Coconut Grove bird song

the blood stains had long since crusted over, yet he breathed as though it had just splattered across his maw. heavy. shallow. his chest burned. only now where the earth met the sea did he slow from his run.

held tightly between yellowed teeth was a pound of flesh. a day beyond its freshness. a week? time was a concept lost on him.

he carried it to the edge of the shore, past it, and walked the line in which he could be swept away. his grip slowly came loose, and the meat fell and bubbled in the salty water.

anguta, lómion whispered the heavens. tears welled in his eyes as they returned to his offering. swallowed by the sea, a trail of red left in its path.

when it had disappeared from sight, the man would return to the shore to tend to the wounds above his eye. a choked sob bubbled from his throat as tattered paws touched frigid sand.

Raindrop didn’t care for leaving too far from her new home in Moontide, but  things had been kinda slow, days that just feel like they floated by. She started out early in the morning, and by later that afternoon, she made her way to a grove of…. Tropical trees? She looked up at them, their palms waving in the gentle wind, but her attention wa swiftly drawn away by a sob. Her ears twisted to locate the sound, and her eyes followed: It was a wolf she saw, in dark smokey shades, standing near the edge of the surf. She slowly approached, stopping about 12 feet away from him, and calling out to him with a low, short howl: “Hello? Are you alright?” 

She stood her ground, her position neutral, not defensive nor fearful. Upon any closer look, she could notice the unmistakable color of dried blood upon his fur.

from the mainland came a voice. it halted lómion in his tracks. his head lifted to see who had joined him at the shore, but could not meet her eye. no, he stared beyond her, blankly.

silence hung in the air a moment too long.

what—? and his whisper does little to fill the air.

lómion blinked, and finally his gaze focused on a woman no elder than he. her question fully processed then, but his answer did not.

i am... yes. i - i am.

He kept his gaze averted, a blank stare directed beyond her, and after a moment too long, he brought his eyes to her, and spoke: “i am... yes. i - i am.”. She didn’t believe it, but she would give him the benefit of the doubt. She looked to his face, dark and smokey, green viridescent eyes placed like gems. She stepped forward a couple of feet, and stopped again, this time a swish of her tail: “I’m Raindrop of Moontide.” She introduced herself, voice warm and gentle, like an ocean breeze in mid summer. “Who are you?”

his response was enough to quell her curiosity in that regard. she gave her name then, and he recites it to himself thrice.

lómion. and in an instant the memory of her name is instead replaced by the place she hails.

moon... a ghostly name upon his tongue. he blinked again. is it near? this.. moontide?

His name was Lómion. A strange name, but yet, it fit him. “Well, then, Lómion. It’s a pleasure.” He spoke quietly the word “moon” — Perhaps he knew of the moon pack here along the shore, then he asks if Moontide is near. “See that plateau in the distance?” She said as she turned her head towards the east, “That’s Moontide’s claim.”

She looked him over once more, medium built, lanky, with a cloak of ash and soot. She didn’t smell anyone else on him, most likely a loner, as she one was.

his gaze trailed the path she marked. sure enough, distant through the ocean’s haze, was a plateau. and it was there where moontide lay claim. its second mention brings a shiver to the spine.

tell me of it. then, less forceful, lómion adds, um, please. i am curious. what’s it like? living there?

Tag for reference only.

His gaze followed where her own laid, and he wanted to know more of Moontide, what living there was like: “I have only just joined their ranks not more than a few weeks ago, but I can share what little I do know.” She answered, and went on to share what she had, “Moontide is one of four Moon packs, the other three being Moonglow, Moonspear and Moonsong, a more recent addition.  I have not learned much of their full culture. Moontide rests upon Ocean’s breath plateau, along this very coast, and it is ruled by the Alpha, @Rodyn.”

little time came with little knowledge. yet the woman gives as much is needed to spark distant memory aflame.

moontide. moonspear. moonsong.

moonglow. lómion’s eyes light up in recognition. so, it still stands…?

the sentence trailed off as did his eyes. past the plateau, to uncharted nothingness where old homes may be still.

i lived there once. he spoke to the woman again, yet his attention had yet to draw back to her. i was born there.

A light in his eyes, familiarity, yet still distant. He was born of Moonglow, lived there, perhaps their running into was a good thing. “It does indeed. The alpha is Moonwoman Kukutux. I’ve met her briefly, but she is a very wise woman.” Maybe Raindrop could help Lómion out, if he even wanted it should she offer. “Perhaps this meeting was meant to be. If you need help finding Moonglow, or getting there, I’d be more than pleased to help you.” She stated, her eyes lighting up with the thought of possibility.

even through the years his homeland still stands. his mother still guides it. though boyish happiness glows within his heart, it is dulled by a sudden wrenching of his belly.

oh— briefly he looked back at the sea, and pictured the meat he fed it not moments before. lómion turned away, his eyes finally meeting those of his company.

if it’s no trouble to you, your help would be much appreciated.

His gaze was upon the sea once more, before they finally met her’s — A collision of viridescent green and ice blue.

He would accept her help, and a light inside her own heart lit up. “It would be no trouble at all.” She replied, a smile growing upon her face, “Where shall we start?” 

I’m liking where this is going. :3 Thank you for the thread Mutton.

lómion nodded to her assurance, taking a step back towards the water.

soon, if we may. the sea lapped at his heels with a couple more steps. i would like to— to tidy up a bit before we go. the man lowered himself to the ocean's touch, letting gentle waves wash through blood-soaked fur.

he could not let his family see him this way.

np, back at u! we can fade here if you'd like and start a new thread :)

He nodded in assurance, and stepped back to the water to cleanse himself before returning to his family, his home. “Of course. We shall first meet the higher ranks within Moontide, then I will ask for permission to take you to Moonglow.” She would turn her body towards Ocean’s Breath Plateau, signaling to Lómion that she was ready to take off.

Sounds good. You can start it up if you like back at the edge of the plateau, and Raindrop can call for Heph and Rodyn. Or I can start it, whatever you feel comfortable with. :)