Freedom at a price.

Subject: Re: Freedom at a price. September 5th 2011, 8:38 pm

Willow starts to make the sleeping places, " A year? That must have been hard. " she starts to tuck the moss together so it sticks, " And dogs? Aren't they like us in some way? I always heard my mother talk about them. " she sits, her broken leg sticking out to the side like a silver-gray twig, " How did you learn to fish? I've always wanted to try but in the mountians the water's too cold. " Willow laughs and gets up to make her bed, " I wouldn't believe you would've wanted to be alone before. I mean, you're so nice. "

` beta Posts : 1386 Registered : 2010-06-01

Jay laughs, " I was nice then too but I was on a mission to search for my parents, plus I was still rather angry with the world that they had left me to die...fresh wounds at that time in my life..." he snares another fish and turns to hop back up onto shore where he lay next to both kills before he starts to gnaw at the fish still flopping around in his mouth before dropping it to continue, " And yeah," he looks over to watch her for a few moments as she packed together the moss it would be good for insulating the den that was for sure, " Dogs are similar...about the same language but they're loyal to humans to a fault...Can kick the heck out of a dog and it'll still lick it's owners hand where as the wolf will do anything to try and kill the person harming them...plus they don't mate for life like we do...just breed for the sake of breeding...pretty crazy if you ask me...Oh and my old pack had an omega who taught me how to catch fish, tried to teach me to swim too but I don't take to good to water." he said before going back to his fish and starting to rip strips off and eat.

Subject: Re: Freedom at a price. September 5th 2011, 9:24 pm

Willow finishes, " Dogs are weird. Officially agree with myself. " she laughs, then looks around the den, " So they are just like weird breeding crazy animals? I'm glad I'm a wolf then. " she takes a seat by Jay, " And an omega? My pack never had those. What are they like? " Willow starts to eat a fish

` beta Posts : 1386 Registered : 2010-06-01

Jay was so happy to have a wolf to talk to after so long that his rump began to shake from side to side, he had made a friend and she was reasonable company too. " Well dogs still have some pack mentality to them but I think humans screwed them up to be honest...probably forcing them to live with them so long made them like the humans they live with. Dirty, loud and always wanting to breed." he laughs, it was a joke that had been tossed around the barnyard several times about various different animals on the farm. The horses would joke about the pigs, the dogs about the chickens it had always been those that had lived there for a long time. " Anyways, an omega is just kind of...well the omega just kind of does whatever, whenever...doesn't have to really lead or do much of anything. Just kind of hangs out, but because of that it means they eat last...don't always get the best spots to lay or sleep in but they get by and they do help out occasionally...I'm an Omega..not by choice but just by design now...I mean no tail to ward off territorial males, my crippled fore...not to mention I'm not the most handsome wolf to look at but I can't complain. Even though I may get an easier life from now on..my life was already hard enough on me so that it's really all I want is a relaxed life." he grins having finished off his fish and was licking his chops clean of the raw fish.

Subject: Re: Freedom at a price. September 5th 2011, 9:52 pm

Willow smiles, trying to sound like her old leader, Jagged Rocks, " I shall have no omegas in my pack. I promise that will never happen. " she laughs lightly, " I wouldn't make a good leader. " she looked at Jay, " But I think you would still make a pretty good mate for someone. " her smile grew warmer, " And you're a really good friend. " her tail wags, stiring up the debris on the ground. She kept eating the fish, " Thank you for the food. I've never had fish before. But it's REALLY good! "

` beta Posts : 1386 Registered : 2010-06-01

Jay smiles warmly as he slowly rises to his feet, shaking himself off lightly before sitting next to her waiting for her to finish the meal she was enjoying so much. " I'm glad you are enjoying it. It's the least I could do for your kindness and help." she was kind, the likelihood of a mate in his current condition he knew was none. His fur was rather ratty, the scars covering him left bare spots where no fur ever grew...but at least he had a friend. " You'd make a great leader." and it was true, she seemed to know the ins and outs of a pack for the most part.

Subject: Re: Freedom at a price. September 5th 2011, 10:15 pm

Willow keeps eating the fish, her tail wagging still. Then she looks up at Jay, " How would you ask someone to be your mate? " she offers the rest of her fish to him, " And thanks. My father was the leader of the pack before an accident happened.... "

Subject: Re: Freedom at a price. September 6th 2011, 12:44 am

Willow gets up and stretches, " Good night, Jay. " she walks to her nest and curls up in it

` beta Posts : 1386 Registered : 2010-06-01

Jay wakes having fallen asleep from the full belly and friendly conversation it dawned on him that they were right in the middle when he had zonked out. He shakes his head to rid it of the sleeping feeling and start up the process of rebooting his brain which took at least an hour or so to do every morning...he just wasn't good with mornings. He shivers softly and soft tiny droplets spray out and he realizes he's cold because his fur is damp, so he sits and starts to clean himself. Licking over the scars and fur that made up his body, he thought about catching them some fish for breakfast and his stomach grumbled in agreement with him. So once finished he rose to hop on over to the river and catch them something when he spotted a rabbit munching on a bushes greens, it hadn't seen him yet so he quickly got into some cover and began to stalk it carefully. He would have to be nearly on top of it to have any hopes of gaining enough speed with his crippled leg to catch it and he prayed that he had enough stamina to do such a thing when he sprang forward and bounded after the creature. Again he was amazed at his own speed with missing the use of his front right fore, but heck with it he thought as long as he got that long eared meal he would be satisfied and with one final turn around a tree he snapped his jaws down around the bunny's hinds. He stopped to place his left fore over it and snap its neck before he rose to head back to the den proudly sporting his kill for the whole world to see that he could still take care of himself after all.

Subject: Re: Freedom at a price. September 6th 2011, 4:57 pm

Willow got up and shook small pieces of moss from her pelt, it was tangled and knotted up. She began to groom it, then she looked outside to see Jay carrying the rabbit, " Nice catch! " she walked out with her fur sticking up in all directions. She looked like she had gotten caught in a bramble thicket. " I wish I was as fast as you! " Willow smiled, her tail wagging.

` beta Posts : 1386 Registered : 2010-06-01

Jay smiles and drops the hare to the earth in front of Willow, really the feast was more for her then himself. He was still a bit larger then her and knew that he could miss breakfast and still have the energy he needed to take on more prey come lunch. " I really don't know how I got so fast though." he laughs lightly before nosing the dead rabbit towards her in an effort to show her that it was truly for her. " But it seems like this leg was holding me back." he laughs lightly but it was true, never in his life had he been much for speed or hunting but since he left those humans it was like luck had finally decided to turn to his side for once. " I hope its enough...if not I'll go find us some more." he says with such anticipation in his voice he even sounded some what giddy to have killed the bunny as quickly and effectively as he did.

Subject: Re: Freedom at a price. September 10th 2011, 11:13 pm

Willow smiles back, " Well, you are certainly fast enough to catch a fox! " she places her paw on the kill. " Thank you, and if you want some we could share. " she looks at his crippled fore leg, " So how did that happen? " she puts her nose on it gingerly

` beta Posts : 1386 Registered : 2010-06-01

Jay rips free a leg from the carcass and starts to eat when she gently touches her nose to his fore, it didn't hurt or anything it was just kind of stuck like that. When he finally got past swallowing down the meat he had so quickly stripped off and started to eat he finally opens his maw to respond to the question, " Well first I was shot by a human, he thought it would be fun to make me target practice while he was drunk off of moonshine and whiskey. After that it became infected, no thanks to me I'm sure because at that point I had much given up hope even on my life and wasn't cleaning the wound. So they had some guy cut out the bullet and after it was all said and done with healing...well this is how it turned out just stuck I guess but nothing makes it move and if ya pull at it too hard it hurts...trust me those humans tried everything to make it look right but this is how it works for me now so I accept it....plus I think it looks good with the no tail thing going on too." he laughs lightly having jested about his own appearance before he went back to working on the leg he had taken for his small breakfast. It was okay though, he was willing to go hunting again. " And I certainly don't think I'm anywhere near as fast as a fox, now they can move." he tells her, however unaware of his speeds capabilities he was rather certain he couldn't catch a fox but with her saying it now his mind started to wonder if he really could.

Subject: Re: Freedom at a price. September 11th 2011, 11:55 am

Willow's ears perk, " So a human shot you for a practice target, then tried to heal you? " she was interested and scared of this story, " But I think having no tail is pretty cool. It makes you unique in your own way. Like my leader, Jagged Rocks, his left fore paw was twisted. It made him unique. Although Rushing River said he was to be a medicine wolf... " she smiles. she closed her eyes and started to remember the past, " And I really think you could catch any prey you feel like, we should try to get a fox! " her tail wags slightly thinking of that.

` beta Posts : 1386 Registered : 2010-06-01

Jay smiles and nods, " Okay...but I just chased a rabbit down and I didn't smell any foxes around here...in fact..." he puts his nose slightly up into the air to snort in the air a few times to pick up any scents that might be lingering in the misty air. " I hardly smell any prey in these parts at all...maybe we should think about moving on to try to find some foxes or whatever may come our way because then we'll be sure to find a den I would think...more animals more deserted homes right?" he asks thinking his mind was on the right track.

Subject: Re: Freedom at a price. September 11th 2011, 2:05 pm

Willow jumps up from her seat, " Then you're right! " she chases her tail awkwardly with her broken leg, " We should think about moving along, " she sits down and looks at Jay, " Do you know where we could go? And that's right, more animals, more deserted homes. " her eyes flashed with joy at the thought of moving around

` beta Posts : 1386 Registered : 2010-06-01

Jay nods over towards the river, " We should follow the river. At least that way we'll still have fish just in case we don't come up with anything else while we're getting out of this forest because I don't think much lives here cause of how dark it is all of the time...and it has just a chill in the air that cuts to my bones and it freaks me out a bit...last time I felt like that I got caught by humans so I suggest we find our way out of here quickly." he suggests to the fae, he really had no clue where to go but the river had to dump out somewhere and he knew there was no river where he had just come except that it might lead down to this forest from the mountains...where instead they would follow the current out away from the farmlands.

Subject: Re: Freedom at a price. September 11th 2011, 2:40 pm

Willow skips toward the river and laps up some water, " That's a great idea! I never would have thought of that. " she jumps in, splashing around the shallows, " It freaks me out a little too, but yet again, it reminds me of the mornings I would train with Falling Limb. " she smiles slightly, " He would train with me at the crack of dawn! Mist would be circling everywhere, it seems so usual. But the cold cuts through my fur unlike the chill from the breezes in the mountains. "

` beta Posts : 1386 Registered : 2010-06-01

(Just realized I'm using two of the same colors in some of my posts so just gonna switch over to black for Jay from now on.)

Jay hops after her slowly, " Now wait up...your leg seems to be injured so lets just take it slow. Besides saving our energy in case we're attacked wouldn't be such a bad idea either. We aren't exactly off the meal list of a bear or any cougar should they venture into these woods or we happen upon them once we're out." he tells her, besides he had just gotten done chasing down a rabbit after all and needed to save some of his strength and it was far easier just to take it slow and steady with him. " So, what would you hunt when you were taken out on these hunts exactly?" he asks trying to stir up a bit of conversation since they had a long walk ahead of them...or at least that's what he figured but it was hard to tell as there was still not a sign of sunlight anywhere.

Subject: Re: Freedom at a price. September 11th 2011, 11:51 pm

( alright then. )

Willow's eyes widen, " I forgot about cougars and bears, " she laughs lightly, " When we would hunt, we would usually catch some snowshoe hare or caribou. The hunters were like nomads, they would migrate with the herds of caribou and bring a few back every day. If they were late, we apprentices would go hunt some hare or weak baby caribou. But I'm already a delta, I just haven't had my naming ceremony, so in the eyes of The Pack or Screaming Spirits, I'm still an apprentice. " then she looks at her leg, " Oh yeah, it's permenatly injured I think... It's a work in progress still... "

` beta Posts : 1386 Registered : 2010-06-01

Jay nods, " Then its better to keep trying to use it like normal like you have been...however slow and steady is what's best I think unless you wish to scout ahead just a few feet so we can continue talking but will give us an advantage if we do run into any one of those predators...and your family sounds wonderful, we may even have grown up close to each others territories if you come from the same mountains I did. But I can say we never had any deltas." he continues the conversation they were having very interested in keeping they both busy since they had this long walk ahead of them. Besides it was very interesting the life she came from before finding him here, it was easy to forget that ones life could take many different paths however one's born into the life you're given and he knew he had to make the best of it. " We did have something of a family structure but....well it was not as nearly as connected as it seems yours is...I bet your pack is looking for you, they seem like the type to come looking for you unless there were pups to keep safe." he offers up, maybe he should take her back to the mountains, perhaps there was a way around those humans because it sounded like she had a very wonderful family waiting for her.

Subject: Re: Freedom at a price. September 12th 2011, 5:04 pm

Willow shrugs, " Yeah, that may be best. " she stretches it out making it pop quietly. " But my family was pretty rough too, like the pups would attack someone as a whole... Maybe some were meant to be deltas. The senior deltas were really strong... So what was your pack called? " she smiles warmly, " And the Pack of Falling Stars killed my entire pack... I don't believe that any of my family is left... I barely escaped without them killing me... " then she flicks a paw, a nervous habit she could never break, " And we never really protected the pups... The mother's had that job. And your pack didn't have any deltas? That's pretty unique! "

` beta Posts : 1386 Registered : 2010-06-01

Jay shrugs, wincing when he had heard the pop come from her leg as it sent a terrible pain shooting through his own fore. " We didn't really call ourselves anything...my dad and mom always told me that it was originally just one wolf...my father who was a loner and he brought together a group of loners who had found themselves together...just lucky circumstance as I was told but my mother always gave my father credit for being Alpha. Even though there were a few different alpha's in the group." he said clambering forward and continuing the conversation further. " It made for a lot of fighting in amongst ourselves towards the end when they abandoned me to my own fate...my mother hadn't wanted to leave me but it had been the decision of the pack in the end...your family sounds great, I've never heard of such things as senior deltas or anything like that but when it comes to pups our family wouldn't have been bothered to protect them because without any of them there is no future...pups can't make it alone was the thought behind that one was always my guess." he tells her, " Tell me more about your family...they sound much better then my own."

Subject: Re: Freedom at a price. September 12th 2011, 8:13 pm

Willow hugs Jay, " Faith lead us together then, I probably wouldn't have been able to survive this long without your cleaverness. So your pack was just a bunch of alphas and loners? That's pretty cool if I say so myself! " her eyes were sypathetic looking, " And I guess pups didn't mean that much to my family if only their mother's could protect them... Even the elders protected the helpless... But I mean my family was pretty crazy... Jagged Rocks was loseing his mind before the accident happened. " she shudders, the fur along her back rising, " And then we didn't have an Alpha after that... The deputy was killed, and we were left scrambling to figure out everything... Then Rushing River went to the Pack of Screaming Spirits and they told her we were in a time of great danger... Everyone was so scared... Then the Pack of Falling Starts came and everyone was killed... I think only I survived. But I think of you as my family now. " she smiles at him in a friendly way

` beta Posts : 1386 Registered : 2010-06-01

Jay smiles, " Well thank you. You're a pretty good friend for sticking by me and helping me out. I know that just by being with you my odds of surviving have increased ten fold so I hope you know how much that means to me..." he snorts in the air with his nose taking in scents wanting to know how much further it was 'til they would be free from the dark forest as he rather enjoyed the sun and hoped they could still catch it before it disappeared for the night.