Sex: MaleIt had taken a great deal of motivation to bring the Advisor this far from his homeland but once he had stepped well beyond his and Naira's markers, he was sure he was in for an interesting time... or so he hoped. Mapplethorpe, truth be told, had been spending too much time stressing and worrying and it was truly in his best interests that he leave the Pass behind for a couple of hours. From watching @Chulyin for hours at a time and keeping an eye on Taima here and there, between them and among other things (snuffling about for @Sagacity's scent trails, minding the girls, and looking out for the whole of the pack) the grizzled man was due for a break. Having slept beneath his gnarly tree the night before, Mapplethorpe rose with the sun and wandered as far as he could to the south in search of both everything and nothing at the same time. Anything that could pique his interest, he decided, was well worth his time away from pack territory. While he was at it, he might as well keep his eyes peeled for something to bring back for his beloved @Naira.
Breathing in the sweet morning air, his pace slowed as he entered the heart of the forest that sheltered Cold Water Creek. His head came up and his tail took up a leisurely sway, even his eyes opened a bit more from its usual suspicious, calculating, and judgmental scowl. When he had come to a fork in the stream, he stopped in his tracks, taking in a deep breath and craning his head upward to look at the spidery canopy above him. The last of the minnows were still splashing about in the creek but not even their noisy sloshing and ker-plops could pull his eyes back down. He had been this way before but the last time he was here, it had been absolutely crucial that he keep his nose to the earth and his mind focused on the task of bringing the prince of the Pass home safe and sound. His auburn ears turned frontward and only after several moments had passed did he level his skull again before moving forward and carefully placing a forepaw into the water.
The creek was cool and it soothed his hefty limbs; a quick dip of his head underneath the rushing water did wonders. Completely submerged, he swam about before coming back around and standing elbow-deep in the shallows, his short mottled coat now an array of saturated tans and grays.
