RP:The Tale of Twin... Mongrels

Location: Center of Rynvale Island.

Summary: After exploring the northeast corner of the island, Leo and Lora’s plans to venture into Elimdor is delayed by an unsettled feeling within the wolf. They initially turn to begin the west trek toward Gamorg, but are caught up by an unexpected situation in the middle of the forest-jungle.

The Wilderness of Rynvale

(Note: This has been edited to read more as a chapter, rather than turn by turn.)

A spoken question has Suoxin finally paying attention to how she's feeling. Her feet are sore, but it isn't unbearable. She still isn't quite used to wearing boots, and they heavier than her dainty, softer shoes or heels. After her pitiful excuse for a sprint away from the dragon's nests, she thought she might be more tired than she feels now. Their slower trek north alone together helped with that. “I think I'll need to give my feet a break when we get back. Should be okay for now.”

Taking Leo's hand again so he can lead the way to Gamorg, she’s taking in the meadow and clearing again as they double back has her even more excited about the prospect of living out here. Recalling once that she did say she wanted to make a place for the rogue to be bored and not have to worry about the outside world, this setting definitely seems perfect. Her thoughts leap from imagining some picturesque home for them to what that fortune teller at Gualon's Spring Festival said, and her free hand rests on her stomach while they continue on. Her nose crinkles at the changes in scent the closer to Gamorg they get to adjust to the new smells, but also at what Verah said. Suoxin knew it was impossible, but maybe if they're potentially committing to a home, they could try for a pet too. He had a dog before…

From what she gathered, that dog was Leo's best friend and must be irreplaceable. Maybe not a dog. Cats were troublesome, and there's that uncertainty she had on whether or not pets might be potentially offensive to Leo too, given his lycanthropy. Broaching the topic of living together was a large enough step for the day, so she wouldn't bring up the possibility of 'children' (pets) just yet, figuring that might be too much. The humidity has her wishing she didn't have so many layers on. She lets go of Leo's hand momentarily to roll her wide sleeves up a little to help combat some of it before taking his hand again. “Are the ogres friendly?” Stories about them told her otherwise, but maybe with how long Leo claimed the island, they might be civil at least.

Leo wondered for a moment if they should just linger near the city, maybe stay in the hotel, though he hadn’t scouted the place well enough to know how safe it might be. The fact was, this was nearly every day for him, always on the move, always finding some new dilemma or interest to fix to pursue, consistently banking information and keeping his pockets full. If Suoxin only knew how much he’d pulled in through various tasks and chores, she likely wouldn’t worry if he bought her a few more dresses. He paused as she presented that question, but the reason for the delay wasn’t any hesitation to continue toward the northwest corner of the beyond fog forest. They were taking a much longer route, but avoiding the noxious fog leaking from cursed grounds, as well as some of the rabid predators that had been driven to a point far from sane by the poisoned atmosphere. Knowing Suoxin was used to being on her feet, but not quite accustomed to traveling through thick foliage and uneven terrain, he did what he wouldn’t ever offer to do for anyone else, without dire circumstances, and lowered to partly crouch and beckon her to his back. “Climb on.” She might feel silly, but he had plenty of strength to spare, feeling the wolf at a content rest but also feeling that surge of renewed energy coursing through him. Sure footed and stealthy, his quiet steps on their own would make their approach a little easier.

The offer to climb up on Leo's back is something she wants to refuse, but Suoxin knows that's a losing battle. He's stronger than her, and even if she knew he'd manage just fine with her holding onto him, it still made her feel a little guilty for him doing all the work. So without much protest, she finds herself up on his back, legs wrapped about his torso and hopefully not hindering his movement while her hands rest on his shoulders. “Put me down if you get tired,” she whispers into his ear after giving a quick peck to his cheek. Walking around the fog forest has her relieved, and curious about what all lurked within those trees, but she won't ask now. Maybe some other time with her mountains upon mountains of questions.

“No.” Leo finally answered her question once she was settled, honestly. “Not really. But the merchants have their greed to balance it well ‘nuff that a trade isn’t off the table. Coins don't go too far here unless they’ve got the itch for precious metal, an’ they’d just melt it down to make somethin’ of it. Herbs, artifacts, pelts, things they never seen… that’ll get you through the gates on a good day, but they ain’t exactly fond of outsiders.” He stopped again for a moment, looking toward the west as if able to see through the tall and twisting trees fighting for dominance in that meshed land, but continued on his way with some point of reassurance so she didn’t get too anxious about their unannounced visit. “You think you’ll be able to understand ‘em when they start talkin’ crap about us?”

The notion that ogres aren't friendly around here causes a slight frown, but she shouldn't be surprised. Orcs weren't friendly either, and it took a while for her arrangement with one of the tribes in Gualon to really stick and for the others to tolerate her and her sisters. Perhaps the tactic she used in the swamp to 'befriend' the Droghan tribe might benefit them here. He still had his bow, didn't he? Suoxin peeks over his shoulder for it, wondering which hand he might have it in. A rare, confident nod follows after his question. “Yeah. ...But we might want to bring something dead with us. For He Who Hungers.” She won't utter the name Gerthaog, just in case somehow an ogre might be nearby and overhear them. “We could say we brought it as an offering and they might warm up to us.” Faith had an odd way of opening certain doors. “I did the same with the orcs in Gualon that devote themselves to Rothik. I gave the orcs a rabbit I caught and killed.” She didn't know whether or not ogres mistrusted humans or lycans, but it might take several visits to get them to be civil. At least, that's how it worked when she befriended the orcs. “Maybe it'll help you too, if you trade with them...” Was there anything on her that might work as some sort of bribe too? ...Those dragon eggs might've worked here. She silently curses at the realization. “We could give them an egg next time,” she suggests.

The rogue had his bow, had placed it on the ground temporarily and adjusted his quiver so she had the room to cling on, and while one hand hooked under her thigh to assist in keeping her on his back, the other had hold of the weapon again. He didn’t look tired, at all. In fact, he felt energized despite that he’d been going since early that morning. He’d probably overdo it and crash with the adrenaline rush coursing his blood, but it would be his lesson to learn. Though, he hadn’t managed to learn it yet. Impressed with her advice, there was a nod of agreement and he kept the conversation quiet even as he teased. “What do you think I’m carryin’ you in for? You’ll feed a family.” Expecting to be swat, he preemptively ducked though it would do no good with her staying in reach, piggyback.

She knew it was a joke, but very lightly smacked the back of his head for it while struggling not to laugh. “I'll tell them I brought you along to feed a village, if I can only feed a family.”

Something paused Leoxander’s steps. Perhaps he’d caught a scent of that would-be offering but he didn’t reach for an arrow or raise his bow. In an almost canine-like gesture, his head ticked slightly to one side and Suoxin could probably easily imagine a set of large, tufted wolf ears rising from a mess of blonde hair, aimed forward and listening intently.

“Yeah…” He absently agreed, though he had heard when she said about the dragon eggs. It would work as an incentive to be invited back on those grounds, considering they got in. Maybe open some trading ties or a business relationship to improve on, though allying with ogres would be a complicated feat. “Keep yer eyes on the trees. Last I remember, they like decoratin’ their armor an’ such with fur an’ feathers.” Another confused look was sent in the opposite direction as where he knew Gamorg to be, a decent navigator even with the light mostly lost beyond the dome of leaves, though the color of the sky speckled beyond was hinting toward late afternoon, not many bells of daylight left to offer.

At his sudden pause, Suoxin freezes, following the subtle turn of his head. What was he seeing or sensing that she couldn't? Her eyes narrow in the general direction that Leo's head turned, but her eyes aren't as sharp. Ogres like feathers? Her head cranes skyward, then. She had a box of kingfisher feathers in Gualon, brought from home. “Do they like certain kinds?” Probably pristine ones, if they're for decoration. As for furs, she did have that box of wolf pelts they could use too. It'd help get rid of a piece of her past best left forgotten. “I have kingfisher feathers and wolf pelts,” she whispers, uncertain if Leo was still keeping an eye out for something in the trees.

She's trying to think ahead like the rogue did, especially if it'd take multiple visits to get the ogres to work with Leo and her acting as a translator. Maybe a few of the jewels from the heist could be added to the list of 'offerings' to He Who Hungers and his ogres. “We shouldn't give them an egg first or else they'll expect a dragon egg or better every time you stop by.” He probably knew to start small already, but she voiced her thoughts just in case.

He eventually answered her first, or technically near two hundredth question. As much as he tried to bounce his own questions back, sometimes she jumped the gun to get there, first. “Hell if I know. Kingfisher should do, and it might be time you got rid of those pelts, anyhow. You ain’t gotta worry about wolves no more, Dove.” He checked the dimming sky briefly, too. “Though I still need some for my own stock.” Black feathers in order to fletch more arrows. There were even some extra supplies for the process loaded onto the galleon. Leo kept her on his back, at least for another several minutes, stepping over debris in his path to head not directly south, but closer to the outskirts of the fog forest.

Something caused his brow to furrow again, and in that still moment Loravelle might just hear a distant, tiny trace of the distressed wine that tugged at Leo’s focus again. “The hell...?” He whispered more to himself as he let Suoxin down to her booted feel, just in case. Although the cry sounded harmless enough, whatever it was calling likely was not. It wasn’t a wolf - not that sound, nor smell. It was something he didn’t recognize at all, and headed forward again to follow the noise and scent at a more cautious pace. It seemed to be on the way to where he intended to go, anyhow.

That settled it for her. Sometime a trip back to Gualon would be necessary to get her feathers and pelts. His reassurance about not having to worry about wolves is met with a smile. She really didn't anymore, did she? The thought has her tightening her hold against his back again. Putting how much of a relief that was for her into words was difficult. While Leo continued to carry her, Suoxin kept her head turned in the direction of the fog forest. Naturally she's curious about what might be in there, but she's met her quota for questions for the day. Probably for the following day, with how much she's been talking since the morning.

Hearing the sound of something whining puts her on edge, and before she can ask what in the world that noise might be coming from, or where, she hears Leo's whisper. Lowered to her feet once more, she feels herself grow anxious, not quite on the same level as she felt with their dragon encounter earlier in the day, but close. That noise didn't sound good. As he steps forward, presumably to follow the whine, she wonders if she should hang back and keeps still for a moment, debating. Being alone in unfamiliar woods sounded like a terrible idea, so she follows behind Leo with some distance so she isn't breathing down his neck. Even if her eyes and sense of smell aren't as keen as the wolf's, she still tries to keep a look out for him, peeking over her shoulder occasionally in case something might be following them into a trap.

His head turned to do just what he spotted Loravelle doing - watching his back. It was a relief in return to know that she had it under control. Trusting her and focusing ahead, Leo pushed a low leafy branch out of the way, holding it aside for Suoxin to pass by before his eyes fell forward again, and he saw the shallow den that he wouldn’t be able to enter, the opening dug out below a precariously balanced bolder that had come to be stacked on others. The whining had quieted as whatever produced it likely sensed the movement. Although it could have been a number of things drawing him in, including a trap, he advanced enough to move along one side of the small wilderness shelter. Crouching down in silence, he looked toward Lora and motioned for her not to come too close, yet. It might take precious minutes of their fading sunlight, but after practically holding his breath, there was a hoarse but high pitched sound of an irritable bark that faded back into those whimpering noises. His sun spotted nose twitched with a brief search or scent of his surroundings. He caught two distinct scents, but both had that more pleasant whiff of youth and a fresh fur mixed with dirt and neglect.

Silently cursing herself for how on edge she felt in that moment, Suoxin takes another peek over her shoulder before following Leo after he pushes that branch aside for her. She isn't really skilled with using a knife to defend herself, but her hand jams itself in to the pocket of her robes to at least hold onto the handle and partially pull it from its sheath, just in case. It probably isn't safe to have the blade partially free in her pocket, but she wants to be prepared to try defending herself, just in case. Keyword here being 'try', since Suoxin had a feeling she most likely would fail at that if something ambushed her. The sight of the small den has her confused. Is something hurt in there? At Leo's signal, she kept herself at a distance, going so far as to step an extra foot or so back from him and the den just in case. That bark has her jumping slightly, but the whine following it turns some of that fear into concern.

They would probably see the glimpse of eyes and nose first from the darkness of that den. Definitely nothing of a threat, judging by the size of that dark snout, not enough light filtering through at that end of day to cause any reflection across its nervous gaze. But that creature didn’t seem to be the source of those cries, as the distressed whining seemed to come from somewhere behind the charcoal furred cub trying to be brave and sniffing at the ground and air around it without fully exiting that safe spot where there was no trace of fresh blood or rotting bones. He tilted very slowly and slightly to one side, shifting the weight of boots balanced on the tread fronts of his footwear to peek around the stone and try to catch a better glimpse.

The eyes she manages to see remind her of Leo's when light hits them a certain way. These looked too small to be threatening or predatory, though, especially with the snout accompanying them. The sight of the small cub has some of her fear melting away. With it being so small, she figures at least one step closer won't hurt. After taking one, her eyes fall to Leo again while he peeks further into the den, wondering what he saw that she couldn't. Do they try to lure the little cub out? She remembered that he packed jerky in his satchel. Motioning with her hand to try getting Leo's attention, she points at his satchel and pantomimes eating something. Glancing from the rogue and the den with its tiny guard cub, Suoxin wonders if she could risk crawling in there herself, given her smaller size compared to Leo to see just what is whining further in. She closes the gap between herself and Leo with deliberately slow, cautious steps, lowering herself into a crouch beside him. “I can fit in there,” she whispers. Hopefully he tells her what he's sniffed out because she isn't too keen on crawling in blind.

His gentle lover might be startled by the way Leo suddenly snapped his grip down on the back of the cub’s neck, which of course startled the tiny creature into a gruff… snarl? Something between that and a bark, albeit a bit on the squeaky side for the young age and panic that the rogue’s harmless grip caused. Its mother or father would have carried them in that same way by that scruff, and as Leo lifted the pup to inspect it. It half froze, maybe even comforted after a moment by the familiar feeling, while Leo inspected it’s showy ribs and bloated belly, the burs and hitchhikers tangled into that fluffy dark fur, and he studied eyes and discerned gender in that glance with a stoic expression. He set the cub back on its feet. “Somethin’ got that one. He’s got a dead eye.” The subject of their conversation shook off for the strange smell of that grasp, remembering to flee after a second and loping clumsily back to the hole that Leo could not fit far into. But Suoxin could. “Couldn’t be more than a few weeks old…” His deep voice was only loud enough for her to hear, and he beckoned her closer. “Don’t smell any trace of a kill, or an adult. Prolly haven’t eaten in a good while.” Despite his claim, he still scanned their surroundings to double check, standing up to meet her a couple steps in. “They might nip, though.” He reached to his quiver and unstrapped the durable archer’s gloves that protected three fingers on one hand, all but one on the other. He caught sight of the jerky pack he’d brought along, regarding her charade, and removed that, too.. His left handed glove that would be big on her but covered most fingers was passed her way. Leo didn’t know what they were, yet, but looked to be a canine of some sort, so he handed Suoxin some of that dried meat as well, uncertain if they might be coaxed out. Despite his wolf nature, she probably got along far better with animals than he did. Jack might have been an exception but Leoxander had tried for months to spook him away or throw rocks (which the mutt took as a game and buried them, much to the thief’s chagrin at the time). It never worked. "... Pretty sure there's another one back there..." His nocturnal eyes even had to adjust to see much of anything, but the silhouette of the front pup pacing seemed to be of an adolescent but protective nature, staying between the invaders and whatever was behind it. Or him, since its gender had been discovered in that lift.

Watching how quickly Leo snatched up the tiny...That is a wolf, right? Suoxin doesn't know what to make of it, after that sound it makes – she startles once at just how fast he is grabbing it and… that noise. It's so tiny, she almost voices. And underfed... And blind? Never once in her life did Suoxin ever think she'd feel sympathy or love for a wolf, cub or lycan or not, but she can't help her frown the more Leo inspects the first pup, even after he sets it back down on the ground.

“I think I can handle wolf nips,” she teases, to her surprise actually eager to try rescuing the little one hiding in that den. What's gotten into her today? Dragon eggs, almost visiting ogres, now rescuing wolves? Not once can she recall feeling this brave or adventurous.

As Leo hands her his glove, she pulls it on over her left hand to sit comfortably as best as she could. With her smaller hand, it looked a little bit comical but at least her fingers would be protected from tiny pup teeth. “Maybe the other one is stuck in there...” Might explain the whining. What if a rock rolled over its leg? She splits the bit of jerky handed to her in half, one piece for the pup acting like a brave little guard of the den and the other piece for the other hiding within. Shifting from her crotch to settling on her knees, uncaring if her robes were made dirty with forest debris, Suoxin crawls forward cautiously toward the guard pup to close some distance between them before sitting up again. Dangling one piece of jerky out to him, she tries to coax him out. “It's okay...” as if he'll understand her words, but talking to him like she might talk to a human infant somehow felt right. “We wanna help your friend in there.” She breaks off another piece of the jerky to underhandedly toss it to the pup to see he'll eat it, preparing to break up more to create a little trail to lead him out so she could crawl into the den .

Leo knew not to take chances. The half blind specimen he’d briefly looked over seemed harmless enough, definitely weak, but the forest filled with toxic fog wasn’t that far away and it was known for stripping sanity and life, leaving rabid, brainless animals who abided by two goals: attack and consume. Because of this, he kept checking their surroundings, particularly to the west, and if any parental not-wolves were going to come running up to growl and chase the trespassers away, now would be as good a time as any to do so. No, Leo didn’t smell much in the way of marked territory, either. No larger tracks on the ground, no potent, warding smell of urine on tree trunks, no tufts of hair scattered beyond the fluff the cubs were starting to shed for their first summer coat.

As for Loravelle, she’d succeed a small degree with that little toss that kept her hand at a distance, and although the dehydrated venison was tough, his strong-for-a-puppy jaws were chewing frantically at the strip, trying to break it up and get it soft enough to swallow and digest. That was when Lora, even without nocturnal vision, might see the silhouette of a second approach the one with a blind, gray, scarred up eye. Either the father had rejected it or he was already courageous enough to try to defend his territory and sibling. The sibling being the one who kept stressfully whining.

Leo gave her some distance but watched with a lean on the rocks, waiting to see if she came through successfully at luring them out. “Chew on it a bit. Might be tough on their teeth. An’ they’ll smell it more if you soften it up.” He kept his voice low even if the twin staying on his feet hadn’t been traumatized by that grab. It almost felt familiar, even if it was a bit annoying.

“Chew it?” She didn't understand what Leo meant at first. She tries not to look disgusted with herself after chewing a bite of the venison and spitting it back out into her palm after it's softened up a bit. If only her family saw her like this. Hair down, ruined robes, wearing boots and trying to feed little wild wolf-creatures. They'd think it hilarious, except for her mother...But her mother isn't a problem anymore, she reminds herself, extending gloved hand with chewed up jerky out again for one of the pups to take. Since she isn't guarding most of the jerky resting on her leg, the whining pup takes Suoxin's slower, cautious movement as an opportunity to get more than just the handful she's offering. He cautiously trots forward as if he might take a bite of softer meat from her palm, then darts for one of the bigger, tougher pieces on her leg. “Hey-!” Her hand lowers then, and the blind pup takes his chance to steal that softer piece of venison from her hand. Good thing she had Leo's glove to protect her. She could just barely feel the pup's tiny teeth graze her hand in that instant and they felt sharp. “That little-”

The sneakier pup is wrestling with his too tough to eat prize, watching Leo and Suoxin warily. When she tries tries to approach him, not to take what he already had but try to offer more that she softened up, the blind pup blocks her, putting himself between his brother and the woman with a tiny snarl. If they were larger, this entire interaction most likely would have her pissing herself. Instead it's oddly endearing. Instead of offering the sneakier of the pair more softened jerky, she tries the blind pup again. She doesn't have Leo's quicker reflexes so she won't try to grab him by the scruff, but while he cautiously eats from her palm, her free hand risks petting his dark fur. Her hand doesn't even touch the pup before she gets a squeaky, warning snarl that has her withdrawing her hand right away. Once he's finished off what remained in her palm, the pup's head tilts, as if expecting more while the sneakier pup continues to play with his food. She glances up at Leo, then. “We aren't trading them to the ogres, right?” It's an indirect question, but she felt silly asking if they could keep 'em right away.

“Brothers.” He stated after determining the fact. Naturally, both were terrified. But between cold nights and a nearly detrimental amount of time with no water or food, survival instincts brushed their fear aside and the half blind ‘alpha in training’ of the two licked frantically at Loravelle’s gloved hand before he was trying to place a paw on her knee and sniff out the source of those meat strips. Leo was nearby with a solemn expression, but clicked his tongue which swiveled a large ear from either, but the half blind one was the pup who boldly ventured forward the creature who smelled like dirt and forest, blood and wolf, which was about as close as anything he’d caught a smell of in a long time. Masticating it just a bit to put some bite marks in his own held piece of dried meat, not quite mashing it to baby birth worthy status, he held onto one end and watched one of the siblings perform a vicious tug-o-war with the pirate for a moment, but fatigue and poor health kicked in to have the resilient youth grown no more than two, maybe three months flopping on his stomach while keeping his head up to chew at the treat held between thumb and forefinger.

“They’d go for some weight in the pocket…” That charlatan entrepreneur side of Leo showed itself first, for just a moment, before the greed faded away and he sighed through his nose. “I d’know if they’d train ‘em, wear ‘em, or eat ‘em.” His brow furrowed then as the pup began to chew on his unprotected thumb like a chew toy, but for now, the rogue just let it happen, as his jaws were currently too week to puncture much even with those jagged molars in the back. “...But what’re we supposed to do with them? I guess we could take em up to Lanara’s on our way back to Gualon.” They’d already decided to postpone that introduction to the ogre village to be ready, so that wasn’t the concern.

While Leo had the attention of the meeker pup, she tried to keep herself still enough to let the more assertive of the pair sniff at her for more food. Before she can get some more to feed him, he's off to approach Leo and that's when she risks another pet, bare palm flattening over dark fur as the pup heads the rogue's way. They're so small and weak... She couldn't help empathizing. The thought of selling them off has Suoxin's heart sinking too, and she almost snaps at Leo for suggesting it. “Why don't we keep them?”

She knows it's an impulsive idea since she had absolutely no idea how to care for actual wolves, or what she believed to be wolves, but she's willing to learn. They're so small now, but once they get older... Glancing at Leo and envisioning him in his larger wolf form, Suoxin wonders. They won't be as big as him, right? “I've never raised wolves before, but...” Horses were easy most likely, compared to how helping this pair grow up. Suoxin can't believe that she feels some minor attachment to both pups already. It's likely because of their size. Small and non-threatening, even if the 'alpha' of the two is trying his best to look aggressive, and she'd go so far as to call either of them pretty cute. “They'll have land to roam around in when they get older if we move...” Her gaze turns northward, slightly. If they really do get a place out there.

Managing to successfully get closer to the sneakier of the two pups, she tries to grab him up by the scruff like Leo did but fails. Instead of a warning growl like the blinded pup gave her when she tried to pet him, this pup rolls onto his side, exposing his belly. Grinning, Suoxin tries to pet him but has her gloved hand blocked by a pair of tiny paws that try to force her and up to his snout to lick the glove clean of any jerky bits that may still remain. In her silence, she's thinking up different scenarios where the pair of pups might be if she and Leo do decide to take them in. The Den, their home (a thought that has her grin brightening considerably), Leo's ship... “D'you think they'd be okay on your ship?” She knew he had Jack there in the past, and wants to call back her voiced thought. “I-I don't mean to say they'll replace him...”

At first, an uncertain and a clouded look settled over Leo’s expression as his gaze moved from her to the twin cubs, and then to the sky. They didn’t have much of that precious daylight left, and although she would be safe with him, a couple of whining hounds would do plenty to draw nocturnal predators right toward them before long. He felt a bit stupid correcting her, as they definitely resembled wolf cubs from their paler eye color and fluffy charcoal coats, but he still replied, “...Not wolves…” He seemed puzzled about his own conclusion. “They sure as hell look the part, but… paws aren’t as big as they should be at this size, an’... somethin’ about their smell. Even their hollerin’ all seems… different.”

But Suoxin, of course, was already attempting to sell the idea to the rogue by making points, and he almost smirked as he realized that their relationship was truly official. Finding orphan cubs that she was craving to care for and carving a future for in her mind, already.

Leoxander said, “They’d probably tear everything to pieces, cooped up as they had been. But Lita’s around. I’m sure she’d give a hand if it means these sprats make it through.” He had to be realistic as well as balance some understanding with his partner. “They’re still wild animals.”

Maybe fresh to the world enough to learn some limits. Without picking the one eyed pup off its feet, yet, Leo stood to see what would happen if he took a few steps away, toward Suoxin but still at a short distance, which left the baby beast torn between the twin he was so protective of at such a young age. At first, the baby ‘not-wolf’ started to trail after Leo with nose on the ground searching for dropped meat, but he paused to look in Loravelle’s direction to see his sibling being scratched and coddled and finally taking a break from that continuous whimpering. Whatever these strange things feeding them and petting them were, it had to be better than rotting slowly in that den another day. Leo almost frowned as the dirty little cub marched with front legs stretched out till he wobbled from fatigue - after the rogue. He wouldn’t go so far as to say Lita had labeled him right as ‘pudding’, but there was definitely a heart somewhere beyond all the scars and tattoos.

“Not wolves?” She glances up at Leo, confused. Then what on earth were they? Definitely not dogs, at least not any she had ever seen before. They did make an unusual noise. The pup licking at her gloved hand is absolutely convinced that one of those leather fingers is another piece of jerky to try tearing into. Thank goodness her fingers are shorter than Leo's, so she doesn't get injured. While gently swaying that hand to play a very lazy game of tug-of-war, since he's still flopped over on his side, Suoxin tries not to frown at Leo's reality check. These two are going to be a handful. ...Like children. That fortune teller at the festival didn't specify what kind of 'tiny tots' they'd end up with. These little ones count, right? Damn, Verah was good. A little off on most of what she said, but she nailed this if she stretched the meaning of certain words the fortune teller used.

Leo lowered down to the ground to lift up the little one-eye into an arm, feeling the fleas already crowding and leaping onto his exposed skin for a fresh meal as he scratched between those big ears. Oversized even for a pup.

Looking toward Leo again solidifies that as he lifts the blind one up. She tries to do the same with the other, and finds he's a little more cooperative with that glove as a chew toy and a distraction as she carefully lifts him into her arms, then slowly gets back up to her feet. “Wolves or not, I think we'll manage with them.” Leo's lycanthropy has to be useful here in some capacity, for sure. They might listen to him better than her. Similarly to how she might try to fret over one of Leo's injuries, she's frowning at dirt and little mats of fur she can see now that the pup is in her arms. The fleas she manages to spy hopping around cause a grimace, but she'll endure them if it meant getting these two somewhere safe.

“If not a wolves, what are they?” She knew next to nothing about any sort of canine breeds. The answer to that question can wait for later. Only just now noticing how much daylight they have lost, Suoxin is eager to head back. “Let's get them somewhere safe.” She trusted that with Leo most anywhere on his island was somewhere safe. But somewhere they could feed and clean up their canine-like 'children' sounded like the best idea, now. That and their day was eventful enough. Leo's day especially. “I gotta get you to bed too,” she adds.

He made a bit of a face as his glove got torn into by tiny teeth, but it was nothing he couldn’t replace, though he had worn in that pair well. Maybe he could track down Kree’ to find some way to manipulate that southpaw brand to hold some access to fire tipped arrows, dangerous as that might be. The thought wandered away from him as he stood up and watched Loravelle handle the twin that seemed to enjoy the coddling far more than the other still rambunctious cub, though the first few steps would have him relaxing in Leo’s hold, staring back over his arm toward the den they’d been abandon in. What it could see with one eye blind, and the other still developing, anyhow.

“I honestly don’t know.” He answered regarding their find, finally, along the walk with his attention divided between the trail, the rapidly darkening sky, and the pup asleep already in the warm hold of his arms. No, nothing would ever replace Jack, but the black mutt had taught him an abundance of patience and how to go with the flow in some cases. Jack had been the existing proof of a heart within Leo’s chest. “Must be another of your fate’s plan, havin’ us backtrack this way.”

The little one in her arms grew bored of his new chew toy and decided Suoxin's lengthy hair is fun to try pawing at. Thankfully he didn't pull it too hard, but her face scrunches into a wince while she tries untangling his paw a curtain of black hair. “This one's a little attention-seeker...” It's cute, really. As she walks closer to Leo and he catches the scent of his sleeping brother carried by the rogue, his tail lazily wags. Can they sense each other's moods? She watches as the pup in her arms starts to close his eyes, grinning again. That settles it. They have to keep both of them. She envisions them a little bit older and much healthier, prowling around the woods. Inseparable brothers. Finally noticing the hole torn into Leo's glove, she frowns. “Sorry, I'll get you a new one...”

She trusted his eyes more and more as the forest around them darkened, footsteps slowing a little to ensure she didn't accidentally trip over forest debris or walk right into Leo's back. The thought of Q'na having a hand in them winding their way back to find the pup brothers has her trying to hold back a laugh, but she agrees. “Could be. That fortune teller didn't specify what kind of children...” She teases. That whole fortune reading was a bit unpleasant, but dwelling on it would just make that feeling worse. Joking about it felt better. Leo's reaction to it when she initially told him helped her feel safer, in a way. He didn't have to be so careful and protective over her feelings, but he still did, and she couldn't put into words just how safe that made her feel.

“S’just a glove.” He answered the timid woman in return and seemed to be more or less in on this plan on taking them in, for now. They were too old to nurse, too small to hunt much beside an insect on their own, and living so close to the contaminated forest would probably send something deadly their way, in time. The path they headed back toward, where the ship was docked, was at a distance from the boundaries of that cursed woods, so Lora only needed a glance to their right to see how green went to black, how the fog milling through that territory got even thicker as sunset weighed in. They’d be on a downward slope that melted into path before long, and Leo knew just where to find the opening in the rock. The ship was closer, better supplied, and at a distance where no one would hear the well-sighted cub if it decided to make a fuss again. Not to mention, they had a decent sized lounge, and while it barely fit the two of them (let alone pups that might sneak in for warmth) it also had stock and preserved foods readily available to figure something out for their much needed meal. “We’ll head to the shop tomorrow an’ figure out what to do with these mongrels. Takin’ them with to Gualon is gonna make the trip that much longer.” The rogue was ever prepared for kinks and twists and turns in a plan, but of all the things he anticipated happening, he hadn’t expected this.

Suoxin didn't have to be told twice to keep moving after glimpsing that fog in the dark forest Leo told her to avoid. She didn't want to stick around long enough to see whatever might lurk in those trees. While she didn't know her way very well around Rynvale yet, she did finally notice that the path he led her down was headed toward his ship and not the warehouse. Seeing the galleon after going for as long as they had without being near it was enough to bring another grin to her face, followed by another mountain of questions she itched to bombard Leo with but kept to herself. The last thing he needs is more of her questions after the day he's had. “Sounds good to me,” she agrees, at the thought of going to the JR tomorrow. Getting them to Gualon hadn't crossed her mind until the rogue brought it up, and of course that meant more questions that her anxious mind wanted to voice. Would the two of them be alright on the ferry across? Where would they stay? To prevent them from getting into anything in the Den, there was always her family's home, but her nieces and nephews might terrorize the poor pups with how much they'd want to play with them. Knowing Leo, he probably already thought of and had possible solutions in the works for anything.

Once she's helped into the dinghy and Leo begins ferrying them across the water to his ship, she's left wondering how he intended to carry them aboard. Initially reluctant to hand the other pup off until she could think of a way to get them both up safely, Suoxin gives in and carefully hands him over. Is she getting protective of them already? That's a bit quick. Before her climb up, she kisses Leo's cheek. She tries to be quick about it even if she is tired, but once her feet are on the main deck, she finds one of the lamps Leo lit for her in the past and matches, since she didn't have his fire starter on hand, to give her some light to work with as the sky grew darker. Her head peeks over the edge to look down at Leo and the pups afterward, waiting to help however she can.

“Heads up.” He called in due warning as his bow, then his quiver was tossed easily the distance and height it needed to clatter on the deck, the compound bow soon to follow, thrown where he judged by her peek and voice where not aimed for.

The sound of his warning has her initially scrambling back on the deck. Surely he didn't mean to throw either of the cubs up for her to catch. The sight and sound of bow and quiver hitting the deck near her is a relief, followed by the satchel which didn't produce a heartbreaking sound of yelping pups when it landed. She knew Leo wasn't cruel, but nerves still had an unfortunate knack for making her mind wander to the worst sometimes. How did he plan on getting them up, then? She peeks back over the ledge in time to see Leo climbing his way up… with the twins.