Emberwood i'm stuck in the sunshine riptide; dancing all alone in the morning light

Ali's timeline is kinda messy rn but this is meant to be set a couple hours before this thread

 

The boy was off hunting in the dim light of dawn, taking a moment now to relax away from the others. Away from Lennon.
Oh, that man was driving Ali crazy-- one moment he said he loved him, the next he was bringing Miss Perfect home. He hated it. He hated it. Not least because he couldn't actually bring himself to blame it on the girl he had brought. It would have been easier if he could, because there was no way he'd be able to confess this to Lennon.
His only option was to pretend it was okay; not the most comfortable option for him, really, but for everyone else it was certainly convenient. Alarian figured at some point he had spent enough time moping and internally seething, so he decided to go somewhere he could let go. He didn't want to release his anger; he wanted to forget it.

So the boy decided to climb trees. He was having plenty of fun, too, until he slipped and almost fell-- and then he was reminded, suddenly, of how he had met Lennon. Guilt and hurt filled him again, and he sat back on the thick, low-hanging branch he was on. So much for trying to have fun.

She was humming, some random song she had heard long ago from one friend or another, her pretty soprano bouncing off the trees in an ethereal echo. Having traveled now for a few days, her pace relentless, Lily was beginning to tire, the only thing keeping her awake and upright her racing thoughts.

Where was she? How far had she gone? Did Mum and Daddy miss her, already?

Her stomach rumbled quite loudly; she hadn't really paused to hunt. Well, she wasn't really good at hunting, either. Her family had always tackled the big game together, and Daddy hadn't ever taught her to snare rabbits or squirrels. Perhaps she'd find one, dead already! The thought cheered her, and she went on, resuming her humming.

Movement from above startled her, and she glanced upward, bright eyes searching for the source of the commotion. A slim male wolf was sitting overhead, looking a bit glum on his perch. She narrowed her gaze, confused. Weren't trees for the birds? What was he doing up there?

"Hey!" Lily called out, raising her eyebrows. "All right up there?"

oooomg I love Lily already! Gonna switch this to private when I get around to my computer

Alarian heard the girl's humming first, and when he tilted his head to look down at her he was struck by how young she seemed. All alone, too-- he scented no others nearby.
The boy was a little impressed that she spotted him, then, and in response to her words he hopped to the ground.
I'm fine! Ali tilted his head slightly. Are you alone?-- you look tired.
It was in his nature to worry, especially given she seemed so... defenseless. Perhaps he was wrong; he had been before. But it was worth asking, at least.

He jumped down, and she took a couple steps back, flicking one ear in nervous response. The boy seemed friendly enough, though, opening his mouth to assure her he was fine and to inquire into her welfare. Her stomach chose this inopportune moment to grumble once more, and Lily glanced down, cheeks flushing warm with embarrassment.

"I'm a bit tired, yes," she admitted. Her orange eyes flashed as she rose her gaze to meet his once more, her voice growing snappier as she added, "Why would I tell you if I was alone or not? For all you know, I could have an army, lurking behind me." Her face belied her brusque tone, warm and open with humor.

"I'm Lily," she offered, a smile finally flitting over her face. Lily gave him a long look-over, trying to assess whether or not he was a threat. Friendly nature aside, he was small and trim for a male, and not very old himself--just a few moons older, she thought. She couldn't imagine him being a terror: with her limited life experience, she had never really met a dangerous wolf, in the first place.

Various smells cloaked his pelt, though, which meant he did not travel alone. Lily kept her eyes and ears open for any signs of his companions, watching nearby.

The boy was surprised by the sudden fire in her tone, but he found it charming. The idea was impressive to think about, anyway-- even if it likely wasn't true. He smiled back easily, not missing the rumble of the girl's stomach.

I'm Alarian. Think your army wants some food, Lily? The smile turned slightly teasing. I was about to hunt for my companions. It wouldn't be much trouble to hunt for one more.
At the very least, Ali figured, he could make sure Lily wouldn't starve to death anytime soon. He did faintly hope she would decide, at the mention of his companions, to join up with the group. It had grown rapidly recently, but the way Alarian saw it, more friends was always better. The sass and wit she had already shown intrigued him-- enough that he found himself hoping she would be another friend.

One corner of her mouth drew up in a half-smirk. "Could use a bite." Understatement of the year. She was starving. Daddy always kept the caches well-stocked back home; without their bounty, she felt utterly lost.

Now, she felt suddenly embarrassed, as she realized she would have to hunt in front of her new acquaintance. Lily didn't hate many things, but one thing she truly despised was making a fool out of herself. Perhaps she'd follow along, watch what he did, and then try it? Still, there was a chance for error. Ugh! She recoiled at the thought of failure.

"Were you, erm, following a trail?" Lily asked tentatively. When it came to anything else--like herbs, for her Mum was a healer, or music--she was fine. . .but on the subject of hunting, something all wolves ought to know, she was utterly clueless. At least by herself. She hoped he was willing to look past her ignorance--or, better yet, not notice it altogether.

She wished she had an army with her.

Alarian couldn't help a slight smile at the question. Not yet. I was just taking some time to relax first. Helps me hunt.
The boy turned to regard the forest, tail swishing behind him. His ears pricked, and for a moment he was still-- sniffing, listening, observing. Then he beckoned to the girl and set off through the snow, tracking the trail his senses showed him. He moved quietly, quickly, and when he saw his mark he suddenly slowed.
A rabbit was picking through the dead, frosted remains of a bush just ahead. The boy lowered himself to the ground, creeping up slowly on the creature; in the next moment he was off, bolting after it. The tiny thing didn't stand a chance once it was between his jaws.
Ali moved to Lily, then, and set the dead animal at her feet with a warm smile. Here, eat and get your strength up. I'll hunt more soon.

Lily nodded, absorbing his words. Maybe she was too tired to hunt, after all. She sat, then, and watched with intent eyes as Alarian stalked his quarry, ending up with it dangling from his jaws. Tried to note his every move, filing it away for later use. She felt lucky she wasn't very brawny or clumsy; those attributes would probably help her, in hunting small prey.

Her eyes lit up as the boy dropped the rabbit at her feet, her stomach emitting yet another audible gurgle. She didn't try to cover it up this time, instead stammering, "T-thank you," before digging in. It was delicious. Best thing she'd ever tasted. Probably because she hadn't eaten for so long, but still. . .

"Thank you," she repeated, licking her chops and smiling at Alarian. "That hit the spot." Her eyes glanced around the clearing, wondering if they were truly alone. "So, where are your companions right now? How many of them are there? Are you all a pack?" The questions tumbled out her mouth like boulders down a cliff.

You're welcome. The boy said to the first time she thanked him, trying not to watch her too intently as she ate. It was obvious to him that she was rather hungry-- he hoped it was just a really big appetite, not a lack of food. Ali was ever the optimist, naturally.
At her second thanks, he offered a warm smile, and found himself pleasantly surprised to hear her sudden interest in his companions.
My companions and I have been staying in a big cave not far from here. There are five others now-- it used to be just me and my two friends. But then we made a new friend, and I found my sister, and my niece found us. He wondered for a moment if they were a pack yet. No, he decided-- they hadn't a home. I don't think we're a pack yet. We need a place to settle... it can't be here. There are bad wolves around these parts, so we need to go somewhere safer.

"A cave?" she half-exclaimed, feeling a small thrill at the thought. Daddy's family had lived on the prairie for generations, with the only landmarks of note being the mountains in the distance. She had crossed those, finding it delightful, and now the idea of a big cave where a bunch of wolves lived was almost intoxicating.

"That sounds cool," Lily continued, tempering her tone so as not to sound too enthused. Stay cool, Mum had always told her. Once you start getting too excited, anyone you meet will have full control over you. Her features relaxed, though her orange eyes still held a sparkle. "Can I see? If that's okay with you," she added, giving him a smile in slight apology.

The second part of his speech had been drowned out at first, but it now came to her, ringing in her ears. "Bad wolves?" Lily asked, a little uncertain. How bad? Like. . .mean wolves? Or. . .evil wolves? She gulped slightly at the idea of the latter.