CROSS MY HEART AND HOPE TO FLY ~*~ Cross stalked along at an easy pace, black tipped ears flicking, emerald eyes shining. He was as quiet as ever, but there was more of an energy in his steps today. For one thing - he was in a beautiful new land. With a great lake and beautiful trees. And for another, he was on guard duty. Well, more or less. His cousin Orica had been itching go southward and gather herbs for some time, and as Gargoyle had ordered that none of the youngsters go out alone, it was only right that he offer himself as company. That way none of the adults had to be bothered. Plus, even he was less than a yearling, he'd been up and down Alacritis twice. He'd gone with his mother to Seracia and watched a bull fight, and then tailing Awaken on his scouting mission to some of the islands themselves. That had been interesting. What Cross lacked in speech, he made up for in depth. Still waters run deep and all that. The boy who had once been destined to be Prince of Glaciem, was now content to walk alongside a wide-eyed healer to-be and sniff out herbs. Honestly, out of all his cousins, the only one he really felt he could be open around was Kairos, but he was a family sort of boy. He spent time with all he could. Orica and he were about as different as they come. She was talkative and friendly and trusting and he was silent and cool and suspicious. But somehow they'd made a good team during this little trip. Orica didn't try to push him to talk too much and he resisted the temptation to tell her to shut up. She'd even gotten good at reading his body language. So it was that when he crooked a paw and pointed with his nose down the slope, Orica would know that he was pointing out more herbs to her. ~*~ I WILL LIVE TO SEE YOU DIE

Cut me loose My parachute won't let me fall Don't be afraid of a chance for a miracle ~*~ "Red clover!" gasped Orica. "Thanks, Cross!" A delicate, long-legged creature came cantering out of the shades of the woods into the clearing that sat in the curves a hill banking the lakeside. She had eyes the color blue glass, and a pelt with all the color of piano keys. As the monochrome fairy brushed past her cousin, she gave him a quick lick on the cheek and bounded down the grass knoll. There, covering the hill like a blanket was a great patch of clover that, in some places grew so thick and tall that it brushed her belly fur. It was undisturbed beauty. Well undisturbed except for the bumbly bees. She'd have to watch out for those. The great carpet was dotted with rich purple blossoms, that Orica began to immeidately snap up and place into the old leather knapsack around her shoulder. "I could never figure out why they're called 'red clover' when they're purple." she said to Cross through the mouthfulls of leaves. "But they're very sweet and very good. Not only are they can emergency source of protein, but if you put them on a wound they act as inflama- inflamalama- anifloh- influmala-" she spit a quick raspberry. "They make the swelling go down!" She shook her head and kept snatching at the blossoms. "There I think that's enough. I want to save room for the other southern herbs we might find. Maybe there'll be more plants of the clover family around. I could really use some more woodsorrel!" But it was then she noticed how stiff and alert her white cousin had become. "Cross, what is it? Do you smell something coming?" ~*~

Cael Amestades

Ivory paws carried the thin brute forward along the lake's edge, the sun warming his pale coat. His fur had luckily already shed down to its lighter form in preparation for the summer months ahead. He could feel spring quickly coming to an end, knowing that the hottest season was soon to come. The day was peaceful with not a cloud in the sky. His ears flicked as the sound of birds chirping over head. A gentle smile touched his muzzle as he swept his gaze over the landscape. There were few times that he liked more than being alone with nature like this. He enjoyed the company of other wolves, of course, but being out in the sun with the bright grasses around him and the sparkling lake to his side really recharged his soul. The delicate smell of clover found his nose and his ears perked up eagerly. His memories flashed back to the day he had run across a patch of the useful weed with his adoptive mother, her lessons on it running through his mind. He missed that fea dearly and every time he ran across one of the herbs she had taught him about it gave him a sense of peace because he knew she would always be with him in that way. He picked up his pace to a trot, moving forward toward the smell of the clover. Cael smiled when he finally reached the patch of clover, dipping his head to breathe in their scent. As he took a deep breath he caught the scent of two wolves, surprising him out of his thoughts. He blinked and lifted his two-toned gold and sapphire gaze, spotting the pair. One was a smaller black and white fea, the other a gray, tan, and black marked brute. The little fea seemed to be collecting some of the clover and he watched as she stashed the herbs in a bag that hung around her shoulder. His head tipped to the side with curiosity at the leather item, amazed at the possibilities she must have to find herbs with it. He padded forward toward them, dipping his gray-marked head in their direction respectfully. "Hello there," he called out in greeting, his thickly accented Irish voice reaching out to them. He smiled, dipping his head to the fea once more. "I'm sorry to have bothered you, ma'am. I just happened to notice your bag there and I was wondering where you got it. It must come in handy, collecting herbs like that." A thought dawned on him and his head tipped to the side a bit, his eyes gleaming with curiosity. "You wouldn't happen to be a healer, would you?" Thought Speech Others Companion

CROSS MY HEART AND HOPE TO FLY ~*~ Cross had indeed smelled something. Wolf. Rogue. Male. Adult too by the scent of it. Cross had been well trained, and he was larger and more conditioned that than boy his age had any right to be. But he was still a boy and he'd seen some of the big tough evil sons of she-wolves that lurked in the corners of Alacritis. He knew he was no match for some of them. When the stranger came into view, Cross felt a growl thickening in his throat. The black hairs along his spine tingled and rose. The thick fur and thicker muscles that were his inheritance on both sides, were presented in formidable form against the light of lake and sky. He didn't trust strangers. He didn't like strangers. Espically white ones. But there were no signs of agression, or even masked hostility in this newcomers face. "-take it easy,Cross-" On hearing Orica's words he reined himself back a bit. He was not about to let down his guard, but at he wasn't about to start a fight either. Not today. Sending a warning glance in the direction of his cousin, he laid down on a moss covered stone that poked itself out of the clover. Sphinx-like and watching, he waited there, the good guard dog on hold to attack at the drop of a hate. ~*~ I WILL LIVE TO SEE YOU DIE

Cut me loose My parachute won't let me fall Don't be afraid of a chance for a miracle ~*~ Orica cocked her head like a curious bird at the sight of this stranger. She liked the little start on his forehead, and she loved his eyes! Her mother had different colored eyes - red and blue - so it had become something that she liked to see in others. Just recently Orica's own eyes had been opened to the dangers of the world that were just waiting out there - seeming as normal as any other wolf, but that said, she still couldn't help but trust her instincts. And her instincts told her that this male was not a threat to her. His lovely voice only added to that idea. Her bit, white fluffed ears swiveled forward at the sound of such music. Ooh, she could listen to stories told in that voice all day. "Hello," she replied sweetly to his greeting. But then a growl caught her attention and she looked over at her cousin. "Do take it easy, Cross." She said in a gentle, sisterly tone. "No sense in being rude." She was pleased to see that he listened. Of course she was thankful to have him along. Traveling by twos was so much smarter and more comfortable. She was glad to have someone so tough watching her back, but she didn't see the world as just one mass of dangers - she saw the beauty and possible friendships too. This particular possiblity was very polite. He even called her ma'am! How silly! It was enough to make the little ten month old giggle under her breath. And he complimented her bag! Orica glanced at it and back to the grown male. She liked him already. "Oh it's wonderful," she said with enthusiasm. It was amazing how much good healing stock she could fit in it. It meant that she could store things for winter and not just depend on stash caves or random patches. And rare herbs that she came across she could hoarde like nothing else. At the moment she was still building up her store, but she was already quite proud of her bag. "I found it on the Vetrans Plateau. There's all sorts of old two-leg things there - though some of them are quite dangerous, I think." "You wouldn't happen to be a healer, would you?" Orica bobbed her head happily. "Well I've been training to be one ever since I was little, and I've already managed to help a couple people." She was being modest. She was a prodigy. Her head was full of enough herbal lore to make a book. Her last 'help' had been bringing an unconscious wolf back from the edge of the grave after he'd had his belly split open by moose hooves. But it wasn't false modesty or anything. Orica had been raised on the tales of very great healers and she knew she had a long way to go before she was like them. Though maybe not as long as she thought. ~*~

Cael Amestades

Gold and sapphire would glance over to the larger brute at his growl, his ears flicking at the sound. He supposed these two were family of some sort and it was only natural that the brute would be protecting the small fea. The druid gave a friendly smile to the guard before turning his eyes back to the she-wolf. He made a mental note to visit this Plateau that she spoke of one day so perhaps he could find himself a bag of some sort. He could think of so many possibilities and situations that it would be helpful to have some basic herbs on hand, especially if he and his siblings should travel somewhere that they might not be readily available. Cael's ears perked up at the news that she was indeed a healer, or at least training to be one. He gave her a wide smile and sat back on his haunches, his long tail curling around over his forepaws. "That's terrific! You're the only other healer I've met since I've come to Alacritis." He realized with a blink that he had failed to introduce himself. "My apologies, little bird, I never introduced myself. My name is Cael. It's very nice to make your acquaintance." Cael, forever the gentleman, dipped his head in a bow, smiling warmly as he straightened up again. The ivory brute was so excited to meet another healer, even if she was only training and young. He was curious as how she had been trained and how much she knew. He readily admitted that he still had plenty of his own learning to do, even at his age. The only training he had been under was his adoptive mother. He had so many questions for the little fea, but he didn't know where to begin! "I saw that you collected some of the clover earlier. Do you not have red clover where you're from?" Thought Speech Others Companion

CROSS MY HEART AND HOPE TO FLY ~*~ As the conversation continued, both patries were watched with keen dark green eyes. It was only when the other male sat down that Cross relaxed a little. The mannierisms of the stranger were far from the kind that inspired fear. In fact, in Cross's mind it seemed a little ridiculous that this grown adult could get so sunshine and honey comb happy over a little girl's bag. Maybe he was gay. Cross was yet to encounter a wolf of that sort, yet but he'd learned not too long ago that they existed. Takes all types to make a world, it seemed. When the stranger sat down and introduced himself, it cut some of the tension in the air. The white and black guard dog let his cream colored belly fur sink into the stone. He crossed his outstretched forelegs and rested his chin upon them - still ready to leap up at a moment's notice, but also ready to just enjoy the day. He knew Orica lived for this sort of stuff - meeting people and making friends. Socializing. Blek. Cross just silently resolved himself to wait it out. ~*~ I WILL LIVE TO SEE YOU DIE

Cut me loose My parachute won't let me fall Don't be afraid of a chance for a miracle ~*~ It seemed that each of the two conversing wolves had an infectious energy to match the others. Orica was excited to here that this newcomer was a healer like her! It invoked a sort of kinship that Orica hadn't looked for. It made total sense, really, all the other healers she'd met or known were related to her, either an uncle or an aunt - but there was more than that. When you met a healer, you automatically knew that there was something good and pleasant and helpful at their core. If this male was a healer - perhaps he'd have something to teach her. Perhaps they'd have something to teach eachother! He introduced himself as Cael, and Orica almost blushed remembering her own manners. She bobbed her head and her shoulders together - the wolf form of a little curtsy. "My name is Orica Sir Cael," said the girl, looking up with road blue crystal eyes. "And it's very nice to meet you too!" His question about the clover had her glancing back at her bag again. The lovely sea of puprle and green that they stood in was quite lovely. And the plant itself was rather common, but Orica's pack tendered to prefer the more extreme regions. "Well my family travels around quite a bit," she explained gently. "And actually my original home was the far north, so it's hard for me to take even common herbs for granted." She grinned. "I like to have a stash on hand just in case I find someone who needs help." But her voice was suddenly interrupted by a gasp. "Oh and how rude of me! I forgot! Cael, this is my cousin, Cross." She pointed with her soft sooty nose just over her shoulder at the mound of white fur sitting on the stone island. "He doesn't talk too much, but he's very nice." ~*~

Cael Amestades

The druid smiled and nodded in understanding as Orica explained that she had lived in the north and valued even the simplest of herbs. It made perfect since to him to want to keep some handy herbs on hand, just in case. If he had some way of carrying them like she did he probably would take advantage of it as well. He also thought it was very noble of her to want to keep the herbs with her just on the off chance that she might come across someone that needed her help. That was a true healers attitude. He glanced over at her companion as she introduced him, giving him a polite nod. "It is very nice to meet you as well, Cross," he told him before turning his attention back to Orica. "I haven't been in Alacritis very long so I'm still figuring out where the best places to find certain things are. This is only the second time I've come across red clover here while it was so common back home." His accent thickened in his absent mindedness as his mind drifted back to his home where he grew up, wondering what his life would be like right now if his parents had been spared and they didn't have to leave. Thought Speech Others Companion

CROSS MY HEART AND HOPE TO FLY ~*~ There was more talk of plants and green stuff - interrupted only briefly by Orica's introduction of him. He didn't mind that she hadn't. He was content to sideline, and honestly hadn't even thought of it himself. His attutide towards strangers was not a warm one. Even when it wasn't actively threatened or threatening it was just kind of... meh. He was there. The end. Of course he wasn't completely without manners. When he -was- actually introduced, and the other male made a stiff bow in his direction, Cross raised his head enough to return. A silent dip of the chin, and then he was back to resting his head on his paws. This was going to be a long afternoon, wasn't it? ~*~ I WILL LIVE TO SEE YOU DIE

~*~ Orica wasn't too surprised to hear that he was new. Healers were in such demand, that it she'd at first been puzzled why he hadn't been claimed by a pack already. In the back of her mind she started to wonder if maybe he'd be willing to come join the band. It wasn't as stationary or big as your usual pack, but it was her home, her family, and she loved it dearly. But that wasn't the sort of question to ask now and she'd only just met the man. Instead she nodded happily to his speech - pleased that her brother had been good enough to return a civil greeting. Oops- there she went again still referring to cousins as brothers. She couldn't help it. Family was family to her. For a while she'd even referred to uncles and aunts as other moths and other fathers. She even kinda looked on all other wolves as extended family of sort. Yes it was naive, but she was happy that way. "Yes, one never knows when there will be shortages." she agreed. She was trying to stay calm and mature around the adult - something that was usually easy for her when healing buisness was involved. But she she couldn't help herself today. Today she wanted to run off through the meadow of clover. Perhaps take a dip in the lake even! Cross could teach her to swim! After all, he'd swum an ocean once. She was also in the mood for a story, "But, if you don't mind my asking of course, where are you from?" ~*~

Cael Amestades

They seemed to be an interesting pair, the silent brute and talkative medic. He wasn't quite sure if they were siblings or possibly cousins, but he was sure they were family Of course Orica's small stature and Cross's larger size made it a little difficult for Cael to determine their ages, but he guessed they were no older than a year, maybe two. For such a young wolf Orica seemed very intelligent. Cael was enjoying this chat with her and wished he could ask her all about her knowledge of healing, but he knew he should be getting back to his brothers soon so he restrained himself. His ears perked up at her question and he smiled sadly at the thought of his old home, his gaze growing distant as his adoptive parents came to his mind. "Far away from here, in a land called Calarada," he replied, his tongue flicking against the roof of his mouth as he rolled the 'R' in the name of his old homeland. My siblings and I traveled for a long time before we finally reached this place. We've only been here for a few days really." Sometimes he missed their old home, but there was really nothing holding them there any more, now that their guardians were dead. He sighed and shook his head, clearing his mind and bringing himself back to the present. "But, the past is the past. I guess Alacritis is my home now. I think my brothers and I will be happy here as long as we find our missing sister. We caught her scent not long ago and it led us to a pack not far from here so if she's really there then we'll stay where ever she wants to live I suppose." Thought Speech Others Companion