Emberwood seeking empty whispers

anyone is free to join, preferably no spars unless you’ve contacted me about it prior. maybe a healer would be great just to make sure he’s a-okay.

It would seem the northern winters had taken its toll on this southerly immigrant. The chills and winds and testy weather had left little room for sympathy or compassion when it came to his health and well-being. The moment he lost the comfort of a pack, he soon had succumbed.

Out of care he had isolated himself, refusing to infect those he had deemed his new family. And in doing so he had damned himself.

Shivers still rattled his bones and the withering heat of exhaustion gripped every muscle and ligament. The whirlwind of a mess in his head muddled almost every thought that dared to emerge, leaving him at the mercy of delirious nothingness and smothering loneliness. The weeks had taken their toll, Kukulkan meandered weakly through the Emberwood that had once been so comforting, so familiar, but everything had changed,

Where once a rising contributor in a tight-knit pack had boasted strength and confidence, a tall, matted husk of a beast wobbled through the shadows of an empty landscape. Lifelessness counteracted by the budding life of spring-turned-summer. It was bittersweet.

And it seemed all the more bitter to the male, his hollowed eyes scanning desperately for some sign of life, of some sense of familiarity. Of Ibis, of Wren. Of anyone.

Only failure accompanied him, clinging close like a cape draped around his pointed shoulders. Weighing heavy, holding fast, not letting him forget just how incapable he was of truly gripping anything remotely resembling security or success.

Evien had been trying to spend more time away from Ursus' territory these last few days, after the pups were born. It was too tense, too stressful, and he desperately didn't want to get into another argument with Merrick. The young healer was exhausted, mentally and emotionally, and he didn't want to take it out on his packmates. 

So, the boy had headed up north a bit, back to another familiar place. But by that point, he had been in most places around Ursus anyway. So this, these trees, this silence, was pleasing. Less chaotic and wild and fragile than Ursus. 

But he was not the only one who approached these woods for answers that day. A massive, lanky frame - mottled black and white. Another tall, sad, pretty boy - Evien was good at finding those, it seemed. 

Still, the posture of this stranger was concerning, and the small wolf approached him, brows knitted in worry. "Hey," he greeted, tipping his head to the side and scanning the other boy with curious green eyes. "You okay?"

Her mind was buzzing despite how tired her body felt—how old, how bitter—except Styx knew she was really in the prime of her life. She ought to have been back home raising children. Instead she cultivated that bitterness, and thoughts such as this only spoiled her further.

Blood and fluids still clung to her coat. The silver was wine-stained, but a quick visit to a few ponds along the way helped remedy most of this. She carried the scent of afterbirth despite all of her efforts to cleanse herself. Her lips tasted of sweet moss and herbs.

What she needed was a long rest. A warm meal. Some form of solace to take the grisly image of the woman and her babes from her mind. Fate had tied her to a different path, however. The red string tugged her from one bloodbath to the next. At least in this case the man appeared quite alive—and not alone either.

The wildling observed from some distance as another wolf emerged, and while she wasn't fully invested in listening, she thought she heard the rise of a voice between them. Stryx paused mid-stride and took a deep breath, contemplating whether she should intervene or not.

still open <3

Perhaps if he hadn’t been in such terrible condition, he would have heard the stranger approaching, but instead he was caught off guard by the mottled brown boy as he came up to him. Kukulkan jolted his head up, eyes widening for half a second before calming down again, his head lulling from his shoulders.

A momentary blip of excitement at another’s presence - only to descend back into that hovering shroud of darkness at the realization that it was not someone he had sought. But still... someone was better than no one.

”H-hey...” he murmured, not knowing how rough his voice sounded until he finally attempted to speak. Closing his eyes, he’d shake his head slowly before regretting it, as though he could simply shrug off the after effects of such a prolonged illness. ”Mmph... wh-what time is it?” His gaze wandered around the two, ”What month?” The warmth, the sunshine, it was enough to betray that a decent amount of time had passed, but he couldn’t be too sure how much.

Enough for everyone to move on, it seemed...

”Have ya seen... anyone ‘round here?” He had to speak slowly, his words hanging heavy on his tongue. ”Where d’they go?” The idea of courtesies and pleasantries hadn’t crossed his mind, he had surely been alone for too long.

An acrid scent cut through the air, and K whirled his head, in slow motion it seemed, to face the direction of death. No... not death... but it seemed it. His face scrunched up, his senses overwhelmed momentarily. For weeks he’d been confined to himself, wallowing in the stench of infection and weakness, and now he finally had been returned to the fresh air... Something about the smell of another wolf’s blood set him back, his stomach churning...

A low groan gurgled in his throat, and he caved in and sat down sloppily. ”S... ‘s someone there?” Or was he still a slave to delusions?

A cursory glance over the skinny wolf told him what he needed to know in the moment. It looked like he hadn't had a good meal in a long while, and he most likely needed water, as well. Looked pretty sick, or like he might have been recovering. Evien leaned in to press his muzzle to the larger wolf's ear, checking for a fever, and when he found none he leaned away. 

Okay, then. That made his job easier. 

"It's late spring," he responded, answering the boy's questions patiently. "Daytime. It's nice out today." Evien stepped back to let the boy calm down a little, not wanting to be too invasive of his personal space when he was so stressed. 

Green eyes flittered anxiously over him, though. "Well, I haven't really seen anyone-" And as he spoke, he smelled the blood - birth, he realized, after Leila had her puppies recently. But that person was clearly up and moving, so he wasn't as concerned as he was about the mottled boy. "Maybe there is someone else here."

Still, she would be an afterthought for now, as his attention was focused on this wolf for now. He was clearly in poor health. "Can you tell me your name?" he asked, crouching down a little so they were at eye level.

His attention had been so focused on the scent of the unseen stranger that he hadn’t even realized the brown male approached so close. Only had he took the step back did K turn and face him, a flash of shock glazing over his eyes before disappearing again. It had been unexpected, but at least it was harmless.

Late spring... ”Fuck...” Hoarse and low, he managed that one word without hesitation. He’d been incapacitated longer than he’d thought, so the next bit of information shouldn’t have been a shocker - Ibis had likely moved on long ago. The Emberwood was a husk of what it used to be, of who used to be here.

Kukulkan’s lingering presence was a haunting reminder of the history he clung to, of the future he was unprepared to face. This thought washed over him, a daunting realization, and sent a new wave of chills down his spine. He shuddered noticeably, hopeless aggravation plain on his face.

”Kukulkan... th’fuck’s yer name?” half-hearted frustration that was immediately met with remorse. A frown split across his face as he let his head sink, a soft groan in apology, before he let a pause roll over the two. ”I.. err... sorry. ‘s been a while...” since he’s been around others. Since he’d eaten a half decent meal. Since he’d felt one shred of comfort.

It left him feeling impatient, frustrated with himself, and ultimately left him lashing out at a good samaritan.

”Who uh... who lives ‘round here then?” How much had things changed?

Brows shot up at the snippy tone in the boy's - Kukulkan's - tone, and Evien paused for a moment before he smirked and continued. "Evien. That the fuck's my name," he responded, not actually irritated. "Don't apologize. You kind of look like you've been through some shit, so I'm not gonna get mad at you." For now, at least. 

Who lived around here? Ursus and Easthollow were down south a bit, but here? "I don't think there's any packs immediately around here," he explained. "My pack is a bit down south, and another - Easthollow. They aren't very close, though." He wasn't sure how long it had even been since there had been a pack here. 

Evien looked him over again, brows drawing together. He didn't look good - hell, he didn't even know what month it was - so it was clearly up to Evien himself to do something about this. 

"Mind if I help you out a little?" he asked, tipping his head to the side. "No offense, but you look pretty bad, and I'm a healer, so... maybe there's something I can do." Evien moved to sit in front of the boy, ready to talk. "Are you hurting? Sick?" That was a good start - otherwise, he just needed a good meal and some water.

As she drifted closer she knew she'd be found out. There was no ignoring her scent for long. The last thing Stryx wanted was the unwelcome attention of strangers—and as she drew closer, she noted their conversation. It seemed as though they were strangers to one-another; the wind told her as much, though one of them was a pack wolf, of that she was certain. 

Kukulkan... th'fuck's yer name? one of them said.
Evien. That the fuck's my name. answered the other.

Riveting.

Styx paid attention to the path ahead of her rather than their conversation, although bits and pieces still registered. Names, places. These she could pocket for later use if the need arose—but it wasn't like Stryx was clamboring for a little status-quo home in the middle of nowhere.

Are you hurting? Sick? The darker one asked. While Stryx was always happy to avoid involving herself with others, and as she'd already helped her quota for the month, she was more than eager to keep going—however, from the look of the two of them they were too young to know many of her own tricks.

With a little sigh of resignation (and subtle roll of her eyes as she cursed herself internally) Stryx deviated from her path and bee-lined for them. It wasn't far, and as she emerged from behind a stretch of trees (one with a weird little carving, what the hell) she looked both boys over with owlish eyes. He ain't sick, kid. Looks tired though, and hungry. When'd you eat last?

The snark was surprisingly comforting, and he felt some of the tension in his shoulders easing off. A smirk even threatened at the edges of his mouth. It reminded him of home, far from this northern land. ”Fuckin’ Evien...” he mused, humor laced through his tone.

The name Easthollow rang a faint bell, but what was this males pack? Was it another one he might recognize, or a new one representing how the tides of time wear away the old and create anew?

”‘Pretty bad’ seems like a kind way t’put it... but sure...” His head began to swim again, a bitter taste on his tongue as each of his words sapped away such precious moisture. ”Mmm, was sick... now just feel like hell...” But he’d barely managed his words before that blood-heavy scent from before grew stronger, and a silver female emerged laden with more snark. It was turning into quite the assembly.

”Heh, fuck if I know.” He’d already misjudged the passage of time, he couldn’t trust his assumptions of when he’d eaten last. ”Far too fuckin’ long ago.” Tongue slipped out over his maw, his lips smacking to try and coax more saliva as his words continued to drain him.

Eyes glanced over to this new female, trying to focus and size her up effectively, though his eyelids seemed heavy and surely made him look like a drunkard.

A smile curled at his maw at the lightness creeping into the other boy's voice. That was good, he thought - not so down and out and confused. Evien huffed out a soft laugh as Kulkulkan (whom he was already calling K in his head, because damn that name was a mouthful) answered his questions. 

So he had been sick, like Evien had thought, but his current condition was likely an aftermath of not being cared for. He was about to say something else when the bloody wolf approached - which ew, did she not realize that blood carried germs and diseases and stuff? - and promptly insulted him. 

Temper bubbled in Evien's chest, and his ear flicked, but he didn't argue with her save for a quiet "Not a kid," mumbled under his breath. And, like he'd feared, it had been far too fuckin' long ago since K had had a meal. "Bet you're thirsty, too," he continued quietly, more to himself this time.

"Come on, then," he urged, heading forward to nudge the boy's shoulder. "I'll help you walk. There's gotta be some water around here somewhere. I can catch you a fish, you can drink, and you can get cleaned up," he explained, judgy eyes passing over the female again. She didn't look injured - this smelled like birth, and certainly not her own. Perhaps she was a medic as well. But water would help them all.

She ignored most of what transpired after her comment; it didn't matter to her one way or the other, so long as teeth weren't involved. Stryx was too tired from her latest exploits to be concerned about how she'd come across. Her goal was to be useful, that didn't require that she be liked.

The hungry young man looked healthy otherwise. Broad-shouldered, ragged, but otherwise healthy enough. He had made it this far but Stryx doubted he could hunt on his own in his current state—a sentiment that the scruffy brown wolf mirrored. 

As Evien began to give his orders, Stryx tuned him out.
Men. Always have to have the last word.

He pointed out the obvious as he passed her: the blood was mostly gone from her coat but not enough of it, and there was a green tinge to the fur where she had tried to wash herself after the soak in the pond. The mixture wasn't the most appetizing thing in the world. Stryx chose not to battle with the boy over it.

His hunt for water wouldn't take long if she deigned to help, but Stryx was less and less inclined to do so now that she'd been ordered about in such a manner; but she thought of the weaker of the duo, and offered up one tidbit: There's a brook further north.

No urging to have them follow, no herding of their bodies, just a turn of her heel and she was striding purposefully back the way she had come at a pace that accommodated Kukulkan.

Any other time Kukulkan might have found some amusement in the mild tension he sensed between Evien and this female, but his head was drowning in a fog. Instead he simply focused on the obvious, the concrete realities around him.

A twist in his gut left him frowning at Evien’s mention of thirst, and suddenly he became all too conscious of just how parched he had become. The sore strain in his limbs ran hot, his head a clambering, fiery mess. A low groan and the brute grumbled under his breath, as much as an affirmation as he could manage in the moment. Seeking water would be easy enough, surely, as he knew these lands well.

“Aye, th’water... it’s.. err...” His head rolled to the side, trying to realign himself, to get his bearings and figure where he was, so he could find one of the numerous streams, creeks, and rivers that coasted through these woods. But the female chimed in, knowing exactly where to go before leading the way without hesitation. ”Yeah, wha’ she said.” he mused with a hollow resemblance of the humor and charisma that used to be heavy in every encounter he had.

Feeling the resistance in his muscles, their aching protests, Kukulkan persisted and rose, shakily at first, to follow suit north. If Evien kept close, he’d welcome the brace despite trying his best to assume a gait that did not betray his weakness. The promise of water and a small meal was encouragement enough to feign strength long enough to reach their goal.

Soon enough the gurgling or low speed water currents graced his ears, and a small perk in his steps would leave the walking pile of bones and neglected muscle picking up his pace. Heavy paws slapped against the stones that rested on the edges of the water, his limbs wobbling as he eagerly dipped his face down to lap it up, greedily. Wobbles led to shakes and his legs curled underneath his leaning stance, Kukulkan lay atop the brook’s edge.

The cool crispness of the drink filled his mouth, his throat, his belly and left him in a greedy euphoric state. Memories threatened to ruin this moment, of times long past where he and his pack members had rested here. Talked here. Fished and sunbathed and joked. They were bitter and painful memories, but even they could not take over the primal, pressing need for a hydrating drink.

Everything, and everyone, else melted away...

Trying to support someone walking when you only had three functional legs was a feat in and of itself. Evien was tiny, too, much as he didn't want to admit it, so this giant, tall boy - skinny though he may be - was difficult to help support. But he managed, following the dirty woman and assisting the broken boy on their journey to the brook. 

This forest was beautiful, he finally took the time to realize. Peaceful in a way that Ursus was not, and certainly not reeking of bear piss. That was always a plus for any location. A realtor, walking up to a house. "Four bedroom, two and a half bath. Lack of bear piss on the walls." But Merrick loved those things, perhaps not the piss, but rather the bears themselves. Evien didn't get it, but... well... he'd chosen to be loyal to Merrick. 

Fortunately, the brook was not far off, which didn't leave Evien much time for introspection. Instead, as soon as K headed for the water, he did too - a bit upstream. Flashing silver bodies of fish glinted beneath the surface, sunlight reflecting off of scales. They were not large, but, well... they'd do. For now. 

Growing up near a river had its benefits. Evien was quiet as he approached - fish could still feel vibrations - and ensured his shadow did not fall over the water as he got into position. Catching fish was a simple, quick process, and soon he had one on the bank. 

Taking the freshly-killed morsel to Kulkulkan, he dropped it onto the rocky bank. "If you need more, let me know," he offered, tail swaying just lightly around his hocks. "Would you like a fish, too?" he questioned the woman, wondering if she might be hungry as well.

The sound of the boys struggling behind her brought a sly curl to the corners of her mouth; they wouldn't see it, distracted by their efforts as they were, and she was turned away from them. When they were near enough to the brook for the wounded young man to be left on his own Stryx sank to her haunches and watched them. She did not move towards the water, not to clean and certainly not to drink.

Kukulkan descended upon the edge of the brook with the ravenous thirst she had anticipated. She thought of warning him against drinking too quickly, as that would often have adverse effects to a belly empty of anything else, but she chose not to. Better the boys learn, she thought.

The other one—the one with the mouth—busied himself with fishing. Stryx grew more interested in watching him the further he travelled but he wasn't quite far enough to notice the red stains in the grass, or the pink tint to the water further along. Stryx knew of the brook because it was one of the places she had tried to bathe in.

Would you like a fish too? called a voice—Evien, having returned with something for the hungry lad. Stryx's ears twitched and she focused her tired eyes upon the scene, having lost a few moments to her thoughts, and shook her head. Not necessary, but kind of ya to offer.

Rather than feast on a charity meal, she lifted a muddy paw and with a duck of her chin, began to worry at the fur there, carefully tugging knots out of her fur like a cat.

He’d nearly missed Evien’s approach, the bliss of hydration had so fully consumed him. But as the sleek, glossy form of the freshly caught fish flopped at his side, he snapped his jaws over in one fell swoop and claimed his meal eagerly. Teeth gnashes and ripped the morsel into three quick bites, swallowing the moist, flaky flesh without the slightest drop of grace.

It was only after, when he felt the swell in his body from perhaps too much drink and not enough food, that he felt a cool wave sweeping into his head. The hot muddled mess of aimless thoughts and fogged concentration cleared, sending a new shiver down his body. One he welcomed.

Kukulkan blinked and stared around him, lips lapping over the remnants of fish on his maw, as he breathed in the fresh air with a new clarity. It seemed as though his senses were finally allowed to do their job, to pay attention to his surroundings and report back to his head. And in doing so he focused more clearly on the brown male before him, and the silver female.

”So... where ya from?” The question was intended for Evien, but after the words slipped out - noticeably less raspy this time around - he found himself curious as to the mystery female’s origins too. ”And ya,” His eyes glancing back towards the one who smelled like death-but-not-death, ”what happened t’ya? Miss Mystery aren’t we?” An attempt at a chuckle, fangs poking in a cheeky grin that quickly faded as his belly disagreed with the laugh in his gut.

Clearing his throat, Kukulkan shifted his limbs so as to rest parallel to the stream, his attention more easily offered to the other two as opposed to drowning himself.

”I er— I used t’live here...” Here, there, everywhere it seemed.He used to be so much, so many little things, but what was he now?

He's going to make himself sick, was the first thing Evien thought, but miraculously, the boy did not promptly vomit the water and fish back up. Iron stomach, he mused with a smile. That was a good thing; meant he was actually going to absorb the nutrients. He probably wasn't going to die, at least.

The woman declined his offer for a fish, but was gracious about it. His former irritation at her faded away as quickly as it had risen - if they could be cordial toward one another, there was no need for pettiness on his part. It would've been kind of stupid for him to continue, actually.

K questioned him and Evien tipped his head to the side. "Ursus, in Bearclaw Valley," he explained breezily, tail giving a slight swish. "I'm the medic there." It was a brag, subtle though it might be, but Evien was proud of himself. He looked over at the woman, waiting her response, too.

Afterward, K spoke again. He'd lived here before, but the way he said it was... off.

Part of Evien didn't like the way that K looked so lost. It was this horrible part of him that just wanted to take care of things that needed help. Maybe he just had a thing for sad boys. But whatever it was, it was that that prompted Evien to make an offer. 

"If you needed a place to stay, to get back on your feet, I'm sure my leader wouldn't mind you staying with us for a little while," he said, though to be honest, he wasn't sure. He did trust Merrick, though, and thought that Merrick trusted him, so perhaps he could be trusted to care for a stranger for a bit. Still, none of his doubts would appear in his voice - the picture of reassuring confidence.

Seeing that the boy was fed now, and that he kept water down so far withot issue, Stryx deemed her work complete. While the two wolves were talking she rose to her paws—intent to move off from them and head elsewhere before she got snared in to their conversation.

Miss Mystery— Kukulkan had dubbed her; that was good enough for her. No need to explain herself. It helped that the brown wolf was so much more social. He ploughed on ahead with the conversation and that allowed Stryx to extricate herself for the most part.

Evien mentioned a pack in a valley, which made her pause to listen. She had not met with any pack wolves worth the breath in their lungs. Still, it was good to know what was out there. Offhandedly she piped up to say: There's a group in the Vale too. Smelled like mostly women when I passed by. A trip like that would be dangerous for Kukulkan, but at least the option was there.

Without offering anything else, least of all a farewell, Stryx turned and began to stride away at a swift pace. No trajectory in mind, except it was clear she was done with the two of them.