Bearclaw Valley Bring Out Your Wild Side

@Ico

Uly has been around looking for members of his new pack. He wanted to befriend them, to build a bond with them; if they allow it of course. The want to do this family right and impress is still within him. The want to serve has never died and he would obediently for anything that is asked of him by his leaders. So he sets out to find one of them–any of them really.

Then his eyes land on something small and white. His mind connects it back to a smaller wolf he’d seen when Merrick held their many meetings. He doesn’t know the others name, but he decides he’d like to. In a slow trot Ulysses’ giant form approaches the other and polite smile already gracing his features.

“Hello.” He greets as to not startle the other. “I’ve not gotten your name yet friend.” He rolls out in that twisted accent of his. His head tilted to the side and large ears focused on the smaller.

A vast storm cloud descended from the hills, and I would've cowered but then I heard that the thunderous rumbles were not menacing; but instead an amiable voice. For this was Ulysses, and he came in peace.

So petite was Ico compared to the grand Rainheart, he did not feel much instinct to further submit — but certainly he felt humbled and impressed, falling short of intimidated simply because Ulysses spoke with such warmth. The silken Briarsoul was alert and clear-headed that day, but immediately embarrassed by the small three-legged dormouse dead at his paws. For this had been the only creature he'd managed to successfully hunt today. Maybe Ulysses wouldn't notice.

Hullo...! I'm Ico, he responded in turn, a little timid. Congratulations on your post, sir. I would love to hear the story of how you came to meet Merrick and save his life... if you're free to share? Ico didn't beat around the bush, for this was a tale he'd been desperate to hear for days now.

Those ghostly eyes accompanied by constricted pupils gaze back down to the smaller Fox-like creature, that same smile still planted upon his muzzle. He lets out a deep rumbling of quiet laughter at the praise the younger gives. “Thank you, I am humbled. I would not be here if it were not for Merrick’s kindness as well.” He sounds out to the other, eyes closing briefly while he laughed. Even though the words Merrick and kindness aren’t often used in the same sentence unless it was from Ursus themselves.

His eyes flick down to the creature at his paws. Although instead of teasing at the meagerness of the catch he’s impressed. “Nice catch. I’ve never been able to catch small things like that. So quick they are.” He rumbles easily.

He then turns his body as if to walk away. “Would you like to come with me on a hunt of my own? I’m sure you could have just as much to teach me as I you.” He says it with ethereally, ivory hues planted onto Ico’s form, a quaint smile offered up. “I will tell you all about the tale of how I assisted our great leader.”

He quite understood the gratitude for Merrick's kindness — and although the Alpha's motivations were more mysterious than that, it did indeed seem there was lucid goodness in some of his actions.

As for Ulysses complimenting Ico's hunting skills, such as they were... the boy barely concealed a cringe as he glanced down at the mouse. Evidently the dog-wolf had not noticed that it had only three legs. Either that or he was pretending not to, and kindness was once more the subject of the moment.

He was startled but very intrigued by the offer. I'd love to join you in a hunt, but, erm... I may be better off playing lookout, staying out of your way. I'm really not very good at hunting. He really wasn't very good at anything.

He barks out a rumbling, throaty laugh; open mouthed and everything, displaying bright white teeth and a black and pink tongue. “Nonsense.” He says down to the male after his laugher died after a few seconds. “I will make you good at hunting then.” He says with determination in his eyes and his smile grows wider. “I have confidence in you, small one. Or–Ico, my bad.” He chuckles briefly at calling him small one.

They begin to walk and Ulysses scans their surroundings while he begins to tel the story of Merrick and his abrupt meeting. “Had fallen down a mountain just some time earlier and was forced to go down a different path than intended.” He says this part with a mildly disappointed expression, more scolding himself for falling in the first place. 

“I stumbled upon him by a tree in the dead of night. He asked if I was going to kill him. I simply replied no, I want to help. He was weak and starving, he’d sprung something or torn something...” The great wolf squints trying to remember the details.

“I helped him get back to heath and stayed by his side until he could go on his own. That’s about it.” He says finally. “I’m sure everyone thought I fought something to the death and saved him like a knight in shining armor.” He laughs.

The wide-eyed boy didn't mind being called Small One. He was exactly that, after all; and despite his own lack of self-confidence he did at least try to follow Ulysses's faith in him. After all, Big One had the kind of presence that encouraged faith.

Tucking aside the dormouse in the reeds for later (or for whichever Ursus wolf might chance across it), Ico dashed nimbly at the other's side, their differences in height far too substantial for Ico to fall into step with him. As per his promise, the Briarsoul was really very useless at this point, not gazing around sharply but instead looking up at the wolf to absorb his story.

You are a knight in shining armour, he enthused. It often takes far more strength to be there for someone vulnerable than to follow an aggressive instinct. Why, Merrick himself once did something similar. He sat with a wounded bear. It ended up passing away, but... our bear lives on, thanks to you.

Uly takes his eyes off the scenery before them to look into the hues of the younger that walks beside him. “I did not know Merrick did such a thing.” He sounds almost excited or impressed when he says this. “I appreciate what you say. I don’t regret helping him and I never will. I’m forever in his debt for giving me a new family to protect. It is my only purpose in this life.” He states simply, eyes going to look around for food once more.

Hopefully his eyes don’t deceive him but possibly about a half a mile away the wolf-dog sees a small doe. Possibly a fawn. Uly stops in his tracks and an excited wag of his tail gets past his steel forces. “You see that?” He asks just above a whisper.

Ico smiled eagerly, an extra spring in his step as he prepared to expand upon the story of the Bruin-witch and the bear —

But then something much more immediately tangible stole the spotlight. It took Ico a moment because he hadn't been paying attention, but then he followed the instructional gaze of Ulysses's silver eyes and saw a small doe nibbling at the soft bark of a tree trunk.

Ico felt briefly elated and then nervous. Are you sure it's not too big? he whispered lamely.

The great navy wolf chuckles quietly when he hears the males timid whisper. “No of course not. It would be easy to take down, even all by yourself.” He looks around the immediate area more. “The problem would be the mother, if she’s around. She’ll stomp you out if she sees you.” He hums lowly, preoccupied by gazing around the area.

“Come, let’s move closer. You’re doing great.” The wolf-dog says confidently to the smaller. He can feel Ico’s confidence shrinking, so throwing out compliments and other things to get him pumped is Uly’s plan. He wants him to fee more confident in himself, even if he doesn’t think he can do it.

Slinking on forward, hopefully with his new little friend in tow, they make their way towards the unsuspecting deer. When they get a comfortable few meters away he stops in his tracks to scan the horizon. The mother is nowhere to be seen–good.

“Okay, I’m going to grab it. Only grab, not kill, and you’re going to finish it. Okay?” He makes up the plan on the spot with a smile on his maw. “You can do it.” He adds with nudge to the others shoulder with his nose.

If there really was a mother doe around, Ico could consider himself stomped.

The truth of the matter was that Ico was really very quick and agile, albeit weak, but sheer lack of self-confidence made it difficult to play to his strengths. Ulysses's words of encouragement helped (and reminded him irresistibly of Evien), but Ico was also painfully aware that he hadn't actually done anything to earn the huge wolfdog's confidence in him.

But he had to start somewhere, and he nodded. The concept of killing a faun was daunting, given that he normally struggled to snuff out a rat, but he would try, and that was the best best he could offer his new hunting mentor.

He stayed where he was and crouched down, quite eager to watch the gentle giant in action.

After stalking close enough, Uly decides to go in for the kill. His body starts off low to the ground and he trots then releases himself into a full on sprint. The deer spooks and her wide eyes only stay on the navy wolf for a millisecond before her gangly legs are workin gin getting the fuck out of dodge. Sadly, she isn’t fast enough and the wolf-dog crashes his body against hers, sending her falling over into the lush grass. His mouth is on her throat in an instant and the second he hears a crack he lets go. He broke her neck and if he was honest he didn’t mean to go that, rather he wanted to hold her down to let Ico finish it. So much for that plan. 

He just stands there looking down at the dawn for a few seconds and chuckles sheepishly. Gazing over to the other he paws at the deer. “I accidentally killed it. My bad.”

Ico watched obediently from the bushes, endeavoring to pick up tips — but it was difficult to do so when the teacher had such a different size and skillset to the student.

Needless to say, it transpired this class would be a textbook class and not a practical one, for it was not long before Ulysses inadvertently performed the action he'd reserved for Ico. The doe was dead, the deed was done.

Ico was privately relieved, and padded over to Ulysses's side with a slight smile. I'll try and follow suit next time, he promised, hoping the hunter would agree to take him out again some time.

The ivory boy watched as blood pooled beneath the dead prey. It reminded him of something. I never did finish that story about Merrick, did I, he realised. But you should know; the wounded bear he sat with... he didn't just provide company while it died, he felt its spirit instil itself in him through the still-warm blood. From bear to wolf. It's one of the reasons why the connection between Ursus and Bearclaw Valley is so powerful, and it speaks to the power of blood.

Ico blinked down at the crimson puddle. It's important I learn how to spill it. Blood, I mean. So... thank you, he finished rather meekly.

As discussed, finishing here! <3