Cold Water Creek Lucid Sounds

With a tilt of her head, Isomne considered his question. "Well..." She gazed for a long moment in the direction that Alarick had been looking, tilting her ears forward and sniffing at the breeze inquisitively, narrowing her eyes and peering at each strange bush and rock, studying the folds and contours of the land as it folded out before them. Try as she might, there wasn't even a gut feeling telling her of anything. There was only the low rush of that damnable creek and the cry of a lonely bird. She gave a light shiver.

"Is there something there? I'm afraid I don't see anything," she finally ventured, wondering if there was something there in a language she could not read, some small detail that to Alarick meant survival and to her meant nothing. Her voice was quiet, tinged with a note of disappointment that she failed to see whatever it was, but curious as well, too curious not to ask.

(This post was last modified: May 30, 2021, 03:33 AM by Isomne.)

Isomne turned away to consider the inquiry, her attention shifting to the landscape that surrounded the two of them at present. The former hunter kept his attention focused mostly on his company, observing as her focus seemed to shift from place to place. He wondered briefly what thoughts went through her mind, and what conclusions she drew. Though ultimately, she turned to him and expressed uncertainty as to what she was supposed to see.

”It is alright,” he spoke, venturing forth with a beckoning nod of his head, before angling his steps to approach the creek. After a dozen or so steps he paused, waiting a moment for his company and pointing with his nose towards the creek. ”Start at this portion of the bank, and then work your way inland, there’s a path,” Alarick advised gently, tracing the path with his eyes and nose as he went. ”See where the ground is trampled slightly - how the moss and grass elsewhere is thinner or absent. Smaller animals come this way regularly to get water. It’s easier to hunt them if we can find where they like to traverse, or gather.” He explained, turning his focus back to Isomne after that.

There were old scents of different creatures around the area, although rabbits had seemed most plentiful. He would have been willing to bet that, if they waited long enough, something would’ve wandered by eventually. Rabbits tended to be active at night, though, which would mean a substantial wait if he and Isomne stayed here for that long. ”May I ask, did you have any particular destination in mind, before I interrupted you?” Her path had seemed to lead vaguely north, before, and he was curious if there happened to be any purpose behind it. He hoped to get a feel for the intentions of the other with the inquiry.

Isomne's perception of the landscape before them was changing ever so slightly with each word the tawny man spoke. She had a good enough nose and eyes and ears to get by, but she had always been able to run with a pack and follow the lead of the hunters, or get tips on where to look from the scouts, and the lack of any finer strategies so far had certainly not kept her comfortably fed, even if it was enough to maintain basic survival generally from day-to-day. She shuddered to think what a drought or winter storm might bring her, alone in a strange land.

So, if their encounter had been an interruption to her travels, it was a welcome one. The road had been too quiet so far, and too lonely. Isomne answered without hesitation. "I've been travelling from the east of here for some time, so I don't know this area well. North, west, I suppose any direction is as good as the next?" she phrased the last statement as a half-question, letting it hang in the air unspoken for a moment. If there was anywhere Alarick was going, or any goal he had, she'd be happy enough to tag along, for a time at least.

"My siblings and I set out from our home back as the thaws just began, and then we each split off in a different direction some time ago. I'd like to find some new stories and songs, and others to share them with, I suppose." That was the light-hearted version of the story, the safe one, at least... all true, but lacking any of the awful bits that had dogged her mind with worries these last few weeks. She didn't want to darken this newly bright day, or spring any of that on an unsuspecting new acquaintance, or think of it at all right now, really. "What about you?" She inquired instead, tossing the vague-enough question back to Alarick.

It was always intriguing to observe the expressions of others as they took in the lessons that Alarick could, at times, provide. Isomne was no exception to that, and it warmed the former hunter to know that he had been able to provide something of use. He had spent many months as a learner and surely was not naive enough to believe he knew everything. But, his transition into more of an educator with some of the younger wolves, back home, had been a fulfilling experience, one he longed to feel more of. He wondered if Isomne felt the same way about her singing and abilities.

She did provide him a bit of insight as to the direction of her travels. She’d come from the east and proposed north and west as a potential way to keep going. ”I came from that way, but I did not take as much time as I’d have liked to truly study the land. So I would not mind going back,” he spoke in agreement to the tentatively proposed direction.

Isomne went on to add a bit more detail to her answer shortly thereafter, explaining that she and her siblings had split off to search for new songs and stories. ”An honorable and worthy cause,” the former hunter commented, nodding agreeably. He could fully appreciate a desire to learn as well as spread knowledge, even if the subject matter was different. When the inquiry was posed to him, however, he paused, taking in a contemplative breath.

”My intentions are similar, I suppose. I was no longer needed at my home, so, my hope and goals are to find somewhere I’m needed and learn as much as I can along the way. What that looks like, though, is up for debate.” That was, at least, the best way to sum it up without getting into all of the particulars. These lands were truly vast, and as it seemed he was going to have to accept that there was no plausible way he could ever find his way back home, Alarick believed that was his purpose, then. Continue to find ways to help others. Traveling with someone that struck him as good company in the meantime was the next best option.

(This post was last modified: Jun 04, 2021, 12:43 AM by Alarick.)

You discover a half-eaten deer carcass. +5 Health

Their goals, it seemed, were not dissimilar, even if their skillsets were. To explore, to learn, to do what one could for others. It heartened Isomne to hear Alarick speak of the sort of things she herself valued. She felt she had perhaps found herself a friend today, but she felt a keen pang in her heart as well. "It must have been hard," she mused quietly. Her family all swore it was for the best when she'd left, but it didn't feel true. But there was nothing to do for it but to keep moving, keep living each day. Looking over to her new friend, she gave him and encouraging smile, then turned back to regard the game trail before them.

"Well, shall we try following it?"

---

They had not gone far at all when a new scent caught her attention, and set her stomache singing as well. Not grouse or rabbit, but venison, fresh venison!  She could compose an ode to venison, or an anthem, even! "Where's the venison!," it would begin.

They found the young stag quickly, but even as her eyes fell upon the half-eaten carcass, still wearing its perfect spiked crown, the hairs on the back of her spine stood up and a shiver passed through her frame. "I hope whoever's been eating at this doesn't come back," she said with a glance over each shoulder, back toward the strange bloody-hued foliage and the coldly laughing creek. It was all very reminiscent of something she'd seen before, but the dull roar of hunger was enough to override her sense of caution.

It must’ve been hard, the other uttered softly. A sentiment Alarick offered only a small nod to, the words hitting far too close to home to risk speech. He was fairly confident that his pack didn’t actually need him, any longer, but that did nothing to quell the pain of separation. This, though - was an opportunity, to uncover new knowledge, and if he was lucky, a new purpose.

Isomne suggested they get going, an idea the hunter was all too ready to agree to. ”Yes. Onwards,” Alarick stated, heading forth at that.

It did not take very long at all before a distinct scent became apparent, the further the two of them had progressed. The sharp tang of blood and venison indicated the nature of their find well before Alarick ever saw it, and immediately he began scanning - hoping to detect any other scents in the area, some sort of indicator as to what had killed the deer. His pace, as they ventured towards the half-eaten carcass slowed considerably as he hoped to ascertain whether there was anything guarding it.

Whatever had killed it had done a decent job of picking over the best bits, but a good half of the deer was still intact. Isomne spoke a concern he shared, prompting the hunter to glance towards her momentarily. She appeared perhaps a little bit more unsettled than he, the fur along her back standing up beyond its normal state. ”I don’t think we need to worry about that. There are no recent scents or other trails, nothing marking this. At least, not as far as I can tell.” Hunger and the almost overpowering scent of venison tended to sway his judgment a little bit, though Alarick was fairly confident in his assessment.

It could very well have been the work of other wolves. Perhaps two or three, travelers such as themselves, that’d moved on by now. ”If someone does come back, we can offer to help them catch another,” he reasoned. Although he did not like the thought of stealing someone else’s food, the notion of wasting it was just as concerning. Ultimately, instinct won out and Alarick moved forth, beginning to tear at what was left.

Any argument she came up with sounded overly paranoid, even in her own head. Naturally, she wanted to concur with Al's optimism, and after a quick moment she gave a nod. "You're probably right," her voice was only a little hesitant. Anyway, why look too closely at such a gift? There wasn't a good reason to assume others would be hostile, or that anything was off about the situation, but something about the unmarked carcass left Isomne on edge nonetheless. It reminded her of when the disappearances and deaths had begun back then, there was never a scent or trace of anyone or anything left behind. Who the heck didn't even leave a pawprint or scent spoor near a half-eaten kill? It reminded her of some of the darker stories and legends she knew, but that was just her imagination running away with her again.

And, well, she was hungry - placing herself across the deer from Alarick, so that they could each watch over each other's backs, Is lowered her head and dug in. The meat was fresh and savory, and every sense was telling her to eat, eat! Her reservations dwindled with each bite, but even so, but it only seemed to heighten her survival instincts, too. Every few moments she would glance up over Al's black-and-tawny shoulders, scanning the landscape quickly before dipping her head again to hastily tear away another bite. The faster they could wolf down their fill and get out of here, the better, she decided. This red-painted landscape creeped her out.

(This post was last modified: Jun 07, 2021, 03:07 AM by Isomne.)

His company appeared to settle in just a bit, verbally agreeing at least, with his assessment of the situation. Alarick couldn’t quite be certain if there was a reason behind Isomne’s slightly heightened anxiety; if it was just due to courtesy or something else. He was observant to shifts in expressions or body language of others, and not ignorant to their feelings. But determining the causes behind such things was not exactly his forte, hunting and tracking were. As such, he trusted his senses and ability enough to believe that he and his companion were safe to eat, and decided not to inquire as the other settled across from him.

Where she was able to observe the terrain beyond him, to watch his back. That part, in general, was nice. The hunter mimicked the actions of his company, switching between eating and scanning periodically, to ensure their continued safety.

When at last he’d had enough, Alarick stood back up to full height, giving his body a little shake to get the blood flowing through all of his limbs again. ”That was unexpected. I am grateful for it. I suppose we can be on our way, soon.” He murmured, stepping back slightly from the carcass to turn his attention to the direction they’d be heading - north, contemplating a path forward based on what he already knew. Sticking close to the water seemed a given, but there had been several areas he’d encountered before where the creek had branched off. Perhaps they could follow one of those different paths, this time.

-i think we'd be good to fade here ^^