Raisa lounged at the edge of the plumes of steam. Winter had refused to loosen it's grip in this northern region, but the earth under her feet seemed to have missed the memo. It roiled and bubbled with heat. Spring had claimed the lands geographically below her, but the wind where she sat now was as bitter as ever. Her steward, a small piebald fox, had left with her travelling companion Fugue a few days prior, and she had set out to recruit more followers for her rapidly growing pack. So far, her travels had been fruitless. She sighed and laid down fully, allowing the steaming air to ease her mind. Occasionally a gush of hot air and steam would burst forth and warm the air around her to pleasant temperatures. She had shed the majority of her winter coat already, but Koros had brought up that perhaps northern rogues existed yet that might join them. She grumbled and glared, knowing that while her friend had been right, she suffered for it. She let a long growl leak from her lips and glared at nothing in particular. "Talk" "You" Think

Feral had followed the land with utter distaste. Where he was and which area he had wandered into, he had no clue; but, he could not care less about it. His mocha colored pelt was speckled with small flakes of snow that had fallen from overgrown branches. The coldness was something he could remember, and sort of relate to. His heart was as cold as ice. His family was not their for him, so why would he do something that would show kindness. He would expect the coldness in his heart to cease, but, alas, it does not. And he welcomes it.

"This damn cold, it resembles a lot about what is inside me," He gave a sly smirk. But, there was some warmth in his heart. He yearned for a female, but, he knew the chances of finding a femme would be one and a million. He could soon feel warmth emanate from the ground, steam gathering and spewing out from some parts of the earth, showing matches of dirt and mud. The brute gave a small glare and continued onward as his pads began to get covered with the brown goo.

His left eye being nothing but a pure blood red, having no iris or pupil, it was just a small ball of red. His right eye being a different story. It was an emerald green color. His chest and belly being a pure white as his ears were matched with mocha, black and white. His tail having the somewhat same pattern.

A smell of a fae caught his attention, causing his nostrils to flare. A small "hmm" coming from his vocals as the smell of the femme appeared to somewhat intoxicate him. Within a couple minutes, the female came into view.

The male's presence was brought to the queen on the wind, and her mood seemed unsure whether to sour or not. True, she was here to seek out followers and pack members, but it was hard to be joyful and convincing on a day like this. She sighed, letting all the air from her lungs, and turned to seek out the stranger. She saw him quickly against the barren, sulfurous background, noting immediately his odd coloring. He stood quite a few yards away and she felt no immediate danger, so she raised a brow. "What, no introduction?" She took a breath to make a jab at his manners, but restrained herself at the last moment. Pissing others off, she'd come to realize, was not a great way to earn their trust or sympathy. She was not over eager to engage the man in conversation, because gods only knew what might come negatively of it. If it was any consolation, she knew her companions were on their way to meet her, and may even be within hearing distance of a howl. She was no longer alone, with naught but a small fox for company. She had resources, and allies. If she had her way, of course, this male would become one of them. Granted, it would likely behoove her to learn something of him first. She waited for him to speak. "Talk" "You" Think

OOC: Preliminary comments! Just a few things I noticed that, while reading, didn't really flow. How he said the cold resembles whats inside him might be laying it on a little thick :P Maybe try experimenting with other more subtle ways to the let the reader know he's not a great guy. He scoffed, he glared, he shook himself from dark thoughts, he wondered what her guts might look like strewn across the ground, things like that!

A sly smirk came across his features as it appeared that his ruby eye began to shimmer slightly from the sun that had peaked from the snow-covered branches. He sat on his haunches. "My name is Feral, my Queen, and who may I have the pleasure of wandering into on this day," A demonic chuckle erupting from his vocals, but not bad enough to make her fight him. The last thing he wished for is to hurt someone like she, except for other rouge and or pack males, who might not be his own someday.

Ears flinches as he heard the sound of crows cawing the distance. He closed his eyes as the only color that was around them were the black rings that wrapped around his eye lids. His claws dug into the tender ground, leaving a fresh print. The smell of the burning from underneath the ground caused his nostrils to burn, but that did not keep him from leaving his eyes closed. His right eye soon opened when a crow landed on his shoulder, looking at the brute with his deep ebony orbs that were no bigger than a marble.

Feral did take a liking to crows, and if they ever done something to take his kill, or had tried to hurt him, he would leap and tear open into the birds body, causing strips of meat and gut to lay around his body. That was something that satisfied the male gratefully. He soon opened his orbs completely again and looked back at the grey colored female.

His words were smooth, even if she had no way to know their sincerity. He addressed her as a Queen which, while thrilling, seemed to be a happy accident. He jogged nothing in her memory, and she was certain that anyone from her old life would have been branded in her memory. No, the title was simply a term of endearment. "My Name is Raisa Xanilov, of the Ebony Throne," she said simply. It was not a frequent occurrence, these days, to add her complete title in her introduction. When she had first come to Alacritis Koros had had to give her full title out to every Rogue that crossed their path, but now it seemed strange to give it at all. Queen of the Ebony Throne, first daughter and heir to house Xanilov, etcetera etcetera were all names she'd been born into, but they seemed so much less important than the titles she had made for herself thus far. Slowly but surely, she was changing. "And what is it that brings you here, if I might ask?" The pungent odor was nigh intolerable, but the plumes of steam were visible from far off. Unless you were meeting with someone, there seemed little reason to linger. "Talk" "You" Think

He looked to her with a small chuckle, "I have come here for no intentions, I was only passing through. But, if you need some slaughtered I would be happy to get my paws dirty." Feral grinned as he scratched the mud from his claws, leaving long lines from where his claws streaked against the ground. "My name is Mal Sorello, but I prefer everyone call me, Feral." He stood and walked a little closer to the grey femme. "I can sense that the cold is not your liking, Raisa." He kept his facial features serious, but not in a way that showed he would kill her.

"I had come from the land of the White Spirits, but I am far from white like my entire pack. But, I had left them a long time ago." His tone staying serious and yet intrigued at what the fae was doing here. He had wondered if she was going to be someone of great importance. A caw erupted his train of thought as the crow again landed on his shoulder as Feral, and the raven colored bird looked ahead in Raisa's direction. He stood a couple inches from Raisa and stood looking at her.

"Is there anything that you would need, Queen?" He asked, his orbs shimmering as he showed a little kindness, and a little insanity in his tone. The snow continued to cover the land as he continued to have specks of snow landing upon his pelt.

The man's strange comments brought a smile to her face. He would slaughter for her, yet he had not met her more than a moment ago? How tasteful. Granted, this was not a trait of a trustworthy wolf, but one without scruples could still prove useful under the right circumstances. It seemed incredibly unfortunate, then, that she had no prevalent enemies at the moment. She let out a wind chime laugh, allowing her teeth to flash in a pleased grin. "It's wonderful to meet you Feral. Unfortunately, there's no one I'd wish to ply your talent on, at the moment. Perhaps if we cross paths again in a moon or so my answer would be different. I'm starting a pack, you see, and the other leaders of the land may prove... inconvenient." She spared a wink, knowing a fellow cold minded wolf would understand. Of course, she was speaking far in advance. She hoped to lay downwind of the other power players of the realm until such a time came that it would be convenient to confront them. She had already had words with two faes, Virgil and Eowyn, who aspired for their own thrones as well. Alliances had been discussed, friendships sealed. It was a start, anyways. "But if the time ever does come, perhaps I'll seek you out." Another chuckle broke free from her lungs. What an odd, chance occasion she had stumbled into. "Talk" "You" Think

Feral let a cold grin escape his lips, causing him to give a small chuckle of his own as he winked at the female. "Perhaps, I could even be an assistance to your new throne if it ever forms?" He walked an inch closer; orbs shimmering from the sunlight that peaked through the clouds that were slightly beginning to form. Flakes of white trickled down and landed upon the already snow-covered land. A small glare appeared from his features as he looked at the clouds, soon causing the glare to dissipate as quickly as it had come.

"But, if you wish, I shall leave you be, Raisa," he gave a somewhat respectful bow to the fae before walking away. The crow had continued to stay on his shoulder. When they were a good enough distance away, the crow began to speak in a high, pitchy tone. He flapped his ebony wings to get the cold white off of his wings. "So, that fae would be a good match for you, boss!" He screeched. Feral gave a small warning growl to the bird. "Like i would ever find a mate out here, besides, it had been a long time since I have seen a she-wolf," he spoke in a disrespectful tone as his paws crunched underneath the white sheet.

When he had begun to feel tired, he stretched his form down and spread out his body. The snow crunched louder from underneath the brutes weight. "Tsarr, take to the skies and warn me of any male wolves, I need to have a good fight today to kill the boredom." Tsarr cawed in obedience and took to the skies once more, searching for any opponents as Feral laid his cranium upon his forepaws, watching the snow fall upon the landscape, and on his mocha colored pelt.

The man's offer caught Raisa somewhat off guard. For all intents and purposes, this male did not seem like one who would mold well to authority. Of course, Fugue hadn't appeared that way at first either. She was unable to decipher whether his offer was to join, or simply to lend a hand, and therefore had little to say to the man. "A kind offer," she purred. "And a welcome one. Thank you." He bid then that he would leave, and Raisa saw no express need to retain him. If he should return, so be it, but at the same time perhaps she would never see him again. This was the way of the world, be it fortunate or less so. Their interaction had been so sparse, she couldn't say which just yet. So as he walked, she turned her attention back on the geysers, basking in their warm steam and spray. Leaving the area, mildly damp as she was, would be hell, but she thought the balance was well enough. She pondered Feral's offer as a hired hit, and couldn't help but wonder further into his back story. He had mentioned a pack, but certainly his predilections towards murder stemmed from some darker facet. It was certainly worth the thought. "Talk" "You" Think

Feral was soon awoken by screeching. His left eye opened first, followed by his right eye. "Tsarr, what the hell are you doing!" He barked as the crow flew down and landed in front of the brute. "I apologize, boss, but there was some food coming and I thought you would be hungry," the crow exclaimed, fluttering his wings and taking off, before landing right onto Feral's shoulder, digging his talons into the male wolf's flesh.

Feral pondered on the thought of food. Night was upon them, so maybe dinner would be a best bet for him. He threw his head up, sniffing the air for any scent that would be food. When the smell of elk entered his senses, he started taking off. It wasn't long until they reached the harem. A bull elk was battling with another for a mate. He lied down and watched the savage battle unfold before he took his meal. Why not have dinner and a show first?

The bulkiest of the elk's rammed his antlers into the younger elk's antlers, causing the ivory antlers to clash violently against each other. Tsarr was feeling the shock and winced at the clash before taking off to the skies once more. Feral continued to watch. He knew this battle would end one or both of their lives, and he would watch every bloody moment of it. The second soon moved the old elks antlers, before causing him to crash to the ground. The youngest of the beasts snorted and kicked the snow wish his hooves, kicking up the snow which made it seem like white colored powder. The oldest stood, holding his right front leg, apparently spraining it. He charged without a second thought to the young male, not wanting to give up his females so easily. The beasts continued to clash antlers together. The young one was quicker and pierced the old ones heart. The battle was soon over as the old male lied on the ground, breathing through it's wet nose, snorting. The young elk and the harem trailing behind him, left the old leader behind as it lay there dying.

Feral was pleased by the outcome and walked over to the old elk as it lied down, calling out and snorting. "How you wish you could fight me, could you?" He chuckled as he tore into the stomach, tearing the flesh as some of the stomach and other intestines hung. The elk called out in pain and agony as Feral continued to dig into his meal, not caring about his preys constant calling in pain. Before long, the elk gave its final breath and died as Feral continued to tear at his feast,

When the brute was finished, he tore a good chunk of meat from the carcass as Tsarr began to eat the scraps that his boss had not eaten yet, Tsarr was pleased by his boss hunting, meaning that the bird would never go hungry.
After a little while, Feral returned to the geysers, seeing Raisa there, he placed the meat down in front of her, blood covering his black muzzle and paws. "Eat." He spoke as he lied down, watching the geysers belching steam and heat. "Two elks were battling each other. Luckily, one wasn't so lucky," he chuckled and thought about the gruesome fight again. "So, I hear you're an Alpha now?" He spoke, double colored orbs meeting her own.

Raisa sat in comfortable silence, unsure what to make of her strange encounter. She could not make heads or tails of the man who had left the area, and did not think on him for long. She was in the midst of enjoying the modicum or warmth in the air around her, when the sound of approach entered her sphere. She looked up in time to see Feral approaching once more, this time with a hunk of meat in his mouth. "Eat," he said, but it sounded too much like a command for her liking. Her eyes narrowed, and she ignored the hunk of flesh as he voiced a question. She could only assume that he had either considered her title on his hunt and a memory of idle gossip had surfaced, or he'd met another wolf out and about. Either way he was wrong. "No, I'm instead working my way up to that seat. If things go well, it shouldn't be much longer." Raisa turned her head away from the man, gazing at the steam once again, wondering what he'd make of that. "Talk" "You" Think

Feral sighed and placed his head on his paws as he lied down once more. "I was not ordering you, or if you thought I was it was not intended," she spoke out, closing his eyes slightly as the crow continued to circle around him once again. The sound of the geysers were actually quite soothing to the brute, and seeing Raisa angry at him, was something he did not like. He enjoyed making males angry, but not a female such as herself.

"I would never order a female around unless I was playing, but other brutes I would," he grinned slightly as the crow cawed out, it had been Tsarr cawing this entire time, and Feral hated it. He looked up and snarled at the black bird as it flew away for a time being.