@Supernova Edit; Since Supernova didn't reply for close than a week, All Welcome!
Scarlett waded through the shallow waters of Otatso Wetlands. Now spring was warming up the waters it was quite pleasant to wade through them. Scarlett was out for little prey. She didn't know why but she got fed up with all the rabbits and hares she ate recently that was why she had fed on a small army of frogs today. Maybe she found a beaver or raccoon as a bigger meal of today. If not that didn't matter. Her pack was so close to becoming something final. She was liking the idea of being an alpha more and more.
Scarlett saw her future as something bright. Kove helped by being most of that bring happy light of her future. She loved him dearly. The white male had stolen her heart, even though she would happily give it to him. Scarlett's nose was close to the ground, sniffing out frogs that were slowly appearing since winter had come to an end.
The wandering would always seem to wander, as Boone had taken to in the latter half of his life so-far. He had stopped here and there, made plenty companions along the way, but nothing yet had stolen the lone wolfdog's complete fancy. His heart always yearned for something he could not quite identify. He was a simple guy after all—how hard should happiness be to find?
He saw the pale wolf before he smelled her. She was upwind of him, giving him the disadvantage, though he did not balk at the prospect. His paws had turned gray from wandering through the cold mire most of the day, but his extensive traveling did not mean he could not be social. He was interested in what she could have been searching for when there were no recent trails of any mammals in their vicinity. He could only smell frogs and snakes.
"Hello, ma'am," he greeted her politely, with his pinkish ears pressed forward and his thin tail hanging lankly against his hocks.
The red eyed female scraped her paw over the muddy grounds until a fat frog caught behind her paw and flipped over. Scarlett was quick to picked it up. She chewed on the amphibian with an open mouth before swallowing. She moved one meter further to find another one. She was just about to bite it when someone spoke up. Her head lifted and the fat frog quickly jumped into a nearby pool. Scarlett moved her pink tongue past her maw to minimize the blood on her muzzle. A kind smile tugged on her lips, not bitter that the frog escaped, there were so many of them.
She liked the frogs as a light snack. Easy to get, too. "Oh, hello!," she greeted kindly. The pale stranger in front of her went through a scan by her blood colored eyes. He didn't seem to be 100% wolf but also not like those dogs either. Frankly, Scarlett liked the dogs, she wanted to help but they were all so timid towards her. They saw her as a monster. This one didn't, otherwise he wouldn't have greeted her. "Also here for some quick frog snacking?," Scarlett wondered. She remembered how she learned Néa to catch frogs. Her little Néa. She would be close to being one year old. How the time flies.
When she looked up at him, it wasn't with malice or fear towards his pedigree, which he expected at all times but was glad when it wasn't the case. Boone wanted nothing more than to be a social creature, even if his upbringing had not elicited a social life. He smiled slightly, if only because his mother had taught him it was the polite thing to do.
"Nah. Never snacked on no frogs before," he drawled, stepping closer to her but keeping a comfortable distance so that she would not feel threatened... or so he would not easily be physically rebuffed. "Where I come from the frogs are poison and the toads make you hallucinate," he smirked and shrugged, having never been interested in amphibian snacking before.
"They any good?"
Scarlett looked with a certain fondness of the stranger. He had knowledge about wildlife and to her, as a naturalist, that interested her. She never realized that frogs and toads could be poisonous. She never gotten ill from eating them. "How interesting!," she exclaimed. "What are the lands you are coming from, not the North then?" Scarlett always lived in the north. It was the frogs that kept her alive when she couldn't hunt yet. Those were the little extras that would get her through the day. Now she liked them as a snack.
"Would be interesting, to hallucinate, I mean. For research purposes of course," she chuckled. Scarlett sniffled over the ground and then scraped away some dirt. The red eyed female grabbed the toad and then placed it at the stranger's feet. "Try it. It is rather unusual. Maybe you should take a second one since the first one can be a bit weird." She took few steps back to give the other his space again. "I'm Scarlett, by the way. What is your name?"
"I'm from the South—plenty full moons from here." He couldn't be sure if her interest in him was genuine or not, but despite his learned behavior not to trust, he found himself doing it anyway without really meaning to. Boone wasn't completely at ease with her, though nor did he seem tense. His golden eyes, the two different shades that they were, held her in friendly regard nonetheless.
He shook his head slightly at her interest in hallucinating, and he smiled mildly—a crooked thing, that pulled up on only one side of his broad muzzle. "I'm not keen on havin' a episode, m'self... But I heard it's different for everyone. Some cowboys can handle it, some cain't." Boone shrugged. He was a pretty conservative fellow; he had no intention of being without his wits for any period of time.
The pale dog watched her, the red-eyed stranger, as she deposited a toad at his feet. He sniffed it, unimpressed with the amphibious scent, but she had recommended it, and Boone wasn't about to be impolite. He nosed it as she backed away, a skeptical look across his practical face, and he looked up again when she introduced herself. "Boone," he rasped lightly, and dipped his head towards the toad. "Thanks, Scarlett." And he took his first bite.
It was unpleasantly squishy and devoid of the usual fur on the prey he was used to—but it didn't taste bad. He supposed in desperate times, he wouldn't mind eating a bumpy toad or two. Boone chewed with a strange look on his face—one between interest and bad taste—but he licked his chops when he was finished, and then angled his head towards Scarlett once again. "Not bad... Not good either, but it ain't bad," he chuckled.
Scarlett had never been 'south' for her Teekon was already quite south. She did hear a lot of things about it. How the landscape was totally different, and how there were different species of wildlife. "More full moons you say? Is that because the clouds aren't hiding the moon?," she wondered. She often thought about the weather and how the patterns affected them. She looked up when the wolf spoke about something she never heard before. "What are Cowboys?" Scarlett had never heard someone talk about that, but she also never met anyone from the south. Maybe that was why.
Scarlett bobbed her head courtly and then dug up another frog for herself. She quite liked the variety that came with these lands. You could hunt otter, beaver and even rats. But also, amphibians and snakes. Although, there also were mountain lions in this area, or so she was told. Scarlett had yet to encounter one here in the wetlands. She did saw some pawprints. The frog was swallowed with a smile, especially since Boone pulled a funny face while eating it. "It is a matter of getting used to it. Plus at this time of the year they are a very easy catch." Frankly, Scarlett would try anything to eat. "I do prefer deer meat."
Scarlett's red eyes glanced curiously over the male, the male that did not look fully wolf. The female was not judging him for it. She had been judged for her coat and eye color for most of her life. "I take it you are all alone then? If not please correct me," the female wondered. While her coat scented of Kove and her other packmates it meant that she belonged somewhere. That wasn't the same for this male.
"I ain't mean it like that," he smiled slightly. He often went misunderstood, having been raised within a quite remote area full of feral and uneducated southwest wolves, but he had also been taught by his mother, who was originally from the north. "Down south it's clear skies most oft, but we git the same amount of full moons as anywhere I s'pose." He shrugged, not exactly sure of his accuracy on the subject, but he hardly thought it mattered. "It's just the way I learned to measure my days—all I meant was that I seen plenty full moons before I got here. Wherever here is."
"And er... cowboy is just a term from where I was born. Those who did the hardest work—y'know, leadin' hunts, patrols, fightin' off trouble an' such—they was called cowboys." No one had asked him before what it had meant and he hadn't considered it foreign from northern vernacular; but Boone supposed he hadn't lived long enough or been enough places to know everything there was to know. "That's definitely an acquired taste," he chuckled, a rumbling sound in his throat that emerged as a scratchy sound because of the half-hidden wounds around his neck. "But I appreciate you learnin' me somethin' new today."
Boone licked his jaws once more, ridding himself of what juicy toad remained around his lips. He looked at her, just in the same way she surveyed him, but when their eyes met he glanced away quickly, as if he were shy or embarrassed. The wolfdog cleared his throat. "I am," he nodded, then turned mis-matched eyes back on her after a while. "You smell like a pack yourself. Y'all stay nearby?"
[size=x-small]I am falling in love with this thread more and more! :D[/size]
Scarlett already thought more full moons were a strange thing. She was learned that there was only one moon that kept returning. But the male then corrected that it was of the clear skies. That was what Scarlett thought too. The north had different weather patterns than the south, as far as she heard. "This region is called Teekon Wilds," the red eyed female explained. "And that is very wise of your mother. I think most wolves learn to tell the days by the moon. At least I did. See we do have some things in common!," she joked.
Scarlett's ears popped up with interest when he explained the word 'cowboy' to her. In general this male was really interesting Scarlett. "Oh! I get it. That is a cool name for a hard worker," she returned. "But anyone can be a cowboy right? It is not like the word alpha?" Most alpha's were hard working. Scarlett was one herself. She liked to work for her pack and have everything in order. She nodded when he stated that she scented of a pack. It might be a shock to the other when she would mention she was the leader of that said pack. Scarlett didn't act higher or better than other wolves just because she owned her own pack.
"Its close-ish. The other end of this big valley actually, half a day walk, few hour trot. It is a remote valley. You could say a valley within a valley?," she laughed because it sounded rather weird, but that was how she could describe it best. "It is rather secluded, only one entrance into the valley, and that path down is littered with huge boulders and trees. But once you are at the end of the path it is so beautiful and peaceful. I love it there. It is called Bearclaw Valley," Scarlett spoke. After that, she couldn't help it but mention it anyways and spoke; "I'm the alpha female." Scarlett said it with such glee and light-heartedness that it didn't sound arrogant or vain at all.
OOC: Me too :D Scarlett is sweet as sugar!
IC: He smiled as she related to him—even in something as miniscule as day-tracking—but it was a sheepish sort of look, as if he were entirely unused to the camaraderie. "Oh, sure anyone can be a cowboy, Miss Scarlett—er cowgirl, depending on who you're talkin' to. It can be a term of endearment too, for anyone you might meet wit' a cowboy's composition. Don't even have to mean nothin' special." The dusty wolfdog perked his ears slightly and smiled more confidently. "You kinda just know a cowboy when you see 'em."
As she explained about her home, Boone found himself listening as if he were hearing an interesting tale for the first time. He was keen on the way she talked about her home, with such reverence and inclusion, it was hard not to like the place on her description alone. She tossed in the fact that she led the place afterwards, and his expression was marginally surprised before easing back into one of neutral bemusement. "Coulda mentioned that one a bit sooner, Miss Scarlett. Now I feel a bit foolish for not bein' a bit more cordial," he smirked. As if he had not been polite enough.
Her admission of her rank, however genteel and sweet she had presented it, had drastically changed his view of her. He had been mistreated by the leadership of his home, resented them all his life, but his mother had encouraged him to never be anything but respectful towards the upper echelons of wolf hierarchy. He was uncomfortable now, though it didn't show, and he wondered how long it would be before her packmates came looking for her and assumed the worse of a mud-blooded, dog-looking wolf.
"I can tell you really love your home," he mentioned quietly, unwilling to let his paranoid mind get the better of him in a so-far pleasant situation. This place was not Red View. "Do you stay there with your family?"
Ooc: She is! She likes meeting new wolves! :D
Scarlett hummed happily and sat down across from him. She trusted him enough now that she could sit down and casually chat with the male. Scarlett hummed fondly because he called her Miss Scarlett. That was what Adlartok always called her. It had such a nice ring to it. She really liked it. "Miss Scarlett. That is what one of the youngsters in my pack always calls me," she spoke to him on a tone that made clear she liked that. The pale female nodded briefly. "Oh So I am a cowgirl. Nice. I will make sure to look for cowboys. I'm sure they are rare but, that means I will just have to hang out more with you," she stated, making it clear that she was comfortable in his presence.
Scarlett instantly shook her head. "Oh no. Please. I don't carry my title as I am more important than others. I know I can't be liked by everyone. In fact I have been bullied for a long time, longer than I have been freed from it. I gave me the knowledge of reading other wolves and if they mean something or not. In the end, I recently became alpha female since our pack recently started. I am still getting adjusted to my role. I don't deserve any extra treatment, Boone. I am just like you," She assured. A kind smile tugged on her lips. Even her blood colored eyes looked friendly enough. She was pleased that didn't scare him in the first place.
Scarlett did really love her new home. Even though they had a mild hiccup already it was settled now. She was in love with the territory and the members of her pack. "I do. No. I am glad I am not living with my family since they gave me my troubled past. I live there with my boyfriend, who is the alpha male, and the pack members are our friends, and lone wolves that joined."
Listening and talking with Scarlett reminded Boone somewhat of the things his mother would often say to him, especially after being teased or attacked. She would tell him that not all wolves hated his blood (she had loved his half-blooded father, after all) and that he would meet those who cared only for the good that was inside of him. He didn't believe her while staying in Red View, but after her death and his consequential abandonment of his birthpack, he had found her words to be more and more true the more he traveled.
He had met an equal amount of haters as he did those who didn't mind, and this particular female was unexpectedly making it clear that not everyone was out to get him. She assured him that she didn't see herself as better than him because of her rank, which struck him as odd considering he'd been raised in a place where rank was tantamount to life itself, but he did not knock her perspective. Rather, it made him grin.
"I can see why you lead Bearclaw Valley then. You're just as selfless as they come," he commented idly, his thin tail swaying back and forth slowly.
He tipped his head curiously as she mentioned her family (or lack thereof) and he made a noncommittal noise in the back of his raspy throat. "Family's a relative term, anyway. The Valley will be more family to you than your blood relatives ever were, I'm guessin'. No problem wit' that." He smiled again, scarred cheeks crinkling as he regarded the female kindly. It had been a while since he had had a conversation as pleasant as this.
Scarlett nodded to confirm what he was stating. She was probably the most selfless wolf that lived in these wilds. Recently she got her boyfriend upset because she forgot to eat. She was so driven in taking care of him and her two youngsters that she forgot about feeding herself. It had been her stomach cramps that reminded her, her own body needed food. She was trying to hunt for herself too. Having two teenagers that were both injured were quite the work to take care of. Scarlett did it with all the love in the world though. "I am probably the most selfless wolf in these wilds," she admitted. "But somehow that didn't sound modest or selfless?," she then chuckled.
Scarlett smiled at that. "Oh you are most definitely right," she returned. "I hope the wolves in my pack will become a family," she admitted. That was her goal along with having a little family of herself. But for that Kove would need to ask her to be his mate first. She wouldn't want to end up pregnant without being mated. The shame. She would do it properly. She couldn't wait to have her little ones. "Aren't you lonely?," she asked quietly. It was that she had Adlartok with her when she was kicked out but otherwise she had been terribly lonely.
"Hey, no one said you had t'be modest about it," he smiled, though avoided anything extra in case it seemed like he was flirting. Boone was a self-conscious canine and respectful of another man's claim; though he could see himself being incredibly fond of Scarlett, he could not find it within himself to act like it. This may not have been entirely due to respect either, because Boone had only courted one female in his entire life, and he suppose he hadn't done that very well as she had chosen another wolf in the end.
He was not eager to repeat the process, at any rate.
He nodded knowingly at her concern, but didn't seem to share her sentiment on the subject. "What's not to like about bein' family with you?" That, he felt, was overstepping and the expression that followed, although friendly, was slightly more sheepish than anything else. "I mean, o'course, that you'll do great, Miss Scarlett. No need to fret," he clarified, clearing his throat afterwards.
A pregnant pause happened between them, not the uncomfortable kind, and then she asked him in a hushed voice if he was lonely. Boone considered the question for a moment—he looked at her thoughtfully, and then turned his head towards the horizon. "Not most days. I try not to be, an' I don't think on it too much..." He took a long breath, because now he had been forced to think about it at Scarlett's mention of it.
Of course the lone ranger life was lonely, but not many had proved very friendly towards his blood in the past, and he had avoided forming bonds with anyone because he felt like a burden or as if he weren't an actual wolf. "Companions don't come easy 'round me. They say I look too much like a dog, even if y'can't tell by the muddy scent of my blood. I cause trouble where I go—an' not because I'm mean or nothin'. It's just who I was born to be... A walkin' talkin' target."
He laughed, to show his good nature, but it wasn't really a joke to him.
Scarlett grinned at his reply, she was in general pretty modest. But she wouldn't return an answer back to him if she would correct him it might seem like she wasn't. She would best show him through her actions. She did gave him a frog after all. The red eyed female laughed softly. "Well if you want I believe we still have a spot left in Bearclaw Valley. I wouldn't mind having a cool cowboy like you around! Thank you, Boone. I always do my very best," Scarlett returned, completely oblivious to any other signs than friendship.
Slowly Scarlett started to frown when the wolf-dog sounded like he had low self esteem. Scarlett could see a bit of her in him. When she arrived her she had been a mess but ever since others believed in her she had grown more confident. She wouldn't want Boone to think that he would never had friends because he was part dog. "I strongly disagree. You can't think of yourself like a walking target because you will be treated like one. You just haven't met the right wolves yet. I was the same for me, Boone. My family was horrible to me because of my looks. I was a monster because I had red eyes and white fur. I was slowly believing I was one over the time. They didn't believe I could survive but I did all these years. That probably made them believe even more that I was a demon of some sorts. Here wolves don't judge me. You shouldn't feel that way about yourself because I think you are a pleasure to be around."
Scarlett smiled with all the kindness in the world, wanting him to feel different about himself. Her offer was still standing for him to be welcome in her pack. She was sure Kove would like this fellow too, if she could say she knew her boyfriend well enough for that.
Though he seemed uplifted by her words, Boone had so few experiences with happiness in his life that he was having a hard time conforming to Scarlett's optimistic viewpoint. She had been mistreated too, and had come into Teekon a much more depreciated character than she was now. But he could only take her word for it—and as pleasant as Boone could be, he wasn't a typically trusting fellow. That being said, the red-eyed female had been nothing but kind to him since the moment their eyes had met, and he had no reason to treat her words as if they were cruel lies.
The dog just smiled and shrugged.
"We'll see how I get along 'round here then. I'm not worried, really. I can take plenty good care of myself." But he had also heard her offer of a home in Bearclaw Valley, and he wasn't keen on denying such a generous offer. "I'd like to visit you in your home some day, if I'm welcome. Maybe see if I might like t'call it my home. You've been really kind to me, Miss Scarlett. It'd be a pleasure servin' you."
Scarlett smiled once more. It was something the wolfess did a lot. Her red eyes glinting in excitement. "Well I am glad you do. But that is why you are a cowboy, right? Since you are a hard worker and all," she spoke, complimenting him. She ruffled her coat. He paws muddy because she was digging up the frogs as a snack. Her ears perked up with interest and tipped her had a bit as his suggestion. She remembered from DFG that they didn't allow anyone inside. But now she was alpha. She was in a bit of a conflict. Scarlett licked her maw. She wasn't sure if she should do that. Word might spread they gave tours and that was not something she wanted.
"Well it is a valley with steep walls if you call for me it will echo and I will hear it. I could give you a top view from the valley, but not an inside look. I'm sorry. I rather like rumors that we are un reachable and live with bears instead of a rumor that we give tours through our wonderful valley," Scarlett spoke in returned. "Would that suffice? A top view?"
Want to fade here? I will tag you in a new thread when he comes to visit her again ;D
He snorted at her answer, and a small laugh followed.
"Well I ain't no gossipin' hen, I'll tell ya what, but I'd be mighty obliged to a balcony view, Miss Scarlett." His wiry tail wagged as he bobbed his head in ascension.
"You feelin' much like a hunt with a cowboy, miss? I could definitely use somethin' warmer on my belly than a few bumpy toads, what say you?"
Yes! I will archive it! :D Thank you for this awesome thread!
Scarlett nodded happily. She was glad Boone accepted.
"I'm glad. I will await your howl." Scarlett looked in surprise at the other and then nodded.
"I was about to offer the same! Can you read minds?," She teased.
"I'm the gamekeeper of our pack so I think I can help you with that." Scarlett's tail flickered in excitement as she got back to her fours. She walked with Boone to scout of any possible prey, to later hunt and eat.