She had been travelling steadily south-east for the past few days, keeping to relatively open land in an effort to make up for time lost during the storm, and the events in Ghastly Woods. The rain had long become standard, and the rust-orange shewolf hardly even noticed her drenched pelt anymore. Right now, her attention was completely elsewhere, as a thing irrepressible had temporarily suspended her quest.






I've got you now! the girl thought, triumphantly, her eyes locked on the grey-brown creature sprinting for its life in front of her. Speed had never been the lady's strong side, but with the right timing she could still catch herself a decent meal without trouble. Running them tired was her usual strategy, she could easily run for hours on end, following in steps with her prey, but with swift little critters like this hare, it wasn't an option; and besides, she had no time to waste. She had gone for a surprise attack, something her mother, who was also lacking in the speed section, had taught her. Only a short burst, using all her strength, and striking down on the rabbit before it ad time to get away. Everything was following plan, as the animal desperately sought to escape by heading into a denser area of the woods, but Aideen managed to cut it off with a swift movement, panting heavily from the exertion.






That's when things started to go sour. In her quick move to block the hare off, and send it out into more open terrain, the tricolored wolfess had neglected to watch her step. paws landing down on the rain soaked dirt, it was all to laid for her to realize her mistake. Aideen lost balance, skirting site wards in the pool of mud where she had landed. Her body slumped to the ground, already wet fur now having a coat of mud to add to its disarray; Blasted! She jerked her head up to look after the rabbit, not sure what she hoped to see, but far from intent on giving up. That's when she noticed a figure in the distance, standing still among the far-spread trees. Her panicked pray was heading straight for this other wolf, to scared of the initial danger to notice this new thread. Desperately, Aideen pushed herself up on one paw, calling to the stranger: <b style="color:#c7470f">"Hey, catch it will ya'?!"






Word count: 397




I'm not stupid <b style="color:#c7470f">”I've got bark!”

A triumphant smile lit up her face when the stranger struck down the hare, the faint snap of its neck echoing through the rainy air. She shook her fur to get rid of the worst of the mud, carefully twisting her body to regain her footing, without slipping again; wincing as a faint stab of pain went through her shoulder. After getting back up, and moving a few steps to drier ground, she shook again, absently nibbling at her muddy fur in an attempt to clean it.






First when the stranger asked whether or not she was hurt, did Aideen turn her attention to the maroon-pelted fae, smiling crookedly. <b style="color:#c7470f">"Only on my pride!" She answered with a light chuckle, <b style="color:#c7470f">"Thank you for catching that by the way!" Her head jerked towards the hare on the ground, copper-dark eyes meeting the other girls orange-goldens. She's quite pretty, beautiful even, if it wasn't for that messy fur... Something clicked in the orange wolfess mind as the thought surfaced; Messy fur..! Her eyes sparked, and her tail started wagging rapidly as she ran her gaze along the strangers frame, studying her closely.






Her posture was carful, tail and head lowered in a nonthreatening manner, yet muscles slightly tense and ears attentively perked. It was clear that this dame did not want to appear hostile, yet she was properly cautious of the stranger before her. As Aideen examined her though, there was no doubt in her mind, the description fit perfectly, this had to be the wolf she was searching for. Her triumphant grin returned, <b style="color:#c7470f">"Senka! You are Senka right?!" The question was a formality, the audacious woman was sure in her case; I found her, Rayne!






Word count: 283




I'm not stupid <b style="color:#c7470f">”I've got bark!”

The shock from the fall, and the sudden rush of excitement finding Senka had brought, had made the young traveler forget her hunger. Yet when the bigger dame readily turned over the dead animal, Aideen felt her stomach growl. Her eyes rested on the bloody meal for a short while, but then turned back up, to once again meet the opposer's deep ambers. No matter how tempting, the hare would have to wait; there were more pressing matters at hand.






Senka seemed, understandably, baffled by the orange-tinted girls excitement and knowledge about her, asking if they had ever met before. Aideen let out her ecstasy in a few short barks of laughter, and then took a deep breath, forcing herself to calm down. If I keep going like this I'm gonna scare the poor wolf half to death! She furrowed her brows, forcing a more serious demeanor, while her thoughts kept churning; Think! Think... What did Rayne say again? She smiled apologetically at the other, while she tried to remember the boy's advice on how to handle his sister. Ferns..? It was something about ferns...






The slender dame shook her head, her thrill had sent her thoughts spinning uncontrollably, leaving her without much to work with. Well, first things first! Straightening herself a little, she shook her head again, this time in reply to the maroon wolfess' question. <b style="color:#c7470f">"No," She said, an apologetic note in her explanatory voice; <b style="color:#c7470f">"We haven't met before. But I know your brother, he's looking for you, and he asked me to help." Her voice was slightly breathless from her eagerness to get the information out, but she looked at Senka with raised ears and a broad grin. Swallowing heavily to control her panting, she soon remembered what she had, yet again, failed to mention; <b style="color:#c7470f">"Oh and I'm Aideen by the way, Aideen Smoke, nice to meet you!"






Word count: 312




I'm not stupid <b style="color:#c7470f">”I've got bark!”

The russet dame's guarded stance further sobered Aideen, the initial rush of excitement finally subsiding, in favor of a more serious attitude; though still lightened by a confident grin. She was eager to get moving again now, bringing the two lost siblings back together, however Senka seemed wary of the news and its bringer; Like Rayne said she would... The slender girl waved her ears slightly, a tad of annoyance working its way into her mix of moods while she listened to the other wolf's words, studying her closely. She reminded herself that not all wolves had lived the same peaceful life as her, experiencing mistreatment and nastiness from others throughout their existence; a briefly memory of her encounter in Ghastly Woods flashed through her mind, and she shook her head faintly. Still, this lag of trust was unfamiliar to the young fae, grown up as she had in a tight knit pack, surrounded by loving family. I guess this is what it's like, being a loner. Always having to watch your own back, cautions of everyone you meet!






For the first time since she left home, Aideen felt a longing for pack life. It was unlike the flashes of homesickness she'd previously experienced - this wasn't yearning for her family and the, almost carefree, life she'd left behind - this was a completely new feeling, a wish to find new friends and family, wolves she could trust. It's another kind of adventure... She thought to herself, a bit solemnly. An adventure that would have to wait for now, the tri-colored wolfess reminded herself, as she again returned to reality to answer Senka, and prove her trustworthiness.






When their eyes once again met, there was a new glimmer of understanding in the copper depths of Aideen's, and when her jaws parted, she spoke with a voice that was a tad softer, and more careful than previously; <b style="color:#c7470f">"We met on our separate travels... It must have been, at least 6 nights ago." She furrowed her brows while trying to recall her meeting with Rayne and their conversation about his sister. It was all a bit fussy, meddled with the memories of the other meetings she had had throughout the forest. <b style="color:#c7470f">"He had just been in a scuffle with another wolf. I helped him calm down, and we talked a bit... He mentioned that he was out looking for you, that he had returned to your old pack, only to find you gone, and he wanted to find you, to make sure you were ok..." Even in her newfound thoughtfulness, the fox-like lass spoke with an almost breathless eagerness, the end of her words nearly colliding with the next, and she strove to give out as much information as she could, all in the hopes that the opposing femme would believe her. Mother would say I was rambling! She never liked the way I talk... A faint, melancholic smile creased the dame's lips, it had always been much easier for her dam to chastise than praise.






She once more shook her dome; like she wasn't enough of an emotional mess as was.






Word count: 520




I'm not stupid <b style="color:#c7470f">”I've got bark!”

She recoiled at the larger female's, unexpected, aggressive reaction, her head jerking upwards and back, and weight falling back on her hind legs. Too surprised to get angry, she stared wide eyed at the opposer, while she spouted her accusations, smile freezing on her face. What, I... WHAT! In her shock she had trouble comprehending the other's words, which didn't make a lot of sense in the first place, and her focus was split as she also needed to keep watch of Senka's body language, which had grown rapidly threatening.






<b style="color:#c7470f"> "Hey, hold on there..!" She tried, but clearly the maroon wolfess wasn't susceptible to common sense, advancing with hackles raised, the scent of her pack filling the smaller girl's nose as a reminder of just how much trouble she was in. Aideen backed up in response to the other's step forward, tail tucked between her legs; she didn't want a fight with this wolf, and not only because she had a pack to back her up, if needed, but also because she was Rayne's sister.






Still, her temper was starting to smolder, and the annoyance from previously rose to the surface of all her other emotions, only oppressed by an extreme effort from the orange fae; Think of Rayne! And she did. Of his kind, flustered behavior, and the care he had expressed for her, even though they were strangers. Had the situation been less dire, she might have wondered how the sweet, awkward Rayne could possibly be related to this irascible brute of a wolf, for now she simply breathed deeply and looked up to meet the other's burning gaze; A flash of adamant in her own.






<b style="color:#c7470f"> "Listen now!" She promulgated, a bit of her rising anger working its way into her voice, even though she fought to keep it straight; <b style="color:#c7470f"> "What you're saying doesn't make any sense! Why would I lie to you? Why would I seek you out like this, telling you about your brother if I had harmed him?!" She stifled a growl, once again reminding herself that this needed to be handled with care, if they both went off in rage it would not accomplish anything. Her head pounded; Why is she so furious? What did I say?! Another deep breath, stay calm! Yet her tail had raised from its cower, and her stands became less submissive as she continued: <b style="color:#c7470f"> "I simply wanted to help reunite the two of you, and I would never harm Rayne! How could I?!" The tri-colored dame shook her head in frustration; <b style="color:#c7470f"> "You should know him better than that, even I was surprised to hear he had been fighting, and I've only met him that once!" Despite her efforts, a hint of a growl had snuck its way into her voice, when the gentle boy had advised caution around his sister, she never thought the woman would be this impossible.






<b style="color:#c7470f"> "Now I'm telling you that your brother is fine, he is here, and he is looking for you! So don't bite my head off!"






Word count: 504




I'm not stupid <b style="color:#c7470f">”I've got bark!”