Speaking of Hearthwood made Emrys think about Lachesis and the arrival of spring.  Soon the forest would be coming back to life making any medical plants available once more.  It had been a long time since he and the Hearthwood healer had spent any time gathering herbs.  He would have to make another trip to the pack in the north so that he and Lachesis could do that again.  In that moment though he was more concerned with helping Salix to settle into the pack and answering his questions was a start.

While it might be a little too soon since the pale man had only just become a member Emrys was curious as to his plans.  A smile did cross his inky lips as Salix spoke of getting his weight up but more important was what he wanted to do after.  The healer nodded, “They are your caches now too,” he reminded,  "That is a good start to making your way in the pack.  Hard work does get recognized here.  Are you wanting to seek a role as guardian or hunter?” The beta knew just how much hard work was recognized so making sure Salix knew too was important.  It would help him to feel he was working toward something and hopefully encourage him to do all he could for the pack.

The pale man's next question was a good one and also important to know. The limitations of traveling was something Emrys was familiar with what the rules were for traveling.  “If you're going to be away from pack lands for more than a day or two I would seek permission from Jynx and Gent.” Emrys usually didn't travel far enough from pack lands to seek permission and lately he hadn't left pack lands.

Salix can't help but keep the smile on his muzzle
as the wolf answers him and throws questions back at him. "I would say I be seein' meself
more as a guardian, ye." He laughs lightly before he speaks once more "I jus' be glad
for constant food again, ye know?" Salix nods his head as Emrys tells him to contact Jynx or
Gent about traveling far. He did like to wander, yes, but he didn't want to be disrespectful at
all. Having meat back on his bones made him want to travel again. The man had been used to it for
such a decent amount of time, he felt as if he should be walking far each day now. He'd have to
remind himself that he had a new family and was no longer a loner..

As he looks to the other wolf, his mind begins to wander. He was curious as to his father's whereabouts;
if his birth pack was even still together. It was his choice to leave, and he didn't regret it- he just
missed the constant chatting and encouragement of his father's words. "Ye come from far 'way,
Emrys?" He asks, attempting to make conversation a bit lighter. Salix didn't want to maintain
the constant questioning about pack life. The questions he most wanted answers to were out of the
way. Now it was time for a more personal conversation, he supposed.

The question was what did Salix wish to work toward within the pack? The newcomer had an idea but it was a choice between two roles. A smile crossed the healers inky maw at the pale wolf's admittance.  “The pack could do with more guardians, it's a good choice.  I'm not a guardian but if you need help in obtaining your role I would be glad to offer any that I can.” This was one of those things that as beta it was part of his duties to help others seek their goals. He of course would be a little busier in the future but he was sure he could make it work. Emrys nodded at the next comment to slip from Salix, “I can understand that, it wasn't so long ago I was in the same position.” The last few months had been like that with how scarce pretty had become.  Not to mention all of the times he'd had to go without food as a loner.  He had learned the life well and did at times fair a little better than others but he wasn't so lucky all of the time.

Emrys found that he rather liked Salix and thought he would be a nice addition to the pack.  He hoped that the pale newcomer had plans to stay longer than a couple of months, that he would make White Fir Notch his permanent home. The healer was brought back from that train of thought as he was asked where he was from which did surprise him a little. “A good distance I suppose, I'm not exactly sure.  As a child and young man I traveled a lot with my mother.  I'm not from one particular place,” he explained.  It was hard for him to say exactly where he was from since his mother hadn't ever been specific about where he had been born.  “What about you? Do you come from a far away place?” The places the wolves he ran into were from was something he'd never really thought about.  When thinking about it he decided but would be interesting to hear where others were from.

The Atea wolf flicks his tail to and
fro as the paler man responds to him. This wasn't bad at all for the first pack mate he
was getting to talk to. Salix wasn't much of a man to get close to anyone, but he felt
as if he may be able to form a hearty bond with Emrys. He wouldn't jump to conclusions just
yet, though. Caution always won the wolf over his first instinct. "I appreciate yer offer of
help." Salix dips his head in a grateful manner. The wolf was cautious, yes, but his
packmate seemed genuine in his tones. He was always careful to listen to how
something is said.

The long-legged wolf stretches lightly before taking a few steps forward and looking toward
Emrys. He didn't say anything; the look on his face suggested they take a walk. He wanted
to see what the territory had to offer. As he awaits the movement of the man next to him,
he continues to listen to each word he speaks. "I see," he says, tone relaxed, "A
nomad pack, yeh?"


"Me father was the leader of his pack, yeh. Rigid Plain it be called. Dunno if it still exists."
He shrugs effortlessly, though he felt differently on the inside. "I be a wolf of the flat lands..."
Salix looks toward the mountains and smirks "It be a bit different here."

Wanting the pack to succeed and flourish was important to the healer and he felt the pack was only as strong as its members.  Helping Salix to become the best he could be would in the end would help to make the pack strong with the help of its other members. They had been through a rough winter and had lost some members and with Raela being sick it had taken its toll on the pack.  They needed to do a little rebuilding but Emrys had faith that the pack would be alright. He gave the man a nod after he'd expressed his appreciation, “I am always around so if you need anything.” With Jynx carrying their children he wasn't planning on traveling far from pack lands unless necessary.

When the man rose to his feet and stretched, Emrys took it as a sign that it was time to move from their location. He too rose to his feet and gave his pelt a shake before moving forward with Salix. In the meantime Emrys spoke of where he was from, “Actually it was just my mother and I.  She was a lone wolf when I was born and remained lone wolves until I came to the notch,” he explained to the man to help him understand where he'd come from better.

The pale man spoke of his pack and the his father had been the leader of it but Emrys grew curious. “If you don't mind my asking why did you decide to leave your birth pack?” He wasn't asking just from curiosity but also it could be valuable information to the healer.  Emrys nodded as the wolf acknowledge that his new home was a bit different than the flat lands of his birth pack. “A bit yes but the trees provide some shelter from the elements, I does grow on you, at least it did me.”

Salix's packmate picked up cue to move
rather than remaining stationary. His eyes look to the ground briefly as Emrys explains it was only he
and his mother traveling together. The man had automatically assumed he had a pack; a moment
of slight embarrassment internally befalls him. The next question that came from the man's mouth
almost arouses a long pause from Salix. Instead, he speaks before his typical way of thinking first,
"Me father instilled some strong qualities in me, he did." His mind finally has a moment to breach
the override that was his tongue over his brain. "I think me lifelong skills be somethin' applicable
to help others. Servin' as me dad's right hand man isn't somethin' I be wantin' to do forever."

Salix offers a light smile; it was true, he didn't want to be with his father forever. He missed him something
fierce, but parting ways seemed to be in his best interest. Salix desired a new life- somewhere to start
fresh and build from there. He needed to grow. It wasn't in his cards to remain where he was born for his
whole life. Change was a slight bit of hassle for him, but he was willing to deal with it. Coming out
of his comfort zone had the temptation of being worth it in the long run, and he was willing to chance
it.

When Emrys thought of his puppyhood and how it had only ever been him and his mother he would change anything.  He loved her more than he could possibly express and was devastated when she had past.  He'd been thinking of her more lately with him and Jynx becoming mates and the imminent arrival of their pups.  Once in his feet he lead the way through the trees of their home as the man spoke of his father. Emrys hadn't ever known his father, he wasn't sure that he did want to know the man.  “And I am sure those qualities will serve you well here in the notch,” he said with a nod, “You can certainly apply them here is the notch and whatever help you can give will be noticed. You wanted to make your own way in the world I take it?” Emrys felt that it was important for every wolf to find their place in the world.  After his mother's death he'd had to do the same thing and had found himself in the notch.

In the past months his life had changed drastically but it was a good change as far as he was concerned. He was happy to be serving directly under Gent and took his position seriously.  He was also very happy to have Jynx at his side and to have her as the mother of his children.  While he didn't know what the future held for them he couldn't be happier than he was with how far their relationship had come. It was something he hadn't thought was possible, that like his mother he would walk alone as a healer through the years. “Would you like me to show you around?” He asked the pale man in case he still needed some help finding his way.