☽ city

Tao kept his gaze stuck to the outside from his window seat, as the bus carried on its journey. He could sense a couple curious glances thrown his way every now and then, yet he paid no heed to the humans on board. Despite it being a sunny day, Tao had on a heavy coat and his hood up. He pulled tighter on his hood, as if to shield himself from the non-existent chilly weather. The bus rolled on from stop to stop, but Tao made no move to indicate that he was getting off; after all, he had no destination in mind. He just felt like he needed a breather, hence the unprompted trip to the city. Lost in his pensive thoughts, Tao's eyes trailed aimlessly from pedestrian to building, seeing but not observing the scenery.

~after a few weeks, I slipped out of the island. Heading out to the human city, I hold my chest for a moment. Wondering if I should even be doing this. Wiping the tears from my eyes, I feel the connection between me and my new home slipping from my fingers~
I’m sorry Yukhei...
~mumbles softly as I hop off the ferry, heading out into the human city~

@Daniel Ahn (Ω) "Trust me, I've tried. Plenty of times. My arms grow bigger, so do my shoulders but my stomache? Yeah you can see abs but not the ones I want. Oh yeah it's a plain wish to look the best I can."
*glad you took a hold of my tail once again I keep the pace steady yet fast, letting a laugh ring through our link at your excitement*
"Hell, me too. I can't wait to finally close me eyes and sleep."
*follows you down into the tunnel and my eyes widen as you start a race without me being ready so my paws start running pretty much all over the place, barking in protest*
"Unfair! You just wait!"
*once finally picking up my speed I reach you and gently bite the tip of your tail before running past you, coming to a quick stop as we reach the end of the tunnel and I jump infront of you so you don't run into the wall at full speed*

@Jaebeom Im (∝) "I doubt dieting is needed. Just a bit of a work out regime. You'll have abs in no time- although, now I need to ask! Why are you so eager for abs? Just a appeal thing?"
*wondering out of curiosity, being extra mindful of his paw placements through the trees, at one point dropping back to hold your tail again but when you nudge him to the tunnel he almost howls out in delight.
"Finally! I am so tired!"
*entering the dark tunnel with your guidance before smiling a wolf grin.
"I'll race ya! Ready, set, go!"
*not giving you a chance to be prepared before he's bouncing down the tunnel at a fast speed, paws clicking on the packed ground with each foot fall, the exhilaration of the sprint bringing him so much delight.

@Daniel Ahn (Ω) "I never get abs unless I go all hardcore with dieting and all.. how mean."
*gently bumbs against you as I notice just how happy teasing me made you*
"Yeah I remember that I just didn't remember it was you who told me- eh but of course I'd want biological pups. That's one of the iest things in a mated relationship."
*lets a small yawn escape as we make our way through the forest, now being even more careful to keep you from running into a tree*
"I'll get you to joke more often then. Life is way more fun with some jokes here and there."
*gently nudges you to slow down as we reach the entrance of the tunnel*
"Here we are. Only the tunnel left to go."

@Jaebeom Im (∝) "Nice try but you'll have to work for those abs you desire to badly."
*laughing out more at how you flinch, swishing his tail in obvious glee.
"Yup that was me. I was saying how we don't discriminate but if alpha alpha couple wants biological pups they need to consider one changing."
*nodding his head with your location update, once more all jittery and eager to return with the haul for the Seer.
"Thanks for being honest with me. I don't mind the joking. I.. normally don't joke at all, but I enjoy your company and it makes me a little playful. I'll tell you, as long as you tell me in return."
*promising, his pace picking up when you mention it's close.

@Daniel Ahn (Ω) "Pretty cool. Think he could mix me something to get proper abs?"
*yelps slight and makes a small jump in surprise*
"Oh it was you? Damn I'm sorry- I guess our conversations have been too similar for my stupid alpha brain to fully process them."
*huffs softly*
"I didn't mean it like that, I was just joking with you. If you ever make me feel uncomfortable you'll definitely know cause I'll tell you. I love dirty jokes a lot so if I ever go to far make sure to tell me, okay?"
*looks ahead and yips in confirmation*
"We just passed the cave we slept in. It's really not that far anymore"

@Jaebeom Im (∝) "Yeah. That's our seer. He's the master of those and remedies to boost your energy or calm you down."
*when you mention the changing he huffs out, making a small leap to playfully snap near your flank.
"Excuse me, but I was the one who told you that! How rude, forgetting."
*teasing a little before resuming the pace, your following question making him roll his eyes a little.
"You know people can sleep in a bed right? No, I'm not offering you as reward. While we both have been making the odd comment or joking about it, I don't wanna force anything. Whether that's attraction or something more. But.. I will apologise, for all my comments.. if any annoyed you or upset you or even just made you uncomfortable, really I am sorry.."
*quietly apologising, feeling a little relaxed though when you crack another playful joke about him being a pest, his soft laugh no doubt echoing in your mind.
"Thanks. And I'll come up with something. I think we're nearly there, I can smell the trees again."

@Daniel Ahn (Ω) Ooh he can make elixers? That's pretty cool. I think Jongin told me something about changing an alpha to be a beta? In case two alphas want to mate? I don't know why but I imagine that to be kinda painful. The whole reproduction system would have to change.. crazy. Yeah well you don't have regular check up with him right? So why would he notice? I still hope he'll be determinded enough to help you.
*happily brushes my paws against the sandy ground once we leave the ship and turns my head to look at you curiously*
"Are you paying me with for doing this so called slave labor? Damn if that's so I'll come over to help you with the dishes or something."
*remarkes playfully and nudges you gently as we run side by side*
"That's because I needed time to think about a smart reply! Of course I'd notice your absence. It would be silent without you little pest. Meh it's fine. Maybe a simple dinner before sleeping? Ramen maybe?"

@Jaebeom Im (∝) He's a clever wolf, that one. I admire his apothecary skills. No one can make elixers like him. Plus he's never been afraid to push the limit of his abilities. Did you know he was an infertile beta? But he did so much experiments on himself to try and find a way, and he did. Cause now he has twin boys. As for his fault- It really isn't. But he finds fault in his inability to help me when he could have. He didn't pick up on my illness when I was infected with parasites until it was too late to really reverse damage and he finds it his fault I'm blind.
*stretching his wolf limbs out slowly, feeling uneasy once more on the moving ship before he slowly follows after you to get back to land willingly, glad for the stillness the sand and earth brings him.
"considering I used you for slave labour and pack mule on this trip, consider yourself safe to share my bed to sleep if you wish tonight. We'll both be exhausted so sleep would come so easily."
*keeping up with your pace, glad to have done a lot of training to build up his wind prior to this trip, impressed that you seem to be going well despite only recently being more wolf, knowing it's to do with your alpha blood.
"You ignored my question, how rude of you! But, honestly speaking, I really don't know how to thank you for coming along. Just tell me please if there's something I can do. When we get back, I want to take all this stuff to Jihoon before sleeping."

@Daniel Ahn (Ω) *takes a bite of the meat and washes it down with the last sip of water*
Aah so it's a mix of both? I just hope he knows what he's doing so you don't end up with two pairs of eyes instead of your sight. Why does he think he owes you..? Is it his fault that any of that happened to you?
*furrows my eyebrows a little as I watch you shift, nodding slowly before slipping the pack on and shifting as well*
"Aah I hope so. I would love to sleep in my own bed this night. Or yours."
*nudges you playfully and leads you out of the ship before making my way back to the treeline, keeping a steady pace*

@Jaebeom Im (∝) Without a doubt. Being tested on and bred by strays and humans alike really isn't the most pleasant.
*waiting to hear from you regarding the books, smiling when you believe they're okay for his use, shrugging a little at the question.
I'm hoping Jihoon can find something in there about the eyes and sight so he can figure out a way to restore it or unlock the connection with me and Sungmin. That's the hope though. The rest is really in the Seer's hand. He feels like he owes me so he can do this to remove his endless guilt he suffers.
Oh? What if I did go alone huh? Would you have noticed me vanishing?
*teasing a little before stretching out and biting into a strip of meat, soon enough packing the books into the pack and shifting.
"Ready to make the trip back to the island? It should go much faster from here. I assume we can make it back before dark.'

@Daniel Ahn (Ω) I'm glad too. Better than being tested on my humans.
*looks at you with a smile and sits down next to you, grabbing a bottle of water as well as I lean over to check the books*
Mmh.. looks good. I don't understand a thing but it seems like they are the most recent ones.
*nods slowly and takes a sip of the water*
So will the journals or the plants help you with your sight? Aah no need to thank me. It was a fun trip. I'd have never let you go on your own.

[post deleted by owner]

@Jaebeom Im (∝) I cannot deny that at all. The pack now is wonderful and full of opportunities I never had before. I'm glad I was found and brought here.
*There's a smile on his lips with your words, setting the books down on the floor and slowly sitting down, finding one of the bottles of water and sipping from it while waiting on the nausea to pass, nodding a bit.
I think so. But you'll have to check. I found this on the captain desk. I'm assuming they're the logs and journals.im kinda picking needles in a haystack since I can't properly check if these are what I'm looking for or not. But we already have the samples now for the Seer. Maybe that will be enough for him to work with. Thanks.. for coming.

@Daniel Ahn (Ω) Still. The pack now is much better compared to both of them. You're being loved now.
*hums lowly as I start getting samples to put into the containers,n turning to look at you with a playful fake laugh*
Ha ha. No seriously. Take as much as you want, i'll be fine. We're taking out some water and food everytime too so it won't be too heavy.
*watches you leave and focuses on the task at hand, trying to work my way through the messy growth of plants and as you come back with the books I'm already packing the bag having left out some food and water for us to eat now*
I'm done already. Every single plant in here is sampled and put away. What about you? Did you get want you needed?

@Jaebeom Im (∝) If I could, i would have chosen to remain with the feral pack. That was heaven compared to being a toy for humans.
*shrugging shoulders gently, brushing fingers through his hair slowly and nodding after a moment.
Alright I'll grab a few, but not too much to weigh the pack down. You're the poor er carrying it.
*teasing softly with a little laugh, making his way carefully through the ship, following the scent of paper and ink to what he assumed to be the captains quarters, running a hand along the walls until he finds the books and pausing, not wanting to get useless books so he goes to the main desk and feels about for anything resembling journals close at hand, tipping over an inkwell with dried ink inside, setting it back right before finding a few volumes at the head of the desk that seem well used compared to other books, grabbing five of them in what he hopes is chronological order before beginning to make his way back to you, growing nauseated by the way the ship rocks in the water but he forces it down for now.
I found some things. How are you going in here?

@Daniel Ahn (Ω) Well doesn't that sound like a lovely upbringing?
*snorts softly and shakes my head, not being able to understand how any wolf could do that to a fellow wolf*
I'm glad you found our current pack then. At least you can live in peace now.
*sighs softly and opens the pack to take out the containers*
Well, shouldn't we take as much as possible though? Even though it went well this was a dangerous trip we should be making too often.
*watches you shift and frowns slightly, the idea of you wandering off on your own worrying me*
I'll be fine but please be careful. If you need help call me right away.

@Jaebeom Im (∝) *staying silent for a long time before shaking his maw, hearing you shift and he takes a seat on the wooden floor.
"They're my true pack. But I wasn't raised here. I was raised by a feral pack that worked with humans. After I was old enough to be bred, the alphas wolf packed me and the moment I birthed the litter of pups, they sold me to the humans."
*quietly explaining, listening to the sounds of the water swirling around the ship, taking a moment to realise you asked something and yipping softly.
"Yeah there's some sample containers in the pack. It's why I packed lightly. And now we know this is here we shouldn't need to bring too many journals. Maybe just a recent one?"
*contemplating softly, nodding to your suggestion before shifting himself to two legged form, following the parchment like scent of books got a moment.
Not this room. I'm gonna go look for those books. Will you be okay here?

@Daniel Ahn (Ω) "Didn't you say this was your old pack? Did you not grow up with them?"
*after making sure there's no thread to us in the room I shift forms, pulling up my pants to properly take a look at all the plants*
Well as you can imagine it's pretty messy here.. did you bring containers for the samples? Oh and do we just take all the books? Cause if so you can pack them and I'll take samples of whatever plant I can find here. Sounds good?

@Jaebeom Im (∝) "Yeah. From my understanding. A lot of what I know is from old books and such. I'm not entirely sure on the whole wolf form thing but perhaps they did both on sea, just took turns?"
*wondering aloud curiously, laughing softly at your words and he let's you take over the lead, finding it easier to follow you than to navigate blindly, hearing the creak of the door opening and following you inside, taking a long deep breathe.
"There's quite a bit I'm not familiar with in here. The Seer gave me a book ages ago that shows the native plants and I learned the scents. But I barely know anything in here.. this might take a while to collect samples of things.."

@Daniel Ahn (Ω) "So they lived on sea most of the time? Intersting. I've never heard of a wolf pack like that. Did they only shift on land then?"
*tilts my head slightly and feels the tension leave my body slowly as you nuzzle my side, still being cautious in this area as this is completly new to me*
"Of course I'm going with you. What a stupid question. I won't let you go alone."
*grumbles lowly and gently nudges you behind me as I take the lead now, following the strong floral scent to its source and pushing the door to what seems like the apocathery open*

@Jaebeom Im (∝) "This is. From what I could learn about it, every heat season this is where they found port and they would make use of the beach caves as dens for the season and when the pups were born, they'd go back to sea. "
*explaining carefully as he keeps following his nose, hearing you growling and pausing, turning himself around to head closer to you and softly nuzzle at your side as if to ease your uneasy sensation.
"It is strong isn't it? The scent. But that's a good thing. The apocathery must still be thriving, albeit messily. We can take some for the Seer. He did say to look for plants that aren't native to the island. And since they're on the ship, they might be a key to helping me. Along with journals. Are you okay to come with me to the source of this scent?"

@Daniel Ahn (Ω) *once the forest ground changes to sand under my paws I take a good look around, the place carrying a weird aura to me making me feel on edge but seeing you seemingly happy about being here I try to push that feeling down*
"This is the mating grounds we were looking for?"
*follows after you onto the ship and growls lowly as the scent gets stronger with each step*
"Is it supposed to smell like a full flower field in here..?"

@Jaebeom Im (∝) *he doesn't respond to your remark, no need to this time but he feels warm, happy to banter with you since you always great him kindly; he says nothing for a long while, coming to a slow after a few hours when his nose catches the strong scent of brine, growing more alert when that even mixes with timbers, oils and stagnant cloth, hurrying to a sprint in his excitement, paws soon hitting sand.
"We found it!"
*yipping out in delight, jumping around the beach a little in disbelief before he gets to work immediately on hunting the scent of his immediate bloodline, beelining for what appears to be the largest ship in port, everything clearly abandoned long ago; finding his way up and pausing, sniffing at the air and finding a rather strong floral scent the closer he gets to boarding the ship.
"Can you smell that..?"

@Daniel Ahn (Ω) "Oh I'm sure you would."
*returns the smile and leans against you slightly as you brush against me, staying close to your side as I follow you and happily noticing your faster pace, glad that resting helped you regain your energy. Stays quiet for a while as we run, always making sure you don't bump into anything while sticking to your side with my nose almost on the ground to sniff out any suspicious scents*

@Jaebeom Im (∝) "I would like that, immensely."
*announcing with a wolf smile, padding over to the mouth of the cave where you are and softly brushing against your side.
"Let's get to it."
*sighing out, climbing a little down the side to get back to the main part he was following, sniffing around carefully and sorting the scents before he picks up the one he wanted and after sounding a small yip your direction, starting to trot then run toward the scent, moving faster than the previous day after rest and food.

@Daniel Ahn (Ω) *lets loud laughter ring through our link and finishes my meat before getting up to stretch my body, shifting forms only to put on the backpack before shifting right back*
"Then I might even show you a spot that makes me feel good."
*looks at you with a wolfish grin and heads out of the cave, sniffing the air and looking around before sitting down to wait for you*

@Jaebeom Im (∝) *can't help but turn his head toward you a little incredulous, swishing his tail to gently smack you in good nature.
"Hey mister. If this trip gets me my vision back, I'll let you play with my ears all you want. How about that?"
*trilling softly at the nip, laughing gently as he waits for you to finish eating before getting up on all fours.
"Let's go then, Jaebeom. We're so close to the goal."

@Daniel Ahn (Ω) *scoots closer to you as you lay down and yawns loudly before reaching out to munch on the meat happily*
"You never know what I dreamt about. Maybe it was something so far off of the reality and yet so nice. Maybe I finally got to play with your ears properly.
*teases right back and playfully nips on your paw before going back to eating*
"Aye aye sir. I'm ready when you are."