Beaver Dam i woke up with the sun

"I am not," she revealed. The Tainn furrowed a brow as assumptions of all kinds came to him. If this Corinna had been able to have had two chance meetings with two different leaders in this very place, then it was highly plausible to Fenru that this woman, here, was also the head of a pack... and she was here for a reason. That reason, he would then deduce was that she needed his knowledge about Relic Lore and its inhabitants. In that instant a wave of remorse pulsed through him, he should have known more than what he already know but he didn't; and, what he did know, he did not feel like sharing.

With what he was about to say next, he broke character. Gone was the inquisitive cub and in his place Ice's well-trained greenhorn had risen up with suspicion and newfound verve. "Good," he remarked, his tone just a touch too bitter for his own tastes, even if he was somewhat pleased to know that she had never come in contact with the Aniwayan wolves or a grief so great as losing one's own siblings to death and other terrible misdeeds. "I think it's best that you were left in the dark." Like me... so long ago. "We've seen too much pain and loss here. Would rather spare you our hardships so you can shoulder your own." And those icy shoulders of yours, you'll probably need them if you're going to stay here.

His tail twitched dubiously and he gave an airy snort. "Where're you from if you're not from here?" The words were unpleasantly heavy on his tongue, and a small part of him, while he was still rather distrustful of his companion, hoped she would still tolerate his curiosity. The boy had had his handful of assumptions to begin with but until she answered him, he could very well go on as he was, thinking that the woman had come from a place of plenty, a place where nothing could have harmed her and her family. Yet, here she was - here, in Relic Lore - and she was apparently quite a way's away from home. He openly frowned, "You should go back." So much for being outgoing...

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i thought i replied to this omg

His bitter tone was met with a rumble of distaste. That he might suddenly become hostile had always been an occurring thought, but scarcely did these things happen. When he seemed to calm, Siku did as well; she was easy to make irate, patient though she was. At any sign of aggression, she responded. His physical signs did not match his voice, bitter, angry, and so she remained at ease. He continued on, and Siku did not wonder why he felt this way. It was better not to. Even if he were to tell her all of the reasons behind these emotions he expressed, it would change nothing for her. She had lost many before. Comrades. Subordinates. Her late mate, who had died without reason. Siku did not live and breathe and think of these tragedies, though. Nor did she move because of them. She could not relate to those who felt miserable, because Siku was utterly detached. He was kind. It was not out of spite he kept anything from her. Her eyes did not stray from him, and she rose her head all the higher. Siku had vanquished her hardships. They had all been tangible, after all. She was able to quell her enemies and her worries with her fangs. With no mental strain, there was no need to fret over anything else. It had all been physical. And those that caused her stress oftentimes were put out. Chased out. And when that occurred, what more was there to think of? My hardships are dead, she informed coolly, as though it were nothing. And truly, it was. Life was fleeting. Her own life could have been had she not gained the experience she had. It spoke a lot of her; she had nothing to hide from him, why should he? Of course, the Issumatar hardly thought that this could cause some anxiety within him. She was not bright by any stretch of the word. Her comfort, if one could call it that, was not the same as others. But there she was, attempting to offer him some semblance of comfort. Dead to her, or dead as a doornail. His question was met with an immediate answer, Seahawk Valley. She gestured in the direction of North, and then looked to him. And his words were met with a firm, resilient shake of her head. Siku had no use in running back to where she had come. Here, she did. She watched him, curious to how he would respond.

She growled at him. Good. Fenru snorted again, shrugging his shoulders once as his tail came to a more natural position. The only sign of his vexation that showed now was the turning of his ears and they pointed forward with the most unamused scoff. "How could your hardships be dead?" he questioned, his tone meaning to bite back at her in hopes of covering his disbelief and all that he had successfully kept hidden in the past until now.

"If they are, why come here? Go back to your valley," he grumbled, his frown giving way to a half-wince. As much as he wanted to take a step back, he shakily kept his stance, his neutral, slowly crumbling facade that harbored the distraught cub within him. His large ears finally gave way and flipped back; his hind legs folded underneath him and for some time he stared at the smooth river stones between his paws. After a few deep breaths, he lifted his chin to look at her.

"Why are you here?" he repeated, partially and sorely wishing he had stayed home so he could have rightfully chased the woman away. Maybe if he hadn't been caught up in the war on the Aniwayans, he would have been far more understanding, but at present, he was even more lost than ever before. It took him several moments but what she had just enlightened him with came back to the forefront of his mind. "If I told you my purpose in being here, right now in this very spot, was to tell you to go back... would you return home?" he sniffed, the awareness of the fact effortlessly tripping him up. He gazed at her uncertainly now, still trying to make sense of what was to be had from their chance meeting, "What if I told you that there's nothing left for you here?"

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fenru gettin siku to speak more than she ever has in her life
except when she went 2 war

She blinked at him, unamused by his scoff, and not much caring for his disbelief. Siku knew plenty of the things that she had done. So did the wolves that she had faced. That, in the end, was all that she needed at the end of the day. Siku responded slowly so that he could understand, as he had not seemed to translate her direct words prior, I have killed them. By mind or by teeth. Was that not the only way? His question was a pointless one. There was nothing that could press her to go back. The boy was distraught, clearly, and Siku could find no means of making him feel better. Even if she had known what the cause of his heartache was, Siku was not one who knew how to handle the emotions of others. Her own she often handled with aggression. Her brain was limited to instinct. She kept it that way because she had no use for emotions. When they crept up on her, she chased them away. Another question came from him, and Siku shifted her hefty weight. He continued to speak, however, and so she could not push a word in edgewise, and she listened to him further. There was no trace of amusement to be found on her facade. The woman knew him to be completely serious. And as he brought his assumed epiphany to a close, Siku drew in a steady breath. Her repertoire of words was enough to fill a bandbox with. Her eloquence was nonexistent. She was blunt and scathing, but she tried to make him understand. You are wrong, she responded in a way that was not meant to offend, though her cool tone might do so regardless. She continued, I know of my purpose. You are lost. Perhaps your own purpose is not here, she responded, Your... she struggled to find the word, for someone had said it before, and the uneducated, ineloquent leader recalled it shortly, Your persistence here. You are unhappy. Yet you are the one who remains. There is nothing for me in the lands I have left. I fulfilled my purpose there. When it comes, you are certain. And I know I have purpose here, she told him. As for his initial question, To start a family. Start a pack. She would need to find a mate first, naturally, but then she would have her pack and be able to reign freely here. She was not at all cryptic in admitting to him anything. Siku was nothing, if not honest.

gahhhhhh. when did he make a full 180 turn, this was s'posed to be a happy/inquisitive/curious Fenru thread. D: lol, i'll kinda admit he's good at that; might be 'cause he questions everrrryyyything. <3

The woman told him that she had killed them all. "Them" being her hardships which Fenru now assumed to be those she considered dead weight... unnecessary and taxing by all means. He tried to swallow the lump at his throat but it kept stuck there like a piece of coarse board hide. He rose to his feet again, unsure if he ought to make himself scarce. All logical sense he bore pointed that he might be still be subject to a surprise attack, much like how the gray and silver yearling (Rais) had been quick on his feet and stolen what was left of his meal.

His ears kept pressed against his skull, every instinct he had suggesting that he should return to the duties he had temporarily abandoned for the day, even if it meant that his running rendered him into some sort of coward. He had already fought in a crusade to rid Relic Lore of imposing enemies, turning tail now, he believed, would not discredit his bravery. To him, it only made sense that if he did it, his actions had come about out of wariness (and maybe even the hint of fear about dying between this woman's jowls; he would not be just another hardship she had vanquished). His molars lightly gnawed against the inside of his cheeks as she told him he was wrong; he made no sign or sound to counter her.

She continued to tell him that she knew her purpose and that he... was lost. This shade of a Leader had seen right through him and he immediately and inwardly resented it. He was unhappy and he was the one who remained here. Her mind had already been set and she knew what she had to do next. Fenru sullenly took a step back as if honor her intentions and schemes. He, too, had been thinking about such things - a pack and family of his own, the idea of leadership and, of course, proving to everyone, as well as himself, that he was fully capable of achieving his desires. So far in this endeavor, he had done nothing but cower, sulk, and fear like a war veteran several years his age.

The Tainn had the mind to remember where he was and what he was doing. He did not have the advantages anymore and he had already yielded to her with a backward step. "G-good luck then," he proffered, no longer confident now that he realized how poorly he might have stacked up next to her. His roving eyes flickered to her dark face for only a moment, "I, um... I have to get going now. My family will be missing me."

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I LOVE IT. AND HIM. ALREADY.

The Issumatar was surprised at his sudden change. From abrasive to suddenly docile and meek, Fenru's personality seemed to wither and melt into what it might truly be. Or perhaps it was the other way around. Perhaps he hid his strength. It was not admirable, but the woman had no place in telling him so. She blinked solemnly at the boy who intended to decamp from the scene as she typically did, without ceremony and swiftly. She nodded to him, appreciating the good luck even if she could not be sure if he truly meant what he said. The sentiment was enough. Siku did not need luck. But to be given it was appreciated all the same, even if only just; this was the way of young ones. They believed in luck and chance. Siku herself once believed in the silly word, until she ran out of it and her life became bleak. She was fortunate this happened early on in life. It was then she relied on actions. As his eyes fell back to her face, the woman nodded to him again. He needed not her consent, but she felt as though he sought it. She had no intentions of bringing the boy bodily harm. He had given her no reason to. Her eyes remained upon him as her right ear tilted toward the bank, observing his movements. The stranger seemed shifty, and she was wary, but only just. On the off-chance he became aggressive again, Siku waited. She would watch him go before continuing to learn of this territory.

The woman seemed to have granted him his leave with a dip of her muzzle. Surely, she did understand - at least scent-wise - that he did have a family to get back to, right? That... if she planned to carry out any fishy business, he would be absolutely and terribly missed. Slightly backing away, he kept his cautious eyes trained on her until he found a decent path to take between a dense bush and through the trees.

"Bye," he curtly muttered before vanishing from her sight, fighting hard to keep himself from curling his tail between his legs. All the way back home he grimaced to himself, playing and replaying the conversation in his head. He must have looked utterly foolish. As a nearly full-grown man, he should have at least seemed to amount to more than what he presented to the foreign woman. He had broken and recovered from loss, battled many an inner demon, traveled across unknown lands and heights, and survived a full out war against a threat that had migrated into Relic Lore. Really, he should have carried himself just a tad bit taller, more dignified.

By the time his ears had perked up and his tail had relaxed into a more justifiable position at his heels, he was standing at the base of a tree where Ice had recently passed during a border patrol. All those hours of silence and only now did he make a single sound. A mere sniff as to wordlessly and sullenly explain his cowardice to himself. He'd show that woman, he promised in his head as he lifted it with newfound zeal. The next time he saw her, he would make sure that he was not the lost pup she thought he was.

(Fin.)

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