@Leaf
Jace strode down the mountainside past the waterfall. His steps were long and even and with every step the sun slid off his glossy coat and danced within the ribbons of blue black that his frame bore. He held his head high and his tail up over his back enjoying his freedom.
while he strutted walked his mind went back to the red furred imp who drove him bat shit crazy while drawing him in. He chuckled to himself he still didn't know her name, he really should learn that. HE sniffed at some weeds along the path and finally made it to the lake, laying down he dangled his footpaws in the water and watched the fish dart by.
It was the little red wolf's upset stomach that sent her to the lake, where she browsed among the weeds in search of medicine; and it was as she lifting her head to pull a specific weed that she spotted the big, black wolf; and it was as she realized who he was that she yelped aloud in terror.
So many things had transpired since they had last met, the most obvious being that she was no longer a lone wolf. No, she was now part of the pack that he had disdained, and it was a realization she had had a few days ago but still struggled to accept. As such, she had avoided anything that remotely hinted of The Sunspire, or more specifically, him. It seemed to her to be the most reasonable way of denial.
Timidly but with a foolish determination, the little red wolf ducked her head down among the weeds and attempted her escape. Yes, she would merely sneak away before he noticed anything. That seemed smart. And nevermind her earlier shout. Oh no, oh no. Certainly it had been one of the ducks or the fish or maybe even a bird in a tree. It certainly was shrill and high-pitched enough to be any of those things. |
Jace heard the yelp of terror and looked up, spotting red fur just as it dipped under the grassy plains. He chuckled, it was not Fox she would have just attacked him, so it had to be the imp. He wondered what was going on, why was she hiding from him this time. He knew their last meeting hadn’t been the greatest, but he thought it had still gone okay, granted yes they parted a little miffed at each other, but he didn’t hold grudges usually, sometimes he did.
He tilted his head and narrowed his eyes, he spoke loudly I can see you imp, but by all means skulk away, it’s what most are good at where I’m concerned. He kept eyes on her with lowered lids a glare on his face, at first he had been alright with her attempt at escape, but now he saw it as an affront. She must of went and talked to those in the creek, and they must of made her believe that he was the monster all of them thought, that was the only inconceivable thing that it could be to make her skitter and scatter like a scared jack rabbit.
To say it pissed him off would be the understatement of the year, it did more than that. It made him so mad he wanted to rip something apart. He was sick of the freaking creek marring everything about him, he was not a monster he just had an uncontrollable temper.
She was stalking through the weeds when he called out to her, and she visibly flinched. Caught. Her heart sank slowly before plummeting to the ground with an audible "oof." Not moving, she whined a "No you don't!" before she turned to peek at him. She immediately regretted it. Though she had certainly seen the black wolf's darker side--splattered in foxes' blood and even the redder stains of regret--she had never seen him angry. No, his eyes seemed to be glazed with some wrath that certainly, certainly could not have been directed at her alone. In a moment of clarity, she realized that this was much bigger than her. For once, she was able to look beyond herself.
"Big Black Wolf, Big Black Wolf," she said in an almost sing-song voice as she rose among the weeds, feeling that she was to be counted among them rather than apart. She should have felt fear, but instead she felt an overwhelming concern for her acquaintance, maybe even friend. There was not much for her to say as she did not know what was sending her friend into such an umbrage, but she had a guess or two. She chanced a step forward. "What's wrong?"
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Though he was irritated and furious a small wry chuckle worked its way up from his throat at her reply of No you don’t Imp I’m sorry but you are difficult not to see, your bright red. Didn’t you ever notice? he was merely jesting, as he was certain that she was very aware that she was red. She looked like a little fox.
In a low growly voice he answered her, Big black wolf? he chuckled realizing he could have given her his name, but chose not to, the air of mystery still a beck and call for him. Mostly he just didn’t want to give up the nickname he gave her, when she’s probably turn around and offer her name in return for his.
She came forward and he shook his head I’d stay right there if I were you. And what’s wrong is that you are slinking away like a snake? As if I have insulted you in some way. So I can only assume that you spoke to the creek wolves, and I am sure you did as their smell is all over you, and you have decided to condemn me just as they did. he shrugged it was neither here nor there, if that was how she felt he would chalk it up to another friend lost, and another dig into his better character and never search for her again, though he knew he would always save her if she needed it. Curses to his gentle heart, why couldn’t it be as black as his coat sometimes.
Oh, she certainly noticed. It was not the simple fact that her coat was red but more so that it resembled the coat of her Alpha. Never before had she lived so within another wolf's shadow. When the other pack members looked at her, they first regarded her with interest, even respect, but this soon vanished when they realized she was but a nobody--or such were her sentiments when she was feeling particularly insecure.
She was feeling insecure now, and when he commanded her to stop, she obeyed. However, this was where her obedience ended, and as he compared her to a snake slinking among the weeds, she felt offended. As if this was the most offensive thing he had said! "You're a snake, if I ever saw one!" she said, feeling the anger flush her face a shade redder. He made her had temper tantrums. He made her so unreasonable, and she resented the power he had over her. "For someone who was judged so wrongly, one would think you would be more merciful." It was on principle that she argued with him, and it was on this same perfect, idealistic principle that she condemned him. She was obeying, after all. "But yes, I've joined Swiftcurrent Creek. You can smell them. What are you going to do about it, you Big Bad Wolf?" It mattered not if he knew her extenuating circumstances at the time. He would not have heard. And so she, too, closed her heart against him and raged.
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Jace would have said that yes she resembled Fox, but if she had asked he would have told her there were very big differences. For instance she was sweeter and kinder and definitely smarter. Her coat had a few more colors than Foxs, her’s was vibrant and beautiful, but perhaps it was simply that he liked the Imp better than the Fox.
Jace stood quickly a growl forcing it’s way out of his throat. I am not a snake Imp, have never been will never be. I treat everyone as kindly as I can when I can. Even if Fox were to stand her in front of me and call me every name in the book if she was dying I’d save her. Don’t you dare call me a snake. I am merciful Imp, you just are so blinded right now by your anger you don’t see it.
He froze at her next words and he stared at her with intense blue eyes and a raised eyebrow. What was he going to do about it nothing, he couldn’t do a damn thing and he was willing to bet she knew it too. He could no more treat her badly or hurt her than he could kill himself. He stared at her for a moment and then in a quiet voice devoid of any emotion. I’m not going to do a damn thing Imp. You’ve made your choice obviously and I will not take that right or that choice from you. If that’s what you want I’m happy you have found a home. It was my home once too.he shrugged then and closed his eyes fighting to gain the anger that had been unbridled under control
-weeps!-
Sticking out her tongue, she hissed at him as if to say, "You are a snake! You are a snake." It was difficult to know whether she was attempting to be comical or serious. When he claimed that he was both not a snake and also merciful, she felt that this was too generous, and began to prance on her feet in indignation. Even his silence was ineffective on her and only served to increase her anger. If he wanted to be angry, then she could to. She would act as his mirror, albeit a smaller and more fiery one.
"Choices are not always owned," she said in a voice equally monotone. Even though it was very much her choice to join Swiftcurrent Creek, she felt it was a choice that had been decided for her. How could she not when she had been saved for certain death? Taking another step towards him in defiance, she said, "Open your eyes, Big Bad Wolf. You're the one who's blind. I might shout. I might hiss. But at least I know what I am. But you, you're so angry that you judged me even before asking me why I had ended up where I am. You assumed. Worse yet, your anger is so great that you are not its master. No, it masters you!" Her words were huffed and puffed and there were parts when she took far too long to inhale or exhale, but eventually she was finished. Her fangs were bared, her hackles raised. She was bowed low to the ground and looked ready to pounce--and pounce she did. She aimed to bowl him over with the majority of his weight, or at very least, to get him off balance. It would be enough for her to knock him down from that high and mighty pedestal. |
Jace heard her yelling at him and he listened keeping his eyes tightly shut, mostly just because he was afraid if he looked at her he’d bite her, and he didn’t want to hurt the little imp, though at the moment she was absolutely adorable, even mad at him.
Jace tilted his head and opened his eyes and nodded his head I know Imp, that they aren’t always owned. He took a deep breath and was about to say sorry when she collided with his chest and he rolled to the ground. He didn’t have much of a reaction time, and he hadn’t realized she was going to jump on him until they landed, not sure how they were tangled he just lay still afraid to move for fear that he would hurt the much smaller wolf. Oh gods little imp are you okay? I’m sorry okay I’m really sorry. He closed his eyes again and slumped to the ground, exhausted emotionally. The amount of emotions that had flitted from happiness to seeing her to anger that she did not deserve, it wore him out.
Tumbling onto the big, black wolf, she, too, would have slumped down were it not for a sudden pain that jolted through her leg. Yelping aloud, she placed a paw on the other wolf's chest in order to support herself. Her other paw was limp. It seemed that in all her bravado, she had sprained her front left ankle. It was minor, but present. She was truly pathetic. Feeling the tears rise to her eyes partially out of pain and partially out of raw humiliation, she began to bang her head repeatedly upon the larger wolf. She wanted to sob, but instead a wretched, gargled noise came jumbling out of her throat.
"Big Black Wolf, I don't know what to do," she said through gritted teeth. "I don't know what's right." She was still indebted to Bazi for saving her life, and yet she felt a strong connection to the male before her. She did not want to leave him. Bashing him a few more times--each time growing weaker and weaker--she finally rested her head on his chest (if he so allowed) and also closed her eyes. She suddenly felt very tired and the darkness of sleep began to close in around her.
Maybe this was where she could take a nap.
Maybe this was where she could forget.
Slowly, she drifted and drifted until she fell fast asleep. |
His eyes went wide at her yelp and he froze even more if it was possible and stared at her, scared to death that his size had hurt her, she was such a tiny little imp. he watched as she banged her head again him, and the fleeting thought that crossed his mind was she's crazy, but it all too soon was drowned out by it's okay she's cute he held a small smile at his fleeting thought, but then he studied her unsure what he could do to fix this, whatever this was between them and the hurt feelings that he had surely had caused.
He chuckled at her probably shaking her, when she called out big black wolf. M'names Jace little Imp m'names Jace. He leaned back and let her lay there and he looked at her through closed lids, Listen Imp You do whatever you want too. Even if you stay at the creek i'll still be your friend and protector or what have you if you want. I'll just have to stay away from the creek, and you'll have to definitely take a bath after you see me, especially today. A couple of them know my smell pretty well.
he realized as he was talking that some of it, probably most of it had fallen on deaf ears, so he just lay there breathing and let her sleep. Lord knows he didn't know what else to do.
Unfortunately or not, most of his words did fall on deaf ears. On the border between light and darkness, she heard his voice low and deep. He murmured something about friends and protecting them, but what she heard most clearly was his name. "Jace," she echoed with a little smile as she sank deeper into unconsciousness. It was unlike her to be like this, but he would not have known. Did they really even know each other for her to feel like this? She trusted him far too much. Wrapping her bushy tail around her nose, her weight finally rested completely on him and she exhaled.
So this was what it meant to feel safe. |
Jace wasn't sure how much time has passed, but evening shadows were beginning to take over the morning ones. He tilted his ear and listened for any noises and with a small chuff he nudged the imp, trying to get her to wake up. He had to go home and so did she, he couldn't stay here and pass the time as much as he wanted. If any from the creek found them, they might kill him and her or at least hurt them pretty good unless it was Bazi and he wasn't about to have that. He nudged her head gently chuckling at her tail over her nose. Imp you gotta get up.
He shook the dirt off of his coat after he had gotten her awake and with a small smile and a quiet Goodbye he ran off into the steepening shadows towards home.