It was late in the morning and Flare was considering packing up and heading back to the Syndicate. He was ready to try his rank challenge at last. He'd pitted himself against predators and prey both. Honing his speed and strength out on the field, where experience mattered.

Before he turned around however, he caught two scents. One of white tailed deer, and another of Enyo. he flicked his tail in amusement. Time for him to crash her hunt for once. He followed the trail until he found her, and nodded his head to the familiar hunter. “Hello again.” He said in greeting as he came to a stop at her side.

Whitetail deer 1/3

Enyo's nostrils flared as the familiar scent of Flare reached her just as she was honing in on the whitetail deer. Her muscles tensed, ready for the chase, but at the sound of his approach, she allowed herself a moment to glance his way. His presence wasn't entirely unwelcome, though she'd been close to claiming her prey.

Her eye slid to meet his as he greeted her. "Flare," she acknowledged, voice low and laced with her usual intensity. "Here to steal my kill, or just admiring the view?"

Though she spoke with a joking edge, her body remained poised, focused on the deer. Yet the momentary pause held a hint of curiosity, something unspoken between them as she waited to see if he would join her in the hunt.

"SPEECH"

CODE BY SIN

Flare gave a soft chuckle beneath his breath, careful not to ruin her hunt with any sudden sound. “I’m quite capable of multitasking.” he promised her, his eyes flicking to her body for a moment, making the double meaning obvious. She was a formidable wolf, his height but built heavier than he was. He wondered sometimes what her strength would feel like.

He turned his attention then to the hunt, to the deer she had scouted out. He nodded his head “On your mark.” He murmured softly, acknowledging that this was her hunt, though he intended to leave with a prize of some kind today.


"Speech"

Enyo's ears flicked at Flare's soft chuckle, though her focus remained on the deer grazing in the distance. She didn’t miss the way his gaze lingered on her body, the weight of his eyes brushing over her form. The double meaning in his words was unmistakable, but it didn’t stir anything in her besides a mild, detached amusement.

She knew what Flare wanted. His interest was clear in every lingering glance and flirtatious remark. But as his eyes swept over her once again, Enyo couldn’t muster the attraction that perhaps he expected. Flare was competent, no doubt. Strong, fast, an excellent hunter.

To a woman like Enyo, he was prey in a different way. Especially when he put the ball in her court. He didn’t even know it.

A faint smirk tugged at the corner of her mouth as she shifted her weight, muscles coiled for the hunt. Strength was the only currency that mattered in her world, and she always intended to come out on top. Flare might fancy himself a suitor, but to Enyo, he was simply another male testing his limits. Men operated and viewed the world through a lens built by ego. She was entirely sure it was her prowess, men saw her as something to conquer because of it. They often were sorely mistaken.

Such emotional creatures.

Her icy gaze flicked toward him briefly, acknowledging his presence before she turned back to the deer. "Stay sharp," she murmured, her voice low and commanding. "Don’t fall behind."

With that she crouched low, her mind already far from Flare's intentions and fully absorbed in the hunt.

"SPEECH"

Flare crouched low, his attention shifting back to the hunt. The white tail deer was unaware of them, and on Enyos signal he sprung forward. Tearing across the earth towards their chosen prey. He grabbed its haunces. Digging his teeth a d weight into its body as he dragged it down.


Leaving Enyo to go for its neck, and take the kill. His parting gift to her. Once the dead was dome, and the whitetail deer lay dead at their paws did he turn back to the black and white wolf. “This will be my last hunt for a while, I'm heading back home. But I'll remember your strength, Enyo. It was a pleasure hunting with you.”

Enyo’s muscles rippled beneath her thick coat as Flare drove the deer to the ground, pinning its haunches with precision. Without hesitation, she surged forward, her jaws parting wide. The thrill of the kill coursed through her veins as her teeth found the deer’s throat. Ripping through flesh and cartilage in one powerful bite. Warm, metallic blood flooded her mouth, igniting a deep, primal satisfaction within her. The trachea would give way with a sickening crunch and Enyo knew then that she would feast yet again.

She held the deer’s throat firmly until its final shudders ceased, her heart pounding with exhilaration. Thiswas what she lived for. The taste of blood, the struggle, the victory. Slowly, she loosened her grip, licking the crimson streaks from her muzzle as she stood over their kill, the scent of fresh meat thick in the air.

When Flare spoke, her icy gaze shifted to him, curiosity stirring beneath the cool intensity of her eyes. The fact that he had left her the final kill pleased her. It spoke of a respect she could appreciate. She studied him for a moment.

"Leaving already?" she asked, her voice a low rumble, smooth and velvety. "Then stay a while. Eat with me." She nudged the deer’s body with her paw, a subtle invitation. "We won’t cross paths again for a time. I’d like to know more about a wolf with your skill. Come sit. Feast and converse with me."

Her gaze lingered on him, the faintest flicker of curiosity in her expression. Not attraction exactly, more a sense of intrigue. A wolf as formidable as Flare was worth understanding if only to see whether he might become a useful ally or something more.




"SPEECH"

CODE BY SIN

The heat of the hunt still thrummed in his blood, and he wasn't entirely opposed to Enyos suggestion. After a brief moment of thought, he inclined his head. “I've hunted with you all this time and know nothing past your name.” He said in mild amusement. He did not usually care to know others around him. They usually fell into the categories of how he could use them, or what threat they might pose. So far, Enyo had been useful. Much more so than the usual incompetence of wolves he ran into. 


It might yet prove a waste of his time, or perhaps he could begin to build contacts and connections in this world that might prove useful later in life. He was an ambitious wolf, after all.

Enyo settled down beside the carcass, tearing a strip of flesh from the deer with practiced ease. Blood still stained her lips as she glanced at Flare, her eyes gleaming with interest. His amusement didn’t go unnoticed, nor did his ambition. She could see it in the way he spoke. It was a trait she could respect.

"You’re right. I'm not one to offer information freely." she admitted with a flick of her ear, her tone carrying the weight of deliberate intrigue. She took another bite of the meat, savoring it, before speaking again.

"I am Enyo of the Dunamis. A name you may or may not have heard," she said with a hint of pride, her gaze sharp and steady on him. "We are a family that values strength, dominance, and legacy. Those who stand beside us thrive, those who stand against us fall. Where is it you reside? I smell the pack deeply imbedded in your pelt. I just do not recognize it."

She licked the blood from her lips, watching for Flare’s reaction. Assessing him as he had been assessing her. "But what about you? You fight well, and you move with purpose. I’d like to know what drives a wolf like you, Flare. What do you want from this world?"

She leaned in just slightly, not in an aggressive way, but in a manner that suggested genuine curiosity. "And if you’re ambitious, as I suspect, what kind of allies are you looking for?"

"SPEECH"

CODE BY SIN

Nor was he, which was perhaps how they had hunted for so long with so little spoken. He leaned back comfortably, a strip of flesh in his paw. He ate, but spoke between bites without coming across as crude or glutinous. He was happy to hint small bits of himself as they spoke, and see where she would bite. “I have not, but these lands became my home only recently.” He explained, letting her lead the conversation for the moment. He was curious to see where this might go.

“I have joined a pack called the Syndicate, who pride in ambition and strength. I vaguely recognise the pack scent on your pelt. I’ve been near your pack a few times, but never closer.” and was this pack led by the Dunamis? Ambitious as she claimed them to be.

What did he want from this world? His time as a slave made that starkly clear to him. He would speak it as it was. “The strength to stand above the rest.” control But he didn’t speak that one just yet. He leaned a little close himself, his eyes on the green eyed hunter in front of him. “Tell me, Enyo of the Dunamis. What do you plan to carve from this world?”


"Speech"

Enyo listened carefully as Flare spoke, each word painting a clearer picture of the wolf before her. He was ambitious and hungry. Such qualities were things she understood and respected. He would mention his pack, the Syndicate. His desire to rise above stirred something within her. Perhaps they were not so different after all. She tore off another piece of meat, chewing slowly, letting the silence stretch for a moment as she considered her response. She liked that he didn’t dance around his intentions, that he carried the same hunger for power that thrummed in her own veins.

Her voice was low and deliberate when she spoke, each word laced with the same intensity she carried in battle. "What do I plan to carve from this world? Power. Respect. Legacy. My place isn’t given. It must be taken." She shifted her weight just enough for her thick fur to brush against his, a fleeting contact that left room for interpretation.

Her eyes, cold and calculating, locked with his. "This world belongs to those strong enough to claim it, and I intend to claim it. Subdue anyone and anything to my will." There was no pretense in her tone, only certainty. This was her truth, the path she had chosen.

A small, knowing smirk curved her lips as she leaned slightly closer, matching his proximity. " When I assume my place, I hope we can rule in power as friends. Perhaps allies. You’ll find it easier to stand above the rest with the right kind of allies. I would hate to hunt one who once stalked beside me." Enyo was not one to deliver her truth coated in sugar in hopes it was more digestible. She would give Flare an honest and blunt answer. Any wolf secure would not be so threatened by words. Her smirk deepened, and she dragged her tongue slowly across her bloodied maw, savoring the remnants of the hunt.

Her gaze lingered on him, curious yet predatory, as if assessing whether he was prey or a wolf worthy of standing beside her.

"And what if I told you," she said, tilting her head just so, her cold eyes catching the light, "that aligning with me could help you carve your place above the rest?" She would adjust herself so she was even closer, her rich scent washing over them.

She leaned in to whisper her breath warm against his ear, though her expression remained measured. "The Dunamis know what it means to control the game. I am no exception. I am the standard."

Her gaze never wavered, her intent clear beneath the surface. "What can you tell me of the Syndicate, Flare? Surely a wolf like you knows more than most."



"SPEECH"

CODE BY SIN

That. He understood all too well. The world had taught him you only gained what you took, you only kept what you had the strength to hold. He had learned to bloom in that world, and was in a position where he had the strength to take what he desired. For now, that was slaves to call his own, and a higher position in the Syndicate. But would he really be content to remain there? Where would his ambition take him?

Flare chuckled softly, her words which might be taken as a threat by many, were a challenge for Flare. A welcome one. Enyo was not a wolf the world would bully easily, and perhaps that ambition of hers would take her somewhere.

She leaned in close, clearly intending to be enticing, alluring. To reel him in with her whispered words and alluring tones. “My allegiance is not so easily bought and traded, dear Enyo. I will not tell you the secrets of the Syndicate, as I imagine if I leaned in close and whispered promises of power, you would not tell me the secrets of the Dunamis. Lets just say that for the moment, our ambitions align and we find ourselves in similar positions. Poised to strike for higher. Perhaps, if we meet again I might remember you fondly. This is the extent that I can promise you. Did you want me to remember you fondly, Enyo of the Dunamis?” He leaned in close enough for his breath to stir her fur, his eyes amused and watchful, his voice layered with promises.

"Speech"

Enyo’s smirk deepened as Flare leaned in, close enough for his breath to stir the fur along her neck. His words were bold, but not foolish. Such a thing was a rarity among the wolves she encountered. She could feel the undercurrent of amusement in his tone, as though he had danced her dance and enjoyed every step. Her attempt to manipulate him had fallen short and instead of frustration, it only intrigued her further.

With a soft chuckle, she shifted her weight slightly, her thick, muscular shoulder brushing against his in a fleeting gesture. "Well played," her velvety voice carrying just enough warmth to show she wasn’t insulted. "At least you’re not a fool. I prefer company that can keep up. As for my family... We hold no secrets. We are not the type to hide from the world. We live loudly, boldly, and truthfully because we can back it up."

Her icy-blue gaze flicked over his face, sharp and thoughtful. His insinuation hung between them. Did she want to be remembered fondly? She rolled the question over in her mind, weighing it carefully. Flare was tempting, no doubt, but her feelings toward males were... complicated. She had never taken a man to bed, and the idea didn’t stir the same excitement in her as it might for others. She wondered briefly if it was just a matter of timing, or if she would ever find pleasure in a male’s company.

Her lips curled into a subtle, teasing smile, though there was a glimmer of something sharper in her gaze. "I don’t much care if you remember me fondly, Flare. I know you will remember me regardless. There aren't many women like me around." Her voice dipped "Fondness fades, but the strong? They’re unforgettable."

With that, she pulled back just slightly, leaving a calculated amount of space between them, enough to suggest the game wasn’t entirely over.

"But..." She paused as if weighing her next words carefully. "I’ve never slept with a man before," she admitted with rare, unguarded honesty, though there was no shame in her tone. Only matter-of-fact curiosity. "I’m not sure if it’s something I want." Her gaze flicked to his lips briefly, then back to his eyes, sharp and assessing.

"I wouldn't mind experimenting with a kiss or two," she added, her tone low and suggestive. "To see if it stirs anything worth pursuing."

There was no coyness in her words, only the straightforward bluntness she was known for. Whether he accepted or not was of little consequence to her. She was here to explore on her terms and nothing more. Should he deny her she wouldn't lose any sleep about it either.



"SPEECH"

CODE BY SIN

Flare chuckled deep in his throat, keeping the closeness between them. He did not try to lean away from the intensity that was Enyo. ”Cocky.” He whispered, wondering the strength she might have to back it up. What would it be like to roll with a wolf like this one? With the strength in her arms, and the fire in her belly?

Flare's smile only grew when she admitted the innocence of her body. Was she saying she had slept with no one, or that she preferred the company of females? “Dear Enyo.” He said, leaning a little closer to her. The teasing, verbal swordplay and the wrapping scent of her had already stirred him. His smile was dangerous now, predatory. There was a warning in the dark glint of his eyes. Was Enyo still the hunter, or had she become the prey?

“I don’t plan to stop at kisses.” He warned her, moving to push the weight of his paws against her. To push the boundaries, to cross a line just a little more. Would she rebuke him entirely for daring to push, or would she see it as a challenge and rise to it?


"Speech"

Enyo’s expression shifted the moment Flare leaned in closer, his words laced with dangerous promises. The predatory glint in his eyes might have excited another wolf, but for her, it only doused the flicker of curiosity she had entertained. Typical. Like a pup whining for a toy denied, unable to take what was offered without demanding more.

Enyo would give a chuff to Foberos, the well-trained bird having sensed the tension would understand the signal. The falcon would take flight towards Insomnia to inform a fellow Dunamis bird. For now, Atromitos would watch through the trees. The silent apex observing the situation below her.

The corners of her mouth curled into a cold, condescending smile, amusement fading into something sharper. She tilted her head slightly, the weight of her gaze heavy on him. "And there it is," she murmured, her voice low and edged with disdain. "What a shame. I was curious for a moment, but... you men really are all the same, aren’t you? Push a little harder, take a little more." He wasn't strong. He was greedy.

She pulled away smoothly, creating a deliberate space between them. Her fur brushed against his for the briefest moment, but the warmth that had been there just moments before was gone. It was replaced by something far colder and threatening like ice beneath her skin.

Her voice was calm but lined with quiet authority. "I give what I decide to give. Not a scrap more. Push, and all you’ll find is the back of my heels. Or the point of my teeth and strength of jaw." Her wrath was not something that man wanted to earn.

Without another glance, Enyo turned, her stride confident and unbothered as she made her exit. Her bobbed tail flicked once, dismissively, as if to say the matter was already behind her. There was no anger in her, only certainty. Flare had revealed himself as nothing more than another male trying to take what wasn't his to claim, and she had no time to waste on such things.

The hunt was over. She had seen what she needed to see.

--exit

"SPEECH"

CODE BY SIN

He wasn't the boy next door you snuck out to trade kisses with. He was dark waters, all or nothing. He was a risk and a challenge, and she wanted to dip a toe in the water, afraid she'd get wet. He noted the subtle panicked cry for help she gave her bird - and no matter how calmly she would deliver it, it was exactly that. She was afraid, and calling for help. Poor sweet flower, she feigned strength she didn't have. He was disappointed in her, disappointed learn it was all talk, a s how quickly she fled a battle she clearly did not believe she'd win.


“Good luck, Enyo the coward. Perhaps one day when you find your strength we'll meet again.” He told her with a mocking farewell, letting the bird-wolf with the hammering heart escape him. Alas. He had better things to do with his time.