Heart of the Heat

[Fire Opal]

Near the hot lands, a lone wolf peered into the cauldron of heat. His pelt was covered in various hues of grey and brown, with a few sprinkles of black. His legs and ears, however, were a rich reddish brown and stood out from the rest of his body. As his deep brown eyes faced the smoldering desert, not a movement was made. The brute's tail then twitched, and as if on signal the male started forward. His paws sunk deep into the burning sand, but Haunt ignored it. He was used to the heat, the dry air and the blood red sunsets. He craved it. So Haunt padded on, his head swaying from side to side in a gentle motion. The brute kept away from the middle of the desert, however, for he feared he might lose his life if he went to far. But he remained within the unbearable heat, wandering aimlessly about the sand dunes. His brown eyes took in the landscape, and he silently memorized the area. It might come in handy some day, no? Haunt's jaws soon fell open, and his rosy-hued tongue fell over the edge. Breaking into a pant, the male felt the burning sunlight scorch his hot pelt. But he enjoyed it, he relished the heat. So on and on Haunt walked, his pace being slow but he never gave way. With each step his paws sank deep into the sand, and every time Haunt forcefully jerked it out. Not a sound was made; only the faint rush of Haunt's breathing could be heard. The male's nostrils flared, in and out, taking in the dry air as he crossed yet another sand dune. The quiet silence, the seemingly unbearable loneliness. It wasn't anything new to the traveler, who trudged on with diligence and determination. Will there ever be a time, when I am not alone?

[Kiya]

After what seemed for an eternity of traveling the land, Diamante finally had reached what every creature had told him to avoid. The Hot Lands. It couldn't be as bad as they said, he thought. But as he trudged deeper and deeper into the red world, his mouth grew drier and his breaths grew raspy. After a couple hours of stumbling around, trailing through the lost lands, he spotted a set of paw prints.

No... I remember hearing about those wolves who have gotten lost in this wretched place... have I been going in circles? Are these even mine?

He lowered his head to the faint, windswept tracks, and sniffed. He could hardly smell anything, and all he got was a nose full of red sand. He sneezed continuously, And then finally stopped. His head grew dizzier by the minute, and he turned his head.
...Could it be?
There was what looked like a desert oasis, and there was a beautiful shewolf there, wagging her tail and awaiting his arrival. This made him perk up, and so he ran to the spot. When he finally got to where he though he was supposed to be, everything was gone, and the only thing keeping him company was a wolf skeleton, picked to the bone.

[Fire Opal]

Haunt carried on as before, not realizing that someone was on his trail. The smoldering heat was growing intense, and it was only the Red Wolf's lineage and heat-resistance that kept him from growing ill. Every now and then the male thought he caught the scent of another in the still air, but every time he shrugged it off. Who would enter these desert lands, but he himself? Haunt's rosy-hued tongue slipped over his dry lips, as his pace slowed. By then the wolf was panting heavily, his breaths coming in short gasps. A rest would be nice. Haunt thought, bitterly gazing upon his surroundings. Not a tree, not a shrub in sight. Nowhere to stop and rest. The male grumbled softly to himself, slowing to a complete stop. He sniffed the air several times over, as he wondered if there would be any water, food, or shade around.

[Kiya]

Diamante let out a heavy, dry breath. He gave a side-glance to the brittle, ivory bone pile beside his exhausted paws. He had definitely underestimated the intensity of this ridiculous place. He wondered how nature could produce such a place. While one thing was for sure-- once he got out of here, he was never coming back. That is... if he did get out.

"Unlike you, I will not die here," he firmly said to the skeleton. And with that, he started to walk away.

After a few minutes of walking, he started to see a moving dot far away in the distance. Who else would be out here? But he didn't howl. Not yet...

[Fire Opal]

Haunt's head swayed from side to side, as he overlooked the rugged landscape. It would have been the perfect home, but not even the prey of the desert resided here. Not even the toughest of cacti shot their roots through the dry soil. Not even the scrawny crows flew in the dusty air. Haunt, taking in deep breaths, again noticed the faint scent of another wolf. The male growled softly to himself, his eyes narrowing. That scent. It kept nagging at him. But was it even real? Haunt, determined to find the answer, turned clear around to gaze at where he had been. In the distance, there was a small dot. And it seemed to be moving. Could it be prey? Haunt wondered, growing excited at the thought of something to eat. The Red Wolf's pelt quivered, as he fought the urge to charge after the creature. Gaining control of himself, Haunt took a slow step forward. Do I really want to go back the way I came? the male hesitated at the question, and made no more movements toward the vague form. Perhaps I'll just wait a while... Haunt thought to himself, as he slide gently into a sit. His gaze remained upon the dot, as he awaited some clue as to what the creature was.

[Kiya]

Diamante watched as the dot stood still. He lowered his head and stalked forward a few feet, ears erect and tail straight out. The waves of the heat rippled as he looked into the distance. When he got as close as to see the long legs that were walking around in the hot and searing sand, he gave a long resiliant growl. He now saw that it was a wolf. The wind picked up and blew the dry, hot air right into his face, and then he finally smelled the brute. His growl was loud enough to be heard, but he refused to howl to him. He simply continued his growl.

[Fire Opal]

Haunt's dark brown gaze was latched onto the moving form, his ears pricked forward as the animal came closer. The male's soft tongue ran quickly over his lips, as he imagined sinking his fangs into the hide of a rabbit. But Haunt quickly realized that the creature was not a rabbit. Not even an animal of prey. A wolf... Haunt's pelt prickled at the sight, his mood instantly shifting from collected to aggressive. The brute's muscles tensed, his stance growing rigid. His hackles started to rise, as a snarl came to his muzzle. The stranger's growl pushed Haunt even further into aggitation, and soon even his flecked gums were gleaming in the intense sunlight. Slowly, ever slowly, the male crept forward. His movements were cat-like, his body poised for action. Haunt was ready for anything as he neared the wolf, his senses straining to capture all the available information on the male ahead. Right now, Haunt considered him a real possible threat. Many questions filled his mind, but he didn't say a word as he snuck carefully onward.

[Kiya]

Diamante wathed the other brute, and his actions drove anger into him. The searing heat of the sun really didn't help any; it only aggitated him further. He pulled his lips back into a snarling growl, vicious and fierce, and saliva dripped from his fangs. It had been a couple days since his last meal, and his stomach growled to remind him of that. He was so hungry that he had already starting to wonder what actual wolf meat tasted like. His red stained teeth clashed together like knives. Out here, there was only one rule; eat or be eaten. And he was not going to be the one getting eaten. His wold eyes were in slits as he stared down the wolf, and when they were only a hundred feet away from each other, he started circling him.

[Fire Opal]

A sly grin came upon Haunt's muzzle, as he watched the male circle him. "You ain't killin' me, pal." he growled, his paws sinking into the soft sand. Haunt's brown eyes followed Diamante's form, his head rotating to keep up with his movements. The Red Wolf snarled under his breath, his tawny muscles flexing underneath his sun-bathed pelt. I was built to survive in these harsh lands. But this mutt? Naw, he'll lose without a doubt. Various thoughts ran through Haunt's mind, urging him to attack. The male slid into a crouch, his body just waiting to be released. But Haunt didn't let himself go, not just yet. First he watched the stranger, studying his structure and the condition of his health. Ah... perfect. Haunt's eyes gleamed with deadly intent as he took a few steps forward, his gaze targeting Diamante's neck. Snickering darkly to himself, Haunt prepared for his attack. Muscles tensed, haunches straining, fangs bared, the brute launched himself toward the male. The wind whipped by, as Haunt got ready to place a nasty bite directly upon Diamante's neck. But just at the last moment, the male shifted. He snapped out at the stranger's hind leg, his hindquarters ready to knock full-force into the wolf. It was clear that Haunt wasn't afraid to kill.

[Kiya]

Diamante's growl turned into a fierce bark. His leg was stinging in pain, and he could feel the blood run down it and in between his toes. Before Haunt could strike again, Diamante countered. His fangs lashed out in fury upon the male's hind-quarter, although not as deep as he wished it would have gone. The taste of blood made him recoil and lick his red lips, and the bitter taste was not what he wanted to taste when his mouth was already so dry.
Why did I wander out here? He asked himself. This is not my place to be.
His jaws opened, and the saliva splattered out as he got ready to strike again.

[Fire Opal]

Haunt tugged harshly on Diamante's leg, hoping to knock the male over or cause more damage. But before he could fit in another jerk, a searing pain entered his rump. Haunt's ears were swept back as blood filled the gash, but the wolf was undaunted by the minor cut. Now Haunt and Diamante were side by side, and this offered many opportunities. Haunt's sharp mind worked quickly to figure out another form of attack, and soon Haunt had lifted his hind leg in an attempt to kick his opponant in the face. Meanwhile he was putting his grip on the male's leg to good use, by biting and pulling and shaking. Haunt growled through his clenched teeth, his eyes glazed with hate and determination. He awaited Diamante's counter-attack with keen senses, his body straining to cause pain to the wolf. I will win.

[Kiya]

Diamante snarled as he felt Haunt's fangs tear into his leg. Every shake the determined wolf gave to his leg, more and more flesh was cut open. He snarled and began to panic, snapping at nothing but air. He stopped for a split second to watch Haunt's leg rise to kick him, but as it neared him, he struck at it with his locked jaws. He had managed to catch a little more than his toes, and he pulled fiercly to try and loosen Haunt's grip on his leg. He felt his leg tear every time his jerked on his paw, and finally, something snapped. Diamante dropped to the ground and tried desperaterly to rise again, but it was no use... His leg kept giving out on him. He looked up to watch Haunt's next move as the blood ran out of his leg and into the stained sand.

[Fire Opal]

Haunt's eyes gleamed with saticefaction as his tongue caught the sharp taste of blood. The male held Diamante's leg firmly in his strong jaws, knowing that it was his key to success. A deep growl of pleasure flowed from Haunt's throat, as his fangs cut through soft flesh. But just then a sharp stab of pain overtook his hind paw, and Haunt felt teeth jab at his limb. A loud shriek of pain escaped from Haunt's jaws, and for a split second his grip loosened. However, it soon tightened again as Haunt felt his paw being jerked repeatedly. The jarring shakes caused the wolf to almost loose his hold on Diamante's leg, but determination kept it from slipping from his jaws. Then a strong jerk came, forcing Haunt off his feet. He bit down tight on Diamante's leg, so that he wouldn't loose his grip. With a soft thud he hit the sand, his body now an uncoordinated lump. Haunt shook his head, jerking his oponant's leg in the process. The male quickly put himself in order, craning his neck back to view Diamante's head. Haunt let Diamante's leg fall to the ground, as he swiftly lunged toward the wolf's neck. His fangs were bared and ready to tear through flesh, his lips smeared with crimson blood. "Your only chance with me is a decent bargain." he snarled, his daggars now only seconds away from penetrating Diamante's throat.

[Kiya]

Diamante felt the teeth curl around his neck like sharp needles. He looked down at the battle ground of sand, which was slowly flooding into red from Diamante's blood. He was infuriated that his pride was ripped in half, but he wasn't afraid of death. He didn't like the feeling of being trapped, but in this delicate situation, the best thing that he could do was lay still and wait. After he heard Haunt's words, he growled sharply.

"What?" he asked raspily. The grip on his neck made his voice hard to be known. "What do you want?"

[Fire Opal]

Haunt's eyes lit up with burning satisfaction as he felt his fangs meet flesh. The male let his daggers dig into Diamante's neck, as blood dribbled from the gashes. Haunt's ears were suddenly thrown forward, tuned onto his opponent's faint rasp. Slowly the male eased his grip, as he realized that he could not kill Diamante. Not yet, anyway. Haunt then spoke, his rough voice muffled through layers of fur. "You tell me." he growled, shifting positions as burning rays of sunlight bore into his back. Jumbled thoughts ran through Haunt's mind, as he wondered what he could squeeze out of this wolf. What do I want? he asked himself, pausing to ponder over the question. He himself didn't know. He had never had an opportunity like this before. Alphaship? No. A mate? Not exactly. What then? What? No answer came.