Moonsong Glacier Lost in the Shadows

Alaric set off from the mountain. There was much upheaval in both packs. But he knew the claim for Morningsong was new and tumultuous given how it had all been changed. So he set out to meet @Dutch for a giving of things.

In maw he tightly carried a rabbit skin and inside wrapped in squirrel fur each was a talisman made of obsidian and rowan, blessed in sunlight and water. Prayers, praises and wishes whispered over it to protect. And beside it double wrapped sat the poison he had been asked for.

He found his way to the borders and lifted nose in call to the male with kind smile. He figured he'd come here insteadcof Dutch coming there while hecgot his own house sorted. And he was unsure were moonpacks alloqed over border without invitation now.

After the last visit, the panther was a little nervous answering a call at the borders. He recognized the voice of Alaric, who he thought perhaps might be coming to rebuke him for failing to uphold the region's traditions. Had he offended the mountain queen? It hadn't seemed so in the moment, but Dutch had grown increasingly anxious about the encounter as he grew further removed from it.

Still — he was glad to see Alaric. It was palpable in his answering howl, which invited the other man to meet him somewhere in the middle. He loped toward the call, his tail flagging jauntily as he finally caught sight of the other man.

"Alaric! Welcome," he called out, his voice lowering as he drew closer. "I said that I would come to you! But I confess, I am glad to find myself in your company again ahead of schedule."

He needn't worry. Alaric was not a man that took offense easily  Sialuk could become offended a little easier than him, but she also was a strong she wolf who fought her own battles. She didn't need no man.

He heard the howl to further onto the lands. And so he did. Liftinf his burden again woth teeth. He kept hia gaze on the beauty of the area.

A grin returned as he set the skin back down. 

You can always come and see me another time. I figured I'd make the delivery myself sonce a lot has happened. But beyond that. How do you fare?

Green eyes took in the man with gentle kindness. He looked tired and worn, but not ill yet. The wounds upon his body almost scabbed and scarred completely.

This made sense to Dutch, who would not have asked it if the man all the same. Still, "You are a thoughtful man," he said, the corners of his eyes crinkling in mirth rather than concern for the first time in a few days.

He would certainly come to visit — he still hadn't seen the territory for himself! But for the moment, he was glad to play host to the other man, feeling just a little bit smug about having a territory to show off. He tried to squash this, since it was something he'd had fall into his lap and not something he'd earned, but Alaric was a wolf that Dutch wanted to charm and impress.

"Well enough," he answered with a swishy of his tail. "We are few in number, and our remaining members are very young or... Young at heart." His teeth showed in a brittle smile that seemed to apologize for any possible slight against his packmates; he treasured them despite this. "But we are fed, and so the rest may come in time."

He looked Alaric over, thinking that he looked as whole and hale as the last time Dutch had seen him.

"And you? And the spear?" he asked. Then, gesturing to the bundle: "Is this...?"

Alaric chuckled. Sometimes. Though perhaps i just wanted to see a handsome face in light of it all.

He gave a impish wink. He wouldn't mind showing his home off, but with circumstances as they were momentsrily. He didn't know how Sialuk and Elentari would take to strangers in the lands.

Alaric laughed. Full bodied. The best of us are young at heart and old of mind, Dutch. 

He looked around taking in the land as they spoke. The land itself was beautiful. And Alaric had no doubt that Dutch had not meant what he said in offense.

One of our young ones was attacked recently. One who is very dear to me. Another youngling attacked him. Almost killed him. She is missing, but we will find her. Her name is Anathema if you come across her and her friend traveling with her is Ponyboy. I would like it if you eacorted them back to Brecheliant and they will call for us. I plan to go looking myself if Sialuk allows.

He nodded. It is. Talisman of black obsidian, dipped in sunlight and water. Prayed upon for strength, prowess, and health. And the Poison beside. Do not use you mouth unless only teeth and wash paws and mouth immediately and do not swallow until you rinse.

The panther laughed as well: "I would not deny you this," he replied, striking a little pose. "And you are right, of course. I am grateful for the company I keep — but you must understand when I say I am grateful today most especially."

Talk turned serious, then. The panther was surprised to hear that such a serious fight had happened among Moonspear's youth — but even moreso to hear that the assailant had been a girl. An instinctive well of protectiveness and pity filled his heart. She must surely be a victim, led astray by some evil! A girl could not have done this of her own volition. His expression was stricken, and the look deepened when he thought about the state the boy must have been left in.

Strange evils were afoot.

"I will watch for them," he replied, uneasy. And he had to be sure: "... she will not be harmed there? What consequences does Moonspear seek?"

With this news, the talismans felt almost like a portent. He was glad for them, if they could keep these dark powers at bay. "I hope we will not have to use it," he said, setting his paw over the package. "But if I do, I will see that no innocent lives might take it by mistake."

Alaric's impish looked deepened and his eyes glittered. Striking as always.

Alsric chuckled. I am glad too. He had not known he would grow to like the beast in front of him so quickly, hut he had. And found his company most enjoyable.

Alaric would have felt bad for the girl would he had not seen her. 

I saw her face. She looked dark. There is much shadow in her heart.

Alaric sighed and settled to his haunches. Brecheliant was or i suppose is still her home. They took her in. I do not know ehat it is Sialuk and Elentari will seek in recompense as it was one of their children. But i trust them to be fair. And of course brecheliant will have say as it was their packmate.

Alaric dipped his muzzle down to press them forward. Thank you. That eases my mind. The talisman can be worn on paw or neck. It has a pull like.

He shifted and tugged the small branch from its cornerstones on his own neck piece and the cloth full of herbs fell. He showed where the holes were and how to fasten it back around ones neck. It was never easy to do these without thumbs, but you could use sharp claws and teeth.

Dutch nodded, accepting this. But, "A girl does not grow shadows in her heart because she wants them there," he said, thinking fretfully of Sulukinak. He pushed the girl from his mind; this was a different situation entirely. "If you trust them, and your leaders, then of course I will do what I can to bring her before them," he went on. It was clear he didn't like it, however. "Perhaps she can be healed, or the shadow removed — "

He wanted to lose himself in pursuit of this at once. Girls were precious and pure, and he was frightened for this stranger. Pitying, guilty, repulsed. His uneasiness showed, but in the next moment he breathed the matter out in a soft sigh. "But of course, she cannot be allowed to threaten the lives of your babes." Dutch knew this. Even if she didn't deserve whatever darkness had touched her heart. "I have learned long ago never to seek justice. Only safety and peace. It is not for me to decide what she deserves. I can only measure a life against the other lives it puts in danger."

He lifted one of the talismans with a paw.

"I hope this will help with that quest," he said, looking between this talisman and the one with which Alaric demonstrated its use. The cleverness of the mechanism tugged at his interest, drawing him out of darker thoughts. It was like magic to him, even seeing quite plainly how it worked. When his gaze lifted next to Alaric's face, he did not bother concealing his admiration.

"I am lucky to have such smart and talented friends," he said.

Alaric gave an uneasy swallow. No they don't nor do men. But it is still a choice made regardless of darkness. One can be pushed into darkness, ruined, and ravaged and still come out to make good chocies.

Alaric nodded his head. I trust Sualuk to be fair. I hope anyway. Sometimes mothers do not always think beyond the pain inflicted. But even if she demands justice. It is still ultimately up to the girls leaders what befalls her.

Alaric nodded. Justice isn't mine to give. Unless the injustice was given to me.

Alaric laughed. I am a trader, Dutch. I can make and do many things. I am also lucky to have you as a friend.

It still weighed on him, but the panther nodded along to these words. Alaric was right, and even if he wasn't — Dutch knew where his loyalties lay, and he knew what lines he was willing to cross or see crossed.

With a quiet breath, he let the matter go altogether. All he said was,

"I will pray for strength and healing for your mountain children."

He was not too sullen to smile along when Alaric laughed. His tail wheeled to hear that Alaric valued his friendship as well. They hadn't known each other long, but the chief felt a kinship with the man that he would carefully guard.

"Let's put this away," he said, gesturing to the poison. "I have a place where no one else will come across it. I would feed you afterward, if you have time to spare. And something like news, if you care to hear it."

Gossip was what he really meant.

Alsric could say these things with absolute trith. Because he had been  one of the victims once upon a time. But Durch didn't need to be aware of this.

A soft smile. Thankyou.

Alaric offered a nod. Thougj hia gaze lingered on the items for a moment. Hoping they wouldn't be found by any that didn't need to.

i always like food and news.

He shifted and pressed paw over line and woulx follow behind the other male with easy gait.

The panther showed Alaric to the hidden hollow of a dying tree. There was some climbing and scrabbling involved in order to reach it, and then only a very tall wolf could stand on his hind legs to look in at what had once been an owl's nest. With the poison and talismans tucked away for the hunt, they could turn their attention to lighter things.

"You have heard that Ariadne no longer leads?" he asked, his voice just a little hesitant. This wasn't exactly "lighter" — but once it was out of the way, perhaps it would be.

He walked at an easy pace, taking the winding route to their common place.

Alaric watched with fascinstion as the other hid his baubles so effortlessly. He grinned. Perhaps he would find such hiding place on the spear.

A grave nod. A pinched brow. I did I'm sorry you had to take up a mantle that wasn't yours. But you are doing well. She is young and headstrong. Hopefully, she will learn and do better.

It had been a cruelty fo Ariadne to drop her mantle and force others to take it up. And it showed a youthfulness and an arrogance Alaric didn't care for. Despite how she felt, she had a responsibility to her wolves. And she had failed.

The panther nodded; he had spent his anger already, and in the aftermath, found that there was little that needed to be forgiven. She was at an age where Dutch had still been learning what he wanted from life — and perhaps he was learning still. It had been irresponsible to leave without speaking to anyone. Perhaps it had been cowardly, too — Dutch could not decided whether he preferred that over careless. But her leaving had not left them in so difficult a place. The loss of two hunters was a hit, but one that Moonsong, Morningsong, was fit enough to take.

Apparently.

"I find, perhaps, that it suits me," he admitted to the other man. "Though I would like to have done something to earn it, rather than have it fall into my lap — and it is far from Moontide, and Chakliux. I will not have so much time to visit."

This was his worry. But it was not the "news" he had wanted to share.

"We have a young man here called Leith," he said to Alaric. "He is interested in medicine and... ornithology." He gazed intently at the other man to see if the word was familiar to him. "I said that he might seek tutelage from you." But it was a question; he gave the man a moment to refute this.

Alaric had no right to get angry for the pack. He could feel bad for them and hurt for th. But it was their right to get angry for they had been wronged 

He hoped Ariadne saw her mistake later and made amends. And he hoped her husband realized too his mistep.

Alaric chuckled. The man could be egotistical and it seemed he wasn't even trying. Extremely cocky but in a sweet way. And still humble too.

He wondered why the male was so keen on Chakliux. He hadn't thought Chakliux liked men, but perhaps. He chose to ignore the thought for now.

Ah study of birds. I can teach him a little. Medicine i can share a lot. Sialuk maybe to share more with him of bords or at least about her familair sixsix.

Alaric knew it, too! Dutch decided at once that it was a science word, and that was why he didn't know it. He pretended the lapse in knowledge didn't fluster him.

"I am sure he'd be grateful just to have someone else to talk to about them," he said with a wry smile. "He's very enthusiastic about such things. He was interested in what moonwoman did for Ariadne's injured leg."

Dutch, meanwhile, had little interest in the healing arts.

"Is it common for wolves to have bird companions?" he asked, his curiosity on the matter growing. He'd encountered it several times recently, and each time, it had puzzled and intrigued him.

Alaric only knew the wkrd from a passing wolf that had taught him many things. But he knew nothing about it except the name and what it was.

Alaric chuckled. I don't exactly like birds, but eh he can talk to me about it. She set it and bound it I'm sure. That takes a lot of strength and a very great knowledge of how are bodies work and what the bones look like. And sometimes you still don't get it right and depending on how thr bone breaks it may not matter anyway.

Alaric had seen axwolf die from a broken limb. The she wolf had seemed fine otherwise and no one had been able to give him an answer. The older male healer had told him. Sometimes broken limbs just don't heal. But it had seemed like a heart attack to the man at the time. So strange.

Alaric shook his head. I never saw it until  coming here. So I'm not certain. Though i knew onw that had a fox companion.

Medical knowledge went in one ear and out the other. He couldn't make up stories about the specific ways in which bones broke, could he? (Could he????) Even so, he was curious — "Where did you learn all your medicine?" he asked, eager to expand on his Alaric-Centric Fanfic.

As for foxes — "Really? The smell didn't bother them?" he asked, trying to imagine the duo. He decided that fanfic!Alaric would have some kind of animal companion. A familiar, rather! Because fanfic!Alaric was a powerful wizard.

Alaric tilted an ear forward. A small hum in his throat. Different ways. My parents and family came from packs of storytellers and healers, travelers. We traded our stories, our healing for rest, food. And so forth. Then as I went out on my own. I expanded on what I already knew. Though i became more trader. Not just relying on stories and healing though I can do both well i feel.

He felt just in telling this. He was good. He could always learn more, but he wclectic lifestyle and what he had been through had helped shape him.

Alaric chuckled and shook his head.  No. Foxes don't smell as bad if they aren't with other foxes.

The panther didn't doubt for a moment that Alaric was good at all trades that he practiced. The man exuded a sense of calm and competence that he couldn't help but feel drawn to. It was flattering, then, to think that they had led somewhat similar lives before ending up among these sunshine people — not that there were any on the glacier, now. Morningsong, he felt, was theirs as much as it was his.

"I will content myself to take your word for it," he said dubiously, although the idea stuck with him, now.

His focus had shifted, though. He had noticed another similarity, though he was not at all sure of it.

"You never settled down," he ventured, hoping the question-statement would not cause offense. Dutch, after all, was similarly unmoored.

Alaric found a sense of peace in the doing of trades. He always liked to learn and he found it easier than most. But sometimes all it took was will and luck.

Alaric chuckled and nodded in agreement. He'd offer his word. He was a man of honor usually after all.

Alaric froze at the statement with the quiet question in. He didn't trust others easily. Amd he had only shared with Sia a little of his past. But he knew it would need to come out eventually. He had stayed to long. Wolves trusted and liked him.

He nodded. I have not. I guard my heart tightly.

He was sorry for the way the question seemed to affect the other man, but after a moment, when Alaric's shoulders had relaxed, Dutch was glad to have asked. The answer settled between them, easily accepted by the panther.

"I am beginning to see that I do the same," he admitted to the other man. And it was so at odds with all that he believed in, and all that he wanted his life and the world at large to be. He'd tried for years to get Valiant to open up his heart, but in reality, Dutch hadn't done much better.

He turned a small, wan smile on the other man.

"It is not the way I wish to remain," he said to Alaric, "but if my spirit is in any way kindred with yours, I find I must appreciate the fact."

Alaric usually could keep a tight lid on his emotions. Cool headed and calm, almost flippant in emergencies and moments of seriousness. When in reality he was actually sensitive and cared a lot about others.

Alaric titled his head and listened. The other didn't wish to stay this way. When his current companion was fine with his role in life. And how he had no true attachments. Did he think of it sometimes. Sure. But often Alaric felt this simply wasn't for him. Perhaps time would prove him wrong.

Alaric chuckled. Do not put me to high on a pedestal friend. I don't want to get bruised when i fall off. But thank you. It is nice to have similarities with those you count a friend.

Shall we close up soon?

The panther didn't have much to say about the pedestal he had supposedly placed Alaric upon, just as he did not say that he thought Alaric showed much more heart than perhaps he meant to. He only smiled, warm an enigmatic, and agreed: "It is nice."

Nice.

It wasn't quite the word he would've used, and his tone, playfully, suggested as much.

sure you want to fade with your next post?

Alaric cares a lot about others. Just perhaps not how they felt about him. Did he want to be liked sure. Did he care if he wasn't? Not really.

Alaric chuckled and motionwd for the male to lead the way.

Tell me of your aspirations for Morningsong?