Inspection - P

[Carcharoth]

Transylvania was still held tightly by the grip of winter; at last it was the case in the higher regions – especially the mountainous terrain of List. Patches of pearly snow dotted the forest landscape and was still clinging to many of the conifer branches above, though every so often a dull thud was heard in the distance where it simply could not hold on any longer and plummeted down to earth in a heap. Though snow showers were less frequent on the land, the Carpathian range was daily pelted with blizzards and allowed the land to keep its wintry look, along with the chilling winds that scolded those who wandered in the open.
Morning had passed, and with it so had the layer of frost which coated the land, leaving the place moist yet cold. Fenris had crept higher into the sky and it was swiftly reaching noon, though his fiery gaze did little to warm the earth and it’s inhabitant below. One such beast however, did not care for the warmth and lavished the winter’s cruel bitterness. His body was large and extremely foreboding, smothered in a thick pelt of obsidian black whilst loose skin hung grotesquely from his underbelly – showing that he was aged and was not as well fed as he should be. With each earth-trembling step he took the skin swayed and bounced back and forth, not helping to make his appearance any less appealing.
This however was not his worst feature; aloft his skull there stood only one ear, from the other a silvery line of scar tissue ran down straight through his left eye which was not the same poisonous green as the right, but a milky white that strangely resembled the moon Goddess Tor. His broad muzzle creased into a sinister grin as his emerald hued glanced up at the mountain before him; he was there.

As Second of the Balkar, Carcharoth thought it only ‘polite’ to make pleasantries with the future Dragga of List, seeing as the packs did in fact hold an alliance long ago forged by the creator of List who at the time was also the First of the Balkar. This varg, he believed to be known as Drathlic, had to be strong and cold hearted to do him justice in this pack and remain on ‘friendly’ terms with his future Balkar. If not, then questions were going to be brought forward, and possibly a little bit of brute force would be involved. Yes, that’s it, try out the boy’s strength…
After a few moments the scent barrier hit him hard, but the monster pushed through undeterred. He was used to invading other packs or the personal space of another varg, this was no challenge for the brute. Carch’s hackles tingled with anticipation and he slowed to a halt several paces in. Chuckling coldly he glanced back and forth before parting his jaws and letting his deep vocals ring out across the land, the howl almost sounding like a war horn it was so powerful. Falling silent after a few moments, he waited patiently.

[Drathlic]

The sky was fairly clear, only the odd lonesome cloud drifted silently overheard, allowing Fenris’ golden rays to spread out and beam down on the forest below. With the sparse growing of conifer trees throughout the List terrain, light penetrated easily and caused the undergrowth to be rather active with life.
However, winter still held a cold grip on the land and very few lera had decided to come out of hibernation, leaving the world in silence for now. The faint footfalls of a wandering varg broke through and brought a presence to the terrain, one of power and authority. Yet there was a very evident sense of calm, peace and happiness surrounding the ruddy male as he approached a small spring which leaked out of the earth’s crust. On coming to a halt, Drathlic glanced back and forth before lowering his cranium and lapping at the crystal clear icy water. Quenching his thirst, he looked up once more and let out a deep sigh of content, mist furling from his nostrils and rising up into the atmosphere around him.

Drathlic had been appointed the Beta male of the List pack, and since being given said title, he had grown into a different varg. Once well known as shy, submissive and held the personality of a sikla, he was now assertive, dominant in his stance and felt very much at peace with himself. True, he hadn’t totally changed within himself; he was still very much a sikla at heart even if he didn’t show it to the world. Not to mention his innate fear of blood and death had not been cured – it was firmly stuck within the back of his mind, yet he had become very good at hiding it like his true sikla heart.

The sudden booming of a bellowing call shattered the brute’s silent thought and he started in fright, auds perking and his tassel for a mere moment lowered. Scolding himself inwardly, Drathlic sharply raised his tassel once more and assessed the call that was echoing across the land. It was not a familiar voice, yet it seemed to be beckoning him to the borders.
Quirking a brow in curiosity, the brute let out a slight grunt before taking off and padding in the direction of the call, his paw steps light and allowing his large form to seemingly float over the land. And surprisingly it didn’t take him long until the invader came into view.
Slowing his pace until he finally reached a stand still several paces from the enormous figure, Drathlic’s hackles rose with uncertainty and slight apprehension when he observed the grotesque brute, eyes drawing to the sagging skin at his belly before returning to the missing ear and blind orb that almost seemed to stare right through him. The one thing that was terrifyingly familiar about this beast despite his obvious appearance was his thick, pungent scent – the Balkar. Growling deeply he focused his cyan eyes upon the one emerald hue of the stranger. ”And who might you be? It was me you were looking for yes?” he queried, trying to sound nonchalant yet assertive.

[Carcharoth]

Surprisingly, despite the wide territory range of List, it took mere moments for the varg he had called for to arrive. The pathetic runt held his tail up in a dominant fashion, and though was relatively large in size, had an incredible ‘softness’ about him that was just impossible to hide. Carcharoth’s grin widened into something cruel and malicious as he watched the puppy-eyed male take in his powerful and corrupt form – the expression, however well hidden on other vargs, was always priceless and caused great amusement in the mind of the Second.
Words finally escaped the younger mann’s maw, curiosity evident in them yet Carch identified the tickling quiver of fear in Drathlic’s vocals, it caused him to chuckle deeply in response. “Aye it was you I called for Drathlic. My name is Carcharoth and I am the Second of the Balkar. I know of you simply because, well, we Balkar should know everything about our allied packs. It only makes sense does it not?” he responded, vocals deep and almost very charming. Despite Carch’s terrifying appearance and obvious power, he seemed very much a gentle-man when approached the right way and even more so when amongst the faemme.

Not giving the ruddy Beta a chance to respond, Carcharoth took a step forward, his emerald hue removing itself from Drathlic’s cyan eyes to take an almost casual look at their surroundings. Nodding and pursing his lips almost as if in approval, he continued to pace towards the lesser brute, circling round to his right before coming back and promptly sitting back on his haunches by Drath’s left flank.
The sagging skin around his belly relaxed and sickeningly smothered his hind legs as they were neatly folded beneath him. Leaning towards the Listern Beta, Carcharoth let out another growl as his shoulder light made contact with the ruddy fur. “You see Drathlic, this land was once claimed many years ago by a former Balkar, a true warrior and varg in all respect to the words. He and his mate formed a great bond with my future pack and it has been going on ever since his passing. Sadly to say, the bond has indeed been a frail one, despite the Drappa being his cold hearted daughter,” he lectured, staring now up at the sky, knowing fine well that Drathlic was feeling unnerved by their brief connection and the mannerisms he took. But the time would come when he’d change the impression and show him what a true Balkar was like.
Letting out a casual sigh, Carch growled and shifted his seating, turning his body towards Drathlic and facing him directly so that his blind and deaf side was no longer giving the ruddy male an advantage – though he knew fine well he had the upper hand if the runt had decided to make an attack. “You see, it won’t be long until the baton is passed down to your fine self, and it will be the same for me when Serg finally succumbs to age, injury or whatever else has you. So, merely to prevent Leohlic’s work dying in vain, I have made it my duty to come and inspect you, to see whether or not you are worthy of the title ‘Listern Dragga’ and how exactly you will run the pack. All in all, will you be my alliance, or my enemy?” he concluded, now masking his malicious grin with a steady stare and a blank expression. His next move all depended thoroughly on how Drathlic would react to his speech.

[Drathlic]

The heaving beast of a Second spoke words which were deep yet strangely casual and charismatic, completely unfitting for his appearance. Drathlic quirked a brow and shifted his paws slightly, allowing him to feel his legs go rigid and his body become stockier, this helped him not only prepare for an attack, but it also aided him in feeling more confident – especially against one so large and threatening. The brute’s name was Carcharoth, and what a title it was. The ruddy brute had never met the Second before, at least not this one. He had met Ziev once before when he was far younger and much more the sikla of the pack. However this ebon monstrosity bared very little resemblance to his more subtle and sly footed predecessor.
Observing as Carcharoth made his way casually towards him; Drathlic never parted his cyan hues from the hulking brute. On rounding his lesser form, Carcharoth sat comfortably beside him, their fur mingling only slightly so that it sent a shock of electricity up the ruddy Beta. Twitching his lip, Drathlic began to feel increasingly uneasy around this somewhat charming beast, for he knew that not was all that it seemed. Something dangerous and seriously malicious was hidden beneath the external persona of this brute, and Drathlic was only waiting for the moment that it would be unleashed.

The Second had exposed his deaf and blind side to Drathlic, and the ruddy male resisted the urge to take a nip whilst he was ‘vulnerable’. Knowing fine well that Carcharoth would not have done this by accident, he controlled himself enough to merely let out a tickling growl of warning – though it was plainly obvious Carcharoth knew how uneasy he was making the List Beta feel.
Eventually the Second’s compelling speech came to an end, and all form of charm and pleasantries came to an end, finishing on a serious note with his expression now masked by ‘blankness’. Drathlic’s own expression remained focused and intent, yet his mind was screaming with fear and dread at what was about to happen next. It was obvious, plain to any viewer what the brute had planned to do next. It was all a test! A test to see just how much Drathlic would take before he was truly suited to being titled ‘List Dragga’. Was he prepared for such a trial? Well, he surely hoped so.

Shuffling his own form round now, the ruddy mann faced Carcharoth head on, meeting his one emerald hue with his own cyan orbs, his conscience still fully aware of the ever staring pearl that was now embedded within his thoughts. ”You can try me Balkar, test me now to see whether or not you could call me worthy of your allegiance. But whether I pass or I fail, my feelings for your pack will remain the same. You are cold-blooded and your deeds sickening. Yet, I am not one to break tradition or family. I am destined for this pack, and therefore destine to remain your ally. Yet am I destined to be your friend? I think not,” he responded with words coated in defiance. His vocals he held strong, defying his own sense of fear and weakness. If Drathlic was to survive in this world, he was to change – he had already learnt that to survive at all he must conquer his fear of blood and death…which at least he was able to now subdue well enough for others not to notice his prominent phobia.
Focusing now his attention back on the Balkar, Drathlic allowed a slight smirk to break his expression, seeming now increasingly cocky and certain of his strengths. ”Bring it Balkar boy.”

[Carcharoth]

The brute waited in silence for the scrawny runt to reply, and when he did he wasn’t half taken aback by the Beta’s cocky response. Raising a brow and continuing to stare down defiantly into his puppy-blue eyes, Carcharoth curled his lip back slightly and resisted the urge to bite the little brute on the nose. Despite his retort in keeping up tradition and fighting alongside the Balkar as if only to please him, the thought that he was in fact not even going to understand the Balkar for their reasoning or why they committed such ‘crimes’ was simply an act of ignorance. The Balkar demanded respect from all others because they were in fact stronger and far wiser than many believed. The only reason they attacked without warning was if they were provoked by little egotistical varg that held no more than one brain cell within their skulls – and this Beta of List was beginning to act very much in the same manner.
Drathlic’s last three words struck a final chord within the mighty Second and a deep, unearthly growl quivered in his throat as he got to his enormous paws. Standing directly in front of Drathlic he was roughtly twice the brute’s size in height, and thanks to his added bulk he appeared to have little difference to that of a mediocre sized grizzly bear. Having to lower his muzzle earthwards, the ebony monstrosity stared directly into the eyes of the ruddy Beta and curled his ebony lips back to reveal an array of yellowing daggers that glistened in the afternoon sun that peeked through the clouds above. “You think you have guts boy? Well you’re either a hero or one hell of a fool to mess with me,” he growled deeply, spittle flying from his rosy tongue and landing on the muzzle of the lesser varg.

With one swift movement – a speed that seemed to defy the size of the Second – the ebony beast through his body forward and smashed full force into the Listern Beta, throwing the smaller varg off his paws and sending him across the clearing to land in a sprawled heap in the dirt.
Gathering himself once more, Carcharoth lowered his head and raised his ebony hackles before rounding on Drathlic once more, his sagging skin quivering and waving with each heavily placed step his pink gums flashed as his lips were pulled back even tighter, creasing the skin along his broad muzzle. “Think you have the power to defeat me runt? Get back up on your paws and fight me like a real Beta of List. Otherwise Gryffin will have to appoint someone else to take over your rotten place!” he snarled with fury, emerald orb glimmering like a jewel as his pearly hue seemed to swim inside its socket.
With another defiant growl he sprang towards the youth once more, jaws open and ready to sink into whatever flesh he could get a hold of – preferably Drathlic’s throat.

[Drathlic]

Drathlic took on the old brute’s stare and glared back into his mismatched eyes, feeling a new form of confidence wash over him as the beast continued to push him on with words. Hackles rose and his lips twitched back to form a snarl as the spittle landed grotesquely on his muzzle. His legs itched to spring and as he prepared himself to lung directly upwards and latch onto the Balkan’s throat, he was simply too slow for the swift and unpredictable movement of Carcharoth.
The immense strength and power of the grizzly sized monster hit him all at once and he was thrown clear off his paws and sent flying back, forcing him to land hard, winded and awkwardly on his side in the dirt. Gasping for breathe, Drathlic lifted his head and rolled over onto his belly as quickly as he could manage, coughing and hacking away thanks to the now empty and raw feeling that ached in his chest. Looking up once more into the maddened eyes of the Second, Drathlic knew now that all charm and manners had escaped the beast and he had switched within an instant from gentle-man to a killer; a machine set out on a mission to maim.

The monster didn’t even give the ruddy male a chance to gather himself before he set off again, poisoned daggers flashing, ready to strike hard at anything he could get a hold of. Drathlic look in a sharp breathe and gathered his legs all too quickly beneath him, pushing off with one swift movement to his right and avoiding a second collision with the ebony mann. Landing nimbly on his paws this time like a true Listern varg, he turned sharply to face his opponent head on, lowering his cranium, flattening his auds and erecting his tassel to show off his dominant stature within the List ranks. ”Nice try Balkar-boy, but you’re forgetting that us Listern varg are swift and well skilled in the art of battle. You also seem to have forgotten that your beloved Leohlic once passed his training skills down to his children and pack members before me…so I know your secrets and the great skills needed to become a true warrior. You may have brute strength, size and a numb mind to cope with pain, but I have speed, a nimble paw and brains to react and judge. I do not fear you,” he growled darkly in retort, hoping to rile up the monster even further to get the Balkar to his full potential. Despite it being a great danger to himself, he knew it was in fact the only way to challenge himself. This was in fact the first true fight he had ever been involved in.

Suddenly something new began to rush through the ruddy Beta’s blood, adrenaline that carried a new sense of glory and power. What he had spoken was true – he did not fear the Second of the Balkar. Despite all that could happen to him within the next few minutes, it did not occur to Drathlic to worry. His heart turned cold and his lips pulled back into a cruel smile as his icy stare penetrated the poisonous glare of Carcharoth. Energy buzzed within his hind legs, vibrating irritably like that same tingling one would get with the shakes, until finally it was unleashed in one blasting movement.
Surging himself forward, Drathlic flew towards the Balkan eyesore, his forelegs landing neatly before him as he landed, hind legs coming in to land and propel him forward and up once more, the roles reversed now so that it was the ruddy Listern Beta’s jaws that were agape and ready to strike, forelegs outstretched to balance himself and prevent Caracharoth hitting him in the same manner as before without hope of him regaining his footing in time.
The fight was on.

[Carcharoth]

As the younger brute rolled swiftly out of his path, the ebony monster snarled furiously as his jaws clashed together letting out a sickening crack as they grasped nothing but thin air. Slamming down his hind legs and grinding to a halt, he swung his broad head round over his shoulder to catch the ruddy male getting back to his paws and recovering his stature. Turning his bulk round once more he faced the Beta of List and lowered his own head, tail rising above to show off his own status, despite not residing within the boundaries he stood in.
The words that Drathlic spat in retort caused the Second’s blood to boil. Lips were pulled back so far and so tightly that his pink gums turned white, causing a slight contrast to his yellowing teeth. Fury over took him and suddenly the lust to rip out the varg’s throat was even more intense. “How dare you speak of the great Leohlic in such a crude manner? You will never live up to the skills a Balkar can retain, and especially those that the creator of your very pack once knew. You may show the skills and techniques of a half decent warrior, but you surely are a fool to even compare yourself to one such as I!” he growled darkly in retort, his own saliva now flying from his broad jowls as more hung and swung from beneath them.

Ready to make his next move, he halted himself sharply as the ruddy pelted male leapt forth, his jaws wide and ready to sink in as his forelegs were spread out before him to prevent being thrown off balance. Surging himself upwards Carcharoth met him half way, throwing his own paws out and using his sharpened claws to drag and scrape down the Beta’s chest.
A roar of anger was suddenly bellowing from his deep chest as teeth sunk into his left shoulder – his blind spot. Snapping his muzzle round in a flash he managed to crack Drathlic over the head, his jaws now open and ready to retaliate without question. The runt was going to pay for this.

[Drathlic]

The ragged and dirtied claws of the Second caught him suddenly off guard and Drathlic’s pupils turned to mere pin-points as the pain struck him without mercy. Dragging slowly down his chest, the talons sliced through his thinning winter pelt and began to rake through the skin, causing his blood to ooze and run free onto his off-white pelt. An agonising snarl caused Drathlic to lunge forward furiously, the pain now fuelling him on with the severe desire to break this monstrosity and bring him back down to earth where the rest of his kind belonged.
Flashing ivory jaws parted and closed down tight onto the shoulder of the brute, his canines sinking in deep to the flesh and causing his life source to spurt out and hit the back of his throat in one swift moment. Where before the ruddy male would gag and retreat from the sensation and taste, it suddenly felt like a won victory that he would lavish and savour. The pain from his chest was now all forgotten as he finally got a taste of power, a little spice of warrior life. Heart now pumping furiously it helped push the adrenaline and blood lust through his body, keeping his jaws tightly locked onto his target as he refused to let go of his grasp.

Of course though, not all victories are to last forever. A sickening crack against the skull caused Drathlic to yowl in surprise and his jaws to release his quarry. Having been thrown off balance, he leapt aside and landed nimbly once more, giving his head a quick shake to loosen off the now numb sensation that was taking over. Peering up at Carcharoth, his azure gaze now held no sign of worry nor fear of the brute, a smug grin had replaced his snarl as he observed the rather deep and fleshy wound that the Second now wore on his shoulder. ”That’ll make for a nice story won’t it? How the pitiful Beta of List put up a fair fight against one so mighty. Something I’m sure you’ll happily share with the rest of your pack,” he growled on tones to match his expression, emphasising the word ‘pack’ in order to provoke the brute more, relating how the Balkar were more like a gang of egotistical varg who bullied others for respect rather than earn it by the good of their hearts.