it's either eat or be eaten...

[kludd pyrresias.]

fight or be fought...

This part of Riuna's territory had a melancholy feeling to it, with the thick fog and choking darkness, but the silver-gray male was immune to it. Lowering his muzzle-scenting the air was virtually impossible-he sniffed the cold earth, searching for signs of prey. He caught none, but perhaps there would be some traces of small mammals farther on. Kludd gave no sign that he was not alone until he flicked his ears and turned to his apprentice, a moving shadow in the mist. "Nothing here. But no matter; tracking prey is the whole point anyway." He flashed his crooked grin, but his remark was not a humorous one. "And don't worry, if we don't find anything you won't starve to death." He was quite serious, although his tone suggested otherwise. He had no intention of sharing his own prey with Tokine that evening. She needed to learn how to toughen up anyway. Privately, Kludd thought that she was hardy enough, being as enduring as a rock. She was a survivor, and he admired her for that. Sometimes she was damn frustrating, though. Hopefully, she wouldn't be today.

Kludd stepped through the damp undergrowth, dead ferns cushioning his large paws. He couldn't hear or see anything... yet. He didn't really expect to; his voice would've driven off anything that had a working brain. All the better for Tokine; the milede believed strictly in learning the hard way. He beckoned her toward him with a curt nod and a quiet instruction, "What you find tonight is what you eat tonight. Now shut up, pay attention, and for Dargan's sake don't pounce at the slightest rustle." He smirked and backed a small distance away, his golden eyes alert for her next movements.

kill or be killed...

[remar]

Call me a sinner, call me a saint

Savalia, part of Riuna, was unforgiving to trespassers and strays. Everything about this land screamed danger and the ground at the female's feet was hard to see. Savalia always seemed to be covered in a thick layer of fog and sunlight never seemed to reach the ground.
Tokine really wanted to go to the land called Darke's Remembrance. She loved the open air and land, but it was the only place in Riuna like that. She highly doubt she would ever see anything she wanted with Kludd, and he always seemed to pick what places she hated. This place would make people doubt Dargan, as a god of fire. In truth, Riuna's lands were almost all dark and had a creepy feel to them. The land made Tokine's fur stand on end and her eyes were focused on Kludd, her teacher. She had not longed began her training and he already was making her hunt for herself. He use to hunt for both of them, but times were changing and she knew that.
When they say they were going to make to tough, they had not met Kludd. Kludd never gives Tokine any breaks and he is always pushing her to be better. She was only one for crying out loud. Tokine knew better than to complain, but her paws were still hurting from yesterday's training. She was hoping this hunting would end soon, so she could rest in the soft wet ground.
DARGAN!? Why couldn't he say Seina for a change? Tokine growled a little at her teacher, but she would not dare attack him. He could kill her easily and she knew that. Kludd, why is it so cold today? Tokine was walking closer to Kludd in hopes of warmth. She could see her breath in-front of her and it was SPRING! Something was wrong, it should have been warming up and not cooling down.
The way it was looking no prey would be out today. Tokine sighed and tried to keep up with Kludd, who was scaring all the prey away.

Call me your favorite, call me the worst

[kludd pyrresias.]

Kludd growled rather disapprovingly. "Who cares why it's so cold today? Deal with it. Don't waste time complaining; you've got a job to do."
So do it, he thought, on the verge of saying those words but deciding that his apprentice could figure it out by herself. "Come now; if you sense no prey right now then keep on moving until you do." He exposed his serrated fangs, warning her not to whine, and swung around. His pace was quick but his paws fell quietly in a continuous rhythm. This part of the forest was large and he knew that even if he galloped for a long time, he wouldn't reach the end. Perfect; plenty of space to hunt. And time, too; they weren't stopping until one of them caught something. Kludd was full, but he was pretty sure that Tokine wasn't.

A bush stirred.

The large milede froze, his ears erect and eyes alert. A hare, perhaps? It would be unfortunate if it were simply a small field mouse, which barely counted as a snack. He tried to find its scent, but the thick fog deadened his sense of smell. Turning his head, he silently told Tokine to come. "See if you can get it." He didn't speak; he breathed the words. Although he doubted she would be able to catch this animal-it might've already fled anyway-he gave her the chance and stood stock-still, like a silver-furred statue.

[remar]

Tokine flattened her ears and took a nip at her mentor. He could be so cold sometimes and she was not going to let him get away with anything. If he want to pull her fur, then she was going to pull back. She may not have been a loner and was only born a little over a year ago, but she be damned to let him push her around like trash. After all what was he, but someone who was not even born into Riuna. She bet Dargan and Seina did not like loners, just like they hated Adair wolves. How could Kludd understand her, when they came form such different backgrounds? The answer was, he could not.
Tokine growled as she realized Kludd was leaving her behind. How dare HE? He was so going to get a telling off once they stopped training for the day, she could feel it. The mentor and apprenticeship lasted until she turned two or passed her test, but Tokine could not help but to wish that she was two already. Kludd could be such a pain.
Her eyes widened as she caught the scent of a hare. It was strong and she knew they were close. She looked at her mentor for the okay to go, and she was pleased that he had given it. Next time he might just want to nod his head, so the prey does not hear him. Her ears flicked back, daring him to scare the prey off, as she slid along the ground. Her belly fur brushing the wet ground was a bit distracting as she neared the hare.
Every hair on her pelt was standing up in anticipation, she could see the top of the hare’s head and her tail flicked as she got ready to jump. Her muscles slowly tensed up, but quickly released to allow her to spring forward. Her teeth sank into the rabbits foot, but she was already having a hard time holding onto it, forget regriping her teeth into its skin.
Tokine was at a lost, all she had left for a weapon was her claws, but the hare was kicking her in the face. It was quite painful and annoying at the same time. She started to slash at the rabbit with her mutated claws and she could feel the skin ribbing under them. The kicks were getting weaker, and soon the rabbit fell dead, but Tokine’s nose was killing her. She whined as she covered her nosed with her paws and waited for the scolding from Kludd. She may have killed a hare, but the kill was a mess one.

[kludd pyrresias.]

Although the nip his apprentice gave him didn't hurt, it definitely riled him. His face contorting into an angry snarl. "Don't toy with my temper, apprentice. I am your elder and you are here to learn. Don't like me, don't care about me, but you are not in the position to attack in any way." A low growl still rumbled in his throat, even after he turned away to watch her hunt. He wanted to interrupt her, make her mess up so that she would go hungry, but he couldn't do that.

Or rather, he could, but common sense held him back. Instead he simply watched, muddy eyes glaring in Tokine's direction. What an idiot. She should learn to deal with others, or how would she live in the pack? Cooperate with a group of wolves of varying personalities? Oh, well. If she chose to be stubborn, then it was her problem. She was old enough to know that, so Kludd wasn't going to bother to help her.

The hare lay dead on the ground. Kludd felt a strange mixture of pride and disappointment. And sullen resentment. Yesterday he would've praised her and given her some tips; today he only saw her faults. "Stop whining, Tokine. If you had jumped a little earlier you would've been able to deliver a quick killing bite to the neck or head. Dead hares don't fight back, do they?" His tone was mocking. "Now see if you can track down something without my help."

[remar]

The thought of Kludd really made Tokine sick. He was such an annoying brute and it was his way or the highway. She never could do anything right in his eyes. Her eyes narrowed as she stared at her dead hare, ignoring her mentor. If I could just do this over and jumped sooner, he would have found something else to complain about. If Tokine was a weaker wolf she may have cried or ran away by now, but she was not that weaker soul.
She turned and showed her fangs at her mentor that drip with the hare’s life blood. Her stormy gray eyes glittered and it was a warning to him. He was pushing her and she was not something to push. Still she would not try to attack him after the way he acted to just a nip. Yes sir. She hissed the words and walked off with her tail held high. She was not going to let him get the better of her!
After all what was he, but a troublesome male? Tokine walked out of sight before sighing and smelling for any sighs of prey. She did not even bother to touch the hare for any food and she could feel hunger start to set in. I bet he is going to eat it. She did not feel angry about that, instead she felt nothing. How could she care about one rabbit, when she had a job to do?
Up ahead, she could smell a rabbit, a hare, a mouse, and a fox. She knew she should try to stay away from the fox and she did not care for a mouse. It left her with only two choices a rabbit or a hare? Tokine pondered and found the scent of the rabbit was closer.
She thought back to what her mentor said about jumping on time and started to follow the scent. So jump sooner and think about jumping later. Tokine felt her mind shudder at the thought at not thinking things through.
She was not really looking at the ground but following her nose and ears. She could hear the rabbit nibbling on a piece of grass. Her mouth watered at the thought of food in her stomach. Slowly she walked forward, as she watched were she placed her paws. Her eyes narrowed in on the small rabbit and she jumped.
The female over jumped the rabbit a little, but it turned out okay she the rabbit seemed to go into shock. Unlike the rabbit she wasted no time in killing it. The neck crunched under her jaws and she felt the body go limp.
Slowly Tokine laid down and began to eat the rabbit, as she waited for Kludd.

[kludd pyrresias.]

Kludd's resentful expression faded into nonchalant mask as his steady gaze followed his apprentice's departing shape. Foolish girl. She at least would've had the sense to hide her kill, away from predators who couldn't care less about who had caught the dead animal. A smirk flashed on his muzzle. He wasn't going to conceal it for her, nor was he going to carry it back to her. It was time she learned her lesson on not wasting prey and on how to keep her catches. What if a carrion bird or a hungry coyote had found the hare and had it for themselves? Both scavengers hardly deserved it. Sure, Kludd respected the cycle of life and the way of nature, but really, why cast such a plump meal away? So without further ado, the brute plunged his teeth into the succulent, still-warm flesh and jerked back, raw meat hanging from his jaws.

He gorged himself, wolfing everything down in a few bites. He ate quickly; who knew what that feisty she-wolf was doing? After one last satisfying crack of bone, he abandoned the carcass and yawned, exposing his bloodied fangs. Then he set off at a brisk trot, weaving through trees and letting the cool mist envelope his senses. He could see her now, a dark, lithe figure in the midst of white fog. She was crouched, eating a rabbit that she must've caught in the several minutes it had taken him to finish the hare and catch up with her. A pleasant smile, so unlike his menacing snarl, rested on his facial features as he watched quietly. "Happy now, sweetheart?" His tone was wry. The food he had just devoured had left him with a feeling of drowsy contentment; nevertheless he stood, ready for the moment they would train once more. Hopefully, this time with a lighter mood, but Tokine being Tokine and Kludd being Kludd, that was unlikely.

[remar]

Tokine could smell Kludd before she saw or heard him. She hardly ever heard his paw-steps, but she could smell blood on him. The blood smelled of her hare, that she had killed just moments before the rabbit. She eyed her mentor who had eaten her hare, that she had killed. So much for hunting for ourselves. Tokine was not sure if she should feel relaxed with Kludd or be wary.
Kludd changed his mood to much for Tokine to really know what to expect with him, let alone how to respond. Sometimes he took things in a good manner and at others he would yell at her. His pleasant smile really did not help to lighten her mood and it only made her shoulders tense at the thoughts of what he might be planning next. Is he going to make me go to Adair or something? Is this his way of getting back at me for a nip?
Happy now, sweetheart? His words rang in her head, but his tone is what really made them stand out. He seemed wary of HER, Tokine. The thought of him wry of her made her smile a little. She looked at the finished rabbit at her paws and she slowly rose. So what next on the list of torment?

[kludd pyrresias.]

ooc: i think you confused 'wry' and 'wary' a little bit... it wasn't a typo; they're two different words. :3

"Torment? Ha, you know nothing of real 'torment'." Kludd gave a harsh bark of mirthless laughter. "But anyway, today you'll be doing something we haven't tried out before... or I hope we haven't done already. It'd be rather boring, don't you think? So back to the point. You'll be choosing your own task today, but I need to approve of it first." The brute's teeth flashed when he grinned, his gold eyes flickering. "So, what'll it be? Battle techniques, more hunting, or a nice round of survival of the fittest?" He yawned, waiting for her reply. As he did so, he thought of what she might choose.

He highly doubted she would ask for more hunting time, as they had done that already and she was probably sick of trying to track prey in this cold fog. Fighting... maybe. He had already taught her how to defend herself, although they could do some more on feinting and a trick he called 'playing dead'. Not playing dead like a possum, but something else. As for survival skills, that was also a 'maybe'. Teach her how to cover her scent so that others wouldn't be able to find her, and other such things. The possibilities were endless. With a rumble that could've passed for a purr had he been a cat, Kludd reclined onto his haunches and gazed at his apprentice rather impatiently.

[remar]

ooc! A girl can dream, no? xD Remember she is still a young one here.

Bic://
Tokine sighed loudly at her mentor. He was use to fighting and everything, but she was not. Her training for the day had just begun and she was already starting to feel tired and sore. Her joints and muscles screamed in agony as she shifted her weight from one paw to the other. You have no idea how you torment me Kludd. Tokine flicked her tail and pondered over his words. I have to choose the training today? Oh that just dandy. Kludd I want to meet Seina and live to tell the tale. Would that count as training or would I need to choose something else? Her eyes gleamed at the thought of meeting Seina, the mother of all wolves to her. Seina was her favorite god she wanted to try and track her down (thats not going to happen).
Tokine started to jump from one place to the next at the thought of trying to find Seina. Seina had to be somewhere with all the odd things happening today. Maybe there was a fight and I can help her get rid of Trigo and Arria. Every hair on her pelt was standing up in excitement. She stopped in front of Kuldd and her claws dug into the ground in excitement.

[kludd pyrresias.]

Kludd snorted, his expression one of amusement -- which changed almost instantly into one of suppressed rage at her next words. How dare she think like that? The gods had better things to do than to meet some insolent little apprentice. And for what reason? None! What made her think that she could track down Seina in the first place anyway? He had hoped that his strict training had taught her how difficult it was to survive, and how rare it was to ever see a god even from a distance. He was obviously wrong. Another thing that fueled his discontent was that she seemed to only have eyes for Seina. Wasn't Dargan the supreme god, the most powerful of them all? Without Dargan, the land would be locked in an ice age and everything would die out. So when he spoke, his words were tight with anger and his long fangs were bared.

"Idiot girl; how do you suppose a half-trained she-apprentice can track down Seina, Dargan's mate? Do you think that if any mortal simply wishes to lay their eyes upon them, just once, they can? What a stupid idea. 'Live to tell the tale'? You most likely won't. The gods do not appreciate being sought out for nothing more than wanting to meet them. Even Seina, the more merciful of the two, won't like it. Now stop thinking nonsense and let's focus on what we can do." To emphasize what he just said, he aimed a swipe in Tokine's direction, intending to bruise but not to draw blood.

He let out a sigh, more of exasperation than weariness. All the anger inside of him hadn't burned out yet, though, but he was careful to keep it in check. "How about your magic? It was illusion, correct? Let's work on that today. You try and manipulate my eyes into believing that we are in whatever terrain you wish. Do it now." It was more of a command than a request, and his eyes glowed with the discontented embers they still stored.

[remar]

Tokine flattened her self to the ground with her ears flattened against her head. Kludd was just so ticked at everything she did or wanted to do, that she never got to try something daring! Her eyes focused on the ground as she listened to one of his more terrible scoldings. She was not use to Kludd being this worked up and it made her wonder if the idea scared him.
The female held back the tears that she would not let anyone see, especially not Kludd. She did not care really why Kludd was talking about in his speech, because she knew it was a no to meeting Seina. She did not even care when Kludd swiped her leg with his paw, or when a drop of her own blood hit the ground.
Okay, Kludd.... Tokine did not look up at Kludd for a long time as she pondered ideas for an illusion. She was not sure what to make him see or who for that matter. Her mind went back to everything he had told her and he had said the name of Dargan quite a bit for one day, so maybe he should come with anger at Kludd. The thought pleased her, but the problem was she could not make him feel the illusion. Without the feelings of Dargan's heat he would sure see it as a fake or maybe this cold air would be helpful for her today.
Slowly she looked at Kludd and her stormy blue eyes glittered as she thought of what she thought Dargan would look like. She thought of him as a huge flame that was in the same of a wolf and with glowing embers for eyes. She thought of the image as hard as she could and hoped Kludd could see what she wanted him too.

[kludd pyrresias.]

Kludd's menacing demeanor softened slightly at Tokine's submissive gesture. Had he been too hard on her, thinking that her tough exterior would be able to handle the cruel blows? He had forgotten that she was still young... but his regret soon subsided. She deserved it, and it had subdued her normally feisty temper. Hopefully his outburst had taught her to think carefully about her chosen words before she spoke. Hopefully.

He waited patiently as she pondered what sort of illusion to create. He didn't have to wait quite so long, though, since the next moment a flicker of red-orange haze caught his attention. The shape writhed before forming the fiery silhouette of a wolf with dark embers where the eyes would be. Dargan. It wasn't hard to recognize what she was trying to show him. The illusion was fairly good for a novice, he noted, but when concentration lessened even for a second, the illusion would fade in places and become transparent. Kludd could not help but be hypnotized by the flames. Dargan, the fire god. The creator. How could Tokine not see how powerful this god was in comparison to Seina? Seina was a queen, but Dargan was a king.

"Release." Your concentration, he thought, but did not bother to speak those words aloud. "You did well, considering that we haven't practiced your magic for a while. Have you been practicing on your own?" He paused to let her answer, then continued, "If you want to keep your illusion firm, you need to concentrate harder. Don't let anything distract you; with more practice, it will get easier, but for now all you must think about when projecting your illusion is the illusion itself. Once you've completely mastered that, we can move onto making it obey your will. But that may be even after you're a fully-grown Milede; it depends on how much you work on your magic."

[remar]

Every hair on Dargan's pelt was divine to Tokine and each one was a different shade of yellow, orange or red. None of his hairs were blue, even if a blue flame was the hottest of all. Why would he have blue fur after all the power he has to give the earth? Tokine could not look at Dargan, as she need eye contact with Kludd, or at least focus on him at all times along with the illusion. She could not have Dargan fade and disappear, and to her it seemed Kludd was enjoying the illusion of the dark god. I wish I could make him move or something. Dargan, the male of the pair, but yet he was more cold than he was hot when it came to a soul. Tokine wondered if he looked like her illusion at all and sighed. Almost as if on cue Dargan faded as her concentration on him weakened.
Tokine started to try to concentrate more, when Kludd spoke and her concentration faltered. Dargan slowly faded out, leaving no sign that he was ever there. Her illusion were still weak and need much more work and she knew that as of now there would get her no where.Tokine's ears twitched at Kludd's praise and she could not believe it. It was the first time he praised her all day, but here he was doing just that. Only a little, but not enough to really make a difference if I practiced or not. Tokine listened to Kludd with interest for the first time to day, as he told her how to improve her own magic. What do you mean by obey my will? I do not understand. Tokine's eyes clouded with confusion as she pondered over this.

[kludd pyrresias.]

Ah, finally. Tokine was actually listening to him, instead of just nodding and staring at the ground like she usually did. That was good; if she never paid attention she would find that when the time came for her to become a fully-fledged milede, she would still be far behind her peers. He grinned. Imagine the look on her face if that was to be her fate! Kludd didn't quite have time to bask in the daydream as his apprentice's voice cut through his thoughts. "Obey your will! Moving, speaking; make your illusion look more real. That illusion of Dargan, even if it was a perfect copy of him, would still be a lifeless puppet and it would be obvious that you were casting an illusion. There will be times in your life that you will not want the other to know what you are doing; times when you want to trick someone." He paused. "But bear in mind that there's a time for fun and games and a time when using your magic is a dire need." That was meant to be understood as both playful and serious.

"So, ready to try again? After this, if you're not too tired we can continue practicing, or we can do something else. There's still time for one more lesson before we can go our seperate ways." Kludd could not help but think of how relieved he would be when their training session was over. No more responsibility, et cetera... for that day, at least. He could take a short nap and find some pretty female to toy with. Tokine and he would probably not see each other until the next time they met for training. Wonderful.

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