As he had expected, Sera adamantly refused his aid, sealing his assumptions up in his mind. She was afraid of him, but he didn't think she was afraid of him per se. Something was making her panicked and flighty, something he was invoking in her, but what it was he couldn't put his paw on it. It all seemed too familiar though... Regardless, Alastor nodded his head and smirked, then rapped a paw against his own large skull. "Me too! Mother always said I was thick-headed, although I think she meant something else by that, haha!" he said with a laugh, his smile gradually returning to his face.

Alastor returned over to their kill, using his razor sharp claws to carefully skin the elk so as not to damage its pelt. "When you make a kill, if your prey's pelt isn't damaged in the hunt, try to skin it in one solid piece with something sharp. Claws, sharp rocks, daggers, anything that can cut skin. That way you can clean the fur and use it for things like bedding," he explained while he flipped the elk and repeated the process on the other side for her to watch. Once he had skinned the deer, he stacked the two large segments of pelt off to the side and motioned to them while meeting her oceanic eyes. "These are yours to take back with you. Your kill, your rewards."

With the animal skinned and the delicious meat exposed, Alastor began to tear in, butchering some choice cuts from the animal and pulling them away to set aside. Once he had collected a good portion of meat, he picked up his meal and stepped away from the elk to give Sera enough space to approach and get some food if she wished as well. If not, she could at least collect the pelts and study the kill without him being near her. Alastor might not have been the nicest wolf, but he wasn't daft. He knew the source of her discomfort was him and he didn't need toe exacerbate that any. "What are you going to do with your kill?" he asked as he began to wolf down mouthfuls of meat like a ravenous predator, which in this case he was.

"Speech" | Thoughts

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She managed a wry smile at his joke, through he seemed anything but thick-headed. At least he wasn’t pushing her boundaries. His attention moved to the elk, and he turned even this into a lesson. Despite herself, she listened with rapt attention. The more she knew, the more self sufficient she would be. It was better this way.

She leaned a little forward, watching without getting too close. He definitely looked like he knew what he was doing, peeling away the skin, flipping it over and doing the same to the other side.

She blinked in surprise when he offered her the coat. He had done the work in preparing them for her, and now he offered them to her as a gift. It was a treasured gift, too. She didn’t have any pelts in her den, and the nights could be cold. “Thank you, Alastor” she said softly. For the pelts - and for not pushing. The last was said with her eyes, which managed to meet his again.

She sat on her haunches while he pulled apart the meat. She expected him to eat then and there, but instead he collected the pieces and moved to the side. She realised, with a little tinge of shame and relief, that he did so to give her space. She moved forward into the space he had left her, and admired the pelt. The fur was quite soft, but she could wash it with soaps and dry it, and it might become softer yet. “I’m ranked lowly in my pack at the moment, but the more I prove myself, the sooner I'll get to advance. I intend to present it to my Alpha, proof of my learning” It was a lot more truth then she would have given him before the hunt, but he had earned it. She might be afraid of being up close and personal with another wolf, but she was beginning to trust him. To like him, even. There was a rough kind of kindness in him. “Did you want to keep the antlers?” she asked, tapping them with a paw.

"Speech"

Alastor was not used to being thanked. Being thanked was not something that was done where he had come from. You were expected to carry out your tasks and your duties. Failure to do so earned you beatings and punishments. Success only gave you reprieve from punishment; there was no reward. Still, when Sera said it, Alastor struggled to find the words that were the appropriate response to such a thing, even if he were trying to fake it. The softness in the girl's eyes that showed how grateful she was that he hadn't pushed her turned his stomach. But it wasn't disgust. It was... something else... He couldn't put his paw on that either, and it bugged him. Empathy was a quality he hadn't shown anyone ever, not when the world only tried to harm you if you showed weakness.

For a while, Alastor ate and listened silently to Sera while she explained the purposes she had for the elk. Ah, so she was a pack wolf after all. That certainly explained the drive and the other scents clinging to the fringes of her. He was all too familiar with the rigidity of pack structure and the mans by which ones could climb that ladder. He had done so what felt like a lifetime ago, and he had done so successfully. Ah, but that was a story she didn't need to hear... He was simply pleased that she was opening up to reveal this to him. Whether it would stick and matter to him would be a different story, but for now, the dark-furred man was enthralled with learning more about his hunting student. She was unique, and he liked unique things. There was something about her that reminded him of someone... Maybe one day he'd figure out who that was.

"Well, I don't know your Alpha, but if he's anything like every other Alpha, he's going to love free meat," he remarked with a wry chuckle and a smirk. Alastor downed another chunk of delicious elk, his stomach finally appeased with him. Sera offered him the antlers and Alastor raised a paw while shaking his head. "Your kill, your rewards," he repeated. "I don't have much use for them anyway. Give them to your healers, or use them to craft tools or weapons. I don't stay any one place long enough to need tools, and the gods gave me enough weapons on my own." He flashed her a deliberately wide, toothy smile to show off his teeth to emphasize his point, though he came off far more goofy-looking than fearsome.

"Speech" | Thoughts

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It was her first time in a pack, so it was gratifying to hear she was on the right track. Alastor seemed like an absolute wealth of knowledge. Was there nothing he didn’t know or understand? She shook her head self deprecatingly. She wondered if she would ever be as self sufficient and knowledge as the likes of him. Sometimes it seemed an impossible mountain to climb. Had she really looked at him and thought a demon? She saw nothing but humanity in him now.

She took a bite of the Elk, she wasn’t terribly hungry, but she had been hungry often enough to know it was wise not to eat when you got a chance. She swallowed her mouthful and shrugged. Clearly feeling better with some patience and space. “Your loss” she teased, accepting the gift of the antlers as well.

She stifled a smirk at his bared teeth - something that definitely would have had her shaking in her boots before the hunt. Before something unspoken had passed between them. So long as he kept his distance, she didn’t think he was that fearsome after all. It was only when he got closer that her emotions decided to override everything else entirely. “Would you tell me about your girl, Alas?” she asked softly, not sure if it was a touchy subject for him. He had looked a little lost in his thoughts the first time it had come up.


"Speech"

Sera was such a curious creature to Alastor. She was ambitious, but also reserved and held herself back. A brave face on an otherwise meek spirit and guarded heart. It was a contradiction that made him wonder just what had happened to this special little wolf to get her in such a state. She wouldn't tell him, and he wouldn't ask. They were still virtually strangers to one another besides a shared meal and interest in hunting. Perhaps if they continued to cross paths, their stories would continually unfold together. For today though, it was simply enough to exist in the same world as ghosts haunting the same forest.

Ah, but at least he was finally able to make her laugh a little. Alastor liked when wolves laughed along with him. He wouldn't deny that he was a fucked up wolf who had done some twisted things, destroyed so many lives he couldn't even count, spilled blood by the gallons—but deep down, the black and red brute harbored the mind of a broken child that had been deprived the basic life all children deserved. Perhaps that was why he was the way he was. He couldn't tell, and at this point, did he really care? What was done was done, and this was who he was.

For a while, he just quietly finished his meal, his stomach full and satisfied once more. As he cleaned his paws and muzzle, Sera asked him about the girl he had come to Boreas for. The man paused mid-lick, the corner of his mouth twitching ever so subtly while memories danced in his head. "She was someone who had saved me once. Took me as I was when I was at my lowest, didn't care if I was broken..." he said, voice low with bemused reflection. He didn't look up at Sera while he spoke, instead keeping his eyes distant, unfocused on anything in the real world while he stared through the haze of memories. "We were promised to one another by her family's customs. I thought I..." You thought what, you idiot? Thought you loved her? Thought she loved you? As if anyone could do that... the voice that haunted his brain like a wraith taunted him. He pursed his lips, then continued, "I followed her to Boreas after a disaster destroyed most of our pack. She... disappeared a few months back without a trace." He left that sentence hanging in the air while he thought about how much time he'd spent trying to make things work, trying to find her after she vanished for a second time. When would he learn to take a hint? "I haven't been able to find her since, and I'm sure she's trying to not be found..."

Those words hurt him more than he could ever say. Abandoned. He'd been abandoned and left for dead yet again. He refused to show the pain in his expression though, dark eyes cloudy and unfeeling while he detached himself from his emotions. It wasn't all the details of their story together, but it was a decent enough summary to maybe answer her question. Alastor finally allowed himself to look over at Sera again, a rueful smile twisting his lips into a weak grin. "It did teach me something though. Don't whittle away the time you have on someone who doesn't care enough to share theirs with you." It was a sad piece of advice to have to impart on anyone, but if he could prevent anyone else from enduring the pain and struggle he had in his life, it would be worth it. Maybe then there'd be one less monster in this shit world.

"Speech" | Thoughts

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Heck. She wouldn't mind a girl like that herself. Someone to help her understand the broken pieces of herself. She kept her gaze on Alas as he spoke. Thinking of the quiet demon she had mistaken him for at first, and listened as he told her how he was once broken. She already knew it wasn't a happy ending, but despite herself she jerked a little and frowned towards the other man as he trailed off. Explaining not what his thoughts were, and instead going on to explain he had followed the trail of her here.

He didn't meet her eyes, his gaze focused on the past as he told her a little of her hurts. A part of her wanted to reach over and pat his paw in comfort, but she wasn't that foolish. She wouldn't ruin his truths with another panic attack.

She fiddled with the snow instead, trying not to feel broken herself, and stumbled upon a long stick buried in the snow. She tugged it free as he spoke of hos girl not wishing to be found. That was her to a 't' but for vastly different reasons. She wasnt running from love, she was running from hate. She felt a little bit of judgment for this girl who had helped him heal and then ripped open the wound in her leaving.

He finally met her gaze again, and she offered him a partial, crooked grin. Two broken things, feeling a shared pain. "I'll bare that in mind" She promised, not that she was sure she would be able to tell the difference. Alas hadn't, snd he saw so much more in the world then she did. Shaking snow from her stick she placed it in her maw, and stretched it out over the distance between them, patting it against his paw in comfort. It was the best she could offer, and if it made his lips twitch in amusement as it did her own, then all the better. "I've heard there are other fish in the sea" She said around the stick, "maybe there's still one out there for you"

While he had been talking, Alastor hadn't noticed what Sera had been getting up to. He'd been so lost going down the maelstrom of his own memories that he completely missed her digging out the stick from the snow and brushing it clean. He did, however, notice when said stick was suddenly tapping and stroking his paw as if it were offering him some form of comfort. He raised a curious brow while he stared at the stick, then followed up its length to see the amused grin on Sera's face as she pet him with the stick. That broke the dam, and what started with a slow grin on Alastor's face turned into a huge smile as the brute let out a barking laugh so hard his sides hurt. Okay, so maybe she did have a playful sense of humor too! He could work with that! At the very least, she was trying to be kind despite her obvious discomfort at close contact with him—actually, he didn't know if it was him specifically or any wolf in general.

Sera spoke about there being more fish in the sea, as the expression went, and Alastor just snorted and rolled his eyes. Yes, he was familiar with the idiom, but no, he didn't think anyone else would want a deranged and dangerous psychopath hanging around them for extended periods of time. There was no telling if his broken mind would ever be better, or if he'd just have better days and worse days. Today was a better day, and Sera had caught him in a particularly good mood. He didn't like to think what might have happened had it been the opposite...

"Those are kind lies, but they are still lies at their core," he remarked with cynicism in his voice. "Not everyone in the world can be saved, Sera—nor is everyone worth saving. But I appreciate the sentiment all the same." He looked back over at the elk carcass then and motioned to it with his snout. "Are you going to be able to get that back home by yourself?" he asked, genuinely curious about how she proposed to get the large herbivore back to wherever her pack was located.

"Speech" | Thoughts

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She blinked in surprise at the sudden guffing laughter that broke free of her demon-friend. He had been lost in the frowning thoughts of his memories, and she had done that to him. Brought him to laugher. She felt a tinge of pride in the pit of her stomach, making the silly act with the stick well worth it.

Despite his continuous habit of grinning, and finding amusement in her actions, he was proving to be a cynic. Maybe he was right, maybe not everyone couldn't be saved. Well, she wasn't one to be saved anyway, she would do it herself. She'd pull herself out of the hole her childhood had left her in, kicking and screaming, if that's what it took. She looked across at Alas thoughtfully. Maybe she could drag him along to happiness with her. Somehow. He was already less of a stranger to her then her entire pack, and she wasn't willing to say goodbye to him anytime soon. "Alas... where are you going after this?" She asked, hoping his path wouldn't take him too far.

At his question, she frowned at the elk along with him. Her pride had been bigger then her paws. He was right, there was no way she was dragging this thing back to her pack alone. It was just about as big as she was. "Oh, definitely" She agreed doubtfully. If she had to, she would figure it out. Maybe if she found a way to slid it along the snow behind her...

Alastor noticed Sera looking at him pensively for a brief moment and wondered what she was thinking about him. Was she considering how much of a lost cause he really was? Maybe how nihilistic he was? How fucked up and beyond salvation he was? She wouldn't be far off if she was thinking any of those things. Not that he could blame her for it either; he wasn't a terribly hard wolf to read. Sera asked where he was going to go next and the dark-furred devil pursed his lips together in contemplative thought. He hadn't exactly considered what he was going to do with his newfound freedom. Winter still seemed to exist everywhere, so did it really matter where he went?

"I don't know. I hadn't really thought about it," he answered honestly while tapping his chin with a paw in a dramatic caricature of pondering. "I suppose I'll start heading south. It has to be better than northern Boreas right now. Plus there's nothing worth sticking around up here for. I'll probably just roam, see what trouble I can come across, maybe find more wolves pretending to be statues in the snow." He cast a teasing grin her way with his last example. Who knows, perhaps he'd find more ways to create mayhem and entertainment on his solo travels around Boreas. Without Lurid, he didn't exactly have any commitments or plans for the future anymore. Every day was taken as a new adventure.

He followed her doubtful gaze over to the remains of the elk, chewing on his tongue while he considered her options. It would take a little thing like her a solid day to drag that elk anywhere of distance, maybe longer depending on how far she had to take it. "If you need help, I can lend a paw," he offered, following up with a quick, "So long as it's not further up north. I'd like to get a change of scenery." It would be significantly easier for him to help cart the elk back to wherever she needed it, or at least most of the way to help her out. Provided she didn't get hysterical again out of nowhere.

"Speech" | Thoughts

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If she hadn’t made a commitment to a pack, if she had found him first, she might have tried to impose. To cross her path with his and make a general unwelcome nuisance of herself. Her lips twitched at the thought, before frowning in disappointment. She didn’t know who she wanted to be yet - but she knew she wanted her word to be worth more than that. She couldn’t just walk away from Fireside because something else was easier.

She snorted softly as he mentioned statues in the snow. “You don’t have to travel too far South to find that…” She paused, considering. She didn’t know what he wanted to do, but it was clear he was directionless at the moment. “Have you considered joining any packs?” she mused, voice thoughtful.

She gave him another wry smile as he offered his help, but tacked on a condition to it. He had picked a direction, and it was clear he didn’t want to deviate from it. “It is South actually, almost directly South from here. Just past that mountain…” she stood up, pointing at the rocky shape, or at least what she could see of it over the trees. She surveyed the kill a for a few more moments, and then began to hack into it, attempting to chop off a disproportionate piece off it. She could haul the smaller size, and Alastor - the clearly bigger wolf - could grab the larger. “So. Known many Alphas in your time?” she asked in another bid to know who Alastor was.

"Speech"

He was quickly learning what buttons would irk Sera juuuust the right amount to tease her and get a reaction without pissing her off. Snark and sarcasm aimed in her direction seemed to do just the trick in that regard, and he gave her an innocuous smile that showed he had no regrets about the statues comment when she snorted in response. A low, rumbling chuckle echoed in his chest as the big dire wolf stretched his limbs out, paws clawing at the snow to flex his digits. Now that his appetite had been sated, he could start preparing for the next part of his journey... whatever that part may be. Some of the fun in not having a plan was facing the unknown variables of each day, not knowing what life would throw at him.

Sera asked if he had considered joining any packs, and he cocked his head to the side with a pensive look in his oily black eyes. "Well, I was part of one before... I was going to be in another before that one fell apart... I guess you could say I'm a jinx when it comes to packs, haha!" he grinned that signature toothy smile as he laughed. If there was ever a wolf to be considered jinxed or cursed, he could definitely be in the running. "I wouldn't say I'm object to the idea, but the idea of rigid structure just seems sooooo... dull." Alastor wasn't even sure if any pack of "normal" wolves would feel comfortable with the smiling demon lingering around their ranks, unless they had an opening for a scarecrow in their group.

Alastor gave a thoughtful "ah" sound when Sera mentioned her pack was due south of there, a short distance away. It would still definitely be a trek, even for the two of them to get all this meat back to her home. Fortunately, she began to take care of that concern as she set to butchering the elk into more manageable pieces for herself to carry. The more weight she took off, the more feasible it became for the larger, stronger dire brute to handle the rest. He took a step closer to assist her—and then hesitated and retreated back to where he had started, remembering how she had freaked out the last time he came close to her. Boundaries were not always something he respected, but he recognized when someone didn't want them crossed for a particularly painful reason. He could sympathize.

Once the elk had been cut down to size and Sera had moved away enough that he felt he could approach the carcass, Alastor came up to the elk and took a hold of the larger segment of the body, hoisting it up over his shoulders. While still weighty, he would be able to carry it, albeit maybe with some breaks along the way. "Only two," he answered her honestly. "The pack I was born into, I knew the Alpha by virtue of knowing his daughter. That was the lady I lost somewhere around here. She's the second Alpha I ever knew." He paused with a dark chuckle that had a tinge of anger on his breath when he spoke of her. "Although I suppose to be considered an Alpha, one had to actually make a pack first, so I doubt she fully counts." Not allowing the bitter thoughts to creep back into his mind, he turned to fix Sera with a more genuine smile and bright eyes—as bright as black could be—and said, "So! Would you like to lead the way home, little huntress?"

"Speech" | Thoughts

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She didn’t think it was terribly amusing to consider one jinxed or cursed. She was starting to get the edges of Alastor’s self-deprecation. It was both similar and different to her own. He seemed to think he would not be able to find or be worthy of another love, another pack, the worthwhile time of another. Sera thought herself broken and irreparable with glitches in her system she would have to learn to live with.

As she butchered the elk she heard the crunch of paws on the snow, and her head darted up. But even as she looked he seemed to remember, and step back. It was terribly inconvenient, her glitches, but he seemed willing to work around them.

Once she had broken off a decent part of the haunch and back - perhaps a quarter of the remaining kill - she grabbed it, and dragged it away. Giving Alastor room to approach.

She was surprised to learn that the alphas he knew were father and daughter. Of the same pack? He didn’t seem to mean it that way. The woman he had been promised to must have been about to start a pack when she turned tail and ran instead. Leaving behind not only her promise to Alas, but to her forming pack as well. She shook her head, knowing exactly how she felt about that wolf already. Promises were worth more.

“An Alpha’s daughter should know better” she grumbled darkly - not that she was any authority on the subject. “Yes - of course” she agreed as his question, rather pleased to be labelled ‘huntress’ her body perked up at the title, and as she grabbed her haunch she carried it with her head held high.

"Speech"

All too true, little bird... he mulled about in the dark confines of the prison that was his mind when Sera bluntly stated he should have known better than to get in bed with an Alpha's daughter. It was a hard lesson learned about aiming above his station and trying to claw his way out of poverty and depravity. But he'd be damned if he let life kick him back down into the pit of failure. That's perhaps why he sought solitude and found the thought of integrating back into a pack loathsome. He was warped beyond repair through no fault of his own; it was simply the hand he had been dealt and he was forced to play the cards he was given. He could spend his life cursing the gods for his misfortune, or he could change the game to work in his favor. The manic brute favored the latter.

The sudden swell in Sera's pride and mood did not go unnoticed by Alastor, who made a mental note of how the praise had affected her spirits and how condescension hit her hard. Whatever her background was, someone had done a number to her self-esteem and kept her in a place where love, support, and praise were deprived from her. Not that his upbringing had been much different either... but maybe that's why he could so easily recognize the symptoms and signs in her. Alastor didn't say anything as Sera began to lead the way back towards her home, wherever that may be.

"Oh, don't forget, we have to make a stop to pick up your first kill," he called ahead to her, recalling the rabbit she had hunted and hidden for later. The elk would be a good gift to present to her Alpha, but the rabbit was her own personal trophy to keep. He would be remiss if they left it behind, and despite his outward appearance, he was growing quite fond of seeing Sera smile.

"Speech" | Thoughts

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She blinked and almost tripped as she came to a stop. Oh heck she had forgotten the rabbit! She readjusted her course, and started to lead them towards the snow where she had been playing ‘statue’. It was a much closer destination then her pack, and after she arrived she had some logistical issues to work out. Alastor had taken the hide, but the antlers rested over her shoulders. She awkwardly reached around, and stabbed the rabbit over one of the ends.

Picking up the haunces again, she began to lead them home true and proper this time. She was pretty sure she wasn’t forgetting anything else.

As she let them out of the woods, the light began to fade. It was this faux winter, the days seem shorter. Once the shadows had begun to stretch across the sky, the night began to grow with haste. They were definitely not going to make it to the pack before dark. Besides, they were probably due a break. She thought of spending a night in a camp with Alas, and her heartrate picked up again. Telling herself that if he hadn’t taken advantage of her yet, didn’t mean he suddenly would because it was night didn’t register like it should have. Foolish woman.

“Alright Alice, I think this day is leaving without us.” She said, trying to trick her mind into thinking of him as something as harmless and sweet as someone that she could call ‘Alice’

"Speech"

Like a record scratch, Sera abruptly stopped and diverted their path back into the woods, drawing an amused laugh from Alastor while they made their way back to their original meeting spot. Only once they arrived did he begin to realize the dilemma the little huntress was facing. How was she going to carry all of her prizes back home? Al stood off to the side, watching her work out the problem on her own. He wasn't going to interfere with her hunt. This was all still part of it, after all; the hunt didn't end when the prey fell, it ended when the spoils were brought back home. She was figuring that out now and he would let her learn on her own unless she asked for his help. But to his great delight, she managed to work it out on her own, skewering the rabbit like a kabob and walking off with it hanging from the end of the antlers like a macabre decoration. The sight was enough to pull another laugh from Alastor, reveling in the dark humor.

They began their trek out of the woods and south around the mountain range she had pointed out earlier. However, as was the curse of winter, the shortened cloudy day began to drift into darker, colder night. He didn't know how far away her pack was, but judging by the concerned looks she was giving the sky, he hazarded a guess that they weren't going to make it in one go. They would need to find some shelter though; the northern nights were unforgiving in the extended winter. Alastor's first thought was to find a cave or den, somewhere with enough space where she could get her distance from him and relax without fear of frostbite or exposure to the elements.

Sera's words caught his attention—but not for the reason he had expected. What had she just called him? Forehead furrowing in confusion, he tilted his head like a puppy seeing something new for the first time and fixed her with a befuddled stare. Did she call him Alice, or did she say Alas again? He couldn't discern, since they both sounded so similar, so he let it pass this time. She was right, however; they were losing daylight fast. The temperature would be following the setting sun close after, and they would need to be set up for the night before that happened.

"Got a plan for how to survive the night, little huntress?" he asked, deferring the choice to her as the de facto leader of this hunt. Would she choose to seek out already existing shelter nearby, or would she want to set up a makeshift campsite for the evening?

"Speech" | Thoughts

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She frowned - scowled, actually, at the encroaching darkness. Like she could turn it back with a glare. It was easier than looking at her companion. She didn’t want to think too hard about men in the night. She didn’t want to see pity or irritation in his eyes.

She let out a soft sigh, letting the haunch fall to the ground for a moment, paws sinking into the snow as she flexed her pad against it and thought. Before she found the pack, her days had generally gone as - ran as far and fast as she could, collapse in a bundle wherever she found herself - Too exhausted to worry or feel the cold, she had slept. Woken the next day, and started again. Sometimes she was lucky enough to stumble upon a cave or somewhere warmer to spend the night, but she hadn’t had the wherewithal for a while to care enough to plan for it.

He was asking her how they would be surviving the night, and she was ashamed to realise she did not have a clue. She was a liability, a wolf likely to lash out or freeze in fear. One with no plan to help the two of them, when returning to the pack with the kill had been her idea. He was out here late because he had been helping her. The shame was heavy in her veins, and she let it roll through her for a moment. Wallowing in her own foolishness before letting out a soft breath. And shoving it angrily aside. “We aren’t too far from the mountains, perhaps we could find somewhere to bed down in there?” It would mean a little more trekking in the dark, but it was a better answer then ‘stop where they stood, curl into a ball, and hope for the best’
Once again, she was making this shit up as she went.

"Speech"

He watched her body language shift again when he asked what her plan was for hunkering down for the night, her shoulders slumping when she dropped the elk haunches and seemed to consider their options. His ears flicked back, wondering why she always seemed to be mentally punishing herself whenever she was faced with a decision or a challenge. She put on such a brave facade but it was like a veil for this scared and uncertain spirit she was harboring. It was such an odd thing to see play out in front of him. Alastor wasn't sure what to make of it, but it was obvious that this little wolf had something of a damaged past to leave her in such a state. He didn't bring ti up or ask; it wasn't his concern, after all.

Sera suggested heading toward the mountains and find some shelter there. Alastor nodded his head; it was as good a plan as any, plus he was familiar with some of the caves over that way. "Sounds good. Let's get moving," he agreed, then started leading the way toward the mountains. "There's some abandoned mines in the caves over there. We can use those for the night." He had been through the mines and the Locus Obscuro in the past when searching for Lurid the first time, though it had been some months since he'd been in them. There was a plethora of caves though, so finding one that was empty for temporary sanctuary shouldn't be too difficult.

True to his word, Alastor led the way through the powdery snow and crunchy ice to the base of the mountains. The sun had long since set by now, veiling the lands in almost total darkness as the clouds obscured the moon and stars. He would pause every so often to double check and make sure Sera was still behind him. If he lost the little fae somewhere in the dark, he might not be able to find her again. "Not too far now," he called back while the pair drew closer to the hidden network of tunnels and caverns. Finding one of the cave entrances amongst the rock face in the dark was a problematic task on its own, but eventually he was able to hunt one down, peeking his head in to take a tentative sniff and sample the air. No scents lingered in the air; it was totally abandoned.

Alastor nodded to himself with a thoughtful hum and stepped inside. The cave wasn't much warmer than the outside, but it was sheltered from the wind and was dry. With the pelts from the elk, they could create makeshift beds for one night and not have to sleep in the snow. "What do you think?" he asked while surveying the cave, just large enough to accommodate a couple normal-sized wolves comfortably—or one giant wolf and one normal wolf. "If it's too cramped, we can keep looking. " I don't need you having another freak out... passed through his mind. He wouldn't know how to begin helping her with another episode if she had one. Better to just avoid them entirely at this stage.

"Speech" | Thoughts

Warning: Alastor is an explicitly mature character for violent and sexual content. Read his threads with caution.
As his mate, Manea may enter any of Alastor's threads not marked Private.
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Alas agreed and took the lead. In the contrary nature of Sera she thought 'I've been leading just fine, haven't I?' Before following along after him. She was weary, hauling the meat and antlers along. Her head starting to bow under the weight of the bones that rested upon them. Or perhaps it was shame that sent her head hanging just a little. It was hard not to feel it, even as she hated the emotion. She was silly and contrary and probably needed some sense knocked into her.

They ambled along in the dark, and she followed the shape of him and the sound of his heavier paw steps on the snow. She wasn't sure for how long they walked, she let her mind drift and her paws lead.

She was startled from her daydreams when his voice called attention to the cave, and she paired into the space as he moved into it. It wasn't large, but perhaps she could crawl her way into a corner and curl into a ball without thinking about too hard. She let out a soft breath, looking from Alas to the cave. He sounded like he was being so careful. Tippytoeing around her like she was liable to break any moment. She growled mentally, and looked at the far wall. "It'll do just fine."
Hewasnotthere. Hewasnotthere. She dove into the cave, shedding her luggage near the entrance as she landed in the far corner and curled into a tight ball. She didn't need kid gloves, dammit.

Without lifting her head she spoke into her fur. "Night Alice."

It was impossible for him to miss the way she slunk along behind him with her head hung like she'd been defeated by some imaginary force. It was harder to miss still how she deliberately avoided eye contact with him. She seemed almost... ashamed of herself. But that was stupid; what did she have to be ashamed of? Shame was a fickle and fake emotion that could only be put onto you by the expectations of others. No one was judging her save for maybe herself. Alastor wasn't a mind reader, after all. But it was growing tiresome to see this otherwise capable young woman put herself down over and over again. Or maybe it was just the fatigue from the day's travels that had her quiet and dour. Really, it was no concern of his. He didn't even have a reason to continue to help her out other than sheer absolute boredom and the fact that they just so happened to be heading in the same direction. Lucky happenstance as it were.

When he asked for her appraisal of their sleeping arrangements, the skittish fae simply deemed it as acceptable and then rushed in past him to push herself into the furthest corner and make herself as small as possible. Okay, now that was weird... But whatever. Alastor dropped the elk carcass towards the back of the den; he wouldn't keep it right by the entrance and make it easy for scavengers to take it. If they wanted an easy meal, they'd have to fight him for it first. Alastor then unslung the elk hides from off his back and stepped over to where Sera lay, tossing one of the pelts over her back as a makeshift blanket. "Good night, Sera," he replied while meandering his way back to take a spot closer to the entrance so he could also stand guard. He had heard her call him Alice this time for sure, and while strange, he wasn't going to start that conversation with her when she was exhausted. They had plenty of time to talk tomorrow if she wished it.

Covering most of his massive body with the other pelt, Alastor lay his head on black paws and stared out the entrance at the dark night. Sometime during his guarding, Alastor closed his eyes and let himself begin to relax, waiting to listen to the telltale signs of Sera sleeping before he dared let himself go to sleep as well. Call him paranoid, but he refused to be the first to fall asleep and let anyone get an upper hand on jumping him in the night.

"Speech" | Thoughts

Warning: Alastor is an explicitly mature character for violent and sexual content. Read his threads with caution.
As his mate, Manea may enter any of Alastor's threads not marked Private.
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She knew she was winding herself up in knots, but when couldn't seem to stop herself. Now, it almost the fear of freezing up that put her into a funk rather then the freeze itself. What she needed was a good knock over the head. Barring that, perhaps some sleep would help reset her. She hated causing a scene, showing her weakness. Perhaps she could pretend Alas would just think it fatigue and leave her be.

She heard him moving about in the cave, picking up the stuff she had left near the entrance, and moving it between them. Alright, that was fair enough. Nothing to worry about there. Her heart rate picked up when she heard him step even closer to her. She tensed, eyes going wide, but hidden in her fur. She held her breath. She could do it, she could attack not freeze. Notavictom. Notavictom. The attack never came, through she just about jumped out of her skin when the weight of the hide settled over her. "I dont need tucking in" She said dryly into her shoulder. Using the sarcasm to help steady herself. She didn't move, and the sound of his paws told her she was moving away from him. Back to the entrance. She cracked open an eye and saw him standing by the entrance for a time. She frowned, but didn't question it. She closed her eyes again, willing her heart rate to slow. She needed to rest. It took a long time, but eventually the quiet stillness let her settle.

She didn't know when wakefulness became sleep, but when she cracked an eye open next it was some time in the night. She could hear the sound of Alas breathing in the dark. His body blocking the entrance. Strangely enough, instead of feeling frightened that she could not get out without going past him, she felt comforted. His presence far different to the life she has slept behind. With him asleep, and the quiet night around them, she could be not afraid.

She let her eyes slipped closed again, and when she opened them again, it was morning. She yawned and stretched, looking about the still dim light in the cave. Right, today they would finish the journey to her pack.