Morningside Cuesta Act I, Scene I

In time the boy would wander far beyond of lake, his paws guiding him to the unknown. A new area of which he stumbled upon was lush with greenery; a cliff that overlooked the meadow below, a wall of beauty for which he could watch the eastern sun rise beyond the land's soft peaks, it's light shed outward to cast a soft pink hue within the dark sky. A beautiful place. A peaceful place.

Perched upon the edge, his black figure stood in a sea of pastel clouds. The wind lifting inky blackness to tangle within it's soft cradle. He closed his eyes, taking in the gentle touch and inhaling the scents of all that carried upon the eastern wind. Wolves, elk, flowers, firs and pine. He could smell everything, and yet—

he knew nothing.

This land was new as it was beautiful and Ikaros found himself alone within it; lonely, lost. It's beautiful cliffs and tall trees, for all its beauty could not heal the raging fire within his chest. An anxiety and dread that kept him busy during the day and up at night; A feeling of unease at the fact he was alone.

Alone.

He tried to quell the blaze, hungerly gulping in lungful's of sweet air. Hoping, praying that it would drench the fire. But silly Ikaros— Don't you know fire burns hotter with oxygen? Tear's welled in the corner of his colorless eyes, daring to spill past his lash line and fall down the soft features of his face. It was only a matter of time before it did, and when the first tears fell the dam released.

Spirits, she was getting soft.

Maybe it was the advent of Spring, or the extra weight under pelt signaling a slowly returning strength, that she found space in her heart to give to a bony little wayfarer; an irrational pull to put her instinctual competitiveness aside, in order to ease another’s journey.

Like a damned modern messiah.

But he had that familiar look of hunger, and Tauris felt an evolutionary desire to console. As strangers had once consoled and breathed new life into her.

No give without take.

She trods towards a very sad boy, forging a path through violet lupines, staining her dark legs with their bright yellow pollen in the process.

“Why the water works, kid?” Her voice was flat, but not absent of concern.

A flat voice pulled the boy from his woes, causing his body to jolt upright and spin around enough force to unbalance himself. Staggering, legs splayed out awkwardly like a fawn, the coastal wolf looked at the stranger with wide eyes. Instantly feeling the heat of shame bloom within him at the notion of being caught crying his eyes out.

After all, Prince's dont cry. 

But he was not a prince anymore.

Ikaros sniffed deeply in the awkward silence, an attempt to keep the snot from leaking less he be more embarrassed. An ugly noise, one that would be expected of a pup far much younger than he. "I— I uh," His voice croaked, hoarse and raw from the pity party. He raised a forepaw to wipe away his face, trying to look at least a bit more presentable for the stranger.

A stranger who, now looking at, was a shocking shade of grey-brown he would pass off as age without second thought. But no, this stranger was not old- they seemed quite young, though older than he for sure.

"I'm sorry," he felt the need to apologize. "I didn't know anyone was up here. Don't worry—I'm fine." i'll be fine. He didn't want to cry to a complete stranger and have them shoulder the burden he carried, it felt too misplaced. "Thanks for caring, I guess... W-who are you?" He tried his best to hide the quivering with a monotone voice. (It failed.)

It’s early spring and the morning is luminous, flowers in bloom seek out the sun and young buds sharing their stems will soon follow. Tauris eyes this young bud, his petals droop, body staggers, and wards off her attendance with two words that never fail to hold opposite their meaning.

'I’m fine.'

He turns towards her, hooded eyes intricate and easily bruised. “Well, if by chance, you’d find the perspective of an impartial stranger helpful…” She attempts to hold herself gently.

“I’m Tauris. I live in this valley.” She makes a general sweep with her muzzle, maybe with a little pride in it. Snowmelt had revealed the beautiful greenery it had hidden all winter. Tauris had seen nothing like it in her natal land of ice. The vale was beginning to feel a bit more familiar, and though she remained unaffiliated, maybe it was something she could take some ownership in, if only the little blooms near her feet.

“And you?” She prompted for a name to put to those lost blue eyes. “Are you from here, too?”

He didn’t have to talk. She could distract. Maybe that was enough.

He tries to convinces himself this stranger—now know as Tauris, has bought the two-word lie, at least for now anyway. 

"That's a cool name, it has a connection with the stars, right?" His voice is starting to come around as he attempts to make small talk, though he follows the pointing of her muzzle out towards the land in a still silence, observing for a moment, dull gaze flicking over the valley before returning to her. His eyes sting, no doubt red from the tears.

"I'm Ikaros, here now but no, not from here. I'm actually far from—" 'home' he thinks, feeling the burn deep within his chest increase. "Far from where I was born." he corrects himself. 

Tauris seems friendly enough- not like they would kill him, so after a calculating gaze he allows his scrawny body a chance to relax. His ears droop, his fur lies flat, and he sits with a slumped form only to realize just how tired and worn his body is. The dull gaze is still attached to the woman, taking note of her appearance; scrawny and ragged just like him, and through the resting face of which he frowned a small smile shone at the yellow plastered upon her legs.  

"You're not a pack wolf, are you?" He questions, voice a tad lighter. "Also, you have a bit of something right there." He lifts a paw to point towards the staining.

She’d begin to mirror his lax bearing and watch as he appreciated the springtime bounty of the rolling land. A soulful look he had, one that knew great sorrow, and at such a tender age. Tauris would feel a tight tug in her chest, and when his attention returned she’d conceal it with a flick of ear and shrug of silver shoulder.

“Don’t know. Maybe my mother thought it sounded ‘cool’, too.” Tauris did have meaning, a few of them, but she’d divert back to the aptly named boy who was practically pooling in a puddle of melted wax feathers. Had he fallen from the sky?

“You are so young to be far from home, Íkaros,” She observed aloud, less delicately than she should have, given the stain of tears upon his cheeks, though the girl was ruefully impulsive, and usually found herself paying for it after-the-fact.

Her lack of affiliation was confirmed, “No pack,” but no true rivals, either. Which was something, even if she hadn’t made a positive acquaintance of every passing ship. They all seemed to hold a certain hunger in their eyes and gaits. Wolves weren’t meant to live alone and eventually their bodies and minds broke down for it.

She did not ask the question in kind, this skinny dispersal wore the answer on his back.

At Íkaros’ inspection, to her mouth she raised a pollen-clad forearm and in one heavy breath blew as hard as her lungs would allow. A thousand tiny fragments of marigold festooned over them both, lifted higher by the gusts of morning.

“Oops,” slipped between grinning teeth.

Ikaros smiles once more at the way which Tauris speaks, the corners of his lip upturning to which a wrinkle forms below soft ebony fur. Though it barely lasts at her next words. 

He goes silent in an uncomfortable way, mind dancing between decisions that led him here. He's quick to take it personally, brows furrowing for a second before a tight breath is inhaled. But doesn't allow himself to stew in it, not in front of a stranger. He already embarrassed himself enough.

"Yeah, well..." he falls silence once more, unable to come up with words to fill the silence stretched over them. He instead opts to follow the yellow flurries of which are spent spiraling at the wolf's exhale. A few managing to dust his darkened pelt, but he pays it no heed. He plops down with a sigh, laying in the warm light.

And in time he's staring again, taking note of the awkward patches of fur on Tauris. He noticed some spots appear flea-bitten and tips his head, cheek rolling to land on the joint on his paw. Rosemary was said to help such things, though he felt odd giving an obvious cure to a wolf with an ailment.  

"Sooo... you got any plans today, Tauris?" His voice is soft, barely a whisper. "N—Not that im asking you out. On a date." He feels the shame flooding back, quick to seek any sort of recovery. "That would be weird. You're old. Well—older. You're not old. I mean, you seem very nice but that's not-" 

He decides to shut up.

Even if the poor boy was well-intentioned as he tripped over his words, the innocence in their folly was lost on Tauris, who’s humor was waylaid with the snap back of her head.

Old?! Old! At best he’d called her old.

At worst, he saw her through the lens of the common man, how she might be made to appease him. Is this how her show of goodwill was repaid?

She snorts and withdraws, a brisk step and a lash of tail expands the reach between them and vexed silver eyes fix him within their sights.

“Don’t make me give you another reason to cry. Kid.”

The reaction given is not surprising. A harsh reminder that Tauris is a stranger, not a friend nor companion he knew, but a wolf he'd do best to watch his tongue around; a wolf he could not be comfortable with. 

He is quick to pin back his brightly ears, nesting them in the sea of black while lowering his head to give a shrill whine as he looks up at her like he's been wounded. And he has. Her tongue cuts sharper than any in a long time.

He wasn't a kid. At least in his eyes.

"I'm sorry," He whines, tongue darting out to lick nervously at his nose. His body crouching low, scrawny tail tucked between equally scrawny legs.  "I just wanted to ask if you'd like to play a game. O—or see the valley"

"I don't think of you like that. It came out wrong."

She drew no satisfaction from this passive proffer. How many times had she coiled into herself like a wounded fieldmouse before the tread of some dominant creature? An apology she would accept, but she did not wish for his submission. She’d never be a wolf to vie for respect in cowing another.

She lowers herself evenly into her seat and would wait for him to rise.

“A game,” she repeats incredulously. Ah, but he was a boy, and his eagerness to trust was refreshing.

“What kind?” She would ask as a means to indulge him, and perhaps so she might communicate, as an aside, that harm was not done.  And maybe with tickled curiosity too, he was the most interesting creature she’d come across this morning.

Didn’t mean she was going to play, though.

Tauris withdraws and Ikaros tentatively rises up to mirror her, slowly returning to a relaxed form, well... relaxed as he could be until he's certain she wont put him in the ground. He's thankful for the easy forgiveness, something he wont be quick to forget, but he still isn't sure she believes him by the tone of her voice.

"Maybe tag?" The yearling can't help but let his tail wag behind him at the thought, he hadn't played with anyone in ages, and it was his favorite! Surely the grey-coated wolf would accept. 

"Or maybe we can race somewhere?" 

Íkaros is impervious with hope. It strengthens him against her cool cynicism, that long ago saw her shed leisure for survival. This joy and expectation gleams in his eyes like a flame, and she knows it’s a sacred thing to be well tended before it is smothered by harsh realizations and dreams shattered.

She slinks forward and gives him a vigorous prod to the chest with her paw. “Tag.”

She bolts in the opposite direction.

Down through the hillock, trampling the lupines and beargrass, carving the veld in her flight.

But they were not playing tag. She had a different game in mind.

It all happened so fast; A prominent touch, a dash of color. Ikaros stood, brain struggling to comprehend before realizing she had accepted! 

"HEY! TAURIS!"  Bounding upwards to race after her with feverish haste, Ikaros black figured shot across the valley, paws thundered the land, tearing grass and dirt from their home as he followed the trail carved out by the shewolf.

Her figure sailed ahead, her grey coat weaving between the foliage, and with a determined smile he sought to catch up, trailing her hocks with a grin.

"You cheater! I didn't say go yet!"  

Her body clutches over roiling limbs, lungs searing, tongue flailing, and pushes herself faster, faster! The boy keeps pace in a vigorous chant of pants, quick like her.

She leads him across the meadow and around shady groves with seemingly no port of call other than a maw-full of wind.

Then she draws scent, and for a beat her gallop breaks.

She faults, but Ikaros does not see. He's too determined, too focused. An attempt to nip softly at the end of Tauris's dark tail is made, seeking to hold it between soft tongue and teeth before letting go and banking right. 

He's pushing himself, sides heaving and breath ragged. His thin body too out of shape for such a game but not something he recognizes. He has pinhole vision onto the other and bracing his legs the he-wolf attempts to turn right back to her, aiming to cut off her path.

Íkaros careens towards her with youthful guile, walloping her chest with his own and sending her into a sideways roll. She recovers, growling in playful ire and grips his shoulder with her teeth; giving a cursory tug before attempting to still him with an outstretched paw. He was starved; same as her. He must save his energy.

“I propose a different game,” Her eyes wide, tail beating so as not to diffuse his zeal. Then eager ears turn to await his response. “Can you hunt?”

Ikaros glows with triumph as he collides with Tauris, returning her sounds of play tenfold with over-eagerness, perhaps a bit too much, but then he's steadied and he looks to her like an a wide grin as she proposes a new game. 

"Hunt?" He wanted to play more tag! He falls silent for a second, contemplating if he should turn the idea for favor of another round- But the sound of food was more tempting. They could always play tag later. 

"Of course I can! What did you want?"

Her pink tongue dangles between pants and she grins at his exuberance, how he quickly shifts from yearling cub to practiced hunter.

“Beaver! Don’t you smell it?” Her lungs fill with it. Pungent, ratty. The promise of a tantalizing meal at the end of a hunt.

She gives Íkaros a mischievous look, lips curling wide over her teeth. Her bony legs lift her away again to circle around him once before slipping off through the spring pastures towards the trill of a fork in the nearby river.

She sinks down into her step and stalks through the tall grass, with only an erect tail seen above the sea of green. A wet nose churns the earth like a bloodhound on mission, ears twisting to check for Íkaros steps beside her’s.

“Let’s find their trail,” She whispers to him before falling back into the brush.

So sorry for the late reply!! Got wrapped up a bit irl, I appreciate your patience!

He nearly giggles at the look Tauris gives him, though he fears scaring away the creature. As she turns he follows at her hocks, body low to earth in an effort to mirror her every action. He steps lightly, maneuvering through the path she carved out in her stead.

Ikaros doesn't know much about hunting, nearly starving till the kind woman at the lake offered her help. It's apparent that Tauris knows what she's doing and he's comfortable letting her take the lead in favor for learning.

He nods in a response before turning left to peek his darkened muzzle through the reeds. The rushing sound of water isn't far, and scanning the bank he spots the waterlogged earth. The mud may be fresh there, no doubt a good place to start looking. He raises a paw, pointing to it with a questioning look. 

irl always comes first, please take all the time you need, I’m in no rush <33

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She nods and grins at the boy’s gesture and snakes her way up alongside him to search the waterlogged embankment for beaver prints. Mud squeezes between her toes and she stamps her feet in place to repeat the funny sensation. Then her lips curl with wily impulse and she treads away towards the edge of the creek.

“Íkaros! Here, come look!” She baits, pointing down into the sludge with her nose.

The boy perks at the woman's voice, urgently rushing toward her with a smile and wagging tail.

"Did you find something already?" He seems to glide effortlessly across the muddy terrain, quite accustomed to its slippery consistency, though still manages to spread flecks of it onto his legs. It's cool,  and reminds him of home in a gentle way- but not nearly as rocky

He's bending down to look at Tauris's pointed paw, blue eyes squinting to make out anything within the muck. But something's not right. He doesn't see anything. 

His ears tip, confusion settling over him. "I don't see anything..."

“You sure? Look closer…”

She waits until Íkaros’ nose is nice and close before planting her paw on the back of his head and plunging his face straight down into the muck.

“That’s for calling me OLD ya little shit!” She howls with laughter when he resurfaces with a face-full of sopping silt.

“You look good with crap on your face,” She bats her silver eyes and smiles sweetly in feigned innocence.

A wet slap can be heard as Ikaros's face makes contact with the mud. And instantly he pulls away with a loud gasp, face strewed in a look of disgust and horror, eyes clenched shut in fear of mud sliding into them. "YOU!" He thunders 

Tauris is laughing wildly, and he's feverishly running paws over his face to scoop off the offending muck. It doesn't do much to help, so he turns to blindingly reaching a paw out to touch her. 

"There was no beaver, you liar!" He breathes offendedly. "Can't believe you—eugh."

fade? this was a blast thank you, I definitely want them to meet again!

---

She sidesteps his reach, pooling in amusement and in fabricated offense barks, “Hey! I was doing you a favor. Now that you smell like shite beavers won't be able to scent you.”

She grins and kicks a little creek water in his direction, an attempt to clear up his eyes some. Her nose returns to testing the air but if a beaver had been near, the ruckus had likely scared them off.

“Might be out of luck,” She draws after giving the creekbed a sturdy glance. “No matter, I know a place that always has food.”

It was time to show the boy the glory of rat trapping.

Yesss :D This was so much fun, thanks for writing with me! They will def have to meet again sometime soon

The water helps, and Ikaros finds himself laughing mildly along with her, a smile upon his dark face. 

Perhaps he wasn't so alone when wolves like Tauris existed.