Starting connections

Alastor had wondered what the first appearance of Habari's reigning monarch would be like. The Empress of Ashen had appeared with her entourage of family, a dour Shogun and two small children. Would the reclusive Recluse present herself in much the same manner? Or perhaps she'd be flanked by a battalion of soldiers, all ready to burn the world at her command. Only time would tell. Alastor glanced out westward toward the setting sun as twilight began to creep over the land, bathing the world in a realm somewhere between day and night, his favorite hour of the day. He didn't have to wait long before his ears caught the sound of another approaching, and when he turned his obsidian eyes to find the wolf, he realized that none of his predictions had come close to reality.

She approached him with poise and confidence, pristine ivory fur almost glistening in the fading light of day, moving like a beautiful phantom across the earth. Streaks of darker fur clung to her features like painted shadows, and her cherry red eyes made no effort to hide her appraising gaze of him. The rumors were true, it seemed, and Recluse seemed more like a goddess given corporeal flesh than a mortal being. Though she was smaller than he and looked as if he could sling her over his back with minimal effort, the power that exuded from her posture and demeanor left little doubt that she didn't need physical strength to reign supreme here. A lesser wolf might have found the woman intimidating. Alastor simply smiled, a flash of pearly white teeth against an endless sea of black shadow.

The behemoth of a wolf turned to face Recluse when she introduced herself, greeting her with a dip of his head, though abyssal black eyes never strayed from the amaranthine gaze of the Seraphim. "Alastor, and the pleasure is mine as well, my lady. I cannot think of a more fitting title." Though she was obviously sizing him up, Alastor was as cool and at ease as ever. It was almost comical, he thought, that they appeared so perfectly the other's opposite. Her, an alluring and svelte creature swathed in white, and he, a monstrous being of solid muscle and living shadow. He grinned all the while he spoke in his smooth baritone vocals, "I heard your name spoken during an audience with Ashen. I'm attempting diplomacy on behalf of my queen's future pack and you were mentioned to be Ashen's ally. I was hoping you could grace me with a moment of your time, tell me about your empire, perhaps start some mutually beneficial connections between our packs."

That last part was left vague intentionally, open to interpretation by the alabastrine woman. He had come with his intentions, but she could set the tone for their meeting. Alastor was all too happy to play whatever game this turned out to be. His grin, ever present yet not out of place on his face, held steady as he awaited her response. He'd served the first volley. Would Recluse play ball?


"Alastor"