Jade Fern Grove patrolling again

@Elixir

Grezig was, once again, patrolling the area around Jade Fern Grove. She had recently returned from her trip to the river where she had found Thorleif and had decided to stick close to “home” for a while. She was proud of herself for recruiting a new member, but ever since then, she had been a bit… wary of the male. He seemed off, not in a dangerous way, but in a way that suggested he had been dropped on his head as a pup. His stupidity was something he could not help, she was sure, but she worried he would get their group in trouble. Do something he shouldn’t. She gave a quiet sigh as she continued her patrol, squatting down over a plant to piss and leave her scent there.

Elixir was wondering close by Grezig, she knew this because she could smell her. Even though she could smell her it made her anxious, she hadn’t really got to know Grezig but she felt scared ? Maybe that was it, of the She-wolf. Nonetheless, Elixirs paws ended up doing the opposite of what she had in her head to do,flee, so she thought about how she would approach her. 

As she neared Grezig she let a warm smile fall upon her face. Even though she thought she looked brave on the outside her legs were a bit wobbly, like a new born deer, because of nerves. “Hello, h-how are you?” She tried not to stutter but ultimately failed almost half way through the sentence. Her smile was still on her face even though she felt slightly embarrassed.

Grezig turned at the sound of approaching paw-steps and tried not to immediately curl her lip. Oh. It was the half-breed. Great. She tried to keep her feelings and thoughts neutral about Elixir, but she was still prejudice towards the girl for being part dog, especially since she looked like just a dog. Grezig scanned her features, looking for some trace of wolf in her. Maybe she was bigger than a dog, but it wasn’t like Grezig would know. She’d seen maybe one dog before in her entire life. She shook her head, clearing her thoughts. Then she dipped her head in greeting, remembering that the two of them were still packmates no matter what Elixir’s bloodline was.

“Hello,” she replied. “I’m fine. How are you?” Her words were flat in tone and straightforward, but that was how she always talked, no matter who she was talking to. The only time this changed was with Illidan, where sometimes, her voice grew a bit softer. But even then, it was rare for her to have much inflection in her voice.

Elixir smiled bigger as she seemed to be friendlier than what she had assumed. Though she seemed nice Elixir still felt a bit scared of her, but her muscles relaxed anyway. It was nice to be able to talk to her band-mate. They hadn’t yet been able to share a conversation so this excited her.

”I’m well, I have been learning about the stars. I’m glad your doing good too.” She made it a point to say she was glad she was doing well. She had always been a good hearted personality and loved to see that others were doing good. “Do you think we will settle here when we get the numbers?” She asked curious to know what her answer would be.

Grezig blinked when Elixir told her that she’d been learning about the stars. “Do you mean how to navigate using them?” she asked, as this was her only exposure to “learning about the stars.” Grezig’s family had never been much for storytelling. She did not know all the names of the constellations and what Gods or Goddesses they told tales about. But she could look up at the sky and tell you how to get to where you wanted to go, and that was what mattered to her. 

As for settling in this forest when they had the numbers… “No,” she said. “Kavik told me that he and Liri intend to head into the mountains.” Grezig was beginning to wonder if their move farther west would ever happen at this rate, but she did not voice this. It was important to appear to keep up the appearance of having a united front. If she had an issue with her leaders, then she would speak to them about it, instead of spreading gossip behind their backs. Maybe it was time that she urge them onwards, or make a trek out ahead of them if necessary.

Elixir smiled she loved telling about the stars. “Something like that, I have been studying them lately getting to know what constellations are in the sky. I hope though to learn more.” She says her voice soft. Her tail flicked as she listened to Grezig say that our leaders wanted to head for the mountains. She nodded and let the thought of being in the mountains sit in her brain.

”The mountains seem far from here. I’m sure though they know when they are going to move next. I’m just happy to have you all as a group.” Her words were genuine, no matter where the band ended up she was happy to get to know them. Though she hoped her and Grezig’s friendship would grow more, she seemed to balance out the young wolfdog.

Grezig nodded at the half-breed’s words. She supposed it was a good thing to have a star-watcher among the group. Grezig did not believe that the stars foretold anything, but having someone nearby who could navigate with them if anyone got lost was a good thing. “Are you interested in the sun or weather, as well?” she asked, trying to keep the conversation going. It would be doubly good if Elixir could predict storms or things like that. It might keep the pack safer in days to come.

Grezig’s ear flicked at the mutt’s next comment — that she was happy to have everyone as a group. It made the wolf feel bad for the way she thought of Elixir. This… regret was not a feeling she was used to, and she shifted uncomfortably. “Where did you come from?” she asked the wolfdog. “Before you were here, in the Wilds.”

She though for a moment before answering.. Elixir had never thought about the weather, but that was interesting to her too. Nature all in all was just something she was quite fond of. “Maybe one day I can learn about it, for now I don’t know much about the weather or things like that. I am fond of nature though.” She said furrowing her brow, maybe she was thinking just a bit too hard about it. 

She shrigged it off though and listened to Grezig’s next question. This one was one that made the wolfdog sigh a bit. Her past life always came back to haunt her, but she never let it shame her when she talked about it, that came later in her own head. “Well, I was born in the black market. A place where humans sell things they aren’t really supposed too. I was sold to a man who paid top dollar to me. I was lucky enough after a while he felt bad and left me on the side of the road when I was 8months old.” It all came out a bit monotone, as if she was holding something back. “Anyway I roamed around until I found my way to the wilds and here I am today!” Her voice got more high pitch at the end as if she was excited. A small tail wag ended the sentence and she waited for a response or something from Grezig.

Grezig nodded with a twinge of disappointment. So no one in their group would be able to give them weather predictions. What a pity. Although, it wasn’t as though the others were stupid. If a storm was coming, most animals in general could tell; it was only a matter of how far in the future they could tell that was important.

Elixir then spoke of her past and Grezig remained silent throughout, face impassive, still as stone. She was not one to make it obvious that she was listening, but listen she did, and intensely. So. She’d guessed correctly about part of the mutt’s upbringing. She did not know much about humans and had never even seen one before, but she knew that they were associated with dogs, and Elixir definitely had dog in her blood. This… black market seemed a morally questionable place, although Grezig could not picture what it looked like in her mind at all. She didn’t even really know what humans looked like. The story continued. Grezig’s brows drew together when Elixir told her that she’d been left on the side of the road… and that that had supposedly been done out of pity. She waited until the half-breed finished her tale before speaking.

“You say the human felt bad and left you on the side of the road. How was this an act of pity? You, an eight month old pup, abandoned to fend for yourself, without ever having learned how to live like a wolf before. How did you survive? How did you learn to hunt and fight?” There was skepticism in the wolf’s voice, a trace of disbelief, as if she thought the mutt might be lying to her. How could Elixir have possibly survived on her own after eight months living alongside humans long enough to have reached adulthood?

Elixir’s ears started to lay back as far as they could as she questioned her past. For her to question anything that came out of this sweet Wolfdogs mouth, how dare her. Elixir kept her lip from coming back to show her pearly whites, a rumbled erupted in her throat and that was something she surely couldn’t control even if she wanted to. 

“it’s as much as the truth as you need to know” she said lowly as the growl stopped, her voice was filled with secretive undertone. As she was finished with her sentence Elixir took a deep breath and turned to walk away from the situation. This time it was to find something to brighten her mood again, if she could. After a few steps forward she took a look back toward Grezig and shook her head.

Grezig blinked in surprise at Elixir’s sudden change in mood. Surely she had expected to be questioned about this. If she was willing to bring it up in the first place, she had to get used to others asking her questions about her past. Grezig snorted in derision at the mutt’s tone. She could understand if maybe something bad had happened that Elixir didn’t want to talk about, but she didn’t say that. She just shut down and walked away.

The turn and the shake of the head was what really got to Grezig, as if she had done something wrong like a pup who didn’t understand her social graces yet. With another snort, she rose and walked away in the opposite direction. She thought they’d been getting along, but now… well, her opinion of the wolfdog was even lower than it had been now. Oh well.

[Exit.]