Oh snap! :)
<blockquote>There was still something missing. It was as if time did not exist in the fragile Hollow whose glory continued to wane. Where the winter months had been overtly cruel on his end, spring was subtly empty and more or less meaningless. Dutifully, he would stick to the routine he'd become accustomed to, though his optimism was slowly souring. First, it had been the abrupt departure of Trisden and Hocus; then, Elettra's desertion; and finally, even Raigo had parted ways. This left Jaysyek and Arlette to stand as the only familiar presences in his life at Grizzly Hollow, and even in the face of his unconditional love for the ghost of a woman with the crystalline eyes, it was terribly hard on the man. Whatever 'true' friends he'd ever had - save Jaysyek, who would always be close - were already gone.
What a bitter pill to swallow.
Thick, black limbs forged a path through the swaying waves of sun-hued flowers, which nearly stood to his underbelly. The scene was beautifully set, but it did not prepare him. <i>Her</i> scent was unmistakable, and nearly slapped him in the face. In a quick second he was still as stone, and each of the Guardian's senses were pushed into overdrive. He hadn't forgotten Trisden, or her absent brother, to that end, and the fact that an easy breeze had carried her recent signature to him in this place had his heart absolutely racing. The possibility of finding her after all this time sparked a hope he'd longed to embrace, and now he would not rest until he ensured he was either hallucinating or correct in his judgment.
With each bound her trail became stronger, and eventually he would encounter two scents with which he was quite familiar: a pack wolf, one of his own - male - and that of Chantille, the woman he'd encountered that morning when the fog had roused him from his self pity. What in the hell was going on? And then, in the distance, all together the most beautiful and horrid sight he'd sworn he'd ever seen came to view. <i>There she was</i>, alive and in one piece, aside the white woman and a man in the midst of...a confrontation? Really? From his undiscovered position he would welcome the threatening growl which resonated to the core. It was certain that the young Lyall would find her fair share of trouble, but he would <i>not</i> tolerate it from a member of the pack to which he belonged, less from a newcomer who should know better, though it wasn't lost that he'd surely never met the princess before. For as long as his wide paws could remain grounded he eevesdropped on the group's escalating conversation, the brewing rage in his chest well-contained. In many instances he was proud of Trisden's ability to hold her own, but the second the old man openly exhibited his own aggression was the moment the child's play was absolutely <i>over</i>. Rippling muscles propelled the Second forward like a bolt of lightning as he swiftly cut the distance between himself and the others, and with his flag curled high over his lower back, whatever warning was to be given would come too late. Sweeping directly past Chantille, Kade took his rightful position, hastily bounding between his Trisden and the Hollow wolf whose words were unwelcome and forbidden.
<b>"Silence!"</b> The Attaya's words were like venom as fierce, silver eyes locked to those of the old man's. His posture was a black-and-white reflection of his position, though he was not acting now as a pack wolf taking sides; now, he was a fearless force of destruction, protecting a part of his heart - Trisden - from a pathetic excuse of a threat. From <i>a coward</i> who was apparently inept in picking his fights with any inclination of wisdom. How dare he.
He could feel the tips of the fur of his side as they bristled against the young Lyalls, in the back of his mind satisfied that she was literally within reach, and safe. As much as he'd taken a liking to the Poison Path female who sat quietly at the side lines, he was dismayed and disappointed in her for simply allowing such an occurence to take place - to watch as the yearling held her own against the shadow of a brute who was bent on <i>teaching</i> her a <i>lesson</i>. His blood boiled. His misguided 'teachings' were poison themselves, and this <i>Follko</i> was in <i>no</i> position to consider enlightening others.
<b>"If you so much as <i>whisper</i> a single word in her direction again, old fool, <i>I</i> will be the demon to drag <i>you</i> straight to hell,"</b> he spat as the ridge of fur lining his spine bristled further, ears and weight forward as he loomed before his subordinate with the power to do so. <b>"So readily you speak of Jaysyek's character and approval of <i>your own</i> actions, but I guarantee you that <i>this</i> is an abomination of <i>everything</i> she stands for </b>(like loyalty, and mercy)<b>..."</b> the words were laced with <i>true threat</i>, nothing the pathetic wolf could hope to harness in <i>Kade's</i> presence, <b>"And you <i>will</i> bow to <i>me</i>, if you cannot pay <i>your respects</i> to her daughter, who is beloved <i>regardless</i> of the conditions <i>you</i> so <i>ignorantly</i> place upon her."</b>
It was only now that his gaze would shift to Chantille, who had no place here and now. Iron eyes would sweep from her gentle, chocolate stare down to her paws and back in disgust before darting back to Follko, who was about to fall through the the thin ice he'd so unknowingly been treading upon.
Trisden Lyall was <i>every inch</i> royalty, and this would be the <i>last</i> time she would suffer so before <i>any</i> man who so self-righteously projected himself as having <i>any</i> sway over her.</blockquote>
(This post was last modified: May 21, 2012, 10:13 PM by Kade.)