Fox's Glade my love is driven by rage

@Hono and/or @Marten

Ibis crossed the downs come morning, having spent the night unable to sleep; some of the time was spent in the company of Julien, and some, when she realized she was wide-awake and sleep was not likely to arrive, some was spent exploring the glade until she found @Okeanos stationed among the trees. He looked to have been sleeping for a while, and she felt a pang of guilt for leaving him to his lonesome while she had sought comfort with a stranger. She tucked in next to him until morning, then carefully extracted herself from the warmth of his plush coat; she needed to move, she needed to feel the wind in her fur, and had waited long enough.

What surprised her most about the open expanse spreading southward, was the pale quality of the grass. It was cold to the touch, and she probed at some of the weeds growing in her path, testing its structure, feeling the thin frosting melt against the leather of her nose. Ibis hadn't been aware of how cold the weather was already becoming; she had been well sheltered in the forest overnight and had not noticed the low temperature. Thankfully there wasn't more of a mess to deal with.

As she wandered she came upon a familiar sight that tugged at her heart strings — the band of dark trees on the horizon soon became a proper forest, collecting like rows upon rows of very tight crochet yarn across the side of the valley. It was here that she'd first found the scent of fox, first met Ira, and her mind soon became abuzz with thoughts of Easthollow — and the Lost Creek — all the while, meandering through the trees as if she belonged among them.

he was just on the outskirts of the territory, eyes a little dreary from the night prior. he hadn't been getting that much sleep either... indra had left on a hunt, and with all the tremors he was anxious to wait for her return. he hated this feeling, truly, marten had rarely felt anxiety in his life. he had always known his mama's wearabouts... always... he was struggling to fully relax knowing that she was out in the wilderness during the wold equivalent of the purge. but he needed to stay strong, if he left now and she returned she'd be disappointed in him. indra was an adult, he knew she could take care of herself... he just wanted to be there for her. 

in other ways, he decided, he'd have to do so. 

he padded through the glade, ears flicking as he picked up the sight of a pale girl, ashy greys and browns coating her. his nose twitched, though he decided he didn't recognize any of the scents on her. he let out a low, friendly woof, gaze settled calmly upon her. his tail, red dipped and all, swayed behind him.

He knows he shouldn't be out and about like this. The sprained ankle had just begun its road to recovery, using it too much would only slow the process. That itch to move forward was all too great. Frost had begun to build up on the earth. Winter would soon be here. Not only that, but he didn't want to be trapped if another earthquake struck. But despite these risks, he hadn't worked up the nerve to just pack up and leave just yet. Being near a healer, or quite simply another of his kind, provided him peace of mind. 

His scent had crossed his path along his short walk. It led into a forest that smelled of fox. Hono's eyes lit up. To spot one in the wild, even for a moment, was considered a blessing from Ninetails. God knows he needs a blessing now. Although the scent was stale now, the firey male scouted our the surroundings, hoping he'd be lucky enough to see one.

It was not a fox he found, but two wolves. The doctorer and another a woman unfamiliar to him. Hono sat down and tucked his tail neatly around his paws. He studied the two from a distance.

Something moved behind her, crunching the frosted leaves, and she startled - turning to face it rather than run, which her instincts told her would've been a justified choice. She saw the pale coat of the stranger and was reminded of the night before - vaguely, for she had been very tired when she'd met Julien - and for a few moments Ibis was dealing with the butterflies in the pit of her belly, the tha-thump of her heart, thinking he had followed after her. She should've known better; nobody wanted her like that. But the stranger she now observed seemed young and shy, at least he did not come too close, and when she heard him call out to her Ibis was immediately intrigued. She gave a glance around the area in case there were others milling about in the dark, and then drifted towards the stranger.

Just as she was nearing him (at a safe distance just in case) she saw a flash of orange catch the light nearby, and froze. Ibis' nose wiggled as she sniffed the air, wondering if the scent of fox would deepen, for it was certainly a fox that watched the pair, was it not? She couldn't tell who it was that watched them, but she sidled closer to the pale wolf merely because he was a familiar shape and lowly said to the alabaster stranger, Look! Is it a fox? Should they chase it? Ira would have been proud of her, she thought. Easthollow would be pleased to have further pests routed before they could breach their defenses. It was a violent thought that had never entered her mind before, and yet she was too invested in staring at the glowing shape to worry.

as the stranger turned to point at a fox, marten's gaze lit up. no! he said, a little too loudly for himself, that's a wolf... i know him. and he should be resting! but he wasn't, and marten knew he couldn't make the almost perfect stranger stay put anywhere... god, why was he so worried anyway? he knew he was just setting himself up for failure in this department. 

i don't know you, though, he added, pulling his gaze away from the fiery brute and looking to the pearly white girl, my name is marten. i live at easthollow. the yearling smiled gently, his tail swaying. his bi-colored gaze swept to the firebrand once again before looking back at the female.

They eventually took notice of him, though he couldn't tell by their conversation. Hono could see their mouths moving but try as he might, he couldn't hear exactly what was being said. Rather than moving forward to join them, he stayed put.

omg this post is so short. feel free to skip him unless he's acknowledged <3

The pale stranger looked to where she motioned, seemingly unbothered by the presence of what she thought was a fox. He burst with his correction, mentioning that he knew the stranger, which made Ibis a little less wary. The red creature looked smaller because of the distance, and they didn't seem interested in joining the two wolves, which Ibis found peculiar. But she accepted what was said, and stepped back from the shadow of the burly, pale boy as he turned to regard her.

Well, I'm Ibis. I'm from... Nowhere, really. She would have said something about Lost Creek Hollow, or maybe Elysium, or maaaybe mentioned Mal and the forest where she'd briefly hung out; but none of those places were home. I know Easthollow though. Um... I know Ira, and Korei Julia. Her tail raised and fanned the air a bit as she remembered the stalwart warrior, and the soft-spoken herbalist.