Sea Lion Shores Cause = Time

@Majesty

The ebony wolf walked quietly through the forest that she once traveled to see Pied. She walked as quietly as possible, not wanting to disturb anything, as almost as if she would mar the thought of Pied by doing so.

Before she knew it, Hawkeye had come out of the other side of the forest. She moved across the grass, and, stepping warm sand, she let out a soft sigh before continuing forward. A few moments later, overwhelmed by emotion, Hawkeye let out a sorrowful howl that didn't even describe half of her pain.

Shutting her eyes, the dark she-wolf hung her head and moved her body so that she laid in the sand.

Majesty was patrolling the shores of the ocean that day. The sand was hot beneath his paws, and the constant "barking" of the sea lions that the coast was known for was beginning to wear down even his patience. Plus, there was nothing here. Not today. Today the border was quiet - so to speak.

He sighed, deciding to take a break. He lay down in the sand, reveling in its warmth. He ignored the calls of the blubbery creatures nearby and instead focused on the incessant dull roaring of the waves. He closed his eyes and curled up, perfectly willing to take a nap right then and there. The sound of the ocean was his own personal lullaby. The sun was warm, which was making him sleepy. And there was no one around... It was perfect.

And then a bone-chilling howl ripped the sleep from his limbs and he sat bolt upright. That howl... It had been full of all the emotions that Majesty wished upon no one. Anguish, sorrow, pain... It made him shiver. And it was close-by. Suddenly, he was afraid. Was someone in trouble? No. Not while he was around. He shook the last remnants of sleep from his body and stood. Not wasting another moment, he began a sprint towards the direction of the howl.

In the distance, there lay a black wolf. Whether male or female, he did not know yet. But he would soon find out. "Hello?" he called. "Are you all right? Are you hurt?"

Hawkeye startled a bit, but didn't move other than the initial jolt. Since she was mostly deaf and surrounded by sand, she hadn't heard the other wolf approach. "I am all right," was all she said, not really knowing if she wanted to speak to another wolf at the moment.

Slowly, though, she moved upright and then stood, shaking herself out. Her light key-lime eyes moved over the male, taking in what she saw. He was a chocolatey brown, and his eyes faintly resembled those of Kisu and Robur Aqua. He was nice to look at, she briefly though. The male did not seem a threat, yet she stayed quiet to see what words would come from his mouth next.

Majesty felt relief flood him when he knew that she was - it seemed - at least physically alright. He let out the breath he had not known he was holding and settled into a sitting position. He noticed her looking at him, so he took the opportunity to do the same. She was pretty, he would give her that, and her eyes were an interesting key-lime green color that he had never seen on a wolf before. She was still looking at him, and was remaining quiet, as if expecting him to say something.

He cleared his throat. "My name is Majesty," he said, calm deep voice rumbling from his chest. "What is yours, Miss?"

Hawkeye fought a smirk we he eyed her the same way she had him. His voice made her shiver pleasantly and she immediately found herself infatuated with the male before her.

When he had spoken her name, she raised one of her eyebrows as if to say 'interesting', and then furthered that thought with: "A fancy name such as that must have a story behind it. My name is Hawkeye." The way she looked at him was with intense curiosity.

Majesty nodded, eyeing her for a moment. He had seen that shiver - and the way she looked at him. In his eyes, he presented a question, his gaze sultry and teasing, something he was not used to: Yes? What is it that you want from me, you gorgeous female?

Aloud, however, he kept his voice calm. "Miss Hawkeye, then," he said. And then he chuckled, the sound reverberating in his chest pleasantly. (And he knew that it would probably cause another shiver, which delighted him for reasons he thought it best not to think of in this moment. He was trying hard to remain the gentleman, though his instincts wanted otherwise).

"I was named Majesty because both of my parents were the Alphas of my original pack. My father wanted me to become the Alpha Male one day. So, when I was born, he named me Majesty. Only fitting - as my father's name was King."

He chucked again. "Unfortunately for my father, I much preferred spending all of my time with my mother as a pup, which is where I learned about plants and the stars. My father always thought I was too much my mother's son, but I paid him no mind. In the end, I did what he wanted - just not in the pack that I grew up in. I did not feel like fighting every other male in the pack for the position of Alpha, so I came here to escape that fate. And ended up becoming the Alpha of a new pack."

He looked up at the sky. "Fate is... funny that way, no?" He looked at the pretty she-wolf and gave her a smile. "What about you, Miss Hawkeye? How did you get your name?"

With her eyes, Hawkeye always noticed the slightest shift in any setting, whether it was wolf or prey, or even a gentle breeze shuffling leaves on trees. This was one positive thing she had gained from becoming mostly deaf. And in this situation, Hawkeye noted the look in her eyes, giving a subtle smirk in amusement.

He spoke once more, this time with a small chuckle, and once more she felt a light shiver. She willed her body not to move, but what she willed did not happen. It was a pleasant sound, deep like his voice but with a dab of genuine happiness to it. She wanted to hear it again.

The swarthy female watched him as he spoke about his mother, the stars, and his old pack. Fate is... funny that way, no? came from the male, and she felt a twinge of... bitterness? Her "fate" had been cruel to her lately, but she wondered where it would take her now.

"I dislike fighting as well. I grew up in a gypsy pack. My mother knew of plants, and I frequently gazed at the stars, but I know near nothing of either." Her voice hinted that she would like to know more, but it was up to the male before her to catch on.

"My given name is Vilocity. My father named me for his grandfather, who was a large wolf, but unbelievably quick. After a fall..." Hawkeye hesitated a moment, eyes dropping to the sandy beach, then slowly trailing their way back to Majesty's liquid amber eyes. Something compelled her to trust him. "After a fall, I became mostly deaf and my eyesight has enhanced greatly, like the eyes of a hawk. Hence, 'Hawkeye'." She finished speaking, and while waiting for a reply, it dawned on her that he had said he was an Alpha. Briefly wondering if she was trespassing, the dark she-wolf wiped the thought away, knowing that he'd probably be a lot less friendly if that were so.

Majesty smiled as he listened to Hawkeye speak. Something about her compelled him to continue listening - although that could have also been the fact that he was a naturally good listener. He gave a slight smile as she watched her body shudder once more in delight, and then decided right then and there that he was, perhaps, overstepping his flirtatious boundaries. This female was not a part of his pack, and he hardly knew her, though he knew he wanted to know more about her, and she was granting that wish.

Majesty was filled with joy as she told him that her birth pack had been a band of gypsies, and that her mother knew of plants and that she, herself, liked to look at the stars. He could not help but think of his own mother then, wondering which one of the many stars in the night sky she could be. He shook himself out of his thoughts then, and continued listening to the black-furred wolf as she explained to him how she got her name.

He was surprised to learn that Hawkeye was mostly deaf, as she had not given anything away about her movements or behavior that would suggest this. He didn't really care about that, though. One of his previous pack-mates, Erika, was severely deformed on one side of her face, and Majesty had seen his share of injuries over the years. He saw her looking at him. She seemed nervous about having told him, so he did his best to console her.

"I know it must have taken a lot to tell me that," he said quietly. "Thank you. And, for the record, don't ever let anyone tell you that you can't do something as well as they can because you're mostly deaf. Don't ever let anyone push you around." He gave her a smile, hoping he didn't come across as condescending or fatherly. That was not what he was trying to be like at all. He just enjoyed giving advice - even when it wasn't wanted. He flinched inwardly, hoping she wouldn't mind.

Hawkeye tried to hide a smile, but failed. "You sound like my father. And I will tell you what I have told him: does it look like I'd ever let anyone push me around?" Her smile widened and she laughed for a short moment.

She quieted, though, thinking how her ex-mate indirectly pushed her around. He took over her throne and could demand her to leave at any time. Or, he could hold the girls over Hawkeye's head. The black she-wolf grimaced without realizing she had done so.

Majesty was perfectly content to smile and laugh along with her, but then a moment later she seemed to grimace. Instantly, he knew there was something wrong. Although something told him not to ask, he could not help himself. His natural need to help others shone through through even when he didn't want it to. Gently, he asked, "What is wrong?" He cleared his throat a second later and amended himself. "You do not have to tell me anything if you do not want to."

She would speak if she wanted to. If not, she would say no and he would nod. Either way it was alright with him. He knew sometimes he asked too many questions, which was odd for him. Before coming to the Teekon Wilds, he had been a loner - not one to want to make friends or talk to anyone. It seemed this place had changed him more than he had ever thought possible. He was still trying to decide if the change was good or bad...

Hawkeye hesitated. This male was a complete stranger. Well, not completely. But mostly. She stared at him for a moment, eyes staying firmly on his face. Moments later, she gave a little huff that sounded much like a sigh.

"I was once an Alpha myself. My mate broke up with me after we had a litter, and now I am nothing in my pack. He wouldn't have even been an Alpha if it weren't for me. I don't want to leave my pups, but I feel I have no other choice." Hawkeye looked sadly at the ground, feeling like worthless and rejected moron.

Leave her pups? Majesty was horrified at the thought. Why would any mother abandon her pups? Especially to a father who seemed to not be a very good person. Of course, the earthen male couldn't make any judgement calls. Not really. He didn't know Hawkeye's mate at all, and he barely knew her. And yet... he was sympathetic.

"Can you not simply take your pups with you and leave?" he asked. "You could wait until they were older and then leave to find a new pack if relations with your ex-mate are that bad." He spoke gently, trying not to sound like he was pushing her. But he did not know what else to say. If she felt the need to abandon her pack - which he knew the feeling of quite well - then she was probably better off doing it. But he didn't tell her that. He was not going to overstep his advice-giving if he could help it.

Hawkeye connected her eyes with the male before her before looking down again. She shook her head. "He would come after me if I took the girls with me. I want my daughters to come with me, but... I just don't know what to do. I can't stay in a place where my existence doesn't matter. They are weened now, so I no longer have a purpose." Tears welled up in her light key-lime eyes, but she fought them back while standing up tall.

"I suppose sucking it up for my own two pups and my foster pups would be an answer." Hawkeye felt defeated. It was a lose-lose situation for her either way. "Sorry to drop all of this on you. I just feel trapped and lost."

Thanks for the thread! Last post from me, and then I'll request to have it archived! Feel free to type a response!

Majesty sighed as he listened to Hawkeye. The more she spoke, the less he knew what to say. Her situation seemed like one she would have to figure out on her own. No amount of advice could tell her heart what to feel. In the end, whatever decision she made would be hers alone.

He stood, feeling it would be best to go now and let her think. But at the last second, a thought struck him. It was all he had left to give her: "If you ever find you need a new home, Wheeling Gull Isle would be happy to take you in. It is just there." He pointed with his muzzle to the island off the coast. "I am the alpha there. I would be happy to take you in if you find that your current situation does not suit you."

He paused, and looked at her, silent for a moment. Then he said, "But do not come unless you are absolutely certain that you are alright with leaving your family behind - unless somehow you are able to take your pups." He bowed to her now. "Goodbye, Miss Hawkeye. May we meet again in less sad conditions."

With that, he walked away, down the coast.