The cool afternoon found a cinnamon wolf skirting long the edges of Upper Arrow Lake -- his steps leisurely as he paced. A large wolf in nature, somehow, the sun seemed to impose his shadow to be even more so, and the regal curled a lip up in a slight grin before it faded once more to a stoical mask along his hardened features.
He would soon be turning back to his home -- his wayward nature very much a part of his heritage, but something he had shed the previous spring when his paws had landed him in Swiftcurrent Creek. He had risen in the ranks steadily enough -- and now, courting the ivory Alpha, he found that every moment from her side pulled at his heart in ways he had never imagined possible.
But as much as he was eager to return to her side, the male's creamy paws swayed him further in to the water, feeling the bite of frost in the waters touch. Winter would be upon them soon, and the herds seemed to be in good shape. He held no worries for the Creek this winter, but it would also be his first among the swift waters. Still, they were a large group, and he felt a confidence surge in him.
Bending his muzzle down, the agouti Beta lapped at the waters now, quenching his thirst before his trek back to the valley.
The ebony woman had trekked through the land for a couple days now. She was new to these lands, not sure whether she should really rest or walk onward and wander into trouble or meet new wolves who seem to come across her, or the other way around. Her emerald pools shifted as she could see a lake a couple yards from where she stood. A male seemed to be doing something, maybe fishing or getting a drink. Somehow, she guessed he was a pack wolf since the scent of a pack lingered in her nostrils. She huffed slightly and trotted over to the lake, meeting the cinnamon colored male who continued to quench his thirst now that the dame saw what he was doing.
Her tail swayed, but she was not aware of the action her body was doing and began to lap at the cool liquid as it ran down her throat and into her stomach. The cold water felt like a kick in the guts, but she was too thirsty too care as she soon finished her drink and looked to the brute, "Sure is a beautiful day today, isn't it?" She asked, giving a small smile to the male.
The shift of nature drew his attention, and the male lifted his muzzle as another settled so close to him. His turquoise eyes swept over her, unreadable as always, and yet a low rumble pressed past his lips. The unknown wolf seemed to present no danger however, and as she lifted her muzzle after taking a drink of water, he blinked at her. She was completely unfazed at the interruption of his drink, and without missing a beat, the female commented on the weather.
Scimitar generally held a dislike for time wasting pleasantries, and so he only offered a shrug in turn, his eyes drifting away from her as he shifted his weight, placing more space between the two. "I guess," he replied noncommittally, moving away from her to drift in to the water now. The small waves lapped at his pale limbs, and inhaling sharply, he tried to relax as he waded further, feeling his fur slick against his belly now.
Esperanza saw his form shift, showing that she was probably too close for his liking, and she too moved some more so he had more space. She did not like making others feel uncomfortable, it was just in her nature. His tone was slightly bored and she couldn't help but give a slight chuckle as she watched the clouds, eyes closing as the wind blew her pelt, "It seems there will be rain approaching soon."
It would seem she did not take the hint about the topic of choice -- despite his blatant disinterest, she continued to yammered on about oncoming rain, and glancing up to verify the clouds, he offered no response.
Bending his muzzle down, he touched the surface of the lake, stirring ripples across the surface before he dunked his muzzle in. Within a few seconds, he pulled his face upright once more, feeling the water pooling from his face.. but at least now he was cool.
With a stolen glance to the female, he waded back now to the shores, his paws falling upon cool stone as he stopped a respectful distance away from the stranger. Shaking now, water droplets flung in all areas, and, while he was not impressed by his new found companion, he did hope he hadn't caught her as an innocent bystander of his bath. "You just passing through Teekon Wilds?"
Esperanza nodded when he asked if she was only passing through. She was not one to join packs at this time. When she found a mate and had pups, she would consider joining one so her pups had a better chance of survival. "I just go wherever the wind takes me. I hope to raise a family of my own some day. My first pack was ravaged by this horrible sickness, I was the only survivor as I watched my entire family suffer. I could do nothing..."
“I see,” he offered, shifting his form there – the silence that was now stretching became awkward, and the agouti male cast a glance longingly back to the Creek.. He wasn’t about to offer condolences to a stranger who just dropped half of her history to him like she was an open book – it was far from his style.
The mention of sickness did not encourage him to close any distance between them, though. His thoughts drifted to Haunter, recalling the stench of death as it had seeped from Fox’s den. He had no marks on him – nothing seemed out of place. And yet life had been stolen from him.. the only plausible thing Scimitar could think of was disease, and without realizing it, a small shudder coursed his body at the thought of it. After all, he had waltz right in there to deal with it. How close had he danced to such an untimely and revolting death?
Esperanza could see the shudder that she had caused the male to do. The woman was not sure if it was because of her or some other dangers that she would not force the man to tell. Her emerald optics met his own as she listened to the sound of fish splashing in the river. Her stomach growled, luckily loud enough for her to hear. The femme stood upright and plunged her maw right into the frigid liquid, her nose sticking out so she could breathe as she had her mouth out.
Back in her old pack, she would hunt and fish, fish basically being their main diet unless the lakes were too frozen to get anything. When she felt the feeling of skin on her teeth she snapped down quickly, water going in all directions as the fish squirmed in her mouth. She crunched down on the fishes flesh, bone and cartilage snapping in her muscular jaws as the fish soon lay limp. She dropped the limp creature and pushed the fish toward him, "Please eat, I can get another."
Eyeing the fish the dark rogue gave him, he withheld a curl of his lip, giving a shake of his muzzle. “No – you keep it. I feed from beasts such as deer and elk – the benefits of pack life,” he murmured, wondering why a stranger thought he would take food as if he couldn’t fend for himself. “This is all you have.” The words came off as cold – though his tone was not. Instead, it was a simple stated fact.
Giving his pelt a rough shake, the male pulled further from the shores now, his eyes shifting to gaze off in the distance. Whatever his thoughts were, he remained a closed book, and casting the stranger a quick nod, he decided to end this rather awkward moment. “A pack to which I must return. All the best to you and I hope you find whatever it is you’re looking for.”
With a flick of his tail, his eyes shifted to her cheek, politely waiting for a response before he would take his leave.