Navigation - Redbud Nook

With a groan Kanja finally decided it was time to get up. She rolled over and stretched as if she were about to rise and then, because she wasn't quite feeling it, she relaxed and lay still with a sigh. Since coming of age and leaving her mother, Kanja had been reveling in her newfound freedom. It wasn't like her mother had been a tyrant or anything (on the contrary, actually, as Sabine's had pretty much given her free rein since birth), but for the first time in her life, Kanja was making all of her own decisions and she didn't have to concern herself with the well being of another. She was doing whatever she wanted, whenever she wanted and it was fabulous.

A breeze caused the branches overhead to sway and for a moment a sunbeam streamed through the leaves and bathed the giantess in too bright light. Briefly her stinging eyes closed and a grumble left her lips. Okay, okay. She could take a hint. Time to rise and shine, bitch.

Before she could talk herself out of it again, the giantess quickly got to her feet. She shook out her coat and then arched her back in a catlike stretch. Having spent much of the last year in her mother's homeland Kanja had finally decided to return to the lands of her childhood. She had vague memories of north Boreas, of the cold that hadn't been quite as cold as the motherland, and, upon deciding to make her own way, the giantess had decided to return to these warmer lands. So far these lands were better than she remembered and she intended to explore as much of them as she could. The Nook, where she found herself currently, was a beautiful place unlike anything she'd ever seen. She was used to the snow and ice of a desolate northern 'scape. But this? This place was beautiful. For starters, it was green. Like, green, green. On top of that, the trees here were covered in beautiful blossoms. Pink, red and purple flowers bounced and swayed with the breeze. The huntress wasn't into all that gooey pretty, pretty princess stuff, but she couldn't help but appreciate the beauty here. Until coming to The Redbud Nook Kanja hadn't known a place like this could exist.

With a yawn the giantess decided it was time to head out. If she was going to explore the whole of Boreas, she needed to get started.

Oddly enough, in this area, Ashmedai's orange-red floral shirt didn't seem all that bright compared to the trees. It was bright, sure, but Ash was a firm believer that everyone should see these trees at least once because- wow- they were colorful.

Ashmedai was kind of meandering his way to Abaven to see how Vali had been dealing with... well everything. Looking at these trees, however, Ashmedai wondered how come no packs had claimed these lands. He also wondered if these trees were one of those plants you could tear a piece off of and stick it in the ground to grow another plant. Abaven could use some trees.

Now it was just about getting one or five branches small enough to carry and stab into the ground later.

Ash picked a nice tree and sized it up. He could probably reach those branches. He backed up, gave a convincing butt-wiggle, then charged the tree. The large brute got a whole two steps up the trunk before losing momentum and courage and flinging himself back onto the ground.

He continued this, sometimes making three or four strides up the tree and snapping his teeth at the branches, sometimes falling back down- either on his paws or his butt.

Why were trees so hard! Maybe there was a smaller one somewhere...

The pretty trees aside, there wasn't much to see in these woods. They were just...woods. The terrain was uneven and rocky in some places, but it was all pretty much the same. Redbuds here, redbuds there. A stream, some jagged rocks, maybe an outcropping...and more redbuds.

There were hints here and there that suggested that forest had been very different at one point. Every once in awhile she came across an old charred stump. At first Kanja didn't think much of them, but after awhile it became clear that a fire had spread through these parts. She didn't know how far it had spread, but so far everything that she'd explored appeared to have been affected in some way. And that made sense; the forest, with all its low growing vegetation and spindly little redbuds, was young. How else would the little trees have managed to take over such a large area? They didn't grow tall enough to compete with the oaks or the elms.

Thud.

Kanja canted her head to the side. Now, what the hell was that? Thud. She let the sound lead her. As she drew closer smaller sounds filtered in with the heavy, hollow thudding. There was the sound of footsteps through leaf litter, a series of scraping sounds and then... Thud. She didn't know what to make of it. Whatever it was, it sounded interesting. Kanja sped up but was careful to watch her step. While she was eager to investigate she wasn't going to throw caution completely to the wind. For all she knew it could be a pair of bears getting it on - and that was the last thing she wanted to walk into. She was going to be quiet and if it was bears, or something equally unappealing, she'd turn around and sneak off.

As she drew nearer the giantess adopted a low, predatory slink. She was a bit too big to use the low foliage around her for cover, but it didn't hurt any to lower her profile from looming over the ferns to lurking just above them. Thud. There! Her gaze fixed on...well, wait. What exactly was she looking at? Kanja squinted. It was a wolf, that much she was sure, but what was on it? She couldn't tell if he had some kind of disease or if - ew - the wolf was missing most of the skin on his torso. From his neck to perhaps the middle of his chest the brute was a garish red-orange. Not quite the color of healthy tissue, the skin (if that's what it was) was smooth and mottled with... She squinted and drew closer. Were those flowers? And was that fur poking out from under the neck of the red-orange...thing?

She watched as he ran at a tree and then leapt up at the branches with parted jaws. Perhaps the weirdness across his back wasn't the oddest thing about him. He could still very well be diseased, but the red-orange second skin aside, he looked to be in decent health. Maybe he was just crazy.

Kanja was intrigued. She'd never met a crazy wolf before. That he appeared to be about her size should have maybe been a little worrying, but what the hell. She was going to mess with him anyway. The brute paused what he was doing and Kanja saw an opportunity to reveal herself. "You know," she said sagely, "it might be easier to walk around the tree instead of over it." The giantess shrugged, feigning nonchalance as she eagerly awaited a reaction. "Just a thought." Was he crazy? Rabid? She couldn't wait to find out.

So this method wasn't working all that well, but Ash felt like with each attempt, he was getting closer to his prized branch. He had chosen a perfect one full of flowers, but perhaps just a little too far out of his reach to be considered a fair target. Just as the tall brute paused for another reassuring butt-wiggle, a voice called out to him telling him it might be better to walk around the tree. Icy eyes glanced towards the woman, a toothy smile rising on his maw. "Yeah, and it might be easier to mind yer own business," he called as he launched himself back at the tree. He missed. Again. At leas this time he landed on his paws. Now that he was facing the woman, he thought an introduction might be necessary, "Ashmedai Imperialis, by the way. And I'm trying to get one of those stems to plant in a pack a little ways over. Knowing that, do you have any helpful advice?"   Ash stared the woman down- or was it up, THEN down? She was about as tall as he was. "Hey now, if I lean against that tree and you use me like a ramp, I bet you could reach that branch. Whaddya say?" His demeanor was at least friendly, if not a bit dumb. Maybe he had fallen one too many times today. He probably should have offered food or something in return, but really, it was up to the woman to decide what was worth her time. Until then, Ash waited, tail waiving behind him and his lopsided, goofy smile.

The gaze that appraised her looked a little too keen to belong to a sick guy, so Kanja was willing to rule out disease. Crazy, though? She watched him, her expression amused, as he took another running leap at the tree. Kanja wasn't quite ready to rule out crazy. As for his jab about minding her own business, he had a point. But where was the fun in that? "Touche," she simpered back.

Her stubby tail lashed from side to side as he introduced himself. She sized him up as he spoke and even though she tried hard not to, her gaze kept getting drawn to the flamboyantly colored thing on his back. When he finished speaking Kanaj made a point to hold his gaze. He wanted to do what exactly? Crazy indeed! She didn't have much experience with the trees here, but back home she was fairly certain new trees didn't grow from broken branches. It was a strange and silly idea not unlike cutting off a leg to grow a puppy.

His suggestion pulled an amused snort from her. Was he serious? She couldn't tell. "The name's Kanja." As for his request for advice or assistance... She quirked a brow before feigning a pensive expression and turning as if she were about to head back the way she'd come. "I'm afraid I can't. Gotta mind my own business." Maybe if he begged. She was a sucker for begging.

Ashmedai smiled at the woman's little 'touche,' good, so she could take it like she dealt it. That was admirable, unlike some of the god wannabes on the island- Pyralis excluded, of course, since she was cool as fuck to be around. The woman's stubby tail wagged behind her and for a split moment, the only thought in Ash's mind was, "Adorable." He didn't dare speak it, though. So her name was Kanja? Ash's mind flashed to the steely woman named Katja. They... probably weren't related... right? They bore some resemblance, but not enough to be conclusive and there were some obvious differences anyway. What a shame. If she was related to Katja, the two could have been distant cousins. Oh well, couldn't be related to all the cool kids. After Ash had proposed his plan, the girl simply said she had to mind her own business and looked as if she was about to leave. "Hold up now. If I ask for help, it becomes your business too. Besides it's- uhhh- for a good cause." Ashmedai held onto a goofy grin. "It's for a friend of mine. A real damsel in distress type girl- well more or less, but don't tell her it to her face. Anyway, she could use some cheering up and you wouldn't wanna leave a charming little- like tiny, TINY- girl all sad and alone, would ya?" Okay, maybe Sparrow wasn't the best hook. He was speaking to a woman anyway. "Or, hear me out, if you're not into that, then I'm SURE you- uh-" shit he didn't have a good male alternative. What did women like again? "Don't want to leave a fashion-forward male like myself here getting all dirty and possibly horribly injured as I throw myself at this tree over and over again...?" He tried to sound dramatic. He was rambling. Ash paused to slink a little closer to the woman, his maw curved into a stupid grin, "Pleeeease?"

Kanja had just turned her back on the brute when he began to protest. Success! The corners of her mouth rose in a victorious smirk - a smirk that disappeared moments before she turned to face him again. "It's- uhh for a good cause." She sized him up, her expression skeptical as she took him in from silly smile to gaudy garment. "This aught to be good..." The giantess was happy to be entertained, though, so if he wanted to try to woo her to a cause she was willing to give him a chance. At the very least she thought she could get another laugh at his expense before she left.

A damsel in distress type? So, in a nutshell, he wanted her to fling herself up a tree like a demented squirrel so he could have a shot at getting laid. Yeah, that sounded like a great cause. "Or..." She quirked a brow, her expression still skeptical but now tinged with barely concealed amusement. Instead of offering a word or two she remained quiet in the hopes that he would keep rambling on; presumably sweating as he waited for a reaction from her. "Let him squirm." It would take a lot of begging and probably just as much bribery to get her to launch herself off his back.

Ashmedai floundered around for a more convincing pitch and finally settled on... Well, wait. What? She should help him because he didn't want to get dirty? Kanja couldn't take it any longer. She snorted a rude laugh that quickly subsided to a playful (yet no less rude) giggle. "Wait, so you're wearing that thing on purpose?" Up until now she'd entertained the idea that it had swooped down out of a tree and attached itself to him like a tick.

Okay, okay, she relented, "I'll help you because you're funny, BUT," her eyes glittered and her stubby tail once again aggressively lashed from side to side, "I expect something in return." That was assuming of course he still wanted her help. After all, she had just insulted his fashion sense.

Ok ok, so the woman wasn't exactly sympathetic to him, but he DID make her laugh. Ashmedai would take it as a success for now. She jabbed at him, asking if he was wearing that thing on purpose. He feigned offense- he knew he looked incredible- and gasped, "Are you telling me you DIDN'T get to choose your pelt? I thought ALL wolves got to... Maybe you just prefer au naturale?"

The woman eventually conceded and offered to help, saying she expected something in return. Ash shrugged, "Anything but my overcoat, darlin'. Your wish is my command."

Ash did a mock bow then sprinted off toward the tree.

"BUT FIRST!"

He reared, flagging out his tail for balance and using his forepaws to brace himself, "Think you can use me as a ramp?"

His words drew a snort from her. Her tone full of sass, Kanja retorted, "When you're born beautiful, you don't need to change a damn thing." If he was smart he'd keep his sassy paws off that statement.

"Your wish is my command." Well, damn, that was easy. Kanja had been prepared to barter. If she was going to sacrifice her dignity for a tree branch she was going to make it worth her while, but hey, if he was willing to sell his soul for something so trivial she wasn't about to stop him. That damsel of his must be real beauty. "Oh, goody," she said sarcastically, "I've always wanted a "fashion-forward" servant to do my bidding." As for what she was really going to ask in return, Kanja hadn't decided. She'd expected some resistance and, finding none, she didn't know what to want.

Ashmedai bounded to the tree like a giant, gaudy puppy and Kanja, with much less enthusiasm, followed slowly behind. His plan was awful, but she wanted his soul, so what the hell. Why he couldn't just uproot a sapling or find some seeds was beyond her, but she wasn't about to question him. It was his soul, after all. Not hers.

"Um..." She reared up behind him and placed a paw on his back to test her launch pad. His skin (and the fabric over top it) felt wobbly beneath her paw. She could feel it roll and bunch over the muscle and honestly, that didn't fill her with much confidence. His overcoat felt thin, almost like wilted leaves, and she doubted the fabric could handle her running and jumping on it. Kanja frowned. Yeah, this was a shit plan.

The giantess hopped down and backed up a step. "Maybe you should take your overcoat off. I'd hate to rip it and force you to go au naturale."

This girl was adorable. She was the same height as Ash, but something about her just screamed 'adorable' to Ashmedai. Maybe it was the stocky tail or the unapologetic sass.

At her comment about being beautiful, Ashmedai quirked a brow and made a point to look her up and down. It was hard to argue with that logic. She was beautiful. Her coat seemed to shine almost purple. Maybe, somewhere up the line, this woman was a Saxe. That would at least explain the powerful and attractive nature of the woman, though he had no idea where the rust markings came from, and without any eye spots, it was impossible to link her to anyone Ashmedai might know besides Cascade. Ash himself wasn't related to Cas, but he had a crush- or was it an idolization- of the woman most of his childhood.

Either way, Ash couldn't argue with her statement about being beautiful.

As for her saying she had always wanted a "fashion forward" servant to do her bidding, Ashmedai wasn't in a position to argue that either. He tossed a wink at her. If she wanted his soul, all she had to do was ask, no favor needed.

After she tested her springboard, Kanja decided it was insufficient and that Ash should take his overcoat off. "If you wanted to see me undressed, you could have just said so," he said. Bending over, Ash used his forepaws to hook the collar and pull the shirt over his head. After that, it was just a few moments of awkward squirming to get out of the shirt. He placed it gingerly by the tree, then looked back to Kanja.

"Well? What do you think? Like what you see?" Ash did a little twirl for her, "Now, as tempting as it must be to get distracted by my bare coat, let's get down to business."

Ash readied himself as a ramp onto the tree again. He looked back, waiting. Any minute now...

"Yeah, that's it," she retorted immediately, her voice dripping with sarcasm. "You've got me all figured out, don't you?" Her eyes narrowed to rude, catlike slits as she watched him wiggle out of his "overcoat". If he wanted her attention, she was going to give it to him. The idea was to make him uncomfortable under her scrutinous gaze, but she doubted she'd be successful. She didn't know him well, but he was clearly too much of a goofball. It didn't hurt to try, though.

Once the wretched thing was off he turned to look back at her and asked her opinion. Honestly, he wasn't bad looking. No way in hell she'd say that out loud, but yeah, he was good-looking for a silly weirdo. Instead of telling him this Kanja frowned deeply as she studied him. "I see why you wear it."

Alright, it was demented squirrel time.

Kanja took several steps away before turning back to the tree and lining herself up behind Ashmedai. This was still a stupid idea, but she was dealing with a guy who was happy to let her stomp all over his back. How could she say no to something like that? Oh, that's right. Dignity. That thing she was usually so keen on cultivating and was momentarily casting aside so she could win the servitude of a gaudy goofball.

Without warning Kanja ran at Ashmedai full speed. In a matter of heartbeats she was launching herself up the brute's back. Her front paws hit first right in front of his shoulder blades, then her back paws hit just above his hips. Landing this way made it so that her hind legs were coiled beneath the bulk of her body. Hopefully he could handle being stomped on, because that's what she was about to do.

With a rude kick of her hind legs (and an equally rude smirk on her lips as she thought about just what exactly her claws might be doing to his back) Kanja launched herself up the tree. Her front paws stretched upwards and clawed at the bark as she tried to half climb, half jump the distance between herself and the branches. Her jaws parted as she set her sights on a branch. She was going to make it.

Success! Kanja's teeth sank into the base of a slender branch. For a moment she hung there, suspended weightlessly as her momentum continued to carry her upwards, and then that moment was passed and the woman's body slammed into the trunk of the tree. She hung there for a moment, her teeth peeling bark off in zig-zagging lines as she swung back and forth, and then the branch gave under her weight and she began to fall.

Perhaps something Ashmedai hadn't considered was that things that went up inevitably came back down. If he didn't move she was going to flatten him. Not that she had a problem with that. A nice, fashion-forward cushion might make her landing a bit easier.

Ash let his smug little smile linger. Kanja said she could see why he wore the shirt and Ashmedai simply nodded, "I know, right? If I went around like this, there would be no telling how many potential mates would be flinging themselves at me, begging for even just a night in my den."

He was totally overdoing it. He had a feeling this woman would know he was kidding.

Ashmedai braced himself, but as Kanja threw her weight on him, Ash couldn't help but wince. The pain, however, didn't distract from Ashmedai's exuberance as he peered up, eyes wide, waiting to see if Kanja could really do it. Sure he was probably bleeding a bit, but that was normal for the reckless brute. His paws already sported several cuts from his earlier attempts, so it wasn't a big deal.

As she grabbed onto the branch, Ash's maw parted. They had done it! When her body slammed into the tree, bits of bark and debris fell down and Ash was forced to squint his eyes. Some got in his nose, spurring a sneezing fit. Ash pushed off the tree, standing on all fours as he sneezed eight consecutive times.

Before he had a chance to recover, he was crushed by Kanja's inevitable fall. While he was surprised, it served to remind him that- hey did Kanja get that branch? He squirmed halfway out from under her, turning to throw his forepaws over her rib cage, trying to wrap around her enough to see if she had the branch in her maw.

"Did you get it?" he asked, his voice a little strained from contorting his body. Had he stopped to think for a second, he would have realized that he should free himself from under her before asking questions, but of course he didn't. They could deal with untangling themselves- and Ash's injuries- later.

For a brief moment as she first made contact Kanja straddled Ashmedai like a pony. If she could have just landed like that she would have been great, but the big oaf had to go and fold up like a clam. In an instant the pony moment was over and Kanja was sprawled out on top of Ashmedai. She'd been wrong; he made for a lousy cushion. He was far too lumpy. And the branch in her mouth didn't help any. She'd managed to pull it down in a way that caused it to slash her left side as she made contact with her fashion-forward landing mat.

Before she had a chance to recover Ashmedai was on the move. He twisted, half under her and half over her, in search of the branch. Really? Kanja was winded and achy - achy in unforeseen places thanks to the pony moment - and yet somehow the guy that just got flattened was better off than she was. "Of course I got it." She sniffed. "I'm in need of a gaudy henchman."

Her ears slicked back. In his eagerness to see if they'd been successful he'd almost wrapped around her. If she really wanted to she could fling him off and get free, but for the hell of it she was going to issue a command. Because why not. "Now get your paws off me so I can get up."

As Kanja revealed that she had gotten the branch, Ash barked out a laugh. She ordered him to get off of her and Ashmedai wormed his way out from under her. He bounded in several rapid circles in excitement, occasionally leaping over Kanja to avoid clobbering her. He was hurting, but he didn't think about it. He was favoring his back left paw, but it only slowed down his crazy running slightly.

Finally he stopped, skidding to a halt by Kanja, "Lemme see!" he huffed out, tongue lolling out of his wide, open-maw smile.

"The girl we're going to see"- yes, we- "is a healer so we'll be fine. Besides, she'll owe us after bringing her this tree, right?"

"Oh my god." It was like dealing with a child. Instead of rising when Ashmedai did Kanja stayed where she was and simply watched while he frolicked about like a bunny. She was torn between being amused and annoyed. It was kind of funny to watch a grown man run around like a kid, but at the same time he was a grown ass man. Each time he jumped over her Kanja's tail briefly lashed from side to side. If he'd just move a little closer to her paws she could reach out and trip him.

Kanja finally rolled to her paws and then stood still a moment as she assessed the damage. She was still achy and there was a metallic taste in her mouth that suggested one or more of the sore spots in her mouth was bleeding, but she'd managed to catch her breath while Ashmedai did his little victory dance. So there was that at least.

"Lemme see!" See what exactly? It was just a branch; it wasn't going to do tricks or anything. With a jerk of her head Kanja drug the branch around so that it lay between her and Ashmedai. To emphases her lack of amusement she then let it fall unceremoniously to the ground. "Looks like a branch to me." After a beat she added, "Shocking, I know."

Wait, what did he say after that? We? Maybe his head had bounced off the ground during their little tumble because they definitely were not a 'we'. "Whoa, whoa, whoa. We? I don't remember agreeing to get the branch and shmooze your little girlfriend." She eyed him speculatively. "You're a big boy, I think you can handle the damsel yourself."

Panting heavily, Ash waited for Kanja to right herself. At his exuberance, she reacted with a less than thrilled tossing of the branch. Ash noticed, but didn't care. He did a little hoppity dance towards the branch. His back leg was beginning to throb a bit more now. Guess it was time to go visit Sparrow so she could fix them up.

When Kanja tried to stop him from dragging her with him, Ash looked up with the most innocent look of surprise he could muster, "Oh? You're already letting your servant go? That's so sweet of you!"

The smirk that snuck up on Ashmedai's face revealed his true personality. He walked over and wormed his way back into his shirt.

"Besides, rumor has it, she'll be alpha soon. Wouldn't it be nice to be on the good side of an alpha?"

Ashmedai went to pick up the branch, tossing one last glance at Kanja, "But if you're really willing to let your own servant go to woo a damsel-future-alpha in distress, hey, I can't blame ya. See ya Kanj'!"

He grabbed the branch and began to trot away, "I could give ya a tour, though. You know, if you're not too busy freeing your servants."

Kanja's eyes narrowed to slits and her stubby tail lashed angrily from side to side as Ashmedai turned to leave. He had her and she knew it. The giantess fumed silently as she watched his retreat. The temptation to run after him and sink her fangs into his haunch was great, but for the moment - and she was by no means ready to let that tempting idea go completely - she resisted the urge. She couldn't collect her debt unless she followed and if she fought him now it was likely that he'd fight her every step of the way. At least that what she would do if the roles were reversed.

Kanja huffed and licked her lips as she once again became aware of her injuries. It wouldn't hurt to ingratiate herself to this pretty little princess healer. A scheme began to form. Perhaps if she played up her injuries she could earn the sympathy of this soon-to-be alpha. After all, Kanja had gotten them while trying to get something for her. Maybe this little detour would be worth it.

"Fine," she said sourly, "But if you try anything I'll tear that coat off of you and stuff it down your throat." And if he thought she was kidding, he better think again.

-exit-