Surreal

Her children were asleep, Regulus? paws twitching as he chased a dream. Her mismatched blue and gold eyes watched her three pups, a faint smile tugging lightly at her muzzle. They were still every bit her angels and wonders as when they had been just born. Bending, she caressed each small brow with her tongue, then gently prised herself from their ball of legs and tails, slipping from the den. Alsander had brought down another yearling the prior morning, and with her children asleep, that meant she could spend a few minutes to herself to eat. She loved all three dearly, but it was hard to eat your fill when you were answering questions every five seconds. Her fore end lowered, her hips rising above her back as she stretched, jaws parting for a long, drawn out yawn. It was early, early in the morning. Even the birds hadn?t awakened. A rime of frost lay thick over the ground, clinging to willow fronds like a crystalline sheath. The air was full of the faint tinkling of ice beginning to react to the rising temperatures. She rose from her stretch, one ear flicking back to be sure the pups hadn?t risen; all was silent, so she padded to the group feeding area. The yearling lay, carcass torn open, a haunch gone. The pups had already made quick play things with the intestines and a rib. Chuckling softly at the memory of her sons face when he?d grabbed an intestine and pulled, and it had just kept coming, she lowered to a lions crouch and dug in, savoring the venison. It was a good morning. Perhaps soon she would take the pups to the sea and let them run alongside the waves and play with the crabs.

It was a chilly early morning when the sun has yet to slowly creep up and over the ridged horizon to shine down on the great land before it. The song birds have yet to chirp their morning delights and soar over the valley in the spacious skies above to head to warmer climates. There was not a single cloud in sight in the open dark sky as a small gust of icy wind sent the willows in a graceful dance, most creatures of all different sizes slumber and wait for the morning rays to warm their coats. With the winter coming sooner than the wolf thought, the grass had become dry and brittle with a thin layer of frost under each step of his worn out paw pads.

While most creatures slumbered peacefully in their homes, a fairly large sized creature trotted across the land in steady long elegant strides to loosen his tight muscles from being cramped in a make shift den. Ebony lowed head to sniff the earth below as he came to a slowly paused, his multi colored nostrils flared as the scent of the other wolves swirled in his nose and sent a thrill down his spine. Has he unknowingly strolled onto pack land? Nose lifted into the cool breeze in hopes to catch a pack scent, but only the smell of other loners was caught. With a huff and a flicker of his gaze, the smooth canine?s warm digits settled on a lumpy figure off in the distance.

Maverick hesitated, unsure whether he should pursuit towards the shadowy figure or move on. But when the delicate scent of a feminine whirled towards him, his paws moved before his brain could decide what he should do. His ebony head high with confidence, chest out with pride, tail raised but low enough to show respect, ears fell back slightly listening for others just in case she was not alone, and rich citrine digits softened as he fell into a casual and silky troll in her direction. The male knew he had an intimidating appearance, often times getting attack by males just because of it. But the canine did his best to make himself look less of a threat. That?s hard when he was riddled with scars.

His tone was gentle when he spoke in hopes to not startle the lady. ?What is a gorgeous lady like you doing out here without her mate?? Maverick playfully teased as he paused a few feet before her, giving her space to decide whether he was welcomed to talk to her or not, ?It?s dangerous to be out without a man. Males, like myself, tend to be drawn to lone beauties out in about without her pack and her mate.? The canine let a chuckle escape him, an impish grin played along his lips as he waited for her response. Listening for her possible mate or other pack members, ready to fight or flight just in case. The smell of the meat ticked him, stomach gave off a low rumble he easily ignored and hoped she did not hear. ?I hope I'm not interrupting anything.?

Surreal Adravendi

The sound of approaching paws, and the unfamiliar gait, made the silver and black timber look up, mismatched eyes of blue and gold studying the oncoming male. Alsander was nearby, downwind of herself and the stranger. She had little to fear thus far, and bent for a last bite. Her belly was moderately full by now, so the interrupted meal wasn?t much of an irritation. Swallowing, she rose gracefully, paws already falling into the balanced stance in case this fellow did have any funny business planned. As he drew closer, she took stock of him. Muscular, and bearing many scars from past battles. His posture bordered on cocky, but held enough respect to say that perhaps he did have manners. Surreal looked on fearlessly. Her father had been a massive male; largest in the pack before he?d vanished. Castiel wouldn?t be far off, and he was quite large as well, having inherited their fathers muscles and strength. Alsander, too, was large, and strong. Neither she nor her brother and cousin would let this stranger near the rest of the family hidden away, or her pups. Surreal herself bore her own marks of battle, with the claw marks slashing across her muzzle, and the scar on one foreleg. His gently spoken words caused one brow point to lift. Gorgeous? She nearly rolled her eyes as he went on. A faint smile twitched her lips as she stepped lightly away from the carcass, an unspoken offer for him to eat. His stomach was louder than a grouchy bear, and he certainly looked as though he hadn?t eaten properly lately.?Hardly dangerous. And whatever gave you the idea that I was alone?? She gave the male an arch look, then glanced pointedly at the carcass. ?The yearling is still tender; brought down yesterday, so he hasn?t had a chance to freeze too solidly.? Her conversational tone hid well the pang that came with the thought of Falk. Her mate had charged off like a blind bull to avenge his sister who had a mate of her own to fight for her. Charged off, when his mate and children should have been the first priority. She wasn?t sure how long it would take to forgive him for not listening and not thinking of them first. If she ever saw him again. Walk ---- "Speak" ---- "Hear" ---- Think

Even as the male approached her cautiously, Maverick could sense a little tension from her. Of course, who could blame her? If a mysterious beat up male came towards him, he would be a little uneasy as well.

A soft chuckle rattled the lupus throat as the she wolf rose to her paws, clearly unamused by the male?s little attempt to toy with her. His warm gazed flickered left to right, indicating no one was in his sight and she was alone as far as he could see. ?Well... I don?t see anyone here. Just me... and you,? the wolf replied teasingly, his silky gaze on the duel colored eyed lady, ?Unless you mean the carcass you were nibbling on.? The male knew she was probably not completely alone, there was no way this she wolf did not have a mate or a pack of some kind. But there was no one around at this moment and if he was really that kind of male, all it took was a few minutes to get what he wanted. But lucky for her, Mav was not that type of male. At least, not anymore.

When the she wolf gestured to her feed, the loner gave a polite nod in a no. Who was he to take food from a lady? His mother raised him better than that and though he really did not know his father that well, Mav was sure his honorable father would find it distasteful. Then again, he was the bastard according to his father?s pack so what did it matter what his father would think. Mav grunted to himself. ?No thank you,? he rejected kindly, though his stomach growled in protest for the substance that laid ready to be dug into, ?It?s all yours. I can get my own later.?

The canine paused, ears twitched at the sound of flock of birds that chirped above them as he planted his butt down and an impish smirk still present on his ebony lips. ?So tell me, my dear,? Mav started, his muzzle parted in a yawn before he continued, ?If you are not alone, where is the rest of your pack and your mate? I mean, I am not the smartest wolf out there but I am not a fool.? There was a mischievous spark that twinkled in his rich citrine gaze, like he was up to something yet it was hard to tell what exactly it was.


?speech.?

Surreal Adravendi

The stranger chuckled, his eyes flicking to the sides before he spoke. Surreal flicked one ear back. “My family surrounds this area, out of sight, and downwind. Just because you cannot see them, doesn’t mean they aren’t here, stranger. They’ll stay hidden until you make a wrong move.” What that wrong move might be was expressed in the undercurrents of her words, and the raised brow points. Her offer of a meal was politely refused, despite the loud growling her ears could pick up from his belly. Too proud, perhaps? The birds had begun to wake for the day, the sky lightening from light black to blue greys, and as the male sat, a small flock of the feathered creatures took their flight. He had a smirk on his face as he spoke up, pausing to yawn before he went on. Surreals head lifted slightly higher; was that a muffled yip from the direction of the den? Trust her son to wake up at a moment such as now. To answer this males question, she gave him a long stare, then issued a sharp, single bark. From downwind, Alsanders baritone replied with a gruff rumble, followed by Eranis softer growl from the direction of the den; good, Erani could corral the pups. Castiels tense voice sounded further away. Surreals jowls twitched in a faint smile. ”We aren’t a pack yet, but I intend to take my place as Queen, as my mother has before me. Now that we have settled that I am not alone, shall we introduce ourselves correctly?” Her head cocked, her own eyes twinkling faintly with amusement. ”My name is Surreal Adravendi.” She skipped easily over saying anything about Falk. She wouldn’t lie and say he was waiting in the wings to rend this stranger to pieces; it would only feel like planting false hope in her own heart that Falk was there. Walk ---- "Speak" ---- "Hear" ---- Think