.aleu

it had been two weeks since the pallid lupine had last encountered the humans. that little run-in had left her with a bullet in her left hind leg, severe bruising on her ribcage, and a possibly fractured hip. yeah. she had gotten to the point where she could walk somewhat normally, although she drug her left leg a bit when walking, leaving fairly distinctive prints. aleu knew she had to watch it... humans wern't her only concern. injured, she was definitely in danger of attacks from other wolves, big cats, anything.

flopping down in a small rock 'cave' of sorts, the exhausted wolf curled up a bit, trying to stay warm in the snow. she hated the snow. absolutely hated it... it meant her tracks were easily visible, no matter how hard she tried to hide them. although she meant to stay awake, her eyes slowly began to shut, as fatigue set in.

Tom, Swan, Dip, & *Hunters*

A new storm set in now, darkening the sky to a sinister grey as sharp winds cut through the craigy mountains. The zephyrs howled louder, whipping through the trees and sending the already fallen snow into the air and into large drifts. It wasn't long before the heavens opened up and sent fresh new flakes cascading down. Thicker and thicker they came, until they were so dense that it was hard to see more than a few yards in any directions.

Two hunters, not heeding the weather predictions on the news, had set out to find 'La Refugia del Valle'. Establishing that the wanted wolf was indeed still alive and in the valley, she had been given a name at last. 'The Haunt of the Valley', for she seemed to have no preference where she killed in the land, and her ghostly white pelt stayed in the minds of those who witnessed her, and were lucky enough to tell about it. Like Scott and Steve, the two who had a run in with the wolf two weeks past.

With the two was an older man, riding a large, draft-mix mare with a shaggy pelt and flea-bitten blue color to her pelt. And traveling along side her was a mamoth of a dog - Dip. A blue merle King Hound; the leader of the hunting pack, although the rest of his pack was left back at the cabin. Stanind near 40 inches at the shoulder and over 200 pounds, his size and smarts were what set him as the lead.

As the storm raged stronger, the band traveled slower, with Dip leading them as vision declined for the humans. Dip himself couldn't see any further than the two-leggers, but that didn't matter. His nose led him along, following after the scent of Aleu when her visible trail was ereased by snow. And finally, after two long hours of searching, he came to the mini cave where La Refugia took refuge. His tail went up, along with his hackles as the big brute gave a low, gruff bark to announce his findings.

"Hold, Dip!" Tom called out, stopping the Hound from rushing in to attack Alue. Sliding of Swan, the man grabbed up some rope he had brought with him. He had been ordered to take La Refugia alive, if possible. "Alright, it looks like she's cornered... careful now. Get ready." As he moved closer to the cave, Scott and Steve followed after, each wearing bandages from their last encounter with this wolf.

.aleu

aleu had fallen into a rather deep sleep, her pain and fatigue wiping all sense of danger from her mind. it was at the sound of a bark, coming from just outside the cave, that awoke the pallid lupine with a start. blinking rapidly to clear her eyes, the wolf leapt to her feet, nearly yelping in pain at the remembrance of her wounds. she had to remain silent... they may know she's in there, but not where she was. hackles raised, bristling, she slowly inched towards the opening of the cave, dark eyes watching the shadowy forms of the wolf and men. she had caught the familiar scents of the two men she'd fought with two weeks ago, and the scent of a new man... and a dog. crap.

at that moment, 'la refugia' leapt from the opening of the cave, lips pulled back in a wicked snarl. she had aimed her rush-attack for the first man, this "Tom" character. she knew that going for his throat was a risky, and not too profitable, venture in this weather, and so she went after his face, her large paws aiming for his chest, in a familiar attack. she nearly laughed (in a canine way) at the sight of the two hunters in their bandages. gosh, they look ridiculous! yet now was not the time to think about that... there were three men and a dog after her. would she escape alive? she had no idea that they wanted her alive... she simply felt this was a fight to the death. and she intended to live.

snarling loudly, she shook her head about viciously, ripping whatever part of the man's face she had managed to grasp in her attack. how would this go?

Tom, Swan, Dip, & *Hunters*

With years of more hunting experience than the other two guys, Tom was prepared for anything; including a sudden rush from the den as Aleu had done. He knew a cornered animal, especially the witty legendaries, would most likely come out fighting rather than try to run or stay hidden. Where Scott or Steve would have taken another hit to the face, Tom reacted swiftly, taking a quick step back and throwing his thick-sleeved arm up to fend off the wolf. Narrowly missing her target of the face, Aleu's fangs pegged themselves into the dense coat sleeve. By thrashing her head, she managed to break through the material and reach the flesh below, causing the older man to bellow out in unexpected pain.

Dip reacted just as swiftly, plunging his massive frame for Aleu, attempting to knock her to the ground. Deadly fangs, splayed around a long, wolfish jaw, aimed for her neck. Just then, Tom shouted out a command as he aimed a punch for Aleu's nose. "At bay, Dip! At bay!"

If Dip manage to take her neck, he'd hold it tight. But this command he was given told him not to kill this wolf- only keep it away from his master and the other two men. If his fangs didn't meet her neck, they would snap fiercely at what flesh they could in an attempt to drive her away from Tom and keep her distracted.

Swan snorted and shied back a few steps, her eyes wide and ears planted flat against her skull. She was use to this sort of stuff, but wasn't as calm and collected as Hydra or Harthrou.

.aleu

aleu had halfwyas expected this man to be a bit more of a challenge than the two novices she'd encountered before, and she was right. as she latched onto his arm, shredding the coat, she continued to rip, grinding her jaws in an attempt to snap the arm bone, thus rendering that arm useless.

at that moment, aleu felt something heavy, furry, and angry smash into her. she locked her jaws and hung onto the man's arm, snarling at the large dog. she moved as much as possible, to prevent him from getting at her neck. his nasty jaws connected with the skin just above her shoulder, a bit below her neck (due to her movements). the pain was great, and she thrashed about wildly, trying to decide what to do. the punch aimed for her nose connected with a sound 'thwack,' causing her to bite down harder before letting go, spinning about on her sore legs, trying to lose the large dog.

snarling, thrashing, biting, she tried to rip herself out of Dip's grip, so that she could go after Scott or Steve, who seemed to be missing out on all the action...

Tom, Swan, Dip, & *Hunters*

When he found a grip on Aleu, Dip refused to let go. He bit hard and endured her thrashing and bites with defiant snarls. His broad head and other areas targeting by the struggling wolf were soon littered with furrows and punctures from her wild teeth, but he was determined to keep his quarry. Now he used his greatest assest- his size. He began to shake his dial madly while pressing downward, trying to damage her as much as possible and pin her down so she'd be more managable for Tom to deal with. At least, he assumed she was wanted alive, for that's usually what happened when he was given the 'bay' command.

Now Tom howled out, clutching his arm as Aleu finally released. He was nearly knocked down by her previous thrashings, but somehow kept his footing. While pain shot along his broken arm, he had enough wits about him to call on the younger men. "Get the rope...Bind her muzzle first! She'll bite through it otherwise." He ordered, taking a few steps back from the two struggling canines.

Snapping to attention, the two men hurried towards Swan, who reguarded them with wary suspicion. However, she wasn't as aloof and snobby as her other companions, and so she stood obediently still while they retreived the rope that was coiled on the side of her saddle.

They approached Dip and Aleu now, but hesitated as they watched the frantic battle. Scott busied himself with creating a slipknot to use, while Steve contemplated just how they'd get the rope around the wild wolf's muzzle. It was Tom who continued to guide them through the process, while he mentally fought the agonizing pain in his arm, "Find a stick, hit her! Stun her at least. Hurry, before she tears Dip to pieces!" He shouted.

Steve was quick to find a wind-broken branch, studded with little knots and twig stubs. Being cedar, it was very solid and heavy- about equal to a bat. Like he had two weeks earlier with the riffle, the man swung the heavy branch at the wolf. Although this time, aiming for her head. Dip was likely enough to get hit as well, but this was a chance that Steve was willing to take.

.aleu

that stupid dog! aleu was becoming a bit more frantic as the dog held on, and her attacks became more and more vicious, her snapping jaws ripping at any patch of skin she could reach on dip. suddenly, he began to shake his head and press downward, putting incredible pressure on her shoulder. she was now in a very awkward position- twisted, so that her hind legs were standing, the opposite shoulder (to the dog) on the ground, her head swung around so that she was still attacking the dog. snarling, she suddenly rolled herself over, using the dull nails on her feet to slice at the dog's belly. rolling, aleu attempted to smash his head on the ground, so that he'd be forced to release her shoulder.

she caught sight of the two men, both looking ridiculous in their bandages, standing at different angles to the little battle. what the- suddenly, a moment too late, she saw the stick swinging at her head. as it struck her, her head snapped sideways, stunning her. for a moment, her body went slack, her pupils dilated, breathing shallow. what on earth? the exploding stars before her eyes scared her... what was happening?! startled, she tried to stagger to her feet, still (probably) dragging the massive dog, disoriented and unsure...

Tom, Swan, Dip, & *Hunters*

"Now, now! Tie her up!" Tom commanded as she went down, wishing he could do it himself. But with one arm disabled, he was pretty well useless at the moment, aside from the orders he was barking out.

Steve, filled with plenty of vengence from their last encounter, decided that one hit wasn't enough. As she was coming back up, he swung again at her head, despite a furious Tom yelling at him to stop.

Dip held on still, striving to please Tom despite all the damage he was taking on from the wolf. The pain was almost overwhelming as bite after bite ravaged his flesh, coating his pelt with blood. When she rolled, he strained the muscles in his neck and shoulders, staggering slightly as he attempted to keep himself up. But those claws, dull as they may be, hit his stomach dead on. They raked across the dense fur of his underbelly, grazing across the skin and bruising it badly underneath. Still he held on, until a stick happened to come crashing down on his muzzle. Stupid humans.

"You idoit, get back!" Scott cried, seeing Dip release Aleu with a yelp of surprise and pain. No doubt Alue would have gotten a good whack across the back of her head and along her neck as well, but now she wasn't being held down by the dog. Springing to life Scott dashed forward and attempted to slip the looped rope around her muzzle, hoping that the second hit had stunned her enough to preform this feat.

,hr> .aleu

aleu had just begun to recover from the hit, realizing that the dog was still there. nearly going crazy from pain, anger, and just... who knows what, she leapt at Steve (who was nearest... and wielding the stick!) fully intending to finish him off, even with the large dog holding onto her. suddenly, the dog let go, and for a moment aleu wondered why- then she felt it.

the stick connected with the back of her neck, knocking her out of the air hard enough to knock the wind out of her. gasping, she lay on her side for a moment, mind screaming. she was conflicted- part of her was like, get out now! they're gonna kill you! the other part was a bit more bloodthirsty- it screamed at her, telling her to continue, kill these worthless humans, kill the dog, kill them all! while all these thoughts and sounds bombarded her, aleu tried to stagger to her feet, only to discover...

Scott's loop easily slipped over her muzzle, rudely snapping her jaws shut. terrified, trapped, and enraged, she pulled back for a moment. eyes narrowed, she suddenly leapt at the man, hoping to knock him down so that the rope would be free, thus allowing her to get away...

Tom, Swan, Dip, & *Hunters*

When she pulled, the rope went even tighter around her muzzle. Coarse and knotty, the rope held its grip firmly and refused to loosen. Scott was quite exstatic about the whole ordeal, now that those dangerous jaws were secured, and La Refugia rendered much less dangerous. His joy was short lived though, as the white wolfess suddenly plundged his way. Standing there, with half his face done up in bandages, he was too petrified to move. That, and his broken rib made leaping and dodging a wolf a difficult task.

This is where Steve came into play again, his bravery spurred now that the wolf couldn't bite back. With an almost feral-sounding shout, he sprang at Aleu, aiming to full-on tackle her to the ground as she leapt for his buddy. If he managed this, he would wrap his arms around her and do his best to use his weight to keep her down. Then, perhaps Scott could come to his wits and tie her limbs up.

Dip circled the group, snarling at Aleu but not attacking her. And in the background, Tom continued to shout commands that went now on deaf ears.

.aleu

feeling the coarse rope pull tighter on her tender jaws, the wolf knew things were looking bad. just as she was about to reach that stupid human (just standing there? idiot.) another came running at her, yelling like an animal. weird. twisting her body so that he wouldn't be able to completely tackle her, she landed lightly on her feet, with a yelp of pain (from all those other injuries- they're still sore, buddy! come on, I've got a bullet lodged in my leg!). snarling as she pulled back on the rope, she danced about nimbly staying a step or two ahead of the man, her narrowed eyes also watching the dog who continued to circle. aleu completely ignored Tom, satisfied with the knowledge that she'd taken him out of play...

Tom, Swan, Dip, & *Hunters*

Steve scrambled across the ground, grasping for one of Aleu's legs in an attempt to pull her down. Scott, coming back to his senses, jerked the rope as hard as he could, trying to pull her off balance and squeeze the noose tighter around her muzzle. It was really a pitfiful effort on their part, and it was making Tom angrier by the second.

Cursing heartily at the two men, he stormed forward heatedly. Grimacing as he let his broken arm hang down at his side, the larger man reached forward with his good hand and tried to get a grip on the back of the wolf's neck, and force her down by his greater weight.

Dip had to hold back a laugh at the human's antics. For as smart as they were with all their strange gadgets and ways, this was absolutely pathetic. It was taking three of them to pin down a wounded, defenseless she-wolf.

Swan was becoming more and more nervous as she watched the scene, her faith in the human's abilities beginning to diminish. She knew Tom would have that crazy wolf strapped across her backside. Tied up or not, the mare didn't like the fight that Aleu was putting up right now.

.aleu

as steve scrambled for one of aleu's back legs, the she-wolf snarled and spun about, kicking out with a large back paw, aiming for his face. she knew she wouldn't do much damage, since she isn't exactly a horse, but since his face was already sore, it would cause some pain if the kick connected. suddenly, the rope was jerked tightly, the rough rope biting sharply into her muzzle, pulling her strong jaws tighter together. thrashing her head about, she tried to fight without pulling back, which would tighten it more.

as she was doing this, aleu suddenly (almost too late) caught sight of the man, 'Tom', coming towards her. she ducked and sidestepped his grasp, his hand grabbing at her shoulder closest to him. man, he was heavy! she felt the immense pressure he was putting on, and the pain in her injured hip and leg was becoming unbearable...

suddenly, she toppled, falling sideways under the man's weight. her muzzle was pulled up harshly, her eyes wide as she fell. thrashing about wildly, paws flailing, trying to inflict any damage possibly, somehow get away...

Tom, Swan, Dip, & *Hunters*

Tom held firmly, pressing down with most of his strength to subdue her. He yowled out once as his broken arm was given a good kick, and nearly lost hold of Aleu as a result. But the thought of cashing in on her bounty was enough reason to keep ahold of the writhing wolf, so he persisted despite the pain.

Steve hollored just as loud when a paw smashed into his face, bringing tears to his eyes. Furious at this assault, he picked himself up and looked as though he was about to give the wolf a good kick in the head before Tom stopped him, snarling out commands as he continued to struggle with the wolf. "The rope, dammit! Tie her legs! Hurry!" Forgetting his sore face, Steve grabbed the rope from Scott and began to try and tie up Aleu's legs. It would be quite the feat, considering the fight she was putting up.

Scott, wincing as pain jabbed at his side, knelt down beside the other two men and did his best to grab a hold of La Refuga's paws so that they could be bound.

Dip laughed in the background as he sat back to watch this. "I hate to say it, but you almost deserve your freedom after that fight. Almost."

.aleu

if a wolf could grin, aleu would have as she heard the yowls of pain coming from both Tom and Steve. she continued to writh about, snarling and thrashing, trying in vain to somehow get out of this scrape...

suddenly, she felt strong hands grabbing at her legs and paws, an infuriating feeling. with a surge of energy, she attempted to get up, pushing hard against Tom as she struggled, making it very difficult to tie her paws.

wait, what was that? her eyes glanced towards the dog and narrowed slightly.
Almost, eh? She spat, lips pulled back in a wicked snarl. yep, right after she killed these humans, she was coming after him. how dare he, that mongrel, insult her!

Tom, Swan, Dip, & *Hunters*

Tom cursed heartily as he continued to hold onto Aleu, refusing to give up the wolf, and thus the hefty prize that went along with her. That, and the potential pups that Ethan was so interested in. He squeezed harder on the shoulder, his flat teeth bared in fury and intensity.

Scott grappled with Aleu's paws still, losing hold of them more than once as she fought harder to resist him. As he struggled with his task, he was bombarded with insults by the other two men for his lack of success.

Steve decided to focus on one paw at a time. While Scott did his best to tackle the two hind limbs, Steve grabbed for a front paw and attempted to wrap a few loops of rope around it...

Dip laughed as he continued to observe Aleu, a smug look set on his long muzzle. "Yeah, almost."

Swan pawed anxiously at the ground, eyeing Aleu with more than a hint of fear. "Why don't they just shoot the wolf? Why, oh why, do they need it alive!" She muttered out loud, fretting over what she knew was going to happen. That squirming ball of fangs and claws riding strapped to her!

.aleu

you know, if this wasn't so bad for aleu, she'd definitely be laughing. these men- they were like the three stooges!

as Tom leaned harder on her shoulder, aleu gasped slightly, for the pressue was continually mounting, and she was finding it a bit difficult to breathe under his heavy hand. it was this lack of oxygen that slowed her thrashing a bit, her head resting against the earth now, her entire body tensed.

that bastard mutt! how dare he laugh at her, make fun of her! watch your back she snarled, green eyes narrowed dangerously. oh yes, she'd go after him... he'd regret ever crossing her like this. at that moment, her attention was caught by the muttering horse. what th-? what on earth? aleu could practically smell the fear emanating from the equine, and it brought a wicked 'smile' to her face. hah, stupid horse.

suddenly, she felt nasty human hands grab one of her front paws, and she tried to swing her head around, forgetting momentarily that her mighty jaws were tied... however, Steve managed to get a few loose loops of the rope around her foot, and she began to struggle harder again. ouch! what was that? her injured leg had been 'pounced' on by Scott, jarring her painful limb harshly. snarling, she allowed a bitter yelp to escape her vocals after he tried to secure her legs a second time, again smashing into her leg...

Tom, Swan, Dip, & *Hunters*

The man flinched and nearly dropped his hold on Aleu's paw when she swung her muzzle at him. But under Tom's harsh words, he continued on. With one paw secured, he went to grab the other and lash it up with the first.

Scott grabbed the other end of the rope and began to do his best to bind her hind paws. While doing this, he noticed the gunshot wound and used that to his sadistic advantage by giving that limb a good thrash. Cruel payback for the wounds she had given him a week earlier.

Tom was finding his arm almost too much to bear, but he held on still with just as much pressure.

Dip gave a long, gaping yawn to Aleu's words, showing off his impressive canines while also making a statment to her. He felt utterly confident that she was no threat to him.

Swan still seemed quite convinced that this wolf was just as dangerous with the ropes on. "Come on, Dip... don't make it angrier! I have to carry that thing on my back!" She fretted, pawing the ground again.

Dip chuckled, "Calm down, Swan. If Scott and Steve can handle her, you're in good shape."

.aleu

when steve dropped her bound paw, aleu tried to scoot both paws underneath herself, trying to hide them, or at least make them inaccessible to the bumbling fool. with a sharp yelp then snap, she swung around, trying in vain to get at scott after he thrashed her leg. she tried to curl up a bit, inhibiting their reach and access to her limbs, knowing that could prolong this and give her time to think.

as the idiot dog yawned, aleu felt enraged, but knew that now was no time to let her quick temper get the best of her. with a sniff of distaste, she turned away from him, directly ignoring him now. his confidence was sickening- she'd just have to take him down a peg or two later on. besides, who got the worst end of their little tussle? yeah, him. that last comment of his stung, however, and she nearly lunged (well, made a lunging motion- she's kinda tackled right now.) at the cocky beast. scott and steve?! handle her?! is he serious? whatever, don't even answer that.

Tom, Swan, Dip, & *Hunters*

"Hit her again!" Tom raged, seeing that the two were having a heck of a time with her paws. He shifted positions a little, driving his knee against her ribcage while keeping his hand pressed firmly against her shoulder.

Scott and Steve flinched every time La Refugia lunged her head at them, but they didn't make the mistake of letting go again. "Scott, you hit her, I've already got one paw tied!" This was, of course, was met with a prompt counter-claim by Scott, who was sure that he had the best hold on Aleu, and there-fore couldn't afford to let go. The two argued until it was Tom, yet again, yelling at them and sending Scott to take another whack at Aleu.

Grumbling, he took hold of the stick he had used earlier. While Steve tried wrenching Aleu's free leg out from under her to tie it up with the first one, Scott took a swing. Using both arms, he aimed to crack her along side the head. To stun her enough to give Steve and himself a chance to secure her legs.

Dip could see how he riled Aleu, and he was quite tickled by it. "Yeah, that's what I thought..." He said casually, arrogantly, when she made no reply. His wound stung horribly, but the cold and his own thick coat were helpful in staunching the blood. But she was right on her thoughts; he had certainly taken the worst of the injuries, and that would be hard to live down when the rest of his pack found out.

.aleu

aleu stifled a painful cry as the heavyset man drove his knee into her bruised ribcage, sending pain throughout her battered form. still she struggled, unwilling to let these human's win easily. she caught the sound of dip's last remark, and though she longed to simply rip out his throat, she could see he was in pain, no matter how hard he tried to hide it. got some boo-boos from the poor, defenseless she-wolf? hah.

she felt scott get up, but her attention was immediately diverted by steve as he wrenched at her legs. aleu tightened herself as much as possible (with Tom laying across her), while beginning to work her jaws steadily, trying to loosen the rope around them.

suddenly, a loud 'thwack' sounded and she felt as though her head had been split open. aleu fell limp, stunned, the world spinning, blackness seeping in, her vision fuzzy. what... on... breathing in gasps, she couldn't get anything to work- her legs were limp, her body too. she wasn't paralized, simply completely stunned.

after a minute, her vision became clearer and she slowly regained her struggling, hoping that it wasn't too late...

Tom, Swan, Dip, & *Hunters*

"Now, now! Get her paws tied!" Tom shouted, seeing the wolfess go limp. Despite her lax form, he didn't let up one ounce of pressure on her as he waited for the two bumbling men to secure her paws.

Steve instantly grabbed for the free front limb when she went up, lashing it up with the first one and tying a quick slipknot in it, like he had down with her jaws. As he was reaching for the back paws, she began to come-to again. Being a bit swifter and more determined than Scott, Steve did his best to lash up the hindpaws with the front.

"Get her jaws! Hold 'em tight, Scott!" Tom bellowed next, seeing that the rope was beginning to get a bit loose as Aleu worked at it. There was clear hesitation in the man, and he faultered for a moment. But as he thought about it, he seemed to decided that Tom would prove a worse punishment than Aleu's teeth if he didn't obey. Crouching down, he reached for her muzzle in an attempt to clamp his hands around her muzzle.

.aleu

the elegant ivory lupine began to panic when she realized that steve had indeed succeeded in tightly tyng her front paws. she felt his hands tightening a second loop around her back paws, and she continued to struggle (although her thrashing was considerably weaker, since she was tiring and had a massive headache from the most recent hit). she heard the man on top of her shout something to scott, but she wasn't sure what, since she can't exactly understand humans very well.

by the time she figured it out, a few moments later, scott was already reaching for her muzzle, and aleu knew what tom had shouted. she twisted her neck, trying to get her muzzle as far away from scott's reaching hands as possible, while continuing to work her jaws, slowly loosing the rope around them...

Tom, Swan, Dip, & *Hunters*

Once the paws were lashed tightly together, Steve threw a few extra loops around them just to be sure she didn't wriggle out any time soon.

"Stop fooling with her muzzle, that's good enough." Tom had changed his mind, for his arm was hurting worse at this point. Not erring on the side of caution, he ordered Aleu to be tied to Swan's back without having her muzzle re-secured.

As Tom pulled himself onto the mare's back, Scott and Steve struggled with Aleu. Working together to lift and carry her, they laid her over the backside of Swan and began to straper her down. It would be a precarious ride back to the house, but it was their only option.

Dip turned a critical eye to Aleu's muzzle, dropping his act of arrogance for a moment when he saw just how loose the rope was becoming around her muzzle. He figured he could most certainly contain her if she broke free, just given the state she was in. However, the hound worried slightly over Swan's safety. There weren't any vital areas over her haunch, but if Aleu did get her muzzle free and give the horse a good bite... her and Tom would be in for one heck of a wild ride from the mare.

Swan snorted and pasted her ears back more as the wolf was placed over her. For a brief moment, she pulled back her own lips and bared her large, flat dentals at the wolf as she craned her neck around to look at her. She had a notion to give Aleu a good bite, but Scott swatted at her muzzle. Snorting again, Swan stamped her front hoof into the frozen ground and fidgeted as they began to tie the wolf onto her.

.aleu

as the two men hoisted her into the air, aleu tried to struggle as best she could, making it difficult. however, they managed to sling her over the horse's haunches, and begin to tie her. grateful for the freeness that was coming to her jaws, she began to appraise the situation, trying to figure out what would work best. her legs were tied, yes, so she wouldn't be running anywhere soon. her eyes narrowed as she realized that Tom sat in front of her, and a very skittish, scared horse was beneath her. perhaps... but should she? it could harm her too. humph.

finally, the rope from around her muzzle gave way and fluttered to the ground. as aleu watched it go, glad to be free of it, she caught sight of dip, noting the lack of arrogance his countenance now held. with a wicked smile, she twisted her neck, aiming her open jaws for Tom's side (which was protected by a thick coat, she knew, but she could penetrate it with some work.)

Tom, Swan, Dip, & *Hunters*

As Scott and Steve were beginning to trekk back the way they came, they failed to see the loosening rope on Aleu's muzzle. And Tom gave Swan the 'go ahead' and began to travel back to Ethan's house, Aleu's crafty jaws broke free. Moving in opposite directions, Scott and Steve were out of earshot of Tom by the time the wolf sunk her teeth into his side.

With a yowl of pain, Tom twisted about as best as he could in the saddle and began to punch at Aleu's nose, hoping it would offer enough pain and distraction to make her let go.

The startling yell from Tom nearly sent Swan into a run. Bucking slightly, she nearly threw her rider off before setting into a quick-paced trot. But the older man was experienced and just plain lucky enough to keep his balance during this little stunt the mare pulled, although he couldn't stop or slow her down while he was busy with Aleu.

Dip laughed now, his ego inflated once more as he watched Aleu attack Tom. If it had been Scott or Steve getting bit, the hound would have been a bit more concerned, for the two men weren't nearly as capable and quick thinking as this older man. Besides, he could see that the thick coat was saving Tom at the moment from getting a life-threatening injury. "You're just making things worse for yourself, you know." He added, shaking his head while smirking slyly.

.aleu

I can't say that aleu was entirely suprised by Tom's sudden onslaught with his fists. she knew he'd do something- you usually don't take being bitten lightly. she took three punches to the face before letting go, the sting from his blows making her eyes blur. oh, that dog! as he spoke, she turned her head to face him, dark eyes lucid. do I look like I care? Why don't they just kill me? I won't be some human's pet, like you she spat, disgust distorting her usually attractive features. why didn't the men just kill her? why put her (and themselves) through this? she couldn't comprehend it. the other seven humans she'd killed had all wanted her dead, and now these three had taken her alive. why?

Tom, Swan, & Dip

Scooting forward as far as he could on the saddle, Tom struggled to contain Swan and finally get her to stop. Mumbling darkly under his breath, he slid off the mare and took up some of the extra length of rope. It was terribly difficult with a broken arm, but he managed to recreate a rough slipnot. Not wanting to chance another bite, he tried to slip the nose around her jaws...

Dip's dark eyes met with Aleu's and twinkled with sinister delight, "Trust me, darling, you aren't going to be a pet." That was about all he knew though; he was just as puzzled as Aleu about why they were putting up with all of this to take her in alive. "Just be thankful you're still breathing.... for now."

Swan glanced back at the wolf and shivered, "Good heavens, her jaws are loose!" The mare gave a squeal and bucked, causing Tom to miss with his noose. "Dammit, Swan! Calm down!" He growled, dropping the rope for a moment to grab her halter. It took a few moments, but the mare was soothed enough to stand still; although not before Aleu got tussled around a bit. Dip couldn't contain an outburst of laughing at this stunt, and at Tom's anger as he tried a second time to slip the noose around Aleu's muzzle.

Tom, Swan, & Dip

Swan gave a shrill, screaming cry when she was bit. Just as Tom might have gotten the noose on the wolf, she threw her wildest buck yet, catapulting the large man off her back, as he was not holding on to the saddle at the moment. He landed with a heavy thud on his side, and rolled out of the way just before he would have been trampled by furious hooves. "Get it off, get it off!" Swan cried out, lost in a frenzy as Aleu remained on her back despite the powerful bucks she was given. Stupid humans and their blasted ropes!

"Woah, Swan! Woah!" Tom shouted, pulling himself up with a grimace. He was lucky the snow helped to cusion his fall, though it didn't help his broken arm any. Gripping his wounded appendage, he began to chase after Swan.

Dip growled under his breath, trotting lightly after Tom as he watched the mare run wildly about.

But Swan's fear was so great she could hardly comprehend her master's commands. So she continued to run and buck, heedless of the dangerous drop offs and slick rocks that lay partially concealed by snow and debris.

.aleu

whoa. all aleu remembered was nipping the horse, and then- bam. suddenly, tom was on the ground (good riddance!) and the horse was going insane (which, when you aren't on it's back, can be quite hilarious.) however, aleu was getting quite a thrashing while still tied to the horse's haunches, being tossed about by the bucks. okay, she had to get off of the horse NOW. glancing about, she noticed one of the ropes that was closest to her jaws, one that secured her to the horse. she quickly shut her jaws on it and began to gnaw at it, hoping desperately that it would give way easily, for there was at least one more rope she would need to get rid of... she continued to grind her jaws (a difficult task on a bucking horse, mind you), slowly biting through the rope...

Tom, Swan, & Dip

Panting and huffing, his breath forming in great clouds as he ran through the fridged landscape, Tom tried desperately to catch up with the runaway mare. It was a hopeless situation for him though.

Dip was having a great time of it however, playing ignorant to Tom's plight, even when he knew full-well that he could catch Swan and corral her. When Tom's patience finally reached it's end, he yelled furiously at his dog.

Smiling broadly as his tongue lolled from his long, massive jaws, Dip picked up a swift, easy sprint to catch up to the mare. "I hope you had your fun, darling. But it's getting late, and I'm tired of playing around." The King Hound said as he caught up to the frenzied mare.

By this time, the first rope frayed under the gnawing of Aleu's jaws. And with a sudden snap, it was split in two. With only one rope to stabilize her, Aleu's weight caused her to slowly slide down off of the mare's back. In little time, she was bouncing against the mare's side, which frightened the creature even more and caused her to make even more violent and foreceful bucks.

"Swan, stop! Hold still!" Dip barked, rushing around in front of the mare, careful to avoid those flailing hooves. In a quick, precise leap, the dog snagged the reins in his jaws and scrambled back. Swan struggled against him, but Dip was able to bound from side to side, jerking her head managing to keep her in relatively the same spot until Tom could arrive.

"You'd better hope that last rope holds!" Dip growled between clentched teeth as he noticed Aleu was now beginning to slip underneath the horse, so that she was almost under her belly. "If you fall, you're likely to be trampled!"

,hr> .aleu

aleu had been mainly concentrating on severing that rope, and when she heard it snap she breathed a word of thanks. then she realized she was slipping... what?! this whole 'thumping against the side of horse' deal was getting tiresome, especially since her bruised ribs and injured leg seemed to keep hitting the hardest.

as much as she wanted to ignore dip completely, her ears pricked when he spoke, as she found herself underneath the horse's belly! what did he say? oh... is that a threat? at this point in time, aleu feels that everyone is out to get her. which they are, in a way. which would she rather bear- a few hoofprint-shaped bruises, or whatever torture the human's had planned? she struggled, trying to reach the second rope, but it was too far from her jaws for her to reach it...

whoa. all aleu remembered was nipping the horse, and then- bam. suddenly, tom was on the ground (good riddance!) and the horse was going insane (which, when you aren't on it's back, can be quite hilarious.) however, aleu was getting quite a thrashing while still tied to the horse's haunches, being tossed about by the bucks. okay, she had to get off of the horse NOW. glancing about, she noticed one of the ropes that was closest to her jaws, one that secured her to the horse. she quickly shut her jaws on it and began to gnaw at it, hoping desperately that it would give way easily, for there was at least one more rope she would need to get rid of... she continued to grind her jaws (a difficult task on a bucking horse, mind you), slowly biting through the rope...

Tom, Swan, & Dip

It took several minutes, but Dip was finally able to restrain Swan. Tom caught up by this time, his eyes blazing with unspeakable fury as he looked at La Refugia del Valle. With the rope that had fallen from Swan, he fashioned another crude slipknot as best as he could and attempted to slip it around Aleu's jaws. If he got it, he'd be sure to wrap a few extra loops around her jaws, just incase she tried to break from them again. And boy, when he got back to the cabin.... Scott and Steve would be in for it.

Dip stood camly to the side now that Tom seemed to have things under control again, "I hope you had fun on your little ride. Heh, and I bet that nice little stunt earned you a good whippin' when we get back to the cabin." The large canine strode slowly past Aleu, just inches from her reach as he flaunted his canines, "If I were you, I'd stop trying to delay the enevitable."

Meanwhile, Swan fidgedted and quivered her muscles, mumbling anxiously under her breath. She had collected her nerves somewhat, but her state of alarm was still rather high.

.aleu

aleu looked up, her own dark eyes blazing with intense hatred for all involved, staring into tom's eyes with a defiant glare of her own. she pulled back her lips in a wicked snarl, daring him to try and loop her jaws again. hoo boy- and he's trying again. the lupine snapped at the rope, then pulled back.

eyes flashing, she diverted her attention momentarily as that cocky dip strode by, flaunting what she would hardly call canines. snarling, she pinned her ears tightly against her skull. oh boy, if looks could kill, I tell you what... however, she refused to give him the satisfaction of an answer, so she returned her attention to tom... was it too late?

Tom, Swan, & Dip

Tom pulled back when Aleu snapped, and would have given her a good punch if his only good hand wasn't occupied by the rope at the moment. He growled out some words when Swan's tail suddenly lashed him in the face, but he refrained from hitting her- after all, he didn't feel like chasing down the mare again.

When Aleu looked to Dip, Tom reacted swiftly, thrusting the loop for the wolf's muzzle and pulling tightly...

Swan arched her head around, straining to see the wolf from the corner of her eye, "Oh, I do hope you hurry up with that thing, Tom. Don't let it bite me!" Ears back, she was half-inclined to bite the wolf herself, but knew there'd be reprocussions from the old man if she did.

.aleu

aleu felt the loop slide over her jaws, snapping them shut tightly. she was tired, sore, and just plain exhausted. the wolf thrashed her head about a bit, but most of the fire she'd fought with was gone, and she was in a great deal of pain. so there she sat, tethered to the horse, looking a bit worse for the wear...