Emberwood Take my love down to Baton Rouge

Yet another outrider thread because I love them so ^^ all welcome!

My but this forest was pretty in the fall! It was like walking through a canopy of fire. Vienna stepped along with her muzzle pretty much at a perpendicular to the ground, gazing in awe at the leaves above. She had lived in an area with trees, certainly, and they too had turned, but these seemed especially vivid.

She was out and about again, though this time sticking a bit closer to home. She didn't think that Ferdie would have gone far, and if he did, she imagined she had a better chance of finding traces of him closer to the mountain than further off. Thinking perhaps he had headed more northward, she was on that side of the mountains today.

Her reasoning was twofold, though... with the leadership change, she did not want to be too absent from pack life despite the increased outrider trips. It was a delicate time and she wanted to be around to support. It made things hard, trying to balance home and trade duties. She hated to think she was letting anyone down.

His maw was bloodied with his breakfast, the remains of a crow strewn through the grass. Bits of black feather stuck up through the mess of guts and tiny, splintered bones. As Dovev feasted on the small but adequate catch, he couldn't help but marvel at the delicate innards of such an annoying beast as the ebony avian. It had been seated among yellow grasses when Dovev had silently perused it, watching as the crow hopped about lichen-covered boulders, pecking at an anthill. Dovev had jumped through the grass, his belly brushed with the tips of the wild barley and sage. With a startled caw the bird had flapped upwards, but the large white brute sprung upwards to catch it mid-launch in his powerful jaws.

The crow was little to sate Dovev in his daily jaunt, and the white wolf left the remains in a steady jaunt, his head placed upwards in the air and muzzle set into the wind. Occasionally he would slide into a slow bound, running with the breeze pressing against his broad shoulders, but usually his pace was long and ate up the ground as he crossed from the fields into the woods. With the scent of Swiftcurrent fading from his nostrils, it was replaced by one of another, and the alabaster brute came to a halt, gray orbs like searchlights as he read the spaces between the trunks. Yes, there was something sharing the day's walk, and Dovev started forward as the female emerged into view.

He remained quiet, knowing his fur was enough of a beacon for the gray creature to spot him, let alone his size and appearance. But he was mildly curious as to what this female was doing- and where her strange aroma came from.

As the white wolf surmised, it did not take even Vienna long to notice his shining pelt. "Oh, hello there!" She called jauntily, practically bouncing over to where he stood. "Aren't these trees just about the most beautiful thing you've ever seen?!" Where a normal wolf might have introduced herself, Vienna of course immediately began conversing about nothing in particular. At least she was consistent, for the most part.

"We had lots of trees back home, but nothing like this! Up on the mountain we don't have too many trees that actually change, but it doesn't really feel like fall without them. Are you fond of autumn?" She asked him, seating herself in front of him with her head lilting sideways in a questioning manner, smile never leaving her features.

ok back from business

Admittedly, he was a little taken back when the sterling and tan hued female danced forward on light steps, and instinctively his black gums rolled backwards. A sharp glint of his incisors peeked through his lips and he straightened up, but he closed his mouth as she began to
speak.

Aren't these trees just about the most beautiful thing you've ever seen?
He couldn't help but feel the twitch of a small smile at the female's exuberance over the changing of the seasons. Dovev's gray orbs briefly scanned overhead.

I guess it is. But it won't last long, he responded nonchalantly, watching the small breeze tug at her coat. His nose wrinkled more with her aroma, the scents of others making his shoulder hairs stand on end. The mention of 'up on the mountain' made him even more guarded and muscles taut. His next answer was a little more pointed.

Autumn is only useful for the coming of winter. Where are you from?

Vienna immediately backed up, almost falling over herself in the attempt to stop her enthusiastic forward motion. Her ears flattened and she sat down, abashed by the immediate show of agression. She hadn't meant to seem a threat.

She did perk up somewhat, though, when he responded in a neutral manner. Perhaps everything was alright then. He wasn't exactly friendly, per say, but he wasn't going for her throat either. Small victories.

His words were a bit pessimistic, but true to her upbeat self, she didn't let it get her down. She shrugged. "That's one of the things I like about it. Summer and winter sometimes seem like they last forever. Fall, though, never overstays it's welcome." It was true that summer was her favorite of all the seasons, but that didn't mean she didn't appreciate the lack of longevity. Sometimes she wished they could experience the seasons in short bursts rather than long stays. "To each their own, I guess." She wasn't bothered by his opinion but certainly didn't agree with it. Fall was useful for many more purposes, even if one of them was so simple as to allow the trees to show a beauty hidden from the rest of the year.

"The Sunspire. That mountain over there." She indicated the direction where the hazy peak could be faintly seen. "My name's Vienna. How about you?" Hopefully he wasn't so close-mouthed that he wouldn't return the favor. She absolutely loved chatting with strangers, especially strangers who had seen interesting things and lived interesting lives. Which, to Vienna, meant pretty much everyone.

As she stepped back, Dovev flattened out his fur and lowered his gum, his gaze returned to drift over rather bury holes into her. The wolf wasn't well-known for his gregariousness or affableness, but this female exuded an aura of happiness. It was almost contagious, and Dovev struggled to keep his alert, stand-offish composure. After all, she had just revealed her pack affiliation.

Although the male had only heard stories of Sunspire in passing, the line was clear- they were carefully neutral on purpose. Such caution had sparked curiousity in the white male, wondering what had transpired between his pack and the mountain dwellers. This Vienna seemed hardly the type to spook anyone away. She had motioned behind her, and through the crisp golden and rusty orange leaves, a mountain rose in the distance.
The Sunspire, eh? Wonder what it's like to live up there, he mused. Tipping his head back down, Dovev responded in full. I am Dovev, and I guess our packs have a little history between them.

"Ohh, you can't even imagine, it's gorgeous," she gushed about living on the mountain. God she loved it, and while she did still at times miss her previous home, she couldn't believe how wonderful her new home was. Though, at this point, she could barely call it 'new' anymore.

"Makes you feel like a bird, being up so high and looking down on the world. And the stars seem so much brighter. Are you a fan of stargazing?" She hoped he said yes, though it was fine if he wasn't. Not everyone could find delight in such things. She shook her head, though, when he mentioned the tension between their packs. The ongoing nature of it still puzzled her. "I guess so, though honestly I have no idea why. I mean, I've met a couple from your pack, and you all seem decent enough." She eyed him warily. "You aren't a predator in disguise, are you, luring me in just to attack when I least expect it?" Her tone held an obvious joking note, for she didn't want to offend him into thinking that she actually thought he would.

The excitement from this tawny female was palpable as she spewed compliments and tales surrounding the Sunspire. Dovev's eyes flickered through the autumn trees again, looking up at the towering peak that rose through the valley. He admitted it was a formidable sight, and the wolves who lived in its shadow would be needing a different set of skills than those who lived in the forests and plains. Vienna looked slim and hardy from the obvious mountain trekking required to navigate her pack territory.

I can imagine they'd be brighter when you're closer to the sky, the Creek wolf responded. But, I've never stopped to look at them.
It was true- Dovev had long since stopped caring about what was above him, and not in front of him. The first time he had stopped to stare upwards was in his birth forest, where the air was so clear the galaxy was visible. The Milky Way was a massive sort of rend in the sky. It was as if the sky had been ripped open to give birth to the world, and the scar in the sky was a glowing reminder of life back on Earth. But that was old tales Dovev had never paid attention to, and so therefore he stopped looking for validity for them.

With a bear-like grin on his face, the tundra hunter let out a small laugh from his throat at her last comment. Why would I do that? It's not like I'm on patrol, anyways. His tongue went to the blood stains above his gums. Besides, I just ate.

"It always surprises me that some don't, though to each their own," she responded with a smile, not able to understand but not bothered by it either. How could one not be in awe of the beauty of the heavens?

She shrugged. "Why does anyone?" Then she grinned at him. "I'm not too worried though. Especially since you already ate." Man food sounded great right about now. As if in response, Vienna's stomach gave a low rumble. "Which reminds me, dinner. But first, there's something I've been wondering for a long time. You guys, Swiftcurrent that is... do you guys have stick races?" So it might have seemed a stupid question, but Vienna had loved them when she was young herself and wondered if they did them here. As a pup she'd always enjoyed watching her little float race downriver, egging it on to see if it could beat her opponent's. A place with a name like Swiftcurrent surely would have an even better setting to hold them!

He looked confused at her joyful tone, spewing out whatever was on her mind. 'Stick races?'? Whatever was going on up on the Sunspire, Dovev knew this slim and energetic female would be in the heart of it. Stick races seemed right up her alley.

No. I don't think we time for those, Dovev responded, his voice void of condescending. If that's what she liked to do, then fine. But if that's what took up her time, maybe that's why she was hungry.

Good luck finding food, then. His blue eyes were losing their luster and had morphed into smooth planes of glass. I should be getting on, now. The light had receded behind the mountain, and now only a dark orange glow lit Emberwood's leaves. It was still a spectacle to behold, but the male was much more at ease near the Creek and out in the open.

He didn't seem too enthused about the subject of her question and she silently wondered if he knew what she was talking about. Well that answered that. Honestly she wondered how some wolves got by without a little fun in their lives. It was an activity she hadn't done since she was small, but perhaps she'd have to give it another try. The spire had some promising streams.

"Alright, nice meeting ya!" She dipped her head befor bounding off enthusiastically in search of something tasty. Hopefully her rumbling stomach wouldn't scare away all the prey.