Thunder Dome umbra

um, i'm not sure how or why this got so long *pouts*

it was hard to miss her interest in the life he prescribed to live, and even easier for stigmata to imagine that the smokewisp ruenna was a scout by trade. this was twice now he had caught her outside the realm of her own territory, and if her packscent hadn't remained relatively the same since their first encounter, he might have thought her as packless as himself. at the very least, he could presume that she was dissatisfied in some way; serving a stagnant pack as he had, was his best guess, but because he was aware of having frightened off the she-wolf before, he remained wary of trying to lure her further. 

the ironwraith watched her stifle his allure right before his very eyes, and he looked on bemusedly as she returned her countenance to placid indifference. she would not let whim or fancy distract her, and stigmata admired her deeply, lamenting (not for the first time) at how he might have liked to collect the fleet adventurer before her loyalties had been decided. his tail swished idly, and his eyes flashed towards her comment, electing not to respond aloud. he would have preferred no neighbors at all, but stigmata was opportunistic more than anything, so he could see benefits as well as detriments to having other packs nearby.

ruenna's suggestion made him perk up slightly. elysium came to his thoughts then, but he wasn't sure yet what to make of their generosities or if he wanted anything to do with that at all. they were so lax he thought it might be advantageous to align himself with their kind, but he couldn't help but feel as if he'd rather have more guarded allies. allies who thought more like himself, even if that meant fiercer competition. he suddenly thought of his company's pack, and slyly his eyes swiveled to meet hers.

it was mistake she looked back, because her expression gave away far more than she had intended, when facing the tactician, trained to notice vulnerabilities. she had noticed her blunder too, and stigmata found himself standing at a fork in the road. he had the chance to let it pass him, and walk a path of willful ignorance, but the warhound was insidiously loathe to let an opportunity to target weakness pass him by. he could ignore them as well as he could ignore the scent of fresh blood, and while possible, it simply was not likely. but stigmata would not be himself if he was not provocative.

he decided to fuck with her in a roundabout fashion, though his gaze was nothing but direct. "funny thing," he drawled, as patient in his speech as he was with his plans. "giving advice," he clarified, as his tail began to switch back and forth; expression shrewd and eyes filled with such an unfathomable liquid that even a fortuneteller could not read them. "sometimes it can be used against you." then he snorted lightly, expelling an amused breath. "so then i must ask: what would make you share such... insightful information, ruenna?" she was smarter than a simple mistake - something a blind wolf could see - so he had to wonder if it was something else.

"to what do i owe this confidence?" he asked with genuine inflection, canting his muzzle and surreptitiously scanning her face for any tells in her outward expression.