It had been a few days since she had her exciting adventure with the russet boy and the stampede. He had been an interesting one to meet, but one she wouldn't mind meeting again. The heiress had ventured out, leaving behind her parents in favor of exploring the border between Arcanum and Olympus. Dark paws would traipse the border silently, her gaze shifting back and forth. She had no idea if she would bump into the russet boy again or not, their first meeting had been a chance. Nostrils would quiver, inhaling the scent of Olympus. Her tail would sway at her hocks, the summer sun beating down on her back relentlessly as she walked.
Audits would swivel as she listened for the sounds of an approach, whether it be thundering paws or thundering hooves. A smirk twitched her lips, limbs carrying her along lazily. Hips would sway with each step, muscles rippling beneath her coat. Slowly she was regaining her strength and stamina. Jaws parted in a pant, the summer air suffocatingly hot. It crossed her mind briefly to abandon the border in search of a body of water to play in.
Hephaestus had been more withdrawn than usual of late. His mother was gone... he hadn't even gotten to say goodbye and now she was going off somewhere and she was hurt, sick, could die... there was nothing he could do to help her and he hadn't even gotten to say goodbye. He'd been pushing himself in his anxiety to prove himself to his family, to show that he wasn't going to pull his own weight without his mother's watchful eye. But, he was struggling to find his niche, the thing he excelled in. A less than average hunter, he had to resort to cheap tricks to catch simple prey. He was strong and smart, but though he could patrol a border as well as anyone else he didn't have the heart to want to be a warrior. A healer? He knew nothing about healing, didn't even know where to start, and it wasn't a likely vocation anyway.
He'd allowed his musings to take him on a journey, using the time to think as he moved. Generally he thought better when he could just sit still and think rather than all this moving about, but he needed to be away from the distraction of his family's pack. Slowly he became aware of the ever increasing scent of a pack's scentmarkers, until finally he fetched up against the border as though against a wall. He didn't recognize the scent and had never in fact been here before, so he sat himself down on the outside of the border to memorize the smell and the land. It could easily become necessary to have that knowledge and it would be a useful memory to call upon.
A subtle shift in the wind would bring his scent to her. For a moment, excitement flared in her chest, but soon to realized that it wasn't his scent, but another Olympus wolf. She would move along the border, her pace slow though no less graceful. It wouldn't take long for a silhouette to begin to form. Nostrils would quiver, taking note of the light familiarity of Nemesis. She would approach, about a foot form the border and a few feet between them. Her verdant gaze would sweep over him, thoroughly inspecting his golden pelt. He contrasted Nemesis greatly in color.
"Hello." Her voice was soft, but firm. She knew her place in this world, she knew what she was going to do with her life, and it showed. An air of confidence surrounded her, and her posture reflected it. Warriors blood coursed through her veins, and a small crown sat on her head. Her tail would wag slowly, in an attempt to be friendly. She knew that she needed to learn her have better people skills if she were to be Queen, but she spent most of her childhood away from the pack and away from an civilization, she had never learned to properly socialize. Nevertheless, she peered across the border as the boy, waiting for response. He was simply sitting there, as though he secretly hoped for something to happened.
The pack scent abruptly grew stronger as a voice spoke a firm greeting and Hephaestus, blinking, began to once more pay attention to his surroundings. The wolf facing him was younger, darker, with striking silver markings to contrast his own copper and gold and a strong, graceful build equally at odds with his own burly form. He was aware of an unusual discomfort, slowly coalescing into the realization that - next to this girl - he felt... clumsy. Awkward. Too big, though she was already his height despite the age difference. "Hi..." he answered her greeting in a manner disconcertingly vague and dreamy for the placid boy, orange eyes captured by the bright green of her own gaze. "I'm... Hephaestus."
He would usher a greeting back at her, the single word rolling strangely off his tongue. He met her gaze easily, his name rolling off his tongue. "I'm Basanti." She would dip her head fractionally in response. He was composed of various shades unlike anything she had ever seen. All her sibling had been dark grays and blacks and whites. But he was creamy, golden, beige, so many colors that caught her attention. But his pelt was not nearly as shocking as Nemesis's russet. His eyes were a vibrant orange, clashing with her emerald. An awkward silence would settle around them. He had said little, giving her little to build off of. "Soooo, you're from Olympus?" She would rock back and forth, a smirk curling her lips as she peered across the border at him. What was she supposed to say to someone so quiet? She was at a loss, which was unusual for her. In an attempt to keep herself still, haunches would recline to the earth, tail curling around her hips gently, eyes focused on him, ears at attention. He had her full attention,, whether or not he wanted it.
