Ouroboros Spine take me home

[size=x-small]Just an FYI; nobody is chasing him, he just thinks he is being chased![/size]

He ran. He ran for what seemed to be years, every step excruciating and laborious. He ran into pack territory, and he knew, but he kept on moving forwards. Dijax's body felt heavy, and he just wanted to give up; his body was at breaking point, on the verge on losing consciousness. Heart hammering against his chest, strides clumsy and miscalculated. But the foreign wolf had to get away from the blurred figures that had been engraved in his brain. He had to.

Fear and fatigue stirred in his gut. Where was he? It was hot, too hot for this time of year. The partial alabaster wolf was burning alive in a never ending sauna. "Помогите!" He screamed hoarsely in his native tongue, pain-stricken grimace on his face as he tumbled downwards. His large body collided with the ground, smearing his white coat with mud. Dijax lay there, panting loud on his side, losing hope. They would catch him. It was too late.

The cool ground aided in airing the side of Dijax's body pointing up, but the mud beneath him was humid, making his already matted with sweat pelt an indisposable mess. He needed water. Desperately. The sides of his vision were starting to fog up, but when his body threatened to give up, he blinked the specks of danger away. All he wanted to do was sleep, but he couldn't. Not here; not now. "Я не могу..." He mumbled gravely, a rough sound tumbling from his lips, like the dust that falls from sandpaper.

[size=x-small]Помогите = Help
Я не могу = I can't[/size]

Hope you don't mind me! :)

He had heard the hoarse cry break through what had originally been a quiet day. It broke deep into the thoughts of the tawny Ostrega, who had up until the point been pondering the options and possibilities of the future. While most times an interruption wouldn't have been such a bad thing, he found a note of annoyance in the way it had come. But it was enough to draw him out from where he resided in the territory to investigate it.

What he found was an unfamiliar creature, distinctly canine, completely in the mode of a crash and burn. He bristled uncomfortably at the sight of him lying there, poised and ready to delve into the depths of unbridled anger. It was so very uncommon to come across such a sight, and his assertiveness threw up red flags over their breach in their border. He circled around slowly, at a distance, surveying and trying to determine what it was that had had come across.

In the end, curiosity reigned over the pressing urge to be aggressive. Though tense, he opted to try and find answers to the multitude of questions that had come to light. His ears slicked back against his skull and he tried to draw in the unfamiliar scents lingering in the muddy resting place. “Now you're in an unusual situation,” he surmised. “Are you all right?”

[size=x-small]Not at all <3[/size]

A wolf, who seemed to be freakishly tall due to Dijax's point of view from below, approached him with an interest in his step. He was tense, and the two toned wolf was sure he was the slightest bit angry. His pack had never had disputes with other wolves for crossing borders - after all, there were about fifty wolves who roamed the whole island.

A strange voice came to the male's ears as he remained on the floor. It was English, an English he could understand clearly. The healer in his pack was English, and after many harrowing hours of learning the simple language, Dijax had mastered it. Although a hint of Russian and British English hinted his own accent, he was able to express his thoughts beautifully. Nonetheless, today was not his day, and the once habitual words seemed have left his brain with ease.

With a heaving stomach, he announced: "Кто-то гонится за мной!" His speech was delayed and alarmed, along with his understanding of the words the cinnamon pack wolf spoke. "I mean no harm." Dijax said, his serene golden eyes reaching those of the stranger's. The last thing he wanted to do was consternate the male. "Which sea does this piece of crust lie on?" He asked after a pause. He wanted to know where he was, and, though unfamiliar of the continents, the name's of the seas were of his knowledge.

[size=x-small]Кто-то гонится за мной = Someone is chasing me[/size]

Yay then! Sorry my posts are probably disjointed; all this work lately has thrown me off my fluid writing game. :C

Tempted to back off a step or two at the rough sounding tongue he heard, Mordecai held his ground rigidly. It became clear then that perhaps they did not speak the same tongue, but whatever it was, something had distressed the fellow well. But in a change of page there came a tongue that Mordecai did understand, though the accent muddied it here and there. It was still understandable, at least to a wolf who in spite of his travels, was no familiar with other accents. His gold eyes met those belonging to Mordecai, who watched back carefully.

“I couldn't tell you, but you're quite a way from the shore. This is my territory, however, and you're in the middle of it.” The ocean was another beast all in itself to him, and the coast had only served as a rough guideline for the path he had taken into the Wilds so many months ago. “What did you say? To-to gonit-what?” His interests did not mirror that of the others in that moment, clearly interested in what he had said with such alarm. For whatever reason, Mordecai felt it tied into what had brought the muddy wolf so deep into the Spine in the first place.

[size=x-small]No worries :)[/size]

The lack of information on his whereabouts made Dijax's heart sink like a weight crashing to the floor. Я был бы рад, я по крайней мере знаю, что я далеко от берега. He thought to himself, though his thoughts did not do his emotions justice. Even that little piece of information made him cringe - the young male had always resided by the waters, and somehow imagining himself living far away from the sea made him grimace.

He noticed from the male that towered above him's words that he was the Alpha, who was not pleased that a rogue had crossed the borders. Dijax was an honest man, so when the stranger asked him what he had spoken in Russian, he clarified without hesitation or fear. "I said; someone is chasing me." This would indeed provoke some sort of reaction from the muscular male, though he couldn't be too sure. The regal had taken in Dijax's arrival smoothly.

Getting up bunglingly and stiffly, his vision continued to dot around the edges. His rest had made it worse, and the action of getting up blinded him for a second with a loud buzz that rung in his head. "I am Dijax, from the land of the Litke." The exotic wolf said, speaking the two Russian words swiftly. He bowed his head in respect, to prove the Alpha that when he said he meant no harm, he meant no harm. Somehow, the fact that something was chasing him no longer bothered him. The situation was surreal, and the facts hovered above him, a cloud in a dream.

[size=x-small]Я был бы рад, я по крайней мере знаю, что я далеко от берега = I should be glad, at least I know I am far from the sea[/size]

This time, Mordecai backed off a step or two as the pale canine rose to his feet. The information that was initially imparted left him to keep his gaze free from the Russian to scour the landscape around them, though he found there were no watching eyes that he could find. By the time they had gotten to introductions though, it seemed as though his weary counterpart was not as bothered by whomever it was that had been giving him chase. Had he thought he had found safety in their home? Mordecai inwardly soured at the thought, on the basis that he had no idea what he could have been harboring.

“Who is chasing you?” he prompted, not bothering with introductions himself. In spite of the deference he found Dijax displaying, Mordecai could not avoid the hard gaze that evolved in place of concern. He was unnerved and caught completely off-guard by the predicament that he found himself in. The questions sought their answers and the temptation toward speculation was hard for him to avoid.

The English speaking Alpha reversed a couple steps away from him as he rose from the ground. As presumed, the male payed attention to the information he had provided. He looked around as Dijax stood still, waiting for him to finish. Although the figures were not in sight, they would always be around to haunt him. The hairs on his back bristled as a chill ran along his spine, every particle around him seemed to be some sort of monster about to pounce. The genuine creature wondered if he would ever be able to live without the disquietude caused by the figures.

The russet hued beast deserted his own introduction, and Dijax could see he had made a terrible mistake by crossing the border between freedom and pack land - someone was chasing him. Chasing him. Meaning they were following him wherever he went. Which meant in the stranger's territory. Fearing he had endangered the unknown pack like his own had been, the prussian topped wolf answered the regal willingly, "I am afraid I do not know." He started, "All I remember is being home in the tundra of the Litke when I heard my pack mates screaming for help. I ran across the island to aid them, but... I - I... sorry." Dijax paused, inhaling a deep breath with closed eyes. His features showed a look of profound thought as he racked his brain to look back.

"I cannot remember any more that happened on my home land. But when I woke, I could not see properly. My vision was... blurred and I was weak and overheated. All I could see were figures standing on two legs, like bears." Wincing as he reminded himself of his awakening, the way the numbness made his eyes water, he pushed himself to continue. "I heard a horrible, raucous sound, and then I was being dragged by something. I could not feel, or see, but I was being dragged. I know I was. Out of terror, I lashed out and as I felt myself free of the beast's grip, I legged it. I was struggling to stay on my feet, but as I ran, the motion returned in my body and I was no longer blinded." Dijax smiled marginally, attempting to sugarcoat the story, to make it seem like no big deal. "I kept running for hours, days, even. Now I am here." He finished, and realised he had sunk in posture a little, so he picked himself back up. It was a summary of the tragic story, and a sharp twinge of pain crossed him as he though of his pack mates.

Where were they? Had they had the same fate as him?

As Dijax spoke again, Mordecai turned an ear to listen to him. His focus was hard to keep off of their surroundings, though as the story went on, his attentiveness dropped out like a bad signal. Whatever it was that had been chasing him — and what they were, Mordecai felt he had a fair idea — were long gone now. The chances of them having trailed Dijax were unlikely. For whatever reason, humans did not venture into the deepest depths of the wilderness where they had shut themselves away often. Mordecai found himself tempted to relax, but didn't, if only for the illusion of control in a situation that he realistically would not have had much control in.

Thoughtfully, as he looked upon the other, he found more than just questions to speak. “I don't think you'll need to worry about whatever those things were. They aren't here. They don't come here.” He did not betray that he had the notion of what they were. But the reassurance was all the same coming from Mordecai; it was genuine, soft-spoken. He could not have fathomed the panic and fear that more than likely had come in those moments, nor could he have imagined the feelings that stemmed from the even more bizarre predicament Dijax found himself in now.

“What do you intend to do now?” Mordecai prompted.

Something told Dijax that the stranger knew what had been in pursuit of him by his certainty that they would not continue to follow. Although he wanted the Alpha's bolstering words to be true, he wasn't so sure. He had a right to be unconvinced. They had stolen him from his beautiful tundra for a reason. They had to have a reason. Everything in life had a reason.

He augured that he would soon pass out; the minor black-outs had not stopped, and Dijax feared they would only get worse if he did not care for himself. “What do you intend to do now?” The robust wolf asked as Dijax hobbled on his legs. He chuckled, causing him to cough a little. "Now I shall drink, my friend." He said with a simper and a flick of his tail. He figured his story had dampened the mood, and a one-liner could possibly help it even though their interaction was coming to a close. Now, Dijax wouldn't want the Alpha of the pack he wandered into to remember him as the brooding wolf who lost his family, would he?

The male turned away from the leader, but stayed at a halt, looking back at him with his hazel irises. "I am truly sorry for even thinking for a second to cross your borders, let alone actually doing it." He paused, dropping his gaze to the floor momentarily before reverting it to the wolf, "I would never want to stir turmoil in your pack, like the monsters did with mine." He finished calmly, his apology sincere.

Without another word or glance, Dijax walked on vociferously. He didn't know where he was going or what he would come across, but he was exhausted - from his travels, and, he had never spoken so much of the English language in his lifetime. When he should find a location to rest, there he would plan to seek the aqua that would quench his never-ending thirst. He would plan to find his home.

While his apologies seemed sincere, Mordecai felt a spark of irritation arise in the fact that he was excusing himself. Where it had come from, he couldn't have ascertained readily. It was a spark that was not unlike some of the others he had in the past, an impulsive urge that he acted on. As Dijax started off, the tawny Ostrega pursued him easily. He found his self-excusing decision to be brazen, but perhaps his prying into what the other intended to do was may have warranted the response.

“You know, normally I'd be inclined to give someone in your situation a good chase out of these lands. But there'd be no point in chasing you,” he stated, referencing the exhaustion and injury that had come to the Russian. Mordecai could have chased him, yes, but he also felt confident that he could have caught him too. Not exerting himself into a potential fight was not something he was keen over. “But if it's merely a drink you need, I can show you to a nearby stream. It's still within my territory, however.” If Dijax had decided to walk on alone, Mordecai made it clear he had no intentions of leaving him.

Part helpful nature, part self-survival. Nothing would stop the others from laying into him on his own. It was what Mordecai would have wanted them to do to someone trespassing on their lands, as it was something he would have normally done himself. But this proved to be an exception, and one the Ostrega had no intention of making a rule. He would not let their grounds be trampled upon by wayfarers, and his own intentions were leaning in another direction if Dijax were to accept his company longer.

The ivory Russian felt the other catch up to him and tell him on normal circumstances he would have chased him off his land. There was no point, he agreed. "I have been chased for too long," He said, looking towards the Alpha but not directly at him, "I appreciate that you have not done so." He thanked in a smooth tone, changing his view towards the male. Dijax knew it would be useless to hunt a wounded creature; it would merely be too easy to catch.

The auburn wolf offered him a drink from a stream, still residing in his territory. Dijax looked at his muddy, and bloody paws as they walked along. Flinching before he answered, he said: "If it is no problem, that would be very generous of you." He was slightly afraid of what would come with the offering; any pack leader he knew would allow or demand him to leave, sooner rather than later.

He had journeyed this far, and he intended to continue. It was perilously humid where he had awoken, an intoxicating feeling to his warm-blooded body. Here it was still humid, but the temperature was lower and the wind speed higher. It was nice, in a way, thanks to the wind. But he wished despairingly to reach somewhere arctic. Dijax's intentions were to stick around for a day or two, before continuing to travel North, the cold driving him to his home.

Slight powerplay with some narrative here -- figured they could get there instead of talking about it; if it's not all right, let me know and I'll rewrite.

Not being a wolf from the north, Mordecai could not have imagined the cold that Dijax desired. Though truth be told, the tawny Ostrega did not wish for the warmth of his home either. The Wilds had settled somewhere in the middle of both for the most part, though as the temperatures dropped and the air dampened with a sharp, prickling chill, he could only wonder what they would face. Being off the coast, even as far inland as they were, those trade winds from their north and west rolled across them smoothly. As if to punctuate those idly thoughts, he could hear the moan of the wood from a distant gust.

They were lucky in some regard, as the basin did not take the brunt of many windstorms. “This way,” he said, taking the lead and stepping ahead of the wounded. His path went roughly in the way that Dijax had originally took, but Mordecai began to deviate from it in due time, curving towards the east silently. He kept his pace light to ensure his companion could follow him, and in case worst came to worst. If Dijax stumbled or otherwise collapsed, Mordecai would try his hand at aiding him.

As they neared the stream, Mordecai gave a cursory glance back to the Russian. “Careful through here. I've learned the moss can be slippery a time or two.” The land gave way to a depression, lined with age old stones to guide them down. Not a steep drop by any means; it was something they could have easily avoided by hopping the stout change of elevation. Time had allowed the streams to wear them down, and Mordecai had wondered a time or two to himself if the stream had displaced the stones generations ago.

[size=x-small]It's fine - I'm not sure how you want the stream to look, so I'll be vague with the description. Let me know if what I've written isn't correct.[/size]

They had nearly reached their destination of the stream — Dijax could hear it nearby, and he normally would have salivated at the thought of finally taking a drink, but he was too exhausted. This was the longest he had gone without water. It had to have been over fourtey-eight hours of water deprivation, and the dark backed wolf tried hard to contain himself like he had previously done for the Alpha.

With calculated steps he walked down the aged stones lined with slick moss in the cavity. Dijax had no trouble doing so; he was used to guiding himself down icy banks in the tundra, and this was more or less the same. On their way down, the tall male asked: "What is your name?" He kept his eyes on the stones below him to avoid slipping on the glistening elements as he spoke. He still hadn't been informed of the other wolf's title, which would be a useful thing to know, and information was one thing the exotic male would not pass up on.

A current of water flowed quietly in the small valley, the same stones they had been walking across dotted along the stream. Vegetation grew beneath the water's surface and along the banks. Dijax waited for the rusty beast to give him some signal that he was allowed to drink. He was in the stranger's territory, so he had to be polite, and careful.

Don't hesitate to be descriptive if you want to be. I honestly made it up as we went along, haha! :)

Dijax joined him as he waited along the bottom of the stones, taking his question with a faint smile. He had never introduced himself. He found that sometimes introductions came as an afterthought, but perhaps in light of this situation it had been out of sight and out of mind. “I'm Mordecai,” he offered, stepping out of the way as the Russian joined him along the length of the sunken bank. It was then that Mordecai stepped up to the gentle flow of the water, letting it dampen his toes where the ground had been worn down enough to work their way through. As he did, he noticed the print of deer beneath his own feet; the herd that the Spine wolves had been working on for the past few weeks had made their trek through recently.

But that note just stayed that, filed away underneath other things in the organized chaos that was better stated to be Mordecai's mind. Dijax had not joined him, but instead waited. He glanced back, confused by the action and unable to hide it. Only then did he glimpse the query of permission written out for him in more than just a glimpse. It was in his body language as well. “It's not poisoned, I promise. You can drink,” he said, cheekily. Stranger to their lands or not, Mordecai was good natured at heart. They couldn't hoard their water exactly, so he saw no reason not to let it be shared.

[size=x-small]Alright! [/size]

The tawny male introduced himself as they reached the dampened sunken road. "Mordecai..." Dijax repeated mutedly, to hear the name come out of his own Russian tongue. He said it without a flaw, though the 'r' in the wolf's name was rolled.

The white male's action of staying near the bank obviously confused the Alpha; he stood beside the stream, paws soaking in the water. “It's not poisoned, I promise. You can drink,” he said, glancing at Dijax. Unable to retain a chuckle, the male made his way to join Mordecai at the water's edge. Soft mud squidged beneath his stained paws, not aiding with the pain. He arrived at the edge and the cool water washed over his crimson toes, a red cloud dissipating into the water. Dijax heaved a long sigh of pleasure and relief. Finally, he could rest. Finally.

Dijax walked deeper into the water, salviniales brushing across his long legs. More blood that clung to his body washed away into the current of the stream, which was surrounded by extremely tall aspens shading the water flow. He had held it together for Mordecai, but now that he was surrounded by the one element that he most lust, he could not contain himself.

He looked up into the dark sky, thanking God for his deliverance from death. Dijax's snout pointed up, eyelids closed as he took heavy breaths. "спасибо," he said. Then, in an almost rushed action, he dove his mouth down into the water, and drank. He drank for a long time, causing him to pant when he was done — it tasted like paradise.

For a while, he splashed around in the water, rolling, dunking his head under the surface as it glided through the water ferns; it was almost a dance. A dance of victory. Dijax could not get out of the stream. He could not get out of the thing that he had been deprived of for at least two days. So with an open-mouthed and almost nostalgic smile, he looked at Mordercai: "Thank you, my friend."

[size=x-small]спасибо = Thank you[/size]

Anddd, no pressure on whether or not you have Dijax accept. I don't know what your plans are, but knew it would be up Mordecai's alley to try and recruit him anyhow. :X

Mordecai kept his watch, a silent sentinel at the water's edge in hope that they would not be disturbed. Fortune seemed to be on their side on that particular day, and his watch soon gave way to watching Dijax. It would not have taken a rocket scientist to see that he was more than just thankful. The crisp waters had a seemingly rejuvenating effect on the Russian; in turn it was hard for Mordecai not to let a warm smile slip across his features. In Dijax's dance-like moment of recuperation, Mordecai allowed his thoughts to delve back into what he had considered before in regards to the blueish-grey loner.


At the issued thank-you, he felt it time to bring those notions to light. “You know, I am willing to offer you some refuge here if you'd like. Winter is coming, and quickly,” and then he paused, but not for effect. The wording eluded him. “The Spine could use as many able bodies as we can feed to get through it. I'd rather not miss the opportunity to offer safety here, nor would I like to discover what could become of you in a matter of weeks.” It sounded darker than he intended, but Mordecai could not help but feel it was warranted. Even when in truth, he did not know what to expect with the snows that would come.

After Dijax's parade, the air had become still again, and you could only hear the gentle flow of the stream and the grasshoppers chirping. It was almost peaceful, were it not for the feeling of bareness the robust male felt as his wet fur clung to his pink skin. Attempting at being quiet as he exited, Dijax made his way out of the water as he sensed Mordecai, who had been watching him with a smile, begin to speak.

Dijax listened until the end of the russet man's words, which showed that he didn't feel the Russian could handle himself during the winter. He had very few injuries; mainly cuts and bruises, and a deep fatigue and dehydration, but he was perfectly capable of handling himself. With a tilt of his head and his eyebrows furrowed in concentration, the foreign wolf spoke: "The winter does not fret me, Mordecai. I was raised in the harsh conditions of the tundra — I know how to care for myself in the cold better than I know how to do anything else," he paused, taking a breath, "However, I would be honoured to aid you and your pack until I decide what I am doing next," he finished.

Dijax waited a few moments before adding facetiously, brows raised in jest: "I am a very useful attribute when it comes to the bitter season." He was not joking; he was a pragmatic thing, and he wanted somewhere safe to stay while he figured out where to start.

With your permission, I'd like to go ahead and title Dijax up. Unless I'm totally misunderstanding this of course! :X

He was not entirely surprised that the winter did not fret him. Initially, the fledgling Alpha felt that a decline was coming up with that introduction. But ultimately it turned in another direction and one that left Mordecai nodding with a sense of understanding. For all intenstive purposes, at least Dijax was being up front about it. From where Mordecai stood, that was fair enough. A home in exchange for an extra body. The only thing that may have concerned him then was how long Dijax would choose to stick around. Losing him to another pack in the middle of winter did not appeal to the Ostrega, though he supposed there was also little he could do about it in the long run. Vengence was a bud that had yet to truly blossom in him as it had in others.

“Like I said, we could use the able bodies. Many don't know what to expect here.” But maybe in reality, he was closer to being the one who didn't know. While he had been in northern climates, the Wilds was the most north he had come in his life. Whether or not the winters were mild or harsh was truthfully beyond his range of knowledge. “All I ask is that when the time comes for you to leave us, that you seek me out. I'd done in the same when I've been in your position. Call it a courtesy.” His expression quirked at that, a notion that was not particularly something Mordecai found in others. Maybe it was simply easier to go with a blessing than without, and maybe it was simply there to establish some false sense of respect or control.

[size=x-small]Of course![/size]

The Alpha seemed like a fair and honest beast. Dijax would not have accepted the offer of any wolf that was other than that — no matter how bad a state he was in. You could say he was easy to trust; naive, even. But the Litke wolf had good judgement, and he knew a virtuous wolf when he not saw, but heard one.

Dijax agreed that he should announce when it was time for him to leave, to move on... Unless Mordecai and his pack showed any crucial sign of apprehension to him leaving, of course. He understood why the rusty wolf wanted him to inform him on his departure. He could see the winter was difficult for these wolves, and if he should abandon them in the middle of their dreaded season, it would not be a munificent thing to do.

He had no intentions on staying for a protracted amount of time, but he knew the deal he was agreeing to: he must help the pack in whatever way needed, in return for safety and a temporary home, and he must notify Mordecai when he should leave. "I will." It was pretty straightforward, and he hoped he would not regret it.

Yay, awesome! You should be able to see our member's only forum and so on and so forth. Pardon the dust of it all, I'm still working on getting it organized and back together. But feel free to go posting crazy about if you'd like! <3

The deliberation was not long and what made it even better was that Dijax agreed to the so called terms and conditions. Mordecai offered him a warm smile, letting his tail wag lightly for the first time in their brief meeting. At that point, the fledgling alpha felt every wolf they could persuade to stay through the winter made their odds increasingly better. Even if, in the state of Dijax, they were exhausted and in need of some rest.

“I guess in that case, I should welcome you to the Spine,” Mordecai added after a confirming moment. It went without saying that he appreciated Dijax's willingness to accept his offer, especially since it entailed his aid in keeping them robust and ready. It made him one less wolf that could be tempted by their neighbors, which still remained a slow growing thorn at the back of his mind.

Casting his gaze around beyond them, Mordecai debated what it was that he should have done next. He was half-tempted to try and help the Russian find somewhere decent to rest. He was less interested in trying to ascertain what Dijax's natural abilities were; those, Mordecai felt, would show their true colors in time. “I believe there might be a nice grove of old pines nearby, if you'd prefer to rest. But if you want to explore instead, I can leave you to it.” Or join him, but there were plenty of things Mordecai could have been doing on his own. Smothering with his attention was not something he wanted to be known for.

[size=x-small]Thank you <3[/size]

Dijax had his mind set on sleeping, now that he had gotten half of needs taken care of. The buzzing in his head had stopped after his drink, but an intense headache took its place. He offered a genuine smile in return, glad to have found sanctuary. "I think I should rest," he said, "I should be fine in a few days."

There were no trees in his home, no proper shelter aside from caves and small crevices in the snowy floor. Dijax was used to sleeping below an open sky, but this was no time to be picky. The black ridged wolf would take what he could get, no complaints. On the plus side, he would learn new things. How these wolves lived, their hunting habits, their adaptation to the biome... So far as he could tell, the place was plentiful of forests. He had so much yet to explore.

Backing away a couple of steps, careful not to spray the regal, Dijax shook wildly to rid the water from his fur. His body was visible in full detail now, and his pelt stuck out like a porcupine, but he did not care. After all, Mordecai had seen him in a worse state.

No problem! Glad to have you aboard! :D Anddd you got my 400th post!

Nodding to his words, Mordecai turned to begin his tread back towards the heavy conifers of their forest. Rest would do the Russian good and he wasn't about to nudge him in any other direction. “Then I'll show you where you can find a nice resting place. I'm sure you'll find something more to your liking once you've settled,” he replied, making his way back up the rocky slope. Mordecai set off at a reasonable pace, ensuring that Dijax could follow him as he made his way onward.

Getting there didn't take too long either, which was a bonus. Though Dijax seemed better now that he had slaked his thirst, Mordecai was no healer in any sense. He couldn't have guessed what his injures were, let alone the full extent of how he felt entirely. Exhaustion was a funny thing in that regard, because everyone had their own level of it. Skirting beneath a low hanging bough, Mordecai slowed to a stop. “You shouldn't be disturbed here.” They had yet to be disturbed in general, which the Ostrega considered a small blessing. Cara had not come swooping down to instigate bickering with him, at least not this time. Whatever she was off doing, he couldn't have imagined either.

[size=x-small]Congrats![/size]

The golden eyed male set off, Dijax at his heels. He set off at an average pace, not too difficult to follow, however the ivory wolf barely picked up his feet. Luckily enough, the ground consisted mainly of twigs and small stones, causing the movement of his paws to act as a duster; pushing the articles away instead of tripping him up.

They arrived at the copse of trees. The pines were old, and rose up into the dark sky, foliage thick and was the color of deep greens. They were trees Dijax had never seen before in his life, seeing as the only vegetation that grew in the tundra were small shrubs. This made hunting prey very difficult, for the predator species was always in sight.

Nearing the roots of the tree, the muscular wolf spotted a dip between the tree's veins, just big enough for him to fit in. The branches hung low on the tree, and it would take a while of him to fall asleep without worrying about the imposing spiral of boughs threatening to fall on him. You could say he was claustrophobic, but this was only because he had never slept in a place that had everything so close together. But, the male reminded himself that the trees looked strong, and he didn't think the whole thing would collapse.

Dijax moved towards the small niche he found and lay down in it. It fit perfectly, and seemed to be made for him and him only. The nest was surprisingly comfortable, and the thoughts of worry about the pine falling quickly disappeared. "Perhaps I will see you tomorrow?" he offered before he could fall asleep. The arctic was sure to get up the next day and stretch his legs, and maybe he would see Mordecai during his stroll.

Thanks! Deciding to fade this out here, so feel free to start up more threads and get a feel of the places around. If you have any questions, don't hesitate to ask! :D

Mordecai lingered as Dijax began to settle himself beneath the boughs. There was something comforting in knowing that he had been able to pluck someone even so willing to leave them, and talk them into staying. The tawny Ostrega did not fancy himself a persuasive being, but it seemed that even he had his moments. Another wolf meant even better odds at their getting through the winter, even if it were mild. Mordecai honestly had no idea what to expect, and with the recent influx of wolves from the northern climes, it seemed that perhaps the cool air was beginning to extend itself much further than he had anticipated.

“More than likely, in which you're more than welcome to join me again if you feel up to it. There's always plenty to do here, and plenty of faces you'll more than likely want to become acquainted with.” Offering him a smile, Mordecai pressed himself against the proverbial interior of the resting place, intending to leave then. He hung around for a moment, a double-checking that all was well with Dijax and his prime sleeping spot, and decided then to venture off into the rest of the Spine without much prompting at all.