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It was late in the evening. Individuals had begun to hunker down throughout the darkness as dusk pulled the last of the light away. Wolves were primarily active in the early morning and late evening, but with the oncoming winter, it was best to conserve energy and heat. The colder it got, the stranger Tryphon felt. He was antsy. He couldn't settle for more than a few minutes at a time, and with each new body added to the pile of warmth around him, he felt more and more unsure. So he got up, carefully stepping around the curled bodies of the Dusk wolves, and put some distance between himself and their silhouettes.
Tryphon was known for being aloof, and for hiding away from the pack, at least in the beginning. He had found a kinship with Dagfinn. A purpose with Saena. A strange sort of idolization with Warbone. So now, escaping again, things were different. He did not go as far from them as his heart willed. The boy slunk beneath a stand of poplar trees, wound between two cottonwoods which reached in to the heavens, and came to a halt beneath the arbutus on the far-side of the pack's current claim; it was where he had seen the hawk. He sat there in quiet contemplation for a bit, and stared up at the moon — which, come to think of it, was exceptionally large tonight.
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It was late in the evening. Individuals had begun to hunker down throughout the darkness as dusk pulled the last of the light away. Wolves were primarily active in the early morning and late evening, but with the oncoming winter, it was best to conserve energy and heat. The colder it got, the stranger Tryphon felt. He was antsy. He couldn't settle for more than a few minutes at a time, and with each new body added to the pile of warmth around him, he felt more and more unsure. So he got up, carefully stepping around the curled bodies of the Dusk wolves, and put some distance between himself and their silhouettes.
Tryphon was known for being aloof, and for hiding away from the pack, at least in the beginning. He had found a kinship with Dagfinn. A purpose with Saena. A strange sort of idolization with Warbone. So now, escaping again, things were different. He did not go as far from them as his heart willed. The boy slunk beneath a stand of poplar trees, wound between two cottonwoods which reached in to the heavens, and came to a halt beneath the arbutus on the far-side of the pack's current claim; it was where he had seen the hawk. He sat there in quiet contemplation for a bit, and stared up at the moon — which, come to think of it, was exceptionally large tonight.
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December 14, 2016, 11:18 PM
Saena pulled her head up, sliding her slender snout across a foreleg to ward off an itch, as someone rose from the tight bundle of Duskvale wolves. The rustle of their fur and the near-silent squeaking of snow under their paw pads caused her to whisk upward as well, and she stole after the departing pack wolf, conspicuous in the darkness but uncaring of it. With the Duskvale pack so close, she had nothing to fear.
As she went in pursuit of her pack mate, an amusing reversal of their roles that she was still unaware of, she became aware of who he was. Tryphon was often reclusive and removed from the pack, but he had found some kind of niche. Saena, unwitting as she was, hadn't noticed whether that was good or bad from his perspective. Truthfully, she'd been paying far more attention to Warbone of late than the yellow-masked Sveijarn, and the good-natured Dagfinn more easily drew her attention than did the morose Tryphon.
But under the light of a swollen moon, she felt like spending some time on him. She drew up softly behind him, under no illusion that he hadn't noticed her, and whined a quiet question of permission for his company.
As she went in pursuit of her pack mate, an amusing reversal of their roles that she was still unaware of, she became aware of who he was. Tryphon was often reclusive and removed from the pack, but he had found some kind of niche. Saena, unwitting as she was, hadn't noticed whether that was good or bad from his perspective. Truthfully, she'd been paying far more attention to Warbone of late than the yellow-masked Sveijarn, and the good-natured Dagfinn more easily drew her attention than did the morose Tryphon.
But under the light of a swollen moon, she felt like spending some time on him. She drew up softly behind him, under no illusion that he hadn't noticed her, and whined a quiet question of permission for his company.
December 15, 2016, 02:24 AM
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It was foolish to think he could escape the blanket of bodies without being noticed by someone. While he had hoped to be alone, it did not take long before a sound caught in his ears and Tryphon was alerted to company. He was half expecting it to be Warbone, or perhaps even Dagfinn — but both had been so busy throughout the day that, come to think of it, they were probably passed out among the throng of wolves he'd left behind.
The boy turned his head away from the moon. As his gaze settled upon the eerily illuminated woman he knew as his first (and, sort of, his ward) his ears slicked back. He dipped his head so that it was slightly lower, and did not meet her eyes, displaying signals of apology. Tryphon hoped he had not disturbed her of all people. A part of him expected to be disciplined, so he had an ear turned to listen while he murmured an inviting sound.
Tryphon wasn't about to deny Saena anything, least of all his company.
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It was foolish to think he could escape the blanket of bodies without being noticed by someone. While he had hoped to be alone, it did not take long before a sound caught in his ears and Tryphon was alerted to company. He was half expecting it to be Warbone, or perhaps even Dagfinn — but both had been so busy throughout the day that, come to think of it, they were probably passed out among the throng of wolves he'd left behind.
The boy turned his head away from the moon. As his gaze settled upon the eerily illuminated woman he knew as his first (and, sort of, his ward) his ears slicked back. He dipped his head so that it was slightly lower, and did not meet her eyes, displaying signals of apology. Tryphon hoped he had not disturbed her of all people. A part of him expected to be disciplined, so he had an ear turned to listen while he murmured an inviting sound.
Tryphon wasn't about to deny Saena anything, least of all his company.
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December 16, 2016, 10:42 PM
Saena watched the thin tips of Tryphon's ears disappear into shadow as he shifted them down, and she shook her head lightly to dissuade him. No. There was no need for that tonight. Sometimes, when Saena was in a particularly feisty mood, she would show dominance to the men of the pack. Typically she left it to Warbone. Her attention was more often focused on the women, of which there were precious few. Truthfully, the first bitch liked it that way.
"Can't sleep?" she wondered, finding a place to settle on her haunches near to him, but hopefully not intrusively so. Saena was coming to embrace the lifestyle Warbone introduced her to, but she knew it was a difficult transition to make, and the more taciturn Tryphon seemed to have a hard time with it. She wanted to know why, and what she could do to help, but she was also too nervous of his potential rejection to ask outright.
"Can't sleep?" she wondered, finding a place to settle on her haunches near to him, but hopefully not intrusively so. Saena was coming to embrace the lifestyle Warbone introduced her to, but she knew it was a difficult transition to make, and the more taciturn Tryphon seemed to have a hard time with it. She wanted to know why, and what she could do to help, but she was also too nervous of his potential rejection to ask outright.
December 17, 2016, 02:23 PM
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In the days since Warbone had given him his purpose, Tryphon hadn't had much one-on-one time with the woman he was charged to watch over. He felt as if he saw her every day, but he didn't know her very well at all. But he respected her. Ever since meeting at the plateau he had formed a fast attachment. So when Saena appeared relaxed and aloof, not disciplinary, he took the hint.
What had that been? Maybe he was more tired than he'd thought?
The boy chose to ignore it, as odd as his jerking head might've looked. He tried to cover it up by turning to stare up at the moon again, watching it with a mixture of feigned awe.
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In the days since Warbone had given him his purpose, Tryphon hadn't had much one-on-one time with the woman he was charged to watch over. He felt as if he saw her every day, but he didn't know her very well at all. But he respected her. Ever since meeting at the plateau he had formed a fast attachment. So when Saena appeared relaxed and aloof, not disciplinary, he took the hint.
I tried,he murmured quietly in response, not wanting to rouse anyone else from their sleep. It was a bit of a fib, though. Tryphon had been laying around with the others and watching them, and his mind had become too energized as he observed. He hadn't relaxed. What bothered him most was the familiarity of the snow — he had vague recollections of being in a place of constant cold, of shining ice fields and -- a meadow overflowing with sunset purples! The image flicked through his mind so fast that he kind of twitched, zoning out from his conversation with Saena.
What had that been? Maybe he was more tired than he'd thought?
The boy chose to ignore it, as odd as his jerking head might've looked. He tried to cover it up by turning to stare up at the moon again, watching it with a mixture of feigned awe.
I like it here,the second admitted.
I'm just... Not used to it. So many bodies in one place.That was the truth, although his voice did sound distracted.
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December 18, 2016, 11:06 AM
When Tryphon flinched, so did Saena. She had learned little of the man in the time they'd come to call the vale home, being unaware of his tendency to follow her, but she did know there was something a little different about him. His sociability was low on the best of days, and it wasn't the first time he'd seemed to zone out for one reason or another. Saena chose not to press the issue, but the knitting together of her brows and the concerned downturn of her lips might make clear her worry for his reaction to what looked to be nothing.
His difficulty adjusting could be chalked up to a lot of things, but Saena understood it well enough. There were still days she wanted to be alone and was frustrated by the constant throng of activity, but then she recalled how distant the wolves of the maplewood had been—in hindsight they'd all been perfect strangers—and all uneasiness slid away. "It's hard to get used to wolves being around all the time," she agreed. She wished she could get away, but in the end, she wouldn't have it any other way. To return to what she'd known before was a depressing thought.
"Is there anything I can do to make it easier for you?" This was said with true concern as her pale blue eyes turned to Tryphon. She wanted him to feel at ease and at home in the valley, of course. If there was an adjustment she could make for his benefit, she would do so... at least insofar as Warbone would allow.
His difficulty adjusting could be chalked up to a lot of things, but Saena understood it well enough. There were still days she wanted to be alone and was frustrated by the constant throng of activity, but then she recalled how distant the wolves of the maplewood had been—in hindsight they'd all been perfect strangers—and all uneasiness slid away. "It's hard to get used to wolves being around all the time," she agreed. She wished she could get away, but in the end, she wouldn't have it any other way. To return to what she'd known before was a depressing thought.
"Is there anything I can do to make it easier for you?" This was said with true concern as her pale blue eyes turned to Tryphon. She wanted him to feel at ease and at home in the valley, of course. If there was an adjustment she could make for his benefit, she would do so... at least insofar as Warbone would allow.
December 19, 2016, 04:57 PM
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He knew he was being strange. That the feeling of the cold upon his skin should not have felt so warm to him. That the sight of the treetops covered in white should've been nothing important, but there was something there, something caught in his mind, and Tryphon couldn't stop trying to figure it out. Sleep was something they all needed, but it was moments like this (with the pack relaxed and away from him) that Tryphon felt he had a chance to discover something.
What he'd said had been valid. A part of him wasn't adapted to the consistency the pack represented. It was different from what he'd known before. But it wasn't the whole truth. And when Saena offered her help, Tryphon didn't know what to say. He watched her - his face lit with some surprise at first, then transitioned to something sad, because he knew she couldn't really help him. He licked his lips, a thoughtful quirk he shared with his forgotten father.
He swallowed his thoughts with a gulp. A sigh drifted from his nose and dissipated visibly around him, like a billowing scarf made of cloud.
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He knew he was being strange. That the feeling of the cold upon his skin should not have felt so warm to him. That the sight of the treetops covered in white should've been nothing important, but there was something there, something caught in his mind, and Tryphon couldn't stop trying to figure it out. Sleep was something they all needed, but it was moments like this (with the pack relaxed and away from him) that Tryphon felt he had a chance to discover something.
What he'd said had been valid. A part of him wasn't adapted to the consistency the pack represented. It was different from what he'd known before. But it wasn't the whole truth. And when Saena offered her help, Tryphon didn't know what to say. He watched her - his face lit with some surprise at first, then transitioned to something sad, because he knew she couldn't really help him. He licked his lips, a thoughtful quirk he shared with his forgotten father.
I don't know. Its not just the wolves.. Its the winter.How vague and.. and inconsiderate! She was here to help and all he could offer her for clues were vagaries and strangeness. The boy frowned, his brow knitting together for a second.
I don't know where I come from. But I think its somewhere that... That the winter is always. I thought it was the mountains before, because they smelled so nice and because I found.. I found a friend among them.He spoke of Saghani, but in voicing that thought Tryphon realized he had made more than just one friend while traveling across the peaks; he'd built a family, and Saena was the root of that.
He swallowed his thoughts with a gulp. A sigh drifted from his nose and dissipated visibly around him, like a billowing scarf made of cloud.
I want to remember. The way you remember the plateau.He hadn't forgotten their meeting, nor how she had spoken of the place where she had once lived. He didn't realize that her memories were just as foggy as his own, though.
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"Hm," mused Saena, not really understanding Tryphon's first claim, but he elaborated and then she understood. Or, well, she tried. The plateau smelled of forests and rock, and so the smell of forest and rock had always evoked a warmth in Saena, so she could understand how winter might do the same for a wolf from a land of winter. Sadly, she didn't know of any place where winter was permanent. The closest thing in the wilds was the taiga, and even that thawed in the summer, though there was a decent amount of permafrost she was completely unaware of.
"I wish I could help you remember," she told him, "the truth is, I don't remember a lot, either. Just some. Maybe we just aren't meant to remember our childhoods completely." Or maybe her memories were still fucked up and she wasn't able to tell the difference. "I don't know of anywhere like that, but the taiga in the north is cold most of the year. Maybe a little further north than that, it's always cold?" It was worth a shot. She'd never gone that far, so she didn't know.
"If you need some time away to... I dunno, look for it or scout out every now and again, but come back to check in and such... I wouldn't mind. Warbone might, though." Her stoic companion was far from understanding on the subject of wandering, she'd come to learn.
"I wish I could help you remember," she told him, "the truth is, I don't remember a lot, either. Just some. Maybe we just aren't meant to remember our childhoods completely." Or maybe her memories were still fucked up and she wasn't able to tell the difference. "I don't know of anywhere like that, but the taiga in the north is cold most of the year. Maybe a little further north than that, it's always cold?" It was worth a shot. She'd never gone that far, so she didn't know.
"If you need some time away to... I dunno, look for it or scout out every now and again, but come back to check in and such... I wouldn't mind. Warbone might, though." Her stoic companion was far from understanding on the subject of wandering, she'd come to learn.
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Truthfully, it was disheartening to learn the truth. If Saena couldn't remember things that clearly, what hope was there for him? But she gave him a chance to explore his thoughts and the many possibilities playing out through his mind. He did think about it - for about thirty seconds - before the crease in his brow lifted and he shook his head.
Whether he was from the taiga or not, curious about his past or not, he couldn't leave the vale. Not while his promise to Warbone still seemed pertinent. Even with Saena's blessing, the boy didn't feel like he could wander too far. What if he found something? What if he didn't come back? Before the thoughts could overwhelm him, he gave a shake of his head.
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Truthfully, it was disheartening to learn the truth. If Saena couldn't remember things that clearly, what hope was there for him? But she gave him a chance to explore his thoughts and the many possibilities playing out through his mind. He did think about it - for about thirty seconds - before the crease in his brow lifted and he shook his head.
Whether he was from the taiga or not, curious about his past or not, he couldn't leave the vale. Not while his promise to Warbone still seemed pertinent. Even with Saena's blessing, the boy didn't feel like he could wander too far. What if he found something? What if he didn't come back? Before the thoughts could overwhelm him, he gave a shake of his head.
No. I'd like to, maybe, one day. I'm.. I'm thankful that you trust me enough to say that,which was an odd thing to admit, but to be fair, Tryphon saw himself as a big unknowable entity with a habit of abandoning even the best of circumstances. He wasn't willing to test his limits by leaving the vale, not yet.
But my place is here, with you. And -- and the others.Tryphon's ears fanned out like little horns atop his head, and as he turned to look at the sky again, he tried not to think too much about how dumb he had just sounded.
Maybe in the summer. There's always going to be time.Meanwhile, he'd continue to agonize.
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