Heartleaf Creek Chasing Ghosts

Creed is passing by DEB on his way to the mountains!

<p>The tall shadow lumbered through the woods like a bear, his heavy steps crunching the snow beneath him. Dark eyes skyward as he took in the sight of falling flakes against the mountain backdrop. At this point, the male was merely going through the motions of looking for his parents. Mountain top after mountain top. He'd given up hope of finding them, but his paws did not stop their wandering ways. The stories he'd been told fueled the last staggering steps he'd take. Creed was burning out faster than he could recoup.</p>
<p>He was chasing ghosts for all he knew. The idea of his parent's demise left a bitter taste in his mouth, his chest aching. He was alone in this world. In all their travels, he could always rely on the company of his family...until now. The man's gaze dropped as a frown laced its way onto his lips. Slowly he came to a stop with a sigh, his tall shilloute slumping as he met the ground. He didn't shuffle to get comfortable, he was out almost the minute his underbelly touched the cold surface. His blue eyes drifted shut as he slipped into a light rest.</p>

(This post was last modified: Feb 28, 2024, 01:29 AM by Creed.)

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Yolotl had been following this wolf for a couple of days now. Yolotl saw that this night black wolf was constantly searching for someone or something. Interested in knowing what this male wolf was searching for, he kept on following him to see if the wolf would eventually find whatever he was looking for. Yolotl kept his own nose to the ground to see if there were any other unfamiliar scents, but had no luck.

Eventually, the other wolf had taken a rest. He could see that the other wolf was getting hungry, so Yolotl went over to one of his nearby caches and grabbed a spare badger carcass, and dragged it over to the black wolf. Yolotl rushed off, making sure that he wasn't seen, and stayed close by to see what his reaction would be when he woke up.

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Creed had not been asleep long when his nose began to twitch. The alluring scent wafted up his nostrils and caused them to flare. His eyes shot open, landing on the badger. His belly grumbled in protest when he chose not to move. This was odd. The man lifted himself from the ground, shaking his pelt free of snow, and was sure to stand tall. Allowing himself to be as big as necessary, for...well, whatever this was. He cautiously glanced around. He could smell another wolf in the area. "What do you want from me?" His flat voice cut the air like a knife. He wasn't in the mood to barter goods for services.

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"Interesting..." Yolotl thought to himself. Instead of just eating the creature like any other wolf would have done, this new wolf questioned it. Why?

Intrigued by the motives of the black wolf, Yolotl stepped out from the shadows of the night. Yolotl didn't introduce himself, but rather just said to him "It's okay. Eat. I can see your hungry.". Yolotl's softspoken southern accent greeted the new wolf. To. further gain the new wolf's trust, Yolotl went up to the carcass and ripped off a chunk for himself to eat, staining his own muzzle with the frozen blood of the animal.

"There's nothing to be afraid of. I don't want nothing from you. I just couldn't tell if you were rational or not. Now, m'names Yolotl. What's your name son?"

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(This post was last modified: Mar 01, 2024, 05:18 AM by Yolotl.)

A wolf stepped into his line of sight, the black fur along his spine standing on end. If the air hadn't been tense before, Creed made it so, his teeth flashing. "What are you expecting in return?" His tail lashed through the air in response to the annoyance he felt. If he was going to be forced to interact in an exchange, he wanted things straightforward. The other wolf approached and therefore stepped into the man's bubble. His lips crinkled up with a soft warning growl.

The volume of such increased when the other suggested that he was afraid. To make a point he straighted up to his full height, looking down at the smaller male. "Creed, and I'm not your son." He spat the words out before adding a gruff, "Everyone wants something." Who did he take him for, a fool?

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Yolotl barked out a laugh at the young wolfs remarks, giving a gentle sway of his tail. "Well its a pleasure to meet you creed. I'm not gonna do anything to you. You think that I would attack some random wolf that I just offered a meal out here?" Yolotl said with a deep southern drawl.

"Is this your first time out here by yourself? Cause no sane wolf would ever say no to a free meal. Tell you what, what can I do to make this situation more peaceful?"

Since Creed was showing disrespect toward the freely given food, Yolotl thought that it may be best to show him that he was the one with authority. He stood tall and proud and looked directly into the eyes of Creed to show dominance. "This here be my part of the woods boy! Don't let me regret trying to help you out, ya hear?"

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Dark brows creased together at the laugh. The male's bubbling anger shifted into confusion. He was mildly insulted by the laughter but didn't know what to make of it. "I wouldn't put it above anyone to expect a favor." He left out the part about his mother being raised by cannibals. The thought had him searching the trees before his pointed gaze returned to Yolotl. Blue daggers dug into the wolf that had yet to remove himself from Creed's personal space.

The hammer hit the nail. He hadn't been out alone before, but Creed wasn't about to admit such. His stoic mask returned to dark features. The question came and he was left speechless. This wolf was giving him a meal and allowing him to make further requests. To say the least, he was baffled.

The display was initially met with strong resistance by the younger wolf. His lips peeled back to display sharp teeth. Dark pink tongue slipped between the minuscule gap. Then the other laid claim to the territory. He faltered, "Oh, um, okay." Caught off guard, he realized that he had no clue what to expect from this stranger. His posture diffused.

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Yolotl gave a big sigh. He could definitely see himself in this young wolf. Being strong and defiant was a goal of his when he was younger, but now he knew that those characters would not last long when you were by yourself.

"Look, I don't want no trouble. I can tell when a fellow lone wolf needs help. You aren't gonna be a lesser wolf for asking for help, okay?"

He could see the confusion in Creeds eyes. He thought for a second on what he should do.

"Why don't you come over to my den for the night. I've got a couple other snacks that aren't so tough on the teeth. He said nodding to the badger meat." He offered.

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(This post was last modified: Mar 07, 2024, 04:48 AM by Yolotl.)

Creed internally grumbled, this guy was pesky. He didn't need help and he would've asked if he did. He was just trying to get somewhere fast. For the sake of ending the conversation, the man kept his mouth shut and nodded.

The thought of a warm place to spend the night had him considering it, but ultimately his distrust won. "No thanks." His rejection was much more polite than prior reactions. He gestured towards the mountains. "I've got a long journey and best be on my way. And out of your territory." With that, he dipped his head respectfully and turned to leave. Large form moving away from the other while replaying the events in his mind. The whole encounter had been odd and unlike his expectations. He wondered if other wolves in the area were just as friendly. Too friendly. Suspiciously so. His eyes double checked the trees for hidden cannibals.