In waiting for his sister to return the young man had gone back into a routine. Something was amiss. He had scented the white Queen he once served, and anxiety had him keeping close to the the North. Surely Roman would not dare try to enslave his sister? No. His subconscious would say. She would. Ritsuka had been working to get fit, to get his body back into proper shape. Food, exercise, and proper sleep left the young man refreshed. But he was worried... worried for his other half. If she did not come soon he would need to go to her. While he was confident in his fighting skills he was also uncertain of Roman, the queen who swore up and down the sickness, the plague that spread across Alacritia was a poison of the Covari leader and not what it truly was.

In short, Ritsuka was pretty sure Roman had a few screws in her head loose...

Ritsuka took a breath, leaning against a tree as he breathed in the scents around him. Rain... freezing rain fell from the skies. It was cold, pelting rain that cold strike with so much force it felt like small rocks were being thrown at your body. It was here, under one tree fallen into another, that he'd watch this rain. It was almost peaceful in a way. It was just a shame that he was alone.
""

The girl had been wandering about in search of several things. Her eyes focused on the task ahead of her. Her eyes narrowed as she looked for the precious herbs. She knew that as a healer (though not by rank assuming that she is ranked as a Lady after thread with Roman) was that she needed to stay stock. Some things never died. She came across a familiar scent that sent her fur on edge. It was the man named Ritsuka. He was a former Regium wolf back when it was Tortuga and he had left. "Hello." She greeted, standing tall behind him with a friendly smile on his face.

Though he had felt alone, it seemed it was not to remain the case. A voice would sound from nearby and his leaf colored gaze would shift to the female who had spoken. Elli. He knew her well enough, a member of the pack he once was part of before he had left along with Qanik and Gossamir. He missed those two terribly, he did. But one had to sometimes leave their friends and go on a new path, a new journey. He would smile, having no qualms with the female before him, unlike her leader. "Miss Elli, good to see you again. Out and about searching for herbs perhaps?" She had been a healer in the pack before, and though he didn't notice it she bore the scent of the very packlands that his sister lived within. It was a good detail to overlook. The young man would shift, straightening himself and giving her a smile. "It has been quite a while. Have you been well?" He asked.
""

Seasons Breeding Pass: http://alacritis.east-of-paradise.com/inde...topic=12847&hl=

The man turned to her with what seemed like a smile. He asked her how she was doing and she knew she couldn't remain mad at him. She had taken a liking to the man before he left Tortuga as a 'traitor' or that was what he had been call anyway. He left because he did not want to be there anymore and she could respect that. "I have been well, thanks for asking. How have you been? Have you found another pack?" She asked respectfully, keeping in mind that he did not smell of another pack. A brand new feeling filled her with fire.

She had been well. That was a relief to the man, a little sad that he had left behind a friend within in Regium. But sometimes you had to make a sacrifice. It wasn't as if she had been in danger, being tortured and such. No... she had a place there. A respectable rank. But him? He had walked out on Roman with the two fae's he had joined with. Perhaps she truly felt she had been right, but to lead a pack to war over such a crazed idea... Suka still had a bit of mixed feelings about leaving. But he knew he wouldn't go back under Roman's command. No way, no how.

Ritsuka would give a small flick of one ear as she turned the question around on him, asking if he had found another pack or not as well. "For a little while I was in a dark place... such a dark place. But luckily my sister and I reunited. Since then I've been doing much better. I'm coming back around to being who I was before... and yet..." He frowned, wanting to phrase the next part gently so he didn't offend her. "I thought to join Bevroren with my sister, Haruka... however... I'm afraid Roman's scent was caught in the air and..." Ritsuka took a small breath.

"...I thought it better to stay here and wait to see what Haruka wanted to do. We've been close since we are young... and I know she left Regium far before I did." Ritsuka would give a small shrug. "Sometimes we end up taking a different paths, despite starting on the same road. I'm not really too bothered about it. It's part of life and growing up." His sea green eyes would soften.

"The storm doesn't look like it's going to let up anytime soon. If you don't mind sharing a cave for a little while I can offer somewhere dry to wait for it to pass. This isn't really a good season to stay wet in."
""

Elli had listened to what he had to say and she couldn't say that she had been surprised. Her eyes widened a bit when she heard that his sister had been in Bevroren and so she instantly linked the woman she had seen act so defiant when she first arrived to the man who had left Roman's rule so dramatically with Qanik and the others. She frowned slightly but took no offense. She herself had considered leaving Roman's rule but for different reasons. The suggestion had been poked at in her mind when she had gained a higher rank to leave, with the permission of Roman, to start a new pack. A new pack with her in charge would suit her well.


"I can understand the qualms you have had about Roman. While I have not had these feelings, I have considered leaving Regium. Bevroren was handed by Athena to Roman." She explained a few things that had been on her mind. Perhaps she should have shared her possible thought process to leave to Roman before someone seen as a traitor but she couldn't resist sharing the news. She had held a slight crush persay, if you could call it 'slight', on the man before her and she didn't care what he had done. She liked herself a bad boy. "Thank you." She said as she took refuge within the cave with the man.

Ritsuka would give a soft sigh, shaking his head slightly as Elli spoke. The qualms were an issue he didn't wish to resurface, not when this could be a nice reunion. He didn't want to remember those days, the hurt and anger he felt as he left Regium during that time. He was worried, however, that Bevroren was now part of Regium... or... a new Regium? Had Roman truly left her pack? Ritsuka wasn't sure how to feel about it. His stomach felt sick, worry growing. 'Be safe Epic... If she dares lay a paw on you...' Ritsuka was not a monster, but he would not stand for anyone harming his sister. Haruka could hold her own, yes, but Ritsuka would be damned if anyone got away after such an act. Never again, he had sworn. Never again would anyone live to say that they had.

Ritsuka tried to push the thoughts away however. He'd give Haruka a bit more time before going to the borders to confront the woman himself. He was surprised further, however, when he realized Elli said she was considering leaving Regium as well. He would raise a brow, a bit confused, but would for the moment focus on starting to lead the way to the cave. "Sure thing. Can't have you getting sick, can we?" The little crush was less than one sided, of course. There had only ever been two females that Ritsuka had developed close feelings for around his age. Elli was one of them. The one still around.

As Ritsuka walked along, heading toward the direction of the falls, he'd speak again, ears flicking some as he glanced towards her. "...Did... something happen when the packs merged that made you think about leaving the pack?" He was frowning some. Surely things hadn't gotten worse, right?

""

Suka's response had made her smile one of those shy smiles that she rarely showed. He asked her a question about the merge and if something from it had made her want to leave. Elli frowned and looked at Ritsuka in confusion. "Things were a little tense at the meeting but nothing made me want to leave. I want to leave because I have more potential. I mean, Roman promoted me to Lady or a Beta and everything but I seek something more than that. Ya know?" She tried to find the right words to summarize it. It was time to change the subject. She wanted to know about how he had been doing! "What about you? How have you been? Have you found another pack? Is there a lady in your life?" She tried her best to hide the envy in her eyes when she asked that last question.

So nothing had made her decide to leave, but it was a matter that she sought something greater than what she held. At one point Ritsuka too craved a bit more power. A position to hold to truly show off his strengths and his skills. Yet... Ritsuka found that it was not your position in a pack that showed the world who you were. What you were made of. For him, as long as he strove to be all that he could be, to show his strength regardless of where he was, whether he was in a pack or not, just to make his sister proud... that would be enough. Ritsuka felt a bit relieved as well that there was nothing drastic to mention about the meeting. Haruka had held her temper it seemed.

It seemed that Elli might have been a bit nervous as well, repeating herself and all. He let out a small chuckle, shaking his head. "Surviving... as I mentioned before. There is no pack yet, nor do I know of one to head to at this point. As for a lady, well, there's never really be one I got close enough to I'm afraid. Even if I had my gaze focused on her." Ritsuka would slow as they reached a jut out of the rock-wall that was just a bit up the path from the initial drop of the falls. "In here." He'd say softly, sliding inside. Did Elli perhaps notice the hint he held in his voice?

She hadn't even realized she repeated herself and when she did finally realize she let her gaze fall to her paws in embarrassment. She gulp, her breathing hitching when he spoke the words. Was he making his point or being suggestive? Surely he didn't like her like that... no one liked her like that ever. She felt heat rise to her cheeks in a blush as she shot him a look. "I've been invisible to someone..." There was a hint, a look in her eye as she looked into his eyes. "I think it's my special skill - being invisible." The words were whispered, a certain tone hiding in her voice to test and see if Ritsuka was truly being suggestive or not. They were within inches of each other as she waltzed around him in a circle.

The cave that Ritsuka brought Elli along to shelter in was hardly anything to look at outside. However, once they squeezed their way though the opening a cavern of sorts would open around them, a bit of light filtering in from outside. Suka would turn to face Elli, her eyes glowing in the dim light. Oh the young man certainly didn't miss that look. As old as he was it was surprising that Ritsuka had not fallen and been with a fae before now. But he had been taught better than that. Not to simply hump any female that moved. No, the young man had some sort of manners.

A brow would be raised, his eyes shining. "Is that what the trick was? Well darn, no wonder I could never get close enough. I guess I thought my mind was playing tricks on me."[/color] The male would draw closer, and, perhaps it was hormones, but Ritsuka could feel himself drawn towards the beautiful fae before him. Why not? She was pretty, talented, kind... and she had a good head on her shoulders. What wasn't there to like? Her company was something he'd missed. He'd felt alone... and sure Haruka had filled some of his time with her company. But... there were some things a sister couldn't give her brother. {At least in Ritsuka's case.}

The tan male would close the distance between them, reaching out to gently brush her cheek with his nose. "Huh, still there. Guess your invisibility trick is not working anymore." He'd lift his mouth to her ear. "Or maybe... you wanted to be found." His words were soft, his breath warm, but his own words holding a stronger hint than before. Would she continue to press on, giving invitation for his company? Or was he sadly mistaken?

(Elli - you're stealing Angier's lines!)

His next words sent a shiver down her spine as he fast approached her, closing the distance between the heat radiating off of her body out of being flustered and his body. He was right up against her chest as he whispered more words into her ear. Tricks and cleverness were what she was good at, love was not. There was a tingling sensation as he nosed her cheek and she looked at his eyes, desire filling her up with the strength she needed to form words. "Abracadabra." The words relinquishing her invisibility as she invited him to move ahead. Would he take such a daring move to mark her as his own or would he run from the site to prove she was wrong about him?

Ritsuka was no casanova, no man who knew it all about love, but the man knew that he cared for Elli, and he saw her for more than just some pretty face and body. The young man had no previous experiences with such things, but he followed his gut in these instances, or his heart. His head was left out of the equation. He was moving now on instinct, his heart beating fast, though a bit of excitement filled him. Alone with a pretty girl, and one who didn't mind his presence. Wasn't that, generally, a guy's dream?

The male would meet her eyes, amber orbs looking into his forest-y own. Desire welled within, coaxing him to press on, to take this situation into his paws. Elli spoke a single word, as if vanishing her 'spell' away completely. Ritsuka would circle around her, teasingly brushing her body with his own. He felt yearning so strong, yet the male held a moment of restraint. He wanted to be sure, absolutely sure that he did not do anything the other did not desire. 

"Elli... I... " His breath caught in his throat for a moment. "I want to show you my feelings... to be close to you and no other. But... I want to make sure that it is what you want as well. I don't want to hurt you." Ritsuka had paused, looking back over his shoulder at the female. Gods damn him and strike him down if he ever did something rotten to this woman. 

He teased her, brushing against her with his own fur but he pulled back and that left for a slightly confused Elli. He went on about something having to do with wanting to make sure she was okay with it and she gave him a comforting smile. She took a deep breathe, getting things off of her mind. "Ritsuka, I wouldn't be standing here if I didn't feel this way..." there was a slight pause. "I love you and would want nothing else in this world." The words were her final key words - the words she had been waiting to say perhaps her whole life. She had no idea who they would be to until she met the dashing young man back as a member of Tortuga.

Ritsuka felt the doubt wash away as she spoke, giving him that comforting smile. Love... Perhaps in some eyes they were rushing headlong into love... But the two had lived in the same pack at least. It wasn’t as if they were two strangers getting together and having children. No... There was a bit more responsibility than that. The male felt his heart lift, feeling hope with each beat. “I love you too, Elli. I’ll keep you safe... I promise. I’ll be here for you.” He would gently lay his muzzle on her back, giving a moment for the words to set in. It was his promise to be faithful to her. No matter what. Not even Roman or Regium could change that fact.

From that point on Ritsuka allowed their hormones to do the work and join their bodies in a moment of passion...

[Fade To Black]

He would settle himself beside Elli after the deed, nuzzling her neck gently with his muzzle. Ritsuka felt happiness surge through his body, a calm settling over him. He couldn’t remember the last time he felt like this, just so content. The woman next to him was to thank for that. Who would think that fate brought them back together?

“Will you stay with me for a while longer?” He didn’t want her to have to rush back to Regium, though he understood she would still have to return at some point. He just didn’t want that to be right now.

Elli locked eyes with him before the deed was done and they boy swiftly fell into a moment of passion. Safety was guaranteed from him and it made her feel even better about the predicament. When Elli awoke the next morning, it was to Ritsuka's soft voice asking her to stay. She woke from her sleep hazily as she turned to him. "I can stay with you for an hour or so but Roman will be expecting me back with the herbs I came to collect. If I don't show she will be concerned and might come looking for me." She murmured back as she nuzzled his neck. "I will be back soon though... I just have to work things out with Roman for she surely won't like my leave." The words were whispered more to herself then to her loving mate. She smiled back at him as she looked at his face. Nerves pitted themselves into her stomach.

-Fade? I should be able to do more posts if you don't want this to be a fade? Up to you.-