Bone Deep [2430-1-2-Thur 8:00 pm]

[Daniel Maas]

He ruffled the hair on the back of his head at her empathic answer to the Glacies question. Good enough for me. Daniel and Kenna had covered that subject enough, and whilst it might be a fraction colder than his home planet, Glacies must have been a living nightmare for a creature used to warmth and heat. "Ah, perhaps they do. I haven't heard of any wolves eating lone Dwarves. And... those of the Were side..." He blinked, as he lost his train of thought. Darn. "Can't speak for the whole gene pool but some of us have a sense of honour. Given the, ah, circumstances." As he finished speaking a small voice chipped in, "wasn't that bad, was it?"

The wolf watched with curiosity as Kenna pushed back her hood and long hair to reveal her single ear. He stared at it, noting that it would have looked normal had it not been characterized by its paleness from the rest of her skin. Daniel was fought to control a look of horror as he took in what she was saying. Frostbite had marked her ear and not only that, but it had left her ear numb to the touch. He'd heard similiar stories of scarred aged Weres who told stories of phantom limbs that they could see but couldn't feel. He wondered if she suffered any loss of hearing, but on reflection she hadn't displayed any signs of struggling to hear or asking for speech to be repeated. Daniel was all too aware of himself staring and looked away as she mirrored his words and pulled her hood over her head again.

He grunted in agreement with Kenna at this, but he had often wondered if something could be done about them. If he had been a more aggressive Were he would have imagined scenarios involving fire and the like but that would only lead to the war both sides had long wanted. It was difficult to live with them, compete with them for food and sometimes become their... prisoners, but the existence of them probably held back the inevitable discord between the Weres themselves. The wolf had to resign himself to making the best of what he had been given, and avoid the Vampires out right if he could. It seemed to him that the Dwarf was walking the same path as she voiced her opinion on them spoiling his planet. He smiled; he had always enjoyed the forests no matter how much changed or how much older he became their silence endured, and kept him sane. The volcanoes he had long been keen to witness, and thus far his attempts to visit the Volcanic Areas had gone fruitless with dangerous storms meeting him each time. "Aye the forests are a tonic." Daniel raised an eyebrow then, "And you're interested in seeing the Volcanoes? I can't say I've been close but I have wanted to see them. Maybe... if you still have some free time before you go, we could, ah, stop off there and watch?"

[Kenna Kleykir]

So he was a werewolf. That seemed about right to Kenna. He certainly had a wolfish sort of air to him. He was a brave one too, since her hood hadn't bothered him much. "Aye, they certainly do. I haven't been killed yet for wearing this hood around, though a few have gotten their hackles up over it. Not that I blame 'em. I'm sure I'd feel something sameish if I saw one of you wearing Dwarf's skin on his back." The mental image was both amusing and horrifying at once, and she shook her head a little, wondering if she looked the same to them.

Kenna had long since accepted that heading out to see the volcanoes was something nigh-impossible, particularly since she didn't want to go alone. Sunlight was a deterrent for the vampires, but the days were short, and if she were to fall and hurt herself, she'd be nothing but food for the next thing to slink it's way along. Kenna understood that she would likely die far from her home, but she wasn't about to fall prey to a vampire. So she'd tried to content herself with simply looking at pictures of the volcanoes.

But if she had Daniel, there would be the safety in numbers she needed, and someone to speak with on the journey out. She considered his offer, and then nodded. "A trip out there would be good, and I'd be pleased to have your company. I've got holiday hours I've never taken at work, I could take some tomorrow, if that's not too soon for you."

[Daniel Maas]

He was relieved by how calmly she acknowledged his identity, and felt himself relax. Daniel wondered at the woman's bravery as she told the reactions her hood had garnered with Werekind, and felt that once you recovered from the intial shock it could be ignored completely. It was an obvious and direct insult to the wolves who could still inhale the dead beast's scent faintly, whether Kenna was aware of this he wasn't sure. He re-directed his thoughts, at the heart of the matter though, it is her reward as such for winning a life-and-death struggle against a hungry predator. She had not mentioned its packmates, so he could assume it had been a fair struggle at that. He wrinkled his nose at the mental image of a skinned Dwarf pelt, whilst he found it unpleasant some of his community joked of using human hides as decoration. "Let's just hope it never comes to that."

If she said yes, there was nothing stopping him from going ahead and he didn't start his new job for a few days. Something nudged at the corners of his mind, though. He had brought the subject up, and it wouldn't be fair to let a temporary feeling of intimidation halt him. The forests would be little problem and enjoyable to exlpore, and in his eyes it was usually the other walkers you had to worry over. Daniel's knowledge of the Volcanic lands was slight but he trusted his senses to aid him. Having a companion to act as a guide to and accompany would make all the difference to his previous attempts. He mulled over a plan carefully, and decided to make good use of the sunlit hours. And he hoped, he wouldn't have to use his fangs and claws at any point. The wolf hadn't designed to meet the leeches and he liked it that way, but he was equally prepared to defend himself and Kenna if the circumstances called for it. The thought of his friend seeing him in his animal shape and revealing his aggressive and primal characterisitcs unsettled him although he was certain it wouldn't phase her. She has the blood of warriors and the strength of her people to call upon, but still... ah, the thought matters.

Daniel scratched at the side of his face to rid him of his thoughts when he saw Kenna nod, accepting his offer. Tomorrow? He smiled brightly at her response and tried to control the nervous twinges and the rush of eagerness to begin working away. "Great. I ah, it won't be a problem. Tommorow it is. I ah, hope I won't disappoint as your guide." He was aware he was stuttering and stumbling over his words as he spoke but for the first time in a while he didn't care. "Are you familiar at all with those parts?"

[Kenna Kleykir]

Kenna smiled at Daniel's nervous excitement. Truth be told, she was feeling a little of it too. To be near the volcanoes would be marvelous, and an excellent sight to see before leaving the planet. And even better, seeing it with Daniel would make it all the more fun. He would know things about the area that she didn't, and she could tell him about the rocks, assuming he didn't find the conversation too boring.

"I've looked at maps, but I'm not too familiar." She admitted, looking up at him from under her hood. "But rocks are rocks. We'll find our way through them easy enough. And I can bring my padd with me, It'll have all sorts of info." She could easily download some maps onto it when she got home, so if they got lost they'd have some sort of reference. And if that didn't work, hopefully there werewolf's nose would lead them in and out with no trouble.

They were coming up on the apartments Kenna was living in. She pointed out her building, "I'm up there on the third floor. If you'd like, we can meet here tomorrow morning, or else meet near the spaceport exit closest to the volcanoes." They would both be easy enough meeting points, though the spaceport exit might be easier for Daniel depending on how far out of the port he lived.

[Daniel Maas]

Daniel returned Kenna's smile with one of his own. He couldn't help himself - he could feel himself being swept up by the energy and anticipation for the day ahead. And for a while, the nerves were kept at bay as he pictured the things they would see and ran over what he could tell her. He wondered what knowledge the Dwarf would bring with her, and hazarded a guess that she had an invaluable wealth of facts about the landscape and its eco-system. Eventually though, the wolf had to tie his own fears down. This isn't going to be easy. Ah, to see those volcanoes though!

"A padd, eh?" he raised his eyebrow. The Were had heard of them before, and he had seen a few of the travellers holding tiny devices and wondered if they were the same thing. As for Kenna's comments on the similiarity of rocks however, that was a different thing. "Ah maps are all well and good but it lacks a bit of something doesn't it?" He smiled boyishly at this before he tapped his nose. "Got all the time in the world to be doing that on my own. Best that we're on, ah, equal footing."

He noticed her steps were becoming slower, and found himself taking even strides as he kept up with her. Daniel's eyes followed her finger as she poitned at a row of apartments, and explained that she lived on the thrid floor. He stared at it for a few moments before he looked at the boots he was wearing. He thought about the options he was given, and decided on the latter, especially as it seemed less personal. "Ah, if you don't mind I would prefer it if we could meet at the Spaceport. I don't live too far from the city myself."

((OOC: Eep, sorry for a short post.))

[Kenna Kleykir]

Kenna nodded. She was smiling again. Kenna hadn't smiled this much in an age. Daniel was a funny fellow, and he had a talent for saying just the right thing. Tomorrow's trip was looking better and better the more she thought about it. Kenna would have to remember to bring a bag, so she could bring back any particularly good rocks they found on their trip.

"Maps are good, but eyes are better. Or noses." She agreed, more than a little amused by the way he tapped his nose. Her own sense of smell was good, but nowhere near what Weres seemed to be capable of. Between the satellite maps, her own knowledge of the land, and Daniel's senses, they'd do just fine. Hopefully. Maybe Kenna would bring along a weapon, just in case something didn't go to plan.

"Spaceport it is." That would suit Kenna just fine. She wouldn't have to worry about Daniel trying to find her building among a dozen of nearly identical ones. Housing had been hard to Kenna to adapt to, and there was more than once in the first three or four weeks of living somewhere that she'd walked into the wrong building, mistaking it for it's neighbor. She usually figured out her mistake when her apartment wasn't in the place she thought it should be, but there had been a few close calls.

Kenna slid Daniel's coat off and handed it back to the werewolf. The night air was chilly without the added layer. She would have to remember to dress warmly tomorrow. The volcanoes would have heat in them, but it would be quite a walk before they reached them, and it wouldn't do her any good to get tired. "Thank you for letting me use your coat. Sorry about getting the bottom dirty. I'll meet you by the spaceport gates, 'round nine or so."

(( ooc: no worries! we're just about done with this thread anyway ))