looking to count this towards a naturalist trade!
She had found somewhere to view the cloudy sky without treetops blocking everything in sight. Eventually she found herself lounging on her back, legs tucked close, as she watched the clouds roll through the starry sky. It wasn't often she just got to enjoy the small things. The life of a loner had required her to constantly be on the lookout or taking care of her needs. With the Grove, she felt she could relax a little. There were plenty of wolves here to protect the area they seemed keen to call home. Notably was Towhee — who she admired for their braveness during the encounter with a stranger — who made her feel a bit safer being here.
This was definitely the place to be. She would count her blessings like she would the stars, if she could focus on either long enough to count them.
Ah, it seemed one of the newer recruits had discovered Rue's favorite moonbathing spot. Not that is was Rue's spot specifically-- she often caught the scents of others who had lounged in this clearing, where the forest floor was soft and the canopy opened up to reveal the skies above. True to its name, Asterism Grove seemed to house an avid following of cloudwatchers and stargazers.
"Evening," Rue woofed quietly, in an effort to avoid startling the girl. Her tail waved behind her in large, circular movements, signaling her friendly curiosity.
Her head turned to the side in an attempt to see who had joined her. She didn't recognize them but they seemed comfortable here. Nebula was tempted to strike up a conversation but she figured she ought to be safe. Who are you?
It was a friendly question as she rolled onto her stomach, tail thumping behind her. She might not have been the best guard in the Grove but she still wanted to make sure this was someone who should actually be here.
Then she might be comfortable inviting them to stargaze with her.
"I'm Ruenna Redfern," Rue answered congenially. The new recruit's diminutive size and the way she phrased her question indicated to Rue that the newcomer was fairly young, perhaps a yearling. "I am one of Phox and Towhee's recruits. You are as well, I presume?"
Rue only asked out of politeness; she had a good nose, and she could easily discern from scent alone whether the strangers she encountered belonged here or not. Before she had even entered the clearing, she had detected Phox and Towhee's scents upon the girl's pelt.
Ruenna. She had heard that name before and although she had seemed relaxed before, she really mellowed out now. Her form rolled back over as her gaze returned to the stars. Phox let me join.
She chirped in response. I'm Nebula.
Her tail thumped against the earth in a rhythmic way. There was no denying she felt at ease in the presence of another Grove member.
Do you, uh, wanna watch the sky with me?
She questioned as her gaze roamed back over to Ruenna once more.
"Me too," Rue answered. Phox had also been the one to accept her into the budding pack. "Although Dingo was the one who met me at the border."
"Nebula. That's a great name for an Asterism Grove wolf," Rue commented, the edges of her mouth quirking upward in a small smile.
"Okay." Rue flopped down onto the soft detritus beside her (hopefully) new friend. "What are we watching for? Anything in particular?"
The truth was, she hadn't come out here with some sort of goal while she gazed upon the sky. She had simply wanted to see what it might do if watched long enough. Would she witness the clouds merge into a storm or would she see new stars she had never noticed before?
Oh! Uh...
Her words trailed off into a hum as her face grew thoughtful. Just watchin' I suppose. The stars, the clouds.
A goofy grin tugged onto her features as she moved her gaze from the sky to Ruenna. Do you know anything about the sky?
"Oh, okay." Rue herself did not devote much time to watching the nighttime sky. She preferred to sleep at night and fix her eyes upon daytime sights, drinking in the beauty of sweeping, mountainous landscape.
"Growing up, I was taught that the stars watch over us and guide our fate," Rue offered. Perhaps that was one reason she didn't spend much time staring up at the night sky-- because it was the duty of the stars to watch the wolves, not the wolves to watch the stars.