Pick Me Up [Open/Joining]

[shyan]

"Why did it have to be so hot?"

That was the boys only thought as the sun beat down on his brown shaded pelt. He couldn’t’ be like every other fox. No, he was brown, black, tan and then a few shades of reddish-orange. Every fox he’d ever met was red, but that was the normal for a fox! But he had come from the secluded Cascade Mountains where everyone looked like the rocks because it was their trait to survive. He wasn’t the fastest fox or the best hunter and he wasn’t even that sneaky like most Cascade Mountain Foxes. He was always the abnormal one, the odd fox out. He was a healer; he’d always had a knack for it and his mothers lessons had taught most everything to know and he venturing to Oakwood City had lead through many real experiences and he still hadn’t lost one life yet! He held his head high at that thought but let it fall back down trying to hide himself from the sun’s rays.


The cars buzzed by on the highway outside of the suburbs, he hadn’t quiet found his way to the forest that he had heard of. Youngling Forest, it was apparently home to a pack of foxes though Lycaon was hesitant to join because of him temperament. He wanted desperately to join though because it would offer him a home and somewhere to use his skills consistently! He repeated that line to himself over and over, but he still worried that his strong and silent personality might get him into trouble. It never got him anywhere with the vixens, and his strange coloring didn’t make it any better. Every one of the females had wanted a ‘pure’ litter, and he had tried, in vain, to convince them that he was a purebred fox! But in the end he was always alone the next morning with no sign of the female. There was no use anymore so he had sworn that until a female took interest in him for who he was that he would remain single and a healer.


His amber eyes searched endlessly over the skyline looking for a sign that he was nearing the forest and wouldn’t have to trudge any further in the unbearable afternoon heat. But just he as he’d thought the only sign of no forest the loud cars rushing to and fro from the city and back. There was no such thing as pleasing the two-legs, they always wanted more and that included his home and the wolves alike. He hoped that his new prospective home wouldn’t have such problems but just hearing the roaring of the cars made it just as likely to happen.


And there it stood, after hours of trudging beside the road the green tree line had finally come into view. Lycaon made a direct shot into the trees and sighed with relief as the shade covered his pelt. Now he could finally focus on his task, finding the pack. Hoping he wasn’t going to step on any toes Lycaon walked farther into the woods letting out a small call to any one nearby even if that included a dog who might be able to point him in the general direction. Stopping under a large tree, Lycaon takes a seat waiting for someone to come meet him and maybe accept him in the pack.

[DENI.]

If one were to look into the forest for a certain fox, all they would see would be a black tail-tip twitching back and forth. The rest of the fox was hidden in the shade of a log, a long dead tree. Its belly was pressed flat against the ground, and the only sign that it was alive was the steady inhale and exhale of breath that moved its sides. But why was the fox being so still, you might ask? He was hunting....

***

Tybalt's amber eyes were trained directly in front of him, focused on a very fat squirrel. It was nosing around on the ground, paying him no attention. All it wanted was to find a good acorn to eat. Tybalt's pink tongue snaked out of his mouth, licking his chops. He was hungry, he had yet to eat today. He inched forward a bit before he finally shot out from his hiding place, landing on the squirrel and breaking its back, killing it instantly. He trotted around in a small circle, pleased with his kill, before yipping interrupted him. The yipping definitely didn't belong to any of the vixens in the pack.

Tybalt grabbed the squirrel by the tail and dashed toward the sound, soon reaching a fox that looked almost as odd as Trix. This fox wasn't quite as strange looking, though. No, at least his pelt was made up of standard colors. Black, brown, orange. No yellow. Tybalt dropped the squirrel to the ground and it landed with a thump, hopefully catching the male's attention. Tybalt was slightly taller than the other fox, but then, he was rather large for a fox anyway.

"Well hello there!" He greeted, "My name is Tybalt, what's yours?" He hadn't really had the chance to address a stranger on his lands before... Was he doing it right?

---

"I'm talking."

[shyan]

    It hadn’t taken long at all for his call to be answered by another fox. The thump had caught his attention alright, if that’s what the boy had been aiming for, which seemed quiet plausible by the way he stood beside the dead squirrel. Lycaon’s eyes first tracked the squirrel seeing its plump body and looking sideways he caught the males reddish legs and followed them up seeing the rest of the fox in detail. Picking out his weak points wasn’t too hard, his locked joints would make it easy to take out his front legs and maybe snap them if push came to shove. Lycaon took in a breath and sighed starting to feel his defensive side come out and he knew that wouldn’t get him anywhere with the male fox in front of him.


    Looking at the fox once more made it obvious he had alittle height on Lycaon but that would make it easier to— god just stop! Lycaon snapped back into reality as the red fox started to talk, “Well hello there! My name is Tybalt, what’s yours?” Lycaon flicked his ears to and fro picking up the subtle hints in his voice but the boy was completely sincere and was quiet happy to see another fox around the territory, or so it seemed. Lycaon offered a small smile, “Lycaon.” The answer was short and to the point, and Lycaon had no intention of being rude but his personality wasn’t quiet fitting the situation and he just couldn’t make himself all happy go lucky.


    Looking around once again Lycaon tried to understand the surroundings better and not seem too rude, but this wasn’t going as well as Lycaon had wanted… “I am looking to join Vulpus Vasum,” he paused for second controlling his breathing. He didn’t want to come off as a prick but he really wanted to be a healer amongst this pack, not just a lowly fox no one knew. “As a healer.” He knew it might be a little too much to ask at the first meeting but it was worth the shot and he couldn’t think of any other way to ask.

@deni

[DENI.]

The male made him nervous. Of course the situation was new to begin with, but the male's lack of enthusiasm caused Tybalt's smile to slip off of his face. He felt the male's gaze all over his body, and he shook out his fur self-consciously. He stepped over the squirrel, coming out into the light more. His long black legs moved gracefully until he came to a stop a comfortable distance from the other male. His ears were perked, his face was alert. The other members of the pack probably wouldn't even recognized him right now.

He inclined his head as the male shared his name, remaining polite even though he was feeling rather uncomfortable. A few more seconds passed before the male got right to the point. "Of course you would be more than welcome here if you're willing to get along with everyone and not cause problems." Tybalt smiled slightly. "The spot of healer is open, I didn't actually expect to fill it so soon. What all can you do?" He didn't really know the other fox at all, so it seemed like an appropriate question to him.

[shyan]

He knew this wasn’t working in any way shape or form for either of the foxes but Lycaon just couldn’t get himself to behave properly. Not that it was in his usual behavior to act all happy and festive, but he could do it around females… why couldn’t he for just a moment please another fox of the same gender and not make every situation so uncomfortable. It was obvious on the other tods face that he was made quiet uncomfortable by Lycaon’s lack of personality. And for Lycaon is was just as much of a bother because he didn’t mean to be this way. But it was his natural defense mechanism ever since… Lycaon shook his head and fur out to clear his head and still look normal. Tybalt took a step out into the light and over the squirrel, it seemed whatever good graces Lycaon might have had were gone without a trace.


Lycaon tried to be short and to the point but it was becoming increasingly harder to keep a small smile on his face. So he finally spit out his reasoning and Tybalt made it clear that he wasn’t comfortable with Lycaon, “Of course you would be more than welcome here if you're willing to get along with everyone and not cause problems." Tybalt manages a small smile at Lycaon which had only mad a minor change in the situation. "The spot of healer is open, I didn't actually expect to fill it so soon. What all can you do?" Now Lycaon was on the spot, Tybalt was open to the idea but he wanted to see what Lycaon could do…


Lycaon took a deep breath and cleared his mind and relaxed, he sat down and opened his eyes to focus on Tybalt. He seemed slightly emotionless but he was thinking about what to show Tybalt. He smiled as he thought about learning with his mother, all the lessons they had, had in the meadow in the mountains. Lycaon smiled at Tybalt and closed his eyes once again to regain his focus. “Well I start simple with healing open wounds; For any open wounds that could get infected you can take burdock leaves and chew it into a pulp and apply it to the open wound to prevent and draw out infection and it also helps quicken the healing process. If there is a shortage of burdock leaves you can use alder in its place as a way to keep out infection and reduce swelling. For those with sleeping problems or just need to reduce pain so they can sleep they can eat poppy seeds. And for those bothered by a stomach ache there is water mint, we all eat a little bit too much every once and a while.” Lycaon opened his eyes and smiled widely proud of himself. His mood improved as he kept recounting more and more herbs within his mind. Looking at Tybalt he smiled and nodded his head, “I hope that’s enough but if you need more I am more than willing to show you were to find these as well.”

@deni