A recent downpour of torrential rain had caused the western rivers to swell beyond their banks, reshaping the landscape and leaving paths of destruction in their wake. The scarred landscape around the Rio Grande was, unsurprisingly, unlike anything that she had seen. While rivers ran through mountains and valleys, they were not nearly as large as force of nature that surged past. Silt remained suspended in the water, debris shattering as they passed through rapids, but the flooding had caused a low flowing off-shoot, separated from the deep, raging waters by a gravel bar.

In the calm waters, smaller sized fish took sanctuary, spending some time to rest before attempting to navigate through the underwater chaos of the river. Noticing this, Muses spent some time observing, basking in the sunlight as an opportune break in the clouds slowly drifted over her area. She watched them lazily, hooded gaze making her appear as if she could nod off at any moment. Aside from the rare times she had to blink, she remained motionless for what felt to her like a very long time.

Then, she stood, slowly pacing, determining the best spot to stake out. She had never fished before - hunting in pairs or larger groups was her preferred method of acquiring food - but she had seen others do it once or twice. It did not seem particularly difficult from what she could remember, but after finding the perfect place to fish from, and several failed attempts later, she was beginning to understand the effort required to catch even a fish just big enough to fit between her jaws. For all the water that soaked her thick fur, she had absolutely nothing to show for her efforts. Some of the fish even returned to the slow waters after having been scared off, finally realizing that Muses was no threat at all.

Lament Pyre Surprisingly, considering how close it was to where he was staying, the warrior had not yet made his way towards the Rio Grande. He let his paws lead him as he fell into a familiar morning jog, and would move South from the pack that had granted him sanctuary. He hit the river and angled himself East as he followed it. It made a good scenery to his morning exercises, with the sun hitting the water just right, and casting golden shadows across its back. He didn’t slow until he noticed the light-toned wolf standing in a shallow offshoot from the main drag. Her coat was wet, and even as he looked on, she would attempt to strike out at the fish that frequented the gentler water. He slowed his gait as he approached, and would stop at the bank of the stream not far from her. His face seemed utterly impassive, devoid of emotion, and his paw twitched a little against the earth beneath him. curiosity, warm greeting his hand would say, to those who knew Ademic. “No luck?” he called out in his carefully pitched voice, his tone warm even if his expression didn’t reflect it. His silver eyes looked across the expanse of water and considered. He had been told he fished well, the him that had existed before his lost memories. He hadn’t attempted to do so since hearing it, and was interested to see if his body remembered what his mind did not. “Would you like a hand?” "Speech"|"Ademic"

She did not notice his approach, so intent was she on the task of fishing. Ever observant when it came to little gestures or nuances in behaviour, she might have been intruiged to see his paw shift and flex, terrified of the hellion that stood close by, but blissfully unaware, she struck out once more withour success, causing water to spash up her front, and the little fish that had been tempted out from their hiding places to promptly return.

It was only when the stranger spoke that her ears swiveled to meet his words, warm tones sparking matching colours in her peripheries. To her, the moment he spoke, it felt very much like he was facing her. "No luck at all." She admitted, her stare lingering on the rippling surface just a moment longer. "The rivers I've known were always shallow, so fishing was easier." Muses went on to explain, more thinking out loud than purposeful conversation. With a sigh that indicated that she was still committed to the activity despite her growing frustrations, she turned to face the wolf who offered to lend a helping paw.

Her acceptance was on the tip of her tongue, bubbling from her mouth as she turned her head and shoulders. But her twisting body suddenly froze, and the hackles between her shoulder blades and along her rump began to rise. Her first instinct was to pull back, to flatten her ears amd guard her neck. Wolves with deeply saturated pelts were something of a new species to her, but she understood those with coats dark as pitch to be dangerous. The rebels who had cause the avalance and killed her family were mainly soot in colour. As if to add to his sinister appearance, flames licked his limbs, embers glowing throughout his fur.

She did not want to scorn him, to shut him out when he had only offered assistance. Her heart ached, knowing he had not wronged her personally, but his presence brought a queasy feeling to her stomach. Though she did not, could not, force a smile this time around, she gulped hard against the lump that had grown in her throat, and turned her body, inviting the dark wolf close. "An extra set of paws would be great." Muses stated carefully, trying to keep an open mind.

Lament Pyre She spoke at first without casting her gaze towards him. She was too intent on her task, and he could respect that. His paw twitched into a teasing smile as he thought of words he would have said, had she been his sister instead of a stranger. As it was, he kept his stoic stance, and waited for an invitation before he would do anything. When she did look towards him, he would sense the jolt that went through her. Her body froze, her hackles raised, and he kept himself calm and still, so as not to frighten her further. He incorrectly thought it was his warriors form, in the strength of his muscles, and the elongated fangs which where an oddity in this land, which had frightened her. He held his calm stance, his expression blank, but his eyes kind. His paw moved very gently, very slowly, beneath him gentle apology, friendly encouragement it said in the language of his people. Ater a time, she regained control of herself, and despite her obvious discomfort, she still invited him to help. He inclined his head towards her in thanks. “You honor me” he said, in acknowledgement of her fighting her fears for him. "I'm Lament Pyre of the Ademre" he introduced himself, as he moved cautiously into the water without getting too close to her. He could respect her discomfort, and would do his best to set her at ease. One he was nearly knee-deep he stopped, and stood very still over the water. He held his stance as though he was a rock, unmoving, unyielding, until the fish regained their confidence. When they began to swim near him once more, he struck. His coiled muscles moving with a fighters grace, as his elongated fangs parted, and clamped on empty air. blast “I fear my shadow alerted them” he said a little sheepishly, dripping water from his maw. So, he didn’t have his former skill, then. Alas, another thing lost. "Speech"|"Ademic"

The steady hum of the dark wolf's voice, although he did not talk much at all, was enough reassurance to Muses that she did not dance away immediately. Her curiosity showed in the twitch of her ears as she glanced downward at the male's slowly flexing and contracting paw. In the way his digits seemed to pulse, she was reminded of the vibrations of voices. Wordlessly, she nodded once, clearly at a loss. A spectator might have thought her dumbstruck, which was not far off, for she struggled to process his appearance and his words. His title made him sound noble, an individual who belonged somewhere important to state. The exchanging of names was not new to Muses, for she had dozens of siblings and relatives, all intertwined, but she noticed that she had no word or name to describe who her family was, and where she was from.

"My name is..." Her voice trailed off as she began to feel a sense of anguish creep up on her. Pale eyes turning glassy for a moment, she blinked hard against the stinging sensation of tears welling in her eyes, turning her head away although she saw that Lament was still pre-occupied with the fish. "My name is Muses." It was not a name, but a responsibility, a burden alone for her to bear. The memory of eleven sisters lived on within her, and through her actions, she would do what they no longer could. She had shed her given name in her grief, thinking it better to lay it to rest alongside the others.

"Perhaps we could fish together then. Between the two of us, we might come up with something." She suggested timidly, watching the fish dart away from the obsidian wolf as he struck out. Part of her wanted to be able to observe the stranger, for it appeared he knew what he was doing, despite a lack of success. The other part craved socialization, regardless of her companion's appearance. "This is quite unlike the fishing I've done before, but I hope that in time, I'll figure it out." She spoke softly, worriedly, a pink tongue slipping out to caress her chops.

He heard something in her voice, an anguish that he was certain he wasn't suppose to grasp. He didn't acknowledge it, she was barely coping with his presence as it was. It didn't stop him from wondering at her pain  and what in her part may have caused it. “It is a pleasure to meet you, Muses” he said instead, paw moving beneath the water into a smile, a chuckle lifting from his lips at the folly of it.


He looked beneath the waters surface, at the fish that berthed around him for the moment and did not enter his striking distance. He was still, thoughtful, before he seemed to wrestle himself from his mind and turn back to the girl who feared and braved him. “That is an excellent idea” he easily agreed. He moved a little closer, cautiously, and with great intent on her reactions. If she showed fear, he would stop.


He was a wolf length away from her when he let his paw steps still, and turned so he was facing the same direction as she did. He crouched low in the water, so he cast less of a shadow over the water. Eyes twinkling, the warrior let himself fall still as a stone, and waited until the fishes grew brave once more. It took a little longer this time, but they did it eventually. “Ready?” he asked, voice calm and very, very quiet. She might just taste the edges of the word in their still world, and he gave her a moment, before he lunged, hoping she did also to a fish of her own.

She had to wonder what made him so consistent in his tone. To her benefit, he spoke clearly, the undulating line of his voice maintaining a steady rhythm, suggesting there was nothing to fear or doubt. He otherwise moved and smelled just as any other wolf might; his unique markers laced with something familiar that all canines seemed to have. It did not take much more prompting for her to trust him, for it was easily given as she yearned to see only the best in those she interacted with.

Only when the dark wolf became still did she move as well, carefully mimicking his posture, eyes trained to this distorted image beneath the slow moving stream. She took the time to observe the rocks and debris at the bottom of the bed, noting where clumps of branches and plant matter had become trapped, providing shelter for fish. As water flowed around their limbs, and insects buzzed at their flanks, the fish eventually came out from hiding, lazily propelling themselves in the shallows. Yet it was not the task that Muses found herself focusing on, but rather the solemn soldier standing alongside her.

She was perceptive, not supernaturally gifted, beyond her unique way her brain processed sound. There was nothing to hear, no sound emanating from the flame-licked obsidian statue. He had made himself organic, belonging there as patch of reeds might, one with the languid flow of the stream. His focus was mesmerizing, inspiring her to do her best as a huntress. When his question came, barely two notes raised upon a passing breeze, she twitched her ears, front to back, as a flag of confirmation. They sprung upon their prey in unison, each focused intently on a target. Water sprayed upward as an instance of chaos exploded; the climax of the hunt, the moment of uncertainty before the results were revealed.

Rearing upward, a cascade of water poured from her cracked maw, barren jaws flanked by dark lips that turned downward in rueful disappointment. Turning sheepishly back to Lament, she shrugged with practiced acceptance of failure, and craned her neck in rather surprising eagerness to see if the male had caught anything.

"Speech."

Lament Pyre The wolf beside him was still and silent, and the sound of the running water seemed amplified, with the occasional burble and chirp of the water itself and the life that lived within it. He respected how easily she fell still, he didn’t peg her for a warrior, but there was no hesitation in the easy way she copied his stance. A hunter, then he decided, even if fishing here wasn’t in her area of expertise. It wasn’t in his either, apparently. He was watching carefully, both her and the water, so he would see her ear twitch, the barest, silent agreement. He might have seen his fangs parting in a silent laugh, before together they lunged. His elongated fangs speared his chosen target successfully, driving into its brain and killing it immediately. There was a moment where his head was fully submerged, and he would see the clear water around them, the spread of weeds that drifted lazily in the direction the current ran. Then his head was free, brushing forth from the water in a spray of liquid, kill held proudly as he looked to his companion. His paw moved to sign a regretful smile, as he came to a stop close to her. His fish was caught on his right fang and partly in his maw, flopping over past his lips. It was still, and clearly dead. He put his head on the surface of the water and released his catch, bobbing his head upwards and causing a gentle wave to push the fish towards her, its dead form floating. “Hmm.. perhaps there are other methods we might try, any suggestions?” "Speech"|"Ademic"

Between the two of them, it was only the saber-toothed wolf that was rewarded for his efforts. A speared fish caught on one of the fangs was held limply in his grasp; a more jarring sight than she had anticipated seeing, and she looked away quickly, not certain if it was polite to stare, or if she was even brave enough to stare at all. She did not feel particularly embarrassed, or even upset by her inability to fish in the slow shallows. When Lament kindly asked if there was another method of fishing she might want to try, she cracked an impish smile, though she still seemed unable to meet him eye to eye.

"Well, my favourite is finding a river at the base of a mountain, where fish seasonally swim up stream." She concluded her bad joke, trailing off with a low chuckle. There was no way anyone would be able to help her with that. "I think I'll figure it out with a bit more practice," The earnest optimism in her tone was indication that this was something she sincerely wanted to master, but the catch in her voice indicated that it might take a significant amount of time. "However, I'm not particularly keen on something that requires me to put my head under water." She flared her nostrils, clearly agitated, and gave her head a little shake, doing nothing to rid her fur from the water it had absorbed.

The glacier waters that fed the streams that ran through the mountain she lived on her far too cold for her liking, so she had never gotten used to being drenched. Snow was more frequent than rain, and she could happily opt to stay in a shelter or den whenever it did rain. She had never experienced the brutal heat of summer in the lowlands, however, and would eventually learn that swimming could keep her cool; but that was not a lesson she would learn today. "I've never seen a river that could get so deep or wide." She marveled, glancing from the fish floating towards her, out past the sandbar, and beyond the fast-moving section of the Rio Grande. "Everything here is just so interesting and bizarre! Sometimes I still think I'm just in a dream." It was as if her world had turned into full colour, compared to the drab grey of her former life.

"Speech."

Lament Pyre He could perhaps just remember the bare edges of his home territory. The giant island, known as Haert, had a diverse landscape. The territory of the Ademre was rocky and largely barren, through that wasn’t to say it wasn’t without growth and beauty. The things that could grow in the rougher earth were tough and steady, reliable. The prey life consisted of creatures such as goats and elk, amongst other things. With predators like Mountain cats to keep them on their toes. The fauna that existed was beautiful, with exotic flowers, and of course, the Sword Tree itself. The great tree that bloomed red, vibrant and great. It was beneath this tree that a warriors merit was tested. Fishing had been a common sport, for the ravines on the edges of their territory had held a diverse sea-life. It was there, supposedly, that he had learnt to fish. But his thoughts digressed, and with an effort and regret, he pulled himself from the half-remembered place of his birth. “If wishes were fishes” said, a half-wry smile formed in his paw. “I’m sorry I could not help you more, if I could recall my teachers instructions, I would share them." he apologised, and his regret was for more than just his inability to share, but acknowledgement for what he had lost. She indicated that she was unaccustomed to dipping her head in the water, and his surprised was to be read in his paw as he responded to that. Bathing was essential for any warrior, and a disgrace for them to turn up otherwise. “It is rather impressive” he agreed, letting his attention be lead to the larger divergent of water, letting his eyes move back to her as she spoke of being overwhelmed. “I couldn’t agree more, I take it then that you aren’t from around here, where is home, for you?” he would ask. "Speech"|"Ademic"

With an emotionless expression and an even cadence to his voice, Muses could not tell what Lament truly thought of the situation. "Thank the gods I'm patient." She said with a soft smile, far less bothered by her failure. Judging by both appearance and scent, the dark furred wolf was not significantly older than her, so surely time had not corrupted his memories. Her stare lingered on him just a moment longer than her typical fleeting glances. She had always been able to read her brothers and sisters, aunts and uncles, and even some of the strangers she had met recently. Curiously enough, Lament's book seemed to be bound by lock and key; try as she might, Muses was not able to uncover any clues, save for the frequent twitching of his paw.

It seemed that they were both strangers to the land, though Muses had arrived by pure chance alone, washing up on shore several days prior. "My home was on a mountain so tall, the top was almost always obscured by clouds. An endless mountain range extended beyond that to the west, and to the east was what I thought was an endless ice field... but at the end, the ground gave way to the sea. I fell off the edge, and washed up here. It's much greener, and warmer here." From the tone of her voice, it was obvious that the heat was not a welcome change.

Noticing that the fish Lament had caught was now beginning to drift almost out of reach, she stretched her neck out elegantly, carefully nipping at the tail, and slowly dragging it back in. with it secured, she returned her attention back to the onyx furred wolf, indicating with a nudge of her muzzle that it was his turn to share. She was interested to know what kind of an environment bred wolves that looked like fire and hot coals.

"Speech."