[Auri El]

AURI EL

Well, he was completely and utterly lost.

The grey dire mix had been traveling for weeks now, aimlessly turning in whichever direction caught his eye first. It had been fun, initially, but as the days stretched onward, the seedlings of lonely began to take root. Though life had always been a solitary one back in the jungle, there was always a bustling of life there. The outside world on the other hand... it was vast. Exciting and fascinating for certain, but overwhelming to face alone. He cast a glance over his shoulder to the satchel that was slung loosely over his back, just a hint of ivory and empty socket peaking out from beneath the leather. "Well, I'm not entirely alone," A grin tugged at his lips. "Ahh, I'm going crazy here Pops."

Nonetheless, Auri El marched on as always, until something caught his eye to take him entirely off his path and precariously close to the clear scent of pack territory. 

His attention was leagues away from potential dangers however. "What are you?!" The wanderer exclaimed, leaping toward a small critter that had padded out into the fading light of dusk. It was a funny looking thing, with a long white face and beady little eyes. And it certainly did not look happy with the wolf's sudden approach. Auri El flung his forelegs out to trap the surprised little beast from scampering off. "I just want to take a look at you, little friend." However, much to his surprise, the creature stared at him for a moment, jaws parting in a rather unpleasant grimace before flopping over in a motionless heap.

"Oh. Oh no. Oh no. Did you just die?!" Wine red eyes swept across his surroundings. His father may have been a chemist, but Auri El certainly didn't know enough to help the strange critter who he may have just mortally wounded with his presence. "Help! Over here please!"

[Livid (RP)]

Occasionally, Gemini would spit out something that was out of the ordinary.

With most of its members made up of refugees that either bore the mental or physical scars of their endeavours, many stories floated about throughout the packlands. Some would capture Livid's interest, others would make her snort with disbelief. Indeed, every other packmate seemed to have an interesting history. As opposed to her, anyway. She had had quite an uneventful upbringing for a wolf. Being taught how to survive and how to care for yourself were hardly special abilities when it came to the North. Sometimes, the dire hybrid would wonder just what direction her life would have taken if she had chosen to stay in the North. Certainly colder and harsher than the life she led right now. Defending the borders of Gemini was hard work but it was work that she could handle.

"Help! Over here please!"

To an extent.

Livid was on her feet right away, bounding in the direction of the voice. It was a voice that she did not recognise, accompanied by a smell that was a mystery all on its own. A stranger had stumbled upon the borders, and they were in trouble. Livid's immediate thought was that it was a pack escapee that had not managed to shake off his or her old connections, and she decided it was a problem she was involved in now. Whatever was chasing down one lone wolf to preserve their honour would have no qualms about invading another pack's territory and the Ranger could not afford to have that happen yet again.

She skidded to a halt upon spotting the stranger, a lanky wolf with slightly large ears and a bob tail, standing over something white and what seemed to be dead? Livid snorted in frustration as she stepped forward. Was this what all the fuss was about? Some scrawny little rat? The Ranger growled warningly at the stranger.

"Shut the hell up!" she snapped, too annoyed to even be slightly polite. "Do you want to invite the whole world to this border or something?"

Looking down at the rat - which appeared to be the source of the issue - Livid sniffed at it curiously. Of course, she had not been in the southern lands long enough to be aware of such a creature and its behaviour but it was warm and appeared to be breathing. "What did you do to it?" she asked the stranger lazily, eyes narrowing with suspicion. "You better hope you weren't hunting it. Doing that on another pack's territory is a big no-no, stranger. You got a name and an explanation for all of this?"

[Lev Malakh]

Tending to her father had been hard as of late. Not because she was busy or her children — now fully grown — had pulled her attention, just that Lev Malakh found it difficult to watch her father stumble around. He used to be nimble, light and coherent. The dark that overshadowed him was a blanket to her; heavy and abstract with a slight taste of sea salt. His near-death experience had up rooted her in some way, and watching him flounder in the aftermath was not an easy thing to witness. Still, he forced a smile and told her to go do her own things, which Lev Malakh agreed to only because she knew he wanted to be alone.

She missed when she would go too far and have him call.

Now she strode along the wall until the opening came to her, not feeling enough strength to jump up and watch the horizon. Too many times she had jumped down and injured her legs. They were still sore to some extent, but Lev supposed she'd be fine. Today though she wanted to go out into the lowlands, not having been there since Tauro's death. Perhaps it was a fear she had — going there would result in finding his body all over again with the grass painted red and the valkyrie crying his name.

She had to go. She had to see that everything was past. New hope could arise and she was content as long as her children stayed behind the wall.

Lev paused as she heard someone yell, and for a second all muscle function froze. She felt her heart sink deeper until it was just an empty pit and her stomach churned to the point where she felt sick. It's happening again. she thought, trying to force herself to move. Once she finally started moving, she walked quickly to the border to see Livid talking with another. Ears flattened some, a scold was pouring out of her mouth to a complete stranger. While she understood the need to be stern as Lev had done in the past with another recruit, hostility was not within Gemini's standards. The Valkyr said nothing however as she approached, glancing in the grass at the opossum. She had seen a few in her younger years within the jungle's walls. They were weird vermin, but they were simple minded.

Lev quietly stalks up behind Livid and to the large rodent, pawing at it's sides until it ruffs a hiss and scurries a bit within the grass. "They like to play dead. Just a thing they do." she said, golden eyes glancing between the two of them. She had to take a deep breath.

"I'm sure they meant no harm." Lev sat then, observing. She'd let Livid continue her questioning, the Valkyr there for support if needed. Misunderstandings could be deadly, after all.

✦ ✦ Speech Text ✦ ✦

[Auri El]

AURI EL

It didn't take long at all for help to arrive—how wonderful! The grey nomad grinned at approaching sentry, "Hello! Thank you for coming! I think this critter may be in trouble, I've never seen something like it, so I have no clue how to begin helping it. Do you—" He broke off at her sudden growl, and for a brief moment Auri El's expression shuttered into something guarded, his polite smile turning brittle.

Shut the hell up! Do you want to invite the whole world to this border or something?

"Now, now." Auri hummed soothingly, as though trying to calm a particularly aggressive animal. "I mean no harm." However she steamrolled on with her lines of interrogation, and the nomad's strained polite smile twisted into one of pure amusement.

What did you do to it? You better hope you weren't hunting it. Doing that on another pack's territory is a big no-no, stranger. You got a name and an explanation for all of this?
They like to play dead. Just a thing they do. I'm sure they meant no harm.

He was going to answer the sentry's question, he really was, but the newcomer and her easily gifted knowledge completely drew Auri El's attention away. "Fascinating!!" An airy exhale, watching with complete awe as golden eyed woman pawed at the strange critter until it released a wheezy hiss and scurried away. "I've never seen a creature like that before. Are they common?? Surface animals are simply intriguing." A sheepish grin was offered to the two ladies, he probably sounded downright nuts. "I spent most of my life in a hole in the ground." Auri El offered as though it was a perfectly reasonable explanation.

"Oh damn, where are my manners? I completely forgot to answer your questions ma'am, forgive me." Sitting down into the soft grass — and by god grass was so soft compared to tunnel rocks, he'd never get over his love for the green earth fur. "My name is Auri El, and no worries my friend! I was not hunting, I like to dig for my food anyways, hunting up here is not my forte." He was blabbering, a single silvery paw waving with gestures at every word. "I'm a traveller I suppose! This world is just so big, therefore I must map it out. And see all the creatures out here, of course." He turned to Lev, head tilted with sharp intensity in wine red eyes. "Do you know the name of that hissing critter? Oh damn. Blasted manners again, I didn't even ask for your names! Or about your pack!" Releasing a deep chuckle, Auri El shook his head and dipped it briefly to tap a paw against his head. 

"My mind is going a mile a minute — You have very beautiful land here by the way, do you know of any flower fields near by? Preferably poppies. Or Belladonna, Pops here liked those best. Oh damn. Manners. Haven't explained that yet — I'm looking for a good burial place." He paused, the cogs and gears clearly turning in his head. "Haha! That sounded strange, didn't it? I'm looking for a good place for my father, you see." Slipping his satchel over his head, Auri El pushed his collection of random plants, rocks, and trinkets away to reveal a skull. He tapped the top of it affectionately "Say hello to Tyrfing! My sister had him in a strange skull garden, it was rather disturbing. I want him to have a better resting place, know of any good ones, my friends?"

And then, as though an afterthought, Auri El tilted his head. Wine reds scanned over both sentries with a suddenly critical expression. "Oh and please do not enslave me — packs do that right? I'd appreciate it if you didn't." Shuttered expression opened once more in favor of a bright grin, "Though I wouldn't mind resting somewhere for a bit if you don't mind! Last time I tried to rest in a cave a very large creature chased me out — it had tiny little eyes and round ears and bellowed quite a storm. Rather ugly if you ask me. Almost made me drop Pops too!"

[Livid (RP)]

"Hello! Thank you for coming! I think this critter may be in trouble, I've never seen something like it, so I have no clue how to begin helping it. Do you—"

Livid's harsh temper drowned out the other's plea for help. She noticed the hurt in the other wolf's eyes, the confusion and all general negativity that boiled down to a reaction that read 'just what the hell is your problem'? The funny thing was that Livid had no problem. She was a Ranger and she had been convinced that one of her packmates had been in trouble, except all she had found was this... stranger creating a fuss on the border, over a rat no less. A rat that they seemed to have killed without an iota of respect or consideration for Gemini's rules. Well, that was fine. Livid had no problem teaching an interloper these rules, and she was just in the right mood to play the indiscriminate disciplinarian.

Until...

"They like to play dead. Just a thing they do." 


A female she had never met before, but whose scent she recognised as belonging to Gemini had appeared. Livid frowned, looking down at the rat as Lev Malakh poked at it and she backed away slightly when it made a hissing noise and vanished into the grass, leaving the dire hybrid to herald an awkward silence between her and... the stranger, who seemed highly interested by this development.

"Fascinating!! I've never seen a creature like that before. Are they common?? Surface animals are simply intriguing." 

"Strange creature," Livid acknowledged, clearing her throat when Lev Malakh abolished her slightly for her jumping of the gun. "Yeah, you're right. I do apologise for my initial accusation and ill manners, stranger. Completely misread the situation."

"Oh damn, where are my manners? I completely forgot to answer your questions ma'am, forgive me. My name is Auri El, and no worries my friend! I was not hunting, I like to dig for my food anyways, hunting up here is not my forte." 

"Oh." Livid was almost fascinated. She had not come across a wolf that survived by digging for its food, especially since she came from a land where anything in the ground was either frozen solid or barely edible. The dire hybrid had to admit that she did not care much for a wolf that could not hunt, however, for it was something that she deemed natural. One was never too old to learn, however. If the stranger opted to stay. In fact, he did not seem interested in shutting up.

"I'm a traveller I suppose! This world is just so big, therefore I must map it out. And see all the creatures out here, of course. Do you know the name of that hissing critter? Oh damn. Blasted manners again, I didn't even ask for your names! Or about your pack!" 

"I'm Livid. Liv," the Ranger replied, turning to Lev Malakh to allow her to introduce herself. "I'm a border guard, as you've probably guessed. A border guard for Gemini, you've stumbled across its lands, Auri El...

Before she could carry on, the stranger once again exploded into more explanation. Livid looked helplessly at Lev Malakh, not really knowing half of what the strange wolf was talking about. It seemed like he had a lot of history to share but Livid could only listen intently, not really able to make sense of it. She then watched as he pulled open a satchel, revealing plants, a bunch of rocks, some other stuff she did not recognise and... a skull. A wolf's skull. "Uh..." Livid stammered, visibly creeped out. She had seen many wolf skulls before but it wasn't really the norm to... carry one about like some kind of trophy.

"Say hello to Tyrfing! My sister had him in a strange skull garden, it was rather disturbing. I want him to have a better resting place, know of any good ones, my friends?" 

There was a short pause before Livid could make sense of the strange turn that this conversation had taken. Fortunately, she soon caught up.

"OK, so to recap: we have Auri El and... Tyrfing," the Ranger summarised, icy eyes glancing over the skull curiously. "Poor soul. I think we can work something out, as long as you don't mind answering a few questions. It's just protocol, nothing to worry about."

"Oh and please do not enslave me — packs do that right? I'd appreciate it if you didn't. Though I wouldn't mind resting somewhere for a bit if you don't mind! Last time I tried to rest in a cave a very large creature chased me out — it had tiny little eyes and round ears and bellowed quite a storm. Rather ugly if you ask me. Almost made me drop Pops too!" 

"Not to worry. We don't enslave wolves here, Auri El, you're quite safe," Livid comforted him, her lip curling as he described his unfortunate encounter. She would look over to Lev Malakh for approval before continuing, wanting to give the other woman a chance to offer her own input. "And that thing you ran into sounds like a bear. You were lucky, they're not picky eaters by a long shot. Anyway, as for finding a place to rest, I know of a small cave nearby if that would suit you? And your... father? Then, we could perhaps work out how we can better assist each other."

[Lev Malakh]

The stranger was fascinated, and the ranger was aghast as the creature scurried away, waddling and hissing as if pissed to all hell. Lev Malakh smiled softly watching it venture back into Gemini’s lands where it would live the rest of its days. The boy before them was a talkative one, but the mother was patient. She had learned from her children to be patient, to be calm and to listen. So she listened and shook her head simply. “Opossum are quite common.” As strange as they were, she saw them quite often during the peaks between night and day. She too once had a run-in with the strange creature only to have her father shoo it off and laugh at her expression of awe.

This boy though, he seemed quite familiar and Lev had a strange feeling about him. Perhaps it was just his explaining that he liked to dig for his food. Worms? Could a wolf really live off of those slimy things? She in return was intrigued as the boy rambled on. The ranger next to her seemed overwhelmed by the stream of information albeit broken up into mysterious sections — a jumbled mind.

Livid — the ranger — paused after her introduction in which Lev nodded and proceeded to do the same. “Lev Malakh, Valkyr of Gemini.” A guard to a dead king and his sister who took upon his crown. Titles meant nothing to some and everything to others, but Lev Malakh would let the others decide and would not care otherwise. Titles meant nothing to a dead man however, as Auri El proceeded to unpack his trinkets along with a skull inside. Tyrfing. Brows knitted together — not because the dead now sat in front of them, the Valkyrie kissed the head of her dead mate each night and morn. The name was like a ghost that hung above her, so familiar yet so far away in a distant memory that she shook her head to clear the fog that clouded her mind momentarily.

The ranger seemed uneasy, but Lev Malakh only smiled. She nodded to let Livid proceed with the recap. “I have just the place for him.” she says, slightly bowing to the skull. “I keep watch over the dead, my mate rests there — under the willow tree.” An invitation for the poor man to rest with his unknowing family. “Livid, when you’re done, I’ll take care of him. I’ll be waiting for you, ok? By the wall. I’ll show you your father’s resting place.” Lev would then bow to them before taking her leave.

Welcome home, Tyrfing.

✦ ✦ Speech Text ✦ ✦

[Auri El]

AURI EL

Auri El had never spent much time in the presence of others before; for the longest time it had only been him and Hieronymus, and then it had been just him. Despite that, the former Saboran considered himself to be an excellent judge of character, and so he instantly decided that yes, these two would be excellent friends. They were kind, and patient (the golden eyed girl moreso than the gray sentry, but Auri El paid it no mind). Nodding with a grin while murmuring opossum under his breath as though it was the greatest word to ever exist.

"Oh no worries my friend" He replied with a flippant wave of a silvery paw. "Dedication to one's work is an admirable trait! No need to apologize, I also greatly appreciate not being attacked for straying upon your borders, it was very kind of you." Because where he came from, situations like this would not be handled with such kindness — Auri El may have been young when he had slipped into Saboro's abyss, but hazy childhood memories clung to the back of his mind.

The dire mix nodded along, murmuring both named under his breath to commit them to memory. "Lovely names, my friends. Very fitting too," A cheeky grin tossed at Liv, as though they had been friends for ages rather than newly met strangers. "Would you like some chamomile tea for that?? Haha, I only tease. Though I do know how to make an assortment of teas if either of you would like..." Voice trailed off as his mind flitted to other matters. Plus, teasing a border guard about her name probably wasn't the smartest of decisions to make. So Auri El continued to nod at Liv's words in easy agreement. "Protocol, yes. You are a very admirable sentry, Liv! Such attention to detail... Ask away, I promise to answer any question to the best of my ability." Idly, he began to carefully place his trinkets and precious cargo back into the satchel, lest he forget. "It's a relief you aren't slavers, that would have been a hassle." He commented airily. "And it would be wonderful to rest somewhere for a bit, thank you. If I may, I would like to offer any help in return. Mapping and navigating is what I do best."

Lev's kind voice caused dark ears to flick toward her, the merry carefree air to him melting away to a more sobered expression. "That is very kind of you, Lev Malakh, thank you." There was a hint of sorrow in his voice, for the girl seemed so young — far too young to have experienced such loss. Not pity... But something gentle. Warm and quiet, something eerily akin to his father's tone when mending wounds or murmuring soft nothings to his children during simpler days. Auri El did not offer his condolences or empty sorries, he merely dipped his head to her in return, and watched as she moved away. After somber moment of silence, he would turn back to Liv.

"Ah, where were we? You have some questions for me, yes?"

[Livid (RP)]

The awkwardness of the situation diminished entirely as the opossum lumbered away. Livid watched it for a moment, secretly annoyed that she had been led to believe that it had been truly dead for a moment. It was hardly an intelligent or brave defence mechanism. Playing dead.

"Oh no worries my friend Dedication to one's work is an admirable trait! No need to apologize, I also greatly appreciate not being attacked for straying upon your borders, it was very kind of you."

"Thank you for understanding," Livid replied with a nod. "And I try and give out a warning first. We're on our guard here, but we're not out for blood."

Hostility was actually quite frequent in the harsh North, it came with the literal territory. An unfortunate side effect meant that Livid could not decipher between a trespasser and those who were genuinely lost. It was something she needed to work on as a Ranger. She found herself laughing nervously when Auri El pointed out the aptness of her name. She had, in fact, been named for her blue-grey coat but she understood if others suspected that she had been named for the word's other definition. Things could've got extremely ugly if Lev Malakh had not shown up to add as mediator. 

The other woman offered to take care of the skull and Livid smiled to confirm that she thought this was a splendid idea. "Also, I'm sorry for your loss," the Ranger found herself saying to Auri El sympathetically. "It's truly admirable for you to seek out a decent resting place for this wolf. It's safe to say they were important to you?"

The stranger spoke of having 'tea', which was something that Livid was not familiar with. She was no herbalist, as plant life in her part of the North had been next to nonexistent. As for the issue of the skull, Lev Malakh provided a solution that the Ranger was happy with. Let her deal with the living. That suited her just fine.

“Livid, when you’re done, I’ll take care of him. I’ll be waiting for you, ok? By the wall. I’ll show you your father’s resting place.” 

Livid nodded, smiling in Auri El's direction once more as he agreed to her suggestion that they discuss his acceptance further. "Understood," she replied. "Thanks for the help." She watched the other female leave. She had seemed nice. Professional. It was fortunate that the Rangers had such backup when it was needed. 

It's a relief you aren't slavers, that would have been a hassle. And it would be wonderful to rest somewhere for a bit, thank you. If I may, I would like to offer any help in return. Mapping and navigating is what I do best."

Turning back to Auri El, a slight breeze would blow through the scene. The cold off the coast did not have any effect on Livid's thick coat (inherited from her Arctic side of the family) but she would encourage Auri El to move towards shelter, afraid that his thin frame could not handle the cold. "Come along, stranger. I know a cave close by, we can get out of the wind and talk there. Navigation is something that could be useful here, as we do send out diplomats and what-not to neighbouring packs very often. We're sociable like that... the pack, I mean."

Not me. 

Upon reaching the cave, Livid invited Auri El to sit down near the entrance. "So, you've mentioned some of your skills already and how you feed yourself. However, I do have some... concerns about the latter, Auri El," the Ranger began. "First of all, say that you could not dig for food. Like if there was a blizzard or something, how would you survive then?"

Can't have you starving to death now, can we?

[Auri El]

AURI EL

Ears flicked ever so slightly in the obvious discomfort as his name joke fell flat, but rather than dwell in the awkwardness of the situation, Auri El merely smiled with thinly feigned obliviousness. Better seen as a fool than some jerk picking a fight. Thankfully the moment passed.

Also, I'm sorry for your loss, It's truly admirable for you to seek out a decent resting place for this wolf. It's safe to say they were important to you?

Ah. He wanted to go back to awkward jokes. "No need to feel sorry, my friend. I didn't really know him well to be honest." The nomad smiled reassuringly at Livid, head tilting to the side as he searched for adequate words. "Ah well..." Auri El trailed off for a moment — and then belatedly realized that this line of explanation did not sound good whatsoever. "Well, I mean — he is — was my father... So ah. He meant something." Good god it sounded like he murdered him. "Only knew him as a child — he got decapitated before I could tell him I was alive, so here we are haha." Auri El waved a paw in a 'well, what can ya do' gesture, with a sheepish expression that was more cringing grimace than it was a smile.

Moving out of the wind and to the cave came as a relief to the dire mix. It was rather chilly — Saboro's jungle had never been so cold, even within the dark tunnels. The walk also gave Auri El a moment to happily delve into other, more pleasant, subjects. Talk of skills was far brighter than dead fathers.

"I think you're pleasantly sociable." He hummed with a teasing wink. "If the rest of your packmates are half as decent as you and miss Lev Malakh, then I'll be a very happy camper." Where he came from, it was rare to find such helpful and kind individuals.

The gray ex-Saboran settled into the cave with a stretch and a yawn. Being surrounded by rock and dirt felt comforting. Despite how dreadful living in the Abyss had been, the underground was still home to Auri El, where he had spent majority of his childhood. "I love caves." He announced brightly, mostly to himself. "Are there many of them in your territory? I'd love to explore them."

So, you've mentioned some of your skills already and how you feed yourself. However, I do have some... concerns about the latter, Auri El, First of all, say that you could not dig for food. Like if there was a blizzard or something, how would you survive then?

Auri El regarded her with a quizzical expression written across his face. "Well... I can dig for insects, small critters, reptiles... The usual. It has always worked well enough for me..." The largest catch he had managed to dig up was a small burrow of baby rabbits. The things were far too quick for him to catch above ground, but tracking down their burrows and digging for a prize had earned him a rather large dinner that day. "Ah! I understand the confusion now. Digging must seem odd, yes? I spend most of my life underground, in a tunnel system. Lots of dirt and rocks and insects. I don't know how to do the hunting thing." Auri El laughed flippantly. "I survived well enough, I'd say." Digging for his dinner had always been available to him, perhaps not the most efficient or filing, but it was always enough. When in doubt, he'd found plants and fruit were available above ground.

Tilting his head to the side, Auri El cast a puzzled glance at Livid. "What's a blizzard?"

[Witch.]

(RJ and Gothy, are you alright letting Auri El enter Gemini despite this thread continuing?)

@RJ. @Gothy

[RJ.]

(Ooc: that’s fine by me. I’m going to respond with Livid asap to wrap this up. ;D)

[Gothy]

[that's fine, Lev was more of a watcher than recruiting so it's mainly up to Livid!]

[Livid (RP)]

"No need to feel sorry, my friend. I didn't really know him well to be honest."

Livid's eyes must have widened of their own accord as the stranger struggled to explain himself. The Ranger did not really care whether or not he knew the deceased, she had just felt that what she had said had been the most appropriate thing to say. She wouldn't be the first or last to end up making something of a faux pas by attempting to be polite.

"Well, I mean — he is — was my father... So ah. He meant something. Only knew him as a child — he got decapitated before I could tell him I was alive, so here we are haha."

Ah, so that was it. The Ranger blinked sympathetically. "I see," she replied. "Still, it sucks that he met his end before you two could get to know one another. I sincerely hope you can find such ties with members of this pack, if you wish to make them. You've certainly proved you're loyal, trying to find a burial ground for your long lost father. Not many wolves would do that, Auri El. Especially from where I originate from." 

She thought of her own father. Periwinkle. With a name that he shared with both a shade of blue and a flower, you would expect him to be a laidback, cheerful fellow. Except the North had filled him with a chill that would be unbeaten by any blizzard or frozen peak. Whereas her mother had been distant and uninterested in her two pups, Periwinkle had taken on the role of strict schoolteacher. Livid's smile faltered slightly as she recalled how he would beret both she and her brother mercilessly if they did not pay attention. Not because he was a concerned parent, but because he was a bully. 

"I think you're pleasantly sociable. If the rest of your packmates are half as decent as you and miss Lev Malakh, then I'll be a very happy camper." 

Livid chuckled. "Quite the flatterer, aren't we? We do need more of that in Gemini, it is a place of refuge and dark pasts, so it's always nice to come across such a cheerful recruit... despite the circumstances," she admitted, smiling when Auri El proclaimed that he would love to explore the cave system. "Oh, yes. We have underwater caves here, by the coast. It could be a bit dangerous if you don't know how to swim though. Just a heads-up." 

Then came the million dollar answer: how could this recruit hope to feed themselves all year round?

"Well... I can dig for insects, small critters, reptiles... The usual. It has always worked well enough for me... Ah! I understand the confusion now. Digging must seem odd, yes? I spend most of my life underground, in a tunnel system. Lots of dirt and rocks and insects. I don't know how to do the hunting thing. I survived well enough, I'd say." 

"Oh, I see. Sorry for the confusion," Livid thought of what he had said about cave systems and decided his explanation made some sense. She had to admit that accepting somebody who doesn't know how to hunt in a traditional sense is a bit new but the whole question of 'do you know how to hunt?' boils down to 'can you feed yourself?' and since the other wolf fit that criteria, it would be unfair to judge him based on what technique he used to do so. He had adapted to what sounded like a harsh and unforgiving environment and that was something to be admired. "If you'd like to follow me to the packlands, I'll show you a place where you can rest."

"What's a blizzard?"

Livid chuckled, completely forgetting that not every wolf had heard of the cold, frozen North. "Something that has a colder and worse bite than I do," she responded. "Now, let's get going. I do have other work to do."

(ooc: and i think we're done with this. woo)