Like the Wind [open]

[QUIRKY TEA !]

Latch | Kory

Latch grinned as he looked at the fresh, green meadow. It was a place that trees hadn't touched, that was flat and free, and perfect for running upon. He wasn't a sighthound, but had some in his lineage. His ancestors feeding into the idea of a band of dogs, fleet of foot, sharp and keen, and with good substance behind them. Oh, and a touch of crazy behind all of that breeding. His past was checkered with the sheer drive and tenacity given to him by the insane collies that had turned on their own sheep back when dogs still belonged to men. He was a wiry dog, though his jaunty gait was affected slightly by the limp on his front right paw—missing the outer toe. Things happen when you run around with nothing more than family and renegades.

But now he was an Alpha of a pack. And it was a perfect fit. The setting: the farmland, was a callback to his rural roots. His happy-go-lucky, roll-with-the-punches attitude served as the best distraction from the monster that lurked underneath everything. Bloodlust and insanity had carved his niche in the world. The black dog was a creature born of violence, hardship, and the cruel wit of nature. His nonchalance was merely his way of containing it all.

In these days, only Kory, his soul, knew the monster he was. And she loved it. Danger lent itself a certain electricity in the atmosphere and the blue jay remained chipper as long as there was risk. Like Latch, she grew bored when everything happened that was supposed to. Perhaps that was why she let him rule with such lax authority.

Most packs would have leaders who were more involved in the affairs of the pack and of the relationships between the packs. But, the fact was that Appalachian didn't really care if disaster would fall. Well, that would be a beautiful war and such great fun. He didn't care if the world stayed right. Because that meant his pack was happy and they'd love him. Dogs trespassing, taking prey from their land didn't matter to him because he'd steal right back at them.

"Latch," Kory said. "I'll race you." She flew from her favorite perch on the top of his head.

He smiled. "Then, I'll sure as heck beat you." He ran, eyes up, following the Blue Jay that flew in front of him. Soon, the black shape that darted through the feral pasture that had become a plain caught up and ran underneath the bird. Rotted fence posts remained at some parts on the perimeter, but most of the fence had long disappeared. The trees provided a natural boundary and, of course, a natural finish line.

His soul blue against a sky so that she was invisible, Latch followed her mostly with his nose. A scent of sky and himself all mixed together.

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[atrb=background,http://i437.photobucket.com/albums/qq95/amanda1472/at2.png] Anastasia quiely padded around the edges of her territory, humming to herself quietly. Her falcon was flying overhead, watching every step she took with caution. Anastasia rolled her eyes. What a freak...Terra was so over protective. She padded around more and more, becoming more and more curious as she went. Anastasia then came upon a funny smell of another dog. One that had something by his or her side. Anastasia and Terra made their way past the boundries of her current pack, Anastasia hoping to find some adventure, but Terra...not so much. The large Auskie jumped when she heard footsteps coming her way, and her body pricked up and ears and tail alert, muscles tense.

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[QUIRKY TEA !]

His feet carried him quickly. As birds go, Corvids tended to be rather slow fliers. They didn't need speed in the wild. They were also one of the most intelligent of all animals. Tool usage, mimicry, and all manner of goodies meant that speed didn't matter. Kory, overhead, flapped quickly, but even so, Latch still managed to win out in the end. He crossed into the tree line, into the forest that had been trimmed back away from the pasture and never dared to reclaim what once belonged to it.

"I win," Latch said as Kory caught up, hopping down branches in a flurry of blue.

She huffed. "Yeah, yeah, now get yourself a trophy or something." She finally landed on her perch on top of Latch's head.

"Hell, Korr, don't be such a stinker." He grinned at the blue and white bird on his head. He started walking with her, deeper into the wood lot. "See, this is just one contest out of a million. It don't matter if you lose a couple."

His nose twitched. He smelled a dog. Kory felt Latch tense up only slightly. It wasn't tenseness from the tightening of muscles, raring to go, being on alert, adrenaline blushing through his system, making him run hot. No. He was just ready to meet the other dog.

The Alpha of Hlengiwe had grown up in a loose band of dogs that could best be described as gypsies. And, for the most part, that was what they called themselves. Pricking his half-flopped ears, Latch invited the dog to materialize from the trees. Her merle pattern had broken up her shape, hiding her in the dapples of sunshine that shone through the forest. "Yoo-hoo, come out, come out, wherever you are."

He carried himself like he thought himself a champion. Cocksure and ready for action. A slight spring in his step just because he knew his place in the world—that of a leader. The dark dog himself was hard to make out when he moved through the shadows, walking close to trees.

The moment before meeting a dog, this moment before he could say hi and fall in love with whoever would show up, lent itself to the rising of the pressure from the instincts that he had buried deep in his merry fashion. A flaw in temperament, passed down from generation to generation. His lineage was marked by insanity. And in this moment, as he waited for the dog to show herself, he could feel like he was on the hunt and almost taste her blood in his mouth.

Show up before I have to kill you... Goddamn it just show up...

He wasn't thinking up threats. It was more of a plea. He didn't want to be a monster. Kory felt the electric of her Latch's thoughts. The evil rising up from a deep place in him. From in her. A tug toward the dark side, a keen desire for bloodshed. She shared it, too.

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No worries :3 Latch won't hurt your doggy. He's just crazy, like the rest of his siblings.

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[atrb=background,http://i437.photobucket.com/albums/qq95/amanda1472/at2.png] Anastasia stood dead still. Frozen. Terra, who was flying above her head, had to turn around and land on the ground beside her. "What is it, Anastasia?" the bird questioned curiously. Anastasia's ears twitched and swiveled around to the front. Her tail dropped behind her legs, showing she was a dominant, and her body grew tense. Her tail never went between her legs, she would never he submissive. In their dreams. "Shush Terra! Someone is coming."

[/color] she hissed, ears turning back and muscles getting awkwardly tensed.

When she heard a male voice, her eyes darted quickly all over her area of where she stood, getting ready for the worst. The smaller female was as stubborn as an ass, and refi Arlen not the easiest to get along with, especially if you were another female. Anastasia growled, her haunches rising and lip curling. "Show yourself!" [/color] she snarled loudly, watching Terea cover her ears. Or, ear holes actually.

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No problem. She's probably had enough bloodshed to where she's used to it. ;3
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Latch emerged from the brush, just in the nick of time. The rising tension of the moment almost put him over the edge. There was still a sense of that hunger that lingered in his mind, the one that wanted to hunt another dog, but he overwhelmed it with his friendly demeanor, forcing himself to love every dog that came by just so that whatever weak sense of morality he had could stop him from killing them.

However, this female wasn't doing herself any favors in making her more attractive to him. She was snarling, lip curled, and hackles up like a sail-fish. He tilted his head. "Now, ain't that just the rudest thing you ever did see?" Latch said, his accent amplifying his utter amazement about this dog's reaction.

"You knock on your neighbor's door, don't be upset when he answers," the black dog said easily. The bright blue bird perched on his back gave a call, looking at the falcon. She liked it when another dog had an avian spirit, though she wasn't quite sure of what to make of this dog yet. She was rather close to setting Latch over the edge. She could still feel him wanting intensely to rip her to shreds, but he kept up his usual geniality.

He smiled. "If you're looking for a fight, I'd give one. But dogs these days. They don't know a lick about fighting; all they know is how to kill and maim."

What he meant was that dogs, at the smallest provocation would fight to the death. In the old days, when dogs were still owned by people, fights were common, yes, because dogs were predators with sharp teeth, so it was in they DNA to fight and bite at times. Nothing unnatural about it. But most dogs, when they fought, used ritualized aggression. Nothing but threats and flash, all in a dance that looked dangerous, but really wasn't. As long as you didn't bite your opponent for reals, he wouldn't do that to you either. Air-snaps, snarls, and movements that, if you gave in to instincts seemed naturally choreographed to perfection. Yes, Latch liked a good fight, as long as he focused on how non-violent a dog fight was supposed to be. Besides, aggression was an expensive behavior. It wasted health, energy, and ability to socially connect with other dogs.

"But I'd be just as happy to call a truce." Like a true dominant dog, Latch remained calm,serene, in control of the situation. Despite his foolishness, he was a good Alpha.

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[atrb=background,http://i437.photobucket.com/albums/qq95/amanda1472/at2.png] "True then. I ask the first question though. Who are you?" she asked, her body and muscles slowly relaxing and becoming untense. Her tail dropped a bit, and head remained at moderate level, so she could see the new brute. She wondered if she had pushed it too far, was this even her territory anymore? She hadn't really notced anything that announced it wasn't.. Besides, if he wanted a truce, then it was obvious he wasn't gong to kill her. Terra, unlike Anastasia, perked her body and smiled at the new folks, happy to be acquainted with another spirit-bird, like herself. Although the blue Jay wasn't much like herself, she seemed pleasurable enough for Terra. The falcon stepped forwards, bowing slightly in respect. "Forgive her, sir. We have come in peace. This is Anastasia, and I am Terra."

[/color] she introduced, looking back at Anastasia slightly. The Auskie's ears were pulled back against her skull, obviously she was not pleased with her falcon.


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Latch tilted his head when the female insisted that she ask the first question. Truly, she was the one who wandered into his territory and now was making all sorts of demands. It didn't anger Latch. Mostly, he found it amusing. Most dogs would be beside themselves, talking to an Alpha, and scrambling to show respect because in a pack, the Alpha's word was law. Even in Hlengiwe, which practiced a rather relaxed way of life, his word was law. And his law was basically, don't be a judgmental prick. At least her soul was polite, which indicated that probably her bravado was all just a show. Interesting, maybe.

Observant, Latch noted the healthiness of her appearance. She belonged to a pack. He didn't smell any of his family on her, so he assumed that she was from Bohlale. Although Latch might seem dull because of how good-natured he presented himself as, he was anything but. There was a reason why he commanded Hlengiwe as its main leader. Kory was settled on Latch, throwing a smug expression on her face.

"Who am I?" Latch said, his words stretched in a drawl. "I'm Appalachian, or just Latch. Alpha of Hlengiwe." He smiled at the Husky mix. He didn't ask what she was doing on his lands, because, quite frankly, he didn't care. Latch wasn't the sort to chase strange dogs off of his land. If she wanted something from his land, then that was basically an invitation for him to take from the one she hailed from. If she just wanted to explore, well then, no harm, no foul. It wasn't like one dog would take over Hlengiwe. And it wasn't like anybody could dislodge the loyalty that Latch's pack felt for its amicable leader.

"But 'we come in peace'? Hell. No need for formalities, ladies," Latch said. "Unless," his voice lowered seductively, his eyebrows waggling suggestively, "you'd like things a bit more formal."

Kory only sighed and shook her head.

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[atrb=background,http://i437.photobucket.com/albums/qq95/amanda1472/at2.png] Anastasia snarled at her falcon, bending her neck, she snapped at the back of her, and Terra battered her wings then flew to a branch above, muttering under her breath. The Auskie fae rolled her bi-eyes, wondering how in the world she ended up here. She was in a different pack territory, not sure what to think of their alpha, he seemed friendly but, not in a manner that Anastasia would want to approach. She shook her blue-merlish coat, watching him with suspicion. "No, no, we're fine. I am Anastasia, betaess of Bohlale. But this is quite close to territory lines, is it not? Unless my nose in incorrect.." she stated, raising in eyebrow in a puzzling manner. That was strange. Unless she had wandered to far. She didn't think so. Not that far. She watched in a relaxed form as the older alpha was to return his reply, her muscles tensed and muscles rippling.

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Latch chuckled and shook his head. Kory laughed from her perch in the tree, a small shy laugh. She didn't want Ana to think she was laughing at her.

"Ana, girl, I don't give a damn about territory lines. I think a pack is less the territory and more the dogs in it. That's the way it's s'posed to be anyhow. Dogs forget how to fight and they forget how they're supposed to pack. We just stick around this place on account of the fact that the ol' homestead stands there." He indicated it with a short toss of his head. "So, stop it on trying to be right or wrong. Just live." Latch spoke to every dog as if they were a dear friend simply because the moment he stopped, they would be nothing more than another creature to dismantle in the cruelest manner. Dogs lost value when Latch was in this state. Sometimes, he'd start to slip, but hid it well behind his friendly demeanor. This day was a rather good day. He felt stable. Anastasia was in no real danger, but Latch was the rare offspring of Sky, the collie mix, who partook in his dark addiction willingly, without guilt. Everything became a joke. Perhaps that was why he was the only one able to keep himself focused enough on his job to become Alpha.

The reason she couldn't smell the border was that Latch hadn't bothered to mark any. He was right. This was an island. It wasn't like they could wander off and find new territories. Everyone knew that this was Hlengiwe lands. It was the place they slept and dreamed and ate, but even that was a loose definition because they were just as happy to leave the lands and find some nice prey in another land if they were hungry while on the road. It was one of those no-no's, but Latch didn't care. He grew up as a gypsy. He was dashing, daring, cocky, and remarkably charming with his down-to-earth wisdom—to most dogs. And the nonchalance he ruled the pack with was something that most Alphas didn't do. Most had a bit more control over their pack, but Latch always saw that as a weakness in confidence.

"Why should I care what dog strays upon the place I play and sleep? I don't see you causing any trouble a'tall, and I don't think you can take over my pack all on your lonesome. Besides, if anybody tried that, they wouldn't know what they had got themselves into." There it was: The small hint of the cruelty that ran through the blood of his siblings. There were three of them together here, all dogs who had no reservations about tearing a dog in half. The excuse of an enemy attempting to usurp Latch would be like Christmas to them.

"So, relax girl, ain't nothing to worry 'bout." He said soothingly.