Moonspear Lick My Wounds

Anyone willing to spar/teach him about fighting. @Charon perhaps, or @Dash?

Harley had left the fight beaten-even if just- and grumbling to himself at the loss. So, so close had his teeth come to victory! A newfound urge to learn how to better fight like that overwhelmed him, but he wasn't in any shape to fight right now. Both shoulders were tattered and matted with blood, and the wolfdog left them a good while as he wandered closer to the top of the mountain. 
He eventually found a sheltered nook wedged between a bunch of stones, laying in the entrance to sprawl out and lick his wounds. This was AWFUL, the sting of defeat. Next time, he would win. Next time, he would be faster and stronger, more resilient. How would one do such things without practice? The wolfdog didn't want to go around fighting those of Moonspear though, not for real. Would he have to travel from his home to seek the knowledge he craved?

Dash had been looking forward to getting to know the other members of the pack, especially the one who had stood by Ame's side as she accepted him back into the pack. Harley, was it? He thought so. The male had seemed friendly, though Dash wondered if he was full wolf. Not that it mattered, but Dash just hadn't met any hybrids. His coat had looked kinda cool, with all the different colors blending into each other. 

Fate to seem on his side, as he spotted the male. Dash's expression turned to worry and a little confusion as he spotted the matted blood. Trotting over, he voiced his concern. Hey, are you okay? he asked. What had he gotten in a fight with?

The wolfdog was not granted his time alone to boil, soon approached by a familiar face. The male that Ame had said was already one of them, just had been off traveling. Dash was the name that popped to mind, and he threw a half-assed grin at his worried expression. 
         "Lazarus and I got into a bit of a scuffle, but I'm really fine."
Hurting like damn fury, but more hurt in my pride than the flesh. 
Wounds would heal and be forgotten, but the strike to his pride would take work to heal.

While Dash had some guidance from his brother about socializing, he certainly was no expert at it, and the other male's expression confused him a bit. Harley said he was fine, and Dash wanted to believe him. His wounds didn't look life threatening, and Harley seemed to be moving around alright.

Dash didn't know who Lazarus was, since he hadn't met him yet. Is he a pack mate? What was the scuffle over? Dash assumed it was over food, seeing as how they were all underfed and prey was in short supply.

The dark man looked all around confused, and the hybrid smilled a bit more genuine this time. Apparently Lazarus wasn't an old recruit or someone that Dash knew, and Harley gave him an easy answer.
       "Yeah, he's a packmate. He called a challenge and when I showed up, he refused.... Needless to say we got into it anyways, and I'm sure you can tell by my seclusion that I didn't come out on top."

The smile he was granted seemed more genuine than the first, and Dash relaxed a little. This wolf was interesting, to say the least. Harley confirmed that it was a packmate, and Dash expected him to confirmed his assumptions that the fight was over food, but he didn't. He confessed it was nothing more than a fight for pride, after being refused a challenge. 

Dash's ears flicked back on his head, his expression showing his distaste for the reasoning behind Harley's wounds. Three months ago, Dash wouldn't have had the confidence to say anything untoward, but Dash had changed, at least some. Now, in most cases, he could speak his mind. We're in the middle of famine, basically starving, and you two are getting into it over... nothing? he questioned, his voice hinting at some anger, though it wasn't really directed straight towards Harley. Dash had been in his fair share of fights, but they were never of his choosing. They were life and death struggles, and he had been lucky enough to survive so far. Never would he have thought anyone would fight over something so menial, especially in times like they were in.

Dash had seemed friendly enough, but the hybrids words seemed to have displeased him. He gave Harley a snippy reply, and in return the shephard pinned his ears, giving the darker man a confused look. Harley's temper was his downfall, but to him the fight really wasn't all that big a deal, in itself. Yes, they'd fought for pride, but also for dominance, though it hadn't been a real struggle for that.
            "We fought to settle something before it became an issue, no matter there be food or not. Standing up for yourself is important, and I would much rather bear these wounds than have turned away a coward."
Pulling himself to his paw stiffly, the male started to pad off further up the mountain. Whether Dash followed or not didn't matter to the half breed, but he wouldn't take kindly to the critisizing of his decisions.

Haha, hissy fit, sorry xD He's just mad he lost.

No worries lol

Dash's ears perked once more when Harley began his reply, the anger vanishing from his face. He realized then that they were two vastly different wolves from different backgrounds. Harley had pride, and apparently would defend it, even when there were more important things to deal with, at least in Dash's opinion. Dash had never taken much stock in pride, as it didn't didn't feed him, or keep him warm. He was no pushover, and he felt he did have a backbone, but his priorities were different from Harley's.

He watched the multi-colored male trot off away from him, and let out a deep sigh, sitting back on his haunches. He hadn't meant to upset his pack mate, and knew he should have had a less-criticizing reply to his reasoning. It wouldn't change the fact that Dash didn't agree with it, but maybe Harley wouldn't be storming off as he was right now. Dash obviously didn't have this socializing thing down yet. He let Harley go, worried that if he said more, it would only anger the other male unnecessarily.

As he realized Dash wasn't following, guilt settled over his heart. The wolfdog didn't have it in his soul to be mean to those who didnt deserve it, and so paused in his stalking to glance over his shoulder. An apologetic half-smile plastered across his face, genuine and sorry but still laced with sadness. In truth, the poor boy was lonely here on the mountain, much as it called him home. What they would do up on the mountain didn't matter, really but though he'd come up here to be alone he found himself not wanting to part from the closest thing to a friend he had right now.

I'm gonna be late for work cause I don't want to stop posting XD

His eyes had followed the male as he walked off, though his gaze was cast downwards, keeping Harley in his peripheral vision. When he noticed the male had stopped, Dash looked up at him, seeing the partial smile, and recognizing the lack of anger, but presence of sadness. Dash frowned, wondering where that came from. Had he put that emotion on the other male's face?

Dash rose and walked to Harley, his tail hanging limp behind him. I'm sorry if I was harsh with you, Harley, he said genuinely. I don't think we see eye-to-eye on this, but that doesn't give me the right to be anything but friendly. He watched the other male, hoping his apology would be accepted.

Relief flooded the milky male as Dash re-approached, and he set their pace at a leisurley walk. Quick was the pure bred to apologize, but Harley's anger was already forgotten. 
          "You are right, energy could be spent in better ways. I've spent my entire life being critisized, so forgive me if I'm a bit testy: neither of us have the right to be anything but friendly."
Tempermental as he could be, the man was anything but mean, and holding a grudge just wasn't in his nature. 

Dont get in trouble xD

Dash walked alongside his new friend, listening. It seemed this wasn't the first time someone had told him he was wrong. Dash couldn't really understand how it felt to always have something negative said to him, but he still empathized with Harley.

Cocking his head to the side, Dash tried to delve a little deeper. What do others criticize you about? he asked. He wasn't sure if the question was too invasive, and would let it go if Harley wanted him to.

Made it on time!

Yay!

 Dash pushed a little further for imformation, and Harley had no qualms about hiding any of it. He did, however, turned his autumn eyes on the black man with a confused tip of his head. Could he not tell of his dog lineage? Did he not know of dogs? He had only one real set back with others, and it was in his appearance. Sometimes, wolf behavior slipped him, and he did something only a domestic would do. 
          "Mostly from being the bastard child of a wolf and a stray German Shephard."

Dash seen the confusion in the other male's tilt of his head, but wasn't sure what had confused him about the question. He opened his jaws to dismiss his own question, but then Harley answered. Dash then gave his own confused look. What's a... German Shepherd? he asked. He didn't question the bastard part, understanding what that meant. Though, it didn't understand why that would cause someone to be harsh to the other male over it. It's not like you can choose who you're born to, he added. 

The dark male had grown up with only his immediate family for a short while, then was on his own after that. While he had come across other wolves, and some had looked different, he never quite questioned it. To him, he just needed to know if they caused him harm or not, and if they did, he generally went the other direction. He never made small talk.

Ah, right, most people didn't know what the specific dog breeds were, if they even knew what a dog was. Dash seemed easy to dismiss it, and realized that he couldn't have chosen if he wanted to.
           "Its a type of dog, if you know what that is. Most people dont like them because of their affiliation with humans, but my dad was a loner. I've never been in contact with a human."
Harley was quick to say he had no connections with humans, knowing that could be an issue with some. This male didn't seem to care, but often were the furless things a topic of touchiness.

Harley went on to explain that a German Shepherd was a dog and that they went along with humans. Dash did his best to follow along, but he had absolutely no idea was Harley was talking about. His pack mate was quick to let the dark wolf know he had no associations with humans. It seemed like that was supposed to be a good thing. I'm sorry, I don't know what dogs or humans are, he confessed, his expression a little lost. 

But, you seem nice. I don't understand why other's would judge you based on a thing you've never come into contact with, he added quickly. Maybe if Harley explained what humans are, Dash would develop an understanding. Still, however, Dash was one to judge on character, and he was beginning to like Harley.

Dash's confusion was enough to tell the wolfdog that he had no idea what any of this was, but that brought a smile to Harley's face. Where there was no knowledge of potentially bad things, there was no hate of the spawn that happened when both worlds met. The dark male was swift to say that Harley himself was a good guy, voicing confusion. 
            "Its not a bad thing you don't know, trust me. I don't know why all dont think like you."
If everyone thought like Dash, then they would realize that wolf-dog offspring were not bad things as most thought. He hadn't been raised by or around humans, no, and perhaps even those would need only to learn the wild ways. Blood shouldn't define who each is, not when they couldn't decide their lineage.

Harley smiled when Dash admitted he didn't know what any of those were, then explained that wasn't a bad thing. Dash tried to wrap his mind around the fact that wolves actually cared about what he was mixed with. He couldn't. He supposed he could understood if someone was apprehensive about who he associated with, as bad wolves usually hung out with bad wolves, but Harley said he had never met a human, which apparently were bad. 

Well, send them my way. Maybe I can convert them, he said jokingly, smiling a bit. So, he added, attempting to change the subject. Where were you before here? "Here" being Moonspear. Dash was interested what Harley had been up to, since it had been established he wasn't with humans.

The more time he spent with Dash, the more he found he truly liked this wolf. He seemed honestly confused about humans and why anyone would treat the hybrid as they did, and it was refreshing to know that not everyone would hate him based off his blood. After a quick joke, the dark man changed the subject in hopes of perhaps making the multicolored male feel better. It was a subject with the same weight, however, another neutral talk he didn't care one way or the other to have.
                "I grew up on an abandoned human place, with my littermates, father and aunt. It took me a while to find a pack that would take me, but I finally came here and was given a chance to learn more about wolf behavior."

Harley told Dash how he had grown up in a place once occupied by humans. Some might have questioned, then, if Harley had lied about his interactions with humans, but Dash believed him. Really, it didn't matter to Dash either way. 

Where are your siblings and family now? Did they come with you? he asked. It was probably hard enough for Harley himself to find a wolf pack on his own, let alone with others like him. Maybe they had separated to increase their chances of finding homes.

Still, the dark male didn't seem to mind his past: it made Harley feel good. Mentally, because physically he hurt like hell. Dash next asked about the Quinzel brood:in truth, he didn't know what plans anyone else had. As far as he knew, his siblings had all stayed on the farm with dad, plus aunt Pam and her family. 
          "They're still at home, probably. Nobody had any will to leave other than me, and I decided I would go alone."

Harley replied they were mostly likely still back home. Well, at least you know where they are if you ever want to visit, he replied. At least, that's what made Dash feel better about not staying with his brother. He knew where he was if he ever missed him, and the black male was relatively sure Charon and Amekaze wouldn't have a problem with Dash going for a bit. However, Dash wouldn't leave them in the middle of a famine. 

 Not knowing what else to say to continue the conversation, Dash admitted, Well, I think I need to get back to patrols. See you around? He was hopeful that he and Harley would become good friends. 

Dash offered some words of comfort, but Harley couldn't imagine himself traveling all the way back to the farm. Not in the famine or out of it, for that matter, much as he missed them all. It was easier to hope they lived in some way, be it having left or still on the farm, and hadn't been taken into the void. It was better to be blissfully ignorant, right?
After a small silence, the darker man offered his leave, and Harley nodded with a smile.
             "Yeah, I'll see you later. Thanks for the talk."
The hybrid himself headed further up the mountain, further on his own to sulk and think.