Red Fern Forest Devil on your heels

OOC! Here

“Yes — a little north of here.” Perfect, her mind reveled as the plan slowly began to become more concrete for the aging ivory woman. His birth pack was not too far from there current location and surely this poor boy wouldn't mind helping out a damsel in distress for just a little longer. The tilt of her head soon righted itself back to a normal position, pine green irises glinting in the pale winter sunlight as she contemplated just how to go about her next move. It would take precise steps and wording to prevent any cause for alarm registering within his tiny skull. Adorning her voice with a bashful, honeyed tone she began.

"I never thanked you for saving my hide back there-" Ivory clad head tossing back toward the general location the feasting bear was situated. "And I'd probably wouldn't be standing here right now if you hadn't stepped in and for that thank you, but..." Pale ears maneuvered to press into the fur along the back of her skull, single eyed gaze dropping to the smudge's obsidian paws momentarily before meeting those icy orbs. "It's awfully hard for a lone and half blind wolf such as myself to maintain regular meals. I.." Hexamora faltered and tapered her words off purposely with a short, soft chuckle. "No, no. I couldn't ask such a thing of you after saving my life. You've done enough for a complete stranger." The plot was set and it was now up to Arion whether to take the tantalizing bait, or not. For her sake, Hexamora hoped that he would. If not, she would simply be on her way to find the next wolf foolish enough to fulfill her needs for her.

Food. She wanted food.

While she seemed innocent enough — a starving loner desperate for a meal — Arion couldn’t help but be wary of her intentions. Younger wolves were much easier to read; their intentions were pure and unbiased. Whereas older wolves, like the pale female standing before him, were tricksy. They were not far from his pack’s cache, which meant he could easily raid it to bring something back to her, but he worried about what would happen after they parted ways. Would she pursue the cache after he was long gone and take more food? He definitely did not want to show her where it was — he was young, but he wasn’t that stupid. Oh, the scorn he would receive if he was to do something so foolish!

He listened to her ramble on patiently as his ears folded against the back of his skull, his icy gaze fixated on the older female. “You’re very welcome, miss, but…” he trailed off, swallowing hard as his forepaws shifted nervously in the dirt. “I, uh, dono if I can just, uh, give you food,” he started as he tried to hold back a wince, the tip of his tail twitching nervously before he carried on. “I’d have to check with m’pack first.” He couldn’t look weak before the older female and he kept his trembling in check. But his answer would not change: if she wanted food he would have to check with the other wolves of the Pines. It was their food and they had worked hard for it. It was not easy pickings for a loner. “I could help you find somethin’ if you’d like?” Good, steer her away… He hoped it would work — and that she wouldn’t turn him into a meal instead.

OOC! Figure this is a good point to fade if you'd like or you can post an exit. She won't stick around anymore since he can't help her. :)

No. The smudge painted boy hadn't needed to spring upon her such a blunt answer for the snowy vixen to read between the lines to discover what his final verdict on the matter was. Despite all the tripping over his stumbled words and her best attempts at feigning to be the tolerant, lone wolf wanting nothing more than an uncomplicated meal, she was not about to receive such a gracious gift. What truly pricked her guard hairs; albeit they remained smoothed against her coated spine, was his idea of wanting to check in with the pack first. No, no, no. Hexamora could not fathom the idea of the pack meddling with her personal affairs least they decide to chase her off, empty stomach and all. Or, god forbid go for her only remaining optic. Nope, it was time to move on and find a new hapless soul, but first she had to dispose of this one.

Disappointment tucked covertly beneath her colorless mask, a small smile graced the inky lining of her lips while her skull gave a subtle shake. "No, no. It's quite alright and you've done enough for a woman like me. To ask such a burden of you and your pack is shameful." Facial features morphed into a look to further applaud her acting skills, skull angling away from the dark pelted lad to settle an unfocused gaze upon the neighboring horizon. "I should probably keep myself moving onward now and let you return home." No goodbye was offered as the Beauvau woman brushed the boy off without a second thought, tail twitching at her flanks while ivory limbs began trudging through the snow and red hued vegetation toward who knew where. The smile swiftly dropping from her face to return to a stoic expression. As long as she marched away from both the bear and this pup; and his near by pack, she would eventually come across someone gullible enough to do her bidding. Someone was bound to young and dumb, right?

Guilt flooded his little body as the pale female stiffened, clearly disappointed by the answer he had given her. As much as he wanted to help the older female further he knew he could raid the pack’s cache with her so close. He did not want to be the reason for food go missing or a dispute to occur between the nameless woman and one of his packmates. As his mouth fell open into a soft ‘o’ shape her voice disturbed the air once more, announcing her departure. He did not protest — perhaps it was for best. Clearly she wasn’t that desperate if she couldn’t wait a few extra minutes. She turned quickly, not waiting for a response from the little smudge. Not wanting to be impolite, the boy woofed a soft goodbye after the pale figure, his pale eyes blinking slowly as he watched her large figure grow smaller and smaller.

He remained where he was for a moment, a small frown creasing his lips as his blue gaze was fixated on the spot he had last seen her pale shape. She had been a peculiar creature, one he wasn’t sure if he wanted to encounter again. He wished her the best, but also wished good luck to whoever ran into her next. With a shake of his head the boy finally turned away, his pale gaze glancing over at the bear before heading in the direction of home. R was puzzled the actions of the strange female and wanted to put as much distance between himself and her as possible.