Heron Lake Plateau Here I Go Again

The gray dove trotted across the meadow. Her ears were erect as she listened to every sound around her. Amaya had caught the scent of water and was now in search of it. It had been some time since she'd come across any water that wasn't a puddle in the dirt. 

She was alone again and glad that she hadn't forgotten her survival skills. She'd really had to put them to the test lately but she was making it even if she was a little leaner than she used to be. 

Her plan now was to find the water she had caught the scent of. Find something to eat and a place to spend the night. If she was lucky she would find all of those needs in one place. 

When she finally found what she was looking for the gray dove was surprised. It was a considerable body of water that she could surely catch a fish or something. She only paused for a moment before moving to the waters edge. Once she had reached it she lowered her head to the water to drink.

Moving north through the forest seemed like a good idea, not that the dog knew where she was really heading. She now had a vague idea of what wolf-scent was, and over the course of a few hours she trailed after one scent or another, deeply curious of these not-quite-dogs. It was a foolish venture but she was lonely, plus she had such a limited pool of reference for these creatures, so Blackheart did not know to be wary of them.

Her first instinct when she came across a strikingly fresh scent trail was to raise her tail, pausing with a paw raised, like a pointer hound. As she continued on, her strides lengthened in opposition to her dwindling patience, and soon the scent was accompanied by the sharp quality of fresh water. It was a lot like the creek — but that wasn't important. She wasn't thirsty for water, but for knowledge.

As she came prowling from the underbrush to the edge of a plateau, Blackheart hoisted herself over some rotten logs that criss-crossed her path and then onward, to where the plateau opened up to exposed stonework. Her claws tapped at the hard surface as she scrambled to keep from losing her balance, and then she pirouetted on the spot, investigating the scents lining the basalt.

She almost did not see the wolf; it was so immense that she dismissed it as a boulder, but it moved, its head lowering towards the water. When that subtle motion caught in her eyes Blackheart froze. She didn't know if she should approach (though her quivering hindquarters belied her vested interest in such an event) so she held herself as firmly as she could in one place, watching, waiting - ready to spring away if her presence was not welcome.

The water was cool in her mouth as she lapped it up. Refreshing after so many hours of travel without a drink. The gray woman drank until she'd had her fill. As she raised her head from the water her thoughts turned to where to go and what to do next. She knew she would have to eat soon.

The one thing about being on her own was being able to do as she pleased when she wanted to. The thought of finding shelter close by and staying a few days crossed her mind. Next to the water she could wait for the prey to come and drink. She would have everything else she needed too. 

Amaya wasn't exactly sure what she wanted to do anymore. She'd had the taste of pack life and had liked it more than she thought she would before she'd become a pack wolf. The hardship of living on her own wasn't new to her though it had become easier with practice. 

Her gray figure turned from the water which was when she caught sight of the strange looking creature. Up until then she'd been unaware that it was there. The water had covered the scent keeping her from detecting it right away. The gray woman paused perplexed, she'd never seen anything like it. Now that she had finally caught its scent she knew it wasn't a wolf but what was it. 

She thought for a moment about what to do. Eating it did cross her mind and she didn't think it would be too hard to catch. However in her curiosity she couldn't do anything without first finding out what it was. That's where she decided to start, "What are you?" She asked before she had the chance to wonder if it would understand her.

Comparatively speaking, Blackheart was a spry deer-like creature compared to the more burdensome wolf. Of course, she had no idea that it was a wolf; it looked like any of the assorted dogs she'd seen in passing. She had very few connections within her previous life so she would not compare the stranger to a husky or any northern breed despite the obvious connection, but she had known a shepherd, and that was the closest thing she could think of. This creature was taller and broader in the shoulders, with a round head and small triangular ears. Their coat was a lovely composition of greys that transitioned to cream. Blackheart was not a vain person, but she found the entire ensemble appealing in an aesthetic sense. However, what her eyes lingered upon the longest was the stranger's face - their tapered snout, specifically.

When they opened their mouth Blackheart tensed further, half-stepping back, as if to avoid an attack despite the distance between them. Instead words came flowing from them; this was something she'd never heard before. Blackheart could communicate but she'd rarely had the opportunity, and to find a wild dog in this space with the same capability was jarring.

The question went in one ear and out the other; a second later the comment registered and Blackheart sort of.. twitched. The ears framing her face bounced softly. I'm Blackheart. She states, figuring that's what the creature meant. It had been an odd question - weren't they the same? Four legs, a tail, a snout, fur. The other dog looked more rugged and certainly more adapted to this wilderness, but they were otherwise identical according to her.

Amaya hadn't ever come across a creature such as she one standing before her just then. What struck her was the black coat with the points of brown. She'd never seen a wolf of those colors before. She wouldn't admit it but she was a little thrown off by the appearance of this animal. What did one do with such am animal. The gray woman knew that other animals like deer and rabbits couldn't understand when they were spoken to, at least she didn't think they could. So she had to wonder if this wolf like creature could understand when spoken to. There was only one way to find out. Amaya took a chance and asked what she was.

At first nothing came from the other but Amaya coikd tell that she was nervous or scared.  She'd seen the way the stranger had tensed and taken a step backward. "No need to worry, I mean you no harm," she stared hoping that might calm some nervousness in the other. "I only wish to find out a little more about you," she explained. What to do could be decided later.

Finally words passed across the others lips as she told her name. "Its nice to meet you Blackheart, I'm Amaya." Her question hadn't quite been answered. "You're not a wolf, I can see and smell that," she explained as she sat down across from Blackheart. "What I'm wondering is what kind of wolf are you?" That had to best way to help the other canine understand what she was asking. "I haven't seen one that looked like you before." Another question Amaya could ask was where was all her fur.

The stranger did not attack her outright, which was a good starting point. She spoke, and that was bizarre to Blackheart's ears; not that she expected any different. This woman looked like one of the northern dogs she'd sometimes see while out walking with her master, or maybe at a roaming park, so it was less of an alienating moment to Blackheart than to her new companion. She had never heard of a dog called a wolf before; but maybe without a master present, that's just the term that these dogs used? The explanation left her wondering many things, most of which she tucked away to contemplate later.

Well, Blackheart murmured while trying to think of the best way to explain herself - but it would be hard. As far as she could tell they were exactly the same. This woman, Amaya, had a thicker coat, but they both had four legs, a tail, powerful noses, and a generally similar shape. I guess... I'm not from around here, so maybe that's why I look.. different? You don't look very different to me. She smelled a lot different though, in the sense that her wild smell was dwarfed by the pine scent and wilderness around them; as if she belonged here among the trees, versus Blackheart who probably still smelled vaguely like kibbles and bits.