Each stroke she had forced herself forward. Leaving the reach and the wolves therein to their own devices. She had met a couple and had been then ignored and she knew her worth. And her worth was more than empty promises and pretty gazes.

She shook the water from her fur. The wind making her suck in a breath. She needed to dry off before she ended up ill. She searched for a thicket. Some loam and leaves, grass even to roll in. Gather some of the excess water off her body.

The wetness drug her tawny pelt down. Sharpening her edges and layers. Azure gaze looked around as she began to tumble about to dry

skill: ghost

Somewhere, someone lingered in the forestry. A lick of his lips, the caribou hunter watched the little sandy female with hungry eyes. She smelt thickly of the sea, drenched in it and now came to the rimefeather forest to tumble herself dry it seemed.

Yaalk'ali had been only lazily slumbering in the shadows of the forest, escaping the openness of the tundra plains on this windy day, if only for a little while. He would get back to the band and the herd in due time.

Goldy sat up from her ministrations. Ears flickering. She felt eyes on her. A presence, but saw no one. She studied the surrounding foliage, but still saw nothing. She rolled her shoulders and continued running paws through grass. Shoulders tight.

She rubbed her paws across her face. Caused the sandy gur to stick up and blow strangely. A small little breath as she worked to clean the water from her fur.

skill: ghost

She felt the sense of being watched, yet could not pinpoint it. He would keep her wondering for a time. Eventually Yaalk'ali would lift, stretching out his long, lean body and moving in slow pace with his head down as he prowled into her direction.

Woman of the sands... The words of Lanzadoii spilt. He would usually test the waters first before speaking common, which was far more clipped then the smoothness of his words with native tongue. Alas, he was only aware of one Lanzadoii band in this land and that was his own. She was not one of them.

Goldy wondered for a time. But as with all things, the one who watched made himself known. His smell hit her first. Musk and some sort of prey animal. Deer or elk of some sort. His distinct coloring next. He looked like a fox. Hard angles and brooding eyes. Reds and whites and blacks.

When he spoke it was a language she was not familiar with. Dripping from a senuous tongue. She wondered what it was he did.

Though she was nervous. Knowing he had been watching. There was no other rxpanation. She lifted her head. Like a queen. Titled ears and cut blue eyes to his face I'm sorry. I don't understand you.

A tiny woman, but she would lift her head and asserted herself mightily. She did not know the words of the caribou hunters.

Yaalk'ali slipped closer then, a few long, reaching paces before stopping. Acidic eyes upon her. Words this way then. His speech slips. You island wolf? The pack there had been reported- was she one of them?

Goldblossom was a gentle she wolf. Naive in many ways. But what she was not naive in was the way a woman should act. Demure and brave and kind. Those were important. But bold too and never let them know they scared you.

She shook her head. I tried to be, but they did not welcome me as one. I came when they had their midsummer feast, and I believe t hey simply forgot I was there.

All the words she spoke were jumbled in Yaalk'ali mind and there was a 'hmmm' on his lips as he drew a path around her, his yellow eyes examining as he pieced together what she had said. 'Came when feast, not welcome, forgotten'. Yaalk'ali knew enough common to get him by, at least but would at times pretend he did not understand if it suit him to do so.

Stopping in front of her once more, he jut his nose westward. Beyond this coastal forest. Welcomed with us, then. Saatsine always feast.

He walked around her. She watched him gently, but aware of where he was at all times. She was alone in the wilds. She was naive not a fool.

Saatsine. Whatever are your ideals? What does your pack value?

She would not be in something that was surface level.