[ P ] the woods are lovely, dark and deep

It was dangerous for him to be in this place where he risked being recognized. All throughout the wooded area, the march of militant steps commanded their own song amid the symphony of owl hoots, cricket chirps, and something scurrying in the underbrush. His pale complexion and blood-stained eyes did no favors either, stark against the wide, night-black oak trunks and awash in moonshine. A snarl reverberated within Bastien's broad chest as he was overcome with memories of a life that, though he had not forgotten it, had forgotten him. Like a cog that malfunctioned in the greater complex of whirring parts, he'd been replaced so the machine could continue to function.

Infantrymen young and old patrolled the paths. From his vantage point on a crest just above, they were no more than mindless ants, small enough to be crushed under a paw. He reached toward them, holding the appendage aloft, but he ultimately drew it back to him and relinquished his vengeful thoughts for the time being.

Bastien hopped down and followed the well-worn path in the opposite direction the patrol was heading, none the wiser to the presence of the defector or his malicious intent. Determined for now to leave well enough alone, he intended to get his ass back to the inn he was lodging at when something - someone - stepped in his way. "G'day, mate,"" he greeted the man, shrugging as easily into his false persona as one might a coat. Awash in a moonlit halo, the stranger was reduced to a void made darker by effervescent red eyes all too reflective of his own.

The freshness of army life was beginning to wear off, giving way to a routine of sorts... yet, it didn't bother Nicharion nearly as much as it had during his guild days. There were specific goals clearly in front of him to accomplish, ladders to climb... perhaps, contrary to all expectations, he simply needed some modicum of order in his life. A structure to make a mockery of for his own amusement. Chaos within chaos is nothing more than cacophony, but here... here, he could thrive.

Then again, it just might be an optimistic honeymoon period. There's never any way to know how he might feel the next day.

For the time, Nicharion decided to take some time off after a hard day's work of putting his subordinates through all kinds of drills. And what better way for a soldier to unwind than the usual soldier fare - drinking and bad decisions? Leaving the barracks, the red male opted for a scenic route through the woods. But, as fate would have it, there was a distraction along the way. Another wolf, seeming entirely out of place, lacking the lost look of someone who wound up here unintentionally. He tailed the stranger for a short while, only for the white beast to turn around and nearly walk into him.

The effortlessly inconspicuous greeting prompted an amused snort from him. It is sweet irony that those most skilled at acting innocent are usually anything but... Nicharion didn't really care, though. "G'day, indeed." The last time he'd harassed someone proved to be quite the hassle, so for now he was feeling amicable instead. "What is with wolves scuttling about army territory? You're not even nearly plain enough to be overlooked." A lopsided grin formed on his lips. If anything, the stranger was quite eye-catching with those faint touches of black against otherwise immaculate white... "But, seeing as you seem to be headed back to town now... I happen to be lacking drinking company. Care to join, 'mate'?"

The lieutenant hoped there would be no complications, at least for now. Walking away from here served both their interests - as willing to overlook things when it suits him as he might be, Nicharion would rather make sure this wolf has truly left the premises. And for the other, well.. there were plenty of patrols nearby that could be alerted to his presence and provide a questioning that would at the best be a lengthy inconvenience. Not that his offer was a veiled threat.. yet. For now, his stance remained confidently relaxed. And he'd really rather it could stay that way.

manip + code: clae