Iridescent Lagoon Falling Upwards

How long had it been since she left? Not long enough, when in fact, many long months had passed by. It just wasn't the same, living alone. She missed the company of others, her kin. Someone to talk to, to confide in. But that was nothing compared to how dearly she missed her brother. Long ago, she had come to the conclusion that he was probably dead, most likely from a fatal injury. Or possibly he had succumbed to the evil jaws of her cousin. It was no use in clinging onto hope, so she tried her best to sweep those memories under the rug and move on. And she did...somewhat. She had even joined a pack or two, but she found that their cultures never quite suitable. So she moved on.

And now here she was, alone in this wild new land dubbed Relic Lore. She wondered what new opportunities and hope it would bring, if any. Ryka did want to resume somewhat of a normal lifestyle...she really did. She just had to find her place. Determined not to give up this time, she stood firm, convinced that this would be the place where her journey ended. First, she had to familiarize herself with it though. Those thoughts tickled at the back of her mind, for the moment. More important priorities were on her mind right now. Such as finding her way out of this thick, tangled thicket she had somehow wound up in. Stray branches and vines snagged at her fur as she pushed her way through the shrubbery, emerald eyes a perfect match to the green canopy of leaves high above her. The smell of many wolves who had come and gone was rich here, however stale their scent was. At least she knew she was in the right place, not completely alone.

It was only mid morning, and already the air was growing uncomfortably warm, thick with the humidity of summer. As much as she liked this cheery time of year, it was days like this that she found uncomfortable. The fact that her mouth was dry with thirst only added to her fatigue. Luckily, the tantalizing scent of fresh water was close by, and it was this that drew her ever closer to it's source. A cold drink after her travels would give her an energy boost while she rested her tired paws.

Just up ahead, the trees and messy patchwork of shrubs parted slightly, revealing an exit. She could see the green expanse of grass and the reflective surface of water glinting, just out of reach. Loping ahead with a new bounce in her step, the gray and brown she wolf crashed through the foliage and out into the open. No smile formed on her face, but her expression was pleasant as she approached the bank of the serene waters. Not bothering to look around, she lowered her head, and drank, scooping up generous mouthfuls. An almost relieved sigh sounded in her throat, while the first pangs of soothing liquid filled her belly.

@Ryka

This particular kind of skirting around and through occupied territories wasn't the sort of thing that the mountain wolf was used to, let alone stumbling upon random inhabitants and being grilled with questions; normally, it was he doing the questioning -- under orders, anyway. He finds himself needing constant reminders, chastisement, to bring himself out of that way of thinking, beaten into his head from the time before he could understand spoken word. What he had learned of the pack in the area from that young wolf Inali was enough, and though she was pleasant he thought it best to continue his explorations. She wouldn't miss him in the slightest, surely, just another stranger to her. His attempts to steer well clear of the pack had him trotting around the far southwest edge of the meadow, then cutting north at the scent of water and the need for a much needed drink and rest.

His paws weren't nearly as weary as his mind, constantly on edge and alert for someone who wouldn't particularly like a lone wolf, a lone male, wandering around. His pace was steady, his paws used to slow, long distance traveling, and nearly a day and a half had gone by since his last encounter with another wolf. His meager diet of a few field mice and one opportunistically lucky grab of a old hare kept him going, but he would need to think about seriously hunting soon. The male distinctly detested the idea of moving north, but he forced himself to nonetheless, as the scent of wet earth drew him in that direction.

Then, as a jay cried out raucously, Tyr's attention darted to his right, landing upon another unknown creature heading parallel to him toward his goal, the water. His stride halted completely, his tail lifted and straight behind him, his head tilting a bit higher to peer across the grassy expanse. His nose worked quickly, nostrils flaring and huffing as he tried to determine more about the other. It was clear she was another female but he could not tell whether or not she was of the same pack as the other he'd met before, though she certainly wasn't being cautious so Tyr could only assume that she was a member. His amber eyes stared hard as he watched her, studied her, mentally wondering how much of a threat she might pose; alone, probably not much, but with a pack...

His ears pinned back, then circled around his head, hearing nothing but the vast expanse of grass and the subtle lapping of the lagoon ahead, and he felt his mouth grow dryer just with that. Cautiously, the male moved his paws forward again, head held even with his shoulders as he resumed his steady pace, circling wide beyond the female but doing little to cover his approach; he didn't want to startle her, he didn't want to threaten her, he didn't want to do anything to her, really. He just wanted a drink. The sound of her own lips on the water's surface spurred him further, and as he closed in on the shoreline and felt the wet earth beneath his paws, his eyes never left the other.

Almost luxuriously, the sun-slashed male strode into the water, the shorter fur on his legs slicking to his skin and the longer fur at his elbows floating lazily out behind him. It was there he decided to drink, lapping nosily at the water one moment, chomping at it the next, all the while still waiting and watching to see what she may do. She may leave him alone. She may come after him. She may even ask him questions as ruthlessly and coyly as the other female -- he has no idea, really. Better to just not trust anything about it in the first place.

But then, a large, lazy fish arrests his attention as it swims stupidly between his legs, and the male backs up quickly, snapping at the water and diving his head under to chase the foolish thing or, better yet, catch it and eat it. He's never had fish before.

"C'mere ye' daft lil'," and his words are cut off as he turns in the shallows, whirling water in all directions and splashing his paws on the surface, diving his muzzle deep into the water only to come up sneezing furiously and with nothing to show for it. Feh!

After taking a moment to rehydrate herself, Ryka paused to take in the scenery. The blades of grass were long and green, the trees lush and full. The calm water of the lagoon was still, save for the straying dragonfly that hovered above it's glassy surface. This was indeed, the perfect picture of paradise. If only it wasn't so darn hot. Licking her lips dry with a swipe of her tongue, she debated on looking around, to see if this area held anything that would strike her interest. It didn't seem like it was claimed by a pack, as it was lacking in any traces of enforced borders. The smell just wasn't there.

Viridian eyes fell down upon her own reflection, and instantly she was reminded of her family. Although her mother and father were dead, there was still hope that Cyric was alive and well, somewhere out there. Being alone, without him at her side as her constant companion was tough. It wasn't a feeling the young Tiaroth was familiar with. But she had no choice in the matter. She had to move on, pressing forward each day. Survival was her first priority now, as it was for any lone wolf. That wasn't to say that she would turn away at the idea of friendship. In fact, if anything, she yearned for it. With a few good friends, she would fare better and deal with her newfound existence more easily.

Her time to herself on this particular day was to be short lived. No sooner had a moment gone by, and already she had company. Her ears twisted slightly upon her skull as the other approached but maintained a respectable distance as he approached the bank. She was well aware of his presence, but kept to herself, not wishing to be rude. If the male made a move to engage in any sort of interaction, then she would oblige. It seemed as if he was just as keen as getting a drink as she had been. What was even more, but not completely surprising, was that he proceeded to wade into the water to cool down. That didn't seem like a half bad idea.

Step by step, she immersed herself in the water, grateful for the relief that soothed her skin. Tiny pebbles tickled her pads as she found a steady purchase on the ground. She didn't go far. Only enough so the water level reached her elbows. Ryka wasn't so sure if she wanted to drench herself in the company of a complete stranger. Her thoughts drifted, as she peered through the crystalline depths, wondering what sort of aquatic plants a habitat such as this housed. Would any of them have any herbal properties? That would be a rare find, if the answer was yes. Lost in her own musings, Ryka was taken a little by surprise when the other chased after a fish noisily, followed by uniquely accented words, and a sputtering sneeze. Snapping her head up, with pricked ears, she peered over in his direction curiously. But there was a hint of amusement within her eyes. Resisting a warm grin, she took a tentative step closer instead. "Good day for a swim, isn't it? Maybe not for fishing, but in this heat I can't blame you for trying." She remarked smoothly, quite obviously referring to his antics and the fact that he was now soaked. With a relaxed body posture and a neutral, yet not unfriendly voice, Ryka conveyed the message that she was no threat. Just a lone wolf trying to spark up some casual chit chat.