Karaka was relearning the world. She was exploring what lay beyond the little forest she had grown up in, and so far she was having a blast. She had no curfew, no limitations. She could do what she wanted, when she wanted. That also meant she was in charge of finding her own food, and she had to admit that was probably the least appealing part of this big adventure. Time hunting was time taken away from exploring, and meeting new faces. It was late afternoon when she caught herself a rabbit, and she found a cool spot beneath a huge, sweeping willow tree. She lay down on her stomach, and started in on the good parts first. The tender, soft bits. After all, she could do whatever she wanted. Why not eat the best bits first? "Speech"

Probably the best part of growing up was all the newfound freedom Rogue had been given by his parents. As a yearling, he was free to roam about wherever he pleased, do as he wanted (so long as he didn't do something stupid to upset Mom), and enjoy the perks of being a prince of the most powerful pack in the land. What more could a young adult male want! The world was his oyster and he was hellbent on making the most of his life, just like his once-vagabond father. Today's adventures brought the young Klein prince out to the nearby willow forest just to the north of his home's borders. A short trip across some more arid territory found him on lush grass and loamy soil, the scent of dew and the sound of the babbling streams that fed the thick willow woods making for a serene and peaceful environment.

Being the heart of winter, there was still snow on the ground and the days were cold, just enough that Rogue was able to see his breath on every exhale, but not as bitterly cold as the northern territories were. Large paws crunching through the thin layer of snow dusting the ground, Rogue maneuvered and weaved between the willow trees, humming a soft tune to himself as he gazed in awe at the massive trees surrounding him, every so often ducking through the curtains of fronds to see what the underneath of these stunning trees looked like. He was in his own little world at the time—which was why it came as such a surprise to him when he ducked his head through a curtain of willow fronds and found himself staring at one of the most unique looking wolves he'd ever seen in his life, hidden away beneath a massive willow like a princess behind a gossamer curtain.

"Oh, hello! Sorry, I, uh, didn't know anyone was going to be under here," he apologized with a sheepish smile to the stranger, hoping he hadn't startled her with his sudden appearance.

"Rogue Klein"

Raka’s head flew up at the sudden sound of paws - and then a voice. A smile was already finding its way to her muzzle as she grinned at the stranger. She moved a paw over her rabbit - not so much in a ‘protective’ way, but more in a ‘this was no longer the most interesting thing here’ way. Her eyes roamed over the maps of stars in his coat. Every bit as shiny and bright as her own father. He would have fit right in with her family, while also being unique in his own way. “That’s alright! I’m Raka” She introduced herself, motioning with a paw for him to join her beneath the shelter of the Willow tree. “Did you want any rabbit?” She asked, happy to share her kill. "Speech"

The young woman he'd stumbled upon looked surprised by his sudden appearance, then delighted as she looked at him across the space between them. Rogue noted how her bright blue eyes moved over him, seemingly captivated by his coat, and the prince ate up the attention like a glutton at a buffet. Yeeeeeah, Rogue knew he was a looker. He had all the best bits of his mom and dad to thank for that, and with that confidence he grinned back at the stranger. Confident, but not vain. The smile of a young brute who was sure of himself and his place in the world.

The stranger introduced herself as Raka and motioned for him to come closer. Well, Rogue wasn't about to pass up the chance to admire this rare beauty up close! Stepping his way through the curtain of willow fronds, Rogue brought the rest of his form to bear. He was just slightly taller than she was, having inherited his sire's height, and as he approached the age of maturity, his lean adolescent form had begun to fill out with toned muscles into an athletic masculine shape, looking right in that space between teen and adult. She offered him some of her meal, and though he wasn't all that hungry, he still gratefully accepted a nibble, just as his mother had taught him to be polite. "Don't mind if I do," he replied, moving over to lay down near her so the two of them were perpendicular around the rabbit, Raka to his left side. He took whatever pieces she offered him, not wanting to just help himself to her dinner.

Now up close to the lady, Rogue could easily distinguish all the overlapping shades of gold that ran through her magnificent coat. If he was cloaked in the night sky, then she was a brilliant dawn or sunset, her fur practically ablaze with fiery colors. But more interesting to him was the pair of horns that adorned her crown. Mutations such as these were not rarities in his family—his own scruff quills and diamond claws were proof of that—but he'd never seen horns quite like hers before! "Nice to meet you, Raka. I'm Rogue. Rogue Kline," he introduced himself to Raka, giving her a lopsided smile akin to the one his father usually wore. Would she be familiar with his family name and recognize where he had come from? Finding out who knew who he was was always a fun guessing game for the lad. Anonymity sometimes was an unexpected delight.

His sunset amethyst eyes did their best to stay up on her cerulean jewels and face, but he'd be lying if he said she wasn't very pretty and quite enjoyable to look at. The temptation to keep looking her over and admiring her was ever present. "Your horns are lovely! I've never seen anyone else decorate theirs so ornately." His eyes followed the gold bands around her horns, down to the precious stones that dangled from each band.

"Rogue Klein"

As she watched the handsome stranger make his way closer, she felt her heartbeat pick up. That knowledge thrilled her! She knew that the prettiest wolf she had ever met had been Absinth. Kissing her had set Raka aflame. But this wolf was perhaps the most handsome, and he held himself as if he knew it. She wants to kiss him, especially with the memory of Absinth's lips on hers still fresh in her memory. Purely for experimental reasons, of course…


She flicked her tail lazily behind her, tilting her head upwards as the tall wolf reached her. She didn't have to crane her neck for long, as he settled in by her. She ripped her rabbit in half, and offered him the portion with the least amount of bite marks in it. She hadn't been expecting to share when she'd started in on it.


He gave her his name, and spoke his family name with a hint of reverence that told her its importance to him. Or, she was making stories from the smallest hints, as she often did. She chose to believe she had the right of it. "Nice to meet you, Rogue Kline" She said, no hint of recognition for his name in her voice. Before she could delve any further into his history, he asked of her her favourite question. She tilted her horns to the side, so the gems dangled closer to his face. "I collect stories, and for every story I collect, I add a gem to my horns. Pick a gem, and I'll tell you it's story" She suggested to him, eyes bright with mischief. "But for each story, there's a cost…"

Raka offered him half of her rabbit, a much more generous offer than he was expecting, and Rogue took it graciously, tucking into the sweet meat of fresh game. He hadn't been planning to deprive her of half her meal. He would have to be sure to help her hunt for another before they parted ways; it was only the polite thing to do. Plus it'd mean he'd get the chance to show off to the pretty girl. When he introduced himself, Raka responded in a way that confirmed she had no idea who the heck he was. That was a kind of nice change of pace. He was so used to everyone he met either knowing Ashen or the Kleins. Judging by the lack of a pack scent on her, Rogue deduced that she likely didn't have much in the way of knowledge of the packs of Boreas. That would explain why he was a stranger to her. It also meant he wouldn't have to worry about being diplomatic or anything formal with her.

"The pleasure's all mine, Raka," replied Rogue after swallowing a bite of meat, flashing a charming smile her way as he unintentionally (or maybe a little intentionally) let his flirty side out to play. Prompted by his query, Raka turned her head to tilt her right horn towards him to show off her jewelry. Rogue didn't hesitate to lift a large paw to catch the two swaying gemstones carefully so he could inspect them closer. One was a bright blue jewel that looked just like her eyes. The second was a monochrome stone, looking perhaps to be jet or melanite. Raka explained how she collected stories, and each stone represented a particular story. Now that was a fascinating concept to the young prince! As a lover of stories of all sorts, she had his curiosity, but now she also had his attention.

There was a slight pause in his response as he looked back to her eyes, amethyst meeting aqua as he studied the gleam of mischief in her gaze as she posed a trade—a story for a cost. That cost remained to be seen, but whatever it was, Rogue doubted it would be one he couldn't afford. So self-assured, the brute was. A sly grin pulled up the corner of his mouth into an endearing crooked smile, meeting her mischievous mood with his own. "These must be some stories then... All right, Raka, it's a deal." He dropped his paw to free both stones, then tapped the blue one with one digit. "What's the blue one's story?" He shifted his body to face hers better, rolling on his side to give her his full attention as he waited with rapt interest to hear her tales.

"Rogue Klein"

She felt a brief moment of tension as he cupped her precious stones in the pad of his paw. She didn't let her worry show, through the stones were her greatest possession. He accepted her trade easily. More so than she expected- he didn't even ask the price of her stories! In doing so, she could ask for whatever she wanted in return. Silly boy. She was rather happy with this outcome.


She breathed a couple slow breaths, thinking of the scene she wished to set, and settled in to give him a story. If she was going to ask a cost, she knew she better make it a good one.  "Good choice! That stone marks the very first story" She told him, settling into her storytellers pose. Raising herself up a little, turning to catch the light across the golden folds of her cheeks. "I'm told it was at the end of a great storm, when the first rays of sunlight broke through the dark clouds that a small horned wolf first opened her eyes. This wolf was special, you see. She was born to storytellers, and she of all her litter was chosen to carry on this legacy" that was stretched from the truth so far as to be utter horseshit. But he had asked for a story, not the truth. "It was fate that when that tiny wolf's eyes opened, the chosen stone matched them almost exactly. It was for this legacy, that when she reached her first year of age, this daughter of storytellers was sent out into the world, so that she might start her own collection. By listening to the wolves of this world." She finished with a flourish. She relaxed her pose, and winked at him. Wondering what he would think of her story. It was true that she had not collected nor told many yet. The only way to learn was through exposure, and what kind of audience was Rogue?


"Now, I believe there was the small matter of the price, Mr Klien" She said. The mischief streak was on full display across her expression now. "For this story, the cost is a single kiss."

Rogue was too fascinated by the stones dangling from Karaka's horns to notice the way she had tensed up when he reached out to touch them, but he did notice how pleased she seemed when he agreed to her price. That made him raise a suspicious brow. Perhaps he should have been more negotiable with those terms... but really, how bad could a couple of stories cost? By pure happenstance, he had selected the stone that had her first story in chronological order. Rogue settled in to listen while Karaka prepared herself and launched straight into her tale. She wove a beautiful and vivid depiction of her birth and her destiny as a storyteller, revealing to him her mission to seek out the stories of other wolves so that she might tell them as well. A bard of sorts, regaling the world with tales of lives of others as well as her own. It was a fascinating notion to the young prince, one that had him enthralled with the idea of getting to wander the world, simply meeting others and making their stories apart of your own.

As she concluded her first story, Rogue would give Karaka a slow grin and an amused laugh when she winked at him. All the while she had been speaking, his amethyst eyes had not left her for even a second; Karaka had captured every second of his attention with her storytelling. He thumped a paw on the ground a few times in applause. "Well, you certainly have a way with words, Raka," he remarked with an easy smile. "Guess your future as a storyteller is pretty much guaranteed with that talent!" Now there was just the matter of the price to have her entertain him, as she so mentioned. "And what would you like in return, miss Raka?" What would someone like Karaka ask of a prince of the most notable family in the realm? Money? Land? Prestige? Rogue waited with bated breath to find out the answer.

Turned out, the answer was even more surprising to him than any of the presupposed options he had thought of. A kiss! The surprise showed on Rogue's face for a brief second before it was swiftly concealed away behind his confident expression once more, despite how his heart was hammering in his chest all of a sudden. A kiss... Rogue had never kissed anyone before, but he supposed he was about to! Trying his best to not look nervous and hide his inexperience, Rogue flashed another grin back at Karaka, his tail beating excitedly against the ground behind him. "Hmm, you drive a hard bargain, Raka. But I am a wolf of my word," he teased her with some good natured mischief in his voice, eyes gleaming playfully.

Rogue's heart was racing. He had seen his parents kiss from time to time so he knew the mechanics of it and how to kiss in theory, but in practice...? Well, here goes nothing! Slowly leaning his face in closer to hers, Rogue took his time bringing his muzzle within an inch of Karaka's until he could feel her breath on his lips. He paused, hesitating for dramatic effect, or maybe to tease her, or maybe because he was hella nervous right now. Either way, after a short beat, Rogue finished leaning in closer, aiming to gingerly brush his mouth against hers in a slow, exploratory kiss, testing the waters so to speak and to see how she would react to gauge how he was doing.

"Rogue Klein"

She looked across at the other wolf, mischief in the lines of her face as she waited to see how he would take the ‘cost’ she noticed first the surprise that ran across his expression. She had caught him unaware! She very much enjoyed surprising those around her. That brief moment was replaced with the assured look suiting a Prince - if only she knew he was such - and a grin that boosted her own confidence. The brilliant blue wolf, whose coat was like the stars in the night sky, clearly agreed to her request. He leaned his face in closer to hers, and she half-closed her eyes, leaning in herself and letting her lashes brush across his skin. And then their lips were touching. His gesture was slow and careful, but Raka was not so patient. She wrapped a paw against his shoulder and pulled him closer. If she was going to bargain for a kiss, she would get her money's worth. She wrapped her muzzle about his, tasting him, savouring it. She wanted to know exactly what it was like to kiss a boy. "Speech"

The moment their lips met, it was like electricity was running through Rogue's veins and across his skin, tingling wherever their bodies made contact as they lay beside one another, kissing one another as casually as breathing. This might have been Rogue's first kiss, but it became very apparent very quickly that this was not Karaka's first! While the Klein boy had been trying to go slow and learn the experience for the first time, Raka wasted no time wrapping her paw around his shoulder and pulling him insistently deeper into the kiss, intensifying it tenfold in the blink of an eye. Rogue's racing heart skipped, his pulse hitting the ceiling as fireworks exploded in his head. Rushes of endorphins and hormones coursed through his body, filling him with a warm pleasure that radiated outward from his belly. Was this how good kissing always felt? Now he knew why his mom and dad seemed to like it so much!

Rogue uttered a muffled sound of surprise that quickly gave way to a murr of delight as he relaxed into the impassioned kiss with Raka, amethyst eyes drifting closed while he savored these intense new sensations of kissing a girl. His muzzle locked with hers, mouth moving in harmony as he tasted her on his tongue, a shiver of delight running down his spine. His bushy tail lashed against the ground behind him, a visible indicator of how much he was enjoying himself. Rogue instinctively leaned in closer, draping a foreleg across hers and pressing his side to Raka's until their coats began to mingle together, learning from what she did and responding with curious lips and tongue in time. Rogue was a quick learner too, and soon he was kissing Raka with as much ease and confidence as she was kissing him with, never wanting this to end—or at the very least hoping that her request for a second story was going to be another one of these amazing kisses!

"Rogue Klein"