The battered form of the male moved with a certain stiffness, but that did not affect the pride within his stride. The injuries caused by the dark she-wolf of the Hollow pack were not so deep that they would not heal swiftly; it seemed in his offering to her she had made sure to not inflict too much damage. The image of her tears was still burned to his memory, but there was nothing more he could do for her. That thought alone was enough for him to put it to rest, and rather than worry for the female who followed Jaysyek, Ruiko would instead put focus toward his own followers and family; Kinis and Volkan.


They were in need of a home, and once more the large Tainn found himself amidst the cruel shadows of the Wildwood trees, though the roar of the Falls was in the background. They danced across the all-too-familiar foliage, memories of his puphood emerging from every crevice. He, Indru and Niija had torn across these very forests growing up with reckless abandon, always to be met with the strict tongues and teeth of their parents in retribution for wandering so far from the den. Still, after more than a year had passed since the flames had consumed his old home, Ruiko swore he could still smell the scent of burning wood and fur.


This was no home for them; not any longer. The ash and disheveled and fallen trees were proof of that, yet he longed for it. To restore the wildwoods to their former glory. Prowling across the soft and frozen ground, the moon danced light upon his thick and golden pelt with an eerie glow, as if he too was no more than a ghost that would roam this place now.


Stirring, Ruiko’s eyes fell upon another figure curled peacefully to the dying grass of oncoming winter. Holding back a frown, curious to how her presence had missed him initially, the male canted his muzzle to the side, wondering if his own presence had been noted yet or not. “Evening.”

His eyes roved the buff red of her pelt, noting the creamy hints amongst ebony and pale ivory. Ruiko was not so cold-hearted to note that she was a delightful creature, and the regal male felt a familiar stir as he gazed upon her. The gentle nature in which she rose caused the male to incline his muzzle down lightly, allowing her to see he did not disturb her with ill intent. She rose to her paws, a slender figure draped in moonlight as she returned his greeting with a whispered one of her own.


Ruiko canted his muzzle slightly, his bright eyes lingering upon her own for only a brief moment. “I apologize if I disturbed your sleep,” he murmured to her, his voice lower due to the late night haunting hour. She seemed new to these lands – he had scouted Relic Lore once more for weeks now and her scent was fresh within the depths of the Wildwood. “Ruiko Tainn,” he introduced, curious to why such a delicate creature was alone in a wood that had previously offered him despair and loss.

His name slid from her tongue, as if the she-wolf repeated his calling to restore to her memory. Her gaze lingered upon him and the Tainn male felt himself bristle slightly – not because he felt threatened but because he was refraining from doing the exact same thing, except in a more sinful manner. The grin that lit up her features stirred his wolfish brows to lift slightly from the stoical mask he retained, the light cant of her muzzle revealing a coyish side to the stranger that he desired to know further.


“I’ve never been known for my stealth,” he returned, a grin of his own beginning to preen at the corners of his dark lips. Dipping his muzzle down a notch, his gaze continued to study her. “The pleasure is mine, Aeylen,” he returned, mirroring her name as she had done his. There was a small pause as the male gave a brief flick of his tail, his eyes drifting back to where she had slept before. “Are you new to Relic Lore?”

It was late, and Ruiko certainly had no business being here when his duty (for now) rested with Swift River. Yet he stood there under the cold winter moon with an enticing stranger who seemed to hold him in place – the honey of her eyes complimented the buff red of her pelt and for the first time since he had courted the ebony Ranger, Ruiko Tainn felt the pull of attraction.


“Heading anywhere in particular?” The question was to gain more insight to the stranger’s life, curious as to where she was going and with what purpose. Perhaps she had a lover in another valley. A family. A pack. All of these were great possibilities, and as his gaze strayed from the haphazard area she had claimed for a bed, Ruiko assumed that as she was in such a rush as to press forward, she must have had another waiting for her at her destination.

The life of a nomad had always been frowned upon by him; as a loyal wolf to the Hidden Tree pack and to Swift River, Ruiko Tainn’s patience with the passing rogue had always been short, and usually without much consideration to the reasons as to why they traveled alone. It was unnatural in the ways of a wolf, and yet a week would not pass that the large tawny wolf would come across a new face, yet another traveler.


What was it she sought? With no destination in mind, he found himself deeply curious as to what means she wandered for. Was she looking for the perfect pack? The perfect land? The perfect mate? Her soft eyes looked to him, as if she too seemed to be curious about the wolf who stood before her.


At her request, the Tainn male gave a nod of his muzzle, the bright of his eyes falling upon the slender curve of her figure. Moving forward now, the male took to her side, following a path he had followed many times by the Falls. Ruiko was no stranger to instant attraction; he had felt so much more when he was younger than now at the age of four. Still, none had managed to curl themselves around his heart the way Ranger had, yet his trust to her had been crushed, much like his belief in the possibility of love.. But that did not spurn his sudden desire for the girl away like he would have imagined.. Instead, he found himself braving a proposition that suddenly pleased him. “Then stay.”