The sun shines bright but cold like a honed blade on this autumn day. Thin clouds scud high in the sky, chased over the western cliff by a brisk wind from the distant sea.
Snowback rests in the shade of a bush in a patch of dried grass cleared of snow, the bright sunlight dappling his wind-ruffled fur. A mostly picked-over rabbit carcas lies between his forepaws. The fur around his mouth is spotted red.
Caileana pads through the thick brush from the north, her pawsteps quiet as possible, but she still leaves the sound of softly crunching snow behind her.
Snowback yips in greeting to Caileana, "Hey, Sis, how goes the hunting?"
Caileana emerges fully from the undergrowth and gives him a dark scowl at the use of the word "sis." "Well enough," she says, that answer being obvious by her well-fed look and the rather hugely bulging satchel at her side.
Snowback exposes his teeth in a wolf-grin, but a rather contented one. The young wolf has put on weight and muscle in the time he's spent in the game-rich Shuddering Woods. "The pickins sure is good in these woods. The critters practically invite you to eat them." His tongue lolls out of his mouth.
Caileana sidles over near him, not quite as tense as her scowl would lead one to believe. She sits down. "Aye, I'll say. I've never seen this much game in one place in my life."
Snowback exclaims, "You can sure enough say that, Sis!" He seems to enjoy Caileana's annoyance at the title. "Up on the Moors me mom and me would have to scrounge for days to scare up a mangy rabbit. "
Caileana hehs. "The Waste isn't that bad. But there are a lot of us Wolves, and we keep the game down to a much more reasonable amount."
Snowback perks up at a thought, "You know, it occurred to me that these woods could use some wolves to keep the game down, too. There's enough critters around here to keep a lot of cubs good and fat. Me and you and your mom should set up our own pack here." His voice is casual, but he fixes his gaze on Caileana waiting for a reaction.
Caileana whips her head around and narrows her eyes at him as if to ascertain exactly what he means by that statement. She snorts at his casual manner. "My place is with my pack." She says, her tone leaving no room for question on that point.
Snowback grins slightly, "And why not make your own pack here? You and me are at the age where a wolf's expected to strike out on his own and find his own place, aren't we?"
Caileana snorts at him, and gets to her paws so that she can look at him from a higher position. "I am expected," she tells him coldly, "To remain with my family and serve the Great Lion where I am at. Which is to say, to serve Ulfden and protect the Waste." She gives him a level stare, golden eyes sparking forcefully and with something akin to disdain. "And *IF* I were to leave that calling, it most certainly would not be for *you*."
Snowback rolls his eyes and yips, "So the Big Cat himself asked you to keep that metal pole marked for him, now did he? ... I'm only saying serve your family, sure, but you've got a right to make you're own, now don't you? And then you serve them. And surely the Big Cat made this wood full of juicy critters the same as he made the wastes, so protect your own pack and serve Him here, is all I'm saying."
Caileana snarls at him. "I would watch your tongue, Rogue." She scoffs, and wheels off, turning back to snap at him a few steps away, "And what would /you/ know about duty, to a pack or elsewise, duty to something beyond your own desires, beyond even your own so-called rights?" She stares at him with disgust and her tone is dangerously low as she says, "You know nothing."
Snowback :'s self-satisfied grin doesn't change. "Suit yourself, Sis. Not my concern if you want to spend your time hunting to feed that big buster Nevarre's pups. I'll just ask your mom what she thinks of the idea. If I'm going to have me own pack, I at least know I need an alpha she-wolf, but I'm not picky about who.
Caileana stares at him, growing more angry by the moment. "My Alphas have no pups, you fool. I was the last pup born to the pack years ago. And if you think I..." She growls and turns away again. "Of all the arrogant, conceited Beasts I have met, you, Rogue, are the /worst/" The word is a growl. She laughs harshly. "Why you think I would want you is beyond me."
Snowback shrugs as he tears a scrap of meat from his rabbit carcass. He answers between chews, "Your loss, Sis. I may not be much of a wolf, but I'm fit and can hunt enough to keep meself and a good number of pups fat and healthy. Besides, if the Big Lion hasn't seen fit to give Nevarre any pups recently, maybe he's not all the wolf he thinks he is."
Caileana looks at him as though he is the mere scum of the earth. "You presume much and know little. Attack the honor of my Alpha again and you will pay for it." Her gaze is steady as she challenges him.
Snowback says, "I may not know much, but I think you've mistaken that Nevarre for one of the Kings in far-off Cair Paravel. An alpha wolf is alpha because he's the strongest in the pack. If he can'd defend his own honor, he's no alpha, and doesn't need any she-pups scrapping for his 'honor' whatever that might be."
Caileana opens her mouth as if to comment, but when he insults not only Nevarre but her as well, she snarls even louder than she has before, hackles raised. She leaps at him with her fangs bared.
Snowback is surprised by Caileana's violent reaction, rises and takes a step backwards. Fangs beared he emits a low growl and fixes her with a livid stare. After a moment he barks, "I've got no quarrel with you, she-wolf! If he's such a great wolf, why don't you clear off and go lick his face?"
Caileana barks a laugh, taring him down and not backing away. "You insult my own honor, and all that I am and stand for and say you have no quarrel with me. And even still you insulft my Alpha. I will stand for none of it, so I suggest you brace yourself or fight back."
Snowback snears, "I'm the alpha in these woods until a bigger wolf takes my place. You shove-off, or get into line, or prove you're the bigger wolf, Sis!"
Caileana does just that. She snaps at him again, much closer to his neck than she has ever bitten a Wolf before.
Snowback growls, "You'll have to do better than that!" as he lunges with claws exposed.
Caileana leaps backwards in time to miss most of his claws and snaps with her fangs at the back of his neck, lifting slightly on her long legs to reach.
Snowback twists around and lunges at Caileana's throat, fangs gaping.
Caileana moves her back legs so that he misses and snaps instead at her shoulder. She drops to the ground, biting at his underbelly as she falls.
Snowback leaps away from the bite and up, lashing with his claws.
Caileana is scratched along her face. She snarls and bites at his paw before he can draw it back.
Snowback whips his bitten paw pack, then pounces with paws leading, trying to knock Caileana down.
Caileana doesn't even flinch. She pulls her front paws backwards, shifting all her weight to her back paws, so that Snowback basically drops his paws along her shoulders and then harmlessly onto the ground. She comes up with her teeth towards his jugular.
Snowback twists away from the painful bite, then tries to lock his jaws on the back of her neck.
Caileana twists around sharply to break his hold, biting again at his exposed neck as she does so.
Snowback jumps back and swipes his claws at her face.
Caileana is scratched on the opposite side of her face. She nearly howls with fury, charging him with all the speed and strength she has.
Caileana looks at him as though he is the mere scum of the earth. "You presume much and know little. Attack the honor of my Alpha again and you will pay for it." Her gaze is steady as she challenges him.
Snowback says, "I may not know much, but I think you've mistaken that Nevarre for one of the Kings in far-off Cair Paravel. An alpha wolf is alpha because he's the strongest in the pack. If he can'd defend his own honor, he's no alpha, and doesn't need any she-pups scrapping for his 'honor' whatever that might be."
Caileana opens her mouth as if to comment, but when he insults not only Nevarre but her as well, she snarls even louder than she has before, hackles raised. She leaps at him with her fangs bared.
Snowback is surprised by Caileana's violent reaction, rises and takes a step backwards. Fangs beared he emits a low growl and fixes her with a livid stare. After a moment he barks, "I've got no quarrel with you, she-wolf! If he's such a great wolf, why don't you clear off and go lick his face?"
Caileana barks a laugh, taring him down and not backing away. "You insult my own honor, and all that I am and stand for and say you have no quarrel with me. And even still you insulft my Alpha. I will stand for none of it, so I suggest you brace yourself or fight back."
Snowback snears, "I'm the alpha in these woods until a bigger wolf takes my place. You shove-off, or get into line, or prove you're the bigger wolf, Sis!"
Caileana does just that. She snaps at him again, much closer to his neck than she has ever bitten a Wolf before.
Snowback growls, "You'll have to do better than that!" as he lunges with claws exposed.
Caileana leaps backwards in time to miss most of his claws and snaps with her fangs at the back of his neck, lifting slightly on her long legs to reach.
Snowback twists around and lunges at Caileana's throat, fangs gaping.
Caileana moves her back legs so that he misses and snaps instead at her shoulder. She drops to the ground, biting at his underbelly as she falls.
Snowback leaps away from the bite and up, lashing with his claws.
Caileana is scratched along her face. She snarls and bites at his paw before he can draw it back.
Snowback whips his bitten paw pack, then pounces with paws leading, trying to knock Caileana down.
Caileana doesn't even flinch. She pulls her front paws backwards, shifting all her weight to her back paws, so that Snowback basically drops his paws along her shoulders and then harmlessly onto the ground. She comes up with her teeth towards his jugular.
Snowback twists away from the painful bite, then tries to lock his jaws on the back of her neck.
Caileana twists around sharply to break his hold, biting again at his exposed neck as she does so.
Snowback jumps back and swipes his claws at her face.
Caileana is scratched on the opposite side of her face. She nearly howls with fury, charging him with all the speed and strength she has.
Snowback twists his body away from Caileana's mad rush and avoids most of the force of impact. Tearing away from her fangs, he scrapes her with his hind claws as he gathers his body for a pounce.
Caileana takes the scratch without flinching. She backsteps once and leaps sideways to avoids his inevitable pounce, snapping at him as she does so.
Snowback shifts his weight to his hind haunches then springs for Caileana's neck, mouth gaping.
Caileana dances just enough out of the way for Snowback to bite mostly air. She snakes her head around and bites at him while he's vulnerable.
Snowback swipes his claws at her torso as he pulls away from her bite.
Caileana pulls back as he claws sink into her belly, but only for an instant. She snaps at his shoulder with her fangs.
Snowback tries to catch Caileana's forepaw in his strong jaws.
Caileana winces and leans her weight forward to snap at his muzzle, while at the same time wrenching her paw away from him.
Snowback jumps back and pauses, hackles raised, fangs out, breathing hard. He growls, "Enough of this! Maybe I'm no alpha wolf if I can't teach a she-pup a lesson, but I'll be a jack if I let it get in the way of my hunting. Go back to your big alpha if you wants!"
Caileana growls low and deep, still angry and as yet unappeased. "Like you could have ever stopped me!" she snarls at him. "What are you, a coward?"
Snowback exclaims, "Ha! I am a wolf who cares a wiggen more to keep his belly full than for any of your high falootin honor. You put on airs like you was the Witch herself, and are just as icy, that's for sure."
Caileana roars at him. "Arrogant, pompous fool! I put on airs? When you were the one to presume I would be honored and flattered to just drop everything to be your mate!" She fumes with anger, circling him, just on the verge of attacking him again. Indeed, she seems barely able to control herself from doing so. "Call me the Witch indeed" she snarls under her breath.
Snowback laughs wryly, "Pah, honor again. Sister, you are slow-witted if you haven't learned by now that with me it's never a matter of honor. Now I've wasted enough time on you. I'm hungry. You want to do something worthwhile and take down a deer with me. I've a hankering for deer meat."
Snowback starts licking one of the wounds inflicted by Caileana while keeping an alert eye on her.
Caileana stares at him for a moment, looking absolutely furiously befuddled by his stupidity. "You may be nothing but an honorless dog who cares nothing for anything but his own hide, but I will be dead before I let you compare me to /her/ and act as though it is a matter of no importance." So saying, she goes after him again.
Snowback pushes her away with his forepaws, growling, "Stupid! I can't eat you!"
Caileana ignores him, biting at the offedning paws.
Snowback growls, "Waste o' time. I'll hunt by meself!" He turns and starts to trot out of the clearing.
Caileana scowls. and leaps in front of him. "You think you can get awya that easily?" She snarls and bites at him once more.
Snowback crouches and growls at Caileana, about to pounce. He then leaps backward and runs for the opposite side of the clearing.
Indra slips out of the forest into the small clearing near the cliffs.
Snowback is on the opposite side of the clearing in a spot of grass kept clear of snow by an overhanging spruce bough, gobbling the last sinewy bits of a freshly killed hare. The young wolf has been putting on weight and muscle in the time since he's come to the Shuttering Wood. He appears relaxed, though in addition to the blood stains of his breakfast dappling his muzzle, his coat reveals a number of recent bites and scratches.
Indra says, "Ah, Snowback. I had hoped to stumble across you."
Snowback yips a greeting, "Morning to ya, Indra. How has the hunting been?"
Indra says, "Decently enough. I had wanted to speak with you about your encounter with my daughter yesterday."
Snowback grins wolfishly but good-naturedly, "Ha! She's a real piece of work, I tell ya. Though I'm a bit embarrassed I couldn't teach her more of a lesson. I've not had much chance having a go with other wolves, you know. Still, I think I gave as good as I got." He licks a scratch on his forepaw.
Indra says, "Yes... that's what I wanted to discuss. She's a bit overdramatic, but her feelings are very real, and I wasn't sure you were aware that your words were more than banter to her."
Snowback says, "I've never been one to be choosy about me words. Never saw any reason to. But she sure do act like she's got a burr in her paw when it comes to that bruiser Nevarre."
Indra says, "It was the reference to the White Witch which really bothered her. Wolves in Narnia don't take any such reference lightly."
Snowback shrugs and yawns, "What's some icy witch the Lion ate years before I was born to me? Glad she's not around to turn me to a rock, but now she's long gone, aye?"
Indra sits, her tail tucking neatly beside her. "I see your mentality, but consider this: some of us still feel the effects of the White Witch. I myself was forced to work for her in my youth. Her memory is painful, especially to we Wolves, who are so often unfairly compared to her. To say we are like her is to undermine all out efforts over the last ten years to be loyal protectors of the Beasts we love."
Snowback says, "Well, now, Mum, we all have our troubles, old and young, now don't we?" He shakes his head thoughtfully, "I've never minded what anyone said about me, more often grateful when they weren't trying to smash me or skin me. To me a wolf was doing fine if he had enough meat for himself and his brood, but your lot up in the wastes all seem to be carrying around a lot of baggage that doesn't seem very wolfish to me."
Indra hmms, "I don't think you're wrong, to be honest, and I'd love to see the pack move on, with your help. But you won't teach them that by always rubbing their wounds."
Snowback laughs, "Ha! And what place would I have teaching anything to that fine pack of yours? It's not like anyone's come asking for lessons. Hey, instead of that, I've been thinking we could start our own pack here in these woods. The critters are more plentiful than in the Wastes, to say nothing of the Moors, and no wolves to keep their numbers down. Caily didn't like the idea, but I think you and me could hunt these woods fine. Of course she'd be welcome in our pack if she wanted."
Indra chuckles. "You sell the idea well. But packs are about loyalty, and I couldn't leave mine to join another. If packs were consistently shifting, there would be no trust. Still, I'd be happy to speak with my Alpha about some kind of partnership or exchange for the future."
Snowback grins, "We can at least talk to each other without raising hackles. Now, see, I've never run with a pack. Me mum kept to herself with me bro and me, she said we should steer clear of the other wolves on the Moors. Now as a wolf, I see what a pack can do, taking down game a lone wolf could never try, keeping pups fed and safe. But surely it's the strength of the alpha that keeps all the wolves in line. What's a pack need with loyalty? Either the alpha has what it takes to make 'em hunt together, or he doesn't and the wolf who does takes his place.
Indra nods, "You're right, a pack with a poor Alpha is a poor pack. But a pack with Wolves who behave disloyally to their Alpha is as poor."
Indra adds, "I will grant you, however, that in our eagerness to become loyal to the Kings and Queens, we have been far less likely to bother with challenging the Alpha so long as he, too, is loyal to their Majesties."
Snowback shrugs, "Nevarre and Caily can worry about their Majesties in far-away Cair Paravel if they wants, Me, I'm pleased if I can scare-up a rabbit when I'm hunger, and maybe a bit of deer from time to time."
Indra says, "I hope that's all you ever have to worry about."
Snowback says, "That's been plenty enough a worry. Some stretches we had pretty thin pickings up on the Moors. Maybe have thin pickings again someday, but today I like these woods fine."
Indra says, "Well, if you ever think of joining a pack, I'll speak for you in Ulfden."
Snowback puts his chin in the grass between his forepaws and looks thoughtful. "Hmmm. I suppose as rich as the pickins is here now, they're going to get thinner in the winter. Now I don't know all what Mom had against the other wolves on the Moors, but I thinks that I'm big enough now to handle meself in a pack or out. I do surely enjoy the occassional scrap of deer. I'm thinking when it get much colder I better head on south or find a pack to hook up with.
Indra says, "Southwards leads into the lowlands, which are sparse of deer and other prey, and then into the Faun settlement which is too mountainous for our usual prey."
Snowback looks quizically, "You're sure you don't want to go in with me and make our own pack here? We could have a good litter of pups in no time."
Indra chuckles. "I'm a bit old for producing more pups."
Snowback says, "Don't sell yourself short. But if there's no pack in these woods, and nothing for us farther south, that leaves Ulfden the only pack between here and the Moors."
Indra says, "Indeed, so. There is a pack far southeast of here, but the Wolves there are known for irresponsible behavior. One led a pair of Werewolves right into Ulfden."
Snowback grins, "There are those who would say that other pack would fit me to a T, no doubt."
Indra says, "Conceivably so. I see a sense of practicality in you, however."
Snowback says, "Oh, that is me, Mister Practical Wolf. Whatever it takes to get me next meal."
Indra says, "I don't doubt that that could be applied usefully."
Snowback eyes Indra doubtfully, "But, practically speaking, Mom, what's the chances of that Nevarre letting Moor cur like me run with Ulfden? To me he seemed more interested in scaring a scavey rogue off his hunting grounds than looking for more paws for the hunt."
Indra says, "The Alpha enjoys intimidating folk. I believe he considers it a test. If you truly want to be in the pack, you will take the treatment he gives you. That is, I think, his mentality."
Snowback growls slightly at the memory of Nevarre's test. "I don't know. Give me a little time, Mom. I think it'll need to get a good spot colder, and the game a lot thinner before I'm ready for another bellyful of what that Nevarre's serving up."
Indra inclines her head. "Fair enough. Perhaps I'll see you when the snow's thickened."
Snowback says, "Likely so. Feel free to hunt these woods as long and whenever you like. I guess I'm me own pack of one wolf in these parts."
Snowback bows to you with palpable irony.
Indra says, "Thank you for the invitation."
Snowback grins wolfishly, "Heh, it's not like I could stop ye if I wanted, nor that Caily."
Indra says, "Speaking of my daughter, I promised her we would return this morning to Ulfden. I'd best bid you farewell and seek her out."
Snowback nods, "More meat for me then, I guess. Safe travel to both of ye."
Indra says, "Thank you. Stay fed and strong."
Snowback says, "And you, too, Mom. Now I'm hungry."
Snowback turns and starts to trot into the forest.
