Wild Berry Meadow Sound The Bugle Now

@Mal, @Cordelia


He had stumbled across what could only be described as a paradise. 
It was a beautiful, wide open space, laced with game trails and wild grasses. He had been away from Nightwalkers for a day or two, nearing the place where @Awenfen had asked to meet him. 
He stumbled on a fawn, a few months old and clearly from a late birth. Hungry, he quickly dispatched it, and settled down to eat. 
As he did so his mind wandered, to all that had lead him to this point. And he gave a chuckle. He wondered if the strange male he had met at the gorge was still around. The one who had saved his sanity and set him on this path. He wondered if he saw him now, if he knew about Valour, and Clarence, and Santiago, and Serem, if he would change his mind.

Let me know if I should change anything

---

Though very warry at first Cordelia was becoming more comfortable with Memory as a travel companion. Unlike her other travel companions, he was less doting. He still was nice enough to take breaks when needed and offer assistance over more difficult obstacles, but there was a distinct lack of... devotion. It was something she had always had. From her personal guards at home to Dawson and then Ghad, each made her their priority and had treated her like a treasure. Once to protect and the other to process and stow away from the eyes of others. Opposed to the latter his level of kindness was preferred.

They were now in a new area full of life both vegetative and fauna. Upon sighting a young fawn, Cordelia patiently hid in the foliage waited for Memory. Upon it's killing he waved her over and she rested down across from him to partake in her fill. "Thank you" she expressed modestly.

He hadn't hovered over her. 
In all honesty he figured she would welcome the space, the freedom, and to make her own decisions for once. However he made sure she knew he cared, and was paying attention to her needs. Giving her the majority of the fawn, he nodded when she thanked him and settled down to eat. 
"You're welcome. I'll be able to hunt for the both of us, even if it's lean pickings or carrion. It won't take us longer than a week to get to the mountains." He had only just recently regained his weight he had lost from his healing injury. But he had experience with hunger- he highly suspected she didn't. 
"How's your pain? I could probably find some herbs or something." 

When he'd gotten back to his forest, he'd made sure everything was fine and then darted out a little while later ducked out after a scent trail he'd found along the way. He was planning to keep moving quick, running after whatever had left it. Mal didn't end up finding his quarry. He ended up losing it in a field farther away than he'd been planning to go. So, after confirming it was gone, he turned around and headed back.

Perhaps he would have passed by entirely had he not smelled the kill and gone to investigate. But he found two wolves at the end of the scent trail, one of which was familiar. The other was some worse-for-wear woman who he didn't recognize at all. The Mal they faced now wasn't the same one Memory had run into before -- Memory had met him when he was in a low place, and right now the world Mal lived in was better. Still, he wasn't gonna trust a Nightwalker wolf, so he kept at a safe distance, Aren't you a little far from home? For Mal, he was being reserved, only slightly smirking instead of the broadly grinning creature that he normally was. His gaze flicked between the two, curious. If he this time turned out to match the opinion Mal had of the pack, Mal would have no issue just heading quickly on home.

He looked up with a snap at the sound of a wolf approaching. A low growl rumbled through his chest and the remains of his lip curled as he moved in front of Corra defensively. 
All that changed when the stranger spoke. 
"Mal?" 
He asked, cocking his head to get a better look with his good eye. Confirming that it was in fact the man who had knocked some sense into him, he leaped to his paws. "Corra, this is Mal- the one I was telling you about. The one that started our little... adventure." 
He turned back to the man, eyes appraising him for a moment. He looked good, happier, more confident, with the telltale curled plume of a leader. Memory gave his own tail a friendly wave. 
"We technically are- but not the way you think. I left the Nightwalkers. We're heading north to Renian Empire. I've got a pretty little thing waiting for me." He grinned.

Tori I think you accidentally skipped me. All good though :) Just heads up for next time. I think Mal is next.

---

As she feed on the fawn Memory reiterated that he would be willing to do the hunting for the pair and the short time period of their travels. Luckily the short time meant they wouldn't need to eat too often over the course of their journey, lessening his responsibility. He asked about her pain and she was about to say that with this rest she was doing fine, but her response was cut short as the sound of another approaching put her on edge. Sensing the same thing she did Memory stepped in front of her in defense, making Cordelia feeling more at ease for a short time before this males identity was revealed. 

The male's comments were accusatory and Cordelia worried the two may have wandered into a hostile protected area, weak of boarders. But Memory's demeanor quickly changed causing Cordelia confusion before he recognized the male as Mal and reintroduced him to her. She nodded her head shyly "Hello Sir" she said faintly, still not knowing this male's demeanor.

Yeah, Mal wasn't on his absolute best behavior -- there was definitely that undertone of suspicion... But he certainly had reason to be wary, maybe his old tendency to still not trust anyone still lurked in the background too. He dipped his head slightly as he was introduced, but he didn't have too much to say in reply right this instant. Most of his attention was kept by Memory. And it's been how long? I would have thought getting out of there would have been an obvious choice. A tilt of his head, then looked to Corra, You just along for the ride or what? Might give him a better sense of the situation and just how he should treat the guy.

He wasn't going to invite him to make a detour to his own forest. Nightwalker + newborns sounded like a bad mix. Maybe give them several months to detox from that hellhole and he'd give them a tiny chance. Live in someone else's society for a while. The only one he knew at that pack was Ibis. Would it be good to warn her? He probably didn't have time to do so... He needed to get back to his own pack and actually stay a while after his last jaunt. Hopefully she was less foolish than her mother.

The response is a well deserved barb. He shakes his head, grinning good naturedly. 
"What can I say. I'm a little slow. And was stubbornly holding onto something I don't believe in anymore. Also...The two Warlords are dead. Valour's a good kid. He's trying to change things." his answer starts off joking but Quickly dips into serious.

Despite Memory's enthusiastic greeting this male is known as Mal still didn't appear pleased, and didn't return the greeting. His main concern was the length of time between now and his last visit with Memory. Cordelia had no idea how long in between it was, but she knew that their conversation had changed Memory's path. And perhaps if it hadn't taken so long she would have missed the chance to leave with him. The attention was then on her asking why she was with him. She wished Memory had explained it. It was embarrassing to admit she had been captured. 

Getting up from her laying down the position into a sit her malnourished form was a bit more apparent. She wanted to address Mal properly now that a conversation was in sue, but she was still a bit exhausted and sitting was more comfortable than supporting herself in a stand. "No Sir. I was an unjust captive of the Nightwalkers. Memory helped me leave." she admitted softly still embarrassed for needing to explain her situation to a stranger. "My hope is that the Reneian Empire will be willing to house me."

So Nightwalkers were really having their own trouble? Good. Keep 'em busy and away from Neverwinter. There was zero shock regarding the fact that Corra had been taken prisoner -- perhaps that would be enough explanation without actually saying anything for why Mal acted as standoffish as he did. An ear tilted but that was about it -- he'd have to give the rest some thought. Can't say I met any warlord. I just know that unless they're really doing a full flip to be be something normal, they can stay far away from my pack. Maybe a full on rebrand. That'd be the smart thing to do, Mal thought. But they'd have to stay normal for a while after whatever transformation too.

He was more normal in tone towards Corra, I know one wolf from there. If she's shacked up with a bunch of others like herself, you won't have a problem. And to a certain point, he didn't want to know details about the pack. Ibis had left, and if she was gonna stay gone, then he wouldn't worry whether or not she was doomed to repeat the mistakes of Elysium or not. Not his circus.

Mal's Standoffish nature hadn't changed, and he rightly had problems with the existence of the Nightwalkers. 
Now though, Mal needed a warning. 
"There was talk of war before we left. A pack worse than Nightwalkers setting up on the other side of the mountains. They've attacked several wolves for seemingly no reason." 
His message was grim, but if it kept his... friend...safe, it was necessary. He turned to Cordelia and gently nudged her. "Are you ready? To keep going?" 

I'm just gonna wrap this up real quick!

Well they haven't caused trouble out here, and you'll excuse me not trusting what Nightwalkers think of things necessarily. I'm not here to fight wars. Nightwalkers wants to get into trouble, that ain't my problem right now. I got things I gotta take care of at home that are way more important. -- I should probably be getting back. He wasn't interested in getting to know Memory better, that was for sure. He'd had a chance before and had failed whatever test it was that Mal had given.

But the chick wasn't part of the problem. Or at least he hoped not if she was heading off into the land of fluffy bunny people. Look, uh, Corra was it? If you do stay with them, should be fine. Like.. Good luck out there and stuff. A dip of his head and he turned to head off. Didn't sound like they needed his help anyway. Mal would rather go see his kids.