.Blood As Sweet As Chocolate.

[Envy]

Grass swayed, bending out of the way of dashing ebony paws. Running, running, forever free. A surge of adrenaline went through the brute as a howl rumbled out of his throat. An ebony blur that was he darted across a thin canyon, his claws digging into the earthy soil as he came to a halt, only to sprint again.

A bright light formed around the charcoal figure, morphing him into a young man of about sixteen, raven jaw-length hair bouncing as he maintained his speed. Golden eyes flashed into a deep jade, a grin plastered upon his face. Finally, he leaped up onto a rock, scanning over the grounds as if he actually lived there.

[nikki]

One would think that the plains, a very wide open space where almost anything can happen to you, is not the best place for a ten year old boy. That might be a correct assumption, but Rian Marano didn't pay this thought much heed. All he was thinking of was a change of scenary, a change of life.

Some movement caught his eye, and Rian stopped, surveying the lands mistrustfully. He'd been warned against danger, of course, but was this to him; just another joke. You couldn't blame him for not being cautious enough.

[Envy]

Mouth dipping at the corners at the unfamiliar scent roaming the air currents, his head shot around in a swift motion of scanning about him. And, bouncing off the rock into a diving motion, the light engulfed his body once more.

A thud came from his paw pads colliding with the soil, gliding in swift motions forward as the three chains on his spike collar rattled, the charm flinging wildly as he made his way toward this new smell of young blood.

As soon as the child came into view, he realized too late how fast he had bounded, trying to halt by digging his claws into the grow, earth and grass digging up beneath them. As his amber orbs flickered open, he stared up, noticing the boy at once as he took note of how close he had gotten. This had not been part of his original plan.

[nikki]

Rian stared in fascination through large brown eyes at the wolf that stood in front of him, the one that had come to such an abrupt stop. He had seen creatures like this before, many of them; it was not a new experience. But the sheer black coat that covered this being was entrancing to his mind.

He was not stupid enough to step nearer, though half of him wished to, to see the wolf up close. Instead he stepped backwards, slowly, cautiously, knowing that if he did anything else he would get his ear bent (and maybe even broken off) by his mother in one of her worried frenzies.

[Envy]

Rafe's skull tilted to the left, harks erect as he stared through his golden voids at the boy. As his obsidian head moved, the charm on his collar clinked against the pewter spikes, and he nictated from it. In a cautious manner, he set one paw nearer to this child, nose inhaling scents from all around. Fear did not spark in his brain from this boy.

Becoming a bit more confident, perhaps even to the fact he'd become arrogant, he started to trot nearer, pausing every two steps to sniff at the air again, sparkling eyes never moving from the face of this person he had stumbled upon.

[nikki]

Another step back, and another. Rian bit his lip, throwing a glance over his shoulder; the plains were empty as always, barren, lifeless except for the occasional wild mouse or shrubbery. The wolf was advancing and there wasn't really that much he could do to escape.

Crouching, Rian picked up a smooth, cool stone and turned it around in his palm. It was a nice thing to grip. Sturdy. Solid. Sensible. It calmed him somehow, but what could he do? Throw it? That would surely just enrage the beast.

"I'm not going to hurt you," he called out feebly as though expecting an answer.

[Envy]

The orbs of the brute widened, and even though he understood this boy perfectly his limbs brought him back a step. Maw opening, two words came from it: "The rock." He said no more, and did not know why he had spoken to this small boy. If he was lucky, the child would act as if he had imagined Rafe mumble "the rock" and leave quickly.

But with his mistake, he doubted this highly, and sat back on his hind legs. His ears stood upon his head, tips pointed to the heavens. Easily he could take down the boy, but the rock reminded him all too much of bullets flying. And, if the rock were actually silver and it hit him, it would burn him, and he could die.

[nikki]

The stone dropped quickly from Rian's limp fingers, landing with a soft thud on the ground. He could see that the rock obviously unnerved the wolf, though why he couldn't fathom. Most people would be alarmed to hear an animal speak English, but where Rian came from, it wasn't unusual.

"Okay," he said, lifting his hands in the air to signify that he held no weapons. "I won't hurt you."

[Envy]

He regarded the actions this boy used for a time before he let his eyes nictate, then bowed his skull to him. "I am Rafe," he voiced, lips parted and revealing the razor sharp teeth hanging in his mouth. "I mean no harm to you."

The ebony head lifted to see the child's eyes, again repeating his last words, "I mean no harm to you," with the added addition of, "I will not harm you, I only request rocks remain where they lay. Not living and motionless." Rafe waited for the boy to answer, his optics flickering to the rock once more.

[nikki]

"Okay," he told Rafe again, continuing "I'm Rian," with a touch of nervousness in his voice. He himself hadn't ever been attacked by a wolf - that he could remember, anyway - but similar things happened all the time to others he knew. He'd rather not turn into one of them.

"Why do you hate rocks?" Rian blurted out, cocking up an eyebrow. It was an odd fear, really, he decided. Rocks were harmless unless thrown, and he hadn't really planned to throw that one.

[Envy]

"Silver," Rafe told this boy who had introduced himself as Rian. "It reminds me of silver." It was quite visible in the way the wolf spoke his words that silver was a great enemy of his, one that would make him back away from anyone, if that person held one, even if they had no intention to use the object.

Gradually, Rafe slid onto his stomach, paws crossing before him and his dial still lifted so that his muzzle pointed directly at Rian's head. His tail settled against the soft grasses of the earth, but the raven pelt he had did nothing to cool him, even as his tongue lolled out in a pant.

[nikki]

"And what's wrong with silver?" he inquired, puzzled. Silver was everywhere in his world. Decorations, furniture, his mother's favourite necklace, his father's sword. If you wanted to escape it, you were basically out of luck. "Did someone throw it at yu or something?"

He noted Rafe sitting, evidently trying to find a more comfortable position, and he couldn't really blame him. The golden sphere up above was scorching hot today, and Rian's scalp felt a bit too warm for him to like it.

[Envy]

Turning his gaze to that blazing yellow flame in the afternoon sky, he squinted as he thought about how to explain this without revealing he was a loup-garoux. "It kills me," was the simplest answer he could give, and, shuffling irritably at the heat, got back on his pillars and tread to an area he knew would be cooler.

He halted, however, looking over his shoulder blade at Rian. "Come," he said. "Shade. The sun is too hot."

[nikki]

"Oh," Rian replied shortly, marveling inwardly at how something as pretty as silver could bring death.

"Okay." Trying not to conjure up the image of his mother's terrified, worried face - the one that she had turned on him at least ten times in the past two weeks - Rian followed his mysterious... companion. Acquaintance. Friend was a word much too rich for now.

[Envy]

Glancing back at Rian, he said flatly, "I wouldn't have expected one to follow a loup-garoux, even if they had told them they meant no harm." Darkness began to wash over him as one of the more elevated lands cast a thick shadow, the closest thing to a grin spreading over his maw. "Though, I suppose it wasn't exactly intelligent on my part to reveal such a weakness in myself."