Great Bear Wilderness the only difference

@Haoniyao

the breeze was slight, combing through plumes of soft waves as she leapt from one stone to the next. yehudis had spent the greater portion of the afternoon daydreaming about the creatures hidden beneath the stream. she wondered what they might look like, and how they might behave, but thought that it was better to ponder from a distance than approach without any information.

she bounced back toward land, listening to the soft whispers of running spring water. soon, she would seek shelter.

Haoniyao approached the stream, his mouth dry and begging for liquid to soothe his throat. Despite the plentiful amount of liquid that had fallen to the ground as a result of the snow and rain, he found himself drawn to the running water. Mostly out of habit. He knew how water-sickness could bring a warrior low. He was skeptical of each puddle he saw.

As he approached the water's edge he found that he was not the only wolf visiting. A wolf draped in black and amber hopped from stone to stone across the river. He chuffed in order to announce his presence and to indicate that he meant no harm.

yehudis looked up from the water's edge, acknowledging the stranger with a silent nod. immediately, she fell into submission; although he was young, she could see the makings of a growing male. 

she didn't say anything. instead, the sprite backed away from her prior resting place and settled into a demure curtsey. yehudis continued listening to the stream's serenade, hoping that the music might lull her nerves.

Their encounter did not go the way that Yao had expected. The wolf — Yao could not discern whether or not they were male or female — had slipped into a submissive posture and distanced themself from him. He tilted his head. It is I who should be deferring to you, Yao said softly, a confused smile flickering across his lips. You are the elder here, are you not? Yao, though larger than the stranger, had to be the younger. There was something about the wolf's eyes — cold and sharp — that belied their experience in his mind.

cultural differences were commonplace. yehudis knew that the beliefs she held were not universal, and took no offense in having them questioned. she remained stiff and slight, turning only to share a small smile. 

yehudis went on to explain: you are stronger than me. if not for their gender, surely he would understand the difference in physical aptitude. she shuffled onto her hindquarters, then onto her belly, and allowed her gaze to drift.

Her voice — her, Yao decided in his head — was low and submissive as well. If he was being honest, the display was making him uncomfortable. He had never had the clout to deserve such displays before, especially not back home. I am, He wrinkled his nose. It was an obvious fact. Doesn't mean you have to do that. I will not hurt you if you don't. She shifted position, moving onto her stomach. Yao took a step towards her, keeping his head low and his body relaxed.

the stranger's kindness was appreciated. yehudis relaxed the general tension of her muscles, sensing the discomfort of her company. okay, she replied, admiring his impressive wisdom.

do you know this stream? yehudis asked. small crystals of frost sat opaque atop its surface; she watched them break against the slow current, eyes wide with interest.

His words seemed to calm her. Her body relaxed, the tension ebbing from her with his simple request. Now that she lowered her guard, so did he. The emotion and feeling of unease that held his muscles rigidly vanished. No, I am new to this area. he said, following her gaze. Is it lovely though, eh? He smiled at the sight.

the stranger carried an accent which had revealed his foreign origins. very nice, she replied. yehudis straightened her jaw and looked carefully at the brute, appraising him through careful gaze. reminds me of home.

there never had been one "home". yehudis's family always travelled, stopping only once each year to pay the ancestors homage. she remembered the stream in which her grandmother's body lay, her eyes alight with fond memories. 

i'm yehudis. the sprite searched for his attention, now turned fully in his direction.

He could feel his eyes burning on his face, in that strange sixth sense that he was never able to properly describe. He turned his head to meet her, smiling politely. You must have a very lovely home. I envy you. Her body had turned until it fully faced his own. The switch from submissiveness to directness was throwing him off. He became bashful, his smile coming and going as he felt himself unable to pick a proper facial expression. Haoniyao, he answered.

yehudis couldn't believe that she'd offended him already. her boldness had caused him discomfort, based on the unsure contortions of his face. was this not what he'd wanted?

immediately, she averted her gaze and returned to the small, fragile state. yehudis tucked the tip of her tail, wanting to communicate her apology.

haoniyao, she repeated. her voice was low, nervous, but the flinching grin lingered on her expression. it's nice to meet you. yehudis wanted to look at him, clarify her intentions, but worried that the bridge between them might have already burned.

Something that he had done spooked her, for she twisted back into her submissive state once more. Was it his face? His mouth twisted into confusion and frustration. He'd never met anyone like this before. It's nice to meet you too, but, why are you apologizing now? he bent his head down to her level. You haven't done anything wrong. Anything intentionally, or anything he thought that she should apologize for.

everything about their interaction felt wrong. yehudis wasn't in any place to explain her point of view, but could tell by haoniyao's reaction that her beliefs weren't shared. she shook her head, unwilling to continue their interaction.

instead, yehudis replied: my pack misses me. this was likely untrue, but she needed an excuse to leave. she looked at him one more time and smiled her silent goodbye, before turning back in the direction of neverwinter.

She, to her credit, took the final step to end this fiasco. She jumped right to the end to the spectrum towards boldness, a heel turn that made Yao's head spin. A-alright, Yao nodded and smiled back, his secret relief adding to the genuineness of it. Sorry, he sighed to himself, unsure of what barriers caused them to dance that dance. He looked out over the stream again, running through the conversation one last time before he wandered off.