"Speech"

Since becoming a part of Ethne... Polaris now, Eltrys had taken to stalking the Wraith's Woods on a nigh daily basis. The gathering mists and fog hid many a path and winding route. Thankfully he had come to know the labyrinthian woodland of darkness and mists as if it was a part of his den. He hunted here as frequently as he could.

He heard the shifting footfalls of deer as they made to settle for a nap, and a chittering melanistic squirrel skitter up a tree. The place was full of life despite the dreary surroundings.

He pricked his ears as he heard a different sound now. Who was this?

Pads danced upon the terrian, shifting carefully with each step. Cautious many would call it. She had grown fond of all of Boreas' climates and different areas. Different packs calling many different area's or territories home. Snow flakes fell freely from the skies drowning out some sound, but enhancing other echo sounds that would be trapped in anothers ears. She was carefree today, the weather wasn't as cold as the night the sun was warm although flurries were still holding on tight. Most tree's loosing their protective clothing that the leafs offered.

Hearing the chatter from squirrels not far within the branches of trees, a few deer here and there scraping at the ground. She felt lost in a way. A yip was stolen from the young lady as stumbling over a thick root. Lifting her foot to inspect it, taking notes it wasn't broken and leaving her tongue roll gently across. Just a small sprain. Nothing that would be the rise or fall of our dear little Identification.

The scent drew on the winds of another near by, hoping that he didn't hear her scared unmindful yip. What happens if he was mean and deadly? She would try and lean against a tree for a moment, taking some of the pressure from her paw. Even if it was only briefly. A shiver raced threw her body as the wind picked up, rustling fallen foilage all around her paws as well as the mist along the labyrinth.

Identification

table coding by bunni ♥

"Speech"

A feminine yip was what he heard, it sounded like they had been startled. He sauntered forward out of his path and crossed through the thick underbrush on a hidden route. He probably knew what root she had tripped on, having tripped on it himself more than once.

The Ranger rounded the bend and blinked his ice blue eyes at the cream woman as he came into view.
"I haven't had a chance to cut that down yet. Did the root catch you by surprise?" He asked, slowly walking toward her and then finding a seat at a respectful distance.

"I'm Eltrys. A Ranger from Polaris by the falls. Not many come through here, are you lost?" He asked warmly.

Eyes of emerald pigments danced almost frantically, the sound of pads thudding against the ground, almost silently caught the ladys attention. The thick baritone vocals catching the female off guard. "It happened to catch me off guard and trip me." Her voice was soft, as her eyes fell upon the chocolate male, noting the different hues all over him, much darker than her gentle cream hues.

"I am Identification, everyone calls me Fic though. Well a few that I have ment within my travels." A shy smile curling her lips up. Eltrys was his name. She didn't want to tell him she was a loner, and kind of lost in a way. Lifting her paw for a moment and letting her tongue once more roll over the pads. The taste of copper was weak, but knowing it could cause a infection if she didn't keep it cleaned.

She let it rest against the firm ground. "Is it easy to take note that I am lost though?" The smaller lady stated, Violet wasn't around and that made her a little nervous, but in the same sense she was happy that the tiny bird was not. Her tail tapping the ground, causing little to no dust be swept about. "Falls, meaning like water that falls from the rocks? And it is not your fault, things happen, and it did startle me, and leave a little mark for me to always remember that it lays there. I would not cut it down, for it lives just like you and I, Eltrys from Polaris." Asked and stated out with excitement. Sure she known that the towering masculine could over power her, so she stayed calm and collected, even if the excitement races to her eyes.

Identification

table coding by bunni ♥

"Speech"

The ranger dipped his head in greeting as she shared her name with him, and then he hummed in some displeasure as she relented about the precarious bothersome root.

"I've tripped it over myself a few times until I finally remembered it was there." He grumbled as he started to look around for a solution to keeping others away from it. Ah, perhaps a large rock behind it would start to make people avoid it and their trek would naturally widen the path.

"Most folk get lost when they come through here. I've come to know these woods well." He replied as he absently moved towards his task. There was a nice boulder just a few tail lengths away. He started to dig around it and then proceeded to dislodge it from its mooring.

"Placing this rock by it will at least make it less of a hazard for others." He mentioned with a grunt, rolling the stone toward the bothersome root. It'll help it survive and keep it clear from tripping over others.

"Lazuli Falls is where Polaris resides. We were called Ethne for a while, but we're Polaris now." He said, setting the stone in its new place. There, now others would have no choice but to walk around it as it nestled against the hazardous root.

"Speech" || "Thoughts"

Her attention fell upon him as he spoke about tripping over it a few times before. His voice a grumble. Which caused her to worry if she had disrespected him. Not allowing it to bring her moods down to much. "You're so big though, I can't picture it catching you off guard." She smiled, showing her ivory teeth. And giggled then only for a moment.

"These woods, just like everywhere has a story to tell, if one would listen to the whispering winds, you know?" Remarking as watching him move the boulder to where the root was. She nodded in agreement, "It protects others and itself too." The young woman padded over to where he had dislodged the rock, and filled the hole with the dirt he moved to move it easier.

Prancing back, and whincing at the small amout of pain. Soon it wouldn't be too bothersome to herself. "I mean unless one is blind, right?" Tilting her head as she jumped up on the stone as if showing the root it is defeated. She was still a pup, although she was growing older, her tail danced around behind her in excitement. Turning to Eltrys. "Are you okay? You seem a little uptight..." Getting lost in her thoughts for a moment. 'What if you just offended him?' Gasping, hoping that she did not.

"Speech"

Her comment about him being big was amusing. He was much larger now. Somehow after traveling here, he seemed to have grown a few more inches in his 3rd year. He wondered if one day he could match the height of some of the giants he had come across before. He simply smirked in response to the comment.

"Indeed." He agreed with the cream femme, each place does have a story. He hadn't heard much about these woods, other than its name.
"All I know is that it's called Wraiths Woods, but I haven't come across anything that would merit such a title as yet... Good work." Eltrys nose pointed to the hole she had helped refill.

At her last question, he gave an amusing half smile and looked up at her perched on the rock now and couldn't help his low baritone chuckle from deep in his chest.
"I am fine, but my brother would agree with you." He didn't mind at all if he came off a little uptight. He even allowed others to assume him unsettling. They can make their assumptions about him all they want.

"So, Identification, Fic, would you like an escort out? Company while you wandered? Or would you like to enjoy a walk alone? I won't be offended for the latter, but I thought I should offer." He said, sitting on his haunches and easily looking up at the girl on the rock, a warm smile on his dark maw. Perhaps she'd be interested in joining Polaris, but that would involve requesting Saga's audience.

"Speech" || "Thoughts"

Fic smiled to the ranger known by Eltrys. He seemed as sincere as they came, she hasn't ment many others, but enough to know that some weren't always the most dangerous but known that they would protect their pack or family with the life. What if some didn't have either? She whimpered softly out. His vocals took her attention away from the small whines that left her throat. "Wraiths Woods. I will have to remember that, it isn't haunting as it might be at night, however if you stand far away from it, it does seem like it could scare the biggest and badest from their own flesh and bones." She remarked with a chuckle.

Nodding to the hole that she had filled. Listening to him laugh once more and his own voice spill forth. Her tail danced around for a moment. "Does you and your brother not like one another? Where is he?" Eyes darting around, puffing out the fur along her neck and spine, trying to allow others to believe she was bigger and badder than what she honestly was. Holding her breath as he soon spoke once more. This time about company.

Identification would never turn company down, and to be honest after finding the name about these woods kinda scared her. And shivered just a little, hoping that the brute would not take notice of her small twitch. "I would enjoy company. I mean if you are not too busy patrolling and protecting those that might be in danger." She hopped down from her perch and sauntered towards him. "You said you are part of a pack, called Polaris? Tell me about it, is there really waterfalls and breathtaking scenery or is it all dark and isolated?" Asking aloud as she looked up to him. Ivory tipped ears perked forwards as a few squirrels skittered around on the forest floor.

"Speech"

Her description of the woods was amusing. While her bristling after inquiring after his brother made him chuckle again.

"Oh that brother was my favorite, always knew how to cheer me up. No, I am far far away and again from them now." He said, a distant gleam in his eye for a moment as he remembered his delightful brother. One among a few.

"Oh it's nothing like this place." He replied to questions of Polaris, "The falls are beautiful and it feeds a lush creek. I come here to hunt and provide mainly." He wasn't sure if Polaris was ready for new members yet, and he needed to hone his hunting skills more keenly if he was going to help them expand territory, and to protect those he was coming to call his new family.

His amusement brought the smaller lady a ray of happiness, he spoke and she stayed alert, listening to his words, soaking all the information that she possibly could with stand. He spoke a little about his brother in which was his favorite, and then about his pack he wandered with and protected. It made her wonder if all packs were as calm and collected as the others. Or if there were some straight up down right good for nothing packs. Tilting her head at this thought. That's all it really was.

"Maybe I can visit one day. To meet some of the members of Polaris and some other packs." Something in the distance startled her completely, making her jump on alert. Ears swiveling upon her head as she looked to Eltrys, a movement shadowed. She lowered to the ground to were her belly was just about touching it. Whimpering softly, low enough not to give their location away but for him to hear the sounds come from her.

It was a strange looking creature, not really ever seeing one before, the porcupine grazed upon small shoots, wandering around alone. Fic wanted to investigate what this thing was. Moving towards it, stalking slowly. Every few moments she'd stop to make sure her location wasn't given away.

Identification

table coding by bunni ♥

"Speech"

He dipped his head at her half-promise of visiting the wolves of Polaris. "Perhaps." He concluded. The rustling of the porcupine caught his attention and he could keep track of its shuffling movements on the other side of some brambles. He knew not to bother with them and let them go on their merry way. Fic though seemed to have a completely different reaction. She jumped and then proceeded to stalk the creature.

"Hmm... He'll blast his quills at you if you bother him." He warned from his seat. Not bothered at all by the creature's presence. "It's a porcupine. The thick hair you see are all sharp barbs. They prefer to be left alone." He offered.

The woman with cream-color that wrapped around her in a blanket paused, her gaze shifting to the mocha-colored wolf as she listened to his words slipping from his mouth. Her full attention was on the porcupine nearby. Her white-tipped ears swiveled from side to side and then back again. Curiosity ran through her veins as she had never seen this type of animal up close before. However, what was to come, she would rather not say.

Identification heard Eltrys' words, which carried warning tones. Regrettably, it was too late; she found herself ensnared in his trap. Perhaps Identification should have heeded the advice of the more experienced male. After all, he had lived longer than her. However, being young and naive, she foolishly ignored the warnings he tried to convey. Instead of retreating like she should have, she did the exact opposite.

The quills stabbed into her, causing a sharp cry of surprise as she frantically tried to remove the blades that the creature had launched at her. The pain was excruciating, bringing tears to her eyes as she gazed at Eltrys with a look of agony. Despite her efforts to free herself, the quills remained lodged in her skin, causing her to feel defeated with her tail tucked between her legs.

Identification

table coding by bunni ♥

"Speech"

Eltrys watched the regrettable decisions of the poor femme play out exactly as he described it would. But her unfortunate situation opened up an opportunity for a kill and to gather its quills for later.

The porcupine waddled away but not before Eltrys was on it in a flash. It tried to flay its quills out again but Eltrys had rounded it from the side and scooped it up by the side of the neck. It gave out its startled painful cry just before Eltrys pinched its vocal cords and crushed its windpipe enough to break its neck. It was over as quickly as it began. He turned back to the hapless Fic with concern dripping over his dark features and bright eyes.

"Those barbs are going to be hard to get out, hang on." He replied trying to look carefully at every quill wound. Hm, he had some very basic healing knowledge and knew a few tricks for healing out in the field. He grabbed a nearby spindly plant called hawksbeard and pulled the stem apart to bring out the milky latex. He placed the milky sap over a few of her wounds where the quills were sticking out. After a few moments of letting the sap do its, anti-inflammation and anti-bacterial properties to work, he told her to remain still while he tried to pull each quill out.

"I'll be able to gather these quills too if we're careful, but first we need to clean you up." He wanted to relay his concern above his want to keep the quills intact. Poor thing was going to be hurting for a bit.

"Speech" || "Thoughts"

The pain was excruciating for little Identification as she felt the sharp sting. She never wanted to experience something like this again. She begged for the pain to stop and angrily glared at the porcupine responsible for embedding quills in her delicate facial features. Her once pristine ivory muzzle was now tainted with crimson blood trickling from the puncture wounds. With ears pinned back and eyes squeezed shut in agony, she heard the crunching sound and opened her eyes to see Eltrys nearby. Whimpering, she tried once again to remove the quills with a paw.

As Eltrys spoke, the plant he had picked - called hawksbeard - was said to help reduce swelling, though its sticky sap made the affected areas even stickier. She listened intently as he spoke, feeling the pain in her face. She regretted not heeding his advice and letting her curiosity take over.

She nodded cautiously to the man, realizing that this task was not going to be easy or pleasant. She just wanted the quills removed completely, as she had clearly not learned her lesson. She chuckled briefly, as the situation had escalated far too quickly for her liking. Once again, she nodded to him, silently urging him to remove the quills as soon as possible..

One by one, he pulled each quill. With careful tenacity and watching her every move. Giving her a break when the pain seemed too much and then going back in to continue the hard work. He didn't berate her or make fun of fun of her, he simply calmly helped remove each quill from her wounds.

Finally when the last quill was released he pulled another hawksbeard plant and a stem of yarrow next to it. He crushed the plants into a paste and placed the paste over each wound.

"There. Hawksbeard and Yarrow, good friends in the field." He said warmly when he was finished.

He gathered the spent quills and the porcupine carcass for projects in the future. He wasn't able to welcome her into Polaris himself but he wondered if she was interested in having one of their medics look over his work and joining the pack. She'd have to meet the great bear Saga for the latter. He didn't know the protocol of such things yet.

"Do you require any further assistance? I need to bring these back to the pack." He ended up saying.

Her eyes, tired and closed tightly, winced as he carefully pulled out each quill. She resisted the urge to flinch away too quickly, despite wanting to numerous times. Finally, the last quill was removed and she watched as he mixed the herbs into a paste and applied it to her small but painful wounds.

She listened intently to his words. "Thank you, I'm not sure how I can ever repay you for your assistance," she said calmly. "Although you didn't have to go out of your way to help. But thank you," she sincerely added. She wasn't sure if anyone else would have helped her in that situation.

As the man inquired about needing more help, she turned to him and replied, "I believe I can manage for now. Perhaps once I figure out my next steps, it will bring me to Polaris. Or perhaps our paths will cross again." She smiled warmly at him, silently cursing the sharp quills he was collecting.

Identification

table coding by bunni ♥

Eltrys nodded humbly at her words of thanks. It was a matter of course to him, he couldn't leave another wolf out here in pain like that.

"I'll look forward to it." He replied to her words, bowing his head and slinging the porcupine over his back nimbly. She was a delightful girl, he thought to himself. He turned to the woods, his mind weaving through ideas about what he could do with the quills and carcass.

"Until we meet again, farewell Fic." he called over his shoulder as he disappeared into the labyrinth of twists and turns, following his own paths through the woods back toward Polaris.