Whitebark Stream Fate's Calling (Leila, Slade, Cry)

“Well,” Redmoon began with a confident mention, “that’s good to know. I didn’t fancy this trip just to be turned into another wolf’s supper. ‘Sides, I haven’t eaten too well, I could honestly add a few pounds.” He could have countered in some effort to puff his chest out but he didn’t see much point in it. If Leila and Cry were kin to this direwolf then he wasn’t about to stick around and challenge him - that wasn’t the kind of wolf he was. Supremacy wasn’t something he was too well versed in, having been ousted from his pack so long ago, he’d not practiced it or had the need to be dominant. Just cruising along through life was his way. Something told him that his ways were soon to change whether he liked it or not. 

“Won’t need to worry about lying, I’ve never had the taste for it. A wolf who lies is no good to anyone.” He spoke from experience, if a wolf was willing to lie and cheat to get what he wanted then he truly wasn’t worth much. Such treachery was poor form and Redmoon would have nothing of it. Strange, how he felt this way alluded to a strong sense of trust, but he was so untrusting of others. It was a constant internal conflict within him and one that he fought with often. 

This trip had taken a considerable amount of time and throughout that time, Redmoon had made pause to ensure he memorized the terrain in that if called upon, he’d be able to backtrack through it. The way was perilous and the summer rains were threatening them every afternoon to dump their contents and impede their way - though as the Scorekeeper would have it, only a single shower sat over their heads and Redmoon had been glad for it. 

They’d been walking all day, passing through the dry climate of the northern Teekon and the chill of the north itself, parched and weary from no rest. Redmoon hadn’t complained and his feet were conditioned well for traveling - he’d done it all his life. But when the rain came, it came without the fearsome sound of thunder and the flash of lightning. 

Moving into an open field, they traversed and gently rolling hill with the strange scent upon it that was coming from a fallen tree at the top of the hill itself, the sun wasn’t out, it’d been covered by the clouds as the liquid blessings came down to cool the land and spill fresh nutrients onto the grounds. His feet trampled the softening ground and stirred the earth to mud in places. A cubby of raccoons raced from the fallen tree, a big one had something that was yellow and coned, sticky looking while a swarm chased them away and up the standing tree. ‘Bees,’ Redmoon mused and his stomach growled at him, ‘sounds great but too much work.’ 

Looking ahead he caught sight of a vast and sprawling forest, it was a darkened place, likely made worse by this brewing rain cloud. It was bordered though by what looked like a pretty wide river and one that didn’t look very fun to cross.

“You’ve got to be kidding me.” Redmoon spoke aloud, “But we’ll get soaked!” He sarcastically scoffed, they were already drenched from the falling rain. 

Hungry, wet and exhausted, he was ready for this trip to be over.