Totoka River Undone - The Sweater Song

Rob sighed, something that he and his father did many times a day, but that neither was aware of. It wasn't sadness or frustration, just an emptying of air. Over the years, wolves had asked if everything was "okay", and they always came back with an "of course, why wouldn't it be?" of some sort.

Wandering was another thing Rob acquired from his father. He was now passing through the trees so close to Kisu's home. He watched from the corner of his eye, but no one came.

Soon, he was at the river just past the forest. The honey brown wolf continued on and he stopped to sit at the edge of grass and sand, not wanting to get the gritty substance stuck in his fur for weeks on end.

Robur Aqua sighed again, this time while wondering what he was doing here.

I hope it's okay to jump in here...it didn't say whether it was private or all welcome. If not i can easily get my reply deleted.

Thistle Cloud walked from her own pack territory and began her trek towards the outskirts of the land. She was itching to explore and today was as good a day as any to do so. As she walked she happened to notice a lone male sitting at the edge of a river and her ears happened to catch his sigh.

She stepped faster and chuffed softly to gather his attention so as to not startle him and smiled as she kept her body language neutral here on neutral ground. "Hi there i'm Thistle Cloud of Horizon Ridge how are you today?

He was still a bit startled, but slowly turned his head toward the female. He had never seen or smelled the scent of this wolf before. Thistle Cloud was a strange name. He shrugged. "Hello, Thistle; I'm Rob. From the plateau." He wasn't really in a mood to talk, but he spoke anyway. He wasn't that much of a dick to ignore someone when they were obviously being friendly.

"Would you like to join me?" His old habits flared, a charming voice coaxing the female to come near.

Thistle smiled, "Hello Rob from the plateau. My Gamma has family in the plateau, are you one of them? She was merely curious and stopped a little ways from him unsure of what else to say at the moment. It was always awkward meeting strangers and she had to admit since the night in the forest with the other wolf in her pack, she was a little more wary of strangers, not fearful just wary.

She smiled at his charming tone, it made her think of her brothers. She stepped closer and sat down near curling her tail around herself. "Gladly Thank you. What brings you out to Horizon Ridge?

He shook his head at her question, not knowing who she was talking about. If he had known it was Pied, he was not sure if he would have said anything, either. Obviously, his father had not spoken of his son to anyone. Good. It's better that way, Rob thought sourly.

When she sat near him, Rob had the urge to move closer. It had been a long time (what he thought) since he had had the company of a female. "I just followed the river until I ended up here on the beach. You joining me was an unexpected, yet enjoyable, surprise." Yep, he was laying it on heavy.

Thistle Cloud tilted her head as he shook his head. She saw a small micro movement of distaste but it soon left and she figured she just imagined it. If he had told her his father lived in the Ridge she would have had no idea who he meant, having not met any of the males of the pack other than the leader when she was accepted as of yet.

Thistle Cloud though she did not know this wolf was used to female company, she in truth was not use to any male company other than her brothers and father. She had lived a sheltered yet good life with them. She smiled, "I am glad that it was an enjoyable surprise. That's how surprises should be shouldn't they. I've never been brave enough to just follow a river and see where it ends..the bravest I was, was when i came here. Have you lived around here long?

ooc: swear word ahead. sorry about Rob's thoughts :p

The butterscotch female seemed naive, but in an innocent way. He decided to back off and calm his dick down. He relaxed his body, letting his chest fall slightly. Trying to impress females was a lot of work.

"Yes," he replied gently. "that is how surprises should be. I have been over on the plateau for a few months. How long have you been at the Ridge? I am sure you could be daring again, if you set your mind to it." He wondered what it was like living in the area. Rob never envied beach life. He enjoyed forests and the adventures they presented much more.

Lol sometimes swear words add a depth to a conversation.

Thistle being the naive female that she was didn't even notice when the male's chest fell and he backed up a little bit. Truth be told she would not have known what to do or say if had started to sweet talk or anything else. It was an experience she had never been in.

When Rob spoke of surprises, it seemed to her that perhaps there was a slight wistfulness to his tone, or perhaps like so many other times she was misinterpreting a situation or tone. "Oh I have only been here for a few weeks. I don't know, I have come to realize i don't have much of what is it my father called it ah yes Grit. I am more of a homebody i suppose though i am a very curious wolf and my mother said that will get me in trouble, but i don't know if that would be considered daring. Do you explore often Rob?

Rob listened to her words while staring out at the ocean, looking at her when she started her last sentences. "Being curious and imaginative are the two most daring things of all," he said, feeling that this was the world's one and only truth.

He shrugged at her question. "I used to travel all of the time, but now I don't stray far from the plateau. Especially in this direction." He hesitated a moment. "My... father lives here. With his new mate. We aren't on good terms." Goldenrod eyes looked away as he said this in a quiet voice.

She smiled at him, "Well then I guess I am more daring than I thought." Thistle Cloud wondered what weighed so heavily on the other's mind that he was barely there in the reality of the moment, not that she minded. That was fine with her, sometimes there were just some things you had to work through and you needed to do it.

Thistle Cloud tilted her head "I am sorry that you are not on good terms, my parents were my best friends. I do not know the males of this territory yet I am afraid the only one i have met has been a female named Pied and the leader of course. She didn't know who his father might be, she did not eve know if she could pick out the names that Pied had given her when they had first met though she did remember her mates name Kisu she believed it was, but she did not think PIed was old enough to be the one in front of her's mother and wouldn't her mate be young as well perhaps?

Rob sighed. "Well, that's her. And she's mated to my father." He didn't know what else to say. He had come to the beach to get away from these thoughts, but now he wondered if he should just tackle them head-on since they didn't seem to be going away anytime soon.

He glanced sideways at the buttery female, then moved his head to look at her. "What is Pied like?" He asked, for he didn't know his "step-mother" very well, and he doubted that she would ever like him.

Thistle Cloud hoped that she had not upset him in some way. He probably came this way to get away from thoughts of things that bothered him and it seemed that his family, was one of those thoughts.

Thistle Cloud smiled softly and spoke to him "Pied is young of course I think she is only a few weeks older than me and I am not yet 2, but that is of no consequence. I say that she may be a little bit naive about some things like all of us that are young, but she is very very kind. She even has a slight teasing nature to her, she was very accepting of me when i joined and she even held a long conversation with me about different things, that made me feel very welcome. However, I also get the idea that she does not like any cruel words or injustices. She seems also very family oriented. She hoped that that was enough for him, she could think of more, granted though she had only met the sweet she-wolf once or twice.

Rob frowned more and more throughout the words that Thistle Cloud spoke. Pied was younger than he was. He wanted to throw up. How could his father want to be with such a young and naive female? She hadn't been kind to him, hell, she seemed to resent his very existence. He was a reminder to her that his father had a life before her, and Rob smugly thought that he would bet anything on that fact.

After a long moment of silence, Rob spoke. "Well, Thistle Cloud, thank you for keeping me company; I should be getting back home now. Maybe I will return soon to hold conversation with you again." Rob gave her a weak smile before turning and slowly making the trek back to the plateau.

Thistle cloud nodded her head a small frown around her lips. She hoped she hadn't upset him. "Okay goodby Rob and I hope to see you again. Perhaps one day i may even wander your way. She watched him go a slight frown still around her mouth and eyes, how hard it must be to carry such sadness. She shifted her weight and finding she no longer wanted to explore turned back towards her own home.