Porcupine Ridge Grab your passport and my hand

Slavik had taken down Speedy, and pinned her in the shallows. He stared down at her with a boastful grin, and laughed at her comment. What can I say, I got moves, he joked, his warm gaze fixed on hers. He started to back up off of her to let her up, when he smelled a light metallic tang in the air. Blood. Instantly he got worried, and instead of backing up to let her stand, he began to sniff all through her fur. He would feel horrible if he'd injured her somehow.

Are you hurt? Did I hurt you? he asked, finally pinpointing the smell to a healing scar on her shoulder. It didn't look like something he'd done, and it didn't look bad either, but still he was worried.

She laughed at his remark. I'm sure you have all kinds of moves, she said with a playful raise of an eyebrow. He had began to move and let her up but stopped suddenly and started moving his nose through her fur furiously as if trying to find something. She stayed still and watched him curiously, not quite sure what he was looking for. Realization struck her when he stopped at her wound. The jagged claw mark had opened just a little under the now very moist scab that had formed there and a small amount of blood had started to seep out. At his questions, she offered him a quick, comforting nuzzle under his chin, wanting to soothe the worry that now filled his expression. Don't worry, it's not from you, she answered softly, thinking his concern was incredibly sweet.

Slavik was comfoted by not only her words but also a sweet nuzzle at his chin. It made him feel better, but still he didn't want to injure her further. He hadn't smelled blood when they began so the wound must've opened up during their play. The big sunspot leaned into her nuzzle, returning it with a friendly nip at her cheek fur. Then he backed up off of her, allowing her to stand. How did you get it? You don't seem like a fighter, but I'm not judging, he said with a teasing smile. He started to wade back closer to the edge of the lake, hoping she would follow.

Speedy stood  and shook out her sandy coat when he moved from on top of her. She let out a small chuckle at his observation that she didn't seem like a fighter. I am definitely not a fighter, she replied with a grin. She was small and lithe, built for speed not for battle. Her expression turned sheepish as she made to follow him from the water. I accidentally surprised a lynx and it clawed me before I could get away, she explained. It was a stupid move on her part; one that was so very deserved since she frequently went bounding around not paying close attention to her surroundings. I was lucky to have some herbs and flowers stashed nearby where it happened and was able to keep it from getting infected, she explained further as they continued to make their way from the lake.

Slavik smiled at Speedy’s chuckle and comment about not being a fighter. He could relate, but for different reasons. Me either, he said as they walked through the water. She explained what happened to her, Slavik winced at the thought of getting clawed by a lynx. He’d only seen one of them once, and while it was smaller than him it’s claws were very menacing. That must’ve sucked, he said. She then told him about how she had herbs nearby, and Slavik’s ears perked with interest. Are you a healer? he asked, as it was a subject he himself was interested in.

He pranced onto the rocky ground and gave a magnificent show of shaking the water from his fur. The golden fuzz stuck out in all different directions now, and he looked pretty silly. Normally he would’ve gone to work grooming his fur, for he liked to look nice whenever he could. But he didn’t feel the need to right now. He flopped down onto his side and curved his spine, make a little cubby in front of him for Speedy if she wanted to cuddle. He patted the ground with a big paw and gave her a friendly smile.

She silently wondered why he wasn't a fighter. He certainly had the size, although it took more than size to be a warrior or guardian. When he stated that getting clawed by a lynx would suck, she gave a small huff of laughter and replied, Yeah, it did. They might be small, but their claws still hurt just as much as any big cat. He asked if she was healer and she nodded her head. She was about to elaborate further, but they had reached the shore and she was momentarily distracted by his beautiful fur as he shook the water from it. When he was done, his hair stuck out adorably in all directions. She followed suit and shook the water from her coat as well, her hair sticking out much like his had.

She watched him lie down and when he invited her to lie in the curvature of his body, she gladly accepted, trotting over and snuggling up against him. The cave was chilly, and she took a second to soak up his warmth before finally answering his question. I am a healer. My mom taught me some things before I left home, and I've been trying to build on my knowledge, she explained. Unable to resist the urge to touch his molten pelt any longer, she reached over and began softly grooming the damp fur on the part of his neck that she could easily reach. She paused the grooming just long enough to inquire, Why do you ask? Once the question was asked, she promptly went back to work on his coat.

...Hurt as much as any big cat she said, and Slavik spent only a few seconds wondering what other kinds of big cats there were, and what size made them considered big. After reaching the shore and lying down, Slavik watched as Speedy finished shaking her own pelt out. He gave an amused smile, as now they both looked rather like mops. She curled up where Slavik had made room for her, her damp fur clung tighter to her body and Slavik could easier feel the rise and fall of her breaths.

He tightened his body around her, closing his eyes and becoming fully content next to her. They both exerted warmth, and he felt perfectly serene. She answered his question about being a healer, adding in some context about her past. He opened his mouth to answer her question, pausing only to watch what she was doing as she began to groom him. I’m mostly a hunter, but I want to be a caregiver too. I like taking care of wolves who need help, so I want to look into knowing a little healing. I only know the basics, he said, then bent down to lick flat some of the fur on Speedy’s head.

She gently moved her muzzle through the fur on his neck and down his chest as he spoke, working out any knots and smoothing down any stray hairs. She occasionally paused to lean into the licks he delivered to her head, closing her eyes and enjoying the feeling of being groomed and of his large warm body hugged tightly around hers. 

She understood the need to help others, it was a strong urge of hers, as well. Emotional pain called to her more than anything, but she never liked to see a another wolf hurting regardless of the cause. When she saw pain or sadness or anger she almost ached with the need to soothe the sufferer. Speedy was social and enjoyed being around others, but being in the presence of another healer was her favorite, as if that part of her recognized its equal in other caregivers. She supposed that was why they had hit it off so well. I only knew the basics when I first came here, too. I'm still learning, but maybe we can learn together, she suggested, moving her face from his damp fur and looking up at him with a warm smile. Caregiving was a calling, and she would gladly help him get some more experience under his belt. She needed the experience, too, so it would be mutually beneficial.

Slavik's tail began to subconsciously thump on the ground when Speedy got to his chest fur. It tickled a little, but mostly felt good. He paused in cleaning her head to crack a smile when she reached a particularly ticklish spot. He moved his head down to begin grooming her neck fur, licking gently behind her ears.

Slavik paused in his grooming when Speedy said they should learn together, and he turned his head to meet her golden gaze. He suddenly realized that he really liked Speedy. Not necessarily in a like like manner, but he didn't want to simply leave her and continue on alone, such was the life of the lone wolf. They'd only just met, but they had a lot in common, and he wanted more time to spend with her. Maybe they could travel together. I'd love to learn with you, but on one condition, he said, cocking his head to the side to plant a lick on her cheek. Travel with me.

She grinned at Slavik when he requested that she travel with him. Shit, that was an easy deal to agree to. They had only just met, but she already felt drawn to him. She didn't quite understand why yet, but she chalked it up to their similar personalities. She planted a soft lick on his cheek in response and answered, I would love to. She loved to explore and it would be nice to have company, as she often found herself feeling lonely. Her need to wander constantly battled with her need for affection and companionship, so now she could have both. She new it was only a temporary fix to her current predicament--she wasn't ready to join a pack but couldn't spend the frigid winter on her own. Speedy knew she would still have to cave eventually and end her traveling ways, at least for the winter, but with a travel buddy, she could put it off a little longer. Plus, she was pretty sure they would have fun exploring together and learning about their chosen craft. 

She had promised to stop asking new friends about their past because it seemed to force them to relive painful memories, or make them feel obligated to talk about uncomfortable things, but if they were going to be spending time together, she wanted to more about him. She briefly averted her gaze, unsure if she should ask, but then decided to just got for it. Fixing her sunny eyes back on his face, she asked, What brought you here? After the words left her lips, she quickly went to work licking the damp hair under his chin while she waited for his answer. At the very least, if it was something painful for him to talk about, maybe he would find her soft grooming comforting.

Slavik's lick was returned, and her words brought a soft flutter to his heart. A warm smile spread across his face, as he realized that he was no longer a lone wolf. Well he was a lone wolf, but he wasn't alone, and that meant the world to him. His original plan was that he would head back to Sunspire, and see if they still had room for him in their ranks, but now he wasn't so sure. He would still love to see them again, and maybe one day join them, but with a friend at his side, traveling seemed all the more fun.


Feeling a giddy excitement, Slavik let out a happy purr, and shifted his front half to face her better. He was in a similar thought process as her, he wanted to get to know her better. She beat him to the question, but he didn't mind. He raised his chin as she went back to licking at the damp fur, Well, technically I followed you to this cave, he said with a light chuckle, his eyes closing as she groomed him, but nah. I'm from a pack called the Kendry's, my family. We lived out on these plains, it was nice there but I'm glad I left. I'm having much more fun here, he said, breaking away from her licks to bend down and start grooming the fur around her shoulders.

What about you? Where are you from Speedy? he asked in between licks.

She chuckled. Following the scent of an unknown wolf through a dark tunnel sounded exactly like something she would do. She listened as he told her where he was from, continuing her licks as he spoke. His home sounded nice so she wondered, What made you want to leave? Although she, too, was glad he was here instead, she was interested to see what motivated him to leave his home and come to an unknown place. 

When Slavik moved to groom her shoulders, she lifted her head to make it easier for him. She didn't answer his question right away, distracted by how much she was enjoying the way his licks felt against her. Eventually remembering his words she answered, My family's pack, Apache Creek, was in a place way south of here with canyons and hot summers. I left to find my own way and ended up here. I miss my family a lot, but I'm also glad I left. It felt right, she explained. She missed them the most when the loneliness was at its worst, but she never regretted her decision to forge her own own path in life.

At the next question Slavik gave an amused snort. The fact that he was enjoying himself so much on this adventure was almost ironic, considering how hard he'd made Simsey work to get him to leave, I didn't at first. At Kendry Plains, we have this tradition that kind of sucks a little bit, when you turn one you have to decide whether or not to pledge yourself to the pack and stay, or leave. Either way its a go all in kind of deal. I was originally gonna stay with my sister Arway, but my other sister Simsey convinced me that we should leave and explore the world together, he explained.

I was so stubborn too! I really wasn't gonna go, but on the day we were supposed to decide I made this spur of the moment decision and went with her. We had fun traveling together at first but then one day she decided she would be fine without me. I was real pissed at first but everything turned out ok, he said. He'd never been one to keep secrets, so his past flowed easily from his lips.

Speedy spoke next about her own pack, as Slavik groomed her back. They were both from the south it seemed, and were used to the heat. Overall, their stories sounded sort of similar, other than his family traditions and indecisive sister. Same, glad I left, but I loved my family. Still do, he said, feeling the bitter sweet feeling he sometimes got when he thought of his parents, and Arway, and even Sim, all together as a family.

He still wanted to know more about Speedy, and a question popped into his mind. Ok, so I'm sure you get this one a lot, but why Speedy? He asked, curious as to the name. There had to be a reason for that frickin awesome name, either that or her parents just had style.

She listened to his story, eventually moving to lick the part of his ear she could reach as he spoke. She decided that if she was faced with a similar situation, she would probably make the same decision. Smiling against his fur, she said, I think I would have done the same. I don't like being forced to make decisions. She supposed that made her stubborn as well, but she didn't care. So, you don't know where your sister is? she asked, concern crossing her features. It would be hard not to know that her siblings were home safe. She tried not to think too much about the fact that her family was in that exact position with her. They had no idea where she was, but surely they knew she as way to tenacious to get killed, although sometimes, she wondered how she hadn't died yet; she had done some careless things while out on her own. 

She could tell he loved his family by the way he talked about them, but it just made him seem extra sweet that he felt compelled to tell her that he did. She would have nuzzled him then had she been able to reach his face, but she couldn't, so instead she just watched him groom the fur along her back with a content smile on her face.

Her smile turned to a grin when he brought up her name again. I was born first in my litter, and it happened so quickly, that my dad hadn't had a chance to make it to whelping den yet. Apparently, his exact words were, 'That was speedy,' upon seeing me already cleaned and nursing when arrived. So, they decided that should be my name, she explained, laughing a little at the story she had heard her parents tell more times than she could count. It turned out to fit me quite well as pup, too, because I was always sneaking away to get into trouble before anyone could tell I was gone, she added, laughter still present in her golden gaze.

Slavik felt that he and Speedy had much in common, they thought similarly and just seemed to click. When prompted about his sister’s location, his eyebrows narrowed. No, I don’t know. But I’m sure she’s ok, believe it or not she was as big as me! he said with a smile though he was still trying to convince himself. If Simsey was in trouble and he didn’t even know, it was a fear that crossed his mind often. Being an empathetic wolf, his family and friends meant the world to him, and he would protect them at all costs. He would be broken if in someway he’d let her down.

At the point in Speedy’s tale when she dictated her father’s first words to her, Slavik let out good natured laugh. That sounded like the kind of thing he’d do, and he totally admired her parent’s spunk. That’s amazing. That was Speedy, he repeated, then met her golden eyes. She said it fit her well, and the blonde nodded enthusiastically in agreement. Oh definitely it does! Dude, if I hadn’t tricked you there’d a’ been no way i could’ve caught you in the lake, he said with a teasing grin, giving her a quick lick on her nose.

Slavik described his sister to be as big as he was. Still, she hoped she was okay for his sake. If he felt she could take of herself, then Speedy figured it was true; he seemed very close to her and probably knew her very well. Do you think she'll ever track you down and come here, too? she asked, genuinely curious. She silently wondered how alike Slavik and his sister were. She was pretty different from her brothers and sisters, although they all shared some similarities, too.

Speedy laughed when he mentioned their chase in the lake. That was a pretty sly move, she answered through a playful grin. I bet you're a pretty good hunter with tricks like that, she added. Then, remembering that he seemed ticklish in a certain spot earlier, she reached over to that place on his chest and gave it playful nibble, hoping to tickle him again.

I hope so, I’d love to see her again. We used to even talk about starting a pack together, but I don’t know about that. She was always the most ambitious and out there of the three of us, so it was mostly her idea, Slavik explained, memories flashing through his mind. He could see puppy Simsey running to the edge of the territory, and asking him to date her across. She’d always been that way, and Arway had always been the more quiet and obedient one. Slavik was the intermediate, not the angel or the devil, but the shoulder they sat on.

Speedy laughed at Slavik’s joke about their game of chase, telling him it was a sly move. He returned her playful grin, I am a pretty good hunter, it’s actually what I’m best at. So what you saw was a pro pulling pro moves, don’t feel bad about losing, he teased, reaching forward to give her another lick on her ear. Just as he did she moved her own head to nibble his ticklish spot, and Slavik squirmed. A low giggle escaped his mouth, and though he squirmed he still liked the way it felt.

Speedy lifted her head back to meet his gaze so he could see her roll her eyes at him. Don't worry, we have plenty of time for a rematch, she said with a playful raise of her eyebrow. Once they were out in the open and she could really get up to her full speed, she would really give him a run for his money. Pun very much intended. 

A huge yawn suddenly split her jaws and pushed her ears back against her head. Licking her lips after, she said, I could use a nap. She didn't even realize how tired she was until just then, and she felt her eyelids getting heavy. She placed her head on his front legs so it rested against his broad chest and let out a long contented sigh. Sleepily, she asked, Can we sleep here for a little bit? Her eyes closed after she spoke, hoping he would agree and let her fall into sleep. She had a feeling it would be a more restful sleep than she had experienced in a while. She felt safe having another with her, especially someone so much bigger than she was. At the very least, it was nice to have another set of senses looking out for danger.

Wrap up and start a more recent one on the coast?

Yes I'd love to! Sorry for the waits btw, hurricane Florence dropped my power for a hot minute but I should be getting back into the swing of things :)

Slavik smiled and gave a huff of approval. They did have plenty of time for a rematch, now that they were going to be travel buddies. He was feeling great, his whim to follow her scent down into the cave had turned out to be great idea, and he silently praised his instincts. He watched her yawn, which inspired a yawn of his own. He too could use a nap, so when she asked and laid down he simply replied, Yeah, sounds great. He laid his own head down and shifted to be slightly closer to her so they could completely share warmth. He let out a satisfied rumble, then closed his eyes and dreamt of the future.