,,keep me safe.

[dire']

Must be K I C H E,

The red desert dust drifted dreamily before her shut eyelids, the curious particles attaching themselves to her stomach, so similarly toned. Fluttering weakly, her eyelids opened with a motion which would not have been out of place, accompanied by a snapping sound. Black space gazed where there should have been ochre, the eyeballs twitching mechanically. The creature's head hurled up, her large ears also twitching with the same movements. A tongue slipped between creamy fangs, to lick away the foamy saliva, resting on her jaw. A movement distracted the jittery being, and her face whipped around, to close in on the disturbance. Her laying stance slipped into a crouch, as fast as could be said, and a fierce growl formulated in her throat as she readied herself for a leap. Her legs pushed from under her bod, and launched the female into the air, towards the unknown intrusion. As her bound neared its peak, a light fell upon the quarry; herself. Her other form cowered like a terrified mouse, staring up at its attacker. The leaping female growled ever louder and made no move to stop herself as she sprung into her prey, biting, frenzied, at its neck...

My eyes broke open, golden this time, my heart beating frantically in my skinny chest. My fur was stiff at the neck, and my ears were pinned, in terror, to my head. My form was that of the hunted, curled in a ball, tail between the hind legs. It was one of the countless repetitive dreams my mind threw at me, reminding me of my worst fear - my own soul. I stood, weakly, anger beginning to knock away the terror. I had good reason to be angry at my myself, I shouldn't let the fear overcome me, but every time this strange and unearthly vision came to my head, instinct lead me to cower pitifully in my sleep. It was shaming. I whined and shook my unbending torso, letting my legs regain their strength. In that moment my eyes gazed across the landscape I had awoken in. The sky was a dirty grey with a tinge of yellow spreading across the horizon; day break. Other than informing my brain of the time of day, it also reminded me of why I was here. I was here to be discovered, here to locate a pack leader.

I stretched my black tail and let it hang just above the dusty ground, coloured the same as it had been in my dream, though the details were already fading from my mind. It was just those black, never-ending eyes. So blank and yet so terrifying. A final shudder felt me awake. My jaw twitched and I felt the terrible sensation of hunger gnawing at my stomach. It would be useless to even try and search for food here. From where I stood, and as far as my wolf eyes could watch, this land was a flat, dusty plain. So I started forward, in a slow yet effortless walk. I couldn't be sure how I was to find a pack, but maybe, if I just kept walking, I'd end up somewhere, surely.

[S h a r d]

&shard;;
All the little pieces falling
Shatter
Shards of me
Too sharp to put back together[/i]

Shard stood downwind of the sleeping wolf, her scent washing over him and his own being swept harmlessly away from her. He lay perfectly still, an anthracite statue against the dusty grounds. The blissful coolness of night was beginning to ebb and the sun preparing to stab its scorching rays down on the plains once more. And still Shard did not move, did not tear his gaze away from the slumbering figure. He could tell that the images flashing beneath those closed eyelids were tormenting her, and he held his breath when he saw her awaken. He did not fear that she would hear him- he was a good distance from her, and her back was to him. Unless she turned and stared straight at him, he was a ghost to her. And such was the intensity of his stillness that she may have simply overlooked him anyway.

She stood and began to move away, and Shard watched her with his striking eyes, green and ringed with amber. He did not move for a moment, simply wondering how he was going to approach this situation. The surrounding area was repetitive- desert, all around, barren and dead. The skulls of unfortunate animals littered the ground, useful for sharpening teeth. That was the last thing on Shard's mind right now. This female had interested him. The sapphire in his forehead glinted in the sliver of sunlight on the horizon, and Shard stood slowly and fluidly for his size. He was a large wolf, black and streaked with red and white. He was alpha of the Fragmented pack, and as such he felt a duty to investigate this lone wolf roaming the blasted plains. It was, after all, his purpose here to track down members for his small pack. It consisted only of one member right now, Miyako, another female whom he had stumbled across at an oasis some days back.

Without further cause to linger, Shard made a snap-decision and his muscles rippled beneath his dust covered fur as he took a few slow paces forward, allowing his muscles to stretch out a little and prepare for some movement. He felt an overwhelming urge to sprint, to run far and fast and not stop until he came to a change of scenery, anything apart from this awful desert. He tensed his jaw a little, lowered his head and quickened his pace, his footsteps falling in a quick, strong trot. He had lost sight of the dreamer but soon came upon her again, spotted her walking ahead of him at a slower pace than he. The gap between them got smaller, and Shard silently slowed to a walk. He strode behind the wolf, an almost playful lop-sided grin flashing into life on his face.

The wind changed, a breeze suddenly ruffling Shard's fur the wrong way and sending spikes of it tufting up. Dust danced around his paws, already stained red with the stuff. He had no doubt that the she-wolf would have noticed him by now. He held his head and tail higher than hers, though everything from his lazy walk to his curious eyes would tell her that he was no threat to her. And hopefully she would recognise the gem in his head as a mark of an alpha. Shard's longer step closed the distance between the two of them even further, and he was practically side-by-side with her now. He glanced her over, checking her out in a brisk and business-like manner before clearing his dry and scorched throat with a low growl.

"You can walk forever, miss, but you're not going to get far in this place," he said with a wry smile, his eyes grazing their immediate area with contempt. He was steadily learning to hate this place, and could only wonder what it felt like to be a lone wolf, doomed to wander around here until a pack led them out. At least Shard could leave if he really wanted to. He couldn't leave, though. Not yet. "My name's Shard, alpha of the Fragmented pack. Who might you be?"

Too small to matter
But big enough
To cut me into so many little pieces

[/size][/color]

[dire']

Must be K I C H E,

I ambled slowly, placing each paw carefully front of the other, holding my small head low, as I would when hunting prey. My amber eyes, ringed black, studied the distant expanse of arid landscape carefully. It was hard to measure distance with such a repetitive terrain, and after a minute of staring, perspective became incredibly confusing. My eyes were beginning to water with strain, and as my dark pelt began to heat with the softly rising sun, so did my temper. To be fair, I admit it was not just the sun's doing that heightened my anger; I was annoyed at myself - which was not unusual. I should never had wandered into these inhospitable plains. I was too impatient, too distrustful. I had no wish to wander these horrid lands forever, and it inflamed me that I had no control over the situation which I had put myself into. It seemed there was no getting out, but to be 'rescued'.

My eyes now narrowed into indignant slits, and I lowered them to the hateful ground, their gaze resting just before my pawsteps. With the land so full of none, and only myself - of that I could see - in the vicinity, I had not expected to catch a sudden whiff of wolf scent. For a moment this sudden discovery held my body frozen. I was not sure if to welcome this 'intruder', or resent him - the smell was of a male. I turned my dirtied body to face him, my muscles tensing apprehensively as he drew nearer. It was clear that there was no malice intended towards me, but still - a small wolf alone in the wilderness. I lowered my head nervously, and my tail dropped, to rest by my paw. I let myself be seen a subordinate, lower-ranking wolf, not because of the beautiful, but unearthly gem astride his fore-head, for at this time I had no knowledge of the ways in which this world worked, being only a newcomer, but because he was very large, much larger than my small, gaunt frame.

I watched his face, and his body, but as far as yet had made no eye contact with him. As he drew closer to me, I stepped back, unwilling to stand so near to another wolf and allow my safe zone - the bubble of space between me and another, to be invaded. I was relieved that the he-wolf spoke first, otherwise I fear the silence around us would never have been broken. His first statement was an obvious one, a fact I'd decided a few moments before and I was touched when he referred to me as 'miss'. Someone like him didn't have to speak to a wolf like me almost as if I were an equal. Moreover, I learned, as he spoke again, that he was an Alpha. It surprised me that the wolf seemed so carefree and polite. Surely Alpha's were assertive and direct. Why was he playing with courtesy when it was obvious he could make me do whatever he damn well pleased.
"I am named Kiche, sir." I spoke hesitantly. My voice sounded dry and throaty to my own ears, and I wavered, unsure what else to say. "I have been looking for a way by these lands and it is true what you said, I can find no way out. Are you as lost as I?"

[S h a r d]

&shard;;
All the little pieces falling
Shatter
Shards of me
Too sharp to put back together[/i]

When Kiche drew back from him, Shard simply looked at her. He didn't take offence- it was a perfectly natural instinct to keep a safe distance between oneself and a stranger. He was naturally confident, especially since his sheer size and strength in comparison to hers gave him the advantage over their situation. He didn't expect her to allow such intimacy before she could be sure of his intention. All the same, she seemed wary and hesitant in his presence, despite his efforts to show that he was no cause for fear. He was new to leadership, and being an alpha was an experience he was largely still figuring out. He was fairly sure that he was quite soft, perhaps too much so, but it was simply against his barest nature to be otherwise. He had tried to be firmer, gruffer, only to end up laughing at himself. It wasn't him. He couldn't do it, and that was the end of that.

"Kiche," Shard repeated the name, just to try it out. It was an unusual name, and Shard liked the sound of it. His own was not so original, inspired by a small jagged white marking by his eye. He heard the roughness in her voice, and figured that she was perhaps not fortunate enough to have stumbled upon the desert's only water source, a small oasis some way away. Shard himself knew of it, and spent much of his time at the plains there, venturing out now and then in the hope of finding lone wolves out there. He had been here for a short while and had a vague sense of direction by now. So it was that he replied to Kiche's question, "Thankfully, no, miss. I know of an oasis a way to the West. There's water there, and shade." He studied her for a moment. "I could lead you there, if you haven't found it yourself already."

He couldn't just leave her out here, could he? Whether or not she was a potential addition to the Fragmented Pack, he wouldn't see her spend more time than necessary in this blistering heat. He intended to revisit the oasis soon anyway- he had refreshed himself there mere hours ago, but the heat was drying his throat already. It would be ideal if they could travel there together, too. He wanted to know more about her, now that she knew her name. Such as whether or not she was already a member of a pack and had been separated somehow. Or if she was in search of a pack to join, which would be perfect for Shard. He breathed deeply, trying to catch scents of other wolves on her. But the heat and the dust covering everything in this stupid place muffled most scents terribly, and he found it difficult to tell.

"I must ask," he began, his tail held upright like a flag behind him, majestic head proud and high. "Are you here alone, or are you bound to a pack?"

Too small to matter
But big enough
To cut me into so many little pieces

[/size][/color]

[dire']

Must be K I C H E,

Life without a pack had seemed strange to me for a while, especially for the first few weeks of lonesomeness. I did like the solitude, and who could miss the noisy and irritating cries of suckling cubs? But in a pack everyone did their share of effort and in return received food, comfort and security - the protection of numbers. It meant that the work was shared and, though true, one only had to to fend for one's self when packless, it still took courage to wander in another's groups territory, unknowing if they were going to take ill to you.

It had been my decision to leave the pack, at least that's what I like to tell myself. I don't doubt that they wouldn't have let me stay too long after the humans invaded our territory, after our bloody skirmish with them. So, my true traits had shown themselves, as most do in circumstances such as what I was in. My repellent thirst for blood, which tended to erase all other emotions in my mind, had made me an outsider to them. I had no good friendships in my old pack, I was too unwilling to get close to another wolf, and my unfortunate lack to create cubs in my womb had not helped my relationship with the Alpha, nevertheless he would never have chosen my small frame to house his future offspring. My weak bonds to a few pack members could be easily broken, and, too unwilling to let my pride take a blow, I left my first and only pack before they could leave me. It had taken about year until I realized I needed other wolves around me. I didn't necessarily relieve in their company, I just liked, I suppose, to know a wolf's presence was near by.

I had heard, a passing word from an unfamiliar wolf, that the Kingdom of Animalia was a beautiful and astounding world. That no wolf could be made to do what they did not want, and that the lands were abundant with fresh new packs waiting for new blood. I didn't believe everything I heard, of course - no place, or wolf for that matter was perfect, but still the Kingdom intrigued me. I set off on my journey, but before I had had a chance to find a pack, I found myself floating around in this, a desolate wasteland, unsure if I'd ever find a way out. It certainly knocked a wedge of trust out of me. I wandered for two days or so, my frightening nightmares becoming worse each night. That was another reason for me to hate these plains. They gave me too much time to think.

I coughed, my throat sore and tongue dry with dehydration. I was extremely relieved to find that this fair-minded Alpha was not lost, and even knew of a water source. With the earth still looking as repetitive to me as before, I could not fathom how he found his way about. Glancing up at Shard briefly, I gave a hasty smile and bowed my head appreciatively. "I had not found it, sir and I would be grateful if you could escort me there. I have not tasted water for some time now."
My ears twitched as I heard him inhale deeply. Copying his example, I also drew in a breathe through my nose, his scent, though slightly hazy, was a pleasant change to the musty desert air. It was nice to smell a wolf scent again.

"I have no pack now, I did have once but mistakes happen. But, yes, I am looking for one, though if these plains are all the Kingdom of Animlia has to offer, then I would rather not stay. There seems to be no way out of here, but surely, how do you survive?" I cocked my head, inquisitively, but still held back, my eyes guarded and myself conscious of my surroundings. Though I was becoming more familiar with this Alpha, I still had no idea of his intentions and wasn't even sure if he wanted me in his pack. I felt connected to him somehow, maybe it was just the fact that he was the first wolf I had seen in over two months, but I wanted to be part of his pack, that is if he had one.

[S h a r d]

&shard;;
All the little pieces falling
Shatter
Shards of me
Too sharp to put back together[/i]

Shard did not question further about Kiche's former pack. He knew what she meant by 'mistakes happen', and didn't feel that it was his place, alpha or no, to drag the subject through the dust any further. He couldn't help but feel a little pang of elation when he learned that she was seeking a pack, however. It still felt wonderful and new to be able to say that he was alpha, and to be able to take wolves under his wing, to be their leader. He did become extremely still, eyes widening in surprise however, when she wondered if these damned plains were all that Animalia could offer to her.

"Oh no," he said with feeling, his own eyes lighting up. "You have not yet seen the eternal forests, miss. There are mountains, there are lakes, rivers, waterfalls. And the forest- mine is the densest part. It goes for miles, and it is all I could ever wish for in a territory. It's an honour to belong to it. This place is just the beginning, albeit a rough one. You cannot leave until you bind yourself to a pack. Once you have done so, the way to the eternal forest will open up to you." He smiled at her, wanting to talk more but realising that he had spoken quite a speech already. He had felt an instinctive need to defend his home territory, to justify it to Kiche, and he was frustrated because he hadn't done it nearly the justice it deserved. He hoped his eyes would tell the rest. He knew that they lit up when he thought of home, though he didn't mean them to.

He tilted his head a little and his gentle eyes narrowed a little as he thought hard, and came to a quick conclusion. "Miss," he began in a voice ringing with authority, down to business, "I would like you to know that as alpha, you are welcome to become one of my pack. I invite you to become a Fragmented wolf. I could take you to the eternal forests after we have refreshed ourselves, and you could see for yourself what you're missing."

And if she refused, he would take her to the oasis and move on. He didn't have the kind of time to beat around the bush, to um and ah about anything or to feel offended by rejection. He needed to get on with things, and that was exactly what he was bracing himself for. The offer was on the table, and the next move was hers to make. Shard kept a warm smile on his face, but was otherwise expressionless so that he would put the least pressure and influence on her as possible at this moment in time. It was only fair, after all. He couldn't taint this.

[ OoC : // Bleh, rubbish post. Sorry, I'm ill right now and feeling crappy, it kind of reflected on my writing. xD ]

Too small to matter
But big enough
To cut me into so many little pieces

[/size][/color]