The Battle Grounds

Ysolt flinched as the stubborn she-wolf crashed through the bushes and on top of him. Blinking, he gazed up at her, since her nose was almost touching him. Man, she was annoying. Ysolt was silent for a minute, contemplating his answer. He silently rose, shaking out his fur. He stepped back, gazing at her defiantly. His golden eyes blinked.
"I am Ysolt." The emaciated male said calmly. "I apologize, I didn't realize you'd be so ticked off that I happened to pause and look at you." Really, Ysolt wanted to just go. So far the stubborn she-wolf and the male had 'met' him, and both were seriously unfriendly. Not that Ysolt minded: He was only passing through, seeing if this pack was even worth his time.

Ayla sat silently, contemplating her options up until the point Cole spoke, his words breaking her from her thoughts as she rose to stand. The white female stood tall and at attention as she took in the instructions, the stance of a wolf used to receiving orders on how she was to behave and conduct herself in a mission, though she was not yet convinced that this male was worth following orders from. She wondered how the others would fare with this 'no working together rule', though she had found loopholes through such commands before and just hoped they at least had the wits about them to find the obvious ways around the rule and survive. Not that she had a great deal of care for their lives, of course, she had just seen a great deal of death in the past few weeks - her whole life, if she was to be honest - and thought it might be nice to go a few days without the sight of crimson splattered across otherwise clean environments.

After stretching out the muscles in her back, the arctic female rolled her shoulders and padded over to the black and white male just as the ginger wolf gave her some parting words. Ayla realised she knew very few of these wolves' names and she had yet to give them hers, an issue she didn't take very seriously seeing as she only wished to stay for the length of time it would take her to get back in top shape. Even so, perhaps a slip of her name could get her in better standing to make sure she was given enough time to stay and regain her strength. "Certainly a good way to see who holds the strength and intelligence for a pack, I just hope those who plan to lead the winners are competent enough in such a task too," the latter half of her comment was made under her breath, though loud enough for them to hear, her eyes meeting his almost as if a playful challenge for them to join. "I'm Ayla, by the way, just so you know who to congratulate when I make it out alive." With that, she gave a parting smirk and took the leap up to the savannah area where who knows what could await her.

Seeing the pavement laid out in front of her, she figured she may as well follow it for now, trotting along unworriedly as her fiery gold eyes scanned her environment. All manner of cages and steel structures lined the path she walked and a fork in the road ahead proved that the three friends had followed one to take cover in a cage guarded by the largest brute. Unlike them, she had no intentions of slinking around in the shadows, instead searching for the highest location she could find. The direction she took led her past the ginger fae who at that moment was yelling at a grey male she had not seen before. A smirk twisted Ayla's mouth as he denied doing anything wrong which only made the female look paranoid. "Dear oh dear, only a few minutes in and already jumpy at the sight of another wolf? I'm sure you'll do just fine in here," she spoke to the blue-red eyed wolf in passing, raising a brow.

Not slowing her pace, it was not long before she was nearing the centre of the complex, the sounds of various wild animals beginning to spark up around her. She took not of them but paid the sounds little attention as she stopped in front of the tallest construct she could find. With some effort, she managed to leap and claw her way up to its peak, a flat roof about three meters square in size that offered a view over almost everything. Standing tall atop it, she scanned the ground below, spying the cage she had seen the three friends in and the area she had last seen the ginger and the grey wolf. She knew that in turn she would be able to be spotted as a white beacon atop the structure as well, but she thought it a small price to pay for the security she found with being up high.

Rubie looked over at the male that stepped out of hiding. She stuck close by Bataar in case he decided to attack, she wouldn't survive a fight. Tail between her legs, she followed after the large male, as he was no longer interested in the newcomer. The new male only disappeared back into the shadows anyway, which only served to make the female more nervous.

The orangey female looked over the log into the enclosure that Bataar indicated her and Howie to spend the night in. It looked safe enough. She couldn't smell anything near the close part of the tree bridge. Nothing had crossed in quite a while. With a gulp she hopped up onto the log. Slowly she made her way across, her paws slipping a few times and making her heart race faster than a wolf could possibly run.

Eventually she made it down, leaping off and glad to have her paws back on the ground. Moving off she went to find some place to spend the night. Stumbling across a small hole she sniffed at the entrance. She found a smell she didn't recognise. It was strange, not like any animal she'd met before. The closest think she could think of was the smell of lizards.

Getting a little closer she peered in, curious as to whether there was something there or not as the scent didn't reach far out the hole. "H-hello?" she called in. What came out she wasn't expecting at all. A giant snake leapt out at her. Rubie gave a scream of terror, stumbling back in fright. In what seemed like seconds the large Burmese python had wrapped around her, constricting her movement. "HELP!!" she screamed, not wanting to be eaten.

((I figure the python ate a huge meal some time ago and went in there to sleep it off, which would have taken enough time for the scent to have disappeared.))

(I'm not going to ask what a snake is doing in the middle of winter xD)

Howie settled into a sitting position close behind Bataar. Psh, this would be easy. All they had to do was sit there and let Bataar look scary. Piece of cake. Still, Howie could not keep his hackles from rising in a straight line from his shoulders to his tail tip. Faintly, he could see Ayla's white coat glowing in a tree; he wondered how she got up there and also felt slightly jealous. Yawning to release some of his stress, the little Mexican began digging in the snow for no particular reason.

"HELP!" The scream was sudden, random. Howie whipped around to see a large - what was that thing, a snake? - wrapping itself around Rubie.

"Hey, uh, Bataar..." Howie squeaked, his voice rising with each word and every hair on his body poofing. "I think we might want to... DO SOMETHING!"

Feeling panicked, for he couldn't just leave his new friend despite his strong urge to hightail it outta there, the small wolf danced toward the snake, then away again. The hungry creature ignored him completely (how rude,) instead tightening its grip on Rubie. Braver - though not by much - Howie darted forward again, sinking his teeth into the snake's neck or belly or whatever is in the middle. This caused the creature to turn and aim a mouthful of teeth at him. Yelping, Howie fled and hid under a random plank.

(Ugh, sorry this stinks. I just woke up lol.)

Ysolt looked up at a loud scream. With a resentful, silent glance at the annoying stubborn she-wolf, he turned and moved swiftly and silently toward the scream. What he saw was Rubie, the scaredy-wolf, and Howie, her friend. A huge snake-type thing was wrapped around Rubie. Howie nipped at it, and then yelped and hid. Rolling his golden eyes, Ysolt purposely came forward and lunged forward. He sunk his teeth in its neck, where it started and its head ended. It was a good place for two reasons: One, because it was a good place for a kill and two, because it could not get its head around to bite the emaciated wolf. Ysolt didn't think about his attack: It was only natural for him. He stepped back as the freaky snake let out a dying gasp, and flopped all weird and limp on the ground. Ysolt glanced up to inspect the frightened wolf, Rubie.

(Ysolt to the rescue! Lawl)

With wide eyes Rubie watched as Howie danced about, nervous about getting too close. All the while the snake continued to squeeze tighter around the red-orange female. All she could get in were small gasps but they were hardly enough to get her enough air, especially in her panic. A fuzz started to cloud over her eyes, the beginnings of passing out as Howie made an attempt to harm the snake with a bite.

Just as the world was about to fade from her as rescuer came to her aid. The thick body of the snake, loosed her as it dropped to the ground dead. She collapsed, gasping for air, hardly able to make a comprehendable thought.

Slowly as her lungs began to take up the much needed oxygen and her breathing returned closer to normal. Still panting slightly she began to roll over onto her stomach. Glancing around she saw a black and grey male looking her over. She recognised it as the male who had been following them. With tail curled around her body, she wasn't sure is she should be frightened or extremely thankful. For now she decided to be thankful. Voice scratchy and shaking from her encounter she said, "Th-thanks."

Howie was just psyching himself up for another attack on the snake when a vaguely familiar black-and-grey male came racing towards it. Jumping from behind his plank, Howie barked unhelpfully as the wolf began tearing at the snake's head. After a moment, the snake's grip relaxed on Rubie because, well, because it's brain kind of got smashed. The stranger stood over Rubie.

A wave of relief crashed over Howie when he raced over to find Rubie alive and speaking (although still looking scared.) He stared at her blankly what if she DIED? Howie, you're such a chicken. Quickly getting over his own embarrassment, for he was too glad that this random wolf had saved her, Howie darted his gaze between his friend and the newcomer.

"Are you alright?" He asked Rubie, and to the male he added. "Thank you, stranger. You got her out of a tight spot there."

His ears flattened; he had not intended to make that pun.

(fail)

Ysolt gave a nod to acknowledge Rubie's thanks and then another for Howie's. He resisted the urge to say how Howie was too scared to help, but decided that was too rude. Instead he settled on a warning.
"You should be more careful, Rubie. You can't survive if you're not alert." He flicked his ears and shifted his golden eyes toward Howie. "And next time, try to swallow your fear, Howie." He advised. This was as polite as his warnings got. Howie would've watched Rubie die if Ysolt hadn't felt like saving her life. Then the dweeb would've felt bad. Ysolt didn't even think about how creepy it was for Rubie and Howie that he knew their names.

Rubie glanced over at Howie as he came to her side. He had seen his act of brief bravery before skittering off to hide. She was very grateful the other male had been there, knowing full well that if he hadn't killed the snake she would have died. And she would not have liked that at all. "I think I'll be ok..." she replied to Howie.

Nodding at the male's words she suddenly froze. He knew there names! "H-how- how do you know our names?"

Ysolt gave a soft smile. He hadn't even thought of that. He blinked his golden eyes, contemplating how to respond in a way without scaring the jumpy she-wolf.
"I've been scouting this pack for awhile, now. When you hear conversations, you learn names." He smiled again, but it was a bit creepy, showing his teeth in an unhostile way. Ysolt certainly was mysterious, and a bit creepy.