Into the Sun [open]

[Messoria]

It was the first time in many moons that Messoria had been out of the dens entirely on her own, and likewise the first time in months that she’d hunted for herself. Weeks of a heavy belly had burdened her, shortly followed by five suckling pups that were now growing so swiftly that it made her heart ache. For so long she’d relied on others to bring her meals, and while she’d been grateful, Messoria had missed the freedom that surged through her veins as she crept stealthily through the underbrush. The soft sound of the falls in the background quieted her footsteps as her dark body weaved through the thick tree trunks, her tail waving behind her like a banner. It was no longer her job to hunt anymore; the moment it had been made clear that she would give birth to Goliath’s offspring each season, she’d left behind the position of Huntress in favor of Consort. Had she mentioned her empty belly to one of the Huntresses, they surely would have provided food for her, and yet Messoria had desired to catch her own prey, leaving her young with Lichen’s brood so that she could hunt without worry.

It was a flash of mottled brown fur that had her pausing, ears pricked forward atop her skull and eyes narrowing. Several feet ahead of her the body of a particularly plump stoat scurried by, painfully unaware of the wolfess who watched it. It would not fill her belly by any means, but for now it would do to dull the edges of the hunger. For some time she was still, hardly daring to breathe, before suddenly she leapt forward with a ferocious snarl. The stoat gave a hiss of terror before scampering off, dashing quickly enough to pose a challenge as the chestnut-streaked body of the she-wolf closed in behind it. She could practically feel its fur upon her tongue, so close she could almost taste it when suddenly she came to a screeching halt, dirt flying up around her paws as the creature ducked beneath the roots of a tree. Her lips peeled back away from her teeth as Messoria gazed between the gnarled tubers. There was nowhere for the furry creature to flee, its chest rising and falling swiftly as it stared out at her with beady eyes. After a brief moment she began to dig, claws shredding the weaker roots, dirt flying behind her as she worked. It was only once her claws were inches away from the creature that it tried to flee, but it’s efforts were in vain as one ebony paw swiped the elongated body, drawing it directly into Messoria’s waiting jaws.

It was over quickly, the life bleeding from the creature with one squeeze. It fell limp between her fangs as she danced triumphantly away from the small hole she’d dug, settling down to devour her meal. Adrenaline still rushed faintly through her veins when she’d finished, discarding the bones for the crows to pick at as she turned towards the sound of the falls in the distance. Her paws lead her directly to the crystal clear pool, where Messoria halted to wash the dirt and earth from her legs and the blood from her snout, ferocity still humming through her bones. Still she was hungry, and perhaps later she would try her paw at fishing in the lake, where she’d seen several silvery shapes flash past her reflection. For now, however, she was content to sit and revel in the feelings of triumph that rang through her slender form.

WORDS: 598
TAGS: ~
NOTES: Open to any Kairos member <3

[Laertes]

He had become a part of something bigger than him, he had impressed the colossal alpha with nothing more than a steady lip when half his ear had been severed; perhaps he should’ve felt something more than he did, but truthfully there was little more than a dull pounding in his chest and a peculiar, partial silence in one of his ears to serve as the only reminder that something wasn’t right. It had been ironic, to say the least, that his wish had been granted. He had wanted few things more than for the Sentinel to bury his fangs into his flesh, any piece of him, really, and it had taken mere seconds for it to happen. A command straight from the alpha’s mouth had stirred the provocative male. Surely he had been ferocious, of course he had posed a threat, but neither of those things had been known to cause him pain.

A plump rabbit was dangling from Laertes’ jaw as he approached the very grounds on which he had been accepted by Goliath as a Vanguard. He would now stand among the beasts, those much larger than he, and he would do so as an equal, for even though he would never be of such an intimidating size, he would forever be of such an intimidating body. He had been instructed to seek out one with eyes of blood for treatment, but he had yet to pay the priestess a visit, unconcerned with the mangled flesh hanging in the corner of his eye. If he didn’t have to be afraid of puncture wounds and ravenous jaws, then there was certainly no reason to fear infection, but alas he would do as had been instructed by his superior - at least, he would eventually. He had yet to fully grasp the fact that there was an entirely separate calling to attend to now.

He approached her side like they were more than strangers. He lifted his grayish-green eyes to the mesmerizing features of her face like he had always been meant to look at her, to find her, and to then offer her a rabbit like it was the most normal thing in the world for their roles to be reversed. “It’s yours if you want it,” his eyes brightened suggestively, “you’re probably more hungry than I am anyway.” And it was true. He had grown used to disregarding the pains of hunger that twisted his stomach into uncomfortable knots. Starving himself wasn’t an option - he had tried - but it was the closest to pain he had ever gotten in his life, and so the very least he could do for himself was skip the occasional meal and wonder if it felt anything like how it should’ve when he lost a portion of his ear. Even now it was in clear view of the female, there for her to examine in detail if she sought to. It was the last thing he thought to hide from her.

Her face was wet. He would’ve noticed anyway, but it was particularly clear to him when he was looking at her as intently as he was. It wasn’t a secret that his appetite, when incapable of being fixed on the need for food, found a home in the eyes of a female instead. He couldn’t help how profoundly he appreciated them, but of course his appreciation was a fickle thing, a thing easily doubted, when his affection couldn’t even outlive the descent of the sun. “When I stand this close I hear almost nothing else -” and still he smiled, like everything he said was just as charming as he meant for it to be. “- it’s what drew me closer yesterday. I wouldn’t have been so hesitant at first, had I known it could offer so much more than shelter.” He had mastered the art of indirect compliments; having been deprived of feminine companionship for so long, it was almost bittersweet the way he clung to her without touching. His grin was boyish, but the wrinkling of the fur around his eyes spoke of unfathomable volumes of intensity, drinking in every feature of her body, every movement that she would make, like everything else was background noise - he was utterly captivated.

If she happened to disapprove, he will have moved on to another by this time tomorrow.

---
Word Count: 724
Tag(s): Messoria
OOC: ~

[Messoria]

He materialized beside her as if out of thin air, an apparition who’d sought her out where she sat. She did not turn her head to meet his gaze despite how it was hot upon her face, searing. Her nostrils flared as she dragged in his scent, noting that he smelled faintly of Ina'mos and, inevitably, her mate. He was new, it seemed, for she hadn’t caught the scent of him before – then again Kairos’ numbers were growing swiftly, and she’d been unable to keep up with new arrivals in the months she’d been cooped in the dens, rearing her litter. There was a soft thump as he dropped his prey, the scent of blood wafting upwards towards Messoria, who inhaled deeply and yet still did not face him, even as his words parted the distance between them. As subtly as she could manage, Messoria allowed her gaze to slide down to what he’d dropped: a hare, and one that was not small by any means. For a moment she meant to decline, the words on the tip of her tongue when suddenly her stomach rumbled. Her ears flicked back against her skull briefly in annoyance before she accepted with swift bob of her head, finally turning her head towards him, amber orbs meeting gray-green.

The intensity of his gaze was startling; he stared at her as if she were the prey, and not the limp body of the hare that lay between them. More startling than even that, however, was a scrap of mangled flesh that hung from one of his ears, the blood running down his face in rivulets. She stared for a moment, intrigued that he seemed not to care for the marred appendage; indeed if she’d not known better, Messoria might have thought he wasn’t even aware of the gruesome injury. She allowed only a moment before she recovered, lifting her head a fraction to hint at the pride that rested securely beneath her pelt. ”Thank you. A stoat is all that I managed; your luck must be greater than mine this morning.” With this she dipped her head, ivory teeth closing around the plump body of the hare as she dragged it towards her, not daring to eat it yet as the rest of his words came forth to meet her auds. Charming was the first word that came to mind, and yet his lyrical elegance set her on edge as opposed to enchanting her. He had to be new upon Ina’mos if he did not yet know that she belonged wholly to Goliath. Wordlessly she pinned him with her gaze, offering no reaction to his words when he’d finished speaking save for the cool quirk of a dark brow and a simple, ”How very poetic.” There was nothing more for her to say on the matter of his eloquence, and so she dipped her head once more to pick at the fatty bits of the rabbit before licking her maw clean in favor of speaking to the stranger once more. ”The falls have always been soothing for the frayed nerves, and far favorable to the smell of the swamp.” Unconsciously she wrinkled her nose, recalling the moments she’d spent there in her earliest days of Kairos, when she’d been a huntress and responsible for bringing home prey. The stink had clung to her dark pelt for days afterwards, no matter how vigorously she’d washed.

”Forgive me if I’m wrong – I’ve been nestled within the caverns for far too long – but I assume that you’re a new addition to Kairos,” she said, her eyes once more flickering to his wounded ear before settling on his eyes once more, not shying away from the bold contact. She was not a submissive female to quiver and quake due to his gender, and she wished for him to know it. ”What is your name?”

WORDS: 646
TAG: Laertes
NOTES: I'm so excited for this thread...xD

[Laertes]

There was something so very prideful about her, and even though in a land of domineering giants he could only assume it was an unwelcome characteristic for the femme to have, he found that it was remarkably alluring. The way she kept herself from looking at him, ears tucked against her head like she couldn’t imagine a worse fate than having to accept his gracious offer like she actually needed it… it made his lip quiver in amusement, but he knew far better than to laugh at her expense. When she finally looked at him, there was no missing the way her amber eyes instinctively strayed to where there was blood; she could look away, pretend she didn’t care for how such a wound was obtained, but that didn’t mean he had to pretend he didn’t care to prolong the sound of her melodic voice calling him poetic.

He wouldn’t assume that she had intended to compliment him. If it was anything at all, it had likely been sarcasm at best. Either way, Laertes didn’t make a show of masking the way he visibly brightened. He was poetic. At the end of the day, if he hadn’t managed to do anything extraordinary, at the very least he had tried - and often succeeded - to make a she-wolf with a pretty face swoon. He wasn’t sure that this particular pretty face was at the point of swooning just yet. She hadn’t dismissed him, but she hadn’t accepted him, either, and there were two possible reasons for that: she liked to play hard-to-get (he would never tire of a classic) or she already had someone to return to tonight. He hadn’t quite grasped the way that things worked in Kairos, how the male she was tied to had a number of females tied just as tight, but the oblivion was blissful and he’d enjoy it while it lasted.

“My name is Laertes,” he dipped his head in formal greeting, “have I the pleasure of knowing your name in return?” He wouldn’t demand it of her. She had revealed to him a few telling signs that, despite her role as a female in this kingdom, how she was destined to live a sheltered life just out of harm’s reach, she couldn’t be told what to do by just anybody. She respected herself, and he thought it incredible. “I was recently given the honour of serving your alpha as a dutiful Vanguard.” The way he referred to the regal giant as her alpha, even still, made it clear that his perception remained as that of a loner’s. Even though he was still newer to the ranks than most, he had a general idea of what it meant for someone of his… size to stand in a rank reserved for the especially gargantuan. He allowed a moment for the information to sink in, curious as to whether or not she’d allow herself to openly express surprise.

Every once in a while she stole a glimpse of his ear, but never did she inquire. It was cute even if she didn’t mean for it to be. “You can ask.” He was sure that she’d know exactly what he meant, but just in case, he made a show of jutting out his chin, lifting his eyes as though to peer towards the mangled flesh to the side of his face. “If you’re the least bit intrigued, that is. It’s quite the tale of immense bravery, or perhaps a lack of brains. Depends how you'll look at it.” There was no denying the simple fact that he liked her. He liked her just as he would anything female with a pulse. The warmth was fleeting, and it didn’t mean nearly as much to him as it should’ve. She need only reach out to him for the brief swell of contentment inside of him to disintegrate into nothing.

---
Word Count: 648
Tag(s): Messoria
OOC: Awe I love this so much. <3

[Messoria]

”Laertes.” She repeated his name back to him, testing the foreign syllables on her tongue as she tucked it away within the recesses of her mind. She would not soon forget him; even if his name had not been unique, his boldness left a lasting impression. ”It is good to meet you. I’m Messoria.” There – now that introductions were over she could get down to more important questions, but jut as she was preparing herself to mildly interrogate the brute, he offered up answers without needing her voice to coax them forth. A Vanguard. Her coral orbs flashed with vague surprise as she observed him, sizing him up. He was certainly taller than she herself was, and yet he did not tower over her as the other giants did. She’d been under the impression that Vanguards were fearsome behemoths tasked with protecting and honoring Kairos, and yet if Goliath himself had bestowed the title upon Laertes, there had to be a reason for it. She would not doubt her mate’s decision; there was something about the intense brute before her that had earned the right to stand among the Vanguard.

The discussion of positions was too convenient to pass up; she offered a faint smile, the quickest flicker of movement around her muzzle. ”Vanguard you say? Well, congratulations. If you fight as well as you speak, Kairos will be well defended.” This was said with a wry ring to her tone, somewhere between jesting and gently taunting. ”I am a Consort – Goliath’s Consort,” she clarified, her gaze coming to rest upon him once more as she spoke the words, making sure their meaning was not lost upon him. He was welcome to stay and acquaint himself with her, for Messoria would not chase away the sole bit of company she’d found that didn’t involve her pups, but there was no mincing or dancing around the admission. There were boundaries even in Kairos; she would entertain no other male.

” You can ask. If you’re the least bit intrigued, that is. It’s quite the tale of immense bravery, or perhaps a lack of brains. Depends how you'll look at it.”

The words stirred the realization that her gaze had once more wandered to his mangled ear. Messoria found herself wondering if perhaps the injury had something to do with his newly granted position, and while she was momentarily torn between keeping her mouth shut for the sake of not having to ask and getting it over with, the latter quickly won out. ”I suppose I’ll be the judge of that if you’re seeking one, then,” she said, backing far enough away from Laertes so that she could comfortably settle down with the offered kill between her paws, one coral eye locked firmly upon the brute as she ate. She doubted he was any threat to her, not if he’d earned Goliath’s approval, so she allowed herself to partially relax as she tore into the still-warm body of the hare, tossing her words towards him when her mouth was not full. ”What happened?”

TAG: Laertes
WORDS: 511
NOTES: Had so much muse for this that I had to get it up before bed...<3 

[Laertes]

"Messoria." Just as she had repeated his name, he had done the same with hers, over-pronouncing each syllable and holding onto it for longer than necessary, gray-green eyes flashing. "What a beautiful name." His flirtation was detectable, for he did little to disguise his intent from her, but whether or not she allowed herself to reciprocate said intent was hardly important to him. In what little time he had spent with her, he already knew she was a treasure, and surely she'd be a candidate, if not the candidate, for his limitless, most personal affections - if only he had limitless, most personal affections to give. He wanted to reach out to her or, even better, have her reach out to him, but the outcome would be... depressing. There was no better word for it. He could want her for as long as there remained an adequate space between them, and the second that was breached it would be over. Until then, his eyes would continue to sparkle, his mind would continue to spin, because he knew how to play the part of the endearingly infatuated boy all too well. She was pretty, and that was enough for the shallow-minded until it wasn't enough.

Her surprise, no matter how vague, was easy for him to see, especially when he was looking for it. Being a Vanguard was impressive, he knew that; if it wasn't, then he wouldn't get the kind of reaction he was getting from Messoria. It would be ordinary. It would be dismissed just as quickly as it was mentioned. But even if it was impressive, even if he was supposed to be smug about it, no part of him was. He didn't care much for what Goliath thought him capable of. He knew the alpha's type almost as well as he knew his own: he was a weapon to him, someone that could be broken down, bruised, on the verge of death, yet still able to fight if needed to. Weirdly enough, that wasn't a problem for Laertes. He could be Goliath's weapon as long as Goliath could be his ticket to a quickened death.

Speaking of Goliath - she was his Consort, his! The look of unspeakable charm on his face faltered fleetingly. Only in an ideal world would Messoria not already be claimed, and he accepted this fact, albeit begrudgingly. "Goliath's, you say? Makes sense. There's something about that size of his... let me tell you." He was just joking around with her, making light of an otherwise dark, unpleasant realization, but he summoned a passion to his bright eyes that hadn't been there before, meant to make it seem like a part of him could actually be hypnotized by the giant alpha. "Well if you ever tire of him, there's bound to be someone else for you, but you didn't hear that from me." It would be there little secret. He would keep it, and hopefully she would too, otherwise chances were high that he'd have a mammoth or two on his tail.

Finally the question was asked, and his face lit up at the prospect of getting to share the origin of his disturbingly mangled wound with her. Normally he wasn't so keen to make light of his rather... unusual ability, but he liked talking with Messoria. If it would keep her around a while longer, he'd do just about anything. "It involves your partner, actually. I had to prove myself if I wanted to become a member of Kairos. There's enough wolves around here of his size to keep everyone safe and well protected, so someone of my average size wasn't exactly a much needed addition. Naturally I made a deal with the devil that stated I would endure an attack of any kind without so much as flinching." He allowed for a pause, attempting to flick his deformed appendage. "And that's how I lost my ear. It all happened at the jaws of... someone else that was there. Can't seem to recall his name." He smiled, because who in their right mind wouldn't remember the name of the one who took off their ear? "That's how I came to be a Vanguard. What do you say: bravery, or no brains?"

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Word Count: 709
Tag(s): Messoria
OOC: I wrote this from my phone so I hope it's okay!

[Messoria]

There was a moment – just a span of several seconds – where the captivated look upon Laertes’ face faltered, and Messoria did not miss it. Her sharp gaze raked across his visage as he processed this information, awe for the Kairos Emperor flitting across his features. His jesting tone brought a brief smile to her features, for truly Goliath’s size was impressive – in all regards, she thought wryly – but a moment later the smile fell from her muzzle as his next statement reached her auds. Tire of Goliath? Surely he jested, but as Messoria stared even harder at Laertes, trying to detect even a smidgen of a quip, she found none. ”There is no tiring of Goliath,” she informed him firmly, her ears twitching atop her cranium. ”He fathered my first litter this past season, and he will father each one afterwards, until my womb can no longer serve its purpose.”

She was relieved when the subject switched to other matters, momentarily taking her mind off of the Vanguard’s daring remarks as she listened raptly to his tale, intrigued by the task that Goliath had placed upon Laertes. When he’d finished, posing his question, she took a moment, pretending to be pondering the decision with great severity. ”Bravery for the task – I’m assuming you didn’t flinch since you stand before me mostly in one piece. But it suggests a lack of brains because you have not had it taken care of yet. We have quite the capable Priestess, you know,” she informed him, dark brows quirking as she eyed him, remembering Kayi from their initial hunt together, before both of their positions had changed. ”She’s a lovely little thing, too; right up your alley, I’d think.” This was offered with the barest hint of a jest within her tone, although Messoria was confident that one as seemingly perceptive as he would not miss it. A moment later she sobered, the somberness returning to her gaze as her eyes once more returned to his gruesome injury. For him not to have flinched when at the receiving end of such pain…it was unfathomable, and even now he stood before her without a care in the world, as if the injury was no more than a mere scratch. Perhaps it was the bravado that was typically displayed by males, and yet if it had been only a façade, there would have been some indication of pain. A flinch, a twitch, anything. Instead, there was nothing.

Thoroughly perplexed, Messoria continued to pick at the meal he’d delivered her until she was full, somewhere halfway through the rabbit. She straightened and offered the remainder of the kill to him with a bob of her muzzle, taking a moment to lick the blood from her maw and paws before she spoke once more. ”Well, it seems as if you earned your place as Vanguard either way. Surly a wound such as that hurts terribly, though?” She was prying now, and Messoria made no move to hide it. She wished to know how it was that he spent his time attempting to charm her when his ear hung in tatters – or what seemed like it. It was difficult to tell with so much blood matting the fur around the wound.

TAG: Laertes
WORDS: 546
NOTES: Sorry this took me so long! D:

[Laertes]

He seemed to have offended her somehow, and though he had meant well in saying that someone else would be happy to become her mate in Goliath's place, she clearly didn't appreciate it, nor seem to tolerate the idea of it. There was no longer a plausible way to convince himself that he still had a chance. Messoria was firmly fixated on Goliath, and not only were they mates, they were parents. Although his eyes remained undeniably soft as he looked at her, as he dangled off of every word she said, he couldn't be sure that he desired that kind of commitment. He was far from being father material. She already had an entire litter, and she planned to have more every season... she was pretty, that would never change, and he'd never fail to acknowledge that simple truth, but the second she spoke of her young, the second she made her loyalty to Goliath and her relationship to him clear, he had lost his initial interest - that was the simple truth of Laertes.

He snapped out of his spiralling thoughts when Messoria mentioned the talented Priestess, how lovely she was, and suddenly the idea of paying her a visit didn't seem so bad. "I've been instructed to have my ear taken care of. I am not a stranger to its severity, but I'm in no rush to have it looked at." It didn't hurt like it was supposed to. If infection had already set in, he wouldn't be subject to the irritation like others would be. "But if she's as lovely as you say, then perhaps I was wrong to not be in a hurry." He smiled, again making light of an otherwise serious situation - she was likely beginning to notice that he had a tendency to do that. Honestly, making jokes, smiling as he did... it was all an act to cover up his true desire to stay away from the Priestess. He did want to meet her, most definitely, but she would need to touch him in order to look after his ear, and that wasn't something he was looking forward to. He despised being touched, and yet he craved it; not even he could make sense of what he wanted from other wolves. All he knew with complete certainty was that Messoria was a welcome distraction from what he knew he had to do - later.

She was prying now. He knew interest when he saw it, for it was so often smeared across what had once been such a remarkably handsome face before he had offered it up as a means of entertainment for the Emperor and his fascination for Laertes' unusual ability. He didn't know when he had decided that his ability was something to broadcast. He had never been proud of it, he still wasn't; he couldn't even be sure that he wanted to be a Vanguard when all it did was make him stand out. He was reluctant to tell her, she'd be able to see that in the tightening of his lip, the way his grayish-green eyes seemed to fall limp when only moments before they had been so unmistakably bright and full of this life that he lacked, but he had known when she asked that, despite how he felt about it, he wouldn't dare keep it from her. He didn't want to have her in the way he originally envisioned, but that didn't mean he still didn't want her in other, less complicated ways. "I don't even notice it." He exhaled a sharp breath. "I don't feel pain in the same way that you would. It's nothing more than a... dream-like sensation, like the brush of a feather against me, only it draws blood and I can't even tell until someone else brings my attention to it." He didn't look away from her, no matter how much he wanted to; he didn't want her to look at him like suddenly she was in the presence of something far more monstrous than she had formerly believed. "The truth is that Goliath chose my ear - I offered him any part of my body. He could've ordered for my leg to be snapped, my side to be torn open, and it would've been the same for me. Nothing but a feather." This time, when he smiled, it was significantly more sad; even if she saw it, that glimpse of sadness that was oh so fleeting, she'd never understand his true pain, because all of the wishes wasted on being unfeeling to survive the heart ache were just that: wasted. It wasn't what it was cracked up to be.

He didn't know what he waiting for, maybe awe, maybe fright, but he was waiting nonetheless, even when there was someplace else he desperately needed to be. "I don't know what that makes me: maybe an incurable freak of nature. Goliath was fascinated by it, and I'd give it to him if I could, but it's mine to live with." He shrugged, as if that would expel the weight on his shoulders that never leaved - he hated himself most when through the eyes of another he became something instead of someone. "I suppose I'll always be numb." And the truth beneath those words was so much more than the ordinary mind could comprehend, for he was nothing if not that, purely that, and thus the one thing in this world he had to fear was uncovered.

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Word Count: ### (copying and pasting this on my phone is a piece of work)
Tag(s): Messoria
OOC: Still loving this so much. <3 Can probably wrap it up with my next reply after yours unless you want to go longer.

[Messoria]

The admission that the male did not feel pain was startling, to say the least. Messoria did not interrupt him, but she did not bother to hide the rapt way that she hung upon his words. Her ears strained atop her cranium, amber eyes locked firmly upon his gray-green. It was the riveted way that she gazed upon him that showed her the little things; the way the spellbound look in his eyes disappeared, the dulling of his tone, the tightness of his features. Despite having an ability that many – like Goliath, apparently – would see as beneficial, it was clear that he despised it. The way he spoke so emotionlessly concerning which body parts he’d allow to be mangled – any part of my body – made Messoria’s stomach turn and cramp in an unusual display of squeamishness. She could only imagine how it would feel to see a wound that normally would be agonizing and feel…nothing. On he went, calling himself a freak of nature, and Messoria listened until he was silent. It was not a blessing; it was a curse. To not feel pain was to not know limits, and to not know limits when it came to physical injuries could very swiftly cause irreparable damage…or death.

”I will not pretend that I know what it’s like,” she began quietly, her gaze moving to the light ripples upon the water’s surface caused by tiny, silvery minnows. ”I clearly do not. I can offer you no cure, no respite, as much as I would like if I could.” She glanced back to him then, gaze flicking upwards as she considered her next words very carefully. She could not encourage his previous flirtations, and yet it had become clear that he’d gotten the message after she’d informed him of her place in Goliath’s harem, baring him children. ”My experience with motherhood has taught me many things. Each day my young ones grow, and at times they come to me in the late hours of the night with questions and concerns that haunt their youthful minds. They have taught me how to listen. It is all that I can grant you, and yet it is yours should you ever need an ear to divulge your troubles to.” It was an unusual moment of frankness; motherhood had softened her as well, although she would not tell him that. She was different than the haughty, fiery she-wolf who once roamed the continent. She was proud still, vain even, and still had her sharp edges…but she had a place now, a family, and nothing at all to prove.

After a moment she softened, a quiet laugh filling the silence between them. ”I must sound so silly, comforting you as if you were one of my pups. I promise I still have my wits about me - but my offer stands.” She stood, stretching her muscles as she took a single step away from him, casting him an amused glance over her shoulders. ”I must go see what trouble my little ones have gotten into. And you, I believe, have a Priestess to visit.”

TAG: Laertes
WORDS: 517
NOTES: I'm okay with ending it after your next reply <3 eee I really like how this thread has gone though!

[Laertes]

Her expression didn't contort into one of disgust, of concern for not him, but herself, and for that he was visibly relieved. He enjoyed Messoria's company more than he could say, and since further flirtation was off the table, it really was more than he could say. Her surprise was expected, but what he had been expecting even more failed to show on her face for even a second, and that made him realize that he could trust her, he could come to her with anything knowing that she would listen and try to understand.

But of course he wouldn't.

He tried a smile, and though it wasn't quite as brilliantly bright as it had been the first few times, it was better than nothing at all. "I appreciate your offer, Messoria. Thank you for your kindness." She took a step away from him, and though he was sad to see her go, he knew better than to think he could keep her there with him forever. Her puppies would need her undivided attention, and to stay away from them any longer wouldn't be wise. He was momentarily struck by the thought that he wanted to meet them, the little versions of herself - and Goliath, he mused with only mild disappointment - but he wouldn't ask yet. Perhaps the time for that would come later, after he had gotten his ear looked at. It was true that he couldn't avoid the Priestess forever. It was just as true that he was avoiding the issue itself more than he was the healer. He wanted to meet her. In the seconds proceeding their encounter, he was certain he will have forgotten all about his brief infatuation with the claimed Consort.

"Until we meet again." Laertes was just about to turn away before an afterthought occurred to him, causing him to once again turn towards her to as she, shouting into the short distance between them. "Just for the record, I can listen too should you ever need it. You just might want to talk into my good ear." He was being humorous again; a telling sign that despite the thick, invisible cloud of depression that would never leave him, he was returning to the version of himself he liked to be: the version that wasn't outwardly perplexed by his abnormal condition. Allowing himself a final glimpse of the ebony beauty as she retreated, a soft grin stretching across his face, he turned away - it was time to begin his search for the Priestess. He could warmly distract himself no longer.

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Word Count: 458
Tag(s): Messoria
OOC: end thread ~