It's only a scratch......

Sighing, the wolf just listened mutely as Sib once again stubbornly defended his pride. Finally, Inferno decided it was time to just give up. There was no way Sib would win against Molly, that was for sure. She was almost the most stubborn one in the pack when she wanted to be.

"Yes, you really will help out, once you're healed, that is," smirked Inferno jokingly. "We've got enough food for a while yet, but with the way the pack has grown recently, it really is fortunate that we have hunters now." As he finished, the wolf looked as far ahead into the trees as he could, trying to imagine that they were almost there.

While racking through his head to find some topic to carry them through the journey, he suddenly widened his eyes and turned his gaze to Sib intently. "Did you know Silverlight is special?" Inferno realized that this long trip in a small way could prove to be a fortunate event, in that Sibirskiy could learn about the spirits. With all the commotion and work to be done in the last few months, very few, if any, of the new members had been told about the special circumstances surrounding this land. That probably had hindered the pack's, and Silverlight's progress, a bit...but Sib could be told. There was definitely tons of time.

The wolf began to tell the story, "When Blitz first came to Silverlight - this territory is Silverlight - he was met by a strange pup who told him that it was Blitz's duty to gather a pack here that would help restore the spirits to Silverlight. I don't know why they are so connected with this place, but the spirits' presence allows Silverlight to thrive. Without them, the prey and plants die, like the land has been cursed. It was that way for a while when I first arrived..." He paused, remembering the world it had been, and then how it had changed. "We finally pulled the pack together, and soon after, we started seeing changes. Prey returned, and the land and the members of the pack began to thrive. It's been very interesting, but the important part is: we're not finished yet." Looking at the trees, he continued, "I'm not sure where to go from here. I wish the spirits would come out and give us a sign or something..." Smiling a bit, Inferno glanced over at Sib. "Does this sound too crazy to you?"

He grinned, not bothering this time to say anything to his joke, Sib would end in the end, he knew he would, or at least get hurt trying. He fell at a lose though, not really knowing what to say now. He didn't like silence, and by the looks of it, there was still quite a ways to go, or at least by the looks of it. He just went on to think about his mother... what she would be thinking right now. He started off leaving as a loner, and now.. now he was with a pack... she was sure to be proud of that... just had to be.

His thought's were cut off by Inferno as he got really serious now, Sib not knowing what to think about it. He really didn't understand what he mean't by this place was special, though every pack thought their land was special, so it was no real surprise he would say that, but just as Sib was about to say something, Inferno started with his story. Listening, Sib couldn't help but think it all sounded a bit crazy... spirits looking over the land, and how they were dependent upon a pack living here, and how everything would die without them. To him it all seemed a bit... out there, but he had heard crazier stories, besides, he doubted Inferno would joke about something like that.

"Well.. I can't say it doesn't sound a bit crazy... but then again who am I to talk, I just climbed through a mountain and almost died just because of rumors. I guess, if there really are spirits here.. then alright."
He answered plainly.
"To me it sounds as if you should already know what they want.. considering they do exist... perhaps you guys must continue to flourish, and with more growth will come an answer. You say there's a lot more work to be done, well, I'm sure if you start on finishing it, they'll show up again, they're bound to if they rely so much on your pack, right?"
He said. He felt crazy himself for even indulging in the chance it was true... but there was always that chance he could be wrong, so he didn't stay completely positive they didn't exist.

A sincere smile crossed Inferno's face at Sib's straightforward and accepting reaction. Then the white wolf continued to elaborate on his thoughts about the spirits and their relation with the pack, and Inferno couldn't help the look of astonishment that transformed his usually sober and severe face into that of an amazed pup. A grateful one, too. That was exactly what Inferno needed to hear; he already knew all of that, but hearing it from someone else was necessary sometimes to help enforce belief when it wavered.

"You're right, Sibirskiy," managed the wolf finally, recovering and starting to smile again, knowing that this new wolf would most definitely be an asset to the pack, just because of that attitude. No matter how annoying or stubborn or proud he may be, there was some redeeming attribute in there. "Keep your eyes open, alright? Perhaps we haven't seen recently because no one has known to look..." he mused, mostly to himself.

Now in a much lighter mood (so much that he even slowed down a little bit more, no longer bothered by the pace, to give the injured wolf a little break, since he knew he'd been pushing the pace), Inferno asked with a tinge of humor, "Is there anything shorter we can call you once in a while? Sibirskiy's kind of hard to get my tongue around."

He smiled a bit, happy to see that he brightened Inferno's mood a bit. If there really were spirits in this land, than Sib just figured he'd have to help to. By the way it sounded, it couldn't be that hard, it seemed they already had a nice, flourishing pack here, and plenty of willing wolves to back up a seemingly great Alpha, they really seemed to not need much more, except for him of course.

He was a bit shocked though that Inferno slowed his pace a little, he did have to admit, he was going a bit fast, not that Sib was going to say anything about it anyway, he was just glad he did. It felt nice to know he had already made a good impression on at least one wolf now, and the Beta at that, a grin coming to Sib's face as Inferno thanked him.
"Yah, just gotta keep looking forward, stay optimistic, no matter how doubtful you get always think the best of things. It's a lot easier to get by that way."
He commented. He really did have respect for Inferno, and he rarely did gain a true respect for other's. It felt nice to actually be able to say he looked up to him

He laughed a bit at the last part, he really should have said something before about that,
"Sorry... you can just call me Sib, it is allot easier than constantly having to repeat my full name."
He said with a laugh, though making sure to laugh only lightly.

Inferno smiled, surprised and yet somewhat relieved to find out that Sib was such an optimist. Thinking back on all the white wolf had stated before, it wasn't hard to believe now. Inferno had a hard time looking for the 'best in things', though his life would most likely be much easier if he did. But it wasn't hard at all to let someone talk him in to trying it out some days. It was always a nice change that he should probably implement more often.

"Ah, Sib," repeated the enlightened wolf after learning that 'Sib' was a perfectly acceptable alias. "That is much easier, though I think I'll throw in Sibirskiy every once and a while - it's still a cool name." Inferno finished speaking and sniffed at the air, his smile widening into a purely delighted grin. "We're almost there." The trip didn't seem to have taken long at all, though the sun was much lower in the sky by now. 'About time, too,' thought the wolf, looking over at the exhausted wolf shuffling with waning strength.

Finally, the two entered the outer ring of dens around the main camp, then they moved through slowly, headed for the healer's den (though Inferno decided not to mention that as their destination). As they walked through the main circle of dens, the beta pointed out places of importance: the storage den, the warriors' den, the hunters' den, the alpha's den. Laek was sleeping outside of the alpha's den, possibly looking out for Tessa, the loner wolfess Inferno had fished out of the Southern Rapids the day before. Inferno identified her for Sibirskiy as Laek, one of the hunters, before passing and entering the healer's den.

Sib smiled a bit as Inferno talked, feeling a bit relieved when he said they were almost there. It already looked as though the sun was falling from the sky, and surely being out here in the dark wouldn't be good. He sighed a bit as the walked into what seemed to be the outer most part of the dens, looking around, listening as Inferno explained what each place was. His eyes glanced upon the wolf laying outside of one of the dens, listening and again trying to remember the wolf's name, Leak, he had to repeat in in his head a few times, to many names to try and remember all at once, he was still having trouble with the other's, but all in good time he would get them down.

He hadn't much payed attention to where Inferno was leading him, concentrated mostly on learning the layout of the territory. When they did enter one of the den's though, he couldn't help but be curious as to which this one was, Inferno hadn't mentioned this den's purpose yet.
"Who does this den belong to?"
He asked curiously, looking around a little. He hadn't really taken into account yet Inferno had yet to point out the healers den, so Sib really didn't figure this might be it.

((Just to not lose track of where this went... https://incendio.rpg-board.net/t76-after-a-long-journey ))