In the evening...

[maxkhaos]

Evening came quickly in the early winter. It had only been a few days since the true winter temperatures arrived, the fall having been rather forgiving as falls went. The trees had stayed colorful longer, the leaves lingering on the branches. The temperatures had remained above the true cold that was common for the season and the overcast days held rain instead of snow. But no longer for now it was cold, foreboding and windy. The clouds made the darkness creeping over the area come faster and seemed to threaten snow. It was not the kind of evening that anyone wanted to be out in.

The Manor Cemetery seemed more cold and heartless than the surrounding area. The trees were curled and bare, looking ominous against the darkening sky. Even the gravestones themselves seemed heavier, leaning against the ground wishing for some kind of relief. All of these melancholy things were not unnoticed by one such unlucky creature as she lay curled, huddling against one of the larger angel statues hoping to get out of the bitter wind.

Maxrunn, with her nearly purely white fur, like a ghost seemed to stand out against the grays and browns of this place. Her front paws where curled under her chest, hiding in the thicker fur, while her tail was wrapped around to cover her sensitive pink nose. This place wasn’t really that protected and so the wind snuck around the edges of the stone, swirling the longer fur upon her head and the flopped over tips of her ears as it made it’s way past and onward into the winter evening. She looked simply pathetic: a mutt… obviously untamed by humans and perhaps unwanted by wolves, looking smaller than she really was, and hopelessly alone. Yet, she was still alive. That, in itself, was a start.

[Squeeji]

It never failed, if you put your nose to the ground and followed...you'd get lost. Chauncy frowned deeply as he looked up and around where he ended up. He had no idea where he was, but he knew that it wasn't home. Being a terrible homebody...this wasn't good.

Though not tall, the young male was a bulky terrier, bandy and scarred. But more than anything right now, he was confused, away from Hallow Village, not that he was really part the pack life there, but it was where he called home, under the bridge near the creek. ANd it was that very creek the beast had followed right up to the field of memorials that he did not understand. That rare adventurous streak in him wanted to play hero and investigate where the creek he washed up in...led to. Perhaps home? But this was not his home and he had no desire to stay any longer.

His curiousity sated Chauncy was more than ready to head back to his bridge, until he caught a waft of someothing. Another canine? Who would stay in this miserable place? With a woofle he called out to see if the stranger would respond. "H-hullo?" He stuttered alittle, though heroic in mind, his was a bit shy in deed.

[maxkhaos]

The lone female heard the faint sound of another creature. As the wind gusted she cowered lower, hiding from the blast. But as it eased just a bit, she sat lifted her head, peeking around the stone toward where the voice seemed to be coming from. And there he was, her aqua eyes catching the strangers movements.

It was a male canine, short and terrier like in quality. Over all he wasn’t too much shorter than herself, he being around 2’ while she was around 2’2”. Squinting against the cold she rose, keeping her tail tucked and her head low she stepped into view.

He showed no signs of being a threat and so her first instinct was to move closer, wanted to friend to help stay warm and keep company in this harsh time. But then her thoughts kicked in and she wanted to turn and head off, wait in hiding until he went away… or maybe wait until he thought she was gone and then watch him and follow… But she did none of the things that came to mind, unable to decide quickly enough which was best.

And so she stood there, her beautiful eyes and white coat making her look nearly opposite the area, but for her blank expression.

[Squeeji]

Chauncy had caught the flicker of white and barked again. A bit unsure of what to do, it wasn't as though the creature was coming over, nor had she responded to his call.

He froze, perhaps she was in trouble? Maybe hurt? That would be terrible. The pit mix looked at her as she came closer into view and barked again, his voice was young, though he himself looked as though he had already lived a long hard life.

"H-Hey...you...a-are you alright?" Chauncy aired on the side of caution as he stepped tenitively towards the other dog, he didn't want to frighten her, he did look a fright. There was no hiding the shame of a fighters mark upon his body, lines of pink and white against blonde fur. "H-h-hey you?"

[maxkhaos]

The young female watched his suspiciously, his movements showing concern. Why would a stranger be concerned? She had nothing of worth, no territory but this neutral ground of the cemetery. Or was he like those before. Wanted her for more sinister or selfish reasons. Of course these were the things that came to her mind over anything positive. Her previous experiences told her to trust no one, even herself. Of course this very though contradicted itself since she was the one who said not to trust anyone. But thus was the messed of thinking of a lost and confused mutt.

As he moved forward and spoke across the howling wind once more, she lowered her head just a bit farther, hears going back against her head and tail curled tighter protectively between her legs. All of these were signs of submission. Not to show that she was lower than him, but that she had no intention of fighting him but she wasn’t going to be that pleasant either. “I am… as much as what is common to me…” Her voice was just loud enough to be heard once he was closer.

Now that he was within a few feet she could see more details, each one telling her something about him. He’d been through some scrapes and living away from a pack, much like herself. He was not old, mostly likely around her age… two years maybe. She didn’t try to hide that she was looking him over with those stunning eyes that seemed more dull than they should.

But that dullness was just a reflection of her feelings not of her health. She was no injured or sick or in trouble like he had thought. She was heavy enough to make it through the winter, maybe. She seemed to have no physical scars to speak of, but there were obviously other scars that could not be seen. But who didn’t have those? “I’m fine.” She restated her tone letting him know that if he was no sincere in his inquiry he might as well give up now…. But there was always that hope that he was opposite to what she assumed of every one she encountered.

[Squeeji]

Chauncy looked at the strange female, she carried herself so submissively, to him even! He almost had to chuckle, that didn't happen, in fact, that never happened. Really Chauncy didn't seem a bit as though he really wanted anything from the female. He was pessimistic, yes, but the look on her face seemed to even be a bit dark even for him. He wore his heart on his sleeve and kept things simple there wasn't a whole lot of intense emotional drama playing on in his mind right at this moment.

But he could recognise the look on the female's face, no she wasn't sick or endangered. But she was sad. Depressed even. Alone. He could understand that. His ears drooped, and his tail dipped down as Chauncy cocked his head curiously at the little white dog.

"You s-sure?" He peeped back, taking another step forward, he seemed now much more curious than before, why would this dog, who seemed completely normal, unscarred, un battled, and pretty enough not be with some pack somewhere? "Because...you don't sound okay...." his stutter grew a bit bolder as he kept talking to her.

Before he talked any further he remember what his mother had told him many seasons ago, he wasn't a rude dog, he was just naive and not aware of social ettique, he had forgotten to introduce himself to the stranger, and was somewhat embaressed of the faux pas..."I'm Chauncy."

[maxkhaos]

She watched as his expression went through a range of emotions as he studied her. She knew he saw right through her tiny bit of a wall. She wasn’t hard to read, but then… she rarely let herself get close enough to be read. There was something calming about his presence, even just the very fact that, since he did not want anything from her, he didn’t just turn and walk away.

And then she noticed his speech. Was the stutter from the cold or something else? Either way the thought passed through her mind as she moved on to what he was saying. “Perceptive…” She said rather quietly, seeing as he was so close. Though the small gap between them made her a little more flighty, she stood her ground, not cowering any farther like she’d been doing until that point.

As he introduced himself, the female tilted her head a little. This was the most unusual meeting she’d had in a very long time. Of course it was about the only meeting beyond spotting a stranger them spotting her and then her turning and hiding or running. “Chauncy…” The sound barely left her mouth and over the wind he’d probably hear nothing, but he’d see her mouth his name, rolling it over in her mouth as if getting the feel for it. She glanced away as she said it, but soon her eyes were upon him once more. “I’m…I… well…” She frowned a little, suddenly looking embarrassed. She shifted in place, turning her head to avoid another gust of icy wind. She did have a name, right?

[Squeeji]

“Perceptive…”

"Not really. I j-just...just...know what that looks like...to not be..okay, but say you are." Chauncy cleared his throat and tried to smile, but he wasn't a fan of the expression, it never seemed to look right on his face. Instead he shrugged, knowing that the question was probably rhethorical...and he shouldn't have actually answered the female's statement. As it wasn't really his to respond to. Afterall, she was talking to herself....

He dropped his head lower and looked at her, in the eyes, and felt very very weird doing so, he hated to look another beast in the eyes, it wasn't his place, but she was so low looking, he peeked at her, his blue eyes dull in a simalar way. "Its okay, i-if you don't k-k-kknow." The stutter continued a moment, he was very much out of his own personal comfort zone.

[maxkhaos]

Well looking right into her eyes was actually not a bad thing, for hers lingered on his for quiet a few moments. She had figured that he wasn’t a very high ranking animal, rather like herself once more. Standing a bit straighter, she finally cleared her throat and spoke once more. “I… well I call myself Maxrunn.”

Yeah her mother had never named her, no one had. And frankly she’d only been asked what her name was one time before this. Although his smile seemed forced, she managed to give his a tiny smile in return. She wasn’t that comfortable either, which had been clear from the beginning, but it seemed the less he acted like all the others the more she relaxed, despite the cold and parts of her mind warning her to do otherwise.

Lowering head to the same level as his own, she tilted it a little, catching his eyes once more. “I guess that means… I know.” Her voice was still quiet and a bit restrained, but she didn’t seem ready to run as much as before.

[Squeeji]

"M-m-maxrunn, huh? " He tilted his head a little bit more and almost felt as though he was going to fall over into the dirt where the humans burried their dead, the thought sort of gave him teh wicked jeebies. So he straightened out some, and then idlely wondered why she called herself that, had she been called something else before? But the thought passed. He needn't be troubled with things not of his business.

The white female's faint smile made Chauncy perk a little, had he done that? He didn't know, his tail froze and then wiggled a just a tinge. He was typically a dog of very few words, unless it was very important, but this seemed like enough reason to seem friendly enough. Almost even...sociable.

“I guess that means… I know.”

Chauncy looked back down at the female and then actually grinned, sincerely. "Well...th-that's good....since, there are...lots..lots of folks who..d-d-don't." He had a bit of difficulty getting that last sentance out, it rattled about before quietly snagging into the space between them.

[maxkhaos]

The female glanced around him as his tail wagged a little. Wow, they were… talking. This was so not like her. And the longer her mind lingered on that fact the more reasons it came up with she shouldn’t bother trying to make friends. It wasn’t worth risking getting hurt… He was only playing along… So many more, but she kept them inside, trying not to let the thought bubble up the surface too much.

And then he was speaking again. He had a nice voice… And the stutter, well she caught herself smiling once more as he tried to force that last bit out. When she realized she kind of liked listening to him she glanced down scrunching in her neck a little, chin nearly to her chest which as her version of blushing.

It was about then that she noticed it was starting to flurry. Lifting her head her aqua eyes roamed over the clouds and the lack of light. It was nearly fully night fall and it was getting even colder. The wind gusted once more, biting into both of them and forcing her to close her eyes and turn away from and bracing herself for the wind, inadvertently getting closer to him, closing that gap down to a few inches. It was really not going to be a fun night out here is the human graveyard that she called… well she didn’t really call any where home. This just happened to be the place that had the least amount of people wandering through it.

[Squeeji]

Chauncy wasn't the sort to just...play along, of course Maxxrunn didn't know that, or couldn't know that just yet. He really didn't have a lot of malicous intent, infact he was pretty clueless, accept for the fact he had a small bit of stunning intellect, an idiot savant really. He had a knack for people, though he never knew it.

He looked at the female for awhile, she seemed a bit, confused about him? Did his appearance frighten her? Was that it? "I-I'm sorry, if...well...if I f-frightened you. I mean...I-I am a bit...scary...looking." he said simply, seeming a bit awkward even saying it now.

[maxkhaos]

Once the wind had calmed, though the flurries continued, she heard him speaking once more. Lifting her head she realized how close she had gotten, nearly brushes him with her muzzle as she moved. Eyes wide for a moment she then took in what he had said. Frowning a little she shook her head. “No.” Sighing a bit she glanced off away from him. “It isn’t you… I…” She sighed taking a moment to think.

Looking back at him once more she changed the subject. “I don’t want to be rude… well I really shouldn’t be asking… Well I don’t usually… I never…” Gritting her teeth she rolled her eyes at herself and stopped a front paw. “Do you have a place to stay that is out of the wind?”

Alright so she’d said it. Of course she realized how dumb a question it was as soon as it had left her lips. He probably would assume that she wanted him to stay with her… when she had no where. She’d meant it that she wanted to stay with him if he had somewhere better than the grave she’d been laying upon. Of course both seemed really, really forward.

Looking really shy all of a sudden she touched her chin to her chest, blushing once more, though she kept her eyes on him the entire time. She was acting like a foolish young pup speaking to the first male she’d encountered. Had she meant it to sound like that? Well, there was no taking it back. All she could do was wait and see how he reacted. Once again she had some negative guesses as to what he was going to say.

[Squeeji]

The chivilrous male didn't bat an eyelash at Maxrunn's question, well yes, of course he had a place to stay, it would be no inconvience to have her stay there, he didn't want her to freeze to death afterall. But that was just how he was, he didn't think like a lot of young males his age, he never had the proper socialization infact females were very strange and alien creatures to the pit dog.

He smiled as their muzzled touched, he wiggled his nose and wagged his tail. "I'm...I'm glad you y-you aren't scared of me." He said finally, looking at her with a happy look on his face, she could have asked anything from him, as he was just happy to have a new friend.

The rather clueless mutt nodded and ignored whatever fowardness that Maxrunn invisioned herself stepping into. "I live near...near...the human village...u-under the b--b-bridge by the creek." He said matter of factly. "I-It's warmer there."

[maxkhaos]

“Me too…” She hadn’t meant to reply to his statement about not being scared of him allowed, but she did just the same. And then the mutt waited almost painfully for his answer. But then when it came it was like a wave of relief and momentary happiness washed over her and for just those few seconds she didn’t really feel the cold. But then she blink, severing the stare that she’d been in and his eyes disappeared from few. Then reality was back.

Nodding as he spoke of a bridge she couldn’t help but relish the part about being warmer. Swallowing a little she waited, feeling kind of dumb. She really didn’t know where the bridge was. So she glanced down and shifted her four feet, letting her tail lift a time bit from it’s crammed place between her legs.