moon wake

The cove was a nice spot, and she'd settle here for the night. Nikki had absorbed daytime travel more than she assumed. Most of the people here slept during the night, so it wasn't very nice to meet new faces if one traveled during the night. While this never bothered her before, it did now. A new world meant new experiences. Even she had to conform.

Lulled almost fully to sleep by the gentle creeping waves, Nikki's lashes flickered closed. Even the approaching footsteps didn't disturb the maiden, who sat upright and as if made of stone. While her eyes closed, she was aware of the stranger's approach. "Hello," she says calmly, glancing in their direction - eyes shut still. Rather creepy, mind, even if she wasn't.

As if aware of this, she looked back. It seemed almost like she was meditating.

@Antornuat

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---

Antornuat favored the warmth areas as this provided, turning her nose to the glittering beams, padding quietly along—when she happened upon a curious creature laying fast asleep on the rocky surface, she intended to trot on past, never one to meddle in endeavors or with others unless she truly had to...

...so color her shock bright when the wolf as striking as midnight, kissed by starlight along her haunches, shoulders, and right between the closed eyes stirred halfheartedly to greet her. A peculiar sight indeed but what a lie it'd be to say Antornuat was focusing on the odd behavior when her mind was rather claimed by nightly beauty on finer sunny day.

"Hello there," she greeted, carefully padding near the stranger though not so close as to need to engage lest it was desired. "It's not many I see dozing during the day like you."

---

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A soft chuckle escaped her lips. "Clearing one's head of the day's thought is vital to sleeping soundly at night" Nikki mused pleasantly out loud, her tail slapping against the sandy cove ground a few times "before this world, I used to travel during the stars' time. By the time I rested in the day, I was weary. I'm, ah, trying very hard to get a proper schedule." This time, her eyes flickered open to glance at the pale woman.

Sleep schedule of course! "Though you aren't bothering me" Nikki continued as if she could read minds. The perception was key to situations, especially social ones "I find good banter to be pleasant enough" She grinned, inviting the other female closer. She saw no threat, perhaps she never did... But time would tell if she'd learn this lesson. Maybe she'd skirt by this life on dream clouds forever. "were you at the biome below us?" She asked.

A pause before. "I haven't explored there a lot, Temperate. Is it nice there?"

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---

Oh, you are something else.

Every wolf Antornuat had met so far held themselves in high standard, or so desired to, it was predictable, really, she wouldn't blame them for it; pack wolves were bores so this stranger was a breath of fresh air and it drew her closer; curiosity humming in her throat. "Of course, you did, it only makes sense for a star to travel along her kin," said Antornuat, tilting her head, a low mhm in her throat. "Perhaps I can lend you a paw, someone to keep you awake and busy should surely help that schedule of yours."

She allowed the stranger to fill her words, tasting no malice on them, and beckoned forward. "Oh, if you desire banter I'm hardly the best at it, though if you'll have me despite it, I'm all yours," said Antornuat, almost—but not quite successfully—cooed, finally opting to settle down beside the stranger. Expression deadpan, she nodded. "It was dreadful, all wet and whatnot... the company isn't so warm, either. I'm much more compelled by this place, interesting sights and all." 

After a moment to think, she asked, "Do you wander frequently?"

---

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"That is a very pleasant way to put it." The other walked closer, but Nikki did not move. She had invited them into her safe after all! Her head tilted to the side, a fleeting frown as she thought of what to do with this time. Obliviousness walked hand in hand, or paw in paw, with the gentle flirting the other woman did. Nikki thought only of innocent things.

"Well, I consider banter to be friendly" She chuckled "so you're fine" Though the joy swept from her face as the other confessed. Nikki murmured in sympathy "you'll find no shortage of nice people - I hope! - in this region. I've only met one unfriendly man, but he didn't attack me or anything. I think he was busy, that's all."

She shrugged, not really caring in the end. "There are so many packs in the Mountains though" Her eyes lifted to look north "it's hard to choose somewhere to reside, so yes, I do wonder and wander a lot!" She shot the other a grin, tail wagging "oh, I'm Nikita, by the by. Who are you?"

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---

"How generous," said Antornuat, angling her head sideways to focus on the stranger whose eyes were none unlike the moon themselves, accentuating the ethereal essence she'd found herself in the company of. With a flick of an ear, she looked out to the water below, glittering in the sunlight though still as a stale, stagnating puddle much to her curiosity. "Nice is preferable though I don't mind the less savory sort, never in one place long enough for faces to do much but blur. You're a pleasant break from all the, uhm, hostility I will admit."

She nodded a little, acknowledgment to satiate for her lengthy silence. "Oh, so you seek to join a pack... eventually? Does wandering not satisfy you?" Deadpan as she was, Antornuat wasn't being crass though it may be indiscernible. "Antornuat. Delightful to meet you, Nikita." With a flick of her tail, she went on with a straying thought. "I don't think the pack life is all that for me, it's not so appealing. I plan on leaving here soon enough."

---

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"I am very sorry; some folks don't know polite behavior even if it bit them in the rear" Nikki scowled, scrunching her face uncomfortably "that being said; a few choice words of caution would do my wanderings good. If you wish to share your experiences... I would not be averse to listening, Antornuat!" It seemed the pale woman needed to get something off her chest.

She shrugged, tilting her head as she did so. "Oh, well... I do not plan to join any pack until near the winter" And even then "this world is still new to me. It is better to be safe during my first year here... Though I prefer to be around friends; I also do not like to grovel to those with titles" She sighed "though I would still travel and wander even in a pack."

Nothing could tie her down forever! "I just want somewhere nice and safe and friendly. I'd like to find somewhere I could try and leave if it does not sit right. Though some would call that fickle, yes?" She chuckled, shaking her head "packs like their unwarranted loyalties..."

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---

"It's impressive, I'll admit. It's not often I meet others crasser than I am," she said, a dry attempt at a joke that fell flat solely due to her deadpan delivery. Antornuat glanced at Nikita, a single ear fanning out while she thought. "To be honest, I don't know much... but I will say if you ever find yourself venturing back to Temperate, steer clear of Blackwood Reach." As if to punctuate her distate, she shook her head and snorted. "Caught wind of a pack living there though I only met one of its wolves, a real beast of a thing, attacked me on sight—tuh, didn't utter a word before it all went to shit. Would hate to think of you getting the same abysmal treatment."

Not that it would matter, really, once she and the stranger parted ways Antornuat would add that starlight face to the blur of others; a forgotten mass of history. It'd be unkind to withhold nonetheless. 

As briefly kindred as it seemed they were, Antornuat met the discussion of packs with a bit of disinterest. "Admirable of you. Not even for safety do I think my pride would let me hand away freedom... even the packs with loose claims would loathe the way I desire to venture," she said, a force no one had ever been to tie down and she'd be damned to see try. "Fickle, mhm, maybe... I'd call that knowing what you want, so many leaders want complacency even if it leads one to feel inadequately satisfied." Antornuat faced the waters again, peering down and smacking her jaws as if thirstily. "Packs are curious things... Always so full of themselves—ah, why should we let discussion of such things eat up our time, mhm? In a presence such as yours, I'd like to enjoy you."

Antornuat rose with a light shake out of her fur, nudging Nikita with the side of her muzzle as if to motion her onward with her. "The waters look compelling, let's go adventure."

---

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With talks of packs and encounters out of the way, Nikki would focus on what truly mattered. Someone wanted to go swimming, and that person was a canine. While she would disagree about talking about the packs being disinteresting, only for the sake of knowledge was power. She still didn't know where she'd settle. Duskguard seemed kind enough, but there were others she didn't know.

"Waters!" she burst out, her dog heritage becoming apparent. She jumped to all fours, her tail wagging furiously behind her "I-I mean, oh yes. Water" The woman tried to compose herself, sheepishly smiling and all. It lasted... terribly "race you!" Composure was obviously forgotten about. She darted right past the other, laughing. Her paws hit the sandy cove, running fast and at an angle with the waves. It had been too long since she swam.

Or ran. Or chased. Or was allowing herself to have fun at all? First impressions were a thing. Who wanted to associate with her, or take her seriously as a fortune teller, if she behaved childishly?

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---

The other's immediate delight at Antornuat's proposition soothed her nerves asking to fray at the continued discussion of packs, a pointless topic of discussion to the pale wolf when there were far more enticing matters to attend to emphasized in the way Nikita leapt past and made a break for the sand, smile nothing short of catching as the pale wolf split after—catching up with a long-legged stride, waters slapping at her paws as they hit. What she noticed soon was how Nikita kept ahead, excitement perhaps thrusting her onward in a way Antornuat lacked, but little did she hate being at the midnight wolf's heels.

"Quite the stride you've got there, Starlight!"

Antornuat wasn't ever one for such... pointless activities; the seaside air twisting in her lungs and the building excitement of a run kicking her heart against her rib cage and how Nikita paved the way forward so unabashedly made the moment feel so significant, however briefly—it was only with a final push of enthusiasm that she managed to nip at Nikita's haunch, a playful, inviting action. Impish, too.

---

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"Ha!"

Nikki was a free spirit at the core of her personality. It was fun when others indulged her; even better when they played with her. She knew most were... slightly strict with themselves, and others. The other woman nipped at her, which only spurred the 'Starlight' on. She burst ahead only to veer, turning with a lovely pivot to face Antornuat. 

The other had been impish, but Nikki could be mischievous too. She launched herself at the woman, bouncing forward like a happy pup. Up and down, she crashed against the sand as her paw pads hit and then tasted air - before hitting again. All around, the stillness of the night was broken up by their playfulness. She resisted yapping like a dog again.

It was hard.

Her rear wiggled despite that control. Antornuat wanted to play (adventure) — Nikki would play. Err, adventure. Whatever! Once she was done bouncing, she lunged with a playful nip on the shoulder. She was shorter than the other, but it didn't stop her. The two of them would continue on, frolicking and playing until they parted ways. That was fine though. Nikki considered the socialization a success. 

/end

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