Scars of the heart

She slowed her pace scenting the air faintly scowling. The smell of salt, trash, and exhaust stung her nose. Shaking her fur she crept into ever deeper shadow. It wasn't open plains or forested area but it would have to due. It was better then being deep in the city with much worse stink in her nose then this.

Snorting she shifted forms under the shadow of the bridge. On the dark water she could see the lights of the city winking like light through a princess cut diamond. Dusting her pants off she hooked her thumbs in the belt loops and pressed on. At this time of night she was sure the only ones to be about were the bums and the hoodlums. Then again what human was born that could take on a wolf single handedly.

As she neared the end off the block she heard the sound of the crash of the waves. Kaiko stepped off of the sidewalk and down onto the beach. As she walked the less pleasant smells dropped away replaced by the smell of the ocean. Spotting a large beached piece of drift wood she walked over and sank down onto it. Kaiko stare out into the waves letting her mind wonder yet trying anything to not think about what happened.

In the morning she hoped another wolf would wander her way. Hopefully she wouldn't have to resort to going to the city. Sinking down into the sand  she used the drift wood as a back rest and closed her eyes. Letting the wave lull her to sleep.

The heels of the Alphess’s shoes clicked against the ground. She had been gaining back her strength gradually, and during that time had pretty much charmed every human who dared to work a store or restaurant in her territory. Her sunglasses rested on top of her head as she examined herself in the full-length mirror of one of her favorite dress shops. She laughed every time the humans tailoring her clothing would say how much her husband seemed to dislike her being gone. Teimhnin simply blew off the pass at conversation by picking out another dress and having it fit to her frame just so. There were other things on her mind, more important than her thoughts of her mate at the moment. Starting a pack was not as easy as it sounded, though she was only just figuring that. Somehow there was a small spike in member gain, though it wasn’t much. Time that should’ve been used for welcoming members was slowly turning into time for night-shopping, not a great habit to begin. With that thought, the Alphess grew bored and left the dress shop empty handed and a new order on their waiting list.

Though border patrols were basically unneeded, Teimhnin thought that it never hurt to check. The sight of a form lying on the beach gave her suspicion. Maybe the person owning the body was dead, murdered for a sign of threatening. As the Alphess got closer, she could hear a steady heartbeat in the body of a woman sleeping. Taking her arm, Teimhnin tried to wake the girl. “Who are you and what on Earth are you doing sleeping here?”

The first thing that registered in her mind was the shaking. Her mind slowly pulling out of the darkness of sleep. She sat up with a yawn rubbing the blurriness from her eyes. Then the smell hit her and she looked up at the female towering over her. A serious frown creasing her face.

She remained sitting so as not to alarm or threaten the female in anyway.
"I've come searching for the pack that lives around here, I was hoping to be taken into their ranks," Kaiko explained. Reminding to keep her hostility in any insolence out of her voice. She couldn't help but eye the female. Though a bit small in frame there seemed to be a benigning strength there just beneath the surface. For most werelings it would probably seem intimidating but to her it made her feel more respect towards the female.

She shifted slightly noting the females clothes. Once again feeling a little self conscious of how she looked. She didn't know why she always felt like this upon meeting a new wereling. Maybe it had something to do with the fact that most people wereling or not always mistook her for a male the first time around. Even though her hair was medium length she always did it up to make it look shorter then it really was.

Maybe that was her problem. She sat there calmly keeping her gaze low as she waited for the females response. Hoping it wouldn't be a hostile one.

“I’m the Alphess of the pack you’re looking for, so I guess I’m the one you should be asking to join young fae.” Teimhnin tilted her head at the werewolf and brushed away what few pieces of hair that had fallen into her face as she looked over the other wereling. The creature smelled of Braveheart, her old pack. Why the girl would come here, a place so different than her old pack lands, was odd to the Alphess. She took the other female and pulled her up, dusting her off and smiling. “But before you join, I would need to know what skills you possess in order to join. Then we can get you sleeping off of the ground and into a nice, warm home all your own. Of course, you’re going to have to work and pay for your expenses like any responsible adult but we will make life as easy as we can on you. All we ask is for your oath in service in return.” The Alphess looked at the newcomer calmly, hoping that this wouldn’t be the only chance she would get to help a lone wereling off of the street. It was questionable of why this wereling wasn’t in Braveheart, but that was to be brought up at a later date. For now, she just wanted to focus on the acceptance of another member into their family.

Kaiko narrowed her eyes thoughtfully. So she was the alphess of the pack. It would explain why she felt such a strong dominant presence coming from her. She almost started in surprise as the alphess hoisted her up off the ground dusting the sand from her. Kaiko felt her mouth go slightly dry her old anxiety about getting others to like her coming back to her.

She always found it a little difficult to find answers when put on the spot. Swallowing her anxiety she cleared her throat.
"Well I'm quiet good at tracking and hunting, I've been trained since I was seven on how to fight and out door survival if you need me to protect members of the pack, or even lay down my life doing so, I have no problem with that even if its so much as just doing patrols," Kaiko explained silently hoping this wasn't to vague of a response, "though I must confess my communication skills could use a little work." She fell silent for a moment studying the alphess. Wondering just what else to say. She didn't have a problem with having to find a job to support herself and pay for her own expenses.

In fact she rather prefurred it. It gave her a sense of independence even though she was a part of a pack.
"I have no problem with affording my own expenses, I've dealt with having jobs in the past and working with people though not my strong suit is manageable," Kaiko murmured nodding in understanding. Though she didn't care much for normal humans she could tolerate them if she had to in order to get by.

Teimhnin tilted her head and observed the new wereling curiously. It seemed to her like this female had never been helped before, which was mournful in its own right. Hopefully, that would change in the future once she was part of the pack. The Alphess looped her arms through the newcomer’s and walked along the borders of her pack. The sounds of beach waves tumbling and roaring came from a far off distance, most likely the ones close to her own home. As the newcomer began to speak again, Teimhnin listened closely to the skills she had. The female nodded and smiled, turning her head to look at the newcomer. “Social skills aside, tracking and hunting is quite useful. We tend to kill vampires around here, and your tracking skills would come in handy for such a thing.”

Listening to the newcomer speak again, the Alphess and smiled and nodded. “Well that’s great. I’m sure you’ll fit right in here. Just choose your profession and I will get you a job. You’re going to be starting as a warrior, it that is alright with you. But, oh, how rude of me! I completely forgot to ask you for your name, dear. My apologies,” she said with a sincere tone. It wasn’t like her to do such a thing, but then again she was only beginning to become her old self. She smiled apologetically and waited for the other female’s answer.

Kaiko fought an involuntary shiver. It felt strange having another female loop their arm around hers like this. The gesture to her seemed like something one would do with someone they were intimate with. She slightly snorted at the as the Alphess mentioned hunting Varicks (vampires). Filthy blood sucking worthless creatures.

A part of her couldn't understand their place in the evolutionary chain. Weather they had evolved as a super predator in response of something or just a freak mutation. In either case she knew it was best to take care of the problem quickly and promptly.
"Well a profession were I get to beat people and keep them in their place would be nice," Kaiko explained with a faint wolfish grin at the alphess. She had always been a little interested in following in her old friends foot steps, "and my name is Kaiko in the Japanese spelling."

Kaiko fell silent as they walked listening to the waves. Glade to have the company of another at the moment. She faintly wondered where exactly it was that they were going. Hopefully not to somewhere she wasn't going to like. Kaiko narrowed her eyes slightly pushing back the old paranoia of an ambush.

Surely an alphess if she hadn't approved of her would have chased her out by now. She forced herself to relax allowing the alphess to continue to lead her on. Intrigued by the idea that she had offered to help get her a job of her liking.

“Hmmmm.... How about security staff for a bar or club? I think that would be right up your alley, and I can give you the phone number for a guy I know that owns most of the small bars and clubs around here. There are bound to be drunk men in fights, it’d be rather funny to watch a woman kicking their ass. Oh and lovely name, by the way.” The Alphess looked at Kaiko and smiled slightly before stopping in front of rows upon rows of buildings. She gestured to the whole lot of them and released the newest Warrior’s arm. “Welcome to the pack of Venantium, Kaiko. Pick a housing of your liking and enjoy your time. As long as you do your duties and provide for yourself, you’re free to do as you wish.” Teimhnin nodded to the buildings and handed the piece of paper with the phone number she had spoken of earlier to Kaiko. She nodded once, seeing if the newest member of her pack needed anything else before she took her leave. “If there is anything you need, just ask. If not, I will be making my way back to my own home and hopefully meeting my mate and your Alpha there.”

Kaiko smiled gratefully at the alphess. This wasn't like any other pack she had been a part of before but it was always best to gain a new experience.
"Security staff works just fine for me, besides some males just need to be taught their place," Kaiko grinned mischievously at the alphess. She was sure she knew what she meant by that. She looked at the rows of houses with a contemplating eye.

A whole house all to herself. It was hard enough for her to decorate a room and now she had a whole house to do. She faintly smiled at the interesting challenge this would bring as she took the number from the alphess.
"Thank you alphess for this chance and I can assure you I'll work hard," Kaiko nodded turning to look back at her. At the moment she didn't need help with anything else but she found it kind of her to offer.

"And thanks for the offer but I think I can take it from here," Kaiko explained smiling as she stepped up to one of the doors.