Mudminnow River small sacred kisses

he supposed if nunataq could do it, he could also.
truth be told, there was little reason merrick had not yet strayed beyond the borders, but now he departed the hollow as he if he had done it a thousand times before. the scent of muddied water was in the air, but with it the silken oil-scent of a beast he did not yet recognize, and the musk the boy did know to be raccoon.
beneath nightfall as always, which was when merrick preferred to do his moving, he tracked both threads to the frozen, silt-banked river, and stood watching the clear surface for a while, lifting his dark muzzle to peer around into the night. the hollow was still visible, at his back, but suddenly merrick felt terribly naked.

im flinging him across the map with impunity hello

Eventually, Gannet knew he would need to go see Hydra. He figured probably she hadn't liked him leaving, but he was still really glad he'd done it, and he wasn't sure he wanted to join Moonspear again. Charon had never much been able to get past his family, and being judged for what they'd done didn't sit well for him anymore.

But he missed her, and sometime soon he'd at least go her way. She was still his best friend, after all. And who knew? Maybe things had changed. He had.

Gannet frowned as he heard the sound of a river approaching, and he steered sideways, not keen on crossing. Some things had changed, and some hadn't; he was still afraid of the water even after this time.

He could see it glinting off to the side, and shivered, remembering how he'd fallen through that day. Then he spotted a shape. There were no packs here, right? It looked as if they were alone. Gannet was a social creature at heart, and made to meet them, tail at a friendly jaunt and posture non-threatening. He'd just be sure to stay well clear of the ice.

terance did not mean to follow merrick. he had left of his own accord, following a scent trail that ultimately went stale-- terance was not a trained, tactile hunter, afterall. but when he scented the boy, he decided to see where he had gone. perhaps it came across as helicopter-y, but terance had only viewed it as a coincidence. 

but, then, when he got closer, terance realized there was another wolf present... a familiar scent, but not now he could put his paw on... not until he saw the black-footed male with his own eyes. merrick was there as well, and terance regarded him with a kind smile and a dip of his head, before he turned to gannet with the same expression-- though it held shock as well. "gannet," he woofed, ears pressed forwards, "you are far from moonspear."

merrick's head lifted swiftly; there was a pale creature not far from him, and the boy held fast, unsure of what to do. the other did not seem particularly threatening, but the coywolf's copper hackles burned upright all the same, and he would have approached carefully had not terance appeared at his side.
wondering with a mild annoyance if he had been followed, merrick observed instead the lines of his leader's body, relaxing with the sable male began to speak. the other wolf was no danger, and he turned the curious sheen of his own eyes upon this gannet. why had he come so far?

Terance was perhaps the last wolf Gannet expected to run into again (well, one of them) but definitely wasn't an unwelcome sight. Unlike Hydra, he had never harbored ill feelings towards them for leaving, just a bit of sadness (or more than a bit, on Liffey's part).

Terance. he said, looking at him happily. I don't live there anymore. Went traveling with my brother. As if it were the simplest thing in the world. Who knew what sort of welcome he'd get if he tried to go back, but because the only opinion he really cared about there was Hydra's, he wasn't stressing overly much about it. Do you live nearby? He hadn't known where they had settled.

so he wasn't with moonspear any more. terance might've known that had he rebuilt relations with hydra earlier on-- but he had not, so the surprise remained. he wondered how hydra had handled it, but he did not ask anymore of the topic. except, of course. "with titmouse?" screech? whatever? terance had realized no one ever knew who he was talking about-- everyone seemed to know him by some other alias. dark concern laced the mans features, though he did his best not to appear judgmental. 

and then he nodded. "yes, i lead the wolves of lost creek hollow," he informed the pale man, motioning back towards the direction of their territory. he looked then to merrick, not wanting to force the child into conversation but feeling a little bad he may have stepped into the area uninvited. he gave merrick the opportunity to assert himself in whatever way he wanted to. "this is merrick, he lives with us in the hollow."

they spoke, and merrick would have been content to listen, had not terance introduced him. flicking dark ears forward, he regarded gannet quietly, expression unchanging. despite the fact that the leader trusted this wolf, nothing had been proven personally to merrick, and so he saw no reason to become warm. 
he lives with us. a distant description. merrick came to realize quickly he preferred it that way. "hello," he murmured coolly, eyes still trained carefully on the stranger.

Not Titmouse. He was dead, as far as Gannet knew, so that was done. No, he said, his expression wavering a bit before returning to calm. With Whip. He showed me a lot, but I wanted to come back.

You lead? Oh wow. That was neat, and Gannet was more than a little impressed. Terance definitely looked the part. He stood a lot more sturdy than the whispier Gannet, and he seemed to have a sureness too.

Merrick didn't seem to want to talk much, and Gannet was fine with that. He hadn't either when he was that age. Why are you out here? he asked, directing that one to the child, as he was curious why he would be by the river. If he was looking for something, maybe Gannet could help?

obvious relief flooded his features as gannet mentioned it was not with titmouse. he moved on, not wanting to linger on the disgusting excuse for a wolf. pathetic. "you're welcome at the hollow, for as long as you'd like," said terance, his dark ears sweeping forwards to hear a response, a small smile tracing his lips. and when gannet asked if he led, the stone's head dipped low. "i do, along with my deputy, treason. i've taken over for rannoch, who suffered an injury at the paws of a bear," he explained with a gentle wave of his tail, "though he's healed very well." 

gannet addressed merrick, and terance fell quiet. he wouldn't answer for the boy-- but the boy did not have to answer if he so chose. terance didn't want to overstep-- it already looked like he was following him.

he was finally addressed by gannet, and though merrick wanted little to do with the wolf he still saw as stranger, he would answer for terance's sake. "i was hunting," came the boy's careful words. returning to silence, he contemplated that this man would be living among them now, and fretted briefly over whether or not he wished to get to know gannet.
it was of little consequence; perhaps now that he had spoken, they would leave him be to his own devices.

Gannet considered it. But he wasn't sure. The lack of invitation previously and the odd circumstances around their departure from Moonspear made him question if the others aside from Terance - namely Liffey and Rannoch - would want him joining. That and I should see Hydra. He glanced down, then back up. I don't think I want to go back, but I want to say hi. He had no idea what kind of welcome he would receive, but he didn't really consider that she might not want to see him.

Merrick answered, and Gannet looked at him thoughtfully. Want to hunt with me? he asked, invitiation wide open. He liked kids. They were simple, like he was, generally. No hidden emotions or secret feelings they didn't want you to know. He could talk to them and not feel blind or left out, and this made him more comfortable around them than most adults.

"apologize," he said quietly, ears pressing forwards, "if you're worried, apologize." terance spoke from experience, but he didn't elaborate further. perhaps any questions gannet had were answered, however, when terance added, "i'll come with you, if you'd like." but he wondered now if that would be a bad idea... if hydra would think he was stealing gannet away. they were already on good terms... but terance didn't want to walk on eggshells. 

but gannet could do as gannet wanted, so terance left his offer of the hollow wide open. 

"you should visit liffey too, even you don't stay here," he said with a small smile, "she has kids now." and then terance fell quiet, looking upon merrick as he was invited to hunt with gannet. his tail swung a few times, but he remained quiet.

meeting gannet's gaze, merrick pondered the offer. this wolf was still a stranger, however, and indra had bred into and enforced in him a healthy aversion to such. therefore, the coywolf shook his head. "maybe another time." he had also been taught to be polite, and if gannet was coming to lost creek hollow, he would not be a stranger forever. 
"thank you," he added as an afterthought.

At first, Gannet was confused what Terance meant. He wasn't worried - he didn't feel he'd done anything wrong since Hydra knew and had ok'ed his departure. They were friends regardless, though Gannet wasn't taking into account how his later joining of the Hollow might play in.

If you want. It's fine. he said, with a reassuring smile. He didn't need anyone to come, but if Terance wanted to make that eventual trip with him, Gannet didn't mind.

Liffey had kids? His tail beat the air, and he nodded, though when he ran into her he'd have a similar enthusiasm hearing the news from her also. Gannet was easily pleased. He'd have to stick around.

Merrick wasn't interested, but the older wolf didn't mind. Another time. he agreed, letting it go easily. He wouldn't press where he wasn't needed. Where is the hollow? Regardless of whether he chose to stay or not, it would be good to know.

terance let the interaction happen, silent until he was addressed again. 

he nodded once. "the territory south of here," he told him with a wave of his tail. he looked to merrick, studying the boy for a brief moment before his nose dipped, and he turned back to gannet. "i'm going to return to the hollow, if you find yourself needing somewhere to stay... don't hesitate to stop by, gannet," he told the pale man, and then nodded once to both of the wolves before him, and turned to head back home.

when terance ended their conversation, merrick followed his leader. he glanced back once at this gannet, an inscrutable expression on his narrow features, but it was not any more unfriendly than he had already been. facing forward once more, he melted into the shadows after terance.

Gannet nodded as Terance invited him, thinking perhaps he would stop by, if the wind took him there. He was curious to see how some had ended up; Liffey of course, and then the other he had liked, Wraen. She'd been kind.

Unaware that he'd be joining them soon, Gannet watched the boy disappear silently after his... friend? Before he turned and left as well, smiling with the happiness that tends to come with good reunions.