Don't judge a thing until you know what's inside it

 He was up early that morning, rousing from his slumber near @Archon as he prepared for the start to his day. He was away from Elysium for today, deciding it would be okay to visit his special friend for a bit before going back to Elysium then back up to here. He was lucky that it was relatively close between the two packs. It felt nice to have all of his loved ones in one area. So convenient... so nice... so wonderful.

 He wasn't exactly looking forward to winter...

 In any case, he needed to get up and head out to start his day with patrolling. He didn't have to patrol the territory but he couldn't just stay here without doing what he could to help out. Besides, it made him feel good to do what he could to help keep Archon and Olive and the young pups safe. Even if it was just making sure that the borders were clear and there were no strangers about.

 So, he set out, sniffing here and there and looking across every rock and tree to make sure there was no one hiding. He went for a while in this manner until he called off his patrol for a break. He stepped outside of the borders and found some snowberries. He avoided eating the berries themselves and munched happily on the leaves, browsing carefully for something to ruminate on later before he would continue his patrol.

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ooc; figured since it was morning, hawking could find torb some shelter
and a predator fight over it could ensure? protect each other and that?

Mornin'."

Torben was not one to be biased against other species. If they showed intelligence and kindness, he left them well alone. While the other man's pelt was slick with the scent of pack - marking him their own - there was very clear acknowledgment in his stance. This was a companion, a friend. Someone's special person or people. He would not harm the deer.

There was still overcast in the snow and clouds that the snow fell from. But Torben's movements were sluggish despite this. He felt the pain of the sun on his coat and tried to shrug it off. "Excuse me" he spoke again, having been content to allow silence fall and move on - not anymore "do ye know som'place good for shelter?" The man stopped, still a distance away from the other.

If the deer looked at him, they could clearly see he was suffering due to his pale coat.

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 "Mornin'." He lifted his head, gaze turning towards the pale wolf that came to him. He dipped his head in greeting and said as well, "Morning." He didn't know this fellow but he seemed polite enough. His head lowered again as he browsed more leaves but he kept an ear on the other guy, just in case. For now, the man wasn't doing anything wrong. Being near a pack's borders wasn't a crime and he was happy to return the politeness back to the pale man.

 His attention was drawn back when he spoke again. Steel blue met that coat of alabaster as he listened and then considered the question. "Well," He ruminated on that a bit and then nodded, gesturing with his antlers eastward. "Thataway. I know a spot near the base of those mountains and trees where it's pretty sheltered. I can show you, if you want." With his frequent traveling between Elysium and Duskguard he had seen plenty of good spots of interest that he was happy to share with the other wolf.

 This time, he did more than a cursory look. He actually paid attention to what he saw... and what he saw was a man that didn't look great. "Are you alright?" There was some amount of concern in his voice, he didn't like others to suffer unnecessarily and would help in any way that he could.

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He gave a thoughtful hum, considering the words of the deer. Finding no fault, he lumbered toward the direction at a slow pace. He was content to leave it alone until the deer asked if he was okay. "Aye" It was something he had to deal with regularly "I have sun sickness," he said plainly, lifting a paw to show the deer his pink paw pads "can't travel durin' the day. Get sluggish, that's all." He could even pass out.

His paw lowered to the earth.

"I'd appreciate ye showin' me the place" Torben continued "might I ask if we could jog a bit to it?" He felt faint all of a sudden but did not press the situation. The deer was polite enough to guide him, so the albino stopped and let him take the lead "been outside a bit too long. Gotta rest until night." He also added, in case the other male was much too worried. He could still stand, despite the weariness.

@Hawking

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 He inspected the offered paw, noting the pink pads where normally there'd be a darker color present. He wondered if deer could have sun sickness and pink hooves like that... "I see... I've never seen anything like that before." What a chore that would be. Never being able to be out and enjoy the sun. How terrible. "I didn't know the sun could do that to anyone." He learned something new every day.

 "Sure! Come on." With that, he would lead the man away towards the place he'd indicated. His pace was swift but he made sure to keep an eye behind him to make sure that the pale fellow didn't keel over.

 It wasn't a terribly long journey and fortunately they made it before long. Unfortunately was the snow leopard that was heading towards the yawning cave mouth. It turned to look at them and unleashed a threatening hiss, probably expecting the pair to run away. However, Hawking was not about to run. He lowered his head, letting the fur on his neck rise as he bared his teeth and gave a very un-deer-like snarl with his tail raised. He was prepared to fight, he glanced towards his companion curiously, was he?

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Despite feeling sluggish and weak of the head, Torben's mind snapped back to reality. The trek had been short enough with the deer showing him and he was thankful. However, he did not expect the snow leopard to make an appearance. Gods above. The deer was ready to fight and he was not going to let them go alone.

The deer was more vicious than he thought, but Torben was impressed. Usually 'prey animals' deferred to predators. "I'm wit' ya." It was all he said as he raised his own defenses. Eyes narrowed against the sun, ears flat and balanced - he made for an imposing figure when pissed off or defensive. He flashed a paw out, scattering snow.

It was a distraction, for the leopard's eyes went to the movement instead of looking at them. Torben took the opportunity to lunge at the front, snapping his jaws around the cat's raised paw and yanking.

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 He was with him. The deer bodded his head once, resolutely. Sun sick and tired as the wolf may be, he was still here to help. To help. Not to protect, not to demand the deer stand behind him. No, they would fight this cat as equals.

 Why was it always a cat causing trouble? Blegh, he hated them.

 Hawking snarled, the cat growled. The white wolf strategized and lashed out at the snow, throwing it at the feline. The cat's eyes went to the movement and the other wolf lunged. In this moment, Hawking also made his own action. While the wolf lunged to the front, he went to the side. Agile on his stilt-like legs, he went around the cat and then lashed out with his tines at the feline's exposed side. It saw the movement but the wolf's jaws on its paw prevented it from protecting itself. So, it took the hit heavily. It was the thrown to the side with its flank bleeding while it yowled out in pain and anger.

 To get the wolf off, it tried to lash out with its other paw at his face while it kicked with its rear paws at Hawking. The young deer was forced to rear back to avoid being clawed.

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While Hawking did what he could do against the feline, Torben did what he could. He gripped the paw viciously, biting down and pulling. The cat was nearly out of reach now but was thrown to the side roughly by the deer. It more or less stumbled toward Torben to right itself, lashing out with a claw once its head was clear. Pain flashed against the albino's face but the cut was not deep. It would not scar.

A warning to let go.

He did, but not because it demanded the release. Opening his jaws, the paw slipped from his jaws and retreated. It took all of five seconds, testing the moment as the leopard did before Torben lunged again. He puffed his neck fur up, bristling and protecting his throat as he aimed a headbutt at the side of the cat's skull. Yowling again in pain, the cat stepped back and shook its head to clear itself of stars.

An opening for whoever got to the cat first.

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 He dropped his hooves to the ground after rearing back to dodge the kick. His head was low still and his teeth bared as he saw the white wolf rush in to headbutt the feline. It stumbled backwards, clearly disoriented from the vicious strike.

 Whelp, now or never.

 Hawking rushed in and then pivoted quickly on his front feet. The leopard had only time to turn its head questioningly as the stars started to clear, only to be introduced to darkness as the stag's hooves connected with the side of its head. It was thrown to the side and landed like a sack of bricks, blood trickled out of its nose but it still breathed.

 The young stag stared down at the spotted cat, one ear twisting backwards in indecision. Should he kill it? Should he leave it be? It was helpless right now but clearly should know that it was outclassed here.

 He turned to look at the older wolf and asked, "Uh... should we... kill it?" He'd killed prey animals before sure, and even helped end a boar or two but they were fighting back and in the heat of battle. But a leopard out cold? He hate felines but he still didn't know if he wanted to finish it off like this, especially since no one would probably want the meat.

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"No."

Their combined attacks worked, and the cat was now out cold. It felt wrong, despite it attacking them. Torben was not going to do it, and the deer seemed reluctant. He shook his head, backing away. His wounds would need to be cleaned but they were not very pressing. He didn't feel many stings from them. He turned his body slowly, as usual, to face the deer.

"It ain't right to kill something that probably just wanted to claim the shelter" His red eyes flickered to the opening "fer all we knew, there could be cubs or food left there, aye?" He didn't smell any children, but in the thick of things - Torben assumed the cat was defending something "and I'd feel bad. It ain't able to defend itself now." He felt too weak to deal a decisive blow.

The albino moved to the mouth of the shelter, finding it suitable enough. He'd wait out the day here. "Ah" he murmured, glancing at the collapsed cat "it'd be kinda odd to, ah, sit here... With it there." He grinned uneasily, wondering if they should move the leopard.

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 He nodded his head. Despite how much he disliked cats, to kill it in coldblood with no reasoning would be sickening. His father wouldn't want to do that, neither would anyone else that he knew. So, he would stand down and spare the feline's life. "I... I didn't think about that." What if they killed the cat and then it had cubs inside. Cubs that he would have orphaned. That left a feeling guilt lodged deep inside of him.

 He started to walk towards the den and then paused when the wolf admitted to not wanting to have the cat around. "I'll take care of it, you go ahead inside." He didn't want the man to exposed to the sun longer than he needed to be. He paused though, after turning. "My name's Hawking, by the way. What's yours?" Since they'd fought together, he figured they might as well exchange names in case they met again.

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It wasn't all that strange, to Torben anyway, to converse with another species. The old gods his people had once revered had companions. Equals, not servants. So to think this deer was an equal - was not far from any truth. He also knew that one's body didn't define who one was. Hawking had the spirit of a wolf, and he could agree with it and admire this.

"Torben" he replied easily, his rump wiggling in place of his absent tail "thank ye, Hawking..." he added, returning to creep into the shelter. He felt immediate, cooling relief as the shadows touched him. It was quite the shame he'd never fully be able to grasp the sun. The albino settled best he could in the strange, new world he found himself in. At least he was with a friend now.

His eyes began to close, but he would not drift off - not yet. Just in case the deer needed help with something. Torben already made tracks to repay him, even if Hawking could claim they were even.

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