Chinook Coulee dirt boy meets edge lord

OOC: for @Askan

Light Intensity Shower Rain
55.4 ° F, 13 ° C

when I'm bad I'm better

Vaken smelt like pack- more so than he would have liked. He wore the scent of Fallen Tree Cove on his fur, of his aunt and her partner and the flora surrounding them. It didn’t feel right to him. Not because there was anything about his aunt’s family that he disliked. He was learning to love her, the way she reminded him of his father. It hurt a little, but it was a soothing pain. It was settling with time. He cared for the pack, but something was wrong. He didn’t want to be a pack wolf, not yet. He had tried being in a pack his entire adolescence, and it always ended badly. He loved his family. He just didn’t feel like he fitted in there, not completely. He was worried that if he pledged his loyalty, something bad would happen and he would lose it. He was at war with himself.

He had been looking for kin, and here they were. What was wrong with him? He left in the middle of the night, travelling east from the border. It was dawn now and the yearling continued to move. He was restless. He knew he would head back eventually, wouldn’t let himself move too far away. It felt so good to run that he tried to ignore those thoughts.

When the rain began to fall, the yearling barely noticed. It felt nice on his dark pelt, offering a breeze. It was a chillier morning compared to the others. That meant he wasn’t wasting too much energy. He had been in this area before, it smelt familiar. He slowed his pace to a walk, his golden eyes darting around the land. He was brought back to reality quickly. He was drenched, his fur weighted down by the water. His mouth was parched. It hung open, panting, drinking from the sky before he noticed the small creek.  

I don't care if heaven won't take me back

Despite all the mist, Askan supposed that Spectral Woods was charming in it's own way. Like the twisting and meandering labyrinth that was Secret Falls, this forest also granted a sense of privacy and solitude. Had he not known the location of Oak Tree Bend, it wouldn't be unfair to assume that it was a ghost story, a trick of his nose when he caught a faint trace of their scent on the breeze. Idly, he couldn't help but wonder how they were faring. He'd spoken to that yearling the other day, but aside from that he'd heard nothing from them. No news was good news, right? Probably. But considering that they weren't really friends, or even allies for that matter,  it was hard for the Edge Lord to tell. Nor did he have any real interest in shoving his nose into affairs that weren't his own.

And so, he decided to leave them be, for now.

Soon enough, the Selwyn was soaked through. When he'd set out the rain had been nothing more than a drizzle, but now that he was sodden as could be he hardly saw the need to seek out shelter like a prissy princess. If anything, the rain was a wonderful reprieve, a sure sign that summer was drawing to an end.

Despite the fact he'd past through these parts a time or two, he'd never taken the time to stop and admire his scenery. As if to show him what he'd missed out on, the Edge Lord happened upon an opening in the forest, a change from tedium of grey and brown. The canyon wasn't anything breathtaking, especially compared to Skyfall Glen and Pissy El Celio, but it was okay in it's own way. Or at least it had been, till he noticed a brown sploge in his peripheral vision.

His brows drew together in a typical frown. Try as he might, he just couldn't catch their scent as the rain had drowned it out. So he supposed he would have to ask, either that or go off on his merry way. Yeah right, as if he ever did that.

"Are you blind? There is a river right there." He jabbed at it with his snout. If he hadn't noticed the creek he ought to get his eyes checked, it was raining but it wasn't that grey out.

when I'm bad I'm better

The scruffy boy was spooked by the voice. He jolted, tail straightening out, ears flattening and lip raised. It took him a second to catch his breath. He had been too concentrated on his thoughts to realize he had company. The other male’s voice cut through his mind like a sharp knife, demanding and authoritative. It was a rude awakening, but the youth settled down when he realized it was no threat. The coyotes had put him on edge. It was a knee-jerk reaction. He let out a jagged exhale and relaxed his body language. He sniffed the air, testing it for any information. There was little. The yearling couldn’t smell much over the scent of mud and dew. It was all mixed in his mind, blurring any signs of who this man was.

Rain fell into his eyes, making him squint. He blinked away the access liquid, and through the storm sized up the new arrival. He wasn’t excessively tail, but he was certainly well-fed. Vaken could make out the features of his husky frame. Whether it was muscle or fat, the yearling couldn’t tell from the distance. The male’s fur was too dark to see in the hazy light of dawn, especially with a cloudy sky. Vaken could make out a rough shape, but not any definition or details. Regardless, he was fairing well in the heat of summer, even with coyotes. That was no lone wolf. The boy kept his mouth shut, but moved his eyes in the direction of the river. At a steady pace he moved towards it. His steps were long, but his pace short- unhurried. He was taking his time, making sure he could trust his companion. He didn’t want to turn his back on a threat, especially one this large. When he reached the water’s edge, he turned in the direction of his visitor and drank.

Between sips, the boy spoke. “Water is water.” He gulped down another mouthful, licked his lips and smirked. It was a genuine sly grin, but subtle. It was gone just as quickly as it had appeared. “Tastes the same to me,” he purred, shaking out his fur. Water droplets flew off his mucky pelt, landing on the grass and river surface. He looked ridiculous. The uneven lengths of his hair were even more apparent after shaking it out, making it stick out in different directions. He looked truly wild.

(This post was last modified: Aug 29, 2018, 09:19 PM by Vaken.)

currently travelling with Circe (she can jump in any of his threads)

I don't care if heaven won't take me back

Askan knew when he was being sized up. Even with the torrential rain, he felt the prickle of the stranger's scrutiny against his skin, as though his value was up for debate. Doubt tried to wriggle it's way in, but these days Askan had a better, stronger, sense of self. He knew who he was, he'd come to terms with the cards he'd been dealt. Not everyone was going to like him or how he did things, but so what? He shoved back against the concerns that tried to dig their roots in and instead held his form as firm and as steady as ever. Askan was strong, nothing could convince him otherwise.

That said, the Selwyn wasn't baring his teeth or lunging across the space between them. As violent as he could be, he wasn't the sort to attack without warning. His buttons needed to be pressed and he always made a big show of his frustration, sneak attacks were just not his forte.

Instead, the Edge Lord moved towards the water as well. Walking parallel to the stranger, with a decent amount of space between them, Askan then stopped by the creeks side to kick a pebble. It landed in the water with a plop and tumbled down stream till it was out of sight, gone forever.

The response to his question was unsatisfactory at best and irritating at worst. What a smartarse. As though to go along with his scraggly appearance the loner didn't exactly...Long story short he was a savage, clearly. The sort proper Selwyns would sneer and look down at. Old habits died hard and Askan had always been a judgemental sort, as far as first impressions went Vaken wasn't off to a good start.

"Right..." Askan rumbled, dismissing that line of conversation-if you could even call it that- with a flick of his tail. "Who are you then? A Bend wolf?" As usual, he cut right to the chase, in his own, demanding sort of way.

when I'm bad I'm better

It took the yearling only a second to put the pieces together. He was quick, his features empty as he racked his memory. Oak Tree Bend. A faint smile played at his lips, his eyes lightening. They had to be close to here, didn’t they? The yearling sniffed the air, trying to find scent markers, but failed. He turned his cool gaze back to the visitor. He was aware of the distance between them, but kept his voice at a neutral volume. He wasn’t going to force himself to be heard over the rainfall. “Aponi wishes,” he snorted, knowing damn well Aponi and her pack were fine without him. He admired her greatly. If any had tempted him to change his lifestyle, it had been her. For a second, he had almost- almost- been tempted to succumb to her authority and pledge loyalty. She hadn’t quite got him, but she had been close.




His words were playful, but dry. To a stranger it may come across conceited, but the boy didn’t try and correct his tone. He hoped the news would get back to her. That she’d find out some wolf was near her borders talking up a big game. This wolf clearly wasn’t one of her subordinates either, despite looking like the kinda wolf he’d imagine guarding her borders. He looked like a big, dumb brute. His smile widened. He took another sip of water, not trying to hide his grin, but genuinely thirsty. When he brought his muzzle back up, he took a seat.




“Not from the bend, or draw, or rye fields,” his tail swished behind him. “Not from the cove, or ridge,” his forehead creased, trying to remember the other packs he had heard of, been invited to, intruded on. He could remember the smells, the shapes of the wolves, but not the names. There had been a pack close to here too, hadn’t there? Vaken remembered the two men. His first encounter with the coyotes. One with mismatched eyes, about his age. Then the other, large- strong, darker fur and scars. He had invited him back to the territory, more dominant. All the names slipped through the cracks of Vaken’s memory.

It couldn’t matter much. He snorted, giving up altogether. He’d leave it up to the stranger to guess, if he was so curious.

currently travelling with Circe (she can jump in any of his threads)

I don't care if heaven won't take me back

Even with the rain tip-tapping at his ears, they perked forward when a familiar name passed from the stranger's lips. Aponi? For a moment it seemed as though his assumption had been correct, that he was indeed from Oak Tree Bend. But then of course, his next word registered in the Selwyn's mind and that theory tumbled to the ground. Before he could pry further, the loner continued, listing off pack names one after the other, as though it was all a big joke. Of course, he recognised some of those names, but it did little to sway the Edge Lord. If anything it irked him more, like he was supposed to be impressed or something.

Askan rolled his eyes.

"I don't want your life story." He told him, before the loner had even had a chance to finish his breath. "It was a simple question, a no would have sufficed." His tone grew a little sharper, landed with disapproval, but he wasn't that annoyed. Not yet.

"Then if you've been all over, how do you know Aponi?" It seemed like the natural question to ask.

As to whether the stranger would throw him a bone was yet to be seen, though honestly Askan suspected that he enjoyed being a shit head, that he got some weird kick out of it. Each to their own and all, but Askan didn't do well with pests. Real ones anyway. He'd grown a little more tolerant during his time in Relic Lore, but he hadn't changed that much. He was still prone to his thunderous moods, perhaps it was fitting that it was raining so hard that it seemed as though the sky was falling. Would thunder and lightning follow suit? It all very much depended....

when I'm bad I'm better

Vaken felt the male’s words vibrating off his skull, the sternness in his voice unrelenting. Something about his dominance unknowingly challenged the insolent boy. It was full of black and white, yes or no, straight to the point. The mangy looking boy felt prompted by it. He could sense the frustration of the other wolf, when he rolled his eyes, the annoyance in his tone. Even though the wolf was larger, Vaken continued to test the waters. Not because he wanted physical confrontation, but because he was young and stupid. “You ask a lot of questions for someone who doesn’t want my life story.”

It wasn’t a pissing contest, but it sure felt good. The boy let the words slide off his tongue before considering them. It was effortless. Knee-jerk snarkiness. He stayed sitting, his wet paws sinking into the mud. His fur was normally dirty, but the rain was washing all the gunk out. It felt refreshing. He was going to be clean for once- kind of. The wet soil was making it harder to feel completely revitalized, but it was something. The boy didn’t mind being unclean. He wiggled his rear into the grass, enjoying the sound of squish that it made. Finally, he smartened up. “I don’t know her well,” he admitted. “She’s just an acquaintance.”

Now that he was closer, he could get a better look at the male. He was undeniably bulky. His body frame was sturdy, wall-like. The yearling was impressed. Not only had he been eating well, but he was strong. The muscle definition was apparent in his legs. They put his legs to shame. The yearling was tempted to compare the two, look at them side by side, but suspected that might annoy his companion further. The way he carried himself was full of power. The yearling, as ignorant as he tried to be of packs, couldn’t ignore the authority in his stance. Not only was this a pack wolf, but clearly one high on the charts. He scoffed. “My turn,” he stated coldly. “Who are you?”

currently travelling with Circe (she can jump in any of his threads)

I don't care if heaven won't take me back

The stranger was indeed testing Askan's boundaries, poking and prodding, seeing how close he could get before the Edge Lord snapped. It wouldn't take much, it never did, but at least to Askan's credit he wasn't the one instigating the drama. For once, he'd done nothing wrong. Sure, he'd been a little blunt, nosy even, but so what? It wasn't as though he was acting out of the ordinary, as far as he was concerned he had every right to conduct himself like this. It wasn't him who was being a mouthy twat.

Askan huffed. He just couldn't take a comment like that on the nose, he just wasn't that sort of man. He had to have the last word, he'd get all pissy if he didn't.

"I suppose two might seem a lot, to someone who can't count higher than five." His words were scornful, uttered in his usual dry, derisive tone.

At the very least, the stranger responded to his next question with little resistance. It seemed as though Aponi had that way about her, folks knew of her but didn't consider her a friend. Was it simply because she was rather distant? Or was it due to the fact that Oak Tree Bend was so remote these days, cut off from the rest of the world.

Apparently it was his turn to ask questions. Askan wrinkled his nose at the prospect, his whiskers twitching, but he made no move to deny him. The boy could ask his questions, after all the Selwyn had nothing to hide.

"Askan Selwyn, I lead Shallows Edge."

Surely that was enough, after all he wasn't about to offer his own life story. It all began to the north, high atop an old mountain....

when I'm bad I'm better

Ah. The boy scrunched his nose up, not necessarily in disgust, but in disdain. He had suspected the male- Askan, of being a dominant wolf. He had figured second in command, maybe lead guardian. The boy hadn’t considered it too much. He pictured the big brown brick to do something assertive and mindless. The yearling could imagine him sulking around the border, his teeth bared at any unsuspecting creature. Snarling and growling at rocks, puffing out his chest. The multicoloured boy’s lips twitched up in a crooked smirk. Being a leader, that was a whole other realm of annoying. It meant he wasn’t as dumb as Vaken originally suspected. All brawn and maybe a little brain. How surprising. “Shallow’s Edge,” the boy repeated, testing the words on his tongue.




He had never heard of it, or maybe he had and forgotten. He thought to himself for a moment, trying to map out where he had travelled, where the pack could be in location. Eventually, he brushed it off. It didn’t ring any bells. “Sounds inviting.”

The boy took a step away from the water, his paws coated in mud. He looked down at them briefly, lifting the right one and shaking it out. Most of the grime stuck to his fur, but a few clumps slowly fell back into the wet ground. It was futile. He sighed, dropped his paw and offered a side eyed skeptical glance at Askan. He was going to be covered in dry mud for weeks. Not like he was usually clean, but still. It worked like a gel in his thick uneven fur, poking it in different directions. The mane around his face was weighted down and made him look skinnier. He took a few quiet breaths, letting the rain hit his face. It didn’t feel great, but it wasn’t horrible. Compared to the beating sun, it was heaven. “Well Askan,” the boy drawled. “I’m Vaken Svart.”

That was only fair. A name for a name. He took another few steps away, not because he distrusted the male, but because the two had reached an conversational impasse. “Any other questions big guy?”

currently travelling with Circe (she can jump in any of his threads)

I don't care if heaven won't take me back

"Uh huh."

If the stranger was dangling those words in front of his nose as bait, then Askan wasn't going to fall for it. He listed off a lot of packs, which made the Selwyn assume he'd been around quite a bit, as to why he hadn't packed up yet was of little interest to him. The Edge Lord wasn't going to beg, let alone even offer. It was true his pack was smaller than he would like, but had he sunk low enough to invite every Tom, Dick and Harry he came across? Nah. That wasn't going to happen, ever. After all, he'd learnt a harsh truth or two during his time at Wild Rye Fields. It paid to be picky.

The loner was as mucky as they came, even the rain couldn't fix the mess he'd gotten himself into. Askan understood the toils of living without a pack, he'd gotten all skinny and sick from going it alone once, but this? It appeared as though he liked being filthy. Maybe his coat wasn't even brown, maybe he was tawny beneath all of that muck. Ew, that sounded absolutely foul.

What a weird name though, it sounded more like a cough than anything else. Like he had something caught in his throat, and he sort of cleared it and hacked at the same time. His lips quirked just a little at the thought, though not enough to make it seem as though he was smiling for no reason at all.

Now that they understood one another, sort of, Askan had little interest in prying any further. Maybe the loner wasn't so bad, but that didn't mean the Selwyn was raring to get to know him, one on one, like they were best buddies. He'd save that for the social folk.

"Nah, I'm done." He shrugged his hefty shoulders as he took a step to the side. He intended on following the creek downstream, who knew where it would lead? Before he left though..."Try not to get eaten."His smile was sly and even in the grey his eyes shone with mirth. "I don't think Aponi would have any use for a coyote chew toy."

No doubt, one of the many downsides of being a loner was dealing with the coyotes that roamed the land. He didn't look very tough, so he'd need all the luck he could get. If Askan believed in such a thing.