Emberflame Ridge Two roads diverged in a yellow wood

AW but tagging @Slancio for his scout trade (and mine!)

Qamar made sure she went to Emberflame Ridge on a clear, cloudless day. She had heard tales of lightning fires, trees singed by a storm's wrath, and wanted no part of those horrid tales. So the day was pleasant, mildly warm and partly cloudy, and Qamar was enjoying a semi-relaxed stroll through the forest.

She had made it a point to visit many of the territories surrounding the Sunspire, and she was checking them mentally off as she went, one by one. Along the way, she had met wolves--loners she hoped to recruit to Ryujin, true, but also wolves from packs she had befriended. Perhaps, as her stock in her tribe increased, she could use those friendships to form helpful alliances.

She heard small sounds in the trees and on the forest floor, and figured there must be a fair amount of small-game prey here. She would try to hunt in a short while. For now, Qamar padded through the woods, mapping out the place for further excursions.

Sorry for the kinda rushed and bad post

He took one look of the sky in the morning and declared it a beautiful day, barely awake when he started to march out of the territory. The sky shone a brilliant blue above him, the normally wispy white cloud no where in sight. He travelled south-east, past the point where he had met the stranger bulky wolf last time. He had never even gotten the other wolf's name, Slancio realised with a start. Heading up the rocky mountain side was a good idea, seeing as he had been wanting to do that the last time he had been here.

Up the mountains, the hunting seemed to be slightly better, as Slancio easily snagged a small squrriel on his way up. It was skinny and tangy, but was like a feast to the half-starved wolf. Spirits high after his catch, he continued along the ridge, heading higher. Another forest layed atop the rocky cliffs, and he made his way into it silently, hoping to catch himself another meal.

Yet soon he heard the sound of falling footsteps near him, and he didn't hesitate to move towards it. Through the silent forest, the sounds of footsteps, his and the stranger's, rang out against earth, striking the floor of the forest with unbounded ease.

Qamar's mental note-taking was interrupted by the sound of pawsteps up ahead. Ears pricked curiously, she trotted softly toward the noise, trying to pinpoint the source of the noise. A big, rangy wolf came into view, meandering around the woods as she was doing. The male was all kinds of colors, greys, whites, blacks, golds, and had amber eyes almost shocking in their intensity.

Armed with only a smile, though staying a bit wary, as she always was of strangers, the silver woman approached him slowly. She caught a whiff of his scent on the light breeze that fluttered through the trees. He smelled of other wolves, and of the sea. He had wandered quite a ways inland to find this forest, then.

"Hello, there," she greeted, her voice a bit husky with misuse. "Enjoying the beautiful day? I know I am." She kept her tone light, airy, hoping to inveigle the brawny male into a conversation. She was not above a little light-hearted flirting, even with a wolf of a different pack.

Soon he found the source of the footprints, a lighter, scrawnier female with silver fur like his, but darker. She was mostly toned in the same stocky silver, yet her muzzle and paws faded to a light white color. She had a pair of dark green eyes, striking like his own owl-like amber orbs. Even when he neared her posture remained soft and relaxed, and he gave her a causal grin.

He sniffed her quickly, trying to place the scent on her. Aware of the fact she seemed to be doing the same, Slancio scented more the brisk scent of more mountains. Yet the scent was not of the stronger mountains they were near, leading him to a conclusion of that she had travelled here like him, but had orginally came from somewhere near the mountain sides. No prey scent clung to her though, and he wondered if she was hungry.

She spoke first, greeting him, before speaking of the beautiful day. At this, he gave her another grin. "Certainly I am. I can't think of anybody who wouldn't be happy in such a pretty surroundings," He replied easily. Friendship was an easily made thing, yet precious. He would not turn down the chance to make a new friend.

She nodded, and looked at the canopy of branches and leaves above, filtering in the summer sun so that it gave a dappled glow to the forest floor. "It is lovely. And it seems as if life is returning to Teekon once more. Fortunately."

She again smiled at the stranger. "My name is Qamar, of Ryūjin. I live a few miles south of where we stand. What about you?"

This was not a wolf she could recruit; his scent was clearly marked with others, signifying he was part of a pack. No matter--it would not be a complete waste of time to have a short conversation with him, and maybe a hunt as well. Her stomach grumbled at the thought of prey.

The cool forest breeze brushed against him softly and rippled around his fur. He fought down the urge to bat at a passing leaf, trying to at least seem more mature. "Yes, I have looked forwards to seeing these wilds back to their orginal glory." He chuffed, in reply to the other wolf's first sentence.

The silver and white female introduced herself then, as Qamar, and claimed to be from a pack called Ryūjin. "Slancio," He grinned at her once again, happy to have made a new friend. "I come from Saltwinter, a pack of the cost north-west from here."

"What brings you all the way out here? I'm here to check out the territory." He continued on causally, trying to continue the wasy-going conversation.

Saltwinter. The name was quite apropos for a pack by the sea. She wondered how his pack operated, how many there were, but shoved those prying questions aside, instead opting to answer his own query to her. "I'm here for the same reason as you are, Slancio! My goal is to try to explore all the territory around here. A bite to eat wouldn't be terrible, either," Qamar added with a wink.

She gazed down the tiny deer-path ahead--albeit devoid of all deer since the locusts had swarmed through--meandering through the trees. "Will you walk with me? I'd like to see more of these woods, and we can continue to chat while doing so."

 

sorry for the crappy short post blegh

Inwardly, he tried to figure out with Ryujin could mean, he almost missed what the Qamar said, but caught on quickly enough. "You never know when there's territory around that might be useful," He mused with a snarky smirk, canting his head towards her. "The hunting here seems to be better, and I wouldn't mind some company..." He trailed off. 

She seemed ot have the same idea, asking him if he would take a wlk with him. "I don't have much better things to do this sunny afternoon, and good company is always welcomed." He shrugged. "Let's grab something to eat first though. No point if wasting such a great chance to eat some food, right?" He asked, laughing softly. Following her, he set off along the path behind her.

She chuckled at his crack at scoping out potential territory. "I think the wolves in Hushed Willows would have something to say about that," she teased. "I've heard they're a very fierce pack." He mentioned food, and her stomach grumbled again, louder this time, audible. She lowered her head and laughed, abashed. "I agree. Food sounds great."

Qamar took off at a slow walk through the forest, looking over at her companion. "So what's life like by the sea?" she asked curiously. "Do you guys eat a lot of fish? Or. . .other creatures?" She had heard tales of strange animals that called the ocean their home; whether they were worth tasting and digesting, she had no idea.

Sorry for the late reply

When she mentioned hushed willows, he canted his head, taking a deeper sniff of the place. The familiar scent of the pack which quarreled over the deer floated to him, as well the scent of Teagan. Slancio momentarily mourned the loss of his new found friend. Yet he came to reality, and replied to Qamar, "They are a very fierce pack, not really somebody you want to run into," He muttered, loud enough to hear, "But in these times, food is always good," He continued, louder this time.

He heard her ask about the sea. "Beautiful, honestly." He shrugged, a soft smile coming onto his face. "The waves lapping onto the shore gives off a gorgeous scenery." He laughed, falling into ease. "Since the ocean is untouched by locusts, we're currently eating fish, but theres the occasional seagull. I've only recently came to these wilds, but I expect seals and larger marine prey to come when the green returns to Teekon." Slancio grinned at her then, dertermined to learn something about her too, "How's life in the mountains? I hear that most mountain wolves hunt bird?"

So sorry for responding so late o_o

Qamar let her gaze grow wistful as Slancio described his ocean home. During her travels south, she had remained inland, not getting any closer than several miles to the coastline. Perhaps, at a later date, she would visit the beach, try her hand at catching some of the marine prey the Saltwinter wolf spoke of.

"Birds," she repeated, her voice a little hesitant. "I haven't been long in the mountains, but I haven't caught many birds while I've been here. I've stuck with fish in lakes and streams, the occasional hare or squirrel near the foothills as well. I imagine the mountain deer and goats will return soon. . .god willing."

She picked up her pace, beginning to lope through the forest paths yet making sure she did not leave her new companion behind. It felt good to run, her silver pelt rippling in the balmy early summer breeze.

No problem!

He shot her a friendly look when he watched her expression turned wistful, wondering he she had ever seen the ocean before. One day, he hoped he would see her near the coast again, and properly show her the beauties of the ocean. Before arriving at the wilds, the only large expanse of water he had contact with was the lake that stood aloof at the edge of Horned Owl valley, with a single river leading to it. During autumn, Salmon often leapt into their river and his family would have a feast. 

He was slightly surprised when Qamar corrected his assumption about them catching many birds in the mountains. Sympathising with her when she spoke of the famine, he gave her a grin. "It seems the famine has struck everywhere. I hope that what you wish is true and larger prey shall return soon." He spoke, gazing around them in the peacful forest. "But the wilds as recovering, if the land we stand on is anything to go by."

He took steady steps, keeping up a good pace beside her, enjoying the sunny afternoon and the regrowing forest, looking forwards to the days to come.