Great Bear Wilderness Out of the frying pan

@njal @Basilie based after This

He kept up the pace, a half trot, half walk through the wilds. The slight sting presenting itself on his hind was looking to be a keen reminder that he was most definitely not at home. His breath was catching in his throat, short puffs escaped each time he stopped. The occasional glance over his shoulder to the area he'd encountered the spitfire, often followed by inward thoughts of an unflattering nature.

The day was all but gone when he finally stopped his run-away, coming across a small stream he made a direct line and quickly taking his fill of water. The slight sting in his leg reminded him yet again that he was in over his head. "bitch." He muttered to himself.

The visit to the hot springs had lifted her spirits somewhat; even if she had to commune with a foreigner, Osprey had been pleasant company. Far better than the various men that had intercepted her. And now, with her route following a southern curve, the young woman was in a far more positive frame of mind. The river itself was of little consequence to her. It smelled more like water and less like wolf, and held no other indication of canine activity. If she was going to find Hadrian, it seemed that her path would have to head even further in to this wilderness.

Basilie was minding her own business when she came upon another stranger. At first sight of him, she halted with an abrupt lurch of her step; then as the moments passed, she sized him up from a distance. Was this one of the menfolk from one of her prior encounters? Hmm... No, she didn't think so. This stranger was pale (a decidedly odd coincidence) but younger, leaner, and... Was he walking with a limp?

His injury placed him on the no threat list. Her pace, therefore, was restarted: an imperious stride, as if she had places to be, and no time to dawdle. She purposefully put herself in the stranger's path though - and as she swiftly passed him by, she was struck by a half-heard word.

Basilie stopped and turned her head, her interest apparent by the sudden turn of her ears and solidity of her gaze. Excuse me? Surely he hadn't been speaking to her.

He was far to involved in his own thoughts to pay attention to his surroundings, had he of course been a little more careful he may have noticed the fellow wolf moving toward him. Apparently his exclamation had caught her attention as soon as he'd uttered it. excuse me? The words caught him by surprise, he turned to her, yellow eyes meeting the distinct mask and golden eyes of the author. Taking a single step back. "Uhh, you're excused?" The idea she was responding to him was lost on the alabaster boy.

He spent a moment eyeing the female taking notice of the darker mask, the apparently stubby tail, and golden eyes. El wasn't in the most charming of moods, having just been run off earlier in the day and being no closer to food. He let out an irritated huff. "Did you want something?" the abrupt question accompanied by another half step away.

No, he was very different from the self-possessed adults from days ago. His mind seemed to be elsewhere, and while Basilie was pleased to have the male gaze diverted away from herself for a change, she couldn't avoid toying with his distraction.

Prompted by her own words, the airheaded boy reared back as if he had been stung - probably just surprised. Uhh, you're excused? He drawled, and finally his attention slipped across her body. She felt his eyes lingering upon her tail, and instantly the fur along her hips began to spike. There was a momentary silence, an awkward what do I do moment as they were clearly at an impasse.

Did you want something? He queried.

From you? Hardly. I've had quite enough insults in these past few days. She snapped with more hostility than she felt, her tone haughty and distraught due to the pithy name-calling. It wasn't meant for her own ears, she knew that - but she was baiting him. Maybe Basilie had learned something from her experiences after all.

He might have been ignorant of a lot of things, but her reaction to his inspection and specifically the attention he gave to her obviously deformed tail was not lost on him. The general vibe that seemed to edge her words was far from inviting. "Well, good." it was about all he could manage to utter under her glare.

He let out another huff, his attitude and mood were significantly know, and given the less than courteous words his newly arrived counterpart wasn't faring much better. "What is it you're doing harassing strangers, that I apparently can't help with? there was a mixture of genuine curiosity and sarcasm mixed between his choice of words, of course he was also intrigued why she was apparently so easily offended.

She chuffed upon hearing his response, because it had been his own intervention that led to the situation at hand. It occurred to her at that point to relax, to back off. This wasn't as fun a game as she'd hoped. Me? Harassing? I have done nothing of the sort. She was merely standing up for herself. A word was a harmless thing, yes, but a mindless being was far worse.

The least you could do is apologize. He was at fault, after all. Somehow. The girl huffed again, although this time the sound of her breath was accompanied by a pirouette as she turned to face him head-on. A raise of her brow was all she offered him next, as if to speak without really speaking - 'Well, I'm waiting.'

Apologize? For what? She'd intervened, she had wandered into his little space and began imagining insults. Granted he'd muttered what could be considered an insulting name, had it been directed at her. He rolled his eyes just in time for her to about-face and stare him down. The presented body language left him no room for misinterpretation. She expected him to say sorry.

His own sigh escaped. "Well, fine, i'm sorry you decided to invade my personal space, listen to something that clearly wasn't for you, and get upset over it." He managed to speak in one quick, rushed sentence. He was again shaking his head at the very idea that she thought he was at fault for something here. Yellow eyes watched, waiting for her response. All to quickly his words echoed in his mind, a frown presented itself when he began speaking again. "okay, okay. I am sorry. Just. Rough day, you know?" This time with some sincerity. It had been a rough day, week, even month for the alabaster boy. "I'm El, by the way" There, an introduction. That was polite, right?

When at first he appeared to refuse - what audacity - Bastilie's expression hardened, as if she were truly angry. But he went on to actually apologize, which was the goal all along: proof that she could sway strangers after all. But her features remained stern even as he babbled, going on to introduce himself.

Well I suppose that'll do. Her shoulders rolled in a noncommittal shrug, and she began to stride by him - going on her way, as she had lost interest in the poor fool. His name held little value, and there wasn't much else she could glean from the brief collision.

It seemed she was going to dismiss him just like that, his attempt to patch things up was wasted as she made it clear she was done. No sooner had she begun moving alongside he spoke. "Well, I guess I'll just call you stumpy." the irritation clear in his voice as he began taking a few steps in the opposite direction.

He was prepared for her to lash out, if the general reaction when he noticed her disfigurement. Surely he'd get a rise out of the name calling. She did just have a small tantrum over him saying the word bitch. Maybe she was a little more volatile than he was prepared for though.

As soon as the boy started to speak, his eyes trailing across her shortened tail idly, Basilie knew what to expect. Her eyes began to narrow even before he reached the conclusion of his thought; then, when the actual word came out, so did her teeth. With a raise of her lip and a sudden snap of her jaws, Basilie's face was abruptly too close to the pale boy's own. A small rumble emanated from her chest that cut off any further conversation from him.

And then her face became impassive. Her teeth abruptly hidden, but the hostility in her gaze - that imperious stare held by so many warriors - set itself upon her face. While at first she had only been fooling around, now his words had begun to actually affect her. Careful, El, or you'll go down in history with a far more gruesome nickname.