Days had passed; he wasn't sure how many, as he'd spent most of his time resting, quarantined from the rest of the pack. He'd never been required to lay still for so long in his life. I think I'd rather die from this plague, he thought to himself miserably. When would he be allowed to rejoin in the pack's regular activities and duties? When would he get to end this insufferable feeling that he was just withering away? He flopped onto his side with an irritable huff. Maybe he was just being dramatic. Things would be back to normal in no time. But I'm not sick, he insisted to himself, I shouldn't have to stay here anymore! His thoughts resembled those of a cooped up child, pouting at being confined to a den. Grumbling, he decided he would get up. He'd leave this dingy den, and there was nothing anyone could do about it. Creeping to the den's entrance, he'd peek outside, wondering if Armai was anywhere close. It didn't seem like it, so at least he wouldn't be spotted. He wouldn't have to explain himself. Well, maybe later when someone noticed, but not now. He pulled himself out of the stuffy den and into the fresh air. It was cool, and somewhat damp outside, but the rain had subsided for now. Sighing with relief, he padded away from the den he'd been held up in, no idea where he was going, but glad to escape the confines of quarantine. He knew he shouldn't mingle with the rest of the pack - truly, he did not wish to spread illness if it clung to him in any way. He hadn't fallen ill, but that didn't mean he wasn't carrying disease. He would have liked to seek out his sweet Soleil, but if it would make her sick, then it would have to wait. It was then that he wondered about the lovely lady he had carried to the healer's den. He hadn't had a chance to go see her; he'd heard from Armai that she was recovering and doing well, but suddenly he wanted to see for himself. After all, she was a pretty face, and there were things about her that he wanted to know. Like those bells. Where on earth had she found them? Of course, that wasn't all he wanted to know... but he'd have to find out in person if he wanted to know more about her. So, carefully and casually, he would waltz over to the den she was staying in, scenting for any healers or guards present; perfect, there were none. Time had passed, and security wasn't as tight now. Xephyris crept toward the den's entrance and peered inside. It actually looked quite spacious, and the daylight shone in nicely. Jaelle must have been resting deeper inside. But, maybe she'd be willing to part with a nap and chat with him. She must have been just as bored as he was, after all. "How's our patient doing?" he'd call out into the den, his voice a rumbling baritone echoing down into the darkness. Smirking, he'd wait to see if the woman would rouse and come forth, hoping that she would. "Talk" "You" Think

She was getting very bored stuck in these caves. She sighed as she twirled her tail behind her, listening to the sound of her bells ringing out behind her. Her paws tapped on the ground, the bangles around her wrist chiming along to the beat of her tail. Slowly she beat her limbs to the beat of a song, humming along with the song she was creating. At least she had her adornments to keep her entertained. Her ears folded back as she let out another sigh, giving up on her song and standing to her paws. Jae started to pace around the den, the powerful scent of herbs blocking everything else out. Her mismatched eyes looked at the scarf that she left in the corner, trotting over to it and wrapping it around the base of her tail. She had finally been able to go out and wash it, although she had been scorned for leaving her confinement. Pulling it tight with her teeth, she sunk low to the ground and was about to sneak out of her den. She had been wearing her bells long enough that she knew how to step without making them cry out. She was nearly to the mouth of the den when a male voice cut through the silence. She jumped slightly, her hackles bristling along her spine as her bells rang out in surprise. Quickly her eyes landed on Xephyris, and a smile crossed her black lips. Shaking out her shock, she padded closer to him with a swing of her tail, the ends of her scarf trailing on the ground. "Well if it isn't my silver knight," she said softly, plopping down on her rump in front of him. She still left about a foot between them, nervous that she could still make others ill. Remembering that he had asked her how she was doing, her shoulders raised in a shrug. "Bored out of my mind. I am a nomad at heart and being stuck in one place is making me feel crazy. I long to get out and just... run," she said wistfully. Eying the brute, a more sly smile took over her polite one. "Speaking of trapped, aren't you supposed to be holed up in a den too?" She asked, a sweet giggle bubbling up in her throat. It would look like he was having a hard time staying still as well. "You're a bad boy, sneaking out like this," Her ears flickered in amusement as her tail beat on the ground a few times, the accompanying sound of her bells following the movement. It was more funny because he had caught her trying to sneak out as well, although she wasn't sure if he knew what she was doing. She fell silent for a moment, looking over her shoulder as if she was making sure that no one was around. When she saw that Armai was not near, she wiggled as she stood up, bumping her shoulder lightly against his. "Come on, our little healer firend is not here. I bet you can't catch me!" she called out in glee, kicking off and racing out from the den. Jaelle felt her muscles stretch and pull, slightly painful from being still for so long. But it felt so good, to feel the wind in her fur a bit. Her lungs burned with the exertion, and she had to slow down. Skidding to a stop, she tried to be graceful. But, it was Jae after all. Even though she was a thief, she was quite a klutz. Tripping over her own front paws, she slid on the damp ground. As she tried to dig her nails in to stop her, an exposed root knocked her flat on her face. The air whooshed out of her lungs, and she flopped over to her side. Her breath was somewhat wheezy, and she let out a strangled laugh. Picking herself up, she turned around to her companion with a sheepish grin on her face. Shaking out her coat with the singing of her bells following, a warm blush rushed to her cheeks. She was very good at making first impression. Shaking her head slowly, she looked at her scarf to make sure that it remained undamaged. Ah, good. Maybe it was a good thing she had tied it around her tail. "SPEAK"

Art by Fox

When his voice echoed down the cavern, he heard the woman's peculiar bells ring out suddenly. Had he startled her? Within seconds, Jaelle appeared at the mouth of the den, approaching him with a smile. It certainly hadn't been difficult to beckon her out. She'd come so quickly, it was almost as though she'd already been on her way out. The smirk faded from his face as his eyes narrowed, watching her suspiciously. He took note of the way her scarf hung over the bells on her tail. Was she about to go sneaking around? Yet, almost irritatingly, he couldn't help his serious expression melting away. The smirk returned to his mug the second she spoke, addressing him as her silver knight. She planted herself directly in front of him, and he looked to her pretty, duo-toned eyes with amusement clear in his normally cold silver eyes. "Well now, there's no need to flatter me," he responded playfully, a hint of feigned chivalry in his deep tone, "I only did what any man would do for a damsel in distress." As she shrugged rather casually in response to him asking her how she was doing, she began to describe her predicament. So, she was a nomad? How disappointing. She'd be aching to leave as soon as she was well enough. But at least he'd have this opportunity to get to know her. Curiously, he'd watch her as her expression changed to a sly smile. She'd pose a question to him, and for once he found himself a little flustered as she giggled. It was true, he shouldn't have left his den yet, but he didn't want to admit he was in the wrong when he was just about to get on her case for acting sneaky. His jaw gaped uselessly, and then clamped shut again. Before he could find anything sensible to say, she spoke again. "You're a bad boy, sneaking out like this." All he could do was smirk, a small snort of laughter escaping him. Suddenly she looked around, and seemingly without hesitation she would get to her paws and wiggle past him, bumping his shoulder as she went by. "Hey, you can't..." he began to protest, but her words drowned him out quickly. Before he could wrap his head around what was happening, she took off from the den. "Wait!" he barked as he began to chase after her - it was obvious that she had the advantage of speed over him. Had he just lost the woman? Well, it wasn't like she was a prisoner or anything, but he still felt like he shouldn't have let her get away so easily. He'd have to bring her back, otherwise his pack might be in danger of infection. Someone would have his head for this. But... "Come on, our little healer friend is not here. I bet you can't catch me!" Her words rang in his head, drawing him in. What was it about her that seemed so interesting, just enough to push his worries to the back of his mind? The sound of Jaelle's jingling bells broke his train of thought as she went crashing to the ground. He took the opportunity to put on speed and catch up to her, relieved that she had subdued herself and he needn't worry about tracking her down. She was grinning sheepishly at him as she got to her paws and turned to face him. Xephyris had once more taken on a stony expression, and as he came to a halt in front of her, his silver eyes glared over her. "Don't go running off like that, or I'm gonna get busted! If anyone sees you out here, I'm dragging you back to that den," he grumbled at her, his thick tail flicking from side to side as his tone lightened up a bit, "A pretty face isn't quite enough to get me to bend the rules. Besides all that... you're still recovering and you're bound to make yourself worse if you go dashing around so carelessly." He'd lift a brow, looking to the dirt on her coat from her clumsy fall. He knew he wasn't supposed to be out, and he was definitely bending the rules by being out here with Jaelle. But he wasn't going back to that den right now, and he wasn't going to make her go either, so long as they weren't spotted. "But since we're already out here... might as well stretch our legs, right?" he'd say less seriously, "Let's take a walk, and you can tell me about all your bells and bobbles," Finally the smirk would return to his face again, softening his features. He didn't want to appear like too much of a pushover, but it was pretty obvious who was pulling all the strings here. Jaelle would certainly get her way, but he still had to convince himself that he was calling the shots. "Talk" "You" Think

She chuckled at his words, glad that it didn't take much to wipe that stoic look off of his face. Apparently anyone would have helped her, but she scoffed. Her face grew more somber, her mismatched eyes peering more carefully at him. "No, not everyone would put their life on the line to save a stranger. And for that... I am very grateful," the monotone woman said softly. Leaning forward, she aimed to bump her nose against his cheek. Letting out another breathless laugh, brushing her flank against him as she took off. Not so gracefully though, of course she fell and tripped over her own paws. She was a very clumsy wolf for being a thief. Jaelle turned to see his stony expression, her tail swinging back and forth slowly. His harsh words came spilling out, but she just grinned at him. "You need to live a little, or do you have a stick up your butt? Get it out and we can play fetch!" She called with a happy bark, dancing around him in small circles. "For a silver knight you sure are cranky," Jaelle teased him. Remembering that he said she had a pretty face, she smirked and got up close to his face, her bells singing out the whole time. "Come on, the pretty face wants to have fun! Being stuck in a den is boring," she said with a pout, tossing a wink his way. He needed to lighten up and be more fun! It wasn't nice that he was all rocky and blah, Jae had been stuffed in a den and didn't want to be stuck with him. But soon she saw his frown loosen up, her tail furiously wagging. He looked side to side as if to check it out if anyone was around, before looking back over. Oh, a walk! That was a start. She skipped a few steps forward, stepping heavily so that her be bangles bounced up and down her front legs. Not only did they ring out, but metal clashing on metal. He had talked about her bells and bobbles, she guessed that he was talking about her literal bells and her scarf. She turned to look at him, humming thoughtfully. "I took 'em." she said simply with a shrug. If he wanted more answers than that, he was going to have to ask a more specific question. Pausing for a moment, she turned around and untied her scarf, wrapping it around her neck again. Pulling one of the hanging ends a bit tighter, she went back to walking. It was getting a bit itchy around her tail, and now that her neck had been able to breath a bit she wanted it back. It felt more natural there, it was where she generally wore it. The strands of bells wrapped around her tail were now free, calling out with the rest of them. Just to show off, she began to move more carefully, silencing their song. She new just how to make them quiet, you had to if you wanted to eat. ooc;// Sorry for the short reply! D: "SPEAK"

Art by Fox

"No, not everyone would put their life on the line to save a stranger. And for that... I am very grateful." To say he was surprised at her statement, that she had corrected him and offered a very different point of view, would be an understatement. Like much of this interaction thus far, Xephyris found his jaw gaping with nothing to say. Was she right? Perhaps he had done more than was expected of him without even realizing it. It seemed he had gone beyond the regular call of duty, and as his jaw closed, a smirk spread across his lips. Well, he quite enjoyed the sound of that. Perhaps he didn't give himself enough credit - indeed, he was braver than the rest, above the average schmuck. Her nose touched his cheek before she took off, adding to his hesitation before he took after her. Luckily she had done so before the pride had gotten too much to his head, and he hadn't gotten the chance to puff out his chest. When he had caught up to her and lectured her, she merely grinned at him, and he could feel the hair at the back of his neck prickling. She wasn't taking him seriously at all. Didn't she know how to show any respect? He clenched his teeth when she started talking, though no anger showed on his hard and serious face. Had this been just anyone else, he might have lost his patience, he might have just ripped that grin right off her face. But with a breath, and feeling a little flustered when she said he needed to live a little, to have fun, his tolerance for the pretty little lady trumped his ego. Ears folded back as his silver eyes looked at her sullenly - it almost looked like he'd gotten his feelings hurt, but it also looked like he was just a little moody. "I don't have a stick up my...." he muttered, silencing himself as he realized it was futile to argue. He was being pretty uptight, wasn't he? But... he knew how to have fun.... right? As she danced around, her bells sang out loudly. It was a peculiar sound, but enchanting as well. His thick gray tail swished uncertainly when she commented that he was sure cranky. He didn't like the sound of all this. He didn't want to push her away by being boring and stuffy. But he wasn't used to really loosening up and fooling around. "Come on, the pretty face wants to have fun! Being stuck in a den is boring." He'd have to agree at least that being in a den was indeed boring, and even he didn't want to stay cooped up. As he took a few more deep breaths, and was able to loosen up just a bit, he let that smirk occupy his lips, glad about her reaction to going for a walk. As she went skipping ahead, her bells continued to sing, and Xephyris tried to catch up with her - he didn't want to be a party pooper anymore. As she turned to him and informed him that she'd taken the items she wore now, he'd quirk a brow at her, grinning slightly. So, she was a little thief, was she? "You're quite the little rebel, aren't you?" he commented with a slight chuckle. Maybe that was why she was having more fun than he was; she didn't take everything so seriously and she didn't bend to the rules. He watched her as she untied the scarf from around her tail and fitted it back around her neck, tying the ends together as it draped loosely from her neck. As she then started walking ahead again, silencing her bells, his grin widened suddenly, his eyes glimmering mischievously. An idea for fun had sparked in is mind. Without warning he bounded forward, placing himself side-by-side with her as his teeth reached for an end of her scarf. "It's mine now!" he rumbled, chuckling already. Quickly but carefully, he'd pull her stolen garment up over her head, making a run for it once it was in his possession. He made a dash through the willow tendrils and darted behind a tree trunk. He'd peek out from behind it just slightly, silver eyes scanning for her. He didn't see her yet, but he was convinced she'd come after him to retrieve her scarf. "If you want your scarf back, you'll have to come get it!" he called out teasingly, hoping to see her come running to get back her possession, "Otherwise I'm keeping it!" Would she be drawn into his little game, or was she going to play it cool? All he could do was wait to find out. "Talk" "You" Think