Horizon Ridge The Wolf I Became is Worth Being

It was dawn when Gavriil woke from his deep sleep. The rose-pink light of dawn reflected off Gavriil's deep orange eyes as he stretched and looked towards the sky. The past few days the male had been rather busy. Talking to wolves, and hunting trying his best to keep the pack's prey stash rather full. With the injured wolves around from the recent natural disaster the least Gavriil could do was hunt. Shaking off his fur, clearing the dirt away from it Gavriil rose from his makeshift den. Nestled between a dead tree and a few clumps of bushes is where Gavriil had been resting his head in these long days. 

Trotting away from his home, Gavriil decided he wanted to explore the beach again. He had been there twice before. Once when he first arrived in his pack's territory and the other time to go scavenging with Pump. The memory brough a smile to the wolf's face. Almost nothing could bring the wolf down from this high of happiness. When the bear of a wolf arrive at the beach the sun still was rising in the sky, flashes of purple now gleemed in the sky. This was his new home, and Gavriil couldnt feel any happier. 

Once the male reached the beach he layed in it's cool sand, basking in the warmth of the rising sun. 

Hello I apologize in advance for putting the poor man in this predicament lol.

Thistle Cloud had been hiding for days staying as far away from males as possible, except of course the one she longed for, him she would seek out often, Crete. Her cycle of heat was becoming less pronounced it was almost over, she was still trying very hard to stay far away from any and all males, but as luck would have it today was not her day as she found a newcomer walked onto the beach. She had bathed in the sea water hoping to mask her scent a little bit and now as she saw another approaching she hit the ground and sat down tucking her tail tightly around her legs and backside.

She chuffed gently as she did not wish to scare him, but she hoped he would stay a few feet away. "Hello Nice day isn't it. I'm Thistle Cloud.

Its ok! This is a great situation for a male of his personality!

Gavriil only noticed the blue eyed female once she let out a bark of greeting. The bulky male hadn't met the brown beauty yet but that didn't stop him from being friendly-as he always was. Trotting over to the female an overwhelming smell basked in her presence. Heat masked in salty water surrounded the young males nose. This wasn't the first time Gavriil had been around females in heat, he was young then, just a pup. Gavriil tried to let only friendlyness show on his face but he knew his eyes gave away hunger.

"I am Gavriil! It's nice to meet you ma'am." The hefty male responded. Pump gave a tiny description of Thistle Cloud noting that she was a healer. "You're the healer I have heard a lot about? You've done a great job amist the natural disaster that left our pack injuried." Gavriil gave her some compliments in a friendly way. Gavriil took a seat, hunger still raging in his eyes. His politeness and respect for the female stopped him from making any moves upon her.

Thistle Cloud saw the hunger in his gaze and for a moment she was very very wary, but then he sat and a small breath she had been holding puffed out. It seemed that though he was like most males in this situation he was going to be polite and respectful and for that she appreciated him at the moment far more than she could say.

"Hello Gavriil it is nice to meet you as well. She chuckled softly at his compliments "Thank you I am doing the best I can with what I have. I am no healer yet, but I am trying to earn the right to call myself that. I am assuming you have spoken to Pump and Bjorn and perhaps even poor kennedy. She tilted her head but did not move other than that, keeping herself firmly seated. "What brings you to the ridge Gavrill? It seems we are getting and influx of newcomers from other areas something that is going to be good for us.

Gavriil smiled at the female when she took his compliment and responded to it. The chuckle that escaped her made Gavriil relax more. He kept his eyes averted in respect of her dominance. "You are a healer, I have no doubt that you will earn the title fairly. No other wolf deserves it more." Gavriil responded with a smile and friendly tone. The macho bodied male had met every wolf she listed with an exception of Kennedy, but he hadn't a doubt he would meet the male soon. 

He nodded in reply and listened to her next line. Gavriil had truly come to the ridge looking for safety, friendship, and life. That was true but he didn't know how to word it without being overly sappy. "I came looking for survival, but I've found wolves that are worth protecting. I am happy I found this place."

Thistle Cloud chuckled again, she did not know how the male could rightly assume that she was deserving of the title of healer, when he had yet to see her heal, but she appreciated his kind words all the same. Thistle Cloud was unsure if he would meet Kennedy or even if Kennedy would survive his wounds were extensive and hard to determine what was going on with him.

"Yes especially now when most of us are laid up with injuries or lost in teh slide we need the protecting you can provide. I was lucky and did not get many wounds, however Pump, Bjorn and Kennedy were not so lucky. It saddened her to think of the older wolf Kennedy laid up with pain, his leg was broken she was unsure if she would be able to save him from limping in the future.

Gavriil nodded when she said many were in need of protection after the disaster. He would try his best to protect those who needed his help. Gavriil was never one to turn away help for those who needed it most. "If a situation arises where I am needed to protect, I will do it with honor," Gavriil spoke  in a proud but not condescending tone. Gavriil wasn't one to enact violence but he would react to it with necessary force. 

Gavriil was curious on what the female was doing up so early, and in the ocean for that matter. His curiosity always seemed to out weight his politeness. Normally he wouldn't intrude on a wolf's personal space but his questions did. "If I may ask, what are you doing here."

Thistle Cloud shook her head, "I am glad you are so willing to help. You will be a welcome addition to our home and pack. I myself am not very good at protection, though i can if I need too. I much prefer the healing arts to the warrior ones.

Thistle Cloud shuffled her feet sheepishly and spoke quietly "As i am sure you can tell I am in Heat. I have been in my den all week so as to not draw any unwanted attention and this morning I got tired of hiding and decided to come out and bathe in the water. She blinked quickly and chuckled to herself, it seemed foolish now hiding like she had been, but there was some she did not trust to control themselves around her.

Gavriil noticed the female moving her feet and speaking quietly once he asked what she was doing by the ocean. Gavriil let out a frown because he knew it made the female uncomfortable that he was so curious. "I don't think you should hide yourself. That's not fair. Males should control themselves, if they can't then they don't deserve to be around females." Gavriil stated in a matter of fact voice.

Thistle Cloud chuckled at his refreshing polite nature. "Well that maybe, but the simple fact is that some males cannot and that is okay it is nature after all and instinct. I imagine if I was bigger and a little better at fighting I would not be so wary. Also this is my first time in a new home, and I still do not know many well.

She tilted her had and asked him "I have told you why I am about this early what about you? What brings you here this early?

It was troubling thought to Gavriil that a stronger wolf would overpower a weaker one. Especially a male over a female. Gavriil had been trained to protect those who are weak. A strong wolf recognizes the strength of others. It's not brave to control those who cannot protect themselves. 

Gavriil had a simple answer to why he had been up so early. "Many wolves need help, I rise early to help with hunting and protection." It was short, and sweet in its own way. Gavriil had always been and will always be a wolf to show kindness and mercy to those who deserve it. He will always be up for offering help, that is how he was raised. The wolf who Gavriil has become is something worth being.

Thistle Cloud also felt it wrong that these things happened where a weaker wolf would be taken over by a stronger wolf. However, she also held onto the reality that it happened it was the way of things sometimes. She always hoped for a happy ending like her mother had. Her mother who had been taken in by a handsome face and then subjected to the most cruel of treatments at his own hand and others.

Thistle Cloud dipped her head in acknowledgement to his words, however she spoke the healer in her couldn't keep quiet. "I hope you go to bed at night early. I only say this because if you rise early everyday to hunt and protect and then you stay up until late, eventually you're body will give out and you will not be able to help or protect anyone. Just take care of yourself too okay.

Gavriil chuckled as the coffee female advocated that he get to bed early, or eventually he’d run out of fuel. The large male sensed the healer in her and couldn’t help but smirk. Some traits just always shine through: Protectiveness; Bravery; Selflessness. Those were just some of the few that rarely hid themselves inside a wolf’s heart. They excelled through, like the sun rupturing the shadowy night, making way for something superior, something more than itself.

”No need to worry about me, I will sleep when I’m dead right?” Gavriil jaunted lightheartedly. Gavriil knew the female wouldn’t take well to the play about death, being an aspiring healer and all he knew she would likely retort with something protective in nature. ”But I will sleep sometime later today, no need to worry.” Gavriil interjected in a soft voice before the young female could retort.

Thistle Cloud knew very well that her healing nature always showed through. It was how she was raised her mother had been a healer and a midwife and she had taught the young one everything she knew. Granted some things Thistle would have to finish learning on her own as most of it her mother could just tell her about, not show her. Sometimes that was the difference between a exceptional healer and a good healer experience.

Thistle frowned at his next words and was about to tell him that was not what she meant, but then she saw him smile slightly and she heard the teasing lilt. She shook her head good naturedly. "You better get some sleep you are one of the few healthy ones left at the moment, I do not wish to have to start taking care of you too, because you spread yourself to thin. She offered him another small smile.

Gavriil was one of the few healthy ones left, that in itself we very true. He was prepared to pay for his packs protection with his health. "I am, and I will use my health for the pack. Not for myself. I shall get a good rest tonight after I go hunting." Gavriil replied to the coffee pelted female.

Gavriil while he enjoyed having conversations with other wolves he also needed to do his chores for the pack. "It was a pleasure meeting you Thistle Cloud but alas I have to be going. I have much to do, but I am sure we will meet again. With a polite dip of his head Gavriil rose from his seated position and trotted out back into the forest of the ridge searching for prey.

Thistle Cloud smiled at the other wolf and dipped her head in return "As was it to meet you Gavriil. She watched the larger wolf embark in search of food and curled up tighter in the sand, perhaps a nap could not go amiss and she let her mind drift off as her eyes slowly began to close.