Wolf Wars

[Ayame]

Kasa liked being at the academy. It was a friendly enough place, as schools went. But she'd grown up outside, and she missed the open fields and beautiful forests. Being closed in by impregnable walls of stone just didn't agree with her, and she sought her freedom tonight in the forest.

She strolled barefoot through the trees, the cold and springy ground reminding her of home. She sighed, feeling at ease. The wind whispering through the branches overhead, the sound of the forest's nightlife scuttling about, the doleful hoot of an owl in the distance; it was beautiful.

Moonlight shone down, washing the ground in it's pale luminescent glow, and the stars were reflected in the small creek that cut through the trees. She wandered over to the creek, smiling broadly, and in one fluid motion crossed her legs so that she was sitting beside the water.

Kasa thought fondly back on all the times she'd played in creeks with her sisters when she was younger, and other memories came rushing back as well. As she thought about her sisters, her heart began to ache with the longing to see them again.

Before Kasa knew it, she was close to tears. Unintentionally, she made an odd sound that was somewhere between a soft laugh and a repressed sob. She missed her entire family, of course--heck, she missed her whole tribe. But her sisters were the ones she missed the most.

She was about to relent and lose herself to the tears that threatened to overwhelm her when she heard a sound in the undergrowth nearby. Her eyes flashed yellow in fear, but she managed to control herself.

"Who's there?" she demanded, mildly impressed by how steady her voice was, "Show yourself!"

[ωΘĿƒ]

Such beauty, in the forest at night. Such a luscious, living picture painted for all the world to see. The birds nesting now that the winter ice had shrunk; the tiny green sprouts forming like dewdrops of spring and slowly congealing to create a full-fledged, spontaneous burst of flora that would change the whole face of the forest.

And who could forget the moon? So fat; so happy. It slung low over the still-growing trees, carving out for itself a bright, silvery place in the sky. Le Cyll looked up at it, smiling through his wolfish snout. His tongue lolled to taste the dry, soft scents of the soil beneath his feet.

So wonderful. So peaceful. And yet, there was something wrong with his sanctuary - something awry with this place he had so easily claimed as his own and protected as his place of refuge, free of the other creatures with their scales and claws and beaks and noises. Free of their presence, suffocating him.

Something was in his forest, now, and he did not appreciate it one bit.

Coming closer to this creature, sniffling at the air to get a better scent, Le Cyll made out the tell-tale signs of a fellow wolf.

An enemy wolf... Female. Younger than him, and one that was new here.

There was a small growl stifled by his natural sense of quiet, and a quick trot took him to the edge of the ridge that gave him visual sight of what this other wolf actually looked like.

She was smaller than he was, but she was nothing to be trifled with. Le Cyll resisted the urge to bare his fangs, perhaps tempered by the constant civility of this school life, and instead sent out a telepathic wave of cold, impersonal hue.

"I am here... but who are you? Who that dares traverse my forest?"[/i]
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[Ayame]

Oh, so there was another Kludde here, was there? And he thought this forest was his, did he? Kasa shifted quickly to put them on more equal footing, before trying to think rationally of a response. Despite her depression, fear, and now anger, she managed to let off a calm and collected telepathic message.

"Tell me your name, your lordship, and I shall tell you mine."

She wondered if perhaps she was going overboard with the whole "your lordship" quip, but if the other Kludde claimed that this was his forest, then he was obviously and alpha of some description. Perhaps he was of cheiftain blood as well? If that were so, this could turn ugly very quickly.

Kasa got to her paws and shook out her pelt impetuously, drinking in the air to try and pinpoint where this other wolf was. She could tell that he was nearby, but she wasn't sure how far away "nearby" entailed, or in what direction. She had avoided being in Kludde form for a while before coming to the school, and had rather lost her touch.

Because of this, she knew she'd come off worse if it came to a fight. Clenching her teeth to stop from growling at how wrong what she was about to do felt, she slowly flattened herself against the ground and rolled over to reveal her stomach. This was the most submissive position she could possibly assume, and she felt absolutely pathetic for having to resort to it. But if her plan worked then she could just forget it ever happened.

While lying on her back, with her soft, vulnerable underbelly up to the other wolf, she sent another telepathic wave his way, this one just as calm, but more sullen than before.

"I shall tell you who I am first, but then I would request that you are just as honest with me. I am Kasa Shebala, second daughter of the cheiftain of the MoquiHikwsi tribe."

[ωΘĿƒ]

The sound of the she-wolf emanated calmly through his mind, somewhat pacifying his first impressions of an attack. That is not to say he was not going to address this wolf with all due hostility. He simply found it easier to be... more cautious. This wolf seemed not to be so hasty to fight, and upon closer examination, she even gave her sign of submission.

At first, a bit demanding. Then willing to submit. Le Cyll's head lowered, ears flicked forward. He was tentative to approach this female... but he would risk it. She had shown some good faith, and he would honor that with his visible presence.

"I am Le Cyll N'gorro Caroletta, sole heir to the Li'Hithle Tribe, also called Tribe of Darkness and Morning to those who cannot speak the tongue of the ancestors."[/i]

He paused a moment, letting this thought and the sentiment of his subdued hostility reverberate throughout the trees before approaching the female wolf, tail still in loyal vigilance.

She was another heir, just as he was. By law, this meant war between them, but he had never heard of her tribe's name before.

Standing about ten feet from the she-wolf, Le Cyll raised his head, showing the underside of his throat in an act of acceptance to her submission. He could practically hear the loathing that came off her as she yielded to him, but it was a move well played.

He was fully fed, and had just hunted. He lacked no prowess if this came down to blows, but he was willing to be civilized for now...

"Enlighten me,"[/i] the wolf mused, less viciously, "Where does your tribe hail from?"[/i]

After a moment of pause, he thought it best to first offer up his tribe location, to keep in line with the terms of tense peace the female had set up.

"I am Northern Wolf, from the tundras and forests of North America. Our people saw the coming of the Inuit and the rise and fall of the great European Powers in their troublesome fur-stealing."

As was custom, every little detail he divulged simply had to tack on a few thousand years of history to it, just to be safe and please the elders.

But there were no elders here... It must be a habit he carried with him from his home, although why he still observed the traditions, he could never fully understand.

He, unlike perhaps every other Kludde within the Tribes, did not long for his family and his people. They had long since forsaken him, and his own Chieftain and father had sent him off into exile.

The old dog would pay for that, but he was getting ahead of himself... Perhaps the dead body of a warring tribe might appease his father for the time being? There was always that option. Daddy did love it when he killed things...
[/color]

[Ayame]

Kasa was rewarded for her act of submission when the other wolf, apparently named Le Cyll, came into view. Even though he showed her his throat and talked civilly, she didn't risk rolling over for fear that he would take it the wrong way and attack.

Until she'd regained some of her composure, she wasn't quite ready for a battle. As she recoupperated, she listened politely as he explained where his tribe hailed from, and then let him know where she was from.

"The MoquiHikwsi tribe, or DeathSoul tribe, are your neighbours to the South, Son of Li'Hithle. We of the MoquiHikwsi make our home on the plains of Saskatchewan. That is where we stay, under the living skies of the prairielands, and we follow the routes of the acient buffalo herds that once roamed free there."

Kasa hoped that her explanation would be enough to pacify him. She wasn't familiar with his tribe, but then again she hadn't ever met a Northern wolf before, and so the fact that she had little knowledge of the Northern tribes wasn't surprising.

She knew at least three or more wolves from each of the Southern Canadian tribes--they often held large powwows together at harvest to worship the gods--but Le Cyll was the first Northern Kludde to cross her path.

Kasa wondered if that should worry her. She knew nothing of their Northern ways. What if they were different from her own? What if they killed intruders on their territory rather than imprison them? She shuddered internally at the thought, but managed to keep her face blank.

She stared past Le Cyll's face and up into the sky, careful not to make eye-contact--yet another stupid wolf thing. If two wolves made eye-contact, and they were both alphas, then it became a stare down, and whoever won immediately earned the other wolf's respect and submisssion.

But Kasa was already more submissive than she was comfortable with, and she didn't want to give up completely. Not yet. Not while she could still win.

[ωΘĿƒ]

Pacing around her now, giving her a small chance to leap up and attack him if she wished to, but more importantly inspecting her scent with more careful deliberation, he could slowly but surely piece together her tribe's location.

In his many travels, Le Cyll had ranged the entire northern half of the American Continent. It was his home, and his land now that he was officially "exiled."

...but who went by old standards anyways? Laws, traditions, and superstition aside, Le Cyll was a very modern and civilized wolf. He hadn't been a decade ago - he had emerged from the wilderness a savage monster ripe to bursting with rage and hatred, and he had spent that pent up emotion on every little thing that crossed his path. People, animals, even other wolf tribes had felt his winged wrath, only to find him fleeing from them as soon as he had swung a critical blow in their direction.

It had been a harsh time, and when he had begun to enter into more and more civilized territory where the small fishing villages turned into cities with their tall, dark towers, Le Cyll didn't care. He changed his mentality quickly, after a bad incident with these things called "police."

After that, he figured he'd blend in more, keep that anger bottled. He did, and in time, it had all worked out, hadn't it? He was here now, and he was certainly not that angry, monster of a thing that had clawed its way kicking and screaming out of the Canadian tundra.

He knew how to sit and be still. He knew how to drink coffee. He knew how to small talk, and he knew how to smile at the people that bored him so. He was civilized, and as he had grown so, he had stowed away the things that had made him a true Kludde.

But now, with the arrival of this one, all the traditions and gods had come rushing back to him at once. He had forgotten who he was for a moment, and that was not good. He should never forget himself. People could get hurt that way.

After catching all he could of her scent, he remembered the sun-baked foods like corn and oranges that came from far south, bringing with them their smells of the tropics and of the Great Plains. This is what this wolf smelled like - wheat and corn and air and dust. She smelled of the plains, not the arctic.

Le Cyll had not heard nor read of the wolf tribes of the South or West or East. He knew nothing of them. Perhaps they were not even tribes? Were they clans? Packs? He had no idea. And did they share in his culture? His wonderful little habit of eating first and sacrificing the remains to the gods later?

Most likely not... He was convinced this was singular to the Northern Tribes. They had a... charmed... view of life.

Now remembering himself, Le Cyll shook out of his old ways, and into the new.

How rude of him. Not even offering this girl a tour of the school. Look at the savage that remained in him! How deplorable.

Still, she was on his territory, and it wasn't in his nature to forgive such a thing.

Some things can change in a beast, but old habits die hard, don't they?

"Rise..."[/i] Le Cyll growled, not happily at all. He could simply be duplicitous and cut her open as she lay there, but he still had his honor, even without his title, so to speak.

No, he would fight fairly, as was the wolf custom that he still followed, and he would win fairly, which was his right as the one that came before her... But he would not end the game fairly at all, which perhaps was letting her leave with her tail between her legs and severely beat.

He would kill her, if it came down to that. Here's hoping she had the good sense to strike some bargain with him...


"Rise now, heiress of the Great Plains, and fight me. This is not your land, and you shall see that shortly."[/i]

Young though the wolf still was, he sounded rather old and worn out. Not that he couldn't fight, but this was more a malady of the spirit than body. He did not want to remember these old rituals he had left behind. They were... so foreign to him now; and he had always despised them growing up.

And yet, there was land to be fought for. He widened his stance, awaiting her likened challenge.
[/color]

[Ayame]

In a swift, fluid movement, Kasa rolled over and was on her paws, glaring straight into Le Cyll's eyes. Screw wolf niceties. If it was a fight he wanted, it was a fight he'd get.

Not that she wanted to fight him; she'd probably end up losing against him, and that could mean death. She was rusty, not having needed to fight for almost a year now. But she wasn't useless, and she'd prove that to him. All the same, she wasn't going to enjoy this.

Kasa shook out her black pelt, thinking for a moment before, with an internal sigh, she forced out a telepathic wave of bitter words towards him.

"I didn't catch your scent markers anywhere. This is free land, not yours, and if you aren't willing to share then perhaps it is prudent to teach you a lesson."

She crouched down defensively, backing up a few steps. Then, slowly, she started to circle him, her eyes never leaving him. She was giving him the chance to attack first, if he so wished to.

Kasa had learnt long ago, when her grandfather had taught her how to fight, that it was better to let your opponent make the first move. Once you'd managed to examine their fighting style, you'd know the best way to defend yourself against them.

Of course, that was assuming you lived. It was also possible to have thier first attack be their last, if your adversary had been honed to kill. She hoped that wasn't the case here. If it was, she probably hadn't a hope in Hades of surviving this battle--at least not without intensive injury.

Taking a deep breath to centre herself, she stopped circling him and, her yellow eyes flashing in the moonlight, she glowering tauntingly at him.

"What are you waiting for?" she snarled. "Attack me, Son of Li'Hithle! Prove to me that this is really your land and defend it!"

[ωΘĿƒ]

Now the challenge was something. Le Cyll in fact did not have markers up because he would not care to alert the other creatures of his presence. Some strange things appeared at night around the woods, and there was never any reason to mark before. There were no other Kluddes before.

However... The insult did not work in her favor. He may have been willing to spare her before, but now he would simply fight and see where this little dance ended up.

And how fortunate... she was letting him make the first move. He could see the sense in her strategy - let him show her his fighting style then counter it. This was a good move, however, he was not concerned with her learning how he fought.

Most people found out very quickly. He did not play games.

Taking the opportunity so gracefully offered, Le Cyll did what he always did best and went for the jugular. It wasn't the most elegant or unheard of moves, but it did have it's merits.

If she wasn't fast enough, this may end up a short fight.

[Ayame]

Kasa only just managed to spring back in time, twisting her head to the side to get her throat away from Le Cyll's snapping jaws. Ah, the typical dive for the jugular. She offered him a taunting smirk and danced back a few steps, her eyes glinting menacingly.

"Now, now, now. The game has only just begun. No need to be hasty." He obviously wasn't the type to play games with his foes, but she wasn't about to roll over and surrender. No, she'd make it a fair fight for him, games or no.

So, he liked quick, clean fights, did he? And he relied on his strength and speed to bring down his opponent. Interesting. Kasa rolled back her shoulders, staring at him with cool defiance. A clean fight was the last thing he'd get from her if he aimed to kill as he had.

"You'll find that I am not so easily let aside," she growled, standing her ground with her head held high--a challenge. "You are an alpha, aren't you? So prove it!"

She didn't want to kill him, and she didn't want to die. But he was going to have to prove to her that he was the more dominant wolf, or she'd walk all over him. And she intended to, if she got the chance. It was in her blood to want control--sadly, it was also in his, meaning this would be an interesting battle.

Effortlessly she lunged forward, aiming to make him lose his footing. Take any chance you are given to incapacitate your adversary, her grandfather had told her. Then you attack.

[ωΘĿƒ]

Le Cyll let the mocking slide as he dodged deftly away from her counterstrike. In all honesty, his heart hadn't been in that first attack. It was just something a little trifling to show her he meant to kill her if she was not careful.

But then again, the spunk in this girl was endearing. She played her insults on him like it would make a difference, and perhaps that was something of a charm to her style of fighting? In any case, as they fought, he was reminded of a pup playing about, not really taking things seriously. Why did she speak? This was not a verbal joust, although the wolf did love those. This was a fight to the death for her - more of a chance that she would die than him. But... perhaps he was no longer in the killing mood.

It was something about the way she spoke... So childish. Such sweet innocence. It was not the wolfish way to posture for long, or perhaps it was in her clan? He could not tell either way, but since she decided to bring up such verbal jousting, he decided to contribute.

Nothing like a good spar of words.

"I prove nothing to the likes of an outsider," he replied, calmly. "Only my pack may try me as they wish, though if you want, I could try a little harder..."

The wolf dove inward, raking a stray claw against her neck. Not a deadly or even a painful blow. The attack was meant more as a test of sorts.

There was something brewing within the wolf's deft mind.

[Ayame]

Kasa wasn't sure what Le Cyll had in mind when he dove for her neck yet again, only to rake it with her claws. It wasn't particularly painful, just uncomfortably noticeable as her neck tingled afterwards. Why was he being gentle now?

She shook the thoughts away. He'd spoken, and she felt it appropriate to respond. "Yes, please do. Let me see the fighting technique of the northern wolves."

Kasa noticed with mild surprise that her voice was far less hostile than before. It was more speculative now as she wondered what the other wolf was up to. She had assumed he wasn't one for games, but he suddenly seemed to be changing strategy. This intrigued and mystified her. What was he up to?

Focusing, she crouched defensively and sized him up, figuring out how it would be best to attack. Then, fluid as water, she sprang into the air in an attempt to land on Le Cyll's shoulders and pin him down. She was smaller than him, but hopefully the extra momentum would help keep him down. Then again, that was assuming she even met her mark.

[ωΘĿƒ]

Still weaving effortlessly between the range of her attacks and out, Le Cyll faniced himself... in a lighter mood than previous.

A thought had hatched it's way up from his head, and now it was sprouting and growing little plantlike leaves and flowering and becoming a beautiful and majestic idea.

He liked ideas. They worked out well for him, mostly because he had some help with them. He had the tendrils to guide him, and they were always very good at telling him what would wokr and what would not.

And this would work.

Now seeing the strike the wolf had brought on him, Le Cyll skidded to a halt and took a small leap in the opposite direction.

But, he timed it just so. Slowly, and ever so gradually, the momentum that she had built dissipated as they both moved in formation. And yet, he had slowed himself to just the point where she could still tackle him. Do her worst to him.

Yes. That was good. Le Cyll rolled with the tackle, intentionally shifting onto his belly and then hitting the floor with a heavy thud. It hurt a bit, but it had been worth it. The way he had maneuvered, it looked just like he had tried to dodge but been too slow.

He lay there now, paws up in the air, in the exact position that she had started this fight out with.

But, he had a bit more tact than she did. A bit more wolfish while, maybe?

"You may see the way the warriors of the tundra fight someday, but today you will only see their diplomacy."[/i]
[/color]

[Ayame]

From the short while they two of them had been fighting, Kasa had learned that Le Cyll was fast and smart. Neither of these traits appeared in what happened next. As she'd flown back down after springing, Le Cyll made what appeared to be an attempt to dodge, but she managed to succeed in catching his shoulders and the two of them rolled together until he was belly-up beneath her.

How is this strategy beneficial for him? she wondered, bewildered. His expression spoke multitudes for him--obviously, he wasn't surprised that she'd pinned him down. Had he let her?

If she'd been confused before, it was nothing to how she felt after he spoke. "You may see the way the warriors of the tundra fight someday, but today you will only see their diplomacy." Slowly, she released him and moved away, sitting back on her haunches and eying him uncertainly.

"What is it that you mean?" she asked warily, not trusting the stoic manner in which he was suddenly acting. It was like he'd found some way that he had a leg-up on her, a bonus to his favor. She wasn't sure if she wanted to know what this tact of his was, but all the same she was prepared to listen.

[ωΘĿƒ]

Now that the opponent wolf was very much interested in what he had to say, Le Cyll hardly respected any of the traditional pleasantries in dealing with her. Before she had been an enemy that brought back old lore and superstition in him. Now she could be something completely different, and if he didn't say so himself, better.

She may just be an ally. But she did not know this yet. She would have to wait and be tested a bit more too see if she was capable.

Kudde generally do not take kindly to peace offers, as he knew all too well. They were very suspicious; but as fir himself, he was sure he did this only in he benefit of everyone. Himself included.

The big dark wolf rolled up, slowly, but in order to keep the semblance of his passivity by showing her his weakness, as soon as he gained his footing he let his human skin hide him again. Humans were so useless. They had no claws and small, dull teeth, and small dull eyes and ears too. They existed in a perpetual state of delusion, unaware of the creatures around them, and it was a good thing for them that the creatures had learned long ago that they could blind humans with just a shape change and go about their world free of harassment or question.

So it was no little feat that he retained his human form. It was, for him, the ultimate show of peace and weakness. Sure, he had human weapons, but what would they do against the huge wolf in front of him? Give her a sore belly, or nick her on the ear. Nothing permanent at all.

Le Cyll held his hands out, open and spread before him.

"I mean what I say. You think I have something to hide? Then what? My advantage? My superiority? I neither hide nor advertise my advantages. If you'd like to see them then you may. But, might I suggest something a little less than judging each others' weaknesses just so we can tear each other apart?"

Hopefully this creature of the plains had some sense in her and would take Le Cyll's offer seriously. He would have liked that. It made much more sense to do this than it did to fight. There was more gain, and less loss both ways. It would be nice if she could see that.

[Ayame]

The expression on Le Cyll's face seemed to change, like he'd just found a loop-hole in something big. It was an almost victorious expression. Suspicion stayed her teeth and claws from ripping him up where he stood, and she eyed him warily.

Now that she was off of him, he rolled up slowly, and she stiffened in case he made a move to attack again--but instead he surprised her by returning to his human form.

What is he playing at? she wondered, refusing to turn back until he'd made whatever point it was he was trying to get across. She listened to him speak intently, weighing and considering each word carefully. His words, oddly enough, sounded sincere.

So this just some charade, he was actually making a proposal for peace? Kasa knew that this should put her on the defensive--Kludde almost never made peace offerings--but her curiosity got the better of her.

Allowing her human skin to swaddle her again, she faced Le Cyll evenly and coolly, her face void of any emotion. "What is this proposal of yours?" she asked slowly, her eyes narrowed.

Just because they were on equal footing, both weaker in human form, didn't mean she trusted him. He had to be up to something, didn't he? She wasn't quite sure anymore.