//amazingly original title [c]

[ruckus]

It was getting to be later in the day. The sun had already passed its high noon mark, and was now drifting slowly to the west, preparing to make its descent to the earth. Amadeus failed to notice the beauty in the slightly clouded blue sky. Silver eye, despite being fixed on the horizon, dismissing the grayed wisps floating idly by. It seemed hard to admire the weather with a merciless sun's rays beating down on him. Splashes of sunlight dappled his teal coat as he stood motionless beneath the shade of a pine tree, good eye squinting in an attempt to pierce through the light. The heat that soaked his body caused his muscles to loosen, his posture more exhausted than relaxed as his body sagged in agony. The male stifled a groan as his large black ears pinned themselves back, showing his displeasure. Opening his jaws his pink tongue slipped from his mouth and curled to brush along his muzzle. The heat had incited a thirst in him, his mouth becoming dry as his throat tightened, parched. As his jaws clamped back together his ears flicked up suddenly, a black paw moving carefully forward as he curved his tail to hold it above the damp ground. With the many storms plaguing the area the earth seemed to be constantly wet, even with the hot summer sun glaring down at it. It was a relief, though. The way things were going he wouldn't have to worry much about food or water this season. It seemed things were going his way. Put at ease by the thought, he trotted forward confidently. His head held high as his tail swayed stiffly side to side. He would never be reduced to slinking along the ground as some other lone wolves tended to do.

Out of the shade and into the bleached open meadows, he refused to shrink under the heat. Having managed to distract himself from what he considered to be dreadful weather, he was in a good mood. His long strides carried him easily through the tall grasses. He stuck out like a sore thumb, covered in blues and blacks that hardly meshed well with the yellows and greens of the backdrop behind him. His feathers twitched in the breeze as the wind swept across the clearing, pulling up pollens and seeds that caused his leathery nose to give a slight twitch. The blades of grass bent delicately under its touch, and the sweet smell it brought to his senses was more than welcome. He took a deep breath as he slowed his pace, filling his lungs before shaking his head with a loud sneeze. Amadeus frowned, flicking his right ear as he narrowed his eye in annoyance, brows coming to slant above his gaze. He lowered his head a bit and continued on. To be honest, he wasn't quite sure where he was going yet. Most likely a nearby stream, he mused, seeing as how the smell of fresh water was strong in the air. He half wondered if he had started in that direction intentionally, feeling his dry throat tighten in an attempt to swallow.

It wasn't long before the soothing trickle of water over rocks caught his attention, causing him to raise up his head and perk his ears. He slowed to a stop as his eyes narrowed to slits. There was a new scent on the breeze, it seemed he wasn't the only wolf in need of a drink that afternoon. His ears folded back slowly as he walked up carefully beside the stream, eye darting in the direction of the scent. He couldn't sit just yet, and he didn't want his guard to be down as he craned his neck to reach the water. He would wait a while, and see who this other wolf was first. His muscles tightened, becoming rigid as he waited rather anxiously for the nearby wolf to make their appearance, curious whether or not they were hostile.

[bratterratt]

<sub>Zey and Calypso had emerged from the river's water, now dripping on the shore. The eldest grunted softly as she shook her pelt, flinging droplets of the cool water in a mist about her, as well as onto her sister. Calypso cringed slightly at the additional water that hit her red hide, then did the same, legs splayed as she rocked back and forth violently, throwing the wetness from herself.

The two females, now merely damp instead of dripping, scanned their surroundings, back in the outlands. Calypso frowned, disappointed at leaving the Eastern territories without having had proper time to explore. This place was so boring. Zey, however, had something else on her mind. A ways off, visible against the flat land, a silhouette stood near the water's edge. It was far enough away to be indistinguishable in detail. Despite the distance, though, the species was obvious. A wolf. [Amadeus]

"Great. Just great," -Zey muttered to herself, displeasure evident in her voice.

"What? What's great?" -Calypso asked suddenly, ears swiveled in her sister's direction, narrow red head cocked inquisitively.

Zey answered not in words, but with a terse nod of her head in the direction of the stranger. At this distance, the unknown wolf posed not as a physical danger, but more of a nuisance. Outcast wolves were pretty rare and as such, Zey and Calypso had the outlands prey mostly to themselves. Another wolf meant less for them and possible hostility. Great...</sub>

[ruckus]

Women.

"Hnn..."

He couldn't help but grumble to himself. As if he wasn't dreading this encounter enough already. His muscles further coiled as he grit his teeth, his tail giving a sudden sweep across the ground in irritation. Of all the rotten luck.

He held himself stiffly assessing the situation. He had to wonder just what the two were doing in the river. They were too far away to see clearly, but the overpowering smell of wet fur made it all too obvious the pair were soaking wet. Maybe they were hoping to cool themselves off a bit? Whatever the reason, Amadeus decided it didn't concern him, so there was little use pondering over it. He stood there awkwardly, dumbfounded, honestly quite unsure how to respond to the sudden turn of events. His eye had itself trained on them. It seemed he had a bit of time to think, as they were busy drying themselves off. As they shook their pelts dry he made up his mind. He'd simply walk away while they weren't looking. Quickly averting his gaze to the shallow water in front of him he stepped in, being sure he had his footing before taking step. The smooth pebbles were loose, slipping from beneath his paws and scattering under his weight. Mud swirled up, clouding the water as he kept his eyes forward. But curiosity was getting the better of him, he was tempted to see if they had noticed him as well. His eye turned its gaze back to the two, it seemed he was indeed being watched.

His tail gave another brush against the ground, the air felt unusually thick. It was the tension. Having been spotted, his departure would most likely be seen as cowardly. He would have to make the best of the situation and stay. Large, black paws planted themselves firmly in the rocks, the soothing rush of the water across his skin ignored as he held his head high, lone eye doing the best it could to lock with both the wolves' gazes. Although there were two of them, he wasn't all that worried. They were both considerably smaller than him, and they were women. Previous encounters had proven females were much less likely to attack without warning. But what would the best approach be...?

Forcing himself to relax, he moved swiftly over to the two, his long legs making the trek rather easy for him. He stopped a good few feet away, not wanting to get too close. From their scents, they were related. Sisters, most likely. He looked the two up and down in a surprisingly innocent manner, tilting his head slightly as he furrowed his brows and folded back his ears.

"You two alright?"

The words slipped from his mouth smoothly, not sounding the least bit rehearsed or forced. He in fact seemed genuinely concerned for the pair's well being. Was he? Of course not. However such a question, as well as his cool demeanor, would surely prove he meant no harm. With any luck it would get him on their good side as well. His eye rose to meet with Calypso's before shifting to lock with Zey's.

[bratterratt]

<sub>As the wolf approached, it was easier to see the details, characteristics of this stranger. It was a male, giving Zey immediate mixed feelings. Males were stereotypically more aggressive in their feeding patterns, which could cause a problem. However, strange females tended to be more hostile in general. In addition, the males never seemed to stick around for long, due to hormonal surges. So perhaps this hadn't been a worst case scenario. Still, it wasn't a perfect arrangement either. And who knew, maybe this male would prove to be a threat. Nothing at the moment was really set in stone.

Zey, standing a shoulder's length before her sister, readied herself for when the male pulled to a stop. Her light hazel eyes narrowed immediately, but she made no move to attack. There was no need. Yet. Calypso's dark mahogany eyes met with the male's for a fraction of a second, their expression curious and if anything, inviting. Her red ears perked and she would have answered the stranger herself, had her sister not done so at that moment.

"And why wouldn't we be?" -Zey asked, her reply low and in all honesty, a little snappy. But that was to be expected, coming from Zey. Her ivory ears were swiveled backwards, yet not pinned to her delicate head and her teeth remained hidden beneath her lips. Only her words showed any signs of animosity...</sub>

[ruckus]

The white wolf was only making things more difficult for him. It took a considerable amount of focus and concentration to keep his body from tightening up again. The way she stood so protectively in front of her sister had him reminding himself to be careful. Though she slanted her eyes suspiciously at him, he pretended not to notice, going about things as though she had the same reaction as her sister. He could only assume it was curiosity sparkling in her deep brown eyes as she watched him, ears forward. Somehow this much more peaceful reaction only worried him more. He could already feel himself headed for trouble.

Zey was the only one to respond, and it wasn't the type of response he had hoped for. She spoke bitterly to him, continuing to eye him warily. He shifted uncomfortably under her gaze, black-lined lips hanging in a frown as he dipped his banded muzzle a bit, raising a brow at her. He hoped to give the impression he was confused by her reaction, however he understood it perfectly. She had every reason to be cautious of him. Rather than answer her question he twitched his nose, his expression becoming calm again quickly.

"Guess so. Don't smell blood on either of you."

He had had a couple of spills in the river himself and had wound up with a mark on his face to show for it. He had always been cautious of water since. Perhaps too cautious. But then he couldn't help but be nervous when it came to overpowering currents and sharp, blade-like rocks. There was another scent they were lacking. A pack's scent, they only carried each others' smell. Well of course! Why else would they be in the unclaimed territory? With a heavy, what sounded to be burdened, sigh, his gray eye glanced off to the side.

"Well then I apologize, I was just surprised to see you two here. I didn't catch your scent on the way here, so I assumed you tumbled down the river, caught on a current."

The words were half mumbled under his breath as he spoke, and although he kept his tone low he didn't sound the least bit agitated. If anything he sounded tired. It seemed the heat was getting to him again. His eye carefully slid back to the pair, focusing mainly on the one that did the talking for the two.

"I didn't mean to startle you."

He struggled to swallow again, if it weren't for these two he could be getting his fill of water from the stream. Hopefully his words would be enough to calm the female down. His long tail fell limply to the ground, curling to rest over his back paw. If he could make himself seem relaxed enough, she should relax herself.

"My name is Amadeus, and you have nothing to fear from me."

His eye shifted between the two quickly, his confusion evident by the way his lip curled and his ear cocked to the side.

"You two are... sisters, correct?"

Odd for them to both be lone wolves. Unless their parents weren't in a pack to begin with.

[bratterratt]

<sub>Calypso listened to the male converse, her head tilted ever so slightly to the right. With red ears upright and coffee eyes focused, her look was quite inquisitive. She found the stranger interesting. Rarely did Zey allow herself into acquaintance, but when she did it went somewhat like this. Calypso usually remained silent, as she did now, but was able to observe the other rouges. Unlike most of the others they had encountered, this male actually seemed to be carrying a conversation willingly. It was interesting, to say the least. The younger female shifted her weight to her other side, waiting, intrigued.

Zey, however, had different feelings. She didn't like questions and this male had already asked two. That was more than enough. She preferred to keep to herself, but this stranger, Amadeus by name, didn't look like he was in a hurry to be gone. On top of all that, the concern he seemed to voice, either true or farse, put Zey on edge. A stranger shouldn't care. And if he did, his intentions could only be harmful. She didn't trust him and rightly so.

"That is correct. Though I don't see how it's any of your business."

The reply was laconic and a little brusque on the female's part, but it didn't phase her. She had no ties to this male, no reason to treat him with anything more than the curt responses she had already delivered.

Ivory tail flicking about her hind legs, Zey realized now would be about the time one would offer their names as well. However, she kept her jaw clamped, ears continuously facing backwards.

As if having read her mind, Calypso suddenly stepped forward, to level with her sister. The move was bold and the younger female would no undoubtedly pay for it later, but nevertheless it was committed.

"My name is Calypso. And my sister is Zey," -the red she-wolf spoke, her voice much sweeter in comparison to her sister's terse words. Innocence, that was Calypso. Though she was indeed only a few hours younger than her sister, she was genuinely good, a character trait possessed generally by wolves even younger and less experienced then she. However, of course, that goodness was tainted by her love of mischief and overpowering curiosity.

A low growl, hardly more than a rumble, rolled from deep within Zey's throat as she shot her sister a dangerous glare. Ears flicking flat against her skull for a fraction of a second, Calypso grudgingly stepped back into place, before turning her attention completely back to the stranger...</sub>

[ruckus]

This white wolf was... admittedly quite entertaining to watch. The questioning glare her golden eyes held was just all too familiar. The way she held her stance, still tense, but unmoving, he was certain she had no plans to fight. She was just stuck in defense mode. A shame really, considering he had actually made an effort to speak to her. He liked leaving others with good impressions, it kept him from running into trouble with them later down the road. But she refused to let such an impression be made with this attitude. A slight smirk twitched at the corner of his lips, but only for an instant. He managed to conceal it once more behind a serious mask.

From the corner of his eye he could still see her sister. Or at least, who he thought was her sister. He was a good ninety-five percent sure they were siblings. With her tilted head and stiff ears, she reminded him of a child. He was surprised she hadn't started asking him questions, the way the light danced in her eyes made him certain the wheels in her head were turning. Was she mute? It would explain why her sister was so protective. And why the two weren't off in a pack somewhere. His thoughts came grinding to a halt. Why did he care? The answer came quickly. He didn't. "That is correct. Though I don't see why it is any of your business." It wasn't, but he had a hunch, and he liked knowing whether or not he was right. Slowly his jowls peeled away from his pointed teeth, his long fangs gleaming as he smiled broadly at her. What a grumpy wolf he'd run into.

"I suppose it isn't. Should I apologize again, Miss?"

There was a slight chuckle in his voice, he didn't bother hiding how much she was amusing him. His tone was light-hearted and calm, despite what could only be described as a sinister grin with those large saber-like teeth protruding from his mouth. His eye caught sight of her tail as it twitched irritably, flinging itself off to the side. He was certainly doing something wrong, and immediately his mind was working on a way to rectify the situation. However he was snatched away from his thoughts as the red wolf stepped forward, standing beside her sister in a much more relaxed manner. As she introduced the both of them his eye widened, brows raising as his gaze shot to Zey for a reaction. As expected, a quiet growl trembled in her throat. No doubt a warning to her sister not to make the mistake again.

His expression relaxed once more as he nodded his head, dipping his muzzle in a respectful greeting to the two ladies.

"Calypso and Zey. It's a pleasure."

By the time he looked back up Calypso was already tucked away at Zey's side. Still, he smiled good-naturedly. It was a pain to go through so many masks in one meeting. And it seemed Zey still wasn't too thrilled with his presence. So much for a good impression, maybe retreating would be the best option. There was no way he could prove he had no "evil" plans for the two, not at the moment anyway. Besides, what was the chance of seeing them again? Slowly the smile faded, his lips pressing together flat as he continued to watch the spokesman Zey.

"Hn. Well it seems I've wasted enough of your time. You two clearly have better things to do."

All the cheer in his voice had been sucked out, replaced with a cool seriousness. His usual, stoic expression had returned, gray eyes hardening as they seemed to look straight through the white wolf. If she wouldn't cooperate with him playing nice, then what was the point? He paused, waiting for a reaction before actually leaving. If she showed any signs of being friendly, it wouldn't hurt him to stick around for a while. Again the thought hit him. Why was he bothering with this at all? Did he really have nothing else to do? After a bit of thought he realized it. He really didn't have anything else to do.

[bratterratt]

<sub>"Ah. There we go," -Zey thought to herself, a feeling of bitter satisfaction washing over her. It almost made her relax. Almost. So the male wasn't the friendly, concerned chap he had originally portrayed himself as. That was evident in the sudden cool conciseness of his tone. She'd suspected it all along, at the back of her mind. But now it had been confirmed. He was nothing more than the average rouge she had encountered before. No. Actually, that wasn't true. He was more... deceiving. And he wasn't bad at it. In fact, he was quite a skilled liar. Something they had in common. Immediately the female pushed away the thought, roughly. She had nothing in common with this male. No. Nothing at all.

"An apology is not necessary. And that would also be correct," -Zey replied, in reference to his last observation. The air she carried in the response was leaning towards sarcastic, brought on by the twisted delight she had achieved from the male's sudden change in countenance.

"You're welcome to leave at any time now."

The invitation was pointed as Zey's hazel eyes emphasized her tone. Go away and good riddance. After all, the male had approached them in the first place.

Calypso's gaze turned to her sister. Why did she want the stranger to go? He had been nothing but polite. Zey was so hard to understand. Calypso felt the urge to roll her eyes, but thought better of it. Turning back to Amadeus, the female's look was one of vague disappointment. The first newcomer they'd met in a long time and Zey was already getting rid of him...</sub>

[ruckus]

Deceiving? Liar? No, those words couldn't be used to describe the self-proclaimed gentlemanly wolf... could they? The thought had never crossed his mind. Had he heard the wolf's thoughts it certainly would have nicked his patience. In his own eyes, he was simply polite. Wolves wanted to feel loved and worried about, they wanted to be trusted, and if that's what it took to have them on his side, well then that was what he would give them. This wolf, however, was most likely going to be immune to any kindness he threw her way. So what was the point? Give up, and move on. Still, her stubbornness was certainly something to be admired. Even if it was quite an undesirable trait. Had he darker intentions, she would have managed to keep both herself and her sister safe. Perhaps he would be seeing this one again, she seemed strong enough to survive on her own.

...Unlike the scarlet colored sister at her side, who continued to watch him with such interested eyes. His eye shifted to Calypso, the same frosty gaze fixing itself on her instead. She still wanted him around? Even after the act had been dropped? With Zey around, he doubted she got company often. Still, she seemed much too trusting, in his opinion. She was at much more risk than her sister when it came to being a rogue. His eye flitted back to Zey at the sound of her harsh voice, which he was quickly growing used to. She reminded him too much of his mother, he wasn't sure whether it bothered him or intrigued him. He was under the impression most all women were motherly. Zey most certainly did not seem motherly. "An apology is not necessary. And that would also be correct." It was a waste of his own time as well, so really he had no problem disappearing on them. "You are welcome to leave any time now."

The slight smirk was tugging at the corner of his lip again. She really was something else, bossing around a wolf as large as himself. Maybe she wasn't as intelligent as he originally thought, showing a bit of respect would do her some good. Disrespecting the wrong wolf could result in her being torn to shreds. Luckily for her, Amadeus had no problem shrugging off such statements. Or in this case... what seemed to be orders. A quick glance at Calypso and he could see how upset she was over the matter. The frown on her lips was apparent in her eyes as well, which seemed to lose a bit of the light they had captured before. Normally, Amadeus wasn't the type to offer free advice, especially without having been asked. But this Zey seemed to need it. With his eye looking back to Zey he narrowed his gaze a bit, hoping to grab, and keep her attention.

"You've got quite the knife in your jaws Zey. It'd be best if you wielded it more carefully. I doubt Calypso would last long without you."

With that his eyelid drooped lazily over his eye, his head tilted as he glanced down at Calypso. He gave her a slight nod, his expression unchanging. Without looking back to Zey he slanted his brows and glared off to the side.

"Enjoy the rest of your day, you two..."

Surprisingly, there was no irritation behind his voice. While it didn't sound as sincere as some of his previous words, his tone was equally as calm as before. Having voiced his farewell he continued on forward, not bothering to make a wide berth around the two as he stepped by them, but being careful not to step to close should Zey decide to lash out at him. Just as he stepped behind them he faded completely from sight. Invisibility, practiced since he was just a pup. While he still had some training to do, he could hold the illusion long enough to escape the pair and head upstream for that drink of water he had originally come for.

[bratterratt]

<sub>Zey held his gaze as the male administered his advice. A threat? No. Though the male was inches taller and could easily have caused injury, the female felt nothing to the equivalent of fear towards him. He was much too... wordy, for that. Zey frowned at her own lack for better word. Not that it mattered. Watching him with chilled eyes, the female noted that his form shivered, then disappeared. The hint of a smile played at the corner of her lips. Invisibility, eh? She had also been blessed with an extraordinary talent at birth, something her sister had not been lucky enough to receive. Though, Zey admitted to herself, she didn't use her own very often either. The manipulation of water had not proven itself useful as of late. But no doubt, some day, it may come in handy.

"Come on, Calypso. Forget about him. It's time to eat," -Zey directed, tossing her ivory head in indication of the direction they were to take. Her sister nodded, though didn't reply verbally. With a soft sigh, Calypso followed, the two moving at a leisurely pace, an extended trot. They wouldn't be going far. Just to the tree line a few yards off. No doubt some small game could be found hidden in the protection of the foliage.

Zey's thoughts strayed to what the male had said, about Calypso especially. The demeaning comment seemed to have passed right over her sister's head, not that that surprised Zey. Calypso was immature. She was innocent and clueless. She was almost on the point of gullible. The male was right. Her sister wouldn't last a day without her. And if she did, it wouldn't be to any good. No doubt she'd be picked up by one of the tyrannical packs or end up a single mother to a litter of pups. Why she accepted the job of babysitting Calypso, Zey didn't know. She had half a mind to leave her sister somewhere in pack territory. It wouldn't be difficult. After all, Calypso was only just younger than she. An adult. Maybe some wandering wolf would find her intriguing. More likely they'd find her annoying, Zey thought to herself...</sub>