Wild Berry Meadow It was all she had

Spring had finally arrived. Snow melted into the thirsty earth, days stretched longer, and warmth crept back into the land. Relief washed over the earthen lass, winter had never been kind to her. Too much danger, too little life. She longed for the return of greenery, for the burst of color that came with blooming flora. Nature was her solace, her refuge, her peace.

Kaiaka had been walking for what felt like forever. Nothing here was familiar, and she welcomed the unfamiliar. The very idea of home was foreign to her, a thought she never lingered on. There was too much to see, too much to learn, too much to know.

Her rose-quartz eyes swept across the meadow, drinking in the signs of life stirring from slumber. A soft breath escaped her lips as she took it all in, the scent of damp earth, the rustle of awakening leaves. She had arrived at last, though she did not yet know where.

“Vixen!” calls Vermouth when he clambers out of the water.

He peers around the lake shore, then squeezes his eyes shut as he gives himself a good shake. When he’s no longer dripping wet, he casts his eyes along the water’s edge again. Where is she? Has she finally decided to stop following him and go her own way?

Vermouth’s upper canines dig into his lower lip as he ponders a moment. He then huffs a breath and begins walking westward, his pace increasing when he spots a figure crossing the neighboring meadow. She’s quite lovely, including the scent that blows into his nose on a gentle easterly breeze. If only she was several shades paler…

“Hello,” greets the swarthy man, the nip of spring in the air making him feel flirtatious despite her imperfect coat. “I’m Vambrace,” he introduces, discarding the name he’s been using for weeks for something a little fresher.

He slows to a stop perhaps a yard away, ears pricked and tail swinging upward in a friendly wag. He squares his shoulders and lets his tongue loll from his partially open mouth as he waits to see what the she-wolf makes of him.

Tagging @Accipitra for invisibility (invitation + visibility, lawl)! :)

head deep in an upturned fox’s den, vixen’s ears snapped forward as vermouth’s voice broke her from her reverie. she clambered from the hole she’d dug passionately, staring at the dark and freshly disturbed soil. 

what had she been doing, again?

she listened a moment longer, scratching at a clump of dirt irritating her ear. 

with a shrug she trotted back the way she’d come moments before, slowing to a disapproving prowl as yet another women lingered within distance of him. 

vambrace, he’d said. she swiped at the mud along her cheek and fixed her uneven gaze on the woman, who up until her arrival had probably been gearing for a peaceful afternoon. she didn’t bother hiding her visual assessment; if anything, she was guilty of staring a bit too long. gracile, this women of earthenware hues; she only wished the stranger would put those slender legs to good use and move away from her companion.

A pang of disappointment stirs at the sudden interruption of her reverie, but she gives no outward sign of it. Unfazed by the presence of strangers, Kaiaka meets the shadowed man’s gaze with quiet composure, not assessing, not admiring, merely acknowledging what stands before her.

Her eyes drift to the female beside him, lovely in her own right despite the mud and debris clinging to her strange markings. There is no urgency in Kaiaka’s manner, no rush to fill the silence. She lets the moment stretch, unbothered by the weight of unspoken words.

At last, she offers a greeting, her tone as neutral as the expression she wears. Allo, strangers.

Nothing more. Her gaze shifts to meet a pair of faded golden orbs. She wonders but does not ask, leaving space for the pair to bridge the distance, if they so choose.

“Vambrace,” he repeats with a cheeky twitch of his lips, “and this is Vixen.” He motions at his companion by throwing an elbow in her direction. He glances at her, does a brief double take at her muddy countenance, then returns his attention to the other woman. “What should we call you?”

Her eyes meet his, their color such a fascinating hue in contrast to the muted earthen tones of her fur. Vermouth holds her gaze, intrigued by the boldness of it. He only detaches his eyes to give her a more thorough visual assessment, appreciating what he sees even if she’s not kvit. She’s lissome, her muscles toned beneath a pelt that’s artfully disheveled.

With an appreciative hum he isn’t aware of, his gaze returns to her most intriguing feature: those striking eyes the shade of sunset’s afterglow.

a lengthy pause spread between them, the silence inciting hope that this woman could not speak, just like her. good; if that was the case, nothing would come of their meeting, and she and ‘vambrace’ could skip off to better climes.

but then she speaks. the girl’s gaze measured her with a cool sweep, ignoring her companion’s double take at her muddied complexion. jostled by his elbow and introduced, the girl’s unfixed stare gradually climbed to the she-wolf’s pleasant face, wishing the lack of urgency displayed here would shift.

maybe we ought to show some teeth and change the mood. suggested some inner thought; but where had that voice come from? the girl from sweetharbor was scandalized, and instead rounded upon her haunches with a noisy plop.

At the repeated mention of the male’s name, she cocked her head, one brow arching in quiet inquiry. She hadn’t asked him to say it again, did he think she was deaf? The thought flickered through her mind, then just as quickly, she dismissed it. There were more important matters at hand. Her name.

Ya can call me Kaiaka, she said, her tone simple, matter-of-fact.

Vambrace and Vixen, unusual names, perhaps, but she tucked them away without much thought. Names were just that.

What brings ya here? she asked, though the curiosity in her voice was faint, more a gesture of politeness than any real interest. Small talk was tedious, unnecessary. Yet others seemed to crave it, as if silence were something to be filled rather than appreciated.

Her gaze drifted, taking in the land around them, stirring with new life. A wry smirk tugged at her lips.

The world's wakin' up again, she mused. ’Bout time, if ya ask me.

“Nice to meet you, Kaiaka,” he says, not bothering to puzzle out the strange look. “We’re mostly just roaming. Sometimes I think about scouting out a territory and staking a claim,” he fibs. “I bet this place is incredible in the spring and summer, though I think I’d prefer more cover,” posits Vermouth, eyes glancing at their surroundings. “Trees and the like. Maybe a stream or, better yet, a lake.”

He hums into silence, his attention soon returning to Kaiaka as he wonders what she’s doing here. As she’s pointed out, it’s nearing the cusp of springtime. Many wolves wander this time of year, searching for mates or—as he’s alleged—territories. Many seek both.

“And what are your plans, now that nature’s waking up from her winter’s nap?” he queries with a swish of his tail.

a quizzical expression eclipsed the woman’s features. she noticed it immediately, parsing out the complexities where vambrace would not.

she got the sense that this conversation — or maybe the whole encounter — wasn’t thrilling to the stranger. good; that meant she and vermouth could be on their way soon.

but why is he so chatty? she looked to him briefly as he fibbed, disguising the look of disapproval by quickly looking away.

so far, no other intrusive thoughts made themselves known — and for this, the girl was grateful.

Slowly, Kaiaka turned her head toward the lake, then to the dense woods standing nearby. Her expression grew more quizzical as she processed the male’s claims. She had thought this place ideal for a claim and had been pleasantly surprised to find it free of any pack scent.

She wasn’t entirely sure what to make of the dark fellow, but she certainly wasn’t amused.

Aye, I see. I hope that bodes well for ya. Her tail flicked idly behind her as she sidestepped his question, uninterested in explaining her way of life. Instead, she offered a knowing glance, her tone carrying a subtle warning.

Y’all best be careful out here. Never know what ya might stumble on.

Rather than answer him, she offers a cryptic warning. Vermouth stares at her, more intrigued than ever. He can’t pass it up this time. As she clearly tries to disengage, he leans in.

“Well, that’s a non-sequitur. Is there something we should know about?” asks Vermouth directly, including Vixen with a single blinking glance.

something in the air changed. the girl's ears cupped forward as she measured the cryptic look in the tawny she-wolf's expression. something deliberate, maybe -- but she could not place it.

when she looked to vermouth his posture indicated the opposite; he practically leaned in as he pressed for more information, sharing a look with her that signaled this was important.

she too turned back to the stranger, dual-toned gaze encouraging elaboration.

Irritation nipped at the edges of her patience. She stifled a sigh, eyeing the two before her. Did she really want to go down this road? To entangle herself with them even further?

She turned the thought over in her mind, weighing the cost of engagement. Finally, she exhaled through her nose and muttered, Ain’t mean nothing by it. Take it or leave it.

Hoping that would be enough to end the exchange, she shifted her stance, half-turning away as if something more interesting had caught her attention. Her gaze drifted over the field, ears flicking as if listening for something just beyond reach, something, anything, to focus on instead of them.

Kaiaka insists it was merely some sort of platitude. Vermouth squints. He notes the look she gives them; the sigh through her nose; her mumbling; and, finally, the way she telegraphs her intent to depart imminently. This time, he makes no effort to dissuade her. He doesn’t bother saying goodbye, either.

Turning to Vixen, he opens his mouth as if about to say something. Instead, he pauses, brows raising, then shakes his head and snorts. He swings his pale yellow gaze due westward, fixing on the mountain range looming in the distance.

“I’ll decide when we get closer,” he says to himself, or maybe to Vixen, as he begins striding in that direction, “whether we’ll go around, or up and over.”

He says nothing else, just shuts his mouth and speeds up to a trot, then a lope and, eventually, a ground-eating gallop.

Thanks for the thread! :D

<3 thank u for the thread!

being a wolf steeped in silence, much of her understanding of the world around her relied on disseminating social queues. and this woman broadcast her disinterest in a way that could not be missed.

like her counterpart, the girl squinted — but offered nothing. she couldn’t say what specifically precipitated this sudden disinterest, but frankly, she didn’t have the interest or resources to investigate.

moving between them both now as vermouth made to speak and then remained silent, she bodily turned from the she-wolf, knowing this would present a clear opportunity for her to leave. attention riveted on vermouth, her gaze tracked up the slope he mentioned.

she had no opinion of which way was best, content for now to follow him and leave the she-wolf where they’d found her.