Shadewood and fear is the most divine emotion

for @Azalea

all the way down the coast he's done his best to actively avoid sand and sea as much as he can. there were different times that it presented more of a challenge for him than he'd care to admit and he begrudgingly and unhappily trudged through the sand and sucked it up as he was battered by sandy breezes sticky with saltwater. the first fresh water source he came upon — the twin rivers at the isle — he bathed in them both and came out on the other side of the western river into the shadewood.

the territory is cast mostly in shadow, large sprawling elks and elms tower high above him like sentinels of mother nature. despite that snow'd fallen for most the morning the earthen floor of the shadewood got through it rather unscathed. there was a few places as he ventures inland that held a dusting of snow but no layering like he's used to. it's alright, he deduces, but he's got the permafrost hollows in the crosshairs of his scope for settling. after all, if he's going to embrace the tundrian in him he's going to embrace it the right way.

the sun is barely seen except for golden tendrils of evening light that pushed their way through the thick canopy above and he knows that soon the shadewood would become a whole new playground as night settled over it. he hasn't considered where he'd bunker down for the night but he supposes since he's here it's as good a place as any to begin looking for something to use as temporary shelter.

@Wintersbane

For the most part, the land was peaceful and silent - there was a pleasant hum in the air that, despite the chill and the fog that shrouded the area, aided in comforting her. Despite it being silent and the birdsong long retreated, the eerie woodwork that she passed through did not bother her as much as it perhaps would if she had not experienced it before. But she had - in fact, she was raised within the forested areas and from that, she knew how the trees were affected by storms, by snow, and most importantly by the seasons. Most birds had retreated to warmer climates - Azalea had simply gone farther in. Despite her best efforts of wanting to explore more of the world and not be stuck solely in the forested world that she had been stuck in her entire life, it seemed as if the forest was neverending.

The girl breathed out lightly, her chest deflating as her own breath fissured into view and then escaped into the atmosphere. Cold - it was cold, and the night would only bring the numbing chill that plagued her skin and chattered her teeth. The shadows crept upon the trees, tall and old and different but similar in the sense that they were still trees. She was getting somewhere at least - where? She wasn't quite sure.

The golden tendrils of the last light now faded over the horizon now reminded her that soon the frosting that littered her back would freeze further into light snow. Winter was finally upon them. A sigh fell from her lips - walking aimlessly wasn't going to get her anywhere or find her shelter for the night and thus she began to scout for some sort of dip. A den wouldn't do - it was too high maintenance. She needed something temporary, something- she crashed into something hard and stern and with a yelp, she lept backward. Oh, it wasn't a tree, no, it was someone. Light green eyes looked up at the mass of dark fur. "I-I am so sorry. I... got lost in thought, I didn't even-"  God this sounded pathetic. Her ears flattened against her head. "I didn't even see you."

it would seem that he's not the only one with the idea of bedding down for the night in mind. wintersbane prides himself on his vigilance but it appears to escape him when he's in a single-minded focus as he is at the moment when something or someone collides with him. a yelp carries through their little circumference of shadewood and the birds roosting overhead scatter with complaining squawks and squalls. his ears plaster back against his skull and he swings his head around to focus his glacial gaze upon the woman that had, quite literally, slammed into him. he should've heard her footfalls upon the forest floor — it's covered with enough bracken that walking silently wasn't feasible lest they were extremely light upon their feet.

...but of course he wasn't willing to shoulder all the blame ...even though she has a good reason for not seeing him. he supposes he would be hard to see in the dark ( but he's never really thought about it because it's not like he can see himself or anything ).

she launches into a stuttering apology as he shifts his weight carefully and winces as soreness radiates from spot where they collided. it's tender but he's had worse. i guess that's understandable, he shrugs his broad shoulders in a 'don't worry about it' fashion as he studies her. she was a svelte, slyph of a thing painted in a pelage that appears to be the color of sands to him with pale green eyes. the shadows do tend to camouflage me.

you're not hurt are you? it's not often he's a gentleman — and he'd argue this isn't really him being a 'gentleman' per say but simply following through what what he knows are facts. he's thicc and running into him had to be kind of similar to running into a tree or a rock and it's generally common courtesy to inquire over someone's well being after they do something that cause them pain. which it could be argued that he's got selective manners ( and it's probably true ); but y'know he has his days.

Oh - he was dark, tall and handsome.
She looked up at him gingerly, an apologetic expression morphing her face as her tail swayed low at her hocks. She released a soft, nervous laugh because hell, she couldn't really think of anything else to say other than 'sorry' again. It was as if her mind was playing on a record over and over and over again. He didn't seem angry in the least, more surprised than anything, but then again she couldn't really read his expressions in this type of lighting so she could easily be walking on a thin line and she wouldn't even be aware of it. The girl shook her head slowly at his question.

"No... No, I'm okay. Are you okay?" Her right front paw lifted in uncertainty and her expression morphed into one of inquisitive curiosity. "I mean I did bump into you." She was making this worse than it was, wasn't she? Oh, she truly did have a habit of doing so. The pale girl shifted her eyes away, feeling small against his sights. Anxiously, she licked her lips before reclining down into a seated position. "I don't think this is the way I wanted to encounter my first stranger in this valley," She murmured gently, moving her paw to make light motions in the very minimum amount of snow. Finally, she looked up at him; "I'm Azalea."

being in the western region of the teekon wilds felt strange — it has been some time since he's ventured this far west. typically, he has no reason to and it brings with it unwanted memories of his cubhood. suppressed things that he was happy to bury especially given that the only sibling he has left ( as far as he's aware ) hates him as much as he hates her and they are now estranged from one another. regardless, he's here now. to recruit. to see if he can call upon his favor to end a war for his old pack, just barely scraping by. wintersbane's drawn back to the present as she gives a shake of her head. she assures him that she's not hurt and then turns the question to him.

a low chuckle rumbles in his chest. i'm alright, the tundrian assures her, amusement unfettered in his tone and upon his expression. trust me, it'd take more than a bump to hurt me. he was made of sturdier things than that. still, he appreciates her concern. well, the tundrian draws on a contemplative breath. there are worse ways to meet people. he offers with a roll of his broad shoulders as he regards her where she has taken a seat.

azalea.

wintersbane. he gives his own name in return, gaze lifting from her for a few moments to scan the surrounding trees out of sheer habit and the need to be vigilant now that he was not longer stuck in his single-minded focus. he doesn't expect trouble — the shadewood doesn't smell like it's in the process of being claimed — there are a few scents here and there but nothing he feels the need to be overly concerned about — and he no longer carries the scent of the redhawks' mortal enemies upon him so he tentatively assumes that they should be alright. still. he tends not to leave much to assumption alone.

the evening grows dark and i was on the hunt for a place to rest for the night, you're welcome to join me if you'd like. the sotaherra offers to her.

Yes, she supposed there were worse ways to meet others. The girl hummed lightly, her ears splaying to the sides of her head. At last, the male spoke of his name and it was perhaps one of the best fittings she had ever come across. Wintersbane - alluring, deceiving, a flicker of curiosity filtered through her gaze. "Pleasure is mine," She dipped her head, her tail patting the ground beside her a few times. Her attention was soon pulled to the matter at hand - the evening surely was growing upon them and soon enough they'd be drenched in the eternal darkness until the light once again decided to come through and filter the land in its own specific and wonderful beauty. 

"If you wouldn't mind... sharing it?" She sure didn't think she would be cuddling next to a stranger tonight but she supposed there were far more odd things that could happen. Getting up, she offered a small smile and motioned with her head in a 'lead the way' motion; surely he knew the land better than her? Or was he new as well? 

no, i wouldn't mind sharing it. wintersbane tells her offhandedly, as if it's no big deal. in reality, to him, it isn't a big deal. this wouldn't be the first time he's spent the night sharing a space with someone he barely knew. it required a certain level of trust that he doesn't necessarily harbor but he's a trained warrior. fair warning: i tend to take up a lot of room. he quips despite the sincerity beneath the lighthearted tone he uses. that's true enough. the tundrian blood in him by and far stripped away any coywolf influence.

she gestures for him to take the lead and he steps forward, re-finding and continuing on the path he'd originally been taking before their ( literal ) run-in with one another. i've never been in this particular forest before but i'm assuming that it's one of those scenarios where if you've seen one forest, you've seen them all. he shoots her a lopsided grin over his shoulder before he ducks beneath a low hanging branch of a tree and draws in a breath. any kind of temporary shelter in particular you want? or, alternatively, want to avoid? he inquires because, y'know, ladies preference and all that.

the pair finds a shelter and spends the night together and when the morning sun rises they part ways.