Werewolves In The Out Field

The Bayou

Robert had the strangest feeling that Ario had this effect with everyone he got in contact with. Hell, when he’d first met him, he didn’t care for the guy, but one thing caught Robert’s notice. Something that helped him to understand why Joe let Ario take him. He was loyal and trust worthy. Three weeks ago when Joe and Robert had traveled to Rome to save Joe’s younger litter mate Aaron, news of vampires invading Joe’s territory had caught wind to him. Without a word Ario had gone to Virginia to help protect the pack. Even now, the odds were that he knew where Keegan probably was, those two were best friends and yet he didn’t say.

            The night was finally upon them. Ario had spent the day showing Robert around his personal places. Ario proved to have very little friends throughout the day but for some reason no one dared to attack him or kill him for that matter. No one but Meeka had tried. Even when he wasn’t trying; Ario gave a lethal scent to the air. It was clear that although not many people like him, they all feared him.

            Ario’s home was small, like most Gladiators. As warriors they were trained to need very little and to survive on anything they could get a hold of. Robert had remembered he lived in something like this when he was younger, living with his father. Ario led him to a room next to his own. The room had no windows and a small bed to the other end of it. It was completely empty. In spite of himself, Robert smiled. Who was he kidding; he saw this coming from a mile off. Ario didn’t seem to be the kind of person to personal items. He was too jaded for that.

Ario: So this is where you’ll be staying for the next four months.

(Looking fondly at the room)

Robert: I love what you’ve done with place. Really made it ya owns.

(Tossing his bag on the grey rugged floor next to the door)

Ario: I know Right!?!

(Completely oblivious to Robert’s sarcasm)

Ario: Listen, Keegan and his mate are meeting us in an hour so get cleaned up and meet me down stairs.

(Turning around and heading down the hall)

Robert: Hey.

(Calling to him)

(Ario turning around)

Robert: Thanks for taking me in.

Ario: I promise, tomorrow morning you’re gonna regret those words.

(Throwing a devilish smile)

            With that notion, Ario moved to his room to change for the night. Something bothered him, he didn’t show it but he felt different. At first the wolf figured it was the fact that he was sharing his home to another, the sheer fact that that was uncomfortable showed how anti-social he was. But he soon dismissed that once he realized that Robert was everything Joelus had told him he was. Eager to learn and willing to put in hard work, it was something Ario liked about the young pup. However, that’s not what was on his mind. Since he returned he hadn’t heard much about the human hunter’s attack in Moscow two days before him and Keegan had left for Virginia. News like that should have had the Council on high alert in case of an attack here at the base of the wolf world but nothing seemed to have changed. It was possible that it wasn’t that important to the Council or maybe they had dealt with the problem while he and Keegan were gone, either way he was uncomfortable about the whole situation.

            It was eleven twenty when Ario and Robert left for the Diner and Ario felt awkward about walking with someone. He wasn’t used to it. Yea he learned to move in formation with his team but he was never friends with them. Only Keegan knew Ario, it was only him who got to see the friendlier side of the loner wolf; so walking with Robert so causally was unknown ground for him. So he did the first thing that came to mind, small talk.