You're Not Alone

You're Not Alone
Date of Scene:	21 November 2012
Location:	Fluorgis - Shard Seekers HQ
Synopsis:	Avira comes to Skoll with 'interesting' news! Hati... his long lost sister... is alive!
Cast of Characters:	Skoll Ulfang, Avira

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Avira has posed:
The streets of Fluorgis had been unsafe for Avira once. In fact, it wasn't too long ago at all that she feared to set foot in this city again. Since then, something had changed.

She no longer feared being hunted, least of all by the likes of Kharmja. Would they still remember at this point? Hold a grudge even? It could be chalked up to arrogance but more accurately it was due to something that was earned through trial by fire. Ironically, it was that reason she was in this city at all today.

Skoll had actually received a heads-up via his Ma Belle that Avira was coming to visit so it should not be a surprise to see her in the city. Nor should it be a surprise when she "invades" the Shard Seeker headquarters. Her nose wrinkles as she enters the place and seeks out her dear friend and teacher. "Skoll?"

Skoll Ulfang has posed:
Skoll indeed got her message, and has been lounging around the Shard Seekers' HQ ever since. He actually got the message while he was out. But one of the advantages of being what he is - is the ability to move wherever he damn well pleases, as long as he's been there before. Besides, he's good at lounging.

The werewolf has his legs kicked up in the main room of the Shard Seekers Headquarters, arms behind his neck and has his eyes closed. His ears twitch now and again like those of a sleeping dog's. And... that would be because Skoll has fallen asleep. There's a puppy sleeping on his chest at the moment, and his Ma Belle is sitting right on top of the sleeping puppy's head.

Fear! The villainous and evil Skoll Ulfang!

Avira has posed:
Her calls go unanswered. Avira frowns in concern and begins to wonder...oh! He must be hiding somewhere, ready to pounce and test her awareness. Right away, she focuses, falling deathly silent, listening for each noise and feeling for each slight change in the air flow. They were all small techniques picked up in those harrowing days in Bramble Forest and were all necessary for her own survival.

She creeps around the building, cautiously rounding each corner, looking at each shadow. Sure, she knows he could pop out of nowhere with a portal, but that would be cheating. Skoll was honorable, he would give her a sporting chance and-

Avira spies him, asleep on the couch with a puppy on his chest. Staring at this scene for a long moment, she's completely caught off guard by this image. Her heart melts, "A...awww..." she says quietly, creeping up to the sleeping pair. It seemed like it would be a shame to wake them and ruin this moment...so she doesn't. Instead, she quietly moves to them, reaches over, and rubs the puppy behind the ears.

Slowly, she sinks to her knees, then turns her back to lean against the base of the chair that Skoll is sleeping in.

Skoll Ulfang has posed:
Skoll seems not to notice her presence at all. He just keeps on sleeping. He doesn't snore or anything, he just breathes quietly, one hand on his chest near the puppy, and his other handing along the chair - on the side the girl ends up leaning against. For a while, Skoll just remains asleep along with the puppy - whose only reaction to Avira's ear-rub is a small shift in its weight and a canine yawn.

A good half hour later, is when Skoll finally stirs. He shifts his weight lightly, his hand brushing along Avira's arm in that moment. The puppy, awoken by the movement, slowly stands up and stretches his legs on top of Skoll and makes for a loud and broad puppy yawn, before it jumps off of Skoll.

That motion is all that Skoll needs, raising both arms into the air and completely unaware of Avira, waking up and making a loud and ungentlemanlike yawn of his own. He then gropes around his own chest to find the phone which had dropped off of the puppy, and looks at the time... and then looks at his side... and sees Avira sitting there.

"WAAH!" He's surprised in his half-sleep, and literally tips over the chair and falls over along with it.

Fear him! THE MIGHTY WARRIOR Skoll Ulfang!

Avira has posed:
Avira always did have a fondness for animals. She couldn't have a pet for...many reasons, really, and lately that fondness had matured into something else entirely. Still with her is that affection she felt, especially for small and adorable PUPPIES! She's half tempted to pick the puppy up and keep it in her lap until Skoll awakens.

As she waits, she finds herself considering this decision more and more. Skoll was a surprisingly sound sleeper. Avira becomes close to dozing off herself when she feels Skoll carelessly touch her arm. At that, she looks up at him and sees the puppy jump down and Skoll awaken.

Then he startles at her presence and the chair tips over. Involuntarily, Avira lets out a laugh and stands, peering over the fallen chair. She leans forward, placing her hands on the upended chair legs and looks down at him.

"Have a nice nap, Skoll?" she teases. "I guess I kept you waiting too long!"

Skoll Ulfang has posed:
Skoll makes a loud groaning sound, laying on the floor, and blinks his eyes for a moment before he turns onto his back and kind of just lays down there in a 'I meant to do that' kind of way. He looks up at Avira from there, and blinks a few times. He looks at the phone in his hand again - checking the time. "Oh right. Sorry, I must have fallen asleep. I was meaning to send you a message..." Clearly, he must have been immensely tired. But what could he have been doing to have him this tired?

With him laying like this, she might notice what she could not earlier. His shirt is shoved a bit up due to the landing, showing a few mean bruises and scars. If she manages to take a peek, Skoll is quick to pull his shirt down. Either way, the werewolf stands up and puts the chair back upright. "Anything I could do for you?" He asks curiously. "How're the wolves doing? Said a proper goodbye?"

Avira has posed:
"Wow, you look really tired too." Avira leans a hand against her chin and props her elbow against the chair. Very tired, especially if he dropped asleep in the middle of texting. This doesn't strike her as odd at first, but as she stares down at him, she takes notice of something else interesting.

Bruising and scars all over his abs and chest? Yes, she does take notice at this with a rather pointed look. She only grows more suspicious when he yanks his shirt down all quick like that. "...what happened to you?" she asks, her voice carrying slight concern within. "Oh, I wanted to catch up...tell you about something I saw a while ago. I..."

She looks sheepish, remembering her wolves. "I haven't seen them since we left. I don't know how to get to that forest without a portal." Though she could track down some of the people that helped her and ask. Riku might know. As would Raiya.

Skoll Ulfang has posed:
"Got into a fight." Skoll turns his eyes away as he tells this truth, biting his lip. He can't lie to a lady - which is a troublesome part of that whole honorcode of his. But it was still what was part of him. "It'll heal." He adds. And if Avira remembers just how /fast/ Skoll tended to heal from wounds... it should come as strange to her just how wounded that he still looks after what must have been hours of sleep.

"Don't worry about it." He puts a hand to his hip and shifts his weight, trying not to wince as he touches part of his wound. "Catch up huh? Sure! I do hope that what you saw weren't more Khamja folks though." He then runs a hand through his fluffy silver hair; his ears twitching expressively.

"Shame though. Sure they miss you. You should go see them sometime. I could probably give you directions to the place. But perhaps it'd be better if you try and hone your newfound instincts to find them yourself. To follow the bond you've created between yourself and the wolves."

Avira has posed:
How could Avira forget his super fast healing after that Central Park battle? She'd long since internalized it as one of Skoll's werewolf powers. Or...something powers. She knew he had them. "...how long ago? I'm surprised it hasn't healed already."

No, she clearly will not /not/ worry about it. If Ivo has ever complained about Avira's persistence around Skoll, here is a definite example.

She shakes her head, though, "They haven't given me any trouble since that one day. Not that I've allowed them too but I imagine the issue has blown over." She pauses.

The topic of finding the forest again is addressed first. "That would be an appropriate challenge." Avira says evenly. Especially if she was still serious about trying to map things. "Anyway.."

She looks the werewolf in the eye, "I saw another one of your kind in this city back when I was leaving after that Kharmja incident."

Skoll Ulfang has posed:
"A while?" Skoll attempts, not really wanting to give much away on the subject. "~Anyhow." He kind of does that not-so-subtle movement onto another subject, just as she says 'anyway' -- agreeing to move on from the subject. Of course, if he were aware of Avira's persistance and affection for him, he isn't letting that be known in the least.

No really, he's just that clueless.

But then the girl goes and says something he didn't expect. His eyes widen first, and then his expression slacks again. His arms fold before his chest and he gives her /a look/. "Very funny Avira." Clearly, not buying into this in the least, the werewolf wanders off to the kitchen and starts trying to find some food and drink; "You want something to drink?"

Avira has posed:
"Since when?" She presses, not letting Skoll escape this topic that easily. Just what on earth could give Skoll wounds he could not readily heal? (And more importantly, could she beat that something up?) And to Avira's credit, she does hide her feelings of affection quite well. Most of the time. Ivo does not seem to accept her denial-well, or maybe he does but continues to tease anyway just so he gets a reaction.

It's actually kind of surprising Skoll doesn't seem convinced, especially since she mentally compares this news to the time she told him she saw Kaze. "Sure, I'll take something. No, I'm serious. I saw her here in this city...didn't get a name though."

She briefly describes Hati, including her werewolf form which Avira witnessed. "I haven't seen her since, though."

Skoll Ulfang has posed:
"A few hours ago? Got out of it just around the time I got your message." He comments, before grabbing a piece of meat from the fridge and sticking the large slab of it onto a wooden chopping block, and grabs a large knife like some murderer. The way his tail keeps swishing, and his ears are partially slicked back, it's obvious that he's uncomfortable right now.

He listens to her, patiently, believing that maybe she /had/ seen a werewolf - but it was from another world.

The problem is... Avira describes Hati. And what's more, she describes her transformation to becoming a werewolf. A mirror. Avira may very well see how the knife he was holding suddenly just... kind of drops onto the floor and clatters there. How Skoll's shoulders lower... and his tail moves in between his legs. His head then tilts a little to the right and he takes a deep breath. "You saw a ghost..." He whispers. Of course, not a single part of his mind and heart wants to believe that. The girl Avira had just described... it /sounded/ like his sister! The sister that had disappeared countless years ago from his life.

Avira has posed:
Having lived with wolves for a few days, Avira knew this kind of agitated body language well. "Oh. With who exactly? I'll be honest, Skoll, I'm kind of surprised you're still so hurt." Her tone has become cautious, perhaps because Skoll was now armed. But he was her friend, right? He wouldn't deliberately harm her.

Then he drops the knife after she finishes describing Hati and her encounter with her. He's upset. Really upset-see, just look at that tail. "Skoll.." she moves to him, reaching up to touch his shoulders from behind with a comforting squeeze. "She couldn't have been a ghost. We talked to each other. She /helped/ me. Fought with me." After a moment she adds, "...when I went to leave that morning, Khamja was still out there looking for me. There was an altercation and she was swept up in it."

Skoll Ulfang has posed:
"Combat Training." Skoll snarls. "My lords want to see me fit." He doesn't like admitting fault in his Lords - though in a ways, he feels guily just for thinking for a moment that the 'combat training' he'd gone through was perhaps a fault. It's a strange feeling. He shudders a little in regards to the thought, and instead bites down onto the other topic.

His head lowers a little, and when the girl touches his shoulder with her hand, the wolf twitches a little. Clearly, he's not used to suddenly being touched. His tail twitches a little between his legs, and there's a momentary and whimpering snarl that comes from him.

"Not... a ghost?" He asks. "There is only one wolf with those markings amongst my people. You... just described my sister." He whispers, his whole body tensing up as he dares state this - his voice strained. It's obvious that he's holding back; not just tears, but also the desire to just start /running/ out of this house. That'd be rude. Hati? Seriously, could it be Hati?! But his father had said she'd disappeared! He'd seen it, her footsteps just /gone/ in the midst of that clearing. For her to be here suddenly - after he'd presumed her dead... and she was here in this very city!? Had she caught his scent? Was she looking for him? But why had she not come here yet then!?

There's little whining sounds coming from him, like a sad wolf or dog's... reflecting his emotions and thoughts - because he dares not speak further.

Avira has posed:
This is the first time Avira's actually heard Skoll say anything about his "lords." His angry reaction makes her briefly recoil for a few seconds and at this point, Avira hastily drops the subject. It was...interesting though. They trained him as brutally as he had recently trained her. Well, minus the beating, but the same trial by fire spirit was there.

She almost recoils again when he reacts to her hands on his shoulders. Being one who hasn't had much physical contact and thus not reciprocated much in return, this immediately makes her regret doing so and after a moment, her hands withdraw abruptly. Avira looks down at the ground and shakes her head. "It's the truth. She was real."

Immediately, she looks up when he admits it was his sister. A hand lifts to cover her mouth, "R..really?" But why was he so upset? Shouldn't he be double overjoyed that not only did another of his kind exist, but his sister? Well, unless he wanted to rebuild his species, that could be problematic...ahem.

He looked so sad now. Despite her previous pulling back, she tries again, this time hugging him from behind. "I told her that she wasn't alone; that there was another of her kind out there-you. I told her to keep looking."

Skoll Ulfang has posed:
The retreat of her hand gets no showing of relief in Skoll, suggesting that it was only the initial touch that had set him off a little. Skoll continues to stand facing away from Avira, slowly laying both hands onto the 'kitchen' counter, holding on for dear life as if he felt he was going to fall. His sister is alive. But how is that possible? And why does he feel such a heavy feeling in his heart? Avira had told her that another of her kind was around. Yet, she's not here right now. It could not be Hati... surely, she'd look for him if she knew...

There's another doggy whine, before the girl suddenly lays her arms around him. This time, Skoll doesn't freeze. Instead, his body warms and relaxes just midly, and his whine softens in that moment. "Why isn't she here then?" He asks. "My lil' sister... lil' Hati... why did she not come to me here?"

Avira has posed:
Avira had figured the delivered news was what had made Skoll the most upset. Her "interference" clearly hadn't helped. He's still tense, maybe even more than before! Just look at his body language.

It was so remarkably a lot like those wolves she had lived with. Being a wolf clearly was a significant part of himself and lately she'd learned an awful lot about being a wolf. Most importantly, they were pack animals. They surrounded themselves with others. So she tries again.

At least this time, he doesn't react so badly. "I wish I could answer those questions. I wish I gave her your name but...I didn't know her well enough." She pauses, "Wait...Hati?"

Another pause, "Skoll and Hati? That's..." Oh wait. Ivalice didn't have that legend. Best not to bring it up, then.

Skoll Ulfang has posed:
Skoll slowly relaxes within Avira's hug, and his hands take a moment to loosen their grip from the counter and move on-top of her hands, placing his warmth over them. His tail is starting to tuck less between his legs and moves a bit more freely. The wolf keeps his head hanging low though, while his eyes look at the girl's hands.

Humans show affection far differently from werewolves. A hug isn't something they would do, so he doesn't understand quite why this motion relaxes him. Still, he'd seen enough humans do this to understand its meaning.

"Yes, I know." He picked up on the 'That's'. "Skoll and Hati - the wolves that chase the sun and the moon. I know the story." He explains. "Our father named us after those very wolves." One would expect the mother to do such a thing. But their father?

Avira has posed:
To her credit, Avira does know a thing or two about comforting people. A gentle hug could go a long way with the right person. At the same time, Avira has shared a few hugs with the /wrong/ people in the past. At least this one seems to be working!

She's actually about to pull away when much to her surprise, she feels him put his hands on top of hers. There's no blushing in response to this development, though, just a small smile as she figures his coping with this shocking news was continuing.

Her attempts to prevent herself from relaying the Norse legend she knew from her real world of origin seem to be for naught. Skoll must've heard it at some point too...or his world had their own version. "...was your father named Fenrir?" she ventures.

Skoll Ulfang has posed:
"Odin." Skoll answers the girl, running his fingers along her hand for a moment, before he makes a small motion - requesting to be let go so that he might turn around and face her. But more-so, her hug is touching his wound. "My parents names were Odin and Frigg." He continues to explain. The Norse Legends that the werewolves knew were not the same that Avira would know. But certain names still held 'strength' within them - and thus were popular or significant.

The wolf shows a little smile, looking at the tiny smile of hers. It draws the smallest of smiles of his. His eyes are seeking - as if he's trying to search for something within her that he isn't finding. "Why do you ask?"

Avira has posed:
"Odin?" Wait, that wasn't right at all. At least not the way she heard it. Well, clearly there was a significant difference between the two worlds. Still it was interesting to find this sort of thread running between the two. Maybe it wasn't a coincidence. Maybe their worlds had contact at some point in the far past?

Nah, that would be silly.

Taking notice of the motion he makes, Avira releases him and steps backwards. Though the hug is broken, she can't help but feel some small semblence of satisfaction.

Her hands move to clasp behind her back and she looks back at him, perhaps confused and even a little intimidated by the look he's giving her. For a few seconds she fears he might have caught on to her inconsistences but...no, that couldn't be possible, he didn't know Ivalice that well, right? "In the legend I know, a wolf named Fenrir sired those two wolves. They still chased the moon and sun and when Ragnarok came, they caught them both and ate them."

Skoll Ulfang has posed:
Skoll nods his head slightly. If he knew, or cared that the girl wasn't from Ivalice... well... let's just say he could not care less. There's been some hints that have shown that Avira does not belong in the world of Ivalice. Her inexperience. The way she behaved in the jungle. The way she was far better in a city than in a town when it came to sneaking. Her skin-color while living in Rabanastre. Most of them quite circumstancial at most.

"Yes. Same legend." Skoll answers. "We were just named after the wolves. Only for us, the sun and moon represents an attainable fate... let's just hope that Ragnarok need not come for us to catch the Golden and White wolves." He mentions. How long had it been since he'd spoken of those to another?

Skoll puts a hand onto Avira's shoulder, and then leans in and slips his cheek along hers, giving her a friendly gesture that for her might be misinterpretted as being more than it is. Skoll is merely stating that 'she is a friend'. The wolf then turns back to the meat and collects the knife, cleans it off, and starts cutting it before grabbing a pan in order to fry it lightly.

Avira has posed:
She had great fear for her own credibility should her Ivalician peers discover her true origin and lackluster past. More importantly, she wanted to belong there. She wanted that new life. Nevertheless...he didn't seem to suspect, at least from what Avira understood. It doesn't occur to her that some people just might not give a crap.

"...that's so strange..." Avira says quietly. "...our worlds might have intersected at one point. Maybe a long time ago. But...that story says nothing about Golden and White wolves." It's a far more pleasant sounding legend than the original world-ending Norse story!

Misinterpreted indeed. She hadn't blushed at the hug, but she does so at this, since she's not all that sure what to make of it at first. Seconds later she banishes that reaction when it reminds her of how cats sometimes mark people by rubbing their faces against them. Or, well, she could banish all these stupid assumptions and just ask. Which is what she does once he's turned away to continue preparing the food he had started. "What was that?"

Skoll Ulfang has posed:
"'our worlds'?" Skoll asks, noting that indeed, Norse myths like the one he spoke of, didn't seem to appear here. But then, he could be wrong. He casts the thought away and just sets to making the food. His tail slowly begins to get a bit of life to it again, wagging gingerly while he starts frying the meat. Meat... it'd make him feel better.

When she asks him 'what that was', Skoll is very blunt about it. "Affectionate 'thank you'." He explains. "You brought news about my sister. She may not be here right now... but maybe she'll show up again in the city soon." He moves the pan about a little, making sure to give the meat just a light sear on all sides, before he 'pours' the meat onto a plate. Not long there-after, he turns the fire off and offers her some of the meat by pointing the plate at her.

Avira has posed:
Avira swallows a little as he questions the whole 'our worlds' thing. "Yeah, kind of silly, isn't it?" Avira's quick to say, laughing it off as if he was really questioning her idea of inter-world contact. No, having Mercade know was bad enough. Nobody else could know.

"Ohhh. So that's how you thank each other from the bottom of your hearts." Avira says evenly, clearly referring to Skoll's people. "I bet she will. Seems she was looking for Reize for some reason. So just...stick around him and you'll see her again, I'm sure of it." There's the slightest hint of annoyance in her voice. No one had ever sought her out like that! Maybe VALKYRI needed more publicity.

Avira will happily indulge in some of the meat, though politely leave plenty for Skoll. He's huge, she figures he probably eats a lot.

Skoll Ulfang has posed:
"Silly. Clearly." Skoll raises a brow, giving her a confused look - he can sense her nervousness. He's a werewolf after all, this is the kind of thing he can just smell. In fact, he lifts his head and motions towards her, in order to 'smell' the girl.

The wolf then leans back, grabbing a piece of nearly 'blue' cooked meat, and pops it into his mouth, relaxing further - even going so far as closing his eyes to show his delight. His tail is wagging happily behind him. Wag wag wag...

The werwolf then nods his head. "Yeah, I'll stick around here. I'm sure she'll come around again. Maybe I can sniff her out in Fluorgis." Though he's certain to be alarmed when he'd find her scent cutting off randomly in places - thanks to the Corridors of Darkness.

Avira has posed:
The looks he's giving her only make it worse. He waves her over and she leans in, now equally confused-wait, why is he sniffing at her? Can he detect lies with his nose?! "W..what?" Yes, she is nervous, though she's clearly trying to hide it now since he seems to be catching onto it. What excuse would she have for this behavior?

When he leans back, she relaxes too. "What is this we're eating, by the way?"

A small smile graces her face again, "Oh, I hope you're able to find her." And teach her some /manners/ really. Only now does she realize how weird it is that that rude girl was related to the honorable Skoll. "Should I spot her again, I will give you a call."

Skoll Ulfang has posed:
"You smell nervous." Skoll answers Avira, tilting his head a little and giving her a confused doggy look. "And I am not sure why. Usually, only liars get nervous like this." He even cocks an eyebrow in that moment, before shaking his head; "But you would never lie to me." He then adds, sounding /very/ sure of this. "So tell me, what is wrong? Maybe I can help?" He offers, before looking back to the meat.

"Steak. Kobe Beef - I believe they call it in Manhattan." Rather expensive meat to be sharing with her! That is for certain. "And I am sure that... if Hati is around, I will find her. But if you see her - please, do give me a call. I'm... I'm worried." His ears go down for a moment as he admits his worry.

Avira has posed:
Looks like he can detect lies with his nose. Or, rather, the nervousness of liars which was just as bad. Avira was only a so-so liar at best, not Loki the Liesmith. "W..well, it isn't lying persay..." she says, sounding unsure, "That is to say, there's nothing wrong or anything, there..." How best to put that? "For a large part of my life I was someone I wasn't very proud of. That's a part of my life I'm trying to forget. That legend of the wolves Hati and Skoll is from that part of my life." She doesn't want to say she's not a native of Ivalice but it's not hard to read between the lines.

Her eyes widen a little. Kobe beef? Really? "Did you get this from Manhattan, then?" Skoll must be LOADED. "Of course. Of course you are, she is your sister. If I had any siblings, I'd worry too in your position."

Skoll Ulfang has posed:
Skoll watches the girl, and goes so far as to give her a slightly pained look... like he's disappointed in her now that she's admitted that she lied to him. "Lying is not very honorable, Avira." He says. "But it is not like I can't understand not being proud of someone you used to be." Not that he is not proud of whom he used to be. The only regret he has, is not being able to save his world.

Instead, he reaches out and puts his hand on her head, and then ruffles her hair a little, before offering another piece of meat. "Yeah, got it from Manhattan. You must know its menu well." He comments. "It's supposedly quite rare meat. Anyhow - it's quite good." he admits, popping another piece into his mouth. "Shame you have no siblings though. But then, I guess having a guild is almost the same." Yes, wolves are pack-animals as she'd noted before. Skoll is with this group... maybe for that reason as well.

Avira has posed:
That disappointment...seeing it kind of breaks her heart a little. "I'm sorry, but I must. I want to get rid of what I was. So I'm a citizen of Ivalice now." Her shoulders slump and she turns her eyes away from him. "I don't want anyone to know so please don't say anything to anyone." He's lucky, actually, since the last person that realized her origin got sweared at. Damn that Mercade.

She doesn't look back up until he ruffles her hair in a playful manner. "...something like that. I do help out with the Twilight Detective Agency every now and then." She poffers the offered meat and pops it in her mouth, chewing it much slower now that she knows what it REALLY is. "Clan Dagda...and, well, VALKYRI now, are pretty much my families. It works well." Though you can quit a guild. You can't quit a family.

Skoll Ulfang has posed:
Skoll averts his eyes, he knows what affect that look has on her. "It's okay. I'll keep the secret. It would be dishonorable to tell something that is not mine to share. Lest it puts you in danger to do otherwise of course." Skoll is no fool. The wolf then sits up onto the counter, and puts the plate onto his lap and picks another piece of meat from it, thoroughly enjoying. "Just eat normal." He does note. "It's just food. Eat it like you would eat any other food. Otherwise, you might not fully enjoy it." A nod then follows as she speaks of her families.

"So what do you plan to do from here, now that you have some more experience under your belt?" He asks, one of his ears twitching momentarily. "I don't think you are ready for the next stage quite yet. You need to learn to listen to nature before you can truly speak to the animal."

Avira has posed:
"Thanks, Skoll." It'd be hard to share that "secret" anyway since she wasn't very forthcoming with details. "I don't see any reason it'd put me in..danger at all. Maybe irrelevance." It'd put her reputation in danger, that's for sure. "I..ah.."

She looks embarassed and puts the rest of her meat into her mouth. Therefore, it's some time filled with chewing before she actually answers Skoll's question. And even then, she looks like she's thinking about it hard before answering. "Then I'll have to get in touch with nature, more. Maybe we will take some more missions in the deep jungle...surely there are a few."

She looks determined. "I'll keep working to get better. I want to be the equal of all the great people around me."

Skoll Ulfang has posed:
Skoll shrugs his shoulders. "One never knows what can put one into danger." He comments, before he looks back to the meet on the plate and takes two pieces at the same time, and slips them into his lips - licking his fingers afterwards to let none of the juices be wasted.

"Not missions." He then comments. "Just time. Not just jungles. Nature is everywhere - not just in forests. You will learn this in time as you map the world. Meet the creatures, learn how they live, learn how they interact, learn their societies. Learn how they come together with the plantlife."

The werewolf then picks up the last piece of meat and offers it to Avira, moving it close to her head - intending her to take it with her fingers. "But don't try to be equal to the 'great people around you'. He then says. "Cut your own path. Become your own person. Just don't try to be like others. Learn from them maybe, but don't strive to 'be' like them. Be proud of yourself, don't try to be recognized by others... it will lead you on the wrong path.

Avira has posed:
"It's true, but.." Perhaps it's lack of creativity, but she still cannot see where danger was derived from her past and why /anyone/ would need to be made aware of it. "Well, I've been surprised so much so far." She's half-expecting him to lick the plate too. Honestly, she wouldn't blame him if he did, this beef was delicious.

'Not missions.' "No?" she says, confused, and slightly unsure of leaving her fellow VALKYRI behind. "Oh, I see what you mean. That...seems comparatively easy to what you put me through earlier. I can manage this." On her own, no less, since she does occasionally feel a little bad for taking up his time.

Putting food close to Avira's head like that is actually asking for trouble, really. She doesn't take it with her fingers. She leans for it, instead, and tries to grab it with her teeth.

But don't try to be equal of the great people around her, he says. Avira is confused again. "W..well I do want to be great in my own right. I've been working hard, trying to make that happen. But I won't say that I don't want some...noteriety."

Skoll Ulfang has posed:
"Notoriety will come on its own." The wolf lets the girl take the beef with her teeth as if nothing could surprise the werewolf at this point, letting her lay her lips around the meat before letting go. "Trust me in this. Do what you can to make yourself feel great, and in that, others will come to notice you. However, if you go out of your way to try and get others to notice you - you are doing it for the wrong reason, and some might believe you a 'fake'." He explains.

"But, such is just advice from a foolish werewolf. I cannot speak for all the people." He puts the plate aside. Nope, not licking the plate. He's too much of a gentleman for /that/. "As for the new 'quest'... don't believe it easy. And sometimes, it may be best to travel with others. Some animals don't like folk snoopin' around in their territory."

Avira has posed:
She wasn't going for any particular reaction from him with that motion. It was just an impulsive reaction to having something near her face like that. Take note, future harassers that like to stick fingers in people's faces. Avira will bite. "No, it sounds like you know what you're talking about." Avira says, sounding a little resigned. "I really should just focus on training, anyway."

To take people with her, though...again she feels bad about imposing on them for the sake of her efforts to become more in touch with nature. "Then...we'll see when I try, won't we?" She stands now, rubbing the back of her head, "I...ah...well. I should probably be going now, Skoll. I wanted you to know about this other werewolf. And now you do! So that's good."

Skoll Ulfang has posed:
Skoll nods his head. "On you go then." he makes a little motion and then nods his head towards her. "Take care of yourself, Avira. And good luck. I will try to find my sister, now that I know she is around." He then drops himself from the counter and moves towards the main room, leading her towards the exit and opening the door for her. After all, it's the gentleman's way to open a door for a Lady!

He even bows for her, quite deeply so, as he holds the door open for her. "M'lady. I bid thee farewell. And may yours odds ever be in your favor."

Avira has posed:
Contrary to the sterotypes often attached to the leader of a group of combat-ready women, Avira is certainly not the type to abhor men and their gentlemanly behavior! (Hmm, maybe this was one of the reasons Ivo was so adverse to Avira.) "Good luck to you too. I hope you two are reunited soon." She turns away and heads for the exit, walking as he follows, then smiling to him.

She politely bows her head to him. "Until we meet again, Skoll." And soon she is gone.