King Elk Forest Storm

Staggered breaths fractured the stillness of the dark wood.

Running paws, barreling through underbrush. Collapsed onto the ground at the hips, air fell down her lungs without stop. The fringes of her hickory fur swept towards the earth, while the lush grass seemed to rise and embrace her neck and belly. Moths, in a flurry of anxious wings, disturbed the air from thickets flourishing at the bases of ancient, towering trees. Cloaked in the same blue of night that had painted the leaves, cloaking her, cloaking all.

No matter how hard she tried, she could not tame the beast that was her own breathing, the hitches in each inhale becoming shaky. Frantically searching over her back with a coiling waist, shot open eyes darted across the treeline, poised to vanish into the shadows at the slightest provocation. Near bloodshot.

Bags presented deep and ugly in the fur just under her sun-gold eyes, tarnishing her, sleepless, and diving soon over the next wall of flora. Water ebbed before her in a moonshowered lake beyond the overgrowth, and she scrambled, trembling.

It had been the first time Paloma had been away from the Boartusk Heights since she had come to call it home, savor when she had been escorting her Mistress through the low-lands below. 

She explored the lands beyond with an open mind and search. Would she find new interesting herbs not near home? Would she find prey? A new member to serve as Reyna's flock? Paloma hummed to herself, awaiting anything that came to her path. 

This night, it was Karavira. The forest seemed endless. She kept going and going. It was quiet. Those that dwelled within knew a predator was near- two. Yet, the second looked less intimidating then the first. Her breath quickened, shaken. She was a quivering pup in the big bad world. Paloma came slow, her ginger and white coat a beacon of light in the gloom. 

What is the matter, pretty girl?

Lapping at the water, her hackles were bristly and on edge. It was a hassle trying to make them fall, but she tried to now. It was just her. She needed water, and drank from its cold resource. Enough to wind down some of the striking in her chest. A slow creep caught itself up in her ears, and the woman turned to watch through each pass of water.

A beautiful woman in white with a cinnamon jacket.

What is the matter, pretty girl?

Though she expected her to speak, she still did not feel like she had been given enough time to accept it. Ragged breathing, trying to calm. "Hi." Bringing her ears down, her wrist lifted to her chest. "I'm- I'm okay. Do you," her paw fell down, gently. Maybe she could help her? "Do you know where I happen to be?"

The other woman wasn't, in fact, pretty, in the least bit. A dark and mundane coat. She might have even been more striking had she been black like night itself, but her coat was muddied with browns. A fake black wolf. 

Though of course, Paloma's smile never wavered and surely shown herself as no threat. She was a tiny thing, after all! 

I don't particularly know the name of this forest, not really, but I can lead you out of it, if you'd like? She offers. I was just on a stroll myself. My Mistress will be birthing the new royals soon. I doubt I'll get out much for quite a time after.

"That.." Come to think of it, she wasn't sure how long she had been covered by woodland. "I would be very grateful for, truly." A sweet gesture, and yet she was bitter to take it. Roughly exhaling, the hike of her shoulders started their descent. If it would get her out of this place! And away from them! She would take anything right now then.

"Congratulations. I'm sure that's a wonderful experience, and that you wouldn't want to miss it." Royals, and the underneath of her skin started to crawl in an uncomfortable way. Children put smiles on many faces, so she could take the time to appreciate that for them. No time to waste then, Karavira decided to put a close on some of their distance, head passing frequently over her shoulder. "Are you from a kingdom?"

Come come then. Paloma felt she really had not been in the forest all that long and now she was already leaving it. Not without a possible prize to bring back home, however. Her Mistress and her husband, who only roused to life in the night, Paloma felt that this dark and shrouded forest would make for a good home, if ever Reyna felt the need to relocate. Still, Reyna having a perch high above to look out and down to her empire, well, it was quite fitting. 

It will be simply splended! Paloma said with a grin, her black tripped tail waving up behind her as they began their walk towards the outs of the forest. However, Paloma had her uncertainty about the new pups. It will be her first. And that meant less one on one time with her Mistress, who might be busy fawning over her young. Paloma would be forced to help care for the new screaming royal brats instead of caring just for @Reyna. A serious change indeed for the both of them. 

Yes, yes I am. We have only just begun out settlement. My Mistress has left the rules and restrictions of her family's reign to begin her reign. It is called La Muerte. Have you broken free from your bonds, too? Paloma did not miss how the woman kept looking over her shoulder as they walked.