[PRP] Something Strange Lurks (Flicker x Katiti'manina)

[Kyrieko]

Scouting. It was her favorite thing to do as part of the Dawnstar pack. Getting to go out and explore all the curious things in the land was almost intoxicating. More so frustrating when she couldn't make sense of a majority of it. And there was so much she had questions about! But, whether it was a curse or a blessing, she was quite skilled at retaining memory and categorizing things in her mind. Which made her a good scout. And meant her list of unanswered curiosities was growing.

Today, however, she was tackling the biggest curiosity of all. The one her mother (and father) both spoke of. Since she was a pup, her mother had spoken quite fondly - and a little fanatically - about this strange wood... the Redwood. From her stories, they believed this place to be magical. Or possessing some sort of ability to grant wolves things. This was a fact her mother firmly believed and would not hear any sense of reason.

Oh, and they also believed there were strange monsters lurking about the woods.

SIGH.

Flickering Wisp gazed out in to the strange woods. There was certainly a different feel to them compared to the forest her pack traversed through. Like this place was... old. She couldn't help but feel that maybe, just maybe, her mother wasn't as crazy as she originally thought.

"Only one way to find out." She spoke allowed to the trees. Stretching her legs, Flicker dove right in and began a gentle trot into through the woods.

Krysin

 

[Krysin]

Just outside of the veil, she could feel the energy from Irithyll seeping into the woods around her. If she closed her eyes, she could taste it upon her tongue. None knew for how much longer the veil would remain torn, and Katiti'manina risked being trapped upon the wrong side of it if she lingered in Kells for too long. But, some risks were worth taking. She could feel that everything would work out in her favor. Confidence, the kind that she carried, had been molded from her youth, reinforced by every action she took. Most would be wary of the 'new' world, most would never dare to leave the safety and sanctity of Irithyll.

She was not most, and as she cast her gaze out through the woods all she saw were opportunities.

Kat had fulfilled her part of the bargain with the young dire, Vow. In this moment, she was sure he was relaying all that he had learned to his companions. It bothered her little, there was still much that he did not know. Either because he did not know to ask or because Kat had been able to deflect his inquiries easily enough. She had been honest with him, as honest as she had wanted to be. It was up to him now to fulfill his end of their deal, and she did not doubt that he would.

That journey would begin soon enough. In the brief reprieve before then, something caught her interest. She heard before she saw the dire, and Kat, confident in all things, moved to intercept her. As Flickering Wisp trotted through the woods, Kat weaved her way through the tall redwood trees to fall in pace parallel to her. Her bright red coat was hard to miss as it slipped behind trees, but Kat was not hiding.

"You move with purpose, little one. What do you seek?" Her voice carried over to the female, though Kat had not once yet made eye contact or even notably glanced in her direction.  

[Kyrieko]

Honestly, Flicker wasn't sure what she was going to find out in the redwood. She just had an inkling that there must be something to have validated the stories that both her mother and father would tell. And clearly, there was something about this place that constantly drew her mother in. Perhaps, it was Kindle that gave Flicker her insatiable curiosity? It would make the most logical sense to the shewolf.

Shaking her head a little and clearing her thoughts, Flicker felt, more than saw, when something had changed around her. The shewolf didn't slow, but her gaze traveled around quickly. There! A vibrant red. It was moving through the woods. Moving the same way that she was. It looked very much like a wolf. And yet... there was definitely something different.

Then it spoke. Flicker glanced at the wolf-thing that was pacing her, a curious shine lighting up her eyes. Was this one of the monsters that her mother spoke of?

"I seek answers. And knowledge." She replied, slowing her trot down to a more leisurely walk, looking over at the strange wolf once more. She, for Flicker thought she sounded feminine, seemed leaner, with longer legs. And that coat coloring was nothing she had ever seen before. "I have heard stories of these woods. I simply wished to discern what parts of those stories were real."

"For instance, you seem real. Therefore, perhaps tales of strange spirits or monsters in these woods are not completely far-fetched?" Flicker observed, the beginnings of her need to understand this creature building like a fire.

Krysin

 

[Krysin]

A soft laugh warmed her breath, creating a small puff of air made visible by the chill of winter. Amusement gleamed in her blue eyes, though they remained trained forward. It wasn't a dismissive gesture, but rather a confident one. Flicker was no threat. The wolf could not possibly be a threat to a creature such as herself. With her infinitely greater knowledge and power, there was no creature in Kells that could endanger her. "Answers and knowledge do not come without a price," she chastised. "A price I am not sure you are capable of paying, young one."

Kat could hear it in the female's voice, her youth, that unbridled curiosity. It was endearing, but she never allowed endearment to cloud her own vision. Fondness was something she could experience, but she was far better at faking it. "Stories carry... fantastical elements to them, but at what point do those fantasies become real? Where do you draw the line, especially now when the world seems so alive?" Kat would not say a single thing that she did not want known. There were a purpose to her words, but these... these were simply bait.

Flicker's mind was already working, pulling at questions and possibilities. It would take little to encourage her. In her experience, curiosity was a hard thing to sate, and once Flicker went down that rabbit hole there was little hope of drawing herself back out of it. "Perhaps, but how do you know that I am real? I could tell you that I am, but I have no proof. And if I am not real, what does that mean for you?"

She lifted her paw in the air, flicking her wrist in a dismissive gesture. "But we can play at possibilities and potential outcomes all day, and never come up with a clear answer. True knowledge has a far greater cost than what mere words can pay with." Kat turned her head subtly towards Flicker to indulge her answer.  

[Kyrieko]

Flicker gradually slowed her pace to a more leisurely walk, taking a little more care to look over the female that traveled beside her. She really was a magnificent thing to behold. Everything about this strange female said "wolf" to her mind, or what her mind associated with this word. But it had never seen any wolf like her. Fascinating! Was it a mutation? Another species all together?!

The young female gave a small smile. "Everything has a price. It is the balance of the world, I believe." She mused. Curious. Was there answers this creature could give her? Ones that she would only part with if she paid for them in some way? And was she, herself, willing to pay the price that would be asked?

More questions. More answers that were needed.

"Stories of origins. Fantastical elements or not. That is what is so intriguing about them. I want to learn to which of those elements are nothing but fantasy." Such was her curse. "But I also rather enjoy the thrill of the journey to seek those answers, too." Flicker admitted, looking over at the other wolf.

True. There was no way for her to really prove that the bright red and black creature beside her was real. It could all be an illusion, brought on by some desperate part of her mind to seek the answers these strange woods held. Or to prove to her mother there were no such things as monsters. Or maybe, she wanted to prove that there were monsters.

"What would the cost be to gain such true knowledge? Is it something that must be seen with ones own eyes?" Was it something she would be allowed to gain?

"Perhaps... we start at a different approach." Slowing to a stop, the young shewolf looked fully at the creature before her, dipping her head in greeting and wagging the tip of her tail. "I am Flickering Wisp. But you can call me Flicker, if you prefer."

Krysin

 

[Krysin]

It indulged her sense of irony, to play at being nothing but an illusion when it was well within her power to create illusions. The temptation to use said power remained present at all times, for why have such strength if she never used it? Now was not the time or place to reveal what she could and could not do, however. Especially in front of a young wolf who had not proven herself capable of providing Katiti'manina with anything of value.

Their conversation was one of possibilities played and feigned at. The Ethereal wanted Flicker to know that she had all the answers that she desired, but also did not want to give that information away freely. "Yes and no," she answered truthfully, seeing no reason to lie. "If you trust my word, you could learn much. Confirmation of what I have to say is likely something you must see with your own eyes. I know how to show you." It remained to be seen if it would be worth her while to. There were, unfortunately, other things she had to tend to before she could indulge in all the curiosities of the young wolf.

Mirroring Flicker's movements, Katiti'manina halted her steps to come to a stop. "Ah," laughter carried on her breath, "I forget how straightforward your names are. It is endearing." The male she had struck her deal with also had such a name, though less poetic.

"I am Katiti'manina," she introduced herself. Her name was a mix of hard sounds, startling to foreign tongues. "I am not from this side, this place. My home is Irithyll." It was the tiniest piece of information that Flicker was waiting for. Yet, Kat revealed no other details, just a name to a place that only possibly existed.  

[Kyrieko]

Flicker filed away the little hints of information that were given or could potentially be gained if she so desired to pursue it. But the shewolf was finding herself even more curious about the wolf before her. All other curiosities of the world were taking a backseat while she took the moment to fully appreciate the other. The longer legs. Leaner build. Striking coloration! Was it all dye? Or was that color natural? She certainly had never seen any such coloring in all of Kells!

"Katiti'manina..." She said slowly, testing the strange name out. "A unique name." Flicker murmured, her eyes lighting up like the flickering flame she was named after. "Irithyll? Is that part of Kells? Or... no. You said you are not from this place."

Interesting. Perhaps her mother had been right all along. There was definitely some strange magics that were working here in these woods.

"May I ask what Irithyll is? Or, what it is like?" How did one get to this place? If this Katiti'manina was from there, surely she had to have come... from somewhere! Admittedly, Flicker was not as familiar with the redwoods as her mother was becoming.

Oh heavens, she was going to have to tell her mother she wasn't all that crazy...

"Your fur... it is such a vibrant color... is that natural or dye?" The younger shewolf couldn't help the slight excited to her wagging tail and alert ears. So many questions to ask! But that would also be rude. "I have many questions I want to ask... but what about you? If you are not from this.... place, perhaps I can try to answer some questions for you as well? In exchange for asking my own?"

Krysin

 

[Krysin]

She made the decision, finally, to close the distance between herself and Flicker. Her movement was purposeful as she strolled over the cold ground, crisp leaves crumbling underneath her paws. The Ethereal only stopped when she was little more than a few feet from the curious female. The potential to gain something from this conversation had proven too tempting to toss away. While she had places to be and many things to do, she could spare some time for the near-stranger.

"You may ask, but I may not answer," she replied with an amused hum.

The other wolf certainly had plenty of questions to ask of her, and Katiti'manina let her ramble them off without interruption. Even though the questions had been asked, she was by no means obliged to answer them. She picked through and chose what she felt comfortable giving freely to Flicker. "My fur is natural, and quite striking I've been told. It is not uncommon where I'm from to be born with such colors. The rules of my world are different than your's, after all." The only question she answered was the one that held little consequence whether it be ignored or fulfilled. Katiti'manina was also undeniably vain, so an opportunity to appraise herself positively was welcome.

For a moment her expression changed from distant aloofness to smug satisfaction, almost impossible to notice, when Flicker offered to answer her own questions. This was the sort of currency that Katiti'manina dealt with, and she did not have to lead the shewolf too hard towards that conclusion. "It seems fair to exchange knowledge. There are some things I will not speak on, however, some things not fit for mortal ears." It was Kat's way out if Flicker wanted to know something that she was not willing to give.

"I will begin with a simple inquiry, then. Where are you from?" She knew of one pack, but there were countless others throughout Kells. Kat needed to be familiar with them, and if she could garner if Flicker hailed from one by seemingly harmless questions, then the female would prove to be far more useful to the Ethereal.

Kyrieko

 

[Kyrieko]

Young and curious she may be, but even Flicker could admit that was a fair point. She certainly could ask whatever questions that were swirling through her head! But this creature had every right to choose not to answer. Or, there was also the possibility she would not answer with the whole truth. Which only meant that she'd have more questions to seek out the answers to if she was to ever understand this wood.

"I would say that is very fair." Flicker mused, panting softly to keep herself focused. And not to send her in to a fit of babble like her mother might get in to when excited.

As soon as Katiti'manina began to answer a few of her questions, the young female sat up straighter, all business as she sorted the information she gained. So that striking red was natural? Interesting. And not uncommon to where Katiti'manina was from? So certainly not from anywhere in Kells! Oooh that was such an exotic thing to ponder! "Your fur is certainly very striking indeed." She murmured in agreement.

So, just what, exactly was Katiti'manina? She had all the aspects of a wolf! But she wasn't from Kells? Mortal ears? The mystery just kept getting bigger and bigger!

"Where I am from?" Flicker thought about her answer. "I live near where the Bluestone mountains and the forest meet. My pack travels between the two areas during different seasons of the year. In relation to us now, I live further to the east." The shewolf gave a little nod with her snout in the direction of the Bluestone mountain range.

"You spoke of an... Irithyll? May I ask how it is you found yourself here in the redwoods?" She certainly was trying to sift through her important questions, hoping she didn't ask any that were unanswerable or too personal.

Krysin

 

[Krysin]

So the young female was from a pack, a boon for Katiti'manina's insatiable desire for more information herself. Unlike Flicker, Katiti'manina did not seek out information for curiosity's sake, but rather recognized information as power. The more she knew, the more she controlled. Knowledge was one of the most valuable assets in any time or place. The Ethereal may have a source of magical abilities, but magic could only get one so far. Illusions would eventually dissipate. It all had limitations that she refused to be bound by.

"What is the name of your pack, in case I ever happen across them?" she asked, hoping that the question was innocent enough. Kat did not intend to cause any trouble to the pack, but she did not see reason in wasting an opportunity to learn all that she could about them. An entire pack could be a piece to play in the grand scheme of things.

"I simply walked," she answered with a sly smile, her blue eyes twinkling briefly with mischief. It would be too cruel of her to answer with just that, and so Katiti'manina offered Flicker a small mercy instead. "I crossed through the Veil, and am moving through the redwoods now to my next destination where I am to meet with an acquaintance. I would share with you where I am going, but it is not my place to say so."

She stared Flicker down, her head tilted slightly. "The Veil itself is not terribly far from here, but I will not be able to guide you to it. But if you keep headed in the same direction, I'm sure you will come across it eventually."

Kyrieko

 

[Kyrieko]

Flicker was beginning to think that, to some degree, this strange shewolf also was a collector of information. Though, their reasons for it may have differed. But the young shewolf was willing to help answer what she could in return for anything Katiti'manina was willing to share.

She canted her head, considering the question and not finding anything wrong with answering. "My pack is known by the name Dawnstar. We're migratory, as I mentioned before. So you will find somewhere in the Bluestone mountain and forest region." The exact locations, she would not share. It was not her place. Their alpha could choose to share that, if he so wished and happened to meet this ethereal.

"Just walked?" Flicker replied with a little surprise, a small frown forming. Was that all she was going to get? But then, Katiti'manina gave her a little more clarification. Ah, so she crossed through some landmark known as the Veil. What was it, exactly? Would she be able to see it? Were only creatures such as this red shewolf able to find it? More questions!

The younger shewolf gave a small smile of understanding. "It is not my place to question what one does with acquaintances or where they meet. I am just very appreciative of the time you have spared for my questions." She glanced in the direction that Katiti'manina indicated.

"Can one such as myself see it, then? Or to be more accurate, will I know that is the Veil when I see it?" This was certainly something she would go investigate! The more information she could gain from this strange place, the less crazy her mother was. And the more information she could pass along to her pack.

Kyrsin