Tsiry was in love with this island, and warned Peregrine that she may never leave. It had been three days since their arrival, and while Peregrine did not want to leave her guide-turned-friend behind (not that Tsiry would likely call her a friend in return) she had started to consider the possibility. The idea of staying stagnant in one place was unpleasant, but she could agree that this locale was more than agreeable. Its claimte was hot and muggy, feeling more like summer than the rest of the content did. Warm storms rolled in off the coast and drenched them with quick bursts of rain from time to time. The flora was lush and the fauna was plentiful enough that she had even managed to catch herself a yearling hog. Alright, to be honest the meal was keeping her here more than Tsiry was. She had only eaten half of the carcass so far, and had strips of flesh laying out on the shore of the island to dry out. She's soaked them in brine to help the preservation but as of yet she wasn't sure it would work. Maybe she could spare a few more days... Regardless, Tsiry was no where to be found. Peregrine was used to her prosimian friend taking off for a day or two, so it was nothing new. Still... she was bored, and that rarely ended well for either of them. At the moment Peregrine was sat on the shore, watching the waves roll in and marveling at the view. The bulk of Boreas was just visible through the distant haze, and she wasn't looking forward to the swim back, especially with Tsiry on her back. Maybe they could make a raft for her to tug along this time instead. She tossed the idea about in her mind as the minutes slipped by. "Talk" "You" Think "Tsiry"

He needed to get away from the hell that was Myriad. What a disgusting, annoying place with an alpha who was as idiotic as he was childish. Still, it was true he made the choice to stay; he could not make any other choice. Not after the fight that Zephyra, Nixie, and Kaitlyn put up. While he despised the pack, and despised Rivaxorus, he could not... he could not abandon his sisters. While he was much different from the idealistic young man he had been the previous year, that was one thing that had never changed.

Still, he could not stand being in those pack lands one second more. So he took off, diving into the waters of the Sea's Plain while it was in low tide, and swam out, paws pushing firmly in the water as he headed for the nearby island. It was not the same island as the one the... the wedding had been on; no, this was a completely different island that always teased as it loomed just on the horizon - so close, but so far as well. He'd never really had the motivation to actually, well, go there. Well... looks like his hatred and disgust was fuel enough.

Feeling drained and tired, he pulled himself to the shore, panting softly as he shook himself, wincing as sand stuck to his paws and legs. Ew. He lowered himself back into the water briefly, to wash away the sand, before standing again. That was better; it would still stick to his paws but maybe - just maybe - not his legs. He could see the trees not too far off, and he headed towards the treeline, head low as he carefully placed his paws.

"Speech" "You"

Peregrine was surprised and amused to watch the myriad of emotions play across the young male's face as he surfaced from the sea. His sudden appearance was startling, but she could see the tension in his shoulders as he came on to land, the irritation as he glanced down at his sand-coated limbs, the resignation as he returned to the water to carefully rinse himself. Or at least, thats how she took it. Upon his return she noted the mindlessness of his movements as if he were taking in the land through a veil of churning thought. Ever curious (read: nosy), she rose from her place on the tree line, hoping he would catch sight of her and not be startled once she called out. "Hail, wayfarer." Alright, so she was a bit dramatic. So sue her. "What brings you to these foreign shores?" After all, no companion was worth their salt if they couldn't take a joke, or at the very least, put up with her nonsense. And anyways, he seemed a little occupied, so who's to say he wouldn't appreciate a diversion of sorts? Or maybe he would turn on her and try to gauge her eyeballs out. Just another one of life's little adventures, she supposed. She trotted over to the wide flat rock where the spoils of her fruitful hunt (okay, so she'd driven the poor thing into the water and wouldn't allow it to come ashore until it was too tired to flee) sat out. It was still fresh enough to be palatable without having turned to the texture of rawhide, perhaps a bit salty, but she found the taste enjoyable enough! She gestured at it with a dangling paw. "Hungry? I've enough for two. I made that swim myself two days ago... Exhausting, huh?" After all, it was often the generosity of others that kept her belly full and she was down to spread the love when the opportunity arose. Not to mention, ingratiated wolves were more likely to spill their secrets and it looked like this man had plenty to share. "Talk" "You" Think "Tsiry"

A movement halted his slow and annoying progress on the soft beach, and his head rose to spot a wolf in the treeline right before she called out to him. Her overdramatic greeting was actually amusing to him. "Not you, certainly," he replied, his tone dry with a touch of that amusement he felt. While the words themselves were a bit... insulting; he did hope it would be taken lightly.

Surprised with the company that he wasn't expecting, but didn't find himself all that opposed to, he hurried up his pace, pausing again when she spoke. He shook his head. "No, thanks. I'll not take from your food." She was a loner; food was hard to come by at times for loners, even on such a fruitful place like this. He chuckled lightly at her words; exhausting was a bit of an understatement. "Very much so, but a bit worth it, I think." He glanced at the food that was... laying out on a rock in the sun, and he glanced back at the woman curiously. "Why?" he questioned simply, angling his head to gesture at the strips of flesh that were drying in the sun. It didn't make much sense to him, after all.

"Speech" "You"

OOOC: Posting at work because #needs

So he wasn't the most friendly of wolves, that was fine. Peregrine could hardly expect everyone she met to be as extroverted as she was. Despite his apparent surprise at finding her there, he still came her way and delved deeper into the conversation. Perfect, Pere thought, dreading the boredom that would have resulted otherwise. He also turned down her offer of food, which earned him a "Suit yourself!" and a shrug but no further pressure because hey, she'd probably want it later.

He gestured to her odd methods of preservation and she found herself with a tight grin on her face. "Between you and me," she whispered conspiratorially, "I'm a pretty dismal hunter." Returning to her usual volume she informed him that, "The salt from the ocean water deters the meat from spoiling, though raw salt works better, and once the sun has dried it out it'll keep for longer yet. I need to make whatever I manage to catch last, so I can put up with the salty taste." After all, it was that or starve! She waited to see what he would make of this odd habit.

He was rather glad the woman didn't insist; he really was not that hungry, and he could find his own food; he did not want to depend on another for food - even when freely given. And certainly not from a packless wolf - she'd need that food. Despite his general reluctance around strangers and a lack of concern for others, he did have something in his heart, and it showed, sort of, here.

He tilted his head somewhat as she spoke again, speaking almost... as if there was suddenly a secret between them; something only he knew. Hmm, interesting. He didn't really... understand this woman in the least, and he was sure his confusion was seen by the rapid blinking he did only moments before. Pretty soon, though, she answered her question, and he hummed thoughtfully. It really was a smart tactic, and one he never thought of before. After all, if meat was preserved longer, it could be kept in stores in the winter. "That sounds very smart," he commented. "Especially if you are a poor hunter as you say," he added with a slight smile, though it was not meant to be insulting in any way - just a statement of fact. "How long does it keep? Sounds like it'd be a good idea especially to do in Autumn, for Winter." Especially for him - he could see how it could be infinitely useful where he lived; he could simply drag the carcass (hopefully) or drive the prey towards the Sea's Plain when it was full. If it preserved for a long time, then he could hunt when the time was right, and simply preserve the meat, as this woman claimed.

"Speech" "You"

The stranger seemed interested and appreciative of her odd habits, which gave Peregrine a certain sense of relief. She was more used to being ridiculed about it, and then responding with her usual lack of tack, the ensuing flight and pursuit... Yeah, it wasn't a good time. They fact that he wanted to know more was even better, and she was gleeful to speak about her trade, despite knowing it bored the hell out of most. "Oh, two or three weeks usually, sometimes the best stay for up to six, but I'm still learning. I trade other things for meals too, and they're all different. Herbs, fish, even clay once." She gave a tiny laugh, almost a scoff. That was an odd customer, for sure. "Everything needs to be just so. But I and some companions of mine are doing what we can to figure it out. This poor pig was just another lesson." She prodded another paw at the meal in question, giving it an appreciative grin. Sure, she still had dark dreams about the way it had paddled through the breaking surf, exhausted, knowing that to return meant death by her jaws but to stay meant exhaustion and eventual drowning. She changed the subject. "So, what's your name, stranger? And where are you from?" She knew it was nosy, but she didn't care. Brevity was important for those who did not mind walking out on if if they found you to be boring.  Besides, she cared less about the wolves he shared company with, those evident among the other scents on his coat, than the lands he called home. Particularly what might be found there. She was always on the lookout for new contacts, after all. Even if this man was not interested, gossip sat on the forefront of discovery, and she'd thank him for any new bits of information spared. "My name is Peregrine, by the way. I have a friend somewhere around, an orange lemur. If you happen across one, I'd prefer you not attempt to eat her. She's a guide of sorts, and bound to be bitter in taste." She decided to tease Tsiry, even in her absence. She couldn't resist. She hoped wherever she was about in the forest, she heard it and grew irritated. "Talk" "You" Think "Tsiry"

He truly was curious - he never heard of a thing that she was describing, and as such, it piqued his interest. How could it be used? What would be the best way of preservation? Hmm... she said three weeks, but up to six. Were there any other ways of preservation to make it longer? And trading things for meals? If she could get better at hunting, then she would be able to trade purely for profit, and putting wolves in her debt; those favors could then be called in later at future points in rough situations or something like that. It was all a very good idea, he decided, and he nodded slowly, until one word caught his attention specifically. Clay? What the hell was clay? It sounded like nothing he'd ever heard of before. "What is clay?" he questioned, brows furrowed in confusion. Still, he rather liked the way she handled this business of hers; all lessons and learning. "Perhaps I could be of assistance at some point?" he offered. It was certainly a wortwhile venture, and one he was eager to be part of.

So caught up in the interesting discussion of trade, a concept he had never before thought of, he had completely forgotten the basic introductions and whatnot. He tilted his head in acknowledgement of her words. "I am Ren Agatsuma. I currently reside in a pack called Myriad." He didn't even bother hiding the distaste from his voice as he spoke of the pack, and his ears twitched back irritably as he thought of the idiots that resided within. Of course, his sisters were also there, so they weren't all idiots... though Nixie and Kait were certainly not the brightest. They were sweet, caring, innocent and quite precious to him, but they were not the brightest. No matter; he'd protect them all the same.

When the woman gave her name, he bowed his head, and his front body in a very formal and over-the-top gesture. "It is a pleasure, my lady Peregrine," he murmured, the wicked grin on his face hidden only by his bowed head. If she was going to go dramatic on him, he would do the same to her. He was, however, completely sincere. This was an interesting diversion, and he was quite enjoying it. After another second in that position, he rose to his paws again. "I daresay think you'd be quite right. I've always found lemurs to be quite stringy, and not at all enjoyable." Okay, he couldn't really resist - he was amused, alright?

"Speech" "You"

The man did not even know what clay was. Peregrine blinked. Perhaps it was called by a different name where he hailed from, or perhaps the man found a lifestylfe for himself somewhat reserved from digging about in the earth. If so, she both envied and pitied him. Hastily, she would explain, "Clay is a type of earth. It is slick and sticky, and holds it's form well. I've know other creatures, mainly primates and other nimble sorts, that can craft it into vessels which can hold water and honey and other such things. Another thing I've yet to learn." She gave him another wry smile. Sooner or later the male would just think she was ignorant! Oh well, she mused. Who wasn't these days? He offered her his assistance and forced her to smile even wider in doing so. This one was sharp around the edges, almost malicious as she thought of everything she had put others through in the past. He didn't really know what he was offering, did he? Before she could respond he offered her his name in return, paired with the pack he belonged to. The disdain was a weight on his tone, and she found herself smirking. Oops, oh well. She couldn't help but find amusement in the fact that he seemed to have willingly bonded himself somewhere he did not feel he belonged. He was a wolf, certainly he was free to go as he pleased? "Pardon my saying so," she began with more mirth in her voice than was strictly necessary, or tactful, "but that fact seems to ruffle your fur. Surely there's a story there?" At least he agreed to leave Tsiry be, at least for now, and she'd be sure to let the indebted lemur know the next time she saw her. "Oh, certainly stringy, but also somewhat enjoyable! At least, if you enjoy harassing others!" Of course, this Ren character seemed more muted than those she typically got on with. He did seem to have a story though, and for that she quietly congratulated herself on weeding another one out. Hopefully he would help the hours slip by. "Talk" "You" Think "Tsiry"

No, Ren most certainly never had to dig around the earth for much of anything; he never needed to do so. After all, it never occurred to him that he should and even now, as Peregrine explained, he found it odd at the thought. He nodded to her explanation, his mind already whirring at the possibilities. "If you were to find some sort of companion that could, then you could ask them to make it. Or perhaps if we find a population somewhere, you could trade various things in exchange for these holders. I don't think it'll be a craft you yourself can learn." If it required the type of paws that primates had, which, from stories he knew could grasp things, then there's no way she would learn how to do it. It would certainly be useful, though, to have such containers, even he wasn't quite certain how they could be transported easily.

She didn't respond to his offer, but then again, he didn't really give her enough time to do so. Whoops. Still, she was quite astute and quickly offered a question, to which he chuckled. "A story indeed," he agreed, though didn't say more. He wasn't averse to sharing said story, but nor would he just offer it without being asked for it; there was quite a chance she'd not be interested - which was more than fine with him. He did, however, chuckle again again at the pointed teasing of her friend, amused by it.

"Speech" "You"

Ren seemed not only fascinated by the possibilities, but also keen on unraveling the most efficient ways to harness the resources that surrounded him. He seemed to have a sharp mind, a with with few frills to distract him, and passion... well, at least of some sort. It was too bad he was attached to this pack of his, else she might count him a useful companion in her ventures. After all, she'd so far found great enjoyment in the company of Mags, Ricochet, and even Sparrow, plus several others. They'd mostly been loners however. She found the commitments of pack wolves to be more or less dead weight in her profession. To Ren she offered a shrug, and responded at last by saying, "True enough. My lemur friend, Tsiry, does what she can when she's willing, but the clay pots are usually so fragile that it doesn't make much sense to travel long distances with them. Instead I use..." She trailed off as she trotted around to the far side of the rock that hosted her drying meal. Her satchel had been laid there out of the sun, and she grabbed it's strap between her teeth, hoisting it into full view. "This!" The word was somewhat jumbled, so she sat the bag down gently at her feet. "Tsiry found it, that's actually how we met. She traded it to me for protection on our travels. I'm to keep other things from eating her, and she help's me out where she can." Another shrug, one to show the rather loose bonds of their friendship. They may be at each other's throats from time to time, but she had come to care deeply about her small friend, and knew she would be rather upset by losing her. To distract herself from those otherwise dismal thoughts, she gestured to the bag with a paw and offered, "If you want to take a closer look, feel free. In exchange for some information on this pack of yours." That bit was accompanied by a tight grin and a glint in her eyes, ever willing to barter for what she needed, even information. "Would they be open to trading? I have considered meeting with the leaders of this land, offering goods for free passage in their lands. Is yours the sort who would be willing?" She knew packs could be led by all sorts, but as of yet she'd met so few, aside from the bright red monstrosity in the west. Always eager, she waited to hear what he'd have for her. "Talk" "You" Think "Tsiry"

He would not have been bound to the pack if he did not have to be, but he could not - with the remnant of a heart he still had - turn his back on his family, on his sisters, especially after they fought for him. And so he remained, chained in place to this pack he had no desire to be in. But, it was worth it for his siblings... though if he could break the rule of Rivaxorus and make into something significantly better, he would in a heartbeat.

When Peregrine spoke again, it simply affirmed his own thoughts - clay pots (pots being the word for the holder, he assumed) were impractical if you were a loner, but would be significantly more useful if in a pack. But... it seems she did use something to carry things, and when she trailed off he found himself leaning forward slightly, head tilted and ears pricked in full curiosity. What vessel did she use to carry her goods? How effective was it? When she pulled it out, his eyes widened a bit, and he leaned forward a bit more, studying it as she spoke. It was very interesting; it had a long strap with other, smaller straps securing the what he presumed as a pouch. It was rather large, too, and so he could guess that it could hold quite a few things. No doubt, she also had the pouch segmented, so things didn't mix; as a result, she could just... carry things with her - such as that meat that was drying in the sun, or herbs, or even the clay that she mentioned, though the latter might cause a bit of a mess. But wrap it in large leaves... and then it would be practical.

He nearly moved forward to take advantage of her offer, when she tacked on something that made him lean back and laugh. "Perhaps. But I think it would be more useful if you were to tell me of another preservation method of yours, of any expire-able material that has a use. Obviously, meat. What else? Answer that and I will give you the information you seek." If she wished to barter then he would as well, and for more than looking at a bag that he would not be able to replicate the making of. Her questions were good ones, though, and he'd be more than willing to answer... once she did, of course.

"Speech" "You"

Peregrine tossed her head back with a laugh. A natural when it came to bartering as well, it would seem. She debated for a moment calling him on his offer, drawling out that she had already told him much and he had told her so little. Of course, the ability to educate another, an a member of a pack at that, was an important goal of hers. It helped drive trade further into the veins of this land, securing her hold on it... Even if it went against the grain for her to give into another, ever for something as small as this. She raised a brow at him, and in a dry voice replied, "More useful for you, wasted breath for me. I should hope your explanation proves worth the effort." She fiddled with the mouth of her satchel, only loosely tucked so that she could easily open and close it. From within she pulled bundle of alfalfa, gathered long ago in the southern continent and bound with a small tendril of wild grape vine, courtesy of Tsiry. "Most plants gathered can keep for a very long time if they're dried. No need to salt these, of course. Then again, some bits are more useful than others and will lose their potency if they're stored or prepared wrong. Sometimes the juice inside is the bit that makes it all worthwhile. The more you know about herbs, the easier that gets." Mini-lesson over, and unwilling to offer anything else by way of education until he coughed up his side of the deal, she leveled him with an expecting smile and waited once more. "Talk" "You" Think "Tsiry"

It was clear his counter offer was one of much amusement, and he waited to see whether it would be rejected or accepted. She was silent for a bit, fiddling with that bag of hers, but finally she answered, and her barb made him chuckle. But, she made it clear that she would give the information, and he listened quietly. It was on herbs, which wasn't the most useful thing ever, but still good to know. He presumed they were dried in the same manner; left in the sun - though without salt. She offered as much as she could without devling into specific herbs and whatnot, and he nodded. Makes sense; one would have to have a deep knowledge of the herbs to fully understand the potential of storing and keeping them.

She fell silent then and stared unexpectedly, and he chuckled again. "Very well," he agreed. A deal was a deal, and he would not back out on that. "The pack I live in is called Myriad. It is led by a wolf named Rivaxorus II, who is not the brightest of wolves. It has a secondary alpha named Zephyra; she is my sister. It seems, however, that Rivaxorus consults her on little to nothing, though." Anger suffused his voice briefly - and on top of that, he practically forced her into marriage, he thought bitterly. That's what he would stand by; he could not imagine that Zephyra would agree to immediately marry the moment she became an adult without hesitation or pressure from Rivaxorus. She was smarter than that. "Rivaxorus is paranoid, and willing to throw out any wolf over a single disagreement. The pack is very roughly arranged; most of the ranks are in a foreign language that only he understands. You need to not only memorize the ranks, but what each does, and it's quite annoying to do. There's a plethora of ranks as well. I cannot see him being the best with trading; it'll probably be easy to take advantage of him, but I also don't see him opening his lands to you. He may insist that you swear some sort of oath that you will never go against the pack in any way, shape, or form. He also may insist you be an ally in order to remotely consider it. His is not a pack that can stand on it's own - he relies on others and is allies with most packs." He paused, thinking briefly. "He's also one to immediately jump into 'will you have an alliance with me?' without even getting to know the other alpha - I do not know this for certain, but this is the vibe I get. After all, how could he be allies with so many packs in such a short span if that was not the case? I know he has direct ties with one - Fiori. He is far from a good leader, though many of the pack place loyalty in him simply because he is the leader. The lands Myriad reside in are called the Weeping Woods and Sea's Plains. The Weeping Woods is a small, serene grove of willow trees. It has lots of prey, as well as plenty of streams. It's a fertile land. The other land, the Sea's Plain, is a plain that floods with every incoming tide with brackish sea-water. It'd be a good land for preserving meat; it gets plenty of sunlight when the tide is not incoming and there's often enough water to cover a large carcass." This is when he stopped, and adjusted his seating position before eyeing Peregrine. "I trust that sufficed?" If it didn't, he didn't know what the hell could. He gave more than what she asked for.

"Speech" "You"

Peregrine found her eyes widening as Ren went on with his... description. Whatever she ought to call that. Under other circumstances she might have congratulated herself for pegging his frustrations so successfully, but he'd given her too much information to sort through for that just now. She rocked back onto her haunches, nodding quietly as he wrapped up. Was it sufficient? More than. While she wasn't normally the sort to take anything at face value, she was intrigued by what Ren had said. Perhaps this pack was worth some investigation anyways. Was this just a personal beef between the two males? She'd certainly seen enough of that in her short time on this earth, more than she needed to in fact, and it seemed likely enough. After all, how could any alpha hold a pack together if this was how all it's members felt? Then again, she would likely need to meet this alpha himself to make a final decision on the matter. Any way she looked at it, it seemed as if this 'Myriad' place was as good as any to start with. "He sounds like a terror," she said at last with a small scoff. Regardless of Ren's personal feelings, she was glad she wouldn't be going in blind. "I'm hardly the sort to swear oaths blindly, nor will I be groveling for the approval of any leader who can't maintain the loyalty and trust of those who follow them. Thank you, all of that is good to know." Particularly the fertility of their lands. Alright, if this Rivaxorus character wouldn't grant her access, it might still be worthwhile to sneak in. She had a growing band of capable followers after all, many she would trust to guard her back if things got hairy. Could this alpha say the same? She smiled at Ren. "Convince your sister to join up with me, why don't you?" Part of her was joking, part of her wanted to test the bonds of his loyalty. She wouldn't deny that this male seemed like another strong ally in the making. "You lives would be much more interesting, I can guarantee it." She even went so far as to send him a wink before nudging the satchel his way for inspection. She stood, moving towards the slab of stone and carefully turning the strips of meat over onto the other side, testing them with a prodding paw to see how much long she would have to languish there in the sun. Oh well, she thought. At least I've got interesting company. "Talk" "You" Think "Tsiry"