Silverlight Terrace scatter my soul across the floor

OOC Note: Backdated to January 2nd

January had set in and winter was here to stay. The sun had already set, it's feeble rays of light dimmed behind the heavy blanket of steele clouds that layered the sky. Now, before total darkness set in, the land was cast in a pale glow. The transition between light and dark, neither night nor day. It was the perfect time for creatures such as herself to stir, to arise and unwind. 

Tzila had not moved far in the days that had since passed. She had managed to make it over a small section of mountain from the frozen lake in the west, and down into the more low lying areas to the southeast. She moved more swiftness in her step than usual, though she had no reason to rush. She had no destination in mind. No where to be...nobody to meet. Instead, her quickened pace was a clue to her agitation this evening. The air, for some reason, felt too warm for her liking. She wanted it colder.

Her lips pressed into a tight line as she thought about the summer months, still a long ways off. "Fuckin heat. If only it could stay cold all year long." She muttered bitterly to herself, with a cutting lash of her tail in the air. Perhaps once she had gotten to know the Teekon Wilds better, she would try to carve out her own little niche, high in the mountains during the hotter part of the year. Still feeling warmer than she preferred, with a growl she knelt down. Flipping onto her side, she rolled on her back amidst the abudant snow, silver eyes flitting closed as the icy touch she sought slowly penetrated her dark fur. Peppered in white dust now, she flipped back up to stand, stretching, front legs first. That was so much better.

The beast was returning home from scouting the mountains west of his pack's claim. He was curious about the pack that resided there, interested to catch a glimpse of any of their members and learn information about them if he could. He would return home with no information this time, but he was a persistent hunter and would return later to continue his mission. 

As he made his way across the snow-covered field the scent of a stranger halted his steps. In general, he hated strangers; he never knew what to expect with them, and he rarely met them with anything less than watchful hostility. But this wolfess was too close to his claim for comfort, and so he decided to seek her out and learn what she was doing here. His violet gaze eventually found the inky woman, and Midar paused his advance, a harsh snort from his nose the only sound he gave to inform her of his presence. His expression remained unreadable as he watched the other wolf, waiting to see how she would react to his intrusion on her solitude.

She thought she was alone. By herself, comfortable with nothing more than her own presence and the shadows. Tzila smirked to herself. They were the only company she ever needed, on days like these. Alas, her evening was not to be one spent in solitude. A harsh huff from nearby pierced the silence. Turning on a dime, the inky female spun to seek out the source.

His violet stare gave him away first. The blue black of his coat was a match for the night, while hers was but a void, tinted with blood-fire. She stiffened, the folds of skin lining her muzzle crinkling, lips sealed. Locking him with her silver gaze, she wondered how long he had been there. Had he been watching the whole time? Smoothing her expression into something less harsh, Tzila reclined on her haunches. Unmoving, she vocalized flatly. "Can I help you?"

She seemed startled as she whirled around to look at him, but Midar watched silently, his gaze calculating, searching for signs of weakness or ill-intentions as she sat down. His ears flattened briefly at her words. No not really, he replied. Just wondering what a lone wolf is doing wandering so close to two different claimed territories, the beast added, concealing any further signs of irritation behind his blank mask. He had no interest in anything else until he learned her reason for being here--knew whether or not he needed to take her out. Unlike most monsters, he at least needed some justification before taking a life, and until she gave him a reason, he would be content to hear her out.

On any given day, nobody would be able to predict what kind of mood the dark female would be in. And unfortunately on this evening, hers was more of the sour variety. Her ears shifted back some, the skin under her silver eyes crinkling slightly. What business did this man have, asking her why she chose to roam in this spot? 

He's got a bit of nerve. She thought humorlessly. There were times when Tzila was wise enough to hold her tongue, to put some thought into her speech. And other times, she spoke her mind, without care. With a snort, she replied in a short voice with a hint of smart assery. "Trying to enjoy my evening in peace." She rose slowly, with intent but did not proceed forwards nor back. Her silver eyes glinted. "Perhaps mapping the area while at it." As far as she knew, she had stepped on no toes by straying too close to a packs borders. These lands, by the lack of scent markers, she assumed to be neutral. So she would push on, familiarizing herself with this vast wilderness.

Midar almost released a sick laugh. Peace was not something that usually happened when he was around, and so this woman was out of luck. Still, he watched her, studying her with his calculating gaze, eyes following her every movement as she stood up. He long ago lost any kind self-preservation; maybe it was at the bottom of that mountain where he woke up without his memories, he didn't know, but nothing could make him back away from a challenge. So far though, this wolf only seemed mildly irritated, so he was content to hear her out a little more--mildly irritated was his natural state anyway. 

It would be wise to keep your mapping away from the forest, he finally replied, lifting his head towards the trees where his family resided. He didn't really give a shit what she did in the mountain wolves' territory, but he sure as hell wasn't going to let her near the forest with out a fight.

Both dark ears slid back further against her skull, cold eyes narrowing. What did he just say? Ah yes, keep away from the forest. Tzila didn't know whether to laugh in his face or let her irritation bubble over. In the end, she settled for shifting gears. She slid into a mode where she appeared laid back and smug, ever so carefully mind screwing her victim.

Two slow calculative steps brought her forward, with her dark head poised low, as if to threaten. "Why should I? You don't smell of a pack. You own nothing." Came her smug, self assured reply. Her eyes locked onto his, hard as her lips tightened. The day she smelled his piss laced along the forest he spoke of, she would believe him. "Have you ever possibly considered the fact that I explore with purpose? To know where the hell I'm going and where to avoid, hmm?" She tipped her head with a sarcastic raise of one brow.

He didn't miss the two steps she took forward, but he remained calm despite her inflammatory posture and words. He was not scared of some lone wolf. In fact, there were very few things Midar was afraid of, and dying wasn't one of them. Still, he offered her no outward emotions other than disapproval. Last he checked, he and the other Melonii's owned the forest, but he had sufficiently warned her, and so if she didn't want to head that warning, then she would pay with her life; it was that simple. 

To her question, he offered a shrug of his blue-black shoulders. There are many reasons one explores, he answered, looking somewhat bored. I don not pretend to know the intentions of others. Nor did he really care to. She was of no importance to him, so he really didn't care why she did what she did; all he cared about was that she did it somewhere away from the forest.

Sorry for the hold up.

She would move no closer. She wasn't that stupid. Or overconfident. Whatever you wanted to call it. Her hips eased her bottom to the ground, where she would sit in an almost diplomatic pose. Her silver eyes rolled skyward in boredom. "No shit. I've known that." 

Dark ears flicking forward, she looked at him squarely again, only now briefly noticing the purple, spider like mark on his right shoulder. Tch. Some kind of power symbol? Who cared. She sneered slightly. "When and if the day comes that I catch a whiff of ownership on this forest..." One dark brow raised for emphasis. "...which I might add I have never even been to, then I will keep well away." Until then, Tzila would roam where she damn well pleased, bound by the rules of no one.

No worries <3

His jaw tightened at her tone, violet glare boring into her face at such disrespect. She was walking a fine line. This woman had no idea that a monster stood before her--one that sought to collect life as payment for any wrong done to him or those he cared for. If only she knew how close he was to losing a grip on his control. Best to leave then, he had somewhere to be--no time to murder right now, unfortunately. 

You would be wise to keep your promise then, he said first, tone chillingly quiet and not conveying any of the anger that lied just beneath the surface of the beast. Next time I wont warn--I'll just kill you. His watched her for a moment longer, his expression blank, and then he turned his back on her, padding away quietly through the trees unless stopped.

It was true. The scarlet ruffed female had a way of really pushing the limits of others. Be it intentional or not, she would make no apologies. Often she ignored the warnings of others, too caught up in her misplaced self-confidence. One day it would catch up to her and bite her in the ass.

Today was not that day.

Silence stretched between them after the last syllable left his lips. Any smugness on her face was wiped away, replaced with a stony coldness and a knowing glint behind her eyes. Tzila was not unnerved in the least...nor had he managed to ruffle her feathers any further. Only after he turned to be well on his way, did she mutter lowly. "Till next time..." She moved on in the opposite direction, relieved to put this...annoyance behind her.