Things had been different since meeting Mara. He was beginning to feel more at peace being in her presence, but he wasn't sure if it was her specifically or if it's the thought of their vow to one another. Sleep still hadn't been easier, but it was much better then it had been and overall he had been taking it easy just with some company. Mara wasn't the type of women he would normally seek company with, but he was surprised at how he was enjoying her company. Things were not as bad when you had someone to be miserable with.

He was being lazy in the plains, watching the prey animals in the distance with his good eye. Mara was nearby, at least he hoped she was still hanging around. His gold eye looked around or her before letting out a bark, calling to her if she was nearby. Maybe she would be up for a little hunt if she was feeling strong enough. If not he could catch something small for them to share. He patiently waited in the grasses hoping she didn't up and run off on him, just when he was getting used to someone else around.


"Talk." & 'Think'

Strange how life was so full of these ridiculous twists and turns. It kept one on their toes, but sometimes it was just exhausting to try and keep from getting beaten down entirely by it. Lately Mara had been thinking hard about when and if she ought to reattempt her reunion with Amos. There was still no sign of her other kids so far as she knew. Right now the woman was fairly certain that it was too soon to try; she'd probably just upset him more, or worse, ruin things forever. No, it was better to wait longer and spend some time with the old fart- speaking of!

His bark reached her ears and Mara would slowly pull herself to a standing position, shaking out her pelt before trotting off to look for Vern. He'd been... interesting. Mara liked the guy well enough, and had a reasonably god time in his company. Mostly she was just still adjusting to spending time with someone completely unlike the wolves she typically tended to associate with - rare as that had been. At the very, very least the guy was reasonably nice and made life less cold and lonely.

When she reached the half blinded man Mara would let her rump hit the ground with a soft thump. Looking at him inquisitively, the scarred woman let her short tail thwack against the ground a couple times, a light smile tentatively reaching her lips. It was an alien concept to try and be nice, one she only continued to tackle because deep down she wasn't really sure she could deal with being on her own again. The nightmares weren't gone still, just cropping up less frequently. "What's up?" she asked, tentatively seeking to rest her chin on top of his head. What possessed her to do that she wasn't sure. Mara was stunted, trying to find out late in life what friendship or companionship might look like. Was this it?

He was relieved that it didn't take her long, still doubting that she would continue to stick around. She hadn't been far because it didn't take her long at all to come strolling over to him. She let her rump fall to the earth, her tail lightly beating the ground and she looked to him, his one good gold eye looking back her her. She then asked him what was up before placing her chin on top of his head and resting it there. This was still so foreign to him, this closeness and this contact, but he liked it. He tried not to show how much he liked it, but he couldn't help but smile and wag his tail in return.

He had been more and more thankful for their encounter and the fact he wasn't completely alone anymore. Cealum had offered for him to come back to Abaven, but after his blow up with Zeph he was even more sure that he should just stay away from them. He didn't want anymore trouble with them and wanted his friends to live out the rest of their days happily and focused on what was left of their blood family.

"Feel up for some hunting today?" he asked her. "There's a small herd of deer far ahead, ripe for picking out a meal."


"Talk." & 'Think'

He seemed to be in a decent mood, something she found she was glad for. It seemed like they were slowly changing together since they'd met that night, and while they might not be better they weren't the same. Mara wasn't at least. Right now she felt like she might be a better wolf than the one who arrived in Boreas some time ago. It was an interesting thought, alien, but not unwelcome.

"Hm," she mumbled, intending to drag out her response despite actually being hungry, but the growl her stomach decided to fill the air with ruined any possibility of feigning disinterest, "Yeah, I might be a bit hungry after all." Laughing softly, she glanced in the direction of the deer in question. "Already have a target picked out or am I here in time for all the fun parts?"

He too had changed, his outlook on life had overall been better since thier first meeting. Mara had never needed the protection that he knew how to give, but her company was enough to make him feel somewhere close to being whole again. It was strange to think that, but Vern had been thinking all sorts of crazy things up until now.

She seemed undecided at first, making Vern unsure if a hunt was a good idea or not, but when her stomach growled giving it away that she was hungry, he couldn’t help but smile and laugh with her. There was no way to escape that. His attention turned back to the herd as she asked her next question.

”It wouldn’t be right for me to not include you in all the fun parts of the hunt,” he said with a grin.

The only sad part is this small bit of contact would be lost when they moved to begin. The contact is something he had been craving for years, but he didn’t outwardly show it.

At his response she'd smirk, glancing down to fix her gaze on the top of his head as she chuckled, "Aren't you generous, including little ol' me in the selection process." Of course her least favorite part was sitting about, watching the animals and studying them for ages to pick a suitable target out from the lot. It was necessary, though, and she wouldn't mind putting up with the less enjoyable parts if she was going to have a full stomach by the end of it.

After a pause she pulled herself to her paws, shaking out her scraggly pelt. A cursory glance over at the herd that grazed so peacefully yielded no clues, so took some time to really study them, looking for which might be elderly, or any that stood off to themselves due to illness or injury.

His good eye looked up towards her her words making him grin a bit. He of course wouldn't make her do it alone, but two minds were better then one alone and he knew it was a much better idea they they spin off of each other's input for the hunt to be successful. Plus it had been forever since he hunted any medium sized game and part of him was a bit uncomfortable going at it alone.

Soon she began to get up, which meant there was no longer any close contact. His heart would drop at that, the attention and closeness something he had been craving for years, but the man wouldn't protest no matter how he felt. He pulled himself to his feet and looked at the herd with her. His working eye scanned every individual he could see. Scanning for limps, deformities, or any sign that would make them an easier target. Right off the bat there was nothing that was better then the other. They all looked fairly healthy, but then another figure wandered into the mix. It was a doe, a slower moving doe. His eye focused in on her and he gently attempted to bump Mara and motion towards the slow moving doe.

"What do you think of her," he asked.


"Talk." & 'Think'