Playground || Hot Mess

[EKATERINA]

You were a problem child
Been grounded your whole life
So now you running wild
Playin' with them good girls
No that ain't your style...

The sun was rising overhead, turning the sky a light peach color as it peaked over the snowy capped mountains. Though the sun usually brought warmth, it would do little in the winter-time. Snow was already deeply layered on the ground and had been for some months now. The mountains were covered each day with new powder, making them larger in stature and more dangerous by the day. One female couldn't understand how rouges could stay in those mountains in the winter, but they did. Some weren't really rouges at all, but traveled in numbers. But no matter.

You think you're hot shit
Ooh, I love it, I love it, yeah, yeah
Stumblin', but yeah, you're still lookin' hella fine
Keep doing what you do and I will make you mine...

A singular mind roamed her dens, and she was proud to call them her dens too. The Vasyu were her fellow wolves, and her loyal pack members. The female's mixed fur of deep gray, creamy white, thick black, and dusky brown slipped silently through the empty clearing that was surrounded by deep tree-cover. No sound, save for the silence that winter usually has. She walked across the packed snow, making paw prints that would only leave their mark for a day. She sank a bit in the softer fluff, which caused her to pick up her feet a bit more. Truthfully, she looked like a dog that didn't want booties on his feet.

You're a hot mess, and I'm fallin' for you
And I'm like, "Hot damn, lemme make you my boo"
'Cause you can shake it, shake it, shake it
Yeah, you know what to do
You're a hot mess, I'm lovin' it, hell yes...

Ekaterina felt lonely. Every wolf was out today already, at this early in the morning... She sniffed about. No pups. Not yet, they would be in a sheltered area, but, in the Vasyu camp at least, there were no extremely young ones. That would have to wait until early spring at least. She made her way to her own den, a rock precipice that delved deep into the rock and then down into the ground. She sniffed the entrance. Nobody had been past the entrance since... maybe before dawn. Her ear flicked, almost nervously. She was a pack animal. She needed companionship. But someone would be along. But, in the meantime, what would she do?

You got me hypnotized, the city's your playground
I watch you take a bite, at 5 a.m. roamin' the streets
Drunk all night, you think you're hot shit
And ooh, I love it, I love it, yeah, yeah...

She glanced around. Her orange eyes surveyed the white and empty clearing. The brown right ear flicked atop her head. And she jumped up into the air, turning back down to earth at the apex of her jump, and landed in the softer fluff, sending a shower of minuscule, individual flakes raining down upon her head. Oh! how she must have looked like a pup at play; her pink tongue lolled out of her mouth in her toothy grin as she began to dig into the snow just for the hell of it. This was really what she was looking for. Solitude to do what she wanted. And what she wanted, was to have a playground all to herself so that she could be as foolish as she wished. And she rolled over and laughed to the sky while she frolicked more and more.

You're a hot mess, and I'm fallin' for you
And I'm like, "Hot damn, lemme make you my boo"
'Cause you can shake it, shake it, shake it
Yeah, you know what to do
You're a hot mess, I'm lovin' it, hell yes...

Character:: Ekaterina
Word Count:: 651 w/ lyrics
Lyrics:: Hot Mess by Cobra Starship
Notes:: --

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[VERNADO]

Vernado

Do you recognize the face in the [ m i r r o r ] looking back at you?[/center]

The picturesque rise of the sun grazed the earth with its ethereal light. The golden hue expanding over the land to provide the beauty the world already obtained. The sun added to the life after chasing away the darkness. The warmth it usually provided was not felt. A particular presence was already numb. The cold had taken his soul hostage, holding him steadfast in its chilling grasp. It coiled around the muscular body of a wolf that was older than most. His age being five but he looked older. His masculine face was drawn solemnly as he turned away from the blinding sun. There was an exhale of frustration. Since night had begun, the male had come to this hill. His mocha colored eyes gazed towards the moon that had once been held high above. It seemed like he had been searching for answers to all the questions he held. He shouldn’t have expected any to be answered but there was something that made him wishful to a point. Whenever his pack members were sleeping, Vernado took to this particular hill. It jutted out of the land and was slightly steep. He easily reached the top to survey the slumbering wolves. When he knew all was well, his eyes would then turn towards the moon. He would never succumb to his delinquent dreams and sleep was impossible to come by for the mysterious male. His past—though kept at bay—was the main reason he never slept much longer.

Vernado cleared his throat, his ears twitching to hear the sounds of the pack stirring. They were used to seeing their Alpha frozen at the hill. He would move eventually, rising from his spot as if disheartened to join the pack. No one knew what caused him to be withdrawn but Vernado was a male of few words which was another thing they were used to. He passed by each beaming face with a simple nod, before he grunted something about being back sooner or later. It was hardly audible but the pack understood slightly. The guards would be extra careful for trouble but lately activity was low. Nothing had happened. There were no scares but Vernado preferred that over risking the lives of the wolves that looked toward him for guidance. His multihued coat blended in to a degree against the still white scenery that rolled around him. Though he was not purely white like the rest of his lineage, he still held the ivory color. His coat was mainly shades of grays with white being the lesser of the colors to make Vernado whole. His darkly colored eyes remained devoid of emotion as they scanned the earth beneath his paws. Faintly visible prints of a deer or something of the sort had told him of its brave attempt to fend for itself but the scarlet color he uncovered led him to the death of it. He looked away from it, focusing on the task at hand. He was heading towards the Vasyu territory. His recent travels to the Volg and Kaza packs led him to desolate terrains untouched by canine paws. Prey tracks were seen and noted but it was not what he had been searching for.

Vernado continued his trek. His legs pressing firmly into the earth and his steps were decisive and courageous. Even if Vernado appeared to be stand-offish he held a certain regality about him. It was like he had been a wolf of high blood lines when he did not. He looked refined and molded into a fine specimen that most male wolves wished they could have reached. He could never slump and remained well put together in all situations even if his insides were flopping around. No one could ever pick up on that and that was all thanks to who he once was. Vernado had killed anything for no reason. It was just for the sake of killing. He learned to read into the body position of other wolves to see where they intended to lunge. He had been brainwashed into thinking that bloodshed was the only way to be known for all he had done. It was a way to get his name out there but now it was tainted with the blood of those he had spilt. Those innocent bystanders caught in the onslaught and the blinding rage of Vernado. He was infamously known in certain parts of the lands. Not everyone knew him and for that he was grateful for. There was always some wolf that spotted him and depicted him as a villain. It was all true for the most part. He was a villain with a treacherous past but redeemed himself. He changed after the incident. Vernado froze mid-stride at the thought. How long had it been since he last thought about them. He hesitated for a moment before continuing onward but it caught him off guard.

Ringue. The singular word slithered its way into his mind, hissing profoundly loud. Vernado’s insides clenched at the name and a low, defined growl slid past his lips. His claws clutched the earth harder than before, digging himself deeper into the snow that attempted to slow his pace. Ringue had been the ring leader of the pack made up of all males. He was also the one who killed his parents but Vernado killed Ringue in return. The large mass of sinew grew taut as he thought back to that time but as soon as the imagery threatened to break through the barrier he put up, he distracted himself. He focused on what he needed to do. He could not be away from his pack for too long. Slowly, he loosened his muscles and preceded further into the Vasyu lands. Perhaps this time luck would be on his side even if it never truly seemed to be. Luck had never been there when he needed it to be. Disappointment had been there for years, accompanied by silence and shadows. Vernado withdrew himself from his troublesome thoughts. He needn’t dwell on the past like he often did even if he frequently attempted to avoid it. His large body continued forth, making it look easy as he reached his destination. Vernado had a habit of making most things look spectacularly easy. That all came with his history that most didn’t know of. It would stay that way for some time.

A scent of a female grew thicker was he weaved his way towards Vasyu dens. Most would think he would have a death wish to travel close to where the entire pack would lay. He inhaled the air and noted that the pack had gone off, leaving just her behind. Despite the large amount of snow that usually gave away any intruder, Vernado was silent. One had to be stealthy to catch any particular target off guard, rendering them stunned for an easy take down. Another thing that Vernado never left behind and it seemed that most of his past stuck with him. It did and Vernado knew it had. He sheltered himself in the foliage, observing the land before him to wait for movement. Instead, his ears captured the sound of laughter. He crept forward, keeping his body away from plain sight. He stopped again the foliage and spotted a female gallivanting about in the snow, laughing away with ease. He was curious and though it was not displayed on his face, he felt it prickle within him. He forcefully exhaled through his nostrils quietly and he walked forwards. Vernado’s ears flicked at every noise made, standing on his guard for an ambush but he was wishing none would come. He did not want to remember the killer he had once become. He knew it was still apart of him and always will be. ”Miss?” Vernado called out into the vicinity. His baritone voice sounding gravely and it rang out with a bit of authority. It was like he demanded to be heard. Vernado was stunned at the power of his voice, often thinking it to be unpleasant. With all the scars that infiltrated his toned body, he looked like a battle-worn solider come back from war and all those pink scars glorified Vernado. It made him look heroic and even more intimidating than he already was. He cleared his throat, unsure of what to exactly say. His eyes glanced downwards as he reminded himself of his manners that his mother taught him. He quickly moved away from the idea of his mother as he shifted his weight. He glanced to the snow and then back to the female. ”I apologize for interrupting your… Um…” He paused, struggling to find the appropriate word. When it had finally come to him, he quickly added. ”Fun. I was going to announce myself but then I heard your laughter. I was merely trying to see if this land was unclaimed just like the rest.” He went on to say but then was quiet again. Vernado wasn’t used to speaking and when he did, he often rambled on for he didn’t know when to exactly stop. He was socially awkward in a sense and he mainly let his body posture do all the talking. He was trying to let go of that but old habits are hardly ever forgotten and this wasn’t any different. He waited in the awkward silence that had now been created, wishing that she would speak so he would not feel entirely dumb in her eyes.

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[EKATERINA]

As she looked up, the sun truly did look odd in the sky that would late rain down more snow. It was a ghostly, fleeting presence, and she wondered how long it would be before it just fell to the Earth in a blazing ball of flame. The five year old let the thoughts circle her head a moment, wondering what other things were out there other than the sun, the moon, the stars. She could be quite the philosophical thinker if she wanted to. An Alpha, or rather any Alpha, normally had their times when the went deep into thought. She had seen it before with the Alphas before her. She tore her eyes away from the sky and looked again upon the mountains that loomed not too far away in the distance. From the copse of trees, it was chilling. Their jagged tops jutted out and pierced the very clouds with dagger points of all shapes. She didn't like those mountains, and had never liked the shadows of them. She had heard the stories of long ago, when their were no packs in the open landscapes around the mountains and they dwelled a far way off on the other side. Something was on the move... she could feel it.

But she kicked out at the snow regardless of what she was thinking. She was good at hiding her innermost thoughts, especially when they were as troubling as they had been. With each paw swipe, she unearthed a bit more of the dead grass beneath. It really was a good thing that nobody was in the dens at this time. They were all out, and, with their short numbers, they were all needed to do certain things. In fact, she may as well have gone with them. But from a busy night of patrolling the day before, she had woken up a bit later than usual. Oh well. As far as she thought, she deserved a bit of time off. Being an Alpha was no easy task, and she knew well what would come later. Hunting, which would be exhausting, considering that prey was low in the hunting grounds anyway. Patrolling. The Vasyu territory was the largest of the four packs that surrounded the area. She shook her mottled fur, letting the browns and tans, whites and blacks, be rid of snow for a bit before she dove back in. Her dark eyes shone, but with a different light. A bit distant, but they looked engaged. If one looked closely enough, one could tell that this female was struggling internally with something looming over her shoulder like Death itself.

E sneezed, blowing some of the fluff into the open air again along with a puff of steam. All of her searches had come up empty. For others, she meant. No Kaza. No Volg. But the Tungus was another thing. She had gone to the borders. There was definitely inhabitants in that territory. But, whether they were friend or foe, she didn't know. She would have to make it a priority to check it out. Introduce herself. Get to know the Alpha over on the other side of the border. Maybe he or she would be friendly enough to strike up an alliance. And, in this day and age, alliances were or would be, needed greatly. The dark female could feel it well enough in her paws, in her spine, her whiskers. Every bone in her body knew that what would come would not be pleasant in the least. Claws scraped frozen Earth underneath, and she looked down to find that even the grass was frozen solid. How any of her species survived, even here, she had no idea. But, their greatest enemies were the weather, injury, and themselves. No unknown entity had trekked onto a wolf's grounds. Not now, and she hoped, not ever. The balance needed to be kept, not just for her, but for everybody else as well. What of the next generation? And the one after that? And the one after that? What would they do when the world they knew collapsed. She hoped that they would never see the day.

She rolled in the snow a few more times, coating herself again. She looked like a dusted ball of white, with nothing else underneath. Her eyelashes were coated with it, and her right ear flicked, catching no noise save for that of the wind. But she could feel something different approaching. She sniffed, and she picked up something foreign, but she played it off like nothing was happening, and only laughed as she flopped on her back. And, at the precise moment when she thought she could laugh no more, she was interrupted. Not totally unsuspected, but a surprise nonetheless. She jumped up at the words that drifted to her through a male voice. "Miss?" it asked. She turned her head and rolled over, pushing herself back up and shaking herself off. A rain of snow showered back to the ground, and she turned amber eyes onto the newcomer. He was large, larger than she, and muscular, and she hoped he was not an assailant, come to pick a fight. She could, however, out maneuver him if she wished. She was long-legged, fleet of paw, strong in flight. But she would be no match for him if she stood her ground. The scars told the story of war, over and over again and she looked him over. His inexpressive brown orbs gave him a haunting appearance, and his gray coloring made him more ghostlike than he already seemed. And old spirit perhaps? Unable to leave the world he had fought in over and over. Her eyes crossed. She had snow atop her muzzle, and she brought up a paw and lowered her muzzle slightly, dragging it off and speaking simultaneously. "Oh, do forgive me. You've caught me at an odd time." He, whomever he was, had made no move yet. "I apologize for interrupting your… Um… ”Fun. I was going to announce myself but then I heard your laughter. I was merely trying to see if this land was unclaimed just like the rest,” his baritone issued from his throat. It was deep, powerful, but not wholy unpleasant. In fact, it seemed to fit his gruff looking figure. "Ah, yes. Fun." Her eyes lit up as she said it. "Well, all Alphas need reprieve from time to time, don't they?" she said, with a smile. He seemed a bit awkward to her, like he didn't really know what to say. But one would not just walk over a border without a reason, and he wanted to know if the land was claimed. "But, this land, unlike the others, is claimed by myself and my pack. I am Ekaterina, Alphess of the Vasyu. And you are? One does not usually go around, galavanting over the borders without a purpose," she said calmly. It was a bit amazing how she could just switch between moods so quickly. One moment, she was a young pup again, and the next, she was an experienced Alphess with a proud demeanor. She had many faces. He had only seen two.

(OOC:: Sorry for the change in color of my post, but the old one was difficult to see. ^^ Normally I like to keep mine the same but, ya' know. Stuff happens lol)