Moving on autopilot, he wasn't really looking for anything. Restless, he had followed his old wandering habits and let his paws take him where they would. Opportunity would surely present itself, if he had the luck to find it. It took him as a surprise when the cramped, dark forest suddenly opened up, a small glade seeming to spring up from right under his nose. His round orange eyes took in the clearing with an expression close to awe. Now this was what he lived for. Sure, the flowers of summer had long since expired, leaving behind fall-browned shrubs and grasses. A few hardy blooms remained, though they were crushed and wilted by the rains. A smattering of fallen leaves, blown out of the surrounding forest by winds, were strewn across the clearing. The place was perhaps not it's most impressive due to the season, but Rais was amazed at how the little haven was tucked away in the thickest of forests. Gingerly at first, then in bounds he galloped into the clearing, his childish spirit renewed with the sense of discovery.
It was always like this. She would for a long time be at ease at Willow Ridge with her pack mates, but then suddenly the girl would get the itch to run again. To find someplace new. Narimé didn't know why she was so curious about this land. Perhaps it was because although she lived in the southern part of Lore, she felt as if she knew nothing about Relic-Lore as a whole. That need to know drove her to the farthest area's of the land both searching for old friends and searching for that occasional "pot of gold" called adventure. This was not the silvery young womans first time in Northern Eden. However it was her first time finding this area of the eden. She casually glanced around at each tree and every little plant that went by. The girl noted the animals that dared show themselves in her presence, and after about twenty minutes she began to scent the smell of another. This other wolf scent prodded and tickled her nose as Nari remembered how she had met the male called Rais Rose. With a liesurely pace the wolf padded around observing the area and keeping a lookout for the blackish gray wolf. Of course she couldn't find him, even with her hunters sense of smell she had a hard time pinpointing where the guy was as the wind battered its way through the forest undergrowth. Slowly the girl edged around where the glade would have started while trying to find Rias. Pausing Narimé huffed a sigh then raised her head and let out a questioning howl. It was a calling howl for Rais, Perhaps he will answer back so I can find him.. Narimé lowered her head finishing the howl then sat down and waited for his answer. It would be nice to meet an old ally. Especially since the male had been so close in age to herself. She could almost imagine him being her naughty little brother. And I wonder what trouble he might have gotten into lately... |
Poking through the brush along the edge of the clearing he found a familiar lanky grey yearling. His face lit up and his silvery tail wagged at the sight of her. The glade had been a treat, but this was amazing. He had remembered Narimé from the time she and Triell had helped him. "Narimé!" He shouted, before moving forward to land a friendly lick on the side of her head. "It's nice to see you again! What are you up to here, might I ask?" He said with a charming grin.
Narimé gazed around until she heard his excited call back. Angling her ears in the direction of his voice Nari loped forward into some wierd glade. She slowed a bit when Rais came trotting through the brush towards her. She looked him over realizing that the younger male had filled out some. He wasn't as lean as he had been last time she had met him; though he was still skinny from lack of food. Worry pricked at her features as she noted his weight. Maybe I can catch him something before I leave? She thought quietly while giving the blackish wolf a smile. His muzzle looked better at least.
Her glad feeling of seeing an old acquaintance or maybe friend again dissappeared after he gave her another sloppy lick on her cheek. A snarl lit her features as Nari playfully nipped at his ear.
"I thought I warned you last time not to do that!" She growled taking a step back from an amused Rais.
"I'm doing well.. " but what about you? Haven't you been eating? was what she wanted to ask but didn't. His scent told her that Rais was not a part of a pack. Which meant that finding food would be harder for him to do. Plus catching a good meal alone was hard. Nari knew this. She wondered why Rais had not looked for a family, and yet she didn't want to spoil the chance meeting with sad things. It's his decision to do what he will with his life.. She told herself then swatted at his face playfully with her front paw and dipped herself into a play pose in front of the young male.
It's better to forget about troubles when you are with friends.. She wondered if Rais was the type to enjoy a play fight or not. She knew she liked it but no one over at Willow Ridge would bother playing with her. Nari was always working whenever she was with the pack. Now would be a good time to have fun and destress herself. Maybe she could help Rais forget about bad things for a while too.
Leaning down with his tail flopping through the air behind him, he reciprocated her bowed offer to play. He never got the chance to play anymore, and he wouldn't pass the opportunity up. He excitedly jumped from side to side before he leaped towards her. A playful growl rumbled in his lean sides, grey limbs outstretched to carry him to the grassy earth at her side. He moved his paws up to try to push against her shoulder, seeing if he could knock over the tall yearling. His jaws would seek the loose fur and skin on her shoulder blades, seeing if he could be lucky enough to grab a hold there.
With her ruff gently held in his jaws Narimé managed to stay upright as Rais pushed against her side. Though she did stagger sideways a few paces until she righted herself trying to shake her friend off. Nari wasn't much of a fighter when she didn't want to hurt anyone. She could only fight well when she had the need for blood at the forfront of her thoughts. The huter could bring that need up at will, but of course this was fun not dangerous. She had no reason to summon that hungry part of her.
Crouching a bit and trying to throw her leg over his shoulder in order to pull the dark wolf off Nari twisted her head around trying to grasp Rais ear again. However his grip did not allow her to move her head far enough to reach the darker wolfs ear. Tongue lolling from her mouth the young female tried a different approach.
Pushing with all the might in her back legs Narimé stood her tallest and tried to wrench his grip from her neck. Stupid move. She never saw the branch jutting off of the downed tree to her right that they had slowly been inching towards. With a yelp the silver wolf rolled her ankle while tripping over the branch. With a surprised bark she fell over then hoped that he would let go before Rais too toppled over onto her.
Too wrapped up in the wrestle, he was oblivious to the wooden obstacle they had been waltzing straight towards. Narime' lurched upwards to rear back in an attempt to knock him free, but Rais clung on, thinking that this would be his chance to topple her over and "win". Little did Rais know that Narime' was really in for a fall. Suddenly her shoulder seemed to vanish beneath his paws, and he let go of her ruff so he wouldn't accidentally rip her skin. Unprepared for much else though, the wirey boy crashed down on top of her with a startled yelp.
"Oof!" He huffed. The air was nearly knocked out of him, but she had somewhat cushioned his fall. He held still for a moment with his body draped sideways over her, his orange eyes widened in surprise. Quickly he caught his bearings and scrabbled to stand at her side. "Oh crap, I'm so sorry Narime!" He nudged his snout into her cheek, checking to see if she was alright. "Ah, I didn't mean for that to happen! Are you alright?"
Shock and embarrassment rolled through the young wolf as she felt him fall on top of her. She felt flustered as he lay stock still for a moment still dazed over her. A warmth crept into her body causing her to blush further while the dark wolf finally regained his composure and staggered off of her.
When he nudged her cheek apologizing Nari tipped her head away from him shyly. The girl crinkled her nose angry at herself for not noticing the wood that now lay under her long silver legs. With a nod of her light head silently answering Rais, Narimé rolled to her belly readying herself to stand up. However while getting up a pain shot through her back leg down through her paw. Narimé lifted her back leg up balancing on her three legs and looked back at her dangling paw.
"Maybe.. I think I sprained it.. I mean... it feels like I sprained it." She looked back to Rais with a lopsided smile and her ears pulled back. "I feel like such an idiot." She stated quickly while turning her bluish purple gaze back to her leg watching it slowly begin to swell.
Now I'm going to have to stay here for a night or two till I can even try to hunt before heading back to Willow Ridge.. She sighed then sat herself down next to the large downed branch and the darker wolf. It was just her luck to get hurt while play fighting.
"Well, ah, can I help somehow?" Rais wasn't one to make a habit out of repaying favors... He certainly wouldn't be hunting down Triell for his half, but Triell and Narimé's help with the porcupine incident hadn't gone forgotten. The sole difference between the two though was that Rais actually liked Narimé. "Maybe I could find that, uh, hellebore you guys got me last time?" He asked with a tilt of his head. "Or I could stay here with you until you can make it home? I mean, I wouldn't want you freezing to death, alone, out here..." He said with a grin, hoping she wouldn't bite both of his ears off for that one.
She watched Rais worried frown and shook her head as he spoke of helping her.
"Don't worry about it I'll be fine besides I will not freeze out here." She shook her thick ruff and looked over Rais. "I'm more worried about you freezing alone out here.." She commented on his thin appearance then wished she hadn't. The whole point of the game had been to have fun and forget worrysome things and now her damn leg was ruining it!
With a sigh she hobbled away from the fallen branches and lay herself down closer to the center of the glade. Closing her eyes she thought about her options.
It IS going to get cold out at night and I won't be able to make it back to the Willows with my leg as it is. She tested her leg out again by stretching it beside her and with a whinge felt a sharp twinge of pain slice up her paw. Yeah I'm going to have to stay here for at least a day and see how it feels in the morning...but.... Nari opened her eyes and looked back at the grin that had spread itself across Rais face. That silly grin made Narimé giggle a bit and shake her head. Now he really reminded her of her older brother from way back when. Though her brother had darker fur than Rais had.
Shaking her head away from past memories Narimé stood back up again balancing on three legs and looked to Rais. "If you do wanna help me you can help make a little shelter from the wind, and make it big enough for two..." She gave him a roll of her eyes then a small smile. Of course she would be forced to stay the night with another wolf. It was already embarrassing enough that she'd injured herself in front of him. The thought almost reminded her of Sloane.
She watched Rais to see what he would do all the while silently reavaluating her previous take on the boy. He was very nice, and didn't mind to get away from drama in the world with a game, he could care about others too, so why hadn't a pack snapped him up already? Unless he doesn't want to be in a pack.. She wondered about that. Every wolf searches for companionship at some point in their life. Narimé hoped he would find a place to call home and a family who would want him.