A Friend of a Friend

[Therdde]

Characters:
Hahnee - Male Cougar
Skelaghe - Female Wolf

- Two-River Fork -

It's undeniably winter. The air is bitter and cold, and ground is frozen more often than not, and Hahnee feels... cold. Even with his pelt thickened for the weather, he feels the chill seeping through slowly. Or perhaps that's only his imagination. The cougar, small for a male, slips quietly towards the river, where the sounds of the water are strangely soothing to his ears. He is alone - Cheveyo is somewhere to the north, doing who-knows-what. Rather than pursue his brother northwards again, Hahnee has found himself wandering to the south. Closer to his mother. But he hasn't been thinking of it like that. He didn't want to think about her right now. His harsh emotions towards her are beginning to cool, but thing he regards as a betrayal still stains his face with a dark look and lowered, unhappy brows. As he reaches the water's edge, Hahnee stops to look down at his muddled reflection. Hmph. He's alone again. Pity.

Skelaghe has been sitting by the side of the water for nearly half an hour now, trying to decide if the easy meal the water holds could be worth the coldness of the water. Likely not. Soon, she'll have to just decide to hunt something other than her preferred fish. Helaku will probably be getting worried soon. He worries so easily, it seems. She is not, after all, inept. Indeed, long before Hahnee is within sight, Skelaghe hears him coming, and this far away from 'her' territory, she does not ignore it. Rather, she stands and looks in the direction of the large, approaching animal. She's not running away, but she is much more cautious, now, than she was even just last winter.

Anyone with half a brain can see he's young. An adult, but young nonetheless. And perhaps, more than his brother, Hahnee's features are a little less masculine. He looks youthful. But not full of life. Not with those lowered amber eyes and the sharp curve of his frowning lips. He spots the creature only when he looks up from his reflection, and Hahnee's expression changes rather quickly to surprise, or even confusion. Hahnee has heard of wolves. His mother... she hates them. But Hahnee has never seen a wolf before, only heard their heart-wrenching cries in the night, and stories of their long muzzles and many-colored fur. He will not think of his mother's expressed opinions... he's curious. This creature must be. Hahnee lowers his head, eyeing the lupine with a guarded and curious stare. He's not sure if he should speak, so he doesn't. His tail begins to twitch, slowly.

It is possible, even likely, that Skelaghe is a good first wolf for Hahnee to meet. Even if she had her packmates with her, she would not be violent, and she would speak harshly to them if Helaku or Teketa dared to initiate hostility. They have enough trouble with certain cougars without deliberately starting more. Instead, she greets Hahnee with a smile when it becomes easily obvious that he does not intend to attack her. Verbally, she says, "Good afternoon." Her voice is pleasant, just loud enough to be easily heard without yelling. Unlike her mate, Skelaghe understands the value in befriending animals of all species.

He's not even sure if this thing - he's sure it's a wolf - is male or female until it speaks, voice lifting on friendly notes across the sound of the water's babbling. Hahnee lifts his head, eyes widening slightly so that their amber color is visible even from a distance. His brows still seem worried, but he does offer a small, uncertain smile. She doesn't appear to mean any harm. And, besides that, she's not nearly as big as Mother made wolves sound! Even Hahnee could probably handle one of these creatures! "Good afternoon," he responds in kind, his soft tenor only just above the water. "Are you a wolf?" he enquires afterwards, squinting as he openly studies the she-wolf, his nose twitching slightly. She smells... not bad, he supposes. But not like a cougar.

"I am. My name is Skelaghe." If Skel hadn't already suspected how young this nearby cougar was, the question would have clued her in. It doesn't cause her to wonder, though, what he is doing out here alone. She knows enough about cougars to know that they are generally solitary animals. Even the ones in the Amaranth tribe don't spend most of their days together, as Skelaghe would prefer to spend most of her days surrounded by companions. The fact that the cougar scent is so dim here leads her to believe that this cougar simply lives alone.

She answers in the affirmative, and Hahnee nods his head faintly as he makes a mental note. This is... a wolf. Well. She doesn't seem anything like what Mother said wolves were: bloodthirsty killing machines. Deadly, cunning, lying- of course, this wolf could be acting. Putting on a friendly mask. And don't wolves live in groups? Like the Amaranth cougars...? "I am Hahnee," he replies, his expression relatively unchanging and unbreaking: if he knows staring is rude, well he's not stopping. Then again, he /is/ rather fascinated. He's always wondered what it would be like to meet one of these creatures. And now here's his chance. His sniffs - his nose is not a sensitive as a wolf's, and he's not sure he can distinguish the scent of other wolves around her. He wouldn't know what to look for. So he asks cautiously, "Are you alone?"

If Skelaghe is upset about being stared at, she does not show it. Indeed, as the conversation continues, she sits. After sitting, she says, "It is a pleasure to meet you." Skelaghe is always polite, more so than most other wolves, even in the face of danger. Perhaps it is only her familiarity with the Amaranth tribe that has caused her to be so casual with most cougars. "I am currently alone, but I do not stay that way. My friends and I stay to the south of the waterfall, generally." She was just restless, as often happens to her during the winter. Her group is simply not large enough, yet, to keep her fully occupied during the quite winter season.

Hahnee shifts his weight slightly, his eyes softening and drifting back to his own reflection. Maybe he finally realized he was staring. Or perhaps he's satisfied his curiosity - for the moment at least. Most likely the latter. That, and she has seated herself now. She's no threat to him. But he's not quite comfortable enough to seat himself. He didn't really mean to encounter a wolf, as fascinating as it is. He didn't mean to come here for casual conversation. He's never been terribly good at it. "You live in a tribe, then?" he utters these words more like a statement. He lived a good portion of his young like in Amaranth. She may be used to seeing cougars alone. But Hahnee... he's still adjusting to the idea of being completely alone. He still tries to stay close to Cheveyo whenever he can. "Is it a big tribe?"

"A pack." Does the term really make that much difference? Well, yes, kind of. "It's almost the same, but wolves go about it a little differently. Mine is a small one, though. We don't require much space, and you need not worry about us veturing this far north permanently." What young animal wouldn't be concerned about the possibility of a large group of wolves muscling their way into his home?

A pack? Not a tribe. Fine. Hahnee files this information away as if he were compiling a person dictionary. Then he lifts his head to regard this she-wolf again, and he seems to finally register how brusque he's being. "Excuse my manners," he finally says, trying to smile in a friendly way, "I have never met a wolf before," he explains, though he's fairly certain she's already realized that. The way his mother talked about wolves, Hahnee almost didn't think they were... /intelligent./ They were brutes with enough mind to trick and- well, whatever his mother had said, this she-wolf doesn't act like what his mother tried to describe. She seems intelligent and... kind, even.

"So I had gathered." It is said with a hint of a grin and humour in her tone, but if she is teasing, it is not in a cruel manner. "You are very lucky, Hahnee. Had you decided to make your home around here but a few seasons ago, you would have had plenty of opportunity to meet wolves, and none of them very kind to outsiders. They have since moved on, though." No, Skelaghe is not very fond of the Lazuli, who turned her away in her time of need. Amusingly, it was a group of cougars that gave her the shelter she and her companions so desperately needed, just one more reason that she sees no reason to be overly defensive around cougars.

Well. She thought it was amusing, those words. Hahnee supposes that is good. And it just shows that his mother, who once seemed so infallible, is /wrong/ again. His tail flicks, then becomes perfectly still as he sits on his haunches. He probably won't stay that way for long - this cold bothers him more than it should - but he wants to look calm and comfortable for now. Her words though, do make him wonder - and worry a little. Like cougars, there were good and bad wolves. His mother seemed to be under the impression that all wolves were bad. Had she even met wolves herself? Hahnee had held her in such high esteem, had so much faith in her... he had never asked. He wishes he would have. "I see," he responds rather mechanically. "Did you - are you familiar with the cougars of Amaranth, then?" Her little pack lives near to them. How could she not know...?

Hearing the cougar reference that tribe of cougars, specifically, is a little surprising, if only because Skelaghe knows that the current leader of the tribe is not very friendly toward outsiders, males of his own species least of all. Still, it does not take her long to answer with a nod and with the words, "I do. They have helped me and mine many times." Skelaghe would not even be in these lands were it not for the aid of Amaranth. She knew them before Chesmu, and she continues to know them now. She has no idea that Hahnee is an exiled son of Amaranth, though.

Hahnee nods his head slowly, his tail curling slightly behind him - so like his mother's. Well, this made the she-wolf that much more interesting! If not for his mother's dislike of wolves in general, he would wonder if Ama had ever met Skelaghe before. But he doubts it. "They have?" he barely says it aloud, for he had never realized the tribe had offered aid to wolves. Then again, his mother would not have informed him of such a thing, he's certain. His eyes have lit up a bit with this talk of Amaranth, though it's difficult to tell whether he's angry or ... happy. He's smiling, so he must be happy, right? If she thinks that, then that's all right. He'll let her think that. In the meantime, he may be able to learn some other things. "Do you know their chieftain, then?"

"I have known all their Chieftains." Well, that's kind of a lie. She may have seen Yuma once or twice, but she never knew him as Chieftain. She still doesn't know that he held that position for a short while. And, honestly, she never knew Ahiga when he was in that position, though she knew him, almost befriended him, after he was already replaced. She knew Chesmu quite well. Not well enough to be familiar with the tragedy that led to his death, but she considered him a friend. And then, of course, there is Kein, the one she would not consider a friend. An ally, sure, but he was far from friendly. Still, he gave her protection when she needed it, so she cannot speak ill of him.

And she has no way of knowing Hahnee's relation to Chesmu, the chieftain whose actions had resulted in so much chaos within the tribe... or how he factors in with Kein. Even Hahnee isn't certain how he feels about this newest chieftain... "Then you know who Kein is?" The cougar's expression changes, becoming terribly serious as he looks at the she-wolf again How trusting is she? "He's an aquaintance of mine," explains Hahnee. Maybe he can learn more about this cougar who sought to see the condition of his mother... as fascinating as wolves are, the prospect of learning about this cougar is far more enticing.

"I do." Skelaghe keeps her answers short, that Hahnee might have all the opportunity he needs to explain why he is so interested in this line of conversation, in particular. She can reach some correct conclusions, though. Hahnee is too young to be one of Kein's littermates. She knows that Chesmu was not Kein's father. He was Nayeli's father... So, is this one of Nayeli's brothers? And, given Hahnee's behaviour, Skelaghe has to assume that his acquantainceship with Kein is less than friendly. She avoids saying anything specific, though, in case her assumptions are wrong. Were she to say anything, without more information, it would be to try to assure Hahnee that his sister, the Chieftain's mate, is doing well.

When she doesn't say more than "I do" he's fairly certain he won't get everything he needs - and wants - to know from her. He may not have known what a wolf was. But now he's realizing she's not so different from a cougar, at least where intelligence is concerned. And she's older than he is - he can tell that, too. Intelligent, older, wiser... can he lie to her convincingly? Perhaps not. But he can use half-truths... convincingly enough, he believes. His demeanor doesn't change, though his tail begins to curl and uncurl by his side, his clever eyes unflinchingly locked on the she-wolf. "He is a friend of a friend," he replies smoothly, his smile reassuring, "And I wondered if he was... safe," he decides, then looks at her expectingly.

He doesn't want to know if Kein is well, protected. That's obvious enough. He wants to know if Kein is dangerous... Which only seems to confirm Skelaghe's suspicion, and gives Skelaghe all she needs to know to answer truthfully. "If your friend is a friend of Kein, she could not be around a safer cougar." Kein has his faults, as Skelaghe sees them. Plenty of them. But she has never seen him hesitate to do whatever he deems necessary to protect those he is supposed to protect. That is a dangerous trait to face, for those who are not Kein's friends, but she could not imagine a more enthusiastic protector, not even her own mate.

Perhaps he has ruined his chance of learning more. But somehow, her answer seems satisfactory. Though he is angry at his mother, the idea that she really is safe, that someone else can confirm this... it brings his mind peace, if not his heart. "Thank you," he replies, softly, his expression perhaps hard to read, for he's not sure of himself for the moment, or what he feels. So he stands in this uncomfortable moment, allowing his tail to curl behind him absent-mindedly. If he could, he would storm in there and refuse to leave. But he'd be killed. For certain. Then again- "Have you ever met a cougaress named Ama?"

The name is not at all familiar to Skelaghe. If she has heard it, from anyone, it was not in an important enough context to stick. With the hint of a frown, she says, "I'm afraid not. Sorry." Ama... Not one of Chesmu's cubs, and not any cougaress she has ever met. Finally, Skelaghe comes to the wrong conclusion, in her head. Could it have been that this male was interested in the female Ama, but she decided not to leave with him when he reached adulthood and was driven out of Amaranth? That's what seems to make the most sense to Skelaghe, since she does not have all of the details.

No. She hasn't heard of Ama. His mother. The cougaress who... who /turned/ on him. No! He mustn't think of her that way. She would never- "Ah," he thought he would try, anyway. He does not speak again for several seconds, for he lowers his head to the stream to drink. He laps quickly, briefly, at the bitterly cold water. It's all he can stand - it makes his head and his teeth hurt. Then he's looking pointedly at the wolf. "...if you see her would you-" he cuts himself off when he realizes he's asking a virtual stranger and a /wolf/ to tell /Ama/ something. It wouldn't work. At all. He just blinks a few times, then shakes his head slowly, eyes closing. He can't do that.

Perhaps another venture to Amaranth is necessary. Or, Skelaghe could pass the information on to Sketch. She doubts Helaku would appreciate her heading to Amaranth on her own, especially since her season has already come and gone, and she is undoubtedly now carrying his pups, even if she does not yet feel it. She knows Sketch has wandered in that direction regularly, though, so... "I will pass on the message that you wish her well, Hahnee." Even if she just tells Sketch, Sketch tells the first cougar she meets, and that cougar tells Ama, the message will get there.

Hahnee spares the she-wolf a smile, then he slowly shakes his head. "That's kind of you," too kind. He doesn't believe she'll do it. And why should she? It's not her business. And not only is /not/ her business, Hahnee shouldn't let Ama think he's forgiven her so easily. Should he? Because he hasn't, really. But it /would/ but his mother's heart at ease... he seems ready to turn away, to leave, but he hesitates, clearly reconsidering. Does she really mean it? She'd deliver a message if he gave her one?

Skelaghe absolutely means it. It is not terribly hard to read Hahnee, though. Skelaghe remains sitting as Hahnee appears to be about to leave, but then stops. She raises her brow and opens her mouth slightly in a nonverbal question. She doesn't want to direct his speech, since he seems on the edge of deciding something. She told him what she will do. If he doesn't want her to, or even if he is just trying to decide to give her a friendly farewell, he should be allowed to reach that decision on his own.

"If you do as you say you will..." he pauses, clearly choosing his words carefully, "Tell the Amaranth Cougaress, Ama," another pause, another moment to consider, "All is well." This message is far too simple for the time he took considering - it couldn't possibly be what he really means to say. Or perhaps there were other choices and this summed it up the best. Perhaps... perhaps not. He doesn't doubt her ability to remember a longer message. But this would be best. If there is more hidden in its simple message, then... let the determination of that be left up to someone else. He lowers his eyes, for they burn. "Thank you, Skelaghe. It has been a... good experience, meeting you." Then he smirks. "You are not what I expected, as a wolf."

Skelaghe has had to learn, recently, that her assuming being peaceful will make sure no one else will be violent to here is dangerous. It's only fair that she can make others rethink their assumptions. With a smile, she nods her head and says, "I will make sure that Ama gets your message, Hahnee. May you travel well." It is a more general farewell than that she used to give, when she first came to these lands, but she means it every bit as much as she has ever meant anything she has said.

The cougar begins to turn away, his tail swaying casually behind him. Before he heads north again, however, he twists his head around and looks at the she-wolf. She says he's lucky - other wolves aren't so kind, then. Is she the only exception? Perhaps. So why not smile - he does - and why not try friendship? He will. "Farewell, Skelaghe. I will remember you, if we should meet again." He's not usually this far south since... then. He may never see her again. Or, he could try independence, and make her a reason to visit, unlikely as that sounds. Why should he go out of his way for a wolf? He shakes himself as he feels the cold seeping through, then darts away.

"And I will make sure my companions know that you are friendly." In case any of them venture this far north. As the conversation ends, thoug, Skelaghe also stands. She still needs food, and she still must be certain that she does not stay away from helaku for too long, lest he decide to come searching for her. Besides, now she has a message to pass on to her dog friend, and though it is not a pressing matter, she would hate to get back and find out she just missed Sketch, that she has already decided to wander back toward Amaranth.