we'd feed well the land, and worry the sheep

@nakai

Across the strand the fair skies brightly flickered off the shimmering waves; in the rippling water the sun was reflected a thousandfold and the beach's shallows were given the deceiving image of unseasonal warmth.

Caiaphas was not stupid (nor brave) enough to wade the shallows - despite their alluring appeal, winter's bite was sharp. She settled for pacing just along the swash-line where the damp sand compressed down in heavy sloughs. The tide was low -- and in several stranded pools she could see the darting ripple of trapped shrimp. Her interest piqued, the lanky coywolf struck off in their direction.

[size=medium]It was with a certain air of prudent curiosity that Nakai trotted down the coast of his new home. Life here was so different to what he had previously known, his rank and place within the hierarchy too. He was treated with disdainful ignorance and passive hostility as though the wolves around him were quite determined to make him remember his place. It was baffling how much he had yet to learn and understand, the language of his brethren included. He was no believer by any standard and thus the pack's rituals and sacred faith was of only academic interest to the male. He would learn them and honour them, he mused internally as his paws sunk every so slightly into the wet sand, creating indents in a trail behind him, if only to gain acceptance. He shook his head slightly, heading on along the puddles on the beach in an effort to clear his head. Features serene and ears peaking forward he trotted on.
Ahead he could make out a familiar creature and instantly his serenity was replaced by an earnest mask of prudence and his posture lost some of it's pride. The coywolf a few stone's throw away was another mystery to him. He had yet to understand any of the individuals surrounding him but Caiaphas proved eternally more difficult than he was used to. And thus, uncertain to proceed (so unlike him, he sighed internally) he remained still only ten feet from where the smaller but much more powerful wolf was investigating whatever had caught her fancy.
He made no sound, nothing to alert her to his presence for he deemed it wise not to disturb her. And yet he did nothing to conceal himself either but remained with a stoic passivity in his posture, unable to his curiously peaking ears.[/size]

Slinking towards the glittering pools with intensity to her step, Caiaphas' jaws slavered with anticipation. A flick of a long triangular ear was given as she caught out of her peripherals the form of Nakai. She had seen little of the wolf since his rather sudden indoctrination, but this to her was a good sign -- she surmised he had been keeping his head low to avoid confrontation.

With a splash she bounded into the pool with artful poise, her thin snout piercing the water with the sharp ambition of a knife. The crystalline water shattered under her like glass and with coruscating blades rose about her in a shimmering fountain of water-lash. The sound of her impact was sharp and the water rebounded under her, carrying the unsettled shrimp into the air like a raining buffet. For now she was happy to torture her quarry -- and her ambivalent pose suggested that Nakai was welcome to join her in her terrorizing quest.

[size=medium] It was with a watchful gaze that Nakai took in the posture of the female ahead of him. Her ear flicked curiously, eliciting a twitch of his own ear in response. He was careful, prudent even where the tempestuous female was concerned and had almost avoided her all together since she had allowed him a trial run- But now with the puddles stretched out invitingly before the pair, Nakai almost dared to drop his guard though he was certain that he could never be careless around any of the females who were so obviously higher in rank than he could ever dream to be. He sighed and shook his head slightly before continuing his walk towards the alpha and the treacherous, cool ponds that seemed to have caught her fancy.
He halted a few feet from Caiaphas and lowered his head marginally in a display of submission. However much he enjoyed quiet relaxation, the powerful female still set his teeth on edge. Deciding not to speak, he instead inspected the pools further, only to see the shrimp colonies that almost begged to be disturbed by playful wolves.
His tail wagged slightly in anticipation and an appreciative growl sprung from his throat as a predatory glint took over in his eyes. He shot Caiaphas a quick questioning look, almost as if asking permission from the smaller wolf, anticipation coiling his body tightly.[/size]

So consumed by childish glee was the lithe coywolf, she scarcely detected the uncertainty on Nakai's face until she paused and looked upwards. He looked tentative -- as if asking her for permission -- and it was then that a mischievous expression stole across her thinly tapered muzzle.

He was close to the pool -- close enough that with a cackle Caiaphas swiped a skinny forearm in his direction, her paw bounding off the water's edge in a cascade of water aimed right at him. Without awaiting a response she yipped playfully and bounded to the next pool, splashing among the terrified shrimp with a near juvenile abandon.

[size=medium]It was with caution and the eyes of a hawk that Nakai watched mischief take over his Queen's usually indifferent features and it worried him. And then, suddenly, icy water splashed his legs, even reaching his shoulder and staining his thick, grey-hued coat and elicited a surprised yelp from his throat. It took only seconds however for the watchful male to abandon all sense of propriety that typically dictated his behavior at the prospect of play. He gave a low growl of pure, unadulterated glee before following the female as she bounded away. His paws found a pool quickly and with a quick, forceful jump, he returned the favour, sending water cascading upwards aimed at the alpha. It might cost him later, when her playfulness reached it's end, but for now, he decided not to linger on the consequences and instead enjoy the respite from duty as he was sure that it would be brief.
A small smile played at the corners of his lips and blue eyes almost glowed with pleasure as he bounded around, watching the terrified shrimp and the icy water below his paws. Giving yet another low and deep growl, he snapped at the water in an effort to catch maybe one or two of the quick maritime animals. He did not succeed however and all he caught was a muzzle full of ice-cold salt-water, which he immediately shook from his face.[/size]

Every wolf knew play was nobler than work -- and few were so enlightened to that mantra than Caiaphas. Play sharpened reflexes -- it honed skill -- it prepared every juvenile (and sometimes, not juvenile) for the darker aspects of survival.

When Nakai issued rebuke in the form of his own gigantic crescent-splash, Caiaphas was not quick enough to dodge it. She pivoted on her hindquarters, yielding away from the splash -- yet it did little to reduce the amount of frigid frostwater that fell upon her coat. She exhaled sharply, surprised by the cold of it -- and quickly she shook her pelt of the offensive water.

As Nakai diverged his attention to the shrimp Caiaphas skimmed the water with her snout. With a deft move of her muzzle she flicked her jaws upwards and a plump shrimp flew into the air. She tore after it, scrabbling wildly in the sand after the thrashing thing with an excited whine.

[size=medium] Watching from the corner of his eye, Nakai saw the crustacean being flung into the air and suddenly around him, everything was spraying water and thrashing agouti and charcoal limbs. He instantaneously spun around, narrowly escaping a swat of a stray paw scrambling after the doomed shrimp. A deep laugh escaped his throat and he himself tried to mimic the feat that female had accomplished moments ago. With a sharp whack of his muzzle he sent another aquatic animal flying, only to lose it in the water again. Slightly perturbed though still too deeply engulfed in the primal, instinctive playing around to care for rationality, he bounded, aiming for the alphas prey instead. Though he could not mimic the lithe and extremely quick movements of his sudden playmate, he was larger by far and thus had to duck down considerably in order to try and sneak her prize from the low right corner of her vision, though he risked getting caught by her still gleefully thrashing limbs in the process. Crouching down, he gave a happy growl as his head shot forward to catch the poor mangled shrimp with his canines from under Caiaphas' snout and his coat brushed over the cold ground in feigned submission.[/size]

The shrimp thrashed upon the sand, and as Caiaphas struggled after it she inadvertently sent sand spraying about her. She froze mid play-bow, her stance somewhat questioning as she sharply turned her head about in consternation -- where had the shrimp gone?

And then she saw Nakai -- before she could intercept him he had nicked the shrimp out from under her. Caiaphas let loose a retort in the form of a playful growl, her shoulders scrunched upright as he fell. She remained stock-still -- her limbs tense....

Just when it seemed she could stay still no longer, her ears flew back -- with a roguish growl she pulled her limbs out from under her and scampered wildly past Nakai in a hare-ridden gallop. With a titanic leap she bounded back into the small tidal pool, collapsing onto her stomach. She riffled through the water with her front paws, stretching out so the cool sand and cold water ran along her belly.

For a moment, she forgot the sting of the water's taste -- and greedily, she lapped the wavering water only to sharply retort and beset by a belligerent row of frenzied sneezes.

[size=medium]Prey in snout he growled in satisfaction, snapping his powerful jaws once. His prize disappeared between his fangs, the evidence of his roguish crime gone from the world. When the smaller canine bolted, he watched in amazement before giving a laugh and following suit, albeit at a less break-neck speed. His paws left deep imprints as he slowed to a trot, eyes scouting around watchfully, almost as if expecting that his careless sport carried dire consequences in it's wake. Though when no threat was to be seen or felt, he allowed himself to breathe easy.
A fit of sneezes claimed his attention and he chuckled darkly at the scene before him.
He had yet to understand how this playful almost puppy-like female was the same as the cunning and aloof alpha that had held his life in her paws when he had offered his service.
He sat down on hind quarters and watched, ears tilted forward benevolently. Questions burned in his mind but he wasn't sure if he dared ask them and thereby ruin the carefree mood. And yet, the timing was ideal, though he remained uncertain. He understood his place in the pack and knew, that he ranked too low to bother Caiaphas with his worries. But seeing as he could not question his direct superior due to a lack of a common vernacular, he finally broke the silence.
"If I may be so bold to ask you a question, your highness?" he began, the playfulness in his tone replaced by tentative inquisition. [/size]

Tears strung from the little coywolf's squinted eyes -- her throat and nose burned with surprising alacrity. Hoarse was the reverberation of her lungs -- stung sharply by bitter saltwater.

Wiping snot from her muzzle, she looked up -- surprised then to hear the male's voice trouble the air. About her a wave of solemnity seemed to return -- how fickle of her to play the juvenile one moment, and grave Siren queen the next. It did not occur to her that her many roles may have seemed curious to the grey settler -- perhaps this was a lapse of judgment she would later come to recognize as undiplomatic, unprincely behavior.

She looked up to him expectantly, but said nothing. If Nakai was bold enough to ask, she surmised he would follow through with whatever his inquiry was.

[size=medium]It was almost impossible for the graphite wolf not to notice the quick and palpable change in the alphas posture and expression. He wondered if he had overstepped his tight bounds. He knew that his position was a low one in terms of rank and yet, he had felt that he had no other choice if he was to solve his conundrum.
The expectant gaze of the darker female was unnerving though did not rattle his resolve but served to show that he had offered his servitude to a strong and capable leader. He smiled almost invisibly and pride swelled in his chest.
"I apologise if I have offended your highness but if I am to serve you efficiently, I need to know this, if you will allow it: those above me speak languages that are beyond my understanding. I am aware that I am but a soldier and yours to command as you see fit, but I find it hard to do so, as I understand none of what is said in this mythical language. My question is this: whom am I to ask if I wishes to learn this strange tongue in order to be of more use to this pack? I would have turned to Spyridon, but as you are aware, we share no common tongue in which I could have relayed my issue."
Again he feared he might have said too much but truth be told he knew not how to converse otherwise. If he was to explain an issue, it had to be done in it's entirety.
He silently awaited her response and while doing so, he moved closer, pressed closer to the ground, head held low. As he reached the female, he uttered a submissive growl and licked her paw. He hoped that she might forgive his ever too-bold behaviour. He was after all proud to serve though he might not fit the mold of the paragon Ankyran consort that Spyridon incorporated, he was no less devoted to the cause to which he had pledged his life and loyalty.[/size]

Savage as Caiaphas was, she allowed Nakai close enough to lick a blunt paw. She considered his plight -- she was a terribly inconsiderate imp, and not once since the day they had met had she considered how bereft an outsider was without possession of the Nereides' tongue.

She stifled a snicker then, envisioning the helpless bemusement her Epivitoras must have endured. "Kevlyn can teach you -- Aella as well." She was not kind enough to offer her own tutelage -- such menial work was above her deportment. "I would advise sticking close to Aella." Her lashes flickered subtly, and a strange look overtook her. "She has abandoned us in the past, and must be supervised." Caiaphas had not forgotten their rivalry -- Aella had left shortly after Caiaphas' ascension to alphaship and she had never gotten the opportunity to torment the fiery Amazon to her fulfillment. "Would you do that for me, Nakai?" She turned her slender muzzle to him and her expression was surprisingly benign -- yet it did nothing to sheath the thinly-veiled villainy Caiaphas was capable of.

But the ruthless queen did not wait for an answer. Rising to her feet, the slab-sided matriarch departed Nakai's company, setting her sights on the sea that rumbled in the distance.