Keeping the Peace (Open)

[Rea]

There was an extremely distinctive buzz in the air, something that not every wolf would notice. However, to the peculiar male trotting along his usual path across Sol-Arinate, the signs of a storm were so obvious it was a wonder that the rest were ignorant to them until the dark clouds were visible on the horizon. Each step of his slender black legs clicked audibly on the cracked earth below him as he continued on his way, looking out for any signs of trouble on pack lands. He could see the storm gathering long after his delicate antennae had detected the moisture and electricity in the air, but it was still far off, looking centralized over the Burning Woods. Though it was possible for the thunderstorm to move toward the arid lands of Sol-Arinate, it was not likely. That’s a shame, he mused, knowing how vital water was to the wolves of Parid’rias.

Long tattered moth wings were folded over his back, dragging across the ground behind him as he turned to face the territory of the Queen Igniria and her kind. If he recalled correctly, this was the day she performed an age-long custom in her blazing domain, and the hint of a smile touched his ebony lips. Lugo’s strides slowed as he neared the edge of the lands belonging to Ayanco, not daring to cross over the boundaries between worlds. His duty was to watch the borders, not to interfere with the customs of others. Slowing to a halt, he panted and sat down to rest before he continued his route. The heat waves were abundant today, and each image of his multifaceted vision shimmered with the sweltering air currents.

Tilting his head back ever so slightly, the form of his Alphess entered his view. She was flying high over the land, no doubt finding conditions easy to navigate today with so much warm air to support her wings. Each geometric segment of his vision collected a perfectly clear image, together forming a fractured panoramic of the scene before him. Lugo tilted his head once, then again, adjusting his view to get his antennae out of his line of sight. The feathery sensors were quite useful, but as he couldn’t move them himself they could be quite the visual obstacle. The willowy wolf offered a bow of his head to his departing Alphess, though he wasn’t sure that she had noticed. No matter, though. He would keep her borders safe until she returned.

[Hyenism]

It wasn't until late that she finally crossed the border of her lands, circling down an air current until she came in for a perfectly maneuvered landing. She'd had lifetimes to practice so it wasn't a big deal, still she felt slightly paranoid about her technique when she noticed her pack-mate already waiting for her. Nevertheless she straightened her posture, folded her wings back and made a steady, leisurely pace towards the young male.

Her fur was still damp, muddied with earth and ash. She could smell it and no doubt she looked less than her best, even so there was no room to act as though she were anything less than the leader. There was no arrogance, only pride, only ever that. Every time she saw her beautiful pack and the members within she felt herself swell like a proud mother.

"Lugo, I'm not surprised to see you here." she chuckled lightly, bowing her head respectfully despite the seconds lower rank. "Did you happen to catch the show? Igniria performed lovely this year, there was quite a bit of excitement. Oh, but I'm carrying on, aren't I." she smiled. Though she looked young her eyes shone with knowing, her expressions those of a weary old soul and no amount of knowledge could hide such things.

She'd known Lugo for many years, not nearly enough time, but there never was, so she was proud to say she knew him fairly well, just as she knew his family. They had been good friends of hers and the pain was still very much there. Years were but minutes and time did little to heal so many wounds. She was acutely aware of the grave just a little further out, she felt like she was being watched, she always did. She wanted to do right, to make sure he no one died bitter towards her, so that after death they could look over her and know she only ever does her best. Oh look at her, she smiled randomly, a little out of place. Tonight had made her overly emotional, this time of year always did. "Did you enjoy your evening?"

[Rea]

A particular excitement lit his expression as Ayanco approached, and he stood hastily to meet her with the proper respect. Her greetings were always welcomed, and he was delighted simply to speak with her. With the utmost reverence, he lifted his right front paw to his chest and bowed his head, so much so that the tips of his antennae briefly collected dust from the ground. ”Welcome home, Alphess!” he crooned, snapping back to attention and giving her a toothy smile. His voice was masculine, but it wasn’t as low as those of the other males in Parid’rias. His gentle words betrayed his happiness as he gazed unblinking upon his leader. For once his own rather disheveled appearance was matched, as Ayanco’s pelt had seen much cleaner days. Lugo wouldn’t judge, though. He never did.

”I saw the smoke rising over Igniria’s land, yes. It must be an exciting display, though I always wonder how the land can recover so quickly after all that fire. Fascinating, isn’t it? I certainly don’t mind if you carry on about the subject, I enjoy learning of their customs.” Curiosity was now clear on his expressive visage as he mentioned the other territory. Having never been there himself, Lugo was left to imagine the perpetually burning woodland and what it might be like. As she inquired about his day, the young wolf raised his eyebrows and peered at her for a few moments before responding. ”Yes miss, my evening has been quite enjoyable. I hope your visit was just as pleasant. ”

There was a rare innocence about the young wolf, something that she might have been used to by now. He was always eager to please, much like a pup, and his enthusiasm was clear in his energetic attitude. Though familiarity between them delighted him, Lugo was rarely unceremonious with his Alphess. He admired her, and though he’d spent nearly all his life knowing her, Lugo could never bring himself to treat her simply as a friend. Her wisdom and experience were comforting, and her presence only reinforced his appreciation of her.

While she was immersed in the past, he lived only in the moment, and all sorrow he might have had for lost family was long forgotten. Some thought him heartless for moving on so quickly, but he saw no point in dwelling on things that, to his knowledge, could not be changed. However strange Lugo’s view might have been, he was happy in his innocence. Turning his head slightly to face Sol-Arinate, he allowed himself to smile once more before speaking again. ”The hour grows late. Will you be remaining within the territory, Alphess? Or are there other matters for you to attend to?”

[Hyenism]

She looked over the young male with fondness, a smile gracing her maw as he spoke with such perfect mannerisms that seemed so fitting despite his almost childish attitude, much like a young pup, though he was far from that now. She nodded her head slowly, as were almost all her motions. There was never need to hurry with Aya, all she had was time and each moment with those she cared for was cherished and lived to it's fullest. To be quite honest she could think of nothing more soothing than walking home with Lugo, and decided to pose the question.

"No, I've tended all my duties this moon and see nothing but free time ahead, it's lovely to be my own again." she chuckled, her sides taking a quick intake of air and making her look like a slowly inflating stuffed toy as she did so, not that Lugo would have any idea what that was. "Say," she started slowly, playing with the word on the tip of her tongue, "are you planning on walking back to the caves? The currents are much faster today, and while I don't mind a good fly, the night seems like a perfect evening to walk through the sands. I'd much rather do so in company."

She turned her body around to face the general direction of her home, making sure to keep her left wing low so as not to appear to be turning her back on the male, before seating herself in the cooling sands. She glanced up at the stars, which were most prominent during the summer months when the skies were not fogged and the sands did no blow endlessly. The walk to the home dens would be a long one, a few hours at least, but the weather was fair, and would remain so, and she was not in the least fatigued.

She turned her duel-hued eyes back to Lugo, her ears tilting slightly to catch his words, a voice is never to be wasted and if she is to remember this moment, she would like to remember every part of it.

[Rea]

A few deliberate strides brought him beside her, and he offered a swift nod of his head. Though his natural inclination was to move with haste, giving his motions a rather ungraceful appearance, Lugo always took his time in the presence of the Alphess. Even this creature of instinct could overcome a proclivity for insect-like mannerisms, given the proper incentive. In truth, many did find him odd because of his unusual predispositions, but he didn’t mind in the least.

”I would be delighted to accompany you, Alphess.” he said, the cadence of his voice becoming melodic. He followed her gaze to the sky, though he did not have to move his head to do so. The segmented panorama of his vision showed him the stars, the Alphess, and the desert before them. Taking care to make more subtle motions than he was used to, Lugo raised his wings slightly so they would not trail along the ground behind him. He wanted to have some decorum, at the very least. Even barely extended, his mothy wings looked considerably more impressive than they previously had, hinting at what could possibly be a rather majestic form. Lugo, however, was ignorant of this. He merely wished to keep the already frayed tips of his wings off the ground, as a courtesy to his present company.

Taking a small step forward on scrawny black forelegs, he turned to face her more fully. ”If it wouldn’t be too much trouble, I would be happy to hear more of your travels outside of this land.” With a pause, he took a moment to wonder if his request was too open-ended. “Perhaps you could tell me more of the ritual in the Burning Woods. Do you know why they have such a tradition?” Eagerness crept into his voice, and Lugo couldn’t help but smile. He loved to learn and converse when he had the chance, and walking with Ayanco was a perfect opportunity to discover more of her vast knowledge. The night was pleasant, and the company was even more so- something that Lugo would not take for granted.

[Hyenism]

She watched in with a bemused expression, her eyes almost laughing. "And finally the curious one has asked. We've been together so many years and you've never openly declared that you'd like me to tell you." she chuckled lightly, at first it was a gentle breezy sound, barely audible even in the stillness of the desert night. Within moments it had progressed to a full bodied laugh and she could do naught to stop it but grin at Lugo like a child.

"I'm sorry" she laughed shaking her head to chase the amusement away. She stood quickly, faster than normal for her and with her body still having she began a stead pace, slow and leisurely. "Please, don't assume I'm laughing at you." she finally breathed. "It's simply," she took a slow breath, as though agonizing over the way to word it. It was some time before she spoke, again, a good few minutes at least. Something she did often but had come to be completely unaware of. "It's just lovely to be in pleasant company, I'd thought perhaps you found it intimidating to ask such a... Personal question. Not that the topic is personal in the least, but you see, few creatures ask me anything about my experiences, it's an odd change."

She dragged her paws through the sand, parting it as she went and delighting in the feel of it's coolness against her warm pads. The air was warm, dry, not humid like many other places she'd been to. It carried scents she found familiar, scents that had stayed long past their owners. "The pack of the burning woods follow a god, his name is Phoenix, or so they call him. I actually had the pleasure of meeting him for the first time tonight. He is not what one expect's in a deity, neither of them were..." she trailed off, lost in thought before resuming her topic in a different way, as though she skipped something and was unaware of doing so. "Each year their alpha-female, their queen, walks through their lands and burns a trial of fire. It's not my ceremony, so I can't tell you why or for what purpose, just that it is age-old and very special to them, much like our songs of the past, though no one has bared witness to that."

She tilted her head to blink lazily over at the male beside her. He was like nothing she'd seen anywhere else. His kind was rare, sadly so, and she was uncertain whether he was the last or simply the forgotten. It saddened her to see him so excepting, so calm and unwavering in his faith of her. She was flattered, and respected him dearly as a member of her pack but couldn't bring herself to understand why so little pain had befallen him after the death of his only known family. She thought she should know, for it to come just as clearly as anything else. She'd seen many others like him, but none quite the same, as was usually the way.

She flicked her duel-hued eyes across his unique features, the chitin of his belly, his antennae and unusual feet, before finally landing on his wings, which she stared at openly for some time, before smiling. "You're carrying them up, I thought something was different." she mused. "You don't need to do so, you're in comfortable company, not formal." as if on que she let her feathered tail fall limp, landing gently in the sand, her wings unfurled slightly, far more relaxed. It was bothersome to carry everything so elegantly, and if it helped her prove a point to be lax in her stature, so be it. She was looking for an excuse.

[Rea]

As she laughed, Lugo found himself in a state of amused confusion. He chuckled along with her though, as even if she had been laughing at him, he wouldn’t have cared in the least. Her jovial attitude was contagious, and he found himself snickering softly to himself even as Aya spoke. As she grew silent, however, he smiled quietly and waited as she took her time to continue her thought. Lugo had seen her do this before, and it was not unusual to him that she should take a few minutes to complete her sentence.

”Pleasant company, miss? How kind of you to say.” he said, smiling broadly before speaking again. ”Not intimidating, no… But I never thought it my place to ask. However, I’ve come to the conclusion that if I don’t ask anything, I won’t learn anything.” His expression grew sheepish as he matched her strides, wondering somewhere in the back of his mind what the sand must feel like to her more sensitive paws. ”I certainly hope you don’t mind.”

Aya recounted her tail, and with each word Lugo’s captivation only grew. Despite his effort to keep himself decently composed, he couldn’t help but allow his tail to swish back and forth as she spoke. ”There was a deity?” he blurted out, his black eyes alight with curiosity. As soon as he spoke, Lugo gave her an apologetic smile for interrupting and let her continue. Still, questions burned in the back of his mind, and he found it somewhat difficult to keep from speaking up again.

As she finished the story of her visit, he was about to speak his mind when he noticed her gaze. He turned to her more fully as they walked side-by-side, tilting his head to keep his antennae out of his sight. The young male might have been ignorant of many things, but he could read expressions just as well as anyone. Here in the darkness he could still see her clearly, and he thought, if only for a moment, that he had seen sadness in her eyes. Setting his questions about deities to the side, he simply gave her the happiest grin he could manage. ”Thank you ever so much for telling me of your visit, it is so exciting to learn of your travels. I admit, I enjoy it.” He hoped this would bring back her happiness, though he had no way of knowing what had caused the subtle change in her emotion.

As she relaxed her stature, he breathed a curt sigh of relief as he let his wings fall across his back and drag along behind him. Though the great moth wings were thin, they were certainly large enough to be heavy. Carrying them formally was taxing, and he was grateful that the Alphess had said that he didn’t have to. ”It’s a habit, I suppose.” Of course, what he truly meant was that he would give the Alphess nothing less than his best, but he figured he’d temper his devotion when he spoke of it. Feeling quite content, and more than happy with his current company, he looked forward to the cooling desert before them. He allowed the silence to surround them, pondering all that she had said and feeling that his curiosity had been fleetingly satisfied.

[Hyenism]

She wanted to answer all his questions, but there would never be enough time, and alas, even in her old age, she did not know all there was to say. They walked in silence for some time, her own questions rolling through her mind. There were many things left to consider, not just about this time together, but her life and his role in the pack. He was a bright pup, and his talents were excellent as a scout. She doubted anything short of a deity could sneak past his keen eyesight, and even then the aura they carried could easily be detected by his sensitive antennae, or so she assumed. He had a thirst for knowledge, she could work with that. He was smart and hyper aware, he'd be safe. And most of all she trusted him.

"Deities can be a bit of a handful." she admitted, knowing that alone would captivate his interest. "I'm almost dreading having to make the walk down to Gin-Mizu this spring, I'll have to cut through the Burning Woods, Savannah and Marshlands just to get there, and I have to admit I don't feel very comfortable with the copious amounts of water." she sighed. She watched his reactions carefully, studying them, and finding them amusing.

"Perhaps." she started, carrying the approaching question out as slowly as possible. "You'd care to join me?" She gave him a kind smile, affectionately brushing her shoulder against his. There was much of the world he had never seen, and she was keen to show him. Many of her pack-mates had come from elsewhere but for Lugo, this was all he knew, she might not know all the answers but she could definitely give him a means to find them on his own.

[Rea]

The occasional soft breeze ruffled his grey fur and buffeted his wings, though not nearly enough to make him unsteady. The night was so calm, and the silence they shared remained tranquil and undisturbed as the two journeyed on. The young male’s thoughts were of fires and deities, great traditions, and the strangeness of it all. Glancing down, he allowed his chitinous paws to drag through the cool sand as Aya had done before, feeling certain that it felt much different to her. Silently, so as not to draw attention, he lowered his nose to the sand and allowed it to drag along in an attempt to see what the substance might feel like on a wolf’s normal skin.

Ears perked at the mention of deities, and Lugo was drawn out of his reverie by the promise of interesting conversation. He quickly raised his head to look at her, now having sand all over his muzzle. As she spoke of her upcoming journey, his expression grew more delighted than it had been all night. ”That sounds like quite the undertaking, miss! I’ve often wondered how you manage such trips on your own.”

Finally, as Ayanco invited him to join her, Lugo stopped in his tracks and stared intently at her. ”My Alphess, you do me great honor.” His voice was not nearly as calm as the words it carried as he leaped forward to keep up with her, beaming with delight. ”I would love to join you!” Hesitantly, he returned her gesture and brushed his shoulder against hers, though his action was clearly out of gratitude.

As his thoughts enveloped this new and wonderful idea, Lugo couldn’t help but feel a hint of apprehension hidden under his excitement. As far as he was concerned, this was an entirely new world for him. The unknown… He had never enjoyed the idea of being helpless, especially in land that he had never seen. However, he would have Ayanco to follow, and that was more than enough to reassure him. Curiosity won out, and Lugo decided that this would be well worth the risk. His tail swished happily behind him as he addressed her again. ”Thank you, Alphess. I will not disappoint you.”

[Hyenism]

She watched him affectionately, knowing how much it would mean to him to have been asked. The trip was some time away, but she was already looking forward to it. She had taken others before on occasion, but never someone who hadn't already seen the land for themselves, it was nice to say she held some excitement for the event. It would be a lovely outing.

They walked in silence again for a long stretch of time, Aya had been caught up in the motions of the desert, the move of the sands and the whisper of the winds. The stars above glowed like burning orbs, massive and many. There were new smells on the wind, prey making their way to the Falls. She wouldn't hunt them, they'd have found safety long before the two reached their location, and the Falls were a dangerous place this time of year.

As they moved on the desert began to give way to hardened earth, cracked and shifting under their feet. The cliffs that housed their sleep dens were quickly coming into view, they could be seen for miles in clear nights like this. They were close, maybe ten minutes leisurely walk. "Were you planning on retiring? It is very late, but I might tend to some medicines if you're interested in joining me." she asked, an open invitation.

[Rea]

Her judgment was certainly accurate, as Lugo was more than happy to accompany Aya on her journey. The offer alone made him quite proud. Holding his head a bit higher, he walked in delighted silence. As the night drew on and they journeyed to their home, his thoughts had wandered to his own heritage. He knew his ancestry was full of wanderers, those who had explored the far reaches of the world, but never had he journeyed far beyond the borders of Parid’rias. The chance to explore was welcome in the young male’s eyes.

As they drew nearer to the dens the scent of prey passed his delicate nose, perking his interest. It was coming from the direction of the Falls, and although a meal was quite the temptation, he knew that was a dangerous area this time of year. He looked to his Alphess for some sign of direction, and her expression told him all he needed to know. There would be no hunting tonight, and rightly so. The pack would have a better chance of catching prey together, and it was likely the rest were sleeping.

Aya’s words drew his attention, and he offered her a grateful smile before replying. “Thank you for the offer, Alphess, but I’m afraid a day’s worth of patrolling has exhausted me.” Lugo would have liked nothing more than to join her and watch her attend to her medicines, but he was certain that he would doze off in her presence. He figured it would be best to allow her to focus anyway. “Your company has been enjoyable, Alphess.” he said quietly, giving her a nod.

[Hyenism]

Aya bowed her head respectfully, "As has yours, Lugo" she said gently, increasing her pace ever so slightly as the dens grew increasingly closer. She was looking forward to a nice cool drink, though she wasn't entirely sure there would be any left. She was always careful to leave a hollowed wooden dish full of water for the pups, but on occasions she'd help herself to a little taste.

When the two reached the entrance to the caves she slowed to a stop, duel-hued eyes focusing on the large shadowy crags and precariously positioned boulders around the area. This was home, just as it had been for hundreds of years. She could taste the scents of her family within, huddled down while the freezing night passed them by. She turned her body completely to face the male, his wide unblinking eyes reflecting herself back into her own orbs. She nodded her head once more, bowed low and the straightened herself, lifting her tail from the sands and holding her head high.

"Thank-you for a wonderful evening, Lugo. I'll likely not see you until late afternoon tomorrow, so until then, stay safe." She spoke with a little more authority than she had been prior to their arrival, there would be many ears turned to their exchange of pleasantries, but there would be no eyes. She offered him a kindly smile, nay, a grin, before turning towards the dens where she would take one side of the intersection and make her way to the lonely Alpha's den, while Lugo went to join the rest of their pack.

((Ayanco has left))