PRE-ROLEPLAY: The Founders

Hour Glass:

Zeit ran through the woods, the wind racing through her pelt. She loved the feel of runnign through the well worn trails through the woods, racing anything that came into her veiw. She felt at peace for the moment. She raised her muzzle into the air, letting the scents filling her nose. She felt her wolfish smile appear, and her muscles giving off a pleasant ache.

She soon came to a small meadow, a small herd of deer standing there. She went down into a hunter's crouch, and began to stalk forward, looking for the weakest one. She spotted an old female, it's gait suggested it was limping. She raced forward, the rest of the herd scattering, and sending the old deer flying.

She picked up her pace, but not enough to tire herself out. She then leapt up, and clapped her paws down onto the deer's backend, sending it crashing down to the ground. She quickly looked it in the eye, thanking it for it's life, before ceushing it's spine. She then stood proud, and looked at the feast she now had.

****

Kale:

Kale hoisted the last bundle of hay into the rusty old truck before walking back to the house and knocking againt the screen door to the kitchen." i have finished loading hay, any more work for me?" she asked. She has wondered across this small, secluded farming town two weeks back, since then she had been working from sun-up to sun-down on this small farm run by a family of four. " No more work for you today, you can head into town if you like" came the hurried reply as the mother of the houshold was currently making supper. So kale stepped off the small porch and took off along the sun-baked road into town.

As she walked pass the butcher shop her feet kicked up the dust from the road, wich swirled in the small breeze. The wind carried the scent of raw meat, from the butcher shop, honey soaked dough from the bakery, dust, trees, and somthing else, somthing she couldn't quite place. shrugging to herself she ignored it and headed on.

****

Hour Glass

Zeit raised her head, and took in a deeper scent, a growl coming out of her thraot. There was another werewolf, close, but not in her forest. She snorted and turned back to the feast that laid before her, and dug in. She felt the nurishment give her stength, enough to let her run again.

As her meal dwindled in size, she looked to the sky. She saw the sun beggining to set, the colors began to erupt throughout the sky. She sat back, watching the show, what she enjoyed doing everyday. She sighed, and looked at the carcess, and turned, looking for shelter for the night, She let out a large yawn, and laid under a tangle of branches, letting her meal digest.

****

Kale:

Kale watched the sun dip over the horizon, painting the sky magnificent hues of orange and pink before it sank and color faded from the world. The time most people lost their eyeseight and hurried to hide in their safe homes. But this was the time when Kale's eyes took in the light of that cursed moon and caught it, and reflected back as it danced within her eyes. The moon is getting bigger, she sighed mentally. I really wanted to stop in a city before it was full, I could kill for a cheeseburger. This tiny town has no fast food stop, maybe if I hurry I could make it to a small city before the moon brings out my dreaded curse.

****

May:

The sun was sinking from the sky down behind the fields in the west, painting the sky in beautiful a golden colour. A soft summer breeze wafted over the dry wheat stalks from the direction of the sun and passed the stranger as he approached.

The warm wind rolled dry twigs over the dusty tractor road and blew at the thick, black clothing which were hanging about the strange character. Two dark eyes gazed out from under his wiry brows, a frown firmly over his lips.

His black boots swept over the dusty dirt road as he approached the small town from the south. "It will be dark soon, though I still have two days before the full moon.." These were the quiet thoughts of the stranger as he noted the setting sun. He hadn't long to find what he was searching for in the time which he wanted to find them...

Darkness had already entered the sky by the time Samuel arrived in the small farming town off the tractor road. He did not expect to be treated welcome in a town where everyone knew everyone, nor did he expect to find shelter or a warm meal to eat.
But it was not at all phasing for him, he had grown accustomed to it since he had begun his wandering.

He had traveled far from the city after having no luck in finding another werewolf, he supposed that maybe he would have more luck out here if one was trying to escape the social life of humanity far from the city... but that was a long shot in the dark and highly unlikely....

****

Hour Glass

Zeit woke with a start, the moon was coming up, and it signaled that other werewolves would be soon apppearing. She growled again, and got up, stretching out her stiff limbs. She walked back out into the meadow, and took in another deep scent, more disturbing to her then the last. There were no three were's in the town. She snorted with frustration, and began the run back to her own small farm.

She raced over tree limbs, and hills, loving the feeling of the uneven terrain. it was nearing midnight by time she got back home, and she took her human form. All the workers on her farm had never asked where and why she disappeared, but they would be more questioning, if she didn't come back for days, which only happened during the full moon.

She sighed, lighting the latern on her porch, another signal to weary travelers. She didn't mind them, as long as they earned their keep for how ever long they stayed. She then walked inside, and went to her table, where a pad of paper was laying, ready for the lists she made everynight for tomorrow's work.

She though, writing down everything that needed to be accomplished. When she was down with her rather long list, she then went to her living room, where a warm fire waited, and her favorite novel lay open on her chair.

****

May:

The streets were becoming quieter as townsfolk started closing up the stores and markets. Samuel's dark brown eyes scanned the area as he watched the people bid goodnight to one another as they passed each other in the streets.

Every once in awhile a curious glance would be thrown his way as the people passed him. As the night drew on, the looks of curiosity and alarm grew more and more frequent, but it was no wonder they were becoming anxious...
There he stood, dressed in heavy black clothing of a strange fashion, large black boots and black leather gloves. He was an abnormally large man with a strong and muscular stature. His hair was thick and wiry and lead down his face into course sideburns. No emotion did play upon his long face, though his brows were furrowed as if he was searching the distances.
He stood upon the sidewalk, not caring to move on or pretend that he had any other business, which only made the people more anxious. Samuel soon felt that he may be collecting too much attention which would eventually lead to someone coming to talk to him, else assuming that he was obviously up to no good and call some-government authority to remove him..

So, the dark stranger turned and left the main street quickly, in a moment when the attention seemed to be at the least, and he made himself unseen from local attention. He slipped around the corner of a grocery store and vanished into the ominous darkness which loomed through the entire town.

He found himself in a darker realm then he had previously been in despite the night, overlooked by shadows of buildings as well as the darkness and without the brightness of the moon. A normal human man would not have been able to see anything through the blackness, but it was well enough for 'Kratos' as he peered through the eyes of the wolf.

The musky alley was small and dirty, smelling of a great many rotten things. A dark liquid, that could have possibly been anything, though Samuel could not identify it at this time, was gathered in puddles upon the black asphalt. He slowly scanned the area, it seemed empty enough, though not at all a pleasant place to curl up for the night, nonetheless it was a place out of the way and lonely enough for Samuel to feel comfortable.

Slowly he walked to the furthest and darkest corner in the alleyway, behind a large dumpster and many flattened cardboard boxes. Samuel crouched down and laid his back and shoulders against the concrete wall, preparing for an uncomfortable rest in a place far from home.

Kale:

Kale sighed as she headed back into town from her little field were she had watched the sunset. A small breeze drifted through the town and she stopped, sniffing again. The wind carried the same scent she had caught earlier only now it was much stronger and, slightly different, like that of a man as it was more unlike her own then the one she smelled earlier. Is this.....werewolf scent? Are there more like me here?
The smell got stronger again as she got onto the main road and as she continued walking she stopped were it was strongest and freshest, she just stood in the center of the road. Should I try to find the owner of the scent or not?

May:

Samuel had just closed his eyes and gotten comfortable, when he suddenly caught the alarm! Immediately his eyes shot open and he jumped to his feet! He held a firm defensive position in the darkness, slowly sniffing the air to catch whatever he could with his human senses.

"It's a woman..." He thought silently to himself, "She is obviously a werewolf victim, otherwise I wouldn't have been alarmed at her presence... She is close and undoubtedly she is aware of my presence..."

For a moment he stood still, curious to see if she would try to come closer or retreat... He was a stranger here, obviously from another area and she would know this...

He searched the air of her scent for more information, but he wasn't close enough to her to gain anything else... Cautiously he began to approach the exit of the alleyway, with every step he got more aware of her until he had gotten close enough to determine her exact location.

She was just beyond the alley standing in the street..

Slowly he peered around the side of the grocery store and saw her through the darkness. She was not large enough for him to consider a threat or dangerous, still, he did not approach further, he waited to see how she would respond to him..

Hour Glass:

Zeit sat in pure peace once again, deep into her book. Even if she left a light on on her porch, very few actually came to seek a place to stay, mainly because of how the townspeople and her weren't very close. Many rumors were spread about the place, bt they were petty and didn't faze her at all. She just wished for something to break the peace and silence.

Kale:

Kale turned slowly in a circle, swearing the scent just got fresher. She couldn't get a better idea of were this person was except that they were close. There were three nearby alleys in wich she could look, but she still didn't know if it was safe to or not. Just a peek around each corner to see if I could see him would work right? I'll just have to be cautious... cautious and quiet. She took a few steps toward the nearest alley, pausing she listened and sniffed again. The closer she got the more she stopped until she was five feet away from the ally entrance, but at this angle she could barley see the opening and nothing further. She stood and listened for a sound, any sound, from the dark opening in front of her.

May:

Not a sound could be heard.. Kratos had many skills in hunting and fighting, and the ones most sure was his stealth and exceedingly great strength.

Samuel had watched Kale approach until she was five feet away and staring directly at him. He could tell by the confused look on her face that she had not yet seen him.. and as long as he didn't move, she wouldn't know until she was on top of him.

"She's curious..." He thought silently to himself as a smile slipped up his face.. "She appears to be young and hasn't much experience with the dangers of our kind..."

He debated whether or not to reveal himself, this was a very good opportunity.
"Why do you approach? Can you not sense that I am a possible danger?" His deep, powerful voice spoke suddenly out of the darkness! He stepped out of his hiding place and his large shadowed figure stood before Kale!

He was quite a deal taller then Kale and his muscular build was obvious. He had removed his brown contacts earlier before settling into the alleyway, so now his bright yellow eyes gleamed through the darkness upon the girl.

The yellow eyes did not look at all human but rather much like a wolf. This was natural in Samuel's human form, as was his wiry-wolf hair... not all of the wolf could be concealed during the day...

Kale:

Kale started to take a step back when he stepped out of the shadows and startled her, but her own inner wolf told her that showing too much fear coud be dangerous. "I...." she paused to think of what she would say and said it carefully "I followed your scent because I was curious, I hesitated because I did not know what danger you might pose to me. I have never met another werewolf before." Her tone was defiant and defensive but only slightly so, she knew aggression could start a fight and against somone of his size her chances of winning were much less than his. As she assesed him not looking at his eyes was impossible. They're yellow! How... interesting... just like a wolf's! His eyes gleamed as the toyed with the moonlight. He looked powerfull but Kale couldn't decide wether he showed agression or not, but he did look predetory. Duh, werewolf, I suppose we are supposed to look predatory, Kale broke from her own thought and took a balenced stance that was more comfortable than her current one. Kale waited. Why did I answer him? I don't know him and I can't trust him, I dont even know what he's doing here...

May:

A dangerous smile slipped through his lips upon hearing her answer. "That is obvious. One who had more experience might have already assumed me a threat, and would have stayed away..." His deep and smooth voice replied.

His careless and relaxed posture explained through his body language that he was not at all intimidated by her and that he was cocky in his position.

"When you are not sure of danger, you should run from it." He warned, "But as it is... I will not hurt you, though I admit I have been searching for you, and anyone else whom possesses our ability."

****

Celeus:

Marcus sat alone, in human form, his rather slender legs swinging back and forth in a calming motion as he did so. He was rather alert, though still more relaxed than normal. There was something about the country air that made his nerves relax and his mind focus on what really mattered, rather than fussing over everything like it usually did. It was something about the smell of growing crops, the sounds of bleating animals, the sights of the rolling hills and plains stretching out before him. Maybe it was because he had always dreamed of it as a young child. Maybe it was because it represented something he longed for yet couldn't have- a rather normal life.

He brushed a strand of hair from his eyes, being awoken from his trance by it's movement downward. He sighed heavily from a mix of things. For one, he was tired. Second, he felt sort of... content. Third, he knew he wouldn't be able to stay long. Soon the humans would catch on to all the killings of their animals in the same way and they'd find him. They'd find him and either arrest him, or find out who he was and take him in for experiments. He narrowed his eyes with frustration and looked downwards, trying to remember how high up in the tree he had climbed before sitting down to take it all in. He had decided earlier to find a look out perch to try and see if there were any big cities up ahead. These were the best places for his kind; there you could blend in and nearly disappear.

He swung his legs forward with gusto, giving up on climbing all the way up the tall oak, and leaped down, landing in a crouched position. His ears pricked slightly at the sound of other voices. He'd have to scram.

Zero:

A man was walking down the highway and looked to the forest beside the road; he heard voices from far off in the tangle of verdent vines. Intrigued by the voices and reminded he hadn't eaten in days by another demanding voice, he stepped into the depths. Sure there was prey everywhere on the road, even if the cars that eventually ran on it frightened them away. But it was all dead, fetid, rotten flesh. He would get sick or even fall to whatever diseases acompanied it.

He strode forward to the tree where he had heard something. He looked up and snarled, nothing. Then, his mind's eye turned to the undegrowth and walked over to it. "Not animal?" he thought, "No, I(am)not a man eater."

He squatted down and growled behind their back, "Hello stranger."

****

May:

The smile upon Samuel's face did not fade as he listened to Kale speak. But before he spoke again, he suddenly felt his main objective become distant and a new desire fill his mind.. the desire to hunt..

Slowly the surrounding darkness brightened slightly and seemed to glow a dark blue.. Samuel's eyes climbed from Kale's face to the dark night sky above them, here he saw the answer to his sudden change of mind..

The moon, her shape just a sliver off from being complete, had peered through the clouds and began shining her light down upon the sleeping farm town.

Samuel swiftly looked back down at Kale's face (which he could now see more clearly) and searched for anything inside his human mind which would dilute the wolf's sudden desire to hunt and attack... For a moment he thought he could act like a civilized man, but that was put off by the fact that a civilized man would not be out this late...

Had this been the night of a full moon, Samuel and Kale would've changed at that exact moment and become vicious monsters in the town.. However, the full moon was still a few days away and the effects of the moon was left to the faint awakening of the wolf.

"Forgive me, but this not a place for us to continue our conversation.." Samuel whispered, his eyes glancing up at the moon. "Have you a place to stay that we may continue out of the moon's rays? Or shall we take to the cover of the trees?"

Kale:

Kale felt a tingling come up her back as the moonlight hit them. "I've been staying in the barn on the farm that I'm working at. I suppose we could stay there for tonight, but we would have to move on before the full moon." Kale told him, noting his change in behavior. She would tell him there's a place to stay but she wasn't going to welcome him with open arms.

May:

Samuel nodded in agreement. "It would be dangerous for any of us to be within a ten mile radius of this town on the night of the full moon, but I don't plan to move out of this area til I have succeeded in the purpose that I originally came for... I'll explain more, but not now... The barn will suffice tonight for us to discuss these matters, please lead the way."

Kale:

Giving him one last suspicious and curious look, she took off at a jog heading for the dry, dusty road to the farm. Kale thought about the full moon and shuddered at the thought of what would happen, the blood-thirsty creature she would become. The danger she would pose to all things innocent, all things helpless. I am not going to break, I will control this curse. It was a silent promise she made to herself almost daily, a promise she struggled to keep.

****

Hour Glass:

Zeit looked from her book and out the window, as the moonlight pooled in. She could feel the pull of the moon, yearning her to change. She thought, already wanting to run around. I'm lucky Dad bought the ranch, it's perfect for a roaming werewolf.

She sighed and dog earred her book, placing it on the small table next to her chair. She walked over to the window, feeling the moonlight wash over her. She knew there were others like her near, and often thought about maybe making a pack, but she wasn't one of the ones to go looking for one, afterall she still had to run the ranch.

****

May:

Samuel did not need to run to keep up with Kale, a single stride kept him only a few steps behind her. The desire to become a werewolf was strong, but easily enough fought..

He followed closely behind Kale until they finally saw the barn in the distants, but at that point Samuel stopped and faced another direction. There was another scent, another werewolf, somewhere in the other direction...
"Stop." He beckoned Kale back. "There is another.. a woman I believe."
He turned his eyes back onto Kale, "What is your name?"

To a normal person, this would have looked and sounded extremely weird. But Samuel had caught the scent of Zeit's ranch, and since she hung out there so often (and it was practically her territory), the area smelled strongly of her.

Kale:

Kale practically growled when he told her to stop but, against her own nature she obeyed because honestly, she was curious. "My name is Kale, and what would your's be?" Her naturally hostile nature was beginning to present itself and the moon wasn't helping her keep it at bay.

May:

"Samuel... Samuel K. Clutch to normal human society. But to other werewolves my name is Kratos , and you may call me so." Samuel explained firmly, then turned and again looked off in the direction of Zeit's ranch.

"I know this is strange to hear, but I cannot pass this opportunity. The reason I search for other werewolves is because I have seen what the undisciplined creatures are capable of... I search for them, so that I may teach them how to control the curse.." Samuel continued, again looking at Kale, but this time he looked her dead in the eye. "Kale, how did you become a werewolf?"

Kale:

Kale looked down as he asked the question. "Kale, how did you become a werewolf?" This was a memory she wished she didn't have. It's not like I have to explain in detail, right? "I wasn't born one." She looked him in the eye as she said this, werewolves rarley turned others intentionally, and hers certainly wasn't one of those cases.

May:

Samuel looked away from Kale and back in the direction Zeit's ranch lay...

Kale had not answered his question completely, giving him the most simple answer possible. But Samuel did not feel the need to push her further, he had witnessed the curse being passed from one being to another only once, and never wished to see it again.. Nonetheless, Kale had given him the only answer that was needed.

Kale was not a half born werewolf, therefore she could not control the wolf at will.

"You needn't explain further.. I'm sure it is nothing you wish to recall at this time.." He whispered. "Come, let us go to your barn tonight and I will track the other tomorrow morning.. If she doesn't track us first."

****

Hour Glass:

Zeit looked to her table, where her list laid. By it also laid a stack of envelopes, her workers pay for the month. She smiled on how each month they got their payment, then were told not to come back for a few days, and each one seemed to ponder why. She loved their faces when the new guys recieved them, but the older workers just shrugged it off, glad to be paid.

****

Kale:

Kale nodded before taking off once more, enjoying the feeling of running. The scent of grass and hay was heavy, but Kale was still trying to figure out wich scent was that of werewolf, why hadn't she noticed another werewolf was living so close by? The barn loomed up in front of her, casting her under its shadow. Kale slowed to push open the large barn door enough for her and Kratos to slip through.

May:

Samuel followed after Kale at a steady pace until they were both inside the quiet barn. Animals stirred at the scent of a new and dangerous presence, they made nervous grunts and fidgeted their positions, waiting for a comforting word from their master...

The area smelled strongly of straw and animal dung, the air very musky and thick. Samuel stared into the darkness and waited for his eyes to adjust to it without the light of the moon. When he was able to see into the back of the barn, he saw the ladders and lofts and saw most of the animals, the expanse was amazing for such a simple structure..

Kale:

The horses snorted in fear and agitation as Kale walked by them. Placing a hand on the rung of a ladder she turned to Kratos. "Unless you want to chance sleeping in a pile of manure, were sleeping in the lofts." With that she swiftly climbed up the ladder and lifted herself onto the loft above. Piles of loose, softer((softer than hay)) straw covered the edges of the loft leaving a semi-bare spot in the middle were Kale had shoved it aside so she could move around up there. As she turned herself around to watch Kratos she sneezed and nearly triped over the edge.she rubbed her shoulder, remembering the last time she fell off the loft. Sheesh, I'm a danger to myself.

May:

Samuel watched Kale climb into the lofts, curious to what his next action should be... Not on the matter of finding a place to sleep, but rather if he should try to gain anything between himself and her before progressing with his plan.... right now they were simply strangers and very snappy strangers at that!

But that was not the only thing bothering him, he knew that somewhere in this area was another werewolf and after searching for so long, he was anxious to find her.

Samuel had searched since the day in the alley for other werewolves and now he had two (and possibly more) under his nose.. The thought of loosing even one was irritating, but at the same time he was practically on top of one right now and had no idea what to do next.

Relationships took time, time that he did not have. The full moon would be here in a few days and it would be much too late then.

All the while that he was thinking, he simply stood there looking at the surroundings and the agitated animals.. His conclusion was that whatever he was going to do next, he was not going to climb up into the lofts anywhere close to Kale.

"That's alright, I've slept in worse things then that before." He said, his incredibly deep voice seeming to break the dark, empty air. He cautiously, and quietly, made his way to the side of a bale of hay and sat down.

Kale:

Kale shrugged and found her own pile of straw to sleep in. Then, pondering what he said. "To think that you have slept in worse things than poo is rather... odd." She didn't know wether to smile or grimace. Looking up at the high ceiling of the barn she sat quietly, listening to the sound of breathing, wind in the fields, and the mice scurrying around under piles of hay. She waited for sleep.

May:

Samuel remained quiet and said nothing further. The night had grown on and silence had fallen upon the inhabitants of the barn when Samuel finally moved.

It had been two hours since anyone had spoken, and Samuel's hopes were that Kale had fallen to asleep. He slowly stood and walked to the door of the barn, his stealth was beyond belief as not one animal stirred from their light sleep.

Slowly he pushed open the door and slipped from the barn, gently closing the door behind him.

A sigh escaped his lips as he looked up towards the bright moon, then with a glance back at the barn, he took off towards the forest edge.

****

Hour Glass:

Zeit sighed and looked over at the table again. Next to her list was a stack of letters, the paychecks for her workers. She chuckled about how as long as she paid them, they asked no questions on why she disappeared, or why she gave them a five day break each month. She sat down at the table, wondering what would happen next, yawning as she did. She wondered if she should go to bed, but thought against it, she was used to sleepless nights.

May:

There were many miles between the barn where Kale slept and the Ranch where Zeit lived, most of it was fields of corn.. and a more perfect place for Samuel to become a werewolf could not have even been imagined.

Two bright yellow eyes navigated through the corn field and his large heavy body followed. Huge, deep paw prints were left behind the enormous male as he prowled towards Zeit's ranch.

His deep breathing could be heard by any creature near by and it was alone enough to tell that he was a huge animal.
He sniffed the ground, steadily approaching his destination until at last he stepped of of the tall corn stalks and into the muddy clearing.

There was a barn, chicken coop, tractor, and all the other necessities of a working farm... the female's scent was everywhere.

The great black wolf quietly stepped out again into the moon light, his paws sinking deep in the mud. All his senses were on full alert as he carefully walked into another werewolf's territory. This female was obviously aware that she was a werewolf and this was obviously the place where she lived and spent most of her time.

The red hazy colour in his fur emphasized the movement of his heavy pelt as he held his head low and moved cautiously. Every once in awhile he would stop and look in the direction of a noise with his ears fully erect upon his head.

He completely froze for a moment, feeling as if something was behind him and he quickly jerked his large neck to look back at the corn crops... For a moment he wondered if Kale had followed him, nonetheless he turned his attention forward again and saw Zeit's house just up ahead...

Hour Glass:

Zeit began to hear a faint noise outside, someone in the feilds. She went to her closet, and grabbed a rifle, growling to herself. It better not be that dumb fox again, coming to steall my chickens she thought, going to her door. She walked out, the only light was of that of the moon and the lantern on the porch. She took in a deep breath, and listened around her, trying to locate the source of the soft noises.

May:

Immediately as the door opened the large wolf froze in his tracks. He noted the gun that she had in her hands and his body slunk low. His great stealth came into play as he slipped into a area behind the house that was out of her view.

He steadily made his way close to the house until the red tips of his fur touched the sides of Zeit's home and he slowly approached the corner...

****

Celeus:

Out of the corner of his golden brown eyes Marcus could see a man, paying other people. His ears pricked and a trickle of sweat slipped down his cheek. Slowly he backed away, careful not to make any noise. Once he was behind more cover (the house) he peered over, watching each person advance in the line until receiving their envelope and leaving to go do whatever they pleased.

About a half an hour passed until this man went back inside. Marcus smiled, glad he could finally leave without having to worry about him hearing the sound of him bolting away, and backed up a few steps. He felt an extremely sharp pain could be felt on the back of his head and his ears started to ring from the noise. While backing up he had stepped on a rake, which had been leaned against a barrel, and it had thrust forward and thwapped right on the head. He took a couple steps forward in a daze only to feel another sharp pain, this time in his forehead. He had stepped on a hoe, which had thrust forward and hit him smack dab in the kisser.

Marcus looked around desperately for somewhere to leap and hide, but even if there had been somewhere to go he wouldn't have been able to see it due to the blood oozing into his eyes and blinding him. He whimpered at the sound of a cocking shotgun and waited for the end of him.

Zero:

Kiton darted out of the cove of trees with teh fluidity of a fish in water, grabbing the gun and thrusting it towards teh ground as a shot rang out. He growled to the person on the other end of the pistol, "Watch where you aim that thing, you could shoot some one's eye out."

He looked at the bullet shell embedded in the packed earth. He nudged it iwth his shoe and sniffed, "Lead, no worries here."

He looked up again, "Still..." he turned to Marcus, "You okay, seem a bit jumpy?"

He cocked an eyebrow at him, but the expression on his face remained the same, a straight frown, not much emotion nor concern really.

Celeus:

Marcus jolted a few times as all the sudden motion went on, especially since he couldn't even see what was happening. He raised a slender arm and brushed the blood and hair from his face, so he could now see Kiton and the one who had held the gun clearly. He raised an eye brow at the scene before him, the gun now laying on the ground, a bullet hole in a tree nearby, and a man in front of him. Suddenly it registered somewhere in him that the man was speaking to him.

"Ugh, yeah. I'm OK." Who wouldn't be jumpy after nearly getting shot?! He shuffled his feet quickly, glancing down at them. What once was purely black fabric was now dusty brown fabric. Oh well, he didn't expect any less from farm land. Plus, he didn't much like his current shoes. "Uh... if you don't mind me asking, who exactly are you?"

Zero:

Kiton tossed his head and grumbled, "Kiton Andonauts, e tu?"

He pointed at Marcus, who just stood there a bit until the question sunk in, and you? Kiton mumbled, "What are you doing out here anyways? It's night, and with these people."

Kiton responded to his own question carelessly, "I have some reason to be wandering the woods at night and it's not like it is worse than wandering the road."

****

Hour Glass:

Zeit loked around confused. There no smell of fox, but that of a person with a mixture of wolf. She growled, cocked her gun, and striding into the dark. She kept sniffing and looking around, wherever the intruder hid, she would find him. "Who are you and why are you here?" she asked, feeling her inner wolf alert and ready to defend her territory. She crept around her house, trying to find the source of the strange scent. She began to walk towards the source, seeing a shape in the shadows. She went forward, her gun pointed out in front of her.

Kale:

Kale sat in the cornfield. When Kratos had stopped she was positive he knew something was following him so she had lowered herself to the ground and took her time in making sure every sound she made was disguised by the swaying of the cornfield. She looked at the enormous paw-prints he had left behind him, and compared them to what she thought her own werewolf paws were sized. He must be huge! My pawprints aren't nearly that big. Wait a second, why can he shift into wolf form at will? This is somthing I have got to learn how to do. Carefully Kale began a slow crawl forward working her way towards were Kratos was, yet trying to be as unnoticible as possible as she went through the cornstalks.

May:

Kratos listened as Zeit's foot steps came ever nearer, until she stepped out around the corner of the house and directed her gun strait at him. A smile curled up his black muzzle, his lips uncovering his teeth and letting them glint in the moon light. The huge figure began to raise himself from his animal-like crouch and the full size of the beast was revealed.

He stood up on his hind legs, his head rising over three feet above Zeit's own. His bright yellow eyes glinting down at her, his huge black figure towering over her.

"I'm afraid your gun doesn't scare me, several bullets to my chest or head would do little to harm me." The great voice growled from the creature now standing before Zeit, his large padded hands tightening into fists.

Hour Glass:

Zeit's mouth dropped along with her gun. She stuttered for a bit, trying to find words, it didn't help that she have never talked to another werewolf other then her dad. She gulped and placed her hands on her hips. "Well I suggest you change back before someone sees you, though no one else should be out right now.

She took in another deep breath, this was a dominant wolf, and wasn't afraid to face someone like her. She tilted her head, another scent was in the air. "Who's the tag along?" she asked shifting her hands so now that they were crossed across her chest, her eyebrows raised.

May:

"Would I care if some fool saw me?" The great creature growled, his upper body dropping and his front legs crashing upon the ground.

Again on four legs, Kratos stalked towards Zeit until his large head was a foot from her face. Then his neck lowered and he picked up her rifle in his jaws.

A strong head jerk to the right and his teeth clamping down hard, shattered the weapon to pieces! Then his eyes again turned towards Zeit.
"We wouldn't want any mistakes to be made would we?" His deep voice whispered with mischievous pleasure, then he continued in his normal deep tone. "The tag-along is a member of my pack, someone I wished would not follow me."

It was a lie of course, Kale had not agreed to be a member of any such thing, but the last part was directed at Kale and was clearly loud enough for her to hear.

****

Zero:

Kiton's head jerked towards the voices a short distance off. He returned to Marcus and demaded, "Enough chit chat. First impressions can wait boy, I'm going to find out who those people are, maybe why they're out here. You stay here."

****

Kale:

Kale growled, even though she was in human form. Well they know I'm here, might as well join them! She stood up and almost sat right back down, Kratos's werwolf was huge! I have got to learn to change at will, without being able to I'm completely defensless against somone his size for the majority of the month! At the thought of being defenseless, however, her inner wolf rose up and snarled.((Kale didn't actually snarl)) And as her attitude called for she of course had to show she wasn't afraid so, brushing the mud off her kness she walked over to them.

Maybe that wasn't the brightest thing to do, Kratos didn't look happy and actually standing close to him made her feel kinda small, wich is somthing she wasn't used to. Second, the girl didn't look any happier than Kratos.

"Hi, I'm Kale," she said with a smile to the girl, then to the very large black werewolf, her tone lowered and became slightly dominant "Pack?" the question was spoken with a slight challenge. Nothing was ever said to me about being pack, who is he to make choices for me? Her flaring attitude was making her caution levels go way down, she was putting herself into a potentially bad situation.

May:

"Heh, well at least you can be polite when you want to be." He mumbled humorously and turned away from the two girls. Then louder he continued, "Yes, well, I guess I can't say I wasn't prepared for that question.. As such I am ready to back up my word."

Kratos turned his large back on the two females and sniffed the air. Certainly this new female did not want her ranch to become the battle field...
Kratos again stood up on his hind legs, but this time he raised his neck high and his head strait up. Then a powerful noise arose from his throat and burst into the air!

His great howl echoed over the entire land! It was carried far into the forest and deep into the mountains, as well as over the farms and wide fields.
Kratos had announced his presence in the area, and worse then that, he had also just challenged any werewolf nearby.

Kratos lowered his head and looked back at the two females. "I have just announced that I am here and what I want. On the night of the full moon I will challenge everyone who opposes me for this territory, if I win then I become the leader of this land and anyone who is not a member of my pack will be forced to leave."

The move was very brutish, but as you know, Samuel had not known what he was going to do up until that point and this seemed strangely just. Nonetheless, it was all left up to fate now.

Kale:

His long, not to mention loud howl rang in her sensitive ears, she closed her eyes tight till the ringing in her head stopped. Did he just say challenge? Did he just say FORCED to leave? Kale was not one who liked orders, what she hated and would not even tolerate was being forced to do somthing. All her hostility was gone, now it was just blunt attitude and anger.

"Excuse me? I dont even hold territory and I find that offensive, and rude. If you weren't so freaking huge I would have punched you! And if I find it rude I cant imagine how she feels," Kale paused and gestured to the female at her left, name currently unknown. "You just challenged her on her own territory, where's your respect? or at least some courtesy." Kale was near shouting now, suprising herself as she had hardly even talked to anyone for years, let alone yell at a person she had just met.

"First, rather than announcing somone's in your pack, Ask. You're much more likely to get a satisfactory response. Second, warn somone before you howl like that, do you have any idea how loud you are?" Kale took a breath her vice quieting, "Third, how on earth do you expect anyone to challenge you? I mean I'm pretty tall in werewolf form and your still probably two feet over my head." She took another look at him and the girl next to her. "Okay, i'm done yelling at you. Wait.... if I do join your pack" she slightly growled the word "will you teach me to control my wolf at will?"

Hour Glass:

Zeit calmly looked at the male. "Well I didn't know I could be kicked off my own land, but whatever," she said. "Though I do say, if I join your little pack, I have workers here, and I still have to pay them, so I expect everyone in the pack to help out around here." She looked over to Kale, "Nice to meet you Kale, I'm Zeit" she said, "and anyways, I don't even know who you are" she said, her attention back at the male.

"Also, if you guys need a place to stay, I have plenty of rooms in my small cabin" she said. "I've here all my life, and I've never met another werewolf, so please excuse my manners if I lose my temper."

Zero:

Kiton stepped lightly after them, not to be noticed. The smell was definitely werewolf and considering how strong it was, more than one, he better stand his distance. Someone was talking about a pack, were they the pack? The man had mentioned forcing them out or joining him, it seemed like Kiton now was on unstable ground and even if he was out of earshot and out of sight, as soon as the faint wind changed direction, he would be good as found and he was not in the mood for a skirmish.

Hour Glass:

Zeit tensed, another scent was in the air. "Looks like my place is werewolf central" she muttered, turning around, trying to locate the new intruder. She swiftly broke into a run and changed, following the new scent to it's owner. She looked at the new male, and gave a small growl, even if she was smaller then him. "So what's your reason for being here?" she asked.

Zero:

Kiton jumped back a bit and snapped, "Kiton, and you are?"

He twisted his head a bit upwards from her, as if recoiling a bit. Nails lengthened and hardened into claws on their own accord, in case of an attack. "So you're a werewolf huh? I guess I am too, what's up with this little night congregation? I hope there's nothing bad going down right now."

He tried to calm down a bit and the claws retracted, but his canines were still bared and an angry, anxious look flashed across his eyes.

Hour Glass:

"All I know is that there are three intruders on my territory" Zeit said, sitting down, "and neither of them knocked first". She looked around, two males and a female, the odds were against her. She sighed, "If anyone needs a place to stay, as I said before, My home is open, but if you stay, you earn your keep." She then turned and walked away, still as her wolf until she reached her porch, in which she turned back to her human self, and walked inside.

Kale:

Kale stared (half glared) at Kratos after Zeit ran off, waiting for his response to her tirade and her final question.

"Well are you gonna say something or what?" she asked. "Or at least change back into human form, standing next to you when your several feet over my current human head makes me feel small, and for me that feels weird." She had to look up at him to speak.

May:

Kratos had smiled when Kale had begun yelling at him, but was distracted afterwards by Zeit racing off after the scent of two other males.

He watched as Zeit returned and went back into her house like she was dismissing the lot of them when Kale finally called his attention back.

"Now Kale," Kratos sighed as he came down on his haunches and slowly lowered himself until he laid in the mud. From this position she was able to look hm strait in the eye, and he thought she might be more comfortable this way as he continued. "I have been telling you all night that I wish to explain my original purposes of coming to the country, but it seems like you have stumbled upon it and I might as well explain now.."

"My Father is a second generation werewolf pure bred, and from what I gathered as a lad, he used to be the alpha of his parent's pack. I do not know what became of his pack, though I know he broke contact with them after falling in love with my Mother.

My Mother is a normal human, but nonetheless, my Father was deeply in love with her and there were no secrets between them. They prepared for the curse to be carried down to me and they went through great lengths before my birth, to secure my safety.

My Father had learned through age and experience how to control the werewolf, and he tried to teach me all my life how to control it too.. But being half-bred, control over the wolf came naturally to me and I foolishly only payed little heed to his teachings.

...It was a few years ago when I finally understood why my Father was so firm...

Me and my friends had been in an alleyway in he city when we stupidly stumbled upon a young werewolf.. I should have known better to avoid the smell of danger, but I had never met another like myself and decided not to warn my friends.. I ignored the warning of a wise parent and it cost two their lives, and the third his freedom from the curse.

I will not go further into detail, it is a guilt I will forever bear. But after that point I began to search everything my father had taught me, cursing myself for the times I did not pay attention, and retraining myself everything he had given me.. So that one day, I could help someone fight that monster whom wishes only for the shedding of blood."

Kale:

"You actually answered me, honestly, truthfully and completely. For that I respect you, and slightly understand why you act the way you do. I say this as somone who has seen both side of that blood-lust, your path seems the right one, so, I suppose I will follow you on it and try to help to the best of my abilities, I will join your pack." Kales voice was calm and sincere and she looked him in the eye as she spoke. His memory brought back her own of the night she was... changed. Most people who bear this curse never wanted it.. most probably didn't even have a choice... Resisting the urge to touch his fur to make sure it was real because, for the first time, she realised it looked red, she turned and walked up to the porch of Zeit's house and pausing for a second, she knocked on the door.

Some would say Kale's decision to join his pack was rash but truth was Kale didn't make rash decisions, not when her last one had such dire consequences. Also to join him as an underling was somthing she would never take lightly, following somone else was not liked by her personality, because trust wasn't very common her personality.

Hour Glass:

Zeit smiled and walked to her door and opened it. "Finally, somone knocked, Come on in," she said cheerfully, opening the door wide enoiugh to let Kale through. "So would you like someething to eat, and then me show you where your room is?" she asked, "Or just show you your room for the night?". She moved the list and checks out of the way, and made room for Kale, "Sorry I don't get many guests."

May:

Kratos nodded to Kale to show his acceptance and watched as she went inside and joined Zeit..

He stood up and shook his heavy pelt, now he would go and see about the other two males.

Zero:

Kiton stared at Kratos as he approached and grumbled, "Go in there with you strangers? I'm not as trusting as she may be, I weary eye is weary... Who are you looking for?! There's no one else but--"

He must had scented Marcus, the other one, where was he? Had he followed him? He listened for him and indeed, heard the tell-tale crackling of twigs in the undergrowth, a stumble and a gasp.

May:

Two bright yellow eyes glared at Kiton as he addressed Kratos.. "I wasn't asking you to go into a stranger's house." Came his deep reply, his large, heavy paws pressing firmly into the earth. "After all, there are two vicious, blood thirsty females in that house."

A deep laugh rumbled from his throat as the heavy male sat down, then in a more serious tone he continued. "I will have no reason to attack as long as you do not try to attack me... or the woman named Kale. That is only one way you can make yourself my enemy."

The large black wolf again stood, the dark red haze which covered him waved with his movement. His head lifted and his bright yellow eyes looked towards the house, he took a deep breath and released it with a sigh... Another male werewolf was in the area..

This territory wasn't his yet, and who knew how many more werewolves roamed the mountain range... Nonetheless, if they wanted to keep the land, they would have to come down here and battle him.

Kale:

Kale looked at Zeit. She's so calm about all this... "Umm, thank you. Can I have some food?" Kale hadn't eaten since dawn and with all her running around her stomach felt achingly hollow. Kale sighed quietly as she sat down. "I joined his pack, you know. Just now I mean, he never actually asked me before." Her voice was slighlty cheerful but a little weary. "His reasons are... honest, and right, but his bluntness is rather rude and slightly offensive. I think he's in a hurry but I dont know why, maybe its just the full moon? Who knows.." Kale tried to chit-chat but having not talked to anyone for years she felt slightly awkward.

Hour Glass:

"Sounds good" Zeit said cheerfully. She walked to her fridge and grabbed today's leftovers from lunch, fried chicken. She placed them into the mircowave and while she waited she sat in a chiar in front of Kale. "I can see why, he offers shelter and protection" she said, "but your right about his bluntness, and his rather hurried tone." She looked out of her window, where the three males were, and let out a small growl. "I just wish that he could of asked to let his pack live on MY ranch, instead of saying that I would be kicked off if I didn't join," she said. She snorted, "I do wonder why he is in a rush to gather a pack", she muttered, "he still could have knocked first".

Celeus:

Marcus leaned against the building, listening carefully with his slightly magnified hearing. Pack? What did these people mean by pack? He could only guess, but he couldn't be sure. They might be like him, but they might be other creatures. He wondered if they were some of those people who believed they were animals in another life and they all thought they were wolves. That would've been weird. He was very tempted to burst through the door and say "What pack?" But he was almost positive they wouldn't respond nicely to that. Plus, then they'd know he had been eaves dropping...

In the end he decided to back away from the door, and go back to the trees. These people could mean danger and he was certainly not in the mood for that right now. He bounded towards the nearest oak and took a big leap, grabbing onto the trunk and climbing up quickly. Soon he was at the top, where he could hear and see everything and could think clearly.

Kale:

Kale's sensitive ears heard a dull thud outside the window, with a look in the direction Zeit had dissapeared in she stood up and walked over to the window. Trying to peer out the glare from the light made it difficult to see anything. With a small tug she opened the window and leaned out. The moon cast a silvery light on everything, a whisper of wind swirled the cornfeilds beyond the lawn and the leaves in the tree, it also brought the scent of a werewolf she hadn't met. "Sheesh how many werewolves are around here tonight?" she asked the question aloud and in a generally blank tone. She could tell the other werewolf, he was nearby but she couldn't tell where. "If I hop out the window is somone going to attack me?" this question was also spoken aloud, but not as retorical.

Celeus:

"No." He replied quite flatly, exposing himself a bit from behind the leaves of the tree. He was sitting on a branch very close to the window, but not so close that he could be easily seen. "Unless you want me to." He spoke with a joking tone, a bit of a smirk on his face. He swung his legs back and forth, wondering if this girl was a werewolf too. By her speech she sounded like one. And... how many? Were there more she knew of? He groaned, knowing he wouldn't be able to keep his secret for much longer. These people were going to pry it out of him whether he liked it or not.

He reached up a hand and brushed some of the long brunette hair from his eyes, revealing a hefty, long cut. It had only been made the day before. Marcus winced and put his hair back over it, his stomach churning at the thought of it. He was fine with blood, after all he was a werewolf, but when it was his it made him feel sick.

Kale:

Zeit stiffened, how many werewolves were at her house? She got up and went to the window, and caught a small gasp of the male. "Well I don't think is going to happen while you stay out in my yard" she said, "unless you rather stay out there while my workers come in the morning, I would suggest you come in, or by all means, Stay outside". She then turned and walked back to her living room, and turned off the lamp, and walked back to the kitchen, taking out Kale's meal. "Here you go" she said putting it on the table.

Kale:
Kale smiled. A better reaction than I was expecting, but thats probably because my only other example of a male werewolf is Kratos... "My name is Kale. May I ask what yours is? and why you're sitting in Zeit's tree?" she decided being straitforward was best, after all it annoyed her if people dodged around and wasted her time before getting to the point.

Celeus:

"Kale, eh? My name is Marcus." He looked over at Zeit, raising an eye brow at the girl, then climbed in the window with ease. Carefully he surveyed the room, quickly trying to find any exits and then focusing all attention on the girl next to him. "I was in the tree because I wanted to get a good view of the place. There's no view like one from the top of a tree."

Kale:
"Yeah trees do make excellent surveilance point. Especially over large territories," as she spoke she realized she was, once again, standing next to a male werewolf. Her shoulders drooped a little. That's the second time today, not to mention the fact that today was also my first time meeting another werewolf... or well more like three. What is with me today? I rarely talk to people, I don't trust people and here I am in a strangers house standing between two werwolves whom I just met within the last half hour, I've been recruited into a pack... she froze mid-thought. Are male werewolves aggressive towards each other, or territorial over females? She gave a nervous glance at Marcus. "So, uh, do you have a pack? are you here to challenge Kratos?"

Celeus:

"Pack?" Marcus raised an eye brow, now knowing his suspicions had been confirmed. There was some sort of pack forming here. "Well, no. I'm pretty sure you're the first werewolf I've met." He pulled out a wooden chair from under a desk, sitting on it so the back was between his legs and he was facing Kale. He thought about it for a bit longer, being in a pack. He'd never really thought about it. All of his teenage life he'd been alone, just trying to get through one day at a time. He pondered if it would be possible to change that lifestyle.

"Kratos? Well, I don't know who that is." The little hairs on the back of his neck stood up. This was probably another male. If there was another male around, that meant he'd either have to run, submit, or die fighting. Or take over, but that was unlikely, seeing as he was very thin, even for his age. "He sounds scary..."

Kale:

"As of half an hour ago he is my Alpha," Kale spoke the last word as though it left a bad taste in her mouth. "He's the one who howled earlier, wich he honestly should warn somone before he does, I was standing right next to him and it hurt my ears. And he is kinda scary, it shouldn't be natural for even a werewolf to be that tall....." as Marcus propped himself on a chair she thought, Well he's obviously comfortable with himself, for being in a stranger's house and all. "Zeit, would you call Kratos scary? I find him intimidating but he doesn't make me feel chills so I don't know..." Now that she had adressed both of them she felt odd again about being with and conversing with to people she just met.

Hour Glass:

"Yeah, I can see why you think he's scary," Zeit said, grabbing another meal for Marcus, "But I think he's just pushy, and annoying". She looked at Marcus, "So that means you likely don't know my name is, I'm Zeit" she said, sitting down in her rocking chair which she had pulled into the room. She looked to the clock, "Also I'm seeing how much longer those two will stay out there" she said, "I think I'm going to make Kratos sleep on the couch, I only have three guest rooms and mine, so he can get over it, because he threatened to kick me off my property".

Celeus:

Alpha. Another fear of his confirmed. Now he'd have to pack up and move... great. "Oh.... alpha." He gave a dramatic sigh. "Howled? Oh, that howl. I thought it was the neighborhood dogs. I need to be more careful." He was going to curl his tail around his paws, but then he remembered he was in human form. No tails could be curled. He then was about to flick an ear backwards, but in human form, he couldn't move his ears. I can express my emotions much easier in wolf form. He grumbled to himself in his mind.

"Well, whether he's scary to you guys or not, he is to me. First of all he's another male. Second, according to you guys, he's big and grumpy. That means bad mojo for me. I'm probably going to have to leave." He sighed. "Zeit, eh? Well, if you didn't know, my name is Marcus." He stuck out a hand to shake, seeing as he was in her house and she was pretty much offering him a place to sleep, and a meal, he decided it best to be polite.

Hour Glass:

Zeit smiled and got up and shook his hand. "It finally seems there's a true gentleman left in the world" she said, "and I do say that Kratos could be a problem for you". She thought for a moment, "But a pack could be good for you considering you would get free shelter, and meals" she said, "and Kale, do you have any kind of cooking skills?". She wondered if she was going to be the only one cooking up the meals or not. "Oh, and if you two need anything, just ask" she said sitting back down.

Kale:

"Actually he's looking for werewolves to train, being a pack is a bonus I suppose," Kale said "But he wants to train werewolves to controll their blood-lust." Turning to Zeit "Ooh, make him sleep on the couch, it would be no hinderance. Apparently he's slept in worse things than dung, sooo..." Then she paused. "Wait a minute did you say cooking? I know how to cook breakfast foods and steak. Oh! And spagetti." I only learned how to cook enough to get me through, she thought. Turning back to Marcus, "He's not so much as big and grumpy its more like big and blunt, which might as well be big and rude. But I'm sure he's not always like that, after all I just met him today." Her tiredness was getting the better of her and she started to ramble. I did work a full day today... "Hey Zeit, think if I leaned out the window and whistled, he'd come? What's he still doing outside anyway? I have more to questions to ask him." Kale didn't know why but she did feel slightly comfortable around Zeit. Maybe she reminds me of somone I used to know?....

Celeus:

Marcus gave Zeit a wink at her compliment, and nodded gravely. "It's not so easy for us males to get accepted into a pack. Most of the time first you have to fight the alpha. And, most of the time, you lose. After getting beaten nearly to death. And after that there's not even a guarantee you're in the pack. He might decide to just leave you there, beaten, and without a home. Or he could just kill me and be done with me." He shrugged.

The boy turned to Kale. "Well, I have a feeling I'm going to end up meeting this "Kratos". Let's hope he doesn't rip me to shreds." He grumbled something under his breath, but very quietly so only he knew what he was saying. He decided he liked these girls. They were friendly and seemed to be concerned for him. He especially liked Kale. But things such as this didn't matter, when your life was at risk.

Hour Glass:

Zeit nodded, "True," she said, nodding her head too, "All I know is that me and Kale are the only two females, and we are surounded by three males". She looked to her window, "Hey Kale, you should try whistling, he may come" she said jokingly, "If you don't I will!" She looked back at Marcus, "It seems like no one's been around many werewolves," she stated, "Besides today, I've only met one, and he was my father."

Kale:

"I hope he doesn't 'rip you to shreds'. I find that I quite like your attitude." If Kratos is trying to find a pack, would he fight Marcus? I would hate to fight him, maybe he does scare me... either way I'm still going to be a smart alec for the rest of the night. "Zeit I want to whistle for him, just to tick him off." Stepping back over to the window and leaning out, Kale gave a command whistle she had learned when working on a sheep farm. Two short whips and one long one, it was the command used to call the sheepdogs back to you. He wouldn't hurt me right? It's not like he knows the meaning behind it other than I'm calling for him.

Celeus:

"There's another male?" Marcus inquired, an oblivious expression on his face. He then remembered the other male he had met a few days earlier.... he seemed very upfront. He sighed and buried his head in his hands. "More trouble for me." He looked back up, trying to regain his composure. "You guys probably won't see me after tomorrow.... getting along with other males never has been my strong-suit."

"You have a pretty nice attitude yourself." He gave her a wink. Somehow flirting seemed OK right now, though normally he'd contain himself. It was probably because he liked these girls, they were some of the first werewolves he met, and he'd have to leave soon.

Kale:

Kale's small laugh turned into an enormous yawn and, stretching her arms above her head she sank herself down into one of Zeit's chairs. After blinking sleepily a couple times she looked back at Marcus. "You're leaving? I think you should at least try to talk to Kratos before you go, he might just convince you to join our pack." Looking back at the window." I whistled for him, were is he? 'Course if he knew what I'd whistled he might get a little mad. She smiled again, slightly and sleepily.

Hour Glass:

"You should stay," said Zeit, "I mean, we all will have to fight to find out who is the most dominate. She then laughed, “I mean it might be smart to leave,” she joked, “Considering I’m going to kick your butt.” She smiled and turned to Kale, who seemed to already be asleep. “Do you want me to show you to your room now, Kale?” she asked, “You look like you could be asleep any moment, which would free up a room for Kratos to stay in”. She shifted in her chair, sending it rocking back and forth gently, "All I know is, that tomorrow is going to be way diferent then most paydays."

Kale:

Kale mumbled somthing that sounded vaguely like 'sure' and stood up to follow Zeit. "'Nite Marcus," she said sleepily as her hand made a motion somwhat like a wave. "I think I'll make breakfast for whoever's here in the morning. Zeit, thanks."

Hour Glass:

"You're welcome," Zeit replied getting up, and leading Kale up the stairs. "I'll be up before dawn, so I'll show you where everything is," she said, walking down a small hallway. "My bedroom is right there" she side pointing to the end of the heallway, "and you have your pick of what room you get" she said. She began to walk to stairs then turned around, "Also, there's two bathrooms, one in my room, and one at the other end of the hallway," she said, "I more likely will not be sleeping tonight, so you can use any one, I think I can trust you not to take anything."

Kale:

Kale nodded and pushed open one of the doors. Her sleepy eyes adjusted to the darker room easily, and moonbeams lit up the floor as the shone through the window. She never even closed the door. With one last yawn she fell over the bed, asleep the second she hit the matress, not even bothering to get under the covers, and of course, not needing to.

Zero:

Kiton looked up at the light on in the window and walked into the house. Sitting at a table was Marcus. Kiton glared over at Marcus and grumbled, "Were you expecting this stay tonight Marcus? I guess I wasn't, but any old cabin is good enough for me compared to the alternative of sleeping another night in a ditch of fetid mire."
He sighed and sat down on one of the chairs. To Marcus, he spoke, "Why are you here anyways? How does one simply end up at another's house with one they encountered in the woods? Was this all preordained is what I wish to know, do you?"

Marcus's lack of reply sent Kiton back to looking at the floor. Conversation, smalltalk wasn't one of his strong suits. He mine as well go to sleep; normally, in this situation, surrounded by so many werewolves, he would simply stay up all night, on high guard, but he was too tired, too weak and had already decided these wolves were safe, for now. He called at Marcus as he progressed up the stairs, "Goodnight pup, sleep tight for who knows what tomorrow's sun brings."

Hour Glass:

Zeit watched as another male came up the stairs. "Why hello," she said cheerfully while walking down the stairs, "Just pick any room you want". She then walked back to her chair and sat down, placing her hand on her head. "I'm not fond of company" she muttered, "And I have to get used to everyone for the rest of my life". She then looked at Marcus, remembering he was still sitting there, "I'm sorry for the comment" she said, mentally slapping herself, "I have never done well with alot of company, and it seems as if my house will the new pack home".

Zero:

Kiton grinned secretly in the dark hallway at that comment. Well, the words had came right out of her mouth, they probably will come in use later on. He threw himself onto the first actual bed he'd been on in at least a month. The softness at first was shocking, not like it was high-class ritzy mattresses of heavenly delight, but come on! A mattress was good news. As the blanket went up, he shut down and sleep enveloped him.

****

May:

Kratos returned to the corn field to change his clothes, after all, what he was currently wearing was not appropriate in his human form. That was why he hadn't changed when it was originally demanded of him.

While he was buckling his belt, Kratos heard a whistle off towards Zeit's farm... He rolled his bright yellow eyes, quite understanding the message, and finished clothing himself before heading off in that direction.

There was no part of him that wished to sleep inside Zeit's home. One would have to be on the point of exhaustion in order to fall to sleep in a place where they did not feel comfortable or safe... But this was not the only reason Kratos would not go in. Zeit had employees who worked here, and on a ranch, they were sure to be here before the sun was even up...

Maintaining control when one had the ability to become the werewolf at will was hard. Samuel had learned while he was young, that to be awakened suddenly with adrenaline pumping through your limbs, only ended badly... Nonetheless, Kale had called for him, thus he would come.

Samuel stepped out of the corn field again, though this time he was human. He slowly approached the open window where he had heard Kale's whistle, and to no surprise, he heard the voices of the two other males inside.

"I have never done well with a lot of company, and it seems as if my house will the new pack home." Came Zeit's obviously feminine voice.

"Only if you wish it to be Zeit," Came the deep voice of Kratos as he peered through the open window. Instantly his eyes searched Marcus and he began to size him up. "To a wolf pack, the territory must be large. I am not so stupid as to try and claim your land alone, if that was my intention I should just buy a land to keep my pack on. But no, on the night of the full moon, I will be fighting for this entire area. The mountain range, the forest, the farmer's fields, even the town. My pack will dwell here, and none other if I win."

Celeus:

The boy shrugged. "I don't mind. I'd probably a bit upset too, that is, if I had a house." He looked away from Zeit awkwardly, hoping maybe he could make it up to her for staying the night here. He knew that having a lot of people in the home was stressful. He felt he already was in such debt to her... And then he heard footsteps. He whirled around to see an enormous man, probably in his early-mid twenties, peering around a corner. Marcus' eyes widened and he gave a gulp. "Kratos...?" he murmered, almost positive it was the alpha he had been told about.

Hour Glass:

Zeit jumped when she heard Kratos. She stammered for a minute before replying. "Well, I think this would be a smarter area to live," she said, "Considering the locals seem to keep their distance away from here". She then got up and opened the window more, "The only thing I require is that I keep the deed, and whatever pack you make, works on the ranch like any other worker here" she said, crossing her arms.

May:

"If that is what you want, then I insist that you get rid of your other employees and join my pack also." Came Kratos' (again) blunt reply. "I will not have any member of my pack working in a place that is potentially dangerous for them."

His sharp yellow eyes looked firmly upon Zeit's face, if she wanted to negotiate then he would be obliged to return it. Samuel had already summed up his options in this situation and had confidence in how to play his cards.

"As for the members of my pack working here, I only see that they would need to work if they wanted to take refuge here. And if that is the case, then I see no reason why your terms should be disagreeable. If you are a member of my pack, then I will let you be in charge of your land and have all those who wish to take refuge here be submitted to working under your terms. But take note however, that not all who will join us will want to embrace their human qualities."

Hour Glass:

Zeit got up and held out her hand, "Sounds like a deal" she said, "And I understand about not embracing their human qualities, but if I find any of my livestock missing, they're paying for it". With her last comment she sat down again, and waited for Kratos to say something else. She was already beginning to see a few strands of dawn appearing, which meant she only had a few more hours until her old workers showed up, and she had to muster up the strength to fire them all. She wondered if she should go up and wake Kale up, and help get breakfast started, but she stayed where she was because it seemed like Kale needed the rest.

Celeus:

Marcus finally decided that he had to say something... sitting there silently would make him seem a coward or a hermit. He managed to bring himself to his feet and extend a hand. "Marcus." He nodded. "And you are... Kratos?" The lean, brown haired boy chewed on the inside of his lip, quite nervous as to how the big alpha would respond to him. He hadn't really been listening to all the house talk, he didn't care. He wasn't even a member of the pack.

May:

Kratos nodded and took Zeit's hand briefly in agreement. As Zeit went to take a seat, Kratos' eyes shifted to the younger lad now approaching him.

Samuel watched the boy extend his hand and introduce himself, not hesitating, Samuel reached out and took hands with the younger male. Kratos' hand was a considerable size larger then Marcus' and obviously very strong.

He had taken Marcus' hand more firmly then he had Zeit's, but by the gentleness he used towards both, it was hard to imagine his full strength.

"Indeed, my name is Kratos. Where are you from Marcus?" He asked deeply.

Celeus:

Marcus gulped at the size of the man's hand, and the strength of his grip. Looking at the two clasped hands he realized that his made Marcus' look like baby hands. They were so much smaller! He was glad that Kratos seemed in a good mood, he wasn't rude at all. Just overwhelmingly giant.

It took a moment for the boy to answer, as he was trying to remember where he was at the moment. "A little ways off, about a state over. I came from a suburb, sir."

May:

"Ah, I've always preferred such places. Quiet but not as quiet as the farms of the country, nonetheless not as loud as the cities either.." Kratos nodded and after a firm shake, he withdrew his hand. "So, how long have you been in this area Marcus and what brings you this way?"

Celeus:

"Exactly what I'm thinking. Though, it is much easier to be discovered. People tend to be more nosy, there." he nodded, remembering the days of his youth when he had neighbors and such. "I have come this way for no particularly interesting reason. Mainly just because I heard it was quiet. I need to wander, or one day I'll be exposed. Or get attached

May:

"Indeed... You know, being a member of a pack offers some protection against things like that?" Kratos's smooth voice inquired, "Have you ever been in a position to join such a thing?"

His sharp yellow eyes glancing at Zeit for a moment, then falling back to Marcus. Samuel walked closer to the window, rested his right forearm on the window sill and relaxed his left arm behind his back.

A warm, summer's night wind blew past his back and barely whisked in through the window when Kratos caught the scent of another male. The smell was too vague to really give any description or useful information, but there was something about it that seemed almost familiar..

For a moment Samuel turned his face in the direction the scent had come to catch the scent more fully, but in vain. The scent had vanished just as quickly as Samuel had caught it, too vague for anyone else in the room to notice.

Samuel looked downwards, trying to discern the ever distancing memory, but as that too was vain, Kratos returned his attention to Marcus' face.

Hour Glass:

Zeit sighed and got up, leaving the two guys to finish their conversation. "I'm going to start breakfast, what do you guys want?" she asked, walking to the kitchen. She began to pull out ingredents to make pancakes, but then hesitated, these newcomers may not like pancakes. She thought for a moment , then contiuned on with her cooking. "Also, would you guys like anything to drink?" she asked pulling out a large bowl for mixing.

Celeus:

"A... a pack?" Is he inviting me to join this one? "Well, yes sir, I have. But I've come across other packs before. They're not all good.... some are quite hostile, sir. You work your butt off for the alpha or his guards kill you. The whole thing seems quite risky, and you'd definitely need to know everything about this pack before joining. So I guess I wouldn't be opposed to joining one, but I'm not seeking one out. No matter what I'd need to know a lot of them."

He turned to Zeit, only taking a moment to think before he spoke. "Ooh, pancakes? Yum. And water would be nice." He didn't have a problem asking for things, he already felt pretty at home here.

Zero:

The early rising weak rays of dawn peeked over the horizion and penetrated the curtains. A beam fell across Kiton's eye, which slowly opened, the pupil shrinking. "Gruh, morning already?"

He got up but quickly jumped out of bed in shock, where was he?...oh, yes, that house. Were the other werewolves still here? His hearing detected clatterings of plates and bowls downstairs as well as talking. He slipped down the stairs and looked into the kitchen, yes, at least 3 were here.

Hour Glass:

"So do you want pancakes or not?" Zeit said, shaking her spoon at Kiton, splattering some of the batter on him. "Whoops", she said, continuing the pancake making. She set down the bowl and placed a skillet on her stove, and turned on one of the burners. "Can someone get me a plate?" she asked grabbing a spatula and the bowl, and placing a small bit of batter on the pan.

Zero:

Kiton edged closer and sat down at the table, still wary of the others. He looked at the others around him, staring a bit, but his paranioa told him this was mistrust. A stood up and yelled, "Well how do you expect me to trust you? I barely know you!"

He poked his finger into the batter, "For all I know, there could be poison in this."

(What a spazzy jerk) He however, let his nasty mood simmer down, for he again decided to sit down. Who really cared if they were eating posion pancakes?

Celeus:

Marcus looked up at the fellow male, being quite irritated with how he was treating Zeit. He merely pulled out a chair, sitting in it and waiting for the girl to finish breakfast. He'd help, but he was extremely tired, and would probably just end up messing up the recipe. That would lead to a bunch of cranky werewolves. So he just sat.

Kale:

The slight scent of food reached Kale's nose, mainly the smell consisted of pancake batter. Dust motes floated in the sunbeams as they poured through her window. She knew that at the most she'd only have slept an hour because when she had gone to bed, it was nearly dawn. Rubbing her eyes she got up and went downstairs to find four people in the kitchen area. Wait a sec.. four?..... Zeit... Marcus... Kratos... mystery guy... at that point the pancake batter in the skillet had started to fry and the smell caught her up again. "Morning. Zeit do you need any help?" she asked, then turned to Kratos, who was leaning against the window. "You took too long outside, sorry but I fell asleep before you finally came in."

Hour Glass:

"Yeah, just get out a second skillet and a plate," Zeit said, flipping the pancake over. "Since we all are werewolves, it means we all are going to need a alot of pancakes. She pointed her spatula at two drawers, "There are the plates, and there are the pans," she said, "Also, there are ingredents out to make more batter, because I think we are going to need more". She then turned back to the skillet, watching the pancake beginging to brown. "We also will have to get out the drinks for everyone," she said.

May:

Kratos had nodded to Marcus' answer but was unable to reply before Zeit had stood up and began making breakfast. Not two seconds afterward the other male came down the stairs, sat down at the table, and made a random comment.

"You are a very paranoid creature to believe that she would allow you a place to sleep and then attempt to put poison in her pancakes." Kratos said to Kiton, he was obviously amused. "She is a werewolf, as I'm sure you are aware. If she wanted to kill you it would be much more sport to become the wolf and crush your bones with her fists."

Just then Kale walked down the stairs, looking rather tired, and Kratos' attention was immediately drawn to her. When she had noticed and addressed him, Kratos smiled and nodded understandingly.

"Good morning Kale." He said softly through his deep voice, then he looked towards Zeit and called "Do you mind if I come in Zeit?"

Hour Glass:

"Not at all, just don't get in the way," she replied. She looked at the pancake, "Well I still have no plate so heads up!" She said tossing it into the air. She quickly reached into a cabinet and grabbed a plate and watched as the pancake landed on the plate. She then poured more batter into the skillet, "Because you stuck your grubby hands in my batter" she said to Kiton, "You're mucking the stalls after I fire my employees" she said.

Kale:

Kale laughed at Zeit's manner and poured a lump of batter into the second skillet, breathing deeply as the smell reached her nose. "So are we making enough for a crowd or a small army?" she said as she flipped the now golden pancake. It landed in one side of the pan so she poured more batter into the other side . I never would have imagined I'd be cooking for four other werewolves and be at ease.... it's nice to almost blend in, at least until we walk out the front door... Her thoughts trailed off as she remembered how she had gotten to Zeit's last night. Ummm... those tracks will have to be dealt with.... "Kratos, are your tracks from last night still there? Did you erase them when you were outside last night or does somthing still need to be done about them?"

May:

Upon recieving permission to enter the house, Kratos was about to leave the window when Kale asked him the question. For a moment he turned to look behind him, and of course, his tracks being large and left in mud, were very obvious.

He rolled his eyes and laughed then turned back towards the window. "No Kale, but I could take care of that before breakfast if you'd like." Kratos replied, and oddly there was a new sense of a warmth in his voice... "And how about you Zeit? Is there anything you would like me to do before breakfast?"

Hour Glass:

"I'm good, considering you're fixing my fence later," she said, flipping another pancake onto the plate. "And I'm thinking enough for a small army, because we all can eat at least 10, or I can anyways," she said to Kale. She smiled, "I've never been in a house full of werewolves, and I find it quite strange that I'm making breakfast for them," she said with a chuckle.

Kale:

Kale felt it irresistable to not smile back at Zeit, so she did. "You don't have to cover the tracks now, if you don't then I'll probably take care of them later. Come have some pancakes," she called over her shoulder as she flipped the two pancakes from her pan onto the plate, then poured more batter into her pan.

May:

Kratos smiled at Zeit's reply, she was a very interesting woman for sure. "Thank you Kale, but I'll take care of the issue before I eat." Kratos replied, then he left the window.

The mud was still wet, so Samuel had no problems covering up his tracks with boot prints and rake scuffing.. After he had finished, he looked up and searched for the broken fence that Zeit had mentioned.

After patrolling the ranch for a few minutes, he found it on the opposite side of the corn fields. He checked it over a few times, calculating what it would take to fix it and found that wire was needed along with a few nails maybe... Samuel could have returned to the house and asked Zeit if she had any, but he didn't, instead he returned to his bag in the corn fields where he kept his werewolf clothing.

Inside the bag was several things which Samuel always kept close by, but usually not in his immediate possession. Among the things in the bag was some cash which he used when necessary, and he decided that he would go to town and buy some wire before returning to Zeit's house.

Hour Glass:

Zeit continued adding onto the growing pile of pancakes. She had soon whipped out enough, and she had run out of batter, so she looked in her fridge for some syrup. She grabbed the two bottles she had, and set them on the kitchen table. She then went to her cupboard and grabbed plates and cups, also setting them on the table along with silverwear. " So, what does everyone want to drink?" she asked, grabbing the orange juice and milk. She looked around, grabbing one of the plates with pancakes on it. She carefully walked over to the table, and placed the pancakes down. "Well the first of breakfast is ready" she said.

Zero:

Kiton simply walked over, grabbed a flapjack and stormed out the door. The door clattered shut. He ripped off a chunk of the pancake as he walked side of a fence. Tall grass swayed with wild flowers and persistant weeds. He sat down on a length of the fence and stopped to think about his situation; were they attempting to recruit wolves for a pack? Apparently. Should he let them? ...He got up, okay, for now.

Kale:

Kale set the skillet down and followed the man/werewolf out the door a few moments after it slammed shut. She spotted him over by the fence and walked up to him, her eyes carrying malicious intent. "Would you care to explain yourself, mister mutt? You enter her house without knocking, you sleep in her rooms, and you eat her food without so much as a thank you, or a polite gesture of any sort? I find that rather disrespectful and rude. Also, storming out of the house for no apparent reason seems to me rather dramatic and unnecessary, you had no cause to slam the door. So would you kindly take the time to explain your attitude?" Her voice was cold and seething. Zeit had let them all in without a single complaint, she at least deserved respect for her hospatility, it angered Kale that this man had barely even made a kind gesture to anyone, nearly ignoring them completely, and hadn't said a single thanks to Zeit. It took a really good person to offer to house five werewolves.

Celeus:

Marcus nodded his thanks to Zeit with a smile of appreciation and reached out a hand, grabbing a pancake and taking a bite out of it. He wasn't in the mood for sticky syrup so he just ate the warm, fluffy cake plain. He couldn't help but grin when he saw Kale chase after Kiton, hearing her voice faintly from outside. He knew she'd give him a piece of her mind.

Zero:

Kiton snarled at Kale. "Sorry if you aren't recieving much desired gratitude from me, but tough. I'm not all sure what's going on. I'm not necessarily the nicest person, especially right now. I'll probably simmer down from the shock in a few days."

Kale:

If she had been in wolf form, Kale's hackles would have risen. "I don't want your gratitude, but Zeit deserves it. And shock from what? As I recall, you walked in on them, not the other way around." Her temper and crankiness flared up and her weariness was getting the better of her. She let out a frustrated sigh and looked at him with deadpan irritated eyes, waiting.

****

May:

The town was already lively with people again as Samuel reached the market. It didn't seem like a single person could get away without saying something as they all seemed to talk to each other like good friends, however when Samuel passed by, some people would go quiet.

He walked through the small store searching for some wire, until at last he found some. He searched over the different kinds until he found a wire which he liked, then he picked up a roll and proceeded to the purchase counter.

Kaqurei:

Standing already at the counter was a young woman whom apparently was buying a couple of plump juicy peaches. She seemed a bit shy and reserved her conversation with the clerk to small talk.

She smiled politely and thanked the clerk after paying him, then took her peaches and turned to go. As she went she glanced fleetingly at Samuel, her hazel-green eyes meeting his for only a moment before she turned away.

There was something distinctly different about him, she noted. He certainly wasn't from around here, she was sure, for her aunt (with whom she was visiting for the summer) would have told her about him if he were. Her aunt had told her about nearly everyone else that lived here - surely such an interesting fellow would not have slipped her mind had she known of him.

Sabrina moved away from the counter to let Samuel pay for his goods. She went to a bench towards the exit of the small store and sat down to eat one of her peaches. As she nibbled on it a bit she kept an eye on Samuel.

His posture, the way he moved... both were very intriguing to Sabrina and piqued some curiosity in her. But he also intimidated her in a way no one else ever had before... excepting only her father who carried the same sort of air of authority. Given that her father was a werewolf and had come from a long line of such, Sabrina had been trained to be keen to pick up on subtle things in a person's body language: to watch, to learn, to size up those around her.

Samuel was different from the others in this store. He was different from even the men of the city she called home. The idea that other werewolves existed was not foreign to her, and Samuel showed all the earmarks of such a one. So she was curious, and watched him. Some part of her was worried he would notice her gaze, the other part hoped he would.

May:

Immediately as Samuel approached he was aware of the female, so he looked up to try to see who it was and the first thing he saw was Sabrina's hazel-green eyes. She must have been aware of his presence as well, for her eyes looked at his and none other for just a moment before she turned away.

A short breath escaped him but he kept a casual form and simply took his turn at the counter. He glanced over his shoulder only once to see her sit down, but pretended to pay her little to no mind.

He did well to contain his surprise at coming upon her so suddenly, usually he caught the scent of another werewolf long before he got in a five foot radius of them. But he blamed it on his weariness and loss of focus at not having slept all night.

As he came away from the counter he pulled the roll of wire out of the paper bag and threw the paper bag away. Then he made his way towards the exit and stopped just before leaving the store. He looked down at Sabrina and nodded. "Good morning," he said, taking the small moment to scan her features.

Then he looked forward again and left the store.

****

Celeus:

Marcus started to wonder if Kale was doing OK out there... Plus, he wanted a piece of this. He smirked slightly and hurried over to the door, shutting it quietly behind him and hurrying after Kale. He listened for a few moments, but knew all that would happen was one of them would get too angry and turn into their wolf form, then try to eat the other. Despite how much the other male irked him, he didn't want any bloodshed, so he laid a hand on the girl's shoulder softly. "You're not going to get anywhere with him... Come on, let's go inside."

Kale:

Kale agreed and followed Marcus back inside. The day went on rather uneventful, she had a hearty breakfast of pancakes, and had to admit Zeit was the better chef. She napped a little and waited for nightfall, and ultimatly, for hell to break loose.

May:

As he returned to the broken fence, Samuel thought of every feature he had seen upon Sabrina's face... she seemed familiar to him in some way... But it wasn't until he tied the last wire around the post when he suddenly was able to place the memory...

She was an aspiring singer who's name was quickly becoming known in the cities.. Or at least this was as close as Samuel could get to remembering where he had seen that face before, but it was just as likely that he was wrong...

But even so, he couldn't remember the singer's name and whoever he had seen in the store was, in fact, a werewolf.

As Samuel finished fixing the fence he had intentions of returning to the house, or even the store, but he never made it that far. He sat down beside the fence in hope of catching a short rest, but he instead fell to sleep.

****

Paws raced over barren fields followed by the cawing and cries of ravens. Blood dripped from a unseen creature's jaws and suddenly the splashing of water filled his ears.

Samuel was standing in a dark pool of water, it's depth unseen through the blackness of it. The full moon shown across the lake's surface and a dark figure stood on the other side of the lake.

He pointed to the trees and the large dark figure seemed to obey, it moved on four massive paws and vanished into the shadows of the trees. He soon followed and he got the feeling that he and the werewolf were searching for the exact same thing.

As he rounded each tree the search became more desperate until he passed into a clearing and saw the dark figure fighting with another of it's own kind. He heard the howling and growling as the two wolves fought and blood poured from both figures.

One fell and tumbled upon the ground, then the red eyes of the second lifted and beheld Samuel! It raced forth with it's jaws gaping open and it's body covered in the blood of the other werewolf!

****

Samuel shot up from his nightmare panting! He searched around for the other werewolf, but found none.. Slowly as he began to calm down, he noticed that black fur covered his hands, his nails were sharp, and his face and ears were longer.. Though he had not fully shape shifted to the wolf, the nightmare had caused him to begin the transformation

With a sigh he wiped the sweat from his forehead and forced himself back into human form. As he calmed down, he lifted his eyes and looked around to discover that the sun had slipped from the sky and had begun to fall beneath the fields while he had slept!

"Blast it! How did that happen?" He exclaimed!

Hour Glass:

Zeit watched as the sun blazed by in the sky. She sighed, after firing everyone that worked for her, and having to make up a reason why, she felt the need for a run. She quickly made her way up to her room, and changed into her werewolf clothes, feeling her body change to it's wolf figure. She opened her window and leapt onto the roof, letting the night wash over her, already feeling at peace. She walked to the edge of the roof and jumped off, and began making her way to her woods, and a nightly hunt.

Celeus:

Marcus sat on a couch, flipping through channels mindlessly. Nothing good seemed to be on... he wasn't used to the channels here. He just kept flipping through, thinking of it as a finger workout. That would always be... useful?

Hour Glass:

Zeit felt the wind race accross her pelt, and the fresh air filled hernose. She smiled and closed her eyes, she had run the trails enough to know them backwards and forwards. She didn't know how she would be able to stay in the pack though. They all seemed quite nice, but she wasn't used to being around more than one other werewolf, and it made her a tad nervous around them all. Kale seemed quite nice, and she could along with her, and Marcus too. Kratos seemed okay, but he was a bit pushy, but she could see why. Now Kilton got on her nerves a bit, he had shown no respect for her? She smiled, remembering he was going to muck out the horse stalls. She then returned her thoughts to her land, opening her eyes. She can to a small clearing, in which she had planted flowers when she was a little girl She trotted to the center of the clearing and sat down, letting peace encircle her. She loved this place, and she would never tell anyone else on her own slice of heaven.

Kale:

Kale woke up from her nap as the orange and pink rays of light filtered through her window from the setting sun, blinking a few times, she got up. With a yawn fitting a werewolf she leaned her head out the window and looked down. Hmmm... second story... eh, I'll be fine... with that thought she jumped out the window.

Once on the ground, Kale made her way to the side of the house and sure enough, opposite the setting sun behind her, she could see the faint full disk of the moon peeking over the skyline. She smiled and went to find Kratos.

Zero:

The celestial orb hangs low in the sky like a honey ball in the black evening pool, scattered with salts and scented with a countryside air. Clouds like unspun cotton drift way up, in the eves of the open sky. Kiton leaned against the tree looking at the sky worriedly, the full moon was far too close and coming up. He heard noise and quickly jerked around the corner. He encountered Kale and grumbled, "Oh, you. Where are you going this time of night?"

Kale:

"Well, to find Kratos of course. After all tonight is the night he's going to try and claim this territory, and I did what I hope is a smart thing last night and accepted him as my alpha." As she spoke her eyes drifted back to the moon and she felt slightly chilled inside. If I can control this curse, I'll find the way to do so... having Kratos around might help, after all he say's thats his mission... "How about you?"

Zero:

Kiton snarled, "He should know it's not his territory."

He turned to Kale and shook his head, "I don't care who's in charge, you're as human as you are wolf and this is your land. If he wants to claim a territory, he needs unowned wilderness. If he says your home is his, it's only words."

Kale:

"Actually this isn't my home, I'm a drifter. This is Zeit's home. And unowned wilderness is kinda hard to find, I know, I've tried to find it myself." Kale replied, not knowing why he was so upset. Her own inner wolf was riled for a fight due to the nearness of the moon. "And in this world, the wolf usually has the stronger grip. That's why we can slaughter an entire town in one night and not remember a thing in the morning. He's offering to help me control it, to help any werewolf to control it and in my opinion, I'm all for it." With that she walked away to find Kratos, before that moon lifted above the mountains and shone full upon them.

May:

As Kale walked away from Kiton, he was left but not alone... Under the shadow of the trees where his presence was kept unknown until Kale was gone, came the blood red eyes of another.

"Interesting coversation." Came the the deep knarled voice of the ragged stranger. His jeans were ripped and he wore no shirt beneath a severely shredded coat. The old grey thing seemed to dangle like straps over his shoulders like it had been ripped to pieces and he was using the remains.

Huge scars covered his chest and arms, a large slash over his right eye and several across his left forearm were fresh. He was covered in mud and dirt and he smelled of blood.

****

Hour Glass:

Zeit sighed, this place was hers, and hers alone. She watched the moon, the white orb as it retraced it's path accross the sky once more. She watched for a minute, remembering how her father had always told her to look for the man on the moon. She chuckled for a minute, remembering what it was like to be young again, but sadly, she had grown up and now had a pack to watch out for. She chuckled again, thinking about the new members to what seemed to be her new family.

Well at least she wasn't alone anymore. She felt the small shiver go down her back. She felt comfortable now, but there were others just a howl away. That had been one of her biggest fears, and she had yet to comquer it yet. The feeling of being alone made her feel valunerable, as if a waiting for an attack.

She glanced around, as if someone had emerged behind her, but of course there was no one in sight. She grumbled to herself, she needed to stop being so paranoid, the others would feel that weakness and turn it against her in some way. She shook her peft, letting the rays of the moon flash over once more before rising from the ground. She needed tog et back before the males tore her house into firewood.

****

Zero:

Kiton's icicle eyes crystallized as he looked at the bloody stranger. He snapped, "Who are you? I haven't seen you around here?"

Was this another local or had they smells of so many wolves attracted him? Kiton felt uneasy around him anyways, fangs begain to creep forward in his mouth as the reek crept into his senses.

May:

A crooked smile slipped up the stranger's dirty face as he stepped into the moonlight. "Now, now, shouldn't we leave the fighting for tomorrow night? Unless of coarse you would like to satisfy me with the pleasure of killing you first." He said as he laughed, then with a raspy sigh he continued. "Now, my agitated friend, who else will die tomorrow, hm? Is it you who summoned me to battle for the territory?"

****

Samuel walked slowly through the forest, his black clothing blending perfectly with the shadow of night. He felt the wolf within him strengthen as the moon slipped through the leaves and touched his face.

With a sigh he brushed his fingers through his dirty hair and continued on.. Soon Kratos would be plagued by the strength of the werewolf, as the time of it's greatest power dawned ever closer. By then he would have to be high in the mountains in order to avoid a clash with a human being..

Suddenly he became alert to the presence of another and swiftly he tried to conceal himself behind a tree. After a moment of silence, Samuel peered out to find Zeit. She stood in the most beautiful part of the entire territory, and seemed so at rest and peaceful that Samuel knew instantly that he wasn't wanted here at this moment.

Again he withdrew behind the tree and rolled his eyes. "Blast it! I didn't know this was here!" He growled silently inside himself, and wondered briefly if he could slip out of the area before Zeit caught his scent and he ruined the serenity of the area.

Slowly he peered out again and saw her stand, her beautiful striped coat revealed under the moonlight. Again he withdrew and silently tapped the back of his head against the tree trunk at his own stupidity. "I need to remember to be more on guard and stop letting them pop up in front of me... it's not a wonder I couldn't find other werewolves before!"

Hour Glass:

Zeit turned, catching a small bit of movment out of the corner of her eye. She shurgged it off, more likely it was some stupid squrriel or a predator out hunting. She began to trot back to her home, but Kratos seemed near. She slowed for a minute, but never stopped. He would soon take over and become the alpha, and he would tour everywhere to get a good idea of the territory he would be gaining.

She picked up her pace again, closing her eyes, and concentrating on the scents of the old game trails. She picked one that she hadn't run oon for a couple of weeks, and already weeds were begaining to sprout along the trail. She ran over them, her large paws ridding her trail of the pesky plants. She enjoyed the moment a bit longer, the moon felt so good and the wiind seemed to dance around her. She smiled again, and began to near her house, and sighed in relief that it wasn't destroyed.

She elegantly made her way up to the roof, climbing into her open window. Once in she leaned her wieght on the window sill, closing it so she could change back in her human form. She quickly changed, and put on her pa jamas and climbed into bed. She sat there for a moment, watching the cutains flutter in the wind. She knew she needed sleep, she hadn't slept yesterday and tomorrow brought challenages for her to face. She glanced back at the moonlight night and felt sleep come over, at least for a little bit.

Kale:

Kale had odd chills creep up her spine as she walked away from Kiton. She shrugged and took off a a jog to find Kratos scent. She caught a hint of it on the wind and increased her speed, the wolf inside her lending her strength, urging her to run faster. Out of the corner of her eye she saw the moon, its strength seeping to Kale's inner wolf. She ran faster till Kratos scent became stronger. The breeze caused from her speed as she darted through the trees calmed her, and when Kratos scent was strongest she finally saw him, well, his eyes reflecting the moonlight is actually what drew her attention but still, she saw him. She skidded(literally) to a halt in front of him and gave an oddly wolfish smile.

May:

Kratos had made his way far from Zeit's special place when Kale suddenly appeared in front of him. He prepared himself for the collusion that never came, and looked down at Kale.

"Goodness, you sure cut it close!" He laughed, "What are you doing?"

Kale:

"I would never have run into you!" Kale said in mock defensivness. "I'm bored, the moon's up and she is restless." As Kale mentioned 'she', she pointed to herself and metophorically to her inner wolf. She opened her smile again. "I have one question for you. how fast are your human feet?"

****

Celeus:

Marcus sat in a tree, his legs dangling and swinging around below him. He found he thought best when he was in a tree, so that was why he had gone looking for a nice and tall one. He raised an eye brow and looked down below him, spotting Zeit leaving, Kratos starting to walk away, and Kale nearly running into him. He smirked slightly and turned away, deciding not to eaves drop and just try and focus on what lay before him.

He sighed gently, studying the stars. He tried to make out constellations... but failed. He could only find the little dipper. Every once in a while his thoughts strayed to the pack and what he should do but he tried to put that off as long as possible. For now he just wanted to relax.

****

Zero:

Kiton lowered his glare on the stranger and hissed, "And who are you, to say such pretty little things to me?"

He suddenly rushed up to him, grabbing his shredded coat and pulling him close, to hear the low threats, "Get out, you're unwelcome and it seems well enough a pack has already occupied this area, so best be on your way, or it won't be me to die first."
He then released the man from his grip and looked at the moon, nearly full, still waxing, then returned to the stranger and grumbled, "If you have a bone to pick, then yes, do it tommorrow, and I'll have all the others ready for you."

May:

"Hah! I don't know, never really tested myself on that level Kale!" Kratos laughed, "But would you like to challenge the speed of my four paws to a race? If you win I'll cook breakfast tomorrow!"

****

The stranger growled as Kiton took hold of his shredded coat and he clentched his fists as he was released. "Do you think I need paws to kill you? My talent in getting rid of a foolish cur gos beyond the night of the full moon." He snarled, "I don't want them ready for me stranger, the less I have to deal with tomorrow the better."

He pulled a dagger from his boot and spat on the blade.

Kaqurei:

"Leave him alone, Gathen," a voice cried out suddenly from some distance behind Kiton.

Standing in what seemed to be a pool of moonlight was a white figure - at first glance a wolf, but as one's eyes would focus on her they saw a woman instead. Her long platinum hair rippled over her shoulders, glimmering in the pale moonlight. She was dressed in a long white gown which seemed to move of its own accord or with the slightest breeze....her feet and arms were bare.

Looking more like a fairy figure out of an irish folksong with some ghostly glow about her, she was certainly nothing to compare in stature with either Kiton or the stranger. Yet, she carried an air of danger about her as she walked closer to the two.

"You'll get your night of bloodshed, but it will have to wait," she said, then added in a dangerous tone, "Or the odds will be prematurely stacked against you."

Her bright green eyes flashed as she said these words, something less than human about them.

"Your rule of terror is at an end, Gathen. I don't need the full moon to fight you tonight either."

****

Kale:

"Hahaha!" Kale gave a small laugh and posed thoughtfully. "The moon is close enough for me to shift, so the bet is on! ...I should probably go change first... and what about if you win?" she gave him another wolfish smile and dashed away.

May:

Samuel smiled as Kale dashed off, then went to collect his own clothes from his bag. "Marcus you might as well come down and join us." Samuel called to the tree tops as he unzipped his pouch. "Or would you prefer to sit in the branches all night long?"

****

Gathen growled as he turned to face Sabrina, "Puh, I'm not afraid of ya sweet heart." He sneered, but he would be a fool not to see the danger of what stood before him. Though her face could be mistaken for an angel's and the forest mist swirling beautifully at her heels like some enchanting magic, the woman was a werewolf and therefore a danger.

But who knew how much of a danger until challenged? Gathen looked back at Kiton for a moment, then forward at Sabrina. "Fine, but I'll see you tomorrow night when the power of the moon has awakened and the wolves battle over blood."

With that, the wretched creature turned and vanished into the forested night.

Kale:

Kale got changed and raced back to were she had left Kratos. She enjoyed the feeling of running, her paws skimming over the ground, the wind whistling past her ears. The night seemed vivid from the eyes of the wolf. The moonlight brighter, the shadows forms of everchaging darkness. Tree branches black against the sky. It semed eternal. It seemed erethial. Unreal.

May:

Kratos had already changed his clothes and stood quite prepared to challenge Kale. He stood tall upon a large mountain stone, his long black-red fur waving in the night breeze. For the first time since he had met Kale, he had tied his mane back and seemed very human despite being a werewolf.

"Would you like me to give you a head start?" His deep voice laughed as Kale approached. His bright yellow eyes glinted in the moon light as he turned to look at her.

Kale:

"I'll be polite and take that as courtesy, not an insult." Kale smirked, wich looked rather wicked when done in werewolf form. "And it's a courtesy I'll politely decline. However, would you like a headstart? It's only fair I treat you with equality isn't it?" Her smirk turned into a grin (again wicked) as she kept up her joking manner.

Celeus:

Marcus peered down at Kratos, thinking it over for only a moment or two. "Sure, I guess I'll join you." He leaped down from the tree, landing by him. He smiled over at Kale, this whole situation being quite amusing to him. "So where are we racing to?"

Kale:
Kale turned to Marcus. "It would probably be better if we had a finish line huh? Any of you know any landmarks?"

May:
A smile seemed to cross over the huge wolf's yellow eyes as he lifted his head strait in the air. His howl rose to the moon and the deep power of his massive body was released within his vocals.

When his call was slowed to a halt, he lowered his head and looked down at his companions. "Let's race to the western edge of the forest, there are tall oaks in that part and the first to reach an oak wins!"

With that he jumped from the large stone and landed with a thud onto the soil. Dirt flew up from where he collided with the ground and his huge paw prints were left as the starting line.

Kale:

Kale gave a sharp yip and took off after Kratos fast disapearing form. Her paw slipped into one of the massive prints he had left behind him and she found herself slightly amused. She grinned in her wolfish way and sped up, as much as she could at that point, and flowed through the trees as swift as the wind.

Zero:
Kiton burst out of the woods like a white blur, slamming into Kale, who was herself, blazing fortward through the trees. Inertia kept them tumbling for a bit, but the momentum died and Kiton leapt backwards off the wolf, baring teeth.
He looked up and down them, and recognizing the smell, shifted into the hybrid hominid form to speak. "Oh, I, sorry. I thought you were..." He paused, he didn't know the stranger wolf's name, so he simply stopped there. "Hello Kale, are the others near?...I hope I didn't break anything so you'd stop speaking."

Kale:

Kale snorted to clear dirt out of her nose and looked at Kiton. She blinked at him a few times. Then she leaped forward and nipped him! She danced back away from him and smiled. "No hard feelings. You just scared me a little."

She sniffed the air, to see just how far behind she had gotten. "Me, Kratos and Marcus are racing to the oaktrees. Too much pent up energy with the moon out, care to join? You get to be quick though because I'm taking off now. Can't let Kratos beat me flat out now can I?" And she took off like a shot!

May:

Kratos had moved quite a distance from his pack, when suddenly a horrid howl pierced the air directly in front of him! Quickly the massive werewolf came to a halt, carving up the forest floor with his heavy paws.

Mist swirled at the roots of the trees just ahead of him. As his bright yellow eyes scanned the darkness which covered the forest floor, he noticed that the ground seemed to slump downwards. He slowly took a few steps further when the ground seemed to vanish completely!

He was standing on the edge of a cliff well camouflaged by the mist which hung just above it.

His eyes widened in realisation of the others quickly approaching just behind him! Two sharp snarls followed by growling was sent to warn his companions of the danger.
"Kale, Marcus, Stop!"

Zero:
Kiton looked over the edge, kicked a stone off, and listened to it clatter across the wall for a long while. The final clack wasn't heard even by straining ears. He turned to face Marcus and then simply walked off, away from the death trap, conceiled in night down.

Kale:
Kale skidded to a halt beside Kratos and looked down. The thick mist swirled in her vision and she couldn't see very far. She crawled forward slowly in an attempt to see further down.

"How far down do you think it goes?" She looked up and around and she saw moonbeams shining in the mist as they poured through gaps in the branches. The pit was one pretty deathtrap.

May:
Kratos, having nearly lead his pack off a cliff, hesitated to say anything.
"We should get back." Kratos whispered steadily. Though sounding quite firm in his words his heart within him beat faster then a humming bird's wings.

Had it not been for the odd howl, it would have been very likely that they all would have tumbled into that unsuspected fate. It felt much like the trap had been laid by the forest for a reason, yet warned the werewolves of it's plan before they stumbled into it...

It was quite easy to say that after going back and collecting his clothes, he returned with his fellow members to Zeit's farm at a slow pace.. who knew when they would stumble into the next "small ditch" in the moonlight...

****

The next morning...

Hour Glass:

Zeit got out of bed before dawn, just like she normally did. She walked to her door, making sure it was locked before going into the shower. With newcomers in her home, especially male werewolves, she wouldn't take a chance with leaving that door unlocked. She quickly showered and put on an old shirt and a torn up pair of jeans. She wanted to get some work down before tonight's big fight, when blood would be spilled.

She walked down stairs and outside, careful to not wake anybody up. She began to jog to the stables, wanting to get a quick ride in, plus she needed to see where her cattle were so no werewolf would attack them tonight. She walked into the stable, selecting her favorite mount, a gelding named Night's Fury. She quickly saddled him up, and opened up the stall door, leading him out of the stables.

She then leapt onto his back and clucked her tongue, sending him off at a trot to the cattle pen. She slowed him down as she neared the pen, and got off again opening the gate enough to let Night in. Once he was in, she closed the gate and hopped onto his back again, sending him into a canter to try and locate the small herd she owned.

Zero:
Kiton sat in the field, the grasses over his head, swaying in mild breeze. He heard clip clopping of hooves and stood. "Hello Zeit, how did you sleep?"

Hour Glass:
"Good" Zeit bluntly said, "I feel refreshed, and well enough for a good fight tonight". She studied her cattle for a moment, counting them. She suddenly was confused, she was missing two of her prized calves! She shifted, counting them over again, and one more time after that. She let out a faint growl, of course when you let werewolves on your farm, your calves get taken. She urged Night to a trot, and went over to where the herd was.

She slid off of Night and growled, a signal for the herd to move away. She watched as each of them left, she noticed of the big females had a bite mark to one of her back legs. She grumbled, and began to sniff around. She noticed a faint scent of blood, and a wolf smell on the ground. "Kiton, I swear, if you killed any of my cows, you won't live to see the full moon!"

****

Kale:
Kale sighed and hopped out of the tree. The breeze picked up slightly and Kale enjoyed the sweet, grassy smell of the fields and the rich scent of the farm animals. She smirked. Would we be considered 'farm animals?' Haha.

A restlessness stirred at her though, tonight was the full moon, and most likely a bloodbath. I don't have to fight though... She looked around and grimaced a bit as she thought of werewolves fighting. Terrifying.

****

May:

Samuel's bright yellow eyes blinked slowly as he stared at the ceiling, he listened for a moment to the sound of birds just outside the window.. With a sigh, he pushed himself off his bed and stretched, then he walked over to the window and briefly glanced out.

The new morning light blinded him only for a second before he withdrew and went to his bag which lay on the floor beside his bed. From inside he retrieved his brown contact lenses and put them on, then flung the bag over his shoulder and left his room.

He went outside to the water trough where he dropped his bag and dunked his head into the cold water. Upon lifting his head out of the water however, he was greeted by the black nose of a large scruffy cow...

Samuel shook the water from his head and combed his hair out of his face with his fingers. Only then did he fully turn his attention to the odd animal which seemed very curious about the abnormally large man.

Samuel had to laugh when he realised that the creature was actually a female bison, and not in fact a tame cow at all.. Yet the bison seemed completely undaunted to have found such an odd creature as himself here. She was neither frightened nor angered and simply turned her attention back to a refreshing drink.

Briefly Samuel wondered if Zeit owned bison on her fields, but his mind was lead back to the other werewolves and wondered where they were this morning. So with that, Samuel scooped his bag back up on his shoulder and left the bison to drink.

****

Zero:

Kiton stood taken aback. "I would not take one of your cattle, Zeit, if anything, it was that rougish wolf I ran into last night. This could be a warning...or maybe just a snack."

He patted the cow. It dopily mooed. "See? No trouble here." He walked around and looked at the bite, it was pretty bad. Even if this was making a threat, it looked dangerous.

Hour Glass:
Zeit gritted her teeth, "Whoever, or whatever has attacked my cows, I'm goign to hunt them down!" she growled, "Those calves would have given me enough money to help get new farming supplies." She looked around going over to the cow that had been bitten. She bent down, sniffing the wound, it would need to be cleaned and bandaged. "They also injured one of my prize dairy cows, who also has had most of my prize calves". She turned, walking over to her horse, taking off the rope she always carried with her for reasons like this. She then wrapped the rope around the cows neck and over it's muzzle, forming a halter with the rope.

"Kiton I'm going to need your help" she said, "First I'll need to lead this girl to the barn and put her in a stall until she heals". She began to lead the cow over to Night, "Then I'll need you to sattle up one of the horses and help me feed the rest of my livestock". She looked at him, awaiting his answer, "Do you even know how to ride a horse?" she asked.

Zero:
Kiton looked a bit confused, he'd never heard of horses, really, there weren't anywhere he lived. There were a few, but those all were out in the desert, owned by the army. However, trying not to seem stupid, he replied, "Um, I can walk, that's alright."

Hour Glass:
Zeit chuckled. "This farm is too big for walking" she said, "and you need your energy for tonight's big fight". She looked at Kiton, "You seem strong enough to keep on a horse, I'll let you ride an older mare of mine, shes nice and is less likely to throw you off". She handed him the cow's rope, "now you will help me lead her back to the stable" she said, "Then I'll teach you about riding and saddling a horse, you'll need it if you plan to join the pack". She chuckled again, "that reminds me, I'll have to go and teach the rest of the pack about riding horses if they don't already know".

Zero:
Kiton wondered why they would need to ride horses. When you have 4 legs, why have 4 more? Anyways, he attempted to get on top of the horse, and fell off. Grouchily, he got on top of it again, only to once again, arrive at the ground. He decided, if Zeit can't show me how, then yup, back to walking.

Hour Glass:

Zeit chuckled, "I'll teach you in a moment" she said, "Right now, I have to find who took my calves". She turned, and began to run forward, following the scent of the blood, letting her wolf track down the killer. Unlike most, the scent of blood didn't drive her nuts, it was her anger that that drove her on. "Kiton, if I come back and find anymore cows missing, I will kill you!"

She took off, leaping over the fence and gracefully landing on the other side. She began running down her farm, and through the corn fields. Her corn was pushed down in places, meaning whoever got her calves, had to pay for her destroyed corn.

****

Kale:
As Kale wandered around she spotted Kiton and Zeit across the field. Kiton was repeatedly failing to mount a horse. Kale laughed to herself and decided against going over to them, instead she sniffed the air and tried to find Samuel's scent.
It took a while and seemed that the wind decided to change directions every five minutes.
"This reallly shouldn't be so hard..." she mumbled to herself. There!
She caught a whiff of Samuel's scent and ....... cow? He didn't eat a cow did he?....no, no scent of blood, besides why eat a cow when Zeit would shoot you in the head for doing so?

May:

Samuel was lazily wandering through Zeit's corn field, his eyes only half open as he brushed his dirty blond hair back with his fingers. As a sigh escaped him, he finally stopped and decided to sit down to relax awhile in the security of the tall stalks.. But upon touching the soil, he found the tracks of what appeared to be a heavy creature, seeming to have dragged something else through the mud... weird.

Suddenly he jumped to his feet fully alert! The scent of blood was in the area, though maybe several hours old, it had caught Samuel's full attention! With such a start and the smell of blood, came the urge of the predator and the desire to hunt it.

"Blast it!" Samuel snarled, he hated the sudden werewolf thirst to kill, which was so bluntly inflicted upon him.. But the moon was to be full tonight, and thus it had to be expected. Tonight it would be nearly impossible to control himself, as it was, Samuel had no idea what The Wolf would do around other werewolves.. Samuel had never had the chance to test it...

Quite apparent that the blood was from a calf or two and that the predator was far from here, Samuel was not too troubled by the Wolf's instincts to pursue the threat.
Nonetheless, he was suddenly burdened with the dread of losing control of himself while in the company of the others.

Hour Glass:

Zeit growled, running past Kratos, not caring if he was there, his scent didn't mix with the trail. She felt the urge to change, but she didn't have her wolf clothes on, which meant her outfit would be ripped. She growled again, she would find the predator, and it would be soon!

May:
Samuel quickly watched Zeit pass, briefly wondering if she had lost her control or her temper.. being the kind of woman that she was, werewolf and ranch owner, it was quite likely she lost both. He knew what she was after but couldn't fathom why one calf was so important. Nonetheless, Samuel would help Zeit find the culprit for her sake, thus quickly taking up the chase after her.

"Zeit, what are you doing?" Samuel called out just behind Zeit, quickly gaining on her.

The trail and scent lead passed the corn field and up into the mountain forest.

Hour Glass:

"I'm finding those calves!" she said, grinding her teeth, "Those calves are how I pay off the bills for this place!" She looked briefly behind her, seeing that Kratos was following her. We haven't fought yet, and he's already taking charge she thought, Well at least, if I get lost, I'll have someone to annoy. She followed the scent heading into the forest, remembering the paths the had lead out there. She stopped for a moment when she saw tracks, they weren't fresh, but they weren't old, which meant the killer might still be on her territory.

May:

Samuel chose not to reply but kept up the chase, he couldn't find the sense in tracking the dead calf other then to find the creature that killed it.

As they passed into the forest, the scent grew stronger and the tracks grew more fresh. Something familiar kept pulling at Samuel's mind but he couldn't identify it..

Samuel's senses were picking up something that triggered the memory of standing just outside Zeit's window that first day.. but there was also another memory that he struggled to identify........ Was it that night?

"Zeit!" Kratos shouted from behind, "Stop for a moment!"

****
Kale:
The wind shifted yet again and Kale caught several strong scents. The first, was Samuel's since his was the smell she was looking for. The second, it was Zeit's.
The third was the sickly sweet scent of blood. Kale stilled and took several deep breaths, her wolf was fighting to chase the scent, to hunt, to run. To kill. She shook her head and calmed herself. What happened? Who's bleeding..... did somone...lose it? A fear crept up her spine that somthing bad had happened, somone was hurt. She took off running.

Hour Glass:

Zeit stopped, leaving slight impressions in the soft ground, catching herself before she fell down with her right hand. She stood and turned, she knew they were close to the predator that took her calves. "What is it?" She asked Kratos, his tone had stopped her in her tracks.

Man, I'm already listening to him, it means he's already gaining some authority she thought, Which means I know who pack leader will be. She watched him for a moment, her gaze looking around, her hand messing with the end of her shirt with her nervous energy.

May:
Samuel stopped just beside Zeit, but his eyes scanned the forest ahead of them before he looked at Zeit's face.

"If I am correct, then you are a half werewolf like myself." Kratos' whispered, his voice seemed to be a bit shaken. "If this is the truth then I suggest we both change our forms before confronting this culprit. Something about the scent informs me that it is a danger to us on some level..."

Hour Glass:

Zeit nodded, quickly ducking behind a tree, to quickly change her outfit, and changed. She looked the feel of her wolf skin, and placed her human clothes in a dip in the tree, making note to stop by and grab them before she returned to her ranch. "Ready to go?" she asked, looking around for Kratos.

She sat for a moment, waiting for him to change and thought. Maybe it was a good thing that he would lead the pack, because she had just planned to find the thief in her human form. She chuckled, man, she really needed to use her head more often then she did. She sniffed the air, the scent wasn't as familiar as it should have been, that made her question the source of the scent.

May:
"Yes." Came the deep reply of the large black wolf. His red cloak lying against his powerful back.

****

Zero:
Kiton sat talking to the cow, grazing on the green blades of grass, "I don't know, what should we do to stop this guy? He seems pretty strong, but what's worse is he doesn't have laws or rules or anything, mercy, prob'ly not. We can only defeat him as a pack, and I'm not too sure if we can act as one, there's problems, mistrust. He may use one of us against the other, possibly as a human...err, wolf shield. What do you think?"

He looked into its stupid brown eyes as it munched its food and mooed. "Yeh, I guess so."

Kaqurei:

A white figure was watching Kiton talk to the cow from a good distance. Her sleek pelt glinted in the sunlight, but she kept her body low and concealed in the tall wheat field (behind the green cow fields).

She shifted her weight uncomfortably as she listened to what he was saying. His pack, as she had suspected from watching them, was very new...and she wasn't sure that their "alpha" knew what he was doing. Kratos definitely had tthe air of a leader; he was the kind of wolf one could easily follow....but had he experience?

A grasshopper bounced somewhere near her and her ear flicked towards it instantly. She gave it a single glance and tried to steady her composure. She was nervous. She was breaking several rules by being here, and she was sure that this new pack would want nothing to do with her if they knew she had been spying on them these past few days.

Every fibre of her being wanted to be apart of their pack, ever since she had heard that powerful howl several nights ago... and then, to see Kratos at the market place... his stance, the he walked, his voice,...everything about him called for admiration in a young wolf-kind seeking a new pack.

However, spying and trespassing probably would not be the best first impressions, so she decided to slip away for now. Doing so without being noticed wouldn't be a problem for her...

...so she thought.

Zero:

Kiton twisted around like a snake and shouted into the field, "Who's there?"

A guttural growl crept up his throat, unfamiliar wolf-smell. It wasn't that of the violent one he had met before, but another, unknown wolf's scent. He stepped out of the shade and stood in the tall grass, that's probably where they were, but it was still and he stepped back to defend the cows. His pupils had been reduced to pin pricks in the sunlight and the bothersome sunbeam struck him as he looked up. "Gagh!" he shouted, he was not used to this brightness.

May:
::Meanwhile in the forest:: ((Hehehhe! I'm going to love cutting between these two scenes for awhile! The suspense is killing me! XD))

The large, black and red-hazed wolf moved quickly up the mountain side. By now he was leading the way with his nose always close to the ground..

The tracks never seemed to leave themselves unguarded, the predator who had dragged off the calves had left little room for investigation. No print could be identified as man or animal, but the scent grew stronger the higher they climbed.

Suddenly Kratos stopped dead. Hanging on a tree by a rope, was the skull of one of the calves.. and at the roots of the tree was the rest of it's body..
Kratos' bright yellow eyes searched the scene, he was at a loss of what to make of it...

"Zeit?" He asked, turning his large head to Zeit's striped figure, wondering if she knew anything...

Hour Glass:
Zeit easily trotted with Kratos, falling into step behind him. she watched as he stepped aside, and what she saw caused her to gasp. She felt a growl rise and her dug her right into the dirt, distracting herself for the moment she she could keep her cool. She walked to the hanging skull and sniffed it, "It's werewolf" she said, "And it's like they left it as a sign, by why take a calf unless you're going to eat it?"

She pndered this for a moment, "I mean I could see a wolf stealing something for food, and all I was planning to do was chase something off" she said, "but this is much more, and shows there is a voilent wolf here". She began to dig a hole beside the body, grumbling to herself. She might as well bury the body, if a human found it, they would suspect something, and it would make it harder to live in a town that already thought of her as a stranger.

May:

Kratos watched with a careful eye as Zeit inspected the situation. "Werewolf? It's probably a warning then, or a threat.. Either way, the challenge is tonight." Kratos said deeply, "Whoever it is, he can't do much before this is ended.. Hopefully in our favor."

Kratos turned his back on Zeit for a moment to search for anything else. He sniffed the roots of the trees and tried to make any more sense out of the smudged tracks, but it was in vain. The Killer had left no other sign besides the one he wanted Zeit and Kratos to find.

"Well, what do you want to do Zeit... they're your calves." He said, turning back to where Zeit was burying the dead calf.

Hour Glass:
Zeit looked to Kratos for a second, while nudging one of the bodies into the shallow hole. "Well, first we need to clean up around here, if one of the hunters find this, they'll wonder what is going on" she said, "and Second, I say we head back, rest up, and tonight at the challenage, find the owner of this scent." She looked back to the calves, these two could have brought her enough money for new equitment, and a new bow and strings for her worn fiddle. She sighed for a moment, in the past few days her life had taken a complete change.

She turned to the hanging head, "do you think you could get that for me?" she asked, reaching out to the other body to drag it into the hole. She flexed her paws for a moment, feeling a normal antsyness flood into her limbs. She would be nervous tonight, but she already felt ready to fight, as if she had boud-less enegry. "Maybe we could have a short run back..." she mumbled.

Kale:
[Meanwhile, back at the ranch]

Kale ran and caught a glimpse of two figures from the corner of her eye. Two people and alot of cows..... Oh hey, isn't that Kiton? Who's the girl? The wind shifted again and the scent she was following went with it. Grumbling to herself she looked at Kiton again. Maybe I should appologise for being grumpy towards him.... he really didn't do anything.... "Hey!!" she shouted, waving an arm to give him a movement to see her with.

Kaqurei:

The white werewolf froze in her tracks when Kiton had demanded to know who was there. He couldn't see her, the sun was in his eyes and she was still low... but he had heard her, and likely could smell her too.

Another was approaching, she could smell them. She heard the other cry out a greeting.

...Two of them. Oooh, this wasn't entirely ideal. Should she run? No, she would appear an enemy. Stay? They would think her an invader, would they not?

Briefly she wondered of their lineage. Were they pure werewolves or half-breeds - either of which could change form at will with differing ease... or were they First Generation werewolves, whose forms only changed under the light of the full moon?

Either way, she could not run, and she could not stay hidden. She had only one choice now. So, after a deep breath she slowly rose to her full height and faced Kiton and Kale.

Now she stood before them; a werewolf in broad daylight. She stood startingly tall, the stalks of wheat that had concealed her when on all fours now came only to just above her knee. Her muzzle was long and thin, almost fox-like in appearence, and her hair rippled over her shoulders in waves of white. In terms of clothing she wore something akin to a white stole and various ribbons of silken white wrapped about her person.

Her bright green eyes scanned the face of Kiton, and then jumped to the approaching Kale. Slowly she made a sort of bow, though her eyes were still trained on the other two, waiting to see their reaction.

Zero:
Kiton snapped, "Who are you, wolf?"

He looked at Kale and then at the new werewolf. No one was attacking, yet. Hostility however, still crept through the air. He probably didn't know it was his own. The sun held high in the atmosphere, a sunny egg yolk orb, hovering above heads. Wispy clouds scattered across the utmost peaks of the sky and the menacing low lying clouds had already moved across the sky to the east. The tall grass was a honey color with the occasional patch of verdent green. Bugsong rose throughout the area, as if the grass iself was singing in the harmonic buzz of the insect choirs.

Kaqurei:

"My name is Sabrina Sabres," the stranger answered Kiton's question, "I come to answer the Alpha's call."

Her human form would be doubtlessly less threatening, but she was in no position to change her form now, having absent-mindedly left her properly sized human apparel back at her aunt's place.

May:
[Meanwhile, in the woods]

Kratos watched Zeit for a moment, then went to pull the calf's remains from the tree. He pushed himself to crouch on his hind legs so that he could reach the skull with his hands.

He pulled the calf from the tree and gently laid it in the hole to be burried, remaining in a crouch to watch Zeit finish. "Yes, we can run back to get our clothes at the edge of the forest." Kratos confirmed, "But we'll have to change before we go back out into the open."

Hour Glass:
"Yep, who knows what tresspasser is here," she muttered, "They range from hunters to werewolves now". She quickly finished burying the remains and took a quick stretch, her paws a bit sore from the digging. She stood on all fours, "Okay, so, quick race to our clothes then back to the house?" she asked, turning her head to Kratos.

She could already feel the aching in her legs that told her to run. She felt antsy at the moment, running would get rid of that feeling.

May:
Kratos' eyes seemed to smile as he nodded to Zeit. "Let's go." He said and immediately began down the mountain.

His large, heavy paws dashed over thick tree roots, he was careful to make sure to not leave deep prints in the mountain soil. He carefully placed his footing on rocks when ever available, and made his tracks as difficult to follow as possible.. It wouldn't fool any werewolf, but it would keep any wanderer from discovering the large wolf prints.

Hour Glass:
Zeit smiled and took off, glad she new the terrain. She easily leapt from rock to rock, careful not to leave prints. She made sure each step was placed in a correct spot, or else she would have to come back later and fix it. She quickly caught up with Kratos, using her thinner form to be nimble and pass him.

"For a large male, you're pretty fast" she said chuckling, easily keeping pace. She turned to watch him for a moment, before just missing a low branch. She then turned her head back to the path, "I don't want to hit another tree" she muttered, passing an oak that seemed to have dents in the side of it.

****

Kale:
As Kale approached she heard the female say her name. Sabrina Sabres...... she doesn't seem hostile. "Hey Kiton, sorry about my.... attitude."
Kale eyed Sabrina carefully. Her eyes making quick assesments as they took in the white werewolf. "You really shouldn't be in the open like that. A werewolf tends to frighten humans. Farmers don't like odd predators too much anyway, oh, and did you eat Zeit's cattle?"

Kaqurei:
"Oh, cow...ehh...no, they do not appeal. This may sound awkward to you," Sabrina answered, "But I am vegetarian."

She chuckled weakly and shrugged. "As for my form, I know that it is not ideal in daylight. I had no intention of being discovered. In my present apparel, I could not transform into human. That would be less ideal. Thankfully, we are in the country and the next residence is some distance hence."

She paused for a moment, then looked at Kiton. "I could not help but overhear your conversation with the cow," a slight smile tugged at the corners of her lips as she said this and some amusment danced in her eyes, but her voice was quite serious, "About Gathen, I mean. I understand it is the Alpha's desire to claim this territory from him then? Perhaps I can help in your endevor as I do know some things concerning him."

Zero:
Kiton figured these werewolves were an odd sort, much less predictable than the packs in the mountain forests, who almost acted as a collective unit, a single mind. No, these people were more human. The training thing however, struck him very odd, like the army regiments would do before a battle, but just one wolf? What could possibly make this--Gathen or whoever so dangerous... He better shoot lasers from his eyes or something, sheesh.

****

May:
Kratos watched Zeit pass him and laughed at the compliment. "I suppose it's because of the gravity dragging my weight down the mountain." He laughed sarcasticly, "But you are lighter and more agile then I, you can easily out run me."

Just then his large figure raced up a jagged boulder and jumped from it! Using his great strength to thrust himself into the air and make a jump which covered a great deal of ground. Kratos' paws crashed onto the pebbles of a small mountain stream and not skipping a beat, continued to run.

His large head briefly looking over his shoulder, he exposed his teeth forming a cheesy-wolf grin in Zeit's direction.

Hour Glass:
Zeit chuckled shaking her head, "No way I could make a jump like that" she said, "but I can do this!" She swiftly leapt into a tree and began to leap from branch to branch, not missing a step. "I guess being so agile helps in a wooded area. She then felt a branch she had stepped on give way, sending her down to the down. She rolled for a minute, and sat there confused for a minute.

She then righted herself, getting up, and shaking her pelt out. "I haven't had a fall like that in two weeks" she said, shaking one of her paws, "Man, I'm going to be sore tomorrow" she said.

May:
Kratos watched her climb with fascination. Zeit was incredibly talented.
Kratos had already stopped by the time Zeit lost her footing and fell from the trees. "What a wonderful skill you have," His deep voice rumbled with a laugh as he came to check on her. "Now I have to wonder how great it would become with a bit more practice."

When it was made clear that Zeit was fine, Kratos laughed again and went to one of the trees. "This is where we left our clothes, so let's get dressed and return to the others."

Hour Glass:
"What skill, falling out of tress?" Zeit replied, grabbing her clothes from a nook. She quickly ducked behind a brush and changed, both to human form and into her outfit. She then walked out from the tree, fulling dressed and pulling her hair back, a rare thing, and putting on her hat. "I wonder what everyone wants for lunch" she said, leaning against a tree waiting for Kratos, "It will have to be big since tonight we will be fighting, not huinting".

She looked to the sky where she could already feel the pull of the moon. It was past noon, which there wasn't to much time left till the fight, and she had been out most of the day and had barley gotten anything done.

May:
Kratos laughed at Zeit's comment then went to find his own clothes. It took him a bit longer to dress then it had Zeit, but he was out before long and he quickly reunited with her.

For a moment Samuel looked up at the sky, he too felt the wolf's desire, but he quickly shook it off and focused his attention of Zeit. "Come, let's get back and see where the others are." He beckoned, and began back towards Zeit's ranch.

Hour Glass:
Zeit smiled and walked forward, tilting her hat downward to keep the last bits of sunlight out of her eyes. "I say one last good meal before the fight" she said, "Don't want anyone passing out during it, and we have plenty of time until the moon. As they walked she covered their tracks by grabbing a pine twig, and draggin it behind her. She looked to her hands for a moment, afraid for tonight, but not of what would happen to her, what she would do to others.

Since she had had her first change, her father trained her in case a pack was formed here. She sighed, remebering all the moves she had learned, each one flowng through her ind. She had been with the group enough to study them and plan ahead for any battles. She sighed, she didn't want to be a killer, and hoped she wouldn't lose it during the heat of the battle, as her dad had done many times.

May:

"Sounds great Zeit!" Samuel laughed, as he listened behind him as Zeit talked. But he soon stopped completely and stared a bit baffled at the large white figure standing in Zeit's field.

A werewolf, no doubt about it.. She was standing a few ways from Kale and Kiton..
"Uh, Zeit?" Samuel whispered over his shoulder.

Hour Glass:
"Just great, another wolf" she muttered, stopping with her hands on her hips. She took in a deep breath, this one was another female. She began to walk forward, time to greet another wolf. This one wasn't attacking Kiton, and didn't smell of her calves so she was fine with the new comer.

She walked right up to the white werewolf who was standing tall in her field. "Welcome to my ranch" she said, "I'm Zeit and as you can see, these will be the future pack living here" She watched the female for amoment, letting a soft smile onto her face, better not make the werewolf feel threatened, then there would be a fight before the fight. She crossed her arms waiting for a reply to why the newcomer was here.

Kale:
Kale watched everyone in silence. Observing. Werewolf body language is so subtle, yet so important. So confusing...... but neccessary. She watched as Zeit greeted the newcomer, letting a small smile slip forward to negate hostility.
Zeit's good at this. she's very straitforward. Kale smiled, as much as she had to learn, she was ready for it.

May:
Samuel slowly approached from behind Zeit and stood a few ways off to listen to what the white werewolf wanted to say. She was now surrounded by the entire pack, that was, except Marcus.

"Where is Marcus anyway? I haven't seen him since last night when we raced.." Samuel thought to himself briefly, taking a moment to look back towards Zeit's house... Perhaps Marcus was still in bed, sleeping late...

Then Samuel turned back toward Sabrina and the others. Even though he stood a little away from the towering werewolf, who was standing on two paws admist the field, Samuel could almost look her directly in the eye. He was quite a large man, easily compared to a giant, but the cause of his incredible size was still unknown.

Kaqurei:
"Greetings, Zeit," Sabrina bowed, "My name is Sabrina."

She looked from Zeit to Kratos, and bowed again. "Greetings, Alpha. I believe we met briefly once before, at the marketplace."

Kale:
Kale finally noticed somone was missing. Where is Marcus?
Finding it odd that she hadn't seen him at alll today, even though the sun had already passed its highest point, she took off towards the house after giving a brief nod to everyone else.

Hour Glass:
Zeit looked after Kale, then to the new werewolf. "What do ya think we're going to do, Fight cha?" asked Zeit. She chuckled, "Go ahead, and show us your human form" she said.

Kaqurei:
Sabrina chuckled lightly, "No, that is not the reason for not changing my form, Zeit. I must find a less open place to change form, as doing so in my present apparel would be... uncomfortable. Might I borrow your barn for a time?"

Hour Glass:
"Go ahead, don't mind the cows" Zeit said, patting a large white bull that slowly ambled it's way passed her. She turned, "Well, I'm going to the cabin, and I'm going to cook dinner" she said, "That way we all have at least one good meal before tonight comes". She turned and began to walk away, "Oh, and to make this clear, if anymore cows are found hurt or killed, I'm going to hurt someone".

May:
Samuel remained quiet, his bright yellow eyes slowly watching the interactions of his pack with the stranger....

"Do as you wish, you are not the danger here." He said slowly, turning to watch Zeit leave towards the house. For a moment he glanced up towards the darkening sky, the sun was sinking beneath the fields now and the moon was becoming more vibrant... It wouldn't be long now before the mountain menace was unmasked.

****

Meanwhile not far from the same field, that old red-eyed demon glared out toward Kratos' pack. Standing beneath an old forest tree, Gathen was safe from the sight of the others for the moment. This gave him the chance to inspect each individual as well as his wolf-sight would allow at a distance. He was not yet a werewolf, though the time was soon approaching... he wanted an easy way to gain the upper hand.

Three females, three males... Gathen searched for weaknesses, weaknesses he could use to destroy them. But it would be Samuel who would die first, the other werewolves were on this territory before Samuel came, therefore Gathen had a chance to claim them as his own pack.

Anyone else to oppose him after Samuel's fall, would be killed, even if that was every single one. Gathen had held the mountain range and the farmer's fields for several years, he would go to extreme measures to keep it.

****

Hour Glass:
Zeit opened her door, and strood over to her fridge. she took out slabs of deer meat she had saved from a hunting trip. she also took out a pan, and fired up her stove, and began cooking the meat, loving the scent it gave off. she licked her lips, this was why she ate before she went wolf, she was always afraid she would attack her cattle or some random person walking down here.

She began pulling out plates and silverware, and waited for the other werewolves. She flipped the meat, cooking it nicely through eat side.

Celeus:
The older boy padded down the stairs, his red converse pattering gently against the wooden stairs. He gave out a faint sigh and turned into the kitchen, looking around to see if anyone was there. From what he could tell he was the first one up, but he felt no need to make sure. He pulled up a chair and gave a slight yawn, plopping down, the back of the chair between his legs, chin rested on the top. He had heard that there was a new pack member... but he hadn't gotten the chance to meet her. Sabrina they said her name was. He glanced around curiously, hoping the others would awake soon so that he could question them about her or maybe meet her.
((He slept in very late))

May:
At that moment Kratos came through the door, immediately catching sight of Marcus.
"There you are. I haven't seen you all day." Came Samuel's deep voice as he sat down at the table, his yellow eyes scanning over Zeit as she hurried to prepare the last meal before the fight. Then he looked back at Marcus. "I guess you don't do well with all-nighters huh? Or were you trying to get as much rest as you can before the fight?"

Suddenly Kratos noticed that a window in the kitchen had remained open, and the dark clouds were passing quietly over the moon. Kratos stood and quickly closed the window, it wouldn't do anyone a inch of good if they all became werewolves in the middle of dinner.

****

As everyone began leaving towards Zeit's house, Gathen stepped out into the field.

"It's time to claim victory." Hissed the wretch as his dark red eyes lifted to the dark sky, where the clouds revealed their hidden treasure.
Immediately the white orb began the change and soon the evil man stood no more.

In his place was the large form of a beast somewhere between man and wolf. Dark grey fur was tangled and matted about the wretched monster, scars and fresh scratches covered his body. From his black lips protruded long yellow fangs and from his finger tips protruded hideous black claws.

The full moon hung behind the silhouette of the monster, wild red eyes glared off towards the lights of Zeit's house.... His heavy body crushed down on all fours, and he began the hunt.



Kaqurei:
Sabrina fondly tickled the chin of an old cow in one of the stalls. The poor beast had been a bit spooked when she had entered as a wolf, but that had been some time ago - she was now a human wrapped in white garb, and seemed to have soothed the creature well enough. Her big brown eyes watched Sabrina drowsily.

Sabrina spoke to the animal in hushed tones, which it may or may not have understood. The cow leaned in to her hand. Sabrina laughed quietly and patted its head. "Such pretty eyes," she mused.

It was then that she caught an interesting smell on the air. She lifted her head and opened her mouth a little, breathing in the scent. Roast deer meat - the others were probably having dinner. She decided not to join them; one, because she had not officially joined the pack nor proven herself, and two because she didn't eat meat. Instead she retrieved an apple from a white pouch she carried with her. The cow nosed at her arm, but she only smiled and shook her head.

Leaping down from the stall panel she had been sitiing on, Sabrina went to the barn door and looked out at the darkened landscape. She stole a glance at the sky, but clouds had covered the moon for now. She took a bit out of her apple and wondered how this night would unfold. A whole pack with Kratos at its head should be enough to stand up against Gathen, but that wily old devil was full of surprises.

She leaned against the door and took another bite of her apple. Suddenly the cow stirred and lowed uncertainly as it had when she had entered the barn as a wolf. She looked back at the creature, who was looking at her with one wide eye. The cow shuffled and lowed again, ears back with malcontent. Sabrina turned her attention back outside, where now the moon let a few beams of light leak through the clouds. Her sharp eyes caught sight of the dark figure crouching near the woodland just outside Zeit's property pretty quickly, but she had to squint and give it a second glance to be sure.

"Oh, great," she muttered under her breath, "And I just got changed."

She dropped her apple and hurried to wrap her wolf-garb around her now changing body. In moments she was a large white wolf again, and the animals were increasingly spooked. With two great bound she leapt from the barn and let out a long howl to alert Kratos of Gathen's presence (a tactic which would also assure Gathen that he was spotted).

****

Celeus:

"Just resting up before the fight, sir." Marcus replied, nodding his head to the alpha. He was quite happy that he was no longer alone. The quiet had started to become maddening. He flipped his hair back slightly as it started to droop in front of his eyes, then glanced over at Zeit, giving her a little wave good morning before turning back to Kratos. "When do you think the fight will start?" He asked curiously, his eyes clouding with concern.

Just then, he heard a long and fierce howl. At first he thought it must belong to this mysterious male, but he then realized it was much too feminine to belong to him, and yet he didn't recognize it. Must be the new one... he thought to himself. The hairs on the back of his neck stood up and he looked to the alpha for instructions.

Hour Glass:

Zeit turned when she heard the howl, the change was here. She quickly grabbed what she had made for herself and rushed up into her room. She quickly changed, and felt her wlf taking over her human body. After a few moments, she was fully changed and in her wolf form. The striped wolf smelled the food and quickly gulped it down, good, she would be more likely to control herself around the cows.

She then turned to her window and gently pushed on it with her hand/paw. She hten slide out and walked along to edge of her roof until she got tot he front of the house, where she could see the white wolf and her barn. She let out her own long howl, a reply to Sabrina's before leaping off the roof and on tot he ground.

She inhaled deeply, using her nose instead of her eyes to locate the intruder. She began to walk forward, holding her high to show her confidence, and to show she would not back down to this intruder. When she caught the scent, she let out a low growl, there was the killer of her calves.

May:
Kratos stood in full alert when Sabrina's warning was sounded. He watched Zeit race out of the room and quickly looked toward Marcus.

"If you can control your Werewolf form then go change your clothes, if not, then just meet me outside when you can." Kratos instructed, then he left the room to change into his own clothes. It took no more then two minutes before he returned to the kitchen again, but this time as a massive black werewolf.

His mane was not tied up, nor was he wearing the armbands and boots which he usually dressed himself in when in werewolf form. This worked to give off a more wild and aggressive air from the Alpha then what he would usually allow.

Kratos' ears flicked back when he heard Zeit's reply howl to Sabrina, and a deep and tremendous growl rumbled from his throat. Then Kratos turned and left the house, prowling round to the back fields.

His sharp yellow eyes glinted as he searched for the danger, the red hazy colour in his black coat seemed to glow fervently beneath the full moon's gaze. Already was his mind caught beneath a wildly driven animal as he searched the darkness through the eye of the wolf.

As he turned a corner of the house, he stopped dead and the fur on the back of his neck and haunches stood on end. However, it steadily relaxed as the wolf caught a familiar scent and he realized it was a pack member which now stood in front of him, not the enemy.

****
Gathen stopped in his tracks when he heard Sabrina's call, his deep red eyes glaring up the hill where the female white wolf stood. Quickly he dashed into the shadows of the house and lost her gaze, but it was not long before a reply howl came from the house.

A wild rage gritted beneath his skin, angry that Sabrina had given away his position.. But Gathen had embraced the evil desires of the wolf, thus the beast had become the master over the man and the madness of the monster was equipped with the clever intelligence of the human mind..

Carefully the large grey wolf crept around the side of the house in time to see Kratos' massive black form leave through the front door, and around the house in the opposite direction.

Kratos was no fool, thus he hadn't left the door open or unlocked, but that was never enough to keep out a creature whose claws were larger then that of a grizzly bears.

****

Kale:
Kale was in the proccess of dozing off when a howl split the air. jumping to her feet she glanced around, the echoing sound confusing her for a bit before she could pinpoint its direction.

Following the sound at a jog, Kale scented the air. It smelled heavily of werewolf.
I should change... she paused for a moment before dashing off to find her werewolf clothes, and to change.

Once changed she walked out into an open area, where the breeze was least interupted, and scented for everyone. She could smell most of them, plus an unfamiliar. An intruder. Kratos and the intruder were near the house, she followed their scents, picking up her pace into a full on sprint untill she arrived near the edge of the house just as the two forms of Kratos and the intruder took off around the corner.

Hour Glass:
Zeit turned and watched Kratos leave the house. She felt on edge, it would be her first moon with others besides her father, and tonight they would form the bonds of the pack. She glanced around to, she felt an anger arise, she wasn't in the best of moods with a killer on her land, and she intended to find him.

She sniffed the air, the rouge wolf was still here but in a different spot. She let a growl come from her throat, she was intent on finding him, and he would pay for the damage he cost her. She knew the other wolves were here to, and she felt a bit uncomfortable, she wasn't used to listening to others, let alone living with a pack.

What was that thing that her father always said? Right, If there was something new to do that may help out her future, go for it. She snorted and shifted her wieght back and forth between her paws, her slight irritance showing.

May:
Kratos moved on around the house searching for the intruder, his bright yellow eyes glaring through the darkness. A deep growl rumbled from the large black wolf's throat as he searched, a beastly irritation seemed to grow within the wolf's mind.

Where is he? Why is he trespassing and not showing himself? The more he searched the more taunted the wolf felt. His steady pace became more careless as his paws ripped through the thick mud. It seemed like he had walked around the house several times, drawn to the scent of the intruder but unable to discover the exact place where it hid.

Kratos began to shred bushes and growl uncontrollably, his eyes becoming more wild and dangerous! The longer the search continued, the greater Samuel's confusion grew, and where Samuel became confused the madness began to slip into his mind. Kratos had begun to loose himself to the full moon of the wolf!

When Kratos charged around to the back of the house for the third time, he caught sight of a dark figure, and charged for it! His growling and snarling was loud and horrible as his muscular form trampled towards the other wolf. But only two feet from it did he realise that it was actually a member of his own pack!!

Seconds from the attack, the great black werewolf broke off and hauled himself in the other direction. Coming to a romping stop, his heavy head turned back to look at the other werewolf, trying to discern who it was who he nearly attacked....

Hour Glass:
Zeit looked behind her, as she heard somone charging, Her felt the hair on the back of her neck rise, and she let out a low growl. She watched Kratos for a moment, ready to defend herself if needed. She felt herself let out a small sigh of relif as he turned away and stopped. He seemed so angry and mad at the moment, and if he tried to go after one of his pack, it was worse then it needed to be.

She peered at him for a moment, her gaze on his forhead so he wouldn't think of her as challenging his dominance. Her gaze was cool and calmed, showing her slight irritance. If he read her eyes, they seemed to say calm down. She then turned away and began to trot forward. Now was the time for the fighting to begin.

She trotted to the wide plain in front of her house and sat down, glad it was hidden away from the rest of the world at the moment. She sat down, but kept her senses on high alert, she would not be taken by surprise again. She waited for the rest of the pack to show up, she was ready to face annyone thrown out at her. She dug her wolf claws into the dirt, giving her something to focus on for the moment.

May:
The growls outside were loud and made one feel trapped and surrounded if inside Zeit's ranch home. Kratos' pack members were prowling the fields in search for the character who opposed them... but they all seemed quite unaware of his true location.

Gathen had quietly broken out the knob of the door and had slipped inside Zeit's house. His heavy paws tread up the stairs into the dark hallways of the upper level. His grey fur brushed against the small walls which were fit only for a human to walk. Yet, he made his way to the furthest room from the stairs without much difficulty.

Here he paused, his ears pinned back as he heard Kratos' snarls of irritation and his heavy growl just outside. Gathen's bright red eyes glinted in the faint moon light which poured into the room through the silvery-white curtains..
He peered out for a moment, catching sight of the large black Alpha charging toward the striped female and braking away seconds before harming her...

He watched for a moment as Zeit headed off towards the fields, then the grey werewolf slipped from the window and looked back towards the hall for a moment of thought.

Gathen gathered that Kratos was loosing his grip on humanity. This was a weakness which Gathen could exploit, seeing as Kratos would no longer be able to make logical decisions.. But it was also a great danger, because Kratos was armoured with brutish muscle which could both defend him and cause heavy damage if his attacks became wild and reckless.

Gathen would have to take care to avoid confrontation with Kratos until the other pack members were dealt with. He could not face them all at once, but he could pick them off one by one in his own time if he had the proper terrain...

"Ah yes, they don't know the mountain forests like I do, even the female rancher has not gone as deep into it as I." The Grey Wolf thought slyly to himself, "I could lead them up there, and if I am careful, I can kill Kratos and be done with the others before the night is over."

Kaqurei:
"Sly as a fox, he is, and twice a slippery," Sabrina muttered under her breath with a curse. Gathen had practically disappeared after her warning call, and she could find neither hide nor hair of him other than his scent.

His scent was strongest near the house, Sabrina noted, and so that was where she focused her search. Kratos' near-attack on Zeit would have been alarming if she had been there to see it, but at the moment she was searching the other side of the house. She paused in her sniffing and raised her head, ears focused and eyes alert, when she heard the growling, but it did not progress into more aggressive sounds so she resumed her hunt.

She heard a noise inside - wondered briefly if it was the old devil, but--no, there were others still inside - there was at least one pack member she had heard of but not yet met. He must still be inside, and if he was, Gathen would not be unnoticed... unless he was still human and Gathen already killed him quickly... Sabrina decided to go check insid the house... just to be certain.

Door was out of the question - she hadn't any patience to go back around the house and seek entry. Instead she found a window that was half open and entered Zeit's house that way.

Inside was dark - darker still than the outdoors as it was without moonlight. Her eyes glinted as she searched the quiet room. It seemed empty, but she proceeded with caution anyway. She had to be careful - whether Gathen was here or not - if she didn't want to wreck the place.

Hour Glass:
Zeit looked over her shoulder, something didn't seem right, and she felt like she was out in the open. She turned, her ears pivoting from side to side, tryign to locate what was making her so paranoid. The call of the moon and the pack fight had a bad effect on her nerves, but the strange werewolf was making it even worse.

She caught a glance of Sabrina going into her home, something was up, and it made her feel restless. She got up, no one seemed to be getting ready for the fight, so she might as well investagate. She neared the house, but got caught by surprise, and her lips rose above her teeth and she let out a low growl.

His smell was in her home, and he had gotten in to her territory, somewhere he wasn't welcome. Zeit quickly made her way in, jumping through a window, not caring if she had broken the glass to get in here. She wanted this male, this threat out now!

She began to climb up the stairs, her shoulders gently brushing against the wall, she fit much better then the males because of her slightly smaller size. She could smell him, and her ears went back, making her even angier.

She growled again, the hair along the back of her spine raising up, giving her a bit of an old look, since she had a mane along her neck. She felt her paws dig deep into the stairs, leaving slight imprints in her stairs, something else she would have to fix up. She growled loudly, she wasn't afraid to face this lone male.

She made her way up the stairs, if she fought now, it would be in close quarters. She would have plenty of repairs to do, but she had a pack to help out around the ranch, leaving plenty of time to fix the hous. She gowled getting into a fight stance as sson as she saw him.

"Get away from my territory!" She growled deeply to him, placing her paws apart. She felt the edges of the walls biting her paws, leaving dents where she had been. She narrowed her eyes, he was getting on her nerves.

Kale:
Kale got confused and started pacing just in sight of the house as the scents of the others entered the breeze. A low growl of irritation hummed in her throat out of frustration as she tried to focus back on the intruder's scent, but it was elusive......and disapeared. How do you just disapear in such an open area?
Unless.....

The house. He must have either gone around to the other side, or inside the house. Kale started forward but paused when she heard Kratos's snarl some distance away.
She whined a bit as she was caught between heading towards where the scent of the intruder were it had disapeared and were Kratos was now. Who else would he be snarling at? But.....

She snorted and padded up to the house. Sticking her muzzle into a half-opened window she inhaled, catching the fresher scents of the newcomer, and of the intruder.

Kale paced around the side of the house to the door, which wasn't completely closed. She slipped inside with tense caution which slipped into a hazy fury as she heard growls from upstairs. Her wolf was taking hold!

Kale shook her head. Her natural protective instinct was stronger, and right now she had more than just herself to protect. With the growl in her throat rising, Kale shot up the stairs to where Zeit and the intruder where at a face off.

May:
Gathen's blood-stricken eyes glared at Zeit's dark striped figure standing in the hall, it wasn't long before she was soon joined by Kale, the blue-grey and white female. His paws held firm upon his position, unwilling to give them the edge by by withdrawing.

The simple halls were cramped with the large bodies of the Werewolves, there was no room to fully battle without being caught in a corner at a disadvantage.

***

Kratos' heavy black body paced back and forth in front of the small house.

Kratos had not yet gathered where his fellow pack members had gone because he was purposely avoiding them.. an attempt to keep himself from loosing control. But it was far past late for that now, Samuel was lost to the wolf's hunger and Kratos had begun his hunt for blood.

His sharp yellow eyes had grown wild and his teeth were unceasingly bared.

***

Gathen's wiry tail lashed against his haunches, "I will leave, but not without your pursuit. Catch me quickly, if you can!" His scratchy voice snarled and instantly he vanished from the hall! He left quickly through one of the bedrooms of Zeit's home and shattered the window for an escape.

***

Little an escape it was! For immediately as the glass shards fell, Kratos' gigantic form jumped from the ground and attempted to catch Gathen by the neck!

The Alpha no longer could find the human conscious to care who he caught, blinded and unpredictable, he would become the greatest threat.

***

Gathen paused only a second to dodge Kratos' jaws, knowing full well that the pack's two Betas were probably moments from him! He jumped from the upstairs window and hit the ground running.

Kratos took up the chase in a heart beat! It wouldn't be long before Gathen had him/them right where he could finish them.

Hour Glass:

Zeit growled and followed right after the rouge wolf, this was a chase she would not give up. She slid out the window, a few shreds of glass caught her fur and skin, but she healed fast enough so they didn't bother her. She followed heim closely, but stayed out of Krato's way when he leapt for the wolf's throat. She quickly followed in pursuit, her legs moving into their full stride.

She kept close, but stayed behind Kratos, he was the leader of the hunt, so she could follow and help, but he made the kill. If she wanted to, she could race at a full sprint at Gathern, but then she would be tired, and alone to take him down, and would be going against her leader's leadership.

She ran over the land as a fish would swim, effortlessly. She kept her eye on the target, not looking to the ground, but it didn't matter. Nothing would stop her from attacking this wolf unless Kratos told her otherwise.

May:
Gathen's powerful stride lead Kratos, Zeit, and anyone else who happened to follow (hint hint) deep into the mountain canyons.. how deep was left unknown.

The new area was enough to confuse and excite the senses of the Werewolves all at once! The sound of rushing water somewhere in the darkness, the unfamiliar smells of animal and plant life all around them, even the untamed bushes and bramble seemed to be on Gathen's side.

The sudden changes caused Kratos to halt and become more defensive in uncertainty, even a wild animal would stay in it's own territory. This realm was new, unexplored, dangerous.. and without the knowledge of the human mind, Kratos was at a disadvantage.

But Gathen knew this realm, it was what he had called home since fleeing here several years ago.. He knew this territory by heart and could see Kratos' confusion.

"What's wrong old friend? Lost in the dark?" Gathen laughed, his blood stricken eyes glaring at the large black wolf. He knew Kratos could not reply without a hold on human consciousness and he enjoyed this moment of advantage over an opponent so much stronger then he.

Gathen slowly looked up from Kratos' face as he saw Zeit approach from behind, "Your leader is pathetic and weak." His scratchy voice snarled, "How great is he if he can't even control himself on the night of the full moon? Pheh!"

Gathen spat on the ground.

Kale:
Kale tore after the the intruder and Zeit, leaping out the twice broken window after them she winced as glass shards dug into her paws. Kale paused a moment when she saw three shapes racing away in the darkness. Three?....Kratos!
Now aware that her eyes weren't playing tricks on her she sped after them with extra intent.

Preparing for a fight she cleared her mind as she ran, ignoring all smells except the intruders,Zeits, and Kratos. Well, her human mind did, but the wolf was forcing its concience over hers, and all it wanted was blood.

Both of them snarled in frustration as they entered a new area, overgrown and wild. The scent of wild game and raw earth was rich in the air, confusing her senses and calling out her inner wolf!

Kale thought she heard a voice in the darkness ahead, slowing down she padded forward at a slightly slower rate, wary. Her companions scents still hung in the night, clinging to the bushes and trails. Out of the corner of her eye Kale thought she saw a flash of Zeit's fur, but it was the shadowy silhouettes of Kratos and the intruder to which she crawled towards now.

"Your leader is pathetic and weak" the intruder snarled. "How great is he if he can't even control himself on the night of the full moon? Pheh!" he spat.
He had dissapeard into the dark shadows of the untamed forest but his voice still echoed.

"If he was weak, I wouldn't follow him!" Kale growled as she came to stand near Kratos and Zeit. Lower she said, "And since I'm trusting him with my life, he'd better not lose it!" A slight breeze shifted the branches above them and for a single moment, moonlight poured throught and reflected off the eyes of the werewolves.

Hour Glass:
Zeit growled, she and her wolf had become one a long time ago, each always balanced, or fighting to keep the balance. She didn't know where she was, but she needed to figure out soon. "Our leader is strong, for he is strong enough to beat you," she said in a snarl.

She then stood ridgid, and closed her eyes, blocking out some of the distractions. She concentrated on the sound of the waterfall, then moved on to the scents. That took her a bit longer, but once she was able to sort out each scent, she began to feel a bit safer. She also knew she was with Kratos and Kale, she would be backed out in this battle.

She slowly opened her eyes, taking a few seconds to glance around. Yes she was in unfamiliar territory, but once everything had been sorted into it's own catagory, it didn't seem as confusing. She would want to come back later though, and evaluate everything that lived here.

She held her head tall, this lone wolf was really on her nerves, and she wanted his death now. She took a deep breath, his scent seemed to be everywhere, but some of the scents were old. He had been here a long time, that surprised her. She would of thought he would have tried to take her land much earlier.

She snorted, then took other deep breath, searching for a new scent that he had made. Once found, it wouldn't be as hard trying to find him. She didn't like this place much, and the fact it was harder to see here, made her a bit edgy.

May:
Kratos' sharp yellow eyes turned back toward the two whom had followed him. Zeit and Kale's positions behind him and the slightest scent of comfort while they were at Kratos' side spoke more to his mind then their words did at that moment.

In that brief time when Kratos' wild werewolf mind sized them up, his trust was laid down and the bond of a pack was made. Now not just Samuel, but Kratos also, knew this pack and a new focus took hold upon his mind.

Kratos' head turned forward again to search the darkness for the enemy, and without hesitating, the large wolf jumped beneath the shadowed trees at an angle at the left.

***

This sudden attack nearly landed Kratos' massive paws on Gathen's haunches, causing the grey wolf to flee into plain sight! His silhouette crossed over a small path of moon light just in front of Kale and Zeit as he tried to skitter back into the darkness.

Brief thoughts of bad language and curses raced through Gathen's mind as he tried to reestablish himself out of the sight of Kratos' pack. But all too soon his intentions were shattered by the call of Kratos' great deep howl which echoed into the surrounding forest. Instantly afterwards Gathen had only one other motive.. get away as fast as he could!

Kratos' howl was a call of unity, a call which took leadership of the hunt and would direct the strategy of victory. Thus all of Gathen's advantages over the new pack were gone, and his enemy was now organized to ensure a successful hunt.

Hour Glass:
Zeit watched Kratos, her hackles raised. She followed his movements closely as he leapt into the shadows, and a new wolf appeared. The Intruder. Zeit let out a deep growl, her eyes filled with the Hunt. She was ready to attack at anytime.

When Kratos let out a howl, the blood in Zeit rose, he was letting the hunt begin. She dropped down, getting into a strong stance that would be hard for Gathren to break. She began to circle, but stayed on her side, Kale had the other. She let her eyes meet his, she was not afraid to challenge him, he had crossed that line a while ago.

She bared her teeth, never taking her eyes off of him, and never blinking. She awaited any other orders from Kratos, and any movments from Kale or Gathren. "Looks like your going to be hunted" she said icily, "Just like the dog you really are".

****

Zero:
Kiton heard the noises of struggle in the distance. His head jerked up from the grass where it lay. Twisting his head up, he blinked at pitc--no, the stars began fading into light as his eyes adjusted to a murky night sky. Two legs pushed his front up and then two more in back. Oh, full moon, of course he was a wolf, but why was he on the ground out in the field? Had he been in the fight with Gathren? His leg collapsed beneath him in a bloody mess. "Grah!" he snarled.

He shifted into a human as he clutched his burning bloody leg. If Gathren had bitten him, he couldn't remember it and his mind spun from loss of blood. Had he been useful? Turning to the fury and the sounds, he spotted a broken fence, and bent grass. No, there was no battle for him, just failure in a cowardly defeat. He had outstayed his welcome and should've left long ago, the first night.

He shouldn't have abandoned them though. Thinking briefly on this, he staggered towards them on three legs, possibly to his doom, but Kiton guessed he was just as good dead as alive, mine as well prove some decency for the folks who had attempted to befriend him.

May:
Gathen remained still, cautiously watching Zeit's every move. Only now as Gathen could not escape did Kratos become aware that blood covered the grey wolf's throat and paws.

This sudden relization drew Kratos from the insanity of the wolf. It was a feeling that was hard to explain... he shouldn't have been able to regain his humanity for the rest of the night, yet he suddenly found himself standing in a small clearing surrounded by trees.

"You are covered in Kiton's blood..." Came the human words from Kratos' wolf lips. He could not recall anything since he was blinded by wild rage and found himself stunned by he beheld.

*****

Gathen growled, feeling truly trapped in his situation. "Samuel you have always been a reckless fool!" The grey werewolf said in a growled tone, using Kratos' real name. In truth, Kiton had fallen while Kratos had wildly pursued Gathen into the forest. Kiton had been caught unaware while in the field and Gathen had thrown him to the ground faster then anyone could ever notice.

"I am out numbered but I am not out matched, and in this battle, the hunter will become the prey." Gathen snarled. "Watch your position, because the tables are liable to turn."

Then Gathen shot like a bullet out toward Zeit and reached her neck with his jaws.

*****

Instantly Kratos rampaged forward in an attempt to crush Gathen! But Gathen retreated into the woods in an attempt to escape. He knew this land, the forest and the night were perfect companions in laying death traps which Gathen was going to make the most of!

"Samuel's pack cannot fight on the edge of a cliff. The forrest will be their undoing and I will give it the blood it wants!" Gathen thought to himself as he charged through the forest bramble.

Hour Glass:
Zeit suddenly felt the pressure on her neck. She Went limp, but took one of her paws, and lodged it between his mouth and her neck, just enough to keep him from cutting off her airway. She felt a sudden pain race through her paw. She sucked in a deep breath, but when he let go, she rolled back to her feet and stood up.

Her paw hurt when she pressed it on the ground, so she held it to her body. She would heal soon, but for now she had to run on three paws. She took off after Kratos, or has the rouge wolf called him, Samuel. She still kept up, and felt her bones knitting back together, soon she was able to run normally, and almost pass her leader, but she didn’t.

She honed her sights on Gathern, he would die tonight, from her or someone else in the pack. She stayed beside Kratos, he leader, he called the shots. She looked to him briefly, waiting for a signal to speed up and catch the wolf.

Kale:
Kale snarled when gathen lunged for Zeit! Before she could move he was dashing away again, only pausing long enough to make sure Zeit was okay she raced with her companions after Gathen. Dense brush wipped at her face, welts stinging, but Kale was too furious to care.

The smell of blood was all over the scent trails, Zeits blood, Kiton's blood, this mangy intruder had wouded her packmates! Unacceptable! Kale swerved around a tree and behind Kratos so that she could run beside Zeit, finally getting a better look at her. Seeing the blood only angered her more and a low growl hummmed in her throat.
How deep into these canyons is he planning on taking us? I don't like this territory, its too dangerous and too unknown... Kale tried to listen for sounds ahead, but actually heard somone coming up behind them! Whipping around she paused, waiting.

May:
Kratos took note of the Betas positions, catching Zeit's glance. He was hesitant to let her go after Gathen, at full rampage the stranger had taken Kiton down whom was quite larger then both Gathen and Zeit.

Then Kale cut short and stop following. In a moment, Kratos weighed his choices and decided to keep up the chace on Gathen. It would be too risky to stop and either let Gathen escape, or leave Zeit to his mercy.. Kratos would have to have faith that Kale could handle anythin g that came her way.

Nonetheless, Samuel did not want to entirely leave Kale behind either.
Zeit was a lot faster then himself, and though she could not take Gathen head-on, she might be able to herd the wretch from his course.

"Zeit." Kratos whispered over his shoulder while continuing to run. "Get along side Gathen, stay at a distance, and see if you can edge him off his path. If you close in on him too fast, he'll see what we're planning and attack you, so you'll have to watch yourself. Wherever he's going, we don't want to go there with him."

Hour Glass:
Zeit nodded, and speed up, going to a full srpint to catch up to the untrider. She stayed at a cdistance, but sent a glare that contained daggers in it. She barred her teeth at Gathren, but did what she was told. Technically, she was herding this wolf away from her friends.

May:
Gathen growled when he was met to his right by Zeit's swift moving paws and anxiously, he pressed to the left away from her. Zeit was a great deal faster then Gathen because of her long legs, and he feared to be over taken by her.

But as Zeit remained at a distance, only pressing closer when it seemed to suit her, Gathen became edgy.

Suddenly Gathen slid to a stop jumped for Zeit's throat again, but this time he was met by Kratos' thick shoulder!

****

When Kratos had noted Gathen's edginess, he prepared to interfere for any sudden attack. When Gathen struck, Kratos darted into the way and took the hit. Kratos' huge black jaws locked on Gathen's neck and ripped his body around to collide with a large oak tree!

****

Gathen released a terrible howl and slipped to the tree roots panting. After a moment he stood, "I'm not dead yet!" He shouted at the top of his lungs and charged full-long into Kratos!

****

Kratos tumbled to the ground with a thud! Dirt and root flew up into the air! Gathen did not allow his opponent time to recover and instantly fell upon him again!
The two tumbled in a large growling mass, Gathen's teeth clamped hard into Kratos' flesh.

Then it seemed as if the ground slumped beneath them and Kratos' neck was bashed against the side of a rock which jutted out from the forest floor.

At this point Gathen broke off Kratos and scrambled up the steady slope. It was too dark to tell how great the injuries were, but from the scent, blood from both opponents had been spilled.

****

Kratos rolled off his back and again up onto his paws, where he tried to steady himself. His yellow eyes turned sharply back up to his opponent, this time prepared to embrace another blow.

But the blow did not come, at least, not in the way Kratos was expecting it.
"If I still needed anything from you, Samuel, I would have spared your life." Gathen said. "But that is passed now. I had a million questions when I was attacked in that alley several years ago... I needed someone to answer them and you turned your back on me. So I answered them for myself, and now you are as useless as your friendship, good bye old friend."

****

A low growl rumbled from Kratos' throat as he listened to Gathen speak. But before he could reply, Gathen hit the roots of a tree with his hind legs and caused the rocks that were being supported by the roots to tumble downward toward Kratos!

For a split second, confusion whipped over Samuel's mind before he suddenly put the pieces of the puzzle together! His head whirled 'round to look at the ground sloping away behind him where the mist floated above darkness and his fears were confirmed.

Gathen had lead them to the same death trap that Kratos, Kale, and Marcus nearly raced into just last night.. but this time they were on the opposite side of the chasm!

Kale:
Kale heard the distant sounds of a scuffle and was itching to race after them, but the pawsteps coming from behind her were important as well, if an alley was heading her way it would help in the fight to have more numbers, if an enemy was headed her way, then it needed to be dealt with.
The crunching of the underbrush grew louder and she waited for the werewolf to appear when the ground gave a small shudder and the tumbling of rocks could be heard!
"Hurry up!" she snarled to whoever was coming towards her.
had a packmate been hurt?

Please let no one have fallen over a cliff! What's going on up there?
Raising her muzzle she let a out a long howl forth, hoping to have at least two replies from that direction telling her that her companions were alright.
All she could do was wait for a reply now so she turned back to the approaching pawsteps, waiting for them to appear.

Zero:
Progressing through the undergrowth, Kiton glued his jaws shut as every thorn, bramble, and branch assaulted his sore limb. Every step was agonizing and the idea that it was broken was obvious. If he stopped, he'd fall, so he had to continue to the sounds of danger.

There was fighting noises near as well as that of the others;Kiton turned his head at the sound. Stumbling fastrer, he spotted Kale and ran towards them. He shifted back into human form to speak but his bloody leg collapsed beneath him and he crumpled onto the grass. He winced but continued his question,"What's going on Kale?"

Kale:
"Kiton!" Kale yelped and dove towards him, alarmed at his injuries. "Zeit and Kratos went after Gathen, the intruder. I heard the sounds of a fight but I waited behind to see who was following, I think they must have went towards a ravine, I heard a small rockslide. Did Gathen do this to you? Are you alright?" she was speaking really fast as she frantically tried to stop his leg from bleeding. A low growl humming from her chest, she tore off a piece of her cloak and tried to wrap the leg, she stopped herself and whimpered once she realized it was broken.
composing herself she snarled at him.
"You idiot! You ran all this way on a broken limb?" as much as she wanted to race after Zeit and Kratos, she still had other packmembers that needed her, for instance the foolish werewolf in frot of her nearly bleeding to death!
Kale howled for a second time, this time in an attempt to call the others to Zeit and Kratos's aid.

As the echo's faded she could only hope that they had heard her, and that Kratos and Zeit would be alright untill help arrived. "You can't fight like this, no matter how much will power you have, I'm taking you back to the house."

Zero:
Kiton narrowed his eyes and snapped, "I'm not going back, I don't want to act like a coward. What will Kratos think of me being stopped by a stupid injur--"

He stopped speaking and looking at Kale with the the cloth and considered it. "Maybe I should leave, better to live as a coward than die as a mislead idiot, a false hero. Go ahead and drag me into a nice hole for me to die. I'll be fine; it's not like Gathhhyyyyy's gunnnaa pick a figght wiit aaahhh... If anythin, tell him I'm dead and let a zombie take him on at a later dayyte."

His head slumped over in his lap and his broken leg shifted into a paw, tangled and torn. Great, what use would this sack of meat be now? Punching bag or garbage bag to haul out back?

Kaqurei:
Sabrina had been prowling around home base in case the old snake came crawling back. As far as she knew, she was the only one who hadn't chased afte Gathen, and wondered how the others were faring against him.

Then she heard the distressed howl of Kale. She lifted her head and focused her ears in alert, then sprang off the roof where she had been perched and accross the field towards the cry. It had come some distance away, and Sabrina wasn't entirely familiar with the area, but it did not take her long to pick up the smell of Kiton's blood and Kale's anxiety.

She honed in on these scents, and soon found them. Panting, she looked at Kiton, and then at Kale. "What happened?" she asked. Kiton looked to be in horrible shape...Sabrina knew at a glance that his leg was broken.

"Where's the Alpha, and Gathen?" she asked quickly, but without waiting for an answer started to look around for something else. She went off a few ways searching and sniffing. Finally she found a straight stick and some wild herbs, and with incredible strength she ripped off the branch of a nearby tree. She brought these back to Kiton's side.

"Kale, I'm going to need some water," she said, feverishly working to strip the bark and smaller branches and leaves from the branch she had gathered. "This will serve as a walking stick...I can set his leg after it is cleaned and treated....where is the Alpha?" she asked again, all the while still working and not looking up.

Kale:
"You're not a coward, a coward would have given up when he realized his leg was broken," Kale growled. As she was speaking Sabrina showed up and started asking questions.

"Kratos and Zeit are further up, I think they caught up to Gathen! I heard the sounds of a fight and a small rock-slide, I'm afraid one of them may have fallen into a chasm or been crushed but I didn't want to leave Kiton like this." Kale watched as Sabrina gathered a few things and asked for water.

"I think I heard the sound of a river earlier, I'll be back in a sec..., oh, has anyone seen Marcus? If Gathen got Kiton im hoping he didn't catch Marcus as well, having both of them out for the count tonight would be extremely dangerous. Our enemy is smarter than I'd like to admit."

Kale tried to focus on the sound of running water, pinpointing it she dashed off.

Kaqurei:

Sabrina looked up and focused her ears in the direction that Kale had mentioned, but all seemed quiet up there right now....too quiet. She set the branch aside and started to go through the wild herbs she had gathered, setting them in piles on a flat stone.

"Thank you," Sabrina said whe Kale stated she would go look for water.

Marcus was the one pack member Sabrina hadn't met. She'd smelled him back at the house, but she was yet unsure of his whereabouts. She glanced up ahead anxiously, wondering if the others were alright, and then returned her attention to Kiton.

Celeus:
Just then Marcus appeared through the brush, glancing around nervously. He had become aware of a scent he didn't quite recognize, and it was mixed in with the scent of his packmates, causing the boy to become extremely worried. But as he approached them all he saw it was only a girl, probably not much older than he. He stood there for a moment, trying to decide what he should do and say. "Everyone OK? Who is this?" he gestured towards the new face.

He shuffled his feet in the dust, the white tips of his converse turning a dusty shade of tan. He felt.... awkward. Like there everything he did or said was frownable. He didn't know this then, but really it was just because he was nervous in the presence of a very pretty girl.

Kale:
Kale reached the stream and realized she had no way of carrying water. Pondering this for a moment she tore off another length of cloth from her cloak, and muttering about having to replace it she soaked it in the stream. Pulling the now waterlogged cloth out of the water she dashed back to where Sabrina and Kiten were.

Grimacing at Kiton's obvious blood loss she handed the wet bundle to Sabrina.
"I'm leaving him to you. I need to go find Kratos and Zeit, see if they're all right and help them get rid of that annoying intruder!" With that Kale turned on her heel and raced deeper into the woods, following the scent trail of her Alpha.

****

May:

Kratos held firmly to the side of the chasm where the cliff seemed to cut short, then dip back into itself like a ledge. Kratos' wrists and ankles were covered in fresh blood from the rocks which had knocked him down. Kratos' hind paws tried to catch the cliff side, but it was too far out of reach.

Both aged terrain and gravity worked against him as he tried to find something to cling to. Thick tree roots were all that were firm enough to hold on to, and even they were cracking with Kratos' weight.

****
"Poor, old, stupid boy!" Gathen hollered from above as he searched for a large enough stone to put an end to Kratos once and for all.

****

Kratos growled, his black figure almost completely invisible against the shadow of the chasm. He knew he was loosing this fight, and he did feel stupid. What a fool he was, he hadn't payed attention to his own weaknesses and he had allowed them to become his opponent's advantage. Kratos' size would become his downfall... His bright yellow eyes caught the moon's light for a second, and he flashed it toward Zeit who hung a little way from him.

That brief glance spoke all his anguish and regret, and he looked as if he meant to say I'm sorry.

****

Crack! Gathen pushed a large boulder from it's ancient seat at the base of an oak trunk and it toppled down to the ledge above Kratos.

****

Kaqurei:
Sabrina gratefully accepted the soaked cloth from Kale. "I will take care of him," she said, and then she snarled, "Make sure the snake gets what is coming to him...bite him once for me, if you can."

As Kale took off, Sabrina set to work at cleaning Kiton's wounds. She was glad he wasn't conscious...maybe it was just a hunch, but she didn't think he was the type who would cooperate very much if he was awake. She had just started to unwrap some of her white bindings to use as bandages for Kiton when Marcus approached.

She started at first, supposing him for a moment to be the enemy, but she relaxed as she recognized his scent from the house. "He must be the one the Alpha called Marcus," she commented quietly. She noted that he was still in his human form and wondered at this...he seemed a little confused and out of place. She also noted that, in his presence, she was incredibly keen on how dirty and unkempt she must look. She smoothed back some of her hair and tried to focus on the task at hand.

At his question, she found she was the only one around to answer, as Kale must not have heard him before darting off. "Kiton is not okay. He has lost much blood, and I fear his leg is broken." As she spoke she had finished cleaning most of the old blood and dirt from his wounds. She ground the herbs she had gathered into a dark green mush between two stones and rubbed this into Kiton's injuries. "These should help prevent infection, at least until we can get him better care."

She looked up at Marcus. "The Alpha and the others have gone ahead to fight Gathen. I do not hear any sign of a struggle, and I worry."

Sabrina then returned her attention to setting Kiton's leg.

Hour Glass:
Zeit looked up, at the crack of the boudler. Her eyes widened, but hardened at the same time. Her leader as if he would be killed by that stone, and now way she would let that happen. Gathren wasn't having a fair fight, in which the two would fight in hand to hand combat.

She raced forward, putting all her strength into her paws. She sprinted, luckily she was closer to Kratos, so she didn't have to go far. She leaned her head back, and pushed with her shoulder. She wasn't the strongest wolf, but her movment pushed out of harms way, but even closer to the cliff.

She gripped the edge of the cliff, feeling the rocks give way, and she pranced closer to kratos. She watched the boulder come by, it would have killed him instanly. She looked to Gathern, a snarl perched on her muzzle. "Are you too chicken to fight with your claws?" she called, her eyes gleaming in the night.

Kale:
Kale could smell all three of them now, telling her she was getting close. she could also smell blood, a small growl rising in her throat. Quieting herself she crept forward, trying to see what scene lay before her before she dashed out.
It took her a second to realize why she couldn't see Kratos, he was hanging onto a cliff at the moment, Zeit just next to him and Gathen above them.

Kale could hear Zeit snarl but was unclear on what she said. she circled around for a bit, trying to get closer to the three without being seen, when she was in a spot almost in line between Gathen and the others she dashed out, leaping up for his thoat, and hoping she knocked him away from the others.

May:
Kratos was not prepared for Zeit's sudden attempt to save his life, she was fast!
At the time Zeit had charged out to help Kratos, he only had his head, shoulders, and front paws on the cliff side, the rest of him had hung above the chasm.

As Zeit's weight forced itself into Kratos' shoulders, knocking him from the boulder's fatal path, Kratos' deep bark shattered the air. He had to work quickly to gain a foothold now that he had lost his grip on the cliffside.

***

Gathen's eyes hardened and his teeth glinted in the moon light. "You fool!" He shouted and prepared to charge down to kill Zeit but was suddenly knocked off course!
Kale's teeth took a firm grip onto Gathen's neck and the two tumbled onto the loose rocky ledge!

****

Kratos shook his head from the impact of it being thrust into a jutting rock when Zeit saved his life. With quite a bit of effort, Kratos pressed his neck into the rock and used it to haul the rest of him back up onto the ledge.
Panting, Kratos briefly smiled at Zeit to thank her, his eyes glinting once again. Then the large black werewolf charged along the rocky ledge to where the two grey wolves fought.

****

While they tumbled, Gathen thrust Kale in the path of the greatest impact and broke from her when they hit the ground. A quick roll and Gathen was back on his paws, hackles raised and teeth bared! The loose ground they stood on was evident as small stones constantly rolled out from under their paws and tumbled off the edge of the cliff.

Hour Glass:
Zeit nodded but her face stayed straight. She looked over the edge, looking for the best way to help Kale, but the farther down they got, the steeper the clif. She grumbled something under her breath, anger flashing in her eyes. The best to get down was to jump.

She began a short climb downward, and positioned herself so she would land behind Gatheren. She took a deep breath, before launching herself off the cliff, turning so she took the ompact on her paws.

She landed hard, her injured paw buckling under her, but she still had three good ones, she could still feet. She took a quick moment to catch her breath and let the pain pass, but it wasn't a long break, she couldn't let her pack mate get hurt anymore then she was.

She raced foreward, her jaws wide open, a snarl perched on her lips. She turned and slid on her shoulder, and bit down hard on his back left paws, using enough force to break the bones in his paw.

She licked her paws out, trying to keep herself from sliding off the ledge. Where the three were placed, it was unstable, and very thin, one move could send the ledge crashing down, or one of the wolves to their deaths. Hopefully it would be Gatheren, the pest was changing into a menace now.

She loosened up on her bite, but only moved up as fast as she could, before chomping right back down. She felt bone crumble between her teeth, and the snao of a tendon was like music to her ears. Hopefully she had snapped the right tendon, which meant he wouldn't beable to walk on that leg, making him easier to face and destroy.

May:
No sooner had Zeit caught Gathen's leg that his large head whirled around and snapped Zeit by the neck! For a brief moment Gathen had hoped that the sudden attack would entice Zeit to let go, but contrary, as time passed she only bit down harder!

Pain seared up his hind leg and quick adrenaline caught hold of the villain's heart. The strong muscles in Gathen's leg began to rip continuously away from Zeit's mouth while the rest of his body began a squirming spasm pushing himself away from the female werewolf. But no matter what the rest of him tried to do to escape, his jaws would not release Zeit's neck.

Then Gathen began violently ripping his head from side to side as if trying to render Zeit's head from her shoulders.

*****

A vicous growl ripped the air as Kratos' black figure tore out of the darkness! He charged across the treacherous stones until he was nearly on top of the two other wolves.

Gathen released Zeit and tried to retreat, but it fell in vain. Kratos fell upon Gathen growling and snarling, his large forearm pushing Zeit from the battle.
Gathen yipped and scrambled for escape, but he was trapped beneath the full wrath of Kratos' strength. Rocks gave way underneath them, some slipping from their place on the ledge above and tumbling down to beat the flesh of the wolves.

Then it happened, all too quickly... Kratos felt himself being dragged down by the rocks and scrambled for a last chance to survive the battle. He pushed away from Gathen who instantly pushed away from the larger male. Such an action cost him dearly as just when he scrambled away from Kratos, the grey wolf vanished over the edge and into the chasm. Many rocks tumbled off after him crashing together and toppling down into the darkness, but after, no other sound came up again.

When Kratos had managed to scramble to sturdy ground, his bright yellow eyes finally found time to stare after Gathen. His chest rose and fell with many deep breaths, waiting for whatever was to come next... but without a sound or movement, it was clear that Gathen would not return.

At length, Kratos turned from the cliff side and looked to find his pack members.
"Kale? Zeit?" He whispered through his panting.

Hour Glass:

Zeit got up, watching the werewolf fall down the canyon. She laid where she was for a moment, letting herself catch her breath. The back of her neck throbbed, but the pain was slowly dying away, but she would be sore tomorrow.

She got up, wincing sligtly when her forepaw touched the ground. Jumping off the cliff had worsened the injury, and she would have to go easy when she went running for a few days. "I'm good" she said after a moment, taking in a few more deep breaths before rising her head up, a wolfish smile on her face.

"Looks like we are a pack now" she said, wagging her tail slightly, her eyes gleaming. She then bent down and licked her paw, cleaning away the rocks and blood, trying to rid the taste of the pesky werewolf's blood. Once finished, she checked the rest of he paws, making sure no rocks got caught up between the pads fo her feet.

Once finished she walked over to Kratos, and let her head fall for a moment, showing him respect, before going to Kale, and making sure she was alright. Today had turned out better then she had planned, and she felt as if she had accomplished something.

Kale:
As Gathen and Kale hit the ledge she broke from him so as not to let him get a hold of her neck, but the loose soil of the ledge gave under her back paws! Quickly digging her front paws into the dirt she scrambled for a few moments, terrified at facing the fall behind her and the enemy in front of her, but she looked up and Zeit had reached them, her jaws firmly clamped over Gathens leg. She struggled abit more and finally got all four paws back onto the loose, but stable ground just in time to see Kratos black form standing over the edge, and the enemy falling out of sight.

She laid her head down on the soil, huffing a sigh of releif that it was finally over. As she tried to stand back up she winced as she felt a throbbing pain in her shoulder. Gently she put more weight on it, but the end result was the same. She grumbled and faced her companions, and at seeing them she couldn't help but grin and agree with Zeit, no question that they were a pack now.

"Kiton, Marcus, and Sabrina are farther back, looks like Gathen got Kiton before he came here, his leg seems to be broken and he still tried to come help us. Sabrina was helping him after he collapsed. I think Marcus found them just as I left," she reported, a tinge of pride in her voice.

May:
"I'm glad everyone is safe." Kratos said to the two, a smile finding it's way to his lips as well. Feelings of relief and pride swelled in his chest, the group was finally pack, they had fought for it and earned it with blood and sweat. Now the territory was truly theirs.

It could not be contained any longer, Kratos' head pointed toward the moon and his feelings broke from him! His deep howl of might, power, and victory rose to the air and filled the forest.

Kratos looked at the two Betas again with a broad smile, "Let's go back to the others and tell them." He said, "I'll help you both back up the ledge and we'll never return to this wretched chasm again."

Now as Kratos, Zeit, and Kale joined the rest of their new-found pack by Kiton's side, the moon began to fade behind the branches of the trees. The mystical white sphere had done her work and made another werewolf pack beneath her radiant glow. Now it was time to give the sky back to the Master of Light and retreat to the horizon until it was again her time.

As the skies grew lighter, Kratos felt the wild within him grow weaker until he felt left a human in werewolf fur. This would be about the point when those who could not control their wolf forms would re-become human, but for Kratos, he remained a wolf.
What a night they had, and what a day they were in for! They were all wounded, some more then others, all covered in blood and Zeit's house lay in mild chaos.

So as if it was enough that Kratos' mind was suddenly re-founded upon daily cares and woes, it would be measured rather small compared to what was to come next.

With the rise of the sun came the light which poured in through the trees and brightened the woods around them. Kratos' ears fell back and his heart sunk as he beheld the blood which covered the ground... and the rocky den which had previously been called Gathen's domain.

Kratos staggered to his feet and slowly approached the hole. Bones littered the entrance, both of human and animal. Pelts hung on tree branches, the entire area smelled of death and rot. It was not a wonder that Gathen became edgy when Kratos had Zeit herd the wretch this direction, he was a murderer and they had found his hideout.

Kratos' stomach turned and his paws stopped in their tracks. If this was the outside of Gathen's 'pit', then Kratos could not bare to enter... until he caught the scent of another werewolf.

Kratos' ears straitened, focusing toward the dark hole where he heard the slightest sound of quivered breathing. His heart skipped a beat, there was another werewolf in there!

Hour Glass:
Zeit looked to the rest until Kratos walked towards something. Her nose wrinkled at the smell, and the piles of bones got on her nerves. It seemed kratos couldn't go in, she was unsure herself, but the scent of another one of her kind drove her forward. She looked to Kratos quickly before walking into the cave, the shadows washing over her.

She felt disgusted, the farther she went in, the more the smell got worse. She watched the area around her, a cornered werewolf could be dangerous, even more then Gathern was. It didn;t help she had a few cuts on her head and her paw still had fresh blood on it. Her yellow eyes stuck out in the shadows, but they would only give away where she was.

She stood still as she neared the source of the new werewolf smell, her ears held forward. She dropped into a crouch and began to slowly walk towards it, watching for any movement. She slunk low like a cat, prepared to fight or run whether it was needed or not.

Kale:
Kale limped after Zeit and Kratos when the sun began to rise, the moon now well gone, and as the bright orange glow hit them she could feel the change coming over her and she was too exuasted to stay in this form any longer, quietly she crept back into the woods abit.

Coming out a few minutes later, human with her werewolf cloths tied up a bit in several places so that they would stay on her now smaller and slender figure, she was greeted with the rancid scent of rot, old blood (and new blood but then she's covered with that so...) and new werewolf. She walked up to stand by Kratos and Zeit near the cave entrance, her human form dwarfed by their werewolf ones.

"Another one? Is it a threat?" she asked her companions, peering intently into the darkness of the opening.

May:
Kratos did not follow Zeit in, but stood firm outside. He briefly looked down at Kale when she came to stand beside him, but he did not answer her question.

****

At first Zeit was greeted by cold silence and bones crackling under her paws.

Suddenly there was a gurgled growl from the darkness and then the beast shot out and attacked Zeit! It's heavy body thrashed her to the wall of the cave and its teeth gripped her neck, then it's head began to violently rip back and forth while its paws hammered into her sides!

Hour Glass:
Zeit wa surprised by the creature's attack, but she fought back. She felt the teeth against her neck, a no no for Zeit. She kicked her back paws out, digging her claws intot he creature, pushing it away enough for her to slink away from under it. She then bolted tot he entrance of the cave, stopping when she reached Kratos and Kale, her neck dripping from the fresh would. She took deep breaths, her head down, and slightly lightheaded.

She looked into the cave, the thing was sure to follow her, and the scent of her blood seemed overpowering to her senses. She growled slightly, her limbs shaking a bit, two times that she had been attacked, the blows had landed on her head and neck which now throbbed. she took a deep breath, she wouldn't be going to town anytime soon, and she woldn;t go back to her human form untilt he worst of the injuries were cleared up, the pack would just have to cook for themselvs and help out around the farm.

May:

Kratos jumped when he heard the growl and was moments from coming in before Zeit struck from the cave.

Zeit's condition infuriated Kratos and he instantly placed himself between her and the cave, waiting for her attacker to show it's face. But it did not come. The creature remained at the back of the hole growling and snarling.

No doubt it was a werewolf.

Kaqurei:
Sabrina had seen to Kiton's wounds, now she went ahead to check on the rest of the pack. They weren't hard to track - the smell of blood was very potent, and Gathen's territory was even more pungent. Just before she made it up to his cave she heard the sounds of growling...was the fight not yet over?

She picked up her pace to a trot and soon came upon the pack gathered at the entrance of the cave. She approached them cautiously and accessed the situation. When she discovered Ziet's wounded neck, she pinned back her ears and offered submissive sympathy. "Your wound must be seen to; here, I brought some cayenne from the house, it will stop the bleeding."

Then she moved on to Kratos' side and peered into the cave at Zeit's attacker.

She could see nothing, but the other werewolf in the shadows was making a fearful racket. To listen to him, one would have thought him twice the size than Sabrina decided he actually was. The wound on Ziet's neck was serious, to be sure, but it was tackily done... the concealed werewolf was not one of any real experience... the wound had been inflicted in a rash lunge of terror; such as any cornered animal would make. "We're dealing with a mere boy," she muttered under her breath, glancing at Kratos' raised hackles and completely aggressive stance.

Hour Glass:
"I'm not leaving until we that werewolf out, I don't care if it is a child, it will be a danger to the pack and to the town, don't forget, it has to eat too." She replied, taking up a stronger stance. She took another deep breath before raising her head a bit, "But how to get a scared child out of a dark hole?" she thought aloud.

Zeit sat down, resting for a mintue, she was going to need Sabrina's help with her neck injuries, but she wouldn't leave her duty to remove the child. Depending on the situation, there might be another death today, or another member to the pack. She let out a soft growl, barring her teeth a bit. "Kratos, isn't there some way you could led it out, that way we could get a good look at what we are dealing with?"

Kale:
Kale stepped back in alarm when she heard the werewolf attack Zeit, and when Zeit emerged with fresh blood seeping into her fur Kale was shot with fury, both at the werewolf and at her own helplessness in the human form. She hovered nervously as Sabrina tended to Zeit, listening to the conversation and pondering on the problem.

If the werewolf was a child, cornered and scared then it wasn't much of a threat, but its fear made it dangerous at present. Kale paced between the entrance of the cave and her companions.

"Kratos trying to entice the child out might not be such a good idea at present." Kale added in, gesturing towars the towering, and intimidating figure that was her alpha. "If it's a child....why don't we just....." she kept muttering off the end of her sentances, thinking out loud and talking at the same time, after a few moment she got as close to the cave entrance as safly possible, sitting herself to one side so it couldn't leap out and attack her very easily, once situated, she started humming.

May:

Kratos flashed a look of confusion at Sabrina when she explained that it was a child within the cave, and not an actual danger... Hesitantly Kratos moved away from the cave and simply listened to the others speak.

In truth, the Alpha could not think of a decent thing to do, so he moved further away and allowed the others to do what they thought was best.
Zeit needed to get cleaned up and rest, but there was only a slim chance Kratos would be able to get her to leave with the matter unresolved. Still though, Sabrina seemed to have a good knowledge of herbs and treatment and took good care of Zeit's wounds.

Breifly Kratos watched Kale approach the cave, quietly listening to her hum. Then he turned away and went to dig a hole where he would bury the bodies of Gathen's victims.

****

The growling continued even as Kale drew near. There wouldn't be a change for many hours, until at last the growling would cease.

By then, Kratos had removed all the carcasses from the area and turned the soil to hide most of the smell. While under Sabrina's careful hands, Zeit's wounds were well dressed.

Morning birds sung their graceful songs high above the tree branches and many rushed to gather the seeds from the ground.

Kratos lay on the dirt a little ways from the cave watching one such bird hopping this way and that when he noticed the peaceful silence. The Alpha's bright yellow eyes turned wearily towards Kale, "What's it doing now?" He asked softly.

The figure at the back of the cave could no longer be seen pressed against the wall, but rather, it had fallen and lay crumpled up beside a large stone.

Hour Glass:
Zeit's ears perked up from where she had dozed off at. She had a headache for the moment, and planned to go straight ti her room when they got back to her house, not even caring how much damage had been done tot he walls. She looked up, sleep still on her her eyes, and her mind foggy. "What ever it is seems to be asleep maybe, but I'm not going near it again, I've had enough with the fighting," she said, "Though I am glad we have Sabrina here to tend to those who need patching up."

She yawned, before shifting to another sleeping postion, pulling all her paws under her, and wrapping her tail around her body. She laid her head on her side, her tail tickling her muzzle, but she wasn't asleep yet, She watched the cave, wondering what truly was into there, and the harm it was capable of doing. She took a deep breath, making her hackles lie flat, there was no harm now, and Kale's little tune had been soothing enough to get her to sleep a bit, somethign she needed. She closed her eyes, cat-napping, but her ears perked up and alert.

Kale:

Kale hummed her little tune untill the growling stopped. then she kept humming, eventually the only sound coming out of the cave was quiet, deep breaths. the child werewolf had fallen asleep! curious now Kale scotted over so she was just outside the opening, peering in she could barely see the childs slumped over form in the darkness.

"What's it doing now?" Kratos asked softly.

Kale stopped humming and replied in equally a soft tone "Slee-ping." her voice cracked a bit, dry from humming the entire time. Looking back into the cave she listened for a moment more, making sure it was indeed in deep sleep, before begining to slowly scoot herself into the cave, feet first, so if need be she could make as quick an exit as possible. Or give it a swift kick in the head, whichever the more nessecarry at the time.

May:
Kratos stood and approached the cave behind Kale. Gently he slipped into it, his eyes quickly adjusting to the darkness.
Kratos' large black head peered over Kale's shoulder to where the boy had fallen.
Indeed, it was a young boy, no longer in the form of a werewolf child. His hair was dark and his body was thin, and he lay as if he had been struck on the back by a stone.

Kratos noticed the boy's clothing was torn and dirty, but also that the boy was beaten, bruised, and covered in the smell of old blood. It became quite clear just then that this boy was one of Gathen's victims. But one that the Wretch had kept alive for whatever purpose.

"Kale... please take Zeit back to the ranch." The Alpha whispered, "When Sabrina has dressed his wounds, I will carry the boy down."

To be continued...