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Esperanza!
A tall, bold thunderhead rose to the west, where it pushed strong gusts down the valley that smelled of seawater and damp vegetation. It wouldn't be long before the squall drenched the park in rain and sent it into a deep cold, the first frost of autumn. The excitable weather had set the male off onto a joyful trot, his paws trampling shallow but wide pawprints into the dirt. He circled down from the rock-strewn meadows, passing into a lush blanket that supported ivory aspens.
The large arctic creature had settled in comfortably to Teekon- it was a welcome respite from his tumultuous four years of life. The break he had received was enough for him to put on a little more muscle and return to being a capable wolf, whose ambitions and intelligence was honed in on Swiftcurrent. There was always a certain pride to being a part of something or someone, and Dovev had built himself up to be a loyal creature. But he was never one for floating along in the wind, being pulled this way and that with the fickle drama of a pack without being in control or the instigator of it. He would remain endeared to the pack for as long as needed be, but he was planning to set a separate wheel in motion.
The lapping of water reached the brute's ears happily swerved forward. He was thirsty. The white wolf melted through the pale trunks of the aspen and onto the wide bank of Duck Lake, submerging his feet in the crystalline water and lowering his head for a drink.
The obsidian woman trotted through the land, blades of grass already being coated with the white frost that bit the tips of the green blades. Her ears were erect as she could hear a pool of water close by. Her stride quickened to a trot as her tail swayed gently from side to side, an emerald gaze only focused on one thing: water. It had been some time since the woman had gotten a drink from the cool pools of H2O, and with a smile she walked down the hill and began to lap at the water, the cold liquid running down her gullet that quenched her thirst.
But, she was not the only one near the water. Her emerald optics shifted to see handsome white wolf, her heart skipping a beat when she saw him. He smelled of the pack that she was joining, for she was to be the healer there as far as she knew unless the alpha said otherwise. Her ears swiveled to the side.
"Hello, Sir," she would speak kindly in a calm and collected tone, eyes focused on his own as she placed her haunches upon the grass, an imprint of her bodice in the grass as the blades moved away when she sat down. Her ebony tail wrapped around her side as she smiled kindly to the brute.
Cool water raced down his throat as his rough tongue drew lapfuls of it into his jaws, the iciness a pleasant and welcome feeling. He lifted his skull as a cackle of ravens flew disjointedly from the sky, wheeling around as they settled down the lake's bank and peered at him with beady black eyes. He was tempted to chase the little bastards off, but decided against it as something else drew his attentions.
Dovev turned in the lake water, slowly marching out of it as the wide holes in his nose expanded with the scent of another wolf, and his hairs prickled. He left a wake behind him as he exited the water, his chest facing upwards toward the slope of hills as a stranger melted through the thick, healthy green grass from under the trees. She took a seat, and from his distance he could make out a matching pair of light, green eyes that smoothed into a monotonous coat of charcoal.
Normally, Dovev did not liked to be approached. It made him uneasy that he was the one being stalked upon, and not the other way. Following behavior was one of the many signals a wolf would use to assert itself, and if this female had been planning anything, trailing him would be one of the obvious signs. But she had taken a calm seat, and spoke a greeting. The male had no reason to put on a defensive demeanor, instead to engage this egnimatic female who seemed to carry the darkness of night upon her shoulders. He padded up the pebbly curve of the lake's bank and onto the grass, approaching her slowly. His colorless eyes traced over her frame, from the roundness of her perked ears to the svelte tail wrapped about her toes.
Good evening.
The ebony woman smiled, emerald optics meeting the light colored ones of the brutes and smiled as she caught his scent of oak and maple, something she would be used to since oak and maple trees were the type of plants that surrounded her home a long time ago, as well as pine trees. Her ears erect as she lied down and looked to him, "Pardon me, may I ask your name? I mean no harm to you as for I am to be joining your pack Swiftcurrent Creek to be the healer, as far as I know." She smiled, her tail swaying in a friendly manner as she could hear the sounds of crows. The same birds that picked away her family when the epidemic occurred. She stood up, hackles raised, ears pinned back as she leapt upon some of the crows as she only caught feathers, soon the birds flew off as she lied back down and hung her head slightly, feeling bad she acted that way in front of the brute whom she had not known the name of. Bad memories occurred whenever she saw crows, so she wanted nothing to do with them.
She had slid down into a laying posture, and Dovev felt his muscles relax as she posed no threat. And her words were further calming, causing his eyes to soften from their usual hard chips of ice. The coal-cloaked creature would be joining the ranks of Swiftcurrent. Excellent. The pack would be in need of able bodies for the coming of winter, where the snow would demand group hunts to chase down elk and moose. The thought of massive winter hunts set his scruff hairs prickling in anticipation. The male was about to respond when the stranger had caught wind of the group of crows eerily watching them. She bolted past, a streak of night against the deep green grass as she launched herself at the flock. Although their wings had lifted them out of reach, several feathers drifted down about her frame as she sat down again. He pivoted and trailed after her, ears perked.
Bringers of death, he observed mildly, looking up to watch the group sail across Duck Lake. She had scared them off appropriately, no doubt they would think twice before coming back. But she didn't seem to take pride in her actions, and Dovev walked up to closer study her expressive face. I'm Dovev, he responded to her former question, hoping that would lift her chin in the cool autumn air.
Esperanza looked to meet his gaze, a small smile looking back to the one known as Dovev. He seemed kind and gentle, but, she was not sure if that was how he truly acted, maybe it was just her. The dame's emerald pools shimmered as the sunlight reflected off of them, and she couldn't help but shed a small tear when she thought of her other family. "Pardon my actions. My name is Esperanza, but you can call me Esper. I once belonged to a strong pack, but an epidemic occurred and all of that changed and I lost everyone and everything I once had. I had been alone for two years now."
Was she crying? He tilted his head, having never seen such a reaction before. It was a sign of weakness to him, and his body itched to roll the female onto her back, just to prove her point. But instead he stood, tense, ears quivering as he listened. The tiny, reflective drop that lay nestled in the crook of her muzzle held Dovev's focus, his tail waving. It was not a motion of joy, but one of stiffness.
I am sorry to hear that, Esperanza. It was a poor response to her outpouring, but the male had never been one for expressing anything remotely close and personal to himself. He drifted closer, and suddenly he had rested his chin on the lithe ebony creature's muzzle and his tongue had darted out to licked the single droplet away from her soft fur. It was surprisingly warm, and tasted of seawater.
Esperanza would feel a single tear fall upon the edge of her muzzle, but the male that she had just recently met, licked the droplet from her muzzle. She was surprised by the action, but also happy as she looked to the clouds, then back to him. "Pardon my actions once more. I do not cry much, but my mother, father, and my entire family, they just had this epidemic that just made them totally insane, blood coming from other parts of their bodies like their eyes and nose; sometimes even open wounds that were never there before. Then, they just collapse and die, crows and varmints tearing away flesh. I was said to be the alpha one day, but because of the epidemic, it caused me to be alone until now, once I become the healer of your pack, or whatever your alpha wishes me to do."
She opened her eyes a little wider, looking more calmer now as she listened to the sounds of birds as they flew above them. She wished she could be free like them. Free without a care and not be alone. But, now she would not be alone now that she is to be in a pack, and now she has Star, and a new friend, hopefully Dovev accepted her as a friend. She liked him, and hoped they could be much more someday.
His tongue ran the top length of his lip as he studied her, again listening to her lull-like speech. He was never good at a sudden burst of emotion as Esperanza had showed, but he tried to deal with it in the calmest manner possible. It seemed to have helped Bones, before.
Swiftcurrent will be your new home, Dovev replied with a small bob of his skull. It wouldn't be easy to forget such a harrowing tale as this female spoke of, but Dovev had seen, and participated in, some gruesome acts. There was no room for sunshine and flowers in a wolf's world. Survival wasn't easy. It was hard enough finding something to eat, for it was at nature's whim and no one else's.
The male lifted his head, looking west towards Swiftcurrent's realm. The storm had reached over the mountains and was blowing faint gusts upon the aspens. But she had seemed to calm down. Perhaps now she would talk more about her assets to the pack.
What can you do as a healer?
She looked to him and nodded as her eyes soon looked to Dovev as eyes shown kindness and sincerity as she spoke. "Well, I can do working with illness and something major such as gashes." She had found many plants that resmbled those of her homeland, it would work nicely for her as she lied down and looked to the clouds. Her emerald eyes focusing on the world as she couldn't help but think about Dovev as well as her family.
His banner waved airily in the breeze, and he grinned. I don't think we have a healer yet, the brute said with a merry tone. I'm sure your expertise will be valued.
They had begun to walk away from Duck Lake, skirting the wide crystal-blue bowl that seemed to reflect the sky's color within it. The aspen grove faded and turned back into rich green grass, and the scent of Swiftcurrent wolves were beginning to crisscross upon their tips. The border wasn't far away, and all the smells alluded the area as heavily trafficked and patrolled. He glanced over his shoulder at the colorful, inquisitive green eyes that Esperanza held, and stopped. She was a stark splash of night against the backdrop of rolling gray-blue mountains and clouded skies.
I hope you're excited to join the pack.
Esperanza smiled when she was told about the pack. She was happy, for it would be nice to have another family again and she wouldn't have to be bored all the time. Besides hunting, healing was her strong suit as well. While she was traveling she worked with many plants and what could be used. Like poppy seed, which could be used to ease pain and help the one hurt sleep. Her emerald eyes shimmered as they met Dovev's gaze. "Yes, I am very excited."