My training had begun and despite her my stature I knew I'd be a warrior eventually. Pride filled my very core and it gave me a warm and fuzzy feeling. My father was proud of her. It was a great accomplishment for me. There were a few flaws in my technique, but Ulrike made sure he corrected my mistakes.

Of course I had a short attention span and He enjoyed wandering for some reason. He would only be just a voice to others, but to me He was my idol. I obeyed him simply because He wished it. There were times when I ignored him but most often than not what he said was fascinating. I couldn't explain why though.

So I listened him and traveled to none other than the most dangerous place of Alacritia other than Mount Volkan itself. At least if you fell in to the lava it'd be a quick death. Here I knew I had to watch my step else I fall in to the quicksand. I'd heard stories and every part of me said avoid it. Curiosity had gotten the better of me and being the rebel I was I left home to explore. I was totally a star child!

The closer I got the funnier the ground got. My pace slowed from a jog to a careful walk as I picked my way around. I don't know what drug me this way. He had a major part to do with it, but I was also a curious pup. I guess is was just natural to want to travel to the most dangerous area on Alacritia. It was in my DNA. Wasn't it?

I studied the area around me. "Well there doesn't seem to be much life here, does there?

A soft giggled erupted from my mouth at my words. Though the words had been to no one in particular it felt good to talk aloud. I talked to him aloud too, but I avoided it when I was around others. I was alone though and he was silent.

My nose fell to the ground as I started sniffing still avoiding the areas where the sand would drag me under. My white pelt shone brightly under the suns gaze and my brown-red markings seem more red today than usual. I was pretty in my own right. My eyes and facial markings were the most unique though I lacked the natural charm most held. My features were curvaceous and very feminine, but I had yet to find anyone worth charming. I only had my father to wrestle with. It was probably why I was out here now exploring.

I was bored out of my mind. There were no other yearlings or pups my age and no one was that interesting. Most kept to themselves in Tortuga. I wasn't complaining. I mean I was a bi-polar nut case at time but some wolves were just damn creepy even I avoided them.

Shaking my head I continued onward until my foot caught on a rock and I fell. A growl rumbled in my chest as I picked myself and started licking the dust from my pelt.

"Stupid Rock." I muttered to myself. I really had to stop talking to myself. Next thing I'd know I'd be having arguments with me next.

The boy had just been forced to leave Epiphron's side, not exactly willingly, though. Russet and white bodice carried him listlessly back toward his homeland, though he intended on dragging his journey out so that he would make it back in the dead of night and get some rest before his parents reamed him for being gone. Maverick heaved a sigh as a rock cut into his front left paw, but he kept on walking. Pain was something he was highly tolerant of, and a little cut on his paw pad would not keep him from making his way home - even though he wasn't all that eager to get back. With every step he had to fight back the urge to turn and head for Valhalla. He knew vaguely where it was located, and knew he could track her scent if he really tried. Still, following her back to her home was surely to come off as needy and unnecessarily attached, and that was not the vibe he wanted to give her. No, in their first encounter he had come off as cool, calm, collected, and rather charming. Maverick wasn't about to ruin that impression. A white figure loomed in front of him, catching the attention of his acid green eyes. The boy would serpentine forward, slinking through the shadows that the vegetation offered. A chuff slipped from his lips as he approached, emerging from some low bushes as she tripped paw on the rock. A chuckle followed suit. "These rocks are a pain, eh?" Maverick held his left front paw up slightly off of the ground, and looked down toward it, gesturing that he too had been tripped up by one. A drop of blood dripped from the cut and he craned his head down farther to lick gingerly at it. That would certainly hurt tomorrow. Maverick began to think on what Loccian had taught him, and more importantly.. on which plants were used to stop blood and help with pain. Tilting his head to the left, the boy could not believe his luck. Just a few yards away were the exact plants that were used to stop blood and help with pain. Maverick got to his paws and trotted to the plants, snatching some up in his jaws and chewing it to a fine paste, just like Loccian had showed him. He then gingerly applied it to the bottom of his paw and turned back to face the female. "Are you hurt? These plants will help if you are." He would help patch the girl up if she needed help. She looked a bit younger than he, and would probably not know about the plants and their healing properties. Speech,

Eyes of liquid gold traveled downwards as I looked to examine my paw. My tongue swiped out to lick it gingerly and in doing so I forgot to keep an eye on my surroundings. Had mother or father been here would they have scorned me for letting my guard down? Surely they would have for I did not hear as a figure approached. Not until his voice graced my ears. I leaped to my feet in alarm, fur bristling, and eyes wide as golden eyes settled on his red and white frame. With a heart racing faster than I thought possible, I studied him. He was larger than I, but then again I was pretty average for a wolf. I just happened to be smaller than most. I also had a bit of growing to do before I reached my full height. My guess was that the was roughly the same age as me. He also seemed to have a bit of growing to do as well due to the size of his paws. He was gonna be huge. "Focus child! He could have killed you by now. I would have" He hissed at me and I flinched at his harsh voice. He always had something to say at the worst moments. It made it hard to enjoy things with him there, but I couldn't get rid of him. He was a part of me that no one ever saw, or heard. Only I could enjoy the random things he spat at me. He didn't seem to be a threat and he smelled much different than the wolves of my pack. He smelled of fresh water and other wolves, maybe even a hint of salt water. If he was going to attack me he would have done so earlier. I could only imagine how much trouble I'd be in if I let another pack wolf attack me, much less socialize with me like right now. I would have to wash his scent of later else I get questioned. "Yeah, a major pain. There's far too many of them." I agreed with him. This place wasn't the ideal place for a pup to be. I was a curious creature and I had no regards for my own safety as far as exploring was concerned. I was smart enough to at least be aware of where I was stepping. [p]Eyes followed the boy as he examined his own paw and then walked over to an odd looking plant, grabbed it, and began chewing it before spitting it on to his bleeding paw. My head cocked to the side and both ears flicked forward in amusement and curiosity. What had he just put on his paw? Was he a healer? If so, where did he learn it? Tortuga had no healers in their current state so she'd never seen the practice being done before. Eyes widened a bit as he turned to be with concern and asked if I was injured. I looked at my paw once more, and to my dismay there was a small cut on my paw. I gave him a suspicious look and nodded my head. I was reluctant to let him get close to her though. Being bi-polar certainly didn't help my case and at the moment I wasn't sure if I wanted him anywhere near my paw with that plant. "It's only a small scrape" I answered him truthfully but I was still somewhat wary. I still wanted to know what that plant was. "Speech" "He speaks"

She seemed skeptical, and why shouldn't she be? Maverick was a stranger, and a male stranger at that. The boy inhaled slowly, silently, breathing in what was left of Epiphron's perfume on his hide. A small smile creeped across his lips, trying to reassure her that he was not any threat to her. He could be, if she chose to attack, but finding that unlikely the boy would be certain to treat her kindly. Lime eyes searched her paw for a sign of a wound, for bleeding or oncoming swelling. A small scratch was on her paw, but it didn't cause him too much alarm. He still would like to put the paste on it, if she would allow him to. She would speak up, saying that it was only a scratch, and his brow would raise slightly. He swallowed the remainder of the paste he'd created, finding it rather bitter to eat, but not too horrible. Maverick would make more if he could convince her to let him use it. "It could become infected. If you don't want me to do it I can talk you through what to do, it's really simple." Perhaps she wasn't trusting enough to allow him nearer, he couldn't blame her for that. If she wanted, he would tell her exactly what to do to treat that scratch, and any other wound she might have or might get in the future. It was a good thing to know, or so he thought. "Yeah, that's probably a better idea." He watched her for a reaction. "You see those plants over there, the green ones with the big leaves? Go to those and pick about three of the greenest leaves you can find. You won't need many since it's a small cut. Once you pick them out, put them all in your mouth and chew them up, but don't swallow. Then apply the paste to your scratch and it'll stop the bleeding and provide a coating to keep the dirt out. It won't last long, but it'll do until you can get home.. wherever that is." Her healers at home could do a nicer job with a better result, but this was more aligned with field-medicine, tactics that could get the job done with minimal effort. He rocked onto his haunches, already feeling the paste on his paw begin to dry and harden. He would have to be sure to take it easy on the rest of the way home, or he would reopen his wound. Lime eyes would search for pain-killers, eager to find something to reduce the dreadful ebbing soreness in his ribcage. That fall had been harder on him than he'd thought. A nearby bush with berries on it piqued his interest, and he trotted over to it gingerly. Taking the berries in his jaws, he squeezed one until the juices ran out, tasting it tentatively. No sour taste was found, so he assumed it was safe for consumption. He also found the flavor to be quite fruity and sweet. Elderberries. Just what he needed! With a smile he would pick about ten and crush them between his jaws, drinking the juice and swallowing down the skin that remained. Nature's plentiful painkillers. He turned back to the girl, wondering if she would follow his instructions. "I'm Maverick, by the way." "speeeeech"

[ooc: sorry for the change from first to third person. I got tired of first person xD] Golden orbs watched the boy constantly flickering over his red form. His scent was odd. It smelled of female and a pack, but she hadn't been outside her own pack to even hear of any of the others, much less know what they smelled like. She just knew that he was a pack wolf because she was at least aware of what loners smelled like. She watched him smile. It seemed he was reassuring her. She was unlike most pups. She'd learned to be careful early and not stick her nose into business that could get her killed like most pups did. Or at least she tried. Perhaps it wasn't the smartest decision to come here of all places, but she wouldn't be considered a kid if she didn't take some risks. Her head cocked sideways as she listened to him, suggesting that it was probably a better idea if she followed his instructions and did it herself. He had, after all, put the plant on himself. It couldn't be bad, right? Still, she was really unfamiliar with plants, and putting one in her mouth wasn't an ideal thing. Then again, her paw getting infected wasn't exactly wanted either, especially since she was so far from home. I couldn't hurt to follow his instructions. She watched as he went over to a plant with berries on it. Intrigued she watched him for a moment before she got up and padded over to the green plant, keeping one ear trained on him. She paused for a moment, studying the leaves before grabbing three of the biggest ones she could see and then began to crunch them up. She grimaced at the odd taste. She thought that wolves weren't supposed to eat plants. Or even chew them for that matter. So it was just odd to her. She applied the paste in time to hear him finally introduce himself. Ridding he tongue of the taste finally, she turned to look at him. Gold eyes strove to meet green as she took a seat by the green plant she'd applied to her cut. Ears flicked forward. She supposed she needed to give him her name as well. It was only polite. "My name is Xenios. Call me Xen if you like. What pack are you from? "Speech"

ooc; not a problem, I like third person better, xD He wondered if he was crazy for trying to explain this to her. He wondered if he was even doing it right. Loccian had taught him well, but his memory had never been that great. He pondered these things as - much to his surprise - she turned, went to the plant, and then applied it to her paw just as he'd instructed. When she did not self combust, he assumed he'd told her the right way to do it, and gave himself a smile of approval. Wagging his tail gently, Maverick listened as she told him her name. Xenios, how exotic. She then inquired of his pack, and he quirked a brow. Should he offer it to her? Surely there would be no harm in that. "I hail from the Kingdom of Seracia, along the Southern Ocean." The exact location wasn't necessary for the levity of their conversation, they barely knew each other and certainly didn't need to share coordinates to their homes. "and you?" He tilted his head, taking in a long breath that brought back some of Epiphron's scent. A smile fluttered upon his features as he peered at her with a quirked brow. Lime eyes would meet her own as he thought back to his meeting with the woman, the girl of his dreams - of this he was sure. Xen's scent was not familiar to him, but it did seem to carry the mixed aromas of other wolves. He thought she was a pack wolf for sure, but there was always the chance she was a sociable loner, a vagabond. He found that life intriguing, but would never venture to enjoy it due to his love of his home and family. "speeeeech"

"I hail from the Kingdom of Seracia, along the Southern Ocean." She'd heard of Seracia before. Granted her knowledge was limited and she had never met any other wolves from different packs before until now. It was interesting to finally get out and be on her own. Her father had hovered over her long enough. It was nice to be able to leave for a change, even if she truly was never alone. He still bothered her every waking minute of every day. On the bright side she always had someone to talk to, even if he was annoying as hell and sometimes tried to compel her to do things. He returned her question, as she'd been expecting, so she cocked her head. He smiled and quirked his brown. He'd answered her so she could answer him. It couldn't hurt, right? Tortuga wasn't that bad was it? Not bad enough that he'd instantly hate her for saying she was a part of it. Hopefully she wouldn't get in trouble for this later when she got home. Her Dad probably wouldn't be too pleased. "I come from Tortuga. Dunno if you've heard of it or not, but it's the eastern pack in the mountains." She explained it as vaguely as possible. To put it short they were in the east quite near to Mount Volkan. A rather dangerous place to be, but only the real hardy wolves could live there. You had to be good with rocky slopes to live there. That or you'd slip and fall then break quite a few bones. If you were lucky that is. There was also a possibility of dying. Regardless their valley was a beautiful place to live and the mountain range provided many hiding places and interesting animals. "Speech" "He speaks"

Tortuga. He had heard whispers of the pack, that it was militaristic and dark. The tone his father took when speaking of Tortuga was one he was not all that familiar with, but feared all the same. Could it be this woman really was of the hellions of Tortuga? For a while there he had assumed it must be a very masculine pack, but he assumed even warriors, vagabonds, and hellions needed the touch of a woman every now and then. Had this young lass been born of one of those touches? He could only assume that she had. "The mountains. I had heard of Tortuga, but not where they called home. Aren't the mountains a difficult place to.. settle?" He imagined the mountains to be frigid, especially up top. Then again, he assumed Tortugan hearts to be nearly as frigid, so perhaps they quite enjoyed their home in the precipices of the mountain range. But how much prey could linger there, and equally, how easy of a place would it be to make a camp, and hold a territory? The mountains would be incredibly impossible, even for a pack of hellions, to defend. He cocked his head quizzically, wondering just how much information she would give him. "speeeeech"