Dix-huit

Somewhere around the edge of plains vs temperate. 2lazy2specify.

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In the end he'd vacated the plains, at least for now. Whatever storm was threatening he wanted some shelter and grassland wasn't keen to provide. It lingered long enough that it was freaking him out. Not that he was too thrilled about this southern area either. This was where weirdo chick who thought she'd owned the world. Would he even recognize her? It wasn't like she was actually important in the grand scheme of things. Crazy chick was probably still marinating in her own ego. Jury was out if she'd even recognize him -- he was looking a lot better these days. Still kind of tall and lanky but he wasn't quite so thin and desperate. And if it was possible for him to be more wary of people, well, he was.

Vidocq was not hunting, he was traveling. From what he recalled, this side of things had been more densely populated than others, and he wasn't super keen to linger. He'd hunted, killed, and eaten his fill before crossing the river so that he could hopefully be back in more sparser areas before really needing to hunt anything significant again. That was the plan, at least. Whether it'd work out was another thing entirely. he wound his way down a game path, a swiftly moving ink blot, ears twitching at any sounds not caused by his own feet.
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Adventure to be, Miriam was a restless soul. She wanted to see all that there was, to engorge her very soul to these enlightening moments of peace. To see what others did not or have, but something that was all too new to herself ; she never stood in one place for long. At the moment she found herself in what seemed to be a heavily forested region, but when she gazed within distances, she could not within the north were heavily populated with mountains, and a looking toward the east indicated the plains itself. Though the west.. Seemed to be a great body of water she yet to come to yet. 

A pulling brought her all around and she did not question why her very soul seemed to tug away going further to the south. Though.. These lands heavily smelled of wolves, and she knew best to be careful, even if she greatly wished — to see what they have. Would it be wrong to ask to see their homes? Would she be met with an aggression, that her mothers and Amma so warned about? At the very least, Miriam would push the goal to the side for a later date.

In the distance could she see a tall man, brown and blending to the forest like herself and.. Seemed a bit older, but still young around the face. She smiled gently, from a distance, and greeted lightly, "hello there," Miriam said to the stranger.

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So not used to Miriam being that young, rofl.

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He paused once he noted her, ears pinning forward towards her. He searched the air for a scent but wasn't finding any of the pack scents drifting from her direction. Alone? So maybe not trouble. Or maybe she was. He'd basically been forged from suspicion at this point. She was young, so maybe not a total idiot, but just the same.. It could still be a trap. There she was just smiling and being friendly and stuff, but did that mean that's who she really was? His reply, visually, was more like turning his resting scowl to a flat line that was almost neutral. 

However, he was still about as clever as a stump when it came to speaking, so his reply was a vaguely perplexed, “Um.. Hi.” And that was it. He was great at this, yep. He got no closer to her than this, gave her no additional smiles or anything. Honestly for Vidocq, that wasn't too bad of a greeting. He didn't sneer at her or make any super snarky comments. He just had been metaphorically bitten far too many times to be anything other than shy in his own way.
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Her nose twitched as she took note he didn't smell like any pack, and deemed to be a loner. She hadn't met too many that were from the packs around, and was slightly wary to do so.. Miriam didn't feel it was right to push them all into one segment, where the Orchid had warned that most packs were not so kind-hearted as the motherland, but they also didn't have any neighbors or allies to truly compare. The guards of the pack, handled any rogues and villians in a discretion that the rest would not know if any invaded. She of course, held that desire to meet any if possible, for the one she had met, was a kind woman.

It was the hope the rest were kind.

"Are you a native around here?" Miriam asked ; he didn't smell like the forests, but she also had yet explored it all to know so. Was anyone really born to these lands, or was all the same, like herself? Warped away from their homelands and ended up to the unknown itself, a land that wolves dominated so. She could smell so many traces of the canines around, and having at least three within one area.. Indicated powerhouses.

The Orchid taught Miriam well.

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Vidocq had no such wondering about where someone came from. He just honestly didn't care. He was apathetic about a bunch of things, and honestly nobody had convinced him to learn to care. He was out for himself and nobody else. And so, he shook his head, “Nah. And probably not sticking around right here where it's popular either. I came through this area before and there was this chick who thought she owned everything -- wasn't even packland. Called her goons when I was just walking by. Sketchy as hell.” But even his warning was selfish, as he'd quite happily spit some fire at that woman, ruin her rep, maybe keep a few people she might find useful from showing up at her door. Spiteful creature he was, he almost wished there was a way for him to cause more trouble all subtle-like, but there wasn't anything that came to mind without risking his hide unless she didn't recognize him. He could hope.

Anyway. It was probably because of that experience that Vidocq didn't seem to be totally settled. He still stood with ears twitching in case anyone else showed up on the scene. He also wouldn't be against just bailing on her and leaving her if someone nasty showed up. He was a very classy guy that way, wasn't he? He wasn't sure how long he'd tolerate staying put here either to chit-chat -- again, too many issues previously to feel super safe about it.
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"Oh my.." She knew little about packs except for Nightwalkers — and Miriam realized, she never asked Mystery on what they were about or their general location. The name itself was ominous in the liking, and even the other had a more heavy scent to them, but she was so kind, that the maiden held out on thinking otherwise. Hearing that there was a pack perhaps being greedy within her claim was no good ; she would have to make a mental note of one of the two of names she did not know, was rather big, or simply desiring all that the sun touches. She didn't want to step on a land that they said was theirs ; even if the other said otherwise. Miriam preferred to avoid troubles, and nodded respectfully at the new knowledge. 

"Do you know their name?" She could keep a look out that way! As well as learn at two, of the three packs within the region.

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He really had to dredge his memory for that one, frowning kind of thoughtfully (can't be too thoughtful, it's Vidocq). “Uh. Elshire, Elkshire, something like that. Was more south than here.” He'd heard the name, what? Once? He was sure of the E and the -shire but if there was other stuff in the middle, who knew. But it was close enough that he figured she could work it out if she had to. Assuming she had more than a couple of brain cells to rub together at least.

Another thought, “But y'know what, just watch your step in general. I've been wandering around here for a while now. I've run into a lot of wolves older than me that are absolutely crazy. I've had random people just charge me in the middle of nowhere, or demand I go with them, or just be weird and not make sense. Hell if I know why, but it's happened enough it's been a pattern.” Look, Vidocq was a jerk, but some of it wasn't his fault at all.
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Elkshire, and Nightwalkers.. She managed gather two names within the temperate land — at least the packs she generally smelled. Mystery had mentioned there was a three in total, and the other name seems to be lacking. Though Miriam would like to ask the one before her, he didn't see someone that was interested within it. Rather he seemed wary of it, especially with his interaction with the one. She wouldn't judge them just yet though, as all were by the slight of rumor compared to meeting. Nightwalkers held a vicious name to it, but the wolf that introduced her to this land was all too kind.

Miriam didn't wish to bother him with her questions, and remained with but a pleasant smile for the meanwhile. Eventually, if so fated to be, the general thoughts of who they were would eventually come. She was patient. 

"Oh my, really?" Her head tilted with a slight worried look as the maiden wondered what sort of troubles he has gotten into. The wolves she had met hadn't done anything as so, rather most were rather kind or within a good conversation.. Even if some seemed rather withdrawn for talking. Perhaps there was a misunderstanding?

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Great thing about Vidocq is I get to relay all these stories without rereading the threads because his memory/storytelling of it warps them anyway. It's more realistic I swear. XD

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Time for a list! What would be the wolf equivalent of counting off things on one's fingers? Let's say tapping a claw on the ground, one at a time as he remembered each incident. “Yeah, so... One chick, I offered to hunt with her, but she didn't want to hunt small things. We were both pretty young, like I dunno, half a year ago or something, like how were we supposed to catch a deer? There weren't any anyway, just some rabbit-type things were all I found, lots of them though. Like ok, guess she likes being hungry. While back, met this other guy who just seemed a little off, you know? He wanted me to go with him, he got all demanding about it, I had to threaten to bite his goddamn face off before he backed. He seemed all offended by that, but eventually left. Not too long after that, this other random chick just charged at me. I was minding my own business, she just goes all out for no reason and acted like she thought I should talk to her or something after? Hell no, like she didn't say a word the whole time. Wasn't even territory. Another dude was all about how I should stay away from his girl who had run away from him. Maybe she ran away from him for a reason. Some other chick I ran into just couldn't stop laughing, didn't even make sense to laugh, just was anyway. Already also mentioned the chick who thought she owned everything... -- Oh! There was also the chick that just appeared out of a lake. Claimed she dove in there and was swimming. I was by that lake for hours, she wasn't there before, no joke -- but she still claimed she was.” Had that covered most of it? Probably. Bunch of freaks!

It was quite an impressive list now that he thought about it. “That's all why I don't like sticking around, yeah? Those were just the worst of them, there were your usual people that are just kinda weird or grumpy or whatever, but I've met too many of them. Better on my own if that's all that's out here. I don't want to be skinned and fed to cannibals or something, that's all I've got left to find.” If there was something else that'd be top tier weird, he couldn't think of it off the top of his head.
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"My, it sounds like you have been through a lot." The sheer amount of what he went through within the temperate seemed much ; for he continued on without breathing to stop. He seemed like he was passionate, to make sure she should know of those who seemed a bit like loons in the land. She was smiling in an appreciation, and though he was a bit brash in the sense Miriam could tell he was within a good heart if was willing to not only warn her, but share of these examples.

"Where do you plan on going?" The maiden then asked, as he seemed so against the temperate itself ; surely he had thoughts to elsewhere?

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He had, obviously been trying to say this stuff went down all over the place, no matter how many miles the person walked. Oh well! Still, at least this chick seemed to be kind of reasonable -- her reaction meant maybe she saw a bit more logic and reason than 99% of the other wolves he'd come across. Baby steps. “Yeah, and so I'm not being unreasonable when I'm saying watch the hell out for psychos, yeah?” No, he wasn't paranoid, the world really was out to get him. He'd maybe been a little paranoid at the start but then it turned out to be pretty much true!

The future was a hazy thing. He shrugged, “Just gonna keep moving. All that's gone down damn near everywhere. So no place safe. I'll stop when I find a place with nobody.” That was probably too much to ask but honestly, that was just about all that was going to make him comfortable at this point. Having one or two okay conversations interspersed between those that were kind of traumatizing wasn't enough to balance the scales.
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She tried to think of a place that would the man. She was relatively knew to the area ; and where she turned there was packs and wolves galore. Yet when she looked over his shoulder and could see the wide view of the plains itself, she couldn't help but point her paw toward, "I don't think many wolves would find themselves within those fields," she said. Eventually though she too would wonder to it — ideally desiring to map out all that there was..

That was the dream, for adventures and galore.

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A quick glance the way she indicated. It was sort of back the way he'd come from this time. A shrug, “Maybe. I left there because of the storms. Maybe after they're gone I'll go back.” It was all flat out there, after all. No place to hide. He was wary about it, no point in fighting nature, a wolf wouldn't win against a big enough storm. If it had faded away, maybe he would have stayed where he was... Now here he was again, rambling through land he didn't trust at all. He couldn't win here either.

A fleeting glance looked upwards, but there were trees above... Kind of made it hard to see if they were still there in the distance. He'd have to get somewhere a little more clear before he could check.. And even then, if it seemed to have lessened without totally disappearing, would he trust it to really be going away?

He was also bad at talking in that he didn't do a swell job at continuing the conversation.
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"There are still some within the north, I wonder if they'll ever wonder to the south." Though at the moment could not see the true north through the forest above. But Miriam saw them, looming in the backdrop mysteriously. Yet it had not approached so far, and she wondered whether they should prepare for it coming! She hadn't seen any storms within the temperate region, but maybe she arrived some time after those events.

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He felt like he was going in circles in a way. Back to the mountains? Back to the plains? Why was he even here again? He just kept being chased from place to place, and now he was too wary to stay still long. This conversation here could have gone worse, that's for sure, but at least it hadn't ended in fangs. “No clue. I'm gonna keep moving, maybe be able to see from somewhere else.” A shrug, he took a step but only one, “So like, good luck I guess. Watch out for the freaks. Wouldn't stick around here if you don't have to.” It was about as nice as Vidocq could possibly be, which wasn't very but at least he wasn't snarling or something. He was just neutral and blunt, and now feeling like he'd spent far too long standing in one place when the weirdos were perhaps just a line of trees away.

He was ready to wander off as soon as she replied, even if that reply was just her turning away -- he already had his exit off into the trees planned. He knew exactly how he'd try to blend with the shadows and make a stealthy escape.
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"Farewell, I hope you are blessed on your travels." She smiled warmly and wished him off, even uttering a silence prayer in a hope that the Goddess will bring him some luck, and a meeting of fortune. Already did he start to leave, coming just as fast and dropping info she was thankful for then off we went upon a new adventure.

She wondered if they'd ever meet again.

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