Moonspear a revolution is one spin round

From the higher reaches of the mountain that were still safe to traverse, the sunset was truly like no other. It was seeing it from such a vantage point as the one he had stopped at was worthwhile, the chill notwithstanding. The daytime clouds had given way to what would be a cloudless night and the temperature would also be swift to drop—as if there were really any other indicators that needed to be there to signify winter's arrival—but for now, he basked in what was left of the amber glow on the eastern horizon. The distant barrier mountains across the plains would steal the last bit of light soon.

On the precipice of his thoughts, a certain weariness threatened to work its way in. It had been a long day full of nothing worth mentioning, the reintegration to a more domestic, shared life not quite the same when it wasn't his own to control. Perhaps the restrictions he felt were more self-imposed; it was more than likely in all actuality, a tie-in to a past he could not completely cut away.

In a break of forestry below, his attention shifted to a herd of elk crossing through. From on high they seemed minuscule, nothing more than distant figures moving single file in poor form through the snow. Too far away to be worth pursuing, at least now, but his eyes followed them as they shifted between sparse cover. With any luck they would stay to the valley below and get snowed in, leaving them all for the taking later.

He happened across this way in picking a path down from the upper reaches. While he had not been exactly comfortable with it, that was what it had warranted to find his mother—of course. But, even if she made it difficult, the yearling was glad he had bit the bullet and got it over with; he had told her about what he and Vela planned, to scout, and search beyond—along with the fact that this should be soon. When her reaction came favorably enough for him, he felt better now, and satisfied with the knowledge she had imparted to lead the way for them, he was eager to reach the next point.

But now was not the time. He had to bask in the relief of this step first, and wondered how long he should wait. First he had to rest up, prepared, do whatever it was one did before setting off to scout beyond. However, on his own route, finding wind of Dirge up here wasn't exactly what he expected.

The sterling Ostrega couldn't help but go cruising on over to him, very pointed in his approach.

While circumstance was always hazy with this wolf, Jarilo immediately smelled Hydra on him but otherwise didn't flinch over his other enigmatic qualities. Yours is not a face I expected up here, he chuffed as he quietly padded up beside Dirge with a curious look in his eye and an edge of a smirk. You just came back? he asked, eyes panning away from the older Ostrega and towards the direction of the herd, and understood maybe a bit more then too.

He wasn't up there alone long, at least not long enough that there were intrusive thoughts to come and pay a visit. Though this time, when he heard the steady approach of footfalls he may a point to look and see who it was—no sense in being caught off-guard twice in a week if he could help it. Jarilo was a welcome sight if he could have his pick of visitors, and the tip of his tail waved easily at the boy's approach. It probably wasn't fair to think of him as just a boy either—he had certainly grown leaps and bounds since the last time he had seen him.

”I did,” he answered smoothly with a nod of his head. ”Thought it best to stay in the company of familiar faces, though I'm guessing you didn't think I'd come back.” He hadn't planned on it, not at all, but then again he had never thought he would tire of swimming against the current of the stream he found himself in. At least he wasn't entirely foolish enough to believe that here was solid ground either; there was almost something palpable in the air weighing down on him here too, but just what he didn't know.

”It would also seem that you spent all that time I've been away growing. I don't think you were quite as tall the last time I saw you. Do you still terrorize the borders on the daily?” He forged ahead in asking questions instead, letting a smile play easy on his features.

In important, socially-formative months of his growing-up to this wolf now, Dirge had been just present enough in the periphery for Jarilo to easily consider his company familiar—even now after him being gone a while. He wasn't going to say he was ever particularly close, but despite the time and the distance, none of this now felt all too strange to him. The yearling eased on into it rather well, and gave a small chuff of a laugh, although deep down, he was relieved too. Guess not. Although I hadn't really thought too much about it, though.. he said to elaborate with another small 'heh' of a sigh.

He switched gears easily, happy to have his height admired. Yeah? Well, I've been working on it, he boasted gently, drawn up for a breath then. But daily of course.. he was quick with this nod. And I've been terrorizing out more off the mountain a little, now that my brothers are pretty much bigger than me already and on the job of being menaces, too, he still wore his bit of a grin, despite the self-depreciation—because holy shit Revui was already that big, and Jarilo was very much not. At least his beastly brother was good for the family business of terror here. Have you ever been west of the barrier mountains? he asked, since he considered Dirge pretty worldly and with that topic bouncing around in his head after receiving his mother's approval to go scouting, it only seemed natural for it to fall from his mouth soon.

Jarilo may not have been as imposing as his brothers—so Dirge had learned of one the hard way—but perhaps it was the smaller ones that needed to be worried about. Their teeth could worry the same strip of flesh just as well as any jacked-up hulking behemoth so long as they hit their mark, and he thought to mention this until their conversation turned elsewhere.

His brow raised for a moment in consideration.

"I have," he said. It may as well have seemed an era ago since he had been there, at least in any depth. "What would you like to know? Plotting an adventure?" A roguish smile came along to follow, and he wondered what had stirred Jarilo's interest in the first place. The mountain did offer views to whet several appetites, but he had always thought the wolves here to be more homebodies than they let on.

sorry for the insane delay

Maybe at the surface, his motivations were more selfish than anything else. He had been kept content here, and immediately nearby. Often he had few reasons to go elsewhere. Hunting kept him fed, he had plenty to do, and overall, he just didn't usually have a major need to go prowling out into the wilds--but his confidence had finally grown, and interests went along with it; he was curious, most of all.

His ears perked at I have, and satisfaction of a suspicion confirmed was a welcome sensation. Well, I was thinking about a trip, yeah. he nodded, knowing good and well that it was probably very overdue for him to get curious. Vela and I, we've never been and just to.. I guess see what we can get into? They weren't deep into the planning stages of it, and neither did he plan to etch out a whole itinerary. Most of all, he just wanted to go. I don't know what to expect--like if there's anything to look out for, or any sights worth a see, he said.

Oh, there was certainly plenty he thought Jarilo and Vela could get into. Trouble was at the forefront of such thoughts, though even Dirge knew that trouble only seemed to find those it wanted to pester. He had walked the world as he knew it a time or two, had gone beyond that, and somehow trouble had avoided him thus far. He was either very lucky, or very stupid, but the reality was that he was simply a combination of the two—lady luck would eventually have her turn. But he had gone into the world very much ignorant to what was out there, driven by a determination to put mileage under his feet and an awareness that benefitted him even now. It seemed the least he could do to whet the appetite to explore, but within reason.

"There's plenty to see out there if you've a taste for it. A couple of packs linger on the other side of the mountains for sure, but they're some distance away. I doubt I need to tell you how to behave near them. Your true struggle would be dealing with the elements and the pursuit of food. This season's ill-favored for leisure travel," and how well he knew, but did not yet elaborate. Curious, he canted his head to ponder another matter altogether.

"Was there something in particular you wanted to find out there?" A sibling, maybe. Charon had said that one of them had gone missing some time ago and Dirge was no stranger to the pursuit of wanting to find them. He was, however, not quite as foolhardy to continue such a thing—Nyx had simply not wanted to be found and eventually, he had gotten the hint. The worry had not gone away, but it was well hidden and stored away beneath other priorities.

All ears, and eager for the viewpoint of someone who had seen it themselves, he wondered first of all if he did have a taste for it. Rightfully enough, he just didn't know. He supposed this was a trek to find out if so, because prowling around nearby with the mountain but a stone's throw away didn't quite push his limits or make him work for any of it. Jarilo wouldn't know if he liked any abroad explorations until he tried, and simply got his feet wet for himself.

But, Jarilo was taking these words to heart, and listening keenly with some thoughtful nods interspersed. I know vaguely about the Redhawks.. the ones that were at the Caldera before, but not where they are exactly. Anyone else, don't know a bit about 'em.. he mentioned, and of course, he did intend to behave about boundaries because he didn't want trouble, for himself or in the name of Moonspear. If anything, the packs would be most useful for finding wolves to learn about stuff from, assuming they were halfway hospitable. Thankfully he had a good enough nature that he could usually skirt his way through interactions like those favorably enough. And I'm hoping that between me and Vela, we can scrape together enough to get by out there.. he mentioned, although this was pure speculation. A rabbit or two between them both wouldn't last them long when trekking the winterscapes, he worried. But.. again.. time would have to tell, and he had to see it for himself. Not that I'm planning to have this be a long deal or anything.. he mentioned, kind of for himself, to hear it out loud.

As for precisely what he sought, the yearling took a pause to decide how to answer this. Not really was the easiest, short version, and just because came as the accessory to that--but those answers were so selfish. While maybe not the entire truth, they were the primary motivators and he got the sense that Vela was not much different. Not in particular. If we can find trace of Revui or even Yami, then good, all the better.. but that doesn't seem like the whole goal, I guess? It's mostly because I haven't seen much beyond what's right by here and.. I feel like I should just to see it myself, and see if I there's anything to learn about it in the process.. he shuffled his weight subtly then with the admission, although it wasn't a particularly weighty one, it was one all the same. Jarilo wasn't feeling like he was setting up to be the wanderlust-y sort (quite the opposite most days when he was comfy here at home).. but maybe the itch was just a lot quieter in him, and he needed a small taste now and then just to know--and know that he wasn't missing out on anything too good in the meantime.

He listened, and took note of the boundaries that Jarilo seemed to place for himself and his sister. At least he acknowledged the fact that winter was upon them rather than forging ahead on a fool's errand, however good natured it was. It was one less thing he felt the inclination to need to share, though even Dirge could have attested that the first sign of any of his siblings would have sent him headlong into the fray. No amount of levelheadedness could stop the matters of the heart, be it love or otherwise.

"The Redhawks seem a fair sort," he commented, thinking idly of Ceara. "I've had the fortune of meeting a couple of them, and they were decent enough. Eccentric, if nothing else," and here Tegan crossed memory thereafter. He doubted there would be any trouble from them, but the matter of packs hardly concerned Dirge. So long as tempers were even and distance kept, most packs seemed content to keep their teeth off of hides; oft it were both brave and brazen that felt their touch to begin with.

"I'd imagine you both know how to behave with company, should you cross it, so I'll spare you the lecture. Most of what is out there happens to be wilderness. Not unlike what you'll find here, but maybe not as condensed. It's easy to go days without seeing another wolf, let alone sussing out borders. If the weather holds, you won't have any trouble finding landmarks to bring you back here, but even this mountain disappears if the sky wishes it so." His head canted as he thought ahead, of what else he knew from his repertoire that could have been of some use. "Game shouldn't be too difficult to find either... stick to the water sources, there are plenty to find there. Don't squander an opportunity or waste what you've caught. And trust your senses—if it doesn't seem right, don't push your luck. Even a short trip can turn into a lengthy one if a situation were to change."

He flicked an ear, and kind of half-nodded as for the Redhawks--and thankfully his description didn't sound so ominous. Eccentric, right, and he supposed that could be filed underneath potentially useful but that was just the tip of this metaphorical iceburg. All worth keeping in mind, though, especially when he didn't even know what all he needed to know and ask about.

As he listened on, Jarilo was fervently set to remembering this, taking it to heart, or whatever it was going to take from him to put it to good use somehow. He didn't want to waste it, and this was a useful mindset to keep on his first actual trip out--until he could find his confidence on his own. It all sounded just so good.. sensible, and he was grateful for the insight. Following the waterways made for a plan he could get behind. Not only would it give him a route to follow, but prey, and shelter, may come readily too. He would be passing that piece along to Vela soon enough, and actually, a lot of this he did hope to be able to relay to her. I'll have to remember this.. thanks, he said.

Now, time would tell if he could actually put it to use and know enough to trust his own senses, as Dirge said. Hopefully when he returned home no worse for the wear and satisfied with places seen on a maiden trip, he'd look back on this and be properly, thoroughly grateful.

Anyway--being up a little further than his usual, as the thought occurred, he let the subjects shift when he didn't want to go into much greater detail than that about his trip right here and now. Hey anyway, were you busy up here? he asked, happy to divert the topic a bit. hopefully back more towards Dirge now that he had gleaned what he could, for now. Any good trails? Because at best I saw some mountain goat tracks back up a ways that kind of surprised me, but never actually them, he mentioned since winter had them extra elusive with their mountaineering able to get them to places icy up high he didn't even want to bother getting to reach.

If any were worth it, though, they could prowl them together. Jarilo was keen for a change of pace, so assuming that Dirge wasn't in major hurry to see him off, he'd see what he could get into for the rest of his afternoon.