The Wildwood I Will Make Ye Fishers of Men

Navar had not been given a duty yet within the pack, but of course she was expected to mark the borders. The perfume of Poison Path now cloaked her cream fur as if it had always been there. She was not entirely used to smelling of others, the feeling of being claimed, but she was urging herself to become fond of it. The female had been trying her best to do what she was asked of her leaders, including marking borders even when the mere ideal of it was mutinous. She had yet to run into the only member of which she shared a conversation with, and she stayed out of the way of her authorities unless called upon. However, her the request she had laid before Athena still was fresh in her mind and she thought about it often. She was still unsure if her Alpha would allow her to become a huntress for Poison Path, but she knew that she simply couldn't mark borders for the rest of her life.

She didn't feel the pull that Athena did from the land, but she felt as if the Lake were old; that it held secrets of the Poisoned wolves that she was yet to know. The female began to reminisce of her travels before she came to Poison Path. Her journey all the way from the Northern Eden, the time she met the timid wolf in Hush Meadow, and her trek up Riddle Heights. It all seemed so distant now that she was confined within the borders of her new pack. If she wanted to be happy here she would have to keep herself busy.

It didn't take her long to find the small body of water. A place that she would easily be able to catch quick game and return without anyone noticing. Her scent markings were still fresh and they wouldn't be looking for her. If she wanted to prove herself to Athena she would have to hone her skills and bring her an offering for extending kindness to a loner. This was the nearest body of water besides the Lake and of course she wouldn't find game there. Too many wolves prowling the area. Upon reaching the water it was the same as she remembered it. Small, enclosed, and at the base of the Heights. Sauntering off to remove herself from being seen from oncoming prey she took refuge in some densely packed foliage to wait.

Sloane was agitated. Although he couldn't wait to go south and claim Narime' as his mate, he had made friends and built a history here in the Thickets. There was no question of him staying. There never had been. Koda would come to be with Nina and he would go to be with Narime', but that didn't keep him from being saddened at the thought of leaving his new friends and pack mates behind.

Deciding that he needed a change of scenery to get his mind off of it all, he had gone for a before daybreak this morning. He was not a fast runner, but he had long legs and the blood pumping through his large body kept him warm and invigorated. With a few breaks and many periods of brisk waling and trotting, Sloane eventually found himself well south of his old stomping grounds in Ghastly Woods. When he had entered this region, he had skirted around these eery woods. This time he traveled directly through them towards a small lake that he'd been to once before.

His powerful thirst drew him towards the water as he fondly remembered the fae that had gotten herself in over her head, almost literally. He'd had to talk her through a rescue to escape the strong currents below the waterfall. Treena, he thought her name was. It had been one of the first memories that he had built in the Lore.

When he arrived at the water's edge, the scent of another wolf, a fae, wafted in the air currents. However, with the constantly shifting air he could not tell from which direction it originated or how old the scent trail was. He carefully scanned the area with his keen eyes, russet ears swiveling for a hint of sound out of place, but he found none. Confident that he wouldn't be set upon by a pack of rogue wolves or a grizzly he lowered his head and drank from the freezing water.

Thirst slaked, he lifted his large head, looking at the top of the waterfall. The flow of the waterfall had slowed, likely due to it's source being at least partially frozen. Unfazed by the change, he waded out into the water, prompted by the growling his stomach was emitting. Expending all that energy with no food had not been the best of ideas. Perhaps a fish or two would quiet the grumbling.

Knight of Honor

The cream wolf found herself nearly nodding off while waiting for the prospect of game to show itself. However, she was quickly awoken by the distinct sound of quick footfalls upon the ground. The figure was still not in her line of vision, but was close to her current position in the greenery and would be an easy strike if she readied herself quick enough. As the figure grew closer and their pace steadied the umber within her camouflage gathered her nerves. Heart began beating, hackles rose, teeth slid out from under their dark mask. At the last second a gust of wind pushed a strong scent through the leaves, burning her nose and catching her attention. Almost immediately her posture fell and she sank back to the cold floor."Wolf.. she thought, clenching her jaw in frustration.

She watched from the confines of her hidden spot as the male made his way to the waters. Navar was suddenly angered that this place was not as secluded as she thought it was and that now her hopes of catching a sizable meal was unlikely. He stopped only for a moment to scent the air for he had caught her scent, but she was well hidden for such a average sized wolf. A smug grin pasted her lips. Eyes watched the male carefully as he stopped to satisfy his hunger at the banks and then confidently strode into the frigid water. For a moment her brow furrowed and she stared at his image as if he were to be committing suicide. She almost felt perverse watching the male take to the waters while she lie hidden. However, she couldn't return to Athena empty handed or with a catch as minuscule as a vole.

Letting out a gruff growl Navar slipped from the barrier and out into the open. "You're going to freeze to death, stranger," she barked. Her hackles were still elevated from her current frustration, but she didn't aim to cause any trouble other than to make him feel stupid. He had scented the cream wolf before entering the water, but did not call out for them to show themselves. Either he was overly confident or was all brawn and no brain.

Sloane had not been in the creek very long when movement off to the side captured his attention and a fae, presumably the one he'd scented in the air, emerged from behind some bushes. She seemed a bit miffed as she announce somewhat curtly, "You're going to freeze to death, stranger." The water was quite cold on his long legs, but he was just tall enough to keep most of the water from his body which helped keep him from getting chilled to quickly. He gave her a friendly, if somewhat cheeky grin and replied in a quiet voice, "Thank you for your concern, but I think I can handle this little creek!"

He didn't want to offend her or put her on the defensive so his words were accompanied by a neutral stance and a few waves of his tail to announce his peaceful attitude. He kept one eye on the water below him as he spoke to her, dividing his attention between his fishing and her. The flashes of silver were slowly coming closer to his cream colored legs and he kept perfectly still, waiting for them to disregard his presence in their watery world. He tipped his head to the side slightly in a curious manner and introduced himself, still speaking softly. "My name is Sloane Thorben, Miss. I hope that I didn't disturb your quietude."

A rather decent sized fish was coming into striking distance just then and for a few short seconds his eyes darted between hers and the scaly form swimming his way. His belly growled and instinct kicked in. Like lightning his russet head lunged forward and down, coming back up in a single heartbeat with a large trout clenched firmly in his maw and a look of triumph gleaming in his bright amber eyes as icy water dripped from his muzzle and neck.

Knight of Honor

Amber eyes narrowed slightly as the male half submersed in the waters spoke to her. Even though she was obviously displeased with his sudden appearance he offered her kind words and a apology. She eyed him with a suspicious gaze curious as to why this stranger was being so friendly. He was much larger than Navar, maybe he assumed she wouldn't be much trouble if it came down to it, but he shouldn't be so sure. As the rusty colored male finished his introduction he seemed to fall aloof from Navar and turn all his attention to the water. The cream female stood her ground from where she emerged from the bushes and kept her eyes pinned on his large form. What was this silly man doing? Of course he didn't plan to freeze himself in order to watch fish swi-

His head plunged into the water, raising triumphantly with a trout grasped firmly in his jaws. Navar initially had swung her body to directly face him, hackles and tail raised. His sudden movement caused her alarm and she had readied herself. However, once seeing the fish clasped within his maw she lifted a furrowed wolfish brow. In all her years of scavenging, surviving, and tedious hunting she had never been.. fishing. Slowly Navar relaxed the tension in her body and moved closer to the waters edge.

"How.. how did you do that?" she questioned, shifting her eyes between him and the rippling waters. Maybe this male would prove himself not such a disturbance and actually an asset to her today. Perhaps she could sway him into teaching her how to catch fish. It would be a good skill to present to Athena surely to prove herself as a qualified hunter. Maybe their meeting today would present itself as a rialto of sorts for the both of them.

(This post was last modified: Mar 06, 2013, 04:41 PM by Navar.)

When the water cleared his eyes, he saw that it was as he feared. He hadn't had time to warn the fae of his actions and he'd surprised her. That was obvious from her defensive stance. He had not intended to startle her in the least and he felt a bit chagrined. She'd already been on edge and judging by her words before his head had submerged, she thought he was a bit loopy. He grinned around the trout in his mouth at the thought. Her expression changed to one of wonder though when she realized what he'd been up too. Had she never fished before? When she spoke again, he had his answer. "How.. how did you do that?"

Sloane made his way to the shore, careful to keep a comfortable distance between himself and the wary female. When he was on dry land, he bit down hard on the fish to quiet it's feeble struggles as it gasped for breath and then lay it at his feet. "Have you never fished before? It takes a bit of patience to become adept at it. I'm a passable fisher, but my sister Tempest has far more patience than I!" He looked at her curiously. Now that he was closer, he could definitely smell pack on her, but not one that he was familiar with. His belly rumbled once more, reminding him of why he'd been in the frigid water in the first place.

Not wanting to eat in front of her, for she might be hungry as well, he reached down and bit the fish in two. A simple thing since his killing bite had already nearly severed it end from end. Then he flipped the tail end towards her with a smooth practiced motion that he normally used to toss the fish onto the shore. Now they could both eat. "Please, have some. Then, if you like, I can show you how to catch your own." If she was interested in a fishing lesson then he would be happy to teach her. If not, he would catch a few more for himself and then head home to the Thickets. Albeit at a much slower pace!

Knight of Honor

Ooc; I'm really sorry for the delay! I just got my computer back this week :c

Ic;

The more she watched him the more she began to understand, and so released the tension that held her posture so rigid. His words were kind and as she watched him intently, her eyes catching and attempting to learn every move he was making. Part of her pooled with embarrassment and another a growing curiosity. As long as she had been a wandering fool she had never thought to turn to the waters for food. Her expression changed to a lighter mask that almost reflected a pup looking to their mentor for knowledge. She grew anxious when she watched him snap the fish into two parts and threw the tail at her feet. Leaning forward she placed her coal nose to the damp skin smelling the unfamiliar scent. Her amber eyes traced over the scaled skin reflecting in the hazy light. Passing him one more wary look before using her front teeth to scrape flesh from the small bones on the inside.

The taste was known, but not familiar enough to bring back any personal memories. She was sure that she had eaten it before, but never caught by her own paw. She had resorted to gnashing the fish between her teeth and was done within moments. Looking to him she gave him an approving nod. "I thank you," she said, her voice was soft. Taking a step forward she lowered herself to him, not to show submission but as a grateful answer to his question. "If I am not keeping you," she said, turning her eyes to the water.