Shadows and Stars ((Tagged))

[Fierfly]

Renegade:

A lithe, black shadow slipped through the rocky scrub lands. Tall and proud he stood at the edge of the river and lifted his nose into the air and took a deep breath in.

The air was fresh and pleasantly warm as Spring had finally returned to the Valley, although the cool breeze of Winter refused to die until Summer and so it wasn't quite hot yet, just warm. He could smell the grass and the scrub growing along the river and the pollen that so many wolves found so annoying, he could smell the sunshine on the rock and the water as it rushed past, but most of all he could smell freedom.

There was nothing here, nothing but the wide open space before him, freedom to run and to hunt and do as he pleased. This was what he lived for, this was why he was here.

The long, black legs carried him almost gliding through the grasses and rushes to the river where he crouched down and let his long, pink tongue lap at the surface. The water on this shoulder of the river was cool, and still, and peaceful, just like the day. For once there were no mysteries, nothing waiting around the corner for him. For once, he was alone.

((@lowin))

[Deleted]

NIA

It seemed Nia had arrived at just the right time.  With winter hesitantly beginning to relinquish its authority to spring, the weather was not as harsh, the stakes not as high; life was beginning to settle down again, which, to the she-wolf, meant ample time to become acclimated to her new home and finally build a foundation for herself.  She had left her birthplace as an adolescent, and now, a year later, she was sick of the stagnation.  No, she was not entirely sure what she was seeking, but at this point, anything would be better than nothing at all.  Even new names to add to her social circle would be considered progress, particularly because her social circle was practically nonexistent.

Currently, Nia was following her nose to the river, intent on resting there and possibly refueling before continuing on her way.  So far, she was pleased with her change of residence:  the Mountains were populous, or at least they smelled so, and the air seemed light and lacking in the eerie weight of a violent history.  She still remembered stories about her old home, tales of war and bloodshed among predators of all kinds, likely the cause of the land's barrenness during her time*.  A deep breath:  it felt good to leave that all behind.

Nia was on the shorter side, but she was neither thick nor thin:  rather, she was comfortably in the middle, her thick and soon-to-be-shed coat hiding a layer of lean muscle.  Petite limbs added an almost charming bounce to her stride, shuffling along the grassy yet snowy landscape to compensate for short steps.  While much of her was dark grey, almost black, true black and light grey accented her cobalt eyes, fluffy tail, and paws.  However, what stood out most was her cerulean nose, which now twitched as she finally arrived at the riverbank and poked it into the air to sample the smells.

Well, that's different, she thought, bringing her head back down.  Pointed ears stood high, and a calm gaze scanned her surroundings.  Nia was not alone.

The stranger was on her side of the river but a ways down.  No wonder Nia had not noticed.  The clearly wolfen figure was almost still, which, despite its size, let it disappear well into the rest of the environment.  A moment of thought.  Well, she decided, now's as good a time as any.

Nia lowered her head into a nonthreatening position and loped along the river, in the direction of the stranger.  She tread lightly despite her quick steps, making very little sound against the earth.  Eventually, she found herself within yards of the other wolf, whom she now knew to be male.

Assuming he had yet to notice her, Nia planted herself casually at the water's bank, turned an ear toward him while still maintaining a view of what lay ahead of her.  The fluff on her chest puffed outward very slightly with the cool yet warm breeze.  "It's about time I saw another face around here."



*I'm referencing an old game I used to play.  This game is where I RPed Nia's past life (or the character that I decided would be Nia's past life).  Nia was born there but moved for the reasons stated above; in reality, the game is pretty dead now, lacking in active players.

[Fierfly]

Renegade:

The ghostly blue orbs turned down and finally slid shut, safely hidden under velvety black lids as he enjoyed the cool sensation of the water on his tongue. Rest, peace, freedom at last. It had been too long since he'd last wandered just for the sake of it, he'd needed this - it was good to be home.

A sensitive ear flicked lightly as faint paw-steps now stopped and a voice addressed him. His eyes opened again and glanced over at whoever had intruded upon his solitude. The voice was still young and she couldn't have been much older than him - probably even a little bit younger. He paused in drinking his fill to really look at her.

Small, athletic but slender with lean muscles under a still generous late-winter-to-early-spring coat. An attractive dark pelt accented with misty gray and a deeper ebony and startlingly dark eyes - overall she was very well put together. She didn't seem overly concerned with his presence and couldn't have been more casual if she'd tried, comfortably a few yards away with one lazy ear just taking in the day and another trained on him and he concluded that she was simply looking for company, nothing more.

He turned back to his drink and lapped once or twice more before straightening and taking his visitor seriously. Insolent? Maybe. The quick pink tongue briefly ran over his lips and nose to collect any water that had escaped him and he nodded back to her. "And good morning to you,"

[Deleted]

Nia

Nia was quick to settle into her spot at the bank, finding the ambiance of the river's gentle current soothing, the stillness of her body even more so after her travels.  She would find it difficult to leave this spot—lest her new acquaintance decide to move on.  Getting rid of her would be hard now that she had gotten her first taste of company in some time, especially considering how quiet the scrubland seemed otherwise.  This one was going to have to deal with her, whether he liked it or not.

So far, at least to her, it seemed the latter.  Nia cocked a brow, peeked at him from the corners of her eyes, awaiting a reply that never came.  Instead, she found him looking over her; his gaze was practically tangible.  Head turned to align with her one attentive ear just as he returned to his drink, and she took her turn to assess him:

He was tall but far from awkward.  Long legs supported a solid body, which she assumed consisted more of muscle than insulation, judging by how everything moved under his shorter coat.  She had already caught sight of his eyes, but now she could see just how much they contrasted with that jet-black fur, two vibrant stars shining against a nighttime sky.  If she did not know any better, she could have taken him for a sibling—well, a half-sibling, maybe.

The corners of her lips turned upward in amusement as he finally greeted her.  "I'm sorry," she quipped, a hint of playful sass showing through along with a light chuckle.  "Did I interrupt something important?"

Nia scooted forward to let one paw dangle over the edge and in the water.  Immediately it invaded the spaces between her paws to wet and soothe the flesh there.  It was cold but not unpleasantly so, numbing her skin just enough to make the current feel like a gentle massage.

She sighed contently, letting herself melt a little into where she lay.  "Really, though, I didn't mean to if I did.  It's just been awhile.  Name's Nia."

[Fierfly]

Renegade:

As he turned from his drink, the she-wolf cocked her head and quirked her lips into an amused grin and began to tease him. Oho! A bold young she-wolf. There was unmistakable sass and playful insolence in her voice, this girl was not one to waste time.

She inched forward on her bed of fresh grass and let a quick, cat-like paw dangle over the tempting surface of the water for a moment before dropping it into the mirror like liquid. He caught a quick glimpse of the fleshy pads before they disappeared under the surface - worn and rough. She'd traveled. His own pads had callused long ago and he no longer felt the irritation of walking for long as hard as he'd used to, but he remembered - it was not a pleasant experience.

Nia - or so she called herself - apologized for her behavior and he felt a gentle smile tug at the corner of his mouth. A bold, and tactful she-wolf. This was getting better all the time.

"Don't mention it, and I am Renegade. What brings you so far from home Nia?"

[Deleted]

Nia

Nia eyed him questioningly.  "Wait...how did you—?"

Her paw, which was still swaying gently with the river's current, tapped with its pads a somewhat sharp rock hidden beneath the water, and with a subtle wince, Nia understood how her acquaintance had come to his conclusion.  Now that she was idle, the aches and pains of travel were beginning to creep up on her, but at rest they were dull enough to bear:  it would be when she rose again and continued on that they would really bother her.

Nia sighed, flexing her wrist in a stretch to let the paw float and rest at the water's surface.  "I guess I just needed a change of scenery," she said with a shrug.  "Can't imagine living in one place forever, y'know?  Maybe one day...maybe, but not right now."  Yes, perhaps she would be willing to settle down at one point.  However, the idea of being subordinate to an alpha did not appeal to her to much.  A family was higher up on the list of possibilities than a pack.

There was a smile on his face.  So he was not just tolerating her, after all.  Good~.  Nia liked knowing that he was willing to play along.

"How about you?  What are you doing out here all by yourself?"

[Fierfly]

Renegade:

The dark blue eyes turned to him questioningly at his question and he felt the grin deepen just a little. He enjoyed when he was right - observation could go a long way and with a young life-time of practice he'd gotten good at it, it never ceased to amuse him how much others could take it for granted.

His insight to her presence in the Valley must have struck her and she shrugged and began playing with her watered paw, letting it scoop and dance and finally just rest on the surface of the current as she tried to explain. As he listened, he began to understand very well. They were not so different the Shadow and the Star, both wanderers at heart - whatever the reason was it was something deep, instinctual, survival to them - and that he understood well.

She playfully turned the question back to him and he shrugged in return, also settling down and reclining opposite her on the bank. "Just going wherever the wind takes me. I've always been a wanderer - always needed to move, I just happened to come here today."

He relaxed for a moment and closed his eyes, letting the soft breeze bring him the world. Birds chirping, the smell of jack-rabbits, the smell of earth, water, grass, melting snow, the sunshine, and those scents he could never quite name: the unknown. He was home.

[tovaana]

While it did not seem it, Epicenter was on his way to the mountain. In a round about way. Of course, he had passed along it's length from one side to the other, keeping the mountainous range on his left. He had followed the water along the reach of the valley all winter- and now it was spring. He did not pause to wonder what his goal was in his wanderings. His confidence that he would always find what he was looking for moved his paw steps forward, literally going as the wind blew. He had a lot planned too, his future was a painting in his mind full of color but lacked details. Patience and time were the solutions to the lack of details, and with a positive demeanor and hard work, he was sure it would all work out - even if he ran into any problems or side adventures. 

The dark green and bark brown wolf blended with spring well. The new greens along with the dark trunks of trees and dirt made Epicenter look like part of the scenery had come to life in the form of a wolf. He moved across the stream and away from it, moving up a hill for a while, until he missed the sound of the water that had accompanied him for so long. He paused at the silence, then while still moving forward, he started down the hill back to the stream. The sound of water grew stronger than before as the stream joined its forces with a river. 

Shadows below caught his attention and the breeze that blew up from the river brought the scents of two wolves, one clearly feminine and the other masculine. Duo green and brown eyes blinked down as he realized the shadows were wolves, just dark colored. After some experience in the valley, he felt a little surprise in finding such a lack of color in wolves, or perhaps it was not what it seemed. 

Always in the lack of company, Epicenter naturally turned his walk down the slant of the hill toward the two wolves. He made sure not to keep too quiet, to not startle the pair who seemed entranced in each other's presence. As he got closer he hailed the two. "Greetings friends." His tail swayed, friendly, but paused his footfall a cautious distance from the two. He happened to be coming down right between the two, and he did not want to seem threatening. That was the point of an outward presence, was it not? He noticed that his observations earlier had not been so wrong. The male was indeed black, and the female was dark with darker markings- some that he recognized were not too different than his own.

[Deleted]

Nia

His seemingly pure state of contentment was enough for Nia to feel confident in decision to venture as she had.  If his lifestyle, his hunger for all that the world had to offer, was treating him this well, then perhaps she was beginning to figure herself out.  He held himself as if he wanted nothing more; on the other hand, while Nia was satisfied with the current state of affairs, she could not say for sure whether or not she felt complete.

If she was correct, and Renegade had found himself, then she was impressed.  Rarely did one achieve that while young and mobile.

Or was he wandering for the opposite reason?  Nia could not help wondering if he was perhaps searching for something he could not place, something...instinctual.

"So, you probably don't have anyone tying you down to one place, huh?" she said, her lively smile mellowing into something thoughtful.  "Do you think you'll ever consider the alternative?"

If his situation was similar to hers, he likely did not have any blood or pack connections to consider, but Nia doubted that the thoughts did not exist even in the back of his mind.  Even she had them looming over her.  Naturally, most found them impossible to escape.

One ear swiveled toward the hills as Nia still focused on Renegade, but as it picked up the familiar sound of paw-steps, her eyes reflexively tore from his gaze to investigate.  The coming stranger stood out dramatically against their plainer forms, sporting a woodsy coat of brown and green.  Of course, Nia shared his markings' complexity, and she had her vibrant blue nose, but otherwise her colors were more ordinary than not.  Blue eyes were not uncommon, even if hers were a little deeper and darker than others she had seen.

He carried himself with confidence, not too boldly but not without conviction.  Nia mused inwardly over how mellow Renegade might handle him, particularly after having been bombarded with her own (perhaps, admittedly, out-of-place) casual approach.  Nia herself was hardly fazed by it, still simply happy to have found company in an unfamiliar place, though part of her did wonder about what was on the newcomer's mind, what gave him the pep in his step.

"Morning," she greeted, pulling her paw from the river and giving it a quick shake before curling it comfortably to her chest.  She tilted her head at him, that amused smirk returning to the corners of her lips.  "Looks like you're on a mission."

[Fierfly]

Renegade:

The glass blue eyes opened again and an ear flicked again as his nose brought him a wolven scent. Another visitor was headed their way. So much for being alone in the Outer Reaches.

He was not overly concerned with another member to the party at the moment and instead gave his attention to Nia's question. Did he have anyone tying him down? His thoughts turned to some of the wolves he'd met over the past year or so: Azerath, Purge - he felt a twinge of longing and even fear for Purge, and fondness and protectiveness for his Little Shadow, but no. Neither had tied him down and weren't now.

"I've always been a loner," he answered carefully, it wasn't that he didn't trust Nia, it was just his elusive way to never directly answer any personal questions that came to him. "I've always been a wanderer, and I guess I always will be. Home is wherever the wind takes me."

As Nia turned to greet their fellow traveler, he continued to gaze out across the river for a moment before also turning. It was another male, young, and obviously he had roots in the Valley. The Viridian and sepia coat melded brilliantly with the landscape and even his dual eyes were well camouflaged with the colors of the earth. The patterns though were fanciful and unusual, almost cosmic, not unlike Nia's abnormal but enjoyable patterns. His gait was strong and forward, not threatening - but certainly not without purpose.

Her thoughtful mood was pushed aside for her default playfulness that he'd encountered when she'd first introduced herself. Again, that sassy, silly smirk pulled at her lips and added a mischievous twinkle to those dark eyes. A bold, tactful and playful she-wolf. This would be interesting. He'd let Nia do the talking for now and simply nodded, continuing to casually study the new-comer.

[tovaana]

Epicenter studied the two’s reactions. His eyes were drawn to the female as she addressed him first. A side smile met her words and he brought his head up, glancing at the male who seemed to be just observing. It was always the observant ones that you had to watch out for. The black male also had brilliant eyes that stood out from his dismal coat.

“Aye.” He said not bashfully, at the same time catching a few more details of the female’s coat and face that he had missed from a distance. He appreciated the unique traits of the female, even the eyes of the male. One of the many things he noticed first. Their stances were another. The male seemed cautious, the femme quite the opposite.

Still smiling, he moved a little more forward and with less caution. Throw it to the wind.

“But… I would call it more of an adventure.” He said in a mused tone, almost mock thoughtful tone.

He sniffed the air casually. “I am guessing, seeing as these are no one’s lands, that you two are simply traveling?” He asked. He trotted close to the bank now, entering the water - his sore paws immediately grateful for the cool encompassing water. He did not keep still though, walking and facing more toward the female, since the male seemed not very interested in company. Were the two travel mates, or mates? He came back on land and went around the female so he wasn’t standing between the two- but came pretty close to the female as he passed. “On a mission?” He whispered with a smile, sliding by and turning around a couple strides away.

[Deleted]

Nia

"I've always been a loner...."  An obscure answer to an obscure question.  Nia decided that it would suffice; they were not yet familiar enough for details to be important, and it was apparent enough through her current company that the rogue life was not an uncommon choice.  Group life—be it an established pack, a family unit, or simply a band of individuals seeking protection in the form of extra eyes—was not for everyone.  Even Nia, with her lack of connections, was unsure of the idea, though she felt that time and experience would eventually coax her into settling down in one place.  But not everyone was the same.

The stranger did not hesitate to engage her—same as with the first male, but this one was much more...forward in his approach.  Nia observed him closely as he assessed them back, noting an appreciative yet still calculating glint in his eyes.  Perhaps she would look upon individuals like herself and Renegade the same way if she was not so used to the subtle details she noticed in her own reflection.  He stepped forward without warning, causing her ears to perk reflexively and her smirk to fade into something more neutral.  Cool and still welcoming, but alert nonetheless.

Nor did his wry change of tone go unnoticed.  Again Nia wondered about his enthusiasm.  The she-wolf silently mulled over his inquiry while following him with her eyes.  He continued toward them upon entering the water, his attention focused mostly on her, until he reached the bank opposite where he previously stood.  She sat up at his mocking whisper, minding him as he brushed past her to stand behind them.  What was he doing?  Testing them?  In his defense, she and Renegade could easily be mistaken for a couple or even for two relatives, siblings maybe.  The stranger was ballsy, though, to come so close without that kind of boundary-setting knowledge, even though she and her original company shared no such intimacy.

Best not let my guard down with this one, she decided, but this could be fun.

"More like an adventure," she quipped in return, the mischief returning to her face as she turned on her heels to face him once more.  She could play his game.  "Who's asking?"

While she was not so intimidated by the stranger (yet), and while she did not expect the quiet Renegade to involve himself so much, she appreciated his watchful presence—just in case this game of theirs took a turn for the worse.

[Fierfly]

Renegade:

Both ears came forward and his piercing blue gaze was pinned to the stranger as he pranced into the water and waded around, playfully answering Nia's greeting. The sly smile hovering about his face left and he went on full alert. The gait was friendly but careless and cocky; the dual green and brown eyes were searching, searching - especially monitoring him, which he couldn't blame the new-comer for - silence in company was always something to watch out for; a smirk, a friendly quip in the voice, a glint in his calculating eyes. He had Renegade on alert, but he was not yet alarmed.

Even Nia must have noted the potential outcomes if the situation was taken too carelessly. Her ears righted and those dark eyes were a'twinkle with careful consideration as she took a hint from his earlier observation of her paws and began studying the new-comer. The earthen male brushed past her, teasingly asking if they were out traveling: "on a mission" as Nia had first suggested their visitor was. A smart-alek, it wouldn't take long for Nia to fall in kinship with this one; still, she was appropriately uneasy about him which gave him some assurance that this little devil didn't always dance with danger - a smart femme this one.

And then she almost crushed this approval by turning around and playfully quipping back the male's own reply. You don't just sit down and chat with a stranger like you were old friends! And yet...there was some potential to this approach. Nia's sharp mind and teasing nature could easily catch him off-guard and she seemed good at regular chit-chat, she could very easily keep conversation ambiguous and on the safe side without looking or acting too paranoid. This little wanderer was an interesting character.

His attention turned back to the stranger to see how he would react. Many would take her flippancy as offensive, but this one was so casual and jaunty - yet so careful and observant that he wondered what would happen. He too sat up and worked at an itch developing behind his left ear with his rear paw. Nia and their visitor wanted to take it casually? He could play casual.

[tovaana]

Why so serious?

Was there so much reason to distrust in these areas? He was yet to cross paths with the dark hearted wolves, at least not this close to the mountain and in the valley. There was no taste in the dark arts; it never led to happiness he found… Now a balance between kindness and mischief… That about summed Epicenter up. However, he was more interested in friendships than quarrels at the moment. Well, the right friendships…

He smiled at her quick words, approval in his eyes as he nodded. Her question led his eyes to the male, who deserved no such reply- but he held no quarrel with the male…. How had, he noticed, was being very observant. Well, Epicenter had nothing to hide, except that he wouldn’t mind ruling the world- dreams that led to reality, but held no merit if they were not to come true soon. “I guess since I am the intruder in this situation, I should do the giving before I receive in return.”

“And, since you asked so… nicely. Name’s Epicenter, M’lady.” He bowed his head, stretching his front paw out and ducking the other loosely under his body. His eyes kept on the female.

“May I ask the lovely couple who I have the pleasure of running into?” Center asked as he straightened his form.

[Deleted]

Nia

While most of Nia's attention was on this new male, part of her still minded Renegade as he stuck to the background.  He had yet to speak or show any interest in intervention.  However, that same stillness, both in body and in tongue, told her that he was also slightly concerned about the woodsy wolf—that bold, almost dominant air he held about him.  They shared the same sentiments, it seemed, and she could tell by the loosening of his stance and his lack of complaint that he at least partially trusted her approach.

Her approach?  Stand ground.  Keep him on his toes.  Say nothing that might endanger either herself or her star's quiet shadow if he did turn out to be a threat.  All while maintaining a friendly—or, at the very least, cordial—atmosphere...and having fun with it if she could.  So far, at least to Nia, he seemed mostly innocent, a lively character; but his behavior was also quite risky, which was enough for her to keep her guard up until something pushed her off the fence.

Nia's smirk brightened only slightly in response to his approval of her quick retaliation and his adoption of a more formal tone.  Had she put him in his place?  Likely not, but it felt like so, which pleased her on the inside.  He introduced himself as Epicenter, and silently, subtly, she played with the name on her tongue before returning his bow with a short and dainty nod.  "Pleasure~," she said, maintaining eye contact.  "I'm Nia."

Of course, it was not Nia's place to introduce the other wolf, so she peeked at him from the corner of her eye, leaving her introduction open in case he wished to chime in.  Or did Mr. Dark and Mysterious wish to remain that way?