The path I walk is dark, so yours is lighted

She wandered through the land, sniffing the ground as she walked. She searched for something small to eat, perhaps a vole or rabbit or something. Her tail flipped behind her slightly, eyes moving around the ground as she stalked. For now, she would simply search, curious to see what all she could find here.

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Burdock favored the Tundra—well-built for it in most ways, thick fur and enough fat to withstand the chill and large-pawed to pad along new snowfall without trouble; looking none unlike a polar bear prowling the grate white expanse. It would be her size that she utilized to ensure other canines didn’t make some sort of fool of her, packless as she was, but it would be this that made the hunt for small prey difficult. Most rabbits could evade her. Birds were too swift. Voles and the like were somehow both.

It didn’t entirely stop her, though, and when she had followed the scent of a hare… she was quick to snap at the chase.

In a flurry made by the hare scurrying and Burdock digging into the earth to shoot off after it, neither prey nor predator was aware their paths were soon to cross with the likes of another.

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She sniff the ground, slowly catching the scent of something, something that seemed to coming towards her. It wasn't until she lifted her head that she saw the rabbit, being chanced by another. With little time to figure out what all was happening, she moved quickly, taking the chance to snag the meal. Quickly, she would launch herself forward, pouncing on the rabbit and killing it swiftly. 

However, she would lift it up and instead of claiming it as her own, would drop it a few feet away, waiting for the other wolf to catch up. It was her kill after all, so she should be the one to get the reward.

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Her body was already in motion and it all unfolded far too fast for her to react in opposition, instead the scene fell like this—from the snow a stranger burst, an explosion of motion that came down red, the hare squealing out, quickly hushed by the snap of the stranger’s jaws around its throat.

Burdock snorted, slowing to a clumsy stop just a few feet from the stranger, brows furrowing. The brute was accustomed to the nature of her past pack mates; cynical bastards who never spared a moment of peace, so it was with mild apprehension that Burdock watched the stranger, keeping a distance, head swinging low in a way that many could interpret she was some flavor of feral—lost to the wildest parts of her minds. At least, until she spoke.

”You caught it,” she said, voice low, rumbling. ”Why?” Burdock spoke in a way that made it clear that such a common tongue wasn’t her native dialect—putting forth a bit of effort to convey herself, utterly simplistic as she motioned at the hare between them. Any wolf of her old pack would’ve taken it. Why would a stranger behave differently?

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She watched at the woman came to a not so graceful stop, though thankful to not be slammed into. Her head would lower slightly as she tried to show she wasn’t a threat, though her ears would twitch at the woman’s words.

A soft smile graces her features before she spoke, her voice soft and light. ”You were the one chasing it after all. You did all the work, I just assisted.”. She would lay herself down, watching the woman with a calm and kind smile. She hoped that the woman would take the food, she certainly would have felt bad if she stole it from the poor woman. ”You can eat it without worry, dear.”

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Burdock lingered for a moment, contemplative of the scene before she opted to slink forward and snatch up the hare. She receded then, placing space between them in order to toss the hare down and tear at it, one paw holding it steady when her jaws pierced through; she tore and chewed and pulled until she had taken into her mouth a leg and thigh.

With a snort, she reclaimed the larger portion and tossed it to the stranger. "Eat," she said, nodding at the stranger again. "For thanks." Burdock would wait and if the stranger partook, she would lower to her stomach to begin gnawing at the hare's thigh; though her eyes wouldn't leave the other's frame, careful and observant.

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She laid herself down and focused on grooming the blood of her paws and maw, not really paying attention to the other wolf. She let the other woman walk away to eat, making a note to not stare at her as she ate, feeling as though it may make the rogue woman uncomfortable. What she wasn't ready for though, was the hare to be tossed back at her, landing at her feet. 

The snow woman looked up in slight shock, cocking her head to the side at the small command. With a smile, she would begin to eat, still laying down. "Thank you." She said simply and began eating, letting the silence fall between them for some time. It wasn't until she was finished eating, getting down to the bones of the hare that she would finally lift her head, tongue licking at her maw. "I'm Delgata by the way. It is nice to meet you dear." She thought for a moment before speaking again, her voice soft in hopes of not making the other woman made by her words. "If you don't mind me asking, do you need a place to stay?" She knew she couldn't accept the woman into Shiroshika, but she could at least call for her leader, or even help the woman find a den out in the mountains to sleep in.

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Burdock wordlessly replied to the other’s thanks, idly licking at the tender bits of bone and soft fat, she made slow work of it all, meticulously cleaning and chewing until the stranger’s voice broke through her focus. The other’s use of dear wouldn’t quite reach her, far more intent on learning why the stranger put forth such an image of kindliness.

”Name’s Burdock,” she said, muzzle twitching. ”Good… to see you, Delgata.” Burdock clearly had to think carefully, hoping that each word she used was proper—the fault would only strike her in delay. ”Meet. Meet… I’m sorry.”

The brute had hoped the desire for words would end there but it would seem most were talkative in these parts. [b]”You have … pack?” she said, tilting her head. ”An, uhm… How you say… король… — king… the top of your pack?” The more complex thoughts she bred the less her vocabulary allowed her to so easily convey herself, as if she was trying to get it all out before Delgata decided she was frustrating.

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Delgata had the most patience in the world, and that was evident as she merely smiled and nodded her head at the woman, flicking her tail contently behind her. "It's alright dear, no need to be worried." She herself spoke several languages fluently and she was about to ask what languages the woman spoke in hopes of helping the other woman, but her use of the word 'king' made her realize quickly. 

"Вы в основном говорите по-русски?" — Do you speak Russian normally?  She asked in a quiet tone, her words fluent but her tone clear that it was a second or third language. She would wait a moment to see if this was going to be the best way to communicate before answering the question about the pack and king.

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Burdock heaved a sigh of relief at the familiarity spoken, shoulders sagging a little as she nodded. "Это был общий язык на моей родине." — It was the common tongue in my homeland. she said, lifting upright then standing in order to move closer; Delgata had been the first to speak her native tongue since her arrival and it brewed something like kinship in the wolf as white as the tundra sprawling around them. She settled before the other, flicking her ear. A few feet between them. "Твоя стая... у нее есть король?" — Your pack... does it have a king? Burdock paused then, eyes flitting around before they settled on Delgata's, shifting a bit stiffly. "Мной правил король-бастард. Я не знаю, гожусь ли я для другого такого жестокого." — A bastard king ruled me. I do not know if I am fit for another so cruel.

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Delgata was fluent in a lot of languages, something that got her through a lot of tough times in her life. Because of it, she enjoyed learning and exploring new languages and their histories. This time though, it ended up being one of her least used languages, Russian. It had been a while since she had used it, but it was pretty easy to remember thankfully. 

It was clear that this calmed the wolf, and as she approached, the snow white woman would wag her tail slightly, relaxing her shoulders with a small grin. Shaking her head slightly, she would speak up, cocking her head to the side as she did so. Прошло много времени с тех пор, как другой говорил на этом языке. Но, отвечая на ваш вопрос, нет. По крайней мере, не полностью. У нас есть королева, очень добрая и гостеприимная. У нее есть друг, хотя я не думаю, что он управляет кем-то из стаи. — It's been a while since another spoke this language. But, to answer your question, no. At least not entirely. We have a Queen, one that's very kind and welcoming. She does have a mate, though I don't think he really runs any of the pack. She would move to lay on her side, showing her belly slightly but clearly relaxed and trusting of the other wolf.

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As the other shifted to lay on her side, Burdock found further relief in the moment, flicking an ear, she would move to lay flat on her stomach, propped and stretched out none unlike a sunning lion. There was something compelling to be considered in the concept of a queen; never had Burdock experienced the rule of a woman but it felt far more... welcoming.

"Королева... Возможно, я мог бы последовать за королевой," — A queen... I could possibly follow a queen, she said, moving to look at the other, offering the slightest smile as she extended a paw in a way that tapped hers. "Я также вижу себя следующим за тобой." — I can also see myself following you. she flicked an ear. "Ваша стая принимает новобранцев?" — Is your pack accepting recruits?

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She smiled slightly, listening to the woman's words of following the queen, making her feel better. It wasn't until her next words though that she froze slightly, her heart skipping a beat. It had been a while since she felt these butterflies, but it was a good and welcomed feeling. "Думаю, мне нравится эта идея." — I think I like the idea of that. She muttered slightly, mostly to herself but she didn't mind if the other heard. Though, she quickly would shift her attention to the next statement, clearing her throat slightly to try and hide how fluster she had become. 

"Не думаю, что у Рэйко возникнут проблемы с твоим присоединением. Отдохни сейчас, и мы скоро отправимся домой." — I don't believe Reiko will have a problem with you joining. Rest now and we can head home soon. She would stay relaxed as she was, closing her eyes slightly as she smiled to herself. Though, she was still scared of losing someone else she was close to, she wasn't jaded and wanted to feel love again.

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Burdock made a noise of contentment, though the mention of home didn't fall on her entirely; the brute hadn't been so lucky as to find herself truly home anywhere, and while Delgata spoke of this Reiko as though she was benevolent, she would leave that to time; in this new world, after all, she wasn't bound by the same laws as the past.

As Delgata spoke, though, Burdock hummed something, lowering her head to her large forepaws, blinking up at the other with something close to wistfulness in her dark gaze. She had been a grunt turned Guard and the likes of affections hardly fell on the brute except in fleeting moments, so the air that fell over the two of them wasn't one Burdock found herself used to... nor did she hate it. embracing it a little.

"Куда бы ты ни повел, я последую за тобой." — Wherever you lead, I'll follow. she said, voice low and warm.

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She was content, happy that she had found a traveling companion and, possibly a new friend. For now, she would ignore any other feelings she had as she had just met this woman, but so far so good. Hearing the woman's words, the snow girl would attempt to move closer, cuddling into the other woman if she let her for warmth and comfort. Closing her eyes, she would relax and let her body and mind rest. She was happy to stay here until the morning came and their travels began again.

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