Wapun Meadow let the water fill this hand

@Evergreen -- more "how to be a good father" tasking!

ingram had learned, from various sources and locals, bits and pieces about proper parenthood. the more he learned, the less he knew -- some wolves were downright conflicting in their adages, while others collaborated ideals he himself would have never thought of.

it was tough for him to keep this all in mind; mostly he remembered the following: feed them often, and take them for walks.

after spending some time hunting unsuccessfully for more toys, ingram found himself in wapun meadow. the sun was pleasant as it spilled down on his fur, and for a moment he stood on a gentle rise and let the wind play softly at his coat. it would not always be this sweet and temperate; for now, he stopped to enjoy this idle tranquility, knowing very well it would not last.

Evergreen never realized how far the Wilds expanded. So used to being tucked in the comforts of Rising Sun Valley, he was just returning from his adventure west. It made him question whether he was right to deny Valette's suggestion of becoming a Scout. Wandering kept his mind busy, after all, and the less he was haunted by recent memory, the better.

By now, he thought he would be racing "home". Likely with a decision in mind to stay with Easthollow. Instead, the bear remained conflicted, and ever searching for answers that continued to stay out of his reach. Diaspora lingered in the back of his mind, and perhaps that was why he travelled through Wapun Meadow, the place he met Takiyok. His green eyes stared at the mountain range she pointed out all those months ago. Were they still there?

Alas, lost in his thoughts as he was, the bear almost missed being in the presence of another. Almost. The sight of a dark figure made him double-take. His heart seized, jolting with the terrible memory of a mangled body twisted in directions no one should have to suffer. It was not the monster, however. Just a man, ragged from hardship. Evergreen exhaled.

Uhm, hey, the bear greeted awkwardly, and started to approach the man. He wouldn't get too close, but enough that their conversation didn't insist on yelling across the Meadow. Uh, weird question?—Was it really?—Do... you know where Disapora is at?

it wasn't hard to spot the shape that moved in the distance, though ingram kept the beast in his peripherals as it came closer. at first, ingram had wrongly assumed the rounding form to be that of a bear. his heart skipped immediately; the last time he had come face to face with that flash of golden mace, his life had nearly been stolen from him.

he forgot all about his task, and remained artfully still. he was prepared to slip off as soon as the "bear" turned away. he knew them to have poor eyesight, and was just about to do so when the beast turned and started towards him. ingram stiffened, his fur riffling in alarm --but as the terra-cotta brute came close, he recognized evergreen for what he was: a wolf.

his form visibly relaxed, though his breath took some time to recover. the male spoke, and ingram's ears cupped forward in surprise to hear diaspora at the tip of the male's tongue."it's back there." ingram answered, having exactly no reticence (possibly to stigmata's dismay). "has anyone told you, you look remarkably like a bear?" his gaze was suspicious, but not hard -- reserved in his sunny yellow eyes was a glint of impishness. "what do you want with diaspora?"

ingram realized then that time was short if he was to make it back to blodreina before dusk; after some polite vague words exchanged, the eyjolfur excused himself and hurried his portly ass back home.