[ P ] wayfaring stranger, pt. ii

continued from here

„Real as can be.” The big male nodded, enjoying the mood taking a lighter turn once more. He never pictured himself in this kind of position before, being able to make an interesting little story out of mundane details of life. Maybe it’s one of the reasons why some never settle down, instead choosing to be travelers for life. Then again, there are wolves who can captivate listeners even with things that are common to both parties, while Grigori.. usually, he’d struggle to hold a lively conversation no matter how favorable the circumstances were. He wasn’t sure what was different this time, but he was glad for it. Although, it was rather embarrassing to see how easily Aryth admitted to not knowing what a scorpion is, after all of his efforts to ignore most of the words he didn’t know and pretend nothing is amiss. Now in addition to feeling a bit clueless, he also felt childish. Just goes to show that being older doesn’t necessarily make you more mature. “It does look very plentiful.” he agreed, glancing to the side to look at the landscape. Even if he missed the dryness and heat, he couldn’t say this wasn’t objectively better. He said nothing more; after all, wounds heal best when they aren’t constantly prodded at.

Of course, he noticed from the first dip of a paw how cold the water was – but it wasn’t until he actually stood in it for a while and started to feel pins and light numbness that he fully internalized it. Another difference from home, there the water was more bearable.. ah well, it’s just a quick crossing. For a change, Aryth seemed to be the embarrassed one due to having to rely on him for support. Silly scholar. Grigori just gave him a warm, reassuring smile and started to guide them through. “Ah, hmm.. they tend to be ‘bout paw-sized, and they got spider-like legs.” He spoke a bit slower, focusing more on wading through the river. If he tripped, it wouldn’t be just him going for a swim. “But they also have two pincers up front, ‘n a long tail with a big stinger. They curl it forward over their backs, so they can attack what’s ahead of ‘em.” He would have demonstrated, at least as much as he could, with his own tail, but he didn’t want to distract Aryth right at this moment. “Gettin’ poked with that hurts like hell, but it won’t kill ye.. usually, anyway.” He had to get familiar with so many fatally venomous critters that describing how one is only occasionally lethal didn’t even warrant changing his tone from a light, conversational one. It might as well have been the weather to him. “Ah, almost forgot. They’re crunchy on the outside, chewy on the inside.” The blonde male chuckled, assuming that describing something Aryth probably wouldn’t want to be remotely near to as food will catch the teacher off guard.

The river gave way to land just in time. The current ended up pushing him slightly off course over time, so in his rush to climb out of the chilling water he accidentally brushed against the other’s side. Not that he minded, it just surprised him as much as anyone else. His skin tingled with warmth at the brief touch. Naturally, he pretended not to notice, and trotted ahead to reach a polite distance before he shook the water off of his fur. “Fuck, that was cold!” Once excess moisture was discarded, he turned to face his guide with a grin. “Handy to have a musclehead for support, eh?” Grigori pushed his chest out, flexing his muscles a little. He wasn’t normally this much of a show off, not that anyone would believe that in this moment – he just hoped Aryth was impressed it went so smoothly. The cowboy rarely thought of using his strength for helping others – it was a tool of anger and retribution. Still, it felt unexpectedly.. nice. And he wouldn’t exactly object to having his prowess appreciated, if there was any chance of that happening.

At the very least, he had the sense not to drag his antics on too long. This time, he actually knew which way to go, despite his lack of familiarity with the lay of the land – the sound of hustle and bustle coming from a distance was a clear indication. This let him walk alongside Arythmetik for this part of the journey, instead of following a bit behind. It really wasn’t far now, just like Aryth has promised.. Grigori froze in place when he could finally see just what their destination exactly was like, staring wide-eyed in disbelief. It was stone, like a lone mountain, but the shapes were like nothing he’d ever seen before. Finely cut and arranged, as if it was molded with purpose rather than naturally.. but who- what could possibly create it? “What.. what is that?” He put his jaws to some use, before they could go slack and allow his mint to fall out. He hates when that happens. He could also see figures, tiny from this distance and in comparison to the mysterious structure, coming and going in large groups. He figured that it would be a lively place, but.. In this land, the term ‘lively’ must be on a whole different level than what he knew.


„*”

A R Y T H M E T I K

The scholar was entranced by Grigori’s description of scorpions. So much so that he nearly dropped his dandelion bundle in the river as he whipped his head around to gawk, wide-eyed and curious, at his companion. But he managed to hold on, even as his paws slipped in the freezing water and he stumbled a bit. Droplets splashed against his limbs, causing his earthen fur to bristle and his rump to shiver slightly. All the while, he was trying desperately to picture this monstrosity that his counterpart concocted (internal jesting aside, he did believe him), but everything that came to mind was frightfully grotesque. “That sounds horrific,” he murmured around his mouthful of dandelions. But when Grigori said he’d eaten a scorpion, Aryth actually stopped in his tracks. “Disgusting!” The professor paused a moment for effect...then laughed heartily and shook his head, trying his best to catch up. “To be fair, the pickings must be scarce in an arid climate, eh?”


Truth be told, Aryth was also having a fantastic time chatting. He wasn’t usually so comfortable around strangers, and he couldn’t remember the last time he had so much fun doing something aside from reading or teaching. Wolves that didn’t outmatch him mentally were typically intimidated and reserved, which made conversation challenging. And wolves that outmatched him physically usually made it very clear that they could gut him if they wanted to. But Grigori was just...friendly. He acknowledged and accepted his, er, limited prowess without being condescending. They neared the opposite bank and as the blond male reached for the shore, his muscular frame brushed against Aryth’s thick fur. It should have been nothing. It was nothing. But Aryth wasn’t used to being touched (except for that one time Florence ran into him accidentally). And he could have sworn there was some sort of…tension as Grigori brushed against him. A pause in time that couldn’t be explained. But he blinked and ignored it, smiling as he clambered out of the water beside his new friend. “Ah yes, and it must be nice to have someone make you look so good.” Aryth chuckled and winked.


They were officially in the Mainlands now. And when they arrived at Castle Stuart’s aging, stone walls, Aryth could plainly see that his companion was impressed. The scholar’s emerald eyes sparkled, and he nodded with wry understanding. “These structures were built by an ancient civilization. No one knows exactly how… Some suspect the fae are responsible, but I think that’s hogwash. Still...it’s impressive.” Aryth’s smile widened and he strolled down the beaten path into the city proper. Buildings bordered them on either side and wolves were bustling in the streets, carrying animal pelts and meat, drinking and laughing as they sat in circles and watched the yearlings romp. To some, the business would have been a cacophony...but to others, it was music. “Welcome to Castle...Town,” Aryth started with a playful, grand tone...and then faltered. Still, he seemed in a good mood as he slowed down and scanned the area. “Now, I’m looking for someone to trade with… But don’t worry, I’m still happy to show you around for as long as you like!”

code by claerie

@Grigori

There were wolves back home that would undoubtedly scoff condescendingly at the comforts of fertile lands, at never having to eat anything less appetizing than red meat and juicy fruit. The blonde male wasn’t one of them.. or not entirely, at the very least. He recognized that harsh conditions make for stronger, hardened people – but also that a softer lifestyle allows for nourishing other kinds of qualities. Qualities that, in a perfect world, would likely be far more valuable than crude strength. And Aryth embodied many of those, a short time together was all it took to see that. “Mhmm. My mint especially.. had to stock up whenever I could.” The sound of chewing followed, as if to emphasize the point. In this land, it was almost as if he could find mint everywhere he looked. And.. honestly, he could get used to having it easy like that.

“Oh, uhm. Heh, I..” Ah, how quickly it showed that Grigori wasn’t at all used to this kind of exchange. A showoff that didn’t even have the foresight to consider what the response might be, not to even mention how overwhelming a positive one might be. ‘Look so good’. That emphasis changed everything, he could almost hear it echo in his mind. He could only guess how much of it was actually sincere and how much was Aryth merely humoring him, the smaller male seemed to be amused by the whole ordeal. Uncertainty did nothing to diminish the warm, fluttering feeling his stomach, one that made his tail wag without any sort of conscious consent. At the same time, the pressure exerted by those piercing green eyes was suddenly greater than ever before, forcing him to look away. “Thanks. Ye too.” While the sentiment was that he thought Aryth to be good-looking as well, it was only after a long pause that he realized it didn’t flow with the actual words they have exchanged at all. By then, trying to salvage it would be even more embarrassing than it already was, so the cowboy feigned ignorance instead.

Impressive? Maybe if you have all your life to get used to it, it’s just ‘impressive’. As far as Grigori was concerned, ‘otherworldly’ was a much more suitable term. No, even that fell short. Bedtime stories of fantastical made-up places don’t have things like that. But the words to express that opinion never came, so he just nodded in silent, dumbstruck agreement. Despite the strong impressions that the buildings have made on him, as they continued their approach it was the sheer amount of wolves around them that actually captured his attention the most. He looked in every direction, wide-eyed, gawking like the stereotypical country bumpkin when visiting the city. Sounds were coming from so many directions all at once that he couldn’t keep track of them all, no matter how much his mind struggled to do so – and he couldn’t stop it from trying. He bumped into a wolf walking from the opposite direction, all of his spread out attention snapping on that single event so suddenly that he almost staggered backwards. Mumbling an apology, he tried to maneuver around, only for his large and clumsy frame to almost stumble into another. From that point, he tried his best never to be more than a step away from Aryth’s side, instinctively retreating to the single point of safe familiarity in the chaos that surrounded them. “Huh?” The words reached his ears clearly enough, but he blinked at his companion in confusion as it took an unexpected effort to process them. “’Course, I’d appreciate it. Truly.” A pensive smile crossed his lips, his grey eyes already darting to the most recent source of noise. Grigori tried to keep a stoic front, but he had no idea how much of his distress was seeping through. Being left alone here was the worst thing he could imagine at the moment.


„*”

A R Y T H M E T I K

Aryth, studious and observant as he was, was entirely oblivious to the fact that Grigori stumbled over his words. After all, the Junior Professor had never made another wolf feel flustered in his life (at least, not that he knew of); and as for romance, it was a topic in which he desperately needed further education. Aryth didn’t think twice about it as they traipsed into the city and all awkwardness was drowned out by the din of lively conversation. His pleasant smile started to tug at the corners, however, as he watched wolves knock into the larger male without so much as an apology. In fact, it was Grigori who apologized. Aryth tore his gaze away from the market vendors to gaze up at his companion, whose distracted features transformed (with determination, no doubt) into a faint smile. There was something incredibly handsome about that.


But the last thing Aryth wanted to do was embarrass the outlander. (Besides, he himself was reeling from the way Grigori unintentionally knocked the breath from his lungs. He didn’t want to consider what that meant right now.) With a wave of his tail, Aryth encouraged his companion to follow him toward a vendor with rabbits laid in a tidy row. Their limp bodies hung over a low rock wall and a young she-wolf was conversing with the hunter as they approached. “You know,” Aryth said, clearing his throat, “this city is a great place to trade goods and find jobs, but it’s not the best place to live.” Aryth shook his head, frowning behind his bundle of dandelions. He set it down at his feet and sat, waiting for his turn to speak to the hunter. “Too many wolves in close proximity. It’s easier to get sick in a town like this.” He shrugged. “But Melrose, where I live, is quite open, and the air is fresh. Might even remind you a bit of your home...at least, in the fact that the fields are wide and in the Arboretum, I know almost everybody.” He chuckled softly. This was going downhill fast. “We could really use a strong wolf like you around there. Maybe you could settle into Rionnach a bit easier.”


If wolves could sweat, he would have been sweating then. He didn’t want Grigori to think he was being patronizing because of how nervous the outlander seemed in the city. That was the furthest thing from the truth. He also didn’t want his new friend to think he was being forward. Surely the male could take care of himself. But before Aryth could sort out his nervous emotions, the rugged hunter beside the rabbits barked at him: “You here to trade, or what?”


“Oh,” Aryth started, “yes, excuse me. I do believe the going rate for a bundle of herbs this size is two rabbits, thank you.”


The hunter showed no emotion. “I’ll take it for one rabbit.”


Aryth’s ears dropped, and so did his stomach. He tried to remain collected as he explained slowly, “Sir, forgive me but these herbs are out of season and difficult to come by. They can be sold to the apothecary or used as a pain remedy. Last time I traded for two—”


“You’ll get one or nothin’,” the hunter practically snarled.

code by claerie

@Grigori

His senses were still fine-tuned for survival in the wasteland, where company of other living beings was always as sparse as it was essential to note. At worst of times, particularly while traveling to Rionnach, he had spent months without seeing another wolf. Yet here he was now, standing in the midst of a civilization greater than anything he ever knew. It was nigh-impossible to drown out all the stimuli, to convince his primal backbrain that none of it signified a potential immediate threat. He remembered his mint then – focusing on its cool, refreshing taste always helped him ground himself. It was a bit too old and faded by now for the scope of the situation, but where it feel short, Aryth’s voice picked up the slack. Slowly, the noise faded into the background. So long as he remained focused on his friend, it wasn’t much different than when they have talked while traversing quiet, verdant plains.

Grigori enjoyed listening, even though he had no idea what the other was getting at by bringing his home up out of the blue.. until the last two sentences, that is. It took him completely off guard. From his experience, it was a rare thing for someone to extend this kind of invitation to a stranger and an outsider, so it was something he would never have dared to ask for – it’d just be imposing too much, even if there was opportunity to repay the kindness with his strength involved. Figuring out where to stay was actually something that’s been concerning the blonde male greatly, he didn’t want to get in trouble by cluelessly walking into someone’s private land.. and couldn’t stand the thought of staying anywhere even half as busy as this city. “Are ye tryin’ to put me in debt I’ll never be able to get out of?” he joked, but before he could actually agree, it was Aryth’s turn to trade.

If it could be called trade, anyway. It was bad enough how the smaller male’s politeness was met with rudeness, but when he saw how disheartened Aryth got because of it, it turned into a struggle to keep his fur from bristling. Grigori has always hated to see someone be treated unfairly, he struggled with it ever since he was a kid.. but this time something about it was even worse. “I’m sure we can get two elsewhere, Aryth” he suggested, the tone of his voice was gruff and strained, nothing like what it’s been the entire day. But instead of starting to walk away, the blonde brute stepped closer, slamming his paw down on the ground heavily. He knew that the threat of the exchange not coming to fruition was a double-edged one. And when it comes to threats, he could put a bit more weight behind. “But then it’d turn out ye were wastin’ our time.” he continued, staring the hunter down. He leaned forward, looming with his superior size. “I don’t like my time bein’ wasted.” Ever so slowly, his lips started to pull back, revealing sharp teeth. The hunter seemed to shrink into himself, before finally nodding. Grigori’s expression relaxed in the blink of an eye. “Thought so.” He snatched a rabbit, and waited for Aryth to do the same before moving away from the stall.

This time, there was no desire in him to brag about the things his strength could accomplish. He felt bad for what he did.. and worse still for briefly imagining slamming the hunter’s face into the stone wall behind him. Even if the bastard probably deserved it. “I hate that this works better than politeness like yers so often. It is sad.” A heavy sigh left him, muffled by the rabbit hanging from his teeth. He turned around and leaned down to place it at Aryth’s paws. “And.. yeah, I’d like to stay at yer place. If the offer still stands after ye had to see that, I just.. trusted ye were makin’ a fair offer to him, but he was just badgerin'.” His ears folded back against his head. But was it any excuse? It was always the same story with his impulsiveness, he always took retaliation for wrongdoings a step too far.



„*”

A R Y T H M E T I K

The surface broke, like a pebble tossed into still waters. Aryth glimpsed the murk beneath and it was, perhaps, a touch frightening in its mystery—in its darkness. But Aryth had never been a man to stray from the unknown. Part of being a scholar was his penchant for asking questions with no answers, veering down paths with no clear direction. He had wondered (from the hints in Grigori’s tales of home) if there was a lust for vengeance (or justice) in the vagabond’s heart. But the blond male seemed so kind and mild-mannered that Aryth worried he was making assumptions. Now, he saw he was onto something and he was…fascinated. He watched, dumbstruck, as the gruff strong-armed the hunter with nothing but a glint of his fangs.


It stirred feelings in the scholar—feelings he didn’t know he had. Admiration intermingled with something unnerving, warm, effervescent and vulnerable.


But there was shame, too. Arythmetik was also a man, and he should have been able to hold his own against a seedy vendor in Market Square. If he wanted to be a stalwart leader for the College someday, he needed to be more reliable...to be a provider. The inadequacy gnawed at his conscience.


Still, these thoughts swirled in his mind and he barely let it show, calmly grabbing the rabbit he rightfully bought. He and Grigori padded away and Aryth knew it was an even trade, but he was still speechless. It was only when Grigori started to apologize that Aryth sat his rabbit at his feet as well and gazed up at his companion. “Oh, please, after what you just did, I should be offering you my den!” He meant it as an innocent jest of utter gratitude (completely oblivious to the innuendo). Aryth leaned forward, aiming to snare Grigori’s gaze before straightening to offer a weak smile. “People around here don’t see the value in my profession as much as they used to. I should have been sterner with the hunter, but, well...I didn’t blame him. But those herbs were worth two rabbits, mind you. I, well...thank you, Grigori.” Aryth’s smile brightened, and he winked. The scent of his new friend’s minty breath was quickly restoring his spirits. “Please come with me. I could use your help carrying that second rabbit anyway.”

code by claerie

@Grigori ooc. Fin??

The time they have spent together couldn’t be called long, all things considered, but he’s seen enough from Arythmetik to feel confident that he wouldn’t be turned away after one potentially unsavory episode. The young scholar wasn’t nearly judgmental enough for that. So, why did he ask? It was simple, though perhaps more insightful than what can be usually expected of the blonde male. Even if one event isn’t enough to change a decision, it can still leave seeds of doubt. By asking, Grigori forced them to address what happened, never giving such doubt a chance to fester. The unexpected factor was how heavily the whole ordeal weighted on his self-regard. Sometimes, questionable measures have to be taken for the sake of justice. His life has ensured that it wasn’t easy for him to think highly of himself, so taking on the burden of those measures always seemed like the right thing to do – so that those better than himself don’t have to.

And yet, something has changed, and it wasn’t until after the fact that he realized. He couldn’t recall the last time he’d felt such carefree enjoyment as when they traveled here. Aryth treated him, an unknown outlander that could easily pose a great threat, like a friend from the start. It was easy to believe that in the smaller male’s green eyes, he was someone good. And it was so infectious, that he almost started believing it himself. Grigori wasn’t sure what to make of it yet – but he’d hate to see it end abruptly over something so inconsequential.

To say his concerns were swept aside when Aryth answered wouldn’t be quite accurate, it was more like they were trampled by a bull. The words certainly weren’t spoken seductively or anything like that, but Grigori wasn’t innocent enough to overlook the implications. Now, he wasn’t opposed to imagining the scenario of being invited into Aryth’s den.. but right now was hardly the time for that! He stared hard at his toes, trying to ignore the thumping of his heartbeat in his ears. Even that reprieve wasn’t allowed, as russet adorned with a pair of emeralds entered his field of vision. Just for a second, it looked like the other was leaning into a kiss. Of course, it was only to get his attention, but at least now he knew how weak his elbows and knees feel right after heart racing straight into a skipped beat.

Thankfully, that was it for unforeseen excitement – Grigori wasn’t sure how much more he could handle. His respect for the young professor only grew further at mention of not blaming the hunter. True, it could easily be described as weakness, or excessive forgiveness.. but it was also kindness. It’s all too easy to feel resentful when you’re wronged.. perhaps even more so when you don’t possess the means to do anything about it. The world would be a much better place if more wolves were as kind. Alas, as much as he recognized the virtue of it, he was also aware that kindness is something wicked wolves thrive on. For that reason, the blonde brute rarely dared to be forgiving. “Don’t forget ye deserve to be treated well too, Aryth. And ‘ey, I’m just returnin’ the favor for the tour, remember?” Hearing such earnest thanks, he felt that warm tingling in his stomach once more. The cowboy smiled, quickly forgetting how turbulent his thoughts were just a moment ago. He leaned down to pick up the rabbit again, though just before that he added “Yer company though, I feel like I’d need to single-handedly win a war to repay ye for that.” As humorous as the sentence was, he truly meant it.


fin