Paws of ebony, stepped upon the grass and near the river. The wind ruffling the fur of obsidian with red undertones. Sky Blue eyes looked up and up, eyeing the sky as the sun rose and splashed it's colors along the white clouds. White rim around one eyes, showing up gentle against the darkness of his fur.
Arric took one step and then another, gentle breathing in the cool morning air. Dipping nose down, down to the river he took a deep draw and then another. Eyes lowered for a moment in gentle repose as he drank deeply. He had not seen any wolves here, though he smelled one prominent.
@Akavir .
He had just assumed that it was a loner around and about, but there was a scent of cloying bitterness that hung to the edges of the creatures scent. As if he was leaking his life blood, but not all at once. And herbs mixed in to the scent.
His return to the creek had been about as lonely as it had been when he had departed, and the bitter temptation to seek out the ranks of another pack was at the forefront of his mind. The patchwork of herbs from his wound had been shed now, the itch of healing skin and scabs causing the male to stop in his movement every so often and rub the length of his back along the ground, seeking any form of comfort—even better, leaving behind his scent with the promise that he would gather himself, and then work toward gathering others.
This was only a setback.
He sought to quench his thirst now—but the dark form of another caused him to stop abruptly. Stiffening in mistrust, champagne eyes regarded the unknown wolf openly, waiting for when the drinking rogue would look up and see him.
Here, he could only hope, laid an opportunity, rather than another setback.
He was not alone. Arric's head lifted quickly and he eyed the wolf that was near him. A big dark beast, though not near as large as Arric himself. Covered in healing wounds and a faint smell of herbs and paste.
Arric didn't move simply studied. Then blinked his blues and tilted his head.
Hello?
It was both a question and a statement. This land wasn't claimed that he could tell. The scent stale, but he wasn't certain if packs were the same as they were once here. Perhaps things were not the same as his father had always told him.
I'm Arric DuAndris.
Pitch black—the rogue glanced his way finally, taking him in with a certain silence before offering a hesitant greeting. Akavir paused in his own stance, then, dropped his muzzle lightly to a silent greeting, feeling the tautness of his muscles, though he suppressed the grimace on his face. “Lo,” he offered in return, feeling rather informal as he stank of poultice, blood and herbs.
Probably lots of sweat, too. Yeah, he felt like a real winner right now.
“Akavir Frostfur-Mayfair,” he offered in return, giving a nod to the rushing creek rapids. “Mind if I come down?”
The other smelled of herbs, and blood. He eyed him to try and find the source of his wounds. And caught sight of it. That looked like it hurt at one time. Though it looked as if it was healing, fairly well.
Well met Akavir Frostfur-Mayfair. Not at all. Please.
Arric moved backwards a space, to give the other room to maneuver and breathe. He didn't wish to crowd him or anything. Especially given that he had wounds upon him, so he was not afraid of fighting. Which Arric wasn't either, but he preferred peace to violence, though he could certainly be violent.
He released a soft sigh—perhaps one that the other would not hear, but it surely hit his very soul. He was tired. Weary. And with that thought, he plodded down, coming to the creek’s edge and nosing at it for a moment, inhaling sharply and taking in the beauty of its simplicity.
If anything, it only reiterated to him that this was a place to build a home—a life. He couldn’t fix his past, and could not piece together anything that had remained from it. And so, forward he would move, just like the creek waters below him.
And with that, he stepped in, wincing at the cold and releasing a gush of air. “Shit,” he huffed, then sucked in a breath as he waded in further. “Forgot how cold this creek was.”
Arric didn't hear the heavy sigh. But he did see the heaviness that clung to the other wolf like a blanket and he wondered at it. He was a bit like his father. His father had carried the whole world like a burden for most of his life, paired with the golden heart that beat in his chest. Arric was proud of where he came from, of who his father was.
A deep laugh bubbled from Arric's chest. Especially this time of year. Does it come from the mountain then?
He eyed the mountains in the distance, wondering if this was where the water came from. Or if it was a ground source. He would have to have followed the creek for that, but winter was coming and he no longer had the luxury of time on his side.
He would need to find a place to settle for the winter and soon, whether it be on his own or with a roving band. Whatever, it may be, it was needed soon.
Relief swept over him when the stranger gave a laugh—a promising sign that he was not about to be placed into the hands of another fight.
It helped that he was less aggressive and stubborn than when he had apparently been trespassing on another potential claim.
“It seems to come from a wetland that way,” he offered, swinging his muzzle toward the direction of the marsh. “And then feeds into a lake toward the mountain.” With that, Akavir waded further in, crouching down slowly and releasing a gentle hiss as the water washed away the old herbs and poultice, cleansing him.
“The current can get pretty strong, though… and deep in a lot of places.”
Arric tilted his head as the other spoke. Following the pointed muzzle. Eyes tracing the river as far as he could with gaze alone.
Do you need more herbs? I'm no healer but i can keep you from dying or getting infected if the occasion warrants it.
Arric nodded. I know of rivers. My father and i often lived near them. And juat the other day i watched a femme almost meet her death for ill preparedness. I would have saved her had she needed it, but she righted herself.
He gave a shrug of well muscled shoulder and looked back to the male.
Are there any packs. Earby that would allow a loner to weather the winter?
Dunking his head fully under, Akavir held his breath for a stolen moment, eyes squeezed tight, replaying the last week in his head. It hadn’t been ideal. He needed to do better.
Resurfacing, he barked out a laugh as the others words reached him, beginning to wake back to the waters edge and back up to the banks of the creek. “Great! Not dying is exactly my goal in life,” he offered back, lips quirking at the corners with a small grin.
Ensuring the distance remained between the two, the dark wolf took a moment to shake the water from himself, gritting his teeth once more at the stiffness of his joints and the stabbing pain of his wounds.
When the ‘occasional healer’ asked him about a pack, he gave a shrug of his broad shoulders. “Sure. Here.” He paused then, slowly settling back to his haunches to take a rest. “I mean, I’m a pack of one for now, but I’m looking to expand.” He then gave a nod to the direction of the stone circle. “Over that way is a pack that seems amicable enough, also. That one is actually established. Kvarsheim, I think they called themselves.”
Arric eyed the other. Wondering if he was quite alright. Thoug he supposed the current under was helping to loosen some of that nastiness.
Arric shook his head and made a motion like one moment and wnet towards some nearby plants and cobwebs. There was some lavender. Not much mind and it wasn't great but helped in a pinch.
Arric pressed the herbs to a rock and used his paw to crush it into a paste with water. He held out a paw of yuck to the man and motioned him forward.
You're gonna want more than this, but it will at least keep infection at bay until you or even i can find something better and it smells good. But don't eat it.
If allowed he'd press the paste and then the webs to hold it together.
I prefer nesr the river myself. So for now if you'll take me consider yourself a pack of two.
Moving forward at his companions coaxing, Akavir stilled, holding back the light wince as a new paste was smeared on him. It stunk less—thankfully. Maybe, one day soon, he would smell like a walking herb den.
“A pack of two,” he agreed, casting the man a quick glance. “You seem a good sort. Anything I should know about you?”
Probably questions that would have been better asked prior to agreeing to coexist with the man.
Arric eyed him pointedly. I'm an average hunter, a damn good fighter, and I meditate daily. Keeps the demons and anger at bay. I'm searching for a last name as my ancestors did. For now i carry my fathers.
He tilted his head towards the river. I know much of the river, an avid fisherman, and ive ranged far and wide.
Arric nodded. That was him in a nutshell. There was more probably more but he wasnt fond of speaking on hismelf at length.
What about you?
It was a list of accomplishments and Akavir appreciated the no-nonesense approach of listing it out. At the end, his dark companion asked him, and he held down a bark of a laugh, though his face remained sober—the amusement not quite touching his eyes. “A widower. Born here in this land and come back to claim it as an extension of my family’s legacy.”
He paused, wondering if there was much else to add: “I have an extensive family, they come and go. Battle, hunting and scouting are my better attributes and I’m absolute shit at anything medicinal.”
I'm sorry to hear about your mate.
And he was, he remembered well the way his father had been when his mother had died. Though part of him felt like it was a sort of good thing if she jad seen how his father died.
He chuckled, so we definitely need a healer recruited.
“First task for us, definitely,” he agreed amicably enough, his muzzle inclining at the sentiment of Ibis. And then, a sideways glance to his easy-going companion. “Second task, maybe? First task can be a hunt?”
Arric nodded his head. Glad to get a hunt in. If they wanted to make a claim here, they needed to fill the caches, especially with winter dogging their steps. Soon enough the ground would be frozen unless they dug holes ahead of time, and kept them easy reached.
Lead the way. I'm not sure of my way around yet.