Wolf RPG

The sun was high and the weather warm. The blue-nosed wolf was seated on the beach, the furthest reaching edge of the waves just caressing his toes before they quickly retreated back to the ocean. His tail was thumping on the ground, his gaze focused ahead, not on the endless blue of the salted water, but on the one land mass that found itself floating out there. It was not fully detached, however. Luke had caught a glimpse of a sand bar that was just beginning to peak above the rolling sea, and now the white-furred wolf was eagerly waiting for more of the natural bridge to show so that he could take a trip across and check this island out. If it took too long, he would just swim.

The journey to the Wilds had been a long one, but the second she'd reached the ocean again she found the trip to have been well worth it. She'd had the privilege of meeting another girl when she'd first reached the sea, and had enjoyed chatting with her. When they had needed to part ways, however, Muirgen decided to stay by the sea. The large body of water was what she'd been seeking, after all, and there was no way she would leave it so early on. Besides, the place she'd met the girl before just so happened to be the same shore that held so many pinnipeds—the same creatures she viewed as being distant cousins to herself, as did the rest of her family and the rookery she'd be born into. The sea lions had acted towards her as if she wished to eat them, and it saddened her greatly when she realized that there had to be a reason for that. Some wolves of Teekon had to be hunting the animals, and after getting very upset over it, she'd decided she would work as a guardian for them, a protector, of sorts. Eventually, a few had started to realize she did not plan to harm them and allowed her to get closer, but not overly so. As time went on, she hoped she would be able to lay among them, but did not expect such results right away.

Muirgen had been sunbathing in the sand close to her pinniped cousins when something caught her attention. Her sea green gaze had landed upon a land mass a bit farther up the coast, and it had piqued her curiosity greatly. She rolled over onto her stomach and set her sights on it, slowly rising to her feet as she did so. The selkie glanced at the sleek forms of the sea lions who were sunbathing just as she had been, and gave them a soft notice to her leaving. She informed them that she would be back, and that she just needed to check something out, then leaned down a picked her seal skin up. The girl placed it upon her back gently, and after making sure it was in place so it would not fall, she started off in the direction of the island. She'd considered entering the water right away and swimming out to it, but decided to wait until she was closer to do that. After all, there was always a chance that there was a much easier way to reach the small piece of land, and she didn't want to waste anymore energy than necessary. Growing closer, however, she realized she just might need to use more energy than originally thought, as he optics were quick to fall upon the form of a wolf—and a male, no less.

Luke was not a particularly wary wolf, and he had almost become lulled into a trance as he watched the rhythm of the waves as the tide receded, grain by grain revealing more of the sand bar. So it was not until the female spoke to him did he realize he had company, albeit company at a distance. His head turned to regard a trim female, whose coat was a blend of gray and white. Nothing immediately striking if not for the unusual coloration of her back. Curious as ever and eager to meet this wolf, the blue-nosed wolf rose and slowly walked toward her, having picked up on her wariness.

"Yeah!" Luke replied cheerfully as he neared, his eyes drawn to her back. He realized now that he was closer that she was wearing another animal's hide. "Oh!" Luke exclaimed, his tail which had already been waving in a gentle sway, began to wag more vigorously. "I like hides too!" he grinned.

Once her appearance had been made known, the male seemed to start closing the distance between them. A part of her wanted to take of right then and there, but for some reason she did not. She stood where she'd stopped, curiosity clear as she looked to the male. With his form approaching, she was able to see the strange coloration of his nose and couldn't help but gawk at it slightly. Never had she seen a wolf with a blue nose, or any animal, for that matter. It was weird, but also sort of interesting. She wondered what had caused such a strange thing to happen, but had a feeling that not even the male knew. Still, she assured herself that she would ask him. Eventually, that is. For the time being, she was a bit too preoccupied with making sure he didn't try anything funny as the space between them grew smaller and smaller. How close does he have to be, she wondered. It seemed everyone of the Wilds liked being close to who they spoke with, which could be both a good and a bad thing for her, depending on the situation.

She had been prepared to smile and share her thoughts on visiting the island after the older wolf had answered, but her mouth clamped shut before she could and her eyes widened slightly. Though she had been working to take as little offense as she possibly could when it came to others questioning the ways of a selkie, she could hold her tongue no longer when he referred to her skin as a hide. "It is not just some hide!" she exclaimed, her tone making it quite obvious she'd taken offense to his words. Just as she'd done with Sebastian, she found herself overreacting over a simple thing. Not even the other girl she'd met who'd come from the sea had known of the selkies, so how could she honestly expect anyone else to? "It is my skin," she stated, a light, childish huff to her voice.

Luke blinked at her offense, taking a step back instinctively in case her chastising words were to be followed up with a scolding bite. He could not have guessed she would be so particular about what word he chose to refer to the cape she carried, nor could he fathom that it meant more to her than it did to him. Luke merely thought he was looking at someone with his same affinity for hides, an affinity he had developed when he had rested on one and then decided to drag it back to his den. He had since figured a way to dry and keep hides of many animals, making his den cozily plush. But alas, he left his den and carpeting behind.

"Well, I'm sorry," he said softly, casting her an apologetic look with his head lowering a notch and his tail now only gently wagging. "It's very pretty," he went on. "Can I touch it?" Luke perked up at his next question, looking hopeful at the female. Her "skin" looked soft and he was just itching to feel it, having never come across one before.

The young selkie watched as the male took a step back from her, and gave a satisfied nod of her head to herself. Never would she had even considered biting the man, as such a course of action was not in her nature. Even the outbursts were not truly in tune with how she was, but the stress of finding a new home in a new land was eating at her without her knowing, and the common miscommunications only added to that. For a kid, she was on edge a bit more than she should be, but Muirgen couldn't really help it. It was never easy leaving home, especially for someone as younger as herself, but she'd known what to expect before leaving. She had been well informed on what wold happen and what she should expect, but she was still unable to contain her strange outbursts from time to time. “I appreciate your apology,” she told him, her voice having softened once more as she let out a little sigh. She knew she had overreacted, she was well aware of the fact because she'd done the same thing when she'd met Sebastian. After taking in a breath to settle her nerves, she offered the older wolf an apologetic look of her own. “I am sorry, as well,” the seal girl stated. “I believe I may have overreacted.” Again, her mind silently added after.

Muirgen's tail swayed slightly when he complimented the appearance of her skin, but the motion was quick to stop when he asked a question. Instinctively, she found herself taking a step or two back away from the pale man. He had been kind enough to apologize and didn't seem like he was mean, but how could she be sure? She'd always been warned about thieves stealing the skins of selkies, and she was nowhere near ready to be wed to someone—especially not a thief. The blue-nosed male didn't come off as being a thief, though... Her own mind had her slightly confused, and while she tried to hide that, it probably showed through on her face. “Why do you want to touch it?” the girl questioned, her own uncertainty able to be heard in her voice, much to her displeasure.

She admitted to overreacting, and Luke smiled warmly at her as she apologized. "No problem," he said, his tail wagging gently. He was not one to hold a grudge or let such small things bother him, it was pretty much water under the bridge as soon as it had happened.

"I've never seen one before," Luke answered, his head tilting to the side. "It looks soft. I used to keep all sorts of skins in my den," the latter half he offered tentatively, not sure if she would take further offense to him keeping hides in his den. "I promise I won't bite," he added in jest, grinning playfully as his tail picked up its pace again.

Much to her surprise, her apology was accepted right away. The tales she'd heard of wolves outsider he colony had made her quick to see them as monsters, though her original images in mind were proved wrong the second she had entered the Wilds. It was strange, but also interesting to her. It made her wish to travel and see more of the strange new land, but the thought of leaving the sea again was unspeakable. For the time being, she decided to just stay on the shore, and hope to run into more wolves like the blue-nosed man. He seemed kind, after all, and kindness was something she treasured.

Still, despite her thoughts, she found her mind conflicting with itself. He didn't seem like a thief, and had also promised not to bite, so what would the harm be in letting him feel her pelt? There were many harms, her conscious had countered, but she ignored it. Whether it be because she was a naïve child, or because she wanted to be able to trust more wolves, she told herself she would allow the strange-looking man to feel her pelt. “Alright...” she answered, turning her head so she could grab the seal skin. Gently, Muirgen pulled it from her back, but did not set it on the ground. Even though she wanted to trust him, she could not entirely. Holding it between her jaws helped to comfort her, and assure her that is wouldn't be stolen. “Please, be gentle with it,” she requested, her voice muffled due to speaking around her skin.

Luke watched with anticipation as she pulled the skin from her back, inviting him to touch so long as he was gentle. He stepped forward slowly, understanding the female was a bit uneasy and appreciating that she was willing to put that distrust aside for him to satiate his curiosity. Not wanting to crowd her and add to her uncertainty, he kept as much distance as he could while still being able to lean in so that his muzzle grazed the skin. It was soft, with a smoothness that was unlike any other, and Luke found himself brushing his cheek and forehead against it, reveling in its texture.

"It is soft!" he declared as he pulled back with a smile. "It's beautiful. It matches your coat, too," he winked. It was then that his gaze caught sight of the sandbar, exposed enough for a trek across. "The sandbar is up!" he said. "Come on, let's go see that island." He beckoned her with his tail and then loped toward the sandbar, hoping she would follow him across as he made his way to the island.

The young selkie kept a watchful gaze on the male as he drew closer to feel her skin. Though she knew she should be more serious, as it was a big deal for a seal to allow a stranger so close to their skin, she found herself unable to be. A small smile made it's way onto her face when she saw him rub his cheek and forehead against it, but it probably looked funny, or possibly even went unnoticed. Still, in her mind, the gesture was there, and she was actually kind of glad she allowed him to feel her skin, especially when he mentioned how it was soft. Had fur not covered her face, surely a blush would have been noticeable. Muirgen took pride in her skin, and always loved when others complimented it. If she'd still been a bit upset over his earlier offense, such negative feelings were now long gone. In their place were positive thoughts and emotions, and the realization that not everyone wasn't worth trusting. The blue-nosed male made it clear to her that someone could show an interest in her skin without harboring the intentions to steal it, which may or may not have been a good thing for her to learn.

“Thank you,” she murmured around the seal pelt, partially because she was slightly embarrassed to receive such a compliment, and from an older wolf no less! She thought about returning the skin to her back, but decided against it when he pointed out the increased visibility of the sandbar. Her tail wagged to show her enthusiasm as she followed after the man, eager to see what the island had to offer. Her old home had been on an island, and was very nice and peaceful. She hoped the same could be said of the one she found herself currently heading towards, too. As they made their way towards the island, however, she remembered that she'd yet to introduce herself. It seemed she'd started to forget to do that more often than not as of late, and made a mental note to work on that. “I am Muirgen Selchidh,” she informed him. “What is your name?”

Luke had been co captivated first by the island and second by her exotic skin that he had completely forgotten to introduce himself. The blue-nosed wolf was usually quick to offer up his name, usually after showing off his less visible blue points, but this time it was his companion that introduced herself first. "Oh where are my manners?" he chuckled. "I'm Luke." He smiled at her, and then started to glance around the island as the strolled.

"You know," he began, "If this place was surrounded by fresh water, I think it would be my dream home." Luke was such a water lover that having water on all sides of his home would suit him in an almost impossibly perfect way. Unfortunately, although salt water was fun to play in from time to time, it was not potable and the fish were often too deep or too far offshore for him to catch. Crabs and other shore lunches were not bad substitutes, but nothing could take the place of a meal of trout or salmon.

Since arriving, the girl had often forgotten her manners. She'd forgotten to introduce herself many times, and was so far glad that her small act of rudeness had not offended anyone. The last thing she wanted was to cause any trouble for herself, or others, since trouble often led to far less desirable things. “Luke...” she repeated, trying the name out. It was unlike any she'd ever heard before, which wasn't necessarily a bad thing. Actually, she found she liked it, just as she had Sebastian's. “It is a pleasure to make your acquaintance, Luke.” The words were far too advanced for a girl her age, but such was the way in which she'd been brought up. It was almost customary to speak in such a manner from where she'd been born, and was frowned upon for the children to be raised speaking in any other manner. It'd come as a shock to her at first how others spoke, but she was slowly getting use to it.

Luke grinned at his companion and bobbed his head in agreement. She was right: the sea was fine the way it was. The blue-nosed wolf did not mean to suggest taking the ocean away, rather that he would love to live on an island set in a great lake where he could fish and swim to his heart's content. The sea could be swam in for sure, but the salt clung to the fur after and he did not enjoy the taste when it inevitably washed across his tongue, and after a while it stung his eyes. Fishing was also harder.

"You misunderstand me, dear," he smiled warmly as the pair walked along. "I meant that an island in a lake or big river would be more to my tastes. I would not wish the ocean away. It has its own appeal but I cannot deny that my heart lies inland." Luke cast his gaze to Muirgen. "You're quite fond of the sea aren't you?" he asked. She smelled strongly of the sea and so did her skin, and she was certainly quick to defend the sea's beauty when she thought Luke might want to replace it.

Muirgen grew slightly embarrassed when her mistake was made clear to her. The girl tried to hide it, but to no avail. She could understand why one might prefer an island surrounded by freshwater, especially if they were an inlander. Waters without salt could be drank from, and the fish within them were often much easier to catch that those from the sea. It wasn't something for her, of course, but she knew she could not force the male to change his views or preferences. “I understand now,” the girl voiced, giving a rather sheepish-looking smile. Perhaps someday, when she was older, she wouldn't be so quick to assume something, but for the time being she was still young and learning. The selkie, unknowingly, appreciated that her companion did not get upset with her over her mistakes.

When Luke asked her a question, her head was very quick to nod. “Of course I am,” she informed him, giving a slow wag of her tail and putting on a wide smile. There would never be a time when she would not enjoy speaking about the sea, of telling of the love she held for Him. “My family and I come from the sea. Lir granted us with the ability to walk both on the land as a wolf, and swim within the depths of the sea as a seal. It is impossible for any selkie to not love the sea in some way or another, as it is our second home.” As always, the young seal may have said a bit more than what was necessary, but she could never control herself when something involved the sea. She would always be there to defend and protect it, as well as speak highly of it and share her beliefs with anyone willing to listen. Muirgen was a very proud selkie, after all, and would never change or deny the traditions of her culture, no matter how long she spent away from others like her.

Luke would have expected someone who affirmed they were fond of the sea to hail from a family of coastal wolves, but Muirgen's explanation went a bit further than that: she was from the sea. True to his nonchalant way, he listened with just the slightest raise of his brows in mild surprise as she talked of having been granted the ability to walk on land and swim in the deep reaches of the sea. He accepted this explanation as though it was not uncommon to hear of wolves that could change species, for though Luke himself had no religious or spiritual upbringing of any sort he was openly accepting of all the unique backgrounds and individuals out there. In fact, he rather liked the idea of being able to live in the ocean a seal for a while.

"That's awesome," he grinned, wagging his tail. "I only wish I could swim in the depths," he chuckled, though not at all in a mocking fashion. He was genuine. Luke could swim, and there was likely not another out there (except perhaps this seal-wolf) that could outlast or outmaneuver him in the water, but even he had the limitation of a small lung capacity relative to a sea-dwelling mammal. He could dive but could only wonder at the creatures who could travel down to great depths.

The pride the young girl held for the culture she'd been born into was greater than anything else. It made her happy that the male seemed so accepting of her explanation. Those before him hadn't been all too believing, which had hurt her feelings. It was nice knowing the area held some beings who were very open minded. Each time something popped up that made her believe she might have fallen victim to the worse decision ever, another thing came along, making her cast those thoughts aside. Deep down, though, she would always know it was no mistake that she'd left her place of birth, but every now and again it was good to meet someone who solidified those inner claims. The blue-nosed male just so happened to be perfect for helping her mind do that, too. His personality was easy to get along with, plus he didn't outright say she was incorrect with her beliefs and thoughts.

Muirgen got excited when commented on her words, saying it was 'awesome'. The word was odd to her, as it was only very rarely used back home, but the way he said it told her it was a positive thing—which made her even more appreciative of the fact that she'd met him. The girl's head tilted as she thought over his next words. While it was true one could not be turned into a selkie, perhaps Lir would bless him with such a gift in his next life. “Perhaps Lir will consider your words, and grant you with the gift of a skin in your next life,” she said, voicing her thoughts as her tail wagged wildly. The seal's demeanor started to further resemble that of an excited puppy's as she considered the thought. Surely, the sea would be kind to such a nice wolf, as he acted kindly towards one of the ocean's many children. Such a thing would not be ignored, she believed, and actually looked forward to meeting him once more, both during their current lives and in their next lives to come.

"Ah, what a nice thought," he grinned, his eyes looking ahead as the pair continued their stroll, his mind entertained thoughts of reincarnation. Of all the belief systems that there were, that he had heard in his travels, reincarnation was the idea that struck his fancy the most. The belief that one could live this life and then be granted a second, entirely different one to live filled his mind with wonder. What would it be like to be a seal? A deer? a fish? What would it be like to be another canine, a fox or coyote? What about a cat? With so much to ponder, Luke could find a nice place to curl up and contentedly imagine for hours. "I'd like that," he said with a nod, giving his companion a warm smile.

The pair had been enjoying each other's company so much that time hardly seemed to pass, but pass it had and much of the island had they explored. The blue-nosed wolf now found that his body asked him for rest, and told him that a snack would not be objectionable. As they crossed over the sandbar, almost back to the mainland, he paused and faced his friend. "Thanks for joining me," he said, reaching forward to nudge her cheek. "I hope we'll run into each other again. Take care, Muirgen!" With a wave of his tail, he bid his friend farewell and loped away.