The Sunspire Frisky bitz thief

@Damien. Also tagging @Leo, but keeping things slightly vague in case Athena doesn't want to hop in and risk him getting attacked.

From the vale she'd continued onward, climbing the nearest peak until she was content with her distance from the flattened ground. Then she tilted her head back and allowed for her voice to rise with the wind, alerting those back home of her plan to lengthen her time away. While it was bound to not last any more than two days, tops, she felt it necessary to inform the others of her whereabouts. They had given her their loyalty, and so the least she could do in return was keep them well informed of everything. Again, she did not take the time to consider whether or not she'd be followed, for even if she was there was nothing wrong with them doing so. If anyone from the dome was curious of where she was going and wished to travel with her, then she would not prevent them from trailing after her.

While Asterr did not mind company, she did not expect it, either. Therefore making it unsurprising when she carried on with her journey, rather than waiting around to see if anyone would come to her side. If they wished to do so, she could only hope they didn't feel it necessary to sneak around, and would call back to her so she might be able to at least slow her pace for them to catch up. Until she heard a familiar voice, however, the young dragon would not cease her trek across the range. Majority of it was rough and inconsistent where elevations were concerned, but she did not mind. Though naturally slender, her body had been growing more accustomed to the rising slopes with each passing day. Even so, she found it to be quite the relief when her legs led her up a gentle slope, the change allowing her muscles some time to relax.

There was a faint scent that met her nose, signalling a claim. It was distant, however, faded away and hardly even noticeable. If it weren't for her attentive nature and common sense that informed her trespassing was wrong, there was no denying that she would have very easily missed the stale markers. While she knew a claim had once been placed upon the mountain, the current condition of it revealed that the pack had departed from the lands. That in itself was mildly concerning, for there was no way for her to know if they'd left on their own or if they'd been forced out. Uncertain of what might lie ahead, her ascent of the slope consisted of carefully placed steps and all of her senses on high alert. If something had driven them out, she certainly did not wish to feel it's wrath as they had.

Leaving notice to Burke that he would be away a few days, Damien left the darkness of Blackfeather Woods for once in a long time. He felt so comfortable at home, so accustomed to the shadows, and so connected to it's energy that he hated leaving the place; but lately that same energy had been Darker than usual, short of overwhelming. He simply didn't know for how long he could hold himself together if he stayed there.

Damien did not have a plan for his journey, and he knew the risks of leaving the pack in the middle of winter, but that was actually the point. Damien wanted--No, he needed to find peace, and since the only place he'd ever found it in was hell, he hoped that getting lost would take his mind away from all the pain, and for once, allow him to stop thinking.

His foot took him north, past a huge lake and up a mountain. So far it had been a couple days since his first step out of Blackfeather Woods, but still it seemed that the darkness of it had clung on him like a disease. He couldn't run away from the void his mother had left in his heart; he couldn't help missing his sister; he couldn't drop the anger for being abandoned by his father; and lately, the guilt of giving in to the desire of closeness to his brother had been the catalyst that made everything feel ten times worse.

While he ignored the fact that there had once been a pack that inhabited the peak he was nearing, he could sense the faint smell of fading markings, and as he ventured further up he noticed the signs that showed him this was an abandoned claim. For a moment he focused more in what he'd found rather than the pain in his heart, and he allowed his mind to drift away from the darkness.

Further up the hill Damien caught a glimpse of a stain in the white mantle in the distance. It moved, and his eyes shifted to make out the figure. It was unbelievable, and Damien blinked amazement. It was him. Coat of midnight black and eyes of pale silver. It had to be an apparition, but just to make sure Damien walked towards "himself" as he drowned in curiosity.

Wherever Asterr would go, Leo would try his very hardest to follow. He had not the independence of regular wolves his age, far from it. The boy would most likely never develop in the same way most wolves had. So special, a dark wisp had whispered in his ear.

So when he heard her familiar call, Leo couldn't stop himself from tracking it down. Footfalls were cautious, yet had a quick pace in it. He found himself yearning to be by the dark female. She reminded him of a very warm and caring presence. Something even he could understand perfectly. She was like his mother to him, his only one. One that always came back. One he could not, no, would not ever leave. Asterr was the only thing pure in this world anymore.

When he saw her dark form in the distance he couldn't contain from calling: "Asterr!" He was in a great mood already, that was until he saw another dark form. One that was unknown. Leo skidded to a halt, lowering his body to the ground. The stranger can more than likely see his bright pelt on the somewhat flat slope. There was no use hiding.

The more closer the male became, the more anxious he got. Something about him made him uneasy. He reminded Leo of a dark day. A storm.

oh boy..

Curiosity filled her steps, her only intentions being to further scout out the land in which she'd stumbled across. Before having even stepped foot onto the gentle slope, she'd decided it was as far as she'd go for the time being. Her tribe needed her, and she would make quick work to return to them once her interest had been settled. However, it seemed things would not be so simple, for her eyes eventually fell upon a form similar to her own. The wind brought with it the scent of a male, as well as a pack whose name she did not know. He was dark in colour, just as she was, with silver eyes standing out upon his face. His physique, however, differed from her's greatly. Even from a distance, he could see he was larger in size, possessing more muscles than she ever would. When he started to approach her, she remained still, standing in place as she observed his movements.

Soon after having spotted her male doppelgänger, a familiar voice filled the air. Her gaze was pulled from the stranger and placed upon Leo, watching as he'd approached her. She'd not expected him to follow, though she knew that she really should have. "Leo," the yearling greeted, moving closer in order to touch her muzzle to his shoulder gently. She'd noticed the change in his demeanor right away, and immediately returned her attention to the unknown wolf. Her body remained near to the boy's, her stance undeniably protective, signalling the child was a companion of hers. "Hello," she then called out, the word directed at Damien. If her movement towards the sandy child was not evidence enough to support that she was of flesh and blood, then the sound of her voice surely would be. While apparitions could speak, the feminine pitch of her words would leave anyone who heard unable to mistake her for a boy. It was impossible for her to be a phantom of the shadow child, yet she knew not that to be the reasoning behind his approach.

Damien to Leo:

What could ever be any better than to find, in a journey to self-redemption, your inner self in a physical form, and the possibility to talk tings through and figure out the core of your problems to ultimately kill your own demons with the help of your own very self? I would say... Nothing. That would be epic. But sadly this wasn't the case for Damien...

It started looking less like an epiphany as soon as Damien started moving towards his doppelgänger, that what his eyes were seeing wasn't an illusion or the manifestation of his spirit; and the closer he got the clearer it became how different he was from the other figure. It started to become obvious that what he was looking at was a female, her size and figure had betrayed it; but Damien wouldn't deny that the feminine version of himself was kinda hot. Well, what else could she be when Damien himself was a smokin' stud?

And then BAM, the charm was abruptly murdered when yet another wolf came out of the blue; obviously younger, male and... Mysteriously familiar...

"Hello," was all Damien managed to say, for his mind was fogged with thoughts as he tried to recall where he'd seen the other male, and because the resemblance between himself and the cute girl was uncanny...

At that moment when the mysterious male spoke he wanted to make an amazing escape, but found his paws glued to the ground. There was no way in a million years that Leo would leave Asterr alone at this moment. He didn't have a good feeling about this guy at all. Anyone who gave him memories of the darker days weren't friendly in his eyes.

Despite the want to run away with his tail tucked, he tried to keep a confident stance. Tail raised and eyes lowered, he inspected Damien as much as he could. "Do you l-live here?" he asked in his usual stuttering voice. It had become his way of speech. Who could blame you if you were bonkers?

It was growing difficult being in the presence of the two males, for she'd felt herself being pulled in opposite directions. On one hand, she'd wished to offer the stranger the same polite behavior she'd always used, but on the other she'd wanted to focus only on Leo. The boy's emotions were so strong she could practically feel them rolling off him in waves, and it worried her greatly. Her eyes flickered between the two, but she said nothing on their bearings towards one another. It wasn't long after that that her gaze settled upon her companion, admiring his effort to appear braver than what she believed him to feel in their current situation. Softly, she'd murmured, "Do not worry, Leo. Keep your head high, everything will be just fine." She'd flashed him an encouraging smile afterwords, then averted her attention back to the other male.

Asterr felt herself to know the answer before one was given, based off of her observations alone. No fresh scents had marked the base of the slope, nor had she been able to pick up on anything that might signal a squatter being present. Her thoughts had not been shared, however, for there was always the chance that she'd turn out to be incorrect. The dragon would remain quiet from then onward, only speaking after Leo's question had been answered. "My name is Asterr Draconid and this is my companion, Leo," she'd offered, favouring names over things like 'that wolf who looks like me' or 'that fetching boy'. "May I ask for your name?" All the while her posture remained neutral, perhaps even inviting. Having yet to give her a reason to be wary of him, the yearling let it be known through body language that she would not prevent him from moving closer if he chose to do so.

Wow... This post sucks guys, I'm very sorry xD

Damien did not fear to look straight into others' eyes. He was arrogant, and felt in possession of every inch he occupied, anything adjacent to it and everything beyond, and the reaction of the young male made him feel even more in control, he transmitted just how confident he was of himself by looking right into the younger male's grey, scarred eyes. But his attention was dragged back to Asterr when she spoke.

Without asking, the female offered her name and her companion's. The way she spoke, almost as confidently as Damien himself made him feel weird. "Damien Mehrunes," replied the young male calmly, and rather arrogantly. "And no, this is not where I live." was all he answered to Leo's question. "I haven't found your scents around here either... I suppose you're visiting as well..." he commented. Although it was rather obvious that no wolf claimed the spire Damien felt an urge to make Asterr talk again. His cold eyes scanned her face with caution, and then settled in her own pale orbs.

He lifted his chin a small bit with Asterr's reassurance. There was a good feeling that as long as he was with her, he would be safe. Still though, he couldn't shake the strange feeling that he'd seen him from somewhere.

When this Damien replied, it was in a rather arrogant tone. It didn't set so well with Leo, though he didn't show it. He didn't further say anything, leaving the talking to Asterr. He wanted to leave, though he couldn't bring himself to leave Asterr alone with this guy. There was just a bad vibe about his demeanor.

The dragoness had not missed the boy's slight raising of his chin, to which she could do nothing but faintly smile at. He seemed uncomfortable—extremely so, even—but had not left for home just yet. He'd instead decided to remain at the yearling's side, and that in itself was an excellent example of the courage she'd assured him that he possessed. That valor seemed to only go so far, however, for the boy had fallen silent. She did not mind being left to converse with the stranger by herself, but was curious of exactly why her companion had fallen quiet. She would ask him later, perhaps, but for the time being she would continue to be attentive of the other yearling.

A name was given, the tone it rode out on clearly having been a product of one of the finest examples of egotism the girl ever did come across. She had not felt threatened by the metaphorical pedestal he'd placed himself atop, but rather she was somewhat amused. Had he something to prove? With her, there was nothing, but with those dwelling in his home... well, she could never be sure of anything like that without first learning more of him, but she couldn't help but wonder if that might be the case. Perhaps she would be able to learn more of him as they carried on with a conversation; assuming he would be kind enough to stick around.

"We are," she said, confirming their reasoning for being there. "Exploring as well as scouting out the area, searching for anyone who might be alone as well as any lingering herds." She had already caught on to the fact that he was not a loner, but a member of some pack she knew not the name nor location of. "Where might you live, if not here?" It would be impossible for her to recognize the name of any pack given, unless it was Silvertip, but she'd paid that detail little mind. There would be plenty of time to venture further out and explore, so perhaps someday she might stumble near to there (but hopefully not because, well, u kno). "What has brought you to these mountains?"

Damien could sense that the young male next to Asterr was not comfortable with Damien's presence, but at this point, with no clue that it was one of Grimnir's pups, Damien had assumed he was just very imposing and frightening, which actually made him feel badass. Leo had changed a lot since he was with Blackfeather Woods, even his coloring and shape were completely unrecognizable, so for now he would be safe. Damien wasn't looking for Grimnir for now, and his pups were the least of his concerns.

Asterr shot a few questions at Damien, and if it was for him to judge, it sounded a lot like someone who was trying to gain followers. "I'm not alone..." Damien assured with a smile, "Not that I'm a scout, but I figured knowing what's beyond my home couldn't hurt... I'm from Blackfeather Woods," he confessed with pride, swaying his tail confidently.

Right when he said were he lived, Leo's blood ran cold. No, he thought to himself. He thought he would never see another face from that place again. He didn't want anything to do with that place. Too many sour memories to handle.

Now he knew he couldn't leave Asterr alone, not that Damien showed any intention of attacking her. Still, in his mind he had a feeling something bad would happen if she was alone with him. Leo would just have to keep calm until the conversation was over.

The assumption she'd made based upon his scent had turned out to be true—he was not a loner, but lived within a pack elsewhere. When the name of his home had been revealed, there was a great deal of pride clearly identifiable within his tone. He valued his home and would honour it, she was certain of that, and even though she knew nothing of the place he'd named, that was something she could relate to. It was similar, she believed, to how she felt towards the tribe she'd been born into, and was bound to feel towards the tribe she aimed to found. It was a trait, or perhaps a state of mind, that any leader should be grateful to have within their ranks. Such made her feel, if only briefly, jealous of whomever the boy served under.

"It is sometimes nice to get away from one's home now and again, would you not agree?" No matter the commitment someone held towards their home, the day in which they crossed over the borders would always come. Not to say they'd leave forever, of course, but many needed that little shove from the nest to better understand the world and, in turn, better their homelands. "I am afraid I have never heard of your... pack before," the yearling noted, having needed to remind herself midway that not many referred to their colonies as 'tribes', but rather as 'packs'. It was something she would certainly need to get used to. "I am interested in what your home might be like, but please, do not feel obligated to answer." A sidelong glance was tossed in Leo's direction before she then took a few steps forward, sitting herself down and facing her clone. It was clear she did not harbour the same fear that the child behind her did, and that she was interested in conversing further with her male counterpart.

Like a buzz of energy, Damien felt the increase in Leo's anxiousness when he mentioned Blackfeather Woods. Even hidden behind Asterr Damien could feel the negative thoughts pullulating out of his ears, but once again, Damien ignored it, feeling it was more important to focus on the female this time.

"I will agree with you... I only did it once before when I was very young, and didn't quite like it if I may say; but this time I really needed to breathe fresh air." barked Damien, talking freely to a stranger for the very first time ever... He couldn't tell what (perhaps her physical resemblance to himself) but Damien felt like he didn't care to tell lies for once. He simply did not care.

Asterr asked about Damien's pack, a word that sounded almost alien in her voice, but the question was the same regardless. "Not may do, until they find themselves irrevocably faced against us." explained Damien with a certain pride to his words. "Our forest is rather Dark, which is not appealing to many so everyone tends to avoid it. I am grateful for that..."

He continued to listen on to the conversation. The more the two spoke with each other, the more Leo became confident that Damien didn't notice him. Besides, his image had altered greatly since he lived in Blackfeather. His coat held multiple colors and his face scarred. Maybe he was safe after all.

So he wasn't quite as well versed, so to speak, as she was in the art of traveling. It was only his second time journeying away from home, going by the information he'd given to her, which she found to be quite surprising. Judging by his appearance, she would have pegged him as the type of travel often, searching the world for various things—perhaps even to try and conquer it. But, that simply wasn't the case, reminding her not to judge someone by their outward appearance. "Is there something back home that troubles you?" the yearling inquired, wondering exactly why he'd needed a breath of fresh air. Seeing as it was a question that leaned more towards the personal side of the scale, she made it known that he did not have to answer if he didn't wish to. Considering she would request the same thing had the tables been turn, she'd have no problem if he decided to ignore her question.

A dark forest... for such a bright soul, it was most definitely not the most appealing of images, but she did not voice her opinion. "I cannot say I would be too interested in visiting," she began, a soft smile accompanying her words to show she meant no offense. "But I am sure it is a wonderful place for you. Homes come in various forms, so I do not doubt that it must be a special place."

The young ward had been long forgotten by this point. There was still an ear out on him, vaguely acknowledging his presence, but that was just a mere reflex of Damien's stealth training, being aware of everything around him all the time. It was hard to look away from Asterr. The young leader was radiant, inspiring even for Damien who barely knew her, and the male was somewhat compelled by her gaze. He couldn't stop thinking if that was what everyone else felt like when he stared them down. That must be quite an experience, huh?

"Well..." started Damien, thinking twice about the consequences of talking about his private life with a complete stranger, "My family can sometimes be a bit of a challenge to handle..." was all he said, and then looked away, not wanting Asterr to see the internal struggle through his eyes. Luckily for him, Asterr knew to recognize when the wrong string was pulled and changed the topic effortlessly.

"It is extraordinary," assured Damien as pride filled his pupils again, "But visitors are not allowed." Smooth.

Permission to skip Leo was given. Wanna wrap this up soon, @Damien? :o Since it's gotten pretty old.

Asterr was often left unaware of the effect she held over others, despite her partners in conversation holding onto her full and unwavering attention; as far as she was concerned, anything less was undoubtedly rude and incapable of creating the correct impression. She was not the arrogant sort, however, often chalking up the behavior around her to simple antics or the true personality of those she meets. In Damien, for example, she saw naught the child of the night, but a troubled and brightly spirited soul seeking some form of release. Of course, that very same release she'd thought up was nothing more than the emotional, or perhaps mental as a whole, sort. Physical possibilities were... out of the question, her mind skeptical about entertaining them for even a split second.

"I see..." the girl had murmured, understanding, in a way, what he meant. "Family can, at times, be challenging to live amongst and converse with regularly." An agreement, though she did not stop there. "Still, they act and speak only with you in mind. I am sure that which ails you is only them doing their very best to ensure the greatest of lives for you." If only she knew. Though, perhaps, if she was aware of the entire story she might do nothing more than encourage it. After all, if not your siblings, then who else is best equipped to love you? Of course, Asterr was most likely not the greatest of voices to go by on such a topic anyways, given the fact that her own siblings had served as her everything. From best friends to companions in the quest for knowledge, she'd had only them.

Another attempt was made to switch the conversation to another topic entirely, though how well it would go had yet to be decided. The dragoness had to comment on most things, albeit carefully and with words of great poise. Thankfully, the comment regarding his home had acquired her interest, giving her the opportunity to focus upon that. "What if I might like to see you again?" came her simple question, soft-spoken and dabbed lightly with curiosity. "Are there any other territories near enough to your home that we might be able to meet in?" A second passed before she added, "If you would accept another meeting with me, that is."

Damien could only agree with what Asterr had to say about family, especially Damien's. But the direction that conversation had turned was not the one he intended, and feeling the pressure he always did when speaking about his family the male decided to nod and look away. That would surely be enough for Asterr to understand.

However, when the female asked whether there was a way for her to meet him in the future, Damien's blue uneasiness became pure anxiety. He looked back at her with bright eyes and stoicism in his expression. Not much deliberation was needed for him to decide he would have liked to see Asterr once again.

"You would only need to howl for me," he said peacefully, inviting, and then he fell silent, lost in the enigma that were her eyes. The same eyes he had.

wrapping this up!

Going over to visit? Visit Blackfeather? Leo wanted to tell her the dangers of going then and there, but the older male kept his lips sealed. He would just have to tell Asterr later.

"I best be going then," Leo blurted, quickly turning to leave. The pressure was to much and he didn't want to risk Damien finding him out.