Chimera Fields You're smiling at me like a wolf

scouting thread

Even if the pups had been through here, the rain had washed away any tracks or scents. Niita had huddled in the remains of a bush while it had rained, the driest place she could find in the mostly open field. Now as she surveyed the western side, earthworms wriggling across the mud, Niita could find neither hide nor hair of them. 

As she began to head home, Niita came across a raven pecking at the worms. Licking her chops, Niita lowered herself and moved to pounce but as usual; her luck was lacking. Instead of snagging a tasty lunch, Niita face-planted in the mud. The bird flapped away, croaking in what, to Niita, sounded like a laugh.

Pulling herself from the mud, Niita glared at the bird as it flew away safely.

@Niita ooh a scouting thread! Hopefully it's ok if I join?

The smell of the ground after the rain was earthy, with the smell of damp foliage rising in the air like a thick, invisible haze. Anita usually took strolls from time to time, finding it enjoyable. She hoped that she'd find anything worth bringing home to the pack, but the only thing she could see was mud and wet undergrowth.

It wasn't the most pleasant walk to take. Anita's paws sunk into the ground, mud coating her paws. The she-wolf cursed under her breath as she struggled through the aftermath of the rain. Eating something would be great right now, but it seems that my only option is...earthworms.

Nearby, the frantic flapping and squawking of a raven erupted from the brush. Maybe it was a wounded bird that would be an easy catch. Anita broke out into a run, sliding and trying to not fall. What she came to saw was Niita, who's face was covered in mud. "Well, that makes two of us," Anita spoke, emerging from the cover of the undergrowth. She was nearly covered head-to-toe in mud.

"Just be glad that you didn't try to run in it like I just did," she smiled, trying to shake some of the mud from her paws.

Niita turned at the voice, embarrassed to see Anita who too had become a friend her brief stay at Silvertip. It was her luck that someone from the pack had to see her covered in mud, the bird flying away while laughing at her.

She wasn't embarrassed for long as Anita soon brought it to her attention that she too was covered near head to toe in mud. "Haha yeah, think they might mistake us for intruders?" Niita laughed as she got to her feet, paws making squelching noises. 

"So you decided to become a Scout too or are you out here for another reason?" Niita asked, moving closer to speak with Anita easily.

Anita grinned. "Yeah, those birds sure don't seem to be afraid of us," Anita could hear the faint cawing in the distance, which sounded a lot like laughing. She stepped a bit towards Niita, immediately regretting that as she sank down into the mud. "We should probably find some dry ground, if there is any."

Clambering out of the mud, the she wolf found a patch of undergrowth to sit down on. Most of it was dead, so it wasn't the plush, fertile ground she was hoping for. Well, at least it wasn't mud. "I am interested in going on a scouting trip, I've never been on one before," she spoke, cleaning some of the mud from her fur.

Niita laughed, following Anita over to a less muddy area. It wasn't dry per say but it wasn't quite so sticky. Niita's paws made squishy noises as she walked, amusing her greatly as she made her way to Anita's spot. 

"Maybe when we get back we can ask Steady. I'm sure he wouldn't mind if we went on a scouting trip, looked for prey and plants coming back." Niita offered, liking the idea immediately.

Anita grinned as Niita's paws squished in the mud. At this point, she succumbed to the dirty ground, seeing that getting messy was unavoidable at this point. "Should we walk back to get him, or should we howl for him to come here?" She regretted saying that last bit, dragging Steady out into this muddy landmine wasn't her best plan. However, she didn't want to show up to the pack covered in mud. A lowly Omega covered in grime. Lovely. 

She grimaced. It was up Niita, however. If the she-wolf chose to go back, Anita would gladly do that. She was excited to go on a scouting trip with Niita. She had bonded with the she-wolf and found her to be a true friend. Going on a scouting trip was something she was actually looking forwards to.

Niita pondered it for a moment. Going back covered in muck wasn't appealing but neither was calling any of their packmates out into this squishy mess of a field either. "We should probably head back, this place is pretty much a sinkhole." Niita chuckled, getting to her feet.

Not that Niita wanted to show up slathered in mud. It was more likely that she would be perceived as a brown coated wolf than as Niita, alongside the fact that her scent had been completely covered by the thick mud. "I saw a stream between here and Silvertip if you want to stop and wash all this off before heading home?"

 "It would be cruel to drag anyone else out here," Anita agreed, imagining any other wolf trying to trek through the mud. "I'm not saying it would be a bit amusing, but..." she laughed light-heartedly, attempting to groom herself.

     She stopped as soon as Niita introduced the idea of finding a stream. "That sounds like a much better solution. Let's say we head there as soon as possible," Anita stepped off the semi-dry patch of ground, immediately sinking into the mud. Oh well, may as let myself get as muddy as I want, seeing that we are headed towards a stream.