Wonder What's Wrong With Me? (PIC)

[jax;]

Thin panes of ice shattered underfoot while blinding fog swirled overhead, a vague wisp of a wind stirring what spirits had been at rest since their passing. Whimpering audibly, Myrrh's eyes darted around; where had her brother gone? One half step after the other, she stumbled blindly in the mist. Faint voices seemed to echo off the mountains surrounding her. A shiver of panic raced down her spine. He had been just in front of her up until now. Where the comforting warmth of his side had hovered near her cheek was now a small cluster of ice. She could not see him, heard only ghosts taunting her, nothing but the smell of damp and decay filling her nose.

Myrrh let out another whimper; a stifled cry that bounced back to hit her in the face. Startled, she bolted. Small paws carried her down the rocky path cutting through the Strangler's Mountains; the place strangers had told them to avoid all together. Yet what lay on the other side was worth even the risk of losing herself or her brother. Stumbling over broken rock and small clumps of fresh snow, the young dog's lungs burned with the thin air. Frantic, her pace increased, going faster and faster, small cuts and scrapes opening up on her paws and along her legs till she almost took the final leap. Hitting the brakes at the last second, Myrrh just missed vaulting head first off a cliffside. Gravel tittered down the rock face, never making a sound as if they'd hit the bottom. Her mouth hung open, the shepherd felt the adrenaline wash over, her mind clear for a rare moment. She had to keep calm, she had to find Masque.

Easing away from the edge, she had to peel her eyes away from the drop. Masque? She squeaked; one of the few words anyone was to ever hear. The only other being she ever talked to was her brother; he was the only one she ever felt truly comfortable around. He was the light shining in her darkness, and without him near, she felt lost. Looking around, Myrrh craned her neck forward, her ears prick, listening. He couldn't have gotten far. How had she even gotten so far behind? Returning to her ever cowering stance, the merle shepherd scurried further along the path before stopping again. Sniffing the air, looking around, scurrying further on. It took her some time, but after a while of this pattern she made it to a small clearing along the path.

Perfectly circular, railing along the edge of the mountain creaked and groaned in the stronger wind, the fog lifting slightly. Old, rusted hunks of metal sat atop some of the posts, pointed towards a distant peak. Plastic boards told of various trails, predators, dangers, and sights to see. Sucking in a sharp breath, Myrrh thought of how the humans who must have built this place would have wanted to be here. It was dangerous, and scary, and she had already lost Masque! Why would anyone seek a looming place like this out?

[♥Picasso]

Masque

---

Masque hadn't a clue where they were heading. The Stranglers Mountains were a desolate, cold place with only a few caves to take shelter. The fog made it impossible for Masque to find any places to take cover from the wind, and the rocky, narrow path they were one was too narrow for the two of them to walk side by side. He could only just hear the pawsteps of his sister from behind him. Sometimes he wished he didn't have to be so wary of her. He often hated having to care, having to make sure she was always nearby. Masque was well aware of how clingy Myrrh was and how he could never stray too far away from her in case she began to panic. Masque let out a small sigh, icy breath escaping his nostrils and fluttering into the air. It was too cold to stay up here for much longer. They'd have to start to descend back into the valley.

Turning around to tell his plan to his sister, the Shepherd's eyes widened when he realised there was no one behind him. Masque immediately turned back to try and follow her scent and see where she had taken the wrong turning. He began to call her name, but the harsh wind stole his voice away from him. Bowing his head to cover himself from the harsh weather, Masque ploughed on. How could she have got lost? There hadn't been that many forks in the path and he swore she had just been behind him. He peered down the sharp rock edge to the left. A couple of steps to the side, and he'd tumble over into the dark abyss. A cold shiver ran down his spine. Had she accidentally misplaced her paw and fallen? He could see nothing down there. It was too far up to see the ground. He shouted down the cliff face, but obviously no response. Even in danger, Myrrh would hardly let a word past her lips other than his own name.

Steering himself away from the edge, Masque wondered whether she had strayed from the path completely. The snow was too thick to get far if she had gone off the path. The paths have been trodden in by various animals over the years, wearing into where humans had once walked. He couldn't believe that some animals actually lived up on his mountain, such as goats and snow leopards and other accustomed animals. He could imagine in the height of summer it would be quite picturesque to look over the valley and watch the city of Hexasol in the distance. But now? The weather was just too hard to bear and Masque desperately wanted to find his sister and get the hell down from here. She could have fallen down one of the invisible crevices that descended deep into the belly of the mountain. No one ever escaped the crevices. Sometimes the crevices were slated with a thin layer of ice, meaning one wrongly placed paw and the ice would crack.

It was then that Masque picked up the scent of his sister. He thanked the gust of wind before heading off in the direction the scent had come from. He raced down the path until he found a small clearing where he saw his extremely frightened looking sister cowering in the wind. Masque approached her tentatively, calling her name softly, "Myrrh, I'm here."

[/color] He uttered, burying his nose into her soft, merle fur and breathing in her familiar scent. What would he have done if she had fallen and died? Masque immediately pushed the thought away. He didn't want to think about it. As much as he would be free from his controlling little sister, he loved her and couldn't afford to ever lose her. She was like another limb. He lived and breathed because of her. Masque knew a relationship like this with your sister was a little strange for a dog, but he had lost too many. He couldn't lose her as well. Masque feared he would go insane without her.

Looking at the human signs, he saw an arrow that pointed downwards. He guessed that path led to the bottom of the mountain, and immediately began to advance towards it. "Let's get out of here before anything terrible happens."[/color] He said determinedly, focusing his eyes on the path ahead, "Stay behind me and I will keep talking so you won't lose me again."[/color] He didn't want to go on another goose chase to try and find his wandering sister again. He didn't think his heart would be able to take it. Masque stopped and craned his head around, flashing a small smile to her, as though to say Don't worry, sister. You will be just fine as long as I'm here. He licked her muzzle gently, before continuing down the path. They would reach the bottom in no time.[/justify][/blockquote]

[jax;]

A familiar voice, a comforting touch, and Myrrh's world returned to some form of normalcy for the time being. Without so much as a squeak, she followed close behind Masque. Her head always touching his hip, the female kept her head down and her ears alert, her eyes flashing up to make for certain that her brother was really still there. She shivered slightly as he flashed her that reassuring smile; everything was okay. Everything would stay okay if Masque was around. Grabbing a small lock of fur in her mouth, she took small, quick steps to keep up. It was difficult terrain, even without the thick fog, and Myrrh wasn't about to get even a foot behind.

As they began their way down the mountain path, more snow began to fall. The air had grown considerably colder as the flakes started to float downward, causing Myrrh's breath to come out in thick puffs. Finding comfort in the rhythm of their paw steps, the merle dog's mind drifted to days long past. The pair hadn't been in Hexasol for long, and already the weather was turning foul. Prey had been scarce, the nights long and cold. Having to find a way to settle down in the winter, after so much time spent wandering, was more of a challenge than Myrrh could have ever imagined it to be. When ever they stopped traveling, she spent so much time gathering herbs to keep them from falling ill. Her body was already starting to show the signs of stress wearing on her; her fur was more ragged, her frame more bony, during a time when thick fur and a plump belly were essential.

Things had never been this harsh back home. Her expression hardened slightly, her grip tightening as a memory of what she had done flashed behind her eyes. They had never suspected her. No one ever did. It was the true beauty behind everything; she was so painfully shy, doing everything in her power to hide in the shadow of her brother, that few ever noticed her. It gave her a kind of power that she found herself addicted to. She had the freedom to do what was necessary to keep Masque by her side. He was the only thing that mattered, and if it meant killing or chasing off any other bitch who tried to take him, she held no remorse for doing so.

Finally noticing the tight hold she held on her brother's fur, Myrrh let go, licking her chops lightly. It was only now that she could no longer ignore the sharp pains of hunger in her belly. Whimpering, she trotted a little bit ahead, rubbing her head over Masque's back, almost playfully. If she had a tail, it'd be wagging lazily, but left with nothing but a stub, her rump twitched back and forth. The narrow trail was no place to romp and play, but the further they traveled down, the wider it grew. Small tufts of grasses began to replace the cold gray stones, the snow falling in thicker sheets. They wouldn't have much time that night to find shelter; darkness was likely already near. But with the cloud cover and the snow, it was difficult to tell.

Grabbing another mouthful of fur, resuming her quiet marching beside her brother. They'd need food and cover before the night was through, and through their travels, Myrrh hadn't seen much to choose from. Sighing gently, little bits of gravel skittered around her paws, her eyes keeping a steady beat on Masque. He'd keep them safe, he'd figure things out. He always did.

[♥Picasso]

[atrb=border,0,true][atrb=cellSpacing,0,true][atrb=cellPadding,0,true][atrb=width,450,true]

[atrb=background,http://i47.tinypic.com/23k3ot2.jpg] Masque winced at the sudden tight grip of Myrrh's teeth around his thick fur. He glanced around quickly to look at his scared sister, and forced a smile to calm her down. However, the grip didn't lessen as he began to move down the gritty path. He dragged his paws, rather tired from the climb. He was wary of the speed they were travelling and the time of day. They would need to find shelter. There were dozens of caves at the base of the mountain but he was unsure whether they'd make it by sundown. He didn't want to get stranded in the pitch darkness with an extremely hysterical sister. He glanced around, but the visibility was low and he couldn't see a single shelter or cave in sight. Letting out a huff of cold, misty breath, Masque increased the speed, trying to get down the mountain as fast as possible without losing his sister again. That would be disastrous. A sudden waft of wind made Masque halt. He pricked his ears and stood rigid. His eyes swivelled around the area, trying to be as silent and steady as possible. Something didn't smell right here. He slowly craned his head around to look at Myrrh, and tried to communicate with her that something was wrong. His body language indicated to be extremely wary. There was something around here that wasn't right and he didn't want to stay around here very long. Slowly but surely, Masque began to move again, placing one paw in front of the other. His steps were careful and measured as he continued to look at his surroundings. Paranoia settled inside Masque's head as he squinted through the mist. Someone was watching them. He swore he could feel the eyes boring into him. Only a few steps later, there was a piercing yowl, and a mountain leopard suddenly leapt down from a rock above them. Masque reared back in surprise as the leopard hissed with fury. There was no scent of the city on the angry female and Masque guessed this kind of leopard had lived here for centuries, with no contact of the world outside of the city. Fur prickling, Masque snarled at the snow leopard in hope to scare her away. The feline paid no attention, and instead leapt at Masque. The shepherd fell backwards into the deep snow, skidding for a few moments. He looked down to see a dizzying height below. The leopard had pushed him to the brink of the mountain. Choking out a bark, Masque tried to get up, but the snow leopard was suddenly pinning him down, her razor-like claws slicing into his skin. Masque cried out in pain and desperately looked over at Myrrh. He needed to get her out of here. "Run, Myrrh! Get away before she turns on you!" He warned over the wailing wind. He thrashed out his legs, but his blunt claws did no harm to the snow leopard. She was skilled whilst Masque was a mere canine with little to no fighting techniques. He snapped out at the snow leopard's throat, but she dodged him easily, looking rather amused at his futile attempts. Panicked thoughts went through Masque's mind as he tried to get the huge weight off of him. If he died, no one would be there to look after his sister. He couldn't let her be alone. She would go insane! Masque let out a small wail as he continued to try and fight her off.

[jax;]

(Enter the 'ahhellnaw' psycho bitch stage left...)

Bumbling along quietly behind Masque, Myrrh began to trip over small rocks and dips in the path as her brother's pace increased. She understood why he'd be in such a hurry; the visibility was bad and getting worse, with what appeared to be a large storm slowly marching across the peaks they weaved between. The vague flakes that had fallen so lightly before had grown larger, falling faster and faster, piling up along the ground as they walked. Myrrh's mismatched eyes focused on the snow so much that she didn't feel Masque jolt to a halt till her face bumped into his rump. Instinctively cowering, her gaze turned up to watch him intently, her expression almost pleading for him to say everything was okay. Blissfully unaware of whatever danger her brother sensed, Myrrh began to visibly panic as he glanced back at her, as if signalling her to be careful.

Her eyes began to dart about, a whimper choked up in her throat. Taking a half step for every one of Masque's slow steps, her posture diminished. Ears flattened against her head, her rump curling under herself, Myrrh shivered out of fear. What had gotten Masque worked up? Were they in trouble? Was she going to lose him again? Her mind raced around in circles, catastrophes flashing before her eyes. It was then that the smell hit her nose, her hackles raising as high as they could go. They were not alone. Her pupils grew wide, adrenaline suddenly racing through her veins. Her senses were all at once very aware of their situation, the tension in the air was palpable.

With one piercing yowl sent bouncing off the mountain walls and deep within Myrrh's mind, the delicate world she held came crashing down entirely. A large mountain lion pounced on the pair from a ledge above, forcing Masque to rear to avoid being jumped on. Being shoved back in the process, Myrrh stood there, dumbfounded and over come by panic and fear as her brother snarled at the massive feline. As it lept at the black male once more, Myrrh was sent even further back. Tossed back onto her side, the merle bitch struggled on the icy rocks to get back upright, getting on her feet only in time to see her brother so dangerously close to a deadly fall. The mountain lion was on him once again, pinning him to the ground along the edge, huge claws digging into his skin.

There was nothing she could do. She was going to lose Masque for good, and all she could do was stand there and watch. Somewhere, as if off in the distance, she could hear her brother's panicked voice, but she understood none of it. She saw him struggling against the lion's weight, but to no avail. Myrrh wanted to do something. She wanted to help, to save her brother, to do anything for his sake. Yet it was as if her body was frozen, her legs twitching slightly as her mind screamed for them to run, her lips quivering as she urged them call out, attack, something. Managing to take a half step backwards, her ruddy behind bumped into the mountain wall. There were only a few ways for her to go; past the horrible scene unfolding before her, or back up the way they had come. Watching the snow beneath her brother turn a bright crimson, something within her emerged, if only for the time being.

There was only one way to go, and that was straight forward into that monster that threatened her brother. It would not take Masque from her. She would not let it, much like how she had not let anything else take him away. He was all she had left, and she'd be damned if she lost him now. Her head dipping, the growl that rumbled its way out of Myrrh's throat started low, gaining momentum as she crept slowly towards the lion. Her teeth bared, her hackles raised, and her eyes screaming murder, the typical shy, quiet, and unassuming female had left the building. He's mine. She snapped, her voice a harsh whisper. You can't have him.

Without so much as a second thought, Myrrh barreled forward, driven by a blood rage that had completely swept over every little voice that said she was going to die. Jumping head on, she grabbed a mouthful of fur and skin on the lion's side, just behind the shoulder. She snarled as she clamped her jaws shut, her small body twisting back and forth as if she were to rip off the chunk she held. Unamused by the tiny canine's attack, the mountain lion yowled in irritation, snapping and swiping at the shepherd that hung from it's side. Spinning around and away from the cliff's edge, it clawed at Myrrh, catching her rump with one massive paw. The blow sent Myrrh flying, her body skidding further down along the path. The wind knocked out of her, it took her a moment to right herself.

In that time, her blood lust faded slightly, another wave of panic racing through her body, clearing her mind to the immense amount of danger. But as quickly as it faded, the rage returned. She snarled, licking her lips as she limped towards the large feline who now stood firmly between she and Masque. A faint trickle of blood ran from the wound on its side, but the lion was otherwise unharmed, if enraged. Blinded by her own rage, Myrrh continued forward, ignoring the sharp pains from her own injury. All that mattered was that this foul creature was disposed of. No one stood between her and that which she loved most in this world and survived to tell of it. She would not stand for it, and somewhere in her hazy mind, she knew she would not rest well at night until she had tasted the very inner flesh of this beast.

[♥Picasso]

[atrb=border,0,true][atrb=cellSpacing,0,true][atrb=cellPadding,0,true][atrb=width,450,true]

[atrb=background,http://i47.tinypic.com/23k3ot2.jpg] ooc; the snow leopard had morphed into a mountain lion for some reason...? XD Magic leopard <3 Masque watched as his sister was frozen to the spot. He tried barking at her, in hope it would jolt her, but there was no reaction. Her eyes were pinned to his, and Masque desperately struggled under the mountain lion snow leopard. He hissed as the claws sliced through his skin like butter. Squeezing his eyes shut from the pain, Masque kicked at the leopard's belly, but she didn't relent. She was far too strong for the canine. His head dangled precariously over the edge of the cliff. Glancing down, his stomach rolled uneasily at vertigo set in. His eyes blurred and he felt sick as he thought of plunging into certain death. His body would probably never be found if he fell now. He would probably split apart into pieces. If Myrrh did find him she would be devastated. She'd probably end up throwing herself off the cliff as well out of manic grief. He couldn't let that happen to his sister. Suddenly, Myrrh was attacking the snow leopard. Eyes wide with surprise, the snow leopard suddenly leapt off him, focusing her attack on Myrrh instead. Masque scrambled to his paws quickly, trying to get his breath back as quickly as possible. Panting from exhaustion and blood loss, he looked around at the wounds on his flank. Blood leaked into the snow, staining it a deep crimson red. He only just looked up in time to see his sister being thrown away from them, skidding down the path. Wincing, Masque set up another attack for the snow leopard, but it was in futile. Hackles raised, back arched, Masque let a snarl rip from his body as he began to circle the snow leopard. Myrrh had managed to limp back, frightening rage burning in her mismatched eyes, and Masque almost had to double take at how much hatred was consuming her. He wanted to calm her down, tell her he was alright, but the snow leopard was still a problem. Paws scrabbling for grip on the ice, Masque backed up along the path, desperately trying to think of a plan. Myrrh would just go barreling into the snow leopard until she did something stupid. They had to think. Snow leopards were far more agile than them, meaning it would be difficult to send the leopard over the edge. He looked around wildly, trying to think, but his mind was slow and sluggish, and all he could think of was to try and get Myrrh to safety. He met Masque's eyes and nodded to her. "On three we attack!" He shouted over the howling wind, "One... two... three!" He immediately launched at the snow leopard, teeth sinking into the thick fur. Her skin was thick, almost too thick to puncture, but the weight of the attack made the snow leopard stumble with surprise. Despite the razor sharp claws, Masque didn't let go. Now they just had to try and push her off the mountain. Or into the nearest crevice.

[jax;]

(I swear to god I thought you said mountain lion. OTL, I'm losing my mind xD)

Everything was a blur. Myrrh vaguely heard her brother over the sound of blood rushing through her ears and the vicious snarls that echoed all around her. Where her brother's voice began, the growling of the snow leopard ended, and her own rumbles stayed strong. So much was going at once, for a time she forgot where she was and what exactly was going on. She felt the sharp pains along her flank, could smell the metallic drift of blood thick in the air. Yet what remained as a constant amid the ever changing sights and sounds was the all consuming hatred she felt. For this snow leopard, for her family, and for every creature who ever had or ever would try to take Masque away from her.

Only just barely understanding the plan her brother called out to her, she focused more on his body movements than the leopard. Poised and ready to strike, she crouched low to the ground, long tufts of hair tangling in the snow. The second his body launched itself forward, Myrrh followed suit. Her legs vaulting her into the air slightly, she kicked off the slick ground, her mouth agape and eager to grab more of the leopard. Bounding towards the feline, Masque made impact shortly before his sister did, the great cat stumbling back in surprise and yowling in anger. Slamming her body onto the opposite side from her brother.

The leopard let out another piercing yowl, it's claws flashing about at the two canines. At the two simultaneous assaults, it skittered dangerously close to the edge of the cliff. Still growling through the mouthful of thick fur and flesh she held, Myrrh began to kick off the ground, her front legs lifting of the ground and trying to find purchase on the cat's body. If they could just keep it going in one direction over the edge, this whole mess would be over sooner. Giving her head a good shake, Myrrh laughed darkly at the hiss of pain she received in answer.

The more pain and suffering she caused it before they were through, the better. For every injury it caused, she wanted it to feel that ten fold. Myrrh could almost imagine it laying broken and bloody at the very bottom of the ravine, crying out for the sweet mercy of a quick death. But no, this one would receive no such act of kindness. Myrrh wished the most drawn out and painful of ends for this leopard; it deserved no less. Kicking of the ground again, the merle female pushed with all her might. The end was near, and she couldn't wait to see the monster's expression as it went over.

[♥Picasso]

[atrb=border,0,true][atrb=cellSpacing,0,true][atrb=cellPadding,0,true][atrb=width,450,true]

[atrb=background,http://i47.tinypic.com/23k3ot2.jpg] Masque struggled against the stronger feline as he savaged at her thick fur and skin. She was almost impenetrable as he tried to push her closer and closer to the cliff edge. Side glancing to Myrrh, all he could see was utter fury in her eyes. She looked insane at that very moment. She looked as though she wanted to make the Snow Leopard suffer a long and painful death. A little disturbed, Masque had to force himself to look away. He didn't know how much more he could handle with Myrrh before going insane himself. Feeling a small shiver up his spine, Masque shook the thought away. He would make her better, make her more independent. One day she wouldn't need to rely on him as much as she did now. Sighing, Masque reared himself onto his hind legs and pushed with all his might. The Snow Leopard scrabbled and skidded against the icy ground and her eyes suddenly went wide when she realised she was being overpowered by the two dogs. A loud yowl filled the air as she realised she was being pushed closer and closer to the cliff side. Her paws balanced precariously on the crumbling edge, and Masque snarled angrily as she began to dig her claws into Masque's flesh in hope to cling on. With one last push, the rocks gave away beneath the leopard. The leopard's eyes widened in fear and shock, before she suddenly lost her footing and fell into the oblivion. Masque had to quickly dodge her razor claws that were trying to bring the two dogs down with her. Ducking, Masque watched as she tumbled through the air, a long, deafening yowl escaping her mouth. Masque didn't hear the impact. It was too far away. He just hoped the death had been painless and quick. He understood that the feline had just been defending her territory. Masque really hadn't wanted to kill her. He glanced over at Myrrh. It had been a very different story for her. Letting out a shaky breath, Masque moved away from the edge and back onto the path. That was when he heard it. A mewling squeal. Ears pricked, Masque glanced again at Myrrh in confusion. Dread filled Masque's gut as he began to realise what that noise was. Following his nose and ears, Masque entered the cave where an extremely young snow leopard cub lay, eyes only just opened. The cub blinked up at Masque in confusion, still too young to understand real fear. They had killed its mother. Everything slotted into place. Not only had the snow leopard been defending her territory, but she had also been defending the cub. She hadn't wanted any predator going near and killing her cub. Now there was no one to look after this poor, defenceless cub, who would still be relying on its mother's milk. He sadly looked down at the cub, who was shuffling about its den, mouth opening and closing in hope to find its mother's teat. "We killed its mother." Masque croaked out. Unbearable guilt coiled around his stomach as he sat down. His wounds were deep and painful. His tongue glided over the crimson blood to try and clean his wound the best he could. Masque didn't think he'd be able to get down the rest of the mountain until he had rested and healed. It would most likely take all night. Glancing outside, Masque sighed. He wanted to get back onto safe ground. The mountains were dangerous and he didn't feel comfortable staying up here for the night. Gazing up at Myrrh, he inspected her wounds, "Are you hurt?" He asked, concerned, before glancing back at the small cub. It wouldn't last another few days. He didn't know what to do.

[jax;]

The seemingly endless struggle was over in an instant. Her whole body slammed against the leopard, her paws tearing the ground beneath them as she shoved with all her might, Myrrh almost went over the edge of the cliff with the leopard by her own momentum. Reeling backwards, just barely missing a massive paw to the side of her face, Myrrh barely kept herself grounded. Watching with deep rooted satisfaction as the cat tumbled into the misty nothingness below, the red merle was almost heartbroken when she didn't hear a wet smack echo up from the bottom. Her imagination would have to suffice.

Exchanging glances with her brother, Myrrh limped back to the path, a thin trail of blood following suit. Her mind cleared, and the deep pain she felt in her rear leg and chest sprang to the front of her attention. Whimpering, she sprawled out on the ground, letting the ice take away some of the swelling. She wouldn't be able to go far; not until the bleeding had stopped and the wound had been given time to form the very beginnings of healing. Looking over to her brother, her heart sank as she spied the wounds he too had suffered. They were easy enough to mend, so long as the patient had time to lay around. A few specific herbs for the pain, others to fight off infection. It would be difficult to find them, this time of the year, but that was only if they could make it down the mountain. There was no hope of finding them all the way up here. Struggling to her feet, Myrrh moved closer to Masque, her typical cowering stance returning; the insanity and blood rage of before nothing but a bad dream.

Yet as a shrill mewl pierced the dead quiet that had fallen between the siblings, the hatred began to bubble up again, if weaker, more controlled this time. Masque flashed her a confused, distraught look. Myrrh simply curled her lips, an inaudible growl evident on her face. She watched with distaste as her brother seemed to inspect it, with a look of...pity? After all they had just been through, and he dared to pity that monster's spawn. Myrrh felt she had every right to toss the cub off the cliff to join its mother in death, but did not act on it. Still hunched over, as if cowering, she stalked over to where her brother now stood, looking over the cub. Her eyes cried out for murder, but her body remained still. Without it's mother, it won't last long. She whispered, her voice rough and almost venomous. Won't you let me put it out of it's misery, sweet brother?

At his question to her wounds, Myrrh simply glanced up at him, waiting for an answer from him. She'd be fine. She'd be better if she could be rid of this worthless furball, but she'd manage if her brother by some strange act of nature decided to spare it. She hated it, yes, but in a way different from how she hated its mother. Its mother tried to take what was dearest to her away. The cub itself had done nothing to deserve her hatred, just yet. It was small, defenseless, and doomed to die without its mother or a surrogate. It was what it had the potential to become that Myrrh loathed it for. It had the ability to change everything, or change nothing. Only what Masque decided would tell.

[♥Picasso]

[atrb=border,0,true][atrb=cellSpacing,0,true][atrb=cellPadding,0,true][atrb=width,450,true]

[atrb=background,http://i47.tinypic.com/23k3ot2.jpg] Masque could almost feel the distaste and anger vibrating off his sister as he brushed his cold nose against the young cub. It squeaked in surprise at the sudden touch, but did not show any fear. They could so easily kill it with a single bite, but he didn't have the heart. It was their fault the cub was now an orphan and Masque desperately wanted to rectify that. Perhaps they could take it down the mountain with them and find a surrogate mother. It was a cold, harsh winter, but perhaps someone would take pity on it. His fur prickled as Myrrh's quiet voice echoed around the cave. He knew exactly what Myrrh wanted to do, and he flashed her an angry look. How could she feel no guilt? Yes, the snow leopard had attacked them first, but she had merely been defending her child. They should never have ventured up here in the first place. Masque should have scented her territory. Closing his eyes, the canine slowly shook his head. He would not let his sister kill again. He feared she was already going mad. "We must try and find it a mother. It's the least we could do." He gazed down at the poor little thing. Its eyes were bleary and tired, and it soon lay down to sleep again. He smiled tiredly, before looking at his sister. Perhaps the cub would never need to know what they had done to its mother. Perhaps they could visit it sometimes, become somewhat adopted parents. He could teach it the ways of nature. However, as he saw the hatred and disgust on Myrrh's face, Masque's heart sank. She would teach it hate and fury. She would taint the cub forever. Perhaps she'd even take the pleasure in telling it how they had killed its mother. Maybe Myrrh was right. Would this cub have a good chance of living with a surrogate? Perhaps they should put it out of its misery. Masque narrowed his eyes. Myrrh wasn't thinking of the cub here. The sole reason she wanted to kill the cub was for the twisted pleasure of murder. She wasn't doing it as a saviour. Closing his eyes, Masque resumed licking his wounds. Myrrh was a decent healer, but there were no herbs up on the mountain. His sister had not answered his question, and was instead expectantly waiting for him to speak. Rolling his eyes, Masque inspected his wounds. "I'll live," He said grimly, "A good night's sleep will do me good." He flexed his shoulders and gritted his teeth in pain. They were deep cuts, but nothing time couldn't fix. It was likely he would scar from this encounter, but his fur would cover it up. Masque lay down beside the cub, surprised at how cold it was. Its fur was thick, but not thick enough to sleep alone in a freezing cave. His body heat would hopefully keep the cub from descending into hypothermia. He quickly flashed a glare at his sister, as though to dare her to say something. This cub had as much right to live as they did. It could grow up to become something wonderful. Or something terrible... "Perhaps we should rest." Masque suggested. He didn't want to argue with his sister about the cub and the loss of blood was making him woozy. Resting his head on his paws, Masque closed his eyes. The wind was howling outside and the snow wasn't going to relent anytime soon. He heaved out a sigh. It was going to be a long, cold night.

[jax;]

[atrb=border,0,true][atrb=cellSpacing,0,true][atrb=cellPadding,0,true][atrb=width,450,true]

[atrb=background,http://i739.photobucket.com/albums/xx34/Kitten_Lovour/1mid-1.png] Her brother's anger deflated any and all motive she had. With his cruel words and cold looks, Myrrh crumpled behind the rage that kept her going. Letting out a sigh, she shivered slightly in the cold, a gust of wind nipping at the fresh wounds on her end. Without so much as another word said, she gave in. Masque knew best, he protected her, he kept her safe. Maybe the cub wasn't so bad; if someone had taken Masque from her, she didn't know what she would do. What would this little cub do without its mother? Staring at it blankly, those tiny, dark voices screamed on a vague wind. They begged her to kill, they hungered for the blood of the young one. No. She thought. No, Masque will be mad. Shaking her head, she danced a little closer to her brother, seeking the comfort of his side. The closer she got to the cub, the louder the voices inside her head grew, but she continued to ignore them. They were not voices of reason, they were voices of hate and anger. She knew better to listen to them, no matter what wonders they promised would come if she did as they said. The demons inside her could not be trusted, they promised everything would be alright, but Myrrh knew better. Didn't she? Her heart took a deep wound as her brother, whom she loved so dearly curled up around that thing. The deathly look he gave her was all she needed to know; don't touch, don't try anything. The voices grew louder, and for a moment, she didn't know what she was going to do. But as her beloved kin let out a deep, almost pained sigh, her focus returned. Curling around behind Masque, her head draped over his shoulder, she snuggled in tight, her eyes never leaving the cub that lay just before her. Maybe...She began to think, the gears turning as she listened more closely to what the voices had to say. Maybe not yet. Maybe this one could be of use. Maybe I could destroy it later, when no one suspects. She cringed at the idea of how furious her brother would be if he found out. Maybe I can make it understand. No one truly understood. Not even Masque. No one understood the pains she went through to be with her brother till the end of days, no one understood why it hurt so much to be away from him. They never heard the reason for why she killed all those others, never had a chance to understand why they deserved it. A devious little smile threatened to creep it's way onto her face, but Myrrh quickly snuffed out the reaction. Suddenly there were so many possibilities with this little monster. She hated it more than she could stand, but loved it more than she could bear. It would never come to stand between her and Masque, she would see to that, just as she did to all the others. But it's life suddenly held more promise to her, as something more than just a brat thrust into her life to destroy it. Grabbing a tuft of Masque's fur, she shut her eyes, welcoming the deep sleep to come. Her body ached, and for once, the spiteful voices that made her do such horrible things were content. It was time for rest, time to recuperate, and time to prepare for the many days ahead of them.