Wolf RPG - These nights never seem to go to plan

[size=x-small]Set for the 26th[/size]
@Leon

It wasn't nearly cool enough yet to actually relax in the hot springs Alf had stumbled upon, but the steaming pits in the earth were an interesting backdrop to the end of her day. Alfhildr had seen pools like these before, but she'd happened across those during a season she wouldn't have baked her brain from taking a dip.

A pleasant breeze drifted over the tawny she-wolf from the direction of the nearby foothills; the sky was growing darker now, the sun's final rays illuminating it just enough to present a calming, dusky blue to the world. She flopped down on her side with a small smile; it was nice. She was finally feeling happier. And now, Alf could relax for a bit before finding a sheltered place to sleep.

If only all that loveliness wasn't being counteracted by how fucking lonely Alf was. Alf might not have needed a pack, at least not immediately, but the woman definitely needed company beyond a few random strangers.

Alf made a noise halfway through an irritable grunt and a sigh. Life was just fantastic, wasn't it?

Well then, that was a nice distraction.
For some time he had wandered out of the oh-so promising lands of Teekon Wilds and right into trouble. Not terrible awful trouble but enough for him to get slightly roughed up, leaving him with a temporary limp and a few sore muscles and healing cuts that were hidden below thick dark gray fur. Nothing the Hughes couldn't take and it did help him vent some frustrations that had been plaguing him over the recent weeks. Part of the reason why he wandered off in the first place... but now that he was feeling better he was back.
The flatlands weren't something completely alien to the man but he hadn't had much time to explore before he left. He had spied the hotsprings from across the river when he was nearby the Plateau. Relaxing in a spring sounded nice; it would do his worn, tired muscles some good and revitalize him, but right now it was just too hot. He got enough warmth from the sun baring down on his dark back; he soaked up all the rays due to his dark coloring. So he wasn't keen on taking a dip when he could just bask and then retreat into the shade.
The sun was riding low in the sky by the time he made it to the hotsprings. The air was thick with warm, humid mist and he could already feel his fur beginning to get weighted by it so he meandered away a bit. That's when he saw her.
Good lord, was that really her? He hadn't seen her in... how long? Surely his eyes were fooling him. But as he adventured closer, he got a whiff of a familiar scent from the breeze that rolled in and helped clear away that stifling mist and give him a bit of room to breathe.
"Alf?" He stopped his movement as he spoke, one dark-gloved paw raised above the ground and his scruffy head tipped to the side.

TABLE BY JOHN · STOCK BY KATI H. @ DAWNTHIEVES

Rolling over onto her back, Alf buried her snout in the grass beside her head. Maybe she'd just fall asleep here; the woman sincerely felt too lazy and sad to move. Why couldn't she have just succeeded in all her previous ventures rather than constantly losing those closest to her? What puppet master was pulling the strings and fucking up her life?

Alf groaned and moved to curl up on her side. She'd get up eventually. Probably. Maybe.

A familiar voice questioning "Alf?" in a dumbfounded manner caught the tawny woman's attention. Dark ears suddenly stood at attention; Leon?

The loneliness was getting to her; Alfhildr Saga was officially hallucinating.

Nevertheless, Alf scrambled to find her footing as quickly as possible. Off in the distance was a familiar, large male. A once stranger she'd sobbed on. A piece of shit she kept running into across vast distances. A friend.

"Leon!"

Bounding toward the younger wolf with reckless abandon, Alf's tail was wagging like there was no tomorrow. She was ecstatic, and at the pace she'd set herself, Alfhildr was completely capable of bowling Leon over once she reached him.

From where he stood the tawny female sure didn't seem to be too down in the dumps, but what did he know? They had met under some dramatic circumstances before and he'd been there for her as a friend even when the two didn't know each other. He hadn't even really been able to hang out with her because they kept losing each other over time... even so, obviously the woman held a special place in the Hughes' heart as was proved by the broad smirk that appeared on his face when she reacted in a way that told him it was indeed her-- Alfhildr.
Curly tail began to wag furiously behind him when said his name and he flashed pearly whites at her before she made off toward him at the speed of light. He moved forward enough to meet her and the two collided rather hard; the brute only grunted at the pain it caused him but was quick to simply ignore that over the flood of joy over finding an old friend here of all places.
He reared and wrapped both forearms around Alf's neck before nipping and biting at her neck and cheeks and licking her creamy fur excitedly as a gruff, happy whine managed to escape him.
"Alf, y'big doof! Where y'been, chicka?"

TABLE BY JOHN · STOCK BY KATI H. @ DAWNTHIEVES