blood like mercury

@byl

As of late Caiaphas had been more venturous, if not for the judicial reason that winter was soon upon them. Before long they would be snowbound, hovering and slavering creatures famished by icefall and wind. This made the wraith restless, and driven by her intensity, Caiaphas found herself in the heart of a territory she had never ventured in before.

As an Outrider, this almost pleased her. But as a coyote of many reservations, a pall of darkness consumed her -- she had always been of the conviction that what existed without her knowledge existed without her consent -- and here was a veritable kingdom, rife with conifers and life beyond her knowing.

The madwoman—there was no other term for her—moved at a frantic pace. Her eyes flit left and right, and she hunted hungrily for the figure of her brother. Disobedient bastard! She breathed, and every exhale felt like flames nipping at her nostrils. She was numb to the days chill, and in her head were a hundred voices. Not a one had broken free, taken over. Byll was blind to anything not Buffalo, and so anything else went without regard.

Her snout dove into the earth, and she snuffled loudly. The sound was grating, obnoxious, and as she rose angrily she flung parts of the ground upward. Byll would not believe she had been abandoned by him, he would be lost! This was her belief. She was born to a God, and she had the power of Him; when he was found, he would be reminded of this.

The sound of upheaved earth scattering over brittle snow quick brought Caiaphas to attention -- with sharp ears pressed forwards, the coywolf turned her attention to the source of the noise. It was not hard to discern between the empty hall of solemnly lined trees and the sparse smattering of brittle fern the bent form of a digging wolf -- without fear, Caiaphas approached her.

The wolf Caiaphas did not recognize, though she bore slender features much like Caiaphas' own. A precursory inhalation foretold that the female bore no scent of pack affiliation, though there hung in the air the curdled scent of iron and blood. Caiaphas regarded the narrow creature thoughtfully, her voice venturing without trepidation into the air. "Is that blood?"

Byll was hellbent on finding this man. She fully believed there was no distracting herself until there was a voice. Her own ugly snout, ridden in fresh dirt and old blood both, pointed like an accusatory finger toward the other. Byll inhaled a heavy amount of air, and when she could not detect her brother on the other, she moved to turn toward the other. "Yes," she retorts, her eyes scanning the other as though looking for some sort of sign.

Byll could not decide if the other had taken him. She was crazed, and she was trying to determine the likelihood of whether or not the other had him. "You are looking for something," she speaks, though it is unclear as to whether it was a statement or a question. "So are we."

If anything, Byl's reply further stirred Caiaphas' interest. Her falcon-yellow eyes fell on the brown blood that riddled the gaunt female's frame -- notably without apprehension or terror. Caiaphas had witnessed many terrible things in the world, and blood was the least of them. If anything it made for interesting conversation.

"Who's?" She queried, her voice insistent. If this did not loudly express that Caiaphas was no more stable than Byl, not much would. She simply must know -- it mattered not if this woman seemed altered -- in many ways, Caiaphas was too. Her intrepid gaze was unwavering as she awaited answer.

At the others question, Byll lifted her head some and grinned eerily. Byll was by no means intimidating, not in stature, and nor did she try for it. It was not a thought. Though there were many irked by her, Byll was not at all intuitive. She imagined all perceived her to be as brilliant as she thought herself, though she naturally was terribly wrong. But Byll sensed something different about the other... And Buffalo was all but forgotten.

"Many," she speaks through that grin, her countenance as ugly as ever. The tip of her tail twitched, childish excitement igniting in her bones, "would you like some?" to worship together, to bathe in the blood of those that would unwillingly sacrifice their lives for her Father. It was not an intentionally omitted detail; she was senseless.

eeewwww hahaha

She had not expected the wolf to ask her if she wanted some -- though in retrospect, this was not the strangest thing she had ever been asked. She didn't really revel in the idea of smearing blood on her unkempt pelt, though it likely would have done little to dirty her further.

"It depends." She answered cattily, regarding the strange woman with her typical immodest stare. "Is there a fresh source?" She didn't really like the idea of old blood besmirching her, least of all blood worn by this clearly addled creature.

Byll was equally immodest; she lacked censorship. And so at the others question, she could only snicker. "Of course." Her eyes grew wide, as though she were insulted, but that passed, her attention drawn to a rustling nearby. Byll could not fathom rubbing in blood tainted by days, it was an insult to her culture and her God. She was irrational to the point of not recognizing the other didnt know a thing of said culture, but her mind was drawn to the rustling in the distance. One ear pivoted in that direction, but her eyes did not leave the stranger.

"Hm?" another crooked grin, and a pointed shoulder jut upward as she turned sideways. Her eyes were dark, sacrifice...

The slender wretch had little time to gauge the senseless blather of the woman besides her, for her attention suddenly divested upon the rustle in the unfathomable wilderness. Both enormous ears pressed forwards in alarm, and she scoured the shivering shadows for the offender.

Byl seemed distracted too, and with a sharp hiss Caiaphas sought to snap her from her retrieve. "Where?" She inquired keenly, the salient gleam of her gaze bent towards the shadows.

Byll thinks Cai looks k00l af, default friend 4 lyf3. In Byll's mental head lololol. If Cai wants to get down n derty w crazy Byll you can choose whatever animal happens across them!

As Caiaphas turned Byll observed her unabashedly. The other held many colors. Byll thought it repulsive and yet, was moved by it. Liked it. Byll had seen nothing so strange before. It was as though Sos had fashioned the other just for her amusement... and perhaps he had. Even when the other turned to ask her question, Byll was unmoved in her stare, her eyes moving to touch each piece of the others dark mask.

"In there! We are being watched," she hisses, her tail lashing. This was what she had been told, and this was what she believed. Another rustle, and it is this that at last causes Byll to look away, her eyes blazing with fury at being interrupted.

we'll play! :D

If Caiaphas felt any consternation due to the wolf's irrational actions, she sheathed it well. With a low growl she tilted her angular muzzle to the ground, her fierce eyes scouring the quivering thicket for the form of their observer.

She was reluctant to turn her entire attention away from the erratic wolf, and such, hung back, her breath heavy and baited. "Get it." She hissed, lowering her lithe body into a crouch. "Kill it." She whispered hushedly, motioning for the other to go first.

Wickedly, she waited for the creature to blindly chase after whatever apparition haunted the sedges -- and no sooner did Byl go, Caiaphas stole off quickly, silently -- back towards the Sound where she belonged.