Totoka River she's the giggle at a funeral

The shadow had lingered along the coastline for weeks since entering the territory. She flitted between the beaches, the grasslands, and the patches of forest nearest the coast, making sure to stay hidden from any others who passed. It was the dark female's nature to lurk in the shadows.
Over the day and a half she had spent moving between observing the shoreline (it was filled with strange, fat, barking creatures) and exploring along the river, the shadowy woman had become aware of a presence within the forest at the opposite end of the river. The discovery had, at first, inspired no desire for contact.

The night before, Samaantine had realized it had been almost two months without speaking to another. It took until halfway through the next day for her to realize how lonely that made her feel-- and hours more for her to decide she would venture southeast along the river. She wanted to see them, at least. Perhaps a glimpse of another would soothe the strangely hollow feeling within her.
It was dark when she came as near to the forest as she dared, still a few yards away from it. She sat beside the river and stared into the forest, half-hoping to see someone from where she was.

the winter months have been slow for them, but samothes finds he does not mind. he feels as though he has been molting slowly, easing the old skin off bit by bit so that the new skin underneath is not raw. most of his time is spent in the forest, focused on staying warm and enjoying the time to think. he misses the company of the sylph, but they had not been close enough for her absence to be more than a fading sting.

he leaves the forest, moving absently along the coast. perhaps it's time to step up recruitment on his end, though part of him thinks if he leaves the forest for too long he'll return to find nobody and nothing. (and then again - so what? his loyalty is fickle enough and there are other packs close enough besides). the air nip at him, snow falls, but it is not unbearably cold.

it's on his way home that he sees her, and suddenly the chill seems much more urgent. but he's nothing if not smooth, and so the scholar smiles slow and broad, not bothering to announce himself before slipping beside the shadowy figure. "strange to see you out from mother's side," he purrs, the caustic tone underlaid by a brotherly affection that's hard to tell if genuine or falsified. his gaze follows hers to the forest - his forest! - but he does not speak on the assumption yet. no, they have a game to play through, first.

Samaantine had heard the other wolf's approach only moments before he was upon her-- and then his scent choked the air around her and she shifted her gaze to him. Of all the possible disturbances, it would have to be the least welcome. No matter; he had been insignificant to her since the day he abandoned their family, and she would not let him ruin her night.
Is it so surprising that I wish to see the world as well? She smiled, eyes glittering coldly. Or perhaps you cannot comprehend why I didn't leave as you did; as a coward and a traitor.
The girl swept around, seeming as if she would walk away but turning back to face him without a pause. Her expression was contented, slightly smug; all traces of malice had vanished. It gave her peace to say it out loud, to know it was true and that she would never be like her wretched brother. Let him be the family disappointment-- the shadow he cast would only make Samaantine's light shine brighter.

his smile does not flinch nor falter, but something in his eyes turns hard. had he expected anything less from his dear sister? "traitor is a strong word," samothes merely comments, looking away from her back to the lines of the bleeding trees. "my presence was neither required nor strongly wished for -- leaving was hardly a betrayal."

the scholar rolls his shoulders and sighs, looking back to her with a slightly bemused expression. "but really, what does bring you to the teekons, dear samaantine? i trust mother is well?" he takes a moment to consider how he'd feel if the worst had come to pass: not much of anything. he was never the favorite, the rising sun of the messeda line like samaantine. not to say he wasn't loved, as love is the messeda way (ha), but he knows the sting of being loved just a little less. well. he's happy to return the favor, at any rate. there's no love lost between him and any of them -- but none of this bears on the matter at hand, namely, why his sister is here of all places.

The shadow resisted the urge to snort at her brother's pathetic attempt at justifying his actions; at best, it was self-pity, from where she stood. He had the opportunity as much as she did-- to be more. But he had tossed it aside like a rotting carcass when he fled.
At his question, she side-eyed him a bit warily. Tine truly doubted he was asking from concern, but she supposed the question was harmless enough. As I said-- I wish to see the world. Our family is thriving, no thanks to you; were it otherwise I would not have left. She bit back another scathing add-on: unlike you. It wouldn't reach him now, and Samaantine had more important things to say.
That forest... is there a pack there? She had not missed the look he gave the woods-- and her-- either. Your home?

she repeats herself but he doesn't believe her. in what world would the golden child give it all up to do some sightseeing? unless she means to return one day -- well, that doesn't surprise him. but he? never again will his shadow darken their doorstep.

doesn't mean he wishes mother ill, however. and so he does not bite back at her, ignores the petty side comments. if mother is well then he has done no wrong as far as he is concerned. at her question he bristles slightly, and nods, the motion stiff. "we are still forming," the messeda explains, "but i am pledged to them." he eyes her with no small amount of suspicion. surely she does not need to take an interest in the one place he has carved out for himself (although, truthfully, they could use another capable member, and despite himself he can vouch for her ability).

before the idea can culminate in her head -- hopefully -- he takes a step, as if blocking the forest from view with his slim figure. "does this tourist trip of yours include finding a new pack to reside in?" the scholar asks smoothly, the edge of his mouth twisting up into a little smirk. he can't imagine his showboat of a sister taking orders from someone other than their bloodline -- it almost makes him want to recruit her, just to see her ego take the hit.

Tine wasn't surprised to hear that he lived in the forest, but it did come as a slight shock to hear him inquire about her plans-- about a new pack. She resisted the urge to snort, feeling like she knew where this was going. The shadow had no interest in settling where her brother had already staked a claim.

Perhaps... eventually. She offered a little flatly, flicking an ear. Still the dark girl did not look at him directly, instead only studying him occasionally from the corner of her eye. Then she offered a hint that Samothes might have been right in his suspicions, more because she was curious to see what he would do with the tidbit: If it suits my purpose.

she doesn't fall for his bait -- well, fair enough. samothes resists the urge to roll his eyes, even as his ears prick forward curiously. "your purpose?" god only knows what that might be. last he'd known, samaantine had been quite content to wear the mantle of the messeda name and do all those familial duties. yet now she has some mysterious purpose in the teekons? hm.

the messeda boy wants to know more but he suspects he will not get much by probing -- she'll deny him just to be a brat even if she really wants him to know (as he suspects is the case). with exaggerated poise he draws himself to his paws and takes a few steps toward the forest, looking back over his shoulder at her. "at any rate, i'm quite busy, you see," he says, pointedly unaffected by her scheming, "but perhaps i'll see you around, if it suits my purpose."

Disappointed, the shadow offered only a sigh in response. Perhaps one day her brother would see what he was missing. Until then, she had better things to do than wait around.
Samaantine departed with a curt nod, making for the ocean once again. She tried to ignore the bitterness rising in her chest as she left, the sting of another rejection in her mind. The Messeda girl didn't think she asked for much of him, yet he refused to give it all the same. One day, she thought, she would just have to take it from him.