The Days Draw Closer

[Ruedi]

Silently, a quiet Ruedi kept low to the ground, as a crawled forward, his eyes locked onto his prey. The deer kept it's head down as it grazed the land, it's long round ears swiveling to the distant sounds, and occasionally it's head would raise and check for any trouble. Luckily the male wolf was quiet enough to approach some more, undetected. His wounds were all healed up, but he was still slightly weak. Left, right, left, right; he approached some more, beginning to pant with anticipation. Suddenly a ferocious snarl had up roared and Ruedi attacked, his jaws locking around the does neck just as it began to launch off. He snarled, his blue eyes staring into the frightened animals eyes as it's breath began to become faint, it wobbling on it's feet as it slowly fell to the ground. Soon enough, the animal lay limp in Ruedi's fangs. He let go of the doe and gazed upon it's dead body, and smiled to himself.

Oh good, I am starving. Hopefully Riuk, Crag, and Kurl will join me in this meal. I bet they are just as hungry as I am... He thought to himself as he began eating, starting with the stomach first. He ate fast as if he were starving to death.

[Crag]

The small form of Crag walked through the grass. His injuries had healed. Now nothing, but scars beneath his black, shimmering fur. His nose twitched and his mouth watered at the scent of a fresh kill. He scoured the area with his green eyes. He spotted Ruedi eating a deer. He approached cautiously, to shy to ask if he could join, and nervously ripped off a strip of hide hoping the larger wolf wouldn't mind. He backed into the grass and lies down in the shadows. He began devouring his puny meal hungrily as his ears twitched, on the alert.He finished the hide strip and looked at the deer then at Reudi, pleadingly.

[Ruedi]

Ruedi's ears swiveled to the sound of his new friend, Crag, approaching, quite submissively and cautiously. He didn't understand why, maybe he was shy. He seen that he wanted to join in on the glorious meal, Ruedi just smiled and nodded and stepped aside for a moment so he could pull a strip of hide. It seemed that Crag was just as hungry as he was, it made him chuckle how he wolfed it down hungrily. Soon after the black wolf was finished, he looked to Ruedi, his eyes pleading for more. "Go on ahead, Crag, I won't bite" He told him as he went to the other side of the kill, laid there, and began eating from the back.

He stopped for a moment and looked to Crag. "Are you ready?" The gray wolf tried to start a conversation with him,"For the last battle?" He wasn't trying to make him nervous or anything, just making sure he was ready for what was coming. The days were drawing closer, and Ruedi was ready, he knew for sure and deep down that they were all going to finish off Ebony.

[Crag]

He smiled shyly and stepped forward as Ruedi walked to the other side of the deer. He began eating quickly and greedily. He had already eaten more than a wolf his size should have been able to by the time Ruedi asked: Are you ready for the last battle? He stopped eating and his eyes took on a far off look. A slight growl escaped his maw as he replied, "I'm ready... Ready to kill Lobo's murderer and also the murderer of many... I'm ready to kill the demon wolf!" His gaze returned to normal as his stomach growled. He dipped his head and began scarfing down more food. Flesh, hide, and all, nothing escaped the black whole that was his stomach. He snapped a small bone into smaller pieces and swallowed them whole after eating the marrow. After eating more than would seem possible for such a small wolf he began pacing in circles going faster and faster.

[Ruedi]

Ruedi rested his head on the neck of the deer, he's had his fill, as he continued to watch Crag enjoy the meal. He's never seen a wolf that hungry before, but he kept quiet. "Make sure you leave some for the others," he told him as he shook his coat. And soon came Crag's reply iI'm ready... Ready to kill Lobo's murderer and also the murderer of many... I'm ready to kill the demon wolf!

It's obvious that Crag was really close to this, 'Lobo' character. He was never going to forgive Ebony for what she's done, Ruedi didn't think anyone would. After his statement, Crag began to chow down once more, eating everything he could sink his jaws into. He began to pace in circles, and Ruedi was curious as to why. "Everything all right, Crag?" he questioned Crag.

[Crag]

He stopped circling, but continued to move his legs. "Yeah, I'm just moving. It's not a good idea to hold still after eating that much." his legs began to slow. "I think I've moved enough now though." He lied down in the warmth of the sun. He yawns and closes his eyes, but couldn't sleep. I looks up at Ruedi. "I'm nervous about fighting Ebony. What if not even the three of us together can kill her? What if she's too strong? What if we fail and let all the other wolves down? What if Ebony succeeds in taking over?" What ifs ran through his mind. He shook his head. "What would happen to every one?"

[Riuk]

Riuk hobbled into the clearing, her blue eyes gleaming. She seemed back to her normal, fun-loving self again, though beneath the surface she was just as worried as the rest. She didn't show that side however, because she wanted to make the others feel better, more comfortable. There was no use wallowing in something that was bound to happen. They should all at least enjoy the time they had before they faced the devil herself.

Riuk had wanted badly to join the others in their fight against Ebony, but they wouldn't allow it. She had healed, just like the others. The scars and scabbed flesh was proof of her body's mending, but her back leg had been permanently wounded and would forever be lame.

She stumbled up to the group, a small smile on her face despite the way she looked, one leg in the back doing all the work while the other was lifted slightly, stiffer and less flexible. Riuk padded up beside Ruedi, rubbing her head slightly along his shoulder in greeting. The two of them had grown quite close.

"Hello, boys." she trilled, her blue eyes darting from Ruedi to Crag and back again. "Mind if I join you? Kurl stayed behind to keep an eye on Kaan. He asked if we could bring something back for the both of them."

[Ruedi]

Crag began his 'what if' statements, and Ruedi's smile disappeared for about a moment as he looked at him with his calm blue eyes. "No need to think like that Crag, I'm sure we'll take her down. We've wounded her good enough to the fact that makes me confident that we will take her down for good." Ruedi looked to the grassy plains, hearing another wolf approach. It was Riuk, and his heart skipped a beat with joy. He was happy to see that she was alright...but her leg...it seemed to be useless and painful. There he felt bad and a slight pinch of angry poked at his heart. That Blunt did this to her, and he could only have his revenge on Ebony. Riuk rubbed along Ruedi's shoulder in greeting, and he smiled brightly.

Hello,boys Mind if I join you? Kurl stayed behind to keep an eye on Kaan. He asked if we could bring something back for the both of them.

"Morning Riuk, I see you're feeling better," he replied to Riuk, "Sure join on in, there's enough for everyone, good thing Crag left you some" He gave a small laugh, just to enlighten the mood. He didn't understand why they had to bring something back for Kaan, but everyone has to eat, so he didn't mind.

[Crag]

"No need to think like that Crag, I'm sure we'll take her down. We've wounded her good enough to the fact that makes me confident that we will take her down for good" Ruedi said. Crag nodded. "You're right. Besides I don't want to make everyone worried. It's just that I'm so much smaller than her, and, I'm not sure if you noticed, but I hardly did any damage to her."

Riuk came onto the scene and asked if she could join "Sure join on in, there's enough for everyone, good thing Crag left you
some." Crag smiled bashfully. "And I'm still hungry to."

As he finished saying this a grasshopper landed right in front of his nose. He slowly opened his mouth then lashed out, catching the insect. He swallowed the thing whole and began searching for more with his nose to the ground.

[Riuk]

"MorningRiuk, I see you're feeling better," Ruedi said with a bright smile. Riuk grinned right on back. "Sure join on in, there's enough for everyone, good thing Crag left you some" he said with a short chuckle. Riuk gave Crag a small smile as he replied.

"And I'm still hungry to." He then ate a grasshopper, and then searched among the forest floor for more. Riuk frowned.

"Crag, if you are still hungry, then go ahead and eat more. My stomach doesn't hold as much as you males anyway." she offered. She was the self-sacrificing kind of wolf. She would let everyone else eat their fill, even if it meant that she would have none. Riuk sat down on the ground so that she could rest her legs.

[Ruedi]

Crag, if you are still hungry, then go ahead and eat more. My stomach doesn't hold as much as you males anyway.

Riuk was truly a kind wolf, sacrificing her food for Crag, not worrying about not get any, it just made him smile. He watched her sit, resting her forever injured leg. "Riuk, does that hurt?" Ruedi asked her with sorrow in his eyes. He stood up and sat next to Riuk, his head cocked and one ear flattened against his head. Ruedi felt bad that she was hurt, basically because that Blunt character had gotten to her, and he wasn't there to stop him. "I'm sorry," Those were the only words that had exited his maw, he didn't know what else to say. Not only that, but like everyone else, he was worried for what was coming. What seemed and promised to be their last battle. He didn't know who was going to win, but he had high hopes, and he knew deep down with four wolves, they would all take down ebony and rip her to shreds.

[Crag]

"Crag, if you are still hungry, then go ahead and eat more. My stomach doesn't hold as much as you males anyway."

He turns around and, after swallowing the three crickets in his mouth he says, "No, that's okay, Riuk. You need the food more. And beside, I can fill up on insects." With that he flipped a rock and gasped. He picked up a large earthworm and swallowed it. After that he lied down in the shade and closed his eyes. "Now, I'm going to get some rest. I don't want to fall asleep in the middle of the big fight."

[Riuk]

"No, that's okay, Riuk. You need the food more. And beside, I can fill up on insects." he replied, busying himself with finding more bugs. Riuk smiled and nodded. She looked to the carcass before her and remembered the two wolves back at the caverns. She would tear off a leg or two to take back for them. She stood a bit, balancing herself as she ripped one leg after the other, and putting them in a pile off to the side.

"Riuk, does that hurt?" She looked to Ruedi, her eyes soft. She wasn't going to lie, especially to him.

"It's a bit sore," she said, moving it slightly. "But it's okay. You don't have to worry about me." she smiled, licking his chin.

"I'm sorry," he murmured, and Riuk certainly could see the emotion in his eyes when he said so. Riuk swallowed loudly and shook her head.

"Let's not dwell on this, alright? I'm alive and happy. And soon, everyone will be once you take down Ebony." and she knew that they would.

"Now, I'm going to get some rest. I don't want to fall asleep in the middle of the big fight." Crag said. Riuk turned to him and nodded. They all needed as much rest as they could get.

[Ruedi]

Ruedi smiled as Riuk had licked his chin when she had replied. Let's not dwell on this, alright? I'm alive and happy. And soon, everyone will be once you take down Ebony. He nodded glad she was happy. He laid down once more, curling up into a ball. After such a meal, he was feeling a bit drowsy, and he had agreed with Crag. They had to be awake to take down Ebony once and for all, and he wanted to be prepared. Suddenly, all of the what if questions had echoed in his head, but they weren't going to drown his spirits, they were going to take down that hell-hound and put send her there as well. To be honest, he was quite excited. Now all that was left was to dream. Dream of the peace that was soon to kiss the breeze of the pack lands.

[Kismet]

FINISHED