Meadowlark Prairie that the people would see me too as a poet

Setting this previous to his new thread with Fennec

He never ranged far from Akashingo’s great height, always ever so sure to remain in earshot just in case he was needed.

Not that he wanted to be. It rankled, living in the shadows of the mountain, his father’s mountain, as far as he knew at least. Had he known Mereo was gone, he wouldn’t have been here.

Aquillius would have already been gone, marching into the mountains to find whatever remained of his former pack and demand to know where his father was.

But, Aquillius did not know. So, he stewed as he loped steadily after a rather young antelope calf he’d been following from the Steppes. It had separated from its mother a long while ago, it seemed, but was still running from him.

He’d catch up. Eventually. He was going to think until such a time.

Naberius traveled north from the Serpent Lake, the place which he had come across after having traveled from the far south. He had been warned of the pack nearby and as he arched around through the open lands, had come to know that the pack claimed the peaks of the Mesa, standing out like a beacon among flatland all around. 

Naberius was no mountain wolf. Had no intention of finding home and comfort walking the winding paths, sleeping in its caverns or hunting of its cliffs. However he did so enjoy the lands around, where it served as a familial comfort to him. Even in the winter, these places were far more sustainable for happy and easy living then in his homeland. 

Even still, the mother provided, a fat and happy (though horribly lost) calf crossing his path and Naberius, as swift as can be, immediately gave chase.

Aquillius’s single eye found the darting shape, and immediately he would loosen a protesting bark, speeding up to close the distance between himself and the stranger who sought to take the kill he’d been pursuing.

The eagle-son came careening, eyes narrowed but posture not unfriendly, only confused.

The calf was panting, tired. He could afford a quick conversation.

I have been pursuing this calf from the Mesa. He would speak, galloping with the stranger wolf.

Help me catch it, and I’ll give you half.

He wasn’t the greatest hunter in the world, but bringing home something would be a victory. Even if his idea of home wasn’t anything like the Mesa.

A bark called out and soon later he was being made go slow, stopping his pursuit of the target. The yearling's eyes were narrowed and Naberius own matched while one furrowed brow lifting. What was the meaning of this?? 

When he spoke, he spoke of the Mesa. He was a member of their pack and claimed this deer came from there. He began to trot into the deer's direction so not to loose it and Naberius followed, listening. 

This is fair, I agree! 

He had no reason not to trust the other's words. If they were true, this young wolf had done the long haul of driving the young deer out into the open and alone. He was young. If he did not have the skill to hunt it, but only to track it, Naberius would be useful. They could share. Besides, Naberius enjoyed all these open lands all around thus far and the Mesa was situated in the middle of it. One day he might call it home.

The smile that crossed his face was quick, barely a flash of lips in an upward motion, before his head would turn to follow the calf as it desperately tried to get away.

But it was tired, young, and without the nourishment of its mother. It bleated plaintively. Had Aquillius had the bleeding heart of another, he’d have felt horrible for killing such a pathetic thing. But, Aquillius’s heart had long since frozen over.

Very good. He lunged forward, curling around the calf to startle it back towards the other man.

Naberius' own heart was far from cold. He was in fact, a bleeding heart who's love and lust was endless, wanting so much of the world and so willing to give much in return. 

But what of this child? It was tired, starving, terrified. It was likely so he would not find his mother before hunger took hi.. He would die, he would be eaten. It might as well be by Naberius and this young lady. The sooner, the better. 

The yearling looped around, bringing the calf into the sand wolf's direction. The calf tried to alter its course in the last moments but its exhaustion did not make for a successful feign. Naberius captures it by a bite under the young deer's neck and yanking hard to bring it down.

The deer went down and Aquillius came cantering, sliding to a stop before the man who brought it down. He dipped his head in thanks for the catch.

Many thanks, stranger. He spoke, waving his tail briefly, before he was back to stoicism.

I am Aquillius. His eyes went to the dead fawn, then back up to the man.

Aquillius Brutus Redsand, in full.

The young wolf slid up next to him quickly just as Naberius was dropping the kill once he was certain it had died. His muzzle tips to the side and down in small nod. A silent 'your welcome'. 

Redsand you say? What a fine name to behold! He smiles at this, a name which reflected lands which Naberius knew well. Red lands, golden sands and the oasis and open plains in-between, these were places which Naberius favored. 

I am Naberius Cyrus, of the Land of Sun & Sand. A pleasure, young man. He licked his bloody maw, settling into a sit to catch him breath after the hunt.

He was of the sun and the sand, and that made Aquillius..curious.

Sun and Sand? He asked quietly, the tip of his tail beginning to wag somewhat.

Like…a desert? Or a canyon? Could he have been born in a canyon, like Aquillius himself? Or had he crawled out of the sand dunes and made it here, like some of the coyotes had seemed to? He didn’t know, and it only occurred to him after he thought it that the statement might be..rude.

The dark coated yearling was curious, his tail beginning to wave with a happiness, which brought a smile to the golden and brown wolf. 

Sands of gold, like a desert. I was born into an oasis surrounded by dunes for miles. To the south, however, were the sands of the coast, where in some places, were pink. He openly and excitedly spoke to the youth. 

If you are Redsand, then you were born of the canyons?