Rising Sun Valley Heart of the Wood [Discovery Thread]

Red had returned to Emberwood for the first time in a month or so. The current happenings at the Sunspire had taken up much of her time, and, beyond that, she really had no reason to return. At least, not for the moment. After all, her scent was everywhere in the aspen wood, she had dug out a den for herself, and she had explored nearly everywhere. However, the pace still called to her every now and then, and that morning she had finally heeded the call.

She had risen with the dawn and arrived at Emberwood a while later, when the world was a bit more active. The chirrup of birds and the skittering of prey in the green and fertile underbrush was a nice thing to come home to, for this was what Emberwood had become: home. Although her friends and family resided within the Sunspire, half of the coywolf’s heart lay here, in the tall, thin white trees of the wood. And she knew that, no matter what happened, this place would always remain a safe haven for her. She would chase off anyone who she deemed a potential threat. Though she hoped that her scent being everywhere would drive off anyone like that.

But only time would tell.

One encounter was enough, and two would be too many, but there was no avoiding this. Hassun had removed himself from the presence of one wolf only to find himself in close proximity to another; having departed for home, the feline took a chance and headed in to a stand of birch trees. Their white trunks stood out, stark and strange, from the foliage around them. There he had bedded down for the night, scrambling up one of the errant pines which he discovered peppering the outskirts of the area. This afforded him cover and a place to rest, but like before, with the night came hunger. A hunger that urged him down to earth, and a hunger that he ignored until morning.

Being in such a tizzy after that first encounter, Hassun had been lazy in his attentions. He did not check the trees as thoroughly as he should have, and did not realize that the forest itself had been claimed by yet another canine. He chose to descend from his roost within the branches and scour the ground for signs of prey - and thus by the afternoon, he was a very irritated kitty. The heat of summer did not lend any sort of warmth to his spirit, and as a naturally nocturnal beast, the harsh light of day only made him more agitated. He stalked between the trees now, trailing the scent of a hare - fully intending to rend the creature to pieces.

Before long the feline had scoped out his target and lunged through the thick vegetation; a simple pounce was enough to catch the animal unaware, and then he descended with his teeth. The creature was swiftly suffocated. With its body hanging limp from his jaws, Hassun was about to begin tearing in to it - but the scent of wolf caught his attention, so he turned and fled with his cargo in tow.