Fire and Ice
Paws glided over the forest underbrush, barely kissing the earth as they touched. Such a gentle touch from a powerful stride. Muscles rippling beneath her pristine coat glistening in the evening light. Shadows began to stretch from the trees and blend with the growing darkness that crept in place of the diminishing sunlight. The reddish evening hue made it seem as if the trees were bleeding, especially the ones that still held fast to the few rosebuds that remained on their branches. Unrelenting, she pressed on through the forest, regal in her swift movements. With her head held high, and tail held just above her back, she appeared to be a wolf of arrogance. A touch of a prideful glimmer in light violet eyes only added to the effect, but were nothing more than a mere mask, shrouding what lurks beneath.
Creamy fur against the growing darkness with places of ivory and obsidian tipped ears were easy to spot. Yet, she made no effort to conceal herself. Out in the open she traveled upon weary paws. White tipped tail swaying behind her with curiosity coursing through her veins. The young female was inquisitive to learn what these new lands had to offer, what secrets the shadows secure, and what new sights the light has to bring. A burning desire warmed her chest as she trotted along, weaving through the throng of shrubs and rosebud trees. Black, leathery nose twitching to pick up faint scents that drifted on the gentle breeze. There was a mix of wolves and prey that tangled together, but one scent in particular stood out. It was the scent of a rabbit which she was nearly upon. Licking her lips hungrily, her eyes peered around for it while her gait slowed to a slow walk. Tilting her head to the endless sky hidden behind tree branches, she smelled the humid air again. There was not one, but two rabbits. Her long journey may of made her weary, but hungry as well. At the moment, hunger was what was driving her forward.
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The young female paused, ears flickering as she the scent of another wolf infiltrated her nose, growing stronger and stronger. Her tail fell inert behind her cream form and violet eyes scanned the area for where he was hiding. Moments later the sound of rapidly falling paw steps could be heard thundering through the air. He was straight ahead of her, and not far. The fur along the back of her neck bristled slightly in a defensive manner for it would be the first wolf in these new lands that she would come across and she did not know how hostile they would be.
It was then that a rabbit sprinted out from the shrubbery, possibly one of the two that he had gone after trying to escape with its life, only to flee into the jaws of another predator. With tongue lolling from open jaws she wasted no time. Her hunting skills were pretty much as honed as they were going to be. She had turned out to only be average with her hunting talent, but had a talent for other things. Healing and fighting seemed to be her better suit, but she was still quite capable of catching a rabbit that ran right toward her. Squeals slipped from the terrified hare the moment it saw her, but it did not turn away. For a second she thought what a stupid rabbit and leaped after him not paying any mind to the other wolf near by. Instincts had gripped her from hunger that grew in her stomach from such long travels. She she went for the rabbit, he dove into a burrow. No wonder he did not run in the other direction when his safety was so close.
"You will not be safe there!" she growled going in after him. Her head lowered to the earth and forepaws pressed against the sides of her neck as she shoved herself in the burrow. She managed to get in a third of the way, talons scrapping against the compacted dirt that surrounded her. Jaws managed to clamp down upon her delicious prey. For a split second the hare screamed. It was quickly silenced by the power of her bite and hung limp in her jaws. Blood trickled down her chin as she tightly clung to her prize. Now, to get out of the confined space, but there was a problem. She dug her talons on her hind legs into the ground and began trying to push herself out, but to no avail. She did not budge. She was stuck! Snarling with frustration, she pushed harder and harder. White tipped tail whirled around freely with agitation at the struggle, especially because she knew someone was around to witness such an embarrassing situation.
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Growling some more, her talons continued to scour against the dirt as she kept trying to push herself out. She bunched up her muscles in her shoulders to use her forepaws planted against the ground to push simultaneously with her rear paws. Tail still thrashing around at her failure and now brisk, she now realized that she was spotted. This did not stop her insistent struggling to break herself free of the small burrow. Although, the young female now found herself hot with embarrassment. Ears that were flattened against her head gave a slight twitch to the sound of his voice and eyes flashing to the side as if she would be able to see him standing behind her. Snarls erupted from her muzzle, voicing her utter frustration at how foolish she must appear.
"Yes! Get me out of here!" she snapped angrily, despite the harsh edge to her voice it still sounded light and quite feminine. The tone was smooth and melodic. This was no time to be concerned with how this would form his perception of her. From the sound of his voice, he was a mere pup anyway! Not that she had reached full adulthood, but it was quickly coming up on her. At last, she was almost at her second year. Still a yearling, and holding all of their curiosity that would follow her as she aged.
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Anticipation began to course through her as she now started flailing her body around. Perhaps if she wiggled enough she could get free. Despite how much she squirmed and pushed, she did not budge in the slightest. The tight burrow seemed to keep getting hotter and hotter. It was already quite warm out now that summer had arrived, but even more so underground. Jaws bit down harder on the corpse that dangled in her muzzle with delight as more blood dripped onto her tongue. It was as if the rabbits blood quenched her thirst like water.
The stranger was now standing over the burrow and digging with his talons. Dirt tumbled around the entrance. It became looser and slightly wider. The young female again pushed with all of her might gathered in her limbs and shoulders. His voice tickled her ears as she kept trying to break free of the vice grip the burrow seemed to have on her. Ignoring him, she made one last attempt, bones snapping between bloodied teeth while grinding them as if it would gather more strength. At last there was success. She stumbled back slightly, tightly clinging to her catch. Clumps of dirt clung to her creamy fur. Pale, violent eyes glanced at the youngster in silence for a brief moment before her body began to violently shake, relieving herself from the soil. Then, she gently lowered her muzzle to the earth and laid to rest the lifeless hare. Her nose gave it a soft push toward the brown male's paws. Lifting her head up high again with fluffy, ivory chest puffed out, she gave him a stiff nod.
"Thank you," her words were like chiming crystals tapping one another. "You can keep the rabbit if you do not ever speak of this to anyone," she told him sternly, eyes piercing into his bi-colored ones.
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With glittering, confused eyes she watched him intently. Her ears twitched at his words while he nudged the lifeless rabbit back to her. Blinking hard, her mind scrambled for words. The cream colored female's ivory tipped tail swayed behind her at his gesture to show her pleasure, a pleasure that was somewhat false. Yet, her expression did not give any such idea away. Instead a tiny grin appeared upon her narrow muzzle accompanied by a devious glint in her eyes.
"At least share it with me," she insisted with a velvety tone before dipping her head to her catch. Jaws departing she took a single bite, fur and flesh slipping down her throat. Crimson on her lips which she licked away with her pink tongue. After a single bite, she glanced back up at him with a hopeful face. "What is your name, stranger?" she asked him following the moment of silence that lingered while she bit into the hare, savoring its delectable flavor.
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She began to eat more vigorously after his words, but not after giving him quite a disappointed look. Her bright eyes gawked at him in silence for a few moments before she enjoyed her meal without saying anything more. She ripped large chunks from its body and swallowed them almost whole. Blood now smeared even more across her muzzle. Ears twitched again at his voice, this time his name. She pulled away from her meal and took the time to lick the warm blood from herself.
"Aslan," she repeated his name, as if trying it out upon her tongue. "My name is Ayr," she told him with a sway of her tail. Her muzzle then dipped back to the rabbit, now cracking bones between her canines. After a few more bites, she lifted her head back up to him, again licking the blood from her muzzle until it matched the rest of her pristine coat. "A pack? You sound like you quite enjoy it," she said to him, stepping closer with her eyes locked upon his. She drew so close that she could feel his breath on her muzzle. She was almost touching him with her own. When he steps halted, the rest of her body stood inert before him. The young female looked as though she was trying to look right through him, but in reality she was seeking something else.
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