Neverwinter Forest this place sucks, sorry not sorry

any yuelong wolves she hasn't met?
@Hide or @Orochi
maybe both? :eyes:

ruo laid on a rock, fully immensing herself within the pounding rain. it was the closest she could feel the sea's touch, and simply closed her eyes while feeling her fur drench in the water. 

she wanted to go home to her rock.

He hadn't been around most of his packmates since they arrived. The yearling spent most of his time with @Hide, helping him navigate through the woods and all that. There was that one training session too, but that was it for pack interaction. Orochi didn't actively seek them out.

Today he'd run into one of his own. It wasn't a face he was thrilled to see.

You again. He narrowed his eyes at Ruò when he spotted her. He hoped that she would've ran off during his time away from the island, but she was still here.

ruo opened her eyes to a rather unpleasant greeting, "it's the rat." she said, cooly to the warrior. she vaguely remembered he had a large absence long ago, and returned once more. however the timeline? no idea, she just know some facts.

"i see that your rank was taken." she didn't really care who held the warrior title.. because in the end she always saw it as Ying's spot, but it seemed instead of Orochi taking the reigns, it was another.

Rat. He'd forgotten about that little nickname, and he wish it could've stayed that way. Of course that's the first thing that came out of her mouth. I'm not a rat, he reminded her in a harshly. I'm Orochi.

Thankfully they wouldn't have to go back and forth about his name. He pushed the problem aside when she mentioned his rank.

And I'll take it back. Orochi growled under his breath. She doesn't deserve her title. I do.

"so now you give a name." she vaguely knew of it, and of course others told her, but refused to call him anything until he gave it. she honestly was rather petty when it came to orochi, probably not enjoying his chaotic nature compared to the calm seas. 

"and why doesn't she?" wasn't it her sons mentor who currently has it?

man, ruo really has no idea about pack politics right now.

what the fuck is her own rank at this point.

Yeah, so you better start using it. In a perfect world she'd comply, but he wouldn't be surprised if she continued calling him a rat. Whatever. That'd just give him an excuse to fight her.

She didn't do enough for it. Orochi began to pace in circles with his head low to the ground. So she hunts and fights and saved a life. Whatever! I can do more than she ever could. 

At this point he was basically ranting to himself. I was out on a mission and Huā decides to replace me with Minori? What the fuck was she thinking? She can't even do anything right now. She's too busy with her dumb kids. Orochi stopped to let out a huff-like laugh. But it's fine. I'll work even harder than I ever did. Huā will realize what a big mistake she made and make me general again.

"if i feel like it." honestly, she couldn't deny it was also very amusing to simply toy with the three-limbed fellow. she couldn't deal with such fireballs, but he gave such wild respondses, it somewhat made the day go faster, and entertained more. ruo also had confident he couldn't do anything without being exiled, since he seemed so determined to become a general again.

"she proved herself," the siren shrugged, unknowing of yuelong politics, "do the same." and he seemed quite determined to do so. she wondered who this 'saved life' was though, "or you know, aim for another position." that also seemed easier.

It was getting easier to navigate the longer he was in the forest, and especially with Orochi's help. Scents were harder to pick up over the chaos of the rain and the many, many wolves that now resided here, but he was working on it. In fact, he was tracking Orochi right now, nose to the ground and ears swiveling back and forth. 

Fortunately, Orochi was fairly loud when he spoke, and he could hear him better than he could smell him. So, when he caught the tail end of what his companion was saying, and the last bit of the woman's response, it was easier to catch up. 

The red wolf padded up to the scene and brushed against Orochi's side, nudging him with his shoulder. "Found you," he announced, his ears twitching toward the woman he was speaking to. The conversation had seemed slightly tense, about Orochi's rank, he thought. "I really don't think Orochi is the type of person who would settle for another position," he admitted, offering her a small smile. The have you met the guy? went unsaid.

Personally, he didn't think it was right to give someone's rank away just because they were away for a while, especially on an assigned mission, but he wasn't going to say anything about it. He proved himself already, clearly, so why take it away? "My name's Hide," he introduced, belatedly. "Who are you?"

I will, he shot back. The following suggestion almost made him laugh. What was he supposed to do? Be a nurse? An astronomer? Please. He was born to be a warrior.

Orochi didn't have to say any of this. Hide did it best. The yearling snapped out of his anger to greet him w a subtle bump. Then he turned his head and fell silent.

"last time i met him, he wanted to kill me," which was how ruo took their confrontation, "so yeah, i don't know his type." she also thought it was a perfect reason for him not to be some sort of general. she was surpised he became one. it was a whole reason she threw a massive fit to hua. and now another lady was it, someone she hasn't met thankfully.

another war maniac? who knows, who cares.

the siren didn't want to be in the pack politics anymore. 

whatever the fuck her rank was didn't matter anymore.

"i'm ruo. a cousin of the empress."

"Kill you?" Hide asked, frowning in confusion. Sure, Orochi was a little violent and got angry sometimes, but he didn't think the other boy would actually kill anyone. Still... "That's not a very nice way to treat your packmates," he directed at Orochi, brows still drawn up. He wasn't angry or anything, but he did think there was probably a better way to work your way up through the ranks rather than just... trying to kill people. 

He offered the woman a smile and wag of his tail. "I'm Hide. A... uh... well, I'm new here," he admitted sheepishly. "I told Hua I wanted to be a guard, but I'm not really all that interested in higher ranks. I'm working to be someone who can protect the pack." He'd get there, too. Orochi said he was strong, so he was probably making progress! He just needed to work a little harder than everyone else. 

"Are you guys fighting?" he asked, ears flicking back and forth between the two. Maybe he could mediate.

Kill you?! he snapped. All he did was rough her up a bit. That wasn’t even close to some attempted murder. If he really wanted her dead, that would’ve happened already.

Orochi glared at Hide. She’s overreacting! He didn’t really believe he’d pull something like that right?

He dramatically fell to his haunches and looked to the side as his friend introduced himself. Orochi only turned to Ruò when they were asked if they were still fighting.

No we’re not. He narrowed his eyes. But we can if she’s gonna keep lying about me.

"You fought someone who doesn't fight. Do I look like a warrior?" She did not have the ample muscles of Ying or her lion. She was as sleek as an otter, one who rode the waves and not fight against them. Her body looked more built for running, and especially so for stamina then any of the warrior-ways. She thought at one point to ask Ying, but also felt it was simply.. Boring.

"We aren't fighting; i'm stating the truth." She didn't really count this as a fight, especially against a rat. Perhaps there was a little salt to the fact he rose to the ranks instead of herself, and especially got into a fight about it with hua. 

Hide frowned and tipped his head to the side, ear folding over. He felt a bit bad - he didn't think that Orochi would actually try to kill anyone. Maybe this woman was being dramatic. And, at the end of the day, he was gonna be on Orochi's side. 

"Miss Ruo, I really don't think he was trying to kill you," he offered the older wolf with a small smile. "Maybe fighting each other wasn't the best idea, but Orochi's not a bad guy. You seem pretty alive to me." She was still talking, after all, and she didn't seem afraid. 

He sighed through his nose and bumped his shoulder against Orochi's. "You can fight me instead," he told the other boy, hoping that might make him feel better - to let off some steam. His attention flickered back to Ruo, then. "What'd you guys fight about in the first place?" Maybe they could talk about it.

Hide’s support put a smug grin on his face, one he made sure Ruò could see. Now it was their word against hers. The following offer lightened his mood a bit (he’d always be down for a fight), but the next question made it crash down.

Can’t remember, Orochi mumbled. In reality he remembers clearly. How could he forget? All those insults, being dubbed weak. It hit a nerve.

But he’d pretend that meant nothing to him.

"you weren't in this pack before, so of course you wouldn't think so." he smelled of yuelong, but ruo never saw him previously.

"he wanted to fight me so i called him a weakened rat," she said with completely honesty. the siren didn't pull any strings on her harshness, "maybe less weak, but still a rat." he seemed stronger, way less angry then of previous times, but she still saw him as that; a rat.

"I've spent a long time with Orochi," Hide explained, flicking one ear to his companion when he claimed to not remember. And had he mumbled? When was the last time he heard Orochi mumble? "I've probably annoyed him enough to make him want to kill me a couple times. He still hasn't."

His eyes narrowed at her next sentence, and his fur rose slightly along his nape. "Why?" he asked, pinning his ears back. Would he fight her? Of course not. But he wanted to know all the same. "What makes him weak?" She was the one who claimed she was not a fighter, after all. And Orochi was pretty much the furthest thing from weak Hide could imagine.

Once again he was labeled as weak. Less so now apparently, but weak all the same. A growl rose from his throat. He wanted to tear her apart that. He will. Orochi took a step forward, then another, then stopped.

He didn’t know what’s worse: Ruò calling him weak again or Hide asking for detail.

Orochi whipped around. I’m not weak. His teeth snap as he yells. Then, after a grunt, he stormed off.

ruo only waved her paw at his opinion. she didn't care how long the other was with him, for what happened in the past, was something she still held against him. she really wouldn't put it past him if he ended up hurting packmates, and wasn't sure why her cousin gave so much trust. 

whatever.

"weak-minded," she used her own paw, and the siren tapped her head, "angry at everything, so fight and yell at everything." point proven at his tantrum.

Hide pressed his ears back when Orochi yelled and stormed off. For a moment, he fought with the urge to follow him, but he also knew he had to have this conversation with Ruo as well. Or, at least, the tail end of it. 

"You're wrong," he snapped, his fur still bristling, though his own anger wouldn't help the situation at all. He was aware of that, of course, but it wasn't like he could do much about it. "You don't know him. If you did, you'd know that you're wrong." Did Orochi have a short temper? Sure, but there wasn't anything wrong with that. "If you're gonna judge without getting to know someone first, keep it to yourself." He growled once more, before turning to head off after Orochi. He might have some explaining to do.

ruo only gave a knowing, coy smile, and said no more to the wolf named Hide. he said she was wrong, but all orochi has done shown otherwise. a man of power, maybe so, but rash, often to anger. weak-minded, she thought, and why would he deserve the higher position if he ran to that constantly?

she wouldn't put him to it. but hua wasn't ruo, so their opinions differed.

she offered slight suggestions just because, but in the end; he didn't change from the first time they met. and she doesn't think he ever will.