So Unprofessional

All around him the landscape was getting whiter. It would thaw during the day, but overnight the frost would return and continue its cycle the day after until the frost would remain for a season. This was never his best season. Preferring the dark woods and leaves soaking in the light. In winter even in the dead of night his coat contrasted too starkly to their surroundings.

A long creek echoed through the strange lands. A floorboard crying under his weight while stepping forward even at his most careful. He groaned silently to himself, annoyed and chose the more open space between the structures. It was more open, less cover, but he could be quiet at least and not draw too much attention to himself.

It was peace like that he could almost breathe easy...

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Seeing the inside aged structure was not something Ilaria expected to see first thing waking up. "Where the hell am I?" Laria groaned as she sat up, noticing the way the world around her was bathed in shadows and fading sunlight. She once saw a structure like this in the territory bordering the Cassano lands. Amadeo and Enzo had dared her to venture into the darkest one, and like the brave idiot she was, she had gone in without checking her surroundings. She would never do that again.

Ilaria dragged herself off the floor and began to make her way outside when a loud creak sounded in the still air. The woman paused, ears swiveling in hopes of catching another sound. "I'm just being paranoid." She chuckled, though her honeyed eyes flitted around the quiet town. Either she was imagining the sound, or there was someone else here. Either way, Ilaria was not going to stay around like a sitting duck to find out.

The ground was white with snow, something Ilaria had seen once in her life. The winter Mama was taken. Ilaria reached out a paw to touch the powder, smiling at the chill she felt on her paw before continuing on her path. She missed the presence of her Papa and brothers, the laughter that always followed them wherever they went.

An unusual scent reached her nares, and she paused, sliding her gaze over the open area. She hated this feeling. Ilaria hated being afraid of what was coming. She was Dante Cassano's only daughter, and would not allow herself to be caught unaware.

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A voice.

Is that what he heard?

Stilling his breath he paused... ignoring the sound of his own heart drumming a slow beat against his chest so he could listen to the silence around them. Only the soft pitter patter of the snow hitting the ground. A sound so subtle it could easily be missed.

No. He heard that voice again. Ebony ears twisting to catch the sound despite how soft it was - following by a musical chuckle. Distinctly female. That laugh didn't tell him of anything malicious, just a simple bemused laugh to one's self...

And with that deduced he wandered toward where the sound had come from. Up ahead on the path, and sure enough a woman appeared from out of one of the structures; and he paused. The shadow ceased moving and instead hung his head parallel to the ground, observing the stranger with a curious, hardened stare.

Not exactly the most chatty of fellows, he only let out a soft chuff to announce his presence. Hopefully he wouldn't scare her away.

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Ilaria found the place creepy. It was quiet, the air too still for her to feel at ease. Not even a rat scurried around, and those things were everywhere. But here, nothing.

The woman felt a prickle along her spine, and she turned, a yelp leaving her lips upon meeting the gaze of a shadow.

"What the fuck!" The woman barked, her honeyed gaze burning as she fixated her eyes on the shadow. While she wouldn't admit it aloud, the man scared her. He just appeared and had the audacity to chuff at her. Where was the common decency of saying "hello" or "who are you?" "You fucking scared me." She mumbled under her breath, her eyes flickering from the shadow to the ground.

Ilaria's fur remained lifted; her fluffed-up appearance was the only sign of her surprise. The woman felt her heart thrumming against her ribs; the sound of blood rushing in her ears drowned out the very sound of their breathing.

A sly grin appeared on her lips as she unashamedly allowed her gaze to drink in the man before her. "How long have ya been watching me?" Perhaps she'd finally found something worth her while.

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He had no ill-will, but his own hackles rose in response to hers against his will. The man was so accustomed to hostility - given the name of his job - that he simply couldn't help the second nature from rising to the surface. But he didn't move. His gaze remained as stone. Watching her with only mild interest.

He took note of her foul mouth. A sign of honesty for most folk.

“Not long.” He drawled lazily.

Another note, she calmed down just enough to grin at him. What for he was uncertain - but he was no stranger to the approach of women either. They came and went, often smelling of him for the next few days after spending a night or two to fulfill one another's urges and they both moved on to the next task at hand.

Did he think that was on her mind? No. But history did have the tendency to repeat itself. “Cavanaugh.” A half-assed introduction was uttered just loud enough to reach her ears if she tuned in to his mumblings. “Passing through.” With a toss of his chin to her, he requested the same answers from her, voicelessly, what are you doing here?

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The woman wasn't sure how to answer the man's words. His stoic demeanor made a slight smirk appear on her lips as she took small steps closer, but her eyes watched his movements like a hawk. She'd never trust another man, not again, not after Gianni. The man's answer brought about a soft laugh from the brunette. "You flatter me."

"Ilaria. Ilaria Cassano. It's a pleasure, Cavanaugh." The woman replied, her eyes never leaving the man. While Cavanaugh didn't seem like a threat, she knew one could never be too sure. The slight sting on her neck reminded her of such. It's always the ones you never expect. Ilaria never would have guessed that her obsessive ex would have been the one to do it. But fuck it, he wasn't here, and she was alive.

"I woke up here. In that building over here." She gestured at the aged structure behind her. Even from here, it still gave her the creeps. The shadows seemed to grow, their hands reaching out to drag her back into their depths. Back to hell.

Ilaria stepped away from the building, her eyes flickering between the shadowy man and the looming doorway. She felt cornered in a way, stuck between two dangers. One with teeth that could take her life if she so spoke wrong. And another wished to whisk her back to hell.

"How long have you been here?" She asked, head tilting to the side as she settled on her haunches. The woman was trying to make a conversation, anything to not be left alone.

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Coal eyes fluttered to the ground as she took a step closer. A plume of white expulsed from his charcoal lips at the sight unsure if he was welcoming the distance to be closed between them or not. The haze contrasted against his dark coat, wrapping itself around the man's muzzle before vanishing into the grey skies.

Another note he would take from her was her charming demeanor. Charismatic when face to face with stone. Her flattery and introduction would only be met with a harsh grunt. The meaning behind it would be lost to him too - only wanting to acknowledge she had said something without really adding to the conversation.

She gestured to the building with which she had come from. His eyes only flickered to it briefly before resting upon her once more. She was small, he had to remind himself. Unlikely to be much of a threat to him but one could never be too cautious. Letting down your guard around anyone could be a recipe for disaster.

“A while. I forget how long.” He had yet to lie, and so why start now? It had been many moons since he woke up in these strange new lands, but he hadn't counted the phases to keep track. “It's strange here.”

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