Where Is My Place...

[Kinen]

A pitch black wolf could be seen slinking towards the crystal clear lake, the wolf walking with an odd stride, as if she was wary of the whole world, her life holding no meaning. Her paw steps made no noise, none at all. Not even the smallest crunch of grass, or the fliping of a leaf could be heard as this femme walked closer to her goal.

Once she reached the muddy banks of the creek, she looked into the water, standing still as she looked at her reflection. Her face was slim, a trait almost all femmes had. Her fur was pitch black, just as it had been since pup-hood, but she gained a trait that she never thought she would. Her ears, chest fur, belly fur, and tail fadded to a soft gray, as if someone had bleached the black fur at those areas. Her eyes were gray, but around the pupil was a striking blue, as if her eyes never really completed the process of changing as she grew out of pup age.

Her gave a bitter look towards her reflection, before taking a paw and dipping it into the icy cold water. Aria's reflection rippled, and she bent down and lapped up the water. She gave a satisfied growl as she felt the icy cool liquid slide down her parched throat.

After drinking her fill, Aria backed away from the water before leaping on a high rock, laying down on the warm surface. What had made her such a misfit? What was her place in the cruel world? Her mother abadoned her family when she and her siblings were weaned. Her brother and sister thought nothing of it, but Aria's small heart right then became covered with a thin layer of ice.

A year later, when their family was living together happily, her father disowned them. Leaving them to go in search of his mate. Once again, Aria's heart frosted over with another layer of ice. Her siblings, along with herself, made a pact to refuse to ever think of their mother and father ever again, blocking all memories and thoughts of them from their mind. All of them forgeting the comfort of being protected, the warmth of being nestled in their mother's fur, the joy of feeling their mother's and father's love.

The only joy they felt was the fact that they knew they would always be together...but in the back of their minds, the darkest part of their minds...they knew that something would seperate them, sooner or later.

That tradegy happened sooner than they all expected. A forest fire had seperated Aria from her brother and sister, forcing her to take cover in a stone cave. She curled towards the back, whimpering as her body shook. Aria didn't know how long the forest fire lasted, but all she knew was that a storm put the fire out. She slinked out of the cave thinking that maybe, just maybe, Fenris and Tor might've been smiling upon her broken family, she found their corpses, both badly burnt.

Aria turned fearfully, and bolted away. Her heart was filled with rage. Why did her brother and sister leave her? Why did they leave her alone in this cruel world? Did they hate her? Did they wish for her to die? Those thoughts and thoughts similar to that spun rapidly in her head as she ran.

After two years of traveling, she slowly began to forgive her brother and sister, but her heart was colder than ever. She made a promise to herself, she wouldn't let anyone get close to her, she won't go through that again.

Aria was still staring aimlessly into the water, but a small rock falling down and making a small splash roused her out of her thoughts. She shook her head, before she laid her head on her paws, her eyes closed, but her gray ears erect, showing all animals that she was alert and able.

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[Magick]

Paws brushed softly against the earth as the male moved silently forwards, though his steps were not as silent as Aria's- for Bayard had little control over how the grass swayed against his paws, whispering in a language that was alien to all and sundry.

The Maned Wolf found his brown-eyed gaze shifting to the sight of a female, lying down at the edge of the creek. Instantly, his ears pricked up atop his head, his tail rising to further portrait his curiousity. A lazy smile worked across his muzzle, and he crept silently closer, his large, though adolescent, figure weaving through the grass as though it simply didn't exist.

Not a sound came from his moving body- not a whisper of grass against his black paws, not a out-of-place breath falling from his muzzle. Black mane seeming to stand on end, he allowed for his body to adapt to a defensive posture- should the female prove hostile.

His ears flattened back against his skull, his lips riding up slightly, though only to show the very tips of his teeth, not even the tiniest part of his gums exposed, not at all. His tail bristled, the thick mass curling up his back; portraiting dominance, yes, as he didn't know how this female would react to his presence.

He was quite a magnificent sight to behold- a perfect example of an adult Maned Wolf; with the only problem being that he was just an adolescent, not an adult- yet he had the size and stature of an adult already- when he himself became of that age, he would indeed by a large wolf- even for his long-legged, thin-bodied species.

Red-orange fur ruffling as a chill southern wind swept through the creek, he found his muzzle lifting towards the sky, his tail rising further up his back- like a snake responding to a charmer. Without further ado, he parted his muzzle, releasing a howl.

Low in pitch, as was the case with most males, and as powerful a force as an element itself, Bayard's howl rose up into the sky; both announcing his presence to the female, and warning other wolves around that he was there. He might have been an adolescent but he had a lot of pride- he practically oozed it.

He found his gaze shifting slowly towards the water, to check his reflection, even though he was too far away to see, and smirked slightly to himself- he knew that he was a fine example of a Maned Wolf, and revelled in such a fact.

His fur, a lovely shade of red-orange, was silky and smooth, as though brushed a million times with a human's caressing touch. The bottom-half of his legs were black; as though he was wearing long-ish, black socks 'pon his paws and legs. The black mane on the back of his neck, which also reached the topmost part of his back also, was as thick and silky as the rest of his fur, but it was his black muzzle, the black backs of his ears, and his white markings that were the softest to the touch- his white markings being his white torso, white underside of his neck, white ear-insides, and white tail-tip.

[Kinen]

Aria's ears twitched as she heard the deep howl of the male wolf. Opening her eyes, she raised her head and looked over to Bayard, her emotionless eyes piercing through him, as she stayed in the posture. She raised her tail slightly, showing that she wouldn't run from a fight.

'This one isn't even out of his adolescent years...and yet he walks as if he is Alpha.' Aria thought. She wouldn't utter a word, just keep her opinions in her own mind. Her sharp eyes caught the fact that Bayard's eyes flickered over to the water, and she gave a slightly amused flick of her ear. This brute couldn't be so vain, could he?

But at the time, she couldn't judge him. Aria blinked, her eyes still watching Bayard, she wasn't keen on moving her eyesight from him anytime soon. “Is it smart to announce your presence like you just did?” Aria asked. She couldn’t help it, she had always favored stealth, rather than announcing where she was to other wolves. Just a trait she had gained through her life.

Aria’s nose twitched as her eyes scanned the male quickly, taking his traits, such as scent, looks, markings, and so on, before putting them in the back of her mind, for future reference. She pointed her ears towards him as she waited for a reply.

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[Magick]

Bayard shifted his gaze back to Aria as her eyes opened and her head lifted, muzzle turning to face him. His own eyes narrowed slightly as her tail rose, and he flashed her a smirk, eyes reverting to their normal size, lips lowering again to cover his teeth completely, though his bristling tail remained raised, curling up his back.

"Smart?"

Repeating one of the words that she had said, eyes widened slightly, as if incredulous, before a lazy smile stretched across his face, a simple flick of his bristled tail showing his immaturity more than he would have liked.

"You going to punish me?"

A cheeky smirk replacing his lazy smile, he lifted his lips slightly to show his teeth again, before lowering his lips once more- the movement was merely reflexive, and threatening, though he most likely wouldn't back up the threat with physical violence for, even though he was the size of an adult wolf, he hadn't yet gained the strength of one- the female herself could probably do a lot of damage to him, since he was still young, technically.

"Besides, I can look after myself."

A slightly haughty flick of his ears accompanied his words, and the male sat lazily back on his haunches, tail reverting to normal, and curling around his paws, the tip tickling the earth beside his left forpaw.

Brown gaze travelled over the female again, though this time, it was for the same sort of reason as Aria's gaze had slid over him- he was merely storing details of her appearance, alongside her scent, in his mind- for later use, if neccessary.

"What's your name- 'less you want me to just call you female?"

More than just a drop of charm in his voice, Bayard smirked again, relaxing slightly in his seated position, ears flicking reflexively, eyes darting left, then right, checking their surroundings before resting again on Aria.

Despite being so headstrong, he was obviously nervous about being out in the open, especially because of his young age.

He thought for a moment, then smiled slightly to himself- to save her repeating the question he had asked, he decided to say two words, now-

"Mine's Bayard."

[Kinen]

The way Bayard acted confirmed Aria’s thoughts. This male was still coming out of his adolescent years, explaining the slight immaturity. What a lucky wolf his caretakers must’ve been…

“Aria.” She answered his question in a one simple word, her name. Aria sat up, turning to face towards Bayard, her eyes still locked on him. She curled her tail around her body, laying the gray tip limply beside her paws.

He surely –seemed- full grown, but his attitude was what gave him off. she calculated. Her eyes narrowed slightly, just catching the nervous left-right dart of his eyes. And he doesn’t seem to enjoy being so out in the open. Aria added to herself.

“You can look after yourself, eh? You sure seem capable of that, but just how old are you? A year old? Two perhaps?” she asked, her double colored eyes flickering towards to forest, just to see a small rabbit hop by, before she fixed her gaze again on Bayard.

You could’ve described Aria’s face in one word- emotionless. Just as her voice was. She didn’t seem to show much interest in the wolf in front of her, nor for anything else surrounding them for that matter. You could say that a portion of her attention was on Bayard, while the rest was on their surroundings.

Even though her body was still, her ears flicked every now and then, making sure that no one was creeping on them. Aria shifted her body weight, finding another comfortable position as she waited for another reply from Bayard.

[Magick]

"Nice name."

Compliments weren't really Bayard's thing- unless he was recieving them. He usually, though, didn't know what to say at all anyway- so complimenting other wolves, on such trivial matters such as names, didn't come naturally to him. Though, he rarely said anything he didn't mean- and he had complimented Aria's name for a reason; he truly liked it. It made him think of nature; of singing birds, of rushing water. And Bayard, for all his faults, totally enjoyed being around nature- whether it was to further boost his vanity, or just to plain relax.

His eyes narrowed slightly as Aria questioned his age, ears flattening back against his skull for the briefest of seconds, before perking back up, defiance gleaming in his eyes- he needn't be embarrassed about his youth; in fact, he should rejoice in his young age- it meant that he had a lot more time to live, hopefully anyway, than older wolves.

"In between."

Two words were given as a reply to her question, his tone mysterious, though a lopsided grin had crossed his face- it wasn't the world's hardest, most cryptic mystery to unravel, since she had said the two ages of which he was between- one year and two years.

"And yourself, Aria?"

Three words, this time, emerging from his muzzle, he suddenly lifted himself to all four paws, falling down into a stretch, yawning slightly as he did so, before standing again, gaze drifting to the creek once more- this time, though, not to check his reflection, but merely to look at the glimmering surface, which was reflecting the bright, piercing light of the sun- a thing neither high, nor low, in the sky; as it was mid-afternoon now, and the sun wasn't yet setting, but wasn't, any more, at the highest point during the day.

[Kinen]

Aria murmured a soft ‘thanks’ as Bayard complemented her name. She wasn’t one to always get complements, so she just shifted again as she swayed her tail to the other side of her paws.

Ears perking as she heard Bayard’s reply, she gave a amused smirk, before that expression disappeared. Her face was once again a clean slate.

“Two and a half years older.”

If Bayard wasn’t going to give her a straight reply, neither would Aria. Her reply wasn’t hard to decode. It just stated simply that she was two and a half years older, meaning she was four, but…you knew that.

Aria pointed her head skyward momentarily, taking a quick look at the sun before she looked back towards Bayard. From the sun’s position, she would take a guess that it was around noon time or so. She could feel the heat of the rays slowly warming the rock that she sat on.

She leaped off the rock before she would’ve gotten too hot, and landing on the grass below, the faintest rustling of grass could be heard as her paws hit the earth. Sitting down in the shade of the rock she was sitting on moments ago, she looked towards Bayard.

“What brings you to the creek? A drink of water?” Aria asked again. All this talking was making her slightly unnerved, she hadn’t talked this much to a wolf since her siblings were alive…but she would put up with it for now.

[Magick]

Bayard felt a smirk uncurl 'pon his muzzle at her words- because he knew his own age, naturally, he could easily figure out her's, too- she was four. Nose twitching, he gave a flick of his ears, mouth opening to respond, then closing again when he realised he didn't know what to say in response to Aria.

His eyes followed Aria as she lifted her muzzle towards the heavens, and his own muzzle rose also, making him have to fight back the urge to send forth another howl to rock the clouds high above them.

His gaze snapped back down to the land as the soft sound of grass welcoming paws upon it whispered to him, his muzzle reverting to it's former position in time to see Aria sitting back on her haunches, covered by the shade of the rock that, a few moments ago, she had been sat upon.

"Drink? Nay. I was actually just passing by, looking for company, caught your scent, and couldn't restist coming on over."

Lying was not one of Bayard's strong points- one of the reasons he never, or at least- hardly ever, did lie; for the words he uttered now were the truth, nothing but.

"And yourself? Wait- you were drinking before, right? But, s'at all you came here for- to have a drink?"

[Kinen]

Aria blinked as she flicked her ears once again in amusement. Bayard seemed to be lost for words. She ticked the grass with the tip of her tail, waving it through the grass, before she looked back towards Bayard.

“Drink of water, place to rest and look back. Mostly sums up why I’m here.”

Aria could’ve easily lied. She’s done it a thousand times in her life. Sometimes she did it to avoid trouble, and other times she did it just to cause bewilderment in another wolf’s life. But for some reason, she felt that Bayard was telling the truth, so she could’ve atleast returned the favor.

She blinked as she heard the rustling of grass. Once again, her eyes darted as she looked around, only to see a pheasant speed by in the forest. She felt her nose twitch as a scent wafted into it. Doe she thought before she gave her nose a soft lick.

“There’s a doe a few ways over there,” Aria paused, taking time to lift her tail and point towards the grazing doe, “Are you hungry? She finished, laying her tail back down in the grass.

[Magick]

Bayard dipped his muzzle down towards Aria briefly after she had finished speaking; a simple nod, on his behalf. Tail flicking slightly behind him, his gaze was also attracted to the sound of rustling grass, as a pheasant speed past them. A lazy smile stretching across his muzzle, he lifted said appendage into the air as a fairly unfamiliar scent reached him; for Bayard hadn't scented an adult doe in some time; he tended to ignore them completely, as he knew, like all other lone wolves, that a single wolf could not bring down an adult deer- he had, instead, always chosen to go for the fauns, or for the more sickly adults, if he was desperate enough.

He smiled again as she spoke, ears perking up atop his skull, claws scratching against the earth softly as he shifted around in his standing position, suddenly eager for a hunt- to bring down the doe that was plainly in both of their sights, for he had never brought down a healthy doe, and this one definitely did not look sick, nor old.

"Starving. But- can we bring it down?"

We, not I, as he would have usually said- but we. His gaze was doubtful as he scrutinised every aspect of the doe- from this distance, she looked way too healthy and strong for just the two of them to take down. In case his words had confused her at all, he flicked his ears back, flattening them against his skull, tail ceasing to flick agitatedly, as it had done moments ago.

"I mean- with just us two. After all, you're the more 'xperienced wolf."

These words were spoken with a lopsided grin, though his voice had a hint of something he hadn't had in a long time- respect. He respected Aria for being his elder, and for, naturally, having more knowledge of life than he did- four years compared to one and a half meant that he knew he wasn't going to know nearly as much as she, therefore, he was looking to her for information- something he hadn't done since he was naught but a pup.

[Kinen]

Aria smiled slightly at Bayard before she looked back towards the doe, her pupils narrowing before widening again as she searched for a better look at the doe. She inhaled, and before she realized it, possibilities were flying in her head.

One could hold it, another deal a finishing blow. We could cripple it, then deal the finishing blow. Or we could tear out the jugular…that would be the finishing, but tearing it out maybe the problem. Another possibility is- wait a second. Aria though as she sniffed. She stood up, her muscles bunched together before she leaped on the rock, her paw’s making no sound at all, something she seemed to be skilled at.

Her ears erect as they pointed towards the doe, she narrowed her eyes. The doe’s stomach seemed to be larger than normal. Aria smirked as she looked towards Bayard.

“Come here, and take a good look towards the doe, more importantly, at her stomach.” Aria whispered, jerking her head for Bayard to leap on the rock.

The doe was pregnant. A perfect chance for Aria and Bayard to kill that doe in an instant.

“We can cripple it, then do the finishing blow.”

Aria added softly, her double colored eyes locked on the doe, and for once, not on Bayard. IF they could kill it, this would be the first decent meal Aria’s had in a while…

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[Magick]

Bayard's own pupils contracted slightly as he gazed at the doe, eyes travelling over her limbs, the graceful arch of her neck, but not noticing the bulge of her stomach- from where he was standing, no such bulge existed, or at least- couldn't be seen.

Aria's soft words made him look briefly to her, then to the doe, just to check that the female deer hadn't heard the female wolf. His ears flicked back, his steps silent as he quickly crossed the few metres seperating him and Aria, joining her atop the rock, tilting his head to the left as he inspected the doe's stomach.

"She's pregnant?"

Curiously, he tilted his head further, his ears swivelling towards the soft sound of Aria's voice beside him. He nodded simply to her suggestion, gaze locked onto the doe now, his eyes not shifting to her again.

"I'll take the rear- you get her neck."

He might have sound commanding, but he was, in fact, just suggesting this; the rear would need a larger wolf to stop her from moving, and the smaller, more agile wolf would need to dance around the doe's hooves and get at her throat- Aria was definitely smaller and more agile than the adolescent maned wolf beside her.

"Ready?"

Muscles bunched together beneath his fur as he settled himself down towards the ground, tail pointing horizontally out behind him, head lowering, lips riding up to expose glittering teeth- he was preparing to spring, and was now simply waiting for her word.

[Kinen]

Aria nodded to confirm what Bayard had said. She flicked her ears, telling him she would do what he had suggested, she didn't wish to talk anymore, in fear of scaring a perfectly fine meal away.

The doe was pregnant, and if Aria missed this chance, she would be ashamed of herself for who knows how long. She took a quick glance at Bayard, nodding her head as she licked her nose.

She jumped off the other side of the rock, her pawsteps silent. Crouching down as her ears pressed against her skull, and her tail hanging limply as she crawled closer to the doe, her lips raised slightly to show the tips dagger sharp teeth.

Aria's pupils narrowed in concetration, as she lifted her tail slightly, before she flicked it. A signal to go. Right then, she bolted towards to doe, her pawsteps amazingly making no noise.

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occ//So..short. x.x Blame school. Sorry Soph.

[Magick]

Whilst Aria's steps were amazingly light and soundless, Bayard's were less than so, though, thankfully for the pair, the doe was too busy nipping at a particularly thick flower-stem to notice the soft, barely-noticeable thumps of speedy paws rushing through the grass; carrying forth the adolescent Maned Wolf.

Paws beating softly against the earth, he suddenly sped up, his paws making more sound now, and making the doe's head snap upright, just as his large frame pounced forwards, jaws snapping at the topmost part of her back, and just about managing to latch onto the lower part of her back, body surging forwards as she tried to run, his claws making slices in her soft flesh.

The doe screamed out, her mouth uttering naught but a stream of animal pain, and fear, as Bayard's teeth sunk into her back, ripping at the tender flesh there, but when one of his claws sliced her stomach, she screeched again- now not only afraid for her own life, but for the life inside of her.

Bayard didn't turn to look at Aria -she might have started running, but he, being of lighter foot and longer leg, had gotten there quicker, naturally-, as he knew he had only passed her a few seconds before his assault had caught the doe- and he guessed, quite rightly too he believed, that she wasn't going to be far behind at all; Aria didn't strike him as the type to miss out on such a good opportunity- especially as all she had to do was dance around the stamping hooves of the deer, and rip out the doe's throat- which would kill her.

If that plan failed- Bayard could always move his teeth across the doe's spine and break it in half with his jaws- which would paralyse the doe completely, and leave the poor creature totally defenceless.

Call him strange- but the reason Bayard hadn't already done that, was because he liked a challenge.

[Kinen]

Aria blinked as she saw Bayard leap on the doe. Wasn’t she running before he? But he did seem to have a bigger form, even if she was already full grown, and he still only an adolescent.

Aria was a few seconds delayed, as she danced over the stamping and kicking hooves with grace. Opening her maw, she stretched her neck out, just enough to snap onto the doe’s neck. Hearing the animal scream even louder, and more frantically, she bit harder, and felt her jaws sink into the throat.

Still dancing around the hooves, but she felt the animal’s movement become lagged. Finally, she jerked her head, and tore out the jugular.

Aria gave a satisfied growl, as she felt the doe’s body become slack, and the blood splatter on her head. Dropping the dripping body part, Aria opened her maw to let the animal’s limp throat fall out of her mouth.

Smiling, she licked over her maw, tasting the salty, copper like taste of blood. She hadn’t tasted that in days.

“Excellent kill.” Aria complemented, nodding her head towards Bayard.

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