Difference and Acceptance
Shadowflame battles Riven the mightyena for the love of Annabelle.
After he had run as far from his pack as he could, Shadowflame stopped, exhausted from such a long run. He plopped down onto his stomach and laid there, panting. A few hours later he got back up and started walking, he decided he would need to at least find shelter for the night, and then try and join another pack tomorrow if he could. Finding a hollowed out tree stump, he went in and went to sleep, hoping to have luck finding a new pack to join the next day. Waking up that morning he walked out of the stump and went to the nearby stream and got a drink of water.
Shadowflame began walking through the forest again, keeping an eye out for another houndoom pack to join. He would even join a mightyena pack if he had to. But sadly he had no such luck, when he found a houndoom pack, the alpha chased him away, not liking outsiders wanting to join his pack. So, he kept going, and kept getting rejected, he decided he would just make his own pack, and started to look for a good place to do that. Coming into a clearing he found a large meadow with a few small shelters scattered around and a large cave, which he decided would be his new home. He would go tomorrow to find some houndoom willing to join his pack or hope that some would come by, hoping to join.
The first member of his pack was Derrick, he was a young houndoom like himself, probably kicked out of his own pack. Shadowflame welcomed him to his pack, happy that he had a start to his own pack. Soon more members came, like Tasha, who became mates with Derrick, or some abandoned houndour pups that Shadowflame had found while hunting for food and looking for more houndoom. He treated them like his own sons and protected them when rival packs came. When those pups grew up, one pup, Flick, decided to leave, but the other two, Harvey and Leo, decided to stay with their adopted father.
Shadowflame felt his heart swell with pride as he watched his two sons grow and his pack grow as well. Although he was sad that Flick left, he was proud of him all the same and knew he would make a good Alpha if he made his own pack. Snapping out of his daydream again, but smiling as he did so, he resumed his walk back to his pack from Annabelle's. Upon his return, his two adopted sons, though fully grown houndoom, still pounced playfully on their father, happy that he was back. "hehe, hey Harvey, Leo" he greeted his sons, "get off me please." They got off of him and ran off, chasing each other. Shadowflame shook his head, chuckling at their antics.
Then he thought of his other son, Flick. Was he ok? did he have a pack now or was he part of a pack? He hoped he was ok, since he hadn't seen him for so long. Remembering he had a fight with Riven tomorrow, he decided to go to bed early to be ready for it. Curling up in his cave he smiled as his sons came in and laid down with him, enjoying the warmth they provided by sleeping on either side of him. The next morning he enjoyed some time watching his pack before leaving it under the watch of another houndoom and going to Annabelle's pack so he would be ready when Riven got there.
He went to the spot where they would have the battle. Annabelle was there, she wished Shadowflame luck and they managed to talk a little bit before Riven appeared. The mightyena had a smirk on his face as he approached, stopping a little bit in front of Shadowflame. "Ready to lose, punk?" Riven said confidently as he looked at his opponent. Shadowflame just growled, and glared at Riven. Annabelle just gave them a worried glance and went to check on the poochyena brothers, leaving the two to their fight.
They stood there, facing each other, wondering who was going to make the first move. Then, Shadowflame lunged forward with a fire fang, but Riven dodged and clamped down on Shadowflame's tail with crunch. Shadowflame howled in pain and pulled his tail away before using shadow ball, scoring a hit on the mightyena. Riven snarled and lunged at Shadowflame, using take down to tackle him to the ground, Shadowflame got back up, and used flamethrower, scorching some of Riven's fur. Riven used Snarl, trying to get Shadowflame to back off but he just slashed at Riven's face, scratching over one of his eyes. Riven just glared at him, eye closed in pain.
Riven attempted one more Crunch attack but Shadowflame used fire fang again and knocked him down. Annabelle came over to see the outcome of the battle and saw Riven on the ground and Shadowflame standing over him. Riven just got up and stalked off, glaring at Shadowflame and accepting his fate. "So long, punk!" Shadowflame yelled as Riven left, Annabelle coming over and standing next to Shadowflame. "Well, we won't have to worry about him for awhile." Shadowflame said to Annabelle. "He'll be waiting for that scar to heal."
Annabelle smiled at him. "well, Shadowflame. I guess it's you and me now." Shadowflame nuzzled her. "Do you want to stay here or move your pack with mine?" Annabelle thought for a minute. "I think I'll move my pack to add to yours, just let me tell them whats going to happen." Shadowflame nodded and sat down as Annabelle headed over and called her pack together, explaining what was going to happen. After she gathered everyone together she motioned to Shadowflame and he came over. One of the poochyena came to him, "hey again, mister! are we gonna live with you now?" Shadowflame nodded and smiled at the little poochyena.
As they walked through the forest to Shadowflame's pack, the group chatted as they walked, an occasional mankey or pidgey passed by, sometimes watching the group before moving on. Soon the group got to Shadowflame's pack. Shadowflame went ahead as the rest entered and began introducing themselves. Leo noticed that his dad was back. He ran over to Shadowflame. "Hey! Dad's back! hi, dad! who's your friend?" Harvey came over as well and sat next to Leo. "This is Annabelle." Shadowflame said, introducing her to his sons, Annabelle smiled at them. "These are my adopted sons, Harvey and Leo, my third adopted son is gone, probably in a new pack or has made one of his own." Annabelle looked happy. "Nice to meet you two!" Harvey and Leo nodded, "nice to meet you too." Then they left to meet the other new ones.
Shadowflame then took Annabelle and showed her his cave, She seemed to like it. Then sitting in front of the cave and watching the other houndoom and houndour and the two poochyena talking and playing together, they smiled, Annabelle nuzzling Shadowflame.