A Change in the Wind

The Battlefield. It was the first time Deteste had visited. He had been to many such arenas in his life but within the country of Alacritis he was a stranger to these lands. It was eerie how alike each battlefield had been, this one no different than the others. All were flat, thinnly grassed and bloodied lands. Deteste was grateful that it was winter. The ice sterilized the air and it did not smell so much like decay, even in the freshest scenes. In this unforgiving land Deteste did not bother silencing his walk or masking his presence. His tall black form was bold against the snow and the short taupe grasses that reached out from it. His gait was formal and somewhat stiff legged yet the pace was leisurely and his posture implied no status. The sol had ventured into the battlefield only to survey it ahead of Jupiter's battle and he did not desire to attract any attention to himself. However there was an alternative but minimal reason to his exploration. Were he to come across any friendly strangers he would readily invite them to join the Ludicael.


In the distance two bodies formed before Deteste. One black, the other timbre. His walk ceased and he allowed himself a moment to observe the interactions between the two. He would not enjoy unwittingly stumbling upon a personal battle. He was sure that the traffic around here minded it's own business but he'd rather not spare the chance of getting involved in anything. The behavior between the two strangers ahead of him seemed friendly but formal. Deteste believed the wolves were meeting for the first time and their violence-less interaction insured for the most part that it would be fine to at least briefly graze their company. A hot, white breath snaking from his jowls he resumed his lope and prepared to approach the strangers.


Where in the hell am I? These were the words that greeted Deteste as he entreated in the other wolves' shared space. It caused him to take pause and observe again the bloody ground he walked. He admitted to himself that he was somewhat desensitized from the environment he was in. He waited silently until the two wolves had reached a pause in their conversation. Hello. his deep voice breaking the silence. He dipped his crown in respect of both wolves and allowed his crown to hang casually in their presence. There were no kings here. In the battlefield only your physical ability separated you from the rest. "Since I have caught your names in your conversation, I will introduce myself. I am Deteste and I hope that I am not intruding." He spoke with a respectful timbre, observing them both with a warm glance.


The woman before him was obviously a traveler. Having only recently been freed of the nomadic life style Deteste easily recognized the details of a worn body and calloused feet. Her words were not necessary to describe her situation. He sympathized with her emotions. Her tiredness. He had been so worn down when he joined the Ludicael that some members would not be able to distinguish his past self and his current self as the same being. Content with his analysis of Meili, as the wolveness described herself, Deteste shifted his glance to the man who accompanied her. He was a Valhalla member and Deteste would do well to treat him respectfully. From what Jupiter had told him a new alliance had been formed between the Valhalla and the Ludicael and he would do anything in his pour to nourish that relationship.