Mexᴳ⁴
| Last Details | |
|---|---|
| Death Age | 7 years 8 months (Elder) |
| Sex | Male |
| Personality | Sociable |
| Breeding Records | |
|---|---|
| Death Age in Rollovers | 184 |
| Pups Bred | 0 pups bred |
| Looks | |
|---|---|
| Base | Silver (0.4%) |
| Base Genetics | Monochrome Medium II |
| Eyes | Lux |
| Skin | Lusxnei |
| Nose | Black |
| Claws | Black |
| Mutation | None |
| Secondary Mutation | None |
| Carrier Status | Unknown |
| Variant | Default |
| Markings | |
|---|---|
| Slot 1 | Black Smudge Heavy (29%) |
| Slot 2 | Black Inverted Cross (53%) |
| Slot 3 | None |
| Slot 4 | None |
| Slot 5 | None |
| Slot 6 | None |
| Slot 7 | Black Merle Patches (64%) |
| Slot 8 | None |
| Slot 9 | None |
| Slot 10 | None |
| Birth Stats | ||
|---|---|---|
| Strength | Speed | Agility |
| 93 | 77 | 70 |
| Wisdom | Smarts | Total |
| 89 | 70 | 399 |
| Birth Information | |
|---|---|
| Moon | Unknown |
| Season | Unknown |
| Biome | Unknown |
Biography
Finisher -- The Day's Dawn hunting party
Family
Adoptive siblings: Azerli
⤷ DECEASED
Mate: Tarnei
Adopted Children: Vallaria
Mex smiles weakly as he enters the shelter of Tarnei's workspace, wisely avoiding the herbalist's eye. "It would seem so."
"Can't say it's a displeasure," says Tarnei, his green cloak falling slightly to expose the silky-silver fur of his back. He turns to sort through his stores. "You shouldn't go and get yourself hurt just to see me, though. There are other ways."
Before Mex can even try to dispute that, Tarnei whips around and narrows his eyes. "Don't just stand there, lay down! I have a job to do, you can't spend all day staring at my handsome face."
"Shame," Mex sniffs and plops down haphazardly in the nearest nest, immediately regretting his recklessness as his ribs smart. He's barely able to stifle the gasp of pain, but judging by Tarnei's wary expression, he caught it anyway. Interestingly enough, Mex thinks that Tarnei's face even softens at the sight of his pain. For a split second, the wolf in front of him isn't the strict no-nonsense badger that the pack makes him out to be.
"You know, Zash always talks about how mean you are," Mex begins, tilting his head thoughtfully. He smiles gently when Tarnei glances over at him. "I don't think you're all that mean."
"Yeah?" Tarnei says, voice muffled through the bundle of herbs he's holding precariously between his teeth. "Well, maybe that's just because you're my favourite. Don't tell Zash that, though, I'll never hear the end of it."
Mex smirks, trying to be tough as Tarnei begins to paw at the fur around his marred ribs. He'd been trying to deliver the final blow on a stag earlier when its antlers had struck him hard in the body; he's incredibly lucky to be alive after an attack like that, as it could've gone much worse. He focuses back on Tarnei, who's dabbing at the wound with a ball of damp moss. "Funny how that works. You're my favourite, too, out of all the herbalists I know."
Tarnei snorts. "I'm the only herbalist you know."
"At least you know your spot won't ever be taken."
They fall into a comfortable silence as Tarnei works, smearing various dubious-smelling pastes and such on the wound and narrowing his eyes with concentration. A few times he quietly snarks Mex to stop squirming, but otherwise the air is peaceful. When Tarnei is finally done, and Mex can feel the pain dulling with the application of a poppy seed mixture, the two of them lock eyes again.
"I'd hate to be cocky," murmurs Tarnei with an entirely too-cocky smile, "But I don't think I'd lose my spot even if I had competition."
Mex chuckles, but he nods in agreement anyway and leans forward. Tarnei meets him halfway and they press their foreheads together. This is an unspoken thing between them; they don't know what it means, they don't know how to name it, but they know it brings them comfort and makes the sun shine just a tad brighter every day.
Mex stays in Tarnei's den for the rest of the afternoon, and Tarnei intermittently leaves his confusing herb-sorting to lay in the nest next to him and "check" on Mex's injury -- Mex isn't fooled. As the sun sets, and Azerli pops her head in to call Mex and Tarnei for food, they realise their time together has, once again, come to a somber end.
"Do try not to fall on any more stags, Mex," Tarnei whines, glaring at him as he heads towards the exit to the den. "Every time you come in here, the injury is worse. I don't want to be leaving goldenseal in the middle of camp come twilight because you've taken things a step too far."
It's a morbid thing to say, but necessary nonetheless. Goldenseal is Mex's favourite plant, his soul would be put to rest if Tarnei brought some to his Farewell. But, he doesn't want to put anyone through that, especially not Tarnei, so he heeds his warning. "Don't worry, I'll be more careful, if only because my sister will rip my ears off next time," He glances down at Tarnei's unfinished herb-sorting. "I'll bring you some food."
Tarnei's usually stoic face softens. "Thank you, Mex."
Somewhere out there is a plane of endless time, where bellies are never empty and wounds never bleed. That, Mex knows, is where he will be by the time the sun rises on his beloved pack.
But for now, he needs to be sent off. His spirit lingers in the heart of the Greyhide Sanctum awaiting a proper start to his journey after life. The dirt under him doesn't stick to his pads. The dead leaf that is swept from a nearby tree doesn't catch in his fur, but rather races past him, swift like there's something more for a dead leaf in this world than the forest floor. The leaf catches in the silvery pelt of Mex's lover instead, pressed firm into his shoulder like Mex's nose had always been in life.
Tears well in the silver wolf's eyes. They stain his beautiful cheek fur a sodden grey, like storm clouds. Mex's heart doesn't need to beat to break. Tarnei... he thinks to himself, wistfulness and grief swirling together, impossible to tell apart. I never wanted to leave you. I'm sorry. I'm so sorry.
Tarnei holds a lively bundle of goldenseal in his jaws, and despite his tears, his head remains high. Their packmates are gathered in the clearing where the moon will shine later tonight at its highest, casting its light straight through the canopy.
As Mex watches his mate approach the empty space, he's reminded of a conversation they'd had so, so long ago. Before Mex's muzzle had turned grey, before his joints had begun to ache, before his youthful prowess had faltered. A day in which he'd come so close to dying, watching with wide eyes as the stag's antlers swung for his body; laying on the ground in shock for a moment thinking that he'd met his end. Then...
Walking himself to Tarnei's den. Enjoying the familiar company, the warmth, the care as the herbalist patched him up. Being scolded for his recklessness, and told firmly: "I don't want to be leaving goldenseal in the middle of camp come twilight because you've taken things too far."
Tarnei stands in the middle of the pack for a moment. Mex's sister, Azerli, and his young adopted daughter Vallaria -- so much potential -- stand just a few paces back, watching silently. Without a word, Tarnei lowers the goldenseal to the ground. The sky is purple, and blue, and a little orange, but it feels cold. It feels lonely.
I didn't take things too far, Mex thinks to himself. He feels weightless, and not in a good way. Like he's going to float away. Like he's never going to see his loved ones again. I was careful for you, Tarnei.
He's telling the wholehearted truth. Mex, above all, had always wanted to make it home to his lover. And now? Despite all of that cautiousness?
...Well, he's looking at the goldenseal. Its colours are tinted by the sky, bathed in twilight. And Tarnei lowers his body sluggishly to the ground near it. Closes his eyes.
Mex lays down next to him, but it's hopeless. They're both still alone.
art by me
do not reupload or use for any purpose :)
art by me
do not reupload or use for any purpose :)