Wild Cherry Orchard springtime sonata.

“Way down south of the mountain.”

That’s what Kino had said. Or, Alastor. Whatever fancy-pants name the wolf had chosen for himself. At least, when Ari decided she needed something different, it had simply been a reduction of the name their mother had given her. Easier to yell (which the wolves of Blackwatch Canyon often did) and easier to remember. But Alastor? Part of her wondered if it had been that girl he’d mentioned. Sa-hal-whatever. Sahowlie? Oh, she liked that one.

Ari’s tail wiggled as she continued her path, far and away from White Fir Notch behind her. She hadn’t give any word that she was leaving – but Gent had left on some business and hadn’t returned. Lucia disappeared soon after. Ryker was still around, but…the boy had never made any effort or shown any interest; frankly, no one besides Gent and his tiny doppelganger had made even the slightest attempt. There was no point in staying behind. And there was no point in saying goodbye to wolves who had never so much as said hello. Shit, the Canyon wolves were kind of jerks, but they had better manners than that!

The massive wolf shook her head as she slowed, craning her neck to peer up at the trees. Though she’d gone south, the woman had no idea she’d gone in the opposite direction. Instead, she stared at the tiny green fruits only just starting to appear on branches. “Wonder if I can eat ‘em?” she asked no one in particular. Before she could do anything more that rear up and place her paws on the trunk, a tiny ladybug fluttered down and perched delicately on her nose. The tiny legs tickled, but she didn’t dare move – what if it flew away?

Hello!

She couldn't stay still for long, it just wasn't in her nature. So it wasn't so strange to find her out again today, investigating the grove of low trees standing so peculiarly in the middle of the field littered with smaller bushes. Of course she didn't really care about the trees, not the way her sister and mother cared about plants; Boring! Really, she was much more concerned about the small fruits that hung on the branches. Tiny, green things, but at least they were there, unlike the blackberries around them, which were still just flowers. The fiery girl had managed to find a pair of drupes low enough to reach, though biting into one had landed her with an unpleasant surprise. She'd been left spitting and coughing at the dry bitterness, most of the fruits center consisting of a hard seed, tasting even worse than the unripe flesh; Disgusting!

But Flair was a stubborn sort, and not one to give up on a chance at free food, so she continued her trek through the grove, scouting for fruits that might have hung longer on the trees, gathering sweetness as she knew other berries did. Instead she found something quite different. First alerted by a voice, reddish ears perked and spun, gaze searching the surrounding until they found the figure. Amber eyes widened, mouth falling slightly open at the sight, her tail swooping low in apprehension. At first sight she mistook the strange wolf for a bear, standing upright against the tree trunk, legs and frame hulking under the fur, a few shades darker brown than her own. The shewolf looked just like the monsters her parents had described; But it… Talked! Could bears talk?

Hesitant yet curious, the younger girl took a few step towards the creature, narrowing her eyes to see it clearer. If it was a bear, they looked more like wolves than she'd thought. This creature looked mostly like her father, a little smaller and lighter in color, but otherwise the same; So which is it? Bear or wolf? She supposed there was only one way to find out; "Ey! You a bear?"

Word count: 357

Thoughts ”Speech”

Tambako The Jaguar @Flickr

Ari had no idea another wolf was approaching. It was a good thing she was so big, quite frankly, or she’d make a good target for someone who had less than kind things in mind. But no, she was far too busy watching the little friend on her nose, slowly walking its way across the bridge of her snout towards the rest of her face. Steel grey eyes started to cross as the Leigh struggled to keep the ladybug in focus, barely registering that someone had said something.

For a moment, she thought it might be the insect on her muzzle.

“You can read minds?” she asked it a bit absently, glad the movement didn’t startle it off. Only as she moved did she notice the bright swatch of red fur nearby. Her tail waved once but she dare not turn, dare not jump down, lest the little bug fly off. “Yeah, ‘course,” she answered absently, having no real idea what the other girl had said. It sounded like a question. Something about a bear. Bear-dog, that’s what Finch had called her. She liked that. Ari’s lips tipped upwards.

“Who’re you?”

Whether she was asking the wolf or the ladybug remained unclear.

It didn’t even turn, barely seemed to register her question; So it is a bear? Did that mean she should run? But then the creature spoke, a low rumbling voice which neither confirmed nor denied her question. “Huh?” Flair asked, tilting her head and daring to step a little closer. But the stranger didn’t appear to be speaking to her at all, dark eyes directed at something invisible to the other wolf. Russet muzzle wrinkled, a frown settling on her features as she studied the other, again taking a step in her direction; Soon she would be too close to escape a sudden attack. But as hulking as this character was, she didn’t seem threatening, not in the sense she expected a bear would if a wolf meandered this close. Sturdy limbs and a short muzzle, covered in a dense, mahogany colored fur immediately drew the eye, but they were coupled with large, expressive ears and intelligent, silver-grey eyes; though currently looking rather silly, half crossed to focus on a small read dot between them.

Flair jumped slightly when the bear-wolf spoke again, surprised more by the voice itself than the words. It was deep, resonating in that barely chest, not unlike her fathers did, but it was full of inflection and an awareness that seemed to speak against her statement; So why’d she say yes? It seemed a rather odd thing to lie about. And yet the red girl found herself smirking slightly, wagging the tip of her own, bushy tail. “Guess I’m a fox then,” She answered evenly, she looked the part as much as this girl did her own animal persona; “But y’ can call me Flair.” Then her attention turned to the thing that had this other teen so mesmerized, a tiny, red dot, slowly wiggling across the coarse hairs of her muzzle; A… bug? Again her head tilted, amber eyes squinting in a mirror of the other’s, to focus on the little creature. “What’ ya’ looking at?” The question might seem just as stupid as her first one, but she had no mind or patience to think of any better, nor did she really care if this stranger thought she was dumb. Or at least that was what she told herself.

Word count: 376

Thoughts ”Speech”

Tambako The Jaguar @Flickr

Fox?

It finally occurred to the young wolf that the little bug probably wasn’t talking back to her, as interesting as that might be. A fox would be pretty cool too, though – Ari snorted violently as the ladybug stepped across her dark nose. Away went the little insect, thoroughly offended by the savage sneeze. She spared it only one last passing glance before finally turning stormy eyes to the other coming adult, a slow grin spreading across her dark muzzle as she took the little female in.

“Fox-dog. Fire fox, yeah. I like that better.”

Tcht. She could so do nicknames better than that asshole Finch. And besides, who did he think he was? He should have been bird-dog, or something. The loner hopped down from the tree, pausing long enough to stretch out her neck before sauntering over to the small wolf (who really was quite average, but Ari was in the habit of considering the vast majority of other canids to be quite little) with a lazy smile. If there was danger afoot, she hadn’t noticed – or simply didn’t care quite enough. “I’m Ari – I was lookin’ at a bug, but yer cuter.” She laughed quietly to herself, eyes twinkling. “But what I’m really lookin’ fer is my brother. Abalone? Albany? Alan?”