Ever the curious explorer, he was interested to see why the Ashen wolves had pointedly avoided this path during their move to the more westerly lands of Boreas. Shortly after beginning his journey into the brambles and thorny plants he very quickly realized why and began regretting his decision to come through here at all. It was really his own stubbornness that kept him going after the first sighting of these damned things. Still, he had seen a couple interesting plants so if there was any consolation prize to be taken from this maybe it would be collecting some herbs and plants to take back to the pack's healers. He had to find some kind of good in exploring this place other than just knowing every inch of Boreas and what could be found there. Finding a clearing, he came to a stop with a sigh to rest for a moment, giving his slate coat a shake, making the longer fur along the back of his neck shake from side to side. Flopping down onto his haunches he looked around and began trying to pick out another path as he decided where to go next.

"Remus Armada"

Calico Jack had been to this place before but had not really taken his time to explore it. Determined to learn the useful paths that wouldn’t poke him or pack members every time they passed, the boy had set out to the thorn laden land in the hopes of conquering it. Quickly, he began to regret all his life choices. At first, he had circled the briar infested area well away from the tangle of plants as his icy blue eyes searched for the beginning of a path.

It was easy enough to find one and, confidently, the boy had struck out, ready for a grand adventure… only to discover some ways in, that the chosen wrong path. Thorns snagged his coat, pulling chunks of his white and colorful fur away, leaving them to dance happily behind on the gentle breeze. But he would not be deterred and, foolhardily, the boy continued to plow ahead, shifting from one path to another when the way got too clogged with vines.

For a while, it was a lot of the same as Calico Jack moved further in and he began to feel the sting of several of those demandable thorns that decided they wished to hitch a ride. If he wasn’t so far into the maze, Jack might have turned back but he is committed (and stubborn) and has to see his way through to the other side. He begins to walk stiffly as his unwelcomed riders continuously poke at his skin with each movement but he does not dare stop and pluck them out in so small a confine.

Eventually, a clearing appears ahead of him and the boy trots a little faster, eager to shake out some of his pokey passengers and relieve some pain. To Jack’s great surprise, as he approaches the area, he finds in that very same clearing, a wolf has run into before. A grin appears as he lets out a soft woof to let the man know he is approaching and the boy remembers the predators that they fought before. There is also the time that Calico Jack distinctly remembers, where the man had helped him wash away the icky taste of ocular fluid from his mouth.

Stiff legged, the boy comes to a stop near the slate colored wolf, his coat a mess of brambles and stickers but still as happy as can be. Without a care in the world (okay that is lie but he won’t admit it), Calico Jack says, “Fancy meeting you here!” The boy doesn't dare attempt to sit down with the thorns all over his body.


"Calico Jack"

It was incredibly difficult to pick out which way might be the best way out of this place and just as he was about to just pick a direction and go for it, he head the rustling and crashing of someone else that had dared to try and traverse this damned place. Getting to his paws just in case it was a predator that would be angry about the situation he was in, Remus turned toward the noise only to see the fairly familiar form of Calico Jack hurrying into the clearing and emerging absolutely covered in thorns and brambles. A little snort of laughter escaped him at the nonchalant greeting the other man gave him and he grinned as he gave a little shake of his head. "Here, let me help you with those," he insisted as he moved toward him and started plucking brambles from his fur and tossing them back into the thick brush they were surrounded with. It was probably inevitable that he'd end up with more stuck in his fur before they were out of here, but he could at least help with his mobility in the mean time. "I guess that's definitely not the way to go to get out of here then," he said, gesturing back toward the way that Jack came from in between pulling thorns and brambles free from his legs.

"Remus Armada"

The boy walks stiffly as he saunters up toward to Remus, the stupid thorns poking him with each subtle movement of his body. Calico Jack doesn’t fault the man for the snort of laughter that is given upon his arrival since, if their roles were reversed, he doubts he could hold his laughter to a snort. Thankfully, the man offers to help and the boy practically shouts, “Yes! Thank the Gods.” With that, he hustles over, standing still as Remus begins to pluck the pokey bastards from his fur.

A wince crosses his features as they both work to toss the brambles back where they came from, the boy only pausing to lick away blood that wells on his nose after a rather nasty tangle bites back. Icy blue gaze turns to the mass off overgrown, sticky bushes as Remus gestures back the way he came, speaking about it not being the way. A cocky, self-assured smile graces his lips as he says, “It does lead out of here! It will just leave you looking like me.”

Eyes glisten with unvoiced humor as Remus returns to freeing his legs and Jack continues to look at the brambles around them. Thorns cover every long, snaking vein that curls across the paths and it is impossible to tell which way out would lead to the least amount pokes. As another set of brambles is removed, pulling him back to the present, the boy muses aloud, “I wonder how many wolves have been tempted to set fire to this land and why the hell they haven’t done it yet!”

Calico Jack looks to the man, cocking a brow at Remus as he poses the rhetorical question, the corners of his lips wiggling up as he tries to make the older wolf laugh while the boy decides that this land is his absolute least favorite place in the whole world. Stupid thorns.


"Calico Jack"

Remus chuckled as Calico Jack assured him that the path would eventually get him out of here... at the cost of ending up like he was with brambles caught all over him. "I might just prefer to be stuck here forever," he joked while he finished up freeing the younger wolf from his unwelcome passengers. One by one he tossed the sharp bits of plant life back into the brush from which they came, occasionally poking his own nose and lips in the process and having the pause occasionally to lick away a drop or two of blood. At some point he heard the boy muse about why no one had set fire to the briar yet and he laughed lightly at the thought. After getting stuck in the thorn covered expanse of this place he wouldn't mind seeing it up in smoke either. Of course he knew that setting fire to a whole swath of land would be massively detrimental to the environment and there was no way to control a fire like that from spreading to near by lands, but it was all in fun and jokes. Finally pulling free the last of the brambles he stepped back to make sure he hadn't missed any before returning his gaze to Calico Jack and offering him a grin. "Alright! What do you say we go looking for a less sharp path out of here?"

"Remus Armada"

At the mention of the path Jack had used to get here leaving Remus looking like him, the man laughs and jokes about preferring to be stuck here forever. The boy snorts and winces as a rather painful burr is removed. His talk of burning this place ground is just that; talk. Because, as much as he hates this thorn infested place, he would actually dream of destroying it. This place has its own ecosystem and he watches one of the small birds’ flit from one thorn covered briar to another.

They have made a safe home within this vine strewn land because most predators are smart enough to avoid. But not him. Remus steps back and Calico Jack turns his icy blue eyes to the man and he sighs contently before giving his coat a good shake. “Thanks.” A smile is on his lips as the slate wolf suggests they find a path out that is less sharp than the one he had used. With a laugh, the boy says, “Sounds good to me!” With that, he trails after the taller man, avoiding the snagging burrs and thorny vines every chance he gets.


"Calico Jack"