"This'll be where we can stay for a bit."

Wren directed this to both males. She stood at the entrance of the Cove's location, having wrangled Beauregard and Tanelan on her trek through the north. Her leg was still healing from the grizzly attack at the Gorge, so she didn't want to tempt fate and get her members hurt while she was next to useless. She had promised Mercury she'd rest, and she didn't want him to be upset over it anymore.

"When you guys find a place to sleep, we can work on building some defenses for the Gorge. Weapons, armor... the like" She had compiled materials she had scavenged in a corner of the cave system "don't worry" Wren added "Armada said we can stay here. Nobody will hurt you." She won't let them, injury or not. She began to walk over the scent line, leading the two further in.

She walked at a slower pace due to the cut on her leg, but she was bound determined to make it without help.

"Speech"

Beauregard hadn’t minded meeting up with Wren, especially since they were heading to the cove… it was just… well…

The ashen cream male cast an uneasy glance towards the purple male that had been walking with them. He had managed to explore parts of the North himself, even coming across the beach of the cove on his own, and, ironically, this wasn’t his first meeting with either of the wolves he was with.

Yet the purple one seemed… different now. Beau didn’t like it; he felt like butterflies were beating at his stomach around this guy. He had been vulgar, rough… and now? He seemed… normal. It was strange, very strange… was he safe to even be around? Especially with Wren still recovering? Should he tell the would-be alpha about him?

He hadn’t really been focusing on Wren too much, tuning in when she mentioned weapons and armor. His gaze shifted back to her, his body language betraying that he was feeling uneasy. He frowned deeply, especially at her comment that ‘nobody will hurt you’. He wasn’t sure about that.

And to make it worse Trill had stayed outside, out of the caves…

“R-right…” Beau let his gaze trail to his paws. What should he do? The guy was literally right there with them… Leaving Wren alone with him was definitely not an option but… would he just let them wander off to talk? Surely the other was up to something. He had to be.

TANELAN

He was just happy he had found his way here if he had to be honest. He had to keep himself calm around Wren after all he wanted to.... get to know her better. Tanelan had been invited to explore the cove for the time being. Even if it was under the Armada rule, Wren's wolves were welcome to hunker down here until she claimed her own lands. Yet he was uneasy about it - he'd never stayed in one place for so long. He was excited no doubt but if he wandered and got lost he sure as hell was going to have to control his memory. Like that would ever happen, perhaps he should ask if there was a healer in the Armada who could see to him. It did also seem strange, this newcomer seemed to be avoiding him. He'd never seen the yearling a day in his life even if there was an odd familiar feeling about it. Carefully he lowered his head to the stranger.

"I uhh, pardon me. My name is Tanelan you can call me Tan, I was told you were going to be a part of Wren's pack as well. I look forward to being packmates." perhaps just a bit of introduction would break the ice? He then turned to Wren. "I'm not too sure I'm savvy with building I might need some teaching." he laughed nervously, gods did he hate his social anxiety. Being around Wren was good enough but adding more wolves to the mix made him nervous. He scolded himself, he was just going to have to get used to it after all. He was going to be in a pack and that satisfied him at least.

MADE BY MINNIE of BTN

Already, it seemed, she had some sort of problem. If you could call it that, when she was able to remedy it. Tanelan and Beauregard seemed to, ah, know each other. Or rather, Beauregard eyeballed him like he had. The yearling wasn't known for flights of fancy, so Wren took it to heart. She cast an eye to Tanelan as he introduced himself, knowing that he suffered from blackout episodes. Waking up somewhere he didn't know. It was possible...

She had heard of this before.

Especially with the way... Beauregard eyed Tanelan. She wanted to say something to defuse the situation but felt it was Tanelan's right to say it first. "This is Beauregard" Wren stepped slightly between the two, gesturing with a paw to the lad "he's training to be a warrior too. Maybe you guys can spar one day?" Unaware they had, but a sinking feeling they had also... She tried to power through, shooting a kind smile to the lad.

She was alert. Ready. If anything happened, she could deal with it. Beauregard seemed to want to protect the folks here. She would let him, but not forget her promise to give Tanelan a chance too. He needed to see a healer.

"Speech"

The behavior of the other male was just… strange… and it caught Beauregard completely off-guard. He was so much quieter now, not vulgar at all, and his whole demeanor was just… shifted. Beau didn’t mean to look so shocked when Tanelan introduced himself but he was. He looked floored, baffled… He cast a glance at Wren. Was this really the very same wolf he’d encountered on the battlefield?  The yearling shifted on his paws, their leader introducing them, and her words… Goodness, he was so uneasy… “Tanelan,” Beau spoke seriously, cautiously, confusion in his pale blue gaze as he looked back at the purple wolf. “...I’m just… going to say this. I’ve never been good at secrets…” His ears flicked back but there was no maliciousness in his voice or posture. Just confusion and uncertainty. “When we met before, you… didn’t give me that name.” Beau furrowed his brow and cast another look at Wren. “In fact… you sounded completely different… Acted different.” Beauregard flicked his tail uncertainly. Was confronting this the best thing to do? Would Wren believe him? “That cut on your back leg - I gave you that.” The injury, though treated, had told the youth that this was the same wolf. “...You called yourself ‘Mika’... and if I’m being honest… I thought I was going to be in serious trouble fighting you.” His gut churned now. Something wasn’t right. Something was NOT right. “Yet…” He continued onward. “When you speak to me now, it is not with that normal light of familiarity in your eyes of talking to someone you already met…” He looked back at Wren now, whining softly. “Wren… I don’t understand it…” He was looking to her for guidance. Maybe she could offer some insight on how this was possible? Because Beau didn’t have a clue. "Speech," 'Thought.'

Tanelan

"Think smarter, not harder."

Tan blinked suddenly at Beau, his anxiety spiking as his heart hammered against his chest. Why did he feel like he knew that name, Mika? Had someone called him that once? He tilted his head clear confusion shining in his yellow eyes. He shifted uncomfortably, that would explain why he'd woken up with his leg injured. Along with all the times before that, but.... why? He looked at Wren for a moment, "My blackouts?" he blinked for a moment then looked at Beau. "You're telling me I attacked you in my sleep?" that had to be the only explanation. He fell asleep and woke up somewhere else - though a few times he'd been with companions and simply had to carry on conversations.

"Well you see Beau, sometimes I have gaps in my memory. I feel strange sometimes so I lay down and then next thing I know I'm waking up somewhere new. I uh, met Wren at the wall and told her about these. I was hoping this new pack and Wren could help me with this strange illness. Now I'm worried I've been attacking wolves in my sleep!" Tanelan felt a bit dizzy as he backed away for a moment and sat down directly next to Wren. Now he was searching for an answer too, she was meant to guide them right?

MADE BY MINNIE of BTN

Beauregard proved to be worried, and blurted out what was happening. Wren stood and waited, listened to the wolves as they expressed concern to her. "You were asleep, in a sense" she began, addressing Tanelan "at least, the you that you are right now" It made sense, the way he had called himself something different "think of it as being locked away, and someone else taking control. Your body is still there, but there's a different wolf inside. You aren't aware of the actions or words because you can't hear them."

She dipped her head, breathing a sigh. "Now, I'm not sure a healer can help in the traditional sense" Wren cautioned Tanelan "it seems a mind thing. A disorder" She looks to Beauregard "he just gave me the pieces of the puzzle I was missing" Laying down to sleep, waking up somewhere else. There was no way Tanelan actually just moved in his sleep. No, Mika did all the moving. "I'm going to ask around. Audra, our most experienced healer, could help." But.

There was no possibility she could. No healer she knew worked with personality disorders.

"You say you beat Mika in a fight?" she turns directly to Beauregard now, frowning "if you want, Beau, you can be assigned to watch Tanelan. Report to me if he changes, and follow him when he switches to Mika... Protect him from himself. Consider this part of your warrior training?" She let it be known that Beauregard had a choice. She turns now to Tanelan "is that okay with you?" And Tanelan also had a choice.

"Speech"

Beauregard focused his attention on Tanelan. The shock that had appeared on the other male’s face caused the yearling’s heart to sink. Had he done the right thing by bringing this up? Surely Tan had a right to know how “he” had been behaving. Yet it seemed it wasn’t Tanelan at all…. Rather someone else while he slept. Beau furrowed his brow at the explanation. While it was bizarre the young man could feel in his gut that the purple-furred male was telling the truth. He wasn’t sure what to say though. If Tanelan became Mika when he slept because of an illness then… how were they meant to treat it? Could it even be treated? He listened to Wren speak next as she shed a little more light on the situation they had on their paws. She didn’t know if a healer could necessarily help either which made sense to Beau. A disease of the mind could not be treated in the same manner as a wound on the body. There was hope that their most experienced healer might be able to help but… well, time would tell if she could. In the meanwhile though… Wren turned her attention back to him now. “That’s right,” Beau stated softly. He glanced back to Tanelan, practically feeling the anxiety radiating off the other male. If he accepted this task, he would be primarily in charge of the other. He flicked his ears thoughtfully and glanced between the two. “If Tanelan is okay with this, I will do what I can to keep an eye on him.” Beau rumbled. “I don’t want him to feel like a prisoner though… If I’m always with him all the time he’d have no sense of independence…” He glanced at Tanelan. “Though I don't know if frequent check-ins would be enough, either. If you are okay with this as well… I wouldn’t mind doing this. If I notice Mika out he may not be happy with me and we might get into another fight…” Beauregard’s expression softened. “So there’s that to consider too. I promise I wouldn’t use more force than absolutely necessary but…” He trailed off again. He didn’t want to have to use force at all. Or make Tanelan feel like he didn’t have a choice in this matter. He wanted to help… and if this was the way he could do so, Tan willing, so be it. Besides, would the purple male even feel comfortable enough for Beau to be around him that much? "Speech," 'Thought.'

Tanelan

"Think smarter, not harder."

He felt a little bit of irritation spike over him, but his pelt was quickly smoothed as he listened. He valued Wren's opinion and she genuinely seemed to want to help him. In the back of his mind he was screaming that it wasn't him it wasn't his fault. This Mika? Was it another wolf entirely in him, he didn't want to believe it. His heart hammered against his chest - but it would be better. Beau could tell him what to do and he wouldn't have to wonder what was expected of him. Though the yearling tried to make it perfectly clear he wasn't a prisoner somehow he felt like his privacy was being interrupted. No matter what was his privacy when he was going to be in a pack and... what if he hurt his packmates. "You do what you must. I Will not and won't be responsible for harming those I love any longer." he took a quick glance to Wren. If only he could spend more time with HER. Beau was great and all for a kid, but he felt himself wanting to get closer and closer with her. He blinked at himself, as if she'd ever be interested in a broken male like him

"Let's be friends okay Beau?" he smiled then and tilted his head to one side. Spending time with his fellow packmate would strengthen their bond would it not. If he couldn't find the time to spend with Wren then he would have to spend it with someone. At least until he found a healer that could help him manage his symptoms. If it really was an illness of the mind then there had to be something that could be done about it right? He felt like they were looking straight through him trying to figure out if he was friend or foe. He wanted to be closer to them.

MADE BY MINNIE of BTN

She knew it was going to be annoying. Wren would be pissed if someone followed her around too. Shooting a grateful look at Tanelan as he accepted the proposal, she added words to her subtle order. "This'll be a... sort of trial" she began "Beauregard is going to report directly to me - nobody else. Nobody else has to know and if they happen to discover Mika, I'll know about it hopefully before Mika does. We don't know if he'll attack someone in Menagerie, but I have to take that under consideration. It's important we know how many times you fall asleep, Tanelan. Then Audra or someone else could help you better if they know the symptoms."

She hoped they knew the risk she was taking. It would be easy to throw Tanelan out, but she didn't want to do that. She considered him a friend, like Beauregard. He needed help, and the only way to get it with them was to trust Menagerie. Audra could definitely try to help. She'll ask the experienced healer on another day. "Yes, we'll all be friends" she grinned, tail wagging "Tanelan isn't Mika. Mika isn't Tanelan. Now that it's settled, what do you guys want to do?" she asked, gesturing to the mound of items she had dragged up here "you both want to be warriors, and we have an inventory to fill before we're a guild. Why not make some stuff so we can sell and trade?"

Wren hobbled over there on three legs. "I'll turn a blind eye if you want to make something for yourself!" she added playfully, knowing Beau had a sword already. Tanelan didn't have any armor or accessories. Maybe they can all help the guild prosper with weaponcrafting.

"Speech"

Beauregard’s expression softened at Tanelan’s response. He couldn’t imagine what it must be like, to wake up as someone else, to have them in control of you and have them do something different to those you cared about. His mind shifted; he might not understand the illness, or what caused it, but the youth had made up his mind. Tanelan wasn’t Mika. Tanelan didn’t hold Mika’s ideals or values… and he deserved to live happily. Safe. The youth swore to himself he’d do everything he could to help the other male. “Of course we’ll be friends.” He stated it simply; there was no question. Tanelan was a packmate, a friend, and anything other in his mind wasn’t going to be a thing. Mika would be treated differently like the individual he was. He might share Tan’s face, but he would never be the purple wolf he saw now. His gaze slid to Wren, giving a firm nod of agreement, necessary or not, to her words. He wouldn’t betray Tanelan or Wren’s trust like that. His reports would go to her alone, and they were going to find Tan help. “We won’t let anything happen. Me or Tan.” He spoke with confidence, a fire of determination in his eyes. “Illnesses can be treated…” He murmured to himself. “Any illness I can think of can. This one has to have something that can help, even if we don’t know what can yet.” He smiled a little, his tail wagging back and forth. It was settled; he’d be there for Tanelan no matter what happened. As Wren mentioned that there was an inventory to fill Beau’s ears perked and his eyes lit up. “Right! It should be pretty close to here, actually!” The boy looked around and then, recognizing some rock formations further in, he darted off. He moved them out of the way and picked up one of the metal medallions he’d found when he was exploring the ship with Torben. There were more of them there now, roughly a dozen or so, and he brought one over to Wren before dropping it at her paws. “I found these on a big metal thing. It’s called a ship apparently? But they’re made of smoother metal with pictures on them!” He looked between Tanelan and Wren. “Are they useful for crafting? Maybe another pack could find them useful for trade goods?” There was a shine in his eyes as he spoke quickly, tail wagging behind him. Torben had recommended that he bring them back… he just hoped they were as useful as the older wolf made them sound. "Speech," 'Thought.'

Tanelan

"Think smarter, not harder."

Tanelan let out a soft sigh of relief, he was glad that this ordeal was over. He felt looked all over as if a wolf had peered into his soul and fear had taken it's grip. He let the feeling pass as he decided to concentrate on the matter at hand. A weapon? Could he be trusted with one even? He blinked for a moment and looked at Beau, crafting?! What in the world were these wolves even talking about. "You can CRAFT weapons?" he asked incredulously. His tail flicked he'd lived his whole life fighting with tooth and claw and just trying to survive. Yet these wolves were banning together - this was the power of a pack. He stared at Wren, her golden brown fur seemingly glowing in the sunlight. Ah. The sight of her calmed him as he stared at what Beau had presented them.

"I'm sorry, I don't know anything about weapons or crafting." he admitted. What strange lands these were indeed. "Though maybe some armour would do me good." he nodded his head. That way he could protect his body against things like Beau's dagger. What could he use though? Skins, some sort of metal stuff like the yearling had. His ears flicked with curiosity. Eyes widening in surprise and a grin, yes!

MADE BY MINNIE of BTN

Beauregard was a good kid. She looked forward to how he would grow, specially tasked with discreteness regarding Tanelan's disorder. "Yep" Wren grinned at the purple wolf's shock "many wolves here fight with weapons and cover themselves in armor. I got some bracers myself, traded for them." She followed after the yearling as he showed them the things. Medallions of metal, she nodded.

"Good find, Beau" she praised "Armada has a blacksmith, so we could trade or even ask them to melt the medallions down to shape into more things" She nodded in thought, having never met the blacksmith to her knowledge. Unaware it was Ruga, she continued "it's fine if you don't know how to craft, Tanelan" she added to the man "you can learn if you want. But it's fine to fight traditionally."

For a long time, Wren had.

"We'll have to look at this ship later" she added "it isn't claimed by any pack and it seems to be a good place to gather things. What sort of armor did you have in mind, Tanelan?" she added, keeping the man in the conversation too. It was important to involve everyone.

"Speech"

Beauregard’s eyes lit up as Wren said it was a good find. He was really glad he listened to Torben about bringing them back now. They could trade them or even have the blacksmith in the Armada melt them down to shape them into something else. “There might be more on the ship. I didn’t really look that far in, all things considered. It’s full of a bunch of different rooms, like a cave, and each one has stuff in it.” Beauregard explained before he looked back to Tanelan. It was here his tail wagged behind him again. "If I’m being honest, I don’t really know how it works either. I was gifted the leg wraps and knife I have in my pack. It’s customary to give gifts before a yearlings’ pilgrimage to make sure they have tools for success. So we can learn how to craft together!" Whatever they learned how to make would be good. “At the time I visited the ship wasn’t claimed by anyone. I met a loner there, and a pack wolf of a different pack though. The pack wolf is the one who suggested I bring the medallions back.” His gaze shifted back to Tanelan with a smile, waiting for the other male to answer their alpha. Whatever sort of armor Tanelan wanted to make he wanted to help him with it. "Speech," 'Thought.'