keep your head UP nothing lasts forever

The only thing that could distract Irin from her thoughts was the soft scrape of claws against the ice. Irin hadn't been moving, so the noise made her jump slightly, light gaze scanning the area around her carefully. She saw nothing, and allowed herself to relax marginally as she turned to examine the other bank. And found her gaze settling on a wolf that appeared from the snow like a ghost, emerald gaze bright enough to make Irin's fur stand on end.



Maybe he was a ghost, cursed to wander these lands because he had been a killer, a murderer, and unwelcome in the peaceful stars. Or maybe he was seeking a lost love, a gorgeous black female who had been murdered by . . . hmm, a jealous brother, perhaps? And she had passed to the stars and spent her days trying desperately to contact her lost lover.



The second thought was nicer. She preferred it to the other alternative, and it gave her the confidence to watch as his lips moved, shaping an unfamiliar word that her ears strained to make out. The wind had fallen silent just long enough for Irin to pick up the word, though it meant nothing to her. "Intereō." She rolled it around in her mind, testing it out insider her head. Was it maybe some strange greeting? Surely it meant that he hailed from lands far away from here! Maybe these lands were a mysterious place, hot no matter the season, with the rich scent of spices heavy on the air.



Irin felt her tail wag slightly, cautiously, as she took a few dainty steps closer to the male. "I - I'm sorry, I don't understand you..." Ducking her head slightly, Irin found it easier to let her gaze focus on the icy ground than on the unnerving green eyes of the potential ghost.



Hopefully he wouldn't lash out or attack her because of her lack of knowledge. But he didn't look too intimidating. No, if Irin was correct, he looked about as nervous as she felt, with her heart thudding eratically in her chest as she sneaked a slight peek in the direction of the ghostly wolf. Maybe he was asking about his lost love! Maybe Intereo was her name. Hmm. It was possible. Which meant that Irin was going to cling to it until told otherwise.



"speech"