He wandered, paws aching and tired. A pink tongue lolled in a pant, breath hot against his teeth. He'd wandered, but he did not exactly know how long, or where exactly he'd gone. Anywhere but the wildflower meadow that made his heart hurt to think of.
Fallen Sun stopped for a drink, lowering his head at a pool of water and lapping at the surface.
But something was off, something he did not anticipate so soon. He lifted his muzzle to the air and took a deep sniff. The hair on the back of his neck stood at attention.
Wolves. A pack was near, and he knew he had to be careful.
The panther had been on-edge ever since hearing about the danger that stalked the lands. He could not stop thinking about how very small Ariadne was, and of silenthunter's youth. They were not yet his kin, but the blood of his grandfather flowed through Dutch's veins; the urge to take responsibility for everything under his eye could not be helped, and these women were where he'd chosen to make his home.
He prowled endlessly, still familiarizing himself with the land but now full of deadly purpose as well.
He observed the fiery stranger from a distance, at first, concealed in the shadow of the mountain. He liked his odds against a stranger of similar size; he was by no means a warrior, but he was strong and he was agile.
"Hail," he called to the man as he came down from the foothills. His tail gave a halfhearted whisk of greeting. There was no reason to attack right off the bat, but there was a newly awakened part of the panther that did not like the unfamiliar male so close to his dwelling place. "Are you known to this village?" he asked.
But he did not smell moonwolves on this man's pelt.
A head tilt, intent in those forest eyes betraying his minimal vocabulary, as he looked to the jaws of that who had spoken. The fiery wolf had learned enough words to get by, but a silken voice did not always mean the right sequence, nor the right meaning.
The stranger smelt of pack - any pup would know what that meant. He'd been found, though he did not seek to be of harm to anyone here. A drink of water was all, yet putting words to tongue in ways others understood was not something he and a pup shared.
Fallen Sun chose to shake his head, a long-since learned 'no'. But followed swiftly with a No... harm-
as both a statement of intention, as well as a question.
He was a nervous thing. This did nothing to allay the panther's wariness, but he tried anyway to be understanding. It was difficult when it became clear the man would not be easily interrogated. Dutch wanted to ask questions, but already, the man was having trouble answering him.
"I mean no harm either," Dutch replied, hoping this might untie the stranger's tongue. "But we will be close friends, you and I, until I see you go in peace."
It seemed eminently fair to Dutch, and a far nicer thing to say than, I've got my eye on you, bozo, which was what he really meant. But the panther was not a prickly creature by nature, and as he forced his body to relax, he lost some of the stiff attitude as well.
"What brings you this way?" he asked, wondering if the stranger was capable of conversation.
Water...
Fallen Sun looked down and pawed at the pool as if to illustrate his point. Sometimes, that was easier. The things he longed to be able to say in proper. But what else? That wasn't why he was here, in earnest, was it?
How did one say I lost the one I cared about, and I don't know how to live alone anymore? Well, a man with a tongue that was capable of speech as the stranger's would say that; but that man was not the one before the pack-wolf. Which only made the smaller wolf feel... inadequate.
... Lone...ly.
he felt quite happy about that particular word. Adding bits on the end was hard, but it didn't feel right otherwise. Lone... wolf... life... hard.
every word was difficult, his mind turning and going through the motions before he spoke- what a wonderful gift, if his capabilities were simple.
Where... here?
Lonely.
That was something Dutch understood well enough. Perhaps not as well as some, but he knew that lonely was about the worst thing a wolf could be. He warmed easily to the stranger, then.
"This is the village Moonsong," the panther replied, doing his best to pretend he did not find the other man pitiable. "Led by the woman Ariadne. My name is Dutch. What's yours?"
Dutch was half convinced the young man wouldn't have one, but he would try and force one out of the stranger, anyway. And, although it was not something Ariadne had asked of him, Dutch felt the urge to be a little more circumspect:
"Can you hunt?" he asked the other male.
Woah, woah, woah - far too many words for him to understand at once. Moon - woman - Dutch? - oh good grief, was that a name?! Oh, boy- so many...
Okay, okay.
He could do this.
Didn't the man ask for his name? He knew that! He'd start there... maybe get the silver man to... repeat the rest of the information that had unknowingly fell on ears that weren't... accustomed to it?
Fahllin sun.
he dipped his head. The red-furred one tilted his head the other direction now. Another question. Hunt?
... could... he? He supposed he could do so well enough. ...good... 'nif?
he exhaled sharply, as if scolding himself. Another shake of his head, a breathy half-ruff. -nuff.
The other wolf's consternation earned a huff of laughter from Dutch. The sound was part amusement and part frustration. Communication would be difficult between them. For Dutch, it was crippling to realize he could not weave his words in a way this stranger could understand. They would have to start small and simple.
Very simple.
"A good name," said Dutch, clinging to his patience by a thread. He had the answers to two questions, now, even if one of them had been rather noncommittal. He opened his mouth to comment on Fallen Sun's weight, which seemed not to be in dire straights. At the last moment, he bit his tongue and offered a somewhat pained smile.
"Then we will hunt," he said. Slowly. So so slowly. "And if you hunt well, perhaps you needn't be lonely anymore. Yes?"
has to be well enough of a hunter, if he's not underweight :) his ma and pa taught him well.
Now that, the offer of not being lonely, was crystal clear. Even if he could sense the impatience. How could he not? It made his fur grow warm with embarrassment at his shortcomings, but it wasn't as if he could learn and get better without struggling first.
That was the way of things.
To the offer, he nodded with enthusiasm, up and down with his head and nearly shaking himself right out of his pelt for a split second. More questions, but this time - words were known. Where?! Now?
the red wolf ruffed, gathering his paws to where he'd sat down.
But, naturally, the short burst of energy held little life, and he settled down.
Lead.
Now Dutch laughed in earnest. "Chup rahana, maalik! Peace! he said to Fallen Sun's eager rejoinder. He realized this would likely confuse the other wolf, so he made an abortive gesture to indicate that the words had not been important. "We will go. Drink first."
Dutch had a drink, himself, glad for a brief reprieve from his worries. He was convinced that this was not the evil one that Chakliux had spoken of, and further convinced that Ariadne would be charmed by him in all the ways that Dutch was not. Still, although he had not been charmed, he found no fault in the strange wolf. He was only quiet, and perhaps just a little slow. It was the heart, though, and not the mind that separated the good from the bad.
After his drink, he was pleased to lead the way toward the plateau. There was good hunting here, but it was near enough that he might hear any calls of distress.
"Find a trail," Dutch ordered, speaking slowly once more. Finding prey was as important a skill as taking them down. "Deer," Dutch added, not wanting to go running after rabbits with the other man.
Silent sunset stalked swift silver shadow.
The sun-pelted man raised his muzzle to the air and parted his jaws, breathing long and deep. Deer were abundant, and if the other wanted to Hunt, Deer was it. Their odor stained the ground below their paws, dancing above him as a cold breeze blew through golden fur, whipping through the grass and swirling with a few late-falling leaves from who knew what tree.
hreer.
a quiet gruff, but that was far too much talking for a wolf hunting prey. Deer.
It was one thing to find the scent of deer, it was another to locate the herd. And with it... food. He carried himself with a slight spring in his step, a quiet paw.
Step. Thump.
Rustle, sniff.
An ear flick.
He'd find it. Silver Shadow told him to.
The panther's annoyance quickly faded as the hunt began; some things did not happen in words. They moved together through the underbrush, settling into the natural rhythm of scenting and tracking. Time slipped by like water in a mountain stream.
The test of tracking had long since ended; not all hunts could be successful, and he had seen what he needed to see of the stranger's skill. Perhaps his ability to take down their prey would need to be tested at a different date.
But no — the scent was here.
Now they hunted in earnest, fresh tracks leading them to a small herd. Perhaps the same one that he and Kilgitsuk had hunted from earlier that week. He remembered the trader's words — his wisdom about not scaring deer out of the area.
"Wait," he said to Fallen Sun, slipping back out of sight before he turned to address him.
"I see your spirit," he told him, his expression warm, his words slow and careful.
"Let us find @Ariadne — I will ask her to welcome you."
Permission to PP Dutch’s howl given by Mixedhearts!
I greet you,
Ariadne said, eyes warmly regarding both villager and stranger.
How may I help you?
She hadn't been too far away when Dutch had howled for her, and now that she was more used to her leg cast, there was hardly a delay in her arrival to them. Her gaze settled on Fallen Sun, whose appearance reminded her of her
taataa; they both wore the colors of the sun on their fur, though his were far more striking!
Fallen Sun's head tilted and his legs stopped before he could get too far. Another new wolf, with a strange wrapping around a leg of her own. A pretty she-wolf, yes, but none could match his Wind Flower, if he ever found her again. Was this Silver Shadow's leader? She carried an air of authority on her pelt and smelt of pack-wolf.
The soft-spoken stranger dipped his head, and exhaled sharply. Her words? Maybe he could give them back to her, as well. hreeh you.
His tongue wanted to say I greet you, too. Did that sound too hard, he wondered? Words were difficult to get right.
Ariadne was quick to attend; the panther pressed his shoulder to Fallen Sun's in quiet support.
"Ariadne, cloud woman," he said to them both — to cloudwoman in greeting and to silent sun in explanation. "This is Fallen Sun. His voice is soft, but he has a strong and gentle spirit. I wish him to stay with us."
He believed these things of the other man, and he would not leave him to his fate without putting something of his own on the line. His faith, his good opinion — he hoped that Fallen Sun would not make a fool out of him. Would not make him regret vouching for the strange young man.
Dutch gave Ariadne all the necessary information, and she nodded and turned to Fallen Sun, considering his words; she had no reason to doubt them, as he was one of her most loyal members. I see no issue with it,
she said not too long after falling quiet, a smile spreading across her lips.
Welcome to village Moonsong, Fallen Sun. I look forward to getting to know you.
She would invite him to lunch after the move happened. Do you need help getting settled in? Need a meal to fill your belly?
She was prepared to help; her villagers deserved only the best!
A falling sun finding home within the ranks of a moon's gentle song.
.
Cloud Ember came to his mind - the woman who spoke over Silver Shadow. Her fur looked like an ember in the light, and the other man had called her 'cloud'. Cloud Ember. Fair enough, no? Maybe his tongue would someday be good enough to hold the actual names of moonwolves.
.
His paws grew heavier with the thought of leaving
her behind, but Fallen Sun nodded at Cloud Ember's question. But... the deer? He thought he'd be... hunting? Was that not happening anymore?
.
Well, he was never one to turn down a meal.
The panther was embarrassed for Fallen Sun even knowing Ariadne would not judge him harshly for his silence. A man wanted to speaking charmingly to a woman like this one — bright and pretty and fair. But this man did not speak, and Dutch sensed his confusion only because he had been searching for it.
"He is shy," the panther excused, torn between pity and amusement. "I will see him settled, cloudwoman. Perhaps he can bring his next meal to share."
Strong of spirit, yes. But Dutch did not think much of Fallen Sun's intelligence. This was not his fault, of course! And it was not a fault — Dutch would proclaim this if any were to suggest otherwise. But, for the moment, he would not account for the man's mind. Perhaps time would shift his impression in the quiet man's favor.
"Come," Dutch invited — warmly, imperiously — "Today Moonsong will feed you. Next time, you will feed cloudwoman. Yes?"
He spoke slowly for Fallen Sun, but he looked to Ariadne with a great tenderness burning in his eyes. It was good to have a place and a people to care for. Her acceptance of them both brought him joy.
Last post from me!
Fallen Sun did not speak, and Dutch filled the silence with his interpretation. Ariadne nodded, happy their newest recruit was already well cared for.
Of course,
she said, thinking of
silent-hunter; all were welcome in village Moonsong.
I will see you both around, then,
she said.
She dipped her head and took her leave to return home and spend the afternoon with
@Kilgitsuk.
The sunset-stricken stranger turned to Silver Shadow for a moment, before back at Cloud Ember. How he longed to give his thanks to her. Maybe moonpack would grant him more words, better words.
Maybe Silver Shadow could give him words, like Soot Teller had promised; though the wanderer's path had led him far from the Sand Land that Soot Teller walked.
He tilted his head at the man. hhud?
he breathed a questioning tone. Food? He did say he'd give him food.
The sweet girl departed. Dutch felt himself relax once more, although he had not yet realize he was tense at all. His head swiveled back to Fallen Sun, who he was sure had missed much of the interaction.
"Food," he agreed with a wry smile. "Come this way," he told him, and he spoke slowly and used some of silenthunter's gestures to punctuate the command. Perhaps if he tongue did not work correctly, he could be taught to use this silent language instead.
The panther turned them and led Fallen Sun to their common place, where there was still meat from the deer he and Kilgitsuk had hunted to be found. "Eat," he said, and he made the gesture for that word, too. And then Dutch settled in to wait for the quiet man to finish his meal. He had come here for a drink and he was staying for the company — Dutch would not deprive him of it any more than was necessary.
Besides — he had been starting to feel a little lonely, himself.
Fallen Sun knew more of the language of others than he could repeat. He knew many words, or at least through time spent with other wolves - could guess fairly accurately if the statement wasn't highly specific or in its own right complicated. The brown one from the land beyond Red Sand had given him tree and bee, among others.
But this new gesture was odd, even for a wolf who couldn't talk. He tilted his head at it, puzzled. Silver Shadow was an odd wolf, perhaps, but he didn't feel as if he'd be harmed, so he didn't take it with a sense of urgency.
He followed the man almost like a determined pup, excitement in his paws and stepping lightly over the ground. Quiet as his namesake - until he was presented with dinner.
A wolf who was worth his pelt never turned down a free meal.
He figured that was something his da would've said, if he spoke.