I'm from out of town

Redrum watched her, the corners of his mouth twitching in response to her growl. Tall ears standing at attention atop his head, listening for any movement in the background. Always on alert. He acknowledged her with a slight incline of his chin. Her name, Hestia, lingered in his mind. What did it mean? He noted her tail lowering, inviting his gaze to fully survey her features, while his muscles relaxed somewhat in response. He was returning her energy back to her, to the best of his ability. And how curious that tail was; it caught his attention with every twitch and fluid motion.

“Safe. Then.” He echoed, his voice a gravelly assurance. He did not sense ill will from her, this girl who appeared to be seasons older than he, who smelled of something soft and herbal. But no pack scent. His golden eyes were sharp and assessing, taking in her lithe form and the strength coiled within her. The moonlight danced off her fur, setting her feline rosettes alight. He half expected her eyes to be slitted as well, before her tail unveiled her dark mask with dual moonstones.

“Emerald Valley. West of— other lands.” The crimson brute replied, his speech halting but certain. "Home— for now? Does Hestia— not have a- home?" He took another step closer, the tension between them shifting from hostility to something more tentative and inquisitive. His gait, however, remained as a hunters saunter.

Her next words stilled his movements, his skull dropping to observe her closely, peering up at her confident posture. The confusion riddled his expression for a moment only. “Friend?” He repeated, the concept still foreign but not… unwelcome. He tilted his head again, considering her proposal. “Yes.” He finally said, with careful acceptance coloring the baritone of his voice. “Redrum and— Hestia can be— friends.”

Redrum’s eyes softened marginally, his focus steady as he continued to study her. The possibility of companionship, however tenuous, stirred something within him. Call it instinct, or impulse. “Redrum— protects his- friends.” The words spilled from his mouth, his promise, though simple, held weight, a bond offered to this new friendship. You could not take without giving, he knew that well. It could never be said that Redrum wasn’t a cautious wolf, but in matters of the… social sort, he was as straightforward as he was dense. It was an easy thing to offer up his friendship, the very thought sending his tail swaying between his hocks.


"Murder"