Blackberry Fields was perhaps one of his least favourite lands that was in Relic Lore. After a berry-tasting dare between he and Indru that went wrong, Ruiko had spent the rest of that day with a horrendous stomach ache and nausea. Ever since then, just the smell of the little black fiends caused his nose to wrinkle in distaste. Even so, with the responsibility of feeding more mouths now, the tawny wolf came here more often on the prowl for quick and easy prey. Rabbits and birds thrived upon the field, and many days he had left with a decent prize in his mouth to take home to the pups.


Today was slightly different though. The scent of another wolf was nearby, and the brown Tainn knew instantly it was a lone wolf. Withholding a sigh at the prospect of another pointless conversation, Ruiko was about to turn his hefty paws around and steal out of the land without the other being privy to his presence when he caught sight of dark fur. Pausing mid-escape, his sharp amber eyes studied the creature before him, his curiosity suddenly piqued. She was large for a female – upon first glance he would have sworn she was a male – while scars viciously painted themselves across her body. She was neither delicate nor frail like the countless females he had met in the past, and as she slipped a blackberry past her lips, Ruiko withheld a light grimace. “You’ll get yourself a stomach ache,” he warned lightly, his deep tones rumbling past the silence.

The initial bristle of the she-wolf’s pelt stirred Ruiko’s own hackles; already distrusting of lone wolves, any sign of violence from another was enough to set off his own defences for a ruction. Her light nod revealed that he had caught her off guard, and the large tawny male relaxed slightly, his brown tail flicking idly in the summer breeze. It was a reaction he should have surmised, considering the angry scars that criss-crossed her muscled body. Her words were light even against the silence, but the stare of her golden eyes in to his was a challenge, and the Tainn wolf drew his muzzle up higher, his own expression unreadable, yet slowly lifting to a frown.


Her query was innocent enough, and in turn, the tawny River wolf gave a light nod of his muzzle. “Yes. You only need one bad experience to leave a bitter taste in your mouth” he replied in turn, not caring to elaborate on the tale. After all, Ruiko divulged little information to strangers, no matter how piqued his curiosity was toward them. “Ruiko,” he returned after only a small moment. Unsettled by the way she looked to his eyes, the male held still, waiting for the polite conversation to take a sudden turn for the worst – it wouldn’t have been the first time it had happened.

Each fleeting second passed and the she-wolf became less suspicious; her figure lowered with respect that far surpassed what he had expected from a lone wolf that answered to no one, and in turn, the tawny male inclined his muzzle down slightly to a friendlier level. There was a small smile that tugged to his lips at her words, though it broke the stoical mask upon his features only momentarily. “You’re welcome. I wouldn’t wish that pain on anyone,” he rumbled darkly, sarcasm lightly lacing his tones.


To her words about the beauty of the land, the feral beast took a second glance about the terrain, his shoulders giving a half-hearted shrug in agreement. He could see the beauty in the lands he called home, but with the recent happenings to his family, it was hard to appreciate anything that was around him.. spare the siblings he still had alive. “Swift River is a pack lead by Indru Tainn. We’ve claimed land in the Sacred Grove.” There was a small pause – the she-wolf had managed to obtain more information than he had offered anyone before. “Then, a wolf called Honijo Ithil has recently started a pack on the mountain. They’ve claimed Midnight Plateau.”

She took his information and processed it only momentarily, and then offered her two cents on the subject. Surprise flashed in the golden eyes of the male as he cast her a blank blink. Her observation was horribly wrong, yet it was a vellicate touch upon his soul that chilled his nerves uneasily. Honijo and he had not spoken since the dominance challenge, and while he had stripped his uncle of his rank, he had wondered whether he had stripped him of his love as well. The thought burned him.


“You’re senses are off then,” he mused gruffly, giving a light shake of his muzzle. It was curious to him how the dark she-wolf could come to these assumptions – especially her explanation that she believed Honjio had done wrong by him. “Our pack is recovering from a tragedy. Honijo was a loved member of the pack, and while he is no longer pack that doesn’t change our affections.” Blinking, Ruiko pulled his muzzle back slightly. This she-wolf was gaining far too much personal information from him.. he was beginning to sound like Indru.

He had thought little of her words in terms of insult – though it displeased him to think that someone he had simply traded names with proposed to know the depths of his feelings, but from the way the dark girl bowed her proud muzzle in humble apology, Ruiko felt his irritation slide away once more. Offeirng only a solemn nod of gratitude, he simply let the subject drop completely.


There was a moment of silence between the two that stirred Ruiko to blink up to the sky shortly. As was custom for his curiosity, the brown and golden wolf found his eyes straying across the angry scars upon her body, and he doubted she would care much for his stares. As he felt her gaze upon him once more, the stoical wolf glanced back to her once more for a second, his ears flickering forward to her query. “We are,” he clarified, though not making a further comment on the topic. There just wasn’t much else to say on the two packs. “And what about you? Why the life of a lone wolf?” If she felt inclined to ask more personal questions, he did not see why he could not do the same.