Quick steps danced across wet grass, sleet remains to splash up to the heels of the wolf. Long and slender legs held the slim, lithe body as he strode slowly to the water that babbled nearby. His pinkish tongue looked pale and dry as it hung from his parted jaws, his chest heaving frantic and quick panting came deep from the male due to exhaustion riddling the sleek, silver and black male. Quaking limbs held him up as the dark male wolf carried himself the short steps to the water's edge. Serpentine, the black male with streaks of white and silver peppering his coat, turned to check behind him just before his head dipped to the surface of the cool water and the tongue of the male lapped out across the water's top, forcing ripples to form and bounce on the water.

Cool and refreshing water slid down to his gullet, his final gulp was hesitated, unsure if he should take his last drink. But meticulously, he'd counted his laps to ten. Finishing not when satisfied, but when content with the amount of slaps his tongue created over the water's top. Prying his wide head from the water, golden eyes traced the area and realized his entrance had caused the small space around him to fall quiet. Birds chirped at a distance, but where Serpentine sat it was no longer lively as it was before he'd come across the pleasant sight of water. Selfishly, ignorantly, he'd barged into the clearing without thinking ahead of time, no doubt scaring off any lingering animals resting or grazing here. A wrinkle hit his muzzle as he realized this and he grunted in disdain. No other animals meant no food-- now he was in a predicament. Maybe, he thought, to hide and wait for animals to grow comfortable again with the area. Humming gently the male curled his tail in a twitch and allowed it to relax again.

Serepentine's head lowered and his chest drew a long breath in, sniffing the grassy ground below him. Picking up a scent of rabbit, fish, and bear from an assumed fishing trip the bear took earlier in the week. The scent of deer lingered but was fading at this point-- too old to bother with, the coal male thought to himself. A snuff in the air caught ash in his nostrils, sniffling first before sneezing and shaking his head from the invasion in his nose. Serpentine regained his focus, balance, and guard after his sneeze, eyes shifting from one side to the next, giving a brief grumble before moving on away from the water full of fish. Stepping with one paw in front of the other, the male wolf slunk through the field as he sniffed the ground here and there, thinking that if rabbits were here there must be a warren nearby. Using his sense of smell to guide him, he popped up over a small hill and saw a torn-up patch of land with plenty of holes entering and exiting the raised earth. A rabbit's warren, for sure as his father had taught him right.

Remembering the past he had, the young pup and his father went on a long trip to scout the land for an unclaimed land bit to use as their home. Running into packs, being chased off hunts, and missing meals, the two were growing hungry when his father, Korth, spoke up about rabbit hunting. "The important part of hunting rabbits isn't about chasing them down, it's outsmarting them before they find their way back to the warren." The two were planning to hunt a horde of rabbits nearby when the hunt was interrupted by a falcon hunting the same group of rabbits. Serpentine took a leap into the mess of feathers and fur being torn up, grabbing a fat rabbit among the chaos. Unable to clench his teeth around the fat neck of the oversized rodent, Serpentine took his prey and began to beat it against the ground to stun the animal. Korth had run in at the time, snatching the meal before the two lost another morsel. Serpentine ate with his father that night, and regardless of the growls they shared and gave one another, the two pleasantly shared the meal in the final venture of their scouting adventure.

All while this memory played, Serpentine stalked the rabbits brave enough to keep lookout, his paws landing on soft and wet grass, parting and squishing under his weight. The sudden burst of movement startled one of the bucks and off the group went to scatter across the field and hide into the warren. Serpentine wasted no time in chasing after one of the bucks, a medium yet stocky sized rodent running in circles at first before realizing where it had to go. Paws landed rhythmically while he shoved off and caught up to the startled hare, his muzzle lowering when he neared it to get a better chance at grabbing the animal. Teeth revealed as he parted his jaws and a quick snatch caught the back of the rabbit-- a squeal of terror and pain crawling from the prey. The wolf's head shook violently and teeth sank into the back muscles of the squirming animal locked between two pairs of teeth. Bloodstained the fur of both creatures, but only one prevailed in the fight for survival-- and he had diligently fought for his meal in his own mind.

Moving quickly away from the warren, he'd taken up a spot near the water-- a raised platform of rock resting flat against the water's bank. Moss covered the top of the hard surface, creating plush padding underneath his belly and legs as he lies, now chewing at the meal he caught. What was he doing here, he thought. Had another wolf arrived and asked him this, Serpentine honestly had one answer. He escaped. Serpentine remembered the panic his small family had when the earth shook so violently and the sky turned grey with thick ash. He was nowhere near the volcano when it erupted, but his family had been roaming around pretty close to the affected areas. Serpentine split off from his family so suddenly he barely remembered them calling out in confusion, why did he go the other way? Asking himself this, he sat up with his tongue cleaning his maw. He thought to himself, how nice it was to stay here, perhaps even sleep a while to regain his energy. No one seemed to wander by and it wasn't as dangerous as where he'd come from, or so he felt.

Eyes grew heavy in his thought of rest, he needed the slumber as it stood. However, Serpentine gave a grunt and shook his head, propping himself up to an alert position as he lies on the rock. Goldenrod eyes scanned the area in front of him, so tired he'd forgotten to check his backside. Serpentine rested, waiting for evening to come for a chance to fully rest. His leftovers rest beside him, water babbled at his far side, and a comfortable rock lies underneath his body. What more could he ask for? He thought to himself, before lowering his head and observing closely for movement.

after parting and making sure Philomena was back with her pack safely, Willoughby left the main continent. her paws carried her to these falls, where she took note of the area's more stable environment. unknown to her, the falls were named for the cedar trees that blanketed the area. she could make up any name she wanted though; this place was not yet known to her memory. wandering about, she tried to commit everything to it. the less impacted zones of Boreas were more desirable right now; she had no desire to go near the volcano's inner lands.

there was a fresh scent of evergreen and foliage, but below all that, she picked up the scent of a wolf. fresh too. scanning the environment quickly, she spotted him. the smell of food would be enticing if she hadn't gobbled down some scraps days prior. "hello there" she called to him, her voice lifting so her soft vocals could reach him. he was a bit of a distance away, but surely he noticed her entering this area. Willoughby hadn't tried to hide or sneak around. that just wasn't her. maybe the man was fleeing Boreas, finding shelter in this area? she could only guess.

"Speech"
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1/3 met new wolf (serpentine)

"Hello there.", the voice beckoned him to open his tired eyes, golden stare shifting left to right before finding the female approaching blatantly. "Oh, hello. Am I invading your spot ma'am?" The lax tongue drew words quickly, his paws shoving him to a seated position while he parted his jaws to yawn. Uncontrolled, he groaned after the yawn and chuckled lightly, an apologetic look crossing his features briefly. Yet he never uttered the apology verbally, instead, he shifted his seat and watched the female close. A pelt of different colors rests on her soft form, with piercing red eyes watching his movements holding no sense of dominance. Sighing openly, he pulled his lips into a smile and flicked his tail to a light wag, welcoming her presence silently.

Slowly, the male wolf gave movement by pushing his weight up to all fours and shaking his silvered black pelt free of loose hairs and debris. Stepping forward, his paws lowered from the rock to grass, hind legs kicking off to propel him further. His body leaping into the grass, he looked from the earth to the female and promptly sat down respectfully. Tail curling over his paws, head dipping down in a welcome, the male had seemed to be more than his name told. Serpentine was just that however-- a serpent. "Even if I'm not, I apologize for the intrusion. No doubt you've seen the eruption? Good to see another face after that disaster." Serpentine admitted, golden eyes locking to hers with a friendly stare, occasionally drifting off to break the intensity of the gaze. When he looked back to the female wolf, his tail flicked across his toes and his chest bubbled up one last time, a talkative male for certain. Are you alone? By that I mean, is anyone else going to pop up unexpectedly?

she would listen politely as the words tumbled from the man's mouth, a pleasant smile on her otherwise pretty features. "oh, no" she giggled, shaking her head when he asked if this was 'her spot'. Willoughby never truly believed anything could belong to anybody. especially when it came to land. one could dress up intentions and territorial natures but in the end, the land belonged to the earth. "I just arrived. it's my first visit to this place." she told him, seeing no reason to hide this fact.

the man went on, stating it was good to see a friendly face. especially after the disaster. having been in the mainland when it happened, she could only agree. Philomena had been her friendly face until Willoughby parted with her, but it was always good to meet another. "if someone were to pop up, it would be a pleasant surprise" she smiled "but no, I am quite alone." perhaps not the best thing to admit to a total stranger. her eyes drifted from his respectful sit to the falls themselves.

it seemed the water had not turned a mucky color as she had seen elsewhere. the falls were crystal clear, cascading down into the pool at the bottom. she suspected there was plenty of fish during spring and summer as well. it looked to be a good spot for salmon. "my name is Willoughby. who might you be?" she hadn't met many wolves so far so it was always fun to learn different names.

"Speech"
2/3 navigation
2/3 met new wolf (serpentine)

Such a pretty smile, he thought to himself before hearing her words and listening close. He wasn't intruding on her spot, or any one's for that matter, that he'd known of. Relaxing physically the male wolf sighed and rolled his shoulders back with a smile of comfort, chuckling lightly. "It's a decent place to rest, to gain yourself after a long run." Serpentine admitted, golden eyes resting on her own with a comforting gleam resting between his irises. She states more, and he listens with alert ears perked upright and a solid and confined stare engaged on the female, now announcing herself as Willoughby.

"It's not good to be alone, but even if we've just met-- I'm here to watch your back. You may call me Serpentine." Introducing himself felt comfortable to this female, and he shuffled his paws a moment before asking the question that set upon his mind. "You've not seen a group of wolves traveling as a family unit, have you? Primarily black coats, two that are younger." His details produced were vague but told of his family appearance. They traveled together typically as a unit, mother and father in front with the two siblings, Jade, and Lorne in the middle, with Serpentine trailing behind to watch the pack. Without Serpentine, who'd watch the rear? Who'd alert the family of trouble, or food? Would they work together without him? His self centered ways of thinking got to him and before he knew it, he was dazed in thought.

Shaking his head, Serpentine refocused on the slender female with a unique coating hugging her lithe form. Shirking a smile, the male wolf quickly apologized. "I'm sorry, I've been separated from my family for some time now. It's been a while since I've found another soul and been able to ask about them. I feel it may have been rude to bombard you with such curiosities." Explaining his thoughts, his tail flicked yet again over his toes-- like a signal of his uneasiness. He missed them, his family. Could he find another family to slip into, could he ever find them?

she had fled here because it was safe, so she could only agree with his words. it was untouched and peaceful from the rest of the eruption. as she tore her gaze away from his features, she could clearly see the tell-tale signs of deer having been here. the little footprints on the snow, the casual markings on the cedar trees from their antlers rubbing against them... and the smell of them too. she hadn't had deer in so long. it took at least two wolves to bring one down, and she was often alone.

"thank you, Mister Serpentine" Bee said gratefully, looking back at him as he proclaimed he'd watch her back. though when he asked if she had seen any ebony-colored wolves, a brief frown appeared when she thought. finally, she shook her head. "I have not, sadly... I'm sorry." though the man would quickly explain himself. they were his family and he was looking for them. the woman prayed quietly for their safety; she didn't dare think of them being caught in the blast.

"oh!" he also apologized for bombarding her, causing the woman to giggle softly. she shook her head again, this time with some energy. "don't worry; I enjoy talking to others. I am only sorry your family is not here, so I could meet them and exchange stories" any information was good information. any questions and answers were equally informative. "you just arrived in this land, then?"

"Speech"
3/3 navigation
3/3 met new wolf (serpentine)

The area was quiet, and he noticed the lack of motion in the small cedar area. The scent of tree drowned out most animal smells, but they lie hidden amongst the grassy area, chilled with winter's touch. He noticed above them lie an overcast sky, with a cool yet constant breeze tickling their furs and mangling threads of hair together. It wasn't wet, but the air wasn't dry. It was soft moisture that tickled his nostrils. The wetness from above lingered in clouds that fluffed the grey sky above. It was a cool day, one perfect for traveling he thought to himself.

She thanked him and his head dipped instinctively down in respect, giving her bidding of gratefulness. He was happy to be of help, and he silently admitted it only to himself. When Willoughby had stated that there was no sign of his family-- on her end, his shoulders fell and he sighed. Chippering his mood back up, he gave a smile and shrugged kindly. "Can't win it all." Soon she began to speak more, reassuring him not to worry about his comments. He felt the reassuring words creep into his nerves to soothe them.

"I'm sure they'd have loved to share the stories of our family. We are small but close." Serpentine admitted, blinking away his sorrow in his eye and perking up when she addressed him further. "To this side, yeah. I've lived in Boreas before the blow. Born and raised in a small little valley close to a long drawn out river that cuts across miles. We never had a name for it, so I cannot tell you where it was. Perhaps one day I'll find it again. Or perhaps I'll find a new home." Serpentine rambled on, explaining his plans and thoughts to this wolf he'd just met. He felt at ease, comfortable with her presence. Something he'd needed since the mountain's blow and his separation from his family. He kept his apologies at bay, and instead waited upon Willoughby's response to his drawn on conversation.

Serpentine seemed like a reasonable enough man. he shrugged off her apologizes with his own sort of carefree, causing Bee to smile once more. it was a good attitude to have, really. "can't win them all" hmm? she supposed there were worse things to believe in. he went on to explain about his homeland, causing her to inwardly visualize it. "it sounds lovely" she said breathlessly, wonder creeping into her crimson gaze.

the man stated also he'd probably find a new home. Willoughby nodded conversationally, but she could not speak for Boreas' running. this land was fine aside from the occasional eruption yet she always had a deep wanderlust. a pack, for instance, would be out of the question right now. she still had so much to see and do. maybe she could also say she had no concept of responsibility toward others. she treated all - even lowly ranked wolves - equally. perhaps it wasn't proper of a pack wolf.

"I wish you luck, finding a new place to live" but she really hoped for his survival through the winter. it went without saying this one would be harsh on all involved. "I have just arrived in Boreas myself... I'm still trying to find a place to belong" Willoughby revealed, shuffling her front legs on the ground. "the people here are quite lovely though. I am sure one of the packs will accept you if you decide to stay."

"Speech"
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3/3 met new wolf (serpentine)

The wind whisked at his fur, blowing it about his face and neck wildly while he sat still, keeping content eye contact with Willoughby. The cool air felt nice and cooling on his skin, however it brought the scent of fire, ash, smoke, brimstone. It brought painful memories of the eruption blowing his family apart, bringing him so far from where he once called home. In this peaceful, serene cedar encased area, he felt comfortable and safe, yet he wasn't sure of himself or his surroundings. While it was seemingly calm here, he stood up while they held a conversation, his pelt shaking briefly to shake out his fur and release loose hairs and debris. "It was, I hope it still is." He admitted, glancing back to the resting female.

Although he'd eaten, his belly still craved a good meal. Something more filling than measly rabbit sounded perfect for the wolf and his new friend. Thinking of himself while the silence sat between them, the air broke of quiet and her voice rattled his ears happily. He enjoyed her presence."Thank you, and welcome to the land. I hope you may find a place to belong as well, maybe we will find comfort in the same place." Serpentine spoke hopefully, his nose catching the scent of deer not far, his stomach begging him to pay attention to the food rather than Willoughby. Ignoring his gut, he kept his focus on the female while she spoke, commenting on the inhabitants around and their demeanor. "It's good to hear that, especially when I'm practically alone out here down on my luck!" Serpentine chuckled and let his gaze wander off from the patched female.

"Aside from those living here and finding a place to fit in, would you like to explore this place with me? Maybe even catch a meal worth considering dinner?" His lips peeled into a smirk, hoping to coax her into a nice time of hanging out and wandering about rather than sitting idly. It was making him antsy to sit and chatter when they had so much to smell, investigate, and search. Wagging his bushy tail behind him, he invited the female with his body language to follow him, keeping a modest stature while he easily kept his shoulders low, ears flattened and lips peeled into a comforting smile. Submissive in nature, Serpentine was never the type of male to force anyone to wander or follow him, he'd rather invite them no matter how badly he desired the company if they denied.

Before he had gotten the decision, a shake of the ground hit and he gripped the grass with dull claws, lowering his body to the earth immediately. Ears against his skull and his tail tucked close to his side, golden eyes looked up and around for help, landing on Willoughby. "Is it happening again?? Is it gonna get us?? What's going on?? Where's JJ??" Questions barked from the male in panic as he held fast to the ground below him, looking like a frightened feline. It stopped as soon as it began, the earth's shaking and rumbling below his body halted with slow ease. Though Serpentine shook in his spot, visibly shaken by the sudden tremor that hit beneath them.

More pleasantries were exchanged between the pair and otherwise it was quite a normal conversation. Willoughby had already relaxed, finding no reason to ruffle her fur around the man. Aside from being agreeable, he was also a good conversationalist and she found herself getting absorbed in thought. It was a bad habit sometimes to be pulled completely in. her head nodded absently along to his words, but when he mentioned getting a meal, she realized how hungry she had been. Her belly did a small gurgle that was too faint for Serpentine to hear unless he was quite close. She felt herself rising to all fours, her tail swaying like a banner behind her body. “Exploring would be best first,” she said, thinking that drawing blood would cause the area to be like a highlighter to hungry beasts.

But it seemed it wasn’t meant to be. As she moved to join the man, the ground shook violently. Willoughby felt herself tumbling forward before she gathered herself as elegantly as possible. Serpentine was in a panic, and rightly so, but she tried to remain calm despite her pounding heart. “Shh,” she soothed. she turned to him, reaching out to lightly touch her paw against his shoulder “we’re quite safe here” or rather, she hoped so. But the tremors would scare away prey that once called this place home. She could do nothing to help this JJ person, though. She could only focus on Serpentine. “it was an aftershock, I think.” she added gently, recalling the fleeing she had done with Philomena days prior. This little tremor was nothing compared to that.

Lifting her head to the sky, she looked at the volcano in the far distance. From her spot, she could only see the peak and nothing else. Bee wondered if they should move somewhere else. "Are you okay, Serpentine?" she asked him with a frown.

"Speech"
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3/3 met new wolf (serpentine)

Willoughby was quick to act with a soothing hush to calm him, his nerves rattled yet he honed in on the other voice accompanying him. It was easy to calm down, yet his legs shook and wobbled after his few deep breaths quelled his rattled nerves. "If you say we're safe, I'll believe you. But we should really move before another one shakes the ground, or I might not move from where I'm at." His eyes moved about wildly, with a wide and shocked expression laid across his irises. He looked to notice she had given him a soft touch with her paw, resting her pads on his shoulder with moderate comfort. It was nice to feel, nice to see someone so new to him giving him the time of day and being this patient with him. After all, the blast from the volcano had traumatized many he assumed, not just himself. Or so he hoped. "I'm alright, just-- shaken up a bit. I feel like a rattlesnake's tail, thank you though." Serpentine admitted while he regained himself balance-wise, saving his legs from their shaking state. With a new posture, the male inhaled the air and wrinkled his snout a bit, while the air still smelled stained from the destruction. While he gazed from left to right, Serpentine noticed a small pathway tucked between the trees to the right of the small clearing, where the grass had been smashed and walked through many times. Enough to cause a trail to start forming. Nodding in the direction, he spoke up before taking a few steps closer, as though to beckon Willoughby along with a friendly manner. "Over here, there's a trail." Stepping towards the trail now, the male wolf stopped at the beginning of the pathway, sniffing the trunks of the trees, beaten down grass, and the leaves of shrubs around the trailhead. Plants and flowers sprouted here and rested naturally beside the trunks of trees or under the shrubbery like a cushion for the leaves. Serpentine had no knowledge of the plants, and so he dismissed them without a second thought, only noticing their beauty. Stepping into the trail, he sniffed about more, getting a good imprint of the area. Deer, rabbit, even bear ran across his nostrils like quick bursts of electricity. Zapping his nose with the scents, he seemed absorbed now and over the sudden fear he had a moment ago. So wrapped up in his exploring, his head rammed right into the trunk of a cedar tree, forcing him back with a jarring halt. Whimpering a second, he looked up and scowled at the tree before looking back to the trailhead that he'd stepped a few feet away from. Did Willoughby see that--? "Speech"

Willoughby tried to remain calm and collected for her new friend’s sake. She did consider him a friend, if not an ally, by now. “It’s understandable” she replied with a tilt of her head at the ground as if expecting it to suddenly shake once more. A puzzled frown escaped her face but otherwise, she said nothing concerning it. it really was understandable; people could be upset and want to feel their fears were validated. “I was there when the eruption happened, further in Boreas” the woman would admit softly. The feelings of fear there… she hadn’t had time to process them. She had to be strong back then to navigate to safety. She couldn’t curl in a ball and sob. “it was awful, but I managed to escape.”

She had left Philomena with her pack and traveled south to safety. Whether the Olympian woman was now okay was beyond her knowledge. But Willoughby hoped she was. As Serpentine guided her away, she followed him to further down the trail. Her paws crunched underneath the grass and she looked around with wide eyes as the pair moved along. The woman had looked away, back down the path near the falls when she heard a crunch of foliage. Startled pleasantly, she looked back to see the man flustered. Though she had missed his collision completely and saved his embarrassment. “oh? What happened?” she couldn’t resist hearing the whimper that left his jaws.

Trotting to his side, she inspected him silently with a squinted look through her crimson eyes.

"Speech"
3/3 navigation
3/3 met new wolf (serpentine)

Serpentine stopped for a moment, looking to the female with a puzzled frown, concern riddling his features as he watched her admit her own retreat. He imagined how awful it must have been, he was close but not close enough to feel the major damage done. All he remembered was a fire chasing off his family, scattering him from them in an instant. He knew the fear too well, but he realized he hadn't checked on her wellbeing after she'd checked on his. "I'm glad you escaped, I'm happier you're safe and unharmed-- physically." He smiled, moving his head up to look at the female while she made her way over, curious as to what happened. His face flooding with blood and heat, he let his eyes jolt about while he thought of an excuse, with none arriving to save him. "Er, I... hit my head. I got too caught up in my sniffing, oops." Chuckling lightly, he shook his head slowly in disapproval of his actions, ashamed he'd eve made the step into the trunk. At least he was an honest wolf, at this moment he thought. His mind raced with questions to ask the female, where she ran from, whom she was with before the blast, why she didn't stay with them if she was accompanied. Watching the wolf inspect him, he managed to bring up a new conversation in the brief moment they had together. "What was it like, the explosion? Were you with others?" Both questions fled his maw as Serpentine watched the delicately patterned female's expressions and if they changed with his questions. What did this land mean to her? Why did she feel a need to come here? So much to ask, but so much would bombard the canine no doubt. He advised himself quietly to save the questions for a later time, demanding he spread his curiosities out. They had accepted the fact to explore but here they sat with more interaction between them. His mind stayed unfocused as he looked around them, breathing in the ashy air mixed with cedar sap seeping around them. Barren branches with few leaves twisted and creaked in the wind as they swayed together in rhythm. The grass under their paws grew long but flattened by a passerby or two. Golden gaze rested back on the patchy Willoughby with courtesy and kindness, waiting on her answers to his questions. "Speech"

Willoughby still mentally checked him over, leaning forward to see a soft flow of blood from his skull. “It happens” she replied easily and soothingly, not caring the reason but only that he was fine. It wouldn’t do to get injured here. She had no formal herbal training and could only think to lick at his head to stop the flow. But she realized that would also be too invading; they had just met, after all. She let out a chuckle. “I do sometimes run into things myself” she admitted “though I probably was not sniffing and have no excuse compared to you. I seem to drift off sometimes without meaning.” She sighed wistfully, uncaring once more about her own troubles and only stating the facts of what she had done in the past. A few times she hadn’t noticed she drifted off when speaking to Serpentine too. it wasn’t that he wasn’t interesting; oh no, it was not that. The woman merely had a short attention span sometimes.

He asked though about the explosion, causing her eyes to take in a faraway look as she repeated what she knew from it. “there were tremors. I felt them before I saw the sky-fire” and then the hoard of animals running away, threatening to trample her and the other she was with “the air was thick within minutes. I was with a young woman from Olympia – one of the packs here” Philomena had escaped without harm done to her, but Willoughby did not think herself responsible for that. She had only acted with sense to their problem. “we both managed to maneuver and run. I looked back, seeing the volcano spewing lava.” It was an awful sight, and one she was not keen to go back to any time soon. It was as if the earth was angry with them. There was no formal warning to the eruption. she had managed to travel without a care in the world, unaccustomed to troubles.

Willoughby turned back to Serpentine, trying to shake her unease with the past situation. She investigated his handsome face before frowning. “though I do not know what I will do now. It seems the land above us is rife with some complications” she admitted. Traveling was out of the question right now. She would wait out the explosion in Auster.

"Speech"
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3/3 met new wolf (serpentine)

Serpentine felt the sting on his head, annoyingly so. It burned and throbbed with pain while a small gash let blood trickle from the wound slowly. He had no real idea he was bleeding, only that his bumped area felt hot and swollen. Willoughby admitted herself to sometimes bumping into things here and there, causing him to smirk and raise a brow playfully with a chuckle escaping him. "Well I wouldn't say running into things is a good thing, but it does make me feel better that I'm not alone in this head bumping stuff." The atmosphere around them changed as she recanted the memory back to him. His smirk faded and his eyes widened with interest as to hear her tale. He remembered the sky being filled of thick smoke and ash falling like snow around him, but never did he see the sky-fire she mentioned. Another wolf was abruptly brought into her story, a pack member from one of the land's packs. His eyes twisted in horror as he thought of what she recalled, lava sputtering from the mountain and the female's reaction to stating such a fact. She turned fully to face him and he watched with concern, letting her finish off what she had to say before he remarked upon her telling tale. "That sounds awful, I'm so sorry Willoughby. It's simply amazing you got out unscathed being so close." His jaws clamped shut, thinking about what he himself would do now. He knew he was searching for his family, a home, but what would he do in the meantime-- search for days? He needed to have a plan, find a temporary place to rest, find food to sustain him, stay by water when he can, should he find other wolves? The list of things to do compiled in his mind while he stopped to speak up again. "I'd imagine complications come as no surprise considering the damage done. All we can do is fend for ourselves, help anyone we can, find others, and survive." Stating this with a matter-of-fact tone, his golden eyes landed against her own garnet hues, focusing on her before speaking again with a small and growing smile on his lips. "I'm happy you found me. In times like these, I feel better in pairs or small groups." He began to move away from the female and focus back on the trailhead he'd sniffed out. His nose lowering to get another good scent of the recent animals that had passed by. The bear's scent was too faint, far too faint to worry about. Hare and deer scents covered that of the bear and moved further into the thicket of trees. Stepping ahead, he looked back and swished his tail politely, offering her the moment to catch up, lead, or follow as she wished. "Speech"

Willoughby uttered a murmur of agreement, too focused now on her tale that she told him to really be much use of conversation. As much as she thought it hadn’t affected her, it simply had. Whether it would continue to be a constant in her life was beyond her ability to reason right now. Part of her wanted to stay in Auster to forget the woes of the mainland, but the woman also knew she would try to help anyone who needed it. Light returned to her eyes as Serpentine expressed the same reasoning. She was a bit surprised, considering some wolves would think only of themselves in these situations. “I couldn’t agree more, Serpentine” she replied a bit brightly, recalling her former ideas of banding together to survive in this often harsh world. “I would like to find the wolves displaced by the volcano… help then in any way I could.”

But she also considered his position. He was new to Boreas and Auster, having been separated from his family. Willoughby had seen pack wolves banding together in groups for survival, so why couldn’t loners? She had spoken of finding a place to settle down. To call home. Though she didn’t think she would be of use to a pack with her constant wanderings, the woman had heard of band creation in Boreas. Cannival had spoken briefly of one, the Hjarrandi. They were less than kind, brutal even, so perhaps what this realm needed was someone to show them another path. Though she would never force her opinions on anyone, she’d welcome like-minded individuals. “I am no pack wolf,” she told the man “I like to roam a lot. Too much to settle down in one place. But I would like to help the people that need a place to call their own. There is safety in numbers, however loose the goal is.”

She took in a deep breath as she willed herself to face her own ambition. “I would like to create a band,” she told him gently “a band of wolves, either displaced or have no place to call their own. One of acceptance and peace.” She did not expect him to join her cause though. They had just met. As Serpentine moved away to scout and hunt, she would follow. The thicket was, well, thick here. But the scent of prey was plentiful enough. Willoughby had already felt the need to hunt once she scented them. Her mouth watered slightly as she glanced at the man, giving a nod if he wanted to go for it. she would support him, even if her strengths weren’t with hunting.

"Speech"
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3/3 met new wolf (serpentine)

"Would you? What for?" Serpentine asked as sat and discussed her situation, her wants and desire to find others and help them. While they waited for the response, Serpentine took a moment to step into her pawprints and look at life through her eyes. Who knows what she'd experienced and what she felt, no doubt how others are feeling or have felt too. It was clear to him the moment she explained further and answered his question. How awful it must have been being stuck in the explosion and eruption of the volcano. It was no doubt in his mind that Willoughby felt the need to protect and save others from that fear, panic, and trauma experienced. Perhaps he felt it too, deep within his cold heart a thud of understanding throbbed within his chest. Empathy struck him and his head tilted while she continued her schpeal. Safety in numbers... the male thought to himself, standing back upright and holding his head straight. The lass was right, there was safety in a group, he'd experienced it as a family unit. Five wolves strong had great hunting tactics, enough food to feed the mouths, and protection from all wolves to stand on their own. There were many positives to being in a group, a small enough band to provide for and protect together. She had the right idea, and he was likeminded. Willoughby spoke of her want to create this said band, her whimsical tone bringing light to his eyes as she stepped forward after speaking. "A band huh? It sounds like my kind of plan, I'd love to follow along with you if you'd allow me? But, there's a simple thing to be added along if I am to be invited." Thick foliage had them covered them along with their prey, as scents whirled around them both in the dense forestry. Cedar trunks hugged the frames of the wolves while they crept, Serpentine keeping his head and shoulders low to avoid being spotted through the thicket. Once they'd crept far enough into the density of the foliage, Serpentine took a moment to lower himself to the ground and raise his head to sniff, catching the smell of deer and jackrabbit nearby. Turning quietly, he whispered to Willoughby, finishing his statement and moving on from the topic with a change of subjects. "My family, if I found them, would no doubt stay with me. Could they stay in your merry little band if I were to say, join? Besides that, hare and deer ahead of us. What do you want to do, or go for?" Serpentine left the choice to Willoughby keeping his whispers silent and mouthing most of his sentences. "Speech"

“I just want to help people” Willoughby knew her answer would not be accepted by some, but it was the truth. All she ever did want to do in a selfish manner was help. she needed to make sure people were fine, okay and thriving. She wanted them to succeed in all that they did. She wanted them to live happy lives. If she had to be an authority figure to make that happen, she was fine with that. If people were happy and content with her ‘ruling’. Because it was far from a rule with her. she would let people have the freedom they wanted but be united under an idea. “I want them to be happy and safe.” She tried to smile against her nervousness, wondering what Serpentine would think of this rather naïve way of looking at things.

“We would be wayfarers. Trying to find a place to belong. An eventual home, allies with all the packs. Not just one or two” Bee added in with a dreamy grin. She did not want to get involved with the petty squabbles of politics. But she also knew trade would be quite important to survival. She was not averse to working together with other wolves for a goal. Winterfell had proven to be a good place to start, so next, she would go north and speak to King Acere once more. Perhaps he had a few wolves that would make alliances with her budding band. The thought of leaving Serpentine, however, would be sad. She had not had this much contact with another wolf in some time.

To her surprise, he asked to come along with her. Willoughby felt her eyes widen slightly as she stared at him before a genuine smile crossed her green lips. “I would gladly welcome you, my friend” they had become friends, in her opinion, and the thought of him with her on this was a good one. Watching as he dropped to a crouch, she followed him once more to nudge herself forward. Dropping into a crouch as well, she peered out as he sniffed. He spoke once more of his family, causing Bee to nod. Serpentine was a family man; it was quite important that they be included in this. “they would be welcome too, with open arms.” she assured him. if they were anything like him, she’d be glad to call them bandmates.

“I think hare” she would add-in, giving a confirming nod. “I shall circle it, startle it. Make it go to your claws?” a deer would be too much to bring down with just two wolves, especially with one that was not confident in her ability to hunt.

"Speech"
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3/3 met new wolf (serpentine)

To help others, what a chore it must be to think of others before yourself, his mind raced with thought. His eyes caught her nervous nature for a second before she smiled and seemed to shrug it off. Smiling back, he felt compelled to dig deeper and find out if she was alright if she was comfortable telling him this. Turning a moment he smiled and nodded in agreement. As tedious as it seemed, he'd be able to follow in that mindset of wanting to help. Needlessly help others. She continued and he kept his jaws shut to listen, hearing her explanation of the wandering group she desired to build. A congregation of bodies all finding a place to call their own, while maintaining bonds with other packs. A wonderful thought, an endearing idea. Eyes turning to catch the dreamy state of her smile after speaking. He could feel her want for this dream. The passion she felt. Her body dropped as well and she accepted the fact of his family wandering in alongside him, and a joyous grin crossed over his blackened lips. Excitement crawling up over him but forcing it all to subside for the hunt. "Sounds like a plan, I'll meet you back up when it's caught." Serpentine spoke finally, wanting to badly to reply to her whole whimsical speech of the dream she held tightly onto. He readied himself and brough his body out to the shrub's front, crouched down in the tall grass with black fur standing out like a shadow under the shrub. Golden eyes hidden between blades of grass as he stared at the group of hare all grazing innocently without much of a guard. "Speech"

she didn't feel it was a tedious idea, but she understood it was naive. some wolves took from others without concern. some demanded loyalty to succeed. Bee just wanted to help others find a place to belong. whether this was with her or not, she did not much care. as long as they were happy in the end. she gave Serpentine a nod as he replied back and moved away from him to circle the group of the hare. choosing the two fattest ones out of the group, she looked up across to find the dark man settling into his role.

he was ready, and she was too.

Willoughby exploded from the foliage, uncharacteristically snarling to scare the mammals away. they darted and she tore after them, trying to lead at least two toward Serpentine. she managed to scare one right at him, and her jaws closed on one for herself. sickening blood pooled in her mouth, and she resisted to either gag or swallow. the hare squealed a finality before she crunched down on its body, silencing it forever. her crimson eyes matched the steady flow of blood from the animal now dripping against her green bib.

even if the man missed the mark, she had caught one. they could still eat.

"Speech"
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3/3 met new wolf (serpentine)