A little heart to heart (NB/BF/Squeeji)

[Electus]

I realize this is a bit of an inopportune time for a heart to heart, but who knows when there'll be an opportunity again?

Yeah right. Some starting statement that would have been. This was Arnlan. Wolves were not allowed out unless on missions given by Alphas, and no one was allowed in. But it did have some merit...wolves in Arnlan were awfully secluded. So indeed, who knew when the time would come again? Who knows.

Mortil slowly opened his eyes. He didn't feel like moving. But it was better than doing nothing. That affair with Ultionis was a disaster. He shuddered, as he starkly felt the discomfort of his healing injuries. Looks like more scars for the record. Oh well. The ash-gray wolf slowly got up and padded silently out of his isolated and hidden den. If it was up to him, no one would know where it was, except maybe for the Alphas. And that's the way he wanted it to be.

He started to wander the vast darkness of Arnlan aimlessly, yawning a little. Even during the day, Arnlan had a perpetual gloom about it. But the scarred wolf brightened a little. Spring would come soon, and then the landscape would look brighter, maybe. It'd be one eventful winter. Mortil could hardly believe that he'd survived it.

The wayward wolf lifted his muzzle to release a lonely bell-tone howl into the sky. Nothing urgent, just a call to friends, if they cared for some company.

[Squeeji]

Pollux caught the sound on the winter wind with a perk of her ears, it was Mortillas, which she always seemed to be such a lonely young male, she wouldn't mind to spent some time with him...after all, she was so amused by his charming little alter ego.

With a yawn the scout leapt to her feet, trotting towards where the sound originated, right where she had ran into him the last time, his little den, out in the middle of nowhere...and in Arnlan, that...really wasn't that hard, since most of the packlands were boondocks, she smiled toothily at the ash colored male.

"Hello, hello young man...seems you got your tail in a spot of trouble..." the metallic female said in a singsong tone with a wink towards Mortil, she seemed to fuss on him and sniffled. "You're injured...you have had that looked over...yes?" she eyed him over with some concern.

[nightblood]

An ear twitched as a familiar note rang. NightBlood had been asleep in her cave for a while now. She'd been taking a short break from her duties at the border, after pulling double-duty, of course. The Sentry was not about to let herself have a break unless she made sure she earned it first. She'd learned this from her father.

The female blinked slowly in the darkness of her cave. She yawned and shook her head. Slowly pulling herself up, she was reminded of her old wounds. They stung a bit, but she payed them no mind. They'd be fully healed in about a week and she could go back to being the hard-core brute of a female that she was... On second thought, maybe that NightBlood could use a rest. Without seeing where he was, she could feel Armageddon asleep at her side. Being in love made her act a bit softer. Heck, being in Arnlan made her act a bit softer. She'd hate to see what she'd act like if she ever returned to Draviria.

Returning her thoughts to what was at hand, NightBlood trotted to the mouth of her den. Mortil's call had been quite lonely. She was quite certain, then, that Mortil was in control and maybe even that Umbra was asleep. She lifted her muzzle to the sky and let out a deep, but comforting howl. She was calling him to her. If he was lonesome, she'd provide company for him. What else were friends for?

She quickly turned to Armageddon. The ebony male hadn't met Mortilitas Umbra yet, to her knowledge. She lopped over to him and lowered her nose to his ear.

"Wake up, Army," she said softly, leaning down to lick his cheek. She returned to his ear and pulled on it a bit before whispering again. "I want you to meet someone. Wake up."

[Blackfeathr]

His dreams were filled with strange sounds and shapes that did not make sense to him. At least he didn't have any discernable nightmares. The colors and shapes encircled him in a blurry dance until they formed the black and tan image of his mate, NightBlood. His mind smiled at the image, and NightBlood began to speak.

"Wake up, Army," came her voice, so soft and melodic, "I want you to meet someone. Wake up."
He opened his eyes blearily to see the NightBlood in reality, a smile creeping up his muzzle. He felt like the happiest wolf on earth to see her face first thing when he awoke.
"Hello sweetheart."
He started to recall what she was saying to him as he woke up, and pushed himself up off the ground.
"Sounds great. I havent met anyone else around here. Lets go!"
He stretched his front legs, leaning his chest against the earth floor, extending his claws into the dirt, then stretched his back legs and shook himself off. He walked slowly to the mouth of the cave and looked outside. Since the snowstorm, the weather was warming up. The bright suns rays spilled over the tree branches of Arnlan. It felt wonderful on his fur. He looked to NightBlood, the sun glinting a halo around his black fur. He was going out, meeting other wolves, with his mate, who he couldn't be happier with.
It was going to be a beautiful day.

[Electus]

"Hello, hello young man...seems you got your tail in a spot of trouble..."

Mortil dipped his head respectfully as he saw Pollux emerge from the gloom. He smiled at the statement. "Hello Pollux. Yes, I guess you can say I had a little trouble."

"You're injured...you have had that looked over...yes?"

Mortil nodded. "Quite so. They're healing well." He looked up into the sky. The ash-grey wolf could hear Nightblood's beckoning call. He smiled. Mortil had wanted to speak with Nightblood on something. He supposed Pollux may as well come along. He turned to her.

"Walk with me?" he started moving at a leisurely pace. He was sure Nightblood wouldn't just sit around waiting.

[Squeeji]

"Of course," She smiled kindly, and offered her shoulder for the male to lean on if he got tired. "Don't strain yourself Mortillas, or you'll exasperate your wounds." Pollux warned him, if he damaged himself permanently, he would have her to reckon with.

"So how have you been?" the scout grinned her eyes squinting in some terrible mirth, where she found that amusement three seasons out of the year was almost supernatural.

[nightblood]

"Hello sweetheart."

That greeting nearly kicked her off her feet, but NightBlood managed a slight smile, almost having to force back a laugh. She'd never been called that before and, in truth, never expected it.

"Sounds great. I havent met anyone else around here. Lets go!"

The Sentry watched silently as he stretched, the smile growing on her face. He'd certainly get a kick out of this first character. If Umbra was awake... well, there was really no telling what would happen. If he decided to make an appearance, she'd either end up defending Armageddon like the had to with Archer, or they might end up being friends. After all, Umbra had no ill affairs with this one, she hoped.

The female followed her ebony mate as he walked slowly to the mouth of the cave and paused. She looked around as well, welcoming the bright sunshine as it danced on her fur, warming her up. Granted, she liked autumn and winter the most, she did not argue with the passing of the cold. It would return again. With this in mind, she closed her eyes and leaned slightly into the breeze as it blew in her face. Today promised no ill wether yet.

NightBlood raised a paw and placed it on the lower level rocks. She wasn't just going to wait here for her friend to arrive. And she'd be damned if she was going to make the injured wolf walk all the way to her. No. She'd at least make it half way to his den... where ever that was...

[Blackfeathr]

Armageddon smiled as she passed him in silence but good spirits. He waited until she was in front of him, then headed out of the cave. Paws slipped on shifting rocks every now and then, but he trudged on. He wondered to himself what this wolf would be like. He certainly should expect the unexpected. He felt nervous, but continued to follow NightBlood. As he thought about this future meeting, he looked at the sun dappled ground as it passed. Grass was beginning to poke through the mud and the snow was nearly nonexistent. It would most certainly be gone by the end of the day.

He trotted up in pace with NightBlood, his gait sprightly and lively. "So, whats this wolf's name, if I may ask? What are they like?" He asked her curiously, head tilting as he glanced at her.

((rr, short.))

[Electus]

"So how have you been?"

Mortil contemplated the question. How had he been? "I've been doing okay" he half-lied, still walking in a slow and leisurely gait. "Apart from the little trouble I had, I'm managing." he sighed softly, a light puff of breath escaping him. Skirting death made him so flippant sometimes. It annoyed him.

He suddenly winced as he put too much pressure on his right foreleg. The limb was still healing from being broken, and though Ravenshard had set it well, it didn't mean that it still didn't hurt. "Well...I wish I could say I've been worse. Trouble is, I haven't."

[Squeeji]

Pollux grunted and then pushed Mortil with her nose. She had seen that expression there. "Alright, we're done walking now...you're going to hurt yourself if you keep that up." silly warrior-types always trying to prove how awesome they were, she knew full well what happened to that type, that's why she was now only one of a matched set, she scowled the young male.

She stopped and sat down, taking a complete firm stance on how they weren't going to move an inch further. "Well that's a start, you keep up with an attitude like that...and you're be an optimist in no time" the old scout smiled coyly and shook her head, giving the ash colored male a chuckle. "I'm sorry, i shouldn't joke...but you're so serious..." she gave him an empathetic look and she sighed. "i wish I could help you...you're so young to be so low." It was true, it pained Pollux to see Mortil, she rarely if ever pitied a wolf, but it seemed that if any, this boy needed it.

[nightblood]

"So, whats this wolf's name, if I may ask? What are they like?"

"His name is Mortilitas Umbra. Mortil or Umbra for short, depending on who's in control. He's gray and has one good eye. They are two different wolves in one body. Mortil's the more... normal... one... You'll see what I mean."

NightBlood turned and looked at Armageddon as she finished explaining, a smile coming across her face. She'd be pretty scared about meeting a dual-personalitied wolf if she was in his paws. She licked his muzzle in a comforting way.

"Don't worry. He's a good friend of mine."

With that, Night quickened her pace. Soon she could hear familiar voices. She stopped in her tracks, her body whipping backward from the sudden stop, almost forcing her to sit down. She had recognized Pollux's voice along with Mortil's. The Scout who had actually told her to "find a nice boy" and to "enjoy herself". She looked at Armageddon, a funny grin twitching up her lips as she started to laugh at the irony, or rather... the prediction. She'd done as she had requested, but that was what had made it funny. She didn't think she could ever find someone after Archer.

"Heh... heheheh... I'll never hear the end of this one... They'll get a kick out of it..." she said, the smile almost reaching from ear to ear.

She steadied herself and boldly walked forward, trying to prepare herself for what Pollux and Mortil would say. She could envision how they might react...

"Well you bounce back quick."
"Took my words seriously, did you?"

Soon NightBlood found herself only a few feet from coming over a rise to greet them. They weren't in sight yet, but she knew they were close. She picked her head up and made herself look as regal as possible without looking arrogant, hoping to dispel any snide comments...

[Blackfeathr]

Armageddon listened intently to NightBloods words.

"His name is Mortilitas Umbra. Mortil or Umbra for short, depending on who's in control. He's gray and has one good eye. They are two different wolves in one body. Mortil's the more... normal... one... You'll see what I mean."

Two different wolves...

He instantly imagined the angular, lurid figure, the figure that he despised so, in his minds eye. It stared at him with cold grey eyes. Fog and dark clouds enveloped the figure until it was no more, except the echoing, cold hiss of Kill... kill...

He could see the ground in front of him perfectly clear... but his body was on autopilot as he continued walking robotically... his minds eye was in full operation, watching the figure once again emerge from the fog. His father lifted his muzzle, those cold eyes seeming to dissect and inspect him.
You know what it's like, Geddon. To be split. To share your body with evil...

His minds eye cleared away as voices from the outside filtered into his brain. He was getting close. He should present himself right, he thought as he looked to NightBlood now walking quite politely towards the two voices. He followed suit, sticking his chest out, high stepping, trying to make himself look proper next to NightBlood. He'd bet any amount of meat that he looked rediculous.

[Electus]

"Alright, we're done walking now...you're going to hurt yourself if you keep that up."

Mortil knew Pollux, so he knew better than to protest. As the older wolf sat down, the ash-grey male instead lay down on the ground, putting his head lightly between his forelegs. "If you insist..."

"i wish I could help you...you're so young to be so low."

Mortil slowly raised his head to look at the Scout. "Is that what you think?" he asked slowly. There was no anger in his voice, just half-amused curiosity. He sighed again, before beginning to speak. "I...had wanted to talk to Nightblood about something...I guess you could say it related to that, a little. But Nightblood's just a friend. And she, I'm sure you know, hasn't had that much of an experience with love." As if to contradict his words, two scents drifted to Mortil; they weren't far. One was Nightblood's, Mortil could not mistake his friend's scent. The other was different, he'd never come across it before. But there were traces of Nightblood's scent on him.

"...Or maybe she's decided to try it again." a razor thin smile appeared on his face. "I'm not going to let her live this down."

But then the ash-grey wolf appeared to realize something, and the smile vanished, as quick as it had come.

At least she has somebody...[/color] he thought, a slightly melancholic look in his eye. He was sure thankful Umbra was asleep, otherwise he'd never have heard the end of that. Mortil looked at Pollux again.

"Pollux..." he began quietly, his voice barely audible. His tone was also serious, if not slightly sad. "Have you ever loved someone...?" It sounded for all the world like an innocent question, something a pup would ask. But Mortil could still remember a certain female in Manor Cemetery and Dante's Pass...what she had done for him...and what he never did for her. Saving someone's life is one thing...but what kind of gesture is that?

[Squeeji]

"I do insist." Pollux groomed her paws almost in a catlike behavior, proving this was still not arguable. "you're injured, I'm old...and Nightblood is a able bodied young she-wolf." she smirked sniffling when Mortil spoke of love, the sentry, and eluded to her new boy-toy. "She does fancy them tall dark and handsome...doesn't she?" she smirked with obvious sardonic mirth, oh how wonderful it was to be right. The scout wanted nothing more than to do a little dance celebrating her well...rightness.

But the old female caught the look in the male's one gold eye with bit of a cringe, her delight taking a quick, screeching hault- perhaps she shouldn't have been so swiftly brash in her behavior, it seemed maybe she struck an nerve with poor Mortil. She hummed, a lonely young male, he did keep a awful lot of company with Nightblood...perhaps...perhaps Mortil wasn't just Umbra...but also a bit of the green eyed monster.

"Have you ever loved someone...?"

Pollux sighed, her paws suddenly very interesting her bi colored gray eyes, searching, "Well Mortil...once upon a time...yes, I was in love...with someone..." her thoughts fell upon Castor, as they often did, but usually not when among company, she shook her head and looked up at him, it was a innocent question, it was silly that she found herself so lost in it. "...why?"

[nightblood]

NightBlood grimaced as she led Armageddon over the rise to greet her friends. It wasn't that she was embarrassed by her new black knight, but embarrassed for him. She didn't know how Mortil and Pollux would react to him or how they would treat him as her new mate. She was half certain that Pollux might even be bold enough to dance in a circle around him and sing 'I was riiight, I was riiight!'

The Sentry walked slowly forward, trying to keep from cracking up herself at the blatant irony of it all. She could honestly break her composure at any moment and simply fall down laughing. To keep herself from doing so, she focused her eye on Mortil's wounds as she neared him, her expression turning almost solum even though he was healing well. It was the gash on his chest that made her spirits fall so low. She was sure she could have done something to prevent it, but no matter how many times she went over the battle in her mind, she could not think of anything she could have changed.

Her eyes leveled for a moment on Pollux, sending a knowing glance at her. There was a smile in them as she tried to convey a small joke. They almost said clearly "No comment from the peanut gallery", but in truth she really couldn't stop her from saying anything. She wouldn't attack her even verbally if she did. She respected her elders and gave them room to joke around with her even if she ended up being the butt of their jokes.

"'Lo Pollux," she said, the playful warning dripping in her voice.

Her eyes turned to Mortil. The female lowered her head and attempted to touch her nose to his in a friendly greeting.

"You seem to be healing well, Motil. How have you been?"