Abigail Burke's Story

She may have been a magician, but it did not mean she did not know how to battle as well. She was shoved into the old oak, she shoved back, pulling downward and throwing her full weight and strength into it in order to try to pull Bowen down with her. She refused to release the flesh she had in her mouth.

Her wounds seemed to heal rather swiftly. Even the cuts that Bowen had made on her underbelly had healed within a minute or so.

His wounds healed just as quickly and he went with pull. Pushed against the tree he would be able to released her neck and clamp down higher on her neck and throat. He just wasn't doing enough damage to her near the shoulder and he was loosing more blood than her because of where her teeth were sinking into his muscle. His paws came up to brace her head. He released her shoulder and attempted to sink those white spikes higher up on her neck.

'Gah bitch!' If he managed the bite he would lock his own jaw and then start to thrash. As shallow cuts healed more were created. Soon they would be covered in each others blood.

She released his neck and blocked his attempts to try to grab her own throat.

Both wolves tossed and turned, disturbing the area around them for what seemed a small eternity. They were equally matched in every way. Their wounds healed just as soon as they were inflicted and neither could down the other for very long.

They both brought each other to the ground one final time and neither could force themselves to stand back up. Abby panted heavily, gulping huge lungfuls of air greedily. She forced herself to sit up at least, her limbs trembling heavily. Her blue eyes glared heavily at the other wolf, wondering how she would muster up the will to attack if he were to lunge again.

She refused to give in fully.

Gashes furrowed the ground about the area when they were finished. Trees were broken and scarred all around them He panted heavily in mirror to her but he sat on his haunches a few seconds before her. His limbs shook like hers and his yellow eyes matched hers. They glared at each other with scowls but he did not lunge at her. He had not wanted to fight her from the start. She just wanted her to back the fuck up off him while he sorted his thoughts. He did not bow a head to her and her want for dominance had caused this fight.

He slowly raised to four legs and sniffed the ground. There was a small brook nearby. He could hear it and smell it so he tread slowly off in that direction. If she followed then so be it.

She followed, turning towards the brook nearly the same time.

As she walked, she kept an eye on him, but as the brook came into view, she lowered her gaze and drank slowly. She had not given in to him, but she seemed to respect him as an equal now.

'You do fight well for a pup..' She thought.

He drank, lowering his head to lap at the cool, clean water. After he had his fill he moved to some grass that grew upon a small patch close to the water and stretched out to rest. He did not rest her enough to shift into human form so they could speak. He wanted to tell her off.

He had expected that kind of a fight given that who he believed she was and that he knew she was older than even him.

She grunted once and laid out over the grass. Bones and muscles began to pop and her fur receded. After a few minutes, the woman laid sprawled out on the grass.

"All.. I wanted was a run.. Jeez..." She seemed upset. "You're the first wolf I've seen in a long time that could hold their own in that form.." She murmured quietly. Her eyes were still glowing, just on the edge of transforming once again.

"Thought it would have been a good night.. And you're the first werewolf I've spoken to in a few years.." She murmured.

He laid there for a moment and listened to her speak. Seconds past by. Bones and muscled shifted as his fur receded. He sat up, his jaw clenched. In the pink they were covered with each others blood. His body was that of a warrior's, covered in scars. None of those scars had been given to him in the last five-hundred years.

"I know you. I am seen you before." He pointed to his shoulder. "You're the one who gave me this scar on a beach in Quelaya nearly five-hundred and fifty-nine years ago. You left me for dead, rolling in the surf. Forgive me if my first reaction to meeting you again is not hugs and kisses."

He sighed and laid out on his back. "I needed a moment to sort my thoughts and you trying to 'lady' over me was not my idea of a fun time."

She blinked as he shifted. Standing and catching herself on a tree, she tried to find her balance enough to walk over to him, her eyes focused on the scar. She held up her hands in show of she meant no harm as she knelt beside him and gently reached for the scar.

"If this is true, you are the only one I've turned." She admitted. "I remember.. There was mass confusion.. My leader at the time.." She touched her temples as if she was trying to remember through haze. "He was so frightened. I don't remember why.. And with him being frightened, the rest of us in chaos.. You and your men were there.." She looked away and shied away from him. "I am so sorry.. I should have been there for you."

In general, it was always bad form to leave someone who've you've bitten to fend for themselves. It was considered very dishonorable, and even cowardly. The fact that she hadn't know did not help her case.

"I can barely remember that time.. I was gravely injured and my wounds were slow to heal due to silver touch.. Many of my pack was killed that day. The rest of us scattered into the wind. As far as I'm aware.. Most of them were killed within a month or so of our pack being disbanded. I never joined another pack."

She then frowned. "And I wasn't trying to.. 'Lady'.. Over you. I am not going to bow to you, either. You started snarling and growling like a challenge. I wasn't going to back down from it." She leaned against a trunk of a massive tree, wrapping her arms around her legs silently.

He hands were behind his head. "I thought you were dead. Abby is it?", he guessed. "You are the oldest werewolf I know." He was silent for a moment. "I have no complaint with you now." He watched her with cool grey eyes from his place on the grass. His jaw clenched. "Fate is such a fickle thing. To think I was so connected to Alek...", he trailed off and a frown set upon his face.

"I didn't want you to bow to me. I knew only you were a werewolf that I did not know before you shifted and after I only wanted you to give me space.", he said to clear things up.

Her eyes grew dark at the mention of the name. "Aye.." She switched over to the ancient tongue. "And just imagine if I had stayed with Alek, and he would be killed.. Then it might of been me you killed this evening instead of him." She said. "If I had still bitten you after that."

He joined her in speaking the ancient tongue but his accent was different than hers as it had been different from Alek's. "I doubt it. If you had stayed with Alek then I would be long dead." He paused briefly. "Bowen I am called." The fire still burned nearby. "Sorry for your loss."

She gave a faint smile. "I am Abigail Burke, only child of Terressa and Ibor Burke. Born a child of the moon. When I was younger, I was know as Abigail the Ghost.." She looked over at him with. "Anyone who claims to be a friend knows me by Abby. I'm assuming you learned my name from Alek before his death then.." She paused for a moment. "Do not be sorry for something you found necessary. Never apologize for what you must do. If you had not, I would have. It was not a loss I grieve now, as the loss was something that happened an age ago. It is a pleasure to meet you, Bowen."

Her jaw clenched and she slowly stood up. "Our paths are bound to cross again, Bowen.. I will not follow you, nor will you follow me. But I do wish us to be allies. I will remain in this area for now as I do not know what I am going to do now.." She paused. "I do not think I am welcome in your city. Too many things are happening, I fear.."

"You misunderstand me. I know the sting of love lost and so I am sorry for your loss. I can not be sorry for doing what needed to be done." She continued to speak and he nodded in response. He had no intent to follow her. "That is for the best." He did not respond to her statement of a possible alliance.

He doubted she would be thrown from the city but she was right. Too many things were happening in Lutetia as it was. Her introduction would only cause more strife. "May your days be many and your troubles be few.", he said in the old tongue before shifting and starting to pad away.

"Until we see each other again, Brother." She answered quietly. "I am here, should you need me." She added, in the old tongue. She watched the black wolf pad off silently before shifting herself and walking back deeper into the woods.