soft under my paws

*Shadow* · August 18, 2014, 09:30 AM

All welcome! :)

The silver wolf sniffed the air as he stepped on the soft grass and gazed out at the meadow. It was a warm day and the sun shone down on the meadows, it was just the kind of day where a wolf would relax. Sleeping with the flowers that dotted the meadow, with the sun warm on their bodies.

He approached what he deemed to be the center of the meadow where a creek lay, dipping his muzzle into the clear water and lapping up some before lying down, paws in the water. He sighed, a smile gracing his lips as he closed his eyes, comfortable lying on the soft grace. He was going to enjoy the last few warm days before winter arrived.

It was late in the afternoon and he planned to enjoy the rest of the day lying in the meadow before the cool night arrived. He kept his gaze on the horizon where distant tips of mountains were visible, his thoughts wandered, wondering if anyone was going to approach the meadow today.

*Vienna IA* · August 18, 2014, 05:43 PM

Vienna knew to steer clear of the creek. However, she had wanted to explore the lands beyond, her curiosity piqued. Thus, she had spent a better part of the morning circling in a wide arc, her path leading along the mountains and through forests in an effort to avoid the place they couldn't set foot near.

When she reached a gorgeous meadow, however, she stopped, staring about at the beauty of it happily. It looked similar to the ones about the mountain, but that did not mean it was the same. Elated, she sank down, rolling briefly in the soft grass before rising and bounding into the midst of the place, alertly looking about. She had pretty much memorized the plants around the sunspire by now and was looking for varieties they did not have. Spotting one such, she snapped it up to take back to Nightingale. She did not know a lot of them by name yet but was trying to learn which were most useful for healing. She wasn't sure that she would take up the trade but if she was to be wandering, might as well do something useful as well.

In as high of spirits as ever, she was focused on the task at hand, humming a song quietly to herself as she continued on. This, she completely failed to notice the other occupant of the meadow (something that seemed to happen to her quite often).

*Shadow* · August 18, 2014, 07:04 PM

He was enjoying the silence and peacefulness of this meadow when a whift of Sunspire drifted past. He scowled and turned to see who had interrupted his well earned rest. He spotted her and growled "You, from the Sunspire, what are you doing?" his tone was questioning, his gaze cold as he waited for her answer.

If she didn't annoy him or pester him, or backstab him when his back was turned, they could do whatever they want in the meadow peacefully. Him, relaxing and her, whatever she was doing. But could you ever trust a wolf from the Sunspire? His eyes narrowed at the thought.

He rose to his paws, ears and tail alert, pawing the ground impatiently. If she was no threat to the Creek and to himself, he wouldn't mind her. It was as simple as that.

*Vienna IA* · August 18, 2014, 07:38 PM

It was just her luck that it would be a Swiftcurrent wolf who she would meet out here. And she had been so careful to avoid their territory. While she disagreed with their outright antagonizing, she definitely respected their desire to keep the spire wolves out of their territory. After all, wasn't that what the Sunspire pack wanted as well? What any pack wanted?

His tone was decidedly unfriendly, and her ears tipped back, stomach dropping. God she hated conflict. If those she loved were being threatened it was one thing. Then she would fight back just as hard. But in a situation like now, when he had probably been here first and she had no real reason to be here? Not so much.

Her happiness from earlier thoroughly doused, she took a deep breath, then looked at Shadow. "Sorry... I was just.... I can leave, if you like." She took a few steps back, not wanting any trouble whatsoever. She didn't really see what the big deal was seeing as they were nowhere near his territory but if he was going to get angry she wanted no part of it. Some wolves were just like that. She had learned long ago that, no matter how hard she tried, some would not like her, and she couldn't let it bother her too much. Though it still did a little; she felt a bit as though she had been slugged in the gut here.

*Shadow* · August 18, 2014, 07:52 PM

"Sorry... I was just.... I can leave, if you like."

He raised an eyebrow, "Not so fast young lady." he said in a softer tone, platinum eyes analyzing the being in front of him. He took a few steps forward, his head tilted slightly "What were you doing here?" he asked again but this time with a gentler tone than before. It seemed that she meant no harm to either the Creek and himself.

He waited for her reply, tail twitching impatiently. He was never a patient man and this was making him want to just slam her into the ground and force an answer out of her but that was the way of his father and he had sworn to never be like him. So instead he stood, waiting.

*Vienna IA* · August 18, 2014, 08:39 PM

She was just about ready to high tail it out of there when his voice softened, stopping her. Seems he wasn't quite so angry as she thought, though he still seemed impatient. That, though, she could deal with. Relief flooded her and she gave him a genuine, beaming smile. "Honestly I came out here to see what it was like. I haven't been this far east yet. And to find some new herbs and plants our healers might be able to use." She indicated the small pile she was starting which she had dropped at her feet.

"My name's Vienna, by the way!" Her tone was nothing but friendly. She would really like to know his, and what he was doing here as well, but refrained from asking. She, unlike him, did not want to seem suspicious of the other wolf. He was being mildly friendly currently and she didn't want to ruin that by offending him. If he offered the information, great. If not, great.

*Shadow* · August 18, 2014, 10:35 PM

A flicker of amusement flashed through the sterling outrider's eyes. "Honestly I came out here to see what it was like. I haven't been this far east yet. And to find some new herbs and plants our healers might be able to use." she said, beaming. The silver male tilted his head curiously, herbs and plants? Maybe there was something that they could use to.

"Herbs and plants huh? Could you introduce me to some that you've collected? Perhaps our healer could use it to." he said, a small smile creeping up his face. "Nice to meet you Vienna, I'm Shadow but don't tell anyone my name." he said, a faint smirk flickering around his face.

*Vienna IA* · August 20, 2014, 07:51 AM

Vienna ducked her head, somewhat embarrassed, and laughed. "That's the problem. I've just been grabbing anything that is new, stuff we don't have around the mountain. I don't know which are useful quite yet. Or many of their names." She recognized a few of the easier ones, but none of the ones she had here fell under that category. Those were common, they had had them back home and had them here on the mountain. Thus she hadn't bothered collecting any.

"If you like you can take some though, perhaps your healer could tell you and you would know where to find them if they were helpful?" Despite not knowing the names Vienna was taking careful catalog of where she found which and filing it away. Once she learned she would know exactly where to go to collect them if they needed more.

That was strange, not wanting her to tell anyone his name. She felt like he was joking but didn't know him well enough to tell for sure. "My lips are sealed," she responded, grinning. She had no such stipulations for him. She was ready to get past the problems their packs had and figured this was a good start. As an aspiring outrider she felt this was kinda her job. This is why she refrained from asking how Magpie and Leaf were doing. She didn't want to dredge that up here. "Do you come out here often?" Was all she asked instead.

*Shadow* · August 20, 2014, 08:20 AM

"That's the problem. I've just been grabbing anything that is new, stuff we don't have around the mountain. I don't know which are useful quite yet. Or many of their names." said the female from The Sunspire.

"If you like you can take some though, perhaps your healer could tell you and you would know where to find them if they were helpful?" The sterling outrider laughed and shook his head. "I do not wish to deprive you of your healing supplies or whatever that pile of plants is." he tilted his head slightly. "You're not a healer are you?" he asked, his tone curious.

"Do you come out here often?" He shrugged, platinum gaze wandering before lowering himself down on his haunches. "Just found this place sometime ago and decided to spend the last few days of warmth here, if I have time that is. My duties to the pack comes first." his tone was light. "Did you just discover this place or do you come here often?"

*Vienna IA* · August 21, 2014, 11:31 PM

"Oh, don't worry... I doubt the our healers will know what to do with everything I've been bringing back." She giggled. "I would call myself moreso a naturalist than healer. I prefer to observe and fetch." She had considered the trade, but she was much to squeamish when it came to causing others pain. As a healer one couldn't balk at bringing more pain in order to help ease it in the future. She couldn't do that.

"I haven't been here yet, just ventured this way today! I've been branching out. So much to see, so little time in a day!" Today there was no way she would be back before nightfall, but Vienna didn't mind. She could do some stargazing on her way back, perhaps even sleep outside the territory. It wasn't a very pack-like thing to do but every so often it was nice to break out of the comfort zone for a bit. "Pack duties, isn't it great? I still can't get over it... crazy how good it feels to have responsibilities after being alone!" It had been a moon since she had joined the Sunspire and still she took pleasure in every aspect of being a part of a pack again.

*Shadow* · August 22, 2014, 12:34 AM

"Pack duties, isn't it great? I still can't get over it... crazy how good it feels to have responsibilities after being alone!"

He smiled, "Yes but sometimes we wish to leave the responsibilities of the pack behind and relax." he said shrugging. It was true, sometimes the air at home was so thick with tension that he felt he could literally feel it, touch the tension in the air and that was what prompted him to leave the pack and relax for sometime.

It wasn't that he didn't like Swiftcurrent Creek, he did, it was his home for a few months now and he felt like they were in for a better future now that Bazi was the Alpha. She was young but already a better leader than Fox, she loved the pack like family, something that Fox couldn't do.

*Vienna IA* · August 23, 2014, 12:02 PM

Responsibilities rarely ever got the ridiculously optimistic girl down, but she nodded in agreement anyway. She saw how they affected others. "This is the perfect place for that," she said, looking around appreciatively. It was so quiet and peaceful. Though no longer now that she was here. For a moment she felt guilty, taking that from him.

"I really can go if you wanted to relax." She wouldn't be offended by that. Her idea of relaxing was going out and meeting new faces, hearing their stories and enjoying their company, but her ideal was a bit fast-paced for what most would call relaxation. "No matter how great your pack is, a change of scenery can be necessary at times." Even she would become disillusioned if she was forced to stay on pack lands at all times.

Lying down, Vienna rolled over so that she was looking at Shadow upside down. "This grass is so comfy. Have you tried this?!" She grinned at him, not caring if she looked ridiculous right now. The movement some would never do in front of a strange wolf, take such a submissive pose, but Vienna cared little to none about physical appearance or posturing. Dominance wasn't something she worried about.

*Shadow* · August 23, 2014, 12:14 PM

"No matter how great your pack is, a change of scenery can be necessary at times."

He nodded, smiling at her words. "It's alright, you can stay. I don't mind, besides its nice to have some company that isn't from my pack once in a while. Especially if they're from The Sunspire." He watched, amused as Vienna lay down on the grass and rolled over.

"This grass is so comfy. Have you tried this?!" He laughed and shook his head. "I've tried lying on the grass and it is comfortable but never in that position." he lowered himself onto his haunches, wrapped his tail around his paws and gazed at her thoughtfully. "The grass is soft isn't it? I think I'll be able to fall asleep here if I wanted to." he grinned.

So there was some Sunspire wolves that weren't all hostile and fighting and crap. He liked this wolf, she didn't seem to care about his pack and her's pack unsteady truce or the hostility between them. He liked that. There aren't that many wolves out there like her. Rare. Or at least that was what he thought.

*Vienna IA* · September 01, 2014, 10:52 AM

ahh, this one got away from me, sorry!

Especially if they are from the Sunspire. The words struck her as curious, seeing as he was from Swiftcurrent and had seemed so hostile initially. Perhaps he too could see the benefit of healing the rift between their two packs and moving on. While she doubted that the leaders would ever get along, that didn't mean the members had to be at one anothers' throats all the time.

Vienna could definitely fall asleep here, though not in the position she was in currently. She was trusting but not stupid, hence why she had stayed alive this long. Laughing she rolled over, tucking her legs under her. "This should be an official multi-pack napsite. Improving pack relations one nap at a time." She giggled at the thought. It really was the perfect spot for some healing rest, though. Maybe she should bring Jace here sometime. Her brother was looking haggard and could use the sleep, though the journey was probably too long for him right now.

*Shadow* · September 02, 2014, 08:11 AM

"This should be an official multi-pack napsite. Improving pack relations one nap at a time." He laughed, a smirk gracing his face while an amused glint appeared in his platinum eyes. "Great idea Vienna," he said, grinning at the Sunspire female. Little did he know he was never going to enjoy the nap site, if that ever happened of course. The rivalry between the two packs seemed too strong to be solved.

He thumped his tail once against the ground contently, gazing out at the flowery meadow. He was lucky that he had found Teekon Wilds even though it seemed that there were no wolves that shared his culture or spoke his native language here. Besides nobody needed to know he was a roman, he spoke English well enough for anyone to think it was his native tongue.

*Vienna IA* · September 06, 2014, 10:50 AM

It was a childish idea, but she liked it fine, and it made him laugh, so plus one for that! She absolutely loved making others happy and was glad that her comment could brighten his day a bit. She could have settled in for a nap here quite easily, the grass so soft and comfortable beneath her. But she had things that needed done.

"I suppose I should get these back to the healers," Vienna said reluctantly, poking the leaves beside her. A couple were already looking a bit wilted from exposure to the sun. She hoped it wouldn't matter. It was all the same when you crushed them up or ate them, right?

"Maybe I'll run into you again around these parts!" She was excited by the prospect. A friend in Swiftcurrent, who knew!?

*Shadow* · September 10, 2014, 09:09 AM

Last post from me :)

"Maybe I'll run into you again around these parts!" He flashed her a grin and tilted his head slightly. "I'll look forward to that," he said in reply, not really caring what Bazi would think about him seeing another Sunspire wolf if she found out. Why did it matter anyways? They had a truce and they weren't fighting. There was no reason why he couldn't talk to a Sunspire wolf.

He rose to his paws, dipped his head slightly to Vienna and spoke "I should be going back to the Creek now." he said and turned to leave before stopping and flashing her a wink "Maybe I'll seeya later.". With that, he made his way back to Swiftcurrent Creek.

*Vienna IA* · September 10, 2014, 07:29 PM

Vienna watched him go, happy with the turn of events, then looked down. With a giggle she gave one last roll in the soft, beautiful grass, then flipped back to her paws, standing and staring in the direction of home, deciding that this had definitely been a very good day.

The, with a flip of her tail, she grabbed her pile of plants and began the run back to the Sunspire, eager to find out what treasures she had uncovered within this lovely little place. Hopefully something really useful, so that she could make frequent trips back!