He trailed his way along one ridge or another, his belly full of meat pinched from the grips of some scavenging birds, and yet he still yearned for something. The further he hiked the more light-headed he felt. Mou had no familiarity with mountains, their dangers, or the shifting of pressure in the air as he climbed steadily upwards through their slopes; he was unaware of, for instance, the thinning of the air as a byproduct of his position. All he knew was that the air felt heavy. He couldn't breath deeply of the crisp mountain air even if he'd wanted to, for doing so made him more dizzy and more likely to trip himself. He took frequent breaks - they helped.
The young man's body was not suited for mountaineering in any way what-so-ever, thus every break came with a caveat: pausing made him more aware of the ache in his hips and shoulders, or the strain in his willow-thin limbs, and he dreaded starting up again. He openly panted as he scaled the mountain but had to stop for longer and longer periods, until he noticed that the summerlight was beginning to dim and he was left to wonder what his next step should be. He could try and find somewhere to rest overnight - which might be best, as he couldn't fathom roaming the cliffside at night - or he could double back and head down to the valley again; an arduous task for someone as weak-bodied as himself.
He was left to wonder and to stare, his one good eye fixating on the distant green smudges beyond the forested butte where he perched; his body appeared to make the distinction for him, and as he sank to his haunches his jaws parted to release a characteristically silent, wide-gaping yawn, punctuated by the dull click of his teeth as the moment concluded. Evidently, he wasn't moving from this spot without a good reason.
The young man's body was not suited for mountaineering in any way what-so-ever, thus every break came with a caveat: pausing made him more aware of the ache in his hips and shoulders, or the strain in his willow-thin limbs, and he dreaded starting up again. He openly panted as he scaled the mountain but had to stop for longer and longer periods, until he noticed that the summerlight was beginning to dim and he was left to wonder what his next step should be. He could try and find somewhere to rest overnight - which might be best, as he couldn't fathom roaming the cliffside at night - or he could double back and head down to the valley again; an arduous task for someone as weak-bodied as himself.
He was left to wonder and to stare, his one good eye fixating on the distant green smudges beyond the forested butte where he perched; his body appeared to make the distinction for him, and as he sank to his haunches his jaws parted to release a characteristically silent, wide-gaping yawn, punctuated by the dull click of his teeth as the moment concluded. Evidently, he wasn't moving from this spot without a good reason.
July 02, 2019, 09:06 PM
Keyni was not a wolf adapted for mountain living, for she had never grown up on or near high peaks such as these. But the chain of the Sunspire mountains here in the Teekon, were of some familiarity to her. Only once before, in the not so distant past, had she climbed their heights. The trek itself was grueling last time. This time was no different, as she scaled the mountain paths again, seeking to emerge on the other side to the west.
Just like she knew it would be, the mountain air was thin, making breathing a chore in of itself. Wisely, she took breaks at regular intervals, like the wolf before her had. She walked with slow, precise steps, minding any crumbling soil. But most of all, she focused on her breathing. She took slow, deep breaths, exhaling slowly. Ever calm and collected, she kept the dizziness at bay. Staying composed she knew, would play a key role in making it out of these mountains in one piece.
Ahead of her, a pale and spindly figure in the fading light, seemed to be faring worse than she. She turned a single jade eye to contemplate horizon the while the dying rays of sun slowly gave way to the shadow of night. He had the right idea, staying put for the evening. Fixing him with a placid look, she moved closer steadily, chuffing once to get his attention.
Just like she knew it would be, the mountain air was thin, making breathing a chore in of itself. Wisely, she took breaks at regular intervals, like the wolf before her had. She walked with slow, precise steps, minding any crumbling soil. But most of all, she focused on her breathing. She took slow, deep breaths, exhaling slowly. Ever calm and collected, she kept the dizziness at bay. Staying composed she knew, would play a key role in making it out of these mountains in one piece.
Ahead of her, a pale and spindly figure in the fading light, seemed to be faring worse than she. She turned a single jade eye to contemplate horizon the while the dying rays of sun slowly gave way to the shadow of night. He had the right idea, staying put for the evening. Fixing him with a placid look, she moved closer steadily, chuffing once to get his attention.
July 02, 2019, 10:06 PM
The lonely ghost would have been more at home haunting the dark wood, yet here he was lingering on the edge of a precipice, unable to focus on anything for long. The lightheartedness gave way to vertigo as he got back up to his aching feet. He swayed in place for a second or two, took a step that nearly pulled him off-balance, and then made himself sit down again. He knew he wouldn't be going far now - it would be safer to wait through the night, and maybe in the morning his body would've adapted to the strange qualities of the mountain. The boy took a deep breath and hoped to steady himself, and as he exhaled again he thought he heard someone cough - his large ears twisted, and soon enough he noticed the repetitive (but quiet) sound of claws against stone. When Mou turned his head his blind side aligned with the stranger and for a moment, he thought he'd been set upon by something nefarious; but the unease shifted with his dizziness, and a heartbeat later he was staring at a pale girl drifting closer to him.
Mou thought of all the faces he knew, and couldn't place this one. The slanting aubergine light of sunset caught upon the belly of the drifting clouds overhead, muddied what he could see of the forest around him - and of her - and for a split second he thought she was enrobed in a near blackness, her eyes catching the shifting colors of the sky for a brief moment - a vibrant pumpkin orange - and Mou thought he had been found by another demon, or something else incomprehensible. The fur along his narrow shoulders began to prickle; yet the moment transitioned further, and as the sun finally nested along the horizon there was a greying effect to the world. He watched her, and saw that she was not some amorphous black shape after all - just a traveller, like him.
He tried to chuff back to her as she drew close, but there was no sound that came from his ruined throat; he felt the odd constriction of the collar around his neck and swallowed, as one might if a lump had settled there. The boy ducked his head as a sign of submission and waved his tail-tip as a friendly little hello in lieu of words, considering he had lost his voice entirely since his awakening by the river - and odd quirk he had yet to explore.
Mou thought of all the faces he knew, and couldn't place this one. The slanting aubergine light of sunset caught upon the belly of the drifting clouds overhead, muddied what he could see of the forest around him - and of her - and for a split second he thought she was enrobed in a near blackness, her eyes catching the shifting colors of the sky for a brief moment - a vibrant pumpkin orange - and Mou thought he had been found by another demon, or something else incomprehensible. The fur along his narrow shoulders began to prickle; yet the moment transitioned further, and as the sun finally nested along the horizon there was a greying effect to the world. He watched her, and saw that she was not some amorphous black shape after all - just a traveller, like him.
He tried to chuff back to her as she drew close, but there was no sound that came from his ruined throat; he felt the odd constriction of the collar around his neck and swallowed, as one might if a lump had settled there. The boy ducked his head as a sign of submission and waved his tail-tip as a friendly little hello in lieu of words, considering he had lost his voice entirely since his awakening by the river - and odd quirk he had yet to explore.
July 10, 2019, 04:24 PM
Keyni had waited, trying to anticipate what sort of reaction she'd get out of this lonesome fellow. She knew all too well, that not every wolf she crossed paths with was going to be friendly. She was prepared to move on, if that turned out to be the case here.
What she saw instead, was a lowering of his head, a flicker of the tail and an attempt at vocalization, resulting only in silence. Her brows pinched together softly. Looking at him, with a missing eye and how he huddled with labored breaths, she wanted to feel compassionate. Tail raising into a lofty, friendly wag she sauntered closer, inching her head down in a friendly manner. Her muzzle reached out, her nose aimed directly at the peculiar black collar around his neck, sniffing cautiously. Then her eyes landed on his heaving sides. Surely the thin mountain air was giving him trouble. "Breathe...don't think. Inhale, deeply...slowly." She took one such measured breath, seating herself beside him. "It's a form of breathing exercises I learned for just such conditions, way up here."
What she saw instead, was a lowering of his head, a flicker of the tail and an attempt at vocalization, resulting only in silence. Her brows pinched together softly. Looking at him, with a missing eye and how he huddled with labored breaths, she wanted to feel compassionate. Tail raising into a lofty, friendly wag she sauntered closer, inching her head down in a friendly manner. Her muzzle reached out, her nose aimed directly at the peculiar black collar around his neck, sniffing cautiously. Then her eyes landed on his heaving sides. Surely the thin mountain air was giving him trouble. "Breathe...don't think. Inhale, deeply...slowly." She took one such measured breath, seating herself beside him. "It's a form of breathing exercises I learned for just such conditions, way up here."
July 10, 2019, 05:00 PM
When she chose to approach him, reaching out and passively trying to gather information from his coat and then, his collar, Mou allowed it. She did not seem familiar to him and so he should have been more cautious, but the only wolves he had learned to be cautious of were family; the Redhawks would not be so placid if they were to encounter him, and it was in one of those moments he would choose to fight back or to run — here, with this passive stranger, he saw no reason to be afraid. She merely inspected the adornment around his neck and settled beside him.
His breaths remained laborious, his lungs hungry for oxygen in this new environment where it was too thin - he had yet to adapt, but she evidently had adjusted well. Soon she was giving him some help, and his dark ears swivelled to listen eagerly. Mou tried to do as she instructed: drawing in a slower breath than before, holding it as long as he could, exhaling; it became easier the more he tried to mimic her, and as he set upon listening to her soothing voice, he soon became too distracted to measure his breaths. The pace of his heart began to ebb and he felt a little bit better. The lightheartedness would not abate so swiftly, though it wasn't as intense.
The boy opened his mouth to try and wheeze a thank you, but only more breath came from him, not a squeak or a sigh or even a hum. Nervous of his condition, Mou licked his lips, then cautiously nosed at the stranger's fur in order to squish his wet nose against her skin, the briefest of touches, instead.
His breaths remained laborious, his lungs hungry for oxygen in this new environment where it was too thin - he had yet to adapt, but she evidently had adjusted well. Soon she was giving him some help, and his dark ears swivelled to listen eagerly. Mou tried to do as she instructed: drawing in a slower breath than before, holding it as long as he could, exhaling; it became easier the more he tried to mimic her, and as he set upon listening to her soothing voice, he soon became too distracted to measure his breaths. The pace of his heart began to ebb and he felt a little bit better. The lightheartedness would not abate so swiftly, though it wasn't as intense.
The boy opened his mouth to try and wheeze a thank you, but only more breath came from him, not a squeak or a sigh or even a hum. Nervous of his condition, Mou licked his lips, then cautiously nosed at the stranger's fur in order to squish his wet nose against her skin, the briefest of touches, instead.
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