running up that hill

It was as though his dream lasted a millennia.

Through the dense fogginess of brainwaves and nerve endings, the tall, mocha-colored male would find himself opening two goldenrod eyes slowly in the presence of the morning sun creeping between the treetops above. His eyelids would flutter once - twice - enough to shake the memory of a life he was experiencing only through sound, touch and scent. How could he have fallen asleep? When he last recalled, it had been yet another morning, the doves crooning through the overgrowth. The sharp smell of ivy and mint still clung to his hackles, shifting away from his twitching nose with every breath that soaked through his broad chest. A smell of a past buried deep within the confines of a groggy mind.

Sighing heavily and muttering something to himself about white birds with silly songs, he grasps at the ground beneath him as he gains his footing. Darkened paws clutch the dirt and rake up moss when he adjusts his form to a seated position, the fur against the side of his face disheveled and flat compared to his left. He imagined he looked nothing short of a mess. He felt like one, too. Where was he?

After a brief glance around, Klaus realizes he is surrounded by shades of blue, violet and green. A comforting palette for someone who couldn't remember the last time he was coherent. 

He was never the shy type. It wasn't pretty, and his words did jumble together quite ruggedly, but he made an effort to call out to anyone that may be lurking nearby. "Hello? Irgendjemand da draußen?" — Hello? Anyone out there?

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Days were spent in idle — Uriel did not do much anymore, often resorting into her own solitude in a calming nomadic sense. Gathering her roots and thoughts from all the chaos that there was, and gradually coming into terms with the turmoil's. The land was strange, she so thought, where it defied the logic that she so knew, and desired to be around ; it was bothering, really. What shouldn't be was happening and likewise what should be.. Wasn't. Like her memories, that never returned.

She stretched her limbs and descending out of the Golden Glade ; the home she takes so but.. Was afraid to make it 'official,' for when a pack would set it's eyes on it, she would have no choice but to turn and leave. The very thought brought pain to her heart, and she could only but try to accept it. At the very least, no one seemed keen at the moment.

Couldn't be denied she was a bit scared at times to descend south, thinking that the red man (@Cypress) would return.. But her last adventure toward did not see him, nor' could she smell any trace. Relief would come, and the confidence to drift downwards gradually came back as she was confident enough to descend into the very woods that laid in the plains.

There was more nearby, she could smell even a pack..? Was there one being discovered nearby that she didn't know? Wasn't truly surprising with how little she came down south, but there was a smell that didn't mix with the others. Her ears flickered, she could hear rustling and gradually too, the sound of another calling out. Words at first she knew, then did not.

With a worry, she would approach the other, "Are you okay?" the voice seemed lost, and before her was a man who didn't look injured.. She approached with a concern.

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He was still confused, unsure of how he had gotten here in the first place, but he knew that the best course of action was to investigate. The start of which was making sure he knew what or who was around him, friendly or not. As the deep baritone of his voice travelled between the branches, an unfamiliar face appeared not too far away, golden and fair with eyes so devoid of pigment they almost reflected the forest around them.

Blinking, he registered first that she was responding to his call. A gentle samaritan, he mused, wondering how she had been so quick to descend. Did she live around here? Was this her home? Questions easily answered swirled around his head, and it was easy to forget he had some that were not so easily solved.

"Are you okay?" She asks, hesitantly, carefully. Notes of concern lace through her tone, and he can only nod once, referring to his physical health at the least. 

"I'm a bit lost," he hums, pleasant despite his circumstances. If she lived around here, she could help ground him. From here, he could try to find his way out of the forest - although without the protective cover, he realizes he may not be safe in this strange new land. Packs, wandering souls - any of which could be hostile. She could be hostile, he thinks to himself, not underestimating her angelic exterior.

He leans forward, inspecting her with more scrutiny. His face remains neutral, but his eyes swim. "Do you often take walks through this area?" 

Innocent enough of an inquiry, but it would lead him to answers.

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She didn't realize it until came closer within that worry — they were large. Standing on the pinnacle to what a wolf could reach, the other towered her so ; mimicked within a darkened tones against her own golden hues. A towering stance of darkness, with a calming amber that felt something was amiss that couldn't be explained but for a moment could feel her cheeks flush lightly, warmth tingling as her paws too delivered in a slight humidity of sweat. At the very least — since red could not be seen upon a wolven face, Uriel was safe.

"Oh, uhm, you're in the Lapis Nestle," her paw extended toward the flowers around, a dazzle within lavenders that brought forth the name of lapis. Lightly were there some flowers fluttering around in the entrance of it's grace, a literal haven within the plains with very, few forests itself. She shuffled her gaze back at him, "I don't come down south too much though.."

It was a rather coincidence she felt the confident to venture down and stumble upon him. At the very least he wasn't injured, and only was lost.

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As he watched her, his gaze travelled amongst the angles of her face. Upon first glance, she was quite charming, seeming to embody the light and sunshine that he hadn't been graced with as a whelp. Someone who likely had many friends, who would fit in with a crowd. His nose twitched, and one side of his lip curled into a half-smile, an attempt at forcing friendly. In all honesty it wasn't as difficult to pretend to be social when the sun's mortal cast stood before him.

"Oh, uhm, you're in the Lapis Nestle. I don't come down south too much though," she replies delicately, with a slight pause between breaths. As if on cue, the flowers dotting the scene around them took flight, scattering behind this newfound stranger with a simple gust of wind. A petal catches in the thick fur of her neck, and it takes some effort for him not to pluck it away with his teeth. The struggle barely scraped the edge of his expression, but his eyes flickered with something similar to impatience.

Intrusive thoughts aside, he nods quietly, digesting what she just told him. Now that he had been conscious for longer than a few moments, it was easier to think. This "Lapis Nestle" was somewhere he was not familiar with. And to his surprise, she wasn't too keen on the area either. He could feel his plan of action slowly fizzling away. 

"That's alright. But you do live close?" He pushes further, eyes locking on those steel-plated irises of hers. Such a cold shade for a warm soul. He was teetering on the edge of curious and creepy, but he wasn't sure what the universe expected from him if it was going to just dump his ass in the middle of a forest with moderately concerning amnesia. Trying to illicit feelings of trust, he inches a bit closer, softening his smile to something more boy-next-door. "I might need somewhere to stay. Just for a little bit." Just enough time to remember what had brought him here in the first place. As if he wasn't being sketchy enough, he shuffles his weight, staring at her with a glint in his eye. "I don't bite, Sonnenschein — sunshine."

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The forest felt pleasant, where the sun came through the tree tops, and graced each flower as the butterflies roamed pleasantly. Though she couldn't help but think that the lavenders that roamed were not a color that suited the man before her ; he screamed of reds, as a rose itself or otherwise the lilies of elsewhere. Though she also thought that a dandelion came through, a match to the golden, amber view that gazed at her so ; making her nervous, where she shifted a gaze to her shuffling paws.

Only for a moment, before raising her head, "I live in the Golden Glade — there's no pack there, just me, and a elderly wolverine. Though a few horses visit." A reassurance for if the other was in thought of danger, as most was. She came to the land as well and ventured too closely to a forest that was claimed by others ; though kindly as they were to redirect her and the group elsewhere.. She imagined there were others who thought similarly, on not wanting to intrude upon the lands. Her head turned to the north, an indication it was further away from the land they were.

"It's a day trip.." a nervous smile, "i'm not sure if you still want to." Her ears flickered to the name he uttered, and she tilted her head lightly in a wondering to what it meant — she knew no languages beside English, although some seem to have a knacking to name her something else beside Uriel.

Yet, she enjoyed it greatly.

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Her mannerisms leaned towards bashful, and he couldn't help but wonder as she stared a hole through her paws that he was the cause. If his slight suspicions were correct, he was apt to use her emotions to his benefit. Klaus was not above divulging his charm to get his own way, and it seemed this woman was susceptible. His tongue ran slowly over his upper canines, like a fox watching unsuspecting prey. There was no reason to harm anyone in trade for shelter. He was perfectly content in playing on her heartstrings. After all, the rush it gave him was well enough of a reward.

"I live in the Golden Glade — there's no pack there, just me, and an elderly wolverine. Though a few horses visit," she admits, finally raising her chin to meet his probing gaze. A wolverine? By the way she mentioned it, it almost appeared that she knew this wolverine personally. They could be fierce little devils when provoked, but an older one seemed less troubling. Satisfied with her answer, he leans forward, almost uncomfortably close to the smaller female. He had given her a bit of room before, but now his breath was hot on her cheek.

"It's a day trip," Perfect.
"Not sure if you still want to." 

With a moment's pause, he regards her as though this requires heavy thought. It doesn't, he's already convinced of his decision, but seeing the possibility of her squirming under his intense stare was delicious. His eyes slipped towards his own paws, before glancing back up to speak, his words a guttural drawl.  "Sounds riveting. When can we leave?"

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"Ah, we can leave now." She glanced around the forest with nothing in particular to keep her there. She only came to the nestle with a mild curiosity around, though Uriel did look back toward where the mysterious pack was.. And quietly reminded herself to visit on another day ; as her curiosity to anyone who settled within the plains was great. Not many wolves tended toward it, specifically for how open it was.. She too, was even uncomfortable but gradually had grown to enjoy it so. It started to fell all too familiar, and reluctant to leave such areas.

Though her home, where she turned to lead the other, was also a forest, "Oh apologies, I didn't introduce herself," she raised her head and flickered her ears in a realization, turning back and gingerly smiling at him, "I am Uriel."

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The proximity gone relatively unnoticed, Klaus steps back, creating a berth. She's .. very focused, he thinks to himself, regarding her with a newfound resolve. It was not moments later that she glanced behind her, likely in the direction of their journey, and announced it was already time to depart. Blinking, he nods slowly, feeling the texture of his tongue rolling lazily against his gums. The glade must have been quite a journey - as she had mentioned before - considering she was already rearing to leave.

"Lead the way," he murmurs pleasantly, content in following close behind the smaller female as they travelled. Perhaps it was best this way - although she had not sought company on the way down, perhaps he could be of service to her on the trip back should they run into any other predators. At the very least, it'd give him some much needed refreshers on combat.

"Oh apologies, I didn't introduce myself. I am Uriel," she suddenly adds, and he chuckles a bit, shaking his head in response. Padding up to her side, he keeps his gaze on the path laid out before them. "No need. Nice to meet you, Uriel. Niklaus," he drawls, already waiting for her to take the first step to this golden meadow.

 

 

FIN.

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