Fox's Glade gawad

Title translation: howling.

The prince had wandered from the forested area on one side of the mountain range and had passed through a red rock canyon that had led him to the other. The ground softened once he had stepped through the stone and into a lush valley. Water is what had drawn him from the dark forest to the west. The stag had been parched for some time.
 
He had been careful to pass without alerting the predators in the area. The wolf’s howls had sounded in the air on most nights, keeping the royal alert and awake while he wandered their terrain on his own. The fear of traveling without his herd had been ever present in his mind. Though he had done well to skirt the fanged beasts, Rohan knew that it would not be long before he would cross paths with one or more of them. The thought drew a snort from him as the stag bent his neck to graze.

     Aliana...avoided the meadow for a while now, she didn’t want to cross that fierce black she-wolf and her spoiled whelp again. At least not now, not alone. If she had a pack, wolves who would back her up, protect her as she would protect them. For now, Aliana trotted through the woods that was right outside the borders of the Pack she had tried to join back when she was young. She could try again, but anxious held her back and the crows’ broken word chattering about a war possible breaking out between Easthollow and Ursus held her still.

     Was she ready to go to War?

     To fight to the death for a pack she has truly yet to experience? 

     She was still reflecting on that. 

     Aliana lets out a bored yawn, she might set up shop here to rest for the night before moving on. Suddenly, the wind shifts and a scent hit her nostrils full force and with one deep intake, she perks up. 

     Prey. 

     She took a moment to ponder her hunger, she wasn’t starving but she wasn’t full either. If it was old enough, weak enough she would try to go for it … but it would be such a waste to meat if she wasn't going to eat much of it.

     Let’s just see what we're dealing with here ...then I’ll make my decision from there…

     Aliana kept low and moved as silently as her large shadowy mass would allow, following the scent. Gradually, the scent got stronger, and the sound of babbling brook began to become more apparent until the sight of antlers stops her in her tracks.

     Damn. A stag. Definitely not looking to get gored...

     She peeks out sightly from her hiding space, watching the stag while it grazed, she could see the scars on its body. Stag must of fought off alot of predators — including wolves and survived. A warrior with racks as a shield and sword.

     Not just a stag but an experienced one...Great.

The wind shifted only just so that the scent of the predator shifted toward the grazing beast. He could not tell how close the animal was, but Rohan’s proud head reared upward, and he peered with scrutiny into the wooded area. Nothing stirred; the prince breathed out a heavy sigh and lowered his crown once more to pluck at the earthy greens. When he had met his fill, he turned his attention to the darker portions of the glade. The weather had been dismal; rain poured down endlessly, and the clouds overhead were thick and dark. It did not appear as though the onslaught of water would cease for some time. The royal beast had sought a dark woodland terrain to make a temporary home.
 
When the wind shifted again and brushed through the stag’s coarse russet coat, the scent of the hunter was stronger. Rohan turned sharply toward the origin of the breeze and huffed into the air. The unease the crept along his spine was infuriating. The prince took a commanding step toward the brush and overhang and lowered the tines of his rack toward the earth. “I can scent you in there, fanged one,” Rohan spoke in a warm baritone. The daring look in his chestnut gaze was all that kept him so firm.

     Usually, when her quarry scents her, they would run. After all, a hunter meant death but this one held his ground, aiming his jagged antlers in her direction. Even taking a step towards her, brave … or stupid. He doesn’t know if she was alone or if others were coming. Antlers could only ward off so much when several pairs of fangs are aimed at him.

     And then ... it spoke wolf?! Or at least it seemed like it. She wasn't quite sure yet.

     Either way, the gig's up — no point in hiding.

     Aliana pondered a bit before she rose to her paws fully, exposing herself.  She stood only a foot short of the Stag. A wolfish grin on her muzzle, sapphire meeting chestnut, ❝Easy. I’m not going after you — I don’t hunt Stags. Too pointy for my taste. Much prefer Does.❞ Aliana tried to converse while she walked out of the thickets, giving the Stag a very generous space, in case the stag decides to charge at her.

For a fleeting moment, the stag could feel his heart spike. The beats were heavy and rapid - they weighed on his frame with a crippling pressure to protect himself. The prince's nose was flared wide. Rohan drank in every scent of the wood, every shift of the wind and the dangers it might have carried. The smell of wolf was faint there, but he did not know if this one would have others behind it. If he had grazed into a hunting party, he would flee. Until he saw them, the prince was grounded by his confidence and his pride. Even when the beast emerged and spoke it's tasteless joke, Rohan did well to hold his guard. 

"Do not deceive me, huntress. I know that when the beasts starve, it does not matter whether you are doe or buck... or fawn," the stag spoke in a powerful voice. His words filled the area, resonating with the depth of his distrust. But he was of the Elderwood. He could not lose his resolve, and he could not allow this fanged creature to bend him. It had been a long time since he had actually had one of them speak to him. The last had been the young alpha from the Elderwood. But that place was far behind him. He had traveled many miles to rid himself of that betrayal. He did not know these beasts the way he knew the hunters of the old forest.

     ❝True...❞ Aliana chuckled slightly. There was no point in lying; she was a proud Huntress and raised as such. So she doesn’t blame the Stag for not trusting her.

     Predator and Prey have been at odds with one another since the beginning of life. Predators chase and eat Prey and on a rare occasion, Prey would outwit or even kill Predator. Not once will they ever think to sit down and have a casual conversation — the language barrier and the difference in diets between Predators and Prey kept anything like that from happening till now…

     Her curiosity was on full blast.

     ❝Humor me❟ Stag. As I❜ve never been able to talk to a Grass-eater before... What is it like to eat grass？❞ Aliana inquired, ❝To always be on edge about everything？ ❞ At least that’s what it seemed like to her from the many times of watching herds saunter through grassy plains. Always looking, always alert as if paranoid like the grass might leap out at them.

     ❝Though having a healthy amount of distrust and cautiousness isn❜t bad — that❜s how most survive in this World.❞ Aliana noted before casually sitting down and scratching an itch on the back of her ear with a leg, ❝Perhaps that❜s how you survived so long. Don❜t think I didn❜t see those scars on you. How many predators have you fought off besides Wolves...？❞ Her questions verbally prodded at the Stag for answers.

What a vile thing, to laugh at the premise of hunting a child.
 
The stag regarded the wolf with a crease in his brow. Rohan thought that the wolf would think no more of him and be on her way. He had settled somewhat with the realization that she did appear to be alone, though he would not rest quite that easily. The stag knew that the wolves could appear suddenly; they were skilled in the art of the hunt. The prince was determined not to fall to their bite.
 
“Such curious questions,” the royal beast remarked as his ears caught the wolf’s words. He had never been asked such things by a member of her species. For a predator to inquire about the taste of grass, well… it seemed preposterous. Rohan lifted his crown some, dark eyes searching the beast across from him with scrutiny. “You could very well taste it for yourself,” he decided to respond to the wolf’s queries about grass.
 
When she moved on to comment on his amount of time in that world, the stag became somber. Rohan’s features became quite difficult to read. “I have fought in many battles, against more than just wolf. I am a prince of the Elderwood; it is my duty,” he finally said, stoic and sincere in these words.

That’s the life of a Huntress; it's not a pretty one, it was one of blood and flesh. She was raised not to sugar coat it, but to welcome it, enjoy it even. But she rarely hunts Fawns. Yes, they're relatively easy meals—especially if you get them young with inexperienced mothers—but Fawns is the future of a Herd, killing them puts the Herd’s future at risk.

So when she hunts, she hunts smart.

Hearing the Stag’s reply to her probing question, Aliana laughs once more, ❝You could ask me the same question about me and meat❟ Stag and the answer would be all the same.❞ The faintest memory flickers in the back of her head, one she couldn’t recall quite right. She remembered...eating grass once— she must have been a whelp then; explorative, always curious, constantly putting her mouth on anything she could. And on that day she realized one thing...grass tasted awful.

Then the Stag pronounced he was a Prince and her brows rose, ❝A Prince？Ah❟ didn❜t know I was in the presence of royalty. Guess I should have practice my curtsey❟ hm？ ❞ There was a slight hint of sarcasm in her voice. She wasn’t about to bow to a creature she typically considered to be food. The same went for any random pack wolf, leader, or not. Her loyalty and respect were traditionally reserved for the pack she decides to align herself with. But she suspects that the Stag cares not that she had little respect for his title, all that she respected were those horns not being pointed in her direction.

She went quiet for a moment, ❝Soooo...❞ She trailed off slightly, thinking, ❝You got any questions for me Stag？Seems only fair with the questions I've been asking you, or are you merely going to stand over there❟ staring at me with a straight yet judging face？❞

“Then why ask it at all?”
 
Rohan’s tone did not seem to suggest he was mocking her but asking only to answer the query. The stag did not seem stirred by her initial statement. He did not fathom why he should be inspired to ask her what his kind tasted like. The stag had seen more than enough of their blood spilt than he should ever need to. It did not seem fitting that he should inquire to the huntress about her eating habits or the flavors of her many kills.
 
“I do not know what I could ask of you that I do not already know, huntress,” the prince addressed her question with a frown and a surprised flutter of his tail. “You beasts are barbaric. Pray tell me this, what good does it do for you to talk to me? What knowledge have you earned from our engagement?” the stag had not wanted to discuss the wolf’s life so much as why it had decided to approach him and share words.
 
The beast had been crass during their conversation and she had not painted a kind picture of herself or her kind, but Rohan did not believe she would understand this.

❝Curiosity. Plain and simple.❞

Wolves were curious by nature and ever since she arrived in Teekon, she has always been finding something beautiful and interesting about it. The land seemed to stretch on and on with no end and there were no walls to be seen. Now she found him, a Stag able to understand the Wolf language. Something unheard of but not impossible. Of course, this curiosity is capped by cautiousness as the last time she just followed her curiosity blindly, she got nicked on the cheek.
❝Or would you rather we just silently stare into each other eyes?❞ Aliana joked with a chuckle.

Either way, Aliana found her curiosity satisfied, for now. If she stayed any longer, she’d start getting hungry and she liked this Stag. Such a prideful male. It reminded her of her Father.
❝But, I think I’m ready to part ways... Unless you have anything else you want to say?❞ She eyed the Stag with a raised brow. 

The Stag probably had nothing to say to her, but letting him say, perhaps, some parting words were better than her just up and walking away. It would be rude and she only saved that for the bothersome.