aleu

She was back. Aleu had disappeared, for far longer than intended, but now she had returned. Still pale in color, lean and leggy like she had always been, the lupine filled her lungs with fresh air, breathing deeply as a plethora of information came to her, alerting her to new humans, new wolves and old, more creatures of all sorts. What had come to pass while she was gone? Standing in the brush, she realized that even the territory, though worn and covered in snow, was still vaguely familiar her; however, this was not dwelt on long when suddenly, the scent of one... no, three canines came to her, and she knew immediately who they were. Growing excited, the rejuvenated lupine felt excitement begin to buzz throughout her, tightening her muscles and bringing a new glimmer to her lucid gaze.

It had been a long while since she, La Refugia del Valle, had graced these lands with her presence. Humans still whispered of her existence, using her name as a warning to children when going outdoors to play, threatening them with the possibility of death by her jaws should they not be on their guard. Aleu had become a sort of demon to the humans, though some boasted she was dead, and other insisted vehemently that she was still alive, just out of sight and out of mine. Her listing in the 'wanted' book was an impressive list of maiming and killing creatures, both humans and their livestock. The carnage had dwindled with the fluke escape she had made from the very building she now stared at, but as memories poured back, the familiar warmth of anger flooded her. A snarl twisted her lips, an expression that one might describe as a wicked smile.

Malicious and brilliant, Aleu had managed to achieve all that she was known for thanks to intelligence and impossible cunning. Her body bore the marks, and though she appeared the picture of health, beneath the thick white fur she bore scars, bites from all sorts of animals, places where the flesh was not quite smooth, hiding broken bones that had not healed correctly. Her ears were notched, one eye was marred by scars around it, and she was incredibly lucky to still have sight in it. However, it appeared that spending time in the wilds, far from humans, had brought a new vitality to her; Aleu was still a bitter, arrogant creature who knew what she could get away with, striving to push the line further and further.

The three animals she scented, hybrids, were scents the female could never forget. Two of them were pups, two of the three males, and the third was their father. What was his name again? Tim, Tony...Tommy! Aleu wanted to go barreling through the property, barking for the three, strangely excited to see them; it was easy to keep these desires in check, however, as the wolf began to silently stalk along the tree line, studying those familiar kennels. Her dark gaze constantly leapt from the human home to the kennels, sweeping the landscape as she daintily picked her way through the brush. Winter was best for Aleu, her pale fur blending in a bit better than it did during all the other seasons. Here she stood, taking a deep breath, and then releasing a single, soulful howl. It was a call filled with longing, warning, and exhilaration. Would her pups remember her? What had become of the other two? As silence descended upon the area once again, she stood quiet, waiting to hear if perhaps someone realized who had made the call.

Tommy & Others

When the infamous La Refugia del Valle arrived, luck was on her side. Seeing to other errands, Mr. Rom was a ten-minute drive from arriving home, while the majority of his hunting pack were in the service of Mr. Linus; the white wolfess had a few spare minutes to meet her family before the defense arrived. But when those precious few minutes were up... Aleu would have to put her keenest skills to use if she wanted to keep her free status and evade capture a second time.

Contrasting vividly against the snowy world the had overcome the Valley, Tommy's ebony fur bounced with every flowing step as he darted around the far side of the stable, and came streaking over the ground towards a call that sounded all too familiar. His lithe little frame froze on the outskirts of the yard, chocolately eyes peering into the dense brush of the treeline until the came across a form that was almost invisible against the blanket of white around her. Almost instantly, a show of fangs were revealed as his dark lips wrinkled back in a sly grin, "If it isn't Aleu?"

There was quite a gap of time before another group of creatures made it into view - four in total, and all males. One was a silky-coated male with a dark gray coat and wolfish yellow eyes. Though he looked nothing like his parents, and indeed had an attitude that could be no further from their ways, the young male was the spawn of Aleu and Tommy. Walking ahead of his brother, Snake had an uncanny resemblance to his dam, from the color of his coat to his piercing eyes and sharp personality. The last two males, one a thick-furred fellow of impossibly small size, and the other a large silvery brute, were the results of two other 'flings' that Tommy had gotten involved in.

Together, the rag-tag bunch of hybrids were led forth by Snake, until they had come up a few shy feet behind their father, peering with a mixture of wariness and intrigue at the white fae that smelled so much like the wild.

aleu

Remaining on guard, always aware, this was a key to eluding capture. The only way she had been caught the first time was a fierce confrontation that had left more than only she was scars that would never fully disappear. The sound of padding steps caused Aleu's ears to twitch slightly as she spun to face the stable, hackles rose, prepared for it to be someone like that psycho dog Meservea. A chuckle wanted to fight its way to freedom at this thought, for she remembered the manic threats that had been sworn against her, and how easy it was to simply rile the silly pet up. Now was not the time to reminisce, however, and she was keenly aware of that as a flash of black came into view. Still camouflaged by the brush and surrounding snow, Aleu knew the moment recognition flickered over Tommy's features. It was a look that brought a slow smile to her own face, lips pulling back to reveal the infamous pearly whites. "Well, well, well, if it isn't good ol' Tommy boy himself," she said, her voice possessing its usual chill but with a jovial nature. Hesitant at first, again glancing over the empty lot, the wolf began to slowly move forward, stopping several feet from Tommy, "time has been kind to you," Aleu chuckled, ears twitching as the sound of other canines could be heard. Tensing, ready to scram should the need arise, she watched as the group of dogs filed in behind Tommy; they were no threat to her, the lupine decided, though the two youngest seemed to spark a memory...

Her sons! The two youngest, one appearing to be the spitting image of her, and the other really like either parents, were hers. What were their names? Surjay was one, and the other? The little white one... oh, what had they called him? How horrid for a mother to not remember the names of her own offspring! In Aleu's defense, however, she had not wanted to be a mother though motherhood had been forced upon her by the humans. The two seemed healthy, happy enough, though it brought a rush of fury to know they were here, being raised like dogs by the very men who had made her miserable for years. Ah, regardless of whether or not Aleu decided to reveal who she was to the youths, she would wreak havoc here again; and she would begin here.

"So where's your owners, hmm? How long do I have before I need to do the whole duck and hide thing?" she chuckled, paws placed together in a sort of dainty gesture, though she was larger than most of the dogs that stood before her. Aleu shot a glance at Tommy, after eyeing each and every one of the others in the motley crew that stood before her. He knew who she needed to avoid, and hopefully he would assist her.

Tommy & Others

Inside, the hybrid had to admit that he'd been a little nervous about what sort of reaction he might bring from Aleu. After all, she was wanted by the humans for good reason, and her blood lust against the two-leggers and their pets was pretty well known. This underlying uncertainty was wiped away when she showed off a smile of her own, letting Tommy dismiss his carefully veiled worry and to trot forward a few feet.

"That it has. The two-legger...? Ah, well... who knows where he's gone too." Rather than use 'Ethan' as he often did when speaking of his master, Tommy selected a more derogative term for the man, in order to impress upon Aleu that he didn't care for him. "I can't imagine he'd be gone long though; he never is. But tell me now, what have you been up too? Slaying more humans, maybe?" The grin on his ebony muzzle grew a little snarky, but all in good nature.

"Dude, she looks like you, kinda." The smallest of the group, the 39-pound Shield, whispered to his half-brother. "Especially those eyes."

"Shut up, she does not!" Snake countered with a low snort, but couldn't quite shake a feeling from his head. He'd been very young when he last saw her, but where his memory couldn't bring up anything about this strange femme, his powerful sense of smell made him wonder. Something about this wolf was very familiar to him...

Taija

Taija, the hybrid daughter of Tommy and Tahti, had spent most of her time under the deck of the house, having left Manahcob Downs after her mother was murdered. She hadn't spoken much since arriving here, not even to her father and brother. It was when Aleu came that she crawled out from under the deck. She stood beside Tommy, her eyes going back and forth between Aleu and the snowy ground. She missed Tahti.

aleu

Aleu was not entirely positive, but she had almost sensed an air of anxiety amongst the dogs, the strongest sensation emanating from Tommy. Why was this? Was he too afraid of her, like so many others who chose to live with the nasty two-leggeds? It was true that Aleu harbored a well-known grudge towards the entire human race, a loathing that spread to the animals she deemed weak, allowing them to be dominated by those who had been their sworn enemies for centuries.

When Tommy moved forward with that funny little gait of his, Aleu could tell he had let his guard down a bit, that perhaps her reaction to everything was far less severe than he had been expecting. She remained tense, however, muscles coiled and ready to spring should something seem even remotely wrong. She had no intention of being re-captured; no, she had other plans in store for this particular piece of property. After all, the wolf had some 'kindness' to repay, and repay it she would.

It did trouble her slightly that Tommy did not know where the humans were, or any idea of how long he had been or would be gone. Aleu gave a slight huff, ears flattening against her skull loosely, facial features twisted into a look of exasperation. However, she decided to remain civil towards Tommy, though it was not exactly the easiest thing to do in her current mood, compliments of the swing brought on by his unsatisfactory answers. "Me? No, I have found myself avoiding the two-leggeds, actually, sticking to killing things to eat and the occasional housepet."

Aleu gave a slight chuckle, tilting her head as she let her gaze flit to the dogs that were milling about, back where Tommy had been standing. "I am back now, though, so I have a feeling that will not be my answer for long," the wolf shuffled, recoiling momentarily as another little dog hauled itself out from under the desk, Aleu's features distorted by a disgusted snarl. What had bought this canine to live beneath a house, in dirt and filth, the way it did? She was proud of the fact she kept herself impeccably clean, even spending hours removing all possible traces of blood and dirt from her thick coat after various altercations.

"Well, why not introduce me to your little rag-tag posse? We'll cut it short if the people make an appearance," Aleu said, a harsh but cold laugh accompanying the statement.

Tommy & Others

The reaction brought on by Aleu's demeanor sent something of a stir through the collection of wolfdogs scattered behind their father. Tommy himself looked even less at ease then he had a moment earlier, especially when she made the comment of the 'housepet'. He'd always liked to think of himself as something better than a pet, but the fact that he was here in the human's company, hunting with them, eating their food, protecting them... the little hybrid struggled to banish the hypocritical thoughts bombarding his head.

Carefully, Tommy picked his words, knowing that he could shift this tense reunion into something much more ugly and violent if he didn't play his cards right. "So, still have that itch for human blood, do you?" The hybrid ignored an audible gasp from Shield at his side, who'd never heard his father speak so openly about threats against the humans. And, did Tommy just insinuate he'd known this strange female was a human killer...? Why wasn't he attacking her?!? "Of course, the little ones. Snake, Surjay-"

The low yip of their names had the two hybrids moving forward; Surjay going forth with an even, graceful gait, while Snake was more of a slinking trot. "-meet your mother, Aleu."

aleu

It was amusing how easy it was to orchestrate even the emotions and desires of others with simple words, the tone used in speaking, body language - had Aleu been human, she would have clapped in delight to literally watch as waves of discomfort caused each of the canines before her to shift, and bringing back the stinging smell of fear. Standing before them, her poise was feminine and yet domineering, almost daring each and every one of them to try something, anything, to make her day, as the age-old line goes. The comment about the 'house pet' had been a nice touch, Aleu decided, watching as the wolf-dogs carefully constructed facades seemed to crack as uneasiness began to control them. Ha! It was like a game, really, in its simplicity.

"An itch? Perhaps you could call it that... though it is one I have learned how to scratch," Aleu said calmly, a wide smile revealing the pearly white fangs that backed up her thinly-veiled threat. Tail risen slightly, the pallid wolf drew herself together, gaze sweeping the motley crew of dogs, as though to reinforce her superiority and dare them to try anything. Aleu feared nothing, and this fearlessness had proved to be both an asset and a curse throughout her lifetime. Stepping forward in a strangely dainty manner, the wolf stood silent as he called forth two - Snake and Surjay.

As the two youths stepped forward, hauling themselves from amongst the crowd, Aleu found their differing choice in gaits to be rather amusing. Before she could say anything, however, Tommy spoke, and for a moment, it felt as though something had kicked her in the stomach. Was this the best time for this? Unsure of how to act, now, Aleu felt foolish. How does one act when introduced to their child? Well, she would have to give it a try, "Well, hello, um, Snake, Surjay," the wolf said, giving a slight nod to each of the younger dogs as she said their names, "I-I guess I'm your... mother," Aleu said, halting for a moment, nearly choking on the word mother. Suddenly, she felt supremely uncomfortable; this was not a moment she had expected.

Tommy & Others

Something of an arrogant mongrel himself, Tommy silently reveled at his ability to one-up Aleu on this front. Part of him wanted to play the game, to challenge her sly domineering ways and put her in her place, but other part of him... another part of him was infinitely attracted to the infamous white wolf and made him regret his smug feelings at watching her succumb to uncertainty.

On the opposite end of the spectrum, Surjay was blinking stupidly at the wolfess before him, scarcely able to believe his ears. Snake, likewise, stood gaping in disbelief, and had to cast a side-look at his brother and father, as if asking for confirmation. It was Surjay who gathered his common sense first, enough to wipe away some of the shock on his features and dip his head a little in what wanted to be a polite nod, "...I, uh... nice to meet you..."

"...I told you." In the background, Shield whispered this in an astonished hiss, though he got no feedback from his half-brothers. After a moment, Snake found his voice and took a swing at the awkward family moment, "You're one of them? The wild ones?" Right off the bat, there was a sense of intrigue in his voice that entirely blew past all of the tension and uncertainty that had plagued the group just moments ago.

aleu

It would not be a lie to say that never in her life had Aleu experienced a instant with the sort of awkwardness that threatened to strangle her at this very moment. Well, perhaps there was a benefit to not beating around the bush, and simply dragging the truth out and exposing it. She would have been content to watch her sons grow from a distance, though the wolf knew she would not have let them live out their lives here. Heaven forbid two of her blood would be pets! Her blood felt as though it were made of fire as it coursed through her veins, the thought of any of the humans she had fought, who had hurt her, laying even a single finger on her children. They would pay for this. None of this inner turmoil was allowed to play out on her now carefully neutral features, and Aleu gave a slight, stiff wag of her tail and she leaned back on her paws, standing, but rather apprehensive. The one who looked a bit more like Tommy was the first to break the painful silence, and Aleu gave him a little nod, acknowledging his attempts at easing the weirdness, "and, ah, you too, Surjay," she woofed, offering a slight smile, not nearly so treacherous as the one given before, one that attempted something akin to friendliness.

Now for Snake, the son who appeared to be the spitting image of her. His introduction was not that, really, more a question accompanied with big eyes and a sort of awe. Taken aback by this, Aleu nodded, glancing over at Tommy, around to the other dogs, then back down at Snake, "yes, I'm one of the wild ones," she chuckled, "one of the wildest, in fact," the wolf joked, relaxing slightly, looking from Surjay to Snake, eyeing each of them appreciatively.

Tommy & Others

The tension in the situation had risen and fallen accordingly to what was said both aloud and implied more subtly, but now there was a sense of ease working down. At least, for Surjay and Snake, who'd gone from warily defensive to enthralled and complacent in a matter of seconds. Unsure of what to do himself right now, Tommy let Aleu and her children take the reigns for a moment.

"You're like, one of the famous wolves? That kills humans and such?" Again, he sounded far more interested in this, which was something a fellow in his line of work certainly ought not be doing. "How many two-leggers have you killed?"

"Humans. They're called humans, Snake." Shield interjected gruffly, not liking the way his half-brother was suddenly talking. For being the offspring of Tommy and Tahti, the wild mongrel had something of an affinity towards people, and took his guard duties seriously.

The more placid wolfdog in the bunch, Surjay didn't remark either way when his brothers started showing signs of bickering. His eyes were all for Aleu, still trying to take in the idea that she was his mother, and- wait, what was that...? One silky ear flickered to the side, moments before his muzzle swung in the same direction. Yes, he was positive he heard the rumble of the engine... "Ethan is returning."

aleu

Aleu was admittedly surprised, and secretly proud, to hear Snake talking, to hear him speak of the humans in the way she did. "I suppose you could call me that," she chuckled, "I believe the current count is... eight?" the wolf pondered it for a moment; yes, those were the ones she had killed. She longed to add, for shock value, that it was not to be the final count. Aleu had every intention of ridding the wolf of Tom, Ethan, and Dan, all of them. It would take some time, but she would do it. A grudge such as she held was one that would not be appeased until either they were dead or she was.

She glanced at the dog behind Snake, who sought to correct his terminology, and shot him a pitying glance. That was the sort of weak mongrel she wanted to keep her sons from becoming; and Surjay's silence showed her that he was on the fence about it all, perhaps. Aleu was about to say more when she noticed the flick of his ear, hearing the same menacing sound that Surjay did. Ethan he said, the word sending a harsh shudder throughout the wolf as her hackles rose, her body regaining is tense posture as she lingered for a moment. Surprisingly, she did not want to leave Snake and Surjay here; they needed to learn to live like she did, not like the pets they were becoming.

"I should go," she whispered, every sense heightened, body nearly tingling with anticipation, "I shall watch for awhile, I will be somewhere in the brush; give me away, and I will rip your throat out the instant Ethan disappears," Aleu said calmly, directing the last part to those standing behind her sons, the wolf-dogs and others loyal to the two-leggeds. Knowing she had left prints, a fact that disgusted her, she spun about and loped into the brush, disappearing from view. However, she did remain in the shadows, remaining still, lucid eyes focused solely on the group of dogs as she heard the sound of the engine being cut, the door opening...

Tommy & Others

As far as Tommy was concerned, he could play both sides of the game, as long as he was very careful. So it was with an increasingly calm demeanor that he watched and listened to his sons have their brief conversation with Aleu, noting Surjay's blatant neutral stance, and Snake's near-eagerness at hearing of his mother's killings. Chastising neither Shield nor Snake for their differing responses, he remained silent until the rumble of an engine alerted them all of Ethan's approach.

"Now, you know me." Tommy turned a leery smirk to the wolf, speaking to her as if they were old chums, "It won't be me that points you out. Those hounds are the ones you'd best watch for, girl." Turning to his sons and nudging a reluctant Snake, he rounded up the gang and led them away from the timberline where Aleu had vanished.

Sure enough, the jeep had soon made its way up the gravel roadway, winding about between old trees that Ethan had seen fit to leave up, rather than to cut down and destroy the scenery. He might be a cold-hearted killer on most grounds, but the wily man did have an appreciation for some things. "Easy now." Stepping from the jeep, the man about tripped over Surjay and Chark, who were two of the more lax individuals that were all too happy to greet their master and earn a few pats on the head. When they obligingly moved out of the way, Ethan was struck by the lack of response from Shield, who tended to at least wag a tail in response to seeing his master. As it was, the young hybrid was standing tense and airplaned ears and a rigid tail, silently communicating that he was irked about something.

aleu

Aleu watched with more than a little disgust on her mug as Surjay and some other little dog darted forward as none other than her ol' friend Ethan stepped out of the jeep, who nearly tripped over their excited selves. That would have been enough for a slight chuckle, but unfortunately both dogs moved out of the way and he righted himself before falling. If he had fallen, perhaps she could have... no! Now was not the time; the wolf had to remind herself she was here to observe, to watch, to study - the humans did not need to know she was back 'in town' yet, though whether or not her tracks and the now stupidly frozen shield would give her away was left up to chance.

Hidden in the brush, hunkered down but ready to either lunge or spin and run, Aleu bristled with frustration at the actions of the pooch Shield. Yes, she decided, he was one the world could do without. Perhaps he would even be first - the taste for blood increased with her anger, as her heartbeat pounded in her ears, even her breathing kept quiet, as though the human could hear it. Eyes focused on Ethan for a moment longer, Aleu slowly turned her head to stare sharply at Shield; should he look over, her would see her, lips pulled back to reveal those deadly fangs, a look of pure hatred painted on her features, a promise to what would be his fate.

Aleu then allowed her glance to go to Snake, Surjay, unsure of whether or not they could see her. For their sake, she had to get them away from here eventually; they could form a group that would ravage the human population, perhaps someday return the area to the way it was so many years ago, now lost to legend, when humans did not live here. Silent, mind whirling with devious thoughts, Aleu glanced back at Ethan, almost daring him to spot her.

Tommy & Others

Had Snake been able to hear the ideas rolling around in his dam's head, he'd have nearly bolted away from Ethan that moment to join her. His personality was a wild, spontaneous one, charged with energy that his more low-key brother was lacking most of the time. As it was, his hackles spiked up a little out of pure excitement when Sheild gave a low growl. The younger brother had daringly looked back into the brush, and had caught the look that Aleu was sending his way... and he didn't like it.

"Shield, stop that!" Chark, who'd so far been quiet during the chatter, hissed to his brother, and was joined hastily by Surjay, "You'll only start troubl-"

Too late. The growl alerted Ethan, who's dark, deep-set eyes darted towards the timberline where the small hybrid was glaring so banefully into. It took not a moment later for the man to notice the large paw-prints, and only a fraction of time after that before he saw her. "La Refugia... shit!" He'd have ordered Tommy and the others in there after her, but knew that would likely be futile. By the congregation of paw prints, he could see that Tommy and the youngsters had already encountered the wolfess, and considering that some of her own offspring were among the bunch, he couldn't count on Tommy attacking her without provocation.

"Sweety, you'd best run while you have the chance." Tommy huffed with mild annoyance, watching as Ethan bolted for his house, where he could gather his hunting gear and call up his old pal Tom.

aleu

That trashy waste of fur! The moment Shield's growl rolled out of his throat, his fate was sealed in Aleu's eyes. However, she had little time to dwell on anything aside the fact that he was as good as dead now; suddenly, her golden gaze was locked with the brown eyes of the two-legged, Ethan. Another harsh snarl peeled back her lips as she remained stock still, hunched down, muscles coiled and ready to release. As much as she longed to lunge at him, to tear at that hated face with all the rage that coursed through her, the wolf held back. This would take planning, not just random attacks... though a few of those when he was unprepared and away from the house would definitely occur; he could bet on it, if he so chose.

As Ethan turned tail like his rear end was on fire, darting towards the house, Aleu chose to step out of the brush, looking across at the dogs. "Yes, I suppose that would be the best idea, though the idea of a merry chase has crossed my mind." she said with a wry chuckle, a slight sneeze punctuating the air. Glancing at her sons, she gave them a slight nod, "I'll be back" Aleu woofed, glancing up at the cabin door, ready to bolt should she even see the door begin to shift, "and Shield, watch your back," she snarled, a sudden shift from the faintly mother-like attitude to suddenly appearing very much the wild, furious creature she was. He would pay.

Turning away, she slowly loped back into the brush; however, instead of simply disappearing into the surrounding bushes and trees, Aleu began to follow the tree line for a short distance, only in a few trees deep. A perfect view of the cabin and kennels was afforded her, but she was invisible amongst the trees and snow, unless someone got quite a bit closer. By then, however, she could disappear; for now, she just wanted to watch, to see what sort of response was gained. In an attempt to throw him off, just in case, she had gone over her tracks quickly, making them appear to go in several directions. They would not fool him for long, and the wolf had put little thought into it, but it would allow her a few precious moments to put as much space between herself and Ethan as possible.

Ethan & Others

The father stiffened a little, not sure how to take the threat that was turned against his son. Truthfully, he wasn't the best candidate for a father, and though he had earned respect from most of his offspring, their upbringing had mainly been in the hands of the humans, and his control over them was well nigh nonexistent. And when it came to their wellfare... he was decidedly split on how to react.

"Whether you like it or not, you've got a chase on your paws. He'll have the whole gang out here in little time, I imagine." Tommy huffed with some discontent, showing just how 'greatly' he thought of Kong and his hounds. "Just don't let them catch you, or it's over." He warned lightly, speaking on the strength and tenacity that had been bred into the hunting breed. That was all he left Aleu with, making not so much as a comment towards the remark she gave his son.

It was not the front door that opened, but one towards the back end of the house, where Ethan eventually exited, a few minutes later. With a riffle tilted back across one shoulder, the leggy man cleared the distance between the back porch and nearby stable yard in a matter of a few dozen strides, and had Harthrou out and saddled. Once he was safely atop his trusted Marwari cross, he guided the stallion back around to the front yard, where Tommy was milling with the others - including a very agitated Shield. Ethan watched the canine, reading what he could of the hybrid's body language, before turning his eyes to the prints encrusted in the late-winter snow. In a few short minutes, the pack would be arriving, and Aleu would have plenty of running to do.