Moonless Nights (Haben/Kodiak)

[<3Kodi]

The forest was quiet, darkness reigning over the lands of Penori. Nighttime wasn't a problem for wolves, it was just part of the cycle of harmony between dark and light. With keen bright eyes wolves were made for the darkness. Well, when that memo was sent out Kodi was sure she'd missed it. Moonlight suited her just fine and sunlight was wonderful but there was always that night about one or two days after a full moon when things got sour for Kodiak. The night of the new moon always made Kodi itchy, like her fur was ruffled the wrong way. The darkenss seemed absolute and made her restless, jumpy. Kodi had never been able to tack down why exactly though she vaugely remembered Orin saying it was because she'd been abandoned on a moonless night but Kodiak thought he was crazy in any case.

Besides, that didn't help her now. She was laying hidden in a hazel thicket watching the darkness wrap around her. Kodiak wasn't alone anymore but she was with Haben. It was her own fault she was alone now anyway, she'd gotten restless and decided to go for a little run on her own though she was sure Haben wasn't far away. It was just what moonless nights made her, restless and jumpy, nightmares always on her horizon for the nighttime hours. Now Kodi was kicking herself for running off after some stupid scent. Before she'd realized it she was alone. She'd played the part of a pup and cowered under the hazel thicket, trying to decide whether to wait out the night and look for Haben in the morning or go out now and find him. She was reluctant to howl because she was sure her voice, whether speaking or singing would give away her unease with the moonless nights.

"I am such an idiot" Kodi growled to herself, shifting into a smaller ball under the hazel plants. "And a coward, can't forget coward. One moonless night and I'm as twitchy as a squirrel in spring."

Tucking her paws against her belly, Kodi laid her head on the ground, staring out at the darkness, trying to beat down her urge to run or her urge to whine like a pup, listening and hoping Haben would either find her or not go far before dawn. She loved his company. She didn't want to be alone and yet...here she was hiding in the hazel afraid of the dark like a common whelp. Pathetic.

[Halo]

Haben had been napping, finding little use for a night of a new moon, laying beside Kodi and sleeping soundly enough that he did not notice her disappearance. Maybe it was that he mistook her literal presence for the dream Kodi in his dreams; she often occupies his night even after he has been long-since sleeping, consuming every part of his life. And he likes it that way, completely wrapped up in one wolfess; even if she has no clue about he true feelings. Perhaps it is better that way though, not complicating her life any with his foolishness. He might be alpha and a guardian, but that doesn't mean he is at all right for her. She deserves the best.

A northern breeze from the snowy mountains (always cooler even in the heat of the summer season) brings a chill to the side that the golden fae had been keeping warm. His shivers involuntarily and comes away with some snuffling and blinking of his eyes. Haben turns his gaze about, straining his eyes to look through the deepened shadows for any sign of Kodi. A soft whine escapes his throat that was meant to be a quiet question. 'Are you there?' But there is no answer. And with that worry sprouts like bamboo and he is up on his feet, walking in circles until he finds the freshes scent that takes him in a direction away from where they had been sleeping.

The brute follows her trail diligently, not allowing himself to be distracted by anything. And then her scent is disrupted by where a fox had turned up the loam as it caught prey for its latenight supper, the scent of blood lingering the air. A growl of frustration erupts from his throat, frantically turning his gaze over every possible direction from where he stands, desperate to discover any sign of his precious Kodi. If something were to happen to her, on his watch or anytime, he's not sure what he'd do.

**

He does not bother hiding his approach as he pads into Haben's territory with trouble on his mind. it is about time that him and his opponent pick up their rivalry. And now it would be easiest to strike him where it hurts, now after he had been left alone for so long, lost his mate, his family... It will be so sweet to rub such losses in the goodie goodie's face. But what is this? A new scent on the air? He lifts his nose to try to give his sense a better grasp on the smell, a female but mixed with the scent of his foe. How perfect and absolutely delicous.

Ryker creeps up on Kodi, his black pelt blending him perfectly with the black of the new moon night. She is in the thicket, he can nearly taste the strength of her scent now as he comes up close and stops. "Pretty one does not like the darkness?" He chuckles wickedly, one side of his lip twitching and revealing a white fang, just for show. The dark alpha is perfectly at home even on the darkest night, enjoying it and the advantage it gives him. "Why don't you come out so we can talk?"
~Ryker/Haben

(OOC: In case you didn't know, Ryker and Haben are actually half brothers, but they themselves don't know it. They share the same mother. But Ryker's father stole Haben's mother and had pups with her after that and Ryker doesn't remember much about his mother so there is nothing that connects them yet.)

[<3Kodi]

Idiot, idiot, idiot, idiot Kodi chanted mentally as she stared into the dark, hoping to catch wind of Haben. Why of all nights did she have to be so restless? Moonless nights just...got to her. Wormed their way under her skin and now she was sitting alone in the dark because she was too proud and too restless to sit through the night next to Haben, knowing full well she would not sleep. She didn't want to risk Haben hearing her whine in her dreams or start thrashing around in a nightmare and accidentally hurt him. She'd never be able to face him with her head held high again if she did. A scent caught Kodi's attention, distracting her from her troubled thoughts for a moment before fear seeped into her blood. She wasn't alone. She could feel the presence of another wolf, probably black or another dark coloring because she could barely make out the outline of the big male.

Shaking off her fear, Kodi curled back her lips to show her fangs and let out a growl. The fur along her shoulders rose stiffly as her growl got louder. Haben had told her his pack was gone, disbanded since his land had been disrupted. This wolf didn't smell anything like the land around her so Kodiak assumed it was an intruder. Great. Of all nights...

"I don't like to talk to strangers" Kodi barked with as much sarcasm as she could seep into her voice, sounding as bold and confident as she could. "So how about you just move along ya creep." At her last sentence Kodi let her growl underlie her voice to add a bit more authority to her voice.

No way in hell was this male going to hear her whining or sounding weak. Kodi would jump off a thousand foot cliff before she let that happen. Instead she pulled up as much courage as she could muster, focusing fully on the intruding male rather then on the fact that she was alone with him in the total dark. Nope, Kodi focused on his gaze, where his fangs were, his body language. Anything that could tell her if he was going to be hostile and be a pain in the neck or just get lost until she could find Haben.

[Halo]

The ebonite male male chuckles with dark humor, sitting upon his haunches in a resolute manner so he could make it perfectly clear that he has no intention of going anywhere. Why would any self-respecting lord of darkness pass up such a beautiful chance to make trouble? What better way to get under Haben's skin and start a fight than to get at this female (who is obviously at the least a member of the pack and subject to Haben's care and protection)? So he sits, waits and watches, his tail thumping lazily on the ground and his eyes glowing red despite the lack of light.

"Oh, I'm not a stranger, not really. Haben knows me," he reasons with her, a smiles creasing his muzzle with what he hopes in a sincere expression. He even adds a small wag of his tail to sweeten the deal a little bit. He's not lying, not completely. The two of them know each other, have for a while, but he just didn't mention on what sort of terms their relationship is. It's not important for his plan. "So why don't you come out and we can find him together? I've been eager to reconnect with my old friend."
~Ryker

[<3Kodi]

Kodiak had learned a long time ago that sometimes ignorance was simply safer then wisdom or knowledge. Why not try applying that little tidbit of information now? It was obvious to Kodi that the male had no good intentions for her or for Haben. Though Haben hadn't told her of any obvious enemies he might have, she could plainly assume he had some not to mention she'd never asked. Everyone had an enemy somewhere and everything about this sweet-talking male stank of liar and trouble. Her skin crawled and the darkness seemed to creep closer but it was probably just her frantic imagination. Taking a deep breath, Kodiak met the male's gaze and angled her head, swerving her ears forward in an innocent expression. "Haben? Who might that be? It's been many days since I've come across any wolves and whatever lies between you two has nothing to do with me."

Oh how she hoped her lie would hold. If she could just slip away from this devilish stranger she could howl or find Haben to warn him of trouble. She hoped he was near but doubted it. The forest in the summer was a restless one and there were probably many animals that had crossed her scent trail and disrupted it. The forest had been beautiful in daylight but was now her worst enemy in the total darkness. Kodiak pressed the thought back, struggling to focus on the male and not simply take off running like her instincts told her to. If he caught her it would be all over and Kodi couldn't trust herself to be fast enough unless necessity called for her to flee. Maybe she could keep him talking? Give Haben a chance to find her or convince him to just let her leave?

"If it is news you require of someone I can not help you. I don't walk with a pack, never will. I am of no interest to you and have no interest in you. I'll be leaving now."

Not bothering to lower her head in respect, Kodiak rose to her paws. Screw talking, it took too long. Slipping out of the hazel bushes, Kodi skirted around the male, keeping as far away as possible and hoping to make a break into the undergrowth and get away. Kodi kept her eyes on the dark path but her ears pricked for movement from the male.

[Halo]

Ryker can see through her lies; her scent is heavily mixed with that of Haben's, too much so to have rubbed of simply by sharing surroundings. But he does not say anything right away, neither to answer her questions or put her on the spot and call her bluff. He just waits for his chance, his false smiles pasted unwaveringly upon his face and his patience brimming and strong. She's the gateway to what he wants, even if she doesn't know it yet, no matter how he has to use her (or if he knows how just yet). She has no choice, hasn't since the moment he noticed her presence in these trees.

She rises to her paws and mades a wide circle trying to avoid him. But as she starts off on an unmarked path he follows after on paws silent by practice. Either he'll continue tailing her and she'll eventually leave him to Haben...or he'll catch her and her cries will attract the lord to them. Ryker isn't sure he wants to risk not being able to keep track of her. Her bodice is smaller than his own frame and can slip into spaces too tight or thick for him. So he allows the doubt to inspire his actions and without warning or hesitation he lunges forward, covering sufficient distance in the single motion.
~Ryker

(OOC: You can have him catch her if you want or whatever. I'll probably bring Haben in in my next post.

[<3Kodi]

He was still there, trailing her in the dark. Anyone ever ask why she hated moonless nights? Yeah, wolves had asked, just a few though. This was exactly why. Too much darkness. Too much blindness. Kodi picked up her pace a bit, still smelling the male. He was hoping she'd take him to Haben. Great. Now she had to avoid the wolf she wanted to be with for his own good. Oh he would hate her for this in the morning! Clenching her jaw, Kodi prepared to take off at a run and head for the borders to make the other believe she was simply a loner but before she could, the leaves rustled and Kodi's golden optics widened in surprise. Plan A failed, the male was after her. That was all she had time to think before she felt weight on her back. Knocked off balance, Kodi slipped and tumbled to the ground, trapped under the male's greater weight.

Adrenaline burned in Kodiak's veins and without a second thought she let out a feral sound somewhere between a howl and a snarl. Fangs flashed and she writhed, trying to free herself from the greater weight. "Get away from me you brute!" she snapped, her fur stiff and her voice dripping with hate.

Oh this was going to be a long night. Kodiak tried to turn her head and snap at his paws but she couldn't quite reach. So, instead of wasting time with that the golden fem thrashed trying to throw him off her back but be a little quiet at the same time. The racket would alert Haben and if he caught her scent he wouldn't hesitate to run to her. He had to be tracking her by now anyway so it was probable that he wasn't far away. Kodiak half wanted him to come and save her but half didn't. Trying to wriggle loose, Kodi let out a bark-like snarl, growls rumbling in her chest.

Haben! Stay away! Kodi thought frantically though she knew full well he wouldn't be able to hear her thoughts and even if he could probably wouldn't listen.

[Halo]

Good! He was quick enough that he didn't give her enough time to react to his change of plan and he soon has her beneath his paws where he works to keep her pressed against the earth. Her wiggling and writhing presents a problem for his efforts but unsuccessful against him nonetheless. He leans over her, moving his muzzle close to her ear as he whispers. "Call for him, sweetheart. Let him know where you are." Ryker's body surges with excited energy, hardly able to contain it with the eagerness. But he manages, licking Kodi's cheek.

But Ryker doesn't have to wait long and Kodi doesn't have to betray her position, not one peep. Even the distant sound of the minor thrashing in the undergrowth had reached his ears, and after that his fears allowed him to pick up the smell of Ryker in the area...a scent that he sorely wishes he had noticed earlier. He rushes in the direction, making as much haste as he possibly can. he doesn't hesitate upon sighting the two, bowling straight into the darker form and knocking him from the fae of his affections. The two roll through the loam with the momentum.

Ryker ends up on with both forepaws pressing down on Haben's throat, ignoring the claws scraping his belly as the snowy opponent kicks and pushes against him. "Haben, my friend. We've finally resurrected our little rivalry. Isn't this great? The good old days! Only this time you don't have that pesky female or a pack to get in our way." He pointedly ignores Kodi, having what he wants and not really worrying about her as a threat. Why would she be a threat to him? She's nothing, he figures.
~Ryker/Haben

(OOC: Blah...my mind left me...sorry)

[<3Kodi]

Rage coiled in Kodiak's belly, burning her blood. As Ryker was jerked off her back, Kodi rolled over, snapping her fangs and barely missing the wolf's paws. Haben' s scent flooded her nose and for half a heartbeat relief flooded through Kodi but was quickly replaced by panic. For all her trying Haben had found her anyway and that meant he'd found Ryker and that was definatly not good. Kodiak didn't know for sure what kind of bad blood laid between the pair but it was obvious that Ryker wasn't going to let it go and with males that usually meant a fight to the death. Chills ran through Kodi at the very thought of Haben being dead. Rage replaced her fear and Kodi sprang to her paws in time to see Haben pinned under Ryker, perfect contrast of black and white, light and dark.

Whoever Ryker was or thought he was didn't matter to Kodi. She had promised to help Haben rebuild his pack and she would do it if it killed her. To rebuild his pack Haben needed to be alive and that meant she'd have to help him chase off Ryker. She'd never lived in a formal pack before but Kodiak was pretty sure that was how it worked, lesser wolves giving up their own lives or safety for the sake of their alpha. Haben was worth it to Kodi in a way stronger then just alpha and subordinate.

With a fierce snarl, Kodi coiled the muscles in her haunches. Rearing back slightly Kodi launched herself toward Ryker's back, front paws extended to try and shove the male off of Haben. Jaws parted to reveal sharp ivory razors aiming for any part of Ryker she could get to. Nobody would hurt Haben. Nobody would kill him and this wolf was getting out now. Her eyes burned in the darkness, flames come to life and fed by necessity, her rage burning away her phobia of the moonless nights. For now that didn't matter. She had to help Haben, she had to get Ryker off of him. Sure she wasn't bigger then Ryker but she was big enough and heavy enough to make a difference. Her fangs were sharp and could rip through fur just as well as anything else.

"Get away from him!" Kodi snarled as she sprang at Ryker.

[Halo]

The ebonite beast was no expecting the audience to get involved and so isn't prepared when Kodi leaps at him. But he isn't about to be simply shoved out of the way without putting up a fuss about it and grabs for the female, trying to take hold of her in any place he can as he falls to the side, wanting to bring her with him. He claws and bites, feeling but trying to ignore the onslaught of his attackers fangs as they tumble together. Ryker can't hold back the laughter that bubbles forth; he's enjoying himself.

Haben draws in a deep breath of air as Ryker's throttling hold on him is suddenly relieved and he rolls on his sides, coughing and gasping for deprived air. But suddenly the alleviated feeling is replaced by panic as realization sets in, his gaze searching desperately for Kodi. 'No, no, no, no.' He repeats the simple syllable over and over in his mind, momentarily frozen as he watches the two. Fear strikes him, harder than it has ever hit him before, but not for his own safety. Indecision grips him in a vice-like grip causing him to hold back from taking action lest he bring harm to his beautiful Kodi...

His Kodi. A whimper escapes his bruised throat as the thought of losing her occurs to him. She is tough and strong but he worries that Ryker might be too much for her to handle on her own. Should he unleash upon her the powers he hosts within him...no! He won't let it happen. The ivory guardian refuses to allow that demon to hurt her; even if that means turning into a devil himself. The ground rumbles beneath the trio as his rage flares. "Ryker!" he screams, hackles bristling and his blue eyes hardening into the darkest look ever seen in him.
~Ryker/Haben

(OOC: I hope this is okay. My mind died.)

[<3Kodi]

Kodi was glad, oh so glad that she managed to move Ryker from his strangling hold on Haben. If anything became of Haben because of this dark-hearted brute Kodiak would never forgive herself and she knew that all too well. She had put all her weight and possible force into the leap at Ryker. Her paws and fangs struck true, shoving the dark male from Haben. Kodi growled in determination, snapping her fangs at fur and flesh, raking her claws through fur though she didn't know if she struck flesh with mere claws. Her golden eyes burned with determination, glowing with battle-lust as primal fighting instinct took over. Though females had less of a fighting instinct then males, Kodi had lived in a world where no fighting meant no living. To save her own life many times Kodi had forced herself to develop a strong fighting instinct, an urge to make her enemy bleed, to retreat, to fear her. She couldn't do that to Ryker but she could do some damage.

The northern-bred fem barely felt the ground scraping her back as she rolled with the male. His lunatic laugh rang in her ears, feeding her fury. Fangs snapped at her as she fought back. Sharp pains burned all along her forelegs and shoulders but she tried to keep her face clear of Ryker's fangs as well as she could manage. The momentum of the tumbling pair slowed and Kodi writhed wildly, kicking out at Ryker to free herself from the male and roll away. Struggling away from his dark-furred body, Kodi rolled herself onto her belly and levered herself into a standing position, barely two tail-lengths from the big wolf.

Her breath came in gasps, golden sides heaving. Her eyes burned brightly, fangs exposed and tinged slightly pink. A gash colored her right shoulder, whether from fangs or undergrowth she wasn't sure. The fur along her left foreleg was matted and bloody but no cut was visible. The most visible gash ran just behind Kodi's right ear, along her cheek and staining the fur along the side of her face. Kodi's growl died in her throat, attention stolen by Haben, standing and looking surprisingly frightening and powerful.

Subconsciously Kodi backed down from Ryker, stepping away from Haben, suddenly weary of her alpha.

[Halo]

Haben growls low in his chest, eyes focused upon Ryker as the black brute rolls back to his paws and pushes his body back up into the air with ease. He shakes his body, blood splattering from various wounds the female had inflicted but not seeming too bothered as he ignores the discomfort with practiced ease. Besides, what is a little pain and why should it drag him down when he is having so much darn fun? No pain, no gain! But he thinks he's had enough fun for the night. He made himself known and has renewed the war between their packs. That makes this time all worth while.

"Dear, dear Haben. Someone twisting your heartstrings? The bigshot guardian has a new soft spot, doesn't he? It's good to know." He glances in Kodi's direction, wicked amusement lighting up his expression and dazzling even brighter at the warning snarl he gets from his white foe. He 'graciously' steps to the side as Haben trots forward to place himself between Ryker and Kodi, his teeth flashing menacingly in the dark and blue eyes aglow with a strange new light. "Leave," he growls.

Ryker yawns, suddenly taking on the look of someone who is bored to death as he flicks his tail and lowers his head to lick a cut on his ankle. "So stiff and boring, Haben. I will leave, but only because I accomplished what I came to do." He leans to the side so he can see around the alpha, grinning at Kodi. "I will see you around, won't I, my pet?"
~Haben/Ryker

(OOC: Sorry for the lame posts. My brain just doesn't want to output anything decent! AGH!

[<3Kodi]

Kodiak can barely resist the urge to leap on Ryker and rip his throat out. Pet. Nobody has ever called her pet. Jaw clenched, fur bristling and hate flaring alive in her eyes, Kodi snarled sharp and loud at the big male. "Call me pet again and I'll rip your vocal cords out you piece of foxdung!" Kodi snarled. She sounded every bit the part of a seasoned northern-born warrior, rough but final. Her eyes gleamed in the darkness, the blood on her body and pain or the wounds forgotten. She takes a step toward Ryker, head lowered as if ready to strike, judging how much power she would need to take him off his paws again. Hate boiled in her belly, burning her veins as it pumped through her body like a poison. Her tail is raised like an alpha's, her body lowered and ready to spring at Ryker, Haben half forgotten in her blind rage.

The golden fae can feel adrenaline pumping again through her system, her heart bounding in her chest. As she took a step toward Ryker, blood dripped from one of the deeper gashes on her foreleg coloring the ground around her paws. Most of the wounds aren't deep but the gash on her foreleg and the one along her cheek aren't simply scrapes. Kodi doesn't particularly care at this point, focused on how best to kill Ryker, ripping out his vocal cords or skinning him. It's hard to decide.

The fae lashed out, snapping her fangs at Ryker's haunches though she missed, recoiling quickly lest he tried to attack her. She simply wants him to have no doubt in his pea-sized mind that she means business. Circling away from Ryker, Kodi placed herself firmly on Haben's right side, the place of an alphess in a normal pack but Kodi wasn't thinking that right now. On a normal basis she would have blushed and quickly stepped back but her adrenaline and rage made her bolder and less likely to obey old traditions.

[Halo]

Ryker isn't afraid, not in the least. He is enjoying their little game, immensely, and a game isn't something to be scared of. So he doesn't move when she lashes out aggressively towards him, he had already seen that she would draw back before her teeth could find the mark. His lips curl into a wicked, open mouth grin. "It is too bad a pretty thing like you didn't side with the darkness. You'd make a strong ally with all that sass." He watches her take a place on Haben's right side with a knowing eye, an expression that says that he knows something that even the two of them haven't caught onto yet.

Haben does not mind Kodi's taking a place at his side, in fact it feels...right...like it's meant to be. He has to keep his tail from wagging, an inappropriate action in this case. Still, Ryker seems to catch the twitch of the halted motion and a dark chuckle trembles on his lips. "Leave...Ryker...before I must show you out." He brings forth a rolling, warning growl. He glances towards Kodi, something inside him fluttering to have her beside him.

The black male yawns and stands, half turning from the pair with a swish of his tail. "You are boring me now, Haben. I came to remind you...I am still here. My plans have no changed and the feud between us has not ended." He grins and looks between the two wolves standing before him, but lights, but his enemies. Things could get interesting once again; he just has to work hard to rekindle the spirit of the game. "So I came to do what I wanted. Don't forget, Haben...I don't want to have to remind you again."
~Ryker/Haben

(OOC: I lost my brain towards the end. sorry it stinks.)

[<3Kodi]

Kodi remained standing stiffly next to Haben, untrusting gold eyes watching the dark male as he slipped away toward the borders. Her fur remained stiff along her shoulders, lips pulled back to show her fangs and her muscles coiled ready to spring. A deep dislike and hatred for Ryker coiled and lurched in her belly like she'd eaten snakes that were still alive. The farther Ryker went however, the more his scent faded and the more Kodi's growled slowly quieted. After several long minutes Kodi's muscles slowly relaxed under her thick golden coat, lips coming down the cover her fangs. Shifting from a fighting stance to a neutral standing position, Kodi lifted her head. Along her shoulders, Kodiak's fur laid flat again and the darkness began to close in. While her mind had been focused on fighting Ryker and keeping Haben from being hurt, the moonless night had become a distant thing in the back of her mind. Now however, it was all coming back.

Casting around a weary glance and sniffing the wind just to assure herself Ryker was indeed leaving, Kodi slowly sat back on her haunches, still at Haben's right side. Now her fur prickled with the sheer unease of the darkness but Haben was there, seeming to glow even in the moonless night darkness. Subconciously Kodi had angled herself toward Haben, toward his light, his comforting scent and the sheer fact that she wanted him within her sights in case Ryker wasn't gone.

Heaving a sigh, Kodi let it out softly, forcing down her fears and clinging to Haben being near. He wouldn't let Ryker her hurt, she wouldn't let Ryker hurt her so...what was the darkness with Haben there? Harmless. She wouldn't be abandoned this night. Meeting Haben's gaze, Kodi ducked her head, ears laying against her skull in shame.

"I'm sorry I caused so much worry Haben, I shouldn't have run off. If I hadn't perhaps Ryker wouldn't have found me. You wouldn't have been hurt." Kodi raised her gaze just a little, staring guiltily at the red staining his white fur. Red blood smeared her own muzzle, running down the gash on the side of her face, foreleg stinging but she paid the wounds no heed. It was her fault Haben was hurt. Clenching her jaw, Kodi glanced in the direction Ryker had taken. Ryker would pay.