S c u l l y ➶ A r c h e r Clouse was in Avella's care, giving Scully a chance to stretch his legs and get some energy out without the youth holding him back or having to worry about what trouble he might get the other two into. It wouldn't have been the first time that he'd gotten unwitting company into a scrape or other trouble because his search for fun had taken them a bit too far, and he did particularly feel like ruffling feathers this morning. The sky was clear and as deep a blue as the sea and its estuaries below. Time and the erosion it brought had created quite an interesting environment, one that Scully had certainly never had the pleasure of playing in before. Never minding the muck that attempted stubbornly to cling to his long legs and belly, he trudge from island to island, enjoying the challenge that navigating them provided. It wasn't the best of places to be distracted and not paying attention to one's surroundings, but Scully did not yet have enough life experience to be as vigilant as necessary. He stood at the edge of the water, sinking slowly into the gritty sludge as he surveyed and calculated his transition to the next sandbar. Last thing he needed was to drown out here. Word Count: 212, for Ellery only.

Protective and salty big sister wants to know where her brother is you heathen

Of all the areas of this land she’d visited thus far, which admittedly weren’t many, this was her least favorite. Muck and mud stuck to what felt like every crevice of her body and she knew it would take days to rid herself of it. If it weren’t for the fact that she thought she’d caught the scent of the runaway trio she wouldn’t have gone anywhere near the horrid place. With each step it squelched between her toes, making sick suctioning noises and she felt herself scowl. Of course they’d be in a place like this.

The wind currents were in a tizzy, courtesy of the mismatched estuaries of both freshwater and saltwater. One minute she’d catch a new scent then the next it would be gone. Ancestors, this was frustrating! She trudged after the latest smell, stalking after it in an absolutely fowl mood. A figure moved in the distance and she paused, persian blue gaze squinting to try and focus in on them. She began to move in their direction, becoming more and more sure of who it was then closer she got. Her eyes moved to scan the area around them for signs of her younger brother but she was left with nothing. Where the hell was he and why wasn’t he with him. Soon, she was in a barreling run.

”Scully Archer!” she bellowed out, her huge frame clearing a hellbent path toward the man.

"Speech"

S c u l l y ➶ A r c h e r He hadn't known she was there until she shouted his name. The sound of her voice was immediately recognizable, and the tone wasn't exactly novel either. Before he could find mirth in her ire, however, he needed to make sure she couldn't grab him and crush him into the muddy ground. The game would be over far too soon, then. Quick and nimbly as he could, he rushed his maneuver to the next minute body of land. He got wet and even more thoroughly muddied, but at least there was something obstacle-worthy between them and he could hopefully maintain a head start if she kept chasing. Once his footing was firm, he turned to face the oncoming threat with a wry smile and a twinkle in his gray eyes, even as they surveyed for escape routes around and past Ellery's massive frame. "Elle-bell!" he greeted enthusiastically, even giving his tail a few wags. Hopefully she'd slow and stop to talk, otherwise he'd have to run. "You come all this way for me?! Awww." Word Count: 174

The rascal was quick to bustle to the next sandbar, clearly trying to evade her capture which irked her all the more. Clearly he knew he was in trouble, which also meant he knew he’d done something wrong. Maybe she could have given him a pass if he’d had pure intentions, but Clouse wasn’t like the rest of the Archers. Sure he had half their blood, but she could tell he was all Hervok. He was a good pup, loyal and upright. Scully wasn’t the type of crowd she wanted him hanging out with for an extended period of time.

He called out a nickname for her, one he knew she hated and she narrowed her gaze further into a glare. “You can run, but you can’t hide!” she called, long limbs eating up the sand between them. She stumbled a few times along the way as her weight made her sink into particularly loose patches of sand, righting herself. If she twisted an ankle trying to get to the little trouble maker it would only compound the situation he was in.

"Speech"

S c u l l y ➶ A r c h e r Ugh, she definitely didn't stop. As much as he loved to bug her, Ellery was the big old wrench just waiting to foil his plans, and he cursed inside his head that he let her get the jump on him. Judas and Ramiel were much easier to give the runaround, whereas the blonde knight would clobber him swiftly and thoroughly without hesitation. It wasn't that he couldn't scrap, it was that he'd already learned several times that there was simply not enough of him to stand up against the Hervok. For now, that extra heft and muscle on the woman was to his advantage as it sank her even deeper into the estruary's bowels; it wouldn't stay that way for long. He did his best to stay facing her as he moved, doing his best to maintain the distance between them despite her determined approach. He didn't want to bolt yet, he wanted to have fun and banter. "Gods, you're a literal stick in the mud, you know that?" he called out to her as they moved together. "Perhaps I can't, but Clouse is much smaller. You'd be surprised at the places I've been able to stowe 'im." Word Count: 198

She was growing increasingly pissed as their little game of chase wore on. He was having fun with this, she knew he was. She’d heard stories from her mother about how ‘loyal’, ‘brave’ and ‘lawful’ Archers were, but Ellery had long since suspected those traits had been bred out of that bloodline. They were heathens, all of them, who only lived to fulfill their own wishes, damned be those around them.

She’d been so angry, for both herself and her father, when she’d found out that Nineva had bred with Judas. The Hervok woman knew that her Papa and Mother’s relationship wasn’t conventional, quite the opposite in fact. She knew she’d been born out of necessity, not love, but that hadn’t stopped her from receiving plenty of love from both her parents. Despite knowing this, it still felt like a kick in the gut. She’d been able to disillusion herself into thinking they were a happy little family, especially after Nineva and Elias had had Sabriel and Jophiel. But then the spring of 2020 came and it was smashed to bits. Perhaps that was why she was so determined to pry Clouse from Scully’s clutches and shuttle him away from the influences of that side of him family.

”And you,” she ground out, pulling her leg from another muddy hole, “are a pup-snatcher! You could have gone out and done your exploring just fine on your own, Ancestors know you always have. But you had to drag Clouse into it. He’s 6 months old, he should be back at the Dell with his family!” God she was angry. She felt like she was going to blow a gasket. “Now tell me where you’ve supposedly stashed him and I’ll leave you to your...whatever you think you’re doing.”

"Speech"

S c u l l y ➶ A r c h e r The accusation didn't surprise him; that was exactly what he was, and Scully knew it. He feigned indignation anyways, turning his nose up at the blonde. The smirk, however, remained. "He is with family," the Archer corrected. He might've pushed a bit further on the matter, but wasn't really in the position to be nudging Ellery toward her nuclear setting. She had Archer siblings, she was in the family now whether she liked it or not; that was just how it worked. "And I didn't snatch anyone, Clouse asked to come along. Bugged me about it constantly! I can't, therefore," a grunt as he leaped to another patch of sandbar, "in good conscience... hand him over to someone he's trying to get away from. He's got two fully grown adults lookin' after him anyways. Do... you not trust us, Ell-belle?" His ears dropped in pretend hurt. Word Count: 145

The annoyed swishing of her tail would easily tell him that she wasn’t buying what he was selling. Yeah, okay, he was Clouse’s family. A portion of Clouse’s blood ran through Scully’s (though hopefully not too much, Ancestor’s help them), but she meant a family who could protect him better. If he got into trouble by something like a bear, it was a lot easier for a pack to protect him than two medium sized wolves. He needed guidance, a steady hand and consistent love that the pair simply couldn’t give him. Even Ellery knew that she couldn’t give him that on her own.

Then, he said that Clouse had begged them to let him come and, the one that hurt her chest a little, that he was trying to escape. No, that didn’t make sense. Clouse had never given any indication that he wasn’t happy with them at the Dell, though she could admit that he probably wouldn’t say anything if he weren’t happy with something. He had always wanted to please them, to fit in. Scully had to be bending the truth, like he always did. She was sure of it.

She was getting so close to him, he was only a sandbar away. She could see his patterns in detail now, the smaterings of grey and silver that seemed to cover every Archer. In a moment she’d have him pinned beneath her, compelling him to tell her the truth. “I’d trust in his safety a lot more if he had more than you two pipsqueaks around, and if you didn’t always seem so hellbent on getting yourself right in the middle of whatever dangerous situation is in the area!”

"Speech"

S c u l l y ➶ A r c h e r They were getting close to the tipping point, to the edge of Scully's bravery one might say. Ellery was becoming too close for comfort, and if he didn't move soon, he risked getting caught by her big-ass bear paws. Not only that, but she continued to only make good, level-headed points. She was so difficult to get turned around, unlike so many others. It made her less fun to play with, and if they hadn't been packmates he might've been a lot more avoidant of her and a lot less friendly. As it were, he really did like Ellery, and somehow that was what made this enjoyable nonetheless. Still, it was clear; their little interaction was coming to it's end. "I never get into anything I can't get right back out of," he confidently assured the woman with a wink before turning tail and taking off. The going was rough, but best he could Scully flew from isle to to isle, hoping he could outpace Ellery and leave her behind. He'd have to find a way to make her lose his scent as well before he could meet back up with Avella and Clouse again... Word Count: 195

The entire lower part of her body from the belly down was covered in mud and scum and she didn’t even want to think about what kinds of aquatic life. Ellery wasn’t a girly girl in the least sense. She’d grown up with all boys and was more of a rough and tumble gal, so she was more offended by the hassle of cleanup that would come after. But, no matter, because it would all be for a purpose. What Elle wanted she got, not in a prissy way but because that was simply the wolf she was. She worked and hyper fixated to the point of borderline obsession, striving to be perfect even if that sometimes got her into trouble.

So fixed on how close to victory she was to Scully that she didn’t realize the channel she was about to plow through was deeper than the rest. She took one step forward and suddenly her head was underwater, the sea burning her eyes and nose. Her back legs could touch enough to keep her head above water and she paddled, pushing against the current that threatened to draw her out to sea. “Don’t you dare!” she roared, swimming to the shore. But, her little fall had given the man just enough time to get across the last few channels and disappear into the mangrove. She followed after him, searching desperately but it seemed he’d chosen to swim at some point, masking the direction of his scent. A furious growl ripped from her chest and she stamped her foot.

He’d escaped, but not for long. She’d find them again.

Fade

"Speech"