Redtail Rise Crossing the frontier, 2

@Augur

Light had barely survived his last encounter with that pack, but that didn't stop him from coming back.

Maybe entering territories uninvited was a family tradition...

However, this time Light stayed at the border. He didn't hunt or go in, he just sat and watched the horizon, waiting. Several weeks living alone had taught him a lesson. Living without a pack was difficult, almost impossible.

He had changed a lot, not just his name. Now he was bigger and his wounds had healed. He no longer wanted to annoy any wolf he came across. He now knew that there were bigger, older, stronger wolves that deserved respect.

The wolf was back. Weeks ago, Meridian had heard sounds of a scuffle and upon further investigation, found traces of blood. She assumed a trespasser was taught a lesson, and stayed away to avoid a similar fate. 

It seemed the youngster had not learned, and so Meridian watched, a distance away, for it was not the young coyote's calling to counsel the foolish.

Skippable. Just wanted to throw her in here.

Once she’d tasted a wolf’s blood, it was hard for her to catch their scent and lend them forgiveness. The male had earned a grudge, and had been gifted with his life because of mercy Augur had bestowed upon him- but when he came back a second time, Lilia was the first pack wolf to come upon his scent, and she immediately assumed that if he was foolish enough to come back, he had a deathwish. 

The coyote earned little more than a glance as she approached, spotting the once-trespasser and fastening her glare upon him. He’s not crossed the borders but daring to come to them a second time smacked of a challenge. She approached at a lope, tail lifted and teeth bared in an expression meant to drive him off.

A wolf, a wolf he already knew. A wolf that had hurt him when he was just a cub. However, he tried not to be intimidated and only took a step back, more out of respect than out of desire to flee.

"Hello," he said softly, blinking, "I come to apologize for my earlier disrespect to this pack. I was foolish, but time has taught me. I thank this pack for letting me live." He backed up a bit more, bowing his head politely.

"I'm not proud of what I'm going to ask for," he whispered, letting his tail twitch behind him "But I only seek the mercy of this pack one more time." His voice began to shake "I can learn and serve this pack... Only if you let me."

The fact that the male didn't immediately cower or show submission was enough to convince Lilia that he was potentially be a liability for the pack. She drew closer like a stormcloud brewing, uttering a growl that grew with each stride and in spite of her warning, he spoke, and only offered a slight bending of his form. He pleaded politely with words that fell upon Lilia with all the power of a light mist. All of it was insufficient in the eyes of the oncoming guardian. 

His words made little sense- and she intended to make it very clear that if he truly valued the life he'd been given, he'd abandon this deathwish and leave them alone. 

Had she not been titled as Berserkr, she might not have given any consideration to her actions and would have either attacked him, or driven him out. She wanted to see him leave but felt some form of reasoning tugging at her sensibilities. He was clearly trying to apologize- but brute force didn't seem to work on him. 

She slid to a halt, bristling, her bared fangs just feet away from the lowered bridge of his nose. 

"Apology not accthepted. Leave."

He would get one chance to leave without being maimed, because he'd at least minded their border markings- but that was it.

Light was too proud to submit if his life didn't depend on it, maybe it was a mistake. 

"I wasn't the one who caused the wounds last time," he whispered, trying to keep his voice from trembling. "Do you know how difficult it was to hunt with the pain throbbing with every step?" he asked.

"Would you like one of your children to go through what I'm going through? I'm just asking for a chance to make amends for my mistakes."

With her command ignored, Lilia fumed. If he wanted empathy, he'd gone to the wrong wolf, and in the wrong manner. Lilia saw no reason to pity him or show him mercy just because of the hardships he'd faced. Hardships, she knew, were a part of life. She saw no reason to spare him or forgive him, especially given the fact that he couldn't heed a direct order. With no chances left to save his own skin and depart peacefully, he'd run out of options.

She snarled, snapped her jaws once to give him just a moment's head start, before she lunged. If he did not run, he would face the punishment of an aggravated warrior.

Words hadn't worked. Neither are apologies. Neither does respect. Light got up and showed her fangs "If you want a fight, you will have it" she barked "your pack is not here to protect you. Apparently, you only understand with aggression"

With that said, he sprang forward, crossing the border that he had been careful not to step on earlier. Snapping his fangs, he took a bite at the skin of the female's neck, which he may or may not have hit. Light was blinded by the excitement of the fight.

He used his size to try to throw his opponent off balance, barking furiously and raising his fur.

She would've rolled her eyes had she been just a touch less irritated with him for his recklessness. She saw absolutely no excuse for his behavior now, and if he had no respect for boundaries or the wolves who protected their families, he'd get no respect in return. 

She raised her shoulder to deflect his blow to an an area where her skin was loose and fur thick. He seemed to be striking without aim, which left her with an advantage. He pushed toward her and she met his chest with a check of her shoulder, ducking her head to make a grab for one of his front legs with her snapping jaws. 

The din of their fight rose from the otherwise silent Rise; her pack might not have been with her at that instant, but it was likely that one of them was within earshot. Another oversight on his behalf.

Light pulled away, snarling. Then it reared up on two legs and pounced on the female, attempting to push her off with her paws while holding on to her for a better grip and to try to immobilize her, before delivering another bite, this time to her face. she.

However, he then jumped away. "I'm not as wild as you" He barked again, before running off and crossing the border.

Just to clarify- is Light running across the border and further into the pack's territory, or across the border and away?

She felt Light back off, and thought perhaps that he might take the opportunity to leave- but when he shoved back at her, she was caught by surprise. She pulled her face away, but not in time to avoid the raking of his fangs across the bridge of her muzzle. Blood dripped down her cheeks but she didn't even bother to lick it away- she'd rather taste his again. 

He bolted and she took off after him, keen to leave him with the distinct impression that this was no place for him.

Light is running to get out of the territory

Light felt that Lilia was chasing him, so at one point, he jumped to the side as far as he could, stood up (his brother had taught him that move), and before more than four seconds had passed, he jumped again and stood by Lilia's side.

He kept running, trying to push her with her shoulder and snapping at her neck, using her speed to try and push her out of the territory.

This had gone far enough. 

The trick he pulled caught her by surprise- she'd expected him to simply high-tail it away if he was truly keen on leaving behind the wild wolves who were too aggressive for him. It seemed he had a taste for aggression himself, as he halted just long enough for Lilia to speed by before he came at her, thumping his shoulder against hers. For someone who seemingly didn't want a fight, he sure seemed keen on picking one. For someone who wasn't 'wild enough,' he certainly seemed unhinged. And for someone who came wanting to apologize- well, it wasn't like she'd accepted it anyway. 

She skidded as he came up alongside her, and ducked her head to protect her neck- an instinctive move that had been honed just moments ago by a similar strike. That seemed to be his target of choice, which made him potentially predictable. Done playing games she swung her head low and jagged upwards, aiming to snap her fangs at his throat. Her patience was done, and if he wouldn't simply run, she'd make his blood do the running for him.

Light cried out in pain, but as the only defense he could think of, he dropped and rolled, trying to throw Lilia off balance with his own body.

He felt earth under his body, maybe a bit of fur, and when he turned he could see for a second the sky, so blue and soft, so far away... But the real world offered no mercy, the female with whom in that moment he was fighting he had taught him that

Light got up showing her fangs and pounced on the female again, using his legs, her weight and her fangs to try to do damage with all of her strength.

She ducked away when he dropped, not wanting to be pulled to the ground and pinned, and while an opportunity was briefly presented when he hit the ground, she didn't crowd him. It was still higher on her priority list to have him run rather than to fight him. He had another chance to run, but he wasted it. Light was tricky and fast- but he had a repertoire of moves that he seemed keen to repeat, and she wouldn't be caught unaware a second time when he went to pounce for her. She saw him ready himself to leap, and the baring of his teeth gave her all the warning she needed to ready herself.

As he leapt for her, she side-stepped and pivoted on nimble feet, allowing gravity to pull him back to earth. He gave away his intentions like a fumbled slight-of-hand. The blood from the gouge on her muzzle continued to drip down her cheeks, accentuating the lines of her lips with lipstick red. 

She lunged at him again, this time at his side- yet another attempt to bully him into motion, and get him away from her pack.

once he had spared this boy.

he would not again.

infuriated by the sight of the stranger lunging for the berserkr, who held her own, augur thundered onto the scene with every heavy muscle turned to stone and his huge jaws savaged any part of skin he reached, tearing easily.

the huntleader intended to kill this wolf, evidence by the hard vibration of snarling in his throat.

With @Masquerade looking after her own young, New Snow ranged to stretch her legs in a hunt. It was when she heard the snarls of Mountain Boulder that her path turned, tail stiff behind her as her listening ears quivered. From here she could hear the snarls, and New Snow broke into a sprint. 

She would be among the fray soon enough, but she called for others that might be closer—with so many young, New Snow thought only of them being protected. 

NS is en route and not yet on the scene!

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Light was beginning to enjoy the fight. The first fight of his life that was numerically fair. But the fun ended suddenly.

Fangs, snarls, white fur and pain separated him from her prey. Light felt again that he was being attacked by several parts at the same time, a feeling of helplessness and extremely painful.

Even so, he kept smiling and didn't try to run away. "Kill me" he snarled, ears back. "It will be a break from this life"

"I'll be able to go in peace, but she" he said, pointing his muzzle at Lilia "she's going to shed blood for a while longer" he laughed, trembling in pain. He stretched, showing his neck "Kill me" he repeated "For the first time in your life obey me, like the weak puppy that you are."

If he was going to die, Light would die bothering his attacker. He would pass off his death as an order, and at least retain some dignity.

Lilia spared no empathy for the wolf even when he tried to bargain his way out of his punishment. Augur came like a crushing wave, New Snow’s voice rose in the distance. 

The wolf pinned blame, but Lilia rolled her eyes. She’d given him a chance to run, several times. The dramatics would end here. Not only was he a routine agitation, he seemed delusional as well.

His invitation was met with cool deliverance, regardless of the taunt, and his warnings would go over her ears. She lunged him the same way she would lunge for prey- with the huntmaster at her side, she sought to grab and tear, to shake him free of life with every snap of her teeth.

ooc permission given for the kill! <3

not another second spared.

blood hot and blood blazing.

his jaws ripped alongside that of wolverine.

augur meant to devour the last breath.

She felt the impact of Augur slamming into the wolf as she sank her teeth into his thick fur. heedless to any pleas, he would find no forgiveness now. Alongside her packmate, mentor and co-leader, she let blood fall, and pulled flesh away until there was nothing remaining but a lifeless body. 

It was the first life Lilia had ever taken from a wolf, but she stood over it for a moment feeling justified. Blood dripped from her whiskers down her muzzle and chest, staining her golden ruff. She huffed and turned to Augur to assess him for injury and congratulate him with warm breaths for their success.

She arrives during the taunts, not understood for their words but for their challenge. New Snow prowled nearer but saw her mate swiftly deliver to the trespasser his death. 

Wolverine with him. It was a brutal death, but not undeserved for the mere action of his crossing their borders. New Snows own home clan did not permit such things, and she had inherited their protective streak. New Snow thought of their daughters, even as she observed the outcome of one with nothing short of pride in her own gaze. 

New Snow peered at her mate with that same measure of pride, nosing into the blood and gore that they two had created between them on their persons. Before she set to the task of grooming Mountain Boulder, she would sniff out her claimed daughter for any injuries to be sure she sustained none herself with all the worry and care of a mother. 

It was in this way that New Snow seemed to publicly claim the girl in her gentle fussing. One daughter long ago lost, but another long ago had also been gained.

Still bristling and bleeding, she remained at the site of the trespasser's death, as though ready to fight the spirit the moment it stirred from the corpse. New Snow came and treated both warriors with her grateful and loving presence. She gazed into the distance for a moment as New Snow cleansed her wounds, feeling oddly numb until the sting of reality roused her from her thoughts. 

It was as good as she'd thought it would be. The impulse to kill another wolf had been awakened the day war had been brought to the pack, though she felt she had changed much since then. Her confidence became emboldened by experience, and having followed through on her instincts, she found herself properly christened as Berserkr. 

The corpse would be left for some time, a warning to all others; Redtail Rise would continue to be the bane of fools and trespassers.