scheming at the cauldron

*Bazi* · (This post was last modified: August 04, 2014, 04:17 AM by Bazi.)

I hope it’s OK to powerplay @Shadow’s position; to make the start a little faster. Let me know if not.

She was starting to feel less raw, as though a thin, gelatinous scab had formed over the emotional burns she had suffered over the past week. Most painful of all, worse even than losing Fox, was the impending departure of Tuwawi. That wound still smarted whenever she replayed the announcement, and it took a few moments each to rationalize their decision.

Bazi did her best to distract herself from the inevitable. She hunted, socialized, and ran - never straying far from Swiftcurrent Creek and its wolves. Today, in the very early hours of the morning, she sat at the very top of the northern of the two Sleeping Guardians, watching the creek rush past below her. It was cool in the shade of the trees, and the view across the plains was perfect. She spotted Kaskara and Danica, but let the two girls go about their business without interruption. When Shadow appeared at the river’s edge below, however, she barked for him to join her. It wouldn’t take him more than half a minute to ascend the Guardian for a chat.

*Shadow* · August 04, 2014, 04:29 AM

It's fine. :)

Shadow looked up the the source of the bark even though he already knew who it belonged to. The white Alphess sat on top of one of the two Sleeping Guardians. He sighed, dipped his muzzle into the creek to lap up some water before slowly trotting up the Guardian to Bazi. He had less than a minute to think about what to say to the Alpha and that was not enough time. Hopefully he would not be asked any questions that would be difficult for him to answer.

A faint smile played at his lips as he remembered the first time he had went with her to explore, it was the most awkward conversations he had ever had. But it still brought a smile to his lips whenever he thought about it. It vanished from his face as he neared the top, adopting an expressionless look. The ashen male arrived at the top of the Guardian and approached her, dipping his head slightly in submission to her.

*Bazi* · August 04, 2014, 04:56 AM

Ever since Shadow had shared details of his origins and Bazi had reacted insensitively to it, the pair’s interactions had been decidedly awkward. The grey male rarely spoke more than a few words to her, and the little leader was overwhelmed with guilt and frustration every time their eyes met. Today would be the day they started over, she decided, and rose to plaster a casual smooch on the bridge of Shadow’s nose when he dipped his head in submission.

As predicted, it hadn’t taken him long to reach her. ”What were you up to this morning?” she asked, wondering if the silvery outrider had woken up with that blank expression or adopted it specifically for her. ”I was actually spying on you all from up here,” she added, sinking back onto her hindquarters as a sign that this was a casual interaction.

*Shadow* · (This post was last modified: August 04, 2014, 05:14 AM by Shadow.)

Shadow blinked, surprised as the white female rose and touched his nose but the expressionless look came back moments later. ”What were you up to this morning?” she asked, sitting back down. ”I was actually spying on you all from up here." At that, the silver male resisted the urge to sarcastically reply, but he just couldn't stop himself from muttering "Were you?" rather sarcastically.

The ashen male sat down too, eyes on the creek's waters before answering her first question, "Just going to do some fishing," he said, neutrally. In truth, he was going to sit by the river to think whether or not he should leave the Creek though he probably won't. He had grown close to the Creek and its wolves and where was he to go if he left anyways?

*Bazi* · August 04, 2014, 06:39 AM

"Were you?" the wolf muttered. One of Bazi's ears sliced the air as it flicked back against her skull. "Yes," she reaffirmed, displeased to see her attempt at humour go unappreciated. This wasn't going well. Shadow seemed.. preoccupied, distracted.

Rather than ply him with pointless small talk and hope that he would reveal those innermost thoughts in time, Bazi went straight to the heart of it: "You look distracted. Something in your mind? You haven't said much about the Sunspire, or about Fox. Were you close?" This was a crucial time - the young leader had to suss out where everyone stood in terms of their loyalty to the Creek, especially if they had been recruited by Fox.

*Shadow* · August 04, 2014, 08:01 AM

The ashen male muttered a small apology for his previous sarcastic comment then turned his silver gaze onto the Alpha, half amused, half annoyed. Was she doubting his loyalty to the Creek? Or was she just questioning every single Creek wolf to see where their loyalty lay? He did not know but he supposed being the Alpha, she had to see if he was loyal to the pack but about Fox?

"If you're asking whether I'm close to Fox or not, the answer is no." Shadow answered, his tone thoughtful as he stared at the Alpha. "Are you doubting my loyalty to the Creek?" his gaze thoughtful as he looked into Bazi's blue gray eyes.

*Bazi* · (This post was last modified: August 04, 2014, 01:21 PM by Bazi.)

Shadow dignified her with a straight question, and received a straight answer in return. "No. But I couldn't be sure it wasn't just personal loyalty to Fox without asking you." She made no apology for posing the question - under the circumstances, it was entirely legitimate. When the Sveijarn family were equipped to leave, the Creek would be six wolves down overnight - that made Razo the longest serving member after Bazi, and that seemed so absurd.

A short silence followed. Bazi broke eye contact briefly to watch a wolf - possibly Scimitar - drop its haunches by the water some distance away. When her gaze returned to Shadow, her brows knitted together to form an inquisitive frown. "What keeps you here, apart from loyalty?" Scimitar, Kaskara, Leaf, Danica.. they had solid reasons to stay, ranging from friendship to debt to family. Shadow, like Razo, was rather more mysterious.

*Shadow* · August 04, 2014, 07:44 PM

The ashen male's gaze wandered around as he thought about her question. What kept him here apart from loyalty to the Creek? He did not know. He thought about it for a long time and still nothing came out of it. Or was there something else? He could go anytime and yet he chose to stay, why? He had friends but they weren't the ones that were keeping him in the Creek and loyalty to the Creek couldn't be the only thing. Which left one option which was probably true. "I honestly don't know. Maybe personal loyalty?" he smirked, his steely silver gaze back on her.

Shadow did not ask anything else, merely waited for her reply to his answer. He could go any second, leave the Creek and find a better life but somehow he couldn't bring himself to do so. And maybe he had finally figured out why. His gaze did not wander, instead was fixed on the snowy Alpha.

*Bazi* · August 05, 2014, 03:42 AM

Thought I'd spice things up a little for everybody! :D

"I honestly don't know. Maybe personal loyalty?" His words ruffled her feathers, but it was the punctuating smirk that made her angry. Bazi's eyes narrowed into cold, blue slits, and the stare she levelled at Shadow burned away whatever remained of her good intentions to mend their relationship. Whether it has been his intent to offend her was neither here or there - she was living on tenterhooks, and even the softest nudge was enough to slice right through her patience.

She rose slowly to her feet, advancing on him like a pale panther. "Look here, you sarcastic little prick. This isn't a charity operation we're running. If you're just 'hanging about' because you've got nothing better to do - you know where the exit is."

*Shadow* · August 05, 2014, 05:18 AM

xD

"Look here, you sarcastic little prick. This isn't a charity operation we're running. If you're just 'hanging about' because you've got nothing better to do - you know where the exit is." The white Alphess rose to her paws and slowly advanced towards him, the ashen male raised an eyebrow but did not move. Though he wished to reply in a sarcastic manner again, he feared for his place in the pack.

Shadow stared at his paws before curling his tail around them and lifting his gaze to meet her narrowed blue gray eyes and murmured softly "Personal loyalty to you, Bazi." his gaze nervously wandering before steeling himself and locked his silvery eyes on her.

*Bazi* · August 05, 2014, 05:25 AM

.. :O!

In a parallel univesere where the lighting is good and everyone's life had a soundtrack, the rise of foreboding orchestral music that accompanied Bazi's advance forward died instantly - as if someone had pressed mute. She stopped mid-step, eyeing Shadow with suspicious confusion. "I don't understand," she rumbled at him. Hadn't he just sassed her? What on earth was going on with this pack?

*Shadow* · August 05, 2014, 05:32 AM

I figured that since things were already weird, it wouldn't hurt to make it even weirder. :P

"I don't understand," the Alphess said. Ugh. Now what was he supposed to say? What on earth was he supposed to say now?! Maybe he should just leave, just get up and leave but that would be rude. He couldn't possibly do that. So what should he say now? The black tip of the male's tail flicked in annoyance at himself. Look at the situation he had gotten himself in!

"Personal loyalty to you, dear Alpha." he murmured again, hopefully she would ask her a more specific question that he could actually answer.

*Bazi* · August 05, 2014, 06:46 AM

His clarification wasn't so much a clarification as repetition with added pizzazz. Bazi raised her head, staring diagonally down her nose at him like a bewildered, blue-eyed parrot. Was there something written between the lines here? Seconds ticked audibly by. The wild fauna of the creek waited in tense anticipation of what would come next in this spectacle of awkwardness.

Slowly, Bazi lowered her nose back down to Shadow's level. The next words out of her mouth did not carry quite so sharp an edge. "Do you like me, or something?"

There. Direct question.

*Shadow* · (This post was last modified: August 08, 2014, 12:48 AM by Shadow.)

"Do you like me, or something?" the ashen male winced when the question was issued. Did he like the snowy Alphess? This was getting extremely awkward, normally the silver male was not one to run away from things got a little hard but this was an extreme case and he was actually considering it. Then he sighed audibly, best answer now or else things might get even worse.

"Uhhh," he muttered before finally steeling himself for whatever reaction the Alphess might have. "I like you as a friend for now and you were the first wolf that had actually interacted with me when I first arrived at the Creek. Though the conversation we had might be a bit awkward, it was something that no one had attempted to do for me since I've been alone and because of that I swore to myself that I would never leave you or the Creek if I could help it." he looked nervously up at the Alphess. "I might have considered leaving the Creek at the pack meeting," he smirked slightly though it did not reach his eyes.

His gaze fell back onto his paws "Though I might have had a crush on you on the first few weeks in the Creek." Finally he turned his platinum gaze back onto the white queen of the Creek. His gaze calm and even. "Maybe we can start over again?" he asked hopefully. After all they had a pretty crappy relationship going on.

*Bazi* · August 10, 2014, 09:06 AM

Bazi stared at him, taken aback by the sudden flurry of words. I swore myself to you, I had a crush on you, I considered leaving the Creek, I have some skeletons in the closet - shall we start over? The young Alpha took a moment to process everything, squinting as it hurt her to think. ..Yes," she settled on eventually - a conversational triumph! "We can start over." Sorry for calling you a prick? No - she was too proud for that, but did attempt to smooth it over with by sinking back onto her haunches and tentatively asking "So..was it difficult for you on your own?"

*Shadow* · August 10, 2014, 09:58 AM

"We can start over. said the white Alphess, a bright smile graced the silver wanderer's features, one that the white queen of the Creek probably had not seen before. After all, the conversations and days they had before were awkward and uncomfortable for both of them, but now they could throw that behind their backs and start over again. "So..was it difficult for you on your own?"

He stared curiously at her, not really catching her meaning. What did she mean by difficult on his own? There were so many things that she could've meant. If you mean the emotional turmoil that I had, it was kind of hard but I've gone through more in my life. His gaze grew misty as he thought about how hard it was leaving his siblings, a decision he wondered if it was right or wrong.

*Bazi* · August 10, 2014, 01:15 PM

Shadow smiled pleasantly at her, and Bazi relaxed. Attempt two was getting off to a good start. The question had been an open one - logistics were the girl's main interest (food, shelter, protection), but she hid her initial confusion well when he gave an entirely different answer.

"Ah.. well, that is sad," she attempted lamely, gaze flitting to her paws. Was it proper to ask about the turmoil? Her mother had always told her to speak plainly, but Bazi was getting the sense that not everyone appreciated a conversational bulldozer. When she looked back up at Shadow, his eyes were glassy, and the Alpha's ears immediately fell flat against her skull. Shit! Is he upset? .. Is this where I share something? Bazi's ears rose. "I was alone!" she exclaimed brightly, as if they had discovered a hobby they held in common. Never mind that she was referring to time shared in solitude - one in the vast wilderness, the other in captivity. "I don't know how long - a few months? It was dull as death. How long were you alone for?" Go sharing!

*Shadow* · (This post was last modified: August 11, 2014, 05:17 AM by Shadow.)

xD Bazi is so amusing at times.

"I was alone!" she exclaimed brightly bringing him out of his thoughts. He was confused. "I don't know how long - a few months? It was dull as death. How long were you alone for?"

He blinked and a flicker of amusement went through his silvery eyes. I was alone for a year or so, after my siblings settled down in another pack. he said, nodding his head slightly. It wasn't really that bad, I get to explore a lot, he looked at Bazi. It must be hard for you now, being an Alpha means you can't explore that often now, but duty calls huh?

*Bazi* · August 15, 2014, 06:52 AM

She's not so good at empathy. xD I'll start concluding now.

Shadow did well to hide his amusement. This was Bazi actually trying, however awkward it came across - empathy was not her bag, certainly not when it concerned someone that she didn't know very well, and sympathy was even harder. It required emotional reasoning, and Bazi was.. well, a little egotistical.

"A year?" she gaped. Her own handful of months seemed unimpressive now. Shadow didn't seem fussed, and she wondered if it was appropriate to ask how old he was. Before she could formulate the question, however, he had changed the conversational track, and Bazi followed willingly. It was much easier to talk about herself. "A little, maybe. It hasn't been that long. We'll need another lead outrider.. " Hint, hint.

But before Bazi could press the point further, a summoning howl cut through the air. The girl's ears rose high on her head and her stare became vacant as she deciphered its meaning. "Speaking of duty," she grumbled, and rose to take her leave. "Talk about it later?"

*Shadow* · August 15, 2014, 08:38 AM

xD I can see that. Last round?

The silver wanderer laughed, was she thinking whether he was old for traveling for a year as a loner? I'm not old if thats what you're thinking. I'm not even three yet. he shrugged, a smile on his faace as she spoke. "A little, maybe. It hasn't been that long. We'll need another lead outrider.. "

A faint scowl graced his features as the howl rose into the air, one minute didn't matter did it. Wait, Bazi. If its alright, I wish to be the lead outrider. Wait. What did he just say? Did he say he wished to be the lead outrider. Oh, how stupid was he, but he did not take the words back, instead waited for her answer.

If its no problem of course. he quickly added, for fear of angering her.

*Bazi* · August 15, 2014, 12:59 PM

"Wait, Bazi. If its alright, I wish to be the lead outrider."

Bazi halted mid-step and turned her head over her shoulder to stare at him. It was his frankness that caught her off guard, not the question - she had every intention to ask him to take the job. His hunger was both commendable and.. a little worrying. It occurred to Bazi that she might need to promote him out of harm's way sooner rather than later - keep your friends close, keep your enemies closer, and keep your competitors in your inner circle.

"Yes," she replied, a little put out that she would no longer be giving him a gift. "I was going to suggest it. Let's work out the details later. You'll need colleagues."

*Shadow* · August 15, 2014, 04:58 PM

Thanks for the thread! :) Last post for me.

"I was going to suggest it. Let's work out the details later. You'll need colleagues." He stared at her, before dipping his head in agreement. Thank you. he murmured softly and sincerely. He did not think that she would give him the job, expecially after he had literally shouted out, asking for it.

He wished he hadn't. It would be a good surprise if she had suggested it. I'm sorry for asking this so suddenly. he murmured as he rose to his paws and dipped his head to her submissively, thanking her.