Not My Cup Of Tea

Kivi had returned to the meadow after her successful hunt only to leave again. She needed to find a location where she could train Zhavvi in secret. The wolfess had thought about returning to the dark woods where she met Rakharo, but it would make no sense to train there since the Khal already knew about that location. So Kivi continued through the woods and up a mountain. She figured that at the top of the mountain she could spot a decent location to train. However the female stopped when she spotted a cave opening. It would be a difficult opening to find if you weren't searching for it, making it an excellent location to train Zhavvi at.

Kivi needed to make sure that the inside of the cave wasn't home to any creatures, before bringing the Khal's daughter here. As the female entered the cave, she spotted extremely blue water, half of which was surrounded by a practically flat ledge. Kivi smiled as an idea popped into her mind. Her and Zhavvi could train on the ledge and the loser would have to go for a little swim. The training could be serious, but fun at the same time. It was perfect.

He was everywhere. His feet roamed, guiding him from one location to the next without any true aim or destination. Such was the life of a lone wolf. He could be as inconsistent as the wind and as fleeting as thought. It made for a lonely sort of life, but he was discovering these lands to be lush with wolves not unlike himself. Wolves with no ties. Wolves with freshly severed ties. Wolves looking to form new ties.

He still wasn't sure where he landed on that spectrum of lone wolf. No ties, certainly, but he wasn't sure how close he was to handing his life over to an unknown group of wolves. It was a risk he'd have to take eventually, but for now he was content to explore and roam. He'd use the excuse of getting to know this place for as long as he could.

He'd travelled southeast along the northern rim of these mountains. Somewhere in the middle of the range, he'd skirtted pack borders and headed back up to the ridge. It was peaceful up here. Quiet. Most did not travel so high so casually. He hadn't run into anyone in what felt like a long while, so when he began poking his head into nooks and crannies, he wasn't expecting to find much of anything at all.

Looking for a place to stay later tonight, he poked his head into a cave and decided to explore. Kero ventured deeper into a tunnel and quickly picked up the scent of water. Curious, he explored it further only to discover he was not the only one to have been lured in by such a unique location. He stepped forward, bringing himself shoulder to shoulder with the female surveying this place. "Not bad for a cave. Water looks nice. Decent space for this, that, or the other thing." He cast a side wards glance towards her. "Good find."

The female stuck her paw in the water, which was a good tempature for a drink on a hot day, but maybe just a bit to cold for a swim. Kivi smirked as she imagined shoving Zhavvi in the water every time she failed at her training. Kivi was about to leave the cave when she caught the scent of another wolf. She not only smelt him but heard him walking aswell, since it echoed in the cave. The only other sound was water dripping in the water from the top of the cave.

Kivi was about to pounce on whoever was getting closer, when before she knew it a stranger was standing beside her talking. The wolfess kept quiet as the male spoke about how it was a nice cave. Kivi noticed that unlike many other wolves she had met in these wilds, this male spoke English. Luckily for the stranger Kivi could understand him and speak English herself, but not without an accent.

"Yes, this cave will prove useful for what I have planned" she said and glanced at the stranger for only a moment before looking at the water. She wondered if he lived here, but based on how he said this was good find, Kivi came to the conclusion that this was his first time in the cave. "Did you plan on staying here" the female asked and waited for an answer. Even if he did plan on staying in the cave, Kivi would train Zhavvi here and let the stranger have the cave back when they found a new home. However if he didn't stay here it just made things easier for Kivi.

He was not sure what he was expecting from her, but the way that accent lingered around each word she spoke, was music to his ears. There was something foreign about it. Something different and exotic that made for a nice change of pace to the silence and casual musings of most others he encountered. The unique flavor in her voice was a small pleasure. It made her vastly more interesting than the majority of wolves he'd encountered thus far.

Kero's ears perked. It seemed she had thoughts for this place beyond standing here which led her to inquiring about his own intentions. "Seems like a good place to settle down for an evening, but beyond that, nothing. I never stay in one place for long." He glanced around the space, noting the outcroppings and ledges around the pool. The terrain was certainly one-of-a-kind. He'd not come across anything quite like it, which made him eager to explore.

Stepping closer to the edge of the pool, he let his curiosity get the best of him. Lowering his head to the water, he sipped at it, drinking at the cool, tepid waters that were clear and delicious. A rare place indeed.

A devilish grin cross his maw as he finished sipping. In one sleek, smooth movement, he dipped a paw into the pool and scooped up a pawful of water. He threw it in her direction, hoping his aim was true in his attempt to splash her.

It seemed the male only planned on staying the night, which satisfied Kivi. She would hopefully come back when he stranger wasn't here, so she could train Zhavvi. The female wasn't sure whatelse there was to talk about or even if she wanted to talk, so she just watched the male went to take a sip of the water. He seemed content with his drink however Kivi soon found water coming her way, and a second later her face was covered with drops of water.

A playful growl came from the wolfess as she sprinted towards the male. She would attempting shove him into the water, however Kivi would have to get wet herself if she wanted her plan to succeed. She closed her eyes just as she was about to hit the male, and waited to hear the sweet sound of a splash. Kivi just hoped that she didn't miss her target, as then she would be the only one in the water.

Haha! Got her. His smirk deepened, satisfied with being a pain in the ass. He had half a moment to wonder what kind of girl she was. Would she sob and complain that her fur was wet or would should be the kind to return everything she'd been dished out? That growl that poured out of her mouth spoke of a temper, but there was a playfulness to it that let him know he hadn't been entirely out of line. Perfect. They could have a little bit of fun and not get all super serious about a little water. Because really. Eventually they'd both dry. 

She charged him. Kero turned, lifting off of his front feet to hook an arm around her neck as she collided with him. Her momentum sent them both splashing into the water and Kero released her the second they hit. He splashed in his own space, surfacing, before he realized this pool was shallow enough for him to stand. Well, just barely. He scraped his hind paws against the bottom and used it to propel him towards her. 

He leapt through the tepid water and found her. With a playful growl, he went for her tail, tugging on it as he made to drag her further into the cave. There was totally no point in exploring where they'd already been. So why not have a little fun while they were at it?

Kiv felt an arm go around her neck, and just a moment later it disappeared and she was completely soak and wet. Kivi surfaced and opened her eyes, to see the male splashing about. She smiled satisfied that she had shoved him in they water. Unfortunately Kivi was not at big as the stranger was, so she couldn't stand and would have to paddle everywhere. The female treaded in the water for a few moments before she heard a growl and felt a tugging on here tail.

Kivi twisted herself to see that the male was the one tugging on her tail. She now was completely twisted around and started swimming after the male. She just hoped that they wouldn't get lost. A smile formed across Kivi's face as she had not had this kind of fun in awhile. Usually the female's entertainment was watching slaves fight over scraps or winning a fight. This was new, refreshing type of fun where she could actually laughed, and that was exactly what Kivi did. A chuckle escaped the wolfess as she swam after the male, going further and further into the unknown.

Just one tug and she spun around, paddling after him through the shallows of this place. Kero splashed through the water and landed upon a rock at the bottom. It was just tall enough for him to stand more securely in pool. He turned around, a large grin on his face as his tongue lolled between his teeth. She was coming. Slowly as she didn't appear to have the height to touch as he did, but she was coming all the same.

Kero leapt back into the water. He dove, holding his breath as he disappeared beneath the surface and peeled an eye open just enough to spot her. He submerged beneath her, catching her just beneath the shoulders as he lifted her out of the water only to duck back into the waves and wiggle out from underneath her.

He re-emerged in the water further back into the cave. She was laughing. Laughing was a good sound. Like music to his ears. Kero shook his head, flinging the water from his crown, before he dipped his face back into the water and sucked in a sip. Lifting it back out, he spit a steady stream of water in her direction. 

Kivi watched as a grin across the male's face. She was going to wipe that grin right off his face, or at least that's what she thought. Kivi found kept going after the stranger but when she passed the rock she had seen the male on, she couldn't find him. All of a sudden she felt something underneath her and she was lifted out of the water. The unexpected movement made a small shriek escape her. It was suprising for Kivi to actually shriek and act like a girl.

The female ended up back in the water as she felt the male wiggle away. She searched around for him, and watched him emerge deeper in the cave. Kivi swam after him again stopping when he shook his head. Drops of water hit her in the face and she glared at the male. Oh he was going to receive some serious payback. Just as Kivi was about to go after him, she watched as he scooped up water in his mouth and started squirting it towards her. Another laugh came from Kivi as she stuck her front paws out and started slamming them into the water, hoping to splash the male.

Haha. There she went. Squealing like a girl. Laughing. It was good fun. He found himself grinning along with her, adding in a chuckle here and there as he splashed around in the water and made a good time of it. It'd been a long time since he'd had a little good old-fashioned fun and games. Hell, it'd been awhile since he'd let himself relax along someone else long enough to play a little. but when the opportunity presented himself? Welp. Seize the day.

He splashed and sprayed her. She retaliated by slamming both paws down into the water. The waves struck him, rolling over top of his head head and blinding him for a moment until the water passed. He shook his head again, clearing his eyes before he spied a rocky outcropping over head. Kero crawled out of the pool and scampered up the rocky side to the ledge. Then? Cannonball, right back into the water near where she swam.

Kivi watched as the water hit the male, and then he crawled out of the water, only to hop back in. The wolfess swam to the same rock the stranger had gone to, and climbed up it but did not go back in the water. Instead she took a chance to catch her breath from all the swimming. The male might not be tired as he was able to stand, but poor Kivi had to keep working hard in order not to drown.

A few pants came from the wolfess as she tried to catch her breath. She looked at the male and was suprised how much he must like water. "Your like a fish" she said and didn't know if that was a compliment or not. Kivi realised that she was probably going to smell like a wet dog now, and that was the one thing about swimming that she wasn't looking forward to. She would have to go back to the meadow and roll around in the flowers to smell good again.

Kero paddled around in the water while she took the opportunity to crawl back onto solid ground. He watched her for a moment, wondering if she was up to something crafty, before he realized she was done. "What? Healthy wolf like you, tired already?" he teased, paddling over to the edge she'd climbed up on.

He pulled himself half out of the water and sat there, propped up on his elbows as she caught her breath. "Something like that," he replied to her comment about his being a fish. "Been awhile since I've had someone to swim with." His tail swished beneath him in the water. He was still feeling a little playful, but she appeared to be done with that. Too bad. He had energy to burn.

Nevertheless, he crawled fully out of the water this time. Standing nearby, he shook out his coat and glanced down at her. "Now what?" he asked, wondering what they'd be up to next. "I don't think you ever shared what you were doing with this cave." He glanced around. The entrance was somewhere back that direction, but there was still quite a bit left to explore.

Kivi smiled when he asked if a healthy wolf like her was tired already. She took being a healthy wolf as a compliment and was proud that it was clear she was healthy. "I'm not tired, just taking a break that way I can kick your ass later" Kivi said with a smirk and wondered if the male would think she was incapable of beating him. If he thought that she would just have to prove her fighting skills to him.

When he said how he hasnt had a someone to swim with for a while, Kivi shook her head to agree with him. She couldn't remember the last time she went swimming. "Same, haven't been swimming in some time." She enjoyed swimming with the male, he was fun and entertaining. Honestly she wouldn't mind hanging out with this male some more.

When he said what to do next Kivi shrugged her shoulders. She didn't really know what to do. "Maybe we could go expore the cave further, and find some hidden treasure." He seemed interested in what Kivi's plans were for the cave, and she couldn't see the harm in telling the male the truth. "I will be training someone on how to be a warrior in this cave."

It was his turn to laugh. "Yeah? That's what you're gonna do? Give my ass a good kicking?" He'd like to see that. Not that he didn't think she wasn't capable, but a good rough and tumble with her sounded like fun. Besides, he'd gotten her to give one of those high pitched girly squeals once. He was fairly certain he could pull another one out of her again. Part of him wanted a second chance to try. 

With his fur mostly shaken out, he was definitely drier and willing to explore. There was a part of him that wondered just how much further these caves went, but he knew, that with his present company, he was a bit distracted. While he was naturally good with direction and landmarks, that only worked if he was paying attention. Now that he knew she was planning on kicking his ass? Well... maybe it was better if he kept one eye looking over his shoulder. 

"Hidden treasure, eh? Wonder what someone might try to hide in a place like this." Maybe an elaborate collection of feathers so some princess could sleep on a featherbed. Or maybe a rare and exquisite bone that could be worried on forever. His thoughts wandered only to circle back around when she mentioned her plans to train someone in here. Now that he looked at it more thoroughly, this place had a great terrain for training. 

He looked at her, sizing the female up for a moment before a thought crossed his mind. "Well then, if you still want to kick my ass, what about a friendly spar? It's been a while since I've flexed those muscles. Why not break this place in? See if it's all it's cracked out to be?"

Roll! Kero Wins!!

"Bring it on" was all Kivi said before leaping at the male. She attacked, and dodged the best she could, but somehow the male was able to defeat her. Panting Kivi rolled over onto her stomach and crawled to the edge where the water was. She took a few gulps before turning and glaring at the male. She has to admit that he did fight well, and deserved the win. Kivi would not let this fight bring her spirits down, but instead use it to her advantage. She would take his tactics and use them against him next time they would spar, as she believed they would meet again.  

"Your are good" Kivi said with a smile and looked at the male. She was bad at accepting losing, but it needed to be done. The wolfess thought about pushing the male in the water, but then she would seem like a sore loser, and she didn't want to be called that. Kivi stood and stretched out her muscles, as it was bad to stay still after just sparring. The female looked down at her paw to see a few drops of blood. Kivi brought her paw up to lick the blood clean and quickly set it back down. "I'll just have to kick your ass some other time" she said and leapt back into the water.

Thanks for rolling!

She was quick to take him up on his offer. Without warning, she leapt at him, taking advantage of the element of surprise. For a while there he thought she might have him, but with a mix of her earlier fatigue from swimming and his size alone, as the spar wore on, the tables turned in his favor. He attacked and dodged, watching and learning from her style and technique. 

It'd been a while since the last time he'd sparred, but he was glad to see he still had it in him. Eventually they stopped, settling on him as the victor with the promise that next time they ran into each other, there would be a rematch. A small part of him hoped she'd win next time so they could settle the score and find a reason to break that tie. Of all the wolves he'd met this far during his travels, he was quite enjoying her company. 

She complimented him. He returned the favor. "You're not half bad yourself." She was good. It was clear she had quite a bit of experience on her and that this just wasn't her match. Next time. They'd have to see what happened next time.

As they finished circling, Kero rolled his shoulders and sunk into a downward dog only to roll forward into an upward position. Stretching. There was something nice about getting the blood moving again. That little bit of adrenaline coursing through his veins was an excellent high and he was definitely going to ride it out. 

She recovered quickly and nursed her paw. He smelt the coppery scent of blood on the air. It was hard not to in these close confines. Concern flickered through his eyes and she cleaned the wound and ignored it by hoping back into the water. Kero grinned and jumped in after her. 

Ducking beneath the water, he moved, catching her injured paw on his nose. He lifted his head out of the water, bringing her foot with him as he did. "You okay? Did I hurt you?" He wasn't sure if it was from the rocky terrain or if he'd gotten a little carried away. 

Kivi enjoyed the water, and watched as the male hopped in after her. She saw him go underwater and felt her paw move. When he resurfaced and asked if she was ok, a smile spread across her face. He was one of the very few male's who actually cared if she was ok after a fight. Kivi wasnt exactly sure how she got that wounds, but she didnt want him to feel bad. "I probably just scratched it on a rock."

After she explained her reasoning for the scratch, Kivi held her breath and dove underneath the water. She opened her eyes to see blue eveywhere. She stuck out her non-injured paw and could barley see what was infront of her. The female surfaced and caught her breath, before diving back down under the water. It was an interesting feeling being underwater. Kivi blew air out of her nose creating bubbles to rise to then surface. The wolfess once again resurfaced and blinked a few times to get the water out of hers eyes. She was enjoying this place, and was glad her had met the male, as he seemed to be able to do the impossible, which was put Kivi in a good mood. 

He watched her, peering at her as she replied to search her words for truth. Probably a rock? His ears twitched upon his head, uncertain as to whether or not that had been the case, but if she wasn't going to make a big fuss about it, neither would he. She seemed like a proud wolf, or at least someone who wasn't so quick to complain unless she had to. Admirable, but stubborn. He recognized it if only because he was much the same way too.

She dove, testing the water more soundly this time as she explored the water's depths. Kero submerged, swimming beneath the surface for a while before he filled his lungs with air and attempted to float upon the surface. He lingered, unmoving save for a few paddles here and there in which he used to stay afloat. He liked this place. He liked that it was out of the way and simple. He liked the company too.

After a while, Kero pulled himself out of the pool on the side where they'd first entered. He shook out his pelt for a moment before glancing back at the female still swimming off their earlier entertainment. "I think I'm gonna go sun for a bit. Dry off. You're welcome to join whenever you're done there." But no obligations. He lingered for a bit, awaiting a reply before he moved back towards the mouth of the cave and hopped up on a rock to laze within the sun's rays.

It seems the male was a bit skeptical of her answer, but there was nothing she could do to get him to believe her. After a while of them swimming around the male got out of the water and said he was going to dry off. Kivi was a little disappointed as she wanted to explore more of the cave, but she gave a nod to him while still in the water. She watched him leave the cave, and after a few minutes of explore the water the wolfess realised this place was boring without company.

Kivi climbed out of the water, and shook as much water out of her fur as she could. The female walked out of the cave, to be blinded for a few moments, before her eyes became use to the sunlight. She looked around to see the male up on a rock. Kivi sat down just outside the cave entrance and let the sun warm her. The female closed her eyes and looked up at the sun, letting it's rays warm her face.

The sun was warm and wonderful. It was a nice change in pace from the shadowed dampness of the cave. Kero pressed his eyes closed, turning his face into the rays as he let them coax the water from his fur and slowly render him dry. He felt cleaner this way. Less wild and untamed. If anything, the warmth from above was lulling him near the edges of sleep. He was not yet lost to those thralls, but if he lingered for too long, he very well may be.

He sat still and reserved; sphinx-like. After a while, he heard the soft, damp footsteps of the female as she moved nearer him. He peeled an eye open and glanced down at her, watching as she sat down in the entrance. She was still damp from their swim, but he had a moment to wonder what her coloring might look like when it was not concealed beneath the cloak of wet.

His own fur was returning to it's former glory. The damp hues lightened towards their red-orange splendor as the fire roared within his coat. He stood then, lifting from his perch as he stretched and moved about the ledge. If he sat still for much longer, he'd truly fall asleep. "Where are you going after this?" he asked, curious. They'd shared next to nothing about themselves. He knew she had plans to bring back someone she knew and teach them the ways of the warrior, but beyond that nothing. Not even a name. 

Perhaps that air of mystery was enough. 

Kivi opened her eyes when she heard the sound of the male moving around. When he asked the question the female closed her eyes once again, and answered after a brief pause. "I'm traveling with group of wolves. We're looking for a new home." That word home sounded weird to Kivi. The wolfess wasn't even sure if there was such a place for her. Even if she did follow Rakharo, and they found the plains they were searching for, Kivi would be spending most of her time away from the pack. However she would return every few days to train Zhavvi and hunt for the caches.

A breeze blew by, making the wolfess shiver. She was still damp and being so high up on the mountain was not exactly the perfect weather. The sun was nice, but if a breeze came by, or Kivi stepped in the shade, it felt like she had been swimming in a frozen lake. As the female opened her eyes, her honey colored orbs found the male and a question popped in her head. "What about you? Got any family in the area?" Kivi would be a bit jealous of anyone being happy around their parents or sibling. She had lost most of her family and only knew very little about where most of her siblings were now. Kivi was determined for when the time came and she had pups, she would make sure their family was complete with a father and mother by her children's side. There was no need for any more broken family's, as they only brought hatred and sadness into this world.

After a moment, she revealed her purpose within this world. Or, if not her purpose, than her current calling. Traveling with other wolves. Looking for a new home. He lifted a wolven brow, curious if only because he'd not encountered too many caravan's in his time. They certainly weren't unheard of. Packs tended to relocate whenever their territory suffered from misfortune. There was no point in staying in a place that could not provide for its people.

"Any luck finding anything yet?" he asked. "Any prospects?" Curious, mostly. He'd covered a fair amount of ground in this region and there were a number of areas that could lend itself to a sizable pack. If a new pack was looking to settle somewhere, he was interested in knowing what they thought about their options. What kind of real-estate where they in the market for?

Watching her, he noted the way she shivered. Down there and farther from the sun? It was a small wonder that the breeze sent a chill down her spine. "Sunlight's a little more direct up here," he said, stepping aside so that she had the room to join him on his rock if she so desired. He wasn't sure whether or not she'd take him up on his offer, but her eyes flicked to him all the same as she asked another question. 

Did he have family in the area? "No. I'm on my own." A lone wolf through and through. "Not sure where I'll end up yet." Somewhere. That much he knew. He'd find a place that would work for now and if that was not enough, he'd find something else, something different later. 

Last post from me, that way we can focus on our other thread <3

Kivi had not traveled very far from the meadow yet, but she plans on do so. She was not very good with staying in one place for a long time, and the craving to explore was hard to resist. The female had personally not come across any possible locations on which they could call home, but maybe someone else had. "Nothing so far." Kivi thought for a moment and wondered what was over this mountain. Perhaps it was the most beautiful land she had ever seen, or maybe it was the ocean she had heard so many stories about. Either way, anything would be better than that horrible meadow they were being forced to live in now.

When the male offered for her to sit up on the rock with him she shook her head no. It's not that she didn't want to sit next to him, but instead that it was time for her to return to the meadow. She needed to make sure the others had not found a home, and would leave without her. She gave a soft smile at him when he said he had no family or current place to stay. "I would offer you a place with the group I'm in, but my Khal...um I mean King would probably not be very accepting of you." After a moment of silence passed, Kivi spoke once again. "I best be getting back to the group. I'm sure you'll find the perfect place to live out your life." She wasn't sure if the male was searching for a home where he would stay forever, but it didn't matter. The wolfess gave one last smile before tuning and making her way down the mountain, silently hoping she would meet this male again.

Good call! I'll get this thread archived. <3

"Nothing so far." Kero grinned. Finding a new home was terribly difficult, perhaps more so than one would ever imagine. There had to be the right amount of space and natural nooks and crannies to offer protection from the elements. Then there needed to be the right amount of herds or other prey readily available. There was nothing quite like finding the perfect home and later realizing a meal was miles away. Finding the right territory was far more complicated than it may seem. 

She declined his offer to join him on the rock. He took no offense and instead lowered himself where he stood. With a nod in return, he settled and listened as she spoke a word she did not recognize and corrected herself with one she did. Her group seemed... different. Perhaps it came with the culture that gave her such an enchanting accent. "Don't worry about it," he assured her. "I'm not ready to settle quite yet." The thought was kind enough. 

The female realized then it was perhaps time she overstayed her welcome. "Safe travels," he said to the wind as she turned and was already slipping away.