The caves had been silent for so long... but that wasn't gonna stop her. Kin-Kin had met one other creature in the caves so far, and since then, the wolf had been to collect her blade and groomed herself a thousand times over. Well... maybe not quite a thousand times over. She was determined to make her return an event that the caves would never forget. For now, Kin-Kin was heading down to the crystal river to examine her reflection. And then she was going on a journey. She was determined to find out where the rest of the caves' inhabitants had gone, and spread some wonder along the way.

First things first, though, she needed to be prepared. She felt the heavy crystal bumping against her leg, and found herself wondering if it had always been this uncomfortable. She couldn't help limping a little, and was beginning to wonder if maybe the crystal around her leg wasn't the best idea. But the wolf shrugged it off. The discomfort was more than worth it for a weapon like this. Finally slowing to a halt at the bank of the crystal river, Kin-Kin peered at her reflection for a few moments. She tilted her head this way and that, struck a couple of testing poses, before finally stooping down for a drink.

As she did so, she tried to pour all of her energy into the discomfort she felt in her forelimb.

She felt her skin prickling, and couldn't help but wince at first... but she was sure it felt better when she finally stood up again.

"Speech looks like this."
Thoughts look like this.

tags: @Future
notes: here

Future shook herself, grooming her coat tenderly. Her eyes were narrowed and her teeth bared and her heart was cramped with an unusual darkness. She took one step forward, nearing a lovely river. Despite her sudden feeling of darkness, Future felt happy and comfortable. She licked the last of the water off her whiskers and gave a soft smile. 'Don't let that evil affect you,' she murmured hopefully. 'You miss Destiny, who raised you when you were a pup. But it's OK.'
She dipped her head and lapped at the lovely water.

It took Kin-Kin a moment to realize that she wasn't alone here; just a few metres away upstream, there was another wolf lapping at the same pure water. It only took a moment for the wolf to decide that this was the perfect moment to get back into the swing of things. Without a second thought, the well-groomed golden she-wolf strode over, with one last glance at herself in the water.

"Hey, kiddo! haven't seen you around these parts before."

Her golden glow beamed back at herself from the water's surface.

"Speech looks like this."
Thoughts look like this.

tags: @Future
notes: here

Future was slightly taken aback by this new character's approach. She smiled slightly and her paws shuffled. 'Um, kiddo?' she repeated, cocking her head to one side. Every step she made nearer to the newcomer sent a spasm down her spine, as if something about the golden wolf before her wasn't right. Her claws sunk deep into the soft earth, gripping hard as if wind would blow Future off her feet. For the first time, she was scared.
'I'm Future,' she spluttered, water still dripping down her muzzle after the drink. Her ears rang with anticipation and her heart did somersaults at the thought of a possible new friend. 'Where do you come from?' She still kept a weary distance from this creature that called her a 'kiddo', as something about that voice was too scornful and vain. She tried her best to look tough as she could.

@Kin-Kin

Her blade clinking against her foreleg and her cloak gently rustling as she drew to a halt, Kin-Kin's eyes darted over the other. It had been a while since she'd met with another of her kind, especially an adult. "Future? Heh. That's a funny name," she smirked. salient fur rippling with light like wind over a cornfield, Kin-Kin stood tall and proud. "The name's Kin-Kin. Don't wear it out!"

Where was she from? What an odd question. One that didn't have a real answer, either. Kin-Kin lived a nomadic life. She never stayed in one place for very long. "I don't have a 'home', per se... but, the entire cave system is in my paw, kiddo."

"Speech looks like this."
Thoughts look like this.

tags: @Future
notes: here

Future's eyes darted from the newcomer to the sparkling water, and her tail stood stone still. She remembered how the newcomer had said her name was a funny one, and Future didn't like it. Anger bubbled up inside her and she only just managed to banish the thought of getting into a fight with the golden wolf before her. She had a strange blue thing on her back and some odd crystals growing around her paw...
'You have the entire cave system in your paw? I've been lost here ever since my mother left me.' She whimpered, her whine sounding as if it was helplessly calling spirits. 'I wish she were here. She'd know what to do!' Future rolled over submissively, showing her belly and smiling a doggy smile.
'I'm Future,' she said. She sighed. No answer. 'I'm Future,' she repeated. 'You are-?' The only reason she said this was because she had kind of forgotten the wolf's name. Something like Bin-Bin or Ko-Ko...? She really needed reminding before she made a mistake she'd really regret.

Mother? Kin-Kin didn't think she had one of those. And if they just left you to wander, then Kin-Kin didn't see much of a point to it anyway. "Well then... just go with it, I suppose," Kin-Kin drawled. Since her birth, Kin-Kin had sort of just mooched around until she eventually knew her way from one place to the next. She remembered when she'd been young and scared all the same... but she was past that now. She wasn't the same wolf.

And then all of a sudden they were introducing themselves again. O... kay? "Alright, alright. I get it. I heard you the first three times," she insisted, jokingly, but at the same time exasperatedly. "Kin-Kin. I told ya not to wear it out..."

"Speech looks like this."
Thoughts look like this.

tags: @Future
notes: here

"I don't understand." Future's words were simple and meaningful, sending a strike of lightning down her spine. The wolf before her was confusing and vain, but perhaps Future could grow to love the charming being. Kin-Kin might just save her from this darkness.. Future smiled a happy smile and a sigh of content.
"We can be friends, right? You're a very handsome wolf and you may be able to help me get out with your stunning knowledge."
Future's eyes gleamed and her claws scraped at the earth in unbearable excitement for the hours to come with Kin-Kin. There was something incredible about her that made Future hopeful. Was this meant to be? Kin-Kin and Future, the two best friends?
Perhaps it was.
Then again, perhaps it wasn't.

"Speech looks like this."
"Thoughts looks like this."
tags: @Kin-Kin
notes: here

Kin-Kin didn't know what there was to not understand. She rolled back her shoulders in a shrug and slowly sat back on her haunches only to tilt her head at the sudden change of heart. Her? Handsome? Of course she was!

"Friends, huh? are you saying we ain't friends already?" her eyebrows twitched upwards slightly in amusement.

The wolf's defenses immediately gave way to a glowing sense of pride. The sudden compliment had intoxicated her with her own narcissism. Finally she'd found someone who could see her true glory. Though there was a little bit of suspicion involved... This had come seemingly out of nowhere. Her first instinct was to ask herself what they wanted. But that was her old self talking... and the wolf she was now, the wolf who'd spoken to no-one for several cycles, lapped up their praise like the finest of feasts. and naturally, she wanted more.

"You want knowledge? Grandeur? The most beautiful teacher in the world? Well you came to the right wolf. That's me, by the way. You're lookin' at 'er. Heh..."

Without hesitation, Kin-Kin's fur lit up with its signature golden glow.

"Speech looks like this."
Thoughts look like this.

tags:
notes: here

Future's tail wagged anxiously at Kin-Kin, and she snorted in happiness. She said nothing, just stared at the dazzling figure that stood before. So what she was vain?
"You're great, Kin-Kin," she said eagerly, her tail swishing back and forth. She expected this vain wolf to be a decent teacher, despite the fact she'd probably only teach about her beautiful self.
Future smiled broadly and itched to confront her with a fighting move. Imagine impressing this wolf! But Future didn't know if anyone could impress Kin-Kin... She yipped joyfully, her gaze darting everywhere.
"Then let's begin."

"Speech looks like this."
"Thoughts looks like this."
tags: here
notes: here