"Safe for now."

[Therdde]

Characters:
Skelaghe - Female Wolf
Helaku - Male Wolf
Teketa - Male Wolf

- Wind-Blown Lowlands -

It is well past midday. The waterfall is within sight, in the distance, but after a long morning and a, thankfully successful, hunt, a break was definitely needed. It's only the three of them. Skelaghe simply couldn't find Ixkin, Sketch, or Vincent before they decided they should get on with their day. It ought to be easy enough to follow their trail, though, with the rain gone, and Skelaghe knows her companions will find them. Now, the shewolf is lying down, within sight of the two males, but out of easy hearing range. It is all too easy to smell the horses here, and her eyes are open as she listens for the sound of any creatures approaching as she tried to decide whether they ought to continue on and find a place to bed down once they reach the waterfall, or whether they should find a safe place and sleep here tonight. Surely, that will ultimately be Helaku's choice, but she can at least offer her advice.

Helaku had let Skel take the leading for the day, as she did know the place better than himself. He had remained quiet during the trip so far, and spoke only when he needed to, which wasn't much. Another characteristic that was unlike him prior to his disappearance. He used to talk often during traveling. It was now apparent that Helaku had an affinity for trees, as every low branch that could hold him he surely mounted if it provided him with an advantage in sight and smell. That was where he currently stood, against the tree's shade and watching the waterfall.

Skelaghe is no good at 'climbing' trees, so she just watches. Even on the ground, she should be able to tell if horses are coming easily enough. Luckily, company doesn't seem likely as the sun continues to advance in the sky, so, as she spots Teketa wander off, likely for a drink or just to relax and stretch his limbs, she stands to approach her mate. There is still something they have to talk about from yesterday, and they should talk about what to do from here. Of course, another advantage of staying here tonight would be allowing her other companions more time to catch up, but... Well, there are disadvantages to staying.

Helaku's ears turned this way and that. He was listening for something, something unknown to the others. It was a sound he heard in the outer lands, but he hadn't heard here. Fortunately, there was no such sound. He jumped down from the branch to come face to face with Skel, looking into her eyes. His nose touched hers and he nuzzled to her cheek silently. "This place is...safe for now," he whispered.

Skelaghe greets Helaku by returning his nuzzling affectionately. When she draws back again, she is wearing a small smile, and she says, "Safe enough to sleep here tonight?" It will give them time to find a semi-permanent resting spot tomorrow at their leisure, instead of rushing to get there and find a place to sleep all yet today, but if Helaku says no, she won't argue. Still, she is relieved that he at least believes it to be safe, for now.

"Yes," he answered. "No one should find us here." He looked back to the direction Teketa had gone to. He did not mind him tagging along, but he knew so little about the creature that he was on edge about anything that might have followed him in the last week. A group too big would be too easily spotted.

Skelaghe sits facing her mate. She doesn't mind Helaku's caution, but she does not want simple carelessness to result in anyone being uncomfortable. Spotting Helaku's glance in Teketa's direction, she says, "Don't treat him like a pup, Hel. He is as much of a survivor as you are, and he probably knows most of the same tricks." So Teketa is thin. Skelaghe can remember when Helaku was so thin and battered by his experiences in these lands that he could barely speak. Teketa is not nearly that bad, but even if he were, Skelaghe would have welcomed him to join her. She owes him a great deal more than he knows, even for as few times as they have met.

Helaku looked back at her a tad. "I don't treat him like a pup," he said. "Merely, he is not physically where he should be. Being that thin, and out alone. Even if he's a survivor, he won't survive long like that." He once again looked in Teketa's direction and flicked his tail. "Reminds me of when I was weak, and you found me..and other occasions where I ended up in the same position thereafter."

Skelaghe's tone is not harsh, but she does stand by her position. "And when I found you, I never suggested that you needed fixing, or that you were incapable of caring for yourself." He may have been, but there are times to say these things and time to avoid saying them. "He is in a bad place right now, Helaku, and he knows his limitations. If he didn't, he would have never agreed to join us. It will do his mind no good to have them pointed out to him while he is trying to recover." Skelaghe has had her periods where she took criticism, even well-meant criticism, harshly. She knows what it is like.

Helaku tilted his head, watching her for a moment. the conflict he had been in changed him. He used different words for different things than he did before and had not adjusted to being out of that environment just yet. "We are speaking different dialects," he said. "and different views--I am not used to this place, and its...awkard silenc, where there are no screams through the night and random acts of violence." He said it gently, though he obviously was on edge. Silence bothered him after the Eloonn.

Skelaghe leans forward to nuzzle against Helaku lightly. She knows he has seen things no living animal should have to see. She cannot change those things, though. What she can do is make like better now. With a hint of a smile when she pulls back, she says, "Then we will fill the silence with singing and stories, replace the violence with acts of love and kindness." Her voice remains soft, pleasant, as the the daunting task of reforming Helaku that lies ahead is barely an obstacle at all. "And by winter's end, when our pups are born, I imagine you will be so occupied with other things that you will no longer have time to worry yourself about how things were at their worst."

Helaku smiled at that, leaning into her nuzzling. The wolf closed his eyes and brushed up against her, listening to her words. "Pups," he said. "It will be nice to have them. Hopefully in a place where it'll be peaceful." He murmured and nipped at her closest ear, tail wagging behind. Though, he knew for certain that while he might be reformed, he would never be able to fully overcome the things he experienced.

"We'll make it peaceful for them, together. /All/ of us." Teketa, if he remains past the winter. Sketch. Vincent. Ixkin. Helaku. And herself. A group effort. Skelaghe glances off in the direction where Teketa disappeared, then looks back to her mate. "I am so looking forward to being surrounded by pups again, Helaku. I had never imagined myself as a mother, but I am at a loss without pups around me."

"It is...a nice sensation," he said softly, but he didn't say more than that. He stayed close to her, hooking his neck about hers as he thought about it. He felt that he wasn't himself much anymore, the old Helaku of the Ute. He had changed too much and yet he was skill the same. "Yes, all of us," he said.

Skelaghe remains beside her mate, allowing the silence to continue on. Unlike Helaku, she does not view 'silence' as uncomfortable. From here, the waterfall is almost audible, and there are other creatures about besides. After a while just enjoying her mate's presence, she finally says, "We ought to name one of them after our old alpha." Male or female. It doesn't matter. Honoring where they came from, before the tragedy that brought them here, seems the right thing to do.

Helaku smiled at the thought. "We should," he said. "Perhaps give them their own mark as well?" Surprising from Helaku, when his own mark had been damaged by whatever it was he went through. "But I do wonder...if it would be appropriate?"

Skelaghe looks down to her shoulder. She has never let it fade entirely, even in the times she could not find the right flowers or could not find someone to help her. Would it be proper to give their pups an Ute marking? "I don't see why we shouldn't." She fully intends to pass on legends and stories from Ute to her cubs, and educate them in her spirituality. "Perhaps we should give it some alterations, though... To honor the things their father has learned in /his/ travels." Twice, Skelaghe has been given reason to question her faith. Both times, she has come out of it with her faith not only intact, but strengthened. Helaku, on the other hand...

Helaku tilted his head. "You mean, mix the symbol with the Eloonn?" The idea had not occured to him, as the Eloonn were, while an organized pack, a short-lived one. They did not adopt a culture, but rather a code of life. "Perhaps...I should tell you what sort of pack we Eloonn were. I was their Alpha, but it was nothing like the Ute."

"If you had a symbol. If not, we could fashion something." That is the only thing Skelaghe feels a need to add. Besides that, she is quiet, to listen to whatever Helaku may have to share with her about the short time he led a different pack. He has already had much that was valuable to teach her, and she has no doubt there is more that he could share, but she is always determined not to press him.

The skies were clear. His coat was dry. It was a nice day. Cool - winter is rapidly approaching - but all right. And his muscles are a bit sore. Had he really moved so unusually far yesterday? Surely not. But his muscles didn't lie. Teketa had wandered away that morning, but when he felt it was right, he sought the scent of the wolves who were his alphas for the moment. He found it easily enough and pursued it into the long grasses. He finds them eventually, and when he does, he stops in the distance. The two are together, speaking. Should he interrupt? Teketa hesitates, considering his options. He doesn't particularly like Helaku. But he supposes he should see if they are ready to ... move, is it? So the black wolf approaches cautiously.

"We Eloon were mostly fighters," said Helaku, to Skel. "I was taken in by their Alpha at the time and trained until I was passed the rank. Peacekeepers, essentially, is what what we were in a lawless land." His ears swiveled back and he looked behind him to Teketa. He had been looking in that direction repeatedly since earlier anyhow, but he felt he should again. When he saw the black wolf, he only smiled at him before nudging Skel.

Skelaghe catches Helaku's smile, though she doesn't see the reason for it. Once he deliberately nudges against her, though, he looks in the direction of his gaze, and she spots the black wolf. Greeting him with a tail-wag and a friendly bark, she turns her attention back to her mate, allowing Teketa to approach without being stared at. "There is no shame to be had in being able to provide security, when security is needed." Skelaghe would never fight for herself, but even she will fight when someone she cares for is threatened. Of course, the last time she had to, someone who did not have to die, died, and it caused her a fair bit of grief, but there were worse things that could have resulted from it.

Teketa notes the welcoming smile and greeting from each wolf. He approaches silently, halting a comfortable distance away where he could settle onto his haunches. He didn't let the soreness show. He probably should have rested longer this morning, but... he would be fine. He always was. He dips his head in greeting. He's catching only the tail-end of this conversation, and it isn't his place to speak. He knows that much.

Helaku turned his attentions back to Skel and whispered to her a few things concerning what they did; the Eloonn terrorized the region's troublemakers. Made them disappear in the night. They were a small, organized pack of, essentially...terrorists for a good cause. Protecting the innocent while terrorizing the corrupt. He didn't speak more than that, but by the sound of it--the Eloonn were soon very much disliked by the ones they cracked down on. And miraculously, somehoe Helaku had survived it. "The others know your scent well enough to catch up with us," he said to Skel. "Hopefully it won't rain again for a few weeks."

"I don't think it should take them that long." Skelaghe really didn't like the idea of leaving without them, but they really ought to return to the den sometime today, and when they realize that Skelaghe and Helaku are not there... Well, Skelaghe has never kept it a secret that she was not fond of the area where they were staying. He companions might wait a day, maybe two, before following after them, and it should only be a couple days after that, maximum, before they catch up. "Besides, that will give us time to try to establish relations with the horses, before the others arrive." Everything that Skelaghe says is loud enough for Teketa to easily hear, and as she speaks, she moves a few paces away from Helaku and turns so that she can watch both of the males, to facilitate a conversation with all three of them, instead of keeping her back to Teketa. And though Teketa has not given any indication of his soreness, Skelaghe asks, "How're you holding up, Tek?"

If Teketa was aware of what he had interrupted something, he made no indication that he knew it. Or that he cared. One ear flicked back for a moment, the flicks forward again. Let them have their secrets. He stands again, appearing restless. The last thoughts on his mind before he fell asleep the previous night still haunt him throughout the day: he was being a fool. He had missed Skelaghe. And he needed help this winter. But he couldn't stay. She knew that. But he was also certain he couldn't continue this solitary traveling life, either. He wasn't a young wolf anymore. But no matter- a question is being directed his way, and he turns his head to acknowledge Skelaghe, "Don't worry about me," he responds evenly, dipping his head again. He's felt worse.

Helaku remained silent. He didn't have much to say. The back of his mind was suspicious of Teketa due to the solitary nature, though he kept it exactly there--in the back of his mind. He closed his eyes and breathed, unable to think of anything to speak to either at the moment.

"We're going to sleep around here tonight." Skelaghe told Teketa that the members of this makeshift pack are allowed to come and go as they please, and she met it. Helaku may be concerned about members of their group picking up followers--and with good reason, she reminds herself--but she is not running a traveling prison. She couldn't. Still, this is what /she/ intends to do tonight, and Helaku too. "We'll continue on to the waterfall tomorrow, and find a more permanent place to den once we're there." Skelaghe certainly does not mind being the one to speak to Teketa. At least she can be reasonably sure, though not entirely sure, that she won't say something to upset the solitary male.

A slow nod is all Skelaghe receives from the reclusive wolf. He gets to his paws again, slowly. He's sore. But let them think he's simply not in the mood to be moving around rapidly right now. "Sounds good," he adds gruffly, and seems as if he may wander away once again. He has no reason to wander alone anymore. But could he possibly accept living among others in a pack? He'll find out this winter, at least. "I'll keep an eye on the vicinity." The statement is left hanging. He's uncomfortable around Helaku. He might have more to say if it weren't for that. Nonetheless, he does not pad away. "Do you have any plans as to where you will settle?" inquires Teketa carefully, lest it should be something better left unasked.

Helaku sat quietly, partly in his own world and yet not. The change in lifestyle made him edgy and slightly off. He felt a wee bit tired, but ignored it. He'd adjust soon enough. For now he just listened to their conversation.

Skelaghe can only hope that, as time passes, Teketa will become more comfortable. For now, there is nothing she can do about it, save for to let him realize that they do not consider him a burden, and are not looking to cripple him by demanding that he stay nearby or do anything he does not want to do. "Besides being near the water, no. If the horse herd near here is not amicable to our presence, I imagine we will continue a little further north. With luck, though, our journey will end tomorrow." After fleeing from the cougars like she had to, she no longer has the will to travel long distances that she once did. Indeed, she imagines it will be a very long time before she visits the mountain again.

Another quick nod, and Teketa is turning once more. He'll do exactly as he's said: he'll keep an eye out around the area for now. Maybe he'll find some of those friends of Skel's. And he can ponder further on his situation. By the morning he'll be less sore. Hopefully less irritable. And maybe he'll eventually become a little more accustomed to having others around on an almost constant basis. He just had to keep telling himself he wasn't trapped here... none of them were. So he begins to stalk away, not another word spoken.

Skelaghe watches Teketa as he wanders off. Patience, she reminds herself. It hurts to be unable to find soemthing to say that she thinks would help Teketa, but she has to have hope that things will settle down, and crowding the black wolf... That would accomplish nothing good, she suspects. Maybe tomorrow morning she will have a conversation with him, before they begin traveling again. Until then... Moving once more to be beside her mate, she gives him a brief nuzzle, then lies down, facing Teketa, but not really staring at him.