Princess' Place No apology here that you owe me[BWP]

RE:Winter makes a comeback! A cold snap drops a dusting of snow across Relic Lore, killing early spring flowers.
@Starhale

Cancer and Risaela departure still left a bitter taste in Askan's mouth. He didn't care that Pete had tended to their wounds, made sure they wouldn't rot to death, at the very least they deserved that. It was more... how heated it had all become, how they'd somehow managed to worm their way under his armour and hit him where it hurt. That was his issue, even now he cared too much.

He hated this place, not the Falls, but the little glade he'd found himself in after a brief stomp into the forest. This was their place. Ugh. The thought made him scowl in disdain as his stomach curdled. If it wasn't so close to the Shallows he likely wouldn't have cared, would have forgotten about this place and what it once stood for. But now? His eyes narrowed into a typical Selwyn squint as he glanced about the place, his lips taut, ears turned to the side just so. Well, he was honestly glad that snow once again coated the ground, deep enough to touch his ankles. The flowers would die, smothered in the dark and cold. Hopefully they'd stay gone, one less reminder of his gloomier days.

(This post was last modified: Jun 06, 2018, 05:05 PM by Askan.)

In contrast to the proverbial thundercloud of a wolf that had strolled into the territory she had cozied up in the previous night was Starhale. She awoke with a start, surprised to feel snow surrounding her; it had accumulated enough to insulate rather than chill her. Starhale erupted upward in a flurry of movement, snow rolling off of her as the rapids did against the rocks as they cascaded down from the falls. She surveyed her surroundings, recalling the warning of the tawny wolf who had told her about coyotes. Were it not for the privacy this place afforded, she surely would have been their next morsel.

There was another wolf present, though—as she scanned the territory, her gaze stilled once it fell upon him. Sunnily, and a little sleepily, Starhale offered him a smile. G'day, she greeted, her voice evidence enough that she had just woken up—as if he might have missed the whole debacle.

Askan was alone...then he wasn't. As per usual he wasn't really in the mood for company, least of all here. But since when did the world give two shits about what he wanted? When things went well something always came along and rained on his parade, things tended to bounce back a little, but it was never the same. Absences didn't make his heart grow fonder, it just hurt.

His ears flicked back as his tongue curled, preparing to spit some sort of crass phrase when he paused, the words shoving against the back of his lips. She-whoever she was- seemed irritatingly jovial, an annoying if not sunny contrast to his stormy mood. Even stranger was her appearance. For the most part there was little, if anything to marvel at. He was very familiar with brown, brown and a hint of black, but that weird mark on her forehead? His first thought was that a bird had shat on her...or that a bit of snow remained. The former was funnier though, if not a bit gross. He opened his mouth to ask- or rather demand that she tell him what was wrong with her spot but he quickly decided he didn't care and instead went down another route.

"Hardly." His response was dry, coarse, small talk was not his forte. "What's it to you?"

Ahh, as blunt as ever.

Hardly, he responded darkly, and the empath winced. Oh, came her response, softer still, sorry... she finished in earnest, ears flattening atop her crown. But where things started off on the wrong foot, well, they could fall right back on the right one, right? Now and then, everyone got up on the wrong side of the bed—that didn't mean they had to stay there, if they didn't want to! Starhale had hope yet that this mans day would improve. And, as she observed him, she had to wonder: why shouldn't it? He was handsome, and strong in appearance—it must be something in these waters, was what her educated guess told her.

His next inquiry was one she really hadn't expected. No one had ever asked her something like that before, so upfront. What was it to her? Something I hoped, I guess, she admitted, with a wan smile. It's silly, but, well, there it is. I was hoping y'might be having one, there was an innocent shrug added thereafter, adopted by a wolf she had admired upon meeting who seemed so very sure of himself. Starhale really did want for others to have a good day, and what was the harm in that?

Her ears flattened atop her crown as she rose to all fours, dipping her head politely. He didn't seem in the mood for company, and Starhale was not a she-wolf who was good with confrontation, and she felt her best bet at avoiding it today might be quitting his company since he seemed very much so interested in being alone. She began to move away, mindful of him all the while.

Askan didn't want her apologies, he brushed it away with a flick of his tail as he rolled his shoulders in an indifferent shrug. It didn't matter, not really, but to her credit it seemed as though she meant it. Her voice had lost it's chipper, cheery tone and her gaze was averted, mournful. as though she hadn't wished to offend. Had he been in a better mood-or a more social man, for the matter- he might have backtracked a little, but as things stood he left it at that. Wasn't in the mood to coddle anyway, as far as he was concerned no real harm was done.

"It is silly." He agreed, humourless.

She was looking at him again, a little more intently than before. What? Did he have something on his face? Blood on his snout? He wrinkled his nose then licked his lips but tasted nothing, no blood, or traces of his breakfast. His Selwyn yellow eyes narrowed into a squint as she rose to her feet and began to move away, likely making a quick retreat before she annoyed him further. Not that he was overly pissed, this was the norm as of late, Askan would always be a grumpy git, that's just who he was.

"Tell me your name." He then instructed, though his tone was a hint softer than before. Like comparing tree bark to stone.

(This post was last modified: Jun 04, 2018, 07:29 PM by Askan.)

His rejoinder wounded her, salt in the wound. Her eyes quickly fell to her paws, her very being emanating her thoughts: It was silly. You've annoyed him even more, and made his day even less of a good day. Way to go, Starhale. Way to totally defeat the purpose of what was meant to be a nice greeting. This was her train of thought as she collected herself and made to shuffle away. Starhale, alone and worn out, had no witty rejoinder, though her optimistic side foretold of his day improving vastly once she was out of his sight.

Imagine her surprise when he asked for her name.

Starhale was the equivalent of a dog who had been scolded, looking sheepishly toward the man, but careful not to look him in the eye. Even though they were on neutral turf, the last thing she wanted to do was test boundaries she typically forgot about when away from pack lands (even then, the coltish girl might forget them and need a reminder). But, also like a dog who adored their person, there was that utter willingness to forgive and forget that she presented with a shifty glance (can... can we be friends, maybe?) and the slow wave of her tail.

Friendships had to start somewhere, right? Maybe theirs started with a name. But it would do her no good to do this in a {wotd}precipitous[/wotd] manner, and lose the opportunity entirely.

Starhale, she answered, thinking he might prefer a succinct response to a long-winded one. You? Her own way of asking was far less severe than his own, and the furthest thing from a demand.

Unless it was Reyes, Askan was godawful at reading social cues. The subtleties and finesse of interpersonal relationships always tended to fly right over his head, not because he was stupid-Askan was hardly that- but, he supposed his mind was wired a little differently. That said, even he could sense the abrupt shift in the loner's mood. Her sunny disposition shifted to spring showers, damp, soggy and kinda sad. He rolled his eyes. In a way she reminded him of his sister, Lenae, she was gentle too, quick to wilt if he didn't play nice.

To her credit she offered her name up easily enough. It was yet another one of those flowery, unique names, the sort that made his lips turn down in a slight, if not disapproving frown. He was sort of stepping on thin ice wasn't he though? His name was hardly...it was rather pretentious wasn't it? The sort of name that practically screeched he was of blue blood, higher than the general rabble.

"Askan Selwyn." He told her, then with a slight tip of his head he decided to continue. He allowed his shoulders to dip a little, not so taught, like he was going to take off into a gallop, or bite her nose. Either or. "I lead the pack in these woods, Shallows Edge. We're not far from my borders." He imagined she could smell that so he didn't bother mentioning which direction.

Selwyn.

She knew that name.

The woman who displaced her mother in her father's life once had that very name. Starhale had siblings that shared his blood. One might think this would make her angry, but they would be wrong. Though it had confused her greatly, and certainly encouraged her decision to find herself, she had not thought too long and hard about it. If anything, the familiar surname was a comfort. But she knew where to find her aunt, now, and that was the familiarity she sought at this point in time.

He spoke even more, which was a pleasant surprise, and Starhale's tail seemed to tap against the earth at a quicker rate than before. It was hardly an invitation for her to join him there, which she did not seek, but she felt this pack was the very one her friend, Hero, was a part of. Shallows Edge—she hadn't known its name, but now she did. Am I too close? she guessed, noting his body language—it almost looked as though he intended to chase her from here. Starhale was aware it was spring, aware there were cubs that made others hyperprotective of their borders... justifiably so. Especially now, what with these coyotes. I can go, Starhale expressed, her own body language shifting to one that displayed she was not looking for conflict. Her tail wrapped around her leg, and she lowered her posture a little more. For good measure, she yawned—speaking to him in their First Language, that of the body, and displaying I mean no harm.

(This post was last modified: Jun 06, 2018, 04:32 PM by Starhale.)

A flicker of moment in the distance caught his eye, a squirrel scrambling up a tree. If his attention hadn't been dragged away he would have no doubt noticed the flash of recognition in her eyes at the mention of his last name. As things stood he looked back at her and as expected she seemed a little flighty when he mentioned they were somewhat close to his borders. This was the desired effect of his words, he wanted other's to know they couldn't scamper about as they liked. Excuses wouldn't cut it with Askan, trespassers would be punished and rightly so.

Not that it was an issue with Starhale, nor did he imagine it would be.

"It's fine." He shrugged his hefty shoulders. "Takes a little more than that to offend me." Not too much, mind you but his point still stood. Wasn't as if she was stealing his potential prey, now was she? "So...did you come to Relic Lore to sleep? Bit of a  wasted journey." He muttered.

The scent of a large band of coyotes is on the breeze.