Grouse Thicket A Breath of Fresh Grouse

Looking for lone wolves but AW

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Just after crossing the river and border of the Arthendal pack, Liekos shook herself off. Drying herself off before entering into the grouse thicket. The forest began to get thicker and thicker with ever stride Liekos took forward. Weaving her way through the trees, at some points, was a bit difficult. Squeezing through two large trees as they grazed and brushed against her side.

Among these trees were a few apple trees. On the ground around them lay multiple fallen apples. Many of them partcially eaten and attracting flies. Liekos didn't often eat vegitation, but being in the Isles limited her diet. She thought she might partake in alittle bit of fruit. Circling the base of the apple tree she searched for one of the freshist ones. One that had just fallen and wasn't rotting. After circling a few times she came across one just like that. 

Laying down and pinning it down under her paw, so it wouldn't roll away. Liekos began to bite into the apple, at first from the front of her jaws then switching to her back teeth on the side. Only a few moments since she left the borders, she didn't feel bad about her stop. She had plenty of time to find new members, for now she was taking some time for herself.

The wolf stalked through the thicket, his form brushing against the tightly-knit shrubbery that hugged the tall, scattered trees about him. The gray and white brute's dark sapphire eyes shimmering in the dense light that caught his wandering gaze, his stare cold and emotionless as he glanced upward toward the entangled mess of branches above. A low rumble sounded within his throat as he tore his stare away from the canopy to the opening up ahead, his eyes gleaming in the light as he stopped in his tracks, dark gray ears arched forward as he listened to the birds sing within the tree tops, nostrils flaring as he scented the breeze as it swept through the terrain. The gray and white male lowered his head slightly as he became aware of another presence within the thicket, tail swaying behind him calmly as he stalked onwards, following his nose.

When he found the source of the scent, Vandal wasn't sure what he was seeing. Dark eyes watching as a wolf tried to eat an apple. The wolf stared, almost dumbfounded for the moment as he watched the she-wolf hold the fruit with her front paws, biting at it. Was she really enjoying that?

Liekos had ate about half way through the apple and continued to use her back teeth as it seemed to be most effective. The crunch of the apple was loud next to her ears and only the sounds of a loud thudding interupted her thoughts. A slow, quiet thudding that began to get faster and louder before it faded away. She truned her head to try and see what the noise was comming from. The thudding returned and this time when she looked around she say something out of the ordenary within the trees. Grey and white inbetween green and brown indicated that their was another wolf in the area. 

She stood up quickly, facing the hidden wolf. In a stern voice she spoke up "Who's there? Come out" she projected her voice, not with agression but sterness.

Mystified. Vandal didn't know what to think as he continued watching the female, a confused expression taking over his face as she seemed to have consumed about half of the fruit, cold sapphire eyes stared out from the darkness of the foliage as she then used the side of her teeth to grate through the apple. How...weird.

Dark gray ears arched forwards as the female called out in a stern voice, his body tensing slightly as her words rang within his ears. His cover had been blown. Well, it wan't like he was trying to conceal his presence in the first place, so the brute merely rolled his shoulders and allowed a smile to make its way across his muzzle before pushing himself out from the edges of the forest. Large white paws stepping into the light, his bulky form now revealed from the shadows as he approached the female, the light from the opening now cast down upon him. She wanted him out and he was now out.

”Startle you, did I?” The beast's lips curling into a smirk as his sapphire eyes observed the female, his stare glancing down to the half gnawed apple at her paws, ”Didn't mean to.” White and gray tail swaying behind him as he came to a halt, some distance to the female, ”Apples. Really?” He rose a brow, a pearly fanged smile sprawling its way across his muzzle, a new found amusement glinting within his eyes.

As the male came out from the trees, his lips curled to a smirk and Liekos was thoroughly unimpressed. She read his actions aswell as his words as a bit smug, and full of himself. To his words her neck cocked back and her head turned to the side. His assumption that he was the sorce of her fluster was faulse, and his questioning of her diet also caused her dislike. 

She took a step forward comanded presence right before she was about to speak "It's nice you didn't mean to startle me... becasue you didn't. The thudding noise returned from the distance as she proceeded. "That is what startled me." she paused letting that sit in before she proceeded. "And yes, sometimes something sweet is nice." 

Van detected the female was unimpressed by his entrance, most wolves were, so this was nithing new to the male. She seemed more annoyed by the way he questioned her choice is food. Van finding it hard to see a wolf, a carnivore tucking into such a thing. He, himself never cared to indulge in such a thing. So having come across such a sight, Vandal found it hard to wipe the smirk from his white and gray muzzle, tail giving a couple of amused flicks behind him as he remained still before the female.

Cold eyes watched as she took a step forward, ears twitching a top his head as he listened to her voice, his head tilting to the side some as he listened. Feeling a little saddened it was him that had startled her, the brute's gaze shifted from her form to peer around them, ears arching forward as he caught sound of distant thudding, eyes looking back to the female as she confirmed it was the noise that had startled her originally and not him. Though her last words caused the male to laugh lightly, sapphire eyes glancing back to her as he spoke, ”I guess I cant argue with that.” He smirked again, for something sweet was indeed, nice. Though his ears remained arched a top his head as he now stood, listening to the distant sound of thudding.

Liekos settled a bit as the male agreed with her statement. She didn't quite know what it was, but when others make assumptions about her, escecially faulse ones, she got rather aggitated. Especially if that person was someone she had never meet. From first impressiions he didn't seem to be someone who would make a good addition to the pack, which was her main goal of this trip. 

She knew what she was doing out here; and with being so close to pack borders she wondered what this male was doing, and what his intentions were. "What brings you to these woods?" she inquired.

His ears flicked forward as the sound of her voice caught his attention, her question causing the brute to merely shrug his shoulders, ”Wandering.” He smiled. His long gray and white tail swaying slowly behind him, its tip brushing at the grass below as he continued to watch the nameless female, ”Yourself?” He asked simply. An eye brow rose as he then tilted his head to the side in a questionable fashion, pearly whites revealed in yet another smile as he watched her with his cold stare. Why was she here?

In all honesty, the brute didn't really care as to why she was here. She had asked him the question, so he only found it fair to return it. Van remained still with his head to the side as he watched the she-wolf, waiting silently for her reply, his dark eyes gleaming in the light momentarily as few clouds blocked the sunlight for only a short moment before passing again.

He was simply traveling around, he explained. With no true purpose of motive he had come across her right as she left the border. He returned her question, smiling and staring at her, waiting for a responce. She didn't want to give him her true mission for being away from her pack. He might get the wrong idea and think he could join the pack with her reference.

Vaugly she responded saying "I'm doing a bit of scout work. Was just taking a lunch break." she explained justifying her reasons for eating an apple in the middle of work. Not that she cared too much about his opintion of her. She din't think she would be seeing him too much, or at all, int he future.

Blue eyes casually looked the she-wolf over, Van mentally taking note of her hue and facial features; her autumn red eyes standing out the most to him.Dark silver ears twitched a top his head as he listened to the female's answer, his eyes remaining upon her till she fell silent. His cold stare peering toward the many surrounding trees before looking once more to the nameless female, ”I see.” His gray and white tail gently brushing against the grass below as it swayed behind him nonchalantly, ”So, real food doesn't interest you at all then?” Vandal giving her a curious look, sapphire eyes glancing down to the half munched apple that lay on the ground.

”Have you 'scouted' far?” He asked with a tilt of his head, leathery nose twitching some as he scented the mild breeze; her unique odour drifting to his nose as he took a couple steps forward, sapphire eyes gleaming in the sunlight as he now watched her quietly.

He looked her over, closly. Then to the trees and back to her again before commenting on her meal choice. "I like "real" food, prefer it actually. I like to shake things up a bit sometimes." This was getting distracting she thought. She was on a mission and she had come to a halt. Thinking about her break she thought that if this male hadn't interupted her she would have finished by now.

But as she thought of this her mind became side tracted again as the mysterious thudding began again. "What the heck is that?" she questioned looked over to where the sound had come from. She wasn't asking the male directly, just speaking her mind. In doing so she missed his question and began to walk slowly towards the sounds. 

Unknow to her and possibly the male, the thudding was comming from a male grouse, drumming on a fallen log. Something the skiddish bird often did.

Shake things up a bit. Van couldn't help but let out an amused chuckle at this, tail giving a few entertained wags behind him as he watched her. His stare seeming to brighten as he lifted his head some, their usually cold hue briefly appearing a lighter shade in the sunlight as looked around. Clearing his throat, Vandal replied in a smooth tone of voice, ”Again, I guess I can't argue with that.” The male merely smirking at her before adding, ”Apples and elk might shake things up for you next time?” The young male shaking his head at his own words, chuckling to himself softly, ”Meat and something sweet.” He gave the female an ivory grin, the young male finding himself somewhat amused at the thought.


[Dark grey ears caught the repetitive sound of distant thudding, Van looking toward the female as she spoke out loud, questioning the noise. His sapphire eyes darkened as the sunlight no longer touched his gaze; Vandal peering toward the foliage that hugged the bottom of the trees. Gradually he looked back to the female whom had already began walking in the sounds direction, Vandal instinctively and also curiously began to move after her.

She was focused and both ignored and didn't seemed to hear his further comments about her food. She wasn't sure what to do with this male. It seemed as though he was following her, which she didn't mind aslong as he wasn't hostile and didn't irritate her too much. Still walking towards the sound she began to lower herself into a stalking position as she neared the thudding noise. 

She stopped, quickly, as she began to see what was making the thudding noise. It was  male grouse beating his wings against a fallen tree. First slowly then at a quicker pace before stopping again. No doubt trying to get the attention of some female, but sadly this grouse got the attention of someone else. Slowly she took long strides in her low stance towards the bird, with it's back towards them. She looked over at the male wolf either behind or beside her. Saying without words Don't mess this up or This is mine. 

Her belly was touching the ground as she readied her back legs to pounce on the bird. Waiting for him to begin his drumming again to distract him, then she attacked. Catching the birds side as she turned her head while jumping over the log. It fluttered for a bit before dying in her jaws.

Watching her curiously with his cold stare, Van decided to remain still as he observed her change in position silently. A single ear twitched as tilted his head, watching intently how she suddenly began to stalk toward a certain direction, dark silver ears listening to the familiar thudding sound they had heard earlier. Remaining where he stood, Vandal continued to watch the female as she quietly crept her way closer toward a clearing, closer to the source of the noise.

As he was about to take a step forward, the silver and white male caught her sudden look of seriousness, her silent message to him having instantly been read. Taking that step forward, Vandal continued onward lightly footed as he gradually crept his way toward the she-wolf, cold sapphire eyes watching as she then took the opportunity to strike the bird. A smirk formed its way across his muzzle as she leapt over the log for the creature, the young male looking on as she grappled with the thing till it finally died within her jaws.

Offering an impressed bow of his head, black leathery lips parted and the brute spoke out, ”Bravo, I must say.” Tail giving a small sway behind him as he approached slowly, stepping over the log and into the clearing.

She had caught the bird and as it died in her jaws her companion applauded her work. A prt of her though he was being a bit sarcastic as she said it. He walked over to her and she set down her catch at her feet. Her tongue went in and out of her mouth as she tried to get a feather out of her mouth. Liekos didn't catch birds often, mostly because she hated how you had to remove some feathers before reaching the meat. 

Looking up from the bird she spoke to the male. "Is this "real"enough for you?" she asked refering to how he didn't think her apple was "real" food.

A singular ear twitched, cold eyes watching as the nameless female settled her catch down before her paws, the brute's sapphire eyes watching as she attempted to free her mouth from the birds feathers. A light chuckle passed his maw as he observed with slight amusement. Feathers were a bothersome thing when it came to dealing with birds, a reason why Van hardly entertained in the catching of the fluttery beasts.

His white and silver tail swayed behind him casually, head lifting some as he caught the sound of the woman's voice. Looking to her slowly, Van merely tilted his head to the side with a smirk, ”It is, yes.” He said. Cold sapphire eyes peered down to the bird at her paws, the male's head giving a couple nods before his voice fell from his white maw, ”Have to say, I'm pretty impressed.” The young wolf straightened his posture as he remained still, loosening his shoulders some as he glanced back to the female, ”So, does this grouse hunter have a name?” Van asked as he stood quietly with a smile, eyes staring at this nameless wolf.

The male expressed that the meal was satisfactory and that he was impressed with her skills. Liekos looked down at the bird and began to paw at it. Sliding her paw and claws across it slowly, and somewhat ineffectively, removing the loose feathers. The easierst was would be to just bite into it and tear at it, but she was in the middle of conversation and the feathers were bothersome. HE asked her name and ask she looked up from the bird she told him. "My name is liekos. What about you?" she asked the male the same question.

Blue eyes watched as she pawed at the creature, claws pulling away few feathers with each stroke given. A small smirk sprawled its way across his silver and white muzzle, his stare watching as she gradually brought head up from looking at her prize. Van's gray ears arched right away, a top his head as the sound of her voice filled the brief silence, the brute tilting his head with a grin, ”Leikos. “ He repeated to himself once over, temporarily dismissing her question of his own name as his bushy, silver and ivory tail gave a flick to the side behind him.

Van gradually straightened his posture, a singular ear twitching as he smiled once more, black lips soon parting as few words spilled from his tricolored maw, ”I'm Van.” He slowly licked his lips as he then fell silent, the wolf fully aware that he had only offered Leikos half of his name. This being a continual thing the brute did with others.

He repeated her name then after a while of silence told her that his name was Van. They had been introduced now and her prey still lay on the floor between them. She decided to suck it up and finally tear into the bird revealing its warm flesh. She lay down with it between her paws slowly eating away at it. It may have been a bit rude to eat infront of someone and not share, but it was small and she had caught it after all. 

Looking back up at him she pondered. At first she thought that he was annoying but once the apple thing was out of the way he seemed OK enough. Deciding to further question him to see if he would be a good addiction to the pack she spoke after swallowing a bite of the bird. "What do you do Van? Do you have a specific trade?" knowing his skill level wasn't neccary to join the pack, since it was a pack of learning, but if he had experience they could take advantage of right way that would be very beneficial.

His tongue casually licked at the sharp edges of his canine, dark blue eyes watching as Liekos laid herself down and gradually began to tear into the grouse. A smirk made its way across his silver and white muzzle as he observed her quietly, nose twitching as the alluring odour of blood now lingered within the air as she tore into its delicate flesh. Vandal turned his head away briefly, eyes idly scanning their surroundings as he allowed the female a moment or two to feast without his stare remaining upon her. An amused glint shimmered within his gaze as he stared over the terrain, thoughts recalling back to Liekos' earlier gnawing of the apple, a notion still laughable to the male but at least this time she was tucking into something more satisfactory; a meal respectable enough for a wolf and so with that, he kept his gaze away; that is, until he caught the sound of her question.

Vandal blinked for the moment, tail moving to and fro slowly behind him as he brought his cold gaze back to Liekos, ”I do a bit of everything.” He said, simply offering the she-wolf a pearly grin, ”I like to keep my options open, you see.” The silver and white male shifted himself around, paws carrying him forward as he paced, eyes scanning the area they were currently in. ”So, do you have other skills? Or are you just a scout?” Van questioned, eyes trailing back to her form as he continued to walk around, eyes looking away from her and peering out toward the trees on occasion.

He did a bit of everything he said and Liekos took that as he didn't know what he was especially good at or he didn't know what trade he would like to pursue. He returned the question askeding what she did other then scout. Liekos wasn't normally a scout and the only thing she was normally was a medic, though she would have prefered another trade. Lookign up from her food again she explained "I'm not actually a scout. I'm a medic. Just doing a small erand." 

She wasn't sure yet if he would make a good adition to their pack or if he was already in a pack for that matter. "Are you a loner Van?" she asked not sure how to ask it in a less direct way at the moment.

Not sure if you wanted to make another post and then I just have Vandal leave Liekos to her meal or whatnot xD

The male watched as she looked up from her meal and replied to his question, a small smile revealed as she explained her true trade. Van understood the dreariness of doing the same thing over and over, repeatedly. The male also assumed it came with doing the same particular trade continuously; though the thought of running an errand intrigued the brute some. He continued circling around the area, gradually coming to a stop as he peered toward Liekos and asked smoothly, ”So when did Medics start running errands?” He smirked, raising a curious brow as his paws began to move him forward once more..

Silver ears twitched as he caught sound of he rather blunt question, dark sapphire eyes peering to her as he turned his head in her direction, Not really.” He said simply. Silver and white tail hanging behind him, its tip brushing against the grass as he then turned away from Liekos. The male gradually strolling toward the log that they had previously leapt over, ”So, outta curiosity what kind of errand were you running, before your lunch break that is?” Van chuckled some as he came to a standstill, cold eyes watching the female as she still remained laid upon the ground.

She was just about done with her meal as their conversation continued with all the bird feathers gone their was little volume to the bird. He asked why a medic would be running errands. Scouts were ususally the ones who ventured out of the pack for jobs and this was more of a one time thing for Liekos. "I wanted a change of pace you could say. Medics are only really needed when someone is hurt." 

He replied to her question rather simply saying that he wasn't really a loner, and in Liekos's mind that ment he was either in a pack or not looking to join a new one. That made things less complex as to if she would invite him to the pack or not. Once she had finished her meal he asked what sort of errand she was on. Now knowing that he wouldn't be a likely candidate for the pack and that information of the pack wouldn't be useful for him she fibbed a bit saying "I was sent to see what kinds of wolves were around this area."

She stood up and shook her pelt releaving it of any dibris that may have been on the floor. This wolf seemed nice but if he wasn't a candidate for a new pack member then she needed to move on and look for someone who was. Nothing personal against this wolf. "Well it was nice meeting you but I should get back to my errand."

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Sure, sorry for late reply its been a busy week

He had to admit, medics were usually only needed when someone was injured. So Vandal could only imagine that that particular line of work could get a tad bit boring on occasion. Especially if there was no one to tend to on a regular basis. A small chuckle escaped him as he licked his maw, giving his head a casual nod in agreement to Liekos' statement. Dark silver ears arched forward as she then went on to explain the reasons behind her errand, again Van gave a simple nod of his head, black lips parting as his smooth voice sounded into the air, ”I see.” He said simply. Gradually he let out a sigh and added, ”Well, I hope this errand of yours keeps you more entertained, I guess it beats waiting around for someone to eventually hurt themselves.” He smirked, tail giving a slight flick behind him as he placed both of his front paws upon the fallen log.

The male watched as she stood to shake herself from anything that clung to her pelt, hoisting himself up onto the log, Vandal gave the female a bow of his head as she spoke about needing to continue on with her errand. Offering a smile he spoke smoothly, ”Well, I wish you well in your errand, Liekos.” Giving her another bow the male turned away to jump from his perch, vanishing from the clearing and leaving the female alone to her business.