Horizon Ridge Take me by the hand

Early the following evening, @Reek and Saena made the decision and the arrangements to pay a visit to Blacktail Deer Plateau the following day. Not only did she want him to meet her family, as he'd requested, but they needed to share the news about Junior's real fate. The last week or so had been a whirlwind of sensations and lust and in the wake of that, she'd forgotten about Junior, but having woken from a dream about her sister, she knew it was imperative that she let her remaining family know.

So the two agreed to set out, and set out they did. Saena led Reek on her favoured path to the plateau, along the edge of the mountains and up over the collapsed Horizon Ridge. When the pair reached the top of the ridge, Saena stopped and stared down at the rubble spilling toward the ocean. She'd never known what happened here, and probably never would, but it must've been devastating to cause such destruction.

"Which way was Ankyra Sound anyway?" she asked, turning slowly to her lover with an inviting smile. They'd never talked much about their previous lives, so now that they were on the coast where he was probably most comfortable, Saena thought it was a good time to ask him about it. She knew his and Wynter's departure from the Sound wasn't by choice and wasn't on good terms, but perhaps enough time had passed that Reek would willingly talk about it now.

The familiar smell of salty sea air filled Reek's nostrils for the first time in months.  His relationship with the coast could be best described as tumultuous at best, however the sentimental connection he had with the coast still stood strong, and the gentle whooshing of the waves served as a living reminder of the memory of his mother; the initial driving force behind Reek wandering into the Teekon Wild's.  What  a trip it had been.   

Most of his time in the Wilds had been met with misfortune; servitude under sirens, an unjust war, and heartbreak— but for once, Reek felt at peace. Happily calm.  He was traveling along with his kickass girlfriend/lover on the way to meet her kickass family. Nothing could go wrong. The drama looming in the south was the last thing on his mind, especially with Saena by his side.  

The kickass alpha duo scaled their way up Horizon Ridge, and it certainly lived up to it's name.  Reek stared out the distance wistfully as he watched the waves crash into the shore; the view was beautiful.  Just as Reek was about to call Saena to his side to take in the view along with him, she asked about a particularly dark part or Reek's past, thus breaking the spell the water held on him.  She clearly meant no harm due to the smile on her face, so Reek humored her question and said, "It's not too far northeast of here— If we were to follow up the coast, we'd be there in about an hour or two."  After finishing, he closed the gap between himself and Saena and gave her a loving nudge. "But, let's not go there... it was sort of a weird time for me."

"Do you want to rest here for now," he said a weak attempt to divert the subject.  He was happy with Saena, it wasn't the time to talk about sad things.   

"Hmmm," she said contemplatively, tracing the line of his sight with her own to the north. If that was true, then Ankyra Sound wasn't so far from Redtail Rise. It probably wasn't a bad thing that the siren pack was no more. She didn't think she could strike a deal as readily with them as with Nova Peak, and she had some doubts that Nova Peak would entertain Redtail Rise's proximity if the sirens were still there as well.

"We don't have to go there," she assured him, "and you don't have to tell me about your time there. Y'know, Junior was there once, briefly." I almost went with her, Saena almost said, but she knew it was for the best that she hadn't. She never would've turned out to be the same wolf if she had. In fact, she'd probably have been brainwashed into treating Reek like a lesser species just like the Nereides themselves.

"Anyway, they're gone now," she said dismissively, pressing her shoulder against his. She bobbed her head when he suggested they rest and seated herself on the lip of the ridge. She turned her head back to watch him a moment, relishing him, before she playfully said, "tell me a secret."

Reek breathed a quiet sigh of relief at the dismissal of the idea of returning to the Sound.  While his experience hadn't been excruciatingly bad under the rule of the Nereides, Caiaphas in particular, the past wasn't something he intended to dredge up. The Siren's were dead and gone, just like their quickly fading memory— and Reek intended to keep it that way.  Wynter had been his last remaining reminder of his wacky beach adventures, and he severed that bond without a bit of thought or a ounce of guilt in the prospect of a better future. A future with Saena. Moving forward was the only option.

"We talked about it once," he said, referring to an old conversation he had with Junior back when Redtail Rise first formed.  "I'm glad she didn't stay with them. The Siren's were a damn nutty bunch— and not the fun kind."  But maybe if she had, Junior would have still been alive.  A family wouldn't have been torn apart.  Sure, she'd be a brainwashed misadrist... but, an alive brainwashed misadrist.

Grinning like a goober, Reek followed close behind Saena to lay in the spot next to her on the edge of the ridge looking outward.  She playfully brought up the subject of secrets and prodded at Reek to divulge all he had and he responded with a resounding, "Pshhhhhhhhh— you think I keep secrets from you?"  Of all the wolves of Redtail Rise, or anywhere for that matter, he had been the most open with Saena.  "Tit for tat babe, you know how it works," he continued jokingly with a teasing touch from his nose. "If I give you one, you have to do the same for me. Deal?"

He thought for a moment and quickly realized he had nothing entirely earth-shattering to share, however he could divulge a bit about his past like he had to Pantleimon.  "Have I ever told you why I came to the Wilds— the coast in particular?" 

She giggled, almost shyly, when Reek teased her about keeping secrets. She wasn't sure if it was the tease or the fact he called her "babe", but a pleasant nervous flutter took up residence in her breast. Reek demanded a secret in return for telling one of his, and Saena agreed with a nod. She had a few fun secrets she could tell him, all of them sort of earth-shattering in a way.

But first, it was his turn. He hummed and hawed over it for a moment, then asked if she knew why he'd come here. "Nope," Saena confirmed, beating her short tail against the stone beneath her. "Actually, I never really got the whole living on the beach thing. You'd have sand everywhere, it smells like dying fish, the birds are noisy as hell..." Little did Saena know that what she was hearing was not birds, but the raucous calls of hundreds of sea lions not far down the coast.

"So why did you come to the coast?" she wondered. She half-expected him to explain that he was a slave sold to the sirens for meat and treasures, which explained his gaunt form and why he had remained here in the first place. Exaggerated as that would be, she didn't think it was farfetched for a bunch of man-hating women.

It was obvious that the coast wasn't all that it was cracked up to be, at least that was Reek's point of view after stumbling upon the shores bordering Ankyra Sound. Sure, Saena made her point clear that the beach was no place to live by bringing up  the sand got stuck in every uncomfortable cranny possible, the smell that was worse than Reek after a heavy rain, and the constant noise never ceased... but, goddamn that view. That great blue expanse always kept Reek coming back for more.  "But look at it though," he mused in awestruck wonder as he looked out to the sea. "Who wouldn't want to see that every day?"

"That view is the only reason I stayed so long at Ankyra Sound," he continued. "Believe it or not — this is the shocker — I was there on my own free will.  The pack was only secondary... I sort of stumbled into it by accident."  In hindsight, staying with the Sirens probably wasn't the brightest idea, but it had brought him here; therefore, he wouldn't have done anything differently.  

"But, everything else was no accident," spoke the newly crowned Alpha to his lover with a knowing grin.  "I was born a good ways north-east of here to a couple who didn't get permission to breed— Long story short, it didn't end so happily ever after for them.  I never got to know my father.  I, uh... I've heard stories about him, but that's about it.  My mother on the other hand, we were extremely close."  Reek's smile softened at the mention of his mother... that wolf had been a goddamn saint.

"She was a storyteller first and foremost,  but a damn good healer too.  She taught me everything she possibly could, but what stuck with me the most were her stories; especially the ones about where she was from.  A place like this, coastal.  I could always tell she wanted to go back... she yearned for it, but I could never convince her to leave with me and strike out to the sea.  She told me she was too old to make the trip... so instead, I promised her I would see it someday. But the promise was soon forgotten, and life went on as normal."

Reek's voice began to falter and his smile faded away.  "It was so sudden," he mumbled sadly.  "It's not like theres anything you can do for an aneurysm, so all I could do was watch as the best thing in my life faded away.  I'm not sure that this is the same place she talked about, but I see her when I look out at the water.  I came for her."

"I know that ain't much of a secret, but it's something I don't bring up to just anyone— it's too personal."  Reek rested his head against and inhaled deeply, drinking in her scent. "Your turn."

Reek urged her to take in the view and Saena did, or at least she tried. True, it was beautiful in a way that no other place in the world could hope to be, but there were still the problems marring it. Perhaps spending more time here would change her opinion. She'd thought about taking a trip to Ankyra Sound to see if there was anything they could salvage there and now that she knew where to go, she decided to make it a real plan someday. Maybe she would ask Gunnar to go with her; the young viking needed to get out of the Rise, and what better way than going to the beach?

She settled in to listen as Reek began his story. She smiled along with him when he explained that he and his mother were close, and as he spoke of her, Saena felt an ache in her heart for the absence of her own mother. Maybe she and Pied would've been close. There was no way to know, though she did sincerely wish she'd had the opportunity to meet her mother. To know she was as spunky, if not moreso.

Reek then turned the story to tragedy, and though Saena had no idea what an aneurysm was, she could tell it wasn't a good way to see someone die. Maybe it was good for the dead, but not for the living by the sounds of it. She was so touched by what he said that her eyes sought the horizon again and this time she really appreciated the beauty of it. Maybe she related it to her mother, or maybe she was just susceptible to such tragedy.

But with that came the end of Reek's backstory, his personal account of it anyway, and now it was her turn to tell a secret. She knew which one she wanted. She pressed her nose to his cheek, murmured, "don't freak," and then leaned in close and impishly whispered, "I'm pregnant."

Pregnant.

She had no reason to lie to him... nor was this something one would lie about. It was as if the world's spin had come to a swift and sudden stop, freezing Reek to the spot and leaving him unable to speak aside from the unintelligible nervous blathering that spewed forth from his lips. A flurry of emotions swept though Reek as he processed the news, but the most notable had been a medley of fear and excitement.  While he had previously prepared himself to be a father, nothing could have prepared him for the actual moment.  His heart hitched in his chest, and for a brief moment he thought it had stopped completely.

It was actually happening.  The circumstance may have not been according to Reek's original plan, but he had found life had a way of twisting plans to it's own purpose, and life had certainly offered him a wild ride.  He was going to be a father.  Shit just got real, but a part of Reek knew he was ready.  Excitement for the new life that he and Saena would bring into the world took hold in the pit of Reek's chest.

After a good, long stream of unintelligible sounds, Reek finally regained his composure and awkwardly piped, "The waterfall isn't childproof... We're gonna need to move."  Although he loved his new and unique home, it certainly wasn't the place to raise their future brood.  His wide and surprised eyes softened softened as he looked upon his lover and his expression shifted into a dopey, lovestruck grin.  "We're going to be such kick-ass parents!" he exclaimed before showering Saena with a flurry of kisses.

Saena, of course, was lying. She'd meant to pull her beau's leg, to make him laugh or something. After all, she was much too young to have puppies yet, not to mention she hadn't gone into heat, there hadn't been a tie in any of their sessions, and well... all sorts of things she thought he'd pick up on. Yet Reek reacted as if it was not only plausible, but actually happening. She felt pretty shitty for her little joke, actually, and she wasn't able to hide that when her ears went back.

"Reek, I... I was totally kidding," she told him honestly through his kissing storm, flinching as if expecting him to totally freak out now. He'd gotten so excited, she really hadn't expected it. Feeling like a total douche, the alpha female tucked her head and said, "sorry, I didn't think... I'm not old enough I don't think, I thought you knew, I thought you'd call me out... I'm sorry." At least they wouldn't need to move yet, right?

"But uh... I want to, y'know, when I can," she finished kind of lamely. It didn't feel like a funny joke anymore. It kind of felt like crushing her lover's dreams yet again. So Saena pressed her snout against her forelegs and glanced away, evidently ashamed of herself. She did have a secret she wanted to tell him, but it wasn't that she was the first yearling ever to get pregnant. "Good to know you're on board," she said quietly.

Not even for a single moment did Reek stop to think about the absolute implausibility of the situation. His excited naivety had gotten the best of him and to hear that it had all been a ruse at the hands of his joking lover came as a dissapointment.  One that he tried (and failed) to play off as no big deal.  His excited flurry of love slowed to a stop after she came clean.  "S-same,"  he stuttered, accompanied by a sad smile.  "I— uh, yeah... kidding."  It may have been a lie, but he was far too embarrassed.

She tucked her head in obvious regret of what she had done.  Reek nestled in close and ran his nose across her neck in an attempt to comfort her. Reek had been on the opposite end of a joke gone too far multiple times, so he knew how it felt. "It's ok," he whispered. "At least we know we're on the same page now... I, uh— I want a future with you Saena... and pups are totally a part of that plan."

"But," he continued smiling weakly, "you owe me a secret."  With her initial revelation being false, their little trade had been invalidated. It was time to pay the piper in the currency of information. 

Her lover stumbled over his words and though he tried to smooth it over with a joking tone, he failed to. Rather, it made the effect of Saena's joke so much worse to know that he'd believed her and wanted it to be true. The alpha had expected outrage or panic, not joy. Maybe she was in too deep; the thought flashed across her mind like a whip crack and then was gone. She enjoyed Reek's company too much to really try to slow things down, especially in a relationship basically built on physical pleasure rather than emotional. She was too selfish, too, although she did find the thought of him wanting kids with her right now a little bit frightening.

She betrayed none of that, managing for once to keep the poker face she'd discussed once with Osprey. Regret shone through instead. Her ears fanned back further, even as he tried to comfort her. Saena did want puppies in her future and she imagined Reek would be the one to father them if all went according to plan. She wasn't ready yet, both physically and mentally. "I'm sorry," she murmured once more, "I won't joke like that again."

Reek reminded her that she still owed him a secret and Saena's head rose marginally. She sucked in a breath, quelling a nervous tingle in her stomach at the likelihood that he wouldn't believe her, and said in a small voice, "I can see dead people." That sounded more ridiculous than her pregnancy claim; she knew he would be hard-pressed to believe her and might even grow angry if he perceived another lie, though she was fully sincere this time.

The ensuing awkwardness soon dissipated back into friendly banter when Saena agreed to tell Reek a real secret after promising to not joke as she had before. However, once she got down to her little confession, it was obvious that her promise had been a subversion.  The ol' switcharoo. Reek snorted with an incredulous chuckle and shot his lover a mystified grin. While her pregnancy bombshell had been implausible, this sixth sense sort of thing had to be impossible. Nevertheless, his lover's tone carried the weight of sincerity, suggesting that this time it wasn't a lie— or at least she believed it to be true.

"Come on Saena," prodded the sceptic playfully. "I got all personal and stuff for you... the least you could do is give be one secret."  But, perhaps she wasn't lying.  All of her body language pointed to— no, screamed truth.  Reek was torn between two options; his strictly rational viewpoint of the natural world, or trust in his lover.  After a ponderous moment, trust won out.  Why would she lie?  Besides, she promised.

"Seriously though— are you for-realsies?"  he asked.  "Like, are you sure whatever you see is, um, dead stuff... or just really vivid hallucinations?"  Reek fell silent for a moment before leaning in close to ask, "Have you— have you seen Junior?"  

Her nerves grew the moment that Reek tried to play off what she'd said. Yes, it was unbelievable. No, nobody else knew about it except Peregrine. But it was true, or at least she wholly believed it was true. What made them visible to her and no one else, she wasn't sure. Maybe they were vivid hallucinations as Reek suggested, or maybe they were real specters and she was special enough to be able to perceive them. Maybe she could tap into a "spirit world" that others weren't keen enough too.

Maybe that's why she was destined to be a naturalist at birth.

Or maybe that was total bullshit too. She rearranged herself on the ridge so that her front paws draped over the cracked and crumbled edge. "I don't know what they are," she said thoughtfully. "They're animals. See-through. There's usually a bear." But in regards to Junior, "no, I've never seen a wolf one. Only other animals. It's not all the time either." But she didn't know what triggered it, so she couldn't say much more to her lover about that.

Tentatively she nosed his cheek, hoping he wouldn't consider her a freak after this. "Apparently my mom could see them too." Oh, wait! He didn't know about her mom. "Oh yeah, that's another thing. I'm sort of adopted. My real mom, she died when my brother and I were born, and my real dad, well, he was a total piece of shit that didn't spend much time with us. We didn't even know until he left the pack. So, yeah, I didn't have a chance to ask her about these... ghosts or whatever they are."

The more Saena revealed about the ghostly apparitions she saw, the more unbelievable her secret became.  However, she spoke with such conviction that her secret had to be rooted in some sort of fact. Even if her mother had seen the same things, crazy tended to run in families. But, crazy or not... she believed it wholeheartedly— and the last thing Reek wanted to do was make his lover feel like a nutcase.  

Reek leaned in close and whispered, "I believe you."  A lie, but one with believable conviction. He couldn't quite bring himself to believe the unbelievable, but a little bit of crazy wasn't enough to run the rangy alpha away from his lover. Reek had never really adhered to the definition of sanity either.  They were a quirky match; a wonkaesq jokester and a hallucinating schizo.  What a pair!

"Sorry to hear about the whole adoption thing," he continued, secretly glad she wasn't actually one of Peregrin's daughters. How a wolf as kind as Saena could have come from that dirtbag was an absolute mystery... but, mystery solved. "I guess you lost the parent lottery... twice."  To be walked out on by one family was enough, but two? That's tough.  However, Reek didn't dwell on it too long; the circumstances of the past usually had little bearing on the future. Her newest revelation had brought her secret count to two, causing Reek to respond with, "I owe you another secret don't I?"

"I'm glad you don't think I'm psycho," Saena whispered back, wholly unaware that he kind of did. Maybe the ghosts were hallucinations or maybe they were real. She couldn't have told the difference if she tried. She knew she wasn't making them up, and Reek said he believed that, so that was all that mattered. In reality, it was a rare neurological defect shared by Pied and Saena that, coupled with their belief that they were seeing ghosts, produced the spirits by the power of hallucination.

"I kinda did," she agreed, "but oh well. I'm sure my real mother must've been a saint to make up for how shitty the other three were." If Saena could go back in time, she would tell her younger self that it was better this way. Had she followed Peregrine and Fox to Redhawk Caldera, she would've turned out to be an enormous brat with a bigger ego, and still second best to their children. Despite her rocky relationship with her family, Saena couldn't bring herself to think cruelly of Wildfire, Raven and Nightjar. It wasn't their fault and they had no choice but to follow, unlike the adult subordinates, and she would only lump them in the same category if they turned out to be as rotten as their parents.

"Only if you want to share one," Saena said with a crooked grin. In the distance, a gull wheeled over a bay and cried out loudly, drawing the alpha's eye for a moment. It wasn't as majestic or high-flying as a hawk, so she quickly lost interest.

Charon had been searching everywhere for Atreyu and Jorunn, but so far no luck. He knew that Jorunn was probably lost, since he'd been caught in the ocean's current, but what about Atreyu? Charon could not help but replay the horrible moment in his mind when he thought of the likelihood that Atreyu was still alive. The moment that the leg was ripped off as if it meant nothing, the sound of cracking bones and tearing muscles...

Lost in thoughts, the boy wandered along Horizon Ridge, until he heard voices in the distance. Charon approached with the intent to ask them if they'd seen anything, but when he heard something about secrets -- or did he? he wasn't too sure he heard correctly, but his curiosity was piqued -- the young Beta decided to approach a little more silently. He moved nearby, trying to keep in some form of shelter and approach from the back, hoping he'd be able to hear some juicy Wilds gossip. If they'd see him though, Charon would casually pretend he had just walked up to them to ask them about Jorunn and Atreyu, of course. Nobody had to know he was trying to eavesdrop on the pair of wolves nearby.

A little bit of crazy doesn't a psycho make, at worst it only made their relationship more interesting. After being through so much with Saena, a little psychosis wouldn't throw that big of a wrench though their plans together. Up until now she had seemed sane enough... but everyone hides a bit of nuts-o— Reek knew that firsthand. However, he had done a much poorer job hiding his quirks than Saena had. "I wouldn't have you any other way," he reassured, smirking warmly.  Quirks and all, she was his.

"I hate that I can't meet her," said Reek in agreement. But, for all he knew, she was just as bad as Peregrin. It was nurture, not nature that made a wolf what they were. "But, at-least I get to meet your extended family."  Blood-ties weren't what being a family was about, a fact Reek had learned while living at the Rise.

Reek racked his brain for another secret, but none compared to the ground-shattering revelation that Saena provided. Deciding to lighten the mood, Reek decided he would share something a little more lighthearted. "This one's embarrassing," he began, flashing Saena a nervous smile. "When I was young, I used to be a—" den wetter. Major den wetter. But, before he could share his embarrassment, he caught the scent of another and squinted. "— You smell that?"

Maybe one day, when she was old, she would meet Pied. Maybe the woman's ghost would appear to her, although it seemed unlikely. She had yet to see a single wolf amongst the ghosts that she glimpsed. Still, she could hope. She could likewise hope she would see Junior again, if only to berate her for making the shittiest decision known to wolves.

"I'm sure you'll like them," she said reassuringly, while hoping they would like him as well. Maybe they wouldn't because he wasn't what they expected for her, but maybe they wouldn't even think that way. Her family was often accepting of everything. It was that quality, endearing as it was, that drove her to strike out on her own.

Reek began to launch into a tale from his childhood, allegedly embarrassing, and Saena was all ears until he cut himself short. She frowned playfully and opened her mouth to protest the suspense when the very smell he pointed out wafted past. Wolf. Fresh. Probably just a passerby, but still enough to make others nervous.

"We oughta get moving anyway," said Saena, rising stiffly and stretching lightly. "You can tell me on the way."

Charon listened intently, eager to hear this secret. He didn't even know who this wolf was, but it didn't matter; a secret was a secret, and information was power. The young Beta tried to be as silent as he could, but he was fully aware of the dangers of being caught: it wasn't like he could (or, well, had done so) mask his scent away. They might pick up his scent, he realised.

When the wolf began telling about what he used to be -- a murderer, a slut, a masochist, a world famous traveller? -- Charon craned his neck forward, as though it'd make him hear the words better. However, the wolf abruptly halted and asked the other wolf something.

Just as the second wolf said something about leaving, Charon came into motion and trotted towards them. "Uh, hello," he said, trying not to look too caught out, considering he'd just gone from eavesdropping mode to social mode. "Did you guys see a wounded wolf come by here with a missing leg? Or a frightened little pup, like, three months or or something?" This was a perfect excuse to talk to them and not seem like a sneaky secret-thief, but beside the fact he used it as an excuse, he actually really wanted to find Atreyu and Jorunn. Hopefully these wolves knew more about it.

Last post for me! Let's get this BDP thread started! Pardon Reek's assitude.

Conceding to open the closet door hiding his most embarrassing skeletons at a later time, Reek followed his lover as she rose to leave. He bid farewell to the salty sea air and breathtaking view to turn and continue their trek to the Blacktail Deer Plateau that loomed in the unforeseen distance. Less than a single day's journey was all that was left, but with every step Reek's apprehension grew.  

A single question echoed in his head; would they like me?. It wouldn't be the first time his mouthy nature had gotten the best of him, but the impression he left on Saena's family carried much more weight than average social encounter. But on the other hand, did it even matter? As long as Saena liked him, who cared what the others thought?

However, his short stride was caught short by owner of the strange scent that they had picked up moments earlier. He bounded forth from his hiding spot, sputtering about things that Reek had little time for. "Nope," he stated curtly in response to his inquiry.  "Can't help you kid. I'm sure they're wherever you left them."  There just simply wasn't enough time to lend a hand; forming a search party was on the bottom of Reek's priority list.

"Come on babe, let's get going," he said, brushing passed the Bay's beta without a second thought.

The petite female began to pick her way down from the height of Horizon Ridge, following the precarious line of debris toward Ravensblood Forest, but before she and her lover got more than a few feet, a younger wolf emerged from... well, somewhere. No doubt he was the one whose scent they'd caught, and his appearance seemed to confirm that he was just passing by. But he came with a question, one that Reek promptly responded to.

Saena took a little longer, if only because she was studying his freckled coat very closely. She remembered once coming to the sea and speaking with a little freckled wolf, and she wondered if this was the same guy. He was much older now, much larger, and still reminded her of Pura in an eerie way.

"You're... familiar," Saena said quietly, knitting her brows together in an effort to summon forth the memory of his name or anything else about him. But there was nothing and she shrugged it off. "Maybe not. I haven't seen anyone by those descriptions, but I'll keep an eye out for you." How hard would it be to miss a young lone pup or a wolf minus a leg? They were probably easy to spot from a mile away. She wouldn't go out of her way to find them, though—she was kind enough but not totally altruistic, and they had no connection to her—but if she did, she'd let this guy know somehow. Probably by howling, since she didn't remember his name or specifics about him.

"Bye," she offered to the yearling wolf as she followed along behind Reek, soon stepping up to walk alongside him.

last post unless there is any more reaction :)

Charon narrowed his eyes and felt the hair in his neck erect when the dude spoke. What a rude guy! 'Wherever you left them'. Anger boiled up in Charon's mind -- partially misplaced anger towards the bear that had torn Atreyu and Jorunn from him, and partially anger for this dude's attitude -- but before he could voice it, the girl that was with him spoke up. He didn't remember her, if they ever met at all, but luckily what she said was a lot friendlier than the guy. "Thanks."

Before they turned away, Charon shared one last warning -- to the girl alone. He made this clear by shooting the guy a poisonous glare before looking at the girl and saying: "Be careful, there's a violent bear in these regions." Didn't matter that the guy also heard it; mattered that the message got across that he was a douche and that if he'd been alone, he would've been starved of this information because he was a douche.

Charon didn't respond to the girl's bye with more than a nod -- which she may or may not've seen considering she was turning away -- and a low growl rumbled in his throat as warning when the guy rudely brushed past him, a little too close for Charon's liking.

If they'd not respond to his growl and move on, Charon would turn away and head home, wishing he knew where Atreyu and Jorunn were (but, deep in his heart, knowing that they were probably dead).