high at the wheel of a bull black nova

@calbrach

The break in icy weather found Caiaphas curled in a dune along the coast, her eyes pinched shut and slender little nose tucked between two heavy, cumbersome paws. As of late she had spent a great deal of time supporting the borders -- reinforcing markers -- and she found her constant vigilance exhausting.

It was not surprising then that currently she was asleep, and quiet save for the occasional snuffle. Overhead the wind stirred her trim fur and carried along the shore in a howling show of force -- yet she, unmoved in her slumber, remained unaware of the cold settling about her.

C A L B R A C H

Calbrach lurked about the beach, feeling the sand under his paws and taken enjoying the feeling of the fast winds in his thick fur.
The tide was strong, so he kept his distance to remain dry. Skirting the edge of the dunes, rather than the edge of the water.

He'd been feeling restless as of late. Visiting his mother more than he would have liked to, since he felt guilty to avoid her if he honestly had nothing better to do. He told himself once last look at the coast before winter made it too unbearable was good enough reason to make a trip across the entirety of Teekon Wilds.

Still, he just wandered, as always. He would admit it to no one, but he sometimes envied the wolves he'd hear howling in the night. Calling to one another. As out of their wits, power hungry and obsessive as they may be - he couldn't help but wish he had somewhere to call home beyond a doubt. A group to belong to, no matter how ragged they may be.

so... not sure how to introduce them. i guess just wake caia up and react however you'd like to a giant cougar near her. lol

It was not the sound of the sea nor the clawing of wind that woke Caiaphas -- it was a scent. At first her nose only twitched a little in rebuke; but then, wrenched into reality the same way a drunkard may be dipped in ice cold water, Caiaphas awoke.

Eyes wide, she stiffened -- her form pressed diminutive and meek against the sand. She had met the lumbering cats before and knew too well their penchant for coyote suppers. Ears flat against her skull (a most comical expression) the waif rose tentatively from her small alcove -- and was about to make a gallant and hasty retreat -- that was, until she nearly flew into the flank of the very cat she was hoping to avoid.

Caught woefully out in the open, the spindly sylph froze before the giant creature with eyes wide.

C A L B R A C H

Calbrach was startled by someone bumping into his behind. He turned on his heels to see a thin wolf standing before him, somehow more shocked than he. Her ears pinned back, eyes wide, she wasn't particularly frightening in the face. Still, a quick glance at her frame, Calbrach could tell that she was nothing if not a fierce scrapper.

Calbrach was no fool, he knew that cougars and wolves rarely crossed paths without bloodshed of some degree. He took a few strides backwards, not wanting to add to her clearly heightened state of alarm, and spoke as calmly as he could manage, willing pure honey to drip from his tongue.

"Excuse me, miss. I didn't mean to startle you, or to find you at all, really. Don't be alarmed, I've got no quarrel with you - at least, I certainly hope I not."

Caiaphas swallowed hoarsely, her yellow eyes wide as the full length of the cat turned about to face her. He was monstrous in size -- a streamlined leviathan of coiled muscle and agility. Caiaphas, lanky and rangy in comparison, nearly cowered under his honey-eyed gaze.

She had not expected him to speak and her first instinct was to pull her long ears to her skull in worry -- but his words, they were lacking in venom. She studied him unsure of his intentions -- and quick to put distance between them, she scrambled wildly backward. "How many of you are there?" She blurted, fearful he and others had taken residence on the shore. If this was the case, she knew the future of the Sound was in potential jeopardy.

C A L B R A C H

Calbrach stared, eyes growing wider at the wolf before him. His attempts at calming the situation clearly only proved to lend to confusion.
Great, now she thinks I'm some sort of trickster, he thought.

Her question confused him. He just stood there a moment, trying to process what she could mean by that. Cougars weren't pack animals, at least not that he'd ever known of. Was there a band of cougars roaming the coast? He didn't venture this far very often, perhaps he had fellows here he didn't know of.

All of this went through his mind before he finally realized that this poor animal was terrified of him, and must feel certain that an ambush was about to ensue. He stuttered.
"No, no there's only me. Just me, in the wrong place at the perfectly wrong time, apparently."

Caiaphas scarcely could settle, though it was notable the large cat had yet to enact any sort of violence. Despite his seeming sensibility, Caiaphas could not forget -- he was an apex predator, and woefully she was not.

The lissome female weaved with uncertainty, reluctant to break the golden gaze of the powerful predator. There was no challenge in her stare -- simply a sort of defensiveness one would identify with a coyote cornered. "Me too." She rushed, ears pulled back in a tremor of slight terror. "There aren't more of you? Where are you staying?" Her voice suddenly exploded, her tone somewhat suspicious. "The wolves live here." She finished abruptly, her expression becoming sulky.

@Caiaphas , incredibly sorry for this ridiculously late reply! Please forgive me!

C A L B R A C H

Calbrach took quite a few more steps back, aghast at the sharp tone the frail looking creature took with him. It wasn't in his nature to react with anger, so he felt rather shocked. Even more jarring were her frantic questions, which he struggled to realize he didn't have any true answers to.
"Well, I do not personally know of any more cougars in the land - though truthfully I cannot guarantee that I am the only one.
I stay... in no one place for very long." With that last remark his face dropped, staring into the sands at his paws for quite an awkwardly long moment.

At the small wolf's last declaration of the wolves' territory he jarred from his melancholy stupor. "Of course, yes, I'm now well aware of that." He forced a dry laugh.
"Be the facts as they may - I still stand by my promise that I mean no harm to any creature, wolf or otherwise." He nodded his head, almost bowed to the small wolf. He sat on his haunches, trying to hide the tension that remained in his hind legs. Hoping to look at absolutely non-threatening as possible while still retaining his own personal safety.

no worries!! it's such a busy time for everybody

Her words provoked a strange reaction from the large feline -- Caiaphas watched him carefully, both ears pulled aside in an expression of uncertainty and distrust.

He looked to his massive paws and her gaze followed him -- instantly she recoiled as she was reminded of their size -- they were as large as her head, and each claw as big and formidable as her largest teeth. She studied his face, the blunt line of his muzzle -- and she considered his words for a time.

"What is your name?"

C A L B R A C H

The small wolf's demeanor seemed to ease. Calbrach exhaled. The question seemed to very pointed, he almost feared answering, then wondered how his name could be of any consequence.
"My name is Calbrach. Might I ask yours?"
His face was quizzical, wondering why he was being scrutinized so thoroughly. He thought himself a rather plain individual, unlike the endlessly interesting creature before him.
He shifted his weight to fully rest on his haunches, attempting to ease his features. Glaring at each other didn't seem like the best idea, given the natural tension of the situation.

Caiaphas remained woefully aware of the disparity of their sizes -- despite the male's gesture to sit, he still dwarfed her easily. She knew cats well enough to know they were admirably dexterous, and precocious predators. She had no interest in being someone's dinner -- not today.

But the feline seemed content to engage in pleasant conversation -- in the back of her mind she considered if this was a ploy, but quickly discarded the notion. After all, the only animal she considered capable of expertly doling out ploys was herself. "I'm Caiaphas." Her answer was simple; curt -- and she looked to him quietly as expecting him to carry on the conversation.

C A L B R A C H

Calbrach was quick to answer. Hopefully conversation would be distraction enough to ease the wolf's nerves. The silence was deafening, he knew that much to be true. He wished not to sit and bask in it.
"Well, hello, Caiaphus. That's an interesting name. Almost as interesting as Calbrach, but don't feel embarrassed - we felines are eccentric beasts, to say the least." He smiled, and it almost hurt. He could feel the awkwardness waving off of himself like a body odor.

archiving - hope you dont mind.. ty for the thread!

The cold broke between the two of them, unhesitating and severe. Caiaphas eyed the male skeptically, feeling the longer they endured each other's company the more awkward their banter became. Not one to draw out words were none were needed, the wraith simply eyed the large feline and began to backpedal.

"I should go." She sounded apologetic, but she wasn't. With a hasty look behind her to ensure he wasn't about to have a change in attitude, Caiaphas quickly retreated. Tonight she would have to alert her packmates of the cougar's residence -- but for now, she was focused on escaping with her life.