tell me i can't take my chances. [open]

[&ATLAS.]

And you wonder why
no one can stand you,
and there's no denying..

Woosh! The big crow squwaked and flapped his slick wings in anger, his neck twisting as he turned to stare down what had tried to make him an afternoon snack. A massive square head, a pointed muzzle complete with pearly, pointy fangs reflected in his beady little eyes. The crow flapped his wings again, cursed the wolf in his own odd language, and launched himself into the air. "Thanks, imbecile. Could have made it easy and jumped into my mouth instead." The voice was gruff, deep. There was a snort at the end of that thought, that sounded more like a throaty laugh. White ears flicked in irritation as silver paws made their way out of the thinning cover of trees, into a clearing, toward the edge of the glimmering stream. Wild flowers grew tall around the water, making the area slightly hidden in the height of summer- when the flowers were beautiful, vivid blues and yellows and pinks and the tallness of the grasses masked the dull clearness of the stream. And also in the height of summer, the clearing would be full of the birds screaming at each other, the rabbits hopping about, the deer grazing in their little herds. Ah, yes. The clearing was a little taste of pretty perfection in a way.

An air of tranquility settled over the clearing at a constant, uninterrupted even by this strife between the hunter and his prey. Appearing from his cover empty-handed, the bulky canine dealt with his Plan B- quenching his thirst. Being on the larger end of his species, and being that it was Spring weather (the sun beat down on his thick coat even this early) he hungered for the feeling of the cold liquid trickling down his throat, cooling himself from the inside out. Of course, his own portion of land- well, Nyx's anyways- had it's own source of water, but seeing the same sights day in and day out of the Thestral pack grew rather colorless in his mind, and it was an adventure to travel the long way around the eastern territory instead of simply straight through the middle. The loner lands were quite interesting, quiet to say the least. In fact, all of the land had seemed rather quiet for the last.. some time now. Calm before the storm perhaps? The beast chuckled at his thoughts. Oh how he would just love it if something drastic would happen soon. It would definitely spice his life up a little.

Tilting his white head, the brute grunted and let his thick legs lead him to the water's edge. The stream rippled at him invitingly, the upside down reflection of the flowers and surrounding trees staring up at him calmly. As he brought his upper half closer, he himself came into view. The clear water saw him as a darker figure, gray almost. He was still huge, but the ripples outlined his reflection awkwardly, making weird dips and divots in his second body. His dark eyes were black in the water. Flicking an ear again, the big wolf brought his muzzle to the water, piercing it with his black nose and slipping his pink tongue into it's depths. Freezing water entered his mouth, and he drank heavily the delicious taste of it. The water in his homeland tasted faintly of metal. This stream was fresh, a virgin of anything but rain and wind. Coughing the excess water from his nose, the Thestral warrior lifted his square head away from the bank, letting the droplets drip from his nose and whiskers.

And you were crying
like a bitch.
And you were crying
like a bitch.

[FANTABULOUS.]

He'll just love it if i surprise him! Won't he just love it? He'll just love it!

Lucio's thoughts were all in a muddle as he lay perfectly still in the branches of the weeping willow. The long, thin, drooping switches of leaves and bark were very graceful and gentle as they dipped into the waters, and while it was insanely difficult to keep from fidgeting, Lucio kept as still as he possibly could while maintaining his balance. It certainly was not easy, but the thrilling idea of surprising Ares as he drank was enough suspense to keep him silent and frozen. He had tracked the warrior all the way out here into the loner lands and while he could not possibly fathom a reason why any wolf would travel so many hundreds of strides away from the territory just for some measly water, Lucio was never one to question his superiors. Inching down the branch, he started to pant as the adrenaline coursed through him and he planned his perfect descent down to land, light-footed and lithe, in front of his very bestest friend.

The larger, much larger white wolf - any wolf was larger than Lucio, and most wolves were not as big as Ares - was lowering his majestic - could he say beautiful? Was that too weird? - head; now he was drinking; now he had raised his large head and did some weird snort-thing to get rid of the water. Here was his chance! It was do or die! He inched forward a few more pawlengths on his belly. Cra-aaa-aack. It was certainly an ominous sound, even for a wolf who was not resting all his weight on a spindly branch. And for the wolf who was, it was deadly. Lucio yelped almost inaudibly as he started to slide inexorably forward with the momentum of his formerly static host, now a toboggan-bobsled down the vertical decline of its brother branches. And just like that, into the water he went, with a big fountain of water, a few little waves reaching the shore where Ares was not doubt watching with amusement or more likely, disgust, and a characteristic little sploosh. The pond was not too deep, deeper than he was tall but a wolf like his big white friend would probably have no trouble standing.

He panted, treading water and paddling until he could feel the dirt of the submarine floor beneath his paws. Looking up brazenly into Ares' face, the little red wolf grinned manically. "Ares! Hi! Fancy seeing you here! The water's a little cold, but don't you fancy a dip? I just love this place out here, it's so quiet and peaceful, it's like no other creature on earth could find you! Well, except me, of course; I found you." A sheepish grin twisted his features and he hoped for something - anything - from the face of his one true love, his greatest bestest friend in the whole wide world, the guy who he wished and wished he could be. His entire tone spoke of his need to pretend that he meant to do that spectacular feat of failure. His eyes blazed fire almost as dark red as his coat, even while the rest of him dripped. A tiny droplet rolled down his snout and hung on his nose, and others were caught in still more embarrassing places, like his eyelashes, which when he blinked made him appear like tears were falling. But they weren't.

Honest.

you like to be liked, or judged, or liked
and you like it in a barrel
plunging over the falls
and into the thrill of it all.
and the real wonder of the world
is why we don't jump too.

notes: yay for lucio! i would've actually loved to post with smoke, seeing as she loves white-furred males and all, but lucio's got a lot of fun left in him yet.
muse: fairly decent. you give me lots to play with. a little rambly but that's lucio speaking, not me :P
lyrics: daredevil by the tragically hip
tag: atlas!

[&ATLAS.]

They christened you,
with whiskey-
And there's fire running
through your veins

Curious thoughts entered his thick skull, and the warrior flicked his ears at each one. Each picture seemed to be dull at first, then grow vivid before moving on to the next. Well, perhaps not pictures, exactly. Faces. The first was of an average beauty, her inky black pelt soft and shiny. She was smaller, a little more than half of Ares' size perhaps. Her eyes were a fierce, dangerous blue. Odd, colorful diamonds in a black cave. In his thought, she was staring up at him, her eyes hard and her body rigid, as if she were pissed and either about to tell him off or try her best to attack him. This made the wolf chuckle for a moment. He and Nyx's personalities were quite the same, and therefore they actually tended to clash more often than not. Her damn way with words, that easily missed deceiving part of her. Why had he sucked up his own pride and offered her a lifetime of loyalty, then? Ares shook his head but grinned as these thoughts of his younger alphess passed.

A duller face entered his mind, and hot hatred coursed through his veins. The face was a mixture of brown, silver, and white. Grey eyes stared at him, mocking him almost. Farrah. For some reason, well, he did indeed know the reason, he would always hate that male. Whatever had happened between him and Nyx in the past- which she could deny all she wanted, he himself would never forgive the eastern wolf. Ares snorted, slapping a paw at the water and watching as the clear waves spread out in front of him before they settled back a few moments later. With a huff and the edge of a growl forming in his throat, the big wolf sat back along his haunches, his tail curling over his paws. Yet another face formed in his head, and a look of annoyance spread a across his features. Lucio. That incredibly obnoxious, insulting, lying red wolf that was always on his freaking tail. Ares didn't understand why the male was so obsessed with following in his footsteps. He honestly found the kid to be like one of those gross summer mosquitoes. That never went away. Ever.

Closing his auburn eyes, the white male hummed to himself as he watched the red face slip away, and mentally locked it in the little black box in the corner of his brain. Where it would not stay, it seemed. Splash! The sound of something cannon-balling into the pond startled him, but the huge spray of water that smacked him in the face only pissed him off. "What the-!" His voice was an angry snarl, and he braced his paws against the ground, tensing him muscles before shaking his thick coat free of the water. Blinking his eyes open, they narrowed to slits as he took in what was swimming toward him, almost flailing in a way. Lucio. The obnoxious, ridiculous, overly energetic nightmare. It seemed that as soon as he hit the water, his jaw had swung open. He was going on about how nice the water was, how peaceful his clearing was- until this male had ruined it of course- and how he had done such a tremendous job at tracking him.

Then Lucio fell quiet, staring at him with big round eyes and a huge grin. Peering closer at him, Ares could see the fire that burned in the warriors eyes, as if something had just happened that he was trying to cover up. Okay, so the beast had done a good job of tracking him down in all actuality. The white wolf hadn't so much as heard or felt or even smelled another being following him. Gold star for the day, mutt. Tilting his head, he bit his tongue and paced a couple of steps away from the bank of of the pond. "I'm good on that one," he said thickly. The younger wolf looked silly, sitting by himself in the water and waiting on someone to join him like a pup. Ares cleared his throat, pressing the surprise and anger down into his chest. "Why on earth were you following me? Don't you have something better to do? Don't tell me you just left Nyx by herself." His eyebrows- if wolves have any, would have raised at his last comment. How foolish did you have to be to not realize that one tiny she-wolf couldn't defend an entire piece of land if a pack decided to attack it.

Well you're an outlaw-
just the same,
And every night a bullet
wears your name.

[FANTABULOUS.]

The little red wolf's face fell when Ares paced away from the water. Oh, so Ares was playing that game again, the one where they pretended that they were not friends anymore and the huge white wolf ignored him with a silly look bordering on murderous intent plastered on his face. Ares was good at that game, too good sometimes. But Lucio knew it was all just a game and he would play along, like he did whenever Ares started getting all huffy. Lucio knew exactly what to do to get that smile back on his dial. Usually it took a few days of continual nagging to remind Ares that they were best friends forever. And after question after question after question, Ares would eventually admit that yes, they were indeed best friends forever, Lucio would win the game resoundingly, and everything would go back to its fun-loving, normal self. Huffy schmuffy, somebody had probably irritated Ares to make him less amiable than usual. He wondered what kind of wolf would annoy his best friend. They needed to be hunted down and killed. And what better to cheer up a huffy wolf than the smiling face of their bestest best friend in the history of best friends?

The grin re-applied itself to Lucio's face and he dragged himself from the water, his heavy red coat dripping dry as he walked, steaming slightly in the sunshine. He looked even smaller than usual, the fluffiness of his fur no longer protecting his skinny frame from view, and he just looked like a canine skeleton that some frolicking youngster had draped weeds onto, to make it look like a semblance of a real creature. And he was cold, too. Very cold. Standing somewhat dejectedly in the sunshine, Lucio turned his head on the side to look at Ares, that ever-present peculiar grin still painted on his maw. "Yeah, you're right! The water's really cold, you wouldn't want to go in there! What kind of wolf goes swimming on such a beautiful day anyway?" Everything Lucio said was always an exclamation, nothing was ever toned down when the lithe red wolf was speaking. And why should it be, when everything he said held such vital importance to everyone around him? He did not care that any wolf within a few miles could hear him talking. They were probably the better for it.

All that thinking meant Lucio's little mind could not concentrate on two things at once, and belatedly he realised Ares was speaking. A little too late, he fixed what he hoped was a serious look on his face and nodded serenely, making sure he appeared in all ways hanging on Ares' every word. "I needed to make sure you were okay! Everyone needs a buddy, especially out in the loner lands. Loners are vicious! They stop at nothing! Imagine if you were attacked! I could have saved your life!" Oh, that thought sent shivers of ecstasy down Lucio's spine. Saving Ares' life would only be the greatest event to ever happen in his life. Ever. "And Nyx isn't alone, she's got Shadow there somewhere, and besides, you know Nyx can take care of herself." Somewhat of the excited edge fell off Lucio's tone as he spoke her name. Nyx. She had attacked him before and she made fun of him all the time. She was even bigger than him and that, coupled with her alpha status, gave her licence to pick on him. Lucio held grudges like a squirrel held onto its nuts; never ever ever just letting them go.

you like to be liked, or judged, or liked
and you like it in a barrel
plunging over the falls
and into the thrill of it all.
and the real wonder of the world
is why we don't jump too.

notes: i am actually in love with lucio. he's just epic fun. sorry to be so irritating ;P
muse: hmmm.
lyrics: daredevil by the tragically hip
tag: atlas!

[&ATLAS.]

They christened you,
with whiskey-
And there's fire running
through your veins

His whiskers twitched as he watched the smaller red wolf, watched his ecstatic facial features fail just the slightest bit. He'd hit something inside of the canine, and it must have been a good hit. As a beat of silence passed between the males, the gears in Ares' head started to turn exceedingly fast. What on earth had he done to deserve this? To deserve an anxious twit on his tail, asking questions and looking at him with that weird starstruck look he tended to have in his eyes. He didn't understand what it was that Lucio seemed to adore so much. Obviously, Ares was a hulking beast with muscles and brains- this thought made his lips curl up in a grin- but to have the little wolf follow him and act like they'd been best friends or even brothers since birth? No, it didn't make sense to him at all. Yet apparently, in that red-furred mind of the warriors', it made crystal clear sense. Boy did he wish often that he knew what Lucio was thinking, just to understand what the whole deal was. Because quite frankly, it tended to creep him out.

Lucio's slow movement pulled Ares back to the moment, and he watched with narrowed amber eyes as the wolf slunk out of the pond, that awkward and goofy smile replacing the frown that had just been on his muzzle. Water dripped from his thick coat, soaking the grass he stood over, and the steam that rose from his back and shoulders did not go unnoticed. The fact that he now looked like a walking demon didn't go unnoticed either- the poor thing simply looked like someone who hadn't even heard the word 'prey' in months. Someone who should be long gone, buried deep in the ground, covered in dirt and grass and flowers. If it weren't for his shining eyes, Lucio would indeed look completely dead. And for just a flicker of a moment, seeing the younger wolf with his wet fur slick against his frame, Ares felt a pang of something.. worry maybe? Guilt? Sympathy? But it was just a pang, a twinge, and then it disappeared, because the way that the red wolf was now smiling at him was eerily.. weird. And finally, that awkward minute of silence passed as the wolf began to speak.

He first stated what Ares had just said- that he wouldn't want to be in the water. It was too cold. What wolf in their right mind would go swimming on a day like this? Well, swimming had been the last thought on his mind when he'd been seeking this clearing out, for sure. But so was running into his stalker. His tone was excited, you could practically feel the energy vibrating from each word. It was odd how such a wolf could be in a good mood like that day in and day out. When he spoke, he was practically yelling at whoever was being forced to listen to him. His velvety ears flicked back slightly, as if they themselves were trying to escape the loud and powerful voice that Lucio's tiny body held within. When it was Ares' turn to speak again, he noted that Lucio wasn't actually paying attention until he spoke the last sentence, but the wolf did his best to throw on what he seemed to think was an 'I'm all ears' face.

And then it was Lucio speaking again. His next few words did not strike the white wolf as intelligent, more like childish than anything else. I needed to make sure you were okay! Ares tried to hold back his snort, and it came out as a muffle choke, more like a cough than anything. Make sure he was okay? Really. Who did this creature think he was! There wasn't a single being in the entire forest who was a threat to the masculine tank that was the shining white warrior of the thestral pack, the prized fighting machine. He didn't need a babysitter. He didn't need someone to watch his back for him, and even if he did? Lucio wouldn't be his first choice. Nope. "Lucio, loners are nothing but horrid specks on this giant chunk of land we call our home. They're dust. Worthless. Nada. Nothing to be afraid of." Was he seriously giving a speech about how useless loners were? All they did was steal the packs' prey and territory.

"I don't think I'll need you to save my life anytime soon. You on the other hand, I predict saving your life many times in the future." With a chuckle, he thought to himself- or ending it! The red wolf spoke of Nyx then, which spiked Ares' attention. Ah, the cute, feisty alpha he had fledged his allegiance to a while back. She indeed could take care of herself. Also younger than himself, the she-wolf had one of the sharpest tongues he'd ever known. And that Shadow? They could be twins. The later was a cousin of the alpha female's, and the two didn't seem to get along well. If anything, Shadow would probably sit and watch with a bored expression as her cousin handled any ambushes on the territory. As Lucio spoke of these too, something dark clouded over his face, and Ares tilted his head. Interesting. What did the male have against Nyx..?

Well you're an outlaw-
just the same,
And every night a bullet
wears your name.

[FANTABULOUS.]

It was moments like these that Lucio truly cherished; hanging out with his best buddy, not being judged by those others who he would not care to mention. He really loved the way that Ares just accepted him for who he was, perhaps even - inside his mind, Lucio wiped away a melodramatic tear - loved him. The Lucio inside Lucio's mind was strong, powerful, blessed with a voice that reverberated off mountains and stripped trees of their branches with its echoing resonance. Everywhere he went, the forest creatures kissed the pawprints he left in the dust and wished they had the physique and brains of the most magnificent specimen of wolf in the territories. He had the pick of all the lady wolves in the forest, but he would choose none of them. Pseudo-Lucio was a lone ranger, content with only the company of his somewhat socially inadequate and muscle-lacking friend, Ares. And pseudo-Ares, well, he was kinda dependent on the majesty and brilliance of his best friend in the whole wide world, the ever-popular, charming, talented, strong Lucio.

But the thing he loved most about his friend was that he seemed genuinely happy to see him. Ares never questioned him, never judged him, never double-crossed him; he was always behind his back and ready for anything the world had to throw at the pair. The dynamic duo, that was what they were, forever friends forever. Lucio was so glad he had found Ares when he had, or else things could have gone really badly for the big white fellow. Before that moment, he did not remember anything else. He remembered nothing from the moments before then, just a fuzzy mass of smells and vague memories: his childhood was as much a mystery to him as the reason why the sun slept at night, or why the sky cried. The first thing he remembered was waking up near the borders, the smell of fox emanating from a carcass nearby him, and looking up into the eyes of a huge white wolf standing above him. He had been just a yearling, barely even one, and the two year old wolf had just come into a semblance of his true size. It was safe to say it was love at first sight, for both parties. Lucio still remembered the way the soft, grey-white fur smelled when he had attached himself bodily to his new friend's pelt - like love. And pine needles. And sweat.

He frowned slightly as Ares spoke, and instantly saw the error of his ways. Cursing to himself for being so stupid in front of his easily impressionable friend - Ares needed him to be strong for both of them! - he said quickly as the white wolf finished speaking, "Of course, you're right! I was just testing you. I could take on seven ... seventeen of them at once and I wouldn't even get a scratch! They're complete nothing! Nothing to be afraid of," he echoed, grinning. Ares was always right about everything, that was one of his talents. Lucio would never go against the word of his best friend, even if it was completely at odds with what he had just said. Hypocrisy was a word that was just not in Lucio's vernacular. The kid could just as easily repeat the exact opposite of something he had just vehemently said and not feel a twinge of guilt. The same worked a little with promises, though then it was less going directly against a pledge and more conveniently forgetting. But with Ares, everything was different. Only the best for his best friend. And that meant agreeing with him on everything.

And Ares had said something about saving his life. Well, not that it would not be greatly appreciated and in fact, a terribly nice gesture but frankly, Lucio could take care of himself. Why, he would fly like a bird and swim like a fish, he was smart and strong and swift, he could take on anything. "Thanks but no thanks, buddy," he smiled. "That's where you're sorely mistaken. Don't you think I'm strong enough to save myself?" There was a bit of a whine in the last statement, but he kept it down to a inaudible low. He never questioned that he might get into a situation where he would need saving, whether by his own natural intuitiveness and quick-thinking or the helping paw of another wolf; he had been hanging by one paw entangled in tree vines over a cliff before, or faced with a rutting elk's sharpened antlers more than once, all in the name of a good dare. He was no stranger to danger. But one thing Lucio had become good at was worming himself from sticky situations.

you like to be liked, or judged, or liked
and you like it in a barrel
plunging over the falls
and into the thrill of it all.
and the real wonder of the world
is why we don't jump too.

notes: the first paragraph reminds me hysterically of red vs. blue, the episode where they go into caboose's mind.
muse: beginning to get my head around lucio :3
lyrics: daredevil by the tragically hip
tag: atlas!