Wolf RPG

The mountains had not proven to be worth the time they took to scale.

Haru had wandered down to the base and then eastward until he had found a rough patch of thick forestry and brambles that dug into his skin. He’d grunted and groaned until he had found his way into a small clearing. Having arrived there, the thief had little intention of moving on. The idea of pushing through the prickly brush for several miles prickled his skin with irritation.

To top it all off, he was still hungry. That man on the mountain and his games… Haru rolled his eyes at the thought of the deer carcass they’d been pining after. His mouth salivated at the memory of its bloated stomach and the smell of meat on its bones.

The coyote sighed and settled onto his belly with an exasperated huff. A simple break, then he could move on.

Tierra didn't really plan on heading straight back home, but she had gotten a little bored. It wasn't like she had to stay, but she wanted to see the looks on her siblings' faces when she told some of the stories she had to share. Spiced up to make her part seem a whole lot cooler, of course.

She could tell, innately, which way home was. It wasn't something she could really describe, just a feeling that turned into familiarity once she hit ground she knew. Obviously she recognized the Bramblepoint. But she absolutely did not recognize the wolf who she spotted in it as she trotted by.

She almost missed him there, lying down. Kinda scrawny, she thought a little smugly, though he had cute ears. Maybe she could have some fun before she got back to the Caldera. It wasn't like they were expecting her.

Hey. She let her tail swish behind her, lifting her head with a cocky smile. What's up? My name's Tierra. There was no way she'd ever claim Sapsucker. Just imagining the tree jokes made her skin crawl.

Ah, but the thief was not alone in the brambles and wild woodland. A stranger approached him, trotting forward with a cloak of black and red. Haru could hardly help himself from watching her. She seemed young, though she did approach with a friendly wave of her tail and a bright expression.

When the young girl asked him ‘what’s up,’ Haru giggled warmly.

Oh, ya know… just enjoying some rest’n relaxation here in this… fine… place, the thief answered, realizing that it wasn’t the sort of place that he’d have taken a nice lady. It really wasn’t the most ideal place to have stopped. Beggars and choosers, he apathetically chased such thoughts from his mind.

Say, Tierra, that’s a real nice name. I’m Haru. You uh- you from ‘round here?

She didn’t really look as though she belonged in the bramble bushes, but perhaps she had a home in one of the claimed territories in the area.

Tierra gave him, and the place, a look that clearly demonstrated how "fine" she thought it was. Yeah, I was from nearby. I've been off and traveling, though. There wasn't really anyone there who could keep up. She flipped her tail and grinned. No way either of her lame siblings would have been down to go with her.

Are you with some pack here? She hoped not. He didn't smell like a Redhawk, but if he was, that'd be a little awkward.

The young girl mentioned that she had been with a pack, she’d gone off traveling. It sounded to Haru like she was a go-getter. That was fine, but he couldn’t imagine the pace she must have kept, to be outrunning the others who had sought to go with. Fire licked at her heels, he imagined with a crinkle of his nose and a small snicker.

The crimson-coated figure asked if he was apart of a pack in the area.

Haru shook his head.

Naw, I’m kinda a one-man show. Can’t seem to keep company, ya know? The thief squinted at the young lady. The characteristic lazy grin swept one half of his mouth.

Yeah? Is that a you problem or a them problem? She asked, guessing internally but keeping her own hypothesis to herself. Usually if someone didn't have friends it meant no one had a good reason to want to stick around. She, on the other hand, would never have to worry about that.

He was cocky though. She appreciated that, though she wasn't sure she liked the way he'd snickered when she told him about her trip. Felt a little judgy, as if he was one to talk. Sure, Ears.

Haru chuckled earnestly.

Y’know I can’t be sure, little lady. ‘m not much of uhh get up’n go kinda guy. I like to take it easy.

The coyote shrugged his shoulders. He’d sooner scavenge than he would chart a course for a hunt of his own. Rabbits and beavers were easy enough, on the right day. The thief was more inclined to find a place in the sun where he could relax.

I’d guess most folks are lookin for someone who’ll work hard for ‘em. Life’s hard enough, I say.

Haru looked back toward Tierra with a small smile upon his lips. She had a self-assured nature about her that he couldn’t help but admire. If he didn’t know any better, he would have guessed that she was a thief. He wondered how hard it would have been to scrounge up a few members to form a guild.

And you? Are ya in the business of runnin’ ahead of most folks?

So he was kind of useless to her, huh?

Tierra's interest level dropped immensely when she realized he had a similar mindset to hers. She preferred to be the user, not the used, and he definitely wasn't worth the effort of impressing. Not if he was just a bum who wouldn't be much good for anything.

Mostly, she said, a little haughtily. I don't have time to wait around for losers who don't want to even try and keep up. And so far, I haven't met anyone who even could. Or who wanted to try, but that was the part she'd leave unsaid. She had a habit of stringing and dropping once she'd gotten what she wanted, but right now, she hadn't sorted out exactly what she might want from him.

Haru was pretty much useless to most folks. Unless they found him charming for a short moment, which didn’t happen often enough for his liking.

Tierra gave a response that caused the thief to chuckle. She sure had some spirit, that much was for sure. The coyote had never really come across someone who was so ahead of the curve. Haru wondered if he needed to branch out a bit and try to find better company. Then again, he wasn’t sure if he would have wanted to hang around someone who was so ‘go, go, go’ all the time.

Don’t ya get tired? he asked with a curious tilt of his head. The goofy half-smile still adorned his narrow snout.

Tierra snorted. No! Obviously. That was a straight up lie. It was simple enough that she might have been able to pass off the appearance, but of course, she had to continue. I left my stupid brother and sister behind easy enough. And now I get to rub their noses in the awesome time they missed out on, next time I see them.

She didn't notice, but the insult wasn't quite as punchy... and there was a hint of something else behind the statement. Sure, she'd rub their noses in it... if she found them. And that was proving to be a little harder than she'd first anticipated.