Stone Circle and i continued without mercy

there's a disaster at your door
@Valette @Greyback

Orochi believed the greatest hunger he'd face was at the bottom of the pit, where he was fed nothing but unwanted scraps. Oh boy was he wrong. Being out here made him question whether or not he should have escaped because at least he was being fed something. These lands were barren as far as the eye could see. Any prey he came across always managed to slip aaay because of his broken ankle. Now he practically dragged his weak and skinny self across the wilderness. The dragon needed his fill and the only way he knew how to do that was to take it from someone.

Hunger alone is what bought him here. As much as he was tempted to cross the border, he stayed where he was. There was no way he'd make that mistake again. Orochi lifted his head and let out a weak howl.

Valette almost didn't hear the howl as it sounded weak to begin with. The female had a mother's hearing and wondered if it was one of her children at the border. She was quite disappointed to find a stranger had dead on their borders. She sighed and decided to approach with caution. Valette looked curious as she approached. She rarely had loners arrive in this state really.

She tried to sniff the male, to see if he was from a pack or not. She couldn't scent a pack he knew. The female snorted, keeping her eyes on him. "Are you alright?," she asked. naturally, he didn't look alright, not really. But it was more to get a conversation growing.

the call was sounded over the border, something akin to a fox's screech. blondine was no scout, but she was a healer and it sounded like there was someone who might need help. besides, she was already on her way out.

by the time she arrived, valette was already there. howdy, there, she called, a warm smile painted on her maw. the male was.. well, he certainly didn't look good. 

blondine didn't want to approach without permission, so she stood still a few paces behind the matriarch. it was difficult to guess his injuries from such a distance, but she assumed it was the same as everyone else: famine.

Before this point Orochi had little regard for his physical state. Adrenaline, determination, and that will for revenge was what kept him moving. But now that he was standing still he could feel the affects of his injuries at their fullest. They made him lightheaded, he even stumbled a few times while waiting. But he kept his chin up. He needed to stay strong

One wolf came after the other, one greeted him while the other questioned him. Orochi bit his tongue and subconsciously tried to hide his tattered leg.  He was tired of his weaknesses being out for everyone to see, but he could not conceal something so obvious.

No, he grumbled, I'm hungry.

The female was wary of the wolf especially as it didn't smell of any pack she knew. Blondine joined her with a greeting. Valette dipped her head to the female. She didn't know what she was willing to do for this stranger. After all, they didn't have much food themselves. Not as much as they had before. However, she had the feeling if she wouldn't that the male might die.

"Blondine, stay with him," she spoke as she turned to get him a morsel of food. She trotted away and decides to be a good sport for the male. The female found the nearest cache and started to dig until she found some. She picked out the oldest meat, it wasn't much but at least the male would have something. She would have probably tossed the meat away later anyhow. She placed it down by the male when she returned. "Here is some," she spoke. It wouldn't clear his hunger but it was a lil snack for him.

blondine nodded, waiting until valette walked away to move closer. what happened here? she asked the brute, nose motioning toward his mangled appendage. you got sumn' to say, i'm the one to say it to. she was a healer, but not a leader; if there was a secret that he had, she would need to know in order to begin treatment.

that is, assuming the matriarch would accept him. valette seemed like the friendly sort, so blondine didn't have many doubts. she moved out of the way as the leader returned, deciding that they could continue their conversation later.

The more rational and expectant part of him believed he'd be turned away in an instant. Anything that could go wrong has gone wrong over these months, who's to say it wouldn't happen now? Even still there was a part of him, a desperate side, that wished for a bit of kindness. And that kindness was given to him to his surprise.

Orochi watched the woman leave, paying little attention to her associate until she spoke. Nothing, he growled defensively. Hiding his weaknesses was instinct at this point, but what did it matter now. They already knew he was starving, his foot looked and smelled like a rotting corpse. Might as well lay everything on the table. Orochi let out a defeated sigh. I was attacked by someone. He'd leave it at that for now.

The woman came back again, this time with some meat. As soon as it was  given to him, he dove down and tore into it. It wasn't much, pangs of hunger would return hours later, but it was something. Orochi was more than grateful for it.

Valette watched as the starving male started to eat, no, wolf down the meat. She figured that would happen. She looked at Blondine, wondering if the male had said anything to her. The wolf looked bad. Real Bad. The male spoke about being attacked. The female looked over the male to see for injuries but she couldn't really see it well. "Any injuries besides the hunger?," she asked curiously. If she was going to give this male a chance and recover in their territory she wondered if he could help or was just going to be a wolf that was going to leech of them.

blondine frowned at the brute's reply. it didn't make sense for a loner to be so cocky, not when presenting themself for admission to a pack. she chose to believe that it was moreso out of fear than ego, so she didn't mention it to valette. before giving him a chance to respond, she told the matriarch, boy's got a bad ankle.

the healer nodded toward the mangled appendage, then turning back to face valette. it ain't nothing i can't help, though. blondine smiled at him, turning to leave the border. i'll see y'all later, she called, heading back to her den.

Orochi would have preferred to ignore the two and continue eating, but when the woman inquired about his injuries he stood straight up. N- It was way too late to hide anything. Blondine quickly told her oh his mangled leg and left it at that.

Orochi silently watched her go, then looked at the (he could only assume) leader. He was at a loss for words. The hunger problem had been temporarily fixed, so why stay a moment longer? He should get back to the task at hand, there was no time to waste! But then there was his leg. The tattered thing had cost him precious time and it was only getting worse. If these wolves were kind enough to give him food then maybe they'd go a step further.

Uh.. I got seperated from my family. I'm trying to get back to them but this— he gestured to the injury, —is making it a pain in the ass. A lie was the only way he knew how to admit to his weakness.

Valette frowned when looking at the injured stranger. She didn't feel much for having him in her ranks. Could he even help? But then, she wasn't really the person to deny him. If he would be willing to work for his meat and safety. "How did you get injured?," the female asked curiously. She was glad that Blondine had noticed. She wondered how eager the other was to join a pack and work with them too. But if this male had enemies, she might be one to reconsider. They had taken refugees before and that hadn't ended well.

sorry mobile

I was.. attacked.. by a.. His voice continuously trailed off, searching for something to say. Orochi could not bring himself to tell the truth. It was too humiliating to think about, so he surely wouldn't tell a stranger.

A beast. Yeah- a beast. I don't know what it was but it got me.

Valette raised a brow for a moment. "A beast?," she questioned, though it was mostly rhetorical since she really didn't need to know the details. "What is your plan now?," she asked. Because Valette would not be charitable forever, not really. She was not even sure this male wanted to join their pack or not. Valette raised her brow at him in question.

sorry abt the late reply!

Some rational will inside him told him, begged him to stay. At least until his leg was all healed up. But revenge was a powerful thing that slowly crushed every rational bone in one's body. The longer he pondered the question, the more he thought of vengeance and valour and all the pawns in that forest. He had to get to them.

I need to find my family. He stays silent, glaring down at his paws.

Valette dipped her head. "Then you may rest by our borders for once night to get your strength up and then go and find your family," Valette spoke to the male. They had their own family here and knew how it felt when someone was missing. She wouldn't keep the male from his family by asking him to join. And perhaps, this good deed would bring good things in the future, she decided. "If you follow our borders north there is a forest where you can rest more easily," she advised to him.

One night was all he needed. In his mind it's enough rest to keep him going on the journey. His tattered leg would say otherwise. Oh well, restless boys can dream.

Orochi looks to his left, then his right, surveying everything within eyesight. Thanks lady, he mumbles. It wasn't the most genuine gratitude in the world but he gave it his best shot. Without another word, Orochi limped along the border to find some solitude.