~*~ A growl drew itself from Gargoyle's throat, a deep, low, threatening sound that thickened and twisted as though it had a life of it's own. Tawny muzzle fur peeled back slowly to reveal gleaming fangs and pink gums. The skin along the bridge of the male's nose twisted and contorted until his face was barely recognizable. Meanwhile his eyes, still devoid of any thought or emotion, blazed with a hellish hunger. "This is my kill. Unless you wish to be eaten as well, you'll stand down." The snow leopard yowled, screeching like an ancient fury. It's long, lithe body was set in a perfect hunting crouch as it stared down the rocky slope at Gargoyle and the mountain goat he'd caught. It's pale, feline eyes zeroed in on the kill. It's whiskered muzzle drew back as it hissed. It might as well have been a cobra. Yet what the cat had perhaps not noticed yet from it's perch - was that this wolf it was about to tangle with as just as large as a leopard. And add to that that Gargoyle was hunting for his pups and his wife today. No he wasn't backing down. Besides, it'd been a long time since he'd gotten to taste cat. Frisk was nearby, crouching between crags of mountain stone, trying to stay out of the way. He'd seen Gargoyle fight and kill - more than he might've liked. He knew Gargoyle didn't need any help guarding what was his, and the mink companion was just delluded enough to believe it would be an easy win. But cats half by born instinct a speed with wolves can only match through seasons of hard training, add to that larger claws and thick muscle and the fight suddenly becomes far more tense. Gargoyle waited, his paws balancing like pins on the ground, ready to leap back from a spring and counter with all his might. But cats are the masters of the waiting game. The snow leopard growled and hissed and stared, now shifting this paw, now twisting it's tail, but it didn't spring. Not yet... ~*~ ~Don't want to let you down, but I am H.e.l.l.b.o.u.n.d.~

The extra large brute made his way across the land of Glaciem. His Deep blue eyes scanned the land. His eyes landed upon the Chief of Glaciem, Gargoyle, and what was that! A Snow Leopard. It was, Nothing else could have been, his eyes landed upon Gargoyles fresh kill. Oxia took off in a sprint and raced towards gargoyle, his ears pinned to his head.

Oxia came up next to Gargoyle, his teeth were bared and ears pinned to his head. "Sir, you alright" He said as his eyes narrowed at the large cat.A growl bubbled up and out of his throat, his fur bristled and his stance widened to a more sturdier stance."I will help you defend your kill sir."

Oxia waited for the cat to pounce, he saw the flick of its tail. It seem to grow more violently as Time passed on. Oxia Stood there and waited for Gargoyle to give the signal to attack. So far Oxia thinks that they will be waiting for the cat to make the first move.

~*~ (ooc: feel free to narrate the cat as well ;) ) Gargoyle?s gaze could not be shifted from the crouching predator, but he recognized the pawfalls of a wolf, the scent of a Glaciem, and then the voice of Oxia. More and more the maroon marked male had been showing his ability to lend a helping paw or set of fangs ? first for the wounded Miss Midnight, then for Gargoyle himself. ?My thanks Oxia.? Gargoyle?s words were quick and clipped. His eyes had to remain focused on the cat, who watched the new come wolf with much interest. The feline didn?t seem to consider any sort of retreat ? thus proving how stupid cats were. Gargoyle?s claws itched against the turf. ?It?s Mushroom-Fuzz!? Frisk exclaimed in surprise. From behind the rock he poked his head out from the behind the rocks, sending a few little pebbles skittering. The noise and movement drew the cat?s eyes. For just a second the snake like pupils switched targets. That was all the distraction Gargoyle needed ? he leapt straight up at the cat, snarling like a demon. With a single bound he was up upon the side of the sheer stone slope ? and staring down the hissing muzzle of a hungry she-cat. Gargoyle bit down into that muzzle ? his top and bottom jaws crunching into whiskers on either side. Immediately he felt the sting of the leopard?s claws ? and also the loss of footing. They came crashing down to ground ? now locked together in a mass of grey and black fur. It was attempting to catch Gargoyle?s belly with it?s fore claws, but the Chief had it by the face and was throwing his full muscle mass into trying to pin the creature?s head to the ground. ~*~ ~Don't want to let you down, but I am H.e.l.l.b.o.u.n.d.~

Oxia gave a slight acknowledgment of what Gargoyle had said. His ears pinned to his head, fangs out and ready to strike. Oxia's tail swayed gently as he too waited for the right moment to strike. Just as it started to seem like it was a stand off, then Frisk spoke and that was all they needed to distract the cat for time to strike. Oxia pushed off with his hind legs fangs ready top strike, He aimed for the cats side. Teeth sunk down upon the flesh of the bitch-cat, blood filled his mouth, and begun to dribble down the side of his maw. They came down upon the ground Oxia's eyes scanned an open target on her neck. The cat thrashed and tuned flailing it's claws frantically try to get the wolves off of her. She thrashed her head and that is what the male was waiting for. His fangs pulled them selved out of the Bitches side and went in for the jugular. He opened his fangs and clenched down upon the neck of the beast. Oxia felt some bones snap under he jaws, this was a thrill to him. Yowls came out of the maw of the cat, it was muffled due to the fact that Gargoyle had it clenched down, but you could still tell. Oxia locked him self upon that cat, teeth not moving from this spot. With every struggle He bit down even harder, blood begun to peer out of the neck. His blue eyes glanced over at Gargoyle and waited for another command. Speech,

~*~ Gargoyle growled, digging his teeth into the cats? face til he felt it?s blood tickling his tongue. Oxia had kept up step for step and now as Gargoyle kept the feline down, the other male had set his fangs into the leopard?s neck. The two big blokes together were enough to keep it occupied. Even kill it. Gargoyle had warned it after all. And for a moment the male imagined the honor of having the scraps of the cat?s pelt line his children?s nest within the den. He was, after all, Chief of the Glaciem Pack. This was kingdom and all other creatures within it would do well to remember who he was and what he could do. But that sounded just a bit too cold? didn?t it. More than likely it was thinking of his pups that set him to rights. The young had always had a shortcut into his heart. Though Gargoyle growled and dug his claws in? he didn?t really have to kill the snow leopard. The beast was a beautiful and proud a predator as ever stalked the Northern reaches. Now it knew it had been defeated, and if Gargoyle let it up the only wise choice it had would be to run. But Gargoyle wasn?t going to just let go while Oxia was still hanging on. Gargoyle looked his way. Gold eyes met blue. ?Leave off.? he said round a mouthful of hissing cat. He twitched his ears ? he had no tail to signal with, but this was all the warning he could afford. The very talking had lossened his hold and now he had to let go ? which he did, releasing the feral beast and spring back a length to ready for whatever move it made next ? and to be alert in case Oxia had been too slow and he had to dive back into the fray to help him. But ever the odd colored male seemed to be able to hold his own. ~*~ ~Don't want to let you down, but I am H.e.l.l.b.o.u.n.d.~

A struggle that was, oh yes indeed, but non the less Oxia could tell that they had won the fight. The She-cat seemed ready to admit defeat or die trying to claim a meal that will never come. The words from the Chief Leave off came to his head. Oxia released the beast from his jaws and stepped back with the chief. Oxia did not ease up on alertness though, he stood there ready to attack back if the cat made one more strike at them. You could hear the growl of failure come from the she-cat, her body was covered in her own blood, but yet all the male wolves got was some small scratches, that's all. Her tail flicked violently as she seemed to be upset about loosing a meal like that. Soon she turned around and walked away from the two brute wolves. Oxia turned to Gargoyle "Would you like some help bringing back the food, i am guessing to your new born pups, and wife yes?" He spoke as he stood there waiting for the Chief to say something.Oxia did not mind helping the male out, he has always been that kind hearted. Speech,

~*~ The snow leopard did a turn about. It only sauntered a few steps though, it's tail bushy and hackles raised, before it did one of those mad feline dashes back up into the rocks. Bits of shale skittered down the slopes, but when the sounds of those rocks died away there was nothing to suggest the predator had ever even touched the landscape. It's scent died away too. The wolves were alone. Only when Gargoyle was certain of this, did his snarl die away. He glanced over at his comrade, but the male was already moving on to the next matter at hand. No comment or thoughts on the she-cat, just a question of whether or not Gargoyle wanted a hand with the food. Unflappable. That was the word for him. Frisk came bounding out of his hiding place. "Not bad Fungus-Fuzz!" the mink said. He was sincere if not dignified. His long lanky body pulled up beside the odd colored brute who had once wanted nothing better than to eat him. "You fight almost as well as Gargie!" The mink, snapped his head back around to his usual companion. "But why'd you let it get away?! That was stupid! It could show up again! Besides it would've made a nice carpet for the pack cave." Gargoyle looked down blankly at the mink. It was one of the few creatures who could use that tone of voice with him and not be punished. Mainly because on some level Gargoyle considered the mink an idiot not worth his time - and on another because he owed the mink his life. So it was that when he answered it was as calmly as ever. "It was already defeated. No point in useless bloodshed." In the back of his mind, Gargoyle knew that the regrowth of his heart had made him a softer creature, but the truth was he could live with that. He preferred himself this way. The mink held his tongue but rolled his eyes. Gargoyle now in turn, focused his attention on the other wolf. True to form, when around another warrior, the Chief didn't waste words or pleasantries. "Oxia," he said, "Would you be willing to take on the responsibilities of a Beta?" Heaven knew they needed one for a long time. And Gargoyle could think of no one better. ~*~ ~Don't want to let you down, but I am H.e.l.l.b.o.u.n.d.~

Oxia's fur rested down upon his skin as the threat of the leopard was gone for the time being. His attention drew to the small Mink who had spoken. "Not bad Fungus-Fuzz!" Oxia was in a good mood today so that comment made him laugh a bit. Oxia turned to the small creature and gently batted Frisk on the head."Well Frisk you sure did a great job supervising from behind that rock over there" Hs said as he flicked his tail in the direction of the rock. His attention was soon back to Gargoyle who spoke about no use in shedding more blood. Oxia nodded in agreement, "Yes, that is very true.There is no need to kill a creature who was just trying to feed herself, and possibly a family, just like gargoyle was doing." He spoke as he licked a slight wound to his leg. His attention soon was drawn back to Gargoyle. He spoke of promoting him to Beta. Oxia's ears perked up as he turned to gaze at his Alpha. "I would be honored to be your beta sir. He spoke. Oxia never thought that he would achieve to become someone in such rank. This was indeed something that he shall remember for time to come. Speech,

~*~ Gargoyle nodded in approval and respect. "As my Beta, it'll mean working harder on patrols and training and hunting, and helping to keep the pack organized. It'll mean meeting newcomers at the border and bringing them to me for judgement. It'll mean my coming to you for certain decisions, and relying on you for tasks I would entrust to no other." His tone was grave and sober - but then, when wasn't it? "For example:" he added. The male bent down and sunk his teeth into one of the deer's hind legs. His neck muscles coiling and bunching, he dragged the carcass over onto it's belly so that the other hind leg could lie waiting for Oxia to grab ahold. It was a joke of sorts - and an invitation. When they returned to the pack cave, Gargoyle hoped to share the deer with pups, and with his new Beta. After all they had much to plan and discuss. -EXIT- ~*~ ~Don't want to let you down, but I am H.e.l.l.b.o.u.n.d.~

Oxia nodded to indicate that he was aware as to what his role is in the pack. "i understand"Is all he said as he picked up the leg of the animal and helped his Alpha carry it back to the den. Oxia will do his best he can to do his job. [Exit Oxia] Speech,