Inept.

[River]

Golden amber eyes gazed wonderingly at the plants below her, ablaze with ideas and curiosity. The botanist hadn't been in Death Valley for long, not long at all - yet, she had already found something that could cause another beast so much pain and discomfort. Such a beautiful flower, indeed.. azaleas were very nice to look at, but definitely not good to ingest. It worried her - what if some prey animal had ingested some of the leaves or even the flower itself, and then some unsuspected valley wolf stole through the stomach of such an animal after the hunt, never thinking to check the body for poisonous aspects? Vomitting, that was what would happen; vomitting, fatigue and a whole slew of different illnesses. She'd seen the very flower someone to death before( at least to her, the being was dead; coma patients weren't treated the same back then, now, were they? ). Strange that the azalea would be found surrounded, nearly, by jasmine and flax. It was as if the azalea was trying to hide itself away - of course, plants had no motives for killing, because they had no brains; a natural self defense mechanism, that's all.

She lifted herself from her crouched position, eyes still fiery with wonder at this new home. She was only a bondless - little more than the dirt she walked upon, but still. The feeling of being accepted, the joy that came from such a thing - it hadn't left her yet, and she was going to keep that excited feeling with her for as long as possible. Already she had found herself a more private den, hidden away within a patch of lilies and poinsettia - she found that the excess of poinsettia made her blend in fairly well, and so she'd made her home amongst the branches. It seemed to fit her - being surrounded by beautiful plantlife in a calm, serene setting. Hayley was a girl who liked her privacy, who loved to study the plantlife and to figure out how to help others. She was kind, there was no doubt about that; it was that her kindness sometimes overshot and switched into naivety that was the problem. She'd have to fix it - somehow - but she'd have to.

Sighing contentedly, she'd pick up her pace into a light trot, a single belladonna flower dangling from her mouth. The smell of the flower was amazing, too amazing to leave it - so she'd just take it with her.

Hayley was peaceful, a calm like an aged mother who had grown far too used to childish antics to be surprised by them anymore. Nearly everywhere she went, a calm aura surrounded her - oftentimes, when she had lived her life as a heathen outside of the Valley, others had sought her out for guidance and companionship. Now, she didn't feel useful in that way. Death Valley had it's Scions, whom they looked to for all of their questions, because they knew that the Rosas would have answers. The rosas were never wrong, she'd learned. Stopping, the girl would raise her eyes to the sky above, the soft orange coloration giving way to the sweet lavender of nighttime. Stars littered one half of the sky, the other a pale orange pink - like a clash of darkness and light, but it was too beautiful to be a battle. With a soft smirk the rosy colored female would pick up her walk again, moving toward no place in particular.

After all, the only way to socialize was the get out, right? she thought to herself, the belladonna flower still dangling from each side of her mouth.

[River]

Her left leg dangled out of a decrepit tree in the middle of the wasted plains. Her front paws were crossed to support her head on one of the gangly branches. This wolf was trained to believe that it was normal for wolves to sit up in trees, lay in waiting of prey and jump down for the attack. Mostly the Jin just sat up in the trees for nice afternoon naps. The branches were a little shaky, but she put belief in her White Rosa that the tree would stand up for her use until she needed it no longer. And the tree stood to her cause. It was rather beautiful when you gave it some thought, to put all your allegiance to your Rosas and they protect you through flora and fauna. Ink hadn’t come to Oukoku-Kai as a spiritual wolf, but she was starting to turn and believe new things.

She was sleeping, feeling the cool breezes rushing from other lands. Even just from the small height of the tree she could already experience the luxury of other things from other lands. Around the pack there were promotions being made in rank appraisals, but she was still the lone Jin. This was pretty sweet because being true bonded with the Keroberus she had full control of who she got to kill and devour. Ink was restless, she wanted to go on a mission and kill from the outside. She felt like her talents were wasted on the inside, slowly picking off the weak and starting fights with others. She was bored, that’s why she was trying to change and show more of her growing personality. She outwardly sighed at that very thought, her ‘personality’ lacked many traits deemed as acceptable among other people.

The red tattoo beneath her eye itched making her eyelid flutter. She didn’t want to get up just yet, so she put up with the pain until she really needed to scratch her scar. Her ears cupped around an oncoming sound, small paws padding along the desert floor. Ink knew without opening her eyes that the oncoming wolf was female; the scent that wafted towards her nose was also a dead giveaway. It took a keen ear to estimate the wolf at being around two feet and something, possible, but the sound of her paws was way too light to be anything too large. Ink assessed the approaching girl as zero threat and decided to wake up. At least she wouldn’t have to attack her or something. The good thing was also that she lacked hunger and she could pretty much act like a decent pack member. Ink pried open one eye in the same movement that she swiped her paw at the scar beneath her eye. She angled her paws on the branch elegantly, perfectly standing on the branch and abusing what God had set out for wolves. She kicked off the branch and landed simply on the ground, no back flips for this assassin.

She landed just before the girl had passed her. Ink being Ink didn’t see the need in voicing anything to the girl. She was not someone for small talk unless the small talk was interesting; it usually wasn’t. Ink lifted her sleek skull just enough to bring it down in a visible greeting nod.

[River]

The girl's brain was still concentrating on those lethal plants that she had happened upon, thinking of how to make them useful, to make them good, in at least one sense of the word. She knew that azalea flowers weren't harmful. If mixed right, they were actually useful in covering up powerful odors, for the scent of the azalea flower was some of the most powerful Hayley had ever smelled. Still, the stems, roots, all of the rest of the plant was surely fatal. In that thought, the rose colored girl had a revelation; though she hated, nay, absolutely despised the thought of murdering another, she knew that in the Valley of demons there was obviously a use for death. What if.. what if I could use the plant life to gain acknowledgment from those higher in rank than I? Hayley thought to herself, playing around with the idea in her mind. That was certainly a good idea. Although she wasn't ambitious for rank, or even for respect from the pack, letting them know she was there, and furthermore that she had a use seemed all too appealing to her.

Suddenly, though, her train of thought was interrupted by a sleek black stranger that had seemingly appeared out of nowhere. Hayley inhaled sharply, clenching her teeth together which, in turn, caused each dangling part of the belladonna flower to drop to the ground below her. She stood rigid for a moment, before sensing that this black one meant her no harm. After all, there had been no guttural growls of anger or any snarls, not even a raised tail. The given nod made the bondless relax, and she nodded in return. Glancing down at the ruined flower, she frowned, turning her head away to spit out the stem that had been left in her mouth. Amber eyes returned their gaze to the stranger, who hadn't said anything, and looked like they didn't plan to, either. To Hayley, this was both a relief and a cursed thing - she hated starting conversations with strangers, because they were always awkward for her. However, she knew that this wolf was a demon of the Valley, someone to be both feared and respected as not only a black soul, but as a pack mate. Timid as she was, the maiden couldn't help but stammer as she began to speak. "D-did you need something, ma'am?" The voice used then was a shy one, soft and hesitant, exposing an offer to the female who, to Hayley, seemed like someone of rank.

Oh no oh no oh nnooo! Hayley's eyes widened only a little as she realized she'd forgotten an introduction. She'd have to practice on that, and she also chastised herself inwardly for the bad behaviour. "Forgive the lack of manners, madam. I'm Hayley, bondless of the Valley." Good, good, no stammering, she thought to herself, slowly becoming more comfortable with the situation. Besides the black one who had accepted her into the pack, she had met no one from the Valley. Hayley was shy enough as it was - meeting with someone of rank that belonged to a pack that you were new to just wasn't something she had honestly looked forward to.

Her blazing amber eyes never dared to set upon those of the stranger. Whether or not that notion was disrespectful within the bounds of the Valley was beyond her knowledge, but she dared not take a chance. She had only recently been accepted, and still she remained bondless - best not to give a horrid impression to the first wolf who took the time to greet you, eh?

[River]

The dark assassin had seen this behaviour many times in bondless wolves. Some higher ranks got absolutely giddy over the weakness that bondless presented, high ranks sucked up this display hungrily. She shook her head back and forth, finding mild distaste in the girl’s discomfort. Ink extended her neck, pushing her chest out and walking with defined elegance towards Hayley. Her body aligned neatly with the girl’s and the assassin meant to keep moving, she wanted to walk with the girl. It was a rarity for the cannibal to be without a desire to feed and with this rarity is a kindness that is never seen.

“Relax,” her word a liquid hand caressing the listener’s senses.

The black wolf coiled around the other female, entrapping her in false serenity. If the girl actually did know who Ink was then her fear would be justified. But if the girl was new like the smell of the outside on her fur suggested she was, then the girl would definitely feel comforted by Ink’s cold seductive voice.

“Hayley, you shouldn’t grovel. In Oukoku-Kai the only ones you should show weakness to is our Rosas. Remember that, because the lands are littered with hungry beasts looking to wipe out the weak.”

Ink stopped in front of the girl, forcing her amber eyes to connect with her golden ones. Her voice was slow; Ink couldn’t remember putting that many words together for someone at one time. A small smirk lifted on her mouth, she was close to the girl almost uncomfortably so. Ink knew that bondless were aware of the rules of the lands, bondless were worthless compared to any whom have rank. She cast a quick glance sideways to pick up the crushed flower in her line of vision. The assassin was good at reading others, but not that good. The flower piqued her interest, but she wouldn’t push it out of the girl unless it was absolutely necessary.

Ink stepped out of the girl’s line of sight and stood beside her once more. Her tail lashed back and forth in an attempt to fan off the heat.

“My name is Ink and I am a Jin,” each one-syllable word clipped off her tongue.

The black wolf tilted her head to the side as if she had a second thought she said, “and if you show that kind of weakness to me again, I can’t promise you won’t have a chunk bitten out of you.”

[River]

It had occurred to Hayley before that her manners would be mistaken for groveling - however, as often as they were confused, Hayley was not one to grovel. One of her brothers had been a groveler, someone who brown nosed their way into good positions and the better parts of life. It disgusted the maiden, and she resented the fact that she'd been confused with someone of that nature. However, hiding that resentment was definitely something that the rose colored girl had expected to have to do, and so she brought out the skill she'd had tucked away, for use when she needed it; this seemed like the opportune time. The words of the black female did not fall upon deaf ears. Oh no, in fact it was quite the opposite. Hayley drank in the words of advice the other so generously gave her, thankful that she hadn't made too horrible of an impression on the first Valley wolf she'd socialized with under her rank as bondless. Upon realizing this, she also had another realization. Her body was no longer rigid, instead being smoothed out and comfortable. As much as she appreciated that, it confused her. Why was she so relaxed? In normal circumstances, she'd have been frozen, unused to the ways of the Valley or any other pack life, for that matter. "Yes, you're right. However.. " She was almost hesitant to disagree with the girl. Almost. "Is not the fate of every wolf of the Valley in the hands of the Davine? I shall shed my weaknesses but never my manners."

Hayley gave a nod at the mention of he black females name and rank - Ink the Jin, quite easy to remember, and the name certainly fit her well. Their positions, however, brought back that distinctive rigidness to her body, the black Jin being in such close proximity to her own body, and their eyes locked, meeting in a way that Hayley found almost mandatory, impossible to escape. "Forgive me, for this may sound idiotic, but.. what exactly does a Jin do?" Unlike most others around her, Hayley had no sense of the ranking system within the Valley she had made herself a part of. She certainly wasn't an omniscient girl - she didn't know everything automatically. No, instead, she knew she'd have to learn as much as possible to obtain a well enough sense of the way her new home worked to satisfy her curiosity.

The last words spoken to the maiden nearly sent a chill up her spine, but she held it down. Weaknesses.. she knew she'd have to snuff them out. Paws stepped gracefully alongside the pair of black ones that belonged to the Jin, though her amber eyes were set straight forward. There was little doubt in Hayley's mind that she had made the right decision in coming to.. what was it, Oukoku-Kai? Yes, that was it, she confirmed to herself. Averting her gaze from the land laid out before her over to Ink, she'd tilt her head in an inquiring way. "You've murdered before. I can tell by the way you act, and even if you haven't, I know you could. But tell me.. is there a rank in Oukoku-Kai that leads to murder through a different route? Say.. a botanist, or a sort of witchdoctor?" When she had been accepted, the black and gray female had told her that there was a rank akin to that of her skills, and that those very skills she possessed were something that was needed. Curiosity had filled her, but she dared not stay with the yellow eyed demon any longer than possible. Now here she was with someone willing to speak to her, and advise her, if only in the way a father disciplined a child that had misbehaved. "I'm going to be honest with you. I have no experience what so ever in the dealings of pack life. I have lived my life in solitude with only my brothers and my parents. I need to learn as much as I can, very quickly." A short pause for a moment before she continued. "It would be a shame, should ignorance be my own downfall."

Perhaps her life was not as useless as she had once suspected.

[River]

Ink’s tail coiled lusciously back and forth behind her. She relished in her good looks as they were often ignored by the wolves in the valley. And why shouldn’t she be ignored as a beauty? She was a monster. Her pupils enlarged when she was hungry, like a shark on the hunt, as if all the lights in her head went out and to see through the darkness her pupils widened to see the target. Oh yes, Ink was a delectable treat, but not everyone would like her flavor.

Ink had kept her keen golden eyes on the girl. Her eyes did not show the usual ravenous hunger, but instead shrewd intrigue. She had let her tongue fall back into her mouth, she liked when she didn’t have to speak at all. That’s how she felt about the question of the Davine, and the statement that followed. Ink lowered her muzzle closing her eyes momentarily, signifying an apology on her behalf of assuming. Ink turned to look ahead, listening to the padding of their paws on the dry desert floor. Up ahead of them was one of the tar pits, the oozing black sick bubbled and gurgled under the hot sun. Had Hayley seen the tar pits, did she know what the Keroberus did with them? A cool shiver of pleasure roiled up the assassin’s spine, oh Crow.

“Jin are the assassins of the valley. We can kill within the pack or go outside of it. Sometimes, we work with the Keroberus who delivers the falling grace of death with use of the tar pits. I happen to be bonded to him, I get pleasure picks sometimes and am allowed to devour anyone he gives,” she laughed offhandedly.

The truth was the Keroberus was someone you could never ‘buddy’ up against, no matter how closely you were bonded to him. He was twisted, fatal in the head and very daunting. It was no surprise that Crow had become the dealer of death; he was an ominous presence on the lands. Ink still respected him, he was one of the few wolves she did respect.

“Then again, I attack whoever I damn well please, in this pack. The world of death valley is not meant for the weak not when they cross paths with me,” she lowered her head in slight remorse of the merciless killings she committed and will commit.

Ink had been so wrapped up in her story-telling that the last she caught of Hayley’s question. The assassin gulped down hard, the treacherous herbalists, not to be confused with healers.

“Ah yes, the Herbalists, they deal death with poisons brought through with herbs, flowers and anything else they can get their paws on. I know of them, because the only wolves the herbalists can give poison to be Jin and disgraced warriors that want to commit suicide.”

The Jin shivered, whoever would want to commit suicide? Cowards.

Their walking had allowed them to reach the brink of the tar pits. Ink jumped away from the edge as a black steam bubble rose out of the pool.

I'm going to be honest with you. I have no experience what so ever in the dealings of pack life. I have lived my life in solitude with only my brothers and my parents. I need to learn as much as I can, very quickly. It would be a shame, should ignorance be my own downfall.

Ink let her voice hum on her tongue, she agreed with the girl. Ink thought about false bonding the girl to her, but she wasn’t even sure if that was allowed not to mention Hayley probably would turn it down.

“You can ask me anything. I know that the herbalist rank is under the Rengyo, it would be best to get an audience with them—you could get a high off of this tar,” she side-tracked still mesmerized by the tar.

And why shouldn’t she be mesmerized? She still remembered that day when that idiot jumped into the tar and Crow asked her to be a true bond. Now as she stood before the pits, the sticky burnt rubber smell filled her nose setting her head flying sky high. Ink looked to Hayley, her head tilting to the side, she hoped the other girl remembered her advice to relax.

[River]

Before she had joined, it had never occurred to Hayley that a pack was where she could really get her life started, actually make herself worth something more than a feast for the vultures when she died. Yet, as she loped along with the black Jin Ink, surrounded by the atmosphere of home and belonging, she realized just how much she would have missed had she made the all too fatal decision not to seek acceptance. Ink only roused more questions from the girl when she told Hayley of the Jin and their deathdealing powers. That was always something that had intrigued Hayley - wolves that held the power of life and death in their paws, and legally as well. While Hayley wasn't one to believe in gods of any sort, she knew that most of the population had gods, gods that they considered to be the sole holders of life and death - yet here were mere mortals ending lives and bringing life into existence. The last little snippet of the onyx females words did cause her a little bit of unease, but she remained calm, if only outwardly. At the moment, Ink didn't seem hostile, and Hayley didn't believe that she'd done or said any provocative.

To her surprise the Jin seemed uneasy about the herbalists - that confused her. While the Jin and that Keroberous fellow that Ink spoke of had the ability to slaughter, rip and mangle anyone with their bare jaws, the herbalists had to wait, never actually having the satisfaction of taking a life themselves - it was all in the work of the plants. Hayley knew a lot of different plants, which ones were poisonous and which ones weren't, and it wasn't beyond her experience to know how to concoct a death-poultice; she'd just never had to do such a thing, and was therefore somewhat foreign to such a thing. Why the powerful Jin, who had taken lives herself would be scared of someone who had to use greenery to kill was beyond her.

It wasn't long before a strange odor began to waft about, catching the attention of her nose and then her mind. Curious, the bondless peered ahead, eyes glimpsing what she had first thought to be a giant black hole in the ground. As the two neared it, though, Hayley discovered it to be a tar pit, something she had heard of but never actually seen. She knew that those black depths were deathdealers in themselves. The thick, black ooze was a hard place to get out of - whatever simpleton got too close and fell in was right to die, in Hayley's eyes. What idiot didn't know to veer away from tar pits? She herself kept a good enough distance from the pit, though she stood transfixed, seemingly halted by the black pit before her. The goo was perplexing, but she didn't bother stepping back from it. Without looking at the Jin, Hayley spoke to the other, her eyes still trained on the tar. "You know.. call me crazy, but this pit is amazing." It was upon finishing her sentence that the bondless would look back to Ink, her amber eyes interested and deep. "It brings death.. and I believe that if you can be close enough to death, the easier it is to accept it when you die, and the less you fear it when you live " She had little time to mull over her words before it occurred to her that she probably made little to no sense at all. Her words held meaning for her, but what about Ink?

Switching the subject quickly, she asked a question she had been itching to get an answer for since they met. "Bondless means something.. I'd suppose the life of a bondless is dedicated to getting a bond. How does that work, if I may pose the question?" The way that Oukoku-Kai worked never ceased to amaze the girl. Bondless, Jin, the whole lot - part of that was probably because she'd never before experienced the likes of a pack, but most of the reasoning had to be from the sheer uniqueness that Oukoku-Kai and the wolves of Death Valley possessed.