take my direction!

Quill stretched out his legs, relishing the sweet silence of morning. As he started to sink back into the depths of sleep, a little howl from nearby interrupted his tranquility. Growling softly, he cracked open one lavender and mint eye to find his younger sister, Gem, standing eagerly beside him. Her words brought a confused huff from the brute and he wanted nothing more than to just roll over and go back to sleep. She was persistent though...

Quill blinked away the remnants of sleep, his mind slowly registering Gem's words. Navigation? He glanced up at the sky, noting the position of the sun. It was still early, the day ripe with possibilities. With a resigned sigh, he pushed himself upright, shaking out his fur to banish the last vestiges of sleep. He was a pack wolf now and there was no doubt in his mind that their father would pummel him if he didn't carry out this task.

"Alright, Gem. Lead the way," Quill replied, feigning interest for his enthusiastic sister.

Gem beamed, her tail wagging furiously as she bounded ahead. Since she was ahead of him, the girl wouldn't be able to see her sibling roll his eyes and sulk a bit. The brute followed at a more leisurely pace, allowing Gem to take the lead as they ventured into the area surrounding the lake.

As they trekked through the undergrowth, Gem chattered excitedly about the different landmarks she had memorized, pointing out distinctive trees and rock formations along the way. Quill listened attentively, his eyes scanning their surroundings for any signs of danger. Despite his reluctance to be dragged into Gem's impromptu lesson, he couldn't deny the enjoyment that he felt in simply walking and stretching his legs.

Suddenly, a rustling in the bushes ahead had the grey and white man on high alert. Instinctively, he tensed, his ears swiveling to catch the faintest sound. In the brush, he could hear moving paws. Something, or several somethings, seemed to be circling the pair of wolves.

As the man's dual-toned eyes scanned the area around them, three shadowy figures emerged from the underbrush, their yellow eyes glinting with malice. Jackals. Rather large ones, too. Quill's muscles coiled instinctively, his senses sharpening as he positioned himself protectively in front of Gem. Chimera would murder him if he let Gem get hurt.

"Stay behind me, Gem," he growled, his voice low and menacing.

The jackals bared their teeth in a feral grin, sensing an easy target in the younger wolf. It wouldn't be as easy as they expected. Quill braced himself, a deep, glacial snarl ripping up from his chest as he took a single stomping step towards the trio of smaller canines.

With a guttural growl, the largest of the jackals lunged forward, aiming for Gem's vulnerable flank. Quill intercepted the attack with lightning speed, meeting the assailant head-on with a flurry of claws and teeth. The forest erupted into chaos as the three jackals descended upon Quill, their savage cries reverberating through the trees.

Quill fought with a fierce determination, his senses honed to a razor-sharp edge as he countered each blow with calculated precision. Despite being outnumbered, he refused to yield, drawing upon every ounce of strength and skill at his disposal to keep Gem safe from harm.

Time seemed to blur as the skirmish raged on, the sounds of battle drowned out by the pounding of Quill's heartbeat in his ears. Adrenaline surged through his veins, fueling his resolve as he relentlessly drove back the jackals with one attack after another. Teeth had ripped into the throat of one jackal and it fell dead right at his paws. The second and third were grievously wounded and Quill could tell that they were rethinking their plan.

Finally, with one last defiant snarl, Quill emerged victorious. The remaining attackers tucked tail and ran, disappearing into the thicker foliage around the lake. The ash and snow man breathed heavily, nostrils flaring as he fought to regain his composure. He hadn't signed up for this shit, but here they were...

Together, they stood amidst the quiet serenity of the forest surrounding the lake. It was as if nothing had ever occurred. The birds continued to sing, fish splashed in the water, rodents darted through the brush. The scent of metallic blood was rich in the air, however. The dead jackal was slowly forming a puddle around itself as blood slid from the body. Quill ushered Gem away from the mess and towards the lake itself. He could really, really use a drink after all of that.

Coming to the edge of the water, Quill stepped within, a sigh of content leaving him as the cool liquid soaked into the various bites on his legs and hindquarters. A brow raised and he looked towards the small girl. "Is this what you were expecting for the day?"

WC-815
Total- 1064/1500

"Speech"