RP:A Wolf Named Sage

Summary: Mahri continues her lessons with Meri, Magik is able to meet Sage.

Treehouse D’Chath

Meri :: Finding Meri used to be a relatively easy task a few weeks ago, now it is slightly more challenging. Some days she might be found all the way out in Cenril working at her gallery but today she can be found sprawled out on Magik’s couch, looking quite comfortable. If Magik is there on the couch with her, he’s going to have to deal with Meri nudging him repeatedly with her barefoot. If not, that’s fine. He still has to deal with this question one way or another, “So what is on the agenda for today? Are we just going to be lazy all day? Or….?” Mahri is that or, Meri just does not realize it yet.

Magik is quick to grab the prodding foot. He glares at his lady before attempting a foot massage with a slight shrug and a heated set of hands, "Did you have anything in mind or.." He looks at his bare wrist as if some time keeping contraption was strapped to it, "No lessons today so.." He looks back to Meri, "Maybe we can.." Eyebrow wiggle..

Mahri walks in just in time. Yup. No eye brow wiggling shennanigans going on today. Looking from one to the other and wrinkling her nose like there's a funk in the air, the lycan finds a chair or pile of pillows to flop on. "You two really need to put a sign on the door or something. Maybe a sock.." Blowing a stray bit of hair from her eyes, Mahri looks over at Meri. "How ya feelin' about shifting?"

Meri smirks at this suggestion but the blonde makes no attempt to move from her position, it might have something to do with that foot massage that she is currently receiving. There should be no question that Meri had some sort of response for Magik, but Mahri is spared. The appearance of the other lycan doesn’t dampen Meri’s smirk at all, if anything it just turns a little bit more mischievous. “What. We’ve got all our clothes on. We’re just sitting here, being very well behaved. Besides, Magik has students roaming through here. I think he would rather we not give them a free show....” As much as Meri doesn’t want to move and end that foot massage, she eventually sits up properly. “I’m feeling, like it a lesson that needs to continue.” This isn’t quite said with confidence. “Magik wants to be there though.

Mahri glances between the two when Meri suggests the elf come along. Given his special ability to poof when he needs to, Mahri isn't so worried about him going along so she shrugs. "Same spot sounds good to me. Have you been practicing communicating with Sage? You're going to need that skill today."

Magik devilishly smirks at Meri then looks over his shoulder to the arriving Mahri, "Yeah. We are behaving for now." He shifts his gaze back to Meri, "We'll just misbehave later. I guess we'll hang a bunch of socks? Or.." Eyebrow wiggles. Nothing Mahri can do about it. Ha! Anyways. As Meri agrees to the next lesson and sits up, he puts a hand on her back, "You'll do fine." Magik is first to rise from the couch and offers Meri his hand, "Let's give it a go.."

Meri answers Mahri’s question with a nod but it still seems to be lacking the confidence that she usually carries. It’s obvious that there is still that concern that something might happen to not just Magik but also Mahri in this process, even if she is more than aware that both are more than capable of defending themselves if need be. For once, Meri’s not actually giving into all the ridiculous jokes she could make, Magik just gets a smirk of confirmation. Yes, socks, later. For now she just takes his hand and the group moves on their way down to the...Mystical Stream in Enchantment, wasn’t it?

Mystical Stream

Magik carefully scans the area as they get closer to the stream, mainly for a way out should things go south. "You two be careful. I'll just be over there somewhere." Magik quietly speaks to Meri just after a quick peck to her cheek, "You'll do great." Mahri receives some wiggling eyebrows for shiggles before he heads closer to the shoreline of the stream to be nice and awkward.

Mahri rolls her eyes towards the couple while making her way closer to the stream. Mahri's wolf knows something is up and she can feel the beast pressing against her mind to find out what it might be. Really, the lycan is preparing to shift herself if it's needed. Staring at the water, finding calm within the crystal clear stream, she waits for Meri to join her. Perhaps she could have suggested bringing a change of clothing... oh well, late now. But Magik could always 'poof' back to the tree house and bring back anything they needed. Taking a deep breath, Mahri looks over at Meri and smiles. A real smile, even. "Ready?"

Meri :: A change of clothing was actually something that had crossed Meri’s mind briefly on her way her but she opted to not turn back, or send Magik back. Given her present company, it was not a top concern. See, Meri is quite comfortable with her own skin and so the blonde strips down. It’s not anything Magik hasn’t seen before, hopefully Mahri is not one to blush easily. They’re all wolves here, no? At least Meri seems to bathe regularly and doesn’t smell. Mahri is not going to be forced to stand next dirty, stinky and naked person. Meri’s clothes are tossed at the base of a tree before she actually joins Mahri. “About as ready as I will ever be…” There is the temptation to try and look around to see where Magik has hidden himself, but Meri resists. She might be trying to pretend like he’s not really there but his presence is still in the front of her mind.

Magik is still just standing near the water awkward af. He does catch a glimpse of the nakey Meri. Were it any other time, he would whistle at her and such but not this time. They were here for business. Clothes and such. Yeah. Magik has his goodie bag on him probably..Now a days it's in the form of a backpack. Mostly everything they may need will be in this magical infinite backpack. For now, he just keeps to the side and lets the two ladies do what they have to do. Should Meri glance over at any point, she would get a loving wink.

Mahri isn't shy, not in the least. The woman is much older than she looks and she's seen quite a lot in her time. Taking a deep breath of her own, she ignores Magik and focuses on Meri - sorry Magik. "Ok. Close your eyes and reach for the wolf. This part is going to be a little more difficult because you're going to try and meld your energies together to keep control even in the wolf form." Mahri and her wolf, Vala, were already connected and ready for this lesson. "Sage might fight you for control but you have to maintain it. If you can't we aren't shifting today."

Meri knew that what Mahri was saying sounded easier in theory than it would actually be when the lycan attempts to apply this. Magik was going to have plenty of time to stand around looking awkward af while he observes this, for what Mahri was asking of Meri was something that was still new to the lycan. Meri closes her eyes as instructed and attempts to reach out to Sage, as she had been practicing. It was still an endeavor that would take time, both Mahri and Magik would have plenty of opportunity to enjoy the sounds of nature. Was Meri actually successful in reaching out to Sage? It would be harder for the two in her company to tell, especially since Mahri was not in Meri’s mind. Mahri might have been insistent that Meri only shift if she was in control but not every lesson can go exactly as planned. After a considerable amount of quiet from Meri and no clear signs that she has actually connected with Sage, the woman drops to her knees suddenly. Mahri would probably recognize the signs that someone was about to change from woman to wolf, every muscle in Meri’s body was tense as she anticipates the pain that is about to come. Magik though…? Meri was still in the very early stages of the shifting process, still a woman who was currently looking like she had taken one painful blow to the gut and had the wind completely sucked from her. The big question was though, who actually had control. Sage? Meri?

Magik joins his hands behind his back as he remains at a relatively safe distance. He watches Meri carefully as he quietly digs a foot into the ground. Nervousness? Readiness? We'll see. His fiery eyes fall on Mahri for a short moment to judge her reaction as Meri drops. When Magik changes form, it's pretty much painless. Was this a normal reaction for all lycans? Given his many years around Lithrydel, Magik has never watched a lycan transform. Magik is hoping for things to go smoothly. If not, it'll still make for a good story.

Mahri steps back from Meri, merely watching. For most the shift is painful, but for Mahri, her druid backgrounds lends to a less painful transition. Depending on how trusting Meri and Sage are with each other, her shift could be less painful than usual or as smooth as silk. Magik will find that Mahri's already starting to loosen clothing and toe out of her boots - just in case things go south.

Meri :: This will not be smooth. As much as Meri would like to trust Sage, she knows the track record she has had as a wolf. There are differences though, those shifts were always born out of rage and this was an actual controlled attempt, but that did not mean that Meri would give that trust easily. The blonde is normally stoic and usually has a fairly high tolerance for pain, but Mahri and Magik are going to have to listen to more than one anguished scream coming from Meri as her bones pop, her skin splits to reveal pitch black fur, and her body contorts itself into the form of the wolf. It’s not a quick process and thankfully the company is friendly because it is obvious that Meri is an easy target while shifting. It might have taken a minute or two for the shift to complete but it felt considerably longer to Meri. Soon Magik and Mahri are going to have a black wolf standing in the space between them rather than a tattooed blonde. And it seems like Sage might be keen on trying to demonstrate just why Meri has been right to be concerned. The abnormally large black wolf almost instantly pins her ears back against her head and bares her fangs, attention split between Magik and Mahri. Sage doesn’t leap forward toward either of them, but the hair on the spine of her back is bristling as she growls and snarls. It’s a clear sign that she’s not sure what she thinks of these two, or that Meri just might not have had the control that Mahri wanted her to have. Or...maybe the wolf has just been thrown into an unfamiliar surrounding after having not been let out of her cage for who even knows how long….

Magik grimaces as he watches the transformation. He holds back the urge to take a few steps forward or to say anything comforting. Definitely awkward still. As the black wolf fully emerges with bared teeth, the elf realizes he might be in a somewhat threatening posture. Tall, hands hidden, fiery eyes, etc. Very slowly, Magik releases his hands from behind his back and keeps his open palms down. After a short moment, the elf squats down closer to Meri/Sage's level but keeps the distance the same. He's doing all he can to show he means no harm.

Mahri watches as Meri shifts. She makes no effort to interfere or make it easier on her. Not even when that black wolf is standing there posturing. But, Mahri smells something different. Not anger or aggression. No, she scents out the fear from the wolf and underneath that, Meri. "Hey," she speaks, low but firm, to the wolf to get her attention. The alpha turned beta crouches, the tips of her fingers touching the ground and grey eyes ringed with yellow-gold seek out Sage's eyes to hold them. She isn't challenging the dominance of the wolf, she's attempting to capture the wolf's gaze to project safety and calm to the beast, letting her know she's not alone and among friends. Not pack, but friends.

Meri :: Mahri and Magik were not the only people trying to convince Sage that she was in fact in the company of friends. They might not be able to see or hear it, but you can damn well bet that Meri is also trying her best to assure Sage of the same. It was just an internal battle. Magik’s height was certainly an issue, but he made himself smaller….and also more vulnerable, at least in the mind of the wolf. Shhh. She doesn’t need to know he could easily cook her alive. Friends. Mahri trying to claim Sage’s attention is also successful and as Sage studies the druid, there is a certain amount of realization occurring. She has met this one before, in a different space, but they have met. What happens next happens very quickly, fast enough that it might not be obvious that Sage relaxes her ears and puts those fangs away. The black wolf is leaping straight for Mahri. From Magik’s perspective, it might look like Sage is trying to pick a fight...maybe rip some throats out. The reality is? Sage just wants to lick Mahri’s face off, call it a thank you. Someone needed to start trying to set that Meri bish straight. If Sage sets her sights on Magik, well that all depends on how he reacts to these shenanigans.

Magik , from his distance, wouldn't be able to do anything to "save" Mahri from the not obvious nice "attack". "s***," is all that he whispers before making a quick move to maybe at least save -some- of Mahri's face. With a quick poof, the elf disappears into his black smoke. The smoke quickly rushes to Mahri. As it does so, the plume takes shape of an orb then disappears just as quick as it formed. From only couple feet away from the two lycans, the large black wolf with bright blue eyes appears. At first, his teeth are baring and his fur is raised along his spine. Should Sage continue with her attempted "attack" on Mahri, the wolf would immediately sit and wag his tail in the dirt. If her attention focuses on Magik and her demeanor changes for the worst, he'll keep those teeth bared.

Mahri 's ready for the wolf. She'll lean into the lunge to catch her in the chest with a shoulder, one arm swinging around to wrap around the wolf's neck to steady her balance. "Hi, Sage. Play nice." But the wolf is getting some well deserved scratches in the neck and behind the ears anyway. That Sage is calm and even friendly should give Meri a chance to assert herself as well, gain an understanding with Sage about whom is in charge of the shift. The appearance of another black wolf doesn't phase her any; she can smell Magik there and her own behavior says the male isn't a threat.

Meri was trying to gain that control, if only Mahri and Magik could hear the conversation that Meri was having with her wolf counterpart. Especially once Magik decides to take the form of a wolf also. It may not phase Mahri, but it has sure claimed Sage’s attention. The other wolf might have caught a flash of those bared fangs for a split second, but what she sees now is a black wolf who is currently showing no signs of aggression. Sage moves away from Mahri and toward the other black wolf. Mahri would at least be able to tell them apart, Magik is the one with blue eyes while Sage has the golden eyes. Sage will approach to give Magik a very thorough inspection, circling the other wolf slowly several times while doing a bit of sniffing here and there. So long as Magik can keep an even keel while being circled, Sage will ultimately cave then Meri’s more playful nature begins to show itself in Sage and the black wolf dropping her front paws down so that she can assume that typical canine ‘let’s play’ position. If she sees the slightest bit of bared teeth from wolf-Mag, though, then Mahri might just have to break up their first fight.

Magik did in fact remain still as Sage checked him out. The wolf's tail stops wagging as he looks forward to Mahri. As Sage circles and sniffs, his gaze breaks from Mahri. He eyes the wolf as she passes and starts to wag his tail. Eventually Sage starts her display of a more playful nature and Magik does the same. The wolf's mouth opens and his tongue drops out like a goofy puppers. Who will jump first?

Mahri isn't going to stick around and once Magik and Meri are occupied, and she is fairly certain that Meri will be able to shift back with no problems, the lycan simply fades off into the background, leaving the area and the lovers to their fun-time.

Meri will jump first, she has never been especially shy. At least not with Magik. The black wolf will definitely jump, try and tackle, mix in a bit of wrestling...but the playful skirmish is going to be a very short-lived one if Sage has anything to do with it. As quickly as she leapt at Magik, she will be leaping away. She’s not going far though, she’ll bound away a couple of paces before turning and dropping down into that same ‘let’s play’ position...and then she’s running. Ideally Magik will chase yeah? But eventually play time will end, they’ll have to return to this spot, get her clothes...and then back to the Treehouse. For. Dinner. And socks. This lesson might have been successful, but that doesn’t mean Meri is fully cured of her problem. It is at least looking like it might be a decent foundation for Meri to at least trust Sage more. Maybe. Accidents happen.

Magik matches Sage/Meri's energy as they play. It's been a while since the Lyastri has been just that, a wolf. And for no other reason than to just run. As Meri drops down again, Magik's body starts smoking. He starts giving chase but is quick to circle back. Meri's clothes are quickly grabbed up carefully in his mouth. Once again, he's off, kicking up huge chunks of earth as he chases Meri down, determined to at least catch up to her to arrive at the treehouse at the same time. As they get to Treehouse D'Chath, the wolf is replaced with an elf. He quickly scales the rope ladder and starts complimenting his lady, "You did awesome back there, babe." He also has a thought..Why are there no stairs? Given the always changing circumstances currently, the ladder seems like a terrible idea. Wolves. Kids. Alcohol. There needs to be steps. Anyways. Finally inside, Meri's clothes are carried in. Magik gets some drinks and food. Twas a good day.