Neverwinter Forest i know you made him

the early afternoon is partially cloudy — a nice reprieve from the on and off snows that still sprinkle the melting wilds around them in a stubborn attempt to retain its reign. even with the drifting clouds and sporadic bursts of sunlight that warm upon atausiq's back as he moves along neverwinter's borders; it's still chilly. his breath still rises from betwixt his lips in plumes of writhing steam.

the borders, he finds, are a welcoming distraction from the last time he was on these borders a few days ago. for the most part, the humiliation has burned off and his resolve is set aflame; birthed anew. he still isn't entirely sure what happened to him that day; that complete and utter shift of his personality into someone he hadn't recognized. that singular focus. out from under the direct influence of clover's season, the fog in atausiq's brain clears.

still, he can't forget how it made him feel; even if it largely remains a bizarre enigma to him. a shake of his head is given; followed by a soft tsh. as he presses forward upon the borders, nosing thru the thawing mosses before pausing to add his own scent to the mixture and repeating the process a few feet further.

The borders were where she could be found most of the time; they were familiar, her patrol routine comforting even when she worried about the many things she could not control, especially then. She could control this routine, marking the borders and keeping her home safe. She felt like she had a purpose when she was here, which was not always the case. She was an adult now, even if a very young one, and it showed in the defined muscle the tensed and relaxed beneath her skin as she moved and in the way her features had became less youthful and more hardened. But most of all, she felt it as she tried to understand her role in the world and in Neverwinter Forest. This was all uncharted territory for her, as was pretty much everything since she left home. Some days, her mind was heavy with anxiety over whether or not she was living up to her potential and that was often when she escaped to the borders, even if she had already done her daily patrol. Sometimes, she just needed her sound routine to give her back some perspective. 

The chilly air felt good against her fur as she continued her methodical trek. She paused as she came upon the fresh scent trail of one of their newer members. She had scented him around, noting the undertone of Mal assuring her that he was supposed to be here. She had not actually met him, though, so she trotted forward, deciding now was a good time to remedy that. She slowed as she saw him up ahead in the distance, stopping once she was close enough and releasing a low chuff. She wanted to be sure he was in the mood for company before getting too far into his space; they were basically strangers, after all. And she could definitely understand the need to be alone at times.

the low chuff draws atausiq out of his thoughts; partially errant and wandering as they'd been as he went about his patrol. his steps do not falter but they do slow, imperial jade gaze glimpsing over a broad shoulder; hoping it wasn't one of the two women he met earlier. admittedly, as he realizes she wasn't relief washes over him. this woman was around his own age, he guesses; and invites her forward with a small gesture of his muzzle.

he hadn't expected company but as long as she wasn't like belharra or vallkyrie then he saw no reason to chase her off.

After a glance in her direction, he slowed and silently invited her to join him. Simmik moved forward, trotting until she caught up with him. She slowed to match his pace before finally speaking. I'm Simmik, she offered. I was patrolling, she added before falling silent. She didn't feel the need speak just for the sake of speaking. She said what needed to be said, and then she waited for his response. He was clearly a large wolf, but she had't realized how large until she was side by side with her new packmate. She was no small wolf herself, but she didn't feel as tall as she normally did while walking next to him. She was not intimidated, though, and not only because he was an ally; she was never intimidated by anyone. It was probably more a fault than a strength, but she never saw it that way, even when it had gotten her in trouble.