Big Salmon Lake salmonado

anyone :D

Pantaleimon felt unsafe going out of the territory so soon after the storm, but he was curious -- and a little bit frightened -- to see what the storm had done to surrounding territories. Besides, it was important to keep stock of that too, as a gamekeeper, and so Pan set off towards Big Salmon Lake to see how the fish were doing.

Long before Pan saw even but part of the Lake he knew that things were amiss: the first salmon he found received a strange look and a wrinkled nose, but the closer he got, the more fish were on dry land and not where they should be. When Pan breached the forest line and saw the tragedy that was once magnificent Big Salmon Lake, his heart lurched into his throat.

Pantaleimon sniffled sentimentally as he beheld the lake with a sad frown on his face.

Completely unaware of how close she roamed to Red's pack, Rosalyn was on the lookout for a meal - preferrably of the easy variety.  The birds were what drew her to the lake, but as soon as she arrived, she knew they would continue to gorge unmolested, as nothing was edible here.  Damn.

Irritated by this turn, she was about to leave and seek elsewhere, but was stopped by the strange sight of a wolf standing still, staring at the small body of water at the center.  She's almost missed him.  In rounding, she saw the sad expression and looked again at the water, bemused.

"Got something against ponds?" She finally asked, putting off her hunger for the moment in favor of curiosity.  "Or was that fish a particularly good friend of yours?"  Thoughtful as always.

When someone else approached and spoke, Pantaleimon's head jerked to the side, startled. Soon he relaxed, since the stranger didn't look like much of a threat, as of yet. She looked relaxed, as far as Pan could tell. When she mentioned the fish, Pan actually looked down at the fish that lay the most nearby, as if he was considering the facts, or remembering Joe the Salmon.

"Oh, uh, no," Pantaleimon said, realising moments later that the questions had been rhetorical and he probably looked dumb answering them. "The lake just -- it's so -- it's broken..." Pan frowned empathically at the lake. "I... I guess I didn't realise the storm would affect so much of these lands beside my home." The sudden confrontation with these facts had been rough. Pan'd expected to find Salmon Lake in fine state. Perhaps not in its former glory, but not with so many dead, rotting fish, just like the Caldera's lake.

It almost looked for a moment, as he stared on the fish in question, like he was considering if he did indeed recognize it as a good friend.  She was about to come to the conclusion that this male wasn't all that sound in the noggin, but he finally answered with a 'No' that didn't sound all that convincing.  She cocked a questioning glance at him, but his elaboration made a bit more sense.  Not a ton, but a little.  Even if she personally wasn't sentimental, she wasn't daft enough to think others weren't.

"Cheer up, kitten," she responded lightly, stepping jauntily forward to get a better look at the rather sorry - lake, he said it was?  That explained the fish a lot better than her internal image, that perhaps they had decided to throw a rager and forgot they didn't breath air.  "You still have a home, yeah?  That's something."  Nature wasn't one for pulling punches out of consideration for the feelings of others, but his demeanor was so adorably downtrodden that it was able to perhaps draw out her better nature (Rosalyn could hardly believe she still had one).

"Uh, kitten?" Pantaleimon responded and he looked thoroughly confused. He'd obviously never been called that by anyone. Pan had never met anyone like this particular wolf, and he found himself feeling uncomfortable in the situation.

As she mentioned home, Pan frowned and nodded. "I suppose, uhm, yeah." It seemed like a weird comparison to Pantaleimon, for the tragedy of this lake had nothing to do with his home, in Pan's eyes. "I'm Pantaleimon, from Redhawk Caldera." And I'm an awkward person. Pantaleimon grimaced awkwardly, not really sure what had happened to make him feel so uncomfortable.

She couldn't quite describe why the term seemed to fit, but she doled out names as they came, and 'kitten' was what he got.  Probably that tentative air that engulfed him every time he opened his mouth.  She sensed his discomfort, but not one to cater to the needs of others, ignored it just as she ignored his question on the name.

"Pantaleimon, huh?  Odd name."  Bit of a mouthful, and she found she preferred her given one quite a bit more.  If the shoe fits, so to speak.  "Not completely awful though."  She closed the distance a little more, possibly with more familiarity than he would necessarily be comfortable with, but she wanted to get a read on where this guy was from.  When she caught wind of Red's scent, she grinned.  "So you run with Red.  I gotta say, that comes as a surprise to me."  After Red's forward treatment of both their encounters, imagining her in the same pack as this guy was a hard picture to paint.  "Redhawk Caldera must be one diverse group."

Pantaleimon didn't think his name was weird, but then, everyone was named like him where he was from. Pan considered offering she could call him Pan, like most did, but then, he didn't feel quite that comfortable around her anyway.

"What's your name?" Pantaleimon awkwardly asked, feeling dumb for posing the question, but wanting to know anyway. Didn't she know any social rules? You were supposed to give your name after someone else introduced themselves -- anyone knew that, right?

When she moved closer to pick up his scent, Pantaleimon lifted his head, clearly uncomfortable with the intrusion of his personal space. "Red? Who's Red?" asked Pantaleimon, only to realise it was possibly a nickname too. Did she mean Fox or Wildfire..?

Rosalyn snorted when he stuck to asking her name, but humored him regardless.  "Names are hardly important between to strangers like us.  But if you want it so bad, kitten, call me Roz." She was aware of such social norms - she just didn't give a damn about them.  Most likely they would never meet again after today, and any names would be lost to time.

Hence why the second question had no true answer.  Red had been more with the program when they ran into one another.  "Red is, well, Red.  We weren't much concerned with proper introductions, if you get my drift."  She winked, tail end swaying suggestively to illustrate her point.

Pan continued to be thoroughly confused by this wolf called 'Roz'. Just when he thought he had figured out the normal social norms outside of Nereides culture, he ran into someone who threw all of that upside down. He couldn't look any more taken aback, feeling increasingly awkward in this wolf's company.

When Roz mentioned more about this Red wolf, Pantaleimon wasn't sure if he wanted to 'get her drift'. Did... females even... do stuff... How did they... Pan looked puzzled and blinked a couple of times. Well, he supposed there could be, like, dry humping, or..? Deciding that he didn't want to think on it any further, Pantaleimon just grinned awkwardly and said, "Oh, I uh... I see." Maybe that would make her stop talking about confusing things like sex in a suggestive way. Pan felt very socially awkward, not sure how to react at all, but neither did he want to turn tail and leave, as it would probably only be more awkward. Besides, if Roz and this Red did things, then it was more likely to be Fox than Wildfire (Pan hoped; if if were Wildfire she spoke of this way, Pantaleimon would've suddenly turned into a fiercely protective monster), and Pan didn't want her to say any weird things to Fox about Pan if he'd do something weird, like turn around and leave.

omg Pan is TOO CUTE I CAN'T
I love him/her so much <3

Ohhhhh he was delightful wasn't he?  Look at that face.  It was too tempting, and she knew there wasn't even a question of whether she'd behave herself or not now.  Scandalizing was one of her favorite pastimes and so far she had yet to run into anyone this bashful around the subject.  That puzzlement when she brought up her and Red's liasons was telling, and she decided to push her luck a bit.

"Do you now?"  She asked, stepping closer.  "Tell me - have you ever lain with a woman?"  Her eye attempted to catch and hold his, and her movements stilled as she waited expectantly for a response to this.  She was doubtful, but could be mistaken.  Generally those who had partaken were less shy about it.  She wasn't offering, at least not yet.  But if he played his cards right, maybe.  She enjoyed introducing others to the finer things in life.

haha pan is like D: D: D: on the inside XD

Pantaleimon did not like the look on Roz' face one bit, because even though he'd never had sex -- that terrible one time they'd asked that of him came to mind, causing a brief frown to fall over Pan's face -- Pantaleimon knew what it entailed. The Nereides' mating rituals were not always a private affair, after all, and he'd been in one, however terrible. The whole gender thing didn't help (or, Pan had always thought, was perhaps the reason he just couldn't get excited by girls, because homosexuality was something that Pan had found out about only recently), as Pantaleimon just wasn't into performing that particular role, if ever he'd want to do anything... like that. Roz seemed oblivious to this, though.

Just as Pan was contemplating all of that, she asked him directly if he had, which startled Pantaleimon. The frown returned as Pan looked at Roz. She reminded him a little of the Nereides girl then. Bold and daring, teasing -- but not enough. "No," Pantaleimon answered, trying to remain calm and collected on the outside, although it was obvious from his expression and the way the word quavered a little that he was feeling nervous and very far from his comfort zone.

He looked terrified, and suddenly Rosalyn laughed bawdily, dismissing it with a flick of her tail.  "Don't worry, I'm not going to jump you big guy. Relax." Some would rather avoid all matters explicit like the plague, a tendency she absolutely hated.  But only when attempted to be enforced upon her.  She didn't catch her tongue cept in extremely special circumstances.  She could give this guy kudos in that he hadn't run yet.

"That isn't to say the offer isn't on the table."  She cast a questioning look, and the presentation of the term was as offhand as if she were offering to share a meal instead.  She liked the look of him, but was almost certain he would refuse.  Their meeting, like oil and water, pleased her and had been rather entertaining.  She saw this offer as a suitable return for that.

When she started to laugh, Pan felt had, like he'd been tricked into sharing personal details only to be laughed at. Her words clarified the situatuon somewhat: she wasn't laughing about his virginity, it seemed, but rather he apparently showed how he felt very much. Not that it mattered; it wasn't like Roz could do anything he didn't want, since he was the one who needed to do most of the work.

Roz then sort of offered, which was curious to Pantaleimon. It sounded like she did not want to play too easy to get, though, not particularly extending an offer, but neither not-offering a thing. Pantaleimon could not help but wonder -- assuming he wasn't the first she offered herself to -- "Aren't you afraid to get uhm... get pregnant?" And then all of a sudden Pantaleimon wondered if it would maybe not be such a very bad idea...

Don't be an idiot, Pan. "Sorry, that was really weird and inappropriate," Pantaleimon hastily amended, and he grinned awkwardly; but in truth, Pan didn't just want to make her feel like he wasn't a total weirdo. He didn't care all that much about that; he only cared about that because... The thought that maybe it wouldn't be all bad if he'd get someone like Roz pregnant kept lingering in Pantaleimon's head. Even though Pan wished that she -- that he, Pan corrected himself mentally -- could be the one pregnant, it wasn't to say there was no way that he could have puppies. What if, what if... If you have a mate, and get permission, you could have puppies, Pan, the words resounded in his head.

But Pan wasn't a liar or a crook, and he certainly wouldn't seduce some wolf into his pack just so he could have (some of) what he wanted. Right?

Pantaleimon swallowed dryly and he said, trying to steer the conversation to a more normal subject: "Do you have a pack yet?" trying to sound as casual as he could. "I bet Red would love to have you."

Rosalyn snorted when he backpedaled, worried his question was inappropriate.  "No such thing, not unless you have something to be ashamed of.  I don't."  She shrugged, passing a coy smile.  "And to answer, there are ways to prevent that."  She knew her body, and as a result was acutely aware of when her time was near.  If she had doubts, well... there were herbs that did the job well enough too.  She'd picked up a trick or two through the years.

She had no interest in children, though no problem with them either.  The idea of her being wholly responsible for another was a pretty laughable one.  Besides that the life of a loner wasn't easy? A loner with pups? Unimaginable.

Speaking of...

"Not yet.  I don't doubt Red would learn to regret that happiness." She said jokingly.  "Packs are great and all, but a little too restrictive for my tastes."  Historically speaking.  She was surprised, a little pleasantly so, by the offer though.  It was unexpected.  "Besides, pack wolves don't seem as keen on having fun. Mate types usually." She waved a paw, showing plainly from her face what a pity that sort of life was. "And you? You have a girl of your own back home?"

Her way of thinking was kind of strange, but in a way refreshing and good, too. Pantaleimon could not help but smile, the awkwardness of the situation turning over a bit. "That's... A nice way to think." Maybe she wasn't as bad as he first thought, when she plunged right onto weird and uncomfortable subjects. And maybe the subjects weren't as uncomfortable as Pan had first thought, after all.

Unfortunately, the subject soon turned a bit sourer; for Pantaleimon, at least. His hopes were only fleeting that she would perhaps want to settle down at some point. Of course, it had been a silly thought. If she was being sort of seductive towards him, then she probably was to others as well. And she had... 'ways', apparently, to stop pregnancy. Pan thought of the poor pups. Would she kill them, or kill them before they came out? She probably wouldn't want to give up part of her life to bear his pups. Not even if she didn't need to take any responsibilities once they were weaned and leave them with Pan.

"Sorry?" Pantaleimon asked as he snapped from his thoughts when Roz asked him about a girl. "Oh! Yes - I mean, no, I... I don't. Doesn't it ever get sort of lonely? I mean... Being alone? In a pack you can still be... y'know... you. Just, uhm, with friends and a home." Pan wasn't sure why he was even trying to get her to join Redhawk Caldera at this point. From what she had said, after all, he'd already concluded that none of his silly plans and possibilities would be a fit with Roz. But there was something about her that made him want to keep trying, somehow.

No girl? She was surprised.  An adorable piece like him would have been catnip to some of the women of her previous packs.  He said it without too much bother, and this led her to wonder that perhaps he had no interest.  Hmm.  Smart.  Unless you wanted the kid thing mates just kinda clipped your wings.

"Lonely? Not really." She shrugged. "Just because I'm a loner doesn't mean I'm alone. After all, we are having a right good time." She gave him a light pole with her paw, smiling for a moment. They were only talking but conversation could be ok if it followed the right subjects. Ie not deadly dull ones.

"Alphas seem to have a problem with fraternizing with the enemy. And some other aspects of my philosophy. I'm not much of a team player. I like myself too much." She was more of a taker than a giver. If it came down to herself or a packmate, she would pick herself every time. She had never been in a situation or had a relationship to convince her she was even capable of doing otherwise.

Then she smiled mischievously once more. "You're going to miss me that much already? I'm flattered."

"I suppose," Pantaleimon reluctantly agreed, though he didn't see it the same way. Without a pack it was difficult to survive for anyone; he had noticed the fragility of life himself when he had hunted with another loner on his way to Redhawk Caldera and had gotten kicked in the face by a deer. Without a pack, this could mean the end of a life if you were hit the wrong way. With a pack, you had the time to get better and survive.

Since Pan sensed that Roz wasn't going to be convinced all that easily he decided to stop trying to convince her. Maybe she'd come around, or maybe not. Pan felt disappointed, really, that he could not convince her to join Redhawk Caldera, even if part of the reason was selfish. But he liked Roz; the loose and relaxed way she handled life made Pan feel a little more relaxed himself.

When she said he was going to miss her, Pan did not instantly understand and blinked a few times before he realised what she meant. "Oh! Ah -- of course," he said with a smile; he'd wanted to hook in with a joke, but couldn't find anything joking to say, really, so that awkwardly fizzled. "Hey, uh... I should probably get going. It was nice to meet you. If uhm, if you ever change your mind or - or just want to visit..." Pan trailed off there, leaving Roz to fill in the rest of the invitation herself. She knew 'Red' and him, and Pan assumed she knew where the Caldera was. He wasn't sure why he extended the invitation, really, since it was clear his plans were too ambitious. So he smiled and got ready to leave, but not before making sure she didn't have anything more to say.

She could see he was dubious but figured it would be hard for a pack wolf to understand why any wolf would choose to live alone.  She did not know if she would stay as such forever but for now the life suited her.  She was careful to never take chances and had managed to avoid misfortune so far; this was a miracle in itself considering parts of her track record.

He didn't seem to know quite how to respond to her joking and that made him even more endearing.  Did he at all realize how he appeared from the outside?  Infuriatingly huggable, like a puppy you wanted to snuggle and shake some confidence into all at the same time.  "Maybe I'll see you around."  She cocked her head to him with a soft smirk and her tail flipped humoredly behind.  As with Red, she would leave it up to fate whether or not they actually ran into one another again. No promises or agreements to visit but not a steady decline either.  Lukewarm responses were a specialty of hers.

As he departed, so too did she, glancing back with only a slight shake of her head before trotting out of sight.  He was an odd one but she'd enjoyed their visit.

"Bye," Pantaleimon said after Roz left it in the middle if ever they'd see each other again, and he started onwards towards Redhawk Caldera again. The meeting with Roz had been really strange, but it had been refreshing in other ways, too.

Only while he made his way back to the Caldera did Pan realise how he had changed since departing from Ankyra Sound. At the time he'd hated leaving his old life in the Sound behind -- possibly because it was the only thing that firmly reminded him that he was a Siren and not a Consort, and yet, at the same time, it was the very thing that pushed him into the role of Consort -- but now he was in a better place, despite dearly missing the oceanside. He had not felt inferior to Roz this meeting, and it was perhaps for the first time that he realised he'd had an encounter where he had shed tradition and belief in such a radical manner.

A smile broke across Pan's face as he trotted towards the Caldera to report the state of the salmon lake after the storm, and he felt good.