Lazy in the Sun (open)

[Selene]

Ears perked at the sound of flapping wings, the sleeping wolf cracked an eye opened and glanced at the skies. The birds flew with a start and final the wolf lifted her head slowly from her paws and stared as the birds flew away. Stretching her forelegs, she lifted her hind quarters and stretched. The muscles beneath the brown coat rippled while she stretched her tired form awake. Her muzzle parted in a yawn, revealing sharp white teeth and a curled pink tongue. On all fours, she shook her form shedding any piece of grass that clung to her glossy fur.

Selene scanned her surrounds and took in the view and the many scents that were around. At the moment, it was very peaceful and the only thing that was to be heard was the winds playing with the leaves of the tree and the steady flap of the birds wings. Scratching her claws at the dirt, she perfumed the air with smell of the rich soil. Breathing in deeply, she sat back and stilled, letting the wind dance over her as she relaxed with the new sense of being home to one city and spot.

Time for a run, she thought. From her spot, she dashed into a full run. Her paws digging into the ear as she ran across the grassy fields, her muzzle parted to taste the fresh air as she ran. To be a wolf, she always felt free, more animal than human with feelings and thoughts far behind her as she ran. So she ran and ran, learning the area around her and picking up the many smells of area. The wolf may look like she was easy to approach, yet if something was to approach her they meet a fierce growl and flash of her teeth. Years of fighting caused her to be cold, the idea of softness died with her mother long ago and was replaced with a steel interior of something her father created and broke. In the small gap between the time she arrived here first and came back, she traveled to her old pack. Her father still heartless, but many of the wolves she was raised with had pups of their own.

Selene knew that she was no longer qualified to be someone’s mate or someone’s mom. The She-wolf was confident that her mind and her heart may never change. Settling her down, her run became a walk and she explored the area longer before turning around to head back to her clothes. Her tail swished back and forth, the wolf deep in thought. The hill she slept on was not too far from where she was, so she is there, changing back into her human form before explore the more and returning to the pact.

[Deleted]

The smell of grass was still a curiosity to River. He was not entirely used to it yet. Even if he had been resting in the fields for some time now the smell of nature was still foreign to him. It was a strong smell and for a person used to living in a controlled environment, it was new. This was the real world though and it was past time he got acquainted with it. Growing hot from the wraps and leathers he had gotten himself in a colder climate, he decided it was best he sit down for a moment and he organize his supplies. It was too beautiful of a day to not have the sun warm his skin.

Settling down in a bit of a huff he began to remove his skins. They interested him because they were made from different creatures. Even treated he could always tell which was his ox hide versus his crocodile one. They were reminders of a long journey he had undertaken. Each bit took him back to a certain town or stronghold. Humming an old song he began organizing his things into his pack. It was so methodical the actions were almost lulling, in that sweet, breezy kind of way. River had always been drawn to actions that brought him a sense of calm. Even if his goldenblood caused him to be ever the alert traveler he was happy for the time being.

Then he noticed her. the wolf was calmly making her way across the field. Majestic creatures, wolves. River had taken to them. The wolf was far enough to not really cause any alarm...yet. He did not like fighting or worse, killing a creature that was just defending its territory. So he hurried his organizing and got ready to leave the creature in peace.

It was too beautiful of a day to shed any blood. Besides, a wolf was no child's play. It would take effort and he was having such a good and lazy day.

[Selene]

The she-wolf got closer to her clothes, but paused to listen carefully to what was going around her. The animals silent and the only thing that was to be heard was the rustling of leaves from the wind. A scent was carried to her. Human? The scent was different; she lifted her muzzle to the air and sniffed. Turning away from the scent to finish her route to her clothes, she slowly began to shift to her human form. The bones cracked and shifted, smoother than when she was in younger. Brown hair fell over her face as she turned complete into human. Tossing her head back, sending her long mane of hair behind her back. The sun kissed her golden tan skin and she felt warm beneath the rays. Snatching her clothes from the ground, she tugged on her denim black jeans and beige tank top. Reaching into her pocket, she pulled a clip out and pulled her hair away from her face. Scanning the area, she kept alert for any signs of the human she smelt.

Reaching down she grabbed her Katars and tied them to her sides, not needing them for the time being. Lifting a hand above her eyes to shade her gaze from the sun she scanned the area. Slipping her socks and shoes on quick, she headed back to where she caught the scent of the human. Her movements were quiet and lethal, ready to fight if need be. Selene didn’t know if she was up against foe or friend, so it’s always good to take care. Finally she spotted him, a human retreating and stalked after him. “Hello?” her voice was honey smoothed naturally as she caught up with him. Placing her hands on her hips, she narrowed her golden brown eyes at him.

Not seeing a threat, she put her guard down slightly, not fully. She took note of all the things he carried and arched a brow. “Are you lost?” Selene was curious of the eased looking man before her. She smelled him as human, but something was a little off. His scent had an extra to it that she couldn’t place, maybe it was something he was wearing. Human is a human, her thoughts irrational as jumped conclusion. Sun must of got to you Selene, she thought. “Well?”

[Deleted]

He had stopped paying attention to his surroundings. Having finished packing his things river had realized he carried a lot of extra mess he did not need. So, neat as ever, he unpacked it all again and began to sort things into necessary and unnecessary piles. It was in the middle of his second sorting that he realized someone was approaching him. Looking up he took in the curvy shape of a woman making her way to him. Strange, he had not noticed her at all before. He did not say anything as she approached, he simply kept at his task.

"hello," he answered politely, keeping his eyes on his things. He waited to see what it was that she wanted from him. He had a nagging feeling that he was encountering someone special but was not sure what to do about it. She looked relatively normal to him but his body told him otherwise. He repressed the feeling. The woman seemed to be getting impatient with him and he knew it was in his best interest to remain polite, "you are very sneaky. I hardly noticed you coming up to see me. I'm not lost...just taking a break before entering the city. Thank you for asking, miss?" he asked, looking up and into her eyes.

River was not blind. This woman was gorgeous. He had learned, however, gorgeous or not, women who were alone often felt uncomfortable being told they were attractive. Besides, did it really matter? He had been told women liked the gesture but he could not see why being assured you were attractive was gracious. Then again, there was much he did not understand about humans.

He had plenty to learn, "My name's River. Are you from the city?" he asked. He needed a place to stay once he came in. He did not have a lot of money and though he was willing to work up to currency he knew he could not live in the streets till he could afford a home. He was aware that asking a stranger about these things was not socially acceptable, even in times as hard as these. So, he kept the thought to himself and waited kindly for the woman to introduce herself. The back of his mind reminded him there was a wolf about these parts and that he should warn the girl. He decided to hold on to the information til later.

[Selene]

Not seeing him as a threat, she complete relaxed and smiled at him with a soft curl of her lips. She nodded at him, which cause a few strands to escape and fall over her bright color eyes. Her voice soft, she mentioned, “Not sneaky, but careful. I’m light on me feet and that’s a good quality to have out here. Even though is peaceful at the moments, there is always something out there that is dangerous. “ He dragged his gaze to hers and she arched a brow at him. When he mentioned his name, she nodded her head at him and introduced herself. “My name is Selene and yes I am from the city.”

She only has been around for a short time, but she wanted to get away from the pack for a few. She was getting use to the other wolves, something that she hasn’t done in a while. Especially needed to get away from the Beta, she knew he didn’t trust her. He had good instincts, she wanted his place and she was not going to let him get to her. The she-wolf was deep in thought for a moment as she stared at the human, but it was only a few seconds where in her mind her thoughts seemed to be minutes. “Well if you are coming into the city, I can escort you to Haven if you like, unless you know where you need to go.” The human seemed very kind; she had no war with humans. As long as they are friends with her, they were no need for fight on her mind.

She grinded her heel into the ground, disturbing the ground so she can get a whiff of the rich soil again. Selene loved the smell of outside, when something gives her comfort she likes to smell it again and again. Like the light layer of the desert scent to her skin, it was homey even if it was fading away. Licking her lips she sighed, of the small of desert flower that clung to her mother. She has been dead for hundreds of years, but the smell she will never forget. Shoving the sad memories away from her thoughts, she fingered the Katars that hung from her hips and took a couple towards the direction she came from and paused.

[Deleted]

She wasted no time. River had found that a rare quality in the humans he had come to meet in the last few months. His head cocked to the side he watched her as she spoke. She seemed far less tense now and it suited her. He nodded, a lazy smile falling on his lips, "just over that hill there was a wolf not more than a few minutes ago so I suppose you are right, miss Selene." He liked the way her name felt on his tongue. It had a very smooth yet elongated feel; like a nice long stretch.

Her offer to escort him into the city was most kind. He could not read any alternate intentions from her body language so he had no reason not to trust her. As a wandered though he had learned to be very careful with his trust. Although his nature was to see the best in beings that quality could often serve as a crutch in the world they lived in. People were scared and there was nothing more dangerous than frightened people. Still, he was not sensing any danger from this woman so he nodded graciously, "May I ask what is Haven?"

This could go one of two ways and River knew he was taking chances when asking the question. She could either answer him without a thought because maybe outsiders were not privy to such information about the city. This was what he was hoping for. However, there was the option that she would doubt his ignorance or take it as a weakness to exploit.

When her eyes dilated he quickly analyzed the difference in action. He had noticed her foot scratching at the dirt but not much else. Was that some sort of habit that made her happy or was there something deeper about scratching at the ground that put her at ease? Humans were most fascinating. He had long since finished his repacking and organizing and was on his feet, ready to go.

"May I ask.." he began slowly, knowing this was an even riskier question to ask than the previous one. He could not help it; his curiosity ruled him, "Is it the smell of the earth that makes you happy or the action of scratching at it?"

[Selene]

At the mention of the wolf, Selene arched a brow and suddenly her lips curled into an amuse smile as she looked at the slight male. Shaking her head, “The wolf would be fine with us as long as she didn’t feel threaten.” The human interested her, so nice and unaware of the world out there. She wondered how he long he lived out here. He barely looked over the age of twenty-one. Sighing, she figures she would let the human think it was a normal wolf and it wasn’t her. Selene tucked the rebellious strand of hair behind her ears and looked up at the clear skies wishing she can lay about in the sun in her wolf form.

When he asked her of haven, she arched a brow and suddenly was very interested in the human. How did he not know of Haven? Didn’t all humans know of the safe keep for humans? Interesting indeed. “Haven is a safe place for humans. They are well protected there for they have excellent military to protect you.” Selene didn’t know much of Haven herself, only that they were allies to the wolves. Being explained to that no harm should come to the humans of Haven. Selene didn’t have a vendetta against them, as long as they don’t threaten her, she’s cool with them. The only thing that bristle her fur were fang teeth bastards called Vampires.

She needed to get back before she raised any suspicion from the Beta, she knew that he didn’t trust here and she was fine with that. He was most likely aware that she was hiding something, but she knew the idea of his position was not on his mind. The wolf couldn’t be that in sighted, could he? Gray eyes pierced her mind and she shut the image out of her mind. Damn Beta. Biting her lips, she caught herself before she growled in annoyance of the thoughts that came to her.

Blinking, she heard his voice as it pierced her thoughts and she shrugged a slender shoulder. “The smell of soil gives me comfort, just makes me more aware of the new lands I have been. The desert was my home, but I left. Now this, is my home.” She nodded the direction where they had to go and started to walk leaving him to follow. With each step she took the Katars bounced off her sides, but for now she didn’t need it. When in the city, that was a different story. “So tell me about yourself, River. How isn’t that you don’t know of Haven?” Being her turn to ask question, her voice was smooth but tinged with edge for she wanted straight answers. Gold eyes glances back at him before turned back to path.

[Deleted]

River moved to follow her though his mind was already going back over what she said, hearing different clues in each word. She chose them carefully. There was a streak of amusement in her eyes when he mentioned the wolf which he had thought most humans would have gotten nervous about. Maybe she was an established hunter or had witnessed things far more terrible in her life than a wolf? She didn't seem put off by his questioning her senses which he had thought would have troubled her. She was certainly not reacting how he had expected her to.

The way she spoke about Haven was the clue he was searching for. 'Protect you' she had said. Not us, not humanity, no she had said protect you as if she was an outsider to it. He was walking along side her now wondering how to answer her question. It seemed his lack of knowledge about Haven was becoming her interest though his was still locked on her strange actions, "I've been living alone for a very long time. This is my first trip into this city."

He hoped that would be enough to quell her curiosity. He did not like to lie to people but it was not exactly polite to go into a long speech about goldenbloods either. He had come to find out that nearly no one knew what a goldenblood was and it was not exactly something they wanted to know about. It seemed vampires were the only ones sort of aware of their existence. They had been their dirty little secret.

"Selene, you don't live in Haven, do you?" he asked. He wanted to know if he was right. Her words had been chosen carefully and her amusement shown strategically. Was it all to throw him off or to reel him in? He did not have a problem with either option. If Selene did not want him to know then he would not pry but if she did...well he was quite curious to find out.

[Selene]

Her steps faltered when he asked that she didn’t live in Haven. She moved her gaze back to him and she affected a smile to her lips. The color of her eyes dimmed as she watched him carefully when spoke her next words. “No I don’t live at Haven. I live at another safe keep for my kind.” Well he asked and she will give him answer, if he threatens her then she will fight him. Turning around completely and stared at him boldly, “Well River I will tell you the truth about that wolf you saw. I am that wolf you saw. Ever heard of werewolves?” No need to beat around the bush, she though. He must have been born in a secluded place if he didn’t know much of the outside world.

Few more strands escaped her clipped back hair and finally she just took the clip out and let her spill down her back and over her shoulders. Selene took the clip and attached it to the side of her pants. The golden brown eyes slowly melted to a pure color of gold and she smiled revealing sharpen teeth. Old enough to change certain aspect of her features, she waited to see his reaction. A small glimpse of what she was didn’t seem that bad. After all he needed to be aware of the monster that existed if he was fresh to the world.

Selene didn’t know how he was going to react to this and waited patiently and unchanged. Her thoughts sealed behind steady eyes as she watched him carefully.

[Deleted]

He was suddenly a child again and a look of wonder filled his eyes. Yet, instead of moving away from her bared teeth he moved closer to them, inspecting them with open glee. He had to restrain himself from jumping up and down due to the excitement and the rush of thoughts in his mind, "werewolf? werewolf! that's amazing! I've never met a werewolf before. your wolf form is beautiful-er...formidable," he faltered, frowning. He shook the random thoughts away, "Does your kind often have to keep their existence a secret? I had thought werewolves were quite common knowledge these days?"

He had so many questions. The vampires had taught all goldenbloods about the creatures they were aware of in the world but they had always had quite a bit of disdain for the werewolves. The knowledge passed down for them was always...skewed with bias. Because of this werewolves had always been an interesting mystery for River to wonder about. Now here was one right in front of his face and all he could think of was what wonders the city ahead had stored for him if it had a werewolf just about its outskirts.

"forgive my...glee," he said, gaining back his composure, "your kind is most fascinating."

[Selene]

Selene arched a brow at his excited features and a soft smile formed on her lips when he began to say her wolf form was beautiful. The she-wolf was not used to compliments, yet since her arrival she has already have two. One from a pup of the pact she was in and now this human. Shaking her head, she didn’t see what was wonderful about her; she was like every other common face in the crowd. Selene tried not taking the compliment to heart; she would hate to admit that it flattered her. Her eyes averted of what she was thinking, she cocked her head to the side sending her long brown main over her shoulder and answered the human. “Yes we are very common now a day and no we don’t take our existence in secret, but I just met you. If you didn’t know I was a werewolf, how would I know how you would be if I told you. I do not know if you were my friend or my enemy. I don’t take kindly to enemies.”

She looked him over and studied his features for a while and finally spoke, “I don’t see you a threat so all should be well right?” The female wolf was usually good when sensing danger within someone and with the human she didn’t sense anything but wonder. Was he raised in such a secluded area that he has never seen werewolves and only heard of them? And if he was told of her kind what lies or truths did the person tell him? “River, how is it that you never seen a werewolf? And what do you know of my kind?” Selene crossed her arms over her chest and waited for her answer. Her ears twitched and captured all the sounds that were around her. Licking lips, she glanced up at the bright sky and basked in the sunlight. No matter where she was, the sun always felt good. Lowering her golden brown gaze, she sighed and wondered when she should start heading back to the pact. The last thing she wanted to do was raise suspicion with the stern silver eyed Beta.

Kicked at the dirt and mentally sighed, what a difficult man he was. She couldn’t get close in friendship with him, not with want of his position so strong with in her. Nothing will side track her from her goal, she couldn’t think of anything else that would catch her interest. Selene dropped the subject from her mind completely and studied the human again hoping to find a hint to where he was from?

[Deleted]

He mulled over how to answer the werewolf. There was no way he could be honest. He had learned from previous mistakes that telling the truth would get him nowhere. He did not exactly enjoy lying either though. He sighed, "Well i do not know much about your kind since you are the first I have ever encountered. What I think I know comes from other creatures' words and I do not think they were reliable sources."

He figured that was enough information for now. This woman, though kind and interesting, was still a stranger and he was not sure what he could reveal to her. This was the nature of life in this world. It felt like a constant struggle of trust sometimes, "I come from a place where the only creatures I knew were vampires. It was not exactly a haven like this fine city but it was intended to be so. More like a Utopia if you ask me. But that is the past," he added with a bright smile, "and I have come here to find my future."