Post by Trile on Nov 28, 2005 20:37:19 GMT -5
Trile stalked as quickly as he could in the coming night, his eyes a shimmering yellow in the blue light. His head was even with his protruding shoulder blades, and clamped firmly in his jaws was a severed leg. It had been torn off where the back haunch had connected to the body, and the blood was frozen on the course brown fur. Trile stopped, bending his head than dropping it on the snow strewn ground. He stretched his neck, feeling and hearing the bones crack. He was small and slim, even though his stomach felt very full, and the leg that was nearly as long as his body was weighing him down. After his stretch was done he shook his slender white head, fluffy white ears flapping. For a moment he stood, his head lowered down into an alert position, his body low to the ground. His eyes flashed as he looked at the valley floor, covered in several inches of millions upon millions of tiny, freezing cold flakes. The clouds blotted out the sky above, and were a dark blue mingled black. It was getting darker by the minute, and he quickly picked up the leg and began skirting gracefully towards wooded mountains looming out of the ground to be lost in swirling white clouds.
Trile was almost home, and he would be happy when he had left the borders of Ge-Rad behind. A good while before sunset a gnawing feeling that he was being watched came over him. He remembered the stories of the Balkar and saw flashing eyes full of the hunger of the Putnar. There desire was not a rabbit or vole, it was wolf flesh. Trile knew he was in danger, he had been the whole hunt, and it was stupid to start this worry once his only objective was to get home. No matter what, though, he couldn’t shake off the horrible need to go faster, and he kept glancing over his shoulder at the gorse foliage behind him. A wolf couldn’t hide hear, he knew that, and much to his annoyance he started to scan the sky. A story of the ability to see through bird’s eyes came through his head, and he scowled, angry at himself. He didn’t believe in gods or goddesses or strange powers; all of that was nonsense to lure a cub to sleep. Even so, his nimble paws were carrying him towards the forest of Ge-Rad at a quick pace, his paw prints increasing as they were left imprinted in the snow behind him.
Winter had finally settled in the land beyond the forest, and it seemed to have taken everything by surprise. Before the flakes had begun to drop down from the skies there had still been a few small flowers nestled away from the frost of fall, and geese dispersers were still flying to southern warmth, sometimes in flocks of three or four. Deer had not yet dwindled away, and some birds still twittered among the rutting branches of trees. Not anymore. Every last plant that still had life would have wilted under this cold, and birds of all kind would be flying nonstop, away from rough winds and raging storms. Trile hadn’t passed any deer, but he had stumbled over fresh tracks dented in the white ground.
The cub had never seen winter before, and even though he knew about tiny white flakes falling to earth, he couldn’t help but marvel at them as they had fallen earlier that sun. It had been very cold, and it was getting colder, but the air could not penetrate his two pelts, and though the snow was beginning to get caught in his tough pads, he didn’t stop to bite it out. The air seemed to be giving him endless stamina, and at times he just wanted to run to the beckoning forests that concealed his pack mates. He curbed his desire out of pride, not wanting to give into his own imagination. To pass the time he though of what everyone in Ge-Rad when he came back carrying this hunk of frozen meat, white tail held proudly like a banner. Trile was sure Draeg and Cwen would be mad at him, but he was hoping they would be so proud of his accomplishment that they would ignore punishment, replacing it with praise. He was almost savoring his Kops and Shayla’s jealousy at this great accomplishment, and he was planning on giving it to Lydair. His heart swelled; he knew Lydair would greet him with ecstasy. Maybe Uskiya and Cal would even beg him to be the first to hunt for there cubs.
The bows of Ge-Rad were raising before him and his fear had vanished as he bounded forward into the familiar smells of home. He knew that the borders of his home were unsafe, so he ran deeper in until he could suppress his desire to be exulted over. He dropped the meat to the ground and raised his head, a powerful howl exploding from his maw.
Trile was almost home, and he would be happy when he had left the borders of Ge-Rad behind. A good while before sunset a gnawing feeling that he was being watched came over him. He remembered the stories of the Balkar and saw flashing eyes full of the hunger of the Putnar. There desire was not a rabbit or vole, it was wolf flesh. Trile knew he was in danger, he had been the whole hunt, and it was stupid to start this worry once his only objective was to get home. No matter what, though, he couldn’t shake off the horrible need to go faster, and he kept glancing over his shoulder at the gorse foliage behind him. A wolf couldn’t hide hear, he knew that, and much to his annoyance he started to scan the sky. A story of the ability to see through bird’s eyes came through his head, and he scowled, angry at himself. He didn’t believe in gods or goddesses or strange powers; all of that was nonsense to lure a cub to sleep. Even so, his nimble paws were carrying him towards the forest of Ge-Rad at a quick pace, his paw prints increasing as they were left imprinted in the snow behind him.
Winter had finally settled in the land beyond the forest, and it seemed to have taken everything by surprise. Before the flakes had begun to drop down from the skies there had still been a few small flowers nestled away from the frost of fall, and geese dispersers were still flying to southern warmth, sometimes in flocks of three or four. Deer had not yet dwindled away, and some birds still twittered among the rutting branches of trees. Not anymore. Every last plant that still had life would have wilted under this cold, and birds of all kind would be flying nonstop, away from rough winds and raging storms. Trile hadn’t passed any deer, but he had stumbled over fresh tracks dented in the white ground.
The cub had never seen winter before, and even though he knew about tiny white flakes falling to earth, he couldn’t help but marvel at them as they had fallen earlier that sun. It had been very cold, and it was getting colder, but the air could not penetrate his two pelts, and though the snow was beginning to get caught in his tough pads, he didn’t stop to bite it out. The air seemed to be giving him endless stamina, and at times he just wanted to run to the beckoning forests that concealed his pack mates. He curbed his desire out of pride, not wanting to give into his own imagination. To pass the time he though of what everyone in Ge-Rad when he came back carrying this hunk of frozen meat, white tail held proudly like a banner. Trile was sure Draeg and Cwen would be mad at him, but he was hoping they would be so proud of his accomplishment that they would ignore punishment, replacing it with praise. He was almost savoring his Kops and Shayla’s jealousy at this great accomplishment, and he was planning on giving it to Lydair. His heart swelled; he knew Lydair would greet him with ecstasy. Maybe Uskiya and Cal would even beg him to be the first to hunt for there cubs.
The bows of Ge-Rad were raising before him and his fear had vanished as he bounded forward into the familiar smells of home. He knew that the borders of his home were unsafe, so he ran deeper in until he could suppress his desire to be exulted over. He dropped the meat to the ground and raised his head, a powerful howl exploding from his maw.
)))
