Windsong Fjord darkness falls

Inna was glad for the snack that they had found, she hadn’t realized how hungry she actually was till she started eating. The excitement over meeting her new companion had been enough to cause her to not notice. She supposed that even though this hadn’t been a lesson in hunting she had learned something anyway. She didn’t know if she would ever need the things that she had learned on this outing but she felt that if she ever did she now had that knowledge. She tilted her head to one side in confusion as Nightingale spoke. Then the woman repeated what she had been trying to say, “Oh, well that’s good for us then,” she said cheerily. Then Nightingale went on to explain why the Lynx would not be returning, “Do Lynx leave marks like we do?” she asked so she would know what to look for in the future.

While Nightingale continued to eat Inna tried not to disturb her with too many questions and instead tried to imagine what it might be like for her out on her own. However those efforts turned out to be just like her attempts to imagine what winter might be like. So finally she’d asked about how long her friend had been alone. Inna shrugged, “More than a few days I supposed,” she replied. Then she was a little shocked to hear just how long, “That is a long time to be by yourself,” she stated. Inna didn’t think that she could go that long without seeing her family. She saw them every day and had her whole life, she couldn’t imagine what it would be like to not have them in her life. She nodded when Nightingale said that pack life was better. From what she had learned about life as a lone wolf she had to agree, “Do you still need to be on your own?” Inna asked quietly.

~Table by Mimi

(This post was last modified: Nov 19, 2015, 06:56 PM by Inna.)

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Nightingale listened to the other beside her, even as she chowed down. Once everything was in her stomach, the wolf-named-for-a-bird heeded everything said and responded to it. Marks? Like, on their territory? When it clicked that this was obviously what the other meant, Nightingale nearly laughed aloud at herself. They scent mark, yeah, and sometimes mark trees, too. They smell totally different than wolf. No mistaking it, She explained, nodding her head. Nightingale had dug through old resources to get that much out, but wasn't too aware of it. She remembered the basics. Wolf law, and the way of wildlife. Other than that, she knew what she was told.

Nightingale had exceeded the others definition of long time, bringing, perhaps, a new definition to it. The others quiet query was thought on for a couple of seconds. I need to be in a pack, the tawny wolf admitted, And don't believe any lone wolf that tells you otherwise. Us wolves are as good as dead without a pack behind us. It takes all of us to take down even a sick member of a herd. To keep competitors away. To keep from going crazy, even, But that being said... She inhaled a sharp breath. But! For right now... I want to be a loner. Not because I crave that danger, she was quick to add, wanting to clarify she wasn't crazy, But I've been with a pack my whole life, too, and feel like something's missing. It's just a feeling, and maybe it's silly to follow a feeling more than... you know, my drive to need a pack... She knew it was ridiculous. Totally ridiculous. But her intuition was important to her.

Nightingale realized she had talked, a lot... she had a habit of talking the ear off of others when she gained their company. Now, especially, since her social time was limited. Sorry, I rambled, she noted, referring to her thinking aloud. Anyway... I'll figure it out. Definitely before Winter, regardless of the way I feel, I'll be joining a pack. The lone wolf did not, after all, want to die.

Inna was curious about the lynx that Kite said had killed the leftovers they were having. She’d never seen one before so she couldn’t even really picture what it might look like as they spoke about it. It seemed at first that Nightingale wasn’t sure what she meant at first but then she answered the question that had been asked. “That’s good to know then,” said Inna thoughtfully, “I suppose it wouldn’t be a good thing to come across one unexpectedly?” She said as more of a question since she wasn’t really sure how dangerous they were but she thought that there had to be some danger where they were concerned since it had killed the animal they had found.

Even though Inna couldn’t imagine being away from her family for very long she thought that it must be quite the adventure being one your own for a little while anyway. Nightingale’s words about how a wolf needed a pack sunk in and though she was still learning a lot about life she did understand how important a pack was to a wolf. It was especially evident to her as she had seen how a pack could bring down larger prey than just a mouse or rabbit. “You don’t think that it is possible at all for a wolf to live on their own for longer periods? I mean if it was necessary?” She asked though she wasn’t sure what circumstances would making it necessary. “I don’t think that it is silly to follow a feeling,” she stated when Nightingale spoke of her feelings toward joining a pack just then.

Inna had gathered that being alone through the winter wasn’t something that was recommended especially with the shortage of food that her mother and the rest of the pack seemed to be worried about. So when Nightingale declared that she would have it figured out before winter had truly set in Inna was relieved, “That’s good I would hate for something to happen to you,” she stated, “And if you can’t find another you should come back this way. Mine isn’t far from here,” Inna suggested.

~Table by Mimi

(This post was last modified: Nov 24, 2015, 02:42 PM by Inna.)

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Definitely not when alone, Nightingale felt it prudent the other know. They'll typically avoid packs. It's honestly rare to come across one. But by ourselves if you see one, just avoid it. They're built for solitary fighting, hunting, living, and all that. I mean, we can take a wolf one on one but not like... a bear. A cougar. A lynx. She shrugged her shoulders. There was always a chance of winning but against those sorts of beasts, the chance of losing was at a 99.99 percent when alone.

The others question was met with a thoughtful hmm. Not in Winter, Nightingale said then and there. Prey is already hard enough to come by with a pack, then. But in the more fruitful seasons, your chance of survival alone increases. Nightingale was sure you could live alone for likely up to a month if not two by yourself; but it would not be a fruitful life, and you would probably be starving. It was an unromantic notion in the Winter time. Any other season? Possible, she supposed. Anything was possible, wasn't it? And at the mention that it wasn't silly, her heart warmed. She forgot the age of the other; it was quite easy to, so unimportant a thing in the discussion despite the fact that the wisdom gained with age was invaluable. That was not even an afterthought. That someone condoned it was enough for her. So Nightingale indulged, her heart hammering against her chest, I've been having these dreams. They feel so real! But when I wake up I can't remember them. Just that I'm the happiest I've ever been. And that I'm with someone that makes me feel so much that I want to burst with it. In a good way, she admitted, her ears perked. A friend told me that it was silly, that we all dream of these things! But it just... It feels like... I gotta find that feeling or something. I gotta find if that someone is real. I mean, I've the whole world to search! And I don't know what they even look like, except for when I'm asleep! It was all so frustrating. But I feel like maybe... maybe if I saw them... it'd all connect. That I'd just know, or something. Nightingale watched the other, reading her face for betrayal of emotion, positive or negative.

That the other cared for her wellbeing further warmed her heart. Nightingale's brow furrowed. She supposed... she supposed she would hate for anything to happen to Inna, too. Was that such a surprise? No, not really; Nightingale felt attached to all she met in one way or another. Her heart, she had been told by the Caldera, was bigger than most. Is that an invitation? She queried innocently. The appeal of taking the other up on her offer was certainly apparent, but it simply was not something Nightingale could do at this very moment in time. What would the leader think, of her following dreams?

Nightingale’s words about the lynx only served to confirm to Inna that the creatures were in fact dangerous and that they should be avoided. However it was good to know that the chances of running into one weren’t very great. “I will remember that,” stated Inna, “Hopefully I won’t have the opportunity to come across one.” Still she could not know what the future would hold for her so she couldn’t know if she would ever come across one but if she did she now knew what she should do. Though she did have the advantage that she had a pack that could help her should she ever come across one.

Inna took what the woman said concerning living alone thoughtfully. Though she didn’t plan to leave Hearthwood River for more than a few hours ever she felt it was still good information to have. Though it was probably something she would have figured out eventually it was best that she knew it a head of time. “So if I am going to be making a long journey the best time is the summer,” she commented hoping that would show Nightingale that she understood what the woman was saying. Then when Nightingale started to open up about her dreams Inna was a little surprised that the female would share something so personal with her after all they had only just met. Inna listened closely because this was something that was very important. Inna did feel a little bad that she didn’t know more about dreams and could help Nightingale with her dreams and maybe finding the feeling that she was looking for. “I understand wanting to find that feeling. I’m mean why wouldn’t you if it makes you very happy. Do you remember anything about the dreams? Maybe a scene that looks familiar or something of that nature?” Inna asked thinking that sometimes the dreams she’d had in the past she’d remembered some of the places from them being places in her packs lands. It could help Nightingale find what she was looking for.

Inna had offered for her new friend to take refuge in Hearthwood River for the winter if she was left with no other options. She wasn’t really sure if it was her place but she wouldn’t leave a friend out in the wilderness to starve. She could talk to her mother when she got home and hoped that she would be understanding and not too angry that she would allow Nightingale to stay with the pack if she needed to. Inna nodded when asked if it was an invitation. “Yes, I wouldn’t want you to be stuck out here with nothing. I will have to of course speak with my mother but like I said before she’s understanding so I think it will be alright. All you would have to do is come to my packs borders and call for me,” she told the woman. At least that was how she thought it worked, that was how she hoped it worked.

~Table by Mimi

(This post was last modified: Nov 24, 2015, 10:27 PM by Inna.)

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Oh yeah, hopefully not. And I wouldn't try to fight it alone. They've got a lot of power. Your best bet is to just run out of its range. They can't pursue you for too long. They get bored and tired. From her knowledge, lynx and mountain lions both were ambush predators. Better to run the hell away from them. Wolves were different; wolves would pursue you when they selected you for the hunt, for miles and miles and miles.

Nightingale listened to the next question and nodded. She did not think she tempted the other to follow in her own footsteps; in fact, she felt she painted her life in a very unattractive light. Yeah. Winter... its unpredictable. At least, in the heart of it. It's early days now so until it really starts to snow... but, then there are blizzards to account for and all of that... Hard to have ones bearings, Nightingale shuddered. For sure, she would find a home before then. At the others empathizing, Nightingale somehow softened further. All of her edges melted and she was simply one big blob of warmth and affection for the other. The other had great ideas, but... Whenever I try to concentrate on it, to remember them, they get away from me. I don't know. Maybe if I saw it... maybe, her stomach flip-flopped. But what if it's not even here, in these lands? There's a whole world my dreams could lead me to, if not here. That was the trouble.

The others offer was met with a flicking of ears. Nightingale mulled over this. ...Okay. I'll take you up on it, friendshine o'mine. Maybe sooner than even I'd prefer. Not much trouble, that, if the pack had more company like Inna. Her tail waved.

Nightingale was very helpful with information about Lynx, she’d given Inna a good idea of what the creatures were like. The only thing the ebony pup needed now was to actually see one so that she knew what it was she should be avoiding. “So what exactly do they look like and are they easily out run?” She asked thinking that if it was best to get out of their range then they hopefully were easy to get away from. Inna also thought that if Nightingale could give her a description of the animals then she would at least have some idea of what she was looking at in case she ever did run into one.

The more that her new friend said about winter Inna knew that there was no way to tell what the winter would bring for her and her pack. Still she had to have faith that her mother and father would get them through whatever might come. A word that Inna didn’t remember ever hearing had been mentioned as Nightingale went on, “What exactly is a blizzard?” Asked Inna as she tried to decide exactly how that word made her feel since she wasn’t sure what it meant. Speaking about Nightingales dreams was a topic that was something that Inna actually found interesting. She thought them to be mysterious things that could be very hard to understand and her friends seemed to be particular mysterious. Inna looked down at her paws not really sure what to say that might help Nightingale to find out about her dreams. ”It’s true it may not even be here,” agreed Inna, “But if you don’t try you will never know for sure, right? At least if you check the possible places and find out that it’s not any of them you can then be sure if it’s another place or not.” That seemed the most logical thing to Inna at least if she checked Relic lore first she would know for sure if her dreams were outside of these lands.

Inna smiled brightly when Nightingale said that she would take her up on the offer of joining Heartwood River. Since her friend was determined to have a home before winter became too bad Inna was sure that she would be seeing Nightingale again. “Brilliant, I will talk with my mother and let her know to be expecting you. Perhaps if you haven’t found all the answers you are seeking before then we can try to find them when winter is over?” She suggested.

~Table by Mimi

(This post was last modified: Dec 03, 2015, 06:40 PM by Inna.)

Please see Kajika's OOC profile for OOC preferences, thank you.

 

The songbird tilted her head at the others next question. It was good to ask, because it was good to know... but she hadn't the words for them. Not at all like a wolf. More... I don't know. Their ears. They've got tufts on them. But anyway, that doesn't matter. Just remember the smell. And keep away from it, she advised. As far as outrunning them went? I've never needed to. But I hear they don't have the endurance we do. Could be good sprinters. They're ambush predators. Like cougars. That she felt was sufficient and helpful to the others life. Ideally it would be all she needed to survive an encounter. Even more ideally would be the encounter would only go so far as catching a whiff, like now. This was the best sort of situation to be in. Free food and no fight! At least as a lone wolf; she enjoyed hunting. The choosing and the chase. She was not for the killing blow, too small and easy to throw off, but she was a demon of a she-wolf, adept at harassing and avoiding the blow of a cloven hoof. But she couldn't afford to expend the energy on a hunt and to fail it.

And then they were onto questions dealing with other things she knew. A storm of snow. It's pretty impossible to travel in, on account of the cold, the visibility—you can't see a thing if it's really bad—and basically a bunch of other stuff. It's no fun to be far from home then. Or to be homeless. Her ears melted atop her head, but she did not want to be impulsive and talk herself out of her task. It was cliche to follow ones dreams, and her dreams were hardly leading her anywhere (given she could never remember them when she woke), but it was something she knew she must do. The appeal to join a pack was in the back of her head, a bombinate thing in her mind, warming. There was nothing but appeal to it... but she did not want to sell anyone short. What if her dreams did lead her somewhere? It wouldn't be fair to the pack that kept her...

Though she would pull her weight for every moment she was there...

Dreams were mentioned again, and Nightingale was all ears. The songbird leaned closer to the other, smiling fondly. Yeah. Never try, never know. And I have to know. Sooner or later. What did the past she could not remember matter, anyway? What did those wolves of The Caldera mean to her really? Her lack of remembering their bond lent her a feeling of detachment... maybe she was meant to move on from there, find attachments such as this. Newly born friendships, where the weight of needing to remember wasn't oppressive upon her. No one pressured her to do so, of course, but perhaps it was their lack of it that mildly concerned her. How could they not care that she had forgotten the entirety of her life with them? She had. Nightingale hated it.

More than that, she had killed three future members (without meaning to, as she had been told the cubs died due to her time in a comatose state [though it was never her fault to begin with, and the pups were dead long before her arrival]) and could hardly stand to linger with that on her chest. Even if she was blameless due to the circumstance... she hated herself for it. Nightingale wished she could start over, even in this moment. Change her name from what they knew her as and become... just something her own. But that felt like a horrible thing to do; she could only outrun her own self and demons for so long. And she was not a liar.

She nodded throughout the others next statement but paused for a moment, warm eyes holding fast to the others muzzle as she asked hesitantly, You would help me...?

As Nightingale tried to describe a Lynx to her Inna tried to imagine what they looked like but she couldn’t. It was due to that remembering the scent became more important just as her friend emphasized. “It doesn’t seem to be a scent that would be easily forgotten,” she said hoping that was indeed the case. Nightingale confirmed they weren’t good sprinters so running did seem to be the best option. However her friend mentioned another name that Inna didn’t recognize, “Cougars?” She questioned wondering if they looked and smelled like a Lynx. After all Nightingale did mention Cougars in relation to them. Inna hadn’t realized there were so many dangers outside of her pack lands, many more than she had previously considered before she had undertaken this adventure. She was glad to have run into someone so knowledgeable about it and could help her. Part of her didn’t like the fact that there was still so much to learn.

Another example was what exactly a blizzard was and as Nightingale described that to her Inna knew that she wouldn’t like it if one did happen. “So it’s like a rainstorm only with snow instead,” she reasoned, “It doesn’t sound very pleasant at all.” Her imagination was already going wild as it formed a picture of a blizzard in her mind. “Do blizzards happen very often?” Inna hoped that they didn’thappen very often at all because from the way it sounded she would be stuck in the den during them. Inna also hoped that Nighingale decided about joining a pack before a blizzard hit.

They spoke about dreams once more and Inna felt bad for her friend because she couldn’t decipher her dream. She couldn’t imagine what it was like to be bothered by a dream like that. “Exactly and I hope that one day you will know.” She hoped that Nightingale wouldn’t get discouraged and give up trying to find out what the dream was trying to tell her. Inna felt from the way she’d talked about it that it was very important for her friend to find out.

Inna was happy that Nightingale had agreed to join Hearthwood River. She was sure that her pack could help her friend and she would be safe through the winter. She didn’t want her friend to go through the winter months alone and though she didn’t know how she could help nightingale find her answers she had suggested finding the answers when winter was over. Her ears perked at Nightingales question. Inna didn’t have to think about her answer, “Of course I will help you. I’ll do whatever I can,” she said confidently. She didn’t want to let her friend down even if she wasn’t sure what she could do to help. However once winter was over Inna was sure that she would be bigger and may be able to offer better help then.

~Table by Mimi

(This post was last modified: Dec 08, 2015, 04:27 PM by Inna.)

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Nightingale nodded to the statement. The scent of a lynx, or any feline that was a predator, was quite different to any she knew. There was a sharpness to it and yet a very distinct musk. It was sour and unappealing and when she smelled it, typically she kept away. The scent of the lynx was vague and faraway here, faded which attributed to her still being here. The question was answered first with a blink, and then, I don't recall meeting a cougar, but I've smelled them, and had their smell identified. Just as nasty as lynx, but she couldn't presume they were nastier, given she hadn't met them. Still, she had learned one thing. The same rules apply.

The next question was met with a thoughtful cock of the head, one ear twitching as a branch snapped in the distance. Rain isn't so bad in comparison. Freezing rain is awful, and that's different from snow... but snow isn't so bad either if there's not a lot of it. There's that saying: too much of anything is bad... or, something like that. It works with snow and the cold. Blizzards are my least favorite thing because its a storm of everything. You can get some frozen ice in there, some frozen rain, and snow... you can smell it, and see it coming. There's not as much warning as rain but... the world seems to freeze and grow very still. The birds have gone elsewhere to avoid it. They're the best to watch. Nightingale knew this, knew all of the basics. She had been reminded by Owl. Nightingale had to relearn that, but could distinctly remember inherently agreeing, because birds had been guides for more than just snow. I knew that, she remembered thinking. But there was never the answer of how she knew that, which was frequently asked within her head. It was a fruitless question thus far. As far as if they happened very often, her brow wrinkled. It depends on the sort of Winter. Prey are a good determinant. Are they migrating elsewhere? Are they scarce? All that. Herds migrated, but Nightingale had yet to find a time where every herd was gone. Was that because she had followed them...? Try as she might to recollect, she was rewarded only with a sharp stab in her mind.

The hope was more than enough for Nightingale to go by. Her hope, the hope of Inna, was more than she had just days ago. It meant a lot, more than the other perhaps might understand.

Great! Awesome. I should let you go now, then. If your mothers looking for you, I don't think that's a good start for me, keeping you and all. She grinned, her tail waving. But she herself lingered, in case the other wanted to hang out some more, in which case she could not deny. But Nightingale glanced to the sky and surmised she ought to get a move on herself.