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She was far, much further than she had ever intended to be, from her den of sleeping pups as she traversed the dense vegetation of the mountain's base. Would they still be restful now, even though she had trekked so long away from them? Might another of the Snow Rogues be brave and kind enough to see to them in her absence? As much as her worried thoughts tore away at her mind and caused her stomach to repeatedly flip and fill with a cold sense of dread, she knew she needed this outing. Already her sweet little blessings were beginning to open their eyes, and before long the lot of them would be up and moving about and giving her a difficult time of taking care of them all. Six! It still amazed her to realize over and over again that her family was so large.

But, unfortunately, her large family was also down one member too. She had been expecting Awaken for the first day or so after she had given birth, hoping to see him stop by and at the very least reassure her that the thought of parenthood had not entirely scared him off. But it had only ever been Orica, going about her duties as healer and growing friend to make sure that mother and children were well and happy. Occasionally another would come by with a recent kill, an offer to let her remain with her pups for a while longer, but the one that she longed for most continued to remain distant. It frightened her, his absence, and not knowing where it stemmed from. If she only knew, it might have made the empty space in her life that he should have occupied easier to bear.

Which was another reason for her outing. Lying about inside of her den left her with far too much time to think and consider many options that she would have rather left untouched, while each pup was a physical reminder of the wolf she loved and missed so dearly. But no matter how they grew with each day, not even they could fill the spot Awaken had kept. Her hunt had been meant to occupy her mind, to stretch her limbs, and to wake up those innate instincts that she had left grow so incredibly rusty over the past year of training to become a healer.

Still, some senses came more readily than others. While her nose quivered eagerly in anticipation of catching that first little whiff of something tasty about in the thick woods, it was her ears which were more alert, listening to the quiet twitter of the summer birds overhead within the canopy of the trees or the gentle noises of the tree-bound creatures who shared space with them. Oh, where are you? she wondered impatiently, longing already to return to her pups and console them over her absence. Catching the faint scent of something - prey, she hoped - the typically timid white wolf padded quietly and softly after it, hoping she had not lost all of her skill and would still be able to catch it off guard if she should be able to find it.

The scents of the forest were all around the male as he trekked unknown territory. He had never been in this part of Alacritis, and was kind of wary. He had heard recent tales of a new ruler in the Northern lands, and so he moved carefully and as hidden as he could to avoid detection. He knew the new ruler was one to avoid, and frankly he didn't want to face the new king if at all possible. Water rushed somewhere nearby, but Knight didn't feel like seeking it out in the open, not now. He still didn't know anyone well enough in the North, so if he happened to be attacked then he was on his own and without help. That, he would not risk right now...With eyes and ears alert, he picked his way around foliage and rocks, now thinking about how hungry he was. The brute had not eaten for a few days, simply because he had detected signs of Northern wolves and was trying to avoid all signs of being found, including his hunger. He wasn't about to give away any signs that he was in the territory, sacrificing his own hunger. Sure it was a small price to pay, but he preferred to keep himself from being found and ripped apart by a tyrant kings pack. He stopped among the shelter of a fallen tree, all his attention now focused on something moving ahead. He had caught a glimpse of white moving among the forest ahead of him, and wondered what it was...He couldn't scent it, and so his mind became wary. He narrowed his eyes, thinking it as one of the Northern wolves from the pack he had heard about and slowly stalked forward. If the wolves had found his trail and were out here to take him out, then he would sneak up on him and get the upper hand. Paw step by paw step, he crept forward, body low to the ground. His nostrils flared, trying to scent out this wolf's alliance but detected none. The mottled brown man stopped just behind a berry bush several yards away, watching through the leaves a creature moving towards him. As he peeked through the gaps, he noticed it was a much smaller wolf, female by her scent now. He relaxed a little, knowing that one so small wouldn't really be able to do much damage to him even if she tried. She didn't seem to be hostile though...and he wondered what she was doing out here alone. She too seemed wary, afraid, preoccupied with her surroundings and something on her mind. Curiosity got the better of him, as he slowly and carefully looked around the bush. His head peered out from the bush as he watched her move carefully towards him, and then he spoke to make himself known, "Um...good morning..." He greeted quietly. Speech Thought Others

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The further she followed the scent of her chosen prey, the more she began to realize that it was waning thin. The slow loss of the scent was a heavy blow for the she-wolf who had intended her hunt to be very quick and precise, over with even before it began. If she needed to change targets now, she might sent herself even further from the safety and shelter of the pack's chosen den site and make the return trip even worse than it was already going to be. She could have whined aloud were it not for the fact she worried the noise might scatter any other animals in the vicinity she had yet to detect. She took a small pause in her trek, just a moment to compose herself again, before continuing on in search of a quick meal.

What she found was something more. Her dark brown eyes had been scanning low within the underbrush, seeking the telltale hint of fur or the promising darkness of a burrow. Paw steps ever light and cautious, the wary she-wolf's dark eyes alighted on a set of forepaws instead. Instantly she froze, body tense and nervous having run into someone so unexpectedly. There was no telling what sort of creature they were. Quickly her gaze panned upward to snatch a glimpse of the wolf's face, and though nothing but perhaps a mild curiosity stared back at her, Mercianne worried. She was alone. Never had she been anything reminiscent of a skilled fighter, not even in defense. She was a sitting duck out here, a prime target for one bent on mischief. And not only that, but six little lives still expected her to return home any moment. She could not afford to cross someone out in the wilds.

New instincts kicked in, the poor mother reverting back to an earlier time, an earlier day in her life. She crouched, a low submissive gesture that kept both her head and tail down, her ears quickly following suit. Her eyes, which had become so bold recently, stared at the ground, refusing to look upward at the others' face again for fear of making eye contact and somehow upsetting the stranger. She needed to be extra careful, needed to be more mindful of her actions now than she ever had. Her pups depended on it.

The larger male made no moves to come out and join her, his body partially hidden behind a berry bush. Instead he merely stared, and his voice, when he spoke, was not unkind, though Merci was far too wary to mistake a calm tone for one of expected friendship. A quiet, uncertain, "Hi," was all that she could manage in response, her gut already twisting with nerves. A little the wolf fidgeted, eyes daringly rising to sneak a glance at the others' face though never any more than that and never with direct eye contact. "I was just...uh..." Suddenly she no longer felt like answering. To divulge her intent, her reason for being out here, even just slightly, seemed like a poor idea. The less she gave away, the better off both she and her pups would be in the long run. Swallowing back the words that had been there on the tip of her tongue, Mercianne fidgeted again, falling silent with her eyes downcast and hoping that the male would not pry too much into her personal business.

Jungle green eyes watched the small form ahead of him, she seemed hesitant, wary...afraid. He wondered why though, it's not like he was going to attack her or anything. Even so, she had a right to be afraid...but this kind of hesitation disturbed him. Was he not kind enough? Was it perhaps that his scars and the way he carried himself in a bedraggled manner that frightened her? She looked like she was submitting to him, but for what? He wasn't going to force himself on her or anything like that, so it confused him to see someone do that...even if it was what wolves did, he was never one to bow down to someone who didn't deserve it. And surely he didn't deserve her submissiveness. Uncertain ears pinpointed towards her, catching her soft fumbling and uncertain words as she said but a whisper of the quietest hellos. He tilted his head a little, watching her display. Though she was smaller then him, he had no intentions whatsoever of using her submissiveness or anything to his advantage. Unlike most wolves, he just wasn't one to twist and manipulate to get what he wanted. He never really wanted much, he was a simple man. The only things he wanted were friendship, and loyal love. That was all, and nothing more. He carefully stepped out of his poor hiding place, revealing the rest of his mottled brown stature. One ear seemed to always hold itself back, while the other investigated what was ahead of him. And this time, he was slightly curious about the newcomer he had found. But he also seemed to have a hesitant air about him as the confusion hit him on how to approach her. He didn't want to scare her, or make her feel like she should be afraid. He glanced uncertainly at his mismatched paws, wondering how best to show her that he meant her no harm. Unable to think of much to do, he instead lowered himself to his belly and placed his head on his paws as he watched her. Ears slowly tilting forward and backward, unsure. Green eyes carefully eyed her, every other moment looking at his paws as well. Finally, his gaze rested on his white paw as he spoke to her, "You...don't have to be afraid of me...I won't hurt you." He told her gently, his voice slightly wavering with insecurity. It was rare when he ever spoke to another, especially willingly. He had always kept to himself, always hidden himself away from society. But this time, his soul screamed for some kind of contact, some kind of...connection. With something...anyone...he couldn't take it anymore. He was always by himself, ever since his "father" died. Or at least, the man he thought was his father...but that part of his history was unknown to him. Knight grew up within a pack that was not his original one, but that was hidden from him too. Little did he know that he was adopted, that his real father was alive somewhere. Ah, but those were secrets that would be discovered in due time. Something in his soul had always stirred him, like he should know those hidden secrets...but as he was too young then, he wouldn't know anything about them now. But...that tugging feeling had begun to stir within him recently, and he only hoped that he could figure out what for. Perhaps a connection with someone who truly understood? Inside, he always thought that...but nobody ever got close to him. Everyone thought he was just a lost cause, never even bothering to try and connect him with. It was something he was used to...but, here, around this girl...he wanted to try. "My...my name is Knight...Knight Cloud... He told her, hoping it would get her to ease a little. Hoping that she would understand, that he meant her no harm. Normal, Think, Speech, You,

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The slow, careful steps that the male wolf took to bring himself fully out from behind the berry bush lacked any hint of ill-intent, but the nervous white wolf could think of nothing but the pups she had left behind and how she needed to return to them whole and healthy. Nothing could be taken as it seemed so long as they existed, so long as they depended so heavily on her for their very lives. Even though she feared for them all, she tried to hold some semblance of composure, her breathing made slow and quiet and her body held still to prevent it from flinching or showing signs of her wish to dart away. Mercianne was far too caught up in her own misgivings to notice the tone of hesitancy to the male's actions, the curious, confused manner in which he stared her way. She merely stood by, staring at the ground and waiting, hoping for a chance to get away and return to the family she cared for more than her own life. She would just have to forget hunting for herself and find another member of the Snow Rogues to lean on.

Brown eyes blinked while they remained fixed upon the earth, seeing just from the topmost part of her vision the mottled brown male move. It was not a move forward, or even back, but downward, his body sinking to rest upon his stomach, head settling itself upon his paws. Puzzled now herself, Merci did look up - in his general direction rather than with a forward meeting of eyes - unsure how to take the unexpected gesture. It was even more submissive than her own, she realized, placing him on an even lower status than she did herself. The only way he possibly could have made it more apparent would to have been if he had rolled onto his side, exposing the tender flesh of his stomach. And of course words followed, quietly, soothingly, assuring her with both physical and verbal promises that he truly meant her no harm at all.

How could she possibly doubt him then? He had given her proof, extensive proof, that he was not there to cause trouble. It would only be paranoia now that drove thoughts of uncertainty into her mind, if she allowed them to take root there. And honestly she wished to keep them out. Ever since gaining the new knowledge of a healer, ever since becoming mates with one of the most outgoing and fun wolves that she knew, she had noticed a change in herself, a confidence that had never been there before. For once she felt comfortable in her skin, comfortable with her life and where it was headed, and happy to have found a place for herself in the wide world that had seemed so very determinedly against her for those early years of her life. She hated very much the thought of reverting back to that time, of letting her worries rule her, of becoming less than what she now knew herself to be.

With some carefully placed internal force, the timid mother wolf made herself relax if only slightly. Just a little she dared to meet the eyes of the other - noting instantly their gentle green color, a different shade to the poison apple stare of her mate - before she sat herself slowly and carefully down upon the earth, shoulders still a little hunched so that her head did not rise too far above the line of her shoulder blades. Making no effort to respond other than to sit, Mercianne let her gaze fall downward with uncertainty, ears just beginning to bring themselves forward, when the male introduced himself. Surprise caused her to react naturally. The healer's ears shot forward, her dark brown eyes rising to stare across with a subdued curiosity as she mulled over his name. Cloud. But that was the name of her son! Was this coincidence some sort of sign? And if so, of what?

"Cloud." The word rolled off of her tongue with a touch of a mother's warmth, muttered mostly to herself in a thoughtful sort of manner. Almost she told the male of the significance of his name, the connection she drew from it to her family. But the protective side of her ran very deep, silencing any thought about it. To bring up the pups would be to place them in danger, to announce to the world their presence upon it, and she wished to shield them from as much as she could. Which meant hiding them for as long as she was able. "I'm...Mercianne," she murmured instead, just slightly hesitating over her name. It crossed her mind vaguely to give a false one, despite knowing the dishonor attributed to lying, but in the end settled on her true one, having no alias on hand anyway. Her tail tip twitched with restlessness, feeling as if every moment away from her pups left them in harm's way. Very much she wanted to return to them, and soon, but detained by unanticipated company, she was temporarily stuck.

Green eyes watched the smaller woman as she still seemed hesitant around him. He had done what he could to try and tell her that he would in no way harm her, even placing himself on the ground, an indication that he was non threatening. Curiously, he gazed at her. Though every now and then his gaze wandered to the floor at her feet, as she seemed to be uncomfortable still. He wondered why though...was there something that she was hiding? Or did she just have the misfortune of running into strangers who meant her harm? He himself would never harm anyone without good reason. Especially one that seemed so gentle as the one standing before him. The X shaped scar on his muzzle itched, but he refrained from making any movements so as not to startle her. He knew that with her, he would have to be careful. He would have to be gentle, and that was all fine with him. He was in no hurry to go anywhere, heck he didn't have anywhere to really go. He was packless, friendless, his family left behind long ago. Or, what was left of it anyway. He had come to Alacritis alone, and knew nobody. Had nobody to care for or depend on. That was one of things his heart ached for, he was three years old after all. And though it was still considered young, he wouldn't remain like this forever. He would be four in the coming winter, and he wasn't getting any younger by the day. And yet still, with all the time that passed him by, not one wolf ever took interest in him. Perhaps that was his reason for being such an introvert, a shut in, keeping others out of his emotions. But here, standing in front of him was another that was more or less a reflection of what he felt inside. His ears twitched in the faintest fashion, after he had told her his name it seemed to have sparked something in her. But what, he did not know. He watched her as she repeated the last part of his name...did that bear significance to her? Did she know someone else that had the same name as he? Or was she just fascinated by it? He pushed the latter thought out of his mind. Why would she be fascinated by it? It was just a simple name. Several moments more, he finally learned the name of the white fae before him. His eyes looked up into her, noticing for the first time that they were a pretty brown color. The sun makes her eyes shine a pretty brown color...just as pretty as her name...Mercianne...never have I met a wolf so pretty as she. He tilted his head to the side in confusion. Never had he thought that about anyone before...the thoughts entering his head befuddled him. Where did these thoughts suddenly come from? It wasn't like him to think such things...but this time, he was very intrigued. Knight had never fallen in love before. He didn't know what it felt like, never head a reason to. He had never come across a wolf that dazzled him in any way, or even remotely caught his eye...but this time, without his own knowing, he was falling. "Mercianne...that is a pretty name for one such as yourself." He told her kindly, his words carefully laced with a gentleness he had never used before in his entire life. He carefully rose to his paws, cool and calm eyes gazing in her direction as he made a formal bow to her. "I am honored to meet you, Mercianne. He rose, looking at her once more. He didn't move closer for fear of her finally taking the decision of darting away. Instead, he replaced his usual guarded look with one of curiousness and another emotion that he didn't know what to call. A gentleness one might say, was what blanketed his features. Never before had he done this with another, and to tell the truth...it was quite a pleasant experience. With her anyway...with others, he always felt like he had to be guarded. To keep himself under wraps for fear that others would discover his weaknesses and use his secrets against him. Never had he trusted another with anything, but her...he could tell. No, he felt that she was someone worth trusting. Someone that wouldn't betray secrets of anothers heart. As he stood there in deep thought about her, he began to pick up another scent...warmer this time. More...motherly. He began to think that maybe his mind was playing tricks on him, but another investigative smell told him what he thought. He could detect the scent of milk. Was it Mercianne's...? Is that why she looked so nervous? Did she have pups of her own? The new thoughts in his mind made him see a new perspective. Yes, that was why she looked wary, afraid. Perhaps the thought of Knight, a stranger, finding them and killing them. But he would never do such a thing...he wouldn't press her on it either. He decided that when she trusted him enough, he would wait for her to tell him of her hidden brood. Speech Thought Others

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The wolf had done everything right to win over the timid creature's judgment. He had proven himself gentle and kind by offering her the strongest show of submission she could have ever expected to get, promising that he was truly there with good intent. His words, gently spoken, had been kind and hardly prying, respectful of her privacy and still friendly in their soft-spoken manner. Honestly, she could not have asked for better company to have stumbled upon completely by accident. Which made it strange that she found herself so strongly unable to meet his gaze, even after realizing she could. Pale green eyes were endlessly curious as they stared at her, but there was something, something that she could almost recognize but could not name, something that spoke of a growing intensity she had no idea how to take. And so she chose to ignore it, avoiding eye contact as she had been doing and pretending that it was not there in the first place.

A sweetly worded compliment rolled from Knight's lips and directly following he began to rise. The movements were slow and cautious, done with just the right sort of care not to startle Mercianne, and she lifted her eyes enough to watch as he did. He was trying, she could see, to make an effort and show her in the little ways that he could that he was nothing more than a friend if she would let him be, and though a small part of her still worried, that natural mother's instinct that saw danger in everything, the edges of her lips began to minutely rise into the hint of a smile. He bowed, formal and polite, as he stated what an honor it was to have met her. Unused to such displays, the smile about Merci's face became slightly more pronounced, flattered through the nervous way the formalities made her wish to fidget.

He kindly fell silent, and though she truthfully had nothing left to tell him, she could feel the weight of the silence begin to bear down on her. After all, he had been the last one to speak. It seemed only right that she return the favor and keep the conversation going if only a little while longer. Still the thoughts of those sweetly sleeping pups tugged at her mind and body, a constant reminder that she was ultimately needed elsewhere, but if her current company had proven himself so gentlemanly she doubted informing him at least of her hunting excursion that they would be put directly in harm's way. Expressing the trust he had started to win over from the creamy white she-wolf, Mercianne let slip the phrase she had initially intended to say when she had first seem him. "I was just hunting. A quick meal," she explained, her tail tip still twitching restlessly. Was there even anything worth catching in this part of the lands? The longer she stayed put, the slimmer she felt her chances of actually being successful. Feeling a little hopeful and a lot desperate, she dared to ask, "Have you seen anything?"

Green orbs watched carefully with calm expression as he noticed her relax, but only slightly. He was doing everything he could to make her feel unafraid, but he supposed the worry she had for her pups; or so he assumed, had her in its grip. Darkened ears flitted attentively as her soft voice spoke, and a smile graced his lips when she had finished her inquiry. "As a matter of fact, I have seen some prey nearby. If you'll allow me, I would like to escort you and aid you in your efforts." He felt himself blush again, angling his head away slightly so she wouldn't notice. He felt foolish, childish almost for offering himself a hope that she would hunt with him. Should he mention about her pups? That he could smell the milk on her? He thought about it, but...he really didn't want to alarm her and make her think that he was after her or her pups. He had never really been around them really, and he had no reason to harm kids at all. At last, his tongue slipped before he could hold himself back. The question would slip off his tongue before he knew it, "You have pups don't you? I can smell their scent, and the scent of your milk on you." As soon as the words slipped his tongue, he immediately flinched back at what he had said. He cast his eyes to the ground, wondering if she would now turn and flee from him for fear of endangerment to her pups. Speech Thought Others

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He smiled kindly, the expression warm and inviting upon his scarred face, and the answer he gave was just as positive. He had spotted game within the area, and the news caused Mercianne to smile a bit more brightly. Good, she thought with a heavy sense of relief, just barely resisting the urge to sigh in a visible show of how she felt inside. The worry that her expedition might have been for nothing had been a very serious consideration until now, troubling her and posing a distraction that made keeping an eye out for prey all the more difficult. Just knowing there was some out there assured her that her venture away from her precious children was enough for her.

And to her surprise - though in retrospect she supposed it was hardly a surprise with what she had gathered about Knight Cloud so far - he very politely offered to escort and assist her. The little white wolf's dark brown eyes blinked at the unanticipated offer, though her smile did not falter or dim. It seemed, however, that his own boldness was not what he had expected either. The look about his face when he turned away from her looked an awful lot like embarrassment, the brown fur upon his face covering the blush from Merci's view. His offer was terribly sweet, and so very much needed for her. It had been too long since her last hunt and she was sure her skills, which had been menial at best, were beyond rusty now. "I would appreciate that very much," she answered quietly, the tail that had been sitting at her side with fidgeting gestures truthfully wagging for a change.

Figuring they would be off soon in search of the prey he had mentioned noting earlier, the little mother wolf rose to her paws and waited to see if Knight had intention of leading the way. But rather than mention where he thought the prey to be he instead asked after her pups. Her reaction was a startled on, the easy expression about her face closing down in a look of surprise and worry. He knew. She had been hoping so much for it to go unnoticed, for the little lives that she protected to remain a mystery to him, at least until she felt comfortable to bring up the subject, but instead he had decided to breach the subject before time. "I do," she answered with a tentative hesitation, feeling somewhat self conscious and worried about her children over in Soul Sand Cove. "Six of them," she added as much to prove to herself that she trusted him as to assure him that she did. "I don't like being away from them." The quiet admission was spoken almost under her breath, her dark eyes seeking the ground as she thought about the pups, hoping they were still curled up asleep inside the den and not causing a fuss.

Downcast eyes attempted hidden embarrassment at his previous question. Why the hell had he said that!? He thought for moments, thinking...dreading that she would surely turn and run now. But then her sweet and soft words made him raise his head in quick surprise. "I do, Six of them, I don't like being away from them." So his assumption was right. She had cubs, and he now understood why she looked so skittish and afraid. She probably thought he would attempt to harm them...Understanding had flooded him instantly when this new information was revealed. And slowly, a smile would spread gently to plaster itself to his features as he then gazed with a sudden calmness in his gentle green gaze. "I see....so that's why." He dipped his head to her again after his mumbled thought. Then stood, tail at a lightly higher level then his hips and darkened ears cast her way. "I can hunt with you, two would be better than one and much faster at catching something...that way you can get back to your children." He offered as he turned, motioning for her to follow. He would help her to find food as quickly as possible so that she could return to them quickly. As they walked, a bit more curiosity would come into play, and he wondered if she would be willing to tell him a little more. He often spent his time with cubs in his old pack lands, and very much missed them. He wondered if...if maybe she would let him look after her pups some day when she wanted time to herself. Well, when she trusted him more of course. Now they had barely met, still strangers to each other in all but names. "If...if it's not too much to ask...what are their names? I spent a lot of time caring for cubs back home...I guess you can say I was like a father figure to them...especially since most of them were orphans..." He shook his head slightly. Most of the cubs that he did care for were orphans. Their parents often killed in war against other packs or killed by sicknesses or just never returned from their missions. Yes, their lives were one of the harshest to endure. Nobody ever knew when or if someone would return from a mission, a hunt, or a war. Ambushes were common, thus putting cubs in a parentless state. He hated it...and he hoped that someday should he have cubs, he would be sure to always be there for them. Speech Thought Others

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Why? Why what? Mercianne almost muttered aloud, a little spike of worry surging within her at the cryptic response. What exactly did he mean by that? Why she smelled the way she did? Why she acted skittish and perhaps a little jumpy? Why she would not readily open up and accept him? And what did he make of the news? How did it make him view her now that he knew for certain of her pups? Many more questions than answers flooded her mind, too many of them actively vying for attention for her to even remotely attempt to answer or speak. Her dark brown eyes merely stared his way to watch the slow, gentle smile that spread quietly across his muzzle, entering his green eyes and filling them with a soothing light. It had been difficult enough try to learn how to stand on her own four feet when it had only been her she was taking care of, back when she had first joined the Snow Rogues as a Glaciem, and for a while she had thought those feelings conquered. But now all the nervous anxiety seemed to return tenfold; a part of her wished very much to trust the sweet expressions given by the brown male but there was resistance, denial. All her progress seemed to have reversed.

As Knight rose to his paws, the skittish white female made a slightly jittery motion in place, something akin to a shiver, as her anxieties urged her to step back while her rationale tried to layer on reassurances that everything was fine. Accompanied with the movement was a repeat of his offer to assist her in catching game, to hurry her hunt along so that she could return to her pups and family faster with his help. He was already turning, a glance given her way as if to question whether she would follow, and lowering her head slightly as was typical of her she did. Her smaller paws followed beside his, walking to the side and just behind his lead. Trying not to let herself consider the dangers of what she was doing - though something in her remarked that the dangers were merely cautionary and not imminent - she set herself about scenting the air as she walked, her steps quiet while she drew in little testing breaths to figure out if something might have been close or if they would need to travel further.

Her head turned rather suddenly toward Knight when he addressed her again, asking with a few hesitant pauses if she would tell him a little about her pups. She did not answer right away, taking a moment to process the news he had added on about being somewhat of a pupsitter himself back where he was from. He certainly had the gentle nature for it. It had worked on her, at least so far as in making it a little easier for her to speak with him. Her dark brown eyes drifted away as she thought about those cute little bundles of fur lying nestled inside their den, sending up a little prayer that they were all still well and comfortable while she was away. "Well, there's only one girl. Her name is Kestrel," she began, smiling a little as she began mentioning them. "Then there's Emery. Sage. Clover. And the twins. Crow and Cloud." Curiously her eyes roamed back over to Knight to watch his reaction, finally stating aloud what it had been to pique her interest in him when he had introduced himself. Cloud. What a coincidence.

ooc//I am sorry if any of this doesn't make sense or is crappy lol I'm exhausted from the kits so my mind is all lsjhfblsjdhbv

The mottled brown warrior moved at an even pace, weaving his way through less dense parts so that it was easier for the small dame to keep up. He had noticed her strange reaction just as he had moved to lead the way, her nervous nature very apparent to him. He wondered if he'd ever be able to help her, even just a little to be more confident in herself. Though he himself was a long shot, there were times where he felt confident yet other times he felt like it was at rock bottom. Though in the time he had spent roaming the lands of Alacritis, he had trained himself to become more confident and less distant from others. He missed some of the interactions from his old pack, the play time with pups, the time he spent training and helping them with whatever the young ones needed, even the elders adored him for the way he'd go out of his way to help them with whatever he needed. Though he was a loner now, and though time had grown on him to make him more distant, his underlying roots still existed. Perhaps that's why he was so curious about this young maiden, and wanted to help her catch what she needed to return to her children. He scented the air around them, his carefully trained nose picking out the different smells of the forest around them. Prey would not be far, and so he changed his course to move downwind of the creature. It intermingled with many other scents, and new that it would of course be near other animals of different species. Most likely near a water source where life came together to share a drink. "Well, there's only one girl. Her name is Kestrel," The man smiled, So she decided to share their names with me after all. He thought as she continued, "Then there's Emery. Sage. Clover. And the twins. Crow and Cloud." Instantly, his ears would strike forward at the name of the last pup. Cloud as she called him...was it coincidence? A smile would perk on his lips, his gaze turning to her with a look that was full of surprise and wonder. "Your children all have nice names, especially your son, Cloud. I don't know about you, but maybe there's a plan in place. It's not everyday I learn that there is another with the same name as mine." A light hearted chuckle would resound in his chest, his gaze now thoughtful. "What does your daughter think of being the only girl?" Speech Thought Others

Walk | Talk | Think

As Knight took the lead and altered their course slightly, Mercianne stayed close beside him, hardly even noticing the change as she continued to eagerly send little peeks and glances his way. It still amused her greatly that one of her own children would have shared a name with him, a strange coincidence if there ever was one, and made her question slightly what significance it might have played if any. Surely it had to mean something, even just a little something, or else it would have never been? It was as intriguing as it was puzzling, something the timid white wolf was sure to dwell on even long after their initial meeting, but for the time being she attempted to settle herself enough not to make her feelings regarding it obvious. She was sure she was making enough of an unusual first impression already.

Even he seemed surprised by the news, forgetting to watch the scenery in search of the prey he had found in order to glance her way with a telling smile. As if sharing in on a secret, she could not stop the smile that slid into place in answer, a miniscule tail wag accompanying it. He complimented the names of her children, Cloud in particular, and even seemed to think there was something significant regarding the name as well. What does he think? she wondered, glancing away to watch her footing for a moment as she continued to trail obediently along beside him. He saw meaning here too, but what? Was it like hers, a thought that perhaps their meeting had not been accidental at all, but fated and determined beforehand by some unseen figure? It was an admittedly fanciful thought, but one that had managed to course its way through her mind regardless, taking some of her consideration despite its imaginative quality.

A chuckle preceded another question, this one regarding her only daughter. Just a little the smile about her face dimmed with a sudden uncertainty, a confusion that she often always had steal over her when thinking about the quiet little Kestrel. "I...I don't know," she answered honestly, quietly, "she doesn't...really say much." It was still a topic of much confusion for her, why when the rest of the pups would go off telling their stories or even arguing amongst themselves as pups were prone to doing, that Kestrel would still remain silent. She had thought for a while she might eventually outgrow it and develop her voice with time, maybe when she found something worthwhile of saying, but nothing yet had coaxed a sound from her. Was it possible she never would outgrow it? Was it possible she had no choice? Though her thoughts troubled her and made her concern grow, she tried to smile around her nervous expression and added, "She's always been a quiet one."