With his mind and senses throughly over sensitized from the Valhalla festival that he had attended, he felt like the only thing he wanted right that moment was a bit of quiet. It had been an interested, over all entertaining time, but still a bit much for the stoic giant. Instead of heading back toward the mangroves and hot springs, he took a slightly different path and began heading north. Since the mild weather of spring had set in it meant that the northern climate would be a tad more welcoming than it normally was. It was a change of scenery at the very least and a chance to see some sights that he hadn't seen hundreds of times The roaring, crashing sound of a waterfall pulled him toward the water feature with a mild curiosity. It wasn't as if he hadn't seen waterfalls before - they were fairly common formations around Boreas in their various forms and sizes - but it didn't make them any less interesting. It was getting to be late in the afternoon so it also wouldn't hurt to begin finding somewhere he could settle for the night. The waterfall slowly came into view, the sound of it getting louder and louder as he approached. His eyes followed it up to its peek and he felt himself tipping his head back further and further to do just that. It was certainly one of the tallest waterfalls he had encountered, that was for certain. As he stopped at the pool that had formed at the base of the waterfall to get a long drink of water, the scarred man couldn't help but think about his sister and mother and nieces. They always seemed to wander into his thoughts when he was alone. He had made his peace with the fact that his over concern for his niece's well being had possibly burned that bridge between him and his sibling, but he continually thought of them and missed them. He hadn't thought that he would since he had set out with such a deep hurt in his heart, but that had proven to not be true. The dappled male lifted his head with a sigh, looking up at the waterfall again and watching as the slowly setting sun began to paint it with pale hues of peach and orange. There was still a couple hours of good daylight left so he could have kept going if he wanted, but this seemed as good a place as any. There was some forested area around him that he could camp out in for the night so for now he settled on his haunches and continued to watch the water thunder over the edge of the cliff ahead of him and let the sound drown out his own thoughts. "Talk"

It paid to be a shadow on the wall sometimes, Azariah had discovered a festival taking place, but fear had bubbled up and prevented her from attending. It could have proved to be a good time to stock up on potions and tonics, supplies she would need for her time on her own. The witch made her way back north, away from the crowds and travelers going to join the throng, Umbra flying above her to scout the area and tell her which route to take. Booted paws silently cupped the earth as she came upon a waterfall, the only sign that the ghost even approached was a tinkling bell found at her neck on a collar. The masked woman emerged seemingly from nowhere, suddenly just there to anyone who happened to be around, delicately lapping at the surface of the water at the base of the falls. One moment the bank would seem empty, then another moment and the apparition was there. Dark red eyes search beneath the wolf skull that adorned her delicate face, landing on the earthen figure of a rather large male just a short distance away. Ears tipped forward in interest, though she dares not to approach for the moment, memories of the vicious Lucifer still fresh in her tormented mind.

Umbra crowed overhead, looking at the male too as she warned Azariah just a moment too late, causing the much smaller female to look up at her friend who gestured toward the earthen behemoth. It was a clear indication to speak to the male, but anxiety born from her first meeting of a male stopped her. With a frustrated huff, Umbra came to land at the witch's side, peering at her through one eye as she addressed the wolf. "What is stopping you?" The crow asked her, earning a droll stare from inside the skull and a softly whispered response, "The Fae haven't put in their vote." Azariah replied, but her excuse was short-lived. Umbra made a soft exasperated caw and took off for the trees in the nearby forest, scouting out a place to sleep as night began to envelop the north.

With Umbra off in search of accommodation, Azariah was effectively left to her own devices, and the overly large male. Soon enough, what she believed to be the faeries she had been waiting for began to show themselves. The lights she saw were in fact fireflies, but she mistook them and her mind did the rest. Some became faeries, twinkling in different pastel colors, others remained the glowing bugs they were in reality. The witch was aware that not every wolf had the Sight, as she called it, nor did they all believe in it. The affliction was one she kept to herself unless there was a particularly naughty fae about. They seemed to collect around the male, and as evening fell they became the only light aside from the stars and the moon. Huffing as her so-called friends gave her the sign she had been dreading, Azariah silently made her way closer to the male, stopping a respectful distance away. The black magic woman made sure to keep herself out of strike range, and made her delicate voice just loud enough to be heard over the falls. "Good evening!" She greeted in a bright, friendly tone as she dipped her head to the stranger; struggling to keep her anxiety from emptying her stomach the entire time.

If he was not on a rather high alert, he might never have heard her approach, her bell's tinkling swallowed by the roar of the nearby waterfall and her paws naturally silent. Dipping her head, Azariah removed her skull mask and revealed her true face, hoping she hadn't startled the scarred male. It was rude to remain hidden once someone was greeted, after all. In an effort to steady her nerves, Azariah moved to look at the waterfall. Reclining on her haunches, she seemed relaxed on the inside, but there was a war inside her mind about whether to bolt or remain in place and hope for the best. She had decided to remain unless things seemed to take a turn for the worst, praying to any gods that would listen to the witch that the stranger would not be like Lucifer.

Walk. "Talk." Think. "Umbra."

Art by MONSTER

The time slowly slipped away around him, sending the shifting colors in the sky into deeper and darker shades of orange, red, and purple. He hadn't intended to sit here by the pool for the rest of the evening, but with nothing better to do with his time he couldn't get himself to rise and do anything else. It was peaceful enough so he didn't entirely mind. If anything it was a nice way to unwind and relax after the unexpectedly hectic festival. The waterfall proved to be a lovely backdrop for the changing hues and colors as the day sunk into night and the darkness began to creep in around him. Just as he was about to get up and go looking for somewhere to get some rest when a firefly suddenly entered the corner of his vision. It caught his attention and pulled his silver eyes away from the falls. He watched it float through the air curiously, noticing as a few more joined him and added a subtle glow to the air along with the light that the moon and stars provided. It pulled a soft smile to his lips as he watched them, more and more of them seeming to appear as the night began to fully set in. It was a lovely, peaceful way to end his time here at the falls - even if it was quite unexpected. He pulled himself to his paws with a soft sigh, but before he could actually make a move to leave he heard a voice from behind him. The cheery voice made his ears perk with surprise and when he turned around to see who it was that had greeted him he was met with a woman that was marked with gray and black. What caught him off guard was the skull that obscured her features made her far more mysterious and perhaps even a bit spooky with the darkness around them. At first he wasn't sure what to say or do in response and it wasn't until she dipped her head to let the mask fall away that he was sure she wasn't some sort of ghost or figment of his imagination. The thing that had really startled him was the fact that she had seemingly come from nowhere since he hadn't heard her approach. That was unusual for him since he was usually so alert, but he was sure he had the sound of the falls to blame for that. "Oh, hello there," he finally said in greeting, chuckling softly to himself as he gave her a small smile. "Sorry about that, you startled me a bit there." He padded a bit closer so that they could hear each other a little easier over the roar of the falls, but he was still careful to leave a comfortable space for her. She was a good bit smaller than him and he knew just how intimidating his size could be at times. "I wasn't expecting to see anyone else out here, but this is a pleasant surprise," he added, his smile widening a bit with friendly warmth now that he was able to fully see the pretty woman he was speaking to. "I'm Ulric, by the way. What's your name?" "Talk"

It was unusual to be stared at as she removed her father's skull from her face. To be witnessed as she revealed herself as only Azariah, and not behind her mask. Shame and guilt briefly flitted over her feminine features as the stranger admitted she had indeed startled him. Bowing her elegantly shaped head just so, the ghost raised her voice just above the noise of the falls, "Forgive me, it was not my intent." Delicately, her head canted to one side, listening as he introduced himself as Ulric. It was a good name, and the fae lit up at the timbre of it, pulsing with the lights of the fireflies dancing in her vision. To the earthen male before her, it would seem she had simply just started awkwardly staring for a moment. Looking around them, as if dazzled, though she would quickly catch herself.

Azariah gave a shy smile, then moved a bit closer to the overly large grizzly of a wolf, nerves clearly written on her expression as she did so. "I am Azariah, you'll have to forgive me...it's been some time since I have socialized with anyone." She omitted the part about how horrific her last encounter had been, though, a glimpse at the sides and nape of her neck would show scars that nearly encompassed her delicate looking collar. In fact she bore many scars from her time with Lucifer. Forgotten Isle was best left forgotten. Blood red eyes met the pale silver of the male's, "Any idea what this place is called?" She asked, moving topics quickly and avoiding the touchy subject of her recent past.

Ooc: sorry, phone post xD
Walk. "Talk." Think. "Umbra."

Art by MONSTER

Now that he didn't have the distraction of her sudden appearance or the skull she had been using as a mask obscuring her face, he could really see how striking she was to look at. Her darker markings seemed to frame her form while the brighter white around her face and neck highlighted her features and pulled his attention to her ruby red eyes. The shadow of black that formed around her eyes gave her a naturally haunted look, but it only seemed to add to the mystic aura around her. Perhaps it was just the darkness of night and the fire flies that were floating around them causing her to appear this way, but he couldn't say that it wasn't working in her favor. Luckily for her his gaze had drifted away from her face for a moment as he dared to take a glimpse at the rest of her delicate frame so he didn't see the way she she was distracted and had stared off for a moment. By the time he pulled his attention back to her face she was giving him a clearly shy smile. He noticed the nervousness in her expression and how she approached him to introduce herself and it made him look at her curiously, though he didn't press her on the matter right away. He was a fairly perceptive wolf so small things like that stood out to him and made him take notice. "That's quite alright," he assured her with a smile when she began to apologize for the fact that she hadn't socialized much. "No forgiveness needed." He tucked her name away in his memories and felt like it was a name that he would want to remember for the future. Azariah. It wasn't like any name he had heard before and he caught himself repeating it to himself in his thoughts. She was certainly a beautiful and striking wolf without a doubt, but he couldn't quite figure out a logical reason for why he was so interested by her. There was just something mysterious about her that he wanted to know more about. When she questioned the name of this place, he glanced up at the waterfall as if he had forgotten it was there. It had easily held his attention for the last couple of hours, but now it seemed uninteresting in comparison to learning about her. "I'm not as familiar with the northern parts of Boreas as I am the west and east, but I think this might be referred to as Waterfall Peak," he replied before turning his pale eyes back to hers with a playful smirk, the grin pulling a bit unevenly to one side because of the scar that crossed his left cheek. "That sounds like a made up, obvious name now that I've said it, but I promise I've heard someone say that name before." He chuckled softly and hoped that perhaps a bit of humor might make her feel a little more comfortable around him. He often wished that he wasn't quite so over grown so others wouldn't feel so nervous around him, but it was the cards he had been dealt so he had to do what he could with what he had. "Talk"

He hadn't seemed to notice her awkardly staring at the dazzling colors of the faerie lights as they blended with the golden light of the fireflies. It was an odd thing to her, but the more he spoke, the easier she felt about having a grizzly bear of a wolf within striking distance. His easy admittance of not having the most knowledge of the area was a pleasant surprise from the arrogance she had become accustomed to. With that comfort came proximity, and Azariah moved closer to catch the name, Waterfall Peak, at which the corners of her mouth tugged ever so slightly into a grin.

As he smirked, Azariah felt her monochrome tail wave behind her, and she reclined into a seated position. Just in time, too, because the next thing Ulric had to say brought a heavy peel of tinkling laughter from her. "Indeed, it does sound made up, but I am inclined to believe you. Waterfall Peak sounds like a perfectly, on-the-nose name for this place." Garnet red shimmered in the sunset as a hint of her own humor came to the surface, the sun just barely peaking through a bit of the trees to gently fall over her eyes and highlight them for a moment. After their joke, she was much more relaxed, even to the point of curiosity.

It wasn't often the witch wanted to know others, but something about him was alluring to her, and the fae she saw as well. A full smile came across her features as she watched the mischevious creatures jig and delight around his head. How others weren't aware of them, she would never understand, but she was glad for the gift. It was a company only few could keep, and it wa her own little secret. "So do you always dress like a bear or is this just like...warm weather attire?" There was a teasing glint in those blood red eyes, and an equally teasing grin on her face. It was a gentle jest, one to help her get over his size as well. She didn't want him to think her rude, but she had to ask. Azariah wondered if she had met a friendly giant, one who she would later hope to run into. With the night darkening, she would have to find shelter soon, a thought that had her briefly scan the skies for Umbra. The bird had not come back yet from finding shelter, and Azariah really wanted to introduce the bear-wolf and the crow. That would truly tell her his character and if Umbra liked him, then she would keep him as a friend. Until then, she would have to wait for her bird, and worry about shelter later.

Walk. "Talk." Think. "Umbra."

Art by MONSTER

The sound of her laughter felt like the sweetest victory he had achieved in quite a while. It made his lopsided grin grow even bigger, the left corner of his mouth pulling even harder against his scar and warping it a bit under the strain. Making others happy was something he throughly enjoyed whether he was close with them or not, especially when they seemed anxious or upset in any way. He nodded in agreement when she spoke of Waterfall Peak being a fitting name for this place. "That it is, much more on-the-nose than some places," he agreed with a chuckle. "My usual stomping grounds are called the Lover's Mangroves and there is a distinct lack of lovers around there." He couldn't say he was typically this chatty or out going, but she seemed to bring the humor out of him. She pulled laughter from him in return with her comment on him looking like a bear. With his size and tone of his coat it was an easy comparison and one he had heard before, but the way she poked fun at him over it made him laugh his deep, jovial laugh. It felt good to laugh after all the worry and guilt that had been lingering on his mind lately. "Oh well, here's the secret... He leaned in with a falsely serious expression and told her in a low voice as if he was sharing his darkest secret with her. "I actually am part grizzly bear." His silver eyes sparkled with humor at his own joke as he leaned back from her again, his crooked grin returning in full force. He'd never really been self conscious about his size, but he was very aware of the fact that he was much larger than most wolves and he very rarely ever crossed paths that matched him in build and height. He'd sometimes find wolves that were similar in one aspect or another, but not both. The darkness was threatening to cut their time together short and he found himself feeling a bit disappointed. It was a rare feeling for him to be disappointed by the idea of leaving someone he had just met, but there was something incredibly interesting about her and he wanted to know more. "Do you have somewhere you typically stay? Or are you more of a traveler?" he asked curiously, his head tipping slightly to the side. Perhaps if he knew where to find her later then they'd be able to cross paths again... Of course that was assuming that she wanted to see him again as well, but thus far it seemed like she had been enjoying herself so it didn't feel like too much of a stretch to hope that. He was very quickly discovering that being alone wasn't something he enjoyed all that much so finding someone that he might be able to see consistently sounded absolutely wonderful. "Talk"

Faerie lights exploded as Ulric laughed at her quip, the rolling laughter was almost like listening to distant thunder with a sweeter disposition. She saw the way the scar on the corner of his lips tugged as humor spread over his expression. It wasn't something she was used to, male laughter, and from anyone else, it would have frightened her into aggression. Ulric's laugh made her want to make him do it again. She found her monochrome tail waving behind her as the lights pulsed with each peel of his laugh, something that made her own smile widen. She shifted closer as he leaned in with his retort, turning conspriatorial as he said he was indeed part bear. The news saw her barking with her laughter, the force of which drove her to flop over on her side almost at his feet. Even as the moment faded into easy silence, Aza stayed in her prone position before him, looking up as twilight began to darken around them. He spoke once more and asked if she had a place she regularly stayed. It had been a long time since she had stable shelter.

Sitting up on her elbows to speak better, Azariah answered him honestly. "I have not had a place to stay in a long time, not permanently anyway. I have been staying in the caves just north of here, by the cove." Blood red eyes met the silver of his and she tilted her head curiously, "What about you? Do you have a place to stay?" She wondered what his home would be like. She hadn't scented any others from him aside from those who were possibly related in some way. He could have a whole family to get back to and here she was holding him up! Her eyes widened with the thought and she looked away, her voice growing shy once again. "I am not keeping you from anyone, am I? It's so late!" She sat up then, her anxiety getting the best of her at the thought of an angry mate coming for her. With her ears pinned back and her posture screaming that she was ready to bolt, she was a stark contrast from the easy calm of a moment ago, but she kept herself hanging on his response. Her sudden nervousness was a direct result of her time with Lucifer, not wanting to make anyone angry ever again, including strangers.

Walk. "Talk." Think. "Umbra."

Art by MONSTER

He hadn't laughed this hard in a very, very long time. It felt easy with her and the quips back and forth came to him without much thinking. That certainly wasn't always the case with him since he often felt like he had to analyze every possibility and think through every thing he was going to do. She seemed to pull him out of his shell a bit even though he had no idea why this was any different from any other interaction he usually had. He didn't want to question it though, he just wanted to enjoy this rare, fleeting moment of relaxed and easy banter. The way he practically knocked her off her feet with laughter made him grin and start laughing all over again, practically doubling over with laughter with her. Their laughter filled the air around them and it sounded wonderful. The fireflies continued to linger near them and the sound of the waterfall behind him filled the empty gaps of silence between their talking and laughter. He couldn't have possibly picked a more perfect setting. When she replied to his question he nodded in understanding. It at least gave him a general area that he might go looking for her again and that was enough for him. It did make him wonder if the same magic that seemed to happen between them this time would happen again and again if they did cross paths again, but he tried not to think about it too much. He was afraid that he might jinx whatever it was that was happening here. "You'll usually find me toward the east in the Lover's Mangroves or Weeping Willows. I grew up around that area and for some reason I just keep going back," he replied with a soft chuckle. When she seemed to panic that she was keeping him from something he was quick to shake his head to tell her she wasn't so that she wouldn't feel like she needed to go. "No! No, you're not keeping me from anyone," he added, giving her a reassuring smile. "I've been living on my own for a while now. There's a pack near the mangroves that I've started working with, but they aren't expecting me back any time soon." He wasn't sure if that was entirely true, but whatever he could say to keep her from leaving was exactly what he wanted to be true. As much as he wanted to keep talking with her for hours, he did know that it was getting very late and he should probably be letting her go prepare wherever it was that she would be staying for the night. It was surprisingly hard for him to think about saying good bye and the realization confused him a bit. He admittedly could get a bit attached to others that he liked, but this felt different. It was something that he couldn't quite put his paw on, but he did know that he liked being around her. "If you don't mind... maybe I could stay with you for a bit longer? Just to make sure you get to your den safely. It is getting awfully late and I want to make sure you get there safely," he offered after a moment of silence. His constant worry that the wolves he liked and cared for were safe and taken care of showed itself in that moment, but he didn't try to hide it. As long as he was certain that she would have a safe place to stay tonight then maybe he would feel better about parting ways with her for now. "Talk"

As he responded with a general location he could be found at regularly, Azariah made sure to stow the information away, her thoughts quickly consumed by future run-ins with the male. He was a strong, comforting presence, and Aza wanted to bask in the warmth of his company forever. Social intricacies being what they are, she knew they would have to part soon, a thought that oddly had her heart aching. Sure, she was quick to form attachments, but this was unnaturally fast even for her. Perhaps it was the ease of his company that made her feel so comfortable or the fact that he seemed to take extra precautions when faced with her anxiety, the care he portrayed. Whatever it was, she liked it and wanted more.

His reassurance was quick and delivered with a gentle lopsided smile that she was fast coming to adore on him. The way his facial scar tucked and folded made her stare for a moment, but the look on her face was open curiosity and admiration for what others would deem a blemish. His body language said his words were true and she was thankful as the invisible fae around them chimed their agreement. She didn't have a response, only visibly relaxed as he reassured her, even giving a relieved sigh to release the breath she hadn't realized she'd been holding. The heart that had been so ferociously pounding in her chest began to calm and she could breathe easy knowing she wouldn't have anyone mad at her for keeping him out so late, even wolves she hadn't met.

Brief silence took over for a moment, while she recovered from the awkwardness of anxiety he spoke once more. This time his words shook her to the core. She felt her heart do little whirls, feeling as though it flopped around like a fish out of water. Her stomach quivered as though someone trapped an angry swarm of hummingbirds inside her. He wanted to stay with her a little while longer! He wanted her to be safe and to get home safely! On the outside, Azariah simply gave a huge grin and nodded, probably looking a bit too eager to have their company extended. Inside she was dancing and prancing, her paws hardly able to keep still with her excitement. She had been dreading parting ways with the grizzly bear wolf, his presence had been the most comfort she had felt in a long time. Safety had come with a price before, but she gave Ulric the benefit of believing in his kindness. He genuinely seemed to care that she made it home, though anxiety said he might just want to know where she slept for nefarious purposes.

Shrugging off the bleak thought, Azariah was absolutely tickled that he would want to come with her. "That's very sweet of you! I would be glad for the escort...there are many who would harm without cause, and I would rather have your company." She paused, then seemed to get a thought, "Although, I have been meaning to explore Boreas more, I have spent the majority of my time here trapped on an island...And, I would very much like to see this 'Lover's Mangrove,' it sounds beautiful." She smiled, subtly asking if she could go with him instead. The north, while not frigid, was still cold. Besides, she had already seen the caves and the cove to the west, she wanted to see the warmer parts of Boreas.

Her blood-red eyes were big and pleading, typical puppy-dog look, and she waved her tail hopefully behind her. If luck was with her, he would grant her request, and she prayed she had luck on her side. Even the fae around them seemed to wait for his answer, their lights fading as the fireflies found their beds for the evening, their lights slowing to flickers with less and less of them floating around. She knew time was growing thin, that they would eventually have to part, but she would rather be closer to him than a whole continent away. It was just a little clinginess that she felt, but it was also a strong pull to keep his company and be near him in general.

Walk. "Talk." Think. "Umbra."

Art by MONSTER

Even though he had been trying to abide by what he felt was proper and trying to keep himself from feeling so attached to someone that he had just recently met it was hard to hide the joy he felt at her excitement when he asked about staying with her a bit longer. Her excitement was infectious and his grin ended up mirroring her own. His tail brushed the ground as it wagged and showed how happy he was that she had accepted his offer. It felt crazy to want to stick around with someone that was still mostly a stranger to him, but he really did enjoy her company and so why shouldn't he let himself enjoy it? He so rarely let himself do the things that made him happy - too occupied by duty and obligations to let himself do anything other than think about his family and their future and what he was going to do to make a home for them. For a moment he let himself just think about how this pretty woman seemed to like being around him just as much as he liked being around her. Azariah spoke of the dangers that were out in the world and he nodded in agreement. It was the fact that forced him to worry about things far too much and often made him second guess other's intentions. He liked to think he was a pretty good judge of character, but it didn't make him stop worrying about the wolves in his life. When she shifted to talking about wanting to explore more of Boreas beyond where she had currently been staying and he saw the not so subtle pleading in her gaze he realized very quickly that he'd never be able to deny this woman what she wanted. Her vibrant red eyes had his full attention and after a moment of silence he chuckled softly and grinned. He hoped that her ability to easily sway him wouldn't cause him problems somewhere down the line. "Would you like to come to the mangroves with me?" he asked with a little nod of his head toward the direction they would need to go to get there. He'd be lying if he wasn't a bit hopeful that she'd accept his offer even though he knew she would. She'd made it pretty clear with her adorable puppy eyes that she had wanted to see the Lover's Mangroves and he was excited about the idea that he'd get to take her with him there. "Talk"

It only took a few moments for her silent pleading to be answered with his invitation, which delighted her into an excited screech and a quick, chaste kiss on his cheek. "I would love to go with you!" She said, her white tipped tail waving happily behind her, making her whole body wag and wiggle with the force of it. The resulting gait was basically the canine version of the twist as she danced around him in excited circles. "It's gonna take a long while to get there, huh? Let's start now!" Azariah was all too eager to get them moving toward his home, if only to extend her visit with the male and see his home. She would have to keep its location in her mind so she could find Ulric later. Her dainty paws hadn't made a sound against the earth aside from the whisper of a thud, until now, she pranced at him, slapping her paws on the ground in a playful charge of sorts. Suddenly, the girl had the zoomies, and she couldn't think of a better way to fix them than to run around in circles and wait for him to lead the way.

--End thread?--
Walk. "Talk." Think. "Umbra."

Art by MONSTER