Here she was again. Out and about. This time in a different landscape. Rocks littered the area. It was an odd place. But here was still. Paws touched the earth softly. It winter. Snow covered the ground, the air was frigid. She didn't like it. But at least she had a thicker coat that helped keep her warm. She still detested the way the snow crunched beneath her paws, making all kinds of noise, not to mention how cold it was. A frown settled on her features. Spring needed to be here already. She shook herself quickly, freeing her dark pelt of the ever falling snow, but it was quickly replaced by more. Finding a suitable rock, the dame jumped up, brushing away the snow and perched herself carefully on her throne. Emerald eyes surveyed the area before her. It was nothing to look at. Snow had covered anything that would nice to look at, and along with it went hunting for any prey. Nearly everything was hiding out at this time of year, evading not only predators, but the cold as well. As she sat, on odd thought crossed her mind. Come spring her mother would 10. The dame was aging rapidly, and it was beginning to show. but as stubborn as her mother way, she not once asked for help. That brought a ghost of a smile to her face. She had never been all that close to her mother, it seemed as though none of her siblings where, but she still loved her. And her father. She hadn't seen him since Desdemona had called for the tournament to begin. Where had he been? Where was he now? She missed him. She had always been closer to her father out of all her siblings, of which she hadn't seen in awhile either. It was an interesting family to say the least, they almost never saw eachother, but were always so protective of one another. Absorbed in her own world, the young dame remained unaware of the approaching figure coming up from behind her. speech,

The frigid cold of winter caused his paw to ache, as it would an elderly wolf afflicted by arthritis. Killian walked holding the limb high off the ground to avoid putting any weight on it, although the idea of shoving it in the snow and numbing it was seriously appealing. He was just out to think right now. The pain in his paw had driven him to think about the reason he was injured in the first place. It was such a hard subject for him that he absolutely couldn't handle it sitting still. His feelings on the issue were torn in two directions - revenge and sadness - and they never meshed well.



Killian shook his head furiously, trying to drive the memories out. He didn't need to worry about this right now. He couldn't be concerned with feelings like sadness or remorse - he needed to focus on revenge. He growled low in his throat at the prospect of growing stronger here so that he could return some day and pay his pack back for what they had done to him.



Suddenly, the brute noticed he was headed straight toward a large rock that seemed much larger than the others... No, not a rock, a wolf. An ebony female with a tail like a raccoon. The scent on the air told him she was of a nearby pack. He stopped a few feet away and cleared his throat, hoping to alert in her to his presence without startling her.

His growl reached her ears and she reacted immediately. Jumping to her paws, she whirled around, toxic eyes pinning him with a glare, lips curled back in a snarl, her own growl rumbling in her throat. Was he threat? She didn't know. All she knew was that he came sneaking up behind her growling. He was still a good distance off, but she had heard him nonetheless. His attempt at alerting her of his presence had failed, his growl reaching her first. Eyes narrowed into slits, still uncertain of him. "Who are you?" She remained perched on the rock, she had the advantage of being above him at the moment, and until she was certain he posed no threat, that was where she would stay. Sharp eyes roamed his features, noting his darked face, crimson eyes, along with other darked spots along his pelt. He didn't smell of a pack. Eyes drifted down to his forelimb. One that he seemed to favor, keeping his weight off it. There didn't appear to be any obvious injury to it, but she could be wrong, she was no healer. Expression cooled, but she remained coiled, ready to strike if necessary while she waited for his answer. speech,

The ebony she-wolf reacted far more quickly to him that he had anticipated. He silently scolded himself for daydreaming again while walking as he watched her leap to a high rock ahead of him, out of reach. He sat back on his haunches once he was close, wrapping his tail lightly around his feet and lowering his right fore paw gently to the ground.



The brute's voice came, deep and powerful, but friendly nonetheless. Afternoon to you too, miss. Killian is my name, but I'm far more interested to know yours? He grinned, setting his crimson gaze on her verdant one. He tried to appear nonchalant, hoping to get her to relax a little. He didn't anticipate a fight from her without being provoked, but his body also remained slightly tensed. If others in her pack were nearby, they could pose a threat to a rogue such as himself. Being around pack wolves alone was always risky, he knew from experience. However, for a little entertainment, it was a risk he was willing to take.

She watched as he seated himself on the ground, gently allowing his paw to rest. His deep voice reached her audits, slowly pulling them forward. Killian is my name, but I'm far more interested to know yours. Lyrics were accompanied by a grin. Slowly she allowed herself to relax, seating herself once more on her perch, she wrapped her tail around her paws, poisonous green pools looking down at him. "I'm Maia." Her name rolled off her tongue is cool tones as she assessed him. Her pack wouldn't be around, unless they just stumbled upon the pair, so far the time being it was just her facing the brute. "Do you always go around sneaking up on others?" Sarcasm laced her words gently, a brow lifted as she spoke, surely that was living on the dangerous side of life, sneaking up on others, when some would attack without asking questions. ooc- short post is short speech,

He watched the female relaxed and breathed a sigh of relief, grateful that he didn't have to worry about hostility today. He shook his body slightly, releasing the tension he had been maintaining for safety's sake. Ears perked atop his head as he listened carefully to the girl's words. "Maia," Killian repeated, sounding thoughtful for a moment. "It's a pretty name."



The comment she made on his surprising her caused a chuckle to escape him. "Yes I do. In fact, it's a hobby of mine." He grinned at her, offering a wink with his joke, though in some aspects it was true. He tended to sneak along, a silent traveler, often surprising those around him, but it wasn't a purposeful action of his.



"Do you often wander away from your pack alone?" he asked inquisitively, attempting to redirect the questioning. In his life with a pack, members always traveled together. He was finding more and more often here that things were very different. Individuals seemed to constantly wander away from the security of their respective packs.

She ignored the compliment on her name, despite his thoughtful tones. A laugh bubbled in her throat as he spoke of his "hobby". She jumped down from her perch, coming to halt a few feet before home. "That's a bit of a dangerous hobby, don't ya think?" Crown tilted to the side, brow lifted with amusement, a small smile playing on her features. It generally was a bad idea to sneak up on others, you never how they'd react. Unless that other wolf was her mother, there was no sneaking up on her mother. She couldn't figure out what it was, but she always heard them coming. "On occasion I do, gotta get away sometimes." A shoulder was lifted in a shrug, words spoken nonchalantly. She didn't care, she liked being out of her own. And it wasn't like anyone in her pack kept tabs on her, aside from her mother. They got wander freely, so long as they didn't stir up trouble with out packs. Sounded easy enough. She certainly wasn't the only one venturing out. speech,

"Of course its dangerous!" he replied with a grin. "What good is a safe hobby?" Killian saw the value in any hobby, but he preferred something risky or wild for himself. He was a daredevil, a hotshot. But then, he was also a sap. He craved the safety of friends and family - well, not family so much anymore.



The girl reacted nonchalantly to his question, which caused him to shrug in turn. "I've noticed a lot of wolves do that around here, wander on their own. It's a bit dangerous though, isn't it?" In the world of packs, there was always danger - not only from other animals, but from opposing wolves. Rogues were often looking to take control, or other packs looking to destroy one another. Safety was always better in numbers for a pack wolf.