Arrow Lake Stranger

Coldness drips from Rain's jowls as she laps up the water from Upper Arrow Lake. Trees on the other side can barely be seen across the vast lake as she glances up, ears perked. It is a calm and quite morning, the rising sun causing the still lake to glisten and shine. The crickets singing their songs somewhere within the morning fog that layers the grass with dew.

She feels relaxed here in The Sunspire, it is a new home to her. One that suits her quite well considering she originally inhabited the mountains in Colorado Springs. Thinking of her previous home, she looks to the snow capped mountains towering in the distance. There isn't much difference between these mountains and her homeland's. They both towered over the surrounding area and were covered with white dusts of snow. Soon the frozen waters will fall to the ground, turning the colorful patterns of fall into a white wonderland.

Can this be set a little further back when Mara is still traveling through the mountains? Because she is now in present time in the spine... :3

Mara's rust colored fur was flattened against her small agile body as she sprinted through the trees in hot pursuit of good sized hare. Her claws were barely reaching its cotton soft tail when they burst out of the shadows and onto the banks of a massive lake. Mara stopped short so she wouldn't go barreling into the icy water and admired the scenery, letting her breakfast get away. The wild beauty of it closely replicated that of the lakes from her homeland, the snowcapped peaks rising up all around, the dark trees hugging its banks casting black silhouettes on the pale pink and lavender sky. The mist seemed to lace every inch of exposed land with wispy clouds, giving the effect of slumber to the glassy water.

The last time she had been to a mountain lake like this was when she was turned out from her pack and chased out of the Canadian mountains when she showed pity and kindness to one who was not of her pack. The memories of her family and friends pulled at her heartstrings and brought tears to her icy grey eyes. One of the sparkling drops slid off her russet cheek and broke the plane of reflective water in front of her. She watched the ripples spread out and get fainter, each heading to its own corner of the lake.

Mara's small dark red paws skimmed the frozen rocks as she padded along the shore, stopping occasionally at the pitter of small creatures or the faint howl of a wolf in the distance.

That's fine. I've got Rain in a few other places as well! :)

A scent of an unknown wolf reaches Rain's nose, distracting her from the view of the lake. Further down she can see a rust colored wolf padding along the shore. Flicking an ear, she gets to her paws and watches the wolf as the distance between them shortens. Has it seen me? Her tail starts to rise as a protectiveness of her new homeland overcomes her.

Growling low in her throat, Rain starts to trot towards the unknown wolf. Energy builds up in her body and, unable to contain it, she lengthens her stride into a full-out run. Rocks are flung out from under her paws and for a moment she slows, worried that she may stumble before picking her speed back up.

She didn't plan on attacking this wolf considering it is outside of her packs boarders, but she will make it a point to show that she will guard against any possible threat.

Mara heard the wolf before she saw it, its grey pelt blending in with the morning light. It started running towards her at a frightening speed, growling at her. Mara stoped walking, hoping that this wolf wouldn't attack her. She had smelled a pack near here but she didn't think she had crossed their borders. She sniffed the air again to make sure and she didn't smell any distinct pack smell. She turned back to the wolf with a confused look on her face and was startled at how close it was to her now. She let out a little shriek and pulled her ears back in fear. It had only been a couple weeks since she had been chased away from her pack and she hasn't encountered any hostile wolves yet. She had no experience being a lone wolf.

She scrunched her body up and raised her hackles, a new action to the optimistic she wolf. Mara carefully studied the grey and white female coming closer to her and felt a sense of dread take over at the sight of her snarling face.

As Rain comes upon this wolf, she skids to a stop and holds her body erect. Sniffing she asks, "Who are you?" She looks over the rust-wolf, it was female and it didn't seem hostile from the way it was scrunched up. Lowering her tail a bit she wonders if this was a pack wolf. Which pack though? Rain didn't know any of the packs around here yet. Was she just wandering like herself? Getting to know the area perhaps?

Her tail wags once and she sneezes. "What are you doing in this area? Are you from one of the packs outside The Sunspire?"

Mara straitens up when the she-wolf shows she's not hostile and just wants to know who she is. She lets out a sigh of relief and wags her tail in response.

"No, I guess not." Mara felt weird saying those words, that she wasn't park of a pack. It made her feel sad and lonely. "I guess I'm a loner. I came from Canada, the mountains like this and I wanted to check them out and see if they were anything like my old home. I promise, I am no threat to your pack, just passing through." Mara spoke happiness in her voice at finally being able to use it to talk to another wolf again. Being alone had gotten on her nerves. She disliked it very much.

Rain tilts her head. "Canada? Where is Canada?" She had never heard of Canada before, but this wolf said that it had mountains like this. Her own home had mountains like this too, what a coincidence.

She makes a hasty decision then asking, "Were you looking to join a pack?" She knows that it's not her place to ask, but she likes this lone wolf. Maybe they could be good friends. Rain doesn't have any friends in The Sunspire yet, she hasn't been there long.

Mara could already tell she liked this friendly shewolf and she was sad that she would have to turn down her offer. She wanted very badly to join her pack but she wouldn't be able to live somewhere so similar as her old home.

"I would love to, but sadly, I can't. I think it would bring back to many bad memories of my old home. Don't take it personally I like you a lot but its just to soon." she stated mournfully. "And Canada is further north than this, but it is a lot like it. Where are you from?" She questioned, tilting her russet head to the side slightly.

Tail dropping as the wolf declines the offer Rain replies, "I understand. This place brings back memories for me, but I feel obligated to be reminded of them." She pauses for a moment, the mountains of her past filling the vision of her present. Shaking it off she continues, "But I'm from Colorado Springs."

Using her hind leg, she scratches at an itch irritating her ear. "By the way, you can call me Rain. We should meet up again sometime. I would still like to be friends." Looking behind she adds, "Just make sure to stay clear of my packs boarders. Howl if you're ever close by again and I'll come to meet you."

That's funny she's from Colorado cuz I originally had Mara from Dallas Divide Colorado xD

Mara perks up at the offer, her tail wagging behind her in agreement.

"Yes! I will come back when I find a pack and tell you where it is that way you can come visit me too." she said happily. She really liked this wolf.

"And my name is Mara." she smiled widely, taking a look at the sky in which the sun glowed in clear sight over the mountains already.

"I hate to cut this short, but I should probably get going if I want to get out of the mountains by sun-down." She said sadly, her tail drooping considerably. ""But I will come as soon as I can, I promise!" she said, smiling again.

"I look forward to meeting you again, Mara." Rain gives her new friend a playful nip. "Maybe next time we can learn a little more about each other." Turning with a farewell, Rain makes her way back across the pebbled beach of the lake. She will miss Mara and hopes that soon they will cross paths again. Mara could be considered her first friend in the Tekkon Wilds. That was somewhat of a depressing thought, thinking how an outsider would be her first friend and not a pack mate. I guess like attracts like.

This will be the fade, it was a fun thread, I am excited for them to meet again :)

Mara bid her own farewells to her new friend, her first friend since leaving her pack. It felt good to know there was someone she could come to if things got bad, but she still felt bad that she had to leave. She turned away from her friends retreating form and headed in the direction out if the mountains towards the unknown. She hopped she would be back soon, and that when she found a home, she could show Rain.

Her pace picked up to a trott and she headed into the rising sun, away from the only friend she had.