Today was the day.

For the first time in weeks, Lorcan woke up feeling well rested and refreshed. The pain in his side had faded so much that now it was hardly noticeable to the male. The claw wounds across his face were also causing him less bother now that the scabs were shrinking. Occasionally the scabs would itch or crack, causing the agouti wolf some minor discomfort, but aside from that Lorcan felt well. Certainly well enough to leave the warmth and comfort of the infirmary and venture out into the territory he now called his home.

Clambering up through the small tunnel which led up to the main den chamber, his golden eyes brightened with delight as he caught glimpses of sunlight shining in from outside. As he moved through the den, avoiding the sharp stalactites that hung from the cave ceiling, his tail began to wave behind him with anticipation. Lorcan approached the sunlit entrance cautiously and paused for a moment as he allowed his eyes to adjust to the sudden influx of bright light, before he finally pressed a single forepaw out into the snow which covered the ground outside.

An excited bark erupted from the agouti male as he pounced playfully into the snow, unable to control his enthusiasm, as he celebrated leaving the infirmary for good. More barks left him as he proceeded to pounce around and then finally flopped down into a particularly deep area of snow, sending cloud of white snowflakes into the air around him. Lorcan’s tail continued to beat against the snow as he watched the snowflakes float back down towards him, and like a pup, snapped his jaws violently at the air in a foolish attempt to catch them in his mouth.

When there was no snowfall left to catch, the only thing Lorcan could think to do was to roll around. With the sunlight warm against his pale undersides, playful growls rumbled in his throat as he squirmed around wildly on his back, enjoying the freezing chill the fresh snow sent up his spine.

It felt so good to be free.

The voice caught Lorcan off guard. Frantically rolling and squirming in the deep snow, the agouti male suddenly froze and lifted his head up to peer curiously over the small mounds that had formed around him. Russet ears perked up with interest as he immediately spotted the dark figure of a boy standing nearby a bare willow tree. Golden eyes trailed up towards his face, and lingered on the white patch of fur that covered his right eye for a moment before he finally answered.

“Enjoying my freedom!” He replied excitedly, gasping slightly to catch his breath as his salmon pink tongue lolling out from one side of his mouth. After a short moment he finally rolled over onto one side and scrambled up onto his paws to stand. Casually he gave a thorough shake of his pelt, sending yet more snow flying through the air as he attempted to make himself look a little bit more presentable. “I’m Lorcan. I’m the one that’s been hauled up in the infirmary.” He explained, giving a quick glance behind him towards the den.

Turning back towards the boy, Lorcan eyed him curiously for a moment before he bounced forwards and lowered into a play bow, his black tipped tail waving eagerly behind him. It was an obvious invitation for play. “You must be Romanov?” He asked with a questioning tilt of his head. After all, the boy appeared to be about the same age as Adeltra and she had mentioned that she had brother by that name.

Lorcan could sense that the boy wasn’t too impressed with his playful antics. The judgemental arch of his single pale brow did not soften, neither did his curious stare. That was, not until Lorcan mentioned that he had been recovering inside the pack infirmary. The male’s russet ears pressed back, feeling a little embarrassed about his answer. “Hunger and exhaustion mostly. Plus I hurt my ribs when I collapsed at the borders…” His golden gaze flitted awkwardly to his paws for a heartbeat before they returned to meet the boy’s bright amber eyes. He didn’t bother to mention the wounds to his face. They were surely obvious. “…but I’m feeling much better now.” He added, flashing the young wolf a reassuring smile.

Not wanting to dampen his positive mood, Lorcan had lowered himself into a play bow and perked his ears forwards. His rear end remained wriggling in the air, along with his tail which arched invitingly over his damp back as he eyed the boy. Unfortunately, despite his obvious encouragement, the dark wolf was not in the mood for fun. Russet ears folded back slowly and Lorcan’s smiling lips pulled into a more neutral expression as he attempted to hide some of his disappointment.

Releasing a small huff, the agouti male rose up from his play bow and stepped forwards a few paces to better engage in his conversation with Romanov. “Your sister. She mentioned you on one of her visits.” Lorcan explained with a casual shrug of his shoulders. Feeling a more sedate now that the boy had managed to drag him down from his high, Lorcan finally settled down to sit in the snow. His tail wrapped awkwardly around his paws. @Romanov was in a far too serious mood for fun.

As Lorcan noticed the small smile that began to tug at the corners of the young boy’s lips, his own expression began to soften. Nodding his head gently in agreement, the male made a soft hum with his mouth. Ravenna certainly had taken good care of him and it was due to her plant knowledge and medical expertise that he had been able to recover as quickly as he had. “She is. I should like to learn from her one day, add to my own knowledge.” Lorcan said with a smile. When that was exactly, the newcomer did not know. The lead female was surely busy most of the time with all of her duties to attend to.

The snort that @Romanov released as Lorcan admitted that it had been Adeltra who had mentioned his name, caused a single brow of Lorcan’s to raise curiously. A small bubble of a laugh escaped him at the boy’s comment. “When I wasn’t asleep, yes. But it’s fine. I enjoyed having some company down there.” The male admitted with a grin and shrug of his shoulders.

He fell silent for a moment. If the boy wasn’t in the mood to play, what did he like to do? “So, uh…what do you do for fun around here?” Lorcan asked with a swat of his tail against the snow.

Lorcan didn’t mind the boy’s curiosity at all. Actually, he was rather fond of it, especially in pups. It hinted that they had an active mind and lust to learn, which the adult admired and would actively encourage more of. “I served as a healer in two of my previous packs.” He confirmed with a smile that hinted at his pride. He had worked hard for the title and wasn’t shy to admit it. “But Ravenna could still show me a thing or two. The plants tend to change depending where you are, so there’s always something new to learn about.” Lorcan explained with another shrug.

When Romanov joked about how why he hadn’t visited him in the infirmary, Lorcan’s smile grew more playful. “Don’t worry, I don’t hold anything against you for not coming to visit. It’s pretty boring down there, not much to see or do…” He teased, flashing this boy a toothy grin. The young male surely had better things to do with him time anyway.

The agouti male listened with interest as the dark boy listed off some of the activities he enjoyed, all the while subtly studying the white patch of fur that covered his right eye. Lorcan found it intriguing and peculiar. He’d never seen another wolf with a marking quite like his one. “I’m not much one for story-telling, but a visit to the field sounds like it could be interesting…” The male stated, with a tilt of his head as he rose up from his haunches to stand. “…if it’s not too far and you fancy a trip?” Lorcan let the boy ponder over his offer whilst he shook out his coat. It would do him some good to stretch his limbs.