FSE

Furry search engine

formerly SoFurry search engine

Another part to the great series I got from Nick_Bane

Eddie rolled away from the soft, yellow glow that poured over the edge of his blanket. He kept his eyes closed, bringing the blanket a bit further over his head. He heard the gentle crackling of the shifting foil, and felt the fur pad beneath him--both signs that he hadn't just fallen asleep, or landed on his head, or gave any other indicator that he was dreaming.

No... He was awake. This was his life. Eddie tried his damnedest to not groan at the mere thought of it. His body was unfortunately stiff from sleeping on the pad--even though it had been rather thick. He knew that he would stink like hell too, and didn't know just how offensive that was going to be for the wolves. After all, one thing that he hadn't packed in his backpack was deodorant.

Eddie curled up a bit tighter in the blanket, inhaling, then exhaling slowly. He adjusted his head on the backpack to try and find a more comfortable spot for it, moving backwards a little bit so that his cheek wasn't resting on what he thought was one of the boxes of ammo.

As Eddie adjusted, he felt his head bump up against a rather moist something, only to immediately hear of the scampering away of paws. He allowed himself a small smile at the thought of the more curious of the wolves, daring to sniff at him and otherwise get used to his presence. It was something close to endearing, really.

But it wasn't home.

He felt his stomach sink a bit, and he crossed his arms underneath the blanket, wrapping himself up a bit tighter. For the first time all day, he'd become acutely aware of of the few pieces of home that he actually had.

Beyond his survival kit which he'd already broken into, his hiking boots, cargo pants, and the camo hoodie he was wearing... All of that had just faded into the background. In his rush to level his head out and not panic, he hadn't even bothered to take a real stock of what he had. While, he did try and rationalize it all out--he hadn't had time to really think on things, or be even remotely narcissistic--even the clothes on his back felt precious to him now.

He cracked open his eyes, staring forward at the dirt wall on the deeper part of his bunk. Just over the edge of the backpack, he could see the edge of that little red tin with his family photos, completely untouched. Eddie nearly reached forward to pick it up, even if it was just to hold it close, but something in the back of his mind warned him against it.

His throat was tight with emotion as it was; momentos like family pictures and reminders would likely cause him to break down, or get too nostalgic to be useful. Neither of which were things that he could afford--not now. Even still, another part of his mind chided him, if not now, then what if it was "never again"?

In a whirlwind of motion, Eddie threw the survival blanket off of himself, then scooted toward the edge of the bunk. The movement caught Toby off guard, who was seated nearby, in the open area of the tier. "You're awake," Toby said, the wolf looking over Eddie carefully. "You seem more distressed than you were."

"You could call it that." Eddie grunted, rubbing at his throat as he tried to swallow the lump that had formed in it.

"Perhaps food would help you?" Toby asked, glancing down in front of him. Eddie looked beyond the wolf to a small pot between a pair of stools.

"What is it...?" Eddie asked, stepping forward. The wolf adjusted, scooting to the side to allow Eddie a more direct path to a cast-iron pot.

No fire was lit beneath the pot, but the liquid boiled all the same. Whatever it was, it looked like a stew. It boiled too violently for Eddie to be able to make out any of the chunks that came to the surface, only to disappear once more. He reached out, putting an open palm near the side of the pot curiously, only to yank it back. It was hot alright, and Eddie glanced down to the ground once more.

"There's not any fire, or fuel." He said bluntly, his gaze narrowing with uncertainty.

Toby shook his head softly. "There doesn't need to be," the wolf explained, reaching forward. Eddie nearly yelped on his behalf as Toby gripped the top rim of the pot, and turned it slowly. "Unless you are truly that far removed from your own ways, Elderfolk."

"Edd-ie." he snapped back, trying to parse out the syllables for Toby. The wolf glanced up at him, unamused for a moment, only to return to idly turning the pot.

"I apologize, Edd-ie." Toby continued to look down at the stew as he turned the pot with a paw. Eddie's narrowed eyes darted in Toby's direction. He saw the creature repress a smirk, but decided to let the jab slide for now.

"What is it, then...?" Eddie asked, slowly easing himself down onto the stool opposite of Toby.

"No one knows where it came from," Toby said with what Eddie could only assume was an honest shrug. "Only that it heats the things you put in it without fire, and it is somehow safe enough to touch the rim of the pot without burning yourself."

"But anywhere else, not quite so much?" Eddie asked, glancing around himself. His eyes scanned the well-packed dirt until he saw a single, rogue sprout of a plant near the edge of the tier's walkway.

"It hasn't seemed like a good idea to touch it." Toby said mild-manneredly.

Eddie plucked the rogue strand of grass-like-whatever-it-was, and leaned forward. He poked the side of the pot where he'd felt the heat with the tip of the blade of grass-like-whatever-it-was. Thankfully, it was long enough that he could drop the grass before it came back up toward his fingers--but the single blade caught fire the moment it came into contact with the side of the pot. Even Toby recoiled in surprise.

Eddie's bootheel landed hard against the dirt, and he ground the plant into ashes, clearing his throat meaningfully before looking up at Toby. He grinned as innocently as he could, but the wolf clearly didn't buy it.

"Sooo, uhm...," Eddie cleared his throat before the silence could turn awkward. "I was rather hoping that I could help out a little bit, while waiting for the other hunters to return?" He offered hopefully. "I mean, especially if you guys plan on feeding me, the last thing I want to be is a burden."

Toby cocked his head curiously, his expression turning from disdainful (Eddie hoped it was about the near-fire-starting, but he couldn't really tell. The wolf only seemed to have four or five emotions) to confused. "Pardon, but... 'last thing you want to be'...?" He asked curiously.

Eddie waited for a moment, lacing his fingers together a bit, even spreading his knees to brace his elbows on them. Toby continued to look at him, not bothering to even twitch from his perch. At length, Eddie finally broke the silence between the two of them. "I don't understand the question?" He offered, before Toby nodded curtly.

"Apologies. I should have been more clear. What do you mean when you say, 'the last thing you want to be'?" Toby defined. "It makes it sound as if you have a list of things that you wish, and that, on that list somewhere, you wish to be a burden on us?" The wolf asked, arching an eyebrow reproachfully. "While I certainly hope that is not the case--"

"What?" Eddie yelped. "No, no, no, no not at all!" He said, his back straightening. "It's a turn of phrase! You say something like 'the last thing I want' to like...," His voice trailed off, he even stammered, trying to find just the right words. "It's like a hyperbole, or say, blowing something out of proportion. Rather than just saying 'something is bad', it's like saying something is worse than it actually is?" He tried to explain.

Toby's confused look persisted.

Eddie winced back a bit, wetting his lips tastefully. "That didn't make any sense, did it?"

"Why would you waste words not saying just exactly what you mean?"

"Elderfolk are strangefolk?" Eddie offered with an unconvincing shrug. Toby continued to look unamused, and Eddie's gaze returned to the pot. The substance bubbled dangerously as Toby continued to idly turn the cast-iron-not-cast-iron object in his paws. "So, is it nearly ready, or...?"

Toby nodded. "It is ready whenever. Though I am not much of a cook." He admitted.

"Well... Food is food at this point." Eddie said, trying to be polite. He was, however, silently grateful that he had the MREs in his backpack still, should this venture go belly-up. The stew thing didn't smell bad, but it didn't smell particularly good either. Even as Eddie leaned forward, he could tell that it was unseasoned--not that he particularly expected Toby to be much of a cook or anything.

"So... is there a bowl or something that we put this in...?" Eddie asked, glancing about. He didn't see anything, and then thought for a moment back to his survival pack. Unfortunately, he hadn't brought anything with him that could well serve as a--

The MRE bag... the thought clicked. Eddie stood, then glanced down to Toby, who met his gaze. Even with him standing, and Toby sitting, Eddie realized he was now only just looking at the wolf at eye level. "I've got something for this, and I'll be right back to grab it." Eddie said, turning and striding stiffly toward his backpack.

He snagged his backpack, twisting it in a single motion as he brought it closer to the edge of the bunk. Eddie unzipped, then emptied the contents unceremonious, picking up one of the brown, waxy bags that the MREs were packaged in. He didn't bother to check what the bag contained otherwise, opting to rip it open and empty the contents back into his backpack. He was careful to leave the bag as intact as he could though--snagging both the now-empty vessel, and the plastic spork that it came with before returning to the side of the pot.

Eddie reclaimed his seat, and watched Toby's confused expression as he leaned forward, sinking one edge of the MRE bag into the stew before stopping himself. "This is ready to eat, isn't it?"

"Of course."

"Good!" Eddie said chipperly, tugging the MRE bag back up and letting some of the clinging water fall back to the side of the bag. He sat back down heavily onto the stool, his eyes widening for a moment as the chair shifted, and groaned beneath him uncertainly. He righted himself, then straightened his back, and offered Toby the bag. "Something so you don't get yourself unnecessarily dirty when you're eating."

Toby glanced down at the steaming bag, and Eddie began to become acutely aware of just how hot the stew was, as his palm as supporting the bag along the underside of the seam. When the wolf didn't seem keen on taking the bag, Eddie quickly sat it back down on the ground, propping the edge of it against his stool before snapping his hand to and fro. He winced--figuring that he'd most certainly burnt his palm, before Toby reached into the pot with his bare paw.

Eddie watched in something close to amazement as the wolf snagged one of the bits of what Eddie could only assume was a vegetable, shake most of the water off of it, then down it in a single swallow. His mouth fell agape as the wolf did it again, then a third time.

"Doesn't that burn...?" Eddie asked, arching an eyebrow as he watched Toby pull steaming vegetables, one after the other and down then. The wolf just shrugged his way, then looked at him directly.

"It helps ignore the otherwise bland tastes." Toby said simply, before standing up once more.

"You don't have salt or anything, do you...?" Eddie asked, glancing down at the steaming bag precariously close to his ankles. Toby shook his head, and Eddie nodded curtly. "Ah... well... I wish I had better thoughts for you then." He said simply.

"There are other villages that trade in spices and such, but many times the spices near our village are overtaken by the Nocturn." Toby said simply, returning to fish another strange vegetable--some sort of mutant, red potato--from the pot before popping it into his mouth as well. Eddie blinked, cocking his head at the wolf.

"Nocturn...?" He asked softly. The wolf nodded carefully.

"Yes... It's a monster that preys upon the same food sources that we do," Toby explained. "We often end up fighting it for territory, or food. It is dangerous, and has killed many of our kin." Toby said, clearly uncomfortable with the subject.

Eddie nodded, adjusting in his chair before placing a hand on his pistol. He'd forgotten he'd kept it all all evening, not that it had mattered much. He adjusted the holster on his belt and wet his lips, noticing more than just Toby's eyes on him once more.

"Nocturns sound like they are pretty bad news then." Eddie said, wincing as Toby nodded reproachfully. "What do these things do otherwise?"

"No one truly knows." Toby said, perhaps a bit too quickly. "But all that is absolutely certain is that they tend to prey upon the same things that we do, and they are far less than friendly in any sort or form of competition."

Eddie nodded carefully, his gaze turning back to the pot as he exhaled. "Well... that sounds like it makes for a hell of a night."

"Indeed," the wolf said, standing from the pot and rolling his shoulders. "I would recommend you eat your breakfast before things become too soft," Toby continued. "They are difficult to eat after that."

Eddie nodded, watching the wolf leave the spot before he straightened his back. He looked over the pot once more before standing, and taking another look around the village. He'd been so tired when he came into the village that he barely even looked around.

He stood on the second-highest tier now, the only one directly above him was the entrance and exit to the village proper. On this tier, as he looked around, he noticed that caves similar to the one he had slept in were burrowed deep into every possible direction--all straight back. It had almost a barracks feel to it, as each cave, at least from what Eddie could see, housed eight bunks similar to Eddie's own. They all had cooking pots outside of them as well, though the number of chairs varied.

He turned his head, craning his neck a bit to see the tiers below. Near as he could tell, similar caves were made directly below him that house what he could only assume were newlyweds. The caves down there had more home-like touches, near as he could tell. He chuckled softly as his eyes were drawn back to the pups playing in the lowest ring, and he could only shake his head with a small, warm smile.

"So, what is it that we do here?" Eddie asked, turning his head to look at Toby. The wolf looked back, his ears perked.

"Pardon?"

"Day in the life," Eddie clarified as he stepped toward the wolf. "What do we do that would help out this community...?" He asked, casting his gaze up the deliberate, swirling pattern of the village.

Toby's stepped forward, his gaze narrowing uncertainly. "I suppose I do not understand the question...?" He stated slowly.

Eddie wet his lips carefully, then exhaled. "I don't know how long I'm gonna be here, or what all is even going on," he started, considering his words carefully as he went along. "But I'll be damned if I don't try and help out somehow. You guys shouldn't just put yourselves out like this for me without anything in return." He stated matter-of-factly.

Toby didn't move at first, but then cocked his head slowly. "That doesn't answer my question." The wolf said.

Eddie wet his lips slowly, then stepped toward Toby, who looked down at him. The boy turned his head up so that he could better look at the wolf, who stood head and shoulders taller than he was. "I mean to ask if there is anything that I can do that would help out the village, in thanks for you guys taking me in like you did."

The wolf wet his lips diplomatically, then nodded slowly toward Eddie. "Thanks is not necessary, Eddie." Toby said quietly.

Eddie arched an eyebrow, resisting the urge to cross his arms. "I beg to differ. Back where I'm from, we pay our debts. And I owe you--your entire village," he pressed. "You don't have to tell me what it would be right now, but I am gonna figure out a way to pay you guys back. I promise."

Toby nodded carefully, looking down reproachfully at Eddie. "Do you have questions beyond a manufactured debt?"

Eddie didn't say anything, instead deciding to exaggerate a look around the village, his eyes trailing up and down the structures, around the village, then back to Toby, who's gaze flattened.

"I am tasked with taking you to the Great One's hall when the hunting party has returned," Toby said, almost disinterestedly. "Forgive me, Elder, but I didn't think that many of your species existed--much less would require an explanation of our culture."

Eddie turned back to the stools next to the pot, then exhaled slowly. "As I said, Toby," he began slowly. "I'm not from around here. And if it would help pass the time, I'm all for it."

Toby nodded carefully, stepping past Eddie to sit on the stool once more, and motion toward the other seat. Eddie took it without comment, then followed Toby's gaze as he looked upward.

"We were not always beneath the ground like this, so I've been told," Toby started. "There was a time that we lived on the hillsides, next to rivers and mountains. But that was almost two centuries ago." Toby waved his paw, almost seeming dismissive of the fact.

"Two centuries?" Eddie's jaw dropped. "That's a long time to be underground."

Toby nodded, then looked up at the roof. Eddie's gaze followed, and perhaps it was just a trick of the light--but the tangles of roots and dirt just on the other side of the network of bridges--nearly disappeared into blackness from the otherwise soft, yellow glow of the sconces filled with that odd, heatless light. "Every so often, we go back to the surface, and take a chart of the stars," he said softly. "We bring the chart back here, and hang lanterns in their place... While it's not the same thing, it gives the pups something to look up to--maybe even a dream of seeing them for real themselves one day."

Eddie glanced over toward the far side of the lamps, eyeballing what he'd identified previously as the Big Dipper. He didn't want to say anything--fearing that whatever came to mind would be rude, instead allowing the wolf to continue.

"Warriors in our culture are the only ones who truly venture outside of this village," Toby said, his voice tight--Eddie couldn't tell if it was sadness, or anger that he detected in the wolf's tone. "The pups are kept as far away from the danger as possible... Elders and crafters above them. Most of the weapons, medicine and the like are built on the floor above that, just beneath the Mates, and finally, this ring... The warriors, before heading outside." Toby nodded to himself. "The Warriors have the job of keeping our borders secure, naturally. On days of particular whimsy, we also change the lanterns so that they match the night sky."

Eddie paused for a moment, nodding carefully. He leaned forward, lacing his fingers together as he braced his elbows against his knees, and stared forward at the still-boiling pot of vegetables. "The Nocturns pushed you this far down?" He asked after a short time.

Toby said nothing, instead exhaling slowly.

"No more questions, I take it?" Eddie quizzed, looking in Toby's direction once more. The gray wolf shrugged.

"I am not certain what more I could answer for you. I am not an Elder, or a Chief." Toby said softly. "But perhaps your questions would be best asked of the Great One, upon the time that we arrive at his domain?"

Eddie nodded, rubbing at his forehead with a hand before returning it to his lap. "Well, in the meantime... I'd like to help out any way that I can," he said, looking to Toby. "You were out hunting when you found me, isn't that right?"

"It is."

"What were you looking for?"

Toby glanced Eddie's way with something of an irritated scowl, exhaling slowly as the gray wolf thought carefully on his answer. "Full of questions, I see," he said, sounding as irritated as he looked. Eddie didn't shy away though, even though part of him desperately wanted to, rather than risk his new acquaintance's ire. "Food. The hunters believed they saw a herd of cattle nearby, or at least, evidence thereof."

Eddie nodded slowly, crossing his arms. He fought back the small feeling of guilt that crept up his spine, feeling that he'd further hampered the survival of this little community. He closed his eyes only for a moment, then looked up at Toby again.

"If there aren't any chores for me to help out with, could I help you at least hunt...? Maybe even help out with the star chart thing?" Eddie asked, casting his eyes up toward the lanterns above. Toby looked up as well, debating for a moment before shrugging softly.

"We can go out this evening, if you would like." Toby said softly.

Eddie nodded. "If nothing else, I want to see if I can be of any help tracking that herd," he said. "I'll try to not slow you down too much."

The day passed without much of any other significant happenings, which Eddie found surprising. The wolves seemed to want to give him a wide berth. Occasionally he would see one of the cubs near the edge of the entrance to the cave where his bunk was at, always darting just out of sight whenever one of the older wolves shooed them back further down the tiers, or Eddie managed to catch them.

Eddie laid in his bunk, staring upwards at the beams that ran through the dirt, just out of arm's reach. He couldn't help but let his mind drift back to sleep, even for nothing else to do.

After... well, he didn't know just how long he'd napped, with the perpetual orange glow of the torches it was impossible to tell--but Toby woke him gently nonetheless.

"You were saying you wished to assist with something?" Toby asked softly, Eddie jumping a bit in surprise. He'd barely had time to turn his head before finding the wolf's nose directly in his gaze. Eddie recoiled some, trying to compose himself.

"W... well yeah," Eddie mumbled, rubbing at his eyes with one hand, and brushing through his matted hair with the other, trying to tame it out of force of habit. "What can I do?"

"Follow me." Toby muttered, sliding away from the bunk.

"Do I need my stuff?" Eddie asked, sitting up a bit too quickly--popping his hip in the process. He winced, but Toby didn't seem to notice.

"No. That can stay as it sits." Toby said.

All the same, Eddie checked the pistol on his hip, gripping the handle of it firmly before sliding off of his bunk. He felt a rush--and bizarre cocktail of emotions: anxiousness, relief and excitement all coming in the same wave. As much as he desperately wanted to know just what he would be assisting with, the wolves had let him into their community without so much as a whimper or second thought. He figured that, the least he could do would be to match that standard.

Toby was difficult to keep up with at first--the wolf being head-and-shoulders taller than Eddie made his strides longer, forcing Eddie to nearly have to jog. He followed the wolf as closely as he could without winding himself, but it was far from comfortable. The pair went wordlessly up the gentle slope of the logs, which functioned as stairs, and towards the large set of doors that they'd first entered.

The guards let them through, and the silence between the wolves began to get unnerving. Eddie kept his mouth shut until the pair arrived at the base of the horrifically narrow staircase to the forest above.

"Where are we headed?" Eddie asked, trying not to sound winded. Toby glanced over his shoulder to the boy, then arched an eyebrow.

"You said you wished to be of assistance," Toby said carefully, as if he believed Eddie already knew what was to come. "I have made a request of the Elder, and he has agreed to allow you to help us remap the stars for the whelps."

Eddie blinked at the matter-of-fact nature of Toby's statement. He cleared his throat meaningfully as Toby started up the narrow space, only to turn back and meet Eddie's confused gaze with his own, stern eyes.

"Please--," Eddie started, immediately lowering his gaze to Toby's feet. "I just... This sounds important--"

"It is, in some respects." Toby interjected.

"--and I don't want to just take it lightly," the human continued, unabated before turning his eyes back up to the wolf. "Remapping the stars sounds incredibly important, but I just don't understand the context," Eddie said, unable to keep the slight tone of pleading from his voice. "So, please... Can you tell me more about it? I don't want to just take this lightly, or approach this with too heavy a sense of duty--especially if it's for the pups, or something sacred."

Toby blinked, cocking his head as if considering Eddie's question, before sliding wordlessly up the staircase and out into the world beyond.

Eddie followed him closely, scowling after the wolf as Toby lead the way into the inky darkness of the forest beyond. "Toby?" Eddie pressed.

"There is much to discuss, but here is not the place," Toby cut Eddie short. There was only the hint of irritation in his voice, and Eddie decided against questioning him further. It seemed particularly clear that Toby wasn't interested in answering questions--at least not yet.

Eddie savored the golden glow from the staircase--making a note to take in as much of his surroundings as possible before stepping out of the range of the heatless, flameless torches. But rather than the tangible darkness that had awaited him in the forest the night before, Eddie found himself surprised.

The clouds that had overcast the mountains had cleared sometime over the course of Eddie's stay underground. Nature had allowed the moon to come out, and show it's brilliant face once more, bathing the landscape in its silver-blue hue. Eddie nearly had to push his jaw back upwards as his eyes traced the silver streaks of light that graced their way through the canopy of the forest.

Fog swirled majestically through the uppermost branches, and swaying leaves. The moonlight gave just enough to suggest the outlines for what Eddie could have only assumed were hunting blinds--or scouting posts of some kind, as well as the hives of the Cunts with Wings.

For what he could see of them, the stars seemed somehow brighter than he remembered. A grin slowly began to creep across his features, and he turned in place to try and see as much of the new night as he could.

Sparks of brilliant red split the otherwise calm, silver tint of the world. Eddie squinted, only to see that the flashes of red were some sort of mutant firefly. Or, that's what Eddie thought they were. They zipped between the trees with a frightening quickness, travelling in densely packed clusters moving a tree, then back to their hive in a single motion. They made the trees look as if they--in some strange way--had their own heartbeat--

"Are you coming along?" Toby asked, jarring Eddie from his daydreaming. His head snapped back down to the wolf, who stood some distance away now, almost invisible behind one of the trees. Eddie nodded quickly, jumping after Toby.

Following the wolf through the forest--as Eddie quickly found out--was no easier task with light than without. The wolf darted along familiar paths with liquid grace, stepping over gnarled roots with memorized ease, while Eddie had to constantly look down at his feet, lest chance decide he wind up on his face.

"So, where are we going?" Eddie called, if for no other reason than to get Toby to start talking, thus making tracking him easier.

"We are going to the Village Crown," Toby said--the wolf's voice coming from far to the right of where Eddie could have sworn he was. "As I said... we are to remap the stars for the whelps."

"And as I said--!" Eddie shouted his response, stomping over toward the direction of the wolf. "I don't want to just help with this and not know if I'm supposed to take this as something sacred, or something that's just a chore!"

"That depends entirely upon who you ask," Toby said, the hint of irritation returning to his voice as Eddie stepped into view. "For most, they hardly even notice them."

"You make it sound like everyone should be noticing them..." Eddie said, arching an eyebrow as he stepped within arms reach of the massive lupine, and looked up. "But what do you think about them?"

Toby gave a small snort down to Eddie, before turning, and looking over his right shoulder. Eddie tilted his entire torso to peer around the wolf, only to strangle a groan in his throat as he saw what the wolf was staring at.

Another set of spiral stairs, which were little more than heavy branches nailed directly into the tree, glared back at Eddie. There was no sign or sight of a railing, or any sort of guide post around what looked like some candy-cane-stripe-from-hell that spiraled upwards from the base of the tree, all the way up to disappear into the branches. Eddie didn't even want to think about the forty, maybe even fifty vertical feet that the staircase climbed, but he couldn't help himself.

"Up there...?" Eddie asked, begging God that his voice wouldn't crack in the middle of his question.

Toby nodded, then looked down at Eddie. "It can support my weight, it can support yours, if that is your concern." The wolf said, almost as if reading Eddie's mind.

Eddie nodded nonetheless, and watched Toby disappear up the tree--dashing up the staircase as quickly as Eddie would have used any sort of normal one. "Good God, you part squirrel or something...?" Eddie muttered to himself.

"What was that?" Toby called from somewhere above Eddie.

"Nothing!" Eddie called back, then waited for a moment before asking. "Was that even out loud?"

"I can't hear you, you'll have to come up further!" Toby said, his voice now growing steadily more distant.

Eddie cleared his throat meaningfully, then closed his eyes. He inhaled slowly as he stepped forward, reaching to put one hand firmly against the tree bark. It wasn't quite as he expected it to feel.

Rather than the thick, grainy bark that covered the oak of the Appalachians, or even like the papery textures of birch that were also popular, this tree felt... different. He struggled to find just the right word, but all that came to mind was 'spongy'. He could press his palm firmly against the tree, and feel it depress further with just the force of his arm, but it retained whatever sort of shape it had originally.

He blinked, nearly giggling at the sensation of poking the tree, just to squint and watch his finger disappear into the folds of the bark, only to emerge once more. He cleared his throat softly, only to glance downward at the moonlit pegs sticking out of the tree.

He heard Toby rustling somewhere high, high above him, and he cleared his throat meaningfully. Eddie's eyes trailed up the staircase one last time, and he swallowed visibly before taking an uneasy step forward onto the wooden supports. It groaned beneath his feet, and Eddie immediately lifted his foot free and clear from it, the color draining from his face.

"This is stupid," he whispered to himself. "This is so fucking stupid..." He ground his teeth together, closing his eyes tightly before leaning forward only enough to press his shoulder against the wood. As he ascended the tree trunk, he kept his eyes closed, and his feet just as close to the center of the staircase as he could get them. His shoulder was pressed firmly against the bark--more than once it snagged his shirt and tried tugging on it, but he didn't care.

There wasn't any other way that he was headed up that staircase.

Eddie did his damnedest to try and stay calm all the way up the stairs, but it just wasn't meant to be. Somewhere, maybe two or three times up, one of the wooden slats groaned underneath his feet more loudly than the others... That was that. Eddie hadn't climbed a spiral staircase so fast in his life.

Toward the top of the tree, there was--thank God--a platform that appeared very well constructed; by far it was safer than the stairs had been, but that didn't say too much. Toby was waiting on the platform, looking back toward the staircase as Eddie flung himself forward onto the newfound floor face first. He could feel Toby's silent laughter in his direction, and he quite frankly didn't give a damn.

Eddie rolled over after only a moment, staring toward the sky. Toby stepped forward, leaning a bit to eclipse his view of the stars only for a moment, before the wolf finally asked. "Are you alright, Eddie?"

"I am much, much better now, thank you." He admitted swiftly.

Eddie quickly stood, brushing himself off to disguise the unnecessarily-long stride that carried him away from the spiral staircase. He kept his gaze low until he heard the telltale keen of metal on metal--rusty hinges, screeching their protests before a loud 'thud' told him the way to the staircase was now closed. Eddie turned his head toward Toby, who didn't make any outward signs of his amusement.

All the same, he couldn't shake the feeling he was being laughed at.

"So... I'm here to help!" Eddie said, trying to sound more chipper than he felt. He straightened his back, standing at something close to 'attention' as Toby's eyes fell upon him.

"Indeed you are. Directly behind you, there is a cabinet--we shall need one of the boards, and at least four-dozen of the pegs," Toby said. "You can manage such, can't you?"

Eddie nodded curtly, taking a moment to look around to get better acclimated to his surroundings before he started trying to throw his arms about in the near perfect dark.

The platform they occupied was only a few feet above the branches of the trees; but if Eddie had been any shorter, he never would have known. The platform was--thank God--walled off to be about waist-high for the wolves, which put the railing near Eddie's chest. Four posts rose up from each corner as well, a few extra feet--but nothing so much that a wolf couldn't have easily reached the top of them. The moonlight played something of a trick with Eddie's eyes--the trees were so dense from this angle, that any places save for where they stood, and similar platforms littered across the canopy, appeared to be surrounded by a thick shrubbery. Eddie watched the rolling hills spread out for miles, and he couldn't help but smile.

The leaves rolled with a gentle breeze, this high up. It made the entire forest come to life in front of him, with only the smallest flares of brilliant red, or garrish orange (which Eddie could only guess were more of those lanterns that were down in the wolf village). Eddie felt the breath catch in his throat as he watched the sea of leaves and lights roll over the hillsides.

"This is gorgeous," Eddie said, his voice catching in his throat. "I mean, it looks like a storm--kinda... but from the top down." He could feel himself grinning.

"It is quite the sight, yes," Toby said. Eddie thought he heard the slightest hint of irritation--maybe even sadness, in the wolf's voice. He turned toward the creature, who had his eyes rested on Eddie. "But the sights are not why we ca--"

"Oh! Crap! Sorry!" Eddie barked immediately, his gaze returning to the area around him. "Paper in the dresser-thing, right?" Eddie all but hollered as he began yanking drawers open in a sort of nearby chest of drawers.

"The ones that are pre marked, yes." Toby said.

Eddie routed through until he found exactly what he was looking for. It was a sort of rudimentary looking Battleship board. Just a grid of dots, in the shape of a circle. He half expected to find accompanying pegs, but didn't want to assume--and was subsequently glad he didn't.

By the time Eddie turned around, Toby had ten-foot-long post from... well, somewhere. "I'll hold this," Toby began, wrestling a bit with the... Well, he could only describe it as some sort of inside out umbrella. It took him a second to realize that it wasn't a solid piece, but a sort of twisted bundle of things. Eddie looked upwards toward the high end, which swayed precariously as Toby twisted the entire thing into place into the center of their platform.

And, true to the 'umbrella' thought that Eddie had, the arms fell outwards toward a deceptively large circle, each limb supported to each other by a webbing of leather straps. He blinked a couple more times before the revelation landed; the paper was some sort of map to the leather straps. He could have kicked himself in the chest for not noticing sooner.

"Anything more I can help out with?" Eddie asked, realizing now that the reverse umbrella would splay outward--probably even to attach to the posts on the corners of the platform. No doubt the dots were going to be used to map where to hang the lanterns; particularly as the pattern became even more obvious to mirror that of the bridges that had been so pointlessly high inside of the village.

Toby shook his head, and Eddie was grateful he'd worn long pants; the wolf wouldn't be able to see his knees shaking in relief that way.

"I can handle it from here," Toby said quietly. "Truth be told, this is more of a one soul job--particularly for someone who is otherwise unaware of our traditions."

Eddie glanced toward the rolling leaves, then turned back to Toby, who stepped around him in order to fasten one of the limbs of the not-umbrella to the post above. "Don't take this the wrong way, Tobriatas," Eddie said, trying to select his words carefully. The wolf's ears perked, and the lupine turned to face him. They even made eye contact for a moment before Eddie faltered, and turned his gaze out toward the swaying hillside. "I get the impression I'm a bit of a burden, and I don't want that."

"How would you like to rectify the situation then?" Toby asked. Eddie was surprised to hear something in his voice--concern... hurt even? He couldn't quite tell.

Eddie's gaze hardened out toward the trees for a moment, then he turned to face Toby once more. "I'd like to know just what exactly it is that I'm missing," he said, glancing up toward the lattice of leather above them. "I don't know why you guys refer to me as Elderfolk, or about the fascination with the stars... Just how those lanterns work, or anything like that," he continued. He swallowed in an effort to keep his voice from cracking. "Yesterday morning, I was on a regular old hunting trip, and then..." Eddie found his hand hovering just over the tear in his jeans.

He wet his lips and straightened his back, turning away from Toby lest a tear threaten to fall. The wolf stepped forward, and put a heavy paw on Eddie's shoulder in an awkward gesture of reassurance.

"Have you spoken to the sky with it's regard?" Toby asked, his voice low--barely above a whisper.

Eddie blinked, turning his head slowly to face Toby. "E... excuse me?" He asked, unable to hide the overriding sense of astonishment that washed over him.

"Your portal... You used it for light," Toby said more earnestly, glancing down toward Eddie's pocket. "I... I had assumed you'd spoken with the sky, to find out why you had been brought here."

"I think there are a few misconceptions here," Eddie turned to face Toby, his mind racing with what the lupine could be referring to. He knew that Toby was talking about his cell phone, but... 'talking to the sky'? Did he mean the internet? The thought alone made Eddie reach into his pocket and withdraw the phone. "Portal?" He asked, offering it to Toby.

Toby recoiled from it, taking a full step back and staring down at the device. It took a moment of Eddie's offer, but the wolf eventually found the nerve to crane his neck forward, and sniff at the phone curiously. Eddie bit his tongue to keep himself from reacting to the sight.

"This is your... portal?" Toby asked, staring down at the phone. His head snapped back as the device vibrated--telling Eddie he wasn't anywhere near his service range, no doubt--and the wolf scowled down at it.

Eddie bit his tongue harder.

Nodding quickly, he turned the phone back to himself and unlocked it, then turned it back to Toby. "Feel free to explore that, if you'd like..." Eddie said, figuring there wasn't any real harm in the offer. "It's not like it's of too much use to me right now?"

"I can't read the symbols." Toby said bluntly, still staring at the phone.

"Oh... right," Eddie said, flipping the phone back to face him. He turned it off--glancing nervously toward the 32% battery life. He had forgotten to put it on the solar charger. "But, what do you mean, talk with the sky?"

"That device allows you to speak with the stars, does it not?" Toby asked, sounding nearly disappointed.

"Well... sort of?" Eddie offered, then chuckled. "When it decides to work, that is." Toby didn't seem amused by the joke--probably because he didn't understand it. Eddie just shrugged, sliding the phone back into his pocket. He adjusted the pistol on his hip one last time before turning back to Toby. "So, is this to like... map the stars directly?" He asked slowly.

Toby nodded. "Yes, it is," he began to explain. "The Theron were not always underground. Once, we walked along these very hills, and lived beneath the sky, rather than the roots."

Eddie nodded, wetting his lips. "What happened?" He asked automatically--even though he was certain that Toby was just getting to that explanation.

"The Nocturns," Toby said blandly. "Nearly four generations back, they just came out of nowhere... Giant, insect-like creatures that ran us out of these hollers. No matter where we hunted, it seemed the Nocturns would be there as well; the only place that we could go that they wouldn't chase was underground." Toby said, his tone matter-of-fact, and concise.

Eddie nodded carefully. While Toby didn't sound at all disturbed by the news--if anything, the wolf didn't even seem phased. It was as if he was remarking on the weather. The reality had either set in, and Toby had accepted it for what it was, or the beast was an incredible actor.

The wolf's gaze turned upward to the lattice of leather. Eddie wordlessly offered the paper that he'd retrieved for Toby. The wolf took it, and began to orient the sheet to the lattice above.

"Do you need a pen or som--" Eddie began, only to watch as Toby began to use his clawtip to begin punching holes in the paper. The movement bought Eddie's immediate silence, and he nodded to himself as Toby skillfully mapped the pattern he saw.

"We will use this to remap the lanterns, while we wait for the others to return." Toby said, rolling the paper up into a taut scroll, and grasping it in a single paw.

"And, how long will that--" Eddie's question was cut short by a quick step forward from Toby. The wolf drew a deep breath, and then threw his head back.

The sound that came from the depths of Toby's throat felt somehow far away--a lonely, almost mournful howl that pierced the clear night sky, and made the flashes of red and orange lights somehow more intense. The sound carried for what Eddie could have only assumed were miles of forest.

It took a few more tones of the howl before Eddie began to hear the responses of what could only be the other hunters. New sounds, new tones carrying up toward the moonlit sky, and making the once-serene forest seem to explode to life with the sounds of wolves, echoing back Toby's call.

Eddie found himself grinning like a little kid as Toby lowered his chin, at long length to face the human. "They should be on their way back," the lupine said. Eddie didn't dare ask how.

"Shall we set the lanterns, now...?" Toby asked, waving the paper idly in his paw. "That is, after all, what we came here to do."

Eddie nodded, only to turn his head and glance toward the trap door that lead back down the staircase. "You go on ahead and wait for me at the bottom of the stairs," he said, trying to will his voice to not crack. "I may take a few extra minutes..."