In Dire Straits

Alteron was too damp.

It was so damp that Cancer found himself wandering through the thicker parts of the rainforest, his paws muddied by the recent rainfalls that seemed to be relentless, wondering why he'd even bothered coming here. What was the driving factor that made him choose this disgustingly damp place? He wasn't sure but he couldn't help but feel as if perhaps there was something more to this than even he knew. There were always eyes, always watching from the shadows. If you couldn't feel it, then you were surely an idiot.

It had been a few days since his acceptance and the male was still reeling from how he'd managed to get in (he knew how he got in- pure smarts) but he was here now and that was frankly all that mattered. His mind still wandered back to that memory though; replaying over and over the interaction between him and that female. What was her name? Tessa? Tenna? It didn't matter. He was here now and he was itching to meet the locals.

That was one thing Cancer had noticed upon his arrival- it was awfully quiet. Quiet enough at any rate to make it noticeable. The way the other had spoken to him the other day (what was her name?), she made it seem as if this place was just crawling with misfits. So far, he'd barely run in to anyone. It was becoming a bit of a drag, even for him.

Yet found himself trudging through the forest, mind wandering aimlessly as he went. Perhaps he'd stop and find a meal, since god knew there were plenty of rodents lurking in the lush moss and heavy tree line. He couldn't remember the last time he'd actually hunted- most of his meals were stolen from the mouths of loners who'd managed to bring down something large enough to feed him- but there was always a time for starting over from scratch.

He sighed loudly to himself as he lifted his nose to sniff out any signs of food when a loud yelp echoed through the otherwise silent forest. His ears perked instantly and his head cocked in the direction he assumed the noise to have originated. Without a second thought the boy was off trotting towards whoever it was that made such a pitiful sound.

"I'm sorry for stepping on you, you gave me quite a scare, little friend."

The words echoed though the trees as Cancer made his way to the scene of the incident. In front of him: a canine with its nose to the ground. And, a frog?

Cancer snorted to himself as he approached, allowing for one decently thorough eye roll before speaking. He stood behind Set with his head cocked to one side and his chest slightly puffed out in a mild state of dominance.

"Hello there! Howdy. You uh, you good? Was uh...was that you screaming?"

If you think that Set was done with lurching into the air out of fear, then you have another thing coming. It was a twofer, the stranger's loud greeting startling his flea heart, and as he whirled around just the sheer size of the other was more than a little intimidating. He yelped aloud, though when he came back down his legs buckled under him and he looked like he might crouch and spring away. "I-I-I-I-I" The stuttering babble came raining out of his mouth, eyes so wide they'd almost pop from his head.

His body visibly SHAKING, teeth chattering against each other, he was quick to break his gawking stare looking to the other's feet was far more easier. "I-I-I-... y-yes. It w-was." He breathed out harshly, as if the words were going to make him sick, his stomach had already begun doing flips and knots, perhaps he might. "S-so s-sorry, didn't m-mean t-to disturb." Set's body couldn't get any closer to the ground no matter how much he was trying to morph with it. The feeling of wet moss, dirt, and leaves clinging to his underbelly and disgusting. "S-sorry, sorry, s-sorry." Dropping one after the other.

Ears perked to the rustle of someone else, another new face that joined in. At first Set wasn't quite sure the emotion on the smaller male's face was, but it felt familiar, with his tail tucked between his legs he stepped forth and offered his own stuttered greeting. Set shrank back, quiet, but still shivering feeling as if his life was flashing before his eyes. He nodded to the other in a quiet notion of greeting.

"D-did... I d-disturb you b-both? I... I'm s-sorry, I s-stepped on a t-toad, and it croaked l-loudly and I... j-jumped." Another large gulp of air as he explained, clearly aware with how dumb it sounded, but it was true. He couldn't even look the pair in the eyes.

"I-I-I-I-I I-I-I-... y-yes. It w-was."

Oh great. A blabbering whimp.

"S-so s-sorry, didn't m-mean t-to disturb. S-sorry, sorry, s-sorry."  

Cancer let out a quiet sigh as he shook his head, offering the obviously terrified child a small toothy smile. There was nothing the boy wanted more except to end this blathering childs existence, but he was still new here. There were probably scouts watching his every more. Sure, this was his home now but that didn't mean he trusted anyone with a heartbeat. Cancer gave a low hum as he masked his sudden irritation with a look of empathetic concern for the other who still lay curled up in a defensive position near him.

"Oh, it's no trouble I-"

But the words he had so delicately prepared for his 'I'm a gentle friend' gig was blown as the footsteps of another came in to view; another wolf approaching the two of them. The dire's head swung in the direction of the newcomer, his ears perked high as he watched the other appear with a similar demeanor. No- no it couldn't be. There couldn't be two of these idiots could there?

"H-hello."

God, there it was.The stutter of another docile idiot that inhabited these lands. Was Alteron nothing more than a pack full of anti-social introverts who lacked the basic understanding of speech, let alone basic conversation? Cancer found himself biting his tongue as he did his best not to blow his cover and just rail the two of these stuttering trains in to a hole in the ground. Instead he opted for a slow draw inhale, prepared to speak again, but was cut off by the other overly emotional wolf who had screamed only moments ago over a frog.

"D-did... I d-disturb you b-both? I... I'm s-sorry, I s-stepped on a t-toad, and it croaked l-loudly and I... j-jumped."

If only wolves had better imposable thumbs. If they did, Cancer would have taken the time to turn around and pinch the bridge of his nose. Gods alive how did he end up here? Stuck with two bumbling idiots who couldn't speak in straight sentences? Were they both just terrified? Of what? What in the hell could have been so terrifying about a frog, or even just the existence of other beings that made both of these two stutter?

"Ahh, err- not to worry," he managed to choke out; brain desperate to tear the two of these useless children apart both in a literal and metaphorical sense. What use to the pack were they? He didn't see any, but he supposed that sour puss from the entrance must have seen some kind of potential. What that was, he didn't know, and it was taking every ounce of Cancer's cool, collected demeanor to not show his utter annoyance and frustration with the situation at hand.

"Frogs can be a bit slimy, and they're weird little buggers." God even just getting that much out and said in a somewhat chirpy tone made the boys stomach lurch. He didn't like being nice. He didn't like being civil; but he also knew he was being watched by someone from the shadows that would have him kicked out in a heartbeat. Remember what he said to Terra (was that her name?): 'I work really well in a community and love supporting my fellow comrades.' God, how lies came to bite him in the ass.

"So, uh, what brings you two out here then?"

Small talk. That would surely bore them all to death.

Royal eyes flickered on the creamy male who was glued to the ground, and back up to the large dark male who seemed to be struggling with some sort of  emotion behind his eyes. Annoyance? Impatience? Sabre's stomach lurched, glancing back to Set who nodded jerkily in some sort of greeting. Sabre inched away from the pair to give himself a bubble of comfort, holding his straightened up position despite the anxious posture that contracted the attempt to be neutral.

"D-did... I d-disturb you b-both? I... I'm s-sorry, I s-stepped on a t-toad, and it croaked l-loudly and I... j-jumped." Sabre took a step toward Set without giving himself permission, regretting it the moment his feet moved, taking another step backward in a stupid and stiff cha-cha. "No, I tripped." The response was quick, short, and quiet. Embarrassment causing his ears to turn sideways.

"Frogs can be a bit slimy, and they're weird little buggers. So, uh, what brings you two out here then?" He was too cheerful, Sabre's internal edges sharpening in defence. Frogs? Really? "I, uh, j-just got back..." Roughly said from his dry throat, tongue washing over his lips. "I was b-born here before t-the Monarchy f-fell... So... I guess... I just was seeing wh-what was left..." from before my family was murdered he finished in his head.

"I'm Sabre, wh-who are you?" Finally an introduction, and luckily they likely wouldn't know the deep history of Alteron. They couldn't know of the rose garden, or the reign of his grandparents, they wouldn't know the hell they walked in until history repeated itself.

The white hot embarrassment of his answer had not settled yet, and he could feel the all too familiar feeling of his stomach knotting up as he looked to the ground in search of his nerve, no doubt. Large ears heard the a soft voice, and he looked up for a moment to the smaller male and gave him a rather meek look. It seemed like they were on in the same here. "I'm so sorry y-you tripped" His mouth formed the answer before his mind could even stop him, the apology flung out there and his ears drew back when the realization of how dumb it sounded finally hit. Though the pale jackal mix didn't even attempt to fix it for fear of embarrassing himself further.

Orange-red eyes glanced sideways up at to the larger male and he gave a small nod, the pair didn't seem inherently awful, but he couldn't shake that feeling of crippling fear. This was all there ever was. He glance carefully up to the smaller male, allowing him to speak first. Unspoken curiosity flared behind his eyes, so this one used to live here? He returned home? Did it look the same as you remember it? Are you happy to be back?

"I wanted t-to see the caravan off, b-but I was too late. They already l-left. S-so, I was walking back to the h-hovel." He managed to say as his nerves began to finally settle, the stutters only here and there. "W-why are you out here? If you d-don't mind m-m-m-me asking?" Gaze settle onto the large reddish male, his expression nondescript, but there was that trembling in his body. Then that vivid gaze landed upon the gentle male, similar in nature they were. Hmm. "Has it c-changed m-much? In appearance, in the v-very least?"

The trembling, pale form would fall silent for a moment then, eyes breaking contact with the brow-golden hued boy and then came to rest upon the ground once more. "I-I'm S-S-S-Set, by the way." His stutter throwing him off form a moment and he paused, taking a deep breath as he worked up the nerve again to speak. "Set." The jackal mix was finally able to correct himself.

Speech: #ffcc33

"No, I tripped."

"I'm so sorry y-you tripped"

"I wanted t-to see the caravan off, b-but I was too late. They already l-left. S-so, I was walking back to the h-hovel."

"I, uh, j-just got back...

I was b-born here before t-the Monarchy f-fell... So... I guess... I just was seeing wh-what was left..."

Cancer's brow raised in intrigue.

Has it c-changed m-much? In appearance, in the v-very least?"


"I'm Sabre, wh-who are you?"

"I-I'm S-S-S-Set, by the way."

If only God had given Cancer opposable thumbs. The male would have shot each and every one of them in the head, starting with the one who stuttered the most. And at this point, it was looking like it was going to be a tie. How he had gotten himself in to this situation, the red male couldn't tell, but he knew one thing was certain: he was not entirely entertained.

"W-why are you out here? If you d-don't mind m-m-m-me asking?"

The large fringe dire's head swung to attention at the lighter colored one named Set, a brow raising in slight amusement at the question. God, how should he respond...

"M'lost. I'm new to these here parts. Thought it'd be a good idea to take a look around," he said with a hum in his tone; gaze shifting from Set to Sabre then up to the tree tops, "Didn't think this place was going to be as damp and as dark as it is." He huffed in mild frustration at the entire line of events that were unfolding, but looked back to them and offered the most genuine smile he could muster. He was good at playing the game of being nice; he just dearly wished he had the ability to string both their vocal chords from their wind pipes to the branches of trees. Maybe then they'd learn to speak and not stutter out of shear fear. What kind of pack was this anyway?

"Name's Cancer by the way. Pleasure to meet you both, Set and Sabre." Lie. God what a lie. Yet the brute pressed on with the attempt at reconciling a good first impression even if it was entirely a facade by all accounts. You know how the saying goes- keep your friends close and keep your enemies as best friends. To Cancer, this entire pack was nothing more than an enemy, so it was best he snuggled up to them all until he had all four feet planted on the ground.

"So uh...seems like it's easy to get lost in this here dark forest, eh?"

Small talk was the one thing that could kill Cancer, and he was parched for decent conversation. Unfortunately as he looked out to the companions he seemed to have stumbled upon, decent conversation was going to be something of a desert for the three of them.

"Also, sorry, what's this about a Monarchy falling?"

The pale boy received an odd glance from Sabre at the apology, but it was brushed off quickly. Sabre stood a little taller now, continuing to keep a safe distance from both the new faces, though gravitating toward the smaller more nervous boy. For obvious reasons, Set's body language said more about his reactions than Cancer's did.

"I wanted t-to see the caravan off, b-but I was too late. They already l-left. S-so, I was walking back to the h-hovel. W-why are you out here? If you d-don't mind m-m-m-me asking?" Ah yes, the pack lands were much more empty today. Despite the unreadable expression on his face, Sabre had answered, royal gaze flicking to Cancer as he did so. "Has it c-changed m-much? In appearance, in the v-very least?"

Sabre sat himself down, a slow thoughtful nod. "It has, and it hasn't" He'd slowly try to explain, lamely glancing around the trio. "Deeper inside the jungle hasn't changed... But... The bridges, and water are new." A shrug at the new ways to keep them all trapped inside, they didn't impress him. He thought they were odd, and made him feel on edge.

Eyes cast to Cancer now "It was a l-long time ago, everything eventually snaps in power struggles." Said shortly, the history was much too complicated to get into without revealing too much of himself. "Civil war was all we knew, e-even if they didn't realize it. I can sh-show the way back."

"Where did you come from?" Mumbled to them both, really just wanting to get the conversation away from the past.

He agreeded quietly with the larger male, giving a small nod. His input was worthless and therefore he already decided that the other two would probably not even want to hear it. It had all to do with his conditioning, Father had spoken about it. Unfit, unfit, unfit to live. His mind went on like a loud cawing crow. Though large ears perked at the word, well, name, Cancer. Ah, so that was what this one was called? "A p-p-p-p-pleasure! To m-make your acquaintance, C-cancer. A p-p-p-pleasure to m-met you as well, S-s-s-sabre. " Gaze shifted to meet the burgundy male's meekly and only for a quick moment before bouncing back to the ground.

Sabre was next to speak, and it seemed the golden male had calmed down considerably faster than Set did, the pale jackal mix envied that just a smidgen more than he ought to, as his thoughts tore him a new one for being so selfish and thinking such a vile thing. You deserve what you are, Set. You are ugly, worthless. He listened quietly and gave a nod, shifting uncomfortably.

Though Cancer seemed interested in the old monarchy and Sabre faltered here and there when telling him. "C-civil war? It s-seems pretty s-stable now, but I c-c-c-c-can tell that s-s-s-s-something changed. It s-s-s-seems new." Brow wrinkled as he struggled through his words, flinching after he finished.

Glancing about, Cancer was right, it was dark here, even darker than when he first appeared on Alteron's doorstep. "The d-d-desert. Temperature wise, it was b-b-b-blistering hot during the d-d-daylight hours and c-c-c-cool in the evenings." Being here was a shock to the senses, water, damp, and colder some nights than others. "S-s-s-sorry if this comes off as assuming, b-b-b-but it sounds like you d-d-don't like it here, C-cancer?"