Bathed in the gentle hues of dawn, Illu, set forth on a little exploration of the landscapes beyond the familiar boundaries. Of course, she wasn’t meant to go beyond the borders, and she wasn’t planning on it… but getting close enough to take a peek? That was exactly her goal. Her coat, a soft and silky deep slate blue-gray, was maintained to the best of her ability – with the help of her mother. Her silver eyes sparkled with pure curiosity as sunlight shone down on her face, sending her golden markings alight. With each step, her paws left delicate imprints on the dewy grass and soft earth, and before she knew it she had made the journey around the gorge entrance, skirting around to see what was on the other side.

As Illu ventured further, seeing huge willows in the distance she wondered when she would find herself at the edge of the territory. Her walk became a dance, where wildflowers nodded in approval and her heart raced with thoughts of the unknown. Illusion knew there were dangers, of course, she was no fool. Young, but not naive or ignorant. She just… wanted to look farther than she had before – just because she was smaller and ill-suited for fighting like her brother, Cadaver, didn’t mean she couldn’t walk around with confidence too!


illu

Beauregard’s trip into Boreas was with purpose. He had needed to locate new herbs for Paradise after the raid, though he didn’t hate the other pack for doing as they had. It was the way of things, nature at work as it were. But that didn’t mean that Beauregard was going to accept their loss as the finality of things. Thus far he thought that he had gathered several of the herbs he had seen Noelle use on Paradise… but only the healer would be able to confirm when he brought them back. Still, the man figured he could go a little longer before he turned back and returned to Auster. The Artifex missed his family, his pack, though he believed them to be in capable hands with Garm on the lookout and his mates minding their little ones. He just hoped that Trixy would behave until he returned. The ashen cream male was nearing the borders of a pack and would have turned away if it were not for the fact he caught sight of movement over the grass heading in the direction of the willows. Dark fur with bits catching and glimmering in the sunlight… a small form… was that a child? Beauregard’s brow furrows, worry gnawing at his gut. As a father of young children the man knew how their curiosity could get them wandering in the direction of trouble… especially with Trixy… He moved with purpose, hoping to catch up to the pup before a predator caught sight of it. It was small enough a large bird of prey could carry it off… or it could be picked off by a bear or big cat. He wasn’t familiar with the predators in Boreas and what would be common in this area but it was better not to take chances. The kid, smelling of the nearby pack, was far more focused on the terrain before her as he approached. Beauregard frowned, calling out softly to her. “Leaving the borders of your pack is dangerous - other predators don’t play nice with young pups.” There was fatherly concern in his tone. But… would she listen? ---- Word Count:357 Total Word Count: 581 / 1,500 "Speech," 'Thought.'

table coding by bunni ♥

Lost in her thoughts, her dance, she almost didn't notice the approach of the stranger until his voice cut through the rustling of the grass. Her silver eyes flickered towards him, studying his features with a detached interest as he spoke. But then she fixed her face, her expression changing into one of bashfulness. His words held a fatherly concern, a sentiment that Illusion found both perplexing and mildly amusing. She had never known the warmth of familial bonds, the protective instinct that seemed to drive the stranger's actions. To her, danger was just another thrill to be savored, another opportunity to test the limits of her own abilities. The closest she could get was the bond with her mother, and Cadaver. Everyone else was… nothing, she supposed.

Instead of heeding his warning immediately, Illusion tilted her head slightly, peering up at the man with some amount of feigned shame, her lips curling into a faint frown. "Do.. do you play nice?" She replied, her voice tinged with a hint of fear. It was a lie, of course.  After all, in a world where emotions held no sway over her, the concept of danger was nothing more than an illusion to be shattered at her whim. Still the young girl kept her soft features timid and meek, wanting to play on that silly concern of his. Oh, best to add a tremble to her limbs too.


illu