Stavanger Bay we are the warriors

ooc: for @Atreyu ! Charon is asleep. c:

ic: Charon had felt very differently when he had first returned home. He'd faced many dangerous things out there on the road and he had gone out to fight for his family and things that were important to him. However, the longer he was back home, the more things turned back to normal. Charon had decided he was too old for Drake to stick around, but Drake thought differently and he'd also gone back to exploring the regions surrounding Stavanger Bay after a while. The only thing that didn't seem to change was the fact that he had these nightmares a lot, where he saw the dangerous rows of teeth that the monster in Dawnlark Plains had close up on his face all the time.

Presently, Charon was sleeping in the spring sun, underneath a tree in the clearing that Ragnar and Thistle Cloud's den was in. He dreamt of an adventure he and Drake were having alongside Levi. Levi was quiet as usually, and Drake and Charon were having an argument about Drake not being real. Charon said lots of hurtful things about why Drake wasn't real and Drake would just laugh, pull a funny face and say "well, if I'm not real, why am I still here?". They faced many dangers together, and often times Levi would get caught out by a dragon or bear or other dangerous being, and Charon would dash in to save him. At some point however, they ran into the Dawnlark Plains monster, the dog, and Charon froze in fear as he stared at it, while it ran for Levi.

On the outside, Charon's face scrunched into a frown and he folded his paws over his nose. "Levi... Must... Protect... Grrrmrr..." he muttered drowsily under his breath in his sleep.

Apologies for the wait! <3

Like Charon, Atreyu had been hanging around the Bay a little more lately too since his own scuffle with a stranger — all over a fish. The boy snorted as he recalled the fight with the strange man with a stub for a tail, why couldn't he have just caught his own damn fish? While Atreyu wasn't adverse to fighting, he wasn't exactly an adept warrior...yet. In his mind, he had landed near-crippling blows and could have killed the thief if he had wanted to, but didn't, because he was nice like that. In reality, the boy's combat style was just flailing around, snapping his jaws and throwing himself onto his opponent in hopes of eventually hitting something. It was painfully obvious he hadn't a clue on how to actually fight.

So the boy sought out Ragnar, contemplating on the best way to word his request without betraying his lack of any sort of training. No, he couldn't let the viking know he was incapable of properly defending himself. He just needed some tips. Yeah. With renewed vigour, the yearling headed towards the den with his tail thrust confidently over his back. However, he paused when a familiar scent hit his nose and he scrunched it in retaliation as he realised who it belonged to.

His frown deepened even further as he spied the freckled youth asleep in a patch of sunlight. He almost spun on his heel to retreat back to the shore, but something made him pause. It was a perfect opportunity. As if he hadn't tormented the poor boy enough, a flicker of mischief shot through Atreyu's eye and he canted his head with a smirk. With soft footsteps, he crept towards the dozing wolf, stopping every so often to avoid waking him. He was fully unaware of the recent trauma Charon had endured, and hadn't heard his mutterings. The boy was only focused on the outcome of his prank. Inching closer and closer, Atreyu finally came to a halt and suddenly let out a loud, savage snarl — that quickly dissipated into hiccuping laughter — in hopes of terrifying the young boy.

haha, i love atreyu so much. especially the hiccuping laughter <3

Charon's tail and front paws twitched while he lay asleep with a frown on his face, paws still folded over his face while he muttered drowsy words under his breath about protecting Levi, fighting monsters, and being a strong knight. He did not awake from Atreyu's approach, (not so) blissfully unaware of the approaching wolf. He did not realise that anyone was near at all until he was awakened from his dream by a loud and very real snarl.

When the snarl tore through the clearing he was sleeping on, Charon nearly jumped into the air as he startled awake. Not sure if the threat was real or not, he barely had time to look around. Since Atreyu was so close and fleeing was therefore not a viable option, the half-awake Charon's first response was to lash out at the snarling creature. He snapped his parted teeth at Atreyu with a groggy growl, fully intending to clamp his teeth shut around Atreyu's muzzle if he was fast enough.

Haha, aw, thanks! I love Charon too :D (and your newest avatar, so pretty!)

The youth's reaction was not something Atreyu had expected. As if he was ready for him — had he really been asleep? — Charon lurched upright and suddenly closed his jaws around the boy's muzzle. Now that it was his turn to be frightened, the yearling gave a surprised yelp and stumbled backwards, his nose throbbing painfully. Although he hadn't dealt too much damage, the younger wolf was fully grown now, with a set of adult teeth that were just as capable of crushing bones as they were warding off would-be pranksters.

Skipping out of the way a few paces, waiting for the kid to fully rouse from his nap, Atreyu glared fiercely. "Oi, what the fuck," he spat, turning to rub his nose once more, glancing at his paw to make sure he hadn't drawn any blood. Fortunately for Charon, he hadn't. Returning his flaring eyes to the kid, the yearling bristled, temper flaring despite the fact that he had brought the situation on himself. "What was that for?" As if it wasn't obvious.

thanks <3

Charon's attack hit home, teeth clamping around a muzzle. For a moment, Charon thought that he had actually caught a monster's muzzle -- the muzzle of the monster he'd dreamt of just now -- but when he opened his eyes fully and saw a surprised Atreyu stumble back, Charon realised that it must've been a dream. He felt a mixture of guilt, for accidentally assaulting his pack mate, and defensiveness, for what was he doing so close to begin with? Charon had forgotten about the growl, thinking it was part of his dream and not actually something Atreyu had done.

Choosing the path that made him look least stupid, Charon shouted, "What were you doing so close anyway?! You shouldn't sneak up on sleeping wolves!" Because offense was often the best defense, or so Charon had learned in life -- it didn't always work, but it was easier to pretend you hadn't done anything wrong in your own book if you managed to convince others of it.

Suddenly, both boys were on the defensive. When Charon spun the blame back around onto Atreyu — and rightfully so — the yearling retaliated with a show of his teeth. In his mind, he hadn't done anything wrong. Pranks were harmless (and hilarious, especially if you weren't particularly fond of the subject), and the kid had overreacted. Rubbing his muzzle again, Atreyu quickly glanced around the area, knowing the leaders wouldn't be too pleased with him harassing their ward. Thankfully, there was no sign of them.

"I wasn't doing anything!" he shouted back, pausing for a moment to try and think of a way to deflect the blame. "I was...I was just checking to make sure you weren't dead." Yeah, that worked. There, now he seemed like a good little pack mate, checking up on the pack's youth to make sure they were simply napping. Atreyu then sat, a smug glint to his eye as he stared defiantly at Charon.

As it always seemed to be with Atreyu, soon the meeting turned into both of them blaming the other one for misfortune that happened between the pair of them. Charon felt wronged and didn't feel one bit guilty for accidentally biting Atreyu's nose. Atreyu in turn said that he was checking to make sure Charon wasn't dead; maybe if it were any other wolf, Charon would've believed him, but since it was Atreyu, well... Charon didn't believe him one bit.

"Oh, come on, sure you were!" Charon snorted and rolled his eyes. "You'd be jumping with joy if I were dead!" There was no way that Atreyu was actually serious about this, unless he was checking if Charon was dead because he secretly did hope that Charon was, in fact, dead.

Well, he wasn't wrong.

Atreyu was slightly taken back by the kid's retort, and took a moment or two to regain his former look of haughtiness. He tried to appear offended, as if he couldn't believe that he would ever celebrate the fact that the annoying freckled ward of Stavanger Bay had somehow mysteriously died. However, while he wouldn't be jumping for joy, he had to admit he wouldn't be too torn up about it if Charon were to...disappear.

Pushing the thoughts from his mind — oh Gods, what if Ragnar could read minds? He would be done for! — Atreyu snorted and shook out his ruff. "No, I'm serious," he said, trying to sound as genuine as he could. "You're like...the heir or whatever, right?" He cringed inwardly as he said that, realising that the title of Alpha in a few years would almost certainly be favoured towards the current Alpha's children — adopted or not. "Anyway you looked dead. You sleep like a log."

It was evident from Charon's face that he didn't trust Atreyu one bit. He didn't think that Atreyu was serious at all. However, Charon was distracted when Atreyu mentioned the word 'heir'; he hadn't really considered this much himself (even though he had considered how capable a leader he'd be). "Yeah, well -- Yeah... Yeah, I suppose I am like the heir of this place." Charon scrambled to his feet and proudly puffed his chest forward in arrogance. He was perhaps not Ragnar and Thistle's biological son, but whatever. Gunnar didn't seem like the leadership type, anyway; too soft.

"Well, I can't help how I sleep. And maybe you should be nicer to me, y'know, being the heir and all." Charon grinned triumphantly at Atreyu, though part of what he said was jest. Although it wouldn't hurt if Atreyu took it seriously -- that guy could use a serious chill pill. "Anyway, nice to see you're still around, I guess. We could use some more loyal wolves around here, some of them just up and leave after a while." Charon decided to try and be nicer to Atreyu, too, by giving him a compliment - sort of - in hopes of burying the hatchet for good.

Oh no, what had he done? Struggling to withhold a grimace, the yearling's ears fell as Charon took his words and went running with them as it suddenly dawned on him that he was, in fact, an heir. Did he not already know this? Atreyu was pretty sure that was how it worked; the children of the Alpha were usually the ones to take the helm when their parents grew too old to lead. He wasn't sure how he would feel being under the command of a wolf such as Charon (not to mention someone younger than himself, too), but even that wouldn't coerce him to abandon the Bay.

He dipped his head with a semi-forced smile, wondering why the other boy's attitude had done a 180. Was it the heir thing? If so, he had quite the ego, this kid. His comment, though, encouraged a wider grin from Atreyu before he shrugged in return. "Way of the world, kid," he said casually, as if he were some wise old wolf. Truthfully, he had been guilty of disappearing once before too, going off in search of his family. He had failed to find them, of course, and realised that Stavanger Bay was his family now, even if he didn't like all the members.

"But, hey, if they ever come back, they can always be slaves for a little bit," he added with a quirk of his head, perhaps much too fond of the whole slave idea that Ragnar had. It was useful, and made more sense to Atreyu than simply chasing out traitors and trespassers when they needed a few extra capable bodies. When Charon was Alpha — at this thought the boy winced, had he already resigned himself to that fate? — he hoped he would keep up the tradition.

'Way of the world' was probably the worst excuse for anything. Charon found that often adults used it when they couldn't explain something, or something didn't make sense. Well, if something didn't make sense, you should change it, not say it was just how things were because that's how they were!

He was popped from his thoughts by Atreyu bringing in the idea of keeping wolves as slaves. Charon had heard of the term slaves before, but he wasn't sure why Atreyu brought it up in regards to Stavanger Bay. However, having a horde of wolves tend to his every need seemed pretty cool to Charon, so he wasn't entirely opposed to the idea. "Slaves?" he asked curiously, hoping to get a bit more from Atreyu about it. "I didn't know we kept slaves. Do we?" If they had any, Charon would rush off to find them right now! It'd be pretty cool to have someone do everything you wanted to, just because they were your slave.

Charon seemed to perk up at the idea of slaves, causing Atreyu to wave his tail a little more. It seemed they had at least one thing in common, then. He had met a captive before, back when he was first accepted into the Bay, but the encounter had been under the blanket of night and the stranger had been...off-putting to say the least. If that particular male had been released or sacrificed since then, only Ragnar knew.

"The Jarl's never told you?" Atreyu inquired, staring quizzically at the boy. He would've thought Ragnar to be eager to instil his culture within the young wolves, even though they were adopted. Maybe he reserved that for those of his own blood? Which didn't really make sense. Vikings, man. "But yeah, we have a little space for them and everything. Dunno if we have any at the moment, though."

Charon was glad for Atreyu's enthusiasm, for even though they didn't see eye to eye that well, Charon had a deep desire to get along with everyone (he just wasn't as good at it as he thought he was). With a smile, he casually said, "Uh, yeah, maybe he did mention it sometime." Charon didn't remember being told about it, really, but he didn't want to seem like Ragnar didn't tell him anything. Wasn't like he was a softie kid anymore, after all.

"I don't think we have any right now. Did you ever have a slave?" Charon's eyes lit up when he asked the question, eager to hear if Atreyu had any experience bossing others around. Seemed like a pretty cool thought, to own the life of another wolf, to young Charon. "I never saw the space where they're kept," Charon said. "Do you know where it is?" If Atreyu did know, then maybe they could check it out. Even if there weren't any slaves right now, it would be pretty cool to visit and to know for the future. He wondered to himself what a wolf would have to do to be kept a slave. He bet that nobody would mind if he captured and kept Blythe as a slave, if he ever did find her, since she'd done the Bay wrong... Although she was a lying bitch, so maybe she was better off dead for the good of the Bay; she might lie her way out of slavery otherwise.

Bit of PP assuming Charon followed him <3

At Charon's question, Atreyu gave a soft tch, amusement flitting across his features as he shook his head. He wished he had a slave. What he would actually use one for, though, was another matter entirely, but the thought of being wholly in charge of even just one wolf was an exciting thought indeed. Perhaps they would be his personal pack horse for his fishing trips. Or someone to send through treacherous looking areas before he went exploring through them himself. His thoughts drifted before the youth snagged his attention again.

"Hell yeah I do," he replied, genuinely pleased that Charon showed an interest in this place. With a flick of his tail, he spun around and loped into the trees, gesturing for the boy to follow.

It wasn't a long journey for they had been near the heart of the forest to start with anyway, and the place wasn't hard to miss. With an arrogant swagger, Atreyu strode into the middle of the clearing, confident that the place didn't hold any captives at the moment. He cast a curious gaze around it before leaping atop the fallen log that leaned against the gnarled branches of another tree, the structure seemingly serving as a sort of lookout. From atop his perch, he gazed down at Charon, awaiting his reaction.

It seemed from Atreyu's chuff that he felt the same as Charon: wishing he had a slave, but not really having one. Their reasons were the same, for Charon had no direct uses for a slave either. Well, it would be convenient, if they listened and all, if they'd actually do stuff for you. But he guessed that for a wolf to become his slave, they would need to lose their life in some way: like a duel or something of the sort, where the wolf's honour was lost and their life was forfeit, in Charon's paws. And for that to happen, the other wolf needed not to be an honourless coward, as many unfortunately were.

"Cool!" Charon excitedly said when Atreyu said he knew the place. Charon followed Atreyu, excitement in his step, until they reached a clearing.

"How do they stay here?" Charon asked, and then answered his own question: "I guess that the slaves have to know that they're slaves and that they shouldn't escape and stuff, anyway." Charon watched as Atreyu jumped on top of the lookout branch and then his eyes lit up as he said to Atreyu: "Hey... What about if we get a slave?!" That would be pretty cool, and they could either share the time spent with their slave, or they could get two slaves so that they'd each have one, which would be even more convenient if they'd manage.

Atreyu opened his mouth to answer Charon's question, but the boy answered it himself, and so he nodded in agreement instead. It was sort of a given, that the captives had to know they were, in fact, captives and not members of the pack, free to roam wherever they pleased. What made them stay within the confines of this clearing Atreyu was not sure of, however. Perhaps the threat of death? Or where they looked over while they spent their time here, like young whelps in a den? Atreyu stood tall on the branch, a grin curving his maw as he looked around the empty area. Yeah, he could see himself being a lookout.

Charon piped up from below him, and the yearling looked down at the kid, letting out a small laugh at his excitement. Well, he hadn't expected that. Picking his way down the log, Atreyu leapt off and stared at the freckle-faced wolf. "We can't just...go around kidnapping wolves and making them be our slaves," he said with a snort, though the idea was tempting. They needed a viable reason, of course, and he wasn't particularly fond of sharing a potential slave. But still...

"Alright, whoever intercepts the next trespasser gets to keep them," Atreyu announced, bending into a play bow with his tail flipped over his back. Or you can fight me for them.

They couldn't go around kidnapping wolves, perhaps, but surely there had to be a way. Charon thought out loud when he said, "We wouldn't kidnap them, we'd just be, like, we gotta get them to break the rules first so they're in our debt and stuff!" How, Charon was not so sure yet, but they'd manage... somehow.

Atreyu jumped down and said that the next wolf to intercept a trespasser would keep it as a slave. Charon smirked broadly, even though he had never actually intercepted any trespassers at the borders in his life so far. "That's a deal!" he said, and he bowed down to mimic Atreyu's position on the ground, tail wagging. Without realising it, Charon was actually having a great time playing with Atreyu, for the first time.

want to finish this soon? :3

Sure thing! Last post from me :D

Atreyu hadn't any idea how they would go about manipulating a wolf to make it look like they were breaking a rule that earned them the title of slave. Charon and Atreyu's slave, at that! He also wasn't sure how the whole idea sat with him, but the other boy's excitement and zest was infectious, and he found himself hoping that soon a wolf would be stupid enough to trespass their borders.

For now, though, he would settle with a play fight. Grinning as Charon leant into a bow that mirrored his own, Atreyu released a soft, challenging growl as his tail waved behind him happily. Maybe this kid was alright after all.