As the days stretched out into weeks, Nikkal's heart seemed to be in a constant grip of pain the longer and longer that her brother did not appear. She still camped out by the lake full of yellow normal fireflies and also the strange blue ones, hoping that as her scent grew stronger here it would make it easier for Achilleus to find her. Nikkal refused to accept that he might of died in the water and the one time the thought flittered through in her mind, she immediately burned the thought. "There is no way.... There is no way." she told herself and shook her monochrome face with her blue and green eyes clamped shut. So here she was for another blue tinted day, dragging large branches to the nest she had made out of the cattails and started to construct a more secure den. Carefully she arranged the branches so that they arched over, tall enough for her to stand and long enough so that her entire body and another could fit into it. Then she tore out the long cattails from the other side of the lake, so that it was not too obvious she was setting up camp here, and painstakingly wove them into a roof to help keep the rain from coming inside. Not that the endless cloudless night sky seemed like it was going to rain anytime soon, but as of late, she did not trust the weather. Finally after hours, she finished her task and nodded approvingly at her work, the den hidden in the cattails and the plants arranged so that it would take more than a hard glance to tell that there was a den there. The Amanta woman flicked her tail and turned sharply on her heel and strode her way to the waters edge to quench her thirst but a surprised growl rumbled past her grey lips as her sapphire and emerald eyes spotted large blue crystals growing along the rocks and pulsating with a light that reminded her of a heart beat. The she-wolf shifted her weight from side to side with her black hackles raised as she studied the crystal formations. They had not been there only hours ago when she last took a drink at this exact spot. How could crystals grow that fast? Nikkal glanced around her to see if she could see someone or something lurking at the edges, waiting for her to lower her guard enough to attack but saw nothing. Her dark nostrils flared as she tried to smell anything strange on the wind but only caught a strange sweet scent that seemed to call to her to follow it. Her lips wrinkled in irritation as she snapped "What is this trickery." She was not one prone to violence for the sake of it but she certainly did not tolerate being made a fool. Walk ---- "Speak" ---- "Hear" ---- Think

He was out and about prancing across the lands, though that wasn't something unusual for him. The Saxe male made his way eastward, maybe to say his to the pack that Fireside had a love/hate relationship with or maybe just to spy. Why not? This season seemed to prove it was a good a time as any considering everything was dark and foreboding. Plus, all the glowing stuff that was happening helped him to blend in better. The weird fireflies that were definitely unlike normal ones kinda fascinated him, but what caught his attention, even more, was the voice he heard as he neared the lake.

He stopped mid-prance, ears cocked as he heard a female voice. Hmm...did she only just find out that the world was topsy-turvy or what? Curious, he stalked ahead until he spotted the monochrome female near the water's edge, his gaze holding a light of mischief in them. "You scared of the dark or somethin'? There are plenty of night lights around, and it looks like you found one." He exclaimed, spotting the crystals she seemed to be bugged about.

As she stood observing the sudden crystal formation the sound of paws near by caused her to flick a black and white ear in the direction of the noise as brief flash of joy lifting her heart but came crashing down only a heartbeat later. Achilleus would have never made such a ruckus, even if he was on the verge of dying. Determined to ignore whoever it was passing by, Nikkal inched closer to the pulsating crystals to get a closer look, until the trespasser spoke.  "You scared of the dark or somethin'? There are plenty of night lights around, and it looks like you found one." the male, judging by the tone of the voice called out to her. Her sapphire and emerald eyes flicked up off the crystals as irritation flashed plainly across her delicate features then masterfully settling into one of bored indifference before she turned to face the male. He probably was considered handsome by most with his sturdy build and beautifully colored pelt that looked as if he was painted by a galaxy itself. But she was not impressed by such trivial things. He was no Amanta and he did not follow their ways. She did nothing to suppress the roll of her two-toned eyes or the subtle sneer that formed on her storm grey lips. "Perhaps... Or maybe I have just found a mouthy pain in the ass." she replied back, a fine brow arching over her sharp blue eye as she looked him over once more, before she gave a small flick of her muzzle towards the forest he crawled out of. "Begone if your only here to cause trouble." she said, her already sharp voice growing an even sharper edge. She did not have time to deal with some male that decided it would be fun to harass a female for sport. Not when some strange crystal formation seemed to be growing at an alarming rate around the camp she had just made. Not when it gave off a scent that really made her want to give it a nibble. She turned halfway back to the crystals, not dumb enough to fully turn her back on a male of his size, who seemed to like to stir up trouble by the gleam that danced in his light colored eyes. If he wanted to bring out the teeth then fine, she had some pent up energy she could release in the form of a fight if he wanted to push her in that direction. Walk ---- "Speak" ---- "Hear" ---- Think

"Perhaps... Or maybe I have just found a mouthy pain in the ass." He chuckled after she said that. "That's my middle name, how'd you you guess?" Most of his family were a bunch of pains, and he had learned from the best, of course. "Begone if your only here to cause trouble." He snorted at that remark. Though it seemed like more of a demand. He raised a brow as he grinned, teeth flashing under the glow of crystals and mushrooms and other spooky stuff happening around them. "Don't tell me what to do, you're not my mom!" He shot back with witty sarcasm. She turned her back on him, but not completely.

"You seem tense. Irritated. You look like you could use a massage, I can help with that!" He offered with a wink. She seemed torn between keeping her attention on the crystals, and on him. With another playful grin, he eyed a small formation of crystals near him and he quietly walked over to them. He got the bright idea that maybe this woman just needed a good 'ole fashioned laugh and who better to do it than him? He tapped on the crystals with a heavy paw, watching as they pulsed with each touch before he leaned down and grasped one between his teeth and snapped it off.

He started to chew on it. Breaking it down into smaller pieces before spitting them onto his paw. With a mischievous glance at the woman, he began to flick them in her direction. Little crystallized spitballs, if you will, bounced around her on the ground, while some fell into the water with a little "plink!" He wasn't aiming to pelt her with any, but if it happened then...

The male seemed to have found amusement in her remark and her ear turned towards him as his chuckle filled the air and he shot back with a retort. Nikkal was determined to ignore him so she kept her eyes on the pulsating crystals that seemed to be growing even now as she watched them, until the male spoke again, sarcasm dripping from his childish words. Damn. He really was determined to be a pain in the ass. A dull throb started at her temple, glad that her fur was thick so that he couldn't make out the vein she was sure was beginning to pop out underneath. Turning her back to him only seemed to encourage the male further as he offered her a massage complete with a wink. Finally, she turned her face back to him, a sweet, rather toothy smile danced on her lips as a dark not so welcoming gleam burned in her eyes. "Oh? You know that might be just the thing I need." her voice turned sing song, faintly dancing with a warning. He could try to put a paw on her but he might also get a face full of teeth if he got close enough. He moved then and Nikkal pinned the male with her dual colored glare as he moved to a crystal formation and placed a paw on one. She watched intently as the crystal's glow seemed to pulsate faster under his touch and she took a step closer to get a better look. Were these things alive and not just lit with bioluminescence? Before she could make sense of it, the annoying brute reached down and snapped the crystal off with his teeth and began to chew. Her lips parted slightly as she now studied him with more intent, looking for any signs of poisoning. Surely if these things were toxic, the poison would be fast acting with how brightly these things glowed, right? Thats usually how nature worked. To her annoyance, the male didn't gasp or gurgle or press a paw to his throat as poison entered his system, no, the complete ass began to fling the shards at her! Small little fragments hit the ground in front of her with a soft "tink" and tiny splashes in the water behind her, some she even felt bounce off her pelt. "Are you a child?!" she exclaimed as she bared her teeth at him before swinging her head to her left and snapping off one of the crystals she had first seen and flung the entire thing at him. If it hit him, so be it, she didn't care. Maybe it would make him leave. The taste of the crystal left on her tongue was just as sweet as it smelt and she fought the urge to reach back and bite of another piece to chew on to enjoy the flavor. Instead she faced the male completely and lifted her chin defiantly and shifted her weight over her white paws in case he decided he had enough with his games and chose violence. Walk ---- "Speak" ---- "Hear" ---- Think

She turned to look at him after his offer to massage her, a grin flashing his way. Though the look in her eyes burned with a fierceness that was unmistakable. "Oh? You know that might be just the thing I need." Her voice betrayed a bit of a warning, but Ares knew better. Sure he was really, really good at teasing and pushing buttons. Getting under everyone's skin. Annoying them. But to date, he had never put his paws on someone in that manner before and he wasn't going to start now. The only exception was a fight. And, well...chucking objects at people. "Hey baby, I'm all yours!" He flashed another toothy smile, before delivering his crystal onslaught.

"Are you a child?!" He had just reached for another crystal, breaking this one down into pieces just like the first, and stopped midchew. "Depends on who you ask," He replied with a mouthful of crystal. Now that he was chewing this one a little slower, he noticed that it tasted really sweet. Like the summer fruits he often ate in the Orchard near Fireside. As he was readying himself to start another crystal barrage, he didn't notice the woman suddenly grabbing a crystal to throw back at him until he looked up and it was already in the air. He ducked his head just in the nick of time as it whizzed past his ear. The resulting motion would inevitably cause him to swallow the crystal chunks he had been chewing, causing him to sputter as he tried to speak. He looked at her with one, watering eye and a lopsided grin as he tried to play it off, "Damn babe, you sure know how to throw, but your aim sucks!" He teased.

Nikkal

Bits of the crystal flake off onto your tongue as you toss it at Ares. While tasting sweet they're unusually crunchy, like chewing on shards of glass. As you spit the remnants out, you find there are many more shards then had originally flaked off into your mouth. Had they replicated somehow, in that short period of time in your mouth?

Maybe you shouldn't have done that...

Ares

As you swallow and cough on the accidentally-swallowed chunks, it occurs to you that it hasn't felt like you ate anything at all. In fact, all trace of the crystal on your tongue, in your mouth, down your throat, it's all suddenly vanished like you'd never chewed any at all.

Maybe you shouldn't have done that..

He waited for any sort of sharp pain that usually accompanied something that probably shouldn't have been swallowed. Usually something like bones...or a crystal...but then he realized he didn't feel anything from the crystal he thought he swallowed, and it didn't feel like he had anything in his mouth at all. Puzzled, he opened his mouth in an attempt to spit out what he had, only to realize there was nothing. What the...that didn't make any sense. He had just eaten a crystal, readying it for more firepower, but...there was nothing. He stuck his tongue out, and sure enough, no trace of the crystal at all...he didn't even taste the sweetness he thought he tasted a moment ago anymore, either. He glanced at the woman he had been teasing, wondering if something similar had happened to her too, but...she had thrown her crystal at him...huh...

It Continues for Ares...

Huh? It doesn't seem like anything happened... Well, maybe that's for the best...

As the male was taking his sweet time chewing up another crystal she took the opportunity and threw hers at him and for a gleeful moment she thought it was going to hit him in the face as she looked back up but the big annoying brute ducked just before it struck him. It didn't matter however, the look on his face actually drew a laugh from her storm colored lips, the sound was light and airy. Not a sound that would be expected from someone with such a scowling face. Nikkal paused to a moment, almost confused that she had actually laughed like that. She never laughed, not even with her family members. Sure Achilleus would draw out a soft giggle or two but nothing like this. The strangeness of such a foreign was pushed aside as soon as she realized that the few shards of the crystal that fallen off the one she had thrown at the brute, seemed to have multiplied in her mouth as if she had taken another bite of the crystal and chewed on it. The male temporarily forgotten, Nikkal tried to spit the small flakes of the crystal from her mouth but it seemed like for every one she spat from her mouth, a few more took its place. Shit, shit, shit. Are these things going to grow down my throat? she thought, fighting down the panic that was starting to grip her heart. She casted her dual colored gaze other to the childish male to see if he was having the same problem as she was. At least that jerk will die with me, if thats the case. she thought with a subtle satisfied smile dancing on her lips before she returned her focus back to her problem. She took a white paw and tried to wipe off the fragments off her tongue, hoping that she was only imagining them spreading in her mouth. Walk ---- "Speak" ---- "Hear" ---- Think

Firefly Shoppe - Nikkal

A firefly draws your attention nearby to reveal a cloaked figure with a small wooden table in front of him. On the table lay three items, with their prices beside them. "Choose wisely, and only choose one," the figure says. "If you can afford it, that is." Perhaps he accepts cŕ̷̕y̵̍͊stals and mushrö̸́̀ō̴̉ms... or perhaps its worth bargaining for something greater...


Inventory:

• Serious Steroids- 1 /
  The cloaked figure assures you it’s not really steroids but he does say it’ll make your body more resilient, he won’t tell you what’s in them though.
  
• Serious Steroids- 1 /
  The cloaked figure assures you it’s not really steroids but he does say it’ll make your body more resilient, he won’t tell you what’s in them though.
  
• Ghost Bath Bomb- 2 /
  It’s a see-through orb. The seller assures you it’s good for styling your ears or tail exactly how you’ve always wanted.
  

As she spat the fragments of crystals from her mouth a shadow in the corner of her eye caught her attention and she snapped her head up to see a dark cloaked figure standing over her. She growled in surprise and flashed her teeth but before she could bite the creature, it spoke, telling her to pick an object of she could afford it. Nikkal narrowed her eyes suspiciously and tried to peer into the hood of the cloak but only the glow of the two blue fireflies could be seen. She then glanced her blue and green eyes over to the male to see if he was seeing what she saw but quickly she brought her gaze back to the black figure, not wanting to take her eyes off of it for long. "There... that. " She replied sharply pointing her white paw at the Ghost Bath Bomb figuring that it would be a safer option since the damn creature wouldn't tell her what was in the supposed "not actually steroids". She glared at the cloaked being, hoping that now that she had made a choice it was leave and she could focus back on washing the crystal fragments from her mouth. Walk ---- "Speak" ---- "Hear" ---- Think

Firefly Shoppe- Nikkal

The suspicious wolf regarded him and then picked an item. The figure nodded and vanished, leaving Nikkal with the bath bomb, and two less currency.


You gain:

• g̵͌̈́ĥ̵̑ơ̷͒s̷͋̕t̷͌́ Bath Bomb- It’s a see-through orb. The seller assures you it’s good for styling your ears or tail exactly how you’ve always wanted.
  

You lose:

• Currency (x2)- Used in Firefly's Shoppe, and perhaps elsewhere...