for Tayui and Nat

Engelmann walked slowly and carefully behind Cypress, the cart that he had been taught to pull trailing behind the pair. The dark earthen colored wolf had not said much since they began their journey and Anu looked back at the pony and wolf often. The wolfess turned back to face the path, focused and searching for the boarders of this New Dawn. Tayui had explained the need to seek passage through their pack lands, to avoid Salsola. The woman had not disagreed, embracing the idea and feeling quite happy that such an avenue may exist.

It was easier for her to travel in her lupus form, and so the woman adorned her feral body as they crept towards the pack’s lands. She had never been this far northeast, at least not for some time. Years even. Yet Anu lacked anxiety as she traveled further from her normal habitat, and instead was grateful to be free of the memories that the familiar landscape gave.

The scents told her they were close, and the borders came upon them heavily marked and defined. Anu paused, knowing it best never to breach too far into another’s lands. Without much of a word to Tayui or Cypress, she tilted her nose to the sky and let loose a howl to announce their presence. It was the first pack she had traveled to since giving up her title of leader, and Anu was unsure how the meeting would unfold. She looked over to the pale wolfess, and only a small unsure smile could come to her face.

[/html] Tayui was so relieved that Anu and Cypress were willing to pass through New Dawn. She could only hope that Zalen would still be friendly toward her. He hadn't ended up helping her with their attack against Salsola and she still remembered how uncomfortable their first meeting had been after she'd joked about Inferni. She forgot that even though she did not despise Inferni, there were many others who had terrible run-ins. Even though she'd faced Inferni's warriors more times than she liked to remember, each more terrifying than the last, she couldn't bring herself to hate them like she did Salsola.

She felt bad that her past choices affected Anu and Cypress like this, but she couldn't let her guilt consume her. She could only hope that Zalen would be receptive, especially given that they had a horse and cart. It was much to ask.

When Anu howled for a leader, Tayui added her own voice. Their calls intertwined to form one howl. Just as quickly the call began, it was over. When she saw Anu looking at her, she glanced back to her and gave her a small, tentative smile. She had to be strong because she owed it to Anu. [html]

Their wolfish calls rang through the bright sky. Tayui chimed in after Anu took her howl to the wind, and Cypress was drawn to bring his voice up as well. They waned, slowed and the hushed after the task was complete. They would need patience now, and Anu had plenty of it. She sat upon the foreign ground, and waited.

Tayui’s face mimicked her own with an unsure smile. But Anu would not loose faith, all they needed to do was wait and see what the alpha of New Dawn had to say about them passing through. That was all they wished for, they did not have any ill intent.

A small figure began to grow in the distance. Black and giving off the scent of testosterone that wafted towards them, it almost caused Anu to crinkle her nose. He approached them with obvious aggression and Anu did not understand why he gave off so much hostility. The small group had called to him in friendship, and yet he gave off such a domineering energy. He stood tall before them, and Anu rose to her slender paws and looked upwards at him.

He addressed Tayui, his tone angered and causing the gray wolfess’ own hackles to prickle slightly. She remembered that they were not in the free lands any more, and Anu knew would be wise to be respectful of the alpha. Her emotions were sedated, allowing her form to grow more submissive then tense. Anu was confused by the name that he called Tayui, but sensed the in the past there had been a lie that had been passed between the pale woman and the dark man.

[/html] Tayui noticed immediately that Zalen's arrival put Anu on edge. She recalled that his body language had been much the same in their first meeting; though, now as an Alpha, she saw that he had to assume his dominance. She lowered her head and flattened her ears in a show of respect as he approached. Since they were the ones asking him for a favour--and a mighty big one at that--she would do best to show him that he was in charge in his packlands. Anything else would simply be wrong.

Tayui hoped that it was Anu's old instincts as a leader and her time as a loner that was making her feel wary. She had no reason to distrust Zalen, and so, she shot Anu a small smile and bobbed her head, hoping that Anu would follow suite and lower her tail, ears, and head for the Alpha.

She raised her head when he began to speak, but was surprised when she saw him pull back his gums to expose his teeth. She took a tentative step back. Why was he so upset?

At first, she didn't understand. He used both of her 'names,' which made her frown; normally, they used only one. Then she realized that he must have figured it out somehow. She didn't know how since the only ones who knew her dual identities were Vesper and Drizzt, and she had only the utmost of confidence in them.

"Zalen?" she asked hesitantly. "I am here to ask for a guided passage through your territory. We are passing by, but did not think it would be safe to continue through the neutral territories so close to Salsola. I did not want any harm to come to Anu or Cypress, so I told them I had once met the Alpha of this new pack." As she mentioned the other two wolves, she nodded slowly to each of them to distinguish them from one another. Slowly, frowning, she added: "is everything alright? I know this is a lot to ask, but--after how badly it went with Salsola, I don't want to put them in danger. I didn't mean to upset you." She didn't quite grasp why Zalen was so upset and she felt as though she was missing some vital link. Yes, he knew both her names, but what did that mean to him?

"I'm sorry I gave you a false name. I was--angry. I thought I'd dedicate my cause to her and--it didn't really go as planned. At all." She felt her ears droop and she felt so stupid for having lied to him. At the time, it had seemed like a good idea. But didn't everything? [html]

Anu did not know the details of the battle against Salsola, and she did not try to calm the alpha’s anger towards their appearance in his lands. It was confusing, and yet the once-Dreamer did not place her worry in her lack of knowledge surrounding the history between Tayui and Zalen but focused more so on how his body spoke in the moment. She was not pleased by his words towards the woman beside her, but she did not stand against them. There was a gut retching fear that hit her suddenly when he spoke of leaving them for the Salsolans, knowing that if Tayui’s appearance in these lands were taken so unkindly then they would certainly be eaten by those demons as Zalen described.

But he gave an unsatisfied huff, and with another moment he looked to her tore bay colored eyes and gave his final decision. Thank you, Zalen. I promise that we will travel lightly and without disrupting your pack. She looked back to Cypress, who had been standing uneasily behind them. There was a look of relief on his face, but Anu knew better then to think that he was at ease.

We are headed for Vinátta, in the hopes of joining, your understanding allows us to begin this new life. And for that… we are truly in your debt. She added, her tone as honest and genuine as the old woman’s feelings were. She may not have been so generous if one had ever faulted her and her family, and yet he could trust that their travels were with pure intent.

[/html] Tayui froze when Zalen reared back. She tensed, waiting for an attack, but it never came. She was still unused to his mannerisms and it seemed as though he had become even more obstinate now that he was an Alpha. Even that didn’t seem like the right word, so she couldn’t quite pinpoint what was making her so uncomfortable. She recognized that she was asking quite the favour, but she hadn’t been prepared for Zalen’s anger. The moment he claimed that she disrespected everyone else, she felt herself go very cold and very still. She knew exactly what she had done and she did not need some young, hotheaded, too-good-for-himself Alpha telling her what she had done. She had not gathered scoundrels and troublemakers at all, either, but it seemed as though he was content to allow his straw man’s argument rest on hyperboles and half truths. She wondered if he thought Vesper was, therefore, a troublemaker, Attila, Jaden, or Lucia. She didn’t think he had met her other comrades, including Terra, Zana, or Ángel.

Even then, Zalen seemed content to ‘feed’ her to the Salsolans. She wondered how he could be so upset with her when it was he who abandoned the cause. Yet, he seemed to feel so strongly about it. Where was his loyalty?

Then, he seemed to sigh and change his mind. She felt herself tense and shake when he said he would ‘concede’ her request. How pompous! She stayed silent and instead glanced to Anu, who responded far more appropriately than she could. She was just upset that she was dragging Anu and Cypress into this mess. They didn’t need to hear the drivel Zalen was sprewing, but this was the only way if they hoped to stay together. Perhaps it would be best to send them on ahead and turn down Zalen’s offer. She wasn’t sure if she trusted him given how upset he was.

When Anu explained their destination, she tried not to flinch. She didn’t want Zalen to know where she was going. Not now, at least. Perhaps before, if he had not been so hostile, but now—it was not safe. She couldn’t know what he would do with such information and she didn’t want this to follow her to Vinátta.

In the end, she knew she couldn’t just turn tail now. She nodded after Anu finished speaking. She did not want to say more, but she did not think Zalen would be satisfied with her answer.

“There is… much more to the story than just that, but I appreciate you for not holding a grudge against me or my family,” she replied. As she had been trying to project an image of calmness the entire time, she tried not to snap in response. “We will do our best to be quick so as not to take away from your time too much.” [html]