Sex: MaleBright sunlight reflected off the water, glaring in the young wolves eyes as he tried to see beneath the surface. He'd had little success with his attempts at fishing further north, but these waters were close to the place where he'd met the peculiar fisher woman some time back. Or at least he thought it was, he still wasn't too comfortable with orientation. But the pool at least was similar to the spot where he'd been angling with the speechless wolf, several glints of silver in the water revealing fish trapped between the rocks. So the boy did his best to remember from back then, squinting to try and see his prey more clearly as he circled the pool, searching for the best spot to make his attempt. It was no easy feat, so he had learned, going at it on his own for these past weeks, but still it seemed easier than chasing rabbits or other land critters, and he so liked the light, juicy meat. Most of his attempts did end in failure though, and his stomach was perpetually rumbly, not making it any easier. But it he must, and so he made his move, pouncing at the water with mouth open, aiming to snag a sizable fish. Alas, the refraction in the water threw off his aim, and his teeth clacked around only water, fish fleeing in all directions. And the pale wolf was left standing alone in the water, drenched, shaking and no closer to satisfying his hunger. "Curse't!" Word count: 253 ”Speech” Thoughts |
Kjell rarely strayed far from the den with Signy and his son. He did the majority of the hunting, yes, but the forest was plentiful and he never had to be gone far, or for very long. When the little sea wolf needed to stretch her legs and relieve herself, the one-eyed dragon was content to crawl inside the den and watch over their son until she returned. It was nothing like the life he’d lived in Ered Luin or Widow’s Pick, and certainly nothing like being a loner. At least he didn’t really have to interact with the rest of the pack, though. That suited him just fine. If not for Signy, he wouldn’t have been there at all.
So it was a bit odd when he scented a loner in the woods near Grizzly Hollow’s borders. A month ago, he might not have bothered, but his den wasn’t technically inside the protection of the borders, either. And who knew what this guy’s intentions were.
Kjell moved downwind of the pale wolf, studying him with a single orange eye before realizing the other male was fishing. Or something like that. He squinted, and moved out of hiding, chuffing as he approached the boy. Just a damn kid.
“Y’know there’s a pack ‘round here, yeah? Yer awful close.”
The pale boy shook his head, trying to clear it of the water that had been his only catch. In his enthusiasm, he'd manage to thrust most of his skull under the surface, filling not only his mouth, but eyes and ears as well. Now he struggled to clear the later, continuing to veer his head violently, flopping pale ears back and forth and twisting his mouth as he felt water slosh within them. Finding little success in the continued shaking, he changed tactics, lifting first a front leg to rub the offending ear; And then, when that proved equally fruitless, a back paw, scratching fervently. Hearing such obstructed, the yearling didn't hear the strangers approach, nor most of his words; Something starting with 'pack' and ending in 'close'… Having been through so much since he left Hearthwood, and too preoccupied with his ear, Kyrios didn't bother to get startled by the voice, besides, something about the inflection was oddly homely. Finishing up and lowering his leg back down, the boy shook his head once more before answering, back still turned towards the unknown speaker; "A' didn't smell no borders." Only then did he turn to face the stranger, and what he saw among the trees did manage to shock him, shake his otherwise mellow sole to the very core. Goldenrod eyes grew wide and circle round, mouth dropping open as he stared at the dark figure through the half shadow of the Cedarwood. Bistre-brown coat with a paler underside, large head held proud over squared shoulders, and one bright, golden eye staring back at him, just one. It was as if seeing a ghost, only there was no doubt of this wolf's realness, large frame as corporeal as could be. "Y-you…" The light yearling stammered, awe radiating of his face as his mouth slowly curled upwards; "Ye're back!" And in a flurry of wet fur, the gangly youth bounded out of the water and towards the dark wolf, tail waving wildly behind him as he crossed the distance, ready to fling himself at the murky chest. There were of course plenty of clues that might have alerted him to the truth, had he not bind so single minded. The size alone, for this man was quite a bit bigger, though he himself had been that much smaller back then, not to mention the different scent. But Kyrios noticed none of it, for he believed wholeheartedly in his first deduction. The dragon had risen. Word count: 414 ”Speech” Thoughts |
Didn’t smell borders – what an idiot. Didn’t his parents teach him what a pack was? What trespassing could mean? Shit, he’d been the alphas’ son, and they still taught him proper etiquette when it came to dealing with wolves outside of Ered Luin. Kjell heaved a sigh, about to explain to the poor, confused youth just what that was when the pale wolf turned and began to bark. Back? Back from where? Surely, he hadn’t met this boy before; he would have remembered the unique accent. Similar to the one he and his brother had obtained back in their homeland, but possibly even thicker. Fascinating, in its own right, but something to puzzle over when there wasn’t a random yearling all but throwing himself towards his body.
“Whoa, whoa, whoa,” Kjell rumbled, backpedaling by several lengths. His ears shifted backwards in a silent warning, his one remaining eye pointing very evidently at the youth. “Look, kid, I hate t’ disappoint,” and that wasn’t true at all, “but I think yer a wee bit confused. We ain’t met before. I ain’t back. Jus’ got here meself.”
If he belong to Grizzly Hollow, no one had mentioned a missing boy – only that the alpha’s oldest daughter had taken a jaunt and never come back. “What’s yer name, anyhow?”
It was true that Kyrios had never paid particular attention to the concepts of pack politics, but he figured that as long as he didn’t actually cross any borders he should be fine. He’d managed so far after all, whether by luck or smarts, that wasn’t so important. Now he was here, experiencing the impossible, eyes alight as he hurried over the forest floor towards his dragon, his hero. But then the world, in its usual cruel way, reminded him of that very impossibility. Like cold water splashed in his face, the dark wolf’s reaction paused his advance, the cautioning tone in his voice extinguishing the fire in the young chest. “I… Bu…” The boy stammered, looking upon the other with eyes full of hurt and confusion. His words, spoken in that eerily familiar accent, did little to decrease it. But as he looked closer, standing awkwardly and exposed mid-stride, he realized that this was not his dragon. Yet he was oh so similar, like a ghost; Or a shadow… Only the smallest discrepancies here and there, tiny differences like between two rocks off the same cliff; Or me and Atty… The thought was interrupted before he had the time to draw any conclusions from it, or feel more than a single stab of pain in guild and longing for his twin. He shook his head lightly at the question, one ear twitching; “Wha..?” He blinked at the stranger; “Kyrios. Kyrios Aegina.” He muttered the answer, too stunned to think of lying, or any reason why he should. Golden eyes never strayed from the stranger, constantly grazing every inch of his figure, gliding over the bistre fur, the scars around his missing eye; How… After a long silence he finally managed: “I’m sorry A’… A’ just…” He swallowed, finally turning down his eyes and closing them briefly, shaking his head at himself. “Ye’ just look like someone I… Knew. But it’s stupid, ‘e’s dead now…” Tears stung behind his eyes and he fought to keep them back, not intend on weeping in front of this stranger when he’d already made a damn fool of himself. Instead he swallowed again to sink the lump in his throat, taking a deep breath. “I’m sorry,” He said, looking back up at the other “A’ didn’t mean t’ impose on you, or ye’r borders.” Word count: 390 ”Speech” Thoughts |
“Ain’t my borders.” Yet. And as long as no strangers got particularly close to where Signy was building herself a nest for the arrival of their litter, he didn’t particularly care where wolves went (as long as he couldn’t be blamed himself for it). He rolled his shoulder in a careless shrug, squinting his remaining eye as he processed – this kid must mean Kjors. But his brother had only mentioned one child, and this certainly wasn’t Bennet. Wrong color, wrong sex…shit, he’d been with the kid when she struck off on her own. But this youth here, he kinda sounded like Kjors, and…
Huh.
“Y’mean Kjors, yeah? Found his body?” Wasn’t like he and Bennet had lingered a particularly long time trying to bury the corpse, not when a mountain lion somewhere in the vicinity. He’d kind of hoped the earth would do the rest, but…shit. The dark wolf heaved a sigh. The hell was he supposed to do in a situation like this. “‘m Kjell. His brother. The other dragon. An’ I can indeed confirm he’s dead – was a damn mountain lion. After Bennet.” He decided to leave the planned fratricide out, even if the entire story included a change of heart. No one needed to know that part. “She’s gone off t’ grieve alone, if yer wonderin’. Ain’t dead.”
He felt lost. Truly lost, for the first time since setting out on this mission. What had he been thinking? How could he possibly hope to find Bennet, just wandering around aimlessly like this? For a brief moment, he’d felt at home again, but now the illusion was broken, and he was back to being a lost pup, trying, and failing, to save a sister who was probably miles away. The stranger was watching him with a weird look in his eye, that one, bright dragon’s eye that appeared so familiar. His comment made Kyrios quirk a brow, had he not felt so drained, he might have turned the man’s initial remark back on him; Warning me about a pack that ain’t even his… But his mind soon got twisted in a very different direction, when the stranger mentioned the very name that was still resonating painfully in the boy’s heart. Golden eyes grew round once more, every worn down muscle in the lad’s body frozen stiff as the words echoed in his suddenly empty head; ‘Found his body?’ The image would be edged into his mind forever, his hero beaten and broken, no more a dragon than the birds that feasted on his remains. He’d refused to believe it, focused on his search for Bennet, to avoid facing the reality. Now he turned his gaze down, sagging ears the only answer he gave. Looking at his paws, they started to blur before his eyes, and he blinked frantically, but there were no tears. Whether it was the shock, hunger or exhaustion, or a combination of all three, he suddenly seemed to be experiencing the world through a bubble. Everything was hazy, colors started to bleed and blend, and he swayed on gangly legs. Even the sound was muffled and distant as the stranger spoke again, the words reaching the boy’s ears without really registering. It was only the mention of Bennet’s name that brought his attention back, razor sharp, head veering and turning up, still wide eyes blinking at the dark man to clear off the haze. Now he clung to every word, chills and electricity alternatingly running along his spine, every hair on him standing as stiff as his ears. His sister was alive at least, so the brute promised, expelling a fear that had been lurking in the back of Kyrios’ mind, though he’d refused to recognize it. But it was still only part good news; “ Off?” He gasped, voice hoarse; “All alone? Where? What about M… Her mum?” The questions jumped from his maw in rapid succession, eyes shining almost manically. Finally he had a lead, an explanation to what had happened to his family; Or partially at least… A MOUNTAIN lion! At least the dragon had met a worthy end. Or one dragon. Standing before him now was another, if he was to be believed. It would certainly explain the resemblance, even if the brothers’ mannerisms were very different; But can I trust him? So far the youth’s policy had been not to trust anyone; But if he knows where Beany is? It was his only clue, the closest he had come to her in who knew how many months? Swallowing slowly, he tilted his head, narrowing his eyes slightly at this Kjell; “Y’ really Kjors’ brother?” His tone was cautious, but not accusing, the tip of his white tail swaying ever so slightly. Could he really have stumbled upon another dragon? Word count: 577 ”Speech” Thoughts |
Ah, shit.
He didn’t really care much for strangers, but some little pocket of his mind, some little corner of his small, black heart felt kinda bad for making the kid cry. It might have been a case of mistaken identity, but he could hardly blame the pale yearling. Besides, he clearly cared about Kjors…and Bennet. Hard as it was to believe, he supposed the older dragon could have changed some in the years they’d spent apart. He had a daughter, after all, and the girl wasn’t half bad. That clearly meant something.
“Ain’t never met Benny’s ma,” he rumbled. “Kjors told us real clear t’get off the mountain an’ not t’lead the damn cat back to Ben’s ma. But she never came lookin’. ‘er if she did, wasn’t real hard. Not like I was movin’ real fast for a while there.” Kjell gave a defiant snort, tossing his head. He’d been laid up for ages, eye torn out as it was. If Karina was worth even a lick of salt, she would’ve come. That she didn’t told the new father all he needed to know about his niece’s dam.
But he wasn’t really here to judge a stranger’s character. Not that stranger, anyways. “Yeaah – how many dragons you know, kid? Shit, me an’ him were th’ only damn Sørenson’s in this damn forest. I came trackin’ him. Wish I found him before the damn cat did, but.” He gave a lazy shrug of one shoulder. “Still here t’tell th’ tale, so I can’t bitch too much.”
It was a surreal situation, standing across from this echo, the original dragon long dead. The loss of Kjors was still an open wound in the young Captain’s heart, and he could have never expected to be confronted with it in such a way. But this one eyed brute seemed to have been put in his way, holding all the answers he had sought for so long, and so his grief would have to be put aside for now; For Bennet..! Kjell’s reply sure was informative, and drew a thick furrow in Kyrios’ brow. Karina had always been dreamy, engrossed in her spiritual beliefs and easily distracted. She was the only mother the boy had ever known and he loved her dearly, but he wouldn’t deny the facts, and in truth, he wasn’t all that surprised by Kjell’s words. Still, they confirmed his worst fears, that his sister was all alone; Out there somewhere, on her own..! The thought made him sick to the stomach, and weak at the knees. Head and ears sagged, but his golden eyes remained attentively on the bistre wolf, the rest of his story no less fascinating than its prelude. Kjors had never mentioned this brother, or any family really, but he also hadn’t been in the business of talking about himself an awful lot. There had been stories, about great reigns and battling dragons, but their correlation with the truth had always been ambiguous. In any case, Kyrios found himself believing this dragon’s story, seeing some of that same, intangible strength in him; The dragon spirit. His final comment made the lad drop even lower though, a sigh falling from thin, dark lips. “Me too,” he mumbled, a grimace of pain crossing his face as he turned his eyes down. His dragon might have died a hero, fighting till the very end, but he desperately wished it wouldn’t have come to that. The notion left, hanging heavy in the air as Kyrios tried to regain himself, silence stretching while his thoughts spun quickly. When he finally looked back up, his face had hardened, mouth set stubbornly as he declared: “I have t’ find her! I can’t leave ‘er out ‘ere all alone.” Then, feeling that he owed Kjors’ brother a proper explanation, he continued: “She’s me’ baby sister - or well, m’ mom died givin’ birth and Karina raised us, my twin n’ me. The three of us grew up as siblings.” He smiled faintly at the memories, eyes growing distant for a moment. Then he realized how stupid he must look, starring goofily into space like that, and quickly pushed on, ears flattening shyly; “Kjors too. No’ne told us he was Beany’s da, but he was always there, like a second father to me an’ Atty - me’ twin sister.” Slightly breathless from the quick rush of words, with cheeks burning in embarrassment, Kyrios waited for the response. Standing stiffly, on squared legs, staring almost challengingly at the dark wolf, he refused to give in to the shame at baring himself like that to a stranger. Kjell needed to know what Bennet meant to him, to understand just how important this was; She’s my sister! Word count: 532 ”Speech” Thoughts |