Emberwood The devil in disguise had a poker face

The sun was warm on his back. The trees making pretty patterns in thr breaks of their leaves on the loam floor. Each paw step muffled by the soft soil. Golden gild looked around amd beyond. But what was he to do or say or be?

What was a boy without a mother but an orphan? And it pained him so.

The deaths that had followed so quickly, all because of the cruelty of males. Who coveted what they couldn't have, and took what they wanted. Senseless.

And he hated his gender.

Unfortunately for Etienne, it was one of his gender currently afoot and afield — or, rather, aforest. He entered the trees with caution, wary even in the golden light of early summer. It was too reminiscent of his childhood home, which he still had strange nightmares about from time to time.

It was the scent of turkeys that drew him deeper, but detecting the presence of another wolf, he was quick to abandon the hunt.

"Hello?" he called out, his young voice absent of guile or suspicion. He was nervous, just a little, but he had never become shy of strangers, by some unlikely miracle. Not even the senseless violence of his youth had rid him of the hope he had in others.

"Is anyone there?" he called again, hesitating to seek the stranger out directly. He would rather be invited — but he began cautiously following the trail all the same.

Etienne supposed it was not a kindness to lump all men into such a horrific pile. But at the same time. What man had ever done him right. Oh Anselm tried, but sometimes he could be mean. Cambria he had thought, but then he had turned his back and stomped on all the promises he had made Etienne too. There had been only one male father figure in the pack and he had run at the first sign of trouble. Though Eti could not blame him. He had his own family after all. Swordfish had done the same.

A young voice called out and Etienne shamefully for a second thought of not answering it. But then he realized that was a cruelty so he moved towards the sound. A soft whuff in return.

He blinked when the wolf painted in shadows and loam met his gaze. Young like he thought. Male unfortunately, but it was not his fault. Just as Etienne's gender was not his own fault.

Bonjou. Etienne shook his head. Sorry, I mean 'ello? Much like times in past. In moments of stress. Etienne clung to the comfort of his mother's tongue.

The two males found each other, honing in via scent and sound. Katmai was not sure what he expected, nor what he hoped to carry away from this encounter. He was drawn quite naturally to others, and it intrigued him, always, to lay eyes on a new face.

This wolf, he thought, looked very kind.

"Bonjour," he replied, startled, not quite sure whether he was welcome here. It was obvious by his tone, just as it was obvious by his accent that he'd never used this greeting aloud before. "And peace be. I hope I'm not disturbing you?"

Etienne normally liked others, but lately he wanted to be alone. However, he knew this was a dangerous path to tread. So he turned golden gaze to the newcomer.

A twitch of his maw at the endearing way the man tried to say his greeting. It was cute.

Etienne shook his head. You not be disturbin' me. I be Etienne, but most jes call me Eti.

Oh, good, spoke the sag of the young man's shoulders, and the way he cast one last glance over his shoulder. He usually enjoyed spending time on his own, but something about this place made him uneasy.

"Nice to meet you, Eti," he replied, minding his manners as his parents had taught him. Just as his father had taught him to say hello in as many languages as he knew — he thought that had been French, but unfortunately, he only knew the one word in that language. "I'm Katmai."

And, yeah, plenty of wolves called him Kat. He didn't offer the nickname, though. He wanted to appear grown-up to this very obviously grown-up male.

"Do you live around here?" he asked, trying not to look around at the unsettling trees. "I'm — I'm a little lost, maybe."

Etienne was not a fool. He caught the way the young man looked around and the way he seemed uncomfortable. He could not blame him. This was not the most favorable of places and it was dark. There was a circle of trees with some sunlight just ahead. Perhaps they could make it there.

Nice to meet you Katmai. Wut brings you 'ere? Just wanderin' 'bout?

Etienne shifted. I be wanderin' my ownself. Just wanderin'

Etienne realized again, he had barely anyone left. The younger wolves at Sapphique did not know him. Accept perhaps Sobeille. And he wasn't if she even liked him. What was a man to do?