7/7/2026, 1:45 AM
Yelp's ears flicked, his gaze catching on the female with the split face. For half a heartbeat, he simply stared. "...Aw, man..." The words slipped out under his breath before he could stop them.
So she'd been somewhere else too. Somewhere completely different. She had people she'd been with. Then, just like him, suddenly appeared wherever they were.
Even though the two older wolves being around did ease his nerves, the story shared caused more discomfort than he expected. He gave himself a quick shake, as though he could physically fling the feeling off his back. Composure snapping back into place the best way he could manage.
When the older wolf poked fun at him, Yelp let out an exaggerated huff, his tail giving an indignant thump against the sand. "Hey, lady," he protested, "I think I'm handling this, like... waaaay better than most would right now!" He puffed out a dramatic sigh to really sell it, lips pushed into a pout. His final huff was even bigger, just to make it clear he wasn’t actually offended. Well, maybe that wasn't entirely true. As unearned as it was, he did have an ego on him, and her comment nicked at it just a little bit. Though he moved on easily, shooting the two a lopsided grin. But when the questions came about who he'd been with and what he'd left behind? That grin softened around the edges.
"I was with my parents." His voice dipped just a little. "Super old... Starting to have that old smell type of old."
His ears lowered, though only briefly.
"The rest of my pack were probably out hunting... or doing something I dunno." He gave an awkward little shrug. "I just wandered off for a drink and..." Another glance swept across the beach.
The offer to help stirred something warm in his chest. His tail gave a slow, appreciative wag, but uncertainty lingered behind his eyes. "Thanks, but..." He scratched absently at the back of his neck. "I dunno, I think learning about this place would be a nice start, yeah?" Between the two of them, Yelp wasn't so sure his pack was anywhere close to here.
As the sunset-colored wolf spoke, Yelp turned to listen, ears swiveling forward. With every sentence she spoke, the tiny hope that this was all some bizarre misunderstanding seemed to shrink another inch.
So... There were more like them here.
Im really not getting home tonight...
His ears flattened, but he forced himself not to dwell. Thinking too hard about it now felt dangerous somehow, like he would crack, spiral, scream and cry. If he could make himself think it wasn't a big deal and that he could handle this, then he could will that. Hed be okay. Instead, he drew a steady breath and squared his shoulders. "...Yeah." He nodded. "Okay, lady. I'll come with." Another nod, firmer this time. "At least check out whatever this clan thing is."
Then one word snagged in his brain.
Stallion?
He blinked. That's a new one.
The fondness in her expression gave him enough context to know it was probably someone she cared about, but then she said another unfamiliar word.
"Horse."
His mouth beat his brain, a race it usually wins.
"The hell's a horse?"
His ears slowly folded back a beat after. "...Uh." followed by a sheepish cough."I mean—" He gestured vaguely forward with a paw."Yeah. I'm down to go to this... Al-loo-kai." Another beat passed before he realized something. "Oh!" His eyes bounced between the two wolves, his tail wagging with a bit more energy now, the uneven smile returning "I'm Yelp, by the way."
So she'd been somewhere else too. Somewhere completely different. She had people she'd been with. Then, just like him, suddenly appeared wherever they were.
Even though the two older wolves being around did ease his nerves, the story shared caused more discomfort than he expected. He gave himself a quick shake, as though he could physically fling the feeling off his back. Composure snapping back into place the best way he could manage.
When the older wolf poked fun at him, Yelp let out an exaggerated huff, his tail giving an indignant thump against the sand. "Hey, lady," he protested, "I think I'm handling this, like... waaaay better than most would right now!" He puffed out a dramatic sigh to really sell it, lips pushed into a pout. His final huff was even bigger, just to make it clear he wasn’t actually offended. Well, maybe that wasn't entirely true. As unearned as it was, he did have an ego on him, and her comment nicked at it just a little bit. Though he moved on easily, shooting the two a lopsided grin. But when the questions came about who he'd been with and what he'd left behind? That grin softened around the edges.
"I was with my parents." His voice dipped just a little. "Super old... Starting to have that old smell type of old."
His ears lowered, though only briefly.
"The rest of my pack were probably out hunting... or doing something I dunno." He gave an awkward little shrug. "I just wandered off for a drink and..." Another glance swept across the beach.
The offer to help stirred something warm in his chest. His tail gave a slow, appreciative wag, but uncertainty lingered behind his eyes. "Thanks, but..." He scratched absently at the back of his neck. "I dunno, I think learning about this place would be a nice start, yeah?" Between the two of them, Yelp wasn't so sure his pack was anywhere close to here.
As the sunset-colored wolf spoke, Yelp turned to listen, ears swiveling forward. With every sentence she spoke, the tiny hope that this was all some bizarre misunderstanding seemed to shrink another inch.
So... There were more like them here.
Im really not getting home tonight...
His ears flattened, but he forced himself not to dwell. Thinking too hard about it now felt dangerous somehow, like he would crack, spiral, scream and cry. If he could make himself think it wasn't a big deal and that he could handle this, then he could will that. Hed be okay. Instead, he drew a steady breath and squared his shoulders. "...Yeah." He nodded. "Okay, lady. I'll come with." Another nod, firmer this time. "At least check out whatever this clan thing is."
Then one word snagged in his brain.
Stallion?
He blinked. That's a new one.
The fondness in her expression gave him enough context to know it was probably someone she cared about, but then she said another unfamiliar word.
"Horse."
His mouth beat his brain, a race it usually wins.
"The hell's a horse?"
His ears slowly folded back a beat after. "...Uh." followed by a sheepish cough."I mean—" He gestured vaguely forward with a paw."Yeah. I'm down to go to this... Al-loo-kai." Another beat passed before he realized something. "Oh!" His eyes bounced between the two wolves, his tail wagging with a bit more energy now, the uneven smile returning "I'm Yelp, by the way."