You needed a reply


Leland had been wandering again, still pondering over and over just what he was going to do. Normally he would move forward, but that would meet him only with the ocean, and turning back wasn’t much of a good option either. So it seemed he always returned to the same conclusion, he was to settle down here, which wasn’t unappealing exactly. Every creature he had met so far had been kind enough, the food sources were abundant and the land could certainly sustain another canine such as himself. Even so, he hadn’t really felt as if he had found his niche. While he had no reason to leave, and this explained his presence still, he hadn’t any real reason to stay, but he was willing to wait around to find one.





It was easier to find one if he wandered and so wander he did. It was on this trip of aimless wandering that he came across the female, who from the looks of it seemed rather down. Leland approached her cautiously, a female in a bad mood was no thing to play around with. Clearing his voice, his odd colored eyes looked over her, not finding any obvious reasons for the distress. . "Ah, heylo there miss. What might a pretty lass like yourself be doing on such a fine day?" His voice was cheery, but soft and patient, knowing from the look of the female’s face there was a chance his normal friendly greetings might get rebuffed.

The words that came out of the female’s mouth were like the bite of a serpent. Leland visibly recoiled from the sting, laying his ears flat against his head and averting his eyes. Although he, of course, had had unpleasant encounters in the past, this was the first time his friendly nature had been met with such hostility in these lands. It was also the first time that a female had displayed such displeasure at his friendly flirting. He never met anything by it and the hurt was evident in his face and body language. "I’m sorry miss. I was just out taking a walk. I mean no harm, honestly." Leland took a few steps back, ready to retreat if this female seemed so uncomfortable with his presence. Something sunk in his stomach, as Leland was unable to figure out what he had done wrong.

The hostility and animalistic fear was still evident in her voice, she looked like a cornered deer. Yet there was no corner, and as far as Leland was concerned they were equals, neither one was the prey of the other. Nodding at her question, which Leland had trouble depicting if it was a serious question or a sarcastic one, her voice still raised in a snarl, he spoke as simply as he could. "Really miss." Leland took a few more steps back, his bi colored eyes giving her a pitying and pleading look. He disliked not being accepted, and hated that the female felt she had something to fear from him. Leland shrugged sympathetically to the girl and turned on his heels to go.

I’m.. sorry.. wait. Leland’s ears perked up at the voice and the male easily turned on her feet, facing the girl. One eyes sky blue and the other a soft chocolate color focused on her face, trying to decide if she was set now, or if she would just as easily turn sour on him again. Nodding to her, assenting to stay, Leland did not smile, least the lady take it in the wrong way. "Yes miss, what do you want?" Leland would be happy to oblige to most any request, so long as it did not contend with his personal morals, and his voice reflected that. Patient and bright, but not to loud or eager, the male knew how to speak in calm tones and went not carried away with his own friendliness (which was not often), calm was his default setting. Easily the husky tail waved out behind him, waiting for the female to make the next move.

Leland was surprised at the question, but he did not show any signs of amusement now, despite the fact he thought that the answer was very clear. "You asked me to, miss." Still gentle, Leland spoke to the girl with respect and patience. There was nothing funny about the girl’s state of being and Leland felt truly sympathetic towards her. If he could change the way he felt, he would try, but he was at a loss of what to do, having his earlier attempts rejected. Swallowing, brush like tail swaying slowly behind him, Leland ventured again. "Is there sumthing you want to talk about? I harve a good ear for these things, so I’ve been told." It was true, Leland had stood by and listened to Lela spew her heart out time and time again, something that had been painful for both Lela and Leland, if he could do that he could listen to anyone, and had before, offering his warm, fluffy shoulder to cry on.

"It might make you feel better." Leland shrugged. Why did anyone listen to anyone else? Other people were interesting, their happiness and sorrow alike, and Leland was capable of finding merit in both. Although he was appeared to constantly be in a state of bliss, he knew that others did not find joy as easily as he did. It was a shame really, and Leland would do what he could to remedy that for him. Of course, he also knew too, not to take failure to cheer others up to heart. One person can not always save another, a lesson he had learned early on.




Smiling gently at the girl, Leland thumped his tail against the ground twice. Perhaps if she didn’t want to relieve herself of her burdens just yet, they could at least take her mind off of them. "Well then, would ya like to talk about sumthing else?" Leland could talk about just anything, though he wasn’t sure if there would be anything worth talking about as far as the girl was concerned. "We could start with our names. Leland." Leland let his bulky husky head droop in a small bow as he waited for the lass’s name.

Leland nodded in agreement as Firefly finally consented to talking with the foolish brute. Smiling Leland racked his mind for a topic. Normally conversation came so easily to the male, but Leland was prepared to tread very carefully, he did not wish to offend or upset the girl with anything he said. "Alright Firefly..." Leland paused, it was too easy to start with the generic topics, but they were safe, usually. Leland did not know the cause of the lady’s distress so anything could set it off. Sighing he shook his head, annoyed ay himself for having so much trouble starting off the conversation.





Laughing he shook out his fur and resettled himself into a sitting position. Perhaps the idea wasn’t the best, but it was a way to get her talking, and it took some of the pressure off of him. "Let’s play a game, eh? The rules er really simple, we can ask the other any question we’d like and the other has to answer it. I’ll go first, start off with ah really easy one. When it’s your turn juss ask me anything about meself you want, don’t worry if you think it’s rude or too private or anything like that." Leland thump his tail once against the ground, prepare to enjoy the game more than Firefly would, the two year old male always did love a good game. "Okay, ya ready? How long have you been living in a pack?" The pack’s scent was on the female’s pelt, though not as strongly as it should be if she spent most her time there. Still, she belonged there, the scent wasn’t that faded.

Leland winced as Firefly bared her fangs at the mention of a pack... Did the female not enjoy being in a pack? One of Leland’s greatest woes at the moment was his lack of a permanent home, and familiar faces to fill that home with. Wolves and dogs alike were social creatures, created to bond with one another, rely on one another, and the longer Leland stayed on his own, the more uncomfortable he felt. However it was clear Firefly did not feel exactly the same way.




Leland smiled sadly at Firefly’s answer, perhaps her heart was true to the pack that had burnt to ashes, or in a land further away she had visited on her travels, but that could not be helped now (though Leland did not say so). Raising his brows at her question, he chuckled, as if she had read his mind. "Ah! Well, I haven’t quite found the place that’s jus’ right fer me, you see? You can’t just plant yer feet anywhere and call it home, er yer heart won’t be happy, ‘least that’s what I think." More and more Leland was wondering if these lands held the place to make his heart happy, and though he was unwilling to join a pack, he was also unwilling to leave. Turning back to Firefly he grinned again, trying to get the lass to enjoy the game. "If ya had to pick, would you rather be a fish er a sparrow?"

Leland shook his head. He believed in fate and luck, and none of the existing packs was his destiny, he knew that much. When he found the right one, or at least one that would be worth fitting on for size, he would know. None of them were home though, he knew that much, but he did not voice that opinion. If Firefly felt one needed to live there first and decide later, then perhaps she was right as well. Different ways worked for different people, he was not one to try to tear down another’s way of life, even if it did not work for him.




Smiling at her question, he shook his head. "I wouldn’t change a thing. If I did, why I wouldn’t be where I am today. I’m quite content with my life now, even if I wusn’t always happy with the past. " Leland turned his bi colored eyes to those of the female, searching more intently. He knew that perhaps she didn’t really want to share, but she had given him an opening, and he would take it. As gently as possibly, Leland voice the question, knowing that she had a much more in detail answer than he had provided. "What would ya do ov’er?"

Leland shrugged at the girl who was unhappy with his honest answer and also unhappy with his question. The question wasn’t unfair, unoriginal perhaps, but not unfair. There had never been a rule stating that one could repeat the same question, but there also hadn’t been a rule that states one could not repeat the same question. Yet she answered it and Leland smiled sympathetically at the girl. Promises were broken all too often, and yet here was one who had kept her promise and suffered all the more for it. Leland suffered because of a broken promise, but he did not say so. It was better not to think of that at all.




"Well, I’m sticking around because I think that maybe there is something here fer me, I jus’ haven’t found it yet. Maybe it’s not in one of the packs." It was true, it felt like something was calling to him here on some days, but on others Leland did wonder why he didn’t pack up and leave. If he didn’t find it soon enough it would be time to move on, but Leland had a feeling that kept him sticking around, just for a while longer. "I suspect that you, too, have a reason fer sticking around here. There’s gotta be something holding you here besides yerself, otherwise you’d have left if yer so miserable here. So what is it? Why do you stay?"