Dash had an eventful day. Between meeting Nochti this morning, and running into the pack borders this afternoon, he was pooped. He hadn't had this much socialization since... Well, since he left his family pack at eight months old. That felt like so long ago. Sometimes, he wondered where the rest of his family was. Had his parents stayed together? Had more pups? Were his siblings still alive somewhere? For the time they were together, they had been a tight-nit group. But, famine hit and they just couldn't find enough food to support the pack. They were all better off on their own, catching food for themselves. Mostly, Dash had agreed. But, then he would go days without a meal, and those were the times he wondered if joining a pack wasn't such a bad idea.
His mind wandered as his paws did, not paying much attention where either took him- as long as he made sure it wasn't across anyone's borders. He paused, realizing he was in a patch of forest. Seemed like a good place to find a spot to rest. He didn't smell any strong scents of wolves, so it didn't seem like anyone came around on a regular basis. That meant there was a better chance he wouldn't be bugging anyone. He found a fallen log, and began digging out a shallow hole next to it. He liked spots like this because if it got hot, the dirt would keep him cool. If the wind picked up, the log could shelter him from it.
Charon had gone out on his own to do some exploring, eager to be away from the pack after the thing at the borders. He'd let Thistle handle things, as they didn't seem hostile, and once he had made sure that they were fine, Charon had finished his patrol of the borders -- perhaps they were moving soon, but for now they needed to protect their land -- and then he moved on south. He passed the Sentinels quickly and followed the woods to where they changed into thicker woods; Deepwood Weald, he knew the place to be named.
The yearling halted when he spotted another wolf not far off, and when he sniffed the air he realised that it was the same wolf that had interacted with Thistle Cloud at the borders. Charon let out a chuff to announce his presence and approached, his posture neutral as he did so. "Hey, you're that wolf I just saw at our borders, aren't you?" the young Beta asked as he approached casually. He wondered what the loner and his adoptive mother had spoken about.
He had just finished digging his shallow hole when he heard a chuff from behind him. Instinctively, his hackles raised as he turned to face the approaching wolf. But, the voice and demeanor of the other wolf were neutral, if not a little friendly. Dash smoothed his coat quickly, not one to start a fight even if he would finish one. He nodded, recognizing the wolf from the shore. At the time, he had been quiet, leaving quickly after his leader began the conversation. "Yes, that's me," he replied.
"I'm Dash," he said, offering his name first this time around. It seemed to be the social thing to do. He wasn't great at making conversation, hadn't really had the experience, but he was picking it up quickly.
Dash. Charon couldn't help but wonder aloud, "Do you have the speed and agility to match your name?" Because certainly, someone called 'Dash' needed to be really fast on their feet to be credible. If Charon didn't still have an aching shoulder he might've challenged this so-called 'Dash' to a race, if not only to see if he was really dashing. He still considered the idea, but it might not be such a good idea considering his own present state.
"I'm Charon," he introduced himself with a confident smile. "I'm Stavanger Bay's Beta, but I'm planning to start up my own pack soon with what's left of the pack. I met this really cool girl who's got her own pack too, and since both our packs are small we decided to merge them together." He wondered if Dash would connect the dots and realise just why Charon had been hesitant to approach when Thistle Cloud had already greeted him at the borders. She was Alpha for now, but wouldn't be much longer if he had his way.
Dash was not a proud wolf. He didn't feel the need to boast, or exaggerated his abilities. He also had no qualms about admitting what he could not do. "If I was that fast, I wouldn't be so thin," he pointed out. He supposed he was as fast as the next, though it seemed most of the time, his prey outran him. "My name was given because I like to wander. Even at an early age, my parents said I'd be in one spot, and the next second I'm gone." He had made them worry on more than several occasions.
Dash listened carefully, sitting back on his haunches as he considered the male across from him. Seemed like an odd plan. His eye narrowed just a little. "You haven't said anything about your Alpha. Is she not in on this plan?" He was curious, an emotion that rarely came to him. Was he going to take the pack out from under the female he had met earlier in the day? Was she that inept at being a leader that the entire pack would abandon her?
The plan in and of itself was a smart one, Dash thought. It was a good solution to a problem, and he wished his family had that opportunity before they disbanded.
Charon hadn't really noticed that Dash was particularly thin, and couldn't help but glance at him when he mentioned this himself, as though to confirm if he really was. Then Dash went on to explain that he'd been given the name because of moving a lot. He wondered if Dash intended to stay here for a while, or if he'd be gone again tomorrow. Probably the latter, if he was really named for being a runner.
Dash then mentioned Thistle Cloud, and Charon looked taken aback for a split second, as if he hadn't seen the question coming. He quickly regathered his composure though and said: "She is. She was just upset that I didn't discuss it with her first. She's doing better now, but before I came up with this plan, she was feeling pretty bad. She's my adoptive mother, and I do love her, but I just felt like I needed to make the right decisions for the pack, as its Beta. I do think she agrees on the plans, so I dunno why she's giving me such a hard time about it." He should probably go talk to her about it soon, really, but Charon wasn't sure he was quite ready for that. He wasn't even sure what to say, anyway; he felt like she owed him an apology for riling up Atreyu against him, but she probably wasn't quite there yet, if ever, since she seemed very determined she was right.
The subject of his name and abilities was dropped in favor of Charon's plans for the pack. The other wolf seemed shocked that Dash had questioned about the Alpha, but he didn't seem upset. Dash found himself more than a little interested in Charon's plans and how they came about. He wasn't normally so curious about others and their business, but he found himself asking, "Was she not making the right decisions?" His voice was purely interested and not judging.
He was't really sure why he felt the want to ask, but he was suddenly interested in why the wolves have behaved as they did. He wasn't being judgmental, however. His needs were purely intellectual. Charon himself didn't seem sure why the Alpha was so upset. Dash tried to put himself in her paws. Ears perked, he tilted his head ever so slightly. "Would you be upset if you were Alpha, and yet others were making decisions about the pack without you, whether you agreed with them or not?" His voice was even. He didn't want to upset the other wolf with his questions, but really wondered what Charon would say.
"She was making no decisions," Charon answered. The moment she decided to start making decisions again was the moment that Charon made a really huge one. Maybe it'd been a good thing that he had; maybe it had kickstarted Thistle into becoming herself again. Charon had only ever known her as a very mild-mannered wolf, even when she had been the blossoming Alpha of Stavanger Bay. He didn't like that she'd talked to him like he had no clue what on earth he was talking about, even though she had to know that what he suggested was what was best for the pack. "So I did."
Dash asked him if he'd be upset if someone did this thing. Charon didn't instantly understand that it was a psychological empathy thing question and at first answered: "Well, yeah." Then he realised what was going on, mostly because obviously his situation was waaay different. He'd be a great Alpha. Nobody would ever have to step in with him. "But I'd be right if I did, 'cause I'm going to be a really good Alpha and make sure there's never need to." Charon smiled proudly; empathy was perhaps not his strong suit, but confidence surely was one of them (or rather: keeping a confident appearance to the outside world, as well as to himself).
Dash's head nodded slowly in understanding when Charon explained that the Alpha had not been making any decisions at all. "Your pack is lucky to have someone that looks out for them," he responded. He thought about his own parents and how hard it must have been for them to tell their children they had to fend for themselves. Dash had always understood the reasoning, but now that he was older, he could also understand that they did what they needed to do, not what they wanted to do. He wondered if Charon felt the same kind of pressure to make sure the pack was well cared for, and that's why he did what he did. It seemed that way to Dash. The other male didn't seem like he wanted to take the pack away from it's Alpha, but the survival of the group was more important than the feelings of one wolf.
Still, he couldn't help but empathize with her. She had seemed very nice at their meeting and he was sure it was hard for her to come to terms with the fact the Beta had made a decision that should have been hers. If she was indeed a good Alpha, she would do what's best for the pack, despite who came up with the plan.
Charon seemed confident he would not make the same mistakes as others. "I hope you're right," he responded with a soft smile. Dash couldn't say he'd be a good pack mate, let alone a good leader. Charon seemed confident, however, that he could lead a pack and look out for its well being. Interested, he asked, "So, what's your pack like?" It had been so long since he'd been with a group of wolves, and even then, it was just him, his siblings, and his parents. They had been a tight-nit band of wolves. Not much thought went into rankings except the parents were listened to without argument. He and his siblings never fought over which one was higher than the other. They were too busy just trying to survive.
I know I'm right, Charon thought to himself, brimming with youthful and outward confidence, but he didn't say it. Even he realised that might make him look arrogant. Dash seemed interested in his pack, and seemed to think him a good leader, which made Charon wonder if he would be interested in staying with the pack. He didn't ask though, simply answering the question instead. "We're thinking of settling on a mountain of sorts," he said. That was what Amekaze wanted, after all, and Charon liked the sentiment. A mountain would make a good throne for him and his wolves to sit on while they looked over the world. It would feel fantastic to own a mountain, he knew, even if it pained him to leave the shores behind. If only there had been a mountain near the ocean. A mountain with a bay, that would've been perfect, but alas, no such thing existed, as far as Charon knew.
"My pack, Stavanger Bay, is a small group. Thistle's my adoptive mother." Charon wondered if Dash would find it strange he spoke so of his adoptive mother and waited briefly in case he was asked to elaborate on the situation (Charon himself thought that because she was his adoptive mother, he knew all the better what was best for her and her position in the pack), then continued: "Of her children this year there's only one left, unfortunately, but he's a real smart kid. Brave, too. He really is the strongest of the litter." Charon really did miss Kaylan and Ragna too, though, as well as Jorunn. "Their dad died earlier this year, which is one of the reasons Thistle's been... y'know." It made sense that she had been dealing with the grief, but still, the pack's interests needed to be kept in check as far as Charon was concerned.
"And Atreyu's got three and a half legs. He's like a war veteran, y'know? Protected the pups from a bear once." If not for Atreyu's stalling, maybe Flóki would be gone too. "And there's Saskia, she's pretty cool too. She owes me for saving her life during the terrible storm couple of months ago, and she's stuck with us ever since." Charon picked his words carefully, making sure not to mention the whole slavery thing, as he'd learned it could throw others off. "We had a couple others, but they left." Bitterly Charon thought of Levi, who'd vanished shortly before his own trip away. "So they're all great wolves with great heart, soul and spirit, but we're small. My co-Alpha Amekaze's got like four wolves or something too, so we'll be decent sized going into winter, but we're hoping to pick up a few more good wolves before then so we're sure we'll do well through winter."
Charon smiled as he finished the story about his pack and that of Amekaze. He wondered if Dash had interest in the pack, but still didn't ask, figuring it was easier to weave the fact they could use some extra wolves, if he was interested, into the story and see how Dash would react to that. He seemed the type to wander, but then, good outriders could be useful too.
Not ever having been in this situation, Dash wouldn't have been able to say whether or not he thought Charon would have been arrogant. Maybe he would have thought him extremely confident. Who knows? The dark male listened as Charon said they wanted to set up house on a mountain. "Mountains are nice," he commented. They were especially good for communicating, since they were higher than everything else, and voices could travel further.
Dash didn't miss Charon's title for Thistle. It's the second time he had spoken of her as his adoptive mother. He almost got the feeling the other male wanted to talk about it, but if Dash was wrong, he could upset the other male. That wasn't something he wanted to do. But, Charon had brought it up. He decided to be blunt about it. "Why do you point out she's your adoptive mother?" As far as Dash knew, his parents were biological. Even if they weren't it wouldn't have made any difference to him. They always did the best they could.
It seemed like Charon's pack had lost many of it's members, too many of them young. "I'm sorry for your loss," he said earnestly. He could understand why maybe Thistle had foregone her duties. She was mourning. Dash would not hold that against her. Charon went on to speak of the rest of the pack "It sounds like you have some dedicated wolves in your pack," he said. "Paired with the other small pack, you have a great chance of surviving the winter."
The thought of joining a pack had crossed Dash's mind, he just wasn't sure if he really wanted to, and, if he did, how to go about it. Last winter had been extremely hard on him, and he knew he stood a better chance of surviving himself if he was with a pack. But, it would probably take a little more time of convincing himself before he got up the nerve to ask.
Charon nodded as Dash commented on the mountains. They had a certain majestic quality that fit Charon to a t, as far as he was concerned himself. As for the question about Thistle Cloud... Charon frowned a little as he explained: "My real mom got killed by a bear when I was small. It was pretty gruesome." He decided not to exaggerate the details this time, since he didn't want Dash to think that he was still too bothered by the death of his mother all this time later. "Thistle Cloud and her mate pretty much raised me alongside their own pups, so that's why she's kind of like a mom to me. I know it probably sounds silly, but I don't really call her mom or refer to her as my mother because, I dunno, I guess out of respect for my real mom, or something. I mean, she didn't just up and decide to leave me, she was killed, so she deserves that, at least." Charon wasn't sure why exactly, but it felt like the memory of his mother's soft white fur would drift from his mind forever if he acknowledged Thistle as his real mom. Even though she pretty much was.
Dash easily shifted towards the subject of the upcoming pack again, and Charon nodded. He would just be happy to get through the winter. Hopefully his relations with Atreyu and Thistle would improve in due time too, when they would see that his decisions had ultimately been for the better of things. "Yeah, we've got a nice bunch," Charon said absent-mindedly while he thought about what he would say to Thistle Cloud when he would go and talk to her. He really hadn't a clue. He wasn't about to say sorry for something he wasn't sorry for, but she probably was expecting some sort of apology-ish thing from him, or whatever.
Dash frowned when Charon told him the story of his biological mother. "I'm so sorry," he said softly. It was a terrible way to loose a loved one, and it made him wonder if his own mother was still alive. Dash empathized with the other male's logic at not calling Thistle Mom. He nodded his understanding. Dash wasn't a wolf who believe in an afterlife, so for him to believe Charon's mother knew any different was difficult, but he could understand the reasoning anyways. Still, he wasn't quite sure what to say in response, or what would offer the other male any reassurance.
The thought of the winter came flooding back into Dash's mind. He felt like this one could be a bad one, and in his current condition, he was worried he wouldn't make it to the spring. With the conversation at a stand still, he thought now might be a good time to get a little information. "So," he began slowly. "with the two packs coming together, do you think it will be full?" Both Charon and Thistle had seemed like nice wolves, and Dash was feeling sort of comfortable with them. If they had room, maybe he would take the leap and join their pack.
A playful smile danced across the yearling's face when Dash asked if he thought the pack would be full with both packs joining together. It seemed that his decision for change was already settings things into motion... or would Dash have shown up at their borders regardless? There was an edge to Dash's voice that suggested to Charon that he intended to join up with them.
"We'll have space for a couple more good wolves," Charon said, pretending to just answer the question. He was curious how Dash would respond; would he ask to join them right away, or would he return at some point to join them, after considering things?
Charon confirmed that they would, indeed have space for a few more wolves. He's wasn't sure, though, if he would consider himself a good wolf to have in a pack. Tentatively, he asked, "What kind of wolves would you consider letting into your pack?" If he knew what the new leader was looking for, he could make a better decision about whether or not to join.
He wondered if different packs looked for different kinds of wolves, too. Did all leaders look for certain characteristics, or did some care about one thing more than another? Too many questions to ask. He wouldn't bombard Charon with his mixed thoughts.
Dash asked what kind of wolves Charon was looking for for the new pack. "Look, are you asking this 'cause you want to join?" Charon asked out of the blue, tired of going around the real subject here. "Because you can just say so if you do." It was pretty obvious in Charon's eyes anyway, so he might as well come clean and admit his true intent. There was no shame in admitting one was looking for a new pack, even one with a nature filled with wanderlust.
Without waiting for a reply, Charon went on: "Anyway, you've lived on your own for a while, so I assume that means you can hunt, right? Lots of qualities can be useful to a pack — even wandering to explore near and far territories for the pack."
Dash was visibly taken aback at Charon's change in demeanor. His head lifted, ears perked, eyes widening just a bit. He had never been called out by anyone, and he wasn't sure how he felt about it. Dash was not a wolf to make a decision on a whim, especially when it came to something he knew little about. If Charon had been patient with him, Dash would have been able to think calmly, and it would have made the decision easier.
As it was, Dash was acting like a frightened baby doe. "I'm gonna go, but I'll let you know if I'm interested." Charon hadn't acted aggressively, but Dash felt uncomfortable all the same, and he was ready to leave. Turning, he trotted off at a brisk pace, heading more inland. He wasn't sure where he would go at this point, but he did know he needed to figure something out soon.
Charon noticed the instant change in demeanor, and for a moment he wondered if there was anyone standing behind him. Had to be one hell of a scary dude, though. However, he knew that there wasn't anyone behind him; this reaction had to be to him. Charon didn't understand at all what the big fuss was. Dash could've just said if things were going too fast for him, or whatever. Empathy wasn't Charon's strongest suit, so he couldn't fathom why he'd react that way instead of speaking his mind.
"Hey, it isn't decision time yet, you can think about —" But Dash was already starting to move, so it seemed of little use to further pursue the matter, for now. Charon didn't get the big deal. Wolves left from packs all the time, and while he valued loyalty greatly, right now he wouldn't mind able bodies to help the pack get through winter either, even if they'd leave after. And anyway, surely Dash would warm up to pack life once he was in it.
However, as things were, Dash made a quick getaway. Charon sighed to himself, completely flabbergasted at what had just happened to him, and then decided to continue scouting out the woods on his own before heading further south.