The Wildwood Talk Is Cheap and I've Got Expensive Taste

Continued from the other side of insanity {BWP} | Near CAD borders. @Draven | Early evening

By now they'd managed to make their way far enough from the coyotes who'd brought them here, nearing the borders of the Draw, as he'd called it. Their trek had been relatively quiet and Lyanna had been hesitant to break the stretches of silence they had entertained. To her, the stranger seemed reserved, perhaps a bit introverted, and the last thing she wanted was to be intrusive or make him feel uncomfortable. Instead of pressing him with small talk, she'd simply followed at his side as he'd led the way. From her position at his flank, she had taken in the inky shades of his coat and the trails of brown and grey that accented it, had taken in the intensity of his gaze when it had met infrequently with her own. Maybe it was something in his quiet, but there was a mystery about him that she found intriguing.

Part of her thought that it was the quiet ones whose minds were deepest. Maybe his was vast.

The distant scent of a well-marked border matched the one he wore and as they continued on - as far as did please him - the unmistakable signs of old fire marked the forest. Many of the thick trunks of ancient trees were blackened, though some of them had yet to die. The forest floor was alive with verdant grasses and shrubbery mingled among the younger dogwoods that had come to grow beneath the thinned canopy. Just ahead in the distance, the ground began to incline.

Before their brief interaction had been interrupted, he'd mentioned that he'd been looking for prairie crocus. She never had a chance to offer her input, but as it were she'd just so happened to pass several patches of it between Heartleaf Creek and The Wildwood. The plant's pretty blossoms were hard to miss where they grew, out in the open. Seeing as it was in the other direction and given the fact that they were surely nearing their destination, Lyanna felt the most prudent thing now was to speak up, even if it broke their comfortably silence. She cleared her throat, and her voice was soft and thoughtful. "...The prairie crocus you're looking for...I've seen some - recently, actually." As soon as the words left her mouth, she somehow felt a bit silly. He didn't even know her name.

(This post was last modified: Jul 17, 2018, 11:52 PM by Lyanna.)

Oh my god I'm the worst for taking so long, I'm so sorry\

They were quiet in their walk home after encountering the coyotes, and that suited Draven just fine. He often had to remind himself that other wolves were more comfortable talking rather than just travelling comfortably without speaking. Thankfully, Lyanna seemed okay to just walk towards the Draw without much in the way of commentary.

He wouldn’t have brought her over the borders but had planned on bringing her a little bit closer to make sure they were both safe. However, her words brought his paws to a slow stop as he turned to look at her. Tail waved a few times behind him in gratefulness as he waited for her to finish her thought. He didn’t think the question needed to be said out loud, he was interested in where she had seen the crocus and ready to follow her lead to where it might be.

Should he bring one of the others in case they ran into anymore vermin? He wasn’t sure, he didn’t want to call and have Garmir show up but wouldn’t mind the company of Treyah or Nauja. But, Draven couldn’t guarantee that’s who would answer a howl so he held off for now, it would depend how far the flower was from here.

There is a deer carcass being picked over by three coyotes. They spot you and become territorial of their kill.

The look on his face at the mention of the prairie crocus was interested enough. She supposed it wouldn't be much sweat off of her back to backtrack, to lead him to the meadow on the other side of the wildwood where'd she crossed it earlier. Maybe in doing so, her lone adventure would take a spontaneous turn, and that notion in itself was enough to convince her to help him. Even if she'd made a plan to visit Hidden Tree, it would hardly be the end of the world if she, perhaps, headed north instead - or west - into territory uncharted.

"There was a healthy patch of it between here and Heartleaf Creek. My trail is fresh enough to be easily followed. If you'd like, I'll take you there." Of course, it felt a little silly to think they'd turn around and go back in the direction from which they'd just come. And knowing her luck, the very coyotes they'd left behind would be in Heartleaf Creek waiting for them, their dirty little paws stomped all over the ivory flowers. Whatever. It was worth the shot if it would be of use to him.

They still hadn’t introduced themselves and that only became apparent to the dark healer after she said she would lead them to the crocus. He nodded that she should move and that he would follow her, even if he was perfectly capable of following her trail himself. It was only after that first movement of their paws that he offered a quiet, ”Draven Leigh, of Charred Ash Draw.” She hadn’t asked, but he figured it was probably polite since she was taking him to find what he was searching for afterall.

They hadn’t moved far when the stench that had chased them away from their meeting place to begin with began to clog up his nostrils again. Draven’s black leathery nose flared in recognition and his paws came to a stop, eyes sweeping back and forth until they landed on the territorial vermin. They had food, that much was clear and they weren’t about to give it up. He had no idea if these were the same ones as before, they all looked the same to him and it didn’t really matter.

Raising his hackles and barring his teeth in an attempt to ward them off he saw no give in their posturing and so he raised his muzzle to the sky and called for his pack mates. One of them was surely close by enough to aid them.

(This post was last modified: Oct 14, 2018, 11:32 PM by Draven.)

@Draven Sorry for massive delay :C
@Lyanna

Garmir had only just woke up few moments prior from his daytime nap and was a in a midst of his evening routine which meant taking a leak - or marking rather especially now during the time of heightened coyote activity. He had already noticed Draven's trail leaving the immidiet pack premise but had not paid much attention to it other than putting it into back of his head in case someone needed to know where the de-facto lead male had gone to. Garmir hadn't entirely made up his mind about this new male yet but because Treyah trusted him, loved him evidently, Garmir had more favorable view of him. Time would tell if Draven would earn his respect.

Coyotes were still present threat to the pack and this threat occupied the earthen male's mind more than internal pack politics at this point. The vermin had not made any attempts to breach into the territory yet, but who knew if they grew bold enough to eventually result into raids. The pack had to be unified if such were ever t-

Garmir heard howl. One had had never heard before but one that had familiar tune. Draven His ears moved around as he listened. It came from nearby, but more than that it sounded urgent. Without even putting another thought to it, he begin to sprint towards the direction where the howl had came from. It would take him a moment, but hopefully he would make it in time.

All my characters are available for spree anytime with anyone. Just poke in slack or send PM!