The Heartwood From the ashes

Mitanni had been practicing her sneaking--sans mud since it had taken a considerable amount of effort to get it all out of her fur the last time--and she thought she was improving. Of course, she hadn't attempted to sneak up on anyone yet to really test out her skill, but that would come later. Once her confidence was up a bit and she felt she stood a decent chance of making it work.

Currently, she was on another one of her patrols along the Moonlit Hills border, tiptoeing quietly along. Her body was curved, slumped into a cautiously creeping gait, and she stuck to the numerous shadows her home offered her. I picked the perfect trade for this place, the little amber-eyed female thought, grinning as she stealthily maneuvered from one shadowed spot to the next as she carried out her patrol.

Occasionally her eyes drifted from her path and out beyond her home territory, into the neighboring land that bordered the Phantom Hollow. It wasn't until she noticed a particularly deadened wood that she stopped her patrol and went beyond the border. The forest looked sad as she slowly walked into it, glancing about as she took in its charred and burnt state, what remained from a fire in some previous time. When did this happen? Mitanni thought to question to herself, but couldn't bring herself to speak it aloud. This place felt as creepy and haunted as the Phantom Hollow did.

But she was getting over her fear of her home, and she felt confident enough to assume she could do the same here. Still, as she walked about, trying to learn the territory and everything that once stood here, she moved silently, slowly, disturbing as little dust--or was it maybe ash?--as she could.

Scout thread. Anyone's welcome to explore with Mitanni.

One might have questioned why Jaguara was content to sit and observe, and wait for no real predetermined period. The closer she traversed into the tangled mess of broken bark and ash, the more the daunting scent of wolves suggested she keep her distance. And so she did, acting on what could be considered good behavior in her book she wasn’t stupid enough to risk her neck and trespass. But surely wolves did dwell nearby. She found in her life knowledge had been invaluable and while she actively sought to seek it, she was content for the moment to simply bide her time and see if something of interest would cross her path.

And something did, although it was not immediately clear to her.

Nestled over the charred remains of log, cloaked by the nearby ashes that settled lightly on the dark mass of her pelt, Jaguara's eyes observed movement in the distance. Not quite near, but the shift was enough to catch her eyes and she followed the figure that picked its way across the territory. While she not catch what it was immediately, it was distinguished by the gait that didn’t quite resemble the light-feet of prey but was not the bold movement of a predator; not one that wanted to outwardly let its presence known. Ears fully extended upon her crown, she gave nt other movement that might reveal her position to the creature.

Sorry for the huge delay.

Though the skin on the back of her neck prickled, unsettled, Mitanni continued to wander the burned and broken Heartwood. As much it spooked her the same way that the Phantom Hollow had, there was something distinctly saddening about seeing this place and knowing that her home, just on the other side of the border, had been spared. This place must have looked like that at some point, the amber-eyed female realized, and she felt lucky that the territory Malice had picked out was so lively and habitable in comparison.

Most of the scents of the territory were dulled, covered somewhat by the smells of ash and charred remains of wood and timber. She found it difficult to make anything out beneath that, and considering she was still needing much work in the department of scenting tracks she couldn't yet pick up anything distinctively canine to alert her to other presences in the wood.

But as she continued to move about, she thought she smelled it. A faint whiff, just the suggestion of someone's passage before she'd arrived. Mitanni stopped and lowered her head to more closely inspect the trail, failing to judge how old it was and whether the individual might still be about. Her gaze lifted and looked about curiously, but as her unknown company remained immobile and hidden, she saw nothing telling. Mindful of the scent, alert now to the possible presence of another wolf, the Moonlit Hills member tread further into the Heartwood as she explored, unknowingly nearing the hidden stranger and her log perch.