Spectral Woods Sleeping in Your Garden

"Sita."

Walleye was a curious name. His eyes looked...normal to her, though he'd mentioned his vision failing him. Maybe he changed his own name. None of her business, though. Her shoulders hunched forward a little and she vibrated out a little shiver. Just to get it out of her system. The snow was very cold on her butt.

His reasoning felt so strange to her, though. Too old to be running things, but...not too old to freeze to death alone in some strange woods? It felt sad. Didn't seem to bother him at all. "Have you ever considered a travelling partner?" No pity, she reminded herself. Tit for tat. But she didn't particularly enjoy wandering alone and his company could be tempering when she grew anxious.

currently travelling with walleye

That would be an easily remembered name. Not too long, not too exotic. He appreciated parents who didn’t feel the need to paint their children with grand names like they were mythical beasts or gods that walked the earth.

Then she asked the most unusual thing he had heard yet. He blinked as he looked at her. ”Most don’t want an old man for travel.” Honesty and not an ounce of offense to be found in his words. Except he did let out his dry, wheezy laughter for a moment before he softened up into silence again.

He knew just how old he had got to be and he doubted anyone would seriously want him around. Right?

walleye cannot travel through mountains
and will travel normal terrain at 1/2 speed

Sita had depended on nothing more than her voice and the occasional frozen stream of pee to help her in this strange place. Rushing blinding through trees, zigzagging across the landscape would do her no good. Anyone desiring to find her would have to go to great lengths to hunt her down if she never stopped moving. So she'd howl every night before she slept and peed every half a mile or so. Her journey along the water had lasted for some days, but she'd stuck to it closely, hoping her speed wouldn't bite her in the butt.

She wasn't sure exactly why she felt driven to pursue this. Maybe he reminded her of her mother a bit. But, again, she was in no rush. If her children were here, she'd want to make herself easily accessible. Easy to find. "I'm in no rush. If you'll have me." Sita gave a little chuckle and her tail thudded then slid on top of her other back paw.

currently travelling with walleye

He was touched, truly. He would never say such a thing but the thought here was far more than he deserved. He had almost become dead weight. Literally. Despite any stubbornness, he did know better.

”Can’t be in a rush if you’re inviting me.” He tried to remain light about this despite personal hang ups. Walleye had hardly ever had any moments of self consciousness but they were far more frequent these days. He could bury it beneath a thick wall of humor if he tried hard enough.

Needless to say — in his eyes — that was a yes to her offer.

”Where have you been staying?”

walleye cannot travel through mountains
and will travel normal terrain at 1/2 speed

Walleye didn't say no. So she would take that as a yes until he verbalized otherwise. Sita already felt better about all of this. Two wolves were infinitely better than one. Funny how that can be something you don't even realize until it hits you...twice.

She would huff in delight, rising to all fours to wag. Not puppy-excited, of course, but she was not about to twist this on him. It would be mutual. "I've travelled a bit every day, finding abandoned dens to sleep in or in the open, if I'm not so lucky." A snow drift wasn't terrible so long as she didn't have any dreams. Lest she wake up with frozen nostrils. She did deeply miss the furry bodies that would sleep on all sides of her at home. It had grown colder until she found herself here and alone.

currently travelling with walleye

Vultures are circling something out of sight. Hunt Oppurtunity! +5 Health

Winter had to be the most miserable time for the both of them. Alone, slept in snow drifts if they could not find an abandoned den. Perhaps they would do better in a pair. Even if he would be a liability to any travel time she wished to quickly cover.

"Been at a coulee, might be able to find somewhere better." It had been intended as an...invitation of sorts. He was not attached to the area, but maybe she would be. Or maybe she would find it drab and they would continue their travel elsewhere. Which reminded him.

"Which way were we headed?"

We. Felt odd to use.

walleye cannot travel through mountains
and will travel normal terrain at 1/2 speed

"I thought we could travel north from here," Sita looked about for a moment to recalibrate herself. "Get out of this strange forest." But perhaps the ravine he mentioned was north of here as well, and might give them the opportunity to spend the day eating, get started on the trek tomorrow?

"Is this den you've been using north of here?" Even if it wasn't, Sita supposed it wasn't too much of a set back. A decent place to sleep was better than a stuffy fox den or an open drift of snow. Her acuity was such at the moment that she had no problem leaning on his seemingly even keel of process when her's felt quite out of whack.

currently travelling with walleye

In luck she would be today, it seemed.

"It is." He huffed in response (the huff merely a workup to motion for him, no annoyance present yet) before he lurched his way into a stand once more. Uneven hips caused him to lean and stretch some, he needed to work himself back into motion.

"Any business left here or ready to see it now?" Walleyed asked as he felt...right. Sturdy enough to move again. The trip would take time which meant that they could surely sniff whichever way she wanted to, but perhaps there were still specific things here she needed.

walleye cannot travel through mountains
and will travel normal terrain at 1/2 speed

Sita could be impatient. But she was also a mother of three and knew where she stood in the world. There were times to push against those walls and times when it wasn't necessary. This was one of those times. Their journey would be slow. That was fine.

To hear that it was on the way to where she wanted to go was soothing to the worn mother's nerves. "I'm very ready to go." She shifted on her paws, drawing her shoulders back without dipping in a tight stretch. Time to see exactly what this place was.

currently travelling with walleye