My pain's not ashamed to repeat itself.
Pain's not ashamed to repeat itself.
I can't sleep until I'm over you.
I can't sleep until I devour you.

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Wicked bubbling of a molten core burned into the red eyes of the beast as he stared down into the center of Mount Volkan; wicked as it was, it was no match for the spinning images that ran through the colossal being's memory, swarming him like the falling ash around him whilst he stood solid and forceful like a beacon. The peaceful, silvery sound of a woman's voice rang clear enough to mimic reality- spoken in hushed, strained words yet still caressing his ears like the soft touch of silk. 'Oh, Elias... do not fret. You were the pillar which held me up so powerfully, so boldly. If only you could understand, I love you.. I always loved you. Thank you for bringing me tranquility at last...' He was dreaming, but he could see it as though she still lie beneath him. Blood spilled from the back of her beautifully pale head, smearing the wall behind her with it's essence and pooling around her fragile body while he desperately nuzzled in a miserable attempt to apply pressure and make the flow cease.

During this nightmare, Elias looked as woeful as he did then; hugging on to the life that was quickly siphoning from her body, leaving a cold corpse behind where the warm woman he loved once was, the woman he'd murdered. And yet, as she took her last breath, she held a soft, rare expression of.. happiness. She'd loved him, truly. The only soul that ever had, and it was evident by her constant presence through-out his life up until now. No matter the swing of his fragile psyche, she'd always been there to calm him. Even when they were lost children, even when he'd lashed out on her, she'd been there to take the beating for as long as it took until her sweet voice rang through and broke the demon's possession over his pure heart. Though, she had no more freedom from tormenting spirits than he did, she'd had her own demons. The peace she'd found in her passing made bittersweet sense to him. Her tortured soul had finally been able to lift from the frailty of her being, able to make it's ascension and leave the nightmare of their past behind. To leave the nightmare that was him... behind.

Would anyone know him like she had? Would his sister ever be able to look at him the same? These were the questions that made him weak. She had forgiven him, but would he ever be able to forgive himself? For not being able to guide her to better places while she were still among the living, for not being able to control himself when the rage took over, for not being able to face the judgement of his people after committing such a heinous act. No, he did not think that he could.

The former king found an eerie feeling of peace whenever he looked into the core of the volcano, it had been where they'd buried the remains of his father after his funeral. Not this volcano in particular, but one so strikingly similar his fragile mind could barely tell the difference in it's current state. His haunting, crimson stare grew wider and wider as he watched the core's level rise and he inwardly begged it to bring his father back to him. He needed guidance, he'd been far too young to be a ruler and they'd all been too young to be without his wisdom. He was young, but Elias had killed the mad king and ended his abusive reign over their people. Everyone looked up to him. Everyone trusted him, everyone had faith in him.. but they did not know the horrors trapped behind those eyes and swallowed down that choked up gullet. He'd smiled and played his part, but on restless nights.. that smile turned into Hell's teeth.

He had half a mind to fall within the mountain, to find his father while the lava devoured him and freed him from the prison of mortality. In fact, his chest was tight and his heart held a physical ache from just how immensely it longed for scolding embrace.. but he could not end this tragic show like this. There had to be more, there had to be meaning.. there had to be recovery, and happiness, at last! There had to be glory earned if only for the sake of his father's legacy. There had to be. An audible growl began rumbling in his throat as he fought himself, tore himself away from the lava that was climbing toward him, beckoning him to go through with his deepest desires. No.

With his hackles raised, his eyes wide, pupils nearly covering the entity of his ruby gaze, he ran back down the mountain and out of reach of the deadly rivers that dribbled down it's volatile slopes. His lean figure was still in perfect health and able to carry him until he'd come to the edge of the volcanic territory, but he would need to feed soon... not that he would mind working his body to numb the pain.

It felt strange to be back here. She hadn't really bothered coming back since Castiel had found her in Fenrir's Maw. She'd been alone at that time searching for family. In reality she had been completely and utterly lost and unable to find her way out of the maze of mountains that made up the east. Now it felt almost like child's play coming back here. While the terrain offered some hardship in terms of testing her physical durability, the navigational part came far easier to her now and she couldn't help but wonder how she'd gotten lost here in the first place. Yet the mountains never ceased to amaze her. They offered her a variation from the desert back home that couldn't satiate her quite like this could. She had a need to be entertained and the all too familiar borders of Celestial weren't cutting it. That wasn't to say that she disliked her home or found it any less beautiful, but she'd become all too familiar with its terrain. It offered no challenge and no change and therefore she desired something new. She needed something fresh to keep her entertained and hence her wanderlust had sprung up. She was never gone for too awfully long, though this time she'd stayed out far longer than usual. She'd already been here a few days. Her adventurous side demanded that she explore every nook and cranny that she could find. She didn't expect to ind anything overly fascinating, but it helped curb her curiosity. Mount Volkan in particular held an interest for her. She'd been up at the top where the heat sweltered and if you peered down you could see lava pooling down below. It was most obviously an active volcano, but the thought didn't scare her as much as it should have. If it was going to erupt she was sure she'd know about it. Rivers even dared run through the territory but she knew better than to drink from their poisoned nooks. The smell alone was enough to drive her away from them so she left them untouched like the rest of the life surrounding this place. Instead she followed one down away from the volcano and a scent crossed her path. She sniffed at it curiously and picked up a very masculine scent. Filled with more curiosity than was completely necessary she took off after it to see who she could run in to today. She hadn't really been expecting to find anyone around, though she was never opposed to the idea of company. She was a wolf who craved to be around others the majority of the time and the life of a loner had never really suited her. She needed the familial bonds that came with being a pack wolf and she extended the offer of friendship almost everywhere she went. Some part of her realized it was rather naive of her to try and make friends with everyone, but it was a part of her nature that she couldn't cut out. She was that social butterfly who tried to see the good in nearly everyone, even if there was almost none to be found. So with the same goals in mind she tracked the scent determinedly. It wasn't long until the owner of it came to view. It stopped her in her tracks a few yards away as she raised her head from the ground. He was a massive creature, as massive as Regulus and Dagger, though he was just as darkly coated as her cousin (even more so really.) His pelt pattern was basic with colors - no extreme splotches, swirls, or markings, though they were fashioned in such a way that seemed to frame him perfectly and match his stature. Attractive was the proper word, though she'd never admit such things to herself. It wasn't proper to think that of a stranger. She'd been staring - oops. For once she didn't know what to say. Walk, "Talk" Think

Above the powerful and overflowing mountain was a plume of hell's breath; billowing clouds of rolling smoke to smear like charcoal across the sky. Mount Volkan was sending the darkest of clouds to march like an army over it's claimed territory and shroud the presence of it's several molten rivers by blocking the lighter colored wisps above them. Light flecks of ash would drift down from those plumes, meandering delicately across the biome through the guidance of only gravity on this windless day.

He felt the ash kiss along his mantle, across his back and decorate his hind-quarters; for a man that already held a gray jacket, they were hardly noticeable, but he knew their presence and ever so slowly they calmed the beast gnawing at his insides and threatening to split open his jowls and make his grand escape right through his teeth. No, his blood pressure was working it's way to a calmer state while his pupils gradually sank to a size of normality while his thoughts veered toward fonder ones of his father from days of his youth. The ash reminded him of home- of his father's home, of days when his mother still had control over her mind and everything was perfect and promising. He closed his eyes and his limbs suddenly came to a complete stop, his neck ascending toward the soft touch of the ash to let it grace his facial features.

His father and the volcano were one in the same, this ash his warm and loving nuzzle and for the moment, Elias would allow him self to embrace his father's ghost while his thoughts remained peacefully quiet. It was something highly unusual, but in this moment he was safe from his volatile psyche and he would stay postured like this, his hind legs stretched out behind him like some sort of german shepherd while his neck stretched upward and his snout reached for the sky, for as long as he possibly could until the peace became out of reach once again.

It started in his chest, humming with low baritone bass and gradually increasing in volume as it made it's climb up through his vocal chords and hit them like wind finally caressing a chime. The howl was slow at first, with no real message carried on it's lyrics but rather a long and woeful song that started as a whisper and worked it's way into a compelling sonnet meant to serenade the ghost of his father with appreciation for his presence. It rang with a force he hoped that would carry it's way up to those dark clouds and die in their buffer, and it didn't stop until his lungs hurt beyond the limits of his strength to push through their pain and left him gasping for breath. Those bright, wide eyes finally opened once again as his skull fell forward and leveled out below his spine. His limbs squared around him as he stood there gasping, but out of the corner of his eye he could see a ghostly silhouette painted in old blood, he froze.

The thick neck of the giant twisted toward that silhouette, his skull turning slowly as he finally looked upon it and saw the face of a woman, not a ghost and no blood. His eyes shifted across her form, taking in the look of awe she seemed to watch him with but also the red color that covered the top of her entirety. It wasn't blood, but he'd had to be sure. He finally lifted his posture naturally, a habit that had formed from being birthed as a prince and violently thrown into the role of a king. His hackles prickled to life like the ruffling feathers of a raven around his shoulders as his ears stood tall and his entire frame turned to face her. His head rose dominantly above those flaring shoulders, set below a strong neck and a chest with lighter markings that accentuated it's chiseled tone similar to a husky. He looked to her as if uncertain, though finally his features softened as he confirmed.

"Another beating heart." A harsh clicking of his teeth closed the last syllable of his words,
"But, who does this one belong to?"

A captivating serenade escaped from his inky lips and she watched in a silent awe as she was unable to find it within herself to make her presence know. To disturb him right now would be blasphemous so she remained quiet in her observations. His song towards the smoke covered heavens was long and drawn out and it was only after he'd finished that she glanced towards the sky to see if there was anything up there. Was he howling towards the moon? Perhaps a dead loved one? Or maybe he'd just wanted to howl? The possibilities were endless. It was upon looking at the sky that she noted the tiny ashen flecks that poured from it. It covered her darkened russet and onyx back like a spattering of stars and when she looked at the male they blended it with his own coat more so than hers. Her focus was no longer on his appearance and instead she came to the realization that he finally had seemed to notice her presence. She shuffled under his scrutiny and a guilty expression crossed over her features as though staring had been the most shameful thing in existence. She typically wasn't one to feel awkward, but there were those of their kind that didn't appreciate one looming around and she certainly hadn't introduced herself yet even though she'd been standing in proximity of him for a little while now. Did he mind her being here? It was more than difficult to tell. His face was like a chiseled mask that hid any recognizable emotions to her. His face finally seemed to relax as he gazed upon her and her awkwardness slowly began to ebb away as he spoke. She looked directly at his crimson colored eyes, nearly the same shade as her brother's fur, as she listened to his abnormal way of speaking. Very rarely had she come across anyone who had such a poetic way of asking what her name was, but she couldn't feel anything other than extreme curiosity. "I'm Faite." She smiled softly at him. "And who might you be?" Walk, "Talk" Think

She looked almost ashamed of herself that she had been caught, yet she stood so openly visible there watching him. The thought perplexed him, though he himself might have risen a few question in the minds of others. He supposed he shouldn't put much thought on it, and relaxed his neck slightly as he let it go. His shoulders rolled forward as he began to step closer toward her, and although he was a massive and strong creature there wasn't much to his posture other than his ruffled mantle that could attest to him being anywhere near the thought of aggression.

He watched her, inspected her, caught her scent in the air as he closed the space between them though he did not recognize a single scent of the many that she carried. She seemed like a very strong woman, a social woman by the smell of it, and it gave him a bit of an idea on how active the territories surrounding the quiet of the volcano might be. He was beginning to inherit the elusive trait of his father, he supposed.. because the idea of territories populated with life and culture made him want to stick to it's barren wasteland where he could enjoy the quiet.

He lifted his ruby gaze to her eyes then as she met them so boldly and introduced herself, "Just another face you will soon forget," cryptic and a little judgmental on his part, was she even aware of the names of all the scents she carried, he wondered? He lifted his head and surrendered their eyelock to instead inspect the trail she'd left behind her for any other wanderers. "Elias Praetor," his tongue spoke the syllables of his last name with it's Latin emphasis and a radiating sense of pride before he looked back to her. "Would you be able to tell me, Faite, where I have managed to find myself?"

It was almost daunting how tall he was compared to her. Standing at a full foot taller she had nothing compared to him, and yet he wasn't so bulky as to be considered gigantic looking. He still had a lean and intriguing sort of appearance that fascinated her. Regulus was the same size and yet she'd been looking at him since they were old enough to open their eyes. It felt completed different when you were looking at a stranger and realizing how completely and utterly small you were. She wasn't even the smallest wolf in Boreas, and yet at the moment she felt pretty tiny. She didn't mind his approach. While she respected other's personal space she typically had very little to none depending on the vibe she got from others. If he'd been creepy or weird she wouldn't have allowed him to draw so near, yet she didn't get any strange ill feelings when she stared at him. She was only curious as to who he was, why he was hanging out near a volcano, and how he came to be here. Granted she wasn't going to pelt him with those all at once. She was rather disappointed when he told her his was a face she'd just forget. The defiant part of her nature wished to argue with him and tell him otherwise, but she bit her tongue. She now had a reason to run into him again and point out she still remembered his face. She'd done a pretty good job so far with remembering everyone she had met, even if she never saw them again later. He introduced himself finally and she dipped her head politely. She was more than grateful to be able to put a name to a face. She wasn't fully expecting the second question, but regardless she smiled at him. She could certainly answer that. "This is the eastern mountain range. This is Mount Volkan, and Fenrir's Maw is close by, though it seems as though a pack has taken up residence there." She was more than familiar with both of them considering this is where she'd gotten lost before she'd turned two. This time though she knew her way around. Walk, "Talk" Think

He had not missed their size difference, though he was not overly surprised by it. Most all of those that he'd met outside of his family stood near her height. Even his sister, Eliana, the smallest of the litter, seemed to tower over females outside of their bloodline. Their parents had been two titans in comparison to the lot of the litter, so growing up he didn't really realize just how tall their family was compared to especially southern wolves. After more came to join his father's pack, he began to notice.. especially when the doberman made his first appearance. A mouthy little thing, but even the doberman had proven his strength in a fight for food against Elias himself. He did not win, but he certainly held his own enough to earn respect from the then-king.

His gaze drifted over the features she offered, though he soon found the bright gem clasped around a necklace held delicately over her shoulders. His features softened as he seemed quite mesmerized by the presence of the apparel on a wolf. Outside of pelts and skulls for rituals, his pack had never carried anything quite as... elegant and beautiful as this woman did. He listened to her words, though his eyes failed to meet her own and instead hovered on this captivating item.

When she finished, he lifted his ruby stare finally to lock on to her own mismatched eyes. "Interesting," but did he mean their current vicinity or the necklace she carried? His limbs began to move, carrying him leisurely to her side where she would experience just how much taller he was than her up close. He was lean, but his frame was also longer than hers, his skull quite a bit wider. For being tall, he hardly seemed disproportionate at all like some other wolves his height. This was no random mutation that appeared in his genetics and lengthened his bones, this was the product of fine breeding.

He stopped with his head dangerously close to her hips, providing that she hadn't moved away, and would twist the thick of his neck to peer back to her, "Would you be willing to lead me to the nearest, untainted water source, Faite?" He could have simply asked for directions, but where was the fun in that? "I am a visitor here, and you are the first that I've met. Would it be too bothersome to ask for your time, and to gain more information about these lands and the packs that dwell here? And perhaps, where you acquired such an interesting attachment." His eyes gravitated toward that necklace once again.

She hadn't missed his eyes wandering as she spoke and she followed his gaze to the gem she carried around her neck. It'd started to become a family tradition for all of them to have a necklace. Hers was less elegant and refined compared to the rest of them, but hers suited her more. She wasn't fancy and regal (in her mind at least) and she favored the more practical looking and durable things. Her necklace fit her and that was all that mattered. The fact that a stranger seemed to admire it (it seemed like he was anyways) cause her to smile. "Interesting," Interesting? Did he mean her necklace or her short description of the area around them? It was a bit hard to tell considering his face didn't exactly help give anything away. Her mind didn't dwell on it for long though as she focused on his sudden movement. She stood her ground as he approached her and she was painfully aware now of just how gigantic he was compared to her. If he moved too close she had to crane her neck a bit just to see his face. She felt herself shifting nervously on her paws as he moved towards her hips, but she forced it away when he asked a favor from her. She smiled softly and nodded. Leading him to a fresher water source wasn't something she minded at all. Water wasn't the only thing he asked for as he went on wanting to know more information. He definitely had caught her interest - where was he from if it wasn't from around here then? "If you follow me I'll be happy any questions you have along the way." She said before turning away from the volcanic lands. It'd be a nice little walk so she'd have plenty of time to answer questions. "What would you like to know first?" Walk, "Talk" Think

He remained still, though did not back away when he sensed her tension from how close he was hovering beside her; it was a common habit of his to invade the personal space of others he found interesting, testing the waters on how they responded to his looming presence. When she didn't respond other than simple tensing, he flicked an ear as if to dismiss it and turned his head to look out ahead of him.

He listened as she agreed and turned herself around, waiting for her lead before he'd begin to walk with her. His skull would rotate slightly in a cant as he looked to her, "Thank you, the pack that resides in the mountains- how much do you know about it?" He wanted to ask how hostile the pack was, really.. if they'd come after him if they found that he was lurking so close to their borders, but he decided to hear what she had to say about it first.

There was a twitch beneath his skin at the thought of having to leave the volcano so abruptly if the pack was indeed hostile toward his loitering, but he fought it off as best as he could. This had been the quietest his mind had been since he'd fled Ruina, he would be reluctantly to leave permanently so soon. His ruby gaze glanced over her mismatched eyes as he thought about offering to answer a question of her own, if she had any, but he could not find the words to do so. It was probably for the better, anyway; he couldn't think of many positive things to tell her about how he ended up here.

They walked quietly for a moment and Faite took the opening to study him a bit more through sidelong glances. His form was truly intriguing. He seemed to be a strong and capable wolf. He obviously had training of some sort judging by the muscle tone he contained underneath the rippling of his short fur. The scars boasted other tales of some sort of fight and more than anything Faite wanted to ask where he'd gotten them from. Instead her ear would flick towards the man as he thanked her and then launched a question of his own. Unfortunately it wasn't one she could answer easily and for that she felt a bit guilty. Having been so preoccupied lately she hadn't yet had the chance to go seek out any newer packs to learn more of them. The one in the mountains was no exception. "Unfortunately I'm not much use to you on that front. All I know is it's a new pack with one territory. I have yet to speak with their alpha, though judging from the scents they all seem to be rather preoccupied in their own territory." At least she'd know where to find the wolf. She hadn't scented any of the pack scent around the mountains. Had he shared his worries about being chased off she probably could have reassured him that the volcano wasn't exactly the most hospitable of places and that he'd mostly likely have quite a bit of solitude. She spared another glance at him before her own curiosity got the better of her. "So how did you accumulate your battle wounds? I've never met someone with quite so many scars." Walk, "Talk" Think

His ears twitched as she revealed that she didn't know much about the wolves on the other side of the mountain, though he listened to what details she could provide and gave her nod afterward as if to confirm that he'd understood. It posed a few questions for him, though perhaps he would do a bit of investigating on his own after he'd explored a bit more, or perhaps he would find another with a bit more information.

He'd been in his own head for the most part, though he caught her occasional glance; he couldn't help but to tense slightly- not enough to raise his hackles but enough that the tightness of his muscles would be visible beneath his short fur. It was different being solitary and not knowing who he was going to meet or what their thoughts of him might be, was he scaring her- had he upset her? It had become common enough that he couldn't help but assume. Ruby gaze would sneak a quick glance over her own features before relaxing slightly.. no, she didn't seem scared or upset. She was calm, a soothing thought..

As she spoke, he nearly missed her first few words- closing his eyes in an attempt to focus and regain his composure. Everything was going well, there was no need for him to stress. He reopened them with a renewed tranquility over his features, though after a few seconds a small smirk broke the surface. "Never? Where I come from, you're not considered honorable until you've got at least one." He grinned slightly, casting her a glance that would allow her to know that he was joking for the most part. It felt good to jest and helped him restore his air of confidence before continuing, "This one on my chest is my favorite, I got it from the bear that killed my father. Myself, my sister and the rest of the pack led a hunt once we'd discovered it was revisiting the territory.. learned a lot about bears from this one. Never got another scar from one." He chuckled before shaking his head side to side lightly as if to ruffle the fur along his neck before canting his head so she could see the scar on his snout. "This one here is from a cougar we caught preying on the pups, my sister killed it while I distracted it's claws. Stung like hell, but it was an effective strategy." His sister wasn't too happy about that plan afterward, but he couldn't help but grin while reminiscing. His eyes flashed upward as if to gesture toward his forehead, "And this one was 'kiss' from my loving mother."

He turned his head to her fully then, his smile fading to one of a bit more serious. "My brothers have given me plenty beneath my fur, though hardly any are visible. There's one just behind my right shoulder blade if you look close enough, though. When I was younger, Ace had always been far more dedicated to his training than I was. He got me good in a spar and never missed a day of training after that- dedication through competition, I suppose.."

She hadn't missed the tensing of his muscles and she felt bad for the continuous staring that she'd been doing lately. He was, for the most pat, quite intriguing. She couldn't help but let her curiosity take hold. It wasn't until he visibly relaxed that she felt better about it. It seemed like she hadn't offended him after all. She made a mental not to keep her staring to a minimum, even if she was still trying to figure him out. "Well I suppose I wouldn't fit in very well then." She joked back when she realized he was jesting. She herself didn't have any scars, but it wasn't for a lack of wanting to fight. She listened intently as he explained his scars and more than once her eyes widened with shock. Not only had he fought a bear, but a cougar too. She was more than interested in asking about his family, but she thought better of it. Instead she reveled in the fact that she was walking with a rather accomplished warrior. What kind of leader would she be if she didn't take the opportunity to see if he'd teach her a few things? To take on two exceptional predators and live to tell the tale... well she was impressed. She put the training in the back of her mind for the time being. Instead she listened as he explained the one on his muzzle. She frowned at the thought of his mother giving it to him. The ones from his brothers, the hidden ones he spoke of, seemed more natural. While she hadn't had the opportunity to fight with her siblings and train with them, she was sure she would have done so with Regulus despite their size difference. "That's remarkable." She said as they finally came into view of the stream she was leading him to. "I'll admit, I'm quite impressed. A bear and a cougar..." She trailed off, unsure of what to say. "Would it be wrong of me to bother you for some training some time?" Walk, "Talk" Think

What Faite had just found remarkable had left so many of his sisters angry with him for being so reckless. He stopped walking for a second and simply stared at her in near disbelief before finding his paws and pushing on to the edge of the stream. He needed a minute to process her question, as well. She wanted him to train her? It was always a dance with the devil when he got his adrenaline going, though she seemed sweet and relaxed enough.. perhaps it wouldn't be so bad?

The thick neck of the giant lowered, though forelimbs folded too as he lowered himself to drink. He'd honestly needed this for a few hours now, so he lost himself in the taste of fresh water and closed his eyes until he was finished. When he did finally rise, he looked to her and didn't seem shy about blatantly checking her out. His eyes scanned over what muscles he could see beneath her coat and made note of how she held herself while she was calm.

It was clear he had a few doubts, though those doubts likely weren't for any reasons Faite might suspect. She was slender and healthy, so that wasn't a problem though.. he just hesitated. His ears folded downward as he thought of Katar and what he'd done to her, thought of the family in the mountains that he barely knew.. and he just...

"I can't," he barked out with a hint of anger.. though he did his best to calm himself and at least clear it off his visage. "I mean, I'm sure you have others that can help you. You're in a pack, right? Don't they have warriors there?" He flicked an ear, not happy at all with how rude he was coming off as.. but, how would he be able to deny her training without having to explain himself if he didn't come off as rude? This was his only choice, to protect her.. right?

Faite stood back respectfully as he moved to the stream. A silence lingered, but she found that she didn't mind it so much. A small part of her mind nagged at her for asking a stranger to train her, but the more logical part of her didn't find it to be so bad. He seemed to be well trained and overall it didn't feel like a bad idea. Still, it was ultimately up to him so she stood back patiently until he'd had his fill. He finally turned around and her own eyes shamelessly stared back at him as he looked her over. She didn't shy away from his gaze and it felt like he was squaring her up. She realized she didn't look overly impressive. She had a little muscle mass underneath her short fur, but she certainly wasn't as beefy as some of the other larger wolves in her pack. She couldn't read what he was thinking so she couldn't tell if he was impressed or not. She noticed the subtle flick of his ears going back and that's when her thoughts spiraled downwards. Maybe it had been a bad idea? "I can't," She found herself nodding in understanding. Not that he'd stated his reasons, but she wasn't going to argue with him either. It'd merely been a suggestion and she wasn't upset with his answer. A part of her wanted to pry, but she kept her mouth shut and thought better of it. He sounded ... angry. That seemed to be the best way to put it, but it didn't quite feel like it was truly directed towards her. "There's my Uncle, and then myself of course, but other than that, no." She explained, trying her best not to make it sound like a reason he should train her. "My pack seems to be filled with mostly healers." She paused, trying to figure out what to say. She felt at a loss for words which was strange for her. "I figured sparring with someone different, outside of family, was a good idea, but I apologize for putting you on the spot." Walk, "Talk" Think

As she apologized, he felt a sting of guilt but he rose his head up and kept his facial features stern in an act of defiance toward that guilt while she spoke to him. He knew his reason, whether or not she was aware.. but her words of a pack full of healers made him resist to raise up a few questions. Sure, they could keep each other healthy while they were alive but who was to protect those lives? One man? For a whole pack? It seemed unlikely.. but perhaps she came from a more peaceful place, perhaps this land was a peaceful place?

He doubted it. Wolves were wolves, and wars were bound to happen.

He lowered his head in thought, his eyes avoiding her for the moment and instead wandering over toward the babbling stream. "It's never a good idea to spar with someone you do not know and trust. You never know what they are capable of, what if I had wanted to claim you, Faite?"

His ruby eyes finally braved making contact with hers again, "You're a pretty girl, and mad wolves don't wear their madness on their shoulders for you to see. It lies hidden until they have an opportunity to get what they want, which could be you. You'd just let a stranger who's intentions you don't know get close to you like that when you acknowledge that you are inexperienced? What would your Uncle say to that, when he could train you instead?"

She gazed at him with a passive expression as she waited for his response. Would he accept her apology? He was rather unreadable at the moment as he avoided looking at her. Instead she watched him as he meandered back to the stream. "It's never a good idea to spar with someone you do not know and trust. You never know what they are capable of, what if I had wanted to claim you, Faite?" His response wasn't quite one she expected and an ear flicked backwards for a second as she debated on how to respond to that. She'd never had to deal with anyone trying to claim her before. When she'd been younger it'd just been that she was lucky. She hadn't known how to fight then. She'd been practicing now, could hold her own, so she stared back at him defiantly. She was half prepared to tell him he wouldn't have found it so easy, but she spoke again. She frowned now, her happy mood gone, as she tried to shove away the temper that threatened to flare. She'd done a pretty good job at keeping her hot-headed nature at bay since she'd returned home. Being around wolves who didn't often test her helped, but not she was at a loss of what to do with herself. How was she supposed to respond to him? Why did he care so much? It wasn't like he'd come off as so terrible. If she'd suspected that he wasn't at least a decent man to be around she would have never stayed in his company to begin with. "I never said I was inexperienced." She said rather flatly. "I know how to handle myself in a fight, I just relish the opportunity to learn more from outside sources opposed to what I'd learn back home from my very predictable family." She remembered faintly her interaction with the woman Verana in the north. She'd come across as friendly at first and then had turned hostile as soon as she got closer. Faite was all too aware that the insane didn't wear it like a cloak and instead hid it. She'd managed to walk away from that fight without a scar - she'd won it. She had at least a fair bit of confidence in her abilities. She was rather annoyed with herself most of all that she'd appeared to him like she didn't know anything whatsoever. It wasn't the impression she'd meant to give. Walk, "Talk" Think

He could see her happiness leave her, he could see it on her face and in her eyes as he anticipated the words he knew were coming. He watched her as she thought on them just before she let them out, and when she did he felt the skin beneath his hackles threaten to tighten and prickle in response but so far his hold on his reactions had been solid. He willed them to stay smooth, and through-out most of her words he was trying his best to remain calm.

'I never said I was inexperienced.' He wasn't so sure about that, but again that was due to where he came from. He was only half joking about the purpose of scars, though he did find value in the words that followed. It was good to keep yourself open to new experiences so your expectations don't preform habits in unpredictable situations.. especially with fighting. He gave her a nod, a small one.. but still a nod as he agreed with that statement at least.

He looked back to the stream for just a moment, "Thank you for bringing me here," He closed his eyes, taking a deep breath as he did his best to calm himself. He missed his sister and the way her presence easily soothed his soul and kept him calm, but he tried to think of her in this moment of recollection before he looked back to Faite. "In truth, it's not really your fault that I can't." He'd never.. flat out admitted his issues to anyone, but he decided.. he'd give it a try. It was all part of the process of finding out how to get a hold on this thing, right? "I guess, you could say I have a bit of.." His 'brows furrowed as he tried to think of the words, tried to pull them out of him without making himself sound crazy. The frustration was clear, "I guess you could say that.. I have a temper. You've been nice, I just don't want you to have to deal with that if I get my adrenaline going."

Faite could have sworn she felt tensions rising, but she willed herself to calm down. She rather liked him, even if he was odd in a few ways and hadn't replied like she'd expected him to. A flat out 'no' probably would have sufficed, but it wasn't like she could change what had already happened. Instead she willed herself to relax. She didn't want to ruin things so she let her muscles relax. She hadn't meant to be so defensive about it, but she certainly hadn't meant to come off as weak or unable either. Finally he nodded and seemed to, at least somewhat, accept her explanation. She stood awkwardly for a moment (which was a rather rare thing for her) and she let out the breath she hadn't realized she'd been holding. The bubbling tension seemed to fade away and in its place she felt at a loss for words. Thankfully Elias filled the silence and she nodded. She hadn't minded escorting him here and it had seemed like he was thirsty. She offered him a small smile to try and make up for her previous actions. The subject change didn't last long. "In truth, it's not really your fault that I can't." She was a bit surprised by this. Was he going to admit why he wouldn't? It seemed like it. She listened patiently as he seemed to struggle for the words and when he admitted that he had a temper problem she finally understood (at least a little bit) as to why he wouldn't. Of course it made her all the more curious, but she shoved the questions out of her mind. "Thank you for telling me why at least." She chuckled a little. "Though you could have just told me no. I would have been okay with that." She offered him a wry smile this time, this one more genuine than the last and it contained a hint of teasing. She wasn't really good with serious moods so it was her way of trying to lighten things up again. "How are you liking it here so far?" She said, switching up the subject. Walk, "Talk" Think

With her words, he smirked and thought a bit on how differently he could have handled the situation. Perhaps he had spoke too much, though that was one of his lesser flaws. He always had a tendency to talk more than needed, but the man was thorough. He preferred nothing to be left to assumption and that understanding was spread equally to those that surrounded him.. though it wasn't often that he hoped that understanding would be about himself. In truth, he was a bit confused but welcomed the change in subject eagerly.

His ears lifted, his features lightening up as he moved away from the stream to answer her question. "I haven't actually given myself a chance to appreciate the land for what it is, but I guess you could say that I am enjoying it so far. It has been quiet, a nice change from the noise of the jungle." Of course, he missed some of what he left behind but the freedom that came with being in unknown lands was fulfilling. If only he hadn't needed to leave behind Eliana.

He pulled himself from his thoughts after a moment of silence before his skull tilted to the left slightly, inquisition riddling his features as he spoke again, "What is your favorite part about your homelands, Faite? Perhaps I could venture there to truly understand what the land offers." He smirked, curious as to whether or not she'd share her personal pleasures with him or keep them for herself.

Faite was more than glad with the subject change. The air around them no longer felt tense and she let herself relax into a very comfortable sitting position. Her tail curled around to rest by her right haunch and she listened as he spoke. She noticed he had calmed down considerably too and she was glad all the unpleasantness seemed to be behind them now. It could stay in the past for all she cared. She glanced around again - she honestly hadn't given the volcano much approval either. She'd taken much more interest in Fenrir's Maw than anything else. It was hard not to like the mountains. What interested her most was that he came from a jungle. His short fur at least made sense now. She wasn't exactly expecting the question to be returned to her and it made her falter for a moment. What did she liked about her home lands? Celestial was pretty (not as pretty as other lands she'd seen) but it was decent enough. Even if it was surrounded by desert and other not-so wonderful lands. The moor in particular was one of her least favorite places to go along with the desert lands since they didn't have much water. The drought had severely taken a toll on all of the lands so that gave her even more of a reason to avoid them. Even the plains and the lake was suffering which made it hard for her to find much appreciation in them. "My home land is in a sort of valley. There's a cave system where everyone sleeps if they want to and it branches off into its own sections. That's probably one of my favorite things about it. It makes everything seem more like a family thing than just a pack. It's been rather hard to appreciate everything lately with how hot it's been." She shrugged. She definitely had to say she enjoyed the familial presence in the plains opposed to the natural beauty the lands possessed. Walk, "Talk" Think