fifteen steps

It had been a hard journey and the young wolf was exhausted. He had been resting for over twelve hours now and his poor paws still ached from the walk. It was the pain in his heart that was crippling however. He still had not decided how he was going to be able to carry on without his parents and brother at his side. The famine had hit the pack hard and Smoke was now the only one left, or at least, given his brother, Flames, choice to stay at the valley, he could only presume he was the only one left. For it was a decision that surely would have lead to his brothers death. Yet he admired his courage and loyalty and hoped to one day have the same resolve, but his survival instinct was too strong, he had to leave, whilst he still had the strength to.

He had found a nice quiet small corner in Neverwinter Forest, shaded by the trees mostly but a small spot of the winter sun's warmth in the form of a small wolf-sized gap in the trees. And here he sat curled up with his tail shielding his nose from the cold wind basking. A small pile of bones lay next to him, the remains of a small rabbit that he had picked every last morsel from to satisfy his hunger. He had given silent thanks to the forget, grateful for it's bounty and was dozing in the afternoon. It had been a long morning, with his acceptance.

He had shown much submission, presenting his unprotected stomach before the packs border patrol before asking to join their ranks. It was only days before that he had come to the realization that he could no longer wander alone. His father had warned him of the dangers a Lone Wolf faces, and he did not wish to end up mauled for trespassing or hungry once again for lack of prey density in non-pack lands. There was a reason a wolf pack chose to settle where it did and usually it was close to the best hunting spots.

Letting out a depressed sigh to himself he allowed himself the pleasure of drifting off, but his dreams were far from peaceful and filled with dark memories of recent events and it is for that reason he started to thrash about, running, but on his side, letting out the occasional whine before waking with a start, silver eyes filled with fear.

fifteen steps

Finally his eyes were not as wide and he panted with the exhaustion of his nightmare. He remembered it well. He had been running for his life but not from something, it was toward caribou. Lightning had cracked across the sky and traveled to ground missing him by inches. He leap up but kept on running, but his goal was just out of his reach. It was always out of his reach. His stomach had growled and mouth clogged with saliva at the thought of finally sinking his teeth into one of the beasts. Then finally he fell, tripping, but the strange was that he kept on falling stuck in a dark void until he had awoken with a start.

His eyes finally adjusted to the light and he took in his surroundings. It took him a while to notice the wolf in front of him and his first recollection was the forest and the unfamiliar scent of his new pack. Then he remembered the sounds the wind in the trees, birds high above and rivers in the distance. He swallowed focus his eyes to what was closer to him and that was when he saw her. Her ears flat to her skull and tail raised to the sky. Smoke responded almost instantly, jumping to his feet and tucking his tail between his legs showing he meant no harm and that his previous thrashing had been from his own distress.

Hello there Miss, sorry if I startled you, just a bad dream is all. I'm new here, my name is Smoke, Smoke Kehman. In his own way of saying hello he bowed his head, his equivalent of a human handshake and there he paused to allow the dark female to introduce herself if she wished.

fifteen steps

The female calmed and her position shifted slightly when she was happy with Smoke's level of submission. Not that he was not able to stand up from himself, far from it, however he was new here, yet to be ranked and as a result it was his duty to respect the existing pack members that came before him. Yes, this female was new, he could small that the minute she approached, but she was here before him and as such commanded his respect.

She was also female and Smoke was always hideously chivalrous and polite to members of the opposite sex. In his eyes they were not just stay-at-the-den mothers, they were life givers. They risk death to produce the latest additions to the pack thereby securing it's future. He found it hard to not be in awe and admire this and this female was no exception. She greeted him as an equal proclaiming her name as Rowtag and was astute enough to not ask Smoke about his dream

This he was grateful for, he had traveled a long way to move on and deal with his past and he did not wish to be dragging it back up to the surface. Not that he would ever forget, the memories, good and bad, would stay with him, forever. Rowtag also inquired if Smoke was up for a walk in the woods. With a smile he reciprocated. My dear Rowtag, it would be my honor with walk with you this afternoon.

He stood up and shook his fur causing all the small jagged ends to become smooth as silk and caused particles of dust to fly out from his under pelt. He licked the odd patch here and there to keep it firmly planted to his body. Then he was ready to go and joined Rowtag at her side. Please Miss, lead the way.

fifteen steps

After a moment Smoke stopped his prunning and followed Rowtag off into the forest. The direction the pair were traveling was irrelevant to him. The only part of the forest he had seen so far was the on in which was sleeping and the small proportion he had passed through to get there. It wa nice to see the variation in the land and the smell the prey on offer and other wolves that lived here. He did not know any of the other scents but he was sure he woud soon learn.

Rowtag joked with the male around the condition of his pride and joy, his pelt. Chuckling back casually as they walked he explained. Ah, I am afraid you caught me endulging in a small vice of mine, which I believe is one of the seven deadly sins. Vanity. He stopped for a moment and shook the dust from his coat showin it off in all it's best light. I like to stay in shape and there's nothing more frustrating than a strand out of place.

He continued along their paths allowing his paws to lead him smiling as he went. It was not something that embarrased him, but more a pride that he'd been caught making himself look good. Was it wolf like though? He was not sure, he knew he was the only wolf in his pack to take such pride in his appearance but he had no more to compare it to.

Glancing over at Rowtag his chuckles subsiding he enquired about her life here in Neverwinter. So, Rowtag, how long have you lived in this fine forest? From your scent I'm guessing you arrived not long before I. Not a probing question just gentle conversation between new aquaintances.