November 19, 2025, 03:20 PM
(This post was last modified: November 19, 2025, 03:27 PM by Smokeshow.)
AW
smoke came in on a hard wind. thin, but not broken. his broad shoulders no longer stone, now lichenbone, carved by distance and winter miles. he walked like a wolf who had shed too much but refused to fall.
his steps were hard. each one placed with the same grit he once used to move cattle across frozen plains. his tail hung low but not in surrender. only in weariness. his eyes stayed sharp. nothing in him bent, though his spirit was desperate to.
when he reached the edge of the clearing, he stopped. lifted his head. breathed the air like he meant to claim it. from what he observed there'd been no one around. just the scent of caribou wafting past his nose, and the rumble in his stomach to remind him that he was alive.
November 25, 2025, 04:31 PM
The late autumn breeze sent a chill down Adela's spine. It was her first winter away from her family, but that didn't bother her unlike the colder weather. She continued in a gentle trot through the valley.
She caught scent of another wolf, a male. Lifting her gaze, she spotted a dark, imposing figure. Boy, did he look rough; traveling must have taken a toll on him. She stopped in her tracks and hoped he wouldn't notice her, but her reddish coat against the dry and yellow grass provided no camouflage whatsoever.
She decided to stand and watch whatever it was the other wolf was doing. It seemed that he too was taking a break in his travels. Maybe, if he did notice Adela, he would plainly acknowledge her and they both would continue on their way.
Adela is probably around 100-150 yards away, just for reference.
November 25, 2025, 06:46 PM
he didn’t turn right away. just stood there in the brittle grass, breath ghosting out of him, taking the measure of the land like it might buck under his feet.
when he finally glanced over his shoulder, it was brief. a dark flick of eyes that found her reddish coat easy as daylight. thin thing. new to winter by the way she held herself. too still. too hopeful he hadn’t seen her.
he faced forward again, not threatened, not interested in spooking her either.
when he finally glanced over his shoulder, it was brief. a dark flick of eyes that found her reddish coat easy as daylight. thin thing. new to winter by the way she held herself. too still. too hopeful he hadn’t seen her.
he faced forward again, not threatened, not interested in spooking her either.
you can quit pretendin’ you’re a blade of grass,he called backward, voice carrying clean across the valley. calm. rough, but not unkind.
ain’t lookin’ to bother you.
Shit, he had noticed her. He said that he wasn't looking to bother her, but Adela wasn't sure of his true intentions. She slowly stepped forward, the fur on the nape of her neck bristling. She couldn't tell if it was because of the cold or her apprehension. She let out a disgruntled huff before making her next decision.
Was this someone she could trust? Adela didn't trust others as easily as some, and she preferred to keep to herself and trust her own intuition. However, if he was true to his word, she could continue on her way (wherever that was) unscathed. She took several steps forward and wondered if she should veer around him.
She found herself at a standstill again. Her muscles tensed slowly, not out of fear but discomfort. She stared at him intently, waiting for his next move. Hopefully, he would leave and wouldn't bother her, like he said.
Was this someone she could trust? Adela didn't trust others as easily as some, and she preferred to keep to herself and trust her own intuition. However, if he was true to his word, she could continue on her way (wherever that was) unscathed. She took several steps forward and wondered if she should veer around him.
She found herself at a standstill again. Her muscles tensed slowly, not out of fear but discomfort. She stared at him intently, waiting for his next move. Hopefully, he would leave and wouldn't bother her, like he said.
November 25, 2025, 09:32 PM
smoke didn’t move when she bristled. didn’t square up. didn’t ease off either. he just watched her come those few stiff steps closer, the way a man watches a skittish horse decide whether it’s gonna bolt or bite. his posture stayed loose, shoulders heavy but neutral, tail still.
her stare was sharp, waiting, measuring him. smoke met it once, steady as stone, then looked away, offering her the choice she seemed desperate to keep. he shifted only enough to angle his body so she had a clean path around him if she wanted it. no trapping. no crowding.
easy,he drawled, barely raising his voice.
cold’ll get you long before i do.
her stare was sharp, waiting, measuring him. smoke met it once, steady as stone, then looked away, offering her the choice she seemed desperate to keep. he shifted only enough to angle his body so she had a clean path around him if she wanted it. no trapping. no crowding.
you passin’ through, then,he said, more statement than question, breath fogging in the thin air.
valley’s wide enough for the both of us.
November 25, 2025, 10:06 PM
She realized he would let her pass without any trouble. Adela let out a sigh of relief and began trotting, veering to his left to pass him. She held her head low and didn't look at him while she passed out of caution that he might change his mind. Well, if he was that relaxed about her presence, then she didn't have anything to worry about.
It wasn't until she was several yards past him that she decided to quickly glance back. She didn't know why she did it, or what about him intrigued her. Perhaps it was the fact that another wolf let her pass through without any harm. She was well aware of how territorial packs could be. Adela assumed the stranger was a loner like herself.
Another chill jolted down her spine. Her paw pads were almost cold to the point of burning even though the coldest weather hadn't come yet. It was her first winter on her own, and Adela wasn't sure what to do with herself or if she would survive.
She turned her head again and gave the stranger another glance. Her mind tried to decide whether she should stay or continue on. Her instincts told her to leave, but something nagged at her to stay.
It wasn't until she was several yards past him that she decided to quickly glance back. She didn't know why she did it, or what about him intrigued her. Perhaps it was the fact that another wolf let her pass through without any harm. She was well aware of how territorial packs could be. Adela assumed the stranger was a loner like herself.
Another chill jolted down her spine. Her paw pads were almost cold to the point of burning even though the coldest weather hadn't come yet. It was her first winter on her own, and Adela wasn't sure what to do with herself or if she would survive.
She turned her head again and gave the stranger another glance. Her mind tried to decide whether she should stay or continue on. Her instincts told her to leave, but something nagged at her to stay.
November 25, 2025, 10:38 PM
watchin' her felt like the easy part. a scared little calf, spry from the spring's warmth, now indebted to the cold of the winter. his breath plumed in front of him, the heft of his size culminating in heat that melted the snow at his paws.
what she didn't know is that he'd been watching a small triad of deer below; the offspring enough to run, but too clumsy to make it anywhere far. his stomach had rumbled once more beneath dark belly fur.
before he rose, she walked past him. in an unsuspecting air of confidence. a perfume of feminine pheromones that had him salivate: both in hunger or lust, he didn't know. before him were two feasts, yet he chose the latter.
standing on muscled pillars he huffed, turning his back upon her. he, too, spared her a second glance. her preening eyes of desperation, the lack of hard earned bounties of winter clear upon her youthful cheeks.
a grunt. flicking his tail highly in a confident manner, before descending the slopes. in the coldsnaps of grass he left trails of his scent. purposeful. for her to follow at her leisure. for she could share his bounty, or feast on its bones along with the vultures.
November 26, 2025, 08:06 PM
He, too, had chosen to take another glance at her... for whatever reason. Adela stood and watched him look below at something before setting off on the sloping hills. She almost lurched to follow him, but she showed restraint, What if he leads me to my death? She worried.
She stands still in another moment of contemplation; her instincts were definitely telling her to turn the other way. She should high-tail it out of here without a second thought, but again, something told her to follow, Maybe he's hunting, she suggested to herself.
However, Adela ultimately listened to her instincts, and she turned and sprinted the other way. Far, far away from the stranger. She hoped she wouldn't have to cross paths with him again.
She stands still in another moment of contemplation; her instincts were definitely telling her to turn the other way. She should high-tail it out of here without a second thought, but again, something told her to follow, Maybe he's hunting, she suggested to herself.
However, Adela ultimately listened to her instincts, and she turned and sprinted the other way. Far, far away from the stranger. She hoped she wouldn't have to cross paths with him again.
November 27, 2025, 01:09 PM
she went with her gut; smart girl.
he wasn't a pretty face to look at. nor was his stature inviting as the comfort of mother's breath. but his intention had remained true.
whilst she left, scampering and hungry, smoke had found himself a bounty of a small fawn. faded spots, no less delicious as he licked his face clean. he went to sleep with a full belly that night.
he found himself dreaming of ginger furs.
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