Dragoncrest Cliffs The Abyss

Meerkat’s season had begun and Njord orbited his wife like the moon. They frequently slipped away for privacy, when not tending to their wounded, and basked in the warmth of one another like the sand does the sun.

Yet, there was a new severity to the man. He felt it. Something different. Maybe it was the threats at their borders, the bear, or simply his age… could it be instincts or something else?

He was restless. Agitated.

Njord stalked along their borders and smelled Chacal’s mark. His teeth chattered reflexively in response, red tail lashing like a lion’s.

Eti smelled teh change on the winds with different females of his pack. And though he was much to you to do anything about it, and he wouldn't anyway. He did know what it meant, innately. So he sort of stuck to the outskirts of the pack. Preferring to stay away from most everyone. It was too much emotions.

It was on one such occasion that he came upon Mr. Njord. His tail swung in excitement as he pranced towards the older male. Oblivious to the stress of all teh adults.

'ello Mr. Njord!

Njord’s tongue flicked over his nose as if to wipe away the scent. Then, a snort. There was a conflict of the spirit in his bones. He was a man in his prime with a mate and children… Instinct dictated that he should chase any competition out or claim the land as his own. Yet, this was opposite of Njord’s nature.

Thankfully, the young wolf Etienne showed with a bubbly attitude. It caused Njord to cool his jets. A good distraction from the hormones inside his bloodstream.

“Ah, Etienne,” Njord said. “S’good tae see you, lad.” He meant that in earnest. The father would have given anything to see Swordfish with the same good health and spirits. For now, the smaller red-tail rested and healed.

Njord shook his pelt as if to rid himself of whatever tension coiled in his muscle. “I was on patrol, do ye wish tae join me?” he asked.

If Eti had been aware what this did to older males, perhaps he would have stayed away completely, but he was oblivious to it for now. Other than knowing what it meant and feeling that little bit of pull.

Eti's tail wagged harder and he smiled up at the older male. Yea? I'm glad I could 'elp a little wit' your spirits.

Eti nodded. Okay. My brot'er T'eo, 'e wants to learn fig'tin' and patrollin' you teac' me and i'll tell 'im. Can 'e find you one of dese days too Mr. Njord?

The youth stepped in position on the mans flank to follow along. It was nice to be at teh edges of the borders. Etienne didn't go past them often, preferring to stay near his home.

Teo had a fighting spirit! Njord looked back fondly upon the memory of training with Rosencrantz. With Merlin. With Kigipigak besides his son, Loko.

They were all friends. Mentors. A fraternity of brotherhood. There was no doubting the ferocity of Sapphique’s amazons… and so Njord was touched to be asked to be a teacher.

“Ah’course,” Njord replied, clearly interested. “Ah’m happy tae help teach ye or ye brother whatever ye wish tae ken.” He paused, thoughtful. “Perhaps Swordfish an’ Stingray would like tae learn too.” Could Njord start up his own little BootCamp? He was tickled at the thought… perhaps when Swordfish was healed.

“Let us go towards tha Lowlands. Near tha Ravine,” he instructed the lad.

Etienne was not sure if he was fighter material, but if Theo wanted to do it. He'd join him, so his brother wasn't alone in his lessons. Perhaps Eti was a healer at heart, but it didn't hurt him to know how to defend too.

Eti's tail wagged. Okay. I can't wait. And he couldn't. It would be nice to learn something knew from a man he deeply respected and perhaps even loved in his own way as part of his family, however distant or unrelated. He was still family as was Meerkat.

What's in de ravine?

Ho! Etienne had a fighting spirit, too! Njord offered a fatherly smile.

They walked together, side by side.

“Water,” Njord explained. “I will show it to ye.” Their patrol would turn into a field trip! “Tha ravine is a great cleft in tha earth an’ a river runs through it. Though she’s low most of the year, when it rains tha water flows so great that she’ll sound like a roar!”

Eti returned the smile and with a wag of his tail caught up to the male to learn something new about his home. He made sure to mark their borders as they patrolled, ears forward and listening. This he could do.

Is rivers like de sea? We 'ave to be respectful of it, and no it gives and takes?

The pair made it across the lowlands of Sapphique. Outside the borders sat the flat dale wedged between Ankyra Sound and the Tangle. In the distance, the dark shadow of the ravine’s path could be seen.

Njord scuffed his paws and kicked at the snow, leaving his scent on the border. Etienne marked too. The flash of his cinnamon belage reminded the seafarer of his grandmother, Erzulie.

With their perimeter reinforced, Njord gestured for the lad to follow.

“That’s right, lad,” he affirmed. “If tha sea is tha heart, then tha river is her veins. Its wise tae keep a healthy respect for her waters,” the man advised.

Njord thought about a memory long ago. “She can be calm an' deliver life. Or fierce… and carry earth away. One time there was a great storm, and the river swelled higher than any had ever seen. Tha banks gave way an’ crumbled. Yer aunt Mireille was caught in her flow and swept far, far away to tha ravine's end.”

Eti's golden eyes traced the path that the dark shadow of what he could only wager a guess was the ravine. It was so large and dark. He frowned at it, but and yet it seemed strong, powerful. He didn't know how he felt about it.

Eti gave a small little gasp. Did you be savin' 'er den?

He looked to the ravine again, trying to imagine what it would look like with water's in it's belly. As it growled and roared and slid down through the lands they called home. How it must have been terrifying and awe inspiring all at once. His tail tightened against his hocks as he imagined his auntie.

I be 'er be very scared.

“Nay,” Njord admitted with a sad sigh, “but I wish I could ‘av been tha one.” That was the first point of contention with Sobo, the seafather remembered. The whole pack searched and searched. Njord did too… but along the way, his friendship with Meerkat had grown into something more. They began courting and Meerkat moved to their shores, all while Mireille stayed lost.

“If I recall, Island folk found ‘er. She lived with a pack of druids for a long while.” Etienne wondered if Mireille had been scared. “Aye, I ken she was…” Mireille was a young child and the event had been harrowing. “But she’s always been a canny lassie. If I recall, she befriended tha druids,” he added with a chuckle.

“Ye should ask her about it someday,” he encouraged Etienne.

“Ah- we’re close,” Njord picked up his pace, the ravine’s edge just a short distance away. The man slowed and peered over the steep banks to the wide frozen river down below. “Careful, not too close” he cautioned Etienne, keeping a close eye on the boy.

Etienne's ears drooped at the sadness in Njord's voice. It's okay Mr. Njord. You were looking for 'er.

Ears moved forward then at the mention of the island folk. Like where Miss. Heda is? Dem ones?

He wasn't sure of any other island people.

They were near the ravine. Etienne moved closer to the edge, but he minded the words of Njord. And didn't move any further than where he was told to stop.

Etienne offered a word of reassurance and Njord returned a grateful smile. “Ah thank ye, lad,“ he responded.

Though Njord didn’t recognize the name Heda, he knew a new clan had settled upon the island and that Mireille knew them well. “Ah believe so,” Njord speculated. “That island has seen many clans throughout her years. The first time I visited, a group named Yuélóng lived there. Tha wolves spoke a strange language…” Njord remembered, surprised by the intonation of the Mandarin phonemes.

“After, the Druids must ‘av claimed it as their own. An’ now this Heda an’ her group.”

He regarded tha ravine. “Some territories are more bountiful than others. Nae pack ‘as dared settle next to tha Ravine. Her edges are too treacherous.”

You be welcome, Mr. Njord. He wagged his tail kindly.

Etienne listened as Njord spoke of the wolves that had came and gone from the island. He shook his head. I don't t'ink i be likin' dat island. It's pretty sure, but to get dere, it is dangerous. And if a flas' flood come upon you. De sea ain't gonna be givin' she gonna be takin'

Mind if we fade here? :) I need to trim down my thread log

Njord hummed a note of agreement with Etienne’s statement. The red-tailed man felt satisfied he had adequately gave the lad a healthy dose of caution when it came to the more perilous areas of Teekon. The sea, ravine, the island’s land bridge… The father reflected that he should have better prepared Swordfish and Quennell for their journey outside of the borders.

“Come, let us finish out patrol an’ head back towards tha cliffs,” Njord suggested with a swing of his head.