Foggy Woods and Foggy Minds; OPEN

[[Midnight]]

The Foglands were way creepier when it was winter time and the ground was covered in blankets of white. It was almost like walking into the ends of the universe.
Or, at least, that was the kind of world Brendon's imagination had created for him.
Inching his way through a couple of feet of powdery snow, the golden-collared loner lowered his snout to the ground below and sniffeled at it. There was not many scents out here aside from the musky trees and the sweet, brisk smell of winter snow. And even though today was a cloudless and bit of a more relaxing day than the usual, spending it in this particular area of his home was much more of an adventure for him. The way the mists hung around the treelines and killed much of his vision was something new to experience.

As he stood stock-still and looked around the jungly-worthy woods, his mind wandered to the female he had met a few days ago. She was small and cute and charismatic. Maybe, if he was lucky, she'd be here today, too.
It also wouldn't hurt to make a new friend, though.

As Sayuri's face disappeared from his cloudy thoughts, his belly churned and rumbled for a quick moment. Perhaps he should think about finding some food in a little while.

[Paint]

Duke rarely ventured out of the Moonlands. He may be a selfish, coldhearted bastard but he was that way simply because it meant the preservation of something utterly important- himself. Still, sometimes he'd reach the border of his lands and stare into No Man's Land. In his opinion, no wolf could match him in battle (he was smug like that), but there it was a different story coming up against an entire pack. He would never run from a fight, but he wasn't entirely stupid. If the Stars crowded him, he wouldn't be able to fight them off from all angles.

So it was with a very slight tentativeness in the very back of his one-track mind that he'd made his way into No Man's Land. Like a true Moons wolf, he stuck mainly to the shadows, and eventually found himself in the Foglands. No fear was striking him, now or ever really, and he walked slowly but with a kind of menacing purposefulness. His lips were twitching up over his long white teeth, before he'd even spotted another being.

Duke heard Brendon's feet crunching in the snow before he saw him. He narrowed his eyes and lifted his head, proudly like a lion would. His duotone pelt was no doubt standing out against the beautiful white blanket beneath him, but Duke was never really one for fitting in, not with that huge mass of muscles. His eyes remained narrowed and a dangerously natural glint of malice passed through them as Brendon came into view.

[[Midnight]]

An unsettling feeling of uneasiness enveloped Brendon's mood to explore. He had been creeping through the woods without worrying about keeping himself hidden; the fogs were enough to give him a sense of security. But now he was regretting not having been a little more cautious when he began to sense that someone else was there.

He slowed his pace down signficantly, though it wasn't long until a dark shape became visible against the white sheets of mists. Brendon's hackles rose and he stopped in his tracks to stare at a cloudy face. Whoever this stranger was, they were certainly humongous! And it was obvious that they had sensed him, too.

He backed up one more step, lifting his head more in curiosity than anything else. The sudden arrival of another wolf in his path had startled him, but he wasn't ready to turn around and leave so soon. Maybe it was just another loner like him.

"Howdy," he greeted casually, with a slightly gruff tone to it.
Hopefully this wasn't a territorial wolf, nor the "shoot first, ask questions later" kind.

[Paint]

A deep growl rumbled somewhere in the center of Duke's vast chest, but a smile appeared on his face as he very, very slightly inclined his head. The smile would be disconcerting to one who knew him, or possibly didn't know him, for so many teeth on show could only mean one thing; danger. Duke simply eminated danger, he was surprised he'd attracted any packmembers at all.

Then again, this was the Moons pack we were talking about... and most of them were just as screwed up as he was, maybe worse. And danger tened to attract more danger. Duke brushed these thoughts aside though, ear flicking once in irritance as his expression changed rapidly to frank annoyance. He felt the familiar burn of unreleased anger pulsing through his veins, it was comfortable to him.

"Hello," he finally replied, dark eyes revealing nothing and everything to the stranger. Duke had a lot to lose in life, but he sure as hell wasn't worried about losing it. There wasn't a chance in hell- once he sunk his teeth into something, it rarely got away.

[[Midnight]]

Okay, this is a little eeby-jeeby, Brendon admitted to himself, looking the huge wolf up and down with an unsettled glare.
Actually, the more that he studied the foggy face, the more he thought it looked familiar.

Could it be?
He had once been a member of Falling Moon for a short period of time. If this was who Brendon was thinking of, maybe he would be recognized as well.
If only he hadn't gotten kicked out of that pack.

Duke was clearly just a bucket full of death ready to be kicked at any moment, even a three week old pup would be able to sense that. Stranger or no stranger, Brendon didn't want to get on this wolf's bad side.

"It looks like I stumbled across a wrong path," he said politely but slightly briskly as well. He tried to keep his fur forced flat, not wanting to cause a fight in case the brute would jump on the opportunity.

"Name's Brendon," he barked. "And I was just passing through."

[Paint]

Duke laughed darkly.

"I don't own any of these paths," he spoke, his tone gruff but vaguely taunting as usual. He santered over, dark eyes kept almost entirely on the opposing wolf. He'd obviously intimidated him. But there was something about him which looked vaguely familiar, and although it didn't show on Duke's blank face, it was clear in the curiosity of his eyes.

"Hello, Brendon," he replied coldly, but the curiosity was now present in his voice as well. He stopped sauntering a few metres from the other wolf and simply stood with his head held high, awaiting an answer to a question he hadn't asked.

[[Midnight]]

Surely a dark, dreary, massively-shaped wolf would intimade someone as average-sized as Brendon. And the green-eyed poet was able to recognize the blood-thirsty aura about Duke, and the hellish glint in his eyes. He would kill if you were to challenge an inkling of his strength.

But to hear that this male, obviously an Alpha, was off his turf, Brendon's head only lifted a bit higher. If Duke thought he was going to roll over for him, as much as Brendon respected his awe-inspiring power, he had obviously forgotten who this loner was.
A fool, surely, but a headstrong and clever fool.

He lied straight through his teeth and pretended not to notice the gray wolf's curiosity, his eyes almost entirely blank except for the way they creased with the small grin that was on his face.
"Clearly you're not a loner, but you speak so coldly to me. Have I intruded on some sort of personal pondering time?"
His muzzle twitched with a mixture of bravery and caution.
"Sounds a little queer, but hey - I'm not here to judge."

[Paint]

Duke laughed loudly. It wasn't carefree, happy or reassuring like any real laugh should be. It was just as taunting as his physical language, or the tone of his voice. Always a big show of intimidation with Duke, as he looked back at Brendon with his dark eyes flashing like his teeth as he grinned.

"You've intruded on my presence, it's enough to unsettle the air," he chuckled darkly again. But his ear twitched slightly as he took Brendon in, assessing him, wondering. He looked vaguely familiar. He growled slightly, wondering if his mind was playing tricks on him. Or maybe Brendon was.

"Do I know you?" he asked bluntly. Duke wasn't one to beat around the bush, it was a pretty sure fact.

[[Midnight]]

Dang, looked like Duke wasn't going to let it go. Why did they have to cross paths in a place like this? Duke was definately going to have some colorful words to say as soon as Brendon revealed who he was.

On the other hand, he might not even give a rat's butt. Hard to tell.

Might as well take his chances, though. What was life if you didn't live on the wild side?
"Again, my name's Brendon... Your name is Duke. So yeah, I know you," the chocolate wolf spoke, dignified but careful. Don't take a step where the ice is thin. "Bigass Alpha of Falling Moon. You are the only one I respect in this valley."

He was being honest, but hoped the flattery wasn't too sappy. Well, that was it for his adventurous spirit. Brendon offered no more about his own identity, and just decided to let Duke venture further on his own. Speak when spoken to really sounded like a good plan from here on out. If Duke knew that this wolf was once his subordinate and had been kicked out for being "weak," as it were, he'd get humiliated. Or punished. Or simply killed. Again, it was a wide shot.

[Paint]

Duke's smirk momentarily flattened, but his eyes narrowed curiously at the other wolf's comment. Having been an Alpha for long enough, he was pretty good at sensing whether a wolf was challenging him or truly accepting he was subordinate. And Brendon seemed to be genuinely flattering Duke. His smile was replaced with a much more peacekeeping one, still wide and flashing his long white teeth but not nearly as threatening as before. Duke had calmed his inbuilt dominance.

"Clever boy, Brendon," he nodded his head almost politely. It was Duke, of course, so it was hardly polite. Even a little sarcastic, as nods go. "You a loner?" he asked, but was no longer plagued by suspicions about the fellow wolf. Duke relaxed his muscles and sat down, still a fair bit away from Brendon. He sensed no attack coming.

[[Midnight]]

Brendon could have sworn is was a little easier to breathe now. His ears relaxed at the sides of his head, but he still didn't dare sit down. The only chance Brendon would survive a Duke-attack would be to flee, so he had to keep that opportunity open.
He raised his muzzle a bit as his nose caught an unfamiliar scent on the breeze. Probably just the smell of some strange plant growing where the mists never disappeared.

Ha, sometimes I wish I wasn't, he thought to himself before replying to the grayish wolf.
"Yeah, I'm a loner. Keeps things interesting, wandering out here. You stumble upon all sorts of wolves."
Speaking of which, he was really wishing this was Sayuri he had found and not Duke. How more pleasant of company. And Spring was tapping at the door... Maybe he'd get a chance to sweep her off her feet.

Now that he thought about it, if he were to ever have pups, he would probably bring them straight to Duke himself. Who could protect them better than this hunk of muscle?

"Dancing Stars seems to be making a come-back in the last few seasons," he mused out loud, hoping the small talk would really get Duke talking. Besides, it was always interesting to hear the latest gossip.

[smilies]

Ooc:// Anyone care if Almira or Raiden (haven't decided which one to use yet) make an entrance?

[[Midnight]]

{I personally don't mind =3}

[Paint]

ooc. Go for it (: