She had been promised getting out of the forest to see the rest of the pack lands would be a good thing. As she stared up at the tall obelisk, she was really beginning to doubt that. There was a hustle and bustle about her that made her feel tiny and insignificant. Wolves moved this way and that way without so much as a second glance in her direction. Of course, there were a few that said hello and nodded toward her, but most didn't seem to notice. That didn't bother her so much as the feeling of loneliness did... Maybe if she went and explored the market, she could find someone she knew! Toddling along at a leisurely pace, Ursa made her way down toward the market.

 

   

He'd come to the market armed with things to trade, this time. Were they things he'd scrounged up? Yeah. But scrounging was the way anyone else made their living around here. Better that Erik learn that early... in his mind, at least. The boy moved carefully through the market, his shoulders hunched as he did. There was too much hustle, here. Too much bustle. It was too noisy, and there were too many bodies. The smells of the market, the sounds... Erik detests it.

At least one good thing had come out of the day. He'd walked up to a vendor with a basket of kittens and traded several large fistfulls of porcupine quills (plucked from a carcass that he'd found in the woods) for a little red and silver tabby. She was a fluffy kitten, sturdy, with a dense coat, and nice to pet. There was little consideration for how his family would react to him coming home with a pet, though Erik doubted anyone would mind... other than maybe Otis. Erik still had some stuff to trade away-- a handful of scrounged deer teeth, the remainder of the porcupine quills, and the four large front teeth from the same porcupine carcass.

He'd been rather concerned with making sure his new companion was keeping up. Concerned, distracted, call it what you would. That was to say, Erik wasn't really paying attention to where he was going. He didn't see her, honest. Erik tripped, be it on the girl or a strategically placed hole nearby, and landed with a deep oof. "Furfucksake," he grumbled, voice gravelly. Sprawling for a moment before slowly dragging himself back to his feet, trying to make sense of... whatever that was. Already looking for the things he'd dropped to sweep back into the bag he'd borrowed from Fuji, unaware of his surroundings for the most part.
     
   

 

Ursa had heard that she could find whatever her heart desired at the market. Whether it was food, goods, animals, or supplies, someone there would have it. Not that she had anything useful to trade for such items at the market, but at least she could look. Right? Just looking wouldn't get her into trouble? Well, it would be a good try and if she got in trouble, she would be so super duper sorry! Her parents had told her to find something to do so going there was probably the safest bet...

Until a larger body crashed into her. Around her age, slightly bigger, and masculine in shape, with some other kind of animal in tow plowing right into her and exclaiming something that she hadn't heard before. She blinked as she lay on her back and grumbled from the pain. Reaching a paw up to rub her head, she rolled slightly to spy on the wolf that had collided with her. Had she been in his way? His gravelly voice sounded pretty upset. Her eyes well with tears as she slowly makes her way to her paws. Scooting forward to help him gather the things that had spilled, she stares at the ground to avoid eye contact.

"I-I'm sorry for bumpin' into you," she mumbles under her breath, barely above a whisper. Once his things were gathered, Ursa mustered the courage to ask a question. "What does furfucksake mean?" The innocence in her tone is obvious as she finally brings herself to stare wide-eyed at the boy. Her body trembles as obviously as her shaky voice.

She was shaking, fuck. Trembling before his very eyes... shit. Erik had caused that, he didn't mean to. He didn't mean to upset her, he'd just... oops. And there she was, scrambling to help collect his things back into his bag. "No, 'sokay." The words come out strung together, though his voice is gravelly and cluttered in his mouth. Talking was still hard, and he could feel the burning of his throat when he did.

She... oh. The pup before him was his age, maybe younger. She'd asked him a question, and he'd uh. He'd probably be best off answering it. Erik looked to his companion for some sort of help, something to say, something that probably wouldn't get him in trouble with the girl's parents. Shit, shit, shit. Finally coming up with something to say, words arranged carefully. "'swhat mum says." Right, good enough, especially when said with a shrug. Erik didn't really know what it meant, just that she said it when she needed something to exclaim.

As he finishes gathering the last of the wayward quills and teeth and tucking them into the bag, Erik finally looks for eye contact with the girl. He'd offer a rare smile, just a little one. A grateful smile, to thank her for helping him pick up his things.

"Speech"

What his mum says? Huh. Her mom didn't say such things like that... Well, actually, Ursa didn't know exactly if her mom did or not, but it didn't sound like something she would say. It sounded harsh and bad. Her ears flick backward and then forward as she watches him hurriedly scramble to push everything into his satchel. Something about him was off. It made her brow furrow as she noticed he didn't look her in the eye for a while. And his voice was... gravelly. As if his throat was hurt. Maybe he would like some tea!

Ursa is about to offer him to get some tea from a local vendor when he lifts his gaze up at her. Though her eyes are still slightly watery from the previous moments, she returns his ghost of a smile with a gentle one of her own. Pulling herself up to fully stand once more, her tail gives a few soft wags as she continues to make eye contact. "W-would you like me to sh-show you around?" Ursa asks, her head tilting slightly, unsure if he knew his way around or not.

The market was a bit quieter than usual today, leaving Erik less overwhelmed than he had been on his first visit. He was finally able to take it all in, and to make the trade he'd longed to. His kitten rubbed up against his leg now, before wandering to sniff at the other pup. The pup smiled, and Erik felt... well, he felt a little better at least.

As he straightened himself out, she offered to show him the market. His ears perked up, and he nodded. Getting his bearings was important, and he still had some small bits and bobs to trade off. The kitten had cost him less than anticipated, though Erik couldn't help but wonder if the vendor had taken pity on him. Not that he necessarily felt bad about it. There was a lot to see here, and he couldn't help but get excited about it. The art of a deal was something he'd do well to learn early.

"Speech"

The kitten approaches and Ursa lifts a paw to gently brush against its back. As she returns the boy's smile, she notices again that he doesn't hardly speak. She tries to not furrow her brow, but the empath in her wants to do anything to help. Pursing her lips slightly, Ursa thinks for a moment and then glances around. Hm, where should she start him?

"Okay, let's start here!" Ursa lifts a paw to point to a nearby aisle. There she can see a stand with lots of bits and baubles. There's another stand full of dried and fresh herbs. Before she sets off, she moves to stand beside him and look at the bag he's carrying. "You got everything?" She asks softly, her eyes wide and her smile returning as she looks up at the boy. After he's confirmed that he's ready, Ursa sets off to start wandering the first aisle.

The furrow in her brow doesn't quite escape Erik. When you don't do much talking, you do a hell of a lot of listening. That, and he's used to that look. Healers... they tended to look at him something like that. It's a look not unlike the one that Ursa's own mother had given him during their brief meeting. The apple didn't fall far from the tree, he knew that well enough.

She sets them off down one of the aisles, and Erik can't keep the bit of wonder out of his gaze. A little nod to confirm that he had everything, but also just... one last glance to make sure. His little companion had scooped up a feather somewhere along the way, and Erik was content to let her keep it. Long steps carried him easily over the uneven ground, gaze bright and curious on each of the stalls. One filled with pretty trinkets and baubles, and all manner of shiny things. The next, dried herbs and other healer things, some that even smelled like ma, like home

On the next side, one that catches Erik's eye. Well, okay, it catches his nose first. Something sweet, maple, already making his mouth water. Scooting ahead and through the crowd, he darts to the merchant. Motioning for two, and offering a spare few teeth and a porcupine quill needle. As the merchant took a moment to consider, Erik gave a cough that was perhaps slightly exaggerated in its patheticness. A little bit of the puppy eyes and-- ah, that was the magic. Quickly, he swipes the maple candies with a little nod to thank the merchant.

He stood tall on his toes for a moment, looking for Ursa in the crowd. Returning to her side the moment he spots her, Erik holds out one of the sugared maple treats, a proud little grin on his wine dark lips.
"Speech"

Setting off down the aisle of the merchants, Ursa doesn't notice Erik slip away. Immersed in the wonders that the merchants have to offer, she is quickly distracted by the scents of herbs. Stopping to peruse the different plants and trinkets, she thinks he is right behind her. Since he doesn't talk very much, she doesn't think to keep an eye on the taller boy. When she picks up a pretty flower encased in resin tied to a piece of leather, she turns to show it to him.

Ursa's eyes go wide when she sees that he is no longer beside her. Her lips open to call his-wait, he hadn't even given her his name yet. Furrowing her brow, she frowns and turns to set the trinket back down. How rude of her to not even ask his name! Feeling ashamed, she begins to wander the crowd to look for him. Standing on her toes, she can hardly see over the crowd. Letting out a sigh, Ursa turns to head back down the aisle, thinking that maybe he just didn't want her escort anymore. Saddened by the thought, she moves on to the next stall that has an array of feathers and other animal products used for crafting.

A few moments later, she feels a presence next to her. Turning, she sees the boy holding out a piece of maple candy that smells delicious. Her tail wags and she smiles at him before taking it. "Oh, I thought you'd left!" She says, trying to hide the fact that she was saddened by it. "Thank you, this looks yummy!" Ursa takes a lick of it before once more remembering the fact that they hadn't traded names. "Oh um, I'm Ursa! What's your name?" She turns her big lavender eyes up at him once more hoping that he'll reciprocate.