{Claiming} See It Through My Eyes

[starlingshour]

I Walk Through the Shadows of Hell,

Just to Find the Devil,

So I May Put My Friends at Rest,

For the Fate He Had Given Them.

The wind blew over her shoulders. The fur on her back stood on end and she felt as though she lost the ability to feel. Feel anything for that matter. She couldn't feel the cold, feel the ground beneath her feet, or even feel the warm blood pulsing through her veins making her life go on. Her eyes ran with salty water, not only from the wind in her eyes but from the dead wolves she left behind.

The pads on her paws would no longer feel the softness of pine needles. Her nose would never be encompassed by the sweet smell of fresh pine air again. Closing her eyes she blinked away the new tears that had threatened to poor down her face. The pretty banner that she had carried so high in the old days was now low and drooping from the pain of having to carry on.

The old pain of Liberty had been blown away from the wolves that seemed to just drop around her. The stench of rotting flesh had lingered in her nostrils now for what seemed like a life time. This feeling, it was like riding a bike, she would never forget. Time had frozen for her. A growl of pure hunger came from her stomach; for she had eaten only what she needed to survive.

No blood had been shed, none, not in this killing. If blood had been shed, there would have been a reason, but no, not this time. The body had been defeated in such a benevolent way that it seemed not to exist at first. Until the end. The pain she had see in her packs eyes at their dyeing moments was horrible. A sob came from the strong femmae's mouth. Why had she succumbed to such sadness, such a state of weakness? Well no more, she sucked up her greif. Her head ached, it burned with the agony that this world had placed upon her shoulders.

Legs that were usually muscled like stone shook and threatened to send her toppled on the ground, only her great amount of will power kept her on her feet. Slowly she controlled the shaking in her legs. Then, she raised her head and howled at the moon and the stars, asking them for the hope she needed to move on. And these were her thoughts: I am called Keen, the sharp one but now I will be Keen the wise one.

[kimashka]

Thaw

For people like us
In places like this
We need all the hope
That we can get

The darkness that had descended upon me was almost unbearable. Guilt riddled my soul as I had thought of the wolves that I couldn't save, that I had left behind to perish in that God forsaken place. What had become of them now? Did they still writhe in agony or was the illness that swept the lands quick? I preyed for the latter. Huh, preyed. That was a novel concept for me. I hadn't preyed since I was a pup, all my faith in my Gods had vanished long ago. Yet here I was, sending out my silent plea to those beings I despised, hoping that they would aid my former pack mates in their death.

I loped mornefully through the lands, keeping away from populated areas, reinstating my lonely self. What would become of me now? Why hadn't the illness finished me off? Why was I so afraid to contract this illness and end my sorrowful life once and for all? I could only assume that I still had a spark for life, still held a flame that even though burned dimly, lighted my way through the dark times that I saw ahead. I found that I still believed, through the shame, through the grief, through heartaches and tears, through all of the waiting, I still believed.

The erratic wind bought the mingled scents of death and life to my sensative nose. Safety seemed to lie just ahead, a strange feeling rose within me. I felt as though I was going home. But that word meant nothing to me. I had never experienced the meaning of home, never settled long enough within a place to call it such. My stint as a slave had stripped away the very meaning of the word.

I stopped, front paw poised as though to take flight at any moment. A familiar scent assulted my nose. My lobes twitched atop my head, and ice blue eyes scanned the horizon as I tried to pinpoint what that smell was. Almost instantly I recognized what I was smelling. I couldn't quite believe my luck. Out of this whole land I had to stumble upon the one wolf I would have quite happily never seen again. But as I closed upon her, her form visible through srubby bushes, I couldn't help but feel reliefe. She had made it, survived the terrible fate that the others had no doubt endured. Why did I feel happy at this? Shouldn't I feel anger that my former enslaver had survived?

I shook my head and moved gracefully towards her. A sneer upon my face. She was no longer my captor, she could no longer rule my life like she had thought she had done. How would she react the my prescence? I took my time, keeping my steely gaze upon her, I didn't want to miss the look upon her face as she spotted me. My black hide ghosted towards her like a shadow intent upon destruction.

(OOC: Hope you don't mind me posting here)

[starlingshour]

ooc: Nope no problem. Hey, are we still having them fall in love? I hope so because I played this rp to that....lol

A flutter of wings sounded in a nearby tree, large wings. It wasn't graceful like a hawk but still not quite like that of a falcon. Taking a few steps toward the 'bird' if it is indeed what she assumed it was she stopped, dead in her tracks. 'No, no, it can't be. Everyone was dead when I left...is it possible?' Her head ache grew worse at the new possibility of one of her pack members being alive an escaping the terrible disease that had ripped through her home.

Still Keen could not see him, but the padding and rythym of those footfalls was so distinct. 'It has to be him. It just has to be.' She didn't want to turn around because of what she was afraid to see. Could it be a play on her mind? Or a twin brother of his? No, twins would not be this alike to the senses. Closing those big brown eyes of molten chocolate Keen took in a large breathe. It was him, no doubt about it.

"I'm not dead yet Thaw. I may not be your master anymore but I am still no fool. Stay where you are, you are close enough."

With her back still to him she gathered her thoughts. Why would she be so glad to see this wolf? For heaven's sake, she knew he had been in some plot with Achilles, that blood thirsty pup. He is alive though, the sole pack member that she knew still existed. All of the others were still gone to her knowledge. 'He's alive, yes but why in God's name does this make me smile?' Indeed she was smiling. A crisp white showing through the brown of her maw. Even her eyes were smiling. Slowly, ever so slowly she turned around on her haunches.

Only the bright blue eyes of the wolf she despised could be seen in the thick fog they were standing in. But Keen knew those bright blue pools of summer sky must be his. 'Pools of summer sky? Since when?' A snort of laughter threatens to spill from her just then. Her knees no longer shook and she looked almost graceful as she moved toward him. The out line of his figure soon appeared but she stopped herself before she got too close.

The wind pushed on both of their bodies blowing the hair on their side on end. A chill ran through her as the wind began to pick up but Keen remained immobile now afraid if she left to find shelter that the figure from her past would disappear or fall over dead like the others.

"This is my land now Thaw and I don't plan to let anyone have it. So I suggest you either join my pack once again, or leave. Its all up to you."

The smile on Keen's face grew bigger as she thought of hearing his smoothe silky voice. 'Smoothe and silky? Since when?!' Secretly she was hoping he would stay, if he did maybe, just maybe he would gain some rank around this place. She had to admit it wasn't the most welcoming of places but...'Wait, why do I care if it welcoming to Thaw? Keen get it through your thick head, this wolf was probably planning on killing you and would have no regrets doing so now!' Still she could not shake some of the thoughts that poored into her head, and not all of them were clean.

Keen had been traveling alone for so long and she desperately needed the company of another, one of her own kind. The wolfess had lived on her own before though and was not sure why this mattered so much now. 'Maybe I've been spoiled with my pack life. I would not be suprised.' Still this did not explain the feeling of wanting to twirl around his legs like a slimy cat. The bile that arose at the back of her throat from thinkin of herself like a cat did not taste that great.

Oddly though you couldn't tell of any of her feelings about Thaw from her face, other than the smile anyway. She was a secluded being and used to masking emotions. 'Maybe it is time to open up and forget the old ways.' Unfortunately this is better said than done so Keen was left with her strick disipline of character. If she could fine someone to trust, to open up to, things might change for this wolfess.

[kimashka]

Thaw

Your eyes can be so cruel
Just as I can be so cruel
Oh I do believe in you
Yes I do

My distance eating lope took me close to the female. The fog that shrouded us ebbed with each movement, making her shadowy figure seem sureal. But there was no denying that the form was hers. A mocking leer upon my face, eyes cold as the ice they resembled, black cloack nothing more than a shadow pressing in upon her. Did she truly understand the danger she was in at that moment? Did she sense she was perilousley close to having her pretty little throat ripped out? Is that why she spoke?

Her words rang through the silenced fog, rebounding thrughout the land in a clear and vibrant voice. The sound sent a shiver down my spine that I could barley supress. At her words I stoped, head bent low to the ground. My defences were set. Ears pinned to my head, body low to the ground to enable better balance, eyes no more than slits. My salmon hued tongue pressed gently against it's ivory prison, tasting the air, trying to determine weather she felt fear or not.

"I can see quite clearley that you are not dead Keen, I am no simpleton."

I felt a ceratin personal triumph at those words. I didn't even faulter to call her Keen, I had never really thought of her as my mistress anyway, none could ever claim that they fully owned me, or owned my soul. How could someone own a soul that wasn't there? A soul that was already dead could not be claimed or bartered for. Keen may have thought she mastered me, but little did she know that I had been claimed long ago by the unseen Gods that seemed to dispise me so much that they refused me access into their ranks.

With a harsh laugh I moved closer to her, something about her lulled me. I may not like this she wolf, but I had learnt to respect her. SHe was strong, clever and even though I hated to admit to myself, beautiful in a hard kind of way. As I closed the gap between us, my defences still in place, I sensed something had changed. I couldn't quite put my paw upon it, but something was different about her. Her apparent delight at seeing me had thrown me off guard somewhat. Then came her invitation. I had no intention of claiming this land, why would I? I lived a lone life, never relying upon any but myself.

With one raised eyebrow I sat upon my haunches, signalling that I no longer wished to attack. Her offer had taken me back a little, but the thought of living here, with this strong femme seemed a little too tempting for my liking. Why on earth did I wish to saddle myself with her? But I couldn't seem to help myself.

"Hold on sweetheart! You're actually inviting me to join your new pack? Why would you do that? You know you could never have any kind of power over me, so why bother?"

Of course, as he thought about his own words he had a sudden realization that he had not entirely told the truth. He saw that if things were different, he could really fall for someone like Keen, and no doubt he would allow her to take certain liberties at that point. But he was being foolish, how could a ex slave care for his ex mistress? The mist swirled and ebbed just like those confusing thoughts that threaded through his brain.

[starlingshour]

His voice echoed through her ears like a melody from her past, though Keen thought she might like the future even better now. Fluidly he moved to a sitting position and she followed him. The femmae didn't like following, but it didn't seem that bad at the moment. Her ears were pricked up and a happy grin spread accross her face. The tip of her tail even twitched a little in a wag type of movement.

"Hold on sweetheart! You're actually inviting me to join your new pack? Why would you do that? You know you could never have any kind of power over me, so why bother?"

Keen laughed. She hadn't had power of him when he was 'her' slave anyway. The brute was just too thick headed. Besides, she didn't want slaves anymore. Those cold and lonely nights finding her way to this deserted place was horrid, so she wanted to feel close to those beneath her now and not seperate. A leader yes, but also a pack member, a friend, someone to come to for advice, and maybe even a lov... No, that wasn't her. She hadn't 'loved' before so why start now. Friends were the closest to a 'lover' she had ever had. It was because most wolves respected her too much to see anything but a leader in her. 'I guess that's my own fault though.'

"Why would I not allow you in my pack Thaw? Besides I want pack members, not slaves. Not to mention, I believe you would fit in with the land of Sans Coeur anyway."

'I don't know why I feel so compelled to make him stay here. To literally force him to stay. I shouldn't feel this way. A leader should just not feel this way.' Keen wanted to shake her head to clear the thoughts that were propelling through her mind though she felt as though it would affend Thaw if she did that. 'It would affend him, I just know it would. But, why do I care?! I shouldn't care.' Then an idea came to her. This talk was getting her mind all in a tangle so why talk?

"Thaw, why don't you show me what you learned when you were teaching Achilles. For, you must learn while you teach."

A glint of daring sparkled in the wolfess' eyes. She dared him to take the challenge. Stretching, with her paws extended in front of her, she was readying for the fight that she just knew Thaw wouldn't turn down. Her body shook, ruffling out her fur. The smile was still planted firmly on her face. Standing now, she waited for Thaw to join her in the 'ready position', as she liked to call it. Keen cleared all of her thoughts except for those of the battle about to accure. Completely focued she waiting for him to make the first move.

[kimashka]

I couldn’t quite believe my own ears. What had happened to her to make her change so completely? No longer wanting slaves? And inviting the wolf she had despised into her ranks? What was going off with her? Even her attitude towards me had changed, she smiled freely, easy and quite genuine. I couldn’t fathom it out. And what precisely did she mean about me fitting in well within this place? Granted the sombre atmosphere suited my personality, the darkness of the land echoed the darkness of my heart.

With a bark like laugh I marvelled at the femmes positive attitude. It seemed so strange for her to don such a disguise, how long would it last? Was she just trying to lull me into a false sense of security? Coax me to lower my barriers? Fat chance, those walls would remain firmly in place, for what lay behind them was more terrifying than even she could imagine.

Her challenge then rang through the still air, muffled by the dense mist that clung to us, droplets of moisture clinging to our coats, sparkling and shimmering with each movement we made. My thoughts were temporarily submerged in those sparkling lights that played about her fur, marvelling at the simple beauty beneath those crystal droplets. My icy stare met hers once again, I didn’t mirror her actions, and I couldn’t allow myself to act upon her invite to fight without explaining something to her. I felt compelled to confess my plans back in our previous land. Something stopped me from just carrying through those dark deeds now, but what?

I looked at her closely. My face becoming serious, more serious than usual as I sorted through the right words to tell her of my intentions. Would she still want to spar after I had told her of my murderous intentions? My body heated as I thought of being near to her, even during battle, a tingle that wasn’t unpleasant ran down my spine. With a resigned sigh I started my speech in the only way I knew how, plain, blunt and to the point.

”I was going to kill you Keen, you do realise this don’t you? I was training Achilles to aid me in destroying you.”

Blunt and to the point. Although I detected a slight tone of resignation within those simple words. As I looked at her I realised that if the situation called for it, I could still go through with my previous plans, but not as cold hearted as before. No, I now seemed to hold some spark of liking for her, my eyes constantly searching her pretty features as I spoke.

[starlingshour]

A flurry of annoyance and anger flooded through her. Keen was still not used to wolves not doing as she asked. She remained in her current position just in case Thaw knew any trick plays. Her ears twitched back and forth in a teasing motion. His face grew serious at that moment, almost grim in appearance. Was he preparing for a fight or duking out because he didn't want to? It was too hard to tell.

”I was going to kill you Keen, you do realise this don’t you? I was training Achilles to aid me in destroying you.”


Did he really think she didn't know? Keen purposely put them thogethor because she knew they would eventually get along because they both hate her. She wasn't sure who hated her more, but they were bound to become friends, or at least allies. They were bound to come up with a plot to kill her eventually.

"Thaw, I knew that. With two wolves that hate me as much as you two do its bound to happen eventually."

She was standing on all fours now and her mask was back upon her face. Keen was again in her place as a leader and it felt like she was slipping into a well fitting glove. Relaxed now, from her change of roles. The fur of her back was wet now from the dew that comes just before dawn. The sun couldn't come fast enough for she was eager to explore her new 'palace'. Somewhere there must be a good place for a Alphaess' headquarters.

Their eyes still held each other's gaze. His blue eyes chilled her like ice cold water flowing from a fresh spring. The black pits of Thaw's pupil's seemed to run into a deep dark hole. Keen tried to see if that hole led somewhere. Surely there must be a sole within this beast, Keen thought. The black of his fur was just as dark as the center of his eyes. His figure defined through the fur he was very masculine.

Keen's brown woodlin coat could not compare to the midnight of Thaw's; it did however hold his own beauty. It layed nicely along her muscles and thinking about it it made her feel oddly feminine. The wolfess was not used to thinking of herself as purely female. She was a leader, no more, no less. The feeling of feminity didn't even touch her normal attitude. She tried to flush the feeling from her mind before she would do anything rash but a tingling of it would just not go away.

[kimashka]

Thaw

The revelation that she knew of my plans took me by suprise, why would anyone pair up two wolves like us if they knew it was likley to end in attack? It just didn't make sense to me. But all those thoughts were soon whisked away as I looked at her. She had resumed her leader persona once again, that playful attitude suddenly vanishing with my confession. She couldn't be blamed.

Those penetrating eyes of hers burrowed deep into my own. I found the look quite unnerving but I found I couldn't tare my eyes away from her. She held me so compleley with that gaze that I felt helpless and vulnerable. I was painfully aware of how her lush coat outlined her physique, those feminine curves that could entice and break a male so easily. I tried so hard to pull my mind away from those thoughts, but unwillingly I kept returning to that intense look she gave me.

Regaining some form of resistance I managed to pull my eyes away from hers. Focusing instead upon a hillock just to the left of her. I was confused, here I was having stirring feelings about a wolf I had planned to kill no longer than a few weeks ago. Was this part of the illness that swept through the lands? Did it addle your brain so much that you didn't know what was truth and what was lies? But the truth was, I was beginning to feel something, something that I had never experienced before. Never before had an emotion been strong enough to penetrate my cold and icy exterior. Never before had I allowed myself to soften so, to consider my own hapiness for once.

With a low growl I tried to regain my senses, my eyes flashed back to hers, this time with a fury. How did she manage to do that? To make me forget why I had first sought her out? I was no dog, I couldn't be tamed so easily.

"You knew, yet you still allowed it? That wasn't a very smart move on your part now was it? I'll tell you what Keen, I'll join your pack, but I will not cater to your every wish, maybe even a rank woudn't go amiss?"

Dismal! My attempts at regaining some form of ice back into my voice was dismal. But for some reason I wanted to join, to see if these strange yet pleasent experiences would continue. I set my jaw, lifted my head and returned my icy stare back towards her. For once in my life I didn't think of the best way to end my suffering.

(sorry it's a little crap)

[starlingshour]

ooc: Sorry this took so long; I was having a down time on my muse.


As he broke free of her gaze Keen took a deep breathe. That moment had seemed to have lasted a life time, two life times, maybe even eaternity. Thaw looked beside her now but she still stared intently at him. To look away would break her sense of leadership and the strong image she possessed at the moment. A bass growl came to her auds. The male features of his low voice made her heart flutter.

Keen had never before felt so out of control; like she couldn't do anything. Her body was acting in ways that made a shiver of delight run down her spine. The weight she carried shifted so that it was being held by three of her legs, pushing one of her hips higher than the other in a very relaxed feminine pose. She felt the need to show off to him in a very sexual mannor. 'No, I will not! D*mn these stupid hormones.' Immediately after that thought she switched her balance to all fours again. A look of annoyance was starting to settle over her face before she caught herself.

"You knew, yet you still allowed it? That wasn't a very smart move on your part now was it? I'll tell you what Keen, I'll join your pack, but I will not cater to your every wish, maybe even a rank woudn't go amiss?"

A huge grin now settled on her face even though she still battled with her emotions. Her mind shouted with joy and her heart pumped so hard in her chest she thought it might leap out it. Surely he could hear her heart pumping.

"A rank? Well since you did so well with Achilles training for now you can be the Commander. The job of that position in my pack will be to train the young wolves and new wolves in the pack. You will also lead them on the field of battle if someone should try to take over. You are also second in command since I have no beta."

That was quite a random order for her to make. She took no time to decide so it suprised her that it even came from her mouth. Keen was pleased with her decision though for it fitted the black wolf.

"I will be going to auction rock soon, so if you are through with me at this time I would like for you to scan the area. You will report of what you find when I return. This is my only order so to speak. After it is carried out you may do as you please."

Keen didn't like that she was already ordering Thaw around but this was somthing that had to be done and he did want a rank did he not? After all if you are to have a position you will have different duties to fill out. She didn't wait for him to respond before she turned to leave for auction rock.

ooc:sorry this is crap, I just wanted to finish it up.