Bramble Falls And here I stand!

The young wolf stood on the bank of the falls looking out at his new setting. Something about this place sent shivers down his spine. This place before him. This land that he gazed out upon. It was all familiar. Something from his puphood. From the stories that the Inyade passed back and forth around the dim light. He staired out at it with wide eyes and his jaws parted slightly in aw. This place. This place was something unreal. This was a dream he'd had once that he'd never expected to find. Like a handful of the wolves of the Inyade, he held ties to the Kingdom of Zaraidd. The royal bloodline and namesake of the land found traces of itself in his very veins. Faint, but existent. And he felt it here, looking out from the top of the falls at the frozen land before him.

The story was of the meant to be king who ran away from home because he was so young. The long cold and hard road nearly destroyed everything he was, but made he strong of soul. He went on to father the one named Zaratul, King of the Mountain! And the young male made his way home, doing everything his father had meant to, healing and teaching and making the world a better place by righting the wrongs of sinful hounds. Winter was always present in these stories. It was where the great kings of Newol's bloodline where made. Cast from the fire into the ice to see if who you where held strong. And here Newol stood. Atop a frozen water fall looking down and the snow bound forest. Something stirred beneath his dark brown belt as the morning sun rained down on him. He'd never seen the land of his bloodline, but if the stories that his mother had told him as a pup where true, then the meant to be king was his great grandfather. It was a pretty thought.

He'd been in love with this place sense he'd found his way here, knowing that the snow would eventually fade and give birth to a bright and green and lush landscape. He was no stranger to a wasteland, being a brat from the desert. But this place, he wanted to be here when he finally found his lush green forest. The only thing about a wasteland was that it was alot easier to bare with good company, and that happened to be something he was quite short in right about now. He new there was a pack north of him, but he didn't feel bold enough in his new environment to approach them. He was determined though. Home wasn't a place for him, home was a family. So as he stood on the ledge looking out at his new world, was sure that he'd find home.

OOC|| So.. I've been hoping to find a handsome young male for Naia to crush on .. I hope Newol doesn't mind the little lovestruck lady. ||

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The Timber lady picked her way carefully down into the Pass, her delicate build working to her advantage on the icy slope of the gorge. As far as she had heard, there was only one way across the Great Pass, and that was over the Mountain to the north. Desperate times called for desperate measures though, and scouts from the packs to the West were widening their patrols daily as food grew scarcer. Traveling over the mountain would be suicide; if you weren’t lost in a snowdrift you would die of exposure on the mountain’s rocky face. There was a chance though—a small one, but a chance nonetheless—that Naia could find a new way, a safer way, across the Pass by exploring down in the gorge. As she neared the bottom, she couldn’t help but move faster, her eyes glued to the ground to kee from tripping. She was eager to have four paws on the level surface of the canyon floor.

Reaching the bottom of the gorge, Naia stared in awe of the sight laid out before her. It appeared that a river ran down the south side of the mountain creating a glorious waterfall (who knew?), which was nearly frozen solid thanks to this miserable winter. Naia noticed a faint trickle of fresh water still dribbling down the falls, and she approached the water source feeling lucky indeed. She would need the refreshment it offered if she expected to make it back up the cliffside—licking at the solid ice beneath her paws did little to quench her thirst.

The agouti lady stopped suddenly as she approached the frozen falls, taken aback at the realization that she wasn’t alone. She glanced around until her honey gaze landed on a young male.. a handsome young male at that.. who also seemed to be enjoying the breathtaking sight. It was strange to see another wolf this far down into the Pass, and Naia was more than a little curious as to what his business might be here. Not one to just stand around wondering, she cleared her throat to get his attention. ”Hello there!” She rose her voice slightly to make herself heard. ”Beautiful, isn’t it?” She gave the coffee-colored male her usual easy smile, made easier still by his devilish good looks.

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Ooc;// Don't let me stop ya. ^_^ //

As he sat there gazing out on the landscape, he knew all too well though that it wouldn't be the easiest of journeys becoming one with these lands. Especially with his compulsion to learn anything that interested him. For example, he'd probably be a rather vexing nuisance to the healer of any pack that he joined as it was something that he did in fact want to learn. Even if he knew he was no healer. No. Newol figured he'd serve best as a Hunter. That was something he could wake up and do every single day, and then go fight for what he held important when time called for it. Then it dawned on him, maybe the pack he found would run off a different ranking system then the one he'd known before. Before he could be allowed to ponder on that thought much longer though, a voice came from behind him.

Newol came crashing back to reality in a humorous manor much as he always did. His ears went straight upright and his maw close shut with a small snapping sound. Then his eyes returned, that distanced and elsewhere look fading away. his facial expression being somewhat akin to one who had just woke up. One side scrunched up as he took a sniff. The new scent on it provided the final kick back to reality that he needed. Turning to face the fea, he bore a friendly smile on his face, that came natural to him. And the fea that his eyes fell on stirred a small surge of joy in his chest which made it all the easier. She was a very attractive young creature. As he faced her, the three parallel scars across his snout became visible to her. Taking a step forward to appear welcoming, but keeping a respectable distance. With a very pleasant natured tone, he returned her greeting. Indeed it is. But the view isn't the only beautiful thing around here." He hoped that his compliment wouldn't come across as a bit much, but he certainly had a soft spot for an attractive lady.

Taking a moment to think over her scent, he noticed the pack scent on her. "There's a pack up river that-a-way." He gestured with his head. "But your scent don't match theirs. What brings you here on his wonderful morning?" He questioned in an attempt to make some conversation.

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The young male had a sort of dreamy look on his face as he turned to face her, but his features melted instantly into a warm smile that all but turned Naia’s knees to jelly. She became suddenly nervous as his emerald gaze trained on her, and she blinked in surprise at her own emotions. She was not a shy creature—far from it—and yet one look from this handsome stranger had her feeling overwhelmingly.. demure. She swallowed as he stepped toward her, noticing for the first time the scars running down his muzzle. Far from diminishing his appearance, the old wound made him all the more striking—more real in a way, and less like some mirage she dreamed up after traveling all this way without a sip of water.

He spoke then, in a voice that rang just as pleasant as his appearance. Is he… flirting.. with me? Naia’s eyes lit up at the compliment. It was a bold move on his part, especially considering they were strangers, and Naia suspected that the sly male knew exactly just how attractive he was. It was silly of her to swoon over a wolf she had not yet spoken to, and she shook her head slightly in a physical effort to rid herself of the desire that clouded her mind. It would take more than a smile to win her over!

The chocolate male spoke up again, this time to question her about the wolves to the north. Finally finding her voice, Naia answered, ”Yes.. the Wolves of the Pass. Or whatever they call themselves now that they’ve moved out of the Pass.” She wrinkled her nose at the mention of Hollowheart Keep (though she wasn’t aware of the official name), remembering her most recent encounter with a couple of the pack’s thieving scouts. Though she didn’t even know the stranger, she hoped he wasn’t considering joining that pack of scrawny, honorless bandits. She would simply have to convince him that there were better families out there—her family, for instance.

”I am a scout from Cut Rock River to the west…” she hesitated, adding somewhat lamely, ”Well.. I’m almost a scout at least.” Why had she been so quick to claim a title that wasn’t hers? If her first instinct was to impress him, even at the expense of the truth, she was going to have to try even harder to shake this silly crush. Changing the subject, she spoke again. ”Do you realize you’re standing next to the only fresh running water source for miles?” She sidled up beside him, passing just a little closer than necessary on her way to the bank of the falls. The agouti lady began to lap delicately at the puddle of soon-to-be-frozen water that was pooling below the falls. Pausing a moment, she turned to him with a smile. "I’m Naia, by the way. Naia Aegina.” She cocked her head curiously, waiting for him to deliver his own name.

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(This post was last modified: Jan 22, 2014, 02:29 AM by Naia.)

The fea spoke of the pack to the north with an amount of distaste faint in her voice. He took note of this and stored it for future reference. He was still the new one here and so every bit of information helped. Then she introduced herself as a member of the Cut Rock River pack. That was a pretty mouthful. The packs around here where obviously of an easier language then the old dead tongues that Newol had been used to, with the exception of Russian. It was a pleasantly fun language and he cherished it. He also took note of her correction on her rank, which amused him. But something about her intrigued him. He'd gotten lucky the first time, but honestly didn't think himself to be good at charming a woman past the good looks as a result of his high pedigree. Which was in all honestly something he didn't try to think about.

As she moved past him at a rather close pass, He dared another sniff of her scent, fringing it simply as a steady inhale, his face not betraying him. But when her next comment about the water arose, his ears perked up as he recalled his origins, which happened to be rather far from this land. Turning again he sat on his rump, a grin spreading his maw at the challenge. Wait, Challenge? Why did he see it as a challenge? My, how this woman intrigued him more then he'd thought. "I'm a brat from the desert sands, friend. Knowing where to find water was one of my earliest, and hardest to forget, lessons in this world." Settling himself back to a friendly smile, he allowed a yawn to escape his maw. The early morning cobwebs still seemed to cling to him a tad.

Getting back to his feet, he padded his way up to now stand beside her, then brought his neck down to the water. With a supportive, and somewhat defiant voice he spoke his next words. "And so long as you have a job and do your best at it, Titles don't really mean much to me." Then his voice softened back up after he lapped at the water a few times. Bringing his head back up to looked at her in the eyes, that strange feeling of joy returned to his chest. "Nice to meet you, Naia. I'm Newol Fate."

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The delicate lady didn’t dare chance a look back as she passed the stranger, but she flicked her tail in a flirty way as she walked by in case he was attempting a surreptitious sniff at her womanly scent. Her ears flicked backward as she drank, and his cocky reply elicited a stream of giggles from her, interrupting her drinking. The musical tones of her mirth were punctuated with a couple of shallow coughs as the water slid down into her lungs gasping with laughter. She couldn’t really say why his remark was so funny; just that it was, all the same. Though she giggled, his use of the word “friend,” was not lost on her, and she glowed with warmth at the intimacy that the title suggested. “Friend,” hmm? She could settle with that. For now.

She turned toward the chocolate male as he drew up beside her, abandoning the pool of water so she could instead watch him as he lapped up his fill. If wolves could blush, color would surely have risen in her cheeks as he brought up the little mistake with her title that she had made earlier. She looked away, though in truth she appreciated his attempt to make her feel better. In a moment her honey gaze flicked back to his dashing countenance, unable to stray from the sight for long. He was looking at her too, and his bright green eyes seemed to dance as he introduced himself. Newol.. Fate. Of course.. of course his name was Fate. Naia wanted to roll her eyes at the silly lovestruck girl inside her that was crying out, see, it is fate! It was a name, nothing more.. though it was a rather dramatic, dashing sort of name..

”You speak like a pack wolf, Newol.. but you don’t smell like one.” She sniffed at the aroma that clung to her companion’s pelt, curiosity at his scent being her excuse to draw in closer than might really have been necessary. ”Are you new to these lands?” she spoke again, her voice soft in his ear as her muzzle passed oh-so-close by his neck. She drew away then, trying her hardest to keep a small, teasing smile from playing across her features. She was laying it on a little thick, but why not have a little fun with the newcomer? ”I’m afraid to inform you that you’ve traded a sandy desert for an icy one.” She sighed wistfully, longing for the beauty that bathed these lands in the warm season.

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It was strange to be enjoying the presence of this stranger so much, but Newol found himself unable to help it. She was a very attractive young fea, and it didn't help that she seemed to find him an equally attractive young male. He couldn't lie to himself that she'd grabbed his interests, and so very easily too. But he was civil, well, as he could be, and never was one to pressure anyone unless they needed it. And this was an affair of the heart. He was also a very intelligent male. Lust, joy, and attraction where very different things from affection. But damned if they weren't still fun. Especially for a more easy natured wolf like Newol.

So when she moved in closer to steal his scent, he openly let her. Then as she proceeded to question him again about his nature, he took a seat. By this point, a periodic wag of his tail displayed his content and enjoyment of his new company. Sitting up straight, he held his head up nice and proper to better display the lean muscles in his neck and shoulders in an attempt to keep the pace steady. Again with the male spoke with a friendly voice, keeping his admiration for the she wolf well under wraps. "I was in somewhat of a pack once, my birth pack. A group of wanderers. Marry Misfits." Perhaps the only thing in this display that betrayed him was the fact that his ears where both standing straight.

The topic actually provided him with a wonderful chance to catch his breath and calm down. To actually focus. "Though it's true I've never been in a proper pack, I've always been a pack creature. Traveling out here is actually the longest I've ever been alone in my life." But then next came her comment on the icy environment around them. A spark in the back of Newol's mind chimed. That desert had tried to hold him to it. Ice or no, the fact that he was here was victory to him. He always said he'd make it to the forest. "Yes well, I'll gladly take it. Better scenery, and much better company." He mushed the word much. It was just meant to be that he be out here. Newol had a feeling here that he could thrive in ways he hadn't in the desert. That alone was worth something.

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Newol’s subtle correction in posture did not go unnoticed, and Naia simpered as she pulled away from the swarthy male. Perhaps he was showing off for her, but it was a display that Naia couldn’t help but appreciate all the same. Her somewhat coy attitude shifted into one of genuine interest as he spoke of his birthpack, the wandering misfits. This land must call out to misfits, Naia thought, remembering several loners she had met here with similar backgrounds. Heck, she had a similar background herself—her birthpack had been comprised of dissident pack runaways and individualists who all entertained the notion that they could create a functional pack without any sort of leader or traditional pack hierarchy. The result was a disorganized pack that was overpopulated and most of them scrawny wolves like Naia to boot. The Republic had seemed like a fine idea in theory, but many in Naia’s generation saw it for what it really was: total chaos.

He continued to speak, confiding in Naia that he had never been by himself so long before. ”Perhaps you won’t be alone much longer..” she mused, her intention being to sound optimistic and thoughtful as well as slightly suggestive. His comment about the company here being much better elicited a grin from Naia, who was more than willing to let herself be charmed by the alluring stranger. ”I would hope so,” she replied, ”..if the previous company left you with a mark like that.” Concern etched across her face, she leaned toward him once again, her nose nearly touching his as she inspected the scar across his muzzle. She let her comment hang, hoping it might prompt him to tell her the story of the scar’s origin. She wasn’t one to pry though, if for some reason he preferred not to discuss it.

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The words that she mused brought a grin to his face as he thought over her statement. This woman was someone he wanted to meet again, that was for damn sure at this point. Where ever this went in the end, he was certain of one thing. He wanted to know this wolf. She was a wolf of a pack, and perhaps he might follow her home when they where done here. As soon as that notion hit his brain though, something inside of him quivered, a bad taste coming to his mouth. No, perhaps not now. When winter is over, he told himself. When winter is over, I'll look for a pack to join. He told himself to put off the thought for a moment longer. Something about being in a pack didn't agree with him in that one very moment, and he needed to find out what it was.

Returning himself to the moment happening right in front of him, he very smoothing replied, "But I'm already not alone. I'm sharing a bright morning with a stranger." a happy smile on his face. Nevermind the attractive young fea before him, that notion alone was enough to make his day. To think that he'd found a land where a loner could have a non hostile interaction with a pack wolf. He noticed the earlier smile he'd managed to put on her face with his words so it seemed a very fitting statement to make. He was happy to please.

And when she leaned in to examine the scar across his snout, he tilted his head down to allow her a better view of the hold mark. He'd had them for so long now, he'd become quite endeared to their presence on his face. A laugh escaped his maw as she questioned about them. Newol had no issue with telling their story. "Hardly. That mark's more the result of my own stupidity. Again I was a desert brat. When I was younger and more... well, honestly, stupid, I'd ended up in a little brawl with a pair of coyote's over dinner. Seemed like a good idea at the time." Bringing his eyes up to meet her's with a smile, he added, "They looked worst, I promise." His friends from before had been just that, friends. Like family. This was something else.

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Naia really did need more practice at being coy-- the moment her companion began his story, her coquettish expression vanished, replaced by one of pure fascination. The one thing she loved most was a good story, especially an action-packed tale where the hero triumphs. It reminded her of how she and her friend Silver, the scout from Pitch Pine Trail, used to pass the time. In those days Naia had hung onto her idol's every word, and Silver always seemed happy to indulge her adoring fan. She hadn't thought about Pitch Pine Trail in ages she realized, which surprised her considering how fresh the heartbreak felt at the beginning of winter. The heart rolls on.. Naia thought to herself, sometimes to unexpected places.. Newol's dazzling green gaze brought her back to the present, and he promised her that despite the scar he had come out on top. She laughed with delight-- of course he had won!-- it was his story after all, and the storyteller always won the fight.

”Tell me about it!” she pleaded, head cocked as she wagged her tail encouragingly. He couldn't just leave the story at that, it wouldn't do it justice. How she loved a good fight story! An idea struck her at that moment, and before Newol could reply she interjected,”No! Better yet, show me!” With that, she leaped to the side playfully. I'll be a coyote.. sneaking up.. trying to steal your rightful kill.” She crouched down as she spoke, taking a prowling step forward with every word. She met his gaze with a mischievous smile. ”What happened next?” she prompted, breaking character for a split second with another excited tail-wag.

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