Doux de Coeur

[Magick]

o{ Lanica }o

Dry, autumn leaves crunched and broke as a slim figure wove elegantly through the trees, ignoring the scratching and whipping of the vines against it's -her- lithe body.

Beams of light pierced through the leafy canopy overhead, though the creature seemed able to dodge around them all, ducking and shifting out of the way, tail flicking amusedly at her rear- for this was naught but a game to her.

Luminous blue eyes searched the darkness of the forest, despite the fact that the morning sun was shining brightly down wherever possible, as the creature, a wolf no less, danced through the shadows of the area, bringing light to said darkness, as the sun above strove to try and catch her in it's glow- the wind ruffling the leaves and sending patterns of yellow across the forest floor.

Stopping short as a beam of light lit up the ground before her paws, Lanica Mackenzie gave a soft giggle of amusement, white paws hitting the ground hard as she quickly moved back and out of the roving light's path, just as a beam lit up the area she'd stepped into.

Glancing down at the sudden light flowing around her slender figure, she gave a soft giggle of amusement, ears flicking briefly, before folding delicately back, hiding the pale-gold patches behind her ears perfectly.

Rainbow-coloured muzzle, shown to be something other than grey and black hues thanks to the light, tipped heavenwards, a ready smile floating across her expression, as her eyes studied the thick, leafy canopy above, though she was careful not to look too close to where the light came from; for she knew such an acton could leave her luminous gaze misty and blind.

Silver moon across the bridge of her muzzle glowing in the light, attracting some attention from the creatures in the trees and earth. But, 'twas the marking across her chest that attracted the most attention- the gold 'k', turned ninety degrees clockwise, and host to fancy swirving lines kicking away from the back, or top, of the 'k'.

Scars marring an otherwise perfect fur, Lani gave a flick of her muzzle towards the ground, then towards the sky; but only small flicks, as though 'twas a small nod, an answer to an unasked question spoken by an unreal thing.

Giggling lightly to herself, she carried on with her trek, and although the energy was gone from it, the smile upon her muzzle, and the joy in her step, remained, her body shifting quickly, and easily, towards her new goal- a clearing that she had recently found; solace from the whipping vines and the crunching sound of leaves underfoot.

Smiling softly as she arrived at her destination, she gave a delighted flick of her tail, sitting back easily on her haunches, one paw rising, tongue emerging to lick delicately at it- in the manner that a royal, elegant cat might adapt for such a tiresome job.

Finishing to clean that paw, she started on the other, before finishing, and letting it drop to the ground beside the first, tail flicking lazily as she stretched, before dropping, like led, to the ground, rolling over onto her back, forpaws suspended cutely in the air, tail hitting the air amusedly, her posture changing at once from elegant and feminine, to youthful and innocent.

[Ceuseri]

Asher tried to lift a paw. It was as heavy as lead, and trying sent stabbing pains from his muscles to his marrow. He tried to whimper, but no sound came out, and trying merely sent more agony through his body.

Giving up, he just let his body do what it was doing anyway. He was sitting in what seemed a maze of vines, thick as it was in the area, and one loop was hanging in front of him, the other end wrapped tightly around a nearby tree.

Asher's wheexy breathing would have quickened if he had had control over his actions at all.

Instead, he was tipping forward, towards the vine, his neck stretching out, as though he was going to fall on it, let himself wrap it around his throat.

Asher tensed, ignoring the pain for a moment, and cried out fearfully and angrily. The pain loosed go, the pressure he had been feeling throughout it all pressing down on his skull vanishing, leaving him on his feet and panting hard.

He turned to some bushes and glared hard at them.

"For God's sake, Asmo, what the Hell do you think you were doing?!"

His rough, wiry grey fur was bristling with fury at the suicide he had very nearly committed, tufts of it still missing, the visible skin underneath very red and shiny. If it were to be touched, it would be hard and tough.

The saddle on his back was clear, as well as the rings around his maw and the sliver of moon visible on his thigh. He was just a 3 month old pup, but his hackles were risen and he looked terrifying in his anger.

Living with no pack nor parent had meant that he had toughened to life quickly, without someone to protect him. Though...that wasn't fully true. He couldn't deny that he had Kuhaila ... and, though he tried, he could not ignore Asmodeus even in he tried...

Asmo, smiling a sheepish grin, stalked out from the bushes, her eyes shining proudly. Okay, so she had gotten a tiny bit carried away, but this was the first wolf she had turned her powers on, and she was feeling extremely proud!

"I DID IT!"

She cried, leaping around Asher excitedly, before stopping and sitting, taking on her favourite pose, her head to one side, ears forward, front paw in front of the other ... looking very evil as well as young.

Her fur helped a lot. White, with black markings over her face making it look exactly like a skull, the jagged lines on her back and tail, the bones stabbed through each ear, small and curved.

Her black eyes framed the demonic red pupil, staring straight at Asher, who did not flinch. They were best friends, despite everything.

She tried to make herself act a bit more demonic also, but it was hard, through her frenzied excitement.

"I actually did it, Asher, I finally managed it!"

She cried, snarling happily, her eyes flashing as she crashed a fast flying bird into a tree for celebration. The body fell to her feet and she looked at where the skull had shattered and stabbed into the brain proudly.

She felt powerful for that one moment, though she was not all that powerful.

She was totally ignoring the fact that Asher had broken the Anthrax in the end. That meant her hold on him had been weak, and he had shattered it when his fear had mounted.

Which was probably a good thing, but still...

She picked up the bird and tossed it aside impatiently, not caring for what little meat it offered. She looked around for Kuhaila, desperate to tell her the news.

Kuhaila had been in the bushes at the same time as Asmo, just not the same spot. In fact, she was a little way away. Not too far, just far enough to only hear the faintest of noises indicating Asmo's shouts of triumph.

Her black pelt gave her good camouflage, and the cream bits, the only give away, were hidden, for the pup was laying down, her paws tucked under autumn leaves, trying so hard to be quiet.

It was hard with all these deadened vines.

Her only giveaway were her creamy eyes, which she hid as best she could as she watched the wolf before her closely.

She, for a moment, looked so very cat-like, beautiful, elegant and rather dainty, though when her "chore" was finished, she looked as young as Hail herself, eyes innocent, posture also.

But there was a strange wolf in the area, and Hail needed to warn Asher of it ... he needed to keep close eyes on Asmo. She had been getting a little ... enthusiastic about her powers lately.

Kuhaila shifted to turn around and move back to her friends, but she was unable to feel the floor, the vines around her, and so was unable to stop herself when she put the weight of her body ontop of a small pile.

The brittle things snapped, loudly, making cracking noises that hung in the air for what seemed ages. Kuhaila froze, eyes widening, fear pumping through her body.

She could only hope that this wolf was friendly.

Shivering, she looked slowly around at Lanica. What would she say when she found out that Kuhaila had been spying on her? Was Hail in danger? It didn't look it, but Asmo's description of her brother made Hail think that looks could be deceiving.

Before Lanica would have a chance to react, Hail lifted her maw to the skies and sent an extremely wobbly, high pitched howl to the heavens, calling for help, singing for Asher and Asmo, the two that could easily have been her siblings.

Aid me friends. You must be here just in case you're needed...

[Magick]

o{ Lanica }o

Eyes closing, breath softening, the female lying, looking much like a slim, overgrown pup, on her back gave a violent jerk at the sudden snap of leaves as the small pup fell onto the pile.

Scrambling to her paws, almost upsetting her balance in the process, she stared almost dumbly towards the sight of Kuhaila howling, quite brokenly, towards the skies.

Tail twitching, she gave a sudden giggle; amused to no end at how suprised the sudden sound had made her. Lifting her own muzzle to the soft, yet bitterly cold, winds of the area, as breeze after breeze swept through the clearing, bringing forth two other scents- of two more pups.

Lani didn't mind, though; she liked pups.

Advancing slowly towards the one who had seemingly been spying on her, she stopped quickly, a good five metres or so from the small female; just so as not to scare her into fleeing or something.

"Hey, sweetie, whats the matter?"

She asked softly, posture becoming yet another different one; neither elegant, nor youthful and innocent- but curious, and quite 'big-sisterly', so to speak.

Tail waving placidly at her rear, she sat back slowly on her haunches, head tilted curiously, roaming gaze studying the pup intently.

"Uh- sweetie? Where're your parents?"

Her voice even softer now, even more liquid, resembling falling silk, or water running over rocks- or maybe just a combination of both; for Lani's voice was undoubtedly soft and silky.

[Ceuseri]

Slowly, sheepishly, Kuhaila crept out from her hiding place and stood guiltily in front of Lanica, head and tail well down, confused at the giggle, though some of her fear was dying away.

Lanica sounded nice enough, she was greeting Hail kindly, and the name "sweetie" always worked well with a pup, though perhaps Asmo would be an exception.

Kuhaila frowned at the last question, though it was fair enough...a pup Kuhaila's age would normally no WAY be out alone, not EVER.

But then, Kuhaila and her friends weren't exactly normal wolves...

Kuhaila decided not to lie. What was the point? Besides, maybe thr truth would bring some of Lanica's personality to the surface so Kuhaila would know how carefully to tread.

"I left them a while ago, mainly because I have the curse of not being able to feel and they found it hard to care fir me. I met Asher and Asmodeus, Asmo being a demon who can control things to do her bidding. She looks after us and hunts for us and we help her aswell."

Kuhaila sat back nervously, waiting for a reaction, head tilted innocently as she took in the sisterly position of Lanica, starting to feel a natural liking towards the wolf. She seemed very nice.

"You alone?"

Hail asked, still angellically innocent, deciding to play the same game as Lanica.

Asmo lifted her head to Kuhails' howl and roled her eyes in pure exasperation.

"What does she want now? Can't she have even a little independance?"

She shot the exasperated question to Asher, and she flicked her ears towards him, forcing him to lift a paw and bat his own muzzle rather hard.

Giggling mischeviously, Asmo got up and sprang almost playfully away, towards Kuhaila, preparing herself to put herself to a real test, praying that it would work when she needed it, for it very often failed her, though it worked more often than not.

She burst apon the clearing where her friend stood, another wolf stood a short distance away. Asmo came and sat down calmly at Hail's side, examining Lanica very carefully.

"Uh ... and you are?"

Asmo said, eyebrow raised, red pupils glittering as she made herself look as evil as she could, though, being a pup, it was quite hard. Her eyes were narrowed and her head was low, teeth bared.

"You better not be bothering Hail or you'll find someone'll be bothering you."

Asher tutted and shook his fur, still furious as Asmo, about to run after her when his paw rose to meet his muzzle.

Wrinkling his nose, knowing that would bruise, he made a note to bite Asmo later in revenge and he took off after her, running a lot slower, for his lungs were struggling to keep up, and his breathing was becoming more and more laboured.

He finally caught up with them and, ignoring Lanica for a moment, looked to Asmo, his breathing so rough now it hurt, and he was wheezing so much it sounded like one great big croak, whistling even sometimes.

He was doubled over, nose nearly touching the floor, and he lifted his eyes to Asmo, panting madly.

"You ... have really ... got to .... learn ... to wait .... for me."

He said between great, painful gasps, his lungs seeming to break his ribs as they inhaled and exhaled.

He looked to Lanica.

"And - you, ... well ...., oh Asmo ... you do the talking."

And he collapsed in a heap, fighting to get his breath back into his scorched lungs. He seriously needed to start working out....

[Magick]

o{ Lanica }o

Ears twitching at the words that the pup spoke, Lani was about to speak, when a second pup emerged from the bushes, looking quite coldly at the adult. Ears flattening back briefly, defensively, against her skull, she readied herself to reply to both of the pups, before yet another pup arrived.

Tilting her head curiously to one side as the three gathered, figure instinctively moving forwards as the third, and the only male, pup collapsed to the ground in a bundle of fur.

Freezing at once, figuring that the pups, most in particular the second, wouldn't appreciate her intruding into their lives like that, she backed up slightly, rear end resting lightly on the leafy floor of the forest.

"I'm Lanica Mackenzie. Call me Lani, though. Or Kenz."

Smiling wryly, as thoughts of her favourite sister's pet name for her flooded her mind, Lani cleared her thoughts with a simplistic shake of her muzzle, head tilting further to one side, and comically so- as though her entire body was about to flip over the other side of her head; and if this was a cartoon, it no doubt would have.

"If I ask your names- will I get attacked?"

Although Hail had spoken of both Asher and Asmodeus, Lani was unsure who was who- and besides, her light, friendly tone was an easy ticket to lightening the mood; at least, with normal whelps it would be, but with these three- she was unsure; a feeling which wasn't going away anytime soon.

o{ Paroxysm }o

Small body crept silently towards a scent which had gotten his attention oh-so-many days ago; the scent of his sister. Bitter smirk sliced across his expression, as he pictured in his mind what her's would be like- a picture of absoloute horror, he was sure.

He had approached from downwind; meaning that he couldn't be scented by any of the four wolves, but he could scent them as though they were right in front of him.

To tell the truth- that wasn't far off from being right, as the dark brown pup was slinking silently towards the wolves, though only one captivated his interest; his dear sister.

Asmodeus.

Dark brown wasn't the only colour on his fur- although it was the main. Around his left eye was a navy splodge, and his tail was ringed with cream. But that isn't all- for the small male's chest and underbelly were beige, whilst blue-white was the colouring of the underside of his muzzle and of his throat. A dark grey skull was patterned on his left flank, and a dark beige rope hung around his throat- courtesy of a farmer's trap he had almost fallen prey too.

But, 'twas his eyes which gave away the demon within; which often made his innocent little act and angelic behaviour all for naught- for his eyes, which were a pup's blue for the most part, were tinged with grey; around the outside of the iris, and around the white pupil.

Yes- the white pupil.

Said eyes were currently staring intently into the darkness of the forest, his body naturally shifting to keep away from the light; almost as Lanica had earlier, though his actions were not nearly as amused, nor playful- he simply continued his trek onwards, towards Asmodeus.

Towards the death of either him or his sister.

[Ceuseri]

"To be honest, I think you'll be attacked anyway."

Asmo growled, glaring at Lani coldly. Nothing would make this cub like Lani at all, not even her carefree appearance.

Asmo was blissfully unaware of her brother's approach, not knowing that the battle she had been preparing herself for was a lot closer to home than she thought. At least she had practised. That was something.

Eighty percent of the time, she was able to take control. Ten percent of the time, she would make no effect, and another ten percent, she'd hold control for a while before she was overthrown.

For her age and level, Asmodeus was quite skilled, and she was confident that her brother did not stand a chance. But she had not seen Paroxysm in a very long time.

Now, she could not be sure.

She scented the air, but got nothing except for Lani, and she calmed down the nag that they were not alone, for Asmo was a naturally suspicious character, and would always want to make sure that there was no plot or trick going on.

She looked straight into Lanica's eyes, her own eyes flashing, red pupil trained onto the female. That was another thing she and her brother had in common, their pupils, though the colours differed.

She was very calm, but she held her lips well away from her teeth and her hackles were quivering gently, though not madly as they would if her anger had been aroused too badly.

She was just being Asmodeus. 'Fraid you'll just have to deal with that.

One wolf who was NOT going to deal with that was Kuhaila. She shot Asmodeus a glare for her words before returning an apologetic gaze towards Lanica.

"I'm Kuhaila, Hail will do. The male is Asher, and Hot Head over there is Asmodeus. Asmo's easiest, her name's stupidly hard to say."

She gave a little grin, putting her trust into this cheery wolf and feeling calmed by her tone of voice. She glanced around at Asher, but she was used to his fits of breathlessness and so ignored it.

He was best left alone, he hated being fussed over.

Kuhaila thought she had caught a very vague scent for a moment, and tensed slightly, before the scent vanished as though it were never there. The wind had changed for a fraction of a second and Paroxysm's scent had been carried towards Kuhaila.

Reasoning that she had imagined it, she shook herself a little and gave Lani a sheepish look.

"Sorry I was spying."

Hail said, a little quietly, but clear enough. She felt silly for calling her friends to her side. Lanica obviously meant no harm at all. Though, if Kuhaila only knew it, there was one wolf out there who meant all the harm in the world...

Feeling a little better, Asher straightened up and stod next to Kuhaila, pressing against her, though he knew she would not even feel it.

He had been called to protect her and that was what he meant to do.

He was looking at Lani warily, but he also felt his trust beginning to stretch out towards her. It was hard not to let it, she was one of the most trustworthy wolves he'd ever met.

He suddenly wondered; how the hell did he come to trust Asmodeus?

Oh well, she couldn't bring any trouble to them. Well, so they thought, for Asher had fallen into a fit of wheezy coughing as the wind had changed direction and not caught a whiff of the scent at all, and Asmo clearly hadn't either.

He sat down, quite relaxed, taking to watching Lani very closely. He couldn't help but grin at Asmo's words. It was true, little stopped the demon from doing what she wished, but Asher knew Kuhaila would not allow it, for it was clear the pup had taken a liking to Lani.

[/color][/size]

[Magick]

o{ Lanica }o

Changing expressions were hosted on the slim female's face at Asmo's words, though her placid nature eventually allowed for amusement to soften her features; in the form of a soft smile.

"Y'shouldn't be threatening people, silly."

Amused tone directed back to Asmo, Lani lifted an eyebrow, luminous-blue gaze staring calmly to Asmo's strange one. Smiling briefly to her again, she glanced across at Hail, smile softening considerably; as though she was a parent looking at a favourite child.

"Nice to meet you all- even Miss my-name-is-stupidly-hard-to-say."

Good natured grin fastened onto her expression, she shook her head slightly, amusement etching across her feminine features once more; she didn't really mind if Hail had been 'spying' on her.

"Forget about it, sweetie."

She replied, liquid voice washing out to the three. Although her words were as soft and placid as ever, they held a hidden meaning- she had already pretty much forgotten about the 'spying' business, and obviously didn't understand exactly why Hail hadn't.

"You're a little quiet, huh?"

Her words were, this time, directed to Asher- who hadn't spoken since standing up and pressing his body lightly against Hail's. Wondering suddenly if the three were siblings, though they looked nothing alike, Lani tilted her head once more in her comical manner, smile splashed across her features.

"You guys related or something?"

o{ Paroxysm }o

Drawing close enough now to hear the conversation between the wolves, body positioned in the bushes just behind the three pups, Paroxysm slowly stopped moving entirely, eyes trained rather warily on the slim figure of the adult that the three, except for the other male pup, seemed to be talking with.

His left ear twitched; if the adult was a demon also, as he believed Asmo's companions to be, then that could pose a problem for him.

Supressing the soft growl that longed to fall from his muzzle, he pulled his forpaws, silently, closer to his body, back arching and body readying.

Three.

Two.

One.

Without a warning, the small pup suddenly lunged out of the bushes, body slamming straight into Asmo's, jaws seeking to grasp ahold of some of the skin on her body, his short, stocky form seeming so much larger due to the fact his hackles were up and his lips peeled back from his wildly snapping jaws.

[Ceuseri]

Asmodeus had looked up in time to see a mass of fur as her brother was seconds away from colliding with her. She cried out a word I don't think I am allowed to write down, and was thrown heavily backwards by the unexpected impact of Paroxysm.

Asmodeus, knowing it was her brother and hating the idea thouroughly, whilst maintaining her bored expression, instantly started to snap her jaws open and shut as Paroxysm was doing, but not as aimlessly as her brother.

Her jaws were seeking the areas around his neck, searching for the windpipe, so that she could press down hard and begin to work her powers.

But she wasn't ready!

Asher had thrown her off after half an hour ... it might take Paroxysm minutes, seconds even. But her determination would most probably help her, for fury and anger and competition was bubbling like boiling water inside her.

"Oh, you're going down!"

She bellowed in his head, before resuming her efforts to latch hold of his neck, her eyes already beginning to glaze as she sent out her power.

It was hard to get hold on her brother.

Several times, she squeezed her eyes shut as pain flared up in her brain and started over, though the pain was fading and she could feel her strength slowly beginning to reach out towards him.

Ready or not, here I come...

Before Paroxysm had struck, where Asmo had ignored her, Asher listened to her questions.

"Related?!" He laughed incredulously. "I hope not!"

The very thought of it sent what was near horror down his mind. Related to Asmo? Crikey...

He had chosen to ignore her comment about his silence. He was quiet, get over it, was all he had to reply, and that would be rude.

On the attack of Paroxysm and hearing Asmo's yells, Asher had leapt back, shoving Kuhaila very roughly out of the way, snarling, but utterly bewildered.

"What the Hell is going on!?"

He cried, backing away slightly, for this was a scene he did NOT want to get caught up in.

He never was able to say that life with Asmo was quiet...

Kuhaila had given Lanica a wry little smile at her words, a tiny gigle at her joke. She had warmed to Lanica a lot, and felt increasingly dumb at ever fearing her.

When Parr approached at alarming speed, Kuhaila had given a squeal as she was pushed by Asher, for she did not feel him, but merely found herself shoved sideways, which was a very unusual and frightening feeling.

She shot under the legs of Lanica, and sought comfort by staying under the wolf, curling up in a ball and watching the scene with wide eyes, growling at Asher.

"Get your butt over here."

She snarled, not wanting him to get hurt. He and Asmo were particularly close, and that he was likely to charge right into the chaos there and then, being reckless Asher.

They were only close for the promises they ahd bid eachother, that they would help eachother with their evil ambitions, though Asher was not demonic, but murder seems evil to me.

Hail knew full well that the only reason she was not being mauled by Asmo was because Asher was friends with her. But it didn't bother her too much.

"Asher. NOW"

Kuhaila snapped the words, the last firmly, her uttmost favourite word, and she used it well, don't you think?

[Magick]

o{ Paroxysm }o

Jaws snapping open and shut furiously, tearing at whatever caught between them, the words that Asmo had yelled sounded so very far away, only the indistinct syllables reaching his ears- blood was pounding in his skull, stopping the sounds from making sense to him.

Feeling a wave of something wash over him, a snarl exploded from Parr's jaws, eyes slipping shut briefly, as his own powers fought back Asmo's- he knew better than to try and gain control of her, and had thought she did, too. Apparantly not, though.

The wave of Asmodeus' power retracted, and Parr gave a triumphant smirk, jaws managing to catch onto Asmo's tail, his head swinging slightly, worrying her tail as though 'twas a rat or some other creature, miniature snarls falling from his throat.

o{ Lanica }o

Leaping forwards instinctively when Parr rushed out of the bushes, ripping into his sister's body, Lani very nearly found herself tripping up over Hail- who had shot under her lithe figure. In two quick, graceful bounds, she had sailed over to the fighting pair, snatching the female pup into the air by her scruff, one paw rising and hitting the male's muzzle sharply, making his jaws drop Asmo's tail at once.

Backing away, Asmo in tow, Lani dropped the female down beside Hail, figure shifting and moving behind Asher, shoving him forwards quickly, and gently enough, towards the two females, whilst her graceful frame quickly did a sort of twist; moving so that her body was directly between the male pup who had attacked Asmo, and the other three- Hail, Asher and Asmodeus.

"What's going on?"

Silky voice carrying more than just a hint of annoyance, and overflowing with confusion, Lani looked between Parr and Asmo, trying to figure out why exactly the situation which had just occured, had, if that makes any sense whatsoever.