Can't Catch Me!

The girl had been wandering and surviving on her own, something that was rather odd and very difficult to do as she was still relatively young and hadn't had much help getting where she was now. She had quite a few bad run ins with wolves recently and was beginning to think that wolves just wanted to eat her. Which is why, when she had found herself resting on the beach, happy and content and cant the sound and scent of what she could only assume to be a wolf behind her, she instantly panicked. 

Without much thought, the woman ran away from the scents, and into the water, trying to swim to the save rocky island off in the distance. However, she didn't understand until she was about half way out there, how dangerous this actually was. She wasn't a strong swimmer, never having been taught how to swim more than just a small river. Now she was out in the middle of an ocean with nothing to grab onto.

She let out a loud, strangled cry as she continued to try and swim forward, her body struggling and her muscles crying out but she refused to stop. Not until she couldn't swim anymore.

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The smell of vulpine was within the air, unsual within the mixtures of wolf and brine, and even the tigress, that laid claim to the isle. It was unusual to find other predators around so ; as it was so thick by the scent of Dragonford wolves most would tend to stray away from it's beaches. She patrolled the brim, though the shores that led directly to the sepulcher was firm within the scent. It was hard to keep an entire beach in a claim ; tricky with the waves and changing of the sands.. It wasn't surprising to find wandering wolves, but a fox was new altogether.

She prowled the beaches, to find the the other and could see their blackened form within a distance. Her tail was raised as she skulked through, a curious sight to find the other ; but it seemed Vendrussel was noticed. Scrambling as she was, she ran into the oceans when the tide was high and the waves were lightly tossling whatever entered it's wake. She originally was going to warn the other off, but instead witnessed to be but a drowning.

She sighed lightly, but dived into the sea and swimming toward the other, "Heey, I'm going to drag you out," she hoped at the very least her voice was an assurance, even if the fox wasn't one who could understand her.

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The girl was struggling, though she could still hear the splashing of another. Oh no! Did the wolf come to eat her in the water? Now that was just rude. The girl didn't understand tides or why the water was this difficult for her, she had swam across lakes and rives before! 

The wolf that approached scared the fox, saying that she was going to help her. Saxa didn't believe it in the slightest, but she really didn't have a choice, now did she. "Okay." Was all she could cry out, small legs keeping herself afloat but now very tired and bogged down. The girl would wait for the woman to grab her but (hopefully) not eat her before she would stop fighting, not wanting to hinder the woman if she actually was trying to help.

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She spoke, language recognized and known with English that slide onto the tongue. Normally she did not speak to foxes ; and likewise they could not return.. But this land was strange after all, she spoke and hunted with a vulture, and a tigress clings to her legs and the isle at the same time. She spoke and hunted with a grown male tiger, and continually meeting others that should not be able to speak the same tongue.

At the very least, she didn't fight. Vendrussel swam toward her, paws kicking as the waves started to cause some trouble ; nothing that wasn't something she wasn't used to, at the very least. Travelling toward the others and with the consent giving, she leaned over and grabbed them by their nap. She tried to lift her head up, so when she paddled back to the very beach was dunking the other within the water. But, successfully captured, she safely brought the other back to it's brim.

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The girl fell limp, letting the much larger wolf take her to the shore. She was grateful, yet still expected to be eaten. After all, one could eat their lunch out at see, right? Once all four paws were on the shore, she would cough, shaking out her fur slightly before looking up at the woman. "Thank you.... you're not going to like... try to eat me now, right?" 

She watched the woman with heavy suspicion, not sure if she trusted the woman or not. Sure, she had just saved her life, but it would be extremely easy for the wolf to eat her if she wanted to. The fox was weak and tired and had zero fight left in. After a few moments, waiting tensed to see if the woman would nibble her flank, she would finally speak up. "I'm Saxa by the way. Where.... where I am?"

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"You're welcome." Brought to the beach and letting go once she felt the waves relatively thin. She saw the other was relatively alright, just wet from being lost in the sea but a thankful nod no shark decided to take a peak at a flailing fox. Her bones cracked lightly, the feeling of the other dragging through the ocean was often a troublesome activity. At least they weren't as fully-sized as a grown wolf, and was relatively thin, "I don't eat those who talk."

She shook the water off of her fur, "You are at my Ford's grounds, specifically near the hunting grounds," and turned to face the other. A studying gaze for how she knew foxes they cared not for wolven territory. It brought a curiosity to why she would cross even near, and whether.. She was hunting within the land. Vendrussel narrowed her eyes at the other, though just saved her — she awaited their answer.

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The young woman began to lick the water off of her pelt, hating being in the water as much as she had been. It wasn't until the other woman spoke about 'hunting grounds' that Saxa stopped licking her fur, her tongue still pushed out for a moment as she lifted her gaze. She noticed the glare the wolf gave her and instantly rose to her feet. "Now, now, it's not what you may think! Or maybe it is...." She muttered, not really knowing if the place she was at before was a hunting ground. Sure, it smelled like pack wolves, but so did every piece of land in this forsaken land. 

"I was trying to hunt over there." She pointed with her nose over to where she came from, gesturing over to the Brim. "But I heard growling and pawsteps behind me and I assumed I was getting hunted so I ran. I thought the swim was going to be much easier than it was... but here we are now." She watched the woman wearily. 

"Are you planning on killing me for hunting around here? I didn't know it was your hunting grounds, I've been wandering this area and more of your kind has tried to eat me than anything so it's kind of hard to tell what places are off limits or not..." If only she were a wolf and could join one of these 'packs', than that would make life soo much easier. But unfortunately she was born a fox.

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"That's my fords hunting grounds," and though she tried to defend herself, Vendrussel raised her eyebrow and narrowed her look onto the other ; she had buried herself deeper. So she was infringing upon their ground, but suppose to foxes territory lines mean little to them. Perhaps that was why so many wolves detested their kind, and often their furs acted as mantles of a bedding. But she wasn't going to do the same, especially as she spoke within a similar language. It brought a wonder to the dragoness whether she was speaking wolf, or they all somehow simply connected.

"No. I don't touch those who speak," then she gazed to the beach.. A wariness settling upon her pelt, "can you lead me where the growling was? I'm not going to hurt you." She didn't hear any — and had thought the fox was spooked because of her. But she didn't growl.. So was someone within the brim and chasing foxes? She wanted to investigate. Vendrussel lightly sniffed the air, but only could smell the sea-salt at the moment.

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The girl lowered herself as she saw the woman's gaze, still very much on guard. Sure, she had said multiple times that she wasn't going to eat her, but this wolf was much larger than she was and Saxa had no intentions on risking her luck. As the woman asked to be led back across the water to whatever had been growling at the fox, she would raise an eyebrow. "What's in it for me? No offense, but I barely survived the swim over here. Thank you for that by the way. But nonetheless, I'm way to exhausted to swim back over. And secondly, why would I want to go back to whatever growled at me?" 

She thought for a moment before speaking, trying her get something for herself since she was, in her own mind, risking herself to do this. "How about this, let me stay here and provide me with a group to protect me. In exchange, not only will I show you where the snarling came from, but I will also pull my weight around here. I'm small but I'm good at getting into small areas and staying hidden. Perhaps you could use a scout?" This wasn't the first time she had negotiated her way into protection. It was something she had to do a lot when she was this small.

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She narrowed her eyes, "You are on my packs homegrounds. Regardless, you will be forced back." She would be fine if saving and what not, and yet the audacity of the other as if she had a say on the matter counted. As Vendrussel's eyes drifted back to the brim she smiled, but chilled as so. The other regardless would be forced back to that very same area. She held confidence on such an ability to throw them back into the sea. The Alpha wasn't a fan of this one's attitude, for what bargain would she gain at a negotiation where there was barely a win upon the matter? Throwing as if she had done anything amazing — and for the matter her lacking of swimming where she had to save them.

"I don't like wolves with attitude, much less foxes," though fine at one, the other's words irked Vendrussel enough that she was no longer pleased by the other, and more or less was ready to throw them back into the sea itself, "what uses would you have for a wolf pack at the sea, where you couldn't even swim?" and she stepped closer. Tail raised high in the matter, awaiting for the answer of the other. Moments away from pouncing to forcibly bring her back.

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She clearly stepped over some sort of boundary, that was clear. Wolves and their sensitive ass natures, it was really annoying at times. The woman seemed to threaten her and she would pin her ears against her head, backing away cautiously. Last thing she needed was to get drowned because some wolf got their panties in a knot. "Okay, okay, look. I'm sorry, I just am looking for a place to stay. I don't understand wolves or packs but you have been the only wolf that hasn't tried to eat me yet so I was hoping you could provide me with a home. I'm small, I certainly can't fight wolves your size, but I can scout and remain unseen."

She would continue to back away, clearly not trusting the wolf anymore, not that she ever really trusted the woman to begin with. The fox clearly had some bad times with wolves and considering their size difference, had no intentions of getting on their bad side. "You could teach me how to swim better, I can, I just didn't expect the trek to be that long."

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She was growing lightly amused at the other desperation, they tried to haggle as if there was worth to be given ; but for wolves who valued only the skills they have, it meant nothing from a small fox who needed help bringing to the shores. Though her amusement didn't show and only started at the other coolly, a slight hum to her thoughts and a wonder. They already had a tigress to the mix and at one point a bird who sadly disappeared, but she wondered whether the other could hold true to her word.

"You'll have to swim to the testing grounds," Vendrussel said.

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She was really beginning to regret this choice, but she was tired of fending for herself and figured that the best way to not get eaten by the wolves was to join them. However, hearing that she would have to swim to the testing grounds, she pinned her ears back, looking rather annoyed by it. But, with a single sigh, she would nod, glancing away from the woman as she stared at the water. It wasn't like she hated the water, she just wasn't the strongest swimmer. At least not when compared to a wolf like the one in front of her. "Okay.." She said simply, not wanting to anger the wolf into drowning her or something like that.

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Maybe she was too tough on the other — they did just drown, though did try to bargain rather annoyingly. Trying to be tricky ; a trait she didn't appreciate especially when had nothing to ask but it seemed she was awfully desperate. Especially since even though there was a clear annoyance upon her face, contrary to before, she only agreed. Was a fox's life truly that difficult?

"You seem reluctant," Vendrussel pointed out as she walked toward the edge of the water, "If you really don't want to. I will take you back to the shores unharmed." Although harsh, it was harder to simply walk away from a vulpine that could speak. On other terms Vendrussel was quite willing to often fighting against them, for a simple annoyance and trying to steal from the ford caches. But the two species could not communicate.. At least, so the dragoness thought.

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She shook her head, sighing slightly, she hated sounded desperate or pleading for anything, especially around a wolf. They always took that the wrong way and it typically ended with them trying to eat her. "No, I want to, but I also would like to not get eaten by your kind. That is no offense to you as you've been rather nice, but I've seem the teeth of too many wolves up close." She would flick her tail slightly as she spoke. "I'd also like to learn to swim better... you seem like a pro at it.." Perhaps flattery would get her further.

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Although desperation wasn't the most desirable trait, it brought out someone's true personality in the midst of it all. Vendrussel wouldn't turn one away, although the initial annoyance was true — she expressed fear out there and a desire to take such a trail despite those scares. It was respectable, to the very least and she grinned lightly as her paws drifted to the beach.

"Then follow me," Vendrussel would say, as her body drifted to the more calming waters, "keep your head high and swing your tail to drift your direction."

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The  young girl was shocked that the wolf had accepted, slightly still expecting the she wolf to eat her. Nonetheless, the fox would flip her tail back and forth slightly in excitement, cocking her head to the side as she watched. The wolf swam like it was nothing and, though hesitantly, she would follow. At first, she started to sink like a rock, though quickly righted herself and did as instructed, keeping her head high above the water. Her tail flicked in the water as she used it to help guide her. Her movements were slow as she swam, but at least this time she wasn't drowning.

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minor pp

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It wasn't long before they arrived to the small spire. The waves were not too heavy and it wasn't too far either, making a safe distance that she imagined even the most inexperienced swimmers, such as Saxa, able to swim toward. She would wait for a few moments, for their paws to reach the stone before gesturing to go upwards, and meet the entrance that was the Dragon's Reach. Something holy about it, divine and enchanting ; a grand place she used as a trail ground for any. The simpliest tasks, but important to Vendrussel and the small heritage she had as a dragon wolf of a past time.

"All you need to do is jump." she said, smiling while gesturing her paw over the edge.

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She followed behind, abe to swim as far as she needed to this time. However, as they approached the edge and she heard that she needed to jump, the girl would raise an eyebrow. She didn't entirely trust this, that clear on her face. However, after a few moments of consideration, she would walk over. This was a long drop for the small fox and so, with a deep breath, and one last look at the wolf that she was putting her trust into, she would jump, closing her eyes in fear. 

The landing was harsh, her body screaming from the sudden slam into the water. Her limbs flailed and she struggled to right herself, pushing her head above the water with a gasp. This was a neat thought at first, but for the inexperienced swimmer, she was now struggling to keep herself right, trying to make her way to the edge, her whole body shaking.

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Although there was an attitude and Vendrussel had the thoughts to turn her away ; it was hard to when bravery shone through. Desperate to live and survive she would throw herself in the protection of the wolves, and even take the risk of what was the jump. Truthfully she had doubts that Saxa would, but at the very least continued to prove herself she wanted something, and she wanted to be of use — not many could do while also be afraid, especially being not even the same species altogether. Dragonford was becoming strange in that sense where fauna was flocking to it's isles, and although she didn't wish — so did children. However at least she can prevent anybody making children for the meanwhile, or send them somewhere elsewhere. At least, so she tried.

Although they jumped, it seems they struggled. She could see their form appearing above the waves but struggled to find themselves floating ; so Vendrussel also jumped. Down into the abyss as she would emerge in a quick surface and slick swim, only to grab the other by the scruff and start to pull her to the Dragon Reach's shore. An eye flickered to the main isle.. A tough swim lesson was up ahead for the two.

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