Oak Tree Bend Winter lies too long

@Drestig! Sorry about the wait >.<

Overcast — Current Temperature: 32° F/0° C , early morning.

Morning dawned grey over the Bend - the sun slid from behind the horizon to behind a thick layer of clouds as if it were hiding its face from the beasts below. Despite the dreary cold, Nayeli rose to greet the new day. Her breath steamed in the early morning air as she trotted through the territory, trying to warm her blood and shake off the night's lingering grasp on her. She had no explicit agenda, but since joining the pack the lady had lapsed into a loose routine of exploring, patrolling, and keeping her senses alert in case of the rare sign of food. Often she haunted about the borders, still hopeful one of her kin might find their way to this place, but ready to deal with any signs of danger or any one of the hundred things that were more likely than what she hoped for. Still, she hoped.

When will this winter end? the she-wolf wondered, feeling defiant against nature itself. This region lay further north than her birthplace, and she felt sure that spring would already have returned to her homeland... how long would her new home be locked in winter's choke-hold? Had winter not sated it's thirst for death yet? She paused to gaze at the massive oak tree before her. Somehow today her paws had guided her to the heart of the territory rather than the outskirts, and the great oak brought her to a thoughtful halt. Looking at it, it seemed all but dead, but something waited beneath the surface, not shown. When spring finally came, she felt this tree would be one of the first to show signs of life. She wanted to see it then, swathed in the emerald finery of new life. Winter lies too long; hangs on until it is stale and shabby, old and sullen.

OoC: That's fine, back at you ^^;
Also, the injuries I refer to are suppose to have happened in a thread taking place about two weeks ago - but it isn't finished, so that's why I'm being vague about the exact wounds ^^

Since the incident at the outskirts of Magnolia Glen, the ebony lad's daily routine had been disrupted, his injuries keeping him from trekking the borders, let alone traveling any further than the territory of Oak Tree Bend. This morning he had been awakened early by a throbbing ache in the, now scarring, wounds, and no matter how he tossed and turned, it wouldn't dull down enough for him to go back to sleep. Atypically grumpy, the black man had finally resolved to leave the den, hoping that a walk in the brisk air would help were rest could not.

His strides, though still stunted, were quicker than they had previously been, and the pain was bearable. Still, it took him appallingly long to get just the short distance from the den to the creek, and this simple minimum of effort tired him out like a kilometer long run; For all the damned... The dark boy panted, flaming eyes travelling up and down the water way, looking for a crack in the ice that wasn't there. He sighed and resulted to chucking down some day-old snow to quench his thirst. Then he sighed again and turned to make his way back.

The cold bit at his wounds, gnawing at the edges of the scars like maggots on a dead body; Yuk! He shook his bushy, black dome to be rid of the image. The thought of returning to the cold of the den was in no ways appealing, especially with those metaphors floating around his head, sure to infiltrate his dreams, should he manage to fall asleep. So he continued past the black of the burrow entrance, walking through the glade towards the old Oak that had given name to his pack. Under its high, still bare, branches, some of the snow had melted away, exposing, slightly yellowed, yet still thick grass. Here, the soot colored wolf lay himself down to rest, eyes absently scanning the trees around him.

And just then, another figure entered the clearing, her fur, as dark as his own, standing out stark against the snow; And the unusual, white marking on her forehead bright as a star in the night sky. Despite his foul mood and the aching scars, Drestig mustered a smile at her appearance, calling out in a, slightly hoarse, but cheerful voice; "Well if it isn't fortuna! Have you come to bring more gifts to a poor lad here in the dreadful winter?!" He grinned shamelessly, tail wagging lightly at the prospect of an enjoyable chat; Maybe that will take my mind of the pain...

Word Count: 432

Dawnthieves.de & Burtn @ DA

Continuing onward through the grove of barren oaks, she could only feel hope and longing for spring to come. She wanted to see this land in a season of life, not death, as this winter had brought to them all. It felt oddly liberating to be looking forward to something, Nayeli realized. However, she didn't have all day to amble about and contemplate such philosophical and personal matters. She should be out patrolling, hunting. Her steps gained purpose as she began to trot from the glade - until just then she heard a voice calling out to her.

The ebony lady halted, her gaze searching until she found the shadow in the bare patch under one of the trees bordering the area. "Morning, Drestig," she called back amicably, one ear twitching at his greeting. She wasn't quite sure how to take him calling her Fortuna all the time. She wasn't particularly fond of nicknames, and this one ...seemed almost to be asking for bad luck, if one believed in such things. She wasn't sure she did, but at the least it seemed a rather too lofty a title for her tastes. Still, she decided to play along a bit, flicking her tail and smiling as she chided him. "You can't expect fortune to always be kind, you know." She turned to walk towards where her packmate was laying. She didn't see much of the packmates she knew outside of quick greetings, and the opportunity to talk with someone for a moment ought not be wasted. "I've always heard that lady luck is supposed to be quite fickle, if not vindictive," she commented. "Luckily, I am not her."

Ooc: Sorry if this post is weird, my muse is... Kinda off :/

The dark lad cocked a brow as the woman returned his greeting, lightly scolding his choice of words. His smile faded into a thoughtful pucker as she came closer, fiery eyes glinting as they sought to meet her silvers; "Such a cynical view..." He gave her a small smile, stretching out his forelegs - ignoring the pain in his scars - and pushing himself up into a seat, gaze now directed slightly downwards to meet hers. "Though, you're probably right." He conceded, tilting his head slightly to the side. Truth be told, the ebony man was not much of a believer in luck, his life had been too hard for that. Still, days like the one on which he had met this black lass made it hard to deny the existence of fortune; at least to some degree.

Eyes trailing off the wolfess' face to the trees around them, absently tracing the snow varnished branches, he found himself recalling his previous run-ins with lady luck; most of which had been, vindictive, as Nayeli put it. At her last comment, his grin returned and he looked back to the ink pelted dame, chuckling lowly; "Ha yes, I suppose that is quite lucky..." He studied her casually, wondering what experiences had led her to this conclusion about luck; and, to Oak Tree Bend. Surely, there was quite a story beneath the sooty fleece and lean muscles; Like there is to anyone else... He wasn't bent on probing about though, content to keep his own past under wraps and so, supposing that others might want the same.

Suddenly, it occurred to the lad that her words might cover for a deeper aversion to his name calling, and, not wanting to appear rude, he said sincerely: "I'm sorry if I made you uncomfortable, I was just playing." Looking to her with wide eyes. It was possible that, even though he didn't, Nayeli might believe in the elusive lady of fortune; or at least didn't want to take her name in vain, just in case. Whatever the reason, her words had seemed to lightly request he ceased using the nickname; As she wishes, I wouldn't want to make her uncomfortable. Drestig was a playful and mischievous lad, but not malicious; there was not much fun in teasing someone who didn't enjoy it.

Word Count: 387

Dawnthieves.de & Burtn @ DA

(This post was last modified: Mar 28, 2014, 11:22 PM by Drestig.)

There is a moose carcass that has been scavenged by coyotes nearby. +15 Health

Halting a few yards away, she gave a light shrug. "No apology necessary," the Stormwright lady said, tail swaying placidly behind her. Destig had no way to know the name might bother her until she had said something, so she saw no reason to get bent out of shape about it.

"I hope you've been well?" The statement ended with a curious tone, as she thought back to the last time she had seen Drestig. The clash between two packs on the hunt had not been a happy occasion, despite the badly needed food. Fortunately, today's meeting was under far less serious circumstances. A gust of breeze stirred lazily through the glade, teasing the last few dead and crinkled leaves that hung on sheltered branches. "You can call me cynical, but I prefer to think of it as simply being a realist," she continued, touching upon the words he'd spoken earlier. However, as the words left her maw, a scent drifted to her nares on the wind, and she almost had to do a double take.

"But maybe today, a little optimism is warranted...." there was no mistaking that smell, however faint it had been. Moose. Food. The scent of coyotes hung in the area as well, stale but discernible. How had they made it into the heart of the territory without someone noticing their stinking hides? And yet, there was a chance the pack could benefit from this. "Smell that?," The prospect of a meal had her tail swaying with enthusiasm, her eyes sparked as she scanned the clearing around them for some sign of what the wind had given away.

His easy smile returned when the dark woman assured him that she had no taken offense, head nodding in understanding; they would not speak more of it. Then she went on to ask about his condition, and he automatically glanced at his scars - that where surprisingly well hidden in his lush, winter pelt - but then he realized she must be thinking about the hunt, about a month back; That was an experience! They had both gotten themselves into a scuffle on that day, but had escaped without serious injury. Drestig cocked a brow and simply nodded, there was nothing interesting to relate; then he snorted lightly at her next comment. It wasn't exactly an offensive sound, he didn't disagree with her standpoint, but he was slightly amused by her flat, pragmatic response to his poking.

However his nose then caught the alluring scent, as a faint wind brushed into his nostrils, and he couldn't help but laugh outright. Shaking his head, amazed, the black lad answered the woman's question jovially, still chuckling lightly; "Yes, yes I do! You might not be the lady of luck, but whoever she is, she sure seems to have cast her love on Oak Tree Bend!" He quickly pushed to his feet, following her gaze to find the dead moose. Signs of coyote's so close to the pack den irked him, especially now that spring was underway and pups might soon be coming; but he pushed the worries aside for now - this wasn't the first time this winter that he had come across the nasty scavengers within the borders - hopefully they would regain their respect once food became less scarce; Or I will personally remind them!

Glimpsing what had to be the carcass among the trees across from them, Drestig started off across the snow, tail held high in claim of the meat and the land it rested on. Assuming Nayeli to follow suit, he added to his proclamation: "At least for now..." As a nod to their conversation. He couldn't help but wonder though, how they should have possibly made it through the winter without these gifts from above, he felt rather starved as it was.

When he came upon the kill, his nose wrinkled at the stench of coyote, he quickly scanned the vicinity for any signs of the scavengers; but the scent was old. "Wherever these bastards came from, they're long gone by now!" He grunted. His light discontent lifted quickly though, as he cast his orange gaze on the remainder of the moose, smile wide as he bowed down to look closer; "Let's see what we have here..." The meat was dry, but the cold weather had kept it from spoiling. "It looks pretty good!" He announced, looking up at Nayeli; "And there's more than enough for everyone to have a few bites!" He would wait for her response before calling anyone, but there was joy in his eyes; Yes, the heavens sure loves Oak Tree Bend... Or maybe it was just the coyote's.

Word Count: 507

Dawnthieves.de & Burtn @ DA

I pp'd Drestig howling, let me know if you'd like me to change that/take it out.
Sorry for lame post, I'm a bit brain-dead today >.<

---

Drestig's answer was wordless, but Nayeli was glad to know that her pack mate was faring well enough as winter worked through it's death throes. Her own response seemed to amuse him slightly, but the lull that followed their small talk was quickly filled by their shared discovery.

"Maybe you're right," she mused, dark tail flicking as her gaze flickered and locked onto an out-of-place, motionless form a short distance away through the trees. Drestig must have seen it too, for he pushed himself to his feet and started toward it, and Nayeli hurried to follow him. The scent of coyotes made her tail bristle even as it swayed, but Drestig was right - they were long gone. The aroma of the smaller canines was smelly, pungent, and it set her teeth on edge - but it was already growing stale and old, and as the two dark shadows moved closer to the shape in the snow, the smell was quickly overpowered but the scent of <i>food</i>.

As she pawed wisps of snow away from the fallen moose, she felt her stomach growl appreciatively. "Their loss, our gain," Nayeli answered, a grin flashing on her jaws. "Let's let the rest of the pack know what we've found," she added, thinking of Serach and Sceral in particular. The young Tainns would not go hungry today.

Pointing her muzzle toward the grey sky, the lady filled her lungs with cold air and then let out a ringing call. The alto tone rose above the trees, breaking the silence - she held the note until Drestig's call joined her own, before letting the note fall off into silence again. The echoes continued to bounce around the woodland; their meaning clear enough. "We've found a bounty, come and share."

The black man grinned back at his equally dark companion, raising his muzzle to join her song with his own powerful tenor. Howling was one of the things he'd enjoyed the most since joining The Bend, singing on your own was one of the loneliest things a wolf knew, and after so much time as a loner, the dark lad had almost forgotten how good it felt to howl with your family; Look at me getting all sentimental... When their song ended he met her eyes, smiling warmly; she was as new as him, but he hadn't know the pack without her, making her just as much family as the others.

After a moment he shrugged his shoulders lightly and turned to the carcass, smile almost sheepish; "Well, no need to wait to have a taste!" He grinned, mouth watering as he surveyed the dead moose. After a short contemplation he chose a suitable spot and tore into the flesh, ripping a sizeable piece from the cold bones. It took quite an effort, his strong jaws aching slightly under the pressure, but he succeeded, stemming against the snow with his forelegs. With the meat clutched in his teeth, he looked up at Nayeli, silently encouraging her to join in, then her took a few steps away and laid down with his prize.

Chewing silently, he watched the athletic wolfess, finding himself wondering what had brought her to Oak Tree Bend; She seems so content, and yet... Everyone has a past. Eyes sliding away then, absently trailing the branches of the trees, he thought about his own history - something he hadn't done in a long time - and the old ache shot through his tried heart; Yes... Everyone has a past. So he pushed his wonderings aside, once more burying the painful memories, and asked a simpler question instead, still smiling as if untouched; "So... How are you enjoying it here?" It was a query better served coming from someone else perhaps, someone who'd lived here longer themselves, but it felt appropriate. He looked at the dame with kind eyes, still gnawing on his meat, hoping she was enjoying The Bend as much as him.

Word Count: 365

Dawnthieves.de & Burtn @ DA

[/quote]

Sorry for the wait, again :/

No need to wait indeed. Nayeli's tail swung up again as she braced her paws against the carcass and bit down, tearing into the cold meat. Despite the fact that it was frozen solid rather than fresh and warm, she still felt a hot-blooded predatory charge sweep through her as she ripped at the dead moose, and her tail bristled again. Pulling away a leg, she didn't hesitate to begin gnawing at it hungrily. She was hungry enough that she was glad of any food, even a meat popsicle.

Drestig's voice broke in, and she chewed for a moment before giving answer. "When I came here, I thought I might leave again soon, but the longer I was here, the more I wanted to stay." Nayeli shrugged, not really wishing to try and fathom the all reasons right now. "It's the first place that doesn't feel so far from home...." Her voice was musing as she concluded the thought, glancing back toward the smiling black wolf. "Have you always lived in the Lore?" she asked curiously, hoping that he wouldn't see the question as intrusive. Many of the wolves she'd met here had been in this land all their lives, but there seemed to be just as many like herself, who'd come from bordering regions or far-flung origins. The lost Stormwright had long sought other travelers like herself in hopes of a sign of her clan, but now she found herself just as interested in what had drawn and bound Drestig to the Bend. Triell had told her the pack didn't always take so kindly to newcomers.