Winter Blues - |Gaunt|

[Najeri]

Winter was certainly not her season, not in the slightest. The African native had never heard of snow until being tossed into this strange place, forced to join ranks with others of her species, something that she certainly wouldn't have done in the wild; and yet here she was, helping to lead such a mismatch of canines. Her feet were frozen, snow sticking to them and to the ground.

The lake was mostly frozen over in some places, but there were still borders to patrol and intruders to scare off. Hunting was out of the question for her, her nose freezing to the touch and making her sense of smell way off kilter. The little jackal's feet disappeared far into the falling snow, her rough pads already numb from a quick patrol. The dens were what she was looking for, brushing by a pair of guards that lingered near the entrance as she went deep into the earth's belly. The farther below ground she went, it was slightly warmer than above, but the cold was clinging to every inch of her. Snow, they called it. Winter, it was named.

Najeri missed the warmth of her homeland, the savanna stretching out far beyond her with the gentle breeze. It was not easy living either, but at least she knew it better than she knew this strange substance. The rainy season had not been the easiest, but it was worth it to curl up with her siblings and know that they all were for each other. Her ears flickered softly in the direction of the sound of sleeping pups, their mothers keeping watch while others were out hunting in this mess. The snow was showing no sign of slowing down, and it was imperative that hunting, patrolling, and stockpiling went on while it still could.

She stalked past the rest of the pack, going straight for the pile of blankets that she had collected for herself. There was a long stretch of time that she spent over the pile, using her feet to claw and scrape the blankets how she thought that she wanted them, only to find them uncomfortable in someway.

An irritated whine was muffled under her breath, until finally she nosed her way in between the covers and burrowed in. Zhee curled up, rooting around under the blankets until she made a little air hole, before laying down in the darkness. Her tail curled around over her cold nose, as she gave a settling little snort.

[Gaunt]

Gaunt had been relaxing in the midst of the large, main common den that most were out and about in, sprawled on his side as he watched the commonality move about the main area. The pups were sprawled about, chasing each other, snoozing, or playing some game as the den mothers watched them. They were the main point of interest for awhile before he stretched, laying his head down finally and letting his eyes slit closed as his tail flicked contentedly in silent rhythm.

As the slight draft of someone passing him tickled his senses, he grinned inwardly, knowing full well who it belonged to. Opening his eyes he moved his head to stretch backwards a bit, eying her as she began to rearrange her mound of blankets. His brows rose and a amused grin spread over his face, his tail flicking a bit more in show, before he heard her whine and burrow herself in said pile.

He rolled up to straighten himself then, his head cocking to the side as he watched the pile for a moment from his place across the area and stretched, his hindquarters in the air for a moment and his front legs out before him before he stood, shaking his body of dust and particles that were sent into the air.

Padding over to the pile he nudged folds of the fabric up with his nose, a human like smile pulling the corners of his maw back in an amused grin. "Naj, what are you doing hoarding the blankets? Why don't you share...?" he asked, his tail wagging low as he chuckled under his breath. Oh how he loved to poke at his co-captain.

[Najeri]

She was already ready for winter to be over with! How long could it last anyway? A day, a month? More? Ugh, even the mere thought of it was depressing enough. Her tired, cold feet were like cubes of ice against her fur and she huffed under her breath again. Fetching more blankets would mean being cold all over again, and she grumbled. The winter months certainly made the African native a grumpy little canine. Her tail curled up over her cold nose, as she gave a little sniffle and closed her eyes intent to try to catch some sleep in this slowly warming darkness.

Her first warning was the click of nails on the earth floor, the second was his smell winding its way through her tail and into her nose (the first thing she'd really been able to smell all day) and finally the huge nose blowing into her face as the blankets were shoved up and over her head. Brows furrowed over her eyes, an irritated chatter rising up in her vocal chords as she met the smiling gaze of her co-captain. Gaunt had been a close friend for a while now, even more so since they'd taken over the leadership of the pack together but it always seemed like a game to him to annoy the crap out of her.

Naj's ears flattened in typical fashion per when he came to bother her about nonsense things. Her ear flicked as he questioned her methods, and she gave another little grouchy growl and stretched a little, snagging the covers in her mouth to bring them back higher onto her back. She ignored him contentedly until she finished, getting it settled into place just over the black saddle marking on her back before crossing her paws and peering up at the white ball of fur. "It's freezing, Gaunt, if you haven't noticed. And we weren't all born in the North Pole." She said, but her tone wasn't near serious enough.

"No way in hell was I ever cut out for this kind of weather." She mused despairingly, rolling her shoulders and getting to her feet. She nosed around the blankets, trying to fix what he'd completely messed up. And it had been just about right, too. She gave the blankets an appraising look, rooting around before looking back up into his eyes. "Besides, I did just come off a patrol. I get to horde them all for a little while to warm back up." Her tongue slipped out, peeking just between her lips before disappearing again. She flicked her tail, turning back to the task of getting the blankets just right again.

[Gaunt]

He didn't move as she glowered up at him, keeping his head low as her ears folded back over her cranium; his own perked forward in attention as he moved to sit his rump down in place on the cool floor. Lifting his head as he did so he just watched her, his jaws parting in a silent laugh as she mentioned something about the North Pole.

"The North Pole is on a different land than here, Naj. I came from Alaska .. different animals I hear" he said in a smart-assed way as his tail flicked back and forth slowly. It was odd being around other animals that he would've otherwise never ran into, the fact that she was made for warmer weather in a different part of the world (as were others) always intrigued him. He shifted in place, his tail coming to curl around the side of him as his eyes followed her when she stood, moving to fix her blanket pile as a mischievous glint suddenly re-emerged from his orbs.

He moved to stand, stretching a little as he curled around her and then past her, his tail flicking over her face at last bit as he curled around and plopped his form right into the pile she was working on arranging. Rolling onto his back then he looked up at her as he twisted around, blue eyes glinting, "I can always help keep you warm, Naj. I got plenty of warmth to go around," he said in a light-hearted flirting manner. He didn't know what was about to happen, but he enjoyed the light banter they shared. He knew she was much more like family to him than other females, but he always enjoyed flirting no matter how 'close' they were.

"I mean...we can share the blankets together?" he said as he flipped over to be right-side-up; his ears erect and in her direction as his tail gave off a playful swish in the blankets.

[Najeri]

“The North Pole, this…Alaska. It’s all the same, cold and irritating.” She nodded, mostly to herself. “Like you.” Her tail flicked his way, as she set about fixing her blankets. It was quite possible that she wouldn’t find the ‘right’ way to put them back again; but she was going to make herself as comfortable as possible either way.

They did a lot of teasing with each other, but in truth Gaunt was the closest thing she had to family anymore. Her sister was who knew where, and well…her brother was dead. Something else that was her fault. She paid him no mind as he stretched, more focused in on the blankets. She was a little startled as he moved past, his tail catching her right under the nose and tickling it, causing her to sneeze. She made a face, nose twitching as he made himself at home in her blankets.

The folded back ears seemed to pin back tighter as she gave him that look, the one that seemed to question his sanity. Her eyes lifted to the ceiling of the den, her lips twisting into a scowl as she seemed to silently ask the Gods that existed ‘Why?’. “I’m sure there’s a many a female out in the other dens just dying for that offer.” She said, shaking her head. Her little paws stepped onto the cloth, her tail swishing lazily to let him know that she was only jesting as she put those paws on his chest, essentially playing king of the mountain.

Her little teeth bared at him, wanting to go right for his ears (her favorite place when she did nab him) but it morphed into a toothy grin. She sat on him for a time, nipping at him any time he tried to move until she finally hopped off and he rolled upright. "You'd hog them all, and you know it." She teased, sitting on one of the corners, tail curling over her feet. The playful banter was great, but she needed to talk to him while she had him alone for this.

"Gaunt..." She began thoughtfully, her ears standing upright on her head once more. Her eyes were averted, not sure that she wanted to see his reaction to what she might say. "I'm...leaving the pack after the winter season." It all came out in a big rush, her tail curling tighted around her cold feet, and her dark eyes finally rising up to meet the co-captain. She was serious about this, and she needed him to take it seriously too.

[Gaunt]

He could've called it, her 'like you' illicting a canine laugh from him as he grinned. All before he went about his little act of poking her buttons. 'Poking the bear' his sister always jokingly told him when he tested his boundaries. There was a somber moment as he thought of his sister, somewhere in the Menagerie he knew of it, but never quite finding home in the canine territories. He focused his attention back on Najeri then as her paws found home on his chest.

He barely looking fazed, his lips drawing back a bit in response as his tail waved back and forth, mirroring her own as he fluffed up a bit. As she then moved to sit on him he huffed, wiggling under her but stopping as she began to nip his skin as he did so. Giving a little huff his tail that had stilled then swished back and forth, his eyes turning to her as she looked to him with a victorious look before hopping off of him. He rolled up and shook his fur out a bit as he looked to her and rolled his eyes. "Me? Hog them? I think I should be saying that to you missy," he said as he stretched back, his hind legs and butt raising in the air as his paws stretched forward befre he paused. Straightening as he thought he heard her say ..

I'm...leaving the pack after the winter season.

He paused, and if wolfs could frown it would be plastered all over his face. Actually, with that thought he shifted, sitting in a crouch as his blue eyes looked to her with anger, surprise and a hint of sadness. "No ... no you're not Najeri. Why in the hell would you leave us? Where would you go? You are respected and needed here." His mouth was dry and his heart was beating uncomfortably fast. No, his co-captain would not leave him. She had always been there keeping him in line, and he wanted her to stay. No, he needed her to stay.

"Naj, why? I mean ... what even made you think about this?" he said as he fell into a cross-legged sitting position as his lips formed a grim line.

[Najeri]

The Chieftess knew that convincing him was certainly not going to be easy, that it might not happen at all for all that she knew. Her ears folded back against her head, her tail wrapped around her cold toes to give her some extra warmth. Though now she was not sure if the cold was physical or mental, as she looked up to meet his eyes. She was stubborn, and her eyes reflected that with certainty that she was not going to just let him say 'No' and be done with it.

He surprised her by shifting, her hackles raising on instinct as the human form he was so comfortable with began to scold her in his voice. She read his expression, finding that she expected the anger and surprise but the sadness? No, that she had not expected. Zhee sat back a little, her heart beating surprisingly fast as she listened to him ask his questions.

What could she say? She did not really belong here, and certainly not in a position of power like this. She had gotten her brother killed, and the fact that no one had died yet was just a testament to his strength as a leader. He was doing just fine on his own, and she was simply a formality...because the pack felt that they needed a 'she' on the leadership roster. "I have my reasons, Gaunt." She replied. "I would become a rogue, to take care of things...that I need to take care of."

She was being vague and she knew it. Truth was, she felt that she needed to atone for her brother's untimely death. And she certainly did not think that she could do that here, not when her actions reflected back onto the pack. There was too much at stake to leave her name tied to the Nilda, especially with how reckless she had been feeling as of late. Reckless, uncaring to her own personal health.

"It's been coming for a while. I just was waiting to tell you." The shift was not entirely by choice, the strange sensation running over her as a dark haired girl sat where a small jackal had once. Her hair fell in tight curls, her almond colored eyes dropping to her hands. "Did I ever tell you how much I hate turning into a human?" She muttered, stretching out her legs so her feet were almost touching him.

[Gaunt]

[atrb=border,0,true][atrb=style, width: 497px; height: 668px; background-image:url(http://i49.tinypic.com/2qkqpvn.jpg)] He was dead set in his ways when he made up his mind; especially when it came to matters of others he was close to and his pack. He almost felt like growling even though he sat with human skin upon his form in that instant. His lips did twitch, though never fully curling up and over his teeth, it was a brief movement that settled as quickly as it came. With a human form it became easier to show his expression in his face, the form of his mouth and brows especially -- though he lost the arch of his ears and plumage of his tail. He grit his teeth in frustration as he waited for her to answer. If he could've heard her thoughts he would snarled in frustration, though fortunately for her he didn't, because instead he only heard these plans of hers. His eyes narrowed slowly as he watched her, those calculating blue eyes boring into her as if he could strip her down layer by layer before he got to her core. He knew of what had happened*, but he hardly saw it as a reason to leave the pack - especially when he disliked the idea no matter how much reason she put behind it. "...I just was waiting to tell you." His lips parted to speak, although he hesitated as the shift melded her body into a form similar to his. His slanted gaze lightened by a fraction as he watched her, his eyes taking in her human form. If she could only see herself as he did. Not that he had feelings for her other than truly platonic ways, but she was so strong, level-headed and a good source of another view where he needed it most. A blunt smack to the back of the head when he said something not quite tolerable by others; and even though his old wolfish ways of dominance coursed through his veins, his partially 'human' side he had come to known living with the Inuits in that small tribe fought against it. It didn't mean he has lost his 'all or nothing' attitude when it came to decisions he made, but it opened his eyes to letting others co-lead with him as well as think before being so brash in his thoughts. Well .. most of the time. He snagged her ankles as she stretched them out to almost touch him, his grip firm and un-yielding as he pulled her towards him in an easy tug. She was light, same in human form as she was in comparison to his canine form, and this was to his advantage. His upper lip arched up as a frustrated growl rose in his throat, his eyes boring into hers. "Najeri ... you would die out there. Not because I think you incapable of living on your own. But because the other retro groups, even the Rings of Order .. they all have their dirty hands .. claws .. in every piece of land it seems. And what of the creatures the White Ones create? The ones that carry disease? Viruses? How would you fight against them?" As he said this he pulled her into his lap forcefully, not caring if she fought against him as he wrapped his arms around her in a hug as he looked down to her. "Whatever reasons you have, they are not as important as your life. And if you should try anyway, I will drag you back here kicking and screaming. Don't think I won't. I'll even have to sentenced to stay in your den in the catacombs, guarded so you don't leave." It sounded harsh, even in his own ears, but he cared for her. It didn't matter if they had known each other a long winter or many moons, he had a connection with her. One that he was not willing to sever. ------- OOC | First post with the new table. Whoot! 8] One post down many to go. Oh! And the * up there is cause I'm not sure if he does know. But if he shouldn't (I forget things .. getting better and writing down though!) then tell me and I can edit it out easily ;]

[Najeri]

She had trusted him with her past, the guilt that she felt over her brother's death and her sister's uncertain fate. She'd been in charge, had been responsible for them. It was a seamless shift, the sharp features of her face transferring from canine to human. He grabbed her ankles, the grip firm enough t cause her to grimace. Her bottom scraped against the dirt floor as he pulled her to him, her own hands coming down on his to try to pry them off.

She couldn't stop the growl rising in her throat, answering his challenge with one of her own. Naj was just as dominate as he was, even if she didn't often express it, meeting his eyes with equal intensity. Ouch. She thought, as he practically called her weak. Her lips pinched tighter together, curling over her teeth.

"I can take care of myself, Gaunt. I'm not a pup to be coddled." She said, his arms wrapping around her like a vice as he pulled her into his lap. She slammed her hands into his ribs, huffing as he tried to reason with her, ultimately into threatening her. "I'm not weak!" She hissed, gritting her teeth in anger to be thought of in such a way. "Come on Gaunt, this isn't your decision to make. It's mine." She argued.

"I'm not scared of the rings, or retros, or even viruses. I can out maneuver them, and you can't stop me." She said firmly. She spit hair out of her mouth, struggling to get loose of him. His chest was warm, all of him was warm around her and this was just getting more awkward by the moment.

Their relationship was not even remotely close to romantic, he was practically her brother and that only made things worse. She shifted, her smaller form giving her more movabilty, leaping out of his lap and shaking out her disgruntled fur. Her ears folded back unhappily, her tongue coming over her teeth as she bared them at him. "Don't touch me." She said, only half kidding. She darted forward, out of her den and into the open hallway.

[Gaunt]

[atrb=border,0,true][atrb=style, width: 497px; height: 668px; background-image:url(http://i49.tinypic.com/2qkqpvn.jpg)] He knew she would fight it, and he was prepared for it as he felt her hit him, her palms attempting to knock the air from him. The only reason it didn't work was that he knew her all too well and didn't let her surprise him. "I never said you were a pup, but by yourself out there -- you may as well be!" he said, frustrated that she wouldn't listen to him as she insisted she wasn't weak. "Naj, you know that I know you aren't weak. That's why you're my co-lead," he said as she squirmed more and he tightened his grip a little more, though not too much as he didn't want to hurt her. She squirmed, scratched and wriggled all in his arms futilely; though as he opened his human maw to throw more assurances back at her, she shifted. He apparently hadn't had a good enough grip on her to stop her from shifting; and a frustrated growl escaped his lips as she bared her teeth at him. He barely gave it a thought as she darted out of the den, and shifted mid-stride as he went after her, tackling her with a half-hearted growl and his teeth bared. "You are NOT leaving, Najeri!" he growled out in Shiftertongue as he brought her to the ground, his eyes pierced down, through the dim cavern, to catch her own gaze. "I don't know what is going through that head of yours but your pack needs you ... I need you!" he said, and he paused in his speech that was obviously meant to go longer. The ackward statement hung in the air but ... well, it was true. He kept her grounded, and she was one of his most trusted allies. One he knew would never hold back her opinion for his sake if he needed to hear it. "Naj ... you have a home here. And you said when you took on this job it was to keep me in line, as well as make sure I didn't do anything stupid. You know I still need you to be there for me, to be there to back me up, anything!" he said as his ears pricked towards her, shifting from foot to foot slightly as he backed off of her before sitting down on his haunches. ------- OOC | o3o I felt the need to post him for them <33 cause they are adorbs and 'm having some stress-free time to myself this morning ^^ yay for posts