Fireweed Rise Southern Lone Wolf

Iopah stopped and gazed up the the light filtering through the forest canopy. The light was thinning. It would soon be dusk.

The female inhaled deeply, sampling the heavy scent of pine pitch and deer scat several yards away. Iopah sighed quietly and looked around. Although the light was dimming rapidly, the she-wolf had no problem seeing the scrub pines and lush ferns. It was so unlike home. She laughed softly at herself, the sound quickly swallowed up in the surrounding forest. <i>Where was home now?</i> Iopah sat, thinking of the pas months and years that let to this quiet pine forest just after dusk. Several minutes passed, somewhere in the forest a twig snapped. Iopah swiveled a tawny ear.

She needed a place to spend the night. Iopah continued her way north, sighting out the same star that allowed her birth pack to easily navigate the vast Great Plains. The she-wolf slipped past ferns and rotting tree stumps coated in musty-smelling moss and lichens. Eventually she came to a break in the forest. Iopah found herself gazing into a field overgrown with wildflowers. It was a good place to sleep. The air was thick with the smell of the flowers and it would help to mask her scent. She stepped into them and, finding a spot to lay down, curled her narrow form into a circle.

Nose was to the ground as Reed padded along. He was following the ever-so-strong scent of a moose. He had rarely seen these creatures; he wanted to observe one... without disturbing it, of course. As he walked along, the dark man's nose touched an orange flower. Then another. And another. What the hell? He lifted his head, eyes narrowing and brows furrowing at the sight before him. A field of flowers. It was like something out of a fairy tail novel. Grunting, he lowered his head once more to attempt to scent out the moose.

Nothing. All he could smell was the potent odor of the crimson and orange flowers. With pollen sticking onto his wet ebon nose, he raised his head once more, frustration obviously worn on him. Shaking his head, he pawed his nose quickly, ridding his nose of the orange pollen that clung to it. The wolf cursed under his breath, deciding that he would venture through the flowers. He began to walk forward, unaware of the presence of another wolf within the flora.

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The wolf slept, hidden. Overhead constellations passed silently. A soft breeze infrequently stirred the field.

It was the bright dawn sun and a dry rustle nearby that woke her. Lids opened to reveal golden orbs blinded by the light. There was another rustle, slightly to her right. Iopah's head lifted from her creamy paws, coming fully awake. It was a snake about 3 feet long. Its stout body and charcoal color marked it as a rat snake. She watched it silently, aware of her empty stomach, trying to remember if it was poisonous or not.

The hungry she-wolf rose to her feet. Delicately, softly, she took two steps forward. She lunged, flattening flowers in her way. A puff of pollen floated away as Iopah grabbed the snake and shook it furiously. It snapped back and forth beheading every flower within reach. Several times the head of the snake whipped Iopah's side. She growled softly, tasting reptilian blood leak into her mouth as she flung it back and forth. Abruptly she let go and the snake was flung into the dirt a couple feet away. Iopah tapped the body quickly and lightly with a white front leg. No movement. One more tap, not as quick as before. Satisfied, Iopah reached forward and picked up her meal. For the first time did she scan the field.

Iopah gazed at the male in shock. For a long minute she was frozen, the snake hanging comically from her mouth. Her eyes flicked around the field, looking for more wolves. She lifted her head, drawing in any pack scent from the male. Nothing. Nothing but the cloying sweet flowers. An ear flicked as she thought back to last night. There had not been any territory markers in the forest. As she gazed at the male the dark gray fur along her back rose. She was nervous to be sure, but she was not running. If it was pack land it had not been marked as such. If he was a lone wolf, he had no authority to force her to leave. She tightened her grip on her prize and waited for the male to speak.

As his nose continued to drag through the flowers, Vium remained oblivious to the nearby wolf. Within moments though, such had become a lie. There was a shaking in the flowers; a tide of red and orange petals spraying into the air. Slightly startled, Vium felt his muscles tense in preparation to fight. His body stiffened after he leaped to the right, pale golden eyes sliding to the area of disturbance. Another wolf. Shit.

His teeth were to bare, but he allowed himself to calm. There was a female, laying within the grasses....something dark hung from her mouth. As he acknowledged her presence, the sweet scent of blood flowed into his nostrils, and he almost began to drool. Blinking, his ears strained forth as his tail stiffened. A snake- that's what she had. He felt his stomach rumble, and the urge to tear the food away from her. She gazed at him, awaiting him to speak.

Speak? Fine. "It's rude to stare." Vium spoke, voice on the verge of hissing like the once live snake would have done.

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Iopah watched tensely, the adrenaline that had flooded her system upon his surprise appearance still surging through her limbs. His response would determine her next action. The right response, whether spoken or gestured, would place her at ease; another would send her fleeing back into the forest. Depsite this Iopah was not frightened, she had already spent months as a lone wolf. There was no pride in life as a lone wolf. She was not above turning tail and running from the male. She would, grudgingly, drop the snake, if necessary.

"It's rude to stare."

She blinded at his words. The breath that she hadn't realized she had been holding came out all in a rush. The darker hair along her back slicked back down. Iopah dropped the snake in front of her. "My apologies... you caught me off guard." She tilted her head, studying the male. The metallic scent of blood drifted up to her. She dropped her head to her kill and ripped of mouthfuls, eating quickly. Iopah had not had fresh prey in weeks, her last meal was from a scavenged carcass six days ago. It was an elk that had snapped a long, delicate foreleg. Iopah was not willing to tempt the male with the kill, even if it only amounted to several mouthfuls. Finished, her attention returned to the other wolf.

"Can you tell me? What is this place called?"

With his body loosened and his eyes on her like daggers, Vium listened to the sort of apology the wolf seemed to speak. She then lowered her head, quickly tearing at the flesh and scales of the snake, seeming to breathe the whole damn thing in. Once it was gone, the urge to steal from her had vanished. With a lift of his brow, he replied to her question. "This.... is Fireweed Rise." He gazed around the area; the brightness of the flora almost hurt his eyes. Why the hell was he here in the first place?

Oh, that's right. The moose. The calf, specifically. The imagery of him taking down and feasting upon such a creature sent a tingling sensation up Vium's spine. It had been forever since he had eaten moose. Ah well. Perhaps another time would offer such an opportunity to him. Turning away from Iopah, he snorted, speaking to the air "You're new here." It was not a question, but more of a statement... and an obvious one at that.

Snapping his head back toward her, he took a slight step to the side, watching her every move; her every breath. Vium was always well in tune with other wolves, though he did not care much for them. Though the life of a lone wolf was difficult, he didn't seem to mind it....

(This post was last modified: Aug 06, 2012, 05:15 PM by Vium.)

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Iopah narrowed her golden eyes against the morning sun. As the day went on the temperature rose; It was going to be a warm day. The male was staring at her. She shifted uneasily under his gaze. The orange and crimson flowers brushed against her pelt as she moved.

Ah, Fireweed Rise. An appropriate name for the place. A wry gesture came across her face. What a stupid question to ask. It didn't really matter what the place was called. It wasn't as if she wasn't lost and trying to get her bearings. Wasn't looking for anyone or anyplace. She was merely keeping her feet busy, trying to forget. When she passed through this land in a few days or weeks time it wouldn't matter what is was called. It didn't matter just like the last dozen miles didn't. Idly she wondered if the horizon would extend forever. Would she eventually come to a sheer rock cliff or perhaps a vast, swift river. She pulled herself out of her thoughts as the male turned away. Instead of bristling with offense at his derisive snort and his words, Iopah merely looked bleakly at the male.

"I'm new everywhere." The statement was true. Even the places Iopah <i>had</i> been, she hadn't paused long enough for any familiarity to set in. His head head snapped back to her. It felt like the male was pulling her apart with his gaze. She wondered if he could see her past, could sense what she had done just by her posture. Growing uncomfortable with his silent gaze, Iopah tilted her head as she addressed Vium.

"What were you doing? I don't want to interrupt you." She took a step back. Her skin prickled under his eyes and she hoped with the distance she would feel more at ease.

Of course she was new here, and would admit to it. Vium was not good at chit-chat... or shit-chat, as he called it. He closed his lids for a moment, feeling the own sting of his eyes on his eyelids. He looked away, off into the distance. Where was that calf? Without looking at Iopah, he spoke "I was.... looking for a moose." He pursed his lips, almost able to taste the flesh within his mouth; against his tongue. "A calf with a mother moose...." Shaking his head now, he looked back to Iopah, gazing at the flowers she was nestled within rather than looking at the female herself.

"Though.... it would be a lame idea to take a calf.... on my own, that is." A sneer came across his face, and he rolled his eyes at his own words. The realization was setting in, but he honestly did not want it to. There must be some way he could steal the calf away from the mother. "Perhaps a fawn... would be easier. Yes, much easier." His way of speaking was odd, for it seemed he was always in thought. As his sentences trailed, it seemed as if he wanted to say one thing, yet he switched it to the other at the last moment.

"Looking for a... pack?" A brow raised as he suddenly changed the subject.

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(Can I join in? I love flashbacks and personality checks. Just a heads up ;) )

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Shadowstorm had just seen her brother, he was happy. That's all she could ask for. She kept having these wierd flashbacks. She'd have to talk to Nina. She was her patient. Nina had taken her in, even though Shadowstorm is not quite in the pack yet, she acted like it. She was different now, not as rude. The pack had seemed to get her to use respect and honesty instead of rude remarks and mean sayings. It was odd how the pack changed her.

Just then, another flashback: Shadowstorm descended from a small, unknown line of wolves with some odder beliefs. Her father and mother always taught her to be a lone wolf, to never join a pack. They made her believe that packs were not noble. That pack members were too weak to live by themselves and that they needed other wolves who were the same as them to live. She grew up determined to not disgrace her parents who were killed by a small group of wolves, not a pack, just a small group of lone wolves. She believes her brother, Shade, to be dead, but he is out there, looking for her and never ceasing the search.

She'd only just descovered his life. Exxsistance was not over. He was in Relic Lore, in a pack by the name of Willow Ridge. She scented a wolf or two. Great. That's all she needed. "Who's there? I thought Fireweed Rise didn't have many wolves in here."

~ραяαησια ιѕ α tнєσяу, ι'м ησt ραяαησι∂, ι'м ιηѕαηє~

I don't mind.
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Suddenly the male finished his inspection of her and closed his eyes. Iopah exhaled in relief as the weight of his gaze fell off her. Her eyes widened at his words. Moose? He wanted to hunt a moose? She regarded the male critically. He appeared to be in good condition, but no wolf could hope to take a moose. She shifted her feet at the thought of him attempting it. When Vium peered across the field, presumably searching for the moose, Iopah half-heartedly looked with him. Before she could voice an opinion he spoke again. She wondered if he had seen the alarm on her face.

Oh, a moose calf. Slightly better, but not by much. She felt driven to speak. <b>"Moose can be dangerous."</b> A pause before she added, <b>"It's not something to attempt alone."</b> The words tumbled out of her mouth before she could catch them. Granted the snake would not get her far, but taking down a moose was dangerous. An unpredictable moose could easily break a rib. Such an injury was sure death for a lone wolf. Despite those thoughts a ruby tongue wiped across her muzzle subconsciously.

A pack? The question stung like a swipe across her face. Iopah whined low in her throat; tawny ears pinned flat to her skull. She turned from him and looked out across the field. <b>"I'm not looking for a pack any longer."</b> Though her words were meant for Vium, she was still studying the flowers when she spoke. <b>"What about you? Are you looking for something?"</b>

Suddenly she straightened, movement in the field had caught her attention. A black wolf was approaching, female by it's voice. Projecting her voice across the distance, Iopah answered. <b>"Just two lone wolves. My name is Iopah."</b> Her head turned sharply to the male, realizing in an instance they had never exchanged names.

(This post was last modified: Aug 11, 2012, 04:58 AM by Iopah.)