Clandestine Brook remember when

all welcome. tagging @Leith and @Landen in case they want to jump in/see what Leggy is up to.

Legolas was always trailing behind.

He had followed his littermate and younger brother back to his birthplace for what reason? Nostalgia? Boredom? Maybe the former, definitely not the latter. Legolas was not the type to just do something out of boredom. That would require far too much spontaneity than he was capable of. He preferred structure; making a plan. He did not do things just for the sake of doing them.

But here he was, back in the lands of Lore, the place where he was born. Where his parents had created a home for themselves and their family. Where they had thrived until they decided it was time to move on. He wondered if they ever thought of returning—if they missed the Surge and the neighbouring territories. His father had seen so much while he had lived here and always seemed to speak of Relic Lore with a smile on his face. As though he was reflecting on all of the memories he had acquired while living in the Lore.

The pale Stark trudged through the snow with his head hanging low as he headed North-ish. He was trying to follow his two brothers but they were a little quicker and little (okay, a lot) more adventurous than he was. But he wasn’t worried. They would come back for him. Hopefully. Maybe.

He swallowed, hard. He had not thought out what would happen if they did not reconnect. Oh… oh no. This was a little troubling.

Between the knee deep snow and the icky looking trees Marian couldn't say that she was all that impressed. Her nose wrinkled for what must have been the hundredth time that day as she trundled along, the going slow and tedious as she weaved her way around the trees. Even with all the snow this place somehow still managed to reek of mud, thick and churned, frozen solid beneath her tan paws. Like pretty much the rest of the Lore this place was dead quiet, with nothing but ambient nature, otherwise known as non-wolfy sounds or smells, to prod at her senses.  By now she'd come to expect as much but was she out of line for wanting a little spice sprinkled into her day? Probably. She'd met Azra and that should have been enough, but there she was wanting more more more. Just cause.

Drawing to a stop, Marian eyed up the mostly frozen over river that laid before her. She'd been telling the truth the other day when she'd claimed to be a good ice skater, but a river like that wasn't any good. She'd probably fall in and freeze to death if she tried. With a snort she dragged her gaze away, only to spot a pale, wandering figure on the other side. Well wasn't he a moody one? Head hung low and with such a worried look in his green eyes that Marian could see it clearly from where she stood.

Marian stood tall and let out a sharp whistle, hoping to get his attention.

"Who pissed on your breakfast?

Legolas had naively forgotten that there would be others lurking around the Lore. So far the terrain he had encountered had been abnormally bare, as though it had been deserted, which had given the boy a false sense of comfort that he would go without encountering any strangers. Unfortunately luck was never on Legolas’ side, as the universe seemed to thrive on making him uncomfortable. And, like always, things never went the way he hoped. Not only did he unwillingly encounter another wolf, but a rather boisterous and vulgar one.

He recoiled at the stranger’s voice, his sea-green eyes immediately narrowing as he turned to look at his assailant. The female standing on the opposite side of the river looked to be the same age as him but he couldn’t be sure (nor did he want to assume—a dangerous game with females). Her dark pelt contrasted heavily against the surrounding snow, along with the golden pools nestled inside her skull. She looked as loud as she sounded. Exc-cuse me? He retorted at her question, a soft frown creasing his pale features. The Stark wasn’t really up for conversation—he was quite persistent on finding his brothers—but it did not appear that he could easily slip away from this female…

(This post was last modified: Feb 12, 2021, 04:02 AM by Legolas.)

The stranger seemed well and truly taken aback by her brash nature, as though he'd never spoken to someone who talked louder than a whisper. Well it sucked to be him for more reason than one now. He was gonna get a crash course in Marian-isms whether he wanted to or not. Besides why should she excuse him? He'd done nothing so far and neither had she, crass language aside of course. She stepped closer to the bank, muddying her tan paws in the process. Not that she cared, she'd never be prim and proper like her Mum.

"Why the sour face? Who rained on your parade? So on so forth."She swished a paw in a waving motion, etcetera etcetera.

Still he didn't seem all that interested in talking which-rude much? Here she was forcibly lending a listening ear and shoving her muzzle where it didn't belong and he couldn't even show the courtesy to spill all of his secrets and laments in one fell swoop. Men. She rolled her eyes a little, thoroughly unimpressed. At least Azra knew what was good for him and, mostly, did as he was told.

"You're stomping around like the weight of the world is on your shoulders, what's up?"

(This post was last modified: Feb 25, 2021, 01:09 AM by Marian.)

The pale boy did not really know how to answer the sharp-tongued female. He felt like anything that tumbled from his mouth would be wrong, and that she would fling it back at him with her harsh words. Sure, he had encountered wolves like her before, but he had always had someone to take the brunt of the conversation and steer it away from poor weak, timid Legolas. But here he was alone. He had to fend for himself, and there was no fleeing. That ship had already sailed.

N-nothing’s up, he responded with a frown as he maintained the distance between them, his expression narrowing. She did not appear very trusting and Legolas was not stupid enough to share anything more than what was necessary. D-do you n-need s-s-something? If the words had not st-st-stuttered off the tip of his tongue they might have been spoken maliciously, but his timid voice made it impossible for him to sound confident. (Which he was not at all confident.)

(This post was last modified: Mar 05, 2021, 04:20 AM by Legolas.)

Marian didn't believe that for one second, though then again maybe he was just the droopy, broody type. The sort who just found misery wherever they went, as though they got off on it like those funky mushrooms. She tipped her head slightly, canting to the side as he was quick to dismiss her question, like she didn't deserve to know or something. Rude. She let out a huff of air through her nose as she pawed at the mud, churning it up with a stomping foot. As if she needed anything from him, if anything it'd probably be the other way around.

"Nah." She said, but her brows curved at his string of stutters. Oh yeah he really didn't get out much. "I ain't seen anyone else for miles and then I spot you, skulking around. All sorry like. Makes a girl curious." Amongst other things.

She could cross the river if she wanted, there were some rocks down stream and she'd easily be able to hop across if she chose to. But for now she remained where she was, not quite sure what to make of the stranger. Would he lash out like a cornered beast? Or was he just a coward. She didn't care too much nor was she invested but it wasn't as if she had anything better to do around these parts.

She appeared irritated that he dismissed her question, but Legolas was not surprised. The ebony female seemed like the type to expect others to submit to her intrusive questions and give her the answers she craved. But, unfortunately for her, Legolas was not the type to give up information about himself no matter how hard he was pestered. Personal information was for friends or family only, and she was neither of those things.

His brows puckered at her response as the corners of his mouth fell into a delicate frown. He did not really know how to respond to her. Truthfully, he had wished she had never seen him. Legolas could have done without an awkward interaction today—he wanted to catch up to his brothers before he got too lost.

Oh, he offered lamely after a pregnant pause, his tail flicking idly behind him. Okay. He averted his gaze to study their snow-covered surroundings, his expression still bleak as he tried to figure out which direction to head in next. Surely his brothers were here somewhere…

Marian blinked expectantly, hoping she'd managed to prod him enough to burst his little bubble, to break him out of his reverie. But nope, he seemed not even the least bit interested in taking a bit out of the bait she'd so kindly dangled by his nose. She didn't much enjoy being ignored but she didn't think it was quite that, he was looking and talking to her-barely- but there was such a heavy weight of hesitation to him. Like he wasn't exactly sure how or whether he should.

"Wow." She said with a lazy drawl, her tail flicking for emphasis. "Slow up and let me get a word in edge ways will ya?"

If she had to be the one to ask the questions that'd be fine, she'd take a chomp instead.

"You seem like you know where you're going, where's that?"

Fresh tracks show an injured deer has recently passed by. Hunt opportunity! +10 Health

She did not appear bothered by his lack of responses, but her lingering presence and the words that continued to tumble off her tongue said otherwise. Legolas, too, remained where he was, but not because he wanted to or sought a response from her. He was too awkward—too nervous—to excuse himself from her presence. So he remained, his level of discomfort increasing as the minutes passed, but he dared not excuse himself.

"You seem like you know where you're going, where's that?” He shrugged as he returned his focus back to the ebony girl, a frown still present on his delicate features. T-there, he responded quietly as he motioned in the direction he had been heading in with a flick of his nose. I th-think. He was not really sure where he was going, or if it would even lead him to his siblings. But he remained hopeful because hope was the only thing he had left.