Although Ember was far from the botanically inclined sort like her brother was, she had come to Hemlock with the intentions of helping the pack get their footing a grow. One of those tasks included helping to build up the pack's herb and medicine stores. Being a mountain-dwelling group, plant life was unsurprisingly difficult to come by, especially in winter. So Ember descended the mountain, chatted up some of the local wolves, and was pointed in the direction of the Soulless Forest. Despite its ominous name, the forest was the home to a good number of helpful herbs the healers of Hemlock could use. So Ember headed into the forest with nothing but her cloak, her bag, and her courage.

The forest was dark and silent—almost unnaturally so—with nothing but the sounds of her own breathing and the crunching of snow under her paws to be heard. There were no birds, no insects, no activity from other animals of any kind. It was almost as if the entire forest had been abandoned. Creeeeepy... Em thought to herself with a shudder, convincing herself it was just the cold and not the eeriness of the woods. Clambering over some thick upturned roots, Ember began sniffing about for any signs of the plants she was looking for. Marigold, with its little golden blossoms. Trillium, with its set of three white petals. Lady's Slipper, with long purplish buds.

Ember roamed about the dense forest with her head down and nose to the ground, not paying attention to where she was going. Not that there was anything to worry about other than accidentally walking into a tree. She didn't know if she'd find any of the plants she sought this time of year, but dammit, she had to try! And the sooner she got what she was looking for, the sooner she could leave this creepy place.

"Ember Carpathius" | "Carpathian"

Having traversed the snow-covered woods and observed from a distance, Cadaver was well aware of Ember's mission- or at least to some degree. Her determination was amusing in its pathetic desperation. The thought that she could find whatever it was she was looking for in this barren land deeply entertained the young wolf. Cadaver shifted his weight on his paws, the snow crunching under his heavy frame. His dual-toned eyes peered out from behind a thick veil of fir trees, one side a pale, icy blue and the other a soft, rosy pink.

The faint scent of her had lured him here, curiosity piqued and a familiar sense of contemptuous amusement lighting the dark corners of his mind. Cadaver felt an odd sense of satisfaction watching this futile effort. His lips curled into a snarl, a predator lurking in shadows, passing cold judgment on the oblivious prey before him. She was clearly a bit older than him, maybe a half-year or so. It bothered him, the way she fumbled about, no sense of direction and no hint of a plan. Cadaver decided he had seen enough. A low grumble rumbled in his chest as he parted the veil of trees, each step calculated and deliberate, announcing his presence.

The snow beneath his paws crunched as he moved, the sound echoing ominously through the silent forest. His voice broke through the silence, "Lost, are we?" The playful lilt in his voice was belied by the cold edge to his words, a clear challenge thrown into the silent expanse of the frozen woodland.

"Cadaver Nightwing"

Despite usually being keen-sensed and aware of her surroundings, Ember was so deep into her herb searching mission that she hadn’t realized she was being stalked through the dark forest. Every so often, the Carpathian fae’s ears would swivel to catch the soft sound of disturbed snow somewhere near her, but it was almost perfectly timed with her own steps; not enough to alert the adolescent girl. It wasn’t until she’d stopped to inspect a bare bush for any signs of plant life that she finally heard a step out of time with her own, a crunching somewhere nearby. Ember’s head snapped up in an instant, oceanic blue eyes scanning through the dense fir trees to seek the source of the sound. Ember's breath hung in the cold air at the end of her snout, each steady breath releasing a small cloud that vanished a second later. She couldn't see anything immediately, but that didn't mean that something couldn't see her.

Ember's multihued eyes narrowed, scouring her surroundings for any signs of danger. Something felt off, that unsettling sensation in the pit of her stomach when you knew something was amiss but couldn't quite place your finger on it. The forest was absolutely silent now, so still that Em could hear her every breath as loud as if she were panting after running a marathon. With no obvious threats in sight, the midnight fae slowly settled enough to turn her attention back to the task at hand. Her guard was up now though, ready for anything. What she hadn't been ready for was the heavy footfalls that crushed down the snow just behind her.

Ember spun on her heels, whipping around to face the trees again. The sound of crunching snow echoed all around the deathly silent forest, seeming to come from all angles. It was only once she heard that threatening grumble and saw the foliage begin to part did she finally see her stalker. He was a chimera of a wolf, equal parts black and white mixing... and fuck, he was big! Easily towering over her despite the youthful look to his face. A yearling, or maybe not just yet, but already so large. There was no doubt he possessed dire genes, and his body was taking on the shape too. An adolescent on the path to becoming a brute. Em's mouth hung open slightly as she stared up at him with a mixture of shock and defiance, refusing to appear scared by him. His piercing gaze was intense. His voice was spoken like a tease, but his words were clearly meant to intimidate. For better or worse though, Ember was not one to be intimidated.

Sapphire and turquoise swirled eyes steeled as Em held her ground, looking up at him in the eye as he loomed over her, holding his gaze, unflinching. "I can take care of myself," she retorted, suddenly longing for the sword she'd left back in her den in Hemlock. How dangerous could flower picking be? How foolish that thought felt now... Dark nose twitched on the end of her muzzle, sampling his scent. Natural, masculine, and a pack scent amongst it. She didn't recognize it though. Em's mind rushed through the packs in her head. Insomnia or Avalon, one of the two. "Do you make a habit of stalking faes through the woods normally, or am I just the lucky one?" quipped the Carpathian princess back at him, never letting her gaze stray from his. He felt like a predator, and she would not be his prey today.

"Ember Carpathius" | "Carpathian"

Cadaver couldn't help but feel a surge of adrenaline course through him as he witnessed the subtle flinch from Ember at his looming presence. The imposing figure of the two-toned brute stood a good deal taller over her more delicate frame, his reassurance of his own dominance and power made all the more apparent at his recognition. It was almost intoxicating to see her unease, a satisfying rush that sent a thrill down his spine. His sister, Illusion, had taught him well - how to use his physical advantages to manipulate and control those around him. He hadn't purposely crept up on her, but the element of surprise only added to the excitement and gratification he felt in this moment.

A low, guttural chuckle rumbled from deep within Cadaver's chest, a dark and menacing sound that seemed to hang like a shroud in the crisp, frozen air. His gaze held an inherent arrogance as he looked upon her, his piercing eyes seeming to see right through her facade. She squared her shoulders and tried to puff out her chest, but it was a feeble attempt to stand up to him. It only brought another chuckle from Cadaver, his cruel grin spreading across his half-white face, revealing sharp teeth that glinted in the moonlight. As he got a better look at her, he could see that she was clearly older - perhaps just a yearling herself - but not by much

"Oh, just the lucky one, I suppose." Cadaver drawled lazily, his tongue swiping over sharp canines at the thought. With a charming smile plastered on his chiseled features, he took a step closer, intentionally invading her personal space. The air around them seemed to crackle with tension and anticipation as he challenged her bravado. "Can take care of yourself, eh?" He echoed her words with a daring smirk painted on his split-tone muzzle. "Well, it would be such a shame if that confidence were misplaced." The glint in his eyes matched the edge in his voice, hinting at the many ways he could prove her wrong if she dared to test him

"Cadaver Nightwing"

The way the strange brute was looking at her left an unsettling feeling in the pit of Ember's stomach, leering at her like a predator stalking wounded prey. Unfortunately for him though, Ember was no prey. She held her ground against him, narrowed eyes pointed straight up at him. She had grown up with dire-sized brutes with half her family practically dwarfing her, so she wasn't intimidated by his size alone. His demeanor, however, was another story... Everything about this stranger exuded a threatening aura, from his guttural chuckle to that wicked grin of sharp fangs turned in her direction. He was trying to dominate the space around them, using his bulk to make her feel backed into a corner. Unfortunately for Em, it was working. Her fight or flight response was kicking into overdrive, every neuron in her body poised and ready to react at a moment's notice. If he wanted to try anything funny, she'd be ready to beat his ass down—or so she hoped.

The brute spoke, his voice deep despite his obvious youth, both adolescent wolves seeming well beyond their age, though in very different regards. He pressed closer, invading her space with a cool and arrogant demeanor, lazy words drawled out in vocals that bordered between charming and menacing. Ember's fur bristled in response, the fae taking a single measured step backwards from him to keep him from getting too close to her. He didn't smell of the Syndicate, but just because he wasn't one of her family's enemies didn't mean he wasn't a threat to her. "Guess I'm one of the lucky ones, huh?" she quipped back, really wishing she'd brought her sword with her more than ever. Even though he was a conventionally handsome looking brute, his mannerisms were alarmingly disconcerting. The way he spoke, the arrogant air with which he carried himself, the way those mismatched eyes leered at her and his tongue rolled over his fangs... It was like he was looking at her like a toy or a plaything rather than another wolf. He was challenging her, the static hanging in the air just waiting for a spark to set off the powder keg between them. Em didn't know how to respond. If she chose aggression, violence would inevitably follow. She had to play this carefully.

The brute mocked her bravado, doubting her prowess to keep herself safe. Ember gave a low growl in reply, taking a single step forward to undo her earlier backpedal, no longer caring if she pressed herself closer to the stranger. He wanted to show his dominance by making her feel small? Well, she'd press back against his invasion of her space with one of her own—an unstoppable force and an immovable object. "What, you think a fae can't look after herself?" she retorted, holding his piercing pink and blue gaze with her smoldering blue eyes. "Well I hate to break your misogynistic delusions, big guy, but if you think you can scare me because you're a brute, you're gonna learn a hard lesson real fast." Em held her head high and lifted her braided tail in a defiant display to his cocky show of dominance. She would not be cowed by this brute with his overinflated ego.

"Ember Carpathius" | "Carpathian"

Cadaver watched the girl before him, taking great pleasure in the fear that sparked within her eyes. He could see she was trying to hide it, trying to stand tall in spite of him. But he could smell her fear, it was like a sweet perfume that intoxicated him. The dainty fae before him was far from being a threat, even with her prickling aggression and defiant stance. His lips curled into a wolfish smirk, stretching his muzzle to reveal a gleaming set of sharp teeth. "Suppose you are," Cadaver drawled in response to her quip, his voice low and rich. He leaned in, his large frame casting an imposing shadow over the petite female. He watched as her fur bristled and she took another step back, the way her eyes flicked between his mismatched ones and his bared teeth. He found amusement in the way she reacted to him; it was like watching a small animal scramble away from a much larger predator. This was a game to him, a form of entertainment that only someone like him could derive pleasure from.

Cadaver's smirk only widened at Ember's retort, her bravado amusing him more than anything. "Is that so?" His voice drawled out silkily, half-lidded eyes watching the fae with discerning interest. He stepped back, allowing her some semblance of space as he casually circled around her like a shark circling its prey. His mismatched eyes never left her, scrutinizing every twitch, every shift of her weight. Every tremor that coursed through her lithe body as made his way around. He came to a stop in front of her again and tilted his head, looking down at her through his icy blue and soft pink eyes. He paused. Her fear was palpable, but there was also a determination that teased at the edge of his senses.

"Well, aren't you a feisty little thing," he mused aloud, a glint of amusement danced in his eyes. His tail swished leisurely behind him, dusting the fresh snow beneath his hulking paws. He took a moment to revel in the tension, letting it wash over him like a soothing lullaby before speaking again. His low, threatening growl echoed in the silence between them. "But bravado doesn't equate to strength, firefly." He moved closer slowly, each step deliberate and heavy. The words dripped with saccharine sweetness, a stark contrast to the cold danger that lurked in his eyes. "You're good at talking, but can you actually back it up?" His voice dropped to a murmur. “Or … if you run right now, I promise I won’t chase.” He could not deny the pull to dominate, to unravel this fireball standing up to him. But he would take satisfaction in running her off as well.

"Cadaver Nightwing"

Yeah, she did not like the way he was leering at her, like some piece of meat for him to devour or defile. Ember Carpathius was no wolf's prey and she wasn't about to become one now. Despite the panic making her heart rate race in her veins, she remained staunchly defiant against his attempts at intimidation. Nobody said you couldn't be scared and still stand strong against the threat. Were his mannerisms not so outwardly imposing, he might have come across as charming. As it was, all this brute reeked of was danger and malice. He smiled; he was amused by her. She didn't expect him to take her as a threat—not immediately, at least. Not until she showed him that she was no one to fuck around with. Senses and nerves on high alert, Em paid close attention to every ripple and twitch of muscle on the brute's form, ready to anticipate and respond to him should he choose to escalate things further.

Another step back to create more of a space cushion between them. Ember didn't want this guy all up on her if he decided to get physical; she knew the differences in their sizes and strengths would not favor her in a grappling match. He stepped back now too, adding to the space while he began to circle her. Pulse quickened while Em tracked him with her steely blue eyes, the pair of wolves analyzing the other down to the most minute detail. What the hell did he want with her? What was this sick game he was playing with her? It was only once he'd made his pass around her that she realized what he had been doing; the brute had been sizing her up and inspecting her from every angle. It sent a chill running down her spine, her braided tail swishing anxiously behind her. They returned to square one, just staring at one another face to face. Ember was afraid to take her gaze off of him, lest he take the opening to strike.

The brute remarked on her feisty attitude, and Ember replied to his threatening growl with a low warning growl of her own. Fuck, she hated how much he was enjoying trying to torment her and make her uncomfortable. What was this dude's problem? He challenged her, denouncing her bravado as true strength, and took a few measured steps closer to her, exhibiting his size and weight to her. He threatened her again, taunting her to run and giving her a mockery of mercy by insisting he wouldn't chase her. But Ember was cursed with the stubbornness of all Carpathians. She would not run. Not from him, not from anyone. One day her headstrong nature would bite her in the ass. Maybe today would be that day, or maybe not.

Ocean blue-turquoise eyes gleaming with a warning of her own, Ember took a single step closer towards him too, closing their distance bit by bit, like the pair were locked in a dance. "How about you run and I promise I won't rip up that pretty face of yours," she hissed back in a deadly whisper, having to crane her neck back to look up at him, but not letting that stop her from standing her ground. She would not be the first to commit an act of violence unprovoked though. As much as she wanted to, she was still a member of the Hallows, and what she did reflected on her pack and her family. But if this boy tried anything... she wouldn't hesitate to leave him with scars.

"Ember Carpathius" | "Carpathian"