Roamer's Rest Star Gazing

With the matter decided, Hagar's chest slipped down quietly to lay upon the ground, stout legs stretching forward in relief. He rolled his shoulders and became comfortable as Avella's gentle voice helped put him further at ease.

You've been holding out on me, she playfully accused, and he glanced at her with a raised brow. Her words continued on, guiding his eyes back unto the night sky. For the first time in his life, he considered the possibility that maybe a wolf would one day find out. Who knew how high mountains and trees could grow, what other facets of the land met the sky out in the parts of the world he knew nothing about?

It certainly was a lot to ponder, and he'd never known that to be a worthwhile endeavor. Yet it felt productive, important even, sitting here, immobile but taking strides by simply experiencing what was around him with another wolf.

What you said was really beautiful.

Hagar met her gaze once more, unsure what had struck her so about his words - they'd been simple, meandering musings to his own ears. Still, his tail gave a few more thuds upon the snowy ground, happy to have pleased her all the same.

"They're just thoughts," he spoke almost shyly, not wanting to be perceived as attempting to correct her but also unsure what else to express. He scuffed a large chocolate paw at the ground.

"... what was the old Ridge like? Did they... have stories about the sky?"

After it had been agreed that Hagar would stay the night and they would go back in the morning he settled down. Avella took that as her cue to do the same so she took up a place next to him. That way they could keep warm in the crisp night air.

She giggled a little at the way he looked at her when she teased him. "You've got to loosen up a little," she you'd bumping his muzzle with her nose. "I think you'll find I'm not one of those stuffy leaders who doesn't know how to have a good time." At least she hoped she never became one of those. That woukd have to be a conversation to have with her brother.

She thought of the words he'd spoken as she looked back up to the stars. She hadn't had any trouble telling him exactly how she felt about them. The truth was Avella hadn't ever heard anyone speak like he had. She'd never considered things the way that he'd put them.

When their gazes met again after she'd spoken she offered him a soft smile. Then he awoke of them being just thoughts, "That may be true but no one's ever spoken such things to me before." She explained. She hoped that he might understand where she was coming from. Her gaze returned to the sky before he asked her about the old Ridge.

Her gaze returned to him as she spoke. "I wasn't there long before the coyotes came," she started, "But while I was there it was a good place for exploring as a pup. Everyone worked together and were loyal to each other. There weren't many stories told about the sky. Most were about Torbine."

Stuffy, the word had him chuckling, eyes closing as the deep sound reverberated in his throat.

"I don't think you're 'stuffy,'" he assured Avella with an fond nudge of his shoulder against hers. Maybe he did need to loosen up, though. He'd never been considered uptight back home, but he was not blind to the stark difference between himself and the others here in this land. It wasn't so bad, though - he didn't mind growing.

Still, she insisted his musings were unique to her ears, and he felt a humbling flush of shyness once again. Hagar was not individualistic, and certainly did not think himself anyone special. He was pretty certain he'd just gotten lucky, to impress her so. It was a nice feeling all the same, to have such lavish attention.

I wasn't there long before the coyotes came, she answered his query, and his smile abated. Scully had mentioned the rival predator's onslaught to him several times before, though it had most typically come in the form of bragging. As though it had been nothing to deal with, despite it being irrefutable that it had been awful enough for any entire pack to lift its roots and flee. Hagar was curious to know Avella's version of the story.

"Torbine... that's where your ancestors lived, yes?"

Something else Scully had informed him of - the man did love his stories.

She smiled when he chuckled at her words, she didn't think she'd ever heard him do such a thing. Then he claimed she wasn't stuffy which she had hoped she hadn't come off as.

"Its a relief to hear you say that," she said returning his nudge, "I hope to never become that way." She wanted to be a different kind of leader. The kind that was easy for her subordinates to talk to. She also wished that they see her as a friend that they could invite out on scouting adventures and go hunting with or just sit about the territory and hang out with.

Talking and joking with Hagar was what she wanted to be able to do with all of them. She feared that because she was their leader she would be viewed differently as them. Avella believed that was what would lead her to be that stuffy can't have fun kind of leader.

His words had been poetic and thought prokoing. Avella hoped that by expressing what she thought of them it would encourage him to speak his mind more with her. She wanted to know his thoughts and ideas on everything not just stars. She felt that way about all of her subordinates.

Torbine, that what he asked about her next, she nodded. "Yes, they do come from there and there are still Archers there. Mine and Scully's parents are there. Before coming back to the lore we went and spent some time with them," she explained.

Her words made her think about her parents and how she wished they could see what she was working towards. Still she knew they were happy together in Torbine and that was what mattered.

Hagar could not begin to imagine the extent of Torbine's reach, nor the immense number of Archers that roved the Canadian wilderness. Like much of Avella's life, it wasn't anything he was remotely familiar with, true empires of wolves. Still, he respected what he did picture as the young leader spoke of her surname's home.

He stifled a yawn, having been at rest long enough to begin to feel tired.

"We only have one name each, back home. It's nice though, that you can recognize blood, have a history that's just yours."

(This post was last modified: May 17, 2022, 05:57 AM by Hagar.)

Avella snuggled against Hagar seeking the warmth their shared body heat would provide. She'd spoken of her family and Torbine. She had find memories of her visits there with her family. Especially her reunion with her parents. After months of jot seeing them and believing she wouldn't ever again it was a memory she wouldn't forget anytime soon.

She smiled when he started to yawn. She could feel herself getting tired as well. Avella thought it might be close for them to get some rest but Hagar had something else he wanted to say. Her ears perked as she listened.

"I realize I don't know much about you," she said, "Perhaps you can tell me more about you. Don't you have a family history to call your own?"

Hagar leaned happily into Avella, cheek settling at rest upon her crown as she spoke. He was perfectly comfortable there, even out in the open. She asked after his own past, not something he'd oft been asked in his life. For so long, he'd been around wolves that had known him his or their whole lives.

"There's not much to tell," he spoke honestly, for he had lived a modest life, nothing exciting or gem-studded.

"My parents are Boulder and Ifit, and I have many siblings. I never met my parents' parents. We lived along a creek, and it always sounded so... musical."

His moving on had been necessary, as it was from each generation when the land could no longer sustain the pack's numbers. It had given him an opportunity to discover new things and grow, brought him here to his friends. Life was moving as it should, and he was content with his place.

"I miss them, but I'm happy to be here."

Being curled up against Hagar she'd forgotten just how cold it was around them. Their conversation had drifted through a few subject and had now turned to his family. She was most curious about the stoic man that she'd asked to join her in forming her pack. They hadn't known each other too long at this point but she was comfortable and felt safe with him.

He explained to her about his family and told him the names of his parents. He also said that he had many siblings which wasn't the same for her as far as she knew all she had was Scully and she was prefectly happy to have only him.

"Does the creek in the Ridge remind you of the creek back home?" She asked curiously, "I think that was one thing I missed about the Ridge. I used to spend a lot of time there as a pup." ]

Avella wondered if Hagar was like Alarick in that he missed his family. She missed hers but she had to come back for the Ridge. It was the place their family had first settled. She wouldn't feel right letting it fall into the paws of someone else. It was as if he read her mind when he spoke again.

"I understand missing them but I am glad that you are here."

(This post was last modified: May 25, 2022, 09:14 PM by Avella.)

Hagar considered her query, easily recalling the pack's water source and it's sounds. There were many similarities, but the energy was not exactly the same. He wasn't sure of the words to describe the unique feelings he got from each, but eventually managed something of a summary.

"I'm fond if it in a similar way, but... their songs are different."

He could imagine a young, bright-eyed Avella running along the green banks and smiled. When she spoke again, mirroring his sentiments, the expression grew. Hagar was happy to be wanted.

A yawn forced its way out of his throat, and he gave his forelimbs a final stretch. He could easily fall asleep right there, beneath the starlight and tucked against a friend's side.

Avella had always thought there was much more to learn about the chocolate man. Though at times he could be silent and stoic she knew he was also observant. Maybe of all the wolves that had joined her and Scully she found h the most puzzling.

She thought about what he said about the difference between the creek of his home and the one in the Ridge. She nodded, "I think I know what you mean." It was a subtle thing that you had to really listen for but Avella had spent time near many creeks in her life. She knew they didn't all sound the same.

She expressed that she was glad he was there with her and Scully. She hoped that he would stay with them for a long time to come.

As he yawned she curled a little closer against him. "We should get some sleep for our journey back."