Redhawk Caldera sometimes following your heart means losing your head

set about a day after this

Eljay hadn't left the place at Redhawk Caldera's borders where he had found Peter's head. He had guarded it fervently as though he were still alive, he had sobbed his eyes out, hadn't slept, had just cradled the little head as though it were his baby. Something inside of Eljay died when he saw that little fluffy face laying there and he hadn't yet been able to fix it. At one point Eljay had needed to take a whizz and he had done it a few metres away. The short moment that he had taken his eyes off the head he had told himself that Peter wasn't dead, that it was all a silly nightmare, but when he turned back to see the head tears immediately started spilling from his eyes again and he'd ran the short distance back to Peter.

The night had come and gone and Eljay hadn't even been afraid at all, just cradling the head and at times talking to it as though Peter was still alive. Now daytime returned and Eljay's weary eyes scanned the surroundings. "Don't worry Petey, everything is g-going to be okay," he murmured as he put the head between his front legs and pressed it against his chest. Just like Peter liked to do. Every time the spine would touch his legs Eljay shivered and quickly repositioned so that it did not any longer. He wanted only the softness of Peter's head, not the cruel reminder of the truth that had yet to sink in. He pressed his nose against Peter's head, his breath softly wavering across the fur, and he didn't even realise how thirsty and hungry he was.

ooc: dunn, dunn, dunn... 

Hedda had not gone very far from the crime scene for many reasons - first, she was still too weak and the additional weight in her belly did not help much; second - her stomach, not accustomed to such a large meal at one take, had thrown up all of the half-chewed/digested contents and she had had to eat it again; and third - she had left the head behind. She still remembered the look in the kid's eyes, when it had succumbed to it's fate, and could not get rid of those memories.

Therefore she had decided to return and finish it off. Perhaps, it would help her sleep better during the night. Or... maybe there was a bit of guilty conscience here, because it seemed somehow wasteful for a dying wolf to eat a person, who might have had just a little better chance at life. She didn't think much of self-preservation instincts, when she trespassed again, finding the spot, where she had found the cub with ease, and much to her disappointment finding there not just a head, but another wolf. 

This guy was older, but still beheld childish features. And judging from the looks, he did not look much better than the cub, whose head he was cradling. It was a pitiful sight, which set a cruel smirk on the hag's face, when she walked within the kid's sight, scrutinizing the other's face. "A friend of yours?" she asked in a friendly manner, sitting down few meters away from him. "Doesn't look very lively, does it?"

Eljay didn't really know how long it was until someone appeared, so lost was he in the protection of Peter; every time he would truly look at Peter's dead face he would be in shock all over again and avert his eyes, lie to himself, snuggle the soft, cold fur on top of Peter's head to remind himself that Peter was still here.

When the wolf appeared, Eljay was afraid and wanted to run, but he still had Peter to worry about and so he could not.

Instinctively Eljay hit what was left of Peter from the wolf, who made a comment directed at him -- at them. His hackles raised and Eljay looked at the female as he murmured, "L-L-Leave Petey alone..." There was an involuntary twitch in his voice, a thing that happened occasionally since he'd laid eyes on the body, and he looked up at her from the corners of his eyes, his body instinctively submissive around another wolf, yet his hackles pricked and his front paws around Peter, pressing the head close to his chest.

If that cub had not become Hedda's lunch, he would most likely had grown up to be a wimp like this one. Weak and pathetic - maybe this was a common quality in all of the wolves, which resided here. If it was so, it would explain a lot of other things. 

Too bad she was in the same category for entirely different reasons. Had not her body been failing her, she would not have wasted too much time playing this game, dragging the time as she did now. Sure, she could attack and take, what she wanted, by force. On the other hand, you never knew with those cowards - corner them and they would turn onto you. 

She looked around, as if to make sure that the coast was still clear, and then raised to take some steps closer to the yearling. He was terrified of her from what she could tell and she enjoyed it. How long would it last - that was an entirely different story. 

"He's not coming back to life," she told him. "So you might as well let him go."

Eljay looked up at her with fearful eyes, but he wouldn't let her get to Peter. Even though he was a lost cause, and there was nothing that they could do, Eljay wouldn't have any of it. Eljay growled, not wanting her to get any closer to Petey, and his ears folded back in anger and fear at the same time. Though his body was submissive, he was also like a cornered cat, ready to lash if she would get too close.

"L-Liar!" he shouted (well, sort of; talked louder, more like, but to Eljay it felt like he was bellowing at the top of his lungs) "P-Petey's gonna be okay, I - I'm g-gunna make 'm better again!" He cradled Peter's remains, pressing the little head close to his chest like he always would, and turned his head towards the female, teeth bared and ready to lash if she would get too close.

Hope my post is okay; if not, PM me! :)

Knowing that Peter was missing, Elwood had been spending more time tracing the borders. He was aware that Fox had sent a few of the subordinates out to search, so there was no need for him to leave the packlands. But his nose stayed close to the ground, sifting through scents as he looked for any sign that Peter had passed by.

He looked up from his patrol to see Eljay, and when his gaze settled on the form of an unfamiliar wolf lingering close to the yearling, his hackles bristled protectively. He strode towards the pair, yellow eyes narrowing as he took in the situation. It was clear that Eljay was upset, and the she-wolf was much too close for comfort.

Eljay cried out as he drew nearer. Elwood couldn't quite make out what he was hiding, so he turned his attention to the female with a deep growl. She had a few seconds to clear out, or he would force her away with his teeth and claws.

The kid called her a liar and Hedda rolled her eyes - brushing the insult away, thinking about something else. Something daring, something stupid. All things considered... she could take this one down too. Sure it would mean more struggle, more noise, yet she had nothing to lose. And this little fool was so wrapped up in his grief that had not even sensed the initial danger. 

But like with all great ideas they come a second too late. Hedda was suddenly aware that there was a third-party on it's way and that she did not have much time before being attacked by the older wolf. Who would not be easy to take down. She took one last, long and hungry look at that corpse's head, realizing now that there was no chance she would be able to get it. She hissed in dissappoinment, then turned on her heel and bee-lined for the borders and the lands beyond, should luck have it.

Eljay didn't even notice daddy's arrival until the aggressive female turned heel and left. Daddy came bursting onto the scene seemingly suddenly, moving past him to attack the female, but she ran quick. Realising that they were safe, Eljay buried his face against Peter's and started to sob, his state of mind deviating between denial and grief. Only later it would become clear that he would eventually get stuck in denial, for now.

The she-wolf seemed to have at least a shred of common sense; as soon as Elwood arrived, she darted away from Eljay, though not without what sounded like a breathy sigh of disappointment. She wasted no time in leaving them behind, making a beeline for the borders. The Beta male watched her with a wrinkled muzzle, making sure that she seemed to be truly departing before turning his attention to his son.

Eljay hadn't even acknowledged his approach, and Elwood's brow knit together as he moved to his son's side. He cast one last glance over his shoulder at the lone wolf's retreating figure, and then looked down at the object that Eljay was curled protectively around. It took a moment for him to realize what he was looking at, but when he did, his chest tightened and he gasped audibly.

"Eljay..." he said uncertainly, feeling bile pressing at the back of his throat. Although he knew the answer, he posed a question anyway: "What is that?"

[i]probably just the one post from me. Y'all can choose if your character hears him or not :)[i]


Shrike had been trailing the female's scent since she had originally left the packlands. He'd been well behind her, of course, but the dogged male had picked up speed and managed to close some pf the distance between them as soon as he'd caught her scent trail leading back toward the packlands. 

For the life of him, he couldn't figure out why she would go back. It would have been a smarter move to get as far away from that area as possible...Was she plagued by guilt and giving herself in, or was this all a part of her plan to try and separate the wolves in the pack by striking again? Naturally, Shrike assumed the latter, and ran himself ragged trying to get back to the pack on time. 

Out of breath and with a sinking feeling in his chest, he had to come to terms with the fact that no matter how fast the silver dart ran, she would reach the Caldera before him. He had only one option- to try and warn them, though he feared (nd rightly so) that he would be too late once again. Though his deep inhale made him see stars, he drew a mighty breath into his narrow chest and howled louder than he ever had, and with a message as clear and brutal as he could manage. 

[I]ALERT. PETER KILLER. FEMALE. BORDERS. KILL ON SIGHT[i]

Staggering sideways following his call, Shrike pushed himself forward again, following her scent...Until a more fresh trail crossed his path when he'd nearly reached the borders. She'd won again, but had hopefully left without a prize. 

Mournfully, and knowing he'd missed the opportunity to strike the female down and deliver justice, Shrike howled once more, indicating that he would pursue her once again. 

Exhausted, and falling behind more and more as his body began to fail, Shrike moved away from the borders again, with the feeling he would never catch up with the one who had murdered the Caldera's Peter.

Eljay barely noticed the female's departure or Shrike dashing past them towards her, trying to catch her trail. He sobbed as he cradled the head, unwilling to let go and unable to face reality. When daddy asked the question he didn't know what to do but panic more, perhaps out of guilt or perhaps because he was being asked the question whose answer would mean facing the truth at least to some degree.

With tears fogging up his eyes Eljay looked up at daddy, his body shaking with sobs. He opened his mouth as though to speak, but instead of words came another waterfall of tears and he cradled the puppy's head close, sobbing into the soft fur of Peter's head, the skin turning cold slowly beneath his grasp.

His son was unable to string together any words to answer his question, which simultaneously broke Elwood's heart and worried him deeply. He looked solemnly down at Peter's head, a lump forming quickly in his throat as he tried to figure out what to do. It was at that moment that Shrike's call went up, which answered some of the Beta male's questions. The she-wolf that had been there just minutes before was Peter's killer. Eljay didn't do it, he thought with an audible exhale of relief.

He tipped his head back and made a brief response, his howl simply confirming that he had received @Shrike's message. Then, it was time to focus on Eljay. He knelt down next to his son, reaching out to nudge gently at the yearling's tear-stained cheeks. "Come on," he said, "Let's go home. Bring...Peter." Part of him didn't want to encourage the behavior, but it was clear that Eljay was grieving and they couldn't just leave his skull out in the open to be scavenged -- especially if the wayward female came back.

It was only when daddy's soothing voice reached his ears that Eljay snapped out of his sobbing and he looked up at his father with a wobbly lip and sore eyes from crying. The only thing that made Eljay comply with daddy's request was the promise that he could bring Peter. They'd bring him somewhere safe, now. "Don't worry Petey, I'll bring you somewhere safe," he muttered into the soft, cold fur of Peter's head and he lifted himself to his feet. Eljay then looked at the head as tears started to spill from eyes again and he sobbed a few times, looking away, back to the head, and sobbed some more.

Eventually he picked up the head, gently as though he was holding a pup, and followed daddy wherever while he tried to ignore the disgusting swing of the spine to his chest as he walked. Only when they would reach Peregrine and Fox would Eljay eventually let go of Peter's remains, to give them to him, still alternating between denial and grief. He would transfer to the former after handing off Peter's remains, erasing from his mind this had ever taken place; or at least the crude and real details of it.