wolf

It's just a mark, pup. It don't mean a thing.

Uh. Both of you, I guess. Either or. You two work it out, I'm just gonna keep callin' you both 'pup' til then.

Oath and stuff. Big deal. Not like I wasn't already tangled up in all this. Told 'em if we made it back, if we got 'Kuja out safe, I'd do it. That's all there is to it.

Sure you can, Ajek. Prob'ly better work on learnin' more Troll first though, eh? Can ask tha chief yerself that way.

And no. Too sore tanight, and it's late. Lemme get some rest, and we can go huntin' in tha morning.

Nah. Not angry. Not at you fuzzfaces. Don't worry about it.

G'night, pups.

He could move into the larger hut now that it's empty. Instead, he nails a tarp over to keep the rain out, and stops by most mornings to dust.

It's not that he thinks she's going to come back--he knows she won't. But just in case, he'll keep it ready.

It's sort of a prayer.

Shilaze long since left the lair she had been staying in, trying to re-find herself apparently cities don't like undead companies even if they are undead birds that wouldn't hurt anything.. living. At least that's what she thought when she watched her bird fly around on pick at dead things. Then she was still learning about this new companion, same as she was learning about her new.. friend. Yes a friend one she could speak with an have real conversations with. Not that she didn't with her companions but body language only said so much when words.. spoke so much more.. She.. didn't feel as alone now either knowing she at least had someone she could talk with. So in the city of Sivlermoon she sat waited watching the people. Sighing so many were tainted corrupted now.. was it this many before. An yet.. why didn't that bother her as much now.. as it did then.. Then.. why was it the bond she had.. seem to be one sided.

Sitting outside on the ledge of the lair she had been staying in Shilaze gave a long sigh. "seems.. I'm meant to be alone.. doesn't it Fang?" she asked her wolf getting a gruffle in a reply "I know.. your with me but.." she looked behind her into the lair "they.. have each other.. I'm.. bonded but.. it's all i have. I feel so.. alone.. so empty.. at times my bond is all i can feel" getting her cheek licked she smiled sadly "I know.. you bonded with me too Fang but.. it's.. not the same.. I thought I had love once.. he.. just went away. He said he loved me an... he.. I guess didn't. Am.. I that bad of a person.. is there something wrong with me? Is that way I'm always alone?" she sighed tucking her knees up under her chin her ears drooping as her wolf whined softly "I.. just don't want to be alone anymore.. but I'm scared.. if I try one last time.. an I lose them as well.. that I'll crumble away.. my heart can't take much more.

"We're goin' home tanight, pup."

It's not too difficult to find a way out of the canyon. My sight's not as good as Mawly's in the dark, but the moon's bright enough. Just a short drop down to the piled rubble below, and we're gone. Didn't bring Sally, so it's just the two of us, running through the long grass, wind in our ears. Feels glorious.

We get a few odd looks from the guards at the elevators. Late night, and we've been away from civilization a few days. I know I'm a mess, torn-off ear and all, and Mawly's just a shadow slipping from the darkness behind me. The Shu'halo are patient, though. They raise their weapons, but don't shoot. I nod, make some apology in Orcish once my mouth can remember the shape of it, and they let me pass, Mawly on my heels. Going up is like flying, and the city is brighter than I remember it, the people louder.

Run.

Stop, sniff the ground.

Run again.

The beast's mind barely even registered the thoughts as it tore through the forest at breakneck speeds after its prey. It didn't register the pain of the thorns piercing its skin as it broke through a patch of bramble without stopping and kept chasing the stag. To its right and left were wolves all pursuing the same prey. The beast roared as its legs compressed then expanded as it launched itself through the air, landing on a low hanging branch in a position that no wolf could manage, then another as it sought to get above the stag. As the scent grew stronger the beast's instincts became uncontrollable. It opened its maw and leapt down from the tree it had jumped into and landed on the stag. The animal instinct that coursed through his body thrilled the beast as its jaws snapped together around the stag's throat, bringing it down to the ground in a tumbling mass of blood, fur and dust...

The small orcish boy
Holds out his worn toy
The wolf he will someday ride
With loose button eyes
And stuffing that flies
From a long tear in its side

The pair had just left Wailing Caverns, hunting for Raptors. Tied to the saddle of the large Acherus Deathcharger, were two such specimens, black scaled and blank stares. The creatures had a measure of intelligence in them, but it wasn't as if they hadn't killed living beings before. The young hunter on the other hand, had a difficult time sending his pet to distract the beasts. It took all Elriech's effort not to snatch the gun from the man and shoot at them himself.

“You did fine, Dezrek.” clawed fingers deftly tied securing knots, keeping the carcasses still. “A true aim, though your wolf could do better.”

The red brown arched brow crawled higher up the hunter’s forehead as she watched the young ravasaur scampering through the sand after her, mindless of the scorpid corpses it had to crawl over in the process. “Damn, I thought it would have tucked tail and found some place to hide when we left the Crater.” Vanaja said to her wolf companion.

Something cold and wet nudged her cheek, followed by warm breath and soft woof against her ear. Vanaja turned her head, lightly shoving at the furry head intruding on her space only to be met with a warm, wet tongue sliding the up length of her face.
 
“Oz! Stop it!” she grumbled as she turned over. She stiffened as the red wolf snagged one of her golden earrings with a fang. “Okay, okay. I’m awake. You can let go now.” She growled. The wolf woofed in her ear again and complied, stepping back to sit on his haunches, watching the orc, ready to pounce if she tried to fall back to sleep.

"She looks happy."

The other tauren hunter snorted, looking up from where he was cleaning his gun. "Heh, yeah. You see what she rode up on?" His braided beard jerked towards where a young riding wolf was tethered.

They’d retired him from battle, no longer able to carry the weight of an orc in full wargear. He has a bad paw. But his coat and eyes still shine, he’s still bright in my eyes. After months working in this stable, I finally have him.

The wolf lay curled under the table, muzzle beneath tail, eyes closed. Lorith watched him sleep. Would he wake to want to go outside? Would he be restless and confused, would he howl? Would he bite? She bit her lip, and looked to the package of boar ribs she had just cooked.

Few things shine brighter than sun on snow, and Lorith had to squint her eyes every time she looked up from the shade of the Distillery porch. Even in the late afternoon, the blinding light of the surrounding hills almost forced eyes to close – but Lorith resisted. She looked beyond the mountains and smiled, then turned back to her ledger.