Empress Riffle Get me out of this haze

She was beginning to notice he did not often meet her gaze. She was thinking that’s how he “looked” at anybody. Was it for his own comfort or theirs?

He offered her clarity on her statement but she was only left with more questions. Puzzlement crumpled her face. ”Uh wut? Exchange? Kids? You’re not a kid.” All things tumbled out and she didn’t bother to hide her bewilderment. Whatever it was it was a total foreign concept to her. Did they keep the “kids” there as new blood? Or was it purely temporary so they knew each other for future relations? Packs could be be friendly towards another? Or was it not nice at all but a messed up tradition? Know meant something entirely different.

It was an odd spin if he was trying to say something nice but she wouldn’t hold that against. He seemed genuinely kind even if not much with words. It was hard not to let harsh  words, starving would do that, dart from her tongue.

She only smiled trying to put a little heart into it. Hoping it looked a little genuine even if was twisted or faint to his eyes. She was now humored more than before.

“Why are you Auburn? Were you born red?”

(This post was last modified: Feb 23, 2023, 05:23 PM by Torrent. Edit Reason: typo )

It had been a novel idea to him as well, making her reaction familiar just as it was humorous. This time, his laugh was clear as a bell. Another light peel came at the query about his name, silver shoulders rolling to communicate that he didn't really know.

"That was Marigold, actually. My sister. I don't know, Grandpa only ever said she must've liked colors."

Which clearly meant he hadn't known either. Auburn wouldn't be surprised if they'd simply been the first words to come to mind in the moment. His mother had never been one for planning ahead.

"I'm here as a chaperone. So that the kids can get to know their neighbors, I guess the packs are pretty close. Is there a reason you're named Torrent?"

She was still confused. He was laughing at her queries. She doubted it was a rude gesture but it made her feel more foolish for whatever reason. It must not be any terrible exchange then. The loner made herself take couple more bites to ease her mind, as he answered her last question.

"Oh," was all that came from her lips. So, his mother had chosen and never said? She was building a story in her mind that something must have happened to his mother. She wasn't going to inquire about that, she didn't want to upset him and it was not her business.

More relaxed now she decided on something else because unlike her he had a sibling. "Is your sister here too?" Was she anything like him? What about their dad? There was no mention of him picking a name.

Now she laughed."So you're taking a break from them now, are you?" There was a tease there, but no malice. Even if the idea of one of these kids showing up didn't sound like her idea of fun.

He was asking his own question and oddly she felt weird telling him. Her silver gaze shifted to the remains of her meal. "I was born in a torrent storm so my mother saw it as a sign for exactly what I should be called. She was all about signs, and omens. Magpies were good unless you dreamed of one then you were going to fail. It was good for a fox to cross your path unless they did so behind you. I don't know how she kept them all straight."

     

It had been a while since he'd thought about Marigold, and even longer since he'd spoken of her. They'd never gotten along, his sister having a way of making him feel othered and inadequate. It wasn't on purpose, he felt sure of that at least, and there was a familial bond there, but... well, he honestly had yet to miss her.

"No," he answered simply, choosing not to expand on that topic. After all, he didn't need to go blabbering his whole life story to the other wolf. Otherwise he'd end up owing her more than this one meal! Anyways, the conversation was moving along without anymore about his opinionated sibling.

"Guess I am," another chuckle, "not gonna lie, the girls are mean."

He wasn't sure if it was just this bunch, or young ladies in general. They reminded him of a young Mari, but with way less principles. Of course, that wasn't to say they weren't still each endearing in their own way.

Signs and omens, they were discussing then. Auburn's thoughts unknowingly mirrored his company's; it sounded like her mother had kept track of a lot. He thought maybe she had to of cared deeply, to put in that kind of effort. Though, maybe she'd simply had an affinity for gleaning meaning out of the mundane.

"What was that like?" he asked simply, vaguely. How had Torrent felt about all those intricacies?

(This post was last modified: Mar 18, 2023, 05:51 AM by Auburn.)

Ok, she was a little relieved just for the fact she couldn't handle anyone popping in. Why she tried to imagine his sister she bright, and loud like the flower she was named for she'd gander she was the opposite, and in the moment, she thought either wouldn't be fun to deal with either.

A light laugh echoed in her throat. "Girls definitely can be." She felt it was easier to deal with boys, not that she had a lot of experience. "Make sure they don't smell fear," she murmured in a half tease.

"I loved it when I was little, especially when it seemed they were true. I would be watching for them with her, remembering. As I got older, they didn't always line up, and it became...stressful." When the reasons not to eat even when you were hungry, she saw it as more superstition. If she was hungry and they had the opportunity, why should they wait just because of something they saw? "I've hardly climbed mountains because she didn't like them. I'm trying to remember how she put it but can't quite." Rather it was from her current condition, or like a word that hung on the tip of her tongue. She wanted to pry about his own mother but would not.

"She was fairly old, her original pack she was story keeper, and ended being the only one left. Eventually, we found a pack to join, and they had similar beliefs to her. Maybe, there is something to some of them." She wouldn't have believed it if she hadn't been there herself to see it. She had a thoughtful look, but decided to turn back to the remains of her meal as she didn't have much she wanted to add.

     

Auburn's laughter easily joined hers, a light "note taken!" given.

What she had to say about her mother seemed understandable, relatable even, to an extent. He couldn't help but think of comparable memories involving his own mom, how much things had shifted over time, how differently he and his sister had coped with it all. He looked to Torrent, and wondered if she'd lived her formative years with a sibling or if she'd had to forge through alone in that sense.

Maybe, there is something to some of them.

He thought a moment, taking another bite and savoring the flavor that came out as it thawed on his tongue before swallowing.

"Well... I don't plan on leaving the mountain anytime soon so, I hope that one at least is a uh, misreading."

His tail thumped the ground and he smiled wide, the young wolf oblivious to all that was coming the Cove's way.

"My mom had a lot of stories too, but she liked keeping us guessing about what was true or not. Like, thought that was letting us forge our own realities or something super imaginative like that. Anyways, there's one about frogs that always really stuck with me..."