Sleepy Fox Hollow No Rainbows in The Desert

Atalune came across a meadow atop the mountain she had climbed. She hoped to get a better view of the landscape around her. She would have plenty of time to climb to the ridge of the mountain to view the ground, but for now she decided to take the opportunity to rest. The meadow had massive trees of all colors, they fascinated her. It was underneath the shade of one of these trees that she lay down to rest. The climb hadn't necessarily been as arduous as it had been tedious. Her body could handle anything the wilds threw her way. She knew if she had any siblings out there, they'd be entering the wilds right about now. She had vowed to find them, to protect them, and she meant to follow up on that promise. For now though, she wanted to enjoy the meadow's peace and quiet.

grey. white. green.
the last time a woman had come to the hollow, she had been insane. mahler snorted. he came to the borders at once, shoving into her space.
the events of the stone circle kept him on edge. he glanced over her supine body. "for vhat reason have you come?" the amethyst eyes were untrusting.

I have got to pay more attention to forming packs.

 

Atalune jumped, startled from her slumber by a snort. She hadn't even realized she'd dozed off. Now that she'd gotten a little rest and was thinking more clearly she caught scents in the air. More importantly, she could see the stance this wolf took, he was defending his claim. 

I'm not supposed to be here, am I? She stood, stretching languidly. I simply intended to use the mountain ridges to survey the land below when I came across this meadow. It drew me in, I can see why you would defend your claim so vehemently. She chose to leave out her search for family for now.

no worries! <3

she recognized her mistake quickly enough. mahler relaxed though his stoneflower eyes remained watchful.
"if you vould humour me vith a hunt along those ridges, i vould forgive the affront." his voice was dry; it was up to the stranger to ascertain whether he meant humor or not.

She shrugged. She wasn't really in a position to deny any request the man had, given her position as a trespasser and all. She wondered if he'd actually let her eat or if she was just supposed to be a distraction. Or if she was walking into her death. To be fair she wasn't really in any position to run off either way, not to mention she hadn't really had a formidable meal in sometime. I could eat. She nodded with a mischievous smile.

she was agreeable enough, and so mahler set off at an easy lope. "this is paleo, home to many mountain goats."
the patriarch paused to explore a series of tracks left by the animal. "and i am mahler." his amethyst eyes compelled her to say the same, though in the next moment he had turned away to continue his hunting.

Paleo? She repeated the the name aloud. She was curious about the people who would call this beautiful place home. She had missed the look compelling her for information, her time as a loner having lost her manners. Her parents had taught her better, of course, not that she cared. If they had just joined a pack maybe her siblings would have lived. At least that's what she wanted to believe. Now she couldn't even find the sister's she knew she had, let alone any her parents had since. 

The stranger, Mahler, as he had introduced himself to her, had begun to walk away from her. She trailed after him, scanning the ground as he had. There were indeed footprints, although he could tell her they belonged to anything and she'd have to believe him. She'd never hunted a goat herself, but she assumed it'd be similar to most large prey. Most of which she hadn't had much luck hunting since leaving her family. Truth be told she'd jump at any opportunity for a solid meal.

"yes. ve favour a return to the earth vith simple and traditional values." he inspected a small pile of dried droppings, and felt the animals were at least a half-hour off. and so he picked up the pace.
"currently it is only myself, my vife, and our children from this year. our daughter from the last has dispersed."
and he hated so much to say this; it stung his heart. he paced off in silence, looking once toward the woman whose name he still did not know.

She frowned. It sounded so similar to her own story. Yet not. She herself had no one at all, it was a truly lonely existence. I was seeking my sister, but it is more likely that she has already moved on farther than I can reach. She had resigned herself to live as a loner, to punish herself for not having found her sister. But she wondered if it wise to continue life in this way. My name is Atalune.

atalune. it was fitting.
mahler drew up the scent of marmots lurking in the crags of the hilly country, near the juncture of mountains to hollow. he set a direct path for them, pausing only when the trail divided in two directions. "up there ve vill find these animals but also the goats. and down there, ve vill find only marmots."
a goat would feed them all a while. but the smaller beasts would be safer to hunt, even if it took more effort to catch several. he could ill-afford an injury before winter and he suspected the same for a lone wolf.
still, mahler would let her choose, something he did not think she would have suspected.