home sweet home. it had taken him a few days, but he was back. luckily his injuries were healing over well, so he could get some work done. make some caches, strengthen the borders, find some good resting spots. he’d gotten an idea of what the forest was like the first time, now it was time to really get to know it. there were still many places to be discovered.
he followed the river downstream and stopped at a peculiar place. the cedars that stood tall above the ground were now submerged from the halfway point of their trunks with ice. issun tested its strength by pushing down with a paw. “shit!” suddenly, it broke under his weight and dragged his leg into the icy water. he wasn’t expecting the water to be so deep, especially since he assumed he was on the river’s edge. issun pulled himself out and watched the water gush out of the hole.
#2
Oi!
He barked out sharply as an unknown word and sound disturbed his relaxation. The half-blind twig of a wolf shuffled over to see what in hell's name was going on. There was a man who was practically the opposite of him in every way. Large built with a black coat. With a wet leg and broken ice. Now what you go and do that for?
The man's words were heavy and orange eyes narrowed. Not at the dampened man though. He was heavily unhappy with the water that was breaking through the hole that had been made.
someone was close enough to hear the commotion and out from the trees came a stranger. issun would’ve been annoyed to find someone on their claim on any other day, but their presence wasn’t strong here. maybe the man was here long before them and no one had noticed.
“just testing the waters.” the freckled man vigorously shook his leg, but most of the water clung to his fur. the air would dry it eventually, in the meantime he’d have to fight through the discomfort. “who are you?”
A snort of laughter tumbled forth from his willowy frame. It was not an answer he had expected but goddamn, it tickled his funny bone. His head turned to get a better look at the man (it wasn't like he could see him from his blind side) when a question was asked. Bearcut.
Came his answer, short as he raised a paw to his face. He swiped at his drippy cold nose before he looked back to the bubbling water. Oi, you think that'll be a problem?
The twiggy male asked with a cocked head. It may have not been outright obvious but he was focused on the broken ice and freezing waters.
issun was able to study the man. there was nothing particularly off about him, well excluding a clouded eye. otherwise, he didn’t look like a threat. he head shot up when the man landed an unexpected blow to his snout. definitely didn’t expect that. he assumed it was just in good fun, since bearcut was laughing.
his attention was bought to the leaking hole in the ice. “um, i don’t know. hopefully not?” he’d never seen so much water flooding out this close to a bank. “what do you think?”
It could be.
Bony shoulders shrugged as he watched the (not literally) endless bubbles. Probably ain't sticking 'round long enough to find out.
Why would he want to? So he could "test the waters" like this fella? Pfft, as if. Winter was cold enough as is for someone like his scrawny ass. He didn't need the help of icy waters.
What did you say your name was?
Bearcut likely sounded more like an old man than he had meant to with a question like that. Forgetful and entirely unaware that the other male hadn't introduced themselves just yet.
with bearcut’s comfornation he wasn’t so sure himself anymore. he glanced between the scarred male and the crack. he probably knew better than he did. this was out of his field of knowledge. “it’s cold out here. it’ll probably freeze over eventually.”
issun had been to preoccupied to make an introduction before. “apologies. i’m issun.” he looked up to the man. “issun of kamiki.”
'Ought to hope so.
He spoke with a half-assed smirk. This whole situation was funny, eh? The big boy went and put through his leg through the ice for who knew why — because Bearcut didn't buy "testing waters" or whatever. And Bearcut fully planned on attempting to bounce outta here before things got colder and wetter around here. He was a male of bones and no one wanted cold bones.
His attention shifted (god it did that a lot, huh?) back to the freckled...Issun. Now what's a Kamiki, huh?
He questioned with a look that said "please help this dumbass out he's so damn confused."
”it’s the name of my pack.” a small smile formed on his maw. just saying that felt so exciting and surreal. “well it will be a pack soon. we just need time to situate ourselves and find more members.” perhaps the man would take interest in them. issun would be happy to give him room in their ranks if he had any skill. “we hope to claim this land.”