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Post by Smudge on Oct 17, 2013 0:43:27 GMT
 Winter's dying breath was still hanging in the air like an invisible fog. In the gloom of the forest, very little of the morning light clambered through the scattered tree trunks. The earth was tough and unrelenting to the weight of the canine padding over it, frozen from an overnight frost. Ever now and then a cloud of warm air would billow from the dark form moving through the trees, the only evidence of life in such a still, undisturbed world. Otherwise it was silent apart from the occasional crackle of frost from a nearby plant.
Logan's claws scuffed the dirt as she pressed her nose against the paw prints she was following. They were old and set into the earth, frozen in time by the early spring's bitter chill. She could recognize no smell, as if the frost had managed to ice that over as well. Pausing, Logan lifted her chin and smelled the air. The lake was nearby, but otherwise the area was absent of most life. She was sure that if she tried she would be able to locate some prey scuffling among the bushes for breakfast, but as always, her mind was far away from her stomach. Through the silhouettes of the trees the bright shimmer of the lake greeted her vision. She flinched as a small wave reflected the sun into her eyes.
But...it's winter, she thought, the water should be frozen. In that same instant she realized that the lake had finally started to unfreeze. A strange sense of urgency filled her steps now as she loped toward the water. Something new was happening, and this new thing meant that fresh life would soon be replacing the deathly still of winter.
And yet, a pang of sorrow washed over her. Winter...she had grown accustomed to it's deathly likeness, maybe even comforted by it, as if she could relate to it's sorrow. Would Spring bring her any happiness? Or would she sit back and watch all of the animals prance about in their merry lives, with expiration dates taped on their backs. She hesitated, resisting the urge to look over her own shoulder at the invisible future death that hovered there and whispered dark reassurances into her head.
Shaking her head, she stepped out to the edge of the shore, surprised to find some ice still fringing the edge. With one tentative, white-speckled paw, she placed a light amount of pressure. The shelf of ice ducked a little and melted into her paw pads. With a little more force, the sheet broke apart and her paws dipped into the chilly waters. A small smile stretched across her muzzle, and she sat down by the edge. She would miss winter a little, she decided.
comments: open to all. link to bio
oh, and the pawprints don't necessarily belong to anyone.
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Post by Neytiri on Nov 28, 2013 8:10:52 GMT
"Speech."
His nostrils flared as he sniffed the air, lifting his muzzle into the sky, smelling the air. He lowered his muzzle to the ground then, sniffing the trail curiously. He tried to sort it in his head and recognized it as dog, though the scent was getting faint. The canine probably passed by earlier in the day. Nonetheless, he wanted to know if this dog would make a good meal. He shook his snow colored fur and started to walk, stepping lightly and trying to stay quiet in case the dog was nearby. His ears twitched every which way as he attempted to listen to everything around him at once. "Where are you?" He growled softly, glancing around once more. As he scented the air again, a fresh scent was carried toward him. The mutt was close. He paused, hardly daring to breath as he listened. He heard, barely, a cracking of ice and curiosity won him over. He trotted toward the sound, the snow softening his paw steps to soft thumps. His lush mane bounced with his every step.
It was then he saw her, a black dog. She was half his size, if that. He tilted his head to the side, baring a fang with irritation. And here he thought he could have a little fun. But even a nip at this tiny creature could possibly kill her. And what was the fun in that? He realized the dog probably didn't even realize he was there, as the wind was blowing toward him, she wouldn't be able to scent the large lion. He waited a few more moments before moving to step forward, but never did. Instead, his right forepaw paused mid-step. "You shouldn't play with ice." His deep voice rumbled. "You could fall in." He said with a voice smooth as honey, pretending to care when really he was planning on how to turn this dog into a meal.
He could easily kill her, eat her in a few gulps. But then again, Hades always did fancy playing with his food. He walked closer, dwarfing the canine with his large size. The male looked down at her with his ice colored eyes, giving away nothing but not missing a thing. It was then he felt something tickling his nose and reflexively swiped his pink tongue around his muzzle, licking his lips. He looked up as it started to snow, and he looked back down at the canine, ignoring the weather. Sure, his thin pelt wasn't designed to keep him warm in cold weather, but hey, he would live. Snow wouldn't exactly be the end of the world. He flicked his white tail, accidentally bumping it against the dog's back. He immediately whipped his tail the other direction, the tip of his tail flicking back and forth as he waited for a response. |
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Post by Smudge on Nov 29, 2013 5:48:37 GMT
It wasn't long before the peace was disturbed by an eerie twist in Logan's gut. Somewhere deep down her instincts were setting off alarms but the lab mix had yet to pinpoint it's origin. A low, unnaturally smooth voice rumbled from behind her.
Her ears pulled back as her head cautiously swung around. What greeted her vision next almost sent her into panic. A massive, ashen stood before her, one paw raised from the ground. A million different thoughts swarmed her mind at once as she struggled to calculate everything that had just transpired on this seemingly lonely morning. She instantly distrusted the lion, trying to figure the best means of escape. He was just so close...
She flinched as his tail bumped against her flank, resisting every urge to scramble away from the stranger's piercing gaze. At this point escape was unlikely; the stranger was too close to gain enough distance and too powerful to even consider fighting. As "friendly" as he was hoping to be, she could read the desire in his eyes and the tension in the flicking of his tail. I didn't think it was going to end this way....but ah well I guess, figures. She wouldn't go down easily.
"Then you'd have an easy meal, huh," She sniffed, a dark smirk tugging the edges of her lips. Her eyes flitted around, trying to devise a plan in the time she had left. "What do you want, stranger?" Her lips wrinkled in a slight snarl, frustration momentarily hushing the dark whispers in the back of her head. She was usually a friendly canine, but this lion had given her every reason to be otherwise. Maybe I can fling some of that ice into his eyes and jump into the water...yeah right. he'll be faster than that. She hesitated, pondering over the fact he hadn't attacked her yet. Perhaps she had misjudged him? Or, more likely...he was looking for a challenge. He could have easily killed her by now.
"A challenge? Because I'll be as much for you and your friend over there." With a slight nod to the left of the lion, Logan could only hope it would distract him just enough to get a head start. She dove to the opposite side, scrambling for a foothold on the earth and purposely kicking up gravel and ice behind her. The snow was starting to come down, turning everything into a pale haze. She needed a plan and fast. She couldn't outrun him for long and she was cornered by the water. I might just have to swim...and risk freezing to death. At least it would be more poetic. Plus, she had a slight advantage in the water due to her Labrador lineage, but who knew how far that would get her in freezing weather against a massive lion.
Suddenly, her eyes feel upon the lengthy sheet of ice that grew alongside her. This part of the lake was still mostly frozen, but the ice was still risky to stand upon. It's my last chance. Maybe it will give me a weight advantage. The lab mix scrabbled onto the glassy surface, yelping as her hips slid beneath her and sent her sliding to the edge. It cracked underneath her weight as she struggled to regain balance on all four paws. She shook her fur, looking up toward the lion, wondering how he would determine her fate from this point. "Your move, cat," Logan snarled, defiance glittering in her dark irises.
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