- moisture cooled by the night's air lay low upon the ground, rolling in a thick, ominous mist through the skeletons of what must have once been great, but was now ruined, half-buried in dirt and aged by nature, vines strapping them to the ground as one being crucified would be strapped to a cross. like spectators of the event the fog clustered closer, crowding one another, blocking the views of those around them without mercy, eager to view the shaming of the crippled stone. and in this toiling gathering was one uninvited visitor that parted the saturated air that made up the red sea before her, paws meeting the damp ground in deafening silence as she made her way through the stone steppe. - when a predator was introduced to a habitat bountiful with resources but lacking a resident perched upon the highest steeple of a food change, they fell easy prey to the new arrivals, struck down by ignorance that could possible never be their fault. but what did one do when they were not necessarily the prey? when the one invading as of the same species, but whole universes of different? when they intruded but came with the stupidity and lack of experience of prey? even under an expert mask of ditsy proportions that she dubbed iterjup, jupiter could not quite be sure how to react on the inside. the easy part was iterjup--just dance about and act all excited about new genes in the pool and taming of the lands and all of the cute males and yaddah, yaddah, but to discover how her true self really felt was the hardest part of all. - ivory claws clicked on stone as she scaled a shallowly-tipped, withered column of stone, a battered chunk tumbling from an already-eroded edge. the sound of the rock echoed about, carrying as easily through the mist as sound over a body of water. she cringed but settled down upon the stone surface turned verdant by moss and vine. she shook her head vigorously, fiery fur darkened and stringy with moisture sending droplets in a spray about her. jupiter frowned, cursing this thick mist. she could hardly see a tail's length in front of her, and squinted her celestial eyes in a futile attempt to survey her surroundings from her perch. what a terrible morning to try and relax. the lass glanced about in search of a column high enough to tower above the fog, but after finding none, merely pushed her earth-rimmed ears forward and became audibly sensitive to everything in close proximity, waiting. ? 429 words ? [ o o c ; ] open! <3

Though the day had recently died, succumbing to it's darker counterpart, the night was alive with an array of various noises, from the crunches of dewcovered grass to the sharp shrill of nocturnal birds. Among the creatures that roamed the night was a regal female, dark coat blending in with her surroundings as she walked, pawstep by pawstep, silent in the evening light in search of her prey.

The woman's attention became diverted, however, as she reached a foreign place, foreign to her not only in location but in it's manner. Not only was it in an unfamiliar setting, but the way the stones stood seemed unnatural to her, and it was certainly unlike anything she had previously seen. Her homeland was plagued with thousands of trees, numerous creekbeds, rivers, seemingly endless lakes. She had even once seen what she had thought to perhaps be an edge to the world, but had turned out only to be a vast extension of water beyond belief, the shoreline to an ocean. This place, however, puzzeled her even more than that one. It was as if some force had put the stones upright, built them up into something only to have the elements knock them back down again, leaving only slivers of remaining evidence.

Regardless of her wanderings, there were more important matters to attend to. The scent of an unknown female had entered her nostrils and though she was curious about this new place, she was not stupid enough to let her guard down. Rather than let a growl build in her throat and give away her location, she stuck to the shadows, treading carefully until the other female entered her sights, her pelt stained with hues of red and brown, making her rather easy to spot, though the mist clouded her gaze. Quietly Sade sat, watching the female with cautious eyes, judging her from a distance to see whether or not she was anything worth worrying over.

	- a nocturnal creature by recently-formed habit, as she generally had to conform to the sleeping patterns of mercury. she straightened further, neck craning as she rose to her full height, curiosity deep upon her features. she glanced around, turning her head as she tried to locate the companion that she had grown so oddly attached to. she thought of calling for the irritable lad, but thought better of it--it would be unlikely that the animal would be the only one to hear her call. she looked about once more and saw the mist shifting to her right, and assumed that it was mercury. she settled down, a fond smile across her features. - suddenly, a bloodcurdling sound erupted from the direction that she had been looking, and jupiter was once again on her paws, ears erect as she tried to locate the source of mercury's discomfort. the scream of the tasmanian devil faded into an equally bone-chilling growl tainted with a dangerous edge. the fiery-pelted she-wolf planted innocent curiosity deep into her features as she swiftly glided forth, only to encounter another she-wolf. the lass before her was of an earthy pelt, dappled with hues of caramel, her face accentuated by a hue of cream, almost similar to jupiter's owl-like face. behind her was a creature cloaked in a black, bristly pelt, with alabaster around its eyes and a bar of white crossing its chest. its beady, obsidian optics glared at the stranger, teeth bared, tail lifted, and fur standing tall. - "oh, hello there!" came jupiter's cheerful greeting, delight shining in her eyes as she looked at the unknown wolf a few feet from her. she turned her gaze to mercury, blinking. "now, now, mercury, come here and quit that awful growling!" she chided, and the creature calmed, familiar with this pseudo-side of her owner and extremely aware of what lie masterfully masked behind the innocent persona she outwardly displayed. jupiter looked back at the femme, blinking. "i'm jupiter. who are you? i've never seen you around before. are you one of the new wolves here?" there had been an awful lot of new wolves arriving, with the volcano eruption and all. on the inside the orange fae was extremely wary of these new arrivals. so far, they had all proved to be ignorant, insolent beings without an ounce of intelligence. would this one prove to be the same? ? 398 words ? [ o o c ; ] open! <3

Sade froze as a foreign noise encountered her ears, causing a low growl to rumble in her chest in response. Bronze eyes shone nervously as she looked in the direction of the sound, furs standing stiff along her spine, rigid and weary. It was not a situation she much liked, being in a new place surrounded by a mysterious fog accompanied by the screaming sounds of some unknown creature. No, she didn't much like it at all. Nervousness had consumed her, and that was a feeling she wasn't overly familiar with. She stepped back slightly as the female she had been watching suddenly seemed to appear before her, a strange creature behind her, glaring up at her with a highly aggressive stance that seemed to perfectly oppose it's master's.

?Greetings, Jupiter...? she said cautiously, still eyeing the beast behind the foreign fae, not much liking it even after it's growling had been quelled. ?I am called Sade Lentaja, previous Tarkein of the Lentajin clan.? she introduced, returning her posture to it's typical more regal posture. ?And yes, I am new here, though I would assume you are not. Fortunate for myself, really, as I could highly use a guide in these strange lands if you would be willing.? she spoke, watching the woman and her companion for the moment, unwilling to let her guard down especially around the devilish little beast Jupiter traveled with.

	for a moment both sides of jupiter shared an emotion; worry for mercury, whom of which she had grown so oddly close to. the body of the other femme had morphed suddenly to ice, completely unmoving as a growl thundered from her chest, the only stirring upon her bodice being her breath and every inch of fur standing straight up, making her appear larger than she really was. the orange-furred lass was endlessly grateful as the tasmanian devil waddled around the intruding obstacle and crankily settling at jupiter's side, snapping its jaws irritably, obviously discomforted by the stranger's presence. after another moment his nose unwrinkled and his lip lowered back over his teeth, and he pressed closer to his friend, muzzle rubbing against the column of flesh beside him almost like a pup seeking comfort from its mother. she lifted her limb and drew the adolescent creature between her front legs, gaze hardly ever leaving the other lass, an expression of joy spread wide across her face. "i'm sorry. his kind isn't exactly known for being docile, and with you hiding in the shadows like that, he probably thought that you were going to attack me!" her tone was filled with nothing but genuine humor and honesty as she lifted her paw to rub it against the mammal's head affectionately. "his name's mercury!" she momentarily listened to the other lass' introduction and giggled good-naturedly. "probably one of the ones you guys brought here, huh? anyway, it's nice to meet you, sade! and i'd be happy to show you around, but if you're looking for that lentajin clan of yours, i don't really know the name of the new packs yet so i wouldn't be able to point you in the right direction. but i can help you with anything else. i was born here." she gave a friendly smile, her tail sweeping with brushing noises against the damp grass with excitement and joy. inside she cringed at how habitual iterjup's guise had become to function with, as well as at iterjup's personality in short. she idly wondered if the innocent creature was a figment of her imagination anymore, but didn't dwell on it for long. ? 365 words ? [ o o c ; ] <3

Sade remained discomforted by the presence of the beast at the female's feet, hardly relaxing even as she introduced it. Why keep around such a filthy creature known for being irritable and cranky? Either way, she wasn't about to mouth off and cause her future guide to reject her plead.

Turning her attention back to Jupiter, her nerves were quelled slightly by her agreement to show her around these foreign lands, even if she was unable to help locate her pack. ?Do you know where the packs reside? Even if you do not know their names, if you could point me in the right direction to find any of them, I could at least rule out a few locations where my pack may be settled...? she pointed out, hoping the woman may at least be able to help with that. If she couldn't know where Lentajin was, it'd at least be helpful to know where they weren't. It would likely be a bit dangerous for her to wander too near pack lands, being an old leader of one, but she was more than willing to put herself in such a position if it meant eventually finding her pack.

OOC: This is pitifully short and I apologize for that

	- jupiter could see that the lass--sade, was it?--was uncomfortable with the presence of the tasmanian devil. the fae didn't mind, though; it was only natural instincts, if anything, that any animal should be unnerved by the proximity of one of the most aggressive beings known to any species. it had been difficult for jupiter to overcome at first, but after she got over the fear of being killed in her sleep just because it threw a temper tantrum in the middle of the day, it had been easy to push behind her. she pondered for a moment over the question she was asked, and nodded slowly, still lost in her thoughts as she tried to map it out in her minds. she knew where most of them had settled, and hopefully it would be enough. - "oh, yeah! i think so!" she confirmed, nodding, but then seemed concerned. her head tilted slightly and she shifted, frowning worriedly. "you sure you wanna go back? what if they don't want you there? i'd hate for me to lead you to them only to watch they try and drive you away!" she exclaimed, honest panic rising in her voice. her auds tipped back and, sensing her distress, mercury hissed at sade, believing her to be the cause of it. jupiter stilled the bristling devil with a paw, but blinked at the lass, a little afraid for her well-being. ? 235 words ? [ o o c ; ] yeah, same here. cx

Sade's posture shrunk ever so slightly at the female's words, though her fur bristled up a bit again in discomfort as the Tasmanian devil again hissed at her, glad when Jupiter silenced the beast. Truthfully she had been worried about the same things this foreign female had voiced to her.

?It is possible they will not allow me to return. But it is a chance I must take. They are my pack; I founded our group and I was foolish to leave it. My sister had always been trained to become a leader, not me. I... admittedly was frightened when Zara challenged me. I had never been challenged before and she was so much larger than me and carried so many more scars, evidence of all the battles she had triumphed in. I was frightened and I fled, and that is a quality no Tarkein ought to have. But... I realize now that it was a mistake for me to go so easily. I have matured since then as well as strengthened, both in body and in spirit. I am willing to stick with my pack through good times and bad, to fight for them, to die for them if I need to. And I will, if that is what it comes to. There is no life for me but that of Tarkein Lentaja. At least no life that I wish to lead. I will either fight for my position or die trying to get it, should my pack not kill me before I have the chance.?

Sade spoke with confidence, posture straightening slightly, taking on a closer version of it's typical regality and nobility. She was a leader at heart; she'd always been, even as a pup when her sister had been chosen as the next Tarkein Lentaja. She could do this. She had to.

	- as iterjup's outer display appeared to eagerly and attentively drink in the monologue, jupiter was hardly listening, scoffing with immeasurable disdain within at having to trust another so easily on the outside. in some ways she hated the reputation as a shallow, ditsy creature that she had formed for herself, but in so many ways it was insanely useful. she was merely waiting for the day that a male made an attempt to take advantage of her... oh, how she would tear them apart! - she returned to the task at hand, knowing that such eager thoughts would show outwardly soon if she did not stop them there. jupiter's ears tilted back, an innocent look of fear and dread taint her features. "oh, how i hope you'll be alright," she enthused, a sort of desperate tone in her voice. "i hope you succeed. i can see how strongly you feel about it." jupiter was forced to remain ambiguous with her address because she had recalled very little of it, but had heard some strange word thrown around. tarkein? she assumed that it was probably the leader of the pack, which would be likely. didn't she say something about founding the pack...? "how i wish we could help in more ways than just showing you there! but... i can't bear to see you suffer without being able to chase your goal. so i'll take you to the pack lands," she surrendered. - mercury only placidly blinked and began to groom his fur and privates, feinting extreme and thorough disinterest in the conversation. this was relatively surprising to jupiter--not because of the grooming; he did that all of the time and honestly didn't care--but because he didn't act agitated. how odd it was of him to completely play along with the iterjup ploy, but with how uncomfortable the tasmanian devil's presence made sade, maybe it was better that he was acting the way he was. "alright, then... this way..." she murmured, throwing a bit of reluctance into her timbre as she headed in the general direction of the packs. ? 345 words ? [ o o c ; ] yay, got it done when I said I would! <3

Sade kept a cautious, wary eye on the stranger before her. She appeared harmless, an innocent pup in the body of an adult, kind enough to suit the situation. The beast she kept with her was far less welcome due to the introduction it had given, but if she was to keep this woman on her good side and continue to keep her as her guide. Surely her expertise of the lands would be invaluable when it came to tracking Lentajin.

?Tell me, Jupiter, do you belong to a pack? You seem familiar with these lands, but you carry no scent I have encountered before...? Sade questioned curiously as she padded closely to the woman while she began to lead her in the right direction, keeping a safe distance from the Tasmanian Devil that traveled with her. Perhaps if this strangely hued woman did not belong to a pack that resided here, she could tempt her to take up residence in Lentajin? Lentajin was always on the lookout for potential members, and though the young female did not seem to be overly powerful, every number did count. If for nothing else, at least it would widen their gene pool.

	- jupiter was aware of the close scrutiny she was receiving from this fae, but iterjup, in her spacey personality, was far from realizing that she was being examined in such a manner. she glanced back only to make sure that sade was following, and then didn't let her gaze leave the lass when she spoke. this resulted into her bumping straight into a column of rock, but she quickly sidestepped after colliding with it, shook her head, and continued on, mercury plodding along beside her. she laughed as the other creature spoke. "of course i don't smell like a pack, silly!" came her good-natured teasing, "and you've smelled my scent before! it smells like here and here and here... and here!" with every 'here' she slapped her a paw on a new surface, such as one of the columns, some moss, the dirt, and some sparse grass growing about the steppe, respectively. she giggled at her own antics, flicking her ears. "i don't have a pack. i roam a lot, so i just have a general earthy smell. probably with some estrogen mixed in, of course! oh, and maybe some tasmanian devil..." she trailed off, as if she had never thought of the latter parts before, brow furrowing. she paused and frowned, and then smiled, nodding in a direction slightly to the right of where she had been traveling. "anyway, a majority of the packs are... that-away! i really hope you find what you are looking for, sade. you seem nice, and you deserve it. is there anything else you'd like to know?" she inquired, tilting her head to the side slightly. ? 272 words ? [ o o c ; ] --/--