Moonspear Now I just sit in silence

A steady bird song was the only sound Althaia could hear, in the dark afternoon. The thick silence that was the warning of a storm to come hung over everything, only pierced by the bird's whistle. Clouds had been steadily gathering on the horizon all day, and now they grew darker and more ominous. Thunder rumbled slowly over the sky, and though it felt like late evening, it was still very early in the afternoon. Althaia watched a bird flit across the dark bruise of a sky, and felt a pang of jealousy as another rumble of thunder burst from the heavens. A cool wind teased her fur, and she stared with great loathing at the mess that was her leg. 

The rain began minutes later, and the birdsong vanished. Thick raindrops burst from above and pelted the pale female, and with a lurch she scrambled to her feet and sought shelter, hind leg tucked tightly toward her body. She curled up beneath a large pine tree, wishing that the leaves were here to protect her. Alas, they were not, and Charon's thrall become soaked in a matter of minutes. The rain drove in sheets, and roaring water caused Althaia's ears to flatten against her skull. She closed her eyes and curled tightly, shivering at the cool water. The torrent was short lived, however, and the storm passed overhead in a few minutes. Light rain still fell, but the worst was over.

Hope that this is okay! I can change anything if needed :D

nabs this

Today, she opted to revel in the rain in full. With a slicked coat and the distinct scent of rain filling her senses, she continued roving across the mountainside for much of the shower. Only at its worst moments when the wind gusted and the rain came in sheets did she take pause in the best sheltered place she could find, and when it finally eased back to a steady rain, she was back on the move.

In her own way, she liked it and almost, it felt like a salve on her aches -- even if only momentary. She had missed the feeling of a summer rainshower, after all, and the barrage on her senses that the storm had been detracted from that endless feeling of uneasy hunger and frustration this famine had left her with. Amekaze knew deep in her bones, that things in these very Wilds would mend, but damn, that did not make it easy. So while she prowled the forest down a nonspecific pathway, she moved a little lighter now that there was a tiny bit of green regrowth here to enjoy these rains as well. Soon, she vowed, soon this place would prosper anew.

Which, evidently, led her upon one of her newest curiosities: the Thrall. Dubbed such by Charon, Amekaze had put herself at arm's length of that one for a few days just to let herself cool, knowing that looking at her sooner may just remind her of how close to death she'd come by her follies and how that had seemed.. all too right. By now, she did want to find out more.. both of the wolf herself and what could bring them.

She came upon the Thrall and chuffed harshly despite the rain. Her stance was proud and sharply attentive, albeit not aggressive yet -- although the slow flick of her tail may have seemed more ominous than intended with the rest of her fur bladed with wetness. She was still gauging this wolf, and her reaction was bound to be a key part of it.

Althaia hesitated for a moment before uncurling and opening her eyes. Would it be Dash again? She allowed herself to hope, and her heart leapt when she saw the dark figure. But it was clear that this was not Dash, but the hostile female from the borders. She chuffed, a harsh noise in the rain, and Althaia almost cringed. But no. She would not show weakness in front of her. Her stance was ridgid, though not quite aggressive as of yet. Althaia dearly wanted to keep it that way. 

She flattend her ears and glued her tail to her body, staying low and submissive. She kept her gaze on the alpha's paws, and managed to choke out a few words. "Greeting, alpha." They sounded normal enough. She could almost imagine that this was her pack, and her packmate, if she tried hard enough. But she didn't and let the rain seep into her fur as she glanced at the slowly lashing tail of the dark woman.

She watched and kept the appropriate distance between them since she had no reason to change it. Even with the small rainshower continuing, it was not her focus right now. The thrall appeared to mind herself, which for all accounts, was probably the smartest thing she could do. Ame looked her over in greater detail than she had before.

She was small and perhaps the dainty figure was only exaggerated by the famine's influence. A crippled leg did not help and would only worsen things. Amekaze contemplated her survival and simultaneously marveled at how she could chose to bend into the role of thrall so readily. "How is your leg?" she then asked along with a scrutinizing eye, knowing that she had not even looked at the wound very much at all when it had happened. Blood had muddled the situation anyway and it hadn't exactly been a pressing concern for a wolf she might have killed moments later had Charon's... 'offer' (a very loosely applied term here) not surfaced.

The dark alpha did not make it a habit to deal in taking in slaves -- only prisoners once before, and that hadn't exactly been her call made. She didn't know exactly where to begin here, so admittedly, handling this was a learning-as-she-went experience that she didn't really like the taste of much.

Althaia gazed at the ground unflinchingly when the alpha female seemed to scrutinize her. Her eyes oppupied a dead place in the ground, and while her stance was submissive, she made no move otherwise. When the female, after a moment, spoke, Althaia looked up  fraction. For a moment, she wondered if the dark-pelted womans question had been one of empathy. But no, she probably only wanted to know when the pale female could begin work for her and Charon. What exactly was this work to be? Hunting, fishing, or simple, menial tasks? 

In response to the woman's queery, she shifted slightly so that her hind leg was in view. The wounds from Dash's teeth had scabbed over, and seemingly begun to heal. Her ankle, however, was swollen and tinged a bruise-like colour, and she suspected she had broken one, if not more of the tender bones that made up her ankle. She could be wrong, however, and needed the assistance of a true healer was she to recover correctly.

"Better, ma'am." she said evenly, though bitterness leached into her words. She had not seen the alpha in days, and the last things she remembered were threats and snapping muzzles from this woman. They could have let her go, she could have replayed them in some way. But no- now she was stuck as a Thrall.

Her minty stare drifted to the leg when it was presented for a better view. She said nothing at first, considering it a mixed sign. At least she did not appear to be festering. "We no longer have a formal medic," she intoned, not that it mattered much in hindsight. "Maybe a few that could be inspired to learn." The dark alpha's expression stayed stoic. Amekaze only handled the basics herself when it came to managing injuries and she wasn't touching this one with a ten foot reach. At best, it was just good to keep weight off it and keep any scabs clean while they healed. "But herbal stocks are slim anyway." Not that generosity was going to be at play here when she couldn't exactly replenish them when most greenery was just beginning to sprout. She did have to wonder how Harley and Dash and even some of the others were intending to handle her (and her injuries), if they may attempt to ease her aches if they could. Amekaze licked her lips as she considered it.

"You said you know of herbs and poisons," she mentioned, attempting to segue the conversation that way now that it had occurred to her.

Ah. Well, that wasn't good, was it? Althaia's knowledge of herbs ranged only so far, though her knowledge of poisons farther then she cared to admit. She could very well poison herself, though she had not wish to do anything of the sort. She would survive this, and she would escape. Or perhaps Charon's heart would warm and he would let her out. Unlikely, perhaps. "I do have knowledge of such things. However, I do not know the plants that grow by the mountains very well." she said in her best neutral tone. half a dozen sarcastic responses had dashed through her mind, but she had iltered them out. Best not to get killed yet.

She could not yet ease up on her scrutiny. Her eyes were narrowed just a touch, and appropriately sharp. Then again, all of these recent events had her more keyed up than normal. She could feel it in the thrumming of her very blood. The famine was wearing on her patience greatest of all, and for so long, she was more than tired of it.

It would take time for the mountain's greenery to return. She was still mourning the loss of all of there lush woods when spring had just been reaching its fullest beauty. Above all, she hoped it would be able to rebound in full. "Where did you learn?" Presumably not upon a mountainside anywhere, so this was what sparked the dark alpha's curiosities despite everything.

She'd get her answers, but not extend her company for long because she just was not feeling it. This was too fresh for her, she was still thinking about how she should have seen this wolf's life end. But, she was going to let this play out anyway. It would just take time. Rain aside, she mustered a brisk farewell for the thrall and slunk off further up the mountain.