Dragoncrest Cliffs Fruits of Labor

Midge trotted along the winding coastline, which soon gave way to jagged cliffs. She had been following the coast south from her birth pack’s territory for the last couple days, it being the one thing that remained familiar to her. Though the landscape and scenery around her may change, the waves always remained consistent. The edge of civilization to many was a whole new world to her, and to be honest she just couldn’t bear to let the ocean out of her sight.

She sighed and allowed herself a short rest atop the closest ledge as the terrain became more demanding. The combination of long-distance travel and the heat, or rather humidity of the coast left her feeling more exhausted than she realized. The only relief she got was in the form of the occasional breeze, salty and brisk, rolling off of the sea. She basked in these brief seconds of solace, a welcome contrast to the blazing sun baking down on her panting form.

After she caught her breath, Midge forced herself back to her feet, now eager to find food and fresh water. She wasn’t the best with heights or climbing, so scaling the steep cliffside was obviously out of the question. Instead she began retracing her steps, trying to find her way back down to the river mouth she’d passed not too long ago. Hopefully it could lead her to a lake and, if she was lucky, lend her a snack or two along the way. She still wanted to take a dip down by the beach if nothing else, so she headed in that general direction, sticking to the shade as best as she could.

Artyom strayed from @Germanicus as the tell-tale signs of the coast became apparent: a distinct scent of sea salt, the lapping of strong waves against the cliffs and the distant caw of gulls. While he could appreciate the shore, the North ran strong in Artyom's veins. He much preferred the crisp spring waters and dense forest of his home where his beloved family awaited his return.

When he spotted the lithe frame of an unfamiliar she-wolf as she picked her way across the rugged terrain up ahead, the golden Alpha paused to observe her movements. She seemed young and unsure of her steps, and he took a moment to study their surroundings in search of any others. Finding no one, Artyom concluded that she was alone. He moved closer carefully, and offered a friendly wave of his tail as he chuffed aloud to alert her to his presence.

Midge turned towards the sound of the noise with a start, thinking it might have come from a bear or deer of some kind. When her eyes landed on another wolf however, she eased up. A smile crossed her face and she bowed her head respectfully towards the golden figure, noting the authority with which he carried himself. Even so, she couldn’t mask the tremor of excitement that had started in her tail.

“Hello,” she offered, trotting towards him. She hadn’t run into many other wolves since she left home, probably because most pack territories didn’t fall in the path she was taking. This only made her more excited when she did though, especially when they were as handsome as this one.

“Hi, I’m Midge and I’m not from around here,” she said, offering up this info to a complete stranger with all the eagerness of a young pup. “You wouldn’t mind helping me out, would you?”

it was a relief to be out of whitebark, even on a solemn trip such as this seemed to be. germanicus proved an affable escort, making conversation if artyom initiated, remaining close and silent at hand otherwise. 

when the sea beckoned, the centurion found himself filled with intrigue. would these waters look the same as they had been in the old land? some boyish part of the soldier wished to run until he stood before the realm of the sea-titan, but he kept himself focused.

he searched for artyom now, easily grasping that trail. a bird hung from his jaws; germanicus meant it as a meal for the whitebark royal. discovering his leader now accompanied by a willowy girl, the guard stationed himself some ways back, visible but not privy to any words that might be spoken.