Ghastly Woods Cause I got issues, but you've got 'em too

Askan knew that sooner or later they would need to stop, that as much as he wanted to they couldn't wander south forever. To him, it was merely a question of far away was far enough? On one hand, during their journey they hadn't come across any other wolves. Be it females, males, pack wolves or otherwise. For days on end it had just been the two of them, and it'd been nice. Sure, the nights were cold and his legs ached, but it was far better than the alternative. Which, even now, was still more than enough to make him shudder.

On the other hand though, it wasn't as though they had just left the Field just because Askan wanted to. Drestig had granted them permission to leave under the condition that they would look for Percy in the south, in the parts of Relic Lore that they hadn't been unable to reach. This wasn't just a simple get away, the hunt for Phoenix took precedence over everything else. It was just...As he'd feared they had yet to find a single sign that even indicated she had passed through these parts. He just supposed they would have to keep on looking and looking till there was nowhere else to search.

The Selwyn mused over their next course of action as he squeezed through the tangled undergrowth, his ears pressed to his forehead so they didn't snag on any of the low hanging branches. Of all of the terrains he had travelled through- be it woodland or tundra- this was by far the worst. It was so dark and murky, he could see why this place was called Ghastly Woods. Fucking awful this was.Maybe they should have taken another route, maybe they should have headed east once they reached Secluded Springs, rather than continuing to head south as they had.

With such a thick canopy above them it was hard to tell what time of day it was, for all he knew it could have been evening! But there was one thing the Yukon wolf did know and he wondered if Reyes felt the same.

"Hey." Askan began, glancing over his shoulder to catch Reyes' eye. They had been travelling in comfortable silence for a while now, but it was time to break it."Want to find somewhere to rest? Maybe some water?"

As to where they'd find both water and somewhere comfortable to rest was beyond him. No matter what direction he looked all he saw was white and brown. The same old bullshit. Askan huffed and came to a stop, nudging Reyes' shoulder with his head as he passed. He almost felt bad for dragging Reyes along with him to this hellhole. But then again he had agreed to come of his own free will, it's not like Askan forced him or anything. If he didn't want to be here he wouldn't be. That's just how Reyes was.

"Which way do you think we should go? Heading straight forward doesn't seem to be getting us anywhere." Throughout their journey they had been taking turns in who lead the way. Round about then, Askan thought it was Reyes' turn again. He was done, for now.

The weather had been shit lately (to no one’s great surprise), but frankly, Reyes was starting to wonder if the snow and wind was preferable to the smothering darkness provided by the thick canopy overhead. Still, he supposed he shouldn’t complain. The break in the window was better than nothing, and the gamma wolf was satisfied to track a length behind his companion. Ears pricked at the sound of his familiar voice. He bobbed his head. “Sounds fine.”

Shelter and hydration were basic needs, after all – better to find fresh water now, before they were really desperate for it. He slowed down, halting at Askan’s side, returning the nudge with one of his own. His ears flipped forwards, his whiskers pricking, glancing upwards to survey the area. True to the beta’s observation, straight ahead didn’t look like much. He glanced over one shoulder, and then the other, watching the rows of trees and shadows before he sighed, rolling his shoulders in a shrug. It didn’t look like much in either direction either – he couldn’t smell anything different than the damp, cold forest.

“Dunno. East, maybe?” he offered, ears pricking forward again. If not that, than… Well, if he didn’t want that advice, Askan could make up his own damn mind.

Askan rumbled at the touch to his shoulder, a gesture of solidarity, a promise that they were in this together. His tail swished behind him, slow and steady like the thrum of his heartbeat. It was better to be lost with someone he trusted then to be alone, that thought was enough to help smother his worries and put him at ease. Or something close to that anyway. It seemed as though he had worried needlessly as Reyes didn't seem all that bothered by their predicament. Being lost was no one's idea of fun, but he was taking it in his stride. Not a single complaint passed from his scarred lips.

East? That was better than any idea he'd had. It was far better than just aimlessly wandering, a direction was better than none. Nodding in agreement, Askan flicked his tail against Reyes' rump and began to head east.

For what felt like an eternity they trudged through the tangled forest and the gnarly branches that tugged at their coats. At the time of their discussion, heading east had sounded like a good idea but as time passed Askan couldn't help but feel as though they weren't getting anywhere. That all of their walking was for nothing. Askan sighed again-for the fifteenth time in a row- and cast a quick glance behind him, almost as if to say 'this is your fault.' It wasn't as though he blamed Reyes, not really, but he needed to blame someone otherwise surely he'd just blame himself.

It seemed as though-for once- fortune was turning in their favour, as Askan couldn't help but notice how the trees were thinning out- and was that daylight he saw? He continued to push forward with a spring in his step, a renewed sense of vigour and determination. This was it, they were close to the edge or at the very least a respite from this damn, Gods forsaken forest. And he couldn't wait for the freedom of open space, for the ability to turn around without getting snagged on something and most of all he wanted to see some damn sunlight, no matter what time of day it was.

Shoving his head through a gap in the trees, Askan came to an abrupt stop as he stared ahead, his eyes widening in something akin to awe. He felt Reyes' push up against him, try to push him forward but the Yukon didn't budge. Or at least until he felt teeth. Stepping out into the open, Askan marvelled at the white stone beneath his paws. He'd never seen anything like this, so open yet secluded as though the Gods themselves had taken care to hide this lake from the world. In the near distance a mountain range stood tall and proud, and just like the afternoon sky, its image had been stolen by the lake. As though it had fallen from grace and had settled on the waters surface like a floating leaf.

"Wow. This is....Nice." He couldn't beat around the bush here. It was nice, saying anything less would do this place a disservice. "Think this is a good spot to rest for a bit?" He sent Reyes a sly look, because come on the answer was obvious.

Askan might have thought they were lost, but for a wolf who spent most of his life as a loner? This was just another day as usual. You pick a direction, and off you went. Aimless wandering was practically the name of the game, after all. For all the dark looks the beta kept casting over his shoulder as they puttered through the forest, the older wolf simply offered him a soft snort, and kept moving. Fine, blame the southerner if he had to – it was water off of a duck’s back. If they didn’t find their way to somewhere more suitable, he would surely get an earful. But he’d deal with that if it arose.

And, by some strange twist of fate, it seemed luck actually decided to smile upon them today. The first sign was the thinning canopy, the luciferous sun overhead actually able to provide a bit of light (and warmth). A breeze soon followed, fresh air in an otherwise stagnant tree stand, and then the stone where leaf litter had been moments before. He might have given Askan some shit for his sudden, reverent tone, but the older wolf was in a similar state himself. He blinked owlishly, his moonstone eyes wide as he surveyed the pristine territory. Surely they were dreaming. This seemed to nice to actually be real.

“I-- Yeah. Wow. Wow. This ain’t like anything I’ve ever seen,” he hummed, standing by Askan’s side as he surveyed the panoramic view. “Shit. Nice as Pasos al Cielo. Nicer, maybe? Maybe.” Let’s be honest, now, that discovery was pretty nice, too. But this had its own certain brand of beauty, and it’d be a lie to deny that he wasn’t impressed. Reyes hummed low in his throat a second time, reaching forward to nip at that sly grin. “Yeah – we can bed here for the night. Seems good a place as any.” He rolled forward into a trot. “Bet you I can find a denning spot first, amigo~”

Askan growled at the bite to his snout, but his eyes shone with mirth. If it had been anyone else he would have meant it, his hackles would have stood on point and he would have scowled with pure contempt. But he was an exception to many of Askan's rules, and he suspected that the same could be said for Reyes. That he could get away with things that few others could. It was a give and take really, but most importantly they were equals,no matter the difference in their ranking and age.

It seemed as though their discovery had put a spring in Reyes' step, as he watched him trot froward, his tail swishing and- Askan lost his line of thought there having been distracted by uh...He wasn't staring, no one could prove otherwise. Clearing his throat-and willing the warmth in his cheeks away- he hurried to catch up with his companion.

"Really?" He asked, his voice ladened with doubt. He stepped in front of Reyes and planted himself on the spot, blocking his path. "What do you want if you win and find it first? And what will I get if- no when I win? Hm?" Behind him, Askan's tail wagged slow and confident. He knew he could do this, his competitive streak wouldn't let him lose.

If they were going to play this little game there had to be terms. At the very least their den had to be nearby, after all what was the point of finding this place if they were just going to leave it? Besides, it wasn't like he wanted to go back into those woods anytime soon. He wanted to take advantage of this little haven they had found and most importantly he wanted to relax and take it easy after having travelled for days on end. They deserved it, a little rest wouldn't do them any harm.

"When I win I want you to...." He trailed off, glancing about as though the scenery would give him inspiration. After a moment his gaze returned to Reyes and he couldn't keep the grin off his face."When I win, you'll have to go and find us both something to eat. On your own. Has to be something good too, cause I'm hungry."

Surely Reyes could manage that, he'd been a loner after all and wasn't skinny by any meaning of the word. He had to say, he was a little curious to see what Reyes would want though, what sort of term he would propose.

"We've got till the sun goes over that mountain." He pointed with his snout. The sun would soon begin to set after that point, but there should be enough daylight for Reyes to go hunting. "Whoever finds the one by then howls and the game is over. Deal?"

Reyes had only meant to issue a challenge – he hadn’t expected the other Rye wolf to actually take him up on a bet. But perhaps he should have. Rarely did the beta actually ignore any sort of undertaking, especially one that promised to test his skills. Sure, it wasn’t their usual, no brute strength or raw force, but it was still a proper ability for any wolf to have. Surprise was soon replaced by a wry smile, bumping his weight into Askan’s as the swarthy male laid out his terms.

“Tch. So typical, jefe. Want someone to fill your belly and clean your muzzle, huh?” But there was only mirth in his voice as he laughed, something deep and hearty. Fine. If that’s what Askan wanted, that’s what he would get – but if he wanted a free meal, he’d have to earn it. And Reyes had no intention of making such a feat easy to accomplish, swinging his weight back into the other male for a second time. What did he want if he managed to find a suitable denning site, first? The older male hummed softly before lifting a brow, reaching over to push his snout against Askan’s mouth. “If I win,” he rumbled, voice low, silver eyes dancing like little twin moons, “I want to handle this season like a proper pair.”

He gave a soft hum, pausing only long enough to gauge where the sun currently hung, and then he was off with a cackle, giving Askan no time to delay him any further. His paws thundered through the snow scattering everywhere, tracking around the lakeside before throwing his nose to the ground. All he had to do was be faster than his companion – and the sun. This was his game! Why did he let the other wolf tack on an extra rule?

Reyes snorted once in the snow, shaking his head as a downed tree was dismissed and he quickly trotted onwards. Eh, it was fine. Askan could add as many extra regulations as he wanted. The delta would still win their little game.

Askan couldn't help but wag his tail along to the beat of Reyes' laughter. It was kind of typical wasn't it? But what could he say? He was hungry and the prospect of getting a free, easy meal was not one he could resist. Call him a sap all you want, but he's lips pulled back into a gleeful smile and he revelled in the deep, infectious nature of Reyes' merriment. He couldn't say he'd ever seen Reyes quite like this before, but it had to be said he liked what he saw. And would likely do almost anything to see it again in the future. It was just that nice. So much so that he was willing to ignore the-not so gentle- nudge he had just received a moment ago. It's not like it hurt anyway.

The Selwyn really was curious though and with each passing second it mounted, like grains of sand falling in a timer. Come on, spill it! Was it really so hard? Askan was struggling to resist the urge to demand an answer, the words were on the edge of his tongue when his eyes narrowed a little, confused by the change in Reyes' demeanour. Moving in close, the southerner arched His brow in some sort of unspoken question- the sort Askan felt like he was supposed to know, but didn't- and slid his muzzle along the black line of Askan's lips. Was that a clue? If it was, it was a little too subtle for Askan. He needed to be a little clearer, as vague hints weren't going to get him anywhere.

Still, it was quite remarkable how close he was, how comfortable he was being in such proximity. Not that Askan minded, like at all. If it had been anyone else, they would have lost a decent portion of their face by now. But with Reyes, well it was almost as though he had earned this right. That because he was welcome to do the same it only seemed natural for him to...Askan shivered a little as Reyes' words tingled down his spine and-um. This was certainly something.

As were Reyes' following words.

Before he even had the time to think-or panic - about what he'd meant by proper pair, Reyes has already kicked off into a sprint and thus had started their little game. Askan stood there blinking, dazed for a moment or so before the voice of reason in the back of his head did him a favour. Did it even matter what he meant by that? If he kept standing around like a dunce then he was surely going to lose. Besides, could it really be anything bad? They were already technically a pair, so how would making it proper be any worse? It had to be a good thing, right?

Grumbling, Askan burst off into a gallop. Instead of following Reyes, he opted to go for the other side of the lake in the hope that he'd find the best spot to rest. Reyes could shove his cocksure nature right up where the the sun didn't shine. Askan was gonna win this fair and square, even if he didn't have a head start.

As he strode off in a full gait, he half expected to hear Askan’s indignant sputtering. Whenever he really turned on the charm (if you wanted to call it that), the beta tended to put up a fuss. They were never quite complaints, and it was never quite vehement for the swarthy male to stop the behavior all together, but to hear nothing? That was new. Chancing a glance over his shoulder informed him only that the other male had taken off across the other shore – the game was on!

The sun was almost at the finish point, and neither wolf had howled. Can’t lose! he huffed to himself, pausing by a large tree. It yielded nothing, and he moved on, only casting Askan a quick look to ensure the other Rye wolf wasn’t any closer to victory. They hadn’t really discussed the possibility that it might be a draw – but then neither would get to claim a prize, would they? And that simply wouldn’t do.

Rumbling quietly to himself, Reyes twisted around a rock, shoving his snout into the snow – but the boulder did not find him any closer to a win. The shadows seemed to grow longer with each blink, and so he hurried onwards, paws churning through snow. Peeling a bit further away from the water itself, he trotted over small, rolling hills. His tail thrashed behind him, as if it might propel him quicker, and the swarthy male dropped his nose back to the ground. There wasn’t much to scent, not in the snow and the cold, but it felt helpful, at least. As he bounced down a small embankment, he checked over his back once more, looking for Askan…and instead spying a patch of darkness in the snow behind him. Or rather, it was a gap! A gap in the snow!

Could it be?

Reyes’ tail began to wag behind him as he spun, all but shoving his bulky body into the revealed opening. It was dark inside (obviously), but the further he wedged himself in, the more the area opened up. If it hadn’t been someone else’s den at some point, than Mother Nature did a fine ass job carving the little home out herself. If nature was a wolf, where would she live? On the banks of such a pretty lake seemed a good a place as any – besides, if you were that sort of thing, you hardly needed a pack to live, right? Such a vaunting creature could surely afford such a luxury.

And it wasn’t only spacious inside the little discovered den, but it was dry. With such a small opening, none of the snow had been swept in by the devilish winds. The pine needles and the dirt remained untouched, as if it were still the height of autumn. If only it were warm – but then, that was what he was for, right? Well, he and his partner in crime. And speaking of… If he kept dawdling like he was, he would surely run out of time! And with such a perfect little spot found, he could certainly not afford to forfeit. What a waste!

Reyes whirled about, paws scrabbling across the solid surface as he stuffed himself back through the tight entrance to the naturally formed den, allowing himself only the time to shake any clinging snow free from his pelt before tipping his dark nose upwards. I found one! His deep, raspy song echoed and bounced across the lake’s surface, against the rocky outcroppings and lingering trees – Askan would have no excuse for ignoring it, even if he did have to round the small water source to get all the way back over again. That was fine. Reyes could wait. He could wait all night, quite frankly. The knowledge of his victory did a lot to keep a wolf warm.

His thoughts may or may not have drifted a bit as he waited for the Wild Rye beta to join him from across the pond. For every day he complained about the bitter cold and biting snow, for every time he promised himself he would leave Relic Lore come springtime to seek out warmer weather and familiar sands, he would be missing this, wouldn’t he? As handsome as the discovery of Pasos al Cielo had been, he had to admit it wasn’t as impressive as the lake that seemed to kiss the sky. Earth and water and air all became one in a single space, like the border didn’t even exist – of course, this wasn’t something he had any intention of actually telling Askan. Even if he’d won their little game, such an admission would surely earn him no end of reminders.

Well. Perhaps he wouldn’t mind that much.

Reyes’ lips quirked into a slanted grin and the wolf pivoted, mildly aware of something approaching out of the corner of his vision. He chuffed, bobbed his head, offered his companion a simple greeting until he was actually close enough to touch. Then Askan was given a proper hello, pink tongue flashing out beneath the beta’s chin in tiny kisses before he turned, keen on leading the other man over to his discovery.

“Over here,” he directed his partner, tail wiggling behind him eagerly. “Come and see. I even fit inside. There’s room for us both,” he hummed, nodding his head as he looked down into the dark space. He’d checked before summoning the other wolf other. (Another thing he’d never hear the end of, if he tried to cheat.) “Go on, have a look. S’dry, even.” Not that he had anything to do with that particular factor, but it made him no less proud. They could even stay there overnight, if Askan had the mind to stay at the lake and rest before they continued their journey. His tail continued to swing behind him, practically wagging the entire wolf as he grinned at the younger male, waiting for something. Anything.

Say something, damnit!

He was a good wolf! He found a good thing!

It was inevitable really. Had Askan ever won any of these little games? Try as he might he always seemed to lose, to fall victim to his hubris. It won't be like that next time or this time I'll do better, he could only say such things so many times before he realised they were empty words. That he was just wasting his breath. Gah, sometimes he didn't even know why he bothered. He was a loser through and through.

To say that he was sulking would be entirely accurate. He didn't bother to respond to Reyes' summoning howl and instead just trudged along the shore, his eyes downcast and his ears pressed to his forehead. Sure, he hadn't won and no doubt it was going to be rubbed in his face- with insults and all most likely- but at least they would have somewhere to settle down for the night. A den was better than sleeping in the snow, and surely with Reyes by his side it would be pretty warm. Maybe even comfortable. At least there was a silver lining to this humiliating defeat, because if there wasn't Askan wouldn't have bothered to heed his call at all. He would have probably shuffled off into the woods with his tail between his legs, like a scolded child.

What was it that Reyes had wanted again? Askan couldn't quite recall. It had been pretty vague and so he couldn't help but worry that whilst he waited, Reyes was coming up with all sorts of loopholes and add-ons. Great, not only had he lost but he was certain that he was going to get the worst end of the stick whilst he was at it.

With his tail held out for balance, Askan carefully shuffled down the embankment and let out a huff once he'd reached flat ground. Before he was even able to glance up to see where his companion was, Reyes was already beckoning him over as his tail wagged a mile a minute. Ah of course. He was a happy camper because he'd won. Good for him. It was petty of him, for sure, but he couldn't help it. No one liked losing and this especially applied to Askan who felt like he deserved a small victory every now and then. Considering all the shit he had to deal with.

Still, it was hard to remain all frosty and on edge when Reyes stood there before him exuding such earnest glee that it was impossible for even Askan- the grumpiest of them all- to resist. Without his permission his shoulders began to loosen up, as did his clenched jaw, and his tail- that had curled between his legs- began to wag with so much enthusiasm that his butt shook as well. Closing the space between them, Reyes began to lap and kiss at his muzzle, spurring his butt to wiggle that just a little bit faster.This wasn't so bad, Askan could easily deal with being greeted like this on a daily-maybe even more- basis. It was a lot better than being told to fuck off, to say the least.

Following Reyes lead, the Selwyn bent down a little so he could sniff and poke his head into the darkness of the tunnel entrance. It was a good find, even he the sorest of losers had to admit that. Better than the rabbit holes he'd stumbled upon anyway.

"It looks good." He admitted, his body language was a little more reserved but it was clear to see that he was happy nonetheless. "Well done."

To prove that he meant it-as those words were often muttered in sarcastic contempt- he gave his nose a quick kiss. Just a little once, before he pulled away clearing his throat as his face got a little warm. It was always a little...Embarrassing to do it for himself. There was always that little fear that Reyes would recoil in disgust, or something like that. No one else had been nice to him like this before, so it was understandable why he was having a hard time processing this all. It was all so new, but safe and nice. That was key.

"Ahem. So... What was it you wanted again? I kinda forgot." He shrugged, sheepishly but was by no means unwilling. It was only fair and with Reyes being so uncharacteristically-and infectiously- chipper surely it couldn't be a bad thing. "Your wish is my command Reyes. Just tell me what to do." And just because he could-and that he wanted to- Askan pressed his forehead against his wide, muscular shoulder and pushed a bit. As though urging him to make a choice.

Ah! Askan thought his den looked good. Knowing the beta as he did, it was pretty high praise – but that little kiss to the tip of his nose? That was about as good as it ever got, at least as far as Askan was concerned. His ears pricked forward as he chuffed, returning the affection with some of his own. Perhaps he would always be freer with his fondness than the other wolf. Perhaps it was a side affect of subordinance, or perhaps it was simply the way his mother had raised him. If deserving, he saw no reason to deny the display of desire, of care. Praise, of course, would always win a positive response in the end.

Truthfully, the dark wolf might have backed out of their bet, and as long as it wasn’t accompanied by accusations or a temper tantrum, Reyes would have been satisfied with the approval alone. But he shouldn’t have worried. The beta was a wolf of his word, and once the den had been thoroughly inspected, he turned back to the winner with their bet in mind.

Your wish is my command, Reyes.

And dios mio, but that sent a shiver shooting straight down his spine. He huffed, twisting only to nip at Askan’s side affectionately. “I meant what I said before. Proper pair. Proper mated pair. Mating season. You know.”