The landscape changed and she continued to feel vaguely out of place. Had it truly been this long since she had been so far inland as well as further than earshot from the rivers? For some reason, it was suddenly feeling as so, but she was also feeling exacerbated by the hunger beginning to harass more strongly. The hunting had been poorly suddenly, practically out of nowhere, too. Even the scavenging was lacking and her meals were all small snacks at best. This was beginning to get old fast.
So she had ranged out of her usual spaces in search of something better, heading inland closer to the mountains. Soon, the earth beneath her paws became irregular, with rises spanning out before her. Amekaze was uncertain how far into this to tread. From here, it did not seem all that hospitable or the perfect place for a meal.. but she also knew that could play to her advantage if anything edible did lurk here. Likely only the boldest hunted and scavenged here. She skirted the edges anyway, lurking along with her nose low and the spring skies warm on her shoulders.
![[Image: 5ifpFkc.png?1]](http://i.imgur.com/5ifpFkc.png?1)
i want to bleed in the 「r a i n」
OOC: Thank you so much for your patience!
An abrupt change had come to the Vale, though its warden hoped it was for the better. She was not keen on leaving her borders easily accessible to another, but she knew as well she could not risk leaving those in her care unattended to for much longer. Already the focus of the leading pair had fallen to one, and while her care was unyielding, there were others beyond the broken healer to care for. Her decision had been made as the leading female of the Vale, and she had to trust that some good would come from it eventually.
But rather than pace through the forest, she took the opportunity to branch from the borders into grounds that were familiar. The jagged rocks of the Spire gave her comfort when her mind was distressed, as did the openness of the air when warmed by the spring sun. She needed this clarity if only to show that nature still had up its sleeves the spectacle of life to bring her to peace. That even with the changes within the mountain, some aspects remained constant, and she could take comfort in that.
Though there was a bit of a change on the mountain. For starters, she was not alone as the wind would tell and the sounds of rolling rock. The wild musk played on her nostrils with a faint familiarity. Quite distant but distinguishable from the collection of others that resided in her compendium. Cresting a slight ledge, she peered just over the top of it and peered down. Her ears forward and tail swayed behind her for balance as she searched, until her eyes took note of a scrounging grey form skirting along the mountain’s width. The woman called down with a short bark for attention, little the one below know she was watched and recognized. |
The features of the scenery were unfamiliar and she was struggling to gain a working understanding of them that suited well enough to ease her mind. She was reluctant to trek too far, lest the footing turn too unfavorable, and with hunger bothering her more and more by the hour, patience ran exceptionally thin.
Yet she gritted her teeth and wove on, setting her jaw with firm determination to continue on. Survival banked on her success alone with no others to fall back on in times of struggle. Amekaze would have to preserve and keep going on until she had no strength left to go, for if she were to be taken down by something so trivial as a week or two of poor hunting (for she only hoped it to be a brief thing), at least she would go down fighting it.
On and on she continued, prowling with her nose low and ears pricked accordingly. This only changed when she heard a quick bark -- a note that came from somewhere up the slopes. Amekaze stopped abruptly and shot a look that way, surprised in what she saw.
The tan female with unmistakable markings was a familiar sight. She softened the intensity of her stare (and accompanying frown) at this finding then offered a low chuff in return. Ah, hello, it has been a while..
she called back with a voice lifted only just enough to be heard. While circumstances of time could have changed matters between them, but Amekaze still did not default to outright concern when greeted with the company of Xi'nuata.
i want to bleed in the 「r a i n」
OOC: Did they share each other's names last time? D:
A surprise of familiar was always pleasant in her eyes, especially when their encounter had been during the trials of winter. To see the dark female standing firmly and relatively well, told the Vale wolf that her company had prevailed through the season and was on her way to taking her strides into spring. It was wonderful to behold. Her smile was pleasant as she regarded the wolfess again with a kind bark. Stepping lively she scaled down a favoring path toward the lower ledge of the mountain until she was near on equal footing with Amekaze, not wanting to appear imposing to her space or too excitable in her greeting. That was not to say that her tail could not exhibit its only greeting and elated fanfare.
“It has been a while, indeed,” she agreed with a short nod then let the smile draw across her muzzle. “I had thought of you in the winter,” she offered in truth, for there were few that the beige wolf ever forgotten after meeting. “I am glad to see the season did not test you too greatly.” Inquisitively, she let her nose inched toward, testing for signs of others as well as the places she had been; perhaps some familiar. Still, there was only the woman’s scent and the musk of the spring wild. “Your spirit has fared well?” |
They had once met as fellow loners. Amekaze had held fast to this lifestyle, stubbornly willing it to be so even while winter took its inevitable toll, but to contrast, she could smell the distinct scent of pack on the golden locks of her fur. It showed in their differences, she believed. Now they were nearer and the wind could play no tricks, she realized in full what pack this was. The memory of the dark brute of a wolf in the coastal woods seemed relevant then. Only more so when she noted the particularly noteworthy scent of him woven into her own.
The Vale was perhaps the least known pack. It's members were encountered on occasion and this was probably the closest to their territory she had ever been.. not that she knew of their proximity truly, just that it was in this general vicinity. Whether or not that meant one mile or several was where she was unclear.
Really?
she lilted and gave her head a small cant, although a tired smirk touched the edges of her expression as well. Amekaze had recalled her on occasion, too, but was not so quick to say so. It interested her that she had crossed her mind, though. Likewise,
she rumbled, breathing deep then. Xi'nuata had looked poised to survive months back and now was no different. She looked better, even without the wear of the wilds keeping her edges rough, and Ame had always considered her a beautiful wolf even in the depths of winter.
Regarding her spirit, she was unwilling to go into great detail. Well enough,
Ame murmured in response after a soft sigh This was the concise telling of it for it had not been a perfect victory on her behalf. Try as it might, winter had not snuffed her out. Yourself? You look well, and I sense times have changed for you,
she nodded.
i want to bleed in the 「r a i n」
Gradually, the female brought her hind quarters down to sit, so as not to appear impatient in the presence of her company. Few earned such comfort especially in passing, though she felt quite at ease when conversing with the dark female. Perhaps it was that simply they had been the same, both wandering in the winter, perhaps not wholly aimless but certainly without an immediate direction. And it was open that cross of paths they had found a pleasantry often reserved for made wolves. That they could share in that luxury without conflict or ill-regard, was a moment worth cherishing and left a positive, lasting impression.
Smiling, she curled her tail about her paws, letting its tip playing gingerly against the paler curls of her belly. She looked quite the happy thing. Much more content than she had been in a long time since the mountain’s fall. “Oh, they certainly have,” she replied pleasantly, and in the same instance took stock of Amekaze’s physical appearance. She was not worse for wear, though the tell-tale signs of the wanderer remained upon her shoulders. The wild upon her, remained ever pleasant, a sort of allure that only those that toiled to survive maintained with grace. But too there was the thinning state of a lacking regular meal. Undoubtedly, the warden too had looked that same, for she too remember the pangs of hunger and travel all too well.
“…I see to the wellbeing of others that were once like us,” she continued just as softly but glowed with modest pride. “But that does not mean I cannot see to those that I know. The mountains can be dangerous, but there are spots where game settle. Shall I show you?” She offered, not wanting to disturb the path her company had taken, but perhaps guide her to where she might find success. |
Xi'nuata had come a good distance in a relatively short span of time. To go from loner to at the helm was impressive, even to Amekaze and her stingy opinions. Not that she was in a position to do anything but recognize the accomplishment where it was due. Here she was, largely no different, only with a few more months of experience under her paws. For better or worse there was no large pull one way or another. It was, perhaps in some ways, better than anything else she might have been doing. At least she was not sitting stagnant beneath her parents in their pack, or wasting away uncomfortable in ranks she did not belong in. Tradeoffs, she reasoned, even when hunger pulled her skin tight.
Ah,
she hummed in response. Her tail twitched thoughtfully. The Vale was something newer to consider; it had only come up on her radar lately. A respectable position, then. You seem at ease in it,
Ame smirked briefly. She could not see anything else but contented elegance. If you would. I am no stranger to mountains, but this one.. mm the twists and turns are different than the average,
she said, tilting her snout towards the path she had been aiming down. She was making progress but it was only slow. This could help her cut right to the chase of something greater.
i want to bleed in the 「r a i n」
Smiling gently, the female pulled herself to rise and turned swiftly on heavy paw to lead her company toward more favoring grounds. The mountains were challenging, yes, always shifting when the weather turned ill on a whim. But for the most part its overall structure remained the same, it was just a matter of navigation to assume the ideal course for progress. An aspect that even the mountain wolf was still learning. “Oh, I do understand,” she uttered with a sympathetic nod, then leapt from the lower ledge to a giving protrusion. Keeping mind not to leave Amekaze behind, she kept her pace purposefully slow to make the trail through the winding paths that much easier to follow.
“If I did not have the baring of the Vale,” she continued. “Each time I walked the mountain, I would have found myself lost.” And it was true, but there were markers upon the stones that made for an easier path to follow, especially the way the roots of smaller shrubs bent down the mountain toward the haven of the Vale, or how the surface of the rocks had grown smoother due to frequent travel atop them. But the path the warden took was around the upper rim of the Sunspire, following the broken tops of the peaks where hooves had ground the stones into rumble.
But the walk was not all for the sake of finding food as the autumn female made apparent by the frequent glances to the dark wolf still near. “Have you kept to the warm springs as your home,” she inquired politely, more so out of curiosity than to pry. |
She possessed all the fundamentals to make herself decent enough at traveling mountainsides, for she understood their shifting, difficult natures well. But, familiarity was not her advantage here. Quite far from it, and her incessant frustrations from tiresome treks all day kept her patience a little shorter than usual. Xi'nuata's offer was not one she would be wise to turn down in this time and place; even prideful as she was, she knew this was in her absolute best interests.
I could see why,
she replied, eyes cast towards the rocky surroundings that looked scarcely different than the last. She was working hard to pick out differences, such as abnormalities that could make for landmarks, but this was nothing easy to accomplish. My travels never led me here before,
the loner added thoughtfully, dividing her focus then as best she could. Xi'nuata did have the advantage of knowing these trails better, so she followed closely and matched her steps to the best of her capabilities.
Amekaze shook her head. She had not been near the hot springs in a short while. Usually when she lurked through, other wolves were there already, so she had taken a break from them for now. Not exactly. I have taken more towards a small mountain nearer the coast, and its forested surroundings. But I travel more, now..
Namely up and down the river, but she generally returned to the mountain. What brought you to the Vale?
she asked in return, wondering if it was the location that had wooed her or the wolves amongst their rankings. Frankly, Ame knew little about them so had no real assumptions.
She would listen and follow in tandem until they reached the best stretches of land. Amekaze harbored a small sort of fondness for Xi'nuata, so enjoyed the time in her company and found herself in little rush to part ways. But soon enough, their paths would diverge again. The golden-female had wolves relying on her while Ame had her own whims to return to.
i want to bleed in the 「r a i n」