Walk | Talk | Think

Miksa traversed along the edge of the territory that had recently been claimed, tiptoeing just outside of the border. Though his tan ears stood perked atop his head, he only half heard the noises around him, his thoughts drowning out what he did not hear. This was his home now. He was indebted to take care of it and act as a guardian for it, following the fighter's way that he had thought could possibly suit him. But the challenge put to him to hold that rank within Celestial, one of the newest packs in the region, had only managed to prove to him how much he still needed to learn.

It was disconcerting, as much as he wished not to be pessimistic about it. His brow drew into a disappointed frown as he considered the spar and his part in it, noting each mistake that had been made, each action that needed to be executed better. Room for improvement, he reminded himself, trying to take on the optimistic tone that his leader had after they had finished sparring. In all things she was optimistic, and no matter that Miksa still continued to chide himself for mistakes she only encouraged with positivism.

Until he decided to work on his sparring again - he did not intend to break from it for very long - Miksa was determined to make himself useful in other ways. Like walking the border and making sure Celestial was safe and peaceful. Finally becoming fully aware of his surroundings again, the white wolf crossed over the border between the Plains and the territory beside it, a rocky region comprised of many earthy shades of red and tan. He had not been out this way before, nor did he intend to go very far. He only wanted to venture a little ways from the pack's border and set his mind at ease that there were no shady individuals lurking about.

MIKSA

No shady individuals lurking here. Just Esarosa. She should have been at home, making use of herself to her new pack, but after meeting Varda, she wasn't quite ready to go back yet. Besides, she'd already caught the man's scent after leaving the oasis and couldn't resist following the trail; a few more hours away from her pack wouldn't make a difference, right? She found herself in a very dry place, though being in the west, it wasn't so uncommon to find these dry and arid places. Her nose stung from the dry heat, and it was getting more difficult to follow the trail she'd been on - it was like the scent itself was evaporating. Panting, her pace had slowed as the sun beat down on her jet black coat. She was surprised by the scalding heat considering it was only spring, but this was the west. It was possible too, that she was afflicted by her own internal heat, and maybe that was why she went to such great lengths to find her friend, just to see that he was well. She could think of little else for the time being. After all, the last time she'd seen him, he had been displaced by the disbandment of his former home - she couldn't bare to go home until she was sure he was okay. She found herself closely passing marked territory as she traversed the dry, oddly colored rocky landscape. The borders carried the same scent that Varda had been swathed in. So, he was around here after all, the place that Varda called Celestial. He wasn't alone nor homeless anymore. The realization was bittersweet for her. Sighing, she wondered if she ought to just turn around and go home. But giving up was not her thing. She pressed onward, hoping to catch sight of her friend before he returned beyond borders that she could not enter. At last she saw him. She was sure this time, not like when she'd found the ivory woman. She was not mistaken. He was making his way along the edge of the territory, and the very way he walked was recognizable. She put on a burst of speed, feeling the searing heat nearly overwhelm her. By the time she approached from behind, she had to slow herself. "Hey!" she called out, trotting to come up beside him and offering a friendly grin, "Miksa, I've been looking for you everywhere since the last time we met. Finally caught up with you!" She paused, wanting to say more, of course, but she had to give herself a moment to catch her breath, and she should probably give him the chance to get a word in, too. She'd hoped to tell him there was a place waiting for him if he was still wandering alone, but that would not be a possibility now. Still, she was glad to have found him. They could still catch up, since they'd each joined new packs, though she hadn't got the chance to tell him yet that she had joined Argead. She'd be able to go home after, satisfied with her findings, instead of wondering. "Speak" "Listen" Think

Walk | Talk | Think

Things seemed overall quiet out west. As Miksa continued to wander along, he found nothing that looked out of the ordinary, nothing worth noting and taking back to Surreal. It was nice in its own way - it surely allowed his mind to wander as he had already proven - but at the same time it created a new worry that was slowly settling into the back of the white wolf's mind. Threar's borders had been quiet too, and they had been caught unawares twice by others who wished to do them harm. Celestial was so newly formed that Miksa feared a repeat of events happening here, and it fueled his determination not to grow lax in his judgment.

It caused a new furrow to start between his black-marked brows, but it smoothed away the second he heard a familiar voice call out his name. The white wolf's stride slowed as he turned his head to look over his shoulder at Esarosa, a quick smile twitching across his face. Of course she was here. She was always there when he least expected her. And since he had already worried himself around and around his thoughts too many times to count, her presence was entirely welcome.

"Esarosa," he greeted her, continuing to walk along his patrol as she caught up to him, but upon seeing how winded she had become he immediately slowed to a stop so that she could properly catch her breath. "I'm sorry, I didn't..." he began to say, but a whiff of her scent stalled his train of thought. She smelled...different. In more ways than one. It took Miksa a second to recognize that part of that was because her scent was now mingled with that of a pack, and realizing that the rest of it was altered by heat brought a swift and sudden blush beneath the white fur of his cheeks - something he hoped was not visible.

He gave his head a quick, indiscernible shake before he tried again, "I didn't realize I was being hard to find." She had been looking for him? For how long? How had he managed to evade her, the one wolf he knew who constantly seemed to be in motion? His yellow eyes studied her in puzzlement, and his mind felt as if it was only moving at half speed, not quite keeping up. "You've...been looking for me?" he asked, prompting her to explain if she needed to. A lot had changed since they had last spoke, and knowing her he suspected she would have a lot more to say than he would.

MIKSA

She moved along at his side as best she could, but was grateful when he slowed his pace, coming to a stop for a moment as she panted. He greeted her, and she looked up at him, smiling, her tail waving. Then he spoke. Oh, there he went again, apologizing without need. She chuckled; he was always saying sorry. But then he went quiet abruptly, mid-sentence, his nose twitching. What is... her thoughts trailed off quickly, as it didn't take long for her to realize why he'd stopped. Her mouth gaped slightly as she gazed at him for several long, painfully uncomfortable moments. Her tail tucked swiftly. Cheeks burned hot, and her eyes then cast to the ground bashfully as her claws itched the rocky surface somewhat anxiously. Was he going to act differently now? But what would different be like? she wondered, feeling herself squirm slightly as her heart thudded against her chest - and not from the dash she'd made to catch up. She suddenly felt very self-conscious, and a million thoughts and feelings rushed through her all at once. It was strange to her, but somehow the sudden flutter she felt within was not undesirable. Sensibility and caution leaving her mind, her tail moved back to a neutral position, the tip twitching restlessly. She could hardly remember why she'd come this far to find him. How was she supposed to cope with this? She hadn't thought about it until now, but she'd avoided being around any males since spring had begun. Well, she supposed if she had to be around any man right now, she'd certainly prefer to be near the man that stood next to her now. Esa dared to look up at him again when he found his voice once more, continuing on with what he'd been saying. His words brought her back to the present, reminding her why she'd really come here. He seemed a little puzzled, and all she could do was giggle slightly, waving her tail brazenly. It wasn't that he'd been hard to find, it was more that she'd been interrupted along the way. She'd hesitated a long time after meeting Varda and being informed that they were in the same pack, and several times she thought she should just go home. But finally she'd found him. She wouldn't achieve what she'd hoped for today, to bring him home with her, but at least she had this chance to see him. It might be a long time before they met again, for though she may be free-spirited, she was longer without boundaries. Perhaps it would not always be that way, but for now, that's how it was. "Yes, and I'd been hoping to find you sooner - I came from the emerald valley as fast as I could, 'cause a new pack formed there, but..." she began in a speedy, rambling manner, her tail twitching with the emphasis of each syllable, "I met Varda along the way. She says your home, Celestial, was finally established and you're both living there now. So my real reason for coming here, well, I was gonna see if you were still waiting for that home and I thought maybe Argead would have been the place you were waiting for. But I guess now I just want to know how you're settling in." She took in a deep breath after speaking so quickly. She supposed she wanted to hear him confirm it himself, though it seemed quite obvious to her. She just wanted to be absolutely certain he was settling in, enjoying himself in his new home, and have a nice visit until they had to go their separate ways. "Speak" "Listen" Think

Walk | Talk | Think

The second he noticed his friend becoming self-conscious because of him, Miksa wished he had reacted differently. He had not meant to cause her any sort of distress, or to make her uncomfortable because of something that was entirely out of her control. And after being on the self-conscious end of a few exchanges himself it only made him sorrier to push that feeling onto someone else. Apologizing felt too forward - he did not want to bring anymore undue attention to it than he already had - and he had to bite his tongue to stop himself from stuttering out the words. Instead, he tried to compromise by acting normal, or at least what he perceived normal to be.

Schooling his expression, he tried to rid himself of his confusion and simply be happily in the moment with Esarosa. He reminded himself how nice it was to see her again, how funny it was that they always seemed to find one another no matter their travels, and how happy he was not to have to worry about his pack and their safety for a while. That was normal, right? All safe, polite thoughts that could distract him from the oddness of her scent and the blunder he had just made recognizing it.

The slip up did not in the least bit hinder his friend's ability to talk, he realized. She recovered rather quickly and immediately set about answering his question, speaking quickly and challenging the current slowness of Miksa's mind. Emerald Valley? That was right; they had met there, so of course she must have assumed his future pack would spawn there too. In truth, he had thought so as well, but it had not even crossed his mind when Surreal finally called out and assembled her pack-to-be in the Vericona Plains. He was surprised momentarily by the mention of Varda, unaware that Esa knew who that was, but it seemed the dark colored wolf had already found out about his big news before he had gotten a chance to tell her himself. It was a bit disappointing on a few levels; he no longer got to surprise her with his news, and it would have been nicer if they had all been in the same pack.

He paused for a second as she caught her breath, half expecting her to continue, but when she did not he let out a quiet one of his own. "I'm settling in alright," he answered with a little nod, confirming her suspicions, "It's a little slow right now. I've...tried out to be a fighter. Legionary, they call it." Had he told her before of his interest in following in his mother's footsteps, how he hoped he inherited her natural warrior's skill? Reflecting on his spar and his earlier thoughts, he added a bit sheepishly, "Still have a lot to learn." But he planned to keep at it, and that was most important.

With his own short and concise explanation made, he was reminded again of the strange pack scent that clung to Esarosa's frame, and the name she had given of another new pack circled back around through his thoughts. "I'm guessing you joined this...Argead?" he asked as he tried to get the name right, unable to fully mask the sense of disappointment the question stirred in him. There had always been a hope in the back of his mind to be the one to introduce his friend to her next pack, preferably one that he was in so that they no longer had to wait for random encounters to fall into place as they typically did. But if she was happy, he would not spoil her mood with pessimistic thoughts.

MIKSA

It seemed he would have to bite his tongue in order to ensure he didn't say the wrong thing after the long, silent pause between them - Esa couldn't help but to wonder what he'd been about to say. Alas, he chose to say nothing, seeming to focus on steadying his expression and listening calmly and quietly, depicting a sense of normalcy. It was easy then to see the slight surprise alight in his expressive yellow eyes when she mentioned Varda's name - even as Esa rambled on, her thoughts sped over their latest encounter. She couldn't help but to narrow her eyes ever so slightly. Of course the woman would never have admitted to meeting her. Her thoughts switched back to the present when her friend's features shifted to disappointment. Why did he look like that? Esa realized that she'd started to lean forward, ears straining toward Miksa as she awaited his response. She drew back slightly startled when he finally spoke. With a nod, he'd confirm to her that he was indeed settling in to Celestial. She acknowledged that with a nod of her own, happy that he was settling in, though she felt her throat tighten and couldn't help the sinking of her ears. She'd already known it, but to hear from him directly still left her downhearted. Trying not to focus on that fact, she perked her ears again, eyes fixing upon his face. So, he had tried out to be a fighter, a Legionary. Esarosa wouldn't have taken him for a fighter, but then again, she'd never really asked what his pursuits were - she'd never been interested in packs before - yet she knew that he was courageous enough to fulfill the role. Emerald eyes drifted from his face and roamed over his frame. She'd never realized it before, but he was well-built for his chosen field - he was a little taller than her, sturdy and well-structured, muscular... Her gaze returned to his face when he sheepishly added that he had a lot to learn. She had to take a step back once more, realizing she'd been straining forward again. Then he would ask if she had joined Argead, and there was a slight but obvious look of disappointment following his question. Esa sighed, ears tilting back slightly. "Well... yea, I did, I joined Argead," she said solemnly, then tried to ligthen up a bit, "But if any pack is right for me, it's this one. It's for explorers, and traders, and..." Well, she couldn't quite remember everything that Mithras had said at the claiming, but it sounded good to her. Of course they were all expected to pull their weight, but his rules weren't strict and confining. She didn't really want to talk about being in a different pack; it was bringing out a feeling of regret, and she didn't like it. She didn't want it to be this way, but she couldn't just give up on her pack now - she had to give it a shot and do her best. "So you're a fighter, Miksa?" she'd ask, changing the subject to something she found more interesting, "The training for that must be pretty tough... But you'll be so strong from your work outs and sparring!" Her eyes had been wandering over his form as she spoke, and was she leaning in again? She backed up just a little, her head tilted and ears perked forward, curious about Miksa's fight training. "Speak" "Listen" Think

Walk | Talk | Think

Though he was trying to mask his feelings in order to spare Esarosa any sense of discomfort, he realized he was not doing quite so well a job at it as he had hoped. Her answer to confirm joining Argead was not voiced with her typical bright optimism and instead sounded uncharacteristically down, as if what should have been happy news - joining a pack was something of a momentous occasion - was not quite so happy after all. As she went on, however, she had nothing but good things to speak of it, and the description she supplied, though short, was enough to send a natural little smile back to Miksa's face. "Explorers? Then you'll fit right in." If she was not already. Maybe Argead was better suited for her after all.

He felt his embarrassment stir a little as his friend inquired after his interest in fighting, and he fought the urge to fidget where he stood by sitting himself down instead. Oh boy, what would she think about it? She did not seem to have concluded it herself prior to that moment, but despite his fear that she would think him unsuitable for such a task she was, thankfully, optimistic as he noticed her scoot back away from him again. After keeping up a casual friendship with her for so long - had they known each other over a year now? - he valued her input and was grateful for her vote of confidence. "I hope so," he answered through a gently brightening smile, a little of her optimism beginning to infect him too.

On a whim, and because he realized in that moment that he really wanted to mention it to someone, he went on, "Actually, my mom was a really good fighter. She was the...top one in our first pack." He could not really remember much from those days, nor what the title was that Qanik had been given for that top rank, but the fact she had been good at it had stuck. "I've always figured I should be a fighter like her," he muttered quietly, feeling that sense of embarrassment resurface as he divulged one of the secrets he had always harbored close. Feeling strangely exposed, he fought to keep his tan ears upright and shifted his bright, yellow eyes away from Esa's curious, verdant gaze, his tail giving a nervous twitch at his side.

MIKSA

Though her expression was still somewhat solemn, her smile had returned and would brighten when Miksa said that she would fit right in. She had to agree, it was just right for her, except for that one thing that was terribly wrong. But she wouldn't bring down the conversation by focusing on it, nor frowning anymore. Instead, she could focus on him, on what he was going to say about his rank in Celestial. She noticed him sit back when she inquired about his position. She blinked. Uh oh, had she been staring too intently? She offered an apologetic smirk and followed his lead, seating herself to prevent any further leaning and intense staring. Well, she couldn't really help what her eyes did, but at least she wasn't too close. She was glad to see some of her optimism leaking into him, allowing his smile to brighten when she commented on how strong he would get. "I hope so," were the words that came from him. That didn't sound nearly faithful enough! She'd have to set that straight! "Oh, you will be!" she assured him, tail wagging over the dusty ground, "You're not a quitter, Miksa, and you're definitely not a coward. You'll be as good as you set out to be!" Would he believe in her words? She believed it to be true. She saw no reason that he wouldn't make it in his chosen rank. She wished she could reach out and offer him a reassuring touch, but she knew she couldn't really trust herself to move right now. Esarosa perked curiously as he went on. She welcomed his talkativeness today. It wasn't often that he shared more personal details, in fact she was usually leading the conversation with her typical rambling nonsense. But this was much more fascinating than listening to herself talk. Her eyebrows raised as he mentioned his mother, that she had been a great fighter. The best, in fact. Very interesting. No wonder he wanted to be a fighter. She wondered briefly what had become of his mother... he'd not really made mention of her, nor any family before. Then again, she'd never really mentioned hers either. Perhaps it was simply painful to bring up. Esa wasn't sure where she stood on the topic of her family; her father had been too busy fulfilling his duties as Alpha, and his mother had been taken away by illness. She'd never even met the woman. She wouldn't know where to begin if she were to follow in her paw steps, which was part of the reason she'd struck off on her own to follow her own path. Little did she know, she strongly took after her father, who had been a roaming vagabond, a tramp, until he'd finally matured and settled down at an older age. Much older than she was now. The next words to come from Miksa were fairly quiet, but she caught them nonetheless. She saw his gaze move away from hers, tail twitching anxiously. Why was he nervous? Certainly he didn't think she would make fun of him? She watched his face, hoping he would look back up so she could see his vibrant electric eyes again. "I think it's a great way to show someone how much you respect them," she said genuinely, offering him an encouraging smile, "To want to be just like them... or even be better. I think you'll do great if you work hard. I wish I had someone to look up to like that." She wished she had the same sort of passion for something. She still didn't know what she wanted in this life. Sure, she was settling in a pack, and she could hunt pretty well, but she didn't know if that would satisfy her for long. But when would she ever be satisfied? Would anything ever fill that role in her life? Surely she would find something, someday. "Speak" "Listen" Think

Walk | Talk | Think

There was no denying the fact that Esarosa was optimistic. She simply exuded it in all things, Miksa thought, and especially now as she did her absolute best to convince him that his hopes of becoming a skilled fighter would surely be reached. He was touched and admittedly flattered by the certainty with which she spoke to him, all bright smiles and encouraging tail wags, and he was grateful that she thought so. It helped having friends to back him up in his endeavors that would root for him even when he found it hard to root for himself. His smile was still sheepish, but he managed a quiet, "Thank you," for all of her reassurances.

As he avoided her gaze self-consciously after finally revealing his inspiration for seeking a warrior's path, Esa dispelled his worries further by offering her own positive take on what it was he was doing. He relaxed a little as she explained herself, eventually returning his gaze back toward her with a hopeful expression. It was a good thing that he did? It was not at all silly or childish to try living up to a parent's legacy? He felt as if it was at times - particularly on hard days - but his friend's description of it helped to settle those inner disputes and bring back some of the earlier confidence he had had in making the decision. "Yeah...yeah, you're right," he murmured thoughtfully, feeling a renewed sense of determination in his choice to become a fighter as his mother had before him. His smile brightened, still reserved as was his nature, but his tail wagged a few beats at his side, evidence of his relief and new positive feelings.

He was not at all sure how to respond to his friend's wish to have an idol like him. Honestly, he did not know there were any wolves that he could even think of that the green-eyed wolf could look up to, but a thought struck him and caused his tan ears to perk with hope and optimism. "Maybe you'll find someone in your pack?" he voiced hopefully. It might have been a stretch - how was he to know what sorts of individuals there were over in Argead? - but they did sound like the type of people that Esarosa would enjoy being around. Perhaps one of them, he supposed, could serve as a role model of sorts, or at least lead to some further pursuit that his friend could follow.

MIKSA

Oh she could hardly sit still! He'd finally looked back up at her, as though some of his self-consciousness had been dispelled. She was glad that she could influence him just enough, encourage him, so that uncertain look on his face didn't remain. He was just too hard on himself, at least she thought so. She wished he didn't doubt himself so much, but it seemed it was just the way he was. But she supposed that just mean she'd have to come around from time to time to cheer him on, which she surely would not protest. She leapt to her paws suddenly, excited by the vibe of optimism that had settled around them. Oh, and that sheepish little smile of his. Why did it strike her so? Unable to smile wider herself, she merely let slip a soft sigh. And his soft-spoken thanks, it was so, so... it was just so Miksa. When he relaxed further, his expression hopeful, she pinched her eyes shut for just a moment. They opened again, falling upon him as he murmured just a few words, but it was clear that he felt a sense of determination. He may not have been a talker like her, never would be, but his quiet ways were always expressive. Probably more expressive than any amount of words could ever be. All of these things that made Miksa uniquely himself, it was everything that she liked so much about him - she couldn't help the way her thoughts drifted from the present moment. We were so young when we met - I didn't even know I could feel this way back then. So much has changed. We're in different packs. We're older now. But there's so much that has stayed the same. She held her breath for a couple of seconds as her thoughts wandered. She'd talked to herself about this on the way here, hadn't she? She needed to say something about it soon, but what was it? She needed to somehow bring together her confused and chaotic thoughts into something she could express verbally. Something that would make sense to more than just herself. Yet just the thought of saying any of it out loud was horrifying. His next words drew her back from her musing. "Maybe you'll find someone in your pack?" Her heart sunk for a moment and she frowned, before she realized and connected what he said to what they'd been talking about. Oh, right. We were talking about role models, not all that stuff going on in my head, she chided herself mentally, giving her head the tiniest shake and grinning slightly. Boy had her thoughts gotten carried away. "Yea, I guess I haven't even met everyone in Argead yet," she commented, tilting her head, "There's gotta be somebody influencial enough. I'll keep any eye out for them, whoever it turns out to be." And in the end, maybe she just wasn't meant to follow anyone's example. Maybe she'd just keep carving her own path, and perhaps she might be the one to influence someone else. But she was too young for that now - for now, she'd just have to keep exploring her interests. Looking out over the barren red rocks that looked like they were rippling with water, she let the silence fall between them for several moments. Then she looked back to her friend, her closest friend. The one person she'd looked forward to seeing time and time again. Always meeting in the strangest places, always finding each other no matter where they went.  Conversation came so easily between them, and nothing felt impossible when she was near him. Esarosa's emerald gaze met his, regal black tail flicking nervously. Why was she so nervous if he was so easy to be around? She took a deep breath, deciding she had to say something. But did she even know what she was going to say? Would it be too much to share what was on her mind right now? "Miksa... " she broke the silence with an unusually soft tone, her eyes shifting to stare at her paws, "I really have to tell you something... it's that, I-I really... I think I... like..." YES! Yes, it was too much right now! I can't do this... no, not right now. Not today. It's just the season, that's it! I'm just a springtime fool, that's all! Her cheeks burning and stomach doing flips, she cleared her throat and tried to speak up, quickly thinking of something else to say. "Ahem... sorry, the air's kinda dry, my throat..." she murmured, "Uhm, anyways, well I was just wondering... when we might meet again? You know, we might have to plan for visits, being busy with our packs and all. It might even be better if we meet at night sometime, that way no one really misses us..." Her words were hurried and her eyes wandered, clearly distracted. She knew if she missed him at all, she'd be drawn to linger around Celestial borders, and that could become problematic. Wandering away from her pack wasn't what she was worried about, it was more that she didn't want to start trouble between the two packs. It was bad enough, the venomous encounter she'd already had with Varda, which she refused to mention today. "So, when will I see you again?" she ventured, tilting her head, wondering what he would say. "Speak" "Listen" Think

Walk | Talk | Think

There was a brief second where a look of confusion shifted across his friend's face, but before he could fully register it and begin to worry anew it was gone, replaced quickly with a smile. Esarosa admitted to still having other wolves in her pack that she had yet to meet - something that did not altogether surprise Miksa since there were still many wolves in his own that he had yet to speak with - but she gratefully took hold of the idea he suggested and at least considered the possibility that one of them might act as a good role model for her. The yellow-eyed wolf nodded his head as he smiled, feeling a sense of accomplishment. They might not have been members of the same pack, but at least they could still assist each other in this way, offering advice and encouragement during their random, fate-decided meetups.

A companionable silence settled over them, and comfortable with it Miksa followed Esarosa's gaze to stare out across the rocky landscape. This is good, he thought, feeling complacent and at peace with the current way his life was headed. He had a pack, he was on his way toward becoming a stronger fighter - as Esa vehemently assured he would. He had helped one lost friend by bringing her along to join his pack, and his other wandering friend was now rooted close to where he lived. Assuming everything continued to go well, and his optimism was high enough at the moment to believe it would, he had hopes that he would finally find stability again.

It was a considerably nice change from the dark and dismal thoughts that had brought him here, and he had Esarosa to thank for that. He turned his head to face her again, ready to express his gratitude to her for lifting his mood, when he noticed something off about her. She looked...uncharacteristically nervous, not at all like her strong, assured self. The change caused his brow to furrow gently and confusion as well as worry to wheedle their way into his thoughts, especially as she averted her gaze while trying to speak to him. Was something wrong? Everything had seemed perfectly fine just a second ago, and he thought he had been doing well not bringing anymore undue attention to the change in her scent, but...had he missed something?

As he watched her, growing concerned, the green-eyed wolf cleared her throat and tried again, explaining that it was the dry weather causing her to stumble over her words and be unable to speak. Well...she had just needed a breather after catching up to him, and though he accepted her explanation he tucked away his concern for the time being as she finally spoke of possibly setting up their next meeting time. The idea was new to him - he had grown to simply expect to run into her sometime, as seemed to be the habit - but scheduled meetups sounded like a good compromise given their new responsibilities. "Yeah, that's probably true." He did not want to take away from pack time and hours that he should be working to better himself for Celestial. But when would be a good time? "Maybe in a few days? We could meet back up here. Unless there's somewhere else that works better?" he asked in his uncertain way, hoping for confirmation or further suggestions. She was the explorer, after all. If either of them had ideas, it was bound to be her.

MIKSA

By the time Esarosa dared peek back at him, she hadn't managed to notice any of his expressions that would have indicated he'd noticed her awkward stuttering. He hadn't seen her stumbling over her words, right? Knowing him, he would probably fret over it if he thought anything was wrong. Well, maybe he'd noticed, but she had a pretty good excuse to cover her fumbling, or so she thought, and he seemed to accept her explanation. So, he wouldn't wonder about that at all, right? She was glad when Miksa answered her question, agreeing that it would be more challenging to run into each other while they were busy with pack duties. Relief flooded her when he attempted to make arrangements; she'd been somewhat worried it was going to be more difficult than that. "Maybe in a few days?" That sounded good to her. She smiled, meeting his gaze again, although her stomach still flipped as she did so, considering where her thoughts had been moments ago. And it wasn't as though it had completely left her mind, she just knew she couldn't verbalize those thoughts right now. Her gaze shifted downward again, looking to her paws, then to his, a slightly abashed smile upon her face as her tail waved. "In a few days would be great," she agreed enthusiastically, kneading the ground restlessly with her forepaws, "Three sunsets from now, when the moon is high in the night sky. Let's meet at Traveler's Lake. I passed by there briefly, it's just north of the oasis and it looks interesting. I'm sure it'll be even more fascinating under the moon light." She glanced up at his face, blinking curiously. Would he be just as eager to see her again? Anxious and unable to stand still, she decided she would not wait for an answer. She didn't need to. She padded toward him, closing the gap between them and reaching her muzzle toward his face. Her nose would touch his right cheek, nudging him gently, somewhat playfully. "I'll see you soon, Miksa," she said softly but cheerfully, "Take care and work hard!" Then she would take off, brushing past his shoulder and flicking her tail under his chin. She was glad for their encounter today - it was everything she needed, even if things hadn't gone the way she'd planned. Maybe next time would be even better. Bounding away at a steady pace, she would head towards her home, already looking forward to seeing him again. -exit Esarosa- "Speak" "Listen" Think

Walk | Talk | Think

The answer Miksa offered made Esarosa brighten almost immediately, and he felt his uncertainty begin to wane. It was nice having her optimism around him, to bolster him when his moments of self-doubt just about defeated him and made even the simplest of decisions feel like life and death. Even if his suggestion had not worked, he suspected she would have approached the rejection with a positive spin. That was just her nature, and he was glad for it, smiling himself as she agreed to his proposition and offered a location of her own for consideration. Traveller's Lake? Had he been there before? I'm sure I can find it, Miksa concluded, and nodded his head in agreement. "Traveller's Lake. Late night." It was a sound plan.

His green-eyed friend did not wait for further comment and rose swiftly to her paws. Before the white wolf could follow suit, she stepped in close to him and touched her nose in a soft nudge against his cheek. His bright eyes blinked, staring at her as she drew back, and though she had surprised him Miksa still smiled. That was just Esarosa. Just a little unpredictable. He was still smiling, fully wrapped up in his new - though realistically temporary - optimism as she made her parting and, with a wisp of her tail, left him sitting there alone. Uselessly he muttered, "Bye," sure she was already too far gone to hear, and with a sigh and a shake of his head Miksa got to his feet and turned back toward Celestial lands. Three days.

-Exit Miksa-

MIKSA