-Avis-
Mentions: Carcass Gang

So you weren't lying. Don't get any weird ideas. That wasn't a compliment.

Avis watched as the brown wolf tore into the meat hungrily. With a flick of his ears, he responded dryly, "Clearly." His amber eyes narrowed as he watched the male run off into the woods a couple moments later.

As the male sat down a couple paces away from the carcass, it was a perfect time to begin to sort things out in his head. The female newcomer who had been called a wannabe by the male who's name was ironically Peony, had joined the little ragtag group of wolves. She had been accompanied by another male, who had had picked up the name of Acesco. And while he had noticed the wolves trying to hide it or trying to disguise it, the female was rather sickly. Anyone could have seen it from the way her ribs peeked through, her shaky walk like a leaf in the wind... And the sickly smell that tainted her very scent.

It didn't take a genius to figure it out, in fact, Avis was sure that Peony had figured it out in less than three seconds flat. While the brown wolf was bothersome, to say the least, he did seem to have some wits about him. Then again, who didn't know of the strange sickness that was going around? It had been the big news for a while now. At least in Avis's small circles of acquaintances. The stories and rumors had claimed it had wiped out several packs. Perhaps this little group was whatever was left of a pack.

The idea had made him pause for a moment, his eyes glazing over while he remembered his own experience scavenging after his pack basically self-destructed. Before the memories took off running, he reeled them back in, his amber gaze focused again on the carcass.

And then there was the other newcomer. The black coated male who made Avis's fur stand on end whenever he uttered a couple words. Sure, besides Choenyi, Neziton was the only one who claimed he had trusted him. Right after the black wolf seemed to literally stare into the depths of Avis's soul. Or at least, it seemed like he was trying to. Either way, the things the male had uttered thus far had given Avis enough reason to keep an eye on the wolf. But one thing the male had done which Avis was grateful for was simply raising the question as to who the wolves even were. A group? A pack? Avis patiently waited for someone to answer it, hoping to get a better gauge on who exactly these wolves were and their relation to one another.

While he had been figuring things out, Avis seemed to have zoned out for a moment. Blinking quickly, his mind reeled to piece together what Choenyi had begun to ask him. "Oh.. Uh. Right." The plague. "Personally? Not really. At least, nothing extreme. I've stumbled across camps with death, and with the smell of it, it was most likely the plague. But I haven't ever seen it... in progress." He imagined the wolf named Yalina for a moment. No, he had never seen it devour a wolf right before his eyes until today. A smile lit his face when she claimed she was happy to see him, "I am glad to see you too, Choenyi. I honestly had no clue we would meet again either. But I've been well. Pretty much a loner ever since the fall out of my pack..." His tone changed for a moment before piping back up. He remembered the day he left very clearly. He couldn't have just vanished without telling his best friend where he was going, so Avis had run to the border, waiting for Choenyi to show. And when she did, he had told her everything. How his very own pack had killed each other in a massive brawl over power. How the few survivors either fled or succumbed to their wounds. How his own father and mother were dead. How he felt all alone. Choenyi was the only wolf he had ever told the entire story. Sure, they were young, and maybe she had forgotten it by now. But he hadn't told any other soul even till this day.

"Anyway.. I traveled west and stayed in a really nice area for awhile. Nice little valley with plump prey almost all year round. Then I decided to return back here when the stories of sickness came around." Avis paused. "I am sorry about your pack..." I know how hard it is to lose it.

We should go around.

The voice of Callidora had caught his attention as he now turned his attention towards the female who was speaking with the older male. Ah, it seemed like they were making travel plans to go around the upcoming mountain pass. Where were they off to? What was on the other side of the mountains? Avis had personally never ventured over them himself. But back when he was still a youngling, part of the pack territory included the mountains. He had been a devious little pup in his days, so he had snuck out several times to try to climb up the large rock formation. Of course, he didn't get very far for his own limbs were still short and like little clumsy twigs. But he had been taught how to climb once he became a trainee. A couple pointers never hurt. Perhaps he would tag along on this little journey with them. Maybe the prey is always more plentiful on the other side...

Nekti // Male // 6 years, 4 months // Mentions: Callidora, Choenyi, Avis, Peony, Neziton, Yalina, Ophir (ind.)

Nekti nodded in return as Yalina thanked him for helping her. He knew that she would expect nothing less of him, and he in return could be sure of her genuine thanks. He had always valued what wasn’t said more than what was. By making his action seem small and not over-emphasizing it, Yalina made Nekti feel like the kind of wolf others could trust. It made perfect sense, though there were plenty of wolves who didn’t seem to understand this sort of exchange, Nekti’s own son among them. Speaking of Ophir . . . Nekti looked up for just a moment, wondering why Ophir had been gone so long. It wasn’t unusual for Ophir, though, and Nekti decided it wasn’t worth worrying about Ophir just yet. He would have howled if he had gotten into real trouble. More likely he was goofing off somewhere like he always was and had lost track of time. But if he didn’t get here soon he’d miss the food and he’d have to join the hunt on an empty stomach. Nekti flicked his ear in mild irritation, but quickl;y turned back to Yalina. What he wouldn’t have given to have had a pup like her. She reminded him of one of his early pups, Alaine. She hadn’t made it more than a year, but she’d been very upbeat and gentle. She would’ve been a bit older than Yalina if she had survived.

Nekti could see Peony moving towards them, though he didn’t seem to have spotted Nekti. It wasn’t unusual for Nekti to be overlooked. He was a quiet wolf with little bearing on what happened around him. Udara had always been the outgoing, talkative one, and Nekti was fine with that. But he wasn’t fine with this strangely ill-willed wolf sauntering up to snipe at Yalina - for no reason she’d given him - and acting as though Nekti weren’t even there. There was something disgustingly low about a wolf who drew attention to another wolf’s weakness, who made fun of it. To mock a wolf’s personality or actions was a shameful thing to do, of course, but this was worse because Yalina had no control over it. Nekti knew only too well how things like this gnawed at a wolf without anyone having to say a word - this was a level of cruelty that he wouldn’t have stood for if it had been directed towards himself. But Nekti didn’t say anything, instead shifting and giving the wolf an icy look from behind Yalina. There was no real need to make his dislike for the wolf any clearer. That was already plain to see. But he wanted to make sure Peony didn’t think he’d remain passive if this got out of hand. As Yalina responded with a self-deprecating joke, Peony glanced at Nekti and seemed to prickle with embarrassment. Embarrassment over what? Nekti’s first thought was that Peony had hoped to pick on Yalina without being caught, and hadn’t realized Nekti was there. But that didn’t seem quite right. And then, just like that, Peony tore away. Nekti watched him go, showing no surprise. He glanced at Yalina to see if she had anything more to tell him, and then he decided it would be best to move on. This Peony was getting far more attention than someone like him ought to have.

Nekti moved over to Callidora and began speaking to her. As he did, he noticed Peony slinking back. He really wasn’t going to leave them alone, was he? Nearby, Choenyi was chattering away to Avis about the illness and every little detail of their pack, more comfortable around him than she had been with several of her packmates. Nekti, of course, wasn’t planning on doing anything about it. He just wouldn’t bring it up. After all, they no longer had the rules and regulations of the pack in place, and her own guilt or innocence was her own concern. Nekti didn’t like it, but he didn’t have to like it. In the end, it had little to do with him. Callidora met Nekti’s eyes as he approached her, then broke for a moment in confusion. Nekti waited for her to lock gazes again, and as he complimented her, her ears perked. She seemed astounded at his attention, but Nekti didn’t even acknowledge her thank you. He continued speaking before Callidora could question his motives for complimenting her. It wasn’t that the compliment hadn’t been genuine, or that he said it only to protect Yalina. But he didn’t want the whole pack knowing about it, and the less tactful ones saying stupid things like “Why, Nekti! Aren’t we in a good mood?” and “Never thought I’d hear it from you.” He was immediately focused on the pack again, as though he hadn’t said anything at all. Callidora took her time to consider the options, and Nekti took the moment to scan the rest of the wolves. Everyone except Ophir was here, and everything looked like it was going fairly smoothly. Everyone was chattering and eating, and for a moment it felt just like the old pack. But the wolves were fewer, and several faces unfamiliar.

“We should go around,” Callidora said finally. Nekti nodded, though it wasn’t clear if it was a nod of agreement or of encouragement to explain her point of view. Callidora continued with her points, and Nekti listened quietly, considering everything she said. It all made sense, and although they didn’t know what could change in a few days, that seemed a reasonable risk to take. “I think you may be right,” said Nekti without pausing. “The wolves here aren’t used to the mountain terrain, and it’s sure to take a lot out of them. The warm weather will be coming in soon, and there’s no reason for us to rush to beat the weather. It doesn’t seem worth the risk of one of our wolves getting hurt in unfamiliar territory.” Nekti paused to consider. “Of course, we can’t dismiss the dangers of going around. The spread of the illness is the main concern with taking more time, of course, but we may also run into more lone wolves. We can easily fight them if we have to-” Well, Nekti couldn’t say that for certain. But he wasn’t about to express doubts about that with Peony standing right there. “-and not all will be as friendly as this one.” He brushed his tail in the direction of Avis, obviously not aware that Avis had turned to them - Nekti was still looking at Callidora. “Floods and marsh-like conditions are possible, what with the rain and being so near the mountains, but I don’t believe the risk of those is too high. In the end, though, I’d say it’s better for us to go around. Those are just things to consider.”

Forehead pressed against a tree, the female now stood, eyes closed as a muffled groan escaped her throat. She leaned against it, applying pressure to her head as if it would magically erase the pain. Yalina's eyes cracked open, barely enough to let in light as she took a step back. She had been stumbling around for minutes, as if she could run away from the increasing headache she faced. That only seemed to have made it worse. The earlier thumps now resembling screams.

She wanted her mother.

She wanted to nestle against her neck and curl up into a small ball. She found herself wishing it often, especially during an episode. She wanted to be told that everything would be alright, but not by anybody else. By her. Her mother would have known what to say. She would have known what to do. Eyes opening wider, Yalina's face drooped along with her body. To the ground she sank once again, back pressed against a cold stone. The coolness of it provided her a moment of relief before it resumed. Drunkenly, she sat, head bobbing around until her motions froze.

A scent not recognized seeped into her nose, alerting her senses and silencing her. This was a smell not yet registered. It did not come from the group nor those within it. It was somebody else. Another stranger. Was her sister right? Was this a planned attack after all? A trick? Sitting still, her gaze shifted around, trying to find her bearings, until a twig snapped.

Whirling around, Yalina's headache was replaced by a sense of caution and fear. Her fur bristled, hackles raised as her ears, first flat, now pointed to the sky. She was met with silence. An uneasy feeling settled into her bones. She wasn't safe. There was no Callidora here, no Nekti, but wasn't this what she wanted? To be alone? This was the consequence of her own actions. She didn't have anybody around to protect her. She was by herself.

She supposed she could run, or even howl and- Another twig snapped. This time, closer. Quietly, Yalina picked herself up, eyes fixated in the direction of the twig snap. As if conditioned, the female stepped back, body moving behind a tree as to not be spotted. As soon as she did so, a shadow moved. It was headed towards her, moving through the bushes and grass. She needed to howl, or to run, or do something.

Instead, she lowered her head, peeling back her lips. The scent wasn't getting stronger, but then who was this individual? What did they want? Yalina had no choice but to come off as powerful, thus, she raised her figure to its full height. Spreading her legs out into a wider stance, she hoped that it would somehow make her appear wider and fuller. Her eyes, still glued in the direction ahead, picked up on more movement.

Just as the figure crept out, Yalina opened her mouth, prepared to release a sudden howl before snapping her mouth shut, a dragged breath blown out of her nose with annoyance. Her posture shrunk, head drooping as Acesco appeared through the thicket. Back turning to him as she crept around the tree, she threw him a brief glare filled with, not anger, but fear of nearly attacking him. "You nearly scared me half to death. I was prepared to call the others or, worse, jump you!" Hobbling towards him, she remained standing, hackles only now falling against her body. Ridiculing him for a moment longer, she released a sigh before her head raised. The pain subsided, most likely from adrenaline and fear, though Yalina didn't doubt that it would appear again in moments.

"You smelled it as well? Could you pick up on which direction it came from?" Glancing around with unease, she motioned to the trail she had made. "We should tell the others. If there's another intruder, they need to be aware." She did not smile this time. Fear had struck her, and Yalina couldn't bring herself to relax just yet. "Come," she added on, already headed down the trail just as her headache returned.

Ears flickered in the direction of Neziton before ultimately blocking out his words. The female was too focused upon other things, specifically, the plan for the future. She had not yet noticed the prolonged absence of her sister nor Acesco slipping away from the group. Her sole attention was upon Nekti and their discussion. To have been the one approached by him was enough for Callidora to fixate her entire self on what he had to say. So, she watched his head bob to her words, trying to decipher if it was a good nod, or a disapproving one.

When he claimed that she may be right, she returned his nod, ears turning to him as he explained further reasoning and risks. "We also have to take in account of the weather. If the choose to cross through the mountain rather than around, rain could easily make the journey worse. There could be mudslides, rocks could come loose as we step upon them, the terrain will be slippery. We'd have to risk continuing, or be forced to waste time by waiting it out." Drawing a breath, she continued. "Going around has its own risks, of course. Many of the lone wolves I doubt would try anything. Like us, I believe without a doubt that their own were taken by the disease as well. Even if we are met with aggressive ones, there are eight of us." She didn't include Peony and Avis, for Callidora knew little of their motives. However, hearing the story Avis spoke of and his relationship with Choenyi, she had a feeling that he would be willing to stay. She herself wouldn't be against it. It meant more numbers, which, in turn, meant more protection.

"Going around is the better choice. We shouldn't venture too close to the mountain either. Again, falling rocks can be a risk. As long as we keep a good distance, I have confidence that the journey will be successful. How long do you figure it will take for us to go around roughly?" Callidora was prepared to continue, though paused, only then breaking eye contact with Nekti to glance at Choenyi and her mention of hunting, a scoff nearly escaping her.

"The loners hunt with us if they wish to eat. There are no freebies here. If you are capable, you go. If not, you don't eat." Clicking her tongue, her head raised, peering over the others when Choenyi spoke of Yalina being gone. A wave of panic settled in, causing the female to peer around swiftly. "Has anyone seen where Yalina went? Did Acesco go with her? Is she alone?" Callidora's eyes slowly turned to Choenyi at the mention of death, frowning. "Don't joke about that." Within moments, she was back to worrying about her sister. Acesco must be with her, which offered Callidora some form of ease, though why didn't they tell her? Why didn't she notice? She was too distracted by Nekti and his attention over anything else. Oh, she was a bad sister! Glancing at Nekti, the worry increased in her eyes she turned back to the others, only to freeze.

Her pile. Her food. All of the strips she saved for Yalina. Gone. Staring blankly, Callidora's eyes remained fixated on the site. "Who did this?" She asked in monotone, words eerily calm. Slowly, she turned, stepping forward. Her steps were slow, as if she were stalking prey, only to halt before the empty space, drops of blood evidence of the missing meat. Lowering her her nose, she inhaled a singular time before turning to Peony, recognizing the stale scent. "Did you eat it?" Once more, her words were drawn out slowly, her chest heaving. "Do you think this is a game?" She suddenly snapped, stepping forward. "Do you know how long it took me to pick off the pieces?" There was no more patience left in Callidora, not when it came to Yalina and her wellbeing. "How am I supposed to feed my sister? How am I supposed to make her well with you trapezing around inserting yourself into business that is not yours? What did you do with the food. You greedy.. Did you not have enough? If you ate it-"

There were few scraps remaining on the carcass. To pick the rest off would be time consuming, not to mention little help. It wouldn't be a snack, let alone a meal. "If you ate it," she repeated, "you will be replacing it. I don't care how you do it, but you will replace it. I will do everything in my power to make sure you replace it." Threatening him, Callidora spluttered and heaved, glancing at the others before twitching.

Lowering her nose to the ground, she inhaled once more, picking up on the scent of the missing meat. Releasing a small growl, she stepped towards Nekti, only to pause. The scent of meat was stronger. Glancing to the ground, she sniffed it, picking up on a faint trail. Following it, she stopped only when the trail ended, leading her to a loose pile of dirt. Staring, Callidora swept her paw over the ground, using her right one to slowly uncover what, sure enough, was a sliver of her missing food.

Tail twitching, she whirled around in the direction of Peony once more. "You buried it? All of it? Where's the rest?" Without another word, she began to walk over to the male and stood before him. Being demanding, she stared at him, mere inches from his face.

"Unbury the rest."

Sylphrena || Female || 3 || M: Carcass People

The white creature lay in wait for ages. Her eyes switched often between flesh, bickering wolf, and idle conversation starters. Surely it did not take so long to fill oneself to a satisfactory level and then leave? There was no prey further down where she had come from, and she was becoming too weak to hunt. The carcass before her was quite possibly one of her few remaining hopes of survival, and this mess of wolves could not seem to leave the dead thing alone.

She watched with mounting frustration as the meat dwindled before her eyes. One hungry maw after another approached the meat and ripped it from the bone, the tantalizing flesh taunting her sunken eyes. What saliva she had left was thick and the feeling of it only drove the urgency to find something to satiate her paining stomach. With every passing minute, Sylphrena’s hopes of bedding her appetite waned, and her fears of Chinook’s death grew. Her brows furrowed as her attentions were drawn away to such thoughts. Her cousin, strong and steadfast and indestructible, omniscient and omnipotent, who never left for more than a day, had still not returned. Now, her mind constantly worried over his fate; she wanted to believe he was returning, but she felt as though the chances of such a reunion grew slimmer the more she dwelled on them.

The growing silence around her jolted Syl from her reminiscing reverie. As the wolves finally began to disperse from around the corpse, the young female was disheartened to see little more than bleached bones left. Her claws sank into the earth beneath her and a whine died in her throat. Her options had gone down to two: fight for what little remained, or pray that another carcass rested nearby. As she prepared to step out and take her chances with the smaller number, though, the volume rose once more.

"You buried it?"

The voice of a female at the end of all patience cut sharply through the rest of the noises around Sylphrena, and she tensed. Oh, no, what had she gotten herself into? The white female stood abruptly and stared at those situated in front of her. Perhaps, if the male being berated had buried the remains of this carcass, there would be more lying about the territory. Or, at least, nearby. Now, without a care as to how these strangers would react to her presence, the young female darted up along the perimeter of the territory, inhaling sharply. Surely a whiff would pop up-

A terrified squirrel shot up in front of her and instinct took over. A flash of white teeth ended with the scrawny corpse mangled in Syl's jaws; it was a messy kill, but the taste of fresh blood was enough to give her the energy to back out of the territory she had entered. Sylphrena could not wait to return to her own hidden enclave to eat, so she tore into what little meat was on the animal just outside of whatever home she had trespassed upon.

She had to focus on eating slowly so as not to throw it all back up; her body readily welcomed the food, but her stomach, having been empty for so long, was slightly more hesitant. So, she took little pieces at a time until she gradually became more able to swallow without difficulty. Her orange eyes narrowed in relief as she downed the last bit of her meal. Now, if need be, she could move enough to get away from the pack... group... whatever... if they had followed. She was not sure they had, though.

After all, how much chase was one skinny loner really worth?