Mount Everfall bullspear

he entered by way of an icy path through mountain stone. hale, fit, cunning, asmodeus stood upon a promontory and gazed out at the promise of the land with its bare bones.

he had not come from the teekons, and therefore had not suffered its famine. the daemon wore his flesh unburdened by scarcity, and a smirk curved the cheekbones beneath his inkblot stare.

he had come for one thing; asmodeus need only bide his time. a low chuckle the stranger left in his wake as he descended the mountain, steps careful.

After a visit to the beach and her return home, Chanel had been a bit tired. She had taken her rest in the Firebirds territory, but all the while she had thought about how exciting it had been to adventure. Wraen had awoken a newfound passion in her. Her feet wanted to wander more. Her heart pulled her belong the borders and to the west, and as she traveled through the unfamiliar land, she created a sort of mental map, familiarizing herself with every little detail. 

Now she came upon the base of a mountain, but felt hesitant to climb it. Something about the height in the air, the risk of stepping upon an unstable rock- it was just a little too much for the girl. Chanel would always feel more secure on the flat ground of Earth, rather than elevated into the sky. She was almost ready to turn tail and make her way home... but her eye caught something.

A tall and pale boy- his eyes were where light went to die, but there was something so mesmerizing there... shall she approach? Hesitant once again, she only watched him quietly with some interest as he made his way down the slope, chocolate eyes following him while making no attempt to hide.

he had almost reached the topmost foothill when asmodeus became aware of a watcher. the pallid bat paused, lifted his muzzle to the air, spotted the figure in the small distance below. 

they watched him openly, and asmodeus, never one to turn down the opportunity for an audience, dismounted the mountain in a near headlong run that ended with a springing step in 

her

direction.

pacing regally in a gait designed to show the musculature of his willowy form, the daemon paused to drink in the warm honey of her stare. she was an incredibly stunning example of her kind; asmodeus was smote immediately.

"come to walk with me?" he invited, not bothering to lift the intensity of his inkwell gaze.

It was not long before the man took notice of her, pranced neatly down to meet her. There was an air of royalty about him- in the way he walked, the way he presented himself. And he seemed to study her for just a moment, and there she felt vulnerable in this stranger's dark gaze.

As he asked her to walk with him, she wondered to herself a prince charming? He was interesting already, asking a stranger to a walk without even knowing her name. Chanel was intrigued...

"Alright," she chirps sweetly, voice ringing out like music. "Where shall you lead me, Sir?" She wonders aloud as she approaches him, coming to stand by his side as if ready to walk.

she did not drift away, nor take a protective stance. no; the maid softened, and a smile furled to dark life on asmodeus' pallid features. "not to brag," he lied in a gentle voice, pitched bass to match her musicality, "but i can take you places you've not been."

he began to walk now alongside her, their path forming a scenic curve along the foothills at the base of the mountain. "what's your name, little latte?" here now the brush of his stygian eyes over the girl again.

A deep voice, telling her he'd show her new places. She raised one brow at that, playful. "Are you sure? I live around here, I'm quite familiar with it," She hums thoughtfully. Of course, she didn't bother to tack on that she only had a general idea of the Hinterlands- and was not as deeply familiar with them as she played at.

 As they begin to walk, the stranger asks for her name. "Chanel. Chanel Vasselli." She tells him as neatly as if they were en France. "And, mister, what might your name be?" She returns, curious about this bold and mysterious man.

a fancy kitten of a she-wolf. asmodeus smirked, dipping into a bow. "the pleasure is all mine."

oh. poor dear. poor innocent dear. she hasn't taken his meaning at all. fighting back another chuckle, the man smiled instead. "my name is asmodeus. and i am very sure, chanel vasselli."

her scent was identical to the one worn by the golden woman. ”you’re from around here then?”

Naïve as ever, Chanel was charmed by his little act. The older man introduces himself as Asmodeus, and assures her he was confident he could show her somewhere new. Did he know the land better than her? Perhaps he was just as local as she, only out on his own. Out on his own... she almost considers inviting the tall male back to Firebirds, but decides not to. Not yet. "Nice to meet you, Mister Asmodeus." She chirps. 

He asks about where she's from, then. "Yes. I'm from a pack just east of here- called 'Firebirds'. Really nice people," She hummed sweetly, and continued, "And you? Where are you from, Asmodeus?" Chanel wonders.

firebirds. that explained very little. perhaps he would have to go and scout the place for himself. "i'm glad they're nice," asmodeus murmured. "seems like a good place for you."

bored with the small talk, he rolled his shoulders and gave a low quirk of his lips at chanel's question. "i'm from everywhere. and nowhere," he added, turning the light-swallowing pallor of his eyes upon the girl.

delicate, fine-limbed, innocent. perhaps too innocent. asmodeus wasn't here to be a teacher. not much patience. "what brought you this way?"

It was a good place for her. Lucky Chanel, that she had happened to find herself upon the borders of a sweet tribe. She may not have fared so easily in the likes of a different pack. 

His next words were mysterious- so then, he didn't want to tell her anything specific, she supposed. Eyes narrowed just slightly in annoyance, but she brushed it off and controlled her expression again. His dark eyes were upon her, and she met them evenly with the rich chocolate of her own. 

He asks what brought her this way, "I wanted to make my own way in life. My parents were restrictive and strange- the way they raised me was too odd for my liking- and I couldn't put up with it any longer." She explained. Chanel figured her motives were like any other travellers who had ended up here- just people who wanted to find their own way. To break free from what was expected of them.

he had not missed her irritation, nor how the girl's features had closed and she went on elegantly.

she had been raised well, but asmodeus suspected little chanel was used to having things her way. she was certainly pretty enough to be spoiled.

"bet you were a daddy's girl," he teased gently. those were the sort he enjoyed, the cute rebels all ready to flout the convention of their proud, overbearing fathers.

all the better for him. asmodeus could play a bad boy.

Whether he knew it or not, he had hit the nail right on the head. Chanel had been spoiled, sheltered, given an easy childhood by overprotective parents. Probably not good for her, considering she was now overly gullible and lacked especial talent. And couldn't pick up on cues given by men about their intentions. It had been just the same when she'd met Yutani. It probably wouldn't be long, until Chanel hit that stage of wanting to go against everything she'd been raised under, with the intent to "find herself"- only to end up making some shitty decisions. 

And yes... she was daddy's little girl. Perfect and innocent and banned from going out to talk to strangers lest she happen to be hurt. Protected from the reality of the world. She didn't know all of this to that degree- but she did know she was daddy's girl. "Maybe a little bit," She giggled lightly, and then adds, "But not anymore, I suppose, since I'm away from home now." She hums thoughtfully.

asmodeus was beginning to think chanel was perhaps a bit innocent for his deceptive notions. beautiful; he swooned in her presence, but he had little intention of being blunter than he had already seen fit.

her laughter was pure, bell-like. the rogue did not yet wish to part ways, fascinated as he was by the sheen of her sheltered life. chanel wore it like a cloak, unaware of how it called to certain individuals. 

such as himself.

snow made its daily debut in that moment; the phantom grinned wryly at the maiden. "i doubt your father feels the same way." asmodeus glanced skyward, then returned his atrous stare to her lovely young face.

"shall i escort you home, miss vasselli?"

Once again, Chanel may be lucky. Her innocence saved her from the touch of strangers. She was pretty, yet delicate, sweet; she had yet to meet a man who had the sort of desire to destroy her rose-tinted world. Until then she could continue living in a dream where boys were gentle princes who would never make a move on her. And for now, that was the way she liked it. She was painfully oblivious to the way those men saw her- as a beautiful yet unknowing little thing, one whom they did not have the time to educate.

He made a comment about her father, and she thought about it for a moment but had little time to determine what to say. He offered to escort her back home, and she nods eagerly, smile bright in a cold world. "That'd be absolutely lovely." She chirps, suddenly aware of their closeness- wondering how angry her father would be, if he could see her with an older boy, a stranger. He probably wouldn't be happy- but there was something exciting to that. Something that made her want to keep talking to him, as if to say, I can do what I want. I'm not a little girl anymore. But Chanel ought to watch her back, thinking like that- come across the wrong person and she would screw herself over.

she purled a yes, and asmodeus loped gallantly at her side. chanel's smile brightened the icy world a long moment; he returned it with a genuine grin of his own, though it did not quite climb the planes of his cheekbones to his eyes.

he would have gladly swept the girl off for a lesson had she shown any inkling of what he was getting at. but, the serpent supposed, there was always the return trip

"what is your favorite kind of tree?" he inquired, snaking in a half-circle around the girl until he brushed against her other side, teeth glinting in a semi-smirk.

The boy returns her smile and wraps around her like a snake, making his way to her other side now. A strange question departs him and it has Chanel's brow furrowed already. "Well, Asmodeus, dear, I don't believe I've ever considered that before..." She ponders as she considers the trees she's seen and the trees which surround them. 

Finally, she settles upon "Maple! They have the most classic look in summers and they light up the forests in the fall with their fiery oranges and reds. They're simply gorgeous." She sighs a bit dreamily as eyes linger elsewhere. And she wouldn't say it, but those oranges complemented her beautiful warm coat well, she thought. She returns her gaze to him. "Why do you ask?" Suddenly curious, that little kitten.

"i don't think anyone has ever called me dear," the serpent contemplated aloud, teeth flashing briefly. "has an enjoyable sound to it." chanel had gone on to discover an answer for his empty question; asmodeus liked the soft haze that veiled her lovely eyes a moment as she described the maple.

"as striking as you are, i am sure you are made for autumn, sugar," he chuckled. directness had earned him many valuable things. mayhap she only needed a bit of the same."and i was just curious."

sorry for the long wait. ive lost muse for several of my toons recently;_;

He comments on her use of the word, dear, and she blinks black lashes. She was raised with these sort of words, they came naturally to her, whether or not she really felt that a person deserved them. Nevertheless, she said nothing in response, not wanting to steal away whatever joy she believed he recieved by telling him, I call everyone dear! 

He says she's made for autumn and she nods shy and sweet. The girl was woven of coco and honey, warm in every way and a stark contrast to Asmodeus' ghastly white. Looking him up and down then, she admits, "And you for winter, perhaps," she murmurs, biting at bottom lip with thoughtfulness.

no worries whatsoever<3

for the first time chanel took a closer look at her skullish escort; asmodeus was happy to receive her gaze, having no need to preen, for he was assured of his appearance. "winter, yes," he agreed, daring to bend closer his mouth to warm her ear with his breath.

"i can also be the colder parts of fall, snow lurking in warm places," asmodeus smirked, black gaze meeting hers directly, unblinkingly.

seize his moment.

She blushes shyly and tucks her head into her own chest fluff as his hot breath comes over her. She's never been so close to a boy- no, a man before. It's a new feeling, scary and yet wonderful all at the same time. Maybe this is why daddy warned her away from the strangers, for with them came strange experiences like these.

He calls himself the colder parts of fall and she nods uncomfortably, and as he makes eye contact she stumbles a little, and her chocolate eyes wander away in awkwardness, looking down at her own creamy paws. What could she say now? Her tongue was in a knot.

chanel did not pull away, and asmodeus smiled. best not to press her further; he saw the anxiety fluttering dark wings along the pretty lines of her body. perhaps a man had never spoken to her this way. if so, the snake was pleased to be the first. 

but her unsurety put the serpent off somewhat; he returned to her side, the vaguely oiled picture of gentlemanly grace. "are we close to home?" asmodeus inquired, scenting the air before returning his jet gaze to chanel's beautiful young face.