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Wandering through the village toward the forest, Tieluj smiled wanly. It was such an automatic path for her that she hadn't even realized where she was going. It wound through the quiet market, the bustle of the previous time she had been in the market had all dissipated. Teiluj was grateful for the quieter moments in Ast, lately though it was alot quieter than usual.

Probably because so many were out hunting today. Teiluj thought to herself. Wandering slowly down her familiar path. Tao, her small Radaku pup trailed along behind her just as quietly. Her mind wandered briefly back to the youngling. She wasn't sure she had properly thanked the shifter named Isaris for his help in locating the younglings mother. She had been brief before running away.

A sigh escaped the hybrids lips as she ran her fingers through her hair. She had work to do after checking the market. And fish she needed to catch for dinner. She had heard rumor of this seaweed stuff, and while she had a vague idea, Teiluj was insistent that she at least try to find some.

Teiluj continued down her path, her eyes downcast. It was habitual for Teiluj not to look up from the ground. Looking up meant meeting the gazes of others and that frightened her. Especially the way that most of the shifters in Ast looked at her. She knew as well as anyone that there was a stigma attached to those who weren't pure to a specific tribe. She had realized that more than ever lately as she continued along, staring absently down at her hands. Clenching them Teiluj folded them across her body.

She was so lost in her thoughts she hadn't noticed anyone around her until she was inches away from running into Isaris. Jerking to a sudden stop with a squeak the hybrid girl looked up. It was the same marked shifter she had met the other day the last time she had been in the market. The very one that had helped her with the youngling. Taking a step back Teiluj tried to look away. Was his hair really that long the last time she had seen him? She hadn't noticed before.

Apologizing for nearly running into Isaris, Teiluj shifted her steps and looked around at the market. Searching for a change in route. She didn't want to cause him an discomfort with being around him. And needed the quickest path out before he noticed her.

Teiluj felt a tingle run up her spine as her name was called out. She had never heard her name from the lips of anyone but her mother before. Her face was instantly on fire as she just stood there staring up at Isaris. Why would a shifter as tantalizing as him want help from her? Was there another youngling that had gotten lost? Her eyes searched around the area, she even leaned to the side to look around him before a list was placed in front of her.

Reaching out to take the paper from the shifter, Teiluj quietly went over the words written down before looking up at Isaris. "W-well these are easy enough to find. A-an-and thank you... for helping the youngling the other day. It would have been much harder to find her otherwise." Realizing her eyes had caught hold of his Teiluj quickly closed her mouth and turned back to the list. Something about the look on his face made her heart pound a little harder than usual.

These herbs were the type that grew around the lake not far from here. "D-do you have containers for them.?" Teiluj stuttered giving the paper back to Isaris. "I know where you can find most of them. There's a lake about a half hours walk north of here." Teiluj paused to flick her hair over her shoulder. "If you want... I could show you the way."

The smile that warmed Isaris' face was easy for Teiluj to catch. Though it made her feel strange to see people smile around her. It seemed odd to hear a shifter admit they weren't used to the forest around their home. Did that mean he hadn't lived here long? Her eyes focused on the material she pulled out to show her. So many things should have been noticeable. Teiluj flushed as she looked from one item to the next. Looking up to meet Isaris' gaze again, her eyes grew wide as she realized she was looking at him and with a blush quickly turned away to hide behind her hair.

"A-a-alright." Teiluj agreed, trying not to let her eyes wander. "This way leads us into the forest." It was her familiar path, towards the lake she loved so much. A strange yelping sound called out from behind and Teiluj found herself spinning to look at the Radaku pup. Tao, the strongest of Pacju's litter followed closely behind.

Collapsing to her knees Teiluj stroked the pups head. "Lets go. Try to keep up." Teiluj whispered as she rose to her feet looking at Isaris once more before darting into the forest. Her hair trailed and bounced behind her and she could feel the way it moved. Her mind wandered strangely to how long Isaris' hair was. The braid was beautiful and she wondered if he spend a long time trying to braid it every day.

After running for some time Teiluj fell into a slow walk, her yellow eyes watched as Tao darted ahead in a playful game of chase. Tugging silently on her loose hair.

"B-braid my hair?" Teiluj gave the shifter an odd look as she separated a section of hair away from her face. Looking it up and down with a blush as she continued to walk. There were several tones in her hair, white, blue, and dusty blond. Normally she kept it up in pony tail but that had become to inconvenient as of late. Twirling the hair around her finger a couple times the girl walked in silence her face raged in flames. Her mother had never offered to braid or even lock her hair like the alkidikes she knew. It was a sign of strength, power she was sure she didn't have.

Turning to look at Isaris Teiluj's free hand pushed hair behind her ear. She wasn't fond of having all of her hair braided. The feeling of it loose around her shoulders and back was comforting in a way, and made her feel good. Blushing a little more Teiluj's shoulders rose and fell in a shrug. "o-okay. But, I..." Here it was again, her words were stumbling over each other making her frustrated as she tried to find the words to say. Her eyes flicked back and forth between the shifter and her hair.

Finally coming to a stop with the sound of water running ahead of them Teiluj turned to look at Isaris again. Was he just the kind that really liked to braid hair? There was no harm in letting him right? She blinked twice as she counted several strands of braids. Yes, that had to be it. He must just really love braids. Stepping towards Isaris Teiluj paused her eyes slowly followed the curves of his body before she turned away. Shaking her head free of intruding thoughts. She hadn't been this close to a male before. And allowing him to braid her hair almost felt like something intimate.

A tingling ran up her spine as she noticed a butterfly floating in the distance. The sound of the birds and the water bubbling against rocks. "C-cou-could you maybe, maybe..." She trailed off nervously closing her eyes as she turned her back to him, guiding strands of hair in certain places. "Maybe braid it back like this?" Nervously she glanced back towards him. Wondering if it had all been a joke and she was just making a greater fool of herself.

Teiluj gave Isaris a soft smile before turning and dropping her hands out of her hair. Lowering her body slowly to the ground the hybrid bent her knees up beside her. Her antenna twitched nervously as she started at the ground. Tao seemed to sense Teiluj's stop on her path towards the water and had come back to settle by her side.

A softer look passed over Teiluj as she reached out to give the Radaku pup a stroke. He was so full of energy, pausing she made a grunting sound as she pulled a feather away from his muzzle. Apparently he was already finding things to eat on the forest on his own. Was Pacju teaching him how to hunt already? He had grown a bit since her return from Tale, but he wasn't fully grown yet. Teiluj guessed by the clumsy way he moved that the uncoordinated pup was now reaching a growth spurt. Her mother had warned her this was reaching the age when the pups bonded or ran free. Did this return mean Tao had bonded?

The sound of Isaris was enough to jar her from her own thoughts. He did have a point about her hair being in the way while looking and gathering herbs. She hadn't really thought of it before. As a youngling her hair had been short but now that she was older she hadn't thought about cutting it back. Having the thoughts that it looked more feminine to keep in longer.

"Thank you." Teiluj whispered. "I'm afraid I don't know how to braid hair."

Cuffs? Teiluj's eyebrows raised in a curious expression. The first image her mind had conjured at the words were the shackles she had heard so much about. Followed very quickly by the scars on Virains mother. The ones that circled about her wrists and neck. The expression that she gave was of surprise when she glanced at Isaris from the corner of her eyes. He had cuffs?

Giggling a little at her own silly thoughts when he elaborated on the item, she couldn't help but feel a little on the dull side. "It's nice to know there are others out there who like the Radaku." Teiluj replied leaning forward to pull Tao into her lap. Her hair falling about her shoulders like water. She could feel her hands shaking from anxiety as Isaris approached her as he moved to be closer. She could already feel his strong presence near her.

His voice speaking again the honesty in the way he spoke made her squeak a little as another wave of fire touched her cheeks. She could feel her back straiten as she closed her eyes nervously trying to calm herself down. "I've never... n-never been this... this close to someone before." Teiluj admitted shivering she lowered her head. "So do whatever is comfortable with you. If that's ok." Her voice grew softer and quieter with every word she spoke. Nervously trying not to show how scared she was.

Teiluj froze a small sound escaped her as her chin was lifted. Her eyes forced to meet Isaris. A small tremble began until Isaris seemed to take on a much less threatening posture. Blinking a few times to clear her mind Teiluj couldn't help but stare. This was looked much less intimidating, and he even seemed to appear much more vulnerable this way. Didn't he know he was in the presence of a hybrid? Did he not care? "It's unhealthy to keep people away..." Teiluj began shortly realizing that was probably the worst thing she could have said. She herself was pretty closed off to most people too, until they walked in and demanded to be there. Like Nkole, as Isaris was now doing. He was right though, she was different from most of the earthlings and Alkidikes. She didn't want any harm to come to anyone, where they seemed to relish in the battles.

The last of his words caught her attention. Him? Who was this 'him' Isaris was referring too? "Who is him?" Teiluj asked tentatively, the trembling slowed as her own curiosity was peaked. Was he opening up to her a little? Why? What had she done that would ease someone else into feeling comfortable? Was it this spot? Teiluj raised a hand to absently tug at a lock of hair. The three shades all seemed to reflect differently in the light.