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Post by Picasso on Sept 18, 2013 11:55:36 GMT
Zen MactíreTwo figures trudged through the slushy snow. It was nearly the end of winter, and as the weeks went past, the temperature gradually warmed. The black wolf, Orion, was built for climates like this, but even he was sick of the constant snow slowing him down. He could no longer camouflage himself in the whiteness of snow. His ebony fur stuck out like a sore thumb. He was awful at hunting in the middle of winter, and often had to rely on the rest of his pack to bring him food. That was why he was never placed on any hunting missions at this time of year, which annoyed him. He felt useless, incapable. Nevertheless, he and the other canine, Kai, had been placed on a different sort of mission. Ryu was being careful not to place Kai on anything too dangerous, which Orion would be furious about if it had been him. However, as he looked over at the half-blind, limping canine, Orion knew she wasn't that useful for anything anymore. They were searching for someone. A valuable member of the pack had disappeared two days ago without a trace. It was up to them to find him. Orion had a bad feeling the canine was dead, because why would he vanish without telling anyone? However, they were determined to find him, dead or alive. Orion didn't personally know the dog they were looking for, the his scent was easy enough to pick up near the Industrial Site. He and Kai had begun to follow his scent, which had led them here. The underground network of tunnels and rails. The wolf warily glanced at his companion. He and Kai had never been close, but they shared a mutual hatred for someone; Valkyrie. Since the coward had left the pack, Orion had loathed his sister's existence. How dare she leave the pack she was born and bred in?! Gravity would be turning in his grave if he saw how pathetic his daughter had become. "Looks like he's down here," Orion muttered gruffly, "At least, what's left of him." He wasn't a pessimist to be exact... more a realist. Why would a Tempest member be hiding down in these tunnels unless he'd been chased and murdered? Descending down the icy steps, Orion squinted into the darkness. The roof had crumbled in places, bringing rays of light to illuminate the tunnels. As they made their way to a platform, a train lay stationary, rusting and empty. He jumped down in front of the train and begun to walk down the tunnel, hoping Kai was close behind. As they walked, the silence begun to make Orion uncomfortable. He hesitated, wondering what they should talk about. They didn't have much in common. "I heard you at the meeting last month," He spoke up, his voice suddenly sounding very loud with the echoes, "You're opposed to the idea of taking cats prisoner..." It wasn't a question. He wasn't sure where he was going with it. But that had been the last time Orion had seen Kai, and he was awkwardly out of the loop. He decided to try a different path, "I gather you won't be taking part in the battle. Do you miss fighting?" Orion wasn't sure how much of a sensitive subject it was, but he was struggling. He didn't know why Kai and Valk had been such good friends. Orion didn't have friends. He didn't know what friends were like, or how it felt to love them. Was Orion missing out? Glancing at Kai, Orion decided friends hurt you. Valk had hurt Kai. "Do you miss her? Valk, I mean." |
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Post by Zen on Sept 20, 2013 1:17:10 GMT
The first few weeks after her return to Tempest, when she had been something of a celebrity around the packlands and the story of her survival was all anyone could talk about, Kai had felt appreciated. Maybe even loved. But now her fifteen minutes of fame were over, and nobody was interested in the life of a crippled, ugly ex-soldier anymore. Nobody except Ryu; he was the only dog she thought had understood and respected her. She had firmly believed he was the leader Tempest needed - strong and tactical, yet level-headed and warm-hearted. But then the meeting came. Now, because of him, Tempest would be sharing their land and precious resources with their sworn enemy. What did it matter if the cats would be prisoners and slaves? Whatever you called them, it didn't change the fact that Iris was going to be living with Tempest. The very thought made Kai want to retch.
Since that meeting, she had disconnected herself from everyone and everything. Kai could find nothing to replace the hole that losing Valkyrie, her leg and now her faith in Ryu had left in her heart. Hiding away from the world and focusing only on herself felt right. Yet no matter what she thought of her leader, she was still obligated to obey him. Maybe his intentions for sending her on this mission had been good and he just wanted to make her feel useful, but she didn't care. She wanted nothing to do with Ryu right now. So she told herself this was for Tempest, not him.
Keeping up with Orion as he made his way through the tunnels wasn't hard; it was only running and maneuvering that she struggled with. The scent of their target became clearer, and Kai had the same sinking feeling this mission would not end happily. Was there any place more suited for a murder than this dark, dank place? She began to imagine all the possibilities of how he'd been killed when her companion decided to strike up a conversation. Kai turned her eye toward him, surprised. They'd barely spoken a word to one another this entire trip. “Yeah, I am,” she answered firmly, though not rudely. “Nothing's going to change my mind about that. The way to end a war is through obliterating your enemy, not through letting your enemy live so that they can take up your space and eat your food.”
Kai shook her head after he then asked about her role in the impending battle. “Fighting was my life. It was all I knew. When the Iris Pride took my leg and my eye, they also took away the thing that made me...me.” Her voice died down to a whisper. Saying she missed fighting was the understatement of the year, but she wasn't mad at Orion for the question. He didn't know her, or how she felt. Was that why he was asking her this stuff? Did he really want to understand her, or was he only trying to break the silence? She knew nothing about him except for his reputation. Not many other dogs seemed to like him. But at least he was a loyal soldier, and he knew his duties to his pack. Unlike...
“Valk,” Kai repeated, her voice flat and full of loathing. She remembered the day vividly. How she had looked all over for her old friend, wanting to apologize for how she had treated Valk on the day they had reunited. She regretted her attitude and had hoped maybe they could go back to the way things used to be. But then she found out Valk was abandoning Tempest, and all thoughts of apology vanished. “The girl I gave up everything for? The same girl who then went and betrayed the ones responsible for saving her life?” She felt her muscles tense with anger. She knew what she wanted to say, but it wouldn't be the truth. She paused long enough to let out a heavy sigh. “...I do, sometimes. I think about the happy memories we had, and I miss her.” She knew she was admitting that to herself just as much as to Orion. While she hated Valkyrie far more than she missed her, there was still a place in her heart for her former best friend, and there would probably always be one. She glanced again at the wolf next to her, curiously. “What about you? I know you guys never got along, but she was still your family...do you ever think about her and feel sad about how things turned out?”
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Post by Picasso on Sept 25, 2013 16:07:49 GMT
ooc: Zen I decided to have another post, seeing as Mac won't be back for a while ^^ bic: Orion listened to Kai's answer about taking cat's prisoner. He was torn. On one paw, he desperately wanted to make the cats pay for what had happened to countless canines over the last eight years. However, he also didn't want them crowding the pack. Whilst they would most likely take over the Iris lands, and gain half the city, he didn't want to be riddled with their scent. Kai had a good point - how dare they steal their hard-earned food?! Orion helped hunt with the rest of them, and during the winter months, even the best of hunters and trackers struggled to find food. Orion wouldn't let them feed the disgusting cats morsels of food when there were other dogs starving. He wondered whether Ryu had thought through this plan carefully enough. It seemed that most dogs had no qualms with taking cats prisoner. He nodded, his interest peaked. "I don't know what I'd do without my legs to make me run and fight," He supplied, knowing that wouldn't make Kai feel any better. He would not give Kai pity. She was brave enough to enter the slaughterhouse with the rest of them and sacrifice her life for Valk. She was strong enough to escape and still hold her head high. And what did Valk do to repay her?! Orion grimaced in disgust. He didn't know friendship, but he was sure that wasn't what friends did when they were hurt. Kai had risked everything, and Valk had left. They should've let Valk rot in there. She should've died. Orion knew he should feel remorse or regret for thinking such terrible things, but as he looked at the half-blind dog in front of him, he knew Kai hadn't deserved what had happened. Valk had been stupid enough to wander into the Tempest Pack. He didn't regret a single thing he said to her. They descended deeper into the tunnels. A draft made Orion shiver. The scent was gradually getting stronger and stronger, and it didn't smell like the dog was alive anymore. He grunted in disgust. It was pungent and rotting, and Orion wasn't looking forward to finding his body. It would not be a pleasant day for his family, who were waiting for him back at the pack. He had two puppies, Orion knew that for sure. They would be devastated. As they continued to walk, he listened to Kai speak of his sister. "She was a coward, in the end," He murmured softly, averting his gaze southwards, "I deserve everything she spat at me, however you? You didn't deserve her to leave when you needed her most." He shook his head. "Me?" He barked out a laugh, "Perhaps I could've been more considerate, but she never understood me either. We were opposites. I've often felt like I was the oddball out of our litter," He shrugged, "Nothing I could've said or done would've made her stay." They walked for a few more minutes until they found the body. The shepherd mix was mutilated beyond recognition. Orion had to look away for a few seconds, suddenly remembering flashbacks of the tortured dogs in the Slaughterhouse. He took a deep breath and looked back. It was definitely him. The scent matched. His hind legs were bent at an impossible angle and it looked as though his ribcage had been crushed. His eyes gazed into the distance sightlessly and Orion bowed his head with respect. "Poor guy," He muttered, "He was a good member." Orion wasn't sure whether they should start heading back. They couldn't bring the body back with them - it was too far. Instead, Orion sat on his haunces and let out a small howl that echoed through the tunnels. |
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Post by Zen on Sept 27, 2013 11:48:05 GMT
Kai actually found herself smiling somewhat at Orion's comment. She was glad he didn't pity her or try to encourage her with fake optimism. So many other dogs had tried to make her feel better about herself and her situation, but there was nothing that pissed her off more quickly than someone giving her a sorry look and one of those cliche sayings - "things will get better" or "everything happens for a reason" or something equally stupid. It was all a load of crap. Things didn't happen for a reason. They just happened, and you had to deal with it. Life wasn't fair to everyone. "It sucks," she agreed.
Yes, Valk was a coward. That was the perfect word to describe her. She had run away from Tempest, from Kai and her brother, probably hoping it would solve all her problems. But people usually met their destinies while trying to avoid them. Sooner or later, the past would catch up to Valk. "I gave her everything. I paid for her stupid mistake." She clenched her jaw, frustrated by how ridiculously unfair it all was. "I guess I made a mistake too, though. I thought giving my life in exchange for hers was something noble. I wanted to be a worthy friend. But this is what it got me...I'm a hideous cripple now while she's probably out there prancing around with her new kitty friends, feeling all happy and free now that she doesn't have me and Tempest to bring her down. She has a great way of showing gratitude." Kai smiled wryly and laughed, her mouth filled with a bitter taste. Valk and now Ryu had proved to her that friendship was a lie. People never tell you the truth about who they are until the day they betray you.
She felt some of her anger melt away as they walked on. The last thing she'd expected by coming on this mission was to be bitching about Orion's sister with him, but he seemed just as eager to vent as she was. Weird how hatred could bring people together. "I've never fit in anywhere either, never had any real friends or family. I guess that's why I got such an attachment to Valk, and why it killed me to find out what kind of person she really is." Kai looked at him a bit closer, wondering if he ever felt lonely or if he was just as hardened and sick of the idea of friends as she was. He seemed to her like a lone wolf kind of guy. If so, she could definitely respect that.
At last they come upon the body of the Tempest dog, and Kai felt her blood run cold. How was it possible that while strong soldiers like this were dying left and right, she and her useless body were still somehow alive and kicking? She hadn't known him, but he'd had a reputation for being a capable warrior. He'd had a family. For a split second, Kai wished she was the one laying there dead, not this dog who deserved a long, healthy life much more than she did.
If she still had two paws, she would have reached over and closed the soldier's glassy eyes, but all she could do was stand in front of him and lower her head respectfully. She slowly looked up as Orion howled mournfully, the sound sending a chill down her neck. It echoed through the long passage for awhile before fading back into eerie silence. Kai felt she should speak then, maybe say something to honor the dog's memory, but she could think of nothing. Beautiful words and emotional speeches were like a foreign language to her. After awhile, she asked quietly, "Should we take him outside and bury him? It feels wrong to leave him down here for the rats to devour." While she wasn't as close to the rest of the pack as she had once been, leaving the body of a fallen soldier to such a fate was still against her moral code. A proper burial back at the Tempest lands wasn't possible, but a little makeshift grave beside the tunnel entrance should suffice. She couldn't carry him alone, though, so it was all up to Orion.
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Post by Picasso on Sept 29, 2013 11:53:29 GMT
Orion was surprised by how much he was enjoying talking with Kai. He knew Kai hadn't been happy with Valk's decision to leave, but he didn't know how angry she was with her. It made Orion feel better about his own bitterness and resentment towards his sister. It was good to get it off his chest; a heaviness on his shoulders had left him. All these pent up emotions had made Orion feel angrier and angrier by the day, and with no one to talk to, Orion realised he was like a bomb waiting to go off. Kai had helped him calm down, which Orion was not expecting whatsoever. He had expected awkward silences and having to keep stopping for Kai to keep up with him. Surprisingly, Kai was actually quite quick on her paws; it was only running that she lagged with. They could amble at a comfortable speed without stopping for rests or for Kai to slow down.
Kai's words made Orion jolt. He gazed over at her, "Sacrifice is not a noble thing. Especially when someone turns around and spits it back in your face," Orion replied grimly, ears pinned to his skull, "You're not hideous." He added as an afterthought. Orion looked at Kai's limping, crippled body. He'd seen far worse, but he knew why Kai was self-conscious. Whilst leaving the Tempest territory, he couldn't help but notice many of the looks dogs had given Kai. Some of pity, some of horror, some of fear. Kai must feel like a spectacle. She was a living, walking example of why cats were evil and must be destroyed. And yet Kai was no longer being treated like another member. She was still one of them. She could still do many of the things she used to. He snorted in contempt. Life wasn't ever fair, was it?
When Kai revealed she had never fit in, Orion couldn't figure out why. He hadn't particularly known Kai until after she came back from the Iris. What was so different about her? "What made you not fit in?" He asked curiously, quirking a brow. Nevertheless, at least they could empathise with each other. He felt, for once, he was actually having a decent conversation with someone. Most of his conversations ended up in arguments or aimless jokes. It was never about something interesting or intellectual. Orion really should do this more often. Maybe that was how you made friends. However, as he glanced at Kai, he wondered whether he even wanted a friend. He'd been a lone wolf since he was a cub. The friends he'd tried to make had ended up leaving him or hating him. He made mistakes and never said the right things. Friends end up getting you hurt. Kai was walking proof of that.
As Orion gazed down at the mutilated body of the dog, he hummed in agreement. The walk would be long, but he deserved a proper burial. "Help me." He said as he dragged the body up from the ground and placed it over his shoulders. He was heavy, but with Kai's help they'd be able to get him out of the tunnels and into the fresh air. Orion knew it wouldn't be a good idea to inform the mate and pups until he was buried. His body was so gruesome it would be too cruel to show his family the state of him. Orion begun to slowly walk back through the tunnel. "Fuck, I hate days like this." He hissed through gritted teeth. |
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Post by Zen on Oct 1, 2013 3:01:18 GMT
She thought about his question. Putting it into words wasn’t going to be easy. “It’s hard to explain. Have you ever felt…I dunno, disconnected from everyone? Like nobody around you understands or really cares about you? The other dogs only ever saw me as just another soldier, a weapon to be used against Iris and not much else. I wasn’t special or interesting, so I didn’t make friends easily. It seemed like nobody cared to really get to know me, so after awhile I just gave up trying to make friends. I turned into a bit of an outcast until I met Valk. She made me feel like I belonged, like I was worth something - not just as a soldier, but, y'know, as a person.” She wondered if what she said would make any sense to him, or if he would just think she was being whiny. Well, she didn't really want to discuss her stupid emotional issues anyway. Besides, talking about this kind of stuff with someone else usually led to a feeling of closeness, and she really didn’t want or need that. She shook her head. “I’m rambling, sorry. Let’s just get this over with.”
She helped him lift the body up, placing half of the dog across her back so they could carry him side-by-side out of the tunnel. A smirk pulled at her lips. “What, lugging around the rotting corpse of a murder victim isn’t your idea of a fun afternoon?” she joked sarcastically. The smell was so strong and repulsive it deafened her senses. She felt fresh blood start to pour from the dog’s wounds, soaking the fur on her shoulders and causing her stomach to heave. God, she could kill Ryu right now for making them do this.
The journey back through the tunnel seemed to take way longer the second time. When they finally got the body out into sunlight, Kai was panting and exhausted. As they set the dog down, she stepped away from the corpse and choked in a few much needed breaths of fresh air. Between the stench of the tunnel and the dead body, she and Orion stank like hell now. Before going back to Tempest, she was going to drop by the lake and give herself the bath of a lifetime. “Here should be good,” she said, indicating a large patch of soft dirt beside the tunnel’s mouth where they could begin digging. She sighed when she remembered she only had the use of her hind legs for this kind of thing, which would make the process so much harder and slower. Could this day get any worse? |
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Post by Picasso on Oct 3, 2013 15:06:20 GMT
ooc; I guess we'll continue without Mac? ;_;
bic;
When Kai described her disconnection with the pack, Orion nodded vigorously. He understood. He had felt like that since he'd been born. He wasn't interested in making friends, and people didn't understand that. It was strange for a wolf - a pack animal - to not be part of it all. Granted, Orion was still part of the Tempest pack, but that was because of the war. Orion thirsted the thrill in a fight. He didn't actually enjoy the company of the dogs in his pack. He couldn't fight alone, after all. As Kai continued to talk, his gaze drifted towards the corpse. He wasn't looking forward to dragging it all the way back out of the tunnel. He sighed, and once Kai finished her soliloquy, he grunted and picked the dead animal up. "Pipe down with your sarcasm," He quipped back, before starting the slow and steady walk back out of the tunnel. The smell of a half-rotten dog was gruesome, and he was almost gagging.
Once they reached the open air, he dropped the corpse and stared at the dirt. Now for the digging process. Kai would struggle with her two front paws, so it was up to Orion to do the bulk of it. He begun digging, kicking the dirt between his legs and gradually forming a grave. His chest heaved from exertion, and he briefly looked up at Kai to see how she was doing. He was glad the area was deserted. What on earth would someone think if they saw a mutilated dog and two canines digging it a grave? They'd probably jump to the wrong conclusions. Huffing, Orion continued to dig for a few more minutes, until he decided the hole was deep enough for the corpse to fit into. Panting, he walked away for a moment to catch his breath. "Looks like we're done with that." He offered, before nosing the corpse into the grave.
It fell with a thud. Leaning back on his haunches, Orion let one more mournful howl into the sky. Orion didn't know him that well. There was no point in speaking meaningless words to a dead body. The warrior wouldn't have wanted them to speak of his bravery or fighting skills. Leave that to the ones who knew him better. Turning on his heel, Orion begun to kick the dirt over the body, shrouding the corpse forever.
Minutes passed, and the grave was now filled in. He glanced at Kai, wondering whether they should head back to their pack. Their job had been fulfilled and it was time to inform Ryu of the outcome. It would be a long walk back, and it was starting to get dark. He gazed up at the pink-stained sky, as the sun peeked over the horizon. The temperature was starting to drop rapidly. Orion couldn't believe how fast the time had gone. Clearing his throat, Orion said hesitantly, "It wouldn't be wise to walk back in darkness," "Perhaps finding shelter would be a more logical plan?"
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Post by Zen on Oct 6, 2013 1:28:49 GMT
ooc: haha I have no idea where this thread is going anymore xD
The grave digging was as arduous and painful as she'd expected, and she groaned gratefully when Orion announced their work was finally finished. Her hind legs were numb, her fur was caked in dried blood and dirt, and she felt tired and gross. “Thank god that's over.” Kai immediately collapsed on to her side, stretching out her burning muscles and laying her head against the cool grass, utterly drained of energy. Her strength definitely wasn't what it used to be. Before her injury, she could run and fight for hours without pause, but it seemed now she was starting to lose muscle mass and stamina. She hated this feeling of weakness, just as much as she had hated making Orion do the hardest portions of the digging. The last thing Kai liked to do was wallow in self-pity, but when you couldn't even dig a measly hole, you knew you were pathetic.
When he was done patching it up, she slowly forced herself back up and gave the new grave one last solemn look. It wasn’t much, bet despite the effort it had taken, she was pleased with their tribute. With that now done, it was time to move on. Her mind was still focused on getting back to Tempest as fast as possible, giving herself a good bath and finding a comfortable place to relax. The rapidly dwindling sun and the danger of the coming night had barely crossed her mind until Orion brought it up. “At least one of us is thinking,” she chuckled wryly. “But no way I'm sleeping in that tunnel. If nothing else in there kills us, the smell sure will.” Her eye drifted toward one of the roads that led away from the tunnel and back out into the industrial area. She yawned and started forward. “Let's look down there.” There were countless warehouses in this district, and many with doors that had rusted off the hinges. They would be able to get into one easily.
She picked out a small concrete building that stood among a field of rubble and moss-covered construction vehicles. Stepping cautiously into the doorway, she lifted her nose and gave a quick sniff. There were no other fresh animals scents, so she deemed the place safe enough. She could already feel that the air inside was musty and cold, but as the night went on she knew it would prove to be warmer than the freezing winter winds outside. The atmosphere was still enough to set her teeth on edge, though. Shapes of the old human equipment littered around the room cast long shadows on the white walls, and the broken door constantly creaked and banged against the wind.
The darkness enveloped her as she let out a shivery breath and stepped in further. She instinctively glanced over her shoulder to make sure he was still close by. “I don't like the night,” Kai admitted. “I feel vulnerable when I sleep. At least back home I know I'm safe, but out here...” She didn’t want Orion to think she was a coward, or that she didn’t trust him to protect her. But having just buried a murder victim, she wasn't exactly in the most optimistic of moods. A wolf and a three-legged dog wouldn’t stand much of a chance against a murderous big cat or even a gang of smaller felines, and she could barely defend herself when she was awake and alert much less when asleep. She shrugged and turned to face him, smiling slightly. “Well, I'll be thankful once Iris is off the streets for good.” Several weeks from now, canines would never have to live in fear those cats ever again. Not that it would completely eliminate the danger in Hexasol, but it was a great start. |
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Post by Picasso on Oct 10, 2013 17:28:41 GMT
ZenThey were both filthy by the end of it. The smell of the two of them caked with grime was revolting, but the nearest water was miles away to bathe. Not the mention icily cold. He heaved a sigh. They would have to sleep dirty tonight, and try not to smell each other too much. Humming in agreement, Orion turned on his heel. He listened to Kai and nodded. He hadn't been planning to go back into the tunnels. Who knew what lurked down there in the dead of the night? Refraining a shiver, he let Kai lead the way around the warehouses. The light was fading fast, and the temperature was starting to drop dramatically. Orion's body was built for surviving extreme cold temperatures, but he wasn't sure whether Kai could withstand the cold as well as he. She had a pretty thick coat, unlike some dogs who had an awful excuse for fur. They walked in amicable silence until Kai chose a concrete building that seemed to be devoid of any life. He sniffed carefully, ensuring the place was empty, before entering. He was cautious for a moment, but nothing struck him as strange or hostile. Kai stood in front of him, but she was hesitating slightly. What was wrong? He sidled up against her, letting one side of his torso brush against hers in an attempt to warm and comfort her. He felt awkward, especially once Kai spoke of her fear sleeping out here without the pack to keep them safe. Orion didn't venture much out of the pack territory at night, unless there was a mission. He understood her anxiety. They were miles away from any potential help, and they could easily be ambushed. The Iris Pride weren't exactly making too many threats right now, but it didn't stop the both of them being wary. Especially with the countless dogs that go missing or slaughtered, just like the soldier they buried today. He huffed slightly with icy breath. Whilst this building was sheltering them from the wind, it was still cold. "I understand," He replied hesitantly, "I don't know how loners sleep at night, with the constant threat," He was honestly surprised with the amount of loners there were, when they could so easily be killed whilst sleeping. After a few more moment's silence, Orion reckoned he had stood by Kai's side for long enough, and moved away. The coldness of his side was unwelcome, but he was starting to feel awkward. He chose a corner and sat down on his haunches. He was tired, but still feeling on edge. His fur prickled with unease, as though he was waiting for something to jump out at them any second now. "Ryu better thank us for all the crap we went through today," He grumbled softly. Orion wasn't sure what he thought of their new leader. He hadn't thought much of Brooke, seeing as she'd been an old dog, and Ryu was far younger but less experienced. At least Valk wasn't made leader. Oh how she would've gloated. He nodded at Kai's comment, "Mm, let's hope we finally get 'em. How long can they cope without a pride leader? God, they're stupid." The cats had turned into an unorganised wreck since Florence. Orion didn't remember the notorious leader, but she certainly had made an impression. Alexander had been the rough, tough guy, but he hadn't done much. Now there was no one, and the Iris were vulnerable. They sat in an even longer silence, with Orion finally moving into a laying position. He still wasn't comfortable about sleeping, but the whistling wind outside meant they couldn't go anywhere. His gaze slid over to Kai, watching her raptly. |
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Post by Zen on Oct 14, 2013 1:17:29 GMT
Kai turned her head toward him and blinked. He was a little afraid too? That didn't give her much of a confidence boost, yet in a strange way it still made her feel better. At least she wasn't alone in her anxiety. She flinched as he came up beside her, her eye widening in surprise when he didn’t move away immediately. Was he...trying to comfort her or something? Kai felt a nervous lump form in her throat. It had been so long since she had gotten any kind of close physical contact from anyone. She wasn’t sure if she liked it or not.
There was an awkward tension between them now for some reason, and she was thankful when he eventually pulled away. Having no idea how to react or what to say after that, Kai followed him over to the corner in silence and dropped down on to her belly, shivering slightly as the icy concrete met her skin. Remembering the warmth of his fur, part of her wanted to inch closer to Orion and steal some of his body heat, but a louder part told her to stay away. She was stronger than that. She could tough out the cold alone. Besides, she knew once she fell asleep her body would no longer feel it, so she tried to relax herself and hoped exhaustion would overcome her soon.
Until then, she supposed talking with Orion was a good way to pass the time. “Heh, remember how easy it was for us to walk right into the slaughterhouse? All those prisoners and barely any guards.” She snorted and broke into a light laugh. “Never seen so much stupidity in my life. Someone needs to put them out of their misery already.” Looking down at her leg, though, she thought maybe of all people she shouldn’t be the one mocking Iris. While those cats were definitely lacking in brains, they weren’t totally weak and pathetic when it came to battle, and some of them were still a major threat and not to be taken lightly. But sometimes laughing at your enemy was the only way to make them seem less intimidating.
With her thoughts now on Iris, Kai shifted a bit closer to him and opened her mouth to speak again. “Hey, uh, I have a request.” She paused and licked her dry lips, then asked slowly, “Do you remember what the cats who crippled me look like? My memory of it is so fuzzy...but if you happen to see one of them during the battle, I want you to get revenge for me. Pin him down, snap his legs and make sure he’ll never be able to run or fight ever again. Will you do that?” She gazed at Orion steadily. If Ryu hadn’t decided to take the cats prisoner, she would have wanted her attackers dead. But since they were going to be captured anyway, she wasn’t going to let the opportunity for some payback slip away.
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Post by Picasso on Oct 15, 2013 18:17:39 GMT
ZenOrion chuckled darkly at the memory of them infiltrating the slaughterhouse. It felt like a lifetime since that fateful day. He was barely out of cubhood, with his gangly legs, and he hadn't taken orders from anyone. Orion hadn't changed much, but a year had passed and he felt not much had been accomplished since then. It had been truly pathetic how easily they'd been able to get into the heart of the Iris Pride, with only a few awful guards to try in futile to do their job. It was ironic Kai was the one to be mocking the Iris. He glanced at her mangled leg, then up to her eyes. She seemed to be thinking the same thing, but perhaps it was a coping mechanism. Laugh in the face of the enemy. He sighed and rested his head on his two front paws as he continued to watch his fellow pack member. "I was a foolish cub on that day, but that place opened my eyes to the horror dogs have to endure." He shuddered, remembering the corpses of starved and mutilated dogs. No one deserved a death like that. Orion could still remember the disgust fresh in his mind, as though it had been yesterday. The stench was awful, and Orion remembered the gagging sensation he'd experienced back then. "I hope Ryu doesn't turn our pack into the new slaughterhouse. I don't think I could stay in this pack." As much as he enjoyed watching cats suffer, he didn't want to be smelling dead corpses and hearing their screams and wails. The slaughterhouse still gave Orion nightmares sometimes. It was etched in his brain, never to be forgotten. He felt a pang of regret for hating Valk, after she had to endure such terrible things in that hellhole. But he quickly shook the feeling away. She left them, she'd been a coward. Kai's change in tone peaked Orion's interest. He vaguely remembered a lion attacking Kai, before they're were all on her, trying to rip her to shreds. He thought back to when he'd jumped at one of the cats and had managed to kill it, after a huge amount of struggle. He closed his eyes. They had tried their best, but they still hadn't tried hard enough. They'd left Kai. Orion was starting to realise why he was in a pack. Pack members looked out for each other. Whilst Orion had killed one of Kai's attackers, it hadn't been enough. "You have my word I will do everything in my power to kill one of them." He vowed seriously, meeting Kai's gaze. "I'm not going to apologise for leaving you in the slaughterhouse. You've heard that enough from Ryu and Valk and the others. But I am going to say I respect you, Kai," He was met by silence, "You got out of there. Whilst you can't physically fight, you're still here and you're still a fighter."Orion trailed off. Kai had probably heard it all before, but at least he didn't pity her like a lot did. How could they not see that she was still so strong? Orion was surprised with himself for voicing such his opinion to Kai. Where were his usual, dickish insults? Since Valk had left, he'd mellowed out a lot. Maybe it had been his sister who's riled him up so much? Either way, he felt so much more relaxed in the Tempest Pack without her lurking in the shadows, ready to judge his every movement. ooc; oh Orion, you strange boy. |
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Post by Zen on Oct 17, 2013 4:37:01 GMT
“No, me either,” she agreed, shaking her head. “I mean, I have a strong loyalty to Tempest, but that doesn’t mean I’m going to force myself to live there if it’s making me unhappy. If Ryu turns Tempest into nothing but a place of slaves and torture, he’s got himself one less member.” She tried to be optimistic about their new leader, but she still couldn’t shake off the feeling that Ryu was taking Tempest in the completely wrong direction. There was nothing worthwhile about keeping cats as prisoners except to satisfy his need for revenge. Tempest itself would gain nothing from it.
She had to face the fact that leaving the pack sometime in the future was a real possibility for her. Kai frowned, wondering what she would do if it ever came to that, as she knew she could never live on her own for the rest of her life. Were there other dogs in Tempest who disagreed with Ryu’s plan as well? She’d heard of canines who would disband from their packs to form rogue gangs of their own. But by doing that, would it technically make her an enemy of Tempest? Would she be just as bad as Valkyrie? She let out a frustrated noise and scratched her claws against the hard floor. It was all so damn confusing and frustrating. Why couldn’t things be simple like they were when she was young? The Iris Pride was about to be eliminated, and yet here she was still restless and worried about the future.
“Thanks,” she whispered as he agreed to her request. She trusted him with the task. In fact, there wasn’t really anyone else she would’ve wanted to do it. She had only just properly met him, but she could already tell that he got her in the way that no one but Valk ever had. “I don’t want you to apologize either, Orion. I knew what I was doing, throwing myself at those cats like that. I wanted to give you guys a chance to escape unharmed, and if that meant leaving me behind, so be it. To be honest, I didn't plan to come out of there alive. There even used to be days when I regretted not letting them kill me. But now, I realize that I’m glad - I can’t be much use to the pack these days, but I still like living. Meeting people like you makes it all worth it.”
Kai laughed awkwardly and turned away from his eyes. When had she become such a sap? Saying this stuff felt so odd for her, and yet natural at the same time. Despite her best efforts not to, though, she couldn’t help opening up to him. In some weird way, the two of them just seemed to click. She still wasn’t sure whether she was willing to give this whole friendship thing another shot. Yet even if their closeness only lasted for one night and they never had a deep conversation like this ever again, she was glad for the chance to connect with someone, no matter how briefly. She hadn’t realized until now how painful it was to constantly be alone and to keep her emotions bottled up.
She cleared her throat and looked back over at him. “Well, I’m pretty tired. If you don’t mind I think I’ll head off to sleep now.” Her hind legs pulled themselves closer to her belly as she curled into a half-ball, trying to guard herself against the cold wind that constantly whistled in through the door. She closed her eye and rested her head against her paw. Before starting to drift off she mumbled, “Thanks for our talks, Orion. It was nice.”
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