"We're lost, aren't we?"

The larger dark-furred brute dunked his face into the flowing waters of the Rio Grande, pulling back after a few seconds for a gasp of fresh air to fill his depleted lungs. He dipped his muzzle back into the cool river, taking a long drink that slaked his thirst and gave him a shudder of satisfaction that could only come from quenching a dire need. How long had they been running now? Two days, three? He hadn't been keeping track, far more intent on putting as much distance between them and the shitstorm they had kicked up as physically possible. Now the two wolves stood on the southern shore of the largest river in Boreas, with no plan and no idea where they were. He shook his head, releasing a spray of water from his damp fur, then turned to fix his gaze on the silvery white female nearby. Gray eyes gleamed with vexation when he saw just how casually she seemed to be taking their situation. Then again, she had been the one to knock their plans off the rails, despite how much she had insisted the opposite.

"You said you knew where you were going, and yet we're back at this same damn river again." Azriel peered around the verdant forest surrounding the mighty river, scanning the trees and bushes as he did. Birds sang in the warm summer day, and sunlight streamed down through the filter of leaves in the canopy overhead. The lands were beautiful, but were they safe? If there was one thing Azriel could not abide by, it was being caught off guard and without a plan. He grit his teeth and paced away from the riverbank back toward his companion, ears pinned back and tail bristling in a visual display of his annoyance. Due to their size difference, he towered over the petite female, peering down at her with cold, calculating gray eyes, trying to read every nuance of her expression, her body language, the look in her lavender eyes. "Are you going to tell me what the hell you were thinking back there now? Or do you still think this is all my fault?" he asked with a twinge of his lips, fighting back an irritated growl.

"Speech" — Thoughts

The small, lithe fae sighed as her traveling companion took a very dramatic drink from the river they had admittedly crossed a couple of times now, rolling her eyes at the accusation that she was supposed to know where she was going. Sure, she had claimed that since she had passed through here once upon a time or something, but... wasn't it really his fault for believing her? She took a much more calm drink before dancing to the side by a few steps with a glare in his direction when he shook off some water and sent some flying in her direction. She sighed again and walked away a bit, her lavender eyes scanning the area. She kept waiting for something to appear slightly familiar even if it was just to tell her which way they had already tried, but it never happened. All these damn trees looked the same - pretty and lush, but still just as irritatingly similar. It made her wonder if they were actually making some kind of progress and they kept coming back to this river just because it was so long, but before she could voice the theory he came over to loom over her in the way he liked to do when he got all annoyed.

She scowled up at him with a huff, her ears flicking with a similar irritation at his heated questions. "This is your fault! she insisted. "I had it under control until you went all over protective and just had to murder that asshole." She turned away from him again with a flick of her tail, whipping his nose with the silvery fur as she stalked off to continue examining their surroundings. Surely there had to be something more interesting than a river and pretty trees around here that would keep them from continuing to wander in angry circles. The sooner she found something to point him at to get him off her back the better.

The days had all run together lately. Fel was spending more and more time away from Aerie simply because she didn't want to look at the faces of her brothers. The rest of the family was fine, but seeing Eligos and especially Pyrrhic... The woman was reminded of the one that was lost. Aureus had been the best of them without a doubt. Ah, but she wasn't thinking of that, was she? If she didn't acknowledge it, it didn't happen. That was how the world worked. Having traipsed away from Aerie lands, Fel found herself yet again at the wide, winding river. The woman had taken a dip, using one of her new soaps to clean her silver streaked pelt. She had an addiction to soaps. No matter how many she had, Fel always wanted more. Baths were such a luxurious pass time. She could be off rutting, stealing, doing any number of things, but instead she chose the ritual of cleansing herself as a hobby. She was such a wholesome lady. -Snort- With her body spic and span, Fel sprawled out on one of the many massive boulders that lined the river. The warm, summer breeze gently absorbed the water from her coat. She had always loved a good air drying. The woman's coat was taking on the glistening sheen that only well cared for fur could attain. Being black and silver helped that shining image just a bit, but she truly did care for her coat. She was sprawled on that rock when the sound of bickering voices met obsidian ears. Being atop a boulder and unmoving in her leisure, the pair didn't even see her. Ah, it seemed that this was perhaps some sort of lovers dispute? As she listened, garnet eyes widened slightly in surprise and interest. Murder, was it? Oh, that was a juice secret. Ah, and now the pair were lost. Pity. The big brute got close to the woman's face, his words harsh. For a minute Fel wished that she would bite him. He definitely deserved it for being so... utterly male. Instead the little woman pranced away, putting distance between them. Now was her time. Raising her head, Fel crossed her black gloved forelegs at the ankle. The woman gave her dainty skull a slight tilt as deep red eyes fixed upon the brute. There was a twinkle of amusement in those eyes. No situation was ever too serious for Fel. Well... she could think of one, but it didn't happen. Didn't happen at all. "You're lucky that she didn't bite your nose off for that. Some fae's aren't nearly as peaceful." Would she startle him? Would he be angry at her assessment? Would the pretty little pale thing return? Time would tell. "Speech"

If her scowl had been aiming to appear intimidating, its effect was sadly lost on Azriel. He had traveled with Sibyl for close to a year now, and in that time had learned that her bark was significantly worse than her bite. He pursed his lips, then opened them to retort, only to have her silken tail smack against his nose. He wriggled his nose to subdue the tingling sensation it left, almost like he needed to sneeze, then watched as she walked away without a care in the world. An exasperated sigh and an eye roll was the striped man's immediate response. "That wouldn't have happened if you'd just kept your tail down and not tempted him like you did. Everything was going according to plan until he decided to get grabby with you." Azriel scoffed and rolled his eyes again, calling out louder as she continued to step away. "You're welcome, by the way!"

Ungrateful bitch... See if I save her the next time some male decides to force himself on her... his thoughts spoke with a bitter edge. Of course, he knew he would. Despite his irritation at how their last scheme had gone, their partnership had been very lucrative and beneficial over the course of their time together. He knew he relied on her being a pawn in his plans as much as she relied on him. Their relationship was strictly one of mutual convenience. But damn it all, was she good at what she did... Perhaps that was what kept Azriel clinging to her, even if they didn't always agree.

A voice from behind him caught the dark-furred male's attention, reflected in his ears twisting back to catch the mellifluous voice that had to be talking to him. The fur on his hackles bristled, but otherwise the measured wolf gave no indication of shock. He turned his head just enough to peer over his shoulder at the wolf perched atop a boulder nearby. Larger form turning to fix her with steely gray eyes, Azriel considered the newcomer for a moment—at least, what he could see from his lower vantage point. She was distinctly female, with a luxurious looking ebony coat further accentuated with flashes of silver and gray. Most striking of all were the two piercing eyes set like gemstones in her skull, looking at him with the same degree of inspection that he locked her with. How long had she been there? She must have been exceptionally silent for him not to have noticed her, although she had the advantage of higher ground and being downwind. After deciding she didn't appear to be an immediate threat, Azriel replied with a half-cocked smirk.

"Perhaps. Spend some time with her though, and you'll find her bite isn't all that dangerous," quipped Azriel in a dry, sarcastic tone. Had she been listening in on them the entire time? How much had this black-furred fae heard? He kept his guard up, studying the perched wolf to determine if she was going to be a problem he had to deal with. His smirk slipped from his face as he continued, "And which one are you? The fae prone to peace or the one prone to biting?"

"Speech" — Thoughts

She could see the gears in the mans head turning as his calculating silver gaze rested upon her face. Rather than shy away or break eye contact, Fel stared straight back into those piercing pools. She had nothing to fear here. He was a big boy. She was a tiny lady. Speed was on her side. Besides... Aerie was just a hop, skip and a jump away. Really though, little bothered the silver streaked woman. Not much at all could ruffle her fur. Aside from children, that is. Blech. The brutes words brought a bit of bell like laughter from the damp woman and she grinned, sharp little teeth flashing. "A lovely specimen to be sure. I wouldn't mind spending some time with her." Fel imagined the smaller woman laid out beneath her. The contrast between their light and dark pelts would be a lovely sight to be sure. Fel's ruby eyes closed and she made a sound of pleasure in her throat, head giving a light shake. She did love taking a pretty woman to bed. The question came as to which sort that she was and the dainty woman considered the question, head tilting slightly. "Both, depending on the situation. Both and so much more." Stretching, Fel sprawled out on her stomach, one paw extending over the edge of the boulder. "And you are the kind that bites." She didn't even have to ask. She could see it in his demeanor, in the way that he held himself. His very voice promised violence. She was terribly intrigued. There was no reason to hide what she'd heard. If he'd killed some stupid brute for trying to force himself on the pale fae, then the bastard deserved it. "I do hope that your murder spree happened far from here." It wouldn't do to lead trouble to Aerie's door. With boredom being a constant problem in Fel's life though, she wondered just what sort of fun this pair might bring. "Speech"

Although he remained on guard, Azriel afforded himself the luxury of relaxing his tense posture enough to complete his turn, now fully facing the sunbathing woman when she gave an almost musical laugh. Her words made an ear flick, intrigue painting the gray canvas of his eyes as he considered her words. By this point, since the lithe little shadow of a wolf had not made any attempt to rise, fight, or flee, he determined she must have had a reason for hanging around and talking with him. How interesting... Let's see how this plays out... he thought, the ghost of his former smirk returning to his lips. It was clear from her reactions that whatever visions she was seeing in her mind were clearly... enrapturing. A low chuckle rumbled in his throat, eyes observing her features and mannerisms as she moved and spoke. Every action and reaction told him a little something about the wolf he was conversing with. It was a fun and complex game getting to interpret each nuance of behavior and personality, like solving a living, breathing puzzle.

His smirk grew to a wolfish grin that showed just as many of his pearly white fangs as hers had done moments before. Ah, so she was a cunning linguist as well, it seemed... Suddenly this conversation felt more of a verbal spar, a matchup against two minds. This had the possibility of becoming quite entertaining all of a sudden, and what had started as an intrusion now became another game to the striped brute. He watched as she stretched, finding himself surreptitiously wishing she would climb down from her roost so he could get a better look at who he was mentally engaged with. Her accurate accusation of him being the type of wolf to bite sent a glint of amusement through his pale gaze; of course, it didn't take a genius to reach that conclusion about him. Any wolf with eyes and half-decent judgment of character could tell that.

"If the occasion calls for it," he replied, his husky voice staying cool and level. No wolf had ever been able to get beneath his skin or make him tremor from banter—she was not about to be the first. "It just depends on the situation, and what 'bite' is required. Some are far more enjoyable than others." Then she mentioned his most recent murder, and for a second, Azriel's heart missed a beat as his mind immediately started working to decide if he was going to have to kill her too. Was she going to prove to be a problem after all? No, that didn't make sense; why would she reveal her hand if she intended to play those cards against him? What would she have to gain? The dark femme didn't seem to be the type to snitch to, hell, anyone. So what did she hope to get by mentioning what she had heard? Just to prove that she had heard them?

Azriel scoffed and shook his head. If she wanted to go down this road, he'd oblige her—for now. "I don't think a single kill constitutes a 'spree'. But I suppose that depends on how much death you've been exposed to. Quantity can be subjective... One wolf's spree may be another wolf's off day." Gray eyes locked to her red garnet ones, Azriel reclined back onto his haunches, sitting himself down to show that he had no intentions of walking away or backing down from their conversation now. She wanted to play this game, then he'd gladly play. "But you don't strike me as the type to call one death a spree." He cocked his head quizzically to the side, as if studying her from all angles. "Nor do you strike me as the type to start conversations with strangers without cause. So tell me, silver shadow, why are you lying here so calmly and not running away if you know what I am so well?"

"Speech" — Thoughts

She did a bit of scouting, although a bit reluctantly since she thought that Az should have to be the navigator since he was the reason they had gotten into this mess in the first place - at least in her mind. She knew he'd never agree, but it didn't matter. They had a plan and she was all over it when he just had to step in and take things way, way too far. Was that brute getting too physical with her? Sure! Did she already have a plan for how to take care of him more discretely? Absolutely! But subtle and delicate certainly wasn't Azriel's style and while she didn't normally mind he had most certainly gotten them into one hell of a situation this time.

With her scouting done and a potential path identified, she returned to where she had left Azriel standing only to find that he wasn't alone at all. Her lavender eyes lit up with intrigue as she looked up at the dark, silvery woman, their escape route quickly forgotten. She walked up just in time to hear Azriel asking why she was laying there calmly instead of running away and she quickly put together the pieces to know that she had probably been in this exact spot just out of view when she was scolding him about his murdering ways. Ah well, it seemed they had found themselves another accomplice... a much more attractive one at that.

"Who'd you find, Az?" she asked as she slid up beside him, not even giving him a glance as she looked up at the lovely fae they had happened to cross paths with. She gave the stranger a flirty grin, her tail flicking as she eyed her curiously.

The man seemed to be trying to figure her out. Good luck there, buddy. Fel had never even figured herself out. Woe to the man that attempted to do so. She still surprised herself all the time. No doubt she would manage to surprise herself during this encounter as well. You never did know what was going to leave her maw during a particular bout of banter. Unfortunately, she hadn't had much use for banter as of late. The Aerie wolves were much less fun than she'd like them to be. Aside from maybe little Danta, but you couldn't get into much verbal jousting with a pup, now could you? His retort to her biting comment brought a softly audible exhale of air to exit blackened nares. Different occasions called for different reactions, so of course that would be his answer. A vague answer. A broad answer. It wouldn't be as much fun if he just told her who and what he was. Part of the fun was in the game. Figuring him out. She'd get there if they spent any sort of time together. She always did. Some were a lot easier to figure out than others. However, when it came to figuring out someone who was also trying to figure you out, there were layers of personality built up around ones core. Layers that she could slowly, or quickly, depending on the situation, peel back. Again the mans comment brought a soft chuckle from her. "Oh, aye. Some bites can be much more enjoyable, I'll give you that." With her sexual proclivities, Fel knew biting all too well. There were different kinds of sex just as there were different kinds of trees or fish in the sea. Fel's particular brand ran deep and dark. Biting was a well known sport there. Ah, ah...this time the mans answer was a bit boring. He picked her words apart rather than answer the question. The resting fae's gaze narrowed ever so slightly. She didn't want him to get boring. This was the most fun she'd had in a long time. And then he came straight out and questioned her motives. Why wasn't she running? Hmm. Fel slid down from atop the bolder like a piece of obsidian silk. The summer breeze had absorbed most of the water from her silver flecked pelt. After giving herself a little shake, she moved forward, picking her way across the rocky terrain with dainty, onyx paws. "Because Fear knows my name, big boy. He doesn't frequent these parts often." Though he dwarfed her in size, Fel moved right up to him, staring up into his calculating silver eyes. "Besides, how do you know that you're not the one that should be running?" There as heat in her gaze, a silent challenge. She could be a tiny murderess and he would never know. They were strangers, after all. A sweet little voice sounded from off to the side as the pale lady returned. She asked the brute, Az, who he'd found. Blackened lips split in a grin as Fel offered the pretty fae a wink, noting the flirtatious look she'd been given. "Oh, I assure you, darling. I found you. I found you both." Taking one step back so that she could address them both, the dark lady held ears erect as she lightly dipped her head. "Fel Abraxas." Yes, she gave them her full name. No reason to hide here. Not when she already knew one of their secrets. "Speech"

The shadow's answers were short and terse, giving him little to go off of. Was she getting wise to what he was doing? This mental game had evolved from checkers to chess, and for the first time in a long time, Azriel wasn't certain he had the upper hand. She was incredible composed, well-measured to a fault in all of her responses. But even that gave him information he hadn't had before. She had trained herself to be this way, that was clear, but for what purposes? Was this who the wolf was, or was this a trait developed over a lifetime? Mysteries abounded around the silver-streaked obsidian woman, mysteries that had piqued his curiosity for the moment. Of course, he had Sibyl for companionship, but she was virtually an open book to him by now. This fae, however, was something different... something new and unusual.

After what felt like an eternity, Azriel finally got his wish as she rose and slid off of the boulder as effortlessly as water would, her movements smooth and seamless. Now he could take her in for what she was. As he had expected, she was a good bit smaller than him, with a deliciously slender body that moved with precision and purpose. She carried herself in the way a wolf who knew she was beautiful would, each motion seemingly designed for the sole purpose of eliciting attraction. More information; he tucked that away in the archives of his brain. Her words were expected, cliché... boring, even. It was such an unimaginative response that Azriel found himself a touch disappointed in her, smirk drooping to a small frown through pursed lips. They were the words of someone trying to present themselves as dangerous. Of course, he had no way of knowing if she was or not. She definitely wasn't dangerous to him in the traditional sense, as he imagined both she and Sibyl could be overpowered without much effort on his end. But he knew danger came in many forms, and Sibyl was dangerous in ways he could never be. Perhaps she was the same way too...

Now that she was right up on him, Azriel could see the small details in her that he hadn't before. Her brilliant red eyes had flecks of orange-red in them, adding a depth otherwise lost at a distance. The two orbs seemed to almost burn against the cool silvers and grays that framed her face, the only splash of color against her otherwise monotone coat. He could pick up on her scent now too: clean, with a touch of fragrance and her natural scent just beneath blending it together. She must have been bathing prior to their encounter. Every strand of fur was immaculate; the fae took great pride in her appearance. Azriel remained unmoving, not backing down or away from the pristine ebony woman as they faced off in a battle of wits and wills. "If we all ran from the unknown, we would never discover anything worthwhile," he remarked to her questioning why he didn't run from her. A ghost of a smirk touched his lips. "And that's no fun for anyone."

A light, sweet voice broke the tension between them, and although his ears flicked back to catch Sibyl's words, Azriel made no motion to look away from their new acquaintance. He trusted Sibyl and did not need to acknowledge her return—he did not trust her enough to look away when she was within striking distance. The sensation of silken fur brushing his side told him Sibyl had come up next to him, the touch sending a short burst of electricity up his spine. "I don't know," he answered his companion's question, a curious tilt coming to his head. "We haven't exchanged pleasantries yet." The stranger broke the stalemate first, giving away far too much when she grinned and winked at Sibyl, returning her flirting with gusto. More information; store for later. Fel Abraxas. Azriel would remember that name. But Fel had given away her upper hand by introducing herself. Now, even for a short moment, he had the advantage. He knew her, she didn't know him. An interesting move, a change to the dynamic. Was this all because Sibyl had joined them? Or was she simply surrendering their mental spar to him? He certainly hoped it wasn't the latter. Either way, more information; store for later.

Azriel knew Sibyl. He knew she was far too friendly with wolves she took a fancy to—and she was taking a fancy to Fel, he could tell. She would give up any answers to the obsidian and silver fae if given the right 'incentives'. His mind raced, already picturing what would occur the moment the two were left alone. Once the heat and the lust had burned away all inhibitions, Sibyl would say anything. He had to keep ahead and control what information was revealed as long as he could. "Azriel Morarian." He tipped his head down in return. He had chosen not to use an alias this time—not because he trusted Fel, if that was her real name, but because Sibyl had unwisely already called him by his nickname and he couldn't trust her to not let any more information out. "It's a pleasure to meet you, Fel." Fel Abraxas. He would have to find out more about that name later.

"Speech" — Thoughts

Even though she leaned into Azriel's side, her lavender eyes were absolutely fixed on their new acquaintance. Az was a comfortable, regular fixture in her life - this fae was far more interesting in many different ways. She watched the way the taller woman moved and spoke, her ears flicking forward to catch the tone of her voice. It wasn't hard to tell from how Az was acting that he was still figuring out this new acquaintance and she was certain that he wouldn't come to a full conclusion for a while still. Her way of figuring out other wolves was far more... direct. Intimate even. It seemed like perhaps she might get the chance to get up close and personal with this beautiful wolf sooner or later if the grin and wink she received were to be believed. Names were exchanged as Fel offered hers and Azriel gave his in return. She was a bit surprised that he gave his real name until she realized she had used his nickname in her greeting. Oops. Not that she was really sorry about any of it. After all, could she really he held accountable for her actions around someone like this? "Sibyl Argyris," she said to add in her own name to the mix, her voice carrying her usual soft, melodic tone. She smirked a little when Azriel said it was a pleasure to meet Fel and for once she actually fully agreed with him. She was tempted to make a comment about how he was finally useful for something since he had managed to draw in this stranger to them, but she let it go. She had already pushed her luck quite a bit today so perhaps she shouldn't poke at his buttons any more than she had. "A pleasure is putting it lightly," she commented instead, giggling softly as she finally moved away from Azriel's side, watching the two of them to see what sort of dynamic they would create. She could already picture how she might like her part of this puzzle to fit into the mix, but Azriel was a bit more unpredictable. It was something she liked about him, but it was also the thing that could be the most frustrating part about traveling with him. It made it much more difficult to mold herself to his actions since she had to constantly play it by ear. Talk

Two new wolves. Both handsome. The female was much more agreeable and Fel had the idea that she could definitely get her into bed, but the male was intriguing too. She did wish that he'd give up already, but no doubt she would be disappointed in that regard. He was the suspicious sort and, if you were going around killing people, rightly so. He didn't know who she was or who she was connected to. Hell, she could have had the backing of the strongest pack in Boreas behind her. She didn't, but how was he to know? After a bit more banter the man gave her his name. It was too fancy a name to be made up on the spot, so she would believe him in this matter. Especially since the woman had called him 'Az' upon her approach. Fel wasn't a woman to hold back unless she felt it necessary and it seemed that the woman was of a similar mindset. She gave her own name next and the dark woman grinned. That grin soon turned into a sultry little chuckle as the pale beauty hinted at pleasure. "Putting it very lightly, sweet Sibyl," she purred, her words tinged with dark heat and promises. The silver streaked woman let her ruby gaze drift back to the big man. "Alas," she spoke with a sigh. "duty calls and I can't tarry long." By now her pelt was mostly dry. She could easily make her way back home. If you could call it home, anyway. Things were tense there, to say the least. She felt underappreciated. Even scorned at times. It was no way to live, but she had promised Aur- No, she had promised her brother that she would stay and be loyal. So that's what she was doing. Staying. Being loyal. Her potential was untapped. Her happiness was second fiddle to that of the pack. Her spirit was kept burning low... but she was loyal. Fel opened her maw to speak again when a little black cat dropped from the trees and rushed up to her. The woman's ears perked as she looked down onto the obsidian feline. "Something happened to Eligos. He didn't call for you, but I thought you might want to know." Soft, breathy tones purred their way into the air. The woman furrowed her brow for a moment before smoothing it out once more. "There's that duty I was speaking of." Oona leaped onto Fel's back, holding on lightly with her tiny claws. The woman cast a sidelong glance at the pair. "Back a ways, down this path between the two boulders, there's a little cave. Nice and comfortable." She flashed a sweet grin. "If you were planning to stay a while, that is." Fel hoped that they would. Nothing exciting happened anymore. Her life at the moment was mostly boring and monotonous. "Speech"

Everything that the silver-streaked shadow of a wolf did and everything she said seemed to be meticulously crafted and designed to entice and allure, as if she were the sweetest of predators luring their prey in without a notion of danger. Or perhaps she was simply an elaborate and promiscuous woman seeking out a good time. It was impossible to tell from first impressions, but it was the glimmer of a conniving and sharp mind glistening behind those rubies she called eyes that had Azriel in an unusual cocktail of wariness and intrigue. Almost every wolf he had ever met before had either been so dully open with themselves or ludicrously guarded that they became a caricature. Fel was neither. Fel was unique. Unique was unfamiliar. And unfamiliarity was dangerous to the monochromatic brute. Yet despite his reservations, he could not bring himself to look away from her, not when she grinned with wicked intention, not when she gave a seductive chuckle, and not when she spoke with words that exuded with lurid sexual tones. She was a labyrinth he was incapable of overcoming in their short time—a challenge he had not faced before in some time. That made her interesting. Oh so interesting...

Gray-toned eyes met burning red when she fixed him with her gaze once more, and again Azriel felt the electrifying tension between them. She was trying to work him out too. Was she succeeding? He had no doubts that she had Sibyl pegged down from their short interactions judging by the way the two faes were behaving with one another. Sibyl was not hard to grasp, literally and figuratively. She was one of those wolves that was open and clear with their intentions. That was what made her such an effective partner and invaluable tool in his plots: she was trustworthy in her honesty. Fel spoke again, and once more Azriel had to maintain his stony expression to not give away how her words were captivating his attention. Disappointment weighed down on him when the little silver shadow said she had to return to her duties, but perhaps that was for the best. If they spent too much time together, how much would she be able to draw from him? Although she still didn't seem like a threat to them, Azriel had also not found a reason to trust her yet. But Fel had started a mental chess game between them, and Azriel, ever lusting for dominance and victory, was loathe to let the game go unfinished. She was his puzzle now, and he was going to piece her together.

A gorgeous black cat dropped down near them and sauntered its way with the grace only a feline could possess over to Fel, leaping onto the woman's back. Azriel cocked his head to the side; was this a pet of hers? His ears perked, flicking to catch the soft voice of the cat as it spoke to her master. Another name: Eligos. Azriel did not miss the way Fel's brow furrowed at the mention of that name. Was that frustration? Disdain? Concern, perhaps? The expression didn't last long enough for him to decipher anymore before the ebony woman hid it once more behind a carefully practiced facade. Damn, she was good at hiding. Either way, he had learned a little more about her. She had duties to someone, either a wolf or an entity like a pack. She belonged to something or someone else. But that made no sense. Fel seemed so... liberated, carefree, independent. What could have such a hold over a woman like her? It was yet another mystery to the enigma that she was, and furthered his desire to unmask those answers. Azriel's lips pursed together, trying to keep the disappointed frown from his face as Fel dismissed herself once more, except this time she gave them directions to a den tucked away. Now it was Azriel's turn to furrow his brow, considering her information. Why was she giving them this? Was this an invitation to something she hoped to acquire? Was it a setup for an ambush? Or was she simply being friendly? Somehow, the striped man doubted it was the latter. But that sweet grin was enough to stir something inside him, a twisting, gnawing need for more.

"Thank you for the information and the conversation, Fel Abraxas," Azriel said, returning her alluring speech with a half-cocked smile. "I do hope this won't be the only time we get to share your company." There was honesty in his words, but the true intentions were still unclear to him. He needed to know more about her... about the strange wolf that had found them, that had given him a challenge he hadn't faced before. Azriel hadn't felt this drawn to a wolf before since he met Sibyl. But with Fel, it was something entirely different, a new level he hadn't experienced, and it made him hungry for more. That longing lingered in his gray irises, but with trepidation. The walls were still up. "Well, we won't keep you from your duties any longer. Will we, Sibyl?" He turned to his lighter-furred companion, giving her a surreptitious nudge to knock her out of her daydreaming and drooling over the attractive femme while fixing her with a guarded look that spoke volumes she would understand. He would need to speak with her more deeply once they were a little lighter in the company department.

"Speech" — Thoughts

She hadn't been this entertained in quite a while and as Fel returned the not so subtle suggestion in her words Sibyl could already tell that she was going to want to stick around and see what other intrigue this woman could offer. Of course she'd have to make sure Az was on board too since for better or worse she kind of needed him, at least until she found someone else just as willing to hunt for her and protect her, but... the way he was watching her gave Sibyl some hope that she could make that wish a reality. Fel spoke of a duty she must not be away from for long shortly before a black feline appeared and approached Fel with a message. Sibyl had to bite back her desire to tell Fel how adorable her feline friend was and the want to get closer to meet said feline, but at least her excitement over the cute creature was short lived as the disappointment around Fel's departure took its place. Unlike Az who kept that same flat, stony expression through the whole thing, Sibyl frowned deeply at the idea, nearly pouting at the thought that this lovely fae was going to be leaving them. At least the direction to a particular cave gave her a bit of hope that perhaps they would see Fel again - hopefully sooner rather than later. She left all the worrying about if this was a trap or not to Azriel. She knew he would worry and calculate more than enough for the both of them. That just left her to day dream and hope that perhaps she might get to have a little fun with their new acquaintance in the days ahead. The slight nudge she received from Az as he spoke of not keeping Fel from her duties was met with a slight, sideways glare toward him before shifting her lavender eyes back toward Fel once more. His look didn't get past her, but that didn't mean she liked it. "I suppose, she replied, drawing out the words with an obvious reluctance to the idea. It was unavoidable, but that didn't mean that the small, pale woman didn't feel the need to be a bit selfish with Fel's time - even though there was really no tie between them to give her a reason to do so... at least not yet. She gave the fire-eyed woman a grin and added, "Come find us again soon... I'd love to get to know you better." Talk