Wild Berry Meadow Oh, the weather outside is frightful, but the fire is so delightful

We’ll let these two mingle over berries and get to know each other. ;D

@Valiant

Raindrop had decided she would wander away from the hollow, as her wandering tendencies urged her from staying in one place too long. On top of it, she had grown somewhat tired of the taste of small game from Paleo’s cache. She descended down the mountain side, went past otter Creek, and found herself in a light snow covered meadow. She was surprised at the site of an abundance sea of berry bushes, and as she looked at them, her stomach growled. She took right to the wild berries, munching slowly to savor every flavor.

After snacking for a few minutes, she sat down to rest, as her journey down the mountain strenuous. She looked around, admiring the beautiful, snow-covered landscape.

He took a detour after the trip to Moonglow. Ariadne would be expecting him back, but he half hoped he might run into Dutch on his way home a successful hunt. It was unlikely, as the younger man had said he would be away for many days — but there was no harm in checking things out.

Instead of Dutch, he came across a field of wild berries. And where there were berries, there was also one of Valiant's favorite things: turkeys.

It wasn't for their meat that he coveted them. in fact, he found them just a little too stringy, and they tended to make him sleepy if he ate too much. No, Valiant liked them for their fragrant feathers. Stripping them off in a snowstorm of fluff and then rolling around in the aftermath was a special treat. Even better — Dutch was not around to tease him about it.

He had hunted and killed one and was partway through his cavorting — into the rolling around stage — when a prickle ran down his spine. He sat very still, sniffing and listening for a disturbance, but he could only heard singing snow birds and he could only smell the feathers that now covered his body. It was a few long minutes later that he finally sat up and poked his head over the nearest bushes. His ears swiveled until he caught sight of a figure in the distance, and then he shrank down into the bushes to watch while she settled in the meadow. It would be impossible to leave without her noticing, but the risk of being discovered in such a situation made him anxious to distance himself from his downy bed.

He shook out his pelt and, still trailing feathers, headed in her direction. Better to say hello than to turn tail and run, right?

"Hey," he called with a wag of his tail, unaware of the smattering of feathers that still stuck out of his thick pelt like porcupine quills. "Do you have a pack nearby?

She hadn’t noticed him until he approached and spoke first. A fine man, covered in a snow grey pelt with… turkey feathers sticking out of it? Aside from this, she approached the man, her tail wagging to match their peaceful greeting. 
“Hello.” She smiled, “No, I do not. But I currently travel between here and up in the mountains.” She explained in light, and then continued to give her name: “My name is Raindrop. What’s yours?”

Her eyes kept looking over his pelt of turkey feathers. She giggled, it was actually rather endearing.

It felt like a rare show of trust when the wolf walked right up to him — he wondered if it was the smell of the moon wolves on his pelt that put her at ease, or if she was simply a trusting sort of creature. He did not consider that it might be something about him in particular that allowed her to let down her guard.

"Pleased to meet you," he said, almost automatically. The manners that his Aunt Sunspot had drilled into him wouldn't allow him to say any differently, but he meant it, today. "I'm Valiant Morningside," he returned, his introduction a little short, perhaps, as he tried to determine what had caused her laughter. Even with the creeping sense that it was him, he couldn't help but smile in response. He tried to hide this wish a slightly bash glance at his paws: Was there a bug on his toe? No? Just a trick of the light.

He lifted his head when that excuse ran itself out.

"Those mountains?" he asked, pointing his nose up at the Sunspire range. The opposite peaks — the barrier mountains — were still alien to him, but he knew the sunspires well enough.

He was polite in his response as he introduced himself as Valiant Morningside. Such a brave name, she thought, then spoke, “A pleasure to meet you, Valiant.”. Introductions aside, he must have noticed her giggling, as he blushed and looked down at his paws, but still he smiled, until he brought his gaze back up towards her and the mountain range behind her. He asked if those were the mountains she spoke of: “Yes, indeed. They’re a fine mountain range.” She replied, “By the way, I apologize for my giggling, it’s just a rare sight to see a wolf with the plumage of a turkey.” She meant this as a compliment.

“Do you live nearby, sir Valiant?” She asked, adding a little flair to her words.

"They are," Valiant agreed; his earliest memories had been in the shadow of that mountain range. He wondered what the willows looked like today. But before he could become too weighted by this rumination, Raindrop explained just what she'd found so funny.

"Ha," the isbjørn huffed out what was only nominally a laugh, but there was, perhaps, a telltale curve to his mouth. He gave another mighty shake and managed to dislodge a few more of them, which fluttered down around them like autumn leaves. He blew one toward her face as it passed his own. "I was on a hunt," he explained. It was a thin excuse, and there was a particularly stubborn feather stuck in the thick undercoat on his shoulder that did not at all add to his air of credibility.

He turned his head to point back toward the coast.

"I've been staying with a pack in that direction. They call themselves Moonsong," he replied.

He said he had been on a hunt. She believed him, but wondered where the turkey was…. All that aside, he shook his body to release the feathers, all except one stubborn one. He blew one at her face, and she caught it on the tip of her snout, then blew it up into the air. He mentioned the pack he stayed with, Moonsong. She remembered that Etienne had said his family lived on or near the coast. “I’ve been out there once, after I had first arrived here in the wilds early in the year.” After she spoke, she stepped close to him, “Mind if I?” She asked, and motioned to remove the feather from his fur.

"To Moonsong?" he asked, surprised despite knowing the hold that those packs had on the area. They seemed a peaceful bunch, so it made sense that they had friends all over. He just hadn't been expecting to run into one, he supposed.

His head drew back for a moment when she stepped closer. Not in revulsion, but because he assumed in that instant that he must be standing in her way. But no, she had meant to come closer — Valiant shifted to allow her better reach, his nose twitching as he took in her scent. No pack, she said, but she didn't smell as if she were entirely alone. That was fair; Valiant didn't smell that way, either. And this woman, forward as she was, probably got this close to everyone she met.

It made him nervous for her.

"You're real friendly, huh?" he said before he could think better of it. His ears fell back and he hurried to explain: "It's just — there's been some trouble in these parts, is all. With a man. A predator."

So you should not be cozying up to strangers right now, he thought but did not say. He did not like to imagine someone like Raindrop running into the man that'd attacked the Moontide woman.

“Moonsong? No. I had not been too aware of any other packs at the time. I just wandered.” She replied as he allowed her room to grab the little feather on his shoulder, and quickly drew her head and stepped back as to not make him uncomfortable. But she took in his scent briefly. No certain scents, but she’d assumed he was never always alone. Perhaps like her recent life, just being in the company of others.

He then asked a more so strange question: Was she always this friendly? She thought for a moment, and shook her head; “It really depends.” She told him, “I’m pretty good at judging someone’s intentions. For example, by way of body language.” — But then, as soon as he mentioned trouble in the area, having to do with a man, she realized how trusting she’d been. What if Valiant was this man he spoke of? She shook the thought off to the side, and brought a smile to her face to hide any deep worry.

“Really? That doesn’t sound good.” If there really was someone dangerous lurking about, she needed to be with someone. Perhaps she would go back to Sleepy Fox Hollow. On the other hand, she also didn’t want her pleasant day to be ruined. 

That got a little long, lol. Please don’t feel the need to match the length. :D

"Thanks," he said, distracted, as she pulled the feather out of his pelt. He was sure there were others still, but they had come to a more important discussion than his masculine pride. "It doesn't, does it?" he agreed, his mouth twisting briefly. "But there are men hunting him. He'll be caught soon."

This was the isbjørn's hope, anyway. In the mean time, he just wanted Raindrop to be careful.

"Do I have any more?" he asked, nudging the conversation away from such heavy topics. Just because he couldn't stop himself from worrying, he didn't have to bring everyone else down along with him. So he turned in a quick circle, craning his neck to try and see the rest of his body. "They're tricky, these turkeys," he told her. "You're about liable to turn into one if you're not real-real careful with 'em."

She nodded in reaction to his thanks, and shook her head when he spoke of the situation. “I hope so. Thank you for letting me know.” She replied. Hopefully whoever this man was wouldn’t be of any danger. There was a short silence between them, then he asked her if there were any more feathers. Thankfully he would do this in an attempt to stray from the more dire situation. She chuckle once more at his comment on becoming a turkey, he seemed genuine, and to have a love of turkeys. “Nope, you’re all good.” She’d had turkey a few times throughout her two years, but she did prefer red meat, like that of a deer and especially Elk. She loved Elk meat, but hadn’t had it in quite sometime.

“I’m much more of a red meat fancier. Elk especially.” She admitted. “However, turkeys are much smaller than Elk.” 

Another huffy laugh escaped him and he shook his head, ears splayed. "They're real stringy," he admitted, "But it was there, so I ate it."

And rolled around on its pajamas. He kept that part to himself.

There was a stream back the way he'd come, still within the meadow. He pointed toward it with his muzzle and stepped in that direction, glancing appraisingly at Raindrop as he walked. "You been on a lotta elk hunts?" he asked her, hedging his real question in with something safe. What he really wanted to know was how long she'd been wandering without a pack. He and Dutch hunted together, but they'd never tried to hunt an elk with just the two of them.

There was something about his laugh. A good hearty one, and it made her heart lift with happiness. She realized she hadn’t felt this level of happy since the summer, so she needed to fix that. “In times like this, one can’t be too picky.” She grinned, and then answered his second question, “Accompanied my natal pack on a few. Helped if I could, but most of the hunting, at the time, was up to the big, strong wolves.”

As the two chattered on, they made their way to a stream. Water sounded, to her, thirst quenching. She kept time with his movements, and they exchanged glances back and forth. For once, in a long time, she almost felt content.

Raindrop wasn't particularly large, but she was of a size and build that Valiant would consider an asset on an elk hunt. He guessed then that she hadn't been with her natal pack since she was a juvenile. This perception brought with it a small sense of kinship, and the glow warmed him as he stepped into the icy water of the creek.

"Are red berries a good stand-in for red meat?" he asked, his tone dry but with a sparkle of humor in his rose-gold eyes.

He dipped his head to drink and then stretched first with his hindquarters in the air, and then with his shoulders bunched and his head tipped skyward. Then, unceremoniously, he laid on his belly in the cold stream.

"There's a big hunt coming up here real soon," he told her, pointing his nose once more toward the coast. "The moon packs are gathering to bring down somethin' big. Feast-like. You oughta come."

Once they made it to the river, she sat down while he stretched his body. “I suppose so. It’s a lot better than squirrel.” She told. Then, out of the blue, he flopped down belly first into the icy stream water. She laughed pleasantly and cringed as she watched him in the water. “That water is so cold. At least, too cold for me.” She admitted, but stepped over anyway to dip her front paws and muzzle into it to drink. 

He went on to tell her about a big hunt coming up with the moon packs. This sounded very interesting, more so than sticking around in a hollow. Don’t get her wrong, she enjoyed Etienne’s company, but there wasn’t much for her in the mountain hollow. She spent a moment or two thinking about it, weighing out her options. “That sounds amazing. I’d love to.” She came to a decision. “But I have a couple of friends who helped me find shelter in the mountains, so I’ll let them know of my departure.” 

It was cold to Valiant as well, but the rest of him was still just a little overheated from all his romping. "I run warm," he replied. Soaking his belly in the stream quickly remedied this, and so it was not long before he stood once more and shook out his pelt.

"Well, lemme walk you home," he said, wary of the woman walking off on her own. "You can show me around. Y'know, I was born just on the other side of these mountains — but I ain't ever been to this side before. And I never went too far up 'em, either."

He had to get back to Ariadne — and to the pack that his brother cared so much for! — but they at least had each other, and this woman risked walking alone if he were to depart. He believed she would in all likelihood be fine even if she were to encounter the man, which already seemed unlikely. But she was easy company, and so it was not hard to find excuses to put off his departure a little longer.

“ I see.” She said, smiling, as he stood up from the stream. He shook his pelt off and offered to walk her home. “I’d appreciate that. Thank you.” “Wow. I’d be more than happy to show you around.” Raindrop replied and they began to walk towards the way to sleepy fox hollow. This trek would make for a good time to learn a little more about each other.

“Ya know, I’ve never been on the other side. But where we’re going is called Sleepy Fox Hollow. It was once home to a pack, but they are gone now. Only one member is still around, along with a boy from the coast.“ She explained a little bit about the location, and perhaps he would know of the place.

Without knowing just how far into the mountains they might go, Valiant was inclined to conserve his energy rather than hurrying along. The name of the destination didn't give him much of a clue, but he did think to comment that he'd, "Never been."

He was thinking more about the inhabitants than the place, though. It just seemed awfully sad that there was just one of them left. Even with company, Valiant thought it would be hard to stomach living in the Willows without any of his family there with him.

"How come he stays?" he asked, though he felt just a little guilty prying into something that wasn't his business. "Are they comin' back?"

They took they’re time, keeping their energy stored up for the climb ahead. 
He’d never been, he said. And then answered his questions to the best of her knowledge: “I don’t know him all too well. And I don’t know what exactly happened to them, so I don’t know whether they’ll be back or not.” “He’s not exactly the friendly type. Actually, he’s rather gruff. But his friend is really nice. Etienne is his name.“ She took a breather from speaking, then spoke again: “I look forward to that hunt. The thrill of traveling once more sounds nice. When should I start my departure from the flatlands?” 

It was strange to him, the way that Raindrop gave him one name and not the other. Perhaps the strange survivor hadn't shared his name with her.

"I hope that he can find peace," the isbjørn said quietly — gruffly, almost, as he shook off his unease. Unfriendly or not, Raindrop didn't seem afraid of him. Valiant supposed the complexities of the situation would likely be lost on him unless he got to know theese wolves himself.

The question about the hunt stymied him for a moment. He hadn't quite thought it through when he'd invited her.

"I don't know — they were just going to call for us when they were ready," he explained. He stole a sideways glance at her. "You could come back with me while we wait, if you wanted. They won't mind the company."

“Mhm.” She agreed, even the most gruff of people have a good heart, deep down somewhere. By this time they had made it closer to the foot of the mountain. Once more, he offered her a proposition: Being that he didn’t know exactly when the packs would hunt, he asked if she would like to go back with him. 

She thought about it, and once more decided to go with him. This was likely the best choice. “That sounds good.” She replied with a smile, “I’ve always preferred company to being alone. And you make fine company.”

“Once I let Etienne know, I’ll be ready.” 

Once she got to the top of the mountain range, she would call for Etienne. Then, once he was informed, they would be on their way.

Valiant smiled, too, giving a tentative wag of his tail. They had stopped at something that wasn't quite a clear border, but knowing what he did, he recognized it nonetheless.

"Me too," he agreed as she turned to go. He watched her until she disappeared, and then settled in to wait.