11th july. 10am. Cerne Rise.

A few days had passed since they'd come together to fix the roof and the agouti male was pleased with the work that had gone on. He was even more happy that his family had been there to help him, to learn something new and support their home. Saul had been so scared that nobody was going to make an effort in rebuilding and restoring the building he'd chosen as base. There was still a lot of work to do however, the roof was just the most urgent of tasks to be completed. The half of the a-beam needed to fix the roof was up and the male had found some suitable sheets of plywood to attach to the roof. It had taken him a while, but after a good chase the male had managed to collect enough sheeps wool to create enough insulation in the roof. Bordering it up on the inside had been harder, but it had been done. And all that the male needed to do was start putting the tiles back up in a neat and tidy fashion. He would have to research how to do the tiling on the roof, as he hadnt done that before. But he assumed it would be like any other form of construction- practice makes perfect. It wasnt going to be a quick fix, despite all the preliminary work Saul had put into it.


For now however, his list told him that he needed to fix the door. The front door had rotted and was hanging from its hinges. They were double doors on top of that and should have lasted since the fall of humanity. But the snowstorm and the looting that had left the doors open for the wind and the rain to get deep within to warp the wood had done its job well. Today he was out scouting around for material for the doors, or if he was really lucky, he would find a complete set of double doors as a replacement. For now, he was poking around in Trenton, trying to see if there was anything worthwhile in the ruins of the town.



"Saul speaks." Saul thinks.

yaaay thank you!

The agouti male had almost exhausted the buildings and houses in direct sight of the apartment building he'd come to claim as his home. There were a few good pieces of wood that he'd dragged back to lay in the lobby for further inspection, but more often than not the wood was in no better state than the door they already had. Though New Glasgow and the surronding areas were largely unpicked by the rest of the wolf population like Halifax and Barington, it was still difficult to find what you want. And with items dating way back beyound the two decades it had taken for wildlife to take control again, it was no surprise really that he wasnt finding perfect and pristine doors. He had found a few panes of unbroken glass that, when cut down to size, would fix the windows in Gideon and Nayru's apartment and the male had lain these carefully within the confines of the building. He hoped nobody would step anywhere near them, else there would be trouble. But he was back out now, the early morning light not quite bright enough for him to sheild his eyes, but it was promising to be a hot day. He was planning on going to see Hermes and Arete after noon to see how they were getting on, perhaps get some training in with the big horse.


So lost in his thoughts that the male didnt at first hear the tentative 'hi' called from another wolf. But movement ahead made Saul pause and look up. A pitch black wolf came emerging from a building, a rusting and mostly broken toolbox in hand. He could just about see that most of the tools inside had been protected and would probably work just fine. For a moment, the young male cursed himself for not finding it sooner. Though he'd collected tools back in Dahlia, they weren't a very good set, most were bent or rusting and in need of fixing or updating. Still, he could not befoul this mans good luck and he raised a hand in greeting before making his way over.


"Good morning. I'm Saul Stormbringer"


He offered, extending a hand to shake the other mans in a common greeting he had picked up not long ago. He wondered what the mans profession was, what he did within Ichika, since it seemed they all had specialised jobs, aside from Razekiel and Nayru.



"Saul speaks." Saul thinks.

Its a lovely post Temo, don't put yourself down <33

For a few short moments, the dark male looked at his extended hand with an odd expression. Saul almost dropped his hand, the awkward moment stretching between them. However, the moment of recognition came and the male shifted the rusted toolbox before extending his left hand to shake Saul's right. A quick handshake, then the male spoke. His name was Temo Wolfe, an interesting name considering their species. Saul gave a nod however, the smile deepening on his muzzle. He was a sucker for meeting new people and this was no different. "Its good to meet you too Temo" He chuckled softly before releasing the males hand. Noticing the dust and dirt coating him, he self consciously brushed at himself. Inside, he felt a familiar anxiety rise in his gut- the male was loathe to be dirty. He bathed every morning to avoid being dirty, and feeling the cobwebs on his coat now were bothering him. But there was nothing he could do, and there was a task at hand. Distracted by the males words, Saul gave a soft nod.


"Yeah... there's so much untouched stuff here, it makes sense to go and have a look around."


He said, glancing around at the building and houses surronding them. Cerne Rise was back the way Saul had come, the rotting door still in need of a replacement. The black male spoke again and Saul looked up with surprise. Perhaps the dark male could help him. Though Saul had built his own house, he wasnt too sure on how to replace the doors that were beyound repair. He nodded softly, before continuing. "My family and I have moved into the apartment building back up there and its needs a lot of work done to it. I've started fixing the bit of roof that caved in, but the front doors are rotted and destroyed- I can't repair them. I was looking for another set of double doors that would fit... Perhaps you've seen something like that?" He asked, thinking of the doors that were so warped and rotten there was nothing to be done with them. Maybe the male could help.



"Saul speaks." Saul thinks.

<33

As Saul had brushed himself down, so did the dark male when he noticed the dirt and cobwebs on his own body. There was still a lot to do today, and Saul hoped to have fixed the door by the time night fell. He had a while yet and he was now eternally grateful that he'd found the male who now stood in front of him. Saul nodded softly at Temo's comment, agreeing whole heartedly with the male. It was well worth the effort and the risk to fix the roof and start on the door. His next big job, aside from putting the tiles back up on the roof, was the stairs. They were becoming inceasingly difficult to get up and that was no use. "I agree, the rewards can certainly outweigh the filth and mess of rummaging through buildings." He added, before they allowed that part of their conversation to die away.


The dark male, however, seemed to grow in confidence as a subject was brought up that he knew a lot about. Saul's cinnamon backed ears perked up to catch the males words as he began to talk about larger doors, measurements and hinges. A grin crept over his face- it was clear he had found someone who knew about construction and the kinds of things that Saul was lacking in. Saul thought about his own travels, trying to remember if he'd seen any screws or nails or anything that would be useful. Unfortunately he hadnt had the sense to measure the doors before he'd left. "We'll have to go back and measure the doors. Perhaps we should take down the doors that are up before we leave?" He said, thinking of the rotting and broken lumps of wood that were no good to anyone.


Saul turned to lead the way, making quick work of the broken streets of Trenton. The apartment building sat on the outside, closer to the shore. He approached, wondering who was in. Looking back to make sure Temo was following, he approached the doors. They were in a sorry state and for a moment, he looked at them with pity. They were obviously once grand pieces of wood, but they were shrivelled and worn down. Like two old men, standnig guard over the house that was doing just a bit better. "As you can see, the whole house needs a lot of work!" Saul chuckled, sure Temo could see into the lobby from their vantage point outside. With a sigh, Saul turned back, grasping hold of one of the doors and attempting to pull it off and away from the doorway, so they could measure it properly.



"Saul speaks." Saul thinks.

sorry dear! and yeah, its fine <33

Cinnamon backed ears flashed back as the black male spoke. They'd arrived at the house and Temo took it in with a practised look. The repairs to the roof could only just be seen from the front of the house, a few of the newer pieces of timber the only indication that something was going on back there. It seemed silly that Saul would need the males help for the door when he was perfectly capable of fixing a roof. But it was more than that- it was nice to meet others and let them help out. Saul nodded softly, thinking of the rotten staircase within. That needed the most work and was the next job on his list of things to do. "It was a lucky find, I think. I have a large family, with the promise of more to come, and there is enough space for us right now, and when there are more of us." He thought briefly of Nayru and Gideon, a smile dancing across his face. He was sure that soon enough, Gideon would have children of his own, by blood, and Saul would have blood-nieces and nephews running around. It wasnt like Melee and Range weren't family. They were as much his family as Gideon and Ascher were. But there was always the issue of blood between them. They were Conor's siblings, even if they didnt know it.


The strength in his arms was large, but the door was stronger than him. He tugged at the door, feeling the creak and groan but there was no success in moving the door an inch. Despite the severe rotting and warping that meant it was unuseable as a door, it was very well built. Temo interjected and Saul let go with a grin. He liked the male in front of him, he was a down to earth kind of wolf that Ichika needed. Perhaps he would call on him again when then stairs needed ripping out- there was no way to repair them. Still, he listened to Temo rummage around in the tool box he'd bought, extracting a screwdriver. From there, the two worked in relative ease, speaking only to direct each other. The screws came away easily and Saul collected them up. They were all in pretty good condition, testiment from his earlier tugging that had had no effect. Working with another wolf not his own family was nice and the two of them were quick on the second door.


Saul watched as the man bought out a tape measure- he'd read about them but had never seen one, and it was in good condition as well. Noting down the measurements on a stray bit of wood easier enough to carry with a pencil from the toolbox Temo had bought with him, the two of them were set. Temo spoke again and Saul nodded softly. "Lets go find some doors." And with that, the two of them set off back the way they'd come. It might take them all day to find suitable doors. At the first house they came to, the two stopped and measured up. No where near the right size or shape. And so it continued, the two of them checking most of the intact doors they came across, seeing what could be found.



"Saul speaks." Saul thinks.

dont be silly, your writing it lovely! <33

The idle chit chat that had passed between the two males faded as they began to move through the houses around them. Often they would split and look on their own, calling out to the other if they thought they had found something good. More often, they stuck together, examining the doors in front of them. Both of them had a mental checklist that they were trying to tick off, and so far only a few doors previously found had ticked only one of two boxes. In any case, none of the doors they had looked at were suitable for their use. It was hard, trying to find something to fit an already existing doorway. If they didnt find something soon, Saul was seriously considering making the doors from scratch, perhaps with Temo's help. Although it didnt feel hopeless, per say, there was a monotony about it that felt like his brain was being sucked out. The male chuckled softly at the thought, earning him a questioning glance from the older male, which Saul shook his head to.


It wasn't too long later that the two arrived at a building that made them pause. There was an overhang to this building that had sheilded the door from wind, rain, snow and anything else Mother Nature decided to throw at it. Of course, it hadnt completely escaped the years of neglect and misuse. The doors were faded and pale in places where the weather had managed to get through. The hinges were rusted and broken. That wasnt too much of an issue, because the hinges on the old door had been in good condition. He walked forward with Temo, examining the doors. Cinnamon backed ears flashed forward as Temo began to speak and Saul nodded softly. The male turned to him and asked him his opinion, plus a good summary of the doors as a whole.


"I think that we may have found our doors. A little bit of work isnt going to take long, I shouldnt think. Shall we?"


He asked, moving forward to examine the hinges. They were so rusted that a tug on the door he was examining caused it to pitch forward a slight inch, indication that pulling on them was probably going to work this time. It looked like the wooden door frame was beginning to rot, a fate that the agouti male was pleased the doors themselves had escaped. He glanced at Temo once before pulling heavily on the door he had been examining. With a screech, it pulled free of the door frame and Saul managed to lay it gently on the floor before it fell there itself anyway.



"Saul speaks." Saul thinks.