Duck Lake Joker on Jack

@Chai

His body was deep in the waters of the lake. he found that he took to water quite well, and honestly, he enjoyed it! he loved the soothing feeling of the waters and the weightlessness that came with being submerged. swimming was equally fun, tiring, and thrilling. especially when he found something within the water to grab his attention. 

 it was a good combatant to the hot sun as well. 

 he decided he had been in the water long enough and decided to bring himself to the banks. as he came forward the water fell from his body. heavily at first and then idling to a steady drip. he shook vigorously to shed what excess water that he could. the feel of dry heat clashing with thick and wet fur was, honestly, quite unpleasant. but now he had a price to pay. 

 he moved to a soft tuft of a grass beaneath indirect sunlight and decided he needed to wait until he dried himself out. there didn't seem to be anyone around and, honestly, he was beginning to get quite tired of the lack of companionship. he wasn't hiding. perhaps steph, sunny, or journey would happen along soon. that would be quite delightful to be honest.

A new visitor approached the serene lake, known for being a magnet to wildlife. With temperatures warming, Chai was drawn to the source of water. Her thicker winter coat had already begun to thin out, making way for her shorter, much more comfortable summer version. As she picked her way through the grove of aspen trees, tufts of honey and ivory fur would cling to the roughish bark in her wake. When she emerged out into the open, the sight of the lake that greeted her was a familiar one. She had been here before once, but not in a very long time. It was where she met that big, brown bear of a wolf.

She smiled faintly at the memory, wondering where he was now. Blissfully oblivious to the fact that his soul was no longer bound to this earth. Glacial blue eyes blinked softly, locked onto the inviting surface of the water. She sighed, as if reminiscing. Water again. A seemingly ever-present feature in her life. Her soft brows scrunched. What did it mean? It had to be something. Especially that she was back here at this place again. Dipping a single paw into the water, just so her toes were touched, she decided against a swim today. Chai was content enough to lounge by the edge, peacefully watching for any wildlife that approach, lulled by the gentle sound of the lake.

his fur clung to him in a most unpleasant way. the heat of the afternoon sun clashing against him and creating a rather humid experience. this wet heat was nothing to be particularly fond of. a sound in the distance drew him from his dread and his eyes cast down to the waters.

 there was a woman, thin but not overly, and she was decorated in splendid shades of brown and cream. she appeared tan in essence to him, almost sun kissed. her features were feminine, but not excessively womanly. she couldn't be much older than himself. his ears fell back against his head in genuine curiosity and his head cocked to the side. she was not one of the few he had met in this place. perhaps she was a friend of sunny or of journey.

 she seemed to tentitively dip a foot in the cooling waters and soleon decided to emerge from where he sat. his legs unfolded and he was on the move. 

 there was an honest attempt to appear unthreatening. simply, he did not want her to have cause for concern that he was here to do harm. truly, he was not. a smile was offered and he kept a fairly respectable distance. "Why just the foot?" why with the questioning? there was no reason for him to ask, but he felt inclined. he barreled into the waters without restriction. he allowed it to be all-consuming. she...took the opposite approach. as if she wondered if it would overtake her.

Chai had just moved to settle down amidst the soft grass, in a spot that was partially shaded. But a voice calling out to her made her pause. She looked up with soft glacial eyes, quickly spotting the approaching form of a wolf. Being naturally shy in nature, she stepped back slightly. He was a fellow of warm auburn and cream, but with a most striking black mask and green eyes. She followed his motion into the water, his already damp coat suggesting he had taken a prior dip. 

"Well...I..." She began in her usual soft voice, hardly lacking in confidence. Her eyes fell towards the water of the lake again, as if contemplating. "To be honest, I really wasn't sure if I was in the mood for a swim today..." She trailed off, gazing up at the sun, noting its position in the sky. If her guess was correct, it would only get warmer as the day wore on. She looked back to him, finally managing a faint, soft smile. "Maybe I will reconsider. The sun is a little strong for my liking."

soleon studied her facial expressions. there was only a modicum of apprehension, of course, that had also been exposed when she had taken a step back upon his attempted approach. to him that was normal. honestly, if the roles had been reversed he would have done much of the same. it was hard to wonder who was coming upon you. especially, when you held no title in a place like this. 

 vermillion eyes made note of the pale frame of her face. the browns that created her were rich and he found the color of her visibly soft coat was drowned out by the striking icy hue of her eyes. she was a pretty girl. he didn't note more than that, however, as the sort of thing had never really played much interest to him...or had it unknowingly begun to matter? 

 a soft chuckle escaped his darkened lips as she attempted to explain her actions. perhaps if he kept the situation light she would be able to find comfort in his presence instead of a similar anxiety that he knew all too well. equally, he could be reading her absolutely incorrectly. 

 "i'm being quite rude. i'm sorry to disturb you," he would make his leave if only she should request it and he didn't advance towards her any further in the event company was something she did not seek. perhaps she had left wherever she had come from in attempt to seek solidarity, "my name is soleon mathias. i've been staying around this area for some time now," he didn't divulge about the others that swarmed around here. the wolves that created what could someday be morningside. perhaps they wished to keep their identity a secret.

He apologized, making no further attempts to come closer to her. Previously drawn back ears lifted, her soft eyes losing some of their initial wariness. She could instinctively sense that Soleon, as he introduced himself, didn't mean her harm nor any offense. Despite his claim to rudeness, Chai found his mannerisms rather respectful. Hurriedly she shook her head, quickly dismissing his apology. "Oh no no, it's alright. I just...wasn't expecting anyone else to be here is all."

To show her willingness to let him stick around (really who's kidding, it's not like she could force anyone to do anything) she stepped closer, just a bit, tail brushing through the grass in a soft wag. "Soleon....that's quite a fine name." She admitted openly. "I am Chai." Strangely, she couldn't take her eyes off him, but the shocking contrast of the cool water against her paws snapped her out of that little spell. "Is that so? Are you new to the Wilds? This lake...it's actually my second visit." Her eyes drifted to their surroundings with a fond glint while she reminisced. "I have...good memories here." She smiled.

soleon had given her the opportunity to note that she didn't want any company, but as it would happen she would deepen the coversation and soleon would find a level of comfort. it was time to socialize then! he moved forward and entered a more acceptable speaking distance. there didn't seem to be any tension present and hopefully his advances wouldn't breed distate for their meet. 

 "a few of us have gathered here and the surrounding area for the time being," at least until sunny decided it was time for them to move again anyways. he allowed the smirk that he had previously offered to remain and tried to keep it polite without overbearing. he wasn't the overly excitable type, but he was making the effort to be sociable at any cost. 

 "it's a pleasure, chai," she seemed like a kind soul. as he closed the distance her scent met his nose a little more clearly and he noted it to remeber her in the future. if he met her again. if not, at least he had this small encounter. "i am relatively new here. i met a girl named Journey and some of her family. they're working on establishing a home collectively. i'm quite fond of the lot of them so i've decided to stay with them," he didn't function well solo in the long term anyways. besides, they, as wolves, were social creatures. rarely did he meet one that didn't at least quietly yearn for companionship in some light.

The water lapping up against her skin was refreshing. Soothing, even. Maybe today wasn't such a bad day for a little swim after all, she decided. Step by step, she immersed herself further into the water, the warm honey and creams of her coat made sleek beneath the transparent surface. She would let him come within a reasonable distance - close enough for them to get a sniff of each other. The scent of Whitebark Stream was slightly faded on her and she noted any traces of those he spoke of, lingering around him.

"That's always exciting, building a home." She returned with a smile. "Does this girl, Journey lead the group?" She tipped her head in a quizzical yet cute way. Chai had no idea that the truth was, an ex-pack mate of hers, Sunny, was really the one in charge. She had socialized with him once, but briefly before he up and left the pack. "As long as you are happy, that you feel you belong...that's what matters." A firm nod, while inside she questioned her current standing.

Soleon watched as she decided to try her luck with the water. he didn't press to join her. he had already had his fun, but he did watch her and wish to carry on the conversation they were beginning to kick off. his legs folded beneath him and he offered only a relaxed demeanor. she didn't seem to be in any kind of hurry and that was, at least, a small victory today. 

 she mused over his very shallow plans. they had yet to take any kind of truly tangible form. he hoped the wolves he was around were at least going to be serious about what they all hoped to attain. a home was his ultimate goal. but was it their own? journey seemed to yearn only for the closeness of family. she had that. did she need anything else? he wasn't too sure about the rest of them. 

 "oh no...well, i mean not the first in line anyways. her uncle Sunny. I think it's her uncle? I'm not fully certain, honestly," it was her uncle, right? it was unlike him to forget details like such, but he had clearly gone off and done exactly that, "i'm content at best for now. time will do the rest," or it won't. there as a slight negativity about him today that was a bit unnerving. he wasn't usually so downcast, "where are you from?" maybe he could be enthralled by a tale of her own.