Starscream & Others

Five wolves made their way single file along a well-worn path leading through the Canyon, each their own unique shade of gray that was just different enough to make each creature unique, yet similar enough to suggest that each was related to the other by some degree. In front of the family was the eldest and largest, a mostly white-furred wolf with a spray of black guard hairs across his nape, bouncing and swaying against his frame as he padded along, like some regal cloak. Starscream was the alpha, and despite his advancing age, he still retained control of what remained of his small family unit.

Behind him, his daughter Arora strode with confidence and strength, carrying herself in such a regal way that her father would have chastised her in years past if not for the growing realization that the young femme could easily overtake him in a fight. Slightly smaller though she was, Arora was nearing her prime and starting to test her siblings and relatives for future control of the Aspen Grove. Starwhisper and Darling paced themselves a few yards behind their younger sister, heads down and banners streaming behind them. The daughter of Tayzeka kept slightly ahead of the smaller Darling, but looked back frequently to make sure Darling and their cousin Crow were still in tow. Sure enough, the silver-furred male was trailing the group, his green eyes scanning the surroundings to ensure nothing caught his clan off guard.

After an hour of travel, Starscream came to a stop under under a large overhang high up in the canyon, where a sprawling ledge beneath created the perfect shelter and vantage point to look out across the Valley. Nose to the ground and tail lowering slightly from its elevated stance, he moved almost gingerly towards a moss and lichen covered skull. Strewn around this were what remained of a wolf long gone; scattered vertebrae, a few squirrel-gnawed ribs, and a leg bone. Around him, quietly, the rest of the clan milled in closer to pay their respects to Cortinarri.

Calian, Nightshade, Arocheae, & Sunburst

The somber procession was being watched from the shadows by no less than four pairs of eyes. One pair in particular were set high and wide on the aging, ebony face of a deer. His vision was still sharp despite his years, and his ears even keener as they tracked the movements of the lupine family on their way to the lonely grave. Slowly, quietly, Nightshade stepped forward along an adjacent trail, leading his own canine companions on as he followed Starscream's flock. He knew where they were going and which path to take to get there. He knew all these paths very well, as he did most of the western mountains the Nuova Alba called home. Night had to, to retain his worth to the Nuovas.

Calian and his mother traveled further behind the stag, with Sunburst even further back on the trail. They kept a careful distance, so that if one of their targets saw Nightshade, they might have a go at the deer before realizing the ambush they had run into. Calian grinned, exposing the tips of his fangs as he relished in the praise he imagined coming his way. He'd prove his cunning for planning this out, prove his leadership skills for taking the initiative to strike first, prove his strength for finally killing any enemy.

Nightshade stopped, radar-like ears swiveled forward. Then there was a flash of white as he wagged his tail, signaling to his companions that they'd reached their destination, and the trap was ready to spring. The stag lowered his antlered head and lipped idly at a twig. Behind him, the wolfdogs began to circle wide around the rock outcropping, each taking position and cover. Nightshade then stepped forward, subtly tilting one ear in the direction of the mourning wolf pack, feigning ignorance to their presence. He stepped again, making sure to bring a hoof down on a path of crunchy leaves...

Starscream & Others

Starscream moved to the edge of the cliff and sat back on his haunches. He gazed out across the Valley with squinted amber eyes, musing as he often did on the view his mother had the day of her passing. It brought the wolf some measure of comfort, and assuaged the guilt he felt over not being with her in those final hours. 'It is beautiful. It's why she came here... she knew it was coming.' Starscream sighed and closed his eyes, feeling emotion start to well inside. He let the stiff breeze rush over him, brushing through his coat like the caressing tongue of a parent.

By their grandmother's skull, Arora and Darling quietly discussed their time with the fierce wolfess, with the elder sibling sharing some of Cortinarri's more colorful moments chastising their dad. It had always been a source of ire for the alpha, though as he listen to his daughters now, he couldn't help but smile fondly at the stories.

~Ccshhk~

Crow's silver ears perked at the nearby crunch of leaves. He moved away from the open grave, stepping past his cousins, and padded a few feet out from the little rocky cove where they had gathered. It didn't make than a quick scan for his emerald eyes to fall on the dark fur of the buck. His nose quivered and he froze. "Guys, hold up." The silver brute whispered, as loud as he dared to get his pack's attention. 'Stupid stag, how did you not hear us yet?'

Calian, Nightshade, Arocheae, & Sunburst

Nightshade could hear his heart pounding in his ears as his adrenaline rose. He worked hard to calm his breathing and keep the illusion of a ignorant stag going, even as it became harder when that silver wolf perked up and finally noticed him. He bit at another twig, not even savoring the slight sweetness in the half frozen stem. Just a little closer. Without shifting his ears and betraying the presence of his comrades, Nightshade could only hope he'd given them enough time to get into position. Forward he went, taking two more lazy steps in the direction of the predator before finally freezing and locking eyes with Crow.

Up his head went, and up when his ebony tail, flashing that signature white flag on its underside. Nightshade barked loudly, to ensure that the rest of that foul pack knew he was there. Then, after a moment's feigned hesitation, he spun wildly around and vaulted in the opposite direction. To complete the charade, he threw in a subtle limp to further lure the Aspen Grove after...

The three wolfdogs watched this was bated breath, each one having secured a position around the overhang.

Starscream & Others

The wind was not in Crow's favor, explaining why he hadn't smelled the stag approaching. But then, shouldn't the stag have caught wind of them? That crossed his mind and made him a little wary, but then this buck didn't look to be in his prime... and there! He was lame! Instinct overtook him and forward the wolf lunged, his silvery body sailing through the air with a sudden burst of movement and speed. With each thump of his paws against the snowy ground, Crow's well honed muscled propelled him after his prey, driving for the side of the deer with the lame leg.

The flurry of movement and the loud bark had the rest of the pack gawking in that direction as well. Starwhisper and and Arora were the next to react to it, both scrambling up and bolting after their cousin. Slightly larger and swifter than her half-sister, Starwhisper overtook the younger canine and quickly fell in line behind Crow, though she was aiming more for the opposite flank as she got closer.

Starscream stood and turned his nose to the air, cursing under his breath as this peaceful, reflective scene was dashed by some rogue deer. But, on the other paw... not even Scream could pass up the chance for an easy meal. With a look to Darling, urging his eldest daughter to partake in the hunt, the grizzled wolf bounded forward after the rest of the clan.

Calian, Nightshade, Arocheae, & Sunburst

The first to break cover was Arocheae, exploding from her hiding spot like streak of white fur and flashing fangs. Small as she as compared to her companions, the fifty-pound wolfdog rushed straight for Arora, pegging the younger wolf as easier prey. She used her smaller stature and superb agility to her advantage too, darting easily under low branches and debris that others would have to swerve around or bound over. As she drew closer, Arocheae tried to intersect the wolfess, with an aim to latch onto her throat.

Sunburst was the next to leave cover behind with a sharp snarl and an eager gnashing of his keen fangs. Running in from the opposite side of Arocheae, the dark gray hybrid used the slope he'd climbed up to give him an advantageous burst of speed as he charged down it and towards the silvery brute targeting Nightshade. Unlike his smaller companion, Sun's goal was to smash into the side of Crow, tripping the wolf up and hopefully exposing his belly...

Last only by a fraction of a second, Calian lunged forward and plowed through the underbrush and frozen weeds like a black and white freight train. His golden eyes were strictly for Starscream, seeing this elder wolf not only as easy prey, but a top prize to bring back to the Nuova Alba. How proud would Velvet be of him then! Grinning inwardly to himself, Calian veered sharply and put all his energy into catch up with and overtaking the elder alpha. And once close enough, he planned on lunging on Starscream's back and tackling the brute...

The moment Sunburst's snarl hit the air, Nightshade dropped all signs of a limp and propelled himself on at maximum speed. He could almost feel the hot breath from Crow, but didn't dare glance back. He had to keep his eyes forward on the rugged terrain, or he would be left with a reason to limp.

Starscream & Others

It was Sunburst's snarl that caught Arora's attention. She hadn't truly noticed the rustle and thump of Arocheae's paws, and turned her muzzle back in the wrong direction, towards the canine rushing her cousin. Having never been in a single serious fight in her life, save for a few typical packmate squabbles, she didn't recognize an ambush when she saw it. She forgot about the deer and tried to lunge in Sun's direction, but was stopped by something snagging the side of her neck. A yelp escaped her as fangs pierced skin, and out of sheer panic and instinct, Arora spun and tried to pull herself away from Arocheae's jaws, while slashing wildly with her own bared teeth.

Crow was a seasoned fighter, and Sunburst's overeager announcement of the attack gave him the time he needed to turn and counter the rushing hybrid. With his mind flashing back to the event that had decimated his pack not so many years ago, the pale-coated wolf turned his shoulder down and went low just Sunburst reached him, trying to cause the other to either jump over him, or trip up and crash. Whatever the outcome, Crow snapped furiously for one of Sun's legs...

Starwhisper was quick to respond to the yelp from her half-sister, and instantly lunged for the little white hybrid who'd snagged Arora's neck. The light gray fur of her back rose like a million little quills, and up went her now rigid tail. She snarled savagely and threw herself at the enemy who was only half her size, aiming her gaping jaws for the fae's back...

Leading the back of the hunt with his daughter, Starscream saw Arocheae and Sunburst just moments too late to utter a warning to his family. His startled bark of alarm soon turned into heavy gust of air and muffled yelp as a weight came down on his back without warning, sending the old wolf skidding across the ground. Scream tucked his neck instinctively and scrambled to get his feet beneath him, "Cowards!"

Darling was hardly a fighter. Her first gut reaction was to turn and run, back to the safety of the cove, where her grandmother now stayed. But her packbonds were stronger, and though her heart raced and her tail slipped between her hunched legs, the wolfess did compel herself to dart forward and snap repeatedly at Calian's haunch and tail...

Calian, Nightshade, Arocheae, & Sunburst

Arocheae clenched her jaws tighter once her fangs had met their mark. She drove her keen ivories in deeper and savagely shook her head to maximize the damage done to her foe. All of Arora's thrashing only increased that damage, as the little white wolfdog refused to let go. She kept herself tucked close to the larger wolf too, to avoid the gnashing teeth that came her way. In doing so though, Arocheae's back was left vulnerable, and she didn't account for that until a sharp pain brought it to her attention. Her yelp was muffled through the flesh and fur of her enemy, but still Aro refused to let go. Instead she thrashed her little body more, trying to throw off Starwhisper's hold, and in the process, tear a chunk out of Arora's neck...

Like his own quarry, Sunburst was a bit more experienced in the art of combat, and saw that Crow was ready for him. He didn't quite have enough time to stop when Crow turned and aimed low, so Sun did the next best thing and leaped high to sail over the other, taking a raking of teeth across his foreleg in the process. Snarling at the sting of it, he spun around with his own head held low to protect his throat, and rushed for Crow's face in a furious series of slashes and snaps.

"Coward?" Calian laughed with a snarl, even as he and Starscream tumbled across the ground. With the advantage of being on top, the hybrid tried to pin the old wolf to the ground with his paws, and sink his teeth into the back of his neck, "There's only winners and losers, and guess which one you are today?" That's about the time Darling had convinced herself to run forward and have a go at Calian, and the timid wolf did succeed in leaving a few furrows of blood welling up through the fur on Calian's haunch. The brute growled low and menacingly, but instead of giving up his prize, he kicked back at Darling with his hind paws as hard as he could.

Starscream & Others

The panic in Arora's mind grew as the pain jolted across her neck like bolts of white hot lightning. She continued to thrash in a desperate attempt to throw off the hybrid, all the while her shrill yelps echoed throughout the steep ridges of the canyon system, "Help! Get her off!" A mouthful of Arocheae's fur was the only result she got back from her frenzied snapping, and she hardly bothered to spit out those tufts of matted white hair before blindly gnashing again at the tightly curled wolfdog.

Starwhisper's quiet side had since been abandoned and thrown to the wind. Her sister's pained cries were more than enough to spur the shewolf on to the fight, and now that she had the taste of blood in her mouth and Arora's life to save, the femme bore down on little Arocheae with her full strength and weight, wanting to get a firm hold that would not be easy to wiggle out of, and to use her greater size to pin the other to the ground, "S'bmit!." Her barking commands were largely muffled, but she tried regardless, "'nd l't gho!" Whether or not Arocheae picked up on the orders, Starwhisper clenched even tighter, straining her jaws...

Teeth tore across his face, and split the edge of his lip, near his nose. Crow could feel the hot blood seeping into his fur, and stinging his eye where two deep gashes had been rent above the brow. Instead of backing away though, the silver wolf pushed forward and gave his enemy the same treatment, snapping and biting in a wild fury at Sunburst to keep him on his toes. In a flash, his fevered snapping shifted, and Crow aimed a well-timed bite for the top of Sun's snout, trying to get a solid grip on the other and force his nose to the ground...

Behind the others, Starscream struggled against the younger Calian. He simply didn't have the strength or dexterity to throw the other off, and was only thankful that his winter coat was full and thick this time of year. It helped to buffer some of damage from Calian's fangs, and kept them for boring deep enough to reach his neckbones. Still, the wound was not a minor one, and he had to act fast. With a grunt of effort, Scream rolled sharply and forcefully to try and toss his enemy off balance. Whether or not this succeeded, Scream tucked his muzzle downward over his throat and raked his paws over any part of Calian that he could, with the hope of driving the brute off just long enough so that he could safely scramble back to his feet. "You're talking to the pack that has reigned over their own turf longer than you've been alive, whelp!" Unable to sink his teeth into the other just yet, Scream utilized his words instead, "The Nuova must be doing so well if this is the best they can throw at us!"

Blood welled across the end of Darling's nose and the bridge of her muzzle where Calian's claws had dragged. Her eyes watered fiercely and she had to blink quickly to restore her vision. She found herself mincing away from the aggressive hybrid and the angry retorts he and her father were dishing out, but her fear and reservations didn't last long. Gathering her courage again, Darling sprinted forward in a tight circle and darted in at her foe's opposite side to catch him off guard and snag his ear between her ivories...

Calian, Nightshade, Arocheae, & Sunburst

Arocheae held on as long as she possibly could before the pressure on her back became too great. Instead of simply opening her jaws and releasing her prey however, Aro clenched harder and twisted her head to the opposite side, either dragging her fangs through Arora's skin, or taking a chunk of it with her. Whichever happened, the little hybrid then snapped her head back and to the side, trying to reach Starwhisper's face and rend whatever flesh might come her way.

The yelping and muffled barks briefly drew Sunburst's attention towards his packmate, where he saw the much larger Starwhisper baring down on the little mongrel. Slightly behind them, he could hear the skirmish between Calian, Starscream, and Darling, though he dared not split his attention even further by looking their way. 'Where in the name of Imre did our deer go?' Beginning to worry about their odds, the hybrid considered going against Calian's plan and calling for reinforcements. But this slight pause had give Crow the advantage, and before Sunburst could swivel away, the other brute had him by the snout. Sun's snarl turned shrill with the pain it brought and he wrenched himself back with a distinct crack of a broken tooth and flayed nose. Not quite realizing he'd lost most of one of his fangs, Sunburst drove right back at his silver foe, dipping low and lunging up for Crow's chest...

"'Reign' is an awfully strong word for a pack of flea-ridden mongrels barely scraping by." Calian shot back, "And that only happened because we allowed it to. Today, that-" Teeth closing down like a vice over one of his planed ears stopped Calian in the midst of his retort. Both startled and enraged by the attack from a fae he considered a non-threat, Calian spun suddenly and with ferocity, leaping off Starscream to tackle Darling and seize her by the throat...

Starscream & Others

All Arora could think to do was thrash around and shake her body to rid herself of the mutt hanging from the side of her neck. "Help!" Then at last, the pressure relented as Arocheae forcefully broke her grip, albeit by taking a small slice of flesh with her, and leaving behind an ugly set of gashes. Fury was quick to overtake the panic in the wolf's mind. For a brief moment Arora stood dazed and panting, and then her mind rallied and a terrible snarl erupted from the depths of her chest and throat. She wheeled on her hind legs and all but dove down at her pinned enemy, instincts guiding her straight for Arocheae's throat.

Starwhisper was just thankful that her sister was now free from what could have been a deadly attack, had it lasted too much longer. She took the whirlwind of snaps from her pinned foe and wisely squinted her eyes in case a stray tooth came too close. For the most part though, Star held her jaws tight against Aro's back, and far enough up that it would be difficult for the smaller canine to really get in much more than a few nicks across the top of her snout. Satisfied with simply keeping her target occupied, Starwhisper maintained her hold and left the rest of the work to Arora.

The blazing green eyes of Crow did not leave Sunburst for a second, such was his enduring focus and intent. Their pack had suffered far too much under the cruel fangs of the Haunters and this splinter pack of theirs, and he was not going to let today be another tragedy for the Aspen Grove. The silver brute all but roared his angry at Sunburst and reared up to bring both massive paws slamming down for the exposed and tendered flesh of his enemies snout, aiming to not only shove him away from his chest before he could latch on, but slam him to the ground with the suddenness and forcefulness of it. One of Sun's ears would be Crows next target...

Much like Crow, Starscream could not bare another loss from this pack, though he no longer had the vigor and strength that carried in him days past. It was sheer determination and care for his family that propelled the alpha after Calian with nearly the speed of his youth. He knew exactly what his foe was aiming for, and Scream was going to copy that move now. Guided by years of practice, Scream bore down on the wolfdog with lethal precision, seeking the vulnerable arch of Calian's neck, left perfectly exposed as he lunged for Darling, no longer caring to trade barbs...

One thing Darling had learned in her early years was how to minimize the damage from attacks, often from her own crazed mother. Those formidable years had left enough scars on the shewolf to all but cripple her fighting spirit and any shred of confidence. This did, however, payoff when the wolfess tucked her head and put her muzzle directly in the path of Calian's wild fangs. She took the bite full on while dropping down into a submissive crouch, yelping pitifully at the resulting pain, but saving her vital throat in the trade-off.

Calian, Nightshade, Arocheae, & Sunburst

It was little Arocheae's turn to cry for help now, pinned by an enemy literally twice her own weight. She scrabbled desperately at the frozen ground, trying to find enough purchase that she might pull herself out from under the wolf. But Starwhisper's strength defied her attempts. Bloodied paws were the only result of her efforts as rocks nicked and cut at her pads. She swiveled her head the other way now, trying to come at Star from a new angle, but alas her foe had the upper hand. There was no where for her to go, and no way to escape on her own - no way to avoid the ravenous jaws that came at her from the side. All Arocheae could do was yelp as the fangs closed around the side of her stretched neck, and even that became a muffled gurgle when Arora's fangs found their deadly mark through skin, muscle, and finally the windpipe...

The way Arocheae's sharp yelping descended into a wet, strained gurgle nearly stopped Sun's heart. He knew what that meant. One packmate was down, and the odds were shifted even more dramatically in the favor of the Aspen Grove. "Guys!" He barked, just prior to having a giant paw slap down against his snout, causing his teeth to clack together. Moisture gathered immediately in his eyes, and he all but twirled back in deer-like leap to bring himself out of Crow's immediate range and save the ear the silver wolf was aiming for, "Retreat, there's too many!" As soon as his paws hit the ground, they were airborne again, propelling Sunburst away from Crow as rapidly as possible, "Calian, come on!"

The call for tactical retreat was lost on Calian's ears. He all could see and all he could hear was red. His biggest mistake was underestimating the old alpha as he tore into the daughter, clenching his jaws as tightly as he could over her muzzle and thrashing the wolf violently. He would use this force to throw her to the ground if he could and expose her throat once more for the taking. Or perhaps tear into the soft underbelly, or the vulnerable ribs. Sudden pressure against his own neck, and the large canines that bore down into his flesh, ultimately robbed Callian of reaching any of those bloodthirsty goals. Starscream had the experience to drive his mark home, and now the inexperienced and over-his-head Calian payed the price. Refusing a yelp, the wolfdog all but roared his anguish and anger and pushed back at Starscream in a desperate attempt to throw the bastard to the ground, even as ivories dug deeper into his neck, slicing through crucial bloodways.

Starscream & Others

Arora did not find pleasure or satisfaction at the panic and struggle of her enemy nor the death gurgles she was spouting, but there was some notion of relief at the back of her frazzled mind, knowing that this immediate threat had now been nullified. She held her grip unwaveringly, breathing in heavy pants that had her nose and cheeks flaring with each exhale of hot air. Until her enemy breathed her last, the wolfess would not relent or release.

Starwhisper already knew it was over for Arocheae, which brought just as much relief to her as it did her younger sister. This danger had been quashed, and with Arora no longer threatened, Whisper quickly surveyed the battleground for the next fire to put out. Crow's face looked bloodied, but then her cousin was now facing the tail end of a fleeing Sunburst, shouting for a retreat from their ill-fated ambush. Confidence began to surge in the wolf, seeing victory all but fall into their paws. Her attention flickered to her father and elder sister then, and found that they too nearly had their quarry handled. But Calian was still snarling and fighting back with every ounce of strength he had, and of their packmates, Darling and Starscream were perhaps the least equipped to handle combat. Her mind made, Starwhisper bolted in their direction and squared up the enemy's haunch as a landing pad for her fangs. That way, if he somehow broke free of Scream's hold, he'd still have to contend with her.

Crow was not about to let his assailant escape so easily. "Not so fast!" With a roar of his vocals that challenged the savagery of Calian, the silver brute launched after the fleeing Sunburst with every intention of catching him, whether it be by swiping at his hind legs and sending him crashing to the ground, or sinking his teeth into the mutt's hindquarters.

Calian might have been able to knock the elder wolf over if only Starwhisper hadn't come to his aid. Regardless, Starscream kept the pressure up on the bite, and once he'd driven his teeth deep enough to catch those precious veins, the alpha began to shake his head for all he was worth to maximize the damage. For every packmate of his injured or killed, Scream turned that anger on Calian now, and he would not stop onto the hybrid lay dead at his paws.

For her part, a heavily panting and overwhelmed Darling couldn't bring herself to reenter the fray. The wolfess remained hunchbacked in her fear, ears pinned and tail tightly clamped while the snarling and bristling went on around her. As long as it looked like her father and sister had the foul wolfdog under control, Darling was content with shying back and waiting for it all to be over with.