Unknown Trespasser

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Silent footsteps calmly made their way through the sequoia woods at a steady pace.

The smell of fresh blood heavily lingered in the air.

A large female wolf moved through the large trees as she dragged the body of a lifeless doe by the neck. It was a successful hunt today, unlike the past few days where their was very little prey to hunt. Unfortunately, she had traveled far from her home to hunt larger prey, crossing through dangerous territory to find suitable prey. However, matters such as that did not cause her any concern as her mind was focused on surviving to see the next day. If she were to have a run-in with a wolf from the Plague pack, then she would deal with it...unless the whole pack ended up finding her.

For now, she was safe and alone.

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Mystic followed the scent of blood. She hadn't eaten in two days and her stomach was aching.

She'd been lost for a few hours. This was new land and she wasn't sure where the wolf packs were. Mystic had definitely smelt a pack nearby but she hadn't yet come across them. Judging by the scent, she wasn't sure she wanted to.

The blood smelled closer. A dead doe perhaps? She picked up her pace. Ah, she could see it!

Mystic watched as another wolf dragged the doe along. Mystic's stomach squeezed. She let out a howl, too hungry to hide from a fight any longer.

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Her left ear straight up upon hearing the sudden howl, her orange eyes searching the area until they landed on the new intruding wolf. She stared at the wolf as her mouth gripped the deer tighter than before, refusing to give up her meal or share it. Shane averted her look to the ground, thinking over her options of what she could do without having to fight, but nothing came to mind other than just sharing the deer with the wolf.

Looking back up at the wolf, Shane could see the look of hunger on its face while it stared back at her. She released her hold on the deer and backed away just a few inches, sitting back to silently watch if the new wolf would choose to approach.

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Mystic looked at the other wolf. She padded forward. "Are you... Can you spare a piece? Just a leg... Or even the tail. Just a mouthful..." Her eyes glazed over and saliva started forming in her mouth. "I haven't eaten in... forever."

A twig snapping jerked her out of her daydreams. Mystic's fur prickled. "Are you part of a pack?" Suddenly, she felt intensely threatened. She debated leaving a potential meal behind and fleeing to save herself from a fight she couldn't win. I can't fight in this state. Mystic rapidly weighed up the options. Run from what could potentially be nothing, wasting energy and leaving a possible meal behind, or stay and risk a fight, on the off chance she could get some food out of it, if her lack of energy didn't get her killed first.

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Shane narrowed her eyes at the wolf as a look of irritation crossed her face. "Eat." she said in a firm demanding tone.

Her eyes scanned the area once more before returning to the wolf. She didn't want to waste time sitting here, especially while in a dangerous territory with a fresh deer corpse for the taking. But the young wolf was hungry and there weren't any other wolves around to give her trouble so far. She would stand watch until the wolf satisfied her hunger and continue the trek to her den, simple as that.

With the smell of blood lingering heavily in the air, she had to rely on her hearing and sight for now.

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Mystic's eyes nearly bugged out of her head. "Really? You'd share?" She was so hungry she didn't wait for an answer before tearing into the deer. Her belly relaxed painfully as the first mouthfuls went down.

She was not so hungry as to be selfish and greedy. She forced herself to stop after one leg. "Here, you take the rest. It is your kill, after all," Mystic wiped her mouth on her paw. A frown appeared. "Whose territory is this? Mystic knew she was playing it dangerously. She was new to the area, weakened and lost, and she didn't know where there were wolf packs and where there weren't. All she knew was that there were other wolves nearby. But were they friendly or not? Was she on friendly territory?

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"I choose not to waste my time asking questions that will end with my death." she replied, still remaining alert for any intruders that might be close by. "And I know you're still hungry. Eat."

It wouldn't be the first time she had gone without eating or changed her hunting tactics. She was careful in surviving when certain prey became scarce to hunt. Normally, she wouldn't have dared cross through dangerous territory such as this, but with the lack of wolves, it was a perfect opportunity to hunt without being caught.

There were other sources of prey she could find with no problem, but having to successfully catch said prey was easier said than done, and most of the time the hunt would end unsuccessfully.

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Lokianna:
Lokianna sighed.

It was always her who found them. Intruders, eating a deer!

The black female had, like a vixen, been lying in wait. "Well," she drawled. Her bright green eyes glittered as she slunk down the old redwood. Her glossy black coat glimmered, the green and gold markings bright in the patchy sunlight. "Hello. Aren't I the lucky she-wolf? Finding more intruders, after those two Eternal Snowfall brats? Oh, I should have a actual position. 'Border Guard Captain, maybe?" She gave the two wolves her trademark smirk. Then she raised her head in a howl.

Howl finished, she pranced closer. The golden bands around her ankles and wrists glimmered. "She's cooommmiinnnggg...." Lokianna said playfully. "Until then, I get to keep you here."

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Before Mystic could answer, or take another bite, another wolf arrived. She wasn't friendly. Mystic backed away, her weight on her back legs, poising her to pounce or run.

The howl of an unfriendly wolf shook Mystic's ears. She winced, pushed off from the ground and ran. She pelted across the ground, her stomach already squeezing for more food.

She didn't know she had it in her, especially on an empty stomach, but Mystic flew at the wolf, claws out, teeth bared. She hadn't fought this long just to die now. Mystic didn't do trapped. Not since her father had trapped that cub.

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Then again, she could be proven wrong.

Seeing the new female wolf caused Shane to stand firm, glaring at the wolf while remaining in her spot. She could take this opportunity to run while Mystic chose to foolishly fight the black wolf, but to leave Mystic alone with this wolf would be a cruel thing to do. She kept her distance while watching the two wolves, occasionally watching out for any other wolves that decided to show up.

She could help fight this wolf, actually wanted to fight, but watched and waited instead. If Mystic could tire out the wolf then it would be easy for Shane to take her out. Although, Mystic did not look very strong to take on this new wolf.

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Lokianna:
Lokianna dodged, skill evident in her movements. Her green eyes glittered with excitement. "Oh you two are so much more fun then those brats! They were both so tiny, didn't even try to fight!" She remembered her own pups, with all of them now gone to Secluded Sunrise. Her two daughters had been tiny once. Patrick had always been bigger, but she had still left them.

That had been a year ago though. Now, this was time for fun. She lashed out with her sharp claws, golden toes ready to be splattered with blood. Oh, what fun was this? And she had probably just earned herself the rest of that deer too. No one would dispute that she had earned it if the Alphess said she could keep it. Or that she had to share. But Lokianna could be selective about who she let near the deer. Those who did not help didn't get the deer.

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Mystic dodged at the last minute, scrambling to one side and darting off into the woods. She didn't know if anyone would follow her, she didn't look back to check. Mystic just ran. She ran until her legs collapsed underneath her, leaving her sprawling in a pile of leaves, an acorn cutting into her back.

She lay for a while, cold but conscious. There was some pain in her back leg. Sharp jolts, like electricity coursing through her. Mystic handled it for a while, but it wasn't long before blackness clouded over her eyes and dreams of black fur and golden bands filled her mind.

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An unconscious wolf and a wolf ready to fight.

This would be interesting.

Shane continued to circle the black wolf, her gaze occasionally shifting to Mystic before returning to the wolf. "It has been a long time since I feasted on wolf flesh." she spoke in a calm tone. "The taste was delicious."

She steadily closed in on the black wolf, drawing closer and closer as she circled the wolf, having used the same tactic long ago when she first tried wolf flesh. Most would see it as cannibalism, but in her eyes, she saw it as a means of survival as well as defense. Shane still had yet to eat anything as she felt her hunger rise inside her, the scent of blood still heavily lingering in the air made it even worse for her.