The Sunspire concrete jungle

Mamá had always liked high places. She’d look to the mountains that rose above their alley and would tell him about them, stories and fantasies she had about who was at the top.

Well, hijo, I think the mountain is where your father went, the white tops. If we go, he will find us again. We will be happy.

His mother had such a golden heart. But she had a weak body, a weak spirit. And now she was nothing more than bones, or rotting meat. And Wickett’s father?

He wasn’t on the mountain.

Wickett had climbed many mountains and he was never at the top of them. The wolfdog stood there now, drenched in light, face screwed in a grimace of anger, thin shoulders trembling, ears so flat to his head they blended in.

Padre had never been here, but still Wickett kept climbing like mamá wanted him to. The sound rose unbidden in his throat, and the boy had no means to deny it. He let the scream rip from his throat, roaring into the dawn sky.

There was nothing better than a morning scream.

On his last excursion away from Mereo, Glaukos had met a woman. He had returned and been punished for ever straying. Therefore, he was reluctant to go anywhere outside the realms of his day-to-day patrols.

It was with the blessing of @Germanicus that the auxillary now ventured to the tallest mountain in the range. He escorted @Aquene; why, he had no idea. The fact that this woman was an herbalist had somehow blown right by Glaukos.

When the screams of some hell-beast erupted further up the mountain Glaukos moved in to a defensive position between it and Aquene, bristling all over.

He was not sure where exactly the sound came from; it could've been a dying beast (and free lunch) or it could have been a war cry.

Aquene had been keeping herself busy. While she knew she was starting to gain some background when it came to fighting, she also knew she was nowhere ready to take on an actual opponent on her own. That was when she asked for an escort towards the peaks, to look for herbs that grew at higher altitudes that could help… she ended up with Glaukos. Admittedly, she had been hoping for Kallik, having already developed a rapport with him, or even Arsenio because she could listen to him gush about his wife for days without being bothered… Glaukos just seemed so grumpy.
 
She had been paying attention to her surroundings, tensing and falling into a defensive position as she had learned through her spar with Germanicus when the sounds were to be heard. Glaukos launched in front of her and the woman was relieved she had asked for an escort to begin with. For a moment, she had debated not… Her own fur bristled as she looked, waiting to see what had caused such a noise.

There was other people up here.

Shit. Wickett you goddamn dumbass.

He hid further behind the rock that had hid him mostly from view, glancing around as if the hellacious sound hadn’t come from his own chest, then looked over at the wolves nearby.

He cleared his throat.

Sup. Shit his voice was still scratchy. Way to go Wickett.

Wasting very little time, Glaukos moved ahead while one ear was turned towards his charge, in case of ambush. He was not as fast as Kallik but his bulk made him a heavy hitter; should anyone come from behind, he presumed Aquene would keep up. For now he passed her a look that read stay and focused on the path ahead.

The boulder and the scattered stones along each side of the path looked undisturbed. His nostrils flared as he took in the scents - wet earth, conifers, wolf. A rumble began in his chest as Glaukos prepared to bellow, show yourself!

It wasn't necessary for him to speak at all. A smaller wolf, pale and blotched across his coat, peeked from where he hid. Glaukos raised a brow at the greeting; his grimace soon returned.

State your business. Glaukos commanded while bristling. This was not Mereo and so he need not be so defensive of it, but the many patrols and corrections he had faced made him forget. Good thing too, as he would have free reign to dispose of any threat outside the borders.

There was another wolf. That sound had come from another wolf? Concern hinted in her features, still hidden behind Glaukos though she was more than willing to let him take the lead on this venture and this interaction as a whole, even if he seemed so rigid and grumpy. Was he injured? Was that why he had made such guttural and horrid noises? If he was injured, she could help… in theory, she could help.
 
State your business. The command made her shudder lightly though her inquisitve gaze locked onto the loner with whom he had directed himself at. She was curious as to what his business was in the peaks in the middle of winter was as well. She would only make the venture if she absolutely had to, but there were things that she needed in order to continue to ensure the health and safety of the soldiers in Mereo that she did not currently have.

Jeeeeeesus this guy had a stick up his ass a mile wide, thought Wickett, a complete hypocrite.

Taking in the view, goin on a stroll, havin a little look around I guess, I dunno. I don’t have business to attend to. The wolfdog quirked a shrug.

What about you?

The stranger did not appear to be a threat. They were small, very small — so small in fact that Glaukos was surprised at his own reaction, and to knowing such a squall had come from tiny lungs such as those possessed by the puny wolf.

He scoffed upon hearing their voice crackling, and wondered if this was some lost kid or what. He bristled a bit and relented in his guard, looking to Aquene, but otherwise not answering the idiot.

This wasn't part of his job. Unless the boy was a real threat then Glaukos would stand back and let the woman handle things.

Aquene listened as the small man responded, the question falling before Glaukos looked back to her, and she shrugged, finding herself lacking amusement with the man as well as she moved about, shifting away from the conversation as she searched for the herbs that she required.
 
“On a mission.” It was the only answer she offered to the man, hoping he would understand that they did not have time to dilly dally and chit chat. They did have business to attend to. The sooner she could find what they needed, the sooner they could return both to the safety of Mereo that the auxiliary provided but also the sooner she could get the annoyed auxiliary away from the strange boy.