Alder Reynolds.
When he indicated that he could take her bag, he noticed that her grip on it tightened. It struck him as strangely defensive, she didn't seem to trust him and he guessed she had no reason to. She had only just met him after all and he'd always been told that he came on kind of
strong. He had learned a lot of things over the years, subtlety was
not one of those things. Unfortunately for her, having a way with words was also
not one of those things. "
It's not like I'm going to steal your bag or something." he said, "
I have my own stuff."
His tone remained light and friendly throughout the entire statement, despite how shady it actually sounded. That was the thing about Alder, he was extremely friendly and socially likeable but he wasn't what any person would define as particularly good at judging the weight of his words. He simply just spoke whatever was on his mind, it was indiscriminate and honest. Though that blatant honesty could be extremely disarming for those who were not prepared for it. Sometimes that honesty bordered on rude or made for unconventional statements that could be discomforting if taken wrong. It was both a curse and a blessing, depending on how people chose to see it.
"
Oh, dammit!" she exclaimed, throwing her bag back to the ground and falling to her knees to look through it. "
I'm such an idiot sometimes, I swear!"
Her reaction momentarily startled him and he was mesmerized as he watched the wolf dig around her bag. He perhaps watched her too closely as well, studying her movements carefully. Having never spent much time with wolves before, having this one before him was extremely interesting. He found himself wondering what her wolf form looked like, though he found that might be an awkward question to ask a young lady. Her movements were quick and feral, it made him think that she hadn't spent much time around people and made him even more curious about her. She was almost more wolf than girl as far as he could tell.
Strange as it might be, he wondered if there was any way to keep her talking to him. He was almost concerned that she might leave him as quickly as she'd came, he went to ask her about taking her bag again before he heard her chastise herself lightly. "
Well done Sierra, right?" though the words were followed by a chuckle and he found that he liked her laugh even though it was a little self deprecating in nature.
Sierra was her name then. A name that simply meant "dark", he liked it. It seemed to fit her with her jaggedly cut black hair and distinctively inuit features, it seemed to fit her wolfish nature somehow. A simple, beautiful name. He would have to tell her that he liked it sometime, provided that he see her again. He couldn't believe he was trying to cook up plans for a future meeting that he didn't even know existed just yet. Sometimes he could be a bit
too hopeful.
To his inquiry of whether or not she was new here, he listened closely.
"
Yeah, I'm new here. New to everywhere, really. I don't really-" she froze.
When her words stopped, he stiffened, shooting a confused look over his shoulder. He half expected that they were suddenly under attack but no, she was just staring at him. He watched her inhale deeply and it didn't occur to him that she must be smelling him in the same way he'd smelled her. He saw something pass over her expression, though he couldn't quite read it. Why was she
looking at him like that? Her voice came out in the form of a question, his brows lowered in confusion.
"
Are you...?"
-And another voice cut her off, male this time. "
Ex-excuse me sir, mam. If I may, umm, be so bold. Are you of pure blood?"
Seemingly, a storm rolled in for Alder, because the expression that had looked so pleasant before was now darkening. It happened so quickly that it was almost odd, his blue eyes were suddenly narrowed and his mouth curved down slightly. It wasn't the first time he'd ever been asked about his status, it surely wouldn't be the last time. The man that had asked the question was tall with skin the color of granite, swathed in a dark green cloak. He had the fine features of the elven race, the delicately crafted beauty that made them seem almost human and yet completely alien. He couldn't recall how long it had been since he'd met an elf, they were so few and far in between. He sometimes had been convinced that they'd all died out over the years. Elves were some of the oldest lore, a race of fighters and hunters that moved with otherworldly grace. It was almost awe-inspiring that this one should be addressing him, if only the question wasn't that particular question.
Thinking of his vampirism was always a bad train of thought, it brought up unpleasant imagery.
That creature that had sunk his fangs into his throat and the feeling of the blood as it was forcefully removed from his body. The burning in his veins and the way that the man had looked down at him, his bleary vision making him into a creature of shade and fog. The way he'd woken up and lights had seemed so glaringly bright that they burned his eyes, smells had overwhelmed him from all directions. It had all just been
so much. He'd been fearful but he hadn't shown it as he argued with
that creature and his sister. He was trying to make her see that this was madness, he was trying to bring
that man down with his words. Evidently, his furious words hadn't done much to sway either of them. In the end it had been him who'd left them after all, it had been him who left his sister. Amaranth, like her namesake, remained unfading and undying in his memory. He had chosen to leave her behind. Sometimes he regretted it so much that it made his stomach churn.
Deciding it was best not to focus on these thoughts, he turned to face the elf, drawing in a breath, he somehow managed to keep his tone neutral though there was the slightest bit of strain in it. "
No, I've met my fair share over the years though." he mustered up a new smile, this one didn't quite touch his eyes like the other had. "
My sister married one, I believe. He was the same one that changed me, though I couldn't begin to guess where they are now. Why do you ask? Do I remind you of someone?"
He genuinely wanted to know despite himself, conversation was conversation. Usually when he was asked about his status, it was by the naturally curious or by someone who was sure they recognized him. Changed vampires seemed to die a lot quicker than Pure Bloods, natural bad luck and the overwhelming urge to feed was a plight upon his kind and it ended in a lot of untimely deaths. He supposed he was lucky in a way, he'd learned the art of control for the most part. "
You're an elf, aren't you? I haven't met very many of your kind."
Turning his attention to Sierra again, he tilted his head curiously. "
I believe you were going to ask me something?"
