Meadowlark Prairie Taking in The Scenery

No worries! It's been a busy week over here too XD

Beau followed after, her words going in one ear and out the other. He didn't understand much about flowers - just that they messed with his sinuses.

"You seem to know a lot."

The statement was simply to continue the conversation - he wasn't understanding what she was saying, rather he assumed that it had to be smart.

She didn’t, really. Just about flowers, and her knowledge of them was rudimentary at best. After all, there were so, so many flowers. There was no way she could know all of them. 

A compliment was a compliment, though, and she received it with an excited tail-wag, which, with their current trot, seemed closer to a tail-flop. 

The copse was large enough that they’d have a bit of searching to do, but not large enough that Gabby was confident they’d find it. The conditions were perfect, though. It was cool, dark, and the ground had a vibrant coating of moss. 

She figured many animals called this place home, too. She wasn’t particularly hungry, but Beau had mentioned hunting. This place was as good as any to catch something. 

The air here was still, and her attempts to sniff it out were unsuccessful. That only meant they’d need to check further. 

”Keep an eye out for it, and for food,” she’d say, but she figured the reminder wasn’t necessary for food.

He gave a small nod in response. He wasn't all that great at finding flowers, but he could deal with the food if they came across it.

He doubted anything too big would be around here, but it didn't look like Gabby ate much. She was too small.

She swept the area over with her eyes, then moved on. No smell yet, and she hadn’t seen it, either. 

”What do you like to do?” she asked, but her attention remained ahead. Gabby figured it was clear that this is what she liked to do, but she’d didn’t know what that was for Beau.

He frowned, unable to think of an answer right away. What did he like to do? He had never really thought about it.

"Eh.. I like to run. The feeling it gives you, it's nice."

His answer was simple, however he couldn't think of anything else in the moment.

The feeling of his fur cutting through the wind, nothing was better.

She liked running, too! Most wolves like rubbing, she assumed. She figured he had to like doing other things, too. 

”Just running?” 

Maybe she was being too hard on him. First his funny voice, now she was attacking his hobbies.

He wrinkled his nose at her, turning his head away to continue looking for purple flowers.

"It isn't somethin' I think about - I do what I need to survive, and I enjoy that for the most part."

He grunted, tail flicking upwards.

"Don't need many hobbies if you can enjoy life itself."

”Maybe,” she said in reply, but she didn’t really agree. For her, life was just the things she did between the things she liked doing. Like a reward for making this far. 

But she also did enjoy the life part of life, so she could see what he meant to a degree. 

”I think I can smell one.”

He had to hold back a sigh of relief. Sure, Gabby was nice, but searching for flowers wasn't exactly his pace.

"Is it close by?"

He asked, ears perking as though he would be able to hear it.

"I think so," she said, head now to the ground trying to determine where the smell was coming from. 

"You don't smell it?"

"It's not like I would know what it was if I did."

He responded, raising an eyebrow. His poor face was starting to hurt from how often he was doing that.

”Well.. yes, but it is an odd smell.” 

She figured he’d be able to pick out a strange smell. 

”Its this way,” she finally decided. She picked up her pace and in only a few moments, the bright purple flower—three of them—came into view. Her tail swung wildly. 

”That’s it!”

He spotted the purple petals rather quickly, just the sight of them seeming to trigger his allergies.

"Why were we looking for these again..?"

"Because you need a favorite flower," she said, "And your scent is boring." she said it not as an insult, but in an attempt to help. "Aren't you going to sniff it?" 

The female wolf padded beside it, dropping her muzzle near the blossom and inhaling deeply. It was a relaxing scent, strong, but not overbearing. It'd be perfect for him!

"I told you already - that'll mess with my allergies."

He grunted, wrinkling his nose at the thought.

"My scent is supposed to be 'boring', that's what keeps me safe."

"It may not. There's no other way to tell than to try it!"

She didn't understand why this wolf was so set on not liking flowers. This one was perfect for him. The purple even looked good with his coat! 

"You'll be just as safe smelling like a flower. Promise," she said, giving her tail a wag.

"You don't know much, do you?"

He grunted, lowering his tail.

"Smelling like a flower might be fine for you - but you don't got'ta do what I do."

It may have came off as a bit cruel, but it wasn't intended that way.

Gabby's ears fell and she lowered her head. She was no longer interested in the flower. 

She didn't know what he meant he had to do, but she did know he had just called her dumb. She knew she was excitable, a little odd, but she wasn't dumb. 

"That was mean," she stated flatly. She could feel her throat closing as if she'd just been scolded, her eyes felt hot.

He sighed, she was one to talk. But nonetheless he had hurt her, and that was wrong. He knew that much.

"I didn' mean it like that - I'm sorry." He glanced back to the flowers. "You can do.. whatever you were going to with the flowers. I'll stop complaining."

She appreciated his apology, but was now wondering if she'd been annoying him, or if he was upset with her, or if he didn't like her. 

Nonetheless, her tail did resume. She leaned down and grasped the flower's stem, then gave it a quick pull, gentle enough to keep the bloom intact. She brought it to him. 

"Sniff," she said through clenched teeth.

His guilt overpowering his strong-willed nature, he complied, though he was quick to move his head to the side and sneeze.

"It's nice - you really think it'll suit me though?"

He never imagined himself smelling much like a flower.

She watched excitedly while he sniffed, but her brow briefly furrowed when he sneezed. Maybe she'd held it a little too close. 

"I do!" she said, still through clenched teeth. She set it down, briefly licking her lips. "Especially if you are looking for mate. Girls love a unique scent, you know." 

She wasn't lying, either. At least, no in her mind. In her old pack, it was normal for a wolf to adopt a scent. The males that opted for flowery scents usually had very contrasting demeanors, and in turn, made most of the females swoon. She could see Beau being one of those types.

"I'll keep that in mind for the future then - ain't all that many wolves I've met yet."

While he wasn't sure if it was completely true, it would be worth a try if he ever got to that point. A unique scent could be useful.

The word again! She wagged her tail at the way he said it. It sounded so interesting to her. 

"I'm sure you will soon." She had a feeling that's what he wanted to do.

"Do you like to play-fight?"

"I use' to when I was youn'ger - my sisters never let me win though."

He snickered as the memories came to his mind. He used to be quite the sore loser, so that was likely why he stopped.

"You still do that sort of thing?