Greatwater Lake And since birth I’ve been cursed with this curse to just curse

There was a lot going on in Mereo at any given time. Atreus felt removed from most of it. He kept his head down and just did what the Imperator asked of him. He trained. He scouted, sometimes with @Alstroemeria but mostly on his own. He even managed to find and track a deer.

The young doe led him into the foothills to the west. Atreus considered letting her go there but changed his mind and pursued her across a field dusted with snow, then past a great span of water. He watched her pause to take a drink, crouched among the winter grass, then loped after her when she continued westward.

He couldn’t be sure what triggered her but, very abruptly, the doe’s graceful trot turned into a gallop. Atreus drew up short as she bounded away toward a distant meadow, the sight of her upraised white tail giving him a flashback as she quickly disappeared.

Hunting had never been her forte, and proof enough of that was the sight of the doe bounding away from her as she came creeping through the snow. Not fast enough - not aggressive enough, really - and far more attuned to the beauty of the beast rather than the utilitarian purpose of its hide or its meats. The young woman huffed a small sound as she relented.

Her heart was racing and took time to ease. She looked around to the snow-covered trees, their empty boughs, and took a moment to breathe, and tried to orient herself. As Wilwarin turned her head one way and then another, or pivoted her body to try and get a glimpse of the sky so that she could gather her bearings, she saw a glimpse of autumn leaves.

No - a person! Her ears shifted to an apologetic, shy vee atop her head. She probably looked absolutely foolish!

He let out a shaky breath as he let himself think about Ancelin for a moment. Was his brother still at the rise, with their father? What did he make of Atreus’s disappearance? His fur prickled when he realized—not for the first time—that his brother couldn’t know that their Aunt Avicus had forced his hand. He had never meant to leave his brother behind like that.

He inhaled sharply about the time he noticed the white she-wolf noticing him. Atreus stiffened, back straightening. He saw her ears splay and he shifted, curious but wary. Atreus stared for a beat before deciding to close the distance a little, minding his posture as he did so he came across as neutrally as possible.

It surprised him when he came closer and realized she was smaller than him. Atreus was just now reaching full growth but he was not a large wolf. It wasn’t often he came across someone significantly smaller than himself. It made him feel self-conscious in a way, like he was some hulking and ungainly giant, and that peculiar feeling prevented him from so much as offering a word of greeting.

The boy was suspicious of her. The way he watched her made Wilwarin feel even more shy, and wanting only to appease him, to show that she was not a threat. He looked nervous and so she made herself smaller - moving slowly, lowly, slinking and with her tongue seeking the boy's chin.

The gap between them slowly vanished. Atreus eventually stopped and stood still, letting her close the final distance. He couldn’t help but notice the way she tried to make herself even smaller. Her submissive demeanor triggered an instinctual response, making him raise his head and tail a little without even realizing.

When she reached for him, Atreus went rigid. He did not expect her to lick his chin and he recoiled about two feet, head and tail dropping. He blinked at her. Clearly she didn’t mean him any harm, though the contact made him uncomfortable. Was it customary for strangers to go around putting their tongues on one another?

What are you doing? he demanded quietly.

It was unfortunate that she did not speak! Her effort to appease the boy and make it known she was a friend, or friendly at the very least, appeared to backfire. He was clearly not used to such displays, and a rippled of unease shifted through him that Wilwarin could pick up for a moment, as she relented and gave him some space.

Her tail was low, but it wagged at the tip. The girl's lips pursed a moment before she opened her mouth and silently spoke — in the way she always had, unvoiced, but emphatic — and hoped he would understand: I greet you. I am sorry, her ears pivot back to show remorse for a beat, then, I have no voice.

There was always the chance he would not understand, and that was a problem Wilwarin rarely dealt with while she had been with her own family. This was going to be a struggle for both of them to adapt to; but maybe the boy was attentive, or the spirits would help him to hear her.

She retreated a few steps, the gap between them widening by another yard. Her tail remained low, everything about her demeanor silently apologetic. Atreus stared hard as she mouthed at him. It looked a bit like she was talking without making a sound, though he only really recognized one word: “sorry.”

It’s okay… he said slowly, a bit nonplussed by her soundless speech. You can’t talk? Atreus probed. Like, out loud?

Her noiseless mouthing confirmed as much. Atreus decided to attempt a conversation, though it quickly became apparent that he couldn’t lipread to save his own life. As soon as he could get away without being a complete jerk, he dipped.

Atreus retraced his steps, roaming along the edge of the lake. He moved quickly at first, then glanced over his shoulder to make sure he could no longer see the mute she-wolf. Then he slowed his gait and relaxed a little, taking his time to explore the vast shore.

He couldn’t help but wonder which was larger: the canyon or this lake? It felt like it took him ages just to set foot back in Panther Park. He glanced back one last time before he began his climb. Was the lake itself a canyon, just full of water?

This question would preoccupy him for the rest of the day.

Feb 1: Looks like she went inactive, so I’m editing in a conclusion! :)