Moonspear Kiss me quick

*be's vague about her possible injuries*

Once again, Wildfire ignored common sense. Unable to resist the itch in her feet any longer, she disregarded her various body aches and hobbled away from the caldera, heading northwest. She missed Nocturne Summit and wanted to swing by. There was another reason to go in this direction, of course: she could pay a visit to Moonspear and see if @Charon, @Floki et al were moved in yet.

The trip took much longer than usual but she arrived near the Altar of Twilight in the middle of the afternoon. She took a break there, checking on her ankle and other wounds, then fetching a drink from a nearby brook. After a fifteen-minute rest, Wildfire them climbed back onto all threes and began threading toward Moonspear, careful to check for scents and other signs of residency.

She saw plenty and hung back, not wanting to intrude. The sky overhead was cloudless but already fading toward twilight. The young Outrider pondered whether she should announce her presence and even call for her friends specifically. She stood there indecisively, absently chewing on her lower lip as her amber eyes roved over Moonspear.

Charon had asked the Stavanger Bay wolves to move towards Moonspear not long ago, and since then he had made his home here. It was only a few days into his permanent stay here, and he enjoyed being here. While at times he missed the salty scent of the ocean and its gentle breeze, Charon loved the view the mountain offered and while it was different, it was right.

When Dhole's scent reached him as Charon was busy rubbing his body against some trees, leaving traces of hairs and scent as he did so, ears perked up and he aborted what he was doing. Paws carried him towards Dhole's position in a brisk trot, where he found her looking like she wasn't sure what to do. "Hey Dhole!" Charon said with a broad smile and he moved in to nose Dhole's cheek in greeting. "How's your paw doing?" Charon was a little surprised to see Dhole, to be honest, since he thought her paw would've needed a bit more healing before she would want to use it again, especially to make the journey from her home here. Even if it wasn't super far, it probably was if your paw wasn't doing well.

Before she could arrive at a decision, Charon strode into view, looking happy to see her. Wildfire released her lip and smiled at him, her head dipping when she remembered that he was the Alpha of this territory now. When his nose touched her cheek, she turned her head to press her own to the side of his muzzle, then carefully fell back onto her haunches.

"I've been treating it like crap," she admitted, "but I think I'll live." She laughed lightly, then immediately turned the spotlight toward him. "So, are you official? How is everything going here? Is Floki around?" The last question popped out of her mouth completely unbidden.

Greetings were exchanged before the subject turned to Dhole's paw. It still looked puffy, too, though maybe it just looked that way because he knew it still hurt. Charon didn't think much of it, knowing little wolves with permanent injuries and figuring it was just going to heal over fine in time, like his wounds (well, obviously not Atreyu's leg, but that's because he didn't have it anymore). He nodded and paid it little more mind.

"We're working on it," Charon said when Dhole asked if they were official yet. "We moved here pretty recently. Ame and her wolves should arrive soon, and meanwhile I'm laying down a start on our borders, so other wolves know we're settling out here." Charon had almost forgotten about Dhole's last question about Flóki, which came as a bit of a surprise. "Uh, he's probably around somewhere." Flóki was never very far these days, and Charon found much strength in his undivided loyalty and support, where some others still had their qualms about Moonspear. Charon considered offering to call him, but then decided against it. If she wanted to see Flóki, Dhole could've just called for him herself, after all. Charon thought back to when Dhole had joked that she might have to move in if they settled on her Nocturne Summit, and while they had not settled on it, he wondered if the thoughts still existed in her mind.

Charon didn't seem too thrown by the question, even if it had taken Wildfire herself by surprise. Her mouth clapped shut and she nodded to acknowledge everything he said. She only felt flustered for a moment before she resumed her earlier smile. She was glad for her friend's success. Sure, she was slightly disappointed that he hadn't claimed Nocturne Summit instead... but that just meant it was still free for the taking, right? Now that thought made her laugh inwardly. Wildfire had never deigned to become a leader, much less an Alpha staking her own claim somewhere.

"I think it's really cool that you're doing all of this, especially since you're pretty young," she complimented. "I'd ask for the grand tour but I know how it works," she added with a wink. Her parents would never entertain the idea of allowing an outsider into the territory and Wildfire simply assumed Charon and his squad would feel the same way about it. "Is it working out pretty well? I'm not as familiar with the terrain here. Not like I am with the summit," she said, amber eyes flicking sideways toward it. She would probably be spending the night there.

Charon smiled confidently as Dhole said that she thought it was cool that he was doing this. He liked to think of himself as a bit of a wonder child (even though it was usually parents who'd say such things about their children), and while it were the tragic circumstances in his short life that had driven Charon to the point he was at now, he was still proud of his achievements. He wasn't sure what she meant with 'how it works', though he could only guess that she meant the lands were now claimed, and therefore she had no right to be in them.

"It's pretty great! The terrain is pretty varied. I haven't lived on a mountain before, but I love that some spots offer a great view of the valley. Some have a great view on the ocean too, so even the Bay wolves don't have to be sad living further away from the sea. And we've got some forested areas too, which seem to be doing well with prey so far." Charon could talk about Moonspear forever, but he decided against it.

Instead, he latched onto Dhole's earlier comment about tours, mingling them with his own recurring thoughts that Dhole'd be a pretty rad addition to their ever-growing pack. "And... Yep, you'd have to join us to get the tour," Charon said with a playful smile. "And non-stop access to Flóki." He didn't realise that his comment might strike a different chord than he intended it to, since Charon — who'd never even had a crush in his life, that he knew of, so didn't see Dhole and Flóki's even when they were right in front of him — didn't realise what was going on with her and Flóki.

He described the various landscapes and it sounded to Wildfire like he and Ame had found a particularly suitable place to found a pack. The mention of the distant ocean views took her by surprise. She hadn't realized you could see that far, though she also hadn't climbed to the tops of any of the peaks around here. Now she wouldn't ever get the chance to scale Moonspear... unless she took Charon up on his offer.

His offhanded comment about Floki made her blush deeply, though of course it was hidden beneath her fur. For a second, Wildfire smiled awkwardly and didn't know what to say. Should she deny that she wanted such a thing? Or should she ask Charon if he knew whether Floki might feel something for her too? The whole thing was so embarrassing, she found she couldn't speak for several moments.

Finally, she blurted, "I'll consider it." Trying to regain her bearings, she took a deep breath and added, "I mean, I know I still owe you two for helping me search for Finley. We found her, by the way. Not sure if Floki told you that. Anyway... would you really want me?" She hadn't considered it very seriously before now and she suspected the brothers wouldn't make her feel obligated.

But... what if? She had talked to her mother about the possibility of leaving one day. It wasn't outside the scope of possibility. Wildfire definitely wasn't ready right this minute but maybe it was something she could feel out while she was here talking to Charon. He would be her Alpha if she ever went through with it, after all. What an odd thought (for someone who'd grown up with Alphas for parents).

There was something off about the way Dhole acted, Charon noted, but he still couldn't quite place it. She hadn't been so awkward when they had first met. Was it because he was becoming an Alpha and she was in awe of him? Or was she in awe of him for different reasons? Charon considered this, and thought back to when Casmir had asked him if he had a girlfriend. He had never been so busy with love himself, but apparently there were others Dhole's age who were. Charon suddenly found himself wondering if Dhole fancied him. The thought was kind of weird since she was his friend and he had never thought more of it. However, he couldn't blame her if she did. He was pretty awesome, after all.

Eventually Dhole broke the silence by saying that she would consider it. Dhole shared that they'd found her aunt, and Charon smiled and said: "I'm glad you found her." He vaguely remembered Flóki mentioning something about it, but it didn't really matter if Flóki had told him or not. As for her other question: "Of course! I think you're a pretty rad wolf, Dhole. You're diplomatic and great at exploring, and I know Flóki likes you too. I think you'd be a radiant presence in our pack." Perhaps the last bit was a little exaggerated, but Charon felt as though she was just being insecure and needed to be pushed over the edge. She was young, so Charon imagined she'd have to ask her parents, regardless, but he did genuinely think she'd do well in the pack. Besides, he could use some loyal followers in the midst of his sceptical Stavanger Bay wolves and the new Sunspire wolves, and he was pretty sure Dhole'd be loyal to him. It would be good for Flóki to have someone his age to play with, too.

She didn't know why the thought surprised her. When Charon answered, she supposed she saw his point. Not unlike him, Wildfire was quite accomplished for someone her age. She had three trades (well, apprenticeships), which was more than most adults in the caldera could say. And Charon was absolutely right about her Outrider skills. She blushed a little, pleased to have her aptitudes recognized by someone other than family.

But Charon knocked every other thought out of her head with four simple words: "Floki likes you too." Her heart fluttered in her chest and her breath caught in her throat. Did Charon mean his brother liked her like a friend... or was there something more there? Either way, it made her day. Suddenly, Wildfire was ready to pledge her allegiance immediately. Of course, she was still a sensible girl, so she caught herself before she could make any impulsive decisions.

Wildfire desperately wanted to ask the freckled male to clarify, though she felt a little awkward about letting onto her own feelings toward the sterling male. But, eventually, her curiosity burned through her hesitations. She tried to keep her voice light and casual as she asked, "When you say Floki likes me... how do you mean? Exactly?"

It was surprising for Charon that Dhole would pick out only the bit about Flóki, and he didn't really understand her question either. He looked a little surprised, but then said: "Well, you know, he likes you. It's obvious he likes being around you, too, just like you like being around him." Flóki liked Dhole, and Charon couldn't blame her; he himself enjoyed having some younger wolves around him as friends too, because there just weren't as many their age. Now, he was starting to get pretty grown up, but still... He could so imagine Flóki's wish to have friends his own age (Charon hadn't had many at the time, and meeting Potema had been pretty exciting, as she had been his first same-age friend), and Dhole was pretty cool, so it made total sense that he wanted to be her friend, too. It didn't even occur to Charon that Dhole might like Flóki in any other way, nor the other way around.

Charon didn't seem to pick up on the implication, though his answer nonetheless caused her insides to feel warm and quivery. She was a little tempted to spit it right out and tell her friend she had a crush on his little brother. Maybe he could run a little bit of espionage, get the scoop on how Floki really felt toward her. But Wildfire's bashfulness decided against it. Besides, she would rather find out for herself than get the information secondhand.

"I have a question," she announced in the next moment. "Would you take me now, even though I'm not an adult yet? I'm just asking hypothetically," she added hastily, not wanting to mislead Charon about her intentions. No matter how he answered, Wildfire was pretty sure she wouldn't be able to seriously consider leaving Redhawk Caldera until she was properly of age.

Dhole's question was a little surprising, since Charon thought Dhole to be a pretty mature wolf already. Sure, she was technically still a puppy, a child, but he did not see her that way. Charon himself'd been itching to be Beta for months when he finally turned nine months, too. By his own experience he knew some wolves grew up faster than others. "Of course we would," he said. He didn't think much of Dhole's parents in the picture, though, since he didn't know them and thought Dhole was old enough to decide on her own.

"I think you're pretty mature for your age," Charon said with a soft smile. "Reminds me a bit of myself." Though he had been more brash and forward himself, Charon saw some sort of smartness in Dhole that he appreciated. He was pretty sure that she'd be useful.

She smiled softly at his quick answer and his "duh!" tone. His next words then prompted her to wonder about his parents. Wildfire knew he and Floki were brothers (at least, she assumed it, whether or not it had ever been explicitly stated), so they were his parents too. Wildfire wouldn't mind meeting them one day, though the thought simultaneously made her insides quiver nervously.

"Who are yours and Floki's parents?" she wondered next. "Did they come with you?" For her, leaving her family, particularly her parents, would be the most difficult part about possibly relocating. She also didn't want to miss out on younger siblings. But if Charon and Floki had done it, maybe she could too. Her red ears tilted forward, quite curious to hear what her friend had to say.

Dhole's question came as a surprise to Charon. It made him realise with a shock that he considered Flóki a brother more than he considered Thistle his mother. Maybe because he'd helped raise Flóki and his siblings, or maybe because he still always called Thistle his adoptive mother, never just mother. Charon barely remembered his biological parents, but somehow he'd always felt some sort of respect towards them — they hadn't chosen to leave him by dying, after all — and therefore had never out loud wanted to refer to Thistle and Ragnar as his real parents (even though they pretty much were).

After a moment of thoughtful silence, Charon said: "My parents died when I was little. Thistle and Ragnar adopted me and my brother Levi." A pained expression crossed Charon's face briefly as he thought of Levi, who'd gone missing shortly before Charon's fight with Dante. "Ragnar died when Flóki was just born, but my adoptive mother Thistle came with us during the move. Flóki and I aren't brothers by blood, though it does sort of feel that way." Especially during the whole Moonspear thing Charon had grown especially close to Flóki and the other way around. When the other Bay wolves, including his adoptive mother, had been resistant, Flóki had been supportive all the way through.

As soon as Charon said the first several words, Wildfire wanted to slap herself upside the forehead. He had mentioned his dead father at their first meeting in that burnt forest. She felt bad for forgetting, though he didn't seem to hold it against her. It didn't seem like a particularly painful topic for him to discuss, though she noticed the hurt expression when he mentioned his brother, Levi. That didn't bode well, though Wildfire did not interrupt. She let him finish, the information settling into her brain.

"Sorry for your losses," she said, ears splaying slightly. He had lost his biological parents, his adoptive father and his blood brother, by the sound of it. "I'm glad you have Floki... and Thistle. So she's his mother? And she's here? That's good," she observed with a flick of her black tail. "Sounds like you've been through a lot of rough stuff but never let it get you down," she added, admiration in her tone.

The boys hadn't left their parents by choice then; death had separated them from all but one. But they were doing well for themselves. It put everything into perspective for the young girl. If she decided to come here in the end, she would leave her parents alive and well at the caldera. And it wasn't even that far away. They could still meet up occasionally in the neutral territories between here and there. She filed this thought away in a cabinet at the back of her mind.

Charon had forgotten that he'd shared the death of his father with Dhole before. Thing was, he did that sort of thing a lot, especially when he was younger, if not only to garner sympathy. While a part of Charon did feel sad about his parents and the missed chances at getting to know them, he did not feel actual lingering sadness for losing the faceless wolves that had birthed him, for it felt like he had never known them at all, so young was he when he lost them. The only wolf he felt genuinely sad losing in his life was, truthfully, Levi — Levi had been the one constant in Charon's tumultuous life, and his disappearance had only confirmed to Charon that you shouldn't get too attached to those you love.

Charon was glad that Thistle had followed them here, to Moonspear, although he felt bitter towards her for being unhappy about it. Hopefully she'd come around once she found out what a fantastic place to live Moonspear was. He didn't say any of that to Dhole though, and just nodded to confirm that Thistle was Flóki's mother (and here). "Yup. Thistle used to be Alpha at the Bay, but after Ragnar died she became real unhappy so I think it'll give her some more rest to no longer be a leader now." Talking of the Bay made Charon realise how little he missed it, so far. He had imagined that he would miss Stavanger Bay and its sandy shores a lot more than he did.

When Dhole spoke admiringly of him and the hardships he'd surpassed, Charon tilted his head slightly and smiled softly at Dhole, clearly appreciating what she said about him. He was never one to turn down compliments and actually thrived on them, and so he guzzled this particular one up with no hesitation or modesty.

Thistle's story was a tragic one. Though she didn't know the woman, Wildfire's heart went out to her. Should she decide to join after all, she would make a point to seek her out and get to know her. She was Floki's mom, after all. Although Wildfire wouldn't project out too far, Thistle could become an important part of Wildfire's life if anything officially developed between herself and Floki.

"Well, I guess I should head home and let the caldera know our new neighbors are pretty much official." The young Outrider winked. She was sure none of the Redhawks would concern themselves much with the wolves of the Moonspear. At least they had chosen a landmark far enough away to alleviate any concerns. "Congratulations again, Charon. Thanks for taking the time to talk to me. I'm sure I'll stop by again soon... and I'll seriously think about your offer."

She offered him a smile and a dip of her smudged snout, then turned. She would have liked to see Floki but she would just have to check in with him another time. Whether or not she laid down roots here in the end, she was sure she would become something of a regular at the borders.

Charon smiled at Dhole and nodded when she said she would tell the wolves of Redhawk Caldera that Moonspear was going to be official soon. He realised then he didn't know much about the pack at all; he didn't even really know who lead it, or what sort of wolves it hosted. Well, he'd find out sooner or later, he imagined; maybe he would ask Dhole next time she visited... Or when she joined.

"See you soon," Charon said and he nodded in her direction. He watched as Dhole departed and then he continued to trail along his borders, peeing on trees, rolling his white fur along brushes and earth to spread his scent, all to confirm his claim that would soon be very real upon the borders.