There is never much to do for a well-bred, well-fed woman besides marching proudly through her claim, tail raised high and ego even higher. Food is bountiful and with the gradually warming weather, Zhenya doubts that will change. No time is better than now to found her pack's name, though there are steps to take before she can get to a point of such security. For one, securing a dependable territory of just the right size. As she prances gallantly through the meadow, Zhenya ponders the many things an Alpha might find worthy of her attention, though her eyes remain peered for creeping threats.
Silent for once, plodded Ikari.
He was alone, and happy for it. He didn't particularly want to deal with anyone else. He strode forward, tail swishing back and forth against his hocks, when a scent drew his attention. A wolf was heading away from him. Ikari wasn't sure if she had noticed him yet, but there wasn't really a way to be sure. Regardless, Ikari bound forward, massive paws pounding against the earth. Maybe he did want to deal with someone else, if just for a while.
"Yo!" he called out, voice gruff. "Hey! You! Lady! I'm talkin' to ya!"
Zhenya turns around with a harsh snarl already forming, her eyes furious and her brow furrowed. How dare this wanderer call her by such profane means? I do have a name, idyjot
, she calls as she spins around with her tail lashing over her back, Did you not pick up my scent before stepping so close?
There is a distinct harshness about her words; so much so that they almost sting as they roll from their tongue. The specimen before her is interesting enough to steal away her attention for just one, life-saving moment. Never has she seen a being like this before, and though her form remains defensive, she is internally troubled.
Ikari pauses, an almost startled look appearing on his face. Damn this lady was scary. "Oi, damn, chill out, I didn't mean nothin' by it." He scowls, lips pulled down in a frown and his eyes narrowed. "And just so ya know, I did pick up your scent beforehand, smellin' like that and all. Pretty nasty stuff if I do say so myself." His nose scrunches up for emphasis. He didn't know why he said it, but it was like there was not a single thing filtering the words that left his jaws. Oops.
No matter. Ikari glanced at the woman, his head tilting to the left, ears flicking left and right. He plopped his rump down on the ground. "So, you said you have a name, right? Mind tellin' me what it is?"
Вы павінны быць жартуеш, Zhenya thinks to herself as she begins to brace for battle. What could have been a simple fix is quickly proving otherwise, though she has no complaints. Blood is blood, no matter how it is drawn, after all. Mind getting up and fucking off?
Her tone is harsh as she curses at the boy, refusing to share her name. A final snarl of defiance crosses her maw as she gives a threatening lunge forward before turning to walk only a few yards away.
Ikari's eyes widen and the massive wolf shakes his head once. "Shit, okay, look, lady, er, uh, you never gave me a name, so I think I might just call you lady, y'know." He heaves a sigh through his large chest. "Anyway, uh, sorry? I think we kinda got off on a bad start and-" she lunges in his direction and Ikari scrambles to his paws, his sentence cut off, and his ears flattening against his head.
Zhenya snorts from her new sitting place, pleased with the distance she has placed between them. A bad start.
First impressions were everything, at least for her, which meant that if there was a "bad start" then it was a bad deal. My name is Zhenya. Jen-yuh. And you're quite close to my home.
She is still in defense mode — hackles raised, tail high — though by sizing him up, she knows a battle isn't smart, nor is it absolutely necessary. It has become obvious that if she wants to get him away from her, she'll have to be civil about it.
Ikari hangs his head for a moment, seemingly upset with himself. Yup, conversations were hard. "Er, yeah." She finally decides to reveal her name, and Ikari gives an affirmative nod. "Oh, that's a cool name. I'm Ikari, nice to meet ya." She mentions her home, and he ducks his head slightly. "Oh, uh. Sorry, I guess. Where's home?" His tail thumps against the ground a couple times.
Are you thick?
Zhenya questions with a bit more animosity than she had intended. With no apology uttered and a simple wrinkle of her nose, she continues with a breath, This is my home.
It isn't much, though she is only one woman, and this is temporary, anyway. She goes to sit but winces and releases a small whine as her weight is accidentally placed on her wounded forearm. Zhenya bends her head to examine the wound, though quickly snaps back up to keep an eye on the creature before her. Ikari. I feel as though I've heard that before.
A flicker of anger sparks in Ikari's stomach and his ears twitch irritably for a moment before falling still. Now wasn't exactly a good time to get pissed off. The woman mentions that this is her home, and he nods. "Oh, that's cool." He didn't really have a home himself, but he guessed that was okay.
His ears flick forwards as the tiniest of whines escapes the woman's jaws and his head tilts as he takes a few steps closer to her, a confused expression gracing his features. "Uh, you OK?" The large wolf plops down beside her as she speaks again. "I dunno. I didn't think it was a super popular name but what do I know." He shrugs his shoulders.
Watching the brute step forward, Zhenya pulls back her paw and gives a short growl, holding just enough power in it to let him know about her boundaries. Licking at her nose, she takes a moment to recoup and have a deep breath or two. I'm fine.
As she thinks back to the encounter with the mystery woman and the luck she'd had to have gotten away, a wryry smile curls across her maw and she fantasizes about once again having that same power over someone.
His ears flattened against his head as the female growls at him, although he doesn't move from his spot seated beside her. "Damn, okay, okay, sorry for worryin'," he huffs rather sarcastically before he spared another glance in her direction. His head cocked slightly and his white brows furrowed. "The hell are you smilin' about?" He looked her up and down for a moment or two.
Ikari's vocabulary is much more colorful than Zhenya's own, though she makes no comment on the matter. Good memories
, she replies plainly, her voice void of any emotion. I don't like how close you are.
She looks him over, examining his strange physique. Ignoring her urge to bring up the matter, Zhenya simply turns back to face her wounds, licking at the raw, exposed bit of flesh.
Ikari gives her a nod. "Oh, that's cool, I guess. What're they about?" She probably wasn't too keen on sharing, and she didn't seem very enthusiastic about it, but he would try anyway. Her next words reaches his ears and he huffs. "Then move." He wasn't exactly trying to be rude, but couldn't hold back the rough tone that laced it's way into his words.
He feels her gaze on him and he glances her way, his head tilting. A playful grin pulls at the edges of his lips. "Like what ya' see?" He's joking, of course, and the sarcasm drips from the words like honey. His gaze drifts away from her eyes to stare at the wound on her leg. "Where'd that come from anyway? Looks painful."
Zhenya's lips draw up in disgust and, for a moment, she considers chasing the brute off. The only thing stopping her is her injured leg, so she instead sits with contempt, though her hackles are on point and a threatening rumble remains constant. You're coming into my claim to insult me?
Now standing, Zhenya turns back to look at Ikari with her tail raised above her back and a firey calm in her eyes. Don't worry about where they came from.
"Uh, yeah. Guess I am." His words are spoken quietly, although his voice is rough. When Zhenya stands, her body language threatening, he climbs to his own paws before shaking out his golden coat. "Is it really that bad for me to worry?" Ikari questions, his brows furrowing like that of a confused child.
Zhenya takes a deep breath [speaking to the insolent serves as quite the task] as she watches the other lift to his paws as well. Perhaps if I was a child
, she begins, then a bit of worry from a lone stranger would be appreciated. But considering I am an adult who is working to set a claim, I find your worry to be quite demeaning. Do you not believe that I am capable of taking care of myself without you questioning me every step of the way? We do not know one another and therefore, you have no right to pry into my private life and activities in the name of worry.
This set of words rolls from her tongue with such a cool ease that she herself forgets her defenses for a fraction of a second before recomposing her previous posture.
"Damn," he said, white brows raising. "Alright, alright, I shut up, sorry. Feisty." The massive wolf shook out his gold pelt before raising each leg and paw in turn, stretching out the appendages. His jaws parted in a yawn, eyes closing, before he spared a glance in the woman's direction. Ikari huffed. "Do you want me to leave, then?" The expression on his face was that of disappointment. Maybe he had thought he could have found a new friend? Seems he was wrong, although, even though he certainly would not admit it, he was wrong more often than not.
Zhenya feels no remorse for the trespasser and in turn has no issue with tossing her head in the westward direction upon his sorrowful ask. It's what I've been saying, isn't it?
Perhaps if he had come with a bit more order in his approach, then she wouldn't have minded having him stay. But where it stands in the moment, she wants nothing more than to see him high-tailing it from her personal claim.
"Guess so," came the man's reply, tone somewhat annoyed, although disappointment was still visible upon his face. "Uh, sorry to bother ya' I guess." Hell knows where he would head off to now, but he would certainly go back to exploring again. Ikari spared another glance in the woman's direction before he took a few steps away from her, reluctant to leave, although he knew she didn't want him here.