Wolf RPG

Food was of course the subject of the moment — food, glorious food, and all its juicy nutrients and residual chewy bits. But there was more to pack life than hunting and eating, and Goldhawk, who had recently been endowed with some new responsibilities, had in his mind that he must get to know some of their newest recruits better. So he sat out into the misty dusk to do exactly that, his golden coat gleaming as little bits of sunlight and early moonlight slanted through the stripped trees. Slim muzzle low, he sought himself a newbie.

The ebony female prowled through the stripped trees, cautious not to make too much sound. Her green eyes searched her surroundings and her slender, white ears twitched upon their axis. She was so tuned into the nature around her -- however barren it was -- that she didn't notice Goldhawk. Granted, he was a couple yards away, but still, she should have noticed him. 

Her tail swayed back and forth as she studied the small shoots of grass peeping out through the dirt. There were always signs of hope, and right now, this was one. Eventually, the Teekon Wolds would go back to normal and the herds would return. Eventually, but not now.

Goldhawk recognised the dark figure well enough, but did not know her — and so he approached, she being a subject of his social hunt. Ho there, pretty maiden, he greeted her cheerily, long legs moving him forward in a springy fashion. On the lookout for a bit of green? He suspected as much, for she seemed quite intent upon watching the ground and its workings. It was sorely lacking... but it had promise, and a pair of optimistic eyes could spot that well enough.

Green eyes glanced up to land upon the golden male striding up to her. Tail tucked instinctively and her head lowered, but he seemed friendly enough. Her wheels turned inside her head, trying to think of an answer to his question. She already messed up around Mazi, how many other wolves would she make a fool of herself in front of until conversation came to her as easily as the others? "I uh.. I guess so?" She said, attempting to match his cheery tone. 

She studied him quickly, noting his springy step and jolly eyes. He was in a good mood today wasn't he? Normally, Astra perferred to stick around nature rather than fellow wolves, but he didn't seemed too bad. Her tail tip twitched and a single white ear slipped to the side in uncertainty but she remained as calm as she could.

Gosh, the lady was an awkward one. Or perhaps he shouldn't jump to conclusions — perhaps she was just having an awkward moment. If, for instance, he had actually interrupted her on the way to a piddle then that was a very valid reason why she might look at him with some blankness as she was doing now. But generally Goldhawk enjoyed social grace in a person, and so would encourage it in this one right here.

Goldhawk, he gave the quicker version of his moniker, knowing it was possible she already knew it but pointedly giving it again regardless, intending to put her as ease best he could. Merely out to sniff the air and make a new pal, wot, he then introduced his hour's quest, and offered a dashing smile. Now, what was her name again...

Astra shifted her weight to her rump and gently sat down. Her snowy ears continued to shift back and forth and all directions until he finished talking. Goldhawk. What a peculiar name? She liked it! Of course, she never had the security to say thse things aloud. She could only muster the amount of words needed, then her mouth locked closed. She was an awkward one at that. However, Scimitar had been kind enough to let her in, so she would repay him by serving for him and socializing with his wolves. 

"Astra," she uttered, deciding to make it short like Goldhawk. He was nice and inviting and obviously wanted her to talk more. The nervous girl glanced a her paws with their snowy white toes, then shifted her gaze back up to him. "I-I was just off on a walk." She didn't know what else to say! Was that enough? Was it too little? Gosh, why couldn't she have been born with socializing skills?

A prim and proper warrior though he was, and serious in spirit if not in occasional disposition, Goldhawk had an excellent way to put others at ease: blethering. But he had another trick up his sleeve too...

Righteo, let's walk then — and I'll sing. Yep, Goldhawk was a bard, and a jolly good one too. Not only was singing a really very nice thing to do, and capable of lifting the spirits, but it would give Astra a chance to be all quiet and shy if she wanted to be. What shall I sing about, hm?

Confusion reflected clearly off of Astra's face as the boy told her he would sing. Sing? Why sing? To her it was an awkward thing to do to make the whole situation a little bit weirder. But, what could she say? He'd already bounced up alongside her, ready to sing his heart away. 

What at should he sing about? She thought to herself. She honestly didn't know until this grand idea popped into her head. White ears pricked with excitement. Her heart fluttered with uncertainty.. could she get it out? "Y-yourself." She murmured with a hint of a giggle. This was a breakthrough for her. Even if it was one word, she was finally able to say what was really on her mind.

Proud though he was, and suited to the dignity with which he held himself, Goldhawk wasn't proud in the sense that he had to be taken seriously at all times. For he was a bard, cheery and true, and laughter was sweet. He smiled gladly at Astra's reaction, and as they began to walk he took up her request with pleasure.

Oooh ♫ he began in his charming voice, his tone for the song being jolly not sombre.

There once was a hero named Goldhawk the Brave,
who smites every villain and vermin and knave,
and the young wolf did swagger and brandish his claws,
with a head full of boasts and the world at his paws... ♫

There was the smallest of musical pauses here as he established Astra's reaction to the first verse.

Astra couldn't help but laugh. She actually laughed! It had been a long time since the ebony girl had laughed and it was quite nice. Her laugh was like the background music to his song, and it was light and sweet. She looked up at him with a smile. It was sure nice to have a nice person like him around. "Y-you're a very good singer." She said after he finished his quick song. Or maybe that wasn't all. Perhaps he had more to tell the world about himself. About how he "smites every villan and vermin and knave."

Her white ears swivelled back and forth as she listened for more. Maybe there wasn't more, but Astra couldn't help from wanting to hear more. A smile danced upon her delicate features and her green eyes sparkled.

Feeling ever-brighter at the girl's sweet laughter, and quite in agreement with her compliment, Goldhawk continued their walk with a spring in his step... and of course continued the song with gusto.

But then he went quiet, did Goldhawk the Brave,
When he met a new wolf called Astra, who gaaaave... ♫

... a request for a song, a melodious thing!
But how could he oblige when he couldn't even sing?!

Oh that's right! The song had a twist!

Astra continued to laugh as Goldhawk sang. She listened to him sing with closed eyes, only to open them when he added the twist to the song. What? She looked at him expectantly, ready to hear what came next. What could it be? She continued to walk alonside him, tail wagging back and forth, and back and forth. She glanced at her white toed paws before her green eyes found his gaze again, awaiting the next part of the song. She would have never guessed this was how she would spend her day, it just happened that way. But Astra was glad it happened.

Laughter and the soft thomp thomp of a wagging tail proved excellent accompaniments to Goldhawk's cheery song. And he was glad he'd given Astra an appearance in his song too, because it seemed she was enjoying that.

But Astra insisted, and she was not wrong,
to observe that each warrior needs a good song! ♫

So Goldhawk the Brave waggled his tongue
and opened his mouth and he sung and he sung.

He went into the final verse with aplomb:

So they became friends, a pair who can't lose:
Goldhawk the Brave... and Astra the Muse! ♫

Astra listened to the whole song with ears pricked, mouth open in a laugh. Her tail swayed with the beat as she walked along beside him. She was glad the golden male had managed to push through her shyness. Astra was a very, very quiet wolf, and without a guiding hand, she remained that way. A friendly push in the right direction however, could lead to quite wonderful things. 

The song was over with a flourish and an elongated note, and Goldhawk smiled down at the laughing female as they walked side by side. An epic tale, yes? he asked brightly as they followed the river running through the stripped forest.

Astra nodded vigorously. "A-A very epic tale indeed," she told him, tail swishing. "I-I don't know how you can even p-put those words together just like that! I-I could never do that," her heart beat hard in her chest as she spoke. She was not used to speaking very much, but now she was. She better get used to it. She had a feeling she would definitely be seeing Goldhawk around. She smiled to herself at the thought, and continue to walk on beside him.

Although happy to take the compliment and add it to his prevailing pride in himself and his ways, Goldhawk shrugged one strong shoulder. You're stringing words together right now, he observed, improvising lyrics is more or less the same thing. He didn't believe that just anyone could be a bard, but he did believe that anyone could could take words and do something unique with them.

Astra nodded thoughtfully, but still didn't fully agree. "I-I guess so, but not in the w-way you can. I-it's special." She told him quietly in her always-shy voice. She glanced at her paws with hard emerald eyes. Would she ever be special? The only thing that made the ebony she-wolf stand out was her amazing conversational skills, but Astra was not very proud of that. Maybe she'd be able to find herself here in Neverwinter Forest. But then again, maybe she won't.

While not a particularly insightful wolf, even Goldhawk got the impression that if he asked Astra what her special skill was she would flounder and falter. Better not to ask, but simply to witness it for himself in time.

Why thank you, he accepted the compliment easily. So tell me, Astra the Muse, he said playfully, what, pray, is your favourite thing to do?

Astra narrowed her eyes. What was it he meant? She was confused by his question, but she attempted to answer it anyways. Better to be 100% wrong than 50% right in her opinion. "U-umm.." She thought about her favorite prey to catch and it immediately came to mind. The girl loved to run, and there was only one kind of prey that could tire her out from running. "R-rabbit." She finally concluded with a confident demeanor, though her voice wasn't that confident -- like usual.

This was just Goldhawk's poncy way of talking, and for a moment he was bewildered at the effect. Astra said that her favourite thing to do was... "rabbit". What, like rabbiting on? Chatting? But then: Oh! he broke down in deep laughter. Not prey, old gal. Pray!

That probably didn't elucidate things.

I was praying you tell me your favourite thing to do. He smiled. But hunting rabbit sounds jolly good to me. It would, during a famine.

 
Astra's cheeks flooded with heat and her eyes widened at her mistake. How stupid of her! Why did she have to be so dumb! Her ears flicked back in embarassment and she glanced at him out of the corner of her deep green eye. He then added that hunting a rabbit was something that didn't seem too bad at the moment. That made her feel better, and she smiled a small smile and nodded, but refrained from saying anything.

Goldhawk chucked at the misunderstanding, but it was a warm chuckle, one meant to match the girl's small smile. For he was not laughing at her at all. Righteo, lassie m'lass, he said brightly, and finally came to an elegant halt. I'd best be on my way for now — but next time we see a rabbit, what say we hunt it together, wot?

Astra nodded and smiled meakly at him. "Oh-Okay." She frowned slightly to see him go, but her tail wagged, knowing that she would see him again soon. With that set in her mind, she bid him her single goodbye. "B-bye Goldhawk." She murmured and nudged his shoulder gentley. She was done with her walk, for she had walked enough with her newly made friend, so she thought that she would find some new growth and see if she could do anything to help it grow... she liked doing that.

Ahh he knew how she felt, with that sad smile of hers. It was a shame to have to say goodbye to a new friend, but it wouldn't be for long, and this was a time of need: they had to devote considerable time to Neverwinter's wellbeing.

I'll see you soon, chum, he promised, and with one last flashy smile the Bard was off to patrol the borders, very content that he had done what he had set out to do.