Ocean's Breath Plateau white flag

@Revui set 12/26

that wolverine sure did a number on him. his face was left battered and bruised for a couple of days. a lot of the cuts had healed in that time but a few on his snout were persistent. he feared they would get infected. too bad ruenna wasn’t here. what had she used to cure him? damn, he couldn’t remember.

he pulled through, despite the pain. it would be better once they reached their destination, he thought. issun proceeded forward to scout out nearby territories. he was drawn to the coast, it was a very alluring place after all. and up a plateau. there he rested for a moment, trying to keep his mind off his injuries.

He knew he could not continue to struggle against the slough, so he went north - mostly out of convenience, as the ground became more steady the further north he crept, and by the time Revui took a moment to breathe his airway became choked with salt. The saline in the air would have completely hidden the scent of blood that came creeping, had it not been for his (somewhat unnatural) interest in the aroma; he thought maybe it was the Blackfeather girl from the moors again, and gave chase across the plateau, until he caught sight of a shadowed silhouette cutting a rugged shape against a backdrop of moody blue-gray. For a split second the tired boy thought of Arcturus, and he let out a deep chuff of greeting — but stopped short on his approach and grew wary soon after, remembering that they'd started to grow apart just before Revui's flight from the mountain.

it was fairly silent here. the only ambiance provided was the whispers from grass and the distant crashing waves. issun closed his eyes and let nature’s chorus hum in his ears. maybe he could make a home here, but he doubted that would happen. the coast was surely beautiful but he didn’t know how to survive here. he had picked up a few tricks when he lived here, but that was short lived and long ago. a forest would be the best bet.

the meditation was cut short by a greeting. he looked over his shoulder to see someone standing behind him. a young looking boy, probably a year or two, with cuts near his nose. issun swirled around and gave a quick nod. “hello,” he greeted, “i didn’t hear you coming.”

The stranger turned and caught him in their sights. Revui watched them plainly, wondering where they had come from - comparing them, whether he was aware of it or not, to his dark-coated siblings and mother. The wolf before him looked like he'd seen better days. He was older than Revui, but that wasn't something the boy often noticed. He began to stride closer but paused when they spoke, calling out to him — almost apologizing for not noticing the silver behemoth. Revui's ears trembled as they caught that voice.

He wasn't sure what to do, or to say. Words weren't often his tool of communication like they were for others, but things would have to change if he was going to survive out here. He took a moment to consider all of his options (ignore him, start a fight, make him an ally -) and then he cleared his throat.

Sorry, he half grumbled, his voice crackling. Revui didn't know what to say at that point so he fell back to comfortable silence, but began to walk again. He followed the path made by the stranger because it was easier than fjording the snow himself; not that he was incapable, being a massive plough of a teen, but he didn't want to waste the energy.

the boy’s voice seemed worn out. it sounded like he had been on some long journey. a journey where speech was not needed. maybe that was the case. maybe this stranger had been wandering for awhile, just like him not too long ago.

“no need to apologize.” issun’s eyes drifted off to the endless body of water. perhaps he was wrong. the man could be settled here along the coast. “you know anything about this place?”

The stranger questioned him. He didn't seem put-off by the boy's presence, although Revui was still unnerved and wasn't sure what to do with the situation. It wasn't like he got off the mountain very often; finding Speedy (and the fallout of that decision) had been one of the rare moments, and now he was here. Loitering. Trying to find a purpose and make sense of his departure. And there was this dark-coated Arcturus-look-alike making him suddenly homesick.

Revui shrugged his broad shoulders and then, having a look around, gave a little shake of his head. He had no idea where he was, or where to go from here. If this place had history then he was oblivious to it — not that he'd ever realize just how sheltered his little life had been before. He cleared his throat, and commented, I don't know where we are.

silence fell after he gave a simple reply. the boy was one of few words. he was expecting something out of him. a ”what’s your name?” or ”do you know this place?” but there was nothing. it was a little odd. when he met a stranger things usually ended up in a conversation or fight, but this was different. time was still.

he figured both of them would be sitting in awkward silence if he didn’t initiate something, so he cleared his throat. “i’ve only been here a few times. it’s peaceful.” he turned his gaze back to the stranger. “you got a name?”

There was silence, but then it was broken. The stranger's question brought some focus to the boy but he answered with a blithe, Yes. It felt unnatural for him to be speaking to an outsider; however, the longer he stood there and the more he thought about it, he was an outsider too, now. He decides to clear his own throat after a beat and makes a correction, introducing himself as just, Revui, and his ears fanned forwards, attentive to the stranger. You?

sorry abt this ugly post hh

”revui.” it was an interesting name. it held some sort of unspoken mystery, true to his character. he recited the name to himself a few times. “i’m issun. it’s nice to meet you.”

“what bought you out here?” it was something he wondered for the past few minutes.