A wide ravine where a shallow, gentle river flows. Years of drought and silt deposits have built this area into a fertile delta. The river remains low and dry most of the year, staining its waters brown and creating muddy shores.
Balthazar was laying beneath a large tree, taking shelter in it's shade. While he remember the boat ride- he couldn't recall much about the crash other than his body hurt, tremendously. Pip, Reeds bord grabbed at one of Balthazar's braids and tugged upward; as if to say c'mon we gotta go. But the sun was still up. Balthazar squinted at the light. It was something he prefers to avoid- especially now. His goggles had gotten lost and now he would have to work to fashion new ones.
From his perch in the shade he decided to look around his surroundings and press his troubling thoughts away, for now at least. When he looked left and right all he saw was a muddy river running over the land.
Where was he? "C'mon pip." Balthazar chirped as he continues to move, this time closer to the dark woods to avoid the sunlight more. The bat-like hyena could smell marking scents and made sure to stay outside of them, as not to trespass on their land. He did however throw his head back and attempt the best howl a hyena can...maybe, just amaybe they had seen Reed. The boat wreck couldn't ve too far off either..
--
(Ooc): hes making sure to stay just outside of the borders.
Larkspur pulled their wings in, slowly losing altitude as they followed the river. This latest excursion away from Reed in a search they had elected to follow a long river to whatever coast it led to. It was probably going to be a long flight and they didn’t want to leave Reed alone for too long so they elected to leave at dawn, to ensure they got the most travel time in to get to the shore. They weren’t entirely sure what they were looking for – a hut? A shelter of made of branches? The larger remains of a crashed ship? They weren’t sure at the moment but they figured they’d know if they saw anything noteworthy when they got there.
Still, they’d been soaring for a while and had started to get thristy again and the river was (as far as they could smell) freshwater.
They pulled their wings in, allowing their paws to thump softly into the grass beneath their paws, and start walking towards the rocky, muddied edge of the flowing water. They paused to stretch themselves forward, their hindlegs and spine trembled and their muscles pulled taut from the move. They walked themselves forward and gave a fierce shake of their coat, flaring their wings a little to dislodge the built-up aches.
”Wonder how long before the river splits,” they mused to themselves aloud, walking forward to lower their head. They had taken only a few laps, passively looking around, before something hidden beneath a tree caught their eye. They blinked once, twice – well, the other’s wings didn’t look particularly draconic in their opinion. No scales that they could see – but the membranes were bright red with pointed ‘fingers’ on the end. They stopped drinking to just… stare for a moment.
…there’s no way…
”...you wouldn’t happen to be or know a Balthazar, would you?” they asked slowly.
Balthazar heard their footsteps as they approached him, but he remains hidden in the shade, where he examines the stranger. Their coat was a beautiful brown with just as equal tiger stripes, their face holding brilliant blue markings.
To their question Balthazar was hesitant to answer- but it was the thought of finding Reed that loosen his unwilling tongue. " I am. Who's asking?" Just who was he dealing with now, he wonders. His tail gently swayed behind him. Pip, reeds blue companion lands on Balthazars head and chirps as they wait for a response. "I'm looking for a friend, I got a little lost after our wreck. Please don't mimd me sticking to the shade the sun burns." He admits after a long pause. Surly they were not here to hurt him- or they would have right? No matter how Balthy tried to convince himself he was safe his body remains stiff. Eyes glued to the strangers every move.
Larkspur's eyes glided across the form of the massive wolf curled beneath the tree - they had never felt particularly small in their old hunting grounds, and they stood a decent few inches taller than Reed, but this new wolf was a giant. Gods, how does he even get around, they wonder - a giant such as himself must expend a lot of energy just to move. No wonder he only flew at night (if this truly was Reed's Balthazar), he was so huge it was probably the only time of day he could fly without causing a panic below. How much does a wolf like this need to eat?
Their attention was redirected to the words voiced by the other, confirming the giant's identity as the missing, wolf.
"Larkspur," they saiid, identifying themself with a pleased wag of their tail. They padded a little closer, still leaving about half atail's length of space between themself and the massive wolf before they sat, half in the shade away from the brilliant sunlight. "As for who's asking... that friend you're looking for probably. A 'Reed Blackpaws' if that helps."
Having a name to match their face helped some. Balthazar took a moment to observe Larkspur as they came closer to him. Now about a tail-length away. Balthazar could hear her blood pumping under her skin, making his teeth tickle; but he manages to hold firm. It hadn't been long enough for him to go wild on anyone. "How do you know Reed Blackpaw?" He was curious now. The giant sat down as to be closer to Larkspurks level. "I have been searching for her everywhere. I faintly smell her here- is she..here?" His long scythed tail curls around his paws in a hug. Oh how he prays he had gone the right way.
"You know, I think you flew in did you not? And yet..me sees no wings!" It was a rather remarkable thing. One that inched him closer to take a small, careful sniff of the stranger with the coat of a tiger.
The longer they sat the more the sun started to lower. "Wish the sun would go down. I lost my goggles, makes it impossible to see in the sun." He frowned as he leaned against the tree, clinging to shade. This placr made him miss home by the sea. He missed his trading shack, and building, but most of all he missed his adventures with Reed.
Pip fluttered around the newcommer a few times, chirping as he did so before landing back on Balthazar, who nuzzled the bird affectionately. "This is pip, reeds companion!" He explained how the bird had ended up lost with him.
"So Larkspur, if I may, who are you..where exactly am I..and what way should I be heading?" The question flew from his lips like a hot fire. He wondered about this stranger- but stronger than his curiosity was his urge to find his best friend; he wouldn't loose her again. Not this time. He promised himself- hell he even killed the man who went after her originally. All the time hoping had his brain muggy lately.
"I washed to shore after a flood, stranded in some strange hills," Larkspur recapped quickly. It was quite a long story all things considered, and the bit where they almost drowned and couldn't fly was the most important bits of their story. This was already going so much better than it could've - now they wouldn't have to fly all the way to the end of the river, and it would be less time she left Reed on her own. It had been made quite clear to her that the brawny wolf really didn't enjoy being on her own so being able to minimize the distance between them was always good. "Reed offered to help me heal - and I offered to help her find you in exchange for the help. Good to see I can keep saying that I always follow through."
On both threats and promises.
"Ah, yes you did," said Larkspur, summing their wings once more without a second thought. The feathered limbs seemed to grow from her flanks rapidly, stretching out to their full length, exposing their gentle cream undersides that matching her belly and flapped them once before folding them back, allowing them to rest against their sides. "They get in the way sometimes, and I loathe having to preen anymore than necessary."
Especially not after spending so much time stranded and in need of a good grooming.
"It's rather convenient," they noted, remembering the various other wolves from their home territory that couldn't 'retract' their wings the way Larkspur could. "Ah... goggles?"
Well, that makes sense - if he usually flies in the night, the sunlight must be pretty uncomfortable for him. And his face was white - Larkspur had observed only a few white-faced wolves, but a vast majority of them often complained of a sensitivity to light, as if the sun was ignoring their pelts and braising their skin. It sounded incredibly unfortunate to the chocolate furred wolf.
"I suppose we'll have to keep our journey to the night hours," they mused. That would make finding Reed harder, given the she-wolf was smart enough not to sleep out in the open, undefended from predators, just to make it easier for fliers to spot her, but it seemed to be a necessary evil.
Their ears pricked as Balthazar introduced the small bird fluttering about his shoulders, stretching out their neck to sniff at 'Pip' curiously. They suppose it made sense - Reed had said she was a pirate, and practically all the pirate captains had birds in the stories they'd been told.
"Hello there, Pip." they greeted politely, pulling back so as not to be invading the creature's space any further. At least it was a bird - it could probably fly alongside them, and it was small enough that the wolf hazarded that they could carry it. Cobalt eyes flitted back to the distressed (or well, it felt distressed to them) barrage of questions from the bat-winged wolf, seemingly unable to decide what to ask first. Not that Larkspur was judging - they'd felt much the same way, it only disappointed them to have to admit this was their second case of the blind leading the blind and deaf. I'm just a wandering wolf paying back a good deed - sadly, no idea where the hells we are. Reed and I didn't find anyone in the barren place we ended up as for which way to go..."
They pointed back in the direction they'd flown from, "I'm not quite large enough to carry her, so Reed's travelling on paw. I planned to fly back to her if I found you or something else she needed to know about."
Balthazar nodded as Larkspur spoke of their arrival. It reminded him of when he washed up on a beach and Taluliah found and raised him. The hyena smiled softly at the fond memory it brought back. "Washing ashore is tough. You don't know where you are - or what happened, but it will come back. It did for me. I washed up as a babe on a beach. Was raised by a kind wolfess- one who took Reed in too." The hyena grinned at the fond memory. But it sounded like Reed found this woman. "So, Reed found you and helped? You're not sore or anything are you?" Balthazar spent a list of his time crafting or trying to learn healing- but the latter choice took lots of discipline he was still learning, as a vampire.
When Larkspur summoned her wings, Balthazar's mouth opened slightly, in awe. "Wish mine could do that!"he gushed, wiggling his own dragon like wings. "Love using em' but dey do get in me way alot!" He folded them back at his sides where they mostly stayed out of the way. He couldn't stop himelf from looking at the feathered patterns on her wings. They probably took ages to clean, but they looked amazing. "Your wings are very hypnotic, I love their pattern!"
Balthazar nodded "yes, goggles. I am a vampire. But please don't get alarmed. I wont hurt you- ive fed recently enough. I have to have them to walk in the sun- but even that drains me so I prefer the shade." He explains, "but somehow ive lost them so I need to find seaglass, and maybe some kind of metal. I'm good with building, my ma' taught me!" He boasted the last bit, puffing his chest out with a grin.
He was happy to see Larkspur greet the bird with what seemed to be a happy curiousity. "Pip is a kind bird. Reed has had her for ages. Having a companion is always nice- have you ever had one?" He felt curious now. What exactly was her story? And did she know it? He wanted to ask but wasn't sure how just yet, so he. waited for now.
As for just traveling at night- that would take ages. "You know we could travel in day hsours through the shade where possible. I'll have to deal with sunny patches.. I just..want to find Reed...just lead the way Friend."
___
(Ooc): just a thought but we can do a scavanger hunt / dice roll to look for goggle materials or for hunting or something if you like!
Larkspur snorted her agreement, "Yeah, I was just taking a nap when the river flooded. Washed ashore completely drenched and surrounded by fire, then flung myself the best that I could away from it all. I was lucky to find Reed-" or rather, to be found by Reed they supposed. "-I don't know how I would've made it dealing with damaged wings, no idea of where I was and also being deprived of a second look-out."
Because she does know she would've made it - Larkspur hadn't survived their time as a completely lone wolf by being unable to take care of herself, but it would've been difficult. That flood had been the worst her wings were damaged since she got into a truly horrid scuffle with another, much more territorial lone wolf who tried to yank her wings from her back. The mouthful of feathers their opponent had taken with them after being headbutted, followed by the scars on the wing itself from their teeth sinking into their skin, had ensured the wolf was grounded and trapped. But back then, there had also been a group of friendly wandering wolves who were willing to look out for her while she recovered enough to leave. Not being able to fly always put her on edge, but not being able to fly and not knowing the location of anything or anyone friendly would've punted her nerves deep into the hells.
"Oh don't worry, she said something about 'leaving wings to the experts," the chocolate furred wolf smirked. And thankfully, had done so indeed. She helped me find freshwater, get food and stood look-out for the first half of the night we were out here. It was nice to have a friendly face - I owe her for helping me get back into the air."
They ruffled their wings a little in pleasure at the praise granted to her wings - they were incredibly high maintenance and required her to spend a truly ridiculous amount of time grooming, but they were her wings and she was proud of the way they looked.
"Thank you," they said, pleased. "And I understand. Molting occasionally makes me wish I had any other wings, and the feathers getting caught in thorns is incredibly annoying - but I can't imagine not having them. Being trapped on the ground, forever..."
Larkspur shuddered at the thought.
The wolf blinked a little at the giant's next comment - a vampire? Unbidden, her thoughts reached back to her puphood friend. Well now she feels a bit silly - here she was, under the assumption that he stayed out of the sun because of a sensative face and because he was used to night-flying when, in reality, he just had the same condition as Sage. Well, at least she wouldn't have to worry about hunting enough to feed him, she supposed - although now she's a bit afraid to ask just how much blood would be needed to satiate the behemoth of a wolf she was looking up at.
"Ah, okay - goggles," that was a good idea, actually. Lessening the sunlight's exposure to his eyes, ensuring that he could see without risking blinding himself. "Alright, I can help look for some - is seaglass specifically by the ocean or does this riverbed work well enough?"
They gestured to the murky water lapping against the bank.
"None willing," Larkspur noted, glancing almost annoyed at the few buds mostly hidden among their fur. They'd had hummingbirds follow them around before, but that was only because they wanted to pollinate the flowers that grew naturally out of their skin and pelt during the spring when they blossomed. It felt pretty invasive, if they said so themself. "Though after all this... might look into it a bit more."
Probably a snake or a polecat or something - a creature that could either accompany her when she flew, or was at least capable of holding on tightly enough to not be dislodged and plummet to the ground beneath their paws.
"If you're sure," Larkspur conceded, allowing their wings to meld back into their pelt once more. Flying would put them directly in the rays of the sunlight, and they didn't want to risk the vampire's body giving in, sending him crashing to the ground. Besides, they wouldn't be able to look for sea-glass if they flew too high up, and flying low in an area thickly surrounded by tall trees wouldn't be smart for a wolf as large as him. Larkspur could barely navigate around the trunks and branches sometimes. She arched her body in a stretch, getting her blood warm and then turned to begin walking upstream.
Washed ashore surrounded by fire! Now that sounded awful and terrifying! "By the Gods, im glad you're safeand that you found Reed!" His tail gave a soft way of happiness. While he had the chabce he glanced at her wings again. "You could perhaps make a rosemary tincture over water to promote father growth, if you run it on a few times a day." He offered, Balthazar has had plenty of use in having hair grow with roesmary- why not wings?
Balthazar nodded as shr continued to speak and chuckles, dont worry? She would learn him better soon enough. The hyena tries his best often not to worry- but often had a tough time in not worrying about things, but he just allowed a bemused "sure, sure. I wont worry." Slide off his tongue with a tiny shake of his head.
Balthy nodded at her thanks and agreed. "Yes I love flight. The way the wind feels is incredible- not to mention the views like sunsets." Being trapped on the ground forever was not and could not be a way of life for him! "Wings are definitely a gift." He chuckles. Although he had no beautiful feathers such as Larkspur, he still hada pair of well adept wings- that didn't require quite as much attention.
Ah yes the goggles! Balthazar glanced to the murky water that Larkspur gestured to. "I found mine by the ocean originally, but we can check this area..." Balthazar stalked over to the lake in a prance, his eyes scanning the rock along the back and shallow points of water. So far he saw nothing but contiued to look.
--
(Ooc): dice roll ? in progress:
0-6 does not find sea glass, but an unsuspecting deer pops out down stream from the canines, yet to notice them.
7-10 - a piece of green or blue seaglass is found!
NPC Diceroll 1: Fail Diceroll must be above 500 to be successful.
0 was added for Perception.
477 was added for Level 1.
0 was added for A. No Enchantment.
0 was added for A. No Buff / Penalty.
NPC Diceroll 2: Fail Diceroll must be above 500 to be successful.
0 was added for Stealth.
458 was added for Level 0 (50/50).
0 was added for A. No Enchantment.
0 was added for A. No Buff / Penalty.
![[Image: pirate-pups.png]](https://i.ibb.co/GHJmDw3/pirate-pups.png)
