Welcome to Hell... (Open)

[.Rabid Lycan.]

((‘tis fine, I didn’t care for her anyway xD))

Her body convulsed, her mind hardly having time to recognize the fangs enclosing around her neck. In fact, she didn’t respond at all. A few whispers of struggle exited her muzzle, but she barely managed to raise her forelimb an inch. With an innocent young fae against a massive learned murderer, the chances of surviving were all but slim.
In fact, they were none at all. She was dead.
Slade, however, took no notice. Although superior in size, the fae proved equal (if not superior) in fighting prowess. The rolled quickly away from the other pair, launching counter assault after counter assault. Crimson spray foamed at each maw, eyes glistening with the wholesale joy of the slaughter. Shiver, in fact, almost appeared to grin with every rip and tear that marred Slade’s already damanged flesh.
They quickly retreated in a sort of chaotic waltz toward the river again, blow after blow painting the ground in red. Hellfire, for a moment, was forgotten.

[H.ell . Fi.re.|†A.lba]

Hellfire cocked an eyebrow, smirking softly. Well then, I suppose he should finish off his kill, huh? He waltzed back over to the fae, and began to finish off the rest of her. The blood. The meat. Once he was done he sloppily licked the fur on his chest, and then his paws.
Then, he quickly loped after the pair. He caught up, and was now acting like a referee. Only, if Shiver were to go down, Hellfire would step in and finish this piece of shit wolf off.

[.Rabid Lycan.]

Steadily, the rush of water grew nearer, and Slade began to gain on his opponent. Despite the rather dire situation, Shiver appeared distracted. And when trying to slaughter someone, it was the worst time to seem distracted. Practically stepping onto the shore, Shiver jumped down, her torso nearly slamming against the earth, and sprang upward. She landed an expert blow by fastening her fangs onto the burnt half of Slade’s neck.
“You little bitch—!” he hissed, a reflexive caterwaul threatening to surface from his throat. Agony overwhelming him to the point that he hardly cared about Shiver, Slade made a few frantic bounds and swipes, and—stumbling under the new weight—rolled into the river. Shiver, widening her eyes, began to release her hold just as they both hit the current.
Both were sucked under the tide, and blood running pink at the water’s surface.

[H.ell . Fi.re.|†A.lba]

Shit.
"Shiver!" He called, and then cursed again. He took off, watching as they quarreled for breath. He glanced around, his chasms trying to figure out what to do. He could dive in and save Shiver, but then that would leave the bastard a chance to live.
"Damn! Shiver!" He called again. He couldn't allow a fellow pack member to drown...could he? He glanced between the two, and decided she was more important than justice. He took a giant leap of faith.
His first thought, the water was cold.
He burst up from the current, and focused his eyes on them. Screw it!
Normally, I kill wolves. I'm not a hero. Well...in that sense. He snarled, and threw himself under the water. He swam underneath the bodice of Shiver, and quickly grabbed Slade by the scruff on the neck. his claws were digging into the loose gravel beneath him. He was fighting against the current, and carrying his weight, and the weight of both Shiver, and Slade. He couldn't...His gaze narrowed on the ledge. He didn't care very much for Slade but...to save Shiver, he had to save Slade. Forget about himself. He shifted his position to where he would be swept into a log that would hold him still to get Shiver on shore. He nudged her onto the terra, and just as he had the log had broke loose. He and Slade were now being swept down the river. He looked to the side, and then decided on who's fate it would be to go over the edge. In the last split second, he threw Slade on the opposite side that Shiver was on.
Then, he was swept over.

--Dun, dun duhhh!!!

[.Rabid Lycan.]

Water. Too much water.
Her silent gasp was forced shut by the force of the rapids, water pouring into her lungs as she whirled her head about in a helpless freefall. Each brief moment where their heads bobbed in the world above was a struggle for breath—a luxury stolen away mere seconds later, as if someone were teasing them with the possibility of life.
Isn’t this grand?
The vague words just barely fled her memory as a new warmth entered the scene. Her eyes widened, studying the blurred and darkened shape that suddenly held her weight. Hellfire…!? The words were lost in a sea of bubbles, and soon a soft edge of black bordered her vision. Nearly unconsciousness, she suddenly felt herself thrust against something.
And oxygen. Sweet, delicious, wonderful oxygen.
As Shiver sputtered and vomited water, Slade remained locked with his opponent. Nearly slipping away as well, a sudden movement sent him spiraling in the opposite direction—within seconds, he was clinging to a boulder lodged on the other edge of the river, his hind legs dangling over the edge of the falls as he attempted to haul himself up. He was weakened with exhaustion, his grip slipping, but he made every effort to scramble to shore.
Alas, his tiredness was strong, and he gradually began to slide on the dampened stones.
Shiver, unaware of and no longer concerned with the intruder, staggered to a stand. Her first thoughts were to look frantically for Hell’s familiar form, but he was not in sight. The realization that he must have dropped straight over the edge poisoned her thoughts, and she let out a dutiful howl. “HELL!” Her soppy ivory coat plastering close to her skin, the bloodied fae ran off, attempting to pick her way down the gorge via a less steep climb. The stones grew wet with her treading, but she dismissed the dangers—it was only courtesy, if nothing else, to look after a packmate.
He did the same for me.
She let out a few more cries, heading down the slope as quickly as possible, and none too safely.

[H.ell . Fi.re.|†A.lba]

His body was flaring around, his chasms shut tight. He heard the faint scream.
Shiver. He knew what the rapids look like. There were sharp rocks at the bottom where the mist lifted and met the great stretch of blue canvas. Though, he was curious how far away he was from death. Once he felt his body turn again, he opened his eyes.
He would have yelled. Screamed like a little girl but the vocals were caught in his throat. Those rocks were huge, and perilous. And beyond them was roar of water. An abyss he couldn't see. He studied the slope. There was no way...
He closed his eyes again, and figured...

This was it.

He didn't remember anything after that. A pure black canvas of darkness greeted him. Sweet, delightful darkness. Bliss. Sweet bliss. He was in a different realm. It was bliss at first until he landed. There were screams in the back ground. Then, a low guttural growl. It ripped through the area. Hellfire couldn't see. He could hear the screams of agony though. He could smell the burning flesh. He could taste ash...soot. He could feel something hard underneath him.
HELLFIRE! A sudden roar ripped through the area. He tried to move. But couldn't. He tried to speak, but he couldn't. All he could think about was Shiver and if she had made it.
HELLFIRE! YOU ARE CHARGED WITH THE HIGHEST COUNT OF MURDER! YOU WILL BE SENTENCED TO ETERNITY HERE IN HELL. YOUR NAME SUITS YOU WELL. HOPE YOU ENJOY HELL'S FIRE! And then, the roar was gone.
He was being moved toward something...it was glowing. He could see the bright light through his eyelids. He didn't know there was light in hell...unless he was being taken to...
The heat confirmed it.
The pits of fire.

He was trying to fight, but found he was still disabled. And soon, he was thrown into the light.

He burst out of the water in a a calmer place of the river. The soft lull of the current pushed him to terra. He lay there limp, almost as if he were...dead. But, the steady rise and fall of his chest assured you that he wasn't.

[.Rabid Lycan.]

Stones slid under her grasp, her form sliding in a mass of cascading pebbles while she attempted to recover from the stumble. Can’t die now. Not now. Finally catching a suitable ledge, Shiver shuddered to her halt, panting heavily as her eyes flickered about. Her breathing was harsh, her eyes no longer hazed with remote longings, but with… fear, almost? Horror? Or perhaps it was just exhaustion that clouded her irises. Either way, as she bounded down the gradually more even incline, maroon stains smeared the ground that she tread.
Her eyes flickered upward yet again, still searching.
Spray clouding her gaze even at this distance, Shiver paused when she noticed a shape interrupting the natural flow of the river. The rustic hue of the calmer waters parted at the ebony lump, and soon she was racing toward him, paws scarcely hitting the ground.
Now at his side, she nudged him carefully. “Hell? Hell, are you alright?” Stupid questions she noted, but couldn’t help but recite them anyway. And damn it all, Blood Mist doesn’t have a Healer. What are we going to do—?

[H.ell . Fi.re.|†A.lba]

His eyes flickered open at her calling his name, but the next second his body convulsed and water spewed from his mouth like a water spout. He had missed the sharp rocks by just inches, and the sharp points had grazed him in some areas. "God..." Was all he was able to get out before more water was choked out.
Hellfire closed his chasms for a moment, before struggling to his feet. It was a great challenge. A great effort it was. Valiant at that.
He threw a glance toward his companion, and said "Hellfire...is...horrid." He managed a lopsided smile. His vocals were harsh, and raspy. His throat was sore. And he knew damn well that the Blood Mists didn't have a healer.
Damn.

[.Rabid Lycan.]

Standing over his beaten form, Shiver retreated a few paces as he began to rouse. A sort of relieved calm suddenly filling her air space, she blinked slowly to drink in the gravity of the moment. They were alive, both breathing air.
“Trust me, I know it is.”
But they were severely injured, Hell especially. Between the quarreling and the near death experience, even considering returning to camp—and scaling the cliff to get there—appeared to be a horrifyingly massive feat. Shiver swallowed slowly, unable to help but cast a glance toward the falls.
No body. Either he was mulched by the rocks and hasn’t surfaced yet, or the bastard got off with a warning.
“…Hell, how are you? Not to be rude, but I don’t think you’re going to make it up those cliffs.” She motioned her eyes to the top of the slope. “I could go scout around for the neophyte Healer, although I don’t know how much good that’ll do.”

[H.ell . Fi.re.|†A.lba]

Hell gave a wary smile, and dragged his wet ass away from the waters edge, before collapsing further away from the bank. "I know...I...can't make it up...those...slopes just..yet. Gimme...a few...moments...and I...should...be...fine." His breathing was still ragged, and his vocals were still raspy.
He quivered slightly, closing his eyes. The screams...Many of whom were probably their ancestors. Any other wolf might have been compelled to change his ways, but if anything he was encouraged.
He wanted to see how bad it could be. How bad his eternal sentence could be.
He was truly a insane wolf.

[.Rabid Lycan.]

Shiver resisted the urge to roll her eyes at his near-stubborn insistence at conquering the slope.
Males…
Shaking herself dry and flexing her muscles—noting where the stinging of wounds were concentrated—she sighed and followed Hell. Sitting beside him, she studied the tangle of fur and shredded flesh beside her, and wondering how crazy they were to be doing what they were doing.
We were born of violence. You can’t erase that from your memory, or your blood. We just are.
Rasping a tongue over the gouge in her shoulder, she greeted the familiar taste with nothing more than an expectant blink, and wanted nothing more than to curl up and sleep right alongside her companion.
“Whenever you’re ready, I suppose. Just don’t kill yourself.” She paused, and then added as an afterthought, “You could just lean on me, if you need to. I can’t carry you, but I can take some of your weight.”

[H.ell . Fi.re.|†A.lba]

Hellfire smirked, feeling like she had the sudden urge to roll her eyes. And why shouldn't she? He was being stubborn, but he was also male. He ran his tongue over his chest, cleaning the blood away, and then turning his head to his side, licking over the largest gash.
It was a miracle that he hadn't been skewered or shred to death. He shut his eyes, and took a deep breath. He opened his eyes, and looked to his companion. He nodded, and said "Right. Now, I think that...if we set a pace we could make...it up the slope. Hopefully, we won't..have to...take too many...breaks." His breathing became a bit more steady than it had been, but for the moment at hand he still wasn't in the best of moods.
He hauled himself to his columns, and slowly began to trudge toward the slope. "When we get into camp...we need to report what had...happened." And with that, he fell silent.

[.Rabid Lycan.]

Mildly surprised that he was intent on taking off so soon—then, after reminding herself who she was speaking to, not so surprised—Shiver gathered her remaining stores of energy and slipped after him. She slowed her pace to accommodate Hell, not rushing to his aid at first. But he was obviously cursed with labored breathing, and they hadn’t even begun to dare the uphill climb.
Not to mention it was not only a slope, but a steep slope. A steep, wet slope with a lot of pointy rocks.
Shiver sighed inwardly as she stared upward. This is going to be a long climb.
She halted, allowing Hell to pass her before she came up behind him, her ivory pelt lightly brushing his. At least if he falls, he’ll fall on me and not a pit of rocks. “Yes, though I think getting to camp is the least of our worries at the moment.”

[H.ell . Fi.re.|†A.lba]

He chuckled faintly, and trod on. The slope did get steeper, and he stumbled a few times, but quickly got to his feet again. Amazingly, he was pushing himself up the slope with determination written all over his stance. He would do this. He had to. He was Hellfire.
He was...Hell.
The path soon got narrow again, and the pebbles were falling over the edge. He didn't dare look down into the deep abyss of darkness that had almost claimed his life no more than 45 minutes ago. He looked ahead, pushing himself. When it came time to climb some boulders he had to find foot holes to scramble up on, and a few times he would need a supporting nudge from Shiver. Finally, after an hours worth of climbing, they made it.
"God..."

[.Rabid Lycan.]

Pain dragged them down, but the promise of a conclusion wavered in front of them like a carrot on a stick. Hellfire’s perseverance seemed to rub off on Shiver, as she continued to loom at his side, struggling with a similar determination. Often, flashes of annoyance crept up her spine. Hellfire quite obviously needed help, but barely acknowledged it. They were never far apart, and occasionally she would be obligated to aid him for small snitches of time, but that was all.
What, am I that bad? she thought to herself, a joking smile threatening to shatter her somber façade.
When they finally met the flatness of the plateau, it was like bursting at the surface of the river. In a gasp of breath, they completed the colossal task, and Shiver remained brushing his flank, too tired and in awe of their accomplishment to move.
Panting, she offered an amused woof. “Hell, you’re absolutely insane… and I know a lot of crazy wolves, but I mean it this time.” She smirked, then scented him with a somewhat concerned look. “We should probably rest here for a small bit, then go on. You don’t look so hot.”