The man had spent the last few days bringing all of his herbs to his new den at the edge of the gully. The last several hours putting the thistles in a pile for Calli and wondering if this was even a good idea. Last time he tried to give these things to her, she ignored him...hell he didnt even know if she would even want a lesson on this plant or if this was even what she meant when she asked if they could start over.

A sigh would escape him as he went over everything he knew about the plant in his mind before looking up at the treas around him. The leaves were changing, whitch meant that Calli would be in heat soon if not already. That fact alone was enought to put Max's thoughts in a bind. He wanted to protect her while also being no where near her.

A growl would erupt from the man as his frustration grew. "Damn it. he would burst out furious with himself. He would glare at the plants for a few minutes before deciding it was now or never. His black muzzle would raise to the sky and call for her. He would sink back on his haunches and glare at the plants at his feet as though it was their fault.

Walk | Talk | Think

Slowly, Calli climbed the edge of the Gulley to answer the familiar howl that beckoned her there. She was hesitant. Though she and Maximous had parted ways on better terms after she had requested they try to start over with their relationship, to build up their friendship from the bottom and regain the trust that they each had in each other, the timing was poor. Her season had finally come into effect, and there was nothing that she could do to hide the change it caused in her scent, a change that Maximous was sure to notice. If she had known he was going to come calling, Callisto might have tried bathing first, using fragrant flowers to try and hide her scent behind theirs. If only she had had some warning.

Despite her hesitation, Callisto did eventually make it to the spot on the edge of the Gulley and spotted the familiar dark shape seated with a plant settled neatly on the ground at his feet, the perfect picture of the mentor she had left behind when she had turned her back on Ebony and Yfir. It felt strange seeing him again like that, but at the same time the familiarity of it eased some of her own tension. Perhaps this could work after all, if they would only keep their particular roles clearly defined. She stopped a distance, still very mindful of her scent, and eyed the plants at his feet with a look of recognition. Thistles! The familiar spark of interest brightened her silver-blue eyes as they lifted to stare at him, and, taking a seat, she fell into the role of eager student. "The thistles?" she asked, merely to prompt the conversation to begin.

Unfortunately her heat ridden scent had found him before his eyes found her. He would close his eyes and cleanch his teath for a few seconds before watching her draw as close as she felt comfortable doing. At first she had seemed as nervous as he had but in noticing the plant she visably calmed, though just how much tention she still held onto was impossible for him to gauge. Her voice would reach his ears and his brain would cloud for a moment before he nodded.

He would look back down at the plant only to stand and take a few steps back himself so she could examin the plant closer if she wanted, and so he would feel a bit more comfortable himself. "It took me longer to find them than I had hoped. Im sorry I didnt have them to you sooner, I know how important they are to you and I wasnt sure if you had found any so these are yours...I have no use for them."

He would search his memory for everything he could remember about the plant. He found it hard to concentrate with her intoxocating scent so close, but he would keep that thought to himself. "In large doses the plant could make one sick but in small amounts, such as one to two plants, the Thistle can be used to prevent pregnancy, it can aslo help with the liver and gallbladder. I prefer not to use it for anything but birth control though as most women would be furious if I made them infurtle even if only temporary. You can find them just about anywere but I find it easier to seach palaces that animals graze."

OOC: sorry it took me so long to answer I had a lot going on and had very little muse...I fount the liver and gallbladder part here (http://www.m.webmd.com/diet/supplement-guide-milk-thistle) but couldnt remeber where I found the birth control one

Walk | Talk | Think

Despite what little optimism she clung to, Callisto could feel the awkward tension that still hung between them like a thick fog. Her previous behavior continued to play on repeat within her mind, underscoring every look and gesture that Maximous made in his attempt at normalcy. She had been wrong to think him anything like the demon that had stolen her away two years before, but paranoia had a funny way of obliterating rational thought. She was not sure if she sensed those same residual thoughts within her mind or if it was possibly some sense of estranged guilt that caused her uneasiness, but she was sure she knew where Max's stemmed from. If only she had taken more precautions with her scent before arriving.

True to his honor and the memory of him she still carried with her, Maximous made no comment about her condition, hinted nothing at his feelings if not for the initial look of strain that had crossed his patient features. He backed away from the plant, either to distance himself more from her scent or offer her room to examine the plant more closely, but Callisto chose to keep herself seated where she was. It was best not to push things too quickly, at least in her current condition. In a kind gesture, he offered them to her, tying in her need of them after what had happened to her during her first season. It was a generous gift, one Calli understood the significance of, but she made no answer and still did not approach the plant.

She listened, silent and still, as he went on to explain what he knew of the plant. Birth control, liver, gallbladder. She logged the information away with a quick nod of her head, her expression serious and attentive. She was most interested in where he thought them found, and she was surprised to hear that grazing areas was their preferred habitat. She had been searching forests, thickly vegetated locales, with such poor results, and now it all made sense. "I hadn't been able to find any on my own yet," she remarked, purposefully leaving out the dumb luck of her companion - friend? - who had been able to find some without even realizing it, "it's probably been right under my nose this whole time."

Curiosity finally drove her to act, and rising slowly to her grey paws, the healer cautiously stepped toward the plants. It was hard to keep her attention focused solely on the plants, and her silver-blue eyes continued to sneak quick peeks at the wolf who had brought them to her, but she said nothing more as she stopped before them. Lowering her head, she sniffed, recognizing their scent, their shape, and almost immediately she could recall their taste. They might have been awful on her tongue, but their effects were proven and reliable. There was no arguing with results. Finally lifting her head back up, Callisto regarded Maximous directly, pausing a moment before she addressed him. "Thank you," she made herself say.

It would take her to the end of his small speech for her move. He had only looked at her long enough to tell her the plants were hers because he couldn't handle the way she looked at him without it showing in his face just how much it hurt. So he had stared at the plant the whole time he had spoken, even now he looked at the plant only to glance up at Calli long enough to know that she was still there. He had done his best to keep his feelings locked away behind and emotionless mask, but he was sure that she would notice he was doing everything he could to avoid looking at her for more than a few seconds at a time.

Out of caution, he was sure, she wouldn't move toward the plant until after he had given her everything he new about them and even then she still looked at him as if he were going to pounce on her at any second. Her admittance to not finding the plant would cause him to look at her now. He would look at her and shake his head, he had known the younger healer for most of her life. "No, if it had been right under your nose, you would have found it. Your too stubborn not to." The moment the words had left him his eyes would turn away from her once more.

When she was at the plant he would find a new thing to look at, his paws. A small barely audible sigh would escape Maximous. He hoped she hadn't heard it as it was full of regret. Regret of everything that happened, starting with the day he left his birth pack. If he had never left the dark woman before him would never have met him, and he would never have had the chance to fall in love with her. She would not look at him the way she did now because he would be married to a woman who had no feelings for him but who bore his children. A woman who would have been given to him by his alpha and father despite the many times she begged to marry his best friend.

When she finally spoke again, his thoughts had been in a downward spiral as he realized no matter what path he had chosen his life would still be miserable. In either life he was destined to be without friends and love, that it was high time he accepted that depressing fact. This time when he looked at her it would be because he wanted to ask her who she was and what she had done with the Callisto he knew, loved and couldn't have. Those words had never left her maw before, not to him anyway. She never thanked him for anything. His brows would rise with surprise before lowering back down and scrunching together. He had questions, lots of them. "Why thank me now? You have never thanked me for anything....ever. What changed?" His voice was devoid of anything but curiosity.

My other characters are Kathleen, Ravine, Soleil, and Phoenixa(not all are currently active)

Walk | Talk | Think

He hardly spoke after he described the details of the thistle plant, recalling what was necessary in order for her to learn and then clamming right up. It was honestly no better on Callisto's end - the whole situation was awkward enough on its own but her season made it worse. It interfered with her mood, adding an uncharacteristic patience, and caused Maximous's reaction to her to be strained and seemingly painful. We should have done this after, she thought, supposing that it would have made the whole interaction easier, but she knew Max would not have waited. These plants were important to her, he had said as much himself. Getting them to her was more important than his own discomfort.

The reassurances he tried to provide went unanswered, though she wanted them to be right. She was stubborn, determined, and would have continued looking for the plants herself until she found them had they not been brought to her. Still she marveled over the dumb luck that had brought them to her this season, eyeing the plants before her with a tilt to her head. At least from then on out, for all the seasons that awaited in her future, she would be ready.

She noticed that his eyes rarely shifted her way as they conversed, seemingly determined to forget she was even there across from him. Was that easier, she wondered, or more tolerable? It irked her that her season could be so disruptive, could hinder the progress they were attempting to make, though not nearly so much as his question laced with sincere curiosity did. Why? Her brow knit, her expression darkening as her eerie calm churned toward irritation. "Why not?" she challenged back, feeling irrationally defensive, "Isn't that what others do?" Not that she had ever followed typical protocols when it came to relationships of any kind, but she was trying, in her own way, to make things right. Only now it felt like she had somehow messed it up, done it wrong, made it worse.

What had changed? Why did she legitimately try to make an effort now, to do things by the book rather than live by her own cold, selfish code? She had no ready answer to give, could not put into words what had compelled her to speak those words that had never come easily to her - and still did not. Her jaw tight, Callisto dropped her frosty blue gaze and breathed, almost a sigh, through her nose. How the hell did everyone do this sort of thing?

 He had been uncomfortable through the lesson,  in part because of Cali's season but also because of the way she looked at him and the way his own thoughts tore him apart inside. Her challenge however would bring a small grin to his features. There was the stubborn woman,  she hadnt gone far. It was the actual question that followed that brought out a small chuckle.

He would look at her then with a nod, knowing that his bit of laughter would have only served to make her even angrier. "Yes, that is what 'others' do. You are not now nor will you ever be anyone else, I always knew you were greatful for the lessons. I could see it in your face and in the way you acted...but I never thought I would hear you say it." his blue orbs would actually search her features for the first time since she had arrived. "I was merely curious...I wasnt trying to make you feel bad. Then again that was never my intention, kinda seems like thats all im good at though"

Damn it why did he ever go to Ebony. Maybe if had just chosen a different pack they wouldnt be here now. Hell he actually just wished he could go back in time so he could protect her, but he knew he couldnt. His features would soften though he figured she was probably still mad at him. "I'm messing this up aren't I? Im suppose to be acting normal, but I dont think I know what that is anymore." he would admit while trying to ignore how she smelled.

Walk | Talk | Think

He was right; his chuckle only added more fuel to the growing flames of her temper, and her ears folded halfway back to her head as she continued to glare at the ground. We'll see if I try to be nice to him again, Callisto thought frustratingly, raising her cold, pale eyes to look across the thistle plants at Max. His kind, patient, gentle smile - possibly the most natural look on him she could remember seeing in years - irked her, made her assume he was taking amusement from her reaction, but even if he had his response smoothed a bit of her ruffled fur. It seemed she had surprised him, and the shock of it had caused his laughter. Stubbornly she continued to look at him through a frown, even as her irritation began to dissipate.

Surprising her, he did not look away when his eyes finally stared at her directly, meeting her own and daring to hold her gaze when he had been so evasive before. Was this progress? A small, temporary change? It was hard to tell, hard to gauge where Maximous stood on the comfort level, and as he continued his one-sided conversation Calli felt her own comfort meter shift toward distress. Gods, did he need to bring up the old stuff? They were supposed to be moving on from that, getting past it in order to rebuilt their relationship. But even as she dropped her gaze, her brow furrowing into a deepening frown, the grey-marked healer knew he spoke truth. He had never tried to hurt her. She had only mistaken his intent.

It had taken quite a long time for her to realize it, but she knew it as truth now. The timing had been wrong, her mentality in that moment skewed to read ill intent in even the kindest of gestures. She wished she had been more stable, to have saved them both the pain that came from their broken friendship, and wished also that she had let him down more gently. He had always been kind, always generous with his time, his knowledge, his easy companionship. He deserved happiness, more than anyone she knew. Even love, if that was what he sought. Only she could not give him that.

"I don't think I do either," she echoed softly, the irritated scowl having smoothed its way off of her face and leaving her with a look that might have been misconstrued as boredom but was thoughtfully disappointed. If neither of them knew what normal was anymore, how did they reach it? Was it possible to create a new normal? "Maybe this would be easier...after this season." There was no point ignoring the big elephant in the room, the tension that hung in the air and only added to the discomfort that was naturally present between them now. If they could remove that then maybe...maybe they stood a chance.

As if on que her ears had all but flattened to her head. Just as he had predicted in his head the woman had loathed his chuckle. On top of that his words seemed to calm her only to irritate her again. Admitting to being surprised at her voiced thanks had calmed her a bit, even got her to look up at him absent her fear for him. Mentioning that he had never meant to make her feel bad however only earned him another frown. I'll take a frustrated frown over fear any day he thought to himself.

Her next response would gain his full attention. It was good to know he wasnt the only one that felt awkward,  but he hated that he made her feel uncomfortable in anyway. For a moment all he could do was stare at her, momentarily without words.

It wasnt intil she addressed her current situation that Max would have a response. A nod would be given "Your current scent is distracting...kind of intoxicating actually" he would admit aloud at last and then instantly wished he hadn't and would take another step backwards and looked away again as if to say he meant what he said the last time they had spoken. He wouldnt touch her without permission.

He would stand there quietly for a few seconds before speaking again. "I think well find a new normal to call our own, or at least I hope we will." he would look back up at her, feeling stupid for admitting his feelings to her a second time. Especially since the first time had gone over about as well as a fish out of water.

[/color][/color]