Sorry it's been a while since I have updated. I'm finding this story rather hard to write. It doesn't help that I'm trying to write two at the same time.
So this one might be a bit slow, but I am keen on finishing it.
...
Kyrie watched over the ridge, staring curiously at the abandoned human settlement. It was almost completely destroyed, but not utterly inhabitable. A few lone dens stood desolately about the wreckage, it looked as if something had blasted the others to rubble. The debris was blackened and charred, the remnants of a fire.
Perhaps Fier was right. Maybe the humans destroyed themselves with their own burning light? The young she-wolf thought.
Nearby Ember scuffled in the chilling snow. He pawed at a rabbit den, carved into the earth under a patch of scrub. Sniffing at it he sighed and abandoned the deserted hole and came to sit next to her.
"You like to see the man place don't you," he asked her.
"Its... interesting."
Ember chuckled. "Siri would practically retch there and then, she hates the place."
Amusement danced in Kyrie's golden eyes. "And what about you?"
"It is okay, but I wouldn't go too close. It sets my nerves on edge."
Kyries eyes narrowed. "It looks sad."
Ember's eyes widened slightly. "Sad?" he enquired in a surprised tone.
"It's just so grey, I wonder what it was like before... it was destroyed."
Ember studied her uncertainly. "Probably just as bleak," he replied. He scratched oddly at the ground. "What I wonder what the world was like before this bitter snow descended upon it. I heard Liulfr talking about it, he said his father once told him that once grass blanketed the ground, and everything was bright and green," he said grimly. "The only grass that I have seen is tough and ugly, and only grows in patches."
The side of Kyrie's muzzle tugged up in a crooked smile. "That doesn't bother me. It's only grass after all."
"I guess."
"I feel like hunting, what about you?" Kyrie asked suddenly.
Ember yawned. "Not much to hunt, most of the deer are up in the backwoods past the stone den."
Kyrie shook her head, she pointed at the wrecked man place with her muzzle. "I have seen prey about it, they feed on weed and brush clinging to the human dens."
Ember shook his head. "Hunt there? No, I don't think it's safe," he growled softly. "Man may still be there."
"No, I have never seen humans there. And I come here often."
"You have been in the man place!" Ember asked incredulously.
"No," she answered. "Just along the outskirts. We can hunt without going too far into it, I think." Then she fixed him with a stare. "If you don't come with me I will just go alone."
Ember hesitated for a moment and then growled again. "Fine, I will come."
The wolves picked their way down the ridge, following a path set in the side of the cliff face. Ember stalked along behind, watching the human settlement intently.
"It's much bigger up close," he whispered, a faint quiver in his voice.
"Don't worry, I will protect you from any frightening humans." Kyrie laughed.
Ember shot a mock glare at her. "Of course," he growled teasingly. "I feel so safe with you guarding me."
"I am like that."
"Not really, you are smaller than me. Tiny wolf," he said looking her up and down.
"I am fiercer than you," she growled back, her tone slightly flinty.
Ember chuckled, his thoughts taken briefly off the deserted human settlement.
Small twisted pines grew awkwardly along the ridge, reaching towards the endless expanse of pallid blue above. Dusky scrub clung to the cliff face along it, their leaves tugging at the wolves' coats as they passed. The trail was oddly regular – unlike forest paths – it had little smooth stones fixed into a peculiar grey rock that rasped against the wolves pads. Cracks splintered through it, weeds outlining them and spreading over the stones. Snow dusted it lightly, ice crept along the cracks. The path inched downward until it was level with the human settlement, then it spread into a wide plane of black stone. The wreckage of strange creatures gathered about it, rust streaking their twisted metal bodies.
Ember growled softly as the smell of the human settlement struck them, the wolves padded forward stiffly.
The human dens loomed over them ominously, towering far above the wolves. They felt the fur along their hackles rise, the size of them made them feel somewhat threatened. Even the remains of the ruined dens were large, chunks of rubble strewn about them – some even larger than a wolf. Some of the dens twisted like warped skeletons, their walls burnt out by a fire, black ash painting the rocky ground around them. Weeds hung from the wreckage, vines with their broad leaves seemed to suffocate the dens in a dense mass of dull green, frosty ice slick over them. Snow clothed the whole area in a powdered white.
"I wonder how big humans were, to create such huge dens." Ember considered aloud. "They make me feel like a tiny cub again."
Kyrie said nothing; she was busy following a scent along the side of one of the dens.
"Another wolf has been here," she growled. "But I can't quite place who."
Ember joined her. "It is a strange smell, none of the packs we have encountered.
"Perhaps it is a dog?"
"Bah!" Ember barked. "A pathetic dog could barely survive without humans to care for them."
"It is only a small male, I can tell that at least from the smell. I don't think there are any other wolves with him," Kyrie observed.
"I just can't place the scent that is mingled with it ... perhaps..." Ember growled, looking about him warily. "What if it is mans?"
Kyrie narrowed her eyes. "We can't know, neither of us have ever smelt them before. And I have never seen any humans around here. It might just be the stench of this place."
"Maybe," Ember calmed slightly. But his posture remained tense, his grey fur bristling.
A flash of grey and russet streaking past the buildings startled the wolves, some creature darted away through the endless maze of human dens.
"There!" Kyrie cried. "That must be the creature we scented." She surged after him, Ember leapt off behind her.
The two wolves rounded past a corner, the strange wolf just ahead of them. It was small, lean and lanky like a juvenile. Its fur was grey, brindled with red and russet. It glanced around behind it, its eyes wide and panicked. Kyrie began to close on it despite the head start it had, the small wolf was strangely not very fast. But it seemed to know the mess of human dens well. It swerved down into alleys and streets, drawing Kyrie and Ember deeper into the man place. It veered into a narrow path between two dens, but the end was barred by the thick wall of another human den. The wolf wheeled around – realising it had taken the wrong turn – the fur along its back bristling. Its ears pasted against its head, its tail curving beneath it in terror. It cowered, quivering as it watched Kyrie and Ember approached.
Kyrie walked stiffly towards the smaller wolf, her tail raised.
"What do you want?" it asked frantically, its eyes darting violently about the alley.
Kyrie went rigid. She hadn't thought why they were chasing this wolf.
"Why are you here," Ember snarled beside her.
The smaller wolf cringed at his harsh tone. "I only hunt here. Please, I mean no harm."
"What pack are you of? I have never smelt your scent before," Kyrie asked. Her voice was not aggressive, but not particularly friendly either.
The smaller wolf's eyes darted between the two other wolves nervously. "We live on the far side of the city, of course we are no threat to your pack," he replied timidly.
"What is your name?" Ember growled.
"I am Tari..." The young wolf's eyes narrowed as he stared at his paws. "What of you?" he asked quietly.
"That is of no matter to you," Ember snarled back, obviously suspicious of the younger wolf.
Kyrie shot a glare at him, and then said softly to Tari. "I am Kyrie, this is my brother. We only have come here to hunt,"
Tari's ears pricked slightly at the drain of hostility in her voice, but remained crouched before them. Embers fur began to fall flat against his shoulders, but he still watched Tari guardedly.
"You may go now bu–"
Ember quickly cut Kyrie off. "But if we find you in our territory will not hesitate to rip the fur from your shoulders. Go, now," he growled.
Tari nodded and took a hesitant step forward. Neither Ember nor Kyrie moved to allow the smaller wolf to pass. Tari slunk past beside them, squeezing past Kyrie. Ember growled in a low tone as he passed her. Then the young wolf skittered away without casting a look back.
"Coward," Ember hissed.
Kyrie threw him a hard look. "You shouldn't have been so hostile, he was hardly on our territory."
Ember shook his head, but he remained silent. A grim look settling in his narrowed eyes.
"Ember?"
"His scent, it was all wrong. I don't trust him," he replied stonily.
Kyrie realised that Tari had smelt odd, but ignored as something to do with him being from a different pack. "It is most likely nothing. I am not going to be worried about a scrawny runt like him, neither should you."
Ember watched her for a moment and then chuckled. "I guess you are right."
"Let's hunt already?" Kyrie yawned.
"I doubt any prey will be about after that outburst we just had. And we shouldn't hang around, In case that wolf brings around some friends?"
"I don't actually think he has a pack, I couldn't smell any other wolves on him."
"So he was lying? But we still can't be sure."
"You are just sick of this place aren't you?"
Ember sighed. "You may find it appealing but for me it is just a wreckage. I don't want to linger about it for too much longer."
"Let's see if we can hunt on the way out then?" Kyrie cast a glance behind her. "I have never been this deep into it before, I hope it doesn't take us too long to get away."
"I do too," Ember murmured.
Kyrie stalked out of the alley, Ember beside her. Each den seemed to be identical, apart from the fact that some were more damaged than others. Ember glanced at street to street – his eyes narrowed.
"We'll follow our scent out," Kyrie told him, then set off down the dens they had came from pursing Tari. They picked their way out of the human settlement, occasionally pausing where the paths between the dens met. They neither saw nor smelt any other creatures as they wandered quickly down the streets. Then the shamble of ruined dens began to thin out, and the two wolves emerged back out onto the plane of black stone.
Kyrie felt a prickle run through her fur, although she was curious – the looming dens of the man place were ominous. She was relieved to be finally out of it.
Ember padded away silently, following the path they had taken down the cliff. Casting a last glance at the man place, Kyrie pursued him.
When they made it to the crest of the cliff ashen flakes of ice and snow were circling their way down to the ground. They settled in the wolves coats; the growing cold making the wolves' breath mist heavily in the air.
Kyrie's thick coat shielded her from the worst of the cold, but the snow stung her paws and nipped at her face.
The two wolves began to run through the snow; they could feel the heaviness in the air of a growing storm, flakes of snow beginning to flutter wildly about them. They knew without speaking they had to be back to the stone den when the brunt of it hit.
Soon a rocky outcrop rose from the snow. The two wolves crested the rise and slipped in the low mouth of the stone den.
A sharp snarl met them; a white wolfs pallid form visible in the darkness. Siri stalked forward, her teeth bared. But she snapped her mouth closed when she realised who they were, and came forward with her tail beating. Fier approached from behind her, along with Liulfr. The wolves greeted each other by touching their muzzles eagerly together.
A low whine came from the back of the den. Canna padded forward heavily, her sides swollen. Ember and Kyrie greeted her tentatively, pressing their noses against her face.
She licked their muzzles in return, before turning her head towards the caves entrance – the wind was beginning to hurl snow and ice violently against the stone outside. Some blew into the den, but the lip of the cave mouth stopped most of it.
"This winter is getting harsher and harsher, did you have no luck hunting?" Canna asked.
Ember ducked his head, "We couldn't find any prey, but when the storm clears we will hunt again.
"We tried hunting in the man place–" Kyrie started.
"Why?"Liulfr broke between them, his eyes narrowed. "Why there?"
"I thought we might have a chance catching prey there, I have seen deer and other animals walking in the paths between the dens."
"But yet you have nothing?" Siri growled.
"I didn't tell you about this so you could berate me," Kyrie spat back, meeting the white she-wolf's eyes boldly. "We met a strange wolf there, hunting in the man place."
Ember dipped his head. "It was a scant runt, he said he comes from a pack but I think he is just a loner."
"Another wolf hunting in the man place? Surely there is better hunting beyond it?" Fier growled.
"His scent was strange, like another creature's was mingled with his..." Ember mused.
"I'm not worried about his scent, it was a little off but that was probably just the stench of the man place. Unless it's just his pack's distinctive scent – if he belongs to one," Kyrie countered. Ember glanced away, looking sheepish.
"Is there any way he could have followed you? Our territory is good, we already have it hard enough with Shanes pack competing for it," Liulfr enquired.
"He was terrified of us, I doubt he would have," Ember replied.
"Good."
The pack was silent, Kyrie watched the blinding white of snow falling thickly outside the dens entry. It was forming a thick carpet on the stone, slowly blocking the cave mouth. The heat of the seven wolves' bodies seeped into the cave, warming it comfortably. Some of the snow that had been swept deep into the den was melting slightly, forming rivulets of moisture in the dimples of the rock.
Canna had settled back into the back of the den, lying on her side with her head extended on her paws. Liulfr sat beside her, watching the blizzard grimly. The other wolves settled down in the den, waiting for the storm to pass. Occasionally someone yawned deeply, the comfortable warmth of the cave making them weary. Kyrie sank down in a shallow depression in the cave floor, curling herself up. She rested her muzzle underneath her tail and let her eyes drift shut.
...
A large wolf watched the storm pass with a sly expression. His pack had settled in a cave north of the man place. It was huge, with a high ceiling thick with jagged teeth of rock protruding from it, and frost streaked walls. A frigid river spilled into the cave, running sluggishly down its side. Masses of snow and ice clogged it; outside it had frozen completely over, dark water flowing underneath the cracked white ice. The entrance was wide, letting the freezing air touch every fissure and crevice of the cavern. Snow piled high in the corners of the cave, being easily swept through its entry. About twelve wolves rested back in the darkness of the cave, crowding together for warmth.
Shane, a lean wolf with a course coat thick with scars lay looking out haughtily into the storm. Scars cut over his muzzle, his fur growing in tufts about them and giving him a ragged appearance. The old wolf had cunning golden eyes, and he surveyed his pack confidently, those who meet his gaze quickly looked away. The wolf had a temper that flared erratically.
Shale sat beside him, his posture rigid with superiority. Shane had chosen him as his highest, one of the peak ranks in the pack. He knew that when the old leader died he would have control of it.
They were a short times run from Liulfr's pack, when the storm blew over they would set out towards the other wolfs territory. The backwoods in it was richer in prey than most of the snow blown planes. Shale felt confident that they could take it over; Liulfr's little pack could hardly fend them off.
Shale looked thoughtfully at Shane. I wonder if he will let them join our pack? If they lose? I know he certainly won't let Liulfr join. But maybe the others... to make our pack stronger.
Shane yawned, his tongue curling over his teeth. He had a cracked fang on his bottom jaw.
Another wolf behind the leader brushed against him as he turned trying to get more comfortable in the chill that pervaded the cave. Shane whirled abruptly around, snarling bitterly. Shale chuckled silently as the younger wolf lurched away, his ears flat in timid compliance.
Maybe not. Knowing Shane, he will probably just drive them all out. Or kill, Shale thought pleasantly.
He settled down, resting his head on his paws. He watched the bleak snow fall outside keenly – waiting for it to thin.
...