Sex: Female"Never, ever, ever give up on yourself. You can lose everything you have, Lunae, and even if you only have yourself left, you still have something. Remember that." Lunae Electi heard her mother's words echoing within her mind as she stepped carefully through these new lands. She had only traversed them for a moon's cycle, not long at all in her mind, and she still proceeded with extreme caution. She'd done everything in her power to avoid detection thus far, managing to skirt around meeting, well, anyone. The question the ivory woman should have asked herself was why, but really, did she want to know the answer to that question? Did she want to face her own fears? As she paused in her silent steps, turning to look over her shoulder at the beautiful night sky, she sighed. Yes, she was afraid. Very afraid. Turning to continue her trek, she finally told herself what she had been denying for quite a while- she didn't want to lose everything again. But then, she hadn't- she still had herself. Inwardly, she counted her steps, her destination the sound of flowing water and its source. The foliage around her looked eerie and reminded her quite a bit of the spirit grove back home, but then, that grove was long gone now. She winced, sighing once more. The spirit grove...how long had it been since she'd heard them speak? A year, now, wouldn't it be? Yes, a year, and each day was torture. The spirits could tell her of her family, if they were dead, if they were alive...but she had nothing, save for the signs they offered that others may interpret as simply nature being 'natural'. The mystic knew better. She knew how to read the constellations, how to follow paths the stars urged her towards. She knew a lot of the spiritual world, and it was quite the blessing. Her attention jerked from her thoughts as she caught the sharp tang of moisture in the air. Senses alert, she shifted her path, moving in and out of the trees like she, herself was a wraith. When she finally came upon the creek, bubbling quietly in the night, she realized just how thirsty she was. And hungry, for that matter- she hadn't eaten in a few days. Thus was the life of a loner. Long legs pulled her forth with a grace that came natural to the woman, muzzle dipping towards the waters as she reached the edge but- she paused, silver-grey eyes staring deep into those of her reflection. Her ears swiveled back, flattening against her sleek skull, and she sighed. She wasn't meant to be alone, despite her fears. But, what can I do? Muzzle would complete its descent, and she would finally allow her pale pink tongue to caress the water, soothing her aching throat. It was this that she would focus on, and not the gnawing loneliness within her. "Lunae speaks~"
you do not know who is your friend or who is your enemy until the ICE breaks. The Heartleaf Creek wasn't, in most places, all that far away from Swift River territory. And, since Ice had decided to plan a pup outing, he was bouncing in its direction, something joyous blazed across his pale face. What better than an excursion with three lovely furbundles, and a few pack mates? He'd already decided Triell had to come along, and then maybe he should bully Fenru into it, too. He needed to spend more time with them... And if they were three, they could take care of one pup each! Yes. It was a perfect plan, now all he had to do was find a stretch of creek that wasn't all that deep, nor fast. If Triell wanted to teach them to fish, it had to have some fishies in it too, but Ice would be the happiest with all four paws safe and sound on the terra firma. He was no swimming wolf, and a summer with the River pack still hadn't cured him of that. No one had really tried, though, except for that one time when Marsh looked like he was about to push him in. Oh - maybe he should bring Marsh, too! He didn't know why he'd taken off in the middle of the night, except that he'd felt like it. Long, sturdy legs carried the wolf forth in a ground-eating trot, ears and nose alert for anything untoward. There was nothing, though, just the usual hodgepodge of forest scents: rich loam, deer, fox, coyote, wolf, birds, trees, moss, grass, water... The wind sighed through the trees, rustling branches and carrying the deep hoots of owls and the shriller calls of falcons. Bats flapped around among the branches, a murder of ravens blotting out the moon for a moment. Blinking, he stopped to watch them and the dark sky, studded with stars. He had lost his faith in them, those cold, distant judges - once they had been his guides, the anchor of his life, but now? It felt like their twinkling laughed at him - mocked him, and his earthly woes. They'd done nothing when Ava had come across the river. They'd done nothing when Marsh had stared at him so coldly and left him upon the bank to shiver alone in the darkness. "Star light, star bright..." he whispered in the dark, but where he once had felt awe and reverence, he felt only a heavy, leaden weight suspended in his chest. That era of his life was over. Shaking his head, Ice set off at a trot again, lulled nearly asleep by the comforting rhythm of his movements. Up ahead, the creek opened up, broad and tinkling, whispering and gurgling. Ever-moving, the silver surface seemed so cold yet so beautiful, the deep darkness hidden beneath like a morbid secret. Ice came out of the trees and up onto the rocky bank, an absentminded grin upon his face as he bent down to drink his share of the water. Only after a moment, another shifting of the winds, did he realize how strong the scent of wolf was here. He paused mid-lap, silver eyes narrowing. Someone else was here. With water pearling his muzzle and dripping down onto the slowly moving surface, Ice raised his head. His entire being shimmered with silvery light now that the moon shone upon him - and the wolf his eyes landed upon, well, she looked exactly the same. Smaller, perhaps, but with the same ethereal corona of hazy whitewashed light. Owlishly Ice blinked, uncertain of what to do, and in the end, he just ended up staring at her in silence. .ice aesir |
Look. Was it a whisper on the wind? No- no true sound came with the voice, as odd as that sounded. And, for a very long moment, Lunae simply froze. It was much like when the spirits had once spoken to her, more of a feeling than actual words. Perhaps, one could say she couldn't talk to spirits. One could even say she simply had infallible intuition and was very finely in-turn with her surroundings. Yet her traditions, all her family had ever taught her, it said she was spirit-blessed. Had they returned? Was this place truly like the spirit grove back home? Home, which now laid barren from the unforgiving flames...An ear flicked as she finally did as this internal voice told her to. The voice had been spurred forth by the uneasy feeling of company that had fallen over her. Gray eyes lit up as the moonlight touched them, raising to find that she was- looking at someone who mirrored her in quite a few ways. The silence between them stretched almost comfortably. Slowly, Lunae blinked, settling back on her pale haunches. Her muzzle was lifted, her stance quite relaxed. Although there was absolutely no hostility in the slim woman's gaze, it still met his unwaveringly, not a challenge, simply a statement. You might be bigger, but don't think it means I'll roll over for you. Ah, yes. She was a very proud wolf, indeed. Why, her tribe- for they had been a tribe, not a pack- was known for training the best warriors in their area. Although she was a mystic, she was no exception. Her head tilted ever so slightly as she considered possibly breaking the silence between them. Well, if she didn't, who would? "Well, now, I knew I wasn't unattractive, but really, staring like that might give me a complex." A smile was spreading across her black lips, her eyes hinting at a touch of cautious playfulness. She made no move to cover the distance between them. Jovial and calm on the outside, inwardly, she was suspicious- ah, but that was always the case with her. Suspicion was a healthy thing, in the right doses. It had kept her alive in the year since the tragedy had struck and dismantled her family. She wasn't about to let it slip away because of some handsome male- no. That would be signing a death wish, and she did not desire to do anything of the sort. "Lunae speaks~"
you do not know who is your friend or who is your enemy until the ICE breaks. She looked up, too, moonlight dancing along the edges of her silver eyes. Without hesitation, without tension, they met his steely gaze, and even though a great distance separated them, it irked him slightly. Was she going to be rude, too? And say she didn't want to fight while her body screamed for violence? Ice's eyes narrowed a fraction. Why did he even bother going outside the Grove, when most wolves he met just managed to piss him off one way or another? That was an exaggeration. In truth, not that many did, and "pissed off" was hardly what he was right now - just moderately irked that she'd stare him in the eyes and not even have the guts to back it up with a raised tail. Nor did he get annoyed at the majority of wolves he met. He'd been off a great many adventures in the past month, and only Shadowstorm had made him want to eat someone. Besides, he'd been annoyed at a fair share of loners coming to the Grove as well, so hiding in there wouldn't save him from experiencing negative emotions. But behind him, his cautiously waving tail had stiffened slightly, held slightly above the level of his spine. The she-wolf had settled down on her haunches, lessening the potential threat she made. It soothed some of his uncertain irritation, but he didn't know what to make of it - of her. He'd come out here to find a good spot for pups to get to know water and play, since the River would be a bit daunting for something so small. He hadn't come out here to find a glowing female to stare at. Just as Ice began to scowl she spoke, amused voice cutting across the distance like a slap of cold water in the face. "What?" he just said, dumbly, incomprehension in his eyes for a moment. What did looks have to do with anything? He was staring because he had no idea what to say or do! Ice wasn't the best at social interactions, and he hummed something unintelligible under his breath before speaking again, flustered and rushed. "It's not- no, no! Nothing like that, you silly wolf." Why did the comment make him want to flee? Frustrated with himself he began to pick his way across his side of the creek's bank, deftly dodging sharp stones but not taking his eyes off her. Had she come close to the truth? No. The only reason such talk, something so playfully innocent and harmless yet bordering on something vaster, something larger, made him want to run away, was because if he was drawn into it, he would have to confront what he had with Marsh - and attempt to put words on it, attempt to take it out of its pleasant, mutually acknowledged existence and put it on display. He had no word for what they shared, and he didn't want one either. He didn't want to have to think about it, for it didn't need to be dwelled upon, except for the wistful, occasional fond remembrance of sunlight playing across red fur, and the softness of his scarred face in sleep. Ice drew level with her, but the creek still lay between them, wide and placid. He didn't trust it. He didn't want to set foot in it. Instead, he planted himself firmly in his line of sight, something unreadable in his eyes. First the staring, then her comment - she'd thrown him entirely off course, tossed him into the oceans and left him to fend for himself amidst the confusing emotions. His silver eyes were still pinned on hers, but his tail had loosened up slightly, wagging at a solemn pace again, but still somewhat high. His ears perked forward, and his jaws worked soundlessly, finding no words to put into the air. Because, what did one say to a stranger? What did one say to a wolf who sat on the other side of a stream? He had no idea at all. And so, his head tilted a fraction to the side, and silence spoke for him once more. .ice aesir |
He reminded her quite a bit of her father, in a way. Soft eyes would take in his figure for a very long moment as he stammered, and the amusement faded from her eyes just a bit. They were replaced with something much like nostalgia. Granted, her father's face had been splashed with black, as had his back, but the male before her stood with an assuredness much like her father had that was almost comforting. Her ears tipped forward a bit more, and she allowed her tail to swish behind her in a friendly way. She was really no threat and she did not wish to be seen as such. After all, although she was quite the dominant female, she wasn't one for fighting. Warrior by birth, she was a mystic first. Muzzle tipped downwards as she laughed softly. She had simply caught him off guard with her words, was all. "I was only teasing, amicus." The language of her home, Latin, rolled off of her tongue with eloquent ease. The words flowed together easily, as she was one to often concatenate her family's language and the most commonly spoken language between wolves. For her, water was no danger, really. She did not dislike the ebb and flow of the liquid that helped to sustain life. It was for this reasoning that she lifted a paw and dipped it within the cooling waters, looking down into the depths as she allowed the silence to grow once more. Without raising her gaze, she spoke. "I do hope I'm not trespassing. I've done my best to avoid that since coming to these lands. Is there....a pack nearby?" There was a thread of hope weaving throughout the seemingly innocent words. Ear flicking, she lifted her gaze to meet his once more. She wasn't one to outright ask for help, and quite honestly, she saw this as asking for help. To ask to be accepted into a pack...her pride winced within her, and she lifted her paw, breaking the gaze to watch the water droplets fall back to their home. "Oh, how rude of me. I'm Lunae Electi, former mystic of the Electi Tribe. Currently...with no pack to call my own. And you are?" Another nudge in the direction she hated to push him in. Asking about a pack nearby, making it clear she had nowhere to truly call home.... Her gaze had raised once more. She was uncomfortable, that much was clear by how she couldn't hold his gaze for long once she'd crossed the conversational topic of packs. It wasn't that he made her uncomfortable, because he truly didn't. But the subject matter...did. Her tail still swished behind her, electing a sort of friendly aura from her. Still not a threat. Merely a stranger, searching, but would he really be able to see the hidden questions behind her words, or would he skim over them as though he hadn't a clue that the life of a loner was, well, lonely? "Lunae speaks~"
you do not know who is your friend or who is your enemy until the ICE breaks. Some part of his mind had teased and toyed with nightmare scenarios of anger at his blurted out statement that she was silly, or that kind of oh I know it all, you little boy laugh and a continuation down the path of that previous remark. It had lain in his gut like a snake coiled tight, but ready to spring and bite. When she instead said, "I was only teasing, amicus.", that snake relaxed and went back to sleep. Tension he hadn't really been aware of evaporated with his steady breath, a sigh of relief. But instead of replying, his mind hitched itself on what she'd called him - amicus. What was that? Did she think she knew him? Or was it some sort of pet name? In silence he stared at her as she broke the eye contact, glancing down at the water's surface and dipping one moonlit paw into it. A faint shudder passed through Ice, hairs rippling along his spine. He didn't like open water. It tried to eat your face off if you were unlucky. The only polite thing to do was take his own eyes off hers, and so he did, settling them upon her paw instead, watching the ripples fan out and be carried off downstream. "I do hope I'm not trespassing..." He fought down a chuckle. No, she wasn't - she'd probably know if she had, walking across a metaphorical wall of scents at a border. Even Willow Ridge was probably busy pissing their border into an existence you couldn't deny when you came near it. She looked up again with a question, but still he was quiet, not exactly sure what to say, or how to phrase it. Such a direct question wasn't hard to answer, was it? A year ago, he simply would've said yes, but he'd learned something of this type of question: they were leading questions. If you said yes, which ones? would come. If he waited for that question, he could berate her for skirting issues and not saying what she wanted to say, and on the other hand, it was sort of courteous of him to fill her in, plus he felt a surge of warm pride that he'd even figured out that her question meant tell me back the Lore's packs. Before he had a chance to even start talking, though, she was bulldozing on, introducing herself as Lunae Electi of the Electi Tribe. And, another foreign word came rolling in like distant thunder - mystic. He really had to ask her what she was talking about. "Pleasure to meet you, Lunae!" It was out of his mouth before he realized it, but it was hardly a lie - so far, she'd not been unpleasant at all. That she played with water couldn't be helped, but he knew that Indru and Corinna approved of water-going wolves. It made living by a river easier. "I'm Ice, from Swift River. We're just southish of here. This place is called Heartleaf Creek, because-" He pointed his pale muzzle at one of the leaves floating gently downstream, shaped like a heart. "- of those. It's neutral territory here, but it flows into the Sacred Grove, and my pack has monopolized it there. Or, well, most of it. But, really, you'd notice if you trespassed someplace. Not only would you have to walk across the border, and that smells I tell you, but you'd probably be approached by someone who isn't so friendly." Ice's head tilted to the side, and quite clearly his "blab" mode was engaged. "Up in the mountains there's another pack called Poison Path, but... they're no good. Formed from traitors. A few days north is Copper Rock Creek, formed by my leader Indru's brother Ruiko. Furthest west is Grizzly Hollow. I don't know much about them at all. Then there's a really new pack in the willow forest southwest of here, called Willow Ridge. I don't know for sure about Grizzly Hollow, but apart from Willow Ridge all packs have pups. We have three!" His large proud grin showed what he thought about that. "Oh, and what's a mystic? And an.. amiwhateveritiswasyoucalledme?" .ice aesir |
He was watching her very carefully, although she couldn't possibly blame him. She was a stranger, perhaps the first he'd seen in a while- although she had no way of knowing, perhaps he met strangers on a daily basis-. She couldn't detect suspicion in his gaze, but she could see the curiosity there. Ah, yes. Hadn't mother told her time and time again that not many spoke their language? The few who knew of it considered it to be dead, hence why it was her first language- it was said that, to speak more easily to spirits, one must speak in a dead language, for they themselves were 'dead'. Ah, the complexities of it all. She noted the slight tension in his frame when she touched the waters, but why, she couldn't place. It couldn't be the water itself, could it? Water could be your friend, after all. You just could never try to hope to tame it. It was a friend and ally to be taken with caution, was all. A bit moody at times, but very useful. As he began to blabber on- oh, quite friendly once he got going, wasn't he?- she listened in patient silence, turning her gaze when directed to observe the stray leaf. Ah, they were pretty. In fact, the whole of this area was quite beautiful, especially bathed in moonlight as it was. She was, most definitely, one who could appreciate the little things, and as another leaf floated close, she captured it with an outstretch paw and pulled it to shore, to better examine the shape as he continued on. It seemed many packs resided in these lands, and it was a bit overwhelming, but her ears were now fully forward as he mentioned pups. Pups! She loved pups, hoped to have some of her own one day. The last litter to be born before the fire had adored her, her and her stories of the spirits and how they did great things in their lives. Her gaze finally lifted to meet his one more, and she smiled. Perhaps it was time to lay her pride aside, after all. "A mystic....how can I explain?" she murmured, a bit shocked that he'd never encountered one before. Didn't every pack have one? But perhaps their traditions were different. It was her turn to gesture. The paw which had captured the leaf lifted to point upwards, followed by her muzzle. "Let's start with the stars, hm? By my tribe's traditions, the stars are not just....orbs of light in the sky. Do you see how some of them seem to form shapes? It can't just be coincidence. Those are signs of the great spirits of ancestors long gone. As a mystic, I learned to read messages in the stars." She paused to look at him again. "The stars led me here when a fire separated me from my family. You see, if you learn how to listen....the spirits may speak to you. With a lot of practice, anyone can hear bits and pieces of advice and guidance, but I was born with the ability to know and understand the messages our ancestors give to us. It may seem a bit silly to you. Talking to dead wolves. But..." She finally rose from her haunches, her voice taking on a saddened tone. She would not meet his gaze, at first- she was afraid he would laugh. Instead, she looked to her guides in the heavens. "It's all I truly know. I was born for this, taught not only the ways of the warrior, but also the ways of the mystic. I know the stories of each and every star, and I live by the code of the warriors and the spirits- for my family, it's all one." She suddenly looked to him, something within her pushing that fear of ridicule away. Maybe he would laugh, but what did that matter? Her eyes, lit silver by the moonlight, blazed with a strange pride that she'd never quite felt before. Then again, she had never had to explain herself to a stranger. "You can laugh if you will, because if you've never heard of a mystic, I'm sure this all sounds strange. But to me? To me, it sounds like home. Tradition. Beliefs. And it gives me purpose in a life that I could've lost everything in. I've got nothing left but what I've been taught. My family is long gone. They could be dead, or simply too far for me to find. I won't lose the last bit of what connects me to them." Slowly, she blinked, realizing she'd gone on a bit of a rant. She sighed, ready to move on to the next subject. "As for what I called you, amicus means 'my friend'. The language has no true name, not that I know of. I simply know what I was taught- many consider it a dead language, and it's the easiest language to speak to the spirits in. Considering they're dead, it makes a lot of sense." She shrugged, attempting a smile. She hoped she hadn't made things awkward for him. "So....your pack....I suppose I should just outright ask, and excuse me if I'm crossing any lines with this, because I've never had to do this before, but....is there possibly room for another? Even if there is no need for a mystic, I am a trained warrior, and I was only bested by one wolf in my tribe- my father." Even if her skills as mystic were unneeded, she could always perform rituals on her own, and allow the stars to guide her, still. "Lunae speaks~"
you do not know who is your friend or who is your enemy until the ICE breaks. From an outside perspective, this meeting resonated strongly of when he had met Indru for the first time. Of course, Ice had been moaning about rivers and drowning and whatnot, but then Indru had dropped the subject of pups on his head, and instantly something warm and pleasant had swept through the silver wolf and every ounce of silliness had dropped away for a moment, replaced by - well, something that could only be described as an outwardly display of pup-love. And now, when Ice in turn mentioned pups to a stranger, her ears swept forward, unmistakeable in their meaning when combined with the slight softening of her eyes and her small smile. Was that how you won wolves over, then? By offering them pups to dote upon? Perhaps. After all, pups were an integral part of a pack, and not only did they occur because bodies demanded them to be made, but they were a pack's future - the future of all wolves, in fact. Rihael, Fenru and Kisla would not grow old and die in Swift River. Perhaps one or two would stay a few years longer, but then they'd set out and seek mates, to form a pack of their own - have kids of their own, and then one day, those kids too would fly out of the nest. And so, the Tainns would spread across every single place possible. Again, Ice swore silently to remain by Corinna and support her when her children decided to strike out on their own - would it grow easier with future litters, or always remain hard? Natural as it was, he could well enough imagine the blend of pride and sentimental sorrow. In some ways, he'd sort of .. semi-adopted Fenru. The kid was still very much Indru's son, but since their talk that spring... well, something had changed within Ice. His own ears swept forward, alert, now that she began to explain the word mystic to him. At first, the idea of a lesson in something unknown and fascinating made his eyes shimmer, but the subject she touched was something that he had no desire to dwell upon. The radiance of his gaze dimmed, and something hard settled in his chest, heavy and burdensome; he listened politely, but with no joy. A few months back and he would've been bouncing in excitement, eager to have found someone else who watched the stars and followed them, but - those days were gone, and it had nothing to do with childish fantasies. It was simply because when he had needed them the most, they had been distant and silent, cold and cruel as only stars can be. On his side of the placid creek, Ice sighed, ears falling back. She had pointed to the star-studded sky, that dark vault full of twinkling lights, so many and so distant that simply watching them made you feel infinitely small, but he kept his gaze grounded, upon her silver-washed shape. She glowed with it, and he faded in the presence of such fierce belief. Everything about him, once tipped in such brilliant silver that the moon bestowed upon them, seemed to go duller, like tarnished steel. Not even when her voice grew strong and defiant, as if expecting him to laugh at her, did he react much. He'd not been prepared for this - for talk of stars, for.. for this weight in his chest, the aching sorrow it brought him. Amicus; that was what she'd called him. Friend? He glanced at her, his gaze troubled but otherwise unreadable. And then she was selling herself to his pack. Ice sighed, and shuffled a loose rock with one large paw, staring stubbornly at the dark water. He had to say something. Had to explain - he had, hadn't he? He didn't owe a rogue a single damn thing, but he'd asked, and she'd told him, so it was only fair if he told her too, wasn't it? He sighed again, before slapping the rock into the creek. It disappeared with a plop and a small splash, eaten by the slowly moving mass of cold darkness, liquid shadows under the soft cover of a silver blanket. In its folds, he saw death stare back at him. "I once followed the stars," he said, quietly, but not as quietly as he would've wanted to - if he had, surely it wouldn't have carried to here where she sat. "I once believed in them - took comfort from their presence, saw them as.. guides?" It sounded silly now. He had no lore to back it up with, no deeply rooted tradition. He'd just found himself comfortable in their presence, in their continuity - they came, night after night, even when he despaired. But when he entered a fog of his own, they offered him nothing, not even when they burned so brightly in the sky. A harsh laugh rang out through the night. "But when I needed them the most, they were - silent. Mocking, even, as if sitting there so far away and laughing at my stupidity - believing they could help me, that they could guide me. Laughing, at the little mortal and his woes." An edge of anger ran through him, the fur on his neck flexing once. "We're not on good terms anymore, the stars and I," he said with a sigh. Once, they had helped him - or had they helped him at all? Ava had come, challenged his faith, and he'd told her some nonsense he believed at the time.. if the stars reminded her of something she disliked. Did the stars remind him of what he didn't like? Or was he just feeling betrayed that they hadn't picked up the broken pieces of him and dusted him off, sat him on his feet again? He didn't know, and instead glanced up at Lunae. Another sigh broke free from his chest, spiraling into the night air. "There's quite a lot of us now, but as long as you help haul home the food you expect to eat, I don't see a problem. Maybe, if you have stories about your homeland and the spirits, it will fascinate not only the pups but the yearlings, too." He gave a slight shrug; before taking her home, though, he wanted to know more of her. "Are you loyal? Will you stay? Or will you come, like so many others, proclaim your devotion, and then disappear, blown away with the morning wind?" You could hardly fault Ice for being suspicious and wary - after all, so many wolves had come to Swift River, seeking shelter or a new life, only to disappear once the sun rose and revealed nothing but the shadows of yesterday. .ice aesir |
Her body language instantly showed the ache she was feeling for him. The deep, slicing sorrow that cut through her with unbelievable ease as he told her of his interactions with the stars. How they had so harshly abandoned him, or so he thought. How hard must that have been? As her head dipped, her ears flattening, she whined, scratching at the earth with a paw. She wanted to go to him, nuzzle him, comfort him. The stars had never left him, but she, herself, had experienced a time when she'd felt abandoned. No longer able to hear the voices of her ancestors, her world had crumbled. Her purpose in life seemed gone, torn from her as quickly as her loved ones had been. For months, she had been trapped in a deep depression, but over time, she had begun to see signs her blinded eyes had missed. Grief had gripped her horribly, but she had finally begun to peer through the haze, and in such, she realized the stars had never abandoned them- it was the other way around. In her desperation for answers, she had failed to see the small bits of comfort and reassurance they had attempted to offer her. She had blinded herself momentarily to their graces. It seemed Ice had done just the same. Empathetic as she was, she could share in his aches, and it only made her wish to comfort him more. Sullenly, she glared at the offending creek that separated them, growling at the waters. Her gaze lifted once more, their eyes mirroring one another in color, but not emotion. His pain ran ever so deep, and it hurt her to see this in her new friend. He was a friend, wasn't he? She would have to speak with him. The stars should not hurt, they were spirits of those who loved the living and wished to guide them. Oh, how his ancestors must feel, seeing him so pained. She wined once more, tail offering a reassuring wag. "I know how it feels, Ice...I do. Now isn't the time to talk of it, but....when I lost my family....for a time, my gifts seemed to vanish..." Her voice broke at the end, and she cringed at the memory of the times she had suffered. She looked to the skies once more, a mournful song wishing to build within her, but she held it back. Too many nights had she howled her agony to the skies. Tonight would not be another of those nights, she refused to allow it. Instead, she focused on his next words. "I can contribute. I will contribute. It will be an honor to do so. It's been....so long since I've had anything like a family. I've been alone since my first year ended..." She offered him a wry smile as she took her eyes from the stars, returning to the male who- why, he could be mistaken for her twin. Yet the two were opposites in internal ways- at least, in how they viewed the stars. But perhaps that would change with time. Her eyes found a few large rocks littering the creek, lifted above the water- perhaps a risky feat, to cross them, but they seemed crossable. And if she fell in, she'd only get wet. Shifting her weight to her hindquarters, she pushed forth with her toned muscles, leaping to the first rock. It was just big enough to stand on, and she looked down, assuring she could shift her position safely to take the next leap. This time, her balance was a bit compromised, and she nearly toppled in, but she drew her legs closer together, digging her claws into the surprisingly dry-ish surface until she was stable again. Growling in determination, she eyed the last three rocks. The first was a hell of a leap, and small enough that she would probably have to use it simply as a place to throw herself forth further. Indeed, that was how it had to be, and she, once more, nearly fell in. But she didn't bother to stop long enough to topple, throwing herself across the last rocks to skid to a less-than-graceful landing on the shore, not far from Ice. She let out a satisfied laugh, straightening and shaking herself to ease her pounding pulse a bit. Turning to Ice, she threw him a grin. "Now, Ice, really, do I seem like the type to do such a thing? A new pack....a new home....a new family. Wolves to work with, to protect, to fight alongside, to share stories with and support each other.... It's something I've been wanting for quite a while now. It'll be damned hard to get rid of me, I promise you that." Her gaze softened a bit, her grin fading into a smile. "You're stuck with me, whether you like it or not. That is....unless your alpha denies my entry. Then, I suppose, I'll be out of luck." "Lunae speaks~"
you do not know who is your friend or who is your enemy until the ICE breaks. Did it surprise him, that someone he had just met seemed to care? Or was he reading it all backwards? On her side of the creek, she whined and growled, scrabbling at rocks much the same way he had. Was she sad, for him, or angry with him? Uncertain and wary Ice stood where he was, an iron behemoth in the darkness, looking at her with tired, heavy eyes. He hadn't come out here to have misery dragged in across him, had he? Or to spill his guts to a woman he didn't even know? And, in a backwards way, she wasn't interested in hearing anyway, so that was all good. ".. when I lost my family..." Ice's head craned to the side, ears in her direction. She'd lost her family? That had to be hard... Ice had left his, which was the usual way of things. But he knew that Triell and Indru had lost their parents in a fire, so - it happened. For a moment, he glanced over her shoulder, and at the dark forest that loomed behind her. This creek ran through it, too, dividing it in two. The northern half stood silent and imposing, majestic and hard to run through unless you knew it well. The southern part... Dark, charred trees, limbless and ghastly, stood like quiet sentinels upon that graveyard, watching over the saplings that fought hard to take root and grow large and strong. The ash was fertile, but Ice doubted he'd live long enough to see it match the glory of its northern brother. A shame, really. A mirthless smiled curled his lips at her words, and he put his gaze on his paws. He had heard eager promises before, but saw no reason to tell her of it, lest he poison her mind unintentionally. Only time and time alone would show if she was who and what she claimed, and there was nothing at all Ice could do about it. She seemed earnest enough, but that was the only thing he could vouch for. If she chose to betray them (Naira; she threw herself into a flash flood for Kisla) or not... He was no oracle, not gifted with foresight. "I sure hope you do," he mumbled to the cold water in the creek. The talk of stars had sucked the life out of him, at least for a moment, and he turned his gaze up the river. Ice had once brought home another male, white of fur and by the name of Teldias, but he'd disappeared with the wind and left nothing but a bitter, betrayed taste in his mouth. Ice gave his head a shake, toying with the idea of just walking away, to spend some time alone with his thoughts - he'd given her instructions after a fashion, so surely she could find her way to Swift River alone if she felt the need for it? A low growl rumbled in his throat. Why did he always get so tangled up in everything he felt, so downhearted when he thought of things? It was frustrating, he ground his teeth against one another. The dry, alien noise reverberated through his skull, comforting in its familiarity. He couldn't walk out on her now - she was a potential pack mate, after all. Even if he had wanted to run, he would've been rooted to the spot the moment she began eying the rocks. Of all stupid things to do... The breath stuck in his throat and his legs tensed up, but whether it was to run away or leap in and drag her out he couldn't tell. Graceful, like a stray ray of moonlight arcing over the surface, she leaped onto the first rock sticking out from the creek. Slowly, she rearranged herself and leaped across to the next. She nearly toppled in, and Ice's muscles gave a twitch and he bounced forward an inch, but she righted herself and he stalled, watching her with breathless anxiety. Did she have to torment him like this? What if she fell in? Not that this creek was deep or fast enough to sweep her away, but he wasn't thinking about that at the time. Instead, all he saw was the cold, cold water, and the light shimmering on its surface, alluring and treacherous. Lunae's pale reflection leaped across it once more, and instead of going slowly and steadily, she practically dashed through the last jumps, skittering onto the bank to the sound of Ice's shaky exhalations. Well.. at least she was calm! He stifled a snort, glad that she was talking so she'd not have to listen to him rant about water in a quivering voice. At least she knew that a pack meant family, but also hard work. Some seemed to expect their dinner to be served without them ever getting off their butts. "I don't see why Corinna would reject you. You're obviously courageous, and fond of pups, and ready to work for your place." But then, he closed the distance between them, something authoritative in his steps. Behind him, his tail flagged higher, waving slightly to show his friendliness but otherwise dominant in its position. He'd not been able to greet her properly when she was on the other side of the creek, so he had to do it now. Below the leaders themselves and his beloved Marsh, Ice was the highest ranking member in the pack, junior in the length of his stay only to the younger Triell. If she couldn't submit to him here and now, he'd fight it out with her - here and now. And then all would be good and they could go home.. after he'd found a good spot to bring the pups. Without a word, for surely she'd know what this was all about, he stepped close to her, closing the distance until they stood nose to nose. Tail still waving solemnly behind him, Ice reached out to try and gently clasp his teeth around her muzzle in a gesture of dominance. Corinna or Indru would likely put her through the same ritual upon accepting her, but since he'd already decided to bring her home, they could just as well establish the hierarchy between them now. Unless she for some reason resisted and refused to submit, Ice would let go after a few seconds and step back with a small smile on his face, and say "Now I just have to find what I came looking for, and then we can go home." .ice aesir |
( Basically, the part after "Unless she for some reason..." only happens if she allows him to muzzle-grab her. ^^ If she resists, he'll obviously not step back etc. xP )