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**HyrulianBlackcat** · 02-20-2014, 08:04 PM

Sephira looked around her in surprise. Snowpeak would still be covered in ice and snow, as it was all year long. But the plants here, while still clearly dealing with the effects of winter, were thriving. She hadn't been expecting this, nor had she been expecting the mild temperature. It was windy, as could be expected in an open area like this, but it was only a mild breeze. "I spent a time training in the cold of a mountain," she said, still looking around her. "Snowpeak is covered in snow and ice, even in summer. It is a cold, unforgiving place, especially during a winter snowstorm. This seems tame in comparison." She smiled at him, showing that she didn't mean to imply his training was less than her experience in the mountaintop.

**Z64** · 02-20-2014, 08:54 PM

About 200 meters away from Sephira and Maxwell, a wolf watched them. Its coat was a light silver, so he couldn't really blend into anything but the snow. And even then, it wasn't that hard to spot him.

The wolf recognized Maxwell, as he had saved his life. The wolf remembered it like it was just yesterday.

It was during this time of the year, but the snow was gone, it was pretty warm. He had been hunting, looking for prey, as it was the season where prey was most abundant in Snowhead. He had just been doing his thing, when an arrow hit one of his back legs. He turned around to see a human. The human said something in his language, and Maxwell came. They argued about something the wolf couldn't understand, but the wolf assumed that the human who shot him wanted to finish the job, but Maxwell had other ideas. Maxwell ended up winning the argument, and patched the wolf up. The thought of eating the human was definitely there, but he had decided against it, seeing as he was helping him out.

It had been a few years since then, but the wolf still remembered. He emerged from his hiding place, and advanced toward Sephira and Maxwell.

-----------------------------------------

"Yeah, but I bet 'a time' wasn't a decade. I can do anything knees deep in the snow as easily as I can do it without snow."

Maxwell sat the wolf approached, and he put his hand on his sword, as he had been taught to. But then he remembered this wolf, because of the color of its coat, and the bandage around one of its legs.

"You, the male. You put this on my leg. Take it off." The wolf said this looking at Maxwell, not knowing he wouldn't understand it. Maxwell gave the wolf a confused look, then looked at Sephira.

"You know what he's saying, right?"

**HyrulianBlackcat** · 02-20-2014, 09:08 PM

Sephira was more than a little surprised the wolf approached. Typically wolves kept to themselves, as did most animals, not trusting humans to leave them alone. Then she noticed the bandage and heard what it said and smiled. "Apparently you two've met before. He says you put that bandage on his leg and he wants you to take it off." She knelt down and lifted her chin, offering her throat to the animal. "He will, friend." She smiled as she thought of wondered how Midnight was doing. He had taught her that the exposed throat meant respect, while lowering her head to be level with the other's indicated that she felt they were on equal terms. While she rarely encountered a wild predator, she still automatically assumed that position, trying to show it that she didn't intend any harm.

**Z64** · 02-20-2014, 09:29 PM

The wolf was surprised that Sephira could speak his language, and seemed to understand his culture.

Maxwell went over to the wolf and took off the bandage. The wound had healed a long time ago.

"There. Happy?" Maxwell asked. Sephira translated, and the wolf nodded.

"Yes. Why have you returned to this area?" The wolf asked.

"I was showing Sephira here around. She's new to Termina." Maxwell replied after a quick translation.

"Nobody knows the area like I do. I shall lead you to the rock creatures. They converse with another group of humans." The wolf said.

After Sephira translated, Maxwell nodded and began to follow the wolf. "He's probably talking about the Gorons, and the people I sent to talk with them. I'm assuming that the people Edward sent have been taken care of, so we probably don't have to worry about them."

The wolf looked back at Maxwell and Sephira. "You, the one who spoke my language. How did you learn to speak my language?"

**HyrulianBlackcat** · 02-20-2014, 09:47 PM

Sephira smiled, happy to discover this wolf was a kind one. She had met several wild predators that were savage, or just defensive of their territory, so it was nice to meet one who was genuinely friendly. "Yes, more than likely," she said to Maxwell absently before answering the wolf, "My people spent years learning to speak the languages of animals, and we past that knowledge down through the years. I also have a wolf friend who usually travels with me. He's just protecting someone for me right now."

**Z64** · 02-20-2014, 10:04 PM

"Interesting. Can you teach this one to speak my language? My pack is gone, and the male saved my life, so I plan to follow him."

"Alright, I'm getting of these translations already. Do you think you can teach me how to talk with this wolf?" Maxwell asked, unaware he was asking the same thing the wolf was.

**HyrulianBlackcat** · 02-20-2014, 10:58 PM

Sephira laughed as the two asked her for the same thing. "I can teach you easily. But as I said yesterday, it might not be so easy for you to learn. But now that you've taken the first step, I think we might be able to make some headway. For starters, what is your name, wolf?" She repeated the question in the wolf's language, explaining to Maxwell, "I don't know how much time it's spent with Terminans, so I don't know if it speaks Hylian. Likely it understands enough to be able to tell when it's in danger or otherwise, but I'm not sure if it understands more."

**Z64** · 02-20-2014, 11:18 PM

The wolf tilted its head sideways. "Name? I do not have a name. The pack never needed to use names. He can name me, if he wishes."

Maxwell thought about this after it was translated. This had to be a good name, something that fit.

"How about.....Shade." Maxwell said. Sephira translated to the wolf, and the wolf seemed to be content.

"Shade? I will take this name." Shade turned his head to face where he was walking.

"Alright, he has a name now. What next?"

**HyrulianBlackcat** · 02-22-2014, 11:05 PM

She frowned, trying to remember how she had learned. She had spent months with Star, hunting, talking, just laying together listening. She'd had someone to teach her to actually speak the language, how to form her tongue around the language, how to shift her body in just the right way to indicate what she meant. How would she condense all that down to the few weeks she'd have? After all, this rebellion wasn't going to last the months, or even years, she spent learning, and she'd be moving on. She still needed to get Elwood away from here, and the longer they dawdled, the more likely the Kokiri would meet someone with a golden heart. And she wanted to avoid that as much as possible. So as soon as she no longer had to stay with Maxwell, she'd be leaving Termina. She prayed the goddesses would grant a way to end the war without killing either leader, despite her naivety; as such, she'd pass on as much knowledge as she could before she left.
"You need to learn about him. Animals communicate with body language as much as voice, so you'll need to learn what signals he'll try to send you. If he hears something, his ears will turn in that direction, while he would turn his head in that direction if he scents something. Once he recognizes what it is and determines it's not a threat, he'll resume his attention elsewhere. However, if it is a threat, he will turn his whole body in that direction so he can be better prepared to attack it. The more dangerous the threat, the readier his stance. Paws wide apart, head lowered, lips back in a snarl. If he recognizes it as friendly and going to intercept you, he'll keep a relaxed stance, although he might trot up to it if he likes the person. But, if he determines that not only is it a threat, it's something he won't be able to beat, then he will act submissive. The stance I showed him earlier? I showed him respect by being level with him and exposing my throat. Submissive means a lower head, lowered tail, and often, crouching down. Wolves often whine as well, if they're really scared.
"You'll notice a difference between how Shade communicates and how Zarola will. Wolves are pack animals, social by nature, and he'll tell you things a lot more readily and you'll be able to read him quicker. Panthers, cheetahs, and other large cats are solitary. They tend to stay quiet so you have actually ask them what the problem is while Shade would just tell you. Zarola won't show submission in the same manner either, because submitting to cats means that you're giving up your territory and prey, while wolves show submission to their leaders. It keeps the pack in order. It's harder to learn to be partners with the cats, and much easier to understand wolves, but there are always exceptions. I have met some wolves that are serious and prideful enough to be loners, while there are large cats that form packs and can be really friendly or even talkative. Each one is different, just like every person is different.
"All I can really, truly teach you, is basic phrases and gestures that every predator shares, and leave you two to learn about each other. Zarola and I can help you better understand, but the best way to learn? Go for a hunt. A long, difficult hunt, so that you can learn each other's strengths and weaknesses." That's what the Stari often did, after first receiving their cheetah partner. She had taken Star into the forest to a favorite perch and sat there with the cheetah just listening to the wind together.

**Z64** · 02-22-2014, 11:39 PM

Maxwell was confused by what Sephira said. Not only did she just dump a load of information on him, but he was used to more straightforward instructions and step by step directions.

"Huh...okay. I have no idea when I'm going to find time for a hunt, but okay. It's not like I can get advice from anyone else."

"Hey, I'm getting hungry. Would we have time for a hunt after this? Oh, looks like we're here."

Like Shade said, the trio had arrived at the Goron village. Shade led them to the hut of sorts where Maxwell's people talked with the Gorons, and Maxwell went in, telling Sephira to wait outside.

When Maxwell walked in, he noticed the ceiling was a bit lower, not more than two feet above his head. In front of him was a table, with his people on the left side, and the Gorons sitting on the right side, with Chief Darmani on the end of the table farthest away from the entrance.

"Ah, the self-proclaimed king trained by the Hidden has decided to make an appearance in the treaty talks." Darmani said, everyone's attention going to Maxwell. Maxwell's people stood up, and either saluted or bowed, according to their position. Maxwell sat down in the chair in front of him, putting him right across from Darmani.

"Hello, Chief Darmani. What have we established so far?"

"We have established that we will remain neutral in the war you are waging with your own people, and that the Goron jurisdiction still covers the same areas it did when Mayor Doctour was in power. We have not decided whether or not we will help you if you chose to fight the other nations on the continent."

Maxwell nodded, not pleased with what Darmani said, but not upset. "Fine. I'm assuming somebody has written this all down?" One of Maxwell's people presented a scroll with all the terms of the treaty and passed it to Maxwell. Maxwell took a while to read all of it, making sure everything was right. He then requested a pen and ink, then signed the treaty. He passed it to the Goron leader, who simply dipped his finger in the ink and wrote his name, as he couldn't hold the pen. Maxwell took the scroll, rolled it up, and handed it to one of his people.

"Alright, we'll be taking our leave now. Later, Darmani."

When Maxwell walked out with his men, some of them jumped at the sight of Shade, and some looked at Sephira. Maxwell noticed this, sighed, and sent them on their way.

"Remind me to never destroy government documents again. I hate doing this treaty talk."

Shade looked at Maxwell. "Hey, you've done your business. Can we get some food now?"

Sephira translated, and Maxwell frowned, then looked back at Sephira.

"What do you think, Seph? Should we go to Clock Town so I can do the boring but important stuff, or should I hunt with this wolf?" Maxwell asked, not wanting to decide for himself.

**HyrulianBlackcat** · 02-23-2014, 06:14 AM

She smiled at how similar the pair were. So many times one would say something and the other would repeat the thought, without either understanding the other. She didn't have the chance to reply, though, before they arrived at their destination. Maxwell entered the hut, leaving her and Shade to wait outside. She spent the time waiting for him talking with Shade, teaching him a few phrases in Hylian.
She smiled at Maxwell's people as they left, noticing how they started at the wolf and stared at her. The smile broadened at Maxwell's comment and she was about to ask why he had destroyed them in the first place when Shade repeated his request for food. When she translated, Maxwell asked what he should do, much to her surprise. To her, the choice was obvious. "Hunt. If you're wanting to keep him and understand what he's saying, make sure he stays satisfied. You don't ever want to take a hungry wolf into a town. People might be sensitive to it, but any animals in town will notice there's a hungry predator and react instinctively." She pulled her bow and quiver from her back and offered them to him. "It's best if I don't come, so when you've finished, have Shade howl for me. In these mountains, I should hear it. He's going to take you hunting now. When you've caught something, howl for me. I would like to share in your catch." She smiled at the pair.

**Z64** · 02-23-2014, 11:29 AM

Maxwell took Sephira's bow and quiver from her hands. He was glad that he had a bow of some sort, but it had been a while since he used an actual bow because he had a crossbow, which from his experience, was more efficient. "Thank you. I would've been a bit upset if I went hunting without a bow."
"Alright, let's go." Shade said, starting to walk away. When Maxwell started to go after him, Shade sped up to a sprint, and so did Maxwell.
Soon, they reached a forest area. The ground had little snow, and a fair amount of plants, some dead, some alive. Shade watched as Maxwell climbed a tree, then snorted. "Oh, yeah, that's fair." Maxwell smiled, noticing the wolf's tone. He then began going from tree to tree, going deeper into the forest. Shade snorted again, and followed him on foot.
The duo were pretty deep in the forest when Shade looked up and saw Maxwell had stopped, and was looking at something. Shade followed his gaze, and saw a deer. Shade crouched, and went into the nearby foliage. He used the foliage to sneak up as close he could to the deer, and was about to get his prey when he tripped on a root and fell forward. The deer heard this, and sprinted off. But before he got too far, Shade saw Maxwell jump down and land on the deer, stabbing its neck with his knife, killing it. Shade went over to Maxwell, who was now standing over the deer, examining the kill. "Jugular stab. Nice."
Maxwell stepped off the deer, and immediately noticed that Shade took his place and started eating the deer. "Ah, great. I was going to leave the darn thing untouched until Seph got here, but I guess not." Maxwell looked up and saw another deer, not too far away, but not close either. Maxwell pulled out his bow, readied an arrow, and fired, but the deer seemed to get scared away by something else and the arrow missed. However, Maxwell heard a whine from the area that the arrow landed. He went over to see what he hit, and saw a wolf with an arrow in its neck. It was barely holding on to its life. Maxwell kneeled down next to the wolf and pulled out the arrow, ending its life. Right then, Maxwell heard a howl. And before Maxwell could stand up, more wolves came out of the surrounding foliage. As he stood up, they formed a circle around him, moving counterclockwise. Maxwell pulled out his sword, ready to take whichever wolf charged him first.
Shade heard this howl and looked up from his meal, also noticing his master was gone. "He must be in trouble." Shade said to himself, going in the direction of the howl. Shade got to where he thought he heard the howl come from, and saw the wolves surrounding Maxwell. "Hey, pay attention to one of your own species." The wolves in the circle closest to Shade stopped and turned around to get a look at him. Maxwell's focus also went to Shade, which was noticed by one of the wolves. The wolf charged Maxwell, who barely noticed in time and moved out of the way, making the wolf land on one of his own pack. The wolf who had been next to the wolf who charged now charged Maxwell, who sidestepped the leap but grabbed the wolf's body, keeping him close. The wolf tried to bite Maxwell's hand, but was quickly stabbed three times in the torso. Maxwell let go of the wolf, and its body fell to the ground.
At the same time, the two wolves who had turned to look at Shade started to fight him. Shade struggled to fight both of the wolves at once, clearly losing. Maxwell noticed this, sheathed his sword, pulled out his bow, and fired an arrow at one of the wolves attacking Shade, putting it out of the fight. Another wolf charged Maxwell and bit one of Maxwell's wrists, bringing him to the ground. Maxwell dropped the bow as he fell, and used his free fist to punch the wolf's mouth. The wolf eventually let go, and Maxwell stood up quickly. The wolf charged again, but Maxwell kicked him midair. The bite hurt, but Maxwell knew there was nothing he could do about it right now. When the wolf charged again, Maxwell used his sword to kill it midair. There were about three wolves left, including the one Shade was fighting. Speaking of Shade, he was now winning the fight, the other wolf clearly less skilled and inexperienced. Shade was able to finish him quickly, and focused his attention on the wolves that were focused on Maxwell. He leaped on one of them, pinning it down as Shade mercilessly attacked it. The other wolf attempted to push Shade off, but Maxwell threw his knife with his good hand, hitting the wolf right in the head. Shade killed the last wolf, and looked up at Maxwell. "We didn't do so bad." Maxwell said, sitting down and looking at his wrist. Shade howled, then went over to Maxwell to see his injury. The bite wasn't as bad as it could've been, but it definitely needed to be treated. "Ok, you really don't need to sit down for that wound, do you?" Maxwell shot the wolf a slightly annoyed glance, then stood up, waiting for Sephira to come.

**HyrulianBlackcat** · 02-23-2014, 08:32 PM

As soon as they were gone, Sephira shed her dress, boots, and mask and tucked them in a small crevice, which she marked with a scalding finger. Then she allowed the joyous form of the phoenix to take over her own. She might be a forest person, but nothing filled her with the same pleasure as opening her wings and taking flight. A large bird of prey, colored so that ever flap of her wings appeared as flames. She gained altitude quickly, enjoying the feeling of her wings, the strain of gaining and maintaining flight, while her tail shifted to keep her straight. This was who she was. She wasn't this trickster, this liar. She was the embodiment of fire, mistress of the sky. She shrieked with her glee as she climbed higher still.
It was several minutes before she couldn't go any higher for lack of air. There were days she wanted to try higher, to see just how far she could go, but today especially she needed to pay attention. She'd only taken a brief respite from herself; she didn't need to distract herself with silly fantasies. She leveled out, and was surprised to see a vast pool of water before her. It was a distance away, but from this height, she could see the camp where the rebels waited outside Clock Town. She darted in that direction, wanting to check up on James and the others. She'd be able to see them easily enough from this height, but she was so high up that she'd seem a sparrow to them, a flickering spark in the blue sky.
It didn't take long to find Star was watching Midnight and Elwood playing in the water, the cheetah a careful distance so as not to get splashed by accident. Inga was by the cooking fires, while Ea and Tennor were eating with the other rebels. She searched idly for Zebulon, but not too closely. She was really hoping to find James. Just to reassure herself that he was alright. And she did find him. Chatting with another woman, showing her his bow. She dove a little closer, and saw that he was heavily bruised and was holding his hand awkwardly. What did you do James? She was a little hurt that he was with another woman, but considering what she'd done, perhaps it was the goddesses' punishment for her. Still, she couldn't help but gently pluck one of her feathers and let it fall towards him. Even if the wind carried it away from him, Star or Midnight would catch her scent from it and bring it to him. With a hard flap and twist, she turned back to the mountains, releasing a trill of joy. No matter how depressed she got, her phoenix wouldn't let her stay that way while she flew.
She heard the howl just before she landed near where she'd left her clothes. She pulled her human form back on, pulling the dress, boots, and mask on as well, smiling to herself. She'd seen them before heading for the rebel base, so she had an idea of where to look for them. To her surprise, though, it wasn't just a deer carcass that awaited her, but a pack of wolves whose bodies bled into the earth. She raised an eyebrow as she regarded Maxwell and Shade. "I said go for a hunt, not a war party."

**Z64** · 02-23-2014, 09:06 PM

"His fault, not mine." Shade said.
"Hey, I took a shot at a deer, hit a wolf, and then they attacked me! It's not my fault! If we're going to blame anybody, blame the wolves." Maxwell retorted, his slight annoyance showing in his tone.
Shade snorted. "Oh yeah, blame the wolves for trying to avenge one of their pack. Seems reasonable." The sarcasm was very evident in Shade's voice as he said this. Maxwell became more annoyed, as he knew the wolf was right. Maxwell quickly looked around for where he had dropped Sephira's bow after one of the wolves bit him, picked it up, and gave the quiver and the bow back to Sephira. Then, he retrieved his knife from one of the heads of the dead wolves.

"Anyways, now that Shade's stomach is satisfied, I think we need to head to Clock Town. Unless you want to hang around here a bit longer?"

(You can say that everybody exits in the next post, HBC)

Announcement

A Visit to the Mountains

A Visit to the Mountains

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