Iktome Plains come home

His world had changed. It seemed to change each time he closed his eyes and opened them again. Kaylan was used to this. It was all he had known. It did not occur to him that life was not like this for most others. He simply learned not to trust the permanence of others. Nothing was permanent. It was useless to grow attached. That would only lead to pain when those brought close only became names and memories.

Father. Mother. Floki. Ragna. Jorunn. Charon.

He tried not to remember the names. They made something in his chest churn and ache.

Kaylan walked. It was growing colder. He remembered a storm. He remembered warm bodies. He did not remember getting separated. He did not remember how. He only remembered a changed world when his eyes had opened again.

He followed the sand. That was familiar. Nothing else was. He ate bugs and plants when he grew hungry. He would eat small game when he was lucky enough to find it. Kaylan had tried to kill a small deer on his own. It hadn't gone well. There was still a bruise.

His life consisted of sleeping and walking and eating and pissing and shitting. He wasn't happy. He wasn't sad. He simply was.

Plains weren't the best place to take a nap. He couldn't bring himself to care. There was little difference in living or dying. Whatever would happen would happen. The male sank to the ground and laid down near a boulder that provided what little shelter the plains could.

He slept.

With each passing day, the wounds of her companion reached a better state. She’d successfully managed to keep an infection from setting in, much to her relief, and now it was just a matter of looking after his paw. Bones always healed far slower than a flesh wound, and also needed to have a better eye kept on them. A mere shift in the bindings could cause it to start mending back together incorrectly, which could cause permanent damage. So far, things were going well, and she was certain the boy would grow with hardly even a limp to show for his endeavors. No disruptions to his gait would be preferred, of course, but she could not predict the future to see if that would be the case. Nevertheless, with his treatment moving along so nicely, the girl felt more comfortable with exploring some of the more distant areas around the forest they'd temporarily settled in.
 
Today’s trip had landed her on the coast, which Asterr was interested by. The sea wasn’t a foreign thing to her, but even so, every time she caught even a glance of it she couldn’t help but be amazed. It stretched on forever, touching the horizon and moving freely. Nothing could tame its wild waves, which was something she could very easily admire. A part of her wished to get a closer look, to feel the soft sand come up between her toes, but she didn’t. There was another feeling that entered her mind, taking the reins of her body and steering her straight ahead instead of towards the shoreline. In that same direction she traveled for a little while longer, trekking along across an open plain. The further she moved, though, the more she wanted to turn right back around and go check on Leo. The temptation to do so was subdued just as it’d about reached its peak, however, for a furry lump on the ground caught her attention. With it came the undeniable scent of a wolf on the gentle breeze, quickly latching onto her attention.
 
Slowly, she approached the boy, curious as to why he was not moving. The fragrance that had come from his body didn’t reek of death, she was sure of that, leaving the situation unknown to her. It was only when she’d closed the distance between them and caught onto the steady sound of his breaths that she realized what was going on—the stranger was asleep. Softly, the Draconid chuffed in an attempt to wake him from his slumber. Sleeping out in the open like so was not wise, she knew, and wasn’t about to just turn her back and leave him there. “Excuse me,” she began, approaching him carefully and then walking around to look at his face. “You should not sleep out here. The winds will easily freeze you, and any larger predators can spot you with ease.” Asterr did not know the male. Never once had she’d seen him, or even smelled him, before that day. Still, she was concerned for his well-being.

Kaylan is a weird character right now, and I'm experimenting with how I write for him... sorry if this is hard to follow! He started to attack, but stopped before he reached her. <3

He did not fear death. He had been in that place before. He would go there again when it was time. Kaylan dreamt of that place. A world amongst the stars. Souls older than his. Souls younger than his. And for a moment he remembered.

The youth awoke when the stranger approached. He was on his feet in an instant. Kaylan bared his teeth. Snarled. He lunged toward her as she chuffed. He braced for impact as she spoke. He did not hear her words. At least not at first. He halted his attempt to attack as soon as he did. Kaylan did not change his posture and he loosed a warning growl.

He was wild. Hungry. Tired. Unsocialized. He was thin and skeletal despite his large stature. He operated on pure instinct. Kaylan did not care about dying. He would do anything to survive.

Teeth remained bared. He did not speak. His message was clear. I can handle myself.

He waited several paces away. He did not know for what.

As soon as she’d drawn near, the male was up and sporting a display of aggression. Teeth glistened, a snarl erupting from his throat, both of which were directed at the yearling. Instinctively, she took a step back, posture neutral and showing she meant no harm. In an instant, he’d lunged forward, body set on a course meant to collide with her own. Wishing to give him the benefit of the doubt, she did not flee right away, but instead remained in place. Her silvery eyes focused on his body, watching his movements, but not fearing the outcome. Almost as quickly as it’d been set into action, the boy’s attack was halted, but his feelings towards the encounter continued to be obvious. Met with yet another growl, the girl kept herself silent, sticking to observing the other until she felt it time to use her voice once more. Her body was stilled as she awaited the opportunity to speak, posture showing off her calm nature.

“I did not mean to frighten you,” she voiced, assuming the cause behind his demeanor, as she didn’t know a single thing about him or his situation. “Are you alright?” Asterr acted as if his initial reaction had never occurred, believing herself to be the one at fault. She did not approach him again, cautious of his unappealing behavior, but did trail her gaze up and down his figure. Large, most likely thanks to genetics, but far skinnier than any living creature should ever be. “When was the last time you ate?” Already, she was caring for a child she’d come across, so who was to stop her from looking out for yet another who was younger than herself? The Draconid was a bit weary of the stranger, still, but that would not prevent her from assisting him in regaining some of his strength—and, perhaps, his sanity.

apologies for the long wait!

Her patience confused him. Kaylan growled again. Ears went back in annoyance at her speech. He could take care of himself. All he had ever done was take care of himself. His life was a blur from moment to moment. He had eaten. He ate when the hunger was dangerous. He ate when he could find small game. He ate grass and bugs when he couldn't. He knew it wasn't enough.

Kaylan did not know how to answer. He did not speak. His eyes never left her. His teeth remained bared even as he paused to lick his dry lips.

No need to apologize! I'm sure you're busy, so take as long as you need between posts. uwu

Patience was a trait she’d always had, as well as one that had always been a necessity for her. To stay calm and collected no matter what was thrown her way—the very same manner from which she’d been brought up—was a skill that was not so easily pried away from someone. All through her life so far, she’d stuck to the ideals and methods of her birth tribe, the mere thought of straying seeming dangerous and unjust. In some situations, perhaps that was not the best, but she believed it was in her current one. The lengths in which she could wait never ran short, giving the male plenty of time to speak up and answer her query. All the while she waited, she remained silent. Her gaze continuing to rest upon the boy’s face, expression unwavering despite his aggressive gesture. As time trickled by without a single word being shared, a thought struck her, mind attempting to justify the stranger’s vow of silence.

“Are you able to speak?” The likelihood of her crossing paths with a mute had always seemed low, but not impossible. Asterr grew more and more curious of the quiet wolf, wishing to figure him out, but uncertain of how she could do that if it turned out he was truly without a voice. Again, she waited, anticipating the answer to be given in response of her latest question.