Horizon Ridge Feels like I'm standing in a timeless dream

The cool, windswept morning found Pied on the beachfront, her slim, pale body tucked against the foot of the ridge. Her fertile scent was dissipating and she felt it was safe to venture out and seek company. For the moment, though, she enjoyed the solitude and the view, her eyes following a pair of playful seagulls as they wheeled out over the choppy seawater.

Finally, she stood and began to wander closer to the water, though she did not wander too close. She walked parallel to the surf, enjoying the salty breeze and, of course, imagining the pups that were hopefully just now growing in her belly. She knew pregnancy might be tough—especially considering her still-healing injuries—but Pied had never been more ready for anything in her entire life.

The young Gamma paused and a realization struck her with the abrupt and jolting nature of a thunderbolt. "Today's my birthday!" she blurted to no one, an exclamation followed by a disbelieving laugh.

Living by the sea was beginning to grow on Edy, and he wondered if he would have a real life here, unlike the existence he had endured in his birthplace. He wondered if he would continue to rise in the ranks. Kennedy had no plans to be a leader, given his personality and general lack of leadership skills. It was simply not something he was interested in. He did, however, wish to start his own family one day. Having little ones scuttling beneath his feet had always been a dream of his, and he could only hope that it would someday happen.

Trotting slowly along the coast, he spotted Pied up ahead, and decided to check and see how things were going with her. She and Kisu had been... absent, as of late, and he could only imagine why. "Today's my birthday!" she exclaimed, just within his earshot. She was heading the same direction that he was, and he picked up his pace so that he was soon just a few strides behind her. “Well happy birthday to you!” he quipped, giving her a quick friendly nip on the shoulder.

She didn't expect a reply, so when one came, her head jerked sideways in surprise. Somehow, though, her smile didn't falter and when she recognized Kennedy—and took in his celebratory greeting—it even broadened somewhat. "Well, thank-you," she answered, feeling a little silly for shouting it like that. "I didn't realize until just this very moment," she told him.

When he gave her a companionable nip, she chuffed and swatted her tail against his dark flank in response. "I feel like I should do something to celebrate... but what?" Pied's eyes shifted to Kennedy's face, wondering if he might have some ideas. "You got anything?"

“Hmmm,” pondered Kennedy, wondering what they could possibly do to celebrate. Normally, he would have suggested a dip in the sea, but somehow he did not think Pied would be down for that, considering her circumstances. If he had known, he would have found some kind of gift to give her in honor of another year on this crazy earth. “Why don’t we find something to make a birthday monument?” he suggested. It was a silly idea, really, but perhaps it could become a bit of a landmark.

“Or we could name a tree after you.” Well, that was not any less absurd, but Kennedy was reaching here. There were any trees right here, but they existed in other parts of Horizon Ridge. He wondered if somehow this would start some kind of tradition of tree-naming in the pack. Of course, each wolf would only get one tree, and after that they would have to find some other way to celebrate.

Kennedy thought about it for a moment, then proposed they build a monument. Pied blinked, then shook her head. "I don't think I need a monument," she protested. Then he threw out another suggestion and the Gamma found this prospect quite a bit more exciting. "Hey, I like that idea a lot, actually. Maybe I can sort of adopt it and, you know, visit it every so often and maybe water it?" She laughed at her own goofy idea.

"Come on, then, let's get off this beach and find a good tree," she said in the next beat, starting to move before even waiting for an answer. "One that looks worthy of the time Piebald, if that's even possible," she added lightly as she led Kennedy toward the ridge.

Edy thought it would be odd to adopt a tree and then name it after yourself, but who was he to judge? And how did Pied plan to water it? Perhaps she just meant she would piddle there on occasion. At least then she could remember which tree it was, and maybe everybody else would realize it was her tree and nobody else's. Not that they could really do anything to a tree if they tried... unless it was but a sapling. Kennedy thought she deserved better than a sapling, anyhow.

Kennedy could not remember if Pied had ever told him her full name or not, but he thought her nickname fit her well. His own nickname, Edy, was usually only used by very close friends and family, though he supposed he would not mind if everybody started calling him by that shortened version. As they headed toward a wooded area, Kennedy kept his eye out for any tree that looked particularly Piebald-ish.

She found one of the many trails that led upward, toward the small pockets of woodland that sprinkled the ridge. They passed the head of the path that led to the clearing where Pied and Kisu kept their lair, slowly gaining altitude. Pied actually led them nearly to the top of the hogback, stopping only when they reached a forested plateau a few acres wide.

Panting, the Gamma turned toward Kennedy. "I'm sure we can find one somewhere in here." She motioned toward the handful of trees with her pale snout. "From the other side of this plateau, you can actually see some of the sequoias growing further inland. I'd love one of those but I'm nowhere near worthy of something that grand. Maybe if I hit ten," she quipped, still waiting to catch her breath before resuming their search.

Edy was using plenty of his lung capacity as well, though he was not heaving when they reached the general area of their destination. His tongue lolled out of his mouth, and he turned to Pied as she spoke. “If you hit ten,” he replied, “You can name the whole lot of sequoias after yourself.” And if anybody hit fifteen, Edy figured they would just rename the whole earth. Kennedy knew he would be turning five later this year, and he wondered what sort of celebration, if any, he would have. He was not much for fanfare, so he would probably keep the whole thing to himself anyway.

As his breathing slowed, he began to peer at the various trees, looking for one that might suit Pied. He figured it would probably have to represent her in some regard, and considering her coloration was her most defining physical feature, he wondered if they could find one with some kind of crazy pattern on it. Edy shifted on his feet, waiting for Pied in case she needed a little bit longer to catch her breath.

Before long, the two were ready to proceed into the woods. Pied motioned for Kennedy to lead the way, then fell into step beside and slightly behind him. Randomly, she wondered how old he was. She guessed three or four, possibly five. She almost asked but then a faint but alluring scent distracted her, drawing her through the trees as if being reeled in on an invisible fishing line.

The fragrance led her to the southwestern side of the ridge, where she could see the sequoias and, beyond them, even Blacktail Deer Plateau off in the distance. It wasn't anything so remote that captured her attention here, however. Instead, it was the tree planted firmly on the edge of a bluff, leaning partially into the open air, some of its roots exposed. Its bare limbs forked into the wintry sky, bare except for little buds along nearly every branch. It was difficult to tell from down here—she paused just beneath it—but Pied thought they looked pink.

"Oh, wow," she said, inhaling the sweet scent of those tiny blossoms. She dropped her head and looked around to see if Kennedy had followed her here or if she'd lost him along the way. "I wonder what kind of tree this is. It smells heavenly. It'll make the whole ridge smell wonderful come springtime, I bet."

Kennedy did not know exactly what they were looking for, though he had a vague idea. A tree, of course. And one that represented Pied's birthday on some level. He had no clue what that would look like. Before he had a chance to voice his thoughts, Pied was wandering off in some other direction, apparently awed by something or another. Kennedy followed her with interest, allowing her to take back the lead. He thought to speak, but she seemed so drawn by whatever it was, he felt it would be an intrusion.

As they drew closer, Edy too began to smell the sweet scent of the tree. It was a lovely thing, and its appearance was just as wonderful. It looked as if the tree had its toes hanging over the edge of the ridge, and Kennedy wondered how it was able to grow there at all. An oddity indeed, just like Pied's strange coloration. “I haven’t a clue,” he replied, “Is it the one you want?”

Kennedy didn't know but Pied supposed she didn't need to know what kind it was if they were just going to rename it anyway. "Yes, please," she answered his question enthusiastically, giving him a sideways glance and a smile. "If I was more narcissistic—because, let's face it, naming a tree after myself is narc enough—I would call this little spot Pied's Precipice or something poetic like that."

She crept closer amongst the exposed roots, seating herself just a few inches from the ledge. Motioning for Kennedy to join her, she said, "Now this is a view. I love that you can see the ocean from the other side of the ridge but this... this is just as beautiful in its own way," Pied remarked, her two-toned eyes scanning the panorama. "It'll be a sea of green in the spring."

Licking her lips, she faced him again and asked, "So what should I call her?" Because the three was, if anything, a female. "Just Pied's Tree or something simple like that? Pied's Birthday Tree, perhaps? I don't think I like the idea of naming it after myself specifically. I'm not that into myself," she repeated, wrinkling her nose with a small laugh.

posting from my phone, so please excuse typos!

Kennedy liked her name for the place, even though she felt she was being a "narc." He stepped forward when she motioned him to do so, and dug his toes deep into the ground. A part of him grew anxious just because they were so close to the edge, but he calmed his nerves by reminding himself it would take more than a breeze to knock him off the ledge.

The Delta looked forward to the springtime, but not so much for the visuals. Instead, he looked forward to the more bountiful prey, warmer weather, and the children that would be running around. Edy had always had a soft spot for young ones, despite never having any himself. He had helped to raise plenty of siblings and his brother's children. He hoped he would be given the opportunity to help Pied and her mate, too.

“Hmmm…” he murmured when she asked what they should name the tree. “Do you have any clever nicknames?” he asked. She obviously had the shortened version of her name, but perhaps she had another.

Pied shook her her head no when he asked about nicknames. "Technically speaking, Pied is my nickname, Piebald being my full name. I guess we could—oh! What if we called it the Starbuck Tree? That's my surname. Well, it's Starbuck-Virtúte now but Starbuck is my father's name."

With the name decided, for the most part, Pied decided her birthday wish was simply to enjoy her tree. Although she would've loved to find Kisu and bring him here, she was happy enough spending time with another pack mate. It would be the perfect opportunity to get to know Kennedy better.

"So," the Gamma said after a short, companionable silence, "tell me ten interesting facts about yourself." She turned her two-toned eyes upon him, waiting patiently for these ten tidbits.

Kennedy smiled when she seemed to come to a sudden realization about what the name of the tree—her tree—would be. It seemed it would be christened "Starbuck," and Edy thought it was a fine name. If she was happy with it, that was all that really mattered. Kennedy wondered if it would become some kind of strange tradition, but only time would be able to tell that.

“Ten interesting facts?” he echoed, not sure if he would be up to the challenge. Still, he could not help but start churning his mind for things she might deem interesting. Kennedy was not quite sure what qualified as "interesting," but he could certainly delve up ten regular facts. “Number one: I have a twin brother. Number two: I hate the taste of fish. Number three: I will turn five this summer. Number four...” Kennedy paused between each fact, trying to think of something—anything that would be considered interesting. “Ah, my former home and place of birth was also a ridge. Number five: my last name is Razorback. Number six: I've been told I'm an okay singer. Number seven...” he trailed off, yet again reaching for something of interest. “I’m terribly allergic to a certain kind of flower that blooms in the springtime. Number eight: I can’t say no to conversation. Number nine: I prefer sunshine to clouds.”

“And number ten:” Kennedy paused for dramatic effect, “I’m terrible at this game. Was any of that even remotely interesting?” he asked, a grin plastered on his face.

"I know it's a challenge but—" Pied's voice broke off when Kennedy swiftly rose to said challenge, her suddenly motionless lips curving into a smile as he regaled her with ten assorted facts about himself. The Gamma wanted to comment on several of them, yet she waited for him to finish and laughed lightly when he did, nodding.

"Quite, actually. What's number one's name? I was wondering about number three just a few minutes ago. Number nine explains why you didn't stick around last time." She smiled softly, remembering that rainy afternoon. "And now you have to prove number six by singing me 'happy birthday,'" she finished with an impish gleam in her eye.

to be clear, he sings the whole song. i'm just lazy. :P

“Ulysses,” he replied. Their relationship had always been a rocky one, and Edy was glad to have gotten away from it. Ulysses had always come out on top in every way imaginable, despite their echoed appearance. Now that Edy was far away from his lookalike, he felt less inclined to compare himself to his brother. Out of sight, out of mind. It would do him good to think about himself just as himself, rather than constantly comparing himself to his rival.

Edy grinned when Pied encouraged him to show off his singing voice. He knew the birthday song well (and would gladly pay the outrageous royalties to sing it). The Razorback squared his shoulders, took a few deep breaths, and then sang the song with ease.

“[...] Happy birthday, dear Piiiiiieeeeeed! Happy birthday, to you!” he finished, his "you" morphing into a long and low howl. Edy's tail was wagging with delight, and he hoped that those who had told him he had a nice voice had not been playing tricks on him.

Haha, and this is my "it's past bedtime and I should probably stop writing posts 'cause I'm sleepy" post...

She sort of expected him to protest or decline entirely. But he indulged her, belting the song out enthusiastically. Truthfully, Pied was in no place to judge but his voice sounded pleasant enough to her ears. He stayed in key, anyway, and clearly poured his heart into the song, as silly as it was.

"Very nice," Pied said, her tail thumping against the ground in the canine version of applause. "Thank-you," she added because, well, it was rather nice having someone sing you a song on your birthday—and let's not forget that he'd also helped her find a birthday tree!

"Tell me about Ulysses?" she queried in the next moment. "I didn't have any surviving brothers and sisters, much less a twin... what's that like?" she wondered, genuinely curious and, of course, utterly unaware that it might be a sensitive subject for Kennedy.

Edy had known that the subject of his brother would come up. His twin had been the centerpiece of his life for so long, so he was used to being asked about him. He could not blame Pied (or anybody else) for asking about Ulysses. “Not much to tell, I suppose,” he replied, “We look and sound alike, though our personalities are anything but similar.” The hefty male gave her a shrug, signifying that this was "no big deal" to him. “He became Alpha of the Razorbacks. He had a mate, a family.”

While it was probably quite obvious to Pied that he did not take these things lightly, Edy was certainly under the assumption that he was playing it cool. Unfortunately, his body language and voice were clear indicators that it was totally a "big deal." It would be up to Pied to ask further questions or leave the topic to rest.

Although Kennedy replied offhandedly, Pied detected the slight tension when he began to talk about Ulysses. Because of this and the brevity of his answer, the Gamma was intrigued... but she understood that perhaps it wasn't her pack mate's favorite subject. Not one to be nosey or press matters, Pied decided to steer the conversation elsewhere.

"The Razorbacks, huh? So was it a family pack then?" She almost asked, What made you leave? but she was pretty sure she could guess. It actually made her think of her relatives over in Blacktail Deer Plateau, though at least it didn't sound like Ulysses had exiled Kennedy.

Then another thought occurred to her and, after giving him a moment to answer first, she said, "You know, I'd never really heard of allergies before. Then Dublin's brother stopped by for a visit and he mentioned them. What exactly are they and what are your... symptoms? Maybe Dublin can help find some remedy to help?" Pied suggested.

Kennedy nodded when she asked if it was a family pack, but he did not elaborate. Thankfully, Pied was quick to change the subject to one of the other facts he had given: allergies. Kennedy had not been aware that Dublin had a brother, though he had seen the white wolf around from time to time. “Well, my skin gets itchy and there’s a whole lot of sneezing that goes on.” While it may not have seemed like much to somebody who had not experienced it, it was one of the reasons Edy was not looking forward to the springtime.

The Delta had not known that anything at all could be done about his ailment, but he had never really asked anybody, either. He just assumed it was one of those things that he would always have to live with. Edy rolled his shoulders absentmindedly, curious to know if Pied would know of a solution to his itchy sneezing fits that would be coming along in the next few weeks.

Pied knew she couldn't help Kennedy herself but she fully trusted in Dublin's capabilities. "I'm sure Dub can find something to relieve your symptoms. She saved my life after the orca attack. I bet allergies are small fries to compared to that," Pied said with a modest twitch of her lips. "Do you think you'll be allergic to my tree?" she wondered rhetorically in the next breath.

After a few beats of comfortable silence, the Gamma thought aloud, "I should probably find Kisu and tell him about, you know, my birthday. I should bring him here," she mused. "Thank-you for throwing me an impromptu celebration, Kennedy. You're a good friend," she told her large companion. "I'll be sure to return the favor on your fifth birthday this summer," she said, indicating yet again that she'd been listening closely to his ten facts.

"See you around, I'm sure," were her words of parting before she waved her tail to Kennedy and began to pick her way back through the glade in the direction of her den. Although Kisu hadn't been the happiest with her since the little fiasco on the beach, she figured he would be happy to celebrate with her.