It was Dread's first big trip on his own. Now that it was spring and he was a yearling, it seemed like it should be a right of passage or something. Should be, but he wasn't so sure. Frankly, Dread hated traveling. The very first time they'd gone away from home, heading all the way down to the Hallows, mom had gotten sick. She'd gotten so sick that she hadn't come home. It was enough to leave a sour taste in his mouth when it came to leaving their cold northern home. If he left, who was going to keep an eye on his siblings? What if someone needed him? But Halo had sent him. Halo needed him, and this is what she needed him to do. It seemed that one of her more finnicky specimens had failed to thrive, and they'd run out of the dried stores from this past winter. With his companions in tow, Dread made his way through the Fern Gulley. Areas of partial sun drew him in, gaze trained on the lush grasses as they grew. He was after boneset, and allegedly it should be growing here. Mid-afternoon sun around his shoulders, the boy kept his head low as he hunted.

A familiar scent had caught her nose, causing her eyes to narrow with concern. It stank like bog-boy (who was a man, and always seemed to show up at the most inconvenient times, like that time he left her stranded as a baby). She snorted the mingling scents of flora and fauna away and lifted her head to the breeze, focusing on those familiar unpleasant notes that defined bad memories. Hana and the way Sparrow was so sad when she left. The trauma of the younger pirates being born in the middle of a brawl, being marooned on that tiny speck of fucking sand... She stomped with purpose towards the offending scent, lifting her head high in defiance and allowing her mottled coat to stand on end. There was too much grief at the plunder with the passing of Pyralis for her to allow him to upset the pirate king more.

But the wolf that she saw wasn't the one the Sparrow had traded ear tips with and she paused for a moment, tipping her antlered head ever so slightly. He didn't seem that far in age from herself, and holding his scent against him made about as much sense as any other wolf attacking her for her affiliation with the pirates. "Yer a long way from home, aren't ya?"

"Speech"

He wasn't planning on being alone out here, it just sorta happened that way. Or did it? From the corner of his eye, Dread could see Basil stiffen. Though the cat was well hidden and giving the young man space, each knew the other was there. Each was acutely aware that they were no longer on their own. Someone was upwind of him, Dread could hear them. His head lifted, keen gaze flickering across the world around him. Certainly not alone... no. Her voice was rough, a dead giveaway. As close as the girl was now, Dread could smell her too. Pirate. Though his eyes narrowed and his posture remained stiff, there was nothing outwardly aggressive about Dread. Honestly, he was more awkward than anything else. He's not great about the whole social interaction thing. "What's it to you?" Not that one pirate could hold him captive, but what if she wasn't alone? Dread hadn't gone looking for trouble, but he wouldn't be all-together surprised if he found it. While Dread's guard was up, he was maybe curious too. She was around his age, tall, and maybe not that different from him. Maybe.

As the other yearling asked what it was to her, a lop sided smile pulled at her lips and her short tail twitched briefly in a playful wave. "Nuthin', nobody owns this place after all." She stepped closer, dropping her head to glance at one of the ferns and wrinkling up her nose. This really was more Sakana's thing than hers but she had been picking up bits and pieces there from the kid. "Jus' the only ones o' you lot I've ever seen this far south are Hana and her smelly husband." She pulled a face at her own description of Azure. "If yer not here t'fuck with my pack, there's no reason I can't lend ya an extra set of eyes. I usually come here with a kid that tinkers in healin'."

After all, why else would someone be squinting at leaves? "Unless yer lookin' cos yer hungry an' y'dunno how t'hunt?" She teased with a sly grin on her face.

"Speech"

She didn't look offended by his suspicion. Dread could pretend he wasn't glad about that particular fact, a lopsided grin hiding among his typically serious features. Just a little twinkle in his eye as he caught the wave of her tail, taking a half step forward of his own. At the mention of his brother's smelliness, Dread couldn't stifle a chuckle. "Our head healer sent me on an errand, and it's nice to get out of the cold sometimes." Spring had come on much more comfortably here than it had up north. To think, the Armada used to be down this way? Where they had early springs and fair winters? Dread couldn't say he wasn't jealous. "You're the one that looks like they don't know how to hunt. Do the pirates even feed you?" It's an appraising look at the finely built girl, Dread's tone teasing. It wasn't hard to take shots at the Pirates, though his tone remained light and joking. His tail wagged loosely at his haunches, the picture of confidence. Dread took one jaunty, playful step forward, as if to dare her. Dare her to what? He wasn't sure. But maybe she'd take it, and he'd find out.

Still high on her victories in the raid against Valhalla, Deluge held herself with a casual confidence when the boy stepped closer. "When y'drink an' fight an'..." maybe she had seen some things at the finge of firelight that didn't need sharing "party like we do yer metabolism burns faster," she shot back without missing a beat, no longer trying to contain the wave of her tail.

He seemed to be easing into this as easily as she was and she shook off any lingering concerns about an Armada wolf being so close to home. "B'sides, tough talk when we kicked yer packs butts last time we raided," she teased, taking the bait of his jaunty movement as she closed the gap between them, allowing her shoulder to shove against his own before dropping down in a play bow. "I can give ya a live action replay if yer want." she challenged with an unvoiced laugh lacing her tone.

"Speech"

Dread couldn't maintain his typically serious expression, not for long. It slipped around the edges, his gaze bright as he moved in step with the girl. "With a calendar that full, it's a wonder you find time to harass other packs," granted that was probably the fighting she mentioned. His tone is teasing, the farthest thing from true malice. Still, the image Dread had in his mind of the Pirates and what they did was nothing short of chaos. Typically, Dread preferred quiet over chaos. Maybe... maybe it sounded a little fun though. "What's the saying? Even a blind squirrel finds a nut," Dread stuck his tongue out. "Besides, neither of us were old enough to fight in that raid." In his mind, it wasn't her victory or his defeat to claim. Now that his litter was old enough, now that hers was... maybe it was a good thing that the Pirates were an ever-present menace. Dread knocked shoulders with the girl, a heartbeat later dropping to a similar play bow. There was a wiggle to his hind end, and Dread was close to her-- a breath away. "Bring it on."

He was right, of course that neither of them had a claim on the previous raids results, but she just arched a brow in challenge, come prove it, she seemed to silently taunt. When he bowed down to meet her invitation she seized the opportunity, darting forward to plant a kiss squarely on his lips. Hoping to make the most of the element of surprise, Deluge parted her jaws and went for a gentle muzzle grab, arching her tail over her back in a display of dominance while staring boy whose name she still hadn't gotten directly in the eyes. She couldn't mask her grin, allowing saliva to gather on her tongue before trying to lick his nose around her full mouth. Was it gross? Of course. Was she opening herself up to having her tongue bitten? Sure. But wasn't that half the fun?

"Speech"

Deluge vs Dread for dominance
Round 1/?
Age: Over 1 year
Size: Dire wolf
Build: Light
Companion 1: Common Gull - Male - Flying
Companion 2: Lapwing, Female - Battle
Mutation 1: Cat Claws - Offensive
Mutation 2: Muntjac Antlers - Offensive
Mutation 3: Bioluminescence - Defensive
Skills: Advanced Hunter & Master Navigator
Specialty: Fleet-footed

It catches him off guard, well and truly. There's a noise that comes out of him-- surprise. Dread's eyes went wide, and he's stunned for a moment as she kisses him. Stunned to inaction for a long moment, his heart pounding in his chest. Holy shit did she just... do that? It was true, she did have the element of surprise. Dread doesn't act for a heartbeat longer, long enough for the girl to take hold of his muzzle... and... slobber... on it. The boy wrinkled his nose, but he couldn't help but laugh through it. The boy tossed his head in an effort to free it from her grasp, and took a long step forward. It would put him squarely in her personal space, ideally. From here, it was a posturing of his own. He moved to grab at her scruff, trying to take control of her and the situation at hand. Dread wouldn't deny it-- he was having a good time. Being on the other side of control? That wasn't something he was accustomed to. Dread moved to pressure into the girl's side, and if he could get the right amount of lift, he'd wrap his foreleg around her shoulder. He could try, right? Yeah, he could try.

Dread vs Deluge for dominance
Round 1/2
Age: over 1
Size: Dire wolf
Build: Medium
Companion 1: Snow Leopard, Female - Attack
Companion 2: Tasmanian Devil, Female - Attack
Mutation 1: Thicker crystalline fur - Defensive
Skills: Intermediate Fighter & Beginner Intellectual

Deluge snickered as the Armada wolf pulled away and a brow arched wondering if she was going to have to deal with him bitching about an itchy, slobbery mouth when they were done or if he was one of those wolves whatever made her fur glow played nicely with. When he went to throw a foreleg over her shoulder, she dipped a little lower to give him a chance but giggled all the while. "Not even gonna bother to get my name first?" She taunted, swinging her hips back to knock against his own and try and get him off balance. Her horned head pulled down to snap at the foreleg that remained on the ground. They would probably end up in a tangle of limbs on the ground at this rate, but she was having a great time.

"Speech"

Deluge vs Dread for spar
Round 2/2
Age: Over 1 year
Size: Dire wolf
Build: Light
Companion 1: Common Gull - Male - Flying
Companion 2: Lapwing, Female - Battle
Mutation 1: Cat Claws - Offensive
Mutation 2: Muntjac Antlers - Offensive
Mutation 3: Bioluminescence - Defensive
Skills: Advanced Hunter & Master Navigator
Specialty: Fleet-footed

There was always the possibility that Dread would just... think he was allergic to girls. Or something like that, maybe. If he was going to be itchy from her, or maybe he was special. Dread would bank on special, in his own mind. His foreleg draped over her shoulders, trying to use his advantage in weight to push back on her as she did to him. A smirk played wildly on his features, a glimmer in his eye. "You act like you don't even want mine," a daring wink. As she grabbed his leg out from under him, Dread pushed forward into the fall. If she was taking him down, then he was going to try his damndest to bring her down with him. A tangled, giggling mass of legs and sharp points-- between her antlers and his crystals, it was a would be a wonder if no one ended up scratched or poked. Dread couldn't help it. He felt alive in damn near every sense of the word, and he was living for it.

Dread vs Deluge for dominance
Round 2/2
Age: over 1
Size: Dire wolf
Build: Medium
Companion 1: Snow Leopard, Female - Attack
Companion 2: Tasmanian Devil, Female - Attack
Mutation 1: Thicker crystalline fur - Defensive
Skills: Intermediate Fighter & Beginner Intellectual

And the winner is...

Deluge

Dread must give up by submitting, fleeing or passing out. Totals: Deluge: Attack Roll: 79 Defense Roll: 29 Agility Roll: 96 Perception Roll: 88 Total: 292 Attack[79] + 50% Bonus[39.50]: 118.50 Defense[29] + 10% Bonus[2.90]: 31.90 Agility[96] + 60% Bonus[57.60]: 153.60 Perception[88] + 10% Bonus[8.80]: 96.80 Total[400.80] + 0% Bonus[0.00]: 400.80 Dread: Attack Roll: 86 Defense Roll: 4 Agility Roll: 95 Perception Roll: 9 Total: 194 Attack[86] + 35% Bonus[30.10]: 116.10 Defense[4] + 10% Bonus[0.40]: 4.40 Agility[95] + 0% Bonus[0.00]: 95.00 Perception[9] + 0% Bonus[0.00]: 9.00 Total[224.50] + 10% Bonus[22.45]: 246.95

She couldn't keep the laugh out of her chest as they fell in a heap and through no small miracle she ended up on top throwing a paw either side of her opponents head and looking down at him with a tilted but smirking expression. "Well what if I have a terrible time? No point havin' a name in that case is there?" She considered getting off the poor guy, but decided she'd let him squirm for just a bit longer. "Didn't y'have an errand t'run? I hear yer pack has a bar, if I find what yer after, y'can treat me to a drink?" It sounded like a fair trade to her.

"Speech"

She had him pinned, Dread couldn't deny that. Daringly, his gaze holds steady on hers. Direct, searing eye contact. "Tell me then, are you having a terrible time?" His volume and tone dropped to a confidential whisper, leaning in, a little spark and a little daring in his gaze. His voice was honeyed, filling the narrow space between them. Dread leaned up, only a breath away from her. The proximity was dizzying, actually. "A pirate and a prince walk into a bar, where have I heard this one before?" He winked. "They don't serve yearlings, but I'm sure I can find something better than what they trade in the markets anyway." A daring tone of voice, a glimmer in his eye. "Won't the Pirates miss you, being gone all day and all?" Dread would offer her an out, but damn the boy was hoping she wouldn't take it. Nah, he didn't want to let her go just yet.

A low hmm was all she would offer to his question about if she was having a terrible time but a playful light shone in her amber eyes. A single brow arched when he mentioned a Pirate and a Prince walking into a bar, and she pulled a face at the mention that they wouldn't serve yearlings. Seemed like a massive missed marketing opportunity to her. "We throw whole parties fer yearlings and drink isn't all that's on offer." she teased while creeping closer to close the small distance he had left between them. Sure she could kiss him again, but now it seemed like he wanted it, so she blew a puff of air in his face instead and pushed herself up on her paws.

"I went missin' fer days as a pup an' it was my brothers that came lookin' fer me. I don't know of any raids comin' up so I'm not expected anywhere. Besides, mum or dad'll send a bird if I'm needed back." Hoping the distance had helped him to drop his guard a little she darted in to try and land another surprise kiss on him. She bounded away a step or two and allowed her short tail to wave at her back. They should be on their way. "Hey do you think I'll need a disguise of some sort?"

"Speech"

Well, she didn't look miserable, and she wasn't saying no. She was under no duress, and Dread would take that as a win. Small victories? Maybe. Large victories? She was so fucking close to him, all in his personal space... all in his head. Dread's heart was still hammering away in his chest, and it wasn't from the physical exertion of their little scuffle. This was something else. This was something better. "Yeah well, we have ethics or whatever that keep that from happening." There's something so... so dangerous about the Pirates. So foreign to him, but... well, maybe it seemed freeing to be that wild. Not just wild, but feral. Outside structure, out of bounds, and unruly. They just lived like that. What would anyone do with all that freedom? A little puff of air into his face, and Dread was back in his body again. A reactionary sneeze, thankfully not on her as she got up. "Days?" Dread peered incredulously at the girl, rolling to his feet as well. How the hell did the Pirates run things if they went so far as to misplace children? Different worlds, the pair of them. Different worlds, but he's left watching her with puppy dog eyes as she darts in for another kiss. Caught by surprise, caught off guard... just like the rest of her. Fuck, what was she doing to his head? Dread wasn't going to say he wasn't enjoying every minute-- he's not a liar. Dread pounced after the girl, grinning and tossing his head. She had a good point about needing a disguise. "A bath and then a disguise, yeah. Pirate smell will give you away before they even see you." Dread stands back for a moment, looking her up and down. Shit she's pretty... focus, idiot. Right. Focus on the task at hand. "We can wash you off in the river, then maybe have a little fire and cover what we can of your more distinctive markings with charcoal." Dread reached out in an effort to poke at the pink spot on her cheek with his muzzle. Cheeky as it is, he can hope that it's enough to obscure the girl's identity from anyone who might not be so happy to see her trading in the markets.

Deluge already knew bathing in fresh water would only increase her salty scent, it seemed to have something to do with whatever it was in her coat that made her glow, but it might dull the brightness down a bit, then again, she'd only tried it once, so maybe this time would be different? Charcoal sounded like a good idea though, so she would give him the benefit of the doubt and give it a go at a minimum. "I mean y'don't have to watch me have a bath, y'could always join me." She gave the prince a sidelong smirk. After their tussle he did have a scent of saltiness to him, it suited him. "I got my pirate stink all over you when we were wrestlin'." She clarified as she turned to face the direction she reckoned Armada to be in. "So is there somewhere to stop along th'way for this bath?"

"Speech"

Dread walks easily by her side, head high and steps confident. Confident and focused as he moves by her side. Her smirk feels... different some how. Something about her is different in a way that makes him feel... different. Strange, but good strange. Dread doesn't know how to describe any of it. Performatively, Dread cranes his head and sniffs at his own coat. "Oh you're right, Pirate smell." He wrinkles his nose dramatically. He reached out to poke a bit at her shoulder, fixing their direction by a few degrees as they headed north. They'd avoid Avalon by swinging a bit wider to the west. "We'll cross the river on the way up anyway, it was pretty calm when I came down." Dread thinks for a moment before nodding. "Can't have you getting swept away, after all." A wink, taking the lead as they move together. "You still haven't told me your name." Dread points out, head high, gaze bright as they set off.

The poke to her shoulder brings a lopsided smirk to her face but she heeded the direction none the less. Of course, he would worry about other packs borders and add to their travel time, but she would bite her tongue for now. A river crossing would offer a good excuse to get her disguise sorted but she wasn't sure if it would last them all the way to the Armada. She kept her thoughts to herself, being none too worried if she was recognised for what she was once they arrived. The chaos it might cause was half the fun after all.

Deluge was grateful for the fur that covered her pale skin hiding the flush that would have coloured her cheeks when he agreed to her teasing offer about having a bath with her, she had to keep looking cool even if she was burning up inside. She had been told the Armada wolves were a bunch of sticks in the mud, but this one seemed alright. Maybe it would be like other people assuming the Pirates were a chaotic violent bunch without ever having met her mother, or Sakana?

She was quick to quip back when he mentioned she still hadn't given her name. "Either have you, dear Prince, so maybe that's how we should stay? The Prince and the Pirate? 'as a nice ring t'it." Might keep things interesting for a bit longer too.

"Speech"

Arguably, Dread is the most uptight of his siblings. Prone to taking himself too seriously, usually worrying too much about all the wrong things. Policing his sisters when he really shouldn't... yeah. All of that. All of the things that had become his identity over the last year. Why was he able to set down that weight when he was here, with her? He doesn't need to be the Warlord's son when he's here. He just... is. That's enough. He's enough. "Sounds like a good title for an adventure." Dread grinned, his head tossing lightly. The boy thought of the books in the castle, and the tall tales they held. It was exciting. Something about what they were doing was exciting. Free as the breeze out here, the two of them would be. "Have you ever been up north that far?" His question was conversational. Really, Dread didn't want her to stop talking, all too happy to bask in her company beside him. Head high, eyes bright as they sullied on.