Hourglass

@Avox
Morning, Sunny, 70°

As the yellow orb of the sun crested the trees, sleep shoved its blankets off the grey guardian. Blinking rapidly to reawaken his vision, the man stood and allowed himself a long, satisfying stretch. A new day had arrived, and it was time to get to work. Summer seemed to have come quickly upon them, like a wolf which stays well hidden until it leaps from its cover to defeat its prey.

His first, and in many cases only, order for the day was to guard the borders. Today, though, Regem wanted to put a foot outside the borders to investigate a bear scent he'd found yesterday. To explore it in the dark would have been a poor choice, so he had decided to leave that until today. Now he set a brisk pace toward the borders. Looking around, Regem took in again the sight of the blackberry bushes, which although could be thorny and tough, held wonderfully sweet fruits which were abundant at some times of the year.

Before long, the man had come across the extremely well marked borders of his pack's territory. With a deep sniff, he knew no one had remarked the borders since his early morning excursion a few hours ago.

Contented, the stony guard began to remark everything he came across. After about an hour, he had gone a fair portion of the way around the borders, and the sun had now completely risen. Thirsty and tired, he stepped over the border by a few paces to drink quickly from a tiny stream.

As Regem lifted his head, his golden amber eyes surveyed the trees around him. A peculiar feeling had come over him, as if he were the focus of someone's attention, but he shrugged it off and returned to within the borders.

Avox had been wandering for some time, and she felt like she'd been traveling in circles. Her aching legs were screaming for a break, but she pushed on, the sun peaking over the trees just as she stopped, smelling the thick scent of a pack territory border. She turned away from it, completely hidden by a trees shadow, as she had spotted a male wolf. His scent overwhelmed her nose and she pricked her ears, watching him with interest. Her muscles tensed slightly as she kneaded the ground with her paws, anxious, but she didn't know why.

She circled the tree she remained under, her mind whirring with what her next move would be. Try and talk to him? She shook her head to herself and grunted softly, ears flicking backward in slight annoyance with herself. She had always been curious about other wolves, but always put up her walls when she met one muzzle to muzzle. Avox tried to remain downwind of the male, trying to stay hidden so she wasn't noticed. She didn't want to be chased off or attacked for being this close to a pack territory, so she wandered to the stream, remaining out of sight and lowering her head to drink out of the stream.

Avox finished her drink and sat, staring down in the water, watching the gentle water lap at the sandbar she sat on. The birds chirped overhead, and the sun began to warm her back as she closed her eyes and exhaled deeply.

Not long after leaving the stream, Regem picked up the bear scent he'd been after. It didn't seem like the bear was a threat to the safety of Black Thorn Downs: it had stayed outside the borders, wasn't killing anything, and was a male, therefore it wouldn't be overprotective of cubs. Mother bears could be rather testy, as he had learned the hard way.

Eventually, Regem heard the stream's waters once more. A new scent accompanied it, that of a female wolf. She was rather young, but not a yearling or a puppy. The girl was seated by the stream, and looking rather at peace as she did so. A soft sigh escaped the grey guardian's lips. He hated to disturb such a contented individual, but it was his job to investigate who and what was near the borders.

"Greetings, mi'lady. My apologies for disturbing you. You appeared rather at peace. Allow me to introduce myself. I am Regem Rakkair, guardian of the pack Black Thorn Downs, subordinate to Minka and Tokino Lagina, and defender of the small black fruits which grow on the thorny bushes over there which are sweet and commonly referred to as blackberries. May I ask who you may be, and what your business near our borders is?" The man's attempt at humor and good nature would be hard to miss, and Regem had yet to meet many wolves who couldn't be charmed by his jokes and tomfoolery. The lady seemed respectable, and the stony guard's playfulness was at full throttle on such a fine morning, so as he spoke his name he bowed with a flourish. His position was only slightly dominant, stating that he was not to be messed with, but would also treat her fairly and equally. Regem's golden amber eyes sparkled happily as he awaited her response.

Avox jumped, leaping up and spinning towards the voice, ears pricked forward as she watched him as he spoke. Blackberries? What on earth is a blackberry? She lowered her head and began to speak. "I am Avox Blade, a loner of the Relic Lore. I'm sorry for coming so close but I have been traveling so long, I had to stop." She became anxious again, ears swiveling back and forth. She squirmed under his gaze, her tail tucking between her hind legs as she backed up, not wanting any trouble.

She continued staring, lowering her head to drink out of the stream, the crisp water cooling her off and calming her down and she lifted her head. "I can leave, if you want. I apologize again for coming so close." Two blue orbs peered out at Regem and she inhaled deeply, ears turning every which way to catch every sound.

She lifted a paw and then sat, tail curling around her hind quarters as she waited for his answer, her attention drawing to a bug crawling across the ground in front of her paws. Her stomach growled loudly and she grunted, ears flicking backward as it was loud. She was sure he had heard it, and she huffed, head lowering once more.

When Regem spoke, the girl leaped and turned in the air as if he had suddenly poked her with a very sharp stick. Her ears appeared to be quite active and he chuckled inwardly when the thought if they had a mind of their own crossed his mind. A large growl made him look around in surprise. Such a sudden and loud noise would've startled many wolves, but Regem was too deadly calm for that. An idea dawned upon him.

"Well Avox, it is lovely to meet you. I apologize for startling you. Where have you traveled from? I, too, came from outside of Relic Lore. And, it seems as though your stomach is looking for something. Would you like to hunt with me, Avox?" As the grey man spoke, he walked forward carefully, coming to sit beside her at the water's edge.

Regem lowered his gaze and took in the sights of the area. The trees provided excellent cover, and the stream was thin, cold, and not fast moving. Pricking his ears and turning his stare to the woods, a songbird chirped out a melody which soothed and relaxed him. Watching the water once more, he saw a fish swim past, and the man turned to ask the Blade girl another question.

"I think, perhaps, we could fish in these waters if we head upstream a little ways," His words trailed off intentionally, and the grey guardian spoke softly, so as not to give her a start her once more.

Avox tilted her head, watching him with curiosity. "Why are you beings so nice, I would love to hunt.. but "Her curiosity grew when he came and sat with her, her mind wandering. She took in his appearance, the grey fur, the amber eyes, the stocky build. He was much bigger than her, he looked like he weighed about 125ish pounds, close to double of what she was. She turned back to the water, listening to his offer, playing it over and over in her mind and sighing softly, nose wiggling.

She turned to look back at him, head tilting again. "But won't you get in trouble, being caught with someone like me?" She asked, finishing her sentence and shuffling her paws and turning to look through the trees, squirrels dancing from limb to limb, the fruit that was in their mouths stretching their cheeks out. The water flowed softly, the sound surprisingly calming, and the sun warmed her back as she listened for his reply, stomach rumbling angrily.

Her eyes continued to wander around the serene area. The trees were a lush green, thick moss grew on the steel grey stones around the streams edge. The birds chirped to their loved ones excitedly and the squirrels chittered in the trees. Her ears were still alert, stood straight up on her head.

The grey guardian wanted to allow his eyebrows to shoot upward at her trailing question. He had expected a simple yes or no, but in hindsight he realized that wasn't exactly realistic. Wondering if perhaps something was holding her back, he asked softly, "But...what?". Out of the corner of his eye, he could see her taking him in. She herself was a small type of wolf, her fur pitch black like the midnight sky, and her eyes a penetrating, startling ice blue.

Her next words made him chuckle aloud. Gazing gently at her, he wondered how such a fierce looking wolf like her could be so soft. "Someone like you? Avox, there's nothing wrong with you, or you being here. You're a loner, so you can go where you please, provided you steer clear of pack territory. And as for me being caught, it's my job to keep an eye on the borders and what goes on near them. Minka and Tokino can't punish me for coming to see a loner near the borders. Originally, I was looking for a bear scent I found yesterday, and I must say, you're much more agreeable than a bear!" Regem finished with a laugh, hoping she'd get the joke.

"But, if you're worried about it, I can leave." The slate guard was softer with these words, and he stood up when he finished, as if he were going to leave, even though he went nowhere. Looking at his reflection, he noticed Avox's reflection next to his. In the water, they looked similar: two dark colored wolves peering into a stream in a peacefully deserted Forest.

Avox chuckled at his joke, nodding and chuckling, catching his joke and grinning wolfishly. She tapped her tail on the ground and yawned, stomach growling loudly. "I suppose we can go hunting." Her ears flicked, and she relaxed completely, sticking her paws into the water, letting it rush over her dirty paws. The water around her paws became muddy looking, and she lowered her head, realizing how dirty she was. She always avoided streams and lakes, fearing other wolves. "This is the only civil conversation I've had with another wolf." Her eyes wandered throughout the stream, little silver fish darting through the crystal water.

She stretched her jaws in another yawn, teeth clicking as her mouth shut. Avox leapt up as he stood, turning to face him and tucking her tail. "No you don't have to leave. I do want to hunt, if you won't get in trouble." Her mouth stretched into something that a resembled a grin, the tip of her tail wiggling slightly. Her ears became active again, turning this way and that, catching every sound. Her eyes met his and she lowered her head, focusing her attention elsewhere.

"Where is the best place to hunt?" She asked, tilting her head at him and sneezing, ears flopping with her head and sitting back down, eyes focusing back on him, waiting for an answer.

The stony protector was shocked. No, this couldn't possibly be her only conversation, could it? "What do you mean, only? Surely you've met other wolves before, right?" Where he was usually so easy and natural with words, Regem found himself stammering and dumbly asking relatively the same question twice over. Internally, he scolded himself for making such a mistake. His slate grey and black face was a portrait of confusion, awe, and shock.

Smiling, Regem wagged his tail. With birdsong echoing in his ears, he turned to bound along the riverbank. "This way!" he called over his shoulder. It was up to Avox whether or not she would follow him. Barking happily, Regem splashed through the river. There was no need to be quiet if they were hunting fish, at least in his opinion.

"Have you ever been fishing before?" the mountainous guard asked as he angled into the middle of the stream. It was shallow the whole way across, coming only to Regem's belly in the middle. Briefly, the man wondered if she had fished differently than he in the past. A flash of silver indicated a fish was swimming toward him. Hopefully, Forest fish were as easy to catch as mountain fish.

Barking and floundering about wildly, he drove the fish toward the riverbank where it would be trapped between him and the shore, with nowhere to escape to except his or his hunting partner's hungrily waiting jaws. A rumble came from his stomach, saying that he should hurry up.

Avox sighed softly, shaking her head and flicking her ears, chuckling. "First actual conversation with different wolf, other than family. Pathetic, I know." She watched him, eyes softening as he stuttered. "It's a bit weird." She let out a small laugh, rumbling deep in her chest. She watched him leap into the river, following closely as the cold water came up to the bottom of her neck. The water washed her fur, her paws splashing through the water, toes webbing out.

She watched him chase the silver fish through the water and towards the bank, water splashing everywhere. She laughed softly, lifting her head head and watching another fish swim by, snapping at it and catching its tail between her teeth. It flapped with all it's might, but she exited the water and dropped it on the sand, letting it flop helplessly against the sandy terrain. She turned and looked back at Regem, tail wagging.

She turned her attention to the fish, which was now barely moving on the sand. She flicked her ears and chuckled, looking back at Regem. "I have. I used to fish with my brother and sister when I was little." She smiled at the memory, shaking out her pelt and stretching her muscles, before laying and watching him catch his fish.