Iridescent Lagoon The Morning Star

@Adelaide: Here we go! I'm interested to see how this plays out between them.

Ripples sparkled across the lagoon's surface as the copper man lapped thirstily from the banks. Crickets and birds filled the would-be silence with soft melody. He had been running all night. The journey from Northern Eden had not been particularly difficult or long, but it had been nonetheless tiring. Water dripped from his muzzle as he peered through the trees at the morning sky. A single star remained, shining and winking at him as if making mysterious promises. The general peace of the area was undisturbed as Lunas prowled the banks looking for fish to eat. When he slowed down, his stomach made a nuisance of itself grumbling and growling at him like it was trying to verbally remind him he had eaten only a gross mouthful of insects since he left Northern Eden. All this time, the thought of returning to the Willow Ridge pack had burned as brightly as a near star at midnight. However, now that the moment for action had arrived, he was frightened as to how it might go. But you've come all this way for something! The copper man reminded himself, thinking over the last few weeks in which he had left his birth pack, traveled to Relic Lore, and searched out goldenrod and hellebore to please his new leaders, King Angier and Queen Elettra. Once again, he looked up at the only star still shining. At least it had not yet grown dim! Even as the sun gathered light and brought morning about, it remained clear, shining confidently through the formidable obstacle commonly known as sunlight. With an aggressively happy wag of his tail, the male padded up the shore a bit to collect his herb bundles. He had been lucky to find hellebore again on the way in. How he had lost his first bundle was a longer story.

Putting some distance between herself and Willow Ridge, Adelaide began to hunt more thoroughly for her herbs. Her den was coming along quite nicely. With the weather warming up, her stores had filled out well, but there was only so much to be found around the pack's territory. She had to go a bit deeper to find a bigger variety of wildling herbs. Her travels took her to the lagoon one morning, rising early to pick what might be picked before hungry grazers came along, or other herbalists. But again, it seemed as though she might find another wolf where she desired to work, and the desire to work overcame the instinctual need to socialize.

If anything, she was a little annoyed at the presence of a stranger on the shores of the land that she so dearly desired to pillage. Who knows what he'd already picked, though from the smell of it, goldenrod and helleborn. Her ears flipped back. Helleborn did grow along the banks of the Lagoon and goldenrod not more than a mile or so away in the Meadow. Lips drew back as her frustration peaked. Admittedly, the woman was rather tired. The morning was new, and she usually did not rise so forcefully and travel so far before the sun was even at its peak. And yet here was this man already done with his days work, hauling away precious herbs that she so pined for. "Cranky" was probably the word best to describe how the silver eyed female felt, and her posture reeked of it as she stared after the stranger and his bundles.

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Lunas did not hear the she-wolf approach. He remained quiet, lapping at the cool early morning water and scanning for any trapped fish. None were to be found. Padding up the bank a little ways, he grabbed his bundles one at a time and rinsed each one deeper separately in the lagoon water to rid them of any dirt and dust they had picked up while he carried them on his journey. He had enjoyed having something to do, something to occupy his busy mind and body, but the time came now to accept that this was well and done, and he would soon have a new task, perhaps one that would send him farther throughout the beautiful Relic Lore. A prickling sensation overcame his spine. It was the kind of tingle one associated with being observed by a stranger, which was indeed a rather uncomfortable feeling, and unfortunately one Lunas knew all too well. Maintaining his calm attitude, he turned to face the newcomer. Female, pretty, and a healer. Lunas's eager to judge mind placed accurate labels to her within moments. With a nod of respect, he spoke out. "Greetings. I am Lunas Axxya, and I come on return from a journey to Northern Eden to collect the herbs hellebore and goldenrod for Lady Elettra in order to join your pack as a scout. Who is it that I have the pleasure of meeting?" Lunas attempted to be polite and charming, as he had quickly become taken to the elegant lady. Although his politeness was precise and well-refined, his sense of charm was unfortunately less practiced. If it had delivered the desired effect, Lunas would've probably fainted in shock. He was also very open about what he had been doing for the Willow Ridge pack, as he recognized the pack's scent on her. His silver eyes danced as he set down his herb bundles to dry. He was only too eager to hear what this elegant lady thought of him.

In silence, as she approached, Adelaide watched him go through the motions of cleaning the herbs of the dirt that covered them. Oh, how she wanted so badly to be angry with this stranger, so badly. Pausing not more than a yard from the man, she settled to her haunches, tail held against her back, scowl still evident on her face, though her eyes betrayed how exhausted she was. He sensed her presence fast enough and turned about, speaking almost immediately. Adelaide blinked sleepily at him, as if to say I didn't ask you to speak, but her lips didn't move until he was done. By the time he'd finished speaking, however, she felt mostly drained of her frustrations. He intended to join Willow Ridge, her home, and he was quite polite. What real reason, other than jealousy (which was petty), did she have to be upset with him?

"It's a pleasure, Lunas. I'm Adelaide of Willow Ridge, in fact." Her thick accent seemed that much more viscous when mingled with sleeplessness, but she got the words out and even managed something of a smile to go along with it. "That's quite a collection you have there. I'm certain Lady Elettra will appreciate the offering." Her eyes followed his muzzle as he set the bundles upon the earth and remained upon them for a moment, before she lifted her eyes again. Her gaze flitted over him superficially. She stood over him quite easily and decided that he would make a fitting scout. Undoubtedly he was fast on those dark little paws.

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Grazing the agouti lady's dark grey eyes every so often, he attempted to appear calm and settled. She spoke that her name was Adelaide, of Willow Ridge. As her stony colored orbs looked him over, he gave a gentle wag of his copper and black tail.

"It's a pleasure to meet you Adelaide. And thank you. I was lucky to come across these herbs so quickly. If I am correct that you are a healer, I can always help collect far off herbs if you'd like." The words rolled smoothly off his tongue like lyrics to a song. His pale silver eyes looked at her for a moment before slipping away to his herb piles.

When a duck landed loudly on the lagoon surface with a splash, the copper man startled a bit, accidentally stepping on one of his piles. Grumbling at the duck under his breath, the Axxya boy picked up his pile and rinsed it again, this time carefully placing his bundle on a large, flat leaf so that it would be harder for the goldenrod to get muddy next time. As well coordinated as he was when he ran, the penny coated fellow tended to be ever so slightly clumsy when he was idly milling around.

Shifting his weight awkwardly, he cleared his throat and made an attempt at conversation. "I must ask, it's still rather early in the morning. What are you doing out and about at such a wee hour, Miss Adelaide?" His words came out better than he intended, even though they still portrayed that he was not one who was skilled in holding a conversation.

There is a deer that was killed by a lynx nearby. +10 Health

The high sway of her tail could not really be considered "happy", but, if anything, calm. Her agitation had settled finally, leaving her feeling nothing but tired. It was easy to grow cross with strangers when one was tired. She had been threatened by his bundles of herbs, his eager attitude. But as he spoke again, it quickly dispelled what had really (and foolishly) frustrated her in the first place. He was a scout, not another herbalist to possibly threaten her position (although she had strayed from such bases since the children had been born), and in addition, he so kindly offered to collect herbs for her. Thankfully, her stores were quite full as no injury had befallen any of her packmates (but herself) recently, so there was no need now. Regardless, she thanked him. "That's a kind offer, Lunas. When I'm in need, I'll certainly call you first."

Visibly, Addie flinched as he trod upon his bundle of goldenrod. But he quickly recovered it and set it where it wouldn't find harm. "Well, as long as you don't step on what you bring me." With a good natured chuckle, she settled to her haunches, and her eyes drifted past him towards the lagoon. "I came out to find a wider variety of herbs. Maybe pick a few before the sun rose too high. It was silly of me. My brain is in a bit of a tizzy right now." Turning her silver gaze back upon him, she shrugged and gave a strained smile.

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