She had taken her sweet, sweet time only to finally realize she could neither comprehend the mess this man made of her mind, nor stay so far away any longer. Knowing her heart was pulling her to Auster, Iskra felt she had no choice but to give in and head that way. It was bizarre to have this feeling tugging at her, and after yet another detour, Iskra thought she smelled a pack not too far away. There had been a newer scent a ways away, but Dragons pack couldn't be that new so she'd ignored it and moved on.

As she got closer, she found herself unconsciously quickening her pace every so often until she finally gave in and loved the rest of the way, sliding to a stop right at the edge of the borders and letting loose a howl that shattered the tranquility of the previously silent night. Wait, when did it become nighttime? That meant she'd spent her evening running here... Taking a seat, she settled in to wait oh so patiently for the man she called out to.

Waiting was agonizing. Did he miss her while she was gone? Had he fallen for someone else? And how did he get in her head like this?! What the heck did he do to make her feel so anxious to see him. It was like she was freezing and burning up at the same time while ten thousand butterflies swirled around in her stomach. Taking a shuddering breath, Iskra wondered if she might die from these crazy emotions before he even got here.

Days and nights had come and gone, and his world was turning dark. The infection from Dragon's wounds had begun to take hold, the male succumbing to the darkness his cousin had thrust him into. Each day that passed, his hopes of saving his sight had dwindled...his brother had done all he could to try and save his sight, but the damage was too far below the surface to fix with the herbs and remedies his brother had tried to save him with. He didn't regret his decisions. Okay, maybe some of them. And he had made it to a good age. He had seen a good portion of the world, so it was safe to say he hopefully wouldn't fall too far into the darkness that he couldn't enjoy life again. After all, he had someone in the pack to show him the ropes, Armai had been born blind and she managed to go this long without seeing a thing. On top of that, he had two faithful companions to help him when he needed it...But still, there was something that weighed heavily on his mind. He had been able to see children he didn't even know he had until recently, a result from that day he had come across Anamalech Abraxas. Although he knew that there would never be anything between them, it saddened him to know that he'd never get to watch his first litter grow up.

Shifting in his bed, he was beginning to fall into an uncomfortable and more than restless sleep when a howl pierced the air. And it wasn't just any howl, it was her. Eyes flew open, head rising all too quickly. Had she really kept her promise? Had she really decided to come back? It took him a moment to come out of his disbelief, it wasn't until Kimahri jumped down from his usual spot and landed beside him that he became aware of what might be truly happening. "Are you going to see her, or sit here like a startled deer?" He teased, brushing against the earthen alpha before heading for the door.

Dragon didn't need to be told twice before rising and all too quickly headed out to meet her. It seemed that despite his failing vision, he found her easily enough. Her sweet scent had drawn him to her, and as he drew closer, he couldn't help but smile. He could see her, barely, but she was there. His heart hammered in his chest, the world around him seemingly gone silent as he finally came to a stop no more than a few feet before her. "Iskra, you came!" He breathed, gaze trained on her. Could she tell what was wrong with him? Whether she did or not, he'd tell her anyway...for now, he fought with the urge to sweep her up in an embrace. Would that be okay to do? What if she came back to tell him she had changed her mind? It was that little flicker of doubt that kept his paws rooted in place...He wasn't sure how he'd handle it if that was the reason she had come, but for now, he'd enjoy seeing her, even if it might be the last time.

"ROAR"

The starry woman had actually convinced herself that she might go insane by simply waiting around as she was. Normally she'd be more than happy to trounce across borders on a whim, but the wolf she was so eager to see just so happened to be the alpha of these lands. That and she wasn't keen on running into one of his pack mates on her way to get to him. No, for once the sane thing was actually the thing she'd do. Wait here. Wait for him. After all, he had waited for her, right?

Just when she could stand it no longer(it had likely only been a few minutes but they felt like centuries) here came the the man who was on her mind. Her elation was slightly held in check as she studied him as he approached. There was something different, wasn't there? The way he moved... maybe it was nothing, but iskra didn't think so. In any case, he was here! Composure lost the instant she laid eyes on him, she raced to meet him, halting only momentarily so there remained a few feet of distance between them. She found that it wasn't possible for her to hold herself back, and she didn't care to. With that, the red woman would leap forward, throwing herself at Dragon and laughing a wild, truly elated laugh. "Of course I did!"

In the heat of the moment she found herself giving him kisses all along his cheek, while her tail fanned the air seemingly uncontrollably. When had she ever been so happy to see someone?

That little flicker of doubt had died almost as soon as it had come. Before he knew it, he had found himself nearly falling over from Iskra's assault. A wide grin split his lips, his tail beating the air just like hers. Her laughter filled his ears, and for a moment, he felt like there was a light in his darkening world. "Of course I did!" His heart felt light with a certain happiness, the dread at perhaps never seeing her again after the day they shared together had been eating away at him, but here she was. Covering his face with her sweet kisses. He too, would return her affection. He leaned down, mimicking her with kisses of his own upon her face. He never thought he'd be this happy to see someone, and yet, here he was. "You have no idea how happy I am to see you," He murmured. "I thought maybe you had changed your mind. But here you are!" He swallowed, not wanting to taint the moment with his self pity and bad news. If he didn't feel inadequate before, he certainly did now. What if she decided to take off when he told her? That fear tore at his heart, and it caused him to suddenly stop his barrage of affection and simply curled his head over hers, tightly embracing her. Walk, "Talk" Think

Never in her life had she gotten so excited just because she laid eyes on someone. It was a wonderful, thrilling, totally alien sensation. If there was one thing Iskra was certain of, it was that parting ways with him a second time wasn't going to happen any time soon. As she took in his scent and he took in hers the starry flame-like woman found she'd not felt so at home since the last time she was in a pack when she was just a child.

"Never in a million years could I do such a thing," the nebulous fae whispered. Hell, at first she'd considered it, back when she was reeling from the shock of these sudden new emotions. Call it fate, call it whatever you like, try as she might the woman never did forget the handsome Alpha from Auster. She'd been drawn here, drawn to him. Once she accepted that, there was nothing left to do but strike out on her way to return to him. When she laid eyes on him she knew it had been a good decision to come here. "Dragon... I missed you,"

After maintaining their embrace for some time, she would grow restless as always and pull back a bit. Smiling and nudging him playfully she chirped, "How have you been? What have I missed? I can't believe I was gone so long! Too long!"

It was always an unexpected but heart warming fuzzy feeling whenever she said something that got his paws tingling. He couldn't help the smile that stretched his lips or the way his tail wagged with happiness. He felt giddy, and with all the stress of his work and the worries that he had been carrying on his shoulders about his blindness and about what the pack might think or do, it all seemed to melt away when he was with her, if only for a moment. She seemed so carefree and adventurous, always something witty on her tongue and a mischievous glint in her eye. It was like she was the part of him that he had forgotten about. The part of him he had hidden away so as to appear more...responsible and "alpha-like." He missed the days he was able to be more carefree and not have to worry much about what others thought. But alas, since his mother had passed him the pack, he had struggled to get where he was at now. The events in his life had brought him to be more...serious. At least in the face of his pack. But outside with random strangers? His less alpha-y side showed more often. That of course, was usually when those he came across didn't know he was an alpha.

When she finally pulled away from him, he couldn't help but sigh. Call him lovestruck, or smitten with her. Whichever was chosen it was more than likely true. "I must admit, I missed you too, Iskra." He remained standing close to her, somewhat struggling to see her through the cover of night. Everything appeared more dim at night now. No longer as clear as it once was, and in the day time it was not any better. So when she asked him how he'd been doing, he grew silent. He knew he had to tell her. The scars across his face, after all, might have suggested his condition, but not even he knew this would happen until the infections had grown worse and his sight had been getting affected. Swallowing, he opened his mouth once or twice, but no words came out. He feared so much that she would change her mind. Maybe even think him weak now.

It was then that Kimahri decided to speak after watching Dragon fail to do so. "Dragon is losing his eyesight. A result from a raid that was conducted earlier this year. At first, it was nothing more than scars and irritation, but it eventually grew into an infection that no healer could stop..." The feline glanced at the earthen male, watching as Dragon seemed to turn his head away from them. Sighing, Kimahri looked to Iskra once more. "His sight is nearly completely gone. I fear that sometime this spring, his sight will have been completely lost."


"Dragon"||"Kimahri"||"Shiva"

The way her heart felt like it might leap out of her chest simply because she was with him once more confirmed what she'd already known to be true. Her feelings for Dragon were different from anything she felt for anyone else. How she'd fallen so quickly was beyond her, but she was more than happy to stop questioning it and simply let things be. So she liked him. Really, really liked him. Okay.

Even before he went entirely quest she had begun to wonder if something was amiss. He seemed to be struggling with something, weighed down somehow. She fixed him with a searching expression, trying to discern what was the matter. It was Dragon's companion who enlightened her as to what was wrong. She turned to Kimahri as he spoke, taking in the news with a serious expression. Then, she slowly moved to press her face against his side. Softly, she would murmur, "I'm sorry I wasn't here when you were dealing with this. It must've sucked." Understatement of the year, but there wasn't a much better way to express how awful it would be to know you were slowly losing your sight without getting real depressing, and Iskra didn't really enjoy sinking into unhappy emotions or allowing them any kind of grip on her mind. "But, now I'm here and I'm not going anywhere. So I'll be there whenever you need me, okay?" Iskra wondered if he was the type to get down in the dumps. If so, she'd just have to help him cheer up.

He didn't dare turn her way as Kimahri spoke. Instead, he kept his head turned. He wasn't sure how to feel about this...like a failure? Ashamed? He had fought his hardest and he had lost against someone likely less experienced. Then again, he wasn't quite sure of his cousins abilities. For all he knew, she could have surpassed the red alpha in fighting prowess. She certainly fought with the heart and tenacity of a true warrior, enough to beat him. Then again, he didn't consider himself a great fighter. Still...he could not name what he felt, but he had not the time to keep dwelling on it. He flinched slightly when she pressed against him. He shook his head at her words, "No need to apologize," He murmured, looking at her when she assured him that she was here to stay. He nodded, offering a smile as his doubts melted away. "Thank you, Iskra. I know we had our own paths to follow, but I have to admit that I am glad our paths have crossed again." He nuzzled her cheek, turning around and motioning towards the pack lands. He wanted to show her his beloved lands, he wanted to share with her all that he enjoyed. Though he would be thrust into darkness soon, Iskra seemed to be the light that flickered in that coming darkness. She would be his flame. "I think maybe standing around the borders is getting boring. It's late, and there are a few things we might discuss before turning in for the night? You must be tired from your travels." He glanced at her, brushing her shoulder with his as he led her through the plains. He would give her time to speak before he continued. After all, he was beginning to feel flustered again and couldn't decide if he oughta act like an official alpha or as...well...a lovestruck yearling. Walk, "Talk" Think "Kimahri" Shiva

For a moment she'd pause, eyeing him as words hung on the tip of her tongue but she couldn't quite find a way to express them. The way he looked... He seemed like he might need to hear something, but she just couldn't figure out what to say. Perhaps at a later date she would know how to say whatever it was that he needed to hear. For now she'd have to be happy with waiting.

She nodded at his words, smiling gently, "I am too." Honestly, she'd never been so happy to reconnect with someone who wasn't family. The feeling was alien, but not unwelcome.

Perking up at his next words, Iskra's tail soon fanned the air as she pranced after him, her side brushing against his lightly as they entered the plains - which were positively gorgeous! She almost forgot to respond to him as she found herself lost in the breathtaking scenery. "I would love to see more of the lands Talis calls home! I sure like what I've seen thus far, it's gorgeous!" she gushed, blue eyes wide with excitement. Iskra giggled at the mention of her being tired, "Probably not as tired as I ought to be, but enough to welcome someone to keep me warm."

He smiled as she followed, chuckling at her comment about the plains. Glancing up, he was saddened to know that he'd never see them again. The sky was illuminated with all sorts of stars and amazing visuals of bits and pieces of planetary shadows, but all he could really see now was the darkness that took up most of his vision now. Though he'd never be able to see his beloved sky for much longer, he took comfort in knowing that at least he'd still know where each star sat above his realm. "Remember when I we first met? The moment I saw you, you reminded me of the night sky here. I guess you could say I'm glad to know that even when my sight is completely gone, I'll always have a piece of it close to my side." Turning his gaze to her, he smiled again as he continues to lead the way across the plains. Knowing that she'd be at his side made him feel warm. Like maybe life wouldn't be so bad without being able to see anymore. The castle loomed in the distance, heart jumping up at the prospect of finally having someone to share his room with. It was a large one, and with just him and his companions, it often made him feel small and alone. "I sleep in the castle over there. Some of the pack members sleep in there as well, and some sleep out here in the plains. And some choose to have dens in both places. Before we turn in for the night, I guess we should get down to some...official business eh?" He paused for a moment, the earthen male slowing his pace. "What do you think your strengths and weaknesses are? We need to find you a suitable rank, but of course you don't have to decide tonight. We have everything from both offensive and defensive warrior positions, healers, hunters, trackers, bounty hunters...and I am considering adding in other things to suit those who prefer to do things like crafting and stuff." He thought about it for a minute, wondering if there was any ranks he was missing. While he had some new ones brewing in his head, he still felt like he had to work on those ideas more. "Of course if you want to decide later or do a few tests to see where you're better suited, then we can place you as a regular member for the time being." Walk, "Talk" Think "Kimahri" Shiva

She listened as he spoke, turning to look up at the sky and letting out a soft breath as she gazed up at it. It really was amazing, so much so that Iskra was quite flattered to be compared to such a thing. Sure, she did resemble the night sky, but sometimes she wondered if she could really compare to the real deal. It was breathtakingly beautiful, after all. "I can see why you like it,", she breathed quietly. Nuzzling him gently, she could only smile at the compliment that threatened to melt her heart on the spot.

Listening to his explanation intently, she nodded along and found she was rather excited to get to see more of both places. The prospect of curling up beside him later one was also pretty appealing, though she'd wait patiently for that time to come. She smiled and chirped, "Sure thing." It wasn't often that Iskra had to patience for official things, but for Dragon she figured she could stomach just a little. Taking in the options, Iskra took a moment to consider her response before saying, "Let's see... I'm pretty average at healing, hunting, and fighting. I can take care of myself, but I'm not exactly a formidable opponent... I suppose tracker is the best option out of what's left. I like exploring and learning the land, and I can think relatively quickly and creatively when I need to. I'm not sure what that would make me good at though." she sighed. Ranks weren't exactly something she was dying to mull over, but she did want to choose a place where she'd fit in well and be able to contribute to the pack effectively.

Ears twitched as he listened to her listing off her strengths and weaknesses. So far, she appeared to be best suited to tracking...brows furrowed as he thought. What rank would be best suited for her? He wanted to give each member a place in the pack where they'd feel comfortable and could use their best skills, while of course working on other fields, but when he really thought about it, he didn't think there was something specifically suited to tracking. Unless of course, she was placed with the hunters for now... A light bulb went off in his head then. They lacked hunters, and if she felt her best skill was tracking, then she'd more than likely be able to help out the two hunters that Talis had. After all, she could be an incredibly useful asset especially if she was familiar with the lands. "Alright, well...while I don't have anything specifically suited to tracking and navigating, I think we can have you help out the hunters for now. I believe your skills would be beneficial to helping the other two hunters finding herds and tracking their migration patterns and stuff. If you don't mind, that's where I'd like to place you for now." He looked at her, wondering if she'd be alright with that. "This position can be as long or as temporary as you want, I am working on incorporating some other things, but I'm not quite there yet. What do you think?" Walk, "Talk" Think "Kimahri" Shiva

Iskra listened to what he suggested with a light smile, nodding and finding she was rather excited to see where this would take her and how she'd do in this new environment. In a way it was her greatest adventure yet. "Sounds like a plan to me! I think I'd rather enjoy that, at least for a while." She did have a slight tendency to grow bored of tedious, average days. But he'd come to be familiar with this trait of hers in due time so there was no need to announce it when he could learn through experience, right? Iskra would just have to make sure she made every day interesting somehow. The red woman was becoming a pro at making her own fun after all.

"Yeah... I think your suggestion will work, at least for the time being. I'll be sure to let you know if I desire a change of pace." He sure wouldn't have to worry about someone like her not being vocal. Leaning in to lap at one of his ears playfully, Iskra asked, "Is that all?"

He nodded his head approvingly with a smile and his tail wagging. He couldn't help but to chuckle at her last statement about her letting him know when she wanted a change of pace. "Good." Perhaps later he'd speak to Gryphon, let his brother know that he had a couple of helpers now. He bumped her shoulder when she touched his ear, his smile getting wider. Was this what it felt like to be in love? To be so completely and utterly caught up in these feelings that he felt...comfortable in her presence? Sometimes though, he'd get the feeling that he was also vulnerable when he was with her, and he didn't know if that was a good thing or a bad thing. He didn't think she'd do something to exploit his weaknesses or anything, but he wasn't quite sure how to feel about his feeling so vulnerable. "I believe that's all there is, business wise. So from now on, you're an official member of Talis! I hope my pack doesn't bore you too much." He winked, planting a sloppy tongue on the top of her head before bounding away a few steps. "Say, are you perhaps up for a night time game?" He asked, a mischievous tone in his voice. He hadn't played in a long time, and perhaps a bit of something fun and unusual might help him remember that life didn't always have to be full of alpha business. Walk, "Talk" Think "Kimahri" Shiva

Ah, the more she thought about it the more wonderful and strange and overwhelming this was! She should stop then. She couldn't! Growling playfully when he bumped her shoulder, her tail soon began fanning the air rapidly as she bounded after him. His playfulness struck a chord with her. It was rare that anyone would react this way to her antics. Usually she only got any interesting reactions for those a bit younger than her - even then it was a crapshoot. The way Dragon could be so easily drawn to engage with her silliness made her happy in a way she couldn't begin to describe. What a lucky woman she was to have found someone handsome who could actually have a good time.

"Excellent!" she cried, beaming at him proudly. For some reason she was actually kind of glad this was the first pack she'd joined as an adult. If she'd tried when Artemis was in that pack before,  watching it crumble might have left Iskra not wanting to try again. Then she would have missed out on this wonderful, confusing thing. "Oh, I doubt it will. No pack can be boring for long anyways if I'm in it," she stated, the wide grin and determined expression betraying how utterly serious she was. Talis would know liveliness with Iskra in it's borders. That she could almost guarantee.

Ears perked and head lifted skyward, canting a bit to the side as she eyed him curiously. She stood stiff for a moment, body held rigid by her uncertainty. Someone other than herself had suggested a game? Was she dreaming? When at last she recovered, Iskra immediately went bounding after him, calling, "A game? How could I ever say no!"

He chuckled, flashing a rather toothy grin. Maybe life wouldn't be so bad after all, not as long as she was around to keep him on his toes. "Well then, maybe I'll just have to put you in charge of organizing the packs festivals then!" He laughed, pausing after a moment, "Actually that's not a bad idea..." He muttered. He eyed her for a moment, the cogs working in his mind. Not a bad idea at all. He'd mention it again at a later date, he was sure she was chock full of great ideas to get the pack involved.

His grin grew wider when she accepted his proposal of a game, but he would not respond. Instead, he stood there for a moment, silent and almost as if he'd even forgotten what he suggested, but then suddenly he touched his nose to her before sharply turning around and bounding off. "Tag, you're it!" He called out as he put more distance between them. Despite his lacking sight, he knew his territories incredibly well. He could navigate them in his sleep, easy! Laughing as he ran, he checked behind his shoulder to see if she would give chase.


"Dragon"||"Kimahri"||"Shiva"

Iskra wondered for a moment how long it would be before Dragon grew tired of calling her name and chasing her around the territory as she ran about leaving Chaos in her wake. Hopefully he had enough energy and determination to keep up with her antics. Maybe, if he was suuuper lucky, she might consider toning it down slightly. Maybe. "Now there's a job I can get behind," she declared with a smirk. Hell, she could totally make some excellent festivals. Okay, they might end up mostly parties, but they'd be fun, mark her words!

When he froze, Iskra stiffened, narrowing her eyes and remaining unmoving for a bit as they stared each other down and Dragon seemed to go blank. She almost fell for it and began to wonder if something was amiss when he would suddenly leap towards her. The red, starry fae tried to dodge to one side but simply didn't react quickly enough. Her expression quickly morphed into one of determination as she shouted after him, "Oh, I'm gunna get you, Dragon! Watch out!" already sprinting after him as fast as her white swirled legs would allow her to travel. Zipping after him, she tried to catch up and reached out to tag back several times but missed by quite a ways. After her first few attempts, Iskra would pick up more speed and fake a lunge towards his shoulder, allowing herself to low slightly so she could make a real attempt to catch the end of his tail in her teeth, ensuring her grip would be gentle but unmistakable. Then she would twirl on her heels and strike off, bouncing off or stones and loping through the long grasses, laughing wildly all the way.