Lonely Again

For {Asta} <3

Partly Cloudy — Current Temperature: 39° F/4° C - Late morning/early afternoon

It was the usual. Freezing temperatures, stiff cold winds and clouds partly covering the sun. It was the same as every other day in winter, and it was getting to a point where it was annoying. The white girl was tired of having to huddle up in a small area every night, and of the constant winds buffeting her around each day. She just couldn't wait until spring came around, where the flower would start blooming and the temperature would rise.

The white girl's breath created a cloud of fog every time she exhaled and her white paws sunk slightly into the slushy ground whenever she walked. The breezes stung as they whipped by, while ruffling her long, silky fur and the constant snow, rain and whatever else came from above left her cold and stiff during the night.

But this morning was considerably better than the last. It had snowed the day before, which made the ground all soft and slick to walk on. But it was tolerable. Her emerald green eyes flitted to and fro, looking out for any dangers before she lowered her creamy head to the water's edge. The cold water stung briefly as it trickled down her parched throat.

When her thirst was sated, she lifted her head and looked down at her reflection. She saw a large white female with stunning emerald green eyes and long, silky fur. She smiled to herself, beauty was a thing that she had been born with. The white girl knew that some females strived to reach the beauty that she had, and most didn't make it.

Sighing, she sat back on her haunches and stared up at the sky. Thick, fluffy clouds could be seen from all directions, and only some of the sun's rays broke through. She closed her eyes and basked in the brief sunlight, before a cloud could come up and float in front of the sun, blocking it off.

The white girl had no idea how long she stayed like that, but knew that it was time to move on. She got to her feet and glanced back at the stream before walking forwards. She came upon large trees with branches that swayed with the wind. They had thick, branches and green leaves that brushed along her fur if she got too close. Scents of rabbits and other small prey made her mouth water, and she could see shapes flit between the trees and vegetation.

But she wasn't in the mood to chase after them. Although if the oppertunity arised, she would take it. Her eyes shifted from one place to another, still on the search of danger, and her ears were pricked for any unusual noises. How long she travelled through the trees, she wasn't sure. But it seemed like a few hours and her legs were starting to get tired.

Without a moments hesitation, she padded to one of the trees and lay down on her side. She stretched her legs out before resting her muzzle on her paws. The tree protected her from most of the cold, and she was thankful. Sighing, she rolled on her back and stared up at the thick canopy overhead. There wasn't anything important to do, so she could do what she wanted when she wanted. And right now, resting was a good idea. So the white girl closed her eyes and let herself drift off into the world of the dreams.

(This post was last modified: Apr 01, 2013, 07:07 AM by Jasmine.)

I will always be seen, for I am the light in the dark...

It began as a soft pitter-patter to the south - the flight of small paws over wet snow. It moved north and, one with a keen nose might recognize the scent of hare. And, if one had sharp ears, they might hear something else: the thu-thump of a much larger set of paws thundering over slush close behind. What conclusions might be drawn from these sounds? Well, the answer was simple enough!

Asta's yellow eyes were wide and bright with the thrill of the hunt, her mouth wide to take in as much oxygen as she possibly could. Ahead of her, a small, white creature darted and dashed - over sticks and stones, past trees. The hare was as white as the snow around it, its black eyes glistening with terror as it fled the beast following close at its heels. Asta was not a large wolf. In fact, she was very small. But her long limbs and endurance gave her all the speed she had ever needed to get by. What lone wolf could resist the temptation of a hare caught unaware? Asta certainly couldn't! So now she ran so fast she almost seemed to fly, her dark pads gripping the earth, claws shoving and flinging the mushy snow up around her. If it was slick, the focused she-wolf never let it show: she was surefooted; she followed each curve and turn as sharply as any wolf ever dared and never seemed to slide.

The chase had been going on for a few minutes now. Asta was hungry. The hare wasn't very big, or even plump. But such a morsel was better than nothing at all. The gap between wolf and hare narrowed with each passing second. A meal was sure to be had this day! But Asta had to stay focused, lest her paws slip, or she should lose her prey. She just needed luck to be with her - and it did seem to be...

Initially, she didn't even notice the other wolf - she wasn't at an angle where all the white fur could be visible, whether Jasmine had been standing or continued resting. Then the hare made a sharp curve - around a tree not too far from where the much larger female just happened to have been resting. The hare leapt straight up in surprise, then altered course again.

Now, make no mistake: none of this was a problem for Asta. At least, it shouldn't have been. Asta curved 'round the tree almost as easily as her chosen prey. But as she did so, she caught a glimpse - just a glimpse - of something white. It was not snow - it couldn't be. It was as if a huge, creamy cloud had come down to earth. And Asta tripped.

That was all it took. Her eyes flickered away from the hare, her focus wavered, and the next thing she knew her paws were slipping in some grimy snow. The startled yelp the small wolf emitted wasn't particularly dignified, nor was her tumble; she managed to hit a tree root which rolled her clean over - rump over head then back up again. With as much momentum as she'd had, it was only natural that she would hit the ground hard...

Prey forgotten for the moment, Asta scrambled back to her paws as quickly as she could though she found herself a little woozy from her tumble. How embarrassing... She was breathless and panted heavily as her yellow eyes sought out the offending distraction or her meal-with-legs. She didn't see the hare...

It seemed like just a second when Jasmine closed her eyes before a yelp broke her out of her slumber. She flipped over and jumped to her feet; hackles raised and lips pulled back to reveal long, ivory fangs. Her emerald eyes flicked from one spot to another, looking for the cause of the noise. As she looked around, the sound of panting caught the attention of her pricked ears. The white girl padded closer to the source of the panting, and was surprised to see a small white and grey wolf standing there as if she had just run a marathon.

Her hackles lowered as she took in the white and grey fae. She looked exactly like herself, except for the fact that she was smaller and that she had yellow eyes. Lowering her head and tail to shoulder height, she let a smile grace her features. Now that she knew that this fae wasn't a wolf trying to attack her, she reverted back to her usual way of greeting wolves.

"S-sorry about that, you just g-gave me a fright." Once again the white girl hung her head. It was always embarrassing when she stuttered, but she just couldn't help it. It was a nervous habit. Giving a shy smile, she turned to the smaller fae. "My n-name is Jasmine Caravello, what is y-yours?"

The white and grey fae seemed breathless. Had she been chasing something? There were scuff marks on the ground, and as she looked closer, she saw the prints of a hare. A smile crossed her lips, she had never been able to catch them as they were too fast for her. But the smaller fae would have a much better chance. The white girl smiled as she waited for the other fae to speak, with her thick, creamy brush swaying back and forth behind her.

I will always be seen, for I am the light in the dark...

The hare was definitely gone. No where to be seen. Did it have a hidey-hole this far out from where she'd found it? That problem was quickly forgotten when she discovered all that cotton-fluff she'd glimpsed before was in fact another wolf. Her eyes widened in surprise, their yellow trying to outshine the sun (and very likely failing). When she realized the other she-wolf was not aggressive however, the vibrant and startled look in Asta's eyes seemed to be replaced by embarrassment. She didn't see that did she? I hope not... I can hunt! I'm not a clumsy pup! The placid smile on the other's face was a little calming, but still. How could she have lost that hare!?

"Ummm..." Well. That's intelligent, Asta. She blinked several times (she hadn't heard anything the she-wolf had just said), then seemed to regain much more of her composure. "Sorry," she managed between pants. She didn't seem to notice Jasmine's stammer, for she was much too focused on her loss. "Did you see where it went?" she inquired rapidly, her eyes flicking between the wolf and the scuffled prints of the hare. They seemed to arc and disappear through the trees. She was practically dancing from paw-to-paw as her eyes darted around. It took a few seconds for Asta to realize just how rude she must seem. That was hardly typical of her, but she had so looked forward to a meal... no, no excuses. Swallowing once, she seemed to get some of her breath back before her ears splayed a little apologetically and her trestless footwork ceased.

"Allow me to start over: I'm Asta. Asta Fleetfoot. And I believe I just lost my lunch." She stated it bluntly and with some humor, the beginnings of a smile on her maw. Her tail swayed a little cautiously, but in a friendly manner nevertheless. It was then she truly allowed herself to take in the other wolf. A white wolf. A beautiful white wolf. A well-kempt, beautiful, white wolf. Well. It wouldn't be too surprising if Jasmine made other girls jealous! Indeed, Asta couldn't help but feel a bit self-conscious. She tried to keep her fur in order, but she had just been running like a maniac through the forest. She resisted the urge to give her undoubtedly dirty pelt a once-over where she stood. Some she-wolves were just born with all the looks! Hmph! Lucky her. But Asta reminded herself beauty was hardly important when you were on your own, and her smile remained as genuine as a cautious one could be.

"I'm sorry, what did you say your name was again?"

Cocking her white head to the side, Jasmine saw the smaller fae's eyes widen in fright at the sight of her and she winced ever so slightly. She always hated it when wolves took one look at her and assumed she was going to attack them. But she would never do that. She was a placid wolf, always ready to make new friends. There was no evil bone in her body as far as she was concerned. But after a few moments she saw the look of embarrassment reflected in the smaller fae's yellow eyes and she barely suppressed a smile. Most wolves were like that once they were assured that she wasn't going to eat them. But was she really that scary?

The white girl looked at herself, she was very tall with long, white and grey silky fur. She had slender legs, with curvy features and elegantly shaped face and maw. From what she saw was a beautiful wolf, not a horrible wolf that was likely to attack you without a warning.

An uncertain looked crossed her face as she turned back to the smaller fae. Was that how other wolves saw her, as a horrible creature? But before she could open her maw to speak, the smaller fae interrupted.

A confused look crossed her face, what did the fae just say. But it was only a moment or so before she spoke again.

"Sorry"

What did the fae have to be sorry about? But the white girl had no time to think about it when the fae spoke yet again.

"Did you see where it went?"

See where what went? Jasmine thought to herself. She was sure the smaller fae could clearly see the confusion on her face. The white girl saw that the fae was practically hopping from one paw to another and looking around almost frantically. She knew that the fae had been chasing the hare, and suddenly it clicked. The fae was asking where the hare had gone.

But before she could speak, she saw that the smaller fae looked at her apologetically before speaking. So the smaller fae's name was Asta Fleetfoot.

Jasmine let a smile grace her features at Asta's attempt at making a joke. She noticed that her tail was going back and forth in a cautious, but friendly manner. This fae seemed nice, but she still couldn't be too trusting, right?

It was then that she saw that Asta was studying her. She shifted from paw to paw, feeling slightly embarrassed at the thought of someone looking closely at her. But after a few moments, Asta's voice reached her and she swiveled her fluffy ears in the fae's direction, with her eyes following suite.

The white girl barely restrained a laugh at Asta's words. She had been really focused on the hare to not remember what she had said. Mentally shrugging, Jasmine opened her mouth to speak. "I-it's okay, Asta. My n-name is Jasmine Caravello, it's n-nice to meet y-you."

The white girl let a smile grace her elegant features as she waited for Asta to speak, with her creamy brush swaying back and forth behind her in a friendly manner.

(This post was last modified: Apr 15, 2013, 01:59 PM by Jasmine.)

I will always be seen, for I am the light in the dark...

Sorry about the wait. ^^;

"Jasmine," Asta tested the name, then offered a grin. "It's nice to meet you, Jasmine!" She could say that much honestly; the larger female wasn't trying to take her head off or anything and, for once, Asta seemed to have found a wolf capable of being as friendly as herself in spite of the way Asta had burst onto the scene. Sometimes it was nice not to feel the need to be so defensive all the time. Shifting her weight slightly, Asta tilted her head to look at the other wolf with one glistening yellow eye. She almost had her breath back now, so she felt a little less silly. Her eyes strayed momentarily to the hare's rather uneven path; Asta had to quell a sigh. But her expression remained friendly in spite of the disappointment she felt at the loss of a meal. But she forgot that trouble in favor of studying her surroundings a little before returning her eyes to the green-eyed wolf.

"I apologize if I startled you before, Jasmine. I get rather focused when I'm hunting," she said after a moment, her grin becoming a smaller smile. She had apologized hurriedly once before; now she actually meant it. "I didn't disturb you too much did I?" Asta did recall seeing the mass of fur - Jasmine's fur - that had distracted her near a tree. Had Jasmine been resting? Asta wasn't really certain if that was the case, but either way she supposed they had both disturbed one another even if they were too polite to mention it thus far. At least they were even in that sense.

At Asta's words, "It's nice to meet you, Jasmine!" the white girl couldn't help but smile herself. She felt it easier to get along with this fae, easier than others. Her light grey ears swivelled in the smaller fae's direction, and her tail swayed back and forth. Jasmine's green eyes saw Asta look momentarily at the hare's path. The white girl was sorry that she had interrupted the chase, and opened her jaws to speak her thoughts. But the smaller fae spoke first, so she waited patiently for her turn.

"Don't w-worry about it, it's no big d-deal." She could see Asta's grin become a almost sad smile. When the smaller fae spoke again, the white girl gave a small grin and shook her creamy head. "No, no, n-no. You d-didn't disturb me at all. I w-was just lying down, r-resting from my long trek t-throughout Relic Lore."

Her emerald green eyes gazed over Asta, before she spoke again. "I'm terribly s-sorry about distracting you w-while you were hunting." A sheepish look crossed her face as she looked down at her paws. "Is there any way I c-can make up for it?" Jasmine had noticed that as she talked more with Asta, the more her stutter slowly went away. It wasn't that she was scared, it was just a nervous habit she had always had. It was quite embarrassing at times though, and wolves looking down at her and laughing or sneering just made it worse. Looking back up at Asta, the white girl still had a sheepish look on her face as she waited for the smaller fae to speak.

I will always be seen, for
I am the light in the dark...

(This post was last modified: Apr 19, 2013, 11:09 AM by Jasmine.)

I will always be seen, for I am the light in the dark...

I do believe Asta and Jasmine will get on famously! xD They're kinda adorable together. -doodles-

Though Jasmine said otherwise and had clearly forgiven Asta's abrupt intrusion, Asta doubted it was all true. She had startled the great white wolf... and Jasmine had said it herself: she had been resting. Maybe for that reason, Asta was a little surprised when a wolf who was little more than a stranger with a name offered to make up for what had been a distraction for Asta. Her yellow eyes blinked quickly, then a pleasantly surprised smile stretched her maw. There couldn't be a better way to make up for it, she suspected, than to join together! She decided then she rather liked this Jasmine-wolf.

"Well, I am still a bit hungry," Asta admitted, noting the sheepish expression on Jasmine's face, "And as a lone wolf, it's a bit harder to find suitable prey." She didn't even know if Jasmine had a pack or not. The other wolf was so friendly though! Would a pack wolf be this kind? Offer to make up for something? Asta wasn't sure. But rather than ask, she would take what was offered, regardless of Jasmine's position. And besides, with two wolves together, perhaps they could manage slightly larger game... if they could find any. "I don't suppose you've been in the Lore very long have you? I mean, maybe... we could hunt together. Find something a bit bigger than a hare... Pick up a trail!" She couldn't contain the hopeful wag of her tail as she tilted her head.

Even as she suggested hunting together, Asta felt a twinge in her heart. She missed Cohen dearly and hadn't hunted with another wolf since- it was a void that could never be filled by another, and she almost wondered if she was betraying his memory. But that couldn't be, she reminded herself. He would want her to live on - he would want her to survive however she could. Nothing showed on her face, just that hopeful smile - the smile of a she-wolf that felt she'd found a kindred spirit, though she scarcely knew the white lady before her. Yes, she decided firmly, A hunt would be good. A proper hunt.

Yeah, they'll be the best of friends :P
Hey! What are ya' doodling over there? I wanna see! XD

When the white girl offered to make up for distracting Asta during her hunt, she could see the smaller fae open her jaws in a large smile. Her own tail gave a few shakes in retaliation. When Asta spoke, the white girl gave a knowing nod. Being a lone wolf had its pro's and con's, and foraging for food was definitely closer to the bad side. But, if you had a friend or a pack, it wouldn't be so hard to catch a meal. Her green eyes looked at the smaller fae, before her jaws opened and she spoke. "Yes, I agree. B-being a lone wolf can be s-such a pain when y-you're tring to hunt prey." When she finished speaking, a smile formed itself on her lips.

A thoughtful look crossed Jasmine's face when the smaller fae spoke again. Her brow furrowed slightly, and she pursed her lips before looking back at Asta. "I have only been in Relic Lore for about a month now." But as soon as Asta spoke of hunting, her ears perked up and her tail swayed back and forth eagerly. She had been hunting small prey for far too long now, and was dying to taste and kill something bigger. Something a lot bigger. Something like deer.

"There should be a t-trail somewhere. I'm sure if we looked hard enough we could f-find one." She hadn't hunted anything bigger than a hare and was mentally jumping about in her eagerness to hunt something big. Her green eyes sparkled with new found enthusiasm as she sat down on her haunches to stop herself from fidgeting too much. She was definitely ready to hunt. And hopefully, so was Asta. Together, she was sure they could take a young fawn down, or an old deer. Maybe even a deer that was sick or had an infection. Tail swaying back and forth and green eyes sparkling, the white girl waited almost impatiently for Asta to speak.

I will always be seen, for
I am the light in the dark...

I will always be seen, for I am the light in the dark...

Oh, you'll see eventually. ;)

Asta couldn't help herself; a girlish giggle escaped her as she saw the sparkle in Jasmine's green eyes. Together, they could take on slightly bigger game than the odd hare. A small deer perhaps. They just needed to pick up a trail - that would be the hard part, especially since neither one of them was necessarily familiar with the area. Jasmine had the slightest advantage in having been here a little longer than Asta. That wasn't about to curb the small wolf's enthusiasm however. Unable to contain her grin - or the wag of her tail - Asta danced paw-to-paw as she'd done earlier, but with a different eagerness than before.

"The day is before us, Jasmine! Let's find some dinner!" Asta's eyes glistened vivid yellow, the very thought of the chase igniting them anew. She didn't know if they would succeed, and her paws ached just a little from her rapid chase before, but it was nothing she couldn't handle. She lifted her snout to the air to scent the breeze. They'd need to pick a direction, but she wasn't finding any clues as to which way they should go. She turned round on herself, circling tightly before trotting in a slightly larger circle with her nose to the ground. She noted the scent of the hare she'd been chasing; there was Jasmine's scent, strong near the tree she'd been resting under; a fox? Yes, a fox... oh! Asta stopped suddenly, nosing the earth. No, that wasn't- was it? No, that was nothing... finding nothing, the smaller wolf stopped, a slight frown creasing her features as she turned her gaze back to the white lady. Her eyes seemed to ask silently: any luck?