Sleepy Fox Hollow Here I stand

Etienne had woken and worked to at least clean his face and body of debris. Though he couldn't quite get the burrs that curled into his fur or the branches that hung from him, twisted in the thick fur of his coat.

The sensation of grass and dirt and the lack of the sound of the ocean, were at best disorienting for the boy. But he was determined to make his own way now. He had not the spoons to care for his family right now. For the first time in his young life he wanted to be selfish and then he felt nothing but shame.

He was a shameful son. An oath breaker. He didn't keep promises. He sighed and quit working at the burrs and sat down, his head lowered as he looked down at the ground. Tears leaking from his eyes. He growled and rubbed at them with a foreleg.

I thought I wasn’t gonna post tonight but then I saw this….

Tierra didn’t know this dude, which meant he must be new. It wasn’t the same one that interrupted them either, though he seemed young too. Cool that it wasn’t another geezer like Mahler.

She approached jauntily, intending to introduce herself, but before she got within range she noticed the way he was acting and froze with surprise. Wait. Are you, like, crying right now?

No hello, no friendly deflection, just outright honest shock that he’d be sitting here crying for seemingly no reason. Of course, he probably had a damn good reason, but Tierra wasn’t about to guess what it was. So what he got from her was a sort of rude, baffled question that hung between them waiting to be answered.

I'm so glad you joined me <3

Eti heard a noise and sniffled, quickly wiping his eyes again. He was not ashamed of crying, but he liked to see who was coming upon him. Though honestly he wouldn't have been able to do much of anything if the new stranger wanted a fight. He wasn't a fighter.

He lifted his head a smoky red she wolf stared back at him. Eyes like the sun when it flashed down on the sea. Her incredulity made him chuckle watery and he nodded.

Course I be cryin' I be a sorry sad wolf. Nuffin wrong wit it.

He shifted and stood up then, tugging again at some of the brambles and burrs. She wasn't much bigger than him surprising. He was usually smaller than all around.

1 post cameo only!

Wylla's tread slowed as she spotted two of the younger pack wolves in the near distance: the emissary, Tierra, and a new yearling. The fur on the back of her neck rippled slightly as she observed them. From the younger's downcast appearance, it was easy to assume Tierra was giving him a hard time.

Before she could angle her course to intercept and mediate whatever conflict might arise, Etienne's stance changed to something more open and welcoming. Wylla paused with a twitch of ears and tail, then gave a mental shrug and resumed her previous lope. Whatever Tierra was doing to him, he didn't seem all that opposed, and the intense and frequent pressure on her bladder made border patrol duty far more appealing than small talk.

Wow, he just owned up to it out loud like that. Sad and sorry!? He was cute in the same kinda pathetic, totally hopeless way that Sybol had been. She wondered if he was as much fun in other ways, looking him over, and her tail flicked behind her with deliberation as she sized him up.

Yeahhh. Okay. I guess. There wasn’t anything wrong with it if you didn’t want to come off as cool and totally composed, but Tierra was a pro.

You’re new, right? I’m Tierra. I’m an ambassador, which means I like, represent the pack and stuff. It’s cool though. I won’t tell anyone you were crying so long as you’re cool. She said this last bit with an apparent air of detachment, as if it didn’t really matter one way or the other to her. She couldn’t look too proud of herself otherwise he might think she cared what he thought. And she totally didn’t. Not one bit.

Hello Chelsie I request a thread with Wylla and Eti if you have time. I know you're quite busy <3

Eti would have been quite ruffled had he known she thought he was pathetic and hopeless, because he was not without hope. And pathetic bah. He could do many things. He was just upset right now.

He wrinkled his nose, but he didn't like how she spoke to him like it would matter to him if she told anyone anything about him. He didn't care one whit. Anyone who knew him, knew what kind of wolf he was and those who didn't. They learned quickly and if they wanted to believe a story over the actual wolf that was their perogative.

So he looked at her and shifted. Stopped the pulling of the burrs. I don't care if you do tell anyone. If dey be t'inkin' somet'ing cruel cause I be cryin' and upset. Dey aren't a wolf I'd like to spend time wit' anyway. W'en someone dies you cry. Especially if you be lovin' dem. Dey be family.

don’t mind her, she’s emotionally stunted and def has her own way of seeing things XD

Okay. Totally awkward. Tierra was entirely out of her depths handling emotions like this, and death was definitely something she didn’t think about often. Wolves disappeared all the time, but as far as death went… she’d never known anyone close to her to do it. (And lucky or not, she hadn’t heard yet about Reyes).

Whatever you want, I guess. Maybe they’re into that here. She shrugged, then stood up and shifted impatiently. Germanicus probably would have, like, put him on a patrol or something to get him out of the way until he stopped. Tierra sort of got that. It was weird to see someone upset and not have a clue what the heck caused it. Someone died, sure, but no one she knew. So what was she supposed to do about it?

You’re like…. good though. Right? Uncomfortable or not, it felt a little too rude (even for her) to just bounce. Hopefully he answered yeah and then she could pat herself on the back for totally handling it like a champ.

She's fine. I think her and Eti are either going to get along well or it's going to be like oil and water lol

Etienne shook his head. This she wolf was different than his family. Who wore their emotions on their forearm fur. Open and easy with each other. That wasn't terrible, but he realized he had a lot to learn. And he briefly wondered could he survive out here without them?

Etienne chuckled. I am not good no, but I will be. Eventually. Thank you for seeing how I was. I appreciate it

The boy gave a soft shrug.

for real!! She’s technically his neice, though not by blood, which makes it even better XD

Wow, he was serious. Tierra looked at him a moment after he thanked her, a little thrown off by how earnest he was. It really was like Sybol all over again, and just like then, she found it baffling, annoying, and cute all at the same time. So weird.

It’s nothing, totally. She replied automatically, then leapt at the chance to change the subject. Maybe he’d have less feelings talking or something. So, like I said, you’re new and all. What’s your deal? What do you, like, actually do?

Goodness how fun!

Etienne had been taught manners. It was clear this wolf either hadn't listened to her lessons or she had none. He was betting on the former. She seemed a bit, uh shall we say stunted in that area. More concerned with her ownness than anyone else really. And that could be good and bad. He would just need to be sure not to trust her with anything important about his own wolf.

He smiled. I'm a caretaker and 'ealer. I watc'ed all the littles and 'elped 'eal from bear attack and old age and sickness.

Okay, so he was a healer, like gramps. And maybe Paeon, though now she couldn’t remember if she was a healer or just, like, always seemed to be around when Tierra felt like shit. Whoops.

Cool, I guess. Better than a hunter, at least. She let out a small sound of laughter in her throat, clearly recalling a different introduction. Like, everyone hunts. How boring would it be to have that as your only job?!

Super boring, obviously, and she was sure this guy would agree with her. Sybol always did. Sucked that he left but…. Whatever. He could do what he wanted, it wasn’t like she needed him around or anything.

Ready to change the subject suddenly, she eyed Etienne. I have a weird sister who does stuff with plants. Do you, like, just find them? Or do you grow them? She didn’t get the whole garden thing, but it was probably the only thing she knew about Fennec. Other than the fact that she kind of sucked, but that wasn’t super helpful right here.

Etienne had been a healer b3cause it sort of fell in his lap. Now it was a way to keep Granme Erzulie alive and it fit his own skill set well.

Eti tilted an ear forward and spoke softly. I was taug't dat everyone be 'avin' a place and if dey only be 'unter dat be fine. An' a 'unter isn't just a 'unter. Dey also be trackin' and stalkin' 'ave to know the ways of 'erds. Dey must be strong of body an' mind an fast too.

He hated to diappoint, but no he didn't agree. Everyone had a place and a good one. And hunters were important without them packs would die.

I be doin' bot' i grow and find. It is important to 'ave stock always.