Zephyr Rill I'd Be Searching 'Til I Found You

The dark wolf wanted to know what the hell a sweet wolf like Cottongrass was doing with a wolf who walked around kicking snow on people and telling them to die, but who was he to judge? It wasn't like Ayti hadn't been in the wrong, either. He had kind of provoked the other man, and was much better than that now.

Apparently, something had happened to Askan. Something not good, judging from Cotton's hesitant, troubled answer. Ayti's dark brows knitted together in concern. He hadn't exactly loved Askan, but it wasn't like he wanted something to have happened to him. He wasn't a bad guy, after all - he wanted the best for people, regardless of if they got along or not.

"If you happen to see him anytime soon, d'ya mind telling him I said that I'm sorry?" he asked, tilting his head to the side. He would go over to the Fields, himself, but he'd been told to not go by Lachesis. Not to mention there were quite a few pups around their territory now, and he didn't want to leave them unguarded. Not that the others were incapable, or anything - it was just that Ayti wanted to be physically present if the need arose. "I'd like to call a do-over with him - our last meeting didn't go all that well." He smirked softly.

The chocolate brown wolf shifted his weight and cleared his throat. "How've you been?" he questioned, tipping his head to the side. It was rude to talk about other men in front of your crush, after all.

The guilt sat heavy in the pit of his stomach. Because really, what was he doing all the way out here in the middle of nowhere? Askan was hurt and here he was goofing off. But there was something about @Aytigin that chased away the heaviness. Made him feel relaxed and more comfortable in his own skin. He could see Askan later once he got back. Besides, he had a message to deliver now if Aytigin's words meant anything.

"Yeah! Yeah." Cottongrass said, head bobbing along to his own words. Because he could pass on a message. And he wanted to ask more about what might have happened between his friends. That Aytigin's smirk held a story and he wanted in. But then the older wolf was asking how he was and he was jolted to the present. His ear twitched and he thought about the question. Really thought about it because apparently his friend was full of good questions that Cottongrass never would have thought to ask.

"Good." He chirped, sure of the answer even when uncertainty lingered in the back of his head. That he sort of ran away from Wild Rye Fields because he felt like there was something wrong about him. Because what kind of wolf joined a pack and immediately felt like they didn't belong? And he was terrified of failure and all he really wanted was to disappear. But there was a thought in his head and it didn't involve being sad. Sort of the opposite, really. Because Aytigin was his friend but Cottongrass wasn't sure if the male was his confidante quite yet. Maybe soon. So with a smile on his face and a quiver in his tail he stepped forward, towards the other wolf.

"So." He breathed all sotto voce, already doing a poor job at being subtle with his grand idea. "What do you do for fun around here?" And already there was giddiness pounding in his heart. Because even just being near Aytigin was fun. He couldn't imagine what the older male got into when he wasn't around.

(This post was last modified: Jul 05, 2017, 02:37 AM by Cottongrass.)

Cottongrass seemed to take the fact that he knew Askan well. It was interesting to know that the dark wolf actually had a heart - because how could you not have a heart when you were friends with Cottongrass? But regardless, it was showing him a different side to both of these wolves, and he couldn't help but feel jealous that Askan had the white wolf all the time. He wondered if their relationship was just friends, and he almost asked, before the snowball padded up to him and whispered conspiratorial way,

'So. What do you do for fun around here?'

The tone - the way he said it - sent shivers of anticipation up and down Aytigin's pelt. In the past, whenever he'd been asked something in such a tone, something truly fun would occur. But he chased that thought away swiftly, because Cottongrass was innocent and he didn't want to sully him with such impure thoughts and desires.

But the question did strike a chord within the dark male. Fun? He didn't really do much for fun around here. "I mostly just work," he thought aloud, eyebrows knitting up on his forehead. "I mean, there's been a whole lot to do, because there's been a lot of pups born in the past month. I've done a lot of hunting and patrolling, and pup-sitting. But I guess the pups are a lot of fun." He smiled, settling his hazel eyes to meet Cotton's yellows. "Why? Do you want to have fun?"

Maybe—and only just maybe!—Cottongrass and Aytigin weren't so alike after all. Because who brought up work when asked about what they did for fun? Maybe Cottongrass was just immature or something but everything had just Aytigin listed sounded like the exact opposite of entertaining. But then again, who knew. He tried not to mind it too much even when his excitement lessened and he could feel himself slipping back into reality. The reality where there was stuff like responsibility and work pushing down at every corner of existence.

Cottongrass just guessed he would have to show Aytigin the true meaning of fun. And it probably wasn't whatever the older wolf had in mind, but they were friends and friends did stuff together. If he could get along with grumpy wolves like Askan and Reyes, Ayti was a walk in the park!

Behind him his tail wagged away in the air behind him and he pranced on the spot. "Of course!" He chirped like it was obvious. Because really, someone asking him if he wanted to have fun must have been crazy. Didn't they know he was Cottongrass? He was the life of the party when existential dread wasn't crushing him. And he wanted to let the wolf before him have the honours of choosing what they would do for the rest of the day. But excitement was welling up inside of him like a balloon and he suddenly had a million ideas. It wasn't often he knew someone that wouldn't immediately say no to his plans.

They splashed in freezing cold water together! Everything else Cottongrass had in mind was nothing in comparison to that. So before he could help himself he was rambling, ideas flowing from his tongue like a faucet while he continued to squirm on the spot.

"We could, uh, play in the river!" But they already did that so his mind jumped to his next best idea within seconds. "Or maybe just go exploring." Because Aytigin must have knew something interesting about these woods that Cottongrass didn't. And maybe in return he could convince the older wolf to visit him in Wild Rye Fields. That place needed more fun after all. Which reminded him—

"And after we could also, uh, we could also uh, find owls!" If Aytigin ever came over the first thing Cottongrass would do was introduce the older male to Party Owl.

Aytigin desperately needed more fun in his life. He had been severely deprived since joining Hearthwood River. Ayti, too, was the life of the party without responsibilities or work or whatever, but lately he had just been so swamped with those things. He reminded himself that his time spent with Cottongrass was dedicated to fun and enjoyment, and to keep his work and pleasure separated. Which was probably where he was screwing up with developing some sort of feelings for Inna, too. It was strange, feeling things for a man and a woman at the same time.

How weird.

Banishing thoughts of Inna and work and responsibilities for the time being, Aytigin turned his full attention to the snowy wolf before him. It was clear that Cotton had many ideas for how to have fun, and the chocolate-furred man's tail thumped on the ground behind him. This was exactly what he needed - lighthearted and sweet and enjoyable and relaxed. It was absolutely perfect.

"Yeah, let's do all that stuff," he replied, because all of it sounded wonderful. Well, maybe except for the swimming part. After the flood and downpours recently, Aytigin would be fine if he never got wet again. But for Cottongrass, perhaps he could make some sort of an exception. "Which one would you like to do most?" Now, Ayti wasn't the most perceptive of wolves. He couldn't tell what Cottongrass was feeling, or if he was happy, or stressed, or what. But if the white wolf's pack life was anything like his own, it would be nice for them both to be able to take a little bit of time off.

Was thinking you could fade with your next post or we could just end it here?

Gazing upon the dark features of @Aytigin with his heart wildly pounding and body full of helium, Cottongrass immediately decided that there was definitely a place for the older wolf in his life. Because Askan was one of the smartest wolves he had ever met. The one that held advice he never would have thought of and made the world seem bearable with nothing more than a few teary-eyed words. And Reyes was something unique. The one that saved him from dying alone in a horrible blizzard all those months ago and was there for him when Victoria disappeared. But Aytigin—

The older male wasn't either of those things. He didn't know anything about Cottongrass' horrible past and secrets but maybe that was okay. Because Aytigin was fun and that made him more than perfect in Cottongrass' mind. His yellow eyes lit up into sideways crescents and his jaws lolled open into a bright smile. Behind him his bushy white tail wagged and he wasted no time in brushing past his friend. He had the perfect thing in mind and his body was quicker than his tongue, apparently.

"Owls." He barked, throwing a happy look over his shoulder at the male before leading the way deeper into the forest. Because Aytigin and Cottongrass were now officially owl hunters whether the birds liked it or not...

Aytigin had never met a wolf quite like Cottongrass, and he supposed that was what drew him to the younger male so much. It was probably what made his heart do those damned backflips in his chest, too. And it absolutely, positively sucked and yet, it was absolutely, positively wonderful, all at the same time. So, basically, it was just completely and utterly strange.

But there he went again, getting to his feet and wagging that snow-white tail. Apparently, he had chosen owls as their prime directive. Ayti had never been on an owl hunt before, but with Cotton, he was willing to give it a go. Especially with those yellow eyes doing that adorable crescent-moon thing when he smiled, and his happy little grin. In all honesty, Aytigin probably would've gone and done just about anything, as long as Cottongrass kept looking at him like that.

He got to his feet and trotted after him, quickly moving to nudge one white shoulder with his muzzle. "Those owls aren't gonna know what hit 'em!" he encouraged, and took off at a lope into the forest before his friend.

{ fade }