As she watches the berry pop against his forehead, the red juice streaming down his fur, another bout of giggles erupts from her lips. Though anyone else would have probably not seen a difference due to the blood from the cat, the act of the berry plunking against him was the hilarious part. In the middle of her laughing fit, Delphi doesn't notice Strai reach into her bag. Doesn't notice how he rummages around until his paw is full of berries. Her eyes are still half-closed as he raises them and flings the bunch of them straight for her. It isn't until they are pelting her, popping open, and streaming down her own fur does she lets out a yelp of surprise. "Hey!" She leans away, lifting a leg, trying to shield herself from the attack. Looking at him, she growls playfully as her eyes narrow, trying to look threatening. Placing her paw down on the ground, Delphi is quickly reminded that it is strained and doesn't want to take weight. "Not fair!" She is quick to pout as she begins to hobble closer to him in an attempt to grab her bag back. "I really do need those!" The whine in her tone is slightly pathetic, but not surprising. "Delphi" & "Strai"

He felt a little bad as he watched her put her paw down. It was clearly bothering her, and they should probably get her back to her den. Or that secret little place she had showed him, so she could rest up. Especially before any enterprising wolves saw it and decided to take advantage of her weakness. Forgetting, of course, that the rules here were different.


As she hobbled closer, he realised she was going for the bag. He gave her a wicked grin and he grabbed the bag in his maw and swung it out of her reach. "Mine now" he said, his eyes grinning. Before she could retaliate, he took a few steps, and then picked up his pace. Stopping again just out of her reach. Leading her, through she likely didn't realise, to the safety of her hidey hole.

A growl lifts from her vocal cords as he swings the bag out of her reach. His teasing words make her want to stomp her foot, but she can't. Instead, she reaches out to nip at his tail before hobbling along behind him. "That's my bag!" Delphi called after him as he kept just out of her reach. Walking on three legs was difficult! Especially when she had to watch out for roots and thorns. Frustrated, she tries to pick up the pace, but can't. Especially since he already is so much larger than her. "Where are you going!" She whines again as she tries her best to keep up with him. Her breathing is slightly labored as her sides go in and out quickly and her tongue swells slightly, threatening to almost pant. "Delphi" & "Strai"

He danced out of her reach again, then stopped. Waiting for her to catch up. Never moving too far ahead, but never letting her catch him, either. This was the best way to lead her. No getting distracted now! "Then you shouldn't have given it to me" he teased, having a little fun with it. Stop, start. Stop, start. They were getting close to the mountain now. Would she be able to make her way up with that limp of hers? He'd have to see.

"This way!" He told her, dancing back again, swinging her bag a little as he held it up high. He was grinning at her as he went.

Delphi can tell he's teasing, but her ears still pin back. Her lip raises in a snarl as she bares her fangs at him. She had trusted him with her bag to get those berries! Not to steal it! Stupid Thrall. Why was he so frustrating?! Letting out an annoyed grumble, she continues to hobble after him. Occasionally, she tries to put weight onto her paw, but instantly pulls it back up. For the love of gods, why did she have to get injured? Watching him dance just barely out of her reach was infuriating. Growls and grumbles continue to seep from her clenched jaw as she realizes that she is getting tired. Too tired to go to wherever he is leading her. "How much farther?" Delphi asks, practically out of breath. Her sides heave as she begins to pant. Her body feels hot, too hot. The pain is throbbing in her ankle as she continues after him, albeit it slower than just the minute before. She sees the mountain ahead of them, not far now, but still doesn't understand where he's leading her. "Delphi" & "Strai"

He finally pauses, realising she was too exhausted and hurt to get as far as he wanted her to go. The moment she caught up with him, she snatched the bag from his muzzle. He let her have it without a fight, prioritising his scrutiny of her instead. "Somewhere safe you can rest that leg" he said at last, and then crouched down on the ground, before going fully on his belly in front of her.


"Hop on, then. But only this once, Tox." He warned her, his serious eyes looking up at her. Taller than him, from his lowered position. She was probably starting to understand his hesitation with touch these days, but he was prioritising getting her somewhere safe over that.

Grabbing the bag from his muzzle, she feels accomplished. Take that, Thrall! Her tail wags a few times as she takes a step back out of his reach. No way was she letting her bag go that easy again! With no reason to follow after him anymore, she is surprised when he mentions that he's taking her somewhere to rest her leg. Looking down at her paw, she can see that her ankle is slightly swollen. Though not broken, it is probably strained and definitely in need of some icing or warmth. Squinting slightly at him with a furrowed brow, she wonders where it is that he wants her to go. Before she can protest that she can't go any farther, she is watching him lower down onto his belly in front of her. Surprise and confusion pass over her again as she hesitates. Was he really sure he was okay with her getting a ride? After last time, when he was basically frozen with fear, she figured he wouldn't let her anywhere him like that again. After a few more moments of hesitation, seeing that he wasn't budging, Delphi hops forward and climbs awkwardly onto his back. Settling as quickly as she can, she stations herself so that she is stable on his back. "Thanks," Delphi mumbles quietly. "Delphi" & "Strai"

"Yeah, yeah" he grunted in response to her thanks. He rose slowly and carefully, taking pains not to disrupt his burden. Once he was up again, he tested his balance. She was heavy, mostly because he was still pretty small himself. But his lifestyle left him in good shape, and he found he could walk up the hill. It was a but of effort, and he found himself winded by the time he turned into the corridor that led to her secret place.


He did his best not to let it show, controlling his breathing as he carried her further. Through the skin flap and into her little secret place. He carefully lowered her onto a pelt and made his way to her table. He stared helplessly at her pieces she used for that medication. "How do I do this?" He demanded, scowling at her now.

Delphi tries her best to stay as still as possible. Hoping that her stillness would make it easier on him in the long run. Though she can secretly tell that carrying her is a struggle, she doesn't say a single word the whole time. Instead, she continues to focus on being still and contain her emotions as he makes his way up to the all-too-familiar corridor. On the way up there, Delphi called for Binti to meet them in the room so he could help wrap her ankle. By the time they make it into the room and he slips her off of his back and onto the pile of pelts, she can tell how tired he is. There was no hiding how exhausting it had been. But before she can offer anything to him in return, he is scowling at her, asking how he was supposed to use her "medication." She looks at Strai and then toward Binti. Binti is glowering at her, willing her to not ask him to help the Thrall. A sheepish grin grows on her lips as she lifts her good paw to motion for Binti to come closer. "Binti will help. Uh, just light a small piece of wood until it smolders. There's a jar of plant over on that wall. It's green, kinda sticky, very stinky," she moves to motion her paw toward the small platform full of various jars and pots. "Take a lil bit or have Binti do it. Put it in the little bowl at the end of that glass pipe and use the smoldering wood to burn it. Once it starts burning, I inhale it until I feel my throat burn," by this point, she doesn't feel embarrassed explaining the process to him. If he didn't like her doing it, he could say so. If he didn't care, then she would do as she pleased. Why did she care what he thought anyway? "Delphi" & "Strai"

He moved his scowl back to the medication, and got to work. He didn't have what he needed to light the fire, but her cat thing took care of that. Once it was smouldering he moved to the funny green plants. He pinched some, guessing the amount and wrinkling his nose at the scent. She was right, it did smell funny. Once he had the tool set up, he took it over to her and thrust it into her face. He didn't say anything more about the pipe. She had told him she took it for pain, and she was clearly in pain. What more was there to say? Next, he plopped himself down in front of her, and made a 'give' motion. It was good to get a chance to sit, even if he wasn’t exactly relaxing yet. "I'm not a damn nurse maid, so don't get used to this. This is for the cut. Like for like, that's it." He said, his voice dipping back into gravelly tones again. He didn't meet her eyes, afraid she would see the lie in them. When she didn't immediately hand over her paw, he reached over and grabbed it, before starting to massage around the knot. He bent his head over the leg, hiding his face from her. "Delphi" & "Strai"

Delphi was thankful for his help. She actually felt rather helpless as she lay there and watch him work with Binti. Not that she really deserved either of their help. But here they were, doing what they could to make her feel better. Unsure if she should be thankful or feel awkward, Delphi instead rolled her eyes when he snipped at her about being a nursemaid. “Not like I asked you to do any of this,” she sneered back at him, raising her lip in a defensive growl.

Pulling on the pipe, she inhaled deeply as he wrenched the paw into his grasp. Her eyes widen slightly as Binti takes it from her and sets it on the table. As she exhales, she flattens her ears and narrows her gaze to him. Why was he hiding his face? Binti helps her take a drink of water as she holds back a cough and the thought is still on her mind. When Binti goes to lay in his corner, Delphi finally leans her muzzle closer to Strai.

“What you hidin’ for?” She whispers, her head tilting a bit to the side.

No, she hadn't asked… but he was doing it anyway. He was as much a fool as she was. But it wasn't his fault she didn't seem to obey the rules of the world. Or at least, not as he knew them to be. 


His scowl deepened in annoyance at her nosy words. She always seemed to want to get to the bottom of things, always wanting to know why. Despite his annoyance, his paws were still gentle as he felt out the sprain and the tightened muscles. 


He lifted his head up very slightly and to the side, the movement showed her a hint of teeth. "Maybe because you'll see I'm annoyed that you're always getting yourself hurt, like you can't keep out of trouble for five minutes, and knew that would lead to a fight when you're too injured to hold your own?" He growled at her. Which maybe showed more than he cared to of how much he worried. With luck, she'd concentrate more on the insults.

Delphi noticed the flash of his teeth as he lifts his head ever so slightly up toward her. She lifts her brow in response and lets her own lip reveal a bit of her saber fangs. If he wanted to play that game, she would play it right back. His words though snap against her and she is… confused once more. What did he mean by all of that? Annoyed at her? Why was he helping her if he was annoyed? That didn’t make any sense.

Even his growl has her pulling away slightly for a second. Her ankle and paw feel better, but the insults sting. Delphi is quiet for a few moments as her lips turn down into a frown before straightening out and then flicking up into a smile. She leans her face back into his and nips at his cheek. “Then what do I have you following me around for?” She whispers to him as she pulls back, her eyes never leaving his face. As much as she wanted to be hurt at his insults, she wasn’t going to let him win. And really, she enjoyed having him around and if that meant she had to be reckless, then so be it.

Her nip at his cheek was so unexpected that he actually froze for a second, and heat flooded his body. His muzzle was pressed into a frown and his eyes dipped down again. Looking at her injured leg. He wasn't good with emotions. He didn't know how to handle them, and his own never felt right. He wasn't as strong as his mother, and he knew. Wasn't as cold, though he wished to be. There was a truth here he was dancing around. But it almost hurt to voice it.


He let go of her leg and leaned back, still keeping his eyes off her. It was easier that way. "You're stupid, spoilt, and annoying. But I don't want you getting hurt, either." He said at last. Burying the truth in barbs.

Her leg feels cold from where he pulled away. The distance between them felt like a canyon as he continued to refuse to look at her. Delphi's ears fall back as her playful grin turns into a disappointed frown. Why was he doing this? Just when she thought they were making progress, he had to go and be all... like this. Whatever it was. Really, it was frustrating to her. Why couldn't they be normal? And there it was. The stinging insults again. With a little bit of an admission there at the end. He thought she was all those things, but didn't want to see her hurt? Why? Ugly feelings rise up in her like bile as she stares hard at him. "You're insufferable," she hisses at him through clenched teeth. "You call me weak and yet you can't even bear to look at me," her words are a jab at him as she fights the urge to smack him. As much as she wants to, she knows violence won't fix anything. Rolling over, she scoots away from him and curls up into a ball. "If you can't stop insulting me, you might as well leave," she calls from over her shoulder as she remembers Vidarr's words. You're too precious to be treated poorly. He was right and she wasn't going to put up with it. Firmly putting her chin upon her paws, Delphi stares at the cavern wall, determined to stay like that until he makes up his mind. Be nice and stay or leave. "Delphi" & "Strai"

Astraios scowled a little deeper as she pulled away and threw verbal barbs at him. But that was what he wanted, right? Letting her get too close was a point of vulnerability. Why else did he bury everything in insults and snarls? He was also starting to like it when she snapped back at him. He enjoyed seeing the fire inside of her. But not when she got sullen, and sad instead of angry. 


He wrestled with two parts or himself for a moment. The one that wanted to keep everyone at arms bay, and the one that wanted to get closer to her. In the end, the fool won out. He grimaced, and then lifted his head to look at Delphi, who had curled up into a ball despite her injured leg. "Fine." He said, his voice a little bitter "I like you, okay? And that scares me." His eyes dropped again. She was right, he was the coward that couldn't even look at her.

Silence stretches between them but she doesn't hear him leave. Instead, as she lays there, facing away from him, she listens. She listens to his heartbeat that thuds in his chest, his breathing that goes in and out, how his body shifts ever so slightly against the stone. Those tiny movements tell her that he isn't going to go away that easily. Maybe he has decided to be nice for once. Her mind drifts as she wonders how long she'll have to give him the cold shoulder for. Did the cat have his tongue this time? When his words do finally come out, her own heart stops for a second. He liked her? Wait, did he really just say that? Out loud? Delphi is more than surprised. Her breath is successfully taken away as she slowly lifts her head to look over her shoulder at him. He's looking down at the ground and his paws so she can't meet his gaze. Had she not just told Vidarr the other day that she thought she had feelings for him too... Had Vidarr said something to the boy? No, gramps wouldn't do that to her... Delphi's mouth opens slightly as she fights to find good words. Instead, she does what she knows. Rolling back over, she scoots to him, careful to keep the weight off of her injured ankle, and presses herself against his chest and under his chin so that he can lay his head over her shoulders. "I'm scared too," she curls up once more so that she is snugly between his front legs and her chin is on his paws. "Because I like you too," her voice is no more than a whisper as she stares out at the fire that crackles beside them. "Delphi" & "Strai"

He slumped down until he was lying on the floor. He didn't think he'd be leaving any time soon, though the vulnerability of the situation was almost a physical pain across his coat. He looked at her then, and realised she was moving. He watched her silently as she approached him, and curled up with him. Once she was settled, he let his head rest on her back. She felt so warm and alive against him, and he found that frightening, too. But he didn't protest. Even if this made it harder to say what was stewing in his thoughts. 


"My parents told me that friends make you weak, vulnerable." He said, his voice soft and quiet. The usual gravel seemed to smooth out of his voice for a moment. He found he… wanted her to understand, or at least know. "There were three other siblings in my litter. My mother culled my sister, because she was small, and when my two brothers showed signs of weakness, she culled them, too." He knew by now that her upbringing was vastly different from his own. Her experiences were almost alien to him. Would she understand what he was saying? Her mother would have killed him for this friendship.

She feels the pressure of his head atop her back. Silently, she is thankful that he doesn’t move. His body is warm, soft, comforting. Delphi likes that she feels protected when she’s curled up with him. As if nothing can hurt either of them when they’re tucked away in here.

When she closes her eyes, she listens to him talk. She can tell his voice smoothed out as if he wasn’t so angry with the world, with her, anymore. His words make her heart hurt. His own mother culled his siblings? At first, she didn’t understand what he meant but by the end, she did.

Delphi sniffles as he finishes, fighting back tears. When he had practically nothing, she had everything. The world was in her paws and he was struggling to even breathe. Maybe she really was spoiled. “I’m sorry she culled your siblings,” Delphi says quietly in a strained voice. While there are other things she wants to say, she stays quiet for now. Words won’t help him.

He raised his shoulders an inch or two, and then let them drop in a half-hearted shrug. She spoke as if she expected him to miss them, but they hadn't been allies. "They were competition for resource, and after they were gone I ate better." He said, letting his eyes slip closed. He took a guilty comfort from her presence and warmth. He didn't like talking about this, especially knowing it was nothing like what she knew. As if she might pity him for hearing. But he didn't want to push her away, and he knew he would do so eventually. He couldn't help it. But maybe if she knew… maybe if she knew, she would forgive him. "They would have slowed us down, gotten us killed." He said after a moment. 


He also knew he wouldn't have survived until adulthood. Delphi had revealed a weakness in him. "If I can pretend I don't care. When I'm mean to you , maybe it won't be seen as a weakness."