Broken Timber Pines missionaries in a foreign field

This salty boi needs to meet Trashkan
@Askan

Ever since arriving in the Lore several weeks ago, Pietro had taken a liking to going off on his own. Sure, he never went too far from Sovanna, in fear that his tenacious sibling might get herself hurt. It wasn't exactly an unfounded fear, either - she was certainly much more of a wildheart than he. And though he had adventured himself, he had yet to find anywhere that he felt he belonged. There were packs scattered here and there, and he'd sniffed around enough borders, but he had mostly kept to himself. The boy was just enough of a recluse that he didn't fancy making conversation unnecessarily.

No, he preferred to visit places like this. With these massive trees that had fallen, perhaps reminiscent of some long-gone strong pack. Strength wasn't enough to keep the trees going - they needed deep roots to keep from falling. In the same way, he presumed, it was like a wolf pack. The wolves in Torbine were a good example, he thought.

The small wolf hopped onto one of the broken trees, walking along the surface and scanning his surroundings. Perhaps there were some herbs here that he could make use of. Though he and Sovanna were on the move constantly, he still liked to at least know where he could find herbs. Possibly even bury them in specific locations so he could come back every now and then if necessary. And with winter coming up, he was fairly certain they were going to need some of them.

Paws making no sound as he gracefully bounded from one fallen tree to another, Pietro's mercury eyes danced across the landscape. He had yet to find anything he needed, but he was enjoying the views for sure.

One of the many issues that Askan was faced with was the abundance of strangers of roamed these woods. It was hard for him to tell whether they'd always been here, or if they were just passing on through. As of then he had no right to chase them off, to warn them away with sharp words and a sharper stare and yet he wanted to, he truly did. Old habits died hard, he supposed.

This was the price he had to pay, if he wanted to own a portion of these sprawling woods then he had to do something about it. He had to get his shit together, they had to be stronger, bolster their ranks. And not just any wolf would do, they needed wolves they could trust.

Askan would not let the past repeat itself.

A grimace pulled at his lips as he stalked along, his thoughts lingering on names of those who'd came and went.

Icicle. Everly. Remington. Rosalind, Kobe. Lyris. Bojack. Castel. Niles. Depression.

By no means did he intend to tie every one down, to demand they remain by his side forever and always. It was simply that he would not allow himself, nor his friends-and family- to be used like that, to have their kindness thrown back in their face. If they had to leave, then so be it, they'd just better be upfront about it. Was he asking too much? Askan didn't think so.

But that was an issue for another day, he had enough on his plate as it was. He'd wandered further west than he'd intended, for soon he found himself amongst fallen trees.

Huh, he'd never seen this place before. He would have taken the time to have a sniff about, see what there was to see but of course, he wasn't alone. He could never explore in peace, could he? There always had to be someone else. Another wolf lurking near the woods that would soon be his.

He eyed the loner with his usual critical gaze. Small and dark with silver eyes, just like Reyes. An oddity then.He knew he should have left them be, they hadn't even noticed him as he skulked along the riverside. After all, it was clear that they were too busy maintaining their balancing act upon one of the many broken timbers. And yet, damn it. It was so hard for him to keep his nose out of other's business. He just couldn't do it.

With a sigh, he rolled out his shoulders and stood on his tippy-toes to appear just that much taller.

"Oi, you. Over there."

The ink-black male perked his ears when he heard another voice, turning his head to see where the source came from. It was another dark wolf - lighter than him, with more brown and less black and white. A man, clearly, from his deep voice and broader stature. And, now that Pete was flaring his nostrils and taking in his scent, he had that clue to go off of as well.

So the boy, never one to be overly rude or scared of strangers, hopped down from his perch on the tree with surprising ease. His travels had apparently done him favors in the physical department, even if this man stood a head and shoulders above him. Ever so calmly, Pietro padded over to stop a few wolf-lengths away from the other man, giving his tail a slow, polite swing and dipping his head. His molten silver eyes took into account that the older wolf was standing on his tip toes, and he gave a slight smirk.

"You have a strange way of saying 'hi,'" he pointed out gently, referring to the stranger's way of addressing him. "I certainly didn't cross any borders, so I'm not on your territory. And clearly, I am no threat to you." Being much younger, shorter, and lighter, Pietro would never have stood a chance in a fight with this guy. But he wasn't much of a fighter in the first place.

Instead, he let his lips fall into a soft smile. "My name is Pietro Archer, although I am usually called Pete. I was just passing through - taking in the scenery and looking for specific herbs before winter hits." He turned his moonlit gaze back up to the man's yellow. "What can I call you?" he asked politely.

At least the boy had that right. Because come on, compared to Askan he was a pipsqueak, a runt. He might have had the same eyes as Reyes but that was all they had in common, as he had none of his mate's bulk or prowess. Which wasn't exactly his fault, Askan supposed. Not everyone could be as impressive as @Reyes , but that was neither here nor there.

Again, it was true that technically he hadn't done anything wrong. That he wasn't trespassing because there weren't any borders to cross, but by now these woods were starting to smell of Askan and his crew. Even a loner would notice that these lands had been settled upon, even if it wasn't yet official.

Still, his comment made Askan's ear twitch in annoyance. Territory or not, he didn't want this guy lurking around, not when he had kids to look out for.

"Of course you're no threat to me, but there are other's around here. You make trouble for them and you'll regret it, you hear?"He said, his tone shifting from one of arrogance to an outright threat. He might not be a guardian anymore but he still had it in him, that's for sure.

He took a heavy step forward, narrowing the space between them just as Pietro introduced himself. Archer. He was pretty sure that name didn't ring a bell, or at the very least no wolves who wore that name jumped to the forefront of his mind. The fact that he claimed to be looking for herbs was of slight interest to the Selwyn. He supposed, at the very least, he could tell him his name. After all, it's not like it carried a lot of weight in these lands.

"Askan Selwyn. Have you found many plants in this area?"

The boy's nostrils flared a bit with a snorted laugh at Askan's unveiled threat, and he held his ground when the bigger wolf took a step forward, frosted eyes calm and amused. "Oh, I wouldn't even think of it!" he assured with a smile, tail giving a couple of light swings behind him. "I'm a healer. The last thing I want to do is bring harm to anyone - much less someone who couldn't even take me on in a fight. That would be cruel." He relaxed his posture, going as far as to take a seat, his tail wrapping neatly around one hock as he looked up at the man.

Pietro wasn't looking for anywhere to stay - not for the moment. Wasn't planning on sticking around. It was pure chance that the two of them had so happened to bump into one another, and certainly not a matter of Pietro seeking out an encounter. Apart from Sovanna, this was actually the very first encounter he had had with any other wolf. He was just that good at avoiding others. It was actually not out of malignancy or dislike, either - simply out of a preference for his own company.

Dark ears perked when the man introduced himself and asked about the herbs. An almost catlike smile stretched out across his lips. "A few," he responded calmly, lifting his chin in thought. "Little bit of hellebore, some salmonberry... I think I saw a smidge of black hawthorn a little to the south." He glanced back at Askan, tipping his head to the side. "Would you like me to show you? I'm sure, if you've got other wolves to look out for, it could be beneficial to know where these things are and what they do. Unless you have a healer already, which, in that case, I can just show them where I found them." He flicked one ear. "It's important to know how to take care of wolves that you're responsible for, and I certainly don't mind helping you out a little there. If you need."

Pietro claimed that he'd never hurt a soul but Askan wasn't so sure. Or rather, he wasn't willing to take his words as gospel. He'd learnt the hard way that wolves often said what they thought he wanted to hear. That they went out their way to put his mind at ease before the revealed their true colours. He wasn't claiming that Pietro here was the embodiment of the devil, or something equally as dramatic, he simply was a cautious man. He was still slow to trust and even slower to forgive.

"It would. But it's hard to tell who's cruel and who isn't, and by the time you figure it out, it's usually too late. So forgive me if I seem unfriendly."He said, sounding anything but apologetic.This was how he was and if the guy didn't like it then he could keep on walking.

Askan had never had much of an interest in plants. Lenny liked her flowers and could be often found with her nose buried in a meadow but other than that? Askan had never paid much attention to them.Ever since his encounter with Savion though he'd learnt just how important medicinal knowledge could be. Which wasn't to say he wanted to learn but it was always good to have someone around who knew a thing or two about plants.

All was not forgiven, he was still suspicious as ever and continued to regard the loner with his typical Selwyn squint.

"I don't care for that sort of thing but...I guess it's good they're about. We might need them one day."

As far as Askan was aware they didn't have a healer. He'd found Remington chewing on some grass but...the way she'd reacted make him feel as though she had no idea what she was doing.

"Show me."

"Oh, I understand," Pietro stated with a dip of his head, moon eyes flicking back up to Askan's. "But I am how I am, whether you choose to believe it or not. Some things just are." He got back to his feet and stretched his shoulders out a bit, giving a light wince as one popped and loosened up. All this damn traveling was wearing him out. "You can never be too careful with people you care about. It's why I let my sister drag me all over the place - so I could make sure the dumbass didn't get herself hurt. At least not without someone at the ready with something to fix the hurt. Also known as me."

He flicked his tail and turned, preparing to lead Askan in the direction of the herbs. "You're friendly enough," he huffed, keeping his calm smile on his maw. "If I were a little less chatty, I'd wager that I would be kind of like you." But he was more chatty - more polite. He couldn't really see himself dismissing another wolf like this, even if it didn't bother him particularly.

Pete nodded his head and started to walk off to the nearest plant he'd seen - a patch of Hellebore not too far off. The green, leafy plant was nestled nearer to the water than they currently were. "This is Hellebore," he stated calmly, sweeping one paw over the surface of the herb. "Good for fever and pneumonia - very important to have during the winter. You eat it, but not too much, or you'll get sick." His moonstone eyes were serious. "Whether you care about it or not, it's extremely important to know. If you don't have a healer with you, then you should consider this a lesson. Just in case things take a bad turn this winter. It's nice to be prepared."

Askan supposed that was true.

If someone told him to change his ways  he'd no doubt laugh right in their face before asking if they were serious. If they really thought he'd bend to their will just like that. So with that in mind, he guessed that'd it be unfair to expect Pietro to change. Even if the Selwyn was suspicious he wasn't a total dick, he could acknowledge decent reasoning when he heard it.

He pursed his lips as the loner continued on, claiming he seemed friendly enough. That sounded like flattery. Then again, it wasn't as though Askan had lunged for him yet, so he was being friendly. As friendly as he could manage right now, anyway. As to whether they were similar well...Askan didn't want to think too much on that. He liked to think there was no one else like him, that he was the one and only.The last in a long line of Selwyns...Which wasn't a good thing, at all. It was sad really, a thought he quickly shooed away with the shake of his head.

He could have said something, but Askan let his silence speak volumes for how he felt about that. And instead turned his attention to the plant he was gesturing to. Hellebore, a rather morbid name. Who even came up with all these names, and how was a general consensus reached?

"How do you know what is too much?"He asked, squinting down at the bunch of green leaves. He knew if he saw it again he'd recognise it, even if the name didn't stick."I suppose you have a point."He admitted, albeit reluctantly.

He knew River wolves home wasn't so far from here but like Pietro said it was better to be safe than sorry. Some knowledge was better than none.

A lynx has left behind the remains of a deer. +5 Health

I forget things

Now that was a tricky one. How much was too much? Pete responded by taking a few of the leaves and making a small pile at Askan’s paws. ”For someone of your size, I would take about this much,” he began, then moved a bit to the side so he was left with about half. ”Since I’m smaller, I weigh less, and need less herbs. I would give someone my size about this much.” It was difficult to explain when the only two variables in the equation were himself and Askan, but he figured this was the best way to go about it. ”There are plenty of factors to take into account. Age, for example. Pups and the elderly get less so that their systems can take it. It’s all a very tricky process.”

He was beginning to like this guy, for whatever reason, and some part of him wished that he could stay. But there was more to get finished, and he currently wasn’t able to make any strong commitments like staying with a specific pack. But he figured that, if he were to pick one, he would kind of want to be led by a wolf like this. Though he had no earthly clue as to why.

”Follow me - I’ll show you where the salmonberry I found was,” he urged, flicking his ears and moving to lead the way to the other patch of herbs. He decided then that he would come back there sometime, for a visit. He was a healer, after all, and healers couldn’t just leave a pack with no help.