Shallows Edge We Won't, So Just Don't

@Askan

All in all, Lyanna was healing up just fine. @Sachiel made for a more talented healer than one might have thought given his age, and the care he'd given had been both expert and efficient. In turn, the wound on her neck was well on its way to scarring over properly and with the rest she'd had, the girl felt nearly brand new. With most of the mess that evolved from her run in with the Keep wolf simmering down some, she was ready to get back to business.

Previous to her mishap, she'd been able to round up a handful of useful herbs and plants to contribute to the stores in the infirmary. In addition, she had been in the thick of successfully tracking the caribou herd that she'd gathered was currently settled in east Kingsfall. If Askan and Reyes approved, and if it didn't cause more trouble than it was worth, the herd would make for a worthy hunt. If not, she figured there wouldn't be any harm in canvasing the forest further south of Secret Falls. Everywhere she went, the landscape was largely dried out. But there were several sources of water in the fern forest and beyond, namely Spectral Woods. Either way - perhaps now would be a good time to report to her Leaders.

Concluding her morning border control with one last mark before kicking up some grass with her hind end, Lyanna meandered her way through the Edge. Reyes had been somewhat scarce since her arrival, which wasn't any of her business seeing as everyone was entitled to their privacy. Perhaps Askan would be the most available option? She'd searched around for both, but it was the Selwyn's freshest scent that she happened upon first. With some pep in her step she followed it for a time before eventually finding the dark furred man.

"Afternoon," she greeted, intentionally leaving out the "good" to minimize the annoyance her presence would surely cause him.

I don't care if heaven wont take me back

Askan didn't really loiter around the mossy-log bridge. He'd once seen Hawthorne and Sachiel wobble as they tried to cross it without losing their footing, but Askan-being the mature, poised, man he was- had never tried. He supposed they had grown out of that too, they weren't kids anymore. For one reason or another, thought made Askan a little sad. Like he was missing out, or something equally as morose.

Sitting a few feet from the bridge, Askan watched the water roll on by. Had he not seen the great falls for himself he would have worried that the Shallows might dry up, that the Edge wolves would have to drink from streams and puddles. But no, there was no risk of that. The earth could catch fire and the Edge wolves would still have their lake.

His ear flicked as he heard the sound of approaching footfalls. He didn't turn to see who it was, rather he paid attention to the rhythm of their steps, soft and calculated. The walk of someone with poise and presence, aka: Lyanna. Sure enough, she greeted him- and yep it certainly was afternoon, wasn't it?

Askan didn't get up, or turn to address her, instead he glanced to his side and tapped his tail on the floor to signify that her presence wasn't unwelcome. Even if he wasn't leaping up to greet her he wasn't shooing her off, if she had something to say she had his attention. Most of it anyway.

"Hmm?"

Lyanna ambled closer to Askan, who was seated with his eyes on a moss-marbled log fallen across a bubbling stream. She was quiet for a moment as she drew to his side before reclining to sit next to him. Looking over the log, she couldn't know what it was that he was thinking about, but it seemed like he'd been lost in thought. In silence she wondered what significance the thing held for him, or if there was any.

"Pretty," she commented. It had its own charm, she supposed, tucked away in its little corner of the world. He probably wouldn't agree, but. Whatever. Then she looked over at him, to see the rather somber look about him. It was one she'd never seen him wear. Thoughtfully, her brows lifted ever so slightly. If he was upset, well...she couldn't say that she liked that, not at all. She considered whether or not to ask, seeing his reaction easily going either way. Not one to pry, she took in a quiet, hesitant breath before deciding she didn't have it in her heart to ignore what she perceived. "...Everything okay?" she inquired in a soft, neutral tone, her tail giving a single, slow thump.

I don't care if heaven wont take me back

Askan waited for her to say something of substance. He wouldn't say that the log was pretty, after all it was just part of a fallen tree, but each to their own, he supposed. Surely she had sought him out for a reason, by now she ought to have realised that he wasn't one for small talk. Lyanna was many things, but he didn't mark her as unobservant, especially considering that Askan wore his heart on his sleeve. She then spoke again and- Askan rolled his eyes, then shot her yet another side glance. This one a little sharper than before.

"Why wouldn't it be?"

Wasn't he allowed a moment to just take things in? He often leapt before he looked, but Askan was no fool. He did take some time every-now and then to just sit and think. It didn't mean that something had to be wrong, he was adamant that he was fine, that Lyanna was barking up the wrong tree.

"I'm not concerned about Vigils Keep, if that's what you mean." He then added. Shallows Edge had what they did not, allies. And plenty of them too.

She looked over at the side of his face for a long moment. She hadn't expected anything more than what she'd gotten, but that didn't mean there was any sugar to coat his bitterness and the way it went against her grain. Politeness, kindness, and compassion were weaved into the thread of her nature, all aspects of herself that she was lionhearted enough to give to those she cared about, and sometimes even to those she didn't. That hardly meant that the recipients of her acts of love deserved them. But Askan...as insensitive as he was to her in moments like this one, just meant that perhaps he needed those things the most, whether he knew it or wanted it or chose to roll his eyes.

Lyanna's gaze slipped from him to be redirected to the bubbling stream and the beautiful shades of green that painted the foliage on the other side of it; her muzzle inclined as she drew in a quiet breath, as she let his mood pass right through her, as she felt the steadfastness of her heart as it continued to beat slow.

Maybe he'd find her apathy more satisfying than her compassion. Maybe that would be more satisfying to her than taking the brunt of whatever emotional discord he felt inclined to dump on her at his convenience. But it didn't mean she had to choose to freeze over for him. And she never would.

"It's not at all what I meant. You look forlorn, is all." For his sake, she'd leave it at that. If he didn't realize she just wanted to make sure he was okay, she wouldn't waste anymore of his time with it. "I wanted to report to you that the caribou herd in east Kingsfall would be worth pursuing. I also stocked some herbs in the clinic." Her eyes didn't stray from the sight of the woods. "I also figured I'd let you know that I'll be heading out soon to investigate Spectral Woods. I'm sure prey won't be hard to find. Maybe it'll be less of a headache to hunt there instead of going north."

She wasn't interested in stealing his solitude. If he preferred her to leave, that would be just fine. Maybe it would be better for both of them today.

(This post was last modified: Aug 12, 2018, 02:40 AM by Lyanna.)

Leader dem 1/3

I don't care if heaven wont take me back

Askan shrugged.

"I think it's just my face." He'd been accused of having a resting bitch face a few times before and they weren't wrong. At least, to his credit, it was a nice face.

The fact that she was concerned for him was noted, but Askan was not the sort to make a big fuss over emotional stuff. She was worried, he was fine, it was time to move on. Lyanna soon cut to the chase and Askan's ears flicked forward in obvious interest. He wondered when she was going to report back to him, for a time he wondered whether her trip had been uneventful, that she hadn't found anything of note. But he was wrong, she'd done good, that much was clear.

"Mmm, good to know." He stowed that information for later. It had been a while since they'd all gone on a proper hunt. "When you go to Spectral Woods don't step on Oak Tree Bends toes. You don't have to worry about them, we get along fine, I just made some promises and I intend to keep them."

He didn't imagine that they would be as territorial as the Keep seemed to be over the Kingswood, but Askan had promised Aponi and Serach he wouldn't take food that could fill their bellies. They weren't allies per se, but Askan figured the Bend wolves liked him well enough. Sort of.

"You've been busy." Askan remarked. "So what would you have me call you?" Which was way of saying that she had his approval, that she- in his eyes- had earned the title she so eagerly sought.

(This post was last modified: Aug 12, 2018, 04:34 PM by Askan.)

"I think it's just my face."

Fair enough. She listened closely as he considered her report and issued his instructions not to infringe on Oak Tree Bend or their chosen hunting grounds. It was important to her not only to obey, but also to preserve Shallow's Edge's reputation and the reputations of its Leaders, and any ties they had to their neighbors. She certainly wasn't interested in another incident. This time around, she would do it the right and best way, to the best of her ability.

"I assure you I won't." If he had a good thing going with the wolves of the Bend, she was fairly confident that this trip would be easier than the last. Maybe she'd be able to create some ties of her own down there, too, seeing as Oak Tree Bend was an extension of Tainn lineage. At least it had been, to her knowledge.

"I'll get started right away," she added.

A bit of pride swelled in her chest at his last bit as he essentially acknowledged her efforts and approved of her gaining the role she'd sought. As far as an official title went, she supposed she wasn't into anything to fancy or archaic. But "scout" was pretty basic, and she envisioned herself achieving much more than just scouting on behalf of the pack. Consul, perhaps? Still sort of stuffy. Hmm. Lyanna glanced over at Askan, her ears popping up. "...Herald, maybe?" she suggested. "-You know, because "Pain in the Arse" is a bit of a mouthful."

A humble grin settled on her features as she peered over at him.

Leader dem 2/3

I don't care if heaven wont take me back

If she said she wouldn't then Askan trusted her. The same went for her claim that she'd start as soon as she possibly could. Lyanna was clearly going out of her way to make herself useful, but he didn't think that she was doing it just to earn praise and esteem. She had promised to do her part and this was her way of pulling her weight, he couldn't nor wouldn't fault her for that. It was far better than having her sunbathe by the Shallows all day, everyday. As far as he was concerned she'd done more than enough to prove her worth by then, he was just unwilling to say as much, lest it went to her head.

At her suggestion, Askan took a moment to dissect the word in his head, only to exhale sharply in amusement. She had a point, it was a bit easier to say and honestly, it was rather befitting.

"Fine, Herald it is. Congrats." He uttered dryly, though not without a hint of humour. He wasn't a complete hardass after all. A slight, wry smile tugged at his lips for a moment before he turned to look back at the water.

There was no fancy ceremony, or big kerfuffle, it was as simple as that. He had wanted her to prove her skill and worth, and she had. There was nothing else to say or do, she'd earned the right to act as the Edge's herald and he assumed Reyes would feel the same way. Probably.

"So, do you have any other news for me, Herald?"

He bestowed her title with a hint of humor and offered his very Askan-like version of congratulations, and her grin grew into a soft smile as her glowing golden eyes returned to the scenery. Having an official title wasn't going to change her work ethic or anything, but it was something she was wordlessly proud of. She was happy for it and for making him proud, perhaps - if not, at least she'd pleased him enough for now.

"Thanks, Askan." No need for a longwinded anything.

Lyanna didn't actually have any other relevant news to offer. Really, she was more curious about what became of the Edge's dynamic with Vigil's Keep, wanting some news for herself. But she wouldn't ask. In time she'd come to know, she guessed, or if he or Reyes chose to say anything to her about it they'd do it on their own accord. This afternoon, she'd accomplished what she'd wanted to and would be content to get on with heading south. "Honestly, no. But I'll be back in a few days with some to share then, I'm sure. Anything I can do for you before I leave out?"

She wondered if there was something in particular he was looking for when he'd asked if she had anything else to say. If there was, she couldn't put a finger on it at the moment.

Leader dem 3/3

I don't care if heaven wont take me back

It wasn't a problem, the slight shrug of his shoulders said as much. Still, a little bit of gratitude didn't go amiss, it was better than getting sand kicked into his eyes. And considering how much people had been shit talking him recently, he supposed it wasn't the worst to be appreciated. To know someone thought he was doing a decent job at leading his pack.

As anticipated, she had nothing else to offer him. Which was fine, he wasn't going to insult or berate her over that. He half expected her to inquire how things were on his end, to dig for a bit of gossip but she didn't. Apparently she knew better than that. Askan wasn't hiding anything, nor would he ever, but he was unwilling to make an official statement just yet. If he had something to say it would be for the whole pack to hear, he wouldn't confide in one wolf and leave everyone else in the dark. That seemed like a dick move, not the sort of thing Askan would intentionally do.

"I'm good. Don't push yourself too much, you're no use to me wrecked." Which was true enough, it was okay if she had a day or two break. He didn't expect everyone to be go go go to all the damn time. "So just...sit and do whatever. I don't know, you like to talk."

Yeah, Askan was still pretty bad at this.