Moonspear My favorite wine is tequila.

They'd made it back to Moonspear about an hour ago and were drying off and resting in their cave when Meerkat abruptly remembered something. She looked up from where she'd been idly studying the healing bite marks on her leg and glanced at the lounging @Bronco. Her lips parted as if she was about to speak, though he looked kind of drowsy, so she pressed them together again.

In the comfortable quiet, she pored over all the names and faces she'd met so far. Most of them she discarded for one reason or another: @Hydra certainly wasn't a viable choice for myriad reasons; @Kukutux had children, which most likely meant she had a mate; and @Sialuk was much too young. But then there was @Toad Amelia. She was friendly, pretty too.

Glancing at Bronco, Meerkat slipped from the den and began venturing through the territory. She was looking for Toad, though there were still a dozen or more wolves she still needed to meet. Meerkat would be happy with anyone's company, especially while she was still riding the high of her recent trip.

lol at thread title

It felt vaguely overwhelming to be in a new pack with new people and no blood family to speak of. Toad had always known that striking out on her own was a difficult journey. It was one that she had taken by choice. She knew that staying with the Crestwoods would be comfortable enough, but she would have no opportunities to share their stories with others. The lover of lore had come to Moonspear on the coattails of the ever breezy Kukutux. This whimsical approach had served her well so far. The Spear was pleasant enough, despite the cool evenings at the higher altitude.

The chocolate storyteller was on a stroll through the pack territory. Her pace was slow and easy. She was still trying to figure out how to finish the Tale of the Crystal Cavern. A protagonist that looked very much like the ethereal Kukutux would wait patiently for the cave to open. When it did, out from it would come the crystal giants, who would bless the patient woman with a great power beyond that wolfkind had ever known.

But what power? Her talk with Whimsy had given her so many ideas, it was hard to know what to pick.

Deep in thought, she practically ran into Meerkat, stopping only feet from the girl. Oh wow, sorry! Toad grinned politely, stepping back a pace. How's it going, Meerkat? Her tail wagged behind her softly.

:D

She had no idea why but Meerkat caught herself singing under her breath as she jauntily wandered the rainy mountainside. None of her parents had ever really sung to her, nor did she know any particular songs. Yet all the same, she hummed as she roved, the act bringing a smile to her face. It wasn't unlike howling, just on a much softer and more melodious level. Maybe she could even come up with some words to go with the airy rhythm?

Meerkat didn't see Toad either, only snapping to attention when they nearly collided and the adult cried out an apology. The youth blinked and tensed, yet luckily they avoided impact. -"No harm, no foul,"- she quipped in reply, the words coming out a little singsong and making Meerkat snort a laugh at herself.

She cleared her throat and then beamed at Toad, so glad they'd crossed paths. Meerkat chose to see this as rather serendipitous as she answered, -"I was looking for you, actually! I wanted to ask you a question..."- She paused, wondering how exactly to phrase it, before coming right out with it: -"Do you have a boyfriend?"-

Meerkat's snort made Toad stifle a chuckle, struggling to contain herself as the girl cleared her throat. Her eyes were bright and cheery despite the dark clouds looming over them. The young lady was a ray of sunshine in this gloomy season of rain. She was unspoiled from the toils of life and quite easy to be around. Toad smiled.

Evidently Meerkat had been looking for her. Oh? Go for it! She wasn't sure what she might have in store for her. Perhaps Kukutux or Jarilo had told her that she was a lover of stories, and wanted to know about one. Toad tilted her head a bit as the girl paused.

She was not ready for what followed.
She almost laughed, but instead made a face halfway between laughter and a sneer. Catching herself, she shuffled her paws a bit and swallowed, returning a small smile. I don't, she said simply. Meerkat was only a child, so Toad knew she was likely just curious. Why the girl wanted to seek her out just to ask that was the weird bit. You were looking for me just to ask me that?

Toad made a face at the question but quickly obliged her with an answer. She then posed a question of her own. It was then that Meerkat realized she hadn't really thought this through very well. Now she knew Toad was single but what was the next step toward making a potential match?

-"Yeah,"- she answered readily before just putting it right out there: -"I'm looking for a girlfriend for Bronco."- Somewhere in the back of her mind, she wondered if he would prefer she be more discreet about it. -"He's single, you're single... I think you guys might make a good match!"- Meerkat declared with a grin.

Toad kept back a laugh, though a goofy smile came over her as the girl explained the purpose of her question. She had certainly never had anyone try to play matchmaker for her; it was a very sweet concept coming from such a young lady. It was easy to see that Meerkat's heart was in the right place. Certainly when she had been young, there was a time Toad thought that it was natural for every person to be paired. It seemed to be natural to seek pair bonds for those who seemed alone.

We would? She didn't deny it, only because she knew nothing about Bronco. Toad didn't have much of a history with relationships. In her natal pack, nearly everyone was related in some way. The few times she had met a person that might be considered "available," she didn't pursue anything because she didn't feel the need to. She had never experienced attraction in the way that she often told stories about. It seemed as much a fairy tale as the myths she collected. Why's that? It was a serious question, though she couldn't help but feel quite unconvinced being paired up by a pup was a good idea.

Toad's expression shifted again, her playful smile reassuring the youngster. She felt encouraged that she was nudging this in the right direction, though Meerkat still wasn't sure what to do or say next until Toad posed a question, two actually. They would require a little bit of critical thinking on her part but they were the perfect inquiries to get the ball rolling.

-"Well, he's strong and handsome, with a really good heart. He's the most caring wolf I know and I have three parents!"- Meerkat chirped. -"You seem really kind and you're really pretty!"- Even as she said it, she realized that wasn't much of substance. Surely there was a lot more to Toad than an easy smile.

-"Bronco likes to hunt and guard. He's also really good at playing games. Sometimes he pretends to be a weird dinosaur,"- Meerkat shared in the next breath, her expression fond. -"What kinds of things do you like to do?"- Sharing interests wasn't just crucial, it would give Meerkat a lead on what sort of date to arrange.

That thought made her practically glow as it occurred to her. Once she figured out if Toad was interested, she could set up a time and place for the two of them to hang out. That begged a question: had they met, at all? She didn't think so. She would have to ask, if Toad herself didn't volunteer the information in the course of her responses.

Strong and handsome, she thought as Meerkat said it. Toad wasn't even sure what a truly "handsome" wolf looked like, in her mind. She'd never really thought of herself as particularly attractive either. She seemed rather pitiful in comparison to some of the more elegant, lithe, beautifully coloured wolves she had met. She hardly thought her namesake was anything to be considered noteworthy in the beauty department. Meerkat, however, seemed to think she was not only kind but also "pretty," which was not a word she'd ever heard to describe her except from perhaps her own mother.

He sounds nice, she followed, unsure how to take the compliment. The young sandy girl went on to describe what Bronco was good at, what he liked to do, and...
Toad couldn't help but laugh at the dinosaur comment. She wondered then how old the brother was, and guessed that she probably had far too many years on him to be considered a good match. Still, she didn't mind playing along with Meerkat's wish. Nothing about it seemed harmful to her.

Toad thought for a moment about the question, mostly knowing the real answer but not wanting to regurgitate something boring for her friend. Well, she looked up at the sky for a second, as though deep in thought. I like to listen to and tell stories; that's probably one of the things I love the most. It was true, but she wasn't sure if it was what the girl was looking for. I also like to hunt, especially with others, she followed, offering a smile as she realized that it was one thing Toad and Bronco had in common. It was rather silly, since nearly all of the wolves she had ever met enjoyed hunting in some fashion or another; it was hard not to when survival depended on doing it all the time.

And I definitely love a good game, she added, nodding once as though agreeing with herself.

She was here to pair up Bronco and Toad, yet the mention of stories immediately sidelined her. -"Really?"- she blurted, brown eyes sparkling with interest. She was just about to ask if Toad cared to share any fun tales with her when she mentioned hunting, reminding Meerkat of the task at hand. She smiled softly to herself.

-"I have an idea!"- she exclaimed suddenly. -"What if you, me and Bronco hunt together? Then we can eat together and you can tell us stories!"- It certainly appealed to her, though what mattered was what Toad thought of this plan. Was she game for what essentially amounted to a blind date arranged by and including a blithe third wheel?

The girl seemed almost overjoyed by Toad's response. Her energy was infectious, and Toad couldn't help but smile as the idea that she knew some stories was mentioned. From when she had first learned to speak, the lover of lore had always liked sharing the pieces of history that her mother and Robin had told her. She'd also seen many places on her brief travels around the Wilds, and though she didn't have much in the way of excitement, she could very easily spin those experiences into delightful tales.

An idea!
Oooooh that sounds fantastic! The youth in her made her want to spin, she was that excited at the prospect. Because she was new, she hadn't yet participated in a group hunt, and being able to share this with the girl and her brother made her very happy. Her tail wagged furiously behind her; the wind it generated was audible.

Yes yes! Let's do it! She bounced up and down on her front, as if the ground in front of her was a trampoline. Gone was her hesitation at being paired with Bronco. It was easily replaced by the prospect of a hunt and sharing lore after. Toad didn't realize the girl was plotting to use this as an excuse for an odd little date, but it wouldn't have mattered.

Her cheek muscles ached as her smile stretched her face. Seeing Toad's excitement made the youngster all the more thrilled herself. She could hardly wait. Heck, part of her wanted to ask Toad if they could go ahead and do it right now. The thought alone had her prancing on the tips of her toes, though she suddenly remembered: Bronco was back at the den, asleep and totally unawares.

It might be fun to surprise him with a date, though Meerkat quickly decided against it. Both Bronco and Toad should go into this entirely voluntarily, of course. She just hoped he would be as delighted with the prospect as she and Toad felt. Even if nothing romantic came of it, surely the two of them would become fast friends. It was a win/win situation, as far as she could tell.

-"Okay, cool! How about we do it on the next sunny day?"- Even as she said it, she realized they might be waiting a while, if recent trends were any indication. Her heart fell a little, though her inner optimist quickly reminded her that it couldn't rain forever. The weather would clear up soon enough and the three of them would enjoy a sunny picnic together. It was something to look forward to amid all this dreariness.

Toad was quick to nod a powerful "yes" to Meerkat's scheduling, but it was soon after that she realized it had been raining for quite a long time. She couldn't remember ever having this many days in a row without so much as a spit of sunlight, but it seemed preposterous that it could be dark for much longer. Still, the brown woman looked up at the sky, frowning.

I mean, it can't stay this way forever, can it? Toad wondered if perhaps some powerful God of Rain had decided that the wolves of the Wilds needed a deluge. Even the plants were beginning to suffer, their roots sickly and rotten from constant moisture.

Where should we meet? She asked, getting back to the business of planning their hunting excursion. She wondered if the three of them would be strong enough together to bring down a larger animal, or if they would have to suffice with something smaller.

Toad gave voice to her thoughts. Meerkat shot her a smile. -"Naw,"- she agreed cheerily, the drawl reminding her of Bronco. Perhaps she'd picked it up from him. That thought made her heart smile.

They'd established the when, now it was time to decide the where. -"How about The Pale?"- Meerkat suggested. It didn't strike her as the best place to set the mood for a sunlit picnic, yet surely they could rendezvous there, rustle up some prey and then do the eating elsewhere.

We can fade or continue - idk if three threads at once is excessive lol

The Pale. A great meadow of mists. She thought of it, tilting her head slightly with a fond expression. While the Pale was dreary and glum with the foul weather, she remembered that on the sunnier days when she had first come to the mountain, it was a pleasant site indeed. Not only that, but it was full of prey animals in all shapes and sizes. Despite wolf predation, it seemed a plentiful resource.

That'll do nicely, she gave a firm nod, playfully playing the part of a discerning princess. She almost asked if she should bring anything, but quickly remembered this was a hunt they were planning.

Walk with me! Toad demanded, so excited that movement was quite necessary. She pushed off her feet as if lunging, and began walking like a strut, thinking of their picnic date ahead of them.

Haha, I'll wrap!

"That'll do nicely," Toad concurred and Meerkat's face shone. With the details thus established, it was very tempting to race back to the den and inform Bronco of the plan. But it didn't seem like Toad was done with her yet. She invited Meerkat to join her on a walk. Although a little worn out from the trip earlier in the day, she saw no reason to deny her friend.

-"Did I tell you we went to Sun Mote Copse earlier?"- she said as they began to stride in tandem. -"That's where our family lives..."- Meerkat explained, chattering away as the two of them strolled around the misty mountainside.