Sawtooth Spire glazed eyes, empty hearts

Seeking one adult member for the discovery of:

Talliktok Lake (Hidden Lake): Kurdjuark River has poured against stone for so long that some of the stone eroded for it, undercutting into an already made cave. The river spills into that mouth (looking like a waterfall from beneath) forming a well-hidden lake with few fish that have lost their way spilled into it. The water is chest-deep, and where that water goes to keep it this level is undiscovered... But within the cave itself, glow-worms take residence. During nighttime, they can be seen, lighting the cave up and causing the surrounding walls to look like a star filled night sky.

Their trading off and sharing the responsibility of watching the pups was working out wonderfully. Between Tonravik and himself, adding a third wolf to the rotation in the form of Aariak was a beyond brilliant idea that kept each adult content to adult as they saw best fit before surrendering their freedom temporarily to entertain the kids. They were... busy and amusing. He filled as much of his time as possible with them, but it dawned upon him during one of their little field trips that he didn't know enough about this place to keep entertaining them for much longer. He was running out of new places to visit with them.

It was much to his delight that the river running through their packlands served as a sort of highway that guided a wolf's path to and fro to different places within their land. He followed along it, letting the long river lead him to wherever it may. When the river forked, he hopped across it thanks to a series of stepping stones, and continued along his way. This territory was vast, he realized, when the river continued and eventually spilled out into a cave? Did it really run into the mountain?

Curious, he was eager to explore, but he did not wish to enter into a dark hole unaccompanied. He had too much to risk getting lost in their or going missing without any wolf knowing. He'd need a companion if he were to explore this watery cavern more completely. Decided, Iqniq lifted his howl and asked for one of their own to join him on this aquatic adventure.

*slinks in bc this is my fav territory heavy breathes*

The howl alerted Tonravik that her mate had perhaps found something interesting. She herself had been resuming her gamekeeping, scouting out herds and tracking them. The bison herd had not moved, and at present, she was on the strong trail of elk. The scat was recent, and they moved inward. Likely to one of the territories small, undiscovered valleys or meadows. There was much to learn about this place... but her mate had found something where he stood, and she was on the cusp of it. She would return here, she decided, another time. Tonravik did not fear them leaving the place that provided so much (from what she had observed so far).

While she intended to return to her cubs before doing anything else with her day, she didn't see the harm in joining her mate for an excursion. They had spent very little time one-on-one, given the demands of the cubs and her own need to acclimate with the pack as a whole again.

She threw her head up and howled herself. She was not too far from him that she would take long in her arrival. Tonravik picked her way through the path-yet-traveled, maneuvering easily enough through the terrain decorated in silver and green. She followed the Kurdjuark River and moved over the same stones he had. Tonravik paused upon one, looking into the water to see if she could scout any fish from here... and as fortune would have it, she could. But they seemed to flow only in one direction, with the odd, weak swimmer falling into the opposite end of the fork.

Sniffing at the earth, she followed his trail. And in due time, she arrived before him, looking at the very same thing he did. The power of the water was admirable... relentless, even, as it cut through the rock as it had. But, most of the stable rock it cut through was in one piece and untouched at all by the water. That in itself was something of a bridge, dry and safe. Tonravik moved alongside her mate, nosing him, before her gaze panned back to the rock-bridge.

Haha. I had no idea, but I love it too! Yay, impromptu date night. Also, I'll let you take the reigns on exploring this one so it better matches your mental image of the place. :]

He wasn't sure who would reply to his summons, but Tonravik was quick about it. Her voice rang up, which told him Aariak was guarding the den and also informed him he was about to get a little quality time with his mate. He realized then that there'd been a considerable amount of time between this opportunity and their previous snatches at time together. They'd traveled across these giant wilds and he'd spent most of that time scouting ahead. She'd given birth quickly there after and isolated herself to the den as was necessary. Now that the pups were free to roam a bit, they too had time to rediscover who they were together.

His gaze drifted, admiring the quaint waterfall and the way the water cut through the rock. It was a magnificent sight to see, really. There were so many tiny little details to this place that were absolutely fascinating. One day, he'd have crawled every inch of this land, but he hoped even after he'd discovered it all, that he'd never lose the fascination he had with this place. Life was simply better when one could keep the magic alive.

It didn't take too much longer for her to join him. She padded into view and he nudged her with rough affection as she nosed him back. His eyes followed her gaze towards the rock-bridge. Curious of it, he pressed forward, testing the safeness of it and found that it was solid underfoot. He chuffed to her. They could explore this area together.

Woohoo to all the things!

Tonravik was more than eager to learn the place now that she could. Even once the cubs had been born, the pack kept close to the whelping den themselves... but now, the whole of them could explore and memorize this place as they had once known the Spine. While she was not attached to beauty, she was attached to use and resources to be had... as she watched a fish flop wildly in the air, thrown from the pouring rivers churning water, she knew they had more than just a place to take a dip and drink. Both which were great... but, Tonravik did enjoy fish. Those of the ocean were her favorite, but she had come to appreciate those that came from elsewhere.

As her mate chuffed to her, Tonravik followed him, moving onto the bridge. As he had figured out, she too realized it was sturdy and safe to stand upon. She moved to the edge, peering over it. As her gaze panned across the area, she could see that this was an area heavily protected by a thick forest beside it. She stood over a sheer drop into water (which, if she moved to the left, it did not seem too much of a drop to the earth), and then, the cool waters themselves that rippled surprisingly little for the waters that poured into it. At least, at their edges. It looked something like a private getaway spot, hidden and secluded as it was. She looked to the forest—it appeared deciduous—and knew that of the options that presented themselves, entering via forest seemed the safest bet. But also, it would add time.

Her tail waved at the find, even still. A hidden lake. She turned to peer at her mate and gestured to her side so he could get a load of the view himself before they evaluated the proper way down. Her gaze glanced back to the drop near the earth... it would be easy enough to get down for the two of them, given their stature, but no doubt they'd have to head out through the forest. If they were mountain goats, it would be too easy to get in and out of the area. As it was, they were not cloven-hoofed, horned beasts.

The top of the bridge was mostly granite, but overgrown with a soft moss. It felt... fuzzy beneath his feet as he nosed through the tender green then turned his eyes overhead. Plenty of forest. This place felt secluded, save for the way the river poured into the top of this place and disappeared into a hole. As Tonravik explored the opening, he too moved, standing aside her near the fount that waterfalled into the darkness below.

The opening was wide enough for each of them to fit through one by one. As they were both broad wolves, leaping through together was not enough, and in this exploration, it was not something he wished to risk until he knew where the water landed below. Still... the river continued to flow in another direction which seemed to suggest it continued somewhere...

They moved along with the natural flow of water until their little cavern came to overlook the rest of the river. His paws turned, walking along the edge of the ledge until he reached the drop-off point which would descend them down towards the lower half of the river. He glanced to her and decided to risk the slope. He bouldered over it. Juggling his weight between the rocks as he moved closer to the bottom. He turned to look back at her, but his gaze never got quite that high. His attention was lost to the cave and the quaint lagoon that churned within it.

Iqniq barked to her, eager to explore the shadows of the open, watery cave.

Tonravik sniffed at the whole unexplored area. With nothing threatening looming in the immediate vicinity, she felt comfortable in doing what they would here. Her ears followed the movement of her mate, but it was only when she heard a heavy thud that she turned to see he was out of sight. She was quick to move to the edge in an anxious bound, and there he was, alive and well. She exhaled heavily, unknowingly holding her breath and swallowing her anxious whine. Relief came from her in waves... and Tonravik's eyes flit over him. He was safe.

So she followed suit, muscles rippling in her furs before she jumped downward to meet him. Her feet touched the earth, and her body felt the impact she had braced herself for. Her eyes themselves now could see the lagoon, and the sweet scent of freshwater hit her nose. Tonravik slid to his side, noting that very fish she had seen in the river floundering in the shallow waters deep enough for it to swim. She took another step forward, and within the rock walls came the river pouring through the open rock it had eroded through, making a waterfall. It did not look to be a terribly strong force as it came down... and so Tonravik entered the waters, deciding that the feel of that very river over her shoulders might not be a bad feeling at all. She glanced back to her mate, inviting him to join her with a roll of her shoulder, implying there looked to be room for two.

The water was lovely. The clear blue of the area was something all kinds of surreal. He imagined this would be quite the hotspot come summer, but with autumn rolling in and winter fast on its heels, the opportunity to enjoy such a place was slowly coming to a close. It would be curious to see what this place looked like in the winter. But for now? With the heat of summer still swirling through the air? He could enjoy this end-of-summer retreat.

Tonravik joined him down below before slipping into the waters. She moved as if to invite him in and Iqniq found himself eager to enjoy the water, though not in quite the same way. He disappeared into the depths of the forest and re-emerged upon top of the cave where they'd been exploring before. He yipped at her to catch her attention before he backed away from the edge and disappeared from view of her lower vantage point.

He backed up upon the rock and leapt through the opening in the cave's top. He curled his paws beneath him and landed in the center of the cave. A wolven cannon ball. The waves from his splash swirled around the edges of cavern walls as he surfaced and doggy paddled towards her. In doing so, he realized the water was shallow enough to touch. He stood, shoulder deep and walked towards her with the current. His nose turned into her shoulder, encouraging her to try jumping into the water from the same height.

He took her up on the offer, but certainly not in the way she expected him to. Again she looked behind her, and he was absent... Tonravik had enough time to step out of the water and sniff into the viridian forest behind the crystal clear waters, beyond the peculiar dirt path that was the only unremarkable thing this territory held. Even from here, the rock above was too high to see her mate there... 

But she heard him. Tonravik turned around and watched as he jumped, moving in the way the fish had, but with intention. Tonravik turned to dash within the waters, disturbing the peace and tranquility of the place herself. He came towards her and she battled the shallow water as she might snow, and as he sought to nose her shoulder, his mate sought to draw her forelegs around him and gnaw harmlessly at the top of his head. If her maneuver was successful, he would nose her soaked chest instead of her shoulder. 

She looked above him at the chasm from where the water spilled. Considered his playful suggestion... And also considered her still swollen belly. The idea seemed painful, but the following week, the pain would be a memory. Already she was curbing her babes from gnawing at her tears again as their baby teeth came to full bloom... 

Instead she jumped to the side, and withdrew to sweep her muzzle into the water, creating a wave and a splash that headed right for him.

He surfaced from the water and padded towards her. He tossed his head, flinging the water from his fur as he tromped through the waves and sought to bury his nose in her shoulder. She caught him, lifting her limbs in a makeshift bear hug of sorts and his nose found her chest instead. He wiggled within her grasp, rising on to his hind paws to return the wrapping of the paws and wrestle out from underneath her as she assaulted his ears with his teeth.

At his suggestion, their playing paused. She glanced towards the skylight, but did not pursue it. Maybe another time. He'd not considered her post-partum physique or any of its effects. Male, and oblivious to the continual effects their children had on her body, it wasn't a thought that cross through his head. Nevertheless, he was caught right back in another round of play as she swept her muzzle across the water and showered him with another wave.

He took a deep breath and ducked, tucking beneath the wall of water as he swam within the shallows. No doubt, his reddish fur, turned brown from the water left him visible as he neared her, nibbled at her toes, then tucked away beneath the water to resurface elsewhere. He regained his breath before sucking in a bit of water and squirting it out like a fountain in her direction.

Tonravik watched as he ducked beneath the water. Her bulk was too much to shuffle away with any measure of swiftness, and besides that, she had never been the sort to run away. She moved toward him, and beneath the waters she felt his fangs upon her feet in a matter that did not promise pain. Tonravik looked at the red fish and watched as he moved away. What could she do to come back at him? He was soaked to the bone; only she was vulnerable to water, now. 

He capitalized on this as he spewed it at her, and she wrinkled her muzzle. Tonravik herself moved somewhat deeper, squatting to soak herself entirely before lurching toward him. He was not so far as before, but far enough to escape her "wrath" if he so desired to. Tonravik again sought to wrap her forelegs around him and capture him there, to gnaw at whatever was closest to her with a roughness that she could not administer to their cubs, and a unique sort of affection meant solely for him. It was her own brand, but by now, he would know it well.

His attempt at nibbling her toes proved successful. He surfaced and squirted her with a fount of water from his lips. She was unamused. The expression that fell upon her face spoke as much, though it was one that seemed to perpetually live upon her face so it was hard to tell if the sentiment were natural or as a result of his playful teasing. Either way, he surfaced and gave his head a mighty shake so all the water from his fur would fling in every which direction.

Iqniq was a creature of fire, certainly. His eyes and pelt and spirit were aflame with life. The fondness he had for water was almost a contradiction of his being, but within it he felt alive and free. In this instance, he was simply feeling frisky.

He did not move when Tonravik leapt for him. She wrapped him in those giant limbs of hers and began to roughhouse him as she did. He returned her nips, bites, and nudges with equal vigor of his own as he moved within the water to return her violent embrace and match her parry for parry. He was learning slowly that this was her form of affection. It was just as unique a thing as she was and since they'd not had much time alone together since the kids he welcomed the biting kisses of her teeth.

Her own version of savage love did not keep him from his gentler forms. When he was not trying to steal her ears between his teeth, he planted daring kisses upon her cheeks and teased her whiskers between his lips. To any outsider, they might have appeared to be locked in some sort of watery spar, but this was them. Exclusively them.

He was fire, she was ice. They were a peculiar match, one not many would have guessed at, but one that functioned well. He was perhaps one of the few people that could provoke any thought in her at all. And she perhaps one of the few that could make him fuel his fire faster, creating the ambition in him that brought him to her side. He was independently a good leader; together, they made a great team.

As they aggressively canoodled one another via bites, snarls, and the like, Tonravik would pause as he administered more gentle tactics and would nuzzle into it. Once, she tried to reciprocate the gentleness, but it was still quite rough despite that. His kisses upon her cheeks were responded in kind, but then a gentle nip toward the nose. Tonravik was still upon her hinds and paused to rest her soaked chin atop his crown, the sound of their splashing no longer heard... only the pouring of the water from the mouth above them into the waters they stood. Another fish flipped through the air to join them.

This form of affection had escaped them over the past couple of months. Having her in his presence now only rekindled his spirits towards her. While he still wished to know her mind as intimately as he knew her teeth and rough love, he took what snippets of her he could find and cherished them. Strange the distance they'd traveled from where they had first known each other to where they now were.

She stilled. He paused beneath her as the flat of his crown served as a pillow for her muzzle. His eyes glanced upwards, looking to her before a fish leapt through the water and plopped down beside him. He was painfully reminded of his inability to fish as his instinct thought to chase it, but his better sense refused to move him from their embrace. The again. That fish had broken their otherwise playful trance and reality fell heavy upon his shoulders... perhaps heavier than the weight of his mate he now supported in this water.

He woofed lightly. They'd found this place. They'd found the temperate warm waters and enjoyed their reprieve. Now? Now it was time they started heading back.

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