Rising Sun Valley To get me over you

On Frostflame Ridge, a section of mountain over a sauna-like cave. The ground is warm to the touch.

Capricorn's tongue lolled from his mouth as he padded along a narrow ledge that presented a continuous extension from glacier to mountain. He'd just finished a patrol around Duskfire Glacier at Tuwawi's request, but he was as enamored with the surrounding area as he presently was with the splendid ember of the glacier, so as soon as he finished, he waddled off onto the adjoining mountain.

He was almost halfway up the ledge when the peculiarity of it dawned on him. Though a chilly, bleak afternoon wind cut across the mountain path, his feet were strangely warm. Capricorn didn't notice it too much at first, but the further he walked the warmer his feet got. Finally, he did stop and lower his nose to the ground, but whatever was making the ledge warm was indiscernible by scent.

Cuan had left the border of Duskfire after he had encountered no one, only stopping to gaze at the pine forest's many creeks as he walked southwest. The scent marks of the pack had been strong but there had been no response to his poking about. That had been alright, however, as Cuan had not been an intruder on their lands. He had only hoped to gather information and return to Sunspire with an ambassador's knowledge.

His paws were soft and muffled against the pine needle mat as the wolf skirted between trunks and boulders. The ground was falling away sharply to the left of him, forcing Cuan to follow a high ridge that curved slowly down to the valley below. He could smell faint whiffs of natural gas, and the earth was slowly warming under his cool toes. It felt like summer was making a return, but Cuan could feel the cool snip of autumn on his nose. It was quite a confusing experience, one that made the outrider stop briefly and assess his surroundings. Something flashed in the distance, a pelt moving between the branches of conifers. Cuan stretched out his muzzle, eyes widening as he caught the aroma of another wolf. Slowly, he moved forward, ears quivering cautiously.
Hello? he called out, halting on a particularly warm patch of earth. Above him lay the mouth of a cave, half-obscured by trees.

Capricorn may not have been a very initiated member of Duskfire Glacier, but he was at home enough to protect it. When a soft voice called out from somewhere lower on the ledge, the short-legged wolf was quick to discover its source and approached confidently. Cuan was a simple looking wolf, with a typical golden-brown coat and typical amber eyes. In comparison, Capricorn was surely unusual.

"You're quite close to claimed land, friend," he warned, but as Cuan seemed to be facing away from the glacier, Capricorn had no reason to be hostile. He supposed the medium-sized male was making his way down from the glacier. Capricorn stretched out his body and sniffed unabashedly in Cuan's direction. He didn't recognize Tuwawi's scent coming off Cuan at all, and correctly assumed he wasn't one of the glacier wolves.

Of course, Capricorn lacked knowledge of their respective packs' histories. He might have been harsher if he'd known it.

With a uneasy bristle of his spine, Cuan watched as the stranger came forward, and the Sunspire wolf couldn't help but stare for a little longer than usual. The creature had unnaturally short legs, not comical but exotic as it... walked out of the forest. It wasn't a waddle, but the gait was unlike any other Cuan had seen, and for good reason. The Outrider remained slightly uncomfortable as the wolfish looking mix returned the silent exchange. He could see the male's tail curled proper over his back, and had deep blue eyes that returned Cuan's gaze. Immediately the lanky agouti male glanced away with a flat twist of his ears. Of course he was curious- what if all of the nearby pack wolves looked like this? Cuan had encountered subspecies of others before, such as the arctic, but this would be a newfound discovery if it were to be true.

Just passing through, he responded with a slight choke to his throat. Your borders were quiet, so I decided to return home. On the ridge, they were able to see through the pines the distant Sunspire ridges that lay to the south, across the creek and it's surrounding flatlands.

He made mental note of everything Cuan did, from the slightest ripple in his coat suggesting discomfort to the way his eyes dropped to Capricorn's legs. Capricorn was used to this, of course, and meeting foreigns wolves in less-than-ideal locations was often a tense process. It was one he took rather seriously, as Cuan could surely tell from the grim severity of Capricorn's persistent gaze. He occasionally found it difficult to hold another's eye by virtue of his size, but he stared openly and intently whether or not he actually made eye contact, establishing himself as the dominant beast (insofar as Cuan would allow him).

"What business did you have with us?" Capricorn asked coolly. He was polite, not yet displaying a potentially hostile front, yet it was within his right to question visitors, especially those who admitted to skulking around the borders. Some of his friendliness melted into a business-like stance as he said this, as though to suggest he was not impressed with the other's admission. What Cuan said next would be of utmost importance in Capricorn's impression of the male.

He would try and let his natural good-naturedness regain it's composure. It wasn't hard, really, for Cuan wanted nothing but to become friends with anyone he met. The male was strange-looking, but the scout would try to make up his psychical appearance with some polite conversation.

I'm looking to build relations with other packs, he explained himself. I'm from the Sunspire- which pack might this be? Retaining his posture, Cuan finished with a slight dip of his forehead. Hopefully the unique creature would take his easygoingness as a sign of goodwill. Cuan would have no problem fighting or fleeing this brute, for he wondered how well he would maneuver on stout legs. But the Sunspire wolf was not interested in battling anyone, nor would he in his lifetime.

I am Cuan, he added, hoping to establish more trust for this hybrid to relay some information to him.

Capricorn's scrutiny, coupled with the stranger's elaboration, was enough to make the Glacier male relax just slightly. Cuan seemed to pose no threat and his snooping was nothing more than an ambassador mission, if he was to be believed. Capricorn had a habit of giving others the benefit of the doubt unless proven otherwise, so he relaxed his posture, but maintained his lifted head and tail. He scarcely stood higher than the other wolf's ribs, but somehow projected an air of royalty.

"I haven't heard of your pack," he said truthfully, "so I take it we are not at odds. I am Capricorn; this pack is Duskfire Glacier." Strictly speaking, they were on Frostflame Ridge to the east of the glacier, but Cuan would know what he meant.

I hope you don't think I was up to too much trouble, Cuan grinned with a spark in his eye. There was a bauble of wariness in this stout Capricorn's gaze, one that fortunately didn't relay aggressiveness. The scout had always been good at reading signals, having grown up the runt and scapegoat of his birth pack. He understood when a wolf was playing, or when that wolf was in some sort of sour mood that might end with Cuan missing a bit of fur.
He hoped the reservation this Duskfire member was only aimed at Cuan being an outsider, anyways. The exotic appearance Capricorn carried had quickly worn off, and now the rusty, long-legged scout was focused on making friends and ties.
I wouldn't want our packs to get off on the wrong foot, anyways. Since this is the first time we are hearing of each other. His gaze lifted up to the looming mountains and the monstrous glacier nestled in it's arms.
Is that where you live?

Cuan spoke aloud what Capricorn was silently thinking, and that brought a more genuine curve to the stout wolfdog's lips. It certainly wasn't a personal affair, which he made clear with the slightest softening of his tense stance. Capricorn was raised by a protective and territorial wolf and, therefore, was a protective and territorial wolf himself. Though he'd only lived upon the glacier's slopes for a matter of days, he felt intensely for it and wouldn't dare let trespassers set foot without consequence.

"It is," he said in a voice threaded with pride. It might not have been his glacier and it wasn't what he'd set out into the world for, but he felt a true sense of rightfulness at his choice to settle here. "It's much more beautiful up close," he said softly, almost reverently, before adding, "ah, but I can't allow you to see it that way, I'm afraid. You'll have to try to appreciate it from here."

Now was a good time for Capricorn to ask about the other's pack. Unfortunately, now was also the time that Capricorn forgot the exact name that Cuan had used for his home. His ears swivelled sideways and then forward as he tried to recall it, but nothing came to his tongue, so instead he said, "your pack's name sounded majestic. Does it, too, live up to the impression?"

With round yellow eyes, Cuan noted the stout brute's slight uncoiling, and the Spire scout's tail let out a little wag. He was pleased to see there would be no fighting in the foreseeable future. And the rusty, lanky male was beginning to learn some facts to bring back to base.

When Capricorn mentioned his guarded pack's land, Cuan turned to glance back up behind him through the narrow conifers. He understood why they called it Duskfire Glacier; for it was positioned in such a way that the setting sun would light it every evening. It must be a magnificent sight. It was currently afternoon and Cuan would most likely be leaving soon, but no doubt the pack had quite the treat as they dwelled in the shadow of the glacier.

Ever get cold up there? he commented, gazing at the impossible blue-white sheen of the glacier.

The Sunspire is similar that it's a mountain land... surely without the glacier, though. I'd think you'd appreciate the openness it has.

Cuan was probably right in guessing that Capricorn would appreciate an open mountain. For whatever reason, the man never felt uncomfortable in the open as so many other wolves did. He felt more at home on open terrain than cooped up in forests and caves. He didn't say anything to that effect, though; while social, Capricorn also appreciated privacy, and Cuan was no pack mate.

"I'm sure it must," he answered Cuan's original question, "though I haven't witnessed it myself." There was a great deal of ice on the glacier, after all, and Capricorn could only assume that meant it was cold. Whether it was as cold as Montem Aquilonem in the dead of winter or not was a mystery he would soon uncover, for winter was approaching faster than any wolf wished to admit.

wrap up soon?

All this talk of snow and cold would make Cuan shiver in dreadful anticipation. He was no bear of a wolf- it was obvious with his rather thing legs and docked rib cage that could never quite be hidden with his scruffy winter coat. He had spent a winter in Teekon already, and found the mountain ridges and valleys to be perfect for harboring large clouds of low pressure and air that would find its' way to chill him to the bone.

It is my least favorite season, Cuan commented, even if winter had major advantages for hunting. He paused, then glanced at Capricorn with an understanding yellow gaze.

I should probably head off.
Dusk was approaching rapidly, and Cuan wanted to get off the high landscape that surrounded the glacier and into the flatlands before night. Perhaps when he reached lower ground, the Sunspire wolf would be able to spot the dying sun's rays on the massive white beast that slept between the double peaks.