A thin crescent moon, high in the sky, shed faint white light over the forest. Stars glowed like rhinestones on a dress as breezes full of crisp winter fragrance floated over nearby meadow and hill. The forest itself, veiled in darkness, lay utterly still. Somewhere in the depths of the woods stood an old charred oak, beside which lay a small black wolf, nearly invisible against the darkness surrounding her. Moonlight - even the faintest moonlight - was as good as the sun to her keen blue eyes. With her piercing gaze, she surveyed the territory she called her own, watching for the comings and goings of the creatures she considered to be nothing but meals. She looked to a nearby creek, home to the fish she found so appetizing, but found it now thoroughly frozen over; the great oak tree, where delicious chipmunks skittered in the earliest dawn; the marsh, where more often that not she enjoyed a savory frog; the meadow, full of fat, meaty voles. Yet with winter upon the forest, she saw not a creature, and the wolf found this profoundly annoying. Through the entire cruel, harsh winter, her survival was due to mice and rabbits, the only food still seeming to be existent in the forest. Suddenly, the wolf pricked up her ears and swiveled her head. There - near the edge of the meadow - movement! Just the thought of food was enough to make the young wolf's mouth water and tail wag. She approached, ever so silently, ever so slowly, keeping to the shadows. As she neared, her hope dimmed. What she saw was not a meal, but another wolf. What she saw was a challenge. She pulled back her lips to reveal sharp, ivory teeth, and, snarling, leaped out of the shadows to face the wolf.

The moon was thin as a scruffy black wolf slunk through the forest. She did not need much to see in the dim light. Through the soft fogs of the night she was able to see silhouettes of different figures. Dark, leafless trees, the small holes where animals had burrowed. The shadows in which snow sparkled. The icy ground crunched beneath her hardened paws, she had been traveling for days. Starving and feeling thinner than ever she surveyed the area for a prey of any sort. The water was frozen over, the other small animals hibernating. There was nothing, she realized. She thought this until she heard a slight rustle in the brushes. Morte paused, watching the moving brush, catching sight of glimmering blue eyes, and the sparkle of white teeth as a creature sprang from the brush. A growl rumbled in her stomach as she tensed for fight, flashing her ivory canines.

Mori narrowed her eyes as the wolf before her bared her fangs. She growled deeply, a fierce sound that echoed faintly through the trees. She pawed angrily at the icy ground beneath her, deciding whether to attack or not. The wolf looked familiar, but Mori shook it off and hissed at her, sounding for all the world like a cat rather than wolf. She circled the creature, tension rippling through her muscles, waiting for an opportunity to attack. The wolf's head swiveled as she watched Mori's movement, and the young wolf saw her chance and leaped at the other. She landed with her front paws on the strange wolf's shoulders, her back paws balancing her on the ground. In a flash, she sank her ivory fangs deep into the wolf's shoulder, then danced out of the way of furiously snapping jaws retaliating. Mori smirked. 'Now, may I ask what you are doing here?' she growled icily, blue eyes flashing.

Morte watched the little wolf hiss and dance in circles around her. Occasionally halting momentarily, deciding whether or not to strike. Morte simply watched those blue eyes that were oh-so familiar, and made no move of defense or attack. She held her place and watched the little wolf with cautious, curious eyes. The little wolf's muscles rippled as her body recoil slightly to spring. Though the wolf looked practiced, Morte knew she could defeat her if need be. She was much larger and muscled more thickly. Though Morte had a lean build she easily out-weighed the little wolf. The little wolf sprang. Morte saw her small body dart through the air and towards her. She didn't move. The little one's teeth sank into her shoulder, but Morte made not a sound. Pain was another of the useless emotions she refused to feel. The little wolf hissed in harsh tone, with a girlish smirk on her face. "Now, may I ask what you are doing here?" Little wolf hissed. That voice. Memories flooded back into her head. Mori, her little sister, frolicking in the long thick grass, snapping the heads off of flowers, than quickly spitting then out with a disgusted look. Then her eyes would flick over to Morte, and she would grin that girlish grin. "M-Mori?" The little wolf - Mori, she knew for sure - froze. Her eyes still held a deadly glint, but Morte knew it was her. "I-it's me, your sister. It's Morte." She could tell that Mori had grown, more mature, more agile. She had taken care of herself, as Morte always knew she would, but Mori was still thin, her ribs jutting out. When had she last ate? Morte fretted, When has she last slept? She looked at Mori with careful eyes, trying to sense her emotion, and Mori's reflected back something she did not want to see. Yet Morte refused to move, she would not attack nor hurt the object of her searching. She would let Mori kill her first.

Mori narrowed her eyes, suspiciously glaring at the wolf. She did recognize those emerald eyes she used to look to for guidance and reassurance... Yet didn't trust herself enough. She turned away and fled, angry at herself for not knowing, angry at this wolf who might be her most beloved companion, or her enemy. The young wolf growled in frustration, pausing her wild running for a moment. She hadn't realized she had ran so long, and she was considering what she would do now when she heard slight rustling a ways behind her. Unsure of whether it was the other wolf, or some kind of prey, she crouched down, growling uneasily as she stared intently into the trees.

Ooc// Woow I just realized I started both those with 'Mori narrowed her eyes',, lol xD

Morte watched Mori's eyes narrow suspiciously, her heart throbbed painfully, Mori didn't recognize her. With that thought, Mori turned and sprinted away. She was fast, but not particularly graceful, leaving twigs snapped and branches waving. Morte knew Mori probably didn't realize this, Mori had sometimes been oblivious to the obvious. After several moments, Morte followed the trail of waving branches and snapped twigs. When Mori stopped, she slide silently behind a tree, watching her carefully with emerald eyes. Mori's back was to her, the fur on her neck bristling. Morte caught sight if a waving in the bushes in front of Mori. Morte crouched even lower as she watched a tiny snow-white rabbits push through the bushes, unknowing of it's soon-to-be fate.

Mori sighed with relief as a small hare scurried out of the trees, snuffling around - presumably for food. Her eyes flashed as her predatory instinct took over, leaping at the rabbit with fierce intensity. It kicked out frantically as the little wolf's ivory fangs sunk into its back, blood trickling down her muzzle. It had been days since she'd eaten, but she hadnt realized how hungry she was. Fighting the urge to tear the creature apart and eat the entire thing right there, she picked up her meal and trotted purposefully off into the trees.
After a few minutes, Mori came to a clearing with a large cave near the edge, set deep in a cliff face. A stream bubbled quietly nearby, and thirsty though the wolf was, she ignored it and scampered to the cave, about to slink inside when she noticed a large male wolf just inside the treeline. She gasped, wondering how she missed him as she entered the clearing. Dropping the rabbit, she leaped into the trees, hoping he hadnt seen her, despite being almost certain he had. She sat hesitantly for a moment, not knowing what to do. Normally she would simply attack, but thinking that other wolf who claimed to be her sister might be around, she thought it could end up being a set-up. Suddenly there was a noise behind her, and her eyes widened as she whipped around. The male wolf stood behind her, and she was about to make some contemptuous retort when she glared up at him - and immediately forgot how to talk.
It wasnt his perfect physique, though it did seem flawless at a little over three feet, with defined muscles in all the right places. It wasnt his chiselled cinnamon features, either, though his strong jaws and pointed, black-tinted ears that were masculinity personified in Mori's opinion. It wasnt even his beautiful purple-blue eyes, that were simply angelic and at the moment staring right into hers. It was none of these things and all of them put together that had rendered her speechless.
The young wolf felt electrified and amazed, incomparable to anything she had ever felt before.
Which was absolutely ridiculous.

Mori had simply ravaged the silky white hare, Morte blinked and the rabbit was blood stained and hanging from her mouth. Morte could not deny that she was a good hunter. When Mori trotted into the bushes Morte followed slowly, careful to make not a sound. Slithering around branches and sticks, she was silent except for the soft thud of her paw against the cool ground. She reached a small clearing with a gurgling stream and a large cave in an even larger cliff face. Automatically assuming Mori had trotted into the cave, she slunk through the bushes so she would be able to peak in the entrance of the cave to watch her.

Due to her looking at the entrance, trying to spot Mori in the darkness, she wasn't looking ahead of her and almost bumped into a cinnamon rear. A large one at that. Her neck bristled. When she saw little black legs in front of him she froze. Morte ducked her head down and peered at Mori. Mori had a look of shock, a little awe, what looked like fear, and then something else she had never seen on her face. All Morte registered was the fear. Morte let out a savage growl and sank her canines into his flank. The cinnamon wolf let out a surprise yelp and turned on her. Morte's eye's widened a little at the sight of a dashing cinnamon male, but more at the pure size and muscle of him.

She locked eyes with the purple-eyed beast and snarled fiercely. He growled back with a deep rumble. It struck fear into her every limb, but she refused to back down. She locked eyes with Mori, who was now glancing around at her in disbelief, horror, and little anger, and Morte knew she had made a mistake.

Mori was still staring at the cinnamon wolf when he yelped and whipped around. Mori glanced around him and saw the wolf who claimed to be Morte. She yowled, jumping forward and nipping the wolf's paw, making he stumble backward. She had reacted so quickly that the cinnamon wolf, who apparently with the intention of taking a bite out of Morte, snapped at the air in front of him. His jaws snapped together with an empty metallic clang, and Mori tried to glare at both of them at the same time, not quite sure what to do

OOC//
*her
Making HER stumble backwards,, lol, my mad typing skills...

Slightly relieved that Mori had nipped her, which made cinnamon-man miss her shoulder, she let out a little growl of frustration. "Get away from her." She snarled. He stared blankly at Morte, not exactly the greenest leaf on the tree. He was silent for a few moments, then spoke in a low husk "And if I don't?" He rumbled, his voice more a pur than anything else. "Then you better say good-bye to pups, because you will no longer posses that ability." She smirked, mimicking his pur. Cinnamon bun looked a little shocked, as if he had not expected such words to come from her mouth. Mori was glaring/gazing at both of them in turn. Morte, glare, Cinnamon-man, gaze. Morte couldn't help but be slightly annoyed. "What are you doing with my sister." Morte asked, a hard look on her face. Mori looked about to object, but he spoke. "What am I not?" He chuckled to himself. Morte did not like him, even if he was pretty. "What is your name?" She asked, a cold tone in her voice. Both Mori and Morte looked at him expectantly, but he remained silent for what seemed like hours.

Mori watched the two wolves talk, eyes flashing angrily as the she-wolf growled at the male. After a while of not knowing how to interject so remaining silent, Mori became disinterested until 'Morte' asked the male's name. He seemed hesitant to reply, but after a moment he growled at the she-wolf, responding with 'Aizyk... But if you're staying here around me-'
Suddenly Mori interrupted him. 'Excusez-moi' the little wolf gold indignantly. 'This is my territory, if you've forgotten'
Aizyk glared at her, then decided to ignore her comment, continuing. 'AS I was saying before this runt interrupted, if you earn the right to stick around, you may call me Aiz'
Mori pawed the ground beneath her angrily. 'My name' she spat. 'Is Mori'. She hated talking angrily to this wolf, but couldn't help it when he made fun of her small stature. He simply stared at her for a moment, as if not sure how to react. Mori guessed most wolves didn't stand up to such a huge, strong creature. She didn't blame them, and she started to regret saying what she did as his purple-tinted eyes bore into hers.
Mori lowered her head. 'Sorry' she mumbled, licking her nose nervously.

Morte watched in disbelief as Mori's little pink tongue skittered over her nose. She had apologized to Aizyk even when there was no need. Morte could not remember Mori ever apologizing to her and she couldn't help but feel a twinge of jealousy. "Mori, you don't need to apologize, this isn't his land." She said softly, and then firmly when mentioning his name. "It is." He bristled. Morte glared at him as Mori looked up at her with wondering eyes. "As of now it's not." She hissed. He then did something Morte did not expect, he smiled. "I can share." Aizyk gave her another devilish smile. She blanched and choked back her non-existent dinner. "Fine," she said "but you go near her and I will personally rip your nose off." Morte then brushed past him and glanced down at Mori, who was looked shocked and smaller than ever. Morte knew she wasn't that much bigger than Mori, only a few inches taller and wider, but she was better built. Mori's was more feminine, where Morte's had more masculinity. She gazed at the beautiful blue eyes of her little sister and pleaded. "Will you stay with me?"

Mori stayed low as Aizyk glanced at her before he replied to Morte. She listened to them talk again, then watched Morte push past Aizyk and ask her to stay with her. Mori rolled her eyes, turning toward her cave. 'I dont care what either of you say' she growled in annoyance. 'This is my cave, and I'm staying here'
Aizyk stared at her for a moment, as if wondering whether he should just use his strength to keep the territory, or talk this out. Mori sincerely hoped he would choose the latter, and after a moment, he did. 'I dont think' he started before Mori interrupted with 'Yea, that's for sure'
His eyes flashed and he snarled quietly. 'As I was saying, this is not your decision' He smirked, taking a step forward. Mori had to look almost straight up at him when she spoke. 'I wouldnt be so sure about that'
Suddenly, Aizyk snarled, leaping toward her with fangs bared. She simply sidestepped, and he went tumbling past her, skidding to a stop a few feet away. She turned, and this time it was her turn to smirk, as she stared at the wolf. He rolled his purple-tinted eyes, turning away. 'Whatever' he said angrily.
'Yea, good comeback' Mori sniffed. He ignored her and trotted toward the cave. The younger wolf hissed, racing after him. 'I told you' she yowled frustratedly. 'This is my territory'
He turned back toward her and she lowered her head again nervously.

As Mori sidestepped his weak attempt at attack Morte sniffed and smiled. She definitely liked Mori's humor. As Aizyk walked away from Mori, head held high, she could tell that he was in for trouble. Mori snarled at him and raced after him, and Morte sprinted after her. Mori was fast and hard to catch up with, but with shear force of will she managed to get close enough to interfear if necessary. When Aizyk turned, Mori stopped her advance and lowered her head. Morte could already see the effects of the 'alpha male'. Morte had had enough of those in her lifetime. She hiss at Aizyk, planting herself in front of Mori. "Do not belittle her you swine!" She snarled, snapping her porcelain teeth. Aizyk glared back, as if he expected Morte to back down as well. She had an urge to back down and lower her head in apology, but she instead chose to keep her head high, chin up, though she still only came to about his shoulder. "Mori, please, share the cave with me, and not him." She made a sharp gesture with her head towards Aizyk and sniffed.

Mori watched as Morte pushed her slightly back and stepped in front of her. Mori narrowed her deep blue eyes and ignored Morte's words, instead moving up and shouldering the wolf out of her way as she stalked into the cave. It was dimly lit, but she could clearly see both wolves as they followed her inside. She growled in frustration. 'Dont you have anything better to do?' she snapped at them. 'Seriously. Just go away'
Aizyk was in front, blocking Mori's view of Morte. The cinnamon wolf glared at Mori, sitting down. Mori's eyes flashed fiercely as Morte stepped up beside him, and the young wolf growled again, waiting for her to say something about how 'she was her sister so Mori should let her stay'

Morte watched with saddened eyes and Mori stalked away from her, snapping at her to leave. Mori had changed more than Morte could have ever imagined, and for the first time in a long time, she again, broke Morte's heart. Stepping up beside Aizyk, who had firmly planted his tush in the cave, she whispered to Mori, "Do you really want me to go?"

She knew what Mori was going to say, and hoped she would say different. She had searched for her for a part of her life, a part that had hardened her to emotions, and a part she would never forget. When she had saw Mori, emotions flooded back faster and more powerful than she had ever experienced. Within a half-hour of meeting her, Mori had managed to push Morte away, and she could help but feel like a rejected pup. She had saw Mori, saw family, saw love. Mori had saw hate and lies.

Morte dipped her head low when Mori didn't say anything. "Goodbye." She whispered, turned from the hope in her life, took a deep breath, and sprinted from the mouth of the cave. She barely able to smoother the howl of pain that was crying to get out.

Mori gazed at the she-wolf as she walked away, not trusting herself to say anything. She growled bitterly, and her voice echoed around the cave. She trotted toward the edge of the cave, trying to find words, and accidentally pushed against Aizyk. He turned and snarled at her, and she jumped sideways, creeping back to the edge of the wall and shivering nervously. It was as if all her confidence had left with the black she-wolf, and Aizyk's eyes glittered dangerously in the semi-darkness as he glared at her. Mori couldnt hold his gaze, instead looking down at the ground, the fur on her back quivering as she shrunk back farther into the cave. He leaped toward her, snapping his jaws, and she yelped in surprise, leaping backwards. He laughed cruelly, sitting down before her, and for a long time she was frightened to move and sat whimpering quietly.

Morte collapsed as soon as she reached the bushes around the clearance of the cliff side. She would have tried to lift herself, but she was far to emotionally drained. She whimpered to herself, rubbing her cheek against the coarse fur on her legs. She sat there for five minutes, wallowing, and then stood.

Morte heard a soft whimpering, if she hadn't been on such a high alert she wouldn't have heard it. Mori. Mori! She turned and ran back to the cave. Mori sat in a corner whimpering, Aizyk sitting in front of her, a very dominant stance. She didn't know if Mori had noticed her or not, her vision was pure red. "Get out!" She screeched, seconds before lunging at the wolf and knocking his to the ground. Aizyk let out a startled snarl, and Morte snapped down on his ear, ripping a chunk off. Her growled in outrage and snapped at her shoulder. She felt his teeth sink through her skin like butter, she howled in pain and started ripping at his stomach with her hind legs. He let go and pushed her off of him. He lay on top of her before Morte could even understand what was going on. He was heavy, his weight knocking the wind out of her. She tried to snap at his neck, and missed. His teeth sunk into the soft part of her throat and she could feel the world around her dimming, the last thing she saw were malicious, violet eyes.

Posted twice, apologies!

Mori was too stunned by the attack to do anything but stare as the two wolves fought. She whined as Aizyk tore into Morte's throat, then turned toward Mori, stepping over the she-wolf's unconscious body. She stepped backward, and Aizyk grinned evilly. 'Planning anything now, wolf?' he hissed with a smirk. Her eyes widened and she shook her head. Aizyk chuckled cruelly, stalking to the mouth of the cave and sitting down. The young she-wolf silently slunk over to where Morte lay and nudged her side with a paw. Morte blinked, groaning with pain, and Mori licked gently at the wound on the older wolf's throat as she regained consciousness.

"Wh-what?" Morte murmered, Mori was licked softly at her throat and it felt nice, she remembered Mori doing this when she had gotten in a tangle with the alpha's son. She glanced around, her vision blurred. It took a moment, but then she knew what had happened, and what was happening. She saw Aizyk sitting at the mouth of the cave. She looked at him for a moment, and decided to leave it, and coxed Mori to sleep. She feel asleep cuddled into Morte's back. She watched Aizyk for a while after, and when she was sure he wasn't going to act, she feel asleep as well.

In the morning, Morte awoke to the smell of fresh meat. Mori was already devouring a small deer and was finishing off the leg. "Mmmm LEGGY." She said, chomping on a bone. Where she had managed to trap such a beast in the wild winter of Russia, she wasn't sure. All that was left was a small pile of squirrels to the left of Mori, where Aizyk was finishing off a white hare. She realized Mori and herself were probably to share the beast, but because Mori had already eaten her portion and more.

Aizyk made a small gesture, urging her to join them. She was shy of Aizyk, so she sat next to Mori and secretly glanced at the squirrels. "Eat." He said. Her stomach rumbled but the wounds in her throat restricted her breathing to painful gasps, she couldn't imagine eating. Her head still spun. "Eat." he said again, more demanding. Mori gave her a worried glance. "Just do it, if you don't he'll kill us." She said.

Morte looked at Aizyk and noticed his tail twitching impatiently. She gulped painfully and told him she couldn't. "Why not?" Because you injured me. "Where." My neck, there are holes. "There are not any holes, now eat." He demanded, showing his bloodstained fangs. Morte grabbed a bone and chewed on it softly, savoring the flavor, but not actually eating any of it.

Mori awoke to Aizyk growling in her ear. She freaked out, jumping up and stepping backward in shock. He rolled his eyes as he spoke. 'Now normally I wouldnt be this kind' he began. 'But I suppose you have to have some food if you're going to serve me' His eyes flashed, daring her to argue. She didnt, instead looking past him to the small, young deer and three squirrels he had killed. 'Eat something, wolf, or you'll be too weak today' he hissed. 'For... what?' she asked nervously. He ignored her, instead pushing her roughly toward the deer. She didnt trust the food, but when he stood over her, baring his teeth, she decided anything he could have done to the meal could not be worse than the fangs dripping saliva over her head. She shook her head clean and bit into the deer's leg. The young wolf had never been so hungry, and did not even realize how much she had eaten until Morte came over a while later. She looked down and deer was pretty much gone, save a few chunks of meat and its bones. She almost laughed at the expression on Morte's face when she saw the results of her hunger.
Aizyk growled at Morte to eat, and her refusal made Mori nervous. She hissed at her to eat, and the older wolf at least started chewing on a bone. Mori glanced at Morte's throat, and had to admit that she saw no holes, though the fur was bloodstained and matted. When they finished eating, the two she-wolfs lay down. Aizyk noticed after a moment, and he growled at them to get up. Mori protested, and the snarl that came from Aizyk's jaws had a killing threat in it. Both wolves clambered to their feet hurriedly, and Aizyk led them outside. Mori glanced at Morte, wondering if she knew what was happening, but she had no clue either.

Morte wished there was water around, she was thirstier than she had ever been in her life. She lay down to rest with the little she-wolf, but they were snapped at to rise. Morte had a feeling he was going to try to start a pack, she shivered in disgust, or perhaps use them for revenge. Aizyk, whose personality had changed far more than she could have believed, or perhaps now his true personality was shining through, did not treat them kindly. His face, which Morte had once found endearing was now a hard mask of hate. He lead them outside. "Wash," He told Morte, nodding towards the gurgling stream. "where we're going, they do not take kindly to blood and dirt." Morte was a little insulted, she could not help that her fur was not silky like Mori's, nor soft like Aizyk's. Hers was thick and coarse, it held no shine and was rough and worn. Morte did not protest though, as she quickly cleaned herself in the stream. She wondered what was happening.

Morte could feel scabs over the wounds on her neck, the dried blood was as dark as her fur and she knew none would know of the bite marks unless they were looking carefully for exactly that. After Morte had cleaned, Aizyk snarled at them to follow, then set out at a quick trot. The sister's glanced at each other and trotted after him, careful of the tree branches that were whipping back from Aizyk's solid frame. As Morte started to look around her, the white snow, the mossy reddish-brown tree trunks, she noticed deep gouges out of several trees. She then realized sullenly that they were claw marks.

The sight of such things sobered her curiosity, Morte followed quietly behind, head forward, muzzle down, and no longer looking at her surroundings.