Heron Lake Plateau Golden Oldies

I'm here finally! Sorry, life's been nuts this week :)

Teemu had given up trotting a mile back, after an unfortunate incident involving the soft webbing between his toes and a surprisingly large thorn among the thick pocket of trees he'd been traveling through. The birds that inhabited the area had appeared to find great joy when he'd stumbled, but a nasty snarl in their direction sent them scurrying out of reach. Although he'd tugged the thorn from the sensitive skin, it continued to sting for a while after, eventually giving way to a dull ache. As he wandered out of the treeline, the older wolf questioned whether the pain had truly dissipated or he'd simply grown accustomed to the sting. Nevertheless, Teemu continued to move wherever his nose led him.

It wasn't long before the sights, sounds, and smells of the wetland met Teemu. The enormous number of birds fascinated the wolf and he approached as quietly as possible in order to observe the wide variety of feathered beings. A flock of long-legged birds took to the skies at the sight of him. Pausing, he watched their wings stretch and flap, lifting him higher and higher, carrying them west, where, Teemu was amused to see, they merely settled on the water's surface once more. With a sigh, the old wolf approached the water's edge. A few ducks watched him warily, swimming out of his immediate reach, but didn't seem to mind his presence. It was a surprisingly warm day for Autumn and the cool water shimmered invitingly in the sunlight. Teemu took one step, and then another, slowly wading into the cold lake until the water met his sides. He lapped as he went and even attempted to splash playfully at a duck or two when their kicking legs brought them near. As he'd hoped, the water soothed his sore paw.

Movement beyond the lake caught Teemu's attention. A herd of deer ran together on the opposite side of the water. He noted their raised tails and alert ears as their narrow bodies leapt away from some unseen danger. Deer, he thought with a smile, always afraid of something.

Despite his nonchalance, Teemu sniffed at the air, inhaling deeply and attempting to sort through the multitude of scents. Plants, birds, critters, and the deer, of course. Only when the breeze shifted slightly did one scent in particular come to light. It was another of his own kind, much to his surprise. Slinking from the water, Teemu pulled himself back onto the muddied banks and gave his thin coat a quick half-shake. Holding his head low, the old wolf slithered in and out of the tall wetland grasses until the source of the scent came into view. A dark-coated male. Teemu stopped, allowing distance to remain between the pair. With his head still low, he cautiously called out, "Uh, hello there?"