The Sunspire wind in the wilderness

storm brewing thread, anyone? set for early in the evening, say, just as the sun began to set

She flitted anxiously over the mountain landscapes, for it seemed that today her uneasiness reached a new height. She had already been secretly restless for many moons now, and in a way she tried to stifle when in the company of others in an effort to will it into passing.. because never did she see a reason, or a real explanation for it. Instead, she internalized it and devoted herself to the closest thing of usefulness, be it hunting or attentive patrol.

It had been humid and warm recently. Today was no exception, with the pressures shifting noticeably as a new gust of wind gained strength across the landscapes. She couldn't help but turn her sights towards the west, marveling at the view of the distantly brewing thunderheads -- they looked dangerous already and from here on her perch halfway up the mountain, she had a full view of it. Her furs rose to a defensive prickle. Maybe, this could be bad.

She loosed a low howl and with it came a vague warning to keep an eye on the skies and to let them know that they made her uneasy. Not one to raise the alarm without proof, she only wanted the mountain wolves to be mindful should this go south. But, she knew the unpredictability of weather well. It could look like a mighty tempest only to blow itself out before it came to them. Or, it may come fast and vicious, so much so that they wouldn't know what hit them. With night approaching, that could only make the storm more devious..

As a naturalist, her words should hold some merit, but frankly, she didn't believe they'd need her to tell her soon. She squinted off into the horizon, deciding to linger to keep an eye on this.

She breathed deep the balmy evening air, contemplative and with a furrow on her expression. Another wind came stronger than the last but overhead, here, the skies were just cloudy. Perhaps a calm before it all turned ugly... or nothing to even worry about. Time would tell.

I'm so sorry i got Jace kicked as Beta and that I have been absent. I've been so down in the dumps and fighting some health concerns. I haven't had the energy to do anything other than chat to a few people, and write my novels. :( How do you want to explain his not being beta anymore or his absence?

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Jace's ears laid back to his skull as the air grew restless. he wasn't sure what it was or what was going on, but there was something stirring. Jace had been absent largely lately, here at the mountain, but on his own. He didn't wish to bother anyone with his own internal wars. Tonight though he found himself strangely lonely and longing for something that was more than silence and his own company.



Jace heard the soft howl and rather than stay hidden, he headed straight towards Ame. He had a strange urge to be near her, because something was going on and he wasn't sure what it was. And if anyone would know it would be she. She maybe angry at him, she may lash out, but he hoped not.

<333333 x a lot yknow, hope all is well for ya (i've been writing that it's been quiet around here anyway, esp w/ the pack small and just that she hasn't seen much of jace myself -- we can roll with whatever really!)

She concentrated on the skies. The winds gusted and reeked of storm. They ruffled her fur, sometimes rather viciously, but she remained where the sights were clear. This would not be enough to drive her to cover.. not yet, anyway, and in a way, she liked this --the energy of nature gathering for something mighty. She hoped it would be something worth seeing.

Thanks to these winds, she managed to scent him first. Hearing him came soon after, and only once she knew he was in full view did she look away from the skies. For him, she turned to face him, feeling a bit stormy herself.

He had been scarce, it seemed. Withdrawn, she'd noticed, and worsening after Vienna's leave. Not that she was much different in her perpetually distracted way of going through her motions, trying to do so much with little and feeling the wear of the solitude. Anyway, this wasn't far from his normal, of course.. but she lingered on the causes, the effects, and otherwise, then rumbled a low greeting for him.

Torn, because she was glad to see him, she was also somber. It kept her regarding him neutrally, perhaps coolly, but her eyes were bright and eager to take him in. All the while, she felt wholly conflicted in how to proceed and considered it quickly. He had been suffering, somehow, and she knew it. She had guessed his solitude had been as a result. But.. she could not know how to help him with this (short of literally beating it out of him?), and there was always the fleeting, distant chance that eventually he'd fade away too -- leave the mountain, or vanish otherwise, like several had done recently already.

She arced her tail and distant thunder pulled her ears that way, then her sights followed for a glance. Jace was the only one to answer her call in any way, and she hoped it reached the appropriate ears down the slopes. At least with the pack small, she had fewer to concern herself with. But, and with a renewed stare at Jace, she knew it wasn't going to be simple.

Jace lifted his gaze, but quickly averted his eyes. He knew he had been scarce, he had done his duties though. Making sure everything was taken care of that needed it .Filling caches patrolling borders. He had just kept ot himself, he realized quickly now was not the time to do so and with a soft chuff he moved closer and looked out over the stormy land.

Will this do much damage do you think Ame? He studied it lifting his muzzle and sniffing, while the rain battered his fur making it lay heavy on his skin. It was refreshing but also a little bit scary and he wasn't sure exactly how to take it. He studied it again and then returned his gaze to Ame, hoping she woudl answer him. He owed her an apology and he needed to do better. He had been an awful friend and pack mate lately. So small he had stepped down from leadership again, but not because he felt he was inadequate, but because there were so few. They actually really didn't need two leaders and he could fill the ranks that were failing.

She skies rumbled, deep and distant and swirled into a deepening gray that grew uglier by the moment. The rain picked itself up, squinting her eyes against the wet. Outwardly, she was quiet and pensive but watched him from the corner of her eye when he moved closer. She only wished there was the appropriate thing to say, so for now, much of it simply went unsaid.

"It might," she answered readily, frowning at the horizon. "We will have an impressive view.. if it does." Amekaze exhaled. The destruction a storm could bring may be a once in a lifetime happening, after all. Shelter wasn't far for her, so if it began to get too intense, she could hide away after just a handful of strides. But, for as long as she could, she was interested in watching the events unfold. "The worst of it looks north.. for now," she added with a sidelong look his way. This, of course, could always change without much warning.

Jace studied the skies. They were loud and fearsome and their color was strange. He tilted his ears back, pushing them tight to his head and he lowered his head so the rain didn't get into his eyes too badly. He sniffed, the rain smelled good thought that was at least.


It's beautiful but dangerous. I like that. That was all he said on it for the moment. And it was beautiful the way the rain slanted and the sky swirled. The lighting that lit up the sky and the trees bring light to the otherwise dark area. If it does come there are always many places to hide here on the mountain. High ground and all that.

"I do too," she answered. One of the biggest appeals of appreciating weather came in their power, fury, and unpredictability. Everything about them was entirely out of her control and all things were at their mercy. This always struck her with a sense of marvel -- how much danger they could conjure out of just the atmosphere. Impressive.

She nodded. "Part of why I like them," she smirked knowingly. A mountain's view was unparalleled, and storms were no different. She could see almost everything while still remaining hidden away on their slopes. Protection was never far here and she felt secure. "It looks like a very charged storm -- so we will need to look out for lightning strikes here, though." She suspected when thinking of their elevation paired with the electric show of the storm so far. That, wind damage, flooding, and mudslides could all result. And that was only the beginning.

Jace didn't know about the fury part. He just thought the colors were beautiful and the sound though loud, was not discomforting, it was rather a comfort. It was also a wonder, that something so much larger than them could be that dangerous, especially if it were just loud noise, bright lights, and water.

Can they start a fire? I have never seen one, but my father told me of them. He looked around at the broken branches, the frayed wood. It could be disastrous for them if their mountain caught fire. Would they make it down quick enough?

She considered his question briefly. Her experience with fire came only secondhand. She had been lucky in that regard -- although she had been curious. Her mother had known of a burning forest once, and so, Amekaze had gleaned most of her information of them from her. "They can.." for nature could do just about whatever it pleased. "Mainly if they strike somewhere dry.." She'd heard tell of whole forests being scorched just from one strike. If the right places caught flame, it could spell disaster. "I would hope that our forests are damp enough to keep it minimal if it were to happen here, it has been a rainy summer and there is not a lot of old, dried up wood around," at least not compared to some forests she had known, but that did not mean they were entirely safe. "I have never seen one either." The rain picked up then, and the wind gusted. She squinting, wondering if it was about time to move to somewhere more sheltered.

Jace too had been lucky of only learning secondhand the nature of fires. His father told him of the horrors of the fires. The heat and the blisters and the death. He shuddered to think of them, glad that it was damp here. He listened to Amekaze's words and nodded his head along with her. He had momentarily forgot in his wonder and fear of the fire that there was more dampness up this high, colder as well. That is true I did not think of that. I suppose the slightly higher elevations and the cold air would make it difficult as well. he shrugged sheepishly.

She frowned thoughtfully. "All factors that make it less likely.. but there is no guarantee it will not happen," she murmured. While unlikely, nature was far too unpredictable so she would not bank on the odds it wouldn't just yet. She would have to see it out. "We should head for shelter," she said with a deep exhale. The winds gusted and lightning cracked closer than it had so far. She turned, heading for cover and hoping this would pass quickly without dire incident to their mountainside.