//into the nether [open]

[Ares]

The feel of sand beneath his paws reminded Ares of the first day he’d washed ashore. It was refreshing, in a way, to return to the very place where he’d met the Emperor and been offered a place in Kairos. While he’d called Ina’mos his home for some time now, he had yet to return to the sandy shores; most of the young Vanguard’s time was spent patrolling out of sheer boredom, hunting, or sizing up the many gorgeous she-wolves that Kairos had to offer. While he had yet to approach any of the elusive, beautiful femmes that were sometimes glimpsed between the trees, he had not forgotten about them; flirtation, Ares had always said, was an art. Any bumbling brute could waltz up to a she-wolf and proclaim his undying love to her, but Ares…from the time he’d reached sexual maturity, he’d found that there was more to it. It was the chase that he craved, the challenge, and yet the young brute did not think it was wise to break hearts and shatter dreams so very soon after he’d been accepted into Kairos. And so it was that he reined himself in, determined to fit in…and to make a name for himself, eventually.

As it was the brute slipped down towards the shore, paws leaving deep prints in the sand as the light glinted off of his auburn-hued pelt, the very tips seeming to shine almost gold in the light of the sunset. Likewise the ocean seemed illuminated, the golden tops of the waves shining like a beacon as Ares approached. The Dire brute stopped just short of the shoreline, his head tilting as he listened to the gentle sound of the waves. This, he’d come to realize, was the sound of home.

For some time he stood there, simply staring out across the expanse of water that stretched before him. It had taken him time to become accustomed to Ina’mos and its traditions, but Ares had found that he was fitting in quite nicely. It was a land of giants, much like he himself was; he’d always been excessively large for his breed, towering above even his own father, and the memory of this made him smile, elongated canines poking out from between his lips. It was a strange situation that he’d found himself in, submitting to the rule of an Emperor and pledging his loyaly…but Ares did not regret a single day of it.

NOTES: Open to all. Just needed to get something going with Ares. 
WORDS: 408

[Inara]

Inara found herself on Ina’mos once again. It felt odd to come back after having been here so recently. But then, perhaps it had not been as recent as she remembered. Kairos now had another territory, as had been the topic of conversation when she had last visited Ina’mos. It was energizing that she had been able to participate. It had been a nice break from the monotony that was sometimes life.

Inara waded along the water line, for now tired of swimming, but enjoying the sound and feel of the water. Her muscles felt tired in a good way, and she felt strangely energized from the swim over. Why she had swum over, she was not sure. But the small she-wolf enjoyed the island. It seemed quieter than the rest of Anikira, less busy, peaceful almost. She breathed in the air, the familiar salty taste of the ocean spray in the air in her nostrils and maw.

Water had never been her favorite, however. It was too cold, and she disliked the way her paws sank in the wet earth under the water, so after a little while, the fae walked away from the shoreline, shaking her pelt as the ground beneath her feet grew more solid with each step. That was until she saw the Kairos giant not too far ahead of her on the horizon, standing on the shore.

Squaring her shoulders in an attempt to look somewhat taller, the she-wolf confidently padded over to where he stood, wondering what he was doing on the island. As she approached, she wondered about his lineage, however. While quite large, like the descendants of the Kairos giants and the giants themselves, of course, this wolf did not have quite the same build. And Kairos was large enough as a pack that Inara did not know all its members. It would be better to question and find out than assume.

“Hello,” she began a conversation as she approached. There was no need to ask about whether he was from Kairos or not. His scent was distinctly that of a Kairos wolf. “Who are you?”

The small fae was aware it was a brusque way to start a conversation at best, offensive at worst, but she had nothing else to say for the moment and did not usually needlessly fill silence with unnecessary speech. It would be up to him to set the tone for the conversation.

Words: 412
Muse: decent
Tags: Ares
Notes: Finally got this up for you!

[Neviah]

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Though it likely would have been best to head in to the pack's dens in an attempt to acclimate herself to the wolves, Neviah instead found herself drawn back out toward the coast. The last time she had been here, young Kegan had kept her company. Somehow, she hoped the young wolf would still be lingering at the beach; he was at least a familiar face. But it seemed the brute had moved on, and so would she. The dire femme's paws carried her along the sand, the feel of the damp granules squishing between her toes. Something about the beach calmed her. Though the sea had nearly taken her life, the gentle sounds of the waves reminded her that she was still here. She had survived the horror that was her swim to Ina'mos, and as a reward, the Gods had deemed her worthy of life in Kairos. An uncharacteristically light smile graced the femme's lips as she walked, simply enjoying the freedom the ocean and the sands afforded her.

But much like her previous excursions, she could not wander far without encountering others. Had she not been so uncomfortable in the presence of others, she might have simply internalized her amusement. But no such luck for Neviah. A deep, throaty laugh erupted from the dire femme's muzzle as she took in the sight of the midget and the beast. Though she was very much aware that many large wolves dwelled in Kairos, no one had let her know that tiny ones were around as well. The little femme could be lost in the meat of her hind leg! Neviah's eyes twinkled with amusement at the thought as she strolled up to the pair. "Hello," she greeted them as calmly as her beating heart allowed her. "I am Neviah. And you are?"

If there was no awkwardness, Neviah might have been a picturesque wolf. But instead, she found herself fidgeting constantly; until she was familiar with the pair, she almost certainly would not remain still. Her flight instincts were in full effect around these wolves. Though she had not expected to find another of her kind here, it was strange to see they were not as sparse as she had thought. The dires were a dying breed, and yet right in front of her stood an absolute wall of dire male. Had she not already been so drawn in by Isaiah, she might have found him appealing. There was something about him that just exuded power, and it was a bit disconcerting to Neviah. What had she gotten herself into?

And yet to her other side, there was the tiny wolf. Neviah was shocked that wolves that small even existed. How did she hunt? How did she even take care of herself? Neviah's bright teal eyes stared down at the femme in wonder, contemplating what world she found herself in. The wolves of Tas'alea, apart from the rumored honshu wolves, were beasts in their own right. Clearly, she was not as versed in this world as she first thought.

---

Tags: Ares & Inara
Notes: Hope you don't mind I just threw her in XD

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[Ares]

For some time the Vanguard stood in place, simply gazing at the pattern the waves cut through the sea, watching as they washed up upon the shore only to recede moments later. Somewhere far in the distance the cry of gulls was audible, and Ares was just contemplating trying his paws at fishing when suddenly a voice to his left made him turn his head sharply, fiery amber orbs falling upon…nothing? Frowning, he shifted his gaze downwards, where at last he was greeted by the sight of the smallest wolf he had ever laid eyes upon, gazing up at him with pale blue eyes. For a moment he simply blinked at her, stunned by her tiny figure, which made him feel absolutely massive in comparison. And then suddenly she was speaking again, her question abrupt, but instead of taking offense, Ares found himself laughing.

”Typically it is polite to offer your name first, before asking someone else’s” he rumbled, though his voice was light and laced with humor as he looked at her. ”Especially for one so very small. I’d imagine it’s like a mouse waltzing up to a hawk and demanding to know their calling. Very alarming.” He flashed a swift grin at her, noting immediately that while she may have been a dwarf, she was quite the attractive dwarf.

”As for me – “ he began, deciding to stop teasing her and answer her question at last, but before he could finish the form of another creature approaching drew his gaze. Another female, it seemed, though this one was far larger than the first, nearing matching Ares in height. And immediately he knew that she was of the same breed as he, the only other purebred Dire that he had encountered since departing from his family. He had not expected it, though he was swift to recover from his surprise as she, too, asked for his name.

”See?” He said as he glanced towards the small female, his smile wide and devious. ”She knew to give her own name first. I was beginning to think the Kairos females were barbarians.” Considering that he looked far more barbaric than the both of them, Ares was greatly amused by the idea. ”But, as I was just telling Small-Nameless-One here, I am Ares. Vanguard. It is a pleasure to meet you, Neviah, and you as well, tiny one.”

NOTES: Cracking myself up over here xD
TAG: Inara + Neviah
WORDS: 396

[Inara]

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Inara was not at all sure how she was expected to respond to this male. He was unlike any she had ever met. He seemed to be amused by something about her confrontation. Though Inara did not think she could begin to imagine what about it was humorous, he seemed to go on as though the entire situation was laughable. The small female glared at him at the mention of her size. Sometimes she wondered if that was honestly all anyone in Kairos noticed about her. Perhaps she had chosen the wrong pack if she was to be scorned constantly because she was not one of the giants.

Just as the tiny fae was opening her maw to make a defense for herself, the male’s pause and glance over her shoulder told her another wolf was approaching. No need for alarm, Inara calmed herself and took a deep breath as unnoticeably as possible.

Completely ignoring the arrival of the other female, the mildly irate Iranian wolf responded in a snappish and frustrated tone, “It wasn’t meant to be rude. But if you have to make fun of something, go ahead. I don’t think it’s unreasonable to ask for a name.” Undecided on whether to continue holding onto the frustration or have a bit of playful fun with him, her next sentence was a mix between the two. “But if you really just have to know, the name’s Inara.” She grinned at him with as much charm as she could muster as if to say, See? I’m innocent. I don’t know what your problem is.

Then remembering the arrival of the other wolf, Inara turned her head to look at the other, almost equally as large wolf. Was she destined to always be the smallest and feel a strain in her neck from looking up no matter what? It did certainly appear that way. “Hello, Neviah. I’m Inara, as I had just said…”

Ares’ overdone niceties towards the other wolf after how shamelessly he had mocked her began to grate on Inara. Well fine, if he wanted to pick on her for the whole conversation, two could play at that game. Ignoring his final jab at her size and “name-less-ness,” Inara tried to make conversation with the larger she-wolf. “It’s lovely to meet you. What are you doing on Ina’mos?”

Words: 404
Muse: good!
Tags: Ares, Neviah
Note: Well, this could be fun. :]

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[Neviah]

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Although Neviah found herself feeling like the third party to a joke, she quickly smirked in Ares' direction. His quip at the small wolf, now introduced as Inara, was both amusing and completely up to speed with her own sense of humor. "It depends how interesting the hawk looks. I might be tempted to do that if the opportunity arises," the dire femme laughed quietly. The visual was more than a little funny to her, but she dared not embarrass herself by bursting out with laughter. It was interesting to meet another of her kind, and even more so to see that tiny wolves roamed the continent as well. "Nice to meet you, Inara," she grinned, flashing her dangerously long front canines with pleasure. Most wolves unfamiliar with a dire would be quite intimidated by them, but it seemed Inara was more than capable of taking care of herself. After all, she was the one who marched up to the massive male and started a conversation. Surely she could handle a bit of ribbing.

"So Ares. I was starting to think there were none of us left," Neviah chortled with a smirk. "Guess I don't get to feel like so much of a shiny toy now. I am wounded." At Inara's inquiry as to her reasons here, she cast a wayward glance to the femme before facing her once more. The term "face" was used quite lightly here, as the femme dipped her neck in an attempt not to scream over the femme's face. "I am here for many of the reasons as the others. The food is great, and there are some pretty boys running around that I love to see," she snarked, her teal eyes glimmering with mischief. Though she was usually quick to scream her affection for Isaiah from the highest peaks, there was more entertainment factor in making herself sound like a male hunter. She could easily pick up many of the males she had encountered over time, but most of them simply did not pique her interest. She was only ensnared by her oaf of a male, but that bond was for life. Neviah would not allow him to walk away now; he was her's.

"I think I am a huntress or something like that?" Neviah muttered with a scrunched face. "Though to be frank, no one has really told me what I am supposed to do yet. I just kind of linger." Word had it that the new Emperor was even younger than her, and the idea of following a child did not appeal to her in the same way that following her mate's brother did. The brute must have been something special to take the helm of such a large pack at a young age. It would be interesting to see what young Typhon would have for her to do, or to see if Isaiah still had any power around here. If not, she was not certain what would become of her. She was fairly certain her relationship with Isaiah would keep her from getting in some trouble, but what if that was taken away?

Neviah's thoughts were briefly interrupted by Inara's sweet, calm voice. The little one seemed so... prim and proper. It was a bit disconcerting for Neviah, as she may have had the pretty face, but her mouth and attitude certainly did not match the outer package. It would be unlikely that she would make lots of friends, but if anyone managed to be as pleasant to speak with as Roka, she would dare to make a few enemies to pick up some good friends.

---

Tags: Ares & Inara
Notes: Meep. Neviah's kind of rough around the edges XD

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[Ares]

The look upon the small fae’s face as Ares poked fun at her did not go unnoticed by the gargantuan brute, who grinned, flashing a view of elongated canines. Her name was Inara, he learned, and it seemed as if she had more than enough fire inside of her to make up for her small stature, a tiny bundle of cool elegance wrapped into one mottled form. He could not help but tease her when she turned those glacial eyes upon him, and though she ignored him in favor of speaking to Neviah, Ares thought that perhaps he’d caught a glimpse of mischief in her pale blue gaze.

Neviah’s following comment drew his attention, his head lifting as he glanced at her; unlike Inara, he did not have to tilt his muzzle downwards to speak to her, for she almost rivaled him in size. Laughing, he shook his head just slightly, his expression twisted into one of mock-regret. ”I’m afraid you’ll have to come to terms with the fact that you’re not the only fiercely fanged beast upon the island anymore. But don’t worry, you still have me beat when it comes to looks. Barely.” His tone was light and joking, for it was quite obvious that Neviah was beautiful – her ivory pelt was almost angelic, her eyes vivid and bright, outshining even his own rich auburn pelt and matching orbs. But once more he found his gaze drawn to Inara, the curiosity in his eyes evident. Somehow he’d found himself in the company of two lovely she-wolves, as different as night and day, but entertaining nonetheless. Perhaps the day would be interesting after all.

Neviah revealed that she was a huntress, though her admittance that she did little more than linger drew a chuckle from Ares. ”I’ve found that I’ve had an abundance of time to myself lately,” he agreed, glancing towards the ocean briefly. Sooner or later he would be able to put his bulk and ferocity to use; for now he supposed he should be content with training, lounging, and generally pestering whoever he happened to find upon the island.

And speaking of pestering…he returned his gaze to Inara, tilting his head to one side. He was tempted to continue teasing her simply to see how much of a rise he could get out of the prim, polished femme, but for now, he would play nice. ”And what is it that you do?” He asked. For some reason he did not see her fitting into the role of huntress, such as Neviah did. One could only wonder.

NOTES: c:
TAG: Inara + Neviah
WORDS: 430

[Inara]

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[attr="class","pltxt"] Inara was not sure why, but she felt outraged at the way Ares so confidently flirted with both of the she-wolves. Did he have no shame? Although Inara did have to admit that the other she-wolf was pretty. As she pointed out that she was no longer the only one, Inara began to notice traits they shared indicative of a common breed. They would be a well-suited pair if they ever became more than acquaintances, being similar in their size and build and both… decently attractive wolves, Inara had to admit.

She would have hoped, however, that Neviah would have at least taken her side. Perhaps picking on the small wolf was just too irresistible. Inara could not say she found it particularly amusing, however. But her stubborn pride would not let her back down. She would continue to snub Ares for his unappreciated jabs by being exceptionally nice to Neviah. And so, she let out a chuckle of sorts in response to her comments.

I’ve found that I’ve had an abundance of time to myself lately.

Under her breath, barely audible, and yet strategically just loud enough for Ares to hear if he were listening, Inara muttered, “No, really? I’m shocked.” in the most sarcastic tone she could manage.

I think I am a huntress or something like that?

“And you’re ok with not knowing your role?” It was not asked to be rude, simply a question that carried a bit of disbelief with it. All her life, Inara had tried to prove herself and be the best she could at whatever was given her, along with striving to be given more responsibility. She did not understand how some wolves could be content not doing that.

Ignoring Ares while answering his question, she kept her body angled towards Neviah, as if it were only the two of them conversing. “I’m the Emissary. I keep up with the goings on between packs in relation to Kairos and sometimes act as a recruiter.” Maybe some day she would realize how silly she sounded when her pride forced her to stubbornly play childish games, such as pretending Ares did not exist, but he had picked on her size, and it was something she did not like very much at all. Why could no one in Kairos focus on skill and competence rather than size?

Words: 405
Muse: meh
Tags: Neviah, Ares
Notes: So sorry! I didn’t know it was my turn! </3

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