Rivalry of the Wolves (Momo and Bells)

"Like hell it is," Lena hissed. "Just wait, first chance I get I'm gone. You think my people are going to sit around waiting for you to decide to let me go? They'll be just as pissed as you would be if we took your precious princess."

Even as she spoke, her eyes began to flicker over the camp, taking everything in. That bit of fear that had sparked inside of her began to get even stronger. Just how much truth was there to her words? Would she really be able to escape with this many people around?

________________________________

Skyler ignored the worried looks many of the pack were giving each other as he easily pulled himself up into one of the trees along the territorial line. They could all smell the bits of blood telling them that the princesses had gotten into a fight like they thought. No matter what he said, the others were going to think the worst.

That didn't mean he had to, however. As much as he hated to admit it, Lena was just as good of a fighter as he was.

When he didn't see anything right away, he was about to drop down and spread the news. Skyler froze before moving when a bit of movement through the undergrowth in the distance caught his attention. A low growl escaped his lips at the sight.

Maybe the area wasn't clear just yet.

Hissing a few orders under his breath, he went ahead and dropped to the ground. Line or not, he'd be getting the princesses back one way or another.

"Faith, go put our esteemed guests in the back house. Make sure they, are, uh...comfy." Roy ordered, tossing Lena's body over to his friend. She caught her easily and nodded, whistling at the others to follow. They walked off, carrying Vivian as well. Roy went off to tell the chief of the good news.

--

Alex heard something drop down behind her and turned to face the noise. "Hello? Roy? Faith?" noises in the woods where a battle just took place were never a good sign. "Cute adorable bunny thing that hopefully doesnt want to hurt me?"

She continued to look around until she spotted Skyler.

Lena continued to mutter curses and insults under her breath, but they didn't have much force behind them anymore. Needless to say, coming into the camp had unnerved her just a little.

****

Skyler's scowl he'd been holding hadn't disappeared, but a bit of amusement did flicker through his mind at the opposing wolf's comment.

"Now, I don't know about you," he commented as a few other wolves began to reach the undergrowth behind him, although none of them dared cross the line like he had. "But I don't think I'm anything like a bunny. A bit more dangerous, although you might be right on the cute part. Now, will I have to tell you that it'd be a bad idea to fight?"

"You have quite the mouth on you. Maybe you'll fit in after all!" Faith laughed, looking down at her with a wide grin on her face.

No one seemed to care that she was walking around naked, they actually seemed more interesting in who she was holding. But she would shoo people away, saying that they could wait for the announcement.

They got to the back house and Faith kicked open the door, walking in a few steps before dropping Lena qutie uncerimoniously to the ground. The guy who held Vivian was much nicer to her and at least placed her down kindly.

~~

"Is....uh....would running be a good idea?" Alex asked, taking a step back from him and looking around for a good escape path. She wasn't stupid enough to try and fight him. he would easily over power her, and that just didnt sound fun to her. But she might have a chance if she could run.

"You could have at least put me down easier," Lena snapped. She'd winced when he fell, and her temper had flared. It was enough to distract herself from her fear for a moment. "Seriously, what rule says you have to be a complete bitch?"

Even as she spoke, her eyes fell on Vivian. Vivi was still shaking and her gaze was focused on the ground.

*---*


Skyler laughed, the sound strange seeing as it seemed to lack any real amusement.

"She wants to know if it's a good idea to run," he commented, causing a similar sound to echo from the wolves in the area behind him. "What do you guys think?"

"It'd be fun for us, horrible for you," a voice commented as one of the braver males branched away from the others and joined up next to Skyler. "So, you probably shouldn't do it."

"No rule 'bout it. I just really enjoy it." Faith shrugged, grinning down at her. "Now, sorry, but not sorry about what is going to happen next." She took a small length of chain and wrapped it around Lena's wrists before connecting it to a metal ring on the wall.

"That should keep you put for a while. Hope you dont get cold easily, you shouldn't have shredded your clothing so quickly in that hopeless battle." While nudity was no problem in the camp, she had a feeling that her little miss highness might have a problem being forced to stay in her birthdaysuit.

The guys tied Vivian up similarly, keeping her far enough away from Lena that they wouldnt be able to touch.

~~

Alex backed away from him slowly. There was more than just him. So running would be a very bad idea.

Instead she did the next thing that came to her mind. She screamed, a high pitched bloody marry scream. It was the only thing she could try to do to attract attention.

Skyler growled, darting forward the moment that the scream ripped from the girl's lips. He didn't bother with any formalities and just moved to tackle her to the ground, already snapping the order to the younger wolf behind him to tear off some of his shirt for a gag. It was hoping for too much that the girl came along without a fight.

*----*

Lena immediately began sputtering out curses again, testing the strength of the chains the moment she had the chance. The cursing only heated up the second she realized that all that tugging on them did was prove to her that she wasn't going to be getting herself free anytime soon.

"You could just give me a set of clothes," she hissed, letting go of the curses for a moment. "You know, do the civilized thing."

Alex felt herself drop to the ground. She covered her head with her hands, not even bothering to fight. Maybe screaming was a bad idea. At least she didn't try to shift, that would have problem put her in a worse pedicament.

Soon she found herself under the male wolf, her own body trembling. This was bad. This is why she shouldnt go traveling on her own. This is what her dad had warned her about.

~~

"Oh, but you already assume that we aren't civilized. And i have no real reason to change your opinion on that matter." Faith shrugged to her and reached down to ruffle her hair, a grin on her face. "But, someone who is nicer than myself might stop by later with some clothing or blankets for you and your sister. Who knows. Pray that you are lucky and get that much from us."

Skyler easily pinned her hands with one of his, holding out his free hand for the scrap of cloth he'd ordered. As soon as he had it, he held it in front of the girl's face, his own twisted into some kind of mixture between amusement and irritation.

"Now, you have two choices. Stay silent, and I'll just stuff this in my pocket as a warning, or you can try something like that again and I'll be sure to tie this around your mouth. I can assure you, it won't taste nice. We've been out here for quite some time and I'll bet that sweat has soaked into all of our clothing. Now... what will it be?"

*---*

Lena's only response to Faith's words were to snap at Faith's hand when she ruffled her hair. Well, that and to start the flood of curses once again. No one had ever accused Lena of having a nice, clean vocabulary.

"I'll uh... quiet is fine." She whimpered up at him, squirming under his grip in discomfort. She made no effort to try and get away from him, but there was a sharp stone that dug into her bag that made this less than pleasant. Or less pleasant than it already was. "I can be silent." Not like she was doing a very good job at it right now, saying little sentences. But she assumed that he meant no screaming or yelling or pitching a fit.

Damn, she had to be the worst heir to a throne ever. Just giving herself up to the captives like this? Well, it had to be better than the alternatives that would involve some form of pain and exhaustion. And at least this way, she might be able to get on thier good side? Doubtful, but worth a shot.

~~

Faith laughed in response to Lena's reaction, pulling her hand away from her to be sure to not get injured by her.
"Roy will be back later to talk with you. If you expect anything from us, you might want to be on better behavior with him. And please try to remember, we dont need to keep both of you alive." She glanced over at Vivian, a smirk pulling at her lips. "Do with that info as you will, and enjoy your stay."

She turned to leave the two prisoners to their thoughts, whistling at the others to leave as well. Guards would be positioned around the outside of the building, just in case one of the girls managed to get out of the bindings.

Skyler cocked his head, studying the squirming girl for a moment. When he'd decided that she really didn't plan on making a commotion, he drew himself up, seizing the front of her shirt to pull her up as well.

"Smart choice," he commented, mulling over their current options in his head. "Move and you'll regret it."

Stepping away from her, he focused on the young wolf that had been brave enough to cross the line with him. Searching for the wolves name, he remembered it a moment later and inclined his head towards the others.

"Owen, take two others and search around a bit more. Be careful with the line, don't be afraid to cross, but don't get caught either. See if you can catch any hint of the princesses. I'm taking this," he paused to gesture in the girl's direction. "Back to camp. If nothing else we have a bargining chip. Understood?"

Owen nodded, his shaggy blond bangs falling in-front of his eyes to the point that he had to shove them to the side before being able to offer an eager smile in response to the words. It seemed to him that he must have done something right if Skyler actually remembered his name.

"Understood!"

Spinning around, the young wolf called out a few names and took off into the trees. Satisfied, Skyler turned his attention back to the girl. Reaching out with a hand to grip her arm, he began pulling her along behind him as he made his way back over the line. The sooner they were away from here in the case that someone had heard her scream, the better.

"What's your name?"

*---*

Lena hissed under her breath, but let the curses trail off when the other wolves left. Instead she turned her attention to Vivian, taking in everything about her sister, who had shifted back when the chains had come out. She wasn't about to give in and play nice for them... but she couldn't let Vivian be hurt more than she had already been. Vivian, despite Lena's harsh attitude towards her, was her sister after all.

Lena was honestly closer to her than anyone else in her family.

"Are you okay?"

Vivian raised her head from studying the ground, meeting Lena's eyes. Biting her lip, she gave a small nod. A second later she gave an experimental tug of her hands, testing her own chains.

"You?" Her voice cracked, but she was more surprised that she even managed to say the word.

Lena nodded, relaxing slightly when Vivian said she was okay.

"...yeah."

When he dragged her back up to her feet, she stood still, in the exact stop he put her. There really was no reason for her to go running off. Instead, she took her hat off and ran a hand through her hair, untangling it slowly. Her hair, when not tucked under a hat, reached well past her shoulder blades. Some people thought it was pretty, but she just thought it was frustrating and got in the way.

As soon as it was untangled, she started twisting it up again, her hat inbetween her lips as her hands worked. When Skyler suddenly reached out to grab her, she nearly dropped her hat from her mouth. She used her other hand to put the hat on before dropping her hands to her sides.

"Hey! ouch. No need to grab me." Alex grumbled when he gripped onto her arm. She followed along beside him, trying to keep up with his pace without stumbling. It would be rather humiliating if she face planted right now.

"Uh, Alex." If he was asking her questions it was probably alright for her to talk. Or at least respond to them. "Just Alex. And you are? I dont remember if you said. Sorry."

Alex...

Skyler turned the name over in his mind for a moment, trying to recall if he'd ever heard it. Much to most people's annoyance, he didn't hold onto names very well. He matched names to faces at an even worse level. He only remembered the ones that mattered.

"Skyler," he replied distractedly. "Not 'Sky' or anything like that. Just Skyler."

Lena had a bad habit of calling him by that nickname just to tick him off. He wasn't about to add another person to the list of people who tried to use it, although not many dared. When his thoughts hit a certain matter, he stopped dead and spun around to face the girl.

"Don't struggle."

Pulling the cloth out of his pocket where he'd stored it like he'd said he would, he proceeded to wrap it around her eyes. It'd be a bad idea if she ended up being able to report where their camp was later, that's if they ended returning her. There was always the chance that it wouldn't matter.

He hadn't reached his position by being reckless, though, so he wasn't about to start acting that way now.

"I have a mild problem with being blindfolded...mostly because I have issues with walking when I can see. I dont exactly want to face plant in the woods." Alex told him as he wrapped the cloth around her eyes. But she did as he asked and stood still.

"Skyler, not Sky. Got it." He didn't seem to connect her name to her position in her clan. Maybe he didnt know who she was? She really should have given a fake name, just to protect her identity a little longer. Although, most people back at camp called her Alexis, so maybe that would help her cause. Probably not. Well shit.

Skyler paused for a moment after he had the blindfold in place. Then, without a second thought, he bent down to make it easier to toss her over his shoulder. If she had problems walking it would make the trip back to camp take that much longer.

"Problem solved," he replied simply as he began walking again. "Now you won't fall unless I drop you."

Which would probably be pretty tempting once they reached camp.

Alex squeaked when he picked her up and covered her mouth to keep from screaming in shock. She told him she would be quiet, and she would be.

"You could have warned me!" She hissed at him, pulling her hand away from her mouth and putting it on top of her hat to make sure it was still in place. "Please don't drop me." Hopefully making no move to take the blindfold off would show that she wasn't trying to be difficult with him.

Ignoring her, Skyler maintained his pace the entire path left to camp. Once there, he ordered the wolves left with him to go tell their leader about what had happened. As soon as they left, he dropped her unceremoniously on the ground and reached down to pull off the blindfold. He'd rather not have to carry her any further than needed.

"Welcome to the right side of the line," he commented lightly.

They'd drawn the attention of several of the groups gathered around camp. Although it wasn't as much Alex's presence as the lack of Lena and Vivian that caught their attention. It wasn't a secret that the Princess had skipped her wedding practice this morning, nor was it a secret that they hadn't been able to locate her in any of her usual spots.

Oof! Alex hit the ground hard when he dropped her and didn't spare a moment trying to pull herself up to her feet. When he pulled the blindfold off, she blinked a few times to allow her eyes to adjust to the sudden light.

"You have this problem with being gentle." She pointed out slowly, rubbing her lower back slowly with one hand and fixing her hat with the other. People had begun to look at them, and she wished that she had a jacket with her, or something to hide herself in. Someone here was bound to recognize her, even if Skyler didnt.

"Don't see a reason I'd have to be gentle," Skyler retorted, running through the possible places to put her in his mind.

It wasn't like he could just leave her here until the alpha had decided what to do. Making up his mind a moment later, he glanced at her with a skeptical look.

"Come on."

Seizing her arm, he began pulling her along much like he had in the woods. He'd take her to the cabin that they held wolves in while waiting for their punishments. It wouldn't be that bad. He'd just tie her up and be done with her. Females were annoying to deal with.

A guy wouldn't complaining about being rough, he grumbled in his mind. Well, the sort of guys that he put up with wouldn't complain about it.

Alex looked back at him as he looked at her. "Maybe to be courteous?" She grumbled under her breath, unprepared for when he grabbed her again. Instead of complain and getting under his skin yet again, she just stumbled along side him. After a few steps she reached up to adjust her hat again, in hopes that it stayed in place.

"Where are you taking me?" She finally asked him as they walked, her eyes wandering around the camp to take in everything she saw.

"Where you'll be staying for a short time," Skyler replied, ignoring as more and more curious pack members stared at the two of them passing by. "Here, this is it."

Tugging open the cabin door, he revealed the plain room. It was just an empty room with a door on the back-end that led into a bathroom. Well, empty if you excluded the cabinet hung on the wall, a lock holding the handles shut. Letting go of her arm, he walked over and spun in the code, carefully blocking her view of it by putting his body between her and the lock.

"Come here," he muttered when the lock came loose.

Understanding that she was in enemy territory, she walked over to him slowly, careful to not upset him. Or, she at least did all she could do to keep from offending him. She kept herself from trying to sneak a peak at the lock, and would follow his commands when he gave them.

"I'm guessing no bed or whatever?" Her tone wasn't offended, it was just something she observed. She didn't expect anything from them, she was just a prisoner from the other side of the line after all. A bed would be generous for them to give someone like her. If she was stuck here, it would really be best if she realized that she couldnt expect anything from them. If she got something from them it would be great, if she didnt, well, she would just have to deal. At least she wouldnt have to deal with her father. That was a plus.

~~

A few hours later, Roy walked in to visit the two girls. He brought two shirts and shorts with them so they could at least get dressed.

"Clothing?" He offered, holding up the dull grey garbs to show them. "Should keep you a bit warmer." Unlike Faith, he wasnt that heartless.

"No, there isn't," Skyler responded, drawing open the cabinet and pulling out a set of cuffs for her to see. "Not that it matters. You probably won't be here for long. This is only until it's decided what to do. As long as you stay inside, you won't have a problem. And these won't have to be used."

Dropping the cuffs in his pocket, he re-locked the cabinet and stepped towards the entrance.

"Understand?"

*----*

Lena growled at him, and was about to snap a response but stopped herself. Not allowing her hesitation to show on her face, she reluctantly offered something that was between a scowl and an attempt at a grateful smile.

"We can't put it on if we're chained up," she grumbled. "It's not like we're running anywhere."

"Understood. Crystal clear. I stay in the daft, furnatureless room and I dont get shackled like an animal or criminal. Seems fair." She held her hands up and backed away from him until her back was too the way, moving slowly so he knew she wasnt trying to run. Once she was there, she slid down slowly so she was sitting on the ground, allowing herself to relax for a few moments.

"I'm not going to make this difficult. There is no reason to. I'm stuck here and I know that. What point is there to making your life harder? Doesn't seem very logical to me." She rolled up the bottom of her pants as she talked, looking down at her ankles to check for injuries of any sorts.

Skyler stood there for a moment longer, studying her to see if it seemed like she was lying. Finding no indication of the sort, he nodded and stored the cuffs back in the cabinet before relocking it. Turning to look at her one more time, he pursed his lips and started back towards the door.

"I'll be back when a decision has been made."

With those words he left the room to locate where the others had gone to report to the chief.