Grasses were tall, food was plentiful, and the days were long and bright. There was nothing else Fortune could have wanted. The herds had returned, and the bucks were fighting for dominance. The spring babies had grown into younglings that were faster and stronger... the pups too. Faite's brood had been getting larger, stronger, venturing out of their dens. She'd do a lesson with them soon, Fortune decided. That, and she needed to work more with that Ritsy creature. The brave didn't trust him, but he followed orders. That was what mattered. Faite trusted him... she should, as well. Still, she was on edge about it. He wasn't family, not by blood, not by love. Not yet. It was harder that way. Fortune's world was so black and white, she blamed herself for it. Ah. Blood. She'd had a long morning, pulling in a couple massive game birds and leaving them in the communal prey pile before catching herself a rabbit. Daybreak came and went, the mid morning coming with its awkward shuffle of in between. The Dancefloor of the Gods, the very edges of their perimeter, is where Fortune settles to clean the last bits of breakfast out of her coat. A feather here, a splatter of blood there... she was a hunter. She'd shed much of her vanity in that fact. Still, she takes a rare moment to tend to the fact the early summer had been a bloody time. Fortune loved it, of course. She had greatly enjoyed being able to hunt with her family at her sides, keeping the pack stable. Keeping the family safe. Everything the brave had wanted, but something was... missing. Fortune largely keeps to herself these days, anyway. fortune shock & awe

The man hadn't done too much since he had joined Faite in her quest to raising her pack from the ground up. Perhaps it was the fact that he still brooded on his past, no matter how hard he tried to let it go he just couldn't. He had no distractions, nothing to really keep him from thinking about any of it. It was pretty depressing, really. He at least stopped having nightmares about his brothers lack of feelings and strong animosity towards him. Rin had decided that it was time to let that part of his life go. Besides, he hadn't seen his dark brother since that day...maybe he would never see him again. Just like the rest of them. He was alone in the world, fated to walk forever and live life with nothing to show for it. He had been such an enthusiastic child, and then things began to crash all around him until he became a shell of his former self. Now he was practically a ghost, and the only one he could call family now was Faite and her brood. After all, her father was an Armada, just like him. But as far as he was aware, she was the only family he had now. The lean male was on his way out of the territory to...well...he wasn't sure. Maybe track a couple herds and see where they migrated to. Or maybe even try to get an idea of what he could take the kids out to hunt, provided their parents let him. It was then that he saw her. The woman that had called the first pack hunt not too long ago. Fortune, if he recalled. He wasn't entirely sure what her relation was to Faite, all he knew was that she was also an Adravendi...he shuddered slightly. He remembered the blood feud that his father had with the Adravendi line, and while Rin had no problem with them, he felt his fur prickling at the thought of what his father might have said or done to him if he had found out that one of his sons was living among them. Shaking his head, he tried to let that thought go as he decided to approach the huntress. "Morning! Nice day out eh?" Okay, so he wasn't the best at small talk...in fact, he wasn't really good at any kind of talk. He didn't talk to many others until he joined Lirim, and even then it was mostly just Faite. But he knew he had to reach out and try to get to know the others...how hard could it be? "Speech"

The brave is enjoying herself, or so she thinks. Licking the blood from her paws, cleaning away at them where she sits upon the altar of gods gone by. How she'd love to learn more of them, more of what the people here believed. That was a strange thought, of course. She'd never believed in much other than herself. The sun rose in the east, set in the west, the seasons changed in motion. Nothing had really that much impact, that large an effect, when it came to... well everything. Fortune doesn't really know what to think, as usual. As always. As typical. Things in her mind are a little out of whack. "It's been okay, I'd prefer a breeze," Fortune notices Rin only after he speaks. She'd been sitting with her eyes closed, chin tilted toward the sun. She's filled with whimsy, today at least. It had been beautiful out. She felt beautiful on days like this. Something about the brave is magic. Magic with a little madness, brilliant, lovely. Fortune's grin is rakish, tail wagging as she gets to her feet. "Have any plans for the day?" Her tail wags, head high. Everything about her is shining on days like this. She's gentle and shining. Fortune's eyes rest on Rin's face, glowing in the daylight. Her steps toward him are careful, measured, but light. A spring in her step and light in her eyes. fortune shock & awe

"It's been okay, I'd prefer a breeze." His ears flicked, a hesitant grin forced upon lips that hardly knew how to smile. It was a foreign concept to him, and he didn't want others thinking he was some stuck up goody good that was too good for the world. He was far from it, felt far from good at anything or liked by anyone. Sure, he had found Faite who was a cousin to him, but she was the only one in this new found life that he felt he could trust in this messed up world. "Ah well...I guess I'll have to agree with you there." A nervous laugh left him before it faded into nothing, translucent green eyes watching as Fortune stood and approached. She wasn't bad looking, he had to admit. Not that he was looking at her in that way, but this was the first time they had met one on one. Before this, it was during a meeting and then a pack hunt, and seldom did he meet others like this...though he figured he should probably try to get to know those he lived with. It would be wise, after all. A question slipped past her lips, and it took him a moment to think about it. He didnt really have anything to do on his own. He supposed he mostly just hunted or patrolled, but other than that he took frequent naps. Now that he wasn't an outcast in the world and living as a loner, he finally felt like he could rest his weary soul and tuck himself away behind the safety of a pack. It felt...reassuring to know that he didn't have to worry too much about where he would be sleeping or where his next meal would come from. Lirim was perfect, and he was grateful. "Uh, no...I don't really have any plans usually.." Sad. Pathetic. Ah well, he hoped someday he'd find some sort of purpose...but for now, he was alone. He didn't expect a whole lot more than that. "Speech"

He was nervous, and Fortune is trying to fathom why. Things are so strange. Interacting with others has been a strange concept in her mind. It's been so different, being in a position when it's not just prey animals and easy numbers. Those were things she was ever so used to... this was something else. This was something else entirely for the brave. She's strange, brave and bold. Standing before the man, eyes bright. Her tail wags softly behind her body, languid. Fortune is all smiles. Gentle and happy and... well, Fortune. She's got her daddy's smile. That wolfish grin plays at her face, stretching slightly as she gets to her feet. "Would you like to accompany me?" She cocks her head to the side, then realizes she hasn't explained her plans for the day. "I was thinking about digging and disguising some pit traps, see what we catch." Fortune watches Rin carefully for his reaction. Honestly? Maybe she was looking for an excuse to spend time with him, to get to know him. Curious as ever, and careful. He was bigger, he was decent looking, and she needed to push those thoughts from her head. She was getting older... it was only a matter of time. Clearing her head and straightening her shoulders, Fortune's bright eyes sit on the man. fortune shock & awe

The wolfess is wagging her tail, and he is curious as to why. Though perhaps he's trying to interpret it too much, thinking about it too much. It's been a long time since he wagged his own, and he forgets what that sort of thing feels like. Maybe some day..."Would you like to accompany me?" His eyes widened a bit, caught off guard by the question. It was a simple one, but unexpected. She...wants me to accompany her? Why? It wasn't a bad question that he was asking himself. He was just...very surprised. He's so surprised by the question (probably more than he should be) that he forgets to respond for a moment. He stares at almost dumbfounded, forgetting how to talk. Could he be anymore obvious? Probably. "Ah,y-yeah. Sure..." Finally he found his voice, but perhaps that wasn't the best way to answer... "Er, I mean yes! I-I'd love to!" He gave a faint lopsided smile, shy and foreign to him. To feel...happy or wanted in any was foreign to him. He wasn't used to it. He was about to ask what her plans were for today. Maybe she needed help with something? Or...maybe she just wanted to get to know him as a fellow pack mate? When he opened his mouth to ask, she answered the questions that he thought. Pit traps? He tilted his head a bit, tail starting to wag a little. He had never heard of using such a tactic against prey before, and it sounded amusing among other things. "Pit traps? It...sounds interesting. I've never heard of using such a trick on prey before...you're...certainly smart and full of surprises, if I might add." He recalled the hunt they had recently, and the way she took charge of that. She was pretty smart, he had to admit. "Speech"

Fortune looks to the man, gaze shining softly. There's something that can't be argued about the way she does things, confident but strange. Disjointed but not all that awful. Tail wagging, moving to her feet. There's a stretch, a low bow, as he agrees to come with her. Her claws scrape against the ground, shaking off the way she rests, the dust that's settled on her fur. Right. Shake the dust off. "Sounds great." Wolfish grin, it won't leave her. Rakish. Her father's daughter. He's asking, and she forgets... she forgets that she has to explain sometimes. "For catching larger prey when our numbers are smaller. Mostly just decently sized holes in the ground, disguised with leaves and branches and stuff. They'll give way under critters bigger than we are, and either trap or kill whatever falls in. Prey see differently than we do, so no wolves will be in danger." Fortune's words spill forward, and she's trying not to let them get muddy. Men... weren't that different than women, why was she having such a hard time with Rin? She was never this nervous. Still, the brave was trying to keep it from showing. Something about him was different. "I was thinking over here, by the border, where the kids don't usually go... just in case." She nods, leading the way to one of the more densely wooded areas of the Dancefloor. Best that none of the children get stuck. Children... right. Fortune would have to make sure to bring them all by and show them later, just to be safe. As always, she's thankful she's good with them. fortune shock & awe

She gave him an explanation of these...pit falls she had mentioned. He gave her his full attention, a slight tilt of his head at how the process worked. He'd never heard of such things, but he supposed there was always a first for everything, right? He smiled, tail wagging when she completed her explanation of this strange thing. Now he couldn't wait to see it in action, the tall male moving with her as she  led them to where they'd be setting up the traps. Beyond the borders was definitely a good idea, at least this way the kids wouldn't get caught up in one if they decided to play nearby. He'd be sure to let them know, too. That way they could prevent any accidents should they decide to come snooping around to check them out, though he hoped they'd listen and stay away. "Can't wait to get started!" "Speech"