Lion Head Mesa because of you

he looked for @Crowfeather.

the tall man (wolf??????????) was absent from his chambers, but that was alright. he could wander now, so it made sense he'd have gone to some other part of the mesa for his exercise.

expect that his scent led the chihuahua outside, where he paused at one of the exits, angling his head as if it would offer some massive shift in perspective that'd permit him to see his charge past the sparse greenery surrounding the redrock spire.

usually, he wouldn't dare venture past the mesa's shadow without an escort. usually. but today he gathered all the bravery he could in the tight confines of his chest, and stepped outside.

it would be an unexciting walk for anyone of greater size or haunted by less maddening revelations (but they didn't look like wolves), and yet to the chihuahua it was a nerve wracking journey. and yet, crowfeather's scent led him farther.

[...]

eventually he reached the very edges of akashingo's claim. crowfeather had gone past them. it was unbelievable. gucci understood the extent of his friend's injuries, perhaps not the same way tavina did, but he knew the pain the dark man was experiencing would surely have forced him to turn back at some point.

and yet...

perplexed, worried, panicked, gucci threw his head back and gave a barking call.

The first thing Maegi thought upon coming across the. . .thing. . .was that it was the biggest rat she'd ever seen.

Except rats didn't bark like puppies.

Expression caught between twisted amusement and utter bewilderment, she hobbled closer, staring down the creature with a burning, bi-color stare. He called for Crowfeather.

Hadn't she just spoken to the man?

Um. . .are you lost? Maegi asked him, brows drawing tightly together. Maybe it was a pup; she remembered Ramsay's stunted form well, and perhaps this little one was deformed like her brother had been. Like she was.

A touch of tenderness filled her gaze at the thought, though she remained, on the whole, quite perplexed.

note that this thread takes place after crowfeather disappeared, maybe a day after he did so :>

the terrain did what it could to carry gucci's meager call, but soon its tones were swallowed up whole by the vastness of the flatlands.

his ears faced forward, his whole body seemed tilted in that same direction, as he listened, so closely, so eagerly, for any sounds of his friend's reply.

some time passed.

none came.

as silence stretched out all around him the chihuahua suddenly became aware of his own smallness, and shrunk further, shaking.

what will happen to his friend? and why was he born in a body so tiny and useless, unable to aid him?

it was a voice that pulled him out the dark confines of his mind, and the dog lifted his head, furred ears turning like radars.

he knew of this woman. her scent was in the mesa, and even though their paths had never crossed, he felt no fear at her approach. she was of akashingo. she was safe.

"n-naw at all, missus. hehe." he tried to fix his posture, but his tail refused to lift, and his head remained in line with his back. the neb mustered a frail smile. "jus', uhm, lookin' fer mah, mah companion. ah guess. haha." he glanced there and over there, as if crowfeather could pop out behind a hill at any moment, going "it's me! i'm here! what a fun game this was, now's your turn to hide!".

oh, who was he kidding. crowfeather would never speak like that.

"you, uhm, haven't happened t' see mistah crawfetha 'round 'ere, yeah?"

He wore a collar. It reminded her of Mou, and she swallowed hard to clear the lump in her throat that suddenly impeded speech. Something else, as well, wrapped 'round his body. What an odd little creature!

His speech was similarly odd, and it took some concentration for Maegi to parse the words. 

We spoke the other day, she replied, pursing her lips in thought. But I haven't seen him since, no. Do you think he might have gone somewhere outside the mesa?

There was no reason to believe otherwise; why else would this tiny thing be out near the borders, howling for one particular soul? For that matter, who—what?!—was this, anyway?

How. . .old are you, if you don't mind me asking?

"that's what ah fear!" the male yapped, distraught. "but he ain't s'pposed to! he's got a-a-a wounded body n a bad leg n all the frality o' health o' a flower in winter!" he paced in place, looking every which way, still holding onto that thin and continuously thinning hair of hope that the man would leap out behind a boulder any moment now.

the question was so sudden, so odd, so out-there, that the little man froze as two of his legs were lifted off the ground. 

it took him a moment to rewind the last second or so and confirm with his brain that yes, he was just asked his age.

lowering his hovering paws, he turned his head to face the woman. she had that terrible facial wound that might've contributed to him avoiding eye contact at first, not wishing to stare, and yet by lowering his gaze he was greeted by a fused, defective front paw - but besides that, she looked fine.

(for a wolf, he had to remind himself.)

"ma'am." he spoke flatly. "ah am four years o' age."

wasn't it obvious?

She nodded, though thinking back. . .he'd seemed fine? Scarred, a little limping, but fine. But this one seemed to know him better, and so she took his word for it.

And then the dynamic changed. The little thing looked. . .offended? And the answer shook her.

Four years?! Surely he meant months. Still, she hadn't meant to upset him. Maybe he really was like herself and Ramsay, just permanently stunted. Maybe he hadn't grown since four months.

I'm sorry, Maegi said, trying to give him her best look of contrition. I mean, you are quite. . .small. So forgive me for asking. I just wanted to make sure you weren't lost out here. 

She'd met dogs, but never one this tiny. Could he really fault her for thinking he was a child?

gucci was still looking baffled, even as the woman explained herself. as she spoke, however, her words chipped away at his bewilderment until he was made to face the reality he was so rudely thrust into by tavina's reveal.

these were not dogs. they were a completely different species, with different instincts, society and culture. among them gucci, with his size, was no fellow canine. he was something small and frail and deformed, and it would make every bit of sense that he'd be perceived as prey (and was surprised he hadn't already been).

however, he had not, at any point, prepare for the possibility of being mistaken for a puppy. 

good lawd in heaven, what has mah life come to?

he realised he'd been staring rather blankly at the she-wolf while he was getting his thoughts in order. he shook his head, as if to kick-start his manners.

the neb gave her a smile.

"aah, no offense taken, missus!" he waved the confusion away with a coy flick of the wrist. "but if ya think o' me as a pup you'd be surprised t' see how lil' mah kind is at birth. ya could fit newborn me on top o' your paw!" his smile vanished a second as he looked back down at her deformity. it was upon his lips again when he looked up, albeit somewhat stiff and awkward. "um, the good one, that is."

Once upon a time, Maegi would have been offended by the reference to her clubbed paw. But he was apologetic, and she was older. Instead, he surprised a laugh from her, and she held it aloft, giving it a rueful glance before staring back down at him.

I've never seen a wolf as small as you, she replied, still grinning. I thought you might be like my brother—he was born different, all squished together, his back arched. He grew big, but he never grew out of looking like he did.

She shrugged. So you're not lost? Maegi asked, and then added, Oh, I'm Maegi. Sorry. I should have asked your name. She'd been too caught up in the puzzling situation to remember good manners.

"well ah ain't no wolf--!" he clamped his mouth shut, suddenly aware that that might be a bad thing to admit to an apex predator.

expect that, in his mind, apex predators didn't possess such a pleasant laugh, nor a good sense of humour.

"...um, ah mean." his head bent and he gave an awkward laugh. "ahm a kind o' wolf, ah guess. a dog, that is. so we're practically cousins." he hoped pointing out this evolutionarily relation would discourage the larger animal from eating him.

wishing to quickly switch the conversation from what could end up as a debate about his edibility, he confirmed with a shake of his head that he wasn't lost. "n-naw, missus tavina knows ahm out 'ere." it was a lie, but the sesh had good standing in akashingo and namedropping her might assure his safety.

"oh! maggie?" the chihuahua drawled. "very nice name. mine's gucci." he gave a wag of his curved tail. "ahm what they call a neb within' the mesa, which basically means ahm a layabout by profession. what's your role in akashingo?"

A dog. She knew dogs, but not this small. Mah-ee-gee, she corrected, though kindly. It's nice to meet you, Gucci. Last I spoke with Pharaoh, he wants me to be a noble of some sort. So I suppose that's what I am, here.

She also knew Tavina, and it put her mind at ease. It still didn't quite put the rest of Crowfeather's absence, though Maegi didn't know why they were so worried. Wolves came and went all the time, even with injury—and the man hadn't seemed incapable when she'd seen him.

How'd you come to find this place, Gucci? she asked, curiosity abundant in her two-toned gaze.

"yeah that's what ahh said. mah-jee." gucci was not dumb.

(although, he was bad with any name a forty years old west coast woman wouldn't name her purse dog)

so, maegi was his equal in rank, then? not that it meant much. one, she could still eat him. two, nothing ever happened in akashingo anyways that would warrant those of his rank having to interact. besides, he pretty sincerely envied the fellahin, who seemed to always be hurrying from one task to the next, while he - and not to sound ungrateful for the hospitality, which he very much was - perished from boredom and depression.

and besides that, he felt that he was forgetting something important. what was it he was here for...?

"oh, t'was the pharaoh tha' found me!" his mind was already on the next thing, tongue wagging quicker than the tail. "y'see, ah was on vacation with mah ma, n we was visitin' this friend o' hers, who had this beautiful cottage in-- oh was it oregon or washington? anyways-" 

he began walking in a random direction, expecting maegi to follow, as such a spirited retelling needed him to move his legs, else he'd end up gesturing so intensely with them it'd look like he's convulsing.

"-- we was supposed t' come alone, plus that friend n his girlfriend -- n that girl was a gold digger, we all knew but made no comment 'cause he was a cradle-snatcher 'imself and dear lawd ah've no idea why ma even hung out wi' him, but ah guess she knew him from her student days n yadda yadda -- anyways, we was packin', n ah was real excited 'cause the friend, mistah pond, had this cute lil' pup who ah jus' adored 'cause he was jus' the sweetest fellow n ah was lookin' forward to meetin' him again when in comes martin friedman!" his perky face scrunched with disgust. "ma had been datin' 'im some five months and ah jus' knew he was not all right in the heart, oh ah could almost smell it! and t'was that cur that got invited along to what was s'pposed t'be our vacation! the only thing he did well was drive us to the place without ma throwin' up more than twice, but after that it all just got worse."

a pebble was in his way, and gucci violently punted it away with all his strength. it did not fly far.

"first he started makin' eyes at mistah pond's girl, n ah tried ta get ma ta notice but she was deep, deep in th' bottle most o' the day. then, he started feedin' me leftovers. like ah was some stray! n of course he also kept bein' a downright villainous individual pesterin' me every moment he got, even once tryna use mah sweater t' extinguish his cigar!" he looked to maegi as if seeking confirmation that this was, indeed, the most heinous thing she'd ever heard, but turned his head back forward before taking in her reaction. "n there was a small million other things he did n said, but again ah mentioned his flirtatiousness wi' the girl 'cause that hurt me most, that he'd play wi' th' trust o' a woman as great n perfect as mah ma n make eyes at some college dropout wi' no loyalties or future. ah-nee-ways." 

he inhaled deeply, then exhaled softly.

"on the last day o' our stay, there was a party. just fine dinner, n some splashin' in the jacuzzi n lots of expensive champagne t' end the night. ma curled up on the couch wi' a bottle, but she was still conscious and when ah came close- oh ah can still remember that smile!" his eyes turned glossy with tears. "she pet mah head n called me her precious lil' boy n told me ta go outside t' do mah business, n ah did so, but as ah was goin' back in out stepped martin friedman." now he snarled. "he was drunk, ah could tell, but still ah was blind t' his nature then, n when he picked me up in his horrible hands ah did nawt protest. he took me, n took off down this winding road, n he must've walked a few hours 'tleast 'fore he found this flat place-" his head jerked to motion towards fairspell meadow. "- n jus' left me there! well, first he told me ta stay, which silly ol' me obeyed for three days! ah could've died out there, form exposure o-o' hawks, but thank every start in the sky, ah was found by the most wonderful pharaoh ramesses." the fuzzy tail wagged. "he led me t' th' mesa n got me fed n warmed, n promised t' extend this hospitality until mah owner... mah owner came back for me..." 

gucci's energetic prancing slowed down abruptly, until he stood in place. now he was terribly sad, thinking how likely that would never happen.

but, where were his manners? he turned his head and beamed at the other noble.

"but of course, a good talk takes two! how did you come to be one of akashingo?"

his tail wagged encouragingly.

There were, perhaps, five of those words that made sense to Maegi. If that. She goggled at him, taking in the tumult of speech, blinking, staring, waiting. . .

. . .a good talk takes two! how did you come to be one of Akashingo?

Oh. This is where she came in. Pharaoh and I met on an island, Maegi replied, shaking her head slowly, trying to make sense of—ah, fuck, she'd never make sense of what was just given to her from the diminutive lad. And I found his scent again, and here we are.

How did— She balked, trying to figure out what the fuck just happened.

Look, I'm not sure where you came from, she said. But you're here, now. Is Crowfeather in danger? she asked, eyes trained firmly upon the tiny dog.

her own story was quite... short and to the point. huh. maybe she wasn't a talkative type? that was alright. he wouldn't judge. there were too many kinds of people on this world to single out one's unconventional nature.

and then she reminded him of what he'd forgotten.

the tiny dog gasped. "crawfetha!" how could it slip his mind so quickly?! "y-yea yea, ah assume so! see he's real hurt as you've prob'bly seen n his scent marks lead-- lead out there." he gestured at the great, big, unknown beyond. "anythin' could've happen'd t' him! we- w-we've gotta tell someone!" someone who had neither a limp nor legs too short to carry the body a great distance. he was back to his pacing in place.

Her mouth quirked with worry, tinged with not a small amount of amusement. Not that she found the situation funny, per se, but it did touch her that the little one was so attached to Crowfeather that he'd come all the way out here looking for him.

You're right; we should tell someone, Maegi agreed. She pointed her muzzle back inward, toward the heart of Akashingo. I'll go with you. We won't get very far if we try to do it ourselves.

A cripple and a miniature. Yeah, not the most ideal welcoming party.

She began to hobble back, slowing her pace enough to allow his small legs to catch up. How'd you meet Crowfeather, then? she asked. You seem very fond of him.

"yea yea." the small mad nodded, erratic, completely aware of his and maggie's inability to conduct a search and rescue operation. "w-w've should, we should tell someone like the pharaoh 'bout this, ah mean these- these are his lands 'fter all he'll know what to do he must know oh lawd oh lawd-" 

with surprising haste the neb took off towards the mesa, speedwalking, yet conscious of the other canine's disability.

the white wolfess asked him something that gucci, currently trapped in the perpetual roundabout of his apocalyptic thoughts, nearly missed.

"huh? oh. oh! w-we'll ya see, ah, uh we-" a shaky inhale and steady exhale managed to fix his jumbled speech, and he continued much slower. "ah had come t' 'shingo when mistah crawfetha was much worse in health than ya've seen. the pharaoh, he told me t' go be companion n keeper t' the young man, which ah did, n it was no difficult occupation, 'cause crawfetha's jes' the most pleasantest conversation partnah ah could've asked for. such, such a gentle soul, an absolute dear." the memory of him brought with it a smile.

then, the chihuahua was back to panicking.

"oh but how could he make it out there in them woods o' plains there ain't nothin' he could use t' tend his wound oh what if-" and unless interrupted, this would continue until they came to the palace.

within the halls, gucci, breathless, little pink tongue dangling, turned to maggie. "please, miss, mah voice ain't 'nough, call someone t' 'ere, quick!"

She filed away the most important bits of the story, leaving the plethora of filler behind. Yes, Maegi replied, nodding. Of course.

She howled for @Ramesses, thinking he was perhaps the best wolf to inform of this wrinkle in circumstances. If Crowfeather was as important as Maegi thought he was, the Pharaoh should know.

He'll come, she said, almost to herself.

She glanced down at Gucci, head cocked a little in concern at his obvious consternation. Are you okay? Maegi queried. Do you need anything? I'm sure Tavina has something for anxiety; it might help you calm down, especially after going all that way and back.

setting this as tavina & sihaya are hustling out of the palace to look for crowfeather lol, just one post if thats good!

cloaked and armed with herbs, it was tavina who answered the sesh's call. the flame-eyed sihaya followed noiselessly behind her, amusement upon his handsome face where she could not see. 

"ramesses is in a foul temper and hungover from the night's diversions. more than likely he will not answer, but if he does, you only invite his meanness." tavina's voice was informative and clipped, gaze softening only as she glanced to gucci.

he was visibly distressed, and she assumed swiftly it was to do with the prince's disappearance. "the pharaoh has given me leave to go and look for crowfeather. i will search for more than a day." tavina could not spare more reassurance now; she gave them both a nod and continued on, up the red path and out into the morning, sihaya trotting at her side.

"oh ah'm, a'hm fine. jest, uh, gittin' th-th' j-jitters 's-s-sall." he accompanied his attempt to sound reassuring with a pitched laugh of one whose mental state hung by frayed nerves.

"we-we-we-we should, uh, shoud not bother miss tavina. god lawd, no." the dog was coherent at once, and his brows creased as he gave a sharp shake of the head. after offending her so, he hadn't the right to be a cause of further bothersness for the healer.

he shuffled in place while waiting for the great pale man to respond, but instead of him it was the sesh that came down the hall, accompanied by one of the pretty-faced royal guard dogs.

"miss tavinah!" gucci yapped at once, single wag of curved tail betraying his brief cheer, immediately dispersed as he intently listened to the dark woman's explanation.

so, his charge had gone missing, and hadn't simply masterfully evaded the chihuahua's tracking. he gave a solem nod as tavina said that it was she who was tasked with finding the prince.

his lips tightened, and he took several steps closer to the sesh, then addressed her and the man looming behind. "please, miss, mistah, bring that boy back home. gawd knows what could've happen'd t' 'im out there." he gave another nod as the duo departed.

gucci turned back to maegi.

"well, heh, see how thangs work out!" it was his intention to sound humorous, but still his voice was shrill and his chuckle a squeal. 

he was silent a moment, in an awkward manner.

"uh, guess ah've, uh, gots t' apologise fer needlessly rousin' ya. ah'm sure miss tavina and mistah, uh, seeya'll be able t' find crawfetha." he gave a stretched smile. the words were meant to fool him, not the woman.