Secret Falls talking to myself

@‘Askan’ but all SE wolves welcome! Backdated to 01/10

It had taken him three days to travel all the way up to this place again after leaving Quaking Vale. The small wolf approached the well-saturated borders near Secret Falls with only minor caution. He was breaking no rules by being near the pack’s territory, after all. But this was important to him, and he would have done the same even if it wasn’t exactly following the rules. After not being able to help Castel in any way but easing her pain, he wanted a chance to redeem himself, and perhaps to help another wolf in need. Though it was likely that he’d never forgive himself for such a massive blunder in the south.

With a small bit of hesitation, the young healer tipped his head back and sent out a summoning call for that grouchy old wolf he’d met so many months ago.

Another day, another wolf calling at his borders. Once again, Askan couldn't help but be reminded that the Field-even at its busiest- never received as many visitors. What was it about this place that brought them here? The shelter of the woods, the roar of the falls? The Edge Lord had no clue, nor did he really have time to dwell on it as he headed south-west towards the borders. Slowing to a trot, his brow quirked as he caught sight of the wolf standing a few footsteps beyond the border. He recognised him, he'd met this wolf a couple of months back amongst the broken trees to the west. But what was his name again? Peter? Pesco? Honestly he couldn't remember, but he supposed there was only one way to find out.

Coming to a stop, Askan's dark paws pressed down upon the invisible line in the snow. As always, he held his shoulders square and his head high, the sort of posture that had been drilled into him by his parents. Slouching was uncouth, improper, and squandered the chance for first good impressions. It was a little too late for that though, they'd met before. Which begged the question, what did he want now?

"Wasn't expecting company." Askan said in exchange of a greeting. The yearling should've already got a read on him anyway, there was no use in pretending to be polite now. "So what do you want?" He asked, as blunt as ever. He must have wanted something, otherwise he wouldn't be here, now would he? That's just how people  worked, no use in kicking up a fuss over it.

(This post was last modified: Jan 15, 2018, 04:53 PM by Askan.)

Much to his relief, Askan was quick to meet his call. The smaller sarcastic dickhead looked up at the larger sarcastic dickhead as he walked up, a soft smile crossing his maw. "That was fast," he remarked, mercury eyes flicking over Askan's body in order to check for any wounds or signs of prolonged hunger or illness. Nothing, really - the guy looked healthy as a bull elk. His ears angled forward and he raised his gaze back up to meet the bulky alpha's confidently. "You're looking well. Certainly not like a starving loner. I take it the pack life is settling decently with you?"

A light laugh escaped him when Askan asked, oh-so-bluntly and eloquently, what he wanted. "I don't particularly want anything but your honesty," he responded with a smile. "Not everyone who comes to visit is going to mooch off of you. You seem to expect the worst out of people. That's sad, but I can't really blame you there." No, there were plenty of bad wolves in the world. Pete just didn't think he himself was one of them, and neither was this Askan character either.

But these formal pleasantries weren't really what he was there for, were they? "What I'm really here for is to bear news and to check on you and your packmates." His ears angled forward as he continued on. "So what I understood from last time is that you don't have a healer, and I wanted to make sure you and your wolves are doing alright. If there's any wounded or ill that I could help with before I go back south with my own pack."

guardian dem 1/3

The call had captured the boy’s interesting, pulling him away from his patrol along the western borders. He was a little behind, but he did not doubt that Askan had already greeted the guest, especially since it was designated for him. But Sachiel couldn’t refuse an opportunity to greet a stranger—it had been so much fun last time. Almost cost the tawny boy an ear in the process. He hoped this meeting would go over better, whoever the wolf was. They must know the grumpy Edge Lord, otherwise they would not have asked for him specifically.

Which was why curiosity had caused his pace to quicken, his lanky body weaving clumsily through the trees.

As he drew closer to the borders a familiar scent greeted him, causing his nose to wrinkle and his forehead to furrow. It had barely clung to his father’s pelt when he arrived at the Edge borders. Sachiel had nearly gotten it until now. A rush of memories flooded his system, followed by a cloud of orange. Loud, obnoxious orange. But amongst the blinding tangerine hue was another array of colours—soft blues and deep crimson. The colours that belonged to a very sick girl.

He arrived at the borders just as the dark stranger finished speaking, asking about wounded or ill wolves. His lips fell into a soft frown as his mismatched gaze flicked between the two wolves, his chin tipping to the side. The ebony stranger was all sorts of charcoal and pumpkin, a mixture of uncertainty and loud, even despite the male’s soft voice. You from Quaking Vale? He asked, genuine curiosity lacing his voice. He was no idiot—he knew the scent, even if it had been a long time since he had been beneath the tangerine leaves. But why was he here?

(This post was last modified: Jan 20, 2018, 04:42 AM by Sachiel.)

ridge is a mature character

aka he curses a lot due to his frustation with his memory loss

x

ridge associates colours with moods/feelings & uses them to describe others

Askan pursed his lips as he barely managed to suppress a squint. That was a backhanded compliment if he'd ever heard one, almost as if Pietro was implying he had nothing better to do. The Edge Lord had plenty of subordinates who minded the borders just as vigilantly as he did, but that didn't mean he had an excuse to sit around on his arse all day. Keeping busy kept the cold at bay, not to mention it set an example to the Edge's newest members; no matter their rank everyone had a part to play.

That aside, the Reyes' wannabe had a point. Askan was looking good, if he did say so himself, and being a leader suited him fine. It wasn't easy by any stretch of the word but with his mate by his side-unless he was snoozing the day away- they managed, made it look effortless even.

"Mmm, we're getting by just fine." A few problems had popped up but it wasn't anything they couldn't handle. They were still here, still strong and ready to face whatever the world threw at them next.

"We recently... lost someone, but it was his choice to leave. If he comes back he better have a good reason for it." The former resident fluffball was still a sore topic for Askan, and it showed in the way he grimaced and his shoulders hunched forward like a massive weight bare down on them."But whatever, we're fine. No one is sick or hurt, if that's why you're sniffing about."

Again, Pietro had a point. Not everyone was a mooching arsehole...but enough folk were. It never hurt to be cautious, he'd rather be safe than sorry. He'd been burnt time and time again in Wild Rye Field, he was determined not to let that happen again,not here. Not wanting to give the yearling the satisfaction of being right-he was enough of a know it all as it was- Askan merely rolled his eyes as a 'tsssk' slipped through his gritted teeth. Whatever.

Shallows Edge didn't need checking up on, as he'd said everyone, everything, was fine, but the bad news part certainly caught his attention. He'd been about to ask 'what now' when Sachiel appeared on the scene, asking a question of his own. The Selwyn shot the pup a sour look for cutting him off, because come on he should've known better. If he didn't then Askan would drum that into him till he got the message. Don't be a dick Sachiel.

"Quaking Vale?" Askan rumbled, his eyes narrowing into a squint as his ears tilted back, clearly miffed that he wasn't in the know here. If he had been anyone else he would've no doubt felt left out, but Askan wasn't a stranger to barging his way into conversations. He'd figure this out sooner rather than later. "And what bad news? You can't just say that and not tell me what. Quit the cryptic bullshit."

(This post was last modified: Jan 20, 2018, 08:24 PM by Askan.)

Pete smiled at the gruff tones in the older wolf's voice - he and Morganna would clash so horribly, he believed, but only because they were so damn similar. He dipped his head in acquiescence when Askan told him they were doing just fine. That was a relief to know - the fact that nobody had fallen ill or gotten hurt or even died in his absence. He didn't think he could handle much more of this dying wolves thing, especially if there had been something he could to do prevent such a thing.

"That's good to hear," he stated warmly, his tail giving a couple of swishes behind him. He tried to be as inexpressive as possible - to maintain some sort of mature composure. But in spite of everything, he still was only a yearling. There was only so much he could do. A light laugh escaped him at the Edge Lord's sniffing about comment. "As a matter of fact, that's exactly why I was here. But I guess I came here for nothing on that front, then. Sorry to bother you."

Except he wasn't there for nothing, and the appearance of the pup reminded him of that. Mercury eyes softened at the younger wolf's question and he nodded once. "I was from Quaking Vale," he explained, then glanced back up at Askan. "I never said it was bad news - you just assumed." It was bad news, but his stubborn streak didn't want to admit that to the older wolf. He guessed that was just part of their weird dynamic now. "My kin came and took over, in a sense, when the female alpha - Castel - got too sick to continue leading effectively." And now for the bad news part.

"In spite of the attempts of myself and the rest of our packmates, Castel passed away a few weeks ago. Niles, her mate, found it too difficult to remain there, and we have all decided to move the pack far west. I came here first," he explained, lowering his ears just a bit when he spoke about not being able to save Castel's life. It was still quite a fresh wound for the young medic. "I apologize for bringing such pointless news and not being any help to you or your pack. I suppose I called you all the way here for nothing," he directed at Askan, straightening his posture once more.

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

guardian dem 2/3

He shot the Edge Lord an apologetic look, his ears falling flat against the back of his skull. The tawny boy had not meant to intrude, or interrupt, but the scent of his birth pack had lured him away from his patrol. He had hoped it belonged to a familiar face and was genuinely disappointed to see the dark stranger. As soon as the question tumbled off his tongue his lips tightened, his bi-coloured gaze fixated on the charcoal and orange mystery wolf as he waited (impatiently) for a response. What had happened of his birth pack? He knew his father had no intentions of returning south, for he had expressed his interest in a friend’s pack on the other side of the mountain, but what of his mother? Had she even bothered to look for him like Draven? He almost rolled his eyes at the thought. It was unlikely. She had never expressed much interest in him as he grew and was like a stranger to the boy.

I was from Quaking Vale. A frown graced his features. Was? He blinked in confusion but did not pry. He did not want to interrupt a second time and receive a slap from his leader. Castel. The name had only increased his curiosity, his ears twitching in recognition. He knew that she had been sick before, it was why her colours were a soft blend of crimson and blue, but he was unaware of its severity. His father had been treating her, providing the scarlet wolf with herbs… did that mean she had gotten worse because of his departure? He swallowed, the thought leaving a bitter taste in his mouth as he continued to listen to the stranger. He was a healer, surely he had taken his father’s place and provided the small girl with medicine…

His thoughts were confirmed by the dark wolf but they were followed by grim news. Castel had… had passed away? His stomach tightened, his tail sagging between his legs. It was difficult news to swallow, for he had always been fond of the frail girl. She had been persistent in spending time with the boy, accompanying him on his quest for colours and poking him with questions in order to get him to speak. And now she was gone. He'd never see her again.

He hoped she didn’t think he hated her and that he had left to escape her. She was one of the reasons why he had wanted to return to the Vale. Not permanently, of course. Just to visit. But there was no point in returning south, not anymore. His father had abandoned the pack, just like he had, and Castel was dead, along with Quaking Vale.

At least he never had to see the dreadful orange trees again.

(This post was last modified: Mar 17, 2018, 02:27 AM by Sachiel.)

ridge is a mature character

aka he curses a lot due to his frustation with his memory loss

x

ridge associates colours with moods/feelings & uses them to describe others

Pietro said he was sorry but Askan didn't buy it for a moment. There wasn't even a trace of regret in his expression nor did his words suggest that he felt that way. He was being polite then, saying what he thought he was supposed to, which was all well and good but it didn't get him far in Askan's regards. Whatever, it was clear he had more to say, so rather than picking away at the intricacies of Pietro's way of speaking Askan merely gritted his teeth, squinted, and let him continue.

It was then that Pietro mentioned Castel and Askan's ears flitted against his skull. To say that he didn't have fond memories of her was putting it rather gently, far too lightly in his not so humble opinion. His allegiance no longer belonged to the Field, nonetheless his resentment towards her and her mooching lover boy still remained, as blazing and as bitter as ever.

It was wolves like them that had made Askan leave.

To learn that Castel was alpha of Quaking Vale was of very little interest to the Edge Lord. He had no desire to form an alliance with her pack, it could rot from the inside out for all he cared. With her at the helm that would probably happen sooner rather than later, after all how could they depend on someone incapable of telling the truth? Someone who abused hospitality and left without even an attempt to redeem themselves? The Selwyn scoffed as his tail jittered behind him, his disinterest as obvious as an incoming storm on the horizon. The Shallows would sooner run dry-hell he'd rather bite off his own tongue than speak to her again. Mooching bitch.

Oh she was sick? Askan felt little surprise or sympathy for her. So what? Was he supposed to forgive her, let it all go? Fuck off. Why should he care, what was he supposed to do with this knowledge? He didn't even know the pack existed before that moment, he knew that  Sachiel came from-

Oh.

She was dead.

The nasty, vindictive side of him sneered at the revelation. Good. Serves her right. Was he supposed to visibly get upset? Well that wasn't going to happen, but he wasn't an evil bastard either. Speaking ill of the dead was in bad taste but death hadn't absolved her of her sins either she just...she was gone now. There was no use in thinking about her anymore, or her mate he supposed. None of it mattered, this whole conversation had been a waste of his time.

Ignorant of Sachiel's mounting distress Askan shrugged as his hackles slowly lowered and his tail stilled.

"A wasted journey if you ask me." Wherever the pack was moving it was too far away enough to be relevant to his interests. So really...Pietro had wasted his time and effort, shame."If you need to rest the woods surrounding the Shallows are hospitable enough. There are caches near the borders, you may have your fill, within reason." He added, giving him a telling squint for good measure.

Askan might have been ignorant to the young wolf at his side’s distress, but Pietro was not. It was part of the job description for him to be sharp and perceptive, so he caught the exact moment when the pup’s tail drooped and his mood followed suit. So he had been friends with the blue-eyed alpha...?

Silver eyes cast upward toward Askan when he mentioned the hospitality and food, which Pete genuinely appreciated. He offered the dark wolf a smile and dip of his head. ”Thank you. I won’t take much, if any. I didn’t come to leech off of you,” he assured, angling his ears forward. ”But I do appreciate your offer. It’s very kind.” Maybe the larger man didn’t actually hate him, if he was offering those things so freely. Maybe they were some sort of - albeit begrudging and awkward - acquaintances. Pietro could respect Askan’s strength and levelheadedness, and he liked his gruff, impersonal personality.

With time, they could perhaps become friends.

But now it was time to focus on the child, and Pietro’s eyes softened drastically when he turned to the boy. ”Are you alright?” he asked, making sure to keep his tone as soft and gentle as he could manage. ”Can you tell me your name?”