I'm Going Away for a While

Open to all NONE HK wolves - (I'm hoping for a friendly interaction here)

Backdated to 2/7 2014 (for timeline accuracy)
- Feel it in My Bones, Post Prompt

I'll be back Don't try and follow me! It wasn't that she'd had enough, no, she wasn't quitting. She just, needed to breath for a while... Be alone with her thoughts. It was strange really, for so long she had been lonely, longing for someone else to care about her, and now, after just a month as a pack wolf - and that in a pack that wasn't exactly the prime of social interactions and campfire songs - she felt overwhelmed, like she had no space for her own thoughts. She knew it was ridiculous, but she needed some space - especially after her run in with Sagacity and Karpos, but she didn't want to think about that now. The point was that she wanted a few days on her own, so she had gone to her alphas, requesting the leniency of a few days away from the pack lands; and, with an order to scout for food on her journey, @Naira had granted her wish, and so the former Atlas had set out. A voice in the back of her head nagged that it was madness, she was starved, still thinner than even a lone wolf would be, and with very little strength - which meant that she could only travel slowly, adding only a minute distance between her and her pack each day; but the small stretches were slowly accumulating into what would amount to a day's travel for a wolf at its peak strength, in milder conditions. She was determined though, she wasn't gonna turn back before she'd had time to gather herself; And yet I seem to push away the important thoughts whenever they come... She shook her head, she would get around to thinking when it felt right... Hopefully... Casting a last glance back at the small burrow where she'd spent the night - cold to the bone without pack-mates to warm her - Evann set out for the days hike. There was something about moving that relaxed her, made her feel at ease. One would have thought that her long, grievous journey to Hollowheart Keep would have induced some form of aversion against long trot's in the bony dame, but on the contrary, it only seemed to have enforced her need to move about; I must be insane! That's the explanation... Huffing audibly, she increased her pace, chasing away the unwanted thoughts, and kept on moving through the trees, eyes open and alert, searching for any signs of movement, unsure whether she wanted to catch any or not. Word count: 416 "Speech." Thought

(This post was last modified: Feb 09, 2014, 11:51 PM by Evann.)

PLOT WITH ME!

OOC|| I know that their packs are enemies, but Naia is open-minded enough for a friendly encounter. Perhaps they can get to know each other and be all like "Why are our packs fighting??? Let's fix this!" You know, Lion King 2 style. Without the weird romance. Thoughts?

Also, I got carried away. No need to match.||

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The sun was slow to rise this morning, seemingly taunting Naia’s failure the day before. The snow had stopped, and Naia thought it was possible that the Pass was in navigable condition. However, when she reached the Mountain yesterday, she found that her normal path across was not only buried under snow—it was effectively erased by what looked to be some sort of avalanche or rock slide. The Timber lady knew that if she made Head Scout, she would have her work cut out for her this spring. Finding and blazing paths was the part of scouting that was trickiest; she just wasn’t large enough battle the dense undergrowth of the Wildwood without remit or strong enough to continuously summit the towering boulders of the Mountain of Dire.

It was in the wake of this defeat that Naia was forced to dig an impromptu den in the middle of the wildwood. This was a bitter process, since she had hoped to be denning in the east come nightfall. She was of half a mind to push on through the night until she reached her cedarwood home, but the thought of accidentally injuring herself in the dark was enough to halt her in her tracks. As a lame wolf she would have little ability to feed or defend her family—and of course it would destroy her dream of ever becoming a scout. In the end, she spent the night shivering in a hastily-dug burrow, waiting patiently for the sun to rise as wanderlust for the eastern lands tingled in her paws.

The wildwood scenery shifted slowly as Naia made her way back toward Cut Rock River. She traveled with no particular haste, as she unfortunately had nothing to report to her leaders. She hadn’t even found a meal to scavenge, which solidified the journey as an utterly fruitless failure. The agouti lady’s usual sunny personality was somewhat dampened by these thoughts (not to mention the emptiness in her belly) and her pace was not so much a walk as it was a trudge. She stopped for a moment to catch a scent to point her in the right direction, and when she tasted the air she realized she was not alone.

Turning to face upwind, Naia spotted the swarthy female moving through the trees. Her dark pelt had a way of camouflaging as she moved across the snow-covered ground, but once Naia had caught the scent she dared not remove her honey gaze from the stranger. A Pass wolf! An enemy! Or... according to Makism, an enemy. Naia had been there the day the feud was declared between the packs—and though she would never question a decision of Maksim’s out loud—she hadn’t been positive that the Pass wolves’ behavior had called for such drastic action. From Naia’s point of view, a Pass yearling had done something stupid (trespassed into CRR) without the permission of the rest of his pack, and the fight that ensued was just as much the result of raw, hungry moodiness between all present parties, Naia herself included. If the mistake had occurred on a warm, summer evening when bellies were full, Naia doubted a fight would have taken place at all. Maksim would have firmly rebuked the yearling and he probably would have been scolded by his female scout escort. As it was, Naia had to question if this battle line drawn in the snow was really necessary, or just a sciamachy resulting from a huge, hanrgy misunderstanding.

”You’re far from home,” Naia commented as the Pass female reached earshot. She almost added, “vulture” as Maksim did when he addressed a Pass wolf, but something about the stranger’s demeanor caused her to hold her tongue. Moments before, Naia had been suspicious of the enemy wolf that seemed to be making a beeline for her home territory, but as the salt-and-pepper lady approached Naia noted something curious about her movement. It didn’t appear that she was moving toward Cut Rock River so much as moving away from Pass territory. ”Are you alright?” Naia questioned, her tone genuinely curious and concerned. Was she an escaped prisoner, fleeing the Pass wolves’ evil clutches? Or perhaps she had been a new recruit, and was horrified by the dark, depraved practices of the Pass. Naia knew so little about this pack that was supposed to be her enemy—but if this lady was a refugee, she saw it as her duty to help.

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Ooc: YAHI, I was actually really hoping for her to build a relationship like this ^^ We'll see where this goes :D
- This is not my best work, I apologize :P

I'll be back Don't try and follow me! She saw the strange woman before smelling her, the wind carrying her scent away from the mottled girl; Meaning it carries mine right towards her! Hackles rising lightly, ears pressing flat back against her skull, she tensed up, wide brown eyes strained on the other wolf. As the fawn lady spoke, Evann came to a full stop, keeping at a safe distance, nostrils flaring. She smelled of pack, which pack the darker girl didn't know - she knew very little of the land surrounding her new home, let alone the other wolves occupying it - but the heavy musk of many other wolves clung to her fur. Evann flipped one ear forwards at the words, keeping the other flattened back; alert. The question made her uneasy, and paired with the scent of foreign pack, the coffee brown lass had half a mind to simply turn on the spot and bolt; How does she know where I'm coming from?! The expression on the woman's face and her relaxed stance kept her though, she seemed curious more than hostile; and even as Evann watched, the honey colored eyes softened further, what seemed like genuine concern lining her features and voice as she spoke again. The skinny lass mentally recoiled at the question, feeling frighteningly exposed in her bedraggled state. Even though this stranger was a good bit smaller than herself, Evann was once again reminded of just how badly the winter had degraded her body, estimating the stranger to weigh more than herself; No, I'm not alright, I'm a walking corpse! But that didn't seem to be what the buff pelted wolfess was referring to. Standing in silence for a little while, Evann tried to judge the situation, eyeing the other wolf warily. She looked genuine enough, her eyes warm and kind. After her, less than smooth, transition into Hollowheart Keep, the brown-mottled girl was cautious of overstepping any boundaries, eager to prove her worth to her new pack; But... Talking to someone can't possibly be wrong can it..? Truth be told, she longed to reach out to this, seemingly nice and friendly, stranger... Finally she parted her lips, giving a guarded response; "I... I-I'm fine... H... How d-do you know wh... where I c-came from?" The location of The Keep was supposed to be secret. Maybe the stranger was trying to trick her into revealing it; Though it doesn't feel like she is... It could also be that this woman and her pack still thought the northern pack-wolves resided in the mountain pass, Evann's pack mates had told her of their true home, which was now covered in snow. Whatever the truth was, she would uncover it; Maybe I can be of some use then... Word count: 454 "Speech." Thought

|| I'm excited, I can feel in my gut they're gonna be be besties. x) Also, you have nothing to apologize for! I'm the one who should be apologizing-- my work schedule (8 day shifts in the wilderness) is going to reaaally slow this thread down. ||

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The honey-eyed lady blinked in confusion as the wolf opposite her assumed a defensive stance, the stranger’s alarmed expression conveying even more to the unusually-perceptive Naia than her raised hackles. Something about her simple greeting had put the dark woman on edge, and Naia was willing to bet that it was the implication that an outside wolf knew the Pass wolves’ location. Most packs marked their borders religiously, proud to announce their staked claim to the outside world. Perhaps this was not so with the Pass wolves... there were certain advantages to holing up in a secret dwelling, although their choice to remain hidden in this way raised even more questions in Naia’s over-imaginative mind. What could these hostile, secretive Pass wolves be up to?

Her strange companion was still silent, and Naia could not help but feel in awe of the power her pack-wolf scent gave her. In her birth pack and as a lone wolf, tiny Naia was barely able to secure another’s respect, let alone their fear. She wondered if she would ever get used to seeing suspicion and wariness in a stranger’s gaze. Hoping to make the stranger fell less threatened, Naia reclined back onto her haunches in a resting pose. Her ears flicked forward in a friendly, curious way when she heard the midnight lady’s voice for the first time, and she tilted her head encouragingly as the stranger spoke. The swarthy lady’s response was hesitant and guarded, as if she was afraid of revealing something to Naia. That certainly piqued her curiosity, but Naia knew the stranger would give no answers until she was more at ease.

She nodded with a small, understanding smile, and when she spoke this time it was in a softer, storytellerish voice. ”Shortly after my second birthday, I decided to leave the pack of my birth. Although I did meaningful work and gave everything I had, I felt I was.. stuck. Stuck in a place I couldn’t grow as a person I didn’t want to be. “ She paused, watching the stranger’s expression carefully. She revealed this information not only to gain a little trust, but to test a theory. Perhaps the timid lady had a similar reason for fleeing the Pass territory as if she was being chased.

”I traveled south through the Great Pass, and there I ran into a pack wolf defending his territory in the Pass. It was hardly a pleasant encounter, but he allowed me to den in the Mountain when I had nowhere to go. For that I am grateful. From the scent on your coat, I can tell he is now your leader.” It had been a long while since Naia had told a story like this, but once she started the words flowed easily. Perhaps if Cut Rock River was blessed with pups this spring, she would try out her storyteller voice on them.

”I am aware that the snows have buried the Pass, which would certainly have forced his pack to pick up and move. Since we are speaking face-to-face I can deduct that your pack fled to the west. I assume the journey was tough on your wolves, and you settled in the first hospitable place your paws touched once you were clear of the Pass.” It was a long, roundabout way to answer the stranger’s question, but hopefully the defensive wolf would let her guard down a bit now that Naia had shared so much of herself. She nodded again to indicate she was done and waited to see what the other would make of her words.

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Ooc: ooh yes, I've heard of this, that is so very cool!! Frankly, between that and your toy shop adventure, I'm surprised you find time to RP at al, let alone do all the other awesome stuff around 'ere :D

I'm just one of those ghosts Travelling endlessly The dark lass started relaxing when she saw her opposer react to her without hostility, but rather by sitting back, showing only calm, friendly interest. When the lighter-colored wolfess began to speak, both of Evann's ears flickered forwards, and her hackles lay back down, her stiff legs softening; the other's voice was very calming, lazed in a melodious, explanatory aura that brought the thin girl back to some of the few, good memories of her childhood. As the young woman told her story, Evann slowly lowered her own hunches to the freezing ground, curiosity and interest taking over her guardedness. The beginning of her tale, like the tone in her voice, was awfully familiar to the mottled fae - though this time in a much more unpleasant way. She had to swallow hard, pinching her eyes closed for a second to fight of the unpleasant memories, the she returned her attention to the other, ears perked attentively. She found herself being drawn into the strangers account, eyes widening as the story progressed; She knew someone... Mapplethorpe? It sounded that way. The multicolored dames tale also revealed that her knowledge of Hollowheart Keeps location had been based on guessing, extremely educated guessing. Clearly she was smart, if not evident by her clear, yellow eyes and alertly twitching ears, then showing undoubtedly in her precise formulations and sharp deductions; Evann found herself slightly jealous of this lady's ability to express herself. When her story came to an end, the woman nodded encouragingly, and Evann felt a tentative smile spread across her white and brown face, and the last sliver of fear in her melted away. After a tough life, especially with her last clash before taking this hiatus from The Keep, the young woman had learned to be wary of others, never easy to rust their intentions; yet, despite so many bad experiences, she hadn't completely lost her trust in other wolves. This lady, though a member of a foreign pack, seemed friendly and forthcoming, and there certainly wasn't any hostility hidden under her gradient fur. Breathing a light sigh in the silence between them, Evann decided to answer this lassie in similar, open honesty, and it was with a friendly voice she replied: "That's q... quite a tale. It s... s-sounds like a.. a lot to go th... th... th-through at such a y-young age." Chocolate brown eyes sought out honey gold's as the slender fae spoke; she knew a thing or two about travelling alone after abandoning all you'd ever known. And they seemed to share another mutuality in Mapplethorpe, who had given them both shelter in time of need. Nodding at the other wolfess, Evann's smile grew as she continued: "But y-you look like the h... h-home you have f-found y... yourself here serves you g... g-good." True, the dame was thin from the hungry winter, but there was color under her white fur, and a shine in her eyes. As she noticed this, Evann suddenly realized what this comment suggested about herself, her skeletal form appearing the witness of a much less charitable home; Though, that's not such an off description... Still, she felt awful, misrepresenting her pack in such a way, and hurried on: "Though... w... we all c-could stand to gain a f-few pounds after thi... this winter." Still uncomfortable with the twist their conversation had taken, she swiftly continued: "I... I-I'm Evann, n... ni... n-nice to meet you." Word count: 573 "Speech." Thought

OOC|| Yeah I get pretty busy, but not that busy xD! I think you're mixing me up with Grey- she's the one opening the toy shop and all that, right? I pretty much just hang out in the woods all the time, thank goodness. Running a business would be waaay out of my league. ||

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As Naia told her story, she noticed the newcomer sliding into a more relaxed, curious pose. Clearly her attempt to put the stranger at ease was a success, and a hint of a smile touched Naia’s lips as she spoke. She continued on the most difficult part of the story, and sure enough mentioning her departure from her birth pack elicited a pained reaction from the sable lady. The swallow and blink of anguish were over in seconds; Naia might have missed them if she hadn’t been paying careful attention. That was not a reaction to a distant memory—Naia knew very well the sore throb of an old heartbreak. It was fresh torment that had crossed her companion’s face for only the briefest of moments. This stranger was suppressing some intense emotions, perhaps overwhelming enough to chase her from her own packlands.

For one so weak in body, she is incredibly strong, Naia thought as she watched the dark lady subdue her inner demons. She even managed to crack a tentative smile, and Naia returned the gesture with her own easy grin. It seemed that her companion felt much more at ease now that Naia had shared, but as she spoke her words still tumbled out with a bit of a stutter. Perhaps it’s a chronic condition, Naia thought, which was reason enough to ignore it completely. She instead focused on the words themselves, which were surprising. She had never thought about it like that… Was two really such a young age to leave your birthpack? Perhaps it was so, anywhere else. These lands seemed to attract misfits and wanderers, and Naia never thought twice about being one of many young outcasts haunting Relic Lore.

The espresso pelted woman continued, commenting on Naia’s health and suggesting that her pack was to thank for it. She seemed truly happy about Naia’s good fortune, and the agouti lady beamed back at her. True, Maksim saw to it that every Cut Rock River wolf earned his or her fair share, but being a scout and a Second at that had its perks too. Even if she wasn’t the one to find a meal –which she usually was-- she was still one of the first to feast.

Just as quickly as it had come, the stranger’s smile vanished from her face. She seemed to have just realized the implication behind her statement, something that clever Naia had picked up on immediately. Of course, she had been watching for signs of trouble from the beginning of the conversation, ever curious about the secret life that the Pass wolves kept hidden from the outside world. Naia gave no indication that she had picked up on the stranger’s slip, instead nodding understandably as she changed the subject to comment on the unusually harsh winter. That was something they could all relate to.

The tawny woman perked up as the dark female gave her name, and Naia responded with enthusiasm. ”It’s great to meet you too, Evann. I’m Naia Aegina. Second to Maksim Baranski of Cut Rock River.” Now that she had pledged her loyalty to the Baranski leader, her life was tied to his in an unbreakable bond. As a sign of her loyalty, Naia always introduced her leader’s name with her own, and it came out as naturally as breathing. ”Every River wolf works hard to earn his or her share, and everyone reaps the benefits,” she said simply, proud to be part of such a noble system. They had suffered hardships and even losses this winter as had other packs, but it was Naia’s belief that they were better off than most. They were certainly better off than the Pass wolves, whose yearlings had to steal to keep their bellies full…

”Evann..” Naia began, uncertainty crossing her face for the first time since she had initiated the conversation. ”You’re right, the winter has been cruel—to some packs more so than others.” Her honey gazed fixed pointedly on her companion. ”I know your pack is suffering. I’ve encountered it first-hand.” When she closed her eyes she could still see the wild starvation in the eyes of that Pass yearling… she could still taste his blood in her mouth. ”Do you know why our packs are enemies?” Did they tell you the truth of what happened that day?

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Ooc: OH MY DERP! *headdesk* I am so sorry, I don't know why I had gotten it into my head that you were Grey! That's so embarrassing, sorry ^^; *dies* jeez, good one here...
ANYWAYS, HI ALACE, nice to meet you :D ... DX

- Evann is being emotional, it's probably the spring xD Also, this is starting to feel a bit Shakespearean x3

The dark brown girl felt more at ease when she saw the opposer smile and nod at the mention of starving, it seemed she hadn't mistaken Evann's words the way the mottled lass had feared. Still, her sharp, chocolate brown eyes caught a quick glimpse of something ambiguous in the others glance; though it quickly disappeared to give place for a vague glow of pride, as the woman introduced herself. Evann's ears perked at the lengthy title, a light anxiety brewing in her chest at the weight lying behind the presentation; So many names..! She speculated shortly on whether she should have given a similar description, but quickly dismissed the thought, after a few months in Hollowheart Keep, she'd grown accustomed to her packs inclination towards secrecy; for someone else, the listing of rank and title might mean power, but for a wolf of The Keep, mystery denoted true control.


Besides, something, other than the sheer length of the label, had caught her attention; Cut Rock River! That pack name, she had heard before! Her eyes widened and ears once more fell back, nostrils flaring as she once more assured that no wolves had marked their territory nearby; Have I travelled that far! Her mild panic was short, as her nose told her that Naia's pack lay too far away to scent she calmed some, but her eyes now remained fixed on the dame, her curiosity further increased, and now colored by slight suspicion. Yes, she knew of The River Wolves, and their status as enemies of Hollowheart Keep. Only the fact that Naia had been so open and friendly throughout their meeting kept the brown girl sitting before her, her position still favorable towards this wolfess, who she had begun to like, but doubt mixing with her feelings.


When the agouti lady spoke of her pack though, Evann's ears flipped back, and she felt her hackles bristle lightly, she did not appreciate the underlying suggestion in her words about sharing. The coffee pelted lassie was a loyal soul, and despite her hardship, she owed her life to Mapplethorpe and Hollowheart Keep, she would not let this enemy speak badly of her home! Taking a deep breath, she tried to calm herself; Careful now, you're overreacting! Don't put too much into her words! Another few breaths seemed to successfully dull her anger, but she was getting increasingly uneasy, she seemed to be carrying her feelings at the tip of her fur, despite her best efforts t stay calm.


The soft ring of her name on the River wolf's tongue brought Evann's attention back to the situation at hand, and the woman sitting opposite her. Her words though, did not serve to settle the brown girl's anxieties. As she spoke of hardship and misery, Evann felt her stomach twist in its emptiness, but she also knew that her own state was much more a fault of her own that of The Keeps; They took me in when death was ready to grasp me! That's not suffering, that's STRENGTH! When Naia looked at her with firm, golden eyes, the wiry fae met her gaze evenly, a glint of rebellious anger looming in her chocolate orbs; "We... We're all s-suffering!" She spat, defensively, before calming herself and hearing the woman out.


Now her ears tilted forwards again, confusion lining her gaze, quelling her temper. She tilted her small dome ever so slightly and looked at the multicolored lady in silence for a bit; What does she mean..? It hadn't sounded anything like an accusation, it was not a means to elevate herself or denote Evann; rather it had sounded like a genuine question. So why? Doesn't SHE know? ...Or does she think I don't?! After some time, the bistre femme answered hesitantly, her previously so wild emotions gone from her voice; "A... a-a couple of our sc... scouts attempted to raid o... o-one of y-your cashes. They got c-caught." She shrugged her shoulders, looking, somewhat blankly, at the other woman, awaiting her response. Evann had no idea what answer the slight lady was expecting, or looking for. In her mind, things had passed as they did among wolves: @Sagacity and @Gent had tried to scavenge food for their family, and the Cut Rock River wolves had defended their lands and cashes. Then this leader of theirs, Maksim..?, had bent completely out of shape, declaring Hollowheart Keep the mortal enemy of Cut Rock River, and in return @Naira had repaid the favor; Pretty ridiculous, to be honest... But Evann was not one to question her alphas.


Though... She didn't exactly want to fight this friendly wolfess who had opened up to her so freely, and didn't seem to mind their packs' declared enmity. She didn't feel she had to either - they were on neutral land, both far from their homes and without prey in sight; We can just.. talk. Right?


Word count: 817

”Speech” Thoughts

|| I know! A budding friendship despite their families being mortal enemies.. so Shakespeare. Hopefully this will end without having to kill off half of RoW's characters. xD ||

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The espresso-pelted lady seemed especially reactive to her words; eyes widening and ears flattening at Naia’s implications. The Cut Rock River scout had to remind herself that if her assumptions were correct, her companion was probably feeling pretty emotional before their conversation even started, and Naia’s words were likely adding to that confusion and pain. Evann’s hackles rose, and Naia’s ears flattened apologetically. As the Pass wolf spoke her angry interjection, Naia lowered her head in wordless assent. She took a step backward—not out of fear, but to convey that she was going to back off the subject that was clearly upsetting to her new acquaintance. If she was running away, she was certainly a loyal runaway. It made Naia all the more curious about the swarthy lady, but she knew that if she wanted her company to remain for much longer she was going to have to make amends.

”I don’t mean to anger you; I apologize for my assumptions about your pack. The Pass is so secretive—I only know what I’ve heard others whisper about you. It’s clear to me now that we’ve spoken that the rumors are little more than fiction.” Meeting the lady’s chocolate eyes, she offered up an apologetic half-smile. She was hoping that her companion might relax enough to open up once again.. not only because Naia was still curious, but also because she was already fond of the small, stuttering lady. She had no intention of pushing any further and risk upsetting her once more.

She nodded as Evann explained the Pass wolves’ version of the story. Her shrug as she finished was surprising to Naia. It indicated that she saw nothing amiss about the chain of events, but also implied a pronounced difference between Pass wolves and River wolves. River wolves were a proud bunch; it would have shamed a River wolf to admit the need to steal from another pack’s cache. However, the Pass wolf in front of her shrugged it off as if it was simply a fact of life. ”I was at the border that day,” she began, ”and what I saw was a starving Pass yearling who couldn’t help himself from stealing, despite the warning from his older mentor. Your scout had no intention of raiding us that day, but once the yearling took off she had no choice but to back him up.” Naia took a breath, wondering how Evann might process that news—the fact that the failed “raid” had been a complete accident and not a carefully planned attack.

She sighed before continuing; this was her least favorite part. ”River wolves are proud wolves.” Proud to a fault, she admitted to herself. ”My leader reacted harshly, declaring Pass wolves enemies in reaction to a hungry boy’s mistake. You are right, we’re all starving, and so we have clouded judgment when it comes to food matters this winter.” Naia was surprised how easy it was for her to admit her feelings about Maksim’s decision to the dark-pelted lady. It was the first time she had spoken her dissent aloud. She was a loyal wolf, and she would never question her leader’s decision in front of him or his family. It was funny though, how honest you could be with a complete stranger.

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(This post was last modified: Apr 12, 2014, 03:15 PM by Naia.)

Ooc: We can only hope xD

The agouti wolf reacted, surprisingly, to Evann's words by backing off, showing apology on her delicate features. The brown girl was utterly astounded at the kindness, accustomed as she was to feeling on her own body, the penance for her bursts of emotion. In remaining spark of anger was extinguished by this simple gesture of the opposing woman, and while the suspicion was still lurking in the back of her head, it was but a shadow. She lowered herself into a seat, shoulders lax, and when Naia spoke her apology, the answer was a smile, small, but genuine. Evann met the other's gaze shortly, then blinked and nodded slowly in recognition; She's lying, she's flattering you to gain your trust, she's just saying what you want to hear! A voices whispered in her head, that small part of her that might never grow to trust anyone, but she ignored it, refused to follow its deceit into loneliness. Her smile grew.


The River wolfess seemed surprised by Evann's tale, maybe it wasn't the same she'd heard? But it seemed deeper than that, like something about her very attitude about the whole thing was strange to her. The coffee colored girl shook it off, leaning in as the other began talking once more, ears perked in interest; She was there..? That was certainly more than Evann could say. Her eyes widened as she listened, she had been part of her share of raids often enough, where she'd been born, taking from those who weren't strong enough to protect their cash was just as legitimate as taking down a kill; the concept of stealing was nothing shameful to her. She had assumed it was the same here, understanding what she'd heard about the altercation as a failed raid. But the way Naia told it; If Gent simply acted on a whim... Does that change the situation? Maybe it did, at least it explained why this woman had assumed Hollowheart Keep to be struggling; Which we are...


She went on to speak of her own packs actions though, acknowledging their mistakes, which left the darker lassie even more surprised and bewildered. She tilted her head, furrowing her brows in thought. Her feelings were mixed, the girl so openly criticizing her superiors making Evann's fur prickle, raised as she was to be fiercely loyal, but they rang truth; Everyone acted poorly it would seem. She nodded slowly, surprised to feel something clear up in her head, the raid had never seemed quite right to her, two wolves could make a good team effort, sneaking in, grabbing what they could and escaping secretly, but a yearling was not a fitting choice for such a feed; I expected better of... She stopped herself, that was her loyalties speaking again, Sagacity had done nothing but hurt her since she joined The Keep, she should not hold her in such high regard.


Taking a deep breath, the younger lady looked back up, meeting her enemy's eyes, a sad note to her smile; "You're right... It s... s-seems both groups a.... a... acted badly, starvation d-does do quite the d-damage." She glanced down over herself, knowingly, managing a slight smirk as she looked back up; "It's a p-pity though, th... th-that we should b-be left e... enemies, over so little." She said it with true dejection, and as the words left her lips, her last traces of armor fell - ears falling casually, tail tapping lightly at the ground - as if to underline her words with the symbolic of comfort and trust in the other young woman's company. She liked the multicolored wolf, her openness, her friendliness, the lag of hostility, so unfamiliar to the sable lass; We could be friends... The feud between their packs already seemed so pointless; "P... Perhaps it's s-still possible t... to co-conciliate." The was little optimism in her voice, but hope glowed in her eyes; she didn't want to call Naia her enemy.


Word count: 660

”Speech” Thoughts

OOC|| Wrap it up?||

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As Naia spoke, her dark companion did not give much away as to her thoughts beyond her eyes widening at the news. She tilted her head as Naia gave her evaluation of the events that took place the day she and Evann became enemies, clearly confused by the Cut Rock River wolf’s blunt honesty. Naia was a loyal wolf to the core; she would have never dreamed of questioning Maksim’s decision in the moment. Now though, perhaps the issue needed revisiting. Arguably his most trusted member, Naia thought she might be just the wolf to bring it up. It was likely he would stand firm with his previous decision, but Naia felt it was only right that she share her opinion on the subject openly. She was well on her way to becoming an official scout, meaning that inter-pack politics would become her specialty. Her thoughts were as valid as any. Furthermore, Naia craved complete transparency with her sworn leader. She wanted no action or conversation of hers to take place behind his back, including this one. Should she fail to mention this meeting and her own feelings to Maksim, what would that make her? Certainly not the dutiful, trustworthy Scout and Second she knew herself to be.

Evann was taking her time processing the new information, nodding before she took a long breath to respond. She spoke with a wry smile, and the scout was a little surprised to hear the Hollowheart Keep wolf agree with her opinion. The uneasy, suspicious wolf before her seemed to melt away, replaced with a wolf who seemed truly sorrowful that they were unable to be friends. At least not openly. Naia felt that she had finally gotten a glimpse of who the real Evann may be: not a Hollowheart keep vulture or an insecure, stuttering refugee... but a strong, independent wolf with a head on her shoulders. Who better to help her initiate this long road to reconciliation between their home packs?

”Perhaps it’s still possible to conciliate,” the swarthy woman remarked, as if reading Naia’s mind. The Timber lady’s honey eyes glowed warmly, and she saw an identical look of hope in her companion’s gaze. ”My feelings exactly,” she replied, ”I have met wolves in your ranks—good wolves. Wolves I don’t want to call enemies. Quicksilver, my young “nephew” Karpos, and now you.” She took a breath before continuing. The day that winter where all the packs in the area had gathered to hunt down the moose, it had broken her heart to see the little Slayer boy standing on the other side of the line drawn in the snow. ”I plan on speaking to my packmates about this individually.. I want to see where everyone stands on the issue, including my leaders. It would help considerably if there was someone within your ranks doing the same.” She raised a brow, gauging Evann’s reaction to her plan. There wasn’t anything wrong with simply taking the pack’s temperature about the whole thing, right? ”We can meet again after whelping season settles—perhaps on the solstice?—to discuss what we learn.. Do you know the cherry orchard northwest of here?” The short, fully blossoming trees come spring would provide them with the appropriate amount of solitude for such a delicate discussion.

As her suggestion hung in the air between them, Naia looked up to the sky with a sigh. She would really need to get a move on if she wanted to make it back to the border by nightfall. She shuddered at the thought of denning once more in the frozen depths of the wildwood. ”I need to get home,” she admitted, an edge of concern in her voice. ”If you are still going that direction, you are welcome to join me. For a little while, at least.” She shared a wry half-smile with her companion. They both knew how it might be interpreted if Naia was seen escorting a Hollowheart Keep wolf up to the doorstep. A shiver ran down Naia’s spine, though she wasn’t sure if it was due to standing still in the cold too long or the thought of being caught “plotting” with an enemy.

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