Silver Moraine Help me polarize

Taki padded through the barren, rocky path, leaving a trail of large paw prints in the snow behind her. The night was cold, but she barely felt it; her coat was thick, and aside from her current home, nowhere here could ever get as cold as the north where the malguk was raised. She had wandered here in search of some kind of distraction from the depressing situation on the glacier. She did not want to wallow--she wanted to keep busy and remain useful, which was honestly not very hard to do right now considering she was responsible for the entire pack on her own until Sia was well enough to resume his leadership role; a task she accepted without argument. When her family needed her to step up, she stepped up--sometimes it was with attitude and resentment, but this time it was not something that could be helped, and she mostly just wanted to make things easier for her brother. He didn't the added worry of pack stuff while he was trying to heal.

Shaking her head as though she could dislodge her thoughts from her mind, the snowy leader continued to move forward, white puffs leaving her mouth with every exhale of breath.

It was pretty fucking chill here, all things considered, although he was looking forward to getting to Drageda. What was taking so long, anyway? He understood that Heda was nostalgic over old times, and wanted to check out the places that she held so dear once before, but like. . .come on. Vercingetorix wasn't a sentimental dude; he didn't understand shit like this.

Oh well, though. He wasn't calling the shots. He should be generous that she had asked him to come, in the first place.

The moraine separated the maplewood from some nasty-looking plains--fire or some shit. He wandered down it tonight, looking for something to get into. It was looking pretty grim until he saw the angel ahead, the moonlight bouncing off her ivory pelt. His own ivory teeth gleaming in a dark face, he gave a bark, his breath fogging on the cold air, and trotted toward her with not a small amount of swagger.

Hey, girl--what're you up to? Verx asked once he'd gotten within speaking distance, cocking his head. Cutie, no doubt. Pretty eyes, too. . .like the sunset. She looked kinda pissy, which sucked, though maybe he could make her night better. He would certainly try, at least.

Ask and you shall receive--kind of. She had certainly been searching for some kind of distraction, and even though the way he called her girl forced her to stifle an eye roll, he had briefly made her think about something other than the troubles constantly running through her mind, and that made him worth her time for the moment.. Still, she wouldn't let her guard down that easily. She studied him suspiciously for a few seconds before finally answering, Nothing exciting really. The malguk thought the question was a little odd, but whatever. What's it to you? she asked with a feisty raise of her eyebrow.

Oof, she was kinda feisty. Ah, well. He liked her better that way. The passive ones were no fun; they agreed with everything, never really seeming to have a mind of their own. He knew right away that she was different. Verx raised his eyebrows, grinning.

Damn, babe, just asking a question, he drawled, wagging his tail slowly. I'm out here just like you, trying to find something to do. Nothing exciting for me, either. Yet.

He kicked a rock in idle fashion, the pebble skipping across the barren surface. Doesn't help that we picked the most boring place ever to hang out at, Verx added. Hope you don't live here. That would suck. No cover, no water, no nothing. This place really was terrible.

Babe? This time she actually did roll her eyes. She'd let that slide for now. She listened with mild interest as he went on to explain what he as doing out here. His implication that she had chosen to be here with him was a little annoying, even though in a way, she kind of had decided to indulge in this little encounter instead of intentionally deterring him with her usual brash nature. 

I definitely do not live here, she answered first. And, you're awfully sure of yourself. What if I don't want to hang out? She fixed him with a challenging look after her words. In truth, she found this kind of amusing, but she couldn't help testing the waters to see how much he could take before bristling at her. The fun ones always took it in stride and dealt it out equally, so she was intrigued to see if this male fit into that category.

That's good-- What if I don't want to hang out? Vercingetorix laughed, eyes screwing shut for a moment before popping open to stare at her again. Then you don't wanna hang out, I guess, he said matter-of-factly. Which is a shame, because others tell me I'm a pretty fun guy to hang out with. And you seem like a pretty fun girl.

She had an accent he couldn't place; he was intrigued by it. He did as well, from Trigedasleng, though countless interactions with the common tongue had all but beaten it out of him. Once, though, he had been the kid with the really thick accent, so he kinda felt some kinship in that regard with her. He would feel even more of it if she would drop the act and just be chill.

It had to be an act, right? I'll leave you alone if you're okay with being bored, Verx added, failing to stifle a yawn.

Taki was pretty sure no one had ever used the word fun to describe her, so she almost laughed out loud at his statement. And he had continued to be all sure of himself, stating that other's always described him as fun. She didn't hate it, though, which was weird--she hated most things aside from her family, pack, and home, but his confidence was sort of alluring. 

And then, he called her on her bluff, and she glared at him, unsure how to proceed. She supposed she didn't actually want him to leave. He was nice to look at with his striking blue and silver gaze, and she enjoyed the slight back and forth. I guess you can stay, she finally said, shrugging her snowy shoulders a little as she spoke. I was starting to get bored out here on my own.

That's the spirit! the brute exclaimed, exhaling a great burst of fog. He sauntered toward her, coming to a halt a few tail-lengths away. Vercingetorix, he introduced himself, dipping his head low. With a grin, he came back up. It's a mouthful, I know. You can call me Verx--or whatever other nickname you see fit. Though a couple folks have found it funny to call me 'Asshole,' which isn't my favorite thing, but whatever.

He rolled his shoulders, now successfully stifling his yawns. He was pretty tired, but he also was interested in the woman before him. His smile grew warm and kind as he blinked at her. So if you don't live here, where are you from? he asked. Hope you don't mind me asking. I'm brand new to these parts; got dragged here by my commander. Nah, I mean, she wanted me to come, he amended, realizing it painted a poor picture of his relationship with Heda, it's just been kind of a lot, y'know?

Belatedly, he realized he was talking a lot. Shut the fuck up, dude.

She pulled her head back a little at his exuberance, watching him carefully as he introduced himself. He had quite the name, and she was glad he offered the option of a nickname. She knew how much she hated it when others tried to pronounce her name, or even worse, the name of her pack. The prospect of calling him asshole brought the hint of a smile to her lips, but she didn't comment on it, nor would she actually call him that unless, of course, he was acting like one.

She was about to return his introduction and offer her name, but when she glanced at him, she paused and looked away, momentarily caught off-guard by his warmth; it was not something she was really used to seeing on the face of strangers. As she recovered, he began to ramble a bit, earning a sideways glance from the malguk. He did finally stop talking, and she studied him with her citrine gaze, attempting to assess if he was actually done, and it seemed he was. I am Takiyok, she stated. She didn't offer a nickname because her only nicknames had come from those closest to her. Plus, her name wasn't nearly as difficult as his. My brother and I lead the pack on the glacier a little north of here, she explained with a lift her head in the direction of home.

Se wasn't quit certain how to respond to his last words, as feelings were kind of difficult for her in the presence of those she didn't really know. I'm sure your commander appreciates your service, she offered with a quick nod. She wasn't sure if she had read their relationship correctly, but since he called her commander, Taki assumed she was a leader of some kind.

Ooh, you're a leader! Vercingetorix remarked, grinning. That's pretty dope, girl. I can see it, though. What's your pack called? He really needed to get the surrounding territories and communities down before arriving at Drageda. To be ignorant of the landscape and its wolves was a faux pas he'd like to avoid, if possible.

Plus, y'know--once he had a name, he could go visit her. That is, if he didn't annoy the shit out of her before then.

She better, he chuckled, heaving a dramatic sigh. She woulda been toast up north if not for me. But she's great. No hard feelings. It's exciting to check out new places. No lie there. He wasn't exactly a born scout, but he did like to explore.

She raised an eyebrow at the strange male when he described her being a leader as dope. Whatever that meant. She shook her head a little before answering his question. IkKanattuk. 

What do you mean, 'she would have been toast?' Taki asked next, giving him a puzzled look. His word choice was a little strange, but she got the gist. Was she injured or something? Her gaze scanned over his form with her next question as she tried to imagine such a seemingly laid back wolf doing something like helping out his leader and traveling to a new land with her. At least, she assumed he had never been here before by the way he talked. 

Are you just exploring, or do you have a destination in mind? the malguk asked next, curious about  his future plans. She liked to know what was going on around her home.

That was a word he hadn't heard before, in a language he wasn't familiar with. Or maybe it was a name. Whatever. He made a face at her question, laughing slightly. Nah, girl, it was just a hell of a war, Verx answered. She needed all the help she could get, and I was the biggest help of all. Sooo. . .now I'm here. He painted a very flattering picture of himself. A regular Picasso.

Yeah, we're gonna go to the coast eventually, where her pack is, he continued. Drageda. Dunno if you're familiar with it. He should hope she was. If they weren't known around these parts, he wasn't sure if he wanted to be a part of the group. The very sound of the word should strike trepidation into the hearts of wolves everywhere, like--Yeah, you don't fuck with Drageda.

He waited for her response, wondering if it would be the right one.

There he went, calling her girl again. Why did he use the word like it was her name? It was only mildly irritating, though, so she let it go for now. She rolled her eyes when he started bragging about himself. Confidence was attractive to the snowy leader, but arrogance was most definitely not. But, he began to talk about a pack on the coast called Drageda, and it stole her attention away from the pronouns he chose to use when addressing her and her annoyance with his boasting.

I have heard of it but have never met anyone from there, she answered. There were two packs on the coast close enough to the glacier to be of interest to the malguk, and Drageda was one of them. What kind of scout and leader would she be if she didn't somewhat familiarize herself with the surrounding packs?

He didn't miss the eye-rolling, nor the dirty looks. It amused him, truly. She was so high on her horse that even amiable jests were beneath her. She needed desperately to loosen up, and if he couldn't get the job done, then who could? Maybe she'd be stuck like this forever.

Well, now you have, Verx remarked, with a playful wink aimed in her direction. I hear they're a good bunch of wolves, though. You should come introduce yourself. Now that he thought of it, stoic Thuringwethil might like her. Those two would get on a hell of a lot better than he was with her. Cut from the same cloth, he supposed.

Taki nodded. That sounds like a good idea. I've been working on forming alliances with any packs nearby, so I will probably be paying them a visit once my-- she paused, not sure she should divulge such sensitive information with a stranger. Mostly, she wasn't sure she really wanted to talk about it; she was perfectly content keeping it all inside and working through it on her own--that was what she always did. Still, she had already started to say it, and she wasn't sure how to change the course of her statement without sounding strange, so she finally finished with, --brother is feeling better and can handle my being gone for a little bit. A trip to Drageda would mean her absence from the glacier lasting near a week, and she knew that was out of the question right now.  She kept her eyes trained anywhere but on him, feeling a little uncomfortable with her admission. She kind of wished she had just changed what she had been intending to say and kept her problems to herself, but it was too late now much to her discomfort.

His ears drew forward as she hesitated, but he showed no signs of gloating or intrigue when she finished the thought. He was an asshole, but he wasn't that big of an asshole. He wouldn't take advantage of a girl or her pack because her brother--the leader--was ill. That went beyond the pale.

Sorry to hear, Verx responded, mouth tugging in a slight frown. It's not fun to be worried about someone who's sick, especially when you've got a billion other things to do. That was why Vercingetorix simply didn't worry about anyone at all.

(Except Heda. If you're reading this, Thuringwethil, I love you and got your back, fam.)

His face returned to a smile, though it was softer this time. Come visit when you can, he said. I've heard it's stunning by the cliffs. Perfect view.

She shrugged a bit, although she appreciated the words. She was strong and would persevere through whatever came her way. She knew Sia would be better soon, and everything would go back to normal. She could go back to scouting then and would make a trip to Drageda.

As if he had read her mind, he urged her to pay them a visit soon, and she gave a quick nod in response. I will once things go back to normal, she promised. She looked around, glancing in the direction of home. I should probably get back. She had been away from the glacier long enough, and she wanted to check on Sia. I'm sure we'll meet again, she offered before turning to head home unless he stopped her.

See you soon, then, he answered her last remark, grinning. He watched the little minx go, focusing in particular on her muscled backside. Whoof. Not bad, not bad. He wondered if she felt his eyes burning through her skin. What was she gonna do about it, anyway?

With a chuckle, Vercingetorix turned and padded away, returning to regularly scheduled programming.