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Skill: —

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Grove stretched his forelegs long above his muzzle as he rolled upon his back, eyes still sealed shut in comfortable darkness. He was awake, but just barely, and honestly quite content to stay that way- until the bite of a cold breeze parted his fur like the clouds part for the sun.

Cold? His home was not cold. Warm, resin eyes flew open. He was met with a never-ending puddle of gold.. the long, bleached grass spanning as far as Grove could see from his compromised position, nestled between the stalks. At the sight, he scrambled to his paws, hunting for purchase among the soft earth. What was this place? He raised his nose to the air, repressing a shiver that was less from the chill and more from the lack of familiarity he found.

"Most definitely not home," He muttered, taking a moment to compose himself.

Granted, it's not like he expected to see any friendly faces upon waking up. Grove had left his natal pack months ago, but he'd never strayed so far as being unable to recognize where he was. Here, though, he was lost. Despite the strangeness, he plowed through the grass- bulky, muscled shoulders shoving them aside easily. He could roll with this. Fine. Good, even. He'd never planned on seeing his family again.. right?

— speech

Every morning, they made a climb. Didn't matter that there weren't any sun left to see- just the damned clouds. Darker now. What Cecil was realizing- something they hadn't much voiced to the rest of their traveling party- were that this wasn't getting better. It was getting worse. Perpetual twilight now, and the sky looked near the same at, the break of dawn as it did at noon.

Or they thought. Hard to tell what time of day it was anymore and hard to keep a rhythm, even for someone who'd risen same time every morning their entire life. So whatever it was, it was morning enough for them, and Cecil looked out at slate grey clouds and said the prayers. Closed their eyes and pretended, just for a moment, there was sun.

Opened them again, and saw nothing but grey and white. Wind bit through their coat like a rattlesnake's fangs, and the cold spurred a shiver from nose to tail. Somewhere south there was warmth. Had to believe it, 'cause the alternative was thinking too hard on the dream that weren't a dream about the end of the world, and Cecil didn't much like those odds.

They stretched. Looked down from the crest of the hill, and saw something- someone- pushing through the snow-laden grass.

Cecil yipped a greeting before the stranger could get much closer, head tipped and ears angled forward. Knew it weren't a companion of theirs, unless Nate had been out recruiting again, which weren't impossible. "Mornin'," they said. "I think. Startin' to lose track of where the sun's meant to be."

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Skill: —

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The stocky man startled to a stop at the sound of a clear voice. He struggled for a moment to locate the voice within the field, before settling on a slim, earth colored wolf. Lose track of.. Grove glanced up to confirm that, yes, the sky was rather bleak. He frowned once again at the concept of finding himself in such seemingly miserable climate, and let himself briefly mourn warmth and humidity. He thought of his home, of which he could see nor smell any trace of. It was mostly forest and wetland, and stayed perfectly warm (or miserably hot, at worst) year-round. He recalled how he usually found the moisture in the air stifling and annoying- it curled his fur and the mist settled in his eyes like film. Now, though, he didn't think he'd mind it.

Sort of instinctually, Grove's shoulders rounded in on themselves and he settled into what could only be described as a half-squat. Not threatening, but rather clearly a poor attempt to make himself as non-threatening as possible. Slightly pathetic looking? Definitely. Could he help it? No.

"Hey there," He began, and his tail swayed slow and hesitant. "It really is hard to tell, isn't it? Not to be too forward, but do you know where this is? Do you know which way I would head to find Null Ridge? Well, I guess I should ask if you've even heard of it.. Sorry," He coughed to intercept his tumbling mash of questions, quickly giving the dirt a sheepish look.

"I'm Grove, by the way. That was rude of me," He tacked on, before sealing his lips with a small, embarrassed smile.

— speech

A second passed. Then the stranger crouched in place, in a way that was a little familiar and still real strange, applied to them. Human memory and wolf instinct read submissive and Cecil settled back a little themself, tail low and ears level. That little prickle of instinct weren't too keen on looking too weak.

But they were keen to offer a wag of their own tail in reply. Least, until they figured what it was this stranger was saying.

Looking back, they'd been real lucky to fall down on Nate's head as they had. Hadn't needed to wander through the woods for days and run afoul of someone with a bone to pick or maybe just some sort of hungry bear. Turned the curiosity tickling at the back of their skull to sympathy, but Cecil'd been raised by the sort that made it clear you weren't to interrupt another's tale unless invited.

"Won't hold it against you. A little confusion's understandable." A short laugh. "I'm Cecil. And I can't say for sure where we are. Don't know if it's got a name, or who might've given it." Could think of a phrase or two, but it weren't their home to give name to.

And thinking on that was just delaying breaking the news.

The words came careful. "Null Ridge don't ring a bell...but I should, uh, get this out of the way now. Wherever you remember bein'- that ain't where you're at now. Probably ain't even the same world- locals call it Mythris, I think. If there's a way back, not somethin' I've figured out yet."

Cecil watched. They'd all lost something in the change. Family or home or self or sense of purpose. Supposed wolves weren't the sort to stick around where they'd been born, but it seemed like a full half of the newcomers to this places weren't real wolves at all, and even the ones that were weren't wolves in the way Cecil'd imagined they'd be. Supposed it came with talking like a man.

Well, they remembered desert. Warm rain and sun on their back and the way the flowers bloomed for those short couple of weeks in all the colors of the West. Weren't keen to let it fade so easily.

"I'm sorry."