@Sialuk had woken her with a pleasant howl that morning — such had been the norm for many days, and Toad was growing used to the bugle rise. She'd always been more of a morning person anyway. It gave her some pleasure to know that at least one other person had an appreciation for the sunrise and cool air, even a small girl.

Toad had decided to descend the mountain the evening before. Her date with @Bronco had left her feeling good, but... old. She was starting to realize that many of the people of Moonspear were younger than she was, sometimes by a lot. Even Hydra and her sisters, accomplished and fierce, were at least a year younger than she.

Though Toad didn't feel the aches in her joints or feel as though she was slowing down in any way, part of her was beginning to feel much of her life had been wasted waiting around for things to happen. She knew that this wasn't really a bad thing. Her family relationships were quite positive and she had been fortunate enough to be able to come to the Teekon Wilds on her own to explore and find a new pack.

She was on her back on the rolling grassy hills of the Terrace. She hummed a song with no real tune or destination, thinking of @Meerkat and her brother, wondering if she had ventured on her own too late. The sun felt nice on her belly.

Oddly, she began to feel the sensation of being watched. A person had once told her that this phenomenon was a remnant of when wolven ancestors were the prey of larger, more ferocious beasts. Toad had wondered what such creatures would be like and how big they must have been. Where would they have gone? Her mind distracted itself with such broken storylines as her humming ceased.

She rolled over and stretched herself on her side, toes spreading like goofy talons. As Toad lifted her head, she saw the source of her mild unease a fair distance away. Her tail flopped twice.

She didn't recognize him, but didn't hesitate in standing and shaking out her stiffness. Afternoon, Toad called, her tail wagging softly behind her. He looked rather hardened — she could see a tear in one of his ears even at a distance.

Toad felt comfortable closing some of the distance between them after she greeted; he didn't seem to be overly bothered or stiff in the way that she would find threatening or rude. He dipped his head, which lit a plump grin on her face. Though he was a stranger, his simple demeanor let her maintain her warm, relaxed state of mind.

When he explained why he hadn't joined her, she smiled open-mouthed, a breathy, awkward laugh escaping her. Toad was rather tempted to offer him a pleasant grooming session, but this was something typically unacceptable for strangers. She briefly recalled Gawain and the way his harsh exterior had melted from a gentle grooming touch.

I figured it would be silly to waste whatever sunshine we have left before Autumn. The ground is finally starting to dry out from last month's rainstorms, she said, nodding politely. She wondered how much more of this fortunate weather they had left before things got ugly again. I'm Toad, she introduced, cocking her head ever so slightly in the hopes he too might share. He was marred all over with scars from battles long past. Clearly, he'd been through a lot.

As she sniffed at him, ever polite, she was surprised to find that he had recently been to the seashore in the north. Clearly, he was a well-travelled animal, able to move so far so quickly. Toad listened, a small quirk to her smile appearing at his interesting accent. Her tail continued waving slowly behind her. Must have, she agreed, nodding. She wasn't sure if there were packs along the coast, but guessed that given the high density near the Heartland, there must have been.

Tahoe, as he was called, asked about her name. She grinned in mild embarrassment, looking away and up for a moment. It was rather ridiculous the naming conventions of her family. She'd always found it a bit limiting, but maybe she was just jealous of her siblings who had been named after nimble and fierce birds instead of a lowly amphibian. Ah well.

Oh, my family names our children after the animals they resemble. And, well, apparently I looked like a toad, she said. As she said it, her smile was altered by what could have been pain. Although she hadn't grown up in an environment that told her she was ugly, she knew she wasn't exactly as fetching as her siblings. Fox was a much more flattering name, after all. She laughed weakly, trying to dispel her own tension.

Although Toad didn't think she would ever have children (after all, who would take her as a partner?), she didn't like the idea of naming her children after other animals. Perhaps she would simply roll with the tradition of her husband's family, or perhaps she would invent something entirely new. Traditions seemed like good things some of the time, but in some cases they could be destructive, or just downright stupid.

Heh, yeah, she gave a breath of a laugh; there was no humour in it. Maybe; I took my mother's name, Amelia, as a middle name. I don't know if I would feel right going by her name without really earning it, she explained. Her close relationship with her mother had largely ended after childhood, but she held great respect for her. Toad wanted to be like her mother, but taking her name felt a bit like stealing. She'd kept it as a middle simply to maintain her legacy.

Toad couldn't help but smile at Tahoe's pleasantries. No one had called her a "Miss" since she was two years old. I do, she confirmed. Gesturing toward Moonspear's great peak with her nose, she spoke in calm, almost wispy tones. That's Moonspear. It's a great mountain that's well-sheltered from everything, she explained, her expression rather misty-eyed. I came to them just a couple months ago. The Ostregas are a good family, she looked back at him with a steady nod of her head.

She wondered about him. Where was he from? What was he doing? It was impossible to place him among other packs based on the scents he carried with him that day. She thought it best to keep answering his questions, more than happy to speak about her own life at Moonspear.

Toad paused for a moment, thinking what a day off really was. She supposed that she was indeed taking a bit of a vacation from her usual bustling activity. It wasn't as though she didn't know how to relax, but it was getting a bit easier now that the rain wasn't pouring all the time. Hunting in general was more difficult when everything was consistently covered in mud.

She nodded, looking up briefly at the sunny skies. Yeah I suppose I am. It's a good day for it, she said lightly. She turned her attention to him more closely. And you? What are you up to today? It was clear he had his own stories and adventures. Toad was curious why he had made the journey all the way from the coast, but didn't want to pry too much. He was an odd sort.

Tahoe described that he'd simply wanted to explore, having come from the coast. He was looking to find a place to live during the winter months. Toad's ears perked and she tilted her head very slightly, wondering if the wandering male was in fact looking for a pack. She wanted to know more.

That was all of the information she was going to get out of him, however. It wasn't too often that she met strange males, even during her travels as a lone wolf. However, she was not a person who would pry needlessly even from the kindest stranger. When he moved to leave, she took the hint and nodded. You too, it was a pleasure, Mr. Tahoe, she answered, mirroring his words.

Toad wondered if they would meet again. She wondered how his ear had become torn. She wondered why he was alone when he seemed so kind and reasonable. For the moment, her curiosity would need to be satiated with just his brief presence. As they bid farewell, Tahoe left her to enjoy the grassy meadow and she did so, thinking about the encounter.