My Stubborn Will is Learning to Bend.

((Alright! All is cool. I'm a bit free. My apologies.))

Reid couldn't help but roll his eyes as he slowly trotted closer to her, his shoulder blades rising and falling with his stride. A few other wolves began to show up, not quite visible but watching her. Part of him wanted to not even bother considering how rude she had been.

He stopped a few strides away from her, his eyes fixated on his pack members. "You realize you're being surrounded, right?" A heavy sigh left his throat as he sat down. "If you want any of our help, you need to stop treating us like an enemy."
 
Dammit, he was right.

Iolani finally sat down, but she was still feeling at tad edgy. "I'm not treating anyone like the enemy. It's kind of ironic really...everyone is looking at me like the enemy, when I'm as helpless as a lonely pup," Iolani said softly. She rolled her dog eye's, sensing that there were five, or maybe even seven wolves surrounding her. She licked her snout, and looked at Reid.

"Maybe if you would have treated me correctly when you saw me fall, I wouldn't be wondering how I can kick your ass, and escape in one piece," she said with a slight smirk.
 
A snarl raised to his face. "You." He took a step towards her, his eyes glaring. "You are hardly helpless. Ever think that might've been the reason I didn't coddle you?" His glare quickly grew cold. "You are strong, aren't you? I respected that, but instead I've gotten this. I treated you like an equal, but apparently you don't like that."

A pure white wolf approached the two of them, his manner polite and official. Reid calmed as he grew closer, his eyes softening as well. The white wolf's yellow eyes settled upon Iolani. "It was never the intention to kill you, but we can't simply let you wander here either." He remained standing. "Are you a wanderer? Someone left over from a previous pack?" The wolf's eyes almost seemed to smile as he attempted to calm the waters that Reid and Iolani managed to stir up.

"My name is Erik, I'm the leader of the Ice clan."
 
Iolani looked up at Erik, seeing how much taller he was by comparison. She looked over him to Reid, glaring at him. She then looked at Erik, when he asked her a question, and stated that he was the leader.

"I'm...Iolani. My pack...was killed, or somehow vanished without a trace. Memories are hazy, and I'm the only left. I'm from the Elemental clan, the youngest," she murmured softly as she looked at him. His calmness started to trace through Iolani. She didn't want to be treated as equal. She wanted to be treated as an individual, but Reid should have helped her.

She looked at Erik, "I apologize for passing through your territory, I only needed to tread through to go to my destination," she added.
 
Reid laid down as he listened to Erik and Iolani exchange words. His eyes closed half ways as he stared at the grass to the right of him. A large sigh slid out of his mouth. He found her entirely frustrating, it was almost as if nothing he did would be right.

Erik sat down, looking at Iolani. He gave occasional nods in attempt to be comforting. "I'm sorry to hear that happened, Iolani." His head tilted a bit. "It must be hard to be the only one left. The Elemental clan is quite impressive indeed- meaning you can control all of the elements then?" He smiled. "Quite skillful."

Erik's shoulders relaxed as the situation began to relax. "Where are you going to?" He said. "Unless you have someone willing to take you in, I don't... think that the other clans will take kindly to you."
 
If Iolani was in her human form, she would have looked down nervously, and bit the inside of her cheek afraid to explain her dumb ways.

"I have nowhere to go, and thank you for the unneeded compliments. If I just keep running, maybe I'll eventually stop and reach a destination right for me," she told him as she noticed she was the only one standing, everyone was sitting or laying down at the moment. She licked her snout once more, looking around as she smelled all of the other's watching not too far out.

"It's not hard being the only one left, when you've always been told something like this would happen," she informed.
 
"You knew they'd go missing?" Erik raised an eyebrow at this. He peeked over towards another wolf, just a few steps away. He then gave a nod and returned to Iolani. "Well." He paused, trying to figure out what he'd say to her. Reid looked at him with a weird look. "You can stay here if you'd like." In all sincerity, unknown to Iolani, it was a pretty good strategic move to bring her in. Elementals can be a menace to go up against.

"I don't think it'd be very safe for you to run around. These territory games are really... quite silly, yet dangerous." Reid raised up from his laying position and looked at Erik, then gave an angry sigh. He watched Iolani, waiting for her response.
 
Iolani's nose scrunched in confusion, wondering why on Earth someone like him would offer her to stay with them. She opened her mouth to speak, but had nothing to say.

"Why would you...offer to keep me here?" she asked him quietly, not full understanding any of this.

He reminded her of her father, and that hit a soft bone. She looked at the ground, then looked back up at Erik, waiting for a response.

"I cause trouble, as you've seen," Iolani issued, nodding over at Reid behind Erik who seemed agitated with everything that was happening before his eyes.
 
Erik smiled, deciding to go with a more practical approach over sweetened words. "I think you'd be able to bring something great to our pack. The other clans may fear you and even try to harm you," He peered over towards Reid while he let those words sink in. He slightly shook his head at the boy and returned to Iolani. "I see you doing no harm. Those who feel threatened simply will have to adapt."

Reid knew he'd have to get over it or find some way to deal with her, but hearing Erik say it so... bluntly rubbed him the wrong way. He stood up and began to walk out of the circle.
 
Iolani looked around, finally looking at Erik, trying to make him reconsider taking her in.

She watched as Reid walked off and out of the circle.

"But I shouldn't intrude on their clan. If I join...for the time being, I'll stay far as possible from everyone," Iolani promised, hoping he'd agree with her.

She truly didn't want to intrude on their tribe, it was rude.
 
A frown displayed across Erik's mouth. "You don't have to, I don't think we'd think of you as trespassing... but it's up to you, Iolani."

Reid began to dash through the forest, back to where he left his clothing. Now back in human form, he quickly slipped on his pants when he noticed her shirt was still there. A puff came from his mouth as he decided to set it on the branch. A truce, perhaps.

Now wrapped in thought, he sat down next to the tree and peered at the earth, not really even looking at it. Now in the privacy of his own thought, he admitted that he'd be alright with her in the clan. It'd take time, but maybe eventually she'd not hate him.

It was something his pride would never allow him to actually voice to her, or anyone really. In fact, it's likely his pride that successfully isolates him so well.
 
Iolani finally gave in. "I'll stay, but not for long," she told him with a short nod for emphasis. It was to remind both Erik and herself that she wouldn't stay here that long. A couple weeks, a month--tops. Just enough time before she gets comfortable with anyone or the habits around her.

"What shall I do now?" she asked him quietly as she looked over at Erik, knowing that no matter how badly she'd love to Shift, she couldn't.

Her shirt was somewhere around here and it was possibly shredded into more than two pieces. Shit.

That was her last piece of clothing.
 
Erik thought for a moment, not responding right away. "What happened between you and Reid?" The other pack members broke apart, the impromptu meeting over with, thankfully without bloodshed. "He's normally a bit quiet, but never one to out right... act that way, or at least not in front of me."

He raised a brow, his expression reflecting that of a human. He stood up. "Whatever you'd like. You're one of us now." He then sauntered off, perhaps making his way towards their place of dwelling.

Reid sighed. Her shirt definitely was in two pieces and she was likely going to come back for it despite that. She was angry that she wasn't treated as a girl, so perhaps he'd have this moment to make up for it. He set it down, retreating into the book he had set down. He leafed through the pages, quickly finding where he left off.
 
Iolani was going to answer, but he walked off. She walked off to where she met Reid a few moments ago. She wondered how badly shredded her outfit was, to see if she could make something out of it. She highly doubted it.

She walked off, slowly as she sniffed around. She walked like a feline, which was ironic because she was a werewolf. As she walked gracefully, she noticed Reid, in his human form. "I'm...I'm sorry about earlier," she murmured quietly, clearing her throat as she looked over at him.

"Almost being attacked gets you kind of frantic," she muttered quietly with a nervous chuckle. She looked back to see her shirt in two pieces and groaned. "I swear...I have the worst luck," she whispered as she sniffed her clothing, lowering her snout to see what she could do with it.
 
He closed his book and slowly looked up as the wolf approached. "It's alright. I can see why it'd go that way." He stood up, taking his shirt that he left on the branch. He handed it to her, which was a bit awkward with her still in wolf form. He couldn't blame her for remaining in it, though. "It might not be ideal for you, but you can have this for now."

He scratched the back of his neck, feeling even further awkward. She was a lot different now that she wasn't practically biting his head off. "Err... well..." He looked to the side, refusing to look her in the eye. "I'm sorry if I treated you incorrectly."
 
Iolani thanked him quietly as she took the shirt into her mouth. She placed the bottom of this shirt on her snout with ease. Within a blink of an eye, she shifted into her human state. As she shifted, the shirt wrapped around her skin lovingly, and her wild curls were back with their hearty bounce.

"It's fine, really. I'll take the blame for this one," she told him with a half-smile, and a quiet chuckle. She noticed how he was cute when he was nervous, but she kicked the thought aside, remembering not to get attached to the people around here.

She bit her lip, not sure what to do now. The shirt fell to her mid-thigh, like the other shirt did before and boxed out her shape. But not to the point you wouldn't know a gorgeous body hid underneath it.
 
Reid couldn't help but blush. Not only was she pretty, but she was nearly naked and also wearing his clothing. He cleared his throat as if it'd chase the blush away. "We do have a village we all live in, we'd probably be able to... get you more proper clothing." He wasn't sure where she'd end up sleeping, but he had a feeling he'd likely be looking after her since he found her. He also wasn't sure how to deal with her. She's being civil, but how was he supposed to act so that she wouldn't be upset? While it's polite to lead someone by the hand, especially when the opposite sex, but he didn't want to give the wrong impression either.

If there was a way to internally sigh, Reid just did it. "Come, follow me." He walked a few steps before he peered back at her, his eyes somewhat sympathetic.
 
Reid clearing his throat did not rush his blush away. If anything, brought it out more. She stifled a giggle, and coughed into her fist quietly. "Oh, that'd be great. Tired of catching a drift in these shirt-dresses," she joked with him as she crossed her ankles, standing tall as she played with her thumbs. She looked up at him, and watched as he walked off. She untied her legs and skipped over to his side, and walked normally as soon as she was close enough to him.

"So...your name is Reid?" she asked him with a quirked eyebrow as she tried making civil talk.
 
Damn, he thought. Even the way she stands is pretty cute. He fought away the thought, trying to keep his mind clear. "Yeah, I imagine it'd get pretty cold. He peered at his naked shoulder, also feeling the chill. "It's pretty cold for me too." He laughed at this, continuing to walk. "Yeah, I'm Reid. Did that geezer Erik tell you that?" He enjoyed teasing their elder wolf, who in reality was only a few years older than Reid.

"You're Iolani, right?" He said, looking over at her as they began to approach the village. He folded his arms across his chest in attempt to conserve body heat.
 
Iolani laughed along with his teasing of the Alpha of his clan. He was a pretty good guy, and amazingly cute as well. Iolani couldn't help but think of that over and over again. She kicked it out of her mind, knowing it'd come running back in just moments...

There it goes again.

"Yup, but please just call me Lani, easier to say," she said with a soft shrug as she walked with him. As they walked, the village came into closer view. "It looks so...cozy," she commented aloud with a short nod as if she was approving her own comment.