Drooping Willows walking on a dream

Against a winter backdrop no one could miss her; she was blacker than night with not even a fleck of difference in her fur. No dusting of snowfall could hide her from the world and her stare was vibrant, so why did she feel so transparent? Something woozy and peculiar was filling the empty space between her bones. Everything was coming up Ava, so why did such a disconcerting sensation demand to be felt?

Despite herself she'd made habits in the Lore. When her mind wandered her paws would follow suit and she found herself in familiar places: today, the Willows. It was the first place she'd found solace - from a knight who very much resembled the current landscape - and it beckoned to her. Somewhere in her subconscious she accepted the invitation to comfort, if the surroundings could ease her uncertainty once again. But this time was different from the last. The leaves were touched by the delicate snow that fell around her , leaving them so pale they very nearly matched the white backdrop, and frozen that when she passed beneath them their frostbite touch sent a chill down her straightened spine. As the branches fell away Ava emerged into nothing more than a mere clearing, but the atmosphere transformed nature into magic.

Sunlight broke from the clouds lining the sky and caught each individual falling flake as it streaked through the skeleton branches, reflecting against every surface and surrounding her in a surreal glow. The hidden world was so pristine, so still. Never had a winter felt colder and while the wind did not blow it infiltrated her system anyhow, driving out her befuddled burden and filling the empty cracks with a cold stillness so absolute that she felt she'd frozen within the grotto. The typically lithe branches surrounded her like a ribcage, winter stiff and protecting and yet so open. They did not cloak her like the last time she was here, out in the warm fall weather beneath heavy darkness and full leaves. Shrouded by the night she blended in, her dark fur disappearing and leaving just her eyes burning. Here Ava stuck out more sorely than anything and her gold-glazed stare paled in comparison to the way the world dazzled around her.

The silence was so peaceful, filling her head through her ears. The brightness surrounded her like a reverie, out shined her in every respect, and yet Ava was content to feel so small. Captive to its grandeur, she was more than pleased to seat herself a moment and revel in the unexpected wonderland.

art - threads

Stretching her legs again Narimé bounded along through the snow occasionally letting her front paws drag in the frosty white fluff. Ever since her fall in the cave incident Narimé's confidence in herself had increased. The young woman knew that she could hunt on her own. She knew that she could find her own way through life, and since her stand off with Djinn the she wolf knew that she could defend herself and others if need be. Soon, the silver hunter would be able to lift her head proud of herself and stand by the already proud form of her mate and protector.

For now though, she continued to love living in the place that she called home. The snow pushed easily compacting under paw as the silver creature loped along. Nari had always had the wanderlust. Her skill at hunting only helped the need for exploration as she continually crossed the borders in search of prey.

Right now Narimé was not hunting. The young wolf was just enjoying the freedom from being cooped up in the den. Her injuries were healed and very soon Nari would be back on her normal schedule of hunting day and night.

It was not the scent of wolf that caught the gray girls attention, but the black form trotting over the landscape to the left of her. Deep blue eyes set upon the shape and quickly the hunter began scenting the air. The wind however would not help the gray wolf for it was blowing the wrong direction for her to scent the other dark stranger.

Curious as to who it was Narimé gave a few sharp barks announcing her presence to the far away wolf. Was it someone Nari had already met? She could recall a number of black wolves that the silvery girl had crossed paths with. She only hoped the other wolf was someone she knew and not some angry loner.

(This post was last modified: Jan 28, 2013, 08:40 PM by Narimé.)

Ava knew the very moment her reverie was interrupted, but not unpleasantly so. The wind was running in the opposite direction to inform Narime of her identity, but the proper one to give her notice that she was expecting company that she'd met, once before - if she did not stand corrected, of course. Curving her head over her shoulder she attempted to locate the female, but her silvery figure blended in too well with the blinding light that surrounded her. It was only her scent, and then her barks, that would allow Ava to pinpoint her finally. Ava brought her neck forward, trying to discern who it was with such a familiar scent without looking too aggressively at her.

And though she was a good distance away she did manage to find a stand-out mark of identification. Those lilac eyes were distinctive even if were to have met another willow-limbed silver she-wolf in her travels - which she hadn't. Ava allowed a small smile to appear along her onyx lips, the fire in her amber stare contained by the peaceful state at which she currently existed. Her tail rose and fell in the snow with a gentle but steady beat, projecting a friendly demeanor that the other might not be able to see from such a distance. Posture open, she welcomed the she-wolf beneath the willow dome that surrounded her in a personal snowglobe - although from her scent, it seemed she was no stranger to the Drooping Willows in any case.

In truth she did not recognize the pack scent coating her fur. Perhaps she hadn't gotten enough of a whiff of it from their distance to correctly label it, but Ava was more certain that she just didn't know it at all. Even though her pale indigo stare was a dead give away the coal-pelted female faltered for just a minute. Delicately she called out on the still air, ""I know you, don't I?"

art - threads

Trotting closer to the ebony wolf Nari noted how the figure turned to face her. With a feminine shape and an answering greeting back the silver girl tipped her head to the side wondering about the black ladies question. That voice.. and those eyes.. I think.. She still had to get closer in order to properly identify the female by scent. Once she was closer but still a respectable distance away Narimé was able to smell the she wolf. Her scent brought a name to the fore front of the young womans mind. Though Ava's smell seemed to be missing something important that Nari couldn't quite remember.

"Yeah you're Ava right? It's me Narimé. How have you been?" She copied the dark womans neutral but friendly stance and gave her a warm grin. The girls tail flashed drooping comfortably behind her in slow sweeping wags. This wolf was a friend, not a foe.

Narimé was quite surprised to see Ava out here. She wasn't expecting the ebony she wolf to be traveling through the willows, but then again; had she not met Ava far away from her pack n the mountains? Perhaps she likes to wander around and explore like me.. Nari chastised herself for this thought. She wasn't supposed to wander around so much as she usually did. That's exactly how she got into the cave accident. Although Narimé blamed her having to scout everywhere on low prey numbers not wanderlust.

That's when something clicked in her head. Why did she smell different than before?
Her smell is still there but her packs scent isn't.. What happened? Did she leave or something? the young she wolfs curious nature would always form questions in her mind. However now the silvery wolf knew better than to just straight out ask about certain questions. Some questions were too personal, and often times it was none of her business to intrude in the first place.

Perhaps she'll tell me when she answers to how she's been doing... If not.. well.. I guess I'll just let it be. Maybe talk about hunting or something..

With due distance the lean-legged she-wolf recognized Ava, a reaction which made her considerably pleased. There was a lack of familiar faces in her life - although granted she had been avoiding those with whom she had the most history - and to see that a wolf could still pick her out of their memory was a kind stroke to the rogue's ego. When the pale she-wolf came to a rest at a respectable distance Ava shifted her position slightly, head tilted to survey her closely. She was bigger than the last time they'd met - or perhaps she'd simply filled out? Either way the female looked well, something she suspected that had to do with the group scent clinging to her hair.

And if she recalled correctly, the friendly girl was none too shy for casual chats - something Ava could make use of, not only for information purposes but for the transition from rogue to Lore wolf once more. Her prompt was extremely polite, a slight discouragement - for of course the black female could not read thoughts - but she figured it was worth the hazard anyway. Ava nodded slowly at first, a simple confirmation that she was who she thought she was, before simpering, "I've been alright, on a journey of my own." There was not much she was willing to discuss about her semester abroad, and she didn't wish to bore Narime with the details of her depression.

Her golden gaze flickered away, peering past the willow's branches with an air of curiosity. The only thing she could think of was the silver female's search for her father - but seeing as Narime was still here, she could only assume it hadn't gone as planned. It was a touchy subject anyway, but she was drawing a blank. Resignation settled in her bones and she looked back. With a genuine tone she asked, "And what of your journey? I see you've settled - somewhere very close, in fact. Did you find what you wanted?" Nailed it. It was vague enough that she need not speak of her familial search if she didn't want to, but it still invited something more than small talk.

art - threads

When Narimé sat down with a warm smile she noted that Ava had looked her over. Probably grew since last time she saw me.. maybe.. Then Ava spoke saying that she was doing well. Which Nari could agree as the she wolf was still healthy looking even if she had no pack scent anymore. She just hoped the dark she wolf would find a place to stay to help get through winter at least.

Her calm blue gaze settled upon Ava as the older she wolf questioned on Narimé's travels. Nodding the young gray woman flicked her tail to the side gesturing towards her packs territory.

"Yeah, I live with Elettra Archer my alpha in Willow Ridge pack." She answered truthfully. Thinking back to their first meeting Narimé wondered if Ava had tried looking for her father or if she had been too busy with her own packs activities. Not that it matters now..

"Mhmm.. Ava, don't worry about looking for Da anymore..." She paused looking to the east towards the mountains. She wondered if he liked looking down on her from that high place.

Ava gave the girl a wry smile, containing all her condolences in the stretch of her lips. She would not condescend the silvery she-wolf with reassurances. After all, every day was a shining example of the truest of facts: life goes on. With or without her father, it would continue, and Narime did not seem to be living the unfortunate life any how. Finally she stole away her sympathetic gaze and peered beyond the frozen fingers of the Willows, ready to relieve themselves of the subject.

"Willow Ridge, is that new? I have not heard of it. Nor of Elettra, either, but I can smell it even from here." What a shining example of life going on without qualm from anyone. Not only was there a new pack within the Lore but it was a sizable one as well - that or it was just really, really well marked, but Ava had her money on the former. With the formation of a new pack she was left to wonder if any others had dissipated, unable to support themselves for the winter, or something similar. She had no straws to grasp at, and as frustrating as it was she would at some point have to come to conclusions that starting her understanding of the land anew was better than trying to piece together everything that had transpired when she left.

With a delicate roll of her shoulders she slouched her posture a bit, a pout apparent on her features. "I didn't think it had been so long since I left Poison Path but I feel like I know absolutely nothing about this place any more." Ava did well to keep the whine out of her tone - it was irritating of course, but she would not even for a moment take it out on the sweet girl seated close. After all, Ava knew she was not alone. Her handsome knight would always have her heart and give her a belonging in the Lore as it were. But she sure missed being on top of things, however much she could have been as the mountain's Second.

art - threads

Her suspicions were confirmed. Ava was no longer in Poison Path Pack. Narimé logged that information into the back of her mind for later. She knew that at some point noting such things should prove useful. She chuckled when Ava mentioned Willow Ridge being new. Are we really that new anymore? I would think Secret Woodlands is newer... She thought quietly while glancing at a weed to the right of her paw.

"I don't know about us being new. We have a lot of members and we've been here since before winter." She shrugged her shoulders and blinked hard while smiling. "If anything the Secret Woodlands pack up north is the newest. They've only just formed not too long ago." If Ava was a loner then it was good to tell her about the newer packs. It would give her the chance to pick and choose.

One wandering thought took Nari back to the fact that Sloane would be leaving Secret Woodlands in Spring for her. Should she herself start telling loners about the possible formation of her own pack? I probably should, but I'm not going to just ask any loner to join me. I have to ask those I already know who are good wolves. She thought to herself quietly while summoning up the courage to ask Ava about where she was headed. If she already had a pack in mind.

"So are you going to be searching for a new pack to join?" She posed the question allowing Ava to fill the rest in for her.

Her brow furrowed immediately as Narime spoke. Not new? Secret Woodlands? "Whose pack is that, if you don't mind my asking?" She uttered quickly, in case the Willow Ridge wolf didn't have the patience for explanation. How many months had she been wandering around on her own, exactly? The gnawing in the pit of her stomach from constant hunger had become a dull ache, something which she never noticed, but perhaps that should've been her first indicator that she'd been away from other wolves for too long. The slate had been wiped clean, no claim made to the hairs on her neck, perhaps now was as good of a time as any to assemble herself once more. Wanderlust-touched as she was, Ava had once thrived in her mountain pack, alive as she'd ever been. It was a feeling she sorely missed, and though it could not be found among poison berries any more, she had an anchor in mind that might renew her vigor.

So when the silver she-wolf prompted a question of her pack-related intentions, Ava fought the habitual urge to remain secretive and gave it proper thought. Eventually she rolled her shoulders in a delicate shrug and replaced her wandering gaze on Narime once more. "Yes, I do think I will." She responded in absolute honesty. No longer was she part of something that asked her not to divulge information so she figured there was little harm in being genuine with the pale-eyed huntress. Besides, Narime had never come off as anything but kind. If she was playing some game and her personality was nothing more than a facade, Ava would commend her - but any diabolical plots were yet undiscovered so she smiled graciously and added, "But I'm not certain where. I won't be heading near Serpent's Pass any time soon. And the River wolves are not of consideration, either..."

art - threads

Nari flicked her gaze to the landscape around them ever watchful for danger, but otherwise she was very comfortable right now. Tail still held lazily low while she listened to Ava's quick question.

"Ah yes.. I believe Nina Reinier is currently leading with Sloane Thorben. Though... " She paused then decided to continue her train of thought. It was okay if Ava knew her mate was leading elsewhere for a short time.. Wasn't it?

"Though Sloane will be leaving to fetch me very soon. We plan to make our own family this Spring." She blushed a bit under her fur but raised her chin up proud to have Sloane as her mate. "I think, but I'm not sure... that Koda Reinier will be joining Nina come Spring to take his place as leader in Secret Woodlands pack. " She finished while turning her gaze back to the black fea.

She listened as Ava answered her second question. She was looking for a pack to join. Nari knew that this woman had a good nature. At least she had never been given a reason to doubt that yet. To the silver woman Ava was a good potential pack mate.

"If you haven't found a family after your wanderings you can always howl for me. I'll generally be around the Hush Meadow area. You've been an honorable wolf every time I've talked with you, and I think any pack would be gald to have you. Including my own." She gave Ava a sincere smile while throwing that idea out there to the lone black wolf. Nari would take her in if she ever needed it.