Moonsong Glacier Pack your things, leave somehow

His fight with the large chestnut wolf had left injuries. It was a mercy they consisted of cuts and scrapes, nothing too major. Calahan felt starved. He pursued a deer over the glacier. There were fresh wolf scents, and it was strange that no one had stumbled upon him yet. It mattered little to him. He was just hunting and would be on his way soon, and if all goes well, by the time anyone caught his scent, he would be elsewhere.

But nothing ever went well for him, did it? He underestimated the ice, and soon enough, Calahan slipped. He fell one direction, and his right-front leg went the other. There was a crack, and then nothing. Just hot, searing pain. Goddammit!

He had seen enough broken bones to know. Surely someone would catch him on their turf now. He wasn't going anywhere right now.

All welcome.

is he lowk far? yes he is. but i'm suffering a red dead fixation rn and can't pass down this thread LMAO

her hike through neverwinter forest started earlier that day. she'd taken a liking to these ventures, wanting to familiarize herself with the territories that surrounded her home. galana convinced herself that it was nothing more. she knew of morningsong's presence here but carelessly assumed the border policies stood here as they did in moonglow.

surely the staggering, travel worn man was not of morningsong. she stared from poor cover at the reckless pursuit of a deer, or what she considered reckless. the girl recalled her brief meeting of rusalka, if the behemoth of a wolf chose not to chance their size alone what could this one be thinking? full of poor choices, galana followed when the snap echoed the scene.

"what were you thinking?" she offered a rather rude greeting from a safe distance at the crumpled wolf.

she'd meant to offer help, but the words slipped! her head and posture were low, still unsure and preferring to show avoidance of conflict despite her words.

I actually just finished RDR2 (first playthrough) on the 23rd. Hell of a great game. I highly recommend reading some of Colt’s threads if you haven’t already.  :D

As if this couldn’t get any worse. Off all to find him in his predicament, the one to arrive at the scene was a wide eyed idiot. A yearling girl, clothed in shades of mahogany. Rowan, he labeled her. What were he thinking? Maybe, just maybe, he was thinking to not starve tonight. Was that so difficult to comprehend? It sure seemed so, or perhaps she was simply daft.

Calahan willed to say something back, a spiteful line or two. He was good at those. Much to his dismay, he had to clench his jaw to avoid crying out in pain. Instead he gave her judgemental stare, craning his neck to face her. Find some other poor sap to gawk at. That wasn’t entirely fair, as this was likely near her camp. But a burning, numbing leg depleted at what little generosity and patience he had to begin with. Not once did he consider that she may want to help.

i've read some from time to time :)), especially when ebony was active with him and loveeed it

galana stared blankly at the lack of response, attempting to rack her brain for words. something? her mouth opened and remained slack with silence.

"sorry. i hadn't meant for it to come out like that." she paused, brows furrowed. "it's just- a whole deer? by yourself?"

"sorry." she could not shut up! "i can fetch you help? morningsong, is rather friendly. or uh, moonglow too. can you walk?"

the ruddy girl hadn't thought that he might prefer a quiet exit, or less attention. he seemed rather big to support his walking.

Apologizing after making a remark like that? Pathetic. Calahan hadn’t taken much offence from her words, just a small amount of irritation from her presence. Yes, a whole deer by myself. His voice was strained as he replied. ”What yew expecting? A whole posse after a damn mule deer?”

Were these the manner of folks that resided here out west? Crazed killers, air-headed cowards, and nosey meddlers? He sighed dramatically, as she babbled. Moonglow? Morningsong? Is that what they called themselves. It sounded like something a daydreaming, foolish young girl would name a pack. It sounded exactly like something she would name a pack.

The slightest movement of his leg brought an unsolicited whine from his throat. ”I reckon I ain’t going anywhere soon…“

"posse?" yew? galana's face wrinkled further in confusion.

she fought a smile, despite the understanding it seemed he was withholding further comments; galana thought the accent somewhat like valiant's. it was charming to her. the whine that followed an attempted movement made her frown.

"oh," she winced at his display of pain. "if you can find your footing i know some... warmer places you can rest? moonglow can spare something from it's cache i'm sure."

galana paused a moment longer, clicking her tongue in thought.

"or i can run something down nearby." plenty of rabbits were nearby, she recalled the one she'd shared with ghostly woman.

"Yes, a posse." Calahan seemed somewhat frustrated by her ignorance, though he didn't specify the meaning of the word. Surely someone else could teach this illiterate a thing or two. Someone who didn't have a severe injury to worry about. 

Perhaps he would be able to move around on three legs. That seemed like a stretch. Her incessant rambling made him feel rushed. Each movement caused a harrowing shock that migrated up his leg. Try as he might, he wasn't going to stand up. 

What cache? He refused to believe that she was helping in goodwill. "What's the catch."

galana excused his agitation, assuming it was directed more so at his injury. she consistently bordered between complete social unawareness, or over analyzing everything and anything.

“there isn’t one?” she answered plainly, beginning to grow irritated with this reaction from others.

galana shouldn’t be naive to quid pro quo at this point. especially after her experiences with the winslow brothers. unfortunately, she still could not fathom the idea of someone expecting it from her!

“listen… would you like help or not? it’s not like i have much to do mister.” a surprising but well-meaning tone fell from the girl.

No catch, huh. Bullshit. Calahan said nothing more on the matter, though he was sure sooner or later something would be demanded of him. Assistance always led to debt, and morality was a lie. It wasn't as if he had any choice on the matter. 

"Yeah, I want yer help." He didn't want it, but he needed it. That was something he refused to admit. She did have plenty to do, he considered, starting with learning some common sense. He ought to have been ashamed of himself, behaving in this manner towards someone who was trying to help. He wasn't. The cowboy had no comprehension of manners, nor did he give a damn. 

"So long as the folks here don't try an' tear my tail off for being here."

”nobody’s going to be tearing your tail off.” galana said more so to herself, stepping closer to examine the leg.

”your with me.” morningsong was not a pack of fools, let alone ‘savages.’

another confused look was given to the man. he’d knowingly hunted on land that was occupied. galana almost considered it stupidity, but then decided he must be starving. it prompted a grateful thought of moonglow. though with the open border policy extended to her, she’d only claim he was alongside her should the need arise.

she knew little of healing, only what she’d seen or heard from her anaa’s ulaq. from time to time she was bitterly instructed on dressing mida’s wounds and told what to fetch for pain, though galana had no storage of any such herbs. perhaps she could figure out a way to splint the leg? 

the ruddy girl felt an embarrassing diffidence shift over her. a desire for instruction in what he needed next formed. food? medicine? moved him from the ice?

”well. shit situation. i can call for someone if you’d like, or uh- something for the pain first? a splint? i don’t exactly know… or you gonna die without food right now, mister uh-?” the ending of her sentence took satirical tone, the beginning of it spoken in seriousness.

so many things were in order, his name firstly! she imagined the pain wouldn’t make stomaching anything easy right now, but she settled for asking him instead. broken leg, borderline starving (so she thought was the only reasonable idea for the situation), stuck on a glacier… running a deer across ice must’ve been a wonderful idea!

"That's surprisin'." Bout half of the folks he met in this life wanted to rip a hole in him. Why did she look so confuddled?! Some people just couldn't be helped, could they. 

"Shit situation indeed." Calahan considered the options for a brief moment. He felt somewhat famished, but food could wait a day or so. It wasn't like he could eat anything in this sorry state. What even was a splint? He didn't inquire, not wishing to seem unlearned. "I guess yew ought to call someone down 'ere. So long as I can get off this goddamn ice." Now, that a missing tail wasn't as much of a concern anymore.

"Calahan...well, just Cal."

@Dutch, @Aditya, @Sulukinak, @Simbelmyne

”well, cal, i’m galana.” she gave a half assed smile to him in the midst of the wince that racked her upon closer inspection of the leg.

with a sigh she lifted her head, a loud call ringing out across the ice. it was a pretty noise; where galana was mixed and borderline mutt-like, true wolf was heard. 

”i’ll go fetch some things to splint your leg with…” she glanced back towards the wooded area she’d come from with an unsure expression. ”should they show before i return, you’re with galana of moonglow.” 

she’d emphasized the moonglow part, for she’d never met these wolves. calahan didn’t need to know that. she prayed that they’d know of her, daughter of aiolos and kukutux… sakhmet.

" 'Lenah of Moonglow, I'll keep that in mind." He thought she looked more like a Rowan. Calahan still had no clue what a splint was. It sounded more like something to break a leg with, rather than fix one. Very concerning. Her howl bounced across the ice. Why did she seem unsure? That was even more worrying. He tried not to let any doubt consume him. Everything was gonna be fine.

Why don't anything ever go to plan 'round here?!

Nope. He couldn't think of that. That was different.

”gah-lan-ah, or maybe you want that tail torn off.” she said, sternly glancing at him to ensure he wouldn’t mess it up. 

”alright just, wait here a moment.” she hesitantly stepped away before pausing to glance at him again. ”be right back, cal.”

she returned to the wooded area, taking on a slight jog to be hurried, but not risk the same sort of slip. she looked for a proper stick with a panicky attitude, tossing through the twigs with frustration. when she’d found a branch that seemed correctly sized to the man’s leg she turned her effort towards finding any sort of sturdy ish flora or shrubs.

To Calahan, all threats sounded more serious when he was incapacitated by a fracture, even one coming from a careless yearling. He doubted she'd actually take his tail, but there was a possibility. He wasn't yet ready to use it, so he held back any sharp reply he had in mind, instead settling for an exasperated expression. 

He appreciated the silence when she left to go fetch a splint, but quickly grew anxious. The glacier was horrid.

if you’d like me to wait to post until any others respond i absolutely can, even delete this post or we can continue. up to you!

she returned with branches and long strands of weeds. galana sighed after she’d dropped the materials with a rattle to the ice.

”it’s to stabilize your leg, support it. you know, keep it in place sorta. it doesn’t look like it needs to be set.” she muttered the last bit to herself, but was wholly unsure by her inexperience.

”not the best but it’s all you’ll get right now.” she gave a slow sweep to the glacier, seeing no new arrivals.

she frowned and nosed a smaller twig towards him.

”you can bite this if you’d like. it’ll hurt, i’ve gotta move it a bit.” she nosed the leg upwards to slide a branch underneath with a paw.

she cringed at the imagined pain, letting the leg rest on the wood before placing another piece atop. galana tore and chewed the shrubs in suitable pieces, wrapping the pieces together tightly. galana moved backwards a bit, overlooking the splint. it was botched, definitely, but workable.

And she came back with... a stick and a bush? What. Something to keep his leg in position. Calahan had never seen that with broken bones. Either they healed or they didn't, and there wasn't any point in fretting. "Ain't that reassurin'." His tone dripped with sarcasm, partly due to her unconvincing demeanor. 

He ignored the smaller stick. What would biting on it help. What was she doing...that hurt! Calm down, yew fool! "Stop! J- just stop!" She was already done with the splint. What the hell did she do?!

Good with continuing for now. :)

"it's alright." galana responded to his pleas with heavy breaths.

she did not like to be shouted at. calahan's pain was an excusable reason for it. though the worst of it seemed to be over.

"it's supposed to help you walk. keep some weight off." she sighed once more, looking around for anyone. something.

there was no one. the girl turned back towards him. the frown was still clear on her face, but she forced a half-hearted smile once more.

"can you try to stand? we get off this ice i can fetch you something for pain. dig something out of a cache round here." she was insistent on helping this man now, the interaction with hiemis only encouraged this behavior.

sorry for the wait. neighbor troubles. :(

It's alright? Where had he heard that before?

Heeere he goes again, "Doubting Thomas". It's alrighttt...ain't nothing's gonna happen.

Can yew just trust me! For once! Everything is fine.

Nothing 'ere is alright. Everything is falling apart, an' we all damn well know it!

He violently shook his head. Nothing here was alright, in the slightest, even the most optimistic fool could see it. Nobody was likely to show up for some time, depending on how far camp was. Could he safely stand up? It seemed unlikely. "I'd just slip again an' slide further down the damn ice."

Maybe sprinting across a melting glacier was an ill idea in the first place.

LOVING THE REFS! and no worries, life happens! :)

her ears turned away in a moment of frustration. he was a stubborn man, she thought. galana encouraged herself to consider that he was in pain, perhaps mind and body.

"you can lean on me?" no one had showed this far, and she struggled to consider other options.

she wished for him to truly think of his options, perhaps she was missing something! all the girl saw was ice, pain, starvation, and a broken leg. she was determined to help.

Her persistence was...annoying. Galana may have thought herself helpful, but to Calahan, her incessant 'can you stand up' was nothing but pressure in a bad situation. He felt his temper rising at her urging, and struggled to control his words. 

Calahan hated the ice and the glacier. He hated the deer that had brought him here int he first place. He hated Galana, her confused demeanor, and constant yapping. Most of all, he hated himself.

He hated himself for his lack of foresight. With a single more inch of sense, he would have seen the dangers of traversing a steep, melting glacier. The inch of sense that seemed to evade Calahan his whole life. He hated himself even more for being unable to get to his feet.

Without any remorse, he turned his frustration on the rowan yearling. "What them folks yew called for doing? Pickin' grass?!" Remorse that he would surely feel later.

"like i have any guesses." galana answered.

her hopeful face was downturned. she tried to be understanding, but couldn't. the girl wanted to help, but was unsure what to do as to help.

"i... listen calahan. if you have ideas i'd like to hear it. i'm sorry this happened but i'm at a loss and 'm not letting you stay here on a glacier to rot and starve." she said discouraged and frustrated.