The Wildwood Foreign

@Annaliese

what i really need now is a double shot of crown

His irritation was not entirely at her. He was frustrated with the situation and he took it out on her. He could recognize that much, and it caused a soft huff as she seemed to just snort it off. Pompous prick. This was exactly why he stuck with his family. It was clear to him that she thought he was an idiot, that she had her own opinions. He wasn’t about to argue with her anymore. He was better than that. He was, in fact, the best there was. Besides, what did she know? He was pretty sure she knew nothing, or just about as much as him.

He snorted softly as she frowned. “Didn’t ask either, did you?” He shot back with his temper still aflame despite his vow to not sink to her level… it was hard, when he found her so incredibly irritating. She mentioned helping each other and he eyed her cautiously. He didn’t feel he needed her help. He had his two cousins, and the three of them could no doubt survive. It was almost enough for a pack, in fact… but he supposed it was enough to just listen to her and hear her out. “Doubtful. I’ve been looking for days now. Every wolf I’ve run into was dropped here or is brand new to these lands.” He hummed out, willing to give just a little bit of information.

The question came and he scoffed. “Then you find a new pack. There’s a strength in numbers, it’s why packs are able to protect their land and have a society to begin with.” His tone was much calmer now, having tamed his temper quite a bit. She didn’t know any better, he realized, just as he didn’t know the true struggles of being a loner. How could he blame her for that? He supposed he couldn’t. There was a certain weakness to her because of it, and he might be able to work it out. “A family is basically a pack, you just don’t defend territory like a pack.” He pointed out with a raised eyebrow.

Focus on the hares. Just focus on the hares, Vayko. That’s what he needed to be doing! He heard the growl that was half under her breath, a soft huff as he watched her chase the rabbits out. He was keen to return to his kin, who clearly understood survival better than her. They were the ones with full bellies over the past couple days. They were surviving; they had done just fine the past couple days all things considered. He was finally feeling better. He wasn’t feeling as groggy from the sedative that he had been given, and each day was better, even if he still hated this godforsaken forest. He didn’t think he’d ever fully settle into it.

She appeared to be successful as well, returning and talking to him. He just scoffed and rolled his eyes. “There is very little I’m scared of.” He stated firmly, because it was the truth. There was no place for weakness, not in his eyes. “I didn’t have time to be scared. They just dropped in and bit me before I had the time to react.” He’d been fishing at the time, off the coastline with the salty scent of the ocean he missed so dearly on his nose… and now he was here, readjusting to a life that was so drastically different. Still, it was as honest of an answer as anyone would likely ever get out of him, and it appeared it paid off. Sometimes he just needed to know when to be honest to get the information he was looking for.

Terrified? He listened intrigued. “I was fishing too.” He admitted with a frown. “My cousins were dropped with me. We’re assuming the rest of our family was taken here too, but we haven’t been able to find any of them yet.” He explained as he picked at his rabbit. What was he doing? Why exactly was he telling her this? He was intrigued by her words. “They didn’t rub us with anything.” He clarified quickly because he was certain he would have remembered something like that and his cousins didn’t have any odd smells to them. “Is that why you smell so much like us? Did they somehow rub you with the scent of my cousins and I?” He asked quizzically. Was that why her scent seemed so familiar and yet it was so far off?

Finally, there was a name to put with the face. Annaliese. He would admit it wasn’t an awful name. He couldn’t say it was a pleasure to meet her, because he didn’t particularly like her… but it was something. There was at least some kind of mutual understanding and common ground. He didn't have to like her to work with her, even if it was only temporary. “Vayko.”

(This post was last modified: Jan 09, 2021, 10:42 PM by Vayko.)

He was a foul one, wasn't he? "Why would I of when you were the one demanding answers." She retorted with yet another eye roll. Her hackles bristled and smoothed out in one fluid motion. Why let a packer under you skin, Annaliese? You're better than this.

She noticed the way he eyed her and felt uncomfortable, turning her gaze away momentarily. It wasn't like helping a packer was a glorious thing, afterall, but it'd get her in a better place too. This was of course just another plot to get her ahead and if it aided him along as well, so be it. Not that he deserved anymore handouts in life...

She frowned, "How far have you gone out? Maybe...maybe the skinwalkers put all of us dropped off close together? So...further out past the other unfortunates...there has to be someone who knows something." She was a little exasperated. Answers were wanted right now, because she couldn't spend much time searching for them. She needed to get enough food to keep meat on her bones. Pelts to help her stay warm. She shook her head, "But how long does that take? What about between then...pack life softens you. How can you expect to make it without sharpened skills?" Ana was flustered that he couldn't see it her way, but she didn't raise her voice or hold an ounce of hostility in her tone. "Its not the same. Pack families don't have to wonder when their next meal will come. It's not fair, but a loners life isn't from birth." She sighed, she couldn't force her perception into his thick skull so why bother trying? She went silent and focused on the hares like he'd said to do earlier.

Annaliese listened, her frown deepening. "Being afraid is staying alive. Not being frightened here and there...it makes you cocky. Then you don't see something when it's coming." She hadn't seen the humans coming...if she had just been on her toes. Hadn't been so sure of her fishing skills and full of herself...maybe she'd be sleeping on the beach tonight. He didn't have time to be scared? Ana wondered what it had been like for him, not being partially awake as humans touched his fur and moved his legs. Her belly churned as she pictured the skin walkers furless paws on her again.

She listened intently, curious. They had both been fishing? Did that detail matter or was it a coincidence?"Must be...planing something. Uprooting a whole pack..." She muttered more to herself. Annaliese offered him a reassuring smile, "I'm certain you'll find them." Perhaps a little kindness to the stranger wouldn't hurt, even if he was rude himself. She wasn't sure whether or not she believed in her own word. The girl was simply basing it off her knowledge of packers.

They hadn't the same experience? She scowled, how'd she always get the worst paw in life? Maybe she wasn't working hard enough. She had to earn the good thing...yet packers...they just got them! She snorted in frustration before refocusing on her company. She smelled like his family? "I don't know..." The girl spoke, rising to her paws and daring to close any distance between them. She settled back down onto her haunches and offered awkwardly, "You uh...can confirm if you want." Maybe knowing could help them peice the puzzle together.

Finally she smiled, her tail thumping on the ground. His name was Vayko? Vayko what though? Didn't packers usually have a surname? It was his business, she figured, and decided she didn't care to know.

Currently Annaliese smells vaguely like Valle wolves. During transportation, the humans rubbed her with their scent.

what i really need now is a double shot of crown

Vayko found that he was done with this woman, and yet he wouldn’t turn his back on her. He wasn’t sure if it was the mere lack of trust he held for her or if it was something more… but he wasn’t going to question his gut instinct. “Whatever.” He responded dryly, emphasizing the last half of the word much like a bored teenager would.

He didn’t want to think too hard about it. He didn’t particularly care what her problem was, at least that was what he kept telling himself. The question came and he just shrugged. “Far enough to know this place is a ghost town… or at least it was until we were all dropped here.” He mused, finding himself more comfortable with giving her information for whatever strange reason that was. “Every story I’ve heard is the same; it seems like no one knows what is going on.” He answered as he finished off the last morsels of rabbit and licked his chops and paws clean from the mess, burying the bones.

He found himself frustrated that the woman didn’t seem to understand. “Being in a pack is the reason I’ve been able to train and hone my skills day after day. I have mentors to teach me. We can’t survive without sharpened skills, just like a lone wolf. Being a loner just makes it harder on yourself. You act like it’s some glamorous life when it’s just being on the edge of starvation for your entire life.” He answered back, because it was important. He didn’t understand her perception at all. He didn’t understand why anyone would want to be a loner when it could be so much easier. Who wanted to struggle their entire life?

She had her own opinions, and he had his. He found himself bored with the conversation, and he didn’t even justify her next statement with a result. Fear didn’t keep him going; he was alert and conscientious of what was going on around him, he just wasn’t afraid of it. It was like grabbing a bull by the horns except the bull was life. “Seems that way, just don’t know what.” He had no idea what the humans were planning, and there was a part of him that didn’t want to find out.

He hoped he could find his family too and make sense of what was going on around there. In particular, he hoped to see his Aunt Modesto again. He missed her dearly, and she always had words to help him along. He took a few more sniffs of her pelt, wrinkling his nose. “Your scent is different… but it definitely smells of home. I don’t like it.” He didn’t like her bearing the scents of his home. It caused a soft shudder down his spine. With the offer of his name he was rising. “Right, well you’ve eaten, we’ve argued, and talked… I think it best we’re on our separate ways.” He honestly didn’t want to spend another minute talking to her because she was oddly infuriating.

(This post was last modified: Jan 18, 2021, 01:22 AM by Rhaegara.)

He was very rude, wasn't he? Ana thought as she listened to the boy. As he went on his words became more of interest. This place was truly empty, then? How could that even be? She wasn't sure why it bothered her so much. She was a loner, afterall. The idea of no one else for miles sent shivers down the dark girl's back. She looked at him with a little sadness. Why were the humans doing this to them? All of them. She pushed the emotions back, knowing they would only distract her from true purpose.

Annaliese frowned, she didn't have to prove herself to no one. He didn't understand and she was done bickering with him. She was right, simply put, and he was wrong. No- being a loner wasn't glamorous. Still she hated packers. They always had it so much easier, while the lone wolf suffered. It wasn't fair and she despised the idea of becoming one of them high and mighty mud-heads.

She sat there while he smelt her, as uncomfortable the notion was. Although, she oddly didn't mind the closeness of the other. He confirmed that she smelt like his skin, but also unalike. He didn't like it? Ana hadn't expected him to, but then again, she hadn't really expected anything other than yes or no. It bothered her slightly. It's not like she chose this.

Then...then he was leaving?! She sat there dumbfounded. "Fine then." she spat out, I don't need your company anyways. With that thought she was on her paws and sulking off the opposite direction. She had no idea where she was going, just that she was going.

-FADE-

(This post was last modified: Jan 18, 2021, 01:44 AM by Annaliese.)

Currently Annaliese smells vaguely like Valle wolves. During transportation, the humans rubbed her with their scent.