It seemed fitting as the dove stood placidly upon the shore that her re-entrance to the Teekon Wilds started once more along the edge of the sea. The coast was still a mystery to her, though this time, the salty air held less allure than before. The first time she had arrived, a handsome stranger had greeted her. His name was lost to her now—his scent no longer seeming to linger along the sandy beach, and so assumed to have drifted like the rest of them.
His offer had not been her course, nor did she particularly regret not staying by the ocean. It was a beautiful sight—but it was not where her heart belonged.
It could be argued that her heart lay buried upon the peaks of the higher mountains, now. Perhaps, it was gone for good.
Blinking emerald eyes, Ketzia surveyed the seaside away from the waters, view falling upon a darker form by the frothy shore. Considering her options, the widowed woman crept closer, exotic muzzle swung low and her expression impassable as she closed the distance between them. Why she had returned, she did not know.
Some things were simply better left unexplored.
Strong forelegs bearing down against the shifting sand, he heaved his weighted body further from the lapping shoreline. He had almost forgotten what it felt like to go for a quick dive — luckily for him, the bitter cold and the heavy resistance of his drenched coat served as an excellent refresher.
Goreshter noticed a slight change in the air before anything else. It was subtle, almost enough to go unnoticed. Hell, the stag might not have even paid any mind to it, had he not caught a glimpse of a lone figure creeping closer and closer. Perhaps that was just what gave it away, after all. His slanted eyes slowly narrowed as he paid mind to the creature. It was another wolf, and judging by their svelte figure, it was a woman. The small revelation wasn't nearly enough for him to let his guard down, though. He'd known many does who were twice the warrior he was in his lifetime! So, with his head raised and a guarded stance, Goreshter began to minimize the distance between the two.
He spoke far too casually for his defensive posture. "Hello, there. I'm not trespassing on your land, am I?"
Only the slightest can’t of her muzzle gave way to the inclination of her curiosity. He crept to her—guarded, defensive. Her tail curled idly behind her, the only tell-tale sign of her own weariness was found in the clutch of her claws to the sodden earth, seeking grasp should she need to pivot against an onslaught.
“No,” she chimed in return, her wispy voice giving nothing away as she regarded the stranger. Her muzzle drew up, her gaze studying him with caution as she leisurely rolled a shoulder back in the lightest stretch. “I’ve no claim to the shores or any of these lands,” she finally clarified, though it didn’t stop the suspicious skirt her gaze to the mountains where her heart laid buried. Cold within the ground…
“I assume you’re not from around here, then?”