Drooping Willows sometimes it hurts instead

<i>Clear — Current Temperature: 65° F/18° C</i>

As the sun rose over Relic Lore, Aisling slipped away into the shadows. After wandering across the landscape to the mountains, the girl figured that she'd head south now. Of course, this time it wouldn't be at night. And it was certainly a welcome escape. So far away she wouldn't have to worry about running into Jayse or Elettra. At least she hoped that she wouldn't. With a deep breath, she plunged deeper and deeper into the trees, and passed over Grizzly Hollow's scent marker. As the sun rose, the day turned pleasant. A nice change from the rain and chilly days past.

The trees began to change as well, from tall and woodsy to droopy and elegant. The girl paused, looking around. Clearly this was Drooping Willows. The name rested willingly upon the edge of her brain. She hadn't been gone long enough to forget the landscape, and for that she was thankful. Then again, she hadn't traveled all that far away from Grizzly Hollow, so getting lost would be hard. For the time being, she stopped, taking shelter beneath one of the hanging branches, and curled into a ball, nose poking through to see out towards the lagoon and back into the woods. <b style="color:#388d10">"speech."

The willow branches brushed against his fur almost like a rake; aggravating, when once upon a time the action had been soothing to the male. Of course, the beauty of the lands was nowhere near comparable now than in the spring and summer, and yet Ruiko Tainn found himself roaming the lands with a keen eye, curious if he was missing any aspect of the land that might seem welcoming to him to call ‘home.’

As morning grew on, the tawny wolf soon found that Drooping Willows was not the land he wishes to claim, as he suspected. Already, the regal male had an inkling of where he wanted to go, but he was insistent on exploring his options thoroughly.. and it almost felt as if he was hesitating for just a little longer, in case they found another wolf or two willing to follow them to a new life.

Brushing below another willow, the Tainn’s bright eyes soon fell upon a stark ivory figure. The pale she-wolf lay curled, her figure almost delicate beneath the tree he had ducked under. She was much like a china doll, and the scent of the Hollow was firm upon her pelt – he would recognize Jaysyek’s claim anywhere. Clearing his throat, Ruiko hoped not to startle her too bad… Though it would be humorous to see.

For once, she didn't feel on edge. Which was strange. She was usually glancing around, making sure that no one was near that she didn't recognize, her nose twitching like that of a rabbit, hackles just slightly raised as if she couldn't relax. Perhaps she was forcing herself. It was almost sad, and she felt it. But she felt rather lonely. Perhaps appearing on edge frightened onlookers away, as if she was some sort of loose cannon that would attack on sight. As if.

With a deep breath, she pulled her head back in, tucking her nose in near her curled hind paws. Relax. Relax. Please relax. She told herself, for once enjoying the fact that she could think without interruption. Pangur would have told her to keep on alert, attack anyone near by. She may have muscled up in her absence from Relic Lore, but she certainly wasn't the creature looking for a fight like she had been when she was away. She was regular old Aisling again, but just trying to grow up now. Among her thoughts there was an unfamiliar sound and she lifted her head, wondering if she'd thought the noise or if it was real. When she spotted a rather large male standing near by, probably the creator of the sound, she sprang to her paws, looking utterly terrified, before realizing that it was probably an absurd reaction.

Nosing forward, she poked her head through the drooping, slightly bare branches. Her ears were back, but she was being braver than usual. <b style="color:#388d10">"C-can I help you?" She asked meekly, amber eyes looking him over. <b style="color:#388d10">"speech."

As much as he would have liked to avoid it, and in retrospect, likely could have had he walked away without disturbing the girl, the she-wolf sprang to her paws with a look of terror in her eyes. The initial reaction didn’t last long however, and encouraging the pale female, Ruiko lowered his muzzle slightly in neutral stance to appear less threatening from his size.

The stuttered question drew both of his ears forward, his amber eyes grazing over her briefly. He had yet to meet this girl, yet it was apparent she was in Jaysyek’s pack. It would seem the ivory leader had quite a collection of women he had yet to meet. How truly intriguing. Though as far as he was concerned, it likely would have been better had he and Elettra never crossed paths. The wound to his cheek had only just begun to scab over, allowing the healing process to begin.

“No, smallteeth,” he murmured kindly, his tail giving a light shift behind him in content. “I am simply passing through. Sorry to wake you.”

After her frightened display, he seemed to make himself look a bit less...Terrifying. At least in Aisling's eyes. Perhaps he wasn't really terrifying at all, nor did he intend to even look it. Regardless, she certainly appreciated the gesture, and to show her thanks, she separated herself from the willow tree and stood out in the open. She did still stand, of course, the ever nagging thing in the back of her head telling her just to be careful. But she probably wasn't the only one that had that little warning signal. She smiled gently, then tilted her head to the side. <b style="color:#388d10">"You didn't wake me." She quietly assured him, her own tail giving the slightest of wags. <b style="color:#388d10">"Smallteeth?" She went on, a questioning tone in her voice. She'd never been called that before. She really hadn't been called anything but Aisling before. <b style="color:#388d10">"speech."

She moved herself from the willows, rather cordial with her insistence that he had not awoken her. Her politeness was a far cry from the dark she-wolf of her pack, and the male found it strange that such contrasting personalities could co-habit together. Inclining his muzzle once more as she reassured him he had not disturbed her, the regal male cast a quick glance over the rather pretty girl.

“Smallteeth is not your name, then?” His tone was a quiet muse, knowing that such a name would not have been hers, but her slender figure and pale pelt reminded him very much of his own little sister, who he had bore the same name to during her younger years.

Aisling wondered if he was joking. He must have been. Her smile widened a bit more and as she looked, embarrassed, down at her paws, she let out the faintest of laughs. The pale girl shook her head slightly and looked up again. <b style="color:#388d10">"My name is Aisling, Aisling Halleck." The last word felt strange on her tongue. It had been quite some time since she'd said her last name. It was mostly useless at this point. <b style="color:#388d10">"Though, I suppose, if it's easier, you could call me smallteeth." Aisling wasn't sure if she'd meant that as a joke or not. It was possible that she was just attempting to appease the male, as he was bigger than her, although kind. But he could take it as he wanted. <b style="color:#388d10">"speech."

The pale girl offered her name and Ruiko nodded in return, his own muzzle canting ever so slightly. “Ruiko Tainn,” he offered in return, wondering if his name had been blacklisted by Grizzly Hollow yet because of Elettra. Her offer of allowing him to call her smallteeth erupted a small chuckle from the male, his muzzle giving a shake. “I used to call my little sister smallteeth. You remind me of her.” There was a small pause as Ruiko took his words in to consideration, comparing Borlla’s boisterous personality to the soft spoken girl before him. “Or, you look like her in some ways,” he corrected.

<b style="color:#388d10">"Oh, well..." Was it good to be compared to a family member? Aisling considered this for a moment, until the male corrected himself, and Aisling just smiled, <b style="color:#388d10">"I'm sure I'm not one-of-a-kind." Again, she looked rather embarrassed, but managed to keep her head up, rather than aimed down at her paws. In her words, she was rather honest, knowing perfectly well that there were probably dozens of pale, orange-eyed wolves running around. Not that she'd seen any, but...<b style="color:#388d10">"Are you from Swift River, Ruiko?" She asked, only not really bothering to identify his scent. <b style="color:#388d10">"Is it nice there?" There was strange desperation in her voice, and she leaned forward slightly. <b style="color:#388d10">"speech."

Her words drew a light blink from the stoical wolf, breaking his emotionless stance as the briefest of frowns moved across his features. “That’s not what I meant,” he trailed off, uncertain to how exactly she had taken his words. Female’s were a mystery to him; Ranger, Vlarindara, Elettra.. even Volkan mystified him in ways. They were unreadable at the best of times, and somehow always managed to put a full grown man down to his knees.

“I am.” There was a small pause as he considered her question, not willing to corrupt his brother’s pack. In truth Swift River was great – his family was there, and by rights it should have been his home. Except it couldn’t be, because he was missing something in his life. “It’s very nice there,” he told her, a small smirk pulling at the corners of his lips. “And the Hollow?”