Nightingale Palisade sunwalkers

July 27th; Early evening; Scattered Clouds; 82.4 ° F, 28 ° C.

Niles had to give it to the kid. Even if he was sometimes sad, a little quirky, much smaller than most (to say Niles dwarfed the yearling was pretty much a fact), and fiery when brushed the wrong way, Chimera held a fire within that was hard to snuff out (whereas Niles had to continually light and relight his inner sense of self over and over). The most important thing was: they weren't dead yet. With all the coyote trails they had been haphazardly following, Niles was sure he could fend off a pack of the buggers, but he wasn't certain about his choice to leave the Scowle and his siblings behind.

This is only temporary, he had told himself in his head for what could've been the hundredth time that day. As the kid had offered, Wild Rye Fields would be a decent place to hideaway. In the autumn it would be touched with gold and the grasses harbored not only several prime spots for denning but small prey, too. If Niles needed a place to think, it would be there...

The sun was starting to descend, its glare hitting the side of the Lyall's face as they clambered up and over to the other side of the great ravine. "You said we didn't have to go far," he called out to the red-touched boy who was several wolf-lengths in front of him. "How long 'til we get there?"

we can say goodbye, just head home, but if we're going to be alone
Chimera is currently traveling with Niles and may hop into this IC thread!

"You said we didn't have to go far," Niles' voice rang out, "How long 'til we get there?" If the words had been physical, Chimera was almost certain they would have hit him square on the back of the head. He didn't appreciate his companion's impatience. His red-furred crowned turned back and his tail whipped in the air. His yellow eyes narrowed, "We're almost there, what's your hurry anyway?"

A sneer was given before he faced forward and began walking again. His body leveled out, a near-straight line forming from the tip of his nose to the end of his tail with a seeker's gait guiding his steps. He was actually searching for a particular marker, one that told him just how far away it was until they reached the pack's furthest borders. Judging by the fact they had just scaled up, down, and over the coulee that had once been the Red Hound's hunting grounds for prey, they had to be close. They would make it by nightfall, before the sky turned pitch black...

"We'll get there, when we get there."

(This post was last modified: Aug 28, 2018, 08:28 PM by Chimera.)

we can be blue as a neon light, singing them sad love songs all night
Niles is currently traveling with Chimera and may hop into this IC thread!

His ears fell back as he wondered now what the FIelds would be like. He and Castel had been there for a time before they left, but it was one place that Niles remembered being happy. His tail curled at his back, swaying idly from the back of one heel to the other as he trudged along.

"We'll get there, when we get there," Chimera spat back.

Niles fought back a sigh, letting only a puff of air hiss between his teeth, his impatience starting to wear on him. If he remembered correctly, the Lowlands made the Fields easily seen from any high perch. If they could just find that particular view point facing - he scowled to himself - northward or northeast, he was sure they would find the pack's southernmost territory lines.

"Hey kid," he finally called after so much silence between them. The clouds above were turning pink and orange. There were mere moments before the sky itself darkened and nightfall came. "Let's give it a rest. Don't know about you but my feet hurt."

we can say goodbye, just head home, but if we're going to be alone
Chimera is currently traveling with Niles and may hop into this IC thread!

For the past few weeks it had been like this with Niles, he says one thing and then some time later, he turns around and says the other thing. Chimera was sick of it. He stomped to a halt, waiting until his traveling companion's footsteps drew closer before he turned around. "I'm trying the best I can!" his fur ruffled and he stared the Lyall boldly in the face. "I know I've been here a thousand times! I should know the place like the underside of my paw!"

His eyes glistened but he would not whimper and cry and wail like the cub he had been the past year, "Do you want to go to the Rye Fields or not?!" His full tail, bristled beyond measure, rose up as his muscles tensed. His chest made some sort of hiccuping sound. If it happened again, Chimera was sure he would be dangerously close to losing face. All he wanted now was for Niles to shut up and follow close so they both could go home. He would never admit it, but leaving the pack and thinking it was best if he went off on his own had been one very stupid idea.

He sniffed and stamped his paws into the dirt as he turned around, careful to also turn his head so that Niles wouldn't see the desperation in his face. He wanted his mother and the safety of her embrace hidden within their den. He took a slow step forward, "L-let's go then."

we can be blue as a neon light, singing them sad love songs all night
Niles is currently traveling with Chimera and may hop into this IC thread!