(Thoughts Speech)

Quinn looked around at the high walls of the place he had found himself in, the pines the clung to the walls looking like fur on two giant beasts that encircled the valley, the wind that howled over it in the coming winter season chilled him as it sounded like the screams of ghostly beings, shaking the trees and giving the whole valley a slightly eerie touch. However, it was impossible to ignore the striking beauty of the place, the walls made it feel secure, and the fresh air brought by the wind was most definitely a good thing, but it was confined, and that meant if something bad happened that they would be stuck here if they did decide to make it their home.

Quinn had come here, navigating his was through the northern opening in the gorge in hopes of finding a place to stay, but it clearly had it's flaws, and he figured it best to mull things over with his family before he made a decision, after all, they would have to live there as well and something told the tawny man that his big brother would be very unsettled by the constant screaming of the wind.

After a few minutes of careful travel, he made it to the bottom of the gorge, and almost immediately realized that the wind was ever worse down here, it howled even louder than before, and the shrubbery that surrounded him seemed to be permanently pushed in a single direction by the blast. He grimaced for a moment and then walked a bit further, looking around for redeeming qualities, hoping that something would make him willing to forgive the sounds.
Almost immediately, he found it, as his paws pressed the ground, mashing it down, he felt it give in a deliciously perfect way. He smiled and gasped at the feeling, clawing at the soil and pulling it up, so that he could smell the loam that he had pulled up. As he bent down, his tail twitching with happiness at his new find, he inhaled deeply, and in went the beautiful strong aroma. The smell of bugs, decomposed plant life, pine needles clay and sand mixed together, all in a soil that was perfect for growing. The smell was so nice, it had been too long since he had been somewhere that he could feel the soil, and even longer since it was suitable for growing.

He bounced a little and said outloud to himself "Wait till I show them this!" and the turned to look around, trying to find a place where they might make their home, hoping that he could convince them to do so.

Question me? All of your doubt feeds my desire.

The farther north they traveled, the colder it seemed to get. An unearthly chill like nothing she ever knew licked her heels raw. It was tolerable for now, but she decided then that she would be journeying no further. One more spot, however, captured her attention. While Lupa cherished his beauty-rest, she found herself far too restless to sleep. Instead, she embarked on yet another expedition into the unknown. Excitement could not offer warmth, but it did strengthen her resolve against the cold. In the distance, she could make out a lush forested area. A gathering of trees for which her sight could not penetrate any further. There was one thing she noticed immediately… A god-awful squealing like a batch of tormented piglets being methodically stepped on by a flock of geese. At first, it wasn’t so bad. A simple hum that, while was unsettling, could be tolerated. However, the nearer she got, the louder the noise became.

If only she had some cotton to stuff in her ears, then. If not for the horrid sound she might have admired the enchanting landscape more. Nox tried to focus on appearances alone, more than the insistent sound. Densely packed forest gave way to a near barren center. It appeared as if someone had decisively scooped away the forest leaving naught but steep sides and a hollowed-out middle. The bitter-northern-wind had stripped the bottom clean of most plant-life. A few hardier species remained but it was mostly bare. One look into the bottom of the gorge and she thought twice about proceeding any further. Although, curiosity far outweighed any concerns she might have had. For one, she wanted to know where the banshee-like shrieks were emanating from. In addition to that, she wondered if anything of value had ‘ended up’ in the bottom: An unlucky traveler or two with some valuables that were never recovered, along with their skulls which she would find a way to turn into a candle-holder or trinket-box.

After some time, she estimated the safest route down which was a slightly slanted wall with a few shrubs for cushioning should anything go wrong. One carefully placed paw after the other and she managed to somewhat slide down with minimal injuries.  A few scrapes and nicks to remember the occasion and she was ‘safely’ at the bottom. Nox shook herself off and gave her new surroundings a thorough look. It didn’t occur to her then after she had slid down, that she might not know how to get back up. Well shit… In the name of adventure, I guess. Nox could hardly hear herself think.

She frowned and decided to push on rather than try to climb back up and risk snapping her neck in the process. As she began the trek further into the valley, she noticed how soft and lush the ground was despite the terrain above. There was not much to admire other than that: No dead adventurers, secret treasure, or trinkets, but she did find something down there that caught her eye. He stood out among the pale-ground. A mixture of earthy-hues and flecks of rust that while was aesthetically pleasing, did not match the surroundings. She could but stand and watch as he excitedly clawed the ground, seemingly thrilled at what he discovered. Her ears either numbed by cold or the terrible screeching, barely picked up his voice, though she was certain he said something. Nox raised a brow, watching with piqued curiosity. “Find something interesting, traveler?” She asked nonchalantly, raising her voice above the crying wind.

I'm gonna make my own empire.

Thanks to Bird for the table help!

(Thoughts Speech)

As Quinn turned to look around at the surrounding area, wondering if this place really could be home, he was startled by a sudden voice, calling from behind him, asking if he found anything. "Shit, I hope they're friendly." He thought, as this was a new land, he wasn't sure if he could trust just anyone he came across, and he wasn't about to let himself be tricked by the bearer of this voice into thinking he was completely safe. As far as he was concerned, this person could be his worst nightmare in a can, so to speak.

He turned to look at the wolf slowly, grinning slightly so as to not show fear, his paws however, betrayed him, trembling slightly as he sat them on the ground one by one, stepping until he faced... her.

He breathed a small sigh of relief as he saw that in front of him was a woman, slightly taller than himself he guessed, but he wasn't certain. However, he could be certain that she was built like him, and therefore not insanely dangerous in terms of weight, there was a chance he could take her in a fight if needed. He decided to sit down, and give her the responsibility of coming to him if she wanted to converse, he was a leader, and he felt it might be time he start acting like one. He cleared his throat and replied to her previous question: "Not much, I just haven't been around good soil for a while, the north is frozen like you wouldn't believe." He chuckled a bit, to show comfort, and hoped he was making a good impression.
"My name is Quinn, madam. And you are?"

Question me? All of your doubt feeds my desire.

Nox waited patiently for him to respond to her voice. He had heard her speak, that much was certain, for every muscle in his body seemed to twitch and become rock-solid. Then he turned slowly, as though something sharp was pressed to his throat. Eyes like filtered gold landed upon her paired with a withered smile. Oh, how he made a show out of it! It was entertaining, but not very convincing, especially to a creature that nitpicked every detail. He trembled like a leaf caught in the wind, a subtle bit of conversation that went unspoken but not unnoticed. Whether he was just chilly or found her presence unsettling, was up for debate. Either way, she made no effort to draw any further attention to it and instead focused on the admirable aspects. He was lovely to look at despite being a bit shorter than herself. His pelt was a blend of warm colors that she found easy on the eyes. She could have studied the combination of markings and color for hours. However, out of courtesy, she kept from staring too long or too intently. Instead, she offered a pleasant smile to hopefully settle any riled nerves. It was the polite thing to do, but she would've gotten more joy out of watching him squirm.

Something about him incited a sort of… well, not trust… but comfort? Though his gaze was sharp, it reminded her of someone trying entirely too hard to be something they were not. She could relate in a way, but that chapter of her life had long ended. When he took a seat, she wasted no time in joining him. It was a clear invitation, which she was not keen to refuse. Nox moved toward him with grace, a smile continuously drawn across her lips. She settled directly in front of him, tail curling around her side. Her ears twitched as the vibrations of his words tickled her ears. A trickle of laughter seemed to soften the tense-nature of his face. It was a good look, though she could tell it was forced. “Oh, I believe it.” She gave a brief but velvety laugh. “I came from the South and found myself terribly unconditioned for the cold.” The diverse biomes and weather provided a heightened sense of adventure, but it was hard to adjust to.

Finally, he gave a name to put to that handsome face of his. It was Quinn, as he introduced in a polite fashion. She found the gentlemanly act endearing but like any good teacher, she sought to correct his parlance: They were not at a ball or in a business meeting, and thus the formality was not needed. “A pleasure, Quinn. Although, I would take caution calling young-ladies ‘madam’. It could be seen as an insult rather than chivalry. Madam is something you might address an older lady as. Most would prefer ‘miss’ or ‘my lady’.” Nox explained as gently as she could, men often had such fragile egos. “But in my case, It's simply Nox.” She bowed her head and then decided to steer the conversation several steps backward. “So, do you often become excited over soil? Or it is simply this soil in particular that excites you?” She paused as to rethink her choice of words. “What I mean is, most do not find dirt of any quality especially thrilling.”

I'm gonna make my own empire.

Thanks to Bird for the table help!

(Thoughts Speech)

Quinn watched as the woman smiled and spoke to him gently, clearly not wanting to fight as she was sitting in front of him in seemingly utter comfort. He let himself relax a little as he listened to her give him some correction about how to speak, almost as though she could tell that he wasn't used to being regal. He nodded to show his understanding, and to offer an apology that wouldn't interrupt her. "Well shit, I guess the jig is up." He thought as she continued, introducing herself as "Nox" and bowing her head slightly. The ebony-colored woman in front of him was certainly very perceptive, and friendly as well it seemed, he let his tail slowly drift from side to side across the soft ground as he studied her for a second, looking over her quickly so as to not be rude. The fur that she bore was very beautiful indeed, and upon a slightly closer inspection, he realized she wasn't purely black, but had a little bit of brown around the edges, though in this lighting he couldn't see it head-on. Her eyes were darker than his in color, but shone like wildfire, a startling sight to behold. His ears perked once more and he drew his attention back to her words as she questioned his enthusiasm over the ground he had pulled up.

He couldn't help laughing a bit as he realized how strange it must have been to see that reaction from him over the dirt, and even stranger to have him speak about it so nonchalantly. He cleared his throat and apologized: "I'm sorry about that, Nox. I guess I have some explaining to do." His tail was wagging at the chance to share some knowledge with another, it had been too long since he had contact with others besides his family, and it was getting to him. Smiling and breathing deeply now, sure he could relax and feel at least somewhat safe, he began: "The thing is, I'm a healer. I've always loved the things that come from the earth, plants, herbs, you name it. And as such, I became acquainted with the different types of soil that different vegetation grows in, and consequently, how frequently truly great soil can be found." He pulled up a bit more of the dirt with his paw, pushing it between the two of them before he sat back up. "Soil like this I've learned is called 'Loam', it's a beautiful blend of clay and sand, and it's perfect for growing herbs. Hence my interest in it." He almost mentioned his family, but decided that just in the off chance that this wolf had powerful allies, he had better not let himself seem a threat, with any luck, she'll have thought that he was just acting a fool of himself earlier.

He motioned toward the dirt, saying: "If you take a nice deep breath, you can smell the richness of the ground, it's an almost bittersweet smell, but the mixture is nearly intoxicating... To me at least." He chuckled, a real one this time.

Question me? All of your doubt feeds my desire.

Finally, a sense of calm seemed to settle over him. He had nothing to fear from her, and it was wasted energy to think otherwise. Nox blamed that sort of behavior on inexperience and hoped that he would learn to stem that ritual before he encountered someone who would react negatively to it. There were many who would take advantage of such a situation, but she was not one of them. While Nox would be the first to admit she had the capabilities of someone cruel, it was not often necessary. He seemed neither cruel nor especially formidable though he certainly tried his best to look the part. Nox thought it cute, like a boy walking around in his father’s crown. It made her wonder if he came from a distinguished family. Few held themselves with such poise and dignity. The way he spoke also set him apart: Polite but also reserved as though he were holding something back. Nox loved a good character arch and it would have been quite the treat to witness his transformation.

He apologized for his strange-behavior and she giggled softly, “Indeed, but no apology necessary.” She had witnessed far more peculiar things and who was she to judge in the first place? If he was passionate about dirt, then more power to him. Nox leaned back and allowed him the time he needed to find the words. The more they talked the less uptight he seemed. Every muscle appeared to relax, and his lungs rejoiced as the pressure was lifted from them. Ears swiveled forward upon her crown, and she kept eye-contact to reassure she was engaged and listening.  It turned out that he was a healer and not in-fact someone with a dirt-related fixation. He spoke with passion, eager to share his interests with her, which she happily obliged. Nox extended a paw to experience the sensation for herself. The soil was indeed rich and dark, likely due to the appropriate amount of decomposed material mixed into it. The crater in which nothing of magnitude seemed to grow in-fact had perfectly balanced soil. While Nox knew and cared little about dirt, he seemed very dedicated. She took in that knowledge, not for herself, but knowing others might find it interesting.

Nox nodded politely and once he finished; she spoke. “A noble profession, I know aspiring healers of varying levels of skill though none surely are as passionate as you.” She smiled softly and fiddled with the soil, admiring its quality and pondering whether she should share some personal information. After giving it some thought, she considered it might help him to know he was not alone in his dedication to nature. “Well, herbs and soil have not and likely will not ever be my specialty. Though I do understand why you admire it.” Nox inhaled deeply, taking in the strong and earthy smells nature had to offer. The air was clear and free of impurities. “My daughter Astraea, however, takes great interest in nature and science. She wishes to be a healer too.” There was a moment where her eyes flickered in intensity. Nox spoke with a bittersweet tone, recalling fond memories as well as hurtful ones. “Perhaps I might find something to hold a bit of this… loam, so she might study it herself when she returns.” If she returns... Nox looked around but found nothing of the sort. There was nothing down there but dirt, plant-life, and some rocks. She was not sure what she expected. “You said this sort of soil was ample for growing herbs?” She said turning to face him again. “Is that why you came down here for?” What other reason could he have for venturing down a steep cliffside? Healers certainly shared a common devotion for plant life. There was no depth they wouldn’t dive or cliff unfit to climb for a herb or two.

I'm gonna make my own empire.

Thanks to Bird for the table help!

(Thoughts Speech)

Quinn smiled as the woman in front of him knelt down and sniffed at the earth, it felt good to him to be teaching something to another, whether they were planning to come around to learn more or not, knowledge was useful to all, and he felt it best to learn what he could, so why not also share his knowledge? She spoke to him about knowing other healers, and nodded in thanks when she spoke of his passion, his tail twitching and wagging as he grew to enjoy the company of this wolf. His face grew more solemn however as she mentioned her daughter, the look on her face showing a bit of hurt in it. "I'm happy to hear of other wolves who take an interest in my craft, perhaps I will run into her on my travels." He said. He was sure that something must have happened to her, or at least between them, though he was also sure he shouldn't pry further.

When the woman asked him about his intentions for coming down here, he questioned himself again as to what he should divulge, and thank goodness his mind worked quick, because he needed an excuse that didn't speak of his family.  "Well, no. I'm new to these lands, and I was just looking for a place to rest mostly, I didn't expect to find this soil here at all." It was a lie, but one he was good at pulling off as he'd practiced it a lot back at home. he looked around him and decided it would be best to inquire of the woman's status, as far as having traveling companions. "So, are you alone out here? Or is there someone else waiting in the bushes nearby, ready to pounce out and grab me?" He said, jokingly.

He let his gaze fall on her, and noticed again, the uneasy feeling when he stared into those fiery orange eyes of hers. And he couldn't help but wonder, what secrets lie behind them.

Question me? All of your doubt feeds my desire.

After some time chatting with him, Nox began to feel quite old, despite not being too much older than he was. Thankfully she was still a well-painted portrait of youth, but she certainly felt far older than she looked. Motherhood was partly to thank for that, but also because she could not mirror the glimmer of passion and excitement in his eyes--not after nearly everything that she loved had been lost. Grief had taken those smoldering fires of ambition and nearly extinguished them. Yet day by day she worked to get her spark back and reignite the flame. He appeared to take her words whole-heartily. It was rare to find such a dedicated pupil, willing to listen when wisdom was shared. Nox remembered just how much she struggled to get the children to sit still and listen during her lectures, Astraea being the only exception.

For once it was nice to swap knowledge with an individual without resistance. “I hope you do, you two would get along and I fear she could use a friend out there.” If not for the current circumstances she might have introduced the young man to Astraea. He was polite, knowledgeable, and courteous, all the things she would expect of any potential-suitor that were to marry her beautiful daughters. Unfortunately, now was not the time to ask if he was in the market for a wife. Wherever her daughters were, she hoped they surrounded themselves with respectable folk. Of course, that was the least of her worries. She would have been thankful to just know they were alive.

The answer Nox expected to her question was not the one she received. And it reminded her that she knew virtually nothing about him, yet she reclined in comfort, unconcerned about the danger of speaking to strange men. It was painfully obvious that he was holding something back. The hint was not in what he said but rather what he didn’t say. “Ah, strange place to rest what with the winds, but I am as you can see, in no position to judge.” Now, if he knew the reason for her being there, he might have thought of her far differently. The atmosphere between strangers, friendly or not, was susceptible to tension and distrust. He expressed as much, albeit jokingly. Despite this, she saw no reason not to tell the truth. Unless he was an impeccable actor, which she highly doubted, he was no killer and certainly not the type to pray on lone women. No, if anything it was quite the opposite, and the fact he assumed she needed a companion to be a capable threat was cute.

She laughed vibrantly and fixated him with a playful look. A few years ago, she might have toyed with someone like him, just as a child might pin a butterfly to a tree and watch it struggle before letting it go. Nowadays, she could not afford to do such things. No, she would much rather make friends than enemies: A motto that her younger self would have scoffed at. That was not to say she didn't consider playing one of her old games. Her face softened and lost its mischievous spark. “I have one companion with me currently, but he was resting last I checked. Although if you wish to meet him I can surely arrange that, but he is more likely to drop out of the sky than spring from a bush.” She giggled at her own joke but it was partly a jest and partly the truth. Lupa much preferred high places. If he had paws like a squirrel, she would never be able to get him to come down from the trees. And if he were to stage an ambush... it most certainly would have come from above. “How about you then? A lone herbalist on a mission to admire the world and all its soil?” Nox teased him light-heartedly. Although, now that she said it out loud it sounded rather strange but… to each their own.

I'm gonna make my own empire.

Thanks to Bird for the table help!

OOC: Mom energy to cynic energy, to straight-up scary.

(Thoughts Speech) [OOC: Sorry for the delay in replying.]

The tawny man listened intently as the woman in front of him answered his question, and with that he laughed a bit. He was definitely warming up to this woman, and perhaps she would be good company should they ever meet again. He let his face go straight as she questioned him as to why he was here alone, throwing a joke in the mix being nowhere near a help. He looked at his paws for a moment, remembering why he had left, and he fires of anger that burned into his heart at what had happened in his old pack, his teeth gritting as he saw it flash in his mind again: "You've no say here BOYS! You will stand down and listen, or you can leave now!" Yes, his father's words, burned into his mind forever as the moment that his life would be changed forever.

He turned his head back to her with the look of anger still resting on his face, however hard he tried to not let it show. He knew she was not trying to upset him, but the question would likely tear into him for quite a while. The situation may have been of his own making, but why should he have to like it? "Unfortunately I'm not here by choice. We had a bit of a skirmish with my parents that ended up in us having to leave the pack. I still have angry dreams about it." He gritted his teeth, prepared to look her in the eye again, when he suddenly stopped for just a split second, his mind recalling what he had just said: "We had a bit of a skirmish..." He clenched his muscles as it ran through his mind again, howling louder than even the winds around him: "We had..." "We" "WE!" "Shit!!! gotta play it off, maybe she won't notice!" He told himself, however unlikely it was, after all this woman was clearly not stupid, and Quinn felt dread fill him as he put on another straight face, hoping that his feeling that he was safe alone with her wasn't wrong, and that she wouldn't use him to pick them off...

Question me? All of your doubt feeds my desire.

Nox felt a pang of remorse seeing the shift of demeanor. It was clear to her that he was having some sort of internal battle with himself. Every gesture, no matter how small, did not go unnoticed… At least not by her. Whatever he was going through affected him and he struggled to keep it hidden. Although, she was confused as to why. Did he think expressing his emotions were a weakness? Emotions could be compared to a caged animal. Fear and rumination would only deepen domestication. Either the animal would become depressed and cease to function, or it would lash out at the source of its confinement. She wondered which he was more prone to. He did not seem the type to take out his aggression on someone else, but even most well-mannered beings could lose control. He turned back toward her with something hot in his eyes. It did surprise her but for his sake, she went on pretending she hadn’t noticed. What he said after, was the missing piece that she had been searching for. He was young, inexperienced, and clearly a long way from home. On top of that, it seems he had strife with his family… Now who did that sound like?

That was not the only thing she noticed… We. Nox could not say she was surprised. She was well-aware that he was not being completely forward with her from the start. The real question that she wanted to know was why? What purpose did it serve to weave around the truth? She was no threat to him or whoever he was protecting. Amber eyes narrowed, peering so intently into him that she could practically see him prickle with discomfort. It was sort of amusing to watch him stumble over himself. Rather than draw attention to his mistake she carried on with the conversation. “I see. I am sorry to hear about your parents. I know how difficult that can be, I left home too after a…” Nox paused, choosing her words carefully. What really happened would not have brought him any comfort. “-disagreement. I was probably no older than you, maybe even a bit younger.” Her feelings about it had become less volatile over the years. After all, father got what he always deserved. Whenever she thought of him and his memory roused bitterness, she just remembered the fate he met. There was no longer a reason to hold onto the hate that accompanied thoughts of him. “I cannot say the feelings of resentment ever completely go away, but It does get easier, I promise.” Her eyes dipped toward the ground but only for a moment. Nox granted him a soft smile. She looked upward and studied the sky to gauge the time. How long had she been sitting there? Time seemed frozen for the while, but she was very aware that she was incapable of such powers. Soon, those that cared for her would begin to worry. “Unfortunately...” She said with a disappointed sigh. “I will have to go back soon before my companions start to worry.” It had been lovely, but she would rather not have to navigate back home in the dark… Or worse, have him come tromping after her like a madman. “Talking with you was pleasant, Quinn. I am sad to see it come to an end.” Stiffness had begun to settle in from sitting there so long. She slowly stood up and flexed each of her limbs, patiently waiting for him to rise too.

I'm gonna make my own empire.

Thanks to Bird for the table help!

(Thoughts Speech) [OOC: I'm so sorry, I had some other stuff to do this week and I kept putting it off.]

Quinn looked at the woman with a mixture of feelings as she comforted him about the situation with his family, deciding to take her words to heart. She had said that it gets better, and he needed to believe that. When she told him she had to leave, he frowned a bit and let out a small whine of sadness. He had grown to appreciate this woman's company, and when she didn't lash out at him when he mentioned his family, he suddenly knew he could trust her. He stepped forward and gave a sincere bow to the woman before he spoke. "I will see you again, Nox. You're quite the interesting creature, and I would very much enjoy to have another talk with you."

He smiled and then turned to go off towards the exit to the gorge, his ears now ringing with the sound of the wind screaming at him. He turned as he walked away, and called back to her: "I wish you good travels and health. May the wind be always at your back!" And he gave a small howl to her in her honor, wagging his tail as he loped away from the beautiful woman.