The Floodlands Whisper, Oh, Great West

West.

Traveler spoke greatly of the west.

That is where her feet took her. Weaving through bramble, pushing underneath thickets, gliding across wet grounds. Where the river flew ahead and parted into two, she met it at its departure. Salty winds traveled from the north, foreign in its aroma. What could be so different? Strange! Peculiar! Like nothing she'd ever breathed. Belly pressed down against soft grasses, something new as a concept entirely to her, her paws greedily gripped at lush, silky mother earth while father sky kissed her pelt in plenty.

An ashy spill against vibrant meadows. Innumerable amounts of wolves were close. The imp rested in wait, patient in her time while the river rushed only feet away from her body. That soft, rushing coo. 

Much like her great serpent, she stayed; yet she was not hidden, nor did she make attempt to hide by any means. Out in the open, belly rested, hyper eyes searching on a lazy neck with intrigue while often turning her head to the scent of many wolves pinched unbeknownst to her between the secondary split of this river.

Watching them in nose.

Say hello! Say hello! Say hello!

They traveled westward for many days, stopping only to catch a nap or fetch a meal. Totoro tried not to think about Marie too much. They let themself recall her fondly, though they redirected their focus elsewhere when they began dwelling and missing their connection.

This morning, they walked through a thicket and emerged at the foot of a plateau. They considered climbing it to check out the views, though something prompted Totoro to walk around it instead. They found a waterfall on the far side and took a seat to marvel at it a while.

By mid-morning, the wind picked up a little, a southerly blustering down from the coast. It carried the scents of a pack, causing Totoro’s nose to wriggle with interest. They found their feet again and began to wander a little further west, the plateau and waterfall receding behind them as they approached the fork of a river.

The ground softened, becoming spongy beneath their paws. Totoro knew this place must be full of groundwater as a result of runoffs. They peered along the branches of the river, then tilted their snout into the wind to pinpoint the location of the pack they’d scented.

For the moment, they did not notice the single wolf much closer at hand.

Strange being with no awareness! Strange being of which she had not seen before. Her scent confused her, whether male or female. Even so, she would watch, ears stiffly perked to the sun while the breeze slipped between locks of her fur. They peaked through the trees, nosing towards the same direction that she wondered of. Many wolves must've prowled these lands like this. What rich lands these must've been. Yes, she'd smelled few, but for them to be so excitable and abundant? Why, this was a dream come true! A flea in her mind, bouncing about and rocking her brain until her head malfunctioned in excitement. That maintained, silent excitement while her view cleared way for the newcomer. 

"You smell them too, stranger?" A singular brow perked, an upbeat tone to her voice, her tail swishing behind her in what could be an assumable greeting. To her, it was excitement, but they didn't need to know that! Nope, nope, nope! 

The river ran south, though to the north, a forest stretched away toward the coast. Totoro decided the pack must live thereabouts. They considered venturing that way to investigate, though suddenly the fur on the back of their neck tingled and stood on end. They turned their head, eyes scouring the nearby greenery, certain they felt eyes on them.

A she-wolf appeared from the well-watered grasses. Totoro swiveled to face her properly, their eyes meeting before Totoro’s gaze swept to take in her entire figure. Sky blue then returned to cloudy gray as their tail broke into a wag. It was always a pleasure meeting a new face.

Oh, halloo! Aye, do you belong to them? Totoro wondered with a smile before introducing, I am Avery, though you may call me Totoro.

Talks! Oh, she loved talks! Yes, yes, talk more! Talk to me, stranger! Feed me what I've been starved of! Days were weeks and weeks were months! Offering a crooked smile in return, she waved her tail about in the shaky wind before nearly howling back her own response to match their energy. Be one, learn one, see one. "Hello!" the temptress came to a quick stand, only to sit down in a hasty, seemingly fumbled decision.

"No, I do not, my stranger! I only come close, you see?" Pushing her maw down into the fur of her chest, she tossed her eyes across the stream of water. Then, they snapped back to the stranger. "Must I have scared you? Hello, To-to-ro! I am Legend. Does Legend meet Totoro well?" Beat, beat, beat did her tail go, side to side in a slow, yet snapping motion that displayed her excitement to be given such a blessed welcoming from the gods themselves! Yes, yes! This showed her just how rich this land must have truly been, that even other strangers prowled about to see the surrounding packs. What treasure.

The black she-wolf seemed rather beside herself with joy at crossing paths with Totoro. This brought a broad smile to the latter’s lips as their own tail swayed. They chuckled merrily at her remarks, noting the particular way she spoke as she offered her own name.

No, you did not frighten me, they assured, but, aye, I am well! I have been exploring the area today and enjoying what I find. How about you? Totoro asked, prepared to invite Legend to accompany them if she wasn’t otherwise occupied.

"Oh, yes! Really? You are a lone wolf, Totoro?"

What thought. She did wonder, however, how the loner to pack wolves held out in ratio. Were these packs reclusive? Did they hold no will for new members? Or were they open? Were the loners so enriched by these lands that they did not need to? 

"I have found not much. Might Legend ask what Totoro has found that might be so wonderful?" To her left, her head fell, that smile never far from her lips. Always close. Always present.

Well, they answered with a sparkle in their eye, I prefer the term nomad. I do not belong to a pack, they clarified with a tip of their chin. I take it you do not, either?

Legend wondered what Totoro had found during their sightseeing. Their mind immediately flicked back to the waterfall tumbling from atop the plateau. Perhaps she would find it just as enchanting. Totoro motioned at her, an unspoken invitation to come along.

Retracing their steps, they led Legend back east. When they approached the waterfall, the sun glinted off its spray, casting rainbows throughout the air. Totoro gasped at the sight, pointing a pale toe and gesturing with their head to make sure Legend saw it too.

"Nomad? Well, that must fit Avery-Totoro best! I am no nomad! I am traveler." A difference? She cared not! There was a difference in her eyes, and she seemed rather pleased with her answer.

At Avery-Totoro's beckoning, she came, following along in careful steps, practically gliding the terrain once more. Why, maybe Avery-Totoro really did know of a great place! This journey would not disappoint. 

So, to something new and extradorindary. Something she would never have seen before. Water? In so much plenty? In so much abundance! Why, it was spectacular! Putting up with hackles bristling, her ears at a stiff period and her head sizing up the burst of water before her, sun scattering through its body and dancing in the air in foreign colors. Uncertainty! What was this? What was this strange thing! Why must it be so holy? Yet, her bristling had been coupled with wondered words. "Avery-Totoro, do you always find wonders?"

Totoro chortled good-naturedly at Legend’s distinction, as well as the nickname she had chosen for them. They laughed again, more loudly, at the woman’s question about finding wonders. That was, of course, part of their nomadic nature: they were always seeking and finding the next great wonder in the world.

I certainly try to, they replied. What about you, Legend? If you are a traveler, surely you have seen many great things? Tell me about the most wondrous thing you have come across in your travels, they insisted with sparkling eyes as they took a seat.

The waterfall made the perfect backsplash for the two wolves to swap stories about their respective adventures.

Gingerly, her paws would stroke the surface of the waters. A great gift from Satet for this flood of waters. Never had she fully put true inches of her wrists and legs down into such a body, let alone hear the roaring of its might in her ears with mist coating her guard hairs. Legend had been so distracted that she'd hardly heard the question momentarily, staring down at it with eyes that only weaved through each of its ripples until they'd hesitantly fallen back on the one she'd deemed Avery-Totoro. 

Pulling back out of the water, her hind legs were quick to lower while she swiftly flicked an ear. What did Avery-Totoro ask? Right! Avery-Totoro asked of adventure and wonder!

"Yeah! I have seen many things, Avery-Totoro. You would like," pause, "to hear?" she asked. Pulling her maw down, she flicked her tail behind her with not a smile upon her maw, but a focused, relaxed mouth. still, it curled and pulled up when she wanted it to as she spoke. "I come from far place, where earth meets sand and dunes that wish to tower as high as your mountains. Land scorching the unbuilt pads of your own and singeing mine. Avery-Totoro may have seen fire, but I am from realm of pyre and blaze. Where mother sun has killed her land and plagued her children, where only the best may prosper and leap. There are serpents of beautiful Gods, and even in dead land, life springs forth, Avery-Totoro! Where wildcats with pelts the color of amber prowl, and great big ears as my own so that they may be closer to the gods! Where few bird would dare to go, and where deer have grown great long antlers to be our trees."

Their head bobbed in an encouraging nod when Legend questioned, “You would like to hear?” Totoro loved getting to know others by asking questions about their pasts, especially highlights like this. Their blue eyes glazed a little as they put all their focus into their sense of hearing, drinking up Legend’s every word and picturing the scenes she described in their mind’s eye.

You describe it so poetically! Totoro praised. Tell me more of this land. It is where you were born and brought up? Why did you leave such a place?

What had prompted Legend to travel away from such a mystical realm? Totoro had a feeling it might have to do with fire. Their ears pulled back slightly, wondering if they were asking her to relive a difficult chapter. Some wolves—perhaps even most wolves—had dark parts in their stories.

Unfortunately, I’m planning on dropping this character. I was hoping you would conclude/fade this for us? :)

Thank you for writing with me! I loved the small bit of time I got to see them :) they're very sweet

"Yes!" she told Avery-Totoro. Yes, she was born and raised in such a place. So, she spent the evening, for the rest that she had with Avery-Totoro, speaking to them of great monuments and pyramids that she'd seen. She told them of the buzzards and serpents, the way the hot days turned to nights of disastrous cold. All of it she hoped would please Avery-Totoro. 

All of it she hoped would leave memory.

All of it, she hoped more, would burn imagery.

Stay with me, Avery-Totoro, under Satet's birth of a diving river, as I tell you of my God's reign over yours.