Silence [Zel]

[Reeidlas]

And so I rose from my sleep.
The moon turned away its face.
Overture of the long, black night begins...
something you said: "Eerie circles upon the waters"

The moon had risen lately over the desert, lighting his path across the sand. Reeidlas used it as his direction-finder, heading east though the dry lands. The wind blew lightly, from the south he thought, and his tracks led westward. He'd already spelled himself against the heat of the day, and it seemed that the night would be cold. But for that he had fur. So, fortunately, did the giant cat who was out in this waste somewhere, dogging his footsteps at a distance. The animal rarely spoke to Reed, except to briefly offer his name, and the druid hadn't seen him since.
But he knew the animal was out there. He'd seen lines of pawprints in the frost-covered sand that morning when he'd awoken. And during the afternoon, the carcass of a thin deer had appeared on his path, half-eaten.
Reed had no idea why the snow leopard Leothas had decided he was worth following, but he supposed it was better not to question it. Perhaps the feline was gift from the gods. Or perhaps it planned to eat him later on. Who knew?

The wolf loped steadily onward, one eye on the moon to keep his bearing, occasionally glancing at the far-away North Star. He'd come out this far for a walk, and hoped to be back in Elmor territory by the next day's evening. Assuming he was as close on his original track as he'd thought. Reed had started from the marshlands and forest of his home two nights before and headed straight east, and had only yesterday headed northeast again. He'd spent his nights at small oasises, assisted by the leopard - in fact, he'd met Leothas at one on his first night.

It was odd, he thought, an hour or so later, what one saw when they traveled alone for too long. Reed was used to it; the sight of water in the distance where none existed; strangers when the land around was empty. Distant birds, circling the horizon, nonexistant. Perhaps he'd been dreaming Leothas, and the desert, and the stars above.
The wolf, dark in the desert night, staggered to a halt and stared at a point in the middle distance. There under the starlight he thought he saw figure, approaching. At first it might have been the feline, and then he was sure it was a wolf - and then, he thought to himself, it was probably nothing. His own eyes, used to the empty landscape, telling him that he was not alone.
He shook his head sharply.
The stranger, if indeed it was a stranger and not his own imagination, kept coming. Reed stood stock-still, nervous, and half-wished that Leothas was standing at his back.
The cat, however, was nowhere to be found, and so Reed dragged his feet forward towards the oncoming wolf. Maybe it was only his mind playing tricks on him..

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[Zelia]

Sand. Sand. Sand. OH, and more sand. Curse the Goddesses! For only they could be sassy enough to play such jokes on Zelia of the Iania pack. The gypsy wolf had opted for no jewelry to silence her steps even more, she walked a few steps above the ground, with her air walk. She cheated just a bit making her appear soundless. The Bard was a wolf who didn't like to be seen or heard by any wolf when she was out of her pack boarders. For now all she had on to adorn her body was the wings tucked neatly on her back and four golden hoops, two in each ear. So far the tale of an Oasis that claimed to have massive amounts of gold were false allegations. Bah! They needed to come up with something fast to keep the Asindri off their tails. Snorting Zelia stopped and lowered her nose to the ground sniffing. No more trips into the desert she swore it off.

The only thing that had honestly kept her somewhat entertained was a little companion. He thought himself to be the size of hawk and had the pride of a wolf. The little quail was now flying above her head. He dove down and landed gracefully on her shoulder. "Well Miss Zelia there seems to be a wolf to the west of here, he's flanked by a large cat."

The bird ruffled his feather's well cats seemed to give him the shivers. Zelia on the other hand was curious. Another wolf with a companion. She smirked, "let me have a look Squirt." The bird leaped off to fly in the direction he spotted them in.

With the air walk she was ten feet within the air. She then leaped and flapped her wings hovering a few minutes before coming down to that ten foot mark. So he was right about the wolf but a cat she did not see. Smiling at the chance to commune with another she came down from her high perch in the air nodded towards Squirt. She was fearless, whether it was big cat or wolf, she could think of something that would help her escape. For now she wanted to greet this new comer. Hopefully he'd be no threat to her and her friend. This time she let her paws touch the ground and they made a soft "scrunch, scrunch" noise as she walked. Silence now done she let him see her and hear her.

Zelia stopped and shook her fur and rustled her wings. Her orange and blue eyes glowing a bit with excitement. New wolves were always fun, either she got on their nerves or she was to find an ally. Allies were always good. Finally she and the wolf were within ten feet of each other. To let him know that this wasn't another trick of the light, the pretty female sat down and howled a sweet calling tune. She let it speak of friendliness and loneliness. She just wanted to talk nothing more or less. She hoped he wouldn't her a mirage now.

[Reeidlas]

He jumped slightly at a loud noise from nearby. A howl.
Oh, it was the other wolf. Reed let out his breath, relieved. This meant that the other animal was not a figment of his exhausted brain, first of all, and also would seem to suggest that if he approached they wouldn't attack him.
He stood still, watching the other approach. Black, he thought, or gray..it was hard to tell in the darkness..lighter markings, light in build, wearing an assortment of jewelry. A gypsy. Reed relaxed slightly, suddendly less concerned about the meeting. This wasn't just some wandering brigand.
Well, yes, she - it was, he thought, a she - was probably a brigand, like any gypsy, but at least gypsies generally had some code of honor. He wasn't about to be murdered where he stood in any case. It wasn't as if Reed had anything to steal, so he ought to be fine.
He pricked his ears curiously, watching the moonlight glimmer off her jewelry as she approached. Her eyes might be blue. She had wings, which was..interesting, Reed supposed, but he'd seen such things before. Not often, but he had. A small, fluffy bird was accompanying her. He eyed the little creature for a second, stomach rumbling.
It is her familiar.
The voice was a deep tenor, appearing to come out of the air next to his ear. But then it couldn't have, because there was nobody standing behind him. Reed turned his head sharply and stared around, then caught..briefly..a flash of silvery fur on a dune, drifting into the darkness.
Leothas.

He glanced away again, keeping an eye on the stranger. Maybe it was his own realization, or perhaps just a mental suggestion from the feline - he noticed, sharply, unpleasantly, that the other wolf smelled of Iatia. This could be an issue. Reed was fairly certain himself and Leothas, if the leopard felt like it - was sure the two of them together could fight off one smallish wolf. He'd rather he didn't have to, though. She was interesting.
Could be. She could be interesting. Reed frowned to himself, cleared his throat, and bowed slightly to the female.
"Lady."
The night wind blew towards him, smelling of sand and darkness. Reed stared at the other wolf, eyes unreadable.

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[Zelia]

(OoC: Wanna hunt some treasure? Possibly fake but it'd be something for them to do.)

Squirt popped on to Zelia's shoulder as the new wolf walked closer. He was a hair shorter than her and looked to be mostly lean muscle. Zelia turned her head to the side and grinned at his comment. She slide, much to Squirt's complaint, down the sand dune and landed nearly nose to nose with him. Was he another gypsy wolf? It had been ages since she'd been able to speak with one of her own. Maybe the Goddesses were in her favor tonight. Though she caught the bit of fear from him and wondered if it was because of her pack. Well maybe she would just be quiet about where she was from? She noticed how the wolf eyed her Quail. Predators, she couldn't blame the wolf but just to be on the safe side, "Squirt, be a dear and see if you can't fly and spot which direction we should be going in, you're causing discomfort to our guest."

The bird humphed and clicked his beak at the other wolf before flying into the sky. She watched amusement dancing in her eyes. He was so cute with that little feather dangling over his head. Zelia didn't think she could have gotten a better companion. She turned back to the wolf and backed away from him so they weren't talking nose to nose, "ignore him, he's a little predator too that we don't give much credit. Bugs are such a pest but with him around well I have no problem with them and eyes above are always better."

She wanted to sit stopped her rear before it hit the ground. She looked back at the pile of sand she was about to sit in and thought better of it. Standing she shifted a bit and turned her head curiously to the side. What a handsome wolf. The blue on his face was just exquisite if she did say so herself. Of course she'd have to treat this meeting with tact the poor wolf looked as if he was about starved and lost.

"I can't wait to leave this sandy world. Deserts are supposed to be beautiful at night and the rumors don't lie but the sand, the ever cursed sand, I could live without that." she sighed with disdain and brushed a paw over her chest to rub off the sand.

She then looked to Mr. Handsomeface, a sly grin appearing on her maw. A game as life always was she dipped her head in a small bow and spoke in pleasant terms, "excuse my manners but how about this, for the sake of peace, I'm not naming my pack or where I'm from, you may guess but I shan't tell. But I will extend my name to sir, if you can extend yours to me?"

[Reeidlas]

He stared, rather blankly. Maybe it was hunger. Maybe it was the fact that he was, suddenly, talking to someone for the first time in days. Leothas didn't count so much..the cat did that thing where his voice came from nowhere, most of the time. Nevertheless, it took him a minute to dig up the urge to talk from inside him.
She, of course, talked plenty during that time. Something about the quail, which, to be fair, Reed would have quite willingly devoured at the moment. A complaint about the sand. Reed didn't mind the sand so much. It was part of the element, after all, like water in the sea, or grass on the plains. Without the sand, he thought, he might as well be..well, be walking across nothing.
Besides, he somewhat liked the desert. It was uncaring, of course, and not gentle with those who traveled through it. But when the sun rose he saw..really saw. Everything around him was clear. The desert did not lie.
And by night, the stars were bright enough to cast shadows.
Reed stared at her. She was like a shadow herself, he imagined, and would come and go as quickly as one. After all - a gypsy. No pack, no land, no names. As he once was, and should have remained.
He cleared his throat, meaning to offer his name as prompted. Nothing came out at first. His mouth was parched dry from the dust and emptiness. The desert was the sea, he thought, but instead of drowning, you breathed to death. Sucked in air and light until you were so full of it that you died.
He dragged in a breath of the night breeze and tried again.

"Lady, I am Reeidlas."
His voice cracked slightly. He swallowed and continued, staring, staring. Her eyes were blue as the sea and the desert sky.
"They call me the Navigator. I am headed East."
For a moment, he glanced up at the moon, now in the center of the dome of stars. Soon, the white god would descend westward, to his houses over the sea, and the day would begin again. And Reed would keep drowning.
His eyes fell on the other wolf again. He would not ask where she was going, or where she came from. She'd made it known that those questions weren't welcome.
Reed fell silent and waited.

[Zelia]

"I am Zelia, the Gypsy. Plain compared to your name. But you can call me whatever you wish," and so the fun began. There were questions she desired to ask but would hold her tongue. Anything she asked he would be entitled to ask of her. The information he gave she would have to give. Though in the mean time he sounded like the Death God himself. There was an Oasis with water nearby, she and Squirt found it. She spoke to the bird in her head, "find the Oasis of yesterday or find one with water, our friend needs to drink water."

The reply came as if it were next to her ear, "of course Miss Zelly. The cat is lurking around you two, just a warning."

Hmm she would be careful. So they were heading west. She had come from the south and was heading north yet turned her direction to meet this curious wolf. Which when she looked him over she noticed that he needed water and food now. Her eyes narrowed and she looked up in the sky. Squirt wasn't back yet. She sighed and turned back to him.

"Squirt is looking for an oasis. Not be rude but you look like you could use water and . . . ." she said and sucked in a breath to yell at whatever cat this wolf had, "FOOD WOULD BE GREAT YOU FELINE!"

She nodded satisfied the cat would have heard her, understand maybe not but heard the urgency in her voice yes. She turned back to the wolf just as Squirt flew down and landed on her head. "Well would you look at that. . . ." she laughed.

Squirt told her that a few miles southwest there was an oasis she nodded at the bird and told him to lead the way. Looking back at Navigator she smiled, "Squirt's found a place where we can drink and rest for the morning. I'm great company if you get over the fact I love to chatter."

With that said she left it up the male on whether he wished to follow her nor not. Turning on her tail she leaped up the sand dune in following her Quail.

[Reeidlas]

He didn't need her help. He hadn't asked for her help. Leothas immediately reminded Reed that it would be more dangerous to follow the stranger, Zelia, than it would to keep going across the trackless sand and hope to stumble upon the edge of the desert himself. He caught another glimpse of the huge cat for a moment, slowly prowling across the sand, close to the gypsy female.
"Wait," he muttered. "No."
The silver-white cat stopped and glanced over, moonlight in his eyes. In time to see Reed shake his head, warningly, hopefully. If Leothas attacked - well, what would Reed do about it? He was much smaller than the cat, much too small to stop him, and Zelia..he would have to hope the wolf could fly on those black wings.
Reed took a deep breath, stepped after the other wolf. His paws felt heavy. He fell into his half-trot, half-limp, making himself travel the last distance to this oasis.
Then, then he would have to hope that this Zelia, the gypsy, was trustworthy, and that she wasn't some kind of highwayman after all. But then, Leothas would fight her off. Or would he?

The snow leopard stood, staring at the female wolf, his yellow eyes unreadable. Detatched, unconcerned. Reed was suddenly not so sure if the cat was on his side at all.
"There is nothing here," the silver animal said suddenly, his voice as empty as his demeanor. Responding, Reed supposed, to Zelia, or maybe simply telling him. Maybe the cat had already found the oasis, and hadn't bothered to let him know yet.
Then, he doubted Zelia could even understand Leothas' speech. Unless she could understand animals, as Reed could, but the chances of that were fairly small.
So..
He shrugged off the thought and caught up with Zelia.
"He is not my servant," he muttered to himself. The leopard followed him for who knew what reasons, and seemed willing to protect Reed, and that was enough. He couldn't, in good conscience, ask for anything more than he was already being given.

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[Zelia]

Zelia wanted to cry when a sharp wind drove tiny stinging sand right into her face. Her eyes teared up and she had to paw at them. Now how embarrassing was that. She turned to look at Reeidlas and her face was covered with sand eyes squinting and blinking rapidly. She grinned apologetically and gave herself a good shake. Little did she know that Reeidlas was not paying attention to her and she saw him looking to her right. Curiosity drew her line of sight on where he was looking. Her eyes widened as she saw for the first time the gorgeous creature approaching. Well more like dangerous. Her eyes glowed yellow as she watched the animal stalk closer, she wouldn't attack unless the beast did. She'd learned something interesting from the Iatia's rouges. She could control lightning not as well as some but enough that if she wanted to she'd scare off this feline or kill it, it might be acting on instinct to protect him, but the cat wasn't his father. As she could tell Reeidlas was a grown wolf and could take care of himself against a lone she-wolf. As soon as the clouds started to roll in she heard Reeidlas speak, halting the cat before he decided to get too close.

The Iatia gypsy turned and raised her lips at Reeidlas, meaning to ask what the hell he was planning with that damned cat. She saw Squirt fly near the beast just out of paw reach. Well she knew those two could communicate. While she may not have the best animal communication her companion seemed have it down pat. Or maybe only companions could talk to each other. Realizing she was stuck in a permanent snarl she took in Reeidlas's words as he drew closer and lowered her aggressive stance.

"Spooked me, he did. Ah, very, very imposing," she rambled with a nervous giggle, hoping to brush this situation off. Last thing she needed was an angry wolf and his angry cat. She only had two lightning bolts per day and her aim with it was always to scare never to kill. "Yes they do have minds of their own, I can't talk to other animals but Squirt is my eyes, ears, and speech where I can't be. If you could talk to him you'd find him a charming imp really. . . . funny story your cat isn't the only companion to threaten to attack me. Have you ever met a jealous female honey badger? Let me tell you they really don't appreciate their male companion, another honey badger or very handsome male wolf, being hit on by an attractive female. Well Squirt tried to chirp our way out of that one. . . . And well hilarity ensued. . . . As you could imagine. . . .

OH! Look Squirt's done chatting, maybe he's explained a bit to your friend about us? Well whatever looks like we're on our way again. Look you see the rocks in the distance? I bet you that's where Squirt is taking us."

Without another word the she-wolf began to trot off after the quail, her feet jolly as she picked them up high. Out of nowhere she began to hum a sweet little tune, while not the best singer of the bards, she could definitely carry a tune. Finally they found the rock formation. Squirt flew around it and she followed and breathed out a sigh of relief. There was a small pond, a few palms, and grass. It must have grown in the shade of this rock which turned out to be a basin of sorts. Sighing happily she began to prance and frolic around in the grass before throwing herself into the water with a splash. She drank thirstily. Squirt himself began to wash and drink in the shallows before flying into the safety of a palm tree.

She grinned at Reeidlas and yipped out happily before splashing around again, "come on in, this water feels like heaven!"

[Reeidlas]

Reed supposed that some explanation was in order. He trotted slightly to catch up to the female, body protesting every step of the way.
"I apologize," he began, panting slightly. "He's, um, well, I don't know him that well and.."
And what? He wasn't sure what Leothas was even doing following him? He didn't know anything about the cat and wasn't sure he would find out if asked? For all he knew the cat had been following Reed around for his entire short life, and he never knew about it.
Reed forced himself not to consider this possibility.
"Anyway, I don't think he actually planned to kill you."
The wolf winced at his own words, which were fairly obviously (to him) a complete lie. Leothas wasn't exactly the type of person who would leave a job half-finished. Besides, the leopard had apparently been rather insulted by Zelia's order to find food, and Reed was fairly certain the big cat didn't take..orders..well. At all.
He gave over worry about this, at least for the moment, and smiled at Zelia's story about the honey badger. Apparently she was well-traveled. Reed himself had spent most of his younger days, before Elmor, traveling the area around his waterside home and dreaming of lands across the ocean. Now, he supposed, he wouldn't see them until he died. Such was the world. Life was made of decisions, and it was only afterwards that one discovered they might - possibly - have made the wrong choice.

The thought was driven from his head as soon as he saw the water. It took several seconds for him to realize that someone was yelling at him. Zelia?
Reed stared around, suddenly standing in water, vaguely recalling that he'd been drinking. Water ran out of his mouth and down his front.
The brown wolf shook his head sharply, failed to get any of the water off of himself, and took a moment to glance around. Everything seemed rather clearer than it had been. The last few hours seemed like a dream he'd just woken up from, which he couldn't quite remember.
"You almost died," said the leopard's blank voice, again coming from beside his ear. Reed frowned slightly and decided not to think about it too much.
Where was he? The desert, right. Traveling. Reed sniffed the air slightly and glanced around. Splashing around in the water, not too far off, was the wolf he'd met..Zelia.
He found himself staring at her and immediately shook again, pretending he had water in his ears. When he spoke again, it took a second for his voice to start working.
"Uh," he cleared his throat. "Thank you for..rescuing me, I suppose."
Reed smiled slightly, suddenly realizing that the chances of him running into a wolf, in all these miles of desert, and of that wolf being willing to help him were - well, impossible.
"You didn't have to," he added thoughtfully, eyes curious. Why had she decided to help him? She was like Leothas, appearing from nowhere just in time to save him. Sent by the gods, almost, as if they didn't want him dead.
Yet.

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[Zelia]

Zelia laughed softly at the half dead wolf before her. She felt bad for him. That he was out there and he seemed to make his way towards her. Of course the she wolf never really thought about her actions before doing them. Speaking of there were shadows floating in the pond. She'd bet there were fish down there. Licking her chops the she wolf took in a gasp of air just as Reeilas spoke and plunged her head into the water. Damn things got away she rose still staring hard at the water when this time she heard him again.

"Huh? You saying something to me," she turned her head to the side quizzically. Looking at him her ears up and alert. Squirt laughed in a nearby tree.

"He was thanking you, now the Alpha of Iatia has now got a wolf in her debt. What shall you do?"

Zelia narrowed her eyes at the bird and shook her head. Now that was a terrible thing to say. One she clearly didn't want any wolf outside of her territory know who she was. Even her own she commanded to keep quiet about her or pretend that they didn't know her. The word outside of Iatia's boarders were her freedom. A freedom she intended to keep. Two she'd never force a wolf to pay her back for his or her life; use him shamelessly for gold or well . . . other pleasures but never because she saved his life. The only time she'd expect him to repay that was by his own means or if she herself was in danger. Maybe then and only then would she remind this wolf who saved his can in the middle of a desert. For now she raised her lips at the bird, "Squirt, you imp, you're tempting me to let him eat you, I think that will be debt repaid for such a comment."

She snorted once more at the bird and splashed over to the blue marked male. "Reeidlas, I don't choose who Zeris leads me to. If they need help and I can offer it, out in the loner lands I do what I can to help or please. Now speaking of saving lives I think there's fish in the water. I can't be sure but there's something swimming around and I think we can catch them."

She licked her jaws as the dark shadows went in all directions of the small pond. Squirt humphed in the tree but he shot her a warning, "Miss Zelly, don't get too close, remember that honey badger incident? That cat is his protector and he doesn't like being ordered around. You've ticked him off."

Zelia rolled her eyes and shrugged it off. She didn't feel like she was in danger and Reeidlas seemed very apologetic. She couldn't say why but she trusted the pair. She crouched back down her tail twitching like a cats, sushi sounded amazing right now, and she wanted to nab one of those shadowy fish and have a fine meal. Though how to catch them was the key.

[Reeidlas]

He stopped in the middle of talking as the wolf suddenly stuck her head under water. How..odd. Maybe she could breathe water or something. Reed decided this could be useful and made a note to ask how it was done. However, this meant that by the time she came back up she hadn't heard anything he'd said..
Still, he found himself smiling. She was..interesting, more so than the other females he'd met lately. Not that there'd been that many. Sunny, with her odd act, Dakota, and all the puppies she had with her. His brother's mate.
She was talking to him, a reply to his gratitude. Reed supposed her companion must have told her what was going on. Very self-assured she was. Almost as if she was giving orders, without actually giving orders.
"Like a leader?" Leothas cut into his thoughts again, his tone sharply mocking.
"Well," Reed said, voice quiet, "Thank you anyway."
Not everyone was as willing to help others out as she might be. It warranted some notice.
"Look at that, the so-called alpha of Elmor being grateful. Off to a fine start, we are. At least pretend to be tough before you get yourself killed."
Reed felt the fur on his back prickle slightly as he peered into the water, trying to not stare, pretending to look for fish. Leothas kept bothering him, his voice growing steadily more irritated.
"Put two and two together, Reeidlas."
He gritted his teeth and ignored the leopard, scowling at the shapes of fish in the depths of the oasis instead. None of his business. None of Reed's business. He didn't want to think about it.
"The decisions we make," Leothas said, his silver form visible on the bank of the small pond. Reed could feel the cat's eyes on him. He ignored them, crouched, and pointed his nose toward a small, dark form beneath the water. His paws were as quiet as he could make them under the water.
"Coward," Leothas snorted, and became quiet again. Reed ignored him. It was probably true that he was too afraid to ask. Or, more, too afraid to know the answer..

The small wolf launched himself foward, jaws open, water spraying everywhere in the moonlight. For a second, water was in his nose and eyes, and somehow his jaws closed around a slippery object. He bit down hard, splashed around some more, got his feet under him, and came out of the water with a splutter.
He could hear Leothas laughing at him. Reed was suddenly, uncomfortably, aware that he was standing in the middle of a pond, soaked, with water in his eyes and a long piece of waterweed dangling from his mouth.
This, he said to himself sadly, is what you deserve for trying to show off.

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[Zelia]

Zelia wagged her tail happy that Squirt was now busying himself with catching bugs flying through the air. He was such a cute little hunter and she found herself laughing when he did a somersault in the air after catching one. Such a little cutie. How she adored quails even Squirt though he was a bit of an Imp. She turned an ear back to Reeidlas once he spoke his thanks again, "well your very welcome."

Zelia watched eagerly as Reeidlas poised himself to attack a dark shape. Though she didn't think that was a fish, she squinted her eyes till the silver form of the cat appears. It was a beautiful creature she had to admit. Especially in the moon light. Zelia tried the canine way to show him that she seriously wasn't out here to cause harm, by wagging her tail. She sucked in a breath to throw an apology at the large cat before snapping he head back to Reeidlas as he shot forward. Splashing her dead in the face.

The grey and sliver tipped female burst out laughing when Reeidlas came back up with waterweed stuck in his jaws. She shook her head sending water droplets everywhere. She guessed the middle of the pond wasn't as deep as she thought, seeing Reeidlas being able to stand, the water coming up to his belly. She laughed and dashed forward, without thinking about it she took the other end of the waterweed in her mouth, very close to his jaw, letting her muzzle brush against his before giving the end of the weed a pull. It broke in half and she spat her end back in the water.

"No that wasn't a fish but it was in the water it's a good start...." Zelia shook her fur out some and noticed that she was a bit close to him and froze. Oh boy he had pretty blue markings. Her tail was lowered by the weight of water. She didn't want to stop looking but knew she would have to eventually. Something odd was happening it was as if another being was pulling on her tail. Trying to pull her away . . . wait, something was actually pulling on her tail and she furrowed her brows and looked between her legs. "Somethings nibbling my tail. . . ."

The she wolf turned, confused, and then felt a fish bite down hard on her tail. She yipped with surprise and threw her body towards the edge of the pond. She spun around barking and snarling trying to bite the fish back, "GET OFF YOU JERK!"

[Reeidlas]

Reed smiled, painfully, suddenly aware of the fact that Zelia's muzzle brushed against his. He paused for a second, the waterweed still clenched tightly in his jaws. A clear thought suddenly jumped into his mind.
You know who she is and she's falling for you, you idiot, and why would you do this?
For a second, he entertained the idea that it was just Leothas trying to fuck with him again. But unless Leothas knew him so well that he could use Reed's own voice to talk to him..
The brown and blue wolf stared, yellow eyes equally uncertain and sure of himself. She stood next to him, close enough to touch, and for a moment he wondered if she could hear his conscience shouting at him. Apparently not, because her eyes - blue, like the sky, like the ocean - locked onto his for a second. Reed forced himself to look away.
This can't happen, he told himself. He knew better. Honestly, he knew exactly who she was, and what she did, and had a good idea of what could happen if this kept on.
Somehow, he couldn't help himself.
Reed felt himself leaning forward slightly, tense, not sure what he was planning to do.
"Somethings nibbling my tail. . . ."

What?
The moment ended suddenly. Reed frowned, stared at the water, and wondered to himself why a fish would ever think a wolf's tail was something to eat. Still, he tensed again, this time staring hard at the dark shape under the water, and splashed forward a few steps, muzzle pointed at the water animal.
He leaped forward, noted at the last minute that the fish was moving, got hold of it near the tail-fins, and bit down hard. It flopped around a great deal.
Reed lifted his head, rather pleased with his hunting prowess (for what it was worth), and shook the water creature hard, trying to get it to lie still. There was really nothing to say, and his mouth was full in the first place, but he managed to smile happily and wag his tail at Zelia anyhow.

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[Zelia]

Zelia trapped the fish with her claws and was able to bite into the offending sack of scales. She growled lowly at it and shook so hard that she felt it let go. Now it was time for torture. She threw the fish into the air let it slam down on the ground and pounced on it, tearing into it's gills. The fish would not attack her tail again. She held the dying thing in her jaws and watched a Reeidlas caught his own fish hold it up proudly. Well at least the fish did save her from doing something stupid. She did like to get to know the wolf much better before just getting trapped in a cloud of pink haze like that. Realizing that her fish was still wiggling she padded and flopped down under the tree with her prey. She trapped the fish between her paws and bit into it's succulent flesh.

She didn't have to wait for Reeidlas to join in. She heard Squirt up in the palm tell her to be careful of bones. She looked up and narrowed her eyes this was not her first rodeo with a fish dinner. "Squirt mind your business and let me eat. . . ."

"I'm just saying Miss Zelly, you aren't really paying attention if you're allowing fish to nibble that tail. You should be careful. You know nothing of him." Squirt was actually serious for once.

"Whatever Squirt, you and I both know that I can't bear pups. . . . And it's not going to come to that and you know it!" Zelia ended the conversation at that and dug into her fish.

Zelia Found her way into the soft belly of the fish and ate her fill. Soon she pushed the fish bones aside, and began cleaning herself of fish scales, blood, and bones. She turned to Reeidlas and spoke between licks, "So . . . that was . . . a nice . . . dinner.

[Reeidlas]

He ate, after splashing out of the water and onto the bank. The fish was gone before he quite realized he'd started tearing into it. Bones and all were gone, and Reed barely kept himself from trying to devour the head with them. Instead, he quickly buried the small remains and left it alone.
His stomach still grumbled. The wolf grumbled to himself and ignored it. He supposed he could try to make conversation and see if it went away. What about he wasn't entirely sure. There weren't a whole lot of safe topics available to him.
Reed sat, curling his tail around his paws, and studied the female distractedly. He discarded one thought after another, searching for something pointless and reasonable to chat about. The packs - no. Too close to home. His journeying, but that was too close to his past, and therefore hers. The weather? Maybe they'd talked about that too much.
Hmm..
An image of his brother appeared in the forefront of his mind. A pointless thing to talk about, he supposed. Zelia would likely not care about Helos and his blind eyes and bursts of unruly fire magic.
Reed sighed to himself and started talking, randomly, grateful that for once Leothas had decided not to interject.
"The desert, it reminds me of the ocean, a bit. A sand ocean."
The utter foolishness of this topic hit him suddenly. Reed contemplated shutting up, but heard himself continue to babble aimlessly anyway. Not nervously. He was just talking.
"I grew up by the ocean. I always wanted to cross it, you know, and search for other lands. Where the gods come from."
This was stupid.
"My brother and I, sometimes, we would sit on the shore and watch the birds and..think about how we would fly over if we had wings. Like seagulls."
She had wings, he thought. But black, like a crow, not like a seagull, and she probably thought he was an idiot anyway for talking like this.

He subsided into quiet, eyes uncertain. He and his brother..they were always going to cross the sea, but then there was the fire, and then the white warrior, and it never happened. He wondered what Helos was doing now.
Probably happier than Reed was.
"I'm sorry," he said suddenly. "You're probably tired, and I'm talking like an idiot."