Riddle Heights Decisions, Decisions...

Jade was tired and restless at the same time. She'd been living on her own for a while now and she'd been fairly successful at supporting herself. A sense of pride filled the fae, for the confidence that came with being able to thrive on her own was refreshing. The feeling was sure to vanish the moment that she met another wolf, but she was enjoying it while it lasted. The rabbits that she'd been living off of were getting a bit more scarce and their fur had begun to turn white for the coming cold season. Living on her own was about to get more difficult.

The small wolf paced back and forth, mulling over what to do. She had dallied here, in the area near her special tree for far too long, uncertain of her next step. She had been searching for Steel for so long that when she had found out that he had joined Poison Path, a secretive pack not far north of here, she had completely froze. Her dream of seeing him now almost terrified her and she hadn't been able to travel those last few miles. She didn't know how long she had tarried here exactly, but days had turned to weeks and weeks had morphed into months, surely.

It was time to get her act together, end her solitude and face her brother, for better or worse. She needed to let him know about Mother for one and she needed to tell him that she loved him still, even after the years of separation. He was her brother. He was all that she had left. Her time of solitude must end and today was as good a time as any other. Squaring her small shoulders, she took a deep breath and began the walk northward, towards what was left of her family.

(OOC: post made by Jen)

(This post was last modified: Jan 03, 2013, 04:56 AM by Jade.)

The wolf looked much like a statue, his grey seated form held rigidly still as snow continued to pile on top of his rotund skull. The only part of him moving was his sharp orange eyes, roving over the stony crests and flicking from patches of trees to the barren, snow-glazed rocky crags between them. Food was always something he kept an eye out for, perhaps if he was lucky enough he might find a daring rodent foraging out past it's hibernation curfew, or a deer lost up in the mountains.

He was a wolf of opportunity, preferring for fortune to land in his lap rather than expending energy to seek for himself. A new member of Poison Path, he'd already scrounged through any old caches that seemed to have fallen by the wayside. He was really doing them a favor, he told himself, leaving old food around unguarded would only attract scavengers... His finds there weren't great, only stringy dried meat and marrow to be cracked from the bones. But poking into anything fresher would alert the pack to his tendency for midnight snacking.

Suddenly he was jerked from his gastronomic reverie when a small dark spot caught his eye moving a ways down the snowy slope. In one fluid motion he was on his feet and moving, his tongue smoothing over his watering chops as he hoped it would be something to eat. As he moved closer his eyes narrowed when he realized that the shape could in no way be a deer. For one thing it was too small, and it's form and stride was just wrong for any ungulate. Once a bit closer, he saw it was really just a pretty little she-wolf venturing her way North. All about opportunity, Rais thought he'd go introduce himself to her.

He sauntered down the rest of the slope between them, picking over the jutting rocks and slipping through the occasional copse of conifers. A deer he would have approached from behind, but there was no point in sneaking up on something he was just going to say 'hello' to. Pasting on his most charming snaggletoothed grin he loped towards her, his brushy grey tail flopping from side to side. "Are you lost, m'lady?"

(This post was last modified: Dec 27, 2012, 08:59 AM by Rais.)

Jade was feeling pretty good about herself. She'd made a decision and was in the process of following it through, no matter how nervous the thought of finally seeing her brother again made her. She would find him, tell him of Mother and then see where destiny landed her from there. She breathed deeply of the fresh winter air, reveling in her lush coat that had grown in thick and shiny to protect her from winter's worst. She was as far from vain as a wolf could possibly be, but she loved a clean, healthy pelt.

She had just reached her special tree and come to a stop. She was pleased to see that it thrived despite the inclement weather. The beautiful pink blossoms and delicate leaves were gone for the season, but the little tree still clung tenaciously to the side of the cliff, proclaiming it's victory over yet another season. Jade smiled, remembering the fragrant scent of the flowers and the feeling of strength and hope that the tree imbued in her. The nip in the breeze that stirred, seemingly directly from her little tree, felt refreshing as it gently brushed through her soft gray and pale cinnamon coat. In fact it seemed to energize the tiny she-wolf and she lifted her head with an uncommon confidence.

She sighed and turned northwards once more, determination strong in her small limbs. Well, that is until she saw a young male loping her way. The usual panic began to rise in her, but she did her best to fight it back, for the first time in her life rather than let it consume her as usual. She still crouched low and tucked her tail close to her belly, but this time she didn't nearly careen off of the cliff in an attempt to back away from him. As he neared, she could see that he was young and seemed quite amiable. She did her best to calm her breathing and racing heart. He was young, a yearling and sounded quite gallant as he asked, "Are you lost, m'lady?" A part of her felt like laughing hysterically. Lost? Her? Always! Jade gulped and tried to remind herself that he was young, and small like her, and he was NOT acting aggressively. She did NOT have to cower in terror. She was a Kaldorr and she really needed to start acting like one. Yeah, right, good luck with that...

As he stopped before her, she straightened her posture, ever so slightly, but failed miserably when she tried to relax her fluffy tail. The best that she could do was to ease it from her belly, but it still curved beneath her framed by her hind legs. Baby steps. She tried to speak and no sound came out. Clearing her throat anxiously, she gave it another try. "Y-yes and n-no. I-I'm heading n-north, looking for a p-pack c-called Poison Path. My brother Steel is there." In her usual fashion, her nervous stutter disappeared when she spoke of Steel. That small victory still wasn't enough to overshadow her mortification at her earlier mutilated words and she felt heat creep up her neck. She briefly met the young man's eyes, before averting her pale green gaze once more.

(OOC: post made by Jen)

(This post was last modified: Jan 03, 2013, 04:57 AM by Jade.)

Rais pulled up to a stop when he saw his appearance hadn't been taken as well as he had hoped. He supposed he wasn't much to look at now, with his thicker winter coat somewhat malnourished looking and sticking out every which way. However, he didn't think he looked frightening, and this lady looked absolutely terrified. Maybe he'd have to take a good look at his reflection next time he went for water... He pulled his face back and folded his tufted ears against his skull to make himself look unimposing, keeping his tail wagging in a friendly gesture. Somehow, whether it was his stance or her own will, she relaxed a little. He tilted his head, patient, as he waited for some sort of response from her. Finally, with a clearing of her throat she managed to stutter out her mission, and seemed to be move confident having spoken.

"Oh, Poison Path, huh?" He smirked, "You're in luck then. I recently joined up with Poison Path, I don't know if anyone there is named Steel, but I suppose it couldn't hurt to check?" Rais had no idea that he really did know of the wolf, though he also had no idea the grumpy male was even in his pack. His head tilted the other way, a glint appearing in his orange eyes. "Would you like me to lead the way? Wouldn't want you taking a wrong turn... These cliffs can be deadly." An expression of true concern pulled at his lips, though mostly it was a ruse. He just liked a lady's company.

Jade waited nervously for Rais to say that he hadn't heard of Steel, just as nearly everyone else had and she wasn't wrong. He had no idea who her brother was, but his did know the way to Poison Path, was in fact a member. He even offered to escort her, claiming the nearby cliff to be quite dangerous. She wasn't sure which worried her more. The cliffs or being around another wolf after so long on her own. Then there was the matter of her almost paralyzing fear of unfamiliar wolves. Of course, if she didn't get to know them, all wolves would forever be unfamiliar...right?

The tiny wolf swallowed the lump of fear in her throat, glanced timidly at the younger male once more and made her decision. It was time to face her fears... hadn't she just decided that this morning? Well, now was her chance with this amiable wolf, Rais. He would help her find Steel by leading her to his pack. That had been her goal the entire time she'd been wandering on her own. She was close now and she couldn't let her handicap rule her life any longer.

Standing just the tiniest bit taller, Jade's soft green eyes met his dark amber eyes and stammered out, "Th-thank y-you. I would ap-preciate that v-very m-much!" Her voice quavered with her words, but she was proud of herself for agreeing to stay with him. Of course, she really had little choice since he lived where she was headed, but perhaps they could become friends. If he could overlook her many flaws. "You're a sniveling weakling that never should have been born!" Her mother's words echoed in her head and her ears flattened to her head even more as she cringed at the derision in her mother's voice, even if only in her head.

Forcing herself to relax, as much as she could manage, she took a deep breath and pushed her bitter mother's memory to the back of her mind and gave Rais a shy smile. "L-lead on k-kind sir..." This time her voice held the hint of the wolf that she would become one day, when she could truly lay her mother's memory to rest.

(OOC: post made by Jen)

(This post was last modified: Jan 03, 2013, 04:57 AM by Jade.)

Let me know if it gets too PPish and I can edit it. Travel threads are tricky

With yet another dashing smile in the lady's direction, he turned to lead the way. "Very well then, watch your step," he announced, before starting off at an easy trot up and around the rocky edges. Still he did not have mastery over the rugged mountain terrain like the rest of the wolves of the Poisoned pack, but it had become easy enough for him. He had quickly memorized the easier routes up and down the heights, where less stony rubble stood in the way and where stands of trees blocked any shearing gusts that might blow down the mountainside. His limber body was more suited to the cliffs and crags of the mountain than elsewhere anyways, leaps and bounds of his hare-like limbs carrying him easily up the slope. Occasionally he would stop, feigning the break to check that the lady was caught up, but really taking a moment to catch his breath. Eventually, his endurance would catch up, but for now his seemingly boundless energy did have its limits.

On one of these such breaks, stood in the shadow of a mountain spruce, Rais asked offhand, "Is there a reason you're seeking him out? Your brother, I mean." His face was open, friendly and warm. "If you don't mind me asking," he hastily added. He really was curious, knowing he had a brother out somewhere but doubting he'd ever see him again... He wondered if there would ever be a reason for Trenzi to come find him in this little corner of the earth. Rais doubted he'd ever seek out his own kin, a somewhat lonely thought.

They walked together for a while, taking breaks from time to time. Rais was so sweet to think of her, but truly she didn't need so many breaks. She'd been a resident of Riddle Heights for months now. Although they were headed northward, closer to the rugged Mountains of Dire. She shivered at the thought of the place that was so foreign to her. The tiny wolf had become comfortable near her special tree. She lived and hunted, surviving on her own quite well. A large part of her was becoming more panicked as the young wolf led her further from what she knew and closer to what she knew would be a life-changing event. Reuniting with Steel after more than two years.

The urge to turn back and run the other way almost overtook the anxious fae when Rais suddenly asked her a question. "Is there a reason you're seeking him out? How to explain? "W-well, M-Mother d-d-died and he n-needs to kn-know. It ch-changes everyth-thing." Well, it did for her, anyways. She doubted that he would understand. No one that didn't know her and Steel's mother could. She'd been bitter and unhinged and should never have been a mother. But she had been and she'd destroyed the lives of both of herself and her brother. She was a basketcase and Steel was an unemotional wall. Suddenly feeling uncomfortable with the subject, Jade asked, "Are w-we get-ting c-clolse?" while a familiar heat crept up her neck at he continued stutter.

(OOC: post made by Jen)

(This post was last modified: Jan 03, 2013, 04:57 AM by Jade.)

"Ohh..." Rais balked at the wolf's stammered mission. His face twitched, unsure if he should frown or offer a sympathetic smile, eventually settling on an apologetic upward quirk of his lips. "Well, ah, my condolences m'lady." He hastily offered, dipping his head. He wanted to poke and prod and find out just what the woman's mother had apparently changed in death. Even if it was just familial drama, the curious itch in him yearned to find out more. But the green-eyed wolf looked thoroughly uncomfortable with the topic, and he was sure that prodding would only cause the nervous lady to withdraw like a snail into its shell.

He nodded to her question, suddenly shaking the snow from his pelt and setting off onto the trail again. "Yeah, just up over this ridge up ahead, and you'll be able to see the lake." He said as he clambered up the snowy slope that served as a lip to the basin which held the lake. He stopped at it's peak, looking over the tips of the tall snow coated trees that eventually made way for the lake. "So, the pack's den is just along the northern edge of this lake here," He said, pointing with his snout to the distant heap of boulders that served as the den along the opposite bank. If the landmark wasn't enough, she could certainly catch the pack's odoriferous markers to lead her. "You think you'll make it there alright on your own?"

The thought of her mother always brought discomfort to her mind, not one good memory could be found when thinking of that woman. Sure she was the one that fed her and kept the jaded girl safe from anyone that dared to steel her for their own but she never seemed to feel love from her. Though she was stricken with sadness when she found her mangled body, she was stupid enough to fight with a mountain lion but her daughter still felt an extreme stab in the heart as she dug her grave. No matter how badly she bit her or even called her worthless, Jade still loved Giselle. She might have been the only wolf that loved the deranged woman but she was at least loved by someone.

Her mind returned to reality when her companion’s paws stopped, mimicking his actions she halted as well. Her pale eyes widened in awe, the scene was too beautiful not to stare out with a sense of feeling smaller as the world loomed before her feet. The snow sparkled wherever the sun touched, causing a glittering wonderland around an almost frozen body of water. Soldier pines stood tall, dusted with the same sparkling powder that covered the earth around them. It was just a sight that caused her to wiggle with excitement, would she be living down there with the glittering landscape?

His voice returned to her ears, though they fell once more to her skull out of embarrassment rather than fear. He seemed concern for her well being as she followed his motion to the boulders that served as the sleeping area; he wanted to know if she could make it on her own. She thought she could, after all she had been on her own for a little over two years of her life now. The tiny dancer began to doubt herself as she thought of his words, could she really do it all on her own? Shaking her head mentally she nodded it outwardly since her voice wanted to escape her for a small moment, she whined softly before finding her tongue. Y-yeah, I th-think I wi-will be fine. She smiled shyly at the young man before saying one last thing. Th-thank you s-sir.

(OOC: this was written by Illusions)

(This post was last modified: Jan 05, 2013, 10:41 PM by Jade.)

Rais hesitated for a moment, her stutters and whimpers making him doubt she could really be left on her own, for her own sake. He wondered just how she had made it so far, but despite her timidness she seemed to have enough guts to go wandering about on her own. He offered her a smile at her own, reaching forward with his head to nudge her on the shoulder with his forhead. "You'll be fine, don't worry so much. You are a wolf, after all."

With a grin and a wink, he spun around and went bounding back down the slope. He would return to his post, hungry eyes again on the perpetual search for food.

{Exit}