Piden and the Wolf [open]

[Ruby]

I would rather hunt in the forest.

"I don't care what you want, Desk. We had too much of a close call the other day, Red's still totally freaked and even Three wouldn't leave Puddleglum's side. Not that that's rare or anything, since she ran last week, but whatever. I don't even know what that thing was."

KYMAN HYMAN FRYMAN!! BYE MAN!

"And we have Shells. If you think it's a good idea to go after that thing with him on our tail, you've got another think coming."

Piden got the distinct impression that Pidesk wasn't planning on looking for whatever had caught them unawares the other day, he just liked taking his food from among those that had the chance to escape, not those trapped for the taking. The handler snorted from his position on the fence, watching his bronze Wher stalk through the night despite his distaste for the activity. "You're too goodhearted sometimes, Desky." The Wher's stomach rumbled so loud Piden could hear it from a good two wherlengths away, and he couldn't help but laugh. "C'mon, silly. Get something to eat or find another wher to go into the jungle with us, I don't want to find out what that was the hard way."

Pidesk took his handler's advice, reaching out to all the Whers he could feel awake, asking gently for their company. Piden didn't know if any of them would show up - He'd been pretty self-contained the last several turns, actually, content with Roi and Saphor and yes, even Phai - but it was worth a try, he figured. An off-duty adventure with a co-worker, someone he just said hi to, hopefully. More friends never hurt.

Shells, of course, had to add his two cents, too. And the 'mandyr had never cared who was sleeping and who wasn't. Come journyfy with Shellses! Danger, glorfy, sughnw! Foodes and idjets getting eated! Piden put his head in his hand, peering out at Pidesk through his fingers. "How is it that after all this time I've never taught him to shut up?" I have no idea, mine.

[Chey]

Elynael saw Elynask stir, tilting her head to the side and standing, turning in a direction.

What is it, love?

Pidesk. He reaches for whers. Elynask replied calmly. Shall we go see to him, my dear? He means to go into the jungle.

Elynael was unsure. She's seen Pidesk as well as Piden from afar many times before, but she'd never encountered the handsome man in person or his wher for that matter. Elynask wanted to go with him, for she knew he made to hunt, whether Piden wanted him to or not. Elynael was not going to let Hers go into the jungle alone, even if she was able-bodied and capable of protecting herself. Elynask was the only one who understood Elynael on the levels she did and even the slightest injury would infuriate her beyond belief, especially if she could have been there.

Come along, Mine. This will be a learning experience for you. Elynask coaxed gently, knowing Hers could deny her nothing. Besides, meeting the Bronzehandler will be good for you. He's important and you cannot continue to observe important figures from afar.

Elynael sighed, giving in with poor grace to the Wher. Very well, 'Nask. Where is the Handler and his Bronze? We will join them for the hunt, if that is what you so wish.

Elynask set off with a purpose, setting out to find the Bronze who'd oh-so-gently brushed her mind to call our for a fellow Wher. He's over here, Mine. Come, I will lead you to him.

Elynael followed her Wher calmly, sure that 'Nask knew what she wanted. Elynask led her through what seemed like a maze before she could spot the Bronzehandler ahead, his own Wher not far away.

"Greeting, Piden." she said mildly to the man, refusing to meet his eyes and instead choosing to let her eyes wash over his Bronze, who was by no means umimpressive himself, despite his long limbs. "Elynask tells me that your Pidesk wishes to journ in the jungle tonight."

[Ruby]

Pidesk couldn't hide his delight when it was a green that showed up, frisking over to Elynask and giving her a shy, gentle nuzzle if she'd accept it. He'd always been partial to Greens. I think you mean biased, Piden commented with a private smirk. He was a Bronze, yes, but a small one, easy to mistake for a brown except for his bronze stripe. The Golds intimidated him, to be totally honest, even Eikask who he'd caught more than once. He wasn't familiar with this one in particular, but Elynask seemed friendly enough. Tilting his head at her, he offered a greeting, then turned his nose towards the jungle edge as his stomach rumbled again. Shall they get going? The humans could follow at a safe distance.

Piden, for his part, was just as pleased as his Wher. Really he had no preference for a male or female partner in crime, but Elynael worked just fine. The choppy hair suited her somewhat pixie-ish face, made more otherworldly by the oddly shaped rash. Some people might be put off by it, but Piden was well-practiced at seeing attractiveness in just about anyone. More importantly, she wasn't some teenager, something that seemed to be plaguing the weyr lately. Or maybe he was just getting old. Because she came off shy and formal, Piden stepped forward, taking her hand and bringing it up to his lips for a gentle kiss as a greeting. Shy and formal wasn't his style.

He dropped her hand quickly, though, wishing to catch her off guard but not make her uncomfortable. "Lovely to finally meet you, Elynael," he purred. "Forgive me for never making the time to introduce myself before. Clearly that was my mistake." Let her take that how she would - he didn't want to scare her off right away. Glancing after the whers, who had started moving towards the jungle, Piden nodded. "Yeah, Desk is too good-hearted to kill the penned ones. He'd rather find a sick or injured one out in the jungle, take it out of it's misery. Would you care to join us?"

Shyfly, stoppit! Shells complained, hopping from Piden's shoulder to Elynael's with several flaps of his useless wings. Idjit wants tings, not say say. Things. Stoppit. Piden didn't blush, really, but he was once again pleased that Shells rarely made sense. "Sorry about Shells," he added. "Don't mind him. I'm sure you've heard the nonsense he spouts all over the Apartments before. He's a little..." Piden traced an invisible circle around his ear, making a bizarre face as he did. Yup, Shells was crazy. Don't listen to him.

[Chey]

Elynask nosed the enthusiastic Bronze back gently. He was such a sweetheart, especially to Greens. She herself had never met him as intimately as some of the other Greens around the Weyr, though she'd heard he was partial to her colour himself, despite him catching a Gold a few times. It was good to have a partner in hunting who could at least stand her. Most people found her offensive, which she didn't understand and didn't care to. Yes, let's go. Mine will not let me wander off without following.

Elynael couldn't help her blush becoming more pronounced. Now that she'd gotten a good look at Piden, she withdrew entirely and regretted her decision to allow her wher to push her into this foolhardy undertaking. Elynael didn't like socializing, what had 'Nask been thinking? And with Piden? The only boy she'd ever even remotely spent time with had been Ilaxnos- she deliberately refused to used his name contraction - almost six or seven years ago. Piden was...notorious to say the least, and his bright hair and eyes that somehow projected a darker look just made her stomach churn nervously. Now that she was closer, she could fully appreciate how well he took care of himself and that wasn't something she cared to fully appreciate.

She pulled her hand back almost as quickly as he dropped it, her cheeks burning and her jaw clamping shut. Elynask mentally poked her sharply, but left her almost mostly. Her cheeks felt so hot, they could probably light kindling on fire, if it was close enough. She didn't know how to make heads or tails of his greeting, though she made a noncommital sound in the back of her throat and turned her eyes to Elynask, a comforting and familiar figure in her life. Pidesk was walking next to her and she could tell that Elynask was content with her new hunting partner.

"Elynask is a huntress quite often." Elynael forced the words out through a tight jaw, staring into the trees after her mindmate. "She too hates to kill the penned ones, but mostly because she loves the thrill of a hunt. If Elynask wishes to go, than I will follow. I love her too dearly to deny her a bout in the jungle trees this once."

The mandyr was irritating at most. Elynael had learned in her early days to ignore that which was irritating and brushed aside his apology of "Shells" with a lazy hand, still not looking at him or the crazily darting mandyr. "Of course I've heard it, who of us hasn't. If they haven't, they're lucky. I can deal with a mentally insane salamandyr, though I can't guarantee my wher will, so will we follow them or not?"

She put space between her and Piden, walking a good two paces away and in front of him, rolling her shoulder to rid herself of the irksome mandyr with an ungodly large mouth.

[Ruby]

As soon as Pidesk crossed into the jungle, he hunkered down, slinking instead of walking. Hunting wasn't a thing that had come naturally to him as a Wherling, and even walking had been a stumbly sort of challenge for many turns, but over the past 14 turns he'd learned to keep his long legs in check. Now, as he sped up from an awkward walk to a smooth lope, it became clear that the Bronze was built for speed. Snapping playfully at Elynask to get her moving, it didn't take Pidesk long to shift into a full-out run, enjoying the speed as he circled back around to make sure the humans were following. Once he was content that they were safe enough, he reached out for Elynask, slowing to a jog once again. Did she smell any wherries or other prey? What about danger - felines, Kaymans? He himself was still sorting through the jungle scents, not sure what was what quite yet.

Yeah, Elynael was going to be a tortoise type. Slow and steady wins the race. Ok, Piden could play that game. He gave her a complicated smile - sweet, slightly apologetic on the surface, but with a hint of promise deep under that. If she cared to look that closely at his smile, anyway. So he let her drop his hand, but purposefully caught up and mismatched his gait with her own as they started into the forest so he had an excuse to shove her gently and playfully with a shoulder as he answered her statement. "Hmm, well that'll be good for Desk, then. He gets the job done but killing and all that isn't really in his nature. He'd rather eat in the dining hall, but the Headwoman kind of frowns upon that..." He shot Elynael another dazzling smile, not at all dangerous this time. "Maybe he can pick some tips up from Elynask."

Shells was busy being a nuisance, as usual, arranging and rearranging a bit of Elynael's hair over her ear. We follow! You follow ugy face fathat, no hs queen for Shells? Queen for Denden no good, haz all the queens. Shells nonely, sadness! Rolling his eyes, Piden reached across and grabbed Shells before the Mandyr expected it, settling the bronze back on his own shoulder. "Shells. You can shut up or you can go find a Queen of your own. I think Leviathan should be visiting this week." Not true, but that was that. Shells squawked and skittered down Piden's arm, launching himself out into the forest.

Shoving his hands in his pockets to make Elynael feel slightly less threatened, he kicked at a small rock on the jungle floor, sending it sailing off into the forest. They were over the initial greeting; what next? "So where're you from, Elynael?"

[Chey]

Elynask chuckled at Pidesk's antics. There was no denying his lope was quick, graceful, even, despite the fact that his gait was usually painfully clumsy. Hunting and stealth might not have been Pidesk's calling, but the hunt of a lesser creature thrilled her and though he wasn't mean about it, she was proud of it. When he circled back around to her, she didn't jog to meet him, as she would have any other day. This was a hunt. It required stealth, not playfulness. She rolled back so her step was silent as she prowled through the undergrowth. Yes, no doubt he was still at a bit of a loss with the jungle scents, but Hers let her wander the trees often, despite Nellie's reluctance. Yes, Pidesk. I smell...it is of a feline, scent, if I'm not mistaken. NellieMine, we go forward.

She acknowledged her wher's information with a mental confirmation. Elynael didn't miss his smile, but rather chose to ignore it. With nearly 17 years of practice ignoring boys, you bet your ass she was good at it. When he stumbled into her, she politely steadied him, moving away smoothly. "Careful Piden. Can't have you tripping and knocking yourself out, can we? Then where would Elynask and I be? I certainly can't lift you."

She snorted at the mention of Pidesk eating in the dining hall. Yes, no doubt the Headwoman would frown upon that. "Perhaps he can. I know Elynask would be thrilled."

The mandyr had refused to leave her alone after she'd brush him away, saying something about her not having a Queen for him, but she didn't really care. She was however surprised when he snatched the mandyr away and she was embarressed that a surprised puff of air that could have been mistaken as a snort escaped her. After a few quick words, the mandyr launched himself into the forest.

Uh-oh. That dreaded subject. Already, Elynael felt her facial muscles shutting down, sending her into mechanical mode that made anyone think she was expressionless, emotionless, and careless. "Hyphen. I'm from Hyphen."

[Ruby]

After a minute more of loping through the underbrush, Pidesk slowed, matching his speed to Elynask's. She was clearly the more experienced hunter, even if Pidesk was the older, and although slower speed meant he was tripping (silently) over a foot every once in a while, he knew it was prudent. Feline - he smelled it now. Did Elynask want to hunt the feline, or look for easier prey? It smelled like just one, the two whers should have no problem, but felines were often tough, being hunters themselves. No soft, grass-fed chub there. If she had an itch for feline, however, he was right behind her.

Pidesk and Piden had a very tight connection, so the Handler continued forward without confirmation, knowing exactly where Pidesk was headed. With the exception of the intentional bump, it was actually quite clear that Piden had more than a passing familiarity with both the forest and the darkness. He let Elynael steady him, though, smiling as if she'd beamed right back instead of given him the cold shoulder. "Oh, I won't do that. I'm not quite a cuddly as I look." Ironic, of course; Piden had never looked cuddly in his life, and being a Handler had only kept him in better shape. Except for the smile, he looked like a man who could take care of business.

His innocent question seemed to have been the wrong one, though. Piden had always been excellent at reading people, finding the cracks in their veneers and using them to his advantage. Elynael had just put on a carefully constructed mask, one meant to make it look like she'd had some unmemorable life before this one, made to deflect further questions. Unfortunately for her, she'd picked the wrong Handler to use that particular expression with. After all, no one was really that cold, Piden knew that. "Hyphen, huh? I spent quite some time in Hyphen a few turns back. Not the most pleasant place in the world, but to each their own, I guess. Nice hot springs, yeah?" Piden left a pause, assuming Elynael's answers would be monosyllabic at best, then went a totally different direction. "So, uh, is that a birthmark or what? Where'd it come from?" He was referring, of course, to the butterfly-shaped rash on Elynael's face, and he gestured at his own face just to make it clear. There, what'd she do with that? He'd get some words out of her eventually. Either that or she'd storm off into the dark, one or the other.

[Chey]

If Elynask could have wrinkled her nose, she would have. Feline, ugh. It was tough and too muscled overall for her taste. She preferred chubby herdbeasts, if she could, but you rarely found one of those in the wild and she hunted her meals rather than had them delivered to her like a dragon did. She wondered if there was anything other than a feline close to her and sniffed tentatively. Not for a long range there wasn't. If they were to keep their handlers close to them- and Nask generally preferred to be close to Her Nellie in case she happened to need her- then feline was the only thing on the menu tonight.

Well? she asked him. Do you prefer to hunt with Yours close by or are you willing to give a chase?

Elynael could feel Elynask's urge to go farther and frowned, looking at her wher. however, she was distracted by Piden's small talk. She almost snorted when he said he was cuddly; he was far from. He was intimidating and looked fierce, just as a wherhandler should, in her opinion.

His approach was different than the others she'd ever encountered and she was outright startled, her facade dropping in but an instant. She spluttered for a moment, trying to find a reply and not look like an incompetent idiot while she did it. "Um, yes, very pleasant. I hardly ever got to experience them though, I was always busy in my father's shop or sparring."

Her cheeks got redder, if possible. She was a tad touchy about what her mother had called a "butterfly rash." Elynael personally thought it looked nothing like a butterfly, but to each their own, she supposed. She was silent for a moment before answering that question as well. "My mother had said I'd had it for as long as she could remember and so I have. I guess it could be defined as a birthmark, I suppose, but it really isn't."

Really, he was frustrating her. She wasn't used to this much conversation in a day, but Elynask was far from done with her hunt with Pidesk and she would not take kindly to being pulled from it. Nor did she have any desire to be left alone with only herself for company. Grunting, she did the only thing she could: she moved even farther away from him if possible and crossed her arms over her chest, shutting down completely while she debated her options.

[Ruby]

His could take care of himself, Pidesk assured Elynask, and of Elynask's too, if she was the sort to need taking care of. She didn't really look it, but Pidesk had a hard time telling with the humans, sometimes. Some looked like Whers themselves but could hardly lift a pick, and then there were some like Nautsk's and Maximisk's, who were small but seemed capable of anything. Snorting, Pidesk cut off his own idle chatter, flicking a quick look over his shoulder at the humans before aiming himself towards the scent of feline. He would be quiet now, and focus on the hunt. Was Elynask ready? If so, Pidesk would follow her lead into the dark.

Piden let himself smile when he got more than a few words out of Elynael, although he wouldn't quite call it a conversation. Glancing up at the trees, he pulled a mark out of his pocket and started flipping it in the air, catching it blind. "So it is a birthmark but it isn't, huh? And what exactly does that mean, woman of mystery?" All of a sudden, though, Piden realized he was talking to thin air. Snatching the mark out of the air, he glanced around, trying to conceal sudden panic. He'd never forgive himself if Elynael got lost out here. Not that Elynask couldn't find her, but... well. Trust your instincts, right?

As soon as he looked around, though, he spotted her a few yards away, walking by herself. Closing the distance with a few strides, Piden elbowed her, sideways smile back in place. "Hey, don't do that to me, huh? You spooked - " CRACK. The bronzehandler's head snapped around, eyes searching the darkness. That wasn't just your average jungle noise - something was out there. Pidesk paused, feeling his handler's sudden spike of adrenaline, but he and Elynask were closer to the feline now than to the handlers. Turning back would mean losing their prey for sure. Would Piden and the female be alright on their own?

[Chey]

Elynask snorted. Hers? Needed protection? From His? Laughable, at the very least. NellieHers had been handling weapons since she was a hatchling. She was, at bare minimum, capable of protecting herself.

But the offer was appreciated. One never could tell what would pop up out of the blue and she was sure that NellieHers would appreciate any help His had to offer. She breathed a soft breath over him in appreciation before warning Elynael that she was going forward with Pidesk.

Take care of yourself while I hunt, Mine. she warned.

Elynael awknowledged her wher's notion with a mental brush. "Um....I don't exactly know what it means. I can't say that I've given it much thought...."

The worry that appeared on his face was very endearing. It almost made her crack a smile, but she restrained herself. She was, at most, ten feet from him. How that would worry him, she didn't know.

"Scared?" she teased. "Relax; I come into the jungle often enough. I could find my way back if push came to a shove. Besides, Elynask never leaves me for long. She would find me and drag me back by my shirtsleeves."

Saying she had a slight adrenaline spike would have been like saying water was a little wet. Enough dangerous trips out here had taught her well: if you thought it was harmless, it probably wasn't and you'd best be on your guard. The crack set her on edge and her muscles were so tense they practically vibrated with the energy it took to make herself remain still. Her ears strained and she turned her head a hundreth of an inch to peek at Piden. He was still as well.

"What was that, do you think?" she asked, so quiet she was practically mouthing the words.

Elynask froze at the same instant Pidesk did, then craned her head around. Leaving so close to her prey was precarious. They might not find anything else to hunt if they lost the feline and she was not eager to eat a tamed herdbeast that presented no challenge to best. However, she would not allow her want of a hunt to endanger Hers and to an extent, His.

Do you wish to turn back and find Ours? She asked. Or do you want to push forward?

Reaching out, she brushed her rigid Handler. Mine? Is everything quite alright? She asked.

[Ruby]

Piden saw that almost smile, and the teasing that followed spoke volumes. Good; this introverted Wherhandler had a spark of friendliness in there somewhere. He could work with that. "I'm not scared, I'm a man!" Piden shot back, puffing out his chest in an exaggerated manner and scowling dramatically. After a bark of laughter, though, he relaxed, then a bit of a shadow crossed his face. "Seriously though, I've lost more than one person out in this jungle. Maybe it's PTSD or something but I don't like being surprised out here." Hitching a smile back on his face, he added, "Honestly I'm probably in more danger than you are if Elynask looks after you that well, Pidesk would leave me for a pretty Green in a moment."

Pidesk sent his rider a shocked and offended sort of feeling - of course he would come for His if His was in danger. Piden sent Pidesk a shot of warmth, making it clear that he was joking. With that sorted out, Pidesk turned his attention back to Elynask. Honestly, he told her, he was happy that Hers would not need the protection of His. His was certainly capable of providing it, but like Pidesk, his handler preferred to avoid conflict if possible. That said, there was a feline out there and Pidesk's belly was grumbling again. Time to hunt.

Except not. As soon as Pidesk took a step away from Elynask's side, he felt his Handler spook and froze also. Still, though, Piden could handle himself, and it sounded like Elynael could too. And the feline was getting away. Pidesk took a tentative step away from the handlers, waiting for Elynask to follow. They could always go between if they had to, no? Their handlers would be safe.

Piden's eyes slid sideways to Elynael, but the rest of him was still. Luckily they were still close enough that the faint whisper made it to Piden's ears, and he hissed back, "Me and Desk ran into something out here the other day. Not a feline, not a wherry, too small for a kayman. Didn't get a good look. Feral wher maybe?" Turning his eyes back to the jungle, Piden searched the night foliage, wishing he had Pidesk's heat vision. With a quick hand sign to Elynael to keep still - the Handlers had a different system than the Dragonriders, but all of them knew it just the same - he bent down, picked up a rock, and tossed it to the left of where they had heard the crack, conveniently stepping in front of Elynael as he did. There was a scuffling in the bushes and a growl, followed by... a canine. A big canine, at least the size of a dragon hatchling, but still. There were worse things out here.

Piden straightened up, holding out a hand towards the animal. Maybe he could charm it and add another pet to his retinue? Not that he needed another one, not with Shells and Three and Red. Maybe Elynael would want it? "Hey, puppy," he cooed, hoping this canine had been brought up by a human. The growling didn't stop, though, and all of a sudden Piden realized there was quite a bit of saliva dripping out of the animal's mouth. Uh-oh.

[Chey]

Elynask began to pad forward with Pidesk. It was true, they could always between, should they really need to, correct? Whers weren't entirely useless, despite what many dragons and their riders thought. She continued on, checking in on Hers and ready to between if they really needed to. Her worry level cranked up from a green to a yellow when she felt the fear and adrenaline running through Elynael as if it were her own, but she didn't go back just yet. Elynael would call if she needed her.

The feline was some ways away now; her quarry was escaping and it made her grumble. She disliked picking between hers and her favorite past time of downing a feral feline. There was no way she could worry about Hers and hunt simultaneously. Becoming bothered, she tentatively touched Hers' mind. Mine?

I'm fine. Elynael shot back quickly. I'll call if I need you, you know that.

Elynael grabbed a fistful of Piden's shirt in a balled up hand, pulling him backwards ever so slowly- much more physical contact than she normally got in a month, let alone a day. She didn't relax her own rigid posture for a second. Once again in the quiet voice, she whispered "Piden, get up please."

It wasn't like her to use such a pleading voice (or even say please), but she was not going to watch a Handler be harmed by a feral dog. Nor did she want to be on the receiving end of Pidesk. Granted, wher bonds were much looser than that of a dragons, but with a close enough bond, the wher would still flip out. And he was much bigger than 'Nask.

She pulled him upright, fitting herself much closer to him than she would have liked. She reached for her knife, readying herself just in case. She'd much rather a few scratches than having someone's throat ripped out. "What do we do now, may I ask? Any bright ideas?"

[Ruby]

So, time to run then. Pidesk glanced over at Elynask just to be sure of her position, then set off into the night, all of his awkward walking gait smoothing out as soon as he started to run. He hoped his plan was clear to the Green - although the bronze was fast, the green was undoubtedly faster. He would give chase, driving the feline through the roughest brush he could to slow it down, and Elynask could circle ahead and pounce when she saw an opening. Pidesk would be there as soon as she attacked, ready to put himself in front of the creature's claws. Good?

Piden submitted gracefully to the pressure of Elynael's pull on his shirt, straightening up smooth and slow. He gave the woman a nearly imperceptible nod, just to reassure her that he was on his way. The whole time the canine didn't stop growling, and Piden didn't dare break his gaze. He wasn't totally sure how canines worked, but if they were anything like humans the first one to look away was giving up the power. He couldn't afford to do that right now, not with Elynael behind him. He felt a sudden surge of protectiveness - more common since Saphor and Phai returned to his life, but still rare for the handler. Huh. Odd.

Following the greenhandler's lead, Piden reached for one of his own knives, pulling just hard enough to loosen it in the sheath. Shifting his weight backwards so he could speak lower without turning his head (that's all, honest), he murmured, "Scare it away? Do canines spook? Do you know anything about canines? Is it rabid?" There wasn't even a hint of panic in Piden's smooth voice, but the number of questions and the speed with which he asked them... well. Maybe not all was totally right with the Bronzehandler.

[Zephyr]

Pidesk is hunting. Kaiusk touched Kaius’ mind ever so gently. What she had for him were not words, for whers did not speak in that way, but a series of pictures and emotions so complex that Kaius could understand what his wher was saying completely and immediately. He knew there was going to be more to what she was saying…a request perhaps? Whatever it was, the boy wasn’t exactly interested in listening to it. Sena was gone, and he had no one to talk to. That, perhaps, was his own fault for not seeking out the company of other people in the past, but he was still getting used to sleeping in his bed alone. Kaiusk was far too big to warm Sena’s side. I’d like to join him. The wher’s request was plaintive, and careful. Speaking to Kaius as of late was akin to walking on eggshells, and Kaiusk was nothing if not in tune with her handler’s emotions.

Go then. I’m not stopping you. Kaiusk hovered near the bed, her eyes tinged with yellow in her anxiety. Her boy was not well, not at all, and if he hid it for the wherlings and the wher program at large, here in these moments where it was impossible to hide, she knew. She always knew. And perhaps a few of the more senior handlers would know. Kaius didn’t socialize anymore. He didn’t go out and shoot the breeze with the other handlers. He worked, he took care of her and he slept…as if idle time would cause him to think too much.

He was broken.

She wanted to fix him though and the gold thrummed lightly, pressing her great head into the space between her boy’s chest and the bed, hearing the gentle beating of his heart. For a long time, the wher said nothing; thought nothing. She lay there with Kai, eyes blue and green and bleeding encouraging thoughts through a bond tighter than most wher/handler bonds. Even King was quiet, curled up near Kai’s head, watching Kaiusk’s efforts at rousing the boy. At last, he reached out for her, curling long fingers around her head knob and bringing his face close. He was silent for a second, before he spoke, his voice quiet in the dark of their apartment. “Let me get dressed.”

Hunting? With ugly Shellseses? Nightbeast good, pretty shiny protect. King was beside himself with the prospect of Kaius leaving the apartments for something besides work. He leaped on Kaius’ shoulder, then leaped over to land on Kaiusk’s back, coiling his lithe body around her headknobs and peering plaintively at Kai. Come. Up. Hunt time. Pretty shiny nightbeast hunt with ugly Shellseses.

A few minutes later the trio was making their way towards Piden and Elynael, Kai looking at least less like a hobo and more like a presentable goldhandler…even if he was losing a lot of weight from not eating. He would have asked Kaiusk where Piden and Elynael were, but he’d long since learned to trust the gold. She’d lead him to the right place. Suddenly, both of his bonded creatures stiffened. Kaiusk’s rigidity was due to something completely different and she broke out in a run, leaving Kaius to stare at her as she disappeared. King only waited a moment longer before he launched himself off of Kaius’ shoulder and glided after her.

“The fuck?” But it only took him a second before he was on the gold’s heels. Piden and Elynael would be the first to see Kaiusk as the gold exploded from the brush, quickly sizing up the situation. It was hard for her to hunt. She was too large, too shiny, and her tail and wings were much too big to make her effective at sneaking, but she could fight. For all she hated it, she knew how to, and she looped around the humans, brushing against both of them comfortingly before she put herself firmly in between the humans and the canine, the snarling reverberating from her throat. She might not have been terribly big, even by wher standards, but she was definitely bigger than this canine, and her wrath was nothing to mess with.

Taking a step forward, the gold flared her wings, massive things that made her look bigger than she really was. She thrashed her long, whiplike tail, and snarled fiercely, as intimidating as her wild grandmother. Wicked sharp claws broke up the earth as she faced the canine and she made it clear that she wouldn’t hesitate to tear the thing apart if it made another move. She didn’t want to kill it, but she would to protect her whers.

King, meanwhile, paid no attention to the canine at first as he bounced after Kaiusk, using her hind end as a springboard to make his way up, up, onto Elynael’s shoulder. Pretty, pretty lady. The bronze mandyr cooed, heedless to the danger they were in. Pretty shiny queen protect. King help. He nuzzled the blonde woman happily for a second before he turned his attention to the canine, snarling as viciously as a mandyr can, bronze and gold hide shining in the moonlight. He flared his frill spines and wrapped his tail about Elynael’s neck to anchor him as he threatened the canine with certain death.

Kai showed up in the middle of the chaos. He stood stock still for a moment, hand going to his knife instinctually before he approached the pair of them, brown eyes hard and locked on Kaiusk and the canine. “Doing okay, Piden?” Kaius and Piden had their disagreements, mostly when it came to Kaiusk’s runs, and Kaius thought Piden was a cocky asshole most of the time, but the guy was still one of the most competent handlers they had left, and Kai respected the guy immensely.

King slithered off of Elynael's shoulder with a final, loving nuzzle and glided over to latch onto Piden, looking up at the man intently for a moment. Where ugly Shellses? Need protecting. Strong bronze protect! Seemingly forgetting that the canine could eat the little bronze alive in a heartbeat, King snarled at the canine again, this time from Piden's shoulder, flaring his wings and snarling in a strangely convincing mockery of Kaiusk's current position. Pretty shiny eat. Canine make for pet though, yes? Train protect pretty lady.

[Chey]

If Elynask could grin, she would have. Why, what an excellent plan Pidesk. She took to his meaning almost as if it had been her plan and as he darted at the feline, she circled around. It was certainly something to behold, how his awkward gait that didn't suit a hunter at all transitioned into a smooth run. She ran as fast as she could, a small agile little green blur that raced ahead of the feline. Just as it noticed her, it was too late: both she and Pidesk were upon it. It's claws swiped through air in futility as they took it down, though Elynask noticed Pidesk had placed himself in the trajectory of the claws so that should they hit wherhide, it would be his own. She sent him a pulse of affection and offered him the first bite while she checked back on Hers, finding her with His.

"No...it doesn't look rabid..." she whispered back to Piden. A sound was heard, as if something were thundering through woods at an ungraceful and un-Sharding loud pace. Elynael recognized the thundering in the wood immediately; a wher. A big one at that, though she didn't expect a gold the run out. She recognized Kaiusk immediately and her knife dropped back into her sheath. Any hound stupid enough to challenge a wher like Kaiusk was just asking for the death sentence it got. She smoothly stepped away from Piden, who was blocking her like she needed protecting. While the sentiment was...appreciated, she found it distasteful nonetheless. She could protect herself quite well enough, thank you.

The bronze mandyr landed on her and she flinched startled. He wrapped around her and she heard the words he was cooing in her head. Shards almighty; and she'd though Shells was annoying. However, the little show he made of trying to be ferocious was undoubtedly adorable and in a completely unlike her fashion, she giggled at him. The dog could eat him in one bit.

And just the thing she needed, another male: Kaius appeared, looking confused as all hell in the middle of the chaos. He slowly made his way over to Piden, who Elynael assumed he'd know. Pidesk may have had a thing for Greens, but he was Bronze and he'd probably chased Kaiusk before. Elynael, however, had only seen the goldhandler from afar. Standing off to the side with his mandyr wound around her neck, she nodded to him politely. "Goldhandler Kaius. Your wher is a welcome sight, as is your timely appearance."

At the mention of her taking on the hound, she forced herself to hold in a snort. Some days she could barely handle 'Nask, let alone another animal. She opened her mouth to refuse when said wher, who'd been keeping tabs on her Handler, spoke up.

You should take it. For protection. The thing isn't wrong; it can be trained. Extending her mind towards the bronze mandyr, she sent a pulse of appreciation. Many thanks for saving my person. She'll take the dog.