Dawnlark Plains through gutters filled with black debris

The world had gone mad. Absolutely mad. There was a rising din in the air and a darkness to the horizon which Betelgeuse had pointedly ignored — but then it came, fast and hard, as he was passing through the trees. The locusts overtook the forest without thought and without prejudice, filling the air with their noise; he was left standing by chance alone, overwhelmed by their sudden onslaught and immense appetite. They worked their way through everything green — and Betelgeuse watched them, twitching at every touch they granted him, being transfixed and awed by the carnage they left behind.

He slunk away to a dark place and hid there for hours on end. Sleep did not come — the sound of them swallowed him up, and Betelgeuse was stuck in a state of wakeful silence, watching as the bugs worked. he thought of nothing. Not the quest to find his brother, nor the whereabouts of his sister, or anything else — he just watched. Then, as the din slowly left the area, Betelgeuse pulled himself from his secret spot and began to survey the world left behind.

For starters, there was nothing here.

The grass had been worked over and only open patches of soil were left. They reminded him of fresh wounds where fur refused to grow. Some patches were so bad that Betelgeuse found only the dead bits of bugs. Not even any roots were left in others. The next thing he realized was that @Gypsy wasn't anywhere to be found; he had not seen her in his departure from the trees, and the plains no longer held the tall reeds which could obscure his view. The piggish man was left with nothing but dirt - dirt, and the faraway mountains - and so he turned towards them and began a fresh march.

I hope you don't mind me insert Slancio in @Betelgeuse

The famine was driving him bad. All hints of large prey was far gone, and even tracks of small prey were uncommon. Hoping the destruction was lessened further away from the coast, Slancio had travelled inland for a day or two. He had gotten some lucky catches at the marshes, but as he travelled on, there wasn't a sign of more prey. It seemed that he had travelled to this land at a bad time.

The soil beneath his feet was soft and was once grassy, but was now turned over and messy. The worked over soil stained his paws, and he grimanced at his dirty paws. Dead locusts swarmed around the soil, Slancio picking his way gingerly through them. The open land around him was practically a wasteland, and Slancio wondered why he had travelled out here.

Yet as his eyes kept scanning the surroundings, wondering if the mountains around would hold more luck for prey, a shape caught his eye. He watched as it moved closer to him, towards the mountains he had been thinking of visiting. Not one to turn down an encounter, especially around lands like these, he hurried himself over together the bulkish body of the other wolf.

He had not been moving too quickly or for very long before sensing something amiss. The beast paused and turned his attention to his surroundings, wondering if it was just his (limited) imagination getting to him, or if his sister had indeed found him. Then out of the empty expanse before him, an entity emerged. They were a blur at first - too far to make out - and the boar-man's head was turned in the opposite direction.

When his gaze traced back to the approaching stranger, his burly shoulders tensed, and the fur there spiked and prickled with uncertainty. Betelgeuse made no move to intercept the oncoming creature, and rather, he lowered his head and spaced his paws evenly beneath himself, just in case they were incoming to attack. His jaw was loose (more so than usual), as he showcased the crooked teeth that had earned him his second name.

In these desperate times wolves did stupid things. Approaching a beast such as himself for instance, was likely one of the worse things someone could do. It was not Gypsy that came upon him now but a boy. He was young but not small, sprightly yet clearly weathered by the sorrowful state of the world. With a low rumble easing from his chest, Betelgeuse took a few careful steps as if to come closer, but his body deviated around the boy's approaching figure. His gaze sparked with uncertainty and danger, adding to the message: stay back. It would be the only warning.

The other wolf seemed to have noticed him, yet did not choose to acknowledge him. Slancio interally raised an eyebrow, wondering if the other wolf was unfriendly. Well, he wanted to gain some intel on these lands, and when you were in a place like you, you can't afford to be picky. Silently, he padded over, hoping that the other wolf would not attack him when he got close.

The bulkish body of the other wolf stiffened when he neared. Slancio wondered if he was nervous, or was readying himself to attack. The quicksilver wolf made his way over, trying to take in the other wolf. He was tall, and bulkish, and his jaw seemed to hang down in an awkward angle. He was clearly affected by the famine, but he still stood his ground.

The other wolf took a few steps forward, and Slancio wondered if he was being friendly, yet the low rumble in the other wolf's chest bought him to a stop. Canting his head slightly, he relaxed his posture, dropping his tail, trying to tell the other wolf he meant no harm, only seeking to talk to him.

It took a moment for the slow-witted warrior to understand what was happening. This was not an assault, but more of a greeting. He was still wary; his body stiff and fur bristling all over. The rumbling in his chest died out gradually, until all that was left was Betelgeuse's slack-jawed staring. He studied the stranger before him — then, deciding he could be less cautious, he drifted nearer with his nose lifting to sniff at the air about the proposed enemy. He was ready to respond with aggression if the need arose, and he was suspicious of this haggard stranger, not realizing that the ruined state of the world contributed to the hungry wolf's state of being.

Though it took a few more moments, the message seemed to have gotten through, as the other wolf relaxed a bit and the rumbling died down. The awkward hanging of the other wolf's jaw did not change thought, and Slancio was left wondering if it was natural or caused by some form of an accident. The other wolf sniffed at the air, seemingly sniffing at him.

While the other male had relaxed, he still seemed wary of him. Slancio inwardly shurgged, not everybody can be as welcoming as Ondine or Teagan. He thought fondly of the two wolves he had met before, before turning back to reality and the wolf. "Hello," he barked out when he was near enough to be heard. "My name is Slancio."

Wowowow I thought I'd replied already, derp.

Welcoming was not a word used to describe Betelgeuse, almost as if he went out of his way to be a harrowing host, if the need ever arose. Here and now the man was an observer, and still not wholly invested in the company he kept. Whether it was this long wolf or his dear sister, Betelgeuse was of a similar mind: keep them all away for as long as possible. He was a wolf, but not a social one.

The stranger's voice lilted in a friendly manner, and Betelgeuse found this more off-putting than any aggression he may have presented. It bothered him more that this Slancio was being kind to him. What purpose could he have for that? This place was empty of everything necessary for survival, so any mindful beast would be fleeing the scene, not trying to make nice. Betelgeuse snorts softly as he pulls his head away from the stranger, and licks a line of drool off his chin before it can dribble out of his open mouth.

He continues to study the stranger, curious now but ultimately leery of him, and eventually moans: Nothing here, as if stating the obvious will alert him to the futility of pleasant conversation. He didn't have food, so Betelgeuse did not need to take it; there was no food to hunt, so Betelguese did not need to be here. He was simple-minded indeed.

Slancio had watched the other wolf carefully, trying to judge what he was thinking based on any shift in his posture or gaze. He seemed to be deep in thought, and Slancio didn't open his mouth until he was nearer, trying not to spook him. He left himself standing a couple of strides away, as the other wolf still seemed wary of him, and Slancio wasn't an idiot trying to get himself killed.

The stranger snorted softly before licking a small trail of drool off his face. Once again, Slancio silently wondered what had happened to have caused the awkward hanging of the other wolf's jaw. Before the stranger simply barked out "nothing here". Slancio looked a around a little. I can see that, he thought dryly. "Except me and you, it seems." He replied.

Ive had a super shitty week and a very long weekend of work, so this is probably nonsense! Sorryyy.

The stranger looked at him for a moment, and then spoke. They seemed to share a dullness betwixed the two of them, stating the obvious to-and-fro. Betelgeuse grunted as a response, implying acquiescence, and then took a bold stride closer to the stranger, perhaps to appear imposing and to intimidate. He did not do anything aside from walk by him, letting the fur of his tumultuous scruff and shoulders barely touch upon the stranger as he did so — and he murmured, Yes, but why.

He let a momentary silence fall between them, but then severed it with a small cough, adding: The bugs, they do not frighten me. Ah, so he could string together a proper sentence. And you, he leveled his dim eyes upon the stranger, turning abruptly and ignoring the man's personal boundary as he thrust his snout towards him, sniffing and snuffling like a wild pig across the man's pelt in search of clues, You look upon me like food? A strange question indeed.

Perhaps not a question at all, though. Betelgeuse did not know what else would draw a wolf out in to the open like this. If he was not hunting for something to eat, then what else could he be hunting for but the company of another wolf? Either way - as friend or food - Betelgeuse was not eager to take part.

No worries. Same here except that I'm in class rn hehe

A small grunt was elicted from the stranger, before he took a bold stride forward. Slancio almost backed off, but stood his ground as the other male allowed the blades of fur on their shoulders just to lightly brush, before inquiring why. "The locusts drove them away, I guess" Slancio shrugged nonchalantly. Well that much was obvious... He cringed internally at what he said. Even though they had basically just been pointing out the obvious the entire conversation, Slancio still felt kinda for giving such an aswer.

But the silence was over and the stranger coughed, saying that the bugs did not bother him. And Slancio too, apparently. Feeling slightly uncomfortable when the male thrusted his snout at him and sniffed at him, he shifted from foot to foot. When the other male asked if he looked upon like food, Slancio's first reaction was a verbal "Excuse me?", he was confused as to what the other wolf meant.

He thought through all the possible meanings for that quickly, before coming to a conclusion that the male was asking him if he seeked him? Slancio silently raised an eyebrow, throughly confused at this point. "No, I do hold you on a higher regard than food." He picked a neutral answer, trying not the offend the other wolf.

Good. The beast rumbled, although it was far from a pleasant sound, perhaps it was the closest he could muster. He leveled a suspicious glare at the stranger as he pulled away from him, having learned all he needed during his investigation so close, and closed his mouth as much as he could with a brief scowl slipping across his face. There's no reason for you to be here, then. Food is needed, and I am not that, was he trying to explain himself? Maybe. But he did so poorly, being nothing like his smooth-talking brother or wiley sister. He wasn't leaving though. Betelgeuse's gaze widened slightly as he looked upon the stranger, and he licked his own chops again. You could be food, his face split with a grin made more malevolent by his jutting lower teeth, and he let out a crackling mess of noise that was likely intended as laughter. but not yet.

one more rounds of posts?

Slancio awkward glanced towards the side, trying to silently plot an escape route. Awkward situations weren't his thing, and he much prefered to avoid them. He tried not to scutter away at the other male's glare, holding his ground. He shifted from foot to foot silently, trying to give himself something to do. "Food is needed," He agreed aloud. "You are not." he deadpanned, after hearing the other male's full sentence.

He drew back slightly, ready to move. "I won't be, " He stated firmly, when the other male made a remark about him being food. "Not now, not ever." He restated, making a move to leave.

Betelgeuse was hungry, but he was not aware of the full extent of the locusts, nor had he succubed to the effects of the famine - the famine itself would get worse, and he would suffer through it. His eyes remained wide and bright, focused on the stranger, and he loosed a low chuckle when the other began to leave. He did not move as he watched. Maybe, maybe, he murmured finally, but the warrior knew that hard times were ahead, and he would not allow himself to fade away so easily.

Last post from Slancio, you can either archive or make one more post?

He casted a gaze over the destroyed territory, wondering what it had looked like when it was still beautiful and whole. Pondering if he would ever see the land fixed and healthy, he turnt his back to the stranger, realising he had never learn his him. Shrugging, he began to make his way from this territory back to Saltwinter. This trip had not yielded anything useful to him, and he slightly regretted coming here.

He heard the other male's parting words, and twisted his head back to glance at the other wolf one more time, his paws carrying him back to the coast and his home.