Moonspear there's something tragic about you

We'll see how this goes! Tagging @Hydra @Lyra because she (and the rest of the Cerberus-Sisters) have permission to get rough with him if they wanna! And @Amekaze but she's busy; maybe @Charon ?? IDK who to tag lmao.

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The barrier that the mountains created meant he could not cross one way or the other for fear of slipping over an edge; there were so many and he was still not as skilled as he would have liked upon the slopes. In the days since fading from the wilds (as he often did), Tryphon had done his best to survive - he had excelled, actually. A life built upon being alone and cultivating one's own skills had paid off, and would continue to do so indefinitely.. But the man was tired of it. He had known this before. When he had met the stranger upon the border of the last pack (Easthollow) only to doubt himself and abandon hope - he had known, somehow, that his wandering days were coming to a close. Life could not persist like this for much longer. Tryphon yearned to be with his shadow again but did not know where to find her; he wished for an easier life rather than the torturous consistency of his own survivalist lifestyle; most of all, he wished for family in some sense. Somewhere to belong, someone to belong to - and this is what drove him over the impassible mountains and back in to the Teekon Wilds.

He did not know that he'd ended up returning until he reached a plateau upon the mountainside, and from there he could look to the north and see the ocean. It was a bizarre moment for Tryphon - as it might be for any wolf accustomed to views from the earth rather than from above - because he could look out at the azure band on the horizon and feel nothing. Whatever fear he once held for the sea hadn't entirely evaporated, but it had lessened. Or perhaps it was just that he couldn't identify that specific band of color as the ocean? Either was possible; but he looked out from his perch as he rested, took in the sights, breathed the dusty air with its hint of salt, and then began to climb on. There was no path; the mountains were just here and you either leveled yourself along their slopes, or you fell to your death. Sometimes it was easier - most of the time though, Tryphon had to follow the thickest tree growth, and more than once had to back-track to find some section of the heavily wooded mountain range that wasn't so choked with ferns and criss-crossing trees that he could fit through.

It was nearly midday when he found himself breathing easier, and at a lower altitude. There really was no telling how long he had spent toiling in his quest; it could have been months, it could have been a year for all he knew. But Tryphon - who began his life as a fat and awkward child only to develop in to something soft and pliable as a teen - had survived the mountain and returned to the wilds a different person. There was a gaunt quality to his summertime features, a strength to his gait, a bulk to his body. The mountain had done its work to cleave the excess fat from him and leave him stronger. He was a little worse for wear simply for being a lone wolf, but there was a rugged quality to him that so strongly resembled Njal that one could argue it was the old Russian reborn.

Tryphon found a dip in the earth where things leveled out, and it was here he took his moment to rest. He stretched, yawned, and began to pirouette on the spot in preparation for a nap - quite the antithesis of his many days of travel and adventure, but something he believed he had rightly earned - but there was something in the brambles nearby that caused the greenery to rustle. The man was on high-alert for anything to eat (or anyone to talk to) so he stopped his spinning and his moonshine eyes caught upon the blurred and ambiguous shape. He did not think to call out in case it was some sort of prey, and chose to seek it out with his head lowered, eager to fill his belly with something small and easy. Rest could come later - he had all the time in the world.

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was gonna leave this to Hydra but since it's also a joining thread i don't want to leave you waiting. i wasn't sure where he is exactly but i assumed at the borders. let me know if it was anywhere else and i'll edit. :)

He was sleep-depraved and weary, but a little less so than the year before, when he had the stress of Lazarus looming over and no adult daughters to help tend to his mate's every need. The girls helped out a lot and while Charon still spent most of his time guarding the den, there were enough moments when he could take a quick break from this work. He used these moments to patrol or hunt, usually, but sometimes to take a quick nap.

Today he was taking a patrol when he heard a rustling outside of the forests at Moonspear's slopes. His nose told him it was someone there and Charon chuffed just as he rounded a bramble bush along the borders to announce his presence, wearing his body proudly and dominantly in a silent request for submission.

Oop thorry!!!

 

Hydra was not far behind her father, though had been coming from the opposite edges of the territory on her patrol. Though she, too, heard a rustling—and from one end came Charon and the other, Hydra, as they discovered the stranger. They were outside of the borders, and so this warranted a stoic calm from her... though she held herself tall, too, expecting this stranger to respond accordingly to herself and her father. The stranger was no meek thing, which intrigued her—many of the loners that had come across them lately were weak and wanting.

He's somewhere near the borders on the mountain-range side.

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The shape he had followed turned out to be rather large, and not a prey creature like he had hoped. While the sounds of movement - and that amorphous shape - were distracting him, Tryphon saw the shining and pale coat of Charon first; then Hydra emerged from the forest and through a shaft of light, and the wanderer knew to reign in his aggression. He had never been a very abrasive creature. In knowing these were wolves, Tryphon also knew to keep his wits about him and the hunter's eye averted lest they think he mean them harm. Anyone who knew the man could attest that he was no warrior - albeit no pushover either, not after such a long while of toiling on the mountain slopes - but the man he had developed into could easily look threatening.

The pale wolf called to him. The shadow - who reminded Tryphon distinctly of Saghani and caused his heart to ache dully in his chest - was silent but just as imposing. The man rumbled a pleasant note towards them at first, parrying Charon's chuff with a crooning invitation of his own - but he stayed where he was, letting the two strangers roam around him rather than disrupt the scene. He did not know what to expect out of these two. However, the air was ripe with Charon's scent now that he could take notice of it, and Tryphon could only assume he had inadvertently stumbled across the fringes of a pack. This was a joyful occasion indeed! Although he was not known for being enthusiastic or emotional - he wore his Eeyore mask well, most days.

Hello, he started with, because it seemed the least awkward thing to begin an introduction with. Did I.. disturb you? The pale wolf looked a bit haggard, and Tryphon was not close enough nor discerning enough to smell the milk-scent beneath the natural cologne of alpha that he wore; plus he had averted his gaze, keeping his eyes nearer to Hydra and tracking her movements while his ears pivoted between the two of them. Were they going to attack him? Had he crossed too close? Or were they merely curious, as he was? Something told Tryphon (experience maybe) that he would've already been chased out if he'd come too far - so this did bode well indeed.

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Though there was enough space between the inner territories and this wolf at their borders, Charon was wary nonetheless. A little less wary when he noticed his daughter's approach; at times, having one of his dark daughters around felt like having a guard dog there, loyal to the bone and ready to protect the pack however it was needed. They had their priorities right and they would always protect the wolves of Moonspear.

Charon had expected he had business here, but considering his words then realised that he may just have stumbled upon the borders while he was journeying the mountain ridge. "Is there anything you need from this pack?" he asked in return, not answering the question he'd been asked. Ears cupped forward curiously while he kept his body language dominant.

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Both wolves were watching him, their posture confident but defensive, as if expecting something dire to come out of the interaction. When the pale wolf interjected with a pointed question Tryphon was a bit slow in his response, if only because he hadn't expected any such question. He yearned to be a part of something bigger - to be connected - but what if fate was pointing him in the wrong direction? He always doubted. It was possible for him to continue the life of the lone wolf indefinitely as well; he had made it this far, grown stronger for it... But maybe, just maybe, things were about to change. He had to make up his mind and there was no time to think.

Maybe, he murmured in a non-comittal tone, but then reconsidered that approach too. He did not wish to offend. How often would an alpha of a pack be asking such a question of him? How often would they sooner drive him away, barring hesitations? Tryphon looked between the two wolves, the dark and the light, and then carefully watched the alpha wolf - the pale creature with the stern expression - and said, I've been alone.. Almost my whole life. While I... do not wish to impose... If you could use me, I would be grateful. He spoke from the heart, which took some practice, so his phrasing was thoughtfully slow. My name is Tryphon. He was healthy, he was strong, he was young - all these things they could see, but what of the things they could not? The boy waited and wondered, ponderous and hopeful, for either wolf to ask more of him.

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Hydra was frustrated by Tryphon's initial response. Maybe? She wanted to respond then and there with a, yes or no. But fortunately for him he elaborated swiftly enough, before she could cut in. Her ears flicked atop her head and she glanced to her father before speaking: Where do your skills lie? She asked simply, wanting to be to the point. His physique demonstrated he was a survivor, even for being alone all the time he had mentioned. They could use him—but how? If his skillset was not necessary to them, well, then, they could also not use him—it was important to know. His name was a strong one, and it fit him well... but this was only the superficial aspect of him. Hydra looked deeper than this.

Hydra asked the question that he wanted to hear after finding out that the man was looking for a home. Charon was wary because he had been alone pretty much all his life, and what was to say that he'd stick around Moonspear after such a long time as a loner?

"I'm Charon Ostrega," he introduced in hopes of gathering a name back, but didn't speak for his daughter, allowing her introductions of her own. As an afterthought to Hydra's question he also asked, "Are you good around pups?" a question that was more relevant than ever at the mountain pack right now.

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His skills? The first question popped up from the girl, and so Tryphon turned his ears - and his eyes - but then he looked back to the pale man when he introduced himself. He responded with a hasty introduction of, Tryphon, which was somewhat hushed compared to the more confident and domineering sound of Charon's voice; the next question was similar to the first, and after a heartbeat to think, Tryphon had some kind of answer.

If they're young enough to need protection, or old enough to learn to defend themselves, yes. It wasn't a lie exactly, but Tryphon wasn't confident in his warrior-type abilities. He had the body of a mountain man but the heart of something far softer. For now, the strangers had only his appearance and his word to go on - not that he'd wish to mislead them - but it gave Tryphon a vague little advantage. But I am more of a hunter. I could... Could entertain them with stories of my travels, or help them with the basics. Be a teacher. It wasn't something he'd ever considered in his lifetime; but if he was to start over, why not start totally fresh? New home (maybe), new vocation (a laughable thought, but an endearing one).

Once he'd finished his response, he paused and watched the two of them - cautiously optomistic - but tensed, ready to depart if things did not work out. He would not waylay them further if there were other more important things to be doing.

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He answered both of their questions, and even was able to combine the two to his benefit, potentially. Hydra was taught everything she knew by her mother and father both, and eventually the pack took roles in furthering her knowledge on subjects her parents had been expert upon. It was never a bad thing to gain that sort of insight, so long as it was from a wolf that was wise and truly skilled. She supposed her father would know long before he put this Tryphon into the role of teacher whether or not his word was true. Hydra remained quiet, given he had answered her own question—she wanted to see if her father thought this stranger was suited to be among them.

It was a tough choice to make because he wasn't too keen on getting any new wolves into the pack while the pups were still so young and fragile. Yet he wanted to avoid last fall's situation where the pups had little adults around throughout their first crucial moments and this guy seemed stable enough.

After only a short moment of thought Charon nodded and said, "You can join. I'll show you where the pups are so you know where to protect and bring food." Then he turned away from the borders and made his way land inward, assuming Tryphon would follow.

My beebee has a hoooome. <3 exit tryphon!!

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With some surprise (and very little fanfare) Tryphon was accepted. It seemed.. Too easy. He was at first stunned and quiet, but then his tail bat at his hocks and he smiled wolfishly; as he followed after Charon the young rogue felt his spirits raise in a way he couldn't quite put words to. He had a home. He had a place to belong - or a place to try, anyway. For now this was enough. Thank you, he murmured softly as he followed, and then went quiet as the trio made their way.

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finishing this :)

Charon nodded as Tryphon uttered his thanks and then followed. Their trip was silent, presumably with the three of them or maybe Hydra would stay at the border. Charon showed the necessities to Tryphon before leaving him be, assuming that he wanted some rest. Usually when loners would come to the borders they were weary and he would rather leave them be for a few days before expecting usefulness out of them. Let them rest up so that they could be of full use to the pack soon. Charon himself returned to the birthing den soon after leaving Tryphon be to make sure Amekaze and the pups were alright.