Swiftcurrent Creek Bonefish

Wet slushed beneath the seafarer’s paws as he crossed the border into the creek.

Swordfish was worn tired, irritable. He had avoided the wetfall of snow for as long as he could. The last mile back to the pack had soaked him down to his bones. The thought of curling up in his den and seeking peace was persuasive and lured him forward.

A curious scent on the border had given him pause. Blue eyes shifted toward disturbed earth. He sniffed at it, pulling back with the sharpness of the scent. It smelled like prey animal, but rank. Whatever it had been had rolled in the snow and dirt until it had crafted a dent. Smaller hoof tracks led toward the mountain range in the west.

Tired, Swordfish began a slow patrol to make sure the smelly beast hadn’t circled back.

Mind if we pull this to present? <3

Reverie lingered at the border like a ghost, replaying images in her mind of that day with Jakoul. As torn as she was by her conflicting feelings regarding Lestan (she loved him; she resented him; she worried; she felt betrayed), it was this that occupied her thoughts more often than anything else. The changes in herself. The anticipation of more to come.
But she knew that it would not be the same as it had for Jakoul, a woman grown who had just barely held her own against the storm of her labor. Reverie was not ready for this, in more ways than one. She knew, as most healers would know, that it was terribly unlikely to meet any sort of normal outcome here.
Company was a welcome distraction. Reverie changed course to intercept the young wolf, recognizing him by scent as a packmate. Swiftcurrent Creek felt terribly quiet when she was not in Lestan's presence. Hello, She said softly, thinking then that she would have preferred Lestan's company over a stranger. I'm Reverie.

Yeah! Always fine. ^^

An unfamiliar face found him. Cloaked in warm golden blonde tones that carried to her eyes, she drew closer until she was within speaking distance and introduced herself as Reverie.

The young redtail watched her for a moment. He offered a wave of his tail before diverting his hooded stare northward. The trail he had been following was forgotten with the presence of someone new. Even though she approached him with friendly tones, Swordfish had worked hard to craft walls around himself. These walls were not brought down with ease.

Aye, nice to meet ya.

The young wolf’s voice was drawling and deadpan.

I’m Shardik.

Shardik, Shardik, Shardik.

<333

Shardik, Reverie repeated, smiling. It's nice to meet you too. He did not seem very inclined to chat, but the gilded girl was as determined as ever that no one should dislike her. She didn't know what she would do if that happened.
Your eyes are very pretty, She said warmly, and meant it. Reverie had never seen that shade of blue in any wolf's eyes before. They reminded her of Lestan; his eyes were unusual too. But prettier. Definitely prettier. Someone told me about something called the ocean once, and I've wondered if it might be that color. She still wanted to see the ocean very desperately, but that would have to wait. Her heart ached to think that the waiting might never end.

The woman didn’t seem put off by his lack of enthusiasm for meeting new wolves. She went on to say that she thought his eyes were pretty.

The boy blinked at her, taken aback. He had never had someone compliment him so openly. The few he had received were like treasures. He kept them close to his heart. He thought often of Suzu and of his mother. Their words were what kept pushing him to learn more, to become more. The thought of their death weighed heavily on his mind. The longer he thought about it, the more he slipped into internal madness. Stingray’s bright blue eyes and sunny features caused a lurch in his throat.

It is.

The words were sharper than he had intended. It was clear the golden woman had never seen the sea for herself.

An’ bigger than anythin’ yer ever gonna see in yer life.

Truly? Reverie was enchanted, and did not at all mind the slight sharpness to the young wolf's words. His sour demeanor reminded her a little bit of Tybault. She took in a small breath. What is it like there? I've been meaning to see it for myself, but - it'll be awhile, I think. Her tone turned somewhat wistful with the last words. A long while, if she was pregnant as she suspected.
But maybe Lestan would take her there one day. Maybe Akavir would take them both, as he'd said he would. All she had was maybes and hopes for the future, but for now it was the only thing keeping Reverie — sane, to be honest. Some days she thought that, despite her best efforts, she might lose her grasp on all the progress she'd made.
The blue-eyed boy indulged some of her questions, but eventually Reverie began to feel unwelcome and excused herself. She was nothing but friendly to the last, but left feeling quite rejected.