Porcupine Ridge Crafted, holy, rolling thunder

Wretched creature had been scrounging... Envy had made some progress, familiarizing herself with yet another territory; not near as much nor near as quickly, mountain peaks were harder, more taxing on dainty paws to traverse than open prairie. Ah, she was adaptable.

She found herself delighted, honestly, for once she could even nearly blend in rather than stick out like a sore thumb. Made it good for creeping around like the peaks like some freak.

Only thing she wasn't a huuuuge fan of was how chilly it got up here. Scrawny and cold were a dastardly combination—Terrible! Terrible!

She could worm her way into someone else's nest, surely. Flash big gross red eyes as if it were meant to make em' feel bad. There was one! Just ahead. Lucky victimtarget.

Hard to miss the wall of wolf she'd been travelling with @Dreven. She slunk in alongside him, tattered ear flicking in silent greeting. How've you been settling in? Any complaints? She'd muse, reclining onto her side casually.

Dreven gave a qry chuckle. I never complain and if I did. Who would listen anyway?

He b3nt his head sniffing at the tracks of small beasts. Though he did swing his head in an arc to greet the beast he had followed here. Why he had no clue, but here he was. That spoke for something.

What about you?

I have ears. I would listen. She shrugs, now focused on rolling a potato bug back and forth between her paws. Tormenting any beast that had a soul. Here she had a 2 in 1.I love complaining. You should do it more, it's good for the soul. I would know cause I'm a doctor.

Only the briefest of pauses, as was commonplace with the chatterbox. Speaking of, it's cold. Don't like that. Some spots are sheltered by the wind, but most get this awful breeze- like- awful. Freezing. And and and, I need more patches of grass. I wanna start a garden, save me havin' to walk up and down the mountain every time I need to top things up, problem with that is—

She scraped her nails against the stone for dramatic effect. Abandoning the roly poly to roly away. Rock.

An exasperated huff. You cannot plant things in rock. I'll have to find a spot with grass, probably further in. It's inconvenient.

Her life was the hardest anybody's life had ever been.

He tilted his head and looked at her with singular red eye. And whose to say what I had to say wouldn't horrify you and make you want to jump off the cliff?

he gave a sharp fanged look and then continued his perusal of the local fauna and creatures that lived therein. A small snort of amusement. If nothing else she did amuse him to the nth degree.

He turned to study her. So to conclude. You're cold. You want more grass and you want to grow a garden. Hmm?

he licked along the corner of his fanged maw as he thought through her words. HE didn't really care if she came to his den. It was big enough. And it wasn't like there was any reason to keep her away.

You can share my den. But it's rock adn more rock. No grass to be found. As far as that goes. We can try and find you ap lace to grow a garden. But don't hold out much hope.

She laughed as she laid there, some rolling, half snicker. Yes that about sums it up.

then thrust herself upwards in the usual, sharp and sudden manner; dragged herself under his chin and slid against the front of him. You are so niiiiicee...

...But you should get moss, at least— I will get moss- or something soft for it. See if I can find anythin' other than pine needles.

He shook his head amused. And studied her as seh rolled around like a crazy thing. Well she probably was a crazy thing to be honest. This wolf that had somehow adopted him? Or had he adopted her. Who knew.

He froze at her display and stared down at her unsure what to do about it. This was a little more affectionate than he usually allowed. Only because it usually or had always led to other things when he had been a younger man and they had all taken what tehy wanted and he had not fought about it.

He spoke with a wry smile. What have i told you about starting things you can't finish Envy. He shook head, and backed up, but he did give a hard paw pat to her shoulder. Trying not to press to hard, she was tiny after all.

Moss is preferable to pine needles. I don't like the sap.

She'd turn back at his chastisement, see the space he'd put between them and regard it with a tilted head, clueless. Hm? Start what?

Oh right, he was disgustingly suggestive. The realization stirred after a moment.

Perhaps that was what she got for being so touchy. Invitations unintended, boundaries pressed and crossed mindlessly. Someday it was bound to cause problems, hurt her or someone else, but that was how it had always been with her. Rot spreader, shatter the sanctity of everything touched and everything cared about.

It already had caused plenty of problems before; they say insanity is defined as doing the same thing over and over and expecting a different result. She did not know why she never learned, maybe it was just desperation, maybe it was just how she was. Seeker of closeness, but forever resigned to sidelines, looking in and wondering how others did it so easily.

She did not want a rift, and recognized it quickly, even in his flippant tone. Her expression darkened, almost guilty, if such a thing was even possible. She sat back down and looked to the ground, paw idly tracing a circle, regulation. Thinly veiled sulking.

...Or furs.. we'd have to skin one of those goats, though. I think I could manage it.

He chuckled and shook his head. He didn't mind what she did exactly. It just usually caught him off guard. And she didn't seem to understand. He was a product of his upbringing. He had been a consort after all. To many. But she did not know this and it was a bit harsh he realized to always be the way he was. But it was something that was second nature. Something he was unsure about how to change and not even certain he wanted too.

She was sulking, most wouldn't realize this, but he had been with ehr too long at this point. He chuckled softly and blew out a breath and bent large head down to meet her red eyes.

Tell you what. You seem to always have to be touching. If you can come up with someway to warn me that you are going too. I will allow it and I won't even say anything rude. I might think it. But I won't say it. Deal?

I watched a wolf do that once. They skinned something, put it in the water and then dried it. I'm not sure why it needed to be in the water though?

There was slight colored confusion in his tone.

Tattered ears splayed to the side as her gaze narrowed. Thinking it is just as bad..

It's f-fine to say you don't like it.. don't like me, her mind said silently, but she'd dismiss the thoughts with a quick shake of her head, let em' rattle around in there, shoo! go' way.

Many a night had gone by in that cold, with only other unfortunates to snuggle up to. Find some pile, bury yourself in it. Lord knows mama wasn't givin' up any body heat, n' daddy was a bit too dead to offer much. In that void she sought for things to fill it, always seeking, always filling.

It was so strange not to have that crutch anymore, much less learn to be considerate of others for all their intricacies. She found herself wanting to know more and more and more. A metaphorical paw reached out to try and dig the secrets from his brawny hide.

What'do I say? Incoming? She'd snicker, if only to ease the tension from her own shoulders. Tense was no good, she needed to go go go. She let her paws fall up, down, up, down.

..Washin' it prolly gets that bloodsmell off it, or any dirt. Or maybe they just wanted to give it one last swim... She amused herself, trailing off into empty air.

Dreven snorted then. Which turned into a sort of cough as he tried not to do so. Little one. The only freedom I have ever had has been my mind. And no one can tell me what I can keep in there. But.

He held up a huge paw. I will do my best to make the thoughts go away as soon as they start.

Dreven sighed and settled to his haunches. His persual of the scrub grass over. it is not that i Don't like it.

he frowned in thought. He didn't want to talk about this, but she had a right to know. I was a slave once if you can believe it. I was also a consort from the time I was a old enough to stand to just a couple eyars ago. Many many wolves have used me for any and all pleasures and whatever you are thinking in that brain of yours that is horrible, double it and then multiply it and you still won't even get close to it. So. To me any touch is immediately one like that, because it is the only type of touch I know.

Dreven knew well the insatiable need to fill something that was beyond reach. He had felt it many times over. Again and again.

A soft dark chuckle. Sure. Or just raise a paw first. Make srue i can see it. Cause you know blind in one eye and all.

He laughed at the one last swim part.

Well, that was a mortifying revelation.

She didn't know much about where he came from; aside from this little tidbit that painted as its own special layer of hell, but in some ways, it sounded like her own home. A pyramid of winners and losers, some drawing shorter straws than other. All sorts of depraved outlets exploited by those who had the power to exploit it. Least she had been lucky enough not to draw that particular straw.

Mama had been one, and it made her miserable. Envy didn't like this strange feeling in her chest and it presented itself in the twitch of her paws. And what a shame for touch to be so tainted, meaning robbed, really, or maybe it was her that had the backwards understanding. Red eyes absorbed the information in silence, seeming to process piece by piece by piece. There was no shock but certainly no indifference either, just a blank look that gave little insight into what was going on in her mind.

She both could, and couldn't imagine that sort of thing. Paired with all those gorgeous scars, she put pieces together and she didn't exactly love the sort of picture they painted.

Sensitivity, not silence.

Envy kept her tone quieter, mulled the information a moment over. ..I can give you a warning. I'll figure somethin' out n' make sure you can actually see it. She paused a moment, looking back over. Most'd just bite me when they wanted me to stop so I- never.. know.. cause you haven't yet n' I thought— Her head hung slightly. Boundaries pushed and pressed until they broke, she made a habit of skating on thin ice. Thought it wasn't.. that way, I guess.

You're allowed to have freedom outside your head, too. She rolled onto her side, a paw stuck up, testing a bubble of personal space rather than his side, this time around.

Not that he didn't like it, or so he said. Surely there was some middle ground to be reached. ...What do you like, then?

Dreven spoke of his happenings as emotionless as he knew how to be. Had they bothered him, he supposed. But it had been his existence and he had gotten away from it hadn't he. And the wolf that he was, the darkness that clouded everything, every single pore, thought. He deserved that pain now didn't he. He murdered, he kidnapped, he had beaten and stolen. He had done almost every deplorable thing that any wolf could do except one and that was something he would never do. you did not violate in that way. It was wrong even to a wolf with skewed morals like him.

Had she voiced her opinion of being robbed. Of pollution and tainted. He'd agree. Because it was, and it was why he did not do such things to wolves. He always sought permission, always. She was quiet, too quiet. And he knew he had probably just really screwed up her mind. But it was his truth, his past. Why should it bother her.

Dreven chuckled and moved his paw to press it to her head if she'd let him. It isn't that way. It's fine. I just need a warning and to relearn. And I'm a pretty fast learner. There was no pride in his voice when he said this, because it had been the truth. It was the truth. You learned to please to do what they wanted to do all the things or pain was your reward. Even sometimes when you did. But pain was fleeting. And it went away eventually. It just left it's mark on your skin.

He blinked surprised. And breathed out. I don't know. Stars. The sky. I hate underground.

Her ears splayed out to the side as a massive paw came gently down on her head. She liked the feeling, each calloused digit and each claw thrust out from them hanging just at the top of her vision. To be buried in others; this sated some need in her, however meager the contribution was.

I will have to learn too. She'd mutter, fidgeting with her paws against the dirt; not so dejected, anymore. It was second nature, seeking touch; but it had to have more control. She needed more control, a feat which has remained a constant source of difficulty. ..I like to cuddle in close, maybe you shouldn't have let me in your den.

In the moment he dipped into thought, she too had one, and rolled onto her back, flipping onto the other side to lazily grab at a pinecone just near enough to not require her to get up. In her roll back over, she'd flick the pinecone at his shoulder. Maybe I will throw pinecones at you. Is that a good warning? Envy grinned, oh so pleased with herself. She'd have to put the forthought into finding a pinecone in the first place, and he'd get to have things thrown at him as a warning for what was to come. Delightful solution. He was soon to have a pinecone-shaped dent in his figure.

Stars and sky. Pretty things. Vast. Perhaps some echo of the freedom he'd been denied. ...You need a hobby. Like me. Something fuuun.. She leered inward, head still slithering through the dirt at his paws.

Passion stoked the flames of her soul; and yet when she looked at him, she did not see the same blaze. His was a small fire, reserved and locked in an air-tight chamber. She wished to blow oxygen onto it, let the fire breathe again. Something would be the catalyst. Something.

She was so tiny. Too tiny. For a moment, he thought of Snow. But this one, was different. HE did not worry about breaking her. Or giving his sins to hers. She wasn't good like Snow. There was a slight darkened edge to her, like him.

He chuckled and shifted his paw. Watched her fidget and fuss. Honestly, she didn't have to do much. Once he realized she was always going to look for touch. He had already almost gotten used to it.

It's alright. I might crush you though. You're tiny.

HE snorted. Throw pinecones at me and i'll eat you. He pressed the pinecone and then kicked it back towards her. Hopefully his aim was true.

He chuckled darkly. I had hobby's once, but they weren't exactly for polite company. He couldn't really answer her. He like stories and stars. That was pretty much the just of things he enjoyed that were not physical.

The pinecone returned, clonking her on the head before clattering to the dirt, she'd look at it with through a tilted gaze, with one eye and then back to him. Oh I dare ya to. She'd quip musefully and snap at one of his legs, teeth skimming the air between; red matched red in staredown, a lingering tease beneath it all.

N' since when am I polite company? She raised a brow, finally peeling herself from the ground and shaking the dirt from her fur; further punctuating her statement with her own disregard for where said dirt landed. Do you not get bored? We could do things, y'know. I don't like to be bored, you shouldn't settle either.

Terrible influence, she was. What was life without thrill?