Notes

<p>"No need to present for me, <em>Landers</em>," the other man had cautioned as Richard reluctantly walked over, standing awfully close to whom he knew as he looked up at the unfamiliar being. Silently, Richard studied his features: he had a broad nose, a sharp jaw, and various scarring that detailed his face and arms, along with hair trimmed short on the sides but left long on top, tinged with a more vibrant shade of the same cornflower hue as Paul's. The man's height and stockiness intimidated him, and as he stared up at him, he received a low chuckle of amusement.</p>

<p>"Nervous, are you?" he teased in a deep voice that bellowed with a thick German spice, "I'm Till." He offered a large, meaty hand that was prickled with hair and radiating with warmth, holding it out for Richard to shake.</p>

<p>"Um, hello, <em>Till</em>," Richard greeted, his voice dimming as he said the name while he grasped Till's hand and gave it a light tug. He noticed that the man was wearing the same cape that Paul was currently dressed in, which caused him to slightly arch a brow and begin questioning the reality of his current situation even further.</p>

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<p>The shape in the water emerged onto the land with various growls and muffled barks, shuddering its entire body to dry itself as its fangs dug into a trout's limp carcass. It was a tremendous wolf the color of snow; the sight reminded Richard of a vague memory, something that he remembered but couldn't describe to someone who asked, almost as if it was deja vu that had only occurred in a different state of mind.</p>

<p>The soaking wolf gave a low huff before it blazed with white and shifted into a human form, the new figure spitting the fish from his mouth and collapsing beside his catch with a laugh. "That one <em>better</em> be good!" he chortled as he heftily caught his breath, wiping the sweat mixed with water from his sticky forehead and then standing up. He realized that Paul's <em>prey</em> was standing with his friends, and he quickly shook his cloak — which was identical to Paul's and Till's — as he approached and proclaimed, "Oh, he's awake!"</p>

<p>"Richard, this is Christoph, but we call him Schneider, as it's what he prefers," Paul explained as he looked between the two, watching as Christoph appeared to be observing Richard's entire body. He felt a tang of what felt like jealousy, but only because the newest member of their pack was <em>his</em> game and he was a very prideful man when it came to such things; therefore, he brushed it off, giving his usual grin as they met.</p>

<p>Richard anxiously looked at the <em>wolf</em> in front of him, biting his cheek from the tension while forcing a hospitable smile. Schneider stood tall as well, and had bluish locks of hair that delicately curled at their ends; his eyes were as white as the textile that draped over his shoulders, too, which seemed to pierce all that his gaze ever fixed on, including Richard.</p>

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<p>"Oliver should be on his way back soon," Till thought out loud as he leaned against spruce, looking up at the leaves that guarded him against the sun; he didn't appear to be very fond of the sun, for he was always found underneath something that shielded him from its light. He watched as a fifth person trekked over to the gathering ongoing at the river bank, and he fondly smiled as he registered who it was. "And, Flake... he's a very agile one, that Flake."</p>