On a whim, the timid little creamy white wolf had given in to an urge and ventured beyond the boundaries of her home, staying close and exploring the wintry wonders of the northern lands. Slowly she could feel the first suggestions of spring beginning to take hold, the air, though still chilly, warming every so slightly, the snow storms becoming less frequent. They still had a long time to go before spring would settle in completely and fully, but it was kind of nice knowing it was so close. Mercianne could hardly wait to see the blooms on the hardier flowers that even thrived in such cold, harsh climates as those she made herself home in.

But eager anticipation of all that color had caused her to travel further from home than she had anticipated, slipping quietly and slowly into southern territories. The air here was warm, snows barely clinging to the ground where it had minutely managed to make itself known where it was unable to grasp the last firmly as it did in the north. Stuffy as it made her feel, the differing scenery was quite extraordinary to her, giving her something new to stare at with every turn in the forest that she took. Her familiar coniferous forests began to give way to unfamiliar lands, the greens becoming brighter, more vibrant than the dull, forest green she was accustomed to. And flowers, even more brightly and varying than those of her home, bloomed here, their fragrances filling the air so completely that she hardly paid attention to where she was going but merely following the winding path that she wound in their midst.

The flowers, to her surprise, did not last long, and eventually the forest she had been traveling through opened up onto a field overrun with odd plants, weeds attempting to choke the other plants that shared their space. As she paused there along the edge of the treeline, her dark brown eyes shifting slowly over the unexpected open space, Merci wondered at its odd shape, the plants that seemed to grow there unnaturally amid the plants that had long ago attempted to retake their home.

Timidity and a natural hesitancy around anything unfamiliar stopped her from venturing closer, and for the first time in what felt like hours she contemplated that perhaps she had traveled too far. She was quite a distance from home, without even the slightest clue to her current location, and somehow she would still need to get back. As she glanced toward the west, the sun already starting a slow sink in the sky, she knew it would likely be night by the time she did end up making it back to the Glaciem territory. But there was nothing stopping her from looking at it for a moment. Seating herself quietly amid the trees, watching the open space that surely had housed something intriguing at one point, Mercianne let a little sigh slip from her lips to relax after her long trek before setting back out in search of home.

-- mercianne

The brute had ventured far as soon as he had stumbled upon this land. Surely he was headed somewhere but to where exact? He shook his head which cause the tag on his ear to flap against his ear. It was only plastic and he knew he could easily rip it out of his ear but it was a reminder to him. Scipio sighed as he continued on his way, he missed Lucy and Tucker. Ever since he had been separated from his brother at their release he had felt quite lonely. His cobalt blue eyes hadn't seen a single soul in all this time. Even though Lucy was a human he still missed her, she had taken care of him and if not for her he would be dead. Surely Tucker would find him, he knew the two of them would reunite someday. But today was not the day, no matters of how nice it was. The Sun was slowly setting and he smiled as he could smell Spring right around the corner. He passed a few flowers and gave one a sniff before sneezing.

Scipio wandered aimlessly through the land and observed everything about it. It seemed like a nice place to be, surely he had stumbled upon a great land. This was even better than being surrounded by a fence,cage, or encasement. He was free at last and he relished the feeling. Hopefully his brother came upon a land as great as this. Perhaps one day he would look for him. But for now all he needed was to find a place to rest for the night and enjoy the scenery.

Off into the distance he saw a building of some sort, it definitely wasn't like ones he had seen before. But it had been built by humans so it brought him comfort. The wolf made his way to the building and was almost out of the forest until a figure was a few ways before him. As he crept closer it was visible that it appeared to be another wolf. As he took a sniff to the air it was a femme. He did not care for he was happy to just see another wolf. As he neared he stopped and stood a respectable distance away from her.


In order not to startle her too much he grunted before he spoke.


"Hello, my name is Scipio, I mean no harm" he replied with a finishing smile on his muzzle.


He had forgot to shake out the dirt from his coat but surely that wouldn't affect his handsome complexion. It probably saved him from looking like a dirty wolf.

She sat there for a while in silence, the only sounds to disrupt the quiet being those made naturally by the skittering, hidden creatures who roamed the forest and the tall, dry grasses that stretched off ahead of her toward the field and the structure. Odd as everything looked, as strange as it all seemed to her, it did have an eerie sense of quiet that drew her to it, made her think that it might have been a nice place to stay around when she needed some peace and quiet. Though the chance of that happening was very slim; the Glaciem territory was a very long distance away.

Something sounded as if it was scurrying a little more heavily through the undergrowth, perhaps a particularly plump rabbit, but when she heard the sound of someone grunting, a soft noise of announcement, Mercianne knew she had been mistaken. Her single ear that had turned atop her head in first response to the sound turned fully with the other upon this realization, and the other followed swiftly to rest against the back of her head rather than merely listen. She turned her head to look at the golden colored stranger as he spoke to her, listening to his assurances that she was safe in his company while instinct had her rising to her paws and dropping into a submissive crouch. Could it be true? She wanted very much to believe him, and so she decided to give him the benefit of the doubt.

His smile was reassuring. Gentle, it did not overpower her or attempt to coax her forcefully out of the comfort zone that she tended to keep. It was...nice. Ears still pressed toward her head, the timid white wolf managed to smile a little at the stranger, attempting to match the friendly expression that he exuded in her own shy way. Her tail wagged faintly against the backs of her legs, her dark brown eyes shifting upward to glance swiftly at his blue ones before setting somewhere on the ground between them. "I'm...I'm Mercianne," she managed to respond after a little stumbling start, still a little uncomfortable in the presence of someone that she had only just met and hoping that things would go well.

-- mercianne

Scipio stood there for a moment as the femme swiveled her ears around to focus on the sounds of his approach and grunt. The dame then rose and did a submissive crouch. He didn't think he was intimidating, perhaps it was the fact that a stranger such as he just seemed to saunter in unexpectedly. Scipio did not know nor care, he was just happy this wolf was not hostile.

He took a few moments to look at their surroundings; and took in the scent of the flowers once more by giving a small sniff to the air. Then he turned his cobalt blue gaze back at the dame who had introduced herself as Mercianne rather shy-fully. He did not mind for if he did not respect how all other wolves were how could he respect himself. As he observed the femme his blue eyes met brown until she looked back at the ground. She was a small white wolf, and seemed to be naturally shy.

The brute decided to make his posture seem less of a threat by sitting down on his haunches. As Scipio relaxed his muscles he let himself be an easy target to attack. He truly meant no harm and to make a stranger feel uncomfortable, and the first wild wolf he had seen in ages; It just seemed wrong.

"I'm new to these lands, and I have stumbled upon here after my release. Tell me, have you seen a wolf that looks like me around here? I have been separated from my brother in the process but I am sure we will see each other again soon one way or another." he said with a charming smile

Scipio knew his brother looked like him but both had the same handsome looks with different patterns yet similar.Hopefully Tucker would be able to fend for himself for a while. So the brute sat and waited for Mercianne to reply. It really was a beautiful day and the wolf rather enjoyed it. He closed his cobalt blue eyes to remember the time before his release back into the wild. After that Scipio shook his head to get the long fur on the top of his head in place. The orange tag seemed to make a slapping noise as he did so. S42 he knew it said. Scipio no. 42, the pup that was so close to death and yet here he was now. Full grown and healthy as a horse.

The stranger named Scipio seemed to take her comfort into consideration as he reclined back onto his haunches and sat amid the grasses that extended even into the forest where they stood. It was a peaceable gesture, giving the cream colored wolf the upper hand by letting her keep to her feet, and his posture relaxed enough to not even suggest any sort of unwanted intent within his being. The combination eased Mercianne's nerves, made her relax in his company, and little by little she began to ease out of her crouch, beginning by minimizing most of it by doing as he had and taking a hasty seat upon the ground with her tail curling around her side. Her brown eyes continued to skirt away from his own, her confidence and comfort not quite to that level yet, but she did manage another peek toward his face when she thought he couldn't see.

Seeming unperturbed by her behavior and willing to ignore it for the sake of company, the golden colored wolf spoke up once more. His words, however, puzzled her more than they made sense. Release? Had he been held somewhere? Perhaps a prisoner of a pack? No stranger to the ways of war, Mercianne knew well how prisoners fared within packs they were not welcome in, having seen plenty of the same from her birth pack and the cruel wolves she had been raised around. It was unpleasant to say the least, but even as her brow puckered in a gentle gesture of bafflement she could hardly believe this wolf to have been a prisoner. He was too well fed, too strong and sturdy, too healthy looking to have been a prisoner of anything.

But in comparison with his question, the mention of his release was hardly worth their attention. "Another wolf?" Mercianne echoed, the little uncertain frown upon her face deepening just a little. How she wished her answer could be anything but what it was. Feeling guilty even though there was nothing she could do about the matter, she shook her head gently and gave Scipio an apologetic looking. "I haven't. Sorry." Surely if she had seen another wolf like him, she would know. His coloration was certainly unique, and quite flattering to his gentle but friendly personality. Wishing she could meet his charming smile with a timid one of her own, after giving him such unpromising news she knew any attempt would look insincere and so chose not even to try, opting for a rueful glance at the ground between them again instead.

-- mercianne

As Scipio sat and listened to the dame's response his hope dwindled for a moment. Surely his brother is somewhere else then, somewhere safe as this place. Oh Tucker, where could his brother be now. He wondered how he would do alone, Scipio was always the one to care for his brother after Jenny had cared for him. At the thought Scipio shook his head which made the orange tag shake once more. The brute smiled at the sound, it was definitely a good reminder of how he had been saved.

The brute's cobalt blue gaze looked up at the femme once more as he recalled her seeming to question the word to release. Oh how weird it had been, he couldn't even remember most of it due to the sharp prick before the trip.

Scipio smiled at the dame who he had caught looking at him. When his cobalt blue eyes met her dark brown there was almost warmth. Yes it felt a little awkward at first but he wished she shan't be too shy to further the conversation. The brute then began to groom his golden fur to kill time. The Sun was beginning to set which cast a glow on his fur. Soon he would have to go to that building to spend the night before he moved on. It was a disappointment there was little time left of daylight.

"I apologize if I make you a bit uncomfortable, you're just one of the first wolves I had seen in a while. The sleep juice from the prick finally wore off so I'm just in an ecstatic mood!" he said with a joyful look prttrayed upon his muzzle.

Scipio looked around him and took in everything. This wolf really was nice. He just needed to give her a little space, that was all. With quick look up to the sky his cobalt blue eyes glinted in the setting sun. The sky was full of an array of reds, oranges, yellows, and pinks. Everything around him was beautiful and Scipio felt blessed to be here.

Tucker would show eventually some day, for he knew his brother was able to make it on his own now. Maybe letting go was the worst apart. After leaving his surrogate mother behind and the rest of the Sawtooth pack he had felt a bit empty inside. But for now this day was a godsend.

He was so different than many of the others she had met. She had almost taken for granted the fact that every other wolf wished to hold long and lengthy conversations, to carry them on easily and successfully on both sides, and become wonderful close friends after the quick but special encounter. They would constantly ask questions, await eagerly for the response, and then spill all sorts of things in hopes of learning as much about the other wolf. But Scipio did not. Rather than bombard her with questions, stare at her in such a way as to suggest he was hanging on her every unspoken word, his smile was warm, gentle, inviting, coaxing even. It was not forceful or demanding, but full of patience, no rush within those bright eyes of his. His complacency was so unexpected that it nearly drew out the curiosity in her, leading her to questions that she rarely got to ask while information was hurled at her left and right. In this golden wolf's presence she had time to think, time to adjust, and time to realize that he was unlike the other wolves of her acquaintance.

Unexpectedly, he apologized, apparently sensing her discomfort and mistaking it as being solely caused by him. Even with her eyes averted, Merci smiled ruefully to herself, certain that it was more of a complication with herself, a doubt that she was unprepared for social situations, that truly crippled her, but his efforts in making her comfortable in his presence was definitely reassuring. He did not ignore it, but faced it head on, and excused himself for it though he was not the source. He went on, informing her that she was one of the first he had seen in some time, which immediately drew her interest. Did this have something to do with his imprisonment? But as she lifted her dark brown eyes to peer at him again, he mentioned being pricked with sleeping juice and being in a good mood because its effects were gone. Sleeping juice? What was it that he could have mentioned? She had never heard anything like it before, had not even the slightest clue how she might explain it to herself, and only became more confused by the moment.

Finding her voice, she spoke up, though gently. "Sleeping juice?" Her question was asked softly though still heavy with misunderstanding. Dark eyes fixed on the stranger as he stared off toward the sunset, his golden coat coming to life in the lights that complimented them so well. "What do you mean?" she queried, hoping her question was an acceptable one. She only wished to understand, to know what he had meant by this and his earlier puzzling statement. Ears threatening to fall back against her head in apology for questioning it, Mercianne's brown eyes fell away yet again, still hopefully anticipating an answer.

-- mercianne

After he had given some words of his release the wolf supposed no wolf out here knew what sleeping juice was. After a few moments of patiently waiting and admiring the scenery Mercianne seemed to ask him what sleeping juice was.

"Ah, that is what was given to one if they were to be transferred to somewhere else. I see how this may be a bit confusing so please, do get comfortable. I might as well tell you my beginning to now."

As Scipio relaxed a bit more he took in the scent of the flowers once more. He waited a moment or two to make sure the dame was alright before he began.

"You see I am sure no other wolf really has the same colored coat as I. I am a Himalayan wolf and apparently an an endangered species of so I have heard. When my brother Tucker and I were born an illness swept through our lands. It killed almost everyone including our parents besides my brother and I." he said before pausing for a moment to let the words sink in.

"I myself had caught the illness but my brother stayed healthy. We were only a few months old then when a human woman found us curled up together in our den. She was somewhat of our surrogate mother and nursed me back to health. That is where I got this." he said pointing his cobalt blue gaze to his left ear at the orange tag.

"It was put on me after I had been taken in. After I had become better the humans let me reunite wit my brother again in a zoo. A place where animals are kept in cages for people to just look at, it was a terrible place. No freedom at all. But when my brother and I reached o a certain age we were transferred to a large encasement to integrate with the Sawtooth Pack. that is where we learned most of our skills but trust me this is much different. But only then were we released back here into the wild. That is where I have been separated from my brother Tucker. And I had been pricked with the sleeping juice to keep me out of consciousness during the trip."

Scipio let out a sigh as he finished. It was a rather long turn to chat and he sat for a while to let Merci suck it all in. What would the dame think or say. Was he to be an outcast or one who is frowned upon. The brute did not mind,now he was free.

Her confusion was practically a physical thing by the way it manifested itself upon her soft, gentle features, her brow puckered slightly as she attempted to work things out for herself while she listened avidly as Scipio tried to explain things to best of his ability. Still, it was not something that she picked up on quickly. Having little knowledge of humans or their terms that this wolf seemed to have picked up, or at least learned to recognize, she did her best to understand what he was saying, surmising that, for whatever reason, it was best for him to sleep during travel. But...how did one travel if they were sleeping?

Kindly, the golden wolf offered to explain his origins, and in doing so hopefully clear up everything that he had so far said to confuse the timid wolf. Surprised that he should feel so easy telling his story when they were still practically strangers with each other, Merci did not decline or complain. She merely turned a little where she sat and regarded the wolf with a silent, patient stare, her head only slightly tilted toward the right. And with his audience awaiting his tale, Scipio began.

His tale was not a happy one. Wracked with death and illness, his beginning sounded even worse than her own. To be stolen from your parents was one thing; to lose them completely in death was something else entirely. Even so soon into the story, Mercianne felt grateful that Scipio should still have had his brother through all of this, a single other soul to cling to and guard against the evils of the world. Still unsure about what a "human" was, she listened closely to his descriptions of them and their world, finding them to be strange and foreign creatures with inexplicable motives. The pack he had been introduced to because of them hardly sounded welcoming either. But were it not for them, he might have died because of his illness, and certainly never reentered the wild as he claimed to have. It was just a shame he had lost his brother in the process.

Eventually he fell silent, apparently reaching the end of his story and giving Mercianne time enough to make sense of it all. It was certainly quite a bit to take in, though one thing that stood out prominently to her was his relationship with his brother. She had always longed for a similar relationship with her own, so that the blood ties that connected them would have meant something, but with as driven and ambitious as he was they had amounted to nothing. He had gone on to prove himself in the eyes of their ruthless leader, leaving Merci to fend for herself.

Now that Scipio had stopped talking, the creamy white wolf found herself at a loss for what to say. There were plenty of areas of his story that she could have commented one, plenty more questions that she could have asked to learn the small details of his life, but she chose to comment on the one that mattered the most. "I hope you find him. Your brother," Mercianne murmured, reassuring as she let a little smile slip upon her face so that she might be able to bolster whatever hope he held in his search.

-- mercianne

His mind had started to wander elsewhere after he had spoken of everything. Only when the dame spoke again did he perk up his golden ears and focused his cobalt blue gaze on her. Scipio gave Mercianne full attention. When she told him of how she hoped he would find his brother the brute nodded. Thank you, I appreciate that greatly. A small smile rather charming smile spread across the wolf's muzzle. He knew he would find his brother, or his brother find him. But Tucker had always been a bit of a goof and could be a bit arrogant. But then again he was his brother; Tucker would joke around with him and get them both in trouble sometimes but Scipio still loved him.

"Thank you, I really appreciate your kind words." he said as he he looked back at the dame.

Silence fell as he waited for the dame to reply. She was rather quiet or shy, but he didn't mind. It was quite nice to just have a little chat with another wolf.The sun was going down more and his pelt reflected it as it gave him a soft glow. He was truly a golden boy, he thought with a small chuckle.

While Scipio sat there he listened to the late chirps of birds in the forest. They all seemed to have their family and friends nearby. But where were his; Tucker was lost and his friends were at the place he had departed. But the brute could only wonder as he looked at the small femme if she considered him a friend, or what she considered him as.

Curiosity struck through the brute's mind as he sat there examining her. She was a pretty dame but he withdrew the urge to say that in case he would have his face scratched off or make her more shy. He knew she would be more open as time went by. It only took some time and Scipio was here to listen and give his time. for a moment his cobalt blue eyes looked at her brown ones waiting for their two gazes to meet.

Scipio's charming smile was not entirely lost to her as she averted her dark brown eyes once more, grateful she had been able to make him smile when he was missing his family but still too shy and awkward in such touching social situations to meet his blue gaze for longer than a second. It was partially by habit that she did this, the caution ingrained in her since youth. Meeting the eyes of someone who thought themselves above you was a dangerous feat, and often times was seen as a challenge rather than a mere attempt at reading what could be read there. A part of her knew without a doubt there was nothing to fear here, that Scipio was just another kind gentleman keeping a lonely young wolf company as he searched for his missing family, but still it was difficult for her to look at him when she knew his attention to be upon her. Not only was it easier to assure him that she meant no threat, but it was also easier to hide her own insecurities this way as well.

So when he had spoken and let the silence fall between them, remaining contemplatively quiet for a moment as Mercianne continued to stare downward at the ground between them, biding her time, when she finally did build up the nerve to look at him she was surprised to find him staring at her. His gentle blue eyes were accompanied with a smile, the whole look about him was patient and kind and not the least bit provoking. Shocked, she found herself captured in the stare of those eyes, unable to look away now that she had been caught looking at him. It was as if he had been waiting for that moment, the way he looked at her, as if it had been his plan all along to trick her into meeting his gaze at long last while she otherwise might have merely stolen little glances when she thought him unaware.

Embarrassed, the white wolf ducked her ears and head a little toward her chest, a rueful smile stealing across her face as she averted her dark eyes and chuckled nervously and quietly to herself. He was too smart for her, it seemed, too quick to catch on to the little idiosyncrasies that she possessed, and she couldn't yet tell whether she considered that a good thing or not. Unnerving, yes, but bad?

In a desperate attempt to shift the conversation, or at least the silent one that had just transpired, she made herself speak, voicing aloud the first thought that came to mind. "It's going to be dark soon," she commented, unsure where to take the comment now that she had stated it. It was true, nonetheless. The sunlight would soon die within the sky, leaving the night and the moon to claim their rightful places. And then she would need to travel by their faint light all the way back to the Glaciem's territory to sleep safely and soundly within their protective borders. It was going to be a long walk, she knew. Maybe it was best she brought up the hour to remind them both of it, in case Scipio happened to have somewhere to be as well.

-- mercianne

OOC: Sorry for the wait! D:

The brute could only hold his breath as his blue gaze met her brown gaze. Blue mixed with brown as he could not look away himself nor did he blink. Only when Merci broke the gaze did he smile some more as did she. This dame was a mysterious wolf and it amused him quite a bit. But in no way would his misuse the way she amused him. Oh how complicated the words seemed in his head. His golden ears perked up as the dame then said something about the dark nearing. "Yes it is getting quite dark at this time of the day. I was heading towards that red thing over there in hopes of spending the night. I assume you must have somewhere to return to...; but may I say that it would be better if you rested before you leave tomorrow morn perhaps? It is only a suggestion but I suppose since we have been acquainted it would be good to....talk some more." he said as his loss for a word at the end confused him. Scipio did not want to see the dame go and he was too scared to admit it. She was the first wolf he had seen since his escape and it was so comforting to have another soul around. The brute huffed as he then honestly replied. "I'm sorry but honestly you are the first wolf I have come across since my escape; and I find it quite comforting to be around another of my kind. So may I ask if you may stay with me for a while then we can discuss new matters next morn?" he said as his golden ears grew hot with embarrassment The brute had been honest to the female because she deserved his honesty. It was almost absurd how he had tried to hide his direct intention before. But Scipio did enjoy being around Mercianne and he knew it. She seemed like a nice wolf; and spending the night together would strengthen their blossoming friendship.

mercianne Walk | Talk | Think To her surprise, when he stated his plans they were nothing like she had imagined them to be. Newly reintroduced to the wild or not, she had suspected him to have some place of security, a pack or perhaps a place that he considered home base, to return to and sleep safely and soundly through the night, but rather than possess such a novelty he informed her of his plan to make camp inside the structure sitting within the clearing. Puzzled with surprise, Mercianne turned her head and glanced back into the clearing at the place he spoke of, wondering if there was even enough of it left to really give support and protection from the elements even though the weather of late had been mild and pleasant. Still, it was hardly what she would have considered proper arrangements, but who was she to judge? His words rounded back on her, hitting the mark as he assumed she had her own place to be. As she turned her head back around to look at him, stealing another quick glance that met his eyes, her own took on an apologetic light. It was true, she had a very lovely place to get back to, a pack full of new friends, sights, and safety that she felt immensely comfortable in. And while she had the prospect of snuggling up inside of her cozy little den this poor golden wolf would likely be left alone and unprotected out here in the open, isolated and lonely. For a moment, she contemplated what the consequences would be if she brought him home with her, introduced him to her pack so that he might have a good night's rest after their long trek there, but he beat her to the punch. Though not exactly in the manner she had expected. His suggestion of her staying the night there with him, so that she could get a good night's rest rather than spend a good portion of it trekking back in the cold and dark all alone and get a chance to speak with him more, was the opposite to her unspoken one. "Oh," she murmured quietly, the timid wolf averting her gaze as she considered his offer. It certainly sounded nice, making a new friend while not having to make that long journey back home in the middle of the night. Who knew what manner of dangers roamed those snowy mountains after dark? She certainly hadn't explored them enough during those hours to know first hand. That was not to say her home posed no pros itself. It was safe there, certainly, and she had a comfy burrow all to herself. But I can't leave him like that. No sooner had the thought rushed through her mind, lending a greater hesitancy toward the decision she needed to make, Scipio spoke up, his tone slightly desperate but completely open and honest. He was lonely. He hadn't met any other wolf aside from herself, and the thought of leaving her was quite upsetting for him since he knew no one else. And it was just as likely that the next wolf he met would be less kind and friendly compared to her. As she stared at him, forgetting her insecurities as she thought about how awful it would be to stay the night in such a place like this without anyone there for comfort, Merci knew her answer had already been made. Despite the relief he seemed to exude at having finally broken and been completely honest with her, Mercianne detected an unhidden amount of embarrassment. How difficult must it have been for the golden male to admit his loneliness, to ask for comfort from someone he had only just met? Knowing all too well she possessed a spirit far too weak for such a feat, she admired his honesty and bravery with a gentle, hesitant smile, meeting his gaze though she could feel herself shrink shyly under his desperate stare. "Okay," she answered softly, assuring herself that her choice would be a good one. She wouldn't have to trail all the way back to the Glaciem in the dark. She could help someone else through a rough night in unfamiliar land. And, most important, she was on her way to making a new friend.

The golden brute sat there he somehow knew she was turning something over in her mind. Was it the decision to stay with him tonight; did she want to go back to her pack so soon? A golden ear flickered as he rid himself of those doubtful thoughts. She was a pleasant dame indeed and he yearned to spend more time with her. What did she htink of him; did she think him of a fool to be out here all alone. Or just a lone wolf passing by. Did she view him as a friend, an acquaintance, what were her feelings for him. But Scipio would never know, he had his thoughts to himself as she had hers to her.

After a few moments had passed by she only replied with one word, "okay".
He nodded as he focused his cobalt blue gaze back on her. So many thoughts ran throught his mind, ideas, predictions, guesses. Was she still shy with him here, or was she shy in general. Doubting his handsome looks would make her seem shy he let go of that proposition. It wasn't like he had dames running after him from left and right. Well how would he know for the last time he actually talked to a female was a while ago. Held captive to the chains that bound him to a pack. But certainly some dames did admire his looks, but it wasn't on looks. It was what was in the heart that mattered. No, Scipio would never use his complexion as an advantage. Heavens, should he ever.

But as he thought about it more, what did Mercianne think about him. Did she have some sort of crush. No, he would know right. Certainly, but how would he.The brute shook his head as he cleared his mind.

"I just had a better idea, there is probably some left over hay by that red building. Maybe we can look and see if there is a pile there and it would make a suitabl resting place. Perhaps if we find it another conversation ma be made before the night closes our lids." he proposed.

Hay would certainly be nice, a nice comfortable place to sleep on. A small breeze blew through the land; with it came a chill. Night was advancing and with it came cooler temperatures. But shiver did he not, but if Mercianned was used to it guessing from whichever place she came from; it would be alrght wouldn't it. Surely they would reach the hay and both wolves would be insulated by the long fronds of dry yellow grass.

mercianne Walk | Talk | Think For only a brief moment in comparison to her own long decision making process, Scipio seemed to consider things, and overall Mercianne could feel a positive vibe. Even she felt good about them both staying here during the night so that she need not make the long trip back to her home without any light to guide her. And on top of that, though she still felt unsettled and awkward in Scipio's company, she did have to admit that she enjoyed it as well. Her friend count was small and limited, not quite so limited as his but not so far away either. As far as she was concerned, she needed all the friends that she could get, and since he was making such an effort and seemed genuinely interested in her well being it felt safe giving herself the chance to open up more to him. With a shake of his head, the golden boy spoke up once more, a new suggestion rolling off of his lips. Hay? To her recollection, she had never stayed in any location with a mixture of hay to keep them warm. Was this something perhaps he had learned through his unique experiences? But the prospect of continuing their conversation did interest her. She was sure there was much more that he could tell her in detail about her travels, and there was still plenty more from her own that she could share if she built up the nerve to mention it. And with time she could see it happening. "Okay," she repeated as her tail gave a slow, gentle wag behind her. It was liable he would lead the way, so she got to her paws to show she was ready. Her head turned and her brown eyes settled themselves on the tumble down structure that would substitute as their night's shelter, feeling still a little uncertain about it but thankful to have someone else to watch her back and keep her company. As she glanced from the corner of her eye at the wolf beside her, more curious questions bubbled up and wished to be spoken, so selecting a safe, cautious one, she gave it a quiet, unimposing voice. "Do you usually sleep like this? In random places?" It was none of her business, and she certainly had nothing to gain by knowing the answer. She even felt her heart beat a little faster in her chest at her boldness for asking anything. But she didn't want the air to fall still between them and make further conversation difficult or awkward. She wanted to learn more about him, make a new friend, and since he was making such an effort already it only seemed fair that she return the favor.

The brute averted his cobalt blue gaze to the trees as the dame repeated her reply of "Okay. Scipio nodded once more and looked back at the dame. His golden and light russet brown tail swayed back and forth as he listened patiently to Mercianne's words. The femme was focusing on the place they would sleep for the night; Scipio smiled as she did so. This femme seemed to quiet and conservative, it was nice. So the wolf still sat in the same place, admiring his surroundings once more.

Golden ears perked up at a question or two. She wondered if he always slept in random places. The golden brute sat up and focused his cobalt blue eyes on Merci's brown. One time his mother had told him that the eyes were the passage to the soul, and if one looked in them that all could be seen. Scipio opened his eyes to the dame before him and let her see his soul and everything he had been through.

"No and yes are my answer...When I was a small pup I slept in a real den with my parents and brother. It was only when sickness spread through and my parents dead were Tucker and I taken with a few other wolves so we would flee. I was sick yes but I had been cured. But...then we had been found by a cruel pack, they took us into slavery and we were used as they liked. There I had no den but a cold hard dirt floor that I shared with the others. I remember how I would dream of my life being free again, a free soul. Some nights wolves died, it was occasionally. To see dead bodies beside you when you woke up....But then somehow we had managed to free ourselves one day. And after that I slept or sleep anywhere suitable for one night. Believe me, I have slept in odd places but no I did have a den to sleep in. And I hope that I will one day as well." he said as he averted his gaze back to the trees.

Scipio sat there quietly awaiting the dame's reply. What would she think of such a wolf, one who was held captive and had no freedom before. WOould that change her view of him...but then again what was her view in the first place?

mercianne Walk | Talk | Think He did not immediately move but remained beneath the trees, apparently in no hurry about finding his place to bed down for the night. Surely the hay that he had spoken of would still be there no matter the time he finally made it over to the decrepit building, but with the afternoon light nearing on darkness, Merci supposed that would be sooner than later and so kept to her feet. No hurrying or prompting was made against her to get an answer or a reaction, just a patience that seemed endless as he gave her time enough to think and then speak as the will to swept over her. It soothed any misgivings she might have had about staying with him instead of returning home. Surely the conversation they would have later would be just as enjoyable as their current one. She had not expected an overly long answer, and so she was a little surprised to hear Scipio answer so strangely. Yes...and no? Brow furrowed gently, the little white wolf listened as her companion went on to delve into the story, his blue eyes meeting hers gently but openly, nothing hidden and everything exposed as he let her inside his life and history. She met them at last without truly realizing, almost mesmerized by the tale, silently living it with him. It was a hard life, a merciless one, and it was a wonder someone so gentle could have survived it and still turned out the way he did. But then, I'm not like my upbringing either, she mused, and nearly smile at the small, tenuous connection she had created between the two. Maybe that was why she enjoyed his company; he was like her. It was he who broke the eye contact then, and realizing that she had been staring more openly than she was accustomed to she turned her head and set her brown eyes toward the structure settled off across the distance from them, the place where they would take shelter later. I hope I will one day he had said, the words slipping back through her mind once more as she replayed them, giving them thought. After a moment, she spoke. "The Glaciem is nice," she said, wondering if her intent was too obvious by her choice of words. "They've been really good to me, and I like it there. I could tell you about it, if you'd like?" she asked, a little voice in the back of her mind mentally adding, And me? After listening to him share, after hearing what all he had been through, she could not deny that a part of her wished to do the same. But with gentle coaxing, she added, "Maybe once we've found our place to sleep?"

The dame before him was patient and listened to his words as he had spoken. Scipio felt as calm as he sat there on his haunches in the dirt; obviously Mercianne?s presence was comforting as well. After he had broken eye contact the femme said that Glaciem was nice and how good they have been to her. A smile came upon the brute?s face. Scipio was glad that she was treated well; it would be unfortunate to have such a great wolf to be mistreated.

With his golden ears listening he heard that she said maybe when they found a place to rest. Scipio knew that meant they would talk some more later so he was excited. This was his first real conversation with a wolf in a while and wondered if he was doing it right. With a shake of his head to clear his mind the golden boy stood up.

"Yes, but I assume we can talk as we walk. If I may ask, what about you?" he asked as he started to walk towards the dame; but on the side so she would follow as they walked to their resting place.

Curiosity piqued the brute's mind, he now wondered what Mercianne had been through. What kind of history did she contain, what sort of life. With each step the long pieces of fur on top of the brute's head swayed a bit as he walked. The russet brown fur was unusually longer than the rest of his coat but that didn't matter to him.

The building was not too far ahead and held a promising resting place, somewhere safe for the night.

"And I do think when we are all settled I would like to hear about this Glaciem if it is not too troubling." he said as his cobalt blue eyes looked over to her for a moment with a smile.

mercianne Walk | Talk | Think The little white wolf took a step back as the golden colored male rose to his paws, glad that they would be off and in search of a place to spend the night soon now without waiting until all that remained of their afternoon light would be gone. As much as the prospect of spending the night in an unknown land worried her, actually spending it in the close company of another was something new and foreign to her. Even in her pack, she huddled away in her own den clear of the others, liking the privacy and the fact she had a small space to call her own. This was sure to be much different, and she felt excited through the nerves. Her ears perked as he began to stroll toward her, forgetting not to meet his blue eyes as he spoke and curiously asked about her life. Her pulse quickened a fraction as he neared, still unaccustomed to the closeness that others seemed so much more comfortable with, but he continued to walk, obviously taking the lead now and wishing her to follow. Without a word, Mercianne fell into step beside him and just a little behind, allowing him a clear and defined lead that she would follow while she mulled over how to answer. He wished to know about her. Just that thought alone was enough to surprise her, but she hardly wished to disappoint by taking too long in answering him. But where to begin? The very beginning, or what she knew of it? The time that she could truthfully and honestly remember for herself? Interrupting her thoughts, Scipio further requested more information on the Glaciem, and delighted Merci smiled unabashed, more widely than she had so far. At the rate this was going, she thought she might have another pack mate and friend by morning, if he was at all impressed by what she had to tell him of her pack. She would have to be very careful with what she said. Allowing her thoughts to return to the topic at hand, the one of herself and her own story, she found a place to begin. "Before I found the Glaciem...I wasn't very much liked," she started, her attention focused on the ground beneath her paws as she spoke so that the reactions of the wolf beside her would not interrupt her thoughts. "My Alpha raised me, but I wasn't strong enough for her. I was weak, like my mother, and only my brother made her happy. She wanted warriors. She only got one." Mercianne paused, considering where to lead next with her tale, and then continued. "She kept me, though. I stayed with them, for quite a while, and somehow I knew they treated me wrong. They were mean and hurtful." Violent, a voice in her mind reminded, the scar that ran across her right side and stomach seeming to pulse with its own heat as it was remembered. But not wanting to share that, she said nothing of it. "I only had one friend, and she helped me get away." As she dragged her gaze upward, dark brown eyes settling on the decrepit frame of the building that they would spend their night in, she realized that they were nearly at their destination now. Tentatively, she shifted her eyes over to Scipio, almost afraid of what she might find in his expression. Her story had no doubt been unpleasant, and was truthfully more horrid than she had made it sound, but she didn't want to cause someone pain from anything she had said or lived through. "The Glaciem is nothing like that, though," she quickly added, unable to leave their conversation on such a sour note as her old pack. But rather than continue, she waited, giving Scipio a moment to finish taking in her story so that they could locate their sleeping place and she could begin telling him of the bright and snowy place that she now called home.

Cobalt blue eyes fixated on the path in front of him as he began to walk towards the place they would stay at for the night. Thoughts raced on through the brute's mind. what if he were to show liking towards Glaciem and reside there? Or, what if he were not to and continue as a loner looking for his lost brother? Surely he couldn't forget about Tucker but should he presume him dead? A small shake of the head brought Scipio's mind back on track.

Golden ears perked up as he listened to Merci's reply or her saying. His small smile faded as she mentioned how she had not been very much liked. How was one to be not liked if she made such good company? Scipio was abashed at the idea of one being abused so.

Then she said something about her alpha raising her and her brother as she anted warriors? What kind of pack did Mercianne derive from? Why was one not allowed to be themselves? Such thoughts angered the brute inside at this preposterous behavior.

Then came her mention of how she stayed wit them even while they were hurtful and her one friend had helped her get away. Scipio continued to walk alongside the dame as he drank in the information his golden ears had accumulated. This knowledge was interesting....but stirred the male's thoughts ever so.

After a moment of thinking about it Scipio gave his reply.

"I do apologize for the way you have been treated; it must have been horrible. But I can see that you are happy where you are in this Glaciem. Perhaps I may sleep on the thought of joining the pack but my mind is still unsure. I still have my brother out there somewhere and there is really nothing good for me in a pack that may draw me near. Yet....it does sound nice to be a a part of that again, an actual life. Perhaps I may have a reason to join but I must find it.....and as for your one friend that friend must have been very dear to you. I assume it would be good to mention that as of now you are my one friend as well. "he said with a finishing smile.

Cobalt blue orbs focused on the structure that lay in front of the two. A pile of hay was around the side so Scipio gave a motion with his tail so that they may check it out.

After quietly walking to the hay the brute stood there for a moment before silently climbing into the hay as he sat down in it then turned back to look at Mercianne with a small charming smile.