[Eastern Gauthrel]Pups Together, Part 1: Shelter

[Varthakh]

60th Ymiden 717

The Lothar had travelled the whole journey to the eastern territories in his loincloth. Alistair hadn't complained about his new choice of fashion just yet and it was constantly hot out. What was a man of Fridgar's stature and confidence to do? They passed through plains, vast grasslands and farmed territories alike, jumping the occasional fence.

Alistair had missed out on the chance to find shelter with him when the whole... disastrous explosion of emotion had gone down. Already, after spending only a night in a real bed, he wanted to try sleeping in the wilderness again. This time, no magic at all. He brought with him the same two bags from before and the same rope. Just in case things went horribly wrong, he'd brought his Redbear, king crocodile and self totems again. Everything was as it should be, or would have been had they not traded unpleasantness last time.

Alistair had, of course, refused to leave his spear behind with a flash of sass. Fridgar couldn't make him, but felt almost cheaty in bringing a weapon of that kind of quality with them. Oh well! Fridgar would have to deal with the comfort of an efficient weapon in their company. As they walked, they came upon the verge of a forest. Trees could be seen for a long stretch of the land. "What do you say, my rose?" he offered with a turn of his paw, beholding the landscape before them. "The woods like last time? Or do you fancy tying our luck in the plains?"

A simple enough question with drastically different consequences for either answer. The forest was the easier option, there would be plants and berries to forage for Alistair while the trees would have provided possible assistance in building the shelter. To try and survive in the plains for two trials would have left them open without any help from nature. What did Alistair think was wise?

[Alistair]

His sass was immense. When Fridgar asked him to leave his spear behind, or at least not to use it, the mage handed him the most sarcastic and outlandish rhetoric he possibly could. Do you mean to tell me you wish to strip me of my shadow? he asked, hyperbolic, but mostly trolling. How can a man be without a shadow trailing after him? Of course, he spoke all of this in a saturated Rakahi accent, imitating and mocking his master Keanu.

If one cannot be followed by a shadow, one cannot be preceded by the light. If one cannot be preceded by the light, one must live in darkness. Darkness, as it is, is equal to death. Do you want me to die, Fridgar? He asked, staring at his lover while intensely trying not to laugh. Poor Fridgar was being pissed on for breaks. Even now, Alistair's sarcasm would not cease.

The woods, like last time, or... he continued, and Alistair nodded his head, putting on the accent once again. "The woods? You dare recommend to a Shadowdancer that they crawl to a place shaded from the sun?" he asked, throwing his spear and catching it in his palm, pointing it at Fridgar. "The woods indeed, then, my clumsy and non-acrobatic Thorn!" the mage exclaimed, before stationing his spear onto his back once more and tossing the accent, throwing himself forward to kiss Fridgar on the jaw.

"Sorry, love. I'll try and be serious from now on. I really do want to camp in the woods, though - the plains are just less satisfying, and probably more likely to lead into some flying beast plucking us from the hills in our sleep." He didn't come here to experience grass, anyway. He wanted the real, vintage camping experience, with a teepee and everything. He'd been robbed of that opportunity last time. Now, he had it, and he would conquer these woods...

AS A MAN! NOT A WHIMPERING BEAST, NOT A CRYING WAIF DESPERATELY SEEKING RECONCILIATION. NO. ALISTAIR WOULD CLAIM THESE VIRGIN FORESTS FOR HIS OWN, AND ALL WOULD DESPAIR, REND TO MEWLING BABES TO BE TORN TO DUST AND DIRT.

Or something like that. Now that he had eaten and slept decently well, the mage felt incredibly energized. He just wanted to kill beasts and get berries.

"Fridgar, let's camp in a glade or something. I really want to like... pitch a tent. I have our bedrolls and everything, and what I think could be made into a half-decent tent. I don't really understand the physics of tent pitching, though." The physics of tent pitching. Gods, this place had made him into a goof.

[Varthakh]

"Alistair...!" Fridgar groaned, the sass was too much. "I'm sorry! I didn't mean to disgrace your lengthy spear!" he mocked. And when Alistair pointed the blade at him, Fridgar would feign the response of a typical human female at sword point. "No, please! Don't stick me with your pole mister Shadowprancer!" he threw the back of his hand over his forehead, pretending to faint. "'Cus if you do... I'll have to stick you with my own spear..." The Lothar would pass a certain look to the noble as the pressed the back of his index and middle fingers against the flat of the weapon, nudging it aside with relative ease.

He'd revealed his intentions for the following trial, at least. Tonight, he would bed Alistair in the wild once more, he'd enjoyed it the first time out in the wilderness, the second would be even better. "Good choice," the Lothar agreed, "I wouldn't want to be out in the open like that, trees are nice for cover." And with that, the pair delved deeper into the woods, coming under the shaded canopy as they ventured into lands unknown... At least for this part of eastern Gauthrel.

"So, how did you like drinking from the creek last time?" Fridgar asked with an all-knowing smile. "Since we're already fairly hydrated, we can try and find a river and head upstream first, if you like?" Again, he was referring to Alistair. He wanted the noble to have a good time on this camping trip, they were due to be wed in the coming trials. "Unless you liked all the natural nutrients and stuff from that creek?" he offered, recalling the green water that they filtered. Soon after, Fridgar was mimicking a throw-up, lurching his body forward slightly and making unmistakable sound effects.

Alistair might recall that Fridgar had said that the creek water was the best water he'd ever had, but he'd be forgiven for not remember such events on the brink of dehydration.

As the pair became encompassed with the woodlands for as far as the eye could see, Fridgar began watching the side of the trail they blazed. Eventually, his eyes came to rest on a large stick, more of a branch. "Oh hey, look," Fridgar spoke casually before approaching the branch and lifting it with efficiency that didn't seem natural, it appeared weightless in his grasp. "I can probably make some sort of club out of this, what do you think?" Without waiting for the human to respond, Fridgar snapped the larger end free of the rest of the branch and ripped various twigs and such from its surface, leaving only a chunk of wood that tapered toward the grip, thicker at the top.

"I'll probably have to take the bark off, I don't like splinters," he spoke as though some people did enjoy having splinters. But with his new 'weapon' in tow, he continued the trail until the sound of flowing water could be heard. He looked to the noble, awaiting his order. If he so wished, they could explore the running water and possibly follow it up stream to find a suitable place to set up camp, or they could look elsewhere?

Whatever he chose to do, Fridgar would ask, seemingly from the blue. "So uhh, how did you know when you were close to revealing?" with curiosity lining his mismatched eyes. "You know, as a rupturer? I know you told me all about the visitant and all, but I was wondering how you did it, how you knew you were ready?"

[Alistair]

"Fridgar!" he yelled in that deep, saturated Rakahi accent. "My spear is too long for your filthy mortal breath to disgrace!" the Venora said, hissing. Upon being told that he would be stuck with Fridgar's spear instead, the Shadowdancer winked, curving his lips into a grin. "Is that what's going to be happening?" the mage asked curiously, a dumb look covering his face as if he were totally ignorant of tonight's ongoings. Fridgar probably wouldn't realize it, but he was alluding to something special - something that he would be acting out come the eve.

Good choice, his partner said. "Thank you, you of stinky breath," he continued on, wearing the accent now like it was his own. "I learned this trick of choosing the forest over the plains from my grandfather, Enrique Cobalo Ki'Lozdara. I am glad it has impressed you so," the mage stated, bowing before his partner, and then promptly clearing his throat. When he spoke next, the accent would be gone.

"Anyhow," he spoke normally, "I think the whole point of camping is staying in the woods, personally. Why would I want to camp just to sleep atop some hill, doomed to have a heavy gust sweep away our tent and everything within it? I want to be among the trees, with the cluttered forest floor. It's how I like it," the mage nodded. Fridgar probably felt the same way - the forest was where he belonged. In some ways, he almost felt that his mate was most happy here, despite the... complications they'd recently experienced in similar forests to the west of here.

"The creek?" he asked, biting his lip. "It was... okay," Alistair replied. "I can't really complain too much. It was... very creeky," the Baron whispered, lingering on the word. "Actually, I don't really know what creeky is. I just hadn't expected it to taste like there were these inexplicable, yet ever-present particles floating about through the water, making it taste as if saturated in something unwanted. It couldn't have been completely pure," Alistair said, shaking his head. No - it wasn't entirely pure. Then again, it was salvaged from a creek and purified by a bloody head bag. It was good, given the circumstances.

"Let's find a river," the mage said, nodding. "We can't be far from the real Rinlokk Elv. We're right along the path to it, going towards Draeslogg. Just behind us is a collection of large settlements, vast and endlessly heading east. They must have originated from the riverbed. I think we'll need to go upstream, and then keep going eastward." The mage recommended based only on what he'd seen in Alfweyr. Were he wrong, it would have been a waste of time, but...

Among his thoughts, he was interrupted by a great and shiny new acquisition by Fridgar - a large branch. The man wanted to make it into a club; Alistair couldn't help but laugh at him, finding him to be adorable. "Fridgar," the mage started, a charming smile consuming his lips, "are you sure that a club will be more useful than your fists? Why don't we... wait - why don't we gather more sticks like this early on, so we can put them towards a campfire tonight?"

Maybe his idea was stupid; he didn't know. He just thought it was better to prepare early, and they could always drop the bloody sticks if something came up on them. Regardless of his feelings on the matter, Alistair would follow, and quickly beckon his mate in the direction of the running water. A river sounded great for setting up their camp for the night. He'd always wanted to have a cabin by a small river running through a forest. While this wasn't quite the same, it would still be quite charming.

After roaming towards the water for a brief period of time, Alistair and Fridgar found what appeared to be another offshoot river, likely connected to the Elv. The mage nodded his head, grabbing a stick and jabbing it into the thin, white-colored soil next to the riverside. This would be the perfect place to set up camp. There was a large grassy area looking outward from the river, the trees shaping around its edges. He wondered how it had ended up like that -- why there weren't trees there, too. But he couldn't claim to understand nature.

Being asked about the Revelation, the mage's brow quirked and he looked back to Frid, seeking sticks around the trees to build a fire for the late evening.

"I..." he started, pausing in place. "I don't know, Frid. I just -- I just felt a change. I didn't understand it at first, but then a power came. Subliminally, almost, it offered itself to me and I took it. I didn't really understand what I was accepting at the time, but I quickly learned," he whispered. "I changed, fundamentally. I longed always to be everywhere, to see everything, from that point on. That was when I decided I wanted to claim a new land, rather than attempt to expand upon an old one. I might have not known it at the time, but I do understand now," the mage stated, nodding his head to himself. Strangely enough, he didn't fully realize that until he just said it.

"You'll know when it's there, especially now that I've described it to you. It's a lingering want - your body begs to evolve. You can let it, or you can stop it. I... well. I succumbed to my fear - I thought, maybe this will make me closer to Ellasin, capable of pulling her from her chair. It did bring me closer like I suspected, but still not close enough. The Revelation is a change, but it is not a deification. I am still a man, somewhere, with a man's weakness. That's the truth I live with now."

[Varthakh]

Stinky breath? Fridgar pouted to his beloved, feigning sadness. He would fake a whimper and raggedly breath in. "How could you say that, my love?" he spoke, 'offended'. "I can't believe you've done this!" he winced, clasping his chest. Suddenly, a mischievous, cunning idea came into his head, it was brilliant! "Alright, I understand," the hurt Lothar sobbed, "Because I love you so much, Shadowprancer, I will keep my stinky breath away from you," he let the message sink in for a trill before continuing. "No more kisses until I can find a cure for this affliction!" he declared, grinning evilly, then proceeded into the forest.

Was he being serious? Was he bluffing? Who knew? Probably not the Shadowdancer, that much was certain.

When Alistair suggested using his fists instead, he scoffed. "And what? Get my fists all stinky too? I can't risk it, dear, I'd like to be able to hold your hand, still!" he was on fire, though perhaps he should stop? He dropped the poorly-imitated female voice and raised his eyebrows at the Venora's idea, it wasn't a bad one, actually. "You know, I totally forgot about fire. It's so freaking hot out here that I didn't even think we'd need it!" Fridgar joined him in collecting sticks, it really was a good plan. Both being well-trained in strength and endurance meant that they could carry it all far without resting, too.

One the pair had collected enough wood, they were on their way again. "It's better that we're prepared, it might be a cold night, who knows? Do you fancy eating out here too? or have you had your fill?" He understood Alistair's mutation a bit better now, but didn't know whether he'd eaten enough or not.

When the topic of creek water came up though, he couldn't help but chuckle at his mate's response. "You're so cute, my rose," he really was, it was fun to imagine him in his palace, suddenly being served water from the creek, barely cleansed. The Lothar would continue smiling for the rest of the journey to wherever water might be, though they'd happily wander for breaks until they stumbled across the big 'fuck-off' river Eld. It didn't take long to find, not at all. The pair merrily made their way before Alistair decided to mark their chosen spot for the trial.

Fridgar would dump his bundle of wood before approaching the noble and asking his question at last, watching the flourishing countryside. Alistair had confirmed it for him there, the way he'd been feeling; he was ready to reveal. Hell, why not start now? Though Alistair explained that for him too, he didn’t even need to ask. The Revelation changed him, he said. "Changed how? I didn't know you before you were revealed, so I have no Idea..." he chuckled nervously. But he explained that too, specific to Rupturing.

Somehow, he could tell that he wasn't about to reveal in rupturing, this was... bestial, instinctual, primal... He felt like a caged animal. "I see," Fridgar crouched, playing with the white soil of the river bank. Alistair had summed up his curiosity, though, Fridgar was worried about his revelation. "Do you think I'll change?" he asked, unsettled, saddened somewhat. "When I'm ready to reveal that is," by the immortals, would he ever be ready? Was this really the end of his journey in becoming? He'd surpassed Eric by now, perhaps a long time ago.

When the discussion ended, Fridgar would stand once more, dusting his hands free of the white soil. "So, how do you wanna go about building this shelter? I picked a random cave last time, but we can try and build one if you like?" but that was way out of his league, no way could he ever hope to build something as majestic as a den. Fridgar would look about the immediate area, scanning all their belongings. "Maybe we can use sticks or something?" Or maybe sticks and leaves? The area they were in was quite lush, next to the river, the plants had everything they needed to survive and therefor flourished.

"We could try using some of those broader leaves or something. Oh! Maybe sleep in a tree?" Fridgar appeared quite excited for whatever Alistair wanted to do, the eagerness was visible in his eyes.

[Alistair]

No kisses?

. . .

"Nooooooooooooooo!" he yelled, jumping onto his knees and pleading for kisses. "I need your tender kissages, my love," he called them, lips curling down into a whimpering frown. When Fridgar mentioned that they wouldn't be able to hold hands either, Alistair's whole world had begun to melt before him. "Fridgarrrr," he mewled, all of Idalos vanishing before his eyes. This was worse than when Fridgar threatened no sex for three trials - he knew he couldn't live up to that promise. But this? Did people acquire a pent up need for kisses?

Standing up and attempting to return himself to an acceptable level of human-like sentience (as opposed to sobbing incessantly about "kissages"), Alistair nodded his head in regards to the fire. They'd need one for... light and stuff, right? He didn't need to eat, and yeah it was sort of hot - but liiiight. He didn't have any peculiar totems that could grant him night vision like Fridgar. In fact, he didn't have any totems at all.

"I'm not hungry," the mage said, shaking his head. "I just like the idea of having a campfire. We can sit around it and talk about something nice, like our favorite positions. In meditative flexibility training, I mean. And we can sit together, staring at the risen moon above that vast clearing of trees over there, wondering just when we're going to get eaten by a monster," the mage stated, nodding fervently.

He didn't respond to Fridgar calling him cute, though - merely blushed and continued on, an ever-present tiny smile forming on the corner of his lip.

As for the change, well... he dropped his bundle too, right atop Fridgar's. It was a fairly large pile of sticks - would work for a fire, maybe. He didn't know, he'd never truly made one with the bounty of nature alone. He always had wood, or some specifically cut logs for that very purpose. It was very aristocratic, his approach to the wilderness. At least until now.

"Fridgar," Alistair grinned, moving toward his mate and kissing him softly on the cheek. "Just promise me that however you do change, you'll still have room in your heart for me. Okay? If you can promise me that, I'll accept your transition, whatever happens within it. I am your kindal -- I'll be yours forever, no matter what. Remember that," the mage whispered, moving forward to embrace his beloved. He could tell he was worried, but Alistair wanted him to know that whatever happened, it would be alright. They would survive, and stay united.

He knew it.

"Sticks," he raised, thinking on it. "Uh... sure!" the mage exclaimed. "We can... uh... put them on the ground and tie them to the leaves or something. Broad leaves, yeah!" Alistair liked that idea, he could even see it in his head. Like forest savages, from countries where everyone was a proletarian. Sleeping on a tree?

"No, that sounds scary," he said. "What if we fell off? Goodbye, Fridgali," he frowned. "I think I'll take my chances with the shitty branch hut. We'll need to gather some more."

[Varthakh]

The Lothar persisted with the halting of kissages for... five bits after the halting of handholding, then kissed the human on the cheek and took his hand into his paw. He was only joking after all, and going so long without the touch of his beloved was likely more strain on him that it was to Alistair.

A smile came to his lips when the noble explained that he wasn't hungry, at least he would have some time to gather food for his mate before he went hungry this time. On the other hand, Fridgar would be getting hungry before the Venora again and the both of them knew that he was a prick while running on an empty stomach. It couldn't be helped, he was a savage by nature. Hunger saw him far more aggressive in preparation for the hunt, it was poor of him to take it out on Alistair though.

At the river, their conversation continued. Alistair promised that if Fridgar could keep room in his heart for Alistair, he would accept the change. But just how bad could the change get? He'd still be himself, right? Well, if he was still Fridgar, what could go wrong? He loved Alistair, more than anything. Whatever he revealed into would surely love him the same, right? So, why did he struggle to tell Alistair that he could reveal? It was there in his own words, he would be accepted.

"I know Alistair," he spoke, agreeing. "Well, nothing's gonna make me stop loving you, you said it yourself. Nothing will ever separate us, not even my spark, whenever that comes around," he got to his feet and gently kissed the noble, bathing in the warmth of his body for a little while. His body would press against Alistair's as they shared in the company of one another, an expression of his passion for the human he'd come to love. His paws would caress the back of his beloved, drifting lower... He then broke away, having tasted his beloved in preparation of what was to come that evening. "I want to show you just how much I love you, Alistair, but we should try and make shelter first," he grinned.

If he knew anything about Alistair, he'd probably just started him on a warpath of cravings. This was intended. Later that evening, he would make love to Alistair, only he wanted to lay with him in a real shelter.

Considering the materials they had available, Fridgar sought a way to make rope, even if it were make shift. There were some old vines and such draped over the older trees, but they were old, solid, dried out. "If we just had some rope, I think we could make an awesome shelter," he spoke while carrying the thick rope of the previous camping experience. When he looked to it, he'd turn his eyes back to Alistair and shake his head. "This is too thick, it won't do," he explained, the truth. Also, they were meant to hang some beast they hunted with it.

His mind drifted to the plains while he thought, the grass that was even longer than he was tall. Perhaps grass could be used as rope? "The best we have is the long grass from the plains a little ways away, I'm not sure if a blade of grass is good enough to hold though..." a reasonable concern, the shelter they made had to be secure, steady. "I think there was some long grass at the entrance to the woods, I could go fetch some real quick? In the mean time you could look for some leaves? They need to be big though," Fridgar nodded, painting an image in his head. "Yeah... Also, look out for big sticks, long and as straight as possible," he grinned. This was going to be the best shelter ever.

If no other complaints came, Fridgar would kiss his beloved on the cheek and head off in search of tall grass.

[Alistair]

Fridgar spoke softly, and kissed him equally so, tenderly embracing the smaller mage as he spoke loving words to him. Nothing's ever gonna separate us, he said. Alistair knew - nothing ever would. They were going to be together for all their lives now, even if they spent glimpses apart. Whatever Fridgar became, Alistair could handle it. He'd love him unconditionally, even if that became challenging, or strange, or different. He'd never seen a Becomer Reveal, nor encountered the aftermath. But, considering he barely changed externally, he had hope that things wouldn't alter too drastically. But they'd have to see.

I want to show you just how much I love you, but... the mage blushed. Of course. Fridgar always wanted to show him just how much he loved him - as the scion of virility, Fridgar was a man of exceptionally compelling needs. Alistair had to accommodate those needs, often, and he wanted to. He enjoyed keeping his mate satisfied. This time, though, would be different - and he wouldn't let him know until the last moment.

"Fridgar," he told him, "I would like that very much." Internally, he was containing a smirk, but externally he wore the face of a blushing bride with not a single intention contrary to the norm.

Fridgar was right, though. A warpath of cravings had been launched, and already he was envisioning nightfall. He was so excited to share a new experience with his mate, especially so close to their wedding. The mage planned to spend at least a fortnight expanding on these experiences amidst their honeymoon.

"Rope," he said, nodding. Alistair had a two-man tent in his pack, and he believed it had some type of roping to keep it together, but he decided that would ruin the vintage experience. The vines wouldn't work either, which compelled Fridgar to search for long grass, whilst delegating Alistair to go on the hunt for large leaves to cover the outside of the shelter. Long, straight wood was also a requirement, and he imagined they'd have to keep the fire away from the shelter to prevent the leaves and rope from catching flame. Living in the wild was complicated.

"I'll look for the big leaves. I actually saw some floating along the river a few trials ago, like lily-pads. They were freakishly large, and should work if I can find them. I'm not sure if those stalks of grass will hold, but I think if we weave and tie them properly they should. I've seen forest savages make their huts from grass and hay, and I think we can do the same with Gauthrien grass. Just let me know how it goes," he said, nodding. Kissing his mate in return, he held him tightly for a moment before the two of them split to search for their individual targets. Giant lily-pads. He'd need to traverse the river, probably by blinking from point to point.

Memorizing this spot, he stepped out, walking along the small river's bed and trailing its edge.

[Aeon]

Alistair

Skill Knowledge:

Fieldcraft: Conceptualizing a wilderness shelter
Fieldcraft: Building a shelter with long sticks, grass 'rope' and broad leaves
Fieldcraft: Seeking a riverbed to build a shelter
Fieldcraft: The benefits of the woods over plains
Fieldcraft: Gathering sticks for a campfire
Fieldcraft: Better to be prepared ahead of time
Navigation: Using the sound of water to find a river
Navigation: Mapping out the wilds around Rinlokk Elv
Deception: Pretending to submit

Other Knowledge:

Fridgar: Concerned about the revelation
Fridgar: Will stay with you no matter what change comes
Fridgar: About to get that booty rocked
Fridgar: Genius field expert

Loot:

N/A

Injuries:

N/A

Fame:

N/A

Devotion:

N/A

Magic:

These points can NOT be used for Domain Magic

Points awarded:

15

Fridgar

Skill Knowledge:

Field Craft: Gathering sticks for fire ahead of time
Field Craft: Crafting branches into make shift clubs
Field Craft: Easier to survive in the woods than the plains
Leadership: Delegating tasks
Leadership: Accepting that others might have good ideas

Other Knowledge:

Alistair: Will still love you if you reveal
Alistair: Secretly the survival expert

Loot:

N/A

Injuries:

N/A

Fame:

N/A

Devotion:

N/A

Magic:

These points can NOT be used for Domain Magic

Points awarded:

15

Comment:

You people are such trolls, you know that? Also, Fridgar, no knowledges? What's up with that? Haha. Nice one.

Feel free to PM me if you have any questions or concerns. Have a wonderful day!