dreameater

for @Aran (for my reference, set before moonspear exploration -- but JUST before as discussed)

It was almost time to get moving. Her ends were tying up neatly here, and steadily, she began to mentally let go. To not loop these borderlands and prowl these very slopes would be habits that died hard but the notion of something potentially greater had long since charmed her. 

She lingered on the borderlands on the familiar trails she had practically carved after excavating a small cache she had built for herself not long ago. The hunting had been plentiful, but she was preserving all of her energy for what was ahead. There was no telling what exactly the road may look like, or how long she may be traveling. After all, these caches needed cleared anyway, so might as well not leave anything behind.

Finally, just around the time the sun began to peak for noon, she picked up a jog that traveled towards the borderlands and then eventually beyond. She had just been at the edge of their claim when a scent on the breeze caught her attention. Since it was unfamiliar, she tracked it.

Aran Nathaniel was exhausted. His summer pelt was like leaves on his back, autumn winds chilling him to his bones.

Aran didn`t actually think that, of course. He didn`t know the words "autumn" or "summer or "leaves" or "exhausted.

But he was tired. He knew he could not make it through another Cold alone. He had travelled from the Water (Lake Rodney) and left alone some Packs - their scent was musty and smelling of pine needles like his...The Pack. Anyway, he was bad. No Pack could ever want a wolf who couldn`t talk and barely understand.

He shook his head and struggled up the mountain. There was nothing to do but Submit. Submit as he had for moons, to his Alphas in The Pack. Now he had to submit to the Spirit, and face death.

And so when he next stumbled, he lay there. And he smelled the sweetest Scent, and Aran Nathaniel was sure that death was forthcoming.

Thanks Gerra! Set up for your next post :)

She traveled, alternating between nose low and high, testing the breezes and the ground alike for telltale signs of what she scented. Since the ground underfoot came so easily to her, she moved lightly, and made quick work of any distance that might have once separated them. Nimble paws soon brought her into sight of an earthen-toned wolf, crumbled into a heap. She approached -- cautious, wary, and spiking a ridge of her hackles in reflex while she neared and her tail flagged comfortably over her back.

Certainly, he had seen better days. She sniffed noticeably, finding no scent of obvious sickness on him, or any sign of wolf camaraderie so marked him as a loner having come on hard times. She chuffed, eyes narrowing in scrutiny. But would he even respond? This in itself was a test of the waters -- how out of it was he? Surely, if he possessed any ounce of strength still, he'd react to her looming up on him with her ears preened forward and minty stare intensely questioning.

Aran Nathaniel blinked, muzzle against cold earth, and saw the green eyes of the Spirit look down on him. He whimpered, and shakily stood, the terror in his amber eyes taking over completely.

The Spirit was a she-wolf...like his sister. The only wolf who had ever been kind to Aran Nathaniel Something. Of course the Spirit was a she-wolf, in retrospect. Not that Aran Nathaniel knew the word "retrospect."

He cocked his head, eyes averted in obvious submission.

He stood, and her ears fanned back at the sound of his whimper. At least he was alive enough to give her that, and the submissive glance away appeased her further -- so at least he had enough good sense to recognize her status. She stayed silent, looking him over now that he was more than a heap on the cold mountain ground.

"Do you have business here..?" she asked, not knowing of his lack of speech yet. Amekaze took to drifting forward to come closer to him. She half circled around to see him broadside now that she was far less concerned with him being contagious somehow. He was a creature full of autumnal colors, and she tried to decipher how much of his physique was due to the status of a loner. He was long in some places, stocky in others. But, not in a way that suggested an inability to function by any means.

However, with how rare visitors were on this mountain she was preparing to leave, she was appropriately curious of his purpose here.

Aran Nathaniel opened and closed his mouth desperately, again and again. Surely, now, the Spirit would have taught him to speak. Shamefaced, he mumbled the only words he knew. "Aran Nathaniel. Aran Natha-Knyeel, Ah-Ran Nathaniel."

Filled with anger at himself, he mewled loudly, like a newborn pup. He could not talk normally - sounds would have to do.

He grimly kept keening as noisily as he could,  the noise echoing through the mountains as he hoped the Spirit would understand.

Her ears slicked back as he spoke.. mumbled, rather, with the look of a wounded animal almost. He offered something. Her eyes narrowed, then she realized. A name? Ah-ran? Aran..? Most likely and soon he dissolved into noises. Her ears pinned a bit more and she tensed -- visibly so, as if to say enough with her lips threatening to curl back. Point taken and she prepared to approach this differently so long as he stopped mewling at her like that.

Communication certainly could have simplified this, but she could cope. He seemed plenty capable of body language, so at least he had that. He was not entirely hopeless, she would just have to be more particular with what she asked when it came to finding out information about him and what he intended to do with his time before her. "Do you seek a home?" she asked, staring intently at him as she decided to start there of all places -- the one that could possibly benefit her in some way if such were the case. This way, he could indicate a simple yes or no, and she would go from there. All she'd need is a shake of his head.

I just wanna say that the simple, short posts are mostly how Aran`s mind works, not the best roleplay post I could possibly do. That`s why the posts start with "Aran Nathaniel" and use very simple language etc. Sometimes I can`t resist long words tho \_{*]_/ Just a heads-up for everyone! :)

Aran Nathaniel stopped mewling abruptly under the Spirit`s intense gaze. He felt ashamed for a moment, for mewling like a newborn pup at two years old. The spirit had kept Death at bay for some reason, and he would remain loyal to her forever.

He started at her question. A home? A home was all he had ever wanted.

But he was bad. He didn`t deserve a home.

But perhaps the Spirit had made him good?

After a moment, he nodded his head furiously, amber eyes shining in a transition from terror to hope.

it works well for him <3 i'm just unnecessarily wordy most of the time and my posts are mostly ramble junk lololo

He ceased, and she was appeased just as. Her posture relaxed marginally afterward and she was fully ready to have his answer -- whatever it may be.

And he may not have been a typical wolf by any mean. Something had happened to him.. he gave her this sense easily. Something in his lifetime spanning from his birth to now had not been quite the normal.. or if it had been, he had reacted bizarrely to it. As to what it was, she may never know.. but what mattered most of all was whether or not he could become strength to her cause. She never demanded much beyond what she believed was typical wolf function. Her leadership commanded loyalty in a subtle way, and those that could give it to her would benefit. She was feeling renewed in her approach, anyway, and with half the duties of alphaship split to Charon, she knew this would all work better for her in many ways.

He answered with an affirmative. That much was clear. "Wolves loyal to me are seeking a new claim.. and plan to be established well before winter settles," she began, fighting the urge to glance back to the Sunspire's peak. Almost she felt bad for abandoning it but it was time for her to move on and start fresh. "If you can lend your strength to the cause.. not only will you be better for it, we will be stronger as well." She peered sidelong at him, waiting to see if this made sense to him before continuing. Winter was coming and survival would be difficult for those alone.

Lolo usually that`s me, we`ll have to find out. Aran now worships Amekaze tho lolo

Aran Nathaniel looked terribly confused at the Spirit`s words. He understood little, and nodded, perplexed, at what he understood.

"Pack" Nod.

"Loyal." Nod.

"Your strength." Wary nod. What strength? His ribs showed through matted fur, and frost lay across his mantle.

Aran Nathaniel looked at his paws, before staring Amekaze right in the eyes. It wasn`t a male subordinate wolf asserting dominance behind the gaze, though. It was a puppy, imploring for what he had always lived - more like survived - whilst deprived of.

eee, i sort of steered this towards a wrap so if you'd like, you can join in on the moonspear claiming/exploring and we can have new threads there and all~

True, there was not much to him yet. It had instilled an instinctual wariness in her at first sight of him. But, she had seen worse. He could thrive too with the right resources. It was either that or he would drift away, probably disappearing into the unknowns of winter. She had seen it time and time again. Yet, maybe it was not his fate. He seemed to understand the gist of it.. which was good. She nodded back.

"It will take time," she said, thoughtful as she glanced towards the flatlands in the general direction of their new mountain. She found herself feeling eager to get back. "The new land is a different mountain across the valley -- Moonspear, and I am Amekaze." Considering how one sided the conversation was, she knew he would not be using it often, so he could take it or leave it.

As he looked at her, imploring, she was quiet with a intent stare back. She'd need her time to understand him, too. "So, Aran.. come with me. If you are a decent enough hunter, and we are lucky, perhaps we can find something worth catching on the way.." she chuffed, smirking hopefully as she strode past the tawny wolf. He'd do well to follow, and she was curious to know him better, but all the while thinking of what all she needed to do at the Spear.

Aran Nathaniel only heard key words, like "time ," "Moon`s Peer" and "come."
 
He guessed that Moon's Peer was the name of the big hill the Spirit was travelling to.

"Aran," he chuffed proudly as he followed the Spirit towards the big hill. Just Aran - he could say that at least. And he would be the best Aran, better than Aran Nathaniel could ever be. He trotted after the Spirit, now...simply Aran.