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Post by Possk on Mar 19, 2010 22:06:09 GMT -5
Sand, sand, and more sand. All of it as tiresome as the last grain. It should’ve been cold against his paw’s touch, yet it was hot, almost to the point of being unbearable. It was a strange concept for Metal Fang, especially since the lone warrior had never come across a desert before. He supposed the weather was due to being in the constant view of the sun. Still...it felt unnerving that it could be this hot at this time of year. Before he’d set out to cross the winding Sanzocu Areno, the High Tyto had spent his days chilled to the bone. Snow had always fallen from the heavens and continued to matt his graying ginger fur relentlessly. Here, the warrior nearly wished he had been stranded in the snowy alps again. It would’ve been better to die there than these pointless lands anyways. He doubted Soren would have made his home here. Soren. The dingo, Kludd, scowled at the very idea of his brother. He knew Soren had escaped to this country with the rest of the Hoolians during his captivity with Man. Why any sensible dingo would come to this bizarre place was beyond him though. There was too much snow, too many places disrupted by the foolish humans. Even Kludd’s birth place held more value to him than this dying world. He heaved a sigh and brushed his white tipped tail against his face. Or, rather, what had used to be known as his face. Instead of normal skin, the dingo wore a mask of iron to cover the hideousness of what had become of it. The mask extended down his muzzle and covered the sides of his face, shielding the black, deadness of his skin. Small chinks in the mask were the only things that revealed his disfigurement. Kludd’s eyes narrowed as he remembered the incident that had caused such pain.
The old High Tyto, former ruler of the Pure Ones, had been losing his grip on his power. The Pure Ones were not as organized, nor as efficient, as they should’ve been with their leader weakening. It had dawned on Kludd that the pack would steadily break apart without a firm hand to guide them. It had also dawned on him that his own abilities would far surpass the High Tyto’s. So, he had met with Nyra in secret to form a coup. Nyra, as every bit beautiful as she was deadly, had known since their first meeting that Kludd would be the one to take power in the pack. With this realization, she had helped him corner the old dingo and make sure none of his followers would be there to back him up. Kludd attacked him, and after a bloody battle, managed to become the victor and earn the highest title in the pack, the position of High Tyto. It had come at a heavy price however. The old mutt had sliced open Kludd’s face, ripping his skin to shreds as he tore it off.
Ever since then Kludd’s face had been adorned with the heavy iron mask. Still, it did have its used he would admit. Everyone whom he came into contact with feared him. He wasn’t sure if it was because of the mask or if they grew uneasy at the coldness in his amber eyes, but either way it served its purpose. It made dogs leave him alone and he was just fine with that. Dogs were such a pathetic species, allowing themselves to be tamed and become toy pets. Being a dingo was the only thing worth living for, and if they weren’t a dingo, they had no right to harbor a beating heart in their chests.
“Nonexistence is their maker and to death they shall hence return,” Kludd murmured softly, reciting one of the laws that the old High Tyto had decreed. It had been his first rule in their new order, and it had stuck with him ever since. Still, deep in his musing, he had yet to notice the shifting sound from behind him as paws scraped against the harsh sand. Flicking his ears slightly, Metal Fang turned his head to face whatever had been unfortunate enough to cross paths with him.
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Post by Kyouran on Mar 21, 2010 7:06:36 GMT -5
((OOC: I hope ya don't mind me joining in xDDD))Inuhazure
Haz walked slowly, dragging his puppy paws over the hot sand. His yellowish fur with white and orange markings blended in with the color of the desert, so he seemed like a small pile of sand that was trying to escape this cruel territory. His eyes were half closed, and the little he could see was all hazy, making it look as it the desert was going to swallow him, to pull him beneath all this hot merciless stuff that was getting into his lungs. With his illness, and grains of sand that flew in the air, he could barely breathe. Every time he'd breath in, he could feel a burning sensation in his lungs. Slowly but surely, Haz was starting to panic. If he didn't get out of this place soon, there was nothing he could do to stop the worsening symptoms as he was all alone. There was no one to help him, and he wondered how in the world did he end up here anyway. His thoughts were interrupted by a sound not to far away, a sound that seemed to him has come from another canine. He instantly lifted his head, fighting off the dizziness in the process, as he searched for it's source. The blue eyes lit up as he spotted a form a little on the left, and even though his vision was blurry, he could tell it was canine. Naive as he was, he put all of his remaining strength into approaching this stranger, not once considering he could be attacked and killed. The white tail of the young mix waged happily as he thought he was finally saved. He'd have company and everything would be OK. When he was close enough, the curious yet somewhat shy puppy eyes inspected the canine that now appeared to be a dingo. A dingo! Haz titled his head, interested, for he had never met one of those before. The male had darker yellowish fur with some gray and white here and there, and at first Haz thought how similar they looked. But then his eyes fell upon the dark gray mask that was broken in a few places, and that covered the face of dingo, and he was surprised. Not afraid like most would be, but surprised. He never judged others according to their looks, or by anything for that matter, so he wasn't going to make an exception now. As he was finally sure he made it, sure he was in company of other, the last of his energy left him, and his legs gave out. Collapsing to the ground, he started coughing again, his breath gone and tears starting to form in his innocent eyes as he struggled for air. Through all of this, in a few short gasps he managed to say: "P-please.... do-n't le-... leave..."
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Post by shadow on Mar 21, 2010 20:36:20 GMT -5
Prince Ling Yao and Ranfan, two companions wandering the country from a foreign land, were probably the only ones not bothered by the unusual heat. You see, Xing, their homeland, had deserts sprawled through the entire region, and despite the two canine's long, double coats, they did not waver in the sun.
Well, at least Ranfan didn't.
"So... hot," Ling complained, his tongue lolling out in front of his face goofily. He honestly didn't care how immature he was acting, at least, not in front of Ranfan. Now, if he was in front of strangers, he might act more like the royalty he was supposed to represent... maybe. Well, it depended on how hot he was to be perfectly honest....
Ranfan had been listening to such complaints for hours upon hours. Yes, indeed it was much too hot, but by now the heat had gotten to her, and she could not act concerned on her Prince's behalf. Rather, she was more frustrated with his behavior then anything else. So much so that she shielded her face from him with her mask so she wouldn't explode with rage by just looking at his ridiculous expression. At this time, she decided not to answer his one-billionth plea for water, though a voice in the back of her head did start to worry; what if Ling became dehydrated and got sick? Or worse... died. Ranfan shook her head, remembering that she was supposed to keep him alive at all costs. "Prince Ling," she started, coming to a halt. "Would you like to rest? I can go try to find us something to drink."
"No," Ling responded. "I need...."
Ranfan turned her head, listening attentively to whatever she could aide him with....
"Food. So badly."
That was it. For the first time in Ranfan's life, she was beyond frustrated with Ling. Letting out a groan, she walked forward at a brisk trot, which soon turned into a full out run. Ling yelled out something from behind her, but Ranfan completely ignored him. She wanted to get OUT of this desert. NOW.
And then, something caught her eye. Well, her Mind's Eye anyway... a being not too far off, and a very weak one at that. Forgetting completely about the annoying Prince chasing after her, Ranfan came to a sudden stop. Unfortunately, Ling did not expect the change in pace, and literally ran Ranfan into the sandy ground. The two of them toppled over each other comically for a few moments before landing in a heap some ways down the sand dune. Ranfan grunted, disoriented, but uninjured. Ling was making a similar sound of disdain on top of her body, and suddenly, Ranfan was rendered speechless. This was beyond awkward, and lets just say if dogs could blush, Ranfan's fur would be redder then ketchup.
Thankfully the semi-"moment" was ended when the two foreign dogs heard a cry for help: "P-please.... do-n't le-... leave..."
"Ranfan," Ling said sternly, his voice more serious then it had been the entire day. Ranfan let out a grunt to show that she agreed with him, and without another word, the two dogs composed themselves and followed the source of the voice. Eventually, they came across a pup, sprawled out on the ground and clearly overheated.
"It's okay," Ling said in a comforting voice. "Help is here. What's your name?"
Ranfan scanned the area meanwhile, her Mind's Eye landing on another canine not too far away. The presence was different from the average dog, or even a wolf. Ranfan had even felt the presence of coyotes and foxes, but never this one. What could he possibly be? Eventually, Ranfan's mind settled on the only species left that made any sense: Dingo. "Prince Yao," Ranfan exclaimed, her voice barely above a whisper. "There is more company here."
Ling looked up from the young dog, his eyes landing on Kludd not too far off. He tilted his head curiously, but understood that Ranfan did not have a good feeling about the masked canine in front of them. "Hello stranger," Ling called. "Any idea what happened to this pup?"
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Post by ★Ryuujin★ on Mar 22, 2010 12:42:29 GMT -5
There was no target.
There was no Food.
And there certainly was no water.
It was beyond him why he had traveled to this godforsaken land in the first place. Curiosity, perhaps? No, not even he was that stupid. The desert was no place for a curious being to go, besides, he rarely found himself curious. No, it was something else, something different entirely. Like Ranfan, Hei too had picked up on the strange aura given off by Kludd with his Mind’s eye, and it attracted him. In his years of assassinating, never had he felt one like this.
Perhaps to some extent, in its own right, Hei was experiencing curiosity, but he would never admit to it. Hei would never admit to having any sorts of emotion, except hunger. Was hunger even an emotion? Doubtful, but it was eating at his stomach now. Mentally cursing himself for his weakness for food, Hei forced himself to press on toward the strange aura. Besides, the only “food” he felt out here was lizards, and he had heard they were completely unfit for consumption, that is, if you wanted to keep your previous meal down.
Besides, at that point, something else had caught his attention, something – surprising as hell to Hei – familiar. A voice, calling out to another. He had heard this voice before, but he couldn’t quite place it. He sensed it then, the two dogs before him, and he began to wonder why he hadn’t noticed them before. Perhaps, he was too focused on the being with the strange aura? It would make sense.
Hei then took up a run from his trot, catching up with the two forms before him. Realization of who they were was about to hit when the two did something rather… surprising. Sliding to a stop at the top of the dune, Hei looked over the edge at Ranfan and Ling as they rolled over one another down the sandy hill. Ling uttered Ranfan’s name, and Hei knew instantly who the two were.
Prince Ling Yao, the one target Hei couldn’t bring himself to kill. It seemed strange that they would meet again, especially in a place so forsaken and desolate. He found himself hoping that their meeting this time wouldn’t be as violent as their last. But then again, as he had just noticed, they wouldn’t be alone this time. Shifting his attention and mind’s eye forward, he saw two more auras, including the strange one he had been following.
Laying his ears back, Hei leaped over the edge of the dune and, unlike the pair before him, gracefully slid down the dune. Stopping at the bottom next to the pile that was Ling and Ranfan, Hei stood himself tall. The silver outline that contained the strange aura was a simple looking canine, but was one he had never met before, nor never expected to meet. Dingo… What surprised him more, was that the canine was wearing a helmet. Three of the five dogs that fate had brought here today had their faces covered, Hei included. Though, Hei’s was the only one that required the use of his mind’s eye, for the mask he wore had no eyeholes.
“The pup needs water, and possibly food.” Hei stated simply, clearly able to feel the pup’s lack of strength through the use of his minds eye.
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Post by Possk on Mar 22, 2010 17:37:38 GMT -5
The scarred animal blinked as not one, not three, but four other canines found their way towards him. Throughout this long journey across the desert, he had yet to see any other sign of life except for the occasional bashed in skull of a bandit that had died long ago. Now it seemed that the only living creatures on this desolate land had all come together for a party of some sort. A fairly messed up party at that. ‘Curious, curious,’ Kludd mused with mock interest as he studied the newcomers. One—the one that had fallen limp to the ground—looked young. Weak. Kludd’s lip curled as he looked down at the pup. If there was anything that could disgust him more than a domesticated dog, it was a helpless one. He seemed to be different from other dogs though; if anything, he looked more wolfish than doglike, despite his abilities obviously being on par with the average mutt’s.
Kludd cast his line of sight over to his other company. He frowned at the long blade resting on Ling’s back. That would be a problem; he had never seen a dog’s weaponry that could rival that of a human’s. His own weapon, the small yet deadly battle claws, would not be a match for something of that size. Considering the fact that it could only lead to a repeat of the Battle of Fire with the Hoolians, a bit of diplomacy would be necessary here. Best not to wage war with them…yet. As much as Kludd despised their kind, he had to admit to himself that with the heat of the sun and lack of food and water, he would not win a fight. Still, Kludd’s claws instinctively flexed with a longing to rip and tear.
He pivoted to face the newest of the group. “Yes, and how do you suggest we find such resources, White Mask –sama?” Kludd rasped with disdain, his glowing amber eyes narrowing to slits. He didn’t like the similarity between him and the two wearing masks; it felt...odd. Demeaning. Common. Kludd disliked the feeling, and quickly sought to bury it. “We’d all like some food and water, but this desert apparently stretches on for miles. If the pup can’t cope, he can’t cope. If he can’t cope, he’ll die. If you make such a big deal about it and waste your energy, you’ll die as well.” Metal Fang turned his muzzle slightly and pointed a little ways away from where Ling and Ranfan stood. A heap of bones poked out from underneath the sand; they’d long since turned to a rusty red from the constant heat of the sun, but the example remained nonetheless. Death only awaited the weak out here in this bleak place. Kludd was determined to make sure he was not one of the weak.
The High Tyto turned his attention back to the miserable little pup. Pink nose, frail muscles, sickly pale yellow fur…what a pathetic sight. And he had pleaded with him. Pleaded with him to stay and not leave him. Of all the unfortunate creatures he could’ve been stuck with, Kludd had to be stuck with the one that disgusted him the most. Eyes glinting coldly from shadows of the mask, he grabbed the pup by the scruff and dragged him to his feet. “Stand on your own feet. If you want to die, fall back to that pathetic heap you were just in. Because most assuredly you will die and without fail. Make excuses all you want, but none of us can support such a burden.” The singed black hairs that peaked out from under the iron mask seemed to radiate the malice burning inside his heart. Kludd growled quietly, but snapped his head over to where Ling, Ranfan, and Hei still stood. He stared at them, as if daring the travelers to challenge his fierce words to the pup.
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Post by shadow on Mar 22, 2010 17:53:35 GMT -5
Everything fell silent between the canines gathered. Ling didn't even stop to acknowledge the fact that Hei, a dog he had met previously, had found his way to them. No, Ling was not concerned with this dog now, even if in their last meeting Hei had tried to assassinate him. The words Kludd had just spoke stung him to the core. There was truth behind them, yes, but there was a flaw in this dingo's explanation, and while Ling Yao did not wish to start a fight between two such similar species, he couldn't help but feel enraged. What Kludd had said... was unacceptable.
"Your words are truthful masked stranger," Ling started carefully. "But even a canine as powerful as yourself had some help to become the way you were. Whether it was the mother that birthed you, or another force all together, you were helped along the way. If you had been left alone, you would have died. Repay the favor that others have done to you, and help a pup. You don't have to like it..." Ling trailed off, bending down and grabbing Inuhazure by the scruff. With a forceful heave, the Prince lifted the pup to his four, and allowed him to lean on his shoulder. "But if anything do it so you are not a hypocrite."
Ling's eyes narrowed on Kludd, his own lip curling back at the aura this dingo was giving off. Ranfan was right. Whoever this guy was was not to be trusted; maybe it was the heat, or maybe it was Ling's stupidity, but he did not feel like keeping the peace between them for much longer, especially if Metal Fang dared talk back.
Ranfan, sensing the tensions rising within her own Prince's being, stepped forward, tapping Ling with her nose. Immediately, Prince Yao snapped out of his trance, and flashed a smile to Ranfan to assure everything was okay. Ranfan let out a sigh of relief, knowing that if his rage was to build just a little more, Ling would no longer be himself, but his much more sinister alter ego: Greed.
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Post by Kyouran on Mar 23, 2010 16:16:07 GMT -5
To his surprise, and somewhat relief, Haz noticed more dogs coming their way. They all seemed strong and able, and for a second he thought of the difference between them and him. Even though he wasn’t a fighter of any kind, and the fact he had never fought back in his life, no matter what, now he wished he was stronger that this, if just to erase the disgusted look in the eyes of the strange dog he had approached. Haz had never seen a dingo before, or heard about one, so it was impossible for him to know the breed of the stranger. He realized his mistake in coming to him the second he spoke, making the pup lower his head. Of course it would be this way, I mean, it always was this way. If other canines didn’t pick on him for his mixed breed, that it was his lack of strength or experience. But still, he kept hoping he’d come across someone who’d be different, someone who wouldn’t attack him or try to humiliate him. But I guess luck just wasn’t on his side. Even though, the other dogs seemed to be less or not at all repulsed by him, and Haz was glad that some of them were actually concerned ‘bout him. One of them, with his fur coloured in different shades of grey and black, had asked him for his name, and Haz, as usual, felt hesitant to tell them. It wasn’t that he didn’t want them to know, it was just, well, he felt ashamed of it. If these strangers were from Japan, they would surely recognize the meaning of it. A dog, and a failure. Looking away, in a voice that showed the strain of his previous battle for air, he said: “I, I’m Inuhazure… Um… Haz.” Inuhazure wasn’t really paying close attention to the conversation among the members of the accidentally formed group, for the world had started spinning again thus distracting him from the rest, and also preventing him from standing up as he had planned to. But, it seemed that Kludd had other planes, for Haz felt himself being grabbed and lifted to his paws. The move felt rather sickening to the youngster, and he was for the first time thankful he hadn’t managed to find anything eatable for the past few days, for he wasn’t sure he would have managed to keep it down. The speech Kludd started caused the wolf mix to look at him, somewhat angered by the unhidden malice in his voice, but the truth of his words suppressed the feeling, replacing it with sorrow. Haz was perfectly aware of how helpless and probably stupid he looked, and the only reason for it was that he really was both. Weaker than all the other pups in the pack that kept him as a toy, he was always bullied and picked on, and still, he hasn’t learned anything. Not to defend himself, not to hunt, and not to stay away from others. Naïve, yes, that’s the word to describe him. Just as he was getting used to standing again, the grey and black dog that had asked for his name earlier grabbed him by the scruff and pulled, so now Haz was standing right next to him. Almost falling, he leaned onto the dog who seemed to be defending him. His words were well chosen and it seemed as if he was trying not to start a fight with Kludd, but that didn’t mask his dislike for the other. Haz was getting worried that a fight could really break out, for the tension in the air was great even for a desert, but was glad to see that the other of two dogs who apparently travelled together noticed this as well and snapped her friend out of his trance. The third mask wearing dog seemed to be the most neutral in the group, catching his interest for he almost hadn’t spoken since arriving. Haz was well aware that the dark fur that cover his body must be warming him more that his own light one did him, and for a second he wondered how all of them were taking this so well. Was he THAT weak? Yeah, probably…. Inuhazure was the one to stick to the company no matter how bad it was, more than anything he disliked being alone. But the look in Kludd’s eyes and the venom in his voice made him feel real uncomfortable, scared even, and the pup realized he was not very welcomed here. “I’m sorry f-for ca-causing trouble, sir, I-if there’s anything I c-can do….” He told Kludd, but when he finished, the thought of speaking didn’t seem all too great to him anymore, for he feared the strange canine might get angry for some reason…. He didn’t seem very friendly, especially when it came to weak mutts like himself…
((OOC: Sorry if I missed anything, there was so much... Also, sry for the delay.))
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Post by ★Ryuujin★ on Mar 25, 2010 12:46:45 GMT -5
“Yes, and how do you suggest we find such resources, White Mask –sama?”
Feeling his chest clench with distain at this action of obvious disrespect, Hei snorted, laying his ears back. This dingo was a natural Sherlock Holmes, though, as strange as his breed was and the obvious ill intent that radiated through his aura, he didn’t seem to be too bright. Of course there wasn’t much food, but there were still the desert creatures, though hunting them would be a challenge. With his minds eye, he could easily pick them up, whether under the sand or above. Doing some digging or perhaps some hunting with his own blades wouldn’t be too hard. Though, he didn’t know how the young pup would feel about eating a lizard or two if it were all they would be able to find.
The water problem was easier solved than the food. Hei had heard of this place before, he knew there was a single river running through this barren land, which direction it laid in however, would be a task. His mind’s eye only reached so far, so they would have to travel a bit before finding a definite location of the precious commodity
It was then that the dingo spoke once again, a deep emotion that Hei knew all too well dripped like poison in his tone. But, another emotion reached him at the same time, one that was steadily growing. Tilting his head to focus his Minds eye on Ling and Ranfan, he growled. Stepping between Ling and Kludd, Hei turned his masked face back toward the smaller Kludd, making a motion toward one of his blades in the harness. Pausing his maw above the blade, Hei laid his ears back once again. It was a warning to Kludd, that if he tried anything, there would be no turning back. He didn’t necessarily wish to fight here, but it seemed that the innocent life of the pup was at stake.
He was an assassin, yes, but there was no means for the shedding of innocent blood, especially in his eyes. He was willing to help them all, especially the previously met Ranfan and Ling – he would even help the dingo, if he were not to harm any of them. It didn’t seem in Kludd’s direct sense at the moment to do so, but seeing as the words he spat so easily, he wouldn’t put it past him.
“Ling, Ranfan, There’s a river located somewhere around here, if we can find that, I’m sure we can find some food lingering around its general area.” The words were spoken plainly enough, not so much a command as an offer. Though they were directed toward the two behind him, his general line of sight appeared to face Kludd still. Not many knew of his mind’s eye, he wasn’t even sure if Ranfan and Ling did after their last meeting, though, the eyeless mask may have said something. Regardless, he wouldn’t let the dingo out of it.
Now, Hei wasn’t one to introduce himself so willingly let alone to a group, but as the small pup gave his own name, Hei felt conflicted. Ranfan and Ling already knew his name, so it wasn’t much of a deal there; the one he really cared about knowing was Kludd. Names were powerful things, they could be used to perform some of the worst things out there and quite frankly, he wasn’t yet sure what Kludd could do. But, he was sure that whatever the dingo could dish out, he could easily handle it, no problem. “Young one, I am Hei, The black Reaper. Despite my name, I mean you no harm.”
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Post by Possk on Mar 25, 2010 18:12:07 GMT -5
Kludd raised an eye at the prince's words. To be grateful towards the mother that had birthed him...what a laugh. He'd known from the moment he could walk that he'd born into the wrong family. They were all too different from himself. Too stupid. Always relying on each other, never being able to stand alone and be independent. Chasing fantasies that would never exist for themselves. They hadn't even prepared to defend their pack when dingo pups all over the forest were disappearing. They'd felt it was 'wrong' to use advantages like battle claws or iron in a fight to save themselves. No, he hadn't been saved by his ever so 'loving' family. He'd been damned by them. Cursed for one miserable year to have his mind rot as they pressed their ideals onto him. It had a been a pleasure to throw the little Soren into the ravine for Kludd's initiation ceremony into the Pure Ones. It had been an even greater pleasure when Kludd had returned to his birth place, finding his parents and younger sister and ripping them limb from limb until they begged for death...
Still. The dog had a point. Kludd wouldn't be the dingo he was today without Nyra. He would never had found the Pure Ones, never have become the High Tyto, nor ever have earned the hideous mask, the symbol of both his power and his hatred. Yet to do the same for someone completely unrelated to him? Nyra had formed a relationship with him to make him strong. He hadn't grown closely to her until it'd been many moons after he'd joined the pack. A relationship had been formed with her. Not with this pup. Not with anyone else. Why should he care about a worthless pup that had found his way to him by total accident? Comparing someone like that to the one dingo that had been his savior from a family of imbeciles? Comparing an unknown pup to his beloved mate, Nyra? It was almost insulting.
"My my, we certainly have some highly set ideals, don't we?" Kludd replied tartly. "So I am a hypocrite to not care for someone I've never met. Don't rank a life for a life, my naive companion. Would you rank the life of your subordinate at the same level of a pup's life you've never seen before?" He looked from Ling to Ranfan and back. "Would you have her die trying to save him? Your princely ideals are charming, yes, but they don't impress everyone. Namely me. Especially out in a desert where much stronger beings than either of us have died pointlessly."
Just as the words left Kludd's mouth, the air started to pick up again and send sand flying in every direction. He coughed as the sand buffeted him and the others, eyes beginning to water. He barely caught what Haz had said and it was several minutes after the minor sand storm had ended before he replied. Spitting the foul sand from his tongue, Kludd gazed back to the little animal. Leaning on Ling, he seemed reluctant to continue speaking to the masked beast. Understandable. Kludd was not one to be described as a great conversationalist. Still, it was disappointing. Maybe he'd been hoping the little thing wouldn't be as weak as he appeared. Maybe that he would've been fierce and demanding. But no, Kludd realized at that point why Haz disgusted him so much. He reminded him of a younger version of his brother, Soren--someone who Metal Fang hated with such passion that he would stop at nothing until the Hoolian was ripped in half.
Still...it would not do well for him to have his anger overtake him again. Kludd heaved a sigh and regained control of the fury that had been threatening to overflow. "Do not mock me young'un," he said quietly. "I do not care for you as you already know. And I certainly do not care for anyone assisting me when I do not need to be assisted. Just calm your breathing until it's even. Talking will only worsen it when the sand gets into your sick lungs." At least, Kludd assumed the pup was sick. He shouldn't be breathing that badly, even if he was a pup. More weakness.
Metal Fang turned back to the other dog. The Black Reaper or Hei or whatever he decided to call himself. He didn't like him. He didn't know whether it was instinct or simple wariness, but Kludd couldn't help but narrow his eyes distrustfully. It didn't help when Hei's words suggested that he felt superior to the strong warrior--and felt superior on every level at that. Kludd dug his battle claws into the sand. So there was a river somewhere in this forsaken desert. Interesting. And the dog believed they would find abundant prey around it. He obviously hadn't taken into account how long it would take to find such a river or how much energy would be necessary to kill the prey before it escaped. In this heat, Kludd knew they would not last long enough to make side track journeys in search of a river they only might find or waste energy searching for food they only might catch. There was always the chance that they'd die before they found either--and in this desert, it wouldn't be long before that happened.
'Stuck with a dog suffering from a huge superiority complex, an idealist, his subordinate, and a weak pup in the middle of a blazing desert. Really, what would Nyra say at me having fallen so low in company value?' Kludd grunted and waited for Ling to respond to Hei. At this point he didn't care what they did. All he wanted was out of this place and back on track for finding the Hoolians.
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Post by shadow on Mar 26, 2010 12:10:03 GMT -5
"My my, we certainly have some highly set ideals, don't we?" Kludd replied tartly, sending waves of anger through Ling's spine and causing his fur to ruff up. "So I am a hypocrite to not care for someone I've never met. Don't rank a life for a life, my naive companion. Would you rank the life of your subordinate at the same level of a pup's life you've never seen before?" Ling looked over his shoulder at Ranfan briefly. She made no motion, no comment, and with her mask covering her face, there was no emotion in her eyes. He had to admit, Kludd made a point. He would risk everything he had for Ranfan.... but he would also do the same for Inuhazure if he felt it was right. "Would you have her die trying to save him? Your princely ideals are charming, yes, but they don't impress everyone. Namely me. Especially out in a desert where much stronger beings than either of us have died pointlessly."
"You're a fool!" Ling Yao spat immediately. "You know nothing about me and my ideals! How dare you undermine my abilities and my will! I would save this dog if he needed help! The fact that you are too stupid to understand compassion not only makes me pity you, but makes you yourself weaker.... I guarantee, if you fought me right now, I'd be the victor!" His voice grew deeper, more venomous, and certainly held a different kind of being within it as his voice grew louder during his speech. Ling was losing himself to the heat of the sun and the heat of his rage. It would't be long now....
“I’m sorry f-for ca-causing trouble, sir, I-if there’s anything I c-can do….” Haz stuttered to the dingo. Ling nudged the younger dog with his shoulder as a warning and as a sign to not show Kludd any more reasons to think he was weak. Later, if there was a later, Prince Ling would try to bring the young Haz's confidence up with whatever words he could, but for now, Metal Fang was a threat.... and a threat that Ling wanted to eliminate badly. Ling's blood was boiling with determination and the will to fight now. The Prince didn't even register that Hei spoke of water and prey some ways off from here... his intent was clear. One more snap out of Kludd, and blood would be shed on the sand.
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Post by Kyouran on Mar 27, 2010 9:46:37 GMT -5
Haz backed away some as all four of other canines seemed ready to start a fight at any moment. The tension in the air made it even harder to breath in, and he closed his eyes for a moment, as to avoid sand getting into them as well. It was all wrong, everything was spinning out of control. The situation he found himself in reminded the pup so much of that minor sand storm that made him cough painfully. The dark dog, now named Hei, stood between him and Kludd, and Haz knew he was ready to attack or defend himself at any moment if necessary. The grayish one he thought was called Prince Yao, for that's how his follower addressed him, was obviously loosing his patience and the intent to punish the stranger for his words was almost visible to Inuhazure. The conversation was picking up, and at the mention of a river and food, the mutt paid attention to the feelings of thirst and hunger for the first time. Somewhere along the way, with everything that was going on, he had completely forgotten why he was in such a bad shape in the first place. Yes, hunger was definitely something that was bothering the youngster, for his stomach had been empty for a few days already, and this heat combined with the sand that worsened his sickness didn't help one bit. And water? Yeah... the sound of that was nice, and Haz was immediately fully aware of how dry his throat had got. But now, apparently, wasn't the time for fantasies about these kinds of things or wishing the world was a better place. Inuhazure felt greatly responsible for how the things turned out, and Ling's warning told him it would be of no use to apologize to the masked stranger. But was there anything he could do to help, then? To fight, he could not, and to walk away he knew would be a bad idea. It would assure Kludd he was a coward, and anyway, there was no chance he'd be able to survive on his own out here. "What in the world made me come to this God forsaken land?" Taking a breath as deep as he could, careful not to drag in the grains of sand as well, he gathered that little of courage and determination he had and moved away from Ling's leg. Standing on his own was easier now that his lungs stopped burning from the lack of oxygen, and after a few insecure steps Haz found himself in front of the dingo, Hei behind him. The pup might have been young and inexperienced in these kinds of situations, but he surely wasn't stupid. The fact Kludd despised weak beings was clear to him, and if proving him wrong would help stop any possible fights, then Haz would swallow his fears and do what he could. The blue eyes were narrowed as a gust of wind lifted the sand, but even so, determination could be seen in them, pushing back the little voice in his head telling him this was a mistake. "It seems you, sir, do not approve of me. I am well aware of that, and the fact you care not about me isn't surprising. Strong should protect the ones weaker than themselves, but that is rarely the case, you are the prof for my words. Even so, I cannot make my body into something it's not supposed to be. Now, I understand there are some things here that we all have different opinions on, but in a place like this fighting is just going to worsen our position." By this point, Haz looked much more confident than he really felt. The words he spoke were something he thought about often, but it was the first time for him to actually tell someone stronger than him a thing like that. His wish to prove Kludd he wasn't a weakling, at least not in spirit, made his voice loud and surprisingly clear, considering the condition of his lungs and throat, and he stood steadily with his head raised. Inuhazure just begged whatever higher power there was not to let the dingo notice the glint of doubt in his eyes. "So I'm asking of you to stop arguing, for the desert is merciless as it is." As these words left his maw, the urge to hide behind Hei became strong, and the feeling of fear returned full force. But Haz never moved an inch, realizing if he backed away now all he had said would be useless, he would just make an even bigger fool out of himself. He tensed, watching intently for some kind of reaction, expecting the strong jaws of Kludd to clasp around his neck any second. "What in the world am I doing? I just sentenced myself to death...."
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Post by Possk on Mar 28, 2010 0:27:00 GMT -5
Kludd blinked at the fierceness of the prince's words. A fool was he? How amusing...many lesser dogs had said the exact thing, yet had they overpowered him? Not yet at least. And none would best him until he had accomplished his goal. Not Ling, not Hei, not anyone. Dimly Kludd reflected that once Soren was dead, he would have no true purpose to make his life meaningful. Nyra was dead, the Pure Ones had long since disbanded. Really, what a shame. To have nothing to turn to after all he had been through. Still, it was something to worry about at a later time. There were other matters to attend to, matters much less worthy of his time.
"Hoo hoo, it seems I've touched a nerve," Kludd said, tilting his head slightly to the left. "You may want to come up with better insults than just 'my lack of compassion will be my downfall'. You're not the first to come up with it, nor will you be the last. I could say the same for your ideals, really. Simply switched around, your ideals will be your downfall." Metal Fang's eyes gleamed from behind the iron mask. "How many followers have you lost by following your precious ideals? How many friends lost to your selfish greed? Really, you look at me as if I'm the monster but have you ever thought about your own actions? And you would be the victor. Hm. I beg to differ. You tell me not to undermine your will, but you should be more concerned with underestimating my abilities."
Kludd felt unease at the sudden change in Ling's voice however. It didn't seem like the prince he'd encountered, asking him what was wrong with the pup minutes before. Rather the voice seemed deeper, more venomous and more powerful, waiting to claw its way to surface once Ling's concentration broke. 'I'll have to keep my guard up,' the scarred dingo thought as he peered into Ling's eyes. His subordinate seemed motionless as ever, but if she was loyal enough to follow her leader through a desert such as this, most likely she would attack him as well if Ling gave the command. 'Which will make the fight end much faster. Really, idealists are so easy to manipulate. The kind in general are.'
Kludd sighed and turned his attention to Hei. Ignoring the two Xingese warriors (even falling to a sitting position as if he were getting ready for a nice, freshly caught meal clearly void of hostile company) he stared down the masked assassin. "White Mask-sama," Kludd started, not acknowledging the dog's real name. "You said you knew of a river here. Kindly tell our aggravated 'friend' where to find it if he's so willing to help the pup. 'Heroes' will never rest until a good deed is performed to perhaps ease the terribleness of our cruel world after all." The dingo rolled his eyes as sarcasm seemingly dripped off his tongue. He'd never been fond of the heroes in the legends his father had used to tell. They'd been morally boosting, yes, but that was all they were. They were all as unrealistic as the last, the weak defeating the strong, and the strong defeating the wicked. Every tale, every legend, ended with a happy ending. But Kludd knew from experience that there were no happy endings in life. The old High Tyto had not been given a happy ending, nor had Kludd's parents, nor anyone that had come into contact with Kludd. 'Only fools can believe in such a silly concept of 'true happiness',' he thought darkly.
"But how is that you can tell me where a river is if you can't even see my own paws?" Metal Fang narrowed his eyes. The dog wore a mask like himself, but there were no eye holes for him. No way to tell his surroundings. Yet he seemed to know exactly where he was and where everything around him was. "Is your mask transparent so you can see us, or are you some 'specially gifted' hound?" Kludd stood up again. Though he doubted it, Hei could very well be one of those 'sensing' animals he'd heard so much about. He didn't like that possibility.
"It seems you, sir, do not approve of me." The pup again? Kludd looked down at the little scrap. Haz gave a mini speech filled with more confidence than he had had before. But yet again, it was nothing to impress Kludd. Instead he felt himself more inclined to yawn than feel interested in this conversation. When Haz had finished, the High Tyto merely stretched.
"What now, our little pup is growing up. A prodigy isn't he? Maturing into the feebleness of his 'protectors'. Pup, if you would take care to notice, I am not arguing. I state facts and I state reasons, but I have yet to argue with the ones you stand beside. I never once said anything against finding water or food. I never once told your protectors they were flat out wrong. I only pointed out things about them. If they chose to take it personally, it's their problem."
Though Kludd had his head down, he kept a keen eye on Ling, Ranfan, and Hei. No doubt that would be the final straw to their erupting fury. And when they decided to challenge them, he would meet them with full force.
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Post by ★Ryuujin★ on Mar 28, 2010 2:35:40 GMT -5
If Hei weren't wearing his mask or had his eyes closed (for use of the minds eye) under it, he would have rolled his eyes about this whole situation. Instead, he settled for a subtle shake of his head. The bout seemed to be one insult after another, aimed to do nothing but dig at the other. It would get them, and everyone else at this seemingly fateful meeting absolutely nowhere. They were in the middle of a desert for hell's sake, and here they were, wasting their energy on a pitiful argument.
But, he wouldn't be left out of it, as it seemed, as the mocking voice of the dingo addressed him yet again, using the same formality made quite... informal.
"White Mask-sama, you said you knew of a river here. Kindly tell our aggravated 'friend' where to find it if he's so willing to help the pup. 'Heroes' will never rest until a good deed is performed to perhaps ease the terribleness of our cruel world after all."
Turning his head to face Kludd once again, Hei found himself acting oddly aloof, his tone holding a teasing, almost playful edge to it, yet, the words dripped like molasses with sarcasm. "Of course I can, I wouldn't have suggested it if I couldn't." Falling still, Hei focused, expanding his minds eye as far as it could go. He searched each inch of the barren land he could, and at last, found signs of the water at the very edge toward the north. Closing the minds eye back down, he tilted his head toward Ling and Ranfan, stating his word simply. "North."
"But how is that you can tell me where a river is if you can't even see my own paws? Is your mask transparent so you can see us, or are you some 'specially gifted' hound?"
Ears twitched as Hei once again shifted his attention back to the egotistical dingo, under his mask, a smirk formed on his maw. That was right, he had no eye holes, nor was it transparent. 'Specially gifted' was indeed as close as Kludd would get, Hei didn't know about gifted though. Carefully, he made his way over to the dingo, circling him as he spoke, head tilted inward so it appeared that he were looking at the smaller canine. "Of course I can see your paws." Hei stopped at Kludd's side and tapped one of his forepaws with his own.
"Don't be stupid, I'm not blind, nor will I ever be." He spoke carefully as he made his way back to the small group, the pup stepping forward now, making a motion like he wished to speak. And speak he certainly did.
"So I'm asking of you to stop arguing, for the desert is merciless as it is."
Hei came to a stop next to the small pup, his minds eye picking up the dogs insecurity with the words. Lowering his muzzle next to Haz's ear, Hei whispered so that only Haz heard him, and Haz alone. "If you dont have the confidence to back up your words, dont open your maw, especially around this one. Your courage is strong, but his ego is stronger." Once again standing in front of the group, Hei turned and looked at Kludd once again as if nothing had happened, a smirk still playing on his maw, hidden by the white of his mask.
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Post by shadow on Apr 5, 2010 10:09:06 GMT -5
"Hoo hoo, it seems I've touched a nerve," Kludd said, tilting his head and causing another snarl of fury to escape Ling's maw. "You may want to come up with better insults than just 'my lack of compassion will be my downfall'. You're not the first to come up with it, nor will you be the last. I could say the same for your ideals, really. Simply switched around, your ideals will be your downfall." Prince Yao's eyes widened at this; never once had he thought about it the other way. Failing? He'd never considered the option. His ideals being his downfall? Was that really possible? "How many followers have you lost by following your precious ideals? How many friends lost to your selfish greed? Really, you look at me as if I'm the monster but have you ever thought about your own actions? And you would be the victor. Hm. I beg to differ. You tell me not to undermine your will, but you should be more concerned with underestimating my abilities."
Ling froze to one spot, his mind lost in turmoil and thought. Failure? No, it was not an option. He refused to accept it as the outcome. Denial was the first step in making something true. Once you believed a lie, it became a sort of truth, and that was what Ling intended to do, even if it cost him his life. However, one other thing that Kludd had said struck him; how many followers he'd lost.... well, only so far... Fu; but what if his selfishness really did cause the downfall of the rest of his friends? His mind flashed to Mustang and Edward, and then he turned his head slightly to look at Ranfan. What if they died? What if she died? Would he be able to live with himself? His mind continued to wander in such a manner as the others spoke. None of the pup's words or Hei's words made any difference to Ling right then, though, Ranfan did say something, as if in agreement, and it was finally then that the Prince snapped out of it.
"Hey you masked bastard," he said lowly to Kludd. "You miscalculated a part of me, and a deep part of me at that. You called me selfish and greedy as an insult, but in truth, I am Greed. I am the sin that wants everything, and will do anything to achieve it, even at the cost of my own life. That is why none have killed me," he paused, looking back at Hei for only a moment before continuing. "And it is also why I will never give up on my ideals. I dare you to challenge me now. Come on, I'm itching for a fight now. You got my inner demon's blood boiling...."
And with that, Ling Yao lost himself. He broke off into a psychotic laugh, his maw raised towards the sun in sheer delight. When he finally composed himself, his entire demeanor was different. He wasn't the same Prince as before. When he'd told Kludd that he was Greed, he was not lying. His alter ego had taken over, and there was no stopping the fight now. Tension rose so fast in the heat that it was hard to tell where the blazing was coming from; Greed and Kludd or the desert sun. Greed smirked, his teeth making a vile smile up to his ears, and mocked: "Come on now you ugly old fool. Let's see if you can break the ultimate shield that is my will."
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Post by Possk on Apr 8, 2010 16:11:43 GMT -5
With the wind picking up, Kludd flattened his blackened ears against his head. It wouldn't be wise to stay in this desert much longer, fight or no fight; if a sandstorm came their way, it wouldn't matter. Standing up, he contemplated a way to perhaps negotiate with Hei--grudgingly, of course; this dog still annoyed him--and it took a few moments to realize where the dog had gone. Then he felt a pelt brush against his and immediately swung his head to the right. While Kludd had been lost in insulting the pup, Hei had encircled him, an air of amusement about him as clear as the light of day.
"What do you think you're--" Kludd started, but Hei quickly jabbed at his paw. While Kludd made no movement other than a sharp glare towards the dog, the fur on his spine bristled. "Don't be stupid. I'm not blind, nor will I ever be." Hei said smoothly, dipping down towards the pup, whispered something in his ear, and retreated back to his place next to Ling. He seemed smug, as if he delighted himself in with holding knowledge from the scarred dingo. 'Cocky fool.'
"Well, if you're all through with playing games," Kludd grunted, allowing himself to calm down enough to have his fur lie flat once more, "shouldn't you be on your way North then? You were the one so interested in going out of your way to protect your newly made friend. I have no further business with a dog too afraid to even show his face." The metal mask was a dull reminder that Kludd would not be able to show his face either--however, that was something he could not control. Humans had attached it to him, making it impossible to move it from his skin whether he wanted to or not. Though, by all accounts, Kludd would not want anyone to see it anyways. Torn off once, burned another, Kludd was in no hurry to see what he had become after years of being known as 'High Tyto'. "I'm going west, where I was going originally before this mismatched club decided to form." Metal Fang took a step backwards, readying himself to turn, when Ling began to speak. 'Finally.' So the dog wasn't as cowardly as his ideals suggested.
Kludd turned back to the Prince, taking a seat on the soft sand as he listened. When the dog's speech was over, Kludd closed his eyes and perked his ears up. So, the dog had finally named himself. Greed, the greediest of them all and willing to achieve his goals by any means necessary. Amusing, really. Greed, the best of friends and the worst of enemies, all stored inside a dog with the foolish ideals of a child. How interesting. The dog that faced him now was different than the ruffled one that had only minutes before declared him stupid and weak. Two personalities inside one body? Absurd. 'This country offers a great deal of curious things,' Kludd mused, blinking his eyes open finally.
"Hmm, Greed is it?" Metal Fang yawned, taking his time to stretch slowly before rising to his paws. "Obviously none have killed you, or else you'd be long buried in the ground. Please don't waste time by stating the obvious. We're in a desert, you see, where every second counts. If you're so willing to achieve anything, my guess would be that you're itching to kill me, aren't you? Disgustingly enough, that sounds like something I would say. The only way to becoming something in this world is doing things without fears of the consequences after all." He flicked his tail to brush against the warm metal of his mask. Yes, nothing could be achieved if one feared what would only happen afterward. Only false victories through meaningless effort.
"So you're the ultimate shield are you? Alright then. If you're the ultimate shield, then I suppose that makes me the ultimate lance. Let's see if your will can match mine." Kludd paused for a moment, then immediately sprang forward, landing only a paw step away from Ling's face. "Are you sure you're not going to regret this, Greed?" Without waiting for an answer, he swung a paw into the sand and flung the dust upwards, straight towards the Prince's eyes. "Lesson one: Never allow your enemy to strike first."
(*brutally murders crappy post*)
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