Fable - Ask Laws of the Pack

[Uhfred]

She nodded, she hadn’t taken down such large prey, when she was alone, there was no point in killing an animal it would take a week to eat. It would bring scavengers to her, and she alone could not protect it, so she never hunted such large game. She’d eaten deer many a time of course but never killed one. As she krept towards the scent she moved the bow to her hand and brought forth 2 arrows from her quiver, nocking them slowly. She had taught herself to shoot 2 arrows at the same time early on, a technique she wanted to know more for protection than hunting, but she figured if she could sink two arrows into her prey, it’d be more likely to go down without a fuss.

As she crept forward the doe came into her sight. She stopped as it lifted it’s head, looking around before lowering it’s head back to the grass it was eating. She crept a little closer, but did not want to push her luck. She pulled back on the bowstring, the two arrows nocked with a small space between them so they would shoot straight and not push each other off course. She narrowed her eyes as she pulled back on the string and released. The arrows whistled as the flew, one hit the doe square in the chest, the other however missed. The doe grunted, digging its feet into the ground before turning to bolt away. The doe’s legs buckled beneath her and she dropped after a few feet, the arrow having found solace, luckily, in the heart.

Seph was a bit shocked at herself and she ran towards where the doe went down, checking the animals heart. It kicked at her, it’s body still functioning in its death throes. She lifted the doe’s head, slitting it’s throat with her claw to bleed the doe as well. She lifted her head, looking in the direction that she’d left Baraek. She was a bit embarrassed both arrows didnt hit, but she did not dwell on it long.

She took the lead as bidden. And he hung back to watch. He watched her nock the arrows, and pull back. He watched the arrows fly, and he watched one hit it's mark perfectly. The other flew off on it's own. He watched the doe collapse, and he watched as she cut it's throat to bleed it. He nodded his approval, and came over to help her should she need it.

"A fine catch and a good shot. Do I need to carry it back for you?" He asked.

Basic rule for hunting was to bring prey back immediately. That way it could be prepared or preserved sooner and you weren't lugging a carcass around the woods. It also kept it away from scavengers. So now that she had killed something, they were to bring it back at once.

 

[The Kimber]

She smiled brightly as he headed her way, her tail wagging rapidly. He nodded his approval as he looked the doe over before he looked to her.

"A fine catch and a good shot. Do I need to carry it back for you?"

She shook her head slightly as she lowered herself, slipping her arms beneath the doe to lift it. She ducked her head under the doe to put it on her shoulders. It was a decent weight, so she may ask him to take over at some point, but her hope was to prove her worth. She’d killed it, now she wanted to carry it home.

“I think I got it, thank you,” she said as she crouched slightly to pick up her bow, before starting to head towards the village. “Bringing this to your pack will hopefully help them accept me a little more…” She said as she turned her eyes towards him while they walked. She lifted her nose to the air again, checking for other wolves once more.

Uhfred

 

[Uhfred]

“I think I got it, thank you,” she said as she crouched slightly to pick up her bow, before starting to head towards the village. “Bringing this to your pack will hopefully help them accept me a little more…” She said as she turned her eyes towards him while they walked. She lifted her nose to the air again, checking for other wolves once more.

“It will help in that regard if nothing else.” He told her, he could see that she might not be able to carry it all the way, so he decided to restate his offer. “Are you sure you don’t want me to carry it for a little while so that you can be the one that carries it into the village?”

He asked this because if he carried it into the village, it would appear to be his catch, not hers, at first glance and probably even a second. In that regard he was mostly trying to make sure that credit went where credit was due. But if she was certain he wouldn’t press the matter.

They would begin making their way back, and as they approached the outskirts of the hillden village they’d catch wind of the encroachers. They would smell very similar to those in the village already that it took a moment for Baraek to even realize that these weren’t familiar scents. If she didn’t also notice, she’d be made aware that something was wrong by Baraek drawing his swords, ready to fight.

 

[The Kimber]

“It will help in that regard if nothing else. Are you sure you don’t want me to carry it for a little while so that you can be the one that carries it into the village?”

“No, I will be ok, thank you” she said, she was determined to do this to prove to him and his pack that she was worthy. Her mouth parted slightly as they walked and her tongue drug along the length of her lower jaw slightly as she breathed. The closer they got to the village the more tired she got, but she fought through it. She’d stopped sniffing the air, too busy carrying her kill, she knew he would be paying attention to everything around so she felt safe enough.

As they got closer to the village she noticed he appeared on edge suddenly. She slowed, watching him closely, closing her maw and lifting her nose to the breeze. She could not tell any difference on the air, but there was something wrong in the look upon his face. He drew swords, and for a second she was concerned he was mad at her but she had done nothing to anger him so she did not think that would be the case.

“What…. What’s wrong?” she stammered, unsure if she should drop the deer, run and get it into the village or what. She assessed that her running loose into the village would get them in trouble, so she opted to drop the doe and pull an arrow, nocking it cautiously as she watched him, her sapphire eyes very worried. She sniffed the air again but all the scents in the village were pretty new to her and she could not tell one of the pack from anyone else. She was still trying to learn his scent.

Uhfred

 

[Uhfred]

“No, I will be ok, thank you” she said, she was determined to do this to prove to him and his pack that she was worthy

He shrugged, “as you like.”

“What…. What’s wrong?” she stammered, unsure if she should drop the deer, run and get it into the village or what. She assessed that her running loose into the village would get them in trouble, so she opted to drop the doe and pull an arrow, nocking it cautiously as she watched him, her sapphire eyes very worried. She sniffed the air again but all the scents in the village were pretty new to her and she could not tell one of the pack from anyone else. She was still trying to learn his scent.

“It’s the encroachers, they’re close.” He said simply. He sniffed the air again and turned sharply to his left, and barely leapt back in time to avoid an arrow that easily could have pierced his heart.

He let out an angry growl. A second arrow whizzed his way, also narrowly avoided. He took that as his cue to charge. He ran straight for the now visible wolf in the treeline. It was a male who carried a bow not unlike Baraek’s own. It was long and thick, a warbow.

But as Baraek drew closer the wolf drew his own sword, a falx by the looks of it, and met him in the middle. Unlucky for Baraek and Sephrenia, the encroacher was not alone. Two more wolves came out, one male one female, also carrying bows, one aimed for Baraek while the second went for Sephrenia.

 

[The Kimber]

“It’s the encroachers, they’re close.”

She snarled as the whistle of an arrow pierced the silence in the air and an arrow barely missed Baraek. She twisted her gaze quickly to the treeline from where the arrow flew, her ebony lips pulling from her ivory fangs as she growled and looked around. Her sapphire eyes caught the wolf hidden amongst the treeline as Baraek also seemed to sight the intruder. He growled deeply, the sound seemed to ripple through her muscles making her tense slightly. The fur aligning her back fluffed slightly as the muscles beneath it rippled with tension.

A second arrow flew past and she watched as Baraek charged, she followed, holding the bow and already nocked arrow in one hand as she followed him. As he went sword to sword with the other wolf her eyes caught the other two, both of whom had arrows aimed and ready to dispose of her and Baraek. She moved as quickly as she could, getting herself between the wolf aiming for Baraek and Baraek, her bow raising and she released the nocked arrow at his chest, ignoring the other wolf aiming for her entirely. The arrow, like with the deer struck the wolf in the chest, though he did not drop as quickly, the shot not piercing his heart as it had the does.

She reached back to her quiver, grabbing two more arrows as the other wolf’s arrow sunk into her shoulder. She snarled in pain but didn’t stop, She grabbed two arrows, sliced her wrist with the arrowtip of one, soaking them with her quickly spilling blood before nocking them and aiming both for the uninjured wolf that had spilled her blood. She pulled back hard and released, both arrows finding a home in the wolf, one in it’s bow-hand the other in it’s stomach, the pain bringing it to it’s knees. Her own pain set Seph’s blood magic into a frenzy, her body temperature spiking suddenly by several, uncomfortable, degrees. Sapphire eyes had grown darker than their already piercingly dark blue hue as she turned them on the wolf she’d shot in the chest. She snarled loudly, pulling another arrow quickly, dipping it in her blood again before releasing it at the wolf with the arrow in his chest. This arrow hit his thigh, that was all she needed, both wolves now had her blood in their wounds. She growled loudly “Ulcus” and as her blood, like a virus spread through their veins it heated up rapidly causing their wounds to bleed far worse than normal.

As the blood magic worked, as their blood heated it would not kill them, but as it was something they’d never felt before (most likely) the pain of having a temperature, especially one so sudden would be uncomfortable to say the least, distracting them with pain, dizziness and nausea most likely, making it far more difficult for them to fight. Seph took the opportunity with them distracted to jump at the archer that had aimed for Baraek, she grabbed for his head to try and snap his neck to dispatch him quickly. Her blood within her was boiling slightly, she was used to her body temp increasing, but the energy she was using for all things was rapidly draining. When the one wolf was dispatched, she took a moment to look to the fight Baraek was involved in.

Uhfred

 

[Uhfred]

Fights were frequently over quickly. Clashing and holding that position long enough to have dialogue was nothing short of idiocy. And wolves didn’t really bother with dialogue in fights unless it was for training purposes. So he engaged the falx-wielding wolf, while the other two went after Sephrenia. He needed to finish this fight quickly so that she wasn’t stuck in a two on one fight.

She got one, so his worries were assuaged momentarily, until he heard her snarl, he knew then she had been hit. So he swiftly worked on killing his current opponent to help her with her own fight. So he caught his opponents sword in his cross guard and stabbed with the other, before turning to find that she’d already dealt with the two archers.

He glanced at her surprised, then he saw the arrow and his surprise was replaced by concern. He approached her and inspected the injury. It didn’t appear too bad, but he was no healer. He said simply, “come with me, we need to get that looked at by a professional.”

 

[The Kimber]

She panted heavily, her tongue dragging along her lower jaw as she breathed rapidly, trying to cool herself down. He moved to her quickly, moving to look to the arrow imbedded within her shoulder. She could see the concern on his face, but she wasn't worried.

“come with me, we need to get that looked at by a professional.”

She leaned against him slightly, exhausted from the energy used. I just need to get the arrow out... it will heal on it's own. she thought to rip the arrow out, but it could do more harm than good, so she'd leave that to those whom knew more about that. Her body would start healing around the arrow quickly though, her blood, racing through her veins rapidly would start mending any wounds she had.

She went with him, heading toward the village, leaning against him on occasion as the exhaust tickled her senses and she forced herself to stay awake.

Uhfred

 

[Uhfred]

He was quick to put her uninjured arm around his shoulders to help support her better as they walked in. Removing the arrow was likely the most important issue, because all across the board, with a few exceptions, Lyman’s of all kinds healed fast, so they wouldn’t worry abound bandaging it, they wouldn’t even if they had something to bandage it with. So that issue was solved fairly soon, and he retrieved the doe for them.

He left her in the den to go inform the alpha of what had happened and told her to stay in the den while he was gone, so they could get away with not tying her up. He’d return soon enough, “how is your injury?”

Coming in he’d sit across from her. “The alpha has ordered all males gather tonight for a hunt. We’re going after the pack, a few females are coming along too. I came to ask if you’d rather stay here or go with us.”

 

[The Kimber]

The arrow was removed and Seph taken to his den. Sje lay down while he went to report what had happened. She closed her eyes falling into a deep sleep until he returned, his inquiry waking her “how is your injury?” blinked herself awake as she moved to sit up, looking to her shoulder. The wound was not fully healed, but it was making progress and no longer bleeding. She smiled softly as he sat across from her " it's fine...." she answered.

She watched him for a moment before he spoke. “The alpha has ordered all males gather tonight for a hunt. We’re going after the pack, a few females are coming along too. I came to ask if you’d rather stay here or go with us.”

" i would be happy to go, or if you would prefer I can stay here, whichever you think would be more beneficial."

She watched him curiously as she waited for his response.

Uhfred

 

[Uhfred]

" i would be happy to go, or if you would prefer I can stay here, whichever you think would be more beneficial."

He shook his head, "I'm asking you. If you want to stay here I'll have to put you on the leash. Leaving you free for brief periods of time is one thing, leaving you alone indefinitely and free is something else entirely, I simply wouldn't be able to get away with it. It's your choice, I won't make you come, I won't make you stay."

 

[The Kimber]

"I'm asking you. If you want to stay here I'll have to put you on the leash. Leaving you free for brief periods of time is one thing, leaving you alone indefinitely and free is something else entirely, I simply wouldn't be able to get away with it. It's your choice, I won't make you come, I won't make you stay."

The leash is no big deal, it has to be done and I hold no ill will for it. But I will go with, I will learn the ways of the pack better that way, and I can heal you or your pack on the spot if anything happens rather than wait for you to return.

She smiled faintly, she didn't want to fight again, but it seemed it was part of pack life and she liked the idea of being part of a pack so she would make herself useful however she could.

Uhfred

 

[Uhfred]

The leash is no big deal, it has to be done and I hold no ill will for it. But I will go with, I will learn the ways of the pack better that way, and I can heal you or your pack on the spot if anything happens rather than wait for you to return.

She smiled faintly, she didn't want to fight again, but it seemed it was part of pack life and she liked the idea of being part of a pack so she would make herself useful however she could.

He nodded, "Very well. You likely won't be up front since you have minimal close combat capabilities, you'll likely be in the back as an archer, or if your healing capabilities are truly so good then you will prove invaluable."

He stood up and gestured for her to follow, "Sorry that this happened so quickly and suddenly, one minute you're just under watch and the next you're being brought to war with us."

So they joined a large group of twenty other wolves, eleven males aside from Baraek and the alpha, and nine females, most armed with bows. They were off into the woodlands around them only twenty minutes later.

 

[The Kimber]

Very well. You likely won't be up front since you have minimal close combat capabilities, you'll likely be in the back as an archer, or if your healing capabilities are truly so good then you will prove invaluable."

She nodded, not being up front was perfectly fine with her. She was more useful in the back, healing and shooting blood soaked arrows if need be. He stood, she did as well and stepped close to him. She smiled as she bumped him playfully a little as she headed outside, listening to his words as they walked.

"Sorry that this happened so quickly and suddenly, one minute you're just under watch and the next you're being brought to war with us."

"Such is pack life, it seems, better to learn it early. "

Things evolved much faster than she expected and within the half hour a group was gathered. She carried her longbow and stayed towards the back while Baraek gathered everyone. She noticed the ivory alpha, curious that he was coming to this battle as well. As they headed out, heading for the woodlands she found Baraek and stayed at his side obediently as they moved out.

Uhfred

 

[Uhfred]

Her playful bump was a little unexpected, and he had no idea how to respond. So he didn't respond, he just continued to walk. Her comment on it being pack life was also left unanswered, as there was nothing to really say to that. And they got to the gathered warband without further word. With Baraek helping to organize the group before they finally set out.

Her obedience was definitely becoming a normal thing. So they walked, or stalked rather, through the forest, following the scent of the unfamiliar wolves. But they weren't travelling in a single group, but rather three groups travelled several feet away from one another, so that if one were ambushed the other two could converge and help.

It was getting close to dusk when they finally found sign of the enemy being nearby. The sound of fighting off to the right was heard. The alpha ordered the group to go and assist, and they did, coming to find two groups, their group and the encroachers locked in combat. They were severely outnumbered, the encroachers appearing almost thrice their number. Nonetheless, they went in.

 

[The Kimber]

As they travelled, the group separated into 3 separate units, an action that made some sense to her non-pack trained brain, but then again part of it didn’t make sense. Why separate, losses could happen quickly before the groups could get back together, where as if they all travelled together there would be safety in numbers. It was not her place to ask about such things though, so she did as she was told and kept her mouth shut. As dusk began to come the scent of strange wolves came to the pack, then the sound of fighting. The ivory alpha ordered them ahead and she went, keeping as close to Baraek as she could.

As they moved, one of their groups came into view, battling what Baraek called the encroachers. The encroachers had numbers on their side and the sight made Seph very nervous about their chances. She reached along her back, grabbing an arrow in silence and cutting her forearm with one, trying to go unnoticed by the pack as she dipped the arrowhead in her blood before aiming for an encroacher. She narrowed her eyes slightly as she aimed, making sure not to hit one of their own as she continued to walk forward, but fell to the back of the charging group as he had told her she’d stay in the back.

When she felt her chances of hitting were good, she released the bow string, sending her arrow screaming into the air. It sunk into the throat of one of the encroachers, dropping the wolf with no need for her to use any blood magic. She pulled another arrow, again dipping it in her blood before looking for her next target.
Uhfred

 

[Uhfred]

The groups met, and fighting ensued. Baraeks swords flashed silver through the field, while axes and clubs alongside swords clashed and stuck angrily against fur of varying shades. The fighting was fierce and long, the third group joining in to reinforce the outnumbered pack. Females, mostly armed with bows, stayed back with Sephrenia, firing their own arrows at unfamiliar wolves, several on both sides died, the twenty of the native pack swiftly dropping to fifteen, whilst the estimated sixty of the encroachers dwindled only slightly more.

It was two hours after it was dark that the encroachers finally broke away and left, seemingly fleeing. Their pack tried to pursue but the alpha ordered otherwise, something didn't seem right to him. If thought about, it wouldn't make much sense for a larger force to retreat during a battle that, despite heavy losses, was apparently winning, even if they weren't winning they were wolves, retreat wasn't something considered.

The pack was ordered back to the village, and the dead were collected, and carried back with them. But upon arrival to their village, the only thing to meet them was the smell of fresh-spilt blood. Noone in the village was alive, all freshly slain. Among the familiar bodies were fourteen dead encroachers.

 

[The Kimber]

The fight took longer than she expected, and this being her second fight, right after a hunt she felt sore. She was not used to fighting like this, she didn’t approach danger she usually hid or ran being a lone wolf. Hours passed and while she could see better than a human in the darkness, her eyesight was not perfect in the darkness and her eyes strained a little more to aim correctly. As suddenly as the fight had gotten more intense, it ended with the other pack turning tail and fleeing. She lowered her bow, confused as they were still greatly outnumbered, but the others left.

She lifted one of the dead, her sapphire eyes seeking Baraek quietly, the confusion was obvious on her face as she walked back towards home in silence. Her brow knotted over her eyes as she kept her eyes down, walking slowly. She lifted her head slowly as they walked, the scent of blood, a lot of it, filling her nose the closer they got to the village. She stopped in her tracks as she saw the carnage, her eyes raced to Baraek, watching his reaction tentatively. She swallowed dryly and didn’t move, suddenly she felt, once again, like an outsider. She knew the others would probably be looking to her and she felt more in danger now than ever.

She couldn’t even begin to think of what to say or do, she just stood, frozen in her place, looking to Baraek, then the ivory alpha. Her ears twisted, resting against her skull as her tail pressed against the backs of her legs, but other than that she didn’t move, the deceased pack-mate still on her shoulders. She could not even fathom what happened… all the dead, pups even… she started to feel sick to her stomach but she did not budge.
Uhfred

 

[Uhfred]

She lifted one of the dead, her sapphire eyes seeking Baraek quietly, the confusion was obvious on her face as she walked back towards home in silence. Her brow knotted over her eyes as she kept her eyes down, walking slowly. She lifted her head slowly as they walked, the scent of blood, a lot of it, filling her nose the closer they got to the village. She stopped in her tracks as she saw the carnage, her eyes raced to Baraek, watching his reaction tentatively. She swallowed dryly and didn’t move, suddenly she felt, once again, like an outsider. She knew the others would probably be looking to her and she felt more in danger now than ever.

Upon arrival Baraek's eyes were fixed firmly on the bodies, a mix of sorrow and fury piercing his heart. Each of these wolves he had known personally, spoken with, eaten with, hunted with. They were his friends, his kin, and the young lay dead among them. It looked to have been a struggle, women and pups fighting the attackers viciously but ultimately failing.

His face would show his anger, and he wasn't the only one. All of the wolves around Sephrenia were too furious to think. Save the alpha and two or three others. They had left with eleven males and nine females, they came back with six males and nine females, and now they were the only ones left.

The elderly alpha made his way into the middle of the village, and he called out, "Gather the dead. tonight we set them to sleep."

So they obliged, bringing the pups and the dead females into several rows, laid neatly with their arms laid over their abdomens. Once they were gathered, they were set to burn. After that, the alpha ordered they leave, this place was no longer home, it was home to their fallen only. They began to move, away from the village, it was unlikely any would return, ever.

 

[The Kimber]

Seph watched Baraek’s face as he looked to the dead, she could feel the anger radiating from him and the glisten in his eyes scared her. The Alpha walked towards the middle of the village and roared into the night air "Gather the dead. tonight we set them to sleep." His booming voice made her flinch slightly as she headed towards him with the wolf on her shoulders, laying the wolf down gently, as if it were asleep and not dead, taking care to be gentle.

She watched the bodies be set to burn and turned her eyes away, she did not want to see them burn, her ears remained against her skull loosely, sorrowfully. Then the alpha ordered that they were going to leave. She blinked slightly, they were leaving? They were established here, this was something that didn’t make any sense to her, but she asked no questions. She just kind of existed in the world as everything was done around her. She did whatever she was told to do, but for the most part she was ignored. She didn’t know what to say or do, so she stayed out of the way until told otherwise.

When they headed out she followed slowly, staying at the back, carrying her bow and quiver on her back and her bag held before her. She looked back at the village silently as they walked before turning her eyes forward, picking Baraek out of the group before her. They had exchanged no words since they left to fight, how long ago that seemed now, so much upheaval that she did not understand. She walked with the group silently, but kept herself segregated, she didn’t know what was appropriate to do, or say. She’d known none of the dead personally, she couldn’t imagine the pain those walking in front of her felt.

Uhfred

 

[Uhfred]

Yes, they were established, but now they were outnumbered, even more so than before, the enemy knew where they were, and so staying was nothing short of suicide. Besides, packs moved fairly often, going to where the food was to stay fed. The burning bodies behind them sent white smoke into the air. Their belief held that when someone died their flesh became a cage for the spirit that yearned freedom, so burning the body set it free sooner rather than later.

Baraek walked near the front, swords drawn and ready to fight at the drop of a hair. His nose constantly sniffing for enemies. If they were caught off guard then they were liable to die. If they were caught, then they were essentially doomed, and everyone knew that, so they all would fight with reckless abandon, with no hope for survival, any sense of caution would be thrown into the wind, and their most wild fury would come to bear. They'd die, but they'd have a death worthy of remembrance.

They walked until dawn, when Baraek finally approached Sephrenia. "How are you holding up?"

 

[The Kimber]

When dawn came, after the night from hell Baraek fell back and approached her. Her sapphire eyes watched him closely as he came towards her. She smiled meakly before putting her eyes to the ground again, the pain she felt for him was substantial even though she couldn’t imagine what he was going through.

"How are you holding up?" She lifted her eyes back to him as he asked her how she was. His eyes gave nothing away, she could not tell what he was thinking or feeling.

“I am alive, and thankful for that.” was all she could come up with as she lowered her eyes to the ground again for a moment before looking past him to the others. There was so much she did not understand about pack life but she was blindly trusting it. As it stood, she would die like the rest even though she was not an actual part of this pack. She looked to the alpha for a moment, there was something about him that just seemed off to her, deep down instincts that she did not understand plaguing her. She did not know what her instincts were trying to tell her or why, she would wait things out.

She looked back to Baraek slowly… “Are you ok?” she asked softly. In humans comfort came from hugging and closeness when friends or family was lost, but she had seen none of this from any of the remaining pack, so while she was tempted to hug him and comfort him, and all of them, she did not.

Uhfred

 

[Uhfred]

I am alive, and thankful for that.” was all she could come up with as she lowered her eyes to the ground again for a moment before looking past him to the others. There was so much she did not understand about pack life but she was blindly trusting it. As it stood, she would die like the rest even though she was not an actual part of this pack. She looked to the alpha for a moment, there was something about him that just seemed off to her, deep down instincts that she did not understand plaguing her. She did not know what her instincts were trying to tell her or why, she would wait things out.

He nodded to her response. "Good."

If she looked up again she'd see his expression neither sad nor angry, just solemn and thoughtful. As though he had left those emotions behind simply to calculate. He was thinking, nothing else. The group stopped, and began to sit down in places, seeming to indicate that they'd rest there awhile, so he too sat on a fallen log nearby, elbows on his knees.

She looked back to Baraek slowly… “Are you ok?” she asked softly. In humans comfort came from hugging and closeness when friends or family was lost, but she had seen none of this from any of the remaining pack, so while she was tempted to hug him and comfort him, and all of them, she did not.

He smiled sadly at her, "I'll be fine, thanks. It is the way of all flesh, we should never forget that. We will mourn a while, but we will eventually move on."

He sighed. "You may not understand why we left the village, but there is a reason for that. That pack wasn't interested in a simple raid, no, they came to stay. We are no longer big enough to win, so we had to leave or die. We'll be back, eventually, maybe not in our lifetimes but we'll be back."

 

[The Kimber]

"Good." he said to her before he moved to sit on a fallen log. The others all spread apart, slowly sitting in various places. She swallowed dryly, lifting her nose to the air for a moment trying to scent for water. She moved to him slowly, setting her bag down near him, crouching and grabbing an empty water skin she carried with her, she would get the pack water, if she were allowed to. She stood slowly as he responded to her inquiry.

"I'll be fine, thanks. It is the way of all flesh, we should never forget that. We will mourn a while, but we will eventually move on."

A sigh escaped his lungs as he spoke "You may not understand why we left the village, but there is a reason for that. That pack wasn't interested in a simple raid, no, they came to stay. We are no longer big enough to win, so we had to leave or die. We'll be back, eventually, maybe not in our lifetimes but we'll be back."

She nodded lightly as she looked to him, holding the waterskin and showing him. “May I find water for everyone? I imagine everyone is thirsty…” She knew very well they could get water on their own, but she wanted to do what she could. She was exhausted, not used to so much chaos anymore. She hadn’t been involved in so much in over 4 years since she was free of her father so everything going on was a bit of culture shock for her. But she wanted to be part of this pack… what was left… so she would do what she could.

Uhfred

 

[Uhfred]

She nodded lightly as she looked to him, holding the waterskin and showing him. “May I find water for everyone? I imagine everyone is thirsty…” She knew very well they could get water on their own, but she wanted to do what she could. She was exhausted, not used to so much chaos anymore. She hadn’t been involved in so much in over 4 years since she was free of her father so everything going on was a bit of culture shock for her. But she wanted to be part of this pack… what was left… so she would do what she could.

He nodded, "Yes, yes you can. I'll go with you in case something happens."

He stood up with her to accompany her to a nearby stream, a pond, a spring, any source of water. He'd walk with her, not ahead, not behind, with. He wouldn't say anything, he wouldn't start a conversation, he'd just walk with her. Quiet and calm, but watchful and alert. His swords had been sheathed by then, but his hands every so often visibly twitched, as though itching to grab the hilt of a sword and cut something down.

They'd find a stream and make it back with some water with no major difficulties. No complications, no attacks, they were alone out there, save for their pack.