Noctisardor Bypass With realism on the sparsest of sets

One of the new peeps maybe? :D So @Soleon or @Tulimaq? Gonna try to get new specifically tagged threads up for others, but not right now because I am sorting out some BTS stuff between my chars and haven't decided details, haha.

She was used to the dreary by now and it didn't improve her mood any. Her damp fur was spiked and unruly and she prowled across the territory much like the stormclouds above. The children were probably in Kaertok's care at the moment, and he'd probably have to be oblivious to have noticed the change in her mood over the past day or so. She said nothing about it.

But now she moved, she walked, to maybe toss the thoughts along the way and leave her mind free of these clouds. A trip to the cache, then move to a patrol -- that was her plan. She did not need this distraction. Arbiter needed to focus, to plan. She wanted to make sure her children had a step up in life in comparison to others. To figure out how to use the members of the pack... And yet, she was a little distracted by these other troubles.

Cache, then patrol.

Soleon had met Arbiter only briefly when he had first been recruited among them. Ripe with pups the meeting had been brief. Spook had been the main one to make sure he got where he needed to be. Assimilating among them had proven a bit harder than expected as well. Truth be told he wasn't the best at inserting himself in awkward situations. This one took the cake.

The wolves of Legion struck him as being on two ends of a very broad spectrum. Some very outgoing and others seemed to be far more introverted. Soleon didn't mind either. Though, it was hard to talk to the speechless.

He was in the middle of absolutely nothing when Arbiter happened to fall into his sights. His knee jerk reaction was to slink away like a guilty child that didn't wish to be caught. That wasn't the adult thing to do. Nor was it the thing of the brave to do. He needed to get to know her much as she needed to be aware of who he was.

Swallowing the skepticism that crept in the male spoke and welcomed her to his presence, “Err, hey–ma’am…Arbiter,” Your majesty? What was that?

For a brief moment she'd forgotten who he was -- their meeting had been brief, but once she scented him the memory linked up again. So no weirdness there. It had just been a while since she'd seen him in person, which made sense, she'd been taking care of the pups. But that was probably something that should be remedied now. She should get to know him better -- get to know what he wanted out of life and that whole normal thing. So her glance turned quickly inquisitive.

But he was not one she was angry at. There was no reason to point it at him. So it was with that pause and a catlike flick of her tail that she spoke. Soleon, was her greeting. Terse as usual. Have you learned the territory? Anything here that you would like assistance with? I'll be going on a patrol... soon. Can go wherever along the way. It would surely be better than thinking more about what she had been. Any distraction in a storm, in a metaphorical sense.

She liked to get right to the point. His ears faltered back slightly as she flung questions at him and it would suffice to say he may have appeared sheepish for a moment. He had only assumed he had rounded the entirety of the land that created her pack, but maybe he was wrong. He was continuously getting lost on his way because a new scent or undiscovered plant (to him) caught his attention. He was much more expected to live in the moment instead of in the past or silly dreams of a future one might not even be around for. 

 "I'll join you in a patrol. I think I've been over most of it...you've got a lot of herbs here. That's a good thing," She probably knew that, but he felt compelled to try and carry a conversation with her. He didn't lack the backbone and it wasn't that he found her intimidating persay...it was simply that he had a knack for making absolutely everything awkward and a brief visit with the Legate was going to be no different. Assimilating to the social norm was a talent lost on him.

Good. She'd shift the specific order of her plans for the day around as needed, giving him a nod to come along. It would give her a bit of time to get to know the wolf who had appeared at a somewhat inopportune time -- namely right before her pups were born, if timelines are remembered correctly. So towards the borders they would go, no rush.

Herbs were not her thing. Are the ones you've seen ones that can be stored through the winter in some way or another? She understood that was a thing, but the process, again, not her thing. Arbiter caused wounds, if anything. However, the reliability of supplies for her pack was something she did want to keep in mind, whether it be food and water, or something slightly more extraneous like herbs. Arbiter would do what she could to keep any healers and the herbs they found in the pack, after the awful luck they'd had thus far. Break whatever nonexistent curse it was.

There was an apparent difference between himself and Arbiter. She wore strength like something to be shown off. A most prized possesion. He did not. While the basic musculature of his kind (and of a male) was obvious about him there wasn't that same unshakeable foundation. She was meant to be a weapon. He was meant to heal damage dealt by weapons like herself. Of course--only those of whom he did not stand on the same side of. His loyalty would never be questioned. 

 She would surprise him with a question. One he didn't know the answer to--to be honest, "A lot of things just kind of grow year-round...storing plants is hard," He wagered he didn't know to keep moss from simply trying out. Or preserve the life of a particular flower that didn't grow when it got too cold. Some things wilted and their use was compromised. He could often tell their smell dwindled and signified the death. 

"I can grow things though. I learned how to get seeds from stuff from a medic I met long ago," It was a useful trait. He could manage to be slightly ahead of the curve when it came to growing. The ground was often ready shortly before they naturally began to grow. He just had to take certain steps. Work he enjoyed. 
 
 "I hunt too--fish really. I'm afraid I've never been one for fighting," He didn't have the right mental aptitude for it. In his experience those gifted with the mentality often suffered some great loss or pain. Soleon had a rather atypical, boring, life. Battles he were in he often times lost.

It probably would have been useful if she'd actually befriended any of the past medics. Too bad they weren't her type at all. Well, if there is anything that you want to keep until spring, you might want to start making sure you gather it. Winter comes earlier than you'd expect. This would be her... Third winter here? Had that much time really passed? How odd. And the first without Terance. A quiet thought there.

It was probably good he moved the topic on. Have you tried much fishing around the lake? Fishing is not my forte. I assume that while the water runs it should be bountiful. Assuming the rains haven't washed them all away. She wasn't fond of rain. It was easy for her to end up in a foul mood because of it. For fighting, that is something that can be taught, it was said sort of like a shrug. It was a fact, to her at least. Though I do know that some don't... Shall we say mesh well with the ways I grew up. But that is why things are what they are here. I'd rather have everyone who'd want to be here rather than just soldiers. The Wilds weren't rough enough to only need soldiers... They'd get bored.