Poaching [open, East Siders]

[GREY]

Scout licked her chops as she admired the huge trees of metal with wires between them. Licked, because there happened to be a pair of falcons roosting there with chicks on a beam. Digging her claws in, the wry vixen ambled up, but quickly found herself falling back down. The metal refused to give like wood would. The fox snarled, before ducking away as a loud car passed by beeping. Carefully looking about for safety, she ascertained nothing else of that size was coming, and attempted to skivvy up again, this time choosing to grip the sides of a narrow piece, 'hugging' it like a squirrel or cat might. The grey fox was the only canid who could truly climb.

After a long, torturous minute where she didn't dare glance back down, and where the parents might return any minute to attack, she balanced on top of the nest. Success! Flashing her fangs, she ruthlessly grabbed a chick.

Hmm. Was that a dog moving over there? She squinted. Her vision wasn't even as good as humans, much less a bird's. She couldn't tell unless it came closer or made noise for her keen ears to hear. What if it wanted her food? Climbing down would be even harder than getting up, especially with the food in her mouth, and she planned to make the trip twice and stash the extra for later... she couldn't afford to watch her back the whole time.

Then again, perhaps the creature could be bargained with. She knew it was unusual for foxes to go into packs, but she'd been raised with dogs. She saw the advantages of doing business with something three times her size.

[Wolfy ♥]

Watching from below, cradled between two comfortable car seats in an old abandoned vehicle lay Diabolos. Of course he was finding tons of amusement in what he was seeing. Did this tiny little thing of a fox really think she had what it took to climb up the side of a suspense bridge to get two baby eaglets? Diabolos prepared to take his leave and watch the fox further. But a strange car came barreling down the road. Nearly causing him a heart attack.

"Holy hell!..," Diabolos wasn't in the right of mind at the moment to be dealing with such surprises. ",Damn humans an' their weird shit.."

His heart was racing but the wolf managed himself. And off down the road he strided. Keeping his eyes locked on the fox. He admired her determination and vigor but there was no way that she could do it. The wolf couldn't help but laugh at how she contorted her body and shuffled up the metal.

Diabolos turned his head away momentarily, was something coming his way. He wasn't sure what he had sensed but the wolf turned his head back toward the fox. This time in her direction he caught wind of a smell he was all to familiar with, blood and death. Surprisingly from what Diabolos could see from so far away, the gray fox was balancing herself on the nest like a practiced acrobatic. The blood was a hint that she'd killed one of the helpless eaglets. Silently he cheered her on, but inside he wondered how she was going to get down. Especially with both of the eaglets.

[GREY]

Carefully, the fox moved back down, deciding to simply go backwards like a cat. She balanced the eaglets together in her mouth, but accidentally dropped one when she was half way down. "Damn it! she cursed, grumbling with the other eaglet still in her mouth. She could now see... a wolf all the way down at the ground. After getting within a few meters of the ground, she sprang down and landed gracefully and shook her gray and orange coat.

Well, the other eaglet on the ground was all filthy now. Still, beggars couldn't be choosers. She'd bury that one in the ground and eat it later. Although, maybe the wolf was going to eat it. In that case, there really wasn't much she could do about it. Scout was a pipsqueak. Her only hope in the unlucky case of a fight would be to lure him into the road and get hit by one of the cars, and that would leave herself up to the risk of getting hit by one. No, fighting was definitely something she wanted to avoid at all costs. Still, as long as he wasn't going to attack her, she could eat her meal right here. She plopped down in a safe spot and began to chew on the chick.

"Hello." she called to the wolf, feeling rather proud of herself for her feat of climbing. "Whatcha doing here? Couldn't be for the fine music. Or the smell." The sound of cars beeping in the distance was... obnoxious at best. And the car exhaust and asphalt stank hideously.

[Wolfy ♥]

"Oh I bet she'll slip an' fall." Diabolos chuckled darkly. ",I'll give the kid kudos though even in death." He didn't want to see the fox fall at all. In fact he hoped that she would make it. Maybe he could manipulate the fox into doing him a few favors in the future. With her small, lithe body she could get in and out of places he needed. However it would be a help if she did fall, especially if she wasn't apart of the pack. If she did get down, he was obliged to kill her. Maybe not right away but if she didn't leave he would. And take those eaglets for himself.

"Hello. Whatcha doing here? Couldn't be for the fine music. Or the smell."

The wolf's head snapped back to the fox. Who amazingly hadn't fallen - at all. What a shame. He was hungry and was hoping for a quick meal. Diabolos shrugged to himself and approached the fox. "Nope, just the show," Smiled Diabolos. ",It was very entertaining I admit. Would've been upsetting if some kind of 'tragedy' were to occur. But you know what would've made the show? Some food. Meat to be exact."

[GREY]

She narrowed her eyes. The dumb wolf did want her meat after all, still, she decided to give no sign of how much she resented this. And had that part about tragedy been sarcastic? Instead, she gave a perky smile. "I've got an extra eaglet. I'm already eating this one, so you can take the other." Sigh. Some losses were just inevitable, it seemed. "Anyway, as if I would fall from a little thing like that." she scoffed, trying not to give off how afraid she had been for a few moments up there, not daring to look down.

If he made a move toward her and not the eaglet, she'd keep her prey in her mouth and run like hell. Maybe climb down the side of the bridge and leap into the water. Scout so hated being wet though. It ruined her nice, tongue-groomed fur.

[Wolfy ♥]

"I've got an extra eaglet. I'm already eating this one, so you can take the other. Anyway, as if I would fall from a little thing like that."

Diabolos rolled his eyes. Little things with big ego's. While it looked inspirational to others, it looked pretty stupid to him. Obviously the fox didn't mean it. The fox was so fickle and small compared to him that the wind could probably blow her over. "Don't jest me with your false bravery. Even I.. the big bad wolf..," He laughed. ",admits that I would be scared. That's not little, anyone can see that. From those heights you could've easily fallen."

He turned towards the eaglet on the ground. The thing was covered with dirt and dust. Not a problem for him of course. He was used to eating rotten meat, most often fill with bugs. Didn't matter to him though, more protein. But he didn't have his eyes for the eaglet. "This eaglet... I've eaten things that looked more appetizing. You can eat your scraps. I'll settle for something better." The wolf grabbed the little wing of the eaglet and tossed it at the feet of the fox.

"You know what sounds good. Fresh kill, warm fresh meat. Oozing blood..," The wolf licked his chops and moved closer to the vixen. ",I know what's good. Fox.. ever tried any?.. Oh, what am I saying of course you haven't! That'd be eating your own kind. To me it's a personal delicacy. An' I know where to get some.." Diabolos swiftly moved closer, his mouth widening in a toothy, wolfish grin.

[GREY]

"Alright, I'll admit, it was frightening, but I had the whole thing figured out. After a certain height, everything is lethal to drop from, even trees, and I've done those loads of times. This was no different." It really was. The metal, that had been the trick. Gripping it around and hugging it like a tree, though, and not relying on her claws to dig in properly, that had been the trick. She wasn't a gray for nothing. Of the few canine species that could climb, yup siree.

Scraps! Scraps? He called her food scraps? Gah! The nerve. Still, she appreciated not having to give up the extra food. But wait. He'd said he was hungry, and he was still moving--

Not being stupid in the slightest, the fox bolted before he could finish his long monologue, forgetting to even grab a chick. "Asshole!" she snarled, going straight and then swerving under the bridge. A direct leap off would be suicidal-- many humans had chosen to go that way, in fact-- but the vixen was climbing underneath on to one of the support beams. She shimmied down slowly to the water. The disgusting, disgusting water. Still, there was no way he could get her now. If he leaped, he'd die, and there was no way the wolf could climb a beam, as that was physically impossible. "That was fresh meat! I killed it one minute ago! It's bleeding and everything!" she raged. "I was on your side!"

Ass, ass, ass. She hoped someone bigger than him would walk up and eat him. Now she had none of the eaglets. Dog dammit.

Huh. Now the mourning parents were arriving to the nest, and shrieking their heads off in distress. Ironic.

[Wolfy ♥]

The wolf couldn't hold it inside anymore. He burst out laughing from all the fun he was having. Diabolos couldn't believe what he was seeing. The fox had taken off before he could even finish his sentence. Rude much. She'd also dropped the other chick. Both could make a satisfactory meal, but not now. He wondered where the vixen had gone. Diabolos trotted over to the side of the bridge, both eaglets in his mouth.

Now where did that lovely little fox go? Oh, there she was. Half way down a rusty pipeline. Quickly making a beeline for the water. Diabolos put the eaglets on the bridge and bunched up his body. Placing both of his forepaws on a pipe near where he stood. Just trying to get into the view of the fox. "Haha, your reaction was priceless foxy!"

"That was fresh meat! I killed it one minute ago! It's bleeding and everything! I was on your side!"

"You can cool down now. Joke's over." He said cackling.

[GREY]

He was laughing at her! Laughing! Now she was just embarrassed. Had he really just been kidding, she thought, flustered? Now she was frightened and humiliated. This better not be some kind of act...

"You call that a joke? It wasn't very funny." she said flatly, stopping in her tracks but finding it difficult to keep her grip on the rather wet pipe-- the fox's back feet slide, and her tail sank into the water. Scowling she clambered up a bit more, before losing traction entirely. With a splash the fox went into the water, and surfaced, mad and spluttering with indignation.

It might have been hilarious for him, but for her, the threat had been very real. And she still didn't trust him, although the fact he laughed made it more likely it really had been just a joke... Scout was feeling pretty confused now. And still hungry. She swam to shore and looked at the eaglets... who were no longer where she left them. Blinking, she glanced along the bridge until she spotted them. Ah. The wolf had carried them. Great. Did she let hunger win her over, and come back trustingly, or did she skedaddle?

Well... she couldn't remember him chasing her. So, warily she started to head back, slowly inching nearer but clearly still antsy. Scout shook her fur and turned into a gigantic fluff ball. Fantastic. This was going to take ages to groom neat again.

[♥NEMESIS]

Nemesis' paws lightly touched the ground as he made his way along the Harper bridge. This twin harks were pricked, acoustics cupping any sound that might come to them. His ice blue eyes were scanning around, looking at the land before his eyes proudly. His ivory and ebony mixed pelt gleamed in the warm sunlight. The husky mix's tail wagged behind him slowly like a banner.

As he neared a particular spot, his nose picked up the scent of a female and male nearby. Preferably these better be members of his pack, or potential pack mates. He followed it and came upon the two canines. He smirked and stopped a respectable distance from them. He planted his rump down on the ground, forelegs keeping his upper body erect. he cleared his throat and began speaking to them.

"Hello there. I am Nemesis, ruler of these lands. What can I do for you two?" he implied of them, keeping his tone business like.

If they wanted a home they would be more than welcomed to stay. Infact, he enjoyed a large pack and wanted one. But one thing at a time. He needed to first get his pack established. His blue eyes moved from one canine to the next, patiently waiting for their response

[GREY]

Scout glanced at the dog, glad. The leader, at last! The female fox relaxed, knowing he was on her side. Well, technically, she was on his, rather than he on hers. And maybe he didn't know it yet. She'd better tell him.

"I truly would like to join your pack, sir. My name is Scout." she gave a fox version of curtsey, which ended up more like a bow. "I've always lived around here. I know the lay of the land pretty well and I can fend for myself." As a fox, she wouldn't really be hauling in meals, but at least they wouldn't have to feed her. And maybe she could spot enemies and opportunities for them. Scout liked dogs a lot. She knew it was unnatural for a fox, but she'd been raised with them. She wanted to help out, if she could.