Wapun Meadow ii. sweet-smelling flowers

Fallen Sun's paws, in their wandering path, led down from where he had been to here. His nose to the ground, consuming what remained of a fallen animal, before licking his muzzle clean in a nearby stream that sent his mind away in a dazzled array of colors and patterns from the wildflowers and clouds reflected within it. 

It was getting rather cold for a day in late spring. 

The injury to his leg had been acting up again, and he paused his journey to lick it until it felt better, fur brushing over his tongue. His experiences with these wolves gave him pause, he was curious but inexperienced in their ways. Not knowing stirred something deep within him that brought his journey back on track. Suppose he needed to learn many things, but the knowledge they possessed that he didn't was... irritating.

@Jasmine

In the wake of the witch hunt and the valley’s paranoia, Jasmine decided it was high time to make like a tree and leaf. She’d given Swiftcurrent Creek a single adios and disappeared without fanfare. They’d do well enough without her — though she would miss Akavir and Arric’s handsome mugs. Oh well, that was just a price she’d have to pay.

She cut her way through the meadow today — idly wondering if she’d run into that funny girl from Kvarsheim again. Instead, she caught wind of a stranger moving somewhere beyond the tall grass. Maybe it's the witch, she thought, and a wry smile twisted her muzzle even as she poked her head over the swaying blades.

Nah, just some guy.

Hey, you! she called out to him, and hopped through the grass to come a little closer, you know there's a witch wandering 'round these parts, don't 'cha? Cursin' people, I hear.

At least, that's what Moss had claimed when she'd come staggering back into Swiftcurrent Creek, and that had been Jasmine's own tipping point. Things were all just getting a little too weird for her, and even though she didn't really believe in witches, she'd play it up any day for the sake of scaring some poor lost soul.

Thanks for starting! <3

The earth-pelted male turned his head, forest green eyes curious about this newcomer. Again, there were those noises that his ears did not know how to comprehend. He lept to his paws and went to stand nearer to her.

Thoughts began to form in his mind of what noises she was making, and his head tilted in response. A small whine escaped his throat, irritated that he could not communicate with her as she was to him. At least... it made no sense any other way. Confusion drifted into his eyes.

Rather pretty, if he did think so himself. She looked quite a bit like himself, only her eyes looked like a part of the sky had been taken by the greedy talons of an eagle and placed delicately within her eyes.

 Are you... on a Journey, too? he thought. 

Fun fact - Fallen Sun is at least half-feral and can't communicate in words. Verbally cannot have dramas :3 also no problem! I don't mind.

The guy came closer but didn’t say anything, just looked at her with a funny look and gave her a whine. She could see the confusion evident in his grassy eyes, and her brain whirled and clicked.

Oh. Oh.

Don’t tell me you got cursed by her too, Jasmine joked, mostly to herself. Either he couldn’t hear her, couldn’t understand her, or maybe even both. Could he talk? Didn’t seem so. But rather than deter her, Jasmine hopped right on board with this.

Finally, someone easy! You couldn’t cause drama if you couldn’t run your mouth.

She decided she’d test him first. See if he could make noise that sounded like speech at all. He didn’t seem feral feral, after all. In fact, he looked intelligent, quite civilized.

I’m Jasmine, she made a gesture to herself, then said her name again to help him understand, Jasmine.

I love it!! Haha though sorry about her xD

His head tilted in the other direction and decided to try to copy the noise. Was that what the pretty she-wolf wanted from him? Worth a shot, right?

Fallen Sun whined, trying to make the noise sound like the one she had uttered. It started longer and higher-pitched, followed by a second, lower-pitched whine. To the other, it might've sounded like a crude version of the word, not said normally. The tone was questioning, as if, if he could talk in words, he would've asked if that was her name. 

The male looked like his throat hurt after he tried.

Well, something came out of him, and honestly, she was impressed he even tried. Hey, yeah! That's pretty close! she chirped with a big grin and a broad sweep of her tail. Yeah, Jasmine was pretty sure he was mostly mute - didn't talk, couldn't talk, either or meant the same - and that it was probably best to leave chitter-chatter alone for the time, until she found herself in the sudden mood for a tirade or an uninterrupted monologue.

Jasmine, she repeated again, but dropped her words and instead dropped down into a playful bow. She was about certain he'd understand that!

She boofed at him and teased him with a snakelike sway, before reaching out and tapping him on the shoulder.

Tag, you're it!

And she'd be bounding into the grass fields, with wild tail beckoning him to just try and catch her!

Excitement billowed within him. She was happy! Yay! His tongue lolled out, and his tail wagged as hers did. 

A tiny gasp came from his silent throat as she beckoned him to play. That got his tail wagging harder. Fallen Sun had been unable to play since he got here, and had not had anyone to do so with. Survival had taken up most of his time. His eyes seemed to sparkle with his enthusiasm. 

Then she was gone, but he chased after her. He was bigger, but they both seemed rather speedy on their paws. A playful bark came from him as he ran. 

I'm gonna catch you!

this is so cute!!

There was something endearing in his expressiveness, as though he’d learned to talk through glances and gestures, wags of a tail and little gasps. It’d been a long time since Jasmine had had to rely on anything but these things, but it made her feel different than when she just talked her way in and out of things. Mischievous. Wild. Free.

Haha!

She raced ahead of him like she hadn’t done since she’d ran with the crew along the sandy shores, waves beating sea spray against her laughing face. She laughed now, and let the winds rush the pretty smell of flowers by.

Jasmine called back with a trilling oo-woo? You sure? Teasing again, and she snapped her course and skirted in a tight loop to wind back around him, and hopefully past him, before he could realize what had happened.

If she managed the manoeuvre, she’d send him a cheeky grin along the way.

hehehe so very much!! <3

Wind Flower was small but incredibly fast. Fallen Sun may not have had a lighter build or had been gifted with speed. His gifts lay in excellent eye-paw coordination and a knack for precise timing, a set of instincts that had routinely taken his prey. 

The sunset male lifted his paws up as Wind Flower rushed by, and leapt in the air to catch her. His excited bark held an air of you're not getting away! 

This was fun! He liked this, and Fallen Sun could probably chase after her all day without tiring. The next bark almost sounded like he was trying to laugh.

Woah! The guy was an absolute acrobat! Jasmine didn’t even have time to skirt away; as she whipped by, he twisted round and leapt towards her like a flying squirrel!

And Jasmine laughed, as much at herself as at Mister Talkative — and did he laugh with her?? She recognized that trill in the sound of his bark as his forearms crashed around her, and caught her up in a lively embrace.

And Jasmine fell with a whoop! And she twisted around to grab hold of him, too, with outstretched arms, to pull him down with her. Laughing, all the while. Intent and keen to turn this race into a good natured wrestling match.

A smile parted his muzzle as he fell with her, his paws crashing awkwardly to the ground and landing on Wind Flower. Her paws prevented his escape.

Fast, but he was faster. 

Deep was the rumbling chuckle that resonated from his chest. 

You're stronger than you look, Wind Flower.

His tail wagged behind him, his jaw parting to close gently around her fur. Wrestle? 

They could wrestle!

That'd be fun!

Jasmine burst into a new round of laughter as they fell into some messy heap of earth and firelight. Like the sun, fallen to the ground.

Fallen Sun.

That seemed a fitting name for the laughing, wordless boy.

Fallen Sun mouthed her fur and she knew he'd took the cue. Her own tail beat against the flattened strands of valley grass and she gave a little growl and wriggled up to catch him again and pull him towards herself, only this time, she arched herself and aimed to roll him over so she could roll on top and have advantage over him.

After all, wrestling was always easier when you weren't the one being pinned!

I watched some of my friends learn jiu jitsu the other day, and I am totally employing these tricks in this LOL xD

So sorry! I got swept up in Midnight Scar formation, and school started back up for me!

And just like that, the golden male was under Wind Flower. He'd not expected such.

Her scent was beautiful to his nose, her eyes sparkling like starlight on a clear night. Her strength had surprised him, but he did not object. 

The lingering scent of other wolves clung to her pelt as if she had rolled in spider's webs. 

Fallen Sun wriggled, trying to push her off with a gentle kick from his hind-legs to regain control over the situation.

He growled playfully. Haha, this is fun!

No worries!! Life has also been busy for me!

He stared up at her, and she stared down at him. A firebrand that had swallowed every forest green — except his eyes. They smiled up like twin leaves dancing in the winds of a wildfire. But these flames were playful, not dangerous.

These could not burn her.

She laughed as he wriggled underneath and after a few moments of catching his leg from getting ground to bowl her over, she purposefully let her guard slip.

Now was his chance to gain the upper hand and roll her back over, if he caught on quick enough!

His forelegs tightened around her, and with a heave and a rruff, he managed to roll himself free and toss himself some paw-lengths away. 

Fallen gathered himself to his paws and shook, the petals from squashed flowers falling from his coat as the sun set over the horizon.

He looked interested, and she looked rather pretty, even if he already had that thought. The man wondered if he'd ever learn her story, the noises she'd seem surprised to learn fell on unknowing ears. What would she have said? 

He picked a pretty yellow flower, and went over to her, carefully placing it in the fur on her neck. I think it looks pretty on you... his head tilted, tongue lolling out softly.