Archer Valle

Now that the 'season' appeared to be over and they'd gotten the news that his ma was pregnant, Archer felt a little less inclined to stick so close to home. He felt back that Eros was in trouble and he was leaving him behind, but the younger Valle boy needed to get out on his own sometimes. He needed some fresh air. Like his brother, he was definitely feeling the angst of teenage-hood creeping up on him. It didn't help that two of his siblings and his age-mate aunt had gone missing, with so many other members of their pack. Out of the six pups born the same time as him, only three of them remained. Thank whatever force was at work in the world that @Eros himself hadn't taken off.

Well, he had, but he'd come home in the end, even though he'd gotten in trouble. Archer didn't know what he'd do if Eros disappeared too; he didn't want to leave his home, but he'd probably have to go looking for his brother. The naive lug would get himself into trouble far away, and then where would he be?

Besides, there was an illness creeping through the Backwater, and Archer wanted to be helpful. He didn't know the growing season of hellbore or yarrow, but he hoped those might help and had decided to set out to find some. If he could, anyway. He just wanted to be doing something, and he wanted to be helpful.

And then there was the water. The backwater, usually so full, was dry. Archer was finding harder and harder to get water. All the puddles were drying up shortly after they formed. He'd taken to licking dew off budding leaves when they were lucky enough to even get dew.

Archer heard a faint flopping noise - a noise that was familiar. He turned and picked up his pace to find a small, mostly-dry creekbed with several fish struggling to get through the extremely limited water. Archer licked his lips. He hadn't had fish in ages, and these looked like they'd be easy picking.

Archer Valle

The fish were thick in the water, not unlike the day Da was first trying to teach them how to fish. It hadn't gone well, and Archer still thought back on the moment with great embarrassment. He had to admit it was a little funny, in hindsight, that he'd thought he could go in as deep as Da and catch a fish that big when he'd been so small. This time would be different; there were more fish than was room for them in the drying river. He could just walk up and grab one.

He was taking a step forward to do so when a shape barreled towards him from further down the sorry excuse for a stream. Archer leapt back as the larger wolf began splashing about in what little water there was, treading on fish and scattering them as if he didn't notice they were there. He was grinning as he did so, trying to splash the teen who was staring at him in annoyed confusion. Fish were flopping about the dry now, so while keeping a eye on the maniac flipping about in the water he slunk forward and grabbed one before scooting to what he felt was a respectful distance. He tore into the fish without taking his eyes off the madman. Hopefully he would just leave after not getting much reaction, and Archer could drag home some fish to share with his family.

Archer Valle

Archer eyed the other wolf as he stopped and surveyed the damage he'd done with a satisfied grin, but when he saw the pup his pleased grin seemed to dim for a moment - though perhaps Archer imagined that, since the stranger was now walking toward him with that same maniacal smile plastered to his face. He was about to get up and move when the man picked up a fish and viciously shook it. Archer jumped to his feet and leaned back, ears flat against his head as bits of the fish spattered around him. Then the wolf moved on to another fish, and another.

Horrified, Archer watched as this crazy wolf shredded fish after fish with no apparent inclination to eat them. He was just wasting food - food that came from increasingly rarer water, at that. Finally, the pup snapped. "What is wrong with you?" he barked sharply, glaring at the man now covered in viscera.

Archer Valle

Archer continued glaring at the strange man, who only started laughing at his outburst. The fur on the boy's nape prickled. This man was deranged. His voice when he spoke to him was rough and prickled painfully on the Valle boy's ears. Then the man started walking towards him. Archer took a single step back, then froze. His eyes grew wide and instinct pulsed in the back of his mind. He suddenly felt like he was in danger.

The man was mocking him, event though Archer still had a fish that was perfectly edible. He wouldn't be able to take any home, but eh could fill his own belly - if the man would leave him alone.

Archer had never been faced with a hostile interaction, but he knew he needed to make his family proud. He was too close to the territory - this maniac needed to know he wasn't welcome. The fur along Archer's spine rippled and his lips peeled back from his teeth. "Back off," he growled.

Archer Valle

Archer's spine tingled at the chuckle in response to his order. The growling accent the other man had was just so wrong. Nobody he knew spoke like that; even as pups they'd spoken better. He turned with the man's circling, aware that turning his back on him could be a terrible error. There was just... something. He couldn't let this man get anywhere near home.

The other man half-jumped towards him and shouted. Archer bristled and twitched back, but managed to keep from jumping at the last moment. He would not be driven away from his food, and he would not risk leading this maniac back home! He growled louder, flexing his toes to get a better grip on the ground. He hadn't ever genuinely fought anyone and hadn't really been taught how, but if that's what it came to he would do it.