Thorn had decided to return to the berry grove as it was becoming a favorite spot for the blue pup.  It had started off as a great place to find sticks for swords but it was also just a great place to explore.  There was a wide array of scents, and it seemed like always a new scent that he’d have no name for.  

Thorn headed north, further into the grove, eyes looking ahead where he knew the grove would end and another land would be there just ripe to explore.  Unfortunately, it wouldn’t be explored today.  The boy sat down with a frustrated huff as the idea of exploring seemed so fun and tantalizing but there was no adult here with him.  Thorn could go forward without, sure but, then either dad would learn of it and the pup would lose dad’s trust or he wouldn’t tell dad and get away with it but know the entire time he was guilty.  

With a resigned sigh, Thorn forced himself to look away from the northern direction he wanted to take, focusing on the crunchy leaves beneath his feet.  The boy kicked up a few, finding moist soil underneath, and sent a small beetle scurrying for a new hiding spot.  Thorn leaped ahead as far as he could before kicking up a few more.  Nothing interesting that time.  Another cluster of leaves was kicked up and a toad leaped out and continued leaping until it disappeared under another stack of leaves.

Kicking up the crunchy leaves was growing old.  Thorn started to move eastward, planning to check out the underside of some bushes when he heard a sound further ahead.  Trying to move silently when crunchy leaves littered the ground was quite a trick.  The boy did his best to limit the crunching of the leaves and as it turned out he didn’t have to walk.  A lean bristle-coated coyote stepped out of the brush.   He was gray in the muzzle and faint lines of old scars could be seen in areas where the fur was less dense.  He was an old fellow and his eyes latched onto the boy.  The coyote glanced around the area cautiously before grinning smugly at the boy and starting forward.

Thorn’s brows raised on realizing what he was up against.  The boy let out his best howl of alarm about sighting a predator on pack land.  The boy started to back up a few paces then decided it was a waste of time.  The coyote was probably faster, probably, it did look as old as some of the trees in that grove.  Lowering his head Thorn snarled at the coyote.  Maybe he could scare it off?  It was just a coyote and Thorn was a wolf after all!  Maybe pup versus ancient balanced out.  “Get off our land,” Thorn snarled as he boldly took a step forward.  

All he needed to do was chase it off, how hard could that be?  Thorn’s mind went over every trick he’d been taught so far, observed his enemy, and worked on coming up with a strategy.  After three or four seconds that seemed like forever, he decided to wait on the coyote to make the first move.  It certainly wasn’t fleeing so Thorn imagined it would attack at some point and Thorn would try to figure out its movements.  The boy lacked the muscle of an adult and the battle experience but he was fast.

The coyote finally made his move and jogged in the few strides they were separated.  Thorn felt his heart pumping as he demanded himself to remain strong.  Focus, focus.  It definitely didn’t move as fast as the wolves in the hallows that Thorn had trained with.  The boy was able to leap sideways of the attack.  The coyote’s head stretched out wide and open for a second.  Thorn remembered a lesson with Avantika and eagerly bit the neck.  Thorn tasted blood in his mouth! Then he felt the wind get knocked out of him.

He had bit the neck but he’d waited for a breath too long to let go.  The coyote had flung his neck, sending Thorn sailing into a crunchy pile of leaves.  At least it was a kind of soft landing?

WC 710 / 1500
"Thorn Carpathius"

There were leaves everywhere. They crunched and crackled underfoot and Dusk thought that it would be the perfect time to practice her silent stalking. It was rather difficult as the leaf litter was so thick that there were barely any places to sit her paws down. Still, she tried to walk silently by pushing leaves slowly out of the way until she could step on the damp earth beneath. It was taking way too long, however. If she kept this up, she'd never catch up to Thorn. The girl had watched her brother slink off and of course she couldn't let him have all the fun. Initially Dusk had intended on stalking and delivering a surprise attack, but she'd have to alter her plans. The ground was just too crunchy.

Rather than follow Thorn directly, Dusk skirted around just far enough that her crunching would be out of earshot... she thought. She wasn't going out of her way to be extra crunchy but it was impossible to be quiet and keep up. Dusk looped around the grove, looking for a place where she could lay in wait. The girl hunkered down below one of the many bushes, her black coat camouflaging perfectly with the shadows of the foliage. All she had to do now was lay still until Thorn walked past, then she could pounce. Really, it seemed too easy.

Dusk lay there waiting, her chin on one bent foreleg. He sure was taking his sweet time, wasn't he? The girl furrowed her brow in irritation, her lip curling to flash teeth for a moment. She had better things to do than wait for her brother. She didn't know what they were, but there were indeed better things. That's when she heard the commotion.

From where she lay, Dusk could hear snarls and the loud crunch of leaves. A sense of urgency filled the girl and she was out from under the bush and running towards the sound in an instant. Sure, Dusk was a jerk most of the time, but no one messed with her family. It simply wasn't allowed. So, when the obsidian girl rounded a bend in the grove and saw a big, albeit old, coyote rushing her brother, Dusk saw red.

Fire opal eyes flashed as the girl increased in speed. With a snarl to pull the coyote's attention, Dusk slammed hard into its side, sending the canine flying into the crispity, crunchity leaves. Her momentum made it impossible to stop, so the girl went flying into the leaves as well. Jaws opened wide and she snapped down on the coyote's scruff, eliciting a pained yelp from the old yote. It struggled and thrashed but Dusk's bite held true thanks to her powerful jaws.

Due to its age, the coyote was rather smart. It had been attacked before and knew very well how to get out of this. The old yote pushed up onto all fours then slammed its body down onto the ground, knocking the air out of the young wolf. Dusk wheezed and coughed, releasing the hold on her enemy. Struggling for air, Dusk pushed to her paws, thick fur already bristling in anger. She cast a side-eye to Thorn, still catching her breath as she sidestepped to stand shoulder to shoulder with her brother. She would be a little sore later, but it wasn't a big deal. This sort of thing was bound to happen when you were protecting your home, right?

Side by side with Thorn, Dusk stalked forward, her thick pelt making her appear larger than she actually was. Yes, they were pups, but they were strong, healthy pups. Together they were more than a match for one old coyote and the old canine seemed to realize it. "Get out of here and you can live," Dusk growled low, getting ever closer to the dusty coated canine. The coyote stood still for only a moment before turning and loping off in the direction of the border. It had seen the error of its ways and knew that it was no match for two strong wolf younglings.

Dusk's pelt smoothed as she and Thorn followed the coyote to the border, making sure that it was gone and hadn't looped around. The yote did indeed exit Hallowed land, disappearing into the trees on the other side of the border. Dusk stretched and looked towards her black and azure sibling. "Not too bad but maybe we shouldn't tell dad?" The girl grimaced slightly, flashing teeth. "I don't need to get in any more trouble." After the caiman attack that had left her with a few little wounds, she'd received a stern talking to. No... Dusk didn't need any more of that. Especially when she couldn't outright promise that it wouldn't happen again. Trouble found her, afterall. Or maybe she found it. Either way, there was no telling what could happen, so it was better not to promise to behave.

"Carpathius Family"

WC-825