~ A Plan to Return ~

[~ T r i s s c a r ~]

A dark figure padded softly across the wooden walkway. Many thoughts passed through the brute's head.

So that was my half-sister Trisscar back at the borders! I must return to see her . . . something very important.

No, I won't be welcome there. I guess I didn't make a very good impression the first time . . . Maybe, just maybe, I can find my way back. Seems only a few members of the gang saw me back there, so most may not know me.

He looked down at his dark reflection in the water. Midnight-hued orbs blinked, and he nodded his head. Don't know what has gotten into me. Usually, I'm just there and quiet. Must have lost my cool.

Finally his gaze lifted from his tall image, and he thought he saw a hazy mist floating up from the sea. Something like amber glinted at him, and he tore his eyes away.

"Yes, Zorro. I will find my sister." The amber flickered and disappeared. Espio lifted his nose to the wind, and followed the dull scent t'wards the gang territory.

((Grr . . . - kicks post - Bad post . . . My creative juices in my brain are running low.))

[Valentina]

Lurking around the abandoned stands and rides on the pier, the silent shadow of the wolf Laion peered out at the black fox-dog with icy eyes.

He had spotted Tyrant and Valentina, immediately felt embarrassed and wandered off to explore, coming across a half-wild scent which he tracked to this place. And there the black dog was, and as he turned to come back the way he came, Laion padded out of the shadows, purely out of curiosity and boredom.

"Hey," he said, giving the dog the up-down, then offering a half-smile which showed his enormous wolven fangs. "Whatcha doin'?"

[~ T r i s s c a r ~]

The fox-dog whipped around as he saw the lupine come out of the shadows. I should have seen him . . . You're loosing it, Espio!

His fur bristled all over, and - although he was much smaller than the wolf - brought himself to snarl. Then his fur lay flat again, and he raised a brow at him. By his tone he was no threat. In a cool tone, he whispered, "What are you doing?"

((Hey, what if Espio and Laion become friends? In this story I was writing - with Espio in it - he opens up to a dog with Laion's personality.))

[Valentina]

((wow really? A spastic and a little rash? Sure that would be cool! I'd love to read your story too!))

Laion padded further out of the shadows, stopping with a jolt as Espio snarled, ducking his head low and flashing his fangs resposively. Then the fox-dog's fur flattened and he replied, and Laion straightened himself, laying down his own inky fur which he hadn't realized had stood up like quils.

Laion gave a short, humorless laugh. "Asked you first." he walked in a half circle around Espio, then stopped when he was close to the edge of the pier, still watching the other brujo alertly.

[~ T r i s s c a r ~]

((You know what's scary? The little dog starts by saying "Whatcha doin'?", too!))

Espio bristled a bit at the wolf. He was being impossible. His normal few uttered gruff words wouldn't be enough to talk to a canine like this. "And what is a wolf doing at a city like this? You're only asking for trouble." Something within him shouted that he was asking for it, so he fixed tone. "I--"

Watch what you say . . . chances are slim, but he may know the gang . . . He may want to protect it.

"I was just going to see my sister . . ." His soft voice trailed off when he looked into Laion's icy eyes. Like the wolf-dog's back at the borders. He was instantly aware, and he hopped out of his way, indigo eyes narrowing.

[Valentina]

((Wooooooow....O.o That's crazy lol))
Laion flinched visibly when Espio said wolf. His whole body tensed and he glared hurtfully at Espio, his black lips lifting the tiniest bit. Saying anything about his blood was the easiest way to get to Laion, as he was so sensitive about it, believing himself to not be trusted sometimes, as he was a wild animal, as so many had said.

Then Espio mentioned going to see his sister, and Laion forgot entirely about his comment altogether. He lifted his head, ears pricked forward, and his eyes went slightly round. Suddenly Espio seemed familiar...yes...like the little fox dog in the den, who'd healed his own sister!

He looked at the fox dog suspiciously for a minute. "Your...sister? Th-that's why I'm here, too...I was looking for my sister." His chilling pools shining silver in the lack of light trailed off across the ocean, but he brought them sharply back to Espio when he jumped to the side. Laion smiled, but it was more menacing than humorous, and took a step forward. "Whatcha runnin' from?" he asked, cocking an eyebrow. He'd withhold the information that he might know this dog's sister, until he knew his intentions for finding her.

[~ T r i s s c a r ~]

The tall dog noticed, after he had spoken about his half-sister, that the wolf also seemed alert. We both have secrets. The trick is, finding out the other's first.

A slight worry passed through him as the wolf advanced, and he spoke as he retreated another step, hoping that Laion's attention would be directed to his voice and not his paws.

"Actually, she's my half-sister," he said in his cool, quiet tone. His navy-violet eyes blazed dangerously as he said, "So you don't know where yours is?" hoping that he would reveal a touch more of his information.

[Valentina]

"Ah...same here. Half-sister."Laion said with a smile, as though they were making friendly conversation, although his tail swayed smoothly behind him, dusting the back of his legs.

He was still forming his opinion of the fox-dog. He was much larger than the shaman, and all he could find alike between the two was their blood. This half-dog held something dark behind his unusual midnight eyes, and he hadn't come out and given him a name yet. The wolf didn't really think about these things though; he relied mostly on primal instincts and thoughts that came from subconscious feelings. But right now, he didn't really trust Espio, although he didn't have a reason not to. He just felt like he was hiding something.

He didn't advance any further, but stood still, shifting his weight now and again, dark talons etching into the rotted wood beneath them as he pondered Espio's attatchment to his half-sister. He wanted to stay with Valentina, who clearly wanted to stay with Tyrant, and so it was probably not in the wolf's best interests to hand over the shaman to a stranger.

"Oh I already found mine," he said, staring hard into Espio's dark eyes with his own chilling pools. "Why are you looking for your sister? Just curious..."

[~ T r i s s c a r ~]

Espio locked eyes, letting out a soft growl that was barely audible. He knows Trisscar, he thought. He lifted his head more, gaze burrowing into Laion's. His muscles tensed and he let out another whisper. "Do you know my sister? I promise no harm will come to her." He blinked. He didn't remember ever talking this much before.

I promise, the fox-dog thought. He moved a step forward, ears flattening a bit, tail drooping, so he wouldn't look as frightening. But the wood creaked beneath his paws.

((Espio's tryin' to be nice . . .))

[Valentina]

A frown crossed the wolf's features, as he thought hard, eyes still searching the fox-dog's. He was torn. He saw how Espio's tail and ears drooped, and he began to fidget, as he did when he was stuck, unsure what to do or say. Still he forced his eyes to peer into Espio's, as all of the muscles on his body writhed, barely noticable under the thick gold and black pelt.

He flicked his ears a few times. Espio could be acting, putting on a show to make it seem he wouldn't appear menacing, or a threat to the tiny femme, but...if he wasn't putting on a show, and Laion had no way to tell if he was, then...he remembered the way his heart was in his throat when he first came across Valentina's scent in the city, the elated feeling from knowing you've found something with one in a million odds. He remembered how tense every muscle in his body was as he awaited Tyrant's answer about his own sister's whereabouts, how ready he was to kill them all and ravage the entire land for her if they'd said she wasn't there...

As this memory came to him, he sighed, shook his head defeatedly, then gave Espio the first honest grin all night. He didn't want to take the chance that Espio was not just putting on a show.

Wearily he said, "She looks just like you, only about this tall?" he motioned with his enormous paw Trisscar's height, cocking his head to the side, as he gazed tensely at the fox-dog.

[~ T r i s s c a r ~]

So he will talk. The tall male watched Laion's paw intently, then said, "Well, I believe so. But not as much a black Shepherd like me, but a fox." Watch it. You're speaking too freely.

He looked carefully at Laion, studying his features. He had to have been related to the femme. "Listen . . . have you seen her, or something?" His ears shot up at another creak, but he kept watching the wolf's face.

((Dang this short post! - kicks - I probably won't be on for too much longer.))

[Valentina]

Laion nodded. "Yes...i think I have, although I don't remember her name." he caught that Espio kept looking at him almost as though he were someon else, and cocked an eyebrow.

"Before I hand her over though," he said quietly. "At least tell me your name. I'm Laion."

[~ T r i s s c a r ~]

The brute nodded and his ears flicked as he caught his name. Laion. Okay. But he hardly cared. He stepped forward a touch and growled his own dubbance.

"... Nice to meet you. I am Espio....Espio Nyoka." It was said like at the borders, but without the aggression. He trotted off a few paces, then sat down, his back turned. Indigo oculi troubled, he looked over his shoulder at Laion.

[Valentina]

Espio. Laion nodded curtly, as Espio turned his back and took a few paces down the pier headed back toward land. He froze for a minute, staring hard at the back of the fox-dog's head. He hoped he wasn't about to make a huge mistake, but he would stand by and make sure that this Espio Nyoka brought no harm to the gang's shaman.

Espio looked over his shoulder at him, and Laion's gaze hardened. It was a good sign that the fox-dog would even turn his back on him, but Laion was an unsure individual, and didn't truly trust Espio's intentions.

He padded by Espio, gait silent and smooth, head low, and tail waving airily behind; it was the characteristic movement of the wolf. "Alright then, follow me, Espio." Laion said, sounding cheerful, but the look in his icy blue eyes as he caught the ebony half-dog's gaze one last time, clearly said Laion would not hesitate to kill Espio.

He let his emotions play across his face, in the form of a distrustful glare, even when he was out of sight. His footsteps were silent, and his ears were swiveled back for the sound of Espio's footsteps picking up behind him.