Meadowlark Prairie Have you come here to play Jesus

@Nemesis 

The day had been particularly warm and by the afternoon the changes in wind and air told that rain was coming. Soon the clear blue sky was covered with thick, gray clouds and, when the last ray of the sun was blocked out, along with the first drops of rain there was also rumbling. Osprey, who was walking accross the fields in the direction of the Caldera, which was visible in the distance, stopped to look up in wonder. And just then the lightening struck - bright flash of light, running across the dark background. 

There was another superstition regarding this phenomenon and one of the few she still remembered from the times, when her father had not lost hope in teaching his daughter the ways of the weather-watchers. The first lightening of the year meant that the spring was truly here. She sighed and smiled - the rainfall intensified, but she continued her way, thinking about, what would this spring bring and hoping that it was going to be more of the good than the bad.

She did not think much of another female wandering near her pack borders, after all, it was none of her business. Meddling or even interacting with foreign wolves had wholefully messed up her enjoyment of venturing passed Blackfeather. The Malice ordeal had blown over, not entirely, but enough so that she could at least stand seeing the girl without glaring and marching the other way. Never would she imagine in a million years that a tryst with the female and her own Alpha had occurred, or else her entire foundation of trust upon what she knew for sure, would have collapsed beneath her. Nevertheless, she was entirely done with strange females, no matter if they were loners or not.

The lightning was strange to her, a flash of burning light splitting the sky in a fury, knowing somewhere down on the ground would it's victim be struck by it's power. Or perhaps she was overthinking it. The female was looking to, but she did not speak up. Whatever, not all strangers spoke, she assumed. For once. Perhaps that was better, as the arrogant ones always seemed to immediately assert dominance and claim to be the best of the best, a few death threats later. She took a glance to where she was, near the redhawk lands. She did not have a direct problem with them, and she preferred to keep it that way, as with the rest of the packs known to the Teekon.

ooc: I apologize for the wait! Will try to be quicker from now on. 

The downpour started almost imeadiately after the thunder rumbled in the distance. The raindrops were heavy and hit against the ground with a force. Within minutes Osprey's coat was soaked with water, as she was making her way through the plains to find shelter somewhere, in order to pass the storm. Wind began to blow and for a moment she was fighting against it, until she decided that it was no worth in doing so. She turned around and let it move her towards a forest that would later turn out to be claimed lands. 

She settled down under the very first tree, which didn't let too much water pass through it's branches, and sighed. The water washed away scents and markings and only later, when it would stop, would the same smells return and intensify. For now, however, she was staring at the place she had come from, watching how the storm raged in the plains, completely unaware that she was dangerously close to a pack and that she had someone watching her from afar.

She did not think much of the female, but had no problem with her so far. The scent was of a pack she had not met before, but perhaps Cicero had. Nevertheless, she would need to warn the female of the Blackfeather territory, if she happened to accidentally wander too far. She did not like running off wolves that belonged to a pack, but would do so if she had to. "You are wandering very close to claimed territory," She did not say it in such a way that was overly aggressive, nor threatening, but a cautious reminder like any other would do so for their own. If the female had bad intentions, which she doubted because she would have known by then, she could not be too lack on stopping her, as the remark on her shoulder commanded. It had happened before, and it would happen again. 

She stood only a few steps away from the tree where the female sat, for she was their on her own time too. She had not much interest in socializing but Burke had taught her not to be too unsociable, which greatly confused her. If she had nothing to say, why say anything. But she did as he asked, and she was grateful that he was just asking. But she herself had to be reminded that not all strangers were enemies, only if you made them. She had learnt that with Malice, and would not make the same mistake again, unless it was called for.

"Oh, I am sorry, I didn't notice you before," Osprey returned in a tone that expressed both surprise of finding out someone around here and a bit of genuine regret for causing any trouble. A gust of wind brought her the female's scent, which seemed strangely familiar, which was very confusing, because she had definitely not met this person in her life before. Yet somehow she was convinced that she had to know. 

"Just seeking shelter from the storm - I will be gone, once it calms down a little," she explained and just then lightening striked a nearby tree, tearing a long wound right down to the bottom, tossing pieces of bark and wood everywhere. The scent of burning hit her nostrils and she drew back her ears in fear. This brought back unpleasant memories, even though with the amounts of rain whipping the ground mercilessly, she doubted that there was any danger of a forest - fire. 

"I think we are here for a longer time," she turned to the stranger and smiled apologeticcaly.

She offered a small nod in dismissal when the female apologize for not seeing her sooner. It was not her intention, nor could it have been if she was visible in the darkness of the shadows. They had learnt to travel in the dark, and so she did every day she live in Blackfeather. It was instinct, unlike the majority of wolves who could only see and live in sunlight. "It is fine. As long as you are not looking to attack Blackfeather, you are free to do as you'd like," She did not like to put restrictions on where someone could and could not go, outside of Blackfeather. Loners were typically her caution but had never had much problem with the pack ones. They knew what was to be respected, unlike the packless. 

"I suppose we are," She sighed, sitting down a foot away from the female. While she could hope to run back to Blackfeather as quick as she could, the display of violent lightning seemed it to great of a risk to try. Better make the most of it then. "Is your pack near here?" She pondered aloud. She had not smelt of the girl before, and knew of most of the packs in the area. It was beneficial to know who was located where to avoid transgression.

The good thing in this situation was that the stranger seemed to be just as wary of lightening as Osprey and therefore chose not to chase her out in the story right then. However the indication that Blackfeather pack was very near and the generous "welcome" given now would run out at some point, made the elder to prepare herself to run at any moment. Not that she feared the stranger or let it show in any way - rather a precaution. 

"Neither too near, nor too far," she gave an evasive answer, leaving out the name of the pack too. Though generally open and friendly person, something prevented Osprey from trusting this lady easily. "But it's a nice place. Good for life to flourish. And..." she looked back at the looming dark forest behind them, "... I daresay that your home looks the same." When you are locked with a stranger in a figurative elevator for the next few hours, probably exchanging nonesenses in the beginning was the safe route.

She had not expect the female to confess where her pack lied, nor the details of her arrival. She kept it the same way. This was a wolf she could respect, in contrast to the other outsiders she had met. But she was not friendly, she was hardly ever to many strangers she passed across. Something about general friendliness was unappealing to her, and most of the time gave off the wrong impression coming from her. She wasn't that type, and that's why Blackfeather could be her only home. 

She followed the stranger's gaze to her homeland. It was not so much a lively, colourful place but it was growable. "It is, in the territories that are habitable," There was not so many places were flowers could be found, and certiantly not on the blood soaked border that often pushed away the fauna and the wildlife it brung. "But it is not for everyone," It truly wasn't not just the pack, but the territory. It was dark, in spirit and in reality.

The other wolf was as vague as Osprey had been and the words and expressions she had used, could be applied to any place. But one thing was true - each person needed a place that suited their personality. What worked for one person, would not do so for the other. 

It was then that lightening struck and somewhere in the distance smoke raised in the air. Osprey watched it happen and she shuddered, then cast a glance to the side to see, what was the reaction of the other wolf. "I have always wondered, how something so beautiful can be so deadly and destructive at the same time..."

She looked to the stranger as she spoke, only glancing at the lightning that broke the sky to look away. She did not fear what could not hurt her. Lightning, however real it was, was one more thing she could escape. It was simply futile on the list of things she feared would take her life. The Beta did not worry about death so much, really. Sithis would take her soul when her time came but she was in favour of his deeds, and she had faith her time would not be up too soon. 

"It just looks like a whole lot of light to me,"

So, maybe she was not as so intuative as she had thought. But hey, I was a valid observation. She found nothing beautiful about it. Often deadly and beautiful where one in the same image, and one rarely existed without the other. There was dark in everything, but also a light. The problem was, the sun didn't shine in Blackfeather Woods.

Osprey, who had seen, what kind of force this "whole lot of light" beheld and what damage it could cause, did not share the same views as the dark wolf there. She wondered, if this lack of fear for the deadly light was because the other truly did not know, what it could do, or was it because it did not fear death. Maybe both, maybe just one of them. 

"The looks are deceiving," she explained. "Where it hits the trees in the forest, there fire breaks out," she beckoned to the forest in the distance and the line of smoke going up in the air. "It can strike you down dead in an instant, if one is unlucky enough to become the chosen target or happen to stand nearby. And... " she then thought back to the odd lines it left on the ground, when it struck it, and decided that this artistic aspect would probably not interest the dark wolf, who seemes quite serious person to her.

As if the lightening god himself had heard her words, the next blow - fierce and sudden - hit the exact tree, both of them had found shelter. It sliced of the top half of it's victim, making it fall to the ground, sending around the smell of burning wood and resin. The memory of the forest fire was called back from the darkest recesses of her mind and in a moment of a sheer panic, she bolted from the shelter and off over the fields, trying to outrun an invisible enemy, while the thunderstorm raged around her.

ooc: hey - sorry for cutting this short, but I have to wrap up some older threads to make place for new ones. Thank you for the game!