Otter Creek so have you got the guts?

@Astara :)

 

It had been quite a few days since his encounter with his uncle, and Vaati had done little much else than wait impatiently for the promised rendezvous that was to occur. But the placid man would not wait much longer, finding that the longer he stayed within the vicinity of Blackfeather Woods, more and more ghosts from his past seemed to miraculously find him. He had even once caught Alya's scent carried on the breeze, though he had decided against investigating. Some things were best buried deep, if the option was available.

But he had become quite restless in the wait, knowing he could not venture farther out nor stir up any of his favoured (yet morbid) sense of entertainment without causing consequence to not only himself, but those who ran with him. But even he could admit, there was very little fun in that. For now, he lounged on the banks of the river without calling attention to himself, a beast hidden silently among the weeds observing those who came unsuspectingly to the water's edge. Perhaps, he would have some fun with the next stranger who turned up unknowing of his presence there ... or perhaps he wouldn't. 

three days had passed since astara had first discovered the toad which she carried around her now like a filthy doll, dragged to the ends of the earth and tattered. the toad was not fairing well - occasionally it would feebly stir a webbed foot, or puff out its soft underthroat and those were the only signs that it still stubbornly clung to life, as astara still stubbornly clung to it.

she had wandered again from home, this time following the sounds of moving water until she came to a bank that gurgled softly; between the tall reeds she saw an immense figure hunched on the bank. wordlessly the girl drew towards it, the toad in her mouth as she bobbed her head and tried to decipher from the dappled shade just who the wolf was, and if it was possibly someone she knew.

His ears swivel on his head to pick up the faint sound of a rustle in the bushes, which indicated something approached, yet not something big enough for him to believe it was a wolf. And so he returns his attention to cleaning out the remaining rabbit innards from in between his paws, thinking nothing of the thing moving in the distance for only a few moments. But as he glances up, the sight of a petite shadow moving wordlessly towards him in a manner that reminds him awfully of someone else he knows catches his attention, and he sits upright in his station. It is a child - not one he knows, but one that smells unfondly of the dark woods. That in itself causes a great suspicion, considering for a second the possibility that this was a sibling of his. The concept was not highly improbable, their family was ever-expanding. But as she drew forth, the glint of an unmistakably rare Melonii violet confirmed that she was most likely a distant relative of his, if not directly. Perhaps it would have been wise to leave her alone, but he also considered the fact that should she fall into the water and get swept away by the current, his lingering scent would likely be one of the first things they would come across, should they go investigating. Vaati could not have that. 

And so, he stands up from his perch in the tall grass, almost leaning over her as he gazes down with a curious arched brow. “Who are you?” The words come out almost confrontationally as if he found some hint of danger within her being so close to him. His eyes drift to the pitiful creature trapped in her jaws, leaning his head back slightly in mild concern. “What are you doing to that frog?”  Vaati voices, looking at her strangely. It was true Blackfeather birthed strange children, but having acquired an outside perspective after so long of being distanced from its odd normalcies, he could see why everyone thought they were weird.

relmyna's nightcub watched the hulked male with rapt attention; when he shifted grandly upright she instinctively braced back -- ears cupping to her skull in a moment's gesture of uncertainty.

the toad still under tow, astara's ears flicked ahead as the thick-furred male spoke; a dark rumble at once both intimidating and kingly -- if astara had any such notion of what sovereignity was..

unfortunately for vaati, his query went unanswered. astara had caught the interest in his gaze, and mistaking it as interest in seizing her toy, crouched to the ground protectively. a quiet rumble fumbled in her throat, weak and low -- for she wanted no part in seeing her treasured toy absconded with by anyone but herself, naturally.

His query went unanswered as the child took a protective stance over her nearly-dead frog, still gripping it roughly in her small incisors. Vaati let out an air of annoyance, having never really garnered the patience to cope with disobedient children. His younger siblings had always been surprisingly well behaved, unlike the girl before him who simply ignored his questions and growled at him, as if he was supposed to be intimidated by that. However the idea suddenly came to him to play along with her little game - he wanted to know who she was but likely would not receive an answer if she was not inclined to share. Kids were stubborn like that. So instead, he leaned down to level with her before churning a low grow in his chest, flickering his eyes between her and her frog. “Tell me who you are or i’ll take it from you.” The concern that her guardians would become aware of him presently (yet not seriously) threatening their child did not exactly weigh on his mind, becoming preoccupied with the game rather than the potential consequences. It was not as if he would ever seriously hurt her, but then again, the chances of her knowing that were slim.

rip astara rofl - feel free to PP

astara's recalcitrance was met with a measured sigh from the male. she watched him suspiciously, bristling as he leaned down closer to her like some sinister ghost -- she decided she did not like him that close and menacing; he carried around an aura of danger that made her feel more was at peril than her toy.

yet stupidly, she did not release the toad; partially because of her own obnoxious stubborn streak, and partially because, well, she was unable to answer his question even if she had tried honestly to do so. the nightcub had no skill in language; her life was largely silent save the occasional grumble from her dam -- even if she had understood the male beyond his basic intentions, she would have been unable to supply a satisfactory answer.

her ears fell to her side and she shrank away, back-pedaling like a hunched pool of black against the reeds. a low whimper sounded in her throat, muffled in part by the toad that still feebly stirred between her teeth.

sorrryy for the wait :( since this is kinda old, i'll pull him out here. thanks 4 tha thread tho <3

Still, she did not relent. Vaati growled lowly, evidently frustrated that the girl refused to surrender an answer even at his empty threat. A threat that had not truly been that much of one. It begged him to question if his intent had been misconstrued, that to her, his words had come across as something much worse than what he had meant. He reeled his head back in from the low, predatorial stance he previously took to instead perch back on his shoulders; eyes looming quizzically upon the shrinking girl. Maybe, he could be fine not ever knowing whose child she was for it appeared intimidation would not suffice. In another lifetime, perhaps he would have lifted a claw to extract the information he sought, however, he was no longer so foolish as to believe the consequences of doing so would not catch up to him. If she was of his blood as he suspected, scarring her would not sit well with the rest of their kin - especially those who made it a point to hold blood above all else. Instead, he offered her a dark smirk, opening his mouth only to offer a simply cautionary tone before turning away and disappearing into the woods. "You should feel lucky that I was only joking." There were others among the Teekon who may not have simply let her go on account of a few whimpers; in this act, he was gracious. Even if he had not threatened her with bodily harm, the thought had crossed his mind to achieve what he wanted - others would not simply let it slide.

any time! <3 let me know if you want another

astara was unaware of the narrow escape she had just survived through, yet she was not unaware of the bend of the male's shadow, which passed over her form and then relented. her suspicious gaze followed the man and his dark mumblings, but his words were incomprehensible to the night-cub.

she clenched her toad harder in her jaws, and then, sensing vaati had given her leave, bolted quickly for home.