Grouse Thicket there and back again

for @Phox

He'd left the marked claim behind when he grew hungry. Asa still did not feel the need to leave the hinterlands, although he knew deep down that it was a requirement of his progress. Maybe he could find what he was hunting for here and maybe not - it took time to investigate, and if he was going to be successful in his quest he had to have some faith. He back-tracked to the thicket and loitered there for a few hours, perusing the trees and scouring the snow patches for any sign of food. There were birds here, he eventually concluded, but they must have transitioned to their winter coats (or whatever, plumage?) because he could find no trace of the land's namesake.

As he progressed through the area he came upon some older trees stuck at odd angles. They creaked overhead where they were supported by their neighbors; Asa paused beneath them and looked skyward as a particularly heavy gust of wind tugged at them, causing a sharp groan to emanate through the treetops. A flurry of snow scattered off of them as they came back to a resting position, and he ducked away from it just shy of being pelted on the nose. With a snort he carried on - creating a wide path through the piling snow with his heavy-set body.

Still high on the hormones that Niamh was putting out, Phox decided to take a little afternoon excursion to see if he couldn't track down some of the herds that had returned. It brought him back to his younger days, when he'd spent months tracking a single herd. For days on end, he would monitor their movements, following closely behind, sleeping under whatever sky decided to be his roof that night. With all this energy pulsing through him lately, it seemed only natural to want to return to that boyish, blissful state.

A strong gust of wind and toppling of snow pulled Phox off track and he soon found himself tracking not a large hoofed animal, but a single, lone wolf. The trail led away from an area where it looked as though somebody had dumped a bucketful of fresh snow. Looking up, Phox realized it must have collected on the trees, then crashed all the way down here. Curious, the silver-backed beast jogged along the clear path made by the wolf ahead, barking a friendly greeting when he was a few dozen paces behind.

Asa took a moment to shake some of the fluffy white snow from his shoulders, feeling some of the tension easing with it. He had not realized how much of it he had been carrying with him. He had been so focused on his prowling - and, naturally, fell in to the serious-business vibe that had kept him alive for so long. He needed the winter to end already; or maybe another roll in the hay, but it wasn't like he could petition the spirits for a good lay. With that in mind his thoughts drifted to the warmth of Niamh and their shared experience.

That was when a familiar scent drifted his way - it was washed-out, but held the sweetness of the woman that filled his mind. He turned around and began to tread back through the trees, gloriously hopeful that he would see the golden woman. Instead he was met with a masculine voice barking through the trees, a dark shape, and two copper eyes watching him. The stranger was well built (if a little small compared to himself) and obviously male - so why the scent? Asa halted his approach and took a moment to size up the stranger, sweeping his gaze over what he could make out of the other's swarthy complexion, and then it hit him: Niamh's scent, although not exactly fresh, clung to this man.

It should not have had any effect on Asa. They had shared something lovely but brief, no strings attached. Had she gone and found someone else to share that experience with? The man couldn't help looking a touch defeated by the thought, but he quickly recovered, hiding his emotions behind his typical mask of stoicism.

Hello there, he called to the other wolf, dipping his head slightly; except, unlike when he met the boy at the copse, Asa was a little bit less deferential.

If there were any signs to pick up on, they were lost on Phox. He saw only a healthy-looking wolf before him who was friendly enough to greet him. The Redhawk sized him up visually, wondering if he might be a good addition to the Firebirds, even though ambassador wasn't really in his title. They weren't hurting for bodies, and it was quite likely there would be more little bodies running around in just two turns of the moon. The Firebirds could afford to be picky about who they attempted to recruit, and Phox knew that, so he didn't jump right into that whole spiel like he'd done many times during his own time as a leader.

Hey, Phox greeted back. He realized that there wasn't much to work with, conversation-wise with a complete stranger, and he stood there a bit awkwardly trying to decide if it was even worth starting up with the small talk. Have you seen any signs of large game out here today? he asked, deciding that he might at least get something useful out of this interaction if he could. Even if this guy had a clue about where the herds might have gone in the most general sense, it might help his small self-driven quest to find them.

The other man appeared to be non-threatening, and aside from the scent of Niamh upon him (which threw him momentarily) there was nothing amiss. They did not come charging after Asa with the intent to harm him, so that was good. It was just as likely that this guy had no idea who Asa was nor what he and Niamh had been up to together; better that way, he mused with a slight frown. The other wolf looked around at the forest and commented about hunting, or something, and Asa had half a mind to ghost him - but the prospect of finding something worthwhile to hunt and to eat was too good to pass up.

I ain't seen much around here. Been tracking birds for days, but they don't seem too eager to be targets, heh. For all he knew the presence of so many wolves in the nearby woods had chased off the small game; he didn't realize there had been a famine earlier in the year nor that this area was still recovering. You live around here? Bet you know the best places to look, if you want help that is. He shrugs a shoulder, the quills of his scruff bounce.

Hm, no solid answer. Phox's chin jutted out a little, wishing his luck had been better, but he tried not to dwell on it. He smiled amiably at the comment about birds. They'd never been his prey of choice, largely in part to feeling they were smarter and more useful than some of the ground-locked prey. X had certainly served a purpose for Towhee, and Phox still lamented the loss of her.

Yeah, just southeast of here. Little pack by the name of Firebirds. They weren't actually that small these days, but whatever! I noticed some hoof prints and droppings a little ways north about a week ago. I had hoped they'd roamed closer to here, but that doesn't seem to be the case. Eventually, they would find their way back. Somehow the ungulates always managed to do so.

With a name like that, Asa expected everyone to look like the golden woman he had met. Maybe some of them were like fire and others, such as this man, the antithesis - draped in shades of coal and soot. He could not help but compare himself to the other man; it would be easy enough to take him down in a fight but fortunate for them both, Asa was more of a lover than a fighter. He did not want to burn any bridges this early in his quest.

When the man suggested heading north (or, that's how Asa interpreted it) he couldn't help but chuckle. Aye, we could go north as long as there's some way to avoid the bog. Dunno how you manage living by that soggy place. The low boom of his laughter curtailed quickly since they were discussing a hunt. Didn't want to scare away all the prey now.

It's a bit funny to me - this place is so well sheltered, I would expect more deer in the area. Perhaps the Firebirds were prone to over-hunting.

The stranger suggested they go north, but that wasn't Phox's intention. Not today, at least. There were more pressing matters back home, like Niamh. With the way this guy spoke, Phox figured he was probably newer to the area. The earthquakes that happened several months ago spooked them, I think, Phox explained. I guess that means you're new around here. Figuring he probably wasn't going to glean much more information about the herds from this guy, considering his newer arrival to the area, Phox figured it wasn't a terribly bad idea to introduce himself.

I'm Phox Redhawk. Titles didn't seem necessary beyond that. For the most part, the wolves of the Firebirds were equal. Wraen and Towhee were the reigning leaders, and Niamh, Finley, and Elwood were honorees, but the bulk of the pack was just tradesmen like himself with a few who hadn't quite made it that far who lingered just beneath. Nobody made any threatening displays of dominance, which was a far cry from some of the other packs that once inhabited the Teekon Wilds.

Earthquakes? He knew what they were, but had not been privy to them. Had they effected the lands adjacent to this region? Perhaps they had dissipated, and any shaking or quaking had been lessened. It was possible that Asa had slept through whatever shaking had transpired during the previous season and not even been affected. It sounded disastrous - but also made sense as to why the herds were absent.

Asa Morgan, he introduces in response.

If you're interested in pairing up for a hunt, I offer myself. I do not know the area too well though. I leave the planning to your discretion, sir. A smirk, a dip of the head - and then patience.

The other introduced himself, although neither name rang any bells for Phox. Still, it could be useful information later on. He offered himself up as a hunting partner, but Phox gently shook his head. I would, but I can’t afford to be away for too long. He didn’t elaborate on why that was, mostly because he didn’t feel it would matter to the stranger.

However, we could use another strong hunter among our ranks if you’re looking. It was a gentle suggestion, not an in your face recruitment plea. The Firebirds would do well with or without another among their ranks. Phox didn’t think it would make a large difference either way.