Big Salmon Lake but my hands have been broken so many times

AW!

She knew of the lake here, and without wanting to waste her energy scouting other areas around the Forest, the black and white Frostfur had decided to take the journey as the morning light had hit the tops of the trees. She had given a quick call to her pack mates, notifying them of her brief absence, and during her trip had so desperately hoped she would come upon even a single deer.

Of course, there had been nothing.

The lands remained in barren devastation, and only when she skirted upon the edges of the lake did she begin to slow. Her heart beat rapidly in her chest as her petite form became wracked with fatigue. Hunger gnawed at her stomach, but she remained focused for now – her eyes gleaming as they took in the gentle waters. She hoped for fish – though she wasn’t much of a fisher herself.

Tipping her muzzle down, the girl waited, poised above the surface, the black of her fur shining in the sun. She was not leaving without a meal to take home – and perhaps even one for herself.

The fireflies had already taken their rest when Faolan trotted across the glen, waiting for night to fall again so they could light the air as they always did. He had spent some time meandering through the forest before setting off across the fields, wanting to explore more of this territory and taking care not to stray over another pack's boundaries.

At the edge of the glen was a lake, fueled by a three-pronged stream. Compared to the barren tones of the land around, the sky-reflecting lake was clear and looked wonderful, and Faolan wondered how many fish resided under the surface. He was just about to run and poke his nose in the water when he noticed another wolf at the shore, waiting for prey.

He walked carefully around so that he was perpendicular to her still form and gazed at her, sitting down, his breathing coming slightly fast. She was an unfamiliar face to Faolan, but she had the look of Scimitar--a relation, perhaps? With a small smile, he decided not to disturb her in her efforts and watched on, black head slightly cocked to the side, front paws neatly placed side-by-side in front of him.

So determined with the task she had taken upon herself, the black and white she-wolf did not notice the wolf as he came from behind. Her gaze remained riveted upon the gentle waters, pleading quietly to whatever forces above might have been able to send something her way.

But nothing came yet, and as the moment ticked past, the Neverwinter wolf released a soft sigh. She shifted slightly then, a glare forming upon her delicate features before she glanced sharply up, if only to stretch her muscles slightly. It was then the scent of the other drifted to her nose, and jerking her muzzle back, she noted the dark wolf not far from her. “Oh!” Startled, she took a step further in to the lake, stirring the water and causing ripples across the surface. “Oh, dammit,” she muttered then, her ears gliding back to her skull as she cast a look of regret at the disturbed waters. Any fish that might have come out and surely gone back in hiding for the moment.

A flush of embarassment overcame him as he realized he had startled the sleek female and disturbed her hunt. That had definitely not been his intention.

"Oh lord, I'm so sorry," Faolán stammered, padding up to the female, his face apologetic. "I stayed back so as to not bother you while fishing. I didn't mean to startle you."

He looked down into the water, where the fish were still swimming about frantically, disturbed by her sudden movement. Then he looked back up at the wolf, orange eyes into blue. "If it makes you feel a little bit better, I hear fish have short memories," he said with a sheepish smile. "They'll be back in no time."

While her eyes traced the waters, she felt a surge of sheepishness creep in to her cheeks – how was it she was always embarrassing herself? One ear flickered to the sound of the male’s voice, and looking up once more as he offered an apology, she shifted her weight then to face the stranger as he closed the distance between them. “It’s fine – really!” She was quick to console him, it would seem, her bright aqua eyes glinting with light recognition as the dark wolf’s scent came to her – Neverwinter.
 
“I’m easily startled, I guess,” she offered, allowing a small smile to pull at her lips before tipping her muzzle slightly to the side. She gave a gentle ‘hm’ of agreement at his comment about it coming back, but her attention was instead upon him now. “You’re from Neverwinter Forest?”

The gray agouti girl had stunningly bright blue eyes that seemed to drill a hole in him as she stared, a bashful smile playing on her face. She must be a relation to Scimitar; she bore an absolutely eerie resemblance to him. Faolán ducked his head a little shyly, grinning.

"Yes, I am from Neverwinter Forest, as, I gather, are you," he said, with a deep inhale of her scent. Yes, she bore the smells of the woods they lived in. He cocked his head a little to the side, unable to hold back his curiosity any longer. "You're related to Scimitar, right? You look so much like him."

A silver ripple under the water caught his eye, and he couldn't resist creeping closer to the lake, jaws opening slowly in anticipation. Faolán dipped his head into the water and caught the slippery creature, killing it with a crushing bite and dropping it on the ground in front of his paws. "Lucky catch," he jested, with a smile at the girl. "My name is Faolán, by the way."

The dark wolf ducked his muzzle, his own smile lighting his features up and she felt herself relax then – the ease of natural conversation soon overtaking any silly stumbles she had previously made when her meal had slipped from her grasp.

The question stirred an awkward silence for only a moment – at least until the girl wrapped her thoughts on how she could answer his question. “Yes – his daughter,” she decided, wondering if he assumed that meant Eshe was her mother. “Allure,” she introduced then, drifting away from the subject of Scimitar. Uncertain how to respond that her father had left her mother behind with their latest litter in favor of his new wife, she instead captured her eyes upon his actions – and purposely gaped as his own catch was made with ease. “Luck?!” Hardly! She cast him a playful frown, shifting her slender form to stride closer to him, her own gaze drifting between him, his capture and the waters. “Teach me?” Having lived upon two mountains, a grove, and a forest, it had only been the Caldera where she might have honed her fishing skills.. and she had not stayed there long enough to do so.

The agouti female had asked him how to fish, and he let out a flattered chuckle, ducking his head in amusement. Slowly, he nodded, bringing his flame-colored eyes to meet hers.

"Very well," Faolan said, his mouth set in a grin. "I'm not the best in the world, but I know some tricks. You just have to be very still, so as to not disturb the fish. Watch me carefully."

Bringing his dark muzzle close to the water again, he skimmed the surface, watching carefully for one of those silvery creatures to come near. When one finally did, he struck--though without the luck that had been given him the first time. The fish escaped his jaws, swimming away frantically, and he surfaced, shaking the water from his head with some irritation. A flush of embarrassment overcame his face as he realized Allure had been watching his every move.

"You know the saying, 'Do as I say, not as I do'?" he asked her sardonically, rolling his eyes at his failure. "That certainly applies here. Why don't you give it a try?"

4 - even = successful.

He instructed her to watch – and Allure did just that. Her bright eyes followed the dart of the fish, the lurch of her stomach as she wondered if either wolf would get a taste of that delectable morsel and then even be able to return home with some for Kaskara and Eshe – the high expectation she built!
 
The swarthy man lunged, and the fish evaded him. Disappointment would have been more apparent in the situation if bemusement hadn’t surfaced upon her features, and as he bashfully studied her, she tilted her muzzle lightly in amusement to his words.
 
“Right,” she determined, her shoulders rolling back before she gave a light shake of her pelt to ease her nerves. Her own ivory paws waded further in the water gently, her eyes drifting from her companion to study the lucid lake. As a flash of silver caught her eyes, she stilled for only a moment, and trying to determine best the outcome, flashed her jaws in to the waters and hoped to strike true.

Unable to resist, Faolán let out a delighted bark at Allure's successful catch. "Wonderful!" he cried, flashing a huge grin her way. He did not expect her to return it, at least not at first--there was a rather large fish in her mouth, after all.

His mood for fishing had dulled somewhat, as it usually did during this endeavor. He much preferred hunting land animals, and big ones, at that. These tiny fish were merely snacks.

Fading this.. sorry for the wait. <3 I hope you decide to birng Fao back someday!

His encouragement caused the youthful wolf to beam at her new companion, and with precision, she swiftly ended the suffering of her catch, padding to the shore before placing it safely upon the banks. With a widening grin, the bi-toned girl went back to the water – eager to duplicate her success, if not triple it with the dark wolf’s help. Perhaps, it would be enough to sustain the pack, if not the mothers of it, for a little longer.