Fisher's Split shapes falling out of the fringe

There was a grim settling in his chest.

The cubbin' may be nothing come spring. His mother may have set him up for death early and perhaps it was what had taken his sister. Such a bitter thought, no? Yet he could not help it, he found, from living in his brain as he watched boy get ready to leave.

Aye, if you're certain. Grumbled as he stood up. But can't promise you'll always be findin' good words and good meals where you head off to from here. But the boy knew this, no? He understood what might await him beyond the river and the woodlands? Loach shook out the dust and dirt from his coat, prepared to haul the rest of the deer closer to camp.

But yer goin' off then? Without much else thought or questions?

His eyes shined warm.

The swarthy man hadn't need to outright say it, but Claw was smart enough on his own to piece together what the man may have been implying. He wasn't wrong either, admittedly. Numbers typically meant a higher chance of survival compared to a single wolf such as himself. Yet, there was an undecipherable fear that tightened the boy's chest the moment he contemplated possibly putting out there a desire to see what this little crew of his was all about. What was there to be afraid of? Perhaps it was the fear that they too would soon abandon the boy much as his own mother had. A hard life lesson that not even family was unbreakable.

An internal growl shook such ludicrous thoughts from his mind, hesitation settling into the boy's limbs that had only moments ago been all too ready to turn the other way and venture off into the unknown. Now he was stuck.

A certain warmth shone within the man's eyes after saying what else he had to say to the young boy and in it, Claw found a certain tug like an invisible string. Would it really be so bad if he did hang around for a little longer?

Another scoff escaped the boy before his stance shifted to stretch his body out, a partially faked yawn adding to his choice of dramatic flair. "Eh, I guess I could stick around a little longer." His voice was nonchalant, void of any signs to the intrusive thoughts that plagued his mind. The hint of a grin tickled the edges of his maw. "Plus it looks like an old man like you is gonna need my muscles to help with that." He motioned toward the remains of the carcass.

fade in your reply? <3

Something flipped in the boy and Loach felt a well of relief for it. Even if it only was for a few days, or even just a night, the cubbin' wouldn't go out to perish in the winter.

My brittle bones need all the help they can get, eh? His eyes crinkled. C'mon. Settle in once we get this back for the others. Meet 'em on your own terms, or I can holler for them all to come see you. A teasing edge teetered into his voice now. He wondered if the boy might be embarrassed. Yet it had been nearly customary for a call to go out every time somebody had arrived. However, this time, he left the choice up to Claw.

And just like that the seriousness of their conversation once more flipped to a more humorous one and for that Claw was relieved. Whatever anxiety the boy felt about the situation slowly dissipated in the stretching of his body, coming back to full height. He offered the man a playful roll of his eyes before preparing himself to secure a firm grip on one portion of the carcass, the faint signs of a grin all but full-fledged now on his swarthy maw. "Yeah, don't need you going and breaking a hip now." He teased.

He didn't exactly feel thrilled about the idea of being bombarded all at once by however many strangers he was heading towards, but that could be dealt with when the time came. All jokes aside, he parted his jaws to latch onto the hindquarters of the deer while the man chose to drag it by the neck. Together they began to lug the remaining meat, letting the man lead the way toward wherever their makeshift camp was and the beginning of a new adventure for Claw.

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