Location: Somewhere sweet smelling…
Skill — death-touched 1/5

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IT’S THE SMELL THAT ALERTED HIM…

Something sweet and alluring. Castle shakes his head once, just to get the stink out his nose as he continues his march across these newfound lands he's in, eyes ever forward in this limbo hell he surely must have been placed in. Because that's what this place must of been, Hell. Or perhaps purgatory.

How many times can a man like himself escape death jaws? Twice already he been able to dodge its haunting presence, twice already the disappointment of a rest was stolen from him. And what's worse is if the new found scar upon his forehead was to go by, than she was dragged into HIS mess.

She was dragged into HIS mess…

Usually it takes the knowledge of an upcoming fight that gets his heart thump, thump, thumping in his chest. But it's never been accompanied with the feeling of a bottomless pit in his stomach. The knowledge that he dragged someone he lo-

A savage SNARL ripes out his chest, his heart betraying him and rebelling againt him.

”FEEL ME!!” it seems to scream at Castle, as darkness creeps at the corner of his eyes and pressure BUILDS at his temple. It's a war with himself as the male shakes his head savagely to and fro.

Castle collapses into the snowed covered ground and pants, paws covering head and moving down to his snout, once again that scent is back and a warmth now accompany it, a small pleasnt relief from where he was once before. Huffing Castle slowly opens his eyes and stare tiredly at what seem to be a fire paces away from him.

Or was it? He's never seen a flame burn with such a color nor smell such a way before. Shifting slightly, head rising to stare he takes a cautious sniffs and then snorts heavily. What. The hell? That bottomless pit from before turned fuzzy now, a unease feeling invading his body as suddenly it was like all that numb and coldness was washed away with a warmth he never though he feel since waking to this land. Castle could all but pant to expell some of that burning heat that was now rushing through body and veins.

This screamed danger, this WAS danger and as Castle moved to get up and stand he found his legs slowly shake as if unable to carry his weight. A suprised huff left him, eyes widening in suprise that.... that a feeling of giddiness flood his body next. What harm was to be had to just feeling SOMETHING than just plain numbness and warmth than this haunting cold-

It was time to go.... Something screamed at the back of his head and Castle knew he best turn and leave the area before whatever this strange flame was doing effected him even more...

This world was.. big. Far larger than Willow would have ever thought possible. Some part of her still assumed, despite the rather curious conversations she'd had since her arrival, that this was all some kind of dream. How could she have walked into the woods, only to come out into an entirely new world? In her mind this place surely had to be like the edges of the farm that had once been her home- as a pup, they'd appeared endless, but as an adult she'd learned that the barriers reflected where her world began and ended. Yet, no matter how far she walked, it seemed impossible to find the edge of this place. Each moment the wolfdog expected that her paw might find nothing but darkness, sending her tumbling into water or sky or who knew what. Then again, anything would be better than continuing to freeze her dang paws off.

Instead, the road faded into grass, and the grass faded into highland. Nature rose to devour what the humans had once left behind, removing anything that bore familiarity and replacing it with a wilderness that Willowbelle had not experienced before; yet, some part of her seemed to embrace the change. She wondered if it was her nameless sire's blood in her, the wolf that her dam had never spoken to her daughter about. Maybe she could be a wild wolf.

The idea sent the wolfdog into hysterics, even as her trotting pace carried her through the carefully laid deer trails of the highlands. Her, a real wolf? She'd only met one of them at this point, but it was impossible to mistake how her lengthy coat and wagging tail could be anything more than half-baked. She'd barely spent a few night under the stars and already Willow was beginning to think she was some kind of natural born adventurer. No, she simply had to find the edge of this place, and cross it in the same way that she'd somehow managed to do to get here. It wasn't that this place wasn't beautiful, but she wasn't a wild creature. The scraps she'd managed to cobble together for her dinner were barely enough to keep her stomach from rumbling, even now, and Willow was very sure she was going to have to find something else by the time the sun came up tomorrow.

Most importantly, the tawny-pelted female knew she was going to need to find somewhere to rest tonight.

Willow's home amongst her flock had taught her quite a bit about sleeping outside. She may have been a sheepdog, but she was a wild sheepdog at that. This place was far colder than the winters of her own home, and sticking to the crowded trees and delipidated human structures had only barely kept her from freezing at night. Out here in the highlands, territory that was at least visibly familiar, she wouldn't have any trees or buildings to hide in. She either needed to find a den or a cave or-

Wait, what was that smell?

Before she even knew what she was doing, Willow's paws carried her towards a scent that seemed to beckon warmly. It reminded her of the delicious dinners the humans used to cook, the warm scent of hay in the barn, and the smoke of a warm fire to keep them toasty at night all rolled into one. It had been so long since the half breed had been anything but cold, the mere idea that there would be a warm place to rest was impossible to ignore. It wasn't as if Willow had bright instincts on the best of days, but neither one of her braincells had any inclination of working in that moment.

With her curious nose waving around in the air like a pup, the wolfdog followed the call of whatever drew her forward. Within moments a pale light appeared, unlike anything she'd seen before. The warmth it created spread through her blood like molasses, making her want to do nothing more than slowly sink to the ground and roll onto her back. She was so unawares that it took her a solid few seconds to even notice there was another figure there- a dark wolf cloaked in a muted odor of gunpowder and.. blood?

Willowbelle's mind was as fuzzy as her fur as the bitch slowly sank down to the ground, flopping a faint distance away from the stranger. He seemed... something. She didn't quite have the words for it, but she tilted her head quizzically at him none the less, giggling out a greeting that wasn't the thump of her body on the ground.

You smell like something the cat dragged in. Wait, no, you look like the cat smelled you and put you away... wait.. s'not right either... well shoot. Her tail wagged behind her, utterly unawares of the stranger's current frenzied state of mind, and the danger that she was putting herself in by being so near.

Starting Location: Near Howling River flame…
Skill — death-touched 2/5

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Heart waring with what little sense Castle was able to sink his teeth into, body tensing as slowly just being able to stand up fully left him in a state. Oh what a betrayal of his body, to flood his being with emotions and instincts && pound at the inside of his ribcage.

When was the last time he felt such warmth? Back before he found himself in these new lands away from others that although didn't know him still greeted him with open hearts and always left a spot for him to lay in. When was the last time Castle's heart ran the speed it was going?
When those same others understood his nature and past && untrust yet still would wag their tail when seeing him crest that hill back to them, would still run to meet him half way and fill the deathly silence that followed him with noise.

Now their hearts were laid bare to the world as Ravens or Carrions creatures feasted upon it, Now their tail forever laid still, their voices forever silenced, a haunting presence to now join him here in this purgatory hell. He had betrayed their love by not joining them, by getting them killed, and now his heart betrayed him!

Betrayed, Betrayed! BETRAYE-

”You smell like something the cat dragged in. Wait, no, you look like the cat smelled you and put you away... wait.. s'not right either... well shoot.”

Castle isn't one for much thanks, but he would give it to this stranger now as his body stilled in silence, the betrayal of his heart and roaring of his head halting in its war of control. Yes he would thank whoever spoke.

If it wasn't for the fact that they happened upon him in such a state, breath left him in a steady beat, hackles slowly rose to stand and one ear flicked back to them, before slowly he turned his head to gaze upon the unfortunate soul that found him in such a state. Her scent reached him first before his eyes registered her appearance. like a spring time missed in these colder times.

Daisies and grass on a sunny day.

Where her tail wags freely in both greetings, his slowly rises, muscle tensing as he fights to simply compose himself, body once in a mixed state going for a default of violence. Castle however resisted the urge to bare fang, licking lips once to calm the urge to dig teeth into nape and simply turn to face the newcomer instead.

[b]“Says the one who looks like they were fought by the wind itself.” graveled, rough and as if the voice hasn't been used in forever. Castle clears it once eyes narrowing as they slowly sit, hackles still risen but resisting both violent or otherwise tendencies.

“And lost.”

Unawares of the very real danger she'd just put herself in, the goofy wolfdog continued to twist almost like a fond cat against the ground where she'd settled. Had ground always felt this soft? She wasn't sure. Willow had never really liked the idea of fur or grass getting caught in the layers of her pelt, not when it took so many hours of self grooming to get them out (especially since she couldn't reach the worst spots half of the time). However, bathing in the glow of the strange light that illuminated the small space, it was as if all her worried had faded. Frankly, she couldn't even remember what she'd been fussing over before! Maybe it had always felt this good to be warm, and she'd been cold for so long that the female had simply... forgotten?

Regardless of her state, Willowbelle had enough juice left in her noggin to process the body language of the stranger she'd mildly insulted upon her arrival. She hadn't exactly meant to be mean.. words were just hard! Her dam had always said she barked before she thought, maybe she'd made the other one mad? Her head thumped upon the ground as the half-breed stilled, turning her squinting eyes up to the form that now loomed before her. Oh. He was a big one, wasn't he? To be fair, most things in this place were bigger than Willow. While she may have been the biggest in her litter, she was a little ol' nothing compared to the size of a real wolf- an this male was most certainly a real wolf. He even smelled like it. His tail slowly rose behind him, like a proud flag he propped up in show. Oooh, was she supposed to do that too?

By this point, the bitch had somehow managed to arrange herself into a shape that resembled both a dead snake a pretzel combined. She hooked her head the opposite direction she'd been facing before, forcing her entire body to flop halfway over with the force of gravity. Just like a dog, her long legs dangled rather helplessly into the air, and the thickest part of her furry head and neck disappeared into the brown of the dirt around her. When the stranger spoke his voice was deep, almost like he wasn't quite used to talking. A shame, considering she never shut up. Then, he commented. Willow's eyes glittered with delight as she barked a laugh, butt wiggling in the dirt until she was wiggling back and forth like a puppy (not exactly the most dignified sight, for sure).

Haha! You're right! She cooed as her tail thumped behind her. My mama used to tell me I plum look like I been caught in a twister. 's been so long since I had a nice good groomin'. The female sighed out before she fully registered his comment. Amazement flooded her mixed eyes, and with the grace of a penguin on land she flipped herself over. Paws were spread wide on the ground as the female assumed a posture that was surely meant to be suspicious, but simply read as playful; even her tail was wagging a mile a minute behind her (so much for being nonchalant).

Whoa! How'd you do that? Do'ya read minds? Are you a... one of them de-a-ties (deities) too?! What am I thinkin' right now? Wait, no- am I thinkin' right now??

Starting Location: Near Howling River flame…

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He has to close his eyes to resist the urge to snap, although the other acts like some overgrown pup she smells old enough. It still doesn't stop the lifting of Castle lips, teeth flashing slightly as the other proceeds to flop about without a care in the world. His body simply shifts to the side, making more space between them as he watches the bitch goof and roll && throw her long legs everywhere it seems. Its enough to calm his body as the seconds pass, let the smell the flames gift off sink deeper into his bones and has his eyelids slowly lid as they listen to the other yap.

It nostalgic in a way, reminds him of another, of someone he commented carried what was left of his heart. Someone that had once given him feeling back in his numb life back then. But as soon as the that thought flashed threw his mind the savage part of him snapped it up and proceeded to tear it apart, the warmth he been slowly sinking into ablaze in a feeling of anger, the muddled fog instead solidify in Castle’s mind and a pushing pressure is pressed upon his head. Eyes squint in discomfort as it feels as suddenly he hears everything under water, the wolfdog question flying over him.

“Whoa! How'd you do that? Do'ya read minds? Are you a... one of them de-a-ties (deities) too?! What am I thinkin' right now? Wait, no- am I thinkin' right now?? “

Its the quick movement, its the way suddenly she flips and the legs flash before his vision. He tries to reign in his base response but it's too late…

Eyes Wide,

Jaws snapping

Savage growl leaving his throat-

And snap his jaws next to her head, hackles raised and throat rumbling in a threat as Castle side-eyed the female. His paws were posed on either side of her head, breath panting as for a second he worked to look past ghost and be present in the here and now. Panting, Castle licked his lips more, tried to breath and calm and not go for the throat but look down at the other head and bow it slowly.

“....You should leave…”

Willowbelle isn't really sure what didn't work. As far as she's concerned, the entire ground is spinning and she's the warmest she's felt in ages. Even the stranger is simply a footnote in the back of her mind, which was buzzing as if it was filled with bees. She may not have known what the light was, but it was sure doing something fuzzy to her head- that much was certain.

She couldn't have even begun to think about why it would be a bad idea to act as if she'd known this strange wolf, or to display such ease around what was essentially a wild creature. Usually, this would be just the type of danger her dam would tell her to chase off from their flock. Instead, she was rolling around in the dirt in front of him like she didn't have a care in the world, or a lick of sense hidden within that thick coat of her's. It's through sense that are damped like molasse that she feels the air from the snap of his teeth, hears the dangerous click near to her head. It takes a solid few beatings of her heart before Willow can even clear her eyes enough to register the danger that she somehow just avoided.. or that he managed to rein in.

The brute's words came in hot pants next to her, where she'd been effectively laid back out on the ground. He caged her in rather effectively, and not just because he had the bulk of wolf over the half-bred's slimmer frame. Big paws were poised on either side of her head, paws which the female turned to look at one, then another. It took a moment for her to even register them, but whatever registered it sure wasn't sense; her tail had begun to wag again in the dirt, as if he'd simply tried to snap at her in play, instead of the very real danger which the other presented.

At least she was smart enough to know not to snap back at him. Who knew what that could have possibly caused?

Easier said'n done, stranger. I ain't got a place to go. She responded nonchalantly, though the expression that crossed her face was anything but. Straying from the relative safety of the human shelters had been brave, but dumb. There was hardly anyplace for her to hide at here, and try and she might, she was certainly ill prepared for living life on her own in the middle of such a harsh winter.

This fire's the warmest I've been in an age, can't I stay here with you just a tick? If you don't like my jabberin', you can just ignore me. Or tell me to shut up. It didn't look as if Willow properly realized what the other had meant, nor did she fully understand how territorial the beasts of this land could be when they were pushed. Her paws coiled upwards, furry body spreading out underneath the male in a pose of submission. The female even went as far as to put on the very same puppy eyes that would have gotten her table scraps once upon a time.

My name's Willowbelle. An introduction when one hadn't been asked was still polite, and better than nothing, right?