Where was that woman? Why had she been roaming away from Myriad territory for so long? He'd been needing to speak with her for some time, and now he needed her more than ever. While the damsel was off gallivanting about, the pack was crumbling, in desperate need of the participation of every sturdy, able-bodied wolf. Still beyond all of that, Xephyris was lonely. He was a man of duty, and keeping himself busy was normally very fulfilling. With his new rank, his responsibilities were mounting, keeping him occupied more than ever. But with all that was happening - the unpredictability of certain pack members, enemies prowling their boundaries, and Soleil angrier than ever at him... He just needed someone else to take all of his worries away. The silver-toned male wasn't one to crumble under stress, but he'd simply been taking on too much while feeling like he had no one to turn to. Surprisingly, he'd caught wind of her scent here in the East. He'd recognize her scent anywhere. Perking, he decided he would follow her trail - since he'd seen neither hair no hide of her in ages, he wasn't going to lose her now. Her tracks were stale and worn in places, but he knew he would eventually come across fresher prints. He found himself at Fontamo Bay, his paws shifting in the sand, the ocean waves gently lapping at the shore in the distance. The summer sun shining down on the exposed beach, the air had become thick and humid, messing with the scent he was following. No, he couldn't lose it now. Picking up his pace, he found himself ascending, crossing over rocks, before descending again into a small, secluded cove nestled into the beach line. He glanced around, but he didn't see her yet. Was she even here? Maybe she had moved on already. Sighing, his large paws carried him down to the sand until his toes touched the water. His head held high, he looked one way and then the other, silver eyes scouting the unoccupied beach. Where was he going to look next if she wasn't here? He needed to find the whimsical gypsy. "Talk" "You" Think

*navigation - Fontamo Bay

She had abandoned her scarf and the bells around her tail, leaving them up on a rock as she dove into the salty waters. She was grown far too hot, her scarf was starting to be too comfortable to wear, and she needed to cool off. She came up for air, gasping the substance into her lungs before she dove under once more. The waters were calm, and schools of fish swam around her. She wasn't really hungry, mismatched eyes glanced over the pretty colours as she swam past. It wasn't until she spotted a really pretty shell that she kicked down deeper. When she touched it with her paw, it snapped shut on a bit of her paw pad, causing her to let out a yelp. It was garbled by the water, but the liquid greedily entered her mouth and slipped down her throat, effectively chocking her. Flailing wildly, she kicked hard to the surface. This time when she broke out of the once calm water, she fought harder and harder to force air into her lungs. Struggling to the shore, she stood with shaky legs on the sand, coughing until her air passages were clear once more. She sucked in a big breath of air, feeling it sting her weary and salt-stripped lungs. She could have collapsed on the sand right then and there if it wouldn't have clung to her fur. Her head rested between her front limbs as she just breathed, until she felt somewhat normal again. Shaking herself out, she gathered up her tail chain, wrapping it around her tail once more. She then folded her scarf up, grabbing the fabric in her jaws instead of wrapping it around herself like she usually did. She felt chilled from her experience, but she knew that the sun would dry her off soon enough. Jaelle walked along the shore, the waves sucking the sand from under her paws as she walked along the water line. Her blue and brown eyes looked forward, and it took about a mile until she saw a tiny little dot against the horizon. She squinted to try and see past the glaring light, but it wasn't until she got closer that she realized who it was. A large smile spread across her lips, her pace picking up to an easy lope. Running was always a mistake with this clumsy ball of fur, but she didn't care. Sure enough, before she reached him she tried to dig her paws in to stop herself just short of falling into him. Only, she hit a rock as she did so, crashing right into him and most likely pushing him over into the sand, falling right on top of him. Thankfully she kept her breath this time, and dropping her scarf in the dry sand, she stood over the silver male and beamed down at him. "Well hello there, my silver knight. What brings you all the way out here?" The pack scent had washed off of her coat by now, but it still clung to him like a burr. Her nose wrinkled upwards, her eyes squinting from the movement. He was still in that smelly pack? It was so much more fun out here! No rules, no one to tell you what to do. Just freedom and only the wind at her back. "SPEAK"

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The man's broad skull drooped as his eyes failed to catch sight of the woman he was searching for. With a hefty sigh, he pawed at the water in front of him. He wasn't going to give up, he was just feeling uncharacteristically discouraged. Mopey even. As he stared at the water, his eyes scanning over its constant movement and watching each wave froth around the edges a little, his ears twitched to a familiar clatter and jingle. It couldn't be! But he knew it was her; what other wolf sounded like... some unnatural, otherworldly clamor that he just couldn't put a name to? His head shot up, his gaze moving desperately to find her. Then he spotted her bundling across the beach with her sights set on him. He blinked. Why? Why was she running so fast, in a direct line straight toward him? He shifted slightly, watching her as his jaw began to gape slightly, one side of his upper lip twitching. Wait... she wasn't going to stop, was she? More like she wouldn't be able to stop. As she put on the brakes, though not soon enough as she bumbled into a rock, he cringed, bracing for impact in three...two...... "Oof!" he grunted as she collided with him, sending him crashing to the ground, a rock jabbing into his ribs. Oh, this was just great. Xephyris felt his temper spark as she toppled over him, paws and elbows jabbing into his chest. Why was she so clumsy? Didn't she learn anything? Silver eyes narrowed, and he was about to part his jaws and start scolding her, for being so careless, and for leaving the pack for so long without a word or even showing her face. Yet, he bit his tongue as she got to her paws, beaming down at him, and started speaking. "Well hello there, my silver knight. What brings you all the way out here?" His tension melted away, and he realized he couldn't be mad at her. In fact, he realized he was very pleased to see her - he'd been longing for her company, but he hadn't expected to feel so delighted once he'd gotten over his initial anger. With a pained grunt, he rolled over and propped himself up on his elbows, pushing himself to his paws as he winced slightly. He knew he'd be fine once he walked it off a bit, he'd just have some bruises. "Jaelle," his low voice came forth, greeting her rather gently - he paused for a moment as he eyed her dropped scarf. Was she really going to just leave it there? He glanced back up at her, slyly placing himself between the woman and her scarf as he drew closer to her. But sincerely, he reached forth his muzzle and brushed it against her own in an unabashed greeting. After all, he couldn't ignore her beauty. "I came out here looking for you," he murmured, maintaining eye contact as he gingerly moved a forepaw to press down on the edge of the scarf, "But looks like you found me instead. Oh, and thanks for the souvenir." Just then, he turned to reach down, snatching the scarf and prancing a few paces away from Jaelle, tossing the scarf over the back of his neck. He had no idea how to tie it, but he still grinned proudly as the scarf draped around his neck. However, when he'd bent down to pick up the fabric, he thought for a brief moment that he'd seen a flash of red. Doing a double-take, he looked to her paw, and it became apparent to him that blood was staining her mottled gray coat. Sudden concern flashed through his eyes, and he moved closer to her again, his head dipping to look a little closer at her paw. The scarf drooped down, lightly brushing over his ears as his neck tipped downward. "You... You're bleeding!" he said somewhat urgently - wait, why was he panicking? Blood wasn't something new to him, and it had never caused him to feel startled. So why now? "What did you do?" he asked, although it could have been anything, considering her ungraceful antics, "Are you alright?" So far, she had looked so unconcerned, did she even know she was injured? He supposed it would be just like her to not notice something like that. "Talk" "You" Think

When they first fell over, the monochrome woman did not miss the look of anger flash in his eyes. It just made her smile, he had always had quite the temper. She wouldn't be fazed if he snapped at her, it was something she could take in stride. She was used to it as well, traveling with the troupe she would run into a lot of different personalities. She had also grown a lot in the past few seasons, she was no longer cautious like she had been at first. Jae had grown into herself, and being alone had taught her a thing or two about surviving. It would seem that when she spoke though, his mood shifted rather quickly. Blinking at him, she pulled herself off and stood in front of him, her bells chiming along with every move that she made. Her head tilted to the side as he said her name in a rather soft tone, throwing her off a bit. She was more than aware of the bits of flirting that had gone on between the two of them, but it shocked her to hear him speak in such a calm, gentle tone. That wasn't the feisty knight she had met back in Myraid, but something else completely. Had something changed to make him more vulnerable? While this was all going through her head, she didn't realize that he put himself between her and her scarf, she was too wrapped up in the mystery that was Xephyris. And then he did something else that caught her off guard, his muzzle brushing softly against hers. She felt a heat rush to her cheeks, something that was not very like her. She was often prepared for things like this with great comebacks, but she was drawing a blank right now. She blinked several times, having to shake her head to break out of her trance. A smile slowly spread across her lips as he leaned back, a soft laugh leaving her lips. "Well now, I guess distance does make the heart grow stronger," she said with laugh. When the silver male said that he was out here for her, her head tilted to the side. Why would he come searching for her? Didn't he have a precious little thing back in Myraid to keep company? She was intent on his features, his subtle paw movement going without notice. She giggled when he brought up the fact that it got turned around. She didn't bring up the fact that she had almost drowned, that would not be something that he liked to hear. He would probably get mad at her and tell her to stop being to clumsy. But then he said something about a souvenir, and once again she was left confused. That was, until he bent down and wrapped her scarf around him. She let out a sharp bark, dancing after him. Her one paw was sore when she pushed down, but she just shoved that thought aside. She had kicked a rock, it was probably just a bruise. "You're not even wearing it right! If you want to make a good get away, at least put it on properly!" she said with a laugh. She had to admit, he looked rather good with the piece of cloth draped around him. Maybe she should go off and find one for her silver knight, as a token of all their good times together. But before she could reach him to fix it, he was right back in front of her again, looking at her paw. What, what? Concern touched his voice when he said that she was bleeding, to which she raised her paw and looked at it. Little beads of blood pooled at the bottom of her paw pad, gathering in a large droplet before painting the sand crimson. "Oh... I guess I am," Jaelle's voice was rather calm, it wasn't unusual that she found random bruises and cuts on herself, with her clumsy paws always tripping up under her. The splotched woman was rather touched though, that he was suddenly so worried about her. She wouldn't mind being fawned over for a little bit, she had been on her own for some time now. When he asked what she did, she sat on her rump, hurt paw still in the air, and thought back. "It was probably when the pretty clam decided that I looked tasty and took a bite of my paw. And almost made me drown," Oops. She turned down and quickly looked at him, her mismatched eyes growing wide. She had not wanted to mention that. When he went on to ask if she was okay, she was very tempted to play it up, but that would probably not go well with the fact that she had just admitted what had happened. She shrugged her shoulders casually, searching his face with her unmatching eyes. "I'm fine, I've had a lot worse happen." "SPEAK"

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He chuckled with amusement as she danced after him with a little bark, obviously caught off-guard by his quick movement to snatch the scarf. Apparently she didn't like the way he was wearing it. How fun it was to tease her; he loved her reaction, it was truly adorable. And he loved the way her bells jingled with every movement, and sound he'd grown to enjoy although it had been so foreign at first, maybe even a little bit obnoxious. Of course, the laughter didn't last long after he'd spotted the blood around her paw. Jaelle herself didn't seem too concerned about the fact that she was bleeding, casually raising her paw to look at it. Glancing up to meet her gaze, he shook his head as he gave her a half-hearted scolding look, before looking back to her raised paw. He leaned forward, his nose reaching toward the injury as she began to explain had happened to the best of her knowledge. Hoping she wouldn't pull away, he moved to lick the blood away so that he could see the wound - he had no experience in healing, but he would at least know whether or not she needed attention from a healer when he saw the wound himself. Before he had a chance to really look close, she mentioned that she had nearly drowned. Instantly his head shot up, coming up to meet her at eye level. Her eyes were wide, making it very obvious that she'd slipped up. Had she been trying to hide that from him? "Are you serious?" he demanded, a little of his anger returning, but refusing to let his temper take hold, "I guess that explains why you're soaking wet." Sighing, he shook his head again. Why wasn't she more careful? She was out here all alone, and no one would have been able to help her if things had been worse. He didn't like the thought that she could have been laying on the sand under the ocean's surface, just as easily as she was standing here now. How did this woman survive on her own? "I'm fine, I've had a lot worse happen." That statement alone was almost worse than her admission that she had almost drowned. She was just way too nonchalant about it! He knew it was in no way his place, nor was it required of him, to watch out for her safety, but he couldn't help himself. Ever since he'd laid his silver eyes upon her sickly, unconscious form and carried her to the healer's den when she'd first dragged her bedraggled self into Myriad territory, he couldn't help but to feel protective over her. "Jaelle, you've gotta be more careful!" he insisted, eyeing her sternly, "I don't want to find you somewhere, one day, just dead... do I have to keep an eye on you myself?" He raised a brow. Not like he would mind keeping her in his sight. He couldn't imagine stumbling upon the pretty lady's body one day, and not being able to do anything. Huffing, he tried to shake that thought from his mind - maybe he was just being too paranoid, his protective nature causing him to overreact. "Nevermind that, you're here now and you're fine," he grumbled, almost as though he was trying to convince himself, "I'm just glad you're okay, and that I found you." He didn't want to dwell on what could have happened, when really nothing had truly happened, and she was here right in front of him now. "Honestly, I guess I was worried about you... and rightfully so," he muttered with one last jab at her carelessness, "I hadn't seen you in so long, and I was going to try to bring you home, even if it was just for a short time, but I have some news about that..." With the results of the recent challenge, he was glad he'd finally come across her, or, at least that she'd found him out here, because he needed to let her know that there was nowhere to go home to. He wasn't sure yet what he was going to do from now on - he'd been sure that Myriad would be his home for much, much longer. "Talk" "You" Think

He gave her a look that could make the toughest girls squirm, but not in the way that they were scared. It was only halfheartedly mean, and she could see the concern that lingered there. She was touched, they didn't know each other too well but here he was fussing over a little cut on her paw. It was nothing that concerning, it would heal pretty quickly. But still, he was worried about her and it was... cute. She smiled down at him with her paw still raised, tiny beads of blood gathering at the underside of her paw. As she thought about what had cut her, she felt his tongue run unexpectedly across her pads, making her hackles raise somewhat as a shiver shot down her spine. Blinking her blue and brown eyes, she glanced down at him while he inspected her wound, taking this chance to once again look at the male below her. At first glance, he was a rather plain man. There was nothing extraordinary about his coat, it was just silver with little flecks of black throughout it, and cream at his top and underside. If anything, he was a rather basic looking wolf. But beyond that, past the fur, was the defined muscles underneath. They rippled with each move that he made, bending and twisting around his bones and limbs. He was a very strong brute, she had had the knowledge of seeing that first paw. He had picked her up and carried her on his back, and even though she as as sick as a dog, she could still appreciate the body under her. She noticed something in his eyes that she never had before, where she thought they were only silver, little flecks of blue made themselves known in the shimmering depths. But before she could inspect him further, her dumb ass mentioned almost drowning, and he looked back up at her. Jaelle offered the male a sheepish grin, it was not something that she had wanted him to find out for this very reason. He demanded to know if it was true, a touch of his anger returning to his vocals. She just slowly nodded her head, that smile still on her lips. "I'm a walking, talking danger zone," she said softly, looking over her shoulder when he commented on her being wet. Oh yeah, she didn't really... Slowly her grin grew wider as she turned and eyed her silver knight, placing her paw back down on the ground and shaking her monotone fur. Her bells called out in alarm at the sudden movement, and water droplets flew every which way. There, be grumpy about that now! Like nothing had ever happened, she raised her injured paw back up and winked her brown eye at him. She didn't speak a single word, just acted like nothing else happened. The stocky male went on to say that she needed to be more careful, and she frowned down at him. Why was he so concerned anyways? She had made it four years without getting herself killed. But when he mentioned having to keep an eye on her himself, her ears perked. "I would never say no to your company..." she said softly, a hint of a smile gracing her black lips. He seemed to scold himself for caring too much, to which she just stood there and listened. Her leg was beyond tired now, so she finally placed it back on the ground, testing her weight on it. Some of the grains of sand stuck to the blood that was still gathering there, stinging a little bit. But the cut was shallow enough that she knew it would heal soon. Washing it off in the salt water just did not sound very nice, and she wondered if Xephyris would clean it off for her again. Smirking to herself, her tail curled around her flank as she sat, her bells dragging across the sand. He mentioned bringing her 'home', to which she wrinkled her nose at. Jaelle did not have a home, she wandered around too much to settle in one place. The mere idea of it made her snort, it sounded more like torture than anything else. But then he grew quiet, saying that he had news about that. She didn't care too much for packs, but they had healed her and given her a place to recover. She leaned forward, encouraging him with a brush of her nose across his cheek. "What is it?" she asked softly, picking up the change in his demeanor. While she was still touched, and a bit confused, about his concern for her, now was not the time to bring it up. It was her turn to listen and advise. "SPEAK"

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"I'm a walking, talking danger zone." A slight snort of amusement passed his nostrils at her comment. "That you are," he agreed, smirking at her, although he couldn't ignore the searing concern he felt toward her carelessness. His blue-specked eyes narrowed against the spray of sea water as she stood, shaking out her drenched coat right next to him, before seating herself again like nothing had happened. The sound of her bells filled the air with their cheery jingle as she moved. He chuckled, shaking his head as water dripped from his whiskers. He couldn't be mad at her. In fact, this was why he enjoyed her company so much. She always made the tension leave his body, chipping away at his stony, overly serious attitude little by little, as difficult as that could be. And she never reacted to his crankiness with anger of her own - her mood was never brought down by him, and in turn, inspired him to let go of the humorless front he normally wore. Yep, he also worried too much. He could tell in the way that she remained silent that she didn't feel his worry was necessary, and his suggestion at bringing her 'home' brought a wrinkle of disgust to her face. He sighed. He couldn't help himself. There were few things in this world that he really felt any strain of emotion for, but when he did, perhaps he felt it a little bit too much. There was little balance in his emotional state; he was stuck at one extreme or another. Jaelle's simple yet eye-catching beauty and charming personality had certainly captured a part of him. It was something he couldn't ignore, and he felt an overbearing protectiveness over her, for she seemed so naive. She was independent and capable, he knew it in the back of his mind, but that logic could not win over his concern. The few things that brought him joy, the bonds he had, however shallow, were things he was not willing to let go of easily, nor could he act like he cared less than he did. Toning down the extent of his concern was not an option. Perhaps he felt a little too strongly, but it was simply a part of who he was. He was certainly not a man to settle with just one pretty face, but she was still someone he valued, and he couldn't stop the worry that grated at him. However, he was momentarily distracted from all of that when she leaned forward, brushing her nose against his cheek as she encouraged him to describe what news he brought. He took in a breath, closing his eyes for a moment as her touch sent a delightful shock throughout his body. When he opened his eyes again, he sat up straight, looking to her duo-toned eyes. He knew the news wouldn't bother her so much as it bothered him. Xephyris was a man of routine, structure and familiarity, and Jaelle was the exact opposite. Yet, he was grateful that she was willing to listen, even if what he was about to say did not affect her. "Myriad has been disbanded," he informed her, the muscles in his shoulders tensing slightly as his ears pressed back, "So there's nowhere to go home to, anyways... I don't know what to do now. I need structure, I need a cause to lend my strength to. I can't do that just wandering around on my own." The somber conviction could be heard in his voice clearly. He knew what he wanted to do with himself, but how could he accomplish that when every pack he gave himself to fell apart so soon? He wondered if the woman would have any suggestions, or if she could eve understand the way he felt so unfulfilled without a place to root himself. "Talk" "You" Think

Xephyris agreed with her, as any wolf in their right mind would. It was pretty plain to see that she was a clumsy wolf, but thankfully she hadn't gotten to the point where she had broken anything or, you know, died. But his concern still left her confused, he didn't know that he had cared for her in that way. When she thought back, it probably did make sense. The first time they had met she was near death, thin and struggling to breath. How could anyone not see that wolf as weak, or at least in need of some worry? Mix that with the fact that she pretty much had all left paws, it made sense on a basic level. But for some reason, Jaelle thought that it went a little deeper than that. He had come here to find her, he was looking for her. Maybe she was thinking way too much into it, but... it was sweet to say the least. She appreciated his concern, but she was very good at taking care of herself. Since she had lost contact with almost everyone in her troupe, she had to learn how to defend for herself. No longer was she allowed to be the scared and afraid wolf who cowered at meeting strangers, and in a way the whole ordeal had brought her out of her shell. Jae was only usually like this around those that she knew, but now she had the freedom to play games with anyone she met, including Xephyris. She blinked her brown and blue eyes when he sighed at her demeanor. Since the beginning, she had made it pretty clear that a pack life wasn't something that she was looking for. Had she given him a different idea? Perhaps that was her own fault then, if she led him on like that. But she said nothing, just let him say what he needed to say. He seemed distracted, until her nose touched him. He blinked at her, and she nodded her head in an encouraging way. He told her that Myraid had fallen, and she frowned softly. While she wasn't a fan of packs, they had still assisted her, and Riv was a good kid. Young, very young, but all the same. He spoke about not being able to be without structure, something that she almost scoffed at. She really was the exact opposite of the man before her. But as she looked at him, he really did seem to be twisted up about this. Her frown deepened, and she walked over to bump her shoulder against his softly. "Just make your own pack then," she said simply, shrugging her shoulders. If it was something that he wanted so badly, why not just do it himself? She still had no idea how packs worked, but if someone has young as their last alpha could so it, surely Xephyris could as well. "SPEAK"

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Silver eyes searched her face as he spoke, trying to notice her reactions. What did she make of all this? Was he foolish to think she'd care at all? But she listened, and that's all he needed. And then, surprisingly, she walked over to him to bump his shoulder with her own, a suggestion coming from her maw that he hadn't expected. "Just make your own pack then." He perked up, smirking at her. It was a brilliant proposal. His mood lightened once more, his long, thick tail brushing back and forth across the sand. Now that she'd said it, it just seemed so obvious. The thought had crossed his mind before, particularly when he'd been younger and even more brash, but with time he'd become desensitized to the notion of power. Yet, with the way things had played out in his life, and with his current predicament, it seemed a better time than ever to take charge himself and create the home he'd always imagined protecting. He'd spent so much time following everyone else's ideas and goals, putting so much of himself into it, yet he'd never reached his full potential, and every time, he was left on his own again. Perhaps this apparent disaster was an opportunity for him to really test himself, to show others what he was made of. His smirk turned into a devilish smile as he looked at her. "I think you're on to something very clever indeed," he murmured with a nod, brushing past her as he looked to the small cove and the gently rippling waves, "It makes sense; if I want it done right, I should just do it myself and run my own pack. Jaelle, that's the best thing I've heard all day." His voice ended in a passionate rumble. He had just needed a push. It seemed he had grown a little soft and doubtful of himself over time, convinced that he needed to serve someone else in order to prove his competence. But suddenly he felt a fierce ambition within him, his eyes brimming with a new found determination - he would prove himself, by himself, and make it worthwhile for others to follow him. He could make this happen. But who would stand by him? He'd spent so much time in packs, and knew so very few wolves. He turned to look over his shoulder at Jaelle, quirking one brow. "Would you help me?" he asked curiously, "I know it's not your thing to stay in one place with a pack, but there are ways to work around that and I'm more than willing to make exceptions, for you. I could really use your help - and your company, from time to time. You know, anytime you feel a whim to drop by." He knew that she may have suggested he form a pack, but it might not necessarily be something she was interested in. Still, it was worth a shot to ask her - she may not be a fighter, or a stay-at-home type of lady, but surely she had other skills. She definitely knew her way around, and he saw value in that; she would know many faces, she could gather information, discover the best places for hunting or collecting herbs. It was a potential job that wouldn't keep her confined to pack boundaries and routine duties. His eyes never left her as he waited to hear what she would say, hoping she didn't think he was an idiot for suggesting she join a pack, her nemesis, like a ball and chain to her lifestyle of freedom. "Talk" "You" Think

As soon as the words left her lips, she watched the change take place in Xephyris, and an odd feeling bloomed in her chest. It was because of a few simple words, something that took her no thought had made him so happy. His tail moved across the sand and she couldn't help but beam back at him, his mood was infectious. She chuckled as he turned to her and told her just how smart she was. Feeling bashful, she tucked her chin downwards and batted her lashes at him. "Oh you know... I try," she said in a soft voice. It was odd to her that this had never came to his mind before, he had been so oriented within the pack that she would have thought that it would have crossed his mind sooner. "You would be a fine leader, Xephyris. And it makes sense, you were very well liked within Myriad. If I was able to see that, then it must be tenfold. I have no idea how you make one of those pack things but... I know you can do it," Jae leaned down and brushed her nose against his ear, before she stood up and adjusted the scarf around his neck, fixing it so that it hung properly across his neck and back. When she was happy with her work, she leaned back and nodded her head, before backing up and giving him some room. She could see something burning within his silver blue eyes, and she knew that something had awoken in him. Finding a new found affection for him building up in her chest, she nodded her head towards the waves and started to walk. She ran her bell clad tail under his chin before making her way to the waters edge, walking on the damp sand where the tide constantly ran up and down her toes. Looking over her shoulder to make sure he was following her, she set a slow pace as she walked through the waves. He had asked her to help, but Xeph knew that she wasn't a fan of the whole structure of being stuck in one place and having a single wolf to follow. Jaelle didn't like being contained, or really following someone elses rules. She let out a sigh, but peeked back up at her silver knight. He had done so much for her, it was about time that she repaid his kindness. "You're lucky that you're so cute," she grumbled playfully, a smile taking over her features once more. "I will help you, and I would stop by a lot. I'd miss your big grumpy butt by my side," She said with giggle, turning back and looking at the sand in front of her paws. "What would you want to do anyways? With a pack I mean. I really don't know much about them, the troupe was set up so differently. I'm not quite sure how I can help, to be honest." Shrugging her shoulders, she kept her brown and blue eyes looking ahead. ooc;// Sorry this is so short! "SPEAK"

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He saw her beaming in return at him, causing his tail to swish a few more times. He felt a fascinating surge within his chest as he looked at her, tucking her chin and batting her lashes at him as she spoke softly. He'd always been enamored by her beauty, but even moreso right now. He chuckled in great amusement as she complimented him, telling him that he'd make a fine leader - although he had confidence in himself, he'd always doubted whether others could see it. He knew he had flaws, but he was aware of his strengths as well. Her tone was honest as she shared her observations and her words reassuring, yet at the same time, he felt like he might melt under her gaze. "That's very reassuring," he murmured, "I'm not sure I would've taken anyone else's word for it." His skin burned as she brushed her nose against his ear before reaching to fix the scarf he'd temporarily taken possession of. He stood tall, his tail flicking into the air as she pulled back to examine her work - his silvery, blue-flecked eyes roamed over her face, to discover that she looked quite pleased as she nodded. He smiled at her as she nodded toward the water, turning and moving away from his personal space, her tail brushing under his chin, her bells jingling gently as she beckoned him to follow. Without pause, he squared his shoulders and strutted after her, his limbs moving fluidly until he joined her at the edge of the tide. His paws dipped into the water, which was refreshingly cool in comparison with the heat from the sun. He moved by her side, glancing at her as he saw the wheels turning in response to his question to her. She didn't look too enthused, but he hadn't expected her to. Yet, she still looked up at him, grumbling a few words at him playfully, causing yet another chuckle to escape him. Was his face feeling a little warm? Now that was something that didn't happen to him often. He couldn't find any words yet, so he merely smiled when she agreed to help him, absolutely delighted to hear that she might actually come to visit more often than he thought. With a giggle that made his heart thump against his ribcage, she said that she would miss his grumpy self. Well, he was really starting to feel lucky - she'd put up with a lot of his crabby attitude, and she still didn't mind spending time with him. He just hoped this wasn't all too good to be true. He would love to have her follow him, even if she was still prone to frequent roaming - as long as she came around from time to time, he would be happy. "I definitely feel lucky," he finally said, paws splashing through the gentle waves, "I didn't think I'd be able to convince you, but I'm glad. I'd love to have you by my side, whenever you miss me... you might be the only one who can tolerate me when I get grumpy." Laughter hummed past his lips as he glanced to the horizon, where the sky met with the sea. As she asked what he would do with a pack, he had something in mind already - he had thought about leading a pack before, but he'd shoved it all to the back of his mind in order to serve others. Now his ambitions were returning to the front of his mind. "I want to create a powerful fortress, one that no enemy can hope to rip down," he stated his thoughts, his tone low and gravelly, "I'm tired of being displaced. So I will ensure that my followers know how to fight, to defend themselves, their pack mates, and the territory we will claim. I want to build a reputation that no one will want to mess with." He glanced sidelong at her, wondering what she thought of that. She didn't seem like the type to be interested in that sort of brutish concept, but who knew - even the gentlest of wolves could be ferocious if need be. But if the idea of fighting and taking that role too seriously made her uncomfortable, it wasn't something Xephyris was going to force on her - he was not going to do anything to drive her away, feeling a sympathy and leniency for her that would not be lent to anybody else. "Talk" "You" Think

His words made her pause as she adjusted the scarf, but only for a moment. Her brown and blue eyes looked at him with earnest, wondering what lay under that stony exterior that he always wore. The man seemed to have a lot of friends, so why would he only be taking his word over overs? After all, she was a gypsy at heart and they could have wild souls. In the time that they had known each other, they hadn't really talked much about their past or what would lay ahead. They both pretty much ran a constant conversation, or he was fretting about breaking the rules and not being any fun. But Jaelle had seen a side of him that not many may have been granted access to. They had run around and romped while she was healing, but more than that they actually talked. She couldn't remember the last time that she had been able to carry on a conversation for so long, it was most likely before everyone in the troupe vanished. Her ears slicked back at the thought, but she tried not to linger on it too much. It wasn't until she pulled away that she turned to look at his features, a tender smile on her black lips. "I must be one special lady, then," her tone was soft, erring on the sweeter side opposed to her normal teasing manner. She said nothing else as they fell in stride along side the tide, and she tisked when she saw her scarf nearly getting wet. Shaking her head, she leaned over and pulled it looser over his neck, very quickly losing her footing. Oh great. She hit the ground before she new it, but taking it in stride she easily pushed herself back up and shook the loose sand from her coat. There, it was like it never happened. A large, goofy grin was tossed towards Xephyris, there was no way he missed it. Oh well, it was her fault for trying to walk and fix her scarf. She had worked so hard to keep it dry though, she didn't want to see it getting wet now! What a silly man he was, having a hold over her like he did. Really, there was nothing too aesthetically pleasing with him, he was more plain than she was. Whether it was from him rescuing her and becoming her silver knight or their days of talking she wasn't sure. But she had been the one to give him the idea of starting a pack, the least she could do was go and see her brainpower at work. Plus, she had grown fond of him and would most likely miss him in her wandering. If she could have it her way, she would snatch him up and drag him all over the world. But he had that little tri-coloured woman that looked at him in such a possessive way, and Jaelle was not one to share. She would have to loan him now and again, and the thought made her smirk somewhat. Realizing that Xeph was speaking, her ears flickered as she blinked rapidly, turning over to focus on him. His words elicited a slight blush under her gray marked cheeks, her lashes batting at him in a playful manner. "Well I do say, sir, you know how to make a lady blush," she tried to drawl her voice the way she had heard it in a southern land, a light giggle following her words. "I'd like you to see the world with me, but you must have your rules and your borders. You better have pretty things for me when I do come back though," she teased, aiming to bump her shoulder against his without completely falling over. When it came to handling him when he was grumpy, well... Jaelle just knew that there was that man who had stolen her scarf the first time down there. His grumpiness was just a layer that she needed to peel back until she got to his truer self. He turned away from her, answering her question about what he wanted for a pack. She was listening, but slowly started to walk towards the rocks she had seen and the cave that lay within them. The sun was staring to make its decent, and with her four left paws they best get comfy before the sun settled. Picking her way across the sand, looping her tail under his chin once more to guide him away from the water, she felt her heart drop a little when he said what he wanted. They reached the rocks and she paused, turning to face him head on. "And who are those fortress walls going to protect, mm? You, or them?" There was a past behind those blue flecked eyes, and she wondered if he needed strength and protection to hide from his demons. Raising a brow at him, she turned back around and quickly jumped up onto a higher platform of the rock face. Somehow she did it without falling, and actually made it all the way to the top. She didn't stop to see if he was following her, flopping down on the still warm rock and dangling her paws over the edge. Resting her head on top with her tail sweeping behind her, she watched as the sky started to take on a darker blue. It was a couple hours yet until nightfall, but the view was pretty great from up here. "SPEAK"

Art by Fox

Xephyris smirked when her voice came forth, her tone sweeter than normal. "I must be one special lady, then." His tail waved back and forth, cocking his head to the side as his blue-specked, silver eyes met hers and held her gaze for several moments, remaining silent as a charming smile was offered. The man didn't always have a lot to say, but some moments didn't call for words, as expressions could be just as powerful. He walked alongside her as they walked near the edge of the gentle waves, paws lightly splashing and turning up sand. Glancing sidelong at her as she went to adjust the scarf once more, he chuckled with a great, dramatic roll of his eyes as she lost her footing, quickly hitting the ground. Of course she had tripped up, no sooner than she had claimed to be fine on her own. And oh, what a shame, as he glanced at the scarf, it seemed it had been splashed by the sea despite Jaelle's efforts to keep it dry - water had sprayed up when she'd tripped. He leaned down toward her, nosing her shoulder in an attempt to help her back up to her paws, although she was up on her own before he could offer much assistance. He really did need to step back and appreciate her independence, even though he couldn't help that silly, chivalrous side of himself from showing. It wasn't his fault, it was just so easy to dote upon her. As their conversation continued, he was of course observing her expressions, and noticed the rather bashful look that crossed her face. Had he said something to make her feel shy? His thick, bushy tail flicked, amused by her playful reaction as she batted her eyelashes at him. He smirked again at her, a mischievous look upon his face. He found his gaze fixed upon her, admiring her simple beauty, ears perking to her words. So attentive on her, one of his forepaws fell into a dip in the sand, and momentarily he lost his balance, stumbling to catch himself from falling all the way. "And you know how to make an otherwise sure-footed man stumble," he said with a chuckle, feeling no regret at looking like a fool; instead, he felt a fuzzy warmth inside. Perhaps it was slight embarrassment, but it was also from the simple pleasure of being in her company that caused him to feel a light glow. He smiled as she said she'd love to take him with her to see the world, if it weren't for his need for rules and borders - the boring stuff. "Well, I think I'll have to make another exception for you," he said, glancing to the sand to make sure he wasn't going to trip again, "A mandatory vacation away from my pack and all its boring structure." He chuckled some more, realizing how easy it was for her to reconsider things. Of course, he hadn't missed her demand to have pretty things waiting for her when she did return from her frequent travels. He would keep this in the back of his mind, and perhaps one day he could find her a new trinket to wear, or something to collect. As he zoned out for a moment, wondering about the pretty things he'd have to find for her (and wondering where on earth he'd find them), he didn't notice her change in direction, until her bell-clad tail gently brushed under his chin to guide him. It snapped him out of his musings, and his attention focused back whole-heartedly upon her, that warm feeling buzzing through him as he followed her lead without hesitation. When she turned suddenly to face him head on, he paused in his steps, somewhat surprised as she posed a question to him. He blinked rapidly a few times in silence as she spun around and leapt up onto the rocks - why did he feel like the question had stumped him a little bit? Ah, no matter. He wasn't going to stay on the sand by himself and think about it too long. He followed her up onto the rather flat rock face, watching as she flopped onto the warm surface to look out over the ocean as the sun made its descent toward the water. Xephyris moved to seat himself nearby, his forepaws gently meeting her tail. He glanced toward, still wondering briefly how he would answer her question. "That's a valid question," he rumbled vaguely, looking out over the waves as sunlight glimmered off the surface, "I suppose it's a little of both... Mainly, I want to protect anyone who has come to trust me. Long ago I, when I was barely more than a yearling... I made the mistake of running from a fight. There's nothing I can do to go back and change that... but I want my future to be different. I never want to feel too weak to face a challenge, and I never want to go through the pain of losing everything again..." He wondered if he'd made any sense. He didn't want to divulge too many details, for her sake, but also for his own sanity - in his younger days he'd spent many countless nights with his eyes peeled wide, unable to shake the feelings of shame and pain from his mind. He'd moved past it, although the feelings were still there in the back of his mind and could easily be reawakened, but he did not want to summon those feelings if he didn't have to. "Looks like we'll get a chance to enjoy the sunset," he said after a brief silence, changing the subject as he glanced to her, hoping she would understand. Not that he would hide details from her should she ask, but his past was not something he wanted to remember anymore. "Talk" "You" Think