Unexpected Acquaintances [Nocturne]

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The steady crash and ebb of the waves was all Kesle could hear, apart from the cry of distant seabirds wheeling about overhead in the cerulean sky.

The ocean was something she had been fascinated with when she had first seen the stretch of beach in Arila territory; being Anikira-born and raised in a landlocked part of the large island, she was unfamiliar with the it. The closest she had come to before leaving Caurus was the Nytyte River, which had wound its way through a portion of the valley where she had spent her puphood. But even then, it was far, far down, burrpwed deep in a gorge, and most of the time it had been partially frozen over or bitterly, dangerously cold, as northern rivers often are. It hadn't been so... alive. She was shocked when she first saw the it. There was just... so much. There was so much and it was so big and loud and blue... She was captivated.

After her reccent joining of the Arila pack, Kesle's happiness and relief was somewhat dampened by her nervousness about meeting the Arila Alpha, Toiro. She knew she needed to, but she held back all the same. She had no experience joining a pack before now, and was unsure about what to do or say. He was sure to be intimidating, and just the thought of slipping up or embarrassing herself made anxiety churn in Kesle's belly and her mouth run dry. Feeling the familiar panic prickling at her fur and belly, she had slipped out of the territory she was only just beginning to be familiar with, hoping the solitude would clear her head.

It hadn't helped, but she had found herself down in the south, which was interesting enough to take her mind off her fears. The south was still warm in the winter, and she had never seen its coast. It was incredible. The sky and the water were both so blue it was unreal, so deep and rich it almost seemed you could see the stars in it. The sand and sun were golden, throwing bright sunlight on the waves. Kesle assumed it was much like this in Shyia in the summer, but it was like some impossible dream in winter.

Kesle took a tentative step closer to the ocean. She wasn't quite sure if she wanted to actually touch it, though the day was calm and the water glassy and clear. Unfortunately, the sea decided for her whether or not she would get in. The tide rushed in quickly and suddenly she was up to her legs in foamy, briny, cold seawater. 

"Eeepp!" Kesle half-squealed, half-yelped, leaped out of the water, and was up the nearest sand dune in the blink of an eye. It took her a minute of panicky gasping to realize that, while cold and very shocking when unprepared for it, the ocean didn't just try to eat her. It was quite pleasant, actually. Feeling a bit silly, Kesle slid back down the dune and stood on the wet sand again, holding her breath until the tide rushed back in and flooded over her paws. It wasn't nearly as scary as it was the first time. Soon she found herself laughing, leaping in and out of the waves, totally soaked in seawater and lost in her own world.


OOC: In which Kesle frolicks in the ocean like a dork. 
Muse: Pretty okay...
Tags: @nocturne

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Today was the first truly beautiful day she had seen in a long time. The sun was radiant, its golden rays basking the beach in a pleasant warmth. In summer, Nocturne mused to herself, this stretch of land would be unbearable. But now, on the cusp of spring, it made her spirits soar. She had the sneaky feeling, that her good mood was also related to the lightness that come on the breeze. Back home, the fragment of darkness in her heart had been feeding off the crazed ghosts of the past. In retrospect, it was surprising she hadn't felt angrier or more desolate. 

She shook her head lightly, dispelling the thoughts from her mind. It was simply too beautiful a day to think of morose thoughts. That, and she was exploring! Reece was...somewhere, but she didn't let that bother her. She was hardly attached to the male, after all. That, and he still had his reservations about the place and that bothered her a little. Worrying about things that might not ever come to pass was simply a waste of energy. If obstacles did suddenly rear their ugly heads, then no amount of previous worrying would save you from the headache of extricating yourself from the mess. 

She was walking eastwards. At least, she was fairly certain she was walking eastwards - it seemed her sense of direction had gotten a little jumbled in the not so gentle journey to...where-ever this was. The stars yesterday evening had looked similar, but not quite the same as back home. Still, there were mountains peeking out on the horizon, and so she was headed that way. By her reckoning, she'd meet some sort of life somewhere near those mountains. At that thought, she picked up her pace a little, striding purposely along the pale corridor of sand. Every once in a while, she would swing her had about, letting her silver gaze take in the gentle roll of the waves. Funny, how docile the ocean appeared now. It must have been seething and frothing angrily when she and Reece were dumped into its merciless depths and washed to land.

It was whilst she was gazing out at the shimmering point on the horizon where blue melted into blue, that a sharp yelp caught her ears. Her head snapped up and about, her gaze scanning the beach for the perpetrator. It wasn't difficult for her to spot the perpetrator. Nocturne halted her step for a moment, watching the grey wolf peer down at the water from the safety of the nearest sand dune. Must be young or untravelled, the girl mused to herself, propelling herself back into action. 

She crossed the remaining distance easily, making sure to clear her throat audibly before she was completely upon the new wolf - it wouldn't do for her to startle the other lady. I'm afraid it's a bit cold at this time of year she said by way of introduction, halting at a respectful distance. She took a moment to analyse her new-found companion through hooded eyes, her own features turned up in her habitual mask of open, good-naturedness. She guessed they were of similar age, though the silver lass was taller and more bulky in build. 



OOC: Kesle is adorable - I like her already

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Kesle jumped a little and spun around, straightening up quickly and hoping that she didn't look like a fool. Judging by the fact that she was covered in sand and soaked up to the belly, she had a sinking feeling she did. All the same, Kesle cleared her throat and stood up straight, lowering her tail and ears halfway in a gesture of polite submission and managing an "E-erm, hello!"


As she spoke, Kesle took in the stranger to whom she was speaking. The she-wolf in question was a bit on the lean side, but muscular, with black fur and peircing, slightly unusual silver eyes Kesle took a liking to immediately. Over the musk of seasalt the whole place smelt of Kesle caught a slight whiff of a strange scent, exotic almost, and certainly a place Kesle wasn't familiar with. Must be from somewhere farther south, Kesle mused.


"Yes, I did find that out the hard way," she shrugged her shoulders a little. "Still, I rather like it."

She dipped her head and managed a small smile. "So, uh... I'm Kesle."

Well, that sounded stupid.

She felt her gaze pulled to her paws in embarrassment and suddenly found the ground to be very interesting and in need of immediate and intesive study while at the same time wishing she could just sink into the ground. Why was it so hard to talk to wolves? Come on, fix it, fix it. Kesle opened her mout to try and amend her less-than-optimal greeting, but couldn't think of anything to say. As usual, the words that had once sounded like a good response now sounded silly and rather irrelevant. Kesle finally decided on a dumb silence, keeping her muzzle pointed stiffly at the ground as her ears burned with embarrassment.


OOC: Not as good as I would have liked, but it'll suffice to carry the thread along. :/
Also, let me know if the speech color is too obnoxious. I'm trying to find one I like for Kesle.
Muse: Fizzled out a bit, but no worries.
Tags: @nocturne

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Nocturne was gratified to see the other lass dip her head slightly upon her arrival. At least there wasn't going to be any disagreeing on the fact that she was her own master. She kept her posture relaxed, knowing that this wasn't likely to turn ugly any time soon - she'd learnt that first impressions were always something to remember. There was an abashed shyness to the lass, one that brought a gentle smile to curve across the dark lady's features. At the words that were offered in reply, she chuckled softly, alto notes carrying above the gentle whoosh of the waves. I think everyone gets taken aback by the chill she offered kindly, moving forwards so that her paws were caught in the tide. I take it this is you first time by the ocean? She kept her voice light, unwilling to sound too presumptuous or too prying. 

She was utterly enchanted by the girl's hesitant offering of a name, and it required a good dose of self-control not to let it show in her features. No matter how endearing Kesle was, it wouldn't do for her to give away too much of herself. Certainly not yet when they were so early on in making their acquaintance. It's a pleasure to meet you, Kesle she said warmly, wading further into the ocean and taking a moment to stare out in the direction from which she and Reece had come. I'm Nocturne.

For a moment she wondered how best to get her companion to open up, before she decided that thinking about it wouldn't get her anywhere. Lead by example her grandfather had told her on more than one occasion. I've only just arrived here she offered. There was no harm in being honest on that matter - any pup worth it's dinner would be able to smell the otherly-ness on her. My companion and I were picked up by the oddest of...things, I tell you. It smelt all dead and made a dreadful racket. She paused, reliving their horrific journey. The movement was the worst, though. You know the feeling when you're balancing on a really, really thin branch that wobbles and lurches beneath your paws? Well, it was exactly like that...for hours!  She paused, turning her intense silver gaze on the other wolf before continuing the story. Then there was a huge groaning and grumbling and suddenly we were falling and falling and SPLASH!  She dashed one paw into the waves curling at her ankles, inadvertently splashing Kesle. I'm still not sure how I made it to the beach in one piece. I swallowed a whole lot more sea-water than any wolf stomach should ever handle.  She took another look at the grey wolf, seeing the damp patches on her chest. Oh, did I splash you? I'm terribly sorry! She wasn't really though, the cheeky twinkle in her eyes belying the sincerity in her tones.

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Kesle nearly forgot her embarrassment upon hearing Nocturne's short tale. It had never even occured to her that the silver-eyed she-wolf could have come from off Anikira. She gaped a little bit as she tried to wrap her head around a thing that felt like a quaking branch but was much bigger and finally gave up. It sounded impossible, but the honest tone in Nocturne's voice was apparent, and she stated it in such a way one might state a story of an unusual hunting trip, incredible, but based on a sound memory, that she found herself believing Nocturne. It could also be how much she had already taken a liking to the she-wolf, and she who barely knew her.

"That's... that's incredible," she gasped. She felt she could say something to welcome Nocturne to her homeland, and after a second of quick thinking she settled on a "Welcome to Anikira, then," which sounded a bit lame to her after.

She was saved from embarrassment by a quick splash of seawater that hit her in the chest. Kesle looked up in time to catch a cheeky sparkle in Nocture's eye. Perhaps it was the euphoric weather, or the easy friendliness she felt already toward Nocturne, but Kesle found herself answering with a quick dash of her forepaw across the surface of the water and a small grin of her own. The small wave of water fell a bit short, so Kesle tried again, this time managing a curling wave of seawater that slapped against the other wolf's legs. "Ha!" Kesle gave a small bark, bouncing a bit on her paws and flashing a wider grin at Nocturne.



OOC: In which more silliness ensues.
Muse: Recovering. Perhaps I just needed some food. :3
Tags: @nocturne

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As she recounted her tale, Nocturne saw the shadow of uncertainty leave her companion's features. There's a good girl, don't be scared she cajoled in her mind, letting the remainder of her story fall from her lips. She was gratified to see the edges of the girl's shyness melt away with each swirl of the tide about her grey legs. She felt quite proud of her achievements, breaking the ice so easily. She pulled one paw modestly though the water at the awe-laden comment from Kesle. Well, it did sound a bit fantastical...

The moment of silence that fell between them was broken by the girl's words of welcome, and the black wolf dipped her head in acknowledgement. Thank you, Kesle. It's nice to meet someone from the island. It really was, though she kept her battery of questions locked in the back of her mind. She would make a nuisance of her curiosity later...once her companion was convinced of her good intentions and general harmlessness. Kesle seemed like a modest girl, and Nocturne was more than happy to stay in her company for the time being. It was the arrogant, presumptuous folk that she didn't approve of.  

The tinkle of water on water caught her attention and she surfaced from her thoughts just in time to feel Kesle's pawful of water on her upper legs. She gasped in mock horror, her tail waving cheerily behind her. If that's how you want to play it... she yipped in playful excitement, raising one paw in preparation,  then you've got yourself a splash-partner! On the final syllable, she let her paw fall sharply down into the water, sending a water dancing through the air. It twinkled and sparkled like a thousand miniature diamonds, and Nocturne watched them flight with glee. Ooohh, it was so pretty! 

Her concentration was brought sharply back to their game when a stronger wave was sent her way by the silver she-wolf, the cold water soaking the fur at her chest. Brrr, it was cold! Not that she let something as minor as bodily discomfort get in the way of her daily agenda. Oohhh, I'll get you for that one Kesle! she cried, stepping back into the deeper water. Shifting her weight backwards, she reared upwards before letting her front paws smack into the water with a noisy splash. She laughed with glee at the big wave that headed for her play-mate, not caring that she had managed to soak herself as well.

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Kesle leaped backwards, giggling madly and nearly tripping when her hind paw hit an unexpected dip in the sandy ground of the shallows, but it wasn't enough to save her from Nocturne's wave. This one washed up to almost her chin before dying back to soak her hind legs and belly. Kesle squealed at the cold, but it sort of morphed into a yip of laughter halfway through and soon she was all-out laughing. Especially when she realized that Nocturne was almost as wet as she was from her own wave.

"You're on!" She reared up a little and splashed her front paws down on the surf, sending a cascade of water at her partner. She couldn't remember the last time she'd had such fun with another wolf since puphood. Her brother was really the only one she'd ever played with, and it hadn't occured to her how much fun she hadn't been having, or how much she'd missed laughing with another wolf (or laughing at all) until she ended up jumping around in the ocean like an idiot with Nocturne. The day was wonderful for early springtime, not a cloud in the sky to obscure the sun which warmed her pelt, taking the edge off the frigid seawater. Which, now that she came to it, she would probably get a mouthful of in the near future. Somehow the prospect didn't seem nearly as frightening as it did only fifteen minutes ago, before meeting Nocturne.

Kesle jumped from side to side, tail wagging furiously, flinging water everywhere. She barked a playful challenge at Nocturne, grinning madly as she waited for the inevitable retaliation wave.



OOC: A tad short, but fun. :3 
Muse: Pretty good!
Tags: @nocturne

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The game had started in earnest, now. Water was flying everywhere...and with everywhere, Nocturne really did mean in all directions. The only part of her that was not wet, was the top of her back and the tips of her ears. She didn't think she'd keep them dry for much longer, though. Sure enough, Kesle's next wave got the ears wet, and the darker she-wolf shook her head in mild irritation. She was so fond of her ears! She wasn't given a chance to bemoan their dampness, the next wave washing strongly against her chest.

Oh, she'd get Kesle back for that! She reared upwards before throwing herself - front limbs and chest - into the water. The wave that she managed to generate was beautiful! Strong and lithe like the best of hunters it surged towards the grey she-wolf, and Nocturne watched breathlessly as the water got over closer to its target. She was completely unaware of the sand slipping away beneath her paws in reply to all her splashing and thrashing. She only noticed when the water suddenly washed over her back. EEEEEEEEE! she squealed in shock, leaping into the air. 

She'd managed to time everything rather terribly, she decided. Just as gravity was tugging her back into the ocean, she connected with Kesle's wave of retaliation. Time out, time out! she spluttered, wrinkling her features in disgust at the mouthful of sea-water. Oh, it was vile! Just when she'd sworn that she wouldn't ever take a mouthful of salty water again...she did. Not intentionally, but that was completely beside the point. Yuck! Nasty, nasty stuff she grumbled, running her tongue along her lips in a futile attempt to remove the salty sting. She gave up after a moment, turning her attention back to the grey female. Final round? she asked, barely waiting for a reply before sending another wave hurtling in the lady's direction. 



OOC: The muse is taking a nap =/ But I figured a little post was better than none. Also, feel free to move them back to the beach for some breath-catching and fur-drying =)