My pack will cause you no harm, unless, of course you plan to do us any. He knew his family were peaceful, they had no intentions to challenge and claim everything a site, a fact proven by the unclaimed lands that surrounded them. They merely wanted the safety of each other and the protection that Relic Lore had so far offered, wildfire's aside. So, you are safe. He concluded, replying directly to the wolf's question with an accompanying nod of the head. Swift River was certainly not the largest pack of wolves, but it wasn't the smallest either, the 3 young pups also providing it with a future that secured it's strength for a longer time, and Indru was determined to protect his siblings fiercely.

So what's your name? His asking was for two reasons, one for friendly banter in the now calmer tension of the night, the other a tactical interest so that he would be aware of at least one of the potential threats to his pack in the future, if another pack ever formed which it undoubtedly would. My name is Indru, he left off his surname for now, rather the wolf didn't know which of his pack was related to him (which, at the moment was all of them), and which were just wolves they had met if he ever came across one. Examining the wolf once more Indru felt any immediate threat had gone, and with a patient sigh he dropped down to his haunches, keeping the short distance between them there.

ONE THING ONE WORD ONE WAY OF WORKING
The promises seemed genuine, there was no sense of trickery here - and why should there be? Marsh and this beast, they were both alone and had no business with each other beyond the business they had pressed upon each other. Conflict was highly unwanted. As such, the promise served to relax Marsh further; he knew he would never do anything to antagonise a whole pack.

Not of his own volition, at least, but there was nobody else driving Marsh's actions at this time.

The curious matter of names came up, and Marsh cocked his head as he listened. He decided that he liked how plainly the other spoke. Having come across many beasts who enjoyed playing with their tongue at Marsh's expense, this other - this Indru - he was clear. Now that the tension in the situation was significantly reduced, Marsh could even appreciate how curiously polite Indru was in this way. It made sense for Indru to be tense with his family nearby, wolves he had to protect, even if this was neutral ground.

If you thought about it, Indru's aggressive initial reaction was quite a compliment.

"Marrrrrsh." Indru sat down, displaying his increasing confidence, and Marsh gently let all remaining hostility drop from him completely. He didn't want to give the wrong impression, especially not now, considering what he wanted to do. Ears up, but tail low, Marsh approached the wolf, wanting to use this opportunity of stalemate to really get to know Indru and his pack.

He wasn't stupid, though. The gap between them closed quickly only because it wasn't very large, not because of Marsh's swiftness; he didn't mean to startle or take by surprise. Taking very deliberate inhalations, to better fill his nose and head with the scent of this new, temporary neighbour, he began to loop around the other, keeping only a couple of feet apart. One thing overwhelmed Marsh very quickly. "Burning," he muttered, remembering the scent that he had deliberately avoided during the past week or so.
ONE WAY OF DOING THE SAME THING YOU'VE ALWAYS DONE

He made a note to remember the name in the future and though Indru doubted that he had seen enough of the wolf's physical appearance to link to the two he thought that his smell and unique speaking pattern should be enough to give it away if he was to come across him again. He watched as the male's body posture changed, and as he approached him Indru couldn't help his fur bristling slightly, only his slow, cautious pace stopping him from tensing completely once again in a stronger reaction. He saw the wolf's purpose though, and as he looped behind him he followed him with his bright eyes until he reached his back, upon which Indru did his own slow moving, never letting the wolf go completely out of his sight. As much as the tension had dropped, he did not trust this wolf enough to let him sneak behind him in the dark night, and he wouldn't be much of a Leader if he did.

The wolves words brought a quick lump to his throat at the mention of burning as instantly thoughts of his parents bodies surrounded by their destroyed home were brought to the forefront of his mind, but the boy forced them away, concentrating on the matters in hand. Each wolf's movements were slow and careful, and Indru kept his body stiff, making it clear he was not submitting to the wolf, but instead tolerating it. My old home — my birth pack — was destroyed in the fire. The boy offered as an explanation for the burning that clung to him after all it had not been long since he was caught in it, his frequent visits to Hidden Tree aside.

AND WE'VE DONE IT SO MUCH WE DO IT SO WELL
It did not bother Marsh that Indru never let him out of his sight. It made sense. Marsh would have done the same in his situation, and, if anything, it helped to relax Marsh more. Indru's calm was soothing and helped to foster a mutual understanding. If Indru read body language at all, he would understand that Marsh meant absolutely no harm - though the very poor light did not help that respect. When you couldn't communicate 'properly' in times such as this, you had to fill in your own ideas of what the other was thinking.

The words were curious, and Marsh began to doubt something. That also meant doubting something Indru had previously said, and Marsh wasn't keen on declaring him a liar - but as he carefully went over what he believed Indru to have said, he realised that it wouldn't be a lie, just a clever ruse.

If it was true, of course. It was a possibility that Indru's family were still alive - or some of them - but, at the moment, many clues pointed to a different conclusion. Marsh's memory was just fine, but, unsurprisingly, was patchy when it came to specific words.

"Fire," Marsh agreed, "remember, stayed - stayed away. You, you, your f-f-family... alive? How? I have seen, smelled - much dead." There were dead smells on Indru. Perhaps that was just Marsh's instinctual association with fire and death, but he didn't think he was imagining it. And why would a packwolf be so far from his home? And alone, at that? And a dominant packmember? It was too early to tell, but Indru did smell right to be a leader. Had they been on his lands, Marsh would have submitted to him. If he was leader, he had that right, but he was now beginning to get Marsh's respect as well.
WE WATCH THE ARTISTS WORK THEIR MAGIC

When he heard him talk Indru turned to face him fully instead of out the corner of his eye. Indru noted with interest that the male was around for the fire, he wondered if others had perished beyond his parents, if they had he hadn't found any trace yet. My family.. we escaped, we went away while it burned the Wildwood, we returned home not long ago. He answered, though that did not explain the smell of death on him, like Marsh had rightly pointed out. My parents.. they did not, it was a challenge to keep his voice firm, and Indru was exactly sure he managed it, feeling a quaver in his throat at his hesitation. The fire took them. He clarified, his tone turning slightly caustic, but not at Marsh, at self-anger for his inability to save them, instead he had just fled.

A heavy sigh escaped Indru, and for once he did not care about hiding it, his family weren't here for him to need to be constantly brave and know what to do. The fire was tragic, his voice had sorrow as he thought over Hidden Tree, it took my home. It changed my entire life. It was a dramatic change, and though Indru had dreamt of being a Leader one day it was not under such dire circumstances. Certainly he did not vision his parent's dying such a brutal death. Do you have no family? Indru asked, of course asking why he had no pack, after all, all Indru knew was the close relationship of a pack and could not imagine the life a loner held like some of his siblings undoubtedly had.

BUT THERE IS TRAGEDY IN THEIR ART
Ah, so he hadn't been lying after all. There were still no signs of deceit in Indru's manner, and Marsh was happy to take his words as truth. As Indru continued, Marsh noted that many of his suspicions were indeed right; his parents had presumably been the previous masters of the family pack, and they were dead. Indru, if not the leader, was certainly no lower than second, and it was a very recent change indeed. Marsh did not notice any wobble in Indru's voice as he spoke of his deceased parents, either because Indru controlled himself or Marsh wasn't tuned into to such subtle emotion. He felt a loss at the death of a familiar wolf, but never sorrow. He may have just interpreted it as nervousness about the sudden, forced responsibility of the pack.

Marsh was not one to offer condolences - not verbal ones, anyway. Indru and Marsh were very far from being relaxed enough around each other for Marsh to show more physical displays of comfort, and so it didn't even cross his mind. Indru needed no sympathy from strangers. However, Marsh was sensitive enough to treat the knowledge with respect; he dipped his head slightly before bringing it back up, level with Indru's own, recognising and respecting the loss.

The question came unexpectedly. Marsh blinked, pausing in his circling, his mind distracted from its investigations of Indru's scent. He had taken in plenty by now; there was nothing new to read. "Family?" he repeated, surprised. "I... had others earlier, but - lost, lost in spring. Alone since. I don't - has been many, many, long time since m-m-m-other pack." Is that what Indru had meant? Family? Marsh inhaled once more, suddenly wanting to answer a question which had occured to him. Indru smelt of this place, faintly, even this place which wasn't strictly his land. "You... here all... always?"
WE MUST RESPECT THAT NOT ALL GOES TO PLAN

The boy listened with interest when Marsh spoke, intrigued by his travelling and even more so by his changing packs. The boy had never left his birth pack before now, and though he had siblings who had left they had not returned as of yet, full their experiences for him to live through. He wondered briefly now whether they were more blithe than he, especially without the burden of continuing his family after their recent tragedy. Somewhat caught up in his own thoughts, Indru did not expect the question and the phrasing confused him. After taking a moment he answered the best he could, I was born here.. yes. I have always been in Relic Lore, this area, as I have always been with my previous pack. It had been a comfort to remain under the safety and protection his father and uncle had always given him, but now he was under neither, Honijo having left, it was even more daunting that he now had to grant his own.

Would you ever go back to your birth pack? The question was more in relation to Indru's departed siblings, though he had no bonded with them as much as the ones who had stayed, he missed them and wondered how they were. He knew now that if they did return it would be awkward, he would feel guilty for breaking the bad news about their home and parents, especially as he was such a coward during the fire when instead he should of been helping them.

BUT SOMETIMES DESPITE THESE HICCUPS
Relic Lore, huh?

Marsh wondered how far that name reached. How long had he been here, in this Relic Lore? Were there many other packs? There had been no such signs as far as his nose had told him, but he hadn't been here long - he was still technically passing through - and there was much to learn of it. Perhaps that was a good reason to stay.

This place was more populated than Marsh had expected. He had been alone for far too long, and was getting restless. Relic Lore may just provide what he needed.

This time, Marsh was almost prepared for the question, as the pair seemed to be in the habit of bouncing them off each other. The questions were curious, touching on topics Marsh didn't really think about or find important. Something compelled him to care about them now, though; it would prolong this encounter with Indru, and that was a good thing.

"No," he said simply, clearly without needing any deliberation on the matter. "Too long. Too far. Don't, don't need them - not them, but, someone, I..." Damn words! Marsh frowned, trying to make sense of his basic needs, what drove him. He didn't mind if Indru knew. It was hardly a dastardly secret. "Hard, to live, living alone - difficult. Lonely. Hungg, hungry. Effort."
YOU FIND THAT THERE ARE BLESSINGS YOU DIDN'T EXPECT

Now the tension had gone Indru found himself enjoying the encounter, the previous annoyance at Marsh for the disturbance having left him. Perhaps it was a nicer way to chase away the night, talking with a stranger, than face the occasional nightmares the guilt of the fire had left him with. It felt peculiar around his family, having to act the strong one, and with Marsh it was no so important. This wolf's answer however saddened him, he had no interest to return to his original home and Indru wondered if perhaps this was the case of all lone wolves — they had left for a reason after all. Since he had watched his siblings depart he had always looked forward to the day they would return, but perhaps this would not be the case. Oh, he replied in response, unsure of what else to say.

Marsh's next words however, Indru nodded it. He could imagine that life on your own would be difficult and hard, without a pack's support and defence, especially their team work. Yes, I can imagine. A small smile touching his face almost sympatheically. Me and my family often hunt together, to bring down bigger prey than we can on our own, it's comforting to know you can depend on that for food. Indru had not truly known what it was like to go hungry, never experiencing a famine and neither leaving his home where hunting was a frequent pack activity. What made you leave your pack?

WE SHOULD NEVER EXPECT THEM TO HAPPEN TO US
Marsh found himself nodding, too, recognising Indru's scenario all to easily. Marsh had had many hunting brothers and sisters; he had joined many packs in his five years, had had many different families, many different masters. He could remember them all, though had little inclination to do so. Why dwell? It was the past. It was the feeling and the safety Indru described which Marsh yearned for the most, the codependency. Marsh was a wolf, and all wolves should strive for the pack life.

Once again, Marsh was expecting a question. Once again, it touched on a dusty subject, an unthought-of subject. That was reaching back, really far back, and for a moment Marsh wasn't sure if he could even remember.

But his memory was better than he gave it credit for, and, considering the few, consistent things that Marsh gave significance to, it was easier to recall than he expected.

"Albion," he muttered, and that name brought memories of its own, more recent memories. "He - our, our families," and again he snarled again, quite viciously, but again it was just another word. "He, heee, trickster, tried... to hide amongst us. Became, be-came us. He... his... fought with brains, foolish, we destroyed them." Indru was having a curious effect on Marsh; he was relaxed, quite comfortable despite the fact they were both strangers, and it was helping his tongue. "He was..." Master? "He disappeared, I had, I had - nothing else, important, left to find, lost... lossssst way. Never went back." Marsh licked his lips, tired from the effort but pleased with the results. "Youu - had not... become top - fire - would... ever leave? Start... own family? You - you... have mate?" Marsh knew that was why some wolves left, certainly when they lived in a pack where everybody was related. It didn't bode well for the next generation if the top two dogs shared blood. With his parents gone, did Indru share the top spot with his sister?
THEY DON'T LISTEN TO YOUR PRAYERS