Rawr

Kiluar's pelt hung limply from his body. Though there was plenty to eat in this Farm, he only ate what he was offered, which wasn't much. Since he had abandoned the shed nobody had paid much attention to him. He had floated around like a lost shadow, too honest to leave, despite the fact that the wind called to him. How he missed the trees that hid the sunlight, the sounds of fleeing prey. Where was the excitement in hunting fowl too stupid to learn that as long as they stayed they died? He lay down, placing his head on his paws, his eyes scanning the horizon for the woods that the humans had long since cut back.

Gaoth padded through the yard, her belly hollow. She'd just gotten back from the playground, speaking to a new ally. Though she was tired, sore, and hungry, she was in a good mood, happy to have found a new set of paws to help her.

A quiet breeze slipped through her paws, carrying scents of fresh forest, sweet hay, and friendly dogs. But deep within it mingled the scent of wolf, making her neck bristle. Kiluar. She still hadn't found any use for him, and she wasn't even sure what to do with him anymore.

Tracking the scent, she found the wolf in a bored composure, grief hanging about him. The white dog almost felt bad, but not enough to let him loose again. She pawed her way up to him, barely a yard away from him. "Occupied?" Perhaps she could use his expertise for a moment.

"Doing what? This is not the place of a wolf." Kiluar growled. He licked his dry lips, realizing that even his saliva was dry. Perhaps it was time to get a drink. No point in dying.

Gaoth slipped a slight smile, "And you wonder why I have you here?" She looked up at the woods, trees looming dozens of feet above her, towering over every beast running wild beneath their limbs. Hunger growled through her belly again. "I need your help," she said, looking over at the thin wolf.

"You wish for me to tell you about Kestrel's plans. It doesn't matter if you don't believe me. I still know nothing of his intentions." Kiluar blinked, dragging himself to his paws and slowly making his way to a nearby puddle. The water was filthy, an unhealthy looking brown, but he didn't care. Why should a few drops of putrid water make him even more sick than he already was?

The white dog frowned, but flicked her tail and dismissed the feeling. She looked back the wolf, "Surprisingly, no. Come with me, Kiluar." She'd memorized the name after a few tries, finally making it stick in her head. The wolf was scrawny now, and he looked like he could use something productive to do. Gaoth was more than happy to oblige. Citali would frown upon her ignorance if she kept the wolf locked up any longer.

Kiluar involuntarily raised his eye-ridges. Something unrelated to Kestrel? That was new. He followed her wordlessly, waiting for her to explain as he was sure she would. Eventually.

Gaoth padded up through the forest, scenting air, clean oxygen sweeping through her lungs, energizing her drained muscles. The soil was loosely packed and leaves covered practically every inch of the floor, dominating the woods.

The white dog stopped, halting in the center of a cleaned out clearing. "I plan to have some sort of training session here, with my dogs." She spoke more to herself than Kiluar, but it was still audible enough for him. She didn't look at him. Her mind went to the future, seeing dogs fight against each other, helping each other learn. It wouldn't be like the pound, no blood would be drawn. She'd see to that.

"I've come across the need to hunt. Problem is, I was not born a hunter." Gaoth kept her eyes still, hard. If Kiluar declined, she'd have to find something else to do with him, and right now, hunting was the most promising.

ooc: sry i havent been on lately i thought this website was dead anyone want o fill me in?

ooc: Once again bud, u haven't missed out on much. We never go dead, we might go quiet for a few days, btu never dead. Kiluar's stuck at the farm, getting bored out of his mind. Gaoth found a dog for spying and another for fighting. Ghost has shown up and he's tryin to contact his mother, whoever that is. *Dun dun dunnn*

ooc:lol well can fern be any assitance to you im bore ;(

ooc: U betcha, start a thread if u'd like. One of us will post to it. We're all bored too.

"Every canine is a born hunter. Even if you don't have the experience, you can't lack the skill." Kiluar's eyes lit with a far happiness. These were the exact words his eldest brother had used when teaching them to hunt. He was suddenly brought back to reality when a squirrel scampered across his field of vision. He leapt forward, but was too slow. "Of course, it helps to actually be paying attention..."

The dog absorbed the words, her paws itching to chase down another deer, with power and speed at her side. She wouldn't have to chase it for miles and miles this time, she'd jump it before it had a chance to run. Experience. It was the only thing she needed. Of course, Kiluar was right.

When a shift in the air came about, Gaoth had time to see the wolf attempt a catch at a squirrel. He failed miserable, a few hairs of the rodent still clinging to the forest floor. The white canine flashed a grin, "It would seem so, now wouldn't it?"

Kiluar ducked his head slightly. "I'm better at it when I'm actually focused. But still not great."

"It's something to work with, at least." Gaoth focused again, scenting the air. The herd wasn't more than a mile away, but she wanted to figure out how to take one down with out a five mile trek out of her own territory. She couldn't keep leaving the farm like with little to no protection.

"If a deer were to appear right now, what would be the quickest way to take it down?" Kiluar ought to know, he was a wolf. Wolves hunted, didn't they? She was only beginning at this, unfortunately. Thankfully Kadal hadn't approached her with any problems that she'd been hunting in his territory. She hoped it stayed that way, the last thing she needed was him nipping at her heels.

"If a deer were to appear, I'd let it be. I have not the strength to follow if for more than a few hours, and two is not a number large enough to take a beast larger than a hare down quickly and without injury. Many wolves have been scarred by the hooves and antlers of prey because of their own greed."

Gaoth frowned, her hopes fallen. "So you're telling me that unless I chased it down, it would be pointless to attempt to hunt such prey without a pack following my lead?" That was ridiculous! A hare wouldn't feed nothing more but a pup! She needed actual prey, especially for her new hired paws and Locust. She felt a pang of anger, pessimistic fury. What was she doing this for? Even if she did have a spy, a strong hound, there was no way she'd be able to beat Kestrel unless he stopped dodging the battle coming to him and finally faced her one on one. Chances of that were one in a million.

She stifled a growl, at least Kiluar would get some fresh air in his lungs.


ooc: We gots to get Kestrel and have him rp whatever he's doin with Blue cause the battle should come up soon. Just a suggestion. :)

"That's exactly what I'm saying. Unless you are willing to risk injury or even death of your comrades. And you have not the lives to spare, as Kestrel does." Kiluar looked away, unable to stop the wave of guilt that was flooding every inch of his body. It was not his fault, yet he felt so responsible. Why was it always him chosen to break bad news, to say the truth nobody wanted to hear?

Goldy?

ooc: *Totally did not see this* YUSH!

The dog sighed, hopelessness clawing at her. She looked over at Kiluar, taking in what he said. "There's much more cruelty in this world than good, and a lot more willing to follow it. I suppose I'm not surprised at his numbers, but it does not help with ours."

The more her mind dwelled on that fact, the more she couldn't believe it. She'd taken down deer by herself before. It was difficult, but she did it. "How do the other predators do it? Cougars, bears? How did they survive?"

"Size. We wolves are fierce and determined, both things that often lead to our downfall, but compared to a deer, a single wolf is like a snake; potentially dangerous, but easy evaded. Bears as big as they are, tend to be lazy and chase wolves away from their kills. Cougars are crafty. The ability to climb trees help them ambush. We are pack animals. We need others to survive."

"Wolves are. Dogs travel as loners." Gaoth answered back, correcting the wolf. She was no wolf, unfortunately. Though she might be able to find the loophole in the old hunting tradition. "You know as well as I there's no way I could get my dogs to hunt for deer like you and I do." This wolf was her enemy, he wouldn't help her.

Once again, she wondered when she'd release him, but then she pushed it away. She didn't know what to do with Kiluar. She had no doubt she'd tell everything he knew to Kestrel, though there wasn't much to know. But still, she had a small feeling maybe he wouldn't. She stifled a laugh, what a fool she was.

"Dogs are descendants of wolves. It is in your nature, as it is in your nature to hunt. Are you and the canines back at the farm not a Pack?" Kiluar looked away. He didn't like discussing things like this. They reminded him of his father. Time to try and change the subject. "Miss Gaoth, have you by chance ever heard of the White Phantom?"

Gaoth looked down at her paws, Kiluar did have a point. As much as she wished it were true, that they were a pack, that she could lead them, she was wrong. As soon as things were over, everyone would go off on their own, and she would be left at the farm to wonder what to do next. She couldn't be a hero forever.

At Kiluar's silly address to her, she looked up at him, hiding a quick smile. Miss? Really? "The White Phantom? No, I'm afraid I don't know much of the wolf lore."