Whitewater Gorge Thorn bush

All welcome

Slipping from the comfort of the meadow, Envy's exploits would take her further, as she was seeking for a wooded area. Sure, her pawspads grew cracked and sore, but that was the price to pay for progress.

She hardly noticed it, really. The gentle flow of crimson that had begun to tease the grooves of her paws.

She remained ever-focused, muzzle to the ground, eyes strung right ahead like a dog on a scent. She had a few things to tick off her little brain list. Some more self-indulgent than others.

The wretch halted her pace. Scuttled on again. Halted. Scuttled. She was looking for herbs of a rarer variety, ones that couldn't be procured in the prairie grass of Yellowstone. Treating coughs and colds was not nearly as thrilling as treating injuries, but precedent demanded she be stocked regardless. She'd never been good at following rules, preferring to only resign to the ones that suited her, but she had to be a good dog, now. No slip ups. Good.

She had a good thing, and she'd already sunken her teeth deep into it.

Shifting across the grassy terrain, she displayed an uncharacteristic gentle touch as she uprooted a small patch of seer's sage. She used her tongue to roll it into the spaces between her teeth, ever careful not to puncture its leaves. Perhaps this one was a little more for herself than the good of the pack, but when had she ever paused to weigh her priorities? She was greedy. Hungry. She'd take all that was put on the plate in front of her.

Impish and squirrely, she slipped through patch of bracken one after another, unsatisfied coming home with only... experimental material to show for her travels.

The sun glares down from overhead and Briar all but wilts beneath it. He had not paid much attention to his comings and goings from the Teekons. Well, it was more one long stretch after leaving the lowland desert, searching for greener pastures to winter within. Now he had returned to continue drifting aimlessly.

The flatlands were vaguely familiar. He relocated the springs, although it was far from the proper weather to enjoy a soak. Even the sulfurous odor seemed stronger beneath the heat, or perhaps he simply forgotten it. Moving away from the springs towards the sound of running water, Briar's nose twitched. Iron.

How curious. A wounded animal perhaps? His stomach growled eagerly at the thought of an easy meal. Head level with his chest, he set out into a determined trot. His own scent driving him forward.

Sooner the distant whisper of water grew into a roar. The ground opening up into an uneven chasm. Splitting the flat prairie land before him. Across the way, two-tone eyes landed upon a silver form as it scurried about, insect like, nose to the ground. Could there be animal burrows on their side?

Unaware that the stranger was the source of the blood smell, his voice lifted into a bark to hail her attention. What 're you hunting over there?

Startled, Envy scrambled in place for a moment before whipping her attention around to this interloper that sought to derail her task, tattered ears were perked up and pointed in his direction.

Not hunting! She'd exclaim through a mouth full of sage slicked with saliva, it was making the corners of her mouth tingle and a part of her simply could not wait to enjoy a night free from nagging machinations and all-consuming restlessness. Dropping the sage to the ground and protectively moving to stand over it, she raked her gaze down the redwood man that faced her, her chin raised slightly and her chest puffed with a confidence unmatching of her stature nor her state.

So if you wanted food, yer out of luck. I'm picking flowers. She says firmly, cocking her head to the side as she continued to study him.

His tone sounded friendly-like. Maybe he was just curious, and did not seek to assail her for one reason or another, but then again, she could not often tell. That sheltered part of her screamed to be on her guard while the rest was eager to absorb this stranger for all he was worth.

Lone wolves could be so unpredictable and it made her head hurt. Not often was intention painted so easily for all to see, and so she had to dig deeper.

...Sorry to disappoint. She'd soften her voice, no longer so accusatory, though he had given her quite a scare, albeit, much to her own fault for being so tunnel-visioned that she neglected her environs, but blame was never hers and so it was cast from thought without a moment to spare. Regardless, she was still holding onto it a little, evident in the narrowed slits of mahogany that she traced over him with.

You're hunting plants then. He quipped with a surprising amount of humor. He had not seen another face in so long; of course, that was due to his own wayward nature. Nonetheless, a wolf was a wolf.

And this wolf had a bit of an attitude. He raised a brow to the little she-wolf. The matter-of-fact manner in which she spoke pressing a razor's edge upon his good will. He had not said anything to offend her, had he?

There is a twitch of his ear as he pressed close to the edge of the ravine. The divide in the earth was not so wide here. He could see for himself what had her in a tizzy if he jumped over. He refrained from this action for now. They were still strangers, and that was a recipe to make an enemy.

So Briar waited on his side of the ravine. His gaze cast downwards a moment before lifting to her again. No need to apologize. Just smelled blood. The flowers you're picking have thorns or something?

'smelled blood. The flowers you're picking have thorns or something?' He says and this prompts Envy to check her paws, indeed basted in the colour of life. ..Ah. Didn't realize! No thorns, but I've been walkin' a lot lately. She mutters, licking some of the blood from her cracked pads and smears the rest on the grass.

S'pose you could call this hunting. Takes a sharper mind, more skill than jus' chasing somethin'. She totes pridefully, if only because it made her feel better about her lackluster hunting skills.

What's it to you, stranger? You from somewhere around here? She chirps, flicking a tattered ear invitingly. Leaning back to sit casually, she'd trade the earlier prickly-ness for a far more relaxed demeanour. He sounded friendly and maybe a little curious, and he stayed on his side, so she was naturally inclined to offer him a crumb of trust. Either way, she too found herself getting curious, and that was a feeling she caved to more often than not.

Company was invigorating, and she could never forgive herself if she denied the opportunity to indulge. So she'd pause her little herb-hunt, and idly prod at the seer's sage beneath her feet.

Walking alot? Briar was more than familiar with that story. His eyes briefly traveled down to his own paws, to the calloused pads and the bone deep ache within.

There's more to hunting than chasing something, although I think there's some overlap in skill between hunting and herb collecting. He muses, not intending to be contrarian.

Her tone lightens and there is an invitation to stay in how she relaxes. It is... nice. Talking to another was nice.

No, not from around here. Not from anywhere really, just a wanderer. His legs folded as he sat back on his haunches. Mirroring her own body language, he still refrains from crossing the gap. What about yourself?

m'from the plains, thataway. She vaguely gestures with her tail, and realizes she maybe shouldn't give her home location away with such ease. Ah well. He'd come face to face with the muscle of yellowstone, or perhaps the bison first. Let him try, if there was any foul intent. Out here pickin' up some stock. Can't find everything I need in one place, so I come round here now n' again.

Wandering with any goal in mind? Y'get kicked out or something? She asked with a snicker, though truth be told, she knew exactly what that sort of sting felt like, there was just.... less empathy, when it came to others.

There were no attempts to hide the idle drift of his gaze towards the plains she gestured to. He had no ill intentions after all.

Must not have a whole lot of shelter out there, he murmured with a twitch of his nose as the wind slightly shifted. Her scent now mingled with a drifting waft of pack scent. He noted the similarities within both, assuming her to be among their number.

This was further cemented into his mind when she inquired if had been 'kicked out.'

Tossed on his ass after having been turned into a pin cushion? No, note quite. Turned away for, well, his attitude? Maybe. Or maybe he was just not worth the effort.

Oh but she likely meant from where he was from, yes? His natal pack. A wry smile traced his lips.

No, not formally kicked out. Pushed to the side, but perhaps it was for the best. There's no one back home anymore. Not that it really felt like home. I just drift about nowadays. The lone wolf thing and all the unpleasantness that comes with it.

It is SO unpleasant. She echoes with a backwards toss of her head to accentuate the point. She never did spare the dramatics.

Perhaps it was for the best. How unreasonably angry that made her. She couldn't have known his origin, not with the certainty of anything aside from what he'd said so far, but that didn't stop her dismissal. There was something kindred in those words alone.

It probably was/i] for the best. She says with a scoff For you, that is. Better not to be shackled by people who don't value you, hmm?

Envy laid the crumbs of disdain, and looked at the man with raised brows. Are you content, just... drifting? I couldn't be. I don't like the kind of uncertainty that makes you feel like [i]you won't make it.

Because that uncertainty when it came to others was oh so riveting. For herself? It shattered that part of her that once felt untouchable. It was really a wonder she hadn't broken her body more—the silver tongue did help.

S'different for me now, anyways. Better. I am allowed to do as I please. She'd eye him sideway, one closed to truly scour his form, though clearly that wasn't her only priority. ...You're sitting on my plants. Scooch. She steps forward, confident enough now to prompt him to move with a shove of her muzzle into his side.

His words seemed to have resonated and she spared him no dramatics. His gaze dropped with a slightly shake of his head and an amused chuckle. She echoed some of his own thoughts, although there were days he wondered differently.

There aren't many differences to being back home compared to being on my own. My choices were mostly for myself either way. Two-toned eyes met with red. The uncertainty was the same, too. I'd like to think that I'm used to not knowing at this point in my life.

A solemn note that was. Briar allowed a pause before clarifying. Drifting is alright, but it does get lonely. Vulnerable, for a moment.

What Briar did not anticipate was when the small wolf crossed the gap. He was sitting on her plants? Was she hunting for grass too? A small smile pulled at the corner of his lips. If he had hand he would have raised them in surrender. He took a few paces back to allow her to sit. He glanced at the herbs she carried.

What kinda of plant you have there?