"But the dream, the echo, slips from him as quickly as he had found it and as consciousness comes to him (a slap and not the gentle waves of oceanic tides), it dissolves entirely. His muscles relax as the cold claims him again, as the numbness sets in, and when his grey eyes open, there’s nothing but the faint after burn of a dream often trod and never remembered." --Brigade, written by Laura
He was older now, and no longer a nomad. A boy once lost when his family had vanished, now full of a purpose again. But that didn't mean the hound didn't enjoy getting away from Taiga to explore the nomad lands still.
He decided to visit the forest, it at least was shaded with tree's from the harsh summer sun. He travels in his wolf form, a brown and red tinted canine that now was the full size of a wolf. His eyes gaze the horizon as he lurks, remaining close to the protection of the trees.
His eyes catch a glimpse of a...lion? Instantly a grin grows on his maw, his mind quickly flicking to Felicitey who he had not seen since they were children. He wonders if her fighting experience has grown and with her back facing him it was the perfect test!
The hound creeps up on the lioness, his belly low to the forest floor silently stalking as if he was hunting. When he was within pouncing distance he leaps from the ground, GOTCHA! He yells out in a laugh. He reaches out for the lioness playfully but as soon as he tackles her, he realizes that she was not Felicitey.
His eyes grow wide for a moment and he quickly releases his grip and puts distance between them. I'm sorry, I thought you were someone else... it was certainly awkward and if he just pounced on the wrong lion he could be in for quite a night.
The lioness had been alone for quite some time now, wandering the lands of Beqanna unseen, moving between borders and hunting whenever she was hungry.
At first the lioness thought leaving her mother was a good idea, she thought that she could handle herself well, but when she turned up on Litote's doorstep, meeting her father for the first time and then talking to her sister, she realised she had become quite an idiot, leaving and hiding for her own selfish reasons.
Now the lioness wanders through the forest, searching for a hint of purpose, though she did not know where to search.
Her movements are rather loud as she weaves through the array of trees, it had been raining for the past few days and the thick canopy of the forest meant that it took a while for the sun to reach the forest floor and to allow it to dry.
Suddenly, the lioness hears the damp earth behind her move, though, by the time her ears pivot to hear the noise, she has already been tackled by a wolf.
Jumping to her instincts, the female quickly rolls over and snarls, her body low to the ground as she looks at the stranger who knows backs away, seemingly confused.
"Who did you think I was?" she snarls, her brow raised in confusion. She hadn't had the chance to meet many other lions except her father and sister, though she also couldn't judge how many were out there.
The female begins to calm once she knows the stranger means no harm, her stature rises and her stern expression fades "Who are you?" she asks with a raised brow, it had been quite a while since she had last socialised and so she had no interest in being fragile or making sure she did not hurt the stranger's feelings, she was much more inclined to be blunt and forceful.
She begins to circle the stranger, her tail lightly tapping on the wolf's fur "Were you following me? Why are you even here?" she asks, this time in a curious manner.
A simple mistake on his end, but one that is such a crucial error when faced up against a lion. He might be able to outwit his opponent in this situation, or fend of long enough to get away but it would surely not end well.
The two were squared off, though his defense was mainly so he doesn't get mauled. She quick demands to know who it was that he mistook her for. Once it was settled that she wasn't going to attack him the hound sits up from his crouched position and her own matches bis.
She goes on to ask him his name and he looks at her with one eye cocked. What's with all the questions, he says with a huff. My name is Aries, I thought you were a friend from childhood, but certainly you are not. The lack of the wretched monkey should have been his obvious giveaway, but one that he disregarded.
She begins to circle him, his gaze now playfully cocked. What in the world is she up to? Her tail gently touches his fur and his gaze narrows on her, again with the questions. This time she asks if he was following her, wanting to know why he was here. He leans in to her face from his sitting position, don't flatter yourself. He speaks in a hushed voice as he pulls his head back. I wasn't following you, but I did happen upon you. Last I checked this was a nomad land and I am free to explore it as I please.
Her circling stops as soon as the wolf starts to speak, the corner of her maw rising as she faces him "Questions are a good thing, the more questions I have the less I want to eat you. It is delightful to meet you, Aries" she says sitting down, her tail sweeping the ground behind her "My name is Rayie, I am from Pangea" she says as her companion animal joins her, slinking down next to her large paws with an audible yawn "I may know who you are talking about" she says quietly, her mind quickly jumping back to her meeting with Felicitey, wondering how she was doing and when they could meet again.
"Good. I don't particularly like to be followed" she says, her eyebrow raised at the wolf "Of course, you are free to do whatever you please, I too like to explore, usually to try to find something interesting to hunt, most of the game around here is hardly impressive" she smiles, now resting on her side, her head cocked toward the male.
Now that the Lynx has caught up with Rayie, he begins to investigate the wolf, walking around Aries cautiously, hissing whenever he gets too close.
The lynx wasn't too attached to Rayie, even though he was a companion animal, the two squabbled frequently over food and hunts, though most of the time they protected each other.
He looks at her, his face emotionless, but as she speaks a small grin tugs at his lips. A girl with humor, this lion more daring than Felicitey, but still he wonders if they are related.
The lion comes to an end and finds a spot before him. As she does a smaller feline comes out from hiding and settles close by. His eye cocks for a moment and in his mind he knows they are related, but a question he will save for later.
His attention leaves the lynx and returns to the lion as she speaks again. This time she introduces herself as Rayie, and even that shes from Pangea. And she even adds in that she may know the other lion he met. Felicitey? He questions, his curiosity getting the best of him.
She brings up following him and he playfully roles his eyes at the mention. Though she mentions the lack of prey around here and he cocks an eye. He isn't sure what fufills a lion, but the deer are plenty, and the thought of sinking his teeth into one makes his mouth salivate. You must not search the right area's, unless deer do not satsify you? He questions, wondering what it took to fufill the hunger of a feline.
His eyes gaze at the lynx who is inspecting Aries, even hissing from time to time. He reaches out his red highlighted paw to bop the small felines head, a laugh escaping his maw as he does. Curious little thing, he says turning to Rayie, though it seems all the companion animals are.
Meeting her father and sister had been quite an eye-opening event for the young lion, though running back to her mother, tail curled between her legs wasn't going to be an option, at least not for now.
Her ear flicks curiously as she nods toward the wolf "Felicitey" she says quietly, her expression remaining anonymous, unable to convey her joy toward having a connection with Felicitey again "How do you know her?" she asks curiously, wanting to question him further, ask him what brought him toward Felicitey, to know what they bonded over. In theory, she wanted to use all the information she could get, wanting to form a better relationship with her sister, especially since it was the only one she had so far.
"Deer are alright, but they don't really stand a chance against some of the creatures around here. I have seen a few bison around here, though alone, I don't pose much of a threat to them" she says, visibly unamused at having to hunt alone, much preferring to take down prey with a pride or pack and not having to take the risk of going alone.
The lioness turns her attention back to her companion as the wolf takes note of his presence "We don't really have the best of relationships, but I am assuming that will change with time" she shakes her head, standing up with a yawn "Well? Are we just going to sit here or do something" she smirks, her companion Lynx joining her side.
.
Aries has a large family of his own, canines of different sorts, some with no shifting abilities. He wonders how many lions aside from the two he has met live around beqanna.
When the feline mumbles Felicitey's name she begins questioning how he knew her. He tilts his head in memory, it was some time ago the two had met. We were just children, exploring a nomad land. He shrugs the details of the adventure they explored that day were minor.
The subject changing too food, he licks his maw as his stomach aches. He can't say he has seen a bison in person, but if it was too big for one lion it certainly was too big for one wolf. A pack of wolves could take it down I suppose, maybe a wolf and a lion could too. His eyes perk with the thought of tasting one.
His eyes shift back to the small lynx as the subject turns to it. She notes that they don't have the best relationship and he finds it hard to believe. Felicitey and Dexter had such a tight bond, how did these two not? I'm sure it will, he says as she mentions there bond will get stronger.
When the feline asks if they were going to do something he laughs and the canine quickly finds his feet. Well show me one of these bison! Let's see if a wolf and a lion can take one down. He looks at her, this time his gaze testing her courage.
