Frostfire Ridge Sing Along

  Backdated 8 or 9 days for @Cerne

Evergreen eyes took in the surrounding area, heart stalled in her throat. Such a change here. She stared at the two halves to a whole in front of her. On one side Forests as sweet as summertime, grass and plants as green as the eyes she had been gifted by her father. But to look to the other side where rocks and soil took upon itself to dig into the evergreen trees. 

Flowers fought to raise their colorful faces to the sun, while rocks fought to shade them from the rays of life. Amalia sniffed at the wildflowers and the trees, tasted the rocks to the side. Fearful that she would stumble upon a pack, and get rent limb from limb, her mother had told her that could happen sometimes, that not all wolves were kind. Though, she didn't really want to believe that.

Paws of obsidian left small hidden pathways in the terrain as she walked. Where she was going, well she wasn't sure, but she was lonely. It had been sometime since she had seen anything, but prey.

The ridge offered Cerne a good view of the river below, and he was no stranger here; on days when he had nothing to do, he would climb the glacier to see the views it offered him. Today, he found a new scent on the ridge. Ears perking with interest, he followed the trail and eventually found himself behind a black-pelted female. Keeping his distance, he offered a low chuff of greeting, not wanting to catch her off guard.

The Chuff reached her ears, and she swung about, not skittish, or churlish, just so she could see who was behind her. She did tighten the muscles of her long limbs, in case whomever it was, became a threat, but what she was expecting and who she met, were two rapidly different things.

A youth, young male by the looks of him, she lifted her nose to take in the scent, he held buried in his face calico colors. She recognized his scent, had smelled it fleetingly on different areas among this large land. 

She tilted her head and met his yellowed gaze, and quickly looked away, she didn't wish to cause an issue. "Why hello there. I'm Amalia."

She said nothing else, just shifted and settled while she waited for his return voice.

She turned to face him, and he saw only the green of her gaze for a moment. He offered a small half-smile and a single wave of his tail as he introduced himself. "Greetings. I am Cerne." He gestured to the cliffs below them, where the river winded it's way through the taiga. "I live with a small family, just there, along the river." She was close to their territory, but he was not territorial; their land was not his. For now, he would remain, for the most part, impassive.

This male was larger than she, and Amalia herself wasn't very small. He had unusual thing about his neck, she could see the hare skin, but she wasn't sure what the tangled things about him were. Was it even comfortable? Though the round thing about his neck, that hung between the ruff and his chest, drew her gaze. She couldn't quite make out the image upon it, but it was unique to say the least.

She wagged her tail friendly. Pleasure to meet you Cerne."

She blinked at him and spoke. You're the second wolf I've met with Sunshine eyes. Though I believe yours are a bit stronger."

She tilted her head, and shifted her weight and moved consciously further from the cliffs. They were far enough away, she'd wager that no one would attack her, but she didn't want to risk it. She had seen first hand sometimes what happened to wolves that neared their borders, especially if the leaders were the unforgiving sorts. 

"Your family is small? Ours began to grow limited in number. Why I'm here, actually." She traced the river with her eyes a reminiscent smile on her face. 

"Small rivers, mean willow trees. They're like a soft place, a gentle hug from a parent or a sibling."

Sunshine eyes. Cerne blinked, then cleared his throat — was she complimenting him? He said nothing for now, merely watching her as she spoke of her own family, and willow trees, among other things. Cerne found her a bit... odd. But, he would say nothing about that, instead telling her, "Yes... I am staying with a small family for a short while... I am a soothsayer, or a seer. I was asked by the matriarch to stay and teach her my arts."

Cerne cleared his throat again, then said, "But, I should be getting back. I'll let let know you're in the area." They had small pups, after all, and Cerne had no idea how they would react should Amalia roam closer to the river.

Amalia briefly wondered if she should be so free with her thoughts. Some may not accept her compliments at just that, compliments.

A soothsayer, a seer. Nothing good ever came from them in the stories her father would sometimes tell. It made her a tad nervous. But perhaps stories were wrong.

 "That was nice, and it's peobably rewarding to teach."

Amalia was a little disappointed. ::Noy many liked to converse here. She nodded and shifted to turn away.

This is the last from me <3

Cerne dipped his head in farewell. He turned, then, and began to make his slow descent back to the river. He would alert both Sakhmet and Kigipigak of the loner around their claim, and let them do as they wished. Once out of Amalia's view, Cerne loosed a low call that would carry through the taiga.