The Wildwood a fool's game

It was calm. The day was a beautiful day, the likes of one that the inhabitants of the forest had not seen in quite some time. Sunshine filtered through leaves, leaving a beautiful effect of interwoven light and dark on the ground below, broken occasionally by a bounding squirrel or a low flying bird. The land hummed, whispered, and sung with the peaceful symphony of life, no doubt an ode to the glorious day.

"A one, a two, a one two three!" It was with those dancing words that the calm melody of the forest was shattered, and a new sort of song took its place. "Hey there world!" sang the wolf as he jumped out of the bush he had been hiding in, sending the previously inhabitants of the area scattering in startled fear. "What's new today? I thought we all needed some entertainmeeeent!" Jax Saturnin was now trotting across the forest floor excitedly, an energetic bounce that almost sang of his joy as loud as his voice. "Such a thrill! Such a rush! So much better than this forest lying dormaaaant!" Pausing in his steps, he stroke a pose, lifting a front leg with a quick and dramatic flair. "You see I have no other want, no greater desire, than to make sure all my friends are happy as meeeee!" The voice crack at the end of that last word put a slight frown on his face; he was going to have to work on that note, that was not acceptable, oh no. But no matter, on with the show!

Voice rising with every note, swelling with every word, he was gearing up for the finale. "I have the knacks! The prince of lax! You might ask how I do impact! It's simply! For! I! Am! JAAAAAX!" The last grand note was accompanied by a leap, twisting in the air and landing in a bush. The move scared out a group of quail, and the cheery, if not obnoxious, effect the song had was flushed down the drain when Jax grabbed one of the fleeing quail as it rose and pinned it down underneath his paws. "Next time there's a wolf putting on a show, dear, I advise you watch from the air."

A couple minutes later, the wolf emerged from the bushes, humming his little song merrily as he went on his way.

Heading south through this new land, Albireo found swaying grasses and blackberry bushes soon gave way to the confines of a lush forest. No destination was held in mind, yet he felt as if he was nearing something of some significance, though what that would be he couldn't predict. Al's step picked up in cadence, speeding up until he was nearly running through the trees. His white ears were pricked forward, listening intently and catching a distant sound. It was an intermittent noise, high pitched and undulating, and for a moment Al thought he'd be lucky and find struggling prey at its source.

Albireo couldn't help the frown that dragged at the corners of his mouth when he was close enough to hear the joyous tone of a singing wolf. He slowed, disheartened and ears pulling back as his face set into a scowl. He'd been anticipating something big, something worth the journey here, but it seemed he found only annoyance. The scared squawks of quail caught his attention for a fleeting moment, before he noticed that the cacophonous song was getting closer. Through the trees he could see a greytone male headed in his direction with a bounce in it's step.

The humming and singing just grated on his nerves in a way he couldn't handle, but he wouldn't let himself be chased off by the odd singing wolf. Albireo planted his paws firmly in place, the black-tipped hairs of his hackles prickling up as he hunched his shoulders. What did this wolf have to be so cheery about, anyways? "Can't you just shut up?" Al snarled, "I can't even think straight with all your yowling."

Albireo
a tooth for an eye