Heartleaf Creek With the Birds

Early Morning | Overcast — 70° F/21° C | @Rook

Beren had found himself wandering a little further each day now. Not far enough that he felt the need to alert one of the leaders about his trips. It was smaller trips that didn't lead him as far as his paws wished to walk. His paws wished to walk as far as over the mountains to more unknown land. Yet he knew he couldn't risk it. He was safer sticking with his smaller trips and staying in the safety of Black Thorn Downs. He had a job there in the pack anyways. Beren was in charge of watching and amusing the children. Keep them from bothering their injured father Tokino, for the old male needed all the healing time allowed.

There was something different about this day. It wasn't as sunny as usual. It also appeared the birds were out to play. He would turn his head to look at one bird on his right and be greeted by another cawing at him on his left. Giggling lightly Beren found more fun in jumping into the creek to scare the birds, watching them fly away, than by walking on wards to undiscovered lands. After scaring the birds away the dark yearling fell onto his side before rolling to his stomach to look up to all the birds. A large flock of them flying into the rising sun. It was a peaceful sight. Along with the sound of the creek flowing in the background. Beren couldn't have been enjoying himself anymore than right now in this very moment.

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So What Do I Do When Every Day
Still Seems To Start And End With You

Rook's paws had started to itch again. His limbs were restless and his heart and mind still felt hollow. Filling his hours with searching for herbs and monitoring the borders when he needed to be alone (away from both Bishop and the rest of the pack) was just not enough. After gently placing the softest kiss to Bishop's ear, he set out to wander out beyond the pack borders in search of lavender hyssop; and, as he broke through the forest tree line, he made sure to remind himself that the plant he was looking for thrived in dry places, like a lofty hillock or somewhere in the middle of a field. Somewhere along the way to the fields of Northern Eden where he had met Mataki in the Orchard, the Lyall stumbled into a small stream, which he opted to follow the rest of the way northward. The crows and songbirds sounded out above him in these parts of the Lore, and something about it made him smile. Their calls and enthusiastic twittering made the woods feel much more alive than the simple soundtrack of a bubbling creek and the breezes that whistled through the canopies. Their presence also hinted at the possibility that there was still life thriving within the depths of the forest. The Lyall, too, smiled to himself as he watched a few warblers hop about in the lofty branches, but it was the sound of a splash that piqued and pulled at his attention and curiosity. By instinct alone, he scented at the air, lifting his boxy muzzle skyward. There was someone close by and it was no lumbering bear, playful lynx, or goofy raven. It was a wolf - a male one, he deciphered by the muskiness of his scent, who was just about his age. His tail came up in a sociable wag, his mismatched eyes peering through the trees for the sight of a man who was quite possibly having a field day in the creek. Beneath the heart-shaped leaves, Rook saw him there at last when he stopped trying to move away from the brook and use it as a guide. The man, he had expected, was sprawled out on the ground, and even with the sun hidden behind the dense cloud cover, his stark black fur had a sheen to it that made the yearling wonder what he was doing out here alone. More birds had taken to the sky, but Rook's eyes remained glued to the brute with an inquisitiveness that had his left paw suspended in mid-air. First things first, though, and he wondered if the stranger was okay; most wolves he met were on their feet or stretched out on the stomachs. They were usually never on the ground - head, body, tail, and all. He cleared his throat to announce his arrival, which was followed courteously by, "Excuse me... Are you all right?"

(This post was last modified: Aug 16, 2014, 04:39 AM by Rook.)

Chances are I have a BEN WHISHAW gif for that.

@Rook

A voice cracked out and Beren didn't even bother to move. It was obviously a male, pack male from his scent. "Oh yes I'm quite fine to be honest. Just enjoying the view and playing with the birds." Still smiling Beren moved slipshod to his feet. With a better view of the male he nodded respectful. "You're free to join me in the watching and playing you want. Unless that's not your type of enjoyment. I'll understand."

Taking a seat slowly he looked over the male. About his own age, an assortment of colors, black mask, stocky. In a way they were the same. But they were also very different in some other ways. Beren held dark colors except for his fiery orange eyes. The only 'bright' color on him was those grey circles around his eyes. A trait he held rather near and dear to him. It was something that made him, him.

Watching the last few birds discovered fly into the sun Beren let a small excited yip fall from his jaws. "Isn't the life in these lands exciting?" To anyone it would be obvious Beren was excited by just being in the relic lore. "Oh, excuse my manners. My name is Bérengère Dunn, or Beren. But others have also called me Bear before." Not letting that smile leave his face Beren looked to the other male. Hopefully he would be just as friendly as Beren was being and would be in the mood for company. Since Beren could use company. Especially of some males his own age.

➳
So What Do I Do When Every Day
Still Seems To Start And End With You

The man admitted that he was fine. He had been enjoying the view and playing with the birds. This made Rook raise a whiskered brow. Playing with the birds? Cautiously, after edging his left paw forward first, he drew closer to the other fellow once they both had their feet beneath them, standing tall beneath the empress trees. An invitation to accompany the swarthy man was issued and the Lyall, whose turbulent thought processes constantly rivaled his inner equanimity, found that he felt he could trust him. Even after the fact that his twin sister had just told him about how they were going to go about their mission. If he was going to be doing the primary judgement for the both of them, seeking their company and aid, he should have been more wary. All thoughts aside though, Rook was drawn to him, momentarily bewitched and intrigued by how this particular chum saw Relic Lore. Coming a bit closer to the stranger, Rook's movements spoke for him; each footstep confirming his decision that he would very much like to give the rogue some company. He stopped just short of his companion's personal space, the figurative bubble that engulfed him, and cupped his ears forward as he asked, "Isn't the life in these lands exciting?" The younger yearling's head tilted. Hadn't he just had this sort of conversation before? He was briefly blinded when he thought back to when he and Bishop had spent the evening by the Marsh, his own words echoing about in his head, "There's just so much. I feel like my eyes have been opened, Bishop. There's so much out there than there ever was at home. I feel like I've been asleep all this time." "Exciting" was quite possibly an understatement (at least, according to Rook). "It is," he agreed. "I never thought I'd ever see anything as wondrous as this place." He smiled then, a shy, mousy sort of smile with his ears angled back in a rather bashful expression. Something about manners did not go unheard over the Lyall's ears and as Bérengère Dunn introduced himself, Rook returned the sentiment, his banner of a tail waving slowly from side to side. "Bear," he tested the man's nickname with an eager whisper, the sound building up at the back of his mouth before gliding over his curled tongue to round out the "r" at the end of the word. He certainly looked like a bear, burly with coarse black fur. Quite frankly, Rook found it both amusing and endearing; if he could have taken his assumptions to heart, it kind of made Bear seem characteristically humble and appealing, not unlike the cover of a book whose art and title hinted at what could be found inside. "Rook Lyall," he introduced himself, not even skipping a beat. "Rook, like the bird." The birdsong, which had for a while fallen on selectively deaf ears while he had been listening to Beren, seemed to reply to his statement with a couple of chirps. It harmonized a few times in a few notes, but as soon as he looked to the night-pelted man, it became typical strings of random notes. "You said you were playing with the birds," he mused, his curious gaze eventually tilting upward into the treetops, "How so?"

Chances are I have a BEN WHISHAW gif for that.

The dark yearling was excited when the male agreed with him on the lands. Yet he was even more joyous when the man spoke his name, no nickname. "Bear," Before Beren would say anything he allowed the male to continue speaking his own name. @Rook Lyall. A fancy name surely but Beren couldn't complain. His was a bit more confusin and long too. Which was mostly why he went by Beren. "like the bird." For some reason this got him excited. Beren, or for the moment Bear, loved birds. They were like wolves but who could soar in the skies with their feathery wings and beaks sharp.

"Mind if I call ya Bird? Bird and Bear. Bear and Bird." He chuckled lightly admiring his own little joke. Each of the yearlings have names that were different animals. "Or would ya just like Rook? Rook and Bear." Wagging his tail Bear looked to his new companion. He could already tell something was brewing between the two of them. The male couldn't exactly put his paw on it but there was something there. Good or bad.

Listening to Rook ask about how he was playing with the birds he grinned as wide as possible. "Let me show you, though you gotta keep silent." Standing up Beren slowly sunk down to the ground crawling to a bush were a bird or two was bound to be chirping away. Sitting still for a moment the male swung his head to look back at his new found friend Rook. "Ready?"

➳
So What Do I Do When Every Day
Still Seems To Start And End With You

It had been Rook's mistake to believe Beren was like the rest of the wolves he had met. Instead of the typical "Nice to meet you, Rook," what came instead was a "Mind if I call ya Bird?" Both of Rook's brows rose now, unmistakably taken by surprise - in a good way. "Bird and Bear," Beren expounded, "Bear and Bird." The first thought to cross Rook's mind was another name that started with a "B" - Bishop - but he took the effort to brush the thought of his twin sister away. At present, she was not here, and he had every intention to enjoy his time with Beren before he had to return back to her. Like always. When the Lyall hadn't answered right away, the dark-coated man continued, offering that he could call Rook just... "Rook." Like "Rook and Bear." "I..." Rook shyly began, nearly stuttering. "I like that, Bird and Bear. Bear and Bird." The way Rook figured it all, it was just like how he and Bishop were only "Graham" and "Prudence" when they were solely in each other's company. A nickname, a secret name... something Rook had never received before from another individual who wasn't related to him by blood. He openly smiled now, his partially crooked grin prominent on his masked face. To his father, he was "Son" and "My boy." To Jaysyek he was "Darling" and "Sweetheart" and "Love." To Trisden he was "Baby brother" and "Kiddo" (which had absolutely abhorred). To Bishop he was also "Brother," but to all he was, quite simply, Rook. For Beren - "Bear" - to call him "Bird" was something he delighted in, as though he had just discovered a treasure to trump all the other treasures and trinkets he had found in the past. "Let me show you," Beren spoke to him again, following through to his curiosity about the birds above them, "though you gotta keep silent." The tawny yearling's lips sealed and his tail let up on his enthusiastic wag as his companion looked back at him, "Ready?" Rook nodded quietly; the excitement easily had him sitting near the edges of the stream, his mismatched eyes wide with anticipation.

Chances are I have a BEN WHISHAW gif for that.

When the silent yes was given Beren prepped himself. Making sure everything was in order. Low enough, ears alert, stance ready to spring. When he moved he was quick about it too. His form launched right into the bush scaring the once bird that had been trying to hide in it. As it went screeching and flying off into the sun Beren chuckled at it.

Crawling out of the bush Beren looked to Rook, other known as Bird, before quickly shaking out his fur to free it of any small twigs or leaves. "That's what I meant! Or splashing in the creek." Pausing with a wild smile on his face the dark yearling took a seat over next to Bird. "You gotta be willing to get a bit dirty or wet though." Nudging his companion lightly Beren was hoping he wouldn't mind it. The male seemed to have good humor about him. Especially when those mismatched colored eyes glistened with amusement like earlier.

"What shall we do now Bird? Do you have any tricks or something like that to show me?" Beren was eager to see if the tawny like yearling had anything to show. Beren showed Bird how to play with birds, so he only deemed it fair for him to be taught something. Even if it was a bit out there and silly it wouldn't possibly hurt to learn something new. Perhaps he could even learn a game to go teach the child back at Black Thorn Downs how to play. They were always up for those types of things.

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So What Do I Do When Every Day
Still Seems To Start And End With You

The moment the bird came screeching out of the hedge, Rook scrambled to his feet, purely startled for the sudden appearance of the panicked creature. Beren was quick to reemerge, smiling at the feat he had just accomplished. Rook gave a rather sputtered chuckle that turned into an entertained laugh. The poor thing, that bird... he inwardly mused. He supposed that was what happened when one occupied a spot at the top of the food chain. His tail waved, his sense of self recovered as Bear came to sit beside him. "I'm not afraid of dirt," he playfully scoffed, grinning widely back at his companion, "or getting dirty, for that matter." Bear asked him what they ought to do next, but Rook was not quite ready to share whatever tricks or talents he had beneath his pelt. The Lyall sat down, leaning towards Bear just enough so that he could paw back at the swarthy yearling's shoulder in reciprocated jest. "Do I look like the type that can't stand dirt?" he asked. "Because I will tell you, that I am not opposed to a good water or mud fight." His muzzle playfully wrinkled and he briefly stuck his tongue out at Bear, chuckling, "But, only if you play fair." "Though, I don't do tricks," he divulged with the air of a conventional gentleman, finally planting his paw back down to the pebbled bank. His tail thumped once on the ground behind him and his smirk reappeared. "I'm the youngest of my siblings; if I dared to play even the smallest, silliest of antics, I'd have my tail chewed off. The only form of wile I possess and take pride in are my words."

Chances are I have a BEN WHISHAW gif for that.

Beren listened closely to Bird. Chuckling halfway through his companion's speech. The last part had him hooked though. "The only form of wile I possess and take pride in are my words." Flicking his tail Bear had a rather spontaneous idea. Raising one paw Beren slammed it down into the shallow bay making it go flying everywhere. "Well I do in fact play fair. As for your words though, I don't think they'll get you out of this one." Sending a wolfish wink and grin to Bird he took off. Into the creek he went splashing the water.

Hoping his friend would play along Bear continued to prance about. Stopping Beren bowed down. His rump in the air, tongue hanging out of his mouth, and that familiar wag of his tail high in the air like his banner. Looking at Bird he stared for a few minutes. To say Bird's looks were breath taking was an understatement. Those multicolored eyes, dark mask, his stocky build. Something in the bit of his stomach was telling him it was wrong to think of Bird as attractive but his mind and heart said it was okay to think those thoughts.

Shaking his mind back to reality. "Are you gonna play?" His words came out quick and eager with that smirk on his face. Backing up a few steps his posture of that playful bow was inviting Rook, or Bird, to come and play. Games were no fun alone anyways. He barked out letting his voice be heard to any and all near.

➳
So What Do I Do When Every Day
Still Seems To Start And End With You

"Well I do in fact play fair," Bear assured him, "As for your words though, I don't think they'll get you out of this one." A wink, a smile, and Bear was off, frolicking into the water, sending several droplets into the air and a number of ripples across the already bubbling current. Rook's grin inched up on the left side of his muzzle, his boyish, lopsided grin returning as Bear bowed down in the spirit of play. It seemed he had expected Rook to stare; obviously, for an intellectual like him, 'play' was a secondhand nature to him. Even if Bear had told him that he played fair, being the baby of the family did little to encourage or prompt him to join. Trisden commonly tricked him into playing a game, and, in turn, with him being so gullible, often became the target. Rook caught Bear's gaze as he also came to. "Are you gonna play?" he had asked. Self-awareness swept over him now; he must have looked unnecessarily snobby. He might have believed himself to be descended from a strong, powerful bloodline (really, though, who didn't?), but that did not mean that Bear should have been subject to his rejection (which usually sprung up from his sense of haughtiness and doubt). Bear did say he played fair, didn't he? A bashful smile replaced the near-neutral expression that had settled on the Lyall's masked face. In a few swift movements he was on his feet, bounding into the mid-forearm-deep water, and after raising himself up he came down to plunk his forepaws into the water, sending a wave and the drops that separated itself from it towards Bear.

Chances are I have a BEN WHISHAW gif for that.