As the weather progressed to get lower, and the nights threatened to get longer eveything in the peppered male's mind began to blur. He could no longer tell the difference between being tired and being lonely -- maybe he had gotten so tired of being lonely, his body had numbed out every last nerve on his body. Or maybe he was just beginning to feel the side-effects laying on his side for endless hours could bring on his hip and sore joints.
With a muffled groan, he had gotten out of his den, finally allowing his wiry peppered coat to touch the daylight. Then he set out for the borders, more specifically for the place he had once met Shadow. He did not seek the man, but the tranquil waters he had sumerged himself in that afternoon.
He arrived after a good thirthy minutes, panting and dragging his feet to the edge of the creek. He was not half the man he used to be, he could see it in the distorted reflection sitting on the water's surface. Though he would make it through this winter and hopefully the next to come, he knew his expiry date was approaching, he would soon leave behind the world to join his precious stars -- but would still leave behind the most precious thing of all.
His son.
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Kesuk didn’t usually come to the creek, or anywhere near water for that matter. It just brought back the horrible feeling of water filling her lungs, the current pulling her dark form lower into its tumbling depths. But today, she was feeling different. She needed to get away from everything and if anyone she knew was looking for her, they would most definitely not look here. Her dark paws skimmed over the smooth river rocks, the fur between her pads becoming wet from the puddles between them. Her icy gaze was focused on the flowing water so she didn’t notice the other wolf until he was less than a couple step away. She was so startled that she took a few steps back and tumbled onto her bum.”Oh my! I didn’t see you there! I’m so sorry! I didn’t mean to almost run into you!” She spoke quickly, her words coming out in a quick, jumbled mess.
The image of his own face staring back at him was suddenly broken by the approaching female, who with out intention had sent ripples along the water's surface, warping the lines of his face into unrecognizable blobs of grey and silver. He lifted his head quickly, equally as startled as the poor female, who only managed to mutter a muffled apology before falling back.
"It's alright, I didn't see you coming at me either" he barked with a smile and a gentle wag of his tail. He had not been able to enter the depths of the water yet, but he didn't mind delaying his planned bath to meet a new face. In Galileo's agenda there was always time to stop and meet someone new.
"It's a pleasure to meet you either way -- I'm Galileo" he barked, offering a graceful dip of his head and a smile. The female had probably not seen him because she had the sky in her eyes, and he hadn't seen her because like his head was on the sky.
Kesuk was relieved that the male replied with a friendly greeting instead of a growl. She smiled back and got to her paws, her tail wagging in a gentle Hello. He introduced himself as Galileo. She had never seen him around her and he didn't smell like he was from either of the packs on the flatlands. She wondered where he traveled from.
"I'm Kesuk, pleasure to meet you." she greeted, lowering her head in a respectful nod. She looked back up at him and cocked her head to the side.
"Where do you travel from? Not to be rude, I'm just curious." She assured quickly, she did not want to come off rude or territorial to this possible new friend.
also whoops i thought i had answered this a few days ago :p
The bright contrast between the female's fur and her eyes was absorbing all his attention, it resembled the captivating patterns that stretched across the sky in a cloudless summer day. He was aware that staring at her might seem offensive to the female, but with the days on his calendar rolling by so quickly he had sworn not to deprive himself of the simple pleasures. Admiring the chocolate hues of her ciat was one of them.
He was also well aware that he was a stranger in the area and that it was her pack who dwelled near these lands, whereas his was tucked far away next to the mountains of the Sunspire. He also recalled having met one of her own before, in fact, the leader himself -- Dante.
"I'm from Swiftcurrent Creek, far back near those mountains" he barked, turning his head momentarily to motion towards the tall peaks of the Sunspire sticking out in the horizon.
Kesuk only being around wilds for a short amount of time had only encountered wolves from two packs. Her own pack, the Sunspire and Noctisardor Bypass And then of course with wolves in the caldera. It was nice to meet more wolves from different areas and it gave her an idea of just how big the wilds really were.
Another wolf from the mountains. She guessed they weren't so uninhabited as she thought. She smiled at the older male in interest. She still didn't know much about the area and this seemed like a good of time as any to learn more.
"I've never met a wolf from your pack before." she admitted lightly. "How many packs are there in the wilds. I have only met wolves from my pack, the caldera, Noctisardor Bypass and the Sunspire." she said, hoping to learn just how many other packs were out there.
The proud title of explorer he had awarded himself with when he had first set foot on the Wilds had been stored away in the backs of his heart, gathering dust as the days went by. Though he had taken his time to decide which of the packs suited him best, once he had settled for the Creek, he had basically locked himself in there, until his body screamed for a rest.
During the brief span of time he had wondered around the vast expanse of the Wilds, he had come across wolves both pleasant and unpleasant to be around. Just like the million different types of leaves scattered around the forest floor in Autumn or the countless stars that sparkled in the sky at night, the number of wolves living in the same area was unimaginable for the peppered male. Though he had settled for the Creek and promised to stick by until the moment his heart no longer pumped, he still had an adventorous soul, and like her, a curious mind.
The mention of the packs the female was familiar with caused the Counselor's eyes to narrow in curiosity, while his pack was well familiar with the Sunspire and the Bypass.. in a way he would like not to dwell on, the name of the Caldera did not ring a bell. Little did he know that said pack was not only run by his former Alpha, Fox. "I met once a wolf that said to live on the coast, and one that lived in the mountains further south -- Silvertip" he barked, remembering the brief conversation he had once held with Erika, one of Jinx's followers at the time.
"I also know of a pack that lives up north, Duskfire, they are called. Made up of a family originally from the Creek" or what was left of it, he barked, not being able to mouth those last words outloud. After Bazi's voyage and her return the news of the Sveijarn's rupture had been known; and even if he had not shared more than a simple 'hello' with both of the parents he had come to admire their unity as they all set out to make their home as a family.
Kesuk wagged her tail behind her as she spoke. "Did you come here looking for someone? I mean is there anyone I can help you find?" she asked happily, hopping that she could help this kind wolf. Or maybe he was just out wandering. She remembered being a lone wolf and enjoying the thrill of going somewhere new. Or he could also be like that wolf Rain, looking for information. If that was the case, Kesuk was sure she could help.
He watched the female reflect on his words as if she were comitting all information given to memory. While Galileo had also planned to make his way to the Glacier at some point, after hearing the mess it had turned to he figured that his presence and intrusion would not be so warmly welcome, especially in the harsh Winter that had begun to engulf the Teekon Wilds.
They as well as him needed time to heal.
Galileo's eyes poised again of the girl's own as she offered to fetch for him whatever, or whoever it was that he was looking for. The problem was that not even he knew what was it that had driven him out of the Creek and towards the flatlands. "No one in particular" he admitted, feeling a new wave of solitude crawl underneath his skin, chilling him to the bone like the cold winds that blew overhead.
"The only wolf I have the pleasure of knowing from your pack is Dante, but I wouldn't want to bother him --- I am well for now" he added, casting a tired smile in her direction. Though he could use a conversation, he felt like his petty needs were not worth the busy Alpha's time.
Galileo would not be a burden, not to his own pack or to his friend Dante.
He would be okay.
Just not today.
"Well, Galileo, it was a pleasure to meet you, but I really should be going." she said dipping her head. The rushing of water so close by was making the chocolate-pelted girl a little skittish. "I hope you have a safe journey home, or wherever you're headed. Maybe we will meet again some day." she offered, a smile on her face and her bushy tail waving behind her.
It really had been nice meeting the creek wolf, and she wished that she could stay and talk a bit longer, but the water really was getting to her. This was the exact reason she usually avoided the area.
Their encounter, however pleasant, was unexpectedly cut short. While Galileo had maybe allowed his mind to stray from the female he had not meant this involuntary distraction to be what clipped their pleasant meeting's wings.
Still he presented no resistance when the female decided it was time to go.
Like her, he also needed to move forth in her journey.
"Same goes to you, Kesuk" he barked while dipping his nose in farewell. "Take care" he finished as he allowed his amber eyes to rest on her departing figure.
Perhaps they would meet again.
Kesuk smiled at him, truly hoping that they would see each other again, but maybe somewhere that wasn't filled with the terrifying sound of rushing water. A fleeting thought that maybe he thought that he was the reason she had to go crossed her mind and she felt a little guilty as she turned and padded into the dark woods, turning her head and yelling a final goodbye before disappearing into the shadows.