Swift River trader

vague since his join is still in progress!
Valentines match up for @Viorel only please :)

The mountain had been forgotten for a moment in time.

He wandered down the slopes and found himself a powerful river. Some chunks of ice seemed lodged around the rocks that made a home in the rapids. Whatever aquatic life may have once called this river home in the warm seasons were long gone. He found he longed to learn more. To see this place again when the world melted and bloomed.

And he, still brash and youthful he felt, dared to test the river's strength. The test of water and ice would be a grand one to put himself against. So he began to make his way to the first stone he could reach, already expected to slide and struggle with it!

Perhaps all of his flexing would not be only for himself...

The salt and pepper Valle had been having an uneasy feeling as of late. The arrival of the visitors from the mountain, eight pre-teens and two adults, had once more made him worry about pack security. He couldn’t imagine having something bad happen to any of the children, his own, Asmund, or the Cove pups, and his thoughts were often with Inger. They had never seen her murderer again, but that didn’t mean he wouldn’t come back. Viorel wanted to be ready.

Not wanting to burden the others with his concerns, the leader had just begun looking for clues on his own. Spending extra time doing border patrols, looking for signs of the stranger outside of the territory, making sure he left signs of his presence in the surrounding territories; a warning. He was on a trip currently, and was pleased to once again be coming up empty pawed. Viorel was ready to head back home when the scent of another caught his attention.

Changing directions he headed towards the source, and when he saw a white male around his size taking a trip across the icy rocks he could only raise his eyebrows. Sitting his rump down into the snow he called, ”A bit of a chilly day to risk taking a swim.” Though that would be funny to see he supposed.

A man of ashy colors came to him. A warm voice hidden within his words.

Spartan gave a sound that was the equivalent of a wolf laughing. Barking sounds, nearly. His tail, for a moment, swayed behind him. Would the man join this challenge given to them by nature? A moment to flex physical strength and prowess!

It was with this thought that Spartan gave the man a warm look. Then offered a rumbling sound. A playful challenge for the other man! Not one to test his rank or role, but to let them test one another as brothers. Brothers who explored icy stones with the wonder of children.

He attempted the first stone. Sliding as expected and attempted to steady himself before he made a fool of himself right out the gate!

spartan does not speak!

The stranger said nothing but laughed at his joke and then seemed to gesture towards the rocks himself. For a long minute Viorel stared at him curiously, and then he shrugged with a boyish grin. Hell, what harm would it be to blow off a little bit of steam? He would just need to be careful not to fall into the creek. It was way too deep into the winter to be taking swims, and Sephrina’s recent incident at the beaver dam was thick in his mind. They were all lucky that she hadn’t gotten sick from the cold.

Getting back up his paws, Viorel couldn’t help but chuckle for a minute. He really couldn’t believe that he was doing this, but he wasn’t one to back down from a harmless challenge. Shaking his pelt into place he trotted eagerly to the edge of the stream, only hesitating for one moment when he saw the other man teeter on the first stone. The rapids did look especially chilly in the current weather.

Shrugging he asked, ”So what’s your name? You know in case I have to drag you out of the creek.” Or god forbid tell someone he got swept away in the creek. Viorel waited patiently for his turn, he would follow out onto the first stone as soon as the stranger went to the second.

He steadied himself with a sharp inhale. The cold air buzzed in his lungs and forced his mind to remain alert. The water would be colder than any air he inhaled, he should be so lucky as to never find out how cold.

Then the man asked a question and Spartan felt a wry grin spread across his features. He could not give it! Nor would anybody back at the Cove know him by name. They would only know him by looks, by a status. He only offered a hearty sound and turned to the man so that he would see his humored face.

Now he would cross to the second stone. Steadier this time, but still he wobbled some. The next seemed like it would be harder than the first two combined. Joy!

spartan does not speak!

The other man just seemed to chuckle at the ask for his name and give a kind of sarcastic, comedic expression as he stood across the rock. He reminded the leader of Hagar, who had also gone an entire interaction without speaking to him once. At least this fellow seemed to be more interactive than the Ridge wolf had been. Shrugging he laughed, ”Alright then Hopper, lead the way.” Without a real name the nickname would have to do.

The white wolf made it to the second stone safely and began sizing up the third. Viorel supposed that that would be his cue and he looked over the first stone one last time. If Hopper had been able to do it, and he was around the same size and build as the darker man, than surely he could too.

Perhaps a little over confident he jumped forward and landed on the frozen rock, slightly too hard. Viorel’s body leaned forward haphazardly and he stepped backwards in an attempt to steady himself. Unfortunately, one of his paws stepped too far and slid right off the rock and plunged into the frozen rapids below. Pulling his paw out quickly the leader inhaled sharply at the shock, but he remained stable on the rock. He had one wet paw, but other than that he was okay. He looked towards Hopped, ready to move onto the next stone when it was time.

Hopper was not so terrible a name. It reminded him of boyhood, of the changing names that they were given throughout their lives in his home. It seemed like the kind of name that a foolish boy might hold. Spartan could not say he had never been a foolish boy.

He stayed rooted until he heard the man behind him react with shock! What else could spur Spartan into such a foolish reaction as what followed?

His head and shoulders turned too fast to look back, his paws slid forth some from under him. Now he teetered tottered on edge as he realized the other man was okay. Well, Spartan found himself quickly hurdling towards not okay as he tried to center his gravity once more.

If he leaped, surely that would set him free from this toddling fate?

Wrong. His jump landed poorly from the posture he had taken off from and the odd angle of the stone. One unprepared could not climb it so swiftly! So he was sent down into frozen waters that he quickly tried to break free from. Clambering with strong limbs onto the frozen edge of the river.

A noisy series of yaps and barks escaped him now!

spartan does not speak!

The leader had looked up towards Hopper just in time to see the other man begin to waver in his footing back and forth. He reached out with a paw as if to steady him but it was too late and the white wolf was already bailing towards the next stone. It all happened so quickly and then his new acquaintance was in the freezing water underneath. ”Shit” the cuss uttered under his breath as the salt and pepper man made careful work of crossing the rest of the stones.

His only wet paw was freezing, he could not imagine how cold Hopper was with his whole body dipped into the creek. Grimacing at the thought, he looked around them as if a solution would be readily available. Of course, it wasn’t. Shifting on his paws he offered, ”My pack isn’t far from here. You should come back with me and dry off in the den it will be warmer than out here.” He waited, not expecting his pale companion to verbally answer, but indicate in one way or another his feelings on the matter. Even if he said no, Viorel was ready to insist.

Drenched to the bone as he hushed now. His coat could only do so much, after all, even with its thickness. Any embarrassment of his failure would be short lived.

For Spartan felt brotherhood in this misery of the coldness!

With a chattering sound produced by his teeth, he nodded his head. Very inclined to let the man lead the way back to where he hailed from. It was a kind offer that might very well save his life in the long run!

He only distanced himself for but a moment, prepared to shake free of the frozen droplets what he could before the trek to this man's den began. With that done, he chuffed lowly. Warm and deep. Grateful even, if it might be heard or read across his face.

(This post was last modified: Jun 14, 2023, 08:59 PM by Spartan.)

spartan does not speak!

The Valle man watched with concern as Hopper’s teeth began to audibly chatter, and was unsurprised that there was no push back on the offer to come to the pack den. He did not really have any other choice at this point did he? Viorel appreciated that his new friend stepped away before sending water flying through the air and the pair began the walk back towards the Backwater. Once they reached the border the leader let out a short howl to announce they had an approved visitor before showing Hopper to the main den. Once there he settled down for some relaxation, happy to stay in silent company until his companion was dry enough to go about his business.

FADE