Little Goat Mountain the red string of fate tugs at my heart

Her paws did not fall softly upon the ground as they usually had.

There was no time to look weak. Although Leigh stumbled through the terrain, there was a certain elegance in her steps as she attempted to disguise the exhaustion hanging over her head. No longer was there the need to rush. Finally, she had arrived. The yearning to leave home had flown away the moment she stepped foot in this new land, and yet she did not know where she was. The mountains were gorgeous, the scenery bright and new. But all the wolf could wish for now was some easy prey.

She trotted along carefully, finding what seemed like a rather secluded spot before opting to take a moment to catch her breath. If she were to hunt a meal, much energy would be required. Shifting her sore paws to give each a rest, her glowing eyes could now fully take in her surroundings.

Leigh simply sat there, her coat in need of a good shake and grooming. The paler markings around her neck were tainted with dust, and her tail just looked plain sad. After such a trip, she had confidently decided that traveling was the absolute worst and it could go die in a corner. But now... everything was calm. Cautious to shut her eyes in an unfamiliar world, her heavy lids took the invitation and promptly closed. Breathing a relieved sigh, one desperately needed, life finally felt right.

"Home sweet home, I suppose."

The brindled male finds himself near the southern reaches of the Sunspire Mountains. Cutting across the valley south of Redsand Canyon, Donovan continues to climb the strenuous terrain for hours upon hours. He absentmindedly explores a few caves on the way — one of his favorite hobbies — and next thing he knows, he’s probably a days journey away from his beloved sands of crimson. 

His paws hurt, his muscles ache, and the lacerations on his left forearm sting with hurtful lightening bolts of pain with every step he takes, but the pain is pleasant, sought out. He’s training himself. Hasn’t trained himself like this is a while. What is he training for? War. It’s a nasty thing and he has to be as tough as possible to withstand it.

At the moment though, he’s pooped. He just wants to take a small breather, perhaps get a drink of water wherever it may be. This time, he finds something more interesting than water — another wolf. 

He’s at the peak of a hill as he gazes towards her. Canary orbs watch her curiously. His nose litters about the air and his lungs attempt to inhale any scent of hers or anything else in the area. He doesn’t dwell on it much longer. He’s sauntering down to meet the shewolf. A casual smile on his handsome, more recently scarred face. 

His massive form approaches and surely she sees him, he’s quite hard to miss. As his large paws thump against the earth and his muscles flex beneath a striped pelt.

“Hey there.” He greets casually. “Come here often?” He plays the stereotypical one liner smoothly as he raises cream brows. His eyes rival the sun in brightness as he dances his eyes around her beautifully colored pelt before attempting to meet her eyes once more.

The she-wolf's eyes opened once more, re-adjusting to the light of day. This was a nice rest, even if it was short. It wouldn't get her too far, but it was enough, it had to be if she were to survive in this unfamiliar land of mountains.

A faint yet content smile lifted her lips, though it quickly faded as she caught the quiet patter of footsteps and felt the ground shake. Her ears were the first to turn to the sound, her body following as she angled her neck to face the stranger. She hadn't expected to meet another wolf so soon. It was clear that the area wasn't empty, but it seemed large enough where wolves would be rather spread out. Leigh had no one to blame but herself for the misjudgement. She should have caught the scent of others, but she had been too tired to notice.

The stranger was indeed hard to miss, his large frame and bold colors rather intimidating at first glance. Though she did not show fear, keeping herself composed as the male approached. Now that Leigh had a moment to look the wolf over, the female noticed the striking wound across his forearm, which was a bit relieving. If a fight were to break out, at least she'd have that advantage. It was when he spoke did she truly relax, her tense muscles calming themselves as she remained seated.

Her smile didn't return, however. She was hard to impress, and she could tell this stranger was trying way too hard. But despite her more reserved nature, Leigh wasn't one to show such disrespect, especially towards a wolf who so far, had been nothing but friendly. Her face softened as she offered a kind expression, before opening her maw to reply.

"No, I don't come here often. I only just arrived for my first time, actually."

The dark pelaged female doesn’t stand in alarm like he expected her to. For some reason he has that type of effect on some wolves. Though even as her gaze hits hers, he’s still astounded by those fiery orange eyes. To bright and beaming with life, beautiful. They remind him of Simmik’s. For some unexplainable reason, he pushes the thoughts of the she wolf to the back burner — even if it’s only for now.

He’s speaking with a different she wolf. A stranger and he smiles as she finally speaks. So she doesn’t come here often. Huh, weak one liner he supposes. Though a try hard he is not. Shit like this comes naturally to him and, boy, does he like to dramatize things. He truly loves a show.

So he chuckles and he tilts his chin up at the other wolf. “First time? That’s fun.” He comments. “What happened to you to bring you here? Your pack die too?” He asks. Seems to be a norm here. Or maybe it’s just a Donovan and Nyra thing who knows.

Leigh couldn't help but raise an eyebrow at the stranger. He seemed like quite the character, but the she-wolf wasn't eager to build close relationships just as she arrived. Especially with someone who seemed a bit... unpredictable. Predictably unpredictable.

Even if the female still felt a bit unsure of the situation, she remained firmly in place, seated comfortably and bringing her matted tail around to neatly curl across her paws. It appeared that she wouldn't be getting away from him any time soon. This wolf wasn't going to give up, was he?

Despite her faint irritation, she was no doubt slightly amused. At least she hadn't come across a hostile or overly-aggressive wolf, that wouldn't have been fun. It was good to know that there were some reasonable residents around. Listening to his first comment, her mood suddenly dropped once more as he continued on.

Leigh hadn't planned on spilling her life story so early, let alone to a completely unfamiliar face. But after observing what she could, it seemed more likely that he'd push for answers if she didn't spill. Maybe a bit of truth would ease all of the questions.

"No, not my pack. Just my family."

He doesn’t act like her reply surprises him at all. All he does is nod knowingly. “They’re one and the same, no?” He asks with a smile. “Shit happens though. Just gotta move on. Or try to anyway.” The advice, if one can even call it that, is probably not helpful at all, yet he can’t seem to be bothered by it. He’s thriving once more in this new life of his.

He shifts his weight uncomfortably and lowers himself into a seat position. A quick grimace takes over his expression as he hovers his left paw off the ground in an attempt to relieve some pressure on his wound. His casual, yet playful smile of quick to return as he sets his eyes on her.

“I’m Donovan Azura of the Abbey. Alpha of the Saints of the Dying Light, my pack. What’s your name, dear?” Comes his honeyed reply. He’s a helpless womanizer and he just can’t help it.

There was no use in trying to correct the wolf. Family can be apart of the pack, but the pack doesn't always make up the entirety of a family. But that was a life she had since left behind. In fact, it was the very reason she had traveled in the first place.

And no, the advice wasn't very helpful. To some, maybe, but it definitely wasn't winning an award any time soon. Just gotta move on? Easy to say if you weren't there.

Leigh watched the stranger with bright eyes, her gaze panning down as she caught the sight of his hovering paw. The she-wolf wasn't a medical expert, and the wound didn't look dangerously infected, but she could tell that it needed rest and time to heal. And judging by the male's mannerisms and behavior, he'd probably be too stubborn to do so, even if it was recommended by a real healer.

Glancing back up to meet golden eyes, her ears tilted forwards as she listened intently to the introduction. Donovan? That was a pretty fancy name. Alpha? Well, she for sure wasn't going to risk getting on his bad side now. And her name? It seemed rather plain and a bit pathetic in comparison now. There was no use in lying though.

"It's very nice to meet you Donovan. My name is Leigh, and I apologize for it's rather... boring nature."

He can tell she notices his fucked up leg. The fact that Donovan is hurt probably makes her more comfortable in the long run anyway. Even if he wanted to eat her, and not in the way he’s currently thinking, he wouldn’t be able to catch her. His mind is unceremoniously dirty and he’s gazing to her with a continuation of his supposedly charming smile. 

“No at all, darling. It’s interesting, just like the wolf it belongs to.” He flirts shamelessly. He’s a man who doesn’t give a fuck and knows what he wants. He has no problem shooting his shot. Rejection doesn’t hurt him too bad after all.

Still he stands once more, trying not to wince from his paw. Now that he’s resting, he can definitely feel the pain a lot more. It doesn’t stop him from offering the beautiful woman to hunt with him. He walks just a bit past her and his leathery nose grazes the ground below. This area is know for goats, perhaps there are some around. 

Lifting his head up and the curl of his tail waves a bit in his hips, he’s gazing back towards her. “How about a hunt.” He asks giving her playful puppy dog eyes which seem comical coming from a man of his stature and appearance.

At least his words were somewhat comforting, though the she-wolf still couldn't quite tell if the compliment was truly sincere. Donovan would have to keep trying. This woman wasn't one to give in so easily. Even if he did not fear rejection, she'd try to her best to make the words sting just for fun if it ever came to that.

Her large eyes followed as the male rose to his paws and began walking past her, Leigh shifting her body once more as well to fully face the wolf once he had come to a stop. Although watching curiously as his nose touched the ground, she caught on quickly, however she wasn't fully committed to the idea of hunting with an injured wolf, even if she was indeed hungry.

"Are you sure you want to be running around with that arm? I'm not familiar with the prey around here, but unless it's injured too I doubt it'll be easy in these mountains."

She could already predict what his answer would be, so it really was no use in trying to convince him otherwise. But, a hunting companion would be nice. They both weren't in the best condition, but maybe together they could catch a decent meal.

Leigh rose to her dainty paws, giving her pelt a light shake before skipping past the male.

"Lead the way, Alpha."

She knew the wolf wasn't clueless, so it was harmless to perhaps lead him on a little. Maybe life here in this new strange world wouldn't be as boring as she thought.

Oh my god thank you for the kudos 
(●´ω｀●)

He’s smiling back to the shewolf and she’s wondering if he truly should be walking about with his injury. The answer is no, but will that stop him? Probably not. Hell even if his certified medic, Dove, scolded him he probably wouldn’t listen. It just be like that sometimes and he likes to do things on his own accord.

Anyhow, he can’t help but stare as Leigh bounces to her feet and gives herself a little shake. Fluffing out her darkened agouti pelt stunningly. He doesn’t answer her just yet, but he trails after her dainty form and listens to her last sentence before chuckling. Attempting to walk or trot beside her.

“Probably shouldn’t but you know how that goes.” He hums, intaking lungfuls of breath to smell any nearby prey.

His leg fucking hurts, it doesn’t stop him though. He’s putting weight on it enough to lope through the grass effectively enough to catch something. It will have to be a baby, old, or injured goat for him to catch it. If not, perhaps Leigh could distract it and Don could go in for the kill.

Anyhow, he sees some hoof prints and he’s eagerly following them. Eyes skirting about the horizon for the herd.

No problem, you deserve it!

Although Leigh had been around the area long enough to get a feel for what it was like, she had no idea that the prey she'd be hunting were goats. Back home there had been elk but she knew it'd still be a different experience. But she had to start somewhere, and this would be good practice.

Allowing the male to lead the hunt, the she-wolf trailed closely behind, taking a peak at his wounded leg with slight concern. A faint puzzled expression overtook her features. The cut seemed rather deep and she couldn't help but wonder what the story was behind it. For now she would just have to stay curious.

Leigh knew that tracking prey required concentration, but since Donovan had asked so many questions, she was beginning to think of her own for him. She couldn't stand pure silence, and was eager to learn more.

"It's so nice here. Is this your home, or is your pack elsewhere?"

She found it a tad odd that the alpha of a pack would be out completely alone. He seemed like a wolf who loves to talk, so she assumed he'd perhaps feel a bit lonely without a companion. But she still hadn't quite figured the stranger out. Though she made it her mission to.

Donovan’s odd lope is a medium to slow pace as he eyes down the trail of prints. Sometimes they fade enough where he’s unable to find them for a meter or two. He retraces his steps and finds it again before continuing onward.

The shewolf is politely trotting next to him. True he’s concentrated, but he’s mediocre, if not decent, at multitasking. So as she opens her pretty mouth to ask whatever questions she surely had, he’s surprised to hear that she’s more curious about his pack than the wound on his leg. Was almost positive she was going to ask about that first. 

He nods once to her, not bothering to look back. His golden hues are reserved for the tracks buried deep within the mud. “It is nice. No, they’re north of here. Good day or so away. I’m training myself.” He hums back. When he finally spins his massive head to give her a look, his eyes dance mischievously. 

He’s training for war. For death. He wants it all so bad.

He’s looking forward just as fast as he looked back. Working up after a few more steps and stopping in his tracks. The sight of the her is before them. A bit higher on the mountain, hidden by miscellaneous shrubbery. He looks to her this time for confirmation that she’s ready before going in.

Though the male walked at a steady and somewhat slower pace, he was much larger in size and therefore his strides were longer. To keep up, Leigh trotted along slightly quicker at his side, careful not to interrupt but also making sure not to fall behind. Despite being a decent hunter, the she-wolf would still peak over and observe Don as he tracked down the meal. She assumed that the prey here would be different, and if she were to catch her own food, she'd need to know how to do it properly.

The stranger then suddenly replied, and the female's ears shot forwards to catch the words. He's training? What for? Was there some sort of war she hadn't known about, and just stepped foot in? Great, fantastic, just her luck. There was no hiding the slight irritation on her face as she thought of the possibility.

About to open her maw and ask for more answers, they came to a steady stop and Leigh quickly shut her jaw upon spotting the herd. Glancing over at Donovan and meeting his gaze, she gave him a firm nod of confirmation, but was still a bit puzzled by their prey. What the hell were these things?

He chuckles lowly when obvious irritation contorts her pretty face and fills her fiery irises. “Don’t give me that face, dear.” He hums in a faux pouty voice.

After they share a confirmation look he’s scooting closer to her, possibly only a couple inches keeping them apart if she allows it. He leans in to whisper so the animals don’t hear them. “We’ll scope out the herd, find the smallest or weakest one and target it.” He flicks his eyes over to her face. Briefly and shamelessly taking in her features for a second before continuing. “If you want to take the first bite when I signal, I can come in with a final blow and hold ‘em down well enough for you to fuck ‘em up. Sound good?” He asks with an excited smirk and suggestive twinkle in his starry eyes, waiting for her to speak her opinion of the plan.

At first her sight was fixated on the herd, her direct focus flickering between each animal. It was only until she caught the male scooting in the corner of her eye did she shift her gaze. Without turning her head, the she-wolf simply peaked over with slight curiosity. Leaning in as he spoke, she listened attentively to his plan.

Giving a tight nod in response to his first comment, the woman could have sworn he had just stolen a glance at her face. A completely obvious one at that. Although it was wise to whisper so the prey wouldn't catch their conversation, she couldn't help but wonder if he had only taken such an action to get, well, closer.

But quickly shooing away the thoughts from her mind, she picked up on Donovan's second section of the plan, nodding once more. Though, he didn't have to sound so unempathetic about the whole ordeal. They were about to steal a life. He could have shown a little more respect.

"Sounds like a plan."

Leigh held a confident expression, but inside there was nothing but nervousness. On one hand, she had no idea what these animals were nor the proper way, if there even was one, to hunt them. She had silently hoped that this would be more of a learning experience, and that she'd be the student. On the other hand, she didn't want to appear like she was leaving it all up to her new acquaintance. He was injured after all, and she didn't want to be the jerk who sat back and relaxed while a wolf with less than perfect health hunted a meal for them both.

A small, indecisive tornado was swirling in her head. She hated the idea that she may mess up the hunt with an idiotic mistake, but she also knew that she'd have to step up a bit more. Besides, this was the first wolf she had met since arriving. Good first impressions are important.

He can’t help but smile. The brindled male can tell she’s listening even though she never turns her head. Rather she’s shifting her apricot eyes to look in his direction. Her simple nods even entertain him somehow and after her words of acknowledgement, he decides its time to initiate it.

Taking a few silent steps forward a quiet “Hell yeah, let’s go.” casually comes from his maw. “I’ll go right up the mountain — grab their attention. You go further down and snag one when they start running.” After the quick brief, he’s heading out. Not bothering to hide himself just as he stated in his quickly thought out plan (that may or may not work). 

He’s trotting up the hill. The goats do exactly as they plan — they’re captivated by his form, terrified by it. Instantly the smaller female goats with children begin running. The males aren’t as quick to back down. He sees a fawn (if that’s what you call a baby goat idk lol) and he’s smirking. Looking down to Leigh as he begins running further up the mountain to avoid the viciousness of the males. 

“Get that fawn!” He calls down to her. “Watch out for the mother!” He adds as a side note, attempting to catch up to them but his leg is definitely hindering a quick assault. “If you can grab ‘em, I’ll keep the parents off.”

The plan seemed to make sense. Usually she'd be a little more skeptical since there were only two of them, but considering Donovan's size, Leigh was sure that the goats would disperse.

And they did just that.

The she-wolf caught sight of the fawn (I can't bring myself to call it a "kid" without laughing to death) as well, matching her companion's stride as she sprinted across the grassy terrain. With her eyes latched onto the small running form, she paced herself, inching closer to the soon to be meal.

Leigh had rested earlier, even longer than she had originally planned thanks to the introduction with Don. But besides a few hours of sleep here and there, the woman had been traveling for months without a proper stop. And she could feel the exhaustion beginning to catch up.

Despite that, Leigh was a wolf built to run. Her small paws scraped up the floor as her long legs carried her forwards. She caught sight of the mother, but she wasn't going to lose her kill from mere intimidation. It was unlikely that she'd get a fatal bite at this speed, so instead the she-wolf opted to simply slow down the fawn.

Opening her jaws and stretching her neck, she managed to land a solid bite on the young goat's hind leg, cautious to avoid any kicks to the face. Her eyes searched for Donovan, hoping that the wolf was nearby.

Donovan watches as the dexterous shewolf is sprinting forth beside the herd and he’s trying his best to keep up. Damn those legs of hers. Well, he has good legs but they’re basically meat sticks. Good for strength but nothing else. He needs to work on his cardio too, like damn. 

Either way, he’s eventually catching up and he butts his way straight through the center of the herd. Succeeding in knocking down one of the male goats by aggressively brushing his shoulder with its hindquarters. Dirt goes flying and a few others are caught bounding over their fallen counterpart, some even tripping over him. But he already has a target and Leigh has her teeth sunk into the fawn already. 

His eyes shift a bit to the left and he can see the wide eyes of the mother as he veers towards his hunting partner. He’s catching speed, completely ignoring the shooting pain in his leg, and snap a quick bite to the mother’s hip to distract her. It works and he’s rushing up to take a bite of the fawn as well. Snatching it up by the back of the neck. His bite isn’t hard enough to kill yet, he’s just holding. 

He begins forcefully slowing them down as the herd separates around them, sprinting past. The mother hesitates but initially knows that she cannot save her child. Fitfully she’s joining the remaining members of her family. Leaving her fawn to the wolves.

I'm so sorry for these lame replies. ^_^"

Leigh caught sight of the wolf skipping down the hills and a relieved expression took over her features. She was quick on her feet, but she had now caught up and she lacked in strength to bring down prey with such a poorly-positioned bite. Although the male had latched onto the fawn's neck and they began to slow, the she-wolf didn't release her grip on the animal's leg in case something were to go wrong with the hunt.

The surrounding herd flashed by like a blur, though they weren't a concern as it seemed they had since stopped fighting and were instead fleeing. The female couldn't help but feel a slight stab of guilt for taking a mother's child, but as inconsiderate as it might seem, she was too hungry to worry about that.

The she-wolf considered releasing her initial bite to go in for the kill, but they still hadn't completely come to a stop, and she didn't quite trust herself to risk it until they had brought down the fawn.

They’re slowly but surely coming to a complete stop. The shewolf never lets go and neither does Donovan. The poor little animal is screaming for its mother, for anyone. Screaming at the pain they are inflicting on it. The brindled male feels no guilt at the helpless sounds. Perhaps he would once he had pups of his own, but for now, he doesn’t.

Much to easily he’s clamping down onto the neck and it releases a shrill, chokes cry. In a moderately quick attempt at putting it out of its misery he shakes the animal viciously between his jaws. A solid crack from its weak neck signaling its end as the life force of its blood seeps from the wound. He’ll finally release it now, blood covering his muzzle and the white-cream of his chest. He smiles charmingly at the other shewolf and licks him chops casually.

Leigh glanced up the best she could to watch as Donovan viciously shook the fawn, and eventually she heard a sickening crack from above. Slowly releasing the animal's leg, her tense jaw now relaxing as she pulled away, she looked down at the kill with a somewhat satisfied smile.

The hunt had been a bit more difficult than she had expected, but with her companion's help the chase was decently quick.

Licking the blood from her lips, she switched her gaze from the goat to Don, offering him a smile as well. She wouldn't take the first bite, not yet. It was only fair that she'd offer it to the male first. He was the one who took the fawn down, after all. Gesturing towards the limp body, she spoke softly.

"Go ahead and eat first."

Donovan chuckles softly and shakes his head, eyes closing momentarily before opening to meet her own. He haunches over the meal about ready to bite into it. “Nonsense, dear. You’re my equal out in these lands. We can dig in at the same time.” He demands more than offers, even though his tone is friendly there is a playful glint in his eyes that expresses no room for arguing. 

He’s truly digging in after that. Ripping off skin and muscle and straight up going to town on that poor lifeless animal. He only eats till he’s moderately full. Donovan has no desire to be bloated on his travel back to the canyon.

Swallowing his last mouthful, he gazes to his partner. “What do you plan on doing now?” He asks then, truly curious as to what she’s doing out here.

"If you insist."

Leigh could tell that there was no use in arguring. Even if she tried, there was no way that Donovan would let her win. He'd probably end up shoving her face into the poor fawn just to win the argument.

But, it was a sweet gesture, and she wasn't going to pass up the meal. She had been starving for some time now, and she quite honestly didn't want to wait anyways. With her smile widening at the wolf's kind words, she lowered her head, opening her maw to dig into the catch. The she-wolf also refrains from overeating, taking just enough to fill herself up, while also making sure not to waste an awful lot of the kill.

Lifting her head once finished, she quickly turned to face Donovan upon hearing his question. Thinking for a short moment, she could only shrug.

"I'm not really sure. It almost felt like something was pulling me here, but now that I've arrived I have no clue where to start. I have no knowledge of the area, no family or friends here."

Pausing, she let out a faint laugh. "I suppose you're my only real friend now."

He occasionally flicks his eyes up to watch her as they eat. Though when they’re both done, Donovan sits back into his haunches quite content with life at the moment. He pops the question and she’s answering back immediately, albeit a bit contemplative.

He nods to her, remembers what it felt like when he woke up here. Especially after the death of his family. He was in a bad headspace, he won’t deny it. Yet those thoughts leave his mind when her velvety laugh meets his ears. He’s smirking down to her and chuckling softly at her admission of Donovan being her only friend in these unfamiliar lands.

He nods. “I was there once. Fate truly is a weird thing, isn’t it? Perhaps you were meant to meet me.” He hums with a raise of his circular brows and a wink, a shit eating grin on his face. He laughs off the stereotypical flirt and speaks once more. “No but seriously,” He begins, smile softening but still present. “If you have the desire, I wouldn’t be opposed to bringing you to my pack while you decide where to go next.”

He shifts his eyes a little and his smirk becomes a bit mischievous, leaning more towards playful, yet in a warning type of way. “I have to warn you, my pack is the more standoffish type towards outsiders. Though if I brought you, they’d welcome you.” He comments lightly towards the end.

She listened as he spoke. Every time Donovan paused, there were more and more words ready to spill from his mouth. Leigh didn't mind, she happily listened, though noted that it'd be best to stay quiet and wait until he was truly finished. Her smile only grew upon hearing his first comments. It was nice to know that he to some extent understood the confusion of being in a new place as well. At least she wasn't alone there. As for the two being brought together by fate, her mind may have begged to differ, but her stomach certainly didn't. Without his help she wouldn't have been able to get such an easy meal, and she'd have no knowledge of goats.

It was only until she heared his second comment, rather, an offer, did she appear more alert. She had only just left home, pack included, and she wasn't sure if walking right into another one was the best idea. But as she began thinking of her other options, if she were to decline, she'd be helplessly wandering around the mountains for who knows how long. At least she'd have a place to stay for a while.

On one hand, seeing the wolf's confident smirk, she considered giving him a "no" just to mess around. However, he had been nothing but kind. Maybe a tad irritating, but kind nonetheless and she decided against the joke. Besides, if she had the pack's alpha by her side, there was no need to worry about dangerous hostility.

After thinking over the situation, she gave the male a nod, accepting the invitation.

"I'd love to stay with you, and meeting some new faces will be fun."