A mottled brown coat moved cautiously through the underbrush, characterized by a sort of jilted movement that made it seem as if the young wolf was paranoid. Marvel was, a little bit. She couldn't help but feel as if her old pack were still nipping eagerly at her heels. Oh, what a blessing it was that a pup had been born with purple eyes! A true gift, a portal to the future! And it made Marvel a little sick to her stomach. She couldn't handle the expectation, the pressure. Henceforth she had made a point out of avoiding contact with other wolves when possible. They all imagined she could do great things, when in reality what she could do was not much.

Marvel did not see the glory in her seer abilities, and in fact was probably reaching the point of trying to avoid her own gifts. She would much prefer to be a normal dire wolf - it would take a load of pressure off her shoulders. But, she was getting used to the lonely life. It was a bit of an adventure, traveling through different territories, trying to avoid detection. Marvel was still a young enough wolf to enjoy this taste of freedom from pack structure, though it wasn't quite clear if she was cut out for the life of a lone wolf.

So... crossing an open field was not her idea of fun. The bright scarf around her neck caught a little on a tree branch as she peered out across the field. Nothing was there that she could detect, so she'd figure she'd risk moving out from the shadows of the trees. She should have bee born with a black pelt, it would suit her with all the hiding she was doing lately!

For someone with such power you hide in the shadows like a flea. I pity this notion of fear you feel."

A voice spoke out from behind the female seer, it's words slow and monotone. The darkness that was now fading due to the light from the open field seemed almost forgiving as it vanished from her fur, leaving behind another - a shadow of a wolf.

Her dark pelt and mutilated face was covered by cloth and bandages, yet her eyes stunned any who would dare gaze upon them. Another seer, this one aged.

"You shouldn't run from what you are. What you are is all you have."

She was so focused on the path ahead of her that Marvel had not thought that there really could be another wolf behind her. When words rung at her back, Marvel was startled out of her cover, turning quickly to face the dark wolf. There was something in the way that she spoke, moreso than the words, that made the wolf unsettling. But, looking into her eyes, there was a startling familiarity between them. It was a rush of conflicting emotions that Marvel had never been forced to endure before.

"I'm not... running." She was walking! Okay, so the point really did not change. Marvel looked away, unsure of how to truly answer such a brutal but true evaluation of her character. "I am... trying to focus on other parts of me." Marvel felt almost obligated to rise to her own defense. Normally she'd want to know where there wolf had come from and what her name was, but she was so distracted by the unusual and sudden appearance that the thought to hadn't crossed her mind.

"I am not going to be defined by one thing, the first and only thing people notice me for."

"You will always be judged, regardless of what part of you is, you shouldn't run from it."

She cackled and rustled her coat, her eyes never leaving the other female's figure.

"Only you can define yourself, no one else matters. You let your own prejudice blind you."

Something in this female made Hex want to stay, something very familiar.

"You have an amazing gift, a gift you own - it does not own you. Own it."

She seemed very aware of the female's abilities as she spoke, referring to her gift of foresight.

"Being born with such a power, it takes a strong wolf to own it. Perhaps you are not strong. Perhaps that is the reason you run. You are weak."

This was a wolf that lived up to her own abilities, Marvel realized. Even the way she spoke seemed to have a mystic air about it. This wolf was probably everything Marvel could never be, and she almost felt ashamed to be in her presence, under a gaze that could cut through her being. Maybe that was the black wolf's type of sight, instead of gazing into the past or the future, she could see into the core of her soul. It was a creepy thought, and Marvel shivered as it flitted through her mind.

"I am not being prejudiced, I'm being reasonable. I'd rather be known for a lame leg or for having a greasy coat. I don't want to be valued for something that does so little to define me," Marvel tried to explain, but her flurry of words still didn't compare to the few the other wolf was speaking. While the black wolf was decidedly weird... she had a strength that Marvel struggled to find for herself.

But having that thrown in her face was too much! "I am not weak!" she argued, purple eyes sharpening a little at the insult. "Just because I deal with this differently than you do, that doesn't make me weak. It just means I am stronger in different ways," she countered.

"No, you are weak."

She snickered at the other female's sudden change in temper, it didn't take much, did it? Adorable. Her lips curled as she spoke out again, her tone the same, her stance the same; nothing changed. Not for Hex.

"Sugar coats, not covers. Pretty up the words, the date might go well - but at the end of the night, they are just that; pretty words. Noting more. You do not understand, not at all."

As the the darker female lifted her head and stood still for a moment, looking over the other female with narrowed eyes. Scars could be seen from underneath her bandages, though they didn't seem to bother the darker wolf.

"I can not make you see what blind eyes refuse. I can only stand back and watch the star fall, crashing and burning from the sky."

It was a waste of a seer, Hex thought to herself as the eyed the other female intensely. She could be powerful, she could be strong. Perhaps stalking her this far was for nothing - perhaps her own visions had failed.

Mmmm...

A wolf without the gift of sight would never have dared to call her weak. They would have expected her to be great, and even when she wasn't, have thought her to be so anyways. The dark wolf didn't hesitate to point out her flaws. She could not see any of Marvel's strengths, and instead focused only on her weaknesses. Maybe that was because Marvel had no strengths. Her defiance to the wolf's accusations wilted away, and she was suddenly unable to look at Hex. It wasn't because her face was scarred, either. The bandages did enough to cover the injuries so that Marvel wasn't bothered. Marvel simply could not look into the face of a wolf who seemed to know so much about her being.

"I will not crash and burn," she retaliated softly. It was as if she wanted to defend herself, but couldn't now that she knew the black wolf was right. She didn't want to admit it, but the words did ring with a certain amount of truth in her heart. When compared to the black wolf, Marvel felt inferior. It was a new feeling, since her pack had glorified her so much to the point of discomfort. She had escaped from them because she could not handle it. Marvel wanted to escape from this wolf for the very same reason. She didn't think she could handle this intense scrutiny, this amount of disapproval.

"Unless you've seen it for yourself, I will not fall." She almost wanted to ask if the wolf had seen just that. "Your sight grants you gifts, but certainly you can't see all. You can't look into my future and tell me that I will falter and fail."

"I've known you for a lifetime, and a lifetime over, my kindred spirit."

Hex moved herself closer to the other female, so close that it was almost a total invasion of personal space. She forced herself on top of the other she-wolf, her paws pressing down against her mass; her weight pinning the other female back. She didn't blink.

"I've seen hell, flames and fire; a total darkness I can't even describe. I've seen falling stars before."

As she spoke her words turned into a faint whisper, though her tone never changed. Stars... she referred to seers as stars.

"I can see you clearly, I know what you are: I bear this curse for you, a curse you refuse to own. I have seen such power in my visions, power that lead me to you."

Moving her muzzle closer to Marvel's left ear - Hex paused, eyes wide and bloodshot.

"I know what you are capable of..."

The whisper was haunting as the black female pushed her digits into Marvel's skin.

"Marvel..."

The discomfort settled over her like a heavy branch over her shoulders as Hex closed the distance between them. She wanted to back away, but also wanted to prove herself strong enough to handle this weird sort of intimidation. However, it was too much when the wolf pushed herself onto her. Marvel whimpered, ears pressing flat to the back of her skull as she tried to wiggle and put some distance between them. This was too much! This wolf was out of her mind, in a way that was both frightening and intriguing. The latter was something that was hard for Marvel to admit to herself, because right now Hex was pushing her to her limit.

The wolf whispered in her ears, and she was keenly aware of how the black wolf was talking, of the weight against her, keeping her from doing what she was so used to - running. Marvel was sure she had stopped breathing when the wolf whispered her name, and even the claws biting through her coat did not encourage her to breathe. The wolf knew her name.

How much more did she know?

She shook her head, trying to encourage Hex to back away from her. Marvel wasn't the type of wolf to fight, but she certainly felt threatened and confused. "What have you seen!?" she nearly demanded of the wolf. Hex was pushing her limits, and she was starting to push back. "Get away from me!" she needed space, she needed to breathe to clear her head. She needed to stop feeling so scared, so weak.

Hex took in a deep breath as she felt Marvel thrash against her, struggling to find her own footing. She felt fear - Hex knew it, she could smell it oozing off Marvel as she whimpered. As she struggled to free herself Hex only put more weight on, holding her down against the cold ground, her grasp firm.

"With patience and much practice... you could have it all. Let me show you."

Whispering still the she-wolf lowered her maw once again, so that her jaws hung right beside Marvel's ear. Her teeth softly brushed against her fur as she did this.

"What good are ghosts in Kevlar vests, with backbones like a jellyfish?"

Pausing she stood still, using a single paw to hold the younger female down. Her heart beat was faint, her stance was strong - she had total control of her body and mind; she was determined to make Marvel see...

She would make this female bend - snap. Sometimes all of the beauty was in The breakdown, after all.

Hex was going to break her. She had to. In order to save this amazing creature from herself, Hex would destroy her.

"Bend."

She ordered, her tone changing from light and dull to demanding and harsh.

"Break."

With eyes that said, "You belong to me", Hex snapped once more.

She whimpered the way she had when she was little more than a pup, as if hoping the sound would encourage Hex to take some pity on her. But the pressure above her was unrelenting, and no matter how she struggled she couldn't seem to break free. Was she really not strong enough? Was she weak, not just mentally but physically? She was a young wolf, she should be able to put up more of a fight than this, but Hex pinned her with ease.

Jaws were painfully close to her neck, teeth unsettled the fur around her ear. "What if I don't want it all?" she pleaded. Hex's next question only resonated confusion within her. She hardly knew what the wolf was speaking about enough to answer it. It was far easier for her to understand the word 'bend', and that was because it was something she did not want to do.

"I can't!"

Break? Was she going to die? This wolf could certainly break her into as many pieces as she wanted! Marvel did not want to break. "I don't!" she yelped, her struggles growing more intense. "I don't belong to you! I won't break! Let me go!"

Hex wouldn't be taking no for an answer. Words like, "can't" and "won't" were words Hex did not know the meaning of. She would not allow this female to be so shameful. No. It was about time she took a real stand. Hex let out a rather harsh snap as she took hold on Marvel's neck, muttering under her breath.

"You will stand up for yourself, or die. I will show you no other grace."

As the words passed her teeth she brought her jaws down hard, giving Marvel a taste of what was to come if she didn't try to fight back; Hex wanted to see her use her powers. She wanted to see something worth saving in this sad excuse of a seer.

"NOW FIGHT ME!"

From monotone to screams Hex chuckled like a man-man and released Marvel from her grasp long enough to stand back and take a stand - regaining her ground. She stomped on her land and called out to Marvel.

"Let it bust and bloom!"

Hex let out another alarming screech as she rammed her body into Marvel, not even allowing her a chance to get back up. If she was a true seer - she would use her gift to aid her in the battle, if not, Hex would consider her a total waste of time... and end this quickly.

The words chilled to her core. Marvel knew it - this wolf was out to kill her, and Marvel had no idea why. Surely Hex did not feel threatened by a seer who rarely used her gift? If not that, then did Hex want her dead for the exact opposite reason... because she was not a threat? Was she just a useless sack of flesh to be done away with just become someone else willed it to be so? The yelp could not be held back as teeth bit into the back of her neck. Nails scratched against the forest floor in a desperate attempt to push herself away. But she only could pull away when Hex let her.

Quickly Marvel turned to face her, fear reflected in bright purple eyes. Her posture was low, trying to appeal to Hex and make herself look weaker than the black wolf. This was it, she was going to die. This crazy creature was going to kill her. She had escaped from her pack long enough to become a cannibal's meal! The realization dawned on her so suddenly that it froze her for a moment. She really would die.

Hex had rammed into her again in a second, flashes of herself dying played throughout her mind, not actual visions, but fear playing tricks on her. However, Marvel wasn't quite ready to perish under this wolf's might. Her jaw lashed out at Hex's legs, her own kicking at the wolf to try and push some distance between them so she could rise to her feet. She was fighting for her life, and she needed to gain the upper hand quickly!

The feeling of teeth against her skin and bone summoned a rather satisfied look to cross the black wolf's muzzle; Hex turned and jerked backwards, giving Marvel the space she just earned. It was only a matter of time before she would deliver the final blow, ripping into Marvel's neck with no remorse. She needed to see it with her own eyes.

She wanted to see that power.

With another mad laugh Hex opened her jaws wide and let out a deep howl, as if to frighten Marvel even more. No one would come sand save her now. Hex just made sure of it.

It was fight or be killed. What would she do?

Moving herself back toward Marvel, Hex set her sights on her left leg; she would attack her at the base and flip her over onto her back, with just enough time to bite down onto her neck.

Would Marvel stop her? Hex was about to find out.

It was time. She started her mad dash toward the other seer, panting.

'Fight back. Fight back!' She screamed internally. What was going to happen now...?

Marvel had the space she needed. If she was fast enough, she could run away and never have to face this wolf again. But, there was no guarantee that she would be quick enough. The scarred wolf would likely be even more merciless if Marvel tried to turn tail and run now. No, she had to stand her ground. Her only chance was to fight back, to kill before she was killed. Hundreds of thoughts whirled through her mind in the span of just seconds. It was hard to think that their struggle was hardly lasting longer than just a few breaths.

It was an instantaneous reaction to Hex's charge. Later on she would be surprised by it, but in that moment her mind was only focused on seeing through the black wolf's assault. Her gaze needed not to land on Hex's own to see where she was looking, to see what she was planning. She knew. If Hex got her onto her back, her windpipe would be cut, and she'd take a few last, desperate gasps before dying.

She waited until the last possible moment to make her move, so Hex would believe that she did not see. Marvel shifted to the side, lifting her left leg out of the way, and launched herself on top of the other wolf with a snarl. Killing Hex did not occur to her, but she knew she had to incapacitate her somehow!

here it was; that spark, that feeling, that knowing. She felt it. She knew. Hex marveled in this as she felt the younger female leap on top of her, wrestling her to the ground. For a moment she let Marvel have this... this powerful feeling. Hex simply lay flat against the ground, smirking.

This was it. She would have her. She needed her.

"Thank you."

Hex whispered before thrusting herself up with all her upper body power, pushing Marvel back long enough to turn without hesitation or thought, she grabbed a hold of Marvel by the scruff of her neck and jerked her to the side roughly, rough enough to slam her body against a near by tree, rough enough to knock her out.

Darkness... that would be where Marvel would be reborn. Today she let go of her fear long enough to take control of her own fate. Today Hex found her reason. Today was an important day.

"Sleep. When you awake, the world will be anew."

With that, Hex dragged her body back into the forest, leaving behind a small trail of blood. Her own blood. Marvel had made her bleed. For the first time in years, Hex felt.

---

When the female would awake again, she would find herself in Hex's den, deep down into the middle of the Redwood forest.

She woke with a pounding headache, her previous last moments of awareness flashing through her mind. That she was alive was a miracle - Marvel knew not what had made the wolf spare her, since she had seemed so keen in that moment on ending her existence entirely. What she needed to do to preserve herself was find a way out of wherever she was now. Marvel glanced around the den, which could have been cozy if she were not so fearful of what was to come next.

With a small whimper, she pressed her paw to her head in a clumsy attempt to rub the spot that had been slammed into a tree. Marvel had to leave, before the crazy wolf came back and did something unspeakable to her. So, the young seer rose to her feet, glancing all around her for signs of the other wolf. Moving to the den opening, she peered outside cautiously. She couldn't see anyone, though that did not mean they were not there. Usually, it was the exact opposite case. Hex had appeared seemingly out of nowhere when they had first met.

The wolf could be watching her now, waiting for her to make a move, and that feeling of being watched was entirely unsettling. Marvel was not sure if there was any way to escape it. Likely, there was not. "Hello?" her voice creaked.