ooc; pay no mind to the title, it means nothing :3

He was wandering again, this time a bit farther from home than even he'd intended to. The boy would never admit he was lost, but he very much was. He'd set out west, determined to see what lay on the other side of Seracia. The Kingdom was as far south as you could get unless you could swim, bordered by the southern ocean. Maverick loved his home, loved every inch of it, but his exploratory mindset would not allow him to stay there for more than a week without stretching his legs and getting into some trouble. This occasion, he was sure, would result in no less. The last time his blessed mother had nearly had a heart attack when he'd returned. She'd muttered - or screamed, rather - a million different things.. Something about him being dead in a ditch somewhere, and her being worried sick. None of it really mattered to him, he was a big boy and could very well fend for himself - or so he thought. After celebrating his first birthday, the boy had gone through a big change. While his mischievous side still reigned supreme, it now manifested itself in wandering and juvenile troublemaking rather than the pranks and jokes of puphood. He'd been cute and adorable in his childhood, but it was time to become a man, that's what his father had told him, anyway. It seemed he had gotten the brunt of his father's 'grow up' lecture, Valkis and Kamala were his angel children anyway. Still, he knew his father was proud of him, even if he did drive him up the wall from time to time. His father had mentioned something of interest to him, the possibility of being chosen Heir. This alone was the biggest secret they shared, as he was not to mention it to his brother or sister under any circumstances, at least not yet. Still, the pride it gave him was overwhelmingly responsible for the addition of arrogance to his list of features. Another overwhelming interest in the boy's mind - besides wandering, that is - was girls. Maverick had woken up one day and found the female species quite.. alluring. It had happened that fast, or so it seemed. And now the boy could scarcely walk about Seracia without ogling one of the older she-wolves. Ghost was his favorite piece to look at, as she was interesting and unique. Loccian wasn't bad either, but she'd helped watch him and he knew he'd never have a shot with her. Not that he'd have a chance with Ghost either. None of the older women saw him as the man he was. Before he knew it he'd stumbled across a ravine, which staggered jaggedly downhill twenty feet or more. His tongue lolled out of his mouth. He would have to drink. With haste, the man began to make the slow trek downhill to the water. His tail stiffened for balance as yearling legs carried him with surprising precision on his descent. Moments later he scrambled for his footing, having chosen a ledge that soon crumbled beneath him. Not finding anything to grab onto, Maverick went tumbling down three more feet until he landed on his side in the water. The air was knocked out of him as he yelped involuntarily, lying there motionless. Speech,

Epiphron's mind was more busy than ever before. She'd been wrestling with the decision of which lead rank she should work towards -- Collision had promised her the opportunity to choose whichever one she wanted to train for. After a long process of thought, her mind had been mostly made up, especially after her conversation with Leon. He'd asked her what her heart beat for; what she really desired to do. Power, she'd admitted to herself silently, but it wouldn't be honorable to admit such a thing. The position of Lead Warrior was highly sought after, and knowing she held a position that others desired so passionately was a thrilling possibility. But it was shameful to admit, especially as an Adravendi, that she felt so compelled to choose a position solely to impress others and make them desire her. Of course, she wanted to defend her family with all that she could, too... but was that her sole reason for wanting to obtain the position? She would admit it to no one but herself, but it wasn't. As she wandered outside of the Valhalla borders, she could picture it in her head, how enemies of Valhalla would snicker at such a princess being a warrior, and be beyond surprised when she brutally dominated them in battle. She wondered how it felt to sink her teeth into another wolf's tender flesh; it was something she'd only done in playing with her siblings, and never enough to draw blood. Her journey took her far away from the land she had grown familiar with in the last few weeks. Never had she ventured so far from her family, from the safety of her pack. The landscape transformed rapidly as she went, the trees that towered far above her head slowly thinned into nonexistence for some time. She'd never experienced such a lack of foliage. She felt the warm sand beneath her paws as she tread onward, amused by the change of landscape. She was unaware how long she had been walking, though surely her journey had taken her a few hours. The ivory-furred female had set out just as the sun began to creep over the horizon, and now it hung almost directly overhead. The heat had begun to sink in. She had grown accustomed to the piercing cold of winter, but with the change of landscape came the slight change in temperature, too, accentuated by spring's sudden arrival. Tongue lolled from her parted jaws as she jogged along, panting lightly. Soon trees began to sprout up here and there, the landscape becoming more uneven as she went. Before long there was a sharp drop in the land. Somewhat timidly she peered over the edge of the steep cliff, finding a shallow albeit running river at the bottom. It was a challenge, and immediately she accepted, no hesitation as the female placed her paws gingerly on the downgrade. While she was not particularly afraid of slipping and hurting herself, she was more so annoyed that she might stumble, tainting her pure white fur with the sand that seemed to surround her on all sides. Epiphron Adravendi moved with obvious apprehension, judging each step carefully as she used her paws to grip the land. Her eyes searched the ground before her as she made her way down into the ravine, knowing a fall would surely mean injury... and possibly even death. She was too far from her family to call for help, and she didn't expect a stranger to help a pretty female like herself. She'd been warned by her father of the danger of stumbling across strangers, especially males. It took her far longer than expected, but before she knew it she found herself standing on all four paws. Her chest heaved gently, feeling the strain of her half-day journey. As the female gazed around, she caught sight of a young wolf lying on his side in the shallow stream. An eyebrow raised, curiosity taking over. She had never been so far from home on her own, and was intrigued as to who this stranger was. Wondering if he was dead or alive, Epiphron padded forward quietly, gazing at him with wide blue eyes. His chest was moving, something she only noticed as she crept closer, half expecting him to jump up and surprise her. Perhaps he was injured? She moved to nudge him lightly on his side, unsure of what she should do. It would be a good moment to have Erani here, if he was injured... Speech,

Black, everything was black. The possibility that the fall may have left him blind crossed his mind, but he soon realized that his eyes were shut. The labor of opening them was more than it should have been. Thankfully, he had landed on his side on a particularly sandy part of the ravine, free of rocks or other dangerous debris. Perhaps it was luck, or perhaps it was skill, the boy would never know. He continued to lay there, having very little will to pick himself up just yet. His side was numb, but he was sure it would ache like hell when he finally did get up. Green eyes would open to reveal not a spot of blood in the water, at least none that he could see. Great, he thought as he heaved a sigh, preparing himself mentally and physically to get up and out of the water. Before he could move, however, someone prodded him on his side. His head twisted around to look at her as a growl bubbled in his chest. Of course, at this angle he couldn't tell much about her other than the fact that she looked concerned for his well-being. Maverick grunted and scrambled to his paws, unwilling to lie down in the presence of a stranger. He wavered on his paws as water dripped off of his soaked frame. Eyes narrowed suspiciously as he watched her for a moment. Then, deciding that she wasn't a threat, he relaxed slightly and gave a wave of his tail. He gazed at her for a moment, finding her to be quite beautiful, and about his age. Suddenly slightly smitten, the boy would offer a small greeting. "Well hello." A miss would have normally been tagged on the end, out of politeness sake, but Maverick knew that girls liked guys a bit tough and macho. At least, that's what he thought. Of course, falling into a ravine wasn't exactly macho, was it? Unless he played it off as if he'd jumped, done it purposely and only messed up a little? Yes, that would do it. "I suppose that didn't go just like i'd planned.." He trailed off, leaving no inclination that he was playing any sort of trick on her. If there was anything the boy was good at, it was having a poker face. A smirk crossed his lips as he feigned a look up at where he'd fallen from. It wasn't that far, only a few feet, but he was feeling the pain in his side already. Turning back to her, the boy decided to offer his name, hoping to get her own in return. "The name's Maverick." He paused, allowing her to file it away for future use. He knew she would. "What's yours? Or should I just call you gorgeous?" A genuine chuckle burst forth from his chest, dripping from his lips like fine wine. The lady was gorgeous, he only hoped she wouldn't smack him for calling her so. "Speech,"

Epiphron was enjoying the freedom of young adulthood; she had her own den now, and nobody to answer to when she made the decision to wander off on her own. Surely they would start looking for her if her absence extended for much longer than a day, but she had never experienced such independence. It was exhilarating, but a bit strange as well. Surely if Erani was with her, she would grow immediately worried for this stranger and try to figure out how to help him, and Epiphron would be inclined to do the same, simply because she ought to. But she had no one looking over her shoulder, no expectations to fulfill. She was half inclined to leave him be -- for what if he was nothing but trouble? -- but she had interacted with non-Valhalla wolves so infrequently that she found herself glued to the spot, wading in the cool shallow water and pressing her nose into the side of a complete stranger. A growl began to erupt from the male's chest, and Epiphron took a quick step backwards. Perhaps he was in pain if he had fallen, which wouldn't be a surprising outcome, given how steep the incline was. But he rushed to all fours almost instantaneously, looking a bit confused as the male examined her. Epiphron's own tail wagged a bit behind her, an unconscious reaction; she couldn't help feel momentarily pleased to be in the presence of a rather pleasant-looking male, one who seemed to be about her age, if not a bit younger. "I suppose that didn't go just like I'd planned.." He started, and Epiphron found the corners of her lips curling up in a slight smirk. "It doesn't seem so, does it?" She answered, her voice dripping with sweetness and jest. Now that the male proved to be alright, with no obvious injuries, she straightened up a bit, tail held above her back. Her sapphire blue eyes examined him as he spoke, head tilting slightly to the side. "Well, it's nice to meet you, Maverick," In the presence of a stranger, she found herself feeling slightly different than when she was with the company of her family. A bit taller, and with a new found confidence she hadn't known existed. Was this what it was like being a rogue -- being able to put on a different face with every creature you met? She found herself in the company of this male not as one of many Adravendi children, forever lingering in the shadow of their father, but as a individual that this male called Maverick obviously found attractive and worth talking to. The feeling of importance flooded her, and made a genuine smile cross her delicate features. The compliment was taken gladly, and the female dipped her head low to the ground, feigning a bow. "Some call me Epiphron, but gorgeous works just as well." Surely the nickname would grow irritating, but she found herself feeling thoroughly flattered for the moment. Her pleased expression grew into a more curious one. She'd never really encountered pack wolves, save for her fellow Valhalla wolves. Maverick's scent was heavy with that of other creatures; he was certainly no rogue. "Which pack are you from, Maverick?" It was intriguing to her, since most of her family didn't discuss the neighboring packs often, and mostly avoided contact with them.

The boy was busy trying to determine if this was some great figment of his imagination. Jus now much damage had that fall really done to make him think that a beautiful creature such as her was standing here talking to him? A faint smile fluttered on his lips and remained there, rightfully so. What luck! To have recently discovered the allure of both wandering and those of the female persuasion, and now to have stumbled across one whom was not blood related! Not to mention he'd just survived a potentially detrimental fall into a ravine. Oh yes, Maverick's luck was favorable. It seemed she may have bought his foolery about him intentionally falling, but Maverick wasn't certain. Either way she didn't seem to be making a fool out of him, and that's what mattered, wasn't it? Her smile glittered on her face like a tiara. Briefly, Maverick wondered what had placed it there. Her comment about his nickname certainly brought one of his own to his mask, so, she didn't mind being called gorgeous, eh? Eyes twinkled with excitement. The girl was well versed, obviously having been around others before, she was well groomed and fed, leading him to believe that she must be a pack wolf. But which pack? There were so many he could scarcely keep up with the names, not that he cared much anyhow, Seracia was just fine for him. Still, a note of curiosity lingered in his features as she asked him the very same question he'd wanted to ask her. "The Kingdom of Seracia, on the southern delta. My parents are King and Queen," He knew where that second line would lead her to thinking, logically one would assume he was the Prince. But it didn't matter much, in all reality he knew he would be promoted to Prince soon enough, especially now that he was a yearling and could actually begin training. The smile would linger as his tail painted a line behind him with a soft, elegant wag. The pain in his side would gladly be ignored in her presence. "And what about you, gorgeous?" Speech,

The knowledge that Maverick was of some pack was thrilling. It was obvious that he was not a rogue, for surely loners weren?t as handsome as this fellow; his body was filling in nicely as he grew, lined with enough fat to prove he ate well and often. Epiphron had never directly encountered wolves from other packs in such an intimate setting: usually she was resigned to simply observing them from behind her father, or watching from a safe distance. Maverick held himself with considerable confidence as he spoke, reminding her very much of the wolves of her own family. Pride was the foundation of the Adravendi family, though often it was tiresome to stand in Cairo?s impressive shadow. There was little room for failure or mistake when all eyes were upon the yearlings, and Epiphron had perfected her composed fa?ade. Her worries were kept to herself, replaced by a cheeky smile that was customary of the young female. But the smile felt genuine now, her entire being flooded with pleasure at the attention of this lad called Maverick. He knew naught of who she was, and still those bright green eyes of his were locked on her like she was one of the only females in the world. Even if his attention was fleeting, which was a reasonable possibility, she found herself momentarily pleased. She wondered if her sister Chrysanthe would have received the same attention, and reasoned that it wasn?t likely. He explained who he was; the son of a King and Queen. Even more reason to stick around, though already his company was proving to be entertaining. ?I?ve heard of Seracia,? she explained, though truthfully the name was simply familiar. Nothing else came to mind about the pack. ?I?m of the Valhalla pack. My father Cairo was the Alpha, but my brother is the heir and will soon be ruling.? While she, of course, would?ve preferred that she was the heir, it still seemed impressive that she was the daughter of a former leader, right? She was surely royalty; if anyone was royalty in the Valhalla pack, it had to be the Adravendis. It would be difficult to not notice that she at least considered herself a princess, even if not by title, by the way she held her head proudly on her shoulders and the manner in which he tail wagged above her back. Though she was rapidly entering adulthood, she still found herself feeling very much like a child. She was half-tempted to splash Maverick with the water they were standing in, but she figured the male had gone through enough today. Instead she waded in the cool stream, circling Maverick once. She was hyper-aware of her movements, swaying carefully on her paws as she walked through the running water, eyes tracing the ravine. She wondered how the hell they?d make it out of here? usually it was much more difficult to climb out of something than it was to climb into it, but she supposed they?d figure that out later.

Mind wandered to the possibilities. The girl, Epiphron, represented everything that was unknown in his world. She was a girl - that was perhaps the most unknown - she was from another pack. His father always handled the diplomatic issues when it came to the other packs. He'd never even so much as been allowed to see a member of another pack. Much less encounter one solo. Still, his parents couldn't shelter him forever, that truth was proven by the fact that he was standing here dripping wet in a ravine with a pretty girl. What more could the boy ask for? The devilish smirk would remain on his features as she spoke, saying she recalled hearing of his pack. They were small, but rather up-and-coming, Maverick knew that sooner or later they'd be as big as that Valhalla he'd heard so much about, then, much to his surprise - which was evident on his mask - the girl said she was of Valhallan descent, the blood of Cairo, no less! His father had spoken of Cairo, who had also fathered the young heir, Syrinx. Apparrently father had met Syrinx while wandering in the battlefield. So that was her brother, then. Who was the Alpha? Another brother of hers? Maverick vaguely recalled a name, but couldn't get it off of the tip of his salmon tongue. "I've heard of Valhalla," As she circled him, he allowed himself to be scrutinized, which he was certain she was doing. The smirk remained plastered there as his head dropped to the surface of the running water. Drought after drought would be taken before he lifted again. Following her line of sight, eyes fell upon the walls of the ravine, which appeared much more treacherous now than they had when he'd descended. "I really didn't think this through," he muttered as he surveyed their predicament. If he fell again he would prove himself a bumbling fool, something he was far from. So what was the solution? Was he not also obligated to get her out safely as well? Wasn't that the chivalrous thing to do? Certainly it would gain him points in her book, points that might somehow raise him above whatever Valhallan prince who sought to steal her away. Yes, getting her out could only help him. But how? Eyes would rove over the crevasse, looking for the easiest and safest route up. The walls of the ravine were stair-stepped, but many of those steps were crumbling, or barely existent. The way he'd come down had crumbled beneath him, and having the girl fall the same way would certainly make him look like a fool. But he tried to stop worrying about their ascent and focus more on just being with her. Her company was far preferred to almost anyone else he'd been around in his short but interesting life. He wondered briefly what his father would think of her. Both of them, his adoptive father and his biological father. He would never know what Rancor thought of her, or of his firstborn son. An ear flicked back at this thought, but quickly returned to its original position. Head turned from the walls of the ravine to her elegant face. "What's it like in Valhalla?" Curiosity painted across his face as he waited patiently for her reply. Speech,

Epiphron finally knew what it was like to be a female ? no, a woman. Not only was she intelligent and level-headed, but she had been blessed with the kind of beauty than made men turn their heads. It was something she was just beginning to discover, as she finally was losing the puppyish appearance she?d had for so long, but it was even more apparent in the presence of another yearling. It was an interesting feeling to circle him, not completely unlike a vulture circling its prey, and watch him stand there proudly, with all the surety in the world that she wouldn?t do anything to harm him. Of course, she didn?t seem threatening, and wasn?t planning on doing anything to harm him; he was a bit larger than her anyway, and she had little exposure to fighting thus far. Maverick said that he?d heard of Valhalla. Of course he has, she thought to herself, knowing the legacy Cairo had left in his wake. Her father had built a solid foundation for the pack, and a legacy that all of the children, including Epiphron, would only continue on. She only circled him once, joining him in lowering her muzzle to the water to lap some of the cool water. As she did so, she realized how thirsty she was?her journey had been farther than she?d realized. Only briefly did she wonder if her family had noticed she was missing. Probably not, for she had taken to wandering quite a bit these days. If only they knew how far she had gone! And if they knew where exactly she?d ventured to. Surely Erani would be worried to find the young female at the bottom of such a deep ravine, and she couldn?t imagine the female?s panic if she saw Maverick lying motionless at the bottom. It would surely be interesting when they decided to climb out, but the prospect of possibly slipping and rolling around in the dirt around her cute new friend was not exactly exciting. Instead she would settle with wallowing in the paw-deep water, wondering briefly how many wolves had fallen and injured themselves here. It was pretty in its own right, despite the sandy cliffs that surrounded them both sides. The water sparkled brightly as the sun shone directly overhead the two of them, showing that the day was at its peak. ?I don?t know. What?s it like in Seracia?? She retorted with a playful snicker, realizing how difficult the question was to answer. ?I?ve known nothing but Valhalla my entire life. It?s simply home to me.? Her voice was sweet as ever, the mere mention of her pack causing her eyes to sparkle and her tail to wave behind her in a fluid motion. It was a bit strange being around someone she had not known her entire life. If she was hanging out with Chrysanthe, or Syrinx, or even her adoptive siblings, she could feel comfortable enough to fill the voids of silence with gentle nudges or other simple forms of contact. But with a stranger she felt inclined to keep her distance. He also smelled a bit odd to her ? though not in an entirely bad way ? just different, his scent intertwined with that of his pack and family, all wolves Epiphron had never met. ?We recently had to move to a new land after the volcano erupted,? she stated matter-of-factly. ?So we have been settling in mostly.? Another pause followed. What was Valhalla really like? Compared to another pack? ?I suppose my father can be a bit strict. There?s not much room for slacking, but he?s very fair and I can?t say I?ve had a bad life. In fact, it?s been quite good. Though I guess I shouldn?t expect anything less as an Adravendi.? A pretty smile was given, showing her pearly white teeth to Maverick. ?And what's Seracia like, in comparison? Do you get to follow in your father?s giant footsteps too??

Valhalla was the large pack his father had talked about, the one that once harbored over seventy wolves. That was in the Old Alacritis, his birthplace. Here, their numbers were smaller, but Gerhardt said it made them even more formidable. Maverick had long believed that Valhalla was some sort of foreign empire, a throne that could not be shaken. The boy tried to imagine what it might be to live in such a place. No doubt the territory was massive, stretched for miles upon miles upon miles. No doubt every inch was covered with a wolf that sought to defend their home with fervor. Getting ahead of yourself there, Mav.. He blinked twice and then swiveled twin ears to note her response, which at first gave him not a shred of information. Perhaps Valhallans weren't supposed to talk about their home? He knew packs could be quite secretive about their rituals. Gods knew his birth pack had been that type. The boy could scarcely remember how things had been in Talutah, for he had been just a babe at the time, but every now and then a shred of a memory would float to the surface of his subconscious, reminding him of just who his real parents were. She turned the same question on him, and for the first time the boy realized what a hard inquiry he'd given her. There was a shrug, followed by a lighthearted chuckle, one that resounded very much like Gerhardt's did in this type of situation. He may not have been biologically linked to the King, but he was very much his son. He nodded, agreeing with her comment about home just being home. That was probably the best way to answer that question. He would give her mental attraction points for coming up with a better answer than just a shrug and a chuckle. Intelligence really was attractive. But the dame took it a step further, elaborating on how they'd gotten here. The backstory was all too familiar, and then she spoke on about her father's rule. A brow raised, it didn't sound much different than his own home. As she tagged on the last bit about following in his father's footsteps, Maverick's chuckle erupted once more, this time a bit louder and more persistent. "More like wallow in them," he would reply. It was true, Gerhardt left big pawprints behind him, and Maverick wasn't sure if he would ever be big enough to fill them - no matter how much he wanted to. "My father can be strict as well, but I suppose you have to be if you're going to be a leader. Mother can be a royal pain, heh, I can just imagine her face whenever she realizes I'm gone.." Adette would be the very definition of pissed off when he finally scampered back onto familiar soil, but he didn't care in the slightest. A boy needed to roam, it was a fact - or so he'd convinced himself. But he felt he should share just a bit more about his home, his life. "I am familiar with the volcano-ridden land. It was once my home," he paused, eyes drifting off to some random point in the distance. "My real parents are still there. They got lost in the inferno trying to save my brother, sister, and I. Gerhardt and Adette quite literally stumbled across us, and as they say... the rest is history." His tale was epic, sad, and quite the tragedy, but the boy was almost glad to say he'd gone through it. Because you see, he'd survived - and not only that - he'd thrived despite the disadvantages. Maverick Tahir-Mathias had beaten the odds, and was now stronger because of it. He'd never told another living soul his story, not personally, anyway. The boy wondered how she would take to it. Sympathy would be a given, but he hoped it would not be overly so. He didn't need pity, didn't want it at all. There were others who probably had worse stories than he. Eyes traveled the landscape until they met her sapphire ones, locking in for a moment before pulling away reluctantly and gazing elsewhere. "Speech,"

It was strange to meet another who spoke of their pack with such pride. Epiphron briefly wondered whether Maverick?s pack really was as great as Seracia; it surely was a smaller group, but that didn?t mean it was any less great. Luckily, they had not gotten into an argument about whose home pack was better, for that would never end well. Epiphron herself was simply content to get to know Maverick, comfortable in the fact that she was more than likely hours away from any of her family. None of her siblings would spontaneously arrive to steal this male?s attention away from her. As Maverick began to explain what Seracia was like, Epiphron bowed her head and redirected her eyes to the stream they still stood in, watching their reflections dance and sparkle as the sun?s rays hit the surface of the water. She watched a smile spread over her features as he replied that he, too, had a slightly domineering father. At least someone else, outside of her family, understood the pressure. It was not entirely awful being forced into the position as an Adravendi child, and she hadn?t failed her family yet. But still, she felt as though she had to constantly strive for more, to be better ? there was very little room to slip and falter, and those rare moments tended to happen around her siblings and few others. And those were the ones she was being held up against ? they weren?t quite openly competitive per say, but if Epiphron was ever compared to anyone, it would be her siblings. The very ones she strove to be better than; she wanted the eyes of the pack to fixate on her more often than the others. Perhaps it was a selfish thought, but she?d been raised to want that. She?d been born knowing she was special, and had simply convinced herself that she might be slightly more so than the other children. Perhaps she ought to contain herself a bit more around them. They were no longer children, though surely siblings were fated to bicker and fight and play. But Maverick?s voice pulled her back to reality, and for that she was thankful. ?My father will hardly notice I?m missing. I?m one of a litter of four, but Father has three other adopted children to deal with.? It was a noble thing for him to do, for sure, but her voice wavered slightly as she spoke of her adopted siblings. She?d always enjoyed the company of Collision and Preston, but Neo was turning into a royal pain in the ass, as far as she was concerned. That wasn?t to say that Cairo wouldn?t be worried for his yearlings, knowing they had wandered off so far, but he surely trusted their judgment enough to not be too upset. Maverick went on about knowing the lands the volcano had ruined, which caused her attention to turn back to him quickly. It was strange that she had lived so close to Maverick, and possibly the Seracia pack, and they had never met. He then explained that his parents had? died, perhaps? ... saving Maverick and his siblings. Sympathy unsurprisingly crossed her pretty face, and she let her eyes lock with his for a moment. She could sympathize, as she had lost her mother when she was quite young, but for now she bit her tongue. She?d never mourned for her death, for she had been far too young, but there was forever a bit of sadness she kept locked inside. Grief wasn?t something she knew how to process, let alone express. ?Sorry to hear that,? she said softly, though it was obvious he was not growing upset in speaking of it. ?But at least you made it out alive and in one piece. Would be a shame to ruin such a cute face.? And this was flirting, accompanied by a coy smile. It came more naturally than she would?ve expected, but she was being genuine too. Maverick was a handsome male, and the perfect age for her too. With that she started to wade down the stream, assuming he would follow alongside her. It would only be comfortable to stand in the same place and talk for so long, and he figured moving might ease an awkwardness that had the potential to creep into the conversation.

His mind wandered to his siblings. Valkis would no doubt be trying to steal away Epiphron from him if he were here, and Kamala.. Kamala would be hanging from a tree somewhere, trying to catch a bird or something else. He was the troublemaker, but quite often she was equally as adventurous. Though he loved them dearly - particularly sweet Kamala - he was glad that they were not here. He'd spent all of his life with them already, it was time to make his own way, to carve his own path, and to see where it might lead him. Right now in this very moment, he only hoped it would lead him closer to her. Smitten was the word, and Maverick Tahir-Mathias was the definition. "One of four, eh? I come from a threesome." The innuendo was very much intended, as the boy took a slight step toward her, wanting so bad to brush against her. A smirk played on his lips, wondering if she'd catch his little quip. His uncle Gideon had done a good job of rubbing off on him so far. His father would be so displeased. "Are there three more at home just like you, doll? Surely not, I'd be willing to bet you're the best looking of the four." Tail twisted out behind him, flicking to the right in hopes of intertwining with hers for a split second, just enough to make her aware of what had happened, but not long enough to bring about an awkward silence. However, his tail only waved idly, missing hers completely. Bad timing, Mav. Sympathy stained her face, paining him somewhere in his gut. He hadn't told that story to make her feel sorry for him. However, she soon relaxed and even flirted a bit. A sly grin skirted across his lips as he chuckled. "That would be a shame, wouldn't it?" She set off down the ravine and he grinned, hesitating to watch her walk away for a moment, catching a rather nice view of her backside. Clicking his jaws back together (as they had fallen ever so slightly agape) Maverick hastened to her side, adding on another little comment. "Not as much of a shame as your face getting messed up would be." Taking care to mind his steps, the boy shifted his weight slightly to the right, hoping to bump shoulders with her. Of course he would attempt to play it off as an innocent misstep, but a smart girl like her - he figured she'd catch on. He wasn't sure how far this ravine meandered, or how deep of water they might get into, but he figured as long as he was with her, he honestly didn't care. Maverick found himself running out of things to say. His side had nearly dried, which meant they had been talking for quite some time. Just how long would a gorgeous girl like this stick around? How long could she possibly tolerate the cocky, arrogant, and altogether charming almost-Heir? More importantly, would he ever see her again when they finally did part? That, more than anything else, worried the lad. Maverick was enjoying her company far more than anyone else he had spent time with, and certainly didn't want it to end with no hope for a future. And so, the two strolled on their merry way. "Speech,"

There was little time for flirting back home. There weren't any other wolves near her age that she'd ever been particularly drawn to, and even if she was, she'd feel awkward talking to them like she was to Maverick, because one of her family members seemed to be within earshot at all hours of the day. But any self-consciousness she'd had upon meeting the male, however minimal, had dissolved almost completely. Her ego had been inflated tremendously, but she probably didn't seem cocky, since Maverick held himself with just as much pride as she did. Epiphron raised a brow at his obvious innuendo. "A threesome, you say? Sounds fun." A smirk tugged at the corner of her mouth, despite the fact that she tried to hide her amusement. Another perk of entering adulthood was being able to not only joke about these kinds of things, but understand them -- really understand them. They soon started off downstream, and Maverick soon followed behind her. She swore she felt his eyes pinned to her, but it certainly didn't make her feel uncomfortable in the least. "Well, my sisters do look a bit like me, but... different." It might be a bit too cocky to admit that they weren't quite as beautiful as she was; instead, she simply tilted her head towards Maverick and winked. "So, you said you had a brother at home. Maybe you could introduce us?" She teased harmlessly, obviously joking. Epiphron had a hard time keeping her eyes off the male for long, and while she walked, it was a bit too frequent that she stole glances beside her at Maverick. As they walked, the boy beside her leaned slightly closer, their shoulders coming briefly into contact as they went. It'd be nice if the water was a bit deeper as they went -- a refreshing swim would be good for so many reasons. Still Epiphron was slightly tempted to splash Maverick, but the timing seemed off. Maybe if they did find a pool of water to swim in, it'd be a better excuse to play. But she felt as though she should act composed, and tuck that childish side of her away as she so often did. "How far from home are you, Mav?" A nickname for him already? Oh well; it slipped out without warning, though fell naturally off her tongue.

This was like nothing else he'd ever experienced in his life. He wasn't ashamed to admit he was glad he'd fallen into the ravine, because if he hadn't.. he might've never met the beautiful Epiphron. Heck, he'd fall off of another ledge if it meant she'd stay for just a little while longer. Smitten was his new middle name, at least with her. The happy smile never threatened to fade from his face, even despite the dark topic he'd brought up about his past. However, the happy smile was quickly replaced by a devious grin as she responded to his threesome remark, even pressing it a bit further. What a woman! A guttural laugh echoed from his cavernous chest, hissing out of his slightly parted lips seductively. He was a virgin, but that didn't mean he didn't know how to turn on the fire. Oh how his father would blush if he heard him joking about such things! Half of him wanted to keep the joke rolling, but he knew it would grow stale after too long, so instead he just tagged on a final thought. "Oh trust me doll, it is." A smirk would play across his features, letting her know that while he could joke about it, he'd never experienced such a thing. Although, it didn't sound half bad to the russet boy. "Different as in.. not quite as breathtakingly gorgeous?" Oh he was laying it on thick now, but he meant every word. He'd never seen someone quite so lovely as her, and probably never would see anyone who could even compare. She took their flirting further, mentioning his brother. Was she serious? For a moment a flash of panic flickered in his eyes, but then he realized what a fool he was being. Of course she was joking. Attempting a retort, Maverick spoke up. "Oh you wouldn't like him. He's positively dreadful company, and not nearly as handsome." Vanity was not beneath him, and he already knew for a fact that she thought him to be easy on the eyes. Words were exaggerated as much as possible, in his melodramatic way. A tingle shot up and down his spine as his lean allowed their flesh to meet. Oh the joys of touching a woman, even briefly like this. When she didn't withdraw, the boy shifted his weight permanently, hoping to lock their shoulders together lightly and stroll along as they were. He had been hoping to find somewhere where the water was a bit deeper. Maverick loved to swim perhaps more than anything else in the world - anything he'd experienced, anyway. But alas, the water was so far only a bit deeper than where he'd fallen, though they hadn't traveled far at this leisurely pace. Green eyes traveled up ahead, noting that the water did not appear to be moving as quickly a few hundred yards away. Perhaps it would have collected there in a small pool that might be able to hold two smitten wolves? One could only hope. A question came, how far was he from home. In reality the boy didn't know, but he knew he'd only traveled about a quarter of a day to get here. Just a few hours time, really, and it could have been faster had he not stopped periodically to explore this or that. "Not too far, Seracia lies just a few hours southeast of here." He paused, deciding to ask the same of her. "What about you, gorgeous?" He found he much preferred pet names over her actual name. Not because her name wasn't beautiful - it was - but because this way.. he was the only one who called her these things, no one else. "Speech,"

This was definitely thrilling. They were flirting with ease, throwing innuendos at one another as though it was as natural as ever. She really wasn't sure whether Maverick was as experienced as he seemed to imply he was, but she was fairly sure he was joking -- he still held some kind of innocence, much like herself, despite the demeanor he tried to portray to her. Epiphron wouldn't admit she was smitten, but the way she looked at Maverick said it all. But, of course, he was the first male she'd felt any sort of attraction towards. Perhaps the feeling was merely temporary, and she'd grow bored of him after long. But his undivided attention had captured her, and she was determined to spend as much time as she could before she had to return home. "Different as in... different. I would never insult my sisters, even if they don't look quite like me." She was a lady, after all, and she grinned innocently, though her words definitely said she thought she was prettier than them. And Maverick would probably think so if he saw them, though he was biased, since he'd seen Epiphron first. Ah well, she was still beyond pleased for the moment. She allowed Maverick's shoulder to press into her own for a moment longer than she should have. Before long, she pulled away slightly, her tail flicking behind her and briefly brushing against his nearest hind leg. Playing hard to get seemed to be the way to not just grab a male's attention, but keep it centered on her. Surely Maverick would want more physical contact, but she withdrew it from him teasingly, with a soft laugh spilling over her delicate lips. It seemed as though he had travelled almost as far as she had. "I left home shortly after the sun rose," she answered, her voice as sweet as ever. It was even more exciting being alone with this male knowing how far away they both were from their families. They were truely alone, and both of them knew it. "Truthfully, I'm sure it will take me longer to get home. I've never travelled so far on my own." She could lie, and pretend she had travelled all around, but in reality she was merely a yearling, and obviously had been pampered thus far. The water grew only slightly more deep, the water now a few inches deeper than it had been when she'd found Maverick lying unconscious in the stream. The afternoon was a quite pleasant one; she glanced upwards at the sun shining down on them, amazed that it was the same one she'd seen all her life, and it followed her even after such a long distance from home.

He'd never tell her, but he caught nearly every glance she shot in his direction, mostly because at the same time he was looking in hers. Was this how Gerhardt saw Adette? Was this how his father might've looked at his mother? Maverick rarely spoke of things like this with his adoptive father, and he'd never had the opportunity with his biological father. And Uncle Gideon.. Maverick couldn't ever mention her to him. The first question out of his mouth would be something along the lines of 'didja bang 'er?' No, she would remain his secret, his special one-of-a-kind gorgeous secret. Kamala, Kamala would be the only one he might mention the girl to, but even that would be a stretch. She could really tease him at times, and this was a topic Maverick wanted to always feel good about. Self consciousness was not in his vocabulary, and he hoped to keep it that way. The rusty boy's ears flicked toward her with mild amusement as she spoke, eloquently stating that her sisters weren't as pretty as she. Of course she would never say it so blatantly, but he read between the lines. That just shows you've got class, gorgeous. Maybe if I hang around long enough some of that might rub off on me. He rubbed his shoulder lightly against hers, hoping it didn't go amiss in their strolling. It could be played off as a simple bump from a rocky step, but he assumed she'd notice it all the same. She soon pulled away playfully, her tail gracing the inside of his leg. A shiver ran up and down his spine as his own tail sought hers, hoping to intertwine for a moment. He was glad she wasn't uptight like some girls, who would see his flirtatious nature as nothing but foolery. She was different, and he appreciated that. She spoke on her journey home and he wondered how long it might take him. No doubt he would daydream of her all the way back, which would certainly make his travels much slower. But he didn't mind, very rarely did he get time to himself to just think.. and dream. I could walk with you home, but I'm not sure how much your daddy would approve of me as an escort. Girls, they always had an obsessive need to please their daddies. Maverick could - for the most part - care less if Gerhardt was happy with him, so long as he didn't disown him or take away the crown he didn't quite have yet. Still, he somewhat understood why the girls sought their father's approval, he just wished it wasn't such a big deal. What would Cairo say.. if he saw us right now? Curiosity brimmed in acid green eyes as he pondered that question for himself. What would Gerhardt think if he saw his son like this, walking hours away from home at the bottom of a ravine with a princess of Valhalla? A heart attack. Surely his father would have a heart attack simply because he was this far from home. But to add on top of it that he was fraternizing with the princess of another pack, and Valhalla no less! Maverick could not stifle the chuckle that bubbled from his throat. Speech,

Truth be told, she would much rather wrap her whole body around Maverick's than subtly lean into him every few minutes. But they'd just met, and she had a lot more class than that, despite what her body was telling her. It seemed much more princess-like, at least on her end, to let her tail wave idly behind her, occasonally brushing against the outside or -- even a few times, the inside of -- his hind legs. This kind of flirting was definitely something she wouldn't feel comfortable doing around her family, and she was beyond thankful for the alone time with Maverick. "You'll be lucky if I rub on you at all, Maverick," she teased, clearly enjoying this newfound side of herself. They continued on, and Epiphron was thankful they still walked in the slow-running water, enjoying the cool river lapping at their paws. I could walk with you home, but I'm not sure how much your daddy would approve of me as an escort. He was probably right; he wasn't a Valhalla wolf. She went to ask what he knew about her father, but he went on to even say his name. She glanced towards him, a single brow raising in curiosity. "You know my father's name," she noted simply. Perhaps the Valhalla pack had relations with other packs, though she'd never heard of such things. "He'd probably be confused as to why I was flirting with a Seracia wolf instead of one from my own pack. Though in all fairness, I probably would be if they were half as cute as you, so consider yourself lucky." Before them the stream bubbled down into what seemed like a oversized puddle. Perhaps if they kept walking, there would be a pond to swim in before long. "What about yours? He doesn't approve of his son wandering off to pick up strangers behind his back?" she smirked faintly, nudging him again with her shoulder.

Retribution would certainly be waiting for him when he returned home to the Kingdom, but not an ounce of him cared. He was hanging out with a beautiful girl and nothing in the world could ruin that. Her tail was driving him nuts, sending electric currents up and down his spine before they focused to a particularly interesting area between his legs. He fought the urge to shiver as she spoke, tongue sticking to the roof of his mouth. A smirk played across the corners of his lips as he shot her a glance. Mm.. that would be pretty lucky, he suggested as his tail sought hers. She seemed surprised that he knew her father's name. Maverick was somewhat surprised that he remembered, since he'd only heard it mentioned once or twice by his father. I know a thing or two, he would note back. The charming lad just couldn't turn it off, could he? The answer he was really curious about came next, her response to what her daddy would think if he saw them together. She was charming herself, wasn't she? Maverick let out a laugh. Right now, gorgeous, I consider myself about as lucky as a guy can get. Apparently he was a natural charmer. Maverick only wondered who he might've gotten that trait from. He knew very little of his mother or father, but he guessed his father must've been the same way. He liked to think of them that way, charming each other when they'd met just like he and Epiphron were doing now. My old man? It's not really him I worry about. My precious mother on the other hand.. he trailed off, smirking slightly. She'll probably turn my hide into a throw rug. Another chuckle dripped from his lips. She might let you have it to decorate Valhalla, then at least you'll get to look at me. Always the jokester, Maverick was clearly having a ball matching wits with the beautiful and intelligent girl. He felt the water get just a bit deeper as they entered a wider pool of slower moving water. It still only came up about halfway up his leg, not deep enough to swim or really enjoy. Eyes traveled forward again, wondering if there might be anywhere up ahead that they could have a bit of fun. So far they had been acting very much like adults, but Maverick new the fun of being just a little immature from time to time. Perhaps the princess could learn a thing or two from him. Speech,

Somehow, despite her more animalistic urges (ones she had never really experienced until this very moment), she was still able to maintain composure. That wasn't to say it wasn't a struggle, but in all fairness he was damn cute, and charming as hell. He wasn't overly cocky, but had enough pride to keep her consistently interested and unsure of what would come out of his mouth next. If he'd been some shy, unsure creature, Epiphron knew she wouldn't be quite so interestued. It was funny how they both seemed to be naturals at this, when for Epiphron, this was as new as an experience as the she-wolf could get. Apparently being an adult, which she just barely was, got her quite different attention than she'd recieved as a pup. She never thought she'd enjoy it quite so much. The female wallowed in the attention unabashedly, wondering how Chrysanthe would view the situation. Perhaps she was being a bit too forward in her interest in Maverick -- but either way, her sister wasn't here, and if she found herself regretting the way she acted, she wouldn't be forced to face Maverick ever again, in all likelihood. But in reality, she was clearly enjoying his company, the little teasing that they both participated in so gladly. She let his compliments wash over her, the smile never threatening to disappear from her delicate lips. But she did feel herself settling down a bit, though that excitement that bubbled inside her never left. It wouldn't hurt her cause to pull away from him slightly, allowing a gap of nearly a foot to settle between them. It would likely on make him want to be even closer to her. Maverick spoke about how his mother would be the upset one; Epiphron had no idea how her mother would react to much of anything. She'd died when she was so young. "Perhaps it'd be best to not tell her you fell off a cliff, and almost died, until the most beautiful wolf in all of Alacritis found you and saved you." He would've been perfectly fine without her help, but she could still tease him about falling. "So you said your parents were the King and Queen; does that mean I'm talking to a future King?" It made their meeting all the more exciting to know she might be talking to someone who could be considered royalty. If he was the heir to the pack -- and she had a one in three chance at this, since Maverick had said he had another brother and sister -- surely the cute boy would be saught after by at least one Seracia wolf. It was a much easier way to gain power, by marrying into the family rather than fighting for the rank. Ah, the benefits of being a woman in some packs.

He was quite certain that he could not have had a more perfect day if he had not fallen off of the ledge. For if he hadn't fallen, she probably would have passed right by him. There would have been nothing to break the ice. While his side still ebbed with a slight pain, it wasn't enough to make him think anything was broken, so he simply resolved that he'd bruised it considerably and let it leave his mind. Loccian could patch him up later if it was necessary, but for now he was determined to focus on the beautiful girl beside him. Her ivory coat stood out marvelously against his russet and white form, contrasting just the right amount to make them both a striking and lovely couple. A couple? Was he already considering them as 'together'? Maverick smirked slightly. Apparently he was. The idea of someone else flirting with her like this was appalling to him, but he supposed there was no way he could do anything about it. No doubt the males just fawned at her feet when she walked by in Valhalla. His lip twitched at the thought. He felt different with her, more like himself. In Seracia, it was all about casting the right exterior charade, appearing happy, chipper, and even regal whenever you were in the presence of another. Here, with her, he could be whoever he wanted to be - whenever he wanted to. It was bliss. Although Seracia wasn't all charades, he'd noted as he'd seen his father and mother quite literally duking it out the other morning. Gerhardt had left Adette bleeding and bruised, but not so much that she couldn't play it off as a simple mishap. The King had demonstrated that he wasn't quite the pushover his son had thought he was. Her speech brought him out of all of his thinking, as it always did. A smile played across his lips as his tail whipped to the side to tap her hip lightly. What do you suggest I tell her? I went out adventuring and ran into a beautiful Valhallan girl? Or should I leave you out of it altogether, gorgeous? He would most likely leave her out of any tales he was forced to tell, mostly to keep her all to himself, and also to ensure that he would not be prevented from seeing her again. Because he did plan on seeing her again. And I didn't fall.. he retorted, I jumped. Even he couldn't keep a straight face on that lie. I'm not officially the Heir just yet, but my father did mention that he's seriously considering giving me the title. It was true, his father had recently mentioned that Maverick was in line for it, if he played his cards right. The boy was expecting the announcement to go out at the next meeting - which he hoped would come sooner rather than later. Gideon was the current Prince, but even Maverick knew he wasn't into responsibility. He would be better suited to something more.. relaxed. What about you, gorgeous? Should I stop and bow before the Valhallan Princess? Or am I talking to a peasant girl? The jest in his tone was evident, hoping to get her back for joking with him about his fall. If her brother was the alpha, she very well might not hold the princess rank.. if Valhalla even had a rank such as that. Speech,

Only briefly had Epiphron been worried about whether Maverick had hurt himself. It seemed as though he had merely had the wind knocked out of him, without any permanent injury. He'd probably be a bit sore in the morning, but Epiphron wasn't able to think that far ahead right now. She knew in the back of her mind that she might not see Maverick for awhile. If her warrior training began soon, she probably wouldn't get the opportunity to find him for quite some time. She'd already decided she wanted to see the male again, but beyond that she wasn't sure. How would they choose where to meet? Would Epiphron dare to venture near the borders of Seracia and call for him? What if they did choose a time, and she was busy and couldn't get out of whatever she had to do to meet with Maverick? The distance as great, and surely would take the better half of a day to meet back here. Perhaps there was a shorter route... It was too soon to think about such things. For now, Epiphron simply wanted to enjoy his company while she still could. "Perhaps we should keep this between you and I," she suggested flirtatiously, grinning in his direction. It would probably be easier to leave their meeting of Maverick's story entirely. Epiphron didn't know the kind of relationship the two packs had, if any at all. Who knew what reaction Collision would have if he found out she was willingly meeting a wolf of the Seracia pack? Perhaps she could bring the pack up in conversation, and test the waters first. But there was no real reason to mention Maverick or his family, and for now would be best kept a secret. He explained his position within the pack, which made the princess smile even wider. If only she could tell him the same thing, that she was the heir to the Valhalla pack! "I am certainly far from a peasant girl," she replied, incredulous that he would even suggest such a thing. "I am not the heir, sadly. My blood brother Syrinx is next in line. Always the men," she remarked, half-joking, with a tone of jealous evident in her voice despite her desire to hide it. "I'm training for Lead Warrior instead." Hopefully Maverick found that half as impressive. It sounded a bit odd, such a pretty girl wanting a rank most often desired by the largest, most brutish males. Perhaps the challenge was what made the rank so attractive -- how difficult it was to obtain. "I hope you find that suitable, Prince.