So what now? (Katydid50 x 5Bulletproof-Marshmellows)

[5Bulletproof-Marshmellows]

He didn't hand them over. He was stubborn, just like she was. That was the problem. Hearing the snort, she raised a brow. If he was going to challenge her claim, she would rise up to it. Straightening her shoulders, she watched him. Her lips parted but before she got the chance to retort, Leaf spoke. Glancing over at the man, she then looked over at Wolf.

Wolf was difficult but she wouldn't give him the satisfaction of her thinking that he was, or more difficult than she was. It was a stupid little tiff that she couldn't let go of. He came back saying that he hadn't been difficult. That was partly true. He hadn't been as difficult as he usually was. At least not until now.

Grace debated about grabbing the bandages from his hands, but after Leaf spoke once more, they went flying. Great. Looking over at Leaf, she hoped he'd be more reasonable with her. She ignored Wolf's raised tone, it wasn't as bad as it could get. He left after that, she didn't let her eyes follow his figure out.

"I really can bandage my arm," she told Leaf but he didn't even listen as he made his way over. Sighing softly as he wrapped the material around her wound, she did her best not to move away. Even if he was kind, it didn't mean she trusted him with not hurting her accidentally. As he started to speak, she blinked. Wolf. He had been lying? She doubted that, then again, his father probably knew him better than she did. Grace tried to pretend like she wasn't interested in what Leaf was saying though were was no point now. It seemed as if Screech and Leaf had figured something out and weren't going to let go of the idea anytime soon.

Wolf had a lot of people around him die, she had heard about that briefly before. His mother, his grandmother.. and now Sparrow Flying Low, which she guessed was a girl. Whether it had been a romantic interest or not, she didn't know. Either way, it wasn't her business to be digging up someone's past, or for that matter, grave. Grace looked up at him when he asked her not to judge Wolf too harshly. It was a bit hard when they fought though. She was getting too close? Grace didn't say anything, not sure what she was feeling at the moment. "Okay."

What he said next though, made her eyes widen. "He made that?" Surprise was apparent in her features.

With her wound bandaged, she said thank you to Screech and Leaf for having her over and asked if she could stop by again. She didn't mention Wolf. Looking over her shoulder when she heard the door open, she saw him. Grace nodded her head before looking back at the other two who were saying their goodbyes as well. Fox? She couldn't help but smile before saying another thank you. She walked past Wolf to go outside then, pulling her jacket on the rest of the way and zipping it up.

Seeing the horse, she bit her lip. There was no saddle and the mammal was considerably taller than she was. Being a little over 5ft didn't get her a whole lot. She wouldn't be able to get on without Wolf's help and to be honest, after what had happened she didn't think he was any state of helping her, so she turned away from Batlo and looked towards the forest, searching for the way they had come.  

[Katydid50]

Leaf ignored Grace's comment that she could bandage her own arm. Wolf had been right in that aspect. She could do it but it would be difficult and it was best that she didn't. He didn't argue with her, though. He just did what he felt he had to. He'd always found that the best course of action with children, even teenagers. She didn't fight him the way he imagined she would have Wolf. Instead, she stayed still, letting him wrap her arm. He didn't know if she listened as he talked but he thought she did. He hoped she did.

When he asked her not to judge Wolf too harshly, she agreed, surprisingly. Leaf was grateful for that. Wolf needed other young people around him, young people he could consider his friends. Back at the tribe, he had Otter Diving Deep, Sparrow's twin brother. Here, he had no one. Leaf home-schooled him. He never left the property, or wasn't supposed to. There was no one here for him. Except Grace. "Thank you."

When he revealed that Wolf had been working on something made of wood, he smiled at her reaction. She was surprised, obviously so. He tilted his head slightly when she asked if he had made that before shrugging lightly, smiling almost enigmatically. He couldn't say for sure but yes, probably.

Grace asked if she could stop by again. Leaf grinned and nodded. He translated to his father who said he looked forward to their next meeting. The door opened afterward and Wolf appeared, Batlo in the background. Leaf bid her farewell and translated his father's words. He managed to hide his surprise that his father would give her a Mulwhanook name after only two meetings but he would not question him. Grace smiled and thanked them before leaving the cabin. Leaf glanced back at his father who had focused back on his breakfast.

Wolf stepped aside as Grace joined him outside. The snow had stopped falling but covered the ground in less than half an inch of white. It was still cool but was no longer cold. A good day for a ride. Focusing back on Grace, he watched her bite her lip as she looked at Batlo. He cast a glance at the horse who watched them almost patiently. When he looked back to Grace, she had looked away, studying the forest. He frowned, then grinned. At just under five and a half foot, he wasn't in much a better situation than she.

"I have never been tall among my peers," he said. "I never will be. My father may be tall but I get my stature from my mother. When you're always small, you learn to cope." He turned towards Batlo, speaking a single word of command and lightly pressing down on the horse's neck. In obedience, the horse lowered its front half down, almost as though it was bowing. With practiced ease, Wolf climbed onto the animal's back, shifting forward enough to give Grace room to climb on behind him.  

[5Bulletproof-Marshmellows]

He still got to bandage her arm. This family knew how to get to her. Then again, it was Wolf that had done most of the work, sending an arrow into her arm and all could do that. Anyway, that didn't matter at the moment. She was more interested in the words that were being spoken. It was about Wolf. Leaf wanted her to stick around, for Wolf. She would, of course she would.. but it wasn't something she would so easily let him know about.

Leaf thanked her. She hadn't been expecting that. She didn't say anything in return. Grace was still a bit shocked that Wolf had been the one to make the carving. Why had he done it and said it was from everyone? He obviously didn't want them to know he had made it for them. Why? To uphold his image? She sighed. The bandages were done though and after a good farewell to everyone, she left.

She had gotten a new name as well. Fox. She kind of liked it. Smiling a bit even when she was back with Wolf, she only stopped after realizing how tall the horse was. Honestly, she didn't want to be picked up and set up there by Wolf. It was bad enough he had her backed up against a wall today. The thought made her heart beat a bit faster.

Hearing him speak though, she glanced over her shoulder at him. She watched at the horse knelled. She was a bit surprised. The horse was well trained. Wolf climbed on the next moment and moved forward. Grace came up to him hesitantly before moving to sit behind him, keeping a good six inches between them though she had a bad feeling that she'd end up pressed against him. The horse was a bit warmer and she placed her cold hands on Batlo's back, near the spine between her and Wolf.

She was starting to slowly slip forward, she couldn't help but hope that the horse would get up soon. Breathing in, she caught a taste of his scent once more. It smelled a little like blood this time around, probably because of the deer he had carried back. Damn it. Get your thoughts straight!  

[Katydid50]

Wolf watched the play of expression on Grace's face. The way the smile slipped from her face as she stared up at Batlo. He held back a grin. It was truly amusing. Was she wondering how she was possibly going to get up onto his back? Wasn't she in for a surprise.

Wolf uttered his command, pressing on Batlo's neck as the horse lowered himself. Climbing onto the horse's back, he focused on Grace. Her surprise was obvious. Then again, who wouldn't be surprised? Certainly most horses didn't do that. His father said he had a way with horses. Screech was the same. Perhaps that was where he'd gotten it from. His father was good but not exceptionally.

Wolf motioned her to come over. She approached warily before climbing on behind him. He couldn't help but notice the space she kept between them. Although it was expected, he was slightly disappointed for reasons that illuded him. With a single-word command, Batlo stood again. Picking up the reins, he turned back to look over his shoulder at Grace. "You'll want to hold on," he told her. Without another word, he turned back ahead and dug his heels into Batlo's side.

Batlo started out at a trot but quickly escalated to a canter, then full gallop. With the cold weather, a lot of the underbrush had died off except for that which was green year-round. As they rode through the forest, Wolf still scanned the area, like he would on foot. There were still plenty of bushes aruond but most were bare of leaves. The colorful carpet crackled and whooshed under Batlo's hooves. The bare branches and bushes made it easier to see anything that was coming but that did not make the forest safe. Melk Elish was not the only predator in the forest. There were a few coyotes, the wolf pack -not that he worried about them anyway but they were still there- and the occasional mountain lion that roamed into Melk Elish's territory.

When they were about half-way to Rose's home, Wolf pulled Batlo down to a walk. He didn't know how often Grace had ridden before and he knew it could be exhausting for someone not used to it. Besides, Batlo -though hardly winded- didn't need to be pushed. "How are you holding up, Little Fox?" It was the name his grandfather had given her. Why he had chosen to bestow such as honor on her, he did not know but he also felt he didn't want to know.  

[5Bulletproof-Marshmellows]

He told her that she might want to hang on. As soon as the horse started moving, she moved a little closer. The speed picked up though and when it came to a gallop, she had moved her good arm around his waist, her knees almost in the crooks of his own and her chest to his back. She had never ridden a horse before so she was more worried about staying on than anything else. Her other hand went to his shoulder to keep her own injured forearm from bumping into his back. She didn't want to irritate it anymore. Her cheek was pressed to his shoulder as she watched the scene of trees barely coated with snow pass them by.

She stayed quiet the whole time, hoping that she wouldn't end up sliding off the back and get hit by the hooves on her way down. At the same time, she felt butterflies frantically move around in her stomach. It was only then that she realized how close she was. There was hardly any space between them, actually, she wasn't even sure if there was any. She lifted her head. Blushing when she heard his question, she let her arm loosen up and she moved it away to put her hand on her leg, brushing his on accident.

"I'm fine," she answered, hoping that the nervousness she felt didn't seep into her voice. She looked back behind herself, wondering if it was possible to move back without interacting with him too much. Her hand on his shoulder loosened up as well and she simply listened to the horse walk, a steady rocking motion of it's spine.

Honestly she was glad that he couldn't see her face, she could feel it burning up. She moved her hands onto the back of the horse behind her and tried to slide back a little though it wasn't working out like she wanted. Why did she have to be injured now? Then again, she wasn't injured, none of this would be happening.  

[Katydid50]

As soon as Batlo reached a gallop, Wolf felt Grace's arm slide around his waist and her chest press agaisnt his back. He swallowed thickly, despising the nervous flutter in his stomach. If it was anyone else, he wouldn't have been feeling this way, he was sure. But what was so special about Grace? She was ill-tempered, impatient, strong-willed. Nothing like the kind of woman he could imagine spending the rest of his life with. And yet... There was something about her, a fire that he could appreciate and admire even as it irritated the living daylight out of him.

Her other hand gripped one shoulder and her cheek pressed to the other. Her knees occasionally bumped against the back of his. He wished he could turn to try and read her expression but he didn't risk it, going as fast as they were. With her luck, they'd likely be hit by a branch and get knocked off Batlo's back.

Grace didn't say anything for the entire time. She only spoke when Batlo slowed and he asked how she was doing. She said she was fine but, somehow, he doubted she would admit it even if anything was wrong. Though she must have tried to mask it, a sliver of unease slipped into her voice. He glanced over his shoulder at her as she tried to move back though he failed to see her face. "Riding a galloping horse can be tiring for those who are not used to it," he said. "There is no shame in admitting such." He was one to talk. He knew it, too.

He allowed Batlo to walk for another few minutes before kicking the horse back into a gallop. Batlo needed his exercise. He hadn't been ridden for a couple of days and he was getting fat, fatter than usual. Batlo had never been slim. Even as a colt, he'd been stout with a rounded belly, a look which gave him his name which meant groundhog.

"My grandfather must think much of you," he said over his shoulder. "To give a Mulwhanook name to an outsider is to be welcomed into the tribe. It is a great honor." And a rare one. The only other times he could remember such a thing happening was when his grandmother named Micheal, then Daniel.  

[5Bulletproof-Marshmellows]

Grace managed to move back a little, her knees wouldn't bump into the backs of his anymore, or least she hoped not. She liked her space and even though the horse wasn't an enclosed vehicle, she felt a little crowded with him being there. He looked over his shoulder at her, she didn't meet his gaze, too busy putting distance between them. At his words, she simply scoffed. He never admitted anything. He was in no place to talk, neither of them were.

The horse moved slowly for a while and she took the time to calm down and look around as well. The forest was beautiful. She was tired of the four walled rooms that she was always stuck in lately. First the house that they had moved into and then school. Neither were pleasant. It wasn't going to get any better either, at least not anytime soon.

The horse picked up speed once more and Grace placed her hands on Wolf's shoulder before moving one to his side, this time maintaining a little bit of distance, or at least trying to. She was determined not to fall off and not to be pressed up against him. Hearing Wolf's words, she blinked. So she had been given a name, not just a nickname like she had thought. She wasn't quite sure how to process the information but she did feel honored.

"Why a fox though?" she asked, curious. She liked the name, even though little had been used earlier at the beginning of it as an endearment. Of course there was the red coloring but she doubted that was the sole reason for that specific match up.
((Short, sorry >< ))  

[Katydid50]

Wolf couldn't help but notice the way Grace struggled to keep distance between them. Although it was to be expected, he was a little disappointed for reasons he dared not contemplate. When he spoke and she scoffed at him, he hid a grin by looking back ahead. Her scoff had said everything and he couldn't deny it. He was just as bad as she, especially when he was out of his element like she was now.

Batlo returned to his previous gallop and Grace -reluctantly, he thought- returned her hands to him. They started at his shoulders before one moved to his side, as though she was hesitant to touch him despite the risk of falling off. As it was, if Batlo spooked and reared, she wouldn't be able to stay on. Trying to distract himself, he talked about the name she had been given.

"The fox stands for many things. Cunning, stealth, persistence, adaptation." He risked a glance over his shoulder, shooting her a teasing grin. "Feminine courage. Among other things. Screech's reasons are his own and none of my business. Although, he could have chosen it simply because you have red hair." Before meeting Grace -because that was what she would always be to him, the white girl who had burrowed under his skin but was still unattainable- he had never seen red hair before. He had not truly considered it the first day they had met. There had been the coyote, then her threatening him with a knife. But the night he had shot her, then earlier that day, he had gotten the chance to truly study it, the fascinating way the firelight turned it a hundred shades of red and brown. But, unlike Wolf, he was sure his grandfather had seen red hair before.

"Despite many of the stories told by other tribes, the Mulwhanook do not see the fox as a trickster. It is a noble totem, especially for a woman."

((It's alright.))  

[Katydid50]

((Bump))  

[5Bulletproof-Marshmellows]

She really wished they could just walk back. It would make things so much easier. Riding a horse as it was, wasn't exactly the easiest thing to do. Not with an injured shoulder and especially since she had no previous experience. Of course she loved animals and wouldn't mind learning how to ride, but not like this and not in her current state. And not with Wolf. Not this close.

Hearing his voice though, she was pulled from her thoughts. Feminine courage? Why not just courage? What was the difference? She didn't get it. Seeing his teasing grin, she looked away. That smile.. She did like the whole stealth thing. She frowned at Wolf when he said it could just be because of her red hair. He didn't see it but she considered smacking him over the head. "I'm sure that's why he chose it," she replied, sarcasm in her voice. She wanted to pull away desperately to show him that she wasn't all that amused but doing that would run a higher risk of falling. In the end she moved one of her hands away from him and to the horse's back where there was still some space between them.

"Mm.." she said in the end after he was done. She did want to know more about his culture.. but there was so many other things going on back at Daniel's. She needed to handle things there before she branched out.. or whatever. She'd hopefully be back in the city soon enough.  

[Katydid50]

Wolf kept his eyes trained forward, scanning their surroundings for trouble. Though Melk Elish had fed, there were other creatures that could cause trouble for them. He had no fear of the wolf pack that roamed these woods -he'd never feared wolves, not in the slightest- but there were coyotes and the occasional bear that had not yet gone into hibernation. But, for the moment, the forest seemed deserted of all other life save for squirrels and birds.

Behind him, Grace was oddly quiet, save for the sarcastic remark that made him bite back a smile. His grandfather was far more philosophical than he, who would have named Grace Little Fox because of her hair color. He remembered the way the firelight had played off her hair in the cabin and his stomach clenched, not with hunger this time. Although, his stomach was still painfully empty. Unlike Grace, he had not gotten a single mouthful in that morning. His stew was either eaten by someone else, still sitting in the bowl or back in the pot.

Before long, Wolf pulled Batlo down to a walk as they neared the road. With a careful look in either direction -not that he thought they'd come across any cars but he'd rather be careful than reckless- he urged the horse across and into the forest on the other side. This was no longer Daniel's property but Wolf still knew it like the back of his hand. He urged Batlo faster and in a few minutes, Rose's house was in sight. Wolf glanced back at Grace, unsure whether or not he should bring her right up to the house or let her off there. He wasn't particularly concerned about what she wanted but, rather, what was best for her. In the end, he decided to ride straight up to the house.  

[5Bulletproof-Marshmellows]

Grace noticed that Wolf kept his gaze forward. Well at least someone was focused. He at least knew what to look for. Looking back over her shoulder for a second, she hoped that there would be more snow. It would look a little bit more like the city then. Besides, she couldn't help but like the look of the pure white, delicate blanket. Looking back ahead, she let out a soft sigh.

She didn't know what Aunt Rose was going to say. She figured that her mother had already called her to fill her in. How much would she have said though? She wouldn't be surprised if everything had been spilled, Aunt Rose was pretty close to their family. She didn't have time to refine her story either. Grace could see the two story house across the field after they had passed a road. Swallowing, she hoped that Rose wouldn't send her back. Her and Daniel alone in the same house wouldn't end well.

When Wolf glanced back at her, she looked back at him before biting her lip. "Just drop me off here," she told him but the horse kept moving. "It's not that far of a walk." Even though she was a bit cold by now, especially her hands and face, she didn't want to know what Aunt Rose would do with Wolf. Hopefully not pull the old shotgun out on him. Then again, she was reasonable, more reasonable than most at least. "Wolf," she spoke, after all it didn't seem like he was going to listen to her. She put a firm hand on his shoulder. There was no way she could jump without doing some kind of damage to her injury, otherwise she would.  

[Katydid50]

Wolf scanned the sight of the house. It was not grand by any standards but it was still far nicer than most of the farmhouses in the area, far nicer -by white standards anyway- than his own home or even Daniel's. Then again, Daniel's was a hole. He'd said so himself.

As they approached the house, Wolf wondered if he should have dropped her off a distance away. No doubt Rose would want to know what he was doing with her niece -grand niece?- and he couldn't be entirely sure what Grace would have to say on the matter. She could spill everything, right down to how she'd gotten injured, and he could find himself looking down the barrel of the a shotgun. Not that he could really imagine Rose pulling a gun on him but he'd been shot before and didn't want to even risk the chance of a repeat.

Grace spoke but he didn't say anything nor did he do as she suggested. She spoke again but, again, he ignored it. Despite the possible risk to him, she must have been cold by then and she would be weary after everything that had happened that morning. Suddenly, she said his name and placed a hand on his shoulder. He didn't know what it was but he liked the sound of her saying his name. But, he could no longer ignore what she had to say.

Wolf glanced over his shoulder at her. "I'm not deaf. I heard you the first time." He brought Batlo to a halt several feet from the front door. He didn't know whether or not Rose had spotted them yet but he wanted to be on his way before she came out. Besides, he really wanted to get home. If he waited for much longer, his stomach would get fed up and start gnawing on his backbone.  

[5Bulletproof-Marshmellows]

He ignored to her the whole time she tried to convince him otherwise. At least until she said his name but by then they were already near the house that she would possibly be staying at for the next few days. Biting her lip, she then narrowed her eyes at his remark. "Then you should have listened to me," she told him, moving her hand away from him just as the door opened. Aunt Rose had her arms crossed, she couldn't tell what kind of mood the woman was in. Swallowing, she then moved back from Wolf, wondering how in the world she was going to get down without falling over. She was sure it wouldn't have been a problem if she could use both of her arms without tearing any stitches.

"Why don't you help the girl down and come inside for some breakfast?" she told Wolf. Her voice wasn't hostile. "You can tie the horse up to the porch, he won't go nowhere." She wasn't about to take no for answer even from someone like Wolf. They had plenty of things to discuss. Especially how Grace had ended up with him this fine early morning.

Grace was able to say that she could get down on her own but she didn't want to test the waters with her Aunt. She was the one person that she wanted to be on the good side of. Pulling a knew up to her chest, she then put both legs on one side of the horse and looked down. It wasn't that bad of a jump, probably lower than jumping from the fence back at school but at the same time she didn't want to spook the horse on accident.

Sighing, she hated this. She really wished she could get back to normal so that she'd be able to maneuver like she used to. No help from Wolf. Or anyone else. She didn't want his hands on her. It made her stomach churn, not in an exactly unpleasant way but that's what irritated her the most, when he held her. Back in the field. The thought caused a light blush to form on her cheeks. She hoped it was still dim enough outside that no one noticed.  

[Katydid50]

Wolf raised an eyebrow at her comment that he should have listened, suddenly wondering if Rose really would take after him with a gun. He didn't have time to ask, though, because the front door swung open and Rose stepped out. As though sensing his master's sudden tension, Batlo sidestepped nervously. From the waist down, Rose looked thoroughly pissed off though her face was calm enough. Grace shifted back away from him but that was the least of Wolf's concerns at the moment.

When Rose spoke, acutally inviting him inside, Wolf's eyes narrowed suspiciously. If he hadn't known any better, he would have thought she was genuine. In fact, he'd never even heard of her being anything but genuine. But, after the way the other older women in the area had treated him, he would be a fool not to be wary.

He watched Rose for several seconds, trying to judge whether she was being honest or if it was some kind of trick. In the end, there was only one way to find out. Behind him, he could feel Grace moving. He glanced back to see her sitting sideways. He waited for her to jump off but she didn't. Was she waiting for help? Somehow, he doubted it. With a mental shrug and another single-worded command to Batlo, Wolf turned sideways as well and jumped off.

He could wait for Grace to follow suit but he was impatient. He didn't know what he was in for with Rose and that made him nervous, which made him impatient. He just wanted to get this over with so he could get back home where just about everything was predictable, if not entirely pleasant. At least when he got in trouble there, he knew for a fact that no one would pull a gun on him.

Reaching up, Wolf grasped Grace around the waist and swung her down to her own two feet. The contact with her made his hands tingle but he hardly noticed. He had grown increasingly tense ever since Rose had made an appearance and, by now, his body was practically humming with it. Batlo followed his master forward but the horse was still nervous. Wolf tied one of the reins to the porch railing before turning to Grace. He motioned for her to lead the way, his mouth a tight, grim line.