While she had bonded with the slopes of the Sunspire, there was an undeniable allure of the valleys around it and the stretches of landscape it would offer. Today, she was feeling bold, so turned her expedition towards the east -- a way she had had not trekked since accompanying Ferdie to the Creek, and before that, not since she had been a Creek wolf herself. But, to adhere to the law, she went north to give the Creek's boundaries a wide clearance.
Under the humid afternoon haze, she took to the swamps with a stretched-out trot. Last time she had been here had been months ago, so almost, it seemed new underfoot. More lush in places she had not recalled and awash in curious scents. She took it all in eagerly and it did not take her long before her own coat was dampened. Almost, she was a part of the wetlands too as they squished and squelched underneath the rhythm of her agile paws.
Amekaze wove through the greenery, finding herself pleased with the energies. She was on the lookout for anything of interest, although did not travel with one set goal in mind. Should she find prey, she would hunt. If herbage caught her eyes, she would gather. No matter what, she would be studying the curves of the landscape and what all it offered here in the waning days of summertime.
![[Image: 5ifpFkc.png?1]](http://i.imgur.com/5ifpFkc.png?1)
i want to bleed in the 「r a i n」
The silver wanderer trotted into the wetlands, paws sinking into the bracken water. The few patches of sunlight making his silvery white pelt glow. He made his way through the wetlands, again enjoying the air of mystery that hung around this place. He wondered if he was going to see or meet anyone today. The last time he'd been here, he had met someone, unwelcoming. He wondered who he would see or meet or perhaps what he would see.
A gust of wind ruffled his fur, bringing along an unwelcoming scent. A she-wolf from The Sunspire, in front. His ears pricked eyes warily scan the area in front and he spotted the black female that he saw when Ferdie had returned Magpie and Leaf back to them. His gaze was cold and wary as he stopped in his path.
The scents of water and plants were thick in her nostrils. But even so, as she roamed, the faintest touch of creek made its way to her nares. Naturally, she was not surprised. This was not far from their doorstep.. but by now she was probably well into the wetlands so not to pose a threat. Their boundaries were not her intentions and this was still neutral turf. She would respect it.
So she slowed her pace and upped her guards. There was curiosity in her gaze, too, as she skimmed the surroundings until a silvered being caught her eye. She peered intently and did not move to immediately close the distance between them; it was imperative she gauge whether or not he was a huge threat, first. The eta watched. For now.
They were a pack supposedly at an agreement, now, too even if she had her lingering doubts as to how it would pan out in the months to come. Without Fox, she wondered if they were as much of a concern now. She had not seen any of them since the return of their captives and he was clearly not the intruding female that Amekaze would not complain about crossing teeth with again some day.
She was feeling confident here though. The deep ache in her muscles had faded well, only to bug her occasionally, and with her fur all slicked in swamp-water, she was in her element and in good spirits. She decided to approach the silvered male (but would not get too close), chuffing lowly with a curious smirk playing across her dark features. Her tail, only lifted halfway off her hocks, swayed comfortably from side to side in a slow metronome. She wanted to see what he would do with her, and was looking to measure his response.
i want to bleed in the 「r a i n」
The silver wanderer was tense, tail lifted up, ears pricked and eyes wary. Both of their packs were at an uneasy agreement though he did not think it would last long. He'd met Fang the other day and they had a rather pleasent conversation. It had only been pleasant because both sides didn't seem to care about the other, or because he was glad that Fang wasn't too attached to The Sunspire. This female, however, was different. A bad different.
And she came at a bad time, he was not in the same calm easygoing mood he'd been when he met Fang. He was all tensed up, ready for a fight so she probably wasn't going to get the same treatment that Fang had gotten from him.
The ashen male watched warily as she approached him, a curious smirk on her features. At least she had the sense not to go too near. The dark tip of his tail twitched as she approached and chuffed lowly, her tail moving from side to side. He was in no mood for games.
Off the soils of her mountain, her outlook on the Creek was a little different, and frankly she was not so used to seeing them not intruding on their territory. Barring certain faces, she was not going to bristle up immediately, but this was not Fox, Danica, Scimitar, or even Njal and Bazi (who were certainly not on the top of her list, but questionable) here before her.
Still, she approached this with an open mind. He seemed tense, though. His posture said so very plainly, all taut as it was. She was not and just to contrast the Creek wolf, she intended to keep it this way. He was not an unfortunate-looking creature, either, but she didn't think it suited him all too well. Did she make him that uneasy, smelling of the Sunspire as she did? Hm, you seem a bit tense,
she observed aloud. There was a hint of humor (and perhaps mischief) in the tones, albeit only subtly, and her tail continued to sway slowly as she observed him outright.
i want to bleed in the 「r a i n」
The silver wanderer tilted his head slightly, his gaze cold. "If I was in a better mood like the last time I talked with another Sunspire wolf, I wouldn't be so tense. But unluckily for you, I am in a worse mood than before. What do you suggest I do?" a smirk graced his lips though his gaze remained as cold as ice. It was normal for him to hide his anger behind smirks.
He licked his lips, ears slowly tilting backwards as his tail twitched impatiently, waiting for her reply. It wasn't like he was going to listen to whatever she said anyways. He was just in a fighting mood today, though perhaps not the too severe one. He did not know this female thus he wouldn't actually try to tear her to pieces.....
With an icy stare, he cited a bad mood, one worse than the last time he had interacted with a Sunspire wolf. She wondered if it was just how it was, if something else had inspired the mood, or if he was choosy about which Sunspires rubbed him the wrong way. Ame knew she hadn't done anything to be overly offensive, though. Unluckily? A brazen assumption,
she replied smoothly. I do not know what inspires your foul mood, if it is me or otherwise, but perhaps you just need to work out your frustrations..
she offered.
She raised her tail a notch and curved her neck defensively. It had been a veiled invitation, but in case he was keen enough to pick it up, she was subtly preparing herself all the same. Amekaze flexed her toes, testing the ground's footing beneath her just to be sure. She wished to know all the elements at play here, just to be sure. Her ears turned towards him, readied to listen.
i want to bleed in the 「r a i n」
"..but perhaps you just need to work out your frustrations.." the silver wanderer had not been listening to the first part but the last part caught his attention. His ears twitched was his icy gaze scanned the Sunspire wolf, a sly smile unnoticeably finding its way up to his lips. He pawed the ground once, tilting his head to one side thoughtfully.
"Perhaps you are right," he said softly, eyes gleaming. He took a paw step forward, "Tell me, what should I do next?" he said in a silky voice. He smirked, tail twitching invitingly.
She rumbled lowly in soft satisfaction. She knew was right. She knew the nuances well, how when irritation welled, it was best to work it out physically as she was not really one to.. talk it out. Not when she had problems, anyway. She would only be able to listen.
While she was a wolf who aspired to see peace and loved it dearly when it was there, the allure of violence always hovered in the back of her thoughts. Born and raised for war, she knew she would never shake these feelings, and nothing compared to the satisfaction of a good grapple -- even if he was of an "enemy" sort. Amekaze did wish to see what he may do, how he would move, what tricks he might possess... and so on.
She looked him over eagerly as he pawed the earth. Whatever you feel in your gut,
she answered simply, a mischievously taunting look in her eyes as she unrooted herself from her spot to loom nearer to him. You do not need me to tell you,
she jeered humorously. Her hackles rose up and her steps were airy, although the smug look stayed on her expression. She dared him.
i want to bleed in the 「r a i n」
"What are you going to do now?" he smirked, still circling her. Paws steady on the ground and he moved gracefully, with balance. In a fight, what a wolf needed most is balance, without it you would be tumbling all over the place and dead in a second.
She seemed to lure at least a little bit of a response out of the wolf with an iceberg for an attitude, so she chuffed a low laugh. Childish? Antics? I think not,
she answered and shook her head. In good humor, perhaps,
she jeered, while the unspoken extra was about how he seemed to lack it. Still, she was entertained.
He took to circling her and her heart picked up a faster rhythm. She was pleased, but wouldn't allow herself to be circled on like a carcass. Ame sprung forward and joined his circle, her eyes turned inward towards him to watch; he had grace about him, what with his long lean build. He was not a bulky monster of a wolf, either, and she could see the potential for this to be interesting. She was all fluid grace and speed with wild teeth on the end of it. Her tactics always spanned from there. You will see,
she answered vaguely and after another turn, she jumped towards him to nip for his silvered thigh. If he wouldn't get the ball rolling, she would, but she would be measured by how much harshness he would exhibit; he was the moody one, after all.
i want to bleed in the 「r a i n」
He swiftly dodged the nip that the Sunspire wolf aimed at his leg and continued circling, waiting patiently for an opportunity. Finally someone to spar with, even if he might get a few scars out of it, it was still enjoyable. He hadn't had a good spar in days. The spar with Scimitar was friendly, he needed something to bite into.
Finally he leaped forward with the grace of a feline and aiming his jaws at her neck, attempting to push her onto the ground and mash it against the bracken water. Not enough to break open her head and kill her, of course.
As her teeth had not been aimed with the utmost of purpose, she was not shocked to have him dodge her and for her jaws to click shut around nothing but thin air. She maintained the circle, just as he did, and studied carefully. A new opponent such as he was full of surprises.
When he sprung for her, she bowed her head low, arched her neck and flared her hackles to deflect some of the blow if she may be able. He pressured her down, and she let it happen, her hind paws sliding out from underneath her on the loamy ground. She ducked down low but dodged the tumble he could have very well forced her; she wasn't going to let him smash her into the dirt as easily as Danica had. At least not yet.
Ame felt the smarting cuts his teeth had carved into the top of her neck, though, and from below, she aimed her teeth at his chest as she lunged upwards with momentum from her gathered haunches.
i want to bleed in the 「r a i n」
He tasted blood, her blood. At least he had given the first cut even if she dodged the blow he gave. Suddenly she lunged at his chest from underneath him, he tried to defend himself but was only partially successful. As he rose up onto his hind legs, her teeth grazed him drawing a thin cut vertically on his chest. He ignored the pain and instead took the advantage while on his hind legs and tried to press his paws down on her shoulders, again attempting to push her down.
He was going to win this battle, no matter what. Thin scratches and cuts that might become scars did not matter now. The thirst for fighting had conquered him and he might as well fight as best as he could.
She remained unaware of what exactly consumed him. If it was just the welcome of an outlet to vent his frustrations, or a deeper desire to get the blood moving in the thrill of the fight, she could not know. For her, it was the latter of course. That.. and she liked seeing Swiftcurrent wolves in this way when given the chance. Just to see what they could do.
And it seemed they had a penchant for looking to smash her shoulders. She had grazed his chest, of that she was aware, but he was quick with a retaliation. Amekaze sucked in a quick breath to prepare; he was reared up, and coming down fast. She took some of his force, as she had to, but instead of bracing against it she went with its flow and tucked herself down low. There was a fleeing moment of vulnerability as she rolled away yet she did all she could to keep it quick, and her legs close to her to guard in case his teeth were swift to follow.
As soon as she was able, she righted herself and created some distance between them. Her shoulder ache from Danica was renewed, but adrenaline kept this thought on the back-burner. She swung around him to lunge her jaws towards his back legs. Uninterested in letting him stomp her anymore, she would aim to compromise his balance instead.
i want to bleed in the 「r a i n」
His paws slammed against the bracken waters as she rolled away at the last moment, immediately he righted himself and watched as the female created a distance between them. Suddenly she went around him and lunged her jaws towards his hind legs. No. No. No one injured his precious legs, expecially filthy Sunspire scum. How was he to travel if his legs collapsed everytime he moved? He was exaggerating but still, no one did that.
He made to turn around quickly and was successful, her teeth only grazed his leg not injured it. He could still move rather well although she did upset his balance. The silver wanderer stumbled and made to get as much distance as he could between them. Righting himself, he lunged towards her again, jaws aiming to clamp down on her shoulder as one of his limbs kicked out.
In situations such as these, she was perhaps a little too bold, or maybe too keen to allow herself injuries -- to a certain degree. For every spar, fight and otherwise she had managed to get tangled into over the course of her going-on-three years, seriously dire injuries had been rare. By feat of luck or skill or otherwise, she didn't know.
Only her sister had ever seriously done her harm, and no foe had proven so mindlessly vicious as her. While she recognized this silvered Creek wolf as a solid fighter and a welcome partner in the arts of sparring, he did not come at her with the sheer intent to kill her sister had always fancied. Not yet, anyway.
He was especially quick to get his legs out of her way. Her contact was only minimal and then he put space between them, which she moved to pressure quickly. But in typical Creek-wolf fashion, he went for her shoulders. She shoved herself in close to him when he bit down on her, deciding to make good use of it if he was going to have his teeth dug into her. Amekaze's own jaws went for his side, using her own weight to shove towards him and unbalance him (or make him let go), if she may be able, all while ignoring the pain radiating from the point of contact.
i want to bleed in the 「r a i n」
The silver wolf's jaws clamped down on her shoulder, blood filling his mouth but at the moment, the female's jaws connected with his flank and pushed towards him. He stumbled, blood starting to flow from the wound, he let go of her shoulders after a moment and regained his balance. Ignoring the sharp pain on his side.
He started circling her again, silver gaze wary before leaping towards her and landing, crouched down. His jaws aimed to clamp around one of her front paws and unbalance her while the rest of his body plowed straight into her, hoping it would also unbalance her and therefore pinning her onto the ground. His ears were flattened against his skull as his jaws opened wide, ready to clamp down on her front limbs.
The next seconds came quickly. She could smell blood -- her blood, but her senses were soon awash with his as well as she sliced into his side to open a wound there. It got him away from her not long after, and she rumbled a bloodied snarl as he circled. But his next move came quick. Her motions were hindered just enough by the ache of her fresh injuries. Teeth dug into her leg, and her footing was compromised as she tried to wretch it away, then with him bulldozing forward, she had no choice but to fall back.
He stood over her and she barred her teeth back. Feeling better yet?
she snarled then snapped towards his face, although not quite at it with intentions to make contact. She wanted to get him off her, or at least back off. She was interested in his response and did not want him to get too much ground on her when she was in a less-than-ideal position such as this one.
i want to bleed in the 「r a i n」
The silver wanderer breathed heavily, bared his fangs at her and got off her, a smirk playing at his lips. "Yes," he said, tasting her blood in his mouth as he twisted to lick the long ugly wound running alongside his flank. "I suppose I should thank you for the spar," he lifted his head from his wound, a smile on his lips. "But not for the cuts,"
He knew she probably had more wounds that he had, he was more careful about it while she didn't seem to care at all. His legs weren't hurt which was probably a good thing, his ears swiveled towards her. Hopefully she would be honorable and not attack him while he was down but you could never tell with a Sunspire wolf so he made sure to keep his senses on her and defend himself if he had to.
It had culminated rapidly and her snarl quieted; he returned one of his own and backed off. Amekaze rolled onto her feet and decided him a respectable foe for not taking it further than necessary and taking her hint that it had been enough with that. He would earn his points for being a Creek wolf with some sense in his head. Maybe if he had been there when she had been amongst their ranks herself, they could have fostered something akin to friendship, even. But fate had never dealt them that hand.
She gathered herself to stand, delicately balancing much of her weight away from her front leg and attempting to ease weight off her wounded shoulder as well. It was all the more reason not to linger here long; masking the hurt could only be done for a short while, and she had a walk back to the mountain to look forward to. At least there she knew they had decent medics in training that could benefit from the practice of tending her, should she decide to seek them out. Good,
she answered, smirking some as well. He ought to enjoy his cuts. I can say the same. You fight well,
she complimented with a small dip of her muzzle.
Ame did not even have his name, but didn't pry for it. Her eyes skimmed over him yet again, just because she had the opportunity to. He was still on the defense, subtly coiled and readied in case she was a dirtier brawler, or feeling like acting the part today, but she would not spring on him. He had let her go when she had asked. The dark-furred female would remember him well.
i want to bleed in the 「r a i n」
The silver wanderer smiled and rose to his paws, "So do you," he said in reply, tilting his head slightly as he scanned the wounds he had inflicted upon her body. She seemed to have a lot more cuts and bruises than he, she was a bit too careless but still a good fighter.
"So, shouldn't you be on your way back to The Sunspire?" he asked, knowing he had to go back to the Creek and get Paarthurnax to tend to his wounds. Or at least his own huge wound on his flank.
She was silent, then, and could feel the rush of the fight beginning to ebb from her blood slowly but surely. In its place came the awareness of injury. Her least favorite part of the whole experience, followed closely by the healing that would need to come after. However, she wouldn't change for it. So long as she could exercise in this way, she would keep fighting. After all, opportunities like these did not come often.
She nodded her head to him, especially when he spoke of the Sunspire, and rumbled a low 'mhm'. Until next time.. should our paths cross again,
she said, sweeping her muzzle in a quick dip of farewell to the silvered Creek wolf. Amekaze gave him one last lingering look, then set off to limp towards home.
i want to bleed in the 「r a i n」
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He watched as she turned and began to limp off to The Sunspire. Otatso Wetlands wasn't so far from his home, so he sank tiredly onto haunches and began licking his wounds and cuts that the female had made across his body. Most weren't really harmful except for the cut across his chest and the one across his flank that was most likely to become scars.
After a few more moments of cleaning his wounds, he rose onto his paws and even though he limped for the first few steps, he managed to find his usual gracefulness and walk his way back to the Creek. Cuts and bruises slicing finely across his silver body, matted with blood. But he was happy. The silver prince turned to gaze at The Sunspire before making his way home.