Dated before Erzulie gave birth!
Resting, it was a rare luxury these days, and yet, with Erzulie being ready to burst at any day now with new life, it was now or never. Lulled by the soft serenades of the distant waves, the knight was at peace at the moment as sleep slowly overcame him - then a call aroused him from the creeping slumber. A familiar call that called for him, and without a doubt in his brain, without hesitation the ashen defender began his quick journey to where the call had summoned him.
It was her, he wouldn't mistake it for anyone else. It had only been weeks and finally, Tundra had come as she said she would. His heart raced with excitement, beating to the same strong rhythm of his thunderous paws as they whisked him to her swiftly - her pale pelage glowing in the moonlight like a dream, contrasted by her midnight companion perched at her side. Was it a dream? Did sleep take him to a time where she had finally come?
No words came to him as he approached, honey eye soaking in her figure as his pace slowed to greet her. A moment slipped by until finally his marred maw split to speak,
I didn't think you would.
There was no accusatory tone, it was a pleasant surprise for the lack of better words.
cool fingers trace slow shivers along her spine as vigilant eyes latch hungrily upon the phantom drifting towards her. she shifts liquid eyes to pool across the entirety of his figure before returning to clutch strongly at the honeyed orb swirling back. 'no...i doubted that myself' she agrees silently, plume swishing restlessly at her hocks as a rough smile flashes pearly fangs and she instead muses "should i be offended by your lack of faith in me?" a brow quirks, tone laced with wry jest despite the discomfort continuing to writhe in her gut. she shifts her weight, casting a shaded look across the breezy land peering back from the shadows behind him. how did they not feel vulnerable residing amongst such denuded land? she inhales deeply, trying to encourage her brain to be more open minded; many wolves would turn a nose up at the suffocating forests she felt so safe within. had she herself not caught a glimpse of such a mindset after returning from the brazen peaks where you danced with the stars? they were adaptable if anything and...she blinks back to the bleached sentry, certain things may well make it worth it.
letting a smile linger along charcoal lips, she blinks and lets her tail touch lightly against the ruffling figure of bertók tucked against tense hindlegs. "so is this the part where i start listing my worth for rusalka?" she eases into the joke a little stiffly as her eyes catch the silvered light with the shift of her head, flashing back to the man as fangs prick lightly at her lips.
A chuckle, soft, quick, A lack of faith in my charm.
he returned with a little self-deprecation. Her wandering eyes only had him imagining what she might be thinking, perhaps something similar to what he had thought too. The openness of the moors was a strange place to call home, but it was not his choice. He much preferred the plateau's position than this, but the others seemed happier here. He himself would rather find some snow-covered woods, mountains, and frosty creeks, but he was in Rusalka now. He wouldn't' leave simply due to scenery.
As she continued her jest he smiled. Just as he was about to return with his own quips, Aningan approached. The Alpha's tone was offputting. He didn't see Aningan often, and a frown formed along his torn lips as he casted a glance over to him. A friend.
He stated as a matter of fact. Of all the times they needed this side of Aningan, now was not that time. The paladin shifted and stood closer to Tundra in order to speak with her, finding her a much more pleasant companion than the Rusalkan leader lately.
Keeping quiet, Tundra was able to speak for herself and didn't need Rosencratz to speak on her behalf - no, instead, he would support her and vouch for the woman... and in all honesty, should she be rejected, this would be his final straw and talk with the Betas might be imminent. It all weighed on the young leader's current attitude.
her disagreement lilts forth with a little hum as she arches an amused brow at him. "is that your job around here? go out all sharp and chiseled and lure the women back with the polite gestures of a handsome gentleman?" the grin to curl at the sides of her slender muzzle has an uncanny, feral aspect to it whilst eyes remain as darkly sibylline as ever despite the light tease to prance across her tongue. jest is good, makes it easier to ignore the tightening fist in her chest as the swish of her tail fails to cease and her flighty gaze continues to skip from man to shadow and back again. yet their time together is short lived as ears swivel to catch the telltale noise of grass being disrupted by the gait of another. it's easy to spot him, tremendous and phosphoresce as the shadows roll back to make way for the cutting light and eyes narrow at the question to be directed at rose. her pelt prickles with indignation; wishing to cut in and assure him that she's very well capable of speaking for herself but she stands still and impassive.
it is all too easy to slip into the caress of being incognito, in fact it comes more naturally to her than the joking, uncertain woman rosencrantz had been exposed to. now she is the soldier, cool, respectul and aloof; watching the conversation from afar. she nods when rose falls quiet, obviously agreeing that she should be the one to speak and that gesture as small as it is, sends a soft warmth tickling through the safely tucked parts of her chest. blinking slowly, she regards the young man calmly and when her jaw opens it snakes forth a smooth set of words "i'm tundra and yes i've known rosencrantz a while now. i am without a pack at the moment and so decided i would join rusalka since i know someone here, that is if you'll have me" she casts a sidelong glance at bertók as the raven shifts from the cover of her figure; tensing very slightly as the bird casts a peculiarly pointed look at the new man. she follows his gaze, curious as to what he sees and yet wary as ever when the fragile creature was in the presence of unknown wolves. in blackfeather the ravens were never treated as prey but she could not confidently say the same for the rest of the wolves roaming the teekons. she inspects him closer now but there's nothing all too significant about him save his impressive size. he is young but she's not all that phased by age, if he is a leader so was maegi and she had respected the woman without a doubt for her youth. plus, fighting and killing as a yearling with other teenagers told her a lot. still, she is aware of a strange energy buzzing from rosencrantz as he eyes the man and she can not help but feel it rub off of her, so the frostbound gaze that blinks at him is consistently vigilant.
He couldn't help but chuckle at her own teasing - if only she knew of how many women he had scared away rather than lure since his time here in Rusalka. Rosencrantz wasn't all that charming despite her beliefs and was rather picky with whom he associated himself with. There was no time for him to return the jest with his own as Aningan cut into their little meeting.
The paladin had nothing to add other than be the outsider watching their conversation, ready to jump in should it be necessary but not finding it so just yet. Even as Aningan may have eased up a bit with some of the explanations, Rosencrantz couldn't help but remain coiled and keeping his sharp attention on the other male in this interaction instead of relaxing himself.
He doesn't have much to add I'm sorry! I'll let you guys know if you should skip him next round!
something within the ashen adjudicator seems to loosen as the hard look passed her way abandons some of its intensity. well that's certainly a relief, she wouldn't be thrilled at the idea of having to beg for a spot within this pack when so many of her instincts already shied away from the idea of it. had it not been for the silent sentry at her side drawing some of them curiously towards him, she would likely have blanched and retreated by now. away from the prying eyes of the sneering sea and its jeering birds. the impassive look passed his way is subdued slightly in an effort to meet his own neutrality as a small nod is offered up. "when he realised i was no longer tied to a pack, he suggested i find a home here yes." a little bird like movement tilts her head as curiosity twirls across tenebrous eyes, was there a signifiance to the man's invite or was it merely self interest that drove the question forth.
silently, she focuses on his glance to bertók's betrayed presence yet her own frigid stare does not once shift from the man. she roves his figure quickly for any signs of tensing muscles that may betray a potential lunge at her feathered friend when he opens his mouth to utter one foreign word. tulugak. although most definitely a new word she'd not passed by before, there is an odd familiarity to it that she can't quite place. how exactly can a word roll forth in such a adventitious yet reminiscent manner? curiously, she tests it on her tongue; echoing a lilted "tulugak" not quite a statement and yet not reaching the level to be confidently deciphered as a question either. just a curious uttering. her head bobs in affirmation to his query "yes, i'm not sure why he chose to be but he's always there...his name's bertók" she cannot hold back the fondness to taint her words as she blinks back at the ruffled creature, confident now that the bear like wolf didn't intend to make a snack of him. she's still uncertain as to why the raven seems so fixated on the rusalkan and secretly arches a brow in the bird's direction, but it's ignored and so she gives up and swings her head back to face her company.
she falls into the gentle embrace of silence once more, ears turning to catch the hum of the salty air that swishes giddily about them and casts a sidelong glance at rosencrantz. his focus still seems primarily on the younger man and she follows suit so that inky pools settle on him once more.
Easing up finally, he turns slowly, coyly at his companion as she shoulders him with a coquettish remark about ever being sick of her. Offering a toothy, elated grin, he chuckled and replied - for a moment forgetting of Aningan's presence as now, Tundra, was a part of Rusalka and he could see her any day. You'll be waiting a long time.
He purrs playfully in return, believing truly, that he would never be sick of her - he'd be mad to after all this work in getting her here in the first place!!
Though... how will she feel once the truth came around that Rosalyn may be carrying his child (he still isn't confirmed daddy yet IC, just speculation), would she turn away? That would have to be a conversation for another day. Watching as her feathery companion flew off with what he could tell was a... scornful caw, he looked up to the bird with a bemused huff. I don't think your companion is too happy.
Turning his gaze back onto her, again, more focused on Tundra than he was with Aningan. I can show you around if you'd like?