Still waters run deep


The day was overcast at best, although, it didn't really make a difference in this girls life. The short, fragile girl had wandered only a few feet from the cabin she inhabited with three other individuals. She knew not where each of them were at the present time, but for once, being by herself was not bothering her. Perhaps it was the fact that she knew at least one of the three would be back sometime during the day. That reassurance was enough to keep her frightened thoughts at bay. Her sensitive nose inhaled the scent of the herbal paste that Svara had rubbed on the cuts that covered her legs. The numerous cuts were healing nicely thanks to the efforts of the gruff healer woman. She knew not how someone could be so callous to others and still have so many friends, although she personally did not know the female all that well yet. Perhaps there was more to her than her snappy, rough side.

Feeling her way back to the cabin, the slender optime slowly slid down the wall until she was seated quietly on the ground, her back leaning against the front wall of the structure. This was as good a place as any to listen to what was going on around her. Ruri's half-folded ears perked to the sound of a robin twittering in the surrounding foliage. The musical tones washed over her, leading her to smile pleasantly at the sound. Her pale blue, pupil-less eyes wandered aimlessly as the adolescent continued to listen. Normally she would whistle along with the bird, or start singing one of the songs she had learned in her travels with Jacquez, but the normally happy girl could not find the music within herself at the moment. Too much had happened recently. She hadn't had time to deal with the emotional baggage from her ordeal.

It had been three days since Firefly and Svara had brought her back to this house. From what she gathered, not one of her friends had been found. Shaking her head sadly, she forced herself to think about something else. She refused to even contemplate the idea that she might never see Jac again. Instead, she began to play with her long, straight, slate grey hair, particularly her long bangs which hung on either side of her face. Of course, what she was doing was a nervous habit that she indulged in when she was upset. Unfortunately, it was a rather inefficient coping mechanism. A blind girl could only do so much with her hair. After a minute or so of twisting and curling her hair around her fingers, the girl sighed. "This is silly," she told herself. "I'm going to drive myself crazy if I don't stop all this worrying," she thought out loud, her soprano toned voice carrying a scolding tone. She did not talk to herself often, especially not out loud, but stress often leads individuals to do abnormal things.

thanks for starting, and sorry for the wait :]

He had finally left the city. It felt nice to have soft even ground beneath his paws, and air that was fresh and held none of the stale lingering stench of what Heath could imagine humans smelled like. If it was or not was unknown to the male, but it was his best guess. He had ventured into the dark concrete realm after meeting his father. The murderer. The rapist. He had been angry, enraged at the sight of him. The memories played in the dark crowded mind he possessed, and he remembered all the evil that gave him life. It had been carried with him for his entire existence, and nothing seemed to change with the reunion. He was still angry and unhappy. But it was all in a different way. His father was nothing like what he had expected. Knowing this, knowing that he was nothing but a shell of the crazed wolf he once had been Heath despised him still. Forgiveness was not possible.

He chose his Optime form as he scoured the coast. Wearing no clothes the male looked to the clouded sky with suspicion. He was sure that at any moment the atmosphere would open its grey curtains and shower him with buckets of rainwater. There were moment when he wished for a coat or even a hat, but they were confining and awkward on his thin frame. Giving silent prayers to a god he had no faith in, Heath hoped the clouds would be merciful on his exposed form. The ocean was easily heard as he made his way though the scattered woodland that edge the water. It was easy to find comfort with the soft and gentle sound. It was non-threatening presence, and if the male was soft enough to believe it, a friend.

The distant ocean call wasn’t the only thing that came to his keen ears. The trees were filled with the chatter of winged beasts, sounding his presence to each other in a language that was nothing more then high-pitched annoyance. His mind was so scattered that the male indulged in the insolent idea that they spoke of his untidy hair, or the hunched gait he walked with. Straitening his shoulders at the wayward thought Heath brought golden eyes to a place that may have been lost in his endless wandering. Black nose told him of the presence of another, a female, by the structure that laid half hidden among the green foliage. It was curiosity that brought her to his attention, but loneliness he refused to admit he felt that brought him closer.

Silently he walked forward, his eyes looking for the creature that caught the attention of his nose.

Still waters run deep


No worries, I've been busy, which is why I must now apologize for wait you've had to endure on my account

The blind female continued to absorb the sensory information from the world around her. She found that if she focused hard enough, she would stop worrying about other things. However, this was not always easy to do even for a girl whose only view of the world came from her senses of smell, sound and touch. Her sensitive ears quickly detected a disturbance created by the chattering of several birds in the trees nearby. They seemed to be agitated by the presence of something. Surely it wasn't her. She was only sitting quietly on the ground, not bothering anyone. The slender optime folded her arms across her chest and wondered what the avians might have been twittering about. Then the wind shifted. The scent of a strange male wafted into her sensitive nostrils, inducing the young woman to stand up as quickly as her healing limbs would allow.

"Who's there?" She asked, her hands feeling the wall of the wooden structure she was leaning against, steadying herself as she stood. She had jumped up so quickly that she had experienced some slight dizziness, leading her to seek the support of the structure behind her in order to keep from falling back down to the ground. Her pale blue, pupilless eyes wandered aimlessly as she turned her ears to focus in the direction of the male's scent. If he should decided to come rushing at her, she would know. However, despite her apprehension at the surprise visit of this stranger, the slate and ivory girl did not sense any hostility in the air. Her intuition told her that he had likely just been curious as to who she was. That was understandable. He had still surprised her, though.

I’m ruling our timing for replies will always be perfect, no matter what it is :]

Golden eyes took in the sight before him, broken by the trees that guarded it. The small house was wood made, and showed the years that had it accumulated. He looked to the roof, and found that it was sufficient and withstood the time and weather the coastal gusts would bring, but it was discolored by the battering rain. His gaze drifted downward, and his approach became slow as he saw the thing that caught the attention of his nose. It was her voice that made him pause, the caution and confusion that it held awakening a part of the male that he hadn’t know existed. With the question the male noticed the slightest hint of power in the words. It made for the unease that he noticed lived in her limbs.

The part woke with a pressing hand, making him stop his advance completely. It told him to answer her promptly and be generous with the information she had asked for. My name is Heath. He spoke with the same projection that she had given. His voice faded into the forest that surrounded them, and he took the moment to look her over. She was unlike any color he had ever seen, the dotted pattern of blue and gray masked the cuts and scarps that he body visibly felt as she moved. Honey hued orbs looked to her face, and Heath unknowing took a few steps forward to see her eyes clearly. They were the color of a faded sky, but felt the clear glint of the cleanest placid water. The male swallowed, touching his ragged mane and fought to find the words to express a feeling he had never truly encountered. I didn’t mean to frighten you. The yearling wasn’t usually one for apologies.

Still waters run deep


Sorry for the wait. I have no decent excuse other than being lazy. Words:324

The fragile girl continued to lean against the wall of the house, although her posture relaxed once the male introduced himself. She detected nothing negative emanating from his voice, and that eased her fears quite a bit. When he apologized for frightening her, she smiled in an embarrassed manner. "I-it's a pleasure to meet you, Heath; and, you don't need to apologize. It's my fault for not paying closer attention to my surroundings," she admitted, before introducing herself,"My name is Ruri...Ruri Aceline." Her soprano voice trembled slightly as she was still embarrassed that she had been caught off guard by Heath's arrival.

Normally she would have smelled him coming from quite a distance away. Her depression over the absence of her friend Jacquez was not only affecting her emotions anymore. Standing up straight, the Border collie dog brushed her long bangs out of her face once more, her pale blue eyes flitting about in the direction of Heath's voice. She would never be able to look directly at him, but at least she could offer some sort of eye contact, or so she hoped. "What brings you here?" she inquired, wanting to break the awkward silence that had followed her introduction. Normally she would be far more adept at striking up a conversation with someone. It was in her nature to be friendly, but today she was having difficulties with everything it seemed. Hopefully this would not deter her new acquaintance. She did enjoy having some company while Firefly, Svara and Leroy were out and about. So, with one hand still propped up against the side of the cabin and the other keeping her long straight hair from blowing in her face, she waited quietly for the male’s response. What had brought him here? Perhaps it was the ocean. She could understand that. The fragile girl had always loved the scent of the salt water, when she wasn’t almost drowning in it of course.

no worries! im feeling lazy too.

Heath didn't know what to make of the situation. As he watched her it was obvious that she didn't watch him. The male had never encountered anyone blind, and the freedom he felt when watching her was something he also felt like he was abusing. If she had been seeing him, she would have noticed his staring, but he was sure that there was no way for her to tell. Taking in the curve of she smile without even thinking of breaking his gaze, Heath let his own mouth turn to a grin. He found her embarrassment amusing, but not as if he gained pleasure from her unease. Her voice gave way to the same insecurity that her body showed so whiling. He wondered if she knew all the things she showed, if she had not seen them written on another's body. The pleasures mine, Ruri. The male spoke with a voice that didn't sound like his, so much so that he felt the need to clear his throat to rid himself of the foreign presence.

Her questioned made his ears perk, and he finally broke his sight away from her form and looked behind him. As if the trail he had made would tell him what he was doing or even thinking before he met her, Heath looked at the ground he had just walked upon. His mind came up blank, and it was a push to explain the broken pieces of feelings he remembered from before their introduction. Brooding, I suppose. He spoke with a soft bit of laughter. It didn't seem so important now. He wanted to approach her, but her blindness was a barrier that he wasn't sure he could cross. Instead the hybrid managed his own question. You weren't doing the same, were you? He spoke with a small sense of tragedy in the words, as well as jest. He was sure that a pretty girl like herself had other things to think of then sadness. He smile again, wishing she could see his grin.

Still waters run deep


My roleplaying muse has decided to speak to me today. I don't want to scare her off by making rude comments such as, 'It's about time' or 'where have you been' because that's all water under the bridge now *grumble* -_-

The politeness of Heath's tone of voice comforted the fragile female, leading her to relax her posture even further until she actually looked calm and comfortable in the situation. His answer to her question had seemed honest as well. However, his last comment made her feel embarrassed about herself once more. Was it that obvious that she too was brooding? She hadn't meant to look like she was brooding, although due to the fact that she was blind she didn't exactly know how to fake how she looked. "Unfortunately...I am brooding a bit myself," she confessed, her tone of voice very sincere, but...quiet, exhibiting her obvious reluctance to admit that she was depressed.

"My best friend and I were separated in a shipwreck about three days ago. I don't think I've ever been away from him for this long before and I'm...I'm afraid to think that he didn't make it." She collapsed onto her sore knees, wrapping her arms around her in a self-soothing posture. "I hate to think that way, because it sounds like I have such little faith in him. I do believe he could have made it...but it's the very idea that he might not have that scares me. I can't get any sleep and I'm afraid I'm going to lose my mind if I don't stop myself." Her voice was still quiet, but more frantic than she had intended it to be. Her feathery-furred tail was tucked in a frightened posture. She wasn't frightened of Heath...far from it. She was fearful for Jacquez. She doubted Heath had expected her to totally spill her guts, so to speak, to him. After all they had just met. She however, was distraught. She would have confessed her worries to anyone who walked by. That was just the way her emotions were working these days. They would build up and then spill over into sudden emotional breakdowns. She'd been having at least one breakdown a day since Haven, Firefly, and Svara had found her on the beach. It was no wonder she thought she was going crazy. It might have seemed that way to most bystanders. Her half-folded ears were pinned to her head as she hugged herself tightly. The emotionally sensitive collie dog was feeling overwhelmingly embarrassed, which only added to her emotional turmoil.

yay!

Heath wasn’t sure is she made him uneasy, or completely comfortable. Most of his waking hours were spent protecting himself. With nothing to use as a defense, such as territory or a pack, he was left on his own to keep himself safe. Never afraid of the pain of a fight, it was his pride that he held most dear and it took the most effort to protect. But as he stood before her, he didn’t feel the need to keep the emotional barrier that he constructed between him and any other being. Still, he could not determine if it was comfort that allowed him to relax or if it was her lack of sight that made him more whiling to expose his emotions in hope of her seeing some part of him.

The male took a few steps forward with the same sense of uncertainty, but his desire to approach her was overpowering. Her body was relaxing, a silent invitation that made him close the distance between them. He looked at her, following the blue merle pattern of her fur, the randomness of her coat an abstract painting across her small cut ridden form. At her words his grin turned to a frown, unhappy to hear that she was feeling as ominous as he had been. But he was different now, no longer thinking of the things that turned his mind dark and unhappy.

Patiently, another uncharacteristic trait, Heath listened. Her form was wrapped in the sadness her voice expressed and even her pupil-less eyes shown the deep depression that she felt. With the story came the memory, and with it the gravity of the reality. It made her sink to the ground, his gold eyes watched her while ears took in the story that was unleashed like a river no longer tamed by floodgates. It explained her scared appearance, as well as her weak demeanor. Heath figured any beast would feel as fragile as she looked after suffering such a tragedy, and just three days ago.

He kept silent for many seconds, before finally moving to sit beside her. The wall of the cabin propped him up, and he made sure that there was still distance between them. Even though they had just met she had given him more personal information then he had ever received from a stranger, and he didn’t know what to say. He was not the sort to be giving advice, or to comfort any beast with such a tragic past. He could hardly manage his own present, but she made him want to try. Its hard to have hope, when all the evidence is against you. Heath certainly knew had that felt, no hope for himself or his siblings. He looked to her face, so unsure if what he said would do any good for her at all. I think its ok to be scared. his deep voice spoke. As if what he thought would mater to her, but in truth he was scared too of many things, though he would never admit his fears. He’s your best friend, how can you not want him to be alive and at the same moment fear the worse?

Watching her he saw the tiredness that also told that she found little comfort in sleep. But he also found something that he was sure she did not feel. It was hidden under the cuts and bruised muscles. Though hard to see, Heath found it in her lean form. Right between where her shoulders met her neck, along her sharp log jaw line and in the fingers that held her knees tightly against her chest he found a strength that helped to keep her whole. If he has as must strength as you do, you’ll see him again. There was no humor in his voice, though she might think he was teasing her for the thing he spoke of was certainly masked by the pain her felt emotionally and physically. He hoped she would take him seriously.

Still waters run deep



With her half-folded ears lying flat against her skull, Ruri listened to Heath's words. Even through her tears and occasional sobs, she could detect the sincerity in his responses. It was almost as if he himself had experienced emotional problems that gave him the ability to encourage her. Regardless of whatever gave him such insight, the slate and ivory dog felt very comforted. Wiping her tears, the girl turned and directed her attention to the strange male. Did he really think she was strong? She knew Jac was far stronger than she ever could be, the fact that he had helped her so much throughout her life gave strong evidence of that. Not once had she ever considered herself a strong individual. "Do you really mean that?" she asked in disbelief, her head twisted slightly to the side in confusion. "My friend is strong...I know that much, but to even try to draw a comparison between myself and him seems a bit extreme."" She giggled, something she had not done for what felt like ages, at the idea of comparing herself to Jacquez. He was a king, and she was his loyal confidant and follower. That was the way it had always been. Of course, he treated her more like a younger sibling than a subject, but still he was obviously more spectacular than she was in all respects. Still, she did feel quite flattered that Heath had said something so nice. "Thank you...for being so understanding, Heath. I've been lucky to have met nice people the entire time I've been in these lands. Each one of them has tried to help me get through this; but you said something that has made me feel the best I've felt in days. Thank you very much." Of course, she barely knew the male, but she wanted to make sure he knew how much she appreciated his help. He had no obligation to try and encourage a complete stranger, and yet he had done so without hesitation. The slender female was incredibly appreciative of that.

They all had someone that they looked up to, or held dear. Heath thought of his brother and sister, he thought of how he had missed them when apart and how distant he felt from them still. They had found their father, the murderer and rapist, but there was no closure. Nothing would be right until the beast met his death, and Heath prayed it was at his fangs. Such a thing could either bring them together, or bring them miles apart. Heath feared that it only set them apart, each with their own separate agenda. It made him want to forget all of it, though impossible. And he would always miss them, however far they fall from each other.

He took a breath, and waited for Ruri to speak. He was unsure what she would say, fearing that she would count him a fool. An optimistic fool, the male had never thought himself as one, but he had hope for her. If someone like herself couldn't have any hope, then what would a rouge like himself have to wish for? Her question received an answer quickly, though the words were solid and even. I do. And he did, he meant things that he himself didn’t fully understand, or at least understand how they had come from his mouth. Though he smiled at her look of confusion melded with amusement. It was her gratitude that Heath was unsure of how to take. He had never truly been the type to do anything that granted him such thanks. Her words made the skin under his furred face glow with warmth.

Sure that the insides of his ears were bright crimson he was grateful himself, that she could not see his embarrassment. Your welcome His voice was softer now, as he could find nothing else to say to her words but felt they had been honest and watched to her to know he was serious. He looked her over and spoke again, this time with less concern for a missing friend but for her And you’ve seen a healer?Someone had tended to her wounds? They looked on the road to healing, and she did not smell of blood. Though he wanted to settle his own concern and that evidence was not enough.

Still waters run deep



Her delicate hands rubbed the numerous, healing cuts that covered her legs, now feeling a bit self conscious because Heath had asked her about them. Well, he hadn't technically asked about her wounds. He had asked about her seeing a healer, but that was only a slight difference. His question was easy to answer, though. "Yes I've seen a healer. One of the people I live in this cabin with is a healer. When they first found me three days ago, she put some sort of paste on all of my cuts. It smelled really good, but I guess most of it has rubbed off by now," she admitted, noticing that indeed the pleasant smell of the beech paste was no longer mingled with the scent of her fur. The slender, short collie dog was comfortable enough to relax her curled up posture, unwrapping her arms from around her knees and allowing her legs to stretch out in front of her. The strange male beside her didn't sound all that comfortable with what had just transpired between them, but she felt comfortable around him. She was still unsure as to why he had chosen to stick around after she had undergone another emotional breakdown, especially when they had just met.

The blue merle and ivory border collie continued to sit there, quietly, her long, straight hair blowing in the gentle ocean front breeze. What more could she say? He had just been so encouraging and yet she could think of nothing else to say. "W-what were you brooding over, Heath?" she questioned, timidly. Why had she just asked that? This conversation had just started getting positive. Surely he was not as ready to reveal his personal demons to her as she had been to him. Who would want to be so open?

Heath knew about scars, having many adorn most of his body. He found then threatening, menacing and a sign of a seasoned fighter. He loved them, and happily let them tell the tale of each battle he had won or lost. Their were prizes and memories. But while watching her, as he caught himself doing far too often, Heath looked over the wounds that she had been marred with. In his eyes they did not take away from her unique beauty, but as meaningful and fitting as they may be on his own figure they were certainly out of place marking her body. It left him unsettled, hoping that the cuts would heal and not become dark lines against the steal blue color of her fur. As he thought and listened she relaxed, the change in her posture was reassuring and made him feel more comfortable too.

There were others? Heath thought over the question, but there were others that were far more pressing. He wanted to know where she came form, what happened really happened in that shipwreck that left her so beaten and who her dear friend was and what he was to her if anything more then just a friend. He wanted to know how she became blind, and if she was more dog then wolf. He wanted to know everything, and the questions were bombarding his mind so much so that if they were all spoke he was sure that she would have run off far before the list could be completed. Her question came as he finally collected himself, and he scolded himself for not stopping her from changing the subject. He looked down, wishing that he didn’t need to think about himself. He was happy, once, thinking about someone other then himself.

My brother, sister and I have been spending a lot of time apart. My sister joined a park around here, led by our father. Heath paused there, finding that right way to say enough to explain without giving too much. But we don’t remember him as the leader he is now. He forgets that he was ever a monster. He wanted to tell her as she had been so honest with him and it felt so good to tell everything he had so far. But he only wanted to spare her the gruesome details that coincided with the story of his mother’s depredation and murder. In a moment he regretted the word, monster. His thoughts went to Haven, another young male that had a horrific sire. He had worried that he would be like his father, and in an instant Heath hoped that Ruri would not think he was or would be anything like his forebearer.

Still waters run deep


Sorry for the sucky reply. It was a bit rushed

The slender girl listened calmly to Heath's answer to her question. He'd been brooding over his father? The sensitive female slightly away from the male, only for a brief moment while she gathered her thoughts. "I'm sorry about the situation between you and your father. I unfortunately can't say I relate much...my parents abandoned me when I was very young. I don't even remember my father," she replied, shrugging in a dismissive manner when she mentioned her own father. It was true that she hadn't known him well, but if he had been heartless enough to allow his mate to dump his helpless daughter in the wilderness because of a disability then she had no reason to remember him at all. Turning back in the direction of Heath's presence, she nodded and smiled reassuringly. It had been her hope that her mention of her own parents might have helped Heath forget about his father for a moment.

Perhaps it would be best to change the subject again...although at this point in time the blind girl could think of nothing to ask. She had been the one to divulge her personal story to the male, not the other way around. She did not know enough to ask. THe male had mentioned siblings, but her intuition told her that perhaps his family wasn't the best conversational topic if she wanted to get to know him better, and she did want to get to know him. It was a commonplace for Ruri to want to learn as much about friendly people that she met. Her intense fear of abandonment, meant that the more people she made friends with, the more people she could turn to if she was feeling lonely. Being separated from Jacquez, her closest, dearest friend, was traumatizing her still, although her conversation with Heath was helping to keep her mind off of that situation for the moment.

its lovely :]

She felt sorry for him, something he didn’t want to make her feel. He supposed it was better then believing that he was some sort of monster. But still, Heath wanted to make her feel comforted, not the other way around. To drown in his sorrows was something he was used too, but he was usually accompanied by a bottle of vodka not a lovely lady. In those other times he didn’t need to talk to the bottle, though he did sometimes, so it was strange to think about it without the normal self-medicating. As she spoke Heath thought that she story sounded slightly like his own. He didn’t know his father either really, only a single horrible even that had seemly begun his life and shaped his every moment since then. Her story was sadder, he at least knew his mother. It seemed like she also had one moment in time that model her actions for every second after that.

She grew silent, and turned her face towards him. He watched as he always seemed to do now, and caught her eyes as they unknowingly looked into his. There were things he wanted her to know, small ones. He wanted her to know he was looking at her with gold eyes and tawny furred face wearing a wondering look. But there was so much more that he wanted to hide, and was glad that he could. The scars he wore might frighten her, though they were not hideous, she still seemed sensitive. His ragged appearance compared to her smooth fur and bright color against his dull. The male loner had never thought of such things, but no one had provoked such thoughts from him. It was admittedly confusing.

There were no words, and as Heath took the moment to draw her in, the questions burning at his tongue, let one slip. Where did you come from? it held the curiosity that he felt. But Heath could not hide that he also felt as if she had just suddenly appeared out of thin air, to sit beside him and make his mind work in ways it never had.

Still waters run deep



Finally the silence had been broken. The slate and ivory femme gave a silent sigh of relief as Heath asked his question. She hadn't been able to think a question of her own, and he had now saved their conversation. She didn't want it to be over just yet. If it ended, he'd leave and then she'd be alone again, with just her thoughts to keep her company until either Firefly, Svara, or Leroy came home. The delicate female didn't want that...not yet. So, with her pupil-less eyes gleaming happily, the girl answered his question. "I'm from a land far to the south of this place. My friend was the captain of a ship until recently, when we got shipwrecked. Prior to that we would sail all over, to several areas in a place my friend called the Caribbean Sea. It was a lot warmer down there, and much more humid. Jacquez, my friend, has taken care of me for almost my whole life. I wouldn't be here without him. He's like family to me," she finished, her voice growing more quiet and sullen when she talked about Jac. Oh, how she missed him. Before she sank all the way back into her depression, Ruri managed to quite literally shake herself out of it. The fragile optime shook her head vigorously, her long hair shaking from side to side along with her head.

"Sorry about that. I had to stop myself," she stuttered, in embarrassment. "What about you? Are you from around here?" she asked, attempting to again recover the conversation by turning his question back to him, with slight modifications. Constantly reversing someone's own questions on them was surely a horrid way to make friends, or so Ruri thought. It was obvious she didn't want this conversation to end, and she hated feeling so desperate. However, Heath hadn't run off yet, so perhaps he didn't really mind. It was sweet of him to stay, of that she was sure.

silly heathbar...

Even if there was only silence between them, Heath could have sat and enjoyed it. There was too much anger in his heart, too much yelling in his memories. Though he spent so much time alone, he still had the images that played in his mind. They replayed the events that were too important to purge. He could not place any that just held silence, held calm. The serenity was an odd feeling, one that he wasn’t sure would ever return to him after he left her hidden cabin. He would have to go, eventually wearing out his welcome.

Though the silence would have been welcome, he enjoyed their conversation more. His listened intently, but let his eyes break away from her. He closed them, feeling such freedom only because he was hidden from her gaze, and leaned his head against the wall the propped him. He though of her humid homeland, pictured swamps and a beach that harbored their ship. In his mind it was large, like the ones that were pictured in storybooks. Her friends name stuck in his head, something for him to remember. As she described him, Heath wanted her to find him all the more. He wanted her to be with him again, so that the pain that was written on her every inch would disappear.

She shook the unhappiness from her body, and apologized for being so seemingly abrupt. He looked to her again, unable to stop the soft smile that came to his maw. Her long fur dangled from all parts of her head and face. Trying to keep the amusement from his voice he spoke, Its alright. He did truly understand, he had many ways to keep away from the building depression. Though his were far more violent. Maybe next time he would just shake him brain loose from the unhappiness that tried to entrap it.

No. He spoke softly, though he answered her question quickly. Knowing that he should elaborate as she had, Heath explained. I was raised in a pack away from here. My mother was killed when I was young, but the rest took care of us. Pausing Heath brought his brief history to light. A few months ago we decided to find our father, all of that led me here. His story was too gruesome, at least for the type of lady he believed she was. Gold eyes looked to her face, waiting for her reaction. But a few strands of her fur covered her face and it broke his view of her into pieces. He waited, the silence once again taking over. Reaching slowly he let a dark hued finger gently move it from her face, linger along the strands for just a moment. He swallowed the thought; she was too beautiful to hide.

Still waters run deep



Half-folded, slate hued ears perked in surprise when Heath moved her hair out her face. Normally she would have recoiled quickly if anyone had touched her except Jac, although Heath was only touching her hair. The slate and ivory optime didn't really know what to make of this male. He was very nice to her, and yet he acted as though he was confused by his own actions, as if he didn't act this way around most others and he wasn't sure why. One might ask how she could have guessed this if she couldn't see him. Her other senses revealed things to her, however. After Heath had moved the one strand out of her face, her delicate hand instinctively reached up to move the rest of her long, slate gray hair out her face. She didn't like it when her bangs hung in front of her face and got in her eyes. Even though her pale blue gaze was useless, having hair in it was still unpleasant. "I'm sorry about your mother, Heath," She spoke up once more, her white furred hand holding her hair away from her face. She ran her fingers through her long, straight hair, out of nervous habit. Her face was suddenly feeling warm, although for what reason she could not understand. However, this warm feeling was simply another manifestation of the rosy blush that had arisen on her cheeks, although it could only just be seen beneath the white fur of her muzzle. "U...umm...I appreciate you stopping to talk with me like this. I-it really helps," she stuttered, nervously as she continued to play with her long hair. There was that problem again. She couldn't think of anything else to say, and she was getting more and more nervous by the second. Why was this happening? She was able to talk to plenty of other people without ever running out of topics to discuss, and yet for some reason fate was conspiring against her in this particular conversation.

they make each other nervous! XD

She did not speak, but Heath could tell that his actions made her uneasy. She hardly flinched at the brief contact, but he still could see that she was far from relaxed with his touch. He immediately moved back slightly, knowing that he had made the wrong decision. Ruri’s own paw moved to her face and removed the rest of the hair from her blind view, and Heath looked away not wanting to make her uncomfortable with his stare. Then she spoke, drawing his gaze to her once again. Her sympathy was real, and from any other it would have been rejected. He didn’t want to be made the victim, and he didn’t want to felt sorry for. But her words could not be abandoned, and he was about to thank her for her kindness when she spoke again. They began with a stutter, and ended by thanking him for his company.

Unsure of what to say, Heath watched as she raked her thin fingers through her mane. It was a nervous action that was contagious. Did she want him to leave? Was that the meaning of her appreciation? Heath looked around, wondering is she sensed the presence of another while he was so absorbed in hers. There was none other, only the pair that sat beside the cabin. She did not cast him aside because one of her friends had returned. He had wanted to help, but her unease couldn’t lead him to believe that he had. She was still on the same edge that she had greeted him with. Talking about it does help. He agreed, feeling the weight lift from his shoulders, though her reaction was an entirely new one.

Still she said nothing, and he could not translate the meaning of her silence. I can go, if you want. If I’ve worn out my welcome The words were not much more then a whisper, and weaker then he had wanted them to sound. He swallowed, wondering if she really just wanted him gone. If she did he would go, but only because she asked him too. There was an honesty that he yearned for, and hoped that she would give him. If he had made her upset, he hoped she would tell him.

Still waters run deep



The sensitive border collie could feel the unease in the air between herself and Heath. Had she upset him by being surprised by his touch? She hadn't meant to; it was just that she was not used to having someone touch her. Jac had been the only person she'd ever really allowed to touch her, although that was because he was her friend. Heath was her friend too, wasn't he? It certainly seemed like he wanted to be, and she certainly wouldn't mind it if he was her friend. When he acknowledged her statement with a statement of his own, Ruri smiled, glad that he was accepting of her gratitude. However, what he asked next, she did not expect. Did she want him to leave? "N-no...of course not...what ever gave you that idea?" Her soprano voice questioned in a worried, almost desperate tone of voice. "I didn't mean to upset you...I just wasn't expecting to feel your hand touch my hair," she explained, timidly. It was embarrassing for her to have to apologize for something which she hadn't known would offend the male. "You must understand, for me, feeling another person touching any part of me is a different experience from someone who can see. Touch is one of the best ways I can view people and things around me. When you touched my hair, it surprised me. Imagine if you were doing something and something else jumped out from behind you and you hadn't heard it coming. I'm not upset...just surprised," She explained, her delicate white--furred fingers feeling to touch the male's withdrawn hand. "You don't have to go...if you don't want to." The ivory and merle female smiled in a warm yet almost pleading fashion, her feathery-furred tail giving an expectant wag in hopes that he would stay for just a bit longer. She wasn't ready to return to her worries...not yet.

His confidence was low, and he fought to understand if it was the subject of his mother, or the words he had spoken of his father that made him vulnerable. It could have been Ruri, but he didn’t want to admit that she was possibly more intimidating then anyone he had yet to meet. Her words only spoke of his further insecurity while around her, but she didn’t want him to go. Heath held onto that as she spoke, keeping him afloat as embarrassment rose to his surface. He was beginning to understand her, and she was beginning to speak more then she had since his arrival, at least words that did not hold tears. The male held to that as well, I’m sorry, you were so quiet. I didn’t know if you wanted to be alone. His smile returned as he babbled, but it was only a shadow of its former self. You didn’t upset me. he paused, his voice holding a certain softness. I was afraid that I upset you. I promise, next time… I will ask first.

He felt her fingers gently touching his, the warmth of them easing the tension he hadn’t noticed he was holding. Gold eyes looked down to them, and ever so slowly he moved his own so that their palms touched. I don’t want to go. The hybrid spoke simply before letting his eyes rest upon her face once again, watching her smile and matching it. The sentence was solid, pure and felt as if filled with more truth then Heath thought possible. There was silence, and Heath breathed it in along with her scent. There was ease in the quiet, no longer the nervousness that they had both felt. He was comfortable beside her, though his hand did not move to clasp hers. He let his palm cradle hers, waiting until she told him it was ok, with or without words.

Will you stay here, when you find him? Heath questioned meekly, breaking the silence to satisfy his worries. He wondered if he would be able to find her again, when he had left and her friend was found. He knew very well that it be this way, and then there was a chance that he wouldn’t be able to find her again. His hand held hers, and Heath looked to it again. The ivory against the dark color of his paw, he suddenly wondered where the fight gone from his large fist. She had taken the will from his entire body, and he didn’t understand how.