Silver Creek out for a paddle

@Heston!

It was a very warm day, and Shreya looked more silver than grey as she walked out from among the trees and into the blazing sunlight. The old wolf eyed the river and then decided to go for a spontaneous paddle — she went in so deep then it was most of the way up her legs. Ahh, she said happily as the still water cooled her down. She spotted a fish flash by, but ignored it. Maybe she'd try to catch it later. For now, the famine of Silver Creek was ebbing and this relaxing moment was a sign of things returning to normal.

Just going to mention the border in this one as well, since he's not technically in yet.

The heat today was one the encouraged wolves to do their duties in the morning and dusk. The sky was clear and the sun shone down without any remorse. It was undoubtedly a lovely day, but it was hot. Heston had kept to the cool shade near the border, intent on not overheating himself should Spring or Laika or any other Silver Creek wolves come near. He didn't want to look a fool, panting and heaving from a little summer warmth. He was headed towards one of the outer branches of the creek, wanting to dip into the water and relax.

The smell of the water was strong in the air, and he inhaled it gratefully. His pace increased as he grew nearer the water, ready to cool not only his body but his throat as well. Reaching the bank, he waste no time in jumping forward. Under the water, silver arrows scattered and left him. He wasn't intent on hunting them anyway, he merely wanted to steal the pleasure of their dwelling place. He sighed as the water penetrated his fur, cooling him instantly. He dipped his muzzle down and down, plunging it under the water, mouth open. He lifted back up and shook, his thirst now quenched and his body now thoroughly wet, he took the time to glance up and down stream.

Distantly he could make out the form of another wolf and he narrowed his eyes to focus, trying to determine if this was a face he'd seen before or not. It was hard to tell much against the glare of the sun on the water and the way the fur was darkened from being wet. He watched the other swim a moment, but was still unsure of their identity. He wasn't completely sure how many wolves Silver Creek had, though he'd been picking up on the fact that it had more females than males.

Rather than stand and stare like a half-wit, he decided to call to the other. His voice was deep but friendly, bouncing off the water and towards the stranger. He shook himself again and sent water flying. He wasn't looking the most kempt now, but he was sure the other would understand. His fur was spiked where it had been wet, pointing skyward and earthward and all manner of ways. At least it was freshly groomed and, due to his sodden nature, undeniably clean.

Oh sure. ^__^

Things weren't quite back to normal yet, of this she was aware. And then of course there was the fact that the pack at Silver Creek had never been "normal", as they'd come here in the wake of the locust attack and had never seen the territory in all its verdant glory. But the point was there, and it was thriving, and while Shreya refused to get ahead of herself she did at least let herself acknowledge that things were getting better.

Hence the luxurious bath.

Being upwind and quite submerged, and distracted by a fish to boot, Shreya did not notice the stranger until he howled. It was a casual howl, and friendly, and this made her assume that this was one of Silver Creek's outlying prospects. Saena had introduced the concept during her time here, and it had lingered.

Shreya waded towards him until a very striking-looking fellow met her line of sight. A boy?! she observed incredulously. We haven't had one of those around here for a while.

He waited patiently for the other, standing still in the certain of the stream. The water played with his tail, pushing one way and then the other. It fanned and tugged the fur of his belly and chest in a pleasant way. Had he not been wet on his top half he'd think himself quite magnificent. As it was, the pointed and wet fur only slightly affected the whole picture. He still found himself quite attractive, which he confirmed by glancing towards the water once as the other approached. 

The other waded through the water and it soon became apparent he'd be meeting another female. This fem was older than the other's he'd met, he could see the graying silver of her muzzle. It was nice to know that the pack had elder wolves though. He was unaware of their history, and briefly wondered if it was possible for this female to have been with this pack her entire life. Had she once been alpha? Could she be the mother of a wolf he'd met? For all he knew, she could simply be another loner having joined before him.

Her voice reached him and a surprised but warm laugh left his mouth. "I've noticed that, actually." He remarked, dipping his head in greeting to her. "I'm one of Spring's hopefuls. I'm here to end the drought of males, at least, by one." He joked, smiling softly at the fem."Is there a reason Silver Creek is full of females? I've met only one male. Should I be concerned I'm going to be eaten once I've helped increase pack numbers?" He lowered his voice, glancing around him. "Are you secretly a tribe of amazon women?"

"Excuse me, I haven't introduced myself. My name is Heston, the latest sacrifice, I don't believe we've met yet." The female before him was older, yes, her body may have silvered and thinned, but she was not lacking in beauty. It was a more mature look, obviously, but females who had lived as long as this one obviously had more going for them than simply looks. He could imagine what she had been in her prime, lookswise. 

If worst came to worst and he was being accepted into a pack of females that would only use him to ensure they gained more children....well, there were worse ways to be used. And worse ways to die, for that matter.

Don't think Shreya hadn't noticed the admiring look he'd flashed himself in the water — but she was perfectly fine with that. She didn't judge vanity the way some did, unless it led to narcissism. But this chap had an air of niceness about him, and Shreya elected to judge him by that rather than by the prettiness of his face.

After confirming her guess that he was in the process of incorporating himself into the pack, the male went on to speak of the gender imbalance and breeding and a humorous theory that they were Amazons. This joke would've been lost on many, but Shreya, being old and having spent some time on the road, had heard similar tales. She smirked vaguely.

And then, phew, the introductions at last. Heston eh? Shreya, she replied. The pack's ever-present elder. And my guess is that the shortage of males is sheer coincidence, she responded.

She was unable to resist the urge to shake her coat briefly just then, even as she stood there in the water, and droplets flew hither and thither. She adjusted her paws, then said brightly: so, hardy and confident boy like you: you're looking to find a mate here at the Creek?

Once he had received her name he nodded to her once more. Her name had an interesting cadence on the tongue and he rolled it around in his head for a moment. It flowed well, his own name more seemed to rush from someone's mouth and leap from their lips. Hess-ton. Hers followed the tongue in an arch, up and then down. She replied to his joke in a straight forward manner and he merely grinned at her, shaking his head slightly. "No, keep your secrets. I wouldn't expect you to tell me the truth of my impending demise anyway." He smiled to show he was still joking.

She shook herself then he and winced as droplets flew through the air. It left her with a similar look to him, fur raised and spiked in all manner of directions. He understood her need to shake though, droplets crawling along your spine were bothersome, itchy. He wasn't surprised by her straight-forward question. It was a common enough idea, join a pack and start a family. He nodded and shrugged. 

"First and foremost I wanted a pack. I've been living as a loner for a time, and loner life was never something I relished. I much prefer the company of a pack, and the security. As for a mate, if the situation arises and I find myself smitten I wouldn't run from the idea. I've always wanted pups...I've just never truly felt connected enough to settle down." That wasn't to say that he feared commitment, he'd have no trouble tying himself to someone for the rest of his days. He'd miss the flirting with anyone he chose, of course, but he could flirt and harass his mate all he liked. "For now," He said honestly. "I enjoy my bachelor life. I'm a shameless flirt, I'll warn you. One day that special lady will catch my eye and blind me to any other...I hope, anyway." 

In truth, his birth pack had been too full of cousins and half-relations and his secondary pack he'd only recently joined before things had gone bad. He'd flirted with the ladies of the second pack, had a few that he'd wanted to know better...but obviously he hadn't gotten the chance. One of the two he'd had his eye on had joined the betrayer's pack. The other had been killed. It saddened him to think of life lost so young, and for a moment he was lost in thought, reflecting on his past. He returned his gaze to Shreya after a moment, a more serious expression on his face. "My past hadn't given me many opportunities for romance, you see. So Silver Creek, I hope, will be a new start all together for me."

Although she appreciated a bit of good humour, and thought it smart of Heston to lead with an attitude that could make the other party relax, she was not entirely sold on the Amazon joke. To Shreya, it somewhat undermined the sundry strengths and traits of each female in the pack, boiling them down to their gender and using that as a joke. It also implied that Heston was in a position of power, or rather a special position of some kind of other, being brought into the pack to feed off or lust over or otherwise deem valuable.

Having lived many years a widow, and being old enough to survey the world from a fairly sexless position (at least, she was perceived as such by most), Shreya had learnt to consider gender a sidenote. It had been her fault in bringing up his gender to begin with, but no, she did not think he had promise because of that thing between his hind legs. He had promise because he was confident, courteous, and had a sense of humour.

A new life sounds like a worthy purpose, she nodded with approval. But you be careful and mind your Alpha, young man. It may seem like it goes without saying, but if someone catches your eye, don't you touch a hair on that someone's head unless you get the nod from Spring. Better boys and girls than he had been caught out by the rules of the wild when they followed their heart.

She did not speak on her reception of his Amazon joke, but he found it funny all the same. He wasn't the type to beat a dead horse though, repeating a joke only served to make it less funny. He moved onward, heading into more serious subjects. His past always sobered him slightly, the sudden end to his hopes having struck him deeply. Were he the type to dwell, he might fear something similar happening here. Having arrived just after a famine had certainly been enough to leave a sour taste in his mouth, but he wasn't one to live his life fearing what was possible. He could allow a happy life to pass him by if he kept too focused on events from the past.

He returned her nod kindly, smiling softly at her approval. Her gentle reminder sent him nodding again, and though he grinned there was nothing but sincerity in his voice. "My eyes and heart might get carried away, but I am able to keep a cool head. I won't forget it will be by Spring's good graces that I am allowed here, to find my love or make my home. You have my word." He was good for his word. The silver male swished his tail through the water and adjusted his paws on the rocks. He thought to ask if her advice came from personal experience, loves she had risked all for, but he thought it too prying. On Shreya her beauty was still obvious, it was easy to imagine what she had looked in her younger years and why she might have experience with males following their hearts rather than their heads. There was a silver to her, an age, but she was far from well...grandmother status, whether she had grandpups or not.

"Are you of relation to Spring?" He wondered if her motherly advice was in concern for the young female from some relation or if she was the "parent" of the pack as elder wolves often became. He'd been lucky enough to meet his own granddam, a sharp and witty female who didn't hesitate to tell you to get in line or call you out. There was something of that spirit in Shreya, he thought, though she looked much younger than his grandmother had. "How did you come to Silver Creek, yourself? If you don't mind me asking, of course." Had she traveled here from somewhere else? He didn't know how newly found the pack was, nor the reasons for it's creation.

It was not uncommon to find a male asserting his masculinity, especially at this time of year, and Shreya did think Heston was doing that to some extent. Not in a manner that she found obnoxious, but it was perhaps something in lieu of rank. I'm one of a small handful of males in these parts, and I like it. But she had faith that he'd keep his word about having a calm mind, and hoped that if he did feel the urge about which she was warned, Heston would respect that he didn't have breeding privileges.

Unless, of course, that urge was one shared by the Alpha herself.

Having given her advice to the young male, Shreya (still happily half-submerged in water) consented to a more traditional conversation. I'm related to a previous Alpha of this group, she confirmed. But not Spring. We actually come from the far northeast, across mountains and forests. We were nomads for a time. Has anyone told you that story?

His question about her lineage drew forth something he had expected, though he hadn't been completely right. There was something about Shreya that spoke of regality, perhaps she'd always had this or perhaps it had come with her age. He couldn't know which, but all the same it came across. He nodded, interested to know that she knew more of the history of this land. She mentioned coming from the northeast, from some distance it seemed. He had not heard this story, nor truly any story of the pack's history. His eyes were bright with interest as he shook his head.

"Sadly, I am clueless of that story, or truly any story of the pack. I've heard little of the history itself. I would love to learn of it, though, if you would be so kind as to share it? Joining a pack and helping to shape the future is a nice enough idea, but hard to do if I don't even know where the pack has been and what it has overcome." What had made the pack nomads? What had driven them here? He perked his ears forward, comfortable even with the sun shining down on his back since his lower body was  still submerged in the cool waters of Silver Creek. He was more than capable of letting his imagination run wild with his own backstory for Silver Creek, but that is where his Amazon theory had come from. It was best he heard the truth than invented a more fanciful story to suit himself.

It was fair enough that Heston had not yet been granted with the pack's history — he was new, after all, and likely his time here so far had been taken up by introductions and small talk. But it was also fair that he learn it. This history was no secret, and as long as Shreya kept out her subjective opinions the story would be far from controversial.

Alright, she said, and began to walk a bit further towards the bank, nearing the shallows as a breeze caught up and the river got just a little bit choppier.

I came to Phoenix Maplewood, the aforementioned land to the northeast, late in the winter of this year, though it feels longer ago. I settled there to retire, but things weren't that peaceful. There was discord not only between our two Alphas, but between two packs — the Maplewood itself and a pack beyond the river. The wolves of the Maplewood were strong, but not as strong as those of our rival pack, who valued their muscle and gall.

It wasn't long before the tensioned snapped. Not only did our Alpha Male leave, but he allied with our rivals — a sore betrayal. Our Alpha Female made a judgement call and deemed it too risky to throw ourselves into all-out war, especially with young puppies in our midst. So we left. And along the road, a plague struck — the locust plague, which you will have experienced yourself in your travels. By the time we found this secluded territory, our peaceful Silver Creek, there was not a drop of green to be found. But there was water, and there were fish, and, in time, we thrived. The old wolf gazed out over the territory, to which green was fast returning. And thrive still.

He followed dutifully, slipping through the water a few steps behind the elder female. A breeze began to cool the day and he glanced to the skies, hoping it didn't spell rain. He was fond of a nice spring shower typically, but rain now might mean that the pack wolves would head into their territory and rest out of the weather. He'd likely not have company for a time if it rained hard. His ears cupped towards her as her tale began and he turned his eyes towards where she had gestured earlier.

He'd never heard of Phoenix Maplewood, but that was not surprising. He was new to the lands as well as this area, he'd not been in the Wilds terribly long. So she had been a transplant herself, wanting to retire in a pack. He logged this away, wanting to remember. His brow furrowed as she began to speak of discord and discontent. He frowned, realizing the story would be a dark one rather than of simple relocation. He shouldn't have expected anything else, really, it wasn't typical for a pack to decide to move unless something forced them. His eyes widened slightly and an undercurrent of anger flashed behind his eyes. Though the circumstances were different, he couldn't help but align this previous alpha with the one who had betrayed his previous pack. He had no stomach for wolves such as that, wolves seemingly lacking in morals and willing to betray those they had allied with.

He shook his head sadly as she wrapped up her tale, but agreed with the decision of the alpha female. She had protected her children and her pack, even if it meant fleeing. He had done similar in his situation, though he had felt more of a coward running from a fight than a fierce leader taking the highroad to protect others. His eyes followed Shreya to the green and he nodded, his face still serious. "I had hoped for a tale not so dark, though I probably shouldn't have. I am sad to hear this happened, I will admit it strikes a core with my own past. My old pack was betrayed by a wolf we thought we could trust, too. I bear a hard grudge for wolves who would do so, would betray their allies." He wanted to add and kill innocents, but he thought it best to not. That would be projecting too much of his own history into the story.

"This alpha male...does he still live? Does he know what happened to the pack?" He was asking, subtly, if there was a chance the male would seek them out. Could the war happen regardless of the attempt to flee? A part of him wished the male would, so that he and the others could tear him apart. This was simple fancy talking though, he knew not if the pack was capable of such or what kind of fighter this male was. He had no reason to mistrust Shreya however, and he believed her side of the story was the true one. "And the female...I take it this was not Spring?" He assumed she would have said so if it had been, but if it was not, what had happened to the other female?

"Silver Creek is truly a resilient land and pack, there is no doubting it. To overcome so much...it is no small feat." He glanced over the lands himself and nodded. He had felt that Silver Creek was a good choice from the start but now...hearing their history that was so similar to his own...he felt he was meant to be here. He only hoped he would do the pack justice, that he would earn his place here in time.

Shreya shook her coat again, sending droplets of fresh water up into the sky, but not for long: she didn't want to miss Heston's reaction. And it was a good reaction. Fair and with an implication that he had understood the story entirely.

What she didn't expect, however, was that the tragedies of the Maplewood had some personal relevance to him. One result of this was that he now seemed to regard Silver Creek with greater respect, its wolves having something in common with him. It would tie him to the people here, and of this Shreya approved.

But another consequence was that he was prepared to judge the treacherous Reek in a very current way, rather than deem him simply a figure in an ageing story. Hmm...

Shreya was silent a few seconds as she wondered how much to tell him, and then decided that she had no reason to hold anything back.

The Alpha Female was called Saena, Spring's predecessor. The Alpha Male was called Reek — my grandson, and one of the reasons why I settled at Phoenix Maplewood to begin with, she revealed. Nobody's caught scent of Reek in this part of the region at any point — at least, not that I've heard. I don't know if he lives, but I hope he does. She gave the male a rare glimpse into her psyche. He has much to learn, and — from what I knew of him — the will to learn it.

Shreya's eyes were keen on his face as she told the story, watching him for reaction. She seemed to approve of his response, and he wondered if others had reacted in a way that had lost approval. He was certainly biased against the figure who had betrayed, but perhaps others had different views than he. She answered his questions after a moment of silence and his eyes flashed to hers with surprise at the reveal that Reek, the alpha male, was her grandson. Heston was torn, listening to her. He couldn't imagine what it must feel like to have watched the pack be betrayed by your own kin, to disagree with him and then have to flee from him.

Heston wanted deeply to characterize Reek as the villain in the story, to simply see the bad and burn the word into the male's very being. Evil. Things were not so black and white, though, Shreya's feelings for the male certainly weren't and this challenged Heston's emotions. He would not admit that the betrayer of his past might have his own story, his own shortcomings or ability to change. He would not let the male be anything but a killer in his mind. And so Reek, who seemed so similar, having someone say that he had the potential to learn...it confused him in a way he didn't entirely like. Reek and his own villain from his past were not the same, her reminded himself. 

He tried to accept what Shreya said, tried to understand that while Reek had hurt the Silver Creek wolves he might still be good. He wasn't the villain in Heston's story...but he was only partially successful. A piece of Heston thought that perhaps Shreya only thought that way because he was kin, and she couldn't rightly damn or hate her own blood. He spoke not of this to Shreya, merely nodded to her words and let the surprised expression fall into one of concern.

"I am sorry then, for both your loss of your first home and for...the way it must have felt to have Reek do that." He glanced away for a moment, thinking silently. "Do you think Reek would be...angry to find you all here? Would he still support the rival pack?" He was asking about threats, things to watch out for. Should he ever encounter Reek on the border...would he need to be worried about attack? "Saena. Did she...does she still live as well?" Had she died in the journey? Or from the famine? Or had she simply passed her title to Spring because of other reasons? 

He felt guilty about his flare of anger and hate at Reek, knowing now that he was Shreya's grandson. He liked Shreya, even from this short meeting. Yet the feelings still rolled in his belly, unwilling to die completely. He'd never before been forced to try to see the grey in a matter of such betrayal, and it unsettled him.

It was interesting to watch the emotions and complexities play across the male's handsome face. For Shreya, while she'd been quite fiery in her youth, was not a very emotional creature. She hadn't even cried when Milo, her great grandson, had passed away, though she felt his loss every day. She wasn't stoic, no, but she was pragmatic and very held together.

But she liked the way youth tended to feel things, and she could see the questions in Heston's orange eyes. And then they came out, verbalised, and she understood them all. He was getting closer to Silver Creek while at the same time relating to his old experiences. Of course he was emotionally invested.

All good questions, she offered. And all unanswered. I never knew Reek well, but he didn't seem the angry type — and nor would he have any reason to begrudge our being here. But that's just speculation. As for Saena... she sighed audibly. She vanished, Heston, like a star in the daylight.

He could feel her eyes on him still, watching as he muddled things he over. There was a glint in her eye, of approval still and interest. To watch the story you had lived unfold in another's mind might be interesting indeed, if you had grown past it. Shreya seemed, at least to Heston, to harbor no ill will over the events. He was sure she'd have rathered them not happen, of course, but it seemed she had let any anger she might have felt go. He found himself wishing to be capable of that one day, to be able to look at all that brought him here and not feel anger or the urge for revenge. He wasn't ready to forgive, nor did he know if he ever could...but he knew forgiveness would bring him peace. Forgiveness was not something that could be forced or faked, though, and so he was not ready. In part, he felt forgiveness was not his to give.

He frowned, for this time Shreya lacked answers. He nodded though, stowing this away. He'd still be cautious if at the borders ever came a wolf named Reek. He fancied himself a great protector should the situation ever arise, body positioned between Reek and the rest of Silver Creek as he called for Spring and the others. Yet in this fantasy Reek wore the face of the alpha from his past. He shook away the thought, Reek had not earned his distaste. Not truly. He would remind himself of that should they ever meet.

And the alpha female Shreya addressed next. His brows furrowed, confusion clear. Obviously they didn't suspect foul play, or Shreya would have said so. "Vanished?" He said, the question clear. "Do you think she'd simply leave the pack?" He was baffled, after helping your pack to arrive in a new home, braving the wilds and the harshness of traveling why would a would simply leave? "And she named Spring before she left?" This was a question too, one his voice clearly betrayed as skeptical. Not that he meant a slight on Spring by any means, just simply that if Saena had vanished...well, it was likely she hadn't given any hints that she was going to do so. 

"Silver Creek has quite the interesting history. Betrayals, mysteries, victory over all the harshness from both those two and more." He shook his head. "I have chosen quite an intimidating legacy to weave myself into. I only hope I do it justice." The names swirled through his mind, Saena and Reek. He had much to think over, when this conversation ended. Yet he was not about to rush off. Shreya was good a telling a tale and if she had more time to spend he would gladly occupy it.

He asked a lot of questions, this chap, and though they were welcome from a woman who appreciated frankness, she did not feel obliged to answer all of them. It was good for Heston to know the history of his new pack, and to understand why some of the wolves here might feel the way they did about certain topics, but he didn't need to know that Saena had lost her mind, and he certainly didn't need to know the abruptness of Spring's return to power.

Saena had not named anyone her heir, though Spring had been the natural successor given her rank as Beta. Some had disagreed, but Spring still stood as Alpha, unchallenged. Heston was better off judging her for her merits as leader and his own experiences with her, rather than a history he hadn't been around to witness.

Shreya felt content enough letting these questions flitter away on the wind, for Heston moved on to summarise what he had learnt and how it made him feel. She nodded. We are, I believe, finally moving towards peace and prosperity. Contribute to that sentiment and you'll do it justice well enough.

He didn't miss that she'd left a few of his questions unanswered, but he wasn't going to push her for more. He understood some aspects of the history he wouldn't be privy to, not as a new wolf and not as a wolf who'd not been there. He still wondered about Saena and why she'd vanished but he could fill in his own reasons for Spring being promoted. She was likely either high in rank, or perhaps a distant relative of Saena. Either way, he wasn't about to challenge her right. She was alpha as he arrived and she was the one who deserved to be there until proven otherwise.

He nodded to her words. "It certainly seems the land agrees with you, coming back as it seems to be. Those must have been frightening times after the swarm." He inhaled the fresh air, the scent of the water all around them. "I am not a blood-seeking wolf, I fight when I have to but I don't relish it unless it's sparring. Hunting is a different matter entirely, but I don't do that without reason either. Peace is what I would like to find in a pack. And who wouldn't want prosperity?" He smiled to her, mulling over all he'd learned. "Meeting you was quite fortunate, Shreya. You've taught me a great deal. It gives me an even better feel for Silver Creek than I had before. I thank you for your story, as unwelcome as the memories may be for you." Perhaps he would find a mate and make a family in Silver Creek, as Shreya had suggested. Perhaps here he could live a nice quite yet exciting life. Only time would tell.

tyvm for the thread!

The water proved an easy bit of symbolism at the moment — Heston submerged in Silver Creek's history, Shreya soaking up the new boy's personality. And, like the water on their coats, their meeting would linger for a while.

This was a good time to head out of the river and dry off, and Shreya returned the smile with earnestness (she never returned a smile without it). His summary was apt, and the new friendship was a welcome one. I'll see you in our ranks soon, Heston, she hoped warmly, and, with that, waded out onto dry land, had a good old shake, and was on her creaky way.

Thank you as well, and especially for the likely soon to be important history lesson!

For a moment they stood in silence. It was the type of silence that lay over you warm as a sunbeam, full and comfortable. She bid him farewell and he dipped his head to her, smiling again. "Not if I spot you first, Shreya. I'll seek you out for another tale sometime. Or perhaps to share one of mine." He watched as she moved out of the river and shook herself. He felt it only kind to watch her go until she disappeared. Once her figure was gone he turned himself and sighed a satisfied sigh. He moved towards the center of the river again, deciding to finish the swim since he was already wet. 

​The rest of the afternoon was a simple one. He mulled over the story Shreya had weaved and float in the waters of Silver Creek. With luck, he would belong to these waters soon and they would to him.