Den to Forest (Closed)

[Meds]

((Tiel This is a continuation of the conversation/meeting that was happening in Holt's den, though with Holt having gone to sleep, it was a bit awkward to continue there, ha! I revised this a bit, Tiel, so it fits the new situation better ))

Koa;

Koa and Yukio were on their way through the forest from Holt's den, where they had met and shared a brief few words. The mid-summer rain storm had died down by then, so it was two dry wolves that were continuing their conversation as they walked. As they had continued on, Yukio had admitted that he had been worried that Koa would leave the den without him, abandoning him with the (rather strange) couple. Fortunately for Yukio, Koa had invited him along as she left.

Ducking down to avoid a low-hanging branch, Koa glanced back over her shoulder and fixed her acquaintance with a dangerous and challenging smirk. He had just finished asking her what she thought he was hiding.

"I haven't the faintest idea what you might have been hiding back in that den," Koa said, ignoring his joke about the witty blue wolf coming to him in a dream. Her tail lashed behind her and her eyes brightened as she slowed her pace once more to walk beside him. "But I am of the belief that almost everybody has something to hide..." She chuckled softly. "Be it intentions, thoughts, or secrets of an entirely different nature; however this time in particular, I had only meant that your phony hope of Holt and Wintersnow not taking anything personally didn't fool me."

She smiled, then as they continued walking through the quiet forest, Yukio voiced a question to her. He asked her about fate, and Koa tilted her head side to side, considering her answer.

"No... I don't believe that the White Wolves have enough time to spare to designate a personal fate and future to every sorry mortal wolf down here in the valley—" She winked, indicating herself as much as him. "—but I do believe that things happen for a reason. Most recently, I believe that you and I met for a purpose—even if that purpose was only so I could watch you torment those poor souls back there."
She raised an eyebrow at the brown and blue companion she had dubbed 'Mr. Smooth Talker' as they traveled on. Yukio was clever with his words, and Koa could only imagine he had an equally sharp mind to match. Making new friends was fun—especially when they weren't predictable.

[Tiel]

Yukio:

The woodland was at a mystical stillness after the storm, something on the more intense side of peaceful, forbidding of a voice above a whisper. However, silence was something Yukio quite enjoyed breaking. So his response to Koa was like throwing a heavy rock into still waters. Not that he raised his voice any louder than he usually spoke. It was just that this time his voice was notably in opposition against something quietly tranquil.

"You're right," he said. "to say all wolves have something to hide." Yukio ducked under the same branch that Koa had just avoided. He padded in front of her, turning to face her so she could see his grin and his curious eyes fixed on her as he walked, as though he were watching her every move. He wasn't, though. His mind was too busy steering his words to be observant. "That means you do, too. And while I can't imagine what that might be, I consider myself adequately skilled at figuring secrets out."

His last comment made what Koa said next ironic, perhaps unintentionally. But Yukio never felt awkward. Even the slimy chill that ran down his spine at the notion of Koa having figured out his jig was strangely satisfying. Yukio loved these kinds of situations.

"I guess I don't put on a strong enough facade," he said, looking away from Koa thoughtfully. But Yukio doubted that was true. He was very deliberate about every movement he made, letting little of his mind manifest without his knowing about it. Of course, most of the time, he liked his peers to know exactly what he was thinking, and used his body language to his advantage in that sense. But he was always in control. Yukio's gaze returned to Koa. "Or maybe you're just unusually observant." Yukio flicked one ear to demonstrate listening to the environment. "And you probably saw that I, in fact, believe I put on a fantastic facade."

But then there was that moment of minuscule hesitation back in Holt's den. Koa had managed to render him speechless once, and she'd theoretically be able to do it again. She was poisonous. But she didn't know him well enough yet to know how much power she had over him. She was poisonous and didn't know it. Yukio was walking side by side with poison. He grinned. He'd spend more time with her if he could, just to test his own limits.

Then Yukio asked his friend about fate, and her response was wonderful. What a perfect opportunity for disagreement. Surely Koa was setting him up. Or she was just unknowingly wonderful. Hoping for the latter, Yukio hopped onto a fallen sequoia, then looked down at Koa. "Surely you don't believe that," he intoned. "I decided to enter Holt's den seeking, not so much shelter from the rain, but an interesting conversation. Exactly what I ended up getting." Yukio strode along the rain dampened surface of the huge trunk toward its unearthed roots. He nearly slipped once, but he recovered breezily. "And Holt decided to passive-aggressively fall asleep to make us feel inclined to get lost. And you decided I wasn't too obnoxious to go on a walk with. So now we're here. See? It's all about our own decisions. The power can't control us on that level." He stopped in his tracks and lifted one paw. "Unless… we were always destined to make those decisions." Yukio very intentionally smirked at this. Then he flicked the tip of his blue tail up three times, a gesture asking Koa to join him on the fallen tree.

[Meds]

((Maahhhhhh he reminds me of Augustus Waters DDDx <333))

Koa;

He was certainly clever; in fact, Koa found herself wondering just how she was going to reply to the bulk of what he had said. Their conversation was light, fun, even joking—but underneath the surface there was a tense battle of wits going on. She could feel it. He certainly did search out the difficult, the interesting, the untouchable. Koa shared a smiled with herself, then ended up sharing it with Yukio as well as he walked in front of her and turned to meet her eyes.

"Ah, that's where you're wrong," She said, shaking her head tastefully, though allowing her eyes to glint devilishly. "I'm far too proper to keep any secrets myself. My belief, surely, only applies to others and not myself." She was speaking in jest, of course, highlighting an ironic and often all-too-true belief among others—but it was partly true. Koa really didn't keep that many secrets—she saw no need to. What you got was what you got with her, and her confidence was too high to pretend anything else. "And oh, you put on a plenty-strong enough facade," She continued, regarding him through half-lidded eyes as if truly sizing him up or telling him something he didn't already know. "I'm just, as you so aptly pointed out, an even more exceptional judge of character."
He leapt onto a mossy tree then, inviting her to join him and breaching the subject of fate and the White Wolves. She did so, stepping up carefully and sitting down next to him, eyes forward as if they were just friends enjoying the day.
"Ah, so you're a wolf who makes his own fate," She hesitated and smiled. "Or lack thereof. Perhaps the notion of fate is just too predictable for you. That anything has reason or a set path is too boring, and therefore must not be true."

"Though I do agree that you were a much better option for company than the latter, with simply too large a vocabulary for me to pass up." She snickered kindly. "But as for our decisions being pre-approved by some higher power... I don't know, but when I met you it sure didn't feel like I was going to want to spend anymore time with you." Her grin widened, but kept her eyes forward, not looking at him. "But truly, whether it happened for a reason or not, who are we to dissect the inner workings of fate?" She cleared her throat. "Or lack thereof."

[Tiel]

((Don't make me cry, Meds!! I loved that book and movie! You're right except maybe more careless and a bit harsh lol))

Yukio:

"But truly, whether it happened for a reason or not, who are we to dissect the inner workings of fate? Or lack thereof?"

"Mmm. Who are we?" Yukio repeated. He sat down next to Koa on the damp red bark of the log, close to her, but not too close. Friendly close. Though it was still close enough to feel her body heat radiating from her fur. Yukio took a breath in through his nose, taking in her smell mixed with the forest petrichor. There was something inside of him, an animal instinct, telling him to lean into her shoulder right now. He could do it smoothly, with grace and charisma, as he had done with many wolfesses before. She would hold her breath for just a second, overwhelmed by the gesture, then she'd lean in as well, if he played it right.

But Yukio prided himself in his logic, and right now his logic was listing off reasons not to. Koa and him were both clever, but Yukio doubted they shared the same ideals. He was fundamentally unkind. Not mean exactly, he didn't roll around in the pain of other wolves, he was just unkind. But Koa had proved so far to be warm and benign, even if fiercely independent, too. Yukio was a risk taker, yes, but Koa's heart, he decided, was not a toy. She had already gained his respect, and once someone gained Yukio's respect, that respect never left them. Yukio's respect was something more valuable than even his friendship—yes, Yukio respected many of his adversaries. He also was friends with wolves he thought were nothing more than dirt on his paws that he could shake off at any time. Koa, Yukio thought, has earned both my friendship and respect.

And that was why he wouldn't lead her on. Even if there was a part of him that thought that maybe it was really possible for them, he would take it slow. He could be patient.

Yukio exhaled.

"Who are we?" Back to the stimulating talk about fate and where they stood. Yukio felt energized again. He rose, turned away from Koa playfully, and paced down the slippery log. "Mortals who think we're worthy to discuss something divine and timeless as though it were only the weather?" He turned back. Koa's eyes glinted. They were such a benevolent green compared to his dull colored gaze. Yukio lifted his chin, let his chest puff out theatrically. "Maybe the power is glowering at us from above. I for one, however, don't mind prying at touchy subjects. I like to go where everyone else is afraid to go. I bet we've learned something from this conversation. And you know what? Now we know one more thing than those who were too afraid to go looking for answers."

No, Koa's heart is not a toy. But fate can be.

Yukio's tail lashed behind him with energy. His tail did that a lot. A good thing, too, lest he be jumping in place all the time. The issue was, though, that he always looked like a pup ready to play. But he didn't really mind that. In some ways, he truly was a pup ready to play. Arguing was his play.

"And you know what else?" He stepped forward. "What you said before. That's not true. All wolves have something to hide, and you do, too. Maybe you genuinely believe you don't have anything to hide." His voice went soft. "But that could be because you're hiding it from yourself."

[Meds]

Koa;

He asked who they were, partly-hypothetical and partly-serious, then sat next to her and was quiet for a time. Koa said nothing either, comfortable in silence, as many wolves weren't. There was plenty to discover about the world around from being quiet and listening. Suddenly though, she was aware of a slight tensing from Yukio on her side. She didn't look over, but one ear flicked toward him, now paying attention to him rather than the forest before them. It was barely noticeable, just a slight shift here, or a minuscule intake of breath there. Koa's smile turned impish, and she wondered what he was thinking. Perhaps preparing to attack? No, he didn't strike her as the kind. Perhaps thinking up the most cutting thing he could in response to her gentle probes at his patience? Ah, that sounded more like it. She didn't know him much, but she did know him. A light chuckle built in her throat, but then Yukio was speaking again and she held it down.

He asked if she thought they were outstretching their limits by discussing divine power at all, at least so casually, but, as Koa had already said, she didn't believe the White Wolves had time, or ultimately cared, about what each individual wolf was doing. But then Yukio went on to claim that even it it was taboo (she smiled inwardly at the pun) to discuss such things, that was his specialty. He said they had learned something more than wolves who were too scared or shy to speak on matters like this. His tail lashed behind him and Koa was about to reply to that, when he spoke again and she clipped her mouth shut. This male sure could talk, nobody would deny that.

She snorted at his next words, but tilted her head as she considered them. Now, it seemed, it was her turn to speak.
"Well," She started, leaning back onto her haunches on the log and watching him walk around before her. "Firstly, I don't know that we've really gained anything more than a normal wolf by having this conversation, as we haven't really come to any sort of conclusion. Other than that we both agree, to a point, that there is no such thing as fate. But perhaps there is and we're just terribly wrong and ill-informed." She let that chuckle break through her teeth now. "And us deciding as much makes no difference in the world, and in fact we are both about to be crushed by a tree." She shrugged, looking to the trees mockingly as if they held secrets. Perhaps the Adoette did, but not these old redwoods; at least, it was doubtful.

"As for my secret," She said, looking to the sky and having to actually think. The only thing she could really come up with would be a few odd times that she had been faced with loners and had to resort to more unsightly things to survive. She felt her skin prickle at the memory. Those, perhaps, were secrets she didn't want the self-proclaimed-sensitive-subject-prier to know. "There is nothing terribly dark or unethical that I am keeping to myself," She said, keeping his moving form locked in her minty gaze. "Just memories that are perhaps more personal than others." She smiled, then nodded towards him. "But what about you? Surely a wolf like you is brimming with the dark and the dishonorable."

[Tiel]

Yukio

Sometimes Yukio said things he didn't actually believe. Usually, when he said something significant, it was only experimental. He used those around him to test out his ideas, see the reactions of others. The truth was, though, that he was always contradicting himself. Maybe it was a stretch to say he genuinely believed in nothing, at least not for over a few days or so, but after getting to know Yukio, most could agree a statement like that was not far from the truth.

Sometimes Yukio didn't even notice he was saying something crazy. Like a few seconds prior, when he had regarded their little dispute so highly, even went as far as saying they had learned something from their talk.

Koa pointed out the logical fallacy. Yukio still felt like he had learned something, but maybe more about this wolf Koa than about fate. So Koa was technically right. Yukio couldn't deny it.

Well, he wasn't about to agree with Koa. Just because someone was right didn't mean it was impossible to get them to go back on themselves. Yukio loved—no, lived to question the unquestionable.

"Just because we haven't come to a conclusion doesn't mean we haven't learned a thing." Yukio leaned back, copying the way Koa leaned back. His voice was as relaxed as hers. Koa continued her spiel, and Yukio scanned her words for something he could use. His ears flicked at one phrase in particular.

And us deciding as much makes no difference in the world.

Makes no difference in the world.

No difference.

Yukio huffed an interested sound at this, so Koa would know he thought it profound, but he let her finish. It wasn't that Yukio disagreed. It just fascinated him that Koa felt this was noteworthy.

Yukio glanced up at the trees, lifting a paw to shield his head in pretend preparation for being crushed to death. Then he smiled at her. "Had it been about making a difference in the world this whole time?" He lowered his paw, obviously changing the subject. He was in no way evading the argument, he just had a tendency to hop to a different topic when it presented itself more interesting than the last. Now, Yukio's guess was confirmed that Koa was the kind of wolf that always had to be in control. He had encountered many before. Yukio himself, however, found an odd thrill in not knowing what was going to happen next.

As for Koa's secret, the wolfess clearly was holding back. She had secrets, yes, but she was not about to share them with Yukio. It figured, since they had only just met. Well, Yukio was fine with leaving the topic, so when Koa asked him what his secret was, he responded, "Yes. Just brimming." Then he attacked her with a look that dared her to try to figure out what those secrets could be, now or later.

[Meds]

Koa;

Koa had Yukio figured out; at least, as well as somebody could, for such little time spent with him and how mysterious of a wolf he was. But she had at least a general idea of how his mind turned. He absorbed her words more than would be expected for such a light conversation, and even though it took almost no time at all for him to form a reply, she saw the words come to life behind his green eyes before he spoke.

"Just because we haven't come to a conclusion doesn't mean we haven't learned a thing."

Koa's tail lashed behind her as he leaned back, mimicking her. Aha, she had found something to pick at. Yukio was a self-proclaimed picker himself, and it was bringing Koa great joy to try and get him turned around.
"Ah, dear wolf, I didn't say we hadn't learned anything." Her grin flashed her teeth. "I said we hadn't gained anything. I've learned a lot, in fact—and unless you count learning a thing or two as having gained something, my statement stands." Her words were light, playful. It was rare to come across a wolf that not only knew what he was going to say and just how to say it—but that was so different than her that she couldn't quite read. She had a general idea of who he was and what he was like, but in that came the undeniable understanding that he was unreadable—largely in control of his thoughts and even his facial reactions. Koa was a very good read of other wolves, and Yukio, so far, had kept her guessing.

He then changed the subject, and Koa wiped the grin from her face to more appropriately come at the new topic head-on. She nodded stoically, eyes flicking downward to the pine-needle-littered forest floor.
"Why, Yukio," She said, tilting her head side to side and casting her eyes back up to the canopy above them. "You've just turned the conversation back around to our starting point, but disguised your original argument in fancy new words." She smiled again, for she was too quick, at least in this, for him to get the jump on her. "And also, I choose not to answer that question. I had merely made a guess, not an assumption that our words had any pull in the universe or beyond. Besides, if our conversation had been capable of making a difference in the world, wouldn't that bring it back around to their being something more out there?" She snickered, leaping off the tree trunk and turning her back on him daringly. She walked a few paces, but slowly, so he would be inclined to follow. It wasn't that she was full of animosity about a higher-power; indeed, she knew of the White Wolves and the power that the mystical mountain contained. But beyond that? She doubted it.

He then fixed her with a look that made her breath catch in her throat. Wolves rarely looked at her like that, and it made her want to rise to the challenge and hide her face all at the same time. She regained composure quickly, giving her head a casual toss.
"If you are, dear friend, allow me to catch some of what spills over. I am here for you and your secrets."

[Tiel]

Yukio:

"Well, if that's what you meant, I'll say I for one have gained plenty." Yukio flashed his pearly teeth, then padded closer. "I've gained your friendship," he said. "You've gained my respect." These comments were not so much a part of the argument as they were side notes. After hearing his own voice making these remarks, Yukio was actually a little fearful of her answer. What if Yukio had just constructed a bridge leading into more sentimental conversation? He inwardly shuddered. No, Koa wasn't that kind of wolf. Was she? Perhaps. Yukio had to remind himself that Koa was far from evil, even if she could take a joke and make for a fun debate. To prevent anything too fluffy or emotional from going down, he grabbed hold of the conversation once again, before Koa would have time to add to his statements.

"That aside, learning is gaining. Knowledge. And you just admitted that we have, in fact, learned something. What of that!" He tilted his head, his grin widening.

When Koa decided so smugly that she had tripped him up, he almost barked a laugh, but held it back so she could finish. Koa mistook his words as a reiteration of their previous topic, when in fact, he was bringing something new to the table. Misconceptions were always good fun.

"No, as a matter of fact, I have not," Yukio said as he leapt off the trunk to follow her. He spoke to the canopy above, now, as if they themselves were interested in what was going on. "She chooses not to answer that question. How intimidating." His attention returned to Koa and her steely blue pelt and her elegant swirling vines. He dashed up to her left side and turned to face her. Then he cleared his throat.

"I'm not asking if this conversation will make a difference in the world. I'm asking if it had always been about making a difference in the world." Yukio's eyes were usually the dullest of greens, but on the face of someone like him, they often dazzled. Now, it was a combination of his energy and glee that lit them up like stars. His voice became soft, but still argumentative. "I'm asking you, Koa, had it always been about making a difference in the world, to you? Because if making a difference was the reason you decided to talk to me, let me save you some trouble: There are more effective ways to make a difference than to discuss fate with me."

Yukio went silent as he awaited a reply. His eyes studied Koa, his tail making noise as it brushed against some leathery ferns. Koa was not as large as him, but she was tall. Their heads came to about the same height.

"This is what it has always been about, to me," Yukio looked away from Koa, fixing his gaze off in the distance, then he said plainly, "Fun." One paw lifted, as it often did when Yukio was feeling good about himself, which he often was. He finished, "Conversation is my favorite game."

How to describe Koa's response to the look Yukio struck her with? Splendid. Absolutely splendid. He could see it caught her off guard by the way she held her breath for just a second. Nevertheless, she recovered well, he could give her that.

"If you are, dear friend, allow me to catch some of what spills over. I am here for you and your secrets."

Yukio's smile changed at her words, no longer smug, no longer playful, but glad. So glad he had met someone like her.

Yukio shrugged. "We'll see."

[Meds]

Koa;

He was such an interesting conversation partner, this evil wolf. Koa wouldn't have guessed that she would enjoy it, talking with him, but she really was. Their conversation was light and playful, even if they hinted at it being something more. He was subtly charming, in the sense that Koa wanted to know more about him and keep talking, and also wanted to shut him up at the same time. He kept her guessing, and proved just that when he said that he had gained her friendship, and she had gained his respect.
One stormy-ear flicked in good humor, and Koa was about to retort that he was not her friend and how dare he make such assumptions, but then he barreled on as if spooked and surprised himself, moving along to say that learning anything was as good as gaining knowledge. Koa had to agree with him there, and whatever joke she had been about to make in regards to their apparent friendship and mutual respect was lost. Her eyes narrowed, appreciating that he quieted her so successfully and so easily. She made a mental note not to let it happen again.

He then breached The Argument again, and though Koa smiled, she felt her interest in that particular topic fading. Whether they came to an understanding or not (if there was even an understanding to be met), it seemed as though it could continue in circles for a while. Koa didn't like going in circles. They made her dizzy.
"I don't know," She said, giving an honest-response to him as he repeated and clarified his question. She honestly didn't. Had she intended to change the world with her piece of the conversation? Well no, frankly, but she couldn't speak for him. Unless— "Well," Koa said, head tilting. "Unless broadening my own understanding of the valley and forming a friendship with an unlikely partner counts as making a difference in the world. Perhaps it's just a difference in my own little world, then..." She smiled at him, stopping when he cut in front of her and looked at her again. He sure seemed to like doing that. "And no, trust me, I know of far better ways to spend my time than discussing the inner workings of the universe with somebody like you," She highlighted the last word with a little tsk, lifting a paw and pushing against his shoulder with a wicked little grin.

"—fun. Conversation is mt favourite game."

She had to give it to him—he knew what he wanted from this life. It was rare to find such a quality as that in a wolf, and it was both refreshing and interesting. Koa knew what she wanted as well, but with Yukio, he wanted it all so unapologetically that she had to wonder if she could say the same thing about herself. It was not everyday that Koa had to look at herself objectively and really think about who she was.
She gave her head a little shake to clear it as Yukio then bantered back at her with a cryptic sort of observation. Koa's eyes narrowed at him as she turned to look at him, now beside him. His smile had changed, no longer mocking or confident—it was something else now. Koa wasn't sure what it meant though, so she noted the change and put it aside.
"So go on," She said, puffing up her fur a little bit and tossing her head again. "Let's hear something."

[Tiel]

Yukio:

Yukio did not like to hear the words, "I don't know." The only thing they conveyed was boredom, Yukio's worst enemy. Koa's waning interest was not only disappointing, but surprising. Maybe Yukio had been wrong about her. This was not the kind of wolf who needed to make a difference in the world, and her pointing out that a discussion on fate, obviously, wouldn't make a difference in the world was just her trying to augment the selection of stuff to talk about.

Well, there was no point in continuing if Koa's interest would only continue to wane. It was time to move on to something more stimulating for her, or else Yukio would be unable to enjoy himself.

Koa really seemed to like the whole telling each other secrets jig, and she insisted Yukio share something. He narrowed his eyes at her, the way she had narrowed hers at his changed smile. Yukio subtly mimicked others' body language a lot. It was a trick, something that made others feel more aware of themselves and what they did. Depending on who it was, it was possible that his peer would begin to feel self conscious. But Koa didn't strike him as that type. Yukio, frankly, wasn't sure how Koa would react to this game.

"Dear friend," he said, fixing his eyes off in the distance and striding away, expecting her to follow suit. "It's going to take more than that to get me to spill my secrets."

Yukio's tail lashed. "But," he continued. "I'd be glad to tell you more about myself." His eyes closed, thinking about where to begin. "Well. For starters, I used to be a neutral wolf. But I found I enjoyed the company of evil wolves the best, as long as they weren't psychopaths. Seriously, a lot of them are." Yukio's head turned back to Koa, and his smile resumed its usual playful essence. "I promise I'm not a psychopath." Now he waited for questions on her part, possibly and preferably about his sanity, along with anything else about his past. He enjoyed talking about himself. When there wasn't something to argue about, it kept him stimulated. Also, his past tended to raise debatable observations.

[Meds]

Koa;

Koa hummed quietly in her chest, a slightly smug smile finding its way onto her face. Yukio was displeased with her lack of interest in the conversation, she could tell. It wasn't exactly that he had shown any distaste, but it was suddenly as if he had deflated a little bit. She could understand his frustration at a change in topic or a lapse of interest, for after all, conversation was his favourite game—but Koa also wasn't exactly in the business of putting herself out for others. She had given thought to the interaction, as well as enjoyed the twists and turns that both of their minds had taken it on—but now she felt done. It was a silly little thing anyway, after all.

But Koa hoped she hadn't offended him; and besides, it had been him who had originally offered up the idea that fate didn't exist—or at the very least, that he didn't believe in it. For arguments sake, Koa could have left his statement at that. But it had been too fun to challenge him on it; however, she could now see that neither of them was going to convince the other of anything.

"It's not that I was bored," Koa said, picking up on his (very) slight cues. "I merely thought that if we continued down the same path of conversation, we would inevitably spiral further and further down the 'Rabbit Hole of Possibility and Perhaps'." She gave him a smile, but his expression had already changed. He was quick, this one.

"Dear friend," He said, and Koa, again, was aware of his cunning charisma and confident indifference. "It's going to take more than that to get me to spill my secrets."
The storm-and-vine wolf gave a slight huff, as if she didn't really mind, but before she could say anything else to convince him, Yukio began to give her one secret—albeit a small, little thing at that.

"Secrets aren't free, I'll give you that," Koa pointed out, agreeing with him. "It's just a matter of finding out what yours will cost."
He continued on to explain that he used to be neutral, and why he had switched. Koa nodded along with his words, trying not to look too interested.
"Evil wolves are more enjoyable, are they? Well where does that leave you and I? For after all, I am but a boring neutral being." She smiled, eyes twinkling, and ducked off the path to trot up a moss-covered, low-hanging branch. It's tip snapped as it pressed against the ground with her weight, but the rest of it held firm and Koa was quickly up above Yukio's head.

He then promised her that he wasn't a psychopath. Koa looked down at him ruefully. That remained to be seen.
"Promises are cheap—considerably more so than secrets—so how am I to know that you aren't in fact, what you claim not to be?" Her minted-over eyes danced. "It's a tricky world out here, and words can be deceiving." She leaned down against the branch, letting one hind leg dangle alongside her tail, and waved them in a slow pattern. She was glad that the topic had switched away from her, though didn't want to seem like she was interrogating him.

[Tiel]

Yukio:

Koa seemed to notice Yukio deflate, which was unsettling. He didn't like it when others picked up on cues he had not meant to put out in the first place, even if they were minor, like disappointment at not continuing their conversation.

Yukio still didn't think they had been going in a circle. They were still charting new territory, and still had a long way to go. He almost felt inclined to start debating about whether or not their previous debate had been on a loop. The thing about Yukio was that he could stay on the same topic of conversation for a long time. Arguments could last for days, with him. But another thing about Yukio was that he could also ditch a topic of conversation so fast, his conversation partner would have a difficult time keeping up, so leaving this subject in the dust was not much of a problem.

He made his closing statement:
"No," he said, gazing off pensively. "You're right. We should steer this talk down a new road. It's just that I had been hoping for a certain response from you. But I guess I had made a false assumption."

The false assumption Yukio had made was that Koa wanted to make a difference in the world. He had wanted to hear her say "I want to make a difference in the world" out loud. But he realized, now, that when she had considered it noteworthy that coming to a conclusion about fate would make no difference in the world, she had not been implying that she had intended to make a difference in the first place. But he still wondered what she had meant. Maybe she had just been trying to make for interesting conversation. Maybe she had been trying to figure out if he wanted to make a difference in the world. Well, he didn't, and it would not take long for Koa to figure out that Yukio was perfectly happy as a leaf in the wind, popping into the lives of other wolves every once in a while to question everything they believed in, then be on his way. That was the life. He didn't need a legacy.

Yukio didn't continue that train of thought. He left it a mystery to Koa what his false assumption had been, which seemed to suit the next topic of conversation: secrets. Koa suggested that she was interested in finding out what his would cost. He smiled. There was a twinkle in her eyes, which he returned with his own twinkle. For most wolves, twinkles were involuntary. Not for Yukio, though. He whipped his out often, most often when he was flirting.

Koa's words suggested she was offended that he thought the company of neutral wolves—wolves like her—was less interesting than that of evil wolves. But her body language, her smile, her eyes, suggested otherwise. This was precisely why Koa was an exception to Yukio's rule of not hanging out with wolves who weren't evil. Koa could take a joke.

"I won't lie, because I don't do that," Yukio began as Koa made her way up a branch with grace. She had amazing balance, better than Yukio might ever have, considering his brawny build. Even though he rarely engaged in physical activity, his body was naturally bulky, but Koa was lean and statuesque, striding along the sequoia limb like a feline would. He couldn't not notice Koa's beauty. Though he tried his best to pretend his mind was entirely on their conversation. He knew Koa was extra observant. "Some of your mannerisms," he continued. "Like how you obviously care about the feelings of other wolves, can be annoying." Yukio sat under her nose and tilted his head back, their eyes right up next to one another. He was still smiling. "But I think you're an exception since you don't shy away from friendly banter. You'll take a joke about yourself, but you'll defend others. So as long as I'm only talking to you, all is well." Yukio's tail swayed. His neck began to hurt from craning to be at eye-level with Koa. "It really was a relief to get you away from Holt and WinterSnow. It must be exhausting for you, right? Being nice, even if someone is obnoxious in return?"

He watched Koa drape her tail and leg off the branch, letting them sway casually. She told him promises were cheap, and that she had no reason to believe him. She wasn't wrong. However... "That's where trust comes in, I believe."

[Meds]

Koa;

When Yukio said, rather passive aggressively if she was being honest, that he had been hoping for a certain response from her, Koa pursed her lips and lifted her brow gently. It would seem that he wanted to argue about anything and everything. Well, that was his own choice. Koa did not argue for the sake of it, she argued to get somewhere—and she wouldn't allow herself to be pulled into a conversation-trap so easily.
In any case, he didn't explain further. Koa felt a slight tickle of irritation at the mind-games he was attempting to play with her, but she pushed it aside. It was just his way. She hadn't known him long, but already knew that much; and to fight it or challenge him on it would be exactly what he wanted, anyway. What an interesting, frustrating, fascinating individual.

From behind her as she pawed up the branch, Yukio's voice did not falter. But one glance backward told her that his eyes were trained on her—unmovingly so. She pursed her lips once more, eyes narrowing in thought, but then her conversation-partner was up and speaking again, so she brushed that aside, too.

He then called her annoying, and came eye-level to do so. Koa was about to swell in indigence and snap a retort at him, but stopped herself quickly. Coming from Yukio... perhaps that was an underhanded compliment. She had half an idea that a wolf who could truly annoy him—not in the way that Holt or Wintersnow had, with useless words and baseless romance—but truly annoy him, get under his skin and make his brain work... well, that was probably a rarity. She had no doubt that he meant it honestly (he even admitted that he wasn't one to lie), but perhaps there was a little bit of, if not admiration, perhaps appreciation.

In any case however, he gave her a very reasonable answer as to why he could stand her presence. Koa peered into his eyes, their noses inches apart, and held him there. He was certainly a calculating being. She looked deeper. Was his careful analysis of life and his love of arguing truly just because conversation was his favourite game? Or was there something more?
She leaned in, but just then Yukio lowered his own head and asked her if it was exhausting to be nice to others who didn't necessarily deserve it. Koa shrugged her shoulders, which threatened to pull her off-balance.
"I don't know that I was especially nice to them..." She said mischievously, thinking back to earlier that day; indeed, she had been quite as skeptical of them a Yukio had been—she just hadn't been as open about it. Perhaps that was what he had meant. She shrugged again. "And is it exhausting? Well, yes and no..." She looked down at him and grinned wickedly before sliding lightly off the branch, landing first on her hind legs and then bringing her front down to the ground as well. "In that situation, it was a little bit tiring, yes—because those two were real pieces of work... but usually it isn't so bad. I have plenty of energy while talking to you, after all, don't I?" She chuckled and caught him once more in her green line of sight.

"Trust?" Koa echoed, tail moving through the still-damp air of the forest around them. Another smile. "Trust goes both ways, dear friend," She said, echoing once more a phrase he had said earlier. "Perhaps I would be more inclined to give you my trust, if you gave me one of your secrets. Give and take, you see." She snickered once more.

[Tiel]

((Wooooah. 1026 words. I did NOT mean for this to come out so long. Don't feel the need to match it in length!! Not that you'd have much to respond to, anyway. It's mostly introspection. I got carried away, hehehe))

Yukio:

Yukio noticed Koa's eyes narrow at him. She knew he was watching her in a way that was beyond conversational eye-contact, and knowing Koa, she was probably not pleased by it. Yukio checked himself. He didn't glance away, knowing that would be too obvious. Instead, he unfocused his eyes so that, although his gaze was in Koa's general direction, he wasn't really looking at anything but their conversation.

Yukio absorbed Koa's words, and she seemed to absorb his. That was the thing about decisive wolves like the two of them, they meant everything they said, so their words could be eaten up. However, it was actually rare to hear something come out of Yukio's mouth he wouldn't be willing to take back. Sure, he was decisive for the sake of argument, or at least presented himself that way, but he contradicted himself all the time. It wasn't that he lied, it was just that his beliefs shifted by the minute. He always told the truth about what he believed during a particular moment in time, but it was subject to change in the next moment, and in the next. A while ago, Yukio called this "innovation" because he had thought that in changing his ideology, he was just slowly improving his ideology until he arrived at a perfect one, but now he knew he wasn't really getting anywhere that way. He was only toying with different beliefs because the same one got boring after a while, and so "innovation" wasn't a very accurate term. "Wandering" was perhaps a better word. Yukio wandered from idea to idea.

"I don't know that I was especially nice to them..."

Ever so slightly, Yukio tilted his head, his gaze fixed idly on some leaves being tossed in the air by wind. "You were nicer to them than I was," he pointed out, and chuckled to himself.

After jumping off her branch with grace, Koa spoke of how it wasn't that exhausting all the time to be kind to others, but that Holt and WinterSnow really were exceptions. Yukio nodded at this. That pair struck him as the kind to emanate melodrama wherever they went — drama in general was not Yukio's bag.

Koa continued, "I have plenty of energy while talking to you, after all, don't I?" It was true. Koa obviously had kindness to spare, which Yukio did not particularly care to return. The thing was, though, Koa had quickly learned this about Yukio, and she was gladly playing along with his unkind manner. Somehow, Yukio appreciated this even more than he appreciated being with wolves who were naturally unkind like him, even if those types were the types he was constantly on the hunt for. Koa respected Yukio's tricky, occasionally crude, mind games to the point of playing them with him. He wondered whether or not he could call this open-mindedness. He liked open-minded wolves. He decided that's what Koa was.

"Your energy has impressed me thus far," Yukio said, his stance chivalrous, sarcastically so. "And I am honored to be able to test that energy."

She caught him in her line of sight, and he willingly fell into her warm spring green gaze, letting it consume him. There was a strange feeling there. It was a lot like when he was with his hopelessly pleasant family. He had, for so long, wanted nothing more than to get away from them and become his own freely cold-hearted being. And yet, in his time still sleeping in his parents' den surrounded by kind words and everlasting support, he had somehow become someone a family member could stand to be around, even confide in. Yukio had always had this miraculous ability to adapt to his surroundings. The trick was really his passion for challenges. Yes, he grew closest to his less emotional siblings, but he made an effort to surround himself with sensitive wolves for one reason: Challenges. And he picked up a few things testing his limits. Of course, those kind, vulnerable qualities had since rolled off his back like rain. Gone. Or so he thought. It was not until this moment of looking into Koa's eyes that Yukio considered the notion that those traits hadn't disappeared after all. They were a distant light, now, in a dark wilderness he had lost himself in. He was curious, challenged, awed, wanting.

Trust went both ways. That was Koa's comeback, and Yukio took it in, latching onto the end of her sentence, "dear friend," an echo they'd both uttered many times throughout the conversation. Yukio had forgotten who had started it, but it did not feel quite right. There was something more he wanted. He leaned back, taking in the forest and her presence, wanting.

"Perhaps I would be more inclined to give you my trust, if you gave me one of your secrets. Give and take, you see."

A secret. How so fervidly set on his secrets Koa seemed to be. He had to hand it to her, this wolfess knew what she wanted.

Yukio had been honest with Koa this entire time, as he was honest with most everyone. There wasn't really anything in particular that he wouldn't tell anyone else. Except... there was one thing he was holding back from this wolf. Was this the time, though, to tell her? Immediately after he had figured this secret out himself?
Emotions. They'd be the death of him.
Challenges. They were his wings.

Yukio stepped closer to Koa. There was nothing different about his body language or expression, it was just as playful and engaged as it had been, but he moved slightly slower now, almost unnoticeably so.

"You are certainly after my secrets aren't you?" Yukio's gaze dropped. Then raised again, green meeting green. "Earlier you asked for something dark and dishonorable, but truthfully, I don't think this is one of those secrets. I could share it anyway, though."

With these words, Yukio officially crossed the line of no return. Koa would obviously urge him to share. He would have to give her something.

Making something up was always an option.

Yukio was not going to make something up.

[Meds]

((Goodness, he is such an Augustus Waters. My heart. 'Yukio was not going to make something up' AH))

Koa;

Though Yukio said that she had been nicer to the strange couple than he had been, Koa couldn't help but smile. It had been difficult to be nice to them at all, but being nicer than him had been an easy task. Though even thinking back on it, Koa wouldn't have said Yukio had been outright rude. He had been calling them on their lies, speaking the only truth that the two of them had probably ever heard, actually.
If Koa was being honest, she don't know if she would have survived the encounter without him. He had been like a breath of fresh air in an otherwise stagnant, and decidedly confusing environment.

Then, Yukio was all words once more, saying one thing but leaving Koa wondering if he meant another. His words sounded genuine, but a glint in his eyes, a little crook in his smile—made her quirk her own brow and fix him with an appraising smile as they wound their way through the forest trail. He certainly kept her guessing. It was refreshing, really, not being the one always having to hold up the conversation.
When she mentioned secrets once more—the ledge that in her mind, this conversation was teetering on—a flash entered Yukio's grass-green eyes. She caught it, but took it as it was and didn't read into it. It could have meant that he didn't want to tell, or it could have meant that he did want to tell. In any case, Koa dipped her own head back to her vine-marked paws, stepping over an outcropping of tree-root as she did so.

Suddenly then, however, warmth at her side made Koa look up again. Yukio had moved closer. One ear flicked and she tilted her head slightly to better keep him in her line of vision, but other than that she didn't slow her pace. As she didn't slow down though, she noticed that Yukio began falling behind. Koa checked herself slightly, just enough so that the two of them continued walking shoulder-to-shoulder. He mentioned, noticed really, that she was after his secrets. She huffed quietly, ruffling her chest fur in a mock-haughty movement.
Well, same goes, she thought.
She could almost feel his own curiosity dripping off of him. Here they were, two wolves that were at considerable odds except for their love of the talking game; and though they had been talking for an age (the sun had reached its peak by then), neither knew anything about the other. The entire conversation thus far had been getting to the point of beginning to learn about each other. How curious it could be, when two similarly-minded animals got to talking. But then, Yukio's next words made Koa stop walking and fix him with an unblinking stare.

She was curious, yes—his words were intended to hook her, and they did—but she was also wary. Wolves like Yukio were prone to lying, though whether he would or not, Koa was not yet sure. Somehow it didn't seem like the time for made up stories; then again, she had been subtly poking at his foundation for a good long while, and perhaps he would become defensive. How funny it was, that she should be the one to try and unbalance him. If she had had to guess, she would have said the interaction would have been the opposite.

"Though there are no official rules to this thing we're playing at..." She spoke slowly, her minted-over eyes sweeping the shadowed forest all around them and finally landing on the male before her. "But some wolves might insist that saying such things would mean you had to share." Her tail waved through the air. She kept in mind that it was give and take. She knew that if he did tell her something, and she had a feeling he was about to, it would be her turn soon enough.
It didn't need to be a hostage situation though—Koa planned to enjoy the rest of the conversation however it turned out. But something about the cryptic tone of his voice, the subtle narrowing of his eyes, was making her feel more curious than she had in a good long while. What was it about this male that intrigued her so?

"So go on," She prompted, tilting her head to one side and then the other once more. "Conversation is your favourite game,
after all..."