Sands of time....(Kodi)

[<3Kodi]

Eve blinked as the pup ran up next to the white male and barked out several strange questions. Eveningstar looked down at herself, silky fur all clean and cared for, she still had her tail, both ears, all four legs. She wasn't tall or unnaturally colored, just very light misty silver. Eve smiled at the pup, a young fae about to jump into adulthood from the look of her. "Well, I'm a wolf like you" Eveningstar barked. "I just look a little different." Eve looked up at Soul. "Soul is it? Is she yours?"

Under his fur Soul blushed deep scarlet and was almost sure he was glowing pink. Oh of all the things for Mirage to ask. Now the fae probably thought he didn't teach her anything about other wolves. This was partially why he had considered taking her to a pack. Living as a loner she didn't run into others a lot. To silence his ward, Soul flicked his tail over her muzzle in a signal for silence. "My name is Soul" he confirmed, inclining his head, his voice neutral and eyes guarded. "The pup isn't mine, merely fostered. Is there some reason you're here?"

The fae nodded in understanding. "My name is Eveningstar, call me Eve and I smelled the kill." She nodded toward the deer. "If you were going to leave it..."

Soul nodded and stepped aside, herding Mirage along with him. "Of course, the kill is yours" he barked, inclining his head.

Eveningstar smiled and headed toward the kill, Soul following. As the fae sank her fangs into the meat, Soul sat back on his haunches. "I'm sorry about the pup's manners, she doesn't meet others often. It's my fault."

"No harm done, she's quite a curious one" Eve barked, turning her bright gaze to Mirage. "Is this your kill?" she asked, flicking her tail at the buck. Soul watched Mirage, curious to see how she would react around another, older fem. It was a learning experience for them both but Eve didn't seem to mind curious pups or rude comments so hopefully her patience would remain.

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"Well I see your a wolf now I thought you were deer before my eyes must be playing tricks with my puppish mind" Mirage said. She turned her brown eyes to Soul who looked like he was blushing something fierce jeez what was so special about this fae nothign that she could see sure she had manners and looks. Whatever it was Mirage felt a tinge of jealousy and bristled slightly. She felt Souls tail flick her mouth and she gave him a glare that said fully well she was not happy. She wasnt used to more company and this fae wasnt exactly high on her list. Eveningstar she needed to walk off the side of a cliff and stay there and a smile formed on her face man then she and Soul could continue their game of tag. Since it was so rudely interrupted she rolled her eyes and lazily followed after Soul and the fae. So he was gonna feed the imposter too and it was her kill which made her bristle even more making her lips move. If you sat near her you could probably feel all the negative energy radiating off her. When Eve spoke to her Mirage straightened her spine and considered to stop glaring holes in the fae back and spoke "yes its my kill enjoy it" she said rather grumpily.

[<3Kodi]

"She's a late hunter but a good one" Soul barked to Eve, his tail coming up to whack Mirage in the back of the head before whisking away in case she tried to snap at it. He could practically see the waves of bad energy Mirage was radiating and he sent her a warning glare that said quite plainly that she was to behave. It was time she learned how to deal with others of her own kind and gender no less. She'd been around Soul too long and males, Soul included, were known to let manners go lax after a while. It was time Mirage shaped up and she was at the right age to start learning. Besides, Mirage needed other friends so maybe Soul could sleep in a little every now and then.

"Late hunter?" Eveningstar inquired.

"Most start their first year. I let it go too long" Soul barked. "Her hunting and her manners obviously need a little work but..."

Eveningstar let out a soft laugh, not mocking but still a laugh. "There's nothing wrong with her. Not all of us are raised like alpha pups. Besides, if I know a mountain wolf anywhere I'd say you were one. It's required to start hunting earlier. Here it's not so hard, it's easier for adults to provide for youngsters."

Eve had good intentions she really did and Soul could tell but something in his gut told him Mirage would take it as mocking. He cast a glance at his young ward, hoping she'd hold her tongue. Sadly, this was Mirage they were talking about and she never held her tongue, with Soul or anyone else. His hopes sank as he saw Mirage's mood seemed only on a downward track and gaining speed. Please let her behave, Soul begged whoever was listening. Quite sadly, Soul knew his hopes were in vain. He knew Mirage had a touchy and prissy temper, quick to blow. He inched away just a little incase his companion was about to blow.

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Mirage growled low for only her ears. Who did the fae think she was coming in here eating her kill and now making fun of her cause she was a late hunter. Her hackles rose her lips twitched with very high irritation. Her body shook as she tried to contain the nasty comment that was bubbling to her lips. It had gotten very quiet all eyes were on Mirage must be because nature knew her all to well. Damn hormones made her like a mood swing teenager one minute happy and bubbly and then the next minute she wanted her way and made she sure got it but this fae was making her feel different emotion ranging from jealousy to pure embaressment. Now here she was talking about being an alpha pup and she was oh so great how come she was reduced down to scavenging from other wolves she probably didnt want to break a nail and Mirage was trying to keep her mouth shut but it was not helping at all. Great now she was calling her a mountain wolf wonder if she was gonna call Mirage a hermit while she was at it. Anger was growing and stirring inside Mirage mouth and she tried to hold her tongue and she gave a spiteful glare in Souls direction kind of an apology but still nevertheless pist. "you...you little miss tooshoo coming up in here like you own the place well atleast I hunted you came in here like you owned the place to scavenge on my kill you asked Soul to eat but you really should have asked me" she snapped rather harshly. "Now here you come up talkin about Alpha pup my parents were alphas however I do not appreciate being referred to an a mountain wolf I prefer the term timber" she growled her eyes spitting fire at her. Yep her mouth had run away with her once more.

[<3Kodi]

Soul let out a long low groan, closing his eyes and laying his ears against his head. Oh he would seriously have to culture Mirage more then he had in the past. Forcing his eyes open, Soul stood up and stood between a slightly startled Eveningstar and a seething Mirage, casting the fem an apologetic look. "Ignore her, she's young, doesn't know that mountain wolves are nothing to be ashamed of nor or they an insult." He glanced sharply behind him at Mirage. "Which pack were your parents from?" he asked, trying to keep Mirage quiet and derive Eve from being insulted.

"Kuron Valley but they're gone now. Forest fire" Eve barked, still a bit surprised at Mirage's little outburst but it took a lot to offend her. Yes she scavenged but so did every other loner. It saved energy and made sure no kill went to waste. She was a bit surprised Soul hadn't told Mirage that. Oh well. Eveningstar recovered her calm and met Soul's gaze.

The ivory brute dipped his head. "My pack was a neighbor to yours though they too are gone. Massacre. Just two survivors. That whole valley went to hellfire from what I've heard after I left. I'm sorry for your loss but we have to be leaving."

Eveningstar inclined her head, bright eyes saddened. "I am sorry to hear of such bloodshed. I think it's time I leave as well." Rising to her paws, Eve touched her muzzle to Soul's and turned, heading away into the trees.

Soul stood rigid in front of Mirage, trying to get his anger under control. It wasn't working. Oh this pup would give him high blood pressure then a heart attack one of these days. Taking a deep breath, Soul turned to look at his ward, his eyes icy and his jaw set in a firm glare. After a long drawn out moment Soul turned and stalked away from Mirage, legs stiff, tail and hackles bristling in irritation. If he opened his mouth now he would never stop yelling but it was getting hard to restrain his anger. Really it was his own fault. This was why Mirage needed a pack, to know customs and terms and things that only you could learn from a pack, thinks Soul didn't think to teach her. Soul didn't look around for Mirage. Didn't care if she followed. He was furious and he hoped she knew it.

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Oh she was seething and restraining herself from snapping anymore. Her hackles were on end and her lips was raised showing her sharpe pearly whites. Sure she needed things to be told to her straight not particularly to piss her off even more the female Eve handnt know Mirage had a quick temper and tended to snap and Soul knew he had warned her and she still let her mouth run off with her which made her a bad wolf. Plus she was still trying to fix her hormones which were raging and causing her ti snap at stupid things. Hearing their stories she kept her mouth shut sure hers were all dead some from starvation some from rabies and even some from guns. When the fae left she felt a burden lift off her shoulders and she sighed seeing the white brute in front of her she stood her ground and returned that exact same look he gave her she was being so defiant. Even if he wanted her in a pack she wouldnt go he would probably wind of killing her she was like a leech and a major thorn in his side. She let him go his own way and she turned and stalked the other negative energy rocketing off her body. Angry growls and snarls coming off the energetic quick tempered fae.

[<3Kodi]

Soul felt like he was closed off in his own world, sounds muffled by his anger. It had been many years since Soul had been this mad. As he stalked through the forest the brute came to an abrupt stop. His head raised, his eyes cleared and his ears went up. Wait a second...Soul looked at his paws, thinking fast. When was the last time he had been so mad? His stormy eyes narrowed. Images flashed in his mind, going in no particular order.

He was snarling at his dad. Running off into the forest. Night fell. Howl ran after him. Soul snarled at Howl, sent him away. Dawn came. Soul went back. His eyes fell on bloodied bodies, bits of fur all over the clearing and blood running like flooded rivers. The stench of the dead floated up from the back of Soul's memory making the male gag. Blood. Death. Bodies. Corpses. His family. That was what his anger had brought about last time.

Soul's eyes widened and he looked around, suddenly feeling quite alarmed. His fur prickled uneasily. The forest was silent all around. Whether that was in his head or actual silence, Soul wasn't sure but it didn't help his nerves. His rage was gone, replaced by fear that bordered on panic. What if the same thing happened to Mirage? Could he bury another corpse? Soul didn't think so but...through body language he had all but told Mirage to get lost. His tail drooped, almost tucking but not quite though in the position of a clearly unhappy wolf.

He hadn't done right by Mirage, now he knew it. He hadn't taught her the way he should have but instead let her more or less have free reign of what she did while he acted as a physical shield from outsiders. It was his fault she was like she was, why she had acted so rudely to Eveningstar. She didn't know that wolves conversed with adults, the eldest rather then whomever had brought the kill. She didn't know the little things, little gestures in wolf culture. It was his fault. Walking slowly, Soul headed toward a brook and sat at its bank. Turning his muzzle skyward the white brute let out a miserable howl, the sound echoing off the trees and scaring a few larks from their nest.

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Mirage shook her head anger spilling out of saying curses and such words that were not meant to be audible. They were hateful and spiteful all directed at the fae. Her mind was else where when she heard the snapping of a twig and she smiled maybe it was SOul here she was thinking she had been left to deal with her own. She lifted her head with a snide comment her harks perked and tail erected but instead of Soul she met those oh so familiar amber eyes the the kitty cat looks. Hackles rose and so did her lip danger was all that little bell in her head was saying and so was the little red flag that went up in her mind. She turned quickly and let out a viscious snarl and the cat pounced making Mirage yelp and growl tearing into flesh and all else tasting her own blood and the cats as well as they tore at each other a large fight of two predators. It was the same cat as before for it held the wounds Soul had inflicted on the cat however Mirage didnt run t his time Soul wasnt here to save her so she fought for her life and she did it valiantly.

[<3Kodi]

Harks perked. Soul looked around wearily, his fur prickling. The forest was still too still, too quiet. The ravens weren't cawing, no hawks overhead. No songbirds. The brook bubbled not three inches from his front paws but that was the only sound and even that seemed muffled. Unease bubbled up in Soul's belly but he didn't move, simply stood still and frozen, listening intently. Swinging his head to the wind, Soul drew in a deep breath. The faint smell of something familiar yet unfamiliar prickled his nose making his unease grow. Soul took a step forward as if led by an invisible leash and collar, retracing his steps toward where Eveningstar and Mirage had had their little standoff with him in the middle.

Soul sniffed the wind again, his mind flicking through various scents until...A memory resurfaced. Mirage as a whelp running full speed toward him, a huge cat hot on her heels. Panic flared through Soul as he recognized the scent. Without thinking the big white wolf took off running, following Mirage's scent trail. Of course. His anger led to abandonment. Abandonment led to death.

Letting out a growl of frustration more at himself then at Mirage and ran at full speed toward where Mirage had stalked off. His paws thudded heavily on the ground but the scent was getting stronger. Soul coiled his muscles and sprang, propelling himself through a screen of bracken and onto the back of a large cougar. Soul growled and sank his fangs into the cat's scruff, throwing his weight backwards and throwing himself to the ground to haul the cat from Mirage, catching a glimpse of his charge's sandy brown fur.

The cat let out a surprised snarling yowl that was ringing familiarly in Soul's ears. Letting a growl rumble in his chest, Soul sprang to his paws, snapping his jaws a whisker's width from the cat's fanged muzzle. The cat snarled and lunged, hooked claws extended. Soul's stormy eyes widened and he couldn't back off in time. The cat's weight hit him hard, knocking him off balance. With a sharp yelp the male tumbled with the feline. Sharp claws dug into his belly drawing a howl of pain from his maw. Writhing wildly, now instinct kicking in and telling him to get away, Soul kicked out at the mountain cat's belly. He sank his fangs into its shoulder but the big cat shook him off and sprang away leaving Soul limp on his side, blood trickling from jagged cuts on his belly.

A snarl continued to rumble in Soul's chest but his eyes were hazy. Hauling himself up, Soul wildly jumped at the wild cat to try and divert it from Mirage, intent to keep her safe. The cat's paw whipped out, strucking Soul around the head and sending the male tumbling to the ground. This time he didn't get up. He heard the cat snarling but the sound was muffled. Soul let out a whine that sounded like a beaten dog, his head thudding in time with his heartbeat, his vision blurry and ears ringing. When he raised his head to the lion looming over him, he saw three heads and couldn't focus.

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Mirage was trying to use her head carefully the cat had startled her out of her senses. However now some of her mind was back and it was worried when she smelt her own blood mingled with the large cats. Mirage growled loudly shaking her large dial feeling skin rip apart in between her canines. However she heard it the sound of paws hitting the ground she figured it another cat and said a silent prayer to give her strength to make it out of there alive so she could see Soul again. Next thing she knew the weight on top of her grew heavier and she grunted letting the cat go pulling herself out from under the bulk seeing just in time Soul take on the cat. He seemed to be doing fair with his age and the cat was stronger and larger must have been young the last time they had met up two years ago. When Soul seemed to have his senses knocked out and the cat was coming in for the kill Mirage panicked and came at the large cat headbutting it knocking it away from Soul with a loud growl she stood her ground fangs flashing. The cat lunged only to swipe air and to feel the deadly sting of Mirages fangs on the she cats rump. Mirage was stalling hopefully giving Soul time to get his wits about him. Mirage hesitated for just one moment to look back and check on Soul and the cat played dirty my swiping Mirage on her lower jaws sending her sprawling out on her side. Mirage moaned and hurried back to her feet coming back at the cat she was going to feel all her pretty little bruises in the morning. She grabbed the cat by its ear and yanked with all her might hearing the tender catiladge ripping and the cat yowling in pain.

[<3Kodi]

Everything was a blur, the trees and the ground, the sky a distant smudge of blue. Soul shook his head to try and right his vision but if anything it made it worse. Dizziness made his head spin and his stomach roll. The cat must have made him hit his head pretty good. Soul groaned and squeezed his eyes closed. I don't have time for this! I have to help Mirage! Soul snarled and snapped his eyes open. He saw Mirage battling with the big cat nearby. Struggling a little and wincing the brute got his paws under him, forcing himself halfway into a standing position. Coiling the muscles in his haunches, Soul tried to aim as best he could with his wavering vision. Hit the cat not Mirage. Hit the cat not Mirage.

Ignoring the pain shooting through his underside and his ear-splitting headache, Soul launched himself at the feline. His fangs met fur, his paws shoving the furball away from Mirage. Soul almost gagged on the horrid taste of metallic cat blood but forced his jaws to lock on the animal, determined to not let go. The cat let out a piercing yowl of pain and tried to shake him loose. Claws scraped along his back but Soul hung on. His hind legs hit the ground. Soul kicked off the ground, shoving the cat off balance, his jaws locked around the cat's throat.

The cat yowled and tumbled, taking Soul with it. Soul raked his claws as best he could on any part of the cat he could get to which wasn't much. Still, the cat's struggles were getting weaker. Soul felt a heavy paw whack his head again but as darkness flickered over his eyes he held onto the cat. The wildcat got to its paws, Soul forced his body to be limp, just clinging to the cat with his fangs on its throat. The cat struggled with his weight, trying again in vain to shake him off. Soul finally released the cat, scrambled to his paws and jumped forward at the cat again, this time taking it clean off its paws. The pair rolled once or twice before coming to a stop near the base of an oak. The cat was limp and on top of it was Soul, his fur a mess with streaks of red, leaves littered here and there, his eyes closed and jaws bloody.

A set of shallow gashes marred his side, the cuts on his belly deeper and still bleeding but other then that his wounds were minor apart from a good bonk on the head but still, he couldn't force himself to wake up. The dark was nice and comforting...quiet...pulling him deeper down....was this what his family had felt before they died? But...he wasn't dying right? Just...a little....sleepy....

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Everything happened so fast Soul didnt want teamwork so he decided to take on the large cat again. Mirage let him she was feeling alittle woosy herself. She growled and watched as finally the tousle came to a halting stop. She licked her cut lips and her eyes widened at the scene before her and her heat dropped he wasnt dead was he the cat she didnt really care for however Soul she deeply cared for. She came foreward tripping slightly to inspect his wounds nothing to bad that wouldnt heal without of tlc. She looked at his head little bloody as well probably a slight concussion. Her brows furrowed he didnt need to be asleep it spelled certain death for him. She spoke softly she knew he probably had a splotting headache like she did and he was probably in more than enought pain "Soul can you hear me wake up you cant sleep now wake up dont leave me mister Soul" she said rasping her pink tongue over his face hopefully waking him in her attempts. She sighed and nudged him with her head tears brimming her eyes she couldnt loose him not like she did her family however she was young and didnt know what to do. She was not prepared for these kind of things that just happened ot be fate.

[<3Kodi]

The darkness was very inviting. It brought a strange sort of numbness to previously stinging wounds. It was nice...Soul let himself drift but then something whispered in his ear making the appendage flick. "Don't leave.." That was all Soul heard but the voice sounded familiar but muffled as if he'd stuck his head underwater. Soul's head twitched in the direction of Mirage's voice. "Howl...I'm right here..." Soul mumbled, mistaking Mirage for his twin. The words felt wrong though...Like he was saying them to the wrong person, which he was but was unaware of. The darkness seemed to be thinning and it didn't feel like he was so far underwater. The white male groaned as the burning sting of his cuts came back like a knife in the gut. It felt like someone had smashed his head against a rock and his brains should be coming out but oddly he was sure they weren't.

Despite his eyelids feeling like they weighed a ton a piece, Soul forced them to part. He flinched as sunlight assaulted his eyes and tried to drop back into the darkness again. He wasn't dead. Howl wasn't there. He was laying on something that smelled destinctly of cat and blood, not a good combination. Soul pushed away from the thing he was on and rolled off the cat's body with a pained groan as his wounds protested to the motion and his head spun.

Forcing his eyes open again, Soul looked around for Mirage. When he found her sandy-furred figure it took a moment for his eyes to focus on her and to get rid of her double. He knew for a fact there was only one Mirage. After all, two would kill him. The older wolf let out a soft snort. "Didn't I tell you not to play with cats?" Soul barked tiredly, his eyes droopy but a slight smile on his maw. Mirage was ok, a little battered but ok and defiantly alive.

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Howl who the hell was Howl. She frowned down at the dreaming or hallucinating Soul. She snuffled about him and finally saw his eyes open and she grinned least he wasnt dead that for sure but how was he he seemed in pain thats was for sure he moaned and groaned in voice she never even knew he had. She waved her baner lightly licking his face softly in sweet puppy kisses. She laid down on her tender belly tilting her head blocking the suns rays from his tender eyes. "Didnt anyone ever tell you about teamwork" she retorted back. She laid her head on her paw letting her little black nose connet with his grinning ear to ear like a monkey. She looked around her for a moment after lifting her head making sure the cat was indeed dead which it was however she was glad it was dead it was like t he past coming back to haunt them. "How you feeling " she asked him softly not wanting to make his head hurt. She looked to his wounds and then went to them licking each one affectionatly it would help to clean the wounds out and perhaps let it heal alot quicker.

[<3Kodi]

Soul snorted softly. Teamwork. Right. Three years as a loner, two more as a headstrong pack wolf overruled his mere two years with Mirage. Even with Howl he had never really bothered with teamwork, always acting like a mortal shield between his brother and anything else that might hurt him. That was just how Soul operated and thanks to a fairly relaxed lifestyle, Mirage wasn't highly aware of that fact which suited Soul just fine. The big wolf just laid still and let her lick at his face and the cuts though he flinched now and then when one cut would sting or she'd poke a tender spot with her curious little nose. The male heaved a sigh and moved his head a little to keep his eyes in Mirage's shadow.

"I feel like I've been mauled by a cougar" he grumbled. "Either that or like Howl pushed me into the river. I'm sure after all these years it would feel the same."

Soul let his eyelids droop, thinking back to the river that had run through his old packlands. Howl had shoved him into the river when he had messed up Howl's fishing by coming up and scaring his brother. Soul had fallen in the water and swept off to the rapids which weren't really bad rapids but he had gotten tossed around a bit before his father had fished him out. He'd ended up bruised and banged up, unable to leave the healer for at least a half moon. It had been highly annoying because then he couldn't get back at his "little" brother.

Blinking his eyes open, Soul looked over at Mirage. "Are you alright?" he asked, stretching his neck out to poke his nose gently through her fur, parent's reassurance that his pup was alright. He rasped his tongue over her muzzle, sniffing here or there when he caught blood scent, using his tongue to wash away the metallic smell.