Mount Apikuni the man in black fled across the desert, and the gunslinger followed

@Barracuda

The sun had fallen over the rocky ledges and cast an eerie darkness over the terrain. Illidan basked in it, for in that moment it was cool and quiet. He felt the breeze as it brushed through the bedraggled strands of his pelt, toying at the dark hairs along his nape. Young, but he already carried a distinct air of his father about him. Though he only had a few months under his belt, there was an age to him that had been granted by the traumatic experiences of his childhood. It was difficult to say if he would have turned out that way if his family had been stable and secure. It was difficult to tell what anything would have been like if they had found a home.

On a jagged stone that jutted upward in a perfect angle, Illidan was reclined. His sharp citrine gaze searched the skies for shooting stars. Up there, he felt so close to them. And he had never truly felt close to nature before that moment. It was unlikely that he would be too touched by it to change anything about him, but the momentary peace was a welcome one. The young boy breathed deeply and felt a sense of home on the mountainside. Perhaps this too was a nod to his paternal lineage. Perhaps it was nothing more than a longing to belong somewhere.

I wasn't sure how high up we were - and I also don't know much about mountains, we don't really have those here! - but I've made it so they're low enough that there's not much snow? :P

Desperation drove him up the crag, his stomach growling with every step. His pawpads were sore and tender, and he walked gingerly along the trail. He was not used to boulders and mountains, having spent most of his free adult life in forests where the floor was covered in rotting leaves. He had passed through a few stands of trees on his way up, but they were insignificant and pitiful, showing signs of some recent disaster that they were only beginning to recover from. It seemed that the local wildlife had a similar opinion to him, as they had not returned in any noticeable number to the thickets. There were likely some there, but Darkmoon did not have the knowledge to find them.
    In the failing light, it was becoming difficult to distinguish between the shapes of the rockface, each jagged slab taking the form of a tree, an elk, or a bear. So it was that when Darkmoon spotted the lounging wolf in the distance he was not sure what it was he saw, only that it was softer than the surrounding terrain. He drew closer to it to investigate, hoping he had somehow stumbled across a carcass in some lucky find, although he had seen no sign of large game around here. In his eagerness he did not take care to remain quiet or stealthy, and lose stones rolled from under his paws. He stepped on a particular unstable pile of pebbles, and as they slid out from underneath him he slipped, falling onto his shoulder. He cursed loudly as he fell, sheepishly picking himself up as he realised how much noise he must have made.

no mountains there?? wild! thank you so much for joining tho.

the sound of sliding stones alerted the young man to the presence of another. his hawkish yellow gaze snapped onto the stranger with a wicked sense of speed, holding the appearance of the figure for a moment before he realized that he had truly never seen this wolf before. the muted coloration of the stranger's coat seemed to trigger a sense of searching in the young feral who furrowed his brow and frowned thoughtfully. though the approaching shadow had been noisy, illidan was not bothered by the presence of someone who sought company. he only hoped that the other understood that his social skills were severely lacking. he was the result of an antisocial old man and a washed up harpy; his blood did not boast for him.

“careful,” he urged in a tone that was surprisingly deeper than it had been before. the dark-hooded young man cupped his ears forward and canted his crown to the left. it was curious to see a loner. illidan had grown used to the clutter of his adoptive pack and the makeshift family that had been a result of such a place. it wasn't often that he was graced with the presence of someone who truly lived off the land. so, he remained in a passive state and waited to see if the dark one would approach him.