It was a short swim from the Isle to the Mangroves, and his body appreciated the exercise. No matter how big the island of Daager was, it still felt as though he had not a chance to truly break free. To exercise his limbs and work his muscles. He took the swim at full speed, cutting through the water until his legs found dry ground. Pausing a moment to shake out his coat, he glanced around him in search of inspiration.

It was customary to give a lover a gift in appreciation of them, and all that they had shared. He did not know how long Deathbelle intended to stay, but she had made it clear from the get-go that she had obligations elsewhere. He would ensure she could take home a momentum to remember their time together by.

He stepped lightly on the sandy terrain, moving until the softer, spongier texture of grass was beneath him. He found a small stream, and washed away some of the salt and sand that clung to him. It felt good for it to be free of the cracks and spaces between his toes.

Lifting his head skyward, he took in the scents around him. He could smell trees and life. The scent of herbs, and honey. The wildflowers that had taken root across the meads before the Mangroves was clearly a good place for bees to thrive. One such creature fluttered past his nose, curious at the bright colors of his coat. Once it had assured itself he was no flower, it left again.

He caught the scent of a wolf next. The first time he would have seen another, other than Deathbelle, since his memories had faded from him. He knew that this was not home, the scene and scents were wrong and unfamiliar, through he could place little more than that. There would be no risk of running into a wolf he was supposed to know. With that in mind, the blank-faced wolf followed his nose, moving towards the source of the scent. He saw no harm in getting to know the locals.

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Poem could hardly believe how much she missed Sparhawk. For only having known him for a day she felt so connected, and now that the pair of them were apart she often found herself daydreaming about his return. He’d told her soon, and her heart craved for those words to be true. She didn’t forget what he said about honey and mead making, so practically since he’d returned her home the young woman had been searching for honey.

Much like when she and Allen went out to gather clay the caracal had a loose pack on his shoulders for easy transport. Poem wanted to make sure she gathered plenty so that the jovial man could teach her his craft. She remembered the way his lips pressed against hers before they left and as her cheeks grew flush she hoped soon she could call him her man.

Icy white paws carried her southwards towards the mangroves as she followed the pollinators in hopes of finding a hive. She hadn’t quite thought out how she was going to get the honey, only that she knew Sparhawk would appreciate her efforts. Hopefully she’d earn another stomach twisting kiss. A smile played on her lips as she focused on the task at hand. That wasn’t entirely possible because beyond honey Poem smelled another wolf. Dark ears perked forward curiousl as blue and lavender eyes searched for the stranger.

Tag teaming a bee hive would be the way to go, perhaps she could convince whoever this was that they wanted to distract the bees while she mad eher move. Ivory tail flashed at her hips as she moved forward cautiously, she didn’t know who she might find but she was slightly stunned when her eyes lay over him.

Flames licked at his body over the points of his limbs. He stood like a warrior and Poem’s theory had potential to be seen through. ”Hello,” she called out when she saw him, her head tilting curiously as she smiled lightly in greeting.

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He found the source of the scent soon enough. They were coming around the side of a particularly impressive Mangrove. Approaching from the North, and moving with some purpose towards him. The light-coated wolf was the polar opposite in design to the dark lady that warmed his bed. Her eyes were a strange blue, dusted with a hint of lilac. Her scent, now that he was closer, struck him by surprise. He did not know it, or recognise her, but there was something about the scent that seemed oddly familiar to him. As through perhaps in his other life, he had known someone related to her.

He was immediately reluctant to move away from any hint of his past, no matter what it might hold for him. If she had the potential to have answers for him, then he wished to spend some time in her presence. Perhaps he would work out if the familiar member he might know was still around. If they could take a moment to speak to him, he might find some of the answers he had lost.

HIs face was possessive, but his tail gave a friendly wag behind him. He made a subtle gesture of a welcoming smile and intriguing curiosity as she approached. “Hello, I’m Lament, might I ask your name?” he wondered politely. Mentioning nothing about his hypothesis of knowing someone related to her, or that might share parts of her scent. No point going on a tangum yet, when he did not even know her name. She was also a pretty girl, with the scent of pack to her. Perhaps she would know what type of gift a young man might give their lady love. Perhaps she herself had received such things in her time.

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His liquid mercury stare found her eyes quickly, but he seemed relatively stoic. His features remained neutral as she offered up her greeting and he made his way closer with a wag of his tail. She towered over him, and Poem felt no threat from him. Lament didn’t let on to his inner thoughts or the recognition beneath, but that was fine. Poem had no recollection of him at all. She brushed off the odd gestures he made and focused more on his words he had a name that might have fit in with her own kin, but she couldn’t say he looked anything close to a Destruction wolf.

”Poem Destruction,” She returned with a smile and a nod of her head. ”It’s nice to meet you.” She told him politely before she got to the thick of her eagerness to meet him. After her last encounter with a stranger she was much more cautious about opening up. Though Lament seemed nothing like Sparhawk. ”Might I ask a favor of you?” Her main goal was not and would not be forgotten. Find honey and the create mead from it with her new.. friend? They’d kissed and cuddled but there was no semblance of commitment between them. Poem knew she very much liked him though.

”I’m on a quest to harvest some honey…” She gestured to the supplies brought with her and the pale cat at her side. ”Would you be willing to help me? I’d certainly make sure you got a share…” She trailed off, uncertain if she even had a right to ask him the favor.

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The woman's eyes said much as she surveyed him. As he expected, she glanced over his emotions and ignored them, unable to decipher them as would one of his kind. “Likewise, Poem” he responded, nodding his head towards her as she gave her name and polite greeting.

She proposed her suggestion to him, and his stoic expression remained unshifted. His paw however moved again. Amused curiosity tumbled free from the gesture, followed by the motion of a gestured smile. “Alright, i’m intrigued. How do you propose we get the honey? And you don’t need to give me any honey, though I'm happy to swap favours. Tell me… what kind of token should a guy get for a girl?” in a conscious effort, he put a faint smile on his maw. Knowing that she would not read the ones in his paw. If they were going to be working together, he would have to put in some effort to speak her language. He glanced at the Mangroves to the side of them. Wondering exactly what he was getting into by agreeing to this…

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he felt relief when he answered in the affirmative, and insisted that he wouldn’t even need the honey from her but she would need to offer him suggestions for a gift. ”Hmm.. I can agree to those terms.” Poem offered with a quick nod as she gestured for him to walk along with her as she tried to find the hive. ”I’m afraid of bee stings..” She admitted with embarrassment as they walked. ”I wondered if you could distract them while I collect the honey. Are you sure my opinion is worth the stings?” She asked him as she was sure she spotted the hive.

Poem led them closer and spoke at the same time. ”I enjoy getting unique clay, but I’m not like many women. Flowers, pretty stones, or maybe a pelt?” She suggested off the top of her head as her attention then shifted to the hive. This was going to be a bit of work. ”Alright, last chance to back out.” She surveyed the scene before them and tried to decide where in the branches the comb took up residence. ”If you poke at it a little you should get their attention, I’ll sneak around and grab a couple combs.” She told him as she moved and whenever his job had been complete she’d go for the comb. There were still bee’s around but as careful as she could she stole from them and tried not to cry out at the stings.

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“Pleasing a certain Lady would be well worth the stings, and I have no doubt you’ll help me find something” He said with certainty, following along beside her with no hesitance. She began to pay ahead of the task, offering up suggestions of things she herself loved to receive. He gave his head a thoughtful nod as he considered the words.

“I’ve already received payment, a soldier does not give his word and then reject it” he said with amusement. As she surveyed the hive and told him what to do, he moved along to the next tree. Reaching up, and snapping off a lengthy, thin twig, and holding it in his maw.

He moved back to the hive and gave it a good whack, waking up the tenants. They spilled free in moments. Angry buzzing sounding around him. The warrior laughed. “Alright then, come and get it!” he howled, taking off at a dead run, with the majority of the hive on his tail

Lament held himself true to his word and followed through with aggravating the bees. She wondered what kind of lady had captured his attention, but that was none of her business. Hopefully he could decide on something nice for her. It was spring and flowers were rather common. Gemstones took time to find but they were worth the effort and a pelt took time to create, but could be a very personal gift especially if the animal meant something between them.

She would likely never know his decision, but she had her own gifts to preoccupy her anyway. Poem swiftly gathered what she’d intended on and made a run for it. Hopefully she would cross paths with Lament again before packing away the combs in her mouth and making her return to Abaven.