Ascending to Heaven [Fate]

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[atrb=background,http://i50.tinypic.com/zodjlg.jpg,true] "Speech" Breathless. Choking. The ebony wolf could barely place one paw in front of the other. As he deliriously climbed up the eroded path, he stumbled on the skittering stones, falling hard on the unforgiving ground. He blinked, shaking his body to rid the speckled snow from his fur. It was a test. He was testing himself against the harshest of challenges. Get to the peak of the highest white mountain. No one was there to watch him, congratulate him, but Orion still carried on. He wanted to test his body to its limits. He had forever been a stumbling fool as a cub, but now he was older. He was maturer. He could make this. Although his body was built for cold climates, his body still wracked with violent shivers as his numb legs carried him further. Should he fall now... Orion looked down at the dizzying height. Vertigo made him blink a little, before he focused on the little dotted trees down below. Everything looked so small. Insignificant. He had begun at dawn, when the weather had been coldest. The sun was soon going to descend under the horizon, marking night once again. Orion didn't have night vision like a cat, meaning it would be impossible to follow the rickety path during the dead of the night. He would either have to turn back and head to the base of the mountain, or find shelter to continue his climb tomorrow. Orion should his head insistently. He had to continue. He had to prove that his body was capable of this. How many dogs had managed to get this high? He was so close to the clouds he could almost touch them... Orion's muzzle pointed upwards, breathing in the thin air. His head was fuzzy from such a height. He was exhausted. His legs were grazed and bloody from the countless trips and falls he had sustained. Orion was used to such cuts and bruises from his clumsiness, but he had got better. As the sun finally kissed the horizon, Orion veered off the path into the thick snow. The coldness barely hit the numb wolf as he ploughed through the slush. It had just begun to snow, and his fur was so cold that the snowflakes were beginning to settle on his back. Orion vaguely wondered whether, if he died up here, the snow would completely preserve his body. He had passed a few mountain goat carcasses on his way up here. Most of them still had flesh and fur on their body. It was absolutely fascinating to see bodies that had died weeks, perhaps even months before, but they were still completely in tact, as though they had only died yesterday. However, Orion didn't dwell on the thoughts for long. He had to find shelter before the temperature began to drop rapidly. He squinted through the thick snow, before he finally began to approach an old cave. It was plenty large enough to fit Orion. He quickly entered, however it only protected him from the snow and wind. The temperature was still extremely cold inside the cave and Orion shuddered, wishing there was some kind of heat source in here. He wondered what his mother or siblings would think of this foolishness. He chuckled under his breath at the thought. Rikki would be terrified. It amused him to think of her protectiveness. Orion didn't need her protection anymore. He could do what he liked, when he liked. Idly licking at his cold paw, Orion suddenly smelt something unfamiliar. Something canine. He frowned. Did someone live in this cave? Orion scrambled to his paws, looking into the harsh blackness of the deep cave. How could someone live at such a height? Orion waited, hoping whoever had lived here had long since moved on.

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[fate]

{ ACHILLES

Thud. With a huge thud on the ground, the dark beast landed on the stone floor. Blood was on his paws, muzzle, and on the ground beneath him. His body took up half of the width of the cave, if not more. Something, that which was meant to be a yawn, escaped from his mouth; a large rumble of a sort. Wind and snow blew hard outside of his cave, yet after going back just deep enough, he'd become rather comfortable. Warm, was almost impossible on this moment, unless you went to a much smaller, yet deeper cave; but he'd managed to find comfort in the chaos of Stranglers Mountain. Though his layers of matter, winter fur helped him adjust to his habitat. In the darkness of the cave, he seemed almost black. Large and black. His ember eyes were like lights in the darkness, they made him visible to others.

Yanking his food closer with one massive paw, he began to finish off his snack; while it was almost like he was trying to be anything but neat. Achilles was anything but neat. That came along with his solitude and attitude. Being alone meant he could act anyway, he wanted to. Blood all over himself was allowed, in fact in his mind, supported. A whistle from the wind, pierced his ears which forcing him to shake his head.

Honestly, his days were always just filled with nothing. Day and night, Achilles just didn't do much. It wasn't like he slept loads. Rather, he just sat in thought. There wasn't much really to do on Stranglers Mountain anyways. If you could handle the climate, then you could explore; but that wasn't Achilles. He just enjoyed the quiet, whisper of the wind. The solitude that the mountain offered. Or perhaps, he just didn't like company. Frankly, others pissed him off. It was hard to explain, but it was like Achilles had given society his last care when Janie died. Now he didn't have a care left.

Snapping his head to the entrance, he watched as a canine entered his cave. Quickly, he lifted his body off the ground; making a huff in the process. Often, animals of Hexasol referred to the great Newfoundland as "the Great Bear" due to how many never really get to see him; just his large stature and bear like coat. Silently, Achilles moved forward trying to get a better look at the canine. Looking again he realized that the canine was a wolf, not just a mutt.

Ugh. This was just what he needed, a visitor. Just great. Letting out a growl, he stepped into the light and eyed the wolf. "Hell." he huffed, "It's called Stranglers Mountain for a reason, it's supposed to sound dangerous, so no one will come up here."

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[atrb=background,http://i50.tinypic.com/zodjlg.jpg,true] Orion bristled at the deep, resonating voice from deep inside the cave. Narrowing his eyes, the ebony wolf squinted into the darkness, trying to discover who was hiding in the shadows. The gruff voice did not sound pleased at Orion's presence, which wasn't exactly surprising. Anyone who lived up here alone obviously did not want to be found. As the beast stepped forward into the light, Orion backed up, at first thinking it was that rumoured Great Bear whom he and his siblings had always heard tales of. However, as Orion took a closer look, it was clear to see that this was actually a canine. Despite the thick, wooly, brown fur that layered the dog, his facial features clearly resembled that of a dog. Orion was immediately fascinated of this large creature, who easily towered over the young wolf. He had never seen such a large, furry dog before. Letting out a rough laugh, Orion glanced up at the canine, "If it's so dangerous, why are you up here?" The wolf countered easily. The scent was so strong in this cave that Orion guessed the dog had been here quite a while. How could someone live here day in, day out? Was there enough food for him to even live? As Orion inspected his blood-ridden fur, Orion guessed that the Newfoundland got by somehow. Yet such a large dog lumbering through the snow must find it difficult to gain speed to catch prey. Goats would surely outrun this clumsy looking dog? Orion decided to think no more about this stranger's hunting habits. He clearly got by judging by the huge size and weight of him. He was absolutely huge! Could probably crush Orion's skeleton just by sitting on him! Orion lowered himself to his haunches, showing that he wasn't moving anywhere. "If you want me out, you're gonna have to make me. And I'm a fighter, y'know. I will fight back. What's the likelihood of us both tumbling over that cliff side?" Orion slowly moved his head to look over his shoulder at the horrid blizzard. The edge of the cliff was only a few metres away from the mouth of the cave. One wrong step and they could both go tumbling to their deaths. And it would be certain death. It was a huge plummet and it was likely they would both hit some nasty, jagged looking rocks on the way down. Orion wondered whether there was something distinctly wrong with him due to the fact that he enjoyed the thoughts of death. He was turning into a dark little dog. As dark as his pelt. Orion continued to gaze outside. You could barely see very far at all. The haze of snow and wind conjured fog and mist, making it impossible to see just a few metres ahead. Orion prided himself in making it this far already. By tomorrow he would make it to the peak. The descent would be far quicker then the ascent and he would make it to the base of the mountain within a couple of hours. He couldn't wait to boast to anyone willing to hear of his journey up Stranglers Mountains. He wagged his tail at the thought of awe on the listener's faces. He could even exaggerate, say he met a nasty bear on his way up. They fought to the death and Orion plunged his body over the cliff. Was that too much? Orion didn't care. He wanted to make his story as exciting as possible.

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[fate]

{ ACHILLES

Looking past the wolf, watched as snow fell on to the ground outside the cave. Adding to the large layer of snow that coated the ground. It looked rough outside, more than normal, though he'd seen much worse. Visitors were the reason he considered changing caves, because when the weather got rough he'd always get a visitor. Though usually it was a small animal, like a young baby goat; which usually never left the cave. That was a visit he ended up enjoying. But a canine was unexpected and not enjoyed. Perhaps he'd begin looking for a cave that was better hidden, soon.

Snapping back to meet the wolf's eyes, Achilles shook his head almost laughing when the brute asked as to why he was up here then. Ha. This male was cocky, sure of himself. Though Achilles did appreciate someone who wasn't a push over. Shifting his weight, he gave a small smirk and moved closer to the wolf. Achilles wasn't going to hurt him, but he was looking to intimidate him. "Danger, doesn't exactly scare me. I was just hoping it'd scare idiots like you." he replied, huffing after wards. Locking his eyes to meet the ebony wolf's, Achilles just kept his ground. Calling this wolf an idiot might not have been the best move, but he didn't care. If the brute was smart, he'd suck it up and handle all the snide remarks. Because, there were plenty more to come.

Silence remained for only a short period of time between the two mutts. Tension was in the air, perhaps it was Achilles size and the wolf's sureness of himself. Yet neither had announced themselves. For all Achilles knew, the wolf's name was wolf. Asking for a name or proclaiming his name, meant that there was a possibility of a friendship forming. Which by no means, was a going to be a possibility. Not if it was up to Achilles.

"If you want me out, you're gonna have to make me. And I'm a fighter, y'know. I will fight back. What's the likelihood of us both tumbling over that cliff side?"

Ears laying flat against his skull, the large brute listened as the wolf threatened him. Oh man. Achilles's tail swept back and forth, as a small grin appeared on his face. He could easily hurt this wolf. Yet, that wasn't his intentions rather he just wanted to scare him. Scare the fur right off his back. So with an evil grimace on his face, he stepped closer; putting his face close to the muzzle of the wolf. A large growl bellowed out and Achilles looked everything but nice. The growl lasted long enough, before Achilles simply backed up and huffed. "I don't care where you stay, stay in this cave if you're afraid of the snow. Just stay the hell away from me. Because now you know, I am capable of scaring you. But you've yet to find out that I'm capable of much more."

He didn't laugh, but simply chuckled once before turning around and striding deeper into the cave. He figured the wolf would follow him considering the warmth was further back. And this young creature seemed to be so cocky. Glancing back, Achilles sighed and stopped. "Just come deeper in the cave and shut up. You could still freeze if you stand there." it was a small invite, plus a snide remark. His favorite. "But if you die in my cave, I have full permission to have you for dinner." he added, with a grin on his face. Concluding his thoughts, he plopped down on the ground, with a huge huff. Perhaps the wolf would go to the end, using the corner to keep him warm.

ooc; So sorry for how late it is. And sorry for how it's not too great. I'm so drained when it comes to muse.

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[atrb=background,http://i50.tinypic.com/zodjlg.jpg,true] Orion raised his hackles as the large canine advanced towards him. Letting out a small snarl, Orion glared up at the huge beast. When the Newfoundland insulted him by calling him an idiot, his fur prickled with anger. There was a serious personality clash here. How could Orion cope with staying a night in this horrible, putrid cave with this thing? He glanced warily out into the cold and sighed. There wasn't a single other cave in sight, and Orion knew this was his only option. It was gradually darkening outside, with the first few starts starting to twinkle brightly in the night sky. He would be foolish to leave because of his dislike of the stranger. He would make the peak tomorrow and leave this stupid mutt behind. It's not like they even had to speak to each other for the rest of the evening. The Newfoundland was speaking once again, and his thoughts matched Orion's for once. Yes, they were keeping the hell away from each other. He didn't want to get in the path of his horrid breath. Wrinkling his nose, Orion descended into the belly of the cave, where it was fractionally warmer than the entrance. Letting out a small shiver, Orion sat down on the cold, hard, unforgiving ground. "You act all big and scary, but you're nothing more than a fluffy dog. You're not actually a bear, y'know." Orion snapped harshly as he lay down, listening to the loud whistle of the wind against the cave walls. How was he supposed to sleep with a blizzard raging outside? He heaved out a sigh and stretched against the ground. The smell was disgusting, making Orion breathe through his mouth. Closing his eyes, Orion tried to get comfortable, but ended up shuffling around awkwardly on the cold ground. He couldn't sleep when he was this cold. Scrambling to his paws, Orion glared at the dark figure that shared the cave. "You are trying my patience, big boy," Orion snarled into the silence, "I wonder what could have possibly happened to you, to live alone up in a secluded cave. Lose someone you love, perhaps?" Orion deduced, a small smile playing on his lips. It was a wild shot in the dark, but Orion had a knack at hitting people's weak spots. He liked riling canines and felines up. He enjoyed them getting angry, or even upset. He wanted to know the story behind this dog. No one would go up and live in a cave unless they were extremely stupid, or they were perhaps grieving. Orion guessed the latter. His deep, chocolate eyes seemed to hold a kind of... sadness to them. Laying back on the cold ground, Orion huffed uneasily. His breath misted up instantly in the icy cave. It was going to be a long night. If he wasn't going to sleep, he may as well taunt the only individual in here.

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[fate]

{ ACHILLES

This was why Achilles hated company. It ended up bringing nothing but discomfort to him. He was scary, or he could be; but it wasn't like he didn't have a weak spot. And of course, this stupid, yet smart wolf had just stabbed it. Oh well, he thought. Before he stuck to seclusion, Achilles got asked about his past often. It seemed to be a common topic for souls these days, often he would lie or sometimes he'd just tell the truth. Though when he would go deep into his past, he'd end up leaving or missing the next day. Ever since Janie, he just felt different. Distant. Cold. Alone. Useless.

Achilles shot the wolf a deathly glare, before sighing. The wolf was trying to play him, but for some reason he didn't feel like creating a lie. A feeling told him that the wolf would see right through it; it was useless. Shifting uncomfortably, he looked outside as he answered. "You think you called it huh? Well, how about losing everyone you loved?", he grumbled. Everyone, his heart ached with pain. But he made sure his face was like stone, showing emotion wasn't his specialty. "Some people would say their sorry, but I highly doubt that's you. Which is good. Apologies don't bring the dead back. So, since your deciding to target me...what's your deal, wolf?", he ended saying wolf with a sharp tone. This was his attempt to change the subject; he hoped the wolf would play along.

It was getting awfully cold, but Achilles's coat was so mangled and ratty, that it was actually double it's normal size. He was built for this weather, he could handle this. Now his 'dear' friend the wolf, wasn't exactly matched when it came to staying warm. He was probably slap freezing. Oh well, he shouldn't be up here if he can't handle it. Achilles wished he wasn't here. Since when did his cave seem like a public rest stop? He hated it.

When he was younger, his brother Graham was always very sensitive. He cried often, sometimes just randomly. He was made fun of by not only his siblings but other pups too. Achilles, being rude and quite the opposite once sharply asked Graham why he was such a baby. Graham just gave a sad look like he was used to that word, not in a sweet way either, and then he eventually answered, "No ones the same, Achilles. I have no intention of being heartless, like you or some of the others. Mom says I just have a big heart." which sounded incredibly deep for a puppy. He admired his brother, sometimes he used to think that Janie should have been with someone like that. But he was glad she'd chosen him, even if it didn't make a difference now.