[MURDOCK]

There was a chill in the air, and usually when that happened the fluffy white stuff started to fall from the sky.  He felt as if it had a while since this stuff had come down enough for him to make his little igloos and have his parties.  Of course no one ever came to his parties, it was a party by himself, but he was a-ok with that.  He enjoyed parties by himself, he'd been by himself most of his life and had gotten quite accustomed to it.  

So with that in mind, he sat with his head towards the sky.  The bright- blue- cloudless sky and waited.  His tail wagged slowly behind him as he waited, his eyes unblinking for the longest time (3 minutes), and the silence was broken only by the slightest sounds emitting from deep in Murdocks chest.  He was humming a tune, in beat with his tail, bobbing his head as he still looked up at the clear blue sky for a sign of the fluffy white stuff that fell from it.  Snow.  Was the word, but he'd forgotten it for the moment.  He wasn't sure how much time had passed since he began his gazing (like maybe a whole 5 minutes maybe), when finally, something white did fall from the sky and landed right on his nose.

It was not fluffy.

And it was not cold. 

"Oh.. OH MY!  HELP!  I HAVE BEEN BAMBOOZLED!"  He screamed as he stood up, eyes crossing to focus on the white stuff that landed on his muzzle.  "THIS WAS NOT WHAT I HAD INTENDED."  He walked in circles, eyes fixated on the liquid dishevelment that was beginning to slip off his nose and onto the ground.  "OH THE HORROR, THE ABSOLUTE ABHORRENCE!"  As he spoke it slipped off his nose and hit him on top of his paw.  Slowly, he dropped his head to stare at the act of betrayal that had just happened, and after a moment, he took in a deep breath, tilted his head back (you know like the bird meme) and began on another rant, but this time he was quite as if a parent scolding a child.  "I can't believe you've done this."  He said quietly to the sky.  "I trusted you and this is how you repay me?"  He shook his head, visibly disappointed, before smiling and shouting up at the sky "ITS OK I STILL ENJOY YOUR COMPANY!"  

And then ran full speed into the lake, not noticing that someone was nearby- someone that was probably minding their own "official" business and happened upon this obscene scene - someone who probably was a little wet thanks to Murdocks train wreck into the water.  When he emerged, taking an unneeded overdramatic gasp for air, he saw the other.  

Not Miss Moons, but a new friendly face.  Murdock grinned wide from the water.

"Did you get shat on too!?  Wonderful! Come join me and get cleaned up!"

[Kashmir]

Murdock was one of those Inarians he tended to forget about. Until they met again, of course. Then he questioned who in their right mind could ever forget the mad white beast.

He'd come to them years ago, during the time of the renegades. When Haven had led the charge against the dwindling band, eliminating them in a rather anticlimactic afternoon of genocide that far more resembled disinfectant, Murdock had been detained for questioning... and it had swiftly become obvious that not only was he not part of the violent band, he did not quite grasp the reality of the skirmish, thinking of it as a sort of fun game between the two sides. It was difficult to justify the punishment or execution of someone who could not distinguish the difference between right and wrong -- though back then, maybe less so for Kashmir than the rest of his comparatively gentle comrades -- and so they'd sent him on his way. Or tried to, anyway. The cat, as they say, came back the very next day.

Was he a danger to them still? Was he a fixture of this land? An omega, a court jester? Nobody knew for sure. He was just Murdock. And today, the future king of swords had stumbled upon him entirely by accident, blinking in almost comical confusion at the... highly noisy antics playing out before him. Droplets of water clung to his thin pelt from the dive bomb into Lake Rhelith. Speaking of being bamboozled.

"You've still got a little..." started Kashmir, motioning a little toward his own nose, and was cut off by the bigger beast's wild histrionics. His ears twitched and pinned back slightly. Oh boy.

"Isn't that cold?" sniffed the jackal, dipping his toes almost prissily into the water before withdrawing them again. Winter was coming, after all, and was close enough for Murdock to be snowflake-hunting in the first place. "... and no, I didn't."

Get shat on, of course. Thankfully. Shudder.

[MURDOCK]

Murdock would not remember seeing this small wolf (not a wolf) before, maybe he would think of it as a dream when he saw him with Miss Goldie all that time ago, but for now, the jackals presence did not click with the wolf, and he would continue to think of this new friend, as a friend until proven otherwise (and even then he would be a friend).  Kashmir was a very important person, as were Miss Moons and Miss Goldie, but Murdock did not really care about who they were- he really only cared about them as individuals.  He was a stick of butter and could melt all over everything.  Except maybe not right now because this water was cold!

"You've still got a little-"  

Murdock stared down into the rippley water, and saw his reflection (poorly), but he saw it- the off-white color of poop still on his nose.  "Oh the humanity!"  He cried out as he sunk, rather dramatically back down into the water.  After a moment or two, he shot back up out of it, shaking his head, and looking back out to the other on the shore, the small wolf (who was not a wolf at all). 

"Isn't that cold? ... and no, I didn't."

"You know it is, but it is refreshing.  Gives your pep a little more step if you know what I mean?"  He smiled at Kashmir, even though he probably would not have any idea what he meant in all honesty.  He watched as the other dipped his paw very barely into the water, before pulling it back out.  "Thank you! By the way for helping me get the rest of the poo of me nose.  Would've been EMBARRASSING to walk around like that."  Murdock said as he made his way towards the Jackal, making small waves as he moved.  He emerged from the water soaking wet, water streamed off of him as he stood in front of Kashmir, a smile plastered on his face.  "I don't think I have met you yet friend, I'm Murdock!"  And with that he bowed low, and came back up shaking himself off.  

"It is an absolute pleasure and honor to meet you!"  Even though he isn't sure who you are- he is very happy to meet you.

[Kashmir]

It wouldn’t surprise or offend him to know that he was not remembered. He’d been captain of the guard before he was marquis, he’d battled against this living marshmallow mountain in the days of the renegades, but... the jackal was not sure what mattered to Inaria’s denizens mattered in the same way to Murdock. For all he knew, the big male’s memory was compromised by whatever had gone awry in his brain.

Kashmir watched uncertainly, not sure what steps to take as Murdock dunked himself enthusiastically back into the water, rinsing off the rest of the bird shit. He’d learned to be wary of madness from a young age and failed to trust it now; he was a leash around the throat of all unpredictability.

“You’re welcome,” was all he could think to say, amusingly serious as always. A bird could let loose right in his own face and he’d probably just kind of act like nothing had happened. Comedy gold, friends and neighbors. Moving on...

“Your coat probably helps,” he went on stiffly, indicating Murdock’s considerable bulk compared to himself. “I would, ah, just be cold for hours. If I did that... this time of year.”

Murdock emerged soaked from the water, his pelt matted to his hide, and though Kashmir did not back away, he kept a reasonable distance between himself and the mad hatter. Not because he thought he might be attacked, but because he sensed that he might get an unwelcome shower if he wasn’t careful, aaaand — yep, there it is. The shaking. Good lord, all that water flying off his body could drench two Kashmirs.

“You’re sure we’ve never met...?” prodded the jackal gently once he’d introduced himself, playing coy, looking up at the wolf so he might see his face more clearly. “You have a familiar sort of face.”

Kashmir tilted his head, studying.

[MURDOCK]

His coat did help! In fact it was a matted mess most times, but the weather here had kept it relatively groomed.  Which was lucky for the white wolf, as he really didn't pride himself in his looks, but more in his friendships that he endured.  He had met quite a few new friends while here in Inaria, some of course did not know that were friends, but he considered them that all the same.  

After his initial shake off, and his long, deep bow, he plopped his great, white butt onto the dirty ground.  His tail swishing behind him, the dirt beginning to collect on his white, wet, wispy tail.  

"You're sure we've never met..?  You have a familiar sort of face."  The other asked, and Murdock was fairly certain, he would remember this small friend if he had met him before.  Murdock cocked his head to match Kashmir's.  And then cocked it the other way, and then suddenly, the memories came flooding back, the noises, and fighting, his decision to jump into the fray because honestly it looked like fun!  But now, he knew it was not fun, Miss Goldie had said otherwise, and he felt very bad about it.  "Oh-"  Murdock said, the happiness suddenly gone from his voice, replaced by guilt and sadness.  "We have met. I was bad."  Murdock said, his ears drooped, as did his head, eyes drifted away from the Marquis in shame.  "Very bad."  His front half dropped to the ground, and he covered his nose and eyes with his paws.  "Miss Goldie told me it was not for fun.  I am very sorry, I know better now. "I like Miss Goldie, and I like Inaria and my friends, I do not want to hurt anyone."  He said, under his paws, moving up and down as his mouth did.  

He was genuinely ashamed of what he had done, and knowing now that Kashmir was among them, made his guilt hurt a little more.  He could have hurt many people, thankfully he did not- but he could have.