Pure Luxury {Elijah}

[Roka]

It had been a few days since she had encountered another wolf here. This land seemed to be teeming with others of her kind and her interactions among them had helped her so much. Her speech had improved immensely from her time here and she was grateful for them. Aurik had been the biggest help to her, staying with her and talking with her, refining her skill until her speech flowed like warm honey. Even now she still struggled with some of the words she didn't need to use as often, but compared to her first days on this island she could almost be considered normal. She had shed her winter coat and was finally comfortable in this warmer climate. She dreamt of her homeland less and less often, and she began to truly live in this strange land. She began to revert back to her usual self, the challenge of the hunt pulling her out of her sulk. Her first weeks had been miserable, Roka wanting nothing more than off this island. Although it didn't compare to her tundra, this African island was incredibly beautiful in its own way. The prey here was different than any she had seen before and the drive to hunt the creatures down was like a breath of fresh air. Pumping life back into her. She had been a shell of herself ever since the humans had take her. The leopard had left her damaged and on the verge of death, but the humans had saved her. A cage did wonders, killing any will to live that lingered in her body.

Today was the best day since the crash, her spirits much lifted. She walked along the northern region, marveling at all of the creatures that roamed around her. In the tundra the prey had been scarce and the wolves even more so. Here was like a paradise that called to all creatures big and small. Roka had never believed in a higher power, but if one did exist than this place had to be it's most precious creation. Spring would be upon them sooner than Roka could wrap her mind around and for the first time she was eager for the change in seasons. The new life that would flow into this land would be new to Roka and she was ready to see it. It also happened that her favorite prey seemed to blossom in the spring as well. Baby rabbits were something that she couldn't resist. She had been here for a few months now, but she still had so much of this territory to explore. There was no pack here so Roka could explore at will, without fear of getting trapped in something. She had avoided anything to do with packs for so long it was almost habit that drove her. Her pack had been a power hungry mess with nothing but out of control males that cause the pack to destroy itself. She had fled when she had gotten a chance, barely avoiding the death sentence her alpha had called down on her. All for nothing more than the fact that she didn't want to be his broodmare. Her father had been ecstatic pushing her to provide the next heirs for their pack, but Roka had been seeking companionship. Her foolish ideals had left her vulnerable. Her alpha had tried to claim her and when she refused he had gotten violent. She had barely escaped with her life.

Elijah

[Elijah]

Green hills, tall grass, wildflowers; it was all so impossible to blend in to. At least for the tall tundra/arctic wolf mix that now moved slowly through the hills that gathered chaotically in the northern corner of the island of Anikira. Not that he was looking to hide from anything, but some similarly colored cover would prove useful when hunting on his own. Pack hunts were always easier, with multiple wolves to maneuver a large prey animal in a single direction while the others worked together to bring it down. On his own, however, cover and stealth would both work in his favor instead. His stomach rumbled softly, signaling the need for him to hunt, but he shook his head and sighed heavily instead, doing his best to force the feeling out of his belly and out of his mind. With a deep breath, the male's head lifted, pale green eyes lifting to scan the clouds, as if some unseen force were hiding behind the fluffy white collections of moisture waiting for the perfect opportunity to pounce down upon him and bring his untimely end to pass. But, of course, such foolish thoughts did not weigh down on the male's mind. He knew that such a thing would not come to pass, though the thought did prove to provide at least a sliver of amusement out of the dark haze of confusion and anxiety he had been feeling since he had left his natal pack.

He paused briefly in his movements, slowly lifting a paw to rub his muzzle in irritation against the soft fur of his front left leg. It had only been a mere week or two since his encounter with the bear, and though the deep gashes on his muzzle had scabbed over, they were a long way away from healing. Like any healing injury, the scabs that graced his face provided him with an obnoxious itch constantly, though from his life under the rule of his parents, he had learned that indulging the desire to scratch would only lead to further injury and the heightened possibility of infection. For now, the gentle rubbing against the thick fur on his leg would have to do. As he lifted his head once more, he moved forward again, his muzzle parting so that his tongue could slide out of it in a panting motion to keep himself warm in the afternoon sun that beat down upon his back. There was no particular destination in his mind as he looked around, green eyes scanning the terrain in front of him as if he really was not even seeing it. Instead, there was a distant look in his eyes, a tell-tale sign that his mind had wandered once more to higher thoughts.

What would he find in the other parts of the island? He knew that there were packs scattered throughout the whole of Anikira, though he knew absolutely nothing about any of them. Hell, he knew nothing about typical wolf behavior and socialization in general. He sighed heavily, frowning slightly as his paws carried him forward slowly and his tail hung limp behind him. There was no rush in the steps, and if one were to watch his progress from overhead, it would not be surprising to find his path walked to be more of a meander than a purposeful journey. It was as if he were procrastinating, putting off the inevitable until he could no longer push it back. He knew that a solitary life would be nothing but miserable for him, but he had no idea of what a pack within Anikira would capable of. Would they be harsh like his family? Would he have no free will or choice? They could take away his power and his freedom, but he would never let anyone take away his mind. It had been the only thing that had kept him going in his natal pack.

He sighed heavily as his pace picked up slightly, though it came to an abrupt stop as he lifted his eyes once more to spot a canine figure up ahead. The pale green eyes narrowed slightly, neck stretching out in front of him as if moving his head forward as far as possible would allow him to see her better without having to move his paws another inch. It was a wolf, that much was clear. But the wind blew in her direction, taking his scent directly to her and depriving him of the ability to breathe in her scent. Instead he was left with only his eyes and ears to observe her, and he did so, standing tall and rigid, as if a deer caught in headlights, with confused eyes and a mind moving at one hundred miles an hour. This was the first wolf he had ever come in contact with that was not related to him. It was as if this meeting was a defining moment, and he hovered quietly and stared as if unsure of what to do but overcome with an insane amount of curiosity at the same time. He wanted to watch her, observe her, see what she did in every situation he could think of. Would she react to him like his family had? Would she simply turn away and leave? He watched her intently, eyes glued to her form as if the second they left the view of the multicolored coat she would simply disappear completely from existence and he would never know the answers to his questions.

---

Words: 923
Tags: Roka
Muse: Medium
Notes: n/a

[Roka]

The air was warming faster than she could fathom, the birds singing sweetly. Their songs bringing the tide of the spring along with them, floating in on the warmed breeze. Roka hadn't seen many of the plants that grew in this land in her homeland. She wondered what sweet flowers would bloom once the spring time was upon them. The animals were chittering about all around her, despite the presence of a predator. They seemed so at peace here among the wolves, that they didn't quiet their sounds at her approach. If she made a move to chase any one of them, she had no doubt that the sounds would stop, but she was not in the mood to hunt. She had eaten recently and even though there was plenty of prey in this area, she didn't want to grow to be overweight. There had been a dog in the facility that the humans had kept her in and he had been fatter than her. She couldn't remember what they called him, lab or Labrador, something along those lines. Despite being smaller than her the lab was double her weight, tromping about with it's fat body. She had watched the way the mutt had eaten its food, snarfing it down before the humans came to take it away. An obsessive light entering into the mongrels eyes, yapping eagerly as they brought him dry pellets. Roka had not been able to stomach the humans kibble, throwing it up at every feeding. It had taken time, but eventually she had become used to it. Against her better judgement. When she had first landed here she hadn't eaten for the first few days unsure of how the prey here would affect her.

Roka knew that someone was watching her. She could feel the prickle of awareness tingle up her spine. It also helped that the wind was in her favor and carried the strangers scent right to her. It was as if that higher power had heard her observation about being alone and was giving in to her wants. She had plenty of time to be alone in between the rest of her encounters so her craving for solitude became less and less prominent. The scent was male as far as she could tell, but she couldn't determine if he belonged to a pack or if he was a loner. She waited a few moments to see if the newcomer would approach her, but he didn't. She wasn't sure if she should turn and run from this newcomer or if she ought to stand her ground and face him. When she did turn her attention towards him she didn't make any move to greet him. She stayed at a distance following his lead of careful evaluation. Typically this kind of thoughtful study was right before an attack. Roka's eyes weren't the best, especially since she didn't have the use of one of them, but she didn't detect any sign of aggression. Perhaps he stayed where he was because he had no interest in this stranger. It would have given him great pleasure to leave him to his own devices and go about her business. Unfortunately the last time she had let her guard down she had lost her eye.

She doubted this wolf meant her very much harm, but there was still that nagging of awareness. Warning her to keep her eye peeled. She knew better than to trust the intentions of this stranger, Xion having ruined any hope of that. She had slunk in trying to scare her into giving herself up, letting the vile creature take her blood. Roka doubted this male had the same dark intentions, but she wouldn't give him the benefit of getting close enough to try. The first thing she noticed about him was his scar that spanned over the top of his muzzle. It matched hers in the sense that they had both suffered a superficial mark of their wounds. His were smooth and straight, while her were jagged and uneven. Some were deeper than the others, one that was far worse than the others. That had been the one to rip her eye apart, dragging her into the dark. She sat down keeping her attention focused on him, unwilling to shift her gaze If he made a move towards her she would hear it and smell it, but she wanted to see it. Her one eye was still good and she wanted to be able to watch the way that he moved, the way that he approached her. What his body language told her. There was no way for her other senses to detect that.

Elijah

[Elijah]

Staring. Just standing still and watching one another was what it came down to. The breeze blew gently through the world around them as they both remained stoic and quiet as statues, eyes glued to one another and refusing to move for fear that the other would simply disappear. Then again, the white male could not read the mind of the female stranger that was now before him, several yards away and well out of charging or leaping distance. He knew that no attack would com from her as she slowly sat down, though the way she just stared back at him left him with absolutely no help in his confusion. He had been hoping for at least some sort of sign or signal that she was either the same as his family or if wolves like his natal pack were some abomination and not truly meant to behave in the way that they did.

For the time being, he also lowered his hips to the ground so that he was mimicking her sitting position, ears perked and pale green eyes staring her down as if trying to bore through her forehead and reach into the thoughts that plagued her mind. What is she thinking? He wondered, his own eyes blinking slowly before resuming their attempts to read her mind. Now, of course, this ability was not within his grasp, but that did not mean that the possibility of such a skill was not real. The higher power, the spirit that guided the world had a purpose in all of the things that happened, so he was sure there was a purpose in this female wolf and he meeting in such a way. Was it fate that brought such similar creatures together? Was he meant to have his first encounter with another wolf outside of his family be with this scarred female that he could not read?

She simply sat, watching him as he watched her, and he could not tell for the life of him what her intentions were. Then again, it was he that had chanced upon her here. Had she not been present when he had arrived? He was the intruder here, though as he inhaled deeply, he found no pack scents marking the area. He still could not tell if she belonged to a pack herself, for the wind was determined to not work in his favor still. He exhaled slowly after a few moments, head tilting ever-so-slightly to the right as he finally allowed his eyes to leave her face and travel slowly along her form. She was probably fairly close to his size, though he was willing to bet that he weighed at least a bit more than her, which was normal because of her gender. But what species was she? He was a mixture of two, surprisingly large for the combination of an arctic, but the tundra side of him seemed to work in his favor that way.

Finally, after deciding that she neither particularly attractive or unpleasant to look at, his eyes returned to her face. It was not that he really had any opinions on her appearance, in fact, he had only his mother and his sister to compare her to. Since he held absolutely no romantic feelings towards either of the females in his life, he had no basis for which to judge this stranger. He frowned slightly as he watched her now, his head still tilted slightly as his tail tip twitched along with his thoughts. What exactly is the basis for judging attraction and physical appearance? Is such a thing based off of one's preferences or is there a scale that wolves use to judge? His face scrunched up slightly as the questions ran through his mind, as if he were deep in thought and severely perplexed by it all. After all, how was he supposed to know? He had no way of telling what real wolves were meant to be like, for he only had his messed up cultish family as a baseline for his observations of others.

Words: 683
Tags: Roka
Muse: Medium
Notes: n/a

[Roka]

If the male just wanted to stand there like a fool staring away then she was more than happy to give in to his wish. He seemed to have no interest in approaching, content to watch her from afar. Roka was having the hardest time determining whether or not his intentions were harmless or not. He analyzed her in the same way that she watched him. Yet his eyes looked like they were searching for some kind of reaction from her. His eyes would scan her face and then move to other parts of her body, looking for something. Since Roka didn't know what kind of reaction he wanted, she had no idea how to respond to him. What does he want? Roka could not wrap her mind around what this male could possibly want. She knew that it was still the breeding season and there was a possibility that he had smelled her lingering heat scent, but that was unlikely. If he had wanted to breed her, he would have approached. Wouldn't he? Roka had limited experience with males of her kind, but she had been courted a few times before in her life. Those males had thought that just marching in and claiming her would get the job done, but she had escaped with her virtue. She had never been romanticized by the idea of a rutting buck who took her only for the possibility of pups, only to further his seed. Roka wanted a male that wanted nothing more than to be with her.

Roka had struggled for her entire life to relate to others around her. She often wondered what life would have been like if she hadn't been born to her particular parents. She often wondered if her mother had been the calming presence to her father's rage. A once respected member of her pack that had grown a nice family for himself. He had taken a respectable mate and they had a litter on the way, almost solidifying his bid for alpha. The old alpha was dying and he was reluctant to pass the duties on to his son, instead looking for other signs of strength in the pack. Her father had been the strongest among them, good family lines and heirs soon to be born. When the much anticipated day had come, the pack had no celebration for there was no good that day. Roka had been the first to be born, named by her mother before she passed trying to birth her brothers. Her father had almost torn her mother open trying to get to his other pups. One brother was all that came of his violence. Her mother laid lifeless in a pool of her own blood, next to her still born pup. Roka would never forget the smell of her mother's blood as it coated her in it's sticky liquid.

Her father had never been the same, sending her off to be raised with the other pack pups. He was ever absent in her life only ever around when he saw the chance to manipulate her. He called her his worst mistake, blaming her for all of the things that he lost all because she couldn't have been her brother. He had jumped at the chance of trading her to the alpha's son. The prince of the pack had sought only to entrap her with pretty words and empty promises. This male shared the gender of those offenders, but she wouldn't be able too judge his character until he decided to approach. As she saw it there were two options for them. One was that he could come over and introduce himself or he could just stand there like a statue. "It is really rude to stare!", she grumbled loud enough to reach his ears. Tip toeing around each other wasn't going to get them anywhere. She wasn't going to be a rider any more, passively watching as life passed her by.

Elijah

[Elijah]

She continued to stare, standing still as a statue, and so did he. Then again, their minds worked in two completely different ways. He watched her and stood glued to the spot because he did not know what to do, he did not know how to behave like a normal wolf. She stood still because he was a male, a stranger, a potential threat. Because of his position and the way the wind was blowing, he could not breathe in her heat scent, but from the scents he had smelled from his mother and sister in the past, along with the time he had spent on his own, he could easily assume that the female before him was in the end of her heat. Hell, even though she was the first wolf he had run into, he had smelled the heat of all of the island's females all over the place. It was sickening, really, especially since the thought of getting close to another wolf and not knowing what to do made his stomach twist and clench with tension.

He blinked slowly, pale green eyes glued to her form, that is, until the sound of her voice broke the silence between them. He almost jumped out of his skin at the words, but he managed to keep his stoic position and stature with the exception of the twitch of his ears. He had never heard another voice, never spoken with a wolf outside of his messed up family. He finally shifted, paws moving ever so slightly in a confused anxiety that he could not control. It was not that he was lacking in self confidence, for he knew how to handle himself and take care of himself well enough. It was the fact that he honestly had no idea what to do or how to react to her. Is it rude to stare? He tilted his head slightly, blinking and frowning as he thought over her words. To him, staring was observing, he was trying to figure things out. It would have been rude for him to simply force himself upon her like his family would have expected of him. He was being respectful and considerate in his own mind. But to her, it appeared, his distance and staring and uncertainty was 'rude'.

Finally he swallowed slowly, his ears twitching slightly as his head tilted in the opposite direction. "I apologize, I did not mean to be rude." He said, still keeping his distance for he was unsure of whether or not an approach on his part would be accepted by her. Would she attack him? Or would she just leave? What if she stays? What do I do then? He thought to himself, paws almost kneading the ground beneath him as he shifted his weight from one side to the other as he tried to figure out what socially acceptable action plan he should follow. If he were to go with his parents and their beliefs, this female would either be something to destroy, or something to conquer. He doubted that either path would be acceptable to her, and he did not believe that either action would be something he would enjoy. He did not want to be like them, he did not want that life. That was why he had left. So what was he supposed to do now?

Words: 561
Tags: Roka
Muse: Medium
Notes: n/a

[Roka]

Roka watched as her words seemed to sink in. He seemed unsure of what he was supposed to do, how he was supposed to respond to her words. Roka had led a life of isolation for a large part of her past, but even she wasn't as awkward as this male seemed to be. He seemed to lack any kind of understanding of social interactions between wolves. Roka let her gaze roam across him trying to pick up any indication about where he had come from. The only reason for such a lack of knowledge about social interaction was some kind of human interference. She herself had dealt with humans, but the time amongst them had been so brief that they hadn't left any lasting mark on her. Nothing more lasting than the scar that she bore because of their help. As he got closer Roka noticed that he was still watching her intently, gauging her reaction to his approach. He seemed genuinely surprised that his behavior would be considered rude, but then again Roka wasn't a native to this land. It's customs and traditions so foreign to her. Perhaps in this land it was common courtesy to stay at a distance, to observe someone even after being noticed. In Roka's home any observation done was done so at a distance, once someone was noticed then it was polite to either approach ad introduce yourself or to tuck tail and leave. The trick was to not let yourself be caught until you were ready to be seen. To be a sneaky son of a bitch.

His apology only confirmed what she thought, that his grasp on the world was far different than hers. "If you want to observe fine. Don't linger at a distance once you have been noticed. It speaks of nefarious intentions." Typically if someone didn't want to approach it meant that they weren't looking for a civil meeting. Wolves like Xion came to mind. She had waited and watched before approaching, but her approach wasn't meant to be civil. She had sought to tear into Roka stealing her blood to stave off some kind of craving, to feed an unhealthy lust that grew within her. Roka found her need for the taste of wolf's blood perverse and an utter disgrace to their species. She hoped that this wolf wasn't another kind of mongrel seeking to do nothing more than rough her up. "My name is Roka." Her introduction was in the hopes of starting something off on the right foot. She knew that the easiest way to make an enemy was to be rude from the first. This wolf had sought to do nothing more than observe so Roka couldn't penalize him for being curious. It was in a wolf's nature to wonder about others. It was a dangerous world to live in, full of strangers. The eyes were the first line of defense, if one could not see the behavior then they wouldn't know whether or not the stranger was friend or foe. "Relax. You have nothing to fear from me." It was true enough. Despite having a very nasty temper she didn't make it a habit to attack others. At least physically. Her tongue was about as sharp as her teeth, but this male was undeserving of either fate. No use picking a fight when she didn't even know what he wanted.

Elijah

[Elijah]

She spoke again, watching him intently and explaining her own words to him carefully. He listened intently, ears perked and pale green eyes watching her curiously. "If you want to observe fine. Don't linger at a distance once you have been noticed. It speaks of nefarious intentions." He had no idea he had been putting off such a negative vibe. Hell, he had no idea what a vibe was. He frowned for a moment, tilting his head slightly and continuing their little 'staring contest'. He shifted once more, dipping his head in a mixture of a greeting and apology as she spoke and finally offered her name. "Elijah." He said, finally offering her his own name for reference if she so desired it. The word felt strange on his tongue, and though he knew his own label, he had never really needed to tell it to another in order to inform them of what to call him. His family had always known his name, his parents had known it before he had even opened his eyes, before his ears had been able to hear and acknowledge the sound of the word.

There really had never been any need for names and labels in his natal pack. They all knew one another, so why bother with names and introductions? The unfortunate creatures that they had chanced upon - or hunted down - had never needed to know their names. Only their faces and their beliefs and abilities. They were threats to the world around them, deadly and unforgiving monsters that followed only their own ideals and the plans laid out by their destructive parents. But here, in this place outside of his family, could names really be that important? From her bold introduction, the way she made it sound so relevant to the world and their interaction, he could only assume that they were. What comes after the introduction? He stared at her, tilting his head and blinking his pale green eyes in confusion. Was he supposed to approach her now? His paw lifted, slowly, as if unsure of whether or not to move closer or simply leave.

Although they seemed to be at least somewhat similar, but if he were to be completely honest, there really was very little interest in his mind for the female gender. At least for the time being. How could he possibly think about something like that when he had no idea how to be an actual wolf? Or at least a wolf that conformed to the standards or normalcy on the island outside of his family. He knew now that it was 'rude' to stand at a distance and stare, at least according to this female in front of him - Roka, she had said her name was. He mentally filed away the name, hoping to remember it in case they ended up running into one another again in the future, for whatever reason. After a few moments he blinked at her, as if coming out of some sort of trance and only then realizing that he was still standing there staring and holding his paw in the air. Had he been meaning to walk forward towards her? He frowned, tilting his head slightly and blinking again, as if to clear his mind and bring himself back down to earth.

"Relax. You have nothing to fear from me." He lifted his head slightly, and in any other wolf on the island - that knew what was considered normal body language - it would have been a gesture of pride and almost arrogance. In him, it was simply a natural movement in reaction to his surprise at her words. He did not fear her. He simply did not know what to do. "I'm not afraid." He said, finally tilting his head slightly and giving her another confused look. It was then that he seemed to think again about his words. Did that come off as rude, too? He did not want to upset her, and being rude and inconsiderate had never been part of his intentions for meeting other wolves on the island. Had he screwed up that badly already? "I'm sorry, I did not mean to sound rude again. You're just the first wolf I've met other than my family." He said, slowly lowering his paw down and letting his hindquarters follow it down so that he was sitting down, in the least aggressive and most relaxed position that he could think of at the moment.

Words: 747
Tags: Roka
Muse: Low
Notes: n/a

[Roka]

Roka dipped her head in acknowledgment of his introduction, the name Elijah unfamiliar to her. She hadn't ever met anyone with that name before, it's origin unusual to her. He still didn't seem inclined to move closer, as if his mind was trying to work itself out. Roka huffed gently before lowering herself into a sitting position, trying not to get frustrated. He was such a confusing creature. He was bold enough to stand there and have a stare down with her, but he didn't seem to have the courage to approach her. Roka grumbled mostly to herself keeping her eye on him. She could tell that he was unsure about whether or not he was going to approach her, but Roka could find no reason for his caution. She had shown no signs of aggression towards him, nor had she made any other kind of move towards him. Perhaps she should just take control of the situation herself and approach him. Chances were if she did that he would take off and she would never get the chance to find out why he was watching her. Curiosity didn't cause a wolf to stand there staring for such an extended amount of time. It was like a predator's stare, inquisitive and dangerous in so many ways. She knew that her mind worked in much the same way and that watching could gain much more information than a conversation could. She often liked to watch strangers before approaching, but she didn't like being watched. It made her feel like prey, made her scars itch, made her afraid. The last time she had been watched so intently she had lost her eye and she couldn't say the experience hadn't changed her.

He claimed that he was not afraid, but he was still reluctant to come closer. He was standing there with his paw in the air like he couldn't figure out what his body had been trying to do. Roka tried her best to muffle the chuckle that made it's way out of her throat, but this male was amusing. "Don't be sorry. No reason to apologize." He acted as if he had never met another wolf in his whole life. Is he a recluse? An extremist who takes the term loner very seriously? She admittedly had been one of them in her earlier years, but she had been in a pack before she had become a loner. She had been social and learned how to interact with others before becoming a recluse. Maybe he wasn't as lucky as she had been. Perhaps he had been left to himself for his whole life. Roka couldn't imagine the amount of insecurity that he was feeling, not knowing what to expect from others. "You don't get around much, do you?" His behavior made it a little more than obvious that he wasn't sure about what to do or what she expected from her. He finally loosened up enough to come close enough to sit a distance away from her. "See that wasn't so hard. Where did you come from?" Roka kept her head up not willing to show any sign of submission when in the presence of another loner. He was quite a bit bigger than she was weight wise, but she was a skilled fighter. Size or not she wasn't going to back down, at least until she was sure what this wolf's purpose was. Roka knew that a majority of this land was occupied by packs and that the few loners that did roam about picked this part of the continent.

She couldn't blame them for their preference, she herself was partial to this territory. That fact alone didn't give him her trust. She would just keep her good eye locked on him until she was sure. She couldn't risk losing something else from being to trusting Never again.

Elijah

[Elijah]

He stared, as per the usual during this interaction, as he finally found himself close enough to her that he was somewhat comfortable, but they did not have to raise their voices to call out to one another across the open ground. Instead they could talk with softer voices and still easily make out one another's words, even if they were still several feet apart. Closeness had never been something he had grown accustomed to, for he had never learned that it was a good thing. In a fight - in the world he knew - closeness was not a good thing. That is, unless he had his jaws around another wolf's throat. The powerful scent of the female wolf in front of him made him tense, the instincts and behaviors that had been forced upon him and ingrained within his mind were flaring up. His body told him to rush forward, head low and eyes focused, teeth directed precisely at her throat to drag her down to the earth kicking and screaming. Just the thought made his mouth salivate, his ears perked and his pale green eyes intense as her words finally broke him out of his trance-like state.

Had he been staring at her that intently for long? He frowned, the taste of saliva on his tongue almost making him cringe in disgust. It had happened again. He had broken from his family only so long ago, yet he had been trying so hard to push their ways and beliefs out of his mind. They were wrong, so very wrong. He knew it, but he could not seem to convince his unconscious self, his primal, instinctual make-up, to believe it as well. "You don't get around much, do you?" The words were like a slap in the face, making him lean backwards slightly in his sitting position as if he had been stung by some unseen creature before him. But, in all reality, she was right. He was ashamed of his past, ashamed of his family, and as hard as he tried, he could not seem to rid himself of them completely. "See that wasn't so hard. Where did you come from?" And there it was, the question that he had been silently praying to the spirits she would not ask.

"I am from the island, in some corner that no one - thankfully - really pays any mind to." He said, trying to keep his answer as vague as possible while still giving her enough information to hopefully satisfy her curiosity. It was really convenient that few knew of the existence of his natal pack, for had the lone wolves of the area chanced upon his family, they would likely still not exist today. Then again, part of him wished that the larger, more powerful packs of the island did know about them. Then they could be destroyed for good. The thought pleased him, which only further upset his morals and made him more uncomfortable. How could he think that about his own family? But then again, what was family? They were related, yes, but there had been no affection or true emotional connections between them. Was there a difference between being born into a group of wolves and actually being a part of a family? He wanted to believe that his thoughts were justified and reasonable, but his morals could not let him believe that destroying his only family was the correct path to take.

Words: 575
Tags: Roka
Muse: Medium
Notes: Sorry to keep you waiting!!!!

[Roka]

His stare put Roka on edge, causing her to drop her bravado for a more cautious attitude. She knew nothing about this wolf or his intentions yet that stare spoke volumes. The last time she had seen a stare like that was when Xion had tried to take her blood. Roka gave a small growl in warning, but despite his stare he didn't come any closer. She was now more tense with fur bristling across her back and shoulders. Something about that gleam just didn't sit right with her. She wondered if it was too late to flee, getting out of this interaction before she lost too much. She considered herself a brave wolf who could stand up to much, but this looked more like a depraved wolf who gave no thought to a life lost.

She had survived too much to allow this whelp to take her out. After a few moments his stare became less intense and he seemed to snap out of his thoughts. Roka eyes him warily wondering when that gleam would return. His answer to her question was brief if that and it seemed that he had no interest in actually starting a conversation. Roka couldn't see any reason to stay here and indulge this silent wolf if he wasn't looking for a conversation. Anything else he was looking for wasn't going to get him very far. "Listen, I don't know what you are looking for here, but don't get any ideas." She narrowed her eye at him and her scars itched. She wouldn't let him get close enough to hurt her. Never again. "I don't understand why there are so many of you twisted creatures roaming around. Harming others of your kind."

She would never understand the blood lust that overtook some. They really became the animals that people thought that they were. She understood that some of these creatures had been struck down by rabies and that they had no control over these things. Some chose to embrace the blood lust, to wallow and thrive in it. They got a taste of that thrill, the thrill of hunting other predators and they could never look back. All disgraces to the species in her mind. Those kind of creatures were always killed in her homeland. The depravity tempted hunters into their homes because the wolves took especial pleasure in killing man's pets. Death was the only thing that followed those beasts around. She would protect herself if she needed because she wasn't going to die at the hands of some mentally unstable beast.

Elijah

[Elijah]

The female was clearly uncomfortable with the situation, though he really could not tell why. He had done nothing to harm her, or even attempt such a thing, so the caution in her movements and the tension in her muscles was strange to him. He tilted his head slightly, frowning at her words as she spoke. "I have no intentions with you." He said, his words once again simple and plainly stated. Although he remained seated and watched her curiously, there was no longer any hint of the blood lust that he had been brainwashed to desire for so long. Sure, there was a slight tension in his body, but only because his attitude was somewhat mirroring hers. Yet, there was still no threat in his posture or expression. Instead he held nothing but curiosity, a pure thought process that he was sure she could never understand.

She knew nothing of his place in the world or of his path, though he would be a fool to believe he knew all about her as well. They were complete strangers, both unsure of what to do about the other and unfortunately caught in some awkward staring contest here today. He frowned after a few moments, shaking his head and pushing himself up onto his feet. Clearly she did not want him around, and though he was still unsure of what to say or do, he was mildly curious about her. He would have bet his life on the reasoning for her caution, as it was written in scars on her face, but he too had marks along his muzzle. His first assumption, naturally, had been that she had received them in a similar way as his. But, now that he watched her interacting with him, the tension and caution that laced her frame, he assumed it was another of their kind that had done it to her.

That explains why you seem to believe that you are better than I am. Probably see me just like the wolf that did that to you. He thought to himself, tilting his head once more as he remained standing still in the place he had been previously sitting. It's a shame. What a waste of a creature, destined to be paranoid by all of those she meets. Such a sad existence that must be. His thoughts plagued him with pity for her, but at the same time, he knew not where it came from. He knew nothing about her or her past, nor what would happen in her future. He had no control over any of it. Hell, he had barely any control over his own life. That was up to the higher power, the powerful spirit that guided all of their lives. At least that was what he believed. Perhaps their meeting simply was not meant to be a pleasant one. "I apologize for making you uncomfortable, miss." He said, dipping his head slightly to her and then shifting to return in the direction that he had come. If he was making her uncomfortable, the least he could do - as well as a way to keep his brainwashed past from appearing once more - was leave her be and give her space.

Words: 538
Tags: Roka
Muse: Low
Notes: n/a

[Roka]

Roka doubted that this wolf had no ill will towards her. Despite what was now a calm demeanor she couldn't forget that look. It had been predatory and she couldn't bring herself to linger here under his scrutiny. He looked friendly enough, but it could all be a ruse meant to gain her trust. He had scars to match her own, but she could find no camaraderie between them. His words did little to ease the tension that seemed to blossom between them. She had little trust for strangers, especially ones that reminded her or Xion. "Please take no offense, but I think it is best if I take my leave. Sorry to have disturbed." She didn't want to turn her back on him, yet at the same time she wanted to leave. He seemed nice enough now that he wasn't in whatever funk had overtaken him. Perhaps he had gotten over it, but more likely than not he could be susceptible to the same thing again.

There was no guarantee that she would be safe as long as she lingered here. The only way that she would be truly safe was if she took her leave of his company. "Good luck with whatever you are looking for." She turned away from him hoping that she could make it out of there. She had nothing against this wolf and did indeed wish him the best as long as his best was away from her.. She was being more polite than she usually would, but she saw no point in getting into a fight with him for no reason other than a look. He had calmed and she didn't want to provoke him so leaving seemed the best option. The further she got from his slowly shrinking frame the more comfortable she became. She wondered if she would meet him again some day, when they weren't so tense and when he had time to adjust to this continent.

THE END~