Otter Creek of an austere ebon tide

The notion that it had been days since he had left the coastline for the region beyond had begun to occur to him. Not that he particularly missed the finality of land, it was quite the opposite. Mordecai thrived in not being confined to just one path, but having the option of choosing many — something in which he did quite a lot of. Today's choices had led him further inland than previous attempts, and so far he hadn't seen anything or encountered anything extraordinary. He didn't expect to either, and simply reveled in the adventure he found himself partaking.

Some time ago he had found the start of the creek, and while he now lingered near the start of its most level flow, the distant trickle of its miniaturized waterfalls remained. If the tracks left behind in the soft soil meant anything, he knew he had come across yet another well trafficked area by the region's residents. This fact did not trouble him, as he found himself not minding any potential company; the gold-eyed Ostrega had yet to really come across anyone who was questionable in their intent. Fully, anyway. But there were bound to be that sort here too, if experience had any say in the general demographic. He could have fallen into the very category himself, being nothing more than a stray wandering the countryside and scavenging for this and that.

He was fine with this, too.

The sun rose and a new day began, and with it, Rayder's mood reset to a more neutral one. Yesterday's night ended on a bad note, but now he was back up and ready for action. Upon awakening in the Plateau, he yawned, stretching out. A visit to the creek seemed ideal, as his throat had felt parched as he rose from his slumber. He walked there with lazy steps, and as he did the male noticed to his far left a trail of pawprints.

Raising a brow, he chose to ignore it until he noticed in front of him was a fellow wolf. So the tracks were more recent than they looked at first glance. At first, Rayder thought about avoiding the stranger, but when he sniffed at the air, he noticed it didn't smell of his pack. Right now, he'd had enough of socializing with those weaklings. Figuring this wouldn't be so bad, he let out a soft woof in the other's direction, to get his attention.

There was a chance he could feel some sort of connection with the other, if he was a loner like Rayder had been for so long.

It was perhaps far too easy to become complacent at times with one's surroundings. This was the case for Mordecai, who at first was caught off guard by the call. He paused swiftly and turned to meet the source of the sound, already drawing in a breath to pull whatever scent he could to him. This fellow did not smell of Jinx or her band from the now distant mountains to his west, but there was a mottled sort of smell that came forth. The creek served as a natural damper, but Mordecai had little doubt that he had been pegged as unfamiliar.

Still, he returned the woof with a good natured one of his own, drawing his tail up behind him in a wave. Encouragement perhaps, to see how his summoner would deal with having to come to him, as he did not move to close their gap. From that distance though, Mordecai could see the icy touch of his blue eyes, and took note of his attended, fair-haired coat. He could have been a pale blonde, or a tan, but definitely not a dirty white. If anything, they seemed about on par each other, one of them being a traveler and the other having the air of establishment. Or so he thought, unknowing that this counterpart was freshly re-homed.

From the looks and sounds of it, the other wasn't disrespectful in any sense of the word, as he returned his greeting. It was a good change from yesterday (even though it was probably his fault for provoking people in the first place, his pride would never allow him to admit that). The male went up to the small spring himself, only a few feet away from the other, he carefully lapped up a few sips of the rather shallow water before looking back to the stranger, the fur on his muzzle now dripping a little from the creek.

"Do you have a pack?" He asked politely, tilting his head a bit. Though by scent Rayder would assume that he was alone, it could just the smell of a pack that he was unfamiliar with, despite the slim chances of it. Besides, it gave him something to talk about once he got confirmation from the other. Rayder's tail swished behind him, not quite in an excitable manner, but friendly enough.

He watched with ease as the creme-coated male paused to gain his fill from the crisp creek water, only closing their gap by a few feet. A better conversation distance so they didn't have to go barking all over in the open was a bit more friendlier, and well, sometimes a drink came in handy. It was only a matter of a few good laps before the real question came up front. Some introduction, Mordecai mused. Not that he hadn't been flagged down and queried about his alliances before that was. This time it seemed well intended, the waves in their tails still ever present.

Nares flaring again, he drew in the air imperceptibly one last time. Nothing came to him out of the ordinary. “No,” he said, sounding almost wistful. It had been quite some time since Mordecai had found purpose in a pack. Despite inclination to be a social creature, he functioned moderately well on his own. Growing up in scrub lands had certainly lent him their perks. “And you are, I presume?” He mirrored the tilt that had been given to him, though his eyes lacked the curiosity in the question. He knew what the question was for, and wondered in which direction another pack in the region lied.

He emitted a small hum in reply to the answer he had been expecting. A small smirk appeared on his muzzle, but it didn't have any sinister thought behind it, only confidence. "I'm part of the Plateau pack around here." He informed the other wolf, ears twitching neutrally. Rayder loosely gave a motion of his head in the direction of the group he was talking about. If he had been more attached to the pack, perhaps he would have been a little more secretive to protect it from threats, but that currently wasn't the case.

However, seeing as the other was a lone wolf, it was unlikely he would cause much trouble anyway. "But I've only recently joined. 'Mostly been a survivor like you my whole life." It was difficult to live on your own, if you had enough power you could make it -- but smaller, less talented wolves sometimes couldn't make it without a pack to help them hunt. Especially if it was winter, one of the harsher times of year. Rayder himself had a tough time with the cold season, he was pleased that it was spring now, the snow fading away and more types of prey starting to come out of hiding.

Survivor? Now there was a term he hadn't really thought applicable to himself. A thin smirk flashed briefly across his muzzle, and the rumble of his voice followed after it like a spring thunder. “Seems like there's plenty of us around here, with all of the packs.” It was nice of him to make the assumption that Mordecai was just a survivor, when the gold-eyed Ostrega thought of everyone as a survivor. Another winter had come to pass, and he had come riding its coattails. He had no idea how harsh or kind the winter had been there, and he wasn't keen to find out just yet.

“So are you their recruiter then? Out here patrolling the busy areas looking for the rest of us?” This time he cued in his curiosity, being direct. Though he still felt as though he were passing through, he was technically a free agent, or the unfavorable threat. Still, knowledge of the Plateau brought his pack count to two, but he heard more calls day and night that said there were bound to be more. There were always bound to be more.

A ghost of a breathy chuckle left his mouth at the question of whether or not Rayder was a recruiter. Aiding the pack by looking for more members did nothing for him, and so it wasn't in his desire to do so. "How do I put this...the alpha isn't exactly eager for more members right now." That's what he had gathered from his acceptance. At the same time, he just wanted to ward the other wolf off from the Plateau, thinking that he was doing the stranger a favor because of how weak he saw Peregrine being.

Distaste for the authority of the male alpha surged through him, but he kept it from his tone as he continued. "He doesn't see the point in being social with loners or other groups." Rayder had already come into contact with a few members of other packs, the interactions ranging from entertainment (in the form of verbal fights) to a more friendly encounter.

And it seemed that this Plateau leader didn't care for the company of others, at least from the outside. Mordecai was reminded of his father if only for a moment, but the similarity stopped just as it had started. Where he had come from, sometimes it was better not to get involved, and the reasons therein varied greatly. “Could be a smart move on his part, if things aren't so stable here.” It wouldn't have surprised him if one pack wasn't rallying against another one already, especially with the arrival of youth both their own and of their prey. But his commentary was also an unasked question that he kept to himself.

In their conversation, his eyes wandered briefly to their surroundings as nothing more than a passive check. It seemed he would not be anticipating any other arrival to their conversation. Perhaps they weren't as close to the Plateau as he would have anticipated, even with the distinct curvature peering through the forests between. Mordecai focused in on the last tidbit revealed to him then, bringing his gaze back to the watery hue of his temporary companion. “If your leader frowns on socializing outside parties, what brings you out here?” Maybe the Plateau was incredibly boring, or maybe this new found Plateau dweller still had a little desire to wander left in him.

Rayder rolled his shoulders in a shrug, respecting the other's point to a degree, but also not thinking it could apply to the alpha. "'M not sure. As far as I know, the packs around here are pretty neutral with each other. No tellin' if that'll change, though." It was likely the male would silently flee if such a situation would arise where he would be forced to fight and put himself in danger.

There was only one other member he met that had been both psychically and maybe mentally strong, and that was the white wolf he had sparred against the night before. The conceding of the injured pack mate was still fresh on his mind, at least something good had come out of the encounter. He was a little torn on if he should respect or hate the one that was turning out to be a rival.

Pushing those memories and thoughts to the back of his mind, he answered the loner's question. "I'm not too devoted to what my pack thinks, compared to more...self-sacrificing wolves." He had to resist flat out calling the group of people in question idiots, for surely it did not help their goals at all to be like that.

Though he hadn't asked the question, he found the answer to it in the response he was given. It was good that the packs seemed neutral with one another, at least for the time being. Even if he could handle himself, Mordecai didn't purposely put himself in the way of harm if he could help it. With no pack to back him up, he knew the likelihood of finding help in the bout of an injury was even more unlikely. Most packs were tight-knit communities on their own, and in the position where more than one was common, their resources were more often strained than shared.

That said, there was something smug in the wording that explained what his companion was doing out there. It sounded sour, and left a sour taste in his mouth at that. Mordecai wasn't sure whether or not this particular fellow was that fresh off the boat to feel that way, so to speak. Maybe he wasn't the sharpest tool in the shed either, but that road could have gone both ways. Still, he played the hand of assumption like a veteran baccarat player, and bet on the banker. “So you're using them then? Not like a wolf to go against his ideals,” he said as though he could really back up the claim. He tried to sound curious, but the sourness he acquired trickled through. But if there was a lack of devotion towards the pack he had joined up with, Mordecai hardly saw a reason to be there. No pack existed without the loyalty of others, and that required a certain degree of similar devotion.

Rayder yet again proving how much of a butt he is xD

Though he had not actually been purposefully rude, it seemed some of his true nature had slipped into his tone, especially if the lone wolf's reply was anything to go by. Instead of being shaken by this, Rayder smirked, rolling with it. He'd take a chance, and see if the other was smart enough to see how his own way of thinking was the best in the long run (that's what the egotistical part of him believed, anyway -- and that part was dominating his actions right now).

"It wouldn't be unwise to clarify it as that." He replied smoothly, confirming further to the other that he didn't much care for what happened to the Plateau. "But I wouldn't say I'm being all that unkind. I'm just a flexible man, open to opportunities, so to speak." The ghost of a laugh coated the end of his sentence, the way he spoke giving away how he thought of himself as better than the average wolf.

I hated I needed to go to bed instead of posting more (alertness should not be a requirement at work) lmao, but I absolutely love that Rayder's a butt 90% of the time towards everything.

While he had been hoping the loose statements made were nothing more than a faux pas, they weren't. The honesty that followed his queries surprised him, jarring his moral compass a little bit like an anomaly. He had seen this behavior before by the ones in charge, but never in a subordinate. But Mordecai supposed everyone had an agenda at one point or another, and shook his head dismissively. The arrogance displayed aside, the tawny Ostrega already knew that they would agree to disagree in this case.

“Then why not stay in the wilds? You seem like you'd be better suited to being on your own than trying to find opportunities in a pack.” And truthfully there were more opportunities outside of a pack than in, at least in his eyes. Not that there weren't any in them either, they were just a different set of options. Perhaps he knew the answer as to why this fellow had gone to a pack too, knowing that there were advantages to belonging to somewhere versus nowhere at all. Maybe the opportunity he was willing to seize was within that pack too.

Hehe, he's definitely one of the characters I have more pure fun playing due to his ''lovable' jerk' aura :D Especially when it's around a character like Mordecai, pbbt.

It looked as though the other didn't agree with his morals, and at first he wanted to raise a brow at this, but then the lone wolf was smarter than he thought -- not challenging him for it, and instead harmlessly questioning him further. So, the stranger wasn't exactly smart, but he wasn't dumb, either. That was fine by Rayder. Plus, the point he made wasn't all that bad, which further helped to cool what would be a growing temper for himself.

Making a soft 'hmm', thinking of his response, he glanced up and to the left, as if recalling a memory. "I don't get much enjoyment out of being alone, now that I'm older." He began, shrugging his shoulders a little. "When I was younger, I just fooled myself into thinking being alone meant freedom. But now I see that freedom is such an easy thing to gain for me, it's no use trying to cling onto that as a reason to be a recluse."

Pausing for a second or two, he chuckled, shaking his head. "No offense to you, of course. It looks like you're different than me -- you must not get easily bored, huh?" It was true that some wolves didn't even think of 'boredom' as a concern -- sometimes those ones didn't much see sense in entertainment in the first place.

Yeah, I still haven't entirely figured out what I'm doing with Mordecai exactly. It's way too easy for me to slip back into playing his father (who I played for something like five years! @__@). Which isn't a bad thing since I can build on that, while trying to branch out from there. This thread is definitely helping me establish some of that. :3

Whatever the case, Mordecai was pleased that his questionnaire had yet to aggravate. The brief enjoyment he had found simmering in the azure gaze had dimmed some, and his demeanor seemed to slip into ease. While they were still on an uncomfortable topic, Mordecai was given the insight as to what might have brought his fellow canine to a pack and to a degree, could relate. For the same reason they came upon each other, they were social creatures at their very core, and for more than just mentality. It was all about survival.

“Bored? Can't say I'm familiar with the feeling. I guess I've always kept myself busy. Guess it comes with the territory of being a survivor,” he quipped, once again making his own dig at the label. A toothy smile flickered briefly to his face, partially in response to his comment, but also at the wonder of what it would be like to truly be bored of something. He had tired of things, sure, but he had never really been driven to sheer lack of enjoyment. The world was his oyster, or something along those lines. In that regard they may have been similar, but also very different. He took no offense, all the same.

“Perhaps you'll find a reason to stick around that Plateau in time,” he suggested.

Just going with the flow can sometimes really help when you're stuck on what to do with a character's personality or even other things about them. Hinting at Rayder's past in my first posts, for example, helped me buckle down and settle what would be written for his actual profile history X3. And if you ever need any more threads, I am always open :D

Even if he had been bothered by some sort of question, Rayder would try his hardest not to let it show on his face. The only time he viewed aggression as an acceptable response was when he felt insulted, psychically or verbally. Any other scenario, he felt it revealed too much, that it gave someone a look into what raw feeling he was experiencing at the time behind the mask of his persona -- something he feared greatly, as that emotion usually wasn't pretty.

Chuckling at the remark the lone wolf made, he raised a brow in amusement. "You're lucky, then. It's super tedious to deal with on top of hunger, thirst, fatigue..." He listed the basic needs off of the top of his head, playful voice trailing off. At the other's suggestion of being able to find a reason rather than just using the Plateau pack for his own gain, he made a soft 'hmm', thinking.

"...Maybe. I won't say it's impossible. But I can't see how." After all, the only thing that would drive him to stay in the case of danger would be if he'd gotten attached to someone from the pack, and he was certainly not planning for that to happen.

I always tend to go with the flow. Makes it easier to adapt to unexpected things! And I definitely feel like these two will cross paths in more than just this thread too, especially if Rayder makes a name for himself with the way you've been posting. :D

Mordecai wouldn't deny that there were tedious parts to being on his own. It was one of the things he had trouble with at the start, but he had managed to keep himself going. Sure, he might have been a little thinned out from the winter, a little weary seeming at the edges, but he still had his youth on his side. And it wasn't like he hadn't stopped here or there or rendered himself useful to a pack in exchange for a little rest and recuperation. At that moment, he didn't know whether or not he would find himself staying in the Wilds or not.

“Just give it a chance, you might be surprised. And if not, well, then you can't say you didn't try.” That was all they could really do, he supposed. Give it a decent effort and see what results were brewed up. If nothing really happened, or if it fizzled out, then at least the option was explored, right? He rolled his shoulder in a shrug to punctuate it all. “I won't be the last one to say that everywhere is perfect anyway. I think most of us answer the call we think is made for us and sometimes it just isn't what it seems when you get there.”

Same here! XD It's true, I have been a bit of a ninja poster. LIGHTNING FAST REFLEXES. *hi-ya* Also, some unexpected Rayder angst incoming? He's so wishy-washy when it comes to feelings, pshh.

It was unexpected, how wise this lone wolf seemed to be despite Rayder's previous judgement of him. He was taken aback at how harshly the words hit him, internally. He pondered over this. Was it really worth it to just try without knowing what the future would hold? Rayder liked being reassured that he could always win, and the ego he had built up made that kind of opportunity pop up more than it would've if he had been of a shyer personality.

He didn't know what to make of 'answering the call', either. He'd never heard a call for him in his entire life. No one ever wanted him there, but he forced himself into their lives anyway. That's what it had always seemed like to him. "Some of us get more guidance, though." The male spoke, sounding like he was restraining some sort of envy from his tone. "There's kids that get born into a good pack, get raised by good parents that support their every move." So envious, yes, that's what he was of those kids.

I remember when I was a ninja-poster... and then I took an arrow to the knee. Just kidding. I got old and got a job. :C On another note, your post made me chuckle a little bit because I'm pretty sure Mordecai's upbringing would completely fall under what Rayder is envious of.

For reasons that Mordecai doubted he would find himself explaining at that point in time, the words spoken by the creme Plateau wolf hit home for him. He was taken with his own memories for a moment that he missed any signal that would have attempted to cue him in on the other's envy. It left him with a homesickness in his gut for a moment, but he was headstrong enough to will it away. It had been too long, and Mordecai far too gone to turn around from what he had been so resolute to do for the majority of his life.

But truth be told, Mordecai wasn't sure if he had answered the call he spoke of either. Sure, it could have been construed that in his very genetics was that nomadic presence that guided him. But it wasn't simply that way, Mordecai had made the decisions that had brought him right there today. He went to seize a prize that he hadn't just seen yet. “And there are those who don't, and aren't,” he said, again with the same nonchalant behavior as before. “Those things shape us, but we define who we are. At least that's what I was always told.” He wasn't nearly as rowdy as he had been in his youth. He didn't evade the thought of conforming as much as he did either, and maybe that was why he found himself there in the first place.

D: I have heard this tale many a times...I am not looking forward to when this happens to me >>. Also, does this mean Mordecai & Rayder's friendship is basically going to be like this? XD

Rayder took a breath, then looked away from the loner, shaking his head as he focused on nothing in particular. "There's only certain things we can change about ourselves." He said, believing this to be true from how much he'd always tried to change himself. He'd always tried to be invincible, and not care what others had to say about him. Yet still, sometimes the lack of affection he gained stung him, despite how much he tried to resist it.

"You can gain new strengths, but you can never get rid of a weakness." That is why so many failed in his eyes. Peregrine would likely never change in his ways, he though, would always be blind to the advantages he would get from interacting with other packs. Amelie, though playful and respectful, would never be able to put aside her kindness and get her paws dirty with blood.

The only time anyone's flaws ever changed, for better or worse, was when they got completely broken in two. And wasn't that a weakness within itself, since it was likely caused by another that they had let into their heart? It wasn't worth counting, in his opinion.

It's really not that bad once you learn how to manage your time/stress. It's taken me quite a while to get the two straight lmao. I mean right now I'm working on average about fifty-three and a half hours a week with just one day off and I'm finding all of this free time that two years ago I wouldn't have had. I would totally recommend staying in school for as long as you can though. I certainly wished I had, and had the money/energy/dedication to go back and finish.

Again they differed in opinion, but Mordecai could see why. This was a very instance of what he had been told time and time again growing up. They had been raised differently, and in turn had formed vastly different views of the world around them. He didn't know enough about the other to attempt to coax him to think differently, so he respected the point of view with a soft nod. There was truth in his statements too, even if the definitive parts were subject to change.

“Too bad we can't change everything about ourselves, though,” he said then, “because I've always wondered what it would be like to grow a pair of wings and fly over everything.” A thin smile spread his face then, the humor marching forth out of their conversation. His attempt to steer them out of a dark gully better left alone, and perhaps better left to uninterrupted thoughts. “I do have to admit I didn't have you pegged as a philosopher. You have an interesting take of the world, friend.” And sure, they weren't really friends, but it was an easy substitute for the fact that they hadn't introduced themselves.

After a few more minutes of banter between them, Mordecai bade farewell to the Plateau wolf.