Swiftcurrent Creek Dawn [IC joining]

@Bazi and @Scimitar but anyone else is welcome.

Dawn swirled her head towards the sky. It was a fairly warm autumn day, so it wasn't too hot. In the distance, there was a clump of trees. Dawn stood up from her sitting position before and began padding towards it. There was shade there, and that's what she needed. A little bird dropped to the ground. Dawn pounced on it and broke it's neck, killing it instantly. She took the body in her jaws and continued padding to the trees. There was a sparkle that caught her eye. Dawn quickened her pace into a trot and arrived to the small gathering of trees. When she stepped inside, it was cooler. In the center of the little garden, there was a spring of water. Dawn dropped her meal and stepped closer to the water. She took a lick and made sure it wasn't dangerous before lapping a few more sips. "This is awesome." Dawn smiled to herself and sat back down beside the spring with her meal. She was eating the bird happily when suddenly a wolf scent caught her nose.

Dawn stood up with bird meat still in her mouth, looking at every direction. When she made sure there was nothing close by dangerous, Dawn sat back down and continued enjoying her meal. Bird meat was quite plain, but that's usually what she could catch on her own. Sometimes maybe there were remains of other animal corpses left by wolves that were delicious. After an afternoon of walking around, she got to rest. Dawn was about to drift off into a nap when an animal scent blasted in her nose. Her eyes were already closed, so she might as well play dead for now. It proved to be useful to surprise a coyote or a dog.

Assuming she's actually in SC territory. :D Sorry for the delay, I've been ill. :(

It wasn't long before the residents caught wind of the little intruder - literally. Bazi's nostrils flared wide as she hunted down the source of the smell, lips twitching over her teeth. Someone had ventured far into Creek territory.. and had managed to evade capture. How?

By the time she spotted the sleeping figure, Bazi was livid. Everything about her posture spelled rage - ears flat, teeth bared, the hairs along her spine standing to attention. She crept towards the creature, the tiny, meek, sweet little...

... puppy.

It was a puppy.

"What the hell are you doing here?" Bazi snarled from a distance of ten or so meters away, but bafflement was swallowing her anger. In a somewhat calmer voices, on ear angling forward, she added, "This is claimed territory. How could you not smell it?"

I was a bit busy yesterday :P

Dawn jumped up in terror. "I'm so sorry!! Please don't hurt me!" She backed away from the scary she-wolf. "My mommy didn't teach me what to do about smelly places. I'll go back to my den, I'm so sorry, Wolf lady!" Dawn sat down, feeling so sorry she didn't look at the danger signs. Now the scary wolf lady will kill her!

Wolf-lady? Bazi's lip curled over glistening teeth. She took several steps towards the younger wolf, glaring menacingly at her. How dare she traipse in here. "Thank your lucky stars I'm letting you go!" she snarled, tail lashing behind her. And that was really meant to be that, but... Bazi half-turned to go, but curiosity got the better of her. "What do you mean, 'your den'? Haven't you got a pack?"

Dawn peered up at the she wolf. "What's a pack? Is it a food?" She never heard of that word before. It sounded funny, because she lived in her den all her life. Her mom taught her how to live in the wild by herself, but Dawn didn't know that there are many other wolves out there. She had seen a few of them from a distance, but not as close as this wolf. Then she suddenly snapped out of her daze and stood up, ready to leave. "Bye miss wolf."

I'm so sorry. I'm going to accept you OOCly so you can start posting - I've been away with work. :(

What's a pack? Bazi's rage dissolved into utter bewilderment. Did this creature live alone? Out there? Bazi could scarcely imagine it - even in captivity, there had been other wolves, even though they had not grouped together in any official way.

"Wait. Wait! Hang on," Bazi strode briskly forward, entering the youngster's personal space to sniff her. "You don't smell sick.. you really don't know what a pack is? Do you live alone?"

DUN DUN DUNNNNNN

Dawn thought for a moment. "I used to live with mommy, but now she's gone for a long time. So I live in my den without mommy now." The she wolf sniffed her for some reason. Was she smelly? This 'pack' word sounded important. "My mommy never said anything about a pack. It was just me and her." Thinking about her mommy, it reminded Dawn of the time she called out for hours on end for her mother. The days she spent cold and lonely. Dawn subconsciously drooped her head.

I am sorry about this; wrapping this up now (I'll make sure it gets to 10).

It was a familiar tale of woe. Bazi's tail swished audible past her ankles. "Hm," she muttered out loud, scrutinizing the youth with scrunched-up eyes. Could she adopt this wretched creature, maybe? Keep her as a 'practice child'? .. was that wrong?

Finally, the pale queen delivered her verdict. "You'll stay here. We'll be your pack. It'll be winter soon, and you won't survive on your own." Whatever Dawn-mist became - her pack-mate or her child - she couldn't be allowed to wander off and die.

Dawn's eyes shined brightly. "I can stay here? Thank you kind lady!" She swayed her tail a little. No more hiding in the dirty old den. No more sneaking around trees, hunting because she haven't eaten in days. She had a home now! A family too! Dawn smiled at the she wolf. Winter was cold and there wasn't any food to eat. She usually just survived off some berries and nuts. When they ran out, Dawn would just huddle in a corner and sleep even when her stomach is churning in pain.

Concluding! :)

She wasn't short on enthusiasm, that much was certain. Bazi nodded mutely in response, a little unsure now what had possessed her to bring yet another dependent into the pack - and so close to winter. "Come on," she ordered nonetheless, and turned toward the creek.