The midday light was weak and cold, tainting the air with a light yellow glow that shimmered down through the trees and onto the creek. Ivev had gotten up early that morning, wandering farther than she ever had along the trail. It had been two days since Vector had visited her at the den. At night, her blue eyes would find the Mut star and gaze at it, pondering the charming ember brute and her own path. The way he had described his pack seemed too rough and rigid for her own tastes- Ivev would probably never join a pack again if she didn't feel like it worked for her. Although she was easy-going, she wanted her teaching and skills to go the farthest possible.
The water was cold but shallow here, and with a spring, the female galloped across it, using several stones to vault her farther. She was half-hoping Vector would appear out of the treeline, and had wondered closer to his pack than usual. He had mentioned something about a cache of rabbits, but Ivev was a little too shy and humble to go digging for them. The snowbird wanted to prove she could survive on her own.
The border was extremely strong, but her wanderings had led her along a dangerous path. In fact, the scent of the pack was so intermingled with the aroma of the forest that Ivev hadn't noticed when Blackfoot Forest ended and the Bypass begun.
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The Praetor was angry, at himself mostly but a sliver of it at his packmates and the captive, the stupid damned barbarian captive. His emotions did not show through his stoic mask though, instead the madman glint of his eyes grew brighter. And that captive had the scent of a loner female on him when he came back from his expedition, six days he had left and he thought that the Praetor wouldn't see it? How stupid was that barbarian? He knew he had anger and shell-less fury radiating off him so he channeled it into fighting and cold icy anger instead. Now no one would be able to detect the anger he felt. But he would not blame his packmates yet, for he knew it was his fault for not informing them first.
Border patrol sometimes soothed his nerves but only if no one had crossed is borders and that was most certainty not the case today. The scent of an intruder drifted towards him and he knew his temper was close to snapping. His borders were marked clearly and he was sure that even the wolves of Swiftcurrent would be able to smell it from where they were. But most importantly, it was the scent of the female on Vector. This female needed to be taught a lesson, and so did Vector but that could be dealt with later. Perhaps a few bits, snarls and a good chase would make sure she kept away.
He arrived, expression indifferent and stern, eyes of liquid silver bright and harsh, as his gaze with the white furred female. His tongue raked across his gleaming canines in a threatening manner and the scars littered across his body shone bright white. The angel of death approached her, she seemed to be occupied with something, probably searching for the little barbarian. The Roman resisted the urge to sneer. His stance dominant and assertive, cold and unforgiving. Tail raised high in the air. His angry, bolts of iciness could not be detected and the only thing he let show, was the glint of a madman in his eyes.
Ivev stopped suddenly, one paw lifted in the air. Instead of completing her preamble, the white wolf's entire body quivered as she lifted her muzzle aloft in the air. With a twitching nose, the female stared cautiously about. The scent of Vector was stronger here, and she guessed he had taken this path several times whilst traveling about the realm. Having veered away from the stream, she was now standing in a forest surrounded by towering conifers. Shadows cast from their branches made ghostly designs upon the ground, and suddenly she wished she was back in open territory and under the sun.
Even in mid-morning the forest was dark, and her halt had caused Ivev to react. She felt as if eyes were glowering at her from around a trunk or peering up curiously from rabbit burrows. The snowbird was even more fearful when something unattached itself from the vegetation, striding towards her. It was large, a monotonous gray beast with eyes of hardened silver. Ivev stepped back, her hind legs tensing to steady herself, and she turned to meet his dominant posture.
He smelled like Vector, except stronger. The glimmer in his eyes was familiar, she had seen it in plenty of enraged creatures. But Ivev hadn't been wrecking havoc on his home- in fact, she had only wandered a little too far. A rush of confidence surged in her veins. Her chin was lifted in her stance, paired with a cool icy gleam.
Yes? she prodded, lips in a firm line. Ivev would do her best to stand her ground, but inside she knew she was at fault. The opalescent wolf would do her best to counter, but this little meeting could turn sour, very fast.
"Yes?" said the female insolently. His hackles bristled along his spine, platinum eyes harsh and unforgiving, lips curled back from his teeth as he locked his gaze with the trespassing woman. A warning growl slipped from the Praetor's lips, ivory canines gleaming. Today, he did not feel like playing his game of mischief. "We will speak about your boyfriend when you move a respectable distance away from my borders or he will find your bloody dripping pelt lying on the ground with your bones on top of it." he said in a soft dangerous voice.
He meant to carry out the threat if she did not back away immediately, he did not joke or lie in such circumstances and he did give out empty threats. As far as he was concerned, if this female made the stupidest decision in her entire life, it was her own fault when she descended into the realm of Pluto.
Her own fur was beginning to bristle in mirror of this male's own, but it wasn't just along her ruff. Some hairs pricked up along her spine, and a small knot of fear was building in the base of her throat. Ivev had been hurt plenty of times and was no stranger to pain, but this creature meant business- what did she just get herself into? Still, she had plenty of reasons why she could be trespassing, even if his threat had turned them insignificant.
I haven't done anything on your land, Ivev replied with a level voice, her paws glued to the ground. It was not as if she could move them just yet- she felt like balls of iron had been tied to her ankles. There's no reason to be offended if I haven't even touched a pinecone.
Vector hadn't told her anything about the nature of his captive pack, but Ivev was already getting a sense. It was well guarded, and even if Ivev had surpassed the borders only slightly, she had been immediately pounced on.
The Roman watched as the fur on the arctic female's spine began to bristle too, he felt a flicker of satisfaction for he was knew this female was scared of him and rightly so too. How dare she trespass upon his lands just to go and meet up with his pathetic little boyfriend. This was not how it worked, you did not just randomly wander into claimed lands especially by a Roman and talk to a potential mate who was apparently a captive of the pack she had trespassed in. Like did she have a death wish or what? Apparently she did for she spoke again, insolently saying she had done nothing to his land. That he had no reason to be offended when she haven't even touched a pincone yet.
And she did not move back. He broke into a offensive stance, crouching down, ready to leap, tail arching dominantly over his back. Lips drawn back in a snarl, revealing gleaming ivory fangs, ears cutting through the air as it flattened against his skull. Silver eyes gleaming with the trademark Angelus Mortis glint, harsh and bright as they drove into the arctic creature's orbs. The fur along the strong curve of his spine bristling angrily. "If you touched a pinecone, fool, it would be too late for your pathetic little life." a low deep growl slipping from between his lips as he advanced with the grace of a panther but carrying the strength of a lion. Eyes looking upon her with the precision of a predator, like she was the tiny piece of prey.
"You will move back now, quisquilan, unless you really want to descend to Pluto's realm in pieces. Your little boyfriend won't be too happy seeing your meshed up flesh with your bones on top would he? Do yourself a favor, excerebrose stultos and move backwards now!" he meant it, and he would not spare her a thought when the life bled out of her eyes. He had given her so much warnings and she did not heed his command, if she moved backwards now, she might escape clinging onto her pathetic little shitty life. Jupiter and the gods would curse her little soul and at that moment, he felt the dies pater (shining father) wreath around him, giving him strength, she deserved to die.
How desperately Ivev wanted to return the snarl, her own black lips slowly rolling over her upper incisors. She met his silver stare, a color all too familiar, with her own blue ones that had frozen and turned an icy glint. Her body was positioned in front of him, her skull facing his and her body straight behind it, head lowered slightly to protect her neck. Ivev was no large wolf; and for once her size helped her feel a little safer by being closer to the ground.
The only pathetic thing is your empty threats, she growled back with flattened ears. However, the white wolf inched farther back, as if her back paws were loaded to swivel and launch her body out of the territory. The female could feel the warm breath of the alpha's snarl swirling in the cool air and reaching her muzzle, in which her nostrils twitched nervously.
The silver brute had then responded with a sentence loaded with some foreign language and a reference to a deity, one that was lost on her. He isn't my boyfriend. He's your captive, Ivev snapped, her blue eyes slits against her bristling, pale coat. She was now scrambling to justify her refusal to be scared off. Although normally a wolf would blame it on her bull-headedness, Ivev was no outgoing soul. But for the fact that this silver creature had taken Vector captive was enough to cause her strong reaction.
A dark, demonic growl slipped from the Imperator's lips, the arctic's female's lips rolled over her upper incisors and met his stare with her own blue ones. He was not afraid of her, he wasn't afraid of nearly everything and certainly not a pathetic little shitty female who thought she could trespass into his lands. Barbarian bitch. She must not value her life at all, for he was not one to make empty threats and he would kill her if necessary. There was only so much warnings he was willing to give. The wolf was tired of sparing trespassers, it was time to show them that he was not soft, he was a Roman and while he was lenient at times, he was still strict and merciless at others. And this time, she had gone way too far.
"The only pathetic thing is your empty threats," growled the female with flattened ears, though he felt a flicker of satisfaction as she finally moved back, keen eyes noticing her nostrils twitching nervously. Good. No one growled at the Imperator when it was they that did something wrong. He was an Angelus Mortis, an angel of death and he wouldn't hesitate to sink his fangs into her pathetic squirming body. If she lived through this encounter, Shadow would make sure she would remember him, and he would issue the capture/kill on sight order.
"He isn't my boyfriend. He's your captive," the female snapped, and at that moment, he snapped too. His height a great advantage as his fur bristled, his spine curved, tongue raking across his gleaming white canines in a threatening manner, tail raised and waving dominantly over his hindquarters as the sadistic monster in him exploded. It was only the presence of Jupiter that calmed the brute slightly, tamed him slightly. Coward, barbarians die many times before their actual deaths. Look into my eyes, and you shall see your real death. whispered the Optimus Maximus, his voice radiating quiet strength and power and etherealness. The voice echoed in the Roman's head and the creature calmed slightly, silver orbs cold, harsh and intelligent, the trademark Angelus Mortis glint in his eye literally glowing. "My captive, your boyfriend, same thing. Though it is your fault that he has now an extended period of time in high security captivity until he becomes a full member of the Bypass. He won't thank you for it, will he?" the words were spoken in an elegant silky, deadly manner.
Ears flattened against his skull, hindquarters bunched up, he leaped, fangs glinting as the light shone down onto him. Glowing like an angel, like the shining father as he moved with the speed of Mercury. He attempted to sink his fangs into her shoulder, claws extended to swipe at her nose.
He'll thank someone when he becomes a free soul, she retorted angrily, steadfastly gazing into his flickering orbs. Ivev was no stranger to domineering personalities, and she was grateful that the eyes she was starting into weren't the one black one that had become so familiar and haunting. But Ivev didn't have time to explain herself, and it was expected.
Shadow launched himself across the leaf floor, his jaws two prying knives against the dark forest atmosphere. With his canines glinting distractedly in her eyes, Ivev was frozen briefly. The sting of pain welted into her shoulder, knocking her off balance as Shadow's paw glanced narrowly in front of her nose. With a yelp, the white wolf's paws scrambled against the dirt as she forced herself out of his way. Shadow finally let go over her shoulder, but there was a sizable, bright red hole missing from her snowy pelt.
With a steady thrust of her back paws, Ivev stumbled forward to return the attack with a snap of her jaws aimed at his own muzzle. But, already the female realized the fight would end in her death. Tearing herself away, she tumbled backwards into a haphazard run, fleeing for her life.
His fangs sank into her flesh and blood seeped into his jaws, tainting his gleaming alabaster fangs and muzzle red. Finally the Roman pulled his canines out of her shoulder, silver eyes harsh and cold. He had warned her countless times and she had not listened, this was entirely her own fault, she brought this upon herself and none of the gods would take pity of her pathetic soul. No doubt when she died, she would descend into the underworld and into Tartarus. And if she was lucky, the Fields of Asphodel but nothing else. A soul like hers, barbaric and wimpy, would never reach Elysium. But then, when did barbarians ever go to Elysium? No, only heroic Roman souls got to feast and party with the gods.
Silver eyes gleamed as the arctic wolf yelped, her paws moving awkwardly as she scrambled against the dirt, trying to get out of his way. He let her. It was fun this way, watch the prey run, let it think they escaped, then BAM, dead. Then the barbarian female moved forward, aiming her jaws at his muzzle but he wasn't a Roman for nothing. His father's training kept him from any harm, the countless days of brutal trainings, bloodshed, injuries now kept him from getting even a scratch. He supposed he should thank Aku for the training, but not for everything else. Especially not for injuring his siblings, his brothers who were barely even Juveniles. Shadow dodged her blow with ease, quick paws leaping out of the way and using his full weight, he barreled straight towards her, intending to use his body and its weight to bash her through the scent line and away from the Bypass.
And she ran. And he ran after her, stretching out his limbs and withdrawing again, curving his spine as he did so. He snapped at her hind legs and tail with his jaws, sometimes lifting a paw to swipe at her. So much more than she deserves, came the ethereal voice of the Optimus Maximus again and he silently agreed.
With a bloody chunk of her shoulder missing, her front legs were singing in pain as her own back legs kicked out like a rabbits, aiming to gain speed. Brambles and trees alike flashed next to her as the female felt the alpha's hot breath on her heels.
She couldn't remember if she had ever been chased before. As a wolf, she had always done the chasing, and even then, Ivev was often excluded from hunts. They didn't value her huntsmanship as much as what her bloodline did. And being small, Ivev would walk to the ridge of the tundra and watch the steady line of white wolves trekking across the grass rather than run across and join them. She lost valuable experience that way, but then again, Ivev never saw herself leaving the tundra, and end up being chased by some half-crazed idiot.
The sound of snapping jaws startled Ivev and she swerved to the right, launching herself off the ground and into a dense patch of thistle nestles between two elm trunks. Thorns snagged in her fur and embedded themselves in her shoulder wound like little searing teeth. Ivev pulled herself free of the plant, covered in debris as she panted, striking out again. It was at that point where he grabbed her tail in his jaws, having skirted around the thistle patch. Out of pure instinct Ivev whirled, using the momentum of Shadow holding her tail to open her snares. Even if she was a healer, she wasn't without teeth. Ivev aimed to sink her top canines into his eyes, shake with whatever purchase she could get, rip herself free and bolt out of here.
The Imperator moved with the speed and agility of Mercury, attacked with the strength of Mars and Jupiter, he was unstoppable and he wanted this quisquilan out of his lands, back to whatever shithole she came from, she was most certainly not welcomed in Noctisardor Bypass and she was never going to be near his lands ever again. He would make sure of that. If she stepped even over Otatso Wetlands, she would find herself being chased by Bypass wolves. The chase on sight and capture on sight order would soon be issued but not the kill one, no, he was going to have some fun with her. Torture her a but and see the agony in those clueless eyes, he would make her understand what true pain was. The sadistic monster in him had taken over, with only Jupiter holding it steady, if the god wasn't there, he would probably have torn her into shreds already.
The brute tore after her, avoided the patch of thistles as best as he could and the pain felt only like annoying words being thrown at him, his concentration was as best as ever. Though he was glad to see thorns in her wound, probably stinging and hurting her like hell, good, she deserves it he thought cold heartedly. The arctic female pulled free and panted, his strong jaws then caught her tail. The brainless idiot turned around and bared her teeth, trying to sink her pathetic little fangs into his eyes, oh how dumb was she? Didn't she see the gods helping him in his vibrant eyes, now glowing with both the Angelus Mortis glint and the harsh, judging look. His movements were as quick as wind and his blows were like lightning, quick but extremely harmful. The Imperator ducked his head and rammed into her with his full body weight, he felt her fangs sink slightly into his head so he pulled down wards, shaking his head. It was only a faint puncture and didn't really hurt that much, as the silver brute rammed into her, he opened his jaws and attempted to sink his gleaming alabaster knives into her chest. ”Haven't got much practice, eh?” he said, somehow still managing to sound sarcastic and carefree.
First her shoulder, and now her tail. Ivev would be carrying some scars on her usual spotless coat. Whipping her head around, she was met with the silver brute's own muzzle, on point with her's, before it disappeared from view. She could feel the heat of his body before he slammed into her chest, and her teeth found lazy purchase at the top of his skull.
The white creature couldn't remember the last time she had laid her teeth on another wolf. She had seen fights plenty of times; her previous pack, Abendrot, had been full of them. But from the moment she had stepped into their boundaries the tundraborn had been deemed a healer and took a different path from her fellow packmates. If Ivev had any sort of dark assassin lurking in her soul like these Abendrot wolves did, then perhaps there would've been times the female could engage in some scraps. And that pack had an infamous reputation too- from their leader fraternizing with several powerful females, to taking hostage of a young pup, to leaving many loner's bodies strewn about the border.
When she had left the pack, the deranged alpha had been leaving little surprises around the territory- carefully constructed pieces of art. Bodies of hares, gutted and sliced open, with whole sparrows nested inside, crickets in their beaks. Ivev had never paid attention to those signs before, but they were best left behind.
Her legs wavered with the impact, and Ivev ripped her teeth from his skull to swing herself away. He had intended to snap for her chest but instead was met with her left shoulder as the female pivoted. The male had growled out something, and she couldn't help but return his smile, no matter how pain-wrecked it became.
Never had the need. I see my lack of skill is giving you more than enough of a challenge, she murmured with a smirk, hoping to enrage the male. The arctic shaman was tired, bruised and bloody, but her normally docile and complacent self was replaced by something that was driven by a cause- escape and free her friend.
The male pulled back swiftly, shaking the tiny droplets of blood from his head, it wasn't deep and it didn't really hurt. ”Is that all you've got, little lady?” he said with a mocking dip of his head, his tongue slithering out to lick at the drop of blood that fell from his own head. He knew she was weakening, even if she managed to smile back at him. He had to give it to her, this female was brave, in her own twisted cowardly way. But it wasn't going to save her, the Imperator cared nothing for her fate and bravery against him was just pure stupidity. Against someone else, it might save her life, but against him, she was just dooming herself.
"Never had the need. I see my lack of skill is giving you more than enough of a challenge," he laughed, platinum eyes gleaming with cold amusement. ”Never learnt to shut your mouth when you need to, have you little princess?” he said, lunging at her as he did so, attempting to sink his fangs into her hind leg. ”You have bravery in you, little lady, but it won't save you from me, but it will save your friend. Leave now and perhaps you might visit him later, if he chooses to stay as a full member of my pack.” he grinned and kicked up dirt behind him as he raced at her, intending to chase her away.
Had she been truly lucky? Here she was, bounding through a dark, sodden forest whilst dodging tree and the silver mass of anger behind her. Ivev's back leg was shredded as she wrangled herself free from the trap of Shadow's jaws, not bothering to respond to him as her fazed eyesight led her off in escape.
The commotion Ivev had caused would backfire, and as soon as she scrambled out of the territory the alpha would undoubtedly return and find Vector. And it wouldn't a little invitation for a picnic for him. Internally the arctic female was beating herself up for raining trouble on her friend. They had come to terms for looking out for each other, and Vector had done more than his fair share. Now the female had tried to return the favor, only to create chaos.
Her skewed running had caused them to run in a circle before Shadow tore at her leg and Ivev set off towards the west. The smells of the pack assaulted her nose, and for once it was welcome. It meant the tundraborn was crossing the border, even if the forest remained the same around her. With all of the blood flowing freely and Ivev lifting her right back leg, she poured her last strength and felt her paws reach the grass of a clearing on the opposite side of the border. Turning sideways, the female's chest heaved as she stared back into the shadowed woods with blue eyes watered in pain.