Grouse Thicket SLACKBOT THIS ISN'T ABOUT YOU

@Charon ,though AW!

The evening was fresh, the sky still a vibrant orange when the dark Lady woke up because of a kick in her stomach from one of the little devils. Her yellow eyes blinked. She had not realized that she had fallen asleep. It was good sign though, for that meant her mind was at ease here- even with the nightmares of the Dark Brotherhood still fresh in her mind. She yawned softly, canine teeth almost glimmering in the light that was still present in the den she had picked for her family. She wasn't tired anymore, and instead of even trying to go back to sleep, she sneaked out of the den, leaving her little boys in the hands of their followers. They were old enough now to be alone for a little while anyway.

She wandered through the woods, mind going over the things that had happened not so long ago. Poor Vassago losing his tail to a bear, Issun showing up at the river all of the sudden and her confession to Burke. Most of it was all good, though so sad at the same time. She couldn't really explain what she was feeling. She felt more alive, more active than ever before. She now had something to fight for, to protect. Never would she leave her family again, never ever.

She soon reached the river and stared down into the streaming water. The soft pink and orange danced in the small waves, a sight that made her stop to stare for a moment. the first stars were already high up in the air, her favorite one near where she thought the sea was. She smiled as she jumped in the water and swam to the other side with ease. The cool water was nice against her hot skin, though she figured it would soon be cold with the night just beginning. Like an owl, she raced over the open field for a moment before settling in the direction of a place she had not yet seen everything of. The journey for her was not so long, and soon the wandered through another part of Teekon covered in trees.

So far his search hadn't given the results he wanted — Lazarus between his teeth — but he would find that bastard, he was sure of it. He busied himself with many things these days; aside from looking for Lazarus he was also preparing for Amekaze's pups. He'd dug a den, patrolled the borders, hunted for her... And yet his search for Lazarus still continued, because he was driven by revenge and a part of him needed that to truly move on.

He found himself in a young forest. He didn't notice that there were many apple trees here, for the famine had taken a lot of them out of proper order, and he was no plant nerd. He glanced at the sky as the first stars settled in, hadn't realised that it was growing so late and that he had been walking for such a time.

When he noticed someone else Charon's ears folded forward and he felt his hackles prickle defensively. He carried his body proudly as he approached, though not necessarily dominantly towards her, while he awaited to see if her reaction to his approach would be positive or negative.

Her muzzle was held high in the air, ears cooped in a forward position to make sure none of the wolves that were settling nearby could sneak up on her. She had noticed that the new land was well crowded and quite popular, especially for loners wanting to start packs. It was understandable, the land being one of a kind, but still threatening to the small group with 2 little mouths to feed. Malice was afraid they might not be able to settle here at all, despite them having been some of the first with the idea. If other packs were holding up the prey, they could all starve and die a horrible death just because they were too stubborn to move. But Malice was also afraid of going back East, knowing that she was certainly on some of the Dark Brotherhood members' blacklists. 

Her tail swayed slowly from side to side in a quite proper and proud way, her position clear for all to see. She may not have the title of leader just yet, but being a mother and former leader of a well-developed pack was something to be proud of. Not to mention she had escaped the claws of one of the most dangerous packs present, with a pup in her mouth. Her pace was slow and graceful, though when she noticed a flash of white somewhere nearby she stopped. The smell of a male entered her nostrils, the scent of a pack she remembered to be nearby Moonlit Hills. She had met one of its leaders before, but never her mate. She didn't even know the woman had a mate.

She raised an eyebrow, hackles not raising. If the situation called for it, she knew where she could run to to be safe. Burke and Aeronwyn would defend her, for sure, and her years of fighting helped a lot too. His scars could not be missed, giving the impression of a fighter rather than a more peaceful being, but she knew not to judge just by appearance. Good evening. She greeted with a nod but a not so amused expression. She had thought with this late time she would be safe. She had been wrong yet again.

There was a pride to his step as he approached, though he didn't look threatening per say. She didn't seem that threatening to him either, even if she didn't look too pleased. Perhaps she had come out here to be alone and watch the stars, he considered, and he had rained on that parade; but he didn't feel rueful for breaking her peace.

Her voice and what she said was polite, in contradiction to her body language. He decided to just play it along, rather than point out her contradicting body language. "Evening," he returned. "Out to watch the stars?" Or maybe just to be alone, he thought. He wasn't about to list all the possibilities, though.

She turned to him, barely seeing him in the darkness of night and the shade of the forest. She was lucky she blended in better than him, at least she had her pelt in her favor while sneaking around. She blinked a few times, hopefully not showing her scar. She knew it was her only real trademark that others could recognize her by, and with this male coming from a place nearby the Dark Brotherhood, she didn't want to reveal herself like that. She tipped her head as he greeted her. She guessed he was nice enough to not go ignored, even though she had hoped to be alone tonight.

She nodded, just because she didn't have the energy to really say what was going on. She could barely see the stars in the forest. Yeah, and they're looking so lovely from here. She commented sarcastically. She let out a soft chuckle. What about you?

Charon didn't really like the sarcastic tone the lady was taking with him, considering he'd tried to be friendly. A shiver of irritation perked his hackles up for the briefest of moments before they smoothed over and he said: "Well, I thought you might know an elevated place 'round here that you had a nice view of them." He decided not to reply with a snippy comment this time, remaining friendly for the time being.

Instead he focussed on his goal and he replied, "I'm looking for a guy named Lazarus, white fur, grey on the back, probably pretty beat up looking from falling down a mountain. You seen anyone like that? He's hurt my mate." The last sentence was spoken grimly, but he added it so that she knew he had good cause to hunt down this wolf and was not just some random loony out to hurt someone undeserving.

Sarcastic was around the only form of comedy the lady knew, and therefore had not considered unfriendly. The raising of his hackles, the cause being her, had gone unnoticed in the dark as she stood there for a moment in silence. She smiled. I come from a place more open than this. If I wanted to observe the night sky I could've stayed home. She said in quite a friendly tone. She did not reveal where exactly she had come from, knowing well that this young fellow was of a pack. Her mind wandered back to the day she had met Ame. She had been nice, for a stranger, and so she doubted they would attack. Still, her paranoia and the thought of Burke being mad at her for sharing kept her maw shut. I don't really know my way around here to be totally honest with you. I'm just out for an evening stroll.

Her ears cooped forward again to listen and to understand. The man he described to be Lazarus was unknown to the female, though it almost sounded like Cicero. The only thing that was off was the gray instead of black and no mention of bi-colored eyes. But even if she had known the male known as Lazarus, she wouldn't have shared. She found it no reason to hunt down the man. Only when someone was killed was there a reason for a hunt. Revenge should not be the answer you seek. What good would it do to hurt someone, to sink to their level, just because they have done the same? He will pay either by loneliness or misfortune, there is no need for a hunt. 

It was hard not to retort 'oh, well, ex-squeeze me that I didn't know where you are from', but he kept himself under control, because it'd do him no good to piss her off now. He wondered if she came from far, since she said she wasn't well-known around here. He admitted, "Me neither. I'm from Moonspear. I don't often come to this side of the mountain." He didn't even think about the fact she might not know Moonspear — everyone knew his glorious mountain, surely — so didn't explain where it was at.

She seemed to get snootier by the moment, now claiming to know what was best for him and his. His eyebrows fell somewhat, expression turning grim in clear dislike to her words. He couldn't see much of her in the dark, but he didn't like what she was saying. "Don't worry, I'll give him loneliness and misfortune when I find him," he said darkly, jaw clenching in anger. "You don't know what he's done to us, so how do you even know what he doesn't deserve or what would work for me? I would love to lower myself to his level after what he did to me." Well, to Ame, technically, but the remnants of what had happened were still in his every day life, and somehow he felt that if he could find and punch out Lazarus' lights, it'd mean the end of the dark era; the start of a better one with Ame and their pups.

I know where you're from. She said mysteriously as he explained where he was from, if only roughly. She did not reveal however she knew. She was sure she had shared her true name with Ame, and so if he would ask her about meeting a stranger she could very well make the connections. She herself didn't actually come from far, but the lady had been so busy with her family she had not yet explored all the riches of the Tutktu Hinterlands. Her tail swished around her legs as she sat down, as graceful as ever, to focus better. Standing still hurt her feet to some degree after weeks spent lying down day and night, but she didn't feel like explaining herself.

What she was trying to do was to let him know that revenge was not the best way to go. She didn't pretend to know better -though she definitely knew better-, only wanted to give him some advice. His partly white face revealed quite an angry face, but she didn't give a damn. He could be angry all he wanted, as long as he would someday realize the scarred lady named "Absinthe" had been right all along. So you would become a killer, a sinner, for revenge? Why? She asked. She needed more information to judge if the one being chased was indeed guilty. 

He narrowed his eyes when she said that she knew where he was from, particularly not liking the mysterious air around the words. She then continued to prod her stick into him while he was already down in regards to his vengeful thoughts in regards to Lazarus. There weren't any pretty answers — to feel in control again, to stop the helpless feeling; so many things.

But there was one that she might be receptive to: "Because he deserves it. Because it's the right thing to do." Never mind that he had killed before so that didn't stop him. He hunted for food, he had killed a pack mate who deserved it before. And this one, well, he deserved it even more than the last.

Malice had killed before too, only perhaps this young man had killed one that deserved it more than her poor mother. Killing was never the right thing to do, she saw now, only if they stand a threat to family or loved ones. Maybe the man being chased did stand a threat, but not anymore, right? She meant, if this fella had to chase him, he was already gone. Or was that not the way it worked? Honestly, she didn't know anymore.

She sighed. Fine. She breathed out. But if you later live with regret, don't say I didn't warn you. She sighed again. She wanted to go now, enjoy her night, but find it rude to say so. Absinthe, by the way. She said, realizing they hadn't introduced themselves properly. 

Charon was swiftly growing more and more frustrated with this lady, annoyed that she was telling him what to do when she didn't even know the full story. He snapped, "I wouldn't regret it because I'd know that my mate doesn't have to glue her tail to her stomach every time she goes to sleep." Realising that he had used a weird metaphor, Charon quickly said: "Anyway, it doesn't matter, let's just stop about it. Just... Be careful, if you do run into him. He isn't what he seems."

Glad to be away from the subject and onto introductions, the dark clouds withdrew from Charon's face and he responded, not unkindly, "I'm Charon Ostrega, from Moonspear." He thought Absinthe was kind of a weird name, but decided not to comment on it, knowing wolves could be sort of touchy on any kind of insult, but especially personal ones. After a moment of thought he said, "Did you want to go find a more open space to watch the stars from? Or would you rather go home — wherever that is." He wasn't really sure why she was out and about, though he was pretty sure she had to have said something about it at some point, but he'd forgotten if she had.

She softly sighed as the young man tried defending himself. Perhaps she couldn't protect everyone from doing the wrong thing. Maybe she had to let some go so they could find peace and wisdom within themselves and their actions, but it was hard for her to just let it go. She would, however, take this advice to her children and let them do whatever they wished to- if it did not involve anything dangerous, of course. I'll take your advice, as well as tell my wolves about your hunt for him. If we find him, where can we find you, besides Moonspear? She asked. Ame had never done anything wrong, so why not help one of her loyal ones out- even if it was for grim reasons.

It's a pleasure to meet you, Charon. She nodded with a smile. Now, was she done being interrupted? The light of the moon was already present, telling her it was quite late. Would Burke worry of she stayed out? He'd definitely feel betrayed if she told him that she was out with a stranger who she barely knew. I was trying to find some quiet, I couldn't sleep. She answered honestly.

He shook his head, saying, "Moonspear is where I'd be." Or Ame — whichever would find them first would work. Charon nodded as she said it was a pleasure to meet him, wondering if this was true. He looked considerate when she said that she was looking to find some quiet, and didn't really answer his question. Since she hadn't taken his invitation he decided to just let it rest and said: "Well, good luck with that, then." His voice was not unkind, as he had decided to just let it rest and leave her be. "It was nice to meet you." And he turned away so that he could look upon the stars by himself, then, and head on home.