hunger and the need to rest

@Saena maybe?

The tail hadn't sustained the male for long, and though the female had left a bright red trail for him to follow, Dapper hadn't the energy to go after her right then. By the time his strength had been restored, the warming temperatures had melted both snow and blood away— essentially erasing her from existence. He would find her however, and whether it was to consume her or ravage her in other ways (if it happened to be after his strength returned), Dapper was convinced that she belonged to him.

He made do on small game and scavenged corpses— it mattered little to him, for it was sustenance, regardless of what it had been in life. Dapper was still hungry, always hungry, but he could feel his strength and stamina returning bit by bit. It would be months before he was back to a healthy weight, but he was at least restoring some of his woefully inadequate fat and muscle.

Directionless, only motivated by hunger and the need to rest, he found himself in a territory blessed with hot springs; against the cold of winter, steam covered the area, creating the illusion of fog. He settled down to rest, the heat soothing his aching muscles.

Ok this actually fits into her timeline >> though depending on what happens I may have to edit that other thread it started lols... Or set it after

She'd left the Sunspire in search of Summer as well as training, but elected to bring no one along. She was finally feeling back to her old self, a fact that was perpetuated by the lack of any trouble so far into her journey. Even when she'd gone by the place where her attack had happened, nothing.

No sign of Summer, though. Something that could be both good and bad.

Her travels took her to the hot springs that she had visited so many times. She had already gone south, so the Plateau was her next stop. She hoped perhaps Summer would be found there. She knew this was where Ty came from and who they had a relatively good relationship with.

A small sidetrack wouldn't hurt beforehand, though. She loved the springs, her naturalist side always in awe. As their heat warmed her she made her way between the pools, gazing idly in each.

after it is!

He dozed as the heat of the springs seemed to absorb into his skin, his muscle, his bone. The meals he had scavenged had cut some of the hunger pains that lanced through his innards from time to time, and the exhaustion of his constant movement was catching up with him. As his body did what it could with the nutrients he had managed to find, it needed to rest— and so the male did not fight the urge to sleep. It was perhaps dangerous, for he might never wake, or another wolf might take advantage of his prone state and take the fight out of him... but if he did not rest, he was similarly at risk. And Dapper, though desperate, was also tenacious. He would not give in to the blackness of death, at least not yet.

His exhaustion was so great that he remained unaware of the stranger that wandered from pool to pool nearby.

As chances would have it, though he did not see her, her path inadvertently led right by where he lay. At first she did not recognize the shape to be one of her own kind, but as she warily approached, she saw that it was in fact a wolf, one in way worse shape than she had been, even at the height of her injured fever. His bones stood out sharply and only the rise and fall of his breath showed that life still was present.

Tentatively she approached, stopping a short distance away. Though she did not like to disturb him, she felt perhaps she could help the sorry creature. "Hey. Are you alright?"

Her paw steps roused him as they drew near, stopping abruptly some distance away. Dapper's grey eyes slowly opened from his dozing state, head lifting to get a better look at her— his exhaustion perhaps extinguishing any fire he might have felt in response to the interruption. She seemed to be about his age; healthy and supple where he was starved and thin. He rose slowly, then, a disarming grin spreading across his features as he did.

"My," he rumbled gently, "aren't you a pretty sight to wake to?"

edit: In interest of moving Vienna forward, I'm gonna assume he will attack and she will run? If that's off base though then that is fine! I can always say she met my dog character as well :)

Completely unaware of whatever intentions may, or may not, lie behind the smile, Vienna responded to it like the sun coming out. A similar expression graced her own visage and her eyes lit up. She'd expected a less welcoming... well, welcome, disturbing him like that. "Flattery, my favorite," she responded with a laugh clearly witheld behind the words. He was charming for a half-starved creature.

Taking a few steps closer, she cocked her head. "I'd say the same to you, but one: I'm not waking up and two: you don't look all that well. Anything I can do?" If she could track him down something she would, but this wasn't exactly a prime hunting spot he'd picked to crash either.

I apologize for taking so long on this— I know you were counting on an interesting development. Maybe he can still give her a good scare/set her creep detector off?

He inhaled sharply, drawing close— tasting her scent, edging closer than what might have been considered polite. Dapper licked the corners of his mouth, an attempt to hide the saliva that gathered there; perhaps she would mistake it for nervousness. "I am quite hungry," he almost purred, drawing himself higher— as if doing so would revive the charm that had led a younger version of himself to believe that he could ever strike out on his own. The other female would be his queen— still he hunted her— but this delicate flower could whet his appetite.

Moving closer still, thrusting his snout against her cheek and down toward her ear, Dapper's grey eyes flickered to catch hers. "Dining upon you would do wonders for these bones," he whispered seductively, though she would have no idea how literally he meant it.

No worries! :) I am pretty flexible with her stuff in particular since she travels so much!

He got close real quick and Vienna sidled backwards, now uncertain.  He'd looked as though he could use help, but now his tone sent shivers down her spine.  Hungry she could do something about, though...

Ooor not.  When the next words left her mouth she jerked, the hunger (she thought) he spoke of completely taking her by surprise.  "Woah, no, sorry there buddy... I'm afraid I'm well spoken for."  She took a few more steps back.  "I could try to hunt you down something, but there's no way your getting that out of me, no thank you."  Her ears were now flat, and she was inches from flight, but still she hesitated.  It would only take one small tip of the balance to send her sailing homeward, but the part of her that naively believed in the good of strangers kept her there a bit longer.

That instantly changed, though, when the stranger started for her.  The instinct for flight kicked in and she let it carry her into a sprint, not slowing until she was well away from the sorry creature and his creepy stare.