Fisher's Split loves gonna get ya down

Backdated to 1/19, the day after Clouse arrives. For @Llinnea only.

Clouse had given the child her space for as long as he could bear, but the curiosity was eating him alive. What the heck had been the deal yesterday? He'd even slept separate despite wanting to be cuddled up against @Loach, worried that too much proximity too soon would put her through undue stress. The young man didn't want to be a problem, and that was why they needed to talk and get whatever the issue was out in the open; if Llinnea would allow it.

Figuring she was as fond of fish as the wolf that had brought them all together, he'd caught her one as an olive branch and then set about looking for her. But of course, when he did track her down she was... fishing. Whoops. He walked the shore until he was near as he could be without getting wet again, and deposited his kill onto the frozen ground before barking to get her attention. His tone was friendly, as was the nature of his wagging tail and lowered ears.

(This post was last modified: Jan 26, 2023, 12:21 AM by Clouse.)

The nightmares had never truly subsided, but somehow they seemed to have gotten worse last night. The worst they'd been since she left home.

No, not home. Prison. It stopped being a home when Mor died.

Llinnea had woken in the middle of the night more than once, until finally the sky paled and she had an excuse to get up. She'd gone straight to the river, her favorite fishing spot just upstream of the split. She was getting good at it, and standing in the freezing water watching for flashing scales calmed her. She hoped to get really good to impress Loach. She was pulling her own weight, just like he'd wanted... but he'd still been disappointed in her yesterday.

But he'd been the one to bring home someone so... someone so... wrong. It wasn't his fault, as much as the girl wanted it to be.

A friendly bark startled her out of her thoughts and she looked back to the shore she'd come from. Clouse stood there with a fish, tail wagging. Llinnea tensed and thought about ignoring him, but then her shoulders drooped and she trudged through the water to join him on shore. Loach would want her to try to be friendly. "Hei," (Hi) she said, looking at the ground beside him instead of meeting his gaze.

Currently traveling with Loach and Claw

She still wasn't happy to see him, but at least this time he'd been prepared for that. Clouse's smile melted a little, and could have been considered an apologetic grimace. He didn't like being a wolf who inspired negative emotions in others, and that was why he typically took off when things started getting messy. Hopefully this went well, rather than proving to him that the Split was not a place for him.

"I um, I brought you some food," he began after that begrudging greeting of hers, nosing the proffered carcass toward her. He wished to speak her language, but wasn't sure if that had been the problem or not. Perhaps she'd found his attempt offensive?

"I was hoping we could talk. About yesterday? I don't know why I upset you but, I'd like to work it out. I don't want to be someone who makes you feel uncomfortable in your own-... home."

Was that the right word? Whatever this place was to them, Llinnea had been here first, made her connection with Loach first. Her rights came before Clouse's.

(This post was last modified: Jan 27, 2023, 05:57 AM by Clouse.)

Llinnea's mind was racing, and yet she felt slow. She wanted to like this man who Loach had brought home. She wanted to like Lana, and she did... But not as much as she wanted to. She didn't know why she's latched on to Loach the way she had, or why he had done the same to her. She was just... Afraid. It came down to fear, every time. What if they betrayed her? What if she lost them, too? He couldn't hurt her if she had nothing to lose.

With a glance at the fish Llinnea sat, offering Clouse that small peace treaty. Sitting was good, right? It demonstrated a small semblance of trust. But of course he had to go and imply questions. She didn't owe him any answers; she'd already revealed more to Lana than she had to Loach...

"You... Look like him." she said. He spoke my words, and then he took her from me. My Mor."

There. An olive branch of her own.

Currently traveling with Loach and Claw

When she reclined, so did he, not wishing to appear in any way threatening to the young girl especially after the amount of distrust she had first met him with. The words she spoke seemed blunt to his ears, and he blinked back at her as his mind pieced the information together with what had been uttered yesterday.

Oh... oh. Clouse wasn't sure where to start with that, any of it, but certainly wasn't about to gloss over what had just been revealed.

"... I learned Bokmål from a pair of sisters, who said their only source had been their grandmother. I... really hope I've never crossed paths with the wolf you're talking about."

Now it made sense, of course, why she'd asked if he'd been sent, why she'd spoke of making someone pay... Clouse swallowed.

"Does, Loach know about this? I mean, are you-... is there anything I should know to help keep you safe?"

His voice grew somber, earnest. Hopefully she would tell him that what happened had been many months ago and many miles away from where they were now, that a killer wasn't lurking in these forests...

(This post was last modified: Apr 22, 2023, 01:25 AM by Clouse.)

He mirrored her posture and even though she knew it was to help put her at ease and didn't want it to work, it did. He explained how he knew her language, Bokmal he called it, though her mor had never given a name to it. A pair of sisters... whom she had never met. Very different than the man hunting her now. His tone, his hesitation... maybe he really wasn't sent by the monster to finish things.

She looked away again, guiltier than ever for how she'd reacted to him. She'd once been excited to speak her words with others; maybe he'd been the same. And then he was asking how to keep her safe, and she shrugged, avoiding the question about Loach. "I do not know where he is, but he knew where we were." She really hoped she'd lost it. "That is why I left."

And left Asmund by himself with the others, the ones who couldn't protect their mor.

Currently traveling with Loach and Claw

She didn't answer regarding that common thread of theirs, and he made the decision then to seek @Loach out later and make sure he knew what Llinnea had told him. Maybe they had already discussed, but if they hadn't and this... guy came here? The thought of someone harming his amante brought anger to life inside of him.

"What did he look like?" he asked, "We don't have to talk about it anymore than you want to, but I do need to know that. Please."

Maybe this wolf had had his reasons, things a child couldn't know, but it didn't matter. If he was after Llinnea, then they would be his enemies as well simply by association. Nothing about Loach said 'coward' to Clouse, either. He doubted the man would abandon the young girl to such a fate.

Llinnea considered this man who'd been so confusing for her and found that despite her hesitations, despite her initial fear... she wanted to like him. There was something about him that made her feel okay, now that they'd been talking. It wasn't like she felt around Loach, but it was something.

"Black and grey," she said finally. "One eye green, the other bad." She'd been curious about it when she'd first seen it, but now when she recalled the flashing of his teeth and horrible laughter the missing eye only stood to antagonize her further, add to her nightmares. What form of monster was he, who had one eye and spoke her words and killed her mor? Who wanted to kill her, without ever having known her?

Currently traveling with Loach and Claw

Black and grey. Oof. No wonder... At least the scar was well-defining, significantly helping to make everything together an unlikely combination to find as just a coincidence. That made him feel... minutely better. There was clearly far more bad than good here.

"I'm really sorry. I definitely get why me showing up was so jarring and shitty for you."

Hope that at least made her feel better? There wasn't anything Clouse could really do about the past, but he could certainly be more mindful of Llinnea's triggers going forward. For however long it was that he knew her, anyways.

"I really appreciate you talkin' with me, kid. Okay?"

That could be the end of it, if she wanted. He tried to give her a smile, but it was clearly tentative. Not about to assume that just because they chatted everything was okay, or that his mere presence would not still bring on unwanted memories for the traumatized girl.

She was ready to be done, ready to leave and go find a quiet place to sit and cry and miss her mor, but then Clouse apologized. Llinnea looked at him, head tilting slightly as she considered him. Why was he saying sorry? He was not the one who killed her mor. He was not the one who made her so afraid she couldn't leave her home - and now could never return to it. It wasn't safe - and Asmund didn't want her there anyway.

He kept talking, and she merely gave him a single nod. She had to admit she did feel better after telling him. Maybe she should have told Loach sooner too... so he knew. So he could look out. And then maybe she wouldn't have been so afraid of Clouse when he arrived - because Loach would have known the monster not to return with.

She turned to go, already thinking of a nice little place up the river she could hide at, and then hesitated. She glanced over her shoulder at the newest member of their little gang. "Clouse?" she said quietly. "...Thank you." Before he could address it further she bounded away, trying to hold back the tears until she could reach her safe haven.

EXIT

Currently traveling with Loach and Claw