Ink laughed at the boy's comments, both about his horse's strength and his sarcastic advice. It was his black friend's answer that perked his ears up just a little higher. Awesome. "Sweet. Let me call Jerri back and we can walk that way, then?" He waved his hand for Tem to lead the way and turned to whistle into the forest. A few moments later, Jericho came trotting over to them and sure enough, her legs had a suspicious amount of chipped wood littered there. Ink took her face in his hands and cooed something to her quietly, which seemed to work as an apology for both of them. She fell in beside him when he started walking.
"So, Tem, tell me- what's your family like? Are you guys a pack or just a band of rogues?" If this boy was from a pack, Ink wondered if he'd be welcomed or invited into the ranks of said pack. If he'd say yes or move on after a few nights rest. What it would be like to live in a pack instead of a caravan. He'd been lonely, traveling alone with only Jerri's whickers and woes for comfort and company. He was used to curling up in a bunk bed, right above his cousin, sleeping the night away safe inside a warm carriage or tent. Ever since he could shift, he'd been expected to pull his own weight- now he'd discovered the reasons why.
He sucked at hunting, sucked at trapping. He had a good sense of direction, though, which kept him in line to his destination- as long as he knew which way to go originally. North and South were always easy for him, but the survival tactics were what kept him thin and underfed this whole time. Jerri's weight loss was from the constant travels, rarely stopping to eat and whenever they did, she did so only for a few minutes before settling down to sleep. She slept on the ground, which worried Ink- she'd never slept on the ground before they'd left the caravan. Was she growing weak, tired, from their travels? Maybe now would be a good time to settled down in one place. Ink could leave her home while he went out searching for answers... but how much time would he have for that, living in a pack?
"...what's it like, living in one place all the time? I've never really... done that, before. Ever since I was born, we were always on the road, going from place to place, never sleeping in the same town more than a few nights. What's it like to be settled?" He didn't mean to say any of it- thinking aloud, but turning to address Tem as he spoke. Answer. Always looking for answers.
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