Redhawk Caldera A new world for you, my friend

@Monty

Lokie, as per his usual, had left the Teekon Wilds for a bit, but he was always happy to return. Of course, he would search for his best friend forever, Connor. He wasn't sure where he would look first, but he supposed he didn't have a time limit, so he could just search everywhere! 

He came upon one of the first spots he and Connor had explored. The Caldera. It was one of Lokie's favorite spots, but also a dangerous one. Lokie wasn't exactly the smoothest wolf out there, and he tended to get himself in trouble easily. But that never stopped him, and he found himself heading up the steep rocky slope without hesitation. His paws slipped a few times on the loose rocks, but he caught himself before sliding down. His tail wagged when he wasn't using it for balance, and his jaws opened while he panted with happy exertion.

An endless hunger, and an endless walk to feed what they desired. Nothing seemed to quench the hunger they felt within- even all the rabbits, all the geese, and the attempts at elk, nothing would feed their suffering. 

It still felt like the pit- a darkness that swallowed them whole, with no one there to talk, or feed the beast. Just darkness, and awaiting for what was to come. Oh then the light had come, and so they lunged! The food before them, comrades of the beast, wolves of the land, and devour them so!

How they tasted so refined.

And then there was a lust, toward even more.

There, they spotted. A wolf, sliding down..

And so they prowled, there was no hiding, they only had an eye of greed while looking toward Lokie.

Lokie was oblivious to his company, so focused on not falling down the rocky cliff. He was actually having a lot of fun. There was something exhilarating about being on the edge of danger. He wasn't some death-defying looney. No, he just liked the thrill. 

Until he didn't. His back leg slipped and his front legs worked wildly to catch himself as he slid down, his claws raking against the tiny rocks in hopes of finding leverage. Finally, his body stopped, the muscles in all his legs straining to keep himself in place. This was the part that was not fun for him. His eyes glanced around in an errant effort to find a way out of this situation. That's when he saw them. H-hey, he said, trying to smile, as if everything was fine. W-would you mind helping me out here? He chuckled, because it was so funny that he got himself into this situation, right?

Without a sound, without a smile, or even a growl; they prowled forward, a stare to the wolf as the closer they came. A hunger to their eyes, as they crept to the edge and stared down to the falling wolf. A look toward their flailing paws, and back to chuckling one. 

Closer they got, they desired to put their paw, on the others. Though there would be no savior.

They didn't help, rather they craved, and desired them so. Forward, a fury of lunges and snapping with a drool to follow as they desired for any taste! Any bite! Anything to grab at the helpless being.

They were just so hungry.

Lokie hadn't really ever met a wolf he didn't like. There were those he liked more, and those he liked less. He simply steered clear of those in the latter column. Strangers were always friends first, until they weren't. And this one was so beyond not that it shocked Lokie. He dared not, however, lessen his grip, or else he would fall, potentially to his death. 

What the f- He cried out when claws dug into his paws. This was certainly not what he was expecting. Dude, that hurts, he whined. And then suddenly, he was looking at flying teeth headed straight for him. His head jerked back but he was unable to get very far, as the other had their grip on his front paws. Jesus, you are crazy- knock it off! Lokie was clearly unaware at just how much the other wolf would not give up. 

And then he felt it. Fangs sinking into his cheek. Painful cries and whimpers left his throat, and he thrashed his head in an effort to free himself. He even tried his own hand at attempting to attack the stranger, but Lokie was so caught off guard that his mind simply wasn't catching up with the situation.

Their head rose like they were about to howl, but instead a visible gulp could be heard. Their fangs had sunk into the fellow, and successfully so. Whatever they could manage was ripped off, even if it was just a taste of blood, they devoured what was given. 

Delicious, they thought.

More! They wanted.

However this was not appropriate.

The face was full of bone, how can they properly feast?

And so, Monty let go.

And doing so, they would dive down with the meal.

A small chunk of flesh was ripped from his face and Lokie screamed. He had never felt such pain before and his body began to go into shock. So when he was finally liberated from his attacker, he thought it was over. But, when the wolf let go, Lokie couldn't think fast enough to catch himself. 

It was like slow motion. Lokie fell backward away from the cliff. He tried to twist his body so that he could land on his paws, but it just wasn't working. He couldn't right himself. He felt like he fell forever. And then it was over. 

Lokie's body hit the calm water with a splash, sending water splashing into the air. The liquid quickly enveloped him. His loss of consciousness meant he could not resurface unless he came to.

less to see, further from the sunspires. nothing here to bother her on the plains. not sure what the appeal of a mountain is to a wolf – seems more a place for the cougars – she’s not opposed to giving it up. better places to hunt, freer streams to find game.

the trail takes her over prairies and creeks and through woods. up to the curve of a quiet crater. no pack here, far as she can tell; not something to be too concerned about anyways. she takes the slope up, thick with trees and grass; follows it to the edge of a sunken lake.

blue sky above her, she spends a quiet hour fishing. pulls a few trout from the water, in the end; just finishing the last when someone screams. a body crashes limply into the surface, spraying an arc of water into the air.

borya rears back like a startled horse, pulls herself to her full near eight feet; muzzle wrinkling back, but there’s nothing else above her. edge of the cliff, sky studded with cloud; at the very top, a smudge of cream and brown, sliding along the rock.

quiet, now. she huffs. the sound rolls itself from her chest and into the open air. lowers herself back to her paws, eyes cast over the water – no use fishing now. body doesn’t rise to the surface, though. blood edges the air; her tongue rolls out to taste it, and then back.

an irritated sigh ruffles the fur on her shoulders. wolf or not, shouldn’t just let someone drown.

she splashes into the water with little grace. hard to have much, at her size. it picks her up, bears her along. at the center of the lake, she pauses, twists down like she’s searching for salmon instead of wolf; body’s not too deep now, hard to tell if it’s alive or dead. even if it was, she’s come this far already. no use wasting meat.

her jaws wrap around the closest limb. gentle as she can be, but living, he’s got more to worry about than broken skin. with a heavy wrench of her head, pulls him up and towards the surface; drags him onto the sandy edge of the bank, dripping water and blood from the wound on his face.

his to take care of. borya prods his body with one oversized paw – breathing, if only barely. won't be her meal today. life should be enough for him, for now; she knows a little of the trade, but there’s no herbs on hand, even if she cared to spend the time.

Oh no, their meal is drowning.

Unconcious, a perfect moment to simply devour so- but disrupted.

Their fur bristled with a primal fear, an knowing as a wolf, they can not win against the bear of the wilds.

Scarred and brutal, a shame to be.

They would give up their meal... But remember them so.

He is on the list.

And so the gourmet flees.

The next thing he knew, Lokie was being pulled from the water. His mind was awake enough to register this, but his body was in shock and he wasn't half conscious yet. It was a whirlwind of events and he couldn't keep up. What was dragging him? The wolf? He couldn't do anything. He was limp, even as he tried to will his body to move. 

He felt his body being pulled onto the shore, and something large and warm resting on his chest a moment before retreating. He wasn't being attacked any more, that much he could discern. It took a few moments of breathing before his body finally started to come out of shock. 

His eyes opened slowly, and then all at once, the pain hit him. From his from paws, to his cheek, to his whole body hitting the water. He groaned in agony as the blood poured from his face. He tried to right himself, and it was then he noticed the shadow he was in. Confusion racked his features as he looked upwards into the face of a bear. From the frying pan, into the fire. 

He tried to get up, but the muscles in his abdomen screamed in opposition. He was having a very, very, very bad day. His last day? Please just do it quick, he said. He couldn't run, and he certainly couldn't fight the bear. He was done for, he was sure.

he wakes before borya’d expected. long fall, to stay that aware. eyes open as borya stands over him; doesn't seem to know what he's looking at, even moving to get to his feet, crumpling to the ground. a sad display for certain. can't hold a little confusion against him, though.

moment he realizes just what he's looking at – that's outlined, easy for her to see. on their own, fear is the usual reaction; she’s seen it enough that it barely raises a flicker of her own eyes in response. he struggles to get up, faster this time. as though borya’d pulled him out just to see him scream.

might’ve, a while ago, when she’d been angry enough to keep the grudge. doesn't hold that much interest now. she’ll fight if she needs it. thought of spilling more blood leaves her exhausted, more than anything.

head lowers. spring-green eyes catch on the jagged wound on his face. probably bruises, too, under the fur. broken bones, if he's unlucky.

“would’ve let you drown, if that’s what i was here for.” no sympathy in it. she has her limits. “you’re alive. rest you’ll take care of on your own.”

Lokie waited for the blow that would end it all. Instead, the bear spoke, informing him it would not come. He looked up into the bear's face, searching for truth. And he found it. Thank you, he said softly. The mercy shown here today by this bear would not be forgotten. 

He remembered then, the wolf that attacked him. His eyes searched for them, but it seemed they were long gone. The bear had saved him in more than one way today, Lokie was sure. Gingerly, he stood to make his leave, as slow as it would be. I hope we meet again. I'd like to repay you, he said earnestly.

another low grumble rolls up in the base of her chest. doesn’t come all the way; sticks in her throat and dies there. least he has the good grace to thank her for it. she’d be fine without, long as he kept his teeth where they should be. and he does.

“rather not pull you from another lake,” borya rumbles, and turns away. “keep off the cliffs. repayment enough.”

she starts along the water’s edge. might stay in the caldera for a time, might not. doesn’t care much what took the bite out of his face to begin with, other than the obvious: more than a little chance it’ll keep disrupting her, and she doesn’t care to spend the time hunting it down. or the energy spilling its guts.

she leaves the half-eaten trout on the sand. not so far. if he’s got a nose, paying attention, he’ll see it.

not much. still more than she needs to offer.

He found the bear to be quite agreeable, and later on he would think how he had never come across such a bear before. Most didn't like wolves, and most wolves felt the same about bears. But this interaction would change Lokie's opinion on bears for the rest of his life, for the better. 

He nodded slightly. No worries there, he responded. He would not be going up those cliffs again. In pain and shock, his nose didn't notice the fish carcass. All he smelled was blood, and the only real thing he wanted to do was get to a safe spot to curl up and recover in. And he slowly set off to do just that. 

I'm going to archive this here. I hope they can meet again one day! Thanks so much <3