurred to him that someone would want to hurt him just for being part of a pack. Being from a small, nomadic family pack, he'd never experienced that kind of aggression. This was a first for him.

Running was... not an option. His head already felt like it was splitting open, but the stinging sensation of one of the wolves nipping at his flank cleared that up just a bit. If he ran, he'd probably run into a tree and get mauled anyway. Where was he gonna go?

It was better, he thought, to try and fight. If he were going to die here, then he didn't want to die a coward.

"Hey, wait maybe we could like... talk this through?" he asked hopefully, but certainly didn't expect it to be graced with a response. 

The big wolf had walked back off, after biting his flank once. But Hide wasn't going to turn his back on them - he would back up a few steps, but since he had no idea where he was and was at such a disadvantage, he refused to run. The other wolf would come at him then, darting around behind him and delivering a series of nips to his hind legs and tail. It stung, worse than Orochi's nipping, but he wasn't deterred. 

Hide spun around and aimed to sink his teeth into the wolf's scruff in an attempt to push him down. Next time you wanna go for my neck, you better hold me down tighter. That was what Orochi had said during their last sparring session, and so Hide wasn't going to be gentle.

Rolls here!

His soft voice meets Donovan’s ears then, hopeful that they could talk about it. Perhaps if Donovan were a better man he would, but he’s not. Yuèlóng would learn what happens when you spite the Saints. This is their alphas fault, she caused her pack mate this pain.

“I don’t think so.” He replies back in a growl. Smirk widening his maw menacingly. His tone leaves no room for mercy.

He’s watching as Renard swoops in to rake teeth on his hind legs. Surely leaving little nicks and bruises in their wake. Yet this blind wolf is feisty, he’s snapping back at Renard easily and Donovan doesn’t have to to mentally register if it hits before he’s going in for his next attack. He goes to snap at a front paw this time but the motion of Hide moving puts him just out of reach.

the kid was blind. that was obvious. they were appropriately unhurried as their teeth scraped along his hind legs, spilling droplets of blood. not nearly as much as they wanted, but all it was was a little gentle prodding – and then he turned, faster than renard would have expected from someone backing up and trying reasoning in the face of donovan, of all people, and they couldn't quite pull out of the way in time.

their returning snap missed, jaws snapping shut on air. the blind wolf's own teeth caught and pulled along their scruff, and renard drew away with head lifted, licking at their teeth.

a rivulet of blood crawled through their fur, along their shoulder; they turned their head to lap it away, watching him jolt backwards just in time to avoid donovan's teeth crunching down on his front paw.

"better than i thought he'd be." they smiled after donovan, eyes fixed on the blind man, waiting to see what he'd do next. how much did that mean against two of them?

Hide felt his jaws slide off of the scruff he had had a hold of, and he landed on all four paws, facing the other two wolves. They were aggressive - moreso than any wolf he'd ever met before, and he knew Orochi. So that was certainly saying something. 

The two had backed off, but Hide wasn't going to accept that. Really, the moment he ran he was probably going to have them both on top of him, so there was no point. 

Weaknesses. He had to focus on weaknesses. 

The larger one was favoring his front left leg. Hide'd heard it when he tried to lunge forward and grab him. Listen, focus. Their breathing was enough to tell him about how much space he had, so Hide lunged forward, twisting and aiming to sink his teeth into the wound on the massive wolf's injured leg.

Don missed his roll but he will be pushing/shoving Hide with Van’s Permission.

The smaller, red wolf must be fucking Kenshi Takahashi because he seems to sense exactly where Donovan’s most recent wound is. He wastes no time in chomping his cute little teeth — that didn’t really feel so cute — into the already lacerated flesh. 

Donovan growls and buts his head into the smaller wolf. Not doing much damage other than knocking him off. He’s about to get it.

he still wasn't running anywhere, stubbornly standing his ground. someone else might have called it bravery, they called it stupidity – though he had very few avenues, didn't he? they'd let him go if he ran far enough, with a few wounds for his trouble. donovan didn't seem nearly as willing, particularly when he sank his teeth directly into the grandmaster's exposed forelimb.

so they'd be ending here, then.

renard held back a laugh. donovan slammed the crown of his head into the kid, knocking him away, and with the perfect opportunity offered up to them renard lunged forward, looking to hook their teeth into his hind leg and bite down into the muscle there.

His head was pounding, loud and painful, behind his skull. The large wolf knocked him away, which probably wasn't hard to do - he was feeling more and more weak by the moment. Barely even aware of what was happening, he staggered back, and teeth sank deep into the flesh of his right hind leg. The pain of it was secondary to the pain in his skull, but he still had to attempt to fight.

His teeth snapped on air - he couldn't twist far enough to bite his aggressor - and his legs wobbled. He pressed his ears back to his skull and let out a low groan, his body going numb as he dropped to the ground. 

Hide couldn't even find it in him to be embarrassed - his body was aching, his skull was splitting open, he hadn't eaten in days. This would have been the inevitable outcome of the fight, regardless.

Donovan watches with sick satisfaction as Renard’s teeth sink into his flank. Blood pooling easily from the wound, his smile is deadly and horrific. Unbelievably malicious and corded with the desire for death. Though he won’t give this one death. He’ll give him something worse. A nice present for the coastal wolf’s pretty, little, alpha shewolf. He’s excited for it.

Then the other collapses and he’s chuckling again. “Alright.” He signals your Renard to cool down and step away from the smaller if they already haven’t.
“We’ll take him to the canyon. Fuck him up a little and give him back to the coastal wolves with a bloody bow on top.” He hums, satisfaction evident in his voice. 

He leans his upper body down and inches his nose beneath his ribs nudging aggressively until he’s able to get him up and over his head and slipping into his shoulders. Yellow orbs gaze to Renard to assist him in keeping the little fucker on him back as they walk. “We’ll take him to my den and drop him off there ‘till he wakes up.” He ends and begins in his way back to the canyon of red.

as always, there was something deeply satisfying about the blood. it pooled along their tongue as they bit down, as the wolf beneath their teeth groaned and dropped to the ground. they wouldn't hide the thrill in it, not now; not when donovan was smiling, not when he'd made no secret of his feelings on yuèlóng. this was what they'd come to the saints for, and it just happened to have the side effect of making them look like they cared to follow his orders.

it felt an oddly long time ago now, but when they'd first spoken with finley, so terribly careful with each measured word, it had been a smart move on her part. if she'd been direct, if donovan had asked, they would have brought the truth right to him. now he could have questioned them straight to their face, the admission in their hand, and they would have offered little more than a shrug.

keeping donovan from figuring that out, though...what better way.

renard released the kid at donovan's signal, smile settling back over their lips as they stepped away from his body. they might have given up on donovan, but that didn't make his order any more ridiculous. taking him back to the canyon? he might not be able to see, but he had ears, and they very much doubted donovan would be careful about his words around him, much less the rest of the pack. they wouldn't put it past praimfaya to give him something to pass on on purpose. but even if she didn't, he'd gloat, they always did, and whatever else happened to the kid he'd be sent right back to yuèlóng with more reason to go after the saints and the information to match.

but if that was what donovan wanted to do, who was renard to stand in his way? how kind of him to bury the problems they'd already been making, chasing neverwinter wolves from the sunspires. they hadn't even had to do any of it to begin with.

smiling pleasantly, renard inclined their head, coming around to his side. if the kid slipped away, they'd keep their muzzle leveled to grab a limb and pull him back over donovan; otherwise, they moved along beside him, spending the time considering all the implications this encounter had for their plans.