King Elk Forest i slithered here from eden

the forest was interwoven with quiet creeks that shifted lazily beneath a thin layer of ice, and aside from the soft crackling to indicate the lessening of winter's hold, all was quiet. the trees swayed to the rhythm of a mild wind.

it was still — peaceful — until it wasn't.

the rabbit careened along the riverside at first. it was a mottled brown-and-white shape beside the wintering ferns; as it veered in to darkness, there came a blunt sound and then, breaking the solemnity of the forest, a screech as it was put to death. when the rabbit is spotted next, it boasts a scarf of red.

the wolf tosses it from the shadows and then, slipping from his hiding place, he dips his head and begins to pick apart the body.

Since the snowfall had tapered off, the little agouti had been busy threading through the forests on their outer limits. When it was mild out, she liked to prowl around there and just beyond--although nothing of what she did ever shaped into a true patrol. While it did not sate her whole need to scout about and see the sights, it helped. Something, at least, to do to keep her paws moving.

When she thought she heard a screech in the distance, she went steering that way without too much of a second thought. Nosy enough, and backed by the pack's proximity out this far too, she had no reason not to when any number of possibilities could be out there.

With a few good bounds forward and the breeze's help, she could soon track it by the drifted scent of blood. Jomyo honed in on an obvious trot, crunching over the snow with her reddish-tinted ears up tall, pointed right at what turned out to be a wolf. That answered that. He wasn't any of theirs.. she thought, as she eyed him on her approach. Stranger or not, she was relieved to find he wasn't a bear or a big cat. Now she only had to tell if he was sane enough to be around, and if she should even be snacking here by their home. "Who're you?" she asked, sights sharp upon him and wearing a crisp neutrality for now--until she knew more of how to react and handle this.

the coineanach was freshly dead and its blood melted what little snow was upon the ground. as the shadow set upon it, pinning with paws and then pulling with teeth, one back leg spasmed a kick. he paused to examine the creature for a split second, licking fluids from his chin, but those beady eyes were like misted glass.

the crunch of wet snow made him turn his attention away from the meal. a stranger lingered nearby and he, defensive of what little resources he had, felt the fur along his back begin to raise. he watched her carefully; soon enough she was speaking, and cinqefoil did not know what to make of her.

but, she hadn't gone for his food — and she did not appear aggressive — so the boy gave her the benefit of the doubt and replied, cinqefoil, ah cam frae th' west. he had been hoping to eat his meal in peace but it wasn't like he had frequent company either, not since being chased off by his people.

after a moment he began to busy himself with the rabbit, rolling it with a paw and investigating the opposite side for more meat, but he didn't interrupt the conversation to do much else, yet. rather, he glanced at her after and asked, fa ur ye 'en?

She had no interest in whatever he caught and only barely spared it a glance just to see what it might be. Hailing from a pack with few neighbors left their resources relatively uncontested on the regular, so it wasn't like they were in need of every morsel wandering a mile radio of their pee-marks. None of her days spent comfortably here ever suggested that kind of urgency to her. She didn't think excessive possessiveness suited the style cultivated here in the forest of the elk anyway, so Jomyo reflected this in her stance for now. But, she would certainly involve her nosy self in whatever he was doing if he was going to do it near the wood.

The words were strange, and the accent heavily helping it along into a decent jumble. Her ears fluttered at the strange tones and only barely could she make out enough to understand the answer. West was at least common language to the scout. Taking a guess, she'd just offer back with: "I'm Jomyo," she answered. "The edge of Tindómë's claim is coming up here soon," she warned, still uncertain of what to make of him as she indicated the forest she had come from. She wasn't cut out for true guardian work, but her stern look said she didn't want trouble brewing out here on their doorstep. "Besides your lovely little snack, you got some other reason to be in the neighborhood?" The instant the question left her lips, she preemptively braced to try to hear that one out and hoped she didn't regret it.