Menta's black lips reached delicately for the treat in front of her but the red raspberry smushed and squirted at the first touch, dribbling a bit of its dye onto her cream chin. The wolf gave a small grin as she licked her chops, able to enjoy what she had actually gotten into her mouth, and moved onto some of its many neighbors. Thorns tugged at her side a bit as she strained up and forward but even her shedding summer coat seemed to protect her from noticing very much.
She had stopped here rather intentionally, her regular trip of aimless exploration turning into one of surprised delight. Menta knew that berries couldn't offer too much sustenance - not that she would have been picky as a lone wolf - but she knew from her childhood that these sweet treats were too much to pass up. The cream wolf had confidently made her way into the thick of it, knowing that the best was often hidden where even the birds and smaller critters refused to go, and was merrily reaping her reward. Tail wagged behind her, a flag that increasingly caught more and more sticking thorns.
Charon was making his way through the berry meadow, but somehow couldn't find that ripe berries. Little did he know that he following another's path so found only the half eaten plants.
When he looked up Charon suddenly saw someone in front of him, or rather, a ridiculous looking tail. His fur had some sticky plants on them, a side effect of wandering through here, but this chick had a frigging garden trailing behind her. "You look ridiculous," Charon said dryly and completely free of shame as he looked at her.
The freckled white wolf earned a grin as Menta looked over her shoulder from the latest prize. Berry picking had put the Ryūjin member in a good mood, and looking ridiculous was the least of her concern with all of these blooming fruits. You look like you haven't had enough berries, she teased, wagging her tail that finally got a glance over.
Ah, she thought. That was the image of the wolf she was currently presenting. Her family had always wished she had taken more pride in one of the few cream coats of the pack, but Menta found that keeping diligent care got in the way of more fun things. Perhaps this white male was in the same state of thought as they - she couldn't see any spurts of juice over his pelt at all, although she thought the natural freckles added a nice touch.
As if she hadn't put herself in a ridiculous enough position, Menta took the opportunity to whip her head to her rear end and tug at a few of the offending tail burrs. Do you live around here? she asked between yanks, ears pointed in his direction while making quick work of what seemed to be the start of a long task.
At her comment in regards to berries, Charon wrinkled his nose derisively but let out no further comment. She seemed at ease enough, and so he lowered his own guard a little; it helped that she was looking ridiculous. She even moved to grab some of the entangled plants from her tail, which showed him that he'd got to her in some way or another, at least. Maybe he'd have liked berries at some point, but after the famine he had a taste for meat.
She then asked if he lived there, while removing the plants from her tail. "I own the tallest mountain of the area," he said, ignoring the fact that the Sunspire and Moonspear rivalled each other in height and there was no telling which was truly the highest. "How about you, berrybutt?" he countered, with an almost playful grin.
The cream wolf paused, mentally factoring where this male wolf could live based on his claims. I thought The Sunspire was the tallest, Menta murmured, so which tallest mountain is yours? Yellow eyes squinted back over her tail to the male. She knew, of course, that the Sunspire Mountains territory did not hold claim to all of the mountains - that was obvious enough, even from what she saw now - but her pride in her new home gave permission to tease.
Berrybutt. Clearly he was also not allergic to teasing, and she gave a grin while now abandoning her tail to take a seat. Ryūjin, Menta told him proudly. Lots of pretty plants there, but no berries that I've seen. Truly, there were many rare medicinal herbs and funny looking flowers - but Menta's knowledge on that was quite limited, and her joy for plants was found with her tastebuds. This was the perfect spot for her to get lost in for an afternoon or two.
"Those who have not travelled far enough west might think so," Charon snorted, unadulterated pride showing on his face. "Moonspear matches, if not excels, the Sunspire in height." He glanced to the Northwest, where through some berry carrying foliage the Moonspear could be seen.
He'd never heard of the pack called Ryujin. "Where's it at?" he asked, though he guessed it to be near Ame's Sunspire. That reminded him that they ought to check it out together sometime, to see how it was doing now that it was no longer hers.
Hmm. Menta could of course not blame the male for his unabashed pride in his mountain, as it was how she thought all wolves should feel about their home. The cream caught his quick glance to this Moonspear and her own golden eyes followed to register the name to the place. It sounded like a place that the mountain wolf would love to visit - if, of course, it hadn't already been claimed. Menta was not such a fool to stroll into a packland just for curiosity and scouting's sake.
Sunbeam Lair, she told him, proud of her own home and its fitting name, a large cavern nestled in the mountains. Asterr is our leader. Menta tacked on the last sentence knowing that many wolves - especially alphas - seemed to always inquire, and she was always more than pleased to speak of the dark wolf as her leader. While the Japanese titles Asterr had recently put into place often eluded her understanding - and ability to pronounciate - the cream was ever obedient and willing to be proud of it all.
Charon had never heard of Sunbeam Lair, Ryujin, or this Asterr wolf, but he mentally mapped the information anyway, just in case he'd ever need it. Considering berrybutt's defensiveness in regard to the Sunspire, he guessed this lair was located in the sunspire mountains somewhere. He said, with a mischievous grin on his face, "My mate used to claim the Sunspire, so she should know which one's taller." Not that Ame had ever said anything to confirm either of the two mountains being the tallest. They'd never really talked about it, probably because he didn't introduce himself to her that much.
"So I take it you don't have berries at home?" he said, wondering if the berries were really that good but at the same time too proud to have a chomp at them himself.
The whole Sunspire? Menta asked, incredulous that a wolf could claim such a feat. Not only was The Sunspire ridiculously tall, she wasn't sure any wolf would be wise to brave most of the upper portion of the mountain - a dangerous place to have a pack nearby, although she supposed the gentle slopes of the sides offered some repreive. What happened to her pack? the cream asked with awe, unaware that such a question could be met with sore feelings and potential offense.
A pause, and a realization that perhaps he hadn't heard her earlier. Rare plants, Menta confessed, a little ashamed that she was mostly ignorant in the ways of medicinal herbs - it seemed like Ryūjin could be a healer's paradise, but she did not take advantage of it in such a manner. No berries. The latter was what was important the the fruit loving - hell, all food loving - wolf, and she suspected that this berry patch would be more fit to be her paradise than her actual home.
Charon could not help but feel his pride and confidence grow when berrybutt asked in awe if she had claimed the whole Sunspire, then went on to ask what'd happened to it. He didn't mind telling; it was sort of his fault the pack was no more, but they had got something better in return. "Yup, the whole thing! She and I decided to merge our packs together and move to Moonspear." He glanced in the direction of his own mountain again then, feeling pride swell in his chest once more.
The subject turned to more boring berries, then. "Oh," he said, clearly not very interested in rare plants. "I think I'd rather have berries." He wasn't sure what Moonspear even had in terms of plant- and berry-life. Not that many berries that he knew of, but he was a noob when it came to plants. His healers'd know better about that sort of stuff.
The Italian didn't entirely understand moving a pack over for a lover - didn't understand much about having a lover entirely, full stop - but she held such thoughts to herself. Menta was no leader, had no drive to be a leader, and could not imagine what baggage came with it - and so the smile stayed on her face, and a nod when he explained the move. Leaders would only do as they felt fit for their pack, the ever obedient and unquestioning female was sure of it.
And berries over rare plants! That she understood, the smile on her maw turning back more to an authentic grin. Me too, she agreed, although perhaps the healers and medicine workers in her pack would not so readily come to such a conclusion. Do you know of any other fruit groves in the area? If he was around here, that could only offer potential knowledge she could gain and use. Food and where to get a delicious variety was always an appropriate subject to learn more about.
He was surprised to hear that Berrybutt favoured berries over rare plants, since she had pointed out the rare plants so pointedly. Yet it was more suiting this way, considering her nickname. She asked if he knew of any other fruit groves, and after a moment's thought he shook his head.
"Not really... There's bramblepoint to the south, if you don't mind getting stung you might find something there." But it was nothing compared to this place, he added silently, in all but word. Glancing at the sky he said, "Hey, uh, I should head off. It was nice meeting you." A thing he didn't often admit, and only because it was true; he'd enjoyed a bit of light-hearted banter, for a change.
short! Thanks for the thread!
Menta wagged her tail in agreement; it seemed like she had to be polite and formal with so many wolves here in order to not cause offense, and the gentle banter had reminded her of the familiarity of siblings and home. I'll trade you a berry burr for your name before you go, the cream further teased, and you can call me Menta berrybutt Spezia. Her family would be horrified to hear her lack dignity with their honorable name, but what they undoubtedly wouldn't ever find out about wouldn't hurt them.
"Charon Ostrega," he returned with a smile and he then turned away, glad to have spent some time away from his home into such a surprisingly comfortable bantery situation. He started making his way back towards Moonspear through a trail he followed, feeling glad for their meeting to have taken place.