If You Seek...(Rhiannon)

[Ahote]

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[atrb=background,http://i.imm.io/62ae.jpeg] Ahote had changed up his routine this morning, the first thing he had done upon arriving back in Cadre territory was to take a complete and utter dirt bath. Even though he found the process to be completely un-appealing he knew it was necessary as the heat got worse and the insects came out to feed. He had also spent the earlier part of the morning between traveling and changing his gait from fast to slow, fast to slow, to keep his body in shape and toned. He had not found a sparring partner and he had thought at first of seeking out the other male Yagi, before shaking his head ruefully. No, as much respect as he had for the other male, sparring would simply allow them to see how each other fought and ruin the tournament. Until he found an adequate partner to spar wit, it was up to him to keep up with his strength and endurance. Despite his size, his training had allowed him to cut his movement time, and he practiced quickly making turns, and dodging while he was traveling to his new destinations. In between training he had found yet another delicious, fattened by spring rabbit and had stopped to enjoy himself. The muscles underneath his coat were clear as he kept moving back through the canyon, before he came down to where the dens were, he decided he might stop and get a bath beneath the waterfall and then take a rest while the hottest part of the day passed. Down the steps he went, careful to not disturb some of the less, stable one, in fact trying to keep as little weight off his feet as possible sent him down the stairs quickly. In reality he needed to find his Alphess and speak with her, not only that but he wanted to find Gypsy as well, and at least formally introduce himself. But first things first, he needed to be clean and not smelling like a pup who had found something deliciously stinky or dirty to roll in. Stepping into the cool water he sighed in relief and quickly reached an area where he could push himself completely under, at least to his horns. Knowing that there was little time to delay he brought himself out of the water and shook off once, twice, and three times until very little water clung to his dark green pelt. In fact now he looked closer to the color of a black wolf, but as the sun would do it’s job and dry him, his coat would lighten. After pacing around a small while, and deciding he did not look like a drowned rat, he went in search of his Alphess. Besides the few rare meetings he had had with her, he had not had much time to really speak with her. If nothing else he knew it was appropriate to tell her why he wanted to challenge for the Beta position and what his concerns were. It was more responsible than just laying down a claim in the pack meeting. His paws carried him around some of the areas around the dens, watching the other members while he searched for her. He assumed she might be in her den, but he would be the last one to enter that territory without permission or a good damn reason. Turning back toward the water he sat down on a higher level of rock and just decided to wait. His eyes loved watching the water, and the way it poured down from what seemed to be the sky, and the smaller droplets that rose sprayed anything within reach, it was truly a magnificent sight and he could not have been happier to be here. But his mind did wander…to her. Yes she had captivated him, and he longed to see her again. But it would be a while before he could travel once more to see her, and he had obligations here that ranked upwards in a hierarchy of importance. It would seem he were lost in thought but all the while his eyes moved to the left and right in search of the body of Rhiannon, searching, seeking, and listening for her arrival.

[RHIANNON !]

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[atrb=background,http://i930.photobucket.com/albums/ad144/FallArrow/RHIANNONbg4.png] [[ Pretend this is a really sweet post about how Rhia was all cool and was down at the canyon being all cool like. ]] Her eyes caught movement and a scent; she had been walking along the river for quite some time and hadn't noticed anyone else really near her. The scent was a familiar one though, and clean. She inhaled deeply, following it, her paws leaving small imprints in the sandy parts of the shore behind her. What was Ahote doing all the way down at the river? Usually it was only cael who came down here, as they could fish despite the strong current. She let out a bark, alerting him to her arrival. She didn't want to creep up on him suddenly. She had no idea he was actually looking for her. He sat on a rock above the water, watching it flow by. Rhiannon, down at the banks, found herself bounding up the steps until she was at the same level he was. She smiled a touch at him. He was one of the contenders for beta; how many were there now? Three? Their physical strength was a huge component, but she and Gypsy also had to approve of the male in general. Meeting Ahote on a more personal level was the only way this would be accomplished. She padded towards him, her hazel eyes fixed on his strong form. Yagi were so strong, so hardy... she wondered how it was they were gifted with such strong bodies. Rhiannon was a small wolf, and though she was strong, she knew her limitations. Against a yagi she would have a tough time. She would have to rely on agility and speed, rather than strength which was her forte. Forte... she bit her tongue, tasting the copper of her own blood and twitched, finding herself close to the male now. "Good day, Ahote," she exclaimed, looking out towards the canyon. Down here it wasn't so hot, and the water kept the air from getting too hot and sticky. "Fine day, isn't it?" Small talk. How awful. ------------------------------------- OOC ;; LOL MY POST IS SOUPER LONG TOO. e-e

[Ahote]

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[atrb=background,http://i.imm.io/62ae.jpeg] -So serious...- Ahote smelled Rhia before he actually saw her, then as he looked down the rock as he heard her bark. He then saw her smaller form jump up until she was on the rock next to him, and he nodded quietly for a moment, he had to say he was grateful that she had enough respect for him to alert him to her being close to him, lest he be surprised and fall into the water. He had high hopes for this meeting, a meeting of the minds as he would call it. Physically he was already impressive and intimidating, but he knew that by keeping himself cloistered and to himself he was doing nobody lest himself any favors. Gypsy was next on his list, and he would keep his charm in check with both females Honesty was how he felt it was best to portray himself. He found she was looking at him, and he turned his head to face her eyes, eyes capturing her eyes. Even though she was smaller, Ahote could not help but take in to account the muscles beneath her coat and its colors and length. Ahote always found pleasure in sizing up other’s wolves..however more so with females it got him into trouble, and no amount of explaining he was actually looking for platonic reasons ever fixed the situation, or so it seemed. Perhaps he was a cad when it came to females, but for the most part he always seemed to get the end results everyone wanted. “It seems to be a lovely day Rhiannon, indeed you are correct.” He looked back over the canyon, truly enjoying the site around him. Even though yagi were typically suited to colder climates, Ahote found a lot of enjoyment in this pack. This was the reason he intended to challenge for beta, and he intended to win. He wanted it more than the others in his mind, and he was a better candidate as well. He knew the purpose of small talk but he did not intend to spend the afternoon small talking with the Alphess. “Rhiannon, you don’t know much about me, just like I don’t know much about you, but it is not your job to tell me your life’s story. But I feel as your subordinate that you need to know some things about me, especially if I am going to have a chance at being Beta.” “Please understand, my talking to you today is by no means going to promise me anything, I know I must still prove myself, and I intend to. But I feel that I could better inform you about me and my past so that you will at least know more about a single male Yagi who supports you as my Alphess.” He paused in his speech, wondering where to begin, and how he could make her understand why he wanted the things he wanted, and why he appeared to be the way he was. It was like standing in the middle of a maze wondering how to give instructions to someone who is lost. “I have no family, no ties to a mother, or father or siblings, death has taken them all from me. Cruelty may have taken them from me before Death came knocking for them, but that is something I have tried to deal with to the best of my ability. Death and loss touch us all Rhiannon, despite our running or turning our back from them in hopes of avoidance.” His eyes remained straight ahead, keeping the horizon within his sights. His longer than usual tail for a Yagi swept the earth once or twice before he continued. “You are a rather unusual Alphess… I have never seen any other Alphess who was willing to allow a dragon into their territories not only out of seeing the positives to having one, but for friendship. That is rather remarkable and makes me believe you will understand what I am about to say. An alpha must do what is best for their pack, and even though it is good to take the pack’s feelings into account, sometimes we must all do things we do not want to. You are not a tyrant Rhiannon, leading by sheer force of will and might, but you respect those who can show not only strength but the will to survival and survive well.” It was not that he turned to her, his amber eyes glittering and burning as he turned his head to look into her own eyes. “I challenged for Beta because I believe I have the qualities to be a strong support system for you and the pack, and the qualities needed for the position. Even with my size and admirable physical attributes that make me an impressive fighter and defender, I believe more so than that my mental abilities and beliefs are close to yours in what is best for the pack.” “Violence will always be something no one can avoid forever, and when the day comes to defend our lands I will lay down my life only after fighting until every bone is crushed and my pelt is taken from my very body. Until that day comes however, I believe in being a beacon for respect. I treat other members with respect, and what I would ask of any member to do, I would do myself, which I know is how you treat the pack as well. You would stand by any member’s side and fight for our survival, is that not what we are here to do? Survive, thrive and keep our lands safe for future generations? What would become of the Cadre if all we did was go around and unnecessarily attack and torture those around us? Would history write us as brutes, war-mongering wolves who had nothing else in their head but to conquer and rule with an iron fist?” His shoulders fell slightly, and his voice became an octave lower, “I tell you this Rhiannon to consider me more than just a strong wolf who towers over many others. I have killed for what I felt was right, to end what seemed like a lifetime of cruelty, and because you have given me a home within a land where cruelty does not reign, even if I failed you and did receive Beta, I would do all I could to provide for the pack in any way I can. Be it providing food, safety, or anything else they needed.” His head was a little lower, but his voice never shook even when he admitted to his previous crimes against life. Finally silence prevailed after his speech and he went back to looking in the horizon, the sprinkles of water had clung to his coat and made me close to glitter within the sun light but all he could see was a black mist that clung to his very soul. Just because you were willing to do anything to accomplish the right ends did not mean it didn’t taint you. On pins and needles he waited for her to speak to him, or drive him off the rock for boring or even tainting her mind with his speech and admittances..

[RHIANNON !]

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[atrb=background,http://i930.photobucket.com/albums/ad144/FallArrow/RHIANNONbg4.png] Ahote was calm, and as such, his mood influenced Rhiannon's own. Her demeanor was tranquil, and she had no reason to rile herself up. It was nice to have quiet for once. With Toril always about, it was 'Master this, master that'. It was nice to be with someone who didn't feel as though he had to constantly be her entertainment. She was slowly growing tired with the whole slave thing. She had no heart to be a cruel master. Rhiannon wasn't sure if he'd been sitting there waiting for her, or the meeting was just by chance. Either way it would give them both an opportunity to meet each other. Perhaps this meeting would do something and give him an edge. She found she was staring at him, when he finally returned her gaze. She looked at him, trying not to let her face show any of her thoughts. His eyes stayed on her body and she tensed a little bit. Why was he watching her? She said nothing though, allowing him to survey her body. She did the same to others before a fight, and not that they were planning on sparring, they needed to know each other. Even if he wasn't chosen as beta male, he would still hold a rank which would mean they would spend a lot of time together, he was certain. There was little doubt in her mind that he wouldn't come out of the tournament without a rank. Both Dagyr and Ahote, the yagis would come out with well deserved ranks. It would be her job to chose between them when the time came, and that would be difficult. Any other rank, she would just let the winner of the fight take it... but to be the beta, she needed more than just physical strength. Mental awareness was one thing she needed, and a positive relationship with her own and Gypsy. It would be no use to have a beta in which she could not confide in. Ah, he returned her small talk. She nodded back in reply, finding nothing more to say to that. He was the one, she decided, who probably had more to say. She wouldn't speak, letting him choose when he was ready. She had anticipated the situation correctly when he spoke to her. She nodded in reply to what he was saying, showing that she was both listening and she agreed. For once, she'd keep her mouth closed and let him speak to her. He needed to keep his thoughts lined up to what he planned to speak, and interupting him would not be in her best interest. She shuffled her weight, making herself comfortable on her seat, her bushy striped tail curling around her haunches. The sun wasn't hot, so the heat was bearable and she didn't mind sitting for what she assumed, would be a long conversation. Ahote had wisdom beyond what she believed him to have. Yagi were often seen as big powerful brutes with nothing more to their reputation than physical strength, but Ahote certainly had more than that. He was careful with his words and well spoken, and he knew the implications of his words, or the lack there of. When he paused, she just stood there, debating whether or not to say something. She decided silence was better, and so kept her mouth shut, nodding a little bit. Her ears were perked towards his direction, ready to hear his story. One's history always shaped one's future, this much Rhiannon knew. So beginning at the very beginning was often the best. His words were true - death and loss were common in life, and lived alongside life. Where there was life, there was death. She knew that much. Did she fear death? She wished she could assure herself she didn't, but the idea of leaving this world for something completely unknown? She wasn't sure how she felt about that. He was no loonger looking at her, and she was fine with that. She moved her eyes out to follow his own, though they found his body again when he spoke. She was unusual? Where was he going with this? A single brow slide upwards once more, and she listened as he spoke. What he said surprised her slightly, but it made sense. Perhaps many thought her foolish, letting the dragon live with them. She smiled at his explanation and nodded slightly. Ardent was very pleasant, and though they weren't necessarily fast friends she respected the dragon immensely. His words assured her - she had never thought of herself as a tyrant but she sometimes wondered if others perceived her so. She was tough with her rules, albeit more lax now than before. She preferred rules and structure, and though she leaned more towards strength she appreciated the merits of other wolves. It was imperative for a pack to have a mixing of talents, and that was, what she hoped Styrrstdar was. His amber eyes them turned towards hers, and she looked up at him with her own hazel eyes. In the sunlight they glinted almost green, watching him as he spoke. What he spoke was truth. Ahote was clearly mentally strong and he was able to read her motives well. It was true; Rhiannon would back up her members in any dispute. She would stick by their sides, and she would fight. Even the small, pestering, insignificant members, she stood by - Lyta with the griffins, Kai learning to fight... as grumpy as she sometimes appeared she truly cared for all her pack mates, and would lay her life down for them. Even for Toril, despite his current status. His words though made her reconsider her position with Toril. Was it fair for her to be taunting the male? This was something she needed; someone to help her, point her in the right direction. She nodded in reply, saying nothing. His next words were far more serious, and she watched him carefully. He had killed. Rhiannon had never killed another wolf - she had come close, but she found herself unable to end another's life. In anger, she could see herself doing so. She let the silence linger for a moment before speaking. "I do not doubt you would do anything in your power to keep the pack alive," she said slowly, finding her words. It took her a moment to put what she was thinking into words. "It is our past which shapes our future. Our mistakes are what lead us to new ways of doing things. They strengthen us and keep us on our toes," she paused, glancing over the horizon for a moment before finding her eyes back at him. "If this conversation has accomplished nothing else, let you know that you have my utmost respect, Ahote, and I guarantee you, that is something I do not throw around easily." "It would be ignorant for me to believe that everyone has a clean slate behind them, and that our future holds nothing but happiness. I already feel the tension from the north," she spoke slowly, her voice slow but steady. "It is times like these that we need to use not only our brawn but also our brains. You have showed clearly that you have both." She felt as though her words were inadequate compared to Ahote's own, so she sighed slightly, straightening her body. "You have given me your story, and now I will entrust you with mine," she began, feeling her muscles already tense slightly. "I knew both my parents, and yet, even with them, my childhood was not exactly what you would call loving. Neither my sister or I were wanted. You see, my father desired sons, not daughter," she breathed deeply, willing her muscles to relax. "Nothing pleased him, no matter how hard I tried to impress him. Nothing ever would, for I lacked the thing he desired most. I eventually just left. No matter how strong I was, how often I proved myself, I was never good enough. I wandered, never finding a place where I could settle down. It was only here that I found a place I could finally call my home. I met my mate, Forte. We were happy," she closed her eyes, claws groping the ground. "We raised a litter of pups, and everything was fine. But of course, nothing stays good for long. Happiness never lasts forever, and soon this bliss was snatched from me. Our daughter stumbled into the very canyon before us, swept away by the current. I left in search of her, but she was never to be found. By the time I returned, my mate had left." She stopped again, turning her head back to face him. "Though my loss is different than yours, I am no stranger to it. And as much as it may hurt, it makes you stronger." She exhaled, realising she had been holding her breath through her last few sentences. Then she let the silence settle, a small smile finding her lips. She had never told anyone that; her past was not paticularly traumatic, but it was not something she voluntarily gave up. ------------------------------------- OOC ;; n/a

[Ahote]

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[atrb=background,http://i.imm.io/62ae.jpeg] For Ahote there was no situation in which he could not mold himself into the calm picture of solution, it was one of his strengths. He was content to sit beside Rhia for all of time if they could but stay just how they were at that very moment. He knew things as such were impossible but as they sat there, enjoying the small amount of not blistering heat, and the beautiful scenery in front of them, Ahote felt something in him stir with joy. While Rhia did meet his eyes he could see her visible struggle for composure and to keep her face blank. It must have been hard to constantly keep your face and eyes under control when there were so many things tugging at your subconscious that just made you want to scream for release from the many shackles that bound you. As an alpha, or even a high ranking individual many thought you had all the freedom you wished to have, but it was exactly the opposite. Once you were responsible for a pack, it’s members and its livelihood, you were honor-bound to make sure there was enough territory, enough food, and you must simple be enough to make sure you could keep your members safe. That was the only reason among a few others wolves joined packs to make sure they could live in a safe environment and possibly find a mate and contentment. Ahote figured all the pieces would fall into place for him as they did for others, it may have just been more complicated than usual, as things with Ahote were rarely ever easy. He was completely grateful for her not interrupting him and letting his thoughts run rampant but at least in some sort of order. The calm scenery around them and her silence helped him to relay his messages clearly, and calm headedly. He by no means meant to bore her, or drive her to the brink of insanity by his philosophical views but they were important. One of the reasons he had such a problem with being called a mindless bully, or a brute was because he was so much more. His life experiences taught him that heart, mind, and the physical all had to meld together to survive and survive well. He would be content enough with the thought even that he may have surprised Rhia, even that thought gave him a small amount of joy. Ahote almost wished he could crawl into Rhia’s head and look around to see exactly how well or badly she was receiving his information. If his plan worked, they would spend the afternoon getting to know each other, and so not only would his show of physical strength win out but he would get to know his alphess and better be able to serve her. She seemed to be relieved when he made his statement of her not being a tyrant and Ahote would know exactly what that felt like. In his own experience the tyrants were hard, but cold and aloof. Rhia seemed to want to be involved in everything her pack did, bringing them together and making sure that the pack bonds were strong, nigh unbreakable. “I am glad you do not doubt my loyalty and ability to defend and provide for the pack. But mistake not, there comes a time when death must come by your paws, claws, and teeth. You may well save your soul by contemplating slavery and by overwhelming an opponent..but there are some who will do anything possible to prolong your suffering, or efficiently bring your death. It is at these times and all, that you must be ready to end life, or keep someone close who will end the life for you. There are legends that backward in time, an alpha kept a member around strictly for the ‘evil doings’ so as to leave their alpha honorable, and their soul clean.” He took in a deep breath and stretched his muscles simply by sitting back and tightening each group of muscles one by one. “Even if you were willing to do anything for your pack, and anything they can do, you feel you must do, if you cannot end a life, then you must appoint someone who can complete the job.” He was not necessarily asking for the job but making a point. Peace rarely ever came without death and violence. “It is an honor to have you make such a declaration of respect to me of all your members Rhiannon and I am truly pleased to have you tell me such.” His eyes slid to the side when she said she felt pressure from the north and quite clearly his muscles bunched. It was true, very few had clean slates but he would further dirty his soul if that is what it would take to make sure no pressure ever went further than a feeling. Now came the unexpected, he had not thought that Rhia would open herself to him simply because he had spoke his mind but he was none the less glad for the inside information and so he turned his body slightly into hers to give her his full attention. As her claws dug into the ground and she spoke about her family, he could not help but open his mouth a little. Their childhoods were so similar it was almost scary, but he would not yet indulge that to her. For now he nodded curtly when she said she simply left. More than anything leaving was the only thing you could do to keep your sanity. His smile grew wide when she said she had finally found her own space of happiness with a mate and with whom she had had a litter of pups with. He listened intently, but his heart contracted when she said tragedy had struck in the form of her daughter being swept away by the water, and the loss of her mate if only being temporary. To lose such very important things all at the same time must have near broken her mind, but still he sat silently. Soon she had finished and he was left with his thoughts about her childhood, and she had always seemed to have something taken from her. Her father took away her security and confidence in herself, death and loss took her pups and mate from her..and now a possible threat from the north loomed over her pack. “Rhiannon, not that it needs to be said, but our childhoods are more similar than you will ever know. My parents were cool and distant, and left my brother and I in our den alone, only coming for nursing or to sleep. Even as they slept it was made abundantly clear they wished to not be touched by nor my brother or myself. It did not matter how fast we learned to hunt, or become independent, no matter how quiet we stalked, or how high we could leap, they seemed bored with our attempts.” His own claws tightened down into the rock, visibly tearing the surface beneath him. “I believe because we were not what they wanted, they left us to die or survive on our own. They did what was required of them to keep us barely alive, but that was it. It was more tragedy and death that finally separated me from the situation, and them…” If he had had less self control he would have snarled in the sheer memory of it. Instead however he turned his whole body to face her, his claws loosening in the earth beneath him. “We have much in common you and I. You left your situation voluntarily to maintain some sense of self..and I drove myself away to try to escape my grief.” He paused, pushing himself into a standing position, towering over her, his shadow crossing her face. “You have had my respect for a long time now, but maybe you’ll know that we share this playing ground we are on. I don’t know how you deal with the loss of your daughter and mate, but you maintain rather well, at least for all of us to see.” He squinted his eyes against the sun light and made his final remark, “At least now you have somewhere you can turn, not only in pack politics, but somewhere to turn when the pain may become to much, or you just need a big, bulky shoulder to lean on.” The offer would stand true for as long as she would have him close. It was now that he stood, waiting on her responses and thoughts, any ones she may have wanted to give him at this point. Soon after they parted ways, whenever that may be, he would track down the one named Gypsy and at least try to make nice with her. He would not make the same speech or talk about the same things, but he was determined to gain as much respect and gain as many connections as possible to make his standing in the pack firm and stable. However this had to be achieved, it would be achieved and soon, before things could get out of his hands..paws even.. ((Word Count- 1541, but don't feel you have to match it. xD))

[RHIANNON !]

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[atrb=background,http://i930.photobucket.com/albums/ad144/FallArrow/RHIANNONbg4.png] The tranquility of the situation seemed to rub off on Rhiannon and force her stress and anxiety to ebb away. All the pent up anger and frustration at what had happened the few months seemed to disperse, at least temporarily, as she sat beside the big yagi. Perhaps it was his huge comforting presence which caused her to relax, or his words. Either way she was happy to have him in her pack. He would be a wonderful pack mate and friend. With Forte gone, it was nice to know she had someone, someones including Dagyr, to rely on. It wasn't just her, the defense and brawn for the pack. There were others, a support system almost, to hold her up when things got tough, and she held both yagi close to her heart. Once she had finished speaking, he too spoke again, and she looked up towards him with huge eyes. It was rare for someone to capture her attention so fully, for her to be so enthralled with the situation. Somehow Ahote managed to do this with her words. He reminded her of a strong, big brother, who knew all the right words to say and just how to say them. She couldn't help but smile at the idea of Ahote being like her brother, a sibling which she never had. Raised with just a sister, the idea of a brother was foreign to her, but that was how her new relationship with Ahote seemed to be. They could relate and learn from each other, she found. His words though, sent a tell tale shiver down her spine. They were true, and she knew it. Though she had never killed, Rhia would not hesitate to do so if her pack was in danger. She would willingly throw herself into a battle to protect her members. They were her family and as such, she would do whatever she needed for them. The idea that a wolf be kept around for murders was an interesting thought, and one she had never really pondered on for too long. He was right though - she needed to have the strength to do whatever was necessary to keep her pack safe. The convictions she made to herself now were only words - when the time came, she would see if she had what it took to end a life. Her nose wrinkled a little bit but she nodded. It was true; there was never such a thing as peace, and if there was, violence was its twin and followed soon after. His words again made her think back to her views of him. Their upbringings had been so similar, and the more he spoke, the more she made the connections. They were not too different, at least in their pasts. Though Ahote was calm and collected, they seemed to share at least a similar view of things. Him a strong yagi, and her a small myou, it seemed odd that two beings should share similarities, and yet they were plain. She nodded as he spoke, they did have a lot in common. His next words caused her muzzle to part in a smile, not of happiness but of desperation almost. She was holding up, barely. She said nothing again though, there was no need to break down in front of him when he just declared his respect for her. His next words were a bit of a surprise and she cherished them, her smile diminishing as the words sunk in. Not only was he there for pack support and politics, but he was there as a friend. She nodded her head slowly, eyes partly closing. "Thank you, Ahote. You have no idea how much that means to me," she spoke eyes fully closing now as she breathed in deeply. "It seems strange to find someone so physically different from myself, but with the same stories behind them," she began, her tail curling around her haunches. It wasn't cold, but the fluffy comfort of it made her feel better. "I am lucky that you joined the cadre. Where I lack composure and wisdom, you make up for it. The pack is lucky to have you here, protecting us and contributing. And I am lucky to have you, as a friend," she said the last words with a slight question in them. She was fairly certain he felt the same, but even still, she wasn't necessarily sure she wanted to make that assumption. ------------------------------------- OOC ;; n/a

[Ahote]

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[atrb=background,http://i.imm.io/62ae.jpeg] Ahote’s mind had started to wander, as it frequently did when he had many things going on at once, and he did. He had many choices to face as the times changed and surged forward and to keep on track and head of the waves he had to be thinking ahead of time. His thoughts crossed once again to the future and it was truly as if the roads in front of him where bright lighted little strands of time and he had just to pick a direction and flow. Rhia was one of the few who were very special to him at this point, it did not matter if she was a bitch at times, or if she was a hard ass. It did not matter to Ahote, it did not matter the space he ran or where he ended up, he knew the female would always have his loyalty and even his love for what she had given him by allowing him to live here. The future was blank, no matter how much Ahote wanted to be able to tell the future, it was not a gift he had, apparently beyond. He smiled at the smaller female in front of him. “I may have an idea of how much it means to you Rhiannon, but rest assured, it means just as much to me as you. You will have my loyalty until my life on this earth is through and possibly beyond.” He watched her motions, and how much she enjoyed to curl her tail around her, most wolves gained some kind of comfort when it came to touch. Only the cruelest souls could get through a life time without some sort of comfort gained through touch, it was why most wolves mated for life. The constant reminder of happiness and comfort through touch could simply not be duplicated. It was true, their sizes were different, she was smaller, more lithe than he with his bulk and height working together to make him imposing. But he could see Rhiannon being like a small tornado, whipping up any threat and hurling it with power and injury far from her and her own. She was a spitfire and she never let her size be a factor in determining what she could and could not do. He found that admirable, but was also interested in the idea that their upbringing had been very similar even though they were completely different species and raised in different groups. He felt as though the powerful little femme could be his sister from different parents. The idea pleased him immensely for some reason. His ears perked and tilted to the side as she almost asked if he was her friend. He knew she was grateful to have him around, and who wouldn’t. He was wise, and intelligent, strong and compassionate. It would seem like he was the whole package, and maybe he would be if he didn’t have the dark scars and clouds on his soul from his past. But the fact that she questioned whether or not they were friends for some reason turned his maw into a frown of displeasure. He took his time in thinking of how to answer that. It would seem they were both odd and awkward when it came to shows of affection or caring, at least to others. But he decided that for now that would be his answer. Leaning forward ever so slightly, he placed his nose quite close to her shoulder and snuffed loudly, blowing her fur ever so slightly, it was playful but a sign of gentle affection as well. “I am humbled by your words. However, I see you not as a friend..” He let a sigh escape and silence prevail for a long moment before he continued, “I see you as the only family I may ever have, you are very close to a sister to me, and you always will be. No matter how mean you may sound or have to be..which is interesting because I have never had a sister. Until you.” Smiling he stopped invading her space and leaned back on his haunches. As it was, it seemed like the whole afternoon had bled away while they had been together talking, and now as the sun was lower on the horizon he knew he would have to make his way back to his den, and he knew she had other obligations as well. He would be sad to see this conversation end however, although he was sure there would be many more. He pushed himself into a standing position and began to shake out his coat, vanity seemed to pop up at the most interesting of moments. Looking at her again he spoke, “As wonderful as this has been I believe I may have kept you too long from the rest of the pack and the duties you must fulfill as our alphess. I am sure that we will have many upon many more conversations in the sun over this canyon, but today you have given me much to think about, and much to be thankful for..” His white teeth were showing beneath the dark green of his pelt around his face and his eyes twinkled. [[You can post once more if you like, or leave it at this..]]