Bramblepoint i got sugar and salt in my blood

@Tzila - set for 3/19

his mind was left racing after the whole encounter with ying, his paws moving even faster than his thoughts were. he'd carried himself far enough until her scent no longer clouded his mind, or judgment for that matter, and then set to immediately splashing himself back into reality with a swift dunk into a creek's rapids.

soaked from head to toe, though admittedly a bit more relaxed, the inky ghoul plucked himself from the waters and instantly took off in search of a meal. with any luck, he might just snag himself a snack and a much needed distraction all at once.

The last few days had been anything but un-eventful for Tzila. Not so much in the physical sense, but rather in the emotional. Much had transpired that left her with much to think about. She was still as conflicted as ever, feeling like she was being torn apart at the very seams that made her whole. She still had no regrets about her choice to abandon the Nightwalkers. For that, she would never have any doubts. She was too prideful to follow in the footsteps of a child, to run with a pack that fed off of chaos. As much as she loathed to admit it, she needed some form of structure in her life.

For now, that would come in the shape of her old lifestyle as a loner. Much to her pleasure, the sun was starting to get low in the sky. Darkness would be upon the Wilds soon; the time when she was most comfortable. She couldn't pinpoint why she elected to stay in the Great Bear Wilderness, of all places. Likely it had to do with the simple fact that she knew @Hydra was never far away. A powerful Queen she felt a strange pull towards. Her day at the beach with the dark stranger who she had left confused and probably hurt, was a fresh memory, but not one she dwelled on. Since then the scent of both the sea and the Nightwalkers was long gone from her onyx pelt. The lush forest she found herself tucked away in, was much more to her liking. Wedged in a temporary makeshift den of a hollow log, she rested, idly crunching on the bones of an old kill, intent on getting at the marrow for nutrients. Gods, did it feel good to be back to her old ways again.

his distraction it seemed, unknowingly came in the form of a familiar face.

it had been by chance that he passed by the same log she'd take shelter in, the sound of her gnawing capturing his attention as he grew close. for a moment he thought of ignoring whoever it was that rest inside, but his interest was piqued, and he instead chose to investigate.

he was sure whatever creature lied inside had taken notice of him by now, and so his approach to the mouth of the make-shift den was slow and cautious. carefully he bent down to peek inside, offering a friendly "hellooo" to whoever it was that had taken shelter there.

Soon her peace was disturbed by the sound of footsteps outside of her not so grand little home. The sound of teeth crunching against bones ceased, her ears cupping forward. The muscles of her shoulders tensed. It was natural for any predator, let alone a rogue wolf, to be defensive of their resources. Back in the day, Tzila was infamous for perhaps overdoing it. But it was such behavior that had seen her through for so long. She readied a growl in her throat, only for it to be quelled by a rather friendly and...familiar voice.

It was him. The handsome stranger she had so joyfully played with in the waves, then so rudely abandoned. She pressed her lips into a thin line, deep in thought. Should she even consider revealing herself to him after what she had done? Of knowing what kind of wolf she was...or at least, had lived her life as? In the end she decided she had no choice. She had already been discovered. Lining the roof of the log was an opening just enough for a wolf her size to pop their head through. Doing just that, albeit slowly, she muttered a quiet "Hi." Tzila may have looked almost cute, were it not for the deliberate avoidance of her eyes.

what little sunlight trickled in through the log was not enough for him to make out the details of her face, the majority of her figure still shrouded in shadows. he could however pick up her scent more clearly, the familiarity it leaving him wondering where he might have met her before.

turns out he didn't have to ponder for long, her face peeping out of a hole in the log and revealing who exactly had been inside. his face lit up at the sight of her, her current method of communicating with him reminding him of how a rabbit might peek out in search of danger. "nice little place you got here" he let out, paws scooting back a few steps so that she might have room to exit the log should she wish to do so.

Almost timidly, she chanced a tiny peek at him out of the corner of one moonstone eye. She glimpsed the bright expression on his face. Just seeing that made her throat close up and with it a fresh wave of emotions. Some small part of her wanted to surge forward and give him a heartfelt little hug, but Tzila remained rooted firmly in place. "Y-yeah, thanks. The beach was nice but this..." Her eyes traced the lengthening shadows that were beginning to creep over the trees. "...is more my taste."

He may notice her scent was different this time. No shred nor trace of a pack clinging to her fur. Things had changed since the first day they met. Comfortably, she rested her inky head on the mossy surface of the log, but still avoided his eyes. How long would it be till one of them cracked and brought up why she had ran off? If only he knew it wasn't his fault in the slightest. "What brings you out all this way?"

his brow raised as she stole a glimpse in his direction, his tail giving a few pleased taps against the earth's floor as he set himself down to sit. "i've found myself enjoying the forests too recently" he announced, briefly recalling his time since coming inland. he'd hoped to return to the coast eventually, if only to watch the sunrise there once more.

"been exploring" came his answer to her question, the change in her scent having not gone unnoticed. "what about you?" he asked with a tilt of his head, wondering what had caused her to supposedly abandon her pack between their last encounter and now.

She wasn't certain if she wanted to return to the coast. Not now nor ever. Her experience there with Astaroth hadn't been bad, even if it was her fault for ending it so abruptly. "I see." She commented and the continued. "There is much to explore." She should know, being fairly well traveled and all. Though he didn't know that. Heck, he didn't even know the first thing about her.

Still purposefully avoiding his eyes, she answered his simple question. "A lot." Inside the hollow of the log, unseen, she batted the scattered bones aside, resulting in a gentle clattering against wood. She repeated the motion again with her paw, back and forth. "Thinking...mostly." Her voice was distant. She raised her head up from its resting place. "Also, a few days ago I abandoned my pack, by choice..." Not that it was ever truly hers in any sense.

he shook his head in agreement at her mention of there being much to explore. he imagined, despite all the territories he'd explored since his arrival in the wilds, that he'd only just dipped his toes in what the teekons had to offer. the idea of there still being so much more to see made his heart throb with excitement.

"oh yeah?" he started, brows raising as she confirmed his suspicions in her abandoning her former pack. "that's pretty badass" he let out after a beat, a small smile tugging at the corner of his lips. not everyone had the guts to go and shove it to whatever group they were leaving, but those that did had his respect.

His comment took her pleasantly by surprise. Not all wolves would have considered the act so...admirable. Her brows shot up momentarily and she turned to look at him for the first time. Within seconds though, she quickly recomposed herself, tipping her chin up just a notch, with the barest hint of a smile. "Yeah it is ain't it?" Subconsciously, her tail began to wave, stirring up the loose wooden flakes of the innards of the log, to inevitably find their way into the fine black furs. "It wouldn't be the first time either."

Slowly, bit by bit, she allowed more of her true nature to creep out, inch by inch. But to be fair, Tzila also did not know what kind of man this handsome, golden eyed stranger really was at his core. "I never really was much a pack wolf." She said it so casually, disguising her real feelings on the topic. Though the briefest hard glint in her eyes may prove to be a clue. "This last one...wasn't what I expected. I got my thrill and all (or in other words, her use for them) but in the end they proved just too chaotic. And when I discovered a kid had won the top spot..." She withheld a snicker. "...well then, that was it for me."

his smile grew when she turned to face him, his own tail giving a few gentle sways against the earth's floor. everyone had their own path to walk, but there was something to be said for those who chose the one less traveled. in his mind, rogues had life just a bit harder than the rest, though he firmly believed them to have more fun in return.

"packs were never really my thing either" he started, gaze tipping upwards to glance at a group of birds flying overhead. he'd loved the one he'd grown up in, but his wanderlust had proven stronger than familial ties in the end. "you got to admit, it's a bit freeing not having ties anywhere" he let out while sucking in a breath, his attention falling back to the details of her face.

She locked her eyes onto his features, refusing to let go now that she had him. She dipped her inky head a notch lower, ears cupping back but remaining upright. "The first one I got into purely by accident. I was sick and had no choice but to accept their help." Her bright pink tongue slid out to moisten her lips. "The other...it just seemed like a good opportunity." There was nothing in her voice that implied she was in the least bit apologetic in her choice to ditch both packs. But the look on her face said there was a hidden reason for her lifestyle. "You said you grew up by a volcano. Surely you had a pack to run with then, yes?" 

this was the first chance he'd gotten a good look at her, his eyes tracing the feminine features of her face. she was pretty. "i did", came his answer after she'd shared her story and asked her question, his ears twitching as he thought back to his childhood.

"there was nothing wrong with them" he started, tail curling neatly beside him as he shifted his weight to the side. "i just wanted to see the world, and they didn't". he wouldn't sacrifice his dreams for someone else's happiness, no matter who they were.

As he looked at her, she did the same to him. Tzila knew perfectly well of her looks. She also happened to be the sort that was either all the more lovely when pissed off, or downright terrifying. Depending on one's point of view, of course. Tiring of being cooped up in the hollow log, she scooted out carefully the back end. Bits of tiny wooden debris clung to her onyx fur, but she seemed oblivious to them. First things first...she stretched out, loosening up the muscles around her spine. Once that was done, she moved around front and settled down a wolfs body away from him.

"Mmn. Of course. Some wolves...they just get that urge. It's only natural to disperse." Openly, but carefully, she edged to the sensitive topic. It took her a great deal of effort to control her voice. To stop the skin around her eyes from flinching. "But that wasn't the case with my family. I couldn't get away from them fast enough." She paused and then gave her words some thought. "Well, not so much them. But my brother..."

he watched as she made her way from the log and settled down not far away, his smile returning once more before it began to fade towards the end of her story. while he'd had a rather average upbringing, astaroth was aware that not everyone else was so fortunate.

the fact that she felt comfortable enough to share what he imagined was a sensitive subject, made him all the most interested in her words. "did he hurt you?" he wondered aloud, though wouldn't pressure her into answering should she wish not to share.

He couldn't see the many shallow wounds that had healed over beneath her thick winter fur. Courtesy of her encounter with Abbadon. Her other wounds, her emotional ones, were still tucked carefully beneath the surface. She was genuinely grateful that he wasn't trying to pressure her, yet coming off as concerned at the same time. Tzila was letting this out on her own. She had to. Somehow. To anyone, no matter how many times until it no longer hurt. Otherwise she'd be eaten alive from the inside out.

Before him then, her body changed. Each coiled muscle squeezed and tightened, her spine stiffening. The smooth skin of her muzzle went taut, but her teeth remained hidden. All to portray her akin to a panther, ready to strike. She didn't look quite so innocent anymore. "He did." She managed to creak out from her throat. "From the day he could speak." That little tidbit there he may latch onto, in that she meant the harm from her brother was emotional...psychological. "One day...I had enough. Enough of being walked all over. Belittled by him and my family." So her brother's ways had a domino effect onto her relatives. Her face darkened. "So I hurt him." She said with a cold finality, sparing the graphic details unless asked. Unless Astaroth truly wished to know the depth of her sins.

emotional advice wasn't really his strong suit. he preferred to listen then offer any sort of counsel, firmly believing that he wasn't experienced nor gifted enough to offer his guidance to others. so as long as she was willing to share, he would listen, free of judgment and discrimination.

even as her body contorted into something less appealing, he didn't move. there was no hostility directed towards him, and so he assumed it was just a natural coil of her muscles from the trauma in her past. "your brother sounds like a real piece of work" he let out, finding it difficult to imagine what having a sibling like hers would be like.

"if you ever see him again, do me a favor and kick him in the nethers for me would you?". he'd do it himself if he had a name and description to go by.

In this moment, here and now, counseling of the emotional sort wasn't what Tzila needed. All she wanted was for someone to listen. To listen without judging. And perhaps it was asking a little much, but also side with her viewpoint, even if it was selfish of her. The part of her that cared worried what she might see. She did not express the pleasant surprise and even relief she felt when Astaroth didn't recoil or sneer in disgust. Her tense muscles wanted to relax, but her body refused to relinquish just yet. "He is." She rumbled. "He exceeded me in every way and delighted in it." 'I was just never good enough' the look in her eyes seemed to say.

She snorted softly, tail tapping against the earth harshly. "Hmph. I'll do more than that. I'll rip them clean off." Her voice was cold, nothing at all light hearted in her cryptic promise. He didn't ask for a description, but he got one anyway. She gave a shake of her head, sighing. "He still haunts my dreams sometimes, the bastard. He's hard to miss. Dark like me, peppered with silver. Golden eyes like yours. His face is heavily scarred...missing a notch in his left ear." All her handiwork. 

he knew what it was like to be outshine by a sibling. his sisters, in all their glory, were everything his parents wanted them to be. obedient, loyal, hardworking. in comparison to them he could be considered a disappointment, a failure even. fortunately he'd never been seen as such in the eyes of family, a truth he was more than grateful for it.

he let out a chuckle at her remark, though winced slightly at the thought of having his family jewels torn off. "if i ever run into him i'll make sure to give you a call, we can tag team him" he let out with a wink. beating down some punk with a pretty girl? sign him right up!

Her darker side found great appeal in his proposal, despite the light hearted way in which Astaroth delivered it. But at least...he seemed to be on her side. Should she ever run into her brother again, that may change in an instant once he witnessed the terrifying creature she became. "Sure. He wouldn't know what hit him." She agreed easily. Another sigh spilled past her lips. "He was the reason my own family chased me out...thought I overreacted. Since then..." She paused to swallow a small lump in her throat. "...I swore myself against pack life. It's easier looking out for myself instead." Her silver eyes flitted to the dimming sky above their heads, the first winks of stars beginning to peek out. 

"No rules...no sharing...no judgement. I find that the survival of the fittest lifestyle has strengthened me." She offered openly, unashamed of such choices. To survive, a wolf must take what they need. At any cost. Getting up, not bothering to shake out her coat (still!) she padded closer to him with soft steps. Her inky form, which seemed to merge with the dark the more the light faded, hovered above him in a non-threatening way while she looked upon him. "The pack I ran with last...they reside in a deep forest cloaked in mist. Do yourself a favor and stay far away from their borders. They won't think twice of cutting anyone down who isn't fit to survive amongst them."

his tail gave a few cheerful taps against the earth when she agreed to tag team her brother with him. he imagined they'd make quite the pair, with her beating her brother to a pulp and him cheering on from the sidelines. though it was only at the mention of a rogue's lifestyle did his eyes truly light up with interest. now that was something he could relate to.

"being a loner is definitely for me" he announced, watching as she pulled herself up and padded closer. he knew eventually he'd like to settle down with someone and have some totally epic kids, but he was young still, and the idea of responsibility was less than appealing. "you don't think i'm fit enough?" he teased with a furrow of his brow, hoping the sarcasm was enough to keep her from thinking her words had been taken as an offence.

He continued to surprise her. Again, no shred of judgement, even after she gave him a hint of what the Nightwalkers were like. But a small smile did come to her face as he stated that he definitely favored the life of lone wolf. The only downside was when it came to hunting. Most big prey animals such as deer and elk were out of the question. Still, Tzila was resourceful and smart enough in that she was willing to team up in a cooperative effort with others to pull of such a feat. "Well, looks like we got something in common then." She smiled faintly.

Raising a brow at his little question, she certainly picked up on the teasing nature behind it. She let out a soft, contained chuckle, shaking her head. "Oh I would never say that!" She jested back, trying her damnest to resist his infectious humor. "But I am serious. Wolves in that pack either prove their worth by fighting. If you survive, you are accepted." Another flick of her tail. "If not, you might just escape alive. But the really unlucky ones...those that are weak...they were enslaved." The pitch of her voice lowered enough to convey the severity of what she said. This was no joke.

"that we do!" he exclaimed, lifting a foreleg to give her a friendly high-paw for their mutual preference of the loner lifestyle. similar to her own laughter, he too let out a chuckle, tail swaying contently behind him as she shot back at him. he would have liked to continue their lighthearted banter, but could tell she was serious in her warnings.

"i'm not much of a fighter, so i'll make sure to steer clear" he announced, sincerity in his voice. why she'd been with them was none of his business. she'd left, by choice no less, and that was all he really needed to know in order to tell she was better than whatever beasts lurked in that forest.

Tzila nodded, tail waving slowly. "Good. I doubt you would even want to run into them to begin with." Mindless beasts, that's what they were. Foolish enough, spineless enough to allow a child to lead. She had no comment to his non-fighting nature, unsure if it was entirely true. If he really wasn't the fighting type, then he might get way in over his head, one day. She on the other hand, was not at all opposed to a fight. Or starting one, if the right mood struck her.

Night had fallen, and its darkness seemed to remind her of her true nature. Or what she believed it to be. Her mood shifted and her eyes fell. Any light heartedness was gone from her face, replaced by a distant stoicism. She moved away only a few steps, as if to put distance between them. When she spoke again, her voice was removed. Hollow. "Look...you shouldn't be around me. We shouldn't be here." She sounded resigned. "I'm not a good person." She said lowly, casting him a small, single look out of the corner of her eye.

he cast a glance towards the sky, honey eyes peeking through the canopy to catch a piece of the crescent moon. "you seem alright to me" he let out, attention falling back to the now aloof features of her face. she'd done no harm to him, and from what he could tell she'd meant him no ill. so why she thought herself to be bad was beyond him.

silently, he stood to stretch out his muscles, claws digging into the earth's soil as he made his way in her direction. "but if you want me to go, i will" he let out, nose moving to poke gently against her shoulder she allow the touch.