The Wall Heed my inferno

@Luma

In light of her encounter with the male, the girl had become far more determined than ever to achieve her goal. To create something that which belonged to her, to experience for the first time what it felt like to be apart of something bigger—something formed in response to her will. As a child, she'd never suspected she would be where she currently was, seeking out meetings with fellow loners in the hopes of providing them with a home. No, in her younger days, she'd been set on living a quiet life among her family, keeping only those she'd cherished since birth close to her. The need to travel had called to her, however, as did the want to start something. To give not only herself a new home, but Leo and whomever else wished to follow them. It was a quest, and one she would accomplish.

Having given the young boy the insight as to what her plans were, she worried not about checking in after scouting every territory. She was certain he would understand what she was doing, as well as why she could not return to him after each trip. It would slow progress down, after all, which was something she did not like the idea of. So after she had departed from the plateau, Asterr continued along in the direction of the mountains, rather than turning and checking up on Leo. The boy would be fine for a little while longer, she believed, which gave her plenty of time to look farther ahead into what type of land they would be crossing. Her trek landed her at the base of a slope, whose steepness was hardly enough to cause her a fright, but enough so to have her be cautious. The yearling continued up it, carefully placing each paw to ensure herself a safe journey, for a gut feeling told her it would be unwise to take a simpler route. There had to be a reason for her being there, perhaps a sight she needed to see, and she would not let a little hiking get in the way of her gazing upon the land.

"Old habits die hard" Luma thought to herself in amusement, as she wandered the mountains aimlessly, lost in her thoughts. Unlike every other time she had awoken from her afternoon nap, this afternoon, she found herself with actual intentions to do something productive. It was the scent of a wild hare, which hit her nostrils hard and beckoned her down from the dream world in the stars, that motivated her to leave the soft nest she made and peruse it onto higher ground. However, eventually, Luma’s lack of knowledge on the mountains overpowered her tracking skills, and she somehow became lost, eventually forgetting she had been doing anything at all. A butterfly teased her nose, dancing in brilliant black and yellow, and she playfully bounced after it, snapping every times it was a few inches above her head, only for it to dash up 3 feet out of reach and float back down again. Oh, if only she could jump the way she used to. She was fully aware that since she lacked a pack, it was in her best interest to consistently search for food and she had already realized that her ribs were protruding when she groomed herself. Whenever she had problems in her life, however, she always preferred to ignore them and this situation was no different.

     7 moon rises. That was how long ago she had set out from her pack and into the brittle, rough wilderness they referred to as the unknown. So far, the whole journey had been nothing like what she had played it out to be in her whimsical day dreams. Her hunting was often unsuccessful and she went entire days without food. Also, the non-lupine animals that lived in the forests were not as friendly as those back at her home, and she had been attacked several times, which resulted in a serious injury to one of her legs. She was certain that no wolf pack would want her now. She was a hideous thing, small and scrawny, and she was no longer the swift tempest she used to be. Yes, she was clever, and knew how to use the wind to trick a small animal into allowing her to get 30 yards close to it, but those were useless skills where she came from, in the land of endless elk and deer, and she was sure she would seem just as worthless here. After Luma had crossed the borders that distinguished the Teekon Wilds from the rest of the wilderness, she had continued her way west with no clue where she was going. In the process, she passed several packs, but she lacked the esteem to request membership from any. She knew that there was even a pack that resided close to the mountains she lurked in now, but if she could hardly pull herself out of her fuzzy stupor to feed her emaciated pelt, how could she introduce herself to a potentially dangerous group of strangers?
           
     The butterfly lead Luma into a small clearing, with bluebells and a creek. It was on one of the many edges of the mountain, and it sloped down into a valley. Overcome with childish delight, Luma forgot the butterfly and played in the flowers for a while, stumbling over her paws as though she were a puppy again. A short time passed, and she went to the creek, and, finding a few fish frozen inside, she broke them free and sat upon a rock, enjoying her rare, chilly treat. Perhaps if there had not been so many flowers, and if her muzzle wasn’t buried deep in fish, she would have caught the scent of an unknown female wolf slowly approaching her.

Each step taken took her further up the mountain, where she found the terrain to grow somewhat treacherous. The path on which she walked narrowed, leaving little space for error in her stride. What had started as a jog had slowed to a cautious walk, her body keeping close to the mountain's side in order to avoid tumbling over the edge. It was due to a stroke of dumb luck that the winds were not blowing, for had they been there was no doubt her weightless form would have been tossed from a ledge. For any other, perhaps the risks posed would have been enough to strike fear into their hearts, but the dragon was different. Since it was learned that she possessed the gift passed along through her family's blood, she'd taken to living a life absent of fear. Little could frighten her, for she vowed to not be controlled by any forces other than her own.

The further she progressed, the greater the view became, giving her some insight as to why she might have felt the need to explore it. She could see for miles on end, the sight being a beautiful one. However, she did not stop there. Asterr continued onward until her paws brushed against some dying grasses, which prompted her to take a good look around. Somehow, she'd stumbled across a clearing, which she suspected would be far prettier in the warmer months. No matter, it's appearance mattered little to her, for the area would not be one she'd stay in for long. Her heart had not beat at a rapid pace when she'd trekked up the slope, nor had it skipped a beat when she'd entered the clearing. It was not her place to settle, though perhaps it still possessed a purpose.

A scent infiltrated the girl's nostrils, just as it'd done during her time at the plateau. It was a wolf, though the feminine scent suggested it was not another male. Instantly, she was stripped of her urge to explore the space and placed into a more formal state of mind, before walking forward in the direction of the fragrance. When the stranger was able to be seen, she noted that they appeared to be dining on something, thus causing her to keep a respectable distance between them. Her body language was not aggressive, and she gave no sign that she wished to steal the others meal. The Draconid remained neutral and relaxed, studying the other girl for a moment before giving a soft nod in greeting. "Hello," she voiced, tone warm and inviting. Even from her current spot, she could see the female was not currently the healthiest of wolves—even so, it would not hurt to speak with her, and perhaps even request her consideration in joining her tribe. "I was not expecting to run into anyone up here, though I do not mind the meeting." A soft smile tugged at her lips, further signifying she truly meant no harm. "My name is Asterr Draconid. Who might you be?"

There was something familiar about the fish she ate--although it was almost frozen solid and she had to scrape off small pieces with her teeth, it had a faded, sweet taste. It reminded her of some of the fish that her mother would bring her back at home when she was a puppy. That was when the pack was having better times. The fish lived in a river at the edges of their territory. They called them dull-scales and revered them for their commonness and delicious taste. The pack that lived on the other side of the river would often join in too on those days of fishing, and they would form a silent peace treaty, playing together in the water and filling their bellies with fish as though they were not two packs but one. That was before the metal-jaws came.

A kind voice startled Luma from her thoughts, and as she raised her head from her fish, she noticed a black wolf standing a respectful distance away from her. She could smell that the wolf was female, and although she had the scent of others on her, she didn’t smell like the local pack. She must have been another loner.  The black she-wolf had greeted her kindly, introducing herself as Asterr. She didn’t seem to mean any harm, and she certainly didn’t seem interested in the girl’s fish. Realizing she was probably staring, Luma rose and smiled. “Hi,” she replied softly, keeping her tail relaxed and non-threatening, “I didn’t expect anyone else to be up here either. My name is Luma.”  She found herself suddenly gleeful on the inside with her new found company and realized she hadn’t spoken to another of her kind since she left her old pack.

February 15, 2016 - edit; Added an ending to wrap this up.

When her words broke the silence of the mountain, it seemed as if the other female was startled. Right after, the yearling focused her attention on the stranger with a studious gaze, watching for how she might react. When startled, some acted with irrational aggression and, though the dragon appeared to be in better shape physically, Asterr wished not to have such behavior directed her way. With the cold months upon them, she could not afford any injuries to befall her. It would lead to struggles throughout the winter, and may even put her companion at risk if she were to be incapable of protecting him. There was also the matter of her intention to establish a claim on a section of land, which could be hindered if any aspect of her—whether it be physically or mentally—appeared unsound. No one wished to follow the lead of a chieftess who could not even look after herself, for that could signify terrible leadership skills.

After a second or so had passed, the young Draconid found herself able to relax once more. There was no threat to be seen in the way the other held herself, not did she sport a malicious tone in her voice. Instead there came words as soft as a lamb's fleece that, when mixed with the dragon's, set a rather peaceful mood around them. "It is a pleasure to meet you, Luma," the sylphlike individual said, appreciating the chance to converse with another female. It'd felt like ages since she'd last had the privilege of holding a conversation with someone of the same gender as herself, for fate often led her down paths with males stationed at their ends. Truthfully, she did not mind either way just as long as they were capable of holding a decent conversation, but still she could not prevent a joyous feeling from arising within her. "I apologize if I've interrupted your meal," Asterr commented, not forgetting the fact that she'd walked in on the other enjoying a fish of some sort. "I've been scouting out the land, you see, and often forget to take into consideration whoever else might be out here." She resented the fact that she could forget such a thing, but knew there was no way to help it. As long as she remained cautious, she felt it would be fine no matter how many she were to cross paths with, anyways.

Rather than continuing on with their conversation, something surely must have spooked the other female. She'd taken off, leaving the dragoness mystified as to what had drawn her away, but she did not linger for very long on the topic. If it was a life alone that the other sought, then she would not pursue her. Instead, she moved on with her own journey, attentive of her surroundings as she searched for a suitable place of settlement.