A Midnight Visit [Open]

[Deleted]

Yet again it was the time for the sun to rest, it gradually waved goodbye to the earth as its counterpart rose to observe the night's creatures. The air became significantly cooler now and the shiver of a breeze that whispered across the sandy beach did the opposite of helping. However, the chills would not keep this creature of the night from traveling beneath the stars tonight. A petite silhouette was crossing the land, her shoulders and legs showing that despite being of tiny stature she had power behind her. Muscles were rippling from beneath her skin, as if it was an intentional action; perhaps like the creature was trying to make herself seem stronger and larger to any that would perhaps oppose her. Alas! Though she may try, it would never be possible to hide the small limp that corrupted her otherwise smooth gait. Upon reaching the point where high tide ended and the dry sand began the femme reclined upon her haunches and stared blindly with those vibrant yellow eyes out towards the water. A quiet sigh escaped from behind her lips, and she began to lose herself in thoughts.

The wind whispered into her fur, making the black and gray hues dance around her slender build. Yet, the female didn't even notice. In her mind the final fight scene that slaughtered her family was replaying once again, tormenting her young soul. Her head cocked to one side, and those yellow eyes glassed over with pain, agony and memories. 'So much for your planning being successful....' her own thoughts were taunting her, showing her what a fool she had been. 'At least things will be different now, I can show them. I'll show them who is going to be the last one standing, oh wait I already am.' A sly grin crossed her face and she gave her tail a few brisk flickers, the only movement that she seemed to have controlled since her first approach to the water.

This femme spent most of her time alone, on occasion it bothered her. Sometimes gave her the feeling as if she did not have a purpose; yet, she would persistently remind herself that being alone would be better for her in the end. At the end of the day no one would be able to burden her if she was alone. This female had aspirations and dreams, and a rather logical way to go about achieving them; however, in recent days she had found that something was stalling these plans she had. A mental block of sorts was creating such a horrid chaos within her crania that she knew not what to do about it. Now, she spent most of her time trying to distract herself rather than trying to construct her aspirations. Truth be told, Vega had not a single creature to go to, even if she so badly needed someone. This female had to fend for herself always. She hunted for her own survival, fought for her own survival, and betrayed others just to make it through another day. Without the ability to defend herself she surely would have been picked off long ago.

Feeling more playful than usual she rolled over onto her back in the sand and gave her legs a few kicks into the air, tale wagging and yellow optics seeming slightly less hazy at this point. 'There is no reason for you to be this excited, bitch,' her thoughts rang out between her ears, 'What will this ever accomplish you? Since when did you being so foolish ever accomplish anything?' Her brain began to thunder with lightning bolts of pain as she began to have that inner argument between her personalities. The one clearly expressing that it would be wise for her to remain stiff and stoic, the other exclaiming that she should do what she pleased. After a moment longer of laying on her back she did come to the conclusion to remain in a seated position, flashing her underbelly would most surely only make her look like a fun target. And Vega refused to be a target for anyone.

Glancing around a few more times she realized she was alone, and her head sank lower between her shoulders. Although she roamed the unclaimable lands the female believed that perhaps she would see another wolf once in awhile. That seemed to prove rather false for her by this point though, but the girl could hope...

[Deleted]

It had been several days since Hadrian had joined the safety of Amar and gotten acquainted with his new home. The Oriens were nice, relatively peaceful aside from a few odd claims that were in the process of being sorted out. It wouldn't be long before his home began to feel like home. That feeling in itself was rather comforting. It had been too long since he'd had a home, a family. To think that he had one now... These wolves may not have been of his blood but he would not find a better pack. Of that much he had become certain.

And his certainty is what drove him. Being in a pack meant pulling his own weight and proving that he belonged there. As a shaman, a doctor, his responsibilities were great. It seemed the pack was with little knowledge of plant life and herbs and if he wanted to ensure their health during winter he would need to do some gathering. Much of his free time had been spent collecting whatever he could get his paws on. Within their dens he had built up quite a little storehouse. Unfortunately, the Oriens only had so many plants to offer.

Thus, the Mexican male had found himself at the edge of the territory. Sending out a curt howl, he informed his comrades that his absence would be temporary and that he would be back by nightfall. At least, that was his plans. While the mountains were not easy to cross, they did back up to the free lands. His exploration would serve him two purposes. First, Hadrian would be able to gather the useful plants of I'queyer to add to his collection. Secondly, he would be marking paths in and out of the territory and hopefully come across one that was secluded but easy to travel.

For the most part his trip had been eventful. He had gathered seed pods of the Ika Pija, known to be rich in vitamins, and dug up a small supply of ginger root. With a bit of ingenuity he'd managed to gather it all comfortably in his mouth and come sunset it was time to head back. All in all, Hadrian was pleased with his day's work. He'd even thought he had found a decent trail to use, and since night was only just starting to fall he had decided to take the beach route back.

Endyt's shores had always been rather soothing to the Mexican male. They had delivered him unto these lands and, in a sense, erased his past. Anikira had been his fresh start, a chance to atone for the life he'd once lived. The sea was a constant reminder of that. It had been his saving grace, in a sense. Hadrian was grateful. And as he strolled along the shore, paws made soggy by the incoming surf, he couldn't help feeling a sense of peace.

At least, he did until the subtle hints of another wolf caught his senses. With his poor ear towards the waves, he had a slightly easier time keeping track of what was going on on land but the hearing deficit was still a disadvantage. The herbs in his mouth were blocking his sense of smell as well and thus it was vision that first alerted him to another's presence. There upon the shore sat an ebony colored female, pretty enough in her own right. More noticeable, however, was the air of loneliness that seemed to hang about her. Backing his ears a bit, Hadrian approached her with caution, keeping safe distance between them and respectfully bowing his head in greeting. His words were slightly distorted since his mouth was still full of plants. "Forgive me, miss. I hope I am not intruding."

[Deleted]

Lost once again in her own thoughts, Vega hardly even noticed the other canine that had approached the beach. 'But then again it was your fault you know...' her eyes began to roll slightly in her skull, 'I had rather good intentions.' Her thoughts were slowly consuming her skull, suddenly a noise caught her auds. Perking her ears a bit she whipped her cranium around just before the words of the brute could be heard. She tried to hide the look of surprise from her features, but she was fairly certain that the brute would easily be able to see that she had definitely expected to be alone. She lifted her head up and held her stature rather firm. Showing submission was not one of her strong points, even when it would be greatly beneficial for her to do so. The female was taken so off guard by the other creature that her normally quick tongue had a tinge of lag to it.

Her golden yellow optics flickered around the scenery quickly, she was worried that where there was one wolf there would be many. It was strange how almost instantaneously she had decided that another creature wandering into this land was not quite what she wanted. 'What if there are more? What if they are going to ambush me, trying and eat out my brains...' Her startled attitude was bringing up anxiety like she had never imagined experiencing upon meeting a new brute. A shiver crept up her spine and she prepared herself to speak. "This land is not mine," her voice was slightly quiet but still had an air of strength behind it to back up the knowledge that she would never be considered underneath someone. "Alas, no, you are not intruding in the slightest." Her voice rang out a bit stronger this time, and she backed up her words with quite a flash of a smile.

Her tail flicked behind her rapidly and she gracefully began approaching the brute in front of her. Her paws whispered against the sand beneath them, all seemed almost too still for Vega. Something within her began to grow, that feeling of distrust. Something felt wrong to her, why would this brute be speaking to her? Most commonly it seemed that other animals would avoid her at all cost, or maybe it was subconsciously herself who avoided the other wolves. Sometimes the female would confuse herself as to if she was completely insane or just more paranoid than anything. Vega really was a complex creation within her mind. She could be herself at times and completely alone; yet, on other occasions she could be a whole pack and hardly herself. With a small grin upon her maw she glanced at the brute in front of her. A swift inhale told her that perhaps he was part of a pack, either that or he had been around others somewhat recently. 'I told you that he was going to attempt to trap you, so foolish... so foolish,' concentration was lost by her own thoughts. She shook her head and instantly averted her yellow eyes away from him. Eye contact would never be one of the female's stronger points.

"What brings you out this way?" she crooned to him, "You have others do you not?" A shiver slunk up her spine as she spoke yet again to the brute. With the second comment her head dipped low between her shoulders and her tail dropped between her hind legs. The thought crossed her mind for only a moment of declaring her name, but she had been a tramp of these lands for quite some time and the last thing she needed was for a brute to get his pack or family to hunt her down. Vega had not always been known for being the most polite and respectful of all femmes. A slight gasp escaped her maw and this time her shiver was significantly more noticeable than before. "Sorry," she murmured and all of her confidence seemed to temporarily drain from her figure. Carefully she stepped a bit to the side of him, preparing herself mentally in the event that an attack needed to be made.

[Deleted]

It seemed that he had startled the female. That had not been his intention. Hadrian didn't go out of his way to hide his approach, nor was he anything short of polite. Silently he watched her behavior, examining. The female seemed almost paranoid in the way she looked around, the fear betraying the sense of pride with which she had sat up. Hadrian himself kept his posture relatively neutral, stance guarded but not uninviting. His tail hung low and his eyes held no disrespect as he watched her, wondering what it was that ran through her mind.

"I'queyer has always been a safe haven for loners." His shoulders rolled slightly, a mixture between a shrug and a stretch. He had not assumed the lands were her's. But strangers were not meant to be immediately trusted and some wolves could be picky about their temporary homes. Even with five feet between them he could have been standing a little too close. Loners were unpredictable creatures and, up until a few weeks ago, he had still been one himself. Perhaps the lifestyle was hard to shake.

Nodding his head, Hadrian returned the female's smile with a friendly one of his own. He was a good natured male, easy going unless given good reason not to be. A rational creature, he was stoic in the face of adversity. The stranger would not be able to see the cautious way in which his muscles tensed, defensive, wary of her nearing paw steps. There were subtle signs, his stance square and the way he tended to flick his ears (especially his left one). Beyond that, however, the Mexican male was a pillar of ease. The uneasiness did not show in his eyes nor did he back down. Hadrian was the type to stand his ground.

The female, on the other hand, seemed different. Whatever courage she'd had to move forward had suddenly waned. Now she was on the retreat. Taking several steps away from the water, he set down his bundel of herbs as he regarded her. It was almost as if she were a shrinking violet, blooming one moment only to retreat within the depths of her own mind. His head tilted to one side, curious as to her apology. Did the idea of a pack wolf bother her that much? "It's alright, Miss. Until recently I roamed these lands freely myself. There are plants here that are useful, and now that Autumn is upon us they won't last for much longer. It's also," he hesitated, gaze turning towards the sea almost longingly. But that life was behind him now, torn apart in a bloody battle. "Sometimes it's nice to reminisce."

[Deleted]

She observed the stance that the brute held, neutral and natural along with that. He seemed fairly comfortable around her, not excessively dominant and by no means was he showing her an ounce of fear. The femme respected the brute for this, it was indeed impressive as most seemed to be rather guarded when she encountered them for the first time. The femme thought of turning her gaze towards him for longer, to take in and admire his features; however, she was not willing to risk the potential eye contact. They were the portals deep within her soul, they showed her insanity so she believed. The femme was not keen on letting others know that she was one and many entangled together into one body. Patiently she listened as he spoke, 'I'queyer, so that is what this land is called,' the femme had been wandering these lands for the entirety of her life yet had never managed, nor cared, to learn their technical names. Maybe now was a good time for change.

"I don't see many loners wander through here anymore," she spoke quietly. Her tone was not necessarily submissive but not gruff, somehow the female managed to inject a slightly innocent undertone to her statement. The voice that emitted her maw startled her slightly, it sounded much to feminine and normal to have belonged to her. 'You're mixing us together again, you know we like to be individuals,' a partial giggle escaped her mouth as the voices began their discussion again, luckily Vega emitted a quiet, body-shaking hiccup almost as soon as the giggle began. 'Good cover ma'am,' however, the femme was quite embarrassed. Vega never wanted to be viewed as crazy and under everyone else, she needed to come out on top. Whatever the circumstance may be the femme thoroughly believed that she would be the best one day. When all the rain stopped falling and the world began to crack open, the only one standing would be her. Well, the thought sounded good at least.

Her auds flicked slightly as the femme took in the brute's speech, "It's true though, the land will be changing once again." Upon speaking Vega realized quickly that thus far she had not found or made a place to shelter her from the elements that winter brought. Typically during the warmer seasons the femme would sleep in random spots, wherever she happened to be; however, when the winter months were upon her, she liked having a permanent place to stay. It gave her security, made her feel like she was not going to die completely alone and be buried in snow. 'At least now we have direction - we already knew what we were searching for, no we have a plan now,' the searing in her skull came back in a sudden flood and the femme nearly collapsed to the ground in her attempt to ignore the screaming from within. Her paws dug deep into the sand and her gaze averted toward the sky for a few moments before the femme could bring herself to breathe or speak again.

"On occasion I do attempt to think fondly of the past, sometimes that is difficult to do though," the words were expelled quickly from her lungs. A brief cough swept over her frame for a moment, Vega attempted to brush it off and make it look like nothing though. It made her rather paranoid to cough and hiccup in front of a stranger, there was no logical reason as to why, but Vega was unable to shake the feeling. Perhaps being alone for so long was finally beginning to break her down, indeed this brute was the first wolf she had encountered in nearly two months. At least the femme gathered it had been about that long. The seasons and months seemed to bleed together now, and the femme was becoming less able to detect day from night. On most days she was unsure if she was living or dying.

[Deleted]

When one held his background it was easy to be guarded without expressly showing it. Fear was weakness. If an opponent caught even a faint hint of it, that could mean sudden death. And why show fear of a threat unknown? That decision would be irrational, like being afraid of a tiny mouse or the way the wind blows the grasses. With only subtleties to go on, he would not waste a disadvantage on what could quite possibly be no threat. Was he underestimating this female? Not quite. Should she prove to be dangerous he was more than ready for an attack. However, as of now the conversation remained civil.

Hadrian's head nodded slightly, eyes sweeping the area for any other signs of life before resting upon the stranger again. It was true that loners seemed to be scarce as of late. Many had begun to settle down in packs. With the seasons changing, survival was becoming more pertinent. Surviving the winter alone was difficult. Many would be seeking families and shelter, someplace to keep them safe. Her own comment on the seasons was proof enough, though the sound that had broken between her statements was unusual. Ever the doctor, even the health of a stranger could easily become his concern. "Are you alright, Miss? The kelp should help you with that cough."

His sleek nose turned in the direction of the waves, hoping she would follow his gaze as he pointed out the stringy clumps of green. The only reason he had not added some kelp to his current collection of herbs was because it did not keep very well. It was a decent anti-inflammatory though, as well as useful with throat infections, and its general abundance was often a godsend though the Mexican could not always make it out this way. Too bad his diagnosis was a little off.

This was proven when she nearly collapsed upon herself. Concerned, Hadrian noted the way her muscles tensed and moved several steps closer, ready to break her fall. Conversation was ignored in favor of tending to the poor female. She was coughing again, this one sounding more like a cough than the previous sound she'd admitted. What caused both a cough and near fainting? Or perhaps it was muscle weakness? The gears in his brain turned quickly, trying to find a cure that would help. Alas, Hadrian was no psychiatrist. He could not know that the trouble stemmed from the deep recesses of the femme's own mind. He could only guess and hope it helped, and stay as long as she needed him. "Perhaps we should find someplace more safe." Someplace where she could lay down and rest.

[Deleted]

[atrb=border,0,true][atrb=cellspacing,0,true][atrb=cellpadding,0,true][atrb=width,500,true]

[atrb=background,http://img716.imageshack.us/img716/8766/65167727.png] The femme stared with glassy eyes at the ground for a few moments before once again turning away from the brute before her. Truly she had no intentions of the voices consuming her so wholly as they were doing right now, and the femme genuinely wished she had feelings and could care. Alas, the femme knew not the feeling of butterflies swimming in her stomach for happiness, or the depressing pain of melancholy. She lived in a place where she felt nothing at all. It was an interesting way to survive, where one could legitimately not care a single ounce for another creature. The caring she had for herself was limited to purely trying to be the best, and destroying everyone that was not as superb as herself. She was a feisty female that had aspirations like no others, most of the time. That is until the voices within her skull began their rantings and ravings and quickly would bring down any ability the female had to becoming what she wanted. An eerie smile crossed her maw, instantly the femme took to believing that the brute was trying to poison her. "Kelp, eh?" the femme cast a golden glance towards the water. She was not quite sure how to react towards consuming kelp. Indeed the female knew nothing about the plant life in these areas, or any area to be exact. The femme concerned herself with eating things like meat, and surviving, and plant life had never been something she needed knowledge of. 'The brute is playing games with us, he expects we will eat it, and then all of us will die. He may be able to trick you, but not I, I know we should not eat it.' Yet again the femme became rather dizzy as the voices began their war again. Vega truly was baffled as to whether or not to consume the kelp. "How do you know that the kelp will help?" The femme flipped her tail behind her nervously and pulled her ears back slightly. Despite the paranoia about consuming the kelp, Vega still turned and slowly padded her way over to the plant. As her nostrils flared for her to sniff the plant, the femme adjusted her body in attempt to hide her weariness of the plant from the brute before her. The last thing she needed was for him to realize how little her knowledge was of the plant life, indeed then he would surely make a meal out of her corpse. Carefully the femme pawed at the plant, using her claws to scrape some from the ground. Gently pressing it near her foot she shuffled the kelp, less than gracefully, back towards the brute. Her golden optics never left the ground and the kelp she was lightly kicking, her intentions were to avoid the brute's gaze at all costs. There was no reason for him to gain the opportunity to look into her eyes. Her auds flicked once again as the brute before her began speaking, "I do believe this place is safe enough, I'll be fine," she shrugged her figure away from him slightly. Vega was not in a particularly dominant stance, but one that showed high defense. The last thing on the female's mind was getting poisoned and killed by some some brute. Her breathing became slow and deep, and despite a few shivers, Vega managed to calm herself down a bit. Become a little less tense about the brute being before her. "Thank you, for the offer to help," her voice was quiet, almost a whisper. Despite not caring what the brute may think of her, it was appreciated that he was at the least faking caring about her. Being genuine was not something that the female encountered often, and was something that made her rather nervous. Then again, there was not much that the female often encountered as the majority of her time was spent in solitude. Not many creatures seemed to be able to deal with her for extended periods of time. It was something that always baffled the femme, as none had ever explained why they were no longer in her life. Certainly Vega at times believed something was wrong with her, but never anything severe enough to cast her to be alone for all eternity. That wasn't for her to decide though, it was whomever she encountered. They would determine if she was worth their time.

[Deleted]

Her smile was a bit unnerving. Hadrian flicked his left ear, the only sign of his discomfort. It had become a bad habit of his. The lack of hearing that side caused him no end of strife. Constantly he wished he could clean it out, flick it hard enough and suddenly have the sounds come rushing back. He felt weak on that side, like there was a chink in his armor. And when he was uncomfortable, the habit of trying to clean it reared its ugly head. Alas, the disability was not of the curable kind. A head injury had left him half deaf, a permanent souvenir from a past life he was trying to escape.

Flicking his ear again, this time he nodded his head, confirming his choice in herbs. "Yes, kelp. I am a doctor of sorts. And recently I have become the shaman of the Amar pack." If an alpha trusted his judgement then there was little reason for this female to fear, yes? There were few wolves on this continent that possessed the sort of knowledge he held. Medicine was a skill in high demand and it was unusual for someone to not take kindly to the idea of a cure. No two wolves were alike, however. That was a fact the Mexican male had learned all too well, which is why he piled on the reassurance. If it had the power to cure her, he firmly believed the female should give it a try. "I've also used it myself in the past. It is a bit salty, but it works well enough."

Dark eyes watched her, honesty held within their depths if only she would look at him. Hadrian had not missed the way she seemed to hide within herself. It was a sign of insecurity and, quite frankly, he found it to be a cause for concern. To him the dark furred female seemed almost frail. Her movements were cautious and again she seemed unstable on her feet, as if a gust of wind could blow her over. Even as she pushed the kelp up the beach, he believed something to be a little... off. The question was, what was it that ailed her? Medical mysteries had always intrigued him. Hadrian wanted to know what was wrong. He wanted to solve how to fix it. And, most importantly, he wanted this poor girl to feel safe again, like she was in control of her own life rather than whatever it was that was ailing her. Again, however, the brute did not know how deep her affliction ran.

"If you're sure." Again a slight nod of his head to show he was conceding to her wishes. It was not that Hadrian was being submissive. Far from it, actually. Patients were to be treated with the utmost patience and care, and by going along with her wants he was actually maintaining an upper paw. As long as she thought she was in control, the female would be more comfortable around him. Comfort was a necessity if he wanted to take care of her. Think of the repercussions if he was to scare her off, let her go untreated! If her cough was more serious than he had anticipated... Hadrian did not want to think that the next time he met this curious stranger she might be nothing more than a corpse. Which is why this time his nod was a little more gracious, more like a bow as he offered her a soft smile. "It's no trouble at all. My pleasure, Miss...?" he trailed off, finally an invitation for introductions.

[Deleted]

[atrb=border,0,true][atrb=cellspacing,0,true][atrb=cellpadding,0,true][atrb=width,500,true]

[atrb=background,http://img716.imageshack.us/img716/8766/65167727.png] Vega cocked her head to the side for a moment, her eyes still studying the kelp before her. The brute seemed to know what he was talking about, but perhaps that was part of the bigger picture. The femme stretched her front paws out before her and arched her back in a large stretch, the action seemed rather nonchalant. Shrugging her shoulders slightly, the femme turned to look at the ground the brute was standing upon. Her auds twisted slightly as the brute began speaking, and for only a moment a gentle calmness swept over the femme. "So you are a doctor of sorts?" this intrigued the femme. She had never met anyone who knew the Earth well enough to have them consume plants and such in order to heal themselves. Instantly questions consumed the femme's mind, how had this brute got into such a field? Or was this just another eloquently spoken lie? Her golden eyes clenched close for only a moment before she cast his paws another quiet glance. It took only a second and the femme felt completely different, relieved of all the agony. The voices that were ailing her had decided to take a break. This occurrence used to happen much more frequently, however as of late it seemed to be a rather rare occurrence. Vega dug her paws lightly into the ground, a soft smile coming across her face. Everything that surrounded the femme seemed so different now, it was clear and easy to live. Her headache was giving off its last faint throbs before it began to fade into nothing. Vega could not help but be pleased, it had been so long since she had lived a day without the voices within her own mind controlling her. 'I feel like I can breathe again,' she thought extra loud to herself for just a moment, like she was screaming within her own mind. And for the time being, no one else responded. The femme was completely alone within the confines of her mind, and she was thankful for it. "Well, you seem to be rather alive still," a small laugh escaped her maw. The femme's stature began to relax slightly, her natural paranoia was still present; however, it had dissipated significantly now that all the others were not inside of her. "I suppose I could try it," her paw nudged the kelp for a moment before she lowered her head and began nibbling on it. The brute had not lied, it was rather salty and not the best taste in the world. Vega finished chewing the last little bit that she had nudged over, and with that she began pacing slightly. Her now clear mind was racing and the poor femme nearly did not know what to do with herself now that she had the option to do whatever she wanted. A quiet exhale emitted her maw, "Are you going to stay for awhile?" Her shoulders rolled as slowly as she continued pacing, as if she was half heartedly showing that it was 'no big deal.' Vega didn't want to be completely alone, the femme did not know how to live that way. The femme had never been completely alone, without the voices in her head or any others physically present. Vega felt like she was hardly the only one within her own body anymore, and sometimes the femme felt like she was not even permitted to be within herself. Thinking back, Vega could not remember the first time that the voices were inside of her head. Alas, the pup believed they had started after the murder of her family had occurred. After she indirectly set the only one who loved her up for failure. Vega's mind was racing, and despite the femme expecting the other voices to jump in, her mind remained clear. And she could be herself. It was strange, and almost worried the small creature. "Vega," she spoke her name softly, "My name is Vega, and what do you call yourself, sir?" her voice felt different as it rolled from her tongue. She felt like her voice sounded different than before, but the femme could not be so sure. After being able to think clearly for only a few moments the femme still needed to gain her grasp back on reality. Her pacing slowed for a moment, and one brief golden glance was sent at the brute near her. Vega allowed herself to only have a moment to study this brute at more detail. It still made fearful pain run through her body at the thought of him staring within her eyes, but it was so hard to closely observe another without looking at them for a moment. Upon studying the brute for several seconds, her optics averted back towards the ground.

[Deleted]

Hadrian nodded once again, his expression humble. In truth, though he called himself a doctor the title had always sat oddly on his tongue. "Yes, though I'm afraid I'm not formally trained. What I've learned has come from watching other healers at work and experimenting on my own." Ever since he was a pup he had been trained up to be a warrior, a fighter, a remorseless killer for whom victory was his purpose. In his spare time, what little he'd gotten growing up, the male had taken a shine to following around the healers of his former pack. They taught him the basics, what he would need to survive (especially if wounded in battle). Survival medicine. It was enough to treat himself and his comrades to keep them fighting and never surrender.

It wasn't until Hadrian had set out on his own that he could truly explore the passion. Free from the wishes of his father and the destiny of his birth right, he could pursue his own passions. He had taken to investigating every plant he came across, memorizing leaf patters and types of buds, whether they were flowering or not, the differences between fruits and berries. Once or twice he had accidentally poisoned himself in an attempt to figure out what something did. Nothing serious, of course. He had learned the names of deadliest plants from others. After all, strangers offered a wealth of information and many were more than willing to talk.

"Thankfully." A smile crossed his own maw as he looked across at the girl. "Sometimes I find I'm rather lucky." Had she just laughed? Hadrian could feel some of the tension lifting from the air as he watched her, a curious phenomena. She was still guarded, yes, but less suspicious as she gave in and ate the kelp. The changes in her behavior were marked. From defensive to calm to seemingly anxious. The Mexican shifted his own weight, rolling his shoulders and pushing forward slightly in a stretch. Her fidgeting was making him antsy.

At her question, his head turned briefly towards the sky, searching out what little light remained. It was dark now, darker than he had been expecting. Somehow time had slipped away from him. Traveling through the Kinath at this hour could prove deadly given his unfamiliarity with the mountain trails. Was he going to stay? Worry briefly flickered in his dark eyes as his head lowered back to his companion. "It would probably be for the best. My home is surrounded by mountains. I'm afraid travel now would be counter productive." Not that he was implying Miss Vega's company was unpleasant or a punishment for being late. He simply felt ill at ease at the idea of not making it home when he'd claimed he would. His pack would worry; first thing in the morning he would have to return.

His weight shifted again, left ear flicking in discomfort now. Again he glanced at the sky, feeling the pressures of time as his mind was lost to possibilities of the future. It wasn't until the introduction that he was able to pull himself back, back to the present. Brown eyes refocused and he gave his body a hardy shake, trying to chase away the feeling of mistake. That easy smile was back on his muzzle and he took a deep breath to calm himself. "I am known as Hadrian. It is a pleasure to meet you, Miss Vega." Hopefully she would be perceptive enough to realize that his brief upset was not with her but with himself.

[Deleted]

[atrb=border,0,true][atrb=cellspacing,0,true][atrb=cellpadding,0,true][atrb=width,500,true]

[atrb=background,http://img716.imageshack.us/img716/8766/65167727.png] The female noticed the brute's rather humble expression, she knew not how to take it. As most creatures seemed to want vocal thanks and gratitude for what they had done or suggested, Vega sure knew that she enjoyed knowing when others appreciated her knowledge. Well, whatever knowledge that may be. The grey femme had come to slightly realize that she had no special skills other than hunting and torturing. Violence seemed to be the only thing that the femme could do easily, yet maybe that would be to her advantage. 'If I can ever keep my head clear like this, maybe I could be a great warrior for a pack,' the female allowed herself to fantasize about the things that she believed could be accomplished. However, it was to be known that Vega did realize that her dreams were just simply not meant to come true. Her golden orbs observed the brute's paws, as she still struggled ever so much to hold any more eye contact than she already had. Auds twitched a few times, signaling to him that she was indeed keenly aware of his speech. Vega felt so alive, still paranoid a bit, but she felt like the world was all within her reach. This did frighten her a bit, for how was she to know how long this would last. How long would she be free before the voices swarmed over her frame again? "Sometimes one must learn from their own experiences," a quick smile flashed over her face, Vega was not sure herself whether or not she was being sarcastic or sincere. For deep within her mind she still was trying to recall how she had brought the downfall of her father's pack. "It is impressive that you have retained such knowledge of the plant life, I never really was too educated in it," the femme shrugged slightly. Her extreme disinterest in consuming anything but meat may have been the reason she knew next to nothing about medicine, but she was not going to tell the brute that. Another quiet giggle escaped the femme's maw as the brute exclaimed that at times he was lucky. She could only imagine so, Vega knew with her insanity and luck she would have died long ago if she tampered with things that were not supposed to be consumed by wolves. Or at least she believed they shouldn't be consumed, either way the kelp had been eaten and it was time to wait and see if death was going to be the outcome. Now that she had been alone within her mind for several moments it was almost calming. Perhaps this loneliness thing was not quite as bad as expected. Hearing his issue about traveling home the femme responded quickly, "If you need rest, I am certain I could find a place we could relax at." Realizing her response had been quick the femme shrugged and turned away from the brute for a moment as if trying to show that it was 'no big deal.' "And it is great to meet you Hadrian," despite her back still facing the brute she lowered her cranium for a more formal greeting. The femme had sensed a brief tension within the air, but was unsure how exactly to read it. She believed at first that it was because of her, but then realized that the brute could be frustrated about the travel home. It was significantly darker than expected, and if he expected to venture safely through the mountains, it would be much better to wait until day break. Either way, the darkness had trapped her with company for the night. Maybe the grey one would be able to find out what socialization was like without the company of her other personas, it excited her a bit. It was a thrill that was new to the female, one like she had not experienced recently.

[Deleted]

He caught her smile and returned it with a small one of his own, nodding his head slightly in agreement. After all, it was the summation of experiences that turned a foolish pup into a real brute. And what was that age old saying? If at first you don't succeed, try, try again? Hadrian was no stranger to the ways of trial and error. Anikira had been his fresh start, his do over. It was his second chance. His past was, quite frankly, nothing more than his chance. It was his first attempt at living his life and, ultimately, it had failed. Now he was in a new land with a new pack and holding a rank he wanted rather than one that had been selected for him. Yes, experience had taught him to live for himself rather than to let others control his fate.

"Plants are not that much different from us. They can be friend or foe, bringing us to the brink of death and saving us from its grasp. They make us hurt and they make us feel better. I think what I find most fascinating, however, is the way they have learned to live at peace with one another." His head nodded again, thoughtful this time. "We can learn a lot from vegetation. We simply have to take the time to truly look." To stop and smell the roses, so to speak. In a way, Hadrian envied the simple lifestyles of plants. Sure there were a few that were invasive and could choke the life out of mighty oaks, but many of them were more symbiotic, like the lichen that sometimes grew on the thick bark of trees. They seemed... less greedy than his canine kind. Or maybe that was simply his own perception.

The male relaxed a little more as the sound of laughter reached his ears. Vega was a strange one, yes, but the longer he stayed in her presence the less of an immediate danger she seemed to be. His muscles relaxed a fraction more, not completely letting his guard down but now giving him the appearance of being comfortable. While he hadn't quite sorted out his opinion of the female, Hadrian had drawn the conclusion that her company was pleasant enough. Which is why, even with her back exposed to him, he saw no reason to do something he might regret.

He had always believed in strength in numbers; that principle had saved his life on numerous occasions. And, though he had survived plenty of nights in the free lands on his own, things were slightly different now. The faint scent of a pack wolf hung about him and loners did not always take kindly to such a thing. Besides, had he not offered to help find a shelter fairly recently? Let the female think it was her idea. After all, it meant the difference between a night alone spent on high alert and one in which the watch could be shared. "Shelter would be nice." He turned slightly, staring down the beach before glancing sideways at Vega. "If I remember correctly, sometimes the rocks that wash up form shallow caves. Maybe we should search out one of those?"

[Deleted]

[atrb=border,0,true][atrb=cellspacing,0,true][atrb=cellpadding,0,true][atrb=width,500,true]

[atrb=background,http://img716.imageshack.us/img716/8766/65167727.png] The female was pleased to be greeted by a returned smile, but she felt a bit nervous for a few moments. Was this how it felt to be happy? The female had a hard time grasping the whole emotional spectrum. As it was something that was more foreign to her than the foliage she had been told to consume earlier. It always narrowed her attention span when she believed that one had those 'feeling' things towards her; yet Vega was still unsure how to take to other wolves. The femme had not even really been normal as a child, despite the fact that her father had wanted to kill her for being a runt. A few deep breaths, the femme cast her glance around the terrain quickly, 'Clear your mind, Vega. You don't need a panic attack in front of this brute. That would most surely seal the whole being crazy deal.' She struggled with maintaining her calmness, but this whole experience still felt new to her. The female was only a little over two after all, life was still just beginning in her eyes. She enjoyed listening to the brute as he told her about plants and related them to life and death. Death and life were things that Vega could relate to very well; either a creature was thinking, breathing and alive... or it was dead. The femme was by no means stupid, but the life and death comparison had been something that she had dealt with her whole life. A creature was either worth being alive, or it should be killed. 'That is what father always believed anyway,' the female was not quite sure how to digest her own thoughts. 'Perhaps speaking would keep your company around long enough, you have the others in your head long enough, should you not enjoy the time with only you and another real creature?' The female chuckled at her own thoughts. "I'm sorry," she said out loud, "I am just a little nervous." Instantly the female bit her tongue, how dare she give away her own weakness. Now Hadrian knew the truth, and most surely could use that to her advantage. "And that is rather interesting," a smile crossed her ebony features once again. "I never really thought of the foliage on this planet that way, it mostly was just something for shelter. Or that I kinda stepped on when I walked," Vega managed to stick her tongue out slightly in a joking manner. The femme didn't really care if she offended the brute, since caring means that she had feelings. But she did not want to, a fight was not quite something she really was looking forward to at this moment. "I never had anyone to teach me anything about herbs, my family never had a shaman." The femme shrugged slightly. If her father found a creature too wounded to defend itself then it most surely deserved to die. That was another thing Vega was always concerned about, being slightly gimpy in her front leg, at times she was not as stellar of a fighter. It scared her, what would she do if a wolf took advantage of her in an available state? What if they viewed her the same way her father did? The ebonic femme shrunk her frame close to the ground for a moment, once again getting lost within the confines of her mind. Catching herself sooner this time, she pulled herself back into her body and the real world. The female nodded in the brute's direction, "Indeed, the shallow caverns would probably be the safest way to go. I usually rest down there when I'm in this area. It's easy to watch for others that want to rip your throat out," the female nodded her head rather enthusiastically and stood to her full height quickly. She trotted a few steps towards the cave, and cast back a golden glance to the brute, inviting him to follow her as she began making her way towards the caves.

[Deleted]

What were feelings beyond being the physical manifestation of intuition? When frightened, the heart quickened, muscles tensed, and the need to flee was strengthened. When saddened it was if a crushing weight lay upon the heart and the stomach. Happiness brought the feeling of lightness, of energy and peace. And when it came to identifying feelings towards others? It was nothing more than having an intuition about someone, a good vibe or a bad vibe. Decent folks brought with them a sense of ease, bad ones a churning in the stomach known as dread.

With Vega, the things he felt were not all that unpleasant. There was curiosity and unease, calm with a dash of wary. Though quirky, she did not seem to be unpleasant. Hadrian could never be one hundred percent sure, however. It took more than one meeting to build trust with someone and he had lived long enough to know when not to let his guard down. He could be friendly and cordial without letting on that he was on the defensive. Besides, he found the female's behavior to be more intriguing than anything. Especially when her admission proved him right.

"You have every right to be." Hadrian would not coddle her and tell her everything was alright. Admittedly, he was a little nervous as well. He would be spending the night in the company of a stranger. Sure they had been chatting, but this was different from when he'd put in his bid to join a pack. Within the Oriens the wolves were governed. An attack was out of the question and there were rules in place to keep his life from being in danger. Out here, however, in the land of I'queyer, there were no rules. There was simply the honor code of each individual wolf and, should something change in the middle of the night, he had to be ready for anything. All the same, Vega was welcome to share in these feelings. Though the Mexican male was trying to put his past behind him, there was still the matter that he was no stranger to taking the life of another. While he had no intention of doing harm to the female, it was up to her whether she believed him or not.

At least she seemed interested in what he had to say. Hadrian even let out a chuckle at her childish facial expression. Perhaps the female was younger than he had first thought? Or maybe whatever it was that ailed her had left her young in the mind... It was difficult to tell beyond the fact that she was younger than himself. Once fully grown, age held less importance until one became an elder. Besides, everyone had the capacity to learn. Education was an ongoing process, one that lasted a life time. Every new experience was something to embrace. "If you would like to learn, I would be happy to teach you." He had never had an apprentice before, but he was more than willing to try. Who knows? Maybe imparting his knowledge on how to heal others would lessen the guilt he still felt from the lifetime he'd held before this one.

Nodding his own head (though less enthusiastically), he was in agreement that they head for the cave. His neck bent low to scoop up up the herbs he had already gathered, not wanting to return home tomorrow with nothing. Then he trotted after her, eyes and ears on alert as he helped search out a cave. Before long they had come across a fairly well sized outcropping of rocks. "How's this?" he questioned, head tilting in its direction. It seemed like it would cover the both of them and keep them dry when the high tide came in. And as long as he kept his good ear turned towards the entrance, he would be alright.

[Deleted]

[atrb=border,0,true][atrb=cellspacing,0,true][atrb=cellpadding,0,true][atrb=width,500,true]

[atrb=background,http://img716.imageshack.us/img716/8766/65167727.png] A tinge of ice was sent through the female's veins at the brute's word. 'I should be nervous? Perhaps I was right all along,' the paranoia flooded her veins once again. Her golden glance narrowed and rapidly darted across the entire land briefly. It was not fear instilled within her, but the thought that she was being tricked. Vega did not like the thought of being manipulated and fooled, especially not by a brute. Her life as a whelp had been her being taught what to do and not to do, but it was not true learning. Pure manipulation had controlled her for the majority of her lifespan. That is where she learned to control others so easily, but those voices had been manipulating her faster than she could control others. It was time she find a way to control them, how else was she going to create an empire, or find a creature to spend their life with her. Alas, Vega was going to need to find something to aid her. 'I wonder how long I can remember this before they come back,' her paranoia was deeply instilled. After all it was not just others she had to worry about, but herself as well. The female held silent at his first remark, and continued searching for a cavern that would safely provide both of them with shelter. She could find nothing to say that would seem even in the slightest bit sincere towards Hadrian regarding the anxiety. After all, he could just be luring her into a trap. Vega mentally tried to prepare herself for a potential fight. Rather than consume her soul within her mind the female began eying up plants on the ground, taking careful note of their different shapes and colors. The grey one was not necessarily sure that committing to learning was something she desired to do, after all this fae was a born fighter, but perhaps it would give her something new to temporarily occupy her time with. Maybe he could show her what was poisonous, and then she would be able to create poisons as well. That thought enticed her quite a bit, after all fighting face to face was glorious to a certain extent. However, being able to kill a wolf when she had already traveled miles away sounded enjoyable in a different way. "That would be fantastic," she cast him a quick grin before casting her gaze back towards the rocks and foliage. It was a good way to preoccupy herself as they wandered. The femme noticed a cavern safe from high tide as soon as the brute's vocals caught her auds. "I was about to suggest the very same one," the femme giggled for a moment before approaching the small area. Her nares flared, Vega was not going to be trapped or lured into another creature's home. But after some brief investigation, it was deemed safe enough as far as her standards went. She wondered what was going through Hadrian's mind, if he had secret plans to harm her. He did suggest that it was acceptable for her to feel paranoid. "When would you be interested in starting to educate me?" her question was spoken in the tone of sincerity, she was very quick to hide any harshness in her voice. Finally the femme reclined to her haunches for a moment, then slid herself into a position laying on her belly. Her figure was aimed in a perfect manner to roll slightly if an attack needed to be dodged. One of the more difficult things with fighting was that she avoided eye contact. A glance could set her into a blind rage, that sometimes turned out to be a rather clumsy fight for her. Tonight would be the night she would fight the best, if needed. 'I could destroy anyone I so wish, I dare him to challenge me,' the female smiled slightly before staring at her paws as if they were the most interesting thing she'd ever seen.