Rogue Outcrop On the Edge

For @Kjell
Mid Afternoon. Light Snow.


 

For once in her life, Zia had not journeyed to the mountain with negative thoughts in mind. While it was true that those gnarly peaks held many unfavorable memories and incidents for her, there was also no denying that she felt quite at home in the higher elevations. She had informed Iopah, Koda and of course, Arion, that she was going to be away for little bit. That she needed more time alone. To be by herself and to think. To try and make sense of the storm of emotions that clouded her heart, and perhaps decide if she could ever let her guard down again.  There was no set task or mission in mind, as she traveled closer and closer to the mountains. Nothing in particular to scout for, because she already knew that at least one pack, made their home somewhere deep amidst the cliffs. She would steer clear and leave them be, hoping that they would be gracious enough to do the same. She doubted she would find any worthwhile morsels out here to bring back to the Pines. Even if she did find a bite to eat, it would most likely be for herself. No sense in wasting a perfectly good snack, carrying it such a long ways home. The sky was overcast with dull gray clouds, only the faintest amount of sunlight managing to make it's way through the thick cover. From those clouds, it had begun to snow. Not heavily, but just enough that she noticed the drop of cold moisture landing on her nose. The faintest of smiles creeped to the edges of her lips. Winter was coming, and here, it seemed it might arrive early. Even though it meant tougher times for the wolves, Zia was looking forward to the challenge. No doubt, Arion would have plenty of questions once he experienced the change as well. Her charcoal lined back dusted in glimmering white flakes, Zia continued her path. Sapphire eyes flicked up, setting again on the cluster of rocky peaks and ledges a little ways ahead of her. That was her destination. She wanted to get a good view of the lay of the land from up there. Plus, the mountain with it's challenging terrain, made for an excellent workout on the muscles. A bonus for a wolf like her, who insisted on sticking to a strict exercise routine. A noise behind her, the clattering of rocks, made her stop, hackles bristling slightly. The source of the noise was only a mountain goat, nimbly jumping from one rocky ledge to another, all too intent on putting as much distance between itself and the predator as possible. She huffed amusedly, watching the hoofed animal with a touch of envy in her eyes. She would never be able to move quite like they could on these steep slopes. But, she could dream.

 

Table by Pann, Image by Jolee

It occurred to Kjell that maybe, just maybe, he’d wandered too far from his new den this time. There was so much to explore in this new place, it often got the best of him. It felt like it had been ages since he’d been free of a pack. First it was Ered Luin, and then it was Widow’s Peak. Even as a hunter, the male never moved too far from the boundaries. There was enough to eat in the general vicinity, and taking a kill far from home meant lugging it all the way back to the pack, sometimes with only one other wolf for assistance. The freedom was almost too much, and if @Bishop wasn’t back at the Lagoon, the dragon knew it was unlikely he’d return.

As it were, he’d miscalculated in this particular adventure. He’d told his companion he’d gone out for tour of the area, and that he expected to be out for the most of the day. That was how they operated, really. As friends, it was a matter of respect to tell her that he planned on being out, and when he planned on returning. It was meant to be a scouting, and that scouting was meant to be followed by a short hunt, and they would settle in for the night, especially if the snow continued.

Unfortunately, he was now quite near the mountain – if he were honest with himself, he was really on the mountain. The likelihood of making it back to the lagoon before night was probably zero, unless he could grow wings and fly, and while he considered himself a dragon among wolves, Kjell was under no illusions about his physical abilities. As he walked, he came across a mountain goat, and for a moment, the hunter considered his options. The snow wasn’t terribly deep, nor was the weather absolutely terrible, but he was alone, and the goat was a sizeable animal. What’s more, it was at home here, clearly at ease as it jumped, and with one bound, Kjell knew he was outdone.

Watching the hooved animal as it nimbly bounced off, he realized there was another wolf further up the slope. Greeting her with a short bark, he lifted his head and gave a friendly wag of his tail. “Y’know a safe way down, lass?”