The Journey (Open)

[Deleted]

Hollow woke, face in the sand, it was night now. He had rested all day, his swim had him exhausted and he was weak now, too weak to fight off an attacker. Yet the dark male could not care for such a worry as there were more things on his mind. Have I made it? Is the the paradise they all talked about? He looked around, seeing the treeline outline by blackness, inviting yet foreboding. Hollow arose from his place in the sand and gave himself a shake, displacing grit and some lingering moisture from his fur with a splattering noise that seemed louder than it should have. His head angled itself upwards and he released a Howl to speak, to sing to any other wolves who might be in the area. Is anyone here? can anyone hear me? Or am I alone? The tone was hopeful. He began to groom himself was he waited with his thoughts drifting to his parents.

He had left them... but would they ever understand it was to find a home for them all? Maybe this could be the place that his eyes and coat did not strike fear and hatred into the hearts of others as it had before. His shook his head to erase the images of snapping teeth and hate filled words spat in his direction. Filthy! Appalling! Demon! Horror! Had been things he had heard all to many times and yet as it would seem to break him at the time, it always built him up. For Hollow would never let the words of others stop him, even when they cursed and insulted him he had fed their young and assisted their elderly. No matter what the young dark wolf had always been their for others weaker than himself as a protector and a friend, and now that his mother and father were with another pack he would not change such a thing.

The wind pushed waves to the shore their soft lapping soothed his troubled mind and heart. He was clean now and the reflection of the moonlight upon each wave hit his coat differently shifting each shade of brown grey and black to make him appear celestial. As though he were halfway in a different world yet still tangible. Hollow stood straight, waiting to greet someone... anyone. Deep in his heart he hoped against all hope that someone would come. The dark male shivered at the thought of no one arriving. Being trapped on a forsaken, barren island forever. Alone.

[Lalani]

Lani pulled herself through the water, one paw after the other. She hadn't even been here that long but was already sick and tired of the ocean. She preferred freshwater much more. As far as she could tell, there wasn't anything useful about the ocean. It's huge stretches of water created barriers between lands making it near impossible to get to anything. Lani was lucky it was only a short distance from the little island to the big one. You couldn't catch the fish that lived in the big expanse of water because they would just swim deeper or father out, not to mention getting a mouthful of saltwater if you tried. One couldn't even appreciate the wonderlands of fish and coral beneath the waves. If you even tried to open your eyes underwater you would surely regret it. The only reason that she was even entering the damn thing again was because the island she was on was pack territory. She didn't feel like getting her ass kicked on a daily basis. Though, she wasn't sure how much would change on the main island, considering she had heard a howl not even a few minutes ago.

Finally, under the light of the moon, Lani noticed she was drawing near the shore, her paws met the soft sands and she pulled herself into shallower water. If anyone was looking, she wasn't even sure if they could tell she was a wolf. Her sleek black fur was pressed to her body and the moonlight reflected off, making her shine silver. The water behind her looked as black as her coat, with the same silvery light dancing on it's surface. A few more steps and she was free of the dark depths. She was already alert, her eyes scanning the beach and the nearby tree-line for any signs of life. That howl had been close and she sure as hell wasn't going to be taken by surprise again. It didn't take her long to spot the dark form positioned on the sands. It appeared to be grooming itself, no doubt had come out of the same waters Lani just had.

Treading lightly, head lowered, she moved up the shore towards the stranger. It was standing now, and seemed to be looking expectantly in the opposite direction. At the forest maybe? But for what? They weren't seriously expecting a welcoming committee were they? If so, they were going to be sadly disappointed. As Lani got closer, she could tell that the stranger was about the same height as her, though much longer and bulkier than she. It's scent was hard to distinguish under the stink of the ocean but it stuck her as male. Definitely male. His coat shone strangely under the light of the moon, much like hers but in different colors. He was rather like a kaleidoscope in that way. His coat must be different colors, she mused to herself. Her eyes appraised him warily, trying to discern whether he was a threat or not. The way he appeared almost hopeful for someone to appear, spoke that perhaps he wasn't.

She was only a few yards away, approaching him at his flank, when she spoke. "I'm not sure what you were expecting. A huge party perhaps?" Her tone seemed almost casual with a tinge of sarcasm. It was sort of amusing. Here he had been expecting someone to greet him from the forest and she comes slinking out of the sea like a serpent. From what she could tell from the other island, this island was definitely inhabited. The question was, how close were the inhabitants? Had they heard the males call? She risked a glance at the tree before returning her icey silver gaze to him.

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[Swan]

A young silver-pelted female weaved her way through the moonlit forests of her home, high on adrenaline as she pushed her agility to the limits in a race through the trees. Usually she would be doing this with her brothers, Jadir and Kujo, but tonight they had been too lazy, and she had been left to run alone, which wasn’t necessarily a bad thing in her opinion. They were too slow for her anyway.

When she was just about to turn around and head back the way she had come, a howl cut through the night, sounding rather lonely and hopeful for companionship. The juvenile slowed to a walk and turned her head in the direction of the noise. It was a lone wolf – she knew that straight away – a lone wolf in her father’s lands, which meant he had likely washed ashore on the beach.

Should she go and introduce herself to him? She knew she should probably leave it to one of the older more experienced members of the pack, but Dad and probably the others too were asleep in the mountain dens on the other side of the territory tonight, so she doubted that they would hear this wolf’s howl from so far away. Swan on the other hand was very close to the source of the call, and it would only take her a few minutes to reach the beach from here.

Her internal debate on whether to go take a look or whether to stay safe where she was only lasted a few moments, as her undeniable curiosity soon got the better of her. How could she pass up an opportunity to see a new wolf? It was rare that she ever got to see anyone other than the familiar faces of her packmates. In fact, this would be her first real encounter with a stranger without having one of her family members there to support her. It was a kinda scary thought, but she guessed she had to start at some point, as she didn’t plan to hide under the protection of her father her whole life.

Emerging from the cover of the forest, slate grey eyes were greeted with the sight of not one lone wolf as she had been expecting, but two – a male and a female, both sporting similar dark fur and disheveled appearances. Swan halted where she was, rather nervous to be outnumbered in the presence of two strangers, though trying her best not to appear intimidated. Were they together? Where had they come from? How long had they been swimming for? Questions swirled around in Swan’s mind as she observed the mysterious foreigners with wide eyes. Realising that she had been standing frozen at the treeline, the young femme bounded closer so as to be able to converse with them (though made sure to remain just out of reach in case they did prove to be dangerous).

“Hi,” she began in a high voice. “I’m Swan, daughter of the alpha of Airila. Who are you?”

[Deleted]

Hollow sat in silence for a while... listening to the incessant pounding of the waves upon the shore. It hurt his head and muddled his senses. Hearing or seeing the approach of any wolf would be a task, for his eyes burned, his vision was still a little blurred from the salt and his head was fuzzy from the sound of the sea. Hollow shook his black head a few times before he heard a strange break in the synchronized song of the waves lapping at the shore. His right ear turned towards the sound, tired body and mind tried to decipher what it could be when a voice clarified it. "I'm not sure what you were expecting. A huge party perhaps?" The right corner of Hollow's lip stretched upwards a millimeter and he huffed quietly. The dark mask slowly turned to stone, before his head turned to face the newcomer, her build was easily female, her voice clarified that while her scent was muddled by seawater. 

Her appearance struck him as odd at first, she was silvery almost like a ghost whom had tread straight down from the sky, or had fallen to the sea only to wind up washed ashore here. He could decipher through the sheen of the water on her coat that she was solid black, or at least she appeared as such in the strange light of the moon and reflectiveness of the sea. "Well I didn't exactly expect some celestial being born of the sea either. So tell me apparition, who are you?" Hollow spoke with the faintest hint of a smirk, just enough for one who was keen enough to see it. He was about to speak his own name when another small voice joined in the conversation. A high voice, almost tentative, Hollow assumed her young but for his exhaustion, could not find the brain power to analyze it. 

He swiveled his head and saw yet another wolf glowing in the moonlight, this one blinding due to her silvery coat, or was that white? Hollow's mask remained firm, all but the little smirk. "Hello miss Swan. I am Hollow, You said something about a pack?" Hollow inhaled and caught the scent of many wolves upon her fur. Shit. Definitely pack The dark male began to hope against hope that the strange green ring in his eye and the colors of his fur hadn't unnerved any of the wolves or that they at least could not see it. He was used to being shunned shortly after speaking to most wolves and so, was on his toes, and waiting to be called some "Impure Demon". Yet his face remained unreadable save for the wary glaze his eyes held. His voice light he hoped they could find humor in his introductions. "This, Miss Swan, is a strange apparition evidently that crashed into the sea and swam out just to ask me if I expected a party when I howled to see if this land was inhabited." 

[Lalani]

Lani continued her approach but stopped a few feet away. She wasn’t about to get up close and snuggly with a complete stranger. He could be capable of anything. She didn’t know who he was or where he had come from. There was no way he was from here though. The way he stared expectantly at the bank, like he was waiting to be greeted was odd. He didn’t smell like pack, so he couldn’t have been waiting for them. Though considering he had let loose that howl, they could have company at any time. He had no doubt arrived here the same way she had. His fur was disheveled, though not nearly as bad hers had been, but he had had time to groom himself. He also didn’t seem to be nearly as exhausted as she was the first time she had crawled out of the sea. So possibly he’s not from as far. Or he didn’t nearly DIE. Lucky him. His coat was actually rather odd, Lani could see now that she was closer. It must be the reason why the moonlight danced different colors when it hit him. While the overall color was black, it was actually made up of different shades of blacks and brownish grays. The patchwork of colors blended together really nicely though, flowing from one color to the next without and real interruption.

After she spoke, she could hear a huff as he turned her way. They met each other’s gaze in silence as they studied one and other. His gaze moved over her and she wondered what she looked like through his eyes. What was it that HE saw? She often didn’t see a lot when looking at her reflection. She couldn’t even take pride in the beauty that her mother gave her because it was overshadowed by something else. Her father. Lani looked very much like him. She met the stranger’s gaze and realized that there was something different about the way they reflected in the night. The moonlight shined back differently in each of his eyes. One of them had a tint of green in it, though the entire thing wasn’t all one color, there was a ring around one pupil, though it was hard to tell whether she was imagining things. His oddly colored eye combined with the mottled color of his pelt was definitely something she hadn’t seen before…..pretty….Lani mentally shook herself. Pretty? Did I just call him pretty? You really HAVE lost your mind. Sitting here calling this strange male pretty. You have gone off the deep end-

It was his voice that broke her out of her mental babbling. "Well I didn't exactly expect some celestial being born of the sea either. So tell me apparition, who are you?" Celestial? That’s weird. Here she had been comparing herself to some beastly serpent and he was telling her that she was some kind of angel or god. She caught his smirk as he had spoken. She wasn’t exactly sure what he was talking about until she caught her reflection in his eyes. Normally her sleek black coat reflected the light of the moon, lighting the fur on her back and head up with a bright silver shine, but with the water on her fur, it caught much more light than usual. Almost every hair on her body was illuminated, making her seem like she was producing a silvery glow. Ah, she did appear rather celestial. With a smirk of her own she said, “Thanks. I’d rather be an angel than a Kaleidoscope. More appealing. No, I’m probably not what you were expecting.” She said the last part snidely to herself. She wasn’t sure whether he would understand the kaleidoscope thing. Afterall, the reference had been from her own thoughts. She didn’t really like the idea of being an angel though. Hmm. Maybe a fallen angel? "I’m Lalani. If I’m supposed to be some sort of angel, then you must have gotten much more than you were expecting.”

Just then, Lani heard something coming from the forest. Noise and quite a bit of it. She spotted a light coated wolf break through the treeline, only to halt at the edge.The wolf just stood there, frozen, watching the two of them standing on the sand. It seemed hesitant and while not entirely fearful, it could still be seen. Listening, Lani turned her ears in the direction of the trees but couldn’t hear anything of importance. Lifting her nose slightly, she scented the air. She caught the wolf’s scent. It was a female, and she was alone. Lani tensed, unsure of what was going to happen now. Was the female going to sound the alarm? Lani shot a glare at the male. He's really done it now. While watching the strange wolf, Lani was surprised to see that they didn’t call for any others. They wolf was actually bounding towards them. Lani bent her knees ready to meet the oncoming wolf, but quickly straightened. That wasn’t the gait of a charge, those were the bounds of excitement and maybe some nervousness. They spoke of youth.

As the she wolf came to a stop a few yards away. Lani could see it in her features. They still showed hints of those that belonged to a puppy, and while she was rather large, she hadn’t grown into her size yet. What is she doing out here alone? What if it wasn’t me out here, and someone else instead? There were plenty of wolves that would take advantage of this girl. Didn’t she know that? When the girl spoke, her voice confirmed Lani’s fears. This wolf couldn’t be much more than a year old. “Hi,” she said in a high voice. “I’m Swan, daughter of the alpha of Airila. Who are you?” Lani sidled closer to her while watching the male out of the corner of her eye as he spoke. "Hello miss Swan. I am Hollow, You said something about a pack?" His voice was pleasant enough and his face was blank but Lani caught the wariness in his eyes. At least he wasn’t a complete idiot. "This, Miss Swan, is a strange apparition evidently that crashed into the sea and swam out just to ask me if I expected a party when I howled to see if this land was inhabited." Scratch that. He's a complete and utter dolt. Lani was all game for a battle of wits and insults but they were already trespassing on pack territory, and now they were with the Alpha’s kid daughter. And yet, here he was, making cracks about Lani. Wonderful.

“I’m Lalani. Don’t you think its a little unsafe to be out here alone?” She couldn’t help the disapproval that laced her voice and it came out rather harsh, but the words were protective, all the same. Lani slipped even closer, making it appear as if she were only turning. She now had both the wolves within clear view and she was now also closer to the girl than Hollow was. Her muscles were tensed. She didn’t know what this wolf was like so she was ready. If he tried anything, she would be ready to jump between them. She watched the two warily, wondering what exactly was going to happen now.

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[Swan]

Swan waited with bated breath for the reactions of the two foreign wolves to her nervous greeting, heart hammering against her chest as she hoped that they would be friendly. Airila was known for being a nice pack of good kind-hearted wolves, so shouldn’t that mean that loners tended to be less agreeable? They certainly looked different to her packmates, though that was probably only due to their recent sea voyage and the way their dark fur glittered a ghostly silver under the light of the moon.

The male spoke first, introducing himself as Hollow. “Hello Hollow, it’s nice to meet you,” Swan said politely, inclining her head slightly in the graceful manner her mother had taught her. “Yes, this land – Shyia – belongs to the Airila pack. It’s run by my father, Toiro.”

Swan let out a light burst of laughter at Hollow’s description of the other female. She did seem to hold a sly mysterious aura about her, like a spirit, though it was clear that she held more purpose than being conjured up merely for Hollow’s benefit. Lalani ignored the jest though, and spoke in direct reply to Swan, her words strong and confident with a touch of cold wariness as she inquired about whether it was safe for a pretty young femme to be out here by herself.

“But this is my home. I have no reason to be afraid here…” Swan was confused about why the female was so worried. She had never been given reason to doubt her safety under the protection of her beloved pack – no harm could possibly come to her within the borders of Shyia. “And I’m nearly full grown. I can take care of myself,” she announced confidently, the initial worry she had felt while approaching these wolves now conveniently ignored.

Fortunately Swan didn’t notice Lalani sliding into a more defensive position in order to be able to better protect her from the male, or she would likely have taken offense at such an action. She didn’t need protection. Truth be told, the alpha’s beloved daughter knew that she had been sheltered from the world by her doting father, but it wasn’t as though she had received no training in fighting – Spirit and Huxleyi had in fact been brilliant teachers – and the young femme liked to think that she was strong enough to handle whatever adventures Anikira had to offer.

[Deleted]

Hollow visibly smirked this time. It was evident that everyone here was a little more tense than he. He registered Swan's words and Lani's very subtle movement. A little prickle of irritation appeared in his gaze as he assessed the situation. Lani's tone was protective, though it was unnecessary Hollow could understand where it had come from. He'd be wary if he wasn't so sure that this situation was anything but volatile. A deep breath, Hollow's thoughts were settled. He would have to be very careful on how he handled this for he couldn't tell if Lani would be calm, or completely lose it on him for nothing. So once more, his face turned cold once again seemingly made of stone, he spoke.

"Miss Swan", he said with a very pointed stare at Lalani. "You have nothing to fear from me or... Miss Lalani here." He spoke quietly. Almost as if to be reassuring, yet at the same time his voice held a veiled promise. Miss Lalani, I will not react well if you make my words lies. Hollow fell silent for a very short moment before continuing. "We must be trespassing then, if we are on your pack lands... perhaps we would be better off, continuing our conversation at the actual edge of your territory rather than here in it." It was a simple suggestion but the girl seemed young and naive enough not to realize that this could imply very bad things if another of her pack were to come along and see them here having a casual conversation on the beach.

After all, the "angel" would be better off if she were to move to a slightly warmer area. maybe her coat would dry and she would quit picking at his odd coat shades. since apparently he was a "Kaleidoscope." Still as calm as he seemed to be on the surface, underneath he was fuming slightly that Lani would even think he would harm the young girl. But then he was very used to being judged in this world and so he shrugged it off as another judgmental type, and waited for Lani to change his opinion and for Swan to lead them away so that he could ask more questions about just where they were.

[Lalani]

Lani stood there with narrowed eyes, watching the interaction. After Hollow had made his snide joke at her expense, Swan laughed. It was a light, cheery thing. Untouched and still pure. There was no way this girl knew much about pain or hardship. She didn’t seem to carry much sorrow about her and Lani was thankful for that. She was glad that there were those still out there that were free and unhurt. She honestly hoped that the white femme would never have to experience anything terrible. And apparently she thought Hollow was funny. Well, at least someone does. He’s got to have someone to laugh at his jokes. It wouldn’t be polite of him to laugh at his own and it would be rather pitiful if they just fell, deadpan. Honestly, Lani might have found the teasing humorous herself but she wasn’t really in the mood at the moment. Swan mentioned her father again, and the pack that she belonged to. Not anything new but it reinstated the fact that they were in fact, on someone else’s land. The exchange didn’t seem to be a problem though. It was actually going pretty well all things considered.

Well, scratch that. What was exactly was Lani hearing? Could this girl be serious? Did she honestly believe that she had no reason to fear even if she was on her own home lands? Lani had also been the daughter of an alpha once, though by looking at Swan, she could tell that their fathers must be two VERY different people. Lani had learned that home MEANT fear and she was still trying to get past that ingrained belief. She didn’t doubt that the alpha of this pack was probably a reasonably good wolf. Anyone who could raise his daughter this way had to be. But he had neglected in his teachings. Just because she was home, didn’t mean that she was safe. Look how easily Lani and Hollow had gotten access to her, on her own land. Her logic was slightly flawed. Any other wolf could have done the same thing just as easily. Swan was lucky that it was them and not someone with more malicious intent. Lani forced herself not to scoff at the girl’s words about being able to protect herself. Sure, she had probably been taught some things, and sure she was nearly grown, but she was still young and nieve. Lani herself was young but she could see that this girl was wrapped in a bubble. She spoke with confidence but Lani wondered how much experience Swan actually had in battle and with wolves that legitimately wanted to hurt her. She didn’t seem to notice that Lani had repositioned herself at all and Lani sighed internally. It was a bit of a catch twenty-two. Lani was glad she was able to fly under some people’s radars but she was also a bit upset that the girl hadn’t picked up on it, even if it had been her intention. How was she possibly supposed to protect herself when she couldn’t see when someone was approaching her? Sadly, there wasn’t much Lani could do to teach her. That was up to the adults in her pack.

While Swan may not have picked up on her subtle movement, someone had. Hollow’s eyes tracked her as she moved and missed nothing. Hmm. He’s observant. Good. It was actually kind of amusing, watching Hollow’s reaction to Lani’s movement. She watched as his muscles tensed and his eyes seem to harden. His fur started to radiate with irritation but it didn’t last long. The wolf took a breath and seemed to calm himself with it’s release. The way he eyed Lani though, it was as if he were concentrating on trying to defuse a bomb. Me? Do I honestly look like I’m about to explode? The way he steeled himself before speaking seemed as if he were going to try and talk someone down off a ledge. As if he were afraid the slightest emotion out of place would make her jump. It made Lani want to laugh and lift her chin in pride all at the same time. She liked the fact that he considered her worthy enough to pose a threat. He’d have to be stupid not to, but many underestimated her. She also wanted to to guffaw. Did he honestly think that she was really that on edge? I mean sure, she was ready in case anything were to go wrong, but it wasn’t like she was going to go crazy and start slaughtering them. Lani wasn’t a killer by nature. She was a little standoffish, maybe, but she was never out for blood. The only time she ever went after anyone was when she was protecting herself or someone else. She never saw any point in hurting someone unless it was absolutely necessary.

When he spoke, it was directed at Swan, but he looked directly at Lani with a very pointed stare. He seemed to be trying to convey something to her just through a look. Not for Swan’s ears then. "Miss Swan, you have nothing to fear from me or... Miss Lalani here." His voice was rather quiet and soft spoken. Trying to put Swan at ease and make sure there wasn’t any suspicion is what Lani assumed he must be going for. The way he was looking at her though seemed to convey some veiled threat. It made her pause and wonder exactly what he would do if she had planned to harm them. He hesitated before continuing. No doubt to make sure that it sunk in. "We must be trespassing then, if we are on your pack lands... perhaps we would be better off, continuing our conversation at the actual edge of your territory rather than here in it." While his words made her curious, they also irritated her. She wasn’t about to hurt Swan. She was ready to protect her! The corner of her mouth twitched in irritation but it was only there for a second before it was gone. No other sign showed her internal frustration. After a second of mentally going over her position she could see how it might look as if she did have malicious intent. Her tense muscles, her moving closer, and her wary gaze might give that impression. It seemed they were both trying to protect the girl, oddly enough. Lani just hoped that Hollow was actually telling the truth and not throwing out a subtle ruse. He was obviously going to extremes to be subtle about his warning. He wanted her to be nice to the girl? Play it cool? Fine. If he wants calm, I can play his game too.

Lani forced every part of her body to relax. Her muscles released themselves from their tense hold and her ears and tail settled into more natural positions. She made sure that her facial features exuded nothing but calm. She arranged herself into a more comfortable stance rather than the half crouch she had been in previously. Meeting Hollow’s eyes she rolled her shoulders back and bent into a stretch, just the twitch of a smile quirking her lips. It was a stretch that sent Lani's front paws way out in front of her and her ass into the air, almost as if she we doing some sort of bow as her front was lowered toward the ground. At the same time, she let out an enormous yawn. Wide open mouth, curled tongue and everything. Once she stood, she shook her fur out and plopped her butt down into the sand. Lani looked over at Hollow with a smirk and a twinkle in her eye but kept the bored look on her face. Is that relaxed enough for you? It certainly wasn’t subtle. Inside, Lani was laughing. She wondered how the male would take it. In the back of her mind she wondered if she should be pushing his buttons but it was too hard not too.

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[Swan]

We must be trespassing then, if we are on your pack lands... perhaps we would be better off, continuing our conversation at the actual edge of your territory rather than here in it.

“Oh… so does that mean you’re not planning on staying then?” Swan’s expression clearly showed her disappointment at this revelation. These two loners seemed like nice wolves, and she had thought for a moment that perhaps she could try to recruit them into Airila, just like her father did.

“Never mind. Well, we are in fact quite close to the borders. Just follow the beach that way, and you should get there in no time.” Her voice had lost its earlier enthusiasm and her ears now drooped ever so slightly. She was beginning to wonder if this had been a good idea, whether there really had been any purpose in greeting these wolve and potentially putting herself in danger.

Actually, she had been out for quite a while now – it must be getting close to morning. What if dad woke up and discovered that she was missing from the dens? While she was pretty sure he knew about her night time wanderings around the territory, she always made it back well before sunrise. Her time was running out, considering she needed time to wash her fur to get rid of the smell of these loners first. Although their scents were mostly overpowered by the strong salty stench of the ocean, Swan didn’t want to risk causing Toiro any unnecessary worry.

“I believe that it is time I should leave. Farewell, Hollow and Lalani. It was a pleasure meeting you, and I’m sure my father would be welcoming if you ever decided to visit us in the future.” Swan dipped her head politely at each of the lone wolves, trusting that they would find their way out of Shyia soon enough, then gracefully turned and bounded back the way she had come, turning back just at the edge of the forest in order to get one last look at the very first two loners she had met and conversed with. The cool moonlight danced across the young femme’s silver form a moment longer as she regarded them, and then she melted into the shadows of the forest and was gone.

Exit Swan.

[Deleted]

The girl it seemed was disappointed that Hollow and Lani had both not begged to be taken in to her pack. But such was the naive young mind to thing that all newcomers would be so eager to immediately join up with a pack of wolves in a land they didn't even know. Yet he would not leave her hopeless and so when she bid them farewell he offered her a little bit of hope that at least she would have allies outside of her pack. " I'll make it a point to come back and see you!" He spoke enthusiastically though it may have been a little bit halfhearted as he had no plans to come back just to see Swan, however he might return to make sure the pack would be his ally, one group he'd not have to worry about trying to destroy him. Hollow watched her retreat, keeping both eyes locked on the treeline before turning to Lani again.

Her little stretch had caught him off guard. Something in the way she stretched herself, the feminine curvature of her body, it got to him for a moment and he was forced to look away when she looked at him. Though he had not yet acknowledged her little stunt, he had seen it. He held two very good reasons not to react. One was that had he let his reaction show, it would have been... a little unbecoming of him. Two was that he had liked it. He had to bite back a word of surprise, at the she wolf's stretch. So once he gazed upon her again, he spent a short moment in silence before shaking himself and drumming up a retort. Something to poke at her. "Kaleidoscope Huh? Funny."

The dark male sighed and smirked at her before straightening up. His smirk stayed in place while he gazed at her, for much longer than he should have. Now that her fur had dried out some, he could tell she was entirely black.  A small, sad sigh left him, almost inaudible, where his thoughts asked him why he couldn't be made that way? Why couldn't he have been, normal, instead of... "impure" as all those religious wolves had put it... he heard the shouts in his head of "Demon" and "Monster" Some belief they had had marked him as something horrible for his coat which was not average wolf and his strange eyes. Yet instead of voicing that particular sorrow, he merely said "Well then, miss Lalani... shall we make our way our, or do you plan to stick around a little longer?"

[Lalani]

Hollow’s words didn’t appear to be what the girl had been hoping for. “Oh… so does that mean you’re not planning on staying then?” She seemed to have been excited over the fact that they were here and now looked very disappointed that they didn’t plan on staying. Lani felt a twinge of regret when she saw the look that flashed across Swan’s face. She didn’t like upsetting the girl, but there wasn’t anything she could do. She didn’t plan on joining a pack, at least not yet, though she might have to soon, if she couldn’t figure something out before winter. “Never mind. Well, we are in fact quite close to the borders. Just follow the beach that way, and you should get there in no time.” Lani, turned her head in order to gaze gaze back at the shore, and her eyes traveled the water line as it trailed into the distance. Glancing back at Swan, she noticed that the girl had lost a lot of her bounce. Her voice was polite, but almost flat now and her ears drooped. It only lasted a few moments before the fae seemed to get distracted by her own thoughts. “I believe that it is time I should leave. Farewell, Hollow and Lalani. It was a pleasure meeting you, and I’m sure my father would be welcoming if you ever decided to visit us in the future.” She acknowledged them politely with a dip of her head. She was raised right. The girl turned and headed back the way she came. At the treeline, she stopped and threw a parting glance back them before disappearing into the forest. Well, almost right. Swan just left them to their own devices, not knowing whether they would actually leave or not. The girl wasn’t nearly suspicious enough for her own good.

“I'll make it a point to come back and see you!” Lani was surprised when the male at her side shouted after the girl. He plans to come back to her? Hmm. Had Hollow already taken a fancy to Swan?If he had, why didn’t he just stay? Lani shifted her attention back to the trees. “If you’re ever out on your own and need somewhere to go, come find me.” She called after the white femme. Lani hadn’t thought much about what she was saying but the words were true enough. Swan was a nice girl and Lani didn’t really think that she’d ever leave her home, but if she did, Lani wouldn’t object to having her around. That got Lani to wondering, what was she going to do? Traveling alone in the winter season was no picnic. Being with a pack definitely helped in the warmth and food department. Lani didn’t like the idea of joining up with a pack just to survive the winter though. It felt like she’d be using them. If she could find another wolf or two to travel with, it would be helpful. Some sort of companionship like she’d had with Annaleise would be nice. She missed the girl. Lani considered her a friend, and she’d never had many of those. Finding more would be impossible. Ugh. Will I always live like this? She wondered about the future. Was she really doomed to be a wanderer all her life? Not fitting in anywhere. It wasn’t like she hadn’t tried. She just didn’t seem to fit anywhere. If she was going to find a spot where she belonged, she was going to have to carve it out herself. Though how she would do that, she wasn’t entirely sure.

Now that Swan was gone, Lani’s attention was drawn back to the only other wolf around. Hollow. Her mind flashed back to when she had stretched. She had done it to be a bit of a smart ass, but he hadn’t even been able to keep eye contact. It had been a little odd. She hadn’t been able to tell whether he thought it was funny or if she had annoyed him because he had looked away. It was only after she had finished her stretch that he looked back at her. She studied him carefully now wondering why he looked so awkward. It was a few moments before he spoke. “Kaleidoscope Huh? Funny.” Are you kidding me? Nothing? She was kind of irritated that he didn’t mention her action. She had hoped to get some kind of reaction. Ugh. It was pointless. She hadn’t managed to get a rise out of him at all. “I thought so.” She said with a smirk. He watched her, his eyes roaming over her form. Lani’s ear twitched slightly as she caught the faintest of sounds. Is he upset? Nice to know the sight of me upsets him. Her face hardened slightly, not as open as it had been before. I wouldn’t want to give any more reason to upset him would I? She thought sarcastically. After a moment of silence here he seemed to be lost in thought, he asked, “Well then, miss Lalani... shall we make our way out, or do you plan to stick around a little longer?” Lani pondered his question. What was she going to do? She hadn’t really thought much about it. She had only thought as far ahead as to make it to this side of the straight, not about anything after that.She turned her head and scanned her surroundings. After all that she had gone through, she didn’t really feel like traveling more tonight. After all, she had only washed up on that dreaded beach the night before and was still weak from the experience. She hadn’t considered the possibility of landing on pack territory, but considering that Swan had already come out this direction, she figured her chances of running into another pack wolf so soon would be slim. With that thought, her eyes started analyzing the area for places to stay. The beach was out. It was way too open and exposed, which left the forest. She was sure to find a place in the undergrowth or a small den where she could bed down for the rest of the night. “I think I’ll be sticking around for a little while longer. I’m in no hurry to hightail it out of here and the natives aren’t hostile, so I think the danger is minimal.”

The dark female wondered what Hollow’s plans were. He didn’t seem like the type to break rules. He’ll probably get across that border as soon as he can... or maybe he has a few surprises in him. Her eyes were once again drawn to him and she had to admit, he was a handsome wolf. The way his pelt shifted when he moved, you could see his muscles working beneath. Lean but strong. He outweighed her, there was no doubt in that fact but it suited him. She attributed the extra weight to his added length. The different colors of his pelt were unique and in no way unattractive. It just made him different. That itself was a novelty. A sultry grin replaced her smirk. “You’re welcome to join me if you like.” She teased. Lani doubted he would actually take her up on that. After all, he seemed to have been eager to leave this place. She waited for him to mention what exactly he planned to do, now that he wasn’t sprawled out on the beach.

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Hollow started trying to figure out which direction he would like to go until Lani's voice ruffled his ear fur. Now that he could think clearly without being thrown into a meeting he started thinking. On one side he'd rather get off of this pack's land as soon as he could. But on the other, Lani was a mystery to him, and after her fur had dried he seemed to find her quite alluring, at least to him. Awesome... the first she wolf I see... and she's attractive. This should be fun. The dark male couldn't figure out what it was about this she wolf, but with her touch of snarky prickliness he found he wanted to spend much more time with her. So after a few moments of silence he had made up his mind. Caution to the wind, he had spent too much time playing by the rules, and too much time being a follower to everyone around him. Now was his time to live his way and do things he wanted.


"Well I guess one night here couldn't hurt." He spoke with a slight smirk. Hollow knew well that the pack could return but somehow looking at Lani he found that he could really care less anymore. With his almost ever present smirk which had turned more into a crooked grin he spoke again...."I am hungry from such a long near death swim... shall we catch something?" He was truly hoping for a little mischief now, as respectful as he knew he should be to another packs land he was in fact starving... and salty.



Hollow hoped that there was some chance that now he could begin to truly live. Rather than follow his parents around everywhere. Listening to what others told him. Staying back and hiding his eyes. I'm so sick of hiding, he thought, after all he was all too capable of remaining calm in tense situations... but that was because most of his life thus far had been tense. It was high time for him to put it to good use... It was time for the young male to create his own life, and somehow in front of Lani... He felt it was going to be a bright future. This gave way to a very strange an uncomfortable feeling deep in his belly, his stomach turned once, and he vomited a mouth full of seawater onto the sand... "Guess I had more seawater in my diet than I thought." He laughed... and sighed as his fur began to grow uncomfortably hot without the other wolf around.

[Lalani]

Lani watched the dark male curiously as he hesitated, obviously thinking over his choices. He would probably be smart to leave the territory. After all, they were on a pack’s land, a strange pack at that. They had no idea what kind of trouble they would be in if they were found after already being told to leave. From the way he had been earlier, he didn’t appear to want to stick around any longer than necessary. Lani had thrown her offer out there in an attempt to get under his skin a little but she didn’t think he would actually agree. So it came as a great surprise when she saw the the determination cross his face as he made his decision and agreed. "Well I guess one night here couldn't hurt." While she had watched him he had seemed hesitant and unsure. She knew that he must have been waffling back and forth between his choices but from the hesitation on his face, she hadn’t seen any sign that he would agree to stay. Apparently she had laid just a little bit too much temptation on the line. The way he had suddenly made up his mind, with a “screw it” look on his face made Lani want to smack herself upside the head. Now what, stupid? She thought to herself. You got yourself into it, now get yourself out. What if he had assumed too much? You may have flirted but you didn’t actually say you would do anything. She eyed Hollow carefully. She couldn’t tell what the male was thinking. Other than the smirk on his face, he gave nothing away.

It didn’t take more than a few seconds for Hollow to speak again and put Lai’s mind at ease. A lopsided grin spread across his face as he spoke. "I am hungry from such a long near death swim... shall we catch something?" Lani smirked back. Of course he would be hungry. After something like that, he would be in a dire need of calories and an energy boost. She knew what it felt like after an ordeal like that. Your body was desperately weak. Although how he could eat right away, she wasn’t entirely sure. Her throat had been raw from all the salt that had shredded to soft tissue. Despite the pain he must be in, Hollow seemed ready for a hunt, and now that she was thinking about it, Lani could use something to eat to. Considering she had only just arrived in the territory, she didn’t know the lay of the land well. This made knowing what kinds of game there were and where to find them a little difficult, but she was sure they’d be able to find something edible.

“I don’t see why we can’t find a bite to eat. The natives might not like it, but how about we just don’t get caught?” She smirked at him mischieviously. Standing up, Lani paused and waited for his response. He was thinking about something but Lani didn’t know what. Whatever it was, it didn’t end well, she saw a look pass over his face and she instinctively moved away from him just as he vomited a puddle of salt water at their feet.......Ew.......Well that was attractive. Screwing up her nose, Lani looked down at the puddle that was already absorbing into the sand and leaving a dark patch behind. "Guess I had more seawater in my diet than I thought." He said with a laugh. She raised her head slowly, her eyes flicking to his. She stared at him, one eyebrow raised, but didn’t say anything. Males are so gross. I guess it’s better that he did it here rather than all over the kill. She heard him sigh and he looked a little uncomfortable. Well no shit. He just yakked all over the beach. I would be too. She waited for him to say something but when he didn’t she decided to take matters into her own hands. No need to be so awkward. Darting forward, she butted her snout against his shoulder then darted away. Once she had ran about ten yards, she turned around and dropped into a play bow, her tail in the air. She wiggled around for a bit, waiting to see if he’d take the bait and join her in her silly game of chase, before jumping up and dashing into the trees. She knew he’d follow, and along the way they’d find something to eat.

(Lani Exit)

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Embarrassment washed over Hollow when he saw the look on Lani's face. Good job dumbass, now don't you look oh so enticing, vomiting all over the beach. Then as if nothing had happened she butted his shoulder and rocketed back and away setting off for a few paces and turning around. She dropped into a play crouch and stared at him. For a moment his eyes seemed to gloss over and his face went blank. Confusion would have been the best word to describe how he felt, but still looking at her waiting for his advance made him feel alive. Slowly a smile spread across his face. His eyes began to sparkle and he let go of the fear that she wouldn't like him. *I guess it could always be worse.* She hadn't backed out of her offer, nor had she suddenly changed demeanor for the worse. Since... well he had just puked on the beach.

Hollow let out a snort and he slowly lowered his frame. It was luxuriously slow, each paw planted itself with purpose, in a wide base and he lowered his head. His eyes sparkled mischievously as he began to almost creep in a hunters crouch towards her. Yes he was hungry, but first they could play, there was no harm in it, and the young male hadn't had any companionship in so very long he was nearly bursting with happiness over suddenly making a friend. He jumped forwards to land directly in front of her before leaping straight over her form and racing along the beach, confident that she would follow. Hoping they would nip at each other and laugh as they found a good hunting place, and hopefully food.

It was a new beginning and like all new beginnings it had to be an end, an end to the life he had known before he found himself washed up in a strange land, With who appeared to be decent wolves, so far at least. But even though he knew that he would always encounter evil he felt that now he could rise to face it instead of hiding as he used to. No longer would he have to obey the whims of others and what better way to start than befriending a beautiful she wolf whom he would be one hundred percent sure to seek out later But for now he needed to put his head on straight. This would be a new life, full of wonder, full of excitement. This strange place was his new book, and he would write his story in it's pages, and be sure that all would know of it.

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