Ice Age: The Next Generation

Predator vs. Predator

AN: The picture above is Rorik

Rorik smirked down at the sabress beneath him. He'd known she was there the moment he emerged onto the rocks, but he had wanted to see what she was doing. Ambushing him sounded a lot like their little game of cat and mouse, only he was normally the cat and she was typically the mouse; the mouse he typically caught. But he hadn't seen her in over a month and he wasn't expecting his mouse to have grown so much.
"Didn't anyone ever tell you it's rude to plot to attack someone, little dandelion?" He asked in a low, teasing voice, using the nickname she hated. Her nose wrinkled and her piercing green eyes flashed with anger. She tried to push against him to get up, and she was stronger than the last time they'd done this, but she was still no match for him. Usually he'd have gotten off her by now. This time was different. He didn't feel the same way, like an annoying sibling tormenting the other. No. This was much different...much more personal. His gut gave foreign flutter as she impaled him with her eyes and he suddenly became acutely aware of how her body felt beneath his. Suddenly he jerked and backed off of her quickly. What in the world was happening to him?
"You're no better. Just sneak up on me like that why dontcha, you never let me have any fun!" She pouted as she flipped onto her belly. His eyes trailed down the line of her body, taking in her silky pure white fur, sandy paws and the little tuffs of grey shadowing the fur in her cheeks. Her canines were short, but sharp and her pink nose twitched in time with her stubby black tail, a definite sign of her displeasure, but also of her embarrassment. Her nose only twitched when she was covering up her embarrassment about something. He narrowed his eyes and noted her labored breathing, even though it'd been a full 5 minutes since he'd tackled her. He moved back to her eyes and drew in a sharp breath when he realized her eyes weren't snapping, nor was her face drooping in an adorable pout. Her eyes were wandering his body, taking him in, just as he'd been doing to her. She looked back at his face and let out a tiny, almost indistinguishable gasp as their eyes collided, ice blue meeting emerald green. They held the look for a beat too long to be normal and Rose suddenly jerked up and skittered away from him, much like he'd done with her. Did she feel it too?
"Yeah well...I...um...," Rorik fumbled for words but came up empty. His brain was currently occupied with other things. Rose shook herself, fluffing her fur and then backed towards his entrance.
"I'll see you at the next ambush." She grumbled Her eyes held a slight mischievousness to them though, and he fought the smile making its way onto his maw. She disappeared into the underbrush and he considered chasing her for more fun, but he was too scattered at the moment. All he could think about was how much she had grown...and how beautiful she had become.

Haken leapt over a boulder and shook out his fur. It was a beautiful morning. The air was crisp and clean and the sun was just beginning to crest the mountains. He breathed in deeply and then slowly exhaled, savoring every breath. His ears were attuned to everything around him, from the twittering of the birds to the rushing rapids, to the complete peaceful silence that surrounded him.
"Are you daydreaming again?" His ears flattened and the birds above him screeched and took off, startled by the tone and volume of his sister's voice. He turned a glare on Freya.
"Can't you learn to speak more gently? You just scared everything within a 100 yard radius." She rolled her eyes.
"Well excuse me, Mister Nature Lover." The two padded along for a few moments before Haken looked at her questioningly.
"Wait a moment. You're never up before noon, why are you suddenly conscious and physically capable of movement before the sun is over the ridge?" She growled at him.
"Watch yourself little brother, or I shall be forced to teach you a lesson." Haken held in his snort. Freya was just like their mom in her fighting abilities, but Haken was still growing and had their fathers strength. He might've been the last born, and he wouldn't be as massive as Rorik, but he was certainly no runt. At any rate, he and his older sister were the same size. "And is it an earth shattering event for a sister to want to spend time with her brother some morning?"
"When it includes my sister, yes, yes it is." Freya's lip curled in the beginnings of a snarl but Haken ignored it and turned to her. "What's up Frey? You never do this, why suddenly start?" Her expression hardened and she looked away, then met his eyes again.
"I was worried about you." Haken's eyes went wide.
"But...but why!? There's nothing for you to worry about!" Freya's eyes darted around cautiously before settling on him, a little confused.
"You mean you don't smell the wolves?" Haken started a bit. Wolves? Strange wolves here? He lifted his head and breathed deeply. He knew his sister had the sharpest nose out of anyone in the entire herd, including his parents and Uncle Diego, but surely he should be able to smell them too. The wind blew across his nose and he suddenly smelled it. 3 strange scents, distinctly wolf and probably male if he had to make a guess. He looked at Freya with horror. She nodded. "I smelled them this morning when I heard you get up. I thought you were going to confront them or something and I wanted to make sure you didn't get hurt." Affection for his sister welled in Haken's chest. He nuzzled her neck.
"You needn't worry about me. But we need to warn the others. If there's three, then the rest of the pack can't be far behind." Freya nodded.
"Scouting party. But why not head them off? Confront them and tell them they're on the wrong territory?" Haken held back his growl, not wanting to start a fight but very much wanting to throttle Freya.
"Are you joking? No, we go back and tell mom and dad, immediately." Freya rolled her eyes and then took off towards the strange scents, leaving him behind. Haken growled and bounded after her. They tore through the forest, bent on finding the strangers. Suddenly Freya pulled up short and Haken almost crashed into her. She sent him a warning look to stay quiet and crouched down, her belly nearly touching the ground and skunk through the underbrush nearly silently. Haken followed suit. She halted at a clump of raspberry bushes and sniffed the air, a snarl working on her maw. Haken stiffened when he heard voices. They were coming closer...closer...then they stopped, completely disappearing. Haken tensed and Freya's hindquarters rose, signaling that she was preparing to pounce. A twig snapped right next to them and both wolves jumped and growled. Quick as a wink, Haken dove into the brush beside him and collided with something hard and furry. They rolled several times before coming to a stop, Haken getting pinned on his back, the breath getting forced out of his lungs in a whoosh. Snarling down at him was a midnight black female, eyes a clear, crystal aquamarine. They were so blue, it was like a combination of the sky, the sea, and sapphires all rolled into one gorgeous color. His breath caught in his chest.
"Nikita!!" A voice called, snapping Haken back to reality. The she-wolf hesitated, looking as dazed as he felt. Why? It wasn't like she was the one flat on her back. Freya and another strange wolf burst through the bushes, landing next to the two tangled up wolves. Freya snarled viciously at Nikita.
"Get off my brother, she-devil." Nikita's ears flattened and she bared her teeth in retaliation.
"Off Nikita. They mean no harm." The wolf next to Freya said. Nikita slowly got off Haken, eyeing him warily.
"Then why did he attack me?" She asked, in an alto voice smoother than honey.
"You were going to attack him first!" Freya yelled. The two females squared off, both growling and snarling, bodies hunched low to the ground.
"Enough." Came a deep voice. Haken looked to the male wolf but he hadn't said anything. Suddenly a large older male walked into view, his fur graying significantly with age but he held a commanding presence. Haken was getting alpha vibes like he got off their mother sometimes. He fought the urge to lower his head. The wolf studied Haken and Freya, then motioned to Nikita and the other male with a jerk of his head. They immediately took places on his either side. "Excuse me younglings, my wolves and I were out scouting this path to see if it was safe for the pack." He gave them a smile, a smile that had the illusion of being friendly but it sent chills down Haken's spine. "I do apologize for Nikita and Anker's behavior, they can be quite impulsive."
"Who are you, and why are you coming through here?" Freya asked, hostility in her voice. The wolf again smiled.
"Forgive me. Anker is my best tracker and Nikita is my bravest female, and as such she is my beta. I am leading this scout because I smelled the scent of one I've not seen in years..." he trailed off and narrowed his cold eyes on the siblings. "I am alpha, but you may call me Lone Star."