Witch's Marsh and so it begins

This is a private thread between the kind and wonderful @Ibis and myself, thank you! Sorry for the short post, it's 9 PM over here.

Awol was intrested in exploring the land around him while he waited for his self promised entrance into Easthollow. He had been confined to little scene as a child, and the boy was free, and he might as well, seeing as the lands that stretch beynd his loaction may end. He shuddered at the thought, but had hope Hope that things would turn out well in the end, prey would return, and he'd finally be settled in a pack...

As the boy mused, he had arrived at a marsh. He did not know this, and wandered into it. The water, the fele of the ground — espiscally the smell, it was all different. Finally, something to distract him from his hunger. If he was lucky, he may even find a frog to much on. Not that he knew what they tasted like. Sniffing eargerly, he walked the new terrain.

If the boy hoped to find a frog, he would be sorely out of luck. Ibis had spent the better part of the evening doing the same; she knew by now that the cold had scared away most of the little prey, and the quakes and dangers of the rest of the Wilds had kept the large creatures from venturing towards any place that stank of wolf. Her hopes for finding something filling were swiftly dashed as she scoured the small murky pools of water - that is, until she heard something moving within a thicket of grass.

It was bigger than a frog - had to be! Ibis hadn't seen many edible things in her life (not while they were alive exactly, as Okeanos often would hunt for her) so she had no real reference point when it came to big-versus-small; except for the one elk that had gotten its crown tangled in the dead branches of a tree, Ibis had very little hunting experience. So, that sound - it caught in her ears and pulled the bestial side out of her, drawing her forward like a true huntress as she fell in to step along the dryer ledge of raised earth.

She hunkered down as she prowled, drawing up close to where the sound had originated, and when she thought she saw movement out of the corner of her eye she erupted triumphantly from where she hid - !!

I read up on your pack concept, and I think this would fit with the plot idea I've got for Awol! Basically, he'd be very interested if you taught him a little about scouting and your pack idea?

Awol yelped in suprise as a woman leaped form the thicket. The memories of his sisters finding him started to flood back to him, his face visibly grimaced in emotional pain and shock. For the briefest second, the boy had thought it was his youngest sister, Ezra. He sighed in relief when it was just another loner.

"Please, don't do that, not only will you scare anything and everything left in this broken land away, you will give me a heart attack," he huffed. He tried not to let too much of his annoynace show, seeing as his goal was to build a good reputation among others.

"Excuse me, if this is your land, but I'm Awol, nice to meet you."

I suppose.

"Are you part of a pack?"

Sure!

When she made contact with the ground on the other side of her hiding place she didn't land very well, and began to stutter-step where it was a little bit too icey and slick. It was a tiny blunder - and paled in comparison to the shock on the other wolf's face, which Ibis finally recognized with some repulsion. She had thought that her target was something edible! Instead it had been a lone wolf walking through, how could she be so mistaken?

His look of terror painted his features garishly; counter to that was a sense of mortification within Ibis who recoiled as soon as she recognized her mistake, and her ears slicked back on her head as he spoke sharply to her - condemning her actions - meanwhile she sputtered, I am so sorry! I thought -- doesn't matter, oh gosh, I --

The other wolf remained remarkably composed after that; he absorbed the fear the tiny girl had instilled and blocked it out, a trick she wished she knew how to do. When he spoke again it was to ask pointed questions - and as Ibis was flustered by her error, she willingly offered up whatever she could.

Yes! Well, no, sort of? I live here in the marsh -- my brother too -- but I dunno about owning land. There's other places nearby that are proper packs, and upon mentioning them she tried to focus her energy in remembering her cardinal directions (which wasn't her forte) and pointed her snout southward. That way leads to Easthollow where my friends live, and further east from that -- on the border of the Wilds -- is my father's pack, Lost Creek.

The girl turned and sheepishly looked to the stranger, her face pinched in a little frown. I'm sorry, I thought you were food, or maybe my brother, I didn't mean to frighten you.

Cool! Sorry if his thoughts seemed rushed.

Easthollow.

He contemplated it. He now new the name of a few packs in the area...

"Ha! I wouldn't blame you, food has been scarce around here, even since the quakes have ceased," he smiled. This was nice woman, for one someone he met wasn't standoff-ish and was willing the answer his questions dutifully. He nodded at her in thanks. 

"This wouldn't be a bad place to have pack, at least start up..yes," He returned his attention to the young woman. "If I may ask, miss, what is your occupation? I've been looking for group to settle with until I really decide wht to do after this winter, and I love to have a hunter or simply someone as keen as you on my side."

He was generally interested in her and her brother's home. He was straying from the idea of joining Easthollow, if it meant starting a new pack with new wolves...

Much more legacy like, just what the boy was going for. 

He seemed more jovial now that the situation had calmed down. Less fidgety. It had never occurred to Ibis that she could be frightening; she was one of (perhaps the smallest wolf in the valley - maybe the entirety of the Wilds! So to have someone startle at the sight of her had been quite different. Not something she ever wished to repeat.

The boy went on to comment on the marsh, her plans, and even ask a pointed question. A profession? Nobody had ever spoken in such a way to her. Didnhe mean her skills? The girl presumed as much and was thrilled to bits! Nobody at home had veen impressed by all the work she had done back at the Hollow; here was a stranger eager to learn about her, and Ibis was desperate for that connection in these lonely days.

I travel a lot. Is that what you mean? My mums were midwives and healers, so... That got me started. Then I got used to roaming farther and farther, meeting the different people in the valley and trying to get on good terms with them. I'm a fully proven Ambassador! She boasted, glad to share.

"I've never heard of that before, but very interesting. If you wouldn't mind, I'd love to take refuge with you and your brother while you teach me about your 'Ambassador' profession? I'd alos be intrested in anything else in the scouting division," he asked cooly. He hoped he did not come off as brash or pushy, but he was intrested to learn of the land and whatever else his brain could store.

For a moment she was perplexed. The boy wanted to know about her skills, but hadn't heard of what before? Healers? Midwives? Maybe it was a female thing; she'd grown up around it and had once entertained the thought of following in Olive's paw-steps, and had a fascination with the pretty flowers growing throughout the valley... Or maybe he meant her title as an Ambassador. Ibis decided to go with that assumption as it made the most sense - this boy sure was peculiar.

I can try, she added with an uncertain little nod. It took some doing. I mapped out this whole valley, making note of where each pack was, and then I made sure to stop by and introduce myself. For a few months I carried messages between the packs. It built good relations between our neighbours and I got to meet a lot of people.

Was that something the boy was interested in? He was off to a good start already—so eager, and personable. I had an escort most of the time too. Someone to protect me along the way, given how small I am. At this she gave a tiny shrug, concerned that she might not be that much help with whatever he was trying to achieve after all. Are you travelling all on your own? That is very brave.

"It took some doing. I mapped out this whole valley, making note of where each pack was, and then I made sure to stop by and introduce myself. For a few months I carried messages between the packs. It built good relations between our neighbours and I got to meet a lot of people."

Awol found that very interesting, he wondered just how many packs were there, beyond the mountains and the marsh...And to get the lay of the land would be crucial if he was ever found, he'd know where to hide and who to warn.

"Thank you, that's helpful."

"Are you travelling all on your own? That is very brave."

Brave was not the word for it. He looked nervously at his paws. "I am...but it's more of running away from my family in the east than having a traveling without a care..ha," he muttered half heartedly. "I could tell you my whole story, but i'm a bit to tired for that."

He accepted her explanations easily. When the conversation turned to put the spotlight upon him, he spoke quickly - as if ashamed of his past - but as he did so, Ibis came to an understanding. She could understand fleeing one's family; although her own had been loving in very different ways rather than harmful for her. The girl was curious of his home and his people, but there was no reason to interrogate him or anything - she didn't want to alienate him in to leaving.

I understand. You don't have to tell me if you don't want to. She commented, smiling thinly. If you want you can rest here in the marsh? I don't get many visitors, so... It makes a good place to crash at least, she could've added. Its pretty lonely she almost said. While you do that I can try and find some food to split with you. Are you hungry? He probably was. They all were.

We can end after your post?

"I understand. You don't have to tell me if you don't want to. If you want you can rest here in the marsh? I don't get many visitors, so..."

Again, Awol was grateful of how polite and respectful the woman was. "Thank you, I would love to stay, at least for awhile," he agreed happily. Finally, a nice indivual he could get to know and a place to reside in for a time being. He was so tired of being lonely and scared every night he had slept.

"While you do that I can try and find some food to split with you. Are you hungry?" 

"Very, but I won't take too much until I help you out at least," he reasoned. He paused for a brief moment, then motioned to touch his nose to the female's shoulder. "Um, thank you again, I'm Awol. And you are...?"

Okay!

The fact she had not yet introduced herself suddenly became clear; how could she have been so rude? So mindless? Oh gosh! As soon as the boy introduced himself she was feeling warm in the face. Here she was talking about how great of an ambassador she had become, and all of the exploits attached to that, when she had failed to do the most basic thing!

With a flash of a smile she says, My name is Ibis. It is very nice to meet you, Awol. With that their introductions were complete; he would find some place safe to nest, presumably to rest for a few hours, and she'd make it her mission to find something to eat so they could both warm their bellies.