Jade Fern Grove improvise
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#1
All Welcome 
The going was slow, but she had managed to roam out from the immediate reach of the Sunspire mountain range and into the valley beyond. Heading northward remained the goal, roughly, although she definitely let her route wander from meadows to forests to anything in between while she went perusing along undisturbed. A part of her didn't really want to go north.. she wasn't sure if she even had any business trying to sniff out her last pack's ties. Was there even a point to? Besides her own curiosities?

Anyway, for now, as she met the lush green grove in full, this was as far north as she had made it officially, and it would do for now. Since the scout was in no real rush to press onward yet, she decided this would be a place worth staying in for small rest, maybe for a few hours or few days--she didn't know, or care to decide now.

In a place so verdant and already finding prey trails littering everything, hunger conveniently caught up to her here too; a good nap would go much better with a full belly, anyway. She knew she had to change focus and get to it. Less meandering and more attentive. Daylight was wasting, and this trail smelled a bit like woodchuck.. She minded her steps and tracked on through the ferns.
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Ooc — Sarah
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#2
He had not done much venturing beyond pack territory since joining the Swiftcurrent pack a few months ago. Now, however, with the warm and inviting summer days, he decided to explore the land on the other side of the creek. His fellow packmate, Phoenix, had showed him the areas that were safest to cross. One had to be careful with the Swiftcurrent Creek - it ran deeper and stronger than it appeared on the outside. Of course, the creek hardly seemed dangerous when compared to the recent killing of a packmate by a bear on Swiftcreek turf... Danger was everywhere, it seemed. On such a glorious day, though, it was hard to think that anything bad could happen. And so, Clock had set off early in the morning with a prance in his step and his nose held high, breathing in the cool summer air as he eagerly took in his surroundings. He stopped at a large lake and took a long drink from its depths. He eyed some deer that were grazing on the far side of the lake, but soon lost interest since there was no way he could catch one by himself.

He carried on through a meadow until he came to a forest of tall, thin trees flush with deep green and purple foliage. It was probably one of the most beautiful and unique places Clock had ever seen. He entered the forest with the hushed respect of one entering a religious shrine, his amber eyes scanning back and forth and then up at the canopy of trees. The cool, spongey moss felt good beneath the pads of his feet - comforting, reassuring. He moved on slowly, taking it all happily in but was soon distracted by a sound somewhere off to his right, a sound that did not quite fit in with bird chatter and insect noises. He stilled himself and listened hard, his heard thudding as his head went immediately to the worst case scenario. :It's a bear!: He ducked himself as best as he could behind one of the many ferns, realizing as he tucked his bushy tail tight between his back legs to make himself look smaller that his pale, grey-flecked coat provided no camouflage in this setting. Waiting with stilled breath, his heart nearly leapt out of his throat when he saw something dark finally come through some trees in the distance. At the same time, he realized it was much to small and thin to be bear, the result being that a strangled noise came from the back of his throat. He coughed uncomfortably, then ducked his ears in embarrassment. Ah, it was only another wolf. Clock breathed deep, trying to calm himself. He was still partially concealed by the ferns, so maybe this other wolf hadn't noticed his odd behavior....
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#3
The age-old hunger for something fresh watered at her mouth as she prowled onward, jogging steady along a trail that so far was keeping true--not enough to let her hopes run wild, but.. something still. When she had nothing else he would take it, and no place better to be than scoping through the ferns' cover.. even if she soured with how grim a note that sounded in her head.

Traveling alone was nothing new to her, she was loathe to find herself right back to the pointless-feeling road she had known before coming beneath the Morwinyon's watch. Evidently the Jomyo of these recent months constantly alternated between that need for the freedoms, but at the same time, always cherished that purpose camaraderie could get. Or maybe she was just hungry and kind of lonely these days that really bled together...

It was this focus for a meal that didn't quite let her know what the stranger was struggling with so near to her own route. When she did realize she was not alone, it was only barely.. and through the fronds, she could not make out all that much besides motion, and maybe a few glimpse of mottled wolf's fur.

She stopped and narrowed her eyes that way, wearing an expression that very much said who's there? As long as he posed no threat, to her or her chances of food, she could be a hint more amicable. Until then, the little loner was going to be a bit prickled herself.
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Ooc — Sarah
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#4
As the other wolf stilled and looked knowingly in his direction, Clock realized he wasn't fooling anyone by trying to hide. After a momentary awkward pause, he emerged to face the brilliantly-colored wolf. His tail swished back and forth in a friendly manner, although he was fairly embarrassed and felt the need to explain himself.

"Um, hi... I'm Clock," he began, "I was, well... you know," he let the sentence drop vaguely off, tipping his white chin the direction of the foliage he had been standing behind, as if that should sum it all neatly up. He plunged verbally ahead before the stranger could get a chance to respond. "I've actually never been here before. It's so beautiful." He let his eyes wander around the idyllic landscape before returning to the other, gauging their response.
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#5
Jomyo didn't know what to expect to appear in full from behind the cover, and with much might, she hoped it was at least a sensible enough of a beast. She had tried to not steer towards any potential claims, but she knew how it was. That did not mean she could always pass unbothered, and by far, some could be more prickly than others. Add in the hope that he was none of those things, and she sensed this may not be too bad.

As the grayscale fellow emerged, her ears tilted up and she held tight to her patience. He gave a name and her sights followed his gesture back to the greenery he'd come from, and Jomyo just peered back relatively stone-faced, a little unsure of where to begin. "Not sure I do know.. but you do you and all," she hazarded back, not really needing to squeeze a better explanation out of him but wanting to humor it a little bit while she could; she had better matters to cover, anyway, and so long as he kept it together, she wouldn't fault him for whatever business in the bushes that was. She was keen to take it in stride.

Signalling to herself then, she went on. "Jomyo. First timer, too." she shared in return to help move it along. "But yeah. Decent view. I came for the food, mostly." she drawled. "You from near?" she asked now that she had a better hint on his scent that seemed familiar. She couldn't place it exactly on a map relative to here entirely, though, thanks to her work-in-progress scouting of the valley.
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#6
He felt himself getting warm with embarrassment as the female appeared to struggle with a response that was both polite and distant. He disliked leaving bad first impressions, and so he was glad when she good-naturedly pushed ahead and introduced herself. "Glad to meet you," he responded with a sharp nod of his head, his dark amber eyes watching her with relaxed interest as she explained what her brought her to this place.

"Yes, I'm from a little way South of here - just beyond the lake," he said, and found himself experiencing a swelling of pride as he talked about his pack. "Swiftcurrent Creek is the name of our pack and territory." Even though Clock had only been at his new home for a few scant months, he had conveniently arrived not long after the pack formed and therefore was never made to feel like he was an 'outsider'. Prior to Swiftcurrent, Clock had been on his own and practically starving to death. It was only by the sheer generosity of a stranger willing to lead Clock and a small band of others on the long journey over the Sunspire Mountains that Clock would ever have found his new family. It made him appreciate chance encounters with new wolves all the more. "What about you?" he asked, eyes curious as he looked at Jomyo. "Are you from around here?"
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#7
"Likewise," she replied instantly now that she knew he seemed reasonable enough, and that there was likely something to be gained here--even as abstract as words or simply an encounter that wouldn't leave her any worse for the wear. The Eizokusei would take anything she could get, and really had little to lose. He did go on to detail his home a bit, and for that, she was glad--plus she appreciated the directional heading, matched with landmarks, too.

Then, she shook her head softly. "No. Originally from well away, more recently.. nothing near anymore," She had no nearby enough claim, since when alone, she swung between her last allegiance and always back to the home and neither were all too close. Northstar Vale had only barely been the morwinyon's domain truly in her heart; something of theirs would always truly be in the King Elk's haunt however.. despite being reduced to nothing but ghosts now. Nevertheless. "My last pack dissolved peacefully not so long ago, so I roam again." she answered more wholly this time--and because summer allowed her these graces still--so far.
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Ooc — Sarah
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#8
Even if the wolf had had a claim nearby, Clock would not recognize the name of any place. He was a newcomer to these parts, and today was the furthest he'd gone from his pack. Still, he felt himself being sorry that she did not have a pack of her own. Had, in fact, been part of a pack that had dissolved. He did not realize it, but he was superimposing his own fears of being left alone on Jomyo and his ears drooped slightly in sympathy to her despite her having not yet shown any signs of sorrow. However, he had to admit that she did look well, so she clearly was not starving and he doubted she was sick.

Glancing up at the sky, Clock noticed through the trees that the sun was slanting lower in the sky. The afternoon was wearing on. "It's a bit of a distance back home," he said regretfully. "I really should get going soon, although it has been very nice to meet you." He hesitated a moment, wanting to help the female out in anyway he could. "I could come back tomorrow if you think you'll still be here. We could hunt together."
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#9
Jomyo might have missed it, but he seemed almost a little bummed by her answer--if subtle the fall of his ears came as any hint, however she was relatively unbothered by it when it could always be worse, and it could be the deep dark of winter or she could be nursing injuries somehow. For now, the scout had little else to do so really, this worked for her because she was adaptable to make it work. She knew time would run out and she would need to find a new place of residence eventually, but now was not quite that time.

"Understandable," she drawled in reply. "I can't say for sure I'll still be around. I had plans to go north a ways to check on something, but after that I want to cover the valley more." Her ranging had yet to pinpoint the location of Easthollow, and likely there were other packs out that way to scope if she went far enough. That seemed to be the luck of the Teekon. Plus she wasn't looking to go north too far beyond where she might find Delight.. she preferred what she had known and seen in the southern stretches of the region, anyway. "If I run by your creek's neighborhood, though..?" Honestly, Jomyo liked her options open, and acquaintances in a few places definitely aligned with this, so she wasn't looking to brush off the opportunity entirely. Instead, maybe a rain check. She could see how it went. If so, fine, if not.. well enough as well.

After that, she made her farewells, and was on her way.