A day to explore

It took a few minute,s but eventually he managed to calm himself enough to stop outright laughing.

His body still shook somewhat and there was obvious laughter in his voice.

Yes, I'm fine.

Tyrael wanted her to stay away from the dungeon...

That or he wanted her to stay away from him and his influences and by banning her from going into the dungeon, he wouldn't be able to lead her down there.

Something about Zakhar unnerved her, he seemed nice enough to talk to but she felt that when he spoke that there were things she should be understanding that she wasn't.

Why doesn't Master Tyrael want me going near you?

She asked, Marion understood why she should stay away from other Lycan but he had mentioned Zakhar individually, it sparked her curiosity.

Because I'm a nasty, influential man that will probably corrupt you, he replied truthfully.

He knew that he wasn't the best person for innocent people to get to know. He had many flaws and he accepted them while other people probably wouldn't.

I'm the sort of man that murders and rapists are scared of.

Zakhar was dangerous and volatile. Some days he could be nice and others he could quite easily kill something for fun.

I see, then I suppose it is a good thing that I am neither a murderer or a rapist.

She muttered softly, to say she wasn't intimidated by the man would be a lie but she wasn't scared of him, she should've been.

Marion was the type of person who would not distrust or dislike someone until they gave her reason to.

Zakhar could very easily harm her, but he hadn't yet so she had no current reason to be afraid of him.

That is a good but foolish reply.

He was glad that she wasn't scared of him. She was a nice girl and he didn't want to forfeit getting to know her because she was terrified of him.

The large wolf stretched out again, tail beating against the ground as he yawned widely.

The smaller wolf shrugged slightly, laying its head back down on its paws.

Then I am foolish.

She could admit that, what was the worst thing that Zakhar could do to her, rape her, kill her, torture her until she wished for death?

Such things did frighten her but what was the point of living with such fear in her life.

If she let fear dictate her actions she would be following Tyrael around like a lost puppy constantly.

Very few people would admit to that.

Even he wouldn't admit to being foolish most of the time. He had to be in a certain mood to admit that he was foolish or had done something wrong.

He was impressed that she would so openly admit she was foolish. It was something that he hadn't expected.

I see no point in lying about it.

Marion did foolish things all the time, things she would probably get in trouble for if any of the Elves found out about it, so she wasn't about to pretend that she was some intelligent being that could do no wrong.

I'm young, I am going to do stupid things which I will regret, nothing can stop that.

Perhaps if she were still human she would think differently, but when you could live for an extremely long time you could afford to cling onto your young mentality for longer.

Zakhar gave a chuckle.

I like the way you think.

Marion knew she wasn't perfect and she was going to screw up and she accepted that. He liked that.

Marion gave a gentle laugh.

How else is there to think? If you think you can do no wrong when you do mess up wouldn't you simply be disappointing yourself more?

She never could understand how people couldn't see their own faults, everyone had them and they just had to accept them and find a way to overcome them.

A lot of people can't admit they've done wrong even if they're met with it.

He was often like that. He was prideful and, as such, hated to admit that he was wrong most of the time.

The Lycan's eyes trailed over the smaller wolf silently as he laid his head down on his paws.

Marion brought her back leg up and scratched behind her ear with a contented whine before settling back down, laying in the grass.

I see.

She muttered, thinking that over for a moment.

I feel sorry for them.

She decided, if people could not admit to their faults then they were dooming themselves to repeat their own mistakes over and over.

Zakhar gave a little hum.

He felt sorry for pompous, prideful bastards, too. Even himself at times. There were times when he could see his mistakes and fix them, but other times he lived in blissful ignorance believing he could do no wrong.

His silver eyes watched her fondly as she scratched behind her ear.

Marion seemed very true to herself. She accepting that she wasn't perfect, she accepted the more canine side of her.

Marion glanced up and caught him watching her, suddenly feeling conscious of her actions but she shrugged it off rather quickly.

I've never been this close to a Wolf as large as you.

The only other Lycans she had been around were female and they were all roughly the same size.

The only time she had been close to a male Lycan was the night she was turned and she didn't remember him being quite a large as Zakhar was.

I'm old and strong and fairly tall.

He scratched his muzzle against the grass a little then gave a soft purr.

But I'm not the biggest Lycan here. The largest on my account would be Master Teo. I wouldn't be surprised if you get to know him at some point.

From his conversation with Tyrael, he was pretty sure Aleksandr would be playing guard dog to the little lady during the full moon and most of November.

Marion giggled softly as she rolled onto her back, scratching against the grass lazily.

Does that make me young and weak and fairly short?

She couldn't help but joke about that, yes on all accounts, she was young for a Lycan, though she knew female Lycans rarely lived to be very old and she was definitely much weaker than Zakhar.
As for being short that was true too.

Who is Master Teo?

She asked, rolling back onto her stomach and looking up at the older Wolf.

Marion looked so young and childish rolling around like that. It was an amusing sight to see.

Zakhar gave a low chuckle.

You said it, not me. Yes, he did think that but he wasn't going to voice it. He had some form of decency when talking with women on occasion.

He is the Alpha of our pack. A very important man that you must respect. Everyone should respect Alkesandr; even people that weren't in his pack.

All valid observations about me.

She replied with a chuckle, she wasn't going to get defensive or offended by the truth, in the Lycan world she was small and weak, though that may not be the case when around humans.

I respect everyone, Zakhar, but I will be sure to be on my best behaviour around Master Teo if he is this important.

The girl didn't know much about pack etiquette or dynamics but she knew enough to be mindful of those bigger and older than herself.

You are not the smallest that I have seen here, though.

During the runs on the full moon, he had seen a gorgeous, tiny little thing that had attacked and taken down surprising foe. He had been impressed when he had seen her and wondered if she was taken. She was a gorgeous wolf, he could only imagine how beautiful she was as a human. And what he could do with that beauty.

It is best not to call him Master Teo... he murmured as an afterthought. Theo was something that only a few had the privilege of calling the man.

He goes by Aleksandr, I think.

Are there other female Lycan here?

She asked, the few friends she had back at the estate were the other female Lycan that the Otakar family kept and she had hoped that she may make some friends here.

Then you should not have told me about him by only giving me that name.

She replied as she rose to her feet and shook out her dark glossy fur.

Aleksandr, I'll remember that.

Marion stretched out, her body had stopped aching from the transformation and now she wanted to move around, she didn't get to be in this form often and she planned on making the most of it.

Only a couple that I have seen but I don't claim to have met everyone in the pack.

Zakhar definitely wasn't an expert on the Cacciatori di Sangue pack. He only met those he had to and those he had deemed interesting. Apart from those categories, he didn't bother trying to meet new people.

I have never had to call him Aleksandr so I didn't think.

Even before he had become a Slave, he and Aleksandr had gotten on well. He had found out the older man's real name within days of meeting him.

Oh, well I'll be sure to find them sooner or later, depending on how long I am permitted to stay here.

She didn't want to go back to the Estate, Tyrael was much more relaxed here and that meant she was allowed more freedom.

The female wolf gave a soft chuckle and nodded, she understood going by a different name.

I guess that means I am not the only one going by a different name.

When the Elves had found her she was in shock and in pain, she refused to talk out of confusion and fright and as such the Elves had given her a new name.

It won't be difficult to meet people here. They pop up at the most awkward times.

If people wanted peace, there would be someone around to talk to them and take that peace away from them. That was always the case when it came to the coven. No one got any peace.

I'm sure there are a few people that go by names that aren't their birth names.

Marion could not help but feel like she had popped in at an awkward time, Zakhar seemed to be relaxing alone after all.

The young wolf glanced around for a moment before her gaze landed back on the older wolf.

I suppose they would, names age just like everything else and there would come a time when the name would sound out of place.

I'm sure I have bothered you enough, I should go.

She added, her stomach growled softly, she had come out here with the intentions of hunting, Tyrael was away for the day so she hadn't had to make her own food whilst cooking his, as such, she had forgotten to eat.

That is true. I'm lucky enough to have a name that doesn't sound too old fashioned.

Zakhar sounded fine. It wasn't a name that people would immediately think was from seven hundred years ago.

But Aleksandr's name sounded as ancient as he was. Zakhar wasn't surprised that he had used the name that his Master had given him.

zakhar's lips quirked when her stomach growled.

Go eat. A pretty young thing like you shouldn't starve yourself.