Peach-hued paws moved carefully through the unknown teritory, toes brushing lightly along the top of the grass to help keep track of the ground in front of her, her forelegs stretching out in front of her a little more than one might typically. Occasionally the toes of her forepaws would bump into the trees ahead of her and she would slip around him. Her ears were perked at attention to listen for anything around her. It helped her keep track of trees and bushes in her path as well since she could hear the wind rustle the leaves on them. It was all tricks she had learned growing up with these milky blue, sightless eyes. However, there wasn't much that could prepare her for the sudden drop off that appeared in her path. She noticed that there was suddenly no trees in her path and then all the sudden she reached her paw forward and then there was no ground for her paw to land on once more. She stumbled forward for a second before scrambling back, falling onto her rump with a huff. "Shit," she hissed under her breath, trying her best to calm her rapidly beating heart. That could have been bad... god she had to hurry and figure out where she was. Or find someone to show her around, as awful as that sounded. She wasn't going to get anywhere fast like this. "Talk" "You" Think

Since rescuing a stranger named Kyung from certain death, Áki had found it difficult to keep himself from thinking about the man's well-being. Though initially he'd seemed quite broken and unstable, slowly he'd grown more relaxed and level-healed -- and while he wanted to ensure he was okay, he found himself feeling restless. He'd promised Kyung that he would return for him in no more than a few weeks, and he was not one to forget his promises. The tusked brute had made his way back to the cliffs with ease, the location of the place permanently cemented in his mind.

Quietly he would pace alongside the sheer face of the cliff, only occasionally letting his eyes wander to the ground below. What an awful death that would be, he thought to himself. Never had he imagined wanting to plunge willingly to his own death and briefly he found his thoughts wandering, morbidly wondering how painful such a death might be.

From the corner of his eye he saw a woman wandering nearly, dangerously close to the edge herself. Instinctively he began to rush forward, feeling suddenly protective over this stranger, imagining them too perched on the edge of the cliffs and trying to get the strength to step over the edge. A thoroughly exasperated sigh escaped from his lips as he drew nearer, only to realize she had pulled herself away, though still was too close for comfort for him. "What on earth are you doing?" he found himself inquiring, tones thick with a northern accent as he stared at her from behind furrowed brows.

She heard paw steps rushing toward her and she would swing her head in the direction of the sound, tensing up in case whoever it was that was moving toward her wanted to attack her. She didn't know why they would, but maybe they were really particular about their fucking cliff. Thickly accented words flew at her and her sightless gaze settled in his direction though not quite able to focus on him. "I'm walking here! What do you think I'm doing?!" she exclaimed in exasperation, huffing as she turned her face away from the stranger, her ears falling back with anger. Not so much anger at him, but anger at her whole damn situation. Grudgingly she'd turn her head back in his direction, taking in his scent and trying to learn more about him through that. Unfortunately she didn't know this place well enough to distinguish what was pack scent or region scent yet so really it told her nothing. She huffed and finally spoke again, although she wasn't entirely happy about doing so. "Could you just like... nudge my shoulder and turn me so that the cliff is level to my right side? So I have some kind of reference to where it is?" She hated asking for help, but she didn't see a way around it in this case. The last thing she wanted was to go tumbling over a cliff her first day here. "Talk" "You" Think

Only when she turned to him, her eyes milky and sightless, did he realize that his comment had likely been unnecessary... and yet he couldn't help but feel anxious at the thought of having to pull another wolf away from this damned cliff. Eyes narrowed, examining her vacant stare, noticing she had turned to him and yet did not seem to see him at all. There was no focus in those blue eyes of hers, even as he pulled himself a bit more forward. His brows furrowed as he stared.

"I apologize," he grunted a bit stubbornly. "It seemed like you were walking a bit too close to the edge. I already had to save one wolf from plunging to his death over the edge of this damned cliff..." Though he thought fondly of Kyung, and had sympathized with him -- though he hadn't quite understood what had prompted him to consider suicide -- the thought was somewhat panic-inducing and his voice grew a bit irritated as he explained. "The last thing I wanted to see was you about to fall off."

Her words were brimming with frustration, but he watched her still with a wary eye. "You need my help?" he'd ask, more a rhetorical question than anything; moving forward as she asked, aiming to nudge her right shoulder with a bit of pressure to redirect her, parallel to the cliff. It didn't exactly strike him as wise, though, for a woman who was apparently blind to be walking alongside a cliff.. and yet he said nothing. "There," he'd say finally when she was repositioned, hoping silently she could stay on track.

Kalli understood why seeing someone walk right off a cliff could be upsetting. It would have been quite upsetting to her as well if she had wandered over the edge. That didn't mean she wasn't any less annoyed by his question. Although she supposed he had no way of knowing she couldn't see him or the damned cliff until she turned toward him. It did make her a bit curious about who else might have tried to go over this edge, but she wouldn't bother to ask. Her ear flicked with irritation, but she wouldn't comment on it any more. She was really more irritated at her situation than him, he just happened to be something convenient to focus her anger on. "Yes, I need your freaking help," she mumbled grumpily at his question, whether it was rhetorical or not. Luckily she wouldn't have to say any more before she heard him move closer and then felt his touch on her right shoulder, moving her a good 90 degree turn so that the cliff was at her side. She signed with a little relief and nodded before turning to her left and moving a few feet away from the cliff. Kalli turned back toward him, her sightless gaze again looking in his general direction. "Thanks," she said grudgingly before settling onto her haunches. "I was born blind. I've learned a few tricks to help me get around, like relating a cliff to one side of me so I can keep track of where it is in relation to where I turn. Or taking longer strides so I can reach my forepaws out in front of me more than you might so I can feel around for where I'm going so I can catch myself and not walk off the edge of a cliff," she explained. She wasn't real sure he was interested, but she felt like maybe she might owe him some kind of explanation. She had never really been around anyone that didn't know she was blind so this was strange for her. The only wolves she had ever really interacted with before now was her father, foster mother, and adopted siblings. There was going to be quite a few learning experiences now that she was on her own she was sure. "Talk" "You" Think

Though Áki was independent to the core, much of his interactions with others were fueled on whatever sort of mood they brought to the table. The first impression he'd made had likely not been a great one, and this stranger returned his sass with ease, seeming quite irritated even if it was clear she wasn't frustrated with him persay. His crimson gaze followed her, a snort sounding in the air as his nose wrinkled visibly in reaction to her words, which stung like the lash of a whip. Though she followed her retort with a 'thanks', though it didn't seem entirely genuine.  "Sure," he'd respond with a soft, though audible sigh.  

He stood near her still, backing up a few steps as though waiting for her she might lash out with her teeth this time rather than her voice. And yet instead she explained herself to him, seeming to relax as she reoriented herself. She'd been born blind. It was hard to imagine, and yet he cocked his head to the side as she spoke, considering what such a life might be like.  " Very interesting," he mused aloud, not an ounce of sarcasm in his deep tones -- it truly was strange to imagine having no sight at all, and having to depend on his other senses instead. There was certainly nothing wrong with being different, and in fact it intrigued him greatly. His own differences weren't quite so fundamental, and he realized she likely might never know the few things that set him apart from most others he had met. "This kind of life -- isn't it hard?" There was genuine curiosity in his accented voice as he spoke, wondering if this was the sort of conversation she was comfortable having, for he would quickly change the subject if she became agitated. "Oh -- forgive me. My name is Áki," the brute shook his head quickly. "I shouldn't think to pry without properly introducing myself."

She was slowly beginning to calm down and when she didn't hear any sarcasm in his interest it helped a good bit. She sighed softly her shoulders relaxing some. She really didn't mean to bite everyone's head off, it was just her coping mechanism when she felt stressed out which right now was a constant thing. Being in a new place and having no idea where she was going was certainly stressful enough and now she was walking off cliffs. He asked if this kind of life was hard and she scoffed, quickly replying, "Nooooo, it's a blast." Her words were dripping with sarcasm, but a small grin started to play on her muzzle, showing that she wasn't trying to be harsh this time, merely playful. He introduced himself and mentioned how he shouldn't pry without introducing himself, to which she shrugged. "Don't worry about it, Aki. I don't mind answering questions. I'm Kalliope, but you can call me Kalli if you like." She paused before adding, "And to actually answer your question, yes, it is. Very hard. But it's not exactly something I can change so I just deal with it." Real honesty was rare for her since she would much rather make light of her situation and let her sarcasm do the talking, but she felt like she might owe it to him to be a little nicer since she did kind of snap at him for no reason before. He seemed nice enough and she could really use some friends in this new place. "Talk" "You" Think

There seemed to be so many strange wolves in this land, though Áki would not complain. It made his travels more interesting -- though he couldn't help but wonder if his sister would feel quite as entertained by the strange creatures he had met. A snort would sound from him at her sarcastic words, and he shook his head, vaguely amused at her fiery personality. Despite her initial anger, she didn't seem a threat and calmed down significantly when she was no longer faced with the danger of tumbling off a cliff. Not that she even knew how tall the cliff really was... though perhaps that was for the best.

"I like the sound of Kalli," he agreed gruffly, letting his tail curl about his hindquarters as he watched her. She had quite a pleasant coat, and even her eyes were quite lovely, despite being utterly useless. "It seems you manage quite well, though," he offered, a bit of curiosity burning in his heavily accented voice. He knew each creature had struggles of their own, though Kalliope's certainly seemed a heavier burden than most of his own problems. "And I have to admit, it's a pleasure to not have you staring at me. I don't think I've met a single wolf on this continent who hasn't asked what I am, or hasn't gaped at me for a solid minute." Another soft snort left his nose as he wrinkled it. For some reason, it was refreshing to simply talk and not have to worry about being ogled like some kind of dangerous beast.

She smiled a little when he complimented her nickname. Her father had given it to her when she was little so it was a nice reminder of him whenever someone used it. The male had quite an interesting accent and she kept her ears perked toward him the whole time to make sure she didn't miss a word. She shrugged when he mentioned her managing well, giving another small smile at that as well. She wasn't really sure how well she got around and such, seeing as how she almost walked off a cliff and barely made it through a forest because she was tripping on under brush, but perhaps all of that was impressive for someone who was blind. She really had no frame of reference. When he mentioned her not staring at him, her head tipped to the side with confusion. What he was? His scent smelled like any other wolf... "What do you mean?" she asked as her brows pulled together, deepening her look of confusion. "Why would they be staring at you?" She couldn't imagine any reason for someone to be stared at. But, then again, she wasn't even entirely sure what a wolf looked like. She knew what shape they were for the most part from feeling her father's and sibling's face and being near them, but there was no way for her to know what they looked like. "Talk" "You" Think

Though initially he'd been quite distraught over the fact that she had almost fallen off a cliff, the panic had quickly subsided into something more like amusement. She was quite fiery for a blind woman, though he supposed it didn't make much difference to her if she'd been born that way. It was all she had known; Aki supposed it was better to be born without sight than to lose it somehow. Kalli had no idea what she was missing out on. Certainly sight made it easier to navigate, but the more he considered it, the more it seemed she probably wasn't lacking much at all.

Her confusion brought a chuckle from his throat. "I am quite large," he said matter-of-factly, amusement brimming in his deep tones. "A full head taller than you, if not more." While she seemed quite average-sized, he was anything but -- his build was extreme and he was quite muscular, his size often daunting to those he meant. "And I have tusks. Big horn-like things sticking out of my lower jaw." A snort echoed in the short distance between them. She likely would've never noticed if he hadn't brought it up, though he had already made mention that he was different from her. "I was born with them, and though they seem as naturally as any other part of me, everyone seems to gawk at them like I'm some sort of freak." Truthfully, he didn't mind the attention, though he was happy to pretend that he was bothered by the staring and gaping -- in fact, it made life considerably more interesting though he was still getting used to all the attention since coming to these lands they called Alacritia.

As he described himself she tried to picture him in her mind, putting the pieces together in her brain from what little she knew about wolves's shapes and such. In her mind he was a skyscraper sized wolf that somehow got crossed with a boar. It was almost comical to think about it a way, but at the same time startling. Her head was tipped to the side as she tried to process this information. When he mentioned being born with them and being gawked at that was certainly something she could relate with. It seemed they were both dealt an interesting cards at birth. Her with her blindness and him with his tusks. Although, hers felt like more of an individual battle to face while his was more a social one. She could understand why his appearance would make things more difficult usually, but she honestly couldn't give a damn about it. Maybe it was because she couldn't see him... but she really thought that he was so nice that it really didn't matter if he had something strange about him. However, she was incredibly curious about his tusks. So many questions flew through her mind, but the only one she actually said out loud was, "Could I... touch them? Your tusks I mean?" After she said it outloud she realized how strange it sounded and she quickly added, "I'm sorry, that was probably really weird and inappropriate to ask. I just can't picture what they're like and I do a lot of things by feel so..." She trailed off with a shrug and waited for his response, fully expecting him to shoot her down and to have made this whole encounter awkward. "Talk" "You" Think

There was a look of curiosity on Kalliope's face. He couldn't imagine living without sight, and though one of his sisters was blind, it hadn't been discussed much. It was a hard world -- and in their family, there had been no real focus or discussion on her blindness. She had been forced to deal with her condition with no complaint, and she had grown far tougher than anyone had ever expected. It was only a weakness if one made it so. And it seemed as though his new companion was just as fierce, likely a product of being faced with difficulties from birth. Only the bravest could survive such challenges, especially when they were on their own.

Her question came after a moment, though she seemed a bit hesitant to ask at all. Sabine had always been fairly tactile and so it wasn't at all surprising that a blind wolf might rely on touch to gather information about their surroundings.  "Certainly," he answered with a pleasant laugh, letting his tail wag behind him. She did remind him of his sister, which brightened his spirits considerably.  "It doesn't bother me one bit. One of my sisters is blind. You remind me of her, actually," he answered, a fair bit of happiness in his tones at the mention of her. Slowly he would approach a bit closer, bowing his large head to the ground to allow her to touch them however she wished. "Be careful, they can be sharp."

When he agreed with a laugh she was relieved. The last thing she wanted to do was make a fool of herself. However his next confession took her by surprise. His sister was blind too? She had never met another blind wolf or had even really heard of one that was naturally blind like her and not blind because of some injury. She wondered if she'd ever get the chance to meet his sister so they could compare notes. How did she get around? Did she figure out any tricks that Kalliope hadn't thought of? All of these questions popped up in her head while Aki moved closer. After a short moment his scent was stronger and she could more clearly hear his breathing. After his warning to watch for his sharp tusks Kalli carefully lifted a paw. She used the sound of his breathing as a guide to figure out where his muzzle was and then gently brushed the side of her paw along the side of one of his tusks. Her sightless eyes widened with surprise out of reflex as she traced the unusual appendage. It was like a huge pointy tooth, but it was on the outside of his muzzle... just to be sure he wasn't playing some kind of joke on her she let her paw pads trace up the tusk till she felt that his muzzle was indeed attached to this tusk. She blinked and let her paw come back down to the ground. "Wow, you weren't kidding, huh?" she smiled a little and looked in his direction. "That's amazing... I've never ever heard of any wolf having anything like that. It's kind of cool." "Talk" "You" Think

Her fierce, unforgiving nature reminded him so much of his own sisters, particularly Sabine. She seemed a bit.. surprised at his admission that his sister was blind, and he grinned a bit, amused. He couldn't tell if they'd get along or butt heads, given how similar they were. The thought was amusing and elicited a soft laugh from his lips.

He'd urged her to touch them, as she'd creep forward slowly and raise a paw to his face. It was certainly an interesting thing; most wolves ignored them, if not gawked with fear, and it was rare anyone was interested in touching them. His grin widened in a amusement at her slightly stunned expression. "Wasn't kidding," he verified with a teasing snort. He'd pull away, but only slightly, watching her keenly as he tilted his head back up. "Never met anyone with them before. My parents liked to tease that I was half-reindeer and if they got too hungry, they might eat me one day." The humor was perhaps a bit morbid, and he'd spent one too many nights worrying that he was in fact part reindeer, but as he grew older he'd realized it was nothing but a joke. His tusks didn't really resemble the antlers of reindeer anyway, despite their strangeness, but he liked telling himself that he shared a trait with them.

Today had certainly been an interesting day of firsts. Nearly walking off a cliff, meeting the first wolf she had talked to since coming here, discovering said wolf had tusks... Yeah, it had definitely been an interesting day and it wasn't even over yet. He mentioned his parents relating him to a reindeer and she couldn't help the little sort of laughter that escaped her. She giggled at the joke, her frame shaking lightly with laughter. "Your parents certainly had a sense of humor," she commented with a grin. It was a pretty dark joke she supposed, but her humor had always been a little off. It matched the rest of her personality. After all, how else was a wolf supposed to deal with just missing an important sense for no explainable reason? For Kalliope anyway it was dealt with by having plenty of attitude and a healthy sense of humor. "The lady that helped raise me liked to crack jokes and poke fun at me about being blind too. My dad used to fuss at her for it, but I'm glad she did. It helped me not think about it so... seriously." She smiled a little as she thought about her family. She missed them, but she was glad she had left to explore. Well, she was right now at least. "Talk" "You" Think