Duck Lake And so the ducks fly

Though many of the ducks had began to leave to stay in warmer homes, the few that lingered were wishing they had left with their kin. For whenever a duck would land on a spot around the lake, the light-colored brute would chase them off. While he had no intentions of catching any of them, he had wanted to do something to relieve himself of his boredom. Kove found this activity to be highly entertaining and fun, but the same could not be said for the ducks.
Eventually, though, the ducks had started to catch on to what the wolf was doing and decided it best to simply stay in the lake. Expecting to be left alone once safely floating away from the edges, the birds seemed to be very much surprised when Kove launched into the water after them. His swimming skills were mediocre, mainly consisting of him just splashing water in every direction known to the world. Soon after realizing that his "swimming" was getting him nowhere, the now soaked brute dragged himself out of the lake and shook out his thick fur. The water droplets flew off in all directions, hitting anything that happened to be near the massive wolf.

With a circular motion, Dovev paced a dead tree laying within the grass. He could smell of the mold and mildew emenating from it, see the bugs crawling from crevice to crevice, observe the mysterious depths of inside the log. It was a mini-ecosystem and he towered over it, pale orbs gleefully watching as his forepaw stabbed through the decomposing wood, and it sagged and folded under his force. But the pleasure of destroying a small part of the habitat quickly lost it's novelty, and Dovev left the log, with it's gaping, splintered hole, soon after.

The western part of the Creek territory was well traversed. Much of the pack frequented Duck Lake as a secondary hunting territory, using the attraction of water to lure prey. Although the border fell behind him, Dovev was confident in his trot towards the lake. Loping parallel to the water, he eked his way down the grassy ridge and stopped along the large, rocky shore of the northwestern bank. Something was dragging itself out of the lake, water streaming off its lower body. Slightly amused, Dovev realized the shape of a wolf as it shook itself off on the dry shore. The arctic male was no avid swimmer, but perhaps this light gray creature was.

Giving no heed to the fact that this stranger was near the creek territory, Dovev approached with perked ears and a jaunty tilt of his tail. Water too cold? he called out, wondering how chilly this wolf must be soaking wet, and with a cool autumn wind blowing.

Feeling satisfied with himself for getting a good bit of the water shaken from his fur, he gave himself a smile. Kove's attention was drawn from himself to the owner of the voice speaking to him. He silently scolded himself for being too caught up with the water and such to have heard the stranger approach. Nevertheless, he still turned to greet the stranger.
"I hadn't even noticed the cold..." he responded, a slight look of confusion growing on his face. "My body must still be used to the cold just enough to not have it registered in my mind."
Kove smiled at Dovev, a slight wag to his tail.
"Even if the water chilled me down to the bone, it'd be worth it to cure boredom."

Standing rather lax, Dovev's ears were bowled towards the wolf's comments. Apparently, he hadn't felt the cold, and an appreciative light glowed in the tundra wolf's eyes. Dovev would always hold respect for those who didn't bicker and fight the sting of chilly air. The stranger didn't have a northern pelt, and it was hard to tell his true coloring underneath the fact his coat was plastered with water.

Bored? Dovev echoed. So, wandering from place to place isn't exciting enough? It was obvious this wolf was alone, and probably new to the area. Duck Lake was a well-traversed place by Creek wolves and didn't attract much attention outside of the pack.

"Wandering is fun and all, but during times between travels things can get extremely boring," Kove replied. "I'm not one to just lay around, especially when there is something fun calling out to me."
Kove looked out to the lake, watching the ducks as they floated about. Returning his attention back to Dovev, he opened his mouth to speak once more.
"Take this lake for example," he started, sitting himself down. "The trek here was fairly fun, but once I actually reached this place, I found there nothing much to do..." He turned his orbs on the lake once again, narrowing them in on the bobbing figures.
"That is," he paused, his cheerful smile transforming into a devious grin. "Until those birds showed me the fun that can be achieved between my destinations."

So, this loner had found some excitement in getting himself soaked while chasing those idiotic creatures, known as ducks, about the usually placid lake. Surely they were mocking him now, with their abrasive quacks as they floated in an armada on the waves. Duck meat was delightful, but Dovev was no wolf to go splashing into water after them. He was more of a nest-raider.

The tundra wolf didn't really care whether or not the lone wolf was having fun traipsing in between pack borders.
I think my pack enjoys that lake a little more than you did, Dovev said with a smirk, but his eyes were beginning to cool. This loner had a certain way of taking things for granted. Even though the ducks were free prey, Dovev did not share this male's preferences for his outlook on life.

Navigating down the grassy slope, Dovev crept down the bank to the pebbly shore, growing closer. This wolf was facing west, after all, and all recollections of the Creek wolf thinking this stranger was no threat were beginning to fade. He didn't want him running around and causing trouble like he had just done to Duck Lake.

As soon as the words about a pack fell from the male's mouth, Kove became alert. The idea of the other wolf being one from a pack had not crossed his mind. All the brute could think about was the excitement that came along with meeting other wolves. The words were enough to put him on edge as he decided whether or not bolting would be an appropriate action. In the end, he chose to stay right where he stood, his muscles tensing up.
"Packs do tend to enjoy things more when they're always around them." Kove finally spoke, his earlier excitement not as evident as before. "More like they have to. Wouldn't be too good if pack members got bored and just up and left, huh?" Though Kove was preparing himself for the worst case scenario, he still managed to grin.

What do you mean, up and left? the male responded in an affronted, guttural tone. The tundra wolf was obviously right here, in front of the loner, a physical embodiment of the land behind him. His eyes seemed focus and narrow, swirling pins of opal in his white-coated face.
I'm right here, aren't I?
The loner had added a grin at the end of the statement, and the wolf could only take some provocation to it. Perhaps something was funny to this grayed stranger. Something that Dovev hoped to clear up real soon. There would be much more hospitable places this male could partake in his boredom with. Places that were empty and far away from Creek territory. Unless this loner had some sort of intention to finding a pack, in which the tundra stalker could perhaps assist in, albeit warily. Even though Dovev was quick on his impressions, they did not fade lightly.

"I'm sure there have been wolves in the past who have left your pack," Kove responded. Though his intentions were not necessarily to offend the pack wolf, he realized that it must have come across that way. Being raised by lone wolves had taught him better than to go around offending wolves within packs and not to press them any further than he knew they would go. However, those lessons seemed to have slipped the young brutes mind upon his encounter with the tundra wolf.
"Wolves have left to go off on their own before, right?" he questioned. Kove had seen wolves leave packs before, whether it be to explore or to start their own. He didn't know anything of this wolf's pack though, but past experiences lead him to assume that it had happened in his pack as well.
"I'm sure they felt some form of being bored before leaving," he added. "We are meant to explore, not be tied down to a single place."

If we weren't tied to a single place, then I don't think there would be the concept of a pack, Dovev countered. Yes, the white beast loved to stalk the creek borders, reveling in small discoveries; like the log. But perhaps this stranger was called to a different path, one of exploration, bereavement and excitability as he drifted from place to place. Dovev was not impressed. He was more for consistency.

The tundra wolf paused, mulling over the subject of absence. It reminded him of Bazi, who had left the group.
Wolves do leave from time to time, but others take their place, he pointed out through pursed lips. The cool affront that had been flickering inside Dovev's throat formed a thoughtful expression on his tilted face.

(My apologies for a rather late and short reply.)

While the timber wolf accepted that what Dovev had said was true, he was still convinced that it couldn't possibly be fun. The idea of a traveling pack entered his mind, but was quickly pushed from it. That wouldn't be right... he thought to himself.
Kove's ear flicked at the sound of the brute's voice as he spoke again.
"Though new wolves take their places," he said. "The fact of the matter is that wolves still do leave the pack life."

it's ok, I've been extremely busy too

He inclined his muzzle slightly. So I'm guessing you've left some pack life, too then? Dovev questioned, eyes briefly scanning over the stranger's body. He didn't look too weary or scrawny, albeit he had probably walked some distance. The male's pelt was a silvery, grizzled gray, a little worse for wear in his lone condition. The Creek wolf wondered why he had been straying so far in the first place. Perhaps this stranger was looking for something, something he hadn't disclosed yet and probably had no intentions sharing with the snowy arctic beast.

The sky was beginning to cloud with long, spindly stratus, slowly passing in front of the autumn sun. The air was losing it's warmth fast, and everything in Dovev's periphery had taken on a lucid gray aura.

"I have," Kove stated simply. "Though not by my own choice, but for my own safety."
The brute recalled distant memories of being carried about in the maw of his mother. He had not been able to live in a pack long before it had been destroyed, and by the accidental doings of the curious pup nonetheless. He soon grew to be caught up within his own thoughts, a bad habit he'd had practically since birth. Though the air changed and the sun was slowly hidden by clouds, Kove took no notice to it.
That is, until his memories finally stopped playing through his head and he was lured from his trance-like state by the feel of a light raindrop. His snout turned up towards the sky slightly as his dark orbs found their way to the clouds. The grey-scaled brute then brought his snout back to it's previous place, his eyes settling back onto Dovev, deeming the light droplets nothing worth worrying him.

He hated rain. Rather than settle pleasingly on his pelt like snow, Dovev could feel the droplets roll between his white hairs and saturate his skin. It was little pinpricks of cold compared to the enveloping blanket of winter, and made him uncomfortable. The wolf shook his pelt, trying to warn off the rain before turning to stare at the loner.

Well, you've come to the right place if you're looking to join one, the alabaster male pointed out.
He lifted his maw and glanced to the north. There's one over there, he spoke as he turned his skull to the south. And there... There were more, but in Dovev's mind, those were the most immediate, besides Sunspire. And surely this loner knew that he stood on the threshold of Creek territory.

The thought of joining a pack had never crossed his mind. He was enjoying the life of a lone traveler too much to change his lifestyle. While Kove was surprised to learn of two packs relatively close by, it did nothing to make him reconsider.
"And if I have no desire to join one?" the brute questioned, curious as to what the arctic wolf's response may be. "Does that make this area a danger to me?"
His head cocked to the side slightly; another habit he'd picked up during his travels.

Swiveling his ears, Dovev could see the male had no intention of joining a pack. That was more than clear before they had started their conversation, due to the rather guarded speech this loner carried. Well, this little chat might finally see some closure. The alabaster male would be more than happy to... show this stranger the exit.

I believe it does make this area a hostile environment, Dovev replied with a wide grin. There's no use sticking around then, right? He left a pause lingering in the air to hear this male's confirmation.

With wide paws, Dovev felt the shift of the stony grass carpet underneath his toes as he came to a stop several body lengths away from the creature. The male's banner was lazily waving back and forth, the base lifted above the end of his spine. He alluded this male's berevity for sticking around, it was clear the loner wasn't quite ready to settle yet. With that option gone, there was none other than to move on beyond Creek territory.

Having enjoyed his immature action of 'playing' with the ducks, Kove had to think. In his mind, the place was considered a danger, but it also held a bit of fun to it. He was not overly eager to leave sooner rather than later, but the fact of the matter was that his paws would have carried him away soon anyways. The appearance of the pack wolf had only stalled the inevitable.
"I suppose so," Kove finally replied. "Though I had originally not planned on leaving so soon, the thought of being in an area that poses a danger to me is highly unappealing."
The only matter to be solved now, was where the grey-scaled wolf planned on going next. Having crossed paths with Dovev made him consider his movements, not wishing to have a similar experience in the future.

He certainly was a chatty one. If this silver stranger wasn't interested in what the Creek had to offer, then what was he up to just hanging around? Dovev didn't care if Kove wanted to spend some time enjoying what Duck Lake and the surrounding land had to offer- this motel was full. The male had already shown he wasn't afraid to take what he wanted from the environment by chasing ducks around. There was a reason why wolves staked out territories- to protect what dwelled within them.

You're good with hints, aren't you? the male questioned sarcastically.
The smile lapsed on Dovev's face was morphing into a snarl. From what gums that had been upturned towards the male's swirling pale orbs were curling over his front incisors, revealing the long line of canine teeth. He was slowly inching towards Kove, his head low and shoulders pushing through his bristling ruff as his toes found their way over the grassy, pebbly bank of the lake.

^{Ending it here. I enjoyed this roleplay, and am glad that you appeared to be patient with my shortness of replies. :)}

As the brute took on a threatening stance, Kove lowered his head and tail, proceeding to then back up a few paces. He was impulsive and immature, yes, but the silvery wolf was no fool. If it came to an actual fight, he knew he stood no chance against the pack wolf. Anyone with half a brain would know that, and he didn't want to stick around to test the likelihood of him surviving. With his tail tucked close to his hind legs, Kove backed up a few more paces. Once satisfied by the distance he'd put between them, the brute turned tail and began running back in the direction he had originally come. Not daring to steal a glance over his shoulder as he ran, he continued forward with no knowledge of what may lay ahead of him.
The brute kept going like this until he was sure he was clear of anywhere near Dovev's pack's territory. Even then, though, his pace only slowed a bit as he searched for a new place to rest and regain himself. A place where no packs lingered by so closely, where he could do as he pleased without the worry of being attacked.