He had considered continuing north after his visit to the kingswood, but something had told the Captain that he wasn’t quite done with is visit to Relic Lore just yet. Having learned long ago to trust his instinct and always being happiest when following his whims, the pale wolf had turned back south, circling the shore of the great lake this time, rather than going straight across. This route led him towards the foothills of Mount Dire, and eventually to the lands where his father’s pack had briefly settled after Hearthwood – where a river of meltwater cascaded from the heights to meet the lake.

 

Kyrios had never lived here himself, but he had visited a few times on his journeys before Lachesis and Lilya had decided to move to new lands. It was a nice place, one where a young pirate could have happily found plenty of adventure, but unfortunately, he had long outgrown pack life by that time. Still, he chose to stay for a while now, exploring among the driftwood and enjoying the lazy bubble of the tributary, calming from the spring floods.

Thoughts "Speech"

 

He was sniffing around the old den site, when the stiff gale off the lake brought a more enticing scent to his curious nose: That of another wolf, alive and fresh. The Captain set off down the hillside towards the lake at a brisk pace. As soon as he cleared the trees, he spotted the woman, standing with her paws in the lapping water, looking intently out over the waves.

 

She was a chunk larger than him, with a burly build and dense, dark coat. If he were to guess, he’d say she was around his age, maybe a little younger, but certainly no unseasoned youngster. Striking up a smile, Kyrios approached her along the coast, his movements open and earnest, tail waving pleasantly behind him. “It ain’t fer th’ faint o’ heart, but it can be done!” He announced, gesturing out over the water; “Th’ water’s surprisin’ly cold this time a’ year tho’, from th’ snowmelt.” Looking back at the swarthy woman, he gave her a quick once over, winking cheekily; “Bu’ A’ bet a lass like ye’ can handle th’ challenge.”

Thoughts "Speech"

 

Her smile was delightful, the sway of her tail inspiring the Captain’s own to wave wider. He took a seat on the shore, a polite distance away, smiling jovially back as he listened to her dilemma. To the pale daredevil, it all seemed rather straight forward – never one to waste time looking for logical reason, he would simply follow the whim as soon as it hit him. And as the tawny woman looked wistfully out over the lake, he voiced as much: “Wha’s t’ justify? Ye think ye got th’ mettle, have at it!”

 

The politesse of her thanks made him chuckle a little, though he nodded his head affably; “Aye, I’ve tickled this particular beast a few times.” He wiggled his brows, smiling crookedly as he continued; “An’ ‘tis Kyrios, Kyrios Aegina Stark, t’ be proper, bu’ Ky will do jus’ fine.” At that, he swept her a gallant bow, slightly hampered by his seated position, yet he managed to make it look smooth all the same; It was hardly his first time.

Thoughts "Speech"

 

“Ah,” he nodded at her explanation, a hint of a sigh in his voice. He’d met other wolves with that same mindset in his travels, but it always saddened him a little, such a cynical approach to life. He wouldn’t judge though, different wolves just worked differently, there was no shame in that. But he saw that longing in her glances out at the islands, so carefully restrained, yet there it was, the desire to break free.

 

Her question brought the attention back on the Captain himself and he grinned a little sheepishly, mentally scolding himself for reading too deeply when he barely even knew the lass. Instead he inclined his head at her introduction, showing clear flattery at her words. “Pleasure’s all mine Kat,” he hummed, flashing her another easy grin; “An’ A’ used to. Was borne in th’ woods on th’ other side.” He motioned out over the water, though the distance was much to great to see even the towering sequoias of Kingsfall. “’s’ been a lifetime tho,” he shook his head, looking back at the tawny woman; “’n’ ye? Jus’ trav’lin’ through?”

Thoughts "Speech"

   

The tawny woman’s smile made the pirate’s own grow a little wider, his tail swaying freely behind him as he admired how her face lit up. It was always such a pleasure to meet other wolves who took so casually to new interactions. Far too many were prone to hostility, especially when they were defending a territory or feared they might have encroached on his. But Kat took it all in stride and it made the conversation flow much freer.

 

His brows flicked up at her response, lips parting in a silent laugh at the coincidence. “Is worth th’ trip,” he supplied; “’n all me’ travels ‘ave never seen n’other place quite like Kingsfall.” Which was true, though he had seen many other wonders, the giant redwood trees of his homeland were still unique. He almost felt sorry he’d already been by, as he would have liked showing it to the wolfess, who seemed so keen on exploring new lands.

 

She confirmed as much with her answer to his question, yet another delightful surprise. Though her approach might be a bit different, it would still seem that the Captain had met a kindred spirit, as eager for knowledge as he was for adventure. Her final addition made his muzzle crinkle with amusement, head tilting ever so slightly. He stayed like that, just watching her for a moment, wondering what exactly might be enough to settle her traveler’s spirit; Something truly special, certainly.

 

Finally, he said: “Well these lands have enough int’restin’ nooks to explore if ye do stick ‘round. Used t’ be teeming with wolves too, but most seem t’ve vanished as of late.” It was still surprising to him even after several visits. Relic Lore was lush with plants and prey, with no evidence that anything should have happened to drive off the many wolf packs who used to call it home. And yet, there was nothing left but empty dens.

Thoughts "Speech"