Kingsfall Talk the Talk

Miss Taslima Liers

Paws seemed to keep the woman going, even when every other piece of the mind was murmuring that there might have been some insanity. Upon meeting @Iopah, she had been blessed with the taunt in her mind that wolves could go missing. They could disappear, and bad things could happen to them. It begged the question, the silent question, where did the Liers family stand? When would it be that they would suddenly take a nasty turn and confirm her fears...

Not that the yearling could even guess what family might have looked like. Paws seemed to go stretching, and there was a burn within the innermost pieces, the twisting and the taunting in her ears. Making a choice was supposed to be a simple thing, and thus was why ears seemed to come pull up on top of her head thoughtfully. Such was why nose was twitching, the need seemed to be a tasteless choice on the matter.

What am I doing?

It was the question of the century, and not the first time she would have questioned herself. Such was a mundane way of life for a yearling to be living - no family, no friends. She ached with some selfishness for friendship, for those who would have otherwise wanted to engage in her eagerly. Now that she had left everyone behind, what direction did she go in? Where did she find something that would encourage her to be unfolding and revolutionize the belief in what a Liers could be... when she had no baseline, when she had none to give herself to.

This was supposed to be a generous world, there was a need that could not be begged. It was why there was a sense that her shoulders were rolling not to ease some tension, but to make herself look a little bigger. Walk with pride, lure someone in. She had been exhausting herself being fearful, and that was not working. Perhaps it was time to make another attempt, and merely hope for the best.

This was not a generous world.

On a point where the land lifted up, in the semblance of a hill, deep among the tall sequoias, a pale grey wolf sat, watching the scene before him with an empty expression. Swarms of caribou were travelling through the forest from south to north, perhaps wanting to reach the open plains and tundras to be found there. He didn't much care to guess at their purpose, for a healthy lone wolf had little chance against such a large herd, let alone one as battered and torn down as Craw. The thick scabs on his right shoulder were dry and dark, the fur around it and down his arm still tinted pink in places, but the flow had long stopped. He felt some measure of himself again. Slipping into the woods, he had wondered whether he would find better fortune among the giant trees, and had stumbled across enough fortune for a lifetime. It was too much fortune for him to be able to take it.

The caribou walked past, occasionally throwing a glance or an ear in his direction, but for the most part they ignored the wolf who had no hope of threatening them. He sat barely ten yards from the closest ones, the wolf sat upright and without any attempt to hide, for there was no point. It was safer to be in plain view, where the caribou would know that he was no danger. Dully he watched them go, neither side wanting to engage or rile up the other, for he could imagine the destruction that many hooves and heavy bodies could cause. The destruction he wanted to cause had to be contained in his mind, in another world; if they were here, at his side, as they should have been... it would have been entirely different.

An ear twisted back as he registered the sound of movement somewhere behind him, but his mind was drifting too much to pay much attention. Perhaps it was another beast such as he, come to witness a feast just out of reach. If there had been any kind of cliff nearby, he would have happily tried to run the whole herd off it just for the chance to taste one.

Shallow water has trapped several fish in a small pond. Hunt Opportunity

Taslima~ Where light touches the shadows. The woman was not to be scared off of her path, no matter what sort of superiority complex she was going through now that she had learned her father's heart was ice. It was why her ears pulled back against her skull, and she attempted to get the scent of life off her mind. Hunting was a capable thing for the yearling, in small doses. The scent of many was a desperate touch, a plea. There was a reluctance to approach, expecting aggression. She had seen the rage that caribou could unleash upon a wolf in the midst of a hunt, and she had nowhere to go if she was gored. So with that thought in mind, she was slow in her creeping.As she found her riveting, hungry Southern-ocean blue eyes seem to take in the long limbs before anything else. Putting her in the path of another, but she had not expected him to be so... close. Coming out directly behind him was enough to make her hesitate, pondering what she had stumbled upon. Perhaps someone as reckless feeling as she did most of the time now; the thought intrigued her. Youthful impulse won her over, it was hard to otherwise keep her in line. She was stretching out her legs as she eased on to the right of him, stunned at seeing an animal so up close that would have been a feast. Mind was twisting, attempting to make sense of why they were called the superior predators, when there was animals like these - with such a sweet and earthy taste - that could not be brought down without the gift of the many. It was enough to send her salivating, but the hint of a frustrated growl came out of her lips; nothing much more than a grumble as eyes longingly turned to the pale wolf in contrast to her earth toned coat. Sucks to be on the losing end, doesn't it sir? Words were touched with a bit of humor, but the snorting of one of the caribou hungrily drew her eyes back, wistful. Perhaps she would have to turn around and go look elsewhere, find something that was more open and more of a temptation to end up in her stomach. Something more within reach.

Will format when next on computer.

Preoccupied with watching the herd pass by, a strangely infuriating and yet relaxing task, Craw did not pay much mind to the possible presence of another wolf until they quite brazenly drew next to him. It was only his level of calm which kept him from instantly bristling, and instead he merely glanced sidelong at his uninvited company. Seeing a young female, rich brown in tone and slight in stature, his consternation turned to intrigue. Twisting an ear in her direction, he turned his head just a little more to afford himself a better view, though his overall manner remained one of casual disinterest.

The soft growl which rolled from her throat made the corners of his lips twitch upwards. When her vibrant blue eyes, so unusual, turned upon him, Craw deliberately broke eye contact to look once more out at the caribou. If anything, he had hoped for the arrival of a pack or other mighty predator, so that they might take the kill he could not, and then he could grow stronger on their leavings. But this was not entirely unwelcome. At her words, he 'hmm'ed softly in response, amplifying his usual rasping breath. Whatever misgivings he had melted away at her use of the word 'sir', the simple act of respect scratching an itch that had been present for far too long now. She was ingratiating herself well. "We have not lost until we are dead. Are we dead?"

(This post was last modified: Sep 16, 2015, 11:11 PM by Craw.)

Taslima~ Where light touches the shadows. Easing herself down toward the ground, she was eager to find might have been a present in the knowledge that the other might have been carrying with him, not that she was about to be too-too obnoxious about getting things out of him. There was a tension that was not about to be denied with the presence of caribou, the hunger and the means was absolutely provoking some kind of stimulus out of her mind. As she found herself considering what would have been best, and ears seemed to come falling against her head lightly. She bowed to him, as respectful as every on the matter - and such was not to be denied for too long. There was no missing the sweeping smile that poised upon features, but she listened to his words with rapt fascination. There was clearly intelligence, experience on the features of the male and such was why she felt an eagerness. I'm not sure if we're dead or not, sir. The words were honest, and a hungry ear flicked. Walking... just never getting anywhere, sorta seems like that would be like death might be to some... I dunno, ma never really wanted to tell me much about death, thought she could... save me from it, I guess. Wise words, but they were edged with exhaustion. It was a reality that had been plaguing her, and her nose wrinkled faintly; Hiding death didn't keep it from coming for you, did it mama?

Whoever this girl's parents were, they had done a good job raising her. Why was such a respectful and inquisitive young creature on her own? He could no more guess at her reasons than she could at his, but he maintained that small spark of interest. That spark grew enough that she pulled more of his attention from the caribou, as he turned his head to look down on the slight girl, taking some bestial pleasure in their size difference. Her attention was similarly captured. When she answered, he pressed his ears forward to listen, paying her the respect of attending closely to her words. Respect was always paid with respect.

Clearly her situation could be pertained to family, as she referenced a naive mother and aimlessness. He grunted, acknowledging some part of her words, but mostly dismissive of her mother's childish wisdoms. His own father had held many foolish beliefs, but there was one which Craw had never been able to discredit. Rolling his shoulders lightly, Craw looked back over at the caribou. "There is a way to know for certain," he rumbled, and for a moment he did not move, as if waiting to continue to speak - but then he twisted, lurching towards the small girl at his side, intending to bowl her over and push her to the ground. He would try to stand over her, jaws reaching to grasp the girl's tightly and keep her in place.

ooc: Figured there was no need for rolling or anything as he's not fighting. Also promise he's not up to anything untoward c:

Taslima~ Where light touches the shadows. Generosity was not something that she was accustomed to in the features of others, but perhaps she was supposed to be able to accept it for what it was. Ears swung on her head, and she seemed to draw away the thoughts and processes that were bouncing about in the other's head; his attention shifted, and she was almost wiggling at the relief that it was turned politely to her. There was something marvelous about having attention, but mouth seemed to turn up at the edge. Taslima, for what it was worth, was an astute student when the non-verbals were in the right place. It was the fact that she clearly had no experience that would have been welcoming the concept that was playing back in the mind of the girl. He was speaking, and she was listening - she was ready for it, but mouth seemed to twist with some sort of mission about in his mind. She was not expecting to be hit, but there was no time for the young woman to react, there was just not a chance to take on what was coming to strike her; and therefore she went bowling over, smacking against the ground with a clear thud. She growled, although it was out of instinct and the sliver of fear - but as her jaws went to open they were caught. Heart raging in her chest, tail tucked against her stomach and wild blue eyes stared up at the male who had grabbed her, utterly dumbfounded.

Down she went, caught by surprise and rightly so. He thrilled privately at her growl, enjoying her spirit almost as much as he enjoyed the domination, the feeling of power which came with physically controlling another creature. It was a hollow sort of power, this, for they were so totally mismatched in size, but he was far from being in peak condition. It pleased him that he possessed enough strength and speed still for such a simple maneuver.

Her submission was clear, the combat won before it had started, but Craw had never had any intention of harming her. He held on to her jaws for a few seconds, quite gently, before releasing them, though he did not move away from her to keep her on her back. To keep her feeling exactly as he could see she felt, for it was plain in her body language and on her face. And, more importantly -

"Do you feel it?" he growled, the sound low and rough and almost conspiratorial, his head close to hers as he forced eye contact. "The pounding in your head, the rush in your blood?" He let a few moments pass, time for her to locate the feelings, to process them, to absorb them, and all the while never moved to let her up. A low growl in his throat, he pressed his mouth down to her ear.

"Do you feel dead, girl?"