Northstar Vale Dammit Tubbs, not again

@Tryphon

Sticking close to home had proven beneficial in many aspects, but she could not help but wish to take it a step further. Waiting around for others to find her would not always work, and so she'd decided to set out along the mountain. The range stretched on for miles, consisting of various peaks and ridges of varying elevations; few of which she'd actually had the privilege of viewing up close. Before leaving, she'd lingered along the borders of the territory she'd unofficially claimed, refreshing her scent to let others know of her regular presence there. She'd continued on like that until the sun had reached it's highest point in the sky, then a howl was given to alert those already within the dome that she would be absent from the area for the day. Without awaiting a response from her followers (or seeing if anyone was curious enough to follow), she'd departed from the slumbering volcano, heading south down Lone Star towards a destination she'd yet to witness.

The dragon's pace slowed with caution as she'd needed to switch paths, descending down rather than proceeding towards higher grounds. When her paws finally touched down on a leveled section of earth, she thought, for a moment, that she'd veered away from the mountains entirely. The trees loomed overhead, some barren and others lined with needles, informing her that she'd entered a forest of sorts. Her legs carried her west, however after only a few meters, the canopy above had given way and allowed for her gaze to scour the skies. In every direction she looked, she was met with the sight of looming peaks in the distance. Rather than leaving the mountain—something she hadn't planned to do, mind you—it became apparent that she'd simply found something along the lines of a valley within it. A place where the ground had not risen up to the heavens, but rather stayed even and low. It was a pleasant location, something sure to be rich in prey, but in her mind it could never compare to the volcano and cavern she'd grown attached to.

While she did not plan to visit the vale often, exploring it further could never hurt. The forest looked healthy, too, which only strengthened her resolve to investigate as far as it reached. If a time ever came where the forest within the cavern grew sick, or the prey within it became scarce, having a back-up source of sustenance would come in handy. However strong her doubt was that such a situation would ever arise, she would much rather be safe instead if sorry further down the line. Atop slim legs, she maneuvered her way between the trees and shrubbery, making note of any scents she'd picked up along the way. Prey was her prime focus, but she also remained alert for any signs of other wolves. After all, to give up an opportunity at killing two birds with one stone seemed almost foolish.

Having decided to remain in the Vale for a while longer, Tryphon had backtracked from the cavern route he had discovered in the hopes of reuniting with @Saghani - but having not yet found her, he was amiss. The time came where his hunger was a glowing ember in the pit of his belly; scavenging from the earlier kill made by the shadow and the stranger she had found was not an option, lest he wished to waste more energy hiking up the mountainside. It wasn't a good plan, and so Tryphon dropped that line of thought and focused on something else: hunting. It wasn't his forte, but he'd need to learn and adapt if he was to survive. Having spent weeks on his own already (months really, but he has lost his sense of time), the boy could handle himself around smaller game even if it wasn't as satisfying.

It was this that led him to the heart of the Vale, back among the strange trees and their barren, snowless roots. The canopy above was peppered with snow and dusted with frost, but very little reached the floor of the dark forest. There were hints of life throughout the area, but nothing to suggest a great herd or anything larger than a rabbit or a pheasant. Even the mountain sheep seemed to have fled the area - perhaps because of the increase in wolf activity through the winter.

Tryphon noticed a small pit among some frozen reeds, and upon investigating it, figured it must have been some kind of den or hollow. There was nothing there now - but it held his attention. He thought to trace its subterranean route somehow; but before he could think on that, a shadow crept through his vision. The sounds of the stranger moving were hidden among the shifting of the boughs, but upon noticing the movement Tryphon's head shot up. He watched them in silence - tail wagging slightly, nervously, as he tried to determine what it was. Or rather, who. He had the distinct thought that it was Saghani reuniting with him, but... The stranger's gait was different. More predatory, perhaps. The wolf in question was built a little differently from what he could tell. Tryphon's glee faded and he licked his lips, simultaneously nervous and curious of this new face.

The deeper she progressed into the forest, the more apparent it became that the location might not be the greatest of food sources. Small mammals and ground birds could be found, but anything larger seemed nonexistent. She wondered if, at one point, herds had inhabited the woods but then chose to abandon it for the winter. Whether that was the case or not, the fact still stood that they were currently not around. Still, she was not prepared to head back to her home just yet, and so the only thing left to do was see what she could find in the vale.

When she drew near enough to spot the presence of another, her pace slowed and her ears pushed forward, curious of the boy. From behind, he appeared to be a uniform wolf with silver and grey hues covering his body. When the male turned to look in her direction, however, she noticed the golden mask he wore. It stuck out against the rest of his coat, but not in a necessarily negative way. It fit him, somehow, and worked well to compliment his pale eyes. He appeared to be around her age, if not a few months older, which made her wonder of his story for leaving his family. She had her own, just as many did, and it always interested her to learn of what had driven others to travel and explore. A portion of her mind suspected it to be a negative thing to have driven him away, if only because he seemed nervous by her being there. Her own demeanor became friendly and attentive, clearly focused upon the stranger. Slowly, she took a few more steps in his direction, wishing to not have to talk overly loud in order to be heard.

"Hello," the dragon greeted, voice soft but tone demonstrating her curiosity in him. "You appear nervous... I mean you no harm." She was incapable of harming another wolf, unless it was purely out of self-defense. Even then, her actions would be nothing meant to cause permanent injury. In the current situation, however, she saw no reason to prepare for the like.

She was vocal; he, the opposite, was not. But the sound of the voice made his nose lift slightly, and he smelled the air as if her breath was perfume. His ears cupped those words and seemed to hear them, however there was no response. The boy did not move to intercept her or run, still undecided, but clearly rooted in place by some sort of desire. Perhaps he wished for her companionship. Perhaps he was still unsure if this was Saghani or not; they had never shared words before, and her figure was as amorphous as the shadows surrounding them. Needing more information, Tryphon took a tentative step forwards and breathed in her distinct aroma - and knew swiftly that this was not his friend, but a true stranger. She had not assaulted him in any way; in fact, her voice had been sweet, a balm to his ears which had not heard a voice in many months.

It was enough to remind him of his own voice. At first all he could do was muster a small moan. This transitioned in to a rumble in the back of his throat - small, grating, but not assertive. He stopped making noise and gave a cough to clear his throat, and then shook from his nose to his shoulders as if that would help. Once the fur settled, he licked his lips and tried again.

"Hhhello," The sound of his own voice in his head seemed to spook him. The boy's ears perked up like a twitch, then twisted back against his head. It did not dissuade him fully. "Thiss.. This your forest?" If it was, he would happily leave it. A glimmer of hope (something he could not really define, but resembled it nonetheless) had him wishing she would not send him away. He seemed to tense though, expecting an answer before it was given and preparing for a hasty retreat.

Never did her eyes leave the boy, for she was too curious to pull her gaze away. His step towards her was welcomed with a gentle sway of her tail, her mind still set upon appearing as amiable as possible. As of late, her intentions were hardly anything but to come off as friendly and make an acceptable first impression upon strangers. In a way it was her normal behavior, but a bit more exaggerated than usual. The goal she had in mind and was focused upon completing was the culprit, though it was unlikely she'd become any less cordial once the mountain had been claimed.

The silence led her to suspect that she might have met another mute, but she held back on acting upon such beliefs for the time being. Various noises—some of which that sounded utterly painful in her opinion—began to exit the boy's throat, possibly demonstrating an attempt to speak. All the while he worked to find his voice, she kept quiet but attentive, not wishing to force anything out of him. If it was time he needed, she would gladly give it to him, as she suspected he'd been through a lot. The loss of his voice was the only evidence she had to support her working theory, because that in itself, to her, was a sign of mistreatment. Whether it be self-inflicted or caused by another, she could not imagine someone who was sociably healthy could lose their voice unless they'd never had one to begin with (or, you know, flu season struck).

When he was finally able to find his words, her ears fell back upon hearing his voice. It sounded hoarse and even a bit agonizing, making her regret having expected him to speak in the first place. "It is not," she answered, her own voice soft from constant usage. "Are you well?" While she did not wish to make him speak any longer out of fear of how it felt for him, her instincts as a medic would not allow her to sit idly by. If something was wrong, she wished to assist in any way possible.

How strange to speak again - and how strange that her reaction was to try and help him, even though nothing in fact was wrong. The question made him squint and tilt his head, obviously confused, and then he understood. Tryphon opened his mouth to speak again but closed it a moment after, swallowing whatever words he had tried to concoct. Instead he only shrugged, not knowing how to convey the correct information without speech. It did not pain him to talk; at least not physically. It sounded strange and felt stranger, if only due to a lack of use. He swallowed again and muttered, "I am.. well." It was not so convincing (or so he assumed, since the more he spoke the less the sounds resembled words; they transmuted in to grunts almost). "Haven't talked in... hmm, long time." He sounded like a dragon which had just woken from a great hibernation.

Still, even without speaking, he wished to learn more about this woman. She was like Saghani but also very different; she had a pack in the mountains - or hoped to form one - and her body carried a few other scents; the forest was not her's, through her own admittance, but she patrolled it. Was she looking for more bodies to add to her cause? Tryphon advanced upon her then, as soon as the thought struck him. He was a body, and he was able. But mid-stride, though he looked attentive and even a bit eager to investigate her further, he caught himself and seemed to shrink back -- he had Saghani, she was all he needed. All the days of running with packs seemed to be behind him. It always ended in failure on his part. He did not know what to do.

The assumptions she'd made were revealed to have been incorrect, which served to her as a reminder to never accept things for how they might appear. She did not feel foolish for having wrongly considered speaking to bring him pain, but rather relieved over her being wrong. There was no one she wished pain to fall upon, as things currently stood, which called for joy over another being in good health. Even if his words had continued to sound rough around the edges (perhaps that was an understatement), the explanation given was enough to have her dropping the subject. Besides, upon closer inspection, she'd been unable to detect anything that might signal discomfort; neither flinches nor winces were there to be seen. However, it'd remained curious to her as to why he'd not used his voice in quite some time, bringing her to ask, "Was it by choice that you have not spoken in a long while?"

It came as a pleasant surprise when the stranger had seemed to take it upon himself to get closer, yet the feeling was short-lived. He'd stopped before reaching her and shrunk back, which caused the dragon to feel confused. The expression he'd held while moving towards her had been just the type she sought, but there was something holding him back from truly giving into his interest. There had to be, she'd decided, so the girl decided to take a few steps closer to him, her movements slow and precise. Mindful of whatever he was feeling, she would only continue to lessen the space between them if he were to welcome it. If he wished not for her to draw nearer, however, she would stop the second such was realized.

Asterr wished to learn of what held him back, as well as of several other things. He was young, that much had already been noted, but the scent upon him was only his own—and that of another individual, she'd discovered, but the fact that the other was not there led her to believe they were no longer together. It was believed that he had not a home to call his own, or at least not a proper one, which seemed to fuel her interest in him. Always was she searching for those alone that she would welcome into her tribe, yet she did not immediaetly bring it up. Instead she'd asked, "A home... have you one?" There was always a chance that she'd missed something whilst taking in his scent, and so confirmation was absolutely necessary before she proceeded any further.

I did not expect to enjoy Tryphon this much omg.

Her question stirred in him some vague recollection of the cold north, but he could not identify anything besides an obscure disharmony within his mind; a feeling of repulsion which quickly became something he could identify: guilt. And this brought Tryphon full-circle, thinking of Jade Fern Grove and the wolves he had left behind. In his foray back in to the wilds he had stumbled across their territory, hoping to see a familiar face - Kaskara, or Bazi, or even Scimitar despite his disapproval - but he could not find a soul. That had left him lingering in doubt until he had crossed paths with Saghani, and now this stranger. And the guilt he now felt (even if it was misplaced, or misidentified) made him return to the comfort of silence. He has no answer for the question at first. His head bows - maybe preparing to nod, yes this is my doing, but he reconsiders as soon as he tucks his chin. The woman then advances upon his uncertain self - so the question goes unanswered.

Initially the boy tenses, although this has not been an abrasive meeting and she seems to be quite a passive soul, he is uncertain. The sterling gray of his spine and flank remains raised while he watches her, stiff legged and obvious in his scrutiny, all while letting her get closer. Bridging the gap between them. There are no teeth to greet him; so the boy's stress eased, but did not abate fully. She was close to him when she asked her next question, and the sound of her voice was oddly soothing - or perhaps it was the words she chose. 

He thought of what home meant, and knew it did not apply to him in any regard. His heart sank at that thought, and there was a brief expression of sorrow on his face -- but Tryphon did not recall having a home, not a real one. A place where he was safe and fed, surrounded by family. He tried to think beyond the memory of Jade Fern Grove and even Nova Peak, but there was only blackness there.

The boy shook his head, no. His eyes caught upon her face and lingered there, the spitting image of his father's stern face, though it was forgotten.

He's so adorable, I feel terrible for him when reading his past :x

The first question had been abandoned, both by the boy and herself. Her focus had instead settled upon the shrinking space between them, eyes watching his body language carefully. Along his dorsal the fur remained raised, urging her to take slower steps, but nothing more came out of it. No direct request to stop or flash of teeth had been displayed, which she viewed as an invitation to continue. When she'd stopped once more, her body was but a comfortable distance from his own, her tail wavering side to side convivially. There appeared to have been a shift in his overall demeanor, though it was only slight and not yet worthy of celebration. It was the first time she'd met someone as cautious as he without Leo being counted—which she didn't, really, for the hatchling had been beaten and his responses expected—and she was beginning to wonder if one could ever genuinely push past whatever had caused him to act as so.

When despair flickered across his face, she'd felt her heart clench for a passing second. She knew it to be her query that had caused it, and for that she'd wanted to apologize. Her tongue would not form the words however, and she'd remained silent until his head had been shaken. Rather that offering an apology for whatever memories she might have dragged up, another thought came to mind. It was an offering as well, but something able to last far longer than a simple 'I'm sorry'. It was an invitation; something that could last for ages to come if both parties desired it to, or end just as quickly as an apology. "Do you wish to acquire a home?" Asterr had decided to jump for it, mentally readying herself for whichever response he might give. "I am forming a tribe atop these mountains, a sanctuary for all those willing to follow me," she'd added right after, further explaining in an attempt to steer him towards the answer she'd wished to hear. Unlike she'd done with Jolon, the girl planned not to ask for his immediate word of loyalty. For Tryphon she'd decided to change her approach, for the further she'd read into him, the more she'd wondered if he would ever feel comfortable enough in a set location to honestly give what she sought.

Everyone wanted to belong somewhere. To find themselves in a safe environment, free from the stress of a life lived alone, and so when the woman tempted him with her offer - and he was mightily tempted - he almost accepted straight off the bat. The chance to have a safe space was passing him by too quickly; it was winter now, and not even the most foolish rogues would refuse the chance for sanctuary. Maybe a part of him felt unworthy of it. Tryphon, the boy who nobody wanted, the one who couldn't even keep a temporary family intact around him - no, he had failed in so many regards to so many people. This would not be another notch on his proverbial belt.

There was a spark of need in his eyes that could not be contained. The pale yellow ignited, his expression softening as if he was about to beg for her acceptance - but he does not. Instead he grows crestfallen as thoughts of inadequacy and failure fill his mind, to the point where Tryphon only shakes his head. Another denial. He does not wish to ruin whatever fortuitous plans this woman has set in to motion; it is his way of protecting her, and saving her kindness for someone of greater value. The boy chuffs softly to himself, almost like a hrmph, and pulls away from her presence. The added physical distance is matched by his mental withdrawal from the conversation, and so Asterr is left stranded while Tryphon looks around forlornly for a route to escape.

The longer he stays with her, the less he wants to leave. But for her sake, he must.

A verbal response never came, but the expressions that had taken over his face told far more than any words ever could. Things had started on the up, a look having touched his eyes that made her believe he would accept her offer. That was only the first of several, though the rest began a quick spiral downwards. From something that had her feeling glad, to something of the complete opposite. When he'd finished it off by giving a shake of his head, her ears fell back and she observed him with a concoction of curiosity and pity in her gaze. Why had he denied the offer when he was clearly alone? Did he believe himself capable of surviving the winter by himself? She knew nothing of him, not even his name, yet she couldn't bear the thought of someday stumbling across his lifeless corpse. Perhaps from starvation, or maybe even the sheer cold itself; there were a number of things that could steal a life, all of which became far more deadly when one had not a home to call their own. When there was no place they could seek warmth in, or fellow wolves they could hunt alongside.

When he pulled away, she'd taken the necessary steps towards him in order to make up for the additional space. Asterr understood that she could not force him to do anything he did not wish to do, but his declining of her invitation left her feeling troubled. No explanation had been given, just a shake of the head. That in itself was something she could not accept, but not because she sought those willing to follow her. No, her actions were driven by her need to assist those in need of help, and she was determined to ease whatever burdens he carried. With her resolution having been set in stone, she inquired, "May I ask why you turned my offer down?" The yearling was not yet ready to part ways with him. Not until she understand his side of it all. "The tribe, we will welcome you no matter what secrets you may carry, or troubles you may harbour inside." Clearly she was fishing, attempting to lure out his answer by any means necessary—not to say her words were any less sincere, of course. The girl had meant what she'd said, the ability to lie having always evaded her.

She does not take no for an answer, not at first. He witnesses a troubled expression passing over her face - it is probably in relation to his own, but Tryphon doesn't think of that. His withdrawal isn't effective, as she steps closer to compensate, and they dance for a few quick moments; her questions go in one ear and out the other, and he thinks of ignoring the conversation in order to escape, but this is a bridge he does not want to burn yet.

Still, Tryphon owes her something. Why he thinks this is odd even to him. He clears his throat, and quietly answers, "better this way," before backing off further; the boy prepares to bare fangs if she approaches again, figuring it would never be enough of an answer to satisfy her. He just wants to leave, to find Saghani and go back to the simplicity of being alone.

Although an answer was given, it was another thing she could not accept. It was vague, at best, not even giving a reason as to why he'd thought in such a way. "Better for whom?" For him? That couldn't be the case. The best option for him would be to join a group of some sort, whether it be her's or someone else's, so that his chance of survival was increased. There was nothing she could think of that would support his being alone to be the best choice. Briefly, she'd then wondered if the answer was related to her—no, even that was ludicrous.

"If it is my tribe that you do not wish to join, then please say so," she voiced. "If it is a home in general that you do not wish to acquire, then I apologize, but I cannot leave you alone." At times, the size of her heart was troublesome. Asterr wished to help anyone and everyone that she could, so to leave the boy now was out of the question.

She is persistent, and suddenly Tryphon just wants to forget her. To turn tail and escape before more questions arise; it was a foolish meeting, this. He should not have lingered nor gotten so close, no matter how enticing the woman was. Her kindness was met with a bitter rejection, the narrowing of his expression and flattening of his ears. "Just better." He snaps the words as well as his teeth, feigning offense, aggression, anything that may deter her. He must find Saghani - he must escape this temptation for safety through the winter, or else Asterr's wolves would be infected by his badness; that which caused his parents to chase him to the sea, or take him from his sea-mother, or cause ruination to Bazi and Kaskara's home. It was him, his fault, his existence, which was at the root of their troubles -- he would save Asterr from this fate, even if she didn't understand.

With another snap and click of his jaws, Tryphon pulls back from her silhouette and stumbles towards the trees - he hopes she does not follow. Soon enough, given that she lets him leave this time, he will be away - back to the company of Saghani, where he is safe.

Sorry for taking so long! And sorry he's so up-and-down, lmao. Maybe we can have another thread in the present? Fade soon?

It's fine! c: A present-day thread sounds good. Wrapped this one up, so I'm ready whenever you are for a new one~

Her persistence seemed to only make matters worse. His expression had soured and he'd verbally snapped at her, causing her own ears to fall back. The harshness had taken her off guard, for he was the first to deny her offer in such a manner. It was, however, partially her fault for having continued to nag and push him so far. Even upon realizing this, she could not convince herself to get over his behavior, nor could she abandon her growing interest in him. What had happened to cause him to act as such? To deny himself a safe home? A part of her wished to pursue him, to ask him all of the questions she had, but her legs would not move forward. Asterr had needed to reason with herself—she needed to understand that some would turn her offer down, and that was okay. Though the boy seemed to be in a category all his own in terms of acceptance and denial, she did not allow herself the chance to follow him.

Asterr stayed in place, watching as the masked yearling staggered towards the trees. It was there she'd remained in spite of an undeniable urge to seek him out once more, simply watching the direction he'd gone off in. After awhile, the dragon had accepted that he would not be returning and decided to take her own leave. She'd turned away from the direction he'd taken, wandering elsewhere in the hopes of discovering something new to her. All the while, with each step she took, there lingered a strong sense of concern in the back of her mind; concern for the boy, and for all he may face.