Otter Creek Lost

Open. :3

Another day of exploring had ended and twilight had began to set. There was one white wolf who wasn't as close to home yet as she should have. Scarlett didn't realize how much she had wandered today. She liked getting out and exploring new pieces of land. For once the female was cleaning herself after a tiring day. Scarlet wasn't the cleanest wolf when it came to her fur. She liked to keep it different shades of muddy brown so she was camouflaged when hunting. Scarlett padded through the chilly water, realizing her coat could really use a bath. She missed being groomed. It might possibly be her most favorite thing. Unfortunately for Scarlett she wasn't close with anyone in this area, close enough to have a good and loving coat cleaning. Maybe in a few months when her new pack mates had grown accustomed to her.

Spatters flew when the white wolf shook herself out. She noticed that her coat was as pure white as it should be. At least what she could see of it. Scarlett shook herself out again to dry out her fur more. She could use the sun right now, or a warm den. The female started trotting down next to the riverbank. She should head back for her own safety. She didn't feel as comfortable being alone at night than during the day. Strange. She could see perfectly well in the dark. It was probably because she was such an easy target now she was all clean. Scarlett was practically being a beacon of light with the moon starting to shine down on her. Her ears scanned the surroundings, her nose on sharp and her eyes on the look out. She realized she was close to another pack or it seemed. She wasn't sure. There had been wolves around here for sure.

The female turned around, not wanting to have another run in with some territorial wolf. But the other direction was the long way home. Scarlett turned to the darkness of the forest. Or did she came that way? She realized that she was terribly lost. Why did she had to be such a dreamer and not pay attention to the directions she wandered in!?

While the light of the day had long since slipped away, the ghostly male welcomed the brightness the moon brought with it. He'd always enjoyed being out at night, despite the lightness of his coat constantly making his presence known to anyone close by. Having worked to explore the forest he now called home on the other nights, he felt it best to travel a bit further tonight. The air was crisp, yet still inviting, leading him closer and closer to the creek that occupied a space near the forest. He knew that it emptied out into the large lake, but Otter Creek still found a way to hold onto it's own slice of beauty, even when the brute found himself comparing the two. As his legs carried him closer and closer to the strip of water, the sounds that it's current brought with it reached his ears. Kove listened closely to the flowing water, walking along it as he did so. Soon, though, he found himself stopping, the sight of another pale coated form coming into view.

At first, he thought it may be one of his pack mates, but as he grew closer he saw that not to be the case. The snowy lupine was much smaller in comparison to his fellow pack member, leaving the brute at a loss for who the wolf could be. Drawing closer, he kept his posture as friendly as he could manage, but a small hint of hostility still managed to slip through sometimes. Though the female was someone he didn't know, Kove mustered up a small smile, his steps stopping as he reached only a few paces from Scarlett's form.

"Pleasant night, isn't it?" the male inquired, using the question as a way of greeting her.

The white female was still looking and listening to which direction she needed to go. Her instinct wasn't really helping either. Scarlett stood on the riverbank, her paw prints indicating her doubt. They crisscrossed all over the place of the muddy bank. A sigh left her. She should be responsible and turn to where she came from. When she turned she immediately spotted the white wolf. Her nose moved to get any information. He was a male that she could see and smell right away. Her ears fell a bit back because she was unsure. Scarlett didn't know this area or the type of packs that surrounded these woods.

She stepped a bit back as the male came closer. The female's ears popped up when his voice sounded through the air. It didn't sound entirely unpleasant. There was something about him but his stance was friendly for now. Scarlett reminded herself that she should be polite enough to return that friendliness. "Quite pleasant, yes," she tentatively agreed. Her tail hung low, not yet between her legs. The male scent did indicate that he was in a pack. Would there be more wolves around?

Blood red eyes took in his white coat. He was a bit like she was but only the red eyes were missing. Was she truly the only one with red eyes? In a way she was glad that she had cleaned her coat just before. She didn't want to shame the other for having a white coat. Scarlett questioned if her thought process even made sense. She should inquire if this male knew the way back to her home. "You smell form around here, could you maybe help me?," she asked. "What would be the shortest way to Duskfire Glacier? Or a good sense of direction towards Duck Lake? I know my way from there!"

When her response moved through the air, he was glad to hear no signs of aggression within her words. The hostility that lingered on the fringes of his posture decreased a bit, seeing the female to be of no threat. Simply a lost wolf, trying to find her way back home. At the mention of Duck Lake, the brute was momentarily pulled into a memory of the place from when he was still on his own. He'd been lingering in an area near a pack, much like the albino who stood only a few paces from him, but he didn't have the support of a pack behind him like her. He had been alone and causing trouble, completely different from the she-wolf before him, yet still in the same situation. Lost, he was, but he hadn't known he was searching for home at the time, and to make up for it he decided to try and help the pale female the best he could. Tearing himself out of the memory, he started to retrace his steps mentally, hoping to be able to provide some sort of answer for Scarlett.

"You could travel along this creek, and head up into the mountains," Kove suggested. "Depending on which way you go, you could either end up near a lake of sorts, or within a forest that leads into a meadow." Raking further through his thoughts, he searched for a way to give better directions. He didn't know the names of the places exactly, but knew what they were and where they were from hearing stories. It helped that he'd wandered a bit before settling in Blackfeather Woods, too, but that had not allowed him to really learn the names of the places.

"Might come across a wolf from Sunspire or Swiftcurrent," the ghostly brute added. "They most likely know the area up there better than I do." Kove knew that both ways would mean a relatively long journey for the lady, but that was to be expected. No matter how she traveled there, the Glacier would always be far away. That would never change, unless someone ever happened to be born with the strength to move the entire thing closer; which was impossible.

A slight change in posture was visible in the other wolf's body language. Scarlett was relieved that her fears weren't realized. It might even be really pleasant to converse with this other being. She wondered in what pack the other might be and if that pack was close by. The female always had so many questions on her mind. It was always a struggle to keep them all in. The female's tail wagged a bit. "So I could follow the water down to the lake and then head for the mountains, cross them and then I will reached the Duck Lake," she repeated out loud. It would be such a long way to go and she wasn't sure if she liked to travel all alone. She spend the day alone already.

She thought about the mountains. Would they be tricky to cross at night? Maybe it was safer to stay on this side, find a place to sleep. What would be wiser? Her mind was a bit troubled. "Other wolves?," she questioned snapping her out of her thought process. "I wouldn't trespass on their territory right?," het quiet voice asked. Scarlett's ears were pointed at the male. She remembered all to well how Malachi reacted when she crossed his border. The female was hoping that this male, from whom she didn't even know his name, would know more. At least he had been helpful enough to point out the way. "Have you ever traveled the mountains at night? Or would it be better to find an abandoned den?" Maybe the older male had also a good opinion on that.

Scarlett's tail started to wag a bit when she thought about another idea. Maybe the male was even nice enough to walk with her! The female looked at her paws for a moment. Would that be too forward to ask from a stranger?

His ears listened in as she repeated what he'd said just seconds prior, then gave a nod of his head. Even as several more questions exited the female's maw, he listened to each one and considered how to answer it. He'd only ever run into one other wolf as a loner when in that area, and it was during his trip to Duck Lake. The pack that is close to it holds a wolf who doesn't take too kindly to other wolves causing mischief near his pack's borders—or maybe that only applied to lone wolves. Having not gone there since, the brute wouldn't know how the other reacted when it came to pack wolves.

"If you're careful, you shouldn't actually cross into any other territories, or at least I don't think you should," Kove voiced, answering her first question. His only impression of the wolves whose territories she'd have to pass where what he'd experienced with Dovev of the Swiftcurrent. What the others were like was a mystery, but for the she-wolf's sake, he hoped they weren't too hostile towards other pack wolves. "I've never seen where the territory borders lay exactly, though, so don't take my word to the grave for it." The answer to her next question was very simple—no, he hadn't actually traveled through the mountains before. He'd traveled up into the mountains during a previous trip to Otter Creek, but traveling through them was a completely different story altogether.

"No, I've never traveled through the mountains at night, or even during the day for that matter," the ghostly male said. "I've traveled up them a bit the last time I was here, and the different ledges can be a bit difficult to maneuver sometimes. Unless you're confident with your ability to see every little crevice, nook, and cranny, I'd recommend waiting until morning." He had noticed early on that her tail had started to wag back and forth when she'd finished asking her questions, and now that he'd answered them, he was mildly curious as to what the reason was for the movement.

There was a time you should listen to a stranger's advise and just trust them on their word. Scarlett mainly trusted his judgement because it seemed right. She wasn't sure of herself in general. It was something she needed to work on. The she-wolf was already unstable when she was on four paws let alone if she would climb the ridges in the dark. The nameless male had given her the confidence she needed to trust her own judgement. Her red eyes studied him curiously for a moment as her tail stopped wagging.

"Thank you for your great insights," she spoke politely, with a respectful nod of her head. The female looked around her once more with a lost expression. Scarlett would need a safe place to rest. She preferred an abandoned den but if it happened that she wouldn't find one she had to find a place that was mildly secured. "Although I do advise you to climb to a high peak once. The view is utterly amazing and a rare sight."

Scarlett was about to go her own path again when she turned back to the white male. His fur ghostly white like hers. "Thank you once more also for not eating me." That last part was a bit of a joke to keep it light, and a slight hint that she was intimidated by him. Another red eyed glance went over the wolf. "Any other tips to might find a, preferably warm, place to sleep for the night? Oh and I'd like to know your name! Please?"

When a lady thanks you for simply telling her what you know, the polite thing to do is say something back. Kove, though, said nothing. He was unsure how to respond, finding a simple 'you're welcome' to be too plain. His maw stayed shut and he just stood there, unsure if she had more to say or ask. The short silence seemed a bit uncomfortable to him, and he watched as Scarlett looked around the area. Her next words caused the brute to smile a bit wider, his head nodding. "I'll be sure to do that, if I ever can," he told her. He'd tried climbing up one before, wanting to see how magnificent the view was, but never fulfilled that small quest. He had gotten sidetracked, and decided to save the journey for another day.

His ears perked slightly when he was thanked for not eating her, the space between his eyes pinching together a bit. The hint had been clear to him, but why she felt intimidated by him eluded his mind. His size could possibly be the cause of it, of maybe because she was somewhat close to his pack's territory. Not dwelling on it any longer, a chuckle left his throat, caring his next words with it. "I would never dream of 'eating' you." The idea of eating a fellow wolf, even if it was meant to be taken metaphorically, appalled the ghostly male. The she-wolf gave him no time to think any further on the subject, having let another inquiry slip out of her mouth.

"It'll be difficult to find someplace warm, but try looking for any foxholes. They'll need a bit more or digging done in order to fit a wolf, but the ground can do a good jump at keeping you warm when within it," Kove answered, then paused. He mentally scolded himself for not having provided an introduction sooner, then gave the female an apologetic look. "My name is Kove, and what might yours be?"

I'm laughing at that 'eating' part. She is so innocent sometimes.

The grey clouds seemed to cover the moon leaving out the bit of clear light they had. Luckily for Scarlett she had night vision. This way she could catch the other's smile. The female always liked whens he made others smile. It gave her such a good feeling inside. Her tail as always a good measurement for her excitement levels. "Well at least I could return some advise then."

Scarlett seemed to have left the unknown male in confusion. She stood there a bit awkwardly until he replied. She stated in a rather clumsy way that she was glad he hadn't attacked her. "I was thinking of that. Although lazy me hoped for an abandoned wolf den," she admitted, sounding amused with herself. Although she wasn't that large of a wolf, she probably didn't need to do too much digging before she could fit in. "Nice to meet you, Kove. I'm Scarlett."

Her red eyes looked at him in a non-dominant way, which was clear for the start that the female wasn't dominant as some females could be. "I probably should find a place to sleep," she returned. A yawn escaped from her mouth. "Excuse me. Maybe I will see you again one day. Or you can always howl if you want company on that lonely high peak," she offered.

At the start, I was considering having Kove be a bit more aggressive, and possibly 'eat' her to work towards his Warden trade, but I couldn't. Scarlett was just too nice, and he wouldn't attack someone like that without a reason. uwu

Kove never saw himself as the type to attack first and ask questions later, but the she-wolf had no way of knowing that. They'd only just met, giving him the ability to see why she might have feared him attacking. The thought had crossed his mind for a brief second before they had started speaking, seeing her closeness to Blackfeather as an opportunity for him to further prove himself. Once he'd heard her speak and ask so many questions, though, he realized she was no threat. No threat meant chasing her off without so much as another word would be unnecessary. Very unnecessary.

"It is nice to officially meet you as well, Scarlett," Kove said, giving a small bow of his head. His copper orbs focused on her features, watching as her jaws parted ways to let out a yawn. How tired she must be was left to his imagination, but the yawn in itself was a decent indication. A smile spread across his own maw, the warmth within it as clear as a summer's day. "I may just have to howl the day I climb one, and hope you're close by." His gaze turned first to look in the direction of the forest, and then towards the mountains that the creek led into. Climbing up the ridges would be a nice experience for him, even if he couldn't quite reach the top.

Hahah awww yes. I think she would have bursted in tears if you did that. :P Scarlett is literally a ball of fluff if she wants to be. (And most of the time she does want to be nice haha)

The pale female practically beamed when the male bowed his head. She could tell that the male meant what he said. For a female like Scarlett that meant a lot. There was something interesting about this male. He was calm. Yes, that is what she liked. She tried to mimic his stature for a moment. When he spoke about 'hoping she was there' her day was made. Scarlett's tail might have wagged a bit faster at that point. "I hope so too. You have been very insightful so far."

She watched the ghostly white male for a brief moment. "Maybe our paths will cross again. Goodnight," she greeted quietly. A gentle smile on her lips before she turned to the forest. She still had to find a place to sleep after all. Her mind was clouded with the male. He was an interesting individual.

End?

Sure. :3 I really enjoyed this roleplay~

With their last words being shared, Kove knew it was time to let her get to bed. He stood and watched her for a second longer, before turning his head towards the dark forest. It was about time he returned, so he would be able to get some sleep as well. Him being tired lead to him being grumpy, and that was something no one should ever have to put up with. "Goodnight," he returned. "May your dreams be peaceful, and your night filled with a decent rest." Giving one last bow of his head, the brute turned and began his journey back to the allegedly haunted forest. His mind continued to wander back to the pale female with each step he took, glad to have been of some help to her. When, or if, their paths were to cross again, he would be sure to keep this memory fresh in his mind. But until that day arrived, he wished her the best of luck with her journey home.