if you follow me {{{open}}}

[tovaana]

L A K U U
knight taking on the sun

You stumbled in and bumped your head, if
Not for me then you would be dead
I picked you up and put you back
On solid ground

He walked with closed eyes, concentrating on every step- feeling how it was cradled by the soil, feeling how his body leaned into each step and was pushed off with addictive energy. For a while he wove through the trees like this, eyes covered by his dark hued lids, that is, until he came to the opening. That’s when he heard the whispers. Audits twisted in all sorts of direction, head lifting high as he took in what caught his attention first. The tree. Green leaves moved in almost a slow motion from the breeze up above. His dark and light blue eyes started from the top of the tree and traced down its marked trunk to finally the green grove. Lakuu never asked why he did something unless it had harmed another. Likewise he started at sprint with little thought other than his tall stilts demanded it. He wove around the tree and made his way around the small opening. If his concentration was anywhere, it was on the whispering inside his head, it got stronger when he neared the giant tree. He knew very well that his hearing ability worked weakly on alive things such a trees- which was why just curiosity brought him to a loping stop in front of the wide trunk. Lakuu’s dark nose wrinkled – he didn’t even place a paw on the single random tree to know something odd had happened here. The rocks under the soil shouted angry things, reacting to an impression that had been left oh so long ago.

He moved from the tree, stalking the slightly damp grass in an opposite direction with his head down. With closed eyes once more her used focused energy and sent silent quiet vibrations into the ground, finding where there was most rock and metal closest to the surface of the soil. Joining the pack had been second nature, finding it would be good to learn about the pack and meet new wolves however long he ended up staying. Now though, he didn’t want to think about others, as much as he probably should be. Instead he found a place to sit with some sort of metal that far from the surface, but closest compared to the others parts of the ground. Immediately he let himself go, focusing on his heart beat and the sounds inside his head. He was there for a long time, unaware of any others- unaware of the present moment as others saw it. His dark metallic fur bristled all over his body as he sank within himself, finding his source of energy, relaxing to the point where he could feel the blood pumping through all parts of his thin frame.

I took a walk around the world to
Ease my troubled mind
I left my body laying somewhere
In the sands of time

puppet {{{ L . a k u u }}}
run with me [[[ O . p e n ]]]
lyrics [[[ K . r y p t o n i t e ]]]

[ulrica]

<sup>Aiu drifted through the tall grass with the stealth of a feline. Her pale paws met the ground with only the slightest of noise and her wings merely created the tiniest breath of whispers as the grass brushed over them. She moved with purpose, though she knew not what for, while at the same time managing to appear as if simply taking a leisurely stroll. A gentle breeze blew into her face and she took the opportunity to 'see' what was ahead of her. Ears pricking forward and nose flaring daintily, the adolescent wolfess searched through the different scents and sounds the wind had so kindly provided. Of course, there was the scent of the giant tree that stood in the center of this field, and then came the smell of the grass and flowers that surrounded it. But then there was another smell, something she hadn't been suspecting: another wolf. Strange... And this used to be such a quiet are... She mused absentmindedly to herself as she flowed through the grass like air, her paws making not even the slightest of an indentation in the ground.

Mere minutes had passed and the tree Hageshii Shizukesa. Aiu would have smiled if she was able. Even so, there was the smallest curl at the corner of her mouth as the she-wolf's eyes lit upon the giant tree, its wide branches perfect places for napping or preening. A sense of peace spread throughout the young female's form and her tail swished behind her with something like happiness, however, such peace was cut short by the sight of the strange wolf she had smelled earlier. It was a male she could tell, and he was sitting down and seemed in some sort of trance; he definitely wasn't paying very good attention to his surroundings. Aiu gave an indiscernible snort before crouching down, pulling her wings snugly against her body, and creeping forward until she was just feet away from this preoccupied male. He was still in his trance so the young she-wolf took the chance to do a quick scan of this male. His coloring was odd -- But then who am I to judge about appearances..? -- and seemed almost metallic, but it suited him in an odd way so Aiu continued on her visual documentary. He was tall, however still a fraction shorter than herself, and his body was lithely built and he had obvious muscle hidden beneath the fur and layers of flesh. All in all, she soon decided he could prove a formidable opponent.

In the time it had taken the snowy wolfess to analyze this wolf's appearance, he still hadn't broken his trance. The curiosity that plagued Aiu had been steadily strengthening in that time and she now found it hard to keep herself from revealing the hiding place she now claimed. Unfortunately, curiosity won out and she stepped forth to investigate further. The graceful way the adolescent female carried her agile frame revealed the dignity and pride she possessed as well as the power and deadliness that would have otherwise been unseen. She circled the male once, twice, then a third time before ruffling her wings and narrowing her eyes. She stood completely still, only her fur moving as a gentle breath of wind crossed over them. "So, exactly how long were you planning on sitting like that?" She asked, her voice almost musical with the lilting airy tones in which she spoke. It would have almost been seductive had she not cocked her head and watched him with avid curiosity while she awaited his reply.</sup>

[tovaana]

L A K U U
knight taking on the sun

You stumbled in and bumped your head, if
Not for me then you would be dead
I picked you up and put you back
On solid ground

’quiet as a thought, movement as the wind, stalking like a feline on unknowing prey’…

At first Lakuu ignored this whisper in his mind, finding it intriguing to hear the rock spirits as believed they were, but he was busy within himself. Busy gathering up all energy that was left behind which was like finding finding the bread crumbs or dust from a shooting star- the leftovers that he had not used. He roped them mentally together and pocketed them away in a more familiar place, his conscious world. Lakuu was amidst his daily clean up, finding peace and quiet- when more of the rocks started saying strange things like the first. …unknowing prey… ah…He thought, realization dawning on him- there was another and of course Lakuu was most vulnerable at this point. However, it wasn’t often that it had taken as long for him to notice. After reprimanding himself inwardly the dark hued male floated back into daylight, keeping his eyes shut and keeping as still as he had been before. The scent of the femora was strong, as was all other senses- he focused on her scent and movement. She was for the most part silent, walking around him before stopping. He gleaned all information he could from his nose, which only did the very basics. Femmora, wolf, bird? And a few other things that mattered little to him.

“Does it matter how long, as the reason why?”

He mused aloud, eyes still shut. Concentration left his metal coat which fell slowly into a limp fashion upon his bod. A small smile flickered across his maw, eyes opening quickly and moved his head to look at her at an angle. Immediately he noticed her stunning emerald gaze and from his peripheral vision he could see her as a whole. An angel - thought he. He’d never witnessed such a wolf, had heard stories of heavenly beings, but he doubted her to be really angelic. Either way, any wolf deserved the same courtesy as one from above. Rump lifted from the ground, keeping his eyes with hers until he made a short bow.

“Greetings, miss, I am Lakuu. Who do I have the pleasure of meeting?”

Pretending like he had not known she had been there a while. Her beauty was obvious, but as pleasing as she was to the eyes it was not what Lakuu really watched. Though his eyes were set on her as well as his ears- he kept a mental note of the rest of his surroundings, along with the whispers of the stones and metals about him.

I took a walk around the world to
Ease my troubled mind
I left my body laying somewhere
In the sands of time

puppet {{{ L . a k u u }}}
run with me [[[ A . i u and open ]]]
lyrics [[[ K . r y p t o n i t e ]]]

[ulrica]

<sup>The male's sudden words surprised Aiu and she couldn't keep a small jolt from wracking across her lithe frame. But the unease was quickly forgotten as the sound of his voice washed over her. He spoke softly, yet with confidence, and of course he was right. Aiu herself would sit for hours waiting for an unknowing doe to creep close enough for her to strike simply because the 'why' was more important than the 'how long'. However, her pride was hurt. She took his words as if he had been making a joke with her and that irritated the flighty young thing. Drawing herself up to her full height and ruffling her wings up slightly, a soft swishing noise whispering behind the confused she-wolf as the snowy fur on strong hind legs was repeatedly brushed by long bushy tail whipping from side to side. "It does when there is a potential--" Aiu's retort was cut off as the male opened his eyes.

There was nothing wrong with them at all, in fact, the agile wolfess found their variance of color quite endearing. No, there wasn't a fault to be found in them, rather it lied within her subconscious. Giving a low whimper she was sent reeling back by his gaze as unknown and unwanted memories swept across her inner eye. Someone she had never known was looking at her with navy blue eyes. Granted, this dream wolf and the wolf sitting so stoically before her now had nothing to do with each other, but something about this male had sent her to a past she had long forgotten. Foolish girl! Pull yourself together! The rational part of her was saying. Just because he seems so charming doesn't mean he wouldn't rip your throat in a second.

But that's stupid. Another part of her countered just as reasonably. How could something so wonderful do something so terrible?

Wonderful? All sorts of synonyms for the word were running through her mind at that second: handsome, charming, knightly. No! Stop that, solitude is your life. That is one thing that cannot be changed.

Forcing herself to shake her slender head until the fog had cleared, Aiu realized the male was bowing to her. Bowing? No, she didn't deserve that, she was no alpha and she surely wasn't this male's senior. Simply the grace and dignity he commanded in the simple movements he now made proved that fact. She suddenly found her emerald eyes were incapable of looking anywhere else for the moment. Many things she hadn't noticed at first suddenly were screaming for the adolescent female's attention: his eyes for instance and their coloring, the sure way he held his slender frame, the metallic way his fur shimmered that made her wonder if maybe it was truly some kind of steel. He was magnificent. And he was speaking to her again: "Who do I have the pleasure of meeting?" Formality, she didn't know how to be formal. She could seduce a stranger with ease or lie without the slightest hesitation or tremor of the voice. Yet this male's formality completely threw her off guard.

Aiu's gem-like eyes were wide and her ears pricked forward. She was almost sitting but she held her haunches of the ground just by a few inches, one forepaw maintained her balance in front of her while the other was lifted slightly and crossed a little over her center of balance. A flaring of her wings gave her what balance the pose didn't possess and the swishing of her tail across the dirt voiced her bewilderment as loudly as if she had yelled it. Answer you idiot! Something in her screamed, yanking her back to her right mind. Trying to salvage whatever dignity she had left, the lithe female pulled herself together and forced her green orbs to meet the gaze of male's. Gods, that alone was difficult, she almost whimpered and crawled forward in submission. The only thing that held her back was her pride. "Aiu." She replied before shyly turning her face away, a growl on her muzzle at her own meagerness. "But you don't have to call it a pleasure, and there's no need to be so formal." Her voice was quieter than she would have liked, but it was to be expected. She was confused and attracted while at the same time denying those simple facts. The snowy wolfess was in turmoil and she only hoped the male wouldn't notice.</sup>

[tovaana]

L A K U U
knight taking on the sun

You stumbled in and bumped your head, if
Not for me then you would be dead
I picked you up and put you back
On solid ground

“…threats? Perhaps, but only that could attack me in a physical sense, I guess you could say.”

He prompted and replied when she failed to complete the sentence. She tried to hide it maybe, but Lakuu couldn’t tell the difference between someone trying to suppress their reactions and another one not. Either way, suppression just acted as another part of who they were. Usually when someone was trying to suppress something, it was because they were not comfortable letting the other know, yet she was inbetween, because her silence gave her away. Lakuu wasn’t sure what about him, perhaps a memory, perhaps she associated something about him to something else, or his looks? He didn’t think it likely the last one, while though he felt he was attractive to some, there always seemed to be another wolf with greater flirting experience. Lakuu was not a suave brute, something gentler, not something that others saw as quickly as a dashing loud lover. He didn’t have long to think about such though, for he didn’t let himself dwell on one subject over another- for he found when he did, unbalance would sweep in and take control of his feelings. Instead he let himself see her little expressions, cute little quirky movements, and the ruffle of her wings. She was just another femora though at that point that wouldn’t look his way another day, so he continued with this mindset.

“Aiu, miss, is a lovely name, for such a lovely wolfess as yourself.”

Warm deep lyrics touched the air as dew on the morning ground, sure to be there and a quiet appearence.

He couldn’t help but flash a canine smile at her last words. Soft spoken and sincere. He was beginning to realize some things his mentor had taught him when beginning his quest of ‘gentleman’ like attitude. It was more than appearing as a wonderful wolf, what had his mentor said? Or had his mother been his mentor at that time? It was for the others. From the transformation of her tone he could tell something was off, and the way she dismissed his kind words reaffirmed his mentor’s words…This journey had much to do with himself, but more so to do with others. Had to do with this girl and her feelings, like she was not worthy of it being a pleasure to meet someone like herself.

“The pleasure is mine, Aiu, and I think I could choose whatever I find pleasing. As for the formality note, you could say…This was how I was taught, and I find it to be most respectful.”

The formality also helped him not to get too close with anyone too quickly. He knew from experience it hurt when those close got hurt…That was part of the reason why he’d chosen to pursue the spiritual and training path that had been offered at a young age. To learn to be himself while finding ways to make friends and not too many that could hurt him. Light eye and dark eye watched the femora with calm ease, letting nothing show that he had recognized any sort of difference or her reaction. His mundane body half wished she could see his interest, wanted her to see he was at least a little interested- that’s where he had tried to slip in a few words about her beauty and so on. He only spoke truth.

“Forgive me of my rambling. May I assume that you are of the Shinkuo pack as well? Forgive me again, I’ve joined recently and know little.”

His head lowered at these words, looking apologetic while lifting it to her head height. It was a good way to meet one as her, he thought while shifting his weight, he preferred less than more. Lakuu’s mind kept moving, like a mother gently finishing one task and moving on to another. Just as the breeze tickled his nose from this and that direction. He took a little of his recycled energy and moved it into his coat, lifting until he could feel the coolness touch his skin. Frame shivered for a brief moment, relaxing his mind and let the fur shuffle in the direction of the breeze, as would a regular coat.

I took a walk around the world to
Ease my troubled mind
I left my body laying somewhere
In the sands of time

puppet {{{ L . a k u u }}}
run with me [[[ A . i u and open ]]]
lyrics [[[ K . r y p t o n i t e ]]]

[ulrica]

<sup>Lakuu's words and the soothing baritone of his voice completely threw Aiu off. Lovely?! Never had the young she-wolf been referred to with such kind words, mostly she stayed away from other wolves and when she did meet up with another usually a fight broke out. No, compliments were not something this wolfess was familiar with. Letting herself fall back to rest completely on her haunches, her wings tucked tightly against her sides, Aiu grinned sheepishly; unsure of how to react to his comment. So, like always, she flat out denied it. "Please, when it comes to loveliness I am anything but." Ah, there, she was sliding back into her rhythm and her words were beginning to flow across her tongue like water. She thought her legs would at last be able to support her weight again, so pushing forward until she was standing, the young female cocked her head slightly and studied the male with maybe one of the most intense gazes she had managed in her short life. The way her emerald eyes held his own light and navy blue ones, the way her wings were slightly flared now away from her sides for balance, her tail swishing back and forth across her back legs. Her attitude had changed so quickly and without warning, but that was how she was, her own method of self-protection. Then once again, Lakuu's words threw her. Respect... A memory of a female's voice hissing in her ear to show respect was there and gone before she could react again. Godess... What's wrong with me...? She wondered then realized she was missing what this male was continuing to say: "May I assume that you are of the Shinkou pack..?" Aiu blinked, surprised for a moment. A pack? What pack would want her, she caused more trouble than she was worth.

Giving a small laugh, the agile female shook her head. "No, not Shinkou. I haven't officially joined in any pack, one could say I don't play nice with others." She winked coyly and advanced. Aiu's snowy paws stepped daintily over the ground as she moved toward the male. No prints or thudding being made to give proof of her movement, it was as if she simply floated through the grass without ever touching the earth at all. The corners of her mouth turned upward in a sort of wry smirk as she circled the male again, this time allowing the fur of her shoulder to brush across his side as her left wing hovered over his back. Her manner of moving and curling her tail around his chest before rotating around to his right side was almost cat like; truly, if her vocal chords had been made for such noises, she might have purred. As it was, the only thing she had was her voice as she continued on the topic of his compliment. For some reason that had really stuck with her... "You know... I have been called many things dear Lakuu, but none of them anything comparable to the flattery you have showered me with in that one word." Her voice was soft and when she finished it was barely a breath of a whisper, her black nose and contrasting white muzzle were only just a hair's breadth away from his ear. With an easy grin playing on her muzzle, she suddenly tucked her wing in and continued forward to her previous standing place where she then arched her neck and watched the slender male from the corner of her left eye, her tail wagging slightly across her heels. Oh yes, her attitude had changed drastically.

She watched him for a brief moment, studying the movement of his fur in the wind, the small shiver that ran down his spine perhaps with a chill, and the way he raised his head to the height of hers. In something like instinct, she lowered her own almost seeming to be an act of submission... Almost, really, it made her pose seem a bit more seductive than she truly meant it to be. "However, if the males are all as handsome and respectful as you seem to be, then I might just have to work on my status of undecided..." Aiu joked slyly. She knew full well she could never be a part of such a large pack. There were simply too many wolves that she would risk insulting with her boldness, as it was she was already taking that risk with the wolf before her. It was probably best not to push her luck.</sup>

[tovaana]

L A K U U
knight taking on the sun

I need a sign to let me know you're here
'Cause my TV set just keeps it all from being clear
I want a reason for the way things have to be
I need a hand to help build up some kind of hope inside of me

Dark muzzle held steady as he watched the transformation. It took some effort to not smile. He had enjoyed the frazzled angelic being, but it wasn’t often that one showed their inner soft side, and he had believed she had reflected somewhat buttery insides that Lakuu found most tasteful. However life was life, and her mask slipped on with little effort. As much as every person had a light within, it seemed like everyone wanted to hide their light with something a little more exciting. He took note of this, as well as the metal under the ground and the whispering of the large leaves of the large tree in the near distance…Also jotted down how close she slipped by him- yet he did not allow himself to feel such- for his metallic fur though giving way to her form as to not poke her- did not allow her to in any way to make contact with his skin. It was a clear disadvantage for himself as well, for even if he didn’t try, it was more difficult to feel things as others did, under a disguised armor.

He didn’t doubt that there could be truth within her words, but he did not allow anything to take hold or plant seeds of trust. This was easy, with her teasing lyrics that could have easily downed a weak wolf in the matter of seconds. Even Lakuu felt an angry flutter of his heart- every male felt lust, Lakuu’s happened to be angry lust…If his heart had belonged to any other brute he would have engaged a fight, perhaps tried to make her his slave in some way. Yet his mechanics were something beyond such and just stared ahead at a tree until she rounded about once more- hardly a muscle had twitched from their origin, except for his ears which had swiveled at different angles to catch her voice more clearly as well as the rustling of wildlife. He had noticed her, to be sure, but he had not kept his full attention on only her…She did not seem to worth his time anymore. Not that he felt him higher than her, but he already avoided contact with others as it were and she was not part of the pack, so he had a hard time fitting her into his ‘gentleman’ schedule.

“I would not know about any others, you happen to be the first I have crossed and alas, I have no power to say whether you would have an opportunity to join the ranks, you’d have to contact higher authority.”

Lakuu’s maw did not hint a smile anymore, just stared back into the green eyes- finding them as stunning as ever, but all he saw was an earth bound angel gone wrong. Bad? No, he did not see her evil, just using her talents in a different way, a nonproductive way as he saw it. Eyes turned away toward a corner of the grove, as if there were something more interesting. He sorta hoped she would get bored, Lakuu knew there was nothing exciting about hanging around him; he was more like a background prop doing his own little thing.

“Lovely Aiu, what exactly were you planning after getting my attention, I wonder?”

Never harsh, stiff and motionless, watching her carefully. He had been in the middle of his daily cleaning exercise, and it wasn’t the first time he’d been disturbed during it and it wasn’t often that there was little reason for it either. Thump. Thump. His heart beat kept racing and slowing, his surroundings and whispers in his mind demanded a little attention as well. Balance came with a price; peaceful balance meant someone ended up dissatisfied.

And I'm calling all angels
I'm calling all you angels
I won't give up if you dont give up
I won't give up if you dont give up

puppet {{{ L . a k u u }}}
run with me [[[ A . i u and open ]]]
lyrics [[[ C . a l l i n g all angels ]]]

[ulrica]

<sup>Aiu listened silently to Lakuu's words, however she didn't really register them straight away. Something had changed suddenly, he seemed to withdraw within himself almost as quickly and thoroughly as she had. It surprised her, but she rationally kept that annoying little emotion from showing on her face. Stop being weak... Emotions are worthless after all.

The winged she-wolf had been about to answer his query when he spoke again. Her mask fell for another moment, brief as it was she still revealed her bewilderment and shock at his question. She had no idea what she had planned on doing. Idiot... Some part of her mind muttered almost gloatingly in her mind. Shut up. She growled silently back. Shaking out her fur, she met the male's gaze for the first time without holding back her true feeling. For a moment Aiu worried she had angered him and that apprehensiveness showed on her face; had she overstepped her bounds with this male or was it simply that she was an outsider in his land? She didn't know for sure and it was hard to tell with the sudden disinterest he showed. "I hadn't really planned on anything... I'm sorry, I can see I've bothered you." She hung her head and starred at the ground, her wings lowering as she sat back on her rump. As she sat there, her smallness was revealed. Sure she was large in height, but that came from her long slender legs, the rest of her body was small and seemingly weightless. The only thing really large about her were her wings, and that was simply because of the weight to length ratio. "I was just looking for company actually..." She managed to return his gaze for a brief second then again turned her eyes down, a curiously bewildered look coming across her visage. "If that's a problem then I can leave."

Outside she might have appeared somewhat calm, but inside warning sirens were screaming in her ears. And amongst all the chaos, there was the constant war raging of her mind turning in on itself. One side roaring for her to run while the other said to stay and yet another said to pull herself together and stop acting so weak. A small trembling voice seemed to rise amongst all the others and propose a simple question: He has a mate? Aiu's eyes widened at the thought, of course it made so much sense! Idiot! Her mind screamed through the turmoil. She felt so stupid, how could she have acted in the manner she had?! As the snowy femme reflected upon her actions it all became clear to her. The way he had suddenly gone stiff when she had touched him and the detached manner he now spoke in. Of course he was taken. Gemstone eyes studied the male with something like repressed interest, but suddenly a strange noise came. And from the winged she-wolf's stomach?

Aiu looked down at her growling belly and cocked her head. Oh yea... I had been hunting hadn't I..? She remembered, trying to figure out why her stomach would be making such an irritating noise. She looked up somewhat apologetically, but found herself unable to speak for the moment, unsure of what to do, where to run, and how to hide her embarrassment and fear from this male. Her composure had fallen and she needed something else to hide behind before she would be chased away.</sup>

[tovaana]

L A K U U
knight taking on the sun

I need a sign to let me know you're here
'Cause my TV set just keeps it all from being clear
I want a reason for the way things have to be
I need a hand to help build up some kind of hope inside of me

Why did she even care that he cared? With a solemn face he watched with amused sparkling eyes as she shrunk. Not only did she seem smaller, but she shed her mask ever so quickly. It didn’t really make sense and he was trying to comprehend why she seemed so offended all of sudden- but not defensive really. It hurt that she had only wanted company, it hurt that he kept having to think differently of her. This part he liked about her, this part, that she didn’t like about herself. The shock on her face that tore off a layer of make believe. Who was she really? On the rare occasion there was a soul or two that had been tainted from the day they were born, raised to have a personality like the devil, or darkness just dwelled in them, but that did not mean that evil couldn’t have good tendencies that could be rewarded. He wanted her like this, but not avoiding his gaze like there was something to be ashamed of.

Eyes glanced down at a startling sound, but not new. Lakuu laughed. It was a deep short chuckle that broke his straight face for a moment- and when it was gone as quickly as it came there was a more calm and relaxed aura about him. Although he wasn’t sure he could handle another fickle mood from the femora.

“Before I comment on your hunger - I want you to listen to me dear Aiu. Now, look around you- who is here with us?”

He as well let his eyes glance about, but before he could let her answer without interruption he continued on.

“No one. It’s just you and me. I don’t care how you act around others, that is your business. I would love a little company as well, however, and if you would stay, I would like you to stay as you are now- who you really are, without that silly talk…And I do not bite, please don’t avoid eye contact like you have done something wrong.”

Light and dark blue eye watched her intently, hoping she was understanding all that he was saying. It would be one thing if she heard it, but it was completely another if she heard it and saw what he saw. No one ever really saw themselves as magnificent as they were- or they do and become prideful…It was a delicate balance. Lakuu knew he didn’t see himself as anything particularly interesting, but he never really thought of himself on the outside unless it came to controlling his strange metallic fur or controlling how he moved.

“On another note, I am a little hungry as well. Two of us could take down maybe something a little larger as well I think, with a little team work. What do you say?”

Dark hued rump lifted from the ground, letting his weight transfer evenly over all four paws. While watching and paying attention to the white wolfess, he also took note of some of the whisperings of rocks as they rhymed meaningless things about things going on about them- a couple were talking about small groups of prey, other about a rodent nest. A smile hinted on his face, but just enough so he showed his ease in the moment, that she could trust him. He added a tilt of his muzzle and his tail even swayed a few times. His concentration had left his coat, leaving it limp- only shifting when he shifted.

And I'm calling all angels
I'm calling all you angels
I won't give up if you dont give up
I won't give up if you dont give up

puppet {{{ L . a k u u }}}
run with me [[[ A . i u and open ]]]
lyrics [[[ C . a l l i n g all angels ]]]

[ulrica]

<sup>"Who is here with us?" Ignoring the leap her heart made when the male once again called her 'dear',Aiu glanced around warily, worried that perhaps his mate had come to see what was going on. But there was no one and nothing around them the female could tell to be an immediate threat. She would have spoken her findings had Lakuu not voiced his own first: "No one...stay as you are--who you really are..." Who I really am...? Fear flashed across her visage and she quickly began to put up the walls to guard the depths of her heart, but that wasn't allowed now was it. Just as quickly, Aiu lowered those shields and forced her muscles to tense where previously they would have feigned relaxation. Be yourself, stop hiding. That's what he wants isn't it...? The young female snorted at herself, disappointed with her lack of grace. However, before she could dwell too long on the thought, she remembered the second part of Lakuu's orders: "Don't avoid eye contact..." Right, he's no better than you. One part of her mind encouraged, while the other argued that he was millions of times out of her league. Aiu agreed with the latter.

Looking up to meet the male's bi-colored eyes, the lithe femme visibly relaxed a bit. He wasn't as cold as he had seemed before, his edges weren't as sharp. A small smile crossed her maw, even though she felt thoroughly chastised it wasn't the insult it would have been from another. With a kind gentleness to his voice, Lakuu offered her his help and companionship through a hunt, working as a team. Aiu was unfamiliar how to hunt alongside another creature. After living an entire life on her own and avoiding contact with others, she had simply never learned how to use the gifts and talents of a partner to better the chances in a hunt. She would have said no to anyone else, or arranged for separate hunts. But Lakuu's kind smile, the small wag of his tail, and the way he stood there looking...well, excited for the hunt, the adolescent wolfess found she just couldn't tell him no.

Aiu stood, fluttering her wings as she did and shaking her fur out before laughing. "I must confess, hunting with you will be different, but I trust you will guide me where I falter?" She asked playfully before leaping forward and briefly touching her nose to his cheek before springing away again and prancing a few yards away where she paused to wait for the slender male. Her behavior could have been mistaken for her previous manner, but in fact it was just the opposite. Where before she had been calculative with her decisions, now she simply acted before giving herself time to change her mind. The midnight blue half moons that crossed over the top of her Aiu's tail swished back and forth with the white against her heels, a sign of her excitement and what could have been joy. She wasn't quite sure about hunting alongside another, but she was going to go through with her decision no matter what. The snowy wolfess fluttered her wings again, fighting the apprehension that played in her blood and sent adrenaline through her veins. This hunt would either end very well, or very badly. Aiu prayed it wouldn't be the latter.</sup>

[tovaana]

L A K U U
knight taking on the sun

It just now hit me this is more than just a set back
And when you spelled it out, well, I guess I didn’t get that
And every trace of momentum is gone
And this isn’t turning out the way I want

Her laugh. Her voice. It was all a lot more soothing than it had been, yet still not quite as convincing enough to break through something he had trained for years to control. He enjoyed wolves who simply were. Lived in the moment, acted as things came at them, instead of things being so calculative and different. What was the point of being different when everyone else was different as well? He found the only real reason for being different was to get attention, and if everyone was seeking the same attention- there’d be a lot of lonely wolves. As Lakuu thought this he got distracted, therefore was not ready for her close-ness and unprepared for the friendly lick. It was wolf nature- nothing special, but it was because maybe that it was such a normal thing that it caught him off guard. Standing he just watched her, a smile forming, but he did not bounce around like she did, it did not seem…would not fit him, but it was nice to know she was as enthusiastic, or so he hoped.

His tail swayed for a moment once more, not sure if he could say anything or if he did- what to say. So he smiled once more then closed his eyes, letting the whispers soak his mind and conscious eyes. Rhymes of rabbits and rodents were everywhere by the pebbles that skirted the curtain the forest around the small valley. Wary stray deer held to the left- but they knew of their position, knew that there were some wolves around. One was limping- and that was enough for him. Usually Lakuu stayed away from the larger prey, unless he was with others. In this case, he hunted for himself and a friend- and after they had gotten their fill, he could call other pack members to finish it off.

It hadn’t been too long since he closed his eyes, and once his lids lifted again- not a wide smile, but a curve that showed that reflected him being pleased.

“Alright then, but I do believing hunting duet will feel or become something like second nature.”

He moved, and when he did so his fur lifted like a strong breeze had picked up- which one had, but it was just a light kiss compared to the story his fur told. He moved slightly backward and turned to be perpendicular to the white angelic femora.

“It won’t be a piece of cake, they’ll know we’re coming, they’ll run. There’s one though, she has a limp- we could catch up with her the quickest.”

Aiu would be up for a challenge, that’s why he presented it to her as such. It seemed like something she’d like, but as predictable as wolves could be, it didn’t mean they would act the way they seemed like they were supposed to. His nose gently rocked in the direction that the small group of deer were, already preparing himself for another run, and mentally preparing to use his extra energy if need be and scheduling a moment he could get back to meditating. This was good though, this would be a healthy start as he wended back into the social ways of a pack.

And I so hate consequences
And running from you is what my best defense is
Cause I know that I let you down
And I don’t want to deal with that


puppet {{{ L . a k u u }}}
run with me [[[ A . i u and open ]]]
lyrics [[[ I . S O hate consequences ]]]

[ulrica]

<sup>Lakuu's hint at a smile was encouraging to the she-wolf and she wagged her tail slightly, happy that she had managed to please him. She wasn't sure if it was because of her affection or if he was merely excited about the hunt, but she didn't care. He had smiled and that was enough. He said something about their hunting coming as second nature, but Aiu highly doubted that. She had raised herself alone and way from any packs; the only way she knew how to hunt was by herself. Even so, she didn't want to disappoint the slender male, so she simply nodded her head as he turned himself to the left. The winged she-wolf noticed that his fur had stood up oddly without any wind, but she quickly put that out of her mind when Lakuu began speaking again: "They'll run. There's one though- she has a limp...."

Aiu looked at the male beside her with something like disdain mixed with outrage. "Are you trying to insult my hunting prowess or are you simply underestimating me?" She asked, feeling slightly offended that he would suggest they go after such weak prey. "I've hunted alone my entire life and bigger game than this too sometimes. I know how to snap an elk's neck and sever the jugular of a caribou, simple forest deer such as these are child's play." She argued, suddenly showing a stubborn side as she fell back on her haunches and glared fiercely at Lakuu. "And just so you know, the ones with handicaps-such as a gimp leg-are the ones with the toughest meat. They don't put as much weight on their bad leg which completely throws their balance proportion. So, instead of the meat being nice and tender where it's supposed to be, it would be tough and chewy. And I for one will not eat tough meat." The young wolfess gave a matter-of-fact nod and closed her jade eyes.

As the female waited for Lakuu's reply, her ears swiveled and her nose sniffed daintily at the air. Her paws felt the vibrations of things moving beneath them in the soil. It was simple to single out a nice young deer in good health. "Now. If you're done cracking jokes," Aiu began, opening her eyes and catching the slender male's gaze, "there happens to be a young deer among the same group I would guess who is in much better condition. And, if you're wanting so badly for a good hunt, that would be the target to pick. However, I suppose you are the one in charge at the moment so I would advise you to chose wisely." The snowy wolfess nodded, fluttering her wings slightly and edging a little closer to the male. She wasn't mad or even really insulted, she just didn't want to settle for something less when she could have something better with a little more effort. But, while she wanted Lakuu to see her point, she didn't want him to get angry with her either. The young femme hoped he would see through her ranting and not take it personally.</sup>

[tovaana]

L A K U U
knight taking on the sun

It just now hit me this is more than just a set back
And when you spelled it out, well, I guess I didn’t get that
And every trace of momentum is gone
And this isn’t turning out the way I want

Lakuu did not sit, but he just stared at her. She went on and on and it wasn’t until she was done that he realized she was being dead serious. He wanted to laugh, but he wanted to shout- but he could do neither, for he would feel awkward to do either. So he just stared incredulously at the other. His gaze did not waver, trying to read her stubborn attitude, trying to see how she saw. Blue and other blue eyes looked away from her now to the direction of the group of edgy deer he had pinpointed- but he wasn’t just thinking about the deer, he was thinking about ’her’. This was her, there was no shield, she was acting and saying things that she would say in reaction to his own words. She was ridiculous, but he was amused- for in all honesty, he didn’t care what his food tasted like, nor how easy or difficult it was to take down prey…Nor did he care that she could take down large animals, so could he- but that’s just not how it was done. Life to him was not a contest.

“Aiu, I do not mean to insult what you can and cannot do. I only meant to take down the deer with a limp, because that is how life is, the weakest are weaned out so the strongest can prevail and provide more food for us. However, if you would like to lead this hunt, you may.”

What he said he meant, they were not said as though he felt like he’d been wronged, nor did they flaunt that he was better than she. He would not, however, argue. All he wanted was some food, and though it felt wrong to go after the more healthy and younger, he was not about to bicker with a lady. Lakuu tried not to let his easy manner leave him, trying to keep the conversation light without falling back into an emotionless wreck like he was.

“Both seem to have its pro’s and con’s- however, it was your stomach that made noise first.”

A paw stepped her way, watching curiously to see if she’d take the lead. Not much other than what was happening crossed his mind, not much contemplating- only listening to his surroundings and waiting.

And I so hate consequences
And running from you is what my best defense is
Cause I know that I let you down
And I don’t want to deal with that


puppet {{{ L . a k u u }}}
run with me [[[ A . i u and open ]]]
lyrics [[[ I . S O hate consequences ]]]

[ulrica]

<sup>The male's words were simple and too the point. Aiu felt thoroughly chastised. Her eyes snapped open and she looked away slightly. "Oh...well...." She snorted and leaped forward at a trot, her head low and wings clamped tightly to her sides. If she hadn't been heading away from Lakuu, and if her fur hadn't been there to cover it, her blush would have revealed her embarrassment. "Stupid male.... Always right..... Sarcastic..." She muttered her own chastisement under her breath as she trotted toward the herd of deer, pausing on the top of a hill so she could see them clearly and at the same time see Lakuu. Once again, she turned and waited for him, though this time her eyes were glued to the ground and her voice held less confidence than it had before. "You coming... I mean what am I supposed to do without you there to tell me right?" She had meant it as a joke, but her less than cheery tone somewhat dulled it down.

The young wolfess knew he thought of her as a fool now, for he had been exactly right. If you killed off the stronger ones then all that would be left would be the weak, unhealthy ones and then they would produce weak, unhealthy offspring. With only mediocre prey on which to feed, anything that ate only meat would then in turn loose their prowess in new generations. Way to let your gut think for you Aiu... Way to go... She complained mentally, once again adding to her own chastisement. When Lakuu finally reached her side, the snowy wolfess looked up at him though she was somewhat crouched in a submissive manner. Her tail wagged once or twice halfheartedly as he drew even with her and she caught his bi-colored gaze. "Tell me what to do..." The female said simply before turning to look at the deer, unable to meet Lakuu's gaze anymore.

Stupid girl. A voice in her head goaded with vicious glee. You really can't do anything right can you. Aiu clenched her jaw at her own thoughts, clamping her wings tighter against her side until it was almost painful. Then, she simply waited for Lakuu to laugh at her idiotic behavior and decide he would rather hunt alone.</sup>

[tovaana]

L A K U U
knight taking on the sun

I am floating away
Lost in a silent ballet
I’m dreaming you’re out in the blue and I am right beside you
Awake to take in the view
Late nights and early parades
Still photos and noisy arcades

He could sense the sadness creep up on her. Instantly he felt bad for continuing to tear her down over and over again. Perhaps she did not know who she was, perhaps this was all too much for her, perhaps he should leave her alone…He was not the most pleasant wolf to be around, he knew this already, but he simply could not waver from being himself, but perhaps this was herself? In that moment he wished for nothing more to just know what she was thinking and why, for she was capable, and everyone made mistakes- even he did. It had been foolish to meditate in the open, but was that a crime if he did not care? And if she wanted to hunt a healthy probably more lovely tasting deer, was this a crime if she did not care?

His head held high and looked down at her, but he only mocked himself. Muzzle shook side to side slowly and dipped down to her, stepping closer and touching her jaw momentarily.

“I’d have you smile.”

Voice touched the air gently and he smiled an almost sad smile himself. He did realize that she may not like close-ness and it wasn’t polite to stay in one’s bubble for too long. One, two steps moved him to her side, but enough to give her room as he spoke again.

“And I’d have you start the hunt. We’re going to run in a moment, they’re going to hear us quickly. Take no heed to who ever is most injured- we’ll take out the one who falls behind first- therefore a little bit of what you wanted and what I wanted.”

Limp or not, Lakuu knew that some deer were known to overcome their limp if they were indeed of the stronger. Of course, it did not matter which they took down, not to him at least, he only hoped his new friend would feel comfortable and have a good experience hunting with another. Dark and light eye did not look away from her now, head gesturing toward the deer with a light smile. The wind was picking up, and for now it was in their favor- but he knew the air was fickle and he’d never felt a love for the sky, unless it produced angelic beings like Aiu. In the moment he could feel an appreciation for the clouds, for her abnormal wings that clung to her sides, like a bird. A bird. Little bird. His little bird that would carry good news for him. He liked that better than an earth bound angel, angels did not exsist, and he was glad- for what fun would a perfect angel be if one had no imprefections?

“But not until you smile.”

He noted in all seriousness, as if he were trying to hold back from a smile.

My darling, we’re both on the wing, look down and keep on singing!
And we can go anywhere
Are you there?
Are you there, or are you just a decoy dream in my head?
Am I home or am I simply tumbling all alone?


puppet {{{ L . a k u u }}}
run with me [[[ A . i u ]]]
lyrics [[[ O . N the wing ]]]