Hush Meadow Blue Lines

He took slow steps, his body low and ears perked forward. His whiskers twitched in anticipation, the small rabbit before him hadn't a clue of the fate that was to fall upon him. Again he took another step, then stayed where he was and waited, then one last step. He lowered his belly to the ground, which is when the wind turned a different direction, revealing the timber wolf. The rabbit then ran, Richter was quick to follow after it, bounding in long strides with his long legs. He was able to keep up with the rabbit, then finally pounced on it. A snarl escaped his black lips and he quickly snapped at the rabbit's head. Warm blood oozed from the wound, dripping down his maw and onto his chest and the grass. He bit down harder on the squirming rabbit, chomping down on it to end its life. He lifted his head, the small rabbit dangling lifelessly. He looked around and when he saw no one he could finally relax. Rich settled himself down in the warm grass, holding the rabbit down with his paws and tearing into it.

(This post was last modified: Oct 24, 2011, 08:40 PM by Richter.)

<blockquote>It was quite a comfortable day. The sun overhead was warm and the breeze that blew through the meadow and rippled the grass was just enough to keep it fairly cool. The day was a lazy one for Flynn. She had not the urge to hunt nor the urge to eat, though she probably needed to. Honestly the female could afford to put a bit of weight on herself, but she was just not in the mood to. No, she'd much rather lay and rolll about in the meadow's tall grass.

Currently she was laying on her back, her front paws tucked to her chest as she gazed up at the sky and the passing clouds. Every now and again her eyes would close and she would begin to doze, but then the wind would rouse her again and she would go back to watching the clouds float by. She could spend everyday like this, she decided, and be content for the rest of her life. It was so peaceful and carefree and everything just seemed so <i>right</i>.

That sense of right changed rather dramatically. The wind shifted and she could smell another wolf, which did not surprise or startle her. It was the sudden crashing through the grass, the sound of a hunt that startled her. Flynn rolled to her side and sat up a bit, her ears pricked as she listened. The sudden scent of blood had her standing, her narrow body tense as she searched.

Then she spotted him, standing with a dead rabbit hanging from his mouth, and just as quickly he disappeared in the grass. Flynn stepped forward and began her search, which went rather quickly with the wind being in her favor. When she found the other wolf she stopped and looked at him for only a moment before her gaze went to the lifeless rabbit. It was sad, she thought, for such a small creature to lose it's life. They all had to eat, she knew, but that didn't make a death any less sad.
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Rich heard the soft crunching of grass as someone neared him, his fur standing on end. His body tensed and he tucked his neck, not really able to get the scent of the creature that was nearing him. A scrap of the rabbit hung from his jaws, he had stopped chewing and lowered himself a little bit, prepared to pounce should the creature prove to be a threat. His heart pounded, his lips curling back to show his bloody canines. And then he could see the other wolf, though it didn't seem to want to attack, so Richter calmed himself-- though was still weary. He rose up to full height so he could have a look at the wolf, though then quickly realized that it was a female and she seemed pretty harmless. Not that all girls were weak, he just felt like between him and this lady, he'd be the winner.

Realizing that he had the meat dangling from his jaws, he released his grip and let it fall to the ground, the bloody mess hitting the ground with a quiet plop! Richter studied the girl for a moment, though then offered her a warm smile. "'Ello darlin'," he told her in low tones, his tongue swiping over his maw. Cleaning himself would seem too sloppy and like a waste of time, so he decided to leave it be. He was no clean eater like some wolves-- there was no point to it. Wolves could be messy if they wished to, it was natural.

He had noticed that she looked a little sullen at the sight of a rabbit. "Ah... that wasn't yer friend, was it?" he asked, a little embarrassed. "Er. Sorry 'bout that, didn't mean nothin' by it," his ears lowered just a bit, tail curling around him. He had heard of some wolves being friends with rabbits, birds.. what have you. He never saw a point in it-- they were food, nothing else. And a wolf had to eat. Thinking them as anything else would only leave you feeling bad and hungry. But if you looked at it as food... well, then you had a delicious, bloody, sloppy meal.

Like the tasty rabbit friend.

"Th'names Richter," he introduced himself in an attempt to lighten the mood-- despite that he was hungry and had been enjoying his meal to the fullest. Sure, it wasn't anything like buck, but he wouldn't complain.

(This post was last modified: Oct 24, 2011, 08:40 PM by Richter.)

<blockquote> Flynn was a bit disconcerted when the other wolf stood, still letting that little lifeless creature dangle from his jaws as he looked at her. It was enough to turn her stomach, even more so when he finally released it and it hit the ground with a sickening plop. She recoiled from it, her ears now lying flat against her head. Again, she reminded herself that everyone had to eat and that it was simply the circle of life. It did not do anything to dull the sense of sorrow she felt for the rabbit, or what was left of it, for it's death.

<b>"Hello."</b> She murmured to the other wolf in response to his greeting. Flynn shook her head and finally looked at the other wolf. <i>Really</i> looked at him. She was lucky he hadn't been one of those that defended his meal tooth and nail, even against those that didn't want it. Clearly she wouldn't stand a chance against him should he decide that he wanted to fight. Her only chance, really, would be to turn and run.

<b>"Oh .. no, it wasn't my friend."</b> What a weird assumption that was to make. <b>"It's just ..."</b> She shook her head again because he wouldn't understand. She didn't think many wolves felt any type of sorrow or remorse when they killed something. Perhaps that was the reason she was so painfully thin. She actually had a conscience and hated killing things.

Thankfully he moved on and introduced himself as <i>Richter</i>. <b>"Nice to meet you."</b> It was more a robotic response than anything. It was never nice to meet anyone when they were covered with blood whether it be their own or another's. <b>"My name's Flynn."</b>

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Rich's brow arched at the girl as she provided no further explanation. He almost asked the girl to continue, but then decided not to push her. No need to upset her anymore (though he really didn't get why the girl would feel bad about him eating lunch). The male just nodded to let her know he understood-- not the making upset thing, just that she didn't want to talk any more of it. The girl then gave him her name, to which his smile brightened just a bit. "The pleasure's all mine, Flynn," he let her name roll off his tongue. It was a nice name, though one he felt like he wouldn't be able to shorten. Fly was certainly not a wolf's name-- he didn't feel so, at least. He had known a wolf to be named after silly things-- birds, plants and what have you.

"Sorry 'bout the mess," his ears drooped slightly, tongue swiping over his maw in an attempt to get just a bit more blood off of him. "You're free to have some, if you like," the girl looked like she needed a few good meals, anyways. He guessed that was the life of a loner-- though Richter took it upon himself to make sure he didn't lose too much weight. He needed to keep his strength up as much as he could and stay healthy. Being healthy meant that he'd be prepared.. though he was a little bit ill prepared for the coming winter. Maybe he could nestle his way into one of the packs nearby (he could have sworn that he smelled a few around Relic Lore).

"Us loner's gotta look out fer one 'nother," he offered a sheepish grin, "Don' know when you'll find yerself in trouble," Richter shifted his weight from one side to the next. "Ya don' smell too much like this place. Ya from 'ere or s'my sniffer outta wack?" the girl seemed a little bit... well, to herself, maybe? Not a talker-- which Richter was happy to fix. He could always bring up some sort of conversation, it was a little gift of his, he guessed.

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Again, Flynn returned to looking at the rabbit, but only because Richter offered her some of it. It was because of the way she looked, she knew. She needed to eat and gain some weight before the winter came, but she was not hungry now. Perhaps later she would catch something for herself, or maybe some of the berry bushes would still have a few little berries on them. As pathetic and weird as it might seem, she'd rather snack on berries than spill the blood of another.

<b>"No thank you."</b> She finally answered. <b>"I'm not very hungry."</b> There wasn't really all that much left of the rabbit, anyway. Their little bodies were always consumed so very quickly. <b>"Besides, I wouldn't feel right taking your meal from you."</b> She offered the male a small smile and hoped that declining his offer wouldn't offend him or prompt him to point out how badly in need of a meal she looked like others had done before.

<i>"Us loner's gotta look out fer one 'nother. Don' know when you'll find yerself in trouble."</i>

<b>"Pardon me?"</b> It took her a moment to realize that it wasn't just a badly concealed threat, but that he actually meant that they needed to look out for each other. <b>"Yes, I suppose you're right. Especially in a new land. You never know what's going to be around."</b> At his next question she shook her head. <b>"No, I've just recently found my way here. Am I safe to assume you're in the same boat as me?"</b>

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(This post was last modified: Oct 24, 2011, 10:14 PM by Flynn.)

No thank you. I'm not very hungry.

"Suit yerself," Rich leaned down to finish up the last few scraps of the rabbit. Hey, he'd offered and she declined... and it wasn't like it'd take too long to eat it up. In fact, he finished the rest of the rabbit in a matter of minutes. He licked up some of the blood, but did so sloppily and quickly. It only left his fur looking rugged and he still looked pretty bloody. He would have liked to take the time to clean himself up, but... not right then. No need to bother with making himself completely cleaned-- he already looked like a mess. It'd be like he was hiding something.

"I said.." but then she seemed to get it and he relaxed. "Ah-ha, yeah. Only a few days I've been 'ere," he rolled his shoulders, "I like what I see so far," he might decide to stay for a year or so. Then he could get to know a few faces, make himself at home for a little while and then be on his way. Unless, of course, something came up. And things did tend to come up often, he could finally decide to settle down in Relic Lore (though it was highly doubtful, in all his years he had never been bound to any one place).

"So, Miss Flynn. Any reason yer 'ere? Lookin' for anyone er som'n, or just 'splorin?" he had met a few wolves looking for another, some migrating, some looking for a pack. The girl, it looked, needed a pack. She'd be so much safer, she'd be less... skinny. It was a little sad. A loner life was not for everyone. "I hear good 'bout somma' the packs, y'know. Might do well ta settle down in one fer a little while. 'Specially fer the winter, prolly gon' be another tough'n," he stretched, one paw mindlessly digging into the dirt. He made a small hole and then moved what was left of the carcass into the small hole, then covered it up.

(This post was last modified: Oct 24, 2011, 11:50 PM by Richter.)

Flynn turned her head away from the other wolf has he finished his bloody meal. She cringe inwardly at each little snap and crunch of the little animal's bones. It was a sound she hated more than any other, the sound of bones breaking. She could only imagine the pain one must feel when she heard it and pain was something she would rather not think about whenever possible.

"It seems as though you're adjusting just fine." She observed, her head tilting a bit. He certainly didn't look like the life of a loner was taking it's toll on him. He was fit and muscular and looked like he could fight a bear if he had half the mind to. Hell, he probably had fought bears before. She knew there were wolves about that did crazy, reckless things just for the adrenaline rush. She was quite content not being one of them, however. She loved her lazy days lounging in the meadow.

She was quiet when he asked if there was any reason she was there before moving her shoulders in a gesture similar to a shrug. "I just kind of ended up here without meaning to." she answered. There really was no one for her to search for and she was only kind of exploring. She just took a wrong turn somewhere, she supposed.

"A lot of wolves feel the need to tell my I should think about packs." She said, head tilting once again. "I believe I'm capable of taking care of myself." It wasn't like she couldn't hunt. She just didn't like to was all. "Are you thinking about joining a pack or continuing the life of a loner?"

"A'course I'm adjustin' fine," his tail happily wagged behind him. "Used ta be a good travl'r, few years back," he told the girl. "Helped 'bout anyone an' everyone cross th' most dang'rous a' places," he, of course, always did so for a price. It never was anything big, help to catch a larger meal, hunting rights in pack lands. Really, Richter was a giving wolf, he'd happily help anyone if they truly needed it. And, well, he'd taken it upon himself to learn to do what all wolves did-- survive. Maybe some tasks were a little more dangerous than others, but Richter was good in situations, able to stay calm and take control in the most strenuous of situations.

"Aha, din' mean to offend ya, Miss Flynn," he was quick to apologize, "It looks like ya been takin' care 'a yerself pretty good," considering the situation that she could be in, of course she was doing good. She didn't look half-starved like some loners did.

"Not thinkin' at th' moment, really," Rich got up, stretching out until he heard a satisfying pop in his back. "Never joined a pack 'fore, y'know? I guess if I find som'n I wanna be in, I'll be in it," it made sense to him, at least. Rich shook out his fur, then turned to the girl. "Ey, wanna go fer a run? Might be good while th'day's new," he offered her a smile. Oh how he loved to run. He loved to let himself go into anoesis, the blank, comfortable feeling was always good while it lasted. Or, well, at least until he realized that he was blank. But it was so nice, to feel nothing-- no sadness, no anger, no stress.

"I mean, or we could go fer a walk... if ya want," he offered her a grin.

She perked up a little when the male said that he had done some traveling. She always did like to hear stories that others could tell about their travels and she was sure that he would have plenty of them. Or, he should have plenty of stories if he did as much traveling as he led her to believe that he did. "Really?" She asked, obviously interested. "What did you do? What happened?" Her tail wagged a bit as she waited for the male to answer her question, kind of ignoring that he had apologized for offending her.

"I was part of a pack before." She said. "It was okay. I prefer being on my own." Pack politics was just something that didn't appeal to her. She hated it, really. She hated being low in the pecking order, which was usually where she was because she didn't have the size to work her way up the ranks.

Richter surprised her by asking if she wanted to go for a run, to which her head tilted in the opposite direction. She hadn't just gone out and ran in a long time. It would probably be good for her. "A run sounds good." She finally answered back, her tail beginning to wag once again. "Where to?"