Zombie Lovin'
he was likely sorely disappointed to find nothing in the pen save a bit of blood and hair... SOMETHING had come by and snatched what ever had been in it, but what ever the culprit, it had left no obvious trace of its own identity. a shadow did fall over him at one point though... so silently he likely didn't even notice until there was a hot gust of air against his back. it was astounding how silently the giant she wolf could move, and though she easily could have plucked the pigs from the pen, she'd not have done so without leaving telltale fur behind on the fence when she leaned over. she sniffed at him, probably drawn by the smell of the food he'd been cooking, but upon deciding him inedible she turned her attention away. she paced off a short ways... about three steps for her, though likely a good twenty for him, and bent her head to sniff at something abandoned amongst the leaves
He looked at the pen quietly, examining it. He nearly jumped when the she wolf sniffed him, then followed her over. Something abadoned could have been remains, or some sort of trace about what ate their meal.
her fur bristled along her nape, hackles raised as she gave a low growl. he needed only take a look to know why... the object was an abandoned bear trap... what ever animal had gotten caught in it had managed to pry it loose from the ground and walk with it for quite some ways before it had obviously been caught and the broken trap had been abandoned... poachers... very likely they had followed the animal and, upon coming across the live trap, stole the pigs as well. he'd seen and removed plenty enough arrows from her hide to know her reason for despising them
He felt a snarl of rage build and escape his throat as he walked over, picking up the discarded trap. With out a single word, he crushed the trap like a empty pop can. "Scarecrow...I know you can hear me. We've got poachers. While your out walking, watch out for bear traps." He spoke calmly with both his voice and his mind, knowing his mentor would hear him.
who said i walk anywhere?
the airy breath said in his mind. the she wolf raised her head, scenting the air and listening carefully, then gave a growl and turned to stalk off through the trees. it didn't take much thought to guess she'd detected the intruders in her territory
"You do when your around me. I'd hate to see you appear beside me to talk, and accidentally step on a bear trap one of these bastards laid out. We already have one man down with a leg injury, I don't want to see another go down." He said quietly, looking at the crumpled up piece of metal. He thought about it for a moment, then using his abilities, his insane strength mostly, he molded it into kind of a crude spear point, thinking it'd be better that way. For fishing, and for killing any boars.
"we should warn Eve. she could be injured by one, and she's much harder to take to a hospital" he murmured absently in response in the man's mind. the she wolf though was already almost out of sight, off on the trail of these intruders to try and chase them from her land. if she was lucky, boars and trapped animals were all they were prepared to take on... if she was unlucky, she'd be taken as one of their prizes herself
"She found the first one, already broken." He whispered quietly, before he took off after her, knowing that she might need a hand. He held onto the crude spear tip as he went, a growing anger inside him. He'd lived here for only a few days, but had fallen in love with the grove. He understood that he had to be careful here, because of the balance of nature. Not just with the animals, but the demons in hiding. If someone was poaching here, it could throw everything out of wack. And if they were strong enough, they might cause serious harm to Eve. He knew the great wolf could protect herself...but a little help now and then didn't hurt.
it was easy to tell when she was getting close, as she removed her nose from the ground, raising her head instead to sniff the air rather then the trail. she sped up as the light of a fire appeared through the tree line and underbrush. she jumped clear of the trees, landing in the clearing where the men had chosen to set up their camp. several cages held animals taken alive, while other carcasses were already strung up and skinned. some of the animals in cages were most definitely demons, some of them having already shifted and stuck their fingers through the bars trying to free themselves, to which the men threatened to cut them off. the she wolf landed in the middle of the camp, sliding to a stop and knocking over two posts of one of the tents, the sleeping poachers inside cursing as the tent collapsed on them. those that were still awake rose, taking up their guns. the wolf was already upon one of them though, snatching him up in her jaws and flung him into another of the poachers emerging from the ruined tent
Damien landed in the midst of the carnage, having let his false apperance fall from him as they made their way there. His wings and horns gleamed in the fire light as he charged one of the poachers, impaling him like a bull before throwing him over himself with a quick jerk of his head. His eyes were colder then ever. "Eve...what would you say about leaving only one alive, to spread the warning of this place? Let him flee after hurting him just enough, for others to realize this place is protected?" He asked the wolf, staring at the cages, but also keeping an eye out for more poachers. He saw one coming at him, and punched him square in the chest, watching as his upper body disintigrated from the force he exterted. He made his way to some of the cages quickly, and crushed the locks, or pulled the doors off to free both animal and demon alike.
the creatures bolted, but Eve quickly spoiled his plan to leave one alive. one had recovered enough to grab a rifle, raising it as the wolf was tearing another of the poachers to shreds. he took aim and fired, the bullet cutting through the wolf's body. blood splattered the trees, the wolf's eyes flashing and she raised her back foot to deal him such a sharp kick he over turned one of the iron cages and broke his back against its corner.
Damien walked to the man quietly, and looked at him. "You stupid fucker." He growled, reaching down to the still breathing man. "You should have just accepted that you were going to be hurt and left alive. Now, I'm going to enjoy making you suffer." He said with a calm, almost cheerful grin...before he put a foot on the man's stomach, grabbed both arms, and ripped them off.
the wolf dropped the man she'd been mauling, panting heavily. blood stained her black coat and dripped from her nose and mouth. he tongue lulled out, and her pupils contracted to pinpoints... she made a noise as she sank to the ground and turned her head to try and lick the wound. it was just behind her front leg, right through the center of her rib cage... a lung shot
Damien walked to her, and started examining her. He could see the way she was hurt, and struggling to breath. "Fuck...Scarecrow, Eve's been shot. It hit her lung." He said quietly, trying to figure out what the hell to do.
it took only a few seconds for the man to appear... he walked towards them, gazing at the she wolf's injury
"i will have to call someone to mend her... but first i will have to shift her. take off your shirt... she'll need it" he commanded as he went to place his hand upon her head
"Eve... you must reclaim your human form... just for long enough for us to call your sons to this place to heal you. do you have the strength?" he asked her, and in response the she wolf closed her large eyes... her fur bristled along her nape as the breeze ruffled through it, then pulled it away, the fur and massive form melting away like ash in the breeze. the woman lay bare in the leaf litter, but this form was no less wild. her long black locks lay strewn about her, her eyes the same blazing red and her skin... oh what perfect pale porcelain that it was... though her black hair lay draped in such a way it nearly covered her bosom from sight, it did not conceal the blood which came pouring from the wound between her ribs with all the strength of Styx, nor temper the red hot furry with which it shown against her pallor
He nodded and took it off for her to use, and when she took human form, he gently wrapped it around her. He looked at her quietly and bit his lip. "You look beautiful Eve...as much in this form as your other." He said, gently putting preassure on the wound, trying to stop or at least slow the pumping. He wanted her to be safe...he wanted to help her at the very least. He held the wound, waiting quietly for her sons to arrive. He knew it would be quickly, but he didn';t think quick enough for his liking.
"stop hitting on my mother" he recognized the voice... they were there before the she wolf had even fully shifted. Malak came around one side of her, while the two other men he didn't recognize moved to the other, spreading out around her. Malak was obviously the eldest, while the youngest of them looked no older then perhaps sixteen.... he was not old enough to rule, so the middle child obviously had to be Ariel, the god of heaven. Scarecrow touched his shoulder and pulled him backwards out of their way. the three men bent, each placing a hand gently on her shoulder and focused their energy. it poured out into her body, a cocktail of the trios might combined into a physical, visible thing as it flowed over her like water. it poured into the wound and the injury burned away faster then the bullet could have made it... the energy washed over her body, healing every wound, every prick of a barb, ever scar from an arrow... mending her back to perfection. Malak and Ariel rose, while the youngest child removed his cloak, revealing glimmering silver armor beneath. he wrapped the garment around her as he helped her carefully to her feet
Damien moved back quietly and without word as he watched the trio work, quietly waiting. He didn't care if they addressed him or not, he didn't mind either way. He was just glad Eve was safe, so as they worked, he reverted to his disguise, waiting quietly for Scarecrow to let him know it was time to leave.
he didn't however... rather he waited for the two younger siblings to vanish, taking their mother with probably to be sure she'd be safe for a while, but Malak remained. he removed his hood with a sigh as he surveyed the camp
"i've been having trouble with these ones as of late. they come because of spreading stories about the giant she wolf... but the do not realize who she is"
Damien held the crude spear tip tighter. "They've been planting bear traps to...Eve found a broken one...I made it into this. They don't care if they're demon or animal...even those capable of taking human form...they threatened to cut off their fingers if they continued trying to open the locks. I wanted to leave one alive, hurt, so they could spread a warning, that this place was protected...he's the one that shot your mother." Damien said quietly, nodding at the man with the missing arms.
