Life's Treasures [Ray]

[Heika]

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@ulla
Original Photo © Don Burkett

Feel free to jump in!

Do i dare, disturb the universe?

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Iiona trotted along the shoreline of Sharktooth Island. Her ears would twitch every so often, alert for any signs of danger from the tree line as the alpha's eyes scanned the clear seawater as it lapped at the sandy beach. The ocean was calm today, and there was nary a cloud in sight, so Iiona decided to take advantage of the good weather and go hunting; eating a good, solid meal never hurt.[break][break]

But, as she continued to walk down the shore, Iiona found that the waters remained clear and lifeless. The fish were all in the open ocean, too far out for Iiona to hunt, and she resigned herself to that fact with a sigh. Guess seafood is off the menu tonight, she thought to herself in resignation. Oh well, I guess I'll try my luck further inland.[break][break]

Turning around, Iiona made to pad up the sand towards the forest, prepared to catch herself something even if it took all day.

ulla

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[Ray]

HALCYON vanatore we're just resurrection men The channel had been much more trouble to cross than Halcyon expected. It wasn't a terribly far distance that it would seem impossible at first glance and much of the watery expanse rippled and shimmered gently in a way that suggested shallowness, which had been true to some extent - what Hal hadn't been counting on was the presence of much deeper areas that had him slipping off the abrupt edges of sand banks and paddling with all but his eyes and nose held valiantly above water. To make matters exponentially worse, he had swam right into a large, billowing mass that immediately grasped his foreleg with nothing he had ever seen or felt before. Being in the water he could not look down to see the damage, so instead he thrashed away in a hurry and swam irritably on. Thankfully the incident had happened not too far from the island's shore, so there wasn't much further for Halcyon to half-paddle, half-drag himself before there was once again solid ground beneath his paws. Out of the water, he could finally take a cursory glance at his leg - the shorter fur on his limb had done little to nothing to protect him, leaving him with a stinging, smarting tangle of welts that looked oddly like he had been slashed with non-existent teeth. He was as confused as he was in pain, but both of those mental states quickly translated into a general salty air that hung about him like a raincloud. Damn fuckin' water creatures, if there was ever a sign that your plan to cross to the island to get away from your stupid past life was a bad one that would be the sign. A considerable while later, Halcyon's fur had nearly fully dried while he had been walking along the beach in a bit of a mood about his leg, which seemed likely to scar. Not that he was a soft young yearling with a perfect, unmarred meat vessel or anything like that, oh no, it was just something he was allowing himself to brood about in a rare moment of childlike pique. It was about then that he came across a faint scent on the sea breeze that told him there were, unsurprisingly, other wolves on this god forsaken island. More specifically, that there was another wolf in the vicinity of him, probably on the same beach. Had it been a different day, had he not already wasted an unexpectedly large and completely unforgivable amount of energy swimming the channel to come here, maybe Halcyon might have turned around and let the other wolf go on their merry way. But apparently he was tired enough (and it had been a strange enough day already, and it wasn't even anywhere near sunset!) to keep on walking in the direction of the scent, and see what the rest of the beach held for him.

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ooc; I'll edit back with his table when it's done :^)

[Heika]

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Ray [break]  
Original Photo © Don Burkett

And so it begins :^)

Do i dare, disturb the universe?

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Just as Iiona ambled away from the water, a peculiar scent intermixed with the salty ocean breeze stopped her. It was a wolf, but it wasn't Mistigan behind her. In fact, the smell wasn't at all familiar and lacked any hint of belonging to the Island. Curiosity adequately piqued — that and, as the alpha, it was her duty to investigate these things — Iiona turned back around and headed back in the direction she had come from.[break][break]

As she rounded a bend, she noticed a slight figure in the distance; had she been any less attentive, she may not have noticed it at first. But, as she lifted her muzzle and sniffed the air again, noting that the scent was stronger this time, Iiona concluded that the wolf was, indeed, the same one she had caught in the wind earlier. Observing them closely, Iiona was decidedly more relaxed when she noticed that the other wolf was not as large as Mistigan, even though she knew that they would be taller than her if they stood side-by-side. Moreover, they appeared to be rather thin, a bare sliver of fur against the sandy beach, and they padded on with a certain sense of exhaustion in their steps. All the same, as Iiona moved forwards to greet them, she remained alert. Looks could be deceiving, after all.[break][break]

Approaching them, she called out, "Halt! State your name and your business here!" Ears pricked up high, she stood tall and confident as she looked at the other wolf, waiting for an answer. Despite being a new alpha, she had been groomed for the role since birth, and took to it easily. Iiona knew how to be fair. She knew that the Sharktooth pack would welcome travelers from the mainland, no matter what their reason for coming was, and at least allow them sanctuary until the regained the strength to cross the channel once more. But, she also knew that, as the alpha, it was her job to assess potential threats and eliminate them, if need be, to keep her pack safe.

ulla

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[Ray]

HALCYON vanatore we're just resurrection men After walking onward along the sandy beach for a short distance more, another wolf appeared around the corner of a little rocky outcrop down by the end of the shoreline. The wolf's scent grew a little stronger as well, enough for Halcyon to deduce that it was a female. As he continued a little further along the beach she too advanced upon him, and soon they stood a respectful distance apart as the sea breeze swirled between them. "Halt! State your name and your business here!" Halcyon was glad to stop walking. The earlier sharp, adrenaline-fueled pain had subsided and in turn his leg had begun to throb dully, causing him to limp ever so slightly. A faint wincing scowl touched his features, but almost as if it had been pasted there half-heartedly. His journey through the treacherous waters between the island and the mainland had made him tired, which in turn exacerbated the injury, and all in all at the current time he was just on the edge of cranky. Yet, he could recognise the arresting tone and confident aura of an alpha when he met one, and Hal made a modest effort to school his features into an expression that was significantly less abrasive. Nothing about his situation had been her fault, and it was rude to act as if she owed him anything at all when he was the one trespassing on foreign lands. Adjusting his stance so that his weight was shifted over to his better leg, Halcyon turned his head just a little so that he could meet her gaze with his one good eye. Blasted useless stinging sea nettle, he groused inwardly. The bad leg was on his good side, so he had to lean a little in a way he wasn't used to in order to face the alpha with at least some respect. Aware that the silence between them was growing disrespectfully long, he responded: "Halcyon Vanatore, I am... visiting." No, that wasn't exactly right. Visiting implied he intended to leave the island sooner or later, and have to make that damn journey back across the channel. Once was quite enough for the time being, thanks. "I hope to stay," he added, hoping that would be acceptable elaboration for the moment. His voice came out like a tumble of gravel, low and rough from disuse, taking himself by surprise. For all the mental discourse he carried out with himself, Halcyon hadn't done as much in the way of actual talking for quite some time. Just his luck that the first actual conversation he'd have in ages would be with the alpha of a foreign pack. ooc: It's so hard to think of unique ways to swear when wolves don't have gods LOL

[Heika]

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Ray 
Original Photo © Don Burkett

Oh man I feel lmao

Do i dare, disturb the universe?

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The other wolf was injured, that much Iiona could tell as he favored his one leg over the other. It was, no doubt, a consequence of crossing the channel, a natural barrier protecting Sharktooth Island from the rest of the world. But, his other, more obvious wounds — she was especially startled by the scar tracing along his left cheek and through his eye —hinted at a fierce past and warned her against letting her guard down around him. Observing him closely, she waited for him to reply, standing stock still until he did.[break][break]

"Halcyon Vanatore, I am... visiting." Iiona's ear flicked at that. No one swam across the channel, risking their lives in the process, just to visit the Island. "I hope to stay." When he amended himself, however, she was more understanding of his situation. Although she had met few wolves from the mainland during her lifetime, she knew that her father had swam to Sharktooth Island, along with a few other wolves, all with a common goal keeping them there: a history they wanted to avoid. It was only the ghosts of their past hounding them day after day that could offer them enough incentive to venture into lands unknown to confront uncertain futures.[break][break]

So, as wary as she was of outsiders, Iiona knew that she couldn't turn him away. Even though wolves from outside the pack could spell out trouble, there were also good wolves, wolves like her father, who could prove to be important assets to the pack. While she wasn't sure what kind of wolf Halcyon would be, he didn't challenge her authority. And, what's more, his voice, rough and tired, hinted at the fact that, if she chose to chase him off the Island now, he may not have the strength to make it back to the mainland. She would allow him to stay, she decided resolutely, but she would keep a close eye on him until he proved himself trustworthy.[break][break]

"Very well, Halcyon Vanatore," she spoke, voice still steady and unrelenting, but her eyes softened somewhat as she nodded at him. "I hope you can walk a little further. There is a grove in the forest not too far from here where you can rest and recover from your crossing. Unfortunately, we have no shaman ready to look after your wounds, but in the meantime I can prepare a poultice to help ease the pain if you would prefer. Then, when you wake up, we can further discuss your stay here."

ulla

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[Ray]

HALCYON vanatore we're just resurrection men Truth be told, though Halcyon could not be considered a prudent creature by any means, it was a stretch even for him to decide to leave the mainland and come to the island for no other reason than to escape his own demons, with nothing planned for what came after he made the crossing and his paws hit the beach. But it had been his decision all the same, and he had gone through with it, so now he had to somehow come up with a plan that consisted of something more substantial than "walk along the beach aimlessly until you drop". Of course, the appearance of the island's alpha made it a little easier if only to expedite his plan-making processes - one couldn't hem and haw in the presence of authority, naturally, it just came off as unprepared and disgraceful. Then again, he was unprepared in this situation, and therefore disgraceful. The key was not continuing to be. "Very well, Halcyon Vanatore," came the alpha's strong voice, her unwavering tone causing some of his tension to unexpectedly drop away. It was odd how one could forget the reliable accountability of having a pack behind them until one was faced with exactly what they didn't have. "I hope you can walk a little further. There is a grove in the forest not too far from here where you can rest and recover from your crossing. Unfortunately, we have no shaman ready to look after your wounds, but in the meantime I can prepare a poultice to help ease the pain if you would prefer. Then, when you wake up, we can further discuss your stay here." That was... also unexpected. It was much more than she was obliged to offer him, extending shelter as well as care and medicine, especially when he knew just how much work a simple poultice could sometimes be. And in the absence of a healer, her simple, selfless offer to put together the healing item herself. Halcyon didn't really know how to respond to that, his brow creasing for a moment in confusion, but he could hear something akin to sincerity in her tone and felt that was enough. "I can continue on," he replied, lowering his head in gruff gratitude, then shifting his weight slightly as if to demonstrate. Then, hesitantly: "The poultice is... not necessary. But thank you." The wound would continue to hurt noticeably for a few days more before subsiding, but Halcyon felt that he was already intruding on her hospitality enough without having to trouble the alpha (for this was still the alpha he spoke to, after all!) to have to care for him past what was truly essential. She could have not helped him at all. She could have turned him away, even, but she hadn't. Thank whatever deities existed out there. (Chaos? He knew of none other. He had not grown up a religious creature.) "Ma'am," he added to his thanks as an afterthought, having an awkward feeling that he should at least make an attempt to address her politely, though he knew not her name. Somehow it did not occur to him to ask. He felt like his speech functions were already running dry, and he had hardly spoken much at all during this short meeting. He supposed he would ask at another time. Vaguely he also noted that throughout the entire spoken conversation his end hadn't been snappy or sarcastic at all, which felt something like an improvement.

[Heika]

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Ray 
Original Photo © Don Burkett

It's up to you if you want to keep this thread going for Iiona and Halcyon to discuss his position in the pack or start a new one instead!

Do i dare, disturb the universe?

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From the way Halcyon reacted to her offer, Iiona could tell that he was offset by her proposal. Was something like this unusual among alphas on the mainland? Or was he simply unused to receiving kindness from others? Studying him for just a moment longer, and noting his guarded attitude and curt responses, she concluded that it was likely a mix of both.[break][break]

"I can continue on," he spoke, shifting his weight to prove himself. "The poultice is... not necessary. But thank you." At that, she paused, gaze flickering down to his injured leg. Already, angry red welts were swelling beneath the thin, silver fur, and Iiona's eyes narrowed thoughtfully as she considered the best course of action. Recognizing the perpetrator — jellyfish occasionally floated through the area, and the wounds they left behind were easy to identify — she knew that Halcyon would have to deal with a few more scars in the future. But, all the same, she felt as though that would be the least of his worries. For now, while she did not doubt that he was hurting quite a bit, it was nothing fatal, and he looked like a prideful creature; she had no interest in insulting him.[break][break]

"Very well, but let me know if the pain becomes too much to bear," Iiona relented, but made sure to leave her offer open for the taking. At the same time, she was unable to resist curling her lips up in a wry smile at the title he had addressed her with. Ma'am... That was something she wasn't quite used to. Just until recently, she had only been Iiona, and she saw no reason to change that. "Also, call me Iiona. I don't quite believe 'Ma'am' fits me."[break][break]

Turning towards the trees, she motioned for him to follow her with a flick of her tail. "This way," she said. "The grove is only a little distance off. You can rest there for now, and eat something when you wake up."

ulla

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[Ray]

HALCYON vanatore we're just resurrection men Halcyon wondered belatedly if it had been a good idea to turn down the alpha's offer of the poultice. He didn't even know the nature of the creature that had hurt (bit? stung?) him, and whether it had the capacity to swell up or become infected. The alpha would have better knowledge of the land and waters of her territory, and by proxy she would also be knowledgeable about what had caused the wound. The fact that she had even offered could have meant it wouldn't heal very fast - or it could also indicate that she was a considerate leader. Either way, he guessed he'd see about both things sooner or later. He tipped his head to the side a little in thanks as she acknowledged his decision, but didn't withdraw the offer. The alpha's kindness was faintly bewildering, but not unwelcome. It wasn't that other alphas were generally unkind, but maybe they had less of a tolerance and more of an immediate distrust of trespassers and interlopers on their lands. Granted, maybe Halcyon had been younger, snarkier and also not stupidly injured when they had found him treading their borders, but all the same something inside him was also grateful for the lack of the sort of "welcome" he was more accustomed to. "Also, call me Iiona. I don't quite believe 'Ma'am' fits me." Should he apologise or smile? Her face wore a smile too, but her tone sounded disapproving. Then again, Halcyon wasn't the best wolf for identifying conversational nuances anyway. This was already a longer exchange than he'd willingly had in months, and Halcyon could feel his conversational skills severely lacking. After a second he settled for a halfway-contrite smile that seemed to be making a valiant attempt to reach his eyes, hoping it wouldn't come out too much like a grimace. "Alright, Iiona. Thank you." At least his manners hadn't fully deserted him along with his ability to carry on a conversation. Her kindness deserved at least that, and definitely much more. "This way, the grove is only a little distance off. You can rest there for now, and eat something when you wake up." Her voice too grew faintly distant as he followed Iiona into the trees lining the soft incline of sand, and the short traverse into the forest to reach the grove of which she spoke passed in a hazy dream. He probably wouldn't remember the path they'd taken the next day, but he felt for the first time in a long time that there was no immediate danger in not knowing exactly where he was. Upon reaching the grove, he remembered no more, for a wave of drowsiness washed over him and though it was still daylight, he slept. ------------------------------------------- As he woke, Halcyon was slowly aware of a dull throbbing, which revealed itself again to be his leg as he began to recall the events of the previous day. It still hurt, but not quite as badly as it had. He pressed his nose to it a few times in different spots to test the skin's remaining sensation, then estimated maybe four or five days before it was reasonably well. Now, not coupled with the fatigue from the swim, it seemed much less of a bother. It would scar, but he already had the mother of all scars anyway - right through his damn eye - and that one drew all the attention. Getting to his feet, he noticed the soft light of morning filtering through the trees in the grove - he'd slept for that long? Disgraceful - and as he exited, Halcyon looked around for the alpha who had kindly granted him refuge inside her borders. Iiona, he remembered. He didn't expect her to be nearby though, as the salt of the sea was still noticeable on the breeze, and it made sense for her pack's main grounds to be further inland. Still he could pick up her scent faintly on the slight wind, and he turned his head in the direction it came as if to go towards it. ooc: I'm just sticking with this thread, I hope it's okay :^) basically I just knocked him out and now it's the next day lol.

[Heika]

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Ray [break]
Original Photo © Don Burkett

I gotcha! Also, just FYI, I'm kind of referencing Sharktooth Island's lore in here!

Do i dare, disturb the universe?

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Padding confidently through the forest, Iiona carried a dead lemur in her jaws as she made her way towards the grove she had left Halcyon in the day before. She expected that he would wake up soon, and wanted to be there to offer him some food since she had no doubt that he would be hungry. And, if she was stuck in a strange land, injured and alone, she would want to be offered the same hospitality, not to mention that prey was, generally, plentiful, so there was enough to go around. As she walked, she found her thoughts wandering to yesterday's events and the wolf she had allowed onto her lands.[break][break]

Halcyon, at first glance, appeared skinny and physically weak; for the most part, Iiona had believed that a gust of wind would blow him over, especially with his current injury. But, upon closer inspection, she had noticed that he was stronger than his lanky build let on. And, with the careful way he had acted and the scars lacing his face, it was obvious that he had faced his fair share of hardships and came out on top. All things considered, it wouldn't be easy for her to trust him. If he was as dangerous as he looked, Iiona's best bet would be to force him off the Island as soon as his leg was well enough to make the swim. Logically speaking, that was the only sound decision.[break][break]

But, all the same, there was something about him that stopped her. He had shown her proper respect, something that was rare to find amongst true loners, and had even refused her offer for a poultice, although that may have been due to excessive pride. All the same, Iiona didn't think that was the case; an arrogant wolf would not have thanked her so honestly.[break][break]

Regardless, she had made her decision, and she was never the type to second guess herself. As she drew closer to the grove, she noticed that Halcyon's scent was growing stronger too, and soon she saw his fur peeking through the thick underbrush. "Good morning," she called, depositing the lemur on the ground as she stopped close enough so that she wouldn't have to yell. "I brought this for you. Feel free to help yourself."

ulla

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[Ray]

HALCYON vanatore we're just resurrection men Halcyon had become slightly distracted since first detecting Iiona's scent in the fresh morning air, by a sudden but not illogical urge to deduce the general position of the grove relative to the shore he had arrived on. As such, his yellow eyes were focused in the direction opposite from which the alpha's voice rung out, not overly loud but clear as a bell in the quiet sounds of the forest. "Good morning," came the pleasant words, and Halcyon turned his head about quickly, ears swiveled in the direction of Iiona's voice. "I brought this for you. Feel free to help yourself." She had brought a prey animal with her, something with black and white fur in stark contrast, which he had never come across before in all his travels on the mainland. He had only been on the island a day (and conscious for less than half of that time) and already he had come across more than two curious things! Such had not been part of why he had considered making the journey, but all the same he was finding it a truly novel experience. Though now he understood better the alpha's reasons for offering him help so openly (now that he had had a rest and a bit of a think, and was feeling much less self-piteous), Halcyon couldn't help but feel a little abashed at the fact that he needed to be waited on at least for this moment, invalid that he had been the day before. Still, though her considerate treatment of him continued to make him feel ever so slightly off-kilter, it wasn't an unpleasant sort of displacement. Halcyon could see that she had personal standards and morals that she upheld faithfully, which spoke miles of how she must be a worthy alpha and leader to her pack. Bowing his head in gratitude, he replied with a serious but heartfelt "Thank you," stepping closer to accept the lemur Iiona had brought him. He was painfully aware that this was the second time they had spoken and he had barely said twenty words, but "thank you" had already come up three times - he must be starting to appear verbally stunted. However, though it pained him to be beholden to any wolf, Hal was slowly starting to feel a little less uncomfortable under her care. Respectfully, he moved a step or two away before tearing into the animal. The minute blood touched his tongue he realised he was ravenous, remembering that it had been probably a full day since his last meal on top of the strenuous swim. A part of him tried valiantly reminding him to eat neatly, but it was put away quickly anyhow, his body recognising the need to replenish the energy he had expended both to travel and to heal. Licking his chops, Halcyon turned his attention back to Iiona, his scarred gaze settling on her face. Distantly he wondered when talking had become a thing he was so determined to conquer when he had been contentedly reticent for so long, but he resolutely made the decision to try. "You've been very kind, Iiona." Brow furrowing, he paused as if to carefully phrase his next lines, then soldiered on. "I intend to repay your kindness, but I only know how to do that by serving. And since I would like to remain here on the island, I hope to join your pack. I may not have two eyes," and here he let the eyelid of his blind eye slip shut in a sad, regretful imitation of a wink, "but my other senses are keen. I am quiet and fast." So many words. Good job, you old bastard. He lowered his head in acquiescence, submitting himself to her scrutiny. "If you can put me to use, please do." For strangely enough, Halcyon found himself unopposed to considering the idea of beginning to trust Iiona. All things considered, he barely knew her, and Halcyon had never willingly offered his service and allegiance to anyone before today. Yet he found some solace in the notion that he could be a useful weapon under the right authority, a mighty extension of tooth or claw, and he felt comfortable that the one who wielded him could be her. ooc: Yeah I've been brushing up on pack lore and it's really interesting! :3 Also sorry I keep blathering on in Hal's posts I seem to enjoy writing him and his internal issues a lot LOL

[Heika]

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Ray [break] 
Original Photo © Don Burkett

I'm glad you like it! And dwdw it's always interesting to read what's going on in Hal's mind!

Do i dare, disturb the universe?

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"Thank you." Nodding back with a faint smile, Iiona watched and waited patiently as Halcyon tore into the lemur. She was aware that these creatures didn't live on the mainland — she had heard many humorous tales from her father about adjusting to life in the Island and developing a taste for the prey — and had been somewhat worried that he wouldn't enjoy it. But, as he began ripping at it ravenously, she realized that it wouldn't be an issue. [break][break]

"You've been very kind, Iiona." He had said, glancing at her thoughtfully enough that she held her tongue to hear what else he had to say. "I intend to repay your kindness, but I only know how to do that by serving. And since I would like to remain here on the island, I hope to join your pack. I may not have two eyes, but my other senses are keen. I am quiet and fast. If you can put me to use, please do." [break][break]

That had caught her off guard. Most loners, especially those without any particular interest in joining a pack, preferred to remain distant. The longer they had been on their own, the more disinterested they were in bowing to authority. Halcyon, however, had not only asked to join her pack, but placed himself in a submissive position through his wording. Never before had she dealt with a wolf like that; she had met proud wolves, had stared down aggressive ones, and had calmly placated bitter ones. But, Halcyon was one of a kind, and it was almost enough to make Iiona rethink her decision.[break][break]

"I can appreciate your sentiment," Iiona said, gazing briefly at his closed eye before meeting his other one. "But, I cannot allow outsiders into my pack so freely, so I will make you a deal. Take it or leave it, I will not force you to return to the mainland before you are healthy enough to make the journey. It will take a week or two for your leg to heal entirely. In the meantime, you will be free to familiarize yourself with the territory, find your place amongst the rest of the pack, and, most importantly, earn my trust. If you manage to do so, I will welcome you into my pack. But, if you fail, I will have you leave the Island." [break][break]

ulla

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[Ray]

HALCYON vanatore my heart is like a stallion, they love it more when it's broken It was with no small amount of deliberation that Halcyon had decided yes, he wanted to join Iiona's pack. The little time afforded to him that morning between waking and meeting her again had been a short but needed interval where he had been able to weigh his options and reach a conclusion. He had already made the dangerous journey across the water, and would have been loathe to leave the island regardless of whether he remained a loner or not. But Halcyon greatly doubted a leader like Iiona would allow him to remain on her territory if he did not have the intention of joining her pack. On top of that... it had been three years since Halcyon had been a pack wolf. That was more than half of all the years he had lived. He had been cast out just on the cusp of adulthood, the last of his youth still clinging to his bones. Those three years had shown him the benefits of being a loner, as well as the disadvantages, and as much as he appreciated the quiet - he was done. He missed the familiarity of a rank, of routine, of orders. Of not being wary of everyone he met, of having people to rely on. "I can appreciate your sentiment. But, I cannot allow outsiders into my pack so freely, so I will make you a deal. Take it or leave it, I will not force you to return to the mainland before you are healthy enough to make the journey. It will take a week or two for your leg to heal entirely. In the meantime, you will be free to familiarize yourself with the territory, find your place amongst the rest of the pack, and, most importantly, earn my trust. If you manage to do so, I will welcome you into my pack. But, if you fail, I will have you leave the Island." Iiona's words were clear and brooked no argument. At first they seemed daunting, a task that seemed dangerously impossible, that he would surely fail just by being who he was. Halcyon knew what he looked like, and he knew his scarred face made many a wolf uneasy. They were not handsome scars, these were the remnants of bad decisions made against vicious enemies, and let everyone who saw them know that Halcyon would fight back. He knew that they immediately gave him an air of brutality, and those who didn't know any better would assume he had started the fights that had gotten him these permanent marks. But right up til that point, despite how he must have come off at first glance, Iiona had been nothing but respectful and considerate to him, a trespasser and intruder who deserved nothing at all. He respected her in return for that, and though he had known her for barely a day it was abundantly clear that the choices she made were for the safety and welfare of her pack. Though a small part of him prickled with doubt and indignation, those feelings were tempered by his respect for her and her decisions. He also appreciated that Iiona hadn't beaten around the bush and had come straight out with her verdict - it was refreshing to hear the situation and her stance addressed frankly, without waffling about, with what was required of him stated clearly. Yet another reason to find her leadership worthy. And so, Halcyon resolved to accept her deal. Holding her gaze steadily but without any contempt or disregard, he nodded once, quite solemnly. "I understand and I accept your conditions," he pronounced, as if each word were a fragile robin's egg. "I hope not to disappoint." Earning anyone's trust was an undertaking not to be taken lightly, but he hoped that his sincerity if nothing else would come through these few weeks and prove he deserved acceptance into the Sharktooth Island pack. Maker give me strength, he thought, a old phrase that his father would often murmur under his breath suddenly resurfacing in his mind. It was all up to him now. ooc: I'm sorry for the wait!! o<-< Anyway I'd call this thread pretty much done, perhaps let me know if you have any preferences on where I start the next one or any direction you want the plot to go :^)