Overture Downs collision

@Santiago Arcos - patchy heavy snow, 24 degrees.

It was cold today, the young wolf noticed. He couldn't remember experiencing snow like this, but here it was, clinging to his gray-and-brown splotched fur and chilling the pink of his paw pads. Clarence liked it, he found, smiling at the crunching beneath his feet. A very slight wave in his tail showed just how happy the boy was, free and relaxed for the first time in as long as he could remember. 

The valley was welcoming, stretched far and wide in all directions, though Clarence could see a mountain in the distance if he squinted just enough. This was a nice place, he thought.

Hunger rumbled in his stomach - the boy had been hungry for a while. But he was not a good hunter, and so relied on opportunistic attacks on unsuspecting small prey. Luckily for him, however, one opportunity was just about to arise. 

A rabbit, startled by his steps, dashed out of a bush to his right. Clarence was just a bit faster, and tackled the creature to the ground. Teeth dug into the back of its neck and cracked the spine, and blood began to pool on the otherwise white snow underneath, congealing clumps of shimmering burgundy that released steam as it cooled off. In much the same way, it clung to his white lips, matching the red of his eyes. It marred the white landscape, the brown rabbit and the spotted boy, both stained with blood.

Sorry for the late reply! Been busy all day! Here you go though! ;D

The great bear of a wolf carries his heavy weight through the crunching layer of snow beneath him. Heavy paws landing beneath, leaving large circular paw shapes behind him. Santi’s silver eyes, matching the snow that falls from the cloudy, dreary sky gaze around the winter wonderland before him. 

Such a vast expanse of land hopefully should have some food around. Is a thought that vaguely crosses his mind, even though he’s not the hungriest he’s ever been, he could do for a little snack.

Then those ghostly eyes catch something out in the distance, it blends in enough to perhaps mistake it for the wind blowing something about the snowy landscape. He’s intrigued and heads closer in a trot, muscles flexing as his paws carry him further. 

He sees the blood red of the snow first then, as his eyes adjust, he catches sight of the wolf tearing up its meal. The muzzle of the other covered in blood as well as it’s neck. Santi grins. Who is this? He wonders vaguely. Seeing the other before him he notes he’s never seen a wolf of these colors. He’s got to be part dog then. He concludes.

With the borderline pink nose and single black spot on his eye the other carries a strikingly beautiful pelt akin to the snow around them. The male is well muscled yet still thin, definitely smaller than himself as well. Santiago’s smirk allows him to show rows of long teeth and he allows himself to be heard and seen as he comes up along the wolfs left. 

“Now, who are you?” He drawls enticingly, his accent rolling the words smoothly. “Oh,” he says simply in faux surprise. “you brought me food?” He jokes and punctuates it with a deep cackle more to get on the others nerves.

Gabriel’s heavy paws crunch through the snow as he rounds to the wolf’s front, he comes closer by just a hair. Those silvermoon hues peering at the other from half lidded eyes. “You’re not a full blooded wolf are you, amigo?“ he suggests with a raised brow and a borderline careless expression.

You're totally fine ^^

They couldn't have been more different in appearance, he and the stranger that approached him. Were there just a lot of big wolves around here? Clarence didn't know, but it certainly seemed that way to him. The approach wasn't startling, even as transfixed as he was on the blood coating the snow under his feet. Red eyes flickered from the kill he'd made to the stranger, and he tilted his head to the side. 

"I am Clarence," the boy responded easily, large ears flicking toward the massive wolf. The accent was new to him, but the cropped ears and docked tail were not - images of sleek black dogs with tall, cropped ears and no tail popped into his mind momentarily before he chased them away. The orange tag in his ear reminded him of his own identifying bracelet - it jingled as he shifted, and for a moment felt as though it was burning his skin.

The stranger seemed interested in his rabbit. It did smell good, Clarence noted, and leaned down to nose it toward the man. More red stained his muzzle. "We can share," he offered, a small, earnest smile crossing his own maw. 

Large paws sunk deep into the snow as the bigger wolf circled around him, and his head tilted to the side, ear flopping down slightly. Had he ever met his parents? It occurred to Clarence that he'd never thought of his lineage. "I don't know." He was honest, as always. The boy didn't know how to be anything else. "Are you?" 

He looked it, Clarence thought, aside from the ears and tail. But maybe he wasn't. Was it rude to ask? The piebald boy didn't register the sense of unease the large wolf was trying to make him feel.

Santi is lightly taken aback by how unbothered the other is by his supposedly daunting presence. He listens to the other give him his name. Clarence. Santi smirks at the name when the others voice and lips wrap around the word. He makes eye contact with the other and is wildly interested by those ruby red eyes of his. The hardness of the hue almost unusual for this males soft personality. All in all the color is nicely contrasted with his pelt, so it seems to fit rather nicely.

Then he sees those bloody eyes look Santi down, seemingly stuck on the tag attached to his left ear. Be it coincidence or not, his own white hues stare straight down to the bracelet lining the others wrist. And it makes him raise a brow I’m wonder. Perhaps he got it the same way I got mine. He tells himself. The sound it makes as the other shifts under his gaze makes his ears swivel to do a double take on where the sound comes from.

And just in the next moment the word share comes from the others lips. Now, Santi is astonished. Perhaps the wolf is naive, or hopeful that Santiago’s intentions are pure. Too trusting. He chided the wolf mentally.

Tilting his head he grins back to the male languidly coming closer, head high in confidence and eyes gazing down to him. “Que lindo, you’d like to share with me? You trust me so?” He asks teasingly. 

Santi leans down to sniff the rabbit just in front of the other while still peering up at him. “Ever think that you shouldn’t?” He whispers before taking his silver eyes off of him and snatching the rabbit up in his grasp. Grabbing it from the middle he savagely snaps the rabbits spine between his powerful jaws with an audible sound to signify the bones breaking and his teeth meeting. He shakes his head vigorously and the rabbit splits as evenly in two as one could get. The entrails poke out and hang from the rabbits torn body as he throws one half to the other male. 

“In that case, I am Santiago Gabriel Arcos.” He says after dropping the shares meal. He lowers his upper body into a bow, devilishly handsome face worn with a horridly mischievous grin as he peers up to him. “Gracias por la comida.” He rolls as he gets up and starts chowing down. 

He answers the last question with a mouthful of rabbit. “So I’ve been told.”

The trouble with being so socially inept was that Clarence could not tell he was being teased, or made fun of, or in danger. For all he knew, this man was genuinely kind and wanted to spend time with him. He didn't steal the rabbit, after all, and he certainly could've done that had he wanted to. So that put the man in Clarence's good books. 

Crimson eyes flashed in excitement when the man ripped the rabbit in half like it was nothing. And to him, maybe it was. "You're very strong," he remarked, curled tail slowly beginning to wave behind him. He crouched down beside his half of the rabbit and licked his muzzle, sweeping some of the red off of his white fur. Then he looked up and his head tilted to the side at the next question, perplexed. "Why would I not? You didn't steal my food when you could have." And to him, it was that simple. 

That seemed like an unnecessary amount of names for one wolf, Clarence thought. Santiago Gabriel Arcos. It was pretty, and not at all in the language he was used to. But there was something strikingly familiar about the way it rolled off of the man's tongue. Had he met someone who spoke this way before? If he did, he couldn't remember. "You're welcome," he said simply in common tongue, not really registering the fact that he'd heard the word gracias before. It meant thank you, didn't it? 

So he was fully a wolf. Not one of the sleek-furred dogs that usually had their ears and tail cut off like that. Clarence was a bit too transfixed on the silver-eyed man to focus too much on the rabbit, and instead focused in on those cropped ears. "Did they hurt you?" he asked quietly, concern bleeding into his tone.

A winning smile strikes Santi at his compliments, it makes him preen, or rather bask in his own glory. His eyes flick down and even catch the way the others tail wags. “You,” A theatrical pause where his brows raise and he looks directly at the other. “are not wrong.” Santi says matter of factly regarding his comment about him stealing his food.

He offers Santi a you’re welcome and he hums back in reply. Then even as the great bear of a wolf continues to gratefully chow down on his rabbit the other apparently can’t help but shamelessly study him. His snowy eyes flick over to the other as he watches Santi eat and the larger wolf is solidly intrigued by this mans mannerisms. Then beyond the crunching of Santi’s chewing, the others question strikes his ears with concern laced into his voice. 

He swallows his current mouth full and raises his head to look back to the smaller of the two. As if on cue his left ear with the tag twitches and he raises a brow and ever so slowly does a smirk appear on his face. “Oh yes they did.” He says deeply, eyes daring to roll and flutter closed for a mere second, reveling in the memories. A shiver runs through his body at the feeling of killing so brutally and so, so savagely. He loved it.

He regathers himself and gazes down to the other through half lidded eyes. “You know of the two legs then?” He asks curious as to who he thought they were.

Clarence was happy to see that he'd made the man smile. It caused a grin of his own to cross his lips, tail thumping against the ground. It was pleasant, he thought, and less tense than perhaps it had been at the beginning. But it was hard to tell - he wasn't used to this kind of interaction. Or, any interaction, really.

His smile was quickly wiped away when the older wolf confirmed that yes, they had hurt him. It hadn't even occurred to him to think about who he thought had hurt the man. At least, not until he asked.

Two legs. It was a term that Clarence was unfamiliar with. But the words brought back memories nonetheless - cold skin and squeaky gloves and weird voices. And then ripped skin and sharp teeth and loud noises, and it was all so overwhelming to think of.

Ears flattened to Clarence's head and he stared off into nothingness, red eyes dull and body hunching in on itself. Suddenly, he wasn't as hungry as he was before. "I... maybe," he whispered, squeezing his eyes shut. It was making his head hurt. "Is that what they're called?"

Santi usually sees the glass half empty, he’s a realist, probably also a pessimist. Though he does enjoy, if only the slightest amount, the easy smile of this wolf-dogs borderline clueless smile. It makes him chuckle, until the small of the two isn’t smiling any longer. 

Instead his ears, littered with small flakes of snow just as white as his fur, are pressed flat against his skull. Those blood red eyes that were previously full of innocent joy, have now been overtaken by a certain type of pain before they squeeze shut.

Now Santi is really intrigued. He does know the two leggeds. And this makes his face tear into a horrid smirk, an evil one as he also reverts back to his old memories. “Si,” he breathes. “that is what I call them, amigo.” He says, voice barley a whisper. He goes to circle the other once more. “What do you remember of them?” He asks, the intensity in his voice higher, but his voice remains low and dangerous.

Clarence didn't want to talk about them. He really, really didn't want to talk about them. But the black wolf was circling him and adamant about getting his answers, and it was making Clarence's head pound. A quiet whine escaped him and he shook his head, muzzle nearly pressed into the snow with how far crouched he was. 

"Monsters," he gasped, flinching back from invisible hands that sought to grab him. "I don't... their paws were long and cold and... everything was clean and smelled sharp. And blood." He didn't want to think about it. Memories always came to him in flashes - never linear, never making any sense. 

The boy wilted, shoulders drooping and gaze flicking off to the side before looking back up at Santiago, tired and fearful and near desperate. "Please stop. I don't want to think about them. Please."

Santi’s pupils dilate as he gazes down to the shrinking form of the purest of fear of the wolf below him. His ears perk forward at the high whine that slithers out of the other throat and Santi’s maw is blank of any smirk, but instead he throws on that faux, sweet smile of his.

“Yes, that is what I remember. Even more so.” He mumbles to no one in particular. Trying his hardest not to let his face split into the horrid smirk he’s always so used to carrying.

The raw fear out on display before Santi gives him a certain sadistic satisfaction as he studies the crouched wolf-dog. Those beautiful, ruby eyes plead up to him and the white eyed wolf’s black tongue absentmindedly flicks out to lick over his own teeth and whiskers.

Heavy paws carry him closer and his silvermoon hues can’t seem to leave the others form. “Sshhh.” He soothes and crouches his upper body to softly fit his strong muzzle beneath the wolf-dogs chin. 

He lifts the other up then. Still crouching enough to slink his shoulder under his chin to assist in holding his head up. Neck craning to the left and his maw comes to rest directly next to the other ear. “Let the pain make you stronger.” He whispers then and slides the rest of the way out from the others space. Turning around to face him once more Santiago grins to him. “You cannot let it control you like that, cariño.” He says softly, teeth glaring once more.

It didn't occur to Clarence that Santiago's comfort wasn't genuine - why would it? This was the first time anyone had offered the boy physical touch that didn't bring pain in so long, and he melted into it, body trembling and eyes closing as he absorbed the touch like a sponge. The smell of blood and musk still hung in the air, but Santiago was warm and soothing, and he couldn't help but leech at the contact. 

And all too quickly, it was gone again. The man had stepped away, and Clarence wobbled slightly as he tried to regain his grasp on reality. The fog was back in his mind, comfortably blocking out most of the fear and pain and terrible memories. It was so nice. 

"What does cariño mean?" he asked quietly, slightly dazed and still trembling. The boy shook his head slowly and looked down at the rabbit at his paws. "I am strong. They always said that. But my fur showed blood too much." That was said more comfortably. If he didn't think about it while he spoke, he felt better.

As he steps back and watches the other squirm and struggle to stay upright, his gaze lingers on the others temporarily weak body. Imagining the stain of that sweet crimson on the purest of whites. Then his eyes flick to the snow below them–just like that, he notes, gazing upon the blood riddled snow.

He knows by now that the other is attempting to block resurrected memories of his broken and beaten past. A past so similar to Santi’s own.

Then Santi couldn’t help but bark out a laugh. “It’s an endearment, amigo.” Is all he gives with a sly smile back. 

At that he comes closer and noses the others half of the rabbit closer. “That’s it.” He praises. “It will become easier to talk about, as long as you don’t let it consume you. You must consume it.” He voices strongly, confidently. “Eat. It will help.” He demands softly, scooting the rabbit closer with a large paw before plopping his hindquarters in the snow in a sitting position before the other.

An endearment? What did that mean? Clarence hoped it was a good thing - it seemed like one, from the way Santiago was smiling. The boy found himself letting his own maw turn up in a small grin, feeling that weight lifting off of his shoulders in a blurry haze. 

Things were fine as long as he didn't think about them too much.

He'd almost forgotten the rabbit at his paws, but when the larger wolf nudged it toward him, his stomach remembered. A loud rumble sounded from it as the hunger returned full-force, and Clarence obeyed, leaning down to take a mouthful of his half of the corpse. The boy was careful not to get too much of the blood on him, but it still stained his muzzle in rouge, no matter how much he tried to lick it off.

Crimson eyes flickered back up to the man and he waved his tail just a bit. "You're a nice person, Santiago," he said quietly. He didn't know how many people would try to help him through something like that for no reason.

Santi’s sadistic self couldn’t help but put the smaller through that type of pain. The kind Clarence tried and tried and tried to keep hidden in the foggiest parts of his brain to hopefully never come back. To attempt and forget. No, Santi decides sadistically. He won’t let him forget.

Though when the corners of the white wolf-dogs mouth tip up into a smile once more Santi shakes his head from side to side in disbelief. He finds his own smirk sneaking up on him once more, like the thing is glued to his face. 

He watches the other eat his rabbit and finds it peculiar how he tries his damnedest to not get blood on that pretty white muzzle of his. The great bear of a wolf files it away for later. Oh, how he wants to see blood on that white coat. Especially since the other doesn’t want to see blood on his own snowy pelt. 

Santi gazes down easily staring at the other. Somehow finds himself staring at those ruby red eyes he’s beginning to become obsessed with. All of a sudden they’re making eye contact and the smile that at softened due to him zoning out comes back in full force. When the other gazes up to him, Santi’s own silvermoon eyes fl ok back to see the others tail wag before coming back to their original spot at his new company’s eyes.

Then the hopeful voice of the wolf-dog comes to his ears, bringing him out of his fascination with the other. In rely Santi let’s out a slow, deep laugh of his own. “You think so?” He drawls teasingly, yet smoothly down to the other. “You have no idea.” He mumbles after standing from his seated position and turning to walk away from the other. He wanted to see what he’d do. Test him a little.

“I’ll see you then, Clarence.” He rolls out in his deep accent, watching him out of the corner of his eye. “Hopefully the two legs don’t come for you again, with their long cold hands. To come prod at you with sharp objects. Or maybe cage you again. Or maybe just abuse you.” He says casually, voice getting more intense at the end.

In his mind, Santiago was a very nice man. The nicest he could remember, even if he couldn't remember too much. His staring didn't particularly bother the boy - Clarence was a starer, as well, fascinated by people and everything about them. And Santiago was very fascinating, indeed. Startling contrast of black and white and silver - it was a monochromatic masterpiece. 

But then he was leaving. Why was he leaving? Had Clarence done something wrong?

Eyes widening in alarm, Clarence hopped to his feet, the rest of his rabbit forgotten. Santiago started talking about the two legs again, and the boy's tail drooped. It didn't tuck in fear, but his eyes dulled and he looked at the ground again, his body deflating.

"I will never be in a cage again," he said calmly, almost sad. The boy would not allow himself to be brought back to that place. No way in hell. He'd rather die.

Clarence shook his head to clear it, ignoring the pounding behind his skull as he approached the older man. "Can I go with you?" he asked, tail swaying just slightly, hopeful. "I want to stay with you, I think. Is that okay?"

As he walks he see the those crimson eyes widen and he lifts his jocks from the snow, completely forgetting his meal at Santi’s sudden leave. The wolf isn’t going to lie, he feels a certain satisfaction course through him at the others urgency to follow. This wolf sees Santi as an angel, halo, wings, and all. The most devine being apparently.

Though as soon as he registers that he’s begun speaking of the humans once more he deflates. His face tears into his usual smirk. The reaction is better than the last and Santi allows his malicious grin to simmer down to an easy smile if only for display. Santiago turns towards him when the other walks forth. 

Gabriel is momentarily stunned at the question. Not allowing it to show on his face except for his brows raising. He comes closer to walk directly at the other, then turning to circle him. “You want to come with me?” He double takes a single brow cocked. “I’m fine with it, amigo, but can you handle me?” He asks intensely. 

Not wanting to use too much of his strength, his goal isn’t to hurt him, merely scare and test him. Now beside him he reels back on his hind legs towering high above him, he bears his heavy paws down onto the smallers side. Knocking him down, he steps over on top of him caging him in on either side with muscled legs.

Contrasting with their current situation and Santiago’s malicious smirk, his voice is silky soft, accent appealing to the ears. “You still want to come with me?” He Says barely above a whisper.

Fear was not an emotion Clarence was familiar with. Nerves, yes, and anxiety. But not outright fear. So if Santiago thought that a display of brute strength could scare the boy, he was mistaken. Still, the piebald boy took the hit and let the big wolf loom over him. Blood red eyes were round and slightly confused, as he had not a clue as to why Santiago would do that, but it hadn't hurt that bad, and there were no teeth snapping at his face, so he wasn't in danger.

Clarence didn't understand a lot of things about Santiago.

What he did know was that a certain heat swept over him with the larger man's face so close to his own - embarrassment, perhaps? But why? It didn't make sense. 

The boy leaned forward to tap their noses together, eyes crinkling in a smile, and wagged his tail as he lay beneath the massive man. Nearly one hundred pounds separated them - if Santiago really wanted to hurt him, he would've done it by now. 

"Yes, please!" he chirped happily, placing a paw on Santiago's chest to push him lightly so he could get back to his paws. "I want to go with you. I like you!" It was said with the innocence of a child. In his mind, Clarence had made a new friend.

Those big reds hold plenty of confusion, no fear like Santi expected. Ever so slowly he’s learning more about the man below him. He’s trying to figure out what exactly triggers him, doesn’t quite remember what he did earlier to send the white wolf into a fit. Guess he’ll just have to keep testing it out, he concludes finally.

Then the boys face lights up, so much so it even reaches his eyes. Their noses come into contact, pink to black. One of Santi’s brows quirk and his ivory eyes stare deadly into the others, though not not so much in a malicious way. 

An excited “Yes, please!” hits his ears and he can’t help but smirk once more at the young male. So interesting. Then the lightest touch of that paw on his chest. His eyes flicking to the appendage before finally stepping off of him. Santi side eyes him teasingly. “You like me then?” He chuckles and begins walking. “Que lindo.” He comments idly. “Entonces vamos, Clarence.” He says casually to him then.

Fading here <3

Clarence didn't really know what set him off, either. Certainly not the proximity - he was learning that he loved that, deeply. Even with Santiago above him, intimidating and looming and way bigger than Clarence himself. 

Santiago's words were confusing and foreign to the boy, but he wasn't told to go away, so he automatically assumed he was allowed to go with him. 

"Yes!" he exclaimed, wagging his tail in response to the man's question. Once he was able to stand, he trotted after him, letting the fur on his side gingerly brush against Santiago's own. Clarence was over the moon, excited to depart on this adventure with his newfound friend - unsuspecting of what might be Santiago's true intentions.