Spar (Open)

[Hannibal]

The fresh, cool water of the winding tunnel was refreshing on Hannibal's tongue, but not so much on his legs; he had waded in unintentionally when Graham had dashed ahead of him into the structure, apparently intent on exploring it. With a mumbled curse the wolf had followed his painted dog companion, resigning himself to the task of retrieving the small creature before he got himself hurt. Curiosity was typical of the dog, but he would normally stay within sight of his burly friend.

Shaking his thick legs, the male continued through the natural tunnel, taking his time and meandering along the edge of the gentle stream that flowed through. It bubbled quietly beside him, as though it were a soft-spoken friend urging him along. In addition to the encouragement of the water were the excited barks from further ahead, signaling that Graham had found something worth seeing.

Hannibal turned another corner of the seemingly endless tunnel to find that it did, in fact, end, and in a very grand way; the huge cavern that it opened up to was larger than he could have imagined, and not at all what the male had expected. Tall walls and ceilings, covered in a thin layer of liquid that dripped slowly, almost lazily. The rock was rough in some places and smooth in others, though the large floor next to the aquifer was smooth, presumably from countless paws and endless amounts of water passing over it.

Graham was standing at the edge of the pool, his nose nearly pressed into the water as he attempted to look at the bottom. When Hannibal joined him, the dog dipped a foot in a bit, then plunged his leg deeper, curling his paw and pulling it back out again to reveal soot and sediment from the bottom. The wolf laughed at his companion as he scowled and shook his paw out again under the water, pulling away from the pool as if in disgust. "Graham, that's what you get for being nosy," rumbled from the larger creature's throat, remnants of a chuckle in his tone.

With an aggravated bark, Graham leapt forward, then up to nip lightly at Hannibal's fur-lined ear. When Hanni attempted to counter the strike with a playful bite of his own, however, the African wild dog seemed to fly out of reach, yelping even though no contact had been made. His round ears flipped backwards and his tail tucked between his legs, creating a pathetic and sad image. Hannibal frowned, letting his own ears perk forward and his tail wag slightly behind him in a sign of peace. "Graham, come now," he chided, though he made no move to approach his friend. "Calantha was right. How do you expect to protect me if you won't even play?"

Words || 479
Tags || None
Notes || Open thread. (: Apparently 'tis the season.

[Harlot]

The caverns had very swiftly become Harlot’s favorite place to reside. It was beautiful and peaceful, and a welcome respite from the chill of winter that had crept steadily across the land. Even now the slender femme found herself trotting towards it, streaking across Airila’s territory with single-minded purpose. She’d returned from hunting not long before, having managed a decent haul of hares, which she’d left for her pack mates to partake in. Now she was full and content, and as the opening of the cavern came into view, a slight smile began to spread across her muzzle.

She plunged into the depths of it, her paws thumping softly against the rock as she trotted forward, beginning to navigate the winding tunnels. Deeper and deeper she went, anticipating the moment when she would round the final bend and find the vast expanse of the caverns waiting for her…but a moment later she froze in place, ears perking atop her skull as a yelp rang out, echoing from somewhere ahead. It had not sounded entirely familiar to her, as if it were a wolf but…not. Brow furrowing in confusion, Harlot proceeded forward at a slower pace, stepping carefully so as not to alert whoever – or whatever – it was to her presence.

"Graham, come now. Calantha was right. How do you expect to protect me if you won't even play?"

Two then, she thought, pausing just before the turn to consider. Obviously whoever it was belonged to Airila, and so Harlot had nothing to fear. Without further hesitation, the bold she-wolf sashayed around the corner, sapphire orbs immediately moving to find the strangers where they stood. And the first thing she saw was…spots? Briefly Harlot’s mouth turned downwards, her eyes narrowing as if she could not quite believe what she was seeing. Whatever the creature was, it was not one she’d encountered before, and she might have been more alarmed had there not been a wolf standing alongside the round-eared animal, obviously sharing in each other’s company.

The wolf in question was clearly male, the scent drifting across the distance towards Harlot, whose frown immediately turned upwards into a coy half-smirk. He was larger than she was by a noticeable amount, his thick pelt a plethora of varying shades of brown and ebony. It was the pattern upon his face that was particularly stunning, however, and Harlot moved towards him, hips swaying in her wake. She came to a halt a short distance of him, letting her gaze roam slowly across him, before finally settling upon his own yellow orbs.

”Well hello, handsome,” she purred, shameless in her antics. Her gaze slid briefly to the spotted dog, before coming to rest once more upon the brute. ”It’s a shame we haven’t met yet, but I suppose there’s a first time for everything. I’m Harlot.”

TAG: Hannibal
WORDS: 472
NOTES: eheheh

[Hannibal]

While his companion wagged his tail and stared pointedly at him, Graham cowered against a stalagmite, unwilling to move from where he was despite Hannibal's attempt at peace. He was a skittish creature in many situations, including when any sort of fighting was going on, and the poor dog very dramatically expressed his displeasure each time. The wolf always took time to placate him, for Graham was truly his best friend, but it was often a time-consuming process.

This day, however, would not allow for such time--the sound of footfalls caused Hannibal's ears to flip back, and he turned, quickly but not so swiftly that he slipped, to see a dainty female stepping forward, no fear in her stance. Upon her entrance, Graham had moved back to Hannibal's side, the tips of their fur mingling as both males stood still and observed the newcomer. She was small but radiated confidence, very much different from many wolves he had met here, and Hanni took in her details within seconds. Very slowly she did the same to him, taking her time to inspect every inch of him that she could before she made eye contact.

The female's eyes were incredibly blue, darker than the sky and the sea, but that meant little to the wolf. He was more concerned with who she was, which she freely revaled to him. The faint scent of others, familiar to him only because he had been roaming every inch of Airila's territory and had picked up the scents of his fellow pack members along the way. Harlot, as she called herself, did not reek of others, but it was clear to him that she belonged here, and had been around for at least a few days. Therefore, the threat level was low--not gone, but low.

"Nice to meet you, Harlot," he said simply, ignoring the flirtatious way she approached and spoke to him. It seemed to him like an odd way to talk, nothing more, and as he did not understand her intentions, he did not respond to them in particular. "I am Hannibal. This is Graham," he added, tilting his head toward the dog next to him without taking his eyes off the wolf standing before him. Harlot seemed... dangerous, in a way. Perhaps she was all show, but he did not feel entirely comfortable in her presence.

"Is there something I can help you with?" Hanni asked, no smile or friendliness to his tone, though there was not any hostility either. Mistrusting her did not mean he had to behave rudely, after all. However, he did not feel as though it would be appropriate or wise to speak more than necessary; unlike the others he had met in this area, Harlot did not seem like someone he wished to speak at length with.

Words || 483
Tags || Harlot
Notes || Oh Hanni so silly. So suspicious. Also this is short I'm sorry love.< 3

[Harlot]

It became apparent to the she-wolf quite swiftly that the male was not comfortable with her sudden presence, though he was still nothing if not polite. Hannibal, he was called, and his companion had a name too – Graham. She glanced towards the spotted dog, inclining her head in greeting, before her gaze returned to the brown-streaked male who stood before her. He was guarded, seeming to offer no reaction to her flirtatious attempts at flattery. No matter, she thought dismissively. Harlot was not one to be scared away or dissuaded easily – even when his next words made it clear that she was not entirely welcome.

”"Is there something I can help you with?"”

She shrugged, her gaze flitting to the pool of water once more as she paused, before at last offering an answer to his inquiry. ”Not particularly. I come here often, and was looking for a respite from the cold.” Her gaze drifted back to him before she languidly lowered her rump to the ground, making it clear with her actions that she was in no great hurry to leave. She was not sure why he seemed so very uncomfortable with her presence; perhaps he was naturally skittish. It simply did not occur to Harlot that she might have been the sole reason for his hesitation.

”So. Hunter, warrior, or gatherer?” She asked him, her gaze sliding over his form once more. She had not hunted with him as of yet, so she doubted that he held the same rank as her – but then again, Harlot had yet to meet Airila’s other hunters, only catching fleeting glances of the three. Ones position in a pack intrigued her; it told her subtle things about whoever she was speaking to, as well as their kills. ”I hunt,” she told him, lest it seem like she was prying – though really, she was.

A brief silence settled around them, and Harlot made no move to break it for several moments, her tail curling gently around her haunches. It was not often that she encountered one quite as guarded as Hannibal; even Arche had warmed up to her far more swiftly. Still, it was their first meeting. Harlot was determined to earn the strange brute’s favor somehow. It was a challenge on a cold winter day, something to keep her occupied when she could not hunt or sleep.

”Do I make you uncomfortable?” She asked him with a swift tilt of her head, her gaze never leaving his, not wanting to miss any expression that he might reveal.

TAG: Hannibal
WORDS: 430
NOTES: Wow this is terrible I AM SO SORRY

[Hannibal]

Graham's brown eyes were narrowed in suspicion as Harlot talked, the African Wild Dog clearly not enjoying the presence of the she-wolf. He had gotten over his fear of Hannibal's nip and was now seemingly feeling protective, despite the fact that he could in no way protect his companion aside from causing a loud distraction. Even so, he mistrusted this female and made it clear in his stance that he was not her biggest fan. Legs spread slightly, the dog barked once, harshly, and let a low, rumbling growl loose after the ringing of his vocalization had died out. The hair along his shoulders and down his back raised as well, adding to his already-obvious displeasure.

Hannibal neither responded to nor reprimanded the dog for doing so. If Graham was uncomfortable, Hanni would not shush him, for the male was a fairly good judge of character. He would not, however, simply walk away from the female without responding, as it seemed likely that she would simply follow him wherever he chose to go. And even if she did not, he could not pass up on a chance to get to know another member of his pack. Uncomfortable or not, it was important for them to know who it was they were living with. Then she sat, exaggerating the motion as though she were moving at half-speed, which confused Hannibal even more. What in the world was she doing? Confidence was one thing, but this female was displaying another thing entirely, something the male had zero experience with.

Immediately she launched into a conversation, which the masked wolf was familiar with; he didn't understand niceties sometimes, and preferred to simply say whatever it was that needed to be said. Knowing that she was of the same mind eased his own a little, but he did not feel entirely comfortable in her presence still. He chose to let the silence hang for a while--silence interrupted by the soft but constant stream of growling coming from Graham. Just as he was ready to speak, however, she asked another question, this one just as blunt as the first.

"Your actions make me uncomfortable," he replied simply, the tip of his tai twitching once behind him. "A small hunter like yourself is no threat to me. But the way to speak and move is foreign. I do not understand it." Honest as always, the wolf let his words sink in for a moment, then continued. "I am a warrior. Arche deemed me worthy of the task not long ago." He said nothing more, having already revealed perhaps too much; it would have been wise of him to say that he was perfectly comfortable. But Hannibal did not like to lie, and it was clear that Harlot was intuitive and intelligent. There would be no fooling her.

Words || 484
Tags || Harlot
Notes || LOL SHE COULD SHOVE HER ASS IN HIS FACE AND HE WOULD JUST GO ""

[Harlot]

While the stance of the spotted creature – Graham, she reminded herself – had originally gone unnoticed by Harlot, he was no longer able to be ignored as a ringing bark echoed through the cavern, followed by a series of rumbling growls. She paused, glancing towards him, her head cocking to one side. It was quite clear that he did not care for her, something that did not dissuade nor disturb Harlot. He wasn’t the first; she doubted he would be the last. Still, to stay on Hannibal’s good side – though it was questionable if she was anywhere near it, really – Harlot aimed a smile in Graham’s direction. ”Relax,” she told him. ”I have no intentions of harming your friend. Considering his size along with the fact I’m outnumbered, as well as one of his packmates, it would be foolish for me to try.” Her eyes lingered on Graham for a moment longer, simply observing the creature until at last Hannibal’s voice rang out in the cavern.

Her gaze immediately returned to Hannibal then, her smile widening even as his frank words reached her ears. She was no threat to him, he’d said, and he was right; Harlot wished him no harm, as she’d assured Graham. But that part of his statement was already forgotten. ”You don’t understand it,” she repeated, drawing her words out in her attempt to comprehend what Hannibal was saying. Even as he revealed that he was a warrior, Harlot only nodded, still puzzling over his previous remark. She’d thought his wariness was suspicion, as if he thought she might harm him, but now Harlot was realizing that she had been wrong. It was something else entirely, something she hadn’t encountered before. Her attempts at flattery had been thwarted in the past by those committed or prudish, and though she was unsure of both, she did not think either fit the current circumstance.

”Have you never been flirted with?” She asked him, quirking a brow as she considered him, this time with considerably less suggestion in her gaze than before. ”Impossible. You’re attractive, other she-wolves must have noticed it.” And he was, though Harlot wondered if he even knew it. ”So I’m assuming you just…didn’t know.” She was practically talking to herself now, but her coy grin had returned, her blue eyes shining in the dimness of the cavern. At no point had it occurred to Harlot that there might be a reason for Hannibal’s confusion. In her eyes, he was simply naïve, inexperienced in the art of courting and flirtations, which only served to make pursuing him more of a challenge for the fae. He’d piqued her curiosity, and despite the looks that his spotted companion was shooting her, Harlot certainly had no desire to leave now.

”I suppose I must have looked terribly silly if you didn’t even understand I was trying to flirt,” Harlot sniffed, though she was more amused than offended. ”Well. Now you know.”

TAG: Hannibal
WORDS: 500
NOTES: LOL she's so baffled by him

[Hannibal]

Though he did not seem to speak any words, Graham did understand them, and the way that Harlot ordered him to relax did nothing to calm the suspicion and anger that coursed through the small dog. His appearance changed little, except that perhaps his stiffened legs loosened up purely for his own comfort. Plastered on his face was an ugly, angry look, and it likely would stay there for the duration of her visit. Comfortingly, Hannibal bumped his shoulder against the much smaller form of the dog, though he knew it would do little; when Graham got it in his head that one was not to be trusted, he clung to the idea as tightly as he could. Besides, Hanni did not mind a little ferocity from the tiny beast, for perhaps it would allow him to transition into actual fighting.

"Graham does not trust you, and he likely never will regardless of what colorful words you throw at him," Hannibal said bluntly, though he knew she would then just ignore the creature--which was stupid as well, but perhaps less fruitless. "Best to leave him to his anger." As they spent more time in the small cavern, Harlot's nature seemed to change, and she became edgier, less smooth and collected, though the calmness she exuded did not go away. She simply was changing tactics, as whatever her previous ones were--flirting, did she say?--were not effective upon him. Harlot had a curious way of speaking, giving him superficial compliments as though things of that nature mattered to others. Did she-wolves garner enjoyment from looking upon his face?

"I very much doubt that my appearance has ever influenced the actions of another beyond causing them to attack, or not," he said blankly, starting to understand but still feeling entirely uncomfortable about the whole situation. It would appear that this female was attempting to get something from him, or out of him, but what did he even have to offer her? Harlot was a stranger, one who was not even attempting to get to know him. She was simply spewing out words that meant nothing to him, and seemed content with it. Other wolves he had met in Airila were open to conversation and banter, but this was something else entirely.

Hannibal did not care for the exchange, strange as it was, but he had intended to explore this cavern today, and he would not allow her to force him to leave, whether or not that was her intention. It did not seem so, but he was not so great with social graces, and clearly she was another story entirely. "You look like a wolf who is trying to get something, and doing it poorly," the male added after she had finished speaking, no cutting tone in his voice despite the harshness of the words. "If there is something you need, or want, be out with it. Otherwise, I will be continuing to familiarize myself with these lands--preferably in silence."

At his words, Graham snorted in agreement and all at once lowered the fur along his back, satisfied that the exchange was nearly over. Still he glared darkly at Harlot, but the result was much less impressive--and nearly comical--without the rest of him looking aggressive as well. He belatedly pushed his own shoulder into Hannibal's leg as reciprocation for the wolf attempting to comfort him, but he would not shift his intense brown eyes until he was sure the danger was gone. Harlot was not like the nice, sweet, gentle females he had met so far, but slick and sneaky, as well as bold. It was foolish and abrasive to the painted dog, and he desired nothing more than to be rid of her.

Words || 640
Tags || Harlot
Notes || It doesn't have to end if you wanna keep going, Graham is just being a turd.

[Harlot]

It was becoming swiftly apparently with each word that Hannibal spoke that he was not fond of her company, much like his companion. In a way, it was surprising – not because Harlot had never encountered dislike before, for she had, but rather because she had not expected to find herself on the sour side of one of her packmates so soon. Likewise, it was difficult for her to understand why Hannibal seemed so very wary of her attention.

”Flirting is harmless. It’s meant to be fun,” she said wryly, brows quirking as her gaze slid across him once more. ”Though I’m beginning to think that 'fun' is something you don’t quite grasp, either.” Any enjoyment she’d sought from what was meant to be a light-hearted attempt at coquettishness was quickly fading, and her irritation was rising. The pair she’d stumbled upon were clearly no-nonsense, and Harlot had learned long ago that when her patience began to wane, it was best that she be on her way.

"You look like a wolf who is trying to get something, and doing it poorly."

At this, she laughed. ”If I wanted something from you,” she said boldly, voice low, ”I would have it. I sought nothing more than companionship from my pack mates – something that I thought was normal and expected when living in groups – and yet clearly that will not be the case.” Without another word she turned, not bothering to glance back as she sauntered towards the winding tunnels that would lead her back the way she had come. She would find someone else who would enjoy her presence, instead of so adamantly declining it.

”I’m sure we’ll meet again, Hannibal.” There was no hidden meaning to her words, no threat or promise. It was simply a truth that Harlot was aware of, for even if he did not care for her, he would see her time and time again for as long as they both remained in Airila. Tail swishing, she swept from the caverns without so much as a second thought, on to better things.

TAG: Hannibal
WORDS: 345
NOTES: Harlot is such a prickly bitch LOL but I figured we could end it here, hence the shortness D; Didn't think it was like her to stick around when she knew she wasn't wanted!