And he liked it.
He took slow steps, feeling the density of the atmosphere on his obsidian hide, glistening droplets of snow refusing to melt in the warm air, shimmering their presence to the ominous silence, giving him an almost ethereal magic sense of composure.
The searing fire golden orbs seated on his face scanned the forests floor, his onyx nares pulsating the instinctive warning all wolves held to their cores : the scent of a pack.
All of what Slade could gather, was in that one scent, alone.
The rest, he would have to accomplish on his own.
After picking a small patch of shadowed grass, the dark brute sat upon his thickly muscled hinds, and coiled his tail around his wide paws. He raised his muzzle to the sky, taking notice how their was not a single cloud in the sky.
After such a hesitation, the man howled a message, the deep tones a stark comparison to the silence of the forest, but hand in hand with its natural feeling of dread.
@Meldresi primarily, or @Keith because reasons. :D
The past two times she happened upon new comers by chance. She would be patrolling the borders, and then she would spot the wolf across the borders, gazing in. But this time, the wolf was calling for her.
Meldresi's head had just popped out of one of the tunnels when the howl rang through the normally silent forest. The sound had startled her at first, but the surprise was pushed away and she headed to the border, eager to meet the wolf who had called. A male, from the deep octave that he howled in.
The dark female observed the brute quietly from the shadows before revealing herself to him. He was dark-pelted, like most of them were, but had the muscles and posture of a warrior-king. Someone who has seen and dealt death. She slipped from the shadows and walked up to him, tail high over her back but face cool and serene. "You called?" She purred.
Quote: Hey there. W_^V.
The shadows seemed to morph and fold before him, until they slowly yielded a lupine, a female, and one that obviously held superior position. The voice itself, was laced with silked blackness, her form, pristine obsidian draped beauty. The wolfess must surely be the Alphess of the lands.
"You called?" came etched from her maw, words who's femininity was not to be questioned.
"Indeed, I did, Mistress of Ebony. I am Slade," he murmured, his own dark crown dipping in acknowledgment and introduction.
"and I desired to know if you have any room amongst your worthy ranks for an additional wolf."
His volcanic irises had only lingered on her face for a mild second, taking in her softly fledged features, and the intriguing color of her own orbs, a tantalizing mix between a saphire blue, and a forbidden violet. Slade refused to indulge in staring at them, for it could have been considered rude, though he almost relented.
"Mistress of Ebony" She had never heard the term addressed to her before. She quite liked it, especially rumbling from his lips. The male bowed respectfully to her and introduced himself as Slade. Nothing more, nothing less. If he had a last name or some kind of title, he had not revealed it to her yet.
Room in our ranks? We have plenty. She thought pessimistically before answering. "Yes we do." She gazed into his amber-yellow eyes, eyes of fire before questioning him further. "What do you have to offer to Blackfeather Woods?" He looked the part of a warrior or warden, perhaps even a hunter, but he might surprise her with some other hidden skill.
Slowly, he extinguished the smile, for he found such an action, uncomfortable. Slade wasn't too fond of smiling.
With a deep murmur that echoed between the both of them, the dark man replied to her question, after failing to resist drowning in her tantalizing orbs again.
"I offer you my body, its entire purpose to be defense against any who dare tresspass against such treacherously beautiful lands, as a Warden.
I give to you my wisdom of the Wilds, my expertise of hunting and fishing becoming a useful trait for the upcoming Cold Grip of the Frost. Winter arrives, and without delay, the prey will depart. I wish to provide for those who need such things as food and life, as a GameKeeper.
And the third," he continued, sending the hellion an almost teasing look of amusement in his fiery stare,
"is for your own choice. Whichever your pack needs the most, I will oblidge my life to such a thing, and ensure it is honed to perfection. I am well versed in adaptability to spiritual matters and religious subjects in the manner of a Naturalist, acquainted greatly with speaking to others, and getting my point across, Outrider wise, and also, I excell at mixing and matching all spectrums of organic minerals, plants, bones, blood, all alike with many other,..arcane herbalic secrets, in the aspect ofa brewing Healer. "
His thick massed sleek tail uncoiled, and recoiled around the base of his pads, as it regretted leaving the protection of his body, and returned to seek forgiveness.
"Whichever you desire most for the benifit, will be your command, and it is that command that I will follow, Alphess of BlackFeather. "
He had much to offer Blackfeather. A Warden and Gamekeeper, which were of much demand with the coming winter moons. But, Naturalist and Healer traits were well accepted; more healers and those attune with the spiritual flow of nature helped a lot. The priestess' tail dropped a bit, waving softly like a pennant.
"Meldresi Melonii." She introduced herself, walking closer to the dark-furred male. "Welcome to Blackfeather Woods."
Quote: Final post, yea? :)
His heart thumped a beat in tune with steps, as he walked over to the hellion, lowered not only his body, but gently placed his thick snout to her forepaws, almost in a sacred kiss-like manner. Backing up, he then stood, his height over hers, but with lowered extendities, the tail limp, and the gaze grateful.
"I thank you for this opportunity, and I will make best what I do, Lady Meldresi. "
With that, he remained standing, until he was dismissed, turning to take his leave , and add his scrent amongst the other inhabitants of the foreboding lands.
If wolves could blush, Meldresi probably would once Slade bent down and kissed her paws, though she would have quickly hidden it. The priestess' tail waved softly as she dismissed the dark male, watching him disappear into the foreboding darkness of her woods before melting into him afterwards.
Quote: Cant archive or exp it yet, one more post from us both.
Slade convinced himself that the woods that he walked through were now his home, as though it were some illusion that his mind had cruely conjured. But it was too real. The fairytail of the dark woods, containing illustrations of monsters and villians, the woods he himself now resided in.
All thanks to that dainty Meldresi he had met, earlier.
He slithered and slipped in and out of the shadows he had now familiarized himself with. He was one of them, and themselves one with him. Slade could only smile at the cold thoughts that seeped in his head from being in such a position.
And he had to assure himself that this was not a dream, a wretched thing with happily ever afters, and gaily ladden bouquets held by fair maidens.
This was his nightmare. His shadow ladled life.
And it was only the beginning.