Sleeping Meadows As dawn breaks

Things had been starting to melt as the sun had slowly warmed everything but with the snow storm that had hit the area a few nights ago, everything was once more covered in a layer of white. Sure it was once again melting but he found himself more than a little desperate for the warmer months to come. He was done with the cold, and the endless white landscape.

Azriel’s paws led him through pale forest with the sun not even touching the sky. Everything was calm barely any noise to be hear. It could have been the mist that had seemingly come from no where, dampening most sounds that a normal forest might have. In fact now that he thought about it this forest had been unnaturally quiet since he had arrived under its trees. It wasn’t necessarily a bad thing and it didn’t feel like he was being stalked by some big predator, regardless his ear’s swiveled endlessly above his head trying to catch even the lightest of sounds.

As the trees slowly parted before him, Azriel found himself stepping into an open field. A pristine white snow still covered across its surface as far as he could see and the mist that floated in the air just seemed to add to the effect. He paused in his steps to take it all in as the sun rose to cast pale colors on the scene. It was like everything had held its breath for this moment and somehow he had found himself apart of it.

@Sovanya

Sovanya's own existence was not currently as peaceful. It was liberating to be on her own in a sense, @Haunt seen as a friend rather than a chaperone, but she couldn't stop thinking about what @Enera was up to. She'd said she was sick and then just left and even with a promise of return, none of it sat right with her. Nothing was happening to Haunt, Sova felt fine- what if she really was ill, like badly ill and something happened to her? No one was there to make sure she was resting and eating and drinking and staying warm...

She tried to distract herself with things like hunting and picking fights with crows and teaching Haunt how to be better at hide and seek, but it was still difficult to keep her mind calm.

The russet-painted girl trudged past the tree line and out into the frozen field, oblivious to that stillness that another had been admiring and her complete ruination of it. Birds took flight and every step crunched loudly under paw.

The silence that had so easily fallen over the place was just as easily broken as birds took flight and the form of another wolf wandered across the open landscape. Azriel simply gave a huff of amusement as the picturesque moment broke. Maybe the silence had been a simple build up for the noise that was to come.

Azriel considered the young wolf that crossed the frozen field. She was distracted or focused on something that much he knew for sure. Especially since he wasn’t even spared a glance or an ear flick to indicate that she was aware of his presence at the edge of the trees. A quick glance in the direction that she had come from showed that there wasn’t anyone following her, or at least not anyone he could immediately detect.

”Need a strangers ear?” He finally called out after another moment of deliberation. There was a slim chance that he would cross her path again, and maybe whatever had her so caught up in her thoughts could be eased if she vented some. He knew it would have helped him, when he was younger.

Sovanya halted as a stranger's voice reached her tawny ears. Peach-hued eyes darted to find him, a dark shadow against the pale landscape, and her hackles and tail both began to rise in warning. He hadn't drawn close, but it bothered her that he'd been aware of her first. This was something she needed to stop allowing to happen.

"What's that supposed to mean?" she shot back, a challenging glint in her eyes. The lesson she had learned from @Avesta was not to be politer, but rather to keep a distance so that no one could get the chance to put their teeth on her.

(This post was last modified: Mar 19, 2023, 04:12 AM by Sovanya.)

As soon as he spoke her posture went aggressive. Rounding on him with hackles raised and a glint in her eye that he wasn’t expecting. At least she knew that he could be dangerous to her if he wanted to, which he didn’t, because it would just be mindless aggression if he did. His own posture stayed relaxed, the only change being how his ears went forward as he focused on her more.

”Exactly like I said.” Azriel told her as he kept himself still. ”A stranger to listen if you need it and if you don’t then I’ll carry on my way.” He shrugged at the end. It wasn’t like it would change much for him, and the day had barely just begun so it wasn’t like he would be wasting the last bits of light.

Rather than take offense to her attitude as the stranger who ended up muzzling her had, he remained as he'd been, calm and merely observant of her. Sovanya scowled, ears drawing backward. Unknowingly, she had inherited her foster mother's distrust for males, and it showed now. Where she had seen a companion in Haunt, this boy was likened to one of her annoying little brothers.

"So what, that's how you introduce yourself to everybody?" she snarked. He had to of thought she needed his listening for one reason or another, otherwise why offer it? No one was that pointlessly nice, not even her big sister.

Distrust was clear in how she held herself and Azriel almost gave a hum in approval. Instead a small smile pulled at his lips. Good clear boundaries were being placed for him and he found himself appreciating the straightforwardness even if it was on the more aggressive side.

A short bark of laughter escaped him as she questioned his introduction methods. ”No.” He snorted amusement clear in his voice. ”I try not to introduce myself at all in most cases. There’s no reason to when I don’t tend to stay in one place long.”

”Besides a stranger’s ears work best when they remain just that, a stranger.”

He showed humor and that irked her even more. Was he not taking her seriously? Sovanya couldn't help but puff out her wolfish cheeks with annoyance. What the stranger was saying made little sense, but she was absorbing it all the same. He was awfully different, and proving utterly unpredictable for her cynical young mind. This put her at a clear disadvantage, which she also loathed.

"You're weird," was the best she could think of in the moment, the skin along the bridge of her muzzle wrinkling to emphasize the point. Her mind dwelled on his puzzling words for a few scant seconds, before she found another question to lob his way.

"If you don't need anyone why d'ya care to help anyone?"

Her cheeks puffed up in obvious annoyance, and all it did was remind him a chipmunk. It took a bit of effort not to laugh since she was quite clearly not as amused by this situation as he was. He had to get some enjoyment though when he had a chance.

”I’ll take that as a complement.” He responded back easily with a wag of his tail. It wasn’t the first time nor the worst thing that he had been called. Actually a bit on the tame side if he was honest.

”It’s not that I don’t need anyone.” Azriel’s smile fell as he considered the question that he had been given, a more serious tone entering his voice. ”There’s just no one who has wanted me stay, or given me a reason to.” Not even the small band of loner’s he had joined wanted him after he had travelled wanted him with them once they created their pack. There was no bad blood between them but he was, like always, the outsider.

”As for helping, a few minutes to listen to someone so they can ease their mind is hardly a chore, especially when I have no where to be.” He shrugged as he spoke. If she would take him up on his offer, or not was up to her.