Soul walked along. She knew she was in the plains but she did not know where. Her wounds dried over her gray coat making it look red. She was so weak and tired that she fell. She tried to get up again but found she didn't have the strength. She closed her eyes, resting there for now.
Roaming over the Kintla Flatland's his gait was steady covering a good amount of ground each day, scouting had become quite a profound hobby. He would not settle or rest until he had mapped the entire park in his head, that was his quest. Yet every now and then there seemed to be the occasional distraction and today was no different. It was the scent of what seemed to be another lone wolf, a female, ahead. On the plains it was easy to catch a glimpse of the she-wolf and then he made his approach out of curiosity.
It was only as the tawny beast begun to slow his pace easing over toward the right hand side of Soul that he discovered how ill her health seemed to be. Exhaustion or hunger perhaps? Lone wolves were prone to those kind of aliments. "Hello? Are you alright?" He asked, still etching closer to her side with small steps.
Soul opened her eyes, to see another wolf standing above. "I'm fine." she lied, not wanting the wolf to know how weak she really was. She stood up slowly. "Do you know the way to the forest?" she asked. "I seem to be a little lost."
Her eyes would open and she would speak, a relief to the young Persian Prince since he knew very little about natural healing. That was deemed as the role of a she-wolf or a wife and so the tawny warrior had never taken the time to research plants and herbs and their properties. If Soul had been that desperate and in need of help then he would have had to carry her to the nearest packlands seeking assistance - and right now the packs were something he would rather avoid.
He believed her when he stated she was fine, not believing that a woman would ever lie to a male wolf (who he saw as being more important by the way he was raised). When a forest was mentioned his ears curiously cupped outwards to the side of his skull. Eyes of jade green squinting slightly trying to think about what forest she might be looking for. "We are in the Flatlands, there are no forests nearby..." He explained not wishing to dishearten her. Any journey was going to be a long one to reach any forest in this park. "I've found two forests West of here. One is sparse and full of many different trees all losing their leaves. The other is a spruce forest that is owned by a pack." At least that is what his nose had told him when he got close, Altair did not yet know which pack it was. As for the East of the park - he had not yet traveled there.
"Thank you." she said in a soft, easy voice. "My pack chased farer then I thought they did." she said half to herself. She looked over her wounds as they were paining her again and she remembered what happen just a few days ago. She began to cry and turned away
His creamy muzzle tilted into a soft nod the moment she showed him her gratitude. Yet his ears flexed higher on the summit of his skull when she spoke of being chased by her former pack. A criminal? An exile? His stern green eyes looked over her wounds as he slipped another step closer before reclining back onto his haunches mere inches from her right side. His head lowering as he attempted to lick the nearest wound he could reach upon her silver painted body.
"Chased?" He would inquire between his attempts at cleaning one of her wounds. "What was your crime?" If he was in the vicinity of someone who could not be trusted then the young prince wished to find out now rather then later. Less he fall prey to her tricks.
"No. Nothing like that." she said. "See they wanted strong wolves in their pack, and I was runt...That's why I couldn't fight as well as the others....I was useless to them...So, tried to kill me or chase me away.. I did have one friend who tried to save me.. But.. They killed him, right there in front of me.. I could do nothing...I was useless to even him." As Soul remembered these things, tears fell from her.
So she was not a heartless and malicious wolf with blood lust and murder on her mind. It was good to know that Altair was not going to get her fangs dug into his spine when he turned his back on her. Her story did not surprise him, life was cruel and hard with a problem around every corner. He had come to realise that each pack had different methods for dealing with the weaker members of their abode. Altair would reply to her very matter-of-factly. "I see. Where I am from they would have never done such a thing." It seemed at first as though Altair was trying to comfort her. Well he was but he had an odd way of doing it.
"In my home you would have been sold to another pack, but it is more likely you would have been given the role of a servant or maid. Tending to the cubs, treating wounds, cleaning dens or entertaining the royals..." He could remember a few from former pack, Samarkand, that have been servants to his family - to his father. Fiona in particular he could recall quite well since she used to grow a garden of herbs beside the river. With a short sigh his focus returned to Soul with the formation of the smallest smile flicking over the edges of his maw. "If you like you can serve me? I do not have a maid and could use the company. I would not chase you away." Or murder any of your friends. Due to Altair's upbringing he did not realise how odd this request was - not even remotely.
Soul eyed him oddly. "Uh.. I don't think I can serve you but I will fellow you. At least unite I get to the forest. How does that sound?" she asked.
He was no Shah (King). Neither was he a Shahzada anymore (Prince). As she declined his offer to act as his servant his muzzle would drop feeling a pang of disappointment. His tail resting still near his heels as he would have to reluctantly agree with the offer to follow him until they reached the forest. Without any fancy titles meant he had no true power - he was still just a lone wolf after all. This meant that he was not able to force her and bend her to do his bidding. She was free, as free as he was in this world and for now with nothing he could do about it he sighed quietly.
"Do you know which forest it is you are looking for?" He had already commented on two in the West which was in the Great Bear Wilderness. But it could have been another forest in the East that he did not yet know about. "What do you seek in this forest?" He finally decided to ask. If he was going with her to this place then he wanted to at least know the reason behind their journey.
"I want to see if are pack there I join. Plus, I've always liked the forest when I was pup. Soul said. "That is...if these wounds don't take me first."
Her wounds were a little concerned as the tawny Persian glanced over her body again, however finding himself admiring the blood. The red stains were a tribute to his god Ahura. Maybe this was a sign that he was meant to assist Soul, to help her find the pack she was seeking. It certainly did not appear as though she would last much longer as a lone wolf - she needed a pack in her condition.
"There are two packs in the East that I have found, let us go there." He had still yet to discover the pack names and the creed in which their would abide - but visiting their borders was a good start. "Are you well enough to walk with me?" Wondering if she even had the strength to stand. Altair at this point would take to his paws moving into a stance at his own full tall and slim height.
"Yes, I think I'm well" Soul said as she walk slowly. "I only hope their a nice pack." she said to herself. "You can choose what way to go. You're the leader after all." she said to him.
It was a relief to hear her claim to be fit enough to make the distance. The packs that Altair had noticed whilst scouting were going to take some time to walk to as neither of them were in the Kintla Flatlands. Bright gem green eyes watched her closely as she lifted her war torn body and Altair was light on his paw pads ready to support her body in case she fell - thankfully she did not.
Instead she would remark about the packs, her future home. Nice or not - Altair thought that was the least of her worries. "You should be grateful for any pack that accepts you in your current condition." He had already told her that had it been his home and his say then he would have only taken her in as something that resembled a slave or a maid. Altair was always brutally honest - he did not know anything else. Did not realise that sometimes his methods and comments about how he lived could offend others.
As she noted that he was the leader a wry smile grew over his handsome cream coloured maw. Yes he was the leader, the dominant male. He was delighted that she was comfortable in her place as his tail behind him begun to lift. Held high and proud in an alpha-like fashion to silently prove to her that he was indeed the boss (for now). "Follow me." He would command as he took the fist steps forward over the grassy plains heading directly West.
Soul slowly followed him. She also went over what he said about the packs in her head. Well, at point she didn't care if she would be a slave or not.