Noctisardor Bypass Sanctum
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Ooc — Jennifer
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All Welcome 
Again Skydance's travels left her beside the water, sprawled out on the shore of the lake, watching a family of ducks far from shore quack about and go along doing other duck things.  The mid-morning sun felt nice on her pallid pelt, though certainly she'd be thinking otherwise if she'd been of darker value.  There were plenty of wolf scents that she'd passed on the way from the valley to here, so it seemed that she'd probably have plenty of chances to find or start a pack or something.  A lot of wolves, but nobody else had bugged her while she was traveling so she was content to relax.

There was always the question if they were all relatively amiable, but she was fairly sure that if there was a war or something, she'd see a sign of it.   Right?  That kind of thing left a mark.  Maybe.  She was young and not really sure if that was true, but it sounded like something that would be obvious.  Whatever.  From her spot she flopped her head onto the sand, stretching wildly.  Yeah.  She could get used to this.  Why not put a pack here? Seemed fine.  She wasn't totally out of it -- an ear swiveled on her head for the sound of anyone approaching.
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a creature of habit, a collector of details, stigmata threaded his way through these lands like a needle. he weeded and scraped, carving out paths of familiarity as he acquainted himself with every mound and green-stitch he came across. the amount of flora and fauna this time of year seemed boundless -- he couldn't possibly spoil after every trail or read the signs of every buzzing bush -- but the task was made necessary by a need to maintain his bearings through the unknown. stigmata would be a wolf hard-pressed to be caught unprepared.

apart from well-stocked, summer also left the world overly warm and bright. stigmata's dark coat did not make for comfortable long distances in this type of still weather; he moved swiftly for the shadows of the bypass, hoping to shelter until night when the drench of the sun could no longer oppress him.

he was slinking slow and cat-like by the water when the sight of a slim, pale figure stole his diligence completely. the wolf paused briefly: a peppered male caught between the socially curious nature of his species  and his own predisposition towards unfriendliness.

trying to  be as vaaaague as possible about his status with bcv -- sorry!
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It was unfortunate that she'd have to bother to move.  Summer was kind of a jerk.  Could they just rewind a little bit to spring so she could just spend the day goofing off?  It's not like she had any responsibility to deal with...   At least for the short term.  Sigh.  Freedom was kind of nice, wasn't it?

That was about when the ducks decided to kick up a fuss and fly-skim to the other side of the lake where maybe the water plants were greener or something.  The noise jolted her awake from her almost-doze, looking around for what might have caused them to startle.  It was nobody's fault in actuality, just birds being loud because they were birds.  Searching the shores for a reason she might have to move, she spotted a wolf that appeared to have been heading her way.  The shadow along the shore was close enough to opposite her in color it was no wonder he was staying out of the sun.  

What was more of a game was to be able to keep an eye on him but not seem threatened -- who knew what types were out here, after all.  Though she watched him fairly intensely for the first few seconds she'd noticed he existed, she eventually shifted him to her peripheral vision, focusing more on a few final stretches and then getting up to get a drink from the lake.  It was a good way to waste time and give him a chance to approach if he wanted to without being hideously awkward, and she was keen on playing it cool.  Unless he wanted to bum rush her, that'd be kinda freaky and she'd maybe do something else instead.
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stigmata watched, striding closer all the while, as she acknowledged his approach and then tactfully occupied herself with taking a drink. he never took his eyes from her -- studying the slim line of her jaw and the elegant set to her loose-limbed stance. she tried to seem unaffected, but sandraudiga could tell she was prepared to receive him in the same way he meant to greet her.

she was too young to be of any real interest to the male, but he thought he might try his skill at recruiting. worst case, she would not care for him; and this mattered to him about as much as where he was going to lift his leg next. but best case could be that he'd found an able body he could groom into a loyal supporter for when he made his own bid for the crown. he needed subjects after all, if he ever wanted to reach that position again. and who wouldn't, after tasting such power for so long?

"my lady," he greeted her, his voice low and enveloping as he came to stand several wolflengths from her. "may i rest in your company a while?"
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After her drink, she stepped back from the water and took a seat on the dry shore.  The guy was still coming over, and didn't seem too threatening or anything, so she'd just wait for that little bit longer until he started to speak.  Her thoughts on him?  No idea.  The whole adventure was new, he was helping to write the first few chapters of what she should expect.

She wasn't exactly the most humble of creatures, so a little bit of ego stroking by treating her with proper manners?  Sure.  Why not?  Perhaps Skydance was a little naive, given that her caution started to wear off as soon as he spoke -- a childhood belief that those that would do her harm would make themselves obvious.  So far, nobody had messed with her, but there was a long road ahead and there was always the chance things would go wrong.  Skydance dipped her head politely in greeting, By all means, sir..?  She left a nice gap for his name. 

Assuming he replied, she'd continue, You may call me Skydance.  She was going to have to figure out just how much fancy names and titles mattered this far from home.  Chances were, nobody'd ever heard of any of it.
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"stigmata," he slithered coolly where prompted, with an obliged bob of his head, and came only slightly closer before imitating her sit in an effort to preserve the agreeable air between them. his head hung slightly and he slouched in mild apathy; a stony posture that lent him an unenergetic presence that he regularly employed as a masquerade to conceal his true imperious nature. until he had something to prove, let them think he was soggy and disinterested -- it always led to a welcome surprise when he could finally be seen in action. in truth, he couldn't have passed for lazy if he tried; not with that taut, well-exercised frame.

the sandraudiga watched her mutely for a beat, particularly admiring -- though it may have seemed like a mild form of glaring -- her red-orange gaze. "you are well met, skydance," he hummed to her quietly. "tell me, are you familiar with these lands?" he asked with a gesture out to the general space around them.
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Though Stigmata had spoken well, his posture didn't match it.  She wasn't sure what to do about that, flicking her tail in a catlike manner before wrapping it around her haunches.  Then again, something did seem kind of off but she couldn't put a paw on it.  Hm.  Whatever.  She was probably imagining it -- yeah, that sounded right.

Skydance, though, would reply in a proper way befitting how she was raised -- she would be alert and respectful, no matter how much he slouched.  She shook her head, No.  I've just been passing through.  This seems like a pretty nice place, though -- here specifically.  I don't know why it's not claimed.  But she could say that about a lot of places, couldn't she?  Skydance did sometimes dream, but she was wise enough to know to not get ahead of herself.  Her ears pricked forward, What about yourself?  He kinda smelled like wolves, after all, so he should have a pretty good idea of who was where.  Right?  Or maybe not.  Maybe her uncertainty at that thought was just his kind of intense stare a moment ago still nibbling at her.
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as she mentioned the bypass' worth, stigmata gave their surroundings a cursory glance. he had already concluded for himself that this area was quite decently made, but apparently he hadn't seen enough to deem it claim-worthy. nothing stood out to him here as more than just -- nice. it was a place he could stay, but not one that he would love. it was hard to beat the drenchwood, however, and if he'd had his own choice, the usurped wolf would have stayed.

he wondered if skydance's comment meant that she was interested in her own claim, or if she was merely surprised by the absence of one here. "too much competition, perhaps," he offered casually, almost suggestively. then to her question, his eyes flashed and he looked at her squarely as he said: "i have not been here long. just getting to know these lands."
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Skydance really hadn't seen too much beyond her home.  Here, she'd wandered through a few lands, but none of them were all that remarkable but at least here she'd probably remember it existed.  Though... Too much competition?  Though there could have been more beneath the surface, it was that top level that didn't entirely mesh with what she'd seen, so it visibly left her wondering, Is there?  I came from the north.  It seemed like there was barely anyone there.  You're the first I've run into in many days.  It had probably been the longest she'd gone without proper conversation, at least.  What was she going to stumble into if she continued along this path, then?  Lots of packs?  Would it be better to stay up in the empty void that was the north?  It might mean more easy prey.  Or she could just go find a pack but was she ready for that yet? Meh.

Still, he theoretically knew things better than her and thus she regarded him with a bit of that reverence you were supposed to show the ones who knew the world, From the direction you've come from, is it much different there, then?  She slowly canted her head.  He hadn't done anything particularly untrustworthy or anything (a little odd, maybe, but that was just her, right?), so she might as well assume that whatever he'd say was the truth.
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"ah, the north" stigmata drawled, considering her rebuttal with a glittering stare; "a direction often known for its barrenness..." he seemed to be implying something -- some ageist or sexist point of view -- but he hardly gave her the chance to consider his slithering tone before adding: "if it is wolves you seek, your journey is almost at an end. south of here is very much populated. as is the west."

whether or not he had a reason to lie about these things, stigmata sometimes was simply too proud to do so. "you have no destination?" he asked suddenly, critically.
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There was a momentarily harshness to her expression at the apparent insult to her homeland -- even if she didn't know exactly what he meant by it.  Was it a joke that fell flat?  It'd be one thing if this was the bleak depths of winter, then maybe she'd laugh along and agree but as it were...  Well, at least he went back on track?  Her nod in response to it was somewhat curt.  At least there were other wolves ahead.  If this dude got weirder, she could just ditch him and find someone less odd.

He was definitely odd.  Not a specific one.  I left home to find my own future.  My destiny is my future, wherever that is.  That, she was very sure of.  Skydance would avoid making bad choices -- she would choose where she landed carefully, like a bird landing on the thinnest of branches just because it could.  I do need to investigate my options.  Leaving home was dangerous in that it was into the unknown, but so far things had worked out, hopefully they would continue to do so.
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stigmata tried to follow the girl's ideation, but ultimately he could not relate to the searching, wandering youth. he was a wolf who'd always known exactly who he was and where he wanted to be -- misfortune had been, and would be, the only thing capable of uprooting him. skydance had left her home on a personal whim and, to this overly critical audience, her image was irreparably damaged. "well there are plenty around here," he spoke of her options, heaving himself back into a stand, and giving his rough pelt a shake as he passed her one last, appraising glance.

"i wish you luck." it was as kind as he could be to a she-wolf he no longer desired, but who had done him no wrong -- and he departed slowly at first, in case there was any reason for her to stop him.
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What had she said that had turned him off that much?  She blinked, Um, yeah.  Gonna be checking them out.  Thanks.  His sudden decision to exit had knocked her mentally off-kilter.  Skydance was pretty sure that nothing she'd said had been particularly out of the norm, so it was probably something odd on his end?  She let him go.

What a weird one.  He'd started off being so promising but as time went on, he'd just seemed, well, odd.  She didn't know how else to describe it.  Well, if she smelled his scent again, she might avoid that pack -- if he was a good representation of the average wolf wherever he was from, they didn't seem her type.

Oh well.  She'd stay along the lakeside by herself a while longer before moving on.