〔❁〕I know who you pretend I am...

Forward dating this 2 weeks from today since she still got some stuff to do in temprate.

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  Desperate for a change of scenery, the cranebird switched paths midway into her journey and began to head eastward. There was no specific destination in this change of paths, but the ultimate goal was to head anywhere else that was no longer the forest. She was honestly getting quite tired of walking beside the same set of pines and berry bushes everday, standing on the edge of the same packs and smelling the same scents -- tasting the same food. The wanderlust in the dame's blood yearned for more than that right now; to the point where even her little camping spot in the meadow was starting to become sore on her eyes.

  If Izumi had remembered correctly, in the beginning when she traversed terrain with @Reiko, east is where the plains had sat -- their pit stop before eventually running into @Hotaru. Dorned in tall golden glades and endless feels that reminded her of an eternal summer.

  It didn't appear that Izu's trip out of the temprate was entirely finished, however. She'd stumbled across even more flowers and trees, which nearly caused her eyes to roll towards the back of her head in annoyance. The woman would've preferred a camping spot that didn't remind her of the last one, but....it would have to do for now.

  Night was approaching. She needed to rest...

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 It seemed that he and the alluring @Misoka wouldn't travel together for as long as he had wanted, but there was nothing he could do about that. The plains called his name, though, and he couldn't bring himself to leave just yet.

So, travelling down south, Esmeray had stumbled a field of lavender and azure flowers that brushed against his inner-arms and paws.
 The man attempted to lift his legs higher to avoid the dense – and oddly colourful – plants, but to no avail, he let out a frustrated sigh before giving up. He'd have to rest soon, anyway; It was getting quite dark.

 Finding a tall oak to lay near, the man scented the area, nose twitching as the smell of a stranger wafted past him. The fur on his shoulders stood as he swung his head around, looking for who the stranger would be, and low and behold…

 A woman as white as the moon, fur billowy and flowing against a skinny and angular figure. Quite attractive, though not as vibrant compared to Misoka’s mahogany-red fur.
 Letting out a small wuff of greeting, Esmeray gazed at the woman through squinted eyes, taking a seat and tilting his head.

 The quiet man would wait for her to speak.

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  Today's travels have tired Izumi out -- that much could be seen in the way her head hung and her legs moved sluggishly throughout the perfumed feild. With a heavy sigh, the crane would collapse onto her haunches and allowed travel worn feet to finally rest after a long day. There were no successful catches today, so Izumi would make it a plan to get up first thing in the morning and begin hunting if she didn't wish for hunger pangs to slow her movements. The distance should give her enough time to reach farmiliar grassland, too.

  Although the sound of the femora's heart beats and heaved breathing was all she could hear within her head, another sound wave broke through this barrier -- it even managed to spook the cranebird, but only for a little while. A lilac gaze, frosted over like a frozen lake on a winter's day, peered over a pale shoulder to meet the metallic orbs of an unfamiliar man who lied just within the distance. Considering he had called and kept his distance was probably a sign of non- hostility, yet if it weren't for the vulnerable state Izumi was currently in -- exhausted and hungered -- could she truly afford to be trusting right now?

  "If this spot is already taken, then I can always find another..." the siamese would explain softly, unraveling the silken tail that sat upon her paws to stand and stretch out her legs, preparing to leave if needed. The crane's joints ached, but an extra mile of walking wouldn't kill her...

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 Quiet, apologetic, willing to bend under an ironfist. Esmeray flicked his gaze over the woman’s features, shaking his head.

”I don’t mind whether you stay or not, but I’m not forcing you out of here. If you want to stay, stay,” The man flicked his tail patiently, dipping his head. “If you want to go, then go.”

 He draped his tail over his paws, the tall flowers smothering him uncomfortably. With a low snarl, the man stood, dipping his head down and picking the flowers from the stalk.

 Then, tossing them aside, he’d flatten the rest of them, making a comfortable nest for himself. He’d rest here for a few days, so why not make a place for himself?

 Waiting for her to comment on his actions, he’d flick his tail if she said anything, giving a small shrug of his shoulders.
 But if she didn’t, Esmeray would circle his nest, laying down, giving but a small nod if she wanted to join him.

 Perhaps he was getting too comfortable around strangers, after Misoka had so easily pushed her way next to him.
 Hm, he’d have to be more defensive of himself, it seemed,

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  Given his response, it didn't appear as though the man was going to be much trouble if she decided to stay here, stating his disinterest of Izumi's actions or choices. To this, she blinked curiously at the man...even moving her muzzle slightly inward to take in his scent....he did not belong to a pack, either. Two loners on neutral territory, then -- Izumi supposed she she feel calmed by this fact. Pack wolves tended to be more territorial and snappy towards rouges, regardless of where their camp lied. The situation at hand seemed to just be two lone wolves looking to camp for the night, and to this Izu sighed in slight relief.

  No, she did not want to go. Her legs felt like shit right now....

  Still, the crane made sure to keep her distance in respect for each other's space. She was still wary of the man, and it was only natural to assume the feeling was neutral considering the two were still strangers, and he didn't exactly seem like the type who was eagar for conversation. Regardless, Izumi would mind her business and focus on resting her body for the night.

  The bed of flowers, in the cranebird's perspective, was soft and provided a cushion for restful slumber. For others, like this man, it did not. While the woman's paws tampered with the soil below to get comfortable, she would accidentally catch the sight of the man fighting with the flowers in the corner of her eyes and a loud snort would sound from her lips.....oh.

  She silenced the sound and flickered her ears, turning her head back the opposite way to continue what she'd been doing...

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 It seemed she would not join him.. while he wasn’t upset at that, he felt partially… lonely. The man wasn’t used to sleeping alone, though it was something that was normal for other wolves.

 As the woman let out a small snort at his fighting actions against the flowers that tickled his paws, Esmeray let out a sarcastic moody huff, a smile creeping up his face as he dropped to his paws.
 While the quiet was something he could get used to, he still felt.. off. Being so close to someone he didn’t even know the name of made him slightly uncomfortable.

“I’m.. Esmeray, by the way,” He flicked his tail, hoping to successfully hide the slight tinge of discomfort in his voice. “May I know how to refer to you?”

 A longer, more — in his opinion — graceful way to ask the basic question ’What’s your name?’.

 While he’d lay still and quiet, the man would perk his ears, attempting to see past the flowers and get a good view of the woman only a few ways ahead of him.
 Her frosted lilac eyes made him think of these very flowers, though if they were in the heart of winter.

 They were opposites in appearance, really. While she was graceful and pale, Esmeray was bulky and dark, his fur the hue of charcoal while hers the same as snow.

 He honestly slightly envied her pelt.

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  Izumi had heard the huff of fustration, believing he'd been offended before she could pretend not to have done, well, what she did. Though she didn't quite get to see his smirk as her back was turned towards him -- unknowing that he shared the same mirth as her. The only thing the crane could do was play her slight laughter off like a passing wind while quietly messing around with her nesting area by the oak tree. After awhile she would finally lie down, turning her body into a circle and using the flowers as a bedrest -- while her chin an forepaws rested on the overgrown root of a tree.

  Relaxed, ink-blotted ears erected at the sound of his voice, however. One she didn't really expect to here, considering first impressions. Moreso, he sounded a little...cramped, as well.

  Personally, the crane did not much care for silence. The two wolves were about to fall asleep and didn't know each other well to start a real conversation. Though Izumi supposed that it was common to feel a bit awkward when finding the words to say to a stranger.

  It wouldn't hurt to entertain him with a conversation -- afterall, the sun wasn't completely hidden beneath the horizon just yet...

  "Izumi..." she'd respond casually, rubbing a paw against the roughly-textured tree bark she laid her crown upon, lilac eyes wandering to a marching line of ants just below the roots. Never did the willowy crane's attention drift towards the color of his coat, nor did it occur to the woman that he might've eyed her for that very reason. Izumi couldn’t truly know why he'd looked at her and supposed it was with the expectation to carry on the conversation. Unfortunately, mind reading was no real thing.

  What a convinient little superpower it would've been right now, though.

  "Is this where you call home, Esmeray?" she'd ask, floral colored eyes trailing over the stem of a flower to see where he'd been resting.

  "I was just leaving the forest, and heading towards the plains. Now, it looks like I'm stuck in between for the night..."

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 He’d watch her carefully, nodding as the woman revealed her name. Izumi. Not a name Esmeray had heard before, but then again, it seemed wolves of all origins were present in this.. place.

 Startled by her sudden question, the man flicked his tail, charcoal paws fiddling with the grass below him. Perhaps he could call this place home, but he’d prefer to explore the plains.
 So.. were the plains his home, since he had no interest in leaving? Esmeray wasn’t certain, yet.

“No, I prefer to traverse the plains; I don’t really like staying in the same place for over a week,” He explained. ”The fun thing about always moving, though, is that I’m forced to face challenges that I wouldn’t have otherwise.”

 But, for the first few nights on the plains he had some company, at least. Now he was alone, and Esmeray wasn’t sure he’d be able to get used to it right away..

 Leaving the forest? The man craned his neck over the dense coverage of flowers, attempting to get a view, though the rest of the trees blocked his way and the charcoal-hued man gave up quickly.
 With another nod, he aimed an empathetic — though guarded — smile towards Izumi.

“I understand. May good travels be in your favour,” He trailed off his sentence, interrupted by a small yawn. “I think I’ll lay my head to rest soon.”

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Staff note: For outrider skill

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  "Who wouldn't? It grants freedom to one's mind and paws, don't you agree?" The crane agreed to the man's regard to traveling being fun. She had thought nothing good would come from leaving her home in Shiroshika out of the bitterness that plauged her heart for weeks on end. Yet there was one good thing that came out of it all -- and that was the freedom to go where she pleased. Traveling the world far and wide to go wherever she pleased; there was no soul to stop the crane from moving her paws into the day's next destination.

  She wanted to ask Esmeray more, of any other places he might've traveled or frequented -- maybe even suggest places he might enjoy visiting. Yet with a yawn and a few simple words, it seemed as though the dark-haired nomad wished to cut their conversation short for rest...Izumi couldn’t help but feel a little disappointed. As short as their conversation was, it helped ease a lonliness she hadn't realized until they'd begun talking. As introverted as the cranebird was, she was still a wolf who craved the company of others every now and again.

  "Very well," yet she did not express this disappointment. In response, Izumi merely nodded in understanding and turned herself to lie in a circle."May you have a good rest, Sir Esmeray."

  Moments would pass, relishing in the silence between the two of them as she tried to sleep but Izumi wasn't quite tired yet. So -- just out of curiosity -- the she-wolf broke the silence again to see if Esmeray was still awake out of eye's view.

  "Are the plains....the only place you've visited? What of the forests or the mountains?"

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 Are the plains… the only place you’ve visited?

 Esmeray winced. Izumi didn’t sound too impressed, but the man nodded, until he realised that the woman probably wouldn’t be able to see him past the flowers and shrubbery.

“Yes, I… awoke here, and I haven’t left yet,” His tone was slow, guarded, keeping any information that could be spilled to himself. “I assume you’ve done better?”

 A chuckle escaped the man’s maw, and he lowered his head upon his paws once more, day — evening? — dreaming about what the mountains or the forest would be like…
 Mountains seemed too sharp and cold for him, and the forest would be too crowed with trees. Plains were nice, soft grass and the room to be free…

 It was everything Esmeray would ever want.

“I prefer the plains, but…” He held on to his tongue for a second.
“I’ be willing to explore.”

 Esmeray dare not say it, dare not ask. I’d be willing to explore with company, and he assumed Izumi would say no, so why ask?
 Maybe some other day, when he knew her better, perhaps..?

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apologies if this is angsty or the quality sucks lmao, my gf just broke up with me :’)

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Oh no I'm so sorry. :(
Don't worry, I get angsty while I write too lol, helps things flow better sometimes (and your writing is beautiful <3)

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  "Yes, I have actually..." she responded honestly, and though her words were flat she wondered if Esmeray could've detected the dry humor in her rather snarky claim. So he was still awake...for a moment, she contemplated on whether or not it would've been better if the two were in closer proximity -- and if it would've been better to speak with the man face to face instead, yet it was a little too late in the evening to become comfortable around people yet.

  She rolled back to her opossite side to face the direction where Esmeray lied, though through the tall flowers it was had to see much...at least, she could mske out some of his brunette fur. "I imagine waking within the plains would be comfortable, though. When I woke up within these lands, it was within a pile of snow. It felt as if my paws were going to catch frostbite." Not to mention her run in with a particular striped feline who she would form an unsuspecting bond with later in life, though Izumi would not get into specifics. Yet she wondered; was Esmeray even the slightest bit curious as to how he woke up here, too?

  "I prefer the plains, but...I'd be willing to explore..."

  When hed said that...an idea struck her.

  Granted, Izumi didn't know where the sudden idea had came from, but it came. It occurred to the crane not too long ago that Esmeray may very well be on his lonesome -- with the exception of a few faint scents that linger from his pelt here and there, but not truly.

  "May I strike a deal with you, then?"

  "If you can show me around the plains you preference," the crane offered "--then I can show you everything else in this world that you've been missing?" Asking someone she just met if they'd like to travel together -- the cranebird didn't think it would make sense considering she didn't even fully trust him yet, but perhaps this would be an opportunity to know more about them.

  -- and who knows, perhaps traveling with another wouldn't be entirely bad in terms of seeking food or shelter...that is, if the man agreed to it first.

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aw ty <3 Feeling particularly angsty this month lmao

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 Through the woman's snarky tone, Esmeray found a small tint of humour, and he relished in it for a few moments.
 It was nice when someone so seemingly serious and flat-faced let a bit of comedy through.

“Mm, it was. Though I didn't dwell on it too much. I never really... had much to stand by.. or to live for, even?” He hummed, as though amused by his newly-found pathetic words. “I was just, wandering. Never really had a firm place to stay.”

 And then.. She struck up an offer he couldn't refuse. For him to show her around the plains, and for her to show him... everything.
 He almost felt his breath whip away from him as he pictured tall, frosty mountains and warm, buzzing forests...

 It sounded like too much for a simple man, but how could he refuse?
“Yes-!” Esmeray agreed, almost a little too quickly. Quickly backpedaling, he rephrased his words cautiously; “I'd love that, thank you.”

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  To some within this domain, the concept of their past life now being gone was a torment -- while others find salvation in it. After Izumi had died that day, it was this second life that she would view as a second chance to make the most out of her miniscule vessel of a body and make the most of life; without the fear of soldiers searching to hold her prisoner or yet another home falling to ruins. Shiroshika was supposed to be that new beginning -- the purpose that she'd been looking for...and now the crane was on her own yet again to find out what her purpose was.

  "What of a home? A family, your childhood?" The crane had yet to learn about the dark-haired man's origins, so knowing of his past was a start, wasn't it?

  Her idea -- to traverse with Esmeray -- she had not even gotten the chance to finish her sentence before he quickly agreed to it; which caused her lip to get stuck on her tooth by the sudden interruption. Though a tounge would soon run over her mouth to fix that. She expected reluctance -- or even for him to refuse -- as he seemed like the reserved type....it looked like not even her observations could predict what he'd do or say next.

  They'd be traveling together then -- Izumi wouldn't be alone in her travels now. She supposed that would mean either of them wouldn't be gone by morning, and her moments of solitude now lessened.

  The crane's head would rise, finally, to peak through the flowers and towards the outline of Esmeray's hide. Perhaps as her own little way of confirming things.

  "Then...shall I be hunting for two the next morning?"

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 What of a home? A family? A childhood? 

 He.. didn't know.
“I have no memory of them.. so why does it matter? I don't mean to sound harsh, of course,” He hastily added before clearing his throat and continuing; “I just.. want to make my own family now, rather than dwell on whatever the past might've been.”
 Esmeray wanted to have a family of his own, it was true, but who could he ever love? Hm? Misoka..?

 The man slacked his jaw, leaning his head against his paws and rolling in place, before laying on his back and looking upwards.
 He reached a single, charcoal-hued paw out. What was out there, in the wide, wide world, hm? His family, perhaps.

 Rustling of shrubbery and flowers caught his attention, ears flicking towards the sound. The woman held her head over the brush, and Esmeray tilted his head with a smile, eyes squinted.
 Then...shall I be hunting for two the next morning? Izumi had asked.

“No, no. Trust me, I can hunt for myself,” He wouldn't offer her a hunt; Not yet, anyway.
 He still had much to learn about this woman.

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Mind if we wrap this up with your next post?

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  Izumi couldn't tell if the bronze-eyed man was being honest, or was simply hiding the answer to her question -- but judging by how hastily he spoke, it would be best to lean towards the latter. Her lips moved again, yet this time no words were to come out, what was she supposed to say? Perhaps the crane was hoping for something comforting to come out of her parting lips in assuming there was really an underlying meaning to his answer, but the woman thought the best response would be silence. A small nod.

  That she understood the man's need for privacy, and wouldn't pry further.

  “"Nonsense."” -- Izumi replied with a friendly chuff of air, stretching her frontal paws -- “"What kind of traveling partners would we be if we didn't hunt as two?"” A proposition for him, possibly an opportunity to do something together while they relied on each other for direction for as long as they explored together.

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Works for me! Wanna off-screen them travelling or wanna start a new thread somewhere?

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 Izumi gave nothing but a curt nod, something that Esmeray could respect. He didn't exactly feel like spilling his past, but nonetheless, the man felt better having... that... off of his chest. "Nonsense." She said. 

 "What kind of traveling partners would we be if we didn't hunt as two?" Esmeray chuckled; “I suppose you're right,” He nodded. Then, he flicked his tail idly, the man rolled to his back, gazing up at the treetops. 

 Travelling . . . The thought lingered in his mind. Perhaps he'd see a familiar face along the way. “We'll be off by morning.”

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And... scene

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