What was the duty of a warrior? A knight, even. He should fight for the weak, he knew that, and vanquish those who held power without cause or right. But what about all of it in the middle. What about the wolves who weren't just black and white? He had no patience for those who sought to trick him, nor for those who made mischief without cause. He had encountered too many who did not warrant his retribution, but were annoying all the same. It was tiresome. The hulking beast often found himself wishing to resort to violence, if only to make the decision a bit easier. His word was law in his own mind, after all, and what he said would have to go. It was the only way to remain true to his course, he'd convinced himself, even if that meant pushing headlong through mistakes he would never admit to having made. Unfortunately, that sort of thinking had gotten him quite lost. This is not a bad place, though, he thought with a sigh. The wind whispered to him through the long fronds of willow trees, and they tickled his back as he walked beneath him. Small ferns grew amongst the sun-dappled soil, and the dark champion found himself growing drowsy. I'll sort it out tomorrow, he concluded, sitting down gently. Under the shade, the heat was not quite so brutal on his dark coat. He sniffed amongst the tree roots, finding at last a tangle that suited his size well, and curled up beneath it for a short nap. "Talk" "You" Think

Maija Artenie was always in a bad mood these days. The mornings were not bad, but once the afternoon heat kicked in, she acted like her feathers were ruffled. Her children were all out and about, exploring their hearts out, leaving her alone. She had a pelt that was made for colder weather, but she didn't want to deal with more cold facts about her isolation. Worst of all, she was enduring her heat, something she always despised. Her body became consumed by the fire that raced through her veins, making her skin prickle and her eyes flare in anger. She was frustrated, riding solo, and deprived of everything she once had. The negative aura around her golden form was obvious, creating a glow to shimmer within her luscious fur. Paws carried her through the willows as she ignored the beauty of her current location. Leaf-green eyes remained ahead as she picked up the various sounds and scents of the forest. Nothing really peaked her interest until she caught the scent of an unfamiliar male. A few yards from where she stood, he rested beneath a willow. Maija rolled her eyes and looked to the willowy heavens above her. Great, another male had crossed her paths. How many would she run into before the cosmos got the message that she wanted to be alone? It was meant to happen, she was sure. Softly, she walked through the trees and felt the willow vines latching onto her fur before sliding off her back. As she walked along, she kept her green eyes facing forward, not letting the male know that she had noticed him. Maybe she could get by without being seen. speech here

At first, Lyon did not realize that he had company. It was not until the wind shifted that his near-asleep form picked up another's scent. His eyes cracked open in lazy curiosity, just in time to see the form of a fae disappear behin a tree trunk, only to re-appear a moment later. He had half a mind to let her go, but she had a queer look on her face. His lips curled in wry amusement and he sat up, shaking out his coat as he did. "Something got your tail in a twist?" He grinned at his own word play and made to follow her. He was in higher spirits than normal. Any other day he would have gladly let her go on her way without comment, but a mischievous humor was upon him and would not be denied. After all, who wouldn't enjoy his hulking presence? The behemoth was mannerly enough to keep a length or two of distance, but he trailed her all the same. "Talk" "You" Think OOC: Sorry for the crappy post, this was just not flowing ;-;

Her worst fears for that moment were confirmed: he saw her and proceeded to make contact. A low grumble danced in her throat as she froze in her steps. Ears flattened against her head, eyes stared straight ahead as she considered turning and snapping at him. How dare he disturb her isolation from the world! Who did he think he was, a great Casanova? Pfft. Slowly, she turned to look back at him, leaf-green gaze glassy and dark. Ears remained flattened as clenched teeth were revealed by her upper lip curling. Her fur bristled and she was, once again, thinking of nipping at his handsome gray coat. She watched him for a minute and it was the longest sixty seconds she had used on any male since Taurig. A challenge was something she needed, but she wasn't sure if this man would even be worth such time. The answer remained dancing in her mind, but didn't come to her lips right away. Maija was mildly interested to see what the stranger would do, but she didn't give him the chance. She softly snorted at him and uncurled her top lip. Face slipped back into a smooth exterior as she retorted, "Yes, you." It wasn't the exact truth, but she was tired of meeting members of the opposite sex that could not hold their own. If he decided to walk away from her then, she would consider him a weakling...even if he was of massive size. Maija slowly turned her head back to where it was and she continued to walk. Her steps were the same in length, but slower in pace. She didn't want to look like she was running away from him, but at the same time, she didn't care. Aggravation was slowly building up due to her own frustration being made. Men were trouble and she was too brash and angry to be handled. Speech,

Lyonovei could not contain the chuckle that rumbled out from within his chest, a deep rolling bass that bespoke his frame and size. It was the sound of a large creature, one who would not be brushed off or ignored. Stubborn, he drew nearer yet. While he found her reaction amusing, it gave him a surface to strike his own anger against. So far she had thrown off sparks, only time would tell if they might ignite. "Well, aren't we the prim and proper fae. Has anyone ever told you your manners are atrocious?" It was far from his intention to soothe her, as might be guessed by his own callous lack of courtesy. The cinder brute allowed himself another laugh, shoulders shaking with it. He ran threw a list of jibes he might toss out at her, but none seemed to stick out. He waited for her to react, to whirl on him or snarl or leap, wondering how far he could push this grouchy woman until she snapped. But at the same time, he did not really feel like wasting his energy on conflict, only sating his curiosity. He stopped his trek, hoping to put off some of the pressure. He doubted she would just run off but her supposed, if he must, he would let her leave without experiencing the true joys of his presence. It was probably her loss, anyways. "Where are you headed in such a hurry?" Why he wanted to know, he wasn't sure. His days had been pretty lackluster recently, so the thought of important things happening elsewhere was tantalizing enough. "Talk" "You" Think

She felt her fur bristle and her eyes narrow. The majority of her brain wanted to snap back at him and dig her teeth into his flesh. Imagining the taste of fresh iron upon her tongue made Maija's drool, but she refrained from letting it slip from between her lips. Instead, she flattened both ears upon her cranium and rolled her eyes before ceasing her steps again. Slowly, she turned to look back at him, eyes still narrowed as she looked him up and down. Her gaze silently burned and she hoped that he felt it. He had called her rude and she was not pleased. Her tail flicked behind her in an irritated manner before she growled at him being so close. "I suppose you could do better?" She asked, tones vacant of emotion except for a slight hint of curiosity. Her gaze ran over him again as he asked her another question. She turned her golden form around, unintentionally showing curves that hadn't been noticed for a good while. Once she was directly angled towards him, she gave the faintest hint of a smile. "Avoiding unintelligent wolves," was her reply, and quite frankly, it was honest. Unfortunately, in her eyes, she had missed one. If he proved her wrong, she would eat a coral snake! Talk like this

Anger would sizzle down the woman's length, pricking the lines of her golden pelt and narrowing her verdant eyes. Lyon wondered for a second if he had indeed pushed her too far, but right before his eyes she seemed to push her anger away. A hint of admiration blossomed in his mind's eye, and he wondered where she had learned such a useful skill. Certainly it was one he himself did not possess. His anger had a way of getting away from him, of building and building until it was somehow released. But there she was, pushing it down and turning away. Her retorts were laced with fire and a desire for him to leave her alone. "Sorry," he found himself saying quickly, with no small surprise to himself. "For being an ass, I mean. I was only teasing." If Lyon was acting in the same manner he would detest in other wolves, he did not make that connection. Instead he sat down with a thump and resolved not to follow her if she truly wished to be on her way. She did look to be in a sour mood though, and he wanted to know what had happened. If another wolf had caused this it might prove an able distraction for him to hunt them down... He'd done it before, anyways, even if it had only been a tool to pass the time. Even so, this fae seemed quick witted and made of sturdy stuff. Whatever could rattle her had to be worth a few questions. "In all seriousness if there is something, or someone, bothering you I would be happy to lend a paw. It's a... hobby of mine." There really wasn't a better way to phrase that. It was not his cause, not his purpose in life, to teach assholes right from wrong. It was just something he enjoyed doing. The gods, if there were such things, had given him his bulk for a reason, and he rarely needed to look far to find a need for some hired muscle. "Talk" "You" Think

Instead of continuing to tease and pick at her, the male apologized. Maija instantly saw into his soul and realized that he had a soft, gooey inside. Her brows slightly furrowed, but they returned to their previous places before she replied. "Don't apologize," she said, tones low as she spoke. "You're fine." She may have been pissed, but the heat and her frustration with the opposite gender only added to her original fire. He continued to follow her, and the flames that were dancing in her veins slightly simmered to a tolerable boil. She continued to watch him with a slight bit of interest, all the while pondering how well he did his job. Her tail flicked behind her softly as she stopped walking and then turned to meet his gaze head-on. "Really?" she asked, interest softly laced beneath her words. "I have a hard time believing that." She wondered how he would prove his statement. It was never a bad time to meet someone that could make others writhe in pain. "Speech"