Uphill struggle, blood sweat and tears

Tyr, the patchwork wolf, the cripple, had made his long painful way to the north to escape the heat of the southern lands. His fur was thinner than most, but he already had a difficult time hunting without risking heat stroke doing it. So he had made his way, haltingly, avoiding any scent of his siblings - who seemed almost as numerous here as in their home pack - to the snowy north. And here, to the shore of a lake filled with green trees.

He crouched at the lakeshore, curious about the marvel of nature that allowed the trees to stay green, without rotting beneath the surface. It was amazing, really. He tucked his crippled leg against his chest, gazing at the water, though far from oblivious of his surroundings.



"Speech"

Nothing to gain, everything to fear

Misha walked around the snowy ground, smiling softly to herself. She always had loved the snow; especially since she was born in a snowstorm. She yawned softly and sniffed the air, turning her head up to the sky. She always had keen senses in the snow; just one of her secret skills. Misha noticed the scent of a male towards the lakeshore direction. Misha looked around anxiously. She had always had problems with other wolves; but males were always her biggest worry. Misha shook the thought away and walked towards the lakeshore; knowing she needed to get over her trust issues sooner or later.

The calico wolf's ears quivered, the sound of pawsteps reaching them and instinctively flattening him to the ground submissively before he'd fully processed the sound. His head turned, bicoloured gaze tracking the approach of an unfamiliar female. He was reminded for the moment of the conversation he'd had with Akemi not long after they'd both traveled here, her claim that many in Alacratia were different. That it was unnecessary to fear them. Well, as much as it disgusted him to know of his own cowardice, was it not better to be safe than to be punished, even killed, because he'd misstepped? Even this young wolf, slender though she was, could easily tear apart crippled, emaciated Tyr, should she choose to. Keeping all this in his mind, shadows behind his mismatched eyes, he struggled to his feet and watched her approach, careful to keep his posture submissive. "Speech"

Misha's eyes lifted up as she watched an orange and black wolf. His spots mesmerized her; for she had never seen something so captivating. "I like your pelt," Misha said in a quiet tone- noticing his submissive position. 'I'm not going to hurt him,' she instantly thought to herself as her eyes fell upon his crippled leg. She stood infront of him and lowered her ears against her head and crouched against the ground, showing him that she was being submissive. "Hey, I'm not gonna hurt you," Misha said in a soft whisper.

Uphill struggle, blood sweat and tears

Her words startled Tyr into drawing back. "Wh- You do? I mean... Th- thank you?" he stuttered, confusing robbing his tongue of much of his coherency. Eyes narrowed further in mistrust as the woman lowered herself into a submissive stance of her own. If experience had taught him anything it was to never assume kindness to be anything except another form of manipulation. What did she want, that she would lower herself to show submission to him, to a crippled, useless wolf with no power over her or any way to inspire fear.

"Why?" he asked her bitterly in response to her whispered words. A simple question, an open-ended question, subject to any sort of interpretation, but he could not bring himself to finish it with anything more substantial. So instead the calico wolf fixed his eyes firmly on the ground at his feet, pelt prickling over the bones of his back and shoulders.



"Speech"

Nothing to gain, everything to fear

The female looked up at him, being honest. "Because I would never hurt you. Why would I? I've never hurt another wolf in my being.. It is they who take advantage of me and use to hurt me," Misha said as her eyes dropped to the snow, her ears drooping. She looked at the black and red-orange calico wolf, wondering if he would ever hurt her. Misha slowly backed up a few steps, whining softly incase the wolf decided to make a surprise lunge at her, she would somewhat be ready. Unlike from before where wolves had done that before to her, almost getting her killed.

[B]

Uphill struggle, blood sweat and tears

Tyr's brow raised at her words, and he swept a skeptical gaze between her form, and his own crippled, scrawny body. "Sweetie, I don't think you have a thing to worry about," he countered, then relented with a sigh. "Look, it's obvious that neither of us really have anything going for us right now. Let's start this whole thing over, ok?"

He forced himself to relax, inch by inch, so that he was just laying on his belly instead of crouching in submission. A deep breath in and out, and he made himself meet her eyes. "My name is Tyr. What's yours?"



"Speech"

Nothing to gain, everything to fear

Misha nodded; looking at the male as he sat up. She removed herself from the submissive position as well and sat up right, her blue gray optics shifting to a light blue color. 'Tyr,' Misha thought to herself. She smiled softly. It seemed to fit the Calico wolf perfectly. She blinked twice and took in a breath before introducing herself. "I'm Misha. Pleasure to meet you," Misha said before getting up and making a small bow and closing her eyes. She held her stance. for a few seconds before opening her eyes and sitting in front of him again; at a wolf's length away.

Tyr blinked in confusion as the stranger - Misha - bowed to him. It wasn't as if he'd never seen it... just no one had ever bowed to him in anything other than a sardonic manner. She honestly seemed sincere about it. "A pleasure to meet you too, Misha," he replied warily. He was quiet a moment, watching her surreptitiously from his peripherals as he seemingly gazed at the underwater forest before them. "What are you doing way out here?" he finally asked, not wanting her to assume he was interrogating her, but not able to think of anything else to talk about. Tyr had never really had the opportunity to practice small-talk, and frankly he really was at a loss as to what to do with the whole situation. "Speech"

Misha thought about the male's question for a bit; giving it some thought. "Well," Misha said a bit unsure. Last time she was in the other land; she had almost had a heatstroke. This was a legitimate reason; mostly because it was true. Misha raised her head and yawned before continuing. "It's very hot all throughout the land of Ala. This is the only place I could be without risking heatstroke.." Misha said as she dug a paw in the snow. She smiled softly at herself, making the image of a heart in the snow, staring at it when she finished.

Uphill struggle, blood sweat and tears

Misha spoke hesitantly, giving her reason for being in the north as a way of escaping the heat in the south. Well, that had been his reason for going all the way to the north as well, and she did have a thicker coat than he did. "That's why I came here too," he told her. "I grew up in a northern pack. I don't remember it ever really getting as hot there as it has been getting here."

He stared down into the depths of the lake for a moment, then turned his head back to her. "What about you, Misha? Where are you from?"

(OOC: I probably won't be replying to this for a while again, I'm going to Orlando this weekend. I might be able to be on the cbox sometimes but posts other than the ones I'm typing on the drive down (which won't include this one because you haven't replied yet lol) are going to be very unlikely. Just letting you know!)



"Speech"

Nothing to gain, everything to fear