he holds them, and it’s like all the air deflates from them in one big rush. sniffling, they go limp and bury their face in Strai’s fur, trying to calm down. they’d been so panicked, so terrified that he’d leave, just like She had -

he’s not Her, he’s not Her, he’s not Her.

it’s a chant, a mantra they cling to with blood-slick fingers as their shaking slowly, incrementally subsides. for a moment they just try to breathe, letting their inhales and exhales sync to his. in, out. in, out. when they’re finally capable of speech, they mumble the words into Strai’s shoulder, voice muffled and still wet with tears. “m-my mum,” - it’s been so long since they’ve let themselves think of her as such in any capacity, but it’s true, she had been their mum - “she…she left me. just…sitting in the dirt, waiting for her to come back.” they sniffle, and there’s a touch of self-loathing in their voice, an anger at their own naivety. “like an idiot.” they lift their chin to meet Strai’s eyes, and they’re dismayed to find their chin trembling. they’d thought themselves stronger than this, desensitised to all memories of Her. they’d thought she didn’t hold any power over them anymore. “i didn’t see it coming. maybe if i’d…” oh god, they wouldn’t let the tears come again, they wouldn’t. “maybe if I’d been less a-annoying or q-quieter…she wouldn’t have…” they trail off, unable to voice the thought.

When Spider went limp in his arms, he patted the back of their head awkwardly. Instead of driving Spider away, he seemed to have brought them closer. In his panic, everything he had wanted had backfired. He listened as Spider spoke of their mum, of her leaving them. “Mums are stu--” He swallowed the words, finding them more painful to speak than he expected. Despite everything, he couldn’t say it. She had been his whole world, even if that world had been a dark one. “Mum’s are… aren’t always right.” He said lamely instead. He rolled off his paws, and landed lightly on his rump on the earth, bringing Spider with him. “My mum… she killed my siblings, ‘cause they were weak. Now… now everything I do would be weak by her standards. So either I should be dead, or she was…. wrong.” And the implication of what that meant for his siblings still hadn’t settled in. Not really. "Speech"

Spider sniffles against Strai’s chest, listening with growing sadness as he speaks of his own past. their stomach twists with nausea, faintly ill at the very thought of what he’d had to go through. it makes sense, then, why’d he been so terrified to care about them. it makes sense, and it’s horrifying. “i’m sorry that happened to you,” Spider whispers, eyes trained on the ground. they might be on the brink of teenagerhood, but be beasts with claws and teeth capable of destruction, but in this moment they’re just two scared kids left in ruin by their shitty mums. and wasn’t that just unfair. “well, then she’s definitely wrong. you’re not weak, Strai.” they smile up at him, so grateful he’d stayed with them when every instinct had been screaming at them to go. so grateful they hadn’t had to endure this alone. “you’re wonderful.”

they turn their gaze away and add, voice quiet, “that clearing where i met you…that’s where my mum abandoned me, when she left. it made me sick to return there, but then…there you were.” the smile is evident in their voice as they add, “i’m glad i have a nice memory now to replace the bad one.”

'I'm sorry that happened to you' was that what he should have said to Spider? Instead of the equivalent of mums suck? He was really, really bad at this. Spider continued to speak, calling him wonderful. Spider was much better with people then he was. They had to be, to get through Strai's tough shell.


"I didn't realise… I'd just gotten away from… stuff too, when I found you." He explained, letting out a soft sigh. "I'm sorry you had to go through that, Spider. You deserve better. So what's the story with your Bas, then?" He asked, trying to fit the puzzle pieces together.

“oh!” Spider sits up, grinning, their tail beginning to thump against the ground; this is their very favourite subject. “ok, so, picture this: i’m little - shut up - like suuuper little, and i’m scared and crying because my mum just like, up and left…and in sweeps this amazing woman with kind eyes and a nice voice, and she’s all ‘why are you crying, kid?’ and of course i’m like ‘oh well my mum left and i don’t think she’s coming back’ and this woman - Hazel - she just…takes me home with her! just like that!” Spider’s tail, if possible, thumps even faster. “and then she brings me to Seer who lets me into the Armada, and then i meet Bas. he’s Hazel’s mate, and i’m scared of course, but he’s so awkward and funny that it’s hard to stay scared for very long.” they giggle to themselves as they remember how he’d been when they’d first met; uncertain, careful, half-afraid he’d crush them. looking pack, Spider recognises he’d had no idea what to do with a kid. and that realisation makes it all the more sweeter when they conclude, “and to make a long story short, they both adopted me as their own!“ cue big big smile.

"Speech"

Strai was surprised at the sudden change in Spider. They sat up, and got terribly animated. Telling him about a woman who had adopted him. It sounded as if they had swept Spider away, taking them in as their own. Like Bylgja He was astounded at the similarities of what they had been through. Well… not the way Spider entered the Armada, however. “Sounds like they are good wolves, like they look out for you. I’m glad you have that, Spider.” He said. Look at that, maybe he had this whole comforting thing down? He sat up too, still close enough to Spider that their fur was touching. “It’s crazy how similar what we went through was. We both had shitty parents that aren’t around any more. I got… taken into Heiðinn, and Bylgja adopted me.” His own tail began to swish behind him now. An unusual display of happiness. “She adopted me a couple days ago. I’m still… adjusting. So Hazel and Bas let you out this far often? ‘Cause, if we’re going to really do this… be friends, you should know it’s hard for me to go far from the pack right now. "Speech"

Spider smiles, bumping their shoulders together. “thanks, Strai.” at the mention of Strai’s own adoption, they shoot up on their hand legs and attempt to place their forepaws on his shoulder, practically shaking him with excitement. “you did?! Strai, that’s amazing!!” they couldn’t believe it; they’d both found people who wanted to take care of them, who’d seen something worthy in them when their own parents hadn’t. “not too bad for us orphans, huh?” Spider adds, winking as they settle back on their haunches. “pssh, they don’t mind where we they i go, s’long as i’m back for dinner. world’s my oyster, baby.” then they shoot Strai a sad look. “wish you could see the treehouse, though. it’s pretty cool.”

if you really wanna do this…be friends…

it’s as though Strai’s words have really only just started to sink in, causing them to suck in an amazed gasp. “do you really mean it?! you want to be friends? like, real-not-just-probationary-friends?” was this really happening?!

"Speech"

He found himself becoming aware of how seamlessly Spider responded to emotional things. They comforted and congratulated without thought. Did Spider really want this friendship? He would never be able to return the favour,  not effortlessly. "Yeah, she's… she's a warrior, she's pretty epic." He agreed.


It wasn't the first time Spider had mentioned a tree house, but it was the first time he'd cared. "Maybe I will, Bylgja is working on getting me a proper rank. Maybe I'll be able to visit you for once" he suggested. 


When Spider asked if he meant it - this friendship - he sighed. "Yeah, I do. I'm all in, Spider." It was clear it was far too late to back out. He was stuck with Spider now.

“that’d be awesome! i can show you my room, and you can meet Hazel and Bas!” Spider grins, showing off a row of sharp white teeth. of course, Strai responds with his usual grudging assent, but they’ve learned by now not to take it to heart. “no need to sound so thrilled about it.” despite their teasing, however, happiness is bursting through Spider’s chest like sun rays; they’ve managed to claw their way up from probationary status to real, actual friend! and they’d only had to get crushed by a deer to do it! speaking of which…

“you don’t happen to know any healers, do you?” Spider asks, sheepishly indicating their throbbing hip. “i think…it might be dislocated?” perhaps they should’ve been more worried, considering the pain, but their voice is more curious than anything.

"Speech"

Once again, his prickly attitude was met with joy and enthusiasm. Spider was definitely carrying the team when it came to this friendship, but Strai was… no longer opposed to it. Which was practically a glowing recommendation in his books. “Alright, alright. I’ll tone it down.” He said in a dull, monotone voice, before flicking a smile at the pup. A smile that vanished a moment later, when Spider informed him their injuries were worse then he realised. “Oh, shit. Oh no, Spider, you didn’t say anything” He growled at them. Of course, Spider wouldn’t have been able to considering how Strai was trying to push them away only a few moments ago “Let me get Bylgja, I bet she’ll know what to do.” He said, before raising his head and howling for his adoptive mother. "Speech"

Bylgja, when the boy calls, is in the middle of practicing the art of splinting.

But when Astraios's call reaches her ears, she looks up from her work, leaving a large branch behind as she bolts towards the sound, bandage clutched in her jaws. She doesn't know that he's hurt, but Bylgja would never waste time putting down bandages when they could prove useful.

Besides, as she proved with Delphi--

It doesn't take her long to get the axe if she must.

Bylgja bursts upon the scene in a flurry of defensive motion; her hackles are up and her tail is high. When she spots the two youths, she forces her fur to relax.

"I'm here," she growls. "What's--" one look at the strange pup's body language makes Bylgja certain they're the source of the problem.

"... what happened?" she gets closer, giving Spider a look-over, her ears forward. She's looking for any bone through skin, any blood, any signs of internal-gone-external. To clarify for the young, she speaks: "I'm doing initial check. Tell me where it hurts."

truth be told, they're more excited at the opportunity to meet Strai's adoptive Mum than to receive medical attention for their injury - though that's a close second, of course. their priorities aren't completely skewed. sitting back on their haunches, Spider hums a little tune under their breath as they wait, pausing only to wince at the occasional spike of pain. thankfully it doesn't take long for the woman to show up, bandages clutched between her teeth. "i...um." they shrug sheepishly, feeling vaguely embarrassed about the whole thing now that it's over. "a reindeer sort of...fell on me?" they stick out their back leg to allow Bylgja better access, leaning back on Strai for support should he allow it. "it's my hip. i think it's dislocated." as the woman examines them, Spider gazes upon her with blatant awe, brows raising incredulously as they take in her colourful scarring and muscled build. "she's cool," they whisper to Strai. figures he'd have such a badass Mum.

Speech

Strai was… surprised at the rush of relief that flooded through him at the sight of Bylgja. That was new to him, and he tilted his head as he looked at the woman who had adopted him. She came charging in ready to do battle, looking very much like a fierce warrior that even his family would be proud of. “This is Spider. They’re… my friend.” He hesitated over the word, still finding himself reluctant to voice such weakness outloud. But Spider was important to Strai, and it felt important to him that Bylgja knew that. He grunted in surprise when Spider leaned against him, but took their weight. Placing a paw somewhat protectivly over them. Not against Bylgja who had earned his trust. Just sort of… in general. “It was a pretty big reindeer, Spider was very brave.” His lip twitched at Spider’s whispered words. “She uh… pulled a reindeer off me the first day we met, too.” He admitted a little sheepishly. He didn’t bother to whisper. "Speech"

Spider at least seems to be pretty calm about the whole ordeal, which makes Bylgja's lips twitch up in momentary relief. Well. Alright. That's good. It could have been worse, after all. The wolf circles around Spider, just a bit, not trying to be intimidating but, y'know, still sizing them up to see what's going on -- if anything other than the hip is busted. Strai introduces her and Bylgja's fangs bare, not in a snarl but a broad, boisterous smile. "Spider! Is a good name!" Her voice is heavily accented, and her words aren't quite... correct, but she's doing a good enough job. Bylgja gets closer, squinting at Spider, head tilting, tattooed brow furrowing, and then she speaks again. "Hip always bastard to fix. Is okay! I fix it." That brassy voice -- deep, powerful -- is full of confidence. The multicolored healer pauses. "Now! Hold still! Let me see!" She reaches out, moving to grasp and feel at Spider's hip, to find the dislocation -- which leg, the angle. That way, she can get to work on snapping it back. "Well, won't lie to you Spider! This will suck, eh? But I fix it! Just... will hurt for a moment!" But then she glances at Strai, and her grin is somewhat mischievous. "Strai has habit of making good friends with reindeer, eh?" But her tone is warm, and she winks. She's trying to lighten the mood, because-- well, it's going to suck when she pops the hip joint back in. "Bylgja" & "Strai"