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The wolf looked unconvinced. He sat beside Alley, just next to the head of the great stag. A c**k of one ear met his smile: a sign both of worry, and skepticism. "I didn't make you both known." At this, his gaze flicked to - and for a moment, rested deeply on - Clio. "This is Clio, my friend. She is an old packmate of mine, a talented hunter, and a formidable friend." On the last words, the gruffness of his voice softened by some degrees. Uncomfortable, it certainly was. But it was also as sincere as the warrior could make it. "Clio, this is Alley. She is the one who pulled me from the river, and returned me to my life." These words, too, were sincere. The wolf's muzzle flicked into a smile at the nonwolf.

"And now, I believe that she has hurt her paw with a small stumble, though she wishes us not to see. As such, she should eat and sit a while."

The smile had turned smug as A'cuil spoke, both ears facing favorably forward. It was a good sign that he was catching things like Alley's stumble again. It meant that he really was returning to his old self. "You should too, Clio." It felt like he couldn't say her name often enough. "The kill is fresh. It shouldn't be wasted." Though he moved no closer, eyes, ears and voice all turned and seemed to reach for her, and the snakeskin brute did not know why.

She knew he was unconvinced, she saw it in his eyes and she had to withold a chuckle. He was growing sharper and she could sense it. She smiled when he sat beside her and she wagged her tail. She saw his gaze when he looked at Clio and she suspected there was something there. It was almost obvious that he felt something, however, what that something was seemed less obvious. She could hear his voice soften and she looked at the female, as curious as she was. She nodded in greeting to the other female, a friendly greeting... of sorts. She looked at A'Cuil sheepishly, realizing she was found out.

She lowered her head in embarrassment and looked at Clio when she thanked her. A few things came to mind, like 'I didn't do it for you' or 'I didn't find him on purpose' just because they were true, but instead she smiled and said, "I have certainly never regretted doing it... I'm just glad I was in the right place at the right time." and then she looked at the deer. She waited until the female began to eat and she settled a couple feet away to eat as well. "You're going to have to eat more too A'Cuil. A couple mouthfulls isn't enough for you." she murmured after swallowing the first time.

"Rrrm?" Sjun's inquiry emerged as a quiet, velvet growl. "Y' do, do you?" The big male cocked his head, looking down at Loki with a gaze that some would good stern - but any who took a second glance would see as a playful imitation. Sure enough, he didn't hold his act for long. "I think that might be them myself. Well-done, pup." He smiled at her. It was an old teaching method: Sjun hung back on purpose, and let the pup see what there was to see. He did not notice it when she went rigid, but leaned his head closer to her anyway. "Let's give 'em a little start, hm? This will be fun."

The big brute said no more as he trod forward, breaking the cover that separated the two parties.

"What's this, then, huh?" Sjunheal came upon them with no quarter, padding at both his full height and full, stentorian voice. "I leave a hunter t' rescue a warwolf, one who might be in mortal peril, and what do I come back to see? Munching! Enjoying a nice supper! And one warrior who looks fit an' fair as a pheasant and not nearly imperiled enough!" He turned upon the Sure-Claws the same mock-stern stare he had used on Loki.

The booming tone was one he had been denied the chance to use for some time: his "scolding teacher" voice. And how deeply had he missed it!








He looked on the Labrador eating with satisfaction, and smiled at her concerned words. This dog was the only creature that had ever coddled him so; not even his own mother - A'cuil withheld a snort. Certainly not her! - had been so tending. "I'll get to it." The words carried the air of a promise. In all honesty, seeing Clio again had taken the wolf's appetite clean away. With his stomach turning in all these strange knots, yet not uncomfortable ones, he did not know if he could keep any of the good meat down.

And if Clio made the Sure-Claw fidget, than the giant beast who pushed his way through the trees made him leap a few feet. The warrior in A'cuil was up on his paws, lips curled up over his fangs immediately. But the senses watched the unruly spray of the intruder's fur, and the familiar golden sickle of his chest; they registered the rich, undying mountain scent that rolled off of him since before A'cuil knew what scent was. Most of all, they took notice of the bellow raining down on them - a sound that, just as it had when he was but a whelp, made him want to tuck his tail between his legs. Again, if he had not already been poised to attack, the wolf would have fallen over.

As it was, he didn't. A'cuil stared up at the bearwolf dumbly, the formerly clenched fangs gone slack-jaw. "There is no way." The wolf denied, fruitlessly.

"I'm okay, really." she told him, and when he spoke A'Cuil's words carried promise and that was enough for her, she assumed he might have been a bit stresed with this sudden change so she certainly didn't push it. She heard the small voice of what was unmistakably a pup and she lifted her head slowly, gazing about for the small creature. The giant creature that came thundering into the clearing Certainly was not a pup and her shock nearly choked her. She hastily swallowed her mouthful of food and her eyes immediately went to A'Cuil who she had instinctively stepped closer to. He wasn't afraid so much as shock she noticed, and he wasn't rushing to attack...there was some glint of recognition in his eyes, so she was certain there wasn't a need to attack.

Her wide gold gaze went back to the large male and she gulped. "Wow... I'd love to see who your parents were..." she thought to herself, completely silent. When Clio spoke she turned her gaze on the female, uneasy, but only because of how sheepish and pup like his voice and Size made her feel. The only thing she could think to say was, "We're going to need another Deer..." She looked back at the Bear wolf and stepped forward slowly, tail waving a little behind her as she, curious as a pup, stepped forward to sniff him, curious to see if he carried the scent of bear as well. She found the scent of mountains similar, but stronger than that of A'cuil and it was kind of nice, in fact. She smiled and sat on her haunches, front half lifting in the air so she was near eye level with him. "I say... you Are quite intimidating." she stated, matter of factly, tail now wagging and a silly smile on her non wolf face.

Sjunheal kept his unwavering gaze on the Sure-Claws for a moment longer - but they weren't really in trouble, and the bearwolf could not stop the laughing that bubbled up from his chest. Especially at the look on A'cuil's face! Ears pressed back as the mirth of the situation overtook the larger male. He ceased laughing only long enough to step closer to the gathering. As he nodded to the wolves and nonwolf present, the remnants of his humor resonated through his jolly tone.

"Shut tha' trap, warrior! You'll catch flies," Sjun quipped, flashing a smug grin in A'cuil's direction. "Did y' really think a bit o' Darkness would end me? Shame, shame on you." He winked again, too broadly to miss, at Clio-

-and might have said something to her had the nonwolf not caught his attention. She was smaller than Sjun had thought she'd be, especially sitting down. "Am I now, m' fair fae." Sjun tilted his head, slightly amused. How in blazes had a scrap like this existed next to the bullheaded snakeskin brute he knew so well? "M' apologies then. I don't mean t' be fright'ning - just as I'm sure you don' mean t' be so unusual." The Bear-Clawed leaned down, to give Alley - that's what Clio had called her, he thought - a cursory sniff.








Wit some effort, A'cuil was learning how to rework his jaw. The touch of her tail against his flank earned Clio a sharp flinch; the wolf's mouth swung closed in the same moment. He glanced sharply at the fae as Sjunheal's eyes turned away from them. "I'll say." His voice was a low murmur, meant for Clio's ears only. As much as he wanted to speak to his former teacher, it was clear the bearwolf was otherwise engaged. "That's the kind of thing you remember not to forget. Where in the world did you find him?" For a moment, A'cuil gave thought to vain hopes: actual escapees from the Darkness! He was certain that Sjunheal was sent to fight - even though he didn't like to, he would certainly have proved an asset.

The warrior was so involved in these thoughts - and in his current conversation with Clio - that he did not catch the mischievous bite to his brush before it was given. He did, however, hear the patter of small paws over the earth. When Loki vanished into the trees beyond, A'cuil was already spinning on his hind-paws to face her hiding place. A bemused whuff scattered dust as he preened the trees. "And while you're at it, where did you find the whelp you brought with you? There haven't been any on this isle for moons, and it isn't my imagination nipping my tail."

A mirthful laugh was brought to Alley's maw. How large he was indeed. When he sniffed her she laid a paw on his large snout and leaned closer to sniff around his ears and face. Her tail could not have wagged any faster. "I assure you, you're and unusual to me as I am to you." she turned to look at A'Cuil with a wide smile. She looked at Clio and then at the Pup. She turned back to gaze up at the bear wolf.

She was rather curious about him but now that it was clear that he was friendly and a friend of A'Cuils to boot she was more comfortable with his presence. She touched her nose to his in greeting before returning to A'Cuil, licking his cheek, giggling at how silly he had looked when his teacher had arrived.

There was a slight limp in her step but nothing to really hinder her movements. She turned a circle or two and laid down beside A'Cuil, content to observe the group of wolves. She didn't want to be an interference and she figured A'Cuil would want to catch up with his pack mates, but not for the first time she wondered what she would do when he returned with them, if he returned with them. She wasn't a wolf after all...