✴A slurry had fallen from the sky overnight. What had started out as a dusting of silver-white snow had melted by the early morning and as Revui descended the mountain he found the soil had turned to mud more than anything. He disliked the feeling of the cold mud against his toes but continued; he wanted to get away from the mountain for an hour or two. Perhaps if he went far enough east he would find Yami's path—and this kept him going, until he scented water in the air, and found himself on the banks of a lake. He took a deep breath, tasting the crisp chill of the lake water but finding no indication of his sibling there. It should've been a good sign; at least he hadn't found a body.
Slavik had only recently joined the Moonspear wolves, he wasn’t that comfortable going further inward to their territory on his own yet. He wasn’t usually like this, in most cases he was more carefree. But with this, he just really didn’t want to mess it up. So he had been hanging out mostly on the outskirts and borders, hunting there and bringing what he found to various caches for the pack. Today he wanted to hunt further down the side of the mountain, and he found himself wandering near a lake.
The ground was cold but muddy, so the bad gush kind that gets in between your toes and makes you chill and squirm. He tried to walk lightly to avoid sinking in but he wasn’t a small male, and it was mostly in vain. This hunting trip wasn’t going that great, so he started making his way back home when the scent of another caught his attention. A Moonspear scent, one he didn’t know yet. He followed it, curiosity drowning out the angry squishes of his paws. He found a grey furred boy at the banks of the lake, younger than him but not exactly a pup. He barked to get his attention, holding himself in a friendly manner.
✴Thinking of his family dwindling over time was not helpful for anyone, but Revui couldn't stop that fountain of thoughts once he'd started. He was pacing along the lake's edge for further signs of his sibling when he heard a sound, and stopped. His head lifted from the water's edge, and he looked around with senses sharp. The body he spots is standing in the muck and it isn't Yami; it's someone a little older, and he doesn't recognize them. His initial reaction is to puff and bare his teeth, and with a stiff-legged trot he moves closer, at least until the scent of his mother hits his nose—Moonspear. This is a recruit, then. Not an enemy. Revui is still defensive in posture but he glances away from the stranger, indicating soundlessly that he doesn't find them to be a threat. Its the most the boy can offer.
The other male is defensive upon seeing Slavik, and the golden boy pulled himself back a little. He ducked his head for a moment, until the other seemed to recognize that they were of the same pack, then he moved back to his normal position. The other boy says nothing, he only diverts his gaze. Slavik hoped to meet him, as he was hardly acquainted with anyone in the pack yet, so he started forwards a few steps.
Hey, I’m Slavik, you?
he said in his usual affable tone. He didn’t feel it necessary to clarify that he was from Moonspear, anyone with a functioning nose could tell that.
✴The stranger takes his dismissal as an invitation, or perhaps they don't notice the agitation in his tensed body, but either way they approach him. He waits to see what happens, and they speak—giving an introduction—but the boy doesn't say anything in response. Revui isn't used to moments like this; on the mountain everyone was family, or at the very least they knew who he was by virtue of being the leader's child. It strikes him as odd to have to introduce himself, and being a feral creature without much use for words, he initially doesn't think to say anything at all.
Instead, the boy huffs. He looks at the stranger with those sharp teal eyes, scrutinizing their shape, their face, studying them. He's acting like a petulant child by choosing to remain silent. He lets out a deep and derisive snort, and begins to stalk away. Apparently being a brat is second-nature to the mountain prince.
The younger male dismisses Slavik, with a perusing gaze and then a snort. The blonde watches as Revui begins to stalk away, feeling disappointed and a bit like a loser. So far, Speedy was his only friend in this pack; and where he usually could make one with ease he found himself shut out once again. First with Speedy’s friend, Cadwalader, who had seemed dissatisfied with him upon first glance. Now again, with this guy. This was the first pack he’d joined, and he was supposed to not mess this up, that’s what he’d promised himself. Being one who so feared rejection, Slavik felt stung. His tail began to twitch with frustration, not necessarily at Revui but with himself. He’d gotten himself into this; for Speedy. So it was for her that he’d make it work out.
He didn’t move any closer, he knew better than to seem that persistent. But he did hope to coax some sort of response out of the other male by calling out, do you need any help with something?
he wanted to feel useful, and the boy did seem a little stressed as well.
✴This stranger didn't know the importance of his quest, the dire circumstances that drove him down the mountain and what prompted his prowling; he wasn't the type to explain anything to anyone, and found the very question that they could help to be preposterous. He looked at her with a brief glance, as if he didn't understand the question, and went back with a nose-dive at the soil.
He remained like this, stalking along, until it became disturbingly clear that his sibling hadn't crossed this way at all. He huffed to clear his nostrils, and with a side-eye glance at the golden wolf, he finally intoned, Hunting. Sister is missing.
If one were to judge his voice for sentimentality they would find none; Revui was merely stating facts, and if this stranger wished to help then they could, but he doubted they would be of value. If they didn't recognize him then they wouldn't know what to look for.
At first Slavik thinks he will get no answer out of the blunt gray male, his question is received as though it were silly, and he is given a sideways glance. But finally the younger man stopped, turned and said four simple words. They explained his stress, but were stated in a very matter of fact manner. The golden male was unsure if Revui’s distresses were with the absence of his sister or the task of searching for her. Either way, Slavik hadn’t known about this before and as a member of the Moonspear pack he felt it was his job to help look.
He hoped he could pry some more words out of his new pal mr laconic here, he took a few steps after him, what’s her name?
he asked. If he at least knew that he could start looking. He figured she would smell like the pack, so he wasn’t worried about that.
✴ As much as Revui disliked newcomers to the mountain, he knew he had to accomodate them to some degree - or at least tolerate them - especially with one of the Yams missing. He took a deep breath of the soil, his gaze flickering across the ground for a moment or two before he makes up his mind and sharply lifts to meet Slavik's gaze.
Yami.
Yami, Slavik thought he might've heard the name before but he wasn't sure. He'd remember it though. Considering that the grey male seemed keen to lose him, Slavik decided to back off now. He could look on his own, tracking was his forte after all. He started to back off, figuring he was giving Revui exactly what he'd wanted. I'll look for her, you can get back to what you're doing- sorry for bothering you,
he said with a bit of a huff. Then he turned away and began to walk back along the lake.
sOrry this is a poopy post I'm just tryna wrap up the old stuff! I'd love a newer one if you want :)