Bitterroot Valley iv. loneliness

backdated to buttfuck forever ago when reigi was up this way

she had met many strange wolves in her journey thus far but her loneliness had not seemed to cease.  she had been keeping her side numbed by laying on the snow, taking breaks as she journeyed across the teekons.

but she had not yet decided to go home.  instead she trekked north, in search of nothing but company.

@Alarian

The boy had spent the day wandering through the valley, craving some sort of adventure of his own. He hadn't found much, disappointingly. Ever the optimist, Ali kept his feet moving and his nose to the ground-- but he didn't forget to stay aware of his surroundings.
Things had a way of going wrong for Alarian when he let his attention slip. So, being the thoughtful and rational creature that he was, the boy's first reaction when he spotted the mouse was to give frantic chase. It was tiny and skinny, and no thoughts of eating it crossed his mind. Mostly Ali was just too bored to ignore it. His focus zeroed in on the little thing, paws scrabbling at the ground around it when he drew near enough to the fleeing creature.
He didn't notice the mute girl until he nearly crashed into her, and as soon as he was alerted to her presence, recognition flashed through him. Her scent-- that coat-- a terrified yelp ripped from his throat and he recoiled, lowering his body close to the ground. Ears flat, tail tucked between his legs, he stared at her. It didn't register that she was wounded-- only that she was dangerous, and he had walked right into her.

she watched the boy from afar, the ash and blonde blur striking across the horizon as he chased after a mouse that had broken through the dense cover of snow.  for whatever reason, the stupid creature was  coming towards her, another predator.  she wondered absently if it was sick or injured, but her thoughts drew away from the creature and towards the wolf as he came closer.

... barreling in the desolate winter landscape, their bodies close and heated as they play together in the snow ...

... a clamor of teeth and jaws and blood and an ear-piercing scream that doesn't end ...

and all of a sudden, she knows who he is.  perhaps if she had been petty his fear would have caused a disgusted delight to rise in her chest, but she did not rejoice at his submission even as recognition came over her.

she did not move from her spot, unflinching.  she does not want to scare him off.  if it had been the screaming girl perhaps she would have been more savage but she had an interaction with this boy well before xan that had swayed her opinion of him.

she lets out a narrow, wanting whine, urging him with a slow bat of her tail to come closer.

Alarian remained frozen, watching the girl-- but he detected no sign of malice. He relaxed only slightly at this. But the whine-- that confused him. The boy moved into action at her wordless request, lifting himself hesitantly from the ground. He drew nearer with careful steps, posture still timid, and sniffed at the air around her.
Are you okay? The boy asked gently, though he didn't expect an answer by now. The times he had met her, the girl had not spoken-- whether she could or not, he did not know. He lowered himself again as he came to a stop directly in front of her, but reached out simultaneously with his nose. It was a slow gesture, aimed for her shoulder on her unhurt side. Even if allowed, Alarian would not make contact-- if Reigi did not reject him, he would come to stop just inches away from her fur.

she could not help the careful rise of her hackles as he came close but it was only in fear that he would rip open her other side.  she sniffed deeply, trying to detect his emotions.  concern.  why was this creature worried about her?  she had, after all, tried to kill him.

but she supposed, so long as he kept this up it would be behind them now.. so long as the screeching wretch did not make an appearance.

she smoothed down with ease once she was satisfied he would not take her throat, and she rolls over to her other side so he can inspect the thinning fur of her barely distended abdomen, the gaping gashes along her side.  if he would look at her face he would see the lacerations from laurel, and she smelled strongly of other wolves.  a lot of other wolves and most notably, none of them were xan.

her tongue parts from her delicate mouth and licks the bottom of his chin, still close to her body, before batting at his face with a playful paw.  forgive me.