Tainted & Rotclaw

“This is your home?” Rotclaw asked incredulously as she came in for a landing on an old wooden fence. The bearded vulture narrowed her eyes, grimacing at the telltale signs of humans. The road, although rarely used, bore recent tire tracks.
“No, you big dumb bird. This isn’t my home,” Tainted scoffed in reply, to which Rotclaw let out a laugh. “Just teasing, Boss.”
Tainted snarled at Rotclaw’s remark, which only fueled the vulture’s enthusiasm. “Let’s just go. Take flight and see if you spot anyone. And NO eating them this time.” The coywolf lowered her snout to the ground. “I’ll check for signs of life down here. We can’t go to my old home. If my family is still alive, I’d be leading the hunt straight to them. We have to start fresh.” She began padding along, searching for footprints, scent trails… anything that would reveal the presence of potential recruits. “We’re outlaws now, Rot, and we need to form a pack. Safety in numbers, they call it.”

"Or a flock," Rotclaw thought. She launched herself into the sky, reaching an altitude high above the trees to survey the land. The trees were beginning to bud, however, which made the vulture’s task of spotting life harder. But she kept her eye out, and she was sure nothing would get past her. Or rather, she hoped.

Speara

Speara had been born in captivity though her parents had been wild born wolves. She had briefly when she was a year old met a wild sister. Today though Speara was confused and fearful wandering these streets. They weren't the captivity area at all. The truck she had been in had gotten in an accident and her crate had been thrown from it and in a dissoriented way she ran off when it broke open.

That had been 2 weeks ago. Speara was 4 years old and now pretty skinny. She had no clue how to survive out here. Though she wasn't thursty she had found a source of water it was food she had trouble coming across. Her instincts would yell at her to chase those deer but she didn't know how to hunt so it always ended with them getting away... She lay on the side of a road like area.

Tainted & Rotclaw

A light breeze and mild weather spawned steady thermals on which birds could soar. Rotclaw rarely had to flap her wings in this favorable environment; the elements did all the work for her. She circled above Tainted, widening her search more and more until she finally spotted something. A wolf. A familiar one, at that. Could this be Speara from the Guardian Foundation where so many wild animals were kept and bred? The vulture slowly descended, careful not to startle the black wolf, and landed across the road from her. “I’m not sure if you remember me, and maybe I’m mistaken, but… are you the black wolf from the prison?”

A moment later, Tainted came creeping over, keeping a low profile until Rotclaw was in her sight. She eased up a bit, inching closer and investigating Speara cautiously. She gave Rotclaw an uncertain frown. This could be a trap. Anything could be a trap. And Speara’s scent was all too familiar. Surely, this was a wolf from the foundation she was kept at. She turned back towards the stranger and pinned her ears against her head in a display of worry and apprehension. “Did they send you?” Her words were blunt, as she ran out of compassion years ago. Her experiences hardened her. Made her jaded and cynical. Being used to produce pups against her will in what was essentially a glorified puppy mill ruined her capacity for trust.

Speara

Speara was starting to doze from lack of food and exhaustion when she heard something. She looked at the vulture as he spoke and she vagually remember him.i am... SpearaShe said. Then another came, scent vagually familiar but she had never met her. No, their metal moving thing crashed and my crate was thrown out of it and i fled in panicSHe said.

Renani

Renani's deeply orange eyes were fixated on the dark shape that glided high above her. Not realizing this was not your typical turkey buzzard, she continued to watch it through the shifting of branches and budding leaves above, knowing that these were creatures that could lead her to a free meal. And when Rotclaw finally descended from the heavens, Renani picked up her pace to see just where the vulture was touching down.

Her dark brown and gray fur bounced with her lively steps, her thick coat and solid build reflecting the strong presence of wolf blood within her. Only the awkward splash of chocolate-brown across her face ruined the illusion, but then Renani cared not whether others thought of her as pure wolf or not. Her mind was on a possible free meal, and her stomach growled as she finally broke cover and stepped out onto the uneven road.

Almost immediately, the hybrid stopped. It wasn't a dead deer or flattened raccoon, but another canine. And it wasn't dead, either. Cautiously, Renani began to approach, but stopped again as a second canine entered the scene, this one a bit larger than herself. Renani did not bother to try and conceal herself, but she did remain quietly where she had stopped, simply observing the situation, "Are you injured?"

Tainted & Rotclaw

Rotclaw took a step forward, keeping a low profile to avoid startling Speara. Her rusty red-stained feathers were flat against her body to further reduce her usually-threatening demeanor. “Speara… Right.” The vulture nodded slowly, her eyes briefly catching Tainted’s gaze. The coywolf was not comfortable in this location, and it showed. She shifted nervously while Rotclaw continued to speak. “You’re safe with us.” At this, a low rumble was heard from Tainted, which she did her best to stifle. “I’m Rotclaw, by the way. And this is Tai--” Tainted cut her avian friend off before her identity was revealed. “Don’t. It’s not safe.”

Rotclaw lacked the incredible sense of smell that turkey vultures possessed, so it was Tainted who was alerted to the presence of an approaching stranger. “Rot. Look.” Her voice was little more than a mumble, but it was loud enough to get the vulture’s attention, who shifted her gaze towards Renani. Tainted, unsure who the newcomer was speaking to, raised her body up higher to hide the signs that her back ached, but did not answer Renani. Rotclaw passed a questioning glance to Speara before answering for herself. “I and my boss are fine for sure.” It wasn’t entirely true; Tainted was starving, dehydrated, and sore, and Rotclaw was hungry herself, but any sign of injury was a sign of weakness to a potential predator.

The scent of a nearby farm was unmistakable when the breeze picked up. Noticing Tainted sniff the air, Rotclaw chimed in with a suggested. “I saw a farm on my way over here. It didn’t look heavily guarded and should provide a good meal.” Tainted was nearly drooling at the promise of fresh meat. She was more than ready to hunt, regardless of fatigue and pain.

Speara

Speara never knew the wild so she knew not how to hunt nor the ways of the wild animals. Unlike tainted she was more wary here then when she was in captivity though being in captivity had always been painful for her. she nodded to rotclaw and looked to tainted.Im not with them but if you don't want me to know your real name what can I call you?She asks then the other unknown presence showed up and standing shakily. It was clear she hadn't eatten in quiet afew days. i am fineShe said unsure of this stranger. She looked in the direction Tainted and Rotclaw attention seemed to drift.Okay I need to eat but I have no clue how to get food out hereShe said.

Renani

Speara, Rotclaw, Tay-something; those were the names Renani snatched up in her quick evaluation of the situation. There was also the curious 'I and my boss...' comment, which told the little hybrid that those two must been companions, not so unlike the falcons that resided with her extended family. She hadn't arrived soon enough to figure out who the 'them' was that Speara was talking about, but she could gather that this group was afraid of someone or something, and none of them save for possibly the bird looked to be in great condition.

"If you guys need help bringing down some food, I would be happy to join you." Renani offered her services readily, knowing her fair share about humans and the surrounding farms. "No offense, but you look like you could use the help?"

Tainted & Rotclaw

The coywolf tried to hide her discomfort at the sudden appearance of these strangers. Rotclaw’s confidence helped ease her mind to an extent, but Tainted couldn’t fully shake her suspicion. Could this be a trap? Rotclaw didn’t seem to think so, and the vulture had a sharp mind and quick wit. Of course, Rotclaw could always fly away if things got hairy… Tainted could only fight or bolt on foot. It wouldn’t come to that, she finally told herself. Perhaps she was indeed safe here.

“You can call me…” Tainted paused in a moment of hesitation, her eyes darting between Renani and Speara. “...Nightingale. Call me Nightingale.” She tried to force a smile but her face betrayed her and only made her discomfort more visible. Rotclaw appeared concerned at her friend’s apprehension. She nudged Tainted in a comforting nuzzle, which brought the coywolf at least some peace of mind. “She’ll warm up to you,” Rotclaw told the newcomers. “She’s from here, she told me. Came from a long bloodline reaching back many generations.” Tainted raised her head and narrowed her eyes. “We used to be respected and feared here. There are not many of us left. I’ll make the humans pay and I’ll make our rivals pay even if I have to make the rivers run red.” Her fear gave way to pride and a burning desire for vengeance. Rotclaw smirked, knowing that bringing Tainted’s family into the discussion would light the fire inside her.

“The ranch is out in the countryside. With night falling, an attack will be unexpected. There were some guard dogs but I can distract them while you go for the livestock.” Rotclaw laid out the plan, eager to get this hunt underway. She looked from Speara to Renani and back again, acknowledging the latter’s offer of aid, then beckoned Tainted closer. “Tai-- er, Nightingale can help you too.” Tainted nodded in solemn agreement. “I’ve been hunting the humans’ pets countless times with my grand-niece.” She reminisced about the hunts she went on with Nightshade. She wondered if the black coywolf was still alive. All she knew is that Nightshade got taken by a different group of humans than she did. “Come - I think I know which dwelling Rotclaw saw, and if it’s the one I’m thinking of, the dogs won’t be expecting me and we can surprise them.”