Small Fry [Mango]

[Cascade]

To put it lightly, Anneliese had nothing but contempt for her situation. Not just that moment, right then, where she was lounging on top of a rock instead of attending Rhett and Ilana's odious sparring practice and probably setting herself up to receive a beating for it. That was awful, but that was only the here and now. It was the past, present, and future that had Anna angrily plotting her escape. It was getting lost in a sea of siblings where her parents were practically competing to see which one of them they could care least about. It was being the largest pack in the valley by double, stuck in the smallest territory. From her spot on the rock she could hear the irritating cries of her brother as one of her sisters was no-doubt maiming him at that very moment. It was not having a damn ounce of respect or acknowledgment from anyone since the moment she was born. Though she'd turned it to her advantage, she still had to live a life of being a nobody in a family of seven. That was her situation, and Anneliese couldn't help but think that the first thing she could do to fix things would be to make the family a little smaller, if for nothing else than satisfaction at actually being able to change her world in some way. Just sitting here, slowly rotting away, made her want to impale herself on the nearest sharp rock.

She didn't think she would actually follow through on that desire so soon, but she enjoyed herself by making plans and testing the scenarios in her head. Would she get rid of Portia? Anna could think of nothing more delightful than standing over her do-no-wrong sister's corpse. It would certainly take her down a peg, and it would even have the bonus of leaving Ilana without a "proper" heir, something that she never considered Anna nor any of her other pups. But it wouldn't be hard for anyone to guess who had orchestrated that assassination, and the punishment for killing her sister would not be nearly as merciful as the death she would give Portia. No, as all things, it would have to be sneaky. Pick an easier target and then make sure someone else did the dirty work. Rhett? Yes, her father's death would be delicious freedom. Everyone but Cress hated him, even his own mate, and he was as detestable to Anneliese as he was vicious. She knew it would never come to fruition, but to see him lying cold on the ground, all the beatings and abuse caught up to him...could there be a more delightful dream?

[Deleted]

OOC: I got a quick look at some of Mango's Cress posts before they disappeared so I'll do the best I can. I'm assuming this is after the fight where his eye got ripped out.

Cress

I felt as if I had been sprinting forever, my legs were sore and I was panting very hard. I finally started to slow down and catch my breath. I was back in the warren and I caught a familiar scent on the wind. It was Anneliese. Sure was nice of her to show up to the fight. It didn't matter now, my eye was gone and the scar still throbbed with pain. I could feel the swelling start to sink in but the pain felt good to me. I was glad the pain in my eye burned into my brain, it helped fuel the murderous thoughts I was having towards Rhett. I would get my revenge.

I spotted Anneliese with my good eye and trotted towards her. "So where were you? Didn't you hear Mom's call?" I barked angrily at her. I was still full of rage so I was going to take it out on whoever was around. Then a thought struck me, what if my sister could help me? She was always off somewhere plotting schemes, maybe she could help me with my revenge plan. "Well it doesn't matter. The gist of it is, I hate our so called father. He just stood by silently and let Portia rip out my eye that bastard." I snarled and took a moment to compose myself before talking again. "I want him dead and you'd better help me.

Red Ringed

[Cascade]

The young female lazily opened one eye when she heard the rustling of the lilies, catching sight of her brother limping towards her and clearly with an agenda on his mind. Why else would he or anyone for that matter purposely seek her out? Anneliese was nobody's friend. He started hemming and hawing at her immediately, but she didn't acknowledge him right away, instead choosing to stand up on her rock and give her stiff joints a nice long stretch.

"Yeah, I heard." She finally said after a big yawn that was more for effect that anything else, "But I decided I didn't feel like going. From the look of your ragged face—" she nodded to his torn-up eye, "—I'd say it was a pretty good decision, wouldn't you?" Eyes narrowing, she hopped down and pressed her nose right in her brother's face, "I think you would, seeing as my presence at that sideshow would have just meant you'd be twice crippled. Weakling."

She scoffed and turned her back on him once more, stamping down a lily that was brushing against her leg. "Of all the reasons to hate our father, you managed to pick the most stupid and inane. I can't say I'm surprised, but why should that concern me? You say 'you'd better help me,' but what do you plan to do if I don't? I'm stronger than you, smarter, and clearly more valuable to the pack considering that Rhett and Ilana have allowed me to stay in one piece. If I were you, brother, I would drop the threats now and get right to begging."

[Deleted]

Cress

I stared at Anneliese as she took her time coming down from the little throne she'd made out of the rock. I said nothing when she finally got down and came up to my face. I growled a low growl as a warning to back off, I was in no mood for games today and it wouldn't take much for me to snap and take out her eye. It would probably be a useless venture though, I was twice Anneliese's size but she was quick on her feet when she needed to be.

I laughed loudly at my sister's ridiculous monologue. "Oh please. The only reason you didn't show up was because you knew you would be mercilessly beaten. You've only managed to survive this long by sneaking around like the rat you are." I grinned malevolently at Anneliese, throwing her sordid language right back into her face. "You may be quick and clever, but you're no match for my strength and we both know I could easily kill you. This has been made abundantly clear by the many times Mom has beaten you to within an inch of your life and if a tiny wolf like her can do that, I'd destroy you in a second. Now I suggest that you help me if you ever want to get out of the lowly Omega position you're in." I sneered at Anneliese, annoyed that I had to come to her for help. She was definitely a snake in the grass but her ideas were valuable and crafty. That was just what I needed to destroy Rhett.

Red Ringed

[Cascade]

Anneliese sneered at Cress, then spat right in his dead eye. "Go ahead and destroy me then. You desperately want Rhett dead, but you can not kill him without me. If you could, then you would have never lowered yourself to asking for my help. Talk all the bravado you want, brother, but the simple fact is that you are the one who needs me. If I am a rat, then you are a flea on a rat's back."

Before he could punish her for what she did, she hopped back up on her rock, ready to bolt if he came after her. "Strength is nothing. Every worthless grunt is a hulking giants. Ilana is not strong, and she holds dominion over you. Perjury to the north is not strong, but peons twice her size bend their knee to her. You say my cleverness is no match for your strength, but it is my cleverness that makes me worth more than the rest of you put together. Wolves like you bow down to wolves like me in this valley, so I'm going to give you one more opportunity to change your tone. Unless you'd rather choke on my dust while I leave you here for Portia to come clean up her scraps."

[Deleted]

Cress

It was a good thing Anneliese's spit hit me in the dead eye or I would've torn her throat out at that very second. I simply shook the saliva from my face and laughed at my sister "Really Anna? Spitting. You are such a child, no wonder our parents treat you like filthy carrion. You're even more of a pathetic lowlife than I thought." I laughed again at her sad attempts to insult me. I knew Anneliese wasn't like the rest of us, there was something seriously wrong with her. It didn't take a genius to know that our mother had mental problems but for all she had Anneliese was three times worse. I came to the realization that Anneliese would always be broken and for a moment, I pitied her. But not for long.

I sauntered up to the rock she jumped up on and realized the only way to get her to cooperate was to make her think she was in control. My sister wasn't the only one who had inherited manipulative tendencies, after all, both our parents could always get their way. I only half listened as Anneliese went on whatever sad rant built up her confidence. When she finally finished I looked at her with my good eye. "If you're quite finished with your deluded monologue, I'd like to talk about what you have in mind for Rhett. While we may not be close, I know you well enough to know you revel in revenge and plotting." For the first time in probably our whole lives, I flashed a sincere smile at Anneliese because I was actually looking forward to working with her to bring down our father.

Red Ringed

[Cascade]

She snorted, "Keep acting like you're superior. See how far it gets you." To add emphasis to her displeasure, she jumped down again and started heading off towards the edge of the territory, though she kept her speed down to where she knew he would be able to keep up with her, "I don't have a single thing planned for him~" she called back over her shoulder in a sing-song voice, "Not that I'm going to tell you, anyways. You always take credit for everything I do, and I'm sick of it. If you're as smart as you seem to think, then you can go ahead and take care of Rhett by yourself." she spun around, snarling, "You're right that I revel in plotting. I will revel in plotting your demise in the event that Rhett doesn't disembowel you when he discovers your foolish scheme."

Anna laughed and bounded further ahead, almost to the edge of the territory by now. It's not like it took very long with in the pathetically small territory they called their home. "By the way, I hope that attempt at flattery wasn't your best work, because you'll need a lot more than that if you're going to do this without me. Rhett may not be as smart as me, but he's not that dumb, brother."

[Deleted]

OOC: Warning! The b-word is used in the end of this post but only in reference to the fact that Anneliese is a female wolf. If it is perceived as too offensive please let me know and I can erase it.

Cress

I rolled my remaining eye at Anneliese once again, she really was a child and I doubted she'd ever grow up mentally. But if that were her fate it was no business of mine, she'd remain in the omega position the rest of her life, ranting and raving until somebody either put her out of her misery or she lived long enough to die of old age. I doubted the latter. I simply watched her trot off towards the territory boundary, knowing full well she was too cowardly to set foot outside it. Not like anybody would care, or notice for that matter, if she left. Except me. I'd be out a partner in Rhett's death and I needed somebody to pin in it on.

"Quite frankly Anna, I'm smarter than you. Of this, we are both aware. However, I need your sneaky underhanded tactics to be able to kill Rhett without arousing much suspicion. If anyone can make a death look like an accident, its you." I said this first sentence nonchalantly and didn't look at my sister. But then, before she'd have time to react, I made a beeline for her until I was right in her face, right on the edge of the territory where she'd dare not cross. I could practically smell the defiance coming off of her. "Let me make this abundantly clear, I do NOT need you to kill Rhett you groveling slug. But unless you want me to kill him in cold blood and pin it on you, and lets face it-my word will be accepted over yours in any situation-I suggest you help me." I knew full well that scare tactics didn't usually work on Anneliese. She was some kind of freak that was born without fear, or maybe she did have fear in her heart at birth but our parents beat it out of her long ago. She had learned to live in the shadows, stay invisible, if only to save her own skin. I knew it was a definite possibility that if she agreed to help me, Anneliese would probably turn around and either try to kill me or tell our mother what I'd done. My guess was the former although she would be fruitless in both pursuits.

I began speaking again after backing away from her slowly "Anneliese I'm not going to kill you. It would be a waste of my time and energy. I would appreciate I hissed the word between my fangs your help in taking down Rhett. You can deny your true feelings all you want but we both know you're dying to help me for the sole purpose of seeing Rhett suffer. You and are of the same blood and we know manipulation because we were practically reared on it. Wouldn't you enjoy the chance to do to our father what he has done to us countless times during our lives? Help me Anna or I'll be forced to take drastic measures." I stared blankly at her face waiting for a response. If it was no, which I highly doubted, then I would simply leave, kill Rhett when I found him alone, and tell any who asked that Anneliese had done it. Although this plan was foolproof for the simple fact that Anneliese was the most untrustworthy wolf on the mountain, it wasn't nearly as much fun as having her help in bringing down Rhett. For all her childlike stupidity, Anneliese was one sadistic bitch.

Red Ringed

[Juice]

ooc: *creeps in* Omg they are both so like their parents :'D Stubborn as the dickens and manipulative little shits xD

[Cascade]

Anna paused when she reached the border. Cress' words blew on the wind and she ignored them as she stared off towards the line of trees that marked the edge of the forest. She had thought of escaping many times, rationalized that the valley was huge and that once she got out of the meadow she'd be able to hide from her family just long enough that they got tired of looking for her. They couldn't hunt her down forever, after all. But there was a mental block there, so strong that she felt as though she physically couldn't step over that invisible line.

She could see it in her mind. Her mother dragging her out from under some dirty log and her father tearing her limb from limb. Her siblings finding her holed up in some dank cave and drawing out her punishment as long as they could before finishing her off. There was no doubt in her mind that they would do it. But, she considered for the first time, would it really be worse than what she already had? Their torture could last days maybe, but living in this hellhole was torture that was looking to last her the rest of her life. There was no death they could give her slower than the death she was already awaiting.

She looked at Cress, giving him a good once-over. Did she really want to have to see that face for the rest of her days? Was being torn apart once and for all really worse than the beatings she received, sometimes daily, from her mother? The forest was not far. The valley was so big. There was nothing to miss to here. Her lips pulled up into a sneer, "You think you're on my level? Why don't you prove it." Then she turned back around and launched herself over the border, her feet pounding the earth until she was in a full sprint, faster and faster carrying her away from that place so she couldn't change her mind. The treeline drew closer and she pressed on, not realizing how big the trees truly were. Twice or more the size she had imagined, having only stared at them from afar. If he wanted to follow, he would have to take the plunge too.

[Deleted]

Cress

I watched as Anneliese stared longingly at the trees that bordered our territory, knowing she was afraid to leave. My siblings and I had gone out of the territory many times before for hunting trips and other skill building activities. For how cruel they were, our parents were also stone cold survivialists. Although I despised him to my core, Rhett had still taught me the basics of living outside of the pack in case I ever needed to do so and he'd also taught me how to fight. Anneliese however...had never shown up for our departures. It seemed that after witnessing Delacouri's unmerciful death that Anneliese had almost completely managed to steer clear of our parents. Ilana still found her every now and then and beat her to within an inch of her life and I often wondered why our mother hadn't killed Anneliese. She was absolutely worthless since she hadn't bothererd to learn any survival skills. She couldn't even hunt on her own and had to eat the scraps left behind once the rest of the pack had finished eating. I supposed she was allowed to live so that we could have an omega wolf to beat and take our frustrations out on.

My pitied thoughts of my sister were soon interupted when she suddenly whipped around and spoke to me. I laughed in her face as usual - nothing she said ever carried any weight - and watched her tear off towards the border. I did not follow right away because I was curious to see if she'd dare cross through the trees and, to my surprise, she did. Long after her form had faded from my view I still didn't follow. I half expected her to turn around seeing as her leaving the territory was a death sentence. She couldn't survive our there on her own and she knew it but I also think she inherited our mother's crazy streak and often acted on pure impulse. She truly was an imbecile. I slowly began trotting forward until I stepped through the trees. I had been out of the territory many times and knew every inch of the valley. It wouldn't take long to follow Anneliese's scent and find the spot she'd chosen to die. I couldn't let her go that easily though as I still needed her help. My hatred of Rhett drove me to follow my doomed sister out of the territory and out into the valley.

Red Ringed