Chade and Ry hadn’t gone on an adventure together in what felt like forever and forever to the boys was currently a matter of months.  They had spent a good portion of their life alone and wondered if they’d survive every day.  Then Manea had let them join the pack and everything had changed.  There had been so much pain and fear before but there had been good times.  The two boys had been discovering themselves, growing confident, and training in their different areas of expertise.

Chade actually missed spending time roaming with his brother, albeit he didn’t mention the scared part but just the closeness the two had in those days.  Thus he had presented the idea to Ricin of going on an adventure together.  Unlike when they were small the two could now stand up for themselves against whatever happened.  They didn’t need to fear predators, instead, the predators should fear them.

Chade leads Ry to Fenrir’s mountain and directly to his favorite path, “This way is the best for getting up a while quickly.  There’s a good point about a mile up where lots of paths converge, and if you go down the west path I haven’t fully explored its paths so I figure we go that way and see what there is.  You can lead, you are the real explorer after all.  I come to hunt or fight things and sliding on the ice is fun.” Chade gave his brother a wicked grin, “Just don’t fall off when we get up there! It’s a long drop with lots of bumps going down.”

"Chade & Ricin"

Ricin follows his brother closely, a small bounce event in every step he takes. There is a huge smile on his face that hasn’t disappeared since the brothers left the island. When was the last time they had explored together? Was it before they joined Manea’s band? After? No matter, this day is for the brothers blue and Ricin is going to enjoy every moment. The path to the mountain is easy and the distance isn’t great so the boys lope to the towering mountain, excitement hanging in the air as they go. He remembers this giant, from when they were pups. Ny and he had explored a crypt attached to the other side of this very range. Their pace slows as the yawning expanse of rocky peaks draws closer and moves Chade leads Ricin to the start of a path where they stop.

Looking to his brother, Ry listens with great interest to everything his brother says, his chest puffing out a little when Ny acknowledges he is a real explorer. And then Chade teases him about falling off and he rolls his eyes while saying, “Just watch where you’re stepping. Would hate to have carry you all the way back to the pack.” He sticks his tongue out at Ny as he passes his brother, adding in a wink for good measure. Now in the lead, Ricin scans the pathway and begins to ascend the mountain side, carefully picking out points to jump too and alerting Chade to their positions. Ry finds a spot that has obviously been used by many mountain goats and he casts a glance back to his brother while calling out, “Hey Ny! Watch this!”

He grins to his brother before turning back to the tiny jut of stone that the goats use. Swiftly and nimbly, the lighter boy leaps to the spot that is barely big enough for two paws to land on but he doesn’t stop there. One, two, three; Ricin jumps from small ledge to small ledge, following in the hoofprints of the goats before him. On his fourth leap, Ry lands on a large shelf and pauses to turn and look back down at Ny. Tail wags carefully as he calls out, “There is a cave up over there. Want to go check it out?” He points his paw at the opening that is two more jumps away and he waits to hear what Chade thinks. If his brother is uncertain of his climbing skills, the lighter boy will make his way back down and find an easier path for them.



"Ricin Dauner"

TABLE & CODE © SKELLE 2022

Chade grins at his brother’s taunt back to him in regards to falling, a soft chuckle, “Ya know, you’re right on two counts!  I agree it would be bad for me to fall and humiliating if I had to be carried back.” Chade looked a bit sheepish for a moment, “I’m kinda getting, well proud of my skills.  The embarrassment of falling wouldn’t be fun.  There’s another reason though.  You were right that I should talk to Manea and it would be lousy to go in with a limp when asking to raise up in rank.  So, I guess I better put on a good performance today as well.  No slipping.”

Chade watches his brother move ahead of him, his little brother that he had to look after carefully.  Sure, Ry still wasn’t a competent hunter or fighter but he was an excellent scout and clever.  It wasn’t just Chade who saw it, his brother had been given a higher rank in the pack as well.  Even Ry could tell he’d grown in his abilities, there was confidence in his brother that used to not be there.  His confident stride and the set of his body spoke of him being an entirely different wolf than the small pup he’d been.

Chade watches his brother leap the rocks as surely as the goats did.  Chade could see the path, he watched for their paths when searching for where to hunt.  However, if he could leap as nimbly as his brother did was another matter.  He neither rushes to do the path Ry makes nor does he ask for help.  The boy turns to stride a bit farther along the path, stalking the wall with a careful gaze, eyes swiveling at points to find where one rock goes, like searching for a connecting puzzle.  Ry was certainly the nimbler of the two but Chade had always been stubborn.  Where he’d lacked ability he’d made up for on hard-headedness.

Finally, he found what the boy apparently decided would suffice. The bank wasn’t quite as steep and while his leaps were not nearly as precise as Ry he was able to get away with it.  His back paws slipped and skittered for purchase as he made his way up farther but there was a fierce determination in that gaze and eventually he made it up to a smaller ledge.  He could see Ry on his ledge a short distance away.  Chade turned himself around in a slow, tight circle, muscles hunching up before he used the entire length of his perch, which was really only one stride, to leap from it and land on Ry’s larger landing.  Chade knew his limits if nothing else, most of his body was on the ice, while his back legs kicked at the air a time or two as he pulled himself up.  "No problem," said with a convincing laugh.  His brother might have found him an easier path but Chade had to challenge himself.  Always, always had to get stronger, always had to get faster.  Taking risks always seemed to pull out the best in him.  

“I have a feeling you’d win here if we had a race,” Chade mused then brightened at the idea, “that’s it, when it's time to go back we race!”  This had to be one of the most dangerous places to have a race and also the most fun.  His head followed where Ry had pointed, and a nod given, “Oh yeah, let's see what’s in there.  Never know what secrets could be in a cave, eh?  Just make sure you don’t smell anything I,” a moment's hesitation, “something we don’t need to kill before we go in deep.”

"Speech"

Chade’s comments about him falling have Ricin giving his brother a once over before saying, “Well, just don’t fall and you’ll be good.” Then he is moving up to take lead and finding a goat path to take. While Chade is confident in his abilities to fight and hunt, his lighter brother has the utmost conviction in his body. He knows its limits and how to place his paws on small little juts of rock to help propel himself from one ledge to another. When he looks down from his perch, questioning Chade about wanting to inspect a cave and he watches as the darker boy looks to the cave opening. Ricin can almost see Ny’s train of thought as he inspects the rock wall, moving further along the path until finds a space he is move comfortable starting from. Then, the darker boy begins his ascent.

More than once Ry’s heart leaps up into his throat as Chade’s paws slip and skid, finding purchase but not as surely as Ricin’s had. Ruby gaze follows his brother’s path, silently analyzing each misplaced paw and uncertain leap thinking he might be able to teach Ny a thing or two about jumping. When Chade leaps to his ledge and his backend doesn’t quite make it, Ricin is there to clamp his mouth around his brother’s neck and help him gain traction to climb up. Ny jokes and Ry shakes his head as he takes a step back, quirking his eyebrows. Giving a small of laughter, he says, “Oh yeah. No problem at all. Let’s just take a moment before we move on. That cave isn’t going anywhere. As for the race down… we’ll see.” He doesn’t care if Chade tries to say he is fine; the lighter boy will not leave this ledge until he thinks Ny is ready.

While they wait, Ricin looks over the all the paths that lead to the entrance they seek. He picks out a path from himself (small, narrow goat path) and one for Chade (wider, longer ledges), which he points out when he deems his brother ready to continue. Pointing out the route he wants Ny to take, Ricin says, “See how those ledges are wider and have some room to take a running start? Follow this path up to the cave. You seem to do better if there is little more room to maneuver. Okay?” He looks to his brother, waiting to see if he has any questions. The comment isn’t meant as an insult, just an observation that Ry had made while he watched his brother tackle the path behind him. Once Ny accepts his path, Ricin dips his head and says, “Okay good. Now let me leave the ledge first. Once I am gone, you can go. Be safe Ny.”

Ruby eyes lock before Ricin turns toward the smaller goat path he will be taking. Muscles coil as he lowers his front half slightly, eyes locking onto the place he will land. Paws leave the safety of the shared ledge and the lighter boy nimbly crosses his more difficult path. He finds pawholds where others would only find air and he does it without the slightest bit of worry. With one final, mighty leap, Ricin lands in the cave opening and quickly turns to see where Ny is in his progress.


"Ricin Dauner"

TABLE & CODE © SKELLE 2022

Chade felt Ry’s mouth on his scruff, his back legs kicking to grab purchase in the rock and help himself up along with Ry’s assistance.  Chade quirked a brow at Ry, and almost opens his mouth to remind Ry how often he plays on the mountain then decided not to.  No need to worry Ry about how Chade enjoyed taking the risks.  Every risk he took and succeeded in made him stronger and any fall that didn’t kill him would teach a valuable lesson and make him stronger.  Sure, he’d fallen here and there, and ended up with some bruises that were never spotted under the fur.

They had a pack now to return to and be safe should he ever need to rest.  Chade was a better hunter and some bruises weren’t enough to make him fail an average hunt.  So, there was no harm in a few risks being made.  However, it was only natural Ry would worry about him. Shaking out his coat, loosening up those muscles he assured Ricin, “Oh, I’m good to continue.”

Chade watched Ry take the path that was hardly more than dent’s in the rock.  Chade doubted he’d easily make it up the way Ry did as much as he wanted to try it.  He could try it until he made it but later.  No need to scare Ry and if it took a few days to work at it there was no reason to have Ry watching until he could do it.  Still, a part of him didn’t like Ry getting up there sooner.  Both a competitive part of him and the concern for Ry getting up there first only to find something dangerous waiting for him.  Polar bears did exist up here after all.

“Suuuure Ry, ya know you could take the wider path with me.” The words were a gentle tease, not really feeling a need for him to do so.  Take his time though?  Once Ry started up Chade ran straight to the path chosen for him.  Chade leaped from one spot and loped up another, skipping over a jutting of rock, and running hard up the steeper slope on it.  Sure, he might need the wider path but he had chased prey across these rocks and had perfectly good balance if there was purchase for his feet.  

Chade didn’t take all that much longer to catch up to his brother, grinning at him.  “Hey, I chase those goats about these paths, I’m all right, really.”  His gaze looked from Ricin to the cave, “well, after you master explorer.” Sure, Chade wanted to do anything Ry could do but he knew there were areas Ry was better at and it was natural.  He was really proud of his brother, he’d come so far.  Once, Chade had been the only one to have faith in him, and now it had been proven true.  Now everyone knew.

"Speech"

Ricin listens to Chade’s protest, offering the wider path to him too. Lips slowly pull back into a mischievous smile as his eyes twinkle with mirth. Innocently, the lighter boy says, “But Ny. Where would the fun be in that?” And with that, Ry takes off along his chosen path, paws deftly finding holds where none should exist. He arrives at the cave first and turns to find that Chade hot on his tail. Quirking a brow as his brother arrives, he just shakes his head as Ny tries to reassure him. Ry will never stop worrying about Chade… it is just who he is. Still, as his brother calls him master explorer, he feels his doubts suddenly disappear. Chest puffs out in pride as he gives Ny a happy smile and exclaims, “Follow me!”

The brothers easily fall back into the pattern they used as pups, Ricin in the lead and Chade hanging back a bit to cover his blind spots. They move deeper into the yawning darkness with Ry searching every corner he finds for a hidden tunnel. Trusting in Ny to keep them safe, the lighter brother keeps his attention on the area around them. His persistence pays off as he spies a very well-hidden tunnel entrance. Happily, he calls out, “Ny! There is a tunnel!” He turns in the direction of the opening, pointing out the space they will have to crawl through to reach the tunnel. Looking to his brother, Ricin asks, “Well? Do we want to see where it leads?” Head tilts as he listens to what his brother has to say.


"Ricin Dauner"

TABLE & CODE © SKELLE 2022