It had been days since he had run away from Ty. Days since the madness had taken him over. It had finally subsided a day or so ago, but Cloud wasn't ready to face his brother just yet. What would he tell him? They had killed the polar bear. He had torn away its flesh and broken its bones...and then he fled. He fled before he accidentally hurt his brother. The madness in his head threatening to completely take him until there was nothing but a shell of him left. But he didn't want to hurt his brother. Somehow...some part of him had managed to fight for the smallest bit of control. Just enough to run away before he ripped his brother's throat out. But even in that state...could he have done that? His brother probably could have easily ripped his own throat out...and Cloud didn't think he would ever hold it against his brother if it came down to that. Cloud was sick. And it was thanks to their bastard father for making him this way.

He sighed as he walked along the beach, feet dragging with exhaustion. He hadn't slept since the day he ran, and the wounds he had gotten from both the avalanche and the bear hadn't healed yet. The wound he sustained on his flank from the bear throbbed occasionally, threatening to become infected. He was covered in debris and old and dried blood. All from him, the bear, and whatever prey animals that had crossed his path during his madness. He walked for the better part of the day. Eyes dull and tired as he tried to figure out when the best time to return home would be. Was Ty angry with him for running away? He wasn't sure. Finally, unable to go any further he collapsed in the sand. He was so, so tired. And everything hurt from his ordeal. He would return home soon...he just...needed a little nap...

"SPEAK"

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It had been months since the woman had been in ardent. She had made it back though. Was she still upset that she was denied being a shaman? Of course but she had put the thought behind her. She had met some of her father's brothers along the way, the experience had changed her. She was no longer outspoken about her wishes, and she was content. Her face still held angry scars from her uncle Michael, but he was forgiven. Her father had found her and she was happy to of had his familiar presence in the homeland. Though he had stayed there, wanting to learn more about the culture and the way of life so he could understand better why she was denied even when she made it there to be a shaman.

She walked along the bay with blue gems focused on nothing in particular. The sound of seals was loud and she knew they would pup soon. Winter was a wonderful time in the north. It brought with it the first heat for her though. She tried not to dwell on it though. She paused as her eyes found a lump on the sands. She moved towards it. Was it dead? She stopped as she came to sit in front of it. "um are you alright?" she eyed the man. Her vocals were quiet but she was firm enough in them to not need to repeat herself, hopefully anyway.

His eyes had been closed for no more than a few, short minutes before an unfamiliar voice forced him to abandon his sought after nap. The tired male force fluttering eyelids open, unfocused vision trying its hardest to see straight. Ahead of him, he saw the ocean and sky. Like a machine that lacked oil, Cloud craned his neck slightly back, the movement causing him to wince due to stiffened muscles. In the short time he'd been lying down, his muscles had grown a bit rigid, a sign that he was utterly exhausted from his ordeal over the last few days. Still, he supposed he needed to get up at some point since someone had found him lying in the sand. And he was pretty sure he didn't look like he was just sunbathing or something. Bi-colored gaze sought out his new company; a young woman with blue eye and a pelt similar in color to his own. He stared at her for a moment, wondering if maybe she was an illusion formed by his mind or if she was real. Honestly, it didn't take long for her scent to reach him, and the second it did, he bolted upright. But not without extreme protests from every muscle and fiber in his battered body. He sat upright, wincing in pain as a few whines slipped up his throat. He didn't want to be impolite or rude for remaining on the ground, or...in her personal space. Even though she had walked up to him, but still. Cloud was, and always would be, a gentleman. "I uh, I'll be...fine. Thanks," He glanced at her a moment before turning away. He wasn't particularly good with socializing... "Speak"

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He seemed slow to respond and a worried look crossed her features. She hadn't been given the opportunity to study herbs like marvel had. She eyed the dried blood and wounds on him. He definitely didn't look okay. He needed a healer for certain, and the only one she knew was marvel. She had to wonder how close her sister was and if she would come to a summons from Dom. When he finally did sit up and react to her she was confused. Was her scent right now that repulsive? His words had her looking at him with a glare that said she didn't believe it one bit that he was fine.

She gave a zigh though. She wasnt a healer so she couldn't help anyway. After a long awkward mo.ent she finally spoke up again. "I'm not sure I believe you, but it's not like I can do anything for your wounds." he looked like he got into it with mammon and maybe a bear. Wouldn't shock her really. She gave a gentle wag of her tail, unintentionally wafting her scent around. Her head turned away as well. Well this was awkward wasn't it.

Ears fell back when she spoke. He always knew he was a poor liar when it came to most things. The only thing he really knew how to cover up was the truth about his mental state. Of course, he always tried to make sure he was alone before he lost control so that he wouldn't hurt anyone. "I'll be fine, I just...probably need a bath, and there's healers back home that can help,"

He offered a shy smile, unsure about how to proceed. He always felt like he sucked in social situations, except when he was around Ty. He didn't feel shy or awkward when his brother or other family was around, but by himself? It was a whole different ball game. "I'm Cloudburst, but Cloud for short. Thanks for your concern uh..." He peered at her for a moment, would it be rude to ask for a name?

Okay so awkward in social situations was her thing. What even had she been thinking in approaching the male. It wasnt like she was a healer or had any sort of thing to talk to a complete total stranger about. Cross talking to boys and strangers off her list of what to do. Her ears folded back when he spoke of how there were healers back at his home. Okay so he was definitely in a pack. How could she of missed that scent?

He gave his name and then thanked her. He didn't have her name though so he drifted away in his words. "It's Dominika, or Dom for short. And if your going to bathe in this weather you should probably use the hot springs to the south." she continued to look away. Okay so what to do now? What should she even say? She did notice he was definitely cute, but that could of been her heat speaking.

Dominika. He stored the name away to remember. He was good at a few things. Remembering was one thing, along with hunting and tracking. He excelled at the latter two. "Nice to meet you Dominika, and you're right. I will stop by the hot springs on my way back home, thanks." Honestly, he had forgotten all about the hot springs and he was glad she mentioned it because he wasn't keen on taking a bath in cold water. Especially during the winter when the water was much, much colder than it would be in the summer. He wondered if he should start grooming himself to at least make himself a bit more presentable, but he decided against it for now. He'd feel awkward doing that in the presence of another. He took a deep breath and then exhaled, turning his gaze back to her. She didn't smell like a pack, but he didn't know much about any of the packs besides Abaven and Erovrare. "So, do you live around here? I live not too far from here but I've never seen you around before..." He was curious as to where she was from, and he briefly wondered if she had lived here all her life or if she was from somewhere else outside of Boreas. Walk, "Talk" Think

He mentioned that it was nice to meet her and she dipped her head. "Likewise Cloud." yep awkward, definitely awkward.his words told her that his pack was way far south. Far enough he had to go past the hot springs to get there. Well that bit of info was tucked away. But what was he doing this far from his pack?

She turned her eyes back to him as he asked where she lived. She shook her head, "I was born in the col to the north and I live up north. I'm on my way back up there after I visited my momma's homeland. We are cold weather women so this is usually the only time of year I can come this far south." as if her thick fur coat might not of given that away. But why not state the obvious. Damn Divo and Darya were much less awkward than her.

"Wheres your pack?" it was only polite to return the question right?

He listened to her explanation of where she was from with interest. Though he felt a tad bit jealous when she mentioned visiting her mothers homeland. And though he never admitted it to Ty, he had been jealous when his brother came back from wherever he had traveled. Cloud had never been outside of Boreas. Sure there was Auster, but he imagined going beyond the lands he had been born into was certainly something. All the sights and new things that could be discovered, perhaps even prey that didn't live here. When she asked him about his pack, he grew thoughtful. "In the southeast where the white forest and the standing stones are," The place his brother claimed was a fascinating place, but it felt eerie sometimes. Even so, it was a good location, he thought. "My packs called Erövrare, run by my brother and I...er, mostly my brother though." Okay, that was sort of true. Ty did all of the alpha things, he was more of a leader compared to himself if he was honest with himself. "Speak"

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She nodded as he said where his home was. She knew the shrine and figured he was talking about that eerie forest she had been told not to go in by her da. He was such a superstitious man honestly. She turned her face in the direction of the shrine, giving the full effects of her scars but he had ignored them up until now at least. It kinda made her happy. "Alabastine shrine, or like da calls them, the holy rocks. He's superstitious like that though, thinks the gods are always watching and listening." she turned her face back to him then.

He mentioned a brother, and how they were alphas, but he wasnt really. That was weird. "So he's using you like a figure head then? Doesn't sound nice if he keeps all the power himself." she made the comment and her features looked troubled by that. Neither of her sisters would do that to her or each other, so what made this bother of his? He seemed easy enough to talk to at least."What's his pack like?" how a pack was ran and what they did said alot about a wolf. Maybe he wasn't so bad but if he was using a figure head as his second and it was his own brother she doubted he could be that pleasant.

When she turned her head, he saw her scars. But he didn't feel the need to pry into her life about them. In a way, he had his own scars. They were more mental and emotional though, but he'd have some physical ones from the bear he fought soon enough once his wounds healed. He listened to her, chuckling a bit when she mentioned her superstitious dad. "My brother and father believe in stuff like that too," Did he though? That question always begged an answer. While he heard a voice in his head from time to time, he never talked about it or tried to acknowledge it. He remembered the conversation he had with Elias about it, but he never learned more beyond that. When she questioned if his brother was using him, he frowned as he shook his head. "No, it's nothing like that. My brother and I are very close, he worked hard for his pack and we promised to stand by each others side. Honestly, I'm fine with him leading. While I may be his second, leadership is more for him than it is for me. I'm just there to support him, and of course when he needs me I'll help." That was true. He didn't see himself leading a pack, but if he had to step in for Ty then he would. "Ero is kinda...power driven? I'm not sure where we stand with other packs, diplomacy was never my strong suit so I let my brother handle that. The pack strives to be the best it can, training wolves to find their strength and potential." Okay, so he may have completely sugar coated it. He knew it had much darker tendencies based on what he'd been seeing lately but he wasn't about to smear his brothers reputation, or his packs for that matter by giving every detail of what really went on. They had slaves, sure. But Cloud didn't partake in that. He hadn't enslaved anyone or forced anyone into the pack unlike some of the other members. He and his sister Thora were perhaps the black sheep in the flock, but he didn't mind. He just didn't see himself as that type of wolf...at least not yet. All he was really there for was to support his brother and look after his sister. Other than that he spent most of his time hunting and training Thora. "Speak"

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