Beaver Dam Feel Good Drag

How strange it felt to be so far from the realm of the ancient cedar trees.

In truth, he'd never had an inclination to abandon his routine, which consisted largely of patrols and pup sitting, with only the exception of his short visits to the lake. Grizzly Hollow had become a cherished part of his life, and the thought of severance from the place that defined a part of who he now was was terrifying. As his silver eyes roved the quiet, icy bends of Heartleaf Creek, the coal pelted wolf knew there was now no other path to be considered. Death had crept into Relic Lore like a plague, silent and faceless, and it was wiping out the very life force that had persevered without leaving even a single stone unturned.

The question was where would it end, or would it end at all?

An icy wind howled through the leafless, snow touched trees, cutting through the silver-tipped fur along his sides as he stalked through the ivory landscape. Even as it stood blanketed in snow, the beaver dam stood out as a sight for sore eyes; it had been days since his last meal, and he knew from experience that the dam's inhabitants would not be far.

He was sure-footed, careful not to take a thoughtless step upon the creek's icy surface, less he alert the water vermin to his arrival. The scent of his prey lingered in the air, and it was torturous. How in the hell was he going to get in there, or lure them out? It was taken into consideration that the quickest point of entry would be straight through the side, but a beaver's dam was virtually never in poor repair, and it would be a miracle if he did find a weakness in the structure's exterior.

It was only late afternoon, but he knew that winter sunlight was fast to fade. Licking away the moisture that played at the corners of his dark lips, the Attaya reckoned his only real strategy would be to lay in wait, and so he did. Bunkering down far enough away to remain hidden from the senses of the hunted, he would allow the snowfall to settle upon him as his gaze remained upon the wooden river dome.

(This post was last modified: Jan 10, 2013, 08:00 PM by Kade.)

Through the sparse woodlands, made thin by the lack of leaves, Sage walked, swiping her tongue over her lips. She'd caught a jackrabbit, a swift-footed creature who had, like others of its kind, traded in its tawny summer coat for one of plush white, but its disguise and speed had not been enough to save it from the jaws of the hungry predator. Her breaths came in puffs; it hadn't been a short chase, naturally; jackrabbits were quick devils and used sharp twists and turns to evade their threat. In one bound she could gain the upper hand but with one swift turn she could find herself three lengths behind again, struggling to make up for lost ground. In the end, the jackrabbit's turns had become a bit predictable, and she'd lunged just the moment before it had turned, thereby launching itself into her outstretched forelegs which were quick to trip it up and send it toppling cotton-tail over tea kettle.

Only bits of fluff had been left behind. Sage knew not to leave any part of a meal for scavengers, as she assumed the role of both hunter and buzzard in the winter. Bone marrow was an excellent source of nutrition and she found that she enjoyed cracking through bones just to get it out. The meal left her feeling good- not nearly as full as she might be if she had a meal from a larger creature such as a deer, but it was far from living with an empty stomach. Her success would ensure her survival until the next time she found the need to hunt, and the chase would be on again.

She could hear the soft gurgle of water beneath ice ahead and went toward it. While the water from a stream would be cruelly cold, it was better than gulping down snow. It was something that Sage avoided doing as much as possible, gobbling down mouthful after mouthful of snow to quench her thirst. She didn't like juggling the snowy bits around on her tongue until they melted enough to be swallowed, and didn't like the feeling of the icy stuff against her teeth. Open water wouldn't be much warmer, but at least the process would be easier. So she chose the stream, over the snow that surrounded her, and headed toward it.

Naturally, it would be hard to get at- ice had formed a crust over the surface of the water and she couldn't tell exactly how thick it was, given that there was a bit of snow on top of the ice, just enough to make it opaque and difficult to see through. She lowered her head, then, and tilted it to the side to see if she could hear the water better in some places rather than others. This would mean the ice was thinner and weaker, and she would stand a better chance at breaking through. Of course, it would be thinner toward the middle of the stream- it was likely open in places- but did she feel like taking a dip in frigid waters? No way! Oblivious to the stranger hidden from view and protected by the wind's direction, she meandered along the shore, tilting her head this way and that, pausing every so often to try and discern the weakest point in the ice.

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The hours that passed felt immeasurable as he remained still and quiet, waiting for something. Or anything. Weather as cold as this was tolerable as long as there was a dry retreat or a warm body nearby, but every minute that passed here chilled him to the bone. The shades of grey that painted the sky began to darken, and it would soon be time to move along, though he would be disappointed and reluctant to do so on an empty stomach. Taking in a deep breath, he resolved to stick it out, just a little while longer. Perhaps his patience would pay off...

Eventually it did, though it was not the beavers to catch his attention.

Along the side of the waterway she strode, a pewter hued female with her snout and ears close to the ice - so close, in fact, that is was possible she may inadvertently ensure the beavers remain hidden. His silver eyes widened in a moment of panic as he gulped down the words he reactively wished to speak. "Shhhh," he could have beckoned of the wayfarer, but there was no place for conversation in the midst of his long stint. It was before he'd make a move, before she would come to notice his presence there, that the dark guard would take a good look at the stranger who roamed alone.

She truly was rather beautiful, shades of silver much like the sky overhead, and with dark markings along the midline of her muzzle and back. A lissome creature, the female was a bit smaller than he, though not by much, and appeared relatively healthy. However, it was not her appearance which caught his interest, but her behavior. For a moment he studied her movement, the way she would lower her face to the frozen surface of the creek, tilting her head as if to listen to the current below. Even if she had not been so easy on his eyes, she appeared to be quite intelligent as well.

As intrigued as he was by her tactic, poking water holes or disturbing the water in general was a sure fire way to burn all he'd worked, or waited, for, if there was ever to be an end to his means at all. He couldn't afford to watch for another second, and so he rose from his drift, the black and silver of his coat becoming more apparent as the snow fell from his body. Curious eyes moved between the stranger and the dam, and his quiet approach was both calm and neutral.

To avoid unintentionally scaring her off, he would stop some lengths short, shifting his weight as his plume rose to level with his back. Rounded ears perked forward as he took in the soft sound of her steps at the water's edge, the pads of his own large paws causing the snow underfoot to crunch slightly.

(This post was last modified: Jan 09, 2013, 11:56 PM by Kade.)

Found it- there beneath her feet, surely, was a weak point in the ice. She could hear the tiny groan of the ice as her weight came down upon it and when she tilted her head to the side she could hear the water bubbling not far below its surface. She scratched away the snow with one forepaw, still completely oblivious to the fact that she might have been spoiling the other wolf's hunt for she was downwind of the male and could not see or detect his scent. Focused as she was on the task at hand, she paid little attention to the prickling sensation which began to creep up her spine until it caused the hairs at the nape of her neck to stand on end. She stopped, frozen, and slowly flicked one ear back.

She made no sudden movements as she tried to listen in on her environment for any answers to the sensation she felt. But the dark stranger was careful with his footing, at first, and any sounds made by his footfalls were masked by the sound of the wind rustling the snow on the surface of the stream. Still, she was not satisfied, though she briefly entertained the idea of ignoring the sensation and renewing her investigation of the weak patch in the ice.

As suddenly as the idea struck her, she crossed it off her list when she heard something behind her. The girl's head lifted and she swirled around, hind paws skidding slightly on the surface of the stream, sending a little shard of ice skittering across the stream and into an open hole in the ice. It plonked into the water, distracting the petite female again, but now her eyes had locked onto the stranger who'd been there all along, she supposed, watching her. She stepped back instinctively, tail hanging limply, and lowered her head. His posture was confident but calm and while she did not feel fearful, she had been caught by surprise and owned up to it, becoming neutral rather than aggressive.

Her bewildered gaze softened when she saw the mildness on his silvered features and realized that had he wanted to hurt her, he likely would have been a crouched pose or he might have made a move while she still had her back turned to him. He would have been just some other lone wolf- interested in company but neither terribly social nor psychotic and aggressive- had she not detected the scent of other wolves on him. He was either travelling with companions or part of a pack; she assumed the latter, by the way he seemed so at home, so at ease. One ear flicked back, and then forward again.

Before she could get a word out, the weak patch of ice- which was now directly beneath one of her forefeet after she'd spun around to face him- suddenly cracked and the ice gave away, creating a reasonable sized hole where her paw had been. She was quick to sidestep, shifting into balance swiftly, as though she'd anticipated such an event. Not even her claws had touched the water's surface, and she glanced at the opening briefly, quite pleased with the fact that she hadn't had to try at all to break through before she looked back to the male, scanning him over once more. He was fit, healthy; his coat dark but touched with silver guard hairs, though she suspected that this was a colour he'd been given as a pup, not something which had occurred from age or stress. He looked to be in his prime, a rugged, tough-looking creature, bearlike in build though he was not as large as some. He was impressive, to say the least, and the hue of his silver eyes was alluring, though she did not look long into his features. She glanced to the side and gave him a quiet nod, not knowing what to say that wouldn't be either typical chit chat or some pointlessly obvious statement.

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The static hued woman spun around at once upon hearing the tell tale crunch of snow beneath him, perphaps a bit wild eyed at first as she glanced him over briefly. He perked up then, pleased to have not scared her off and by the way the uncertainty in her gaze seemed to fade, even if it were only by a slight degree. To reassure her that he truly meant no harm, the dark brute would take a single, slowly placed step backward before watching as the inevitable came to pass: the ice broke.

Beneath her fore paw was a crack, a snap, and a plunk, and in the blink of an eye his plan for dinner may have been foiled. The woman stepped aside quickly, and it was clear by the look on her face that she was indeed not phased at all, but gratified.

As disappointed as he may have momentarily been, his attention expressly shifted to her interaction as her eyes grazed over him. It had been some time since he'd had such an encounter, as it was not really customary for him to stray from Cedarwood forest, much less make friends along the way. In the past he may have shied away from such attention, especially from a pretty female, but he found that their dynamic was...easy, inviting.

"Careful, there...the beavers are ravenous this time of year, you know," he mused to her smoothly, a genuine and gentle tone to his words. He didn't care to dwell on, or even reveal to her, the fact that she'd inadvertently stumbled across his hunting ground, and in reality he quickly forgot about it all together.

"I am Kade Attaya," he continued with a candid play at introduction, canting his broad muzzle. As natural as it felt to ask her name, he rationalized that it would be unwise to bombard her with questions, and instead proceeded to quietly take a seat in the hopes that she might be comfortable enough to offer it herself.

He was the first to speak, breaking the silent barrier between them with easy-going humour. Sagacity's ears flicked forward and one side of her mouth tweaked upwards slightly, though her expression was otherwise unchanged. It was not rare for her to smile, but too often her lips moved but her eyes did not adopt the glow to suggest that she was comfortable enough showing a true emotion. She did have a sense of humour, but she didn't particularly want to make jokes with a stranger. His quip lightened the atmosphere, though Sage wasn't contributing much to it.

He introduced himself then and to this she would reply, dipping her head slightly and turning her ears to the side to show respect. "Sage." She wondered if he had given her a two-part first name, or if he'd given her both his first and last names. She was aware that others had surnames, though the concept had confused her at first. Her parents and family had never bothered with surnames, and one of the many travelers she'd met on her journey had had to explain why a wolf might have two names to her. It was still easier for her to assume that when a wolf offered two names, that was what they wanted to be addressed by. Thus, she was given the feeling that this Kade Attaya was a confident fellow who thought well of himself; he was comfortable making jokes with a stranger and had given her what she saw as a somewhat long-winded name. But she didn't dislike him for it; she was of the impression that this was what males did, in an attempt to seem all the more attractive. She didn't understand how that might work, and didn't find it appealed to her, but she wouldn't criticize him for trying.

He sat down and suddenly she felt as though he expected her to do the same. Being that she was on the ice, she also felt somewhat cornered; she didn't want to go further out onto the ice to get away from him, for fear that she might tread too close to a place where the water was open, but didn't feel comfortable walking toward him in order to get back onto the safety of shore. So she sat.

She struggled for a moment to think of something to say when she remembered that she'd caught the scent of other wolves on him. "Am I near your pack's territory?" She asked. She had no knowledge of the area and owned up to it, as she knew getting this information might help her stay away from pack borders and avoid conflict.

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Apoogies for the wait and terrible/short post - will add to it after work <3

"Sage."

The female's reply was simply and to-the-point, and he would watch quietly as she settled, too.

"Am I near your pack's territory?"

She was by no means close to where he came from, and the inquiry was a reminder of how far he was from Grizzly Hollow and why. His features softened at the thought, and his lighthearted mood slowly faded.

"Not at all." Taking in a quiet breath, his silver gaze roved the darker aspects of her face. "We reside far west of here." The Hollow wolves had witnessed many horrors this winter, and he was sure it would be in both his and her interest to leave his explanation at that. For a moment he grew silent, wondering if she'd encountered the death that had touched many areas in the region.

(This post was last modified: Jan 25, 2013, 11:14 PM by Kade.)

She felt some relief when she learned that she wasn't anywhere near the male's pack. She also appreciated that he told her where his pack was, so she knew. She was therefore naturally inclined to avoid it; it wasn't in her nature to go traipsing along a pack's borders, even if she was looking to join. She had no intention of going to a pack to join it; if she did end up in the company of others, she would join by meeting them first.

The gurgle of water in the newly opened patch of ice caught her attention and she turned her head for a moment. Had the water been open, such a sound might have meant that a fish had come to the surface- as it was, it had only been a ripple of water bubbling against the ice. She turned her head back toward him, still feeling somewhat cornered. She looked past him, toward the bank and frowned slightly. He was in the way, and she wasn't feeling secure enough to try and dodge past him- not in ice.

One ear flicked back. "What's your pack's name?" She asked. She wasn't terribly interested, but it could be useful information for her to know later in life, if she chose to remember it.

Avatars by Arla!

Let's wrap it up?

The sore fact that he had wasted away an uneventful afternoon and had not even a half-rotten corpse to show for it dwelled in his mind as the stranger's distracted eyes slipped to the bank behind him. It was apparent that she was uncomfortable where she'd sat without objection, perhaps she had somewhere to be; he wouldn't take it personally. Whether she did or not, she wasn't hard to read, and he was by no means inclined to keep her from her own agenda, or waste his breath on words she wasn't really trying to listen to. In truth, the shewolf's disinterest would serve as his own opportunity to leave.

The soot pelted wolf drew in a quiet breath when Sage posed her inquiry, a chilling gust cutting across his eyes and snout as he rose to his feet. Moving without complication to the solidity of the bank, the guard looked over his shoulder to the timid female.

"Grizzly Hollow."

The guard's piercing silver stare would sweep over the static hued female neutrally, and he departed as twilight's shadows descended upon the creek land, disappeared into the darkness.

{Exit}