"Lifeless Caverns, eh...?" the brute thought as he approached the caverns. "Pretty accurate description..." He had been wandering through the area, seeing as much as he could of the land. It was a hobby of sorts for him, exploring and seeing as much as he could. He had already seen much of the northern lands, but this was his first visit to the caverns. His large paws crunched through the snow, pausing briefly only as the frigid wind picked up and tore at his fur. He closed his eyes, turned his head away from the wind, and pinned his ears back against his skull to wait it out, sighing and looking forward again when it calmed back down to a slow breeze. The tundra was ruthless, but he was determined to complete his exploration of the continent and the north was the only area he lacked. Well, and the pack lands of course. He hadn't dared to try his luck there... yet. He continued toward the darkness that was the caverns, keeping his ears alert and his nose sharp for any sign of other wolves, though it was hard to catch anything in this wind. Snow was falling steadily, as was normal for this area of the world. His paws left tracks behind him in the slowly deepening snow as he walked into the caverns. Once he was out of the worst of the weather he shook the snow out of his fur and took a look around, his ears flicking this way and that. There wasn't much of interest to see, just some rocks and more snow. He sighed and carefully maneuvered across the icy rocks so he could see further back into the cave. Suddenly he paused when his nose caught a new scent. He stopped in his tracks and breathed it in, identifying it as a wolf... female... possibly in a pack? It was hard to tell. He looked around, but he couldn't tell if the scent was coming from behind him outside the cavern or in front of him, further in. His nose and lungs hurt from the cold and he didn't want to sniff her out more than he had to. He wasn't concerned with her attacking him or anything, he was sure he could defend himself, but he tried to respect wolves homes when he was exploring and didn't want to go waltzing in to her den if she was staying here. "Hello?" he called out, his voice echoing off of the rock walls back at him.

ooc: Sorry for taking forever and giving a crappy post. D:

She had stopped here to escape the cold, something she did not like much even though she was in the pack nearby. Sperare wasn't properly thinking when she accepted the Chief's offer to stay there, didn't click in her head that it would be cold year round. The longer she stayed here the more and more she realized this, the more she missed the nicer areas where snow would only come once a year. She found herself inside a cave system, having gone far back so that she could escape the cold. She lay curled up in a ball with her tail covering her face, comfortable, trying to keep her body warmth close so she wouldn't freeze. It had to of been thirty minutes maybe, nice and warm, almost as if it wasn't even cold outside but then she heard a voice echo through the caves. Her ears perked up, swiveling left and right, trying to decide which tunnel it was coming from. After a few moments she uncurled her body, pushing herself up, paws carrying her out of the small cave she was in and out into a small tunnel. she made her way down, nose twitching at the earthly scent and the sting the winter air brought. Friend or foe? She spoke up, coming to a stop at the end of the tunnel that opened up into the main cave. Standing a few feet ahead of her she could see the outline of a wolf. "normal. talk. think. you"

Tallis held perfectly still while he waited for a reply to his call. Time seemed to drag by until finally an answer echoed back to him. His ears pointed forward to catch her words. He squinted into the dim cavern and could barely see the outline of a fea highlighted by the light coming from behind him. At her question, he considered his answer briefly. She had done nothing to provoke him so he had no reason to be hostile. On the other hand, just on general principle he tended to keep away from other wolves. It was easier that way. But he did want to see the rest of these caverns... He sighed softly with defeat and called back simply, "Friend. I hold no ill will." He carefully made his way further into the cavern toward her and as he got closer his eyes adjusted to the light and he could see her more clearly. He blinked his deep amber eyes once from surprise as he took her in, pleasantly surprised by her pretty face. He slowed to a stop a few feet from her and gave her a respectful nod. "Hello there. My name is Tallis. I was just exploring the area and on my way in here I noticed your scent and I didn't want to scare you." It wasn't often that a fea caught his eye. Just like he kept away from other wolves for his own benefit, he tended to avoid feas in particular. Usually the last thing he wanted was for a fea to get attached to him. And yet... He blinked again and pulled himself out of his thoughts. That was crazy! Why in the world would he want that. He was a loner that's who he was, that's who he had always been. Why would that change just because she was so eye catching... He cleared his throat and pushed on. "Well, anyway, would you mind showing me some of the cavern? I like exploring and so far this is one of the only places I lack exploring."

As she stood there Sperare squinted her eyes, trying to get a better view of this male. All she could pick up at the moment was that he was taller than her by a few inches, and that he did not hold himself in a hostile manner when he called back, telling her he was a friend. She raised a brow at this, nose sniffing the air, taking in his scent. From the looks of it he was alone, but even when he stepped closer she took a step or two back, just in case. Closer now she took him in, a lean male with a dark coat of black and white. He gave her his name, Tallis. It was interesting, kind of like hers and Oxia. Special. He explained why he was here, just exploring when he found her scent, letting her know of his presence so that he would not scare her. She smirked, he would not have scared her, only angered her by popping out of nowhere. Something about him caught her attention, eyes narrowing on him. He was staring, which caused her head to turn to the side, blue and orange gaze looking to her unusual markings. Perhaps that was what he was staring at? He spoke up again and she turned her head around to meet his gaze, ears perking up when he ask if she could show him around because he liked exploring and he hasn't had the chance to check this place out. The names Sperare. She finally spoke up, voice smooth, charming in a way as she turned her body to the side, gaze still on the male. And I won't be much help, I only stopped here to take shelter form the cold. She informed him, turning away and slowly heading back down the tunnel she came from, tail flicking behind her. I guess we can explore together, I have nothing to do anyway. "normal. talk. think. you"

While he was taking in her unique orange-ringed blue eyes, Tallis's ears perked up to catch every word she told him and he watched as she turned to walk back down the way she came. It seemed to him from the way that she held her ground around him that she was strong enough to stand on her own paws and he certainly admired that trait in her. He watched her walk away for a brief moment, just now noticing the different pattern of her coat. Her eyes had held his full attention before and he hadn't even noticed the gray stripes running through her coat. He shook his head to clear it and thought, "Pull yourself together, Tallis...!" He didn't know why all of the sudden his brain was going haywire and tried to get back into his usual state of mind. He took off in a quick trot to catch up to her and slowed so that he was walking side by side with her. He turned his attention to the caverns because exploring made sense to him, unlike how he was behaving around Sperare. He looked to and fro, taking in the sights of the seemingly endless caverns. The further into the cave system they went, the warmer it got since they were walking away from the cold wind, which he was grateful for. He didn't spend much time up here in the north and wasn't accustomed to the constant cold. They walked in silence for a while, but for once he actually enjoyed having the company. It was rare for him to have it. "So, are you alone out here? I mean, are you in a pack or have any family?" he asked casually, just making conversation with his momentary companion.

An ear swiveled to the side, listening for the clicks of his paws against the cool cave ground to see if he would actually follow her. After a few moments she caught it, her head held out before her, eyes gazing lazily at the walls around her. Sperare had originally come here to escape the cold winds but she would not decline his offer, would be better than just sitting there trying to sleep when it wouldn't come. Within no time the male was walking alongside her, slow but steady pace. Going down the tunnel, gazes scanning the walls, looking for something interesting. Nothing yet though. After awhile of silence though he finally spoke up, ears swiveling towards him to catch what he was saying. So, are you alone out here? I mean, are you in a pack or have any family? His question brought a light sigh from the woman, eyelids closing partially, head lowering. It would be a harmless question to most, but for some reason it brought sadness to the woman. Perhaps it was because her brother left recently without telling her, or maybe because she had been alone for so long, raped, beaten, forced to bare children for a monster, being on the run... Alone for now because of the weather. I am temporarily living with a pack not far from here, Glaciem. She finally spoke up, though her tone seemed to have a forced calmness to it. My children are there at the moment. She added, coming to a stop when something caught her attention. Laying on the ground, half cloaked by shadow was a lightly colored object. Slowly she moved forward, taking carefully steps towards the object. As she got closer it registered in her head that this object was a bone. It's bones... what kind though, I've ever seen this kind before? She asked him, using a paw to swat a skull out of the shadows, unknowing that it was the skull of a human. "normal. talk. think. you"

The dark hued brute watched Sperare out of the corner of his eye, picking up on the sudden change in her mood from his question. He wondered what the story behind her reaction was, but he didn't think it was right to question her on it. Or not yet anyways. His brow creased with a concern that he wasn't used to feeling when he heard the subtle strain in her voice. Then his eyes widened and his ear twitched at hearing that she had children and that she was staying with the nearby pack. Tallis thought he had smelled the scent of a pack on her, but it was pretty faint. She had pups though... He felt she had experienced so much even though she looked even younger than him. He slowed to a stop with her and followed her over to see what she had found. He gently turned the skull with his paw so that the face of it was looking up at them. "I've seen one of these I think... When I was going through a desert. I didn't stay there long, I ran through it because I was afraid of ending up like this guy, but I do remember seeing bones like this." He gave a slight shrug and added, "I'm not sure what they're from though. Must not be around any more." He felt that comfortable sense of uncaring come back as he thought about that day, putting himself back in that time made him feel normal. But when he looked back up at Sperare, his thoughts muddled again. What was she doing to him? Could she do that at will, or was just his stupid brain being like this? He looked back down at the skull, pondering in for a moment. "Do you think we'll ever be like that? Just bones that someone else finds one day and can't even recognize what we are?" he asked, more to himself than anything. He often did that, wondering things that have no clear answer just so that when he's wondering on his own he'll have something to think about. When he looked up to Sperare's gaze again he realized how crazy he must sound and quickly looked away again. "Sorry, I'm not used to having wolves around to hear my crazy ramblings."

She didn't want to look to Tallis when she explained herself to him, didn't want to see judgement. Sperare knew she looked young to others, inexperienced when it came to raising children. She was in a way, this was her first successful litter that lived long enough to run around and play. She would not take them back though if the chance came, they had made their place in her heart, even knowing who their father was. Sperare watched in silence as Talis turned the skull with his paw, her orange-ringed blue eyes running over the smooth surface. Ears perked up as he began to speak, telling her that he had seen one of these when going through a desert. That didn't really help though, she wanted to know what it was and all she knew for sure was that it definitely wasn't a skull of any animal she had seen or hunted before. It is interesting. She spoke up, sitting down beside Tallis, using a paw to turn the skull around to look at it from every angle. The shewolf wanted to know more about it, which made her think of asking Gargoyle once she returned to Glaciem. Do you think we'll ever be like that? Just bones that someone else finds one day and can't even recognize what we are? The male's voice broke her thoughts. Her head had tilted to the side at his question, which she assumed as more so for himself. It was a bit of a dark question, and for a moment the shewolf wondered if this ma had some secret thing messed up about himself. Sorry, I'm not used to having wolves around to hear my crazy ramblings. That didn't really help. It s fine... as long as it's nothing too crazy. She told him with a small smile, giving the male a gentle nudge before pulling away and and standing up. Hm... lets go find something else. She said softly, turning and making her way down a separate tunnel. You haven't told me about yourself ya know. You have any family? She asked curiously. "normal. talk. think. you"

Tallis returned the fea's small smile and chuckled when she nudged him. He followed after her willingly, eager to explore more of this cave and see what else they could find. He hadn't realized before how much more fun exploring could be if he had someone with him that was interested in it to. As they maneuvered their way down the next tunnel, his large paws moving easily over the age smoothed rocks, he contemplated her question. "No, I don't have any family. My father was killed when I was really young and my mother took me and my sister to live with a pack after that. I never did like the other wolves of the pack so as soon as I was old enough I left... I haven't seen them since." He held no ill will toward his past, so he felt fine sharing it will her, but it did always dampen his mood a bit when he thought about his family. He looked toward the ground, his ears folding back as thought about his mother and sister. "I wonder how they're doing sometimes, you know? When I got older I realized that leaving them like that was awful. I guess I was the man of the family and all that. I just couldn't make myself stay for them." He sighed and looked up again, slowing to a stop when he did. He blinked a couple of times and the corners of his mouth turning up in a smirk. "Look at that." In front of them was a pool of water and on the ceiling above it were long points of rock that were almost cone shaped and smooth from the water dripping over them for ages. "Wow..." he padded to the water's edge and sat down, looking straight up at the cave formations, all of his former depressing thoughts left behind. There was probably a dozen of the stalagmites in the area above them and when he looked around he noticed there were a few matching ones on the floor of the cave around the pool. "Look at that! The water must have formed them somehow. Maybe the water dripped down here when some of the snow melted?" He looked over at her with a grin on his muzzle. He loved finding new stuff like this.

When he spoke up the shewolf lifted her head, ears perking up as she turned to look at him. He didn't have a family of his own, his father passed when he was young and his mother took him and his sister to live with a pack but he didn't like the wolves there so left and has been on his own since then. It as interesting, the lives others had and what they did with it. She was happy though that head some form of family, Sperare on the other hand had only her children now which was disappointing because for a short time they had all been a complete-ish and happy family. She noticed a sadness come over him though when bringing it up, like it had for her. A feeling in her gut telling her to comfort him, which made her take a step towards him but quickly took it back and continued walking. She wasn't sure if he would appreciate it or move away from it, finding her touch uncomfortable. It didn't take long before he was talking again, wondering how they were doing, and that he was the man of the family. Sperare turned back to him, lips moving but before she could speak he said something about looking, causing her gaze to quickly shift into the direction he was looking. First the ran over a pool of water, then traveled up to the ceiling where there were strange things on it that were pointy like thorns. While Tallis moved over to the water and sat down, Sperare went a different direction. She moved trough the thorns on the ground, gaze running over them, some smaller than her and some rose higher than her head. Look at that! The water must have formed them somehow. Maybe the water dripped down here when some of the snow melted? Ears perked up at the male's voice echoing around the cave, the clicking of her claws against the smooth ground coming to a stop, head peeking aroud a cluster of the thorns to look at Tallis with a small smile. I think so. It is amazing. The shewolf moved out from behind the thorns, trotting over to stand beside Tallis. I think you should try breaking one of them. She said with a smirk, but she didn't look t him, her gaze was focused on the thorns hanging from the ceiling. "normal. talk. think. you"

Tallis watched as the she-wolf maneuvered her way through the spikes of rock around the edge of the pool and back toward him. She had caught his attention again, but her gaze was focused on the spikes coming down from the ceiling of the cave. He blinked a couple of times at her suggestion and turned his amber eyes back to the rock formations. His head tipped to the side as he considered it, his brows knitting together. It would be interesting to leave their mark on this cave so that the next creatures to find this place would see it. But how would he do it? Now determined to figure out a way to break one of the spikes above them, he padded over to the very edge of the still water till his paws were causing ripples in the water so that he was directly under one of the spikes. He sat back on his haunches again and reached up first with one paw and then both, till he was actually sitting up reaching toward the ceiling. He was still several inches from his goal, however, so he shifted his position a bit so he was on a more stable bit of ground and tried again. This time he carefully stood on his hind legs, just barely reaching his goal. Now he was standing with the cold water around his hind paws and his front paws resting on the spike of rock. He blinked with surprise, he didn't actually think he would be able to reach it and wasn't sure what to do now that he had. He pushed on it with his paws, hopping on his back paws a little trying to getting a better balance so he could push harder. They were surprisingly hard. He shoved on the spike several times before he finally felt it start to give way under his strong paws. He smirked triumphantly and gave it several more good shoves. Suddenly all at once it gave way, leaving him in mid shove. He gave a loud yelp and went tumbling into the water with the spike of rock. The water splashed around him and he quickly shot back to the surface with a harsh gasp. Panting from the shock of the cold water, he paused long enough to dip his head back under the water to fish out his prize of a piece of the rock spike, carrying it back Sperare on the shore of the pool. He sat it in front of her and shook as much of the cold water off as he could. Tallis grinned proudly and chuckled, despite the fact that he was drenched in water and shivering. "Speech."