He rested his head down on the coat, feeling comfortable and warm in a way he hadn’t for a long, long time. Not since they had left the homeland, at least. He wanted to melt into the blanket and close his eyes, but he couldn’t stop thinking about the snacks. He grabbed another one, cramming it into his mouth as he glanced at her out of the corner of his eye, wondering if she would tell him to stop. Take them away. Just let her try. “Can make my own way, don’t need ‘nothing given” He muttered in reply to what her gramps would or wouldn’t give. He hadn’t forgotten her huge, dramatic display that day Vidarr had found them fighting by the lake. Stupid toxic wolf. Seeing utterly no hypocrisy in it, he grabbed another of her snacks before he had even finished eating the last one. Cramming it in his other cheek, before laying his head down more firmly on the coat. Chewing as he closed his eyes. So warm. "Speech"

Delphi watches him shove the food in his mouth. Even between words, she sees the half-chewed food threatening to fall from his lips. She is utterly disgusted by his... desperation. A grimace crosses her face as he takes another snack, shoving it deep into his cheek before starting to chew again. Unsure of what to even say at this point because his last statement really was hypocritical. Did he not realize that she was giving him all of this?

It was hard to stay grumpy though as her body warmed. Not feeling so frozen anymore, she glances over at the table full of bowls, utensils, and herbs. Her eyes flicker over to Strai, tempted, but unsure. Would he care? Did he know how? Could she trust him? Like actually trust him? Contemplating, she knew he wasn't paying attention yet. Now conflicted, all she wanted was to relax some more, to not feel the pain either. A few minutes pass as her eyes move from him to the table before she finally stands up, and stretches, attempting to be nonchalant as she heads over to said table.

Sitting in front of it, she grabs a small stone pipe (stolen from somewhere - probably her cousin Tate) and fills it with a stinky, leafy substance. Striking some flint to spark a thin piece of wood that resembled a match, she lights it and inhales softly. Hiding the dry cough that follows, she sets the pipe down and leans back with her eyes closed and a small smile.

He stretched out a little more, surprised by how easily he felt relaxed in that little den. Almost… safe. As if he didn’t expect Delphi to suddenly lurch out and attack him at any moment. Weird, considering how violent their interactions normally were. He actually might have fallen asleep near her, which was an unusual thing for Strai to do. Especially stretched out, and not finding a corner to curl up in, growling away. After that fight in the storm, being warm was a balm on his body. Before he could fall asleep, he felt Delphi moving around. Heard her do something, and then give a soft cough. He cracked open an eye, turning and looking at her. He had finally given her snacks a rest, but only because he didn’t want to throw up and lose his stomachs worth. He needed that food. “What doing” He muttered, already half asleep, his jaws cracking in a yawn. He really didn’t want to leave this cosy little hideaway. Tucked away from the world, with its deerskin entrance keeping them hidden. "Speech"

Her eyes widen when he glances at her and asks what she is doing. Frozen for a moment with the pipe held up toward her mouth for a second drag, she hesitates. He wouldn't know. She could lie, again. Temptation. But they were. They were safe, hidden, tucked away from the world. She felt like she could tell him anything and it would never leave this space. It was a sacred place. You didn't break rules here.

"Relaxing with medicine," it was putting it nicely, beating around the bush that she was doing drugs. Well, what some considered drugs. In actuality, she was taking it to relax and relieve the soreness of her muscles. Some just preferred the other plants that didn't leave your head woozy, eyes red, and hungry for more food. "Cannabis, tastes bad but the feeling is nice," she shrugs as she takes her second drag, exhales the cloud of smoke, and then sets it down. Now that the familiar fuzziness was washing over her and taking away just enough of the pain that she could relax, she wouldn't mind a snack.

"Leave any for me?" Delphi asks as she eyes the snack pile that Strai was laying next to.

He opened his second eye at that “You injured?” He asked, he didn’t think to stop and check if she had been hurt after her stop slip and slide to death. Of course, they had also been fighting, so why did he care if she hurt her dumb self? He didn’t, and that was that. But he still eyed her anyway, waiting for a reply as she told him the name of the drug. He didn’t recognise the name, nor some of the scent from her exhales that waffled towards him. She approached him - and the snack pile - and he shrugged. He’d only had three in the end (so far) and he really shouldn’t care if she had any of her own snacks. But he still felt a tinge of jealousy as she approached the snack pile. He tried to push down on the urge to defend food, but it wasn’t an easy sensation to ignore. So he forced himself to lay there, looking up at her from both eyes as she approached. "Speech"

His question catches her off guard. Why did he care if she was injured? Her brow furrows as she hesitates. Was she supposed to answer? Taking a moment, Delphi contemplates how to answer. Man, she was doing a lot of that lately. What would he do anyway? He wasn't a healer. Why did he care? The war inside of her tears her back and forth. Begrudgingly, she answers. "Not physically," she speaks through gritted teeth and a wrinkled nose before continuing to move over to her snack pile.

Eyeing him warily, making sure he wasn't going to snap at her, she reaches around him and grabs a few of her snacks. Never breaking eye contact, she shoves them in her own mouth before pulling back to lay down on her pile of furs. Chewing slowly, savoring the savory flavor, she stretches back out with all four legs splayed out. Finally allowing herself to fully relax, she lays her chin down upon her paws as she swallows her snacks. Glancing at him once more, Delphi watches him to see if he will fall asleep or not.

Not physically? The hell did that mean? He propped himself up on a paw, some of the sleepiness was shaken away now as he paused and openly examined her. He thought of the first day he had seen her, and mocked her for that stupid tail. The wound had looked fresh then, hadn’t it? Not something she had been born with. He was so distracted, that he didn’t even react when she stole some of the food right out in front of him (her food, that he was hoarding). “Fuck happened to you, anyway?” He said, the gravel in his voice coming through again. Why did it matter? Why did it suddenly matter to him what had happened to her? He didn’t give two fucks. Hadn’t before, didn’t now. Right? "Speech"

When he props himself up onto his elbow, her body tenses visibly. Was he going to attack her? Trust issues much? Her expression is apprehensive as she finishes her snack as he looks at her, looks at her tail. Delphi scowls, scrambling to shift enough so that her tail isn't in his view. She even goes as far as to tuck it against her buttocks to hide it even more. What she wasn't expecting was for him to ask what happened to her. Her scowl shifts into a... torn expression.

"Why do you care?" She snaps quickly, her ears flattening and her lips turning down in a frown. Her heart is racing in her chest, and anxiety building in her belly as the memory of what happened threatens to haunt her. Her mouth is going dry and her face begins to screw up as if she was going to cry. "It doesn't matter what happened. It happened and that's it," her voice is tense, strained against the lump in her throat. "I don't even know if they'll be able to find the guy that did it," Delphi's voice is quiet as she admits the one thing that upsets her the most about the situation. She could hardly remember what he looked like so how were they supposed to find him? Putting her chin back down on her paws, she stares ahead at the fire, refusing to look at Strai.

He remained propped up on the bedding. Having eaten her food, and laid at her hearth. Her words clearly troubled her. Were difficult for her to say, but she said them anyway.


He looked at her, even though she was giving him the cold shoulder now. He was right, someone had taken her tail. Good, she fucking deserved it. Why the fuck did he feel so angry right now? Anger was pretty much a default state for him. But the flavour of this one was different. Righteous, and he wasn't some noble dunderhead. "If he isn't found by the time we're yearlings, we'll find him our fucking selves" he promised her, sinking back down on the coat. Even if he had to sneak away from this place with her and piss off the Black Demon.

She feels his eyes on her and continues to look at the fire. If she turns her gaze to him, she will surely cry. But there's no use crying in front of him. He'll call her weak and stupid and useless. That was definitely not what she needed right now. What she needed was to smoke some more, but doesn't want to seem like some druggie in front of him. No, that wouldn't help either. Even if it would calm the anxiety that pounds into her chest and yanks at her belly, threatening to make her throw up.

When he speaks, she finally looks over to him. Looking at his light purple eyes, she wonders what he is thinking. What is making him say these things? Would he really help her find the guy that ripped her tail off? Sniffling quietly, she shuffled so she was facing him a little better again. "You'd do that?" Delphi asks quietly, her ears perking up as her tail gives a few wags behind her. Not that she would want him to help her. She would leave it to Vidarr. Surely he could find the perpetrator who did this. But what if he didn't? Certainly, Strai would be able to... He was mean enough to do something equally nasty back, she was sure of it.

She was looking at him now, and his lilac eyes met hers. "I would. I've got your back" he told her seriously, and then he grinned a little wickedly "well, 'cept when I don't, of course" even he could see the repeating patterns in their encounters. They fought, one saved the other. The tally of who owed who changed to favour one or the other while it grew. She was stupid, and careless, and made weird decisions. But she was his asshole to deal with. Just because he messed with her, didn't mean he wanted other people to mess with her. He examined that thought, and found a surprising amount of truth to it.


"Doesn't mean I like you or anything, just hate you a little less than everyone else." He added, so she didn't go and get the wrong impression. He placed his head back down on the coat with a sigh. The warmth had really seeped through him by now. Almost all the dampness had evaperated.

Delphi stares at his lilac eyes. Her belly continues to twist and turn as her cheeks feel warmer than the moment before. Dang, was the fire getting warmer? Even his serious words had her heart stopping for half a moment. He had her back? Did that mean she had his? Well, when she thought about it, she did like the idea of having someone there to back her up, but not when he was being an asshole. Pft, he could leave that shit at the door. And he solidifies that thought by grinning at her wickedly and saying except when he doesn't.

She can't help but grin and roll her eyes back at him. "Yeah, guess I got yours too," Delphi admits with a soft shake of her head. Her face was feeling warmer and the room was seemingly shrinking, but as she looked at him, she felt as if he were lying worlds away from her. Why was it that two moments ago she was content to lay by herself in her pile of furs that had always been comfortable? Why was it that now, as she looked at him alone on that one single coat did she think it would be comfier curled up next to him?

Closing her eyes tightly, the feeling dissipates when he adds that he just hates her a little less than everyone else. "Like I would ever get an idea like that," she spits back at him with her ears folded back and a quick blep of her tongue at him to confirm that she definitely would not like him any time soon. Nope, not one bit. Putting her head back down on her paws, she goes back to staring at the fire. It was easier to look there than at him. Ugh.

He wasn't sure why it would surprise him when she returned the sentiment, but it did. Did she have his back? He supposed she did, in fact, just pulling him out of the water was more help then his mother had ever given him. But his mother had given him other things, like the strength to survive. They had  strange dynamics but he wouldn't change it for the world. He trusted her, so far as he was capable of trust. 


He snorted at the bleeped tongue and rolled his eyes at her. He turned his head to the fire now. Not looking at her as he spoke again. Keeping his words casual. "Was gonna leave, when I was strong enough. But maybe i'll stick around for a little while, or something. Nothing better to do."

Delphi's face rolls through a bunch of emotions as his casual tone lifts over the crackle of the small fire. He was going to leave? Why? Did he not like living with her the pack? But then he is saying he will stay longer because there's nothing better to do. Was he so sure of that? Was there not enough to do here? Vidarr kept everyone busy on most days. There was so much crafting, building, forming, cooking, and other odds and ends to be done. Winter was coming with a force, didn't the stupid boy know that? Not that she had experienced winter before. Vidarr and her parents had said it got nasty in Boreas though, especially up in the mountains.

Why did she care if he stayed anyway? So what if he shoved off? She couldn't possibly be glad that he wanted to stay. The slight thump of her tail betrayed her inner emotions. "Mm, yeah, I'm sure Vidarr can find someone stronger to replace you," she says with a shrug of her shoulders knowing that it will rub Strai the wrong way. The hint of a smirk on her lips shows that she is poking fun at him. "Why do you care if you're strong anyway?" Delphi asks as her gaze shifts back to him, one brow raising in question.

He glared at her at that, and seeing she was teasing, he found a small stick on the cave floor and tossed it at her. "You wish you'd be rid of me that easy" he told her, grabbing another of her snacks and settling back on the coat again. At her question he gave her a look that said 'are you stupid or something?' But then, he must have forgotten who he was talking to. Stupid toxic wolf.


He let out a long sigh, and then tried to explain the world to her. "I need to be stronger if I want to challenge Vidarr for the right to leave the pack. Otherwise I'm stuck here, as his Thrall." He pointed out. Did she think he enjoyed being a slave? That he was in this position voluntarily?

Leaning out of the way of the flying stick, she lifts her lip in a grumble at him as he says she wishes she'd be rid of him that easy. Would she though? As much as she loathed the sight of him, she was also getting used to being around him too. She did bring him to this place after all and she had yet to do that with anyone except her favorite sister. Letting out a snort of her own, she rolls her eyes at his annoying look. Gods, was he always this stupid-looking? Annoying to boot.

Scooting forward so her furs are a bit closer to the table, she reaches forward to go for her "medication." Listening to him talk with an ear turned in his direction, she has to fight herself to stop from rolling her eyes at his obvious stupidity. He really was stupid. Finishing her pull with a small cough, she squints for a moment to take a breath before sitting back and giving him a 'stop being so idiotic' look. "Did you think maybe that you could stay in the pack and work your way up the ranks?" Delphi asks, raising a brow as her lip curls and waits for him to understand what she is saying. He didn't have to stay a Thrall...

He rolled his eyes at her again. At this rate he might as well just keep them spinning. She went for her medication again, and he cast a worried look at her back while she wasn't looking. Did every puff mean pain in her heart? He could have lightened up on his impromptu explanation of his plans and actions. But, well, he didn't have anyone else to talk to about them… "Well, obviously. But that wasn't the plan." he pointed out to her. He had essentially been kidnapped, and he had been looking for his out. Now? Well he supposed there was food in this pack, if nothing else. 


"Vidarr said someone has to speak for me, to move up from Thrall, and what idiot would do that?" Even he could acknowledge that he wasn't exactly very good at making friends. "Right now all I can do is work on my skills. For freedom or progression."

Delphi continues to look at him as he speaks. The medication is helping, yes, but now it makes her mouth dry and taste gross. Was it worth it when there were other options? Maybe it was just the aspect that it was against the rules that drew her to it. The fact that Vidarr hid it in his den so others didn't know about it. The temptation to break the rules and be "bad." Fuck, she was a loser, wasn't she?

She had no time to pity herself because Strai was speaking about how Vidarr said someone had to speak for him to move up. Delphi gives him a quizzical look as if he really was an idiot. Because well, she was about to be that idiot that would vouch for him. "Thrall, you saved me," sitting up fully, she looks him dead in the eye now, "I will speak for you," she is adamant, there is no room for argument. If he was serious about wanting to stay and progress within Heidinn, she would work with him to show Vidarr he was worthy of staying.

He frowned at her. He felt like he was often doing that. He didn’t say anything for a moment, just listened to the crackling of the small campfire beside him, and considered her words. He didn’t know if she could speak for him, being a child herself. Moreover, was there a cost in speaking for a Thrall? He didn’t know. He didn’t know enough about this pack. had n’t bothered to learn it, since he intended to make tracks the first moment he could. Would he be foolish for choosing to stay here? It did feel a little like spitting on the memory of his parents. Namely his mother. Did he care? He considered that and decided he did, a little. But it was his life now, and he couldn’t live it for their memory. “But if you speak for me, whatever would you call me when you can’t call me Thrall?” He asked dryly. "Speech"

A bitter laugh leaves her as he asks what she will call him. It was a good question considering she hadn't thought of anything to call him aside from asshole, but that just... seemed to forward. Unfitting now that they had grown closer... Had they? She looks at him, regards him and wonders if maybe he... No, she doesn't think he will. The temptation is there as she lets out a playful hum. Looking around the room, she smiles when she finally lands on an answer. "I suppose I will just have to call you whatever you get promoted to," her grin grows as she looks back at him, her eyes bright against the flicker of the nearby flames.

While she is studying his face once more, the temptation is too strong. There is no excuse to give as to why she wants to do it. Maybe it is because she is used to being closer to others. Personal space wasn't a term she knew, remember? Either way, Delphi didn't care. She had to scratch the itch. As awkward as she felt, she moved swiftly. Getting to her paws in one fell swoop, she takes a few steps over to the coat he lays on and expertly curls up beside him. Snuggling up into his side, she tucks her nose under his paw. Looking up at him, she smiles. "Body heat will help keep the chill away," she says quietly. It's the only excuse she can come up with.