Sorry for the length, not much muse atm~

The time was dusk, when the sky was an array of pinks, reds, and yellows. A few clouds stretched across the sky, but not many. Their bright white hue stood out against the colors, but at the same time they absorbed their surroundings. They became lighter shades of pink and orange in order to fit in with their changing background. But the clouds were not the only things that changed, the ground below did as well. Many animals were looking to dine before the rested through the dark night, and the earth's plants colors also seemed to change a different hue. It was a beautiful time of day, one of the Autay's personal favorites. And out here in the open fields of Grazing Plains, she had both a perfect view of the sky and a great place to hunt for a meal. She wasn't majorly hungry, but enough to know that if she didn't eat soon she would wake with a complaining stomach and a foul mood. And she'd  rather wake chirpily than sourly any day, and so here she was, searching for a small animal that would tie her over until the morrow.

She kept her steps quiet, moving delicately through the grasses so she wouldn't scare anything away. Her head was bent down so her nose was a few inches above the ground, the tough black skin twitching as she sniffed around. There would be something hidden here, it was just a matter of finding it and catching it. And as she moved forward, the dirt under her pads cold, she kept her amber eyes open. They scanned the area before her, looking for any sort of movement. At first she saw nothing and her ears flattened in disappointment. But then a small moment, a hop that had made the animal's dark brown pelt caught her eye. And as it made its way back down the small white fluff of its tail and the tip of its ears let her know that it was a hare. And now that she knew what was there, Elsbeth kept forward. Keeping her legs bent low and her chest and belly above the line of the grass. As she got closer she could see that there was not only one, but three little rabbits, all feasting on the blades of grass that were beginning to grow, and a few small flowers. She wasn't quite ready to kill them, in fact she found it quite relaxing to just watch them. The Autay stayed like that, crouched down and watching them. They were facing away from her, but wether or not she was known to the cute creatures was another matter. They did have excellent hearing and one wrong move from the she-wolf could ruin her hunting trip. Not that she would be harmed, but rather she would lose to their speed and agility and be left with an empty stomach.

Racing through a field without a care in the world wasn’t something that a wolf like himself did very often. He had once loved to run and found joy in doing so, back when he had first joined the pack but, with age, changing responsibilities and certain events, he had become more sedate and increasingly less spontaneous. On this evening though, he felt it was time for a bit of a change. It was only a few days since the male had stumbled upon an old friend of sorts and it had lifted his spirits to have met her again and find she was alive and doing well for herself. Today had been a good day too. He had awoken very early and spent a good portion of the day wandering through Eden’s Hollow before he had come to the end of the spectacular forest and emerged into the flat land of Grazing Plains. His time in the woods had been spent simply enjoying the life around him and even finding a bone from some animal that must have died and decomposed or been consumed long ago, which he now carried happily in his maw as his paws pounded over earth and grass. As a pup he would often chew old bones that remained from meals and were scattered outside the den and he found it satisfying when they eventually snapped, plus the rubbing against his teeth in the process cleaned them rather well.

Growing tired from his sprint, he slowed to a halt and flopped down to enjoy gnawing on the item which he treasured for the day. Moments passed and the bone became weaker from the impact of his own bones which rested in the chasm of his jaws, until eventually it was destroyed and splintered. The brute lapped carefully at the marrow inside but lost interest before long and rolled back up onto his pads, trotting off merrily into the grass once again, now with his teeth feeling fresh as well as some tension released from the short destructive activity. Bouncing along, he flicked his pink tongue across his pearly whites before raising his voice to bellow out a tune.


His voice had a clear and modest tone, nothing too special but it was easy on one’s ear, as if it was a small part of his soul being projected into the wilderness around him. Though the lyrics he had invented were not quite the happiest, his melody was soft and honest, and actually quite positive. It had not occurred to him, as his common sense was blurred by his current joy, that dusk was commonly a time to hunt in this area. It was a favourable time where the light began to fade and creatures could be spotted and watched until nightfall soon came to conceal the hunter and give them cover so as to not be seen among the relatively short stems of the plants. Alternatively, smaller mammals could be snared by finding a burrow and lying in wait for the animals to return there for their night’s rest, or any other possible plan. And so, in his blindness to what would happen, along he went, singing and jogging when suddenly he caught a glimpse of a flash of white. The Elite knew straight away that it was a hare’s rump, and it was followed by two more dashing away. He had an instinct to chase them, but he knew they had too much of an advantage so he stayed on his own trail and moved forward without even pausing.

That is, until his golden eyes fell upon the fae who now came in sight. She quite obviously had been stalking the hares that he had caused to flee. Eclipse stopped still in his tracks, his ears turned back ever slightly yet he pulled his lips into a small, kind grin. “Good evening, huntress…” He greeted her warmly but his stature shrunk a little from shame in ruining her opportunity and his eyes turned away. If he had been able to look at her fully, he would have noticed how fair and eye-catching her fur was, and likely the disapproval in her eyes. “I’m dreadfully sorry if I disturbed you from what you were doing... I should also apologise for my singing, if you heard it.” Truth was, his voice had been quite pleasant, but he had little confidence about that matter, or the whole of what he’d caused. Hastily, his gaze turned to the sky, not that he would find any enlightenment there for what else he should say or do but it was a beautiful thing to behold as it was stained in crimson so that it looked like blood was smeared across it. It seemed to beam its colours down onto his pelt, making him appear a more vibrant red-brown, rather than deep brown with subtle highlights; like a sunset filter had been applied to the lens of whosoever wished to look upon him. Keeping the positivity he had from earlier, he quietly dared to look to her once again despite not knowing how his packmate would react to his accidental mistake. Whatever she said or did, he knew he could put things right.

As she stood there her gazed fixed on the hares before her, ready to strike, a voice came into her ears. It was a bit aways but close, and it was singing a tune that she had never heard before. Her ears flicked forward as the voice grew nearer and died. She let out a small quiet sigh of relief, now being able to concentrate on her hunting. But her prey had gone and with a shocked expression she rose to her full height and that was when she saw the brute. His coating was of a deep brown, almost mahogany, but in the current lighting it looked like a brownish-red. He was running around carelessly, scaring away her prey without a care in the world. He hadn't spotted her yet, but now she stood straight, her eyes narrowed and fixated on the brute as her lips pulled into a frown. She stood there, watching his every movement until he noticed her presence and came to a halt in front of her. His ears pinned back, embarrassed at his actions, but a kind smile formed on his face. She had to admit, he was no where near ugly, but her disappointment in loosing her opportunity overpowered what she might have felt for his appearance. His eyes, like her own, were gold, and they stared at her as he spoke. Her eyes raised from not being narrowed but still giving him a rather annoyed look.

"'Good evening huntress..'" At least his tone was polite and apologetic. His body language also let her deem him as shy, a quiet fellow who she had not met. It was true that she hadn't met many males in Helidos, so this should be interesting. He seemed to have a good head on his shoulders, and his apology seemed sincere. She saw no problem that she would have with him. The Autay sighed slowly, her eyes closing before they reopened and lost their annoyed gaze.
"I am no huntress, I was just looking for a meal before I went to rest. And yes, I did hear your singing. And I'm afraid that was what had disturbed my possible catch. That was before you started to run around. But no harm done, its not like I have been starving for days without food. Your apology is accepted." Her tone was calm and soft, but still held traces of her displeasure at not getting her prey. Flicking her tail she bent her hind legs so that she could sit, her banner coming to rest casually at her side. She peered at the male, her golden orbs assessing him.

"My name is Elsbeth, I am the Lead Autay here. Who are you, brute?" She queried, the question actually of interest to her.

Internally all he could do was chuckle at himself for having such luck that one of the only times he was playing about like a pup happened to also cause misfortune for someone else, and consequently drag him into the mess. Outwardly however, his features were apologetic, bordering on sheepish, while he stood there and hoped she was not too cross with him. His words seemed to have softened her a little, since she no longer frowned and looked so harshly upon him once he had spoken, yet her displeasure was still evident. He guessed the fae must have seen and heard the sincerity of his apology and that it really was an accident and he hadn't been trying to frighten away her prey. In the moment of quiet before she had responded to him, he studied her features casually. Given the situation, her stance was of course more upright and neutral compared to his slightly submissive figure, but the fact that she was confident enough anyway and not pushy about what had happened either led him to believe she was of a middle rank. His orbs roamed over her pelt, deciphering the different shades of tans, creams, browns and greys, with black splashed in small waves along her body. It was a beautiful combination of colours, but what he found most mesmerising were her eyes; much like his in their hue but of a paler tone as his were a deep gold. However he did not stare at her, he was merely looking to better understand for himself who it was that he had just met and was talking to.

As she then sighed and closed her eyes his ears flicked forward, alert to the noise and curious as to why she did so. It seemed like she was possibly frustrated at him and what had happened, and he could honestly understand why. He raised his furry brows slightly in anticipation for what the female was about to say, but when she did speak she did not seem so irritated. Straightening his posture as he listened to her, Eclipse understood that he had indeed spoiled her hunt but she was kind enough to not hold anything against him and even sounded quite gentle and understanding in her tone. She was even polite enough to introduce herself and ask for his name. But when she had talked about there being no harm done, he felt unsure as to if she was being sarcastic or not. Had she really not eaten in days? Either which way, he knew that she had wanted a meal, and so an idea came to mind to really show he was a good wolf and was sorry.

"Oh, I didn't mean huntress as in any association to a rank title.. it was because you were out here hunting which therefore makes you a predator and hunter amongst this grass. More importantly, I thank you for accepting my apology, Elsbeth. I still think I should reiterate how sorry I am for having bothered both you and the hares with my singing, I'm sure it was quite bad, but mostly for my behaviour interrupting your hunt. To answer your question, I am Eclipse, an Elite of our pack. I have been a bit of a rare sight for the past while so that will be why you don't know me, but it is nice to meet you." Dipping his head to the sitting fae, his maw quirked another little smile at the corner of his lips. He then stood straight and looked around for a moment before starting to pad away. "Stay there Elsbeth, if you would. I will return shortly!" The male called to the autay, his tinged brown pelt disappearing into the undergrowth as he decided to act upon his idea. Several minutes later he found Elsbeth again and circled around her to approach with a rabbit hanging limply from his jaws, his attitude back to being happy with a hint of pride at having successfully done what he'd planned. Stepping close to his fellow pack member, he craned his head down to place the peace offering neatly between her paws where she sat and then backed away slightly before returning to his full height so he did not bump into the other wolf. "For you." He said calmly, a compassionate look in his gaze as he lowered his rear to the ground and peered over at her. It was a genuine gesture to make up for what she'd lost but he also hoped it would help him make an acquaintance of her. "I made sure it was a fine, plump one." Added the brute, encouraging her to accept the gift as he looked between it and Elsbeth.

As she spoke she could tell that he was looking over her, taking in her appearance. But she didn't mind it, as his submissive stance led her to believe that it was just to file her appearance and name into his head. So she did not act upon it and let him drift his gaze over her as she sat still, now awaiting to hear his reply that would come forth from his jaws. And it was, again, kind and sincere, apologizing once more for his actions and stating how he was grateful to her for accepting his apology. Not that she wouldn't have, she was much too kind hearted and timid to not. However, if he never apologized or did it in such a sarcastic or disrespectful way, then they would have a problem. She could be one hell of a demon if she wanted to be, and she didn't. She preferred to keep to a more friendly and comforting side, which she supposed was half the reason she let her prey go so easily. But it was not until he spoke of his name and rank did she realize whom she had standing before her. Apologizing and being rather kind hearted towards her. Widening her golden orbs she quickly dipped her head in respect, a small sheepish look coming across her features for acting in such ways unto a higher rank. Her ears were flattened against her head for a moment as she looked back onto him, only to see a small smile on his face again as he began to walk away, asking her to stay where she was and a promise to be back soon.

She watched him leave, a confused look on her face as she let her left ear flick before she sighed and looked down at the ground. He said he was rather behind the scenes lately, yet at this moment it didn't seem like he wanted to be kept hidden. He was nice, sincere, and handsome as well. She wouldn't be surprised if he had a face to return to back in the camp clearing. But it did seem rather odd, that he was the Elite male and yet he had been nearly invisible to the eye. She had never even heard of an Elite male or a brute with the name Eclipse, not until now anyways. But she would surely remember him now, their encounter was rather amusing. With the auto trying to hunt and him bursting in with a tune coming forth from his lips and jaws. He was not too shabby of a singer either, maybe not the best but certainly not awful. She had liked it now that she looked back to when she heard it first a few minutes ago, and she'd probably like it more if it wasn't in a tone so loud. She became so lost in her thoughts as she stared at the ground between her paws that she had not noticed the male appear once again, circling around her and lowering his head to drop a hare between them. She felt her heart jump slightly before she realized it was just him, and as he backed away the looked at him a confused look on her face as she stared at him. A compassionate look was in his eyes as he seated himself, telling her it was for him and such, but still she stared at him. Her jaws opening before closing again as she shook her head, picking up the rabbit and taking a step or two forward. She lowered her head and set the meal gently down on the ground before raising her head and looking at him. "You needn't hunt for me, sir. But if you insist on me eating something that is rightfully yours, I will only do so if you share. I am not terribly hungry, and could never completely accept your offer after the way that I acted towards you." She sat back down again, her tail resting once again at her side as she looked at him. Her gaze not quite meeting his anymore but still placed on his face, his muzzle to be exact. She looked down at the prey and then back up, giving him the notion to take the first bite of the prey he had caught and killed. "Please, go ahead."

Before he could really see how she reacted to his surprise gift, the elite male wondered what the fae must have thought he was doing when he’d left and asked her to stay put. It really was a strange thing to do, walking away and asking a stranger to stay and wait on their own. She sure had looked quite confused when he had suddenly excused himself like he had. It seemed like she must have trusted him to have listened and waited for him, which honestly made him feel warm inside, just a smudge. Although, any less could not really be expected once a packmate realised it was a higher wolf who had ordered them to do something, yet he also wanted to think she had done it more because she respected and trusted what she could judge about his character thus far, rather than his rank alone. From what he had seen in the corner of his eye when he'd introduced himself, she had dipped her head low in a more submissive display, so he suspected she felt bad for not knowing who he was beforehand. When he had dropped the hare by her paws she had been focused on the ground and appeared to be lost in thought, so he couldn't help but wonder if she had been thinking about him, what he had said about being absent around the pack, or maybe feeling guilty over having not shown that much respect to him from the start. He hoped she didn't feel like that, since she hadn't been rude at all and the circumstances weren't as such that he would want to assert himself as Elite. After all, he had spooked her catch so he deserved to be apologetic and for her to be annoyed at him, and even so all she had shown was forgiveness and kindness.

Even though he was curious about what she had been brooding over, he wouldn't ask about it. "Sorry for startling you." He blurted out in the moment following giving her the hare where she simply stared at him with a look of bewilderment. She opened her jaws as if to say something but no words came forth. Instead, she got up and moved the hare closer to him. It wasn't the kind of reaction he had hoped for, since he had killed it and brought it back just for her to eat, and now he was the one looking puzzled. His gold eyes narrowed slightly as his brows furrowed at her action of offering the meat back to him, but he couldn't disagree before she started to talk. Once she had stated her case, he shook his head then looked to her steadily and began, "No, no. Miss Elsbeth, I have not witnessed you act in any bad way towards me so don't feel guilty about whatever you thought you did wrong. And although I may have killed the hare, it was solely for the purpose of giving it to you, so I have no claim over it. It was only right, after having lost you a hare in the first place. But if you must insist on sharing, then here, I shall take my share." Standing, he padded lightly towards the dead creature and arched down his snout, clamping his teeth on its tail and tearing it off. A playful smirk lined his lips as he made his point that he truly didn't want any of the meal. His tail rested to his side as he sat once more, closer to the fae this time as he was interested in letting her eat if she wished to but also making a bit of conversation. But as his long tail flicked about idly it ended up brushing against the autay's, so he quietly pulled it closer against himself and stayed silent for a little while. Awkwardly, the silence was broken as he tried to spit out the hare's tail from his maw but its fur caused it to cling to his tongue, making him splutter until it dropped onto the grass. Eclipse chuckled and swiped his paw over his tongue to get some small stubborn tufts of fur away. He hoped Elsbeth could see the humour in it too, while not thinking of him as an utter fool. "So how long have you been in Helidos and how do you enjoy being a Lead Autay? I know I've been out of the pack a bit but I haven't seen you around. Though I suppose you have been caring for the pups and whatnot. They must be quite a pawful, with all their energy and want for independence." He cocked his head, starting regular chitchat with the sweet female but hoping to develop the conversation further so that he could learn more about her. After all, the night was still young and he was in no rush to go to his empty den. And maybe meeting this fae would be the pinnacle of this grand day.

She almost wanted to smirk and jump up in victory as the Elite agreed to take his share. She had nodded in understanding, accepting his motives in giving her his catch. She would eat it, as she said she would, but only if he would at least take a bite. But instead of doing what her mind and body wished to do she just smiled in victory. Her eyes followed him as he padded towards the hare, his head bending to take his piece. But he touched none of the meat, but just the fluffy tail of the hare. That wiped her smile of her face as she gave him a rather serious look that questioned his actions. He carried a playful smirk as he gazed down at her, and she shook her head in response. "Males..." Nevertheless she bent her head down, he teeth grasping a part of the flesh before she tore it off and chewed. She was careful not to get blood on her maw, but she was not so sure why. Swallowing she was about to take another bite before she was paused. The male's tail had brushed out against her own, but it was quickly pulled away. Unsure wether or not it was supposed to be intentional or not, the Autay just flicked her ears in silence before resuming her actions. They sat in silence, or did so until Eclipse began to cough and sputter. Lifting her head she gazed at him as the brute attempted to get the fur from the tail out from his mouth. Laughing quietly she watched him, finally he used a paw to get the stubborn strands out. It was humorous but hopefully he would learn to not take such part of a hair again. Laying down onto her belly, the she-wolf would resume eating, her ears perked as he began to speak once more. Swallowing her last bit she pushed the rest to him. It was not much, just a bit so he could get the taste of the tail out from his mouth. "You will eat that. I'm sure you don't want the taste or texture of the fluffy tail to be the last thing you felt in your jaws before you sleep." She demanded it, but not so in a way that it was disrespectful to his ranking. She gave him yet another serious look with an eyebrow raised as if she was asking him if the Elite really wanted to refuse. Elsbeth did handle pups all day, so she knew how to get them to do something, wether or not it would work on the male beside her was the real question. Opening her jaws once more she answered his questions. "A few months, a little over six I believe. I am not completely sure, but that is my guess. I know i was here before winter though, if that helps. And yes, I have been rather busy. Pups are a pawful, but I could never imagine myself doing something else. I have always looked after them, and I would never trade it for another job to do. What about you? How long have you been here? And may i ask what rank you had before you became a wolf of higher rank? She smiled at him, her tail flicking above the ground and back down softly. She felt comfortable around him, safer almost. However she did not know why, she had only met him today, and yet she felt a small warmness inside that she could not deny made her happy.