A Russtling In The Grass

[luna]

Anima was walking quietly through the fields of Meadow Haven Farm keeping an eye out for wandering animals. It was a cold and dark night that seemed almost eerie. The wind was blowing which made the over grown grass in the fields sway from side to side. Anima shook as the cold wind brushed past her. If she wasn't so hungry, she would surely not be out on a night like this. However, she was starving so, she had to be out. She kept low to the ground so she could stay hidden in the swaying grass and continued to watch for prey.

Anima continued stalking forward almost silently for only a few minutes before picked up the smell of prey. She couldn't see it because of the swaying and overgrown grass but just by the smell, she knew it was rabbit. She slowly turned and walked on in the direction of the rabbit. It was only a few more seconds before Anima could see the rabbit. It was a good sized rabbit so she was happy. She stopped and crouched down when she was about a foot away from the rabbit. She waited until the rabbit had turned away from her and the she sprang forward and ran after the rabbit who was now running for its life. In just a few strides though Anima was basically on top of the rabbit and she grabbed its neck in her teeth. She then shook her head furiously as to kill the rabbit. After she was sure the rabbit was dead, she sprouted her wings and got ready to fly.

She Bent down and then leaped into the air flying high above the green pasture. She flew with the rabbit hanging from her mouth until she got back the to the barn. Once she reached the barn she made a quiet landing and then sat down by a bush nearby. She was about to start eating her freshly killed dinner when she heard something in the distance. Since she couldn't tell what it was that she heard, she just got up and stood in front of her dinner growling and waiting.

[Punktestern]

[atrb=border,0,true][atrb=cellSpacing,0,true] [atrb=cellPadding,0,true][atrb=width,350,true]

[bg=000000] Stern stalked through the tall grass that had taken over the fields of Meadow Haven farm, thinking about everything that had happened in the last week. Betrayal and alliances swirled around her mind, causing her steps to be less cautious. She brushed against one of the dry stalks that surrounded her, and startled out of her thoughts at the rustling noise. A bird flew out of the field ahead of her, and she followed it with her eyes. That’s when she first noticed the bigger speck, also flying in the air. It was too big to be a bird, somehow. Stern looked in the direction the flying thing was headed, and decided to follow it, for a little bit at least. She started ling through the dry grass that constituted the field, her muzzle pointed skyward as she continued watching the thing. Is that a… dog? It had four legs and a tail, yes, but there was something growing out of where its head should be. And it had wings, of course. Stern’s heart grew lighter. There was only one place where she had seen a dog with wings before! It must be a lab dog! But what would a lab dog be doing out here, all alone? Moot point, I’m out here by myself as well. Stern shrugged to herself as she saw the thing land further ahead. Slowing down, she stalked forward, peering through the vertical lines blocking her line of sight. Sadly, her long, feathered tail brushed against one of the stalks. She could see the wolf, as it was, though. The lupine had heard her, though. Stern stopped at the edge of the field and dipped her head to the winged wolf, trying to set her at ease. She could tell that she had surprised the she-wolf, the one that stood across from her and was growling. She listened to all of her senses, measuring the surprise and other thoughts that raced through the mind of the canid in front of her. Trying to show she wasn’t there to fight, she nodded to the wings, " You escaped from the lab? Congratulations are in order, for that. ."

[/color][/font]
[/size][/td][/tr]
[/table][/center]

[luna]

Anima stood there, growling at the sound she heard, her eyes peering ahead trying to catch sight of whatever it was. She stood over the rabbit as to make sure no one could take and then she turned her head to look in another direction. When she turned her head, she finally caught sight of what it was she had heard. It was dog. She knew by the sent that it was a female and, as she saw that dog wasn’t going to do anything, she stopped growling. She stepped forwards from her rabbit and looked at the other dog.

She was about to say something to the other dog when she heard her talk. " You escaped from the lab? Congratulations are in order, for that. ." The dog was saying. Anima wagged her tail at what she heard. The lab was awful and wasn’t something she wanted to be reminded of. However, the fact that she had successfully escaped always made her happy and gave her more confidence in her self. “Yes, I did. Thank you” Anima replied. “What about you? Were you ever at the lab?” She asked curiously. “My name is Anima by the way” She added on quickly.

After she told the other dog her name, she heard birds behind her and turned around. When she turned around, she saw birds starting to eat her rabbit. She was not happy and then and on instinct she bounded back to the rabbit. She snarled at the birds as they went flying and then stopped. She picked up the rabbit in her mouth and set it down farther under the bush trying to hide it from wandering eyes. After she did this, she quickly returned back to the other dog and stood in front of her.

“Sorry about that,” Anima said panting. “Damn birds” she muttered quietly and angrily, more to herself than anyone. It seemed like every time Anima killed something, within minutes, she was always surrounded by pesky and annoying birds. She knew birds were scavengers but it still made her mad every time. If Anima didn’t know any better, she would have said that she has more to worry about birds with her food than other dogs. However, once she saw that the birds weren’t coming back, she quickly changed her attention back to the she dog in front of her.

[Punktestern]

Stern smiled, “I am always glad to see any other dog that has made it away. And yes,” her smile disappeared, “I was at the lab as well. But my change wasn’t physical, so it is harder to tell.” She considered the wolf, Anima, “That is a nice name, Anima.” She let her eyes close a little bit, not threatening, but trying to put the other dog at ease, “I go by many names, among others hunter and enemy. I would prefer if you did not have to know me by those names, however.” She grinned, “You may call me Stern.”

As the birds started attacking Anima’s kill, Stern waited patiently to see what the wolf would do. She listened to the lupine’s thoughts one more time, and could not detect a hint of malice, not yet. Of course, some dogs and wolves were masters at hiding their thoughts, but this was most unusual. She decided to think over the matter again later, but to put it to rest for now.

As the wolf returned, Stern wiped the last of her thoughts off of her visage, “It is fine. I understand how hard it is to get something to eat, and how much harder it is to keep that for yourself.” She didn’t have to do that anymore, she could hunt with her pack anytime she chose, but she had been a loner once. “Would you rather move your rabbit over here, so that the birds will not dare to attempt to steal it? I assure you, I will not try to steal it, as I have had enough food of late.” Her pack had hunted well in the last few weeks, and everyone had gone to sleep satisfied.

That’s when the idea started forming in her head, an idea new and trusted at the same time. Since she had risen to leadership in her pack, she had not done this before, but there was a war brewing, and her pack was a few paws short. Maybe this wolf would join them, if she phrased the question correctly. She would wait and see, but there may be hope for that, some day.

(Sorry, I won't format every reply. It takes too much time.)

[luna]

Anima stood in front of the dog and listened too her speak. Anima found herself nodding though when the dog spoke of the changed that had been done to her. “That’s good,” She smiled when the dog said her change wasn’t physical. “I would have rather had my change not be physical as well but look at me,” she shook her head and fluttered her wings slightly, “I’m considered a freak with wings now” she whined softly. However, she didn’t keep her mind on the lab or her mutation for longs and she folded her wings back into her taking a deep breath. “Thank you, same for you” she replied when Stern told her name.

As Anima turned her head to check on her kill, once more, she heard Stern ask if she wanted to bring the rabbit over to where they were standing. Anima smiled, relieved, “Yes, thank you Stern. I haven’t even in a while now. I don’t want the birds taking my kill.” She said before running over to the bush. She quickly grabbed up her dinner and ran back over to where they were standing. She set the rabbit down beside her and then looked at Stern. “You look like you have had a satisfied meal lately?” Anima stated and questioned at the same time. She knew how hard it was for a stray to have good meals and yet the dog in front of her looked like she had had plenty of good meals lately. “Maybe she isn’t a stray like me” Anima thought to herself. “Maybe…she is a pack dog”

As Anima thought about the fact that the dog was probably a pack dog, she couldn’t help but feel a ting of jealousy. Any pack dog could have protection and meals and a family. All things Anima longed for but knew she would likely never have. Anima couldn’t even picture herself hunting with a pack and feeling full after a hunt. She couldn’t picture herself going to sleep at night with others around her, all looking out for each other. But she never lost hope that she’d one day be a pack dog. She couldn’t help but feel jealous towards this dog.