Wolf RPG

He tried to catch some fog. He mist.

Something like that. What'd really happened was he was out at the lake, minding his own business, when all of a sudden the weather lifted and the sun parted just enough to dissolve a little bit of the perpetual fog that hovered around the center of the lake. His tongue was on the surface of the water, just about to lap when out of the corner of his vision something dark appeared. 

No. It was not a sun spot. Nor was it the shadow of another wolf joining him on the shore. Just there. In the distance. There she rose. A lone, tall, magnificent evergreen rising like a spire out of the mist like some glorious beacon calling him home. He gazed upon her as he sipped his drink. Then the sun slipped behind the cover of clouds and it's green giant was no more. 

What was seen could not be unseen. There, fused with his vision was the lone tree on which he could imagine others stood, still hidden beneath the misty veil. There was something beneath that fog, he knew. It would just be a matter of testing these waters and swimming the distance that needed to be swum. An obstacle. A moat of circumstance for such a fair lady of the earth. Surely some other brave knight would wish to accompany him. Kero threw back his head and howled an invitation. 

Then he plunged, striding into the water to begin this quest. 

It was no Knight that answered his call.

He got one better.

The woman-King had been stalking the borders from above, hawkish in her observation; mountain dwellers had the best idea of what a birds-eye view was, and Tonravik was getting just that. The burly wolf would see any approaching from miles off, unless they came from the Forest in which case they would have the cover of the wood. But she did not cover that ground, the forest on the other end. Here was a clear-cut clearing, many miles spanning before the roaring river that separated the Caldera and the Spine.

His howl called to her attention. In Iqniqs time here, he had proved to be an asset already, coming to arms when the coyotes came to take their kill. She had even found his decoration at the border, which she had appreciated. She picked at the meat, leaving nothing to the scavengers but bones and its lifeless, glassy eyes.

Coyote bones were too fragile for her liking.

Tonravik moved toward the lake, watching the flame slip slowly into the waters. Tonravik herself entered the chilly waters, lapping at the waters to slake her thirst, and her eyes looked to her subordinate. What had he found?

Kodiak was not curious in the playful sense one might attribute to a pup or more carefree spirit, but he was keen to know the goings-on around him, and thus could not ignore Kero's call when he heard it. He wanted to know what the russet male had found, and so picked his way toward him at a fast jog. As was becoming customary, the black Alpha arrived on scene first, the pair starting to tread the lake's water. The brown bear joined them with a chuff, slipping into the water between them, so casually that it did not appear to be anything more than him just joining them for whatever may come. He slyly flicked his tongue once against his leader's chin, for submission was a great excuse to touch, and then his fiery eyes turned expectantly to Kero. "What is it?"

The water was cold. The first foot or so had been gently warmed by the sun, but past that the water was frigid. His toes were turning blue, he was sure of it, but in his stubbornness he was going to make it to that island where he could dry off and warm up or he was going to drown trying and feed the fishes as a final act of goodwill in life.

Sounded like a win-win.

He liked the water and was damn near a fish in it. He couldn't catch fish for shit, but he could certainly swim like one. Or close. He paddled, passing through the touchable shallows and into the depths without second glance. The sooner he found what he was looking for, the better.

He didn't notice Toni slip into the waters behind him. She paused to lap at its surface. Kero was well on his way and not looking back. That was, until, the bear of a wolf joined them as well, raising his voice in question. With all the splashing that came with the swimming and the distance between the new explorers and his location in the water, Kero almost missed the inquiry. Almost.

One glance over his shoulder and he spotted the pair. Tonravik and her newly acquired shadow. That wasn't annoying at all.

Either way, he ignored the question and pressed on. As soon as they found that island, their inquiries would be answered.

Kodiak moved between them, and Kerosene was already off. The brown bear appeased the dominant wolf with his submissive gesture, and Tonravik rumbled pleasantly. The question he asked was not responded to, but she sensed that Iqniq had heard him. A toothy grin exposed itself on her features, a rare expression indeed. He was learning. The normally mouthy russet wolf said nothing, and it pleased her. She could only assume his lack of response was a guarantee that he had seen something. Wild goose chases that ended without the goose being dealt with properly led to Tonravik personifying the person who led the chase as that very goose. And then, they were dealt with.

The sun was high today, and the cool waters were the balm she needed. She continued to walk through the shallow waters until they became quite deep. That was when she began to paddle, powerful limbs dragging through the waters. Tonravik felt the tickle of a fin beneath her paw and looked downward. The waters were crystalline and clear, and she could see many a fish beneath them even despite the wake Iqniq left. While seeing below was easy enough, seeing ahead of her was difficult; a thick shroud of fog drifted past them, over the island she had yet to note. She had yet to investigate the nuances of the Spine, possessively marking it and keeping it protected her first priority, especially given recent events. 

She was appeased by his gesture and he was satisfied by the rumble of pleasure she returned. The feeling of satisfaction was however short lived, as Kodiak had a dominant streak that was not tolerant of being ignored, although the less feral and more logical side of his brain suggested nothing was meant by it, that his russet packmate was showing the same focus he was familiar with among his fellow Tartok, and knew within himself. He had seen something, and was bent on getting to it. So, fine, the brown bear shook his head and swam after him.

Kodiak was a strong swimmer, broad paws effectively serving as paddles as his thick limbs powered him through the water. The brown bear was indifferent to the clear liquid, neither preferring it nor minding it. He sought it when he was thirsty or too warm, otherwise, he did not think of it. He was not a fisher, his robust figure better suited to dragging down big game than nimbly plucking fish from the water. He cared for fish only to know that they were there, that other animals depended on them, which may be of consequence to him.

The fog that hung across the water soon enveloped the trio within it.

Their swim descended into fog. It enveloped them, wrapping around their swimming forms as they pressed forward into the mist. Kerosene navigated as best he could. The veil of low clouds concealed the natural elements and landmarks he'd anchored the cardinal directions to. Here, he could not locate the rising sun in the east nor the setting sun in the west. He could not orient himself to the mountains or other visuals. Instead he'd paid attention to his paddling, pressing his eyes closed here and there. He was favoring his right side. If he compensated with his left within this fog, his course would remain true.

The whiteness bled to shadow. Kero continued paddling until his feet made contact with the rocky bottom of the shore. He stood and continued walking, rising onto the island as it began to reveal its secrets. He shook out his coat of flame, tossing the water from its depths and freeing his fur from its clutches. His nose lowered, scenting the soft earth as he pressed his eyes closed and lifted his head. Kero listened with his ears, merging it with the information he'd acquired from his nose. Then he pressed forward between the spires of trees.

They paddled for a great length of time. But this lake was easier to swim within than the oceans she had trained in, and so her muscles did not ache too terribly. It was a test of endurance and as the fog drifted, her will. There was no end in sight. She was trusting of only the wolves she let into the fold. Tonravik trusted, then, that Iqniq was not suicidal. The alpha listened for him, hearing him ahead... and then heard a change of movement. Tonravik, here, could only smell water; even Iqniq could not be smelled above that, and so she trusted her ears. She had little use of her eyes in this fog.


But Tonravik, too, soon felt her paws brush against land beneath her. Two seconds after, she could stand. The leader waded through the lake, rocks rolling backward as she pushed through until the water was only around her ankles. She paused, able to see land ahead, and her ears cupped forward. She could hear Iqniq moving, but before she continued too much further, Tonravik listened for other things. Quietly she walked forward, dipping her nose to full earth, the water lapping at only her heels now. They had not gone in a circle; this was land uncharted.

When Kodiak's paws scraped the ground as the depth of the lake gave way to the shallows, he understood what Iqniq had saw and where he was going. The fog had hidden from them this island, and as he emerged from the water he gave his grizzled brown coat a vigorous shake. His packmates' noses dropped to the earth, but Kodiak rose his muzzle and breathed in the breeze, catching whiffs of deer.

Efficiency was trained within him, and so he spread out from his packmates, travelling in the same direction as Iqniq, but at some distance so that he did not cover the ground the russet male had. He was still within ear-shot of his comrades, and could even catch glimpses of them periodically. It was now that his muzzle dipped to the ground, switching between testing the breeze and picking up the combination of fresh and trace scents.

His nose was still damp. He sneezed, attempting to clear the water from his senses so he might better glimpse at the promise of this place. He didn't know what to expect. As with traversing all new terrain, he took caution, picking a nimble path through the trees as he realized they would quickly become separated in this fog. The air was just as wet. It was difficult to smell anything at all through these low hanging clouds. Kero doubled back.

He returned to find Tonravik lingering in the shallows. He slipped through the mist, knowing full well his lighter coat would be harder to see within this fog. He pressed closer towards her, just close enough for him to catch glimpse of him before he tipped his head inland and suggested she joined. He waited for a moment, curious as to what she might do before he turned his head elsewhere. Kodiak seemed to have disappeared. Kero could only pray that pup would not find trouble, nor spook whatever locals may linger in the veil.

Tonravik watched Kodiak drift in another direction, her eyes lingering on his form up until the very point the fog took him. She stepped out of the water then, and shook out her furs to get the water off of it. The beads flew off in every direction, leaving Tonravik looking unkempt. An ear leaned toward Iqniq as she heard him padding toward her, and when he broke through the thick, gray wall she sniffed absently at the air.

The leader noted his suggestion and obliged him, her eyes not bothering to roam. They could not break this fog, or see past it... but that very mist was now beginning to roll away. Tonravik paused, able to see things far more clearly, and she looked beside her to see a tall pine-tree, and then around her she noted many, many more.

He stole through the fog, a lion on the prowl, his interest not on the trees that sheltered the island but on the scents beneath them. The brown bear had honed in on the deer, his keen nose and eyes deciphering the story of residency written in the gradient of freshness in their scat, in the trails worn bare from continued use, in the depression left by slumbering bodies. There were the bigger tracks of males, the smaller of females, and the smallest of fawns. If nothing else, the island supported a herd of deer, a valuable source of food that appeared to be contained, unlike other herds which may move in and out of a wolf's territory.

He had lost visual track of his packmates as he descended further, but worried not, for he knew he could track himself back and pick up their trail should he need, and he knew also they would not be so far that he could not hear a bark or howl. But the fog was beginning to lift, and his nose lifted from the ground as his fiery eyes caught glimpse of Iqniq and Tonravik between the stately trees. He quietly loped toward them, keeping his voice quiet as he reported his observations.

"There is a herd of deer living here," he shared. "They have worn trails, beds. I have picked up tracks of bucks, does and their young."

The fog was clearing. There was a kindness to nature and in this moment, he appreciated it. Kero turned his eyes through the dark towers of trees that rose before them. He padded towards them, one step at a time as he searched through this new land and began to take a mental record of the area. He'd know this place soon enough. What he discovered now? He was certain to return on his own and better learn the lay of this hidden lands.

Kodiak returned. Kero's ears lifted, as his eyes fell upon the brown bear of a wolf. He reported his findings. Interesting. He'd not thought a place like this to be large enough for such at thing, but beneath this mist anything was possible. "How old?" he asked, wondering how fresh those scents were and if old, how far the herd might have traveled. "Any guess on size?" That he'd found success in finding those markers in the place suggested Kodiak had the makings of a true gamekeeper.

The only question left, was their intent here. To explore? Or to hunt? He wasn't so sure a kill in this place would be so easily shared. Floating a corpse across the waters to share with the rest of the pack sounded like hell, even between the three of them. 

Kodiak soon came to them, and she listened to his words. Tonravik, too, was surprised... but as she inhaled, she too noted the musk of prey among them. Her intent at the moment was not to hunt, however. It was instead to explore the land, learn it; the fog kept it hidden, and as the place was clear now it was a good time to do so. She was not so hungry as to need to hunt in that time, in any case; she just needed to know this place, so that when she wished to hunt she could.

Iqniq asked questions she surely would have, and she turned to the brown bear, curious too to all he had learned in his short time away. She knew the brown bear to be a seasoned tracker, better than most. Did he gain a number, from his search? Was it recent scat, or old, hardened? Tonravik looked to the loamy earth and noted tracks nearby, and turned from the duo (though her ears cupped backward to listen) to take some of her own notes. No doubt, one had come recently to take a drink; there was little reason for the population here to be discreet, given that those that hunted them had been absent for quite a time.

The deer's activity was concentrated, owing to the relative smallness of the island, which had made the brown bear's work quicker and easier. In more sprawling habitat it could take hours for him to untangle their weave of trails and find their beds and feeding areas, but here, they had been laid before him. That they were an unpressured population contributed to the ease of tracking them, for they were more secure in their movements and did not put so much effort into concealing them. That would surely change, once the wolves of the Spine placed them on the menu.

"There is both fresh and old scent, track, and scat." He reported. This was an indicator of repeated use, that the deer returned to this area time and time again. "As for size, I can tell only that there are adults and fawns, and that both bucks and does are present." The specifics of their exact size he did not know. Larger tracks tended to speak to the bigger bodied bucks (though this was not entirely reliable) and the smallest of tracks to the fawns (more so reliable). But there was also a more subtle difference between bucks and does. The hind track of a doe was inclined to fall outside her front track, for does had wider hips, while bucks were known to drag their toes, creating small drag marks flowing in direction they travelled.

"They don't just pass through here," he said, about to summarize what his findings meant, though his packmates may have been able to draw the same conclusion from what he shared. "They are living here. The island sustains them."

It was an island. In the back of his mind, he knew that. If there was any sign of prey here at all, it was likely to still be lingering somewhere within the fog. If neither Tonravik nor Kodiak knew anything of this place, then chances were good this herd had been here a while. He doubted the population of hoofed creatures would simply steal away into the night, risking a substantial swim and crossing through wolf territory to seek shelter elsewhere. The wolves of the spine would have noticed. No. Whatever lifted here, and recently, was still around.

Kero nodded, allowing a puff of fog to escape his nostrils as he turned his gaze elsewhere. "They're isolated," was all he had to add. It explained much. Why the spot Kodiak'd found was still so fresh. Why the herd held a healthy quantity of adults and little ones, males and females alike. On their own and undiscovered, they had room to grow without the threat of predation. It was an idyllic way of life... now discovered by the hunters. 

He found himself torn. To hunt... or to further map this island? Kero was restless. Hit tail flicked behind him as he realized his original intent; to explore this place. He was far more interested in the topography than the resting place of food that was trapped on an island. He wanted to know what else this place had to offer. Lifting his nose, he scented the thinning air and began following the waterline. He wanted to walk a lap around this place before he explored inward. 

Tonravik listened to the brown bear, and although her countenance was as impassive as ever, the flick of her ear and her attention upon him would allow him to know of her interest in his words. They had found themselves a goldmine, it would seem; a herd isolated from anywhere else, likely fat with their greed of having the whole of the land to themselves, and no thing to fear. Well, now, they would have one thing to fear...

But she resigned herself, deciding they would wait to reap the benefits of this land and first, discover it. Perhaps there was a reason, other than the fog shrouding the place, none had tread here. As Iqniq moved along the shoreline, Tonravik darted inland, toward another tree. She paused every now and again to sniff at the earth. No predator lurked here but the wolves themselves that the leader could smell.

His report heard, the pack split again to resume exploration. There could be other things to discover on this island, and so it was best they knew every inch. Iqniq moved to skirt the waterline, while their leader struck off further inland. The brown bear stood where he was for a few moments, before finally opting to trek inland as well rather than scout along the water in the opposite direction of the red male, meeting somewhere in the middle. He did not follow Tonravik, placing himself instead on a line equal distance from either packmate, ready to quickly move to either should something noteworthy be found.

This time, he did not focus on the deer's presence. He had figured out all that he needed to know about them. This time, he combed the earth and trees for scents of other predators, but like his leader, he was not finding any.

They spread out. Tonravik moved further inland, Kero hugged the shore and Kodiak lingered somewhere in between. Between the three of them, they could comb a fair amount of land and share their findings with ease. No doubt this place wasn't too terribly large. The fog couldn't have concealed so vast an area without detection for as long as this place had gone unnoticed. The wolves of the spine were observant enough not to have missed this isle. No. It couldn't be too big, but it was large enough for that herd. Maybe looks and logic were deceiving here.

Kero nosed along the shore, but turned his hunt into a visual sport. He caught whiffs of scents here and there, but this close to the shoreline he was mostly nose blind. Instead he listened to the way the lake waters lapped across the sands. He noticed a heron striding into the lake in the distance. Other birds chattered above him. Every now and then he picked up the snap of a twig beneath another's paw which reminded him he was not alone. This expedition was a team sport. He was trying to remember that.

After a quick jaunt around the edges, the shoreline was interrupted by a large formation of stones. Curious, Kero climbed the granite rocks and made his way to the top. There they were. The herd gathering for a drink at the water's edge. He watched them for a moment, before he shifted his body language to bare the semblance of his discovery. He retraced his steps and found his pack mates, silently indicating they join him atop the rock formation to get a better idea of what this island had to offer.

Of predators, her and Kodiak would soon see, none could be found. A light fog passed through, but thinned again. As it did, Iqniq emerged from it, and the large bear of a wolf could sense he wished for her to follow. Fire-bear and shadow-bear found the bear colored of earth, and the three of them moved toward a rocky outcropping. Tonravik moved as a mountain goat might, but quietly so, her landing a mere thud that, fortunately for her, a young herd member caused to be silent in its reckless splashing, playing in the waters.

The animals were at as much as a disadvantage as they were in their ability to smell them. Tonravik hunkered downward, her eyes sharp as she perused the herd. They all looked healthy, and full of life. Some fatter than others. Plenty of children, too; no doubt this season had been one without worry of bearing life, since the activity of predators here looked to be slim to none. The finding was one she was satisfied with. There would be plenty of worth in bringing an animal like this down and returning it to the Spines home base in a training exercise, even if the meat returned bloated with water. Perhaps fish might find themselves caught within the net of the preys body.

He had found nothing more to note on his path, but his red packmate's body language beckoned him to follow to see what he had found. The brown bear did so, as did Tonravik, and the trio came together on a rocky outcropping. From here they could observe the herd that Kodiak had detected, and it was easy to confirm that he had been correct in deductions. The herd was comprised of both males, females and their young. His eyes fell upon one such fawn, playing in the water, and a bit of drool seeped from the corner of his mouth. He glanced to his packmates, silently questioning if they would be making a kill this day.

He flagged them down and soon enough they'd all altered their course to return to spying on the herd. Black, browns and reds all shifted together until they were able to poke their noses over the edge and see with their eyes what they'd discovered all along. The herd was real. It was plentiful. It was stranded for the taking.

Tonravik watched, clearly pleased with this discovery. She trained her eye upon them like a cat, stalking as Kodiak assessed all he needed to learn and turned back towards them with question. Kero was pleased enough with finding them. Their hunt had been successful this week and he thought it better to leave this herd unaware of their predation until the pack needed something more. 

Kero rose to his feet and turned. As far as he was concerned, they were finished here, but Toni was queen and her word was law. He glanced over his shoulder, looking to her to make the final decision.

The three of them watched for minutes longer. She felt their eyes... and turned to go. Not today. There was no need to hunt now, given they had recently filled their bellies; but it was good to know they were here to be hunted when they hungered. The wolves were at an advantage here. Tonravik led the way, moving to depart the island. She could learn more of it another day.

But now, she needed to resume in patrolling and guarding the land from trespassers. With her subordinates behind her, Tonravik arrived to the shore and began to wade into the waters until she could no longer walk in them. Then, she swam back to the Spine.