Post by Raze on Dec 2, 2007 16:25:43 GMT -5
Prologue
A full moon shone coldly down on the dark forest. A sparse wind ruffled the trees, and the whole forest seemed to be holding it’s breath. Through the leafy branches of the trees, dark pelts could be glimpsed as one or two flitted silently in and out of patches of moonlight. On closer observance, the dark fur was that of gigantic wolves. The wolves were dire wolves, and they were out to kill.
Another breeze blew through the trees, bringing with it a scent of other giant creatures to the lead wolf in the large party. He was a large creature, with jet black fur all over him, except for his tail and paws, which were blood red. Narrowed yellow eyes gleamed with fierce anger. Snarling silently at the different scent, he flicked his tail in signal to his fighters. Immediately they fanned out in a fearsome line, and they sunk to their bellies and started to crawl along, baring their fangs in anticipation. Nearing their destination, the lead wolf signaled them to stop. He crawled forward a little more, until he could look over a dip in the earth and down into a clearing.
In the dark clearing were more massive creatures, except these were giant wildcats. They were a breed known a Maotu, and they were a ‘hybrid’ of all of the different large cat breeds, both past and present. Generally, they were lion-sized, with fangs shorter that a saber toothed tiger but longer than any normal cat breed so that they protruded out of their mouth and went one or two inches down. The clearing had about five of these giant cats pacing around it; the rest were in underground dens around the clearing sleeping.
Looking back at his own faithful subjects, the lead wolf growled in satisfaction. The Kavari, which is what this particular pride of cats was called, were outnumbered. Leaping to his paws, he howled triumphantly to his pack, “Attack!”
Immediately the air was full of the sounds of battle. Howls ripped through the air, and they were quickly joined by the screams of angry cats. The wolves fell on the Kavari without mercy, and the five guard cats were quickly dispatched. More cats pounded out of the dens, but their numbers were small compared to that of the wolf pack. Groups of three or four wolves raced into the dens. Howls and cries quickly drifted out of their depths as more fighting commenced. The lead wolf leaped forward at the head of a group towards the biggest cat in the clearing, one that was striped black and orange like a tiger. The big cat screamed in rage and swatted one of the wolves aside with his giant paw. The others quickly surrounded him and darted forward, nipping him painfully on his haunches and sides and retreating faster than the big cat could react. The lead wolf stepped forward and growled fiercely “You have lost, Blackfire. Your tribe is being destroyed as I speak. There is nothing left for you in this forest. Leave while you have the chance, and never return!”
The tiger striped cat, Blackfire, hissed and growled in reply “I was born and raised in these woods. Do you think I will give up this easy, Bloodrain?” he swiped at a wolf that had come to close, but the wolf quickly jumped back out of paws reach.
Bloodrain, the lead wolf growled. “I expected this. I repeat, there is nothing left for you. Your family is destroyed, and your home ruined. The Kanarans own these woods!” he laid his ears back and bared his fangs, growling “If you refuse to go, we will chase you out. And if you ever try to come back, we’ll kill you.”
In answer, Blackfire leaped towards Bloodrain in an explosion of rage. Immediately, the Kanarans surrounding him leaped forward and ripped at the big cat until he was forced to turn tail and run. Yowling the retreat, he raced away from the Kanarans and through the woods with only a handful of his once powerful tribe. The victorious dire wolves raced after them, forcing them to run farther and farther out of their familiar territory. Soon, after the trees grew thinner and thinner, they came to the edge of a vast desert. The Kavari, still scared for their lives, raced right out into the dry desert sands and off into the distance, until they were only tiny specks. The Kanarans, who had stopped at the edge of the desert, threw back their heads and howled in triumph.
Bloodrain smirked in satisfaction and turned around, signaling with a flick of his tail that they should go. One lithe silver grey she-wolf with darker grey markings, who had not participated in the cheering, asked Bloodrain as she trotted up beside him “Aren’t you afraid they’ll come back? I thought we were to kill them all.”
Bloodrain growled and flicked his ears. “They’re as good as dead out there, Starstep. Nothing survives in that desert.” Looking back at his pack mates, he howled and bounded into a run with all of the wolves except Starstep following, barking and crying their triumph. Starstep gave one last foreboding look into the desert before sighing and loping after her pack mates.