Redhawk Caldera frostpunk

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backdated until after Charles just came to RHC. hoping for a @Fennec but lmk if you don't have time!

It had been a day since he'd arrived here, and it didn't sit right with Charles still. He'd wanted to run away from it all, and he ended up here, in a place where one of his few friends lived. He thought he ran away from all of them, but this seemed to prove once more that you can't really run away from everything in your life. Or maybe he just hadn't run far enough?

These and many things were heavy on Charles' mind as he rested. He wasn't wounded, he was just shook, and he certainly didn't intend to return to Firefly Glen. What if @Bronco would leave here and tell him to come with? Charles wasn't sure he could bear that. He wasn't sure he could do anything but run away again. The Glen held too many memories, painful memories at that. Maybe in time, but right now..? Even just thinking about it was stressful.

The first night in the Caldera was fitful for Charles. He dreamt of Osiris, dreamt of sweet kisses in the summer grass that turned to ash and dust and bones and blood as Osiris withered away beneath Charles' very paws. Sweet moments stolen away turned into terrible death and kisses planted on cheeks turned into torn open claw marks.

He woke up screaming and looked around, not sure where he was at first, dazed, confused, hurting.

Seemed like, for the second time, Fennec would have reason to call this wolf 'yelling one'.  Except instead of shouting expletives, she was alerted to trouble by screams as she slept lightly.  They had her awake in an instant and she zoned in on where they started from, making her way cautiously through the quiet snow towards wherever it was Charles had hunkered down.

She was silent for a bit when she got near and just listened, but she didn't hear any signs of a fight.  She'd worried maybe the cougar or the bear had come back, but instead, all she heard was someone's slowing, but still a bit panicked, breathing.

You alright? she asked dubiously, directing the question at the breathing though unsure where they actually were in relation to her.  She could sort it out, but she hadn't managed to do a terribly huge amount of poking around the internals of the Caldera yet.

Bewildered, he looked around, only to find himself in some sorta shallow den. It was warm enough, but the unfamiliarity initially frightened him, after coming out of his violence-filled dream. He didn't even remember precisely where in the territory Bronco had lead him the other day. Charles looked around to find that he was alone and when he popped his head out of the den's mouth he heard a familiar voice.

This time she didn't shout at him, but just asked if he was alright. She stood about five meters ahead of him in the snow and glanced weirdly in his general direction, a little off. Maybe she hadn't noticed him yet..? He was the colour of dirt and snow, after all.

Uh, yeah, Charles answered numbly. Then, as he got a moment to register reality, he blinked and queried, Hey wait, what are you doing here? The question came out a bit more accusatory than he had intended. It was strange that she was here, though. Why wasn't she... Wherever the hell she'd run off to? Was it really this close by? How many more of his few friends were secretly hiding in this weird crater mountain place?!

If she had any doubts, his tone and voice both confirmed it.  Fennec's expression turned to bemused interest when he asked her what she was doing here.  I should be asking you that.  I live here.  She said, smirking.

She knew what he was asking though, really, and after a second she relented on it.  My family's here.  I got hurt, couldn't make it back to the Glen, and after figured I'd stick around for a while.  Seriously, though, why are you here?  She knew about the bear, but he didn't seem hurt, and she didn't think he knew anyone aside from her here did he?  What was going on at the Glen?

Charles was thoroughly confused when she said she lived here, and it showed on his face. She.. lived here? But? So she had been living so close to the Glen all this time and he didn't know? Charles blinked a few times, and then shook his head as if he decided never mind on the complexity of that question.

She went on to explain that her family lived here. Were she and Bronco related then? Huh, funny. And she'd got hurt, and stuck around here after healing up here. That seemed pretty whimsical to Charles, but before he could comment on her whims she actually turned that around on him and asked why he was here.

It was a good question. Why was he still here? Seeing her again just made him think about the Glen, and that made him think of Leta and Osiris, and... Charles shrugged and said, Yeah, you're right. Some stuff happened and Bronco — never mind, you're right. I should go. He felt like he had clearly overstayed his welcome, since the girl was so confused at his presence here. And now that he thought about it, she was right. It was stupid that he was even here, and he clearly hadn't run far enough to escape his entire history up until this point. Maybe he just needed to run farther. His heart squeezed thinking about leaving everything behind, but his mind and sanity dangled dangerously close to the edge of slipping when he thought about Osiris and Leta.

With a frown on his face that showed some of his inner struggle — determined but lost — the coywolf said, Well. See you 'round, as he started to walk towards the borders, fully intent to never see her again.

Fennec's entire expression shifted to irritated skepticism when he started in about needing to go.  A better wolf than she might have realized he was going through a lot right now, but she never really spared a thought towards it when she figured another wolf was simply being stupid.

I never said that, fuckwit.  She answered, sliding a little callback to their previous interaction on there.  This dude needed to chill out.  I asked you the exact same thing you asked me.  I'm not going to argue with you, but don't sit there and pretend like I told you to leave.  Her tone was neutral, but she silently wondered if that might egg him into a fight.

Something was obviously shoved up his rear, and she coulda done the whole nice way to sort out what.  She preferred this, though.  If it came down to a fight, he'd have a harder time throwing her a bunch of bullshit like "it's fine" or "I'm okay" or, case and point, "right, I should go".

It irritated him, in turn, that she didn't see what he meant. He wasn't trying to be dramatic or bail or whatever. He just needed space, but it wasn't just that. She'd reminded him that he was totally fine, and there was no need for him to be here at all. It hurt to be called a name, despite the way they'd met in a swearing contest. This was different, somehow. Like she was telling him he was really a fuckwit, or something of the sort, anyway. Whatever that even meant.

For now Charles stayed his leave, though, though in part because a part deep in his heart feared that she would literally restrain him if he continued. It was a terrifying thought, and one that he wanted to stop from happening at all cost, so he stayed. There was something demure about his posture that Fennec, had she been able to see, might not recognise from their previous encounter, or his usual self.

I -- The word was snappy and annoyed, but it faded away as he felt his stomach clench together. After taking a quick breath Charles continued, his tone now more neutral with an edge of nervousness that she might not recognise from before, No, that's not why. I should go because you are right. I am not part of this pack, and I'm not wounded. And the last he wanted, just like last time they'd met, was talk about his run-in with the bear and -- he couldn't even bear to think of it. Maybe that's why he wanted to leave so badly. He wasn't ready for the next question.

She wasn't buying it, and what he said next might have been one of the dumbest things she'd ever heard.  Wait, so... you aren't injured.  Which means you shouldn't be here.  How does that make any sense?  She asked, clearly both amazed and amused by however he'd gotten to that decision.  First off, if you want to be somewhere, you should be there.  Second, if you were injured, you'd be dead weight.  You aren't, which is probably why mom hasn't kicked you out yet.  

She tilted her head curiously, trying to read what was going on with him.  It was weird.  He wasn't down for yelling, clearly, but there was some weird new subdued twinge to his voice that didn't at all match with the guy she'd screamed at that night.  Maybe that had been the oddity?  Dream screaming?  Though Meerkat she guessed had been similar, coming from the glen.  At least he wasn't sobbing 24/7.  Different wolves processed grief different ways, but Fennec couldn't understand either.

Just like last time with the dream, she was starting to analyse every little detail and trying to figure out what was going on with him precisely. The big difference with last time though was that that time, his brain hadn't wanted anyone to know because it was too embarrassing to process. This time, though, his brain seemed like it was ready to press the self-destruct button and have a melt-down if anyone so much as came close to his reasons for being here.

Bronco hadn't pressed it further, but of course the oracle of aaaall-the-way-up-in-your-business couldn't let it go so easily. There was a visceral sort of response to her words, deep inside of him, an urge to bite her, maim her, destroy her. Of course, he wasn't capable of any of these things, and perhaps it was for the better. So instead, he just said, You done with your analyse? Unaware he was using the word just a little off. I'm here to rest. No worry, I'll leave soon so you don't have to look at my ugly face for long. Charles grinned at that, even though it was clear when he said the words that there was some truth to them, at least for him; that it wasn't all just a joke on his own behalf.

Finally something she could actually use to lighten the mood.  He'd walked right into it, and even though the joke was on her, she loved twisting things too much to ever consider it her loss.  Lucky me, I never have to look at anyone's ugly mugs.  She crowed, flashing a toothy and, if a little wicked, genuine smile.  Just for an instant.

So yours is just one more to miss, I guess.  she could tell that it was a bit sincere, so she tried to brush up against him lightly with playful comraderie.  With wolves she was unfamiliar with, it was hard to tell where contact might meet, though.  I'm done.  For now.  he could keep whatever clouds he was carting around now, but sooner or later, he'd either let it go or she'd niggle at the truth.  Or he'd actually leave; whatever happened, hopefully he'd do what he wanted and not what he thought someone else was implying.  Living life like that had to be exhausting.

Charles blinked in confusion when she said she didn't have to look at anyone's mugs. What? he said, his voice confused and clearly taken aback. It seemed like there was some kind of joke he was missing. Then when he looked at her weird eyes he realised; could she not see? This explained so much! Suddenly it hit him just as she brushed up past him.

Then she said she was done, which he guessed meant she was leaving..? See you around later, Charles said, sounding a little unsure if he was getting it right that she meant that she was leaving. He bumped his nose against her shoulder playfully as he added, ... Fuckwit. and with a grin he made to leave her be, figuring they'd run into each other again before he left.

Fennec smirked as he left, glad to hear a little joke enter the tone again.  He had been wayyy too high strung initially.  Fennec couldn't believe anyone would have issues with him being there if he acted like he belonged, but she was betting his confidence would get him into trouble if he didn't figure it out soon.  Neither Niamh nor her mom were the type to have patience with that, and doubtless, one of them was bound to say something worse than what she had.  They probably wouldn't walk it back either.

Nothing she could help with, really. With a final shake of her head, she continued in the direction she'd been going when she started this.  She hoped he did stick around; he was fun.