The sweet aroma of produce in season would bring the man forth, ebony sniffer flaring as he followed the trail of a delicious fruit he had been searching for. It was known as a peach, and it resembled the same hue as his eyes and tasted delicious. Gaze would occasionally rise and fall as he continued searching for any signs of a peach tree, his hope slowly dwindling. Minutes turned into an hour, and after filling himself on other various treats that had fallen to the ground, the man would decide to give up his search. He would heave a sigh, thoughts swarming within his mind. "Damn, no peaches.. I was really craving a few." A smile would tug at his lips as hazy vision turned toward the canopy above. Perhaps he should return another day and try again? He would debate on the idea for a moment, and he would turn and surge forward, for Themisto Mathias never gives up. He was determined to find the peaches, and so he would. Speech,

It had been a few weeks since Twig had found herself in the orchard, since her fall into a pit much ad happened. She had once again been reunited with a long lost sibling. Her sister Angel had found her was back into her life, and for that Twig would be forever grateful. She would continue her search for the rest of her family, but in the meantime she would enjoy the company of her younger sibling. The cross marked she wolf would gracefully walk through the fruited woods, her orchid gaze shifting through out the different fruits and flowers. She hoped maybe one of her siblings would have tracked her here, but she would not be confronted by one of their scents, rather that of a stranger. Quietly she would track through the trunks of the flowering trees, her violet eyes searching for the man who was also within the confines of the orchard. She would spy his form surging forward, deeper into the old human place. Curiosity would hold her as she noticed the lack of his tail. She had never met a wolf who did not posses her favorite appendage. She would half debate about going back to where Angel and she had set up camp, but he also held an alluring scent. She was too indecisive to present herself to him, so her gaze would observe him from a distance, and underneath she would hope he would take notice of her silent form. He seemed so interesting, and there were few wolves she was able to say such things about. "Talk" Think "You"

Surprisingly he did not sense the babe at first, mostly because of the pungent fruit surrounding the duo. But as he continued on his pursuit her perfume would manage to catch his attention. He would stop, nostrils flaring as he stared blankly in the other direction than she was in. He would turn, doing the same thing, only this time he was facing her direction. He would take a few cautious steps forward, as he was curious to see who this girl was. Perhaps he could make a new friend? "Hello?" Masculine tones, soft and sweet, would roll from cracked lips. His eyes would struggle at first to find her, but after a few moments his gaze would trail the outline of her figure. He would pause for a moment, expecting her to respond, right brow raised as a warm smile tugged his lips. Speech,

She would follow him silently, her slate colored paws gently making their way through the grassy fruit covered ground. She was quite tempted by their scent, but she was too curious about this man to let herself focus upon something else. She would become slightly alarmed as he stopped and turned, she knew he was trying to focus on her. It appeared he had found her out after all, and though she enjoyed observing from a distance she actually wanted to interact with him. There was something about how he smelled and how he looked that pulled her towards his form. He would tentatively step towards her as she heard his voice ring out to her, "Hello?" His eyes would search and find her form, and suddenly the over confident bristly young girl would almost cower. His finely shaped muzzle would let a smile dance upon his lips as he looked to expect a response from her. She seemed to forget her manners as she suddenly turned silent and froze there, letting her orchid gaze roam his form as she was sure hers was totally exposed to him. "Hi." She would squeak as her voice finally returned to her. She would drag her paw across the dirt as she found herself to be plagued with a sudden bout of shyness. Her delicate tiara would lower as she looked back up to him with a hopeful glance. A shy smile playing at the corners of her mouth. I can talk!

He would remain where he was, audits tipped forward as he eagerly awaited an answer. For a few moments she would remain frozen and mute, and Themisto would question why. Was she really there? Or was this a figment of his imagination? He would debate on turning away and continuing his pursuit, but her alluring voice would freeze him. "Hi." It was a quiet greeting, and he could sense by her tone that she was shy and cautious. His gaze would curiously trail her paw as it moved from side to side, multiple questions flooding his mind. What was her name, where had she come from, and what did she look like? Due to the uneven lighting beneath the canopy he could not see the fine details she withheld, so he could only assume she looked like a typical rogue. Little did he know this woman was an oddity. "Miss? You may come out if you'd like. I mean no harm." Again he would speak to her, masculine tones soft and sweet as he did not wish to alarm her. A smile still played across his lips, warm, sweet, and inviting. Would she venture forth, or would he need to coax her out?

"Speech"

She was glad that he would refrain from moving any closer, his form was as still as hers had been. His attention seemed quite focused on her, and as he spoke she would lower her marked crown once again. "Miss? You may come out if you'd like. I mean no harm." he used soft tones, so her ever guarded self would not let them wash over her completely. In the back of her mind she still held the thought that it could be a trap. Still though, his smile was enough to at least beg her curiosity. Her hints of a smile would, incredibly, keep itself playing across her lips. To be so intrigued by a complete stranger felt odd, always she would push them away. He seemed different though.
Slowly her dark paws would shuffle from under the shadow of the canopy, she would bring herself only from underneath the shade. Her head would tilt to the side slightly as she felt her courage return. Still, she couldn't bring herself to trust completely, but her curiosity would allow her to indulge him. Slate ears were laid flat as her head was raised a bit, she was not scared of him, she just did not trust him. "Who are you?" she would ask quietly. The first question of many she had for him.


""

Still frozen, and curious, the man would continue to remain where he was, waiting for the woman to either reveal herself, or turn away. Finally, after what seemed like a few minutes, she would take a few steps forward, just enough to rid herself of the canopy's shadow. Instinctively his eyes trailed over her sleek bodice, and he was intrigued to say the least. She was beautiful, and held some odd marking along her shoulder that Themisto had never seen before. It did not look natural, and he began to wonder if it meant something important to the girl. It must if she were able to display it proudly upon her shoulder. "Who are you?" The ivory babe would speak, and the man would chortle lightly, a warm smile still gracing his sharp features. "My name is Themisto. What is yours?" He would request in responds, wishing to know her name as he had given his. He would extend his neck somewhat, dipping it slightly as nostrils quivered whilst inhaling her scent. She was in fact a rogue, which could either make this meeting go one of two ways- uphill, or downhill. It all depended on the woman before him. Speech,

She would slowly walk out and become revealed from the shadows, as she did so she would see his striking amber eyes find their way over her form. It was not unusual for wolves to take notice of her odd appearance, she knew she was considered beautiful by many. He would respond quickly to her first question, his smile warming as well as the slight laugh, "My name is Themisto. What is yours?" Her smile would not increase any, but it was amazing enough that it stayed upon her pristine features. It was rude of her to have asked his name and not expect to return her own. She had never revealed her birth name to anyone if she could help it so she would tell him what she had told everyone else in the lonely land, "I'm, Twig of the Black Clan." She would take in his scent, to archive it into her memory. It seemed he had the scents of other wolves on him, probably belonged to a pack. There was something else there too, it wasn't wolf scent and that was what had caught her attention in the first place. "Why do you.. why do you smell so different?" She hoped that he knew what she was talking about, why it was he didn't full smell wolf and smelled incredibly plant like. Speech,

He would stand motionless, sunset hued eyes fixed on the gorgeous being before him. It took a few moments for her to respond, but when she did his smile would widen slightly. Twig.. it was simple, yet beautiful. Though he did not know what the Black Clan was, he assumed it was her family lineage. "Twig... I like it." He would compliment, amber gaze aiming to align with hers. He debated on taking a few steps toward her, but he would hush the notion in fear that he could scare her away. She had been very shy at first, still was, and any quick movements could send her away. Instead he would unsheathe his claws and dig them into the earth, feeling the soft dirt fall between his toes as she stated her next question. Apparently he smelt different? The mahogany man would cock his head slightly, trying to evaluate what exactly she meant by that. He belonged to Seracia, so perhaps she was referring to the other members scents? No, that could not be it, as she should already be able to tell he was from another pack. Maybe.. She was referring to the marijuana he had snacked on before coming to the orchids? He would swallow hard, but his smile would not crease any, nor would his friendly demeanor change. Hopefully she had been referring to the plants, as he did not want to look dull in front of a lady. "Do you mean the plant like smell?" He would inquire, wishing to know if that was right before he continued. "Speech"

She would continue her scrutinizing observation of him, the way his smile would increase in the slightest bit. He seemed almost eager to bring himself closer to her, but she was glad he would keep his distance. Gentle lyrics would flow from his golden lips, a compliment of her mundane name, "Twig... I like it." his words would coax another quick smile from her lips, but she was incredibly uncertain of it. She was so weary of strangers, she had been as long as she could remember. To open up to one would take time, even if he was the most interesting creature she had come across in Alacritis. His goldenrod eyes would seek hers, and innocently she would return his gaze. He would consider her question, as she realized that she had not worded it so he could understand what it was she smelled, "Do you mean the plant like smell?" He seemed to have hit it right on the nose. She would become a little more eager than anticipated as she nodded her head quickly. Realizing her folly she would retreat a step, embarrassed at her lack of control. She would avert her gaze and let her head lower slightly, "Um.. yeah the plant smell." her voice was soft and sweet, it lacked the regular gruffness she offered those she didn't know. It was so odd that she found it much easier to talk to this man that it had been with Sucre. He had been just as kind, and yet she had tired to bite his head off. What was so different about Themisto? ~"Twig"~

When Twig smiled Themisto would feel an odd sensation wash over him, as if something were flying about within his stomach whilst tingling his paws. He had only felt the sensation one other time, and that had been around Chrysanthe. Why was he already so oddly attracted to this foreign woman? Just her smile had him thinking about the future. If she were a rouge, perhaps she would like a home? Seracia always accepted those in need. He would remain frozen despite her one step retreat, as he did not wish to alarm her as she seemed already on edge. Though if she decided to run off at this point he would consider chasing after her. He would wonder why her gaze had been averted, but he would not question her, and instead would eagerly trace her gaze with his own until they met again. She had such beautiful eyes. Finally the ivory doll would speak, confirming his assumption. His lips would tweak upward slightly, a glimpse of his pearly whites visual now. "I am a healer so I handle a lot of different herbs on a daily basis." He would answer, but add shortly after with a chuckle "Though I handle some more than others." It was true, he handled his favorite plant daily as opposed to every so often as he did the other herbs. He needed his fix on a daily basis, while the other herbs were used to aid those injured. A few thoughts would flood his mind as he stared at the woman. He wondered if she had ever seen marijuana before, or if she had ever tried it. Perhaps he could share some with her? "I discovered a very special plant upon my journey from my homeland to Alacritis. I took it with me and now I grow it right next to my den." He would continue on, trying to keep the conversation going. "Perhaps someday I could show you?" He would add, as he was not a stringy or greedy man. If she said yes he would certainly offer her some to try. Maybe she would enjoy it as much as he did. Speech,

It was odd to the she wolf to have someone who was not her family so eager to look into her orchid stare. Being around Themisto in the orchard was an oddity in itself. Every moment that passed them by she became more curious of him, something that had certainly never happened to her before. Questions about him personally would start popping into her thoughts, like where he had come from and what pack's smell he carried on his coat. Why he had come to the orchard and oddly enough, if he had someone special waiting for him at home. Of course, Twig's thoughts were on everything besides finding a mate to come home to. She was still too young and wild to think about settling down. Though she had to admit Themisto was pleasant to look at. Their gazes would intertwine once again as he spoke his answer of her question, ""I am a healer so I handle a lot of different herbs on a daily basis. Though I handle some more than others." His laugh made her ears perk forward a bit more, it was a nice sound. One that she would enjoy hearing more of. She had not thought of him as a healer, maybe it was the lack of tail. She would have thought him a warrior who had lost his tail to some evil enemy. She didn't find his gaze menacing, but she almost found herself enjoying his golden stare. She enjoyed being gazed upon by him, it was as though he were staring at a fallen star. "I discovered a very special plant upon my journey from my homeland to Alacritis. I took it with me and now I grow it right next to my den. Perhaps someday I could show you?" So he had brought this odd smelling plant with him? The question of where his homeland was would slip through her mind momentarily, but she felt she was being too open with him to ask. Her usual timidness around strangers and reluctance to ask questions would keep her from prying too much. She was quite taken aback by his offer to show her someday. It seemed he wished to continue their interaction hence forth. She couldn't say she didn't like the idea either. She would grow a bit more timid once again, unsure of what her family would say of her spending time in the presence of a strange man. Should she even continue speaking to him, or was it time to be off again, searching for her kin. They were her whole world, would she be able to branch out and allow herself the indulgence of a friend outside her pack or family? He certainly seemed worth it, and her curiosity of his herb would persuade her even more. "I think that I'd like that, Themisto." her soft voice would flow into the air as lyrics on her tongue. She felt a thrill rise up within her stomach as her mixed emotions washed over her. Finding him so interesting wasn't betraying her family's trust.. was it? "Talk" Think "You"

It seemed like an eternity before she would speak again, not because she took forever to speak, but because Themisto couldn't wait for an answer. He hoped that she would accept his offer, and when she did, he could barley contain himself. Tail would begin to wag furiously, front paws lifting from the earth as he did an little excited dance. "I would like it too, Twig." He would respond, a warm smile played across gentle features. He was tempted to close some distance between them, but he could sense the girl was timid, so he would keep his distance until she approached him. "But for now, would you like to assist me with something?" The peaches. He had forgotten all about them due to meeting this lovely lady, but now his craving were back ten fold. Perhaps she could help him find some? And they could eat them together when found! Besides, his plants were in Seracia, and he could not bring her across the borders as a rogue, so they needed something to preoccupy their time. The man would raise a brow slightly as he waited for an answer. If he could just get her out in the open and by his side, their horizons could expand. After all, how was he supposed to get to know this girl if she were shying away within the shadows? He needed to lure her out. ~Themisto Mathias~

It would not take long for the man to show his enthusiasm for her acceptance, she would feel her lips turn up into a delighted smile as his body moved excitedly. Her violet gaze would brighten as she felt a bit more confidence seep from within, slate colored paws delicately moving her tiny steps further. "I would like it too, Twig." His smile was welcoming and inviting, enough that she wouldn't even notice drawing all the nearer until he continued, "But for now, would you like to assist me with something?" She would tilt her head curiously as her eyes narrowed slightly. She could only begin to guess what he might need assistance with from a stranger. With her darkly backed ears turned forward her look of interest was not avoidable. She still felt that tinge of secrecy and of timidness, but Themisto's smile held something she was not used to being given in these lands. He was quite obviously more mature than the young Twig, but he held such an air of innocence and wonder that Twig could certainly not ignore. He seemed to love his life, and she was feeding off that energy. "What do you need.. from me?" her question quite innocent, but totally interested in the task he had offered to her. ~"Twig"~

Butterflys would swarm madly within the confines of his stomach as the woman drew closer. Waiting on her move had proven to be beneficial, as she was finally coming out of the shadows. A smile would remain played across the mans lips as he traced her movements, and as she stopped he would reach forward with his right front paw, inviting her to come closer before he did. "Well Twig, I came to this orchard in search of something before I stumbled upon you." He would respond, a soft chuckle following his words. Of course he assumed she already knew that, so he would not pause for long. "I'm searching for a peach tree. Have you ever seen one?" He would inquire, because if she did not know what they looked like, she may not be much help. But he would enjoy her company all the same "They have delicious fruit on them, and I have not eaten one in season in a very long time. Perhaps you could join my pursuit?" There, he had done it. He had invited her to come along into the unknown, because for all she knew he could be lying about his intentions. Would she accept, or would she linger about within the shadows? He would stare blankly into those violet eyes as he waited for an answer, lips still creased into a warm smile, and right paw still held out as he expected her to accept his offer.

Speech

She tried to keep her gaze down but Themisto had a way of drawing her royal optics to him. She would shy away whenever she found herself looking at him, but she was doing so quite often. She felt a warmness in her cheeks that she found incredibly odd, was she blushing from this contact? "Well Twig, I came to this orchard in search of something before I stumbled upon you." she had figured of course, but had been much too distracted by his presence to think about it. Still a a small humming giggle would harmonize with his own vocal joy before he continued, "I'm searching for a peach tree. Have you ever seen one?" Her eyes would light up at the sudden memories that flooded her mind. Her smile would widen of thoughts of her grandmother fogged her vision, when they would go off on talks they would often visit old human places. One of them had been a peach orchard. "They have delicious fruit on them, and I have not eaten one in season in a very long time. Perhaps you could join my pursuit?" Twig would almost squeal with delight as she thought of the succulent fruit. If her change in facial expression hadn't told him she knew what he spoke of she would reiterate with words. "Peaches!" her exclamation would extenuate the coarseness in her voice, "It's been so long since I've had a peach, oh! I'd love to search with you." She would develop her own small dance as she too lifted her right paw and placed it into his, her smile completely genuine and eager. Thoughts of her family would drift away as she let Themisto occupy her thoughts. "Speech"

His smile would lift as her facial expression changed dramatically. It was apparent that he had triggered something internally, because now she seemed just as excited about the peaches as he was- which was great. He could hardly contain himself as she came forth, mirroring her cute dance with his own. Cheeks would burn as her paw touched his, a warm sensation filling his entire body. He would pull slightly with their paws hand in hand, aiming to pull her toward him for a moment before turning completely around and toward the rows of trees. He assumed she would follow him, so he would stride forward, quickly enough to cover a decent amount of ground, but slow enough for them to avoid breaking a sweat. He would head eastward since he had come from the south, and had yet to see what trees lie ahead. "I already came from that direction and did not see any peach trees, so I figured we would go this way." He would turn his head toward her, a warm smile played across his lips. His gaze would remain fixed on hers for a bit too long, as the man would clumsily trip over an exposed root. Luckily he would stumble and manage to catch himself, a chuckle escaping his lips as he looked shyly up at her to see if she had witnessed it. "Speech"

Joyfully the two would twist together, and for a moment Twig found herself feeling nothing but happiness. She seemed to, just for a moment, let go of the anxieties she let rule her. She wasn't thinking about her family, or the ones she'd lost. All her attention would fall on the joyous man and his incredibly infectious smile. She couldn't help but happily give him the slate colored paw that tipped her elegant appendage. She felt her skin touch and he would draw her ever near, she was so close she could feel his breath before he would quickly turn, with out a word he would start. Excitedly she would find herself following the man. His words would be handed back to her as they found their stride, "I already came from that direction and did not see any peach trees, so I figured we would go this way." His golden gaze would then beseech her as his head swiveled around. She would nod, completely satisfied with his choice of direction, "I bet we could even try and smell them out, but there's also a chance they will only be flowering... Oh my goodness!" She would watch as he almost bit the dust. Themisto's paws would tangle upon the ground, but thankfully he would regain his footing before meeting the ground. Twig's breath would release as she realized she'd been holding it. A delighted giggle would bubble forth as she became relieved. She also realized then that she cared for this stranger, something that had never happened to her before. ~"Twig"~

Sadly she had witnessed his mistake, but instead of laughing like most would have she seemed concerned. The way she reacted brought a heartfelt smile to the mans face, as he had never seen a lady gasp or hold her breath over him. It felt nice to finally be noticed by someone he was intrigued by. "I'm alright, just wasn't paying attention." He would voice with a slight chuckle. He would turn his attention onward and continue on, though he did take what Twig had said into consideration. What if all the peach trees were still budding at this time? They would need to find something else to snack on then. "If we don't find any peaches, what else should we search for? This place is full of plentiful trees. Prey enjoy the fruit too." He would inquire, as he wished to get her opinion on the situation before making any new plans. He would avert his gaze toward her, but would keep his head straight in case something lingered ahead. So far no peach trees had been seen, but he would continue on, mostly because he didn't want her to leave. Speech,

She didn't believe that someone's smile could so easily force her to melt. The cold anti social ice queen's frozen heart would begin to thaw under the sun-hewn gaze of Themisto. She felt something within her chest that had never been there before. A warming deep within her core, a sensation she never could have predicted. Her amethyst orbs would lay delicately upon his form as he brushed off the trip up with a warm chuckle. The delicate skin upon her face would warm and redden as her stomach flip flopped within her. She was thankful he now would be paying more attention to his feet and where they were going than her marked features. His words would travel back to her, and she would curiously take them in. If there were peaches here they would be rather hard to find or nonexistent, but what else did she crave? It was odd to say that it was his touch, she didn't feel hunger or the need for rest. Something inside her wished to be closer to him though. Ashley Black was loyal to the legion and nothing else, why was it then that she so wanted to be next to this man. So mysterious and joyful he was, he brought out a part of her she never expected to even be there.?"Maybe a place to rest?" she would make a suggestive question as she tried to figure a way for them to sit together,?"I've been traveling for a while, maybe a nice stream to quench our thirst..." really she would have followed the tailless wolf wherever it was he would decide to go, there were still to many unanswered questions.? ~"Twig"~