Otatso Wetlands birdman's path

For @Summer! should we keep it AW too for others to find them? :P

The initial descent down the back end of the Sunspire was speedy and graceful, as Cuan struggled to keep up with the steep slope that slanted to the twisted, rugged lands that lay, wooded, behind the mountain. His tail spun out behind him, like rudder that swerved and circled in the air to give the lanky male the proper balance. They had set off from the pack realm before the sun had come up, and in the late fall pre-dawn glow everything had a dark, slightly haunted blue aura to it. Skirting the forest, the pair had found themselves past the raised earth of Rising Sun and it's forest glens and onto the still marsh.

Roots and dead leaves gave way to the start of the wetlands, where tall, reedy grasses sprung up from the many small ponds and waterways. A fog hung about the chilly waters, brought up by the cold temperatures of the morning. Everything was beginning to take on a rose-pink glow as the sun stretched herself on the horizon, illuminating cat-tails and pale tufts of sedge. From his vantage on the dry earth of the riparian forest, Cuan could see pieces of blanched driftwood askew in parts of the sprawling marsh, and several provided sleeping spaces for rooks of crows.

Thank you for PMing me about this! Definitely didn't get the tag and definitely would've missed it others <3

It was nice to get away from the Sunspire, as much as he so dearly and fully loved the mountain that had become his home, he could not deny how delightful it was to gain some new experiences. Summer had enjoyed Cuan's company on the first day that they'd met and he had continued to on their journey to the Wetlands. Now there at their destination, he gave his companion a sidelong glance and a little grin.

"Where you wanna head first?" Summer asked, looking back across the cattails and frosted pools.

no problem! :D should we allow other people to join in?

The dry rustling of the autumn woods behind him allowed Cuan to glance over his shoulder and watch the dark male emerge from the depths of the trees. Removing his gaze, Cuan glanced back out at the emerging dawn light. It was rather peaceful, with the tepid water of the marsh giving rise to yellowing stalks and brush that hid an unmeasurable amount of life. Except the scout was a little tense. He'd never been down to the wetlands before, and the only other marsh he'd encountered was quite a few years ago- there had been one in his natal territory. Cuan had no reason to venture into it, and so faced with Otatso he was at a loss. Of course, the need to explore and make sure all was well in the surrounding lands of the Sunspire was strong, and curiousity may bubble as well, but there was still a hesitant glimmer welling in his leopard eyes.

How cold do you think it is? Cuan asked with the caution still seeping into his words. With a sway of his tail, the wolf continued to loose the thoughts rambling in his head.
Do you think there's like... monsters or something in it? The marsh looked extremely peaceful and calm as it lay before their paws, but Cuan wasn't exactly outgoing in a new environment. Having the presence of Summer, however young, by his side helped, for Cuan would've probably skirted the marsh all together.

I'm cool with that!

Summer did not share Cuan's feelings of hesitation. He was rather a homebody himself and didn't often venture far from the Spire, but lately it was more out of his territorial feelings rather than any anxiety. His ears twitched as his packmate spoke, his words teeming with trepidation. Summer only smiled, feeling unusually cocky that day.

"Probably," he replied easily when Cuan questioned the presence of monsters in the marshlands. Summer bumped his shoulder lightly against the tawny wolf's, a tell that he'd only been teasing, before he trotted forward into the murky waters. His gaze swept across the land as he wandered across the uneven grounds, the underside of his belly quickly becoming saturated as he trudged through the periodic shallow pools that thickly dotted the territory.

The Ostrega lowered his nose towards the ground as he went, sniffing eagerly just as a frog leaped out of a cluster of brush somewhere nearby. He turned to look at the ripples that danced across the water at the amphibian's disruption, glancing over to Cuan after a moment. "You ever eaten frogs before?" he asked.

It turned out that Cuan hadn't, and so the pair of wolves spent a while that day attempting to collect a good batch of the amphibians to take home to the Sunspire.