So far, her luck had been turning out for the better. Aside from the odd memory loss and by chance meeting a wolf that knew of her homeland, Celeste would say she hadn't come across unfortunate circumstances. The two other wolves she'd come across, one sick with fungi and the other one normal as she could call normal had been pleasant. She'd even found a somewhat mangy and crystal-infested cat! That was a good thing, right? He seemed to like her since he had been following her around from the moment they'd laid eyes on each other. Now, Celeste wasn't a particularly motherly figure, being young and somewhat reckless and selfish, but she enjoyed the cat's company. Under her breath, she'd whisper things to him and he would meow back as if he understood. Maybe he did, but she really didn't understand him. After departing from the peculiar interactions with Vulcan and Luta, the dainty wolf had set on her way to find some food. As all predators knew, they needed food to survive and if she especially wanted the cat to survive, he needed food too. Noticing how the sun never really quite rose over the horizon, Celeste followed the twinkling light of the stars toward the coast where spatterings of sea salt and kelp protruded her nostrils. Scrunching her nose, both wolf and cat paused when their eyes laid upon soft mud and aisles of waterways spreading out around a cropping of islands. Quietly, the water burbled over rocks and sand as they followed the path of the river toward the ocean's opening. Overhead, birds glowing with a variety of pinks, purples, and blues soared over them, squawking loudly for all to know that food was here. Interested, Celeste looked around as she carefully avoided the muckiest of areas. Approaching a sandy embankment that led to a not too deep area of water, both her and the cat watched the shallows with an articulated gaze. Frozen like that of an experienced hunter, her toes slowly dipped into the frigid water. Bubbles and small splashes interrupted the ebbing waves. A telltale sign that fish were swimming below. Time would pass as her patience grew thin. Her newfound companion matched her stance, tail twitching with anticipation as they awaited their prey to dare closer. At just the right moment, Celeste's whitened muzzle dove in and latched on around a sizeable fish before tossing it out onto the grass behind them. It flopped and twisted around with gills fluttering, sucking in air that it wasn't meant to breathe. The pair stood there for a moment, eyes locked on their prize in confusion. The fish was glowing? Seeping from the gills that began to slowly stop opening and closing was a thick ooze. The ooze looked like mucous, but it glowed and if she watched it long enough, almost pulsated with the fish's erratic breathing. Celeste's head turned slightly to the side. She couldn't let it suffer anymore, could she? Stepping forward, she lowered her head to sniff at the thing. "Do you think it's safe? Should we kill it?" Her voice was a whisper as she looked at the cat. In return, he tilted his own head before taking lead. A quick swipe of elongated claws slashed at the fish's throat. Finally, their prey stopped bouncing around and lay still with blood and ooze leaking from its wound. word count: 567/1500

Speak up, Speak up

Ever since this strange stuff began happening he had been in a panic. A masterless slave had no way of understanding why he was in the situation he was in. After he had found his first master, the man who raised him like a father, dead he hadnt known what to do with himself. The hunter became reclused, only heading out to feed himself. Occasionally he'd been known to leave prey at borders of the packs because serving was all that he knew how to do. No wolf had noticed him and for some reason Seven was kind of upset. He didnt want attention but after the countless broken promises to him by the kleins he wasn't sure what to do anymore. He forgave them of course. His life wasnt worth his own opinion and he preferred it that way. It was just thinking for himself was something he disliked.

In the middle of his thoughts though he stopped. Just ahead of him seemed to be a wolf.... with whatever this sickness was going around spreading on the cat next to them. Upon closer inspection he saw that they had wrangled a fish from the delta. Yet something was wrong with it. His hackles rose and he shot forward. Making a quick attempt to push his body over the fish between the wolf and it. He whimpered his tail twitching as the tiny male did not make eye contact. Seven had since lost his lessons of speech the mute shivered his tail wanting badly to tuck underneath him but he didnt want an inexperienced yearling dying from eating an infection fish!

word count : 271
total: 838/1500

MADE BY MINNIE of BTN

Just as quickly as her companion had swiped at the fish's throat to kill it, another wolf had leaped forward over the fish. Celeste's instincts kicked in as her aquamarine eyes laid upon the wolf comparable to her size. Flattening her ears with a curl of her lips to show her teeth, she stepped back and lowered slightly toward the ground. Shooing her cat away that had begun to hiss at the boy, she turned her attention on the older wolf. Why had he come to take her catch? The growl that rumbled up her throat wasn't as menacing as she had hoped. "You have no right doing that," she spits, her canines showing grandly as she steps closer to him. Thankfully, both she and the other boy hadn't been affected by the sickness like her cat and this fish had been. "I hadn't attempted to eat it yet," Celeste hisses, her eyes moving from the boy to the fish underneath him. Even in death, it still oozed and glowed softly as if whatever the sickness was still eating away at it. "Quite bold of you to assume me to be so daft," her typically soft voice now deepened with irritation. "Move so I can take a look at it," she commands, standing up with hackles raised and tail stiff. word count: 1058/1500

He had made a mistake. Immidiately he stiffened, he felt so ashamed. The boy was normally a good slave. He must have forgotten. He whimpered again and immidiately backed off. His tail tucked and he avoided eye contact. Listening and nodding to make sure she knew he was listening. The tiny hunter eventually had rolled on his stomach covering his face with his front paws. Sevens exposed belly and slight nervous wagging of his tail noted of him being at her full mercy.

Seven waited, at this point he simply was happy to be commanded. The good rush hit him as he peered slightly over to the fish. What would she discover, he was a fool for thinking her age didnt make her a master! He contained his excitement as shame was mixed in for the mute.

Her eyes watched as his body stiffened and backed off from the fish. As he laid down to cover his eyes over his face, a small crept over his lips. The way he instantly reacted to her command was uplifting. Was it so easy to make others do her bidding? Scoffing at him, Celeste turned her attention toward the glowing fish. "Ya know, there has to be something in this fish that can tell us about the sickness," she mutters under her breath as she leans down to sniff at the now-smelling carcass. Wrinkling her nose, Celeste reached out to poke at it with a paw. When she applied pressure, more ooze would filter out. Curious, she looked to her cat and beckoned him over. "Taste it. Since you're already infected, it won't hurt," Celeste coos as the feline walks over. Large eyes stared at her uncertainly for a moment before deciding it was better to do what she said instead of refusing. Her companion leans down and takes a single lick of the fish's green ooze before making a disgusting face. Backing a few steps back while shaking his head, the cat frowns up at her. "Okay, so tasting the ooze isn't a good idea," she nods firmly before sitting down next to the fish. Glancing over at the cowering boy, her smile returns. "What if I make you taste it?" Celeste asks, a wicked look upon her expression. word count: 1435/1500

Seven would eventually roll back onto his stomach. However his eyes remaimed fixated on the ground. Ears twitching the young girl had instructed the already infected companion to lick the ooze. How smart! He let out a small happy whimper. Seven sometimes didnt know how to contain himself. A trained hunter he had never dealt with something like this before. He watched the cat have a not so good experience. Seven found himself wondering what it did taste like? Would it make him sick. His body stiffened in the laying down position as she addressed him. Seven stared directly at the tips of her paws.

What if she MADE him try it? The instant the words left her lips he crawled forward only a few inches off the ground. It had been months since the masters had shown an interest in him. Seven may not have known but he was drinking up the attention even if it was the barking orders he was used to. He didnt hesitate, resolving himself he opened his jaws and took a clean bite out of the head. Rancid. The boy quickly swallowed what tasted worst then the carrion left overs borias had given him.

The ooze leaked from the edges of his mouth where he had beheaded the fish. The insides looked filled but when the food hit his stomach he felt it lurch. Wretching what he had swallowed came right back up. His stomach muscles sorely pushing the infected item out. With a disgusting squelch spit, vomit, and the head all mixed with different neon colors. After the ordeal... he turned to her smiling and wagging his tail as he stared at her paws. Was he a good boy?

Even though no words had been spoken from his mouth, Celeste watched as the boy crawled over to the fish without a second thought. Her eyes widened a moment while he took a generous bite of the rotting fish. Her own stomach heaved slightly as he swallowed before it instantly being brought back up. The scent of his bile and decaying fish hit her like a ton of bricks. Turning her face to the side as she closed her eyes and regained composure, she looked back to him with a gentle smile. Seeing his slightly wagging tail even after consuming something that should not have been consumed somehow pleased her. "Well, aren't you obedient. Even if you don't speak," Celeste muses as she reaches out a paw to pat him on the head. Turning her attention back to the fish, the small girl scowls. "What are we supposed to eat if animals aren't safe?" The question leaves her lips before she considered it a stupid question. There had to be something alive that was safe to eat, right? Sighing, she looks back at the boy. "Would you be opposed if I kept you around?" She asked, her smile growing bigger. While her true intentions of keeping him close may have been selfish, if not greedy, she would keep her lips sealed. Having not one but two companions at her beck and call to taste test would be more than enough to keep her alive for now. word count: 1967/1500

His stomach hurt, which was obvious given what he had eaten. The ooze was giving him a horrible headachr but he dare not move. So badly he wanted to drink water and he realized the past season he had been eating and drinking whenever he wanted. And he hated it. Seven heard her and he tried so badly to contain his excitement. However he burst, wiggling his body to and fro with a happy wag of his tail. He barked happily she had praised him and even.... touched him! After what wad half a minute he composed himself although the male half shivered from excitement

For a moment he remembered his number. Still with no eye contact he touched his chest with a paw. "S....e...v...e..n." his voice was quiet and hoarse. After years of misuse and never being taught he disliked the way he sounded anyway. And she may call him whatever she liked as his master but this was the number hed been given at birth.

Casting one more look at the fish with an expression of disgust, she knew better now than to just go killing whatever sounded tasty. Flicking her ears back a moment, her attention was turned toward the wiggling boy who shook with excitement. Had her words really struck a chord within his heart? Teasing smile curls the edges of her lips as her aquamarine eyes watch him. His paw reached toward his chest as his croaky voice spells out the word seven. That was his name? Tilting her head lightly to the side, she raises a brow. "Seven, huh? That's what you're called?" Celeste's lips purse as she shrugs and stands up. "Alright well then I guess we're off to go find some more yucky carcasses," she says before looking from Seven and then to her cat who also looked to her with large yellow eyes. Having all this attention on her was nice and she would be glad to keep it that way. Turning on her heels, the dainty girl heads back into the forest with one last look over her shoulder. "Are you guys coming or not?" Celeste calls, winking once before disappearing into the shadows with her cat following suit. - exit -