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 Posted: Sun Aug 22, 2010 7:17 pm
 Now, now...this place seemed promising. Indeed...it was almost as though he had been here before, it felt so familiar to him.
Adonai paused, sniffing the air. He didn't immediately recognize any of the smells...but then, why should he? He hadn't passed through here in ages, after all, and had no particular ties to the place. Still, there was something about it that made him smile, a certain familiarity that lingered on the air, and a feeling of...comfort? Welcome?
Perhaps it was simply the well-worn path, laden with the scent of many wolves, that made the place seem so inviting. This was, clearly, a place that welcomed visitors...and Adonai liked visiting, certainly more than staying, which required far too much commitment and not enough payoff.
There was a smile planted confidently upon his maw as the well-muscled male trotted along the pathway. He was handsome, although clearly on the far edge of his prime -- though he would never admit as much -- and carried himself with the air of one who knows precisely what they want out of life.
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Posted: Sun Aug 22, 2010 7:46 pm
 Freedom. It was something Terreis had not always been familiar with, until she had been forced to wander, then she once again in a pack with a family of her own. And now she craved the wandering ways often, if only to escape her sons on occasion. Though granted now that they were getting older they required less attention, which was good since Guinevere was on the verge of starting her training and that would require much of her attention and time in the coming months. For the moment though she was free, outside of her thoughts.
Trailing near edge of packs territory Terreis while deep in thought was quite alert and knew that there was a stranger not far from here. Stalking forward silently Terreis kept the strange wolf in her sights. Sniffing the air Terreis held back a small growl that threatened to come to surface as she noted the wolf was a male. Old habits die hard, she thought as continued forward, looping around to get in front of this male.
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Posted: Sun Aug 22, 2010 7:53 pm
He paused, brow furrowing slightly, sensing the presence of another -- and then, as quickly as he had become aware of her, she had appeared before him, lithe and quiet and dangerous. A warrior-type, he thought immediately, and stopped to marvel at her coat. It was not a common marking pattern in wolves, but it was one he had seen before, and he stared at her unabashedly for a few moments as he tried to remember.
Ah! yes, so long ago...that warrioress, wandering free of her pack for awhile, with whom he had shared those few lovely nights. She was a real firebrand! Adonai had always liked spirited females, far preferring them to the demure or the giggling ones he so often came across. No...she'd had spunk, that was sure, and her company had been....
...Well, Adonai could still remember it with surprising vividness, all this time later.
The well-muscled wolf reclined to his haunches, utterly calm, and tilted his head, brown-and-black ears flicking forward in curiosity. What had her name been? He could remember the other details, certainly, but her name...
"Kaelin?" he asked, after a moment's hesitation, a question lilting around the word.
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Posted: Sun Aug 22, 2010 8:06 pm
Eyes instantly narrowed as she got her first look at this stranger. For the moment he seemed to be lost in his thoughts perhaps. It was this momentary lack of the attention from the male that allowed her to sweep her eyes over him. Well perhaps he may not be a threat to this pack, but it was hard to drop the ways she had been raised with, the ones that told her every male was worthless and on occasion could be a threat to the queen and pack.
So close had she been to saying something and then he spoke...and not only that, he spoke that one name she had not heard in such a long time. Instantly a growl rumbled in her throat and she stepped closer to him, body posed to launch and attack any any moment. "How dare you speak that name!" She snarled towards him, hackles raised, lips curled back.
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Posted: Sun Aug 22, 2010 8:22 pm
Startled by her reaction, he rose quickly to his paws again, assuming a defensive stance. "Sorry now," he said, voice calm but eyes cool and narrowed cautiously. If she was looking for a fight, he would give her one, but only if he had no other option. He was getting too old for this. "I thought you were someone I knew, is all. Apologies again, madame."
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Posted: Sun Aug 22, 2010 8:31 pm
Taking another step towards him she wasn't about to back down. "And how is it that you know that name?" Her mothers name, it had not been spoken for many months, at least not since her death. Even Iosef and Varia did not speak that name, it often hurt too much, even now. But now after all this time to be reminded of her lost mother, well Terreis had to find out just why this male knew her mothers name.
And if he refused to answer her questions nicely, well she could always beat them out of him. After all he didn't look like the type that could hold his own weight in a fight, and which she hadn't exactly kept up with her training Terreis was quite confident that if needed she could kick his a**.
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Posted: Sun Aug 22, 2010 8:36 pm
His ears swept back against his skull, but the slightest smile twitched at the corner of his maw. Now, now, this was interesting...no mere case of mistaken identity, no...this was something much more interesting. "I had the pleasure of making...acquaintance...with one of that name," he said, carefully, but enjoying the slow teasing quality of it as well -- Adonai was a playful wolf, and one that appreciated power when he held it. And he knew the world well enough to understand that knowledge, more than strength, was often the greatest power. "She looked...remarkably like you."
He lingered on that statement for a moment. Between her odd reaction and her appearance, he could safely deduce that they were related. Siblings, perhaps? "But where are my manners. I'm sorry -- I was caught up in nostalgia, a moment, and I seem to have stumbled into your presence quite unwittingly. My name is Adonai, and I've been known to roam this part of Telk. Is it true that this territory is a sanctuary for travelers, as they say?"
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Posted: Sun Aug 22, 2010 8:45 pm
Terreis snorted. Of course he had met a wolf with that name, why else would he have said that name. Stupid males. "I care not for your name." Her body was still posed ready to attack, though she was slightly more relaxed. If he would just tell her what she wished to know then he would be free to go. "I will answer your questions once you answer mine." Circling around Adonai to perhaps torment him a bit Terreis came to a stop in front of him again. The growling had come to a stop but she was certainly still quite angry.
"When did you know Kaelin? How much time did you spend with her?" There was something about the way he had said the word acquaintance that made Terreis a bit suspicious. "And most importantly how is it that a male like you survived an encounter with her?" Mother had been a strong and brave warrior and surely would have ripped him apart on sight. Right? Unless, he was thinking of another wolf named Kaelin, that was possible. However what was the chance of another wolf named Kaelin that looked like her mother.
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Posted: Sun Aug 22, 2010 8:49 pm
Well now, what got her all ruffled? His brow furrowed, clearly baffled as to what this female's issue was, but he shrugged. He was about to speak, to clarify -- amusement glittering in his eyes -- when he was interrupted.
"Survive?" He reiterated, with a little laugh, and his polite town slipped, showing the true color of what was beneath -- something greatly amused and, to any wolf that was not an Antianeira female, unconventionally charming. "Well, darlin', as I remember she was a bit feisty...but I don't really mind when a lady plays rough?"
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Posted: Sun Aug 22, 2010 8:56 pm
Darlin'? Did he just say darlin'? That was the last straw, she was gonna ripe his throat out for sure. However those next words stalled any attack she was about to throw his way. He doesn't mind when a lady plays rough. "How dare you speak of Kaelin like that!" Of all the no good things to say, especially about her mother, that was not what she wanted to hear. Another step forward for that she was right in his face now. "You will take those words back or I will end your life here and now."
If only Varia was here, this male would have already been dead. But no Terreis was trying to remain nice, as nice as was possible given this male badmouthing her mother. Besides she was still in YMCA land and therefore she had to behave, for now. One more wrong word from Adonai's mouth and that would change however.
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Posted: Sun Aug 22, 2010 9:01 pm
He attempted to wipe the smirk from his maw, as he realized his manner was clearly bothering this female, but he found the task difficult. It was just...odd, stumbling into a situation like this -- the sort of oddness that tickled his sense of humor. "Apologies again, I should not speak so...crassly," he said, and cleared his throat, attempting a more somber expression.
"You merely caught me off-guard with your question. Clearly, we must be speaking of someone else, and I am sorry for the confusion. The Kaelin I knew was a warrior for some pack or another -- near these parts, I believe, but she had been traveling like myself -- and we...shared company, for a few nights. I never saw her after." He spoke tentatively, not sure if the wild-dog-marked female was going to launch herself at his throat any moment.
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Posted: Sun Aug 22, 2010 9:09 pm
Ears perked forward ever so slightly. He was certainly without a doubt talking of her mother, for the chances of finding another Kaelin who was a warrior and similar patterns to herself was extremely slim. Especially given that he said he believed she had lived around this area. And since Antianeira lay just north of here it was a good bet. Still, he had insulted her mother whether he realized it or not.
"You should feel lucky that she was not out hunting, or you would not be standing here before me now." However, if Kaelin had spent some nights with him and let him live, that could mean - no, Terreis wouldn't let herself think that way. "I assure you, we speak of the same wolf." Now she should at least answer his question. "And as for your earlier question, yes the pack here is a sanctuary for travelers."
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Posted: Sun Aug 22, 2010 9:33 pm
"And what an incredibly friendly welcoming committee it has!" He said, with a good-natured grin. "So you know Kaelin, do you? Is she still around these parts? I'd rather like to say hello, now that I'm thinking of her..." A rather fond, nostalgic expression crossed his face.
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Posted: Sun Aug 22, 2010 9:39 pm
Gods he was annoying. She was not amused by his welcoming committee comment, but before she could say anything he continued on, switching the subject back to Kaelin. "Knew her." Terreis corrected him, a hint of sadness in her voice that she had not been able to stop. "She died many moons ago." Raising herself up to her full height Terreis was now about to let her mothers death bring her down once more. "She was a good warrior and died honorably, fighting for that which she believed in."
As did Alkaia, though she did not voice that as chances are Adonai would not know Alkaia.
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Posted: Sun Aug 22, 2010 9:55 pm
"Oh," he said, his grin fading now from his paw, ears drooping a bit. That was unfortunate news. It did, however, explain her bristling attitude. "I'm sorry to hear that," he said, and meant it. Adonai was not usually a wolf given to nostalgia, but he had nothing but fond memories for the warrioress -- however briefly he had known her -- and seeing the pain in the eyes of one who survived her saddened him.
This, Adonai thought, was why he never made lasting bonds with anyone. To avoid precisely this sort of pain.
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