DotW RP: Healing

MatrixPotato:

It had been several hours since Lyn had last checked on the stranger she brought into Chandor. Although, he wasn't quite a stranger anymore; more like an acquaintance now. A reluctant acquaintance however. Last she had seen of him, he was sleeping. She didn't need to check for a heartbeat this time, she could see the obvious rise and fall of his chest. But that had been about five hours ago; the sun had set during that time. Lyn decided that it was best to bring him some food this time, as well as some more water- if he was awake.

She peaked into the den, the leaf in her mouth and a hare carcass at her feet. "Rowan?" She called quietly into the darkness, her words a little muffled because of the stem in her mouth. "Are you awake?"

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Quailmix:

Rowan roused slowly at the call of the female. This time when he woke, he remembered where he was, and why he was there. Lifting his head from across his lap, a dull throb continued to plague him with each movement, but he was already feeling significantly better than he had been before sleeping. His gaze fell to the entrance of the den, "Yes." He replied, repositioning himself to better greet the female as she entered the den.

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MatrixPotato:

At his reply, Lyn slowly descended into the dark cave, careful not to spill the leaf full of water and holding the hare in one paw. Once she reached him she set the carcass gingerly in front of him- as a sort of peace offering -as well as the leaf. She was sure he didn't need her to hold it this time, but she did it anyway, giving him time to drink before she said anything else. But while she did so, she kept her eyes averted, her awkwardness swelling.

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Quailmix:

Rowan lapped up the water readily, and then turned his attention to the hare. "Thank you." He said with a short nod, before moving his leg to drag the carcass closer to him, so that he could hold it between his two front paws. Getting some leverage by placing his feet around the hare, he bit down at the fur and began to rip it away gingerly. When he had a bald spot, he began to eat, crunching away at the small bones easily.

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MatrixPotato:

Once he had finished the water, Lyn placed the leaf aside once again, giving him room to start feasting on the small hare. She thought of leaving him be, but she also felt the urge to talk with him. Ever since she had brought Rowan back to the den, she'd been curious as to why he was trespassing in Chandor. She wasn't sure if now was a good time though. He was still healing. And for all she knew, he could've just been passing through, like most loners were.

So, she sat a few feet away, her gaze on the entrance, staring at the cloudy sky. She'd just wait until he was done. Maybe he needed something else anyway. A few legs of other Chandor members passed by as she waited.

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Quailmix:

The hare was small, and so he ate it rather quickly. He hadn't realized how hungry he had been. Although, as a loner not getting much food anyway, any food was a welcome meal. Having something in his belly made him feel even better than he had before almost instantly. The mixture of no longer being dehydrated and having a bit of fuel was working well. He noticed that he didn't hurt so badly when he moved his head around now, it was even a tolerable pain at this point.

Lyn stayed with him, which did not surprise Rowan. If it were his pack, he would want to watch over the stranger and make sure they weren't doing anything threatening either. He was grateful for her help, but didn't want to be a problem. She obviously was uncomfortable with him.

He lifted himself to stand, his legs only shaking ever so slightly. It was clear that he had regained much of his strength. "Lyn, I thank you for your kindness, I will leave now and relieve you of my burdens." He told her, preparing to go. He was unsure of if she would want to escort her or not, but waited for her cue.

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MatrixPotato:

Once he had finished, Lyn opened her mouth to speak, but Rowan beat her to it. He stood which almost made her mouth drop open. He could barely move yesterday. Where had that come from all the sudden? But once he said he would leave, she jumped to her feet. She could still see his legs shaking- she couldn't let him go. Not while he was still healing.

"Wait, you can't just leave!" She blurted out. It only took her a second to realize how that sounded. "I mean, of course you can leave; we don't keep prisoners or anything like that." She recovered, hoping that he hadn't just compared her pack to Blutwald. "What I meant was that you're not fully healed. I can't let you go while you're still injured."

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Quailmix:

The female stopped him, as he took a light step, catching himself and listening. He almost protested, but as he stepped, he could feel the dizziness returning to him. Just because he'd gotten some food and water didn't mean he was okay. He was pushing himself too hard. He sighed, "Perhaps you are right." He admitted, circling back and sitting down. His head hung low, clearly strained by even just standing up. He didn't want to believe that though.

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MatrixPotato:

Lyn frowned as Rowan returned to his previous spot in the den, looking quite strained physically, but also quite disappointed that he couldn't leave yet. Her brows furrowed, but then a sudden thought popped into her mind. Why did he want to leave so badly? In fact, why was he a loner in the first place? To Lyn, not living with at least one other wolf was an odd thing. She wondered what his past was and why he wasn't in a pack; he was obviously a noble wolf. She promised herself that she would wait until later to ask such questions, but her vocal chords had a mind of their own.

"Why are you a loner?" The words were out before she could stop herself. Immediately after speaking she dropped her ears in embarrassment. "Uh- sorry. I didn't mean to-" She stammered, but then finally formed a coherent sentence. "You don't have to answer that."

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Quailmix:

In another moment, he let himself slid his front legs from beneath him so that he could lay back down. He really needed to stop straining himself so much. This female obviously didn't mind him around, despite his own instincts telling him to move on.

When she asked her question, his long pointed ears perked in her direction, and he watched as she became awkward and bashful at her own curiosity. "No, it’s alright." He tried to reassure her. He didn't like to interact with others much, but an awkward interaction was much worse than a free flowing one. If they were going to have a conversation, which it seemed they were, he hoped she would become more comfortable with him.

"Pack life," He thought for a moment, trying to find the right words, "never treated me very well." He decided to conclude with, looking down at the dirt floor beneath him, memories of his first pack, and then of Quilla, coming back to him quite vividly.

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MatrixPotato:

After being reassured, Lyn let her ears perk forward again, still quite curious at the answer he would give. But when he did answer, she was a little disappointed at how vague it was. Could she blame him though? She hadn't been open about talking about her mother until she formed Chandor; how could she expect him to droll out his past in one sitting? Nonetheless, she sat, letting her tail curl around her left leg.

"Must not have been a very nice pack." She said a moment later. "Was it Blutwald?" She inquired. Blutwald seemed to be the one pack where wolves flee from. She also didn't know of any other packs, so it was just normal for Lyn to guess that.

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Quailmix:

Rowan's head shook slowly, hardly moving, but the 'no' was still clear. He had heard of Blutwald just from being in the area for a while, and it did not sound like a place he wanted to find himself. "No," He answered, and was about to leave it there but he could see the curiosity within her. Normally, he wouldn't have cared, he would have left her be and been on his way without another word. As it was, he was stuck here, sitting in a den with her, and leaving it there wouldn't be the way to go in this situation.

"Erias was the pack. Not in this area." His sentences were short, as if piecing together a whole thought was difficult. After not speaking about his past for so long, it kind of was. He didn't want to delve into the details, but he knew she wanted more, "My father-" He hadn't spoken of his father in years, not since Godfrey had still been with him. The words stuck in his throat, "he was murdered, and I defended him. They ran me out," His memory was vivid, but his explanation spotty at best, "My brothers, they ran me out." His words had grown quiet at that point, as if uttering them was the only thing that made them matter and saying them quietly would keep them away.

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MatrixPotato:

Lyn's ears perked forward more as she listened to him. He answered vaguely at first and thought for sure that he wouldn't extrapolate- but to her surprise, he did. After he finished however, her ears fell back again. Family chasing out family? That was something she might have been able to fathom a long time ago, but now it seemed horrible and wrong.

"I'm sorry." Lyn said quietly. She glanced at the ground; hearing his past- though vague it was -made her past seem so petty. She wasn't sure what to say now.

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Quailmix:

Her words were weak to him. Did he care if she was sorry? No. He had spent years building a wall around him, and her sorry meant very little. A glimpse of his regular demeanor began to show, as he glared at her, "Didn't think family could be that way?" He asked in a sour tone. Typical. Young, naive, sweet girls don't know about the real world anyway.

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MatrixPotato:

Lyn looked up when Rowan spoke, only to meet his glare and harsh words. It made her flinch slightly. How had she expected him to react, though? Saying sorry wouldn't heal anything; she knew that first hand. The tone he used made her anger boil only slightly and she willfully had to restrain herself from snapping at him, tightening her jaw. Of course she knew family could be that way. Her siblings had basically told their father that they didn't care about him and then left the pack. She felt angry for him assuming that she didn't know anything about family problems.

Lyn lifted herself and neared the entrance way, but stopped just before exiting. She turned her gaze back to him and finally spoke. "No." She said simply; her expression was a mixture between sadness and anger. "I know that they can be that way. Especially when a tragedy is involved." Without another word, she turned away and ascended out of the den, not waiting for him to reply.

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Quailmix:

The large male wolf was surprised by her response, and watched rather wide eyed as she fled the den. He wondered what could have happened to her to make her be that way, and feel that way. Obviously, it was his own words that had led her to react that way. She had tried to be kind, and he had not been kind back. But it was what she had responded with that got him. Especially when tragedy was involved.

Normally, he wouldn't have given the comment another thought. Perhaps it was because of his injury, or perhaps it was because although he had resisted it, the two were getting to know each other just by being around one another for so long. Normally, Rowan would have been gone already. Either way, he found himself curious. He wondered what tragedy she had been involved in.

Perplexed, and a bit guilty, he let his head rest on his paws. Soon enough, his weak body fell back into a deep, recovering sleep.

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MatrixPotato:

*THE NEXT DAY*

The next morning, Lyn was up early. She hadn't slept well; she'd thought about the conversation she had had with Rowan yesterday and it plagued her mind all night long. Should she have just left like that? Would it have been better if she stayed and maybe let him explain himself? No matter what she thought, she just continued to toss and turn. Eventually, she had just gotten up and did an early patrol as soon as the sun peaked over the horizon.

But now she had rounded her way back to the camp and she sighed, staring at the small group of wolves who were beginning to go about their daily tasks. Her gaze drifted to the main den. She had a little bit more time to think and she decided that she should apologize for walking out on him like that. But was he still sleeping? Only one way to find out, she thought, as she headed in the direction of the den.

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Quailmix:

The morning light had slowly trickled into the den until it reached the tip of his nose, rousing Rowan awake. He felt weak still, and was getting tired of it. He didn't like relying on another wolf for his care at all, and wished he could just go find a lake to recover next to, to have all of the water he needed. Hunting may have been a problem, but a loner like him knew how to scavenge just fine. Of course he wasn't exactly here against his will. He had mixed feelings. It was safer here, but that didn't mean it was his favorite choice.

A shadow crossed the light that was cast into the den, and he lifted his head to look in the direction of the entrance. Of course, it was Lyn. Who else would it be? In the days that he had been here so far, she was the only one he saw. He'd heard others, whispering and peeking in, but none had been bold enough to investigate him. So far.

He did not speak to the female, only looked at her. It was like a game of chess; tense and contemplative.

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MatrixPotato:

As Lyn came upon the den, she lowered her head to peek inside. The sun lit up the inside for the most part and as soon as she looked into it, Rowan's gaze met hers. She was silently praying that he was still asleep, but now that he had seen her, she couldn't just back out now. She glanced away at the others who were still around the camp; a one last ditch effort to see if there was something they needed, so she didn't have to confront Rowan. But no one needed anything.

She descended into the den, but kept a little bit more distance between them this time. She sat down and cleared her throat, not meeting his gaze at first. "How are you feeling today?" She asked, finally lifting her eyes to him. She sounded a little monotone, but she was genuinely concerned about his health.

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Quailmix:

The tension in the air was thick, and Rowan shifted as the female came closer to him. He watched her with steady eyes as her own line of sight shifted between the den entrance, the floor, and anywhere else but him. He knew nothing about this female, and the more he had gotten to know her, if you could call it that, the less he understood. Who was she? All he knew was her name, and that she might not have the best judgment. After all, she'd gone fishing in a thunder storm, and brought a stranger into the heart of her pack. Was she even a ranked wolf her?

Finally, her eyes met his. "Fine." He responded simply. It probably wasn't the response she wanted to hear, she liked to chat. "Thanks." He added, clearly as a second thought.

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MatrixPotato:

Even with the obvious tension around, when Rowan answered her- and he answered a lot faster than she would've expected -Lyn honestly wanted to laugh. In the short time she'd gotten to know him, albeit very little, she should've guessed he would've said something like that. Even if he wasn't fine he would've said that he was anyway; hell, he tried to pass off that he was okay right before he fainted. At the thought, a small smile broke across Lyn's face.

"I'm glad." She said, her tone softening. The smile dropped some and she glanced down at the ground again, before looking back up. If she was going to say what needed to be said, she just had to come right out and say it. "I wanted to apologize for walking out on you yesterday. It was rude of me to do that." She didn't beat around the bush. At least there was one thing she was good at.

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Quailmix:

When she spoke, Rowan cocked his head slightly. An apology was the last thing he expected from her. Or, no it wasn't. She was the apologetic sort so far, wasn't she? He just didn't expect it from a personal standpoint. She apologized for water, for food, for his head, but to apologize for their interaction surprised him. It was not something that he had thought of.

"Its fine." He said meekly, after a long pause. Rowan was not great with apologies, and his own stubbornness was gripping him harder than he wanted to admit at the moment. He looked to the ground, "I mean," He paused, "I shouldn't have said anything." He placed his head in his feet again, staring off at the wall of the den.

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MatrixPotato:

Lyn's brows turned up and her smile disappeared now. "No, I shouldn't have asked in the first place. Your past isn't my business." she said. "Well, I mean it would be if you were a murderer or something, but that would only be necessary to know for the safety of my pack." She glanced away and then back to him. "And murderers don't generally save lives."

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Quailmix:

Her response to him was admittedly confusing. What a strange thing to say. It was so strange that it actually got him to crack a smile, but a skeptical one, as he eyed her curiously. "Perhaps I only murder males?" He couldn't help but play the devil's advocate in a lot of situations, and this was too good of an opportunity to pass up. At least he still had a personality, especially after a hit to the head as hard as his.

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MatrixPotato:

Lyn was definitely not prepared for that response. Her eyes widened a bit. For all she knew, that could very well be true. However, her common sense got the better of her and her expression relaxed again. If that's what he was, why would he admit it? She stared at him for a few long, silent moments; studying his face, contemplating.

"Maybe." She said slowly, finally. "If that were the case and you were looking to kill the alpha male here, you'll be disappointed, because there isn't one." Her expression shifted to one of incredulousness. Honestly, she couldn't fathom him being a murderer, not after risking his own life for hers, even though his question did bring up a good point. She hoped to get some sort of reaction out of him by telling him that. If there was no big male to kill, what would be the point in staying?

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Quailmix:

At her uneasy "Maybe." he let out a short breath from his nose, making a quick scoffing noise, as if the start of a laugh. A small amused smile brushed his lips, even if only momentarily, before his stony expression returned and he stared at her with his natural ambiguity. She went on to say there was no male alpha to kill, which he found curious in the short term but generally didn't care. He hadn't even known where he was before Lyn had told him a few days before, whoever the alpha was he did not care. But, for the sake of conversation, he would bite.

"No alpha?" He asked, almost pandering, "And no other pack members, either, it seems." He noted, as he had been here for days in what was apparently the main den and seen nobody but Lyn. If he hadn't been a smarter wolf, smelled the rest of them, heard them, he would have concluded this "Chandor" was a ruse that Lyn was using to keep herself safe from being alone with the big male. Although the mousy female didn't seem to have enough wits for a plan like that anyway.

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MatrixPotato:

There it was. He might have been good at hiding his emotions, but the look on his face was true indifference. He wasn't a murderer. He didn't care whether there was an alpha male or not. Lyn wanted to smile to herself, but she kept her face calm. It was like a game between them. When he spoke again, Lyn raised a brow.

"No alpha? Of course there's an alpha." She said. She flicked her tail, letting it curl around to the other side of her body. "I'm the alpha."

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Quailmix:

The female seemed to be easing into the conversation, losing her awkward sensibilities and settling into the salty banter that Rowan was so good at. She had gotten down the subtle brow raise, the subtle glance to the side, and the snappy unforgiving comeback after a short pause. Rowan was almost proud of her when she responded, "No alpha? Of course there's an alpha." Perfect, so quick and laced in sarcasm. He licked his lips, ready to respond with a short "Oh?" but she continued, "I'm the alpha."

That caught him off guard. She was so, not an alpha. When she said it though, she seemed like one. His words caught in his throat and his blank stare became slightly confused, brows scrunching towards the middle of his forehead. "Oh?" he said meekly, not playfully, as he had thought he would.

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MatrixPotato:

Lyn tilted her head ever so slightly at Rowan's weak response. She honestly thought it would've been obvious by now that she was, but perhaps her awkwardness drowned her alpha side out. She frowned now. She would definitely have to work on that a lot more. It was killing her image.

"Why else would I be checking in on you? Not to sound like I don't trust you or anything, but I wouldn't let any of my members keep an eye on someone they didn't know." She said. It was audibly noticeable that she was getting comfortable now. She relaxed her posture, leaning on one of her hips in a sort of lazy sit, before finally adding, "And yes, there are actually wolves here. Have a look for yourself if you don't believe me."

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Quailmix:

Rowan closed his mouth with pursed lips, and glared at her through sagging eyes. Although he wished it were different, his head injury was again getting the better of him. He could feel his eyelids weighing down, as if conversation was tiring him out. That was a feeling that he hated; he felt helpless, useless, and weak.

Still, through his aching head, her logic seemed skewed. She was either a very new alpha, or a very bad one. At least in his opinion thus far. "So you'd rather put yourself in harms way? Commendable." He complimented her sarcastically. If he had intended to harm her, and she was the only alpha, being alone with a stranger was not a smart move. He could easily leave her pack without an alpha if he chose. Even with his head, he was sure he could overpower her.

That is, if he wished.

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MatrixPotato:

At first Lyn was incredulous and angry at what Rowan had said; why shouldn't she put herself in harms way before her pack members? But then the reality of what he said began to sink in, and her glare disappeared. She looked away, now ashamed and embarrassed. If he had decided to kill her, then Chandor would cease to exist. She frowned and mentally kicked her self. It was a stupid decision.

She was silent for a few moments before speaking again. "I'm not the best alpha, okay? I haven't even been one for long." She sighed. She should've paid more attention to Gregor instead of sulking off. She had such a long way ahead of her. "I thought that's what would be best. Keeping my members safe is important to me, and this way it just seemed the easiest. But if you had killed me-" She looked up at him, "-and I still don't believe that you would- then my pack would be in even more danger." She finished and looked away again. It was odd; the more time she spent with Rowan, the more it seemed like she...grew somehow.

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Quailmix:

By her reaction, Rowan automatically felt bad for mocking her. She had been very kind to him to take him in and mend his wounds, bring him water, and keep him fed. And here he was, acting so ungratefully. "Hey," He said in an almost soothing, unnatural tone for himself, "I'm sorry. I've struck a chord. Again." He admitted. "I'm sure you're doing a fine job." reassuring her seemed like the only thing to do, really. He had no idea what to do. He was way out of his element.

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MatrixPotato:

It was odd how the two of them seemed so out of practice. It was even weirder for Lyn when she realized that fact as well. She was the alpha of a pack; why was she so awkward? Even so, she couldn't help but smile at his words. He seemed to change somehow and that only solidified her belief that he was a good wolf, not the bad guy he tried to pin himself as.

"I'm glad one of us thinks so." She said with a small chuckle. She stood and gave a light shake, a little bit of dust falling from her coat. "Well, I shouldn't bother you any longer. You still have some healing left to do." With one last smile, Lyn exited the den. She didn't want to stick around any longer lest she might mess up and get into another bad situation again- but, deep down, she hoped that she'd be able to talk normally with him later, if he even stayed that long.