Ankyra Sound I did it all

@Caiaphas

After completing a long patrol around Duskfire Glacier's southern edge, Capricorn left the safety of his icy home to travel the forests that stretched between Duskfire and the sea. The stout wolfdog hadn't ever been to the sea, but when he was a wet-earred whelp, father told him it was much like a large lake with a heartbeat. He was always curious about it but never pursued it. Even if a wolf pack stood on the shores of the ocean and waved him down, he could never compare the feeling of being there to the feeling of uneven ground beneath his feet.

He emerged eventually from a sprawling aspen forest to see a jagged line of cliffs extending as far as he could see. Capricorn paused to take it in, remembered seeing it from a plateau back home, and made the decision to explore. That decision was changed abruptly when, upon reaching a well hidden slope that might take him down to the shore, he was assaulted with the scent of wolfish claim.

He hung back where he was, but catalogued what he was smelling in his mind. There was a predominant musk of female on the air with what seemed to be little male influence. If not for being exceptionally curious about that, Capricorn would have the good sense to leave... but, father once said he was too curious and clever for his own good and Capricorn, as good natured and regal as he could be sometimes, absolutely was.

Caiaphas had been on her way back towards the monolith forest appropriately named Megalith when the scent of a male permeated the air. She froze for a moment and tentatively perused the air with her glistening nose twitching -- between the sharp coldness of the wind and the heady scent of brine the scent was only barely distinguishable.

She then elected to turn back towards the borders, adopting a low-set lope that made her look at once both wild and skulking -- the wind rifled through her lanky backside and her loose fur seemed disheveled and awry.

She slowed to a stiff trot when she spotted a male who like her had been spurned by mild curiosity. She lifted her muzzle to better view him, her fierce eyes narrowed in a squint as she assessed him. She could not tell if he was lying down or crouching -- and it was not until the distance between them receded was she made aware of the woefully short legs he stood upon.

Her eyes flickered unapologetically to his limbs -- which were truncated and flat. She was never the tallest in any congregation and despite his stoutness (he certainly dwarfed her in terms of musculature and body density) he still was shorter than her.

Normally she would have delivered all manner of cruel quips -- but considering the bearing the male carried with him she wondered if he was used to such imparts. Instead she neatly descended into a sitting position and regarded him with mild interest. There was nothing witty she could compose that she was certain he had not heard before, so glumly she settled into silence.

It wasn't long before one of the natives found him. The wolf who approached had wild fur and an untamed set to her slim body, aided by the wind whipping around them. It was predictably a female, and Capricorn wasn't surprised to find that when she drew near, her scent matched the one he'd detected on the air. She was an unusual thing, thinly wrought and with a strange divide in her appearance. Where her head was sleek jet and her ears a sort of copper, her body was grey. It gave the appearance that she'd been dipped briefly in bleach up to her neck.

Having made his first inspection and no doubt having been inspected in return, Capricorn cleared his throat. It was evident in the way Caiaphas folded herself down without comment that he was expected to begin. That was fine by him; Capricorn had met a great many wolves in his time and was no stranger to pleasantries. It was very much a part of his juvenile training back on Montem Aquilonem.

"Good afternoon," he greeted Caiaphas, his voice carrying confidently so that he was well heard and clear. "I am Capricorn. I spotted this cliff from my home atop Duskfire Glacier and well, you see, I just had to come see it... only it seems to be occupied." He smiled lightly and brushed his coiled tail side to side. "I planned to go back, but couldn't help noticing it smells only like women here. I admit, I'm... curious."

She was still brooding when Capricorn spoke, and her gaze raked over him insultingly as he exposed he was somewhat a garrulous fellow. There seemed a gracefulness to his words that Caiaphas had yet to master, and she expelled a huff of indifference as she considered answering him at all.

However, her own curiosity won out much in the same manner his did -- but unlike him, she was interested in only learning what horrible misfortune had befallen his parents to grace him with such stout limbs. It took her aback (in a somewhat pleasant way) that despite his demure stature he carried himself with such pruned importance.

"Are you?" She drawled lazily, a flicker of her eyes suggesting great mischief was brewing. "It smells like women here because we drown our sons and murder the males who come to us." She rose from her hulking sitting position but even then, she was not much (if any at all) taller than he -- but she hoped at least her proximity would daunt him. "There's an expression about curiosity.. have you heard it?"

Patrolling? That wasn't exactly what Nishu had intented to do but it was a way to get to know the lands. Knowing the area would allow him to be able to prove himself to Tethys easily. He didn't want to stay too far and miss opportunities but this was something necessary before he could really begin his knightly duties.

Nishu was returning to the heart of the pack with the intention of seeing Tethys. Hopefully she hasn't gone anywhere. Finding her wasn't simple, he knew nearly nothing about her. There was one thing he knew about her but knowing that only told him that finding her will be no easy task if she has gone somewhere.

Upon reaching the hidden entrance Tethy's had shown him he noticed two wolves in the distance. From the scent blown by the wind it appeared to be an unknown male with one of the females he first met here. There was no way he could get passed them without getting noticed so might as well just go.

He watched them as he matched towards the entrance. What ever was going on wasn't his business and didn't seem to be a problem. He wanted to just leave them be. If the female looked at him he would nod respectfully but would keep contact eye until he passed them.

He shrank himself when Caiaphas straightened, not because he was afraid (though he probably should be), but because he thought himself a respectful wolf who observed the superiority of others on their doorsteps. He would have expected the same. His ears faltered for a moment when Caiaphas explained that it smelled like women because of their male killing practice. He wasn't sure he believed it, for it seemed too far fetched for his limited imagination, but the possibility existed that he was wrong.

"It must be difficult to proliferate," he returned, and it was at that moment movement in his periphery caught his attention. A sidelong glance revealed a pale wolf moving to descend the cliffs, but staring at them almost expectantly. Since nothing was said, Capricorn tilted his snout ever-so-slightly downward in silent acknowledgement, then turned his attention back to Caiaphas, leaving Nishu to leave as he intended.

"That wolf looked like a male, and decidedly unmurdered at that," he said slyly. He had good intentions in it, and meant it more as a jest than anything. "As for curiosity, I certainly have," he went on, smiling now. He didn't think she would try to threaten him in any way—she would win if she did—but he was interested to hear the rest of what this pack supposedly (or actually) did to males.

A small smile played briefly on Caiaphas' features as Capricorn's good-humored boldness momentarily fluttered. She was beginning to think this male was a most delightfully unusual specimen. His quip was met only with a wry smile and she was just about to return the banter with her own dry remark when she saw his attention shift towards the shaded bosk. Following Capricorn's gaze, the Warden's amusement practically dissolved in a plummet of cold annoyance as she spotted Nishu Inte -- who invariably had elected to pass by them at the most inconveniencing of moments.

Forgetting the stout male besides her, Caiaphas resolutely met Nishu Inte's gaze as he stared at her -- her hackles flared upward in haughty uprising and her tail flew up over her backside in a confident display of dominant aggression. Should Nishu Inte scurry off, swiftly excuse himself, or all together bolt from their company Caiaphas would pursue him no further -- but if he foolishly continued to believe his eye-contact was uninsulting, and at worse, welcome, he would find a very irascible wraith shortly upon him.

Just passing by wasn't going as planned. Once again he must have done something out of line. Caiaphas had a much more dangerous look compared to what he saw before. It was more terrifying not knowing what the actual problem was. The only idea that came up was that maybe she didn't want him around when she is dealing with a stranger. That must be the case, why else would she be that way.

Nishu kept marching on but was less at ease on stopping eye contact. Keeping eye contact was something he even trained to do, It was one of the best ways to see what the other might do. He still hasn't understood the idea that it's the eye contact that's been causing most of his problems. He lowered himself into to defensive stance instead of anything submissive, not even his tail showed sign of submission.

"Excuse me, I didn't think I would interrupt you by just passing by." He said as he broke the direct eye contact, only because that was the moment he passed them. His unease kept him unable to look away, they remained in the corner of his field of vision. The further he was the more his head turned wanting to keep the two wolves in his sights. He continued moving at the same speed started with but the question was, was he clear or not? He's bound to find out what the problem is sooner or later.

[size=x-small](ooc: I give Caiaphas the possibility to harm Nishu if she so wishes. He'll likely try dodging anything too direct. Anyway he won't counterattack :P)[/size]

@nishu inte do you want to wrap this up? capricorn's player is away.. maybe we can get to 10 posts and then archive?

Caiaphas' gaze fell to the stout male, who had said nothing since his clever quip. A rough sigh expelled from her muzzle, and with patience expediently abandoning her she smoothly clawed her way towards the silver male.

But Nishu Inte had already tried to quit their company, and turning back to Capricorn she found the little man gone. Somewhat taken aback (but not entirely disappointed) the waif simply issued a roll of her shoulders in mild exasperation before heading back to the heart of the Sound.

[size=x-small]Alright :P[/size]

He believed he managed to get away without starting anything. Nishu didn't stick to their rules but stayed more to what he thought was right. He wondered about what goes on in these female's minds. Do they really believe in their ways fully? How did they end up this way? Maybe one day he could find the answer if he stayed long enough but that didn't stop the idea of being cautious around some of the females.

Once Nishu felt he was clear he continued his search for Tethys. She was the only one he had to trust, the others on the other hand weren't important to him. As long as they shown no threat to Tethys, he didn't have to get involved. It allowed him to manage his time better to forfill the needs of Tethys and himself.

At a brisk trot Caiaphas departed both Nishu Inte and Capricorn's presence, her calloused paws pressing quickly into the ground in lofty succession. She had much ground to cover before she was rewarded by the uplifting sight of the pale strand. The Sound had a great deal of important matters to attend to, and soon Caiaphas forgot entirely about her encounter -- both the quick wit of the dwarf-wolf and the irreverent insouciance of Nishu Inte were matters quickly pressed into oblivion and forgotten by the careless female.