River Encounter

[nightblood]

"You have not known me long as a friend Nightblood, and please know that I mean no harm when I say that you have hated me for a longer time. But since I do hope that you trust me now, I will be arrogant enough to offer advice. Love is...a rare thing to come by. I will grant that yes, Archer did have a part in Shadeblood's death, but you should not blame him. Believe me Nightblood, there are far too little things in this world that I love. If I cannot have any love from anyone or anything, I would at least as a friend like to see you happy. I wouldn't want to see you like this. In fact, I don't like to see you as such."

Blood flicked an ear in Mortil's direction before turning to look at him while he finished his speech. She was about to say something before Will interupted her train of thought. Her eyes turned to him as he scurried up to her.

“He’s right, ya know? Well, love isn’ a rare thing ta come by. Look a him, he loves ya. Not like how I was sayin’ before, but he loves ya; he’ll stick by your side, an’ I know this just by lookin’ at him. But true love, now that’s a hard thing to come by. And you had it… but you lost it. But that doesn’t mean that you still don’t deserve to be happy or still love, right? Everyone deserves to love or be loved."

"Guys, I'm not depressed or anything. You're talkin' like I'm about to commit suicide."

Standing up rather quickly, Night noticed the cracks in the ice before her. She backed up so that her back legs were on the shore and if the ice did break, her front paws wouldn't get too wet. Once sure she was safe, she continued, turning to the boys.

"What I deserve is a nice, long break from love. At least, the serious kind. Believe me, I'm happier without Archer. There'll be others, but they'll come later."

She spoke in a serious manner, but attempted to keep her disposition friendly. She gave a smile to ensure Mortil of her happiness. It was a meager attempt, however. Her tired expression and vital need of grooming probably didn't help much.

With another look at Will, she layed down facing the water creature. Her big paws were pointed directly at him, and she guessed her claws might frighted him, but didn't take any measure to move them.

"By the way... I don't mean to be rude, but what exactly are you, Will? I don't think I've ever seen another one of your species..."

[Electus]

"What I deserve is a nice, long break from love. At least, the serious kind. Believe me, I'm happier without Archer. There'll be others, but they'll come later."

Mortil tilted his head again and yawned noncomittedly. "As you wish." He got up and moved in a slow circle and then sat down again. "As you wish."

"By the way... I don't mean to be rude, but what exactly are you, Will? I don't think I've ever seen another one of your species..."

Mortil stared at Will for a brief moment. "He looks like...an otter, I think."[/color]

((Writer's blooooock))

[Brink]

BV’s writer’s block appears to be contagious.

---

NightBlood had considered what the pair had said to her and replied. It was partially true. Will did believe that NightBlood had been through enough and deserved a break from all the issues that accompanied serious relationships. Sometimes he wished he could have a break, but he did have three kids and he wasn’t willing do just leave them. And abandoning Artemis certainly wasn’t something he wanted to do, but just a short break to ease the constant pressure of his daily life was all he wanted. Frowning at these thoughts, the otter looked towards Mortil and NightBlood, wondering if the felt the same way he did. The temptation to ask was great, but prying wasn’t a very smart option, so he kept his mouth shut. Most of NightBlood’s statements were troubling, since William would see plainly that many of them were lies. “Alright, alright,”

[/color] Was is only reply to her. The half-smile wasn’t in the least bit convincing and his frown deepened.

He had since moved a little closer to the shore and where the monstrous female sat so he could here a bit better. There was a thoughtful look in his eyes, displaying the fact that he was still brooding what had been said. There wasn’t much to what they had all spoken. Maybe he was thinking to hard about it. Shoving back into his mind, he looked up towards Mortil and Night. “What am I?” he sounded almost incredulous as he spoke. Mortil soon voiced his own guess causing Will’s face to light up. “You gottit Mortil. I am a river otter. Northen River Otter to be exact.”[/font][/blockquote]

[nightblood]

"He looks like...an otter, I think."

Blood tilted her head at Mortil's answer, but kept her eye on Will. The term 'otter' seemed familiar.

“You gottit Mortil. I am a river otter. Northen River Otter to be exact.”

At the third mention of the word, Blood remembered where she had heard it. The farmer she had worked for was also a hunter. He often brought strange pelts back from his ventures. More than once she had seen pelts that he claimed were that of river otters. She had never seen one with its flesh and fur still attatched. She immediatly desided that she would rather not see Will detatched from his.

"I've seen what humans can do to your kind. You havn't had any problems with hunters around this river, have you?"

Any information was vital. If Will had seen any trace of humans, it was best that they abandon this portion of the river and alert the alphas and pack members about the danger.

[Electus]

"I've seen what humans can do to your kind. You havn't had any problems with hunters around this river, have you?"

Mortil looked at them both quietly. It was true, he too knew somewhat that the humans liked to trap otters and others with furs, they even were arrogant enough to attempt to do the same to wolves. Ah, the barbaricness of the humans. He yawned, laying down and half-closing his eyes with a drowsy expression. Though the reply Will gave was of import, he was tired. So he resolved to listen to the point where it wasn't necessary to do so anymore.

[Brink]

Pitiful post. >> Sorry.

---

Another question. And, of course, Will was obliged to answer it. The first statement caused his weasel-ish features to darken though. The many encounters he had with humans had been mostly uneventful, since he was still standing here in front of them. His brother, Darius, hadn’t been so lucky though. The dark, troubling thoughts were once again thrust into the far reaches of his mind. It was where the belonged. And where he tried to keep them. It would be truly difficult to keep a sunny disposition of one was constantly thinking about a lost loved one. It took a second, but he was finally answering her question.

“Not much trouble. Mostly over that way.” A tiny brown paw pointed upstream. “Usually the same few humans. The much of a problem, but every once in a while, they catch some unwitting animal. Guess that just the way it works sometimes.

[nightblood]

“Not much trouble. Mostly over that way.”

Blood's gaze followed his paw upstream. She'd been in that area many times. She'd be more careful now. That last thing she needed was for a trap to go off and decomission another leg of hers.

“Usually the same few humans. The much of a problem, but every once in a while, they catch some unwitting animal. Guess that just the way it works sometimes."

"Hmm... They must have a den beyond our borders. Guess their territory overlaps ours..."

The Sentry sat up, looking at Mortil as he layed there in the snow. She remembered how she had been taken while she was sleeping in her cave and hoped Mortil had a more secluded den for himself. If a pack member was killed by humans, she would hold no mercy. If it was a friend, however, she would take it personally.

"They're likely to have a large territory, or venture over their borders. I don't know how much you know about humans, but I'd avoid that area at all costs, Will. They like to go after small animals for game,... but the daring ones go after bears as well."

[Electus]

"They're likely to have a large territory, or venture over their borders. I don't know how much you know about humans, but I'd avoid that area at all costs, Will. They like to go after small animals for game,... but the daring ones go after bears as well."

Mortil yawned again, a bit louder this time. "Yes...although it is rather amusing to watch them if they do decide to go after bears without using those curious things filled with steel teeth...or guns, for that matter. But Nightblood is right. I too, would advise you to go further into Arnlanian territory...after all, you live here anyways. Might as well find a safer place to live."[/color]

The ash-grey wolf had also caught the look Nightblood gave him. He read it almost immediately. "Don't worry about me. No one can find my den unless I want them too. And Umbra wouldn't let anyone hurt me anyways."[/color]

[Brink]

While Mortil seemed uninterested, NightBlood seemed to be genuinely concerned. “What kind of idiot would go after a bear?” Will asked, completely bewildered. It seemed completely suicidal, to go after something that huge. What was the point?

[/font]“I guess we’ll have to move then. Gonna take a bit of convincing though… ‘Kids probably won’t want to move…” Will tried to think of a way to tell his family that they needed to move yet again because some huge predator that he had been chatting with told him too. Oh, that would go over real well, Will thought and then rolled his eyes. [/font]

“Who’s Umbra?” So many names that he didn’t know. He just had to ask. It was just a compulsion to know what was going on. It may be a bit awkward of a question for Mortil, but how was Will supposed to know that this wolf seemed to be two people in one body? [/font][/blockquote]

[nightblood]

As will spoke of his family, NightBlood absently licked the ice and snow off her paw. Whatever her told his family was of no consern of hers. She only valued life. As long as the otters were out of the area, everything would be okay. As she continued licking her paw, Will's second question came. This one made her pause and look up. Her ears folded as she glanced at Mortil, not wanting to say anything. This was his question to answer. She had no place in it. Would he allow Umbra to surface and answer himself?

{{Shooooorrrrt}}

[Electus]

"Who's Umbra?"

Mortil gave the otter a long look. He was not exactly sure how to answer...With a shift of his single golden eye, the ash-grey wolf then looked at Nightblood. Mortil then smiled easily. "All in good time Will." He shifted his weight as he lay on the soft snow. He could feel his eyelids starting to droop. "Right now...I would worry about how to move your family if I were you."[/b]

[Brink]

There seemed to be a few moments of intense silence. At last it was broken. No real answer was revealed though. They were just gonna leave him in the dark. They didn’t really have any obligation to tell him, but William still seemed a bit annoyed. For a second or two he gazed intently at Mortil, searching for some hint of an answer. After a sigh, he spoke. “Fine. Have it your way then.” As before, Mortil seemed uninterested. Will wondering if he was boring the wolf. “If sleep is what you desire, don’t let me keep it from you,” he spat, with a roll of his eyes. ‘Might as well shove off now since I’m putting them to sleep’ he thought in annoyance.

[/font]

[nightblood]

NightBlood gave a half hearted smile as Mortil began to close his eyes. After all, it was up to him who knew about Umbra and who didn't. The Sentry stood up and looked at Will, watching as he replied. When he finished, Blood pulled her ears back and leaned down to meet the otter's gaze.

"Don't take it as an insult. Mortil is quite a hard wolf to figure out. He'll come around eventually."

[[Oh, GOD, that's a short and ugly post! DDDX MANY SORRIES!!!]]