Duck Lake sweet dreams

For @Xan!

Cam had been traveling for far too long, but he didn't miss his home in the least. The thought of going back to his home, his family and his stupid older brother made him cringe. He'd left because of jealousy. Because he hated to sit back and watch his brother become the alpha, and because he'd been treated as inferior since he was born. Never again would anyone treat him that way. He was on his own now, he would make his own name and one day he would return to his family and show them how much stronger he'd become.

But before any of that, he had to make it through the week. Hunger clawed at his stomach like a caged tiger, exhaustion bit like a mad dog. His paw pads were worn from so much walking, and even his normally swishy tail had lost its life and hung at his hips pitifully. Cam was usually quite handsome, with a thick golden coat and deep brown eyes. He walked about with pride, with a happy skip in his step. But the way he carried himself now, only made him look weak, like a scared pup. His stomach groaned again, and he paused. He had wanted to continue on, but he decided this lake might be a good place to stop, maybe he could get some fishing in.

The small golden boy trotted o the lake side, ears twitching as a bug zoomed by him. He ignored the beauty of the lake, which he might have used to marvel at. For now he couldn't give a shit about how pretty the view was. He wanted to kill some god damn fish. He plopped down onto his rump with a grunt, staring out at the water, hoping for some signs of life. The sun was beginning to reach its fullest, it blazed down above him and he was tempted to just jump in the water. But that would ruin his chances of catching anything, so he returned to waiting, hoping for even just the smallest fish to satisfy his hunger.

Things were calm around the grove, though the last day or so had been rather exciting. A face from the not-so-distant past had appeared before him, and he’d met a coyote. Things had been loud, and he’d needed a break away from it all. The region was still a mystery to him, however, and so his potential destinations were severely limited. How bothered he was by that, as was he by his own lack of knowledge. It was his own fault, in all honesty, for he’d had plenty of time to explore. Yet, he hadn’t, and it seemed as if he might never—for the time being, that is. The future was always changing, events affecting one another constantly until the original plan could no longer be seen. His trip to the lake could very well be one of said events, but only time would tell if that turned out to be true, and such was something that he’d not stopped to consider during his trek there. All he’d focused on was following familiar paths, trailing across land that had felt his paws upon it in the past so that he might reach the water he’d only ever seen from a distance. It would be a new sight for him, but not an unfamiliar experience, for he’d since grown used to lakes after having visited Greatwater several times in the past.

Time along was desired, a sort of silence that could be achieved only when there existed no other wolves around him. That which is wanted, however, cannot always be received. He’d realized that such was the case this time around when he’d spotted another form—obviously canine—sitting along the water’s edge. An audible huff slipped out passed parted lips, the yearling having quickly been made irritated despite the other having done absolutely nothing wrong. It was against his better judgement that his legs had started moving him in the male’s direction, though he’d ended up stopping a fair amount of paces away. A quick, visual assessment of the boy led Alexander to believe that he’d be able to overpower the other with ease, but that hadn’t been enough to convince him that closing the distance between them entirely would be a smart move. Lacking trust in strangers, he’d thought it best to not risk his own well-being by taking chances.

Settling his gaze on the face of the other, his posture grew tense, almost as if he might be preparing for battle; to engage in combat today was not on his to-do list, but he’d felt it necessary that he keep himself prepared on the off chance that the unknown boy thought differently. “You need to leave,” Xan had said, monotone. “Now. Go find some other lake to stare at.” There was plenty of space for the both of them to coexist there, but, the Inuit wanted the area all to himself—at least for the moment. He wasn’t the least bit concerned about those that might lurk there after he left, he just wanted it to be free of all other beings whilst he was there.

Cam kept his eyes glued to the water, almost completely blocking out his surroundings. Finally, he noticed a small sliver, catching the midday light and dipping up and down in the water. A triumphant smile lit his features as he lashed out at the fish, hunger drove him full force. But the sound of a voice halted him. He whipped his head around as quickly as he could, to see where the voice had come from, and when he turned back to where the fish had been, it was there no longer. 

A frustrated growl emitted from his throat as he clenched his teeth. Whoever this was interrupting him, had cost him his meal, and Cam wasn't about to have that. He turned to face the other, a bitter grin on his face. Before he even had the chance to size up the other or think about his words, the boy spoke. Oh I'm sorry. Is this your lake? Cause I didn't smell any borders or... He trailed off with a smirk, his bright hazel gaze fixated on the crimson eyes of the other male.

The boy had not done as he’d been told. Rather, he’d remained there, looking towards the Inuit before having decided to speak. His words were irritating enough to prompt a glare into filling out Xan’s eyes, and a single step forward was taken. There was a moment in which his mind was filled by reckless thoughts, but he’d dismissed them just as soon as they’d formed. He knew better now than to act without thinking—for the most part, that is. There were still plenty of times in which impulse had, and would, win over carefully thought–out plans. It seemed as if the present would be such a time, but, for now, he held back. Control over his own self was practiced, at least until it no longer seemed beneficial.

“It’s mine for the day,” he’d retorted, and then fell silent. An idea popped into his head, one that wasn’t reckless. It could, perhaps, even benefit him, if the other would do as he was about to be told. “You can stay only if you pay a fee,” the boy stated, offering the chance for a deal to be brokered. Should it not be accepted, well, he wasn’t entirely certain about what his next move would be.

Cam wasn't intimidated by the other male. Not when he took a step forwards, not when he was given a menacing glare. Not until the words pay a fee were said, did Cam feel a bit nervous. The words had shocked him, made a shiver crawl up his spine. He was used to being threatened with violence, and he knew how to deal with it, but what other ways could he pay for his actions? His brows knitted and he took a slight step back, repositioning himself a bit. How would he answer this question. He didn't want to get himself into more trouble than he could handle, but his bitter instinct was telling him to refuse leaving. While the question the other male posed made him a bit wary, he was also very curious.

What kind of fee? He asked, ears back a little bit. Fear was a bit visible, but Cam surprisingly held himself together quite well. Anyone can seem calm when faced with enough pressure.

Neither his progression nor the glare had earned him a reaction from the stranger. It wasn’t until he’d spoken, in fact, that something had changed; it confused the boy just as much as the notion of a fee had taken Cam by surprise. How was it that words as simple as the ones that he’d said could have a greater effect than actions? It didn’t make much sense to him, but he’d gone along with it anyways. Yet, before having spoken again, the yearling paused and observed the others body. If Alexander had been capable of delivering compliments, perhaps he would have commented on what he saw, but he couldn’t and so he didn’t. Besides, the traces of fear that’d been picked up on were far more enticing, encouraging him to mess with the other. It was then with a false look of interest that he’d answer by saying, “The fee would be your services.”

Another step forward was taken before he’d continued, expression unreadable. “Have you ever been with another boy?” he’d asked, appearing to be serious for the first few seconds. No sooner had he spoken than his face changed to display amusement, betraying the nature of his query before he’d even the chance to say, “I’m joking.” Thereafter, any hints of his previous enjoyment were swiftly replaced by nothing more than absolute neutrality. It was at the water that he’d then glanced, nodding towards in an effort to make the stranger look over there. “You can pay your fee by fishing for me,” he’d said, recalling just how long it’d been since he’d last eaten fish. “Five fish, or three if they’re large ones.” Xan was no stranger to the art of fishing. His father had taught him how to do so early in life, for it was a big part of their culture. To catch fish and hunt for seals—the latter was something he’d yet to do, but the former he excelled at. Still, it was better to have someone else do the work for him whenever possible.

The fee would be your services. Cam scanned the other for traces of what he meant, but the white furred male was very neutral. Cam was extremely expressional, his face betrayed him more often than his words. Now was one of those times, in which confusion and fear had lit his features. He swallowed, suddenly coming to his senses and realizing that he'd gotten himself into a bit of trouble. His brain, fogged up with stress, exhaustion and hunger, hadn't thought much about what he would do, and now some lone male was asking for his 'services.'

He stepped back again as the white wolf stepped forwards, nearing the crystalline lake's edge. The next question was definitely not what he expected. His eyes widened, realizing what the older boy meant. No he'd never been with a boy before. Or anyone, for that matter. The thought of being with another was frightening to him, but also a little tempting. He didn't know what to feel about the matter, but he did know that he wanted his first time to be with someone special. Not some random boy who he made a deal with. Uh, well... He said with a flustered smile.

That predicament was over quickly, and the white male gave an amused smile. A twisted sense of humor, not that Cam minded. But he wasn't too fond of the joke being placed on him. His nose twitched slightly, he was clearly uncomfortable. Anything else I could do for you oh keeper of the lake? He said, but what cut off when the other shifted his glance towards the lake. He followed his gaze, and his next words surprised him. Five fish, or three big ones? Rubbish! He could hardly catch one. He was tired has hell, five fish wasn't going to happen. Once again he opened his stupid mouth to comment.

Five fish! Five fish he says, I can't catch you five whole fish. And even if I did, I'd rather eat them myself than give them all to you. I might as well choose the other option if that's all I get. It was quite snippy, his first few words came out with a laugh of disbelief. If things went much further, he knew he'd have to leave. For now the boy was simply testing his luck.

The reaction received had, to put it simply, been great. It seemed as if words could be just as troubling as actions, and, for the first time, he understood why his father often chose to speak rather than attack. Not to say that he’d make a habit out of doing so himself, but taking a different route every now and again couldn’t be that bad. Especially now, too, since he’d seen firsthand just how effective his speech could be. It’d been able to do what his actions could not, after all. And though he was still somewhat confused about that, it was slowly starting to settle down nicely within his mind. Should he ever be put into a similar predicament again, he was sure to use his words first, and then his teeth if that option didn’t work.

By the end of his joking, the other appeared to be uncomfortable. Alexander, of course, did not care—not really, anyways. He’d been amused by his antics, which was all that really mattered at the moment. However, he was cast back into a state of surprise when the stranger spoke out against him. It was weird, what he’d said, for the Inuit believed that he’d named a relatively low number. And the last part—oh, how that had thrown him through a loop. Brows knitted together as he peered at the other boy, silently questioning his state of mind. “Really?” was all he’d said at first, right before he’d gone quiet. A moment in which he’d thought over his next words went by, leading to him eventually asking, “Do you not know how to fish? Five really isn’t a lot.” At least, it didn’t seem that way. If one was patient, or even just careful, and used the right method, they could easily catch a decent amount of fish. It was viewed as unusual within his mind that the male thought himself to be incapable.

“The other option isn’t even an option,” Xan had then stated. “It was a joke.” The need to clarify had struck him, and so he’d done exactly that. “Besides, you don’t know me,” he’d added shortly after, disbelief scrawled across his face. Though he’d done the deed with absolute strangers before, that wasn’t to say that he was particularly fond of it; no longer did he want something like that, he wanted something real. Something that wouldn’t lead to him being abandoned. Something that wouldn’t leave him open for another attack.

Cam's look of disbelief soon became one of pure frustration and annoyance. This other male clearly didn't understand what he meant. Or the state that he was in. Couldn't he see that Cam was tired as hell? He'd been searching for fish all damn afternoon and when he'd finally found one, this menace of a male had distracted him and he'd lost his catch. Cam wouldn't admit it but he wasn't exactly the best hunter. Anything that had to do with physical prowess wasn't really his strong suit. One fish was hard enough for him, but to catch five and get no reward. Ridiculous.

If five isn't that much, why don't you catch them yourself? He said with a snippy tone, his red tipped ears had flattened to his skull. He took another step back. He knew he was pressing his luck with this guy, but he simply wasn't having it today. The white furred male spoke again about the other option, and Cam rolled his eyes. Yes I got that. I guess we just don't have the same sense of humor. The boy took a pause to settle down, his tail twitched anxiously behind him.

Again had the other spoken, rather than acting. Never had Xan been particularly good at handling anything that went against him, and he’d yet to get better, even now. The tone used had only added fuel to the flame, which had ultimately resulted in the Inuk baring his teeth at the stranger. A growl had started to bubble up in the back of his throat—a warning—but he’d swallowed it back down before it’d the opportunity to finish growing. “Because,” he’d then said. “Why would I do something that I can get someone else to do for me?” He could fish just fine, as well as hunt, but why do either of those things when another could for him? His thoughts were interrupted then by another comment, which resulted in a glare being cast towards Cam.

The boy seemed to settle down, which didn’t concern Alexander in any way. It had, somehow, been a sight capable of leading his thoughts down a curious path. It was with an impish smirk that the albino then regarded him, asking, “Do you even know how to fish?” His tone was skeptical, some part of his words being serious, whilst their primary purpose was to rile the attractive—had he truly thought that? Such thoughts needed to be corrected immediately, he’d told himself—boy up. “I’d bet that the only reason you won’t fish for me is because you don’t know how,” was his final comment, the gleam of a challenge in his eyes. Whether the other might act upon his words or not, he couldn’t tell, but was interested to find out.

Cam could tell that he'd made the other angry, the white furred male bared his teeth in a snarl. When the other growled, Cam braced himself flinching at the sound, surely he was about to be attacked. But the growl stopped abruptly, the albino using his words instead. The other had a good point, one that Cam himself lived by. Why do something yourself when others can do it for you? He couldn't argue against that, but that didn't mean he was gonna do it. He shut his mouth this time, waiting to see what Xan would say next.

The other's next question made his fur bristle a bit. Yes of course he knew how to fish? Did he really look that weak and helpless for the other to assume he couldn't fish? But Cam decided to use it to his advantage. Better to have the other think he actually didn't know how to fish than to think he was simply stubborn. He broke away his gaze from that of the handsome male's, looking to his paws as if embarrassed. The other's taunts were just begging for Cam to show him up, but the boy held his act. Instead he shot back up with a challenging look in his hazel golden eyes.

Teach me how then! I'm sure it's very easy for such a strong and skilled guy like you. Why don't you just show me how it's done? A smirk lit his face as he waited for the other's response. He'd never met someone like this albino before, so unpredictable. The whole situation was scary to him, but also exhilarating. Cam loved a good conflict.

Xan held the boy’s gaze briefly before it was torn away from him. He watched as Cam looked down, suspicious at first, but the uneasy feeling was shoved away and ignored when the words reached his ears. It hadn’t been the response that he’d expected—wanted—and so he fell silent. Brows pulled together whilst he observed the expression displayed, but was unable to separate the truth from a lie. He was not his father, he could not read others well, and so he’d not caught on to the fact that he was being tricked. Believing the act, he huffed, and then found himself unable to resist the challenge. There was a moment in which he’d stopped to consider whether or not he was actually going to teach the stranger how to fish, but ended up deciding that he had to. The was an underlying challenge in his eyes, as well as in the words, which the Inuk couldn’t ignore.

A few steps forward were taken before he’d glanced towards the lake, nodding towards it. “Get in the water,” commanded the yearling, disinterested in wasting any more time than necessary trying to teach the male to fish. As an afterthought, he’d added, “Don’t make me have to drag you in with me.” It was a threat, but not one that he wouldn’t follow through with; the expression he wore made this obvious. Alexander stared at him to get his point across, then broke away and crossed the land until he was at the water’s edge. Carefully, and slowly, he’d made his way into the water, stopping once it was up around the midway point of his forelimbs. He’d look back towards Cam, waiting impatiently to get the lesson rolling.

Cam wanted to smile when Xan agreed to 'teach' him. He really hadn't expected it to go this well, but it was working out fairly. The other boy was practically fishing for him, the tides had been turned. Cam was a manipulative little bitch, he loved getting what he wanted. The albino gave an order, which Cam hesitated to follow. Couldn't the other boy just show him how to do it first? Did he really have to get in the water? He was about to protest when a threat was issued, one that Cam couldn't ignore. He definitely wasn't up for being dragged into a lake, so he turned and walked after the other boy.

Following like an obedient puppy, Cam stopped where Xan did, a shiver ran through his body as the water lapped at his legs.  He huffed, looking over at his new teacher. What next? He said, raising his eyebrows in the albino's direction. His tail swept anxiously through the water, unconsciously splashing at the other male. Well unconsciously was a bit of a mouthful.

As the boy did just as he’d been told to do, Xan kept a close eye on him. When a shiver ran through him, the albino had noticed and asked, “What? Is the water too cold for you?” It was a genuine inquiry, for he’d not been struck by the same feeling. Sure, it was a bit chilly, but it hadn’t been enough to make him shiver. Perhaps that was due to his northern lineage, or maybe the stranger was just weak against any degree of coldness. Whatever the reason was, he’d shrugged it off shortly afterwards and directed his attention back towards the water.

When asked a question, he’d not lifted his gaze from the water, but had still answered. “We wait.” Patience was key, he’d been taught. “Stay still, and the fish will come to you. Then just aim for the space next to them and—,” he paused, feeling water hit him. From the surface his eyes had been dragged, landing right on the other boy. He shot him a glare before continuing with, “—hope you manage to grab one.” Thereafter, he looked back towards the water and waited. The second he spotted a silvery form moving through it, he lurched toward, submerging his head fully in the water. As he’d risen back up, he used the momentum and his head to send a wave of water flying in his fishing partner’s direction, whilst his jaws remained firmly clamped around the body of a fish. The entire motion had been quick, easily missed should any spectators have blinked. Once it’d reached an end, he stood there grinning around his catch and staring at (a hopefully soaked) Cam.

No, course not. Cam shrugged it off quickly, he was getting tired of the albino's teasing. But he had lied a bit. The water was pretty cold. He was used to much warmer temperatures. And he was small, and tired. The coolness of the water hit him harder than it should have. But he didn't want to give away too much of his weaknesses, he could never know when the other might change his mind about attacking. His question about what the next step was, was answered without a glance his way until about mid sentence when he was shot a glare. Cam stopped with his tail, and gave his fishing partner and playful smirk. Perhaps this whole situation wasn't all awful. He had gotten to mess around with a handsome male, who was now fishing for him. Optimism.

The golden furred boy watched intently as the albino stayed quiet, patiently waiting his prey without a sound. Nothing was happening yet, and Cam opened his mouth to make a snarky comment when the other boy lashed out at the water, sending a wave of water right in his direction. Now soaked head to toe, Cam stood there, his mouth still open and now full of water. He spat it out quickly, and snapped his head back towards the other. If it weren't for the fish he saw dangling in the other's mouth, he would be a lot more pissed than he was.

So was the splashing necessary? Because it did make you look ridiculous. He teased, a bit more playfully now. He eyed the fish, its silvery scales bouncing light in every direction. He was obviously very hungry.

Bullseye!

Much to his joy, he’d succeeded with soaking the other boy. As he stared at him, his grin never faltered, having actually widened once Cam’s expression was noticed. Then when he’d been asked a question, Xan nodded, the teasing having been paid little attention towards; rarely was he aware of how to respond to teasing, and so he tended to just ignore it more often than not. “It was necessary,” he’d commented, voice muffled by the fish. “You splashed me, so I got you back.” An eye for an eye, and all. Had he not splashed back, it just wouldn’t have been right at all. Since the other had sent water towards him, it was only fair that the favour be returned. Of course, the Inuk had gone a little bit overboard with just how much water he’d chosen to fling forward, but the amount wasn’t important at all as far as he was concerned.

Alexander took notice to the fish being eyed, and so he waved his muzzle slowly, teasingly. “What?” he questioned, feigning ignorance. “You want this?” It was assumed that he did, given the hunger observed in his companion’s eyes. The yearling, however, would not just hand it over. Whilst he was far from starving, and could definitely go without eating the fish, he wanted the other to work for it. It was with a promise of mischief in the eyes that he’d taken a step towards the male, only to turn before the motion could be continued. He headed back towards the shore, calling over his shoulder as he did so. “You can have the fish if you can take it from me,” he proposed, challenging the stranger once again. He did not plan to make the task too difficult, but didn’t make such intentions obvious. He wanted to see if the challenge would be accepted first, and then watch to see what would follow if it was.

The other boy had a grin as wide as a canyon, and he was clearly pleased with the massive amount of water he'd soaked Cam with. Cam was not nearly as amused, but he had kind of deserved it. The albino male responded to Cam's retort with an justification. An eye for an eye. It was still a bit annoying to Cam, but he honestly would've done the same thing. It seemed the two males had something in common, they both were very bitter. Or from what he'd seen so far, Cam assumed that was the case. 

I splashed you?! Barely. That's like saying a bubble is the same as a tidal wave. He grumbled, mostly to himself but loud enough for the white male to hear. Soon after, the other must've realized Cam was eyeing the fish, for he asked if he wanted it. The golden furred male frowned, for he knew what was coming next. The other boy was gonna tease him with the fish, make him want it all the more. Normally Cam wouldn't give in to a taunt, he wouldn't do what the other wanted him to. But he was hungry, and he definitely wanted the fish. You can have the fish if you can take it from me! Just like Cam had expected, another challenge. 

 He bounded  through the water after the albino, accepting the challenge if not only to get the fish in the end. He was sure that the other wouldn't give it to him if he didn't play along, and so he did. Once in shallower water, the lithe young male picked up speed, pushing through the water until he reached the shore. He pounced out in front of the other male, a smirk on his face. Even though he was only playing along to get the fish, he could still have some fun with it. 

Tail wagging softly behind him, Cam waited to see what his companion's next move would be.

The grumblings of the other male were heard, but ignored. He was too amused at this point to act out against Cam, wanting more than anything to mess with him, rather than cause any real injury. It was little moments like this during which he seemed to touch on his lost youth, behaving like a child, rather than like the man he was supposed to be; he was only a yearling, true, but he had been expected to act far more mature in the past. Taunting the stranger and making deals with him served as a way of fulfilling the antics of childhood that he’d missed out on, and so he wasn’t the least bit interested in chasing the opportunity away by lashing out in some manner. No, he wanted to play, and so play he would.

As he’d made his way towards the shore, Alexander’s path was suddenly blocked by none other than his current partner in play. The smirk that had scrawled itself across his face acted as fuel to the flame, encouraging him to further carry out his end of the wager. And so, though he had every intention of going easy on the boy, such thoughts allowed for his instincts as a warrior to kick in. It was his duty to protect the fish, but the task wasn’t at all of dire importance. That thin line had prevented him from simply barreling through the stranger, the route taken instead having been to feign left, and then take off to the right. Despite it having been clear that his newly made acquaintance was tired, Xan wanted to test his determination with a little game of chase.

It was rare that Cam lost sight of what he truly wanted. Even as a young pup, he'd often had motivation for every action. His motivation for chasing the albino had been to get the fish, but it had become something else. Play. Pure play. His frustrated grunts became playful yips, chipping up in his throat. Instead of wearing a smirk of mockery, his smirk was friendly, and gleeful. His youthful instincts had kicked in and taken over, but he still had every intention of winning.

His target juked him, starting going towards Cam's right but turning to his left instead. Cam had fallen for it, turning and snapping his jaws to his right only to find that his playmate wasn't there. A look of determination in his golden eyes, Cam whirled around and took off in the new direction. He wasn't slow, even when he was tired, so he caught up quickly. Unfortunately he wasn't fast enough. He pushed himself harder, his long legs covering more distance with each stride. The. In one all or nothing act, he pounced, hoping to barrel his target right over.

Having succeeded with tricking Cam, his grin widened once again. The arrogance that he’d had since birth decided to make an appearance, its whispers drifting through his mind. There was no way the other would catch up with him, and no way he’d get the fish. It’d be Xan’s to keep—for as long as he wanted to use it to tease, that is—he was sure. Distracted by his own cockiness, he hadn’t realized that the footfalls behind him were growing louder. When he’d gone to glance over his shoulder at last, it’d been too late, the distance between himself and his playmate having been lost. Not enough of time had followed for him to process what was happening properly, and so down towards the ground had he been made to fall as he was pounced upon. Given the suddenness of it all, he’d loosed a surprised yelped, nearly lost the fish, and then began rolling.

Somehow, despite how many times over he’d gone, Alexander hadn’t let the fish fly from his mouth. He’d held onto it, gathered his bearings, and then worked to turn the attack into his favour. Shifting around, Xan used his weight to slow their rolling, and then acted with every intention of coming out on top from then on. Should he be successful with doing so, he’d then use his body to pin the boy’s down, his chest pressing against Cam’s with the hope of immobilizing him. If he were to fail with doing that, however… well, he’d just hold onto the fish as tightly as he could.

As hoped, Cam's all or nothing pounce had succeeded in tackling his playmate to the ground. The boys rolled over and over, tumbling until finally they stopped. Unfortunately for Cam, the other boy ended up on top, keeping him pinned to the ground. Cam's pale chest fluff mixed with the pure white fur of his playmate's chest, and he could feel every breath the other took. A grin of excitement still lit his face, the thrill of the play hadn't left him yet. He'd gotten so caught up in it all that he hardly realized he'd lost.

A sudden rush of heat ran through him as he tried to remove himself from the position. While submission was his instinct, he hadn't been quite ready to give up yet. He really wanted the fish. Once he realized that his own strength was no match for the bigger male's, he stopped struggling and stared up at the other, wriggling a paw free to bat at his face. Alright you win! Can I get up or should I just lay here? He asked, a curious glint in his eyes.

In the past, Alexander had pinned several others down in the exact same way as he was currently holding his playmate down. The position was not unfamiliar to him, and so he’d adjusted himself slightly in order to find the way of laying that he’d previously deemed to be most comfortable. Once satisfied, the yearling grinned, his peculiar gaze having yet to be pulled off of his partner’s face. The grin had widened when his face was batted at, the expression accompanied by a rumbling from deep within his chest; it was purely playful. “Just lay there,” he’d said, still speaking around the fish. It was just as the reason behind their game was remembered that he’d opened his mouth, allowing for the fish to then fall from his jaws and flop onto the smaller male’s face. “You can have that since I don’t want it,” was his next statement, attempting to hide the fact that he’d planned to hand it over since the very beginning. Just in case he’d not done a very good job at that, however, he’d wriggled around a bit and said, “You aren’t very comfortable.” He’d definitely felt softer furs and squishier bodies in his life.

Deciding to give the boy a chance to actually eat, Xan pulled himself up and off of him. Rather than moving far away, he’d laid himself down on his stomach beside the other, watching to make sure that he ate—and if he didn’t, the albino would just take the fish back and that’d be the end of their tale. As he waited to see what would happen, he’d asked, “What’s your name?” He had fished for and played with the stranger, so the least he could be given in return was a name.

Cam purred back at the albino's remark, finding it rather funny. Then suddenly, plop! A wet slimy fish flopped onto his face, rolling off onto the ground next to his head. Cam looked at it for a moment, but his attention was quickly drawn back to his playmate, who still perched atop him- sort of crushing the air out of his chest. Thanks, but I can't exactly eat this way can I? He joked, a playful smirk plastered to his face. The other boy began to wriggle around, causing Cam to grunt in discomfort. He scowled at the comment, but started to chortle a little, unable to hold back laughter. Oi! I'll have you know that most people find me very comfortable. 

He wriggled back, until finally the other male slipped off of him, allowing him up. Cam took the few deep breaths that he'd been momentarily deprived of, then rolled over onto his stomach, bumping into the other male who'd laid down beside him. He turned his head to look at the other, a bit surprised that he hadn't stood up and walked away. From Cam's first impression of the guy, he hadn't taken him for the kind of male who liked to snuggle. Maybe he was wrong, and Cam could get used to that. He blinked at him a few times before reaching for the fish, which for just a second had been the last thing on his mind. The first being the crimson eyes of his companion.

As he tore into the kill, he was asked a question. He'd almost completely forgotten about names, which was usually something he asked first. He didn't stop eating, but he peeked his ears to show he was listening. In between bites, he spoke. Cameron. Or Cam. How - bout you? He paused to swallow, before finishing the question, glancing curiously at the other boy.

At the comment about being considered comfortable, Xan couldn’t help but snort. How many wolves had sprawled themselves across him as the albino had? He believed that he was the only one to have ever done so, given the obvious lie; he was certain that he’d been lied to, unable to see how anyone could find him to be comfortable. “I doubt that,” remarked the yearling. “You’re about as comfortable as a rock. I feel bad for whoever you end up with.” There were good romantic partners, and then there were the awful ones whose bodies resembled rocks. His playmate was, as far as he could tell, the latter, which made him pity the poor girl that might someday think he’s cute enough to bed with. At the thought, he’d shaken his head and frowned, but didn’t externalize his thoughts. He’d find out that he wasn’t cushion-y enough when the time came, he supposed.

Shortly after having moved off of his new companion, he’d watched as the other male rolled and then bumped into him. His gaze found its way over to meet Cam’s own, which he’d held for a moment or two. When he’d looked away, Alexander watched to see what he was doing, and was then satisfied by the fact that he’d chosen to eat the fish. It wasn’t long before he’d received an answer to his question, too, and made an effort to commit the name to memory. He’d hardly a moment, though, before the same was being asked of him. Given that Cam had answered already, he didn’t see a reason to withhold the information, either. “Alexander, but call me Xan,” he’d said, forgetting how he had regretted sharing his full name in the past. Though he had slowly started to come around to accepting the name that he was given at birth, that didn’t mean he favoured it, and so Xan would always be preferred over Alexander.

“So, Cam,” the Inuk began, leaning towards him as he spoke. “Do you have a home around here?” If not, maybe he could lure him back to Tortuga. He’d yet to see what the male was really capable of, but he had to have some sort of skills, right?

Sorry for the wait and also the succ post! C:

Ouch. That one hurt a bit. Cam only scoffed and blew it off, but it hurt none the same. He'd never thought of himself as hot, the strong manly type or anything like that, but he didn't think he was ugly. In fact he'd learned to appreciate his cuteness, his awkward style. He'd made it his own, so the fact that maybe he wasn't as squishy as he thought wasn't what bothered him. More the thought that he might never find someone to love. He pushed that thought away, reminding himself that he wasn't to show strangers his soft side. Plus his playmate was only joking.

The albino was finally given a name, one hat Cameron thought fit. He found it just a little bit funny, that they both had long names that they shortened to three letters. Cam and Xan. Cam decided he preferred Xan over Alexander, for Alexander was his brother's middle name- and he wanted nothing to do with that jack ass. Soon the golden furred boy was posed with a question, a question about his home. No he didn't have a home. Yes he was looking for a home, but he also wanted to keep exploring. He wasn't quite sure that he could settle down yet. Exploring was in his nature.

Nah, d'you? He asked, even if he wasn't ready to join a pack, it would be good to know of ones around the area.