Dead Empress Backwater we don't talk anymore

Backdated to the morning of February 15th. Asmund was chased out of pack territory by a desperate coyote and has effectively been missing for approximately 12 hours (though tbh it could be assumed he's just been hiding and nothing is out of place). Hagar is returning him, with @Iseldir along for experience. @Avella for knowledge, Hagar of course would have told her what they were doing first. @Viorel and @Clover for leadership. Please let Izzy & Azzy post next.

The child that his son brought home was, in a word, odd. Little of what he said made sense, and he acted more rabbit than wolf. It wasn't anything like what Hagar had expected of the Backwater's youth and he found himself needing to ask questions. Some of the things Asmund claimed...

For the umpteenth time, he tripped over the strange child as he tried to hide between the larger wolf's legs. As though he were still but a few scant months old. Hagar chuffed, a noise of minor irritation. What was the point of words? Clearly Az was convinced his life was in danger each and every second. His elder simply plowed on, his hefty form carving a path through the powdered snow.

When they at last reached a scent marker, he motioned for the boys to stop and tilted back his head, calling for the pack's alphas. Delivery.

(This post was last modified: Mar 05, 2023, 06:13 AM by Asmund.)

It was difficult to recognize what one had never seen, even when it lie just outside your very home. When the trees changed shape and shade, however, he knew they had to be close. The only thing that kept him from sprinting again was the large, sturdy presence of Iseldir's father. Thank goodness his peer had had a father. Asmund was convinced it was the only reason they made it this far without seeing any hint of the madman. He only preyed on women and children, it seemed.

Familiar smells began to surface, and then Hagar was stopping and Asmund's heart was thundering all over again. He was right there, right beyond safety. The boy lurched forward a few strides, out of their neighbor's shadow and toward home, then hesitated. As much as he wanted to rush straight to the communal den, Az was compelled to meet eyes with the boy who had practically saved him. His... friend, perhaps?

Asmund had never had a friend.

He'd never been this far from home before. It was a strange mixture of feelings all fighting each other within him right now. Fear, of things that went bump in the dark and came for pups like himself and Asmund. Pride, of his dad for taking care of them and making sure nothing did get them after all. Curiosity, both about Asmund but even more so about his home, and the rest of the pack that lived there. And exhaustion. It had been a very long day, beginning with his explorations before the mad run back to the ridge and now this lengthy trip. Even the potent cocktail of experiences was not enough to keep tiredness at bay.

Iseldir was doing his best to stay alert, but his tail was drooping and he was trudging through the snow behind Hagar when they came to a halt at last.

The Archer boy looked up, ears flicking as his father called out for the Backwater wolves. Izzy's gaze slid to Asmund's, wondering what his pack was like. His gaze held newly forming questions. Would they protect him from whatever he was so afraid of? Would they get to see each other again?

The Valle man had been alerted to the scent of a coyote within the pack territory overnight, but had not seen hide nor hair of it since. He had added an extra patrol to his routine but nothing else seemed amiss so he had let the incident go. Viorel did not even realize that Asmund had been chased out by the creature, it wasn’t time for their lessons and he hardly ever saw the boy out and about if he wasn’t with himself or Clover.

Which is why when he quickly went to answer the call that confusion was clear across his expression when he saw Asmund tucked under the legs of Hagar, one of the Willow Ridge wolves. Only, his scent was a little different. It still smelled of Avella and a few others but it certainly didn’t carry the strength in numbers it once had. This whole interaction was about to be a strange one he supposed. Quickly trotting onto the scene he tilted his head slightly, ”Asmund? Where were you?” It wasn’t like him to be out of the territory, though he was allowed.

Looking back up to Hagar he nodded respectfully, ”Hagar, nice to see you again.” He wondered briefly if he would speak this time now that Avella wasn’t with him. He struck Viorel as the strong but silent type.

Hagar touched his nose to his son's crown when he caught up, well aware that he was long due a good, solid rest. He had made his father proud as well, looking out for his peer even when the other boy was just a stranger, wanting to see this through with them even when his body asked for sleep. His children had good, strong hearts in his eyes, and he adored that.

For a moment he thought Asmund was going to take off altogether, but he would be unbothered even if the child did. He would still wait for Viorel to discuss with him, and it was his home. If he wanted to disappear into it, that was his right.

The wolf they sought did not take long to arrive, and confusion was clear upon his features and in his words. Hagar returned his nod, and chose to answer for the youth as he did not.

"My son found yours in the fields," he clarified, "and brought him to the Ridge for safety. He... says there is a wolf who wants to hurt him?"

Asmund's ears lowered slowly, seeing the inquiry in Iseldir's similarly-colored sights. He didn't have an answer, no matter what those inquests specifically were. He hesitated long enough for the sound of answering footfalls to come into focus, startling him greatly. He whirled and shrunk at the same time, crouching low with fangs bared and tail bristling. When he breathed in again, he recognized the scent and his fears vanished.

Asmund?

He kicked up a flurry of snow in his haste to get to Viorel, sidling right up against him and hiding his face in the wolf's fur. Relief swelled and then ebbed. After all, despite the Backwater's best attempts, he really wasn't returning to much. As much safety as the Valle family brought him, it would always be tenuous, would never render monsters imaginary.

"It was all wild looking, like..." he murmured, unable to bring himself to even say him.

(This post was last modified: May 03, 2023, 08:22 PM by Hagar.)

His gaze turned back to the stranger, studying him shyly. Was this his friend's father?

Iseldir inched closer to the lighter-brown youth, moving to stand at his side and bolster him as he tried to answer the adult's questions. A silent nod was provided, he hadn't seen the thing himself but he had smelled the pure terror and could imagine what was spoken now was only the truth. The mention of the 'wolf who wanted to hurt him' send a shiver down the Archer boy's spine, but he tried to be brave for his new friend. Still a whine escaped him. It had been a very long and eventful day, and Izzy didn't know what to think at this point. Why would anyone want such a thing?

"We ran for help," he provided hesitantly, not knowing what else to say. He wasn't even sure he'd actually found Asmund, his Da was giving him a lot of credit there when really they'd sort of just run into each other, and high tailed it for the nearest hope of safety. But he did want to make sure his new friend made it home safe, at least, and that they'd look out for him here, and not be mad at the boys for wandering or running into trouble.

The Valle man didn’t fully understand what was going on, only being offered bits and pieces of a puzzle of how this scenario had come to be. Asmund was now basically tucked under him and talking about something wild chasing him. The other pup had found him and brought him back to the Ridge and, ah. There is was. A sad soft smile fell over his features for only a second or two as he used one of his paws to pull the boy in closer.

He was more businesslike when he glanced back up to Hagar, ”Asmund’s mother was attacked by a loner over the summer. The pack managed to chase him off but it was too late and she unfortunately passed away.” Sitting up a little straighter, as the hunched over position of holding the pup was slightly uncomfortable he continued, ”He hasn’t been seen since, but the coyotes have been a bit of a nuisance as of late.” He had wished better for the orphan, but Viorel was beginning to understand that may never come. He may never know peace and comfort.

Looking towards the other pup he smiled, ”Thank you for keeping Asmund safe. It’s good to know we have such brave neighbours.” Not that they had had much of a relationship as of yet.

A large part of Hagar had hoped that Viorel would be able to allay all this as childish imagination. He still was not familiar with violence beyond survival, that another wolf might simply enjoy inflicting suffering and pain. Still, the information did not entirely dismiss the notion that there had been a reason something so awful had happened, and that Asmund was not actually being hunted as the boy seemed to believe. That was enough of a relief for Hagar to feel the Ridge did not need to worry for their own cubs.

"I'm sorry to hear that," he answered, simply but earnest.

"Do you have a description?"

All they could really do to help then, was simply offer their eyes. Of course it would also assist the Ridge to recognize a potentially volatile wolf before he could bring harm to anyone else.

Hagar hoped too that it went without saying (as he did far too many things), Asmund could always come to his southern neighbors if he found himself in another predicament.

Asmund hid his gaze fully, but he could feel the presence of someone else, and peered out from Viorel's dark fur to see Izzy unexpectedly close. Still looking out for him. Az's young heart swelled with appreciation, thoroughly unused to such care from a peer aside from his estranged sister. Why couldn't these Archers be the ones that lived with them, and the terrible trio be the neighbors?

'Asmund's mother was-'

He turned his face again, locked his ears down flat and then tried to angle his head so that they were muffled against his guardian's chest. By no means upset with Viorel for sharing the information (the more wolves that knew, the more eyes would be looking out, watching for, defending him from, that monster), the boy still hated hearing it. He tried to sing a song in his head to help block the words out, something he might have heard @Clover humming perhaps.