Wild Cherry Orchard To the Blue Ridge Mountain

The white wolf moved slowly and easily through the grove. The wild cherry trees dripped bright red globes, sweet on his tongue as he lapped up those that hung too low. The fawn from a few days ago had warmed his belly, satiating his hunger for now. Tirek hoped that none would disturb the cache, but knew that there was little chance he could head back to find it before it had rotted; hence why he had eaten his fill and then more, dragging his over-full belly across the leaf litter.

Deep in thought, the wolf snatched another sweet cherry from the ground as he walked, crunching down on the stone without a care. Fruit like this was exceedingly rare up north and he was going to enjoy it while it lasted.

The trees here felt lighter, less dense than the pine forests he had travelled through recently. The open space was welcoming despite Tirek sticking out like a sore thumb. He pondered back to the young red female he had met and hunted with a few days prior. She was bright, yet eerily knowing... And she spoke to trees.

I hope she is well, he thought. The young one seemed a mite too naive to be in this world alone, but the male knew that everyone must learn on their own journey.

He snapped up another cherry, the fawn in his belly having fully digested a couple of days ago. Soon he would be hungry again, but for now he would enjoy his time among the sweet fruit trees and the wide open sky.

(Sorry this took so long. But I couldn't resist.)

Ryka Tiaroth had been away, sent on a long trip that took her just beyond the outer edge of Relic Lore. But now that she was back, her task of collecting various herbs complete, she could focus on other things. Back in Black Thorn Downs, the two young pups were thriving, but sadly, she hadn't a chance to meet them yet. This, she wanted to change, and as a firm believer that pups needed to be exposed to many different stimuli at this age, she had set out to search for a suitable educational tool for the youngsters. She traveled carefully, fully aware that hers was not the only pack in the area. The last thing she wanted to do was to graze the borders of a nearby pack unnanounced. That wouldn't make for a very good start between relations, and Ryka had in the past, had a taste of knowing what it was like having an enemy nipping at your heels.

Her paws took her past meadows, streams and forests, her eyes peeled for anything that would catch her interest. She had moved quite a bit a ways from the Blackberry feilds, but that didn't bother her. She loved exploring, so when she found herself amidst a grove dotted with cherry trees, she couldn't help but smile. This was perfect. Perhaps not the most interesting place to hang around, but certainly worth a good visit. Black Thorn Downs was a complicated tangle of trees, bushes and thorns, but the blackberries made up for it. While Minka's pups had surely seen the fruit before, they certainly hadn't come across the tart cherries yet. Her blue eyes scanned each tree, looking for the one with only the ripest of the fruits. While not terribly hungry, she wouldn't mind a little snack. She was known to have a bit of a taste for fruit every now and then, so this was a rare treat for her.

Sliding under the shady canopy of a low tree, a dark red cluster of ripened cherries grabbed her eye. They were hers, she decided. But they were just a little out of reach. In a most awkward movement, she reared up onto her hind legs, jaws snapping in vain to try and grab the branch that taunted her so. The young female had no idea that at this very moment, someone could very well be watching her. Not exactly the kind of first impression the last of Tiaroth's wanted to make.

No worries dear. I'mm glad we are able to RP. :)

The sun warmed his back, brightening his reddish saddle and making the rest of his fur seem to glow with an eerie light. He did no longer care that he stuck out like fruit in the winter, the white wolf was happy. Stopping to sniff another cherry, he forwent lapping it up like the rest.

“No need to be greedy,” he mumbled calmly to himself. The rich lands here were very different to those he had travelled prior and the temptation was always present.

Padding gently around the groves, he shuffled through the undergrowth, getting caught in brambles briefly before turning back into a more open thicket. It was here that Tirek spied the female. She was larger than the one before that had helped him catch the fawn, seemingly older but in a poorer condition. The spindly wolf was attempting to snag a rich bunch of cherries from a branch just beyond snapping distance.
Tirek could hear the females mounting frustration at the situation, the mumbles and mild curses to the tree that kept her treasure so far out of reach. Not one to be overly cautious (he hadn’t been noticed yet either), he padded slowly and quietly on large paws to where she was leaping.

“Would you care for some help?” spoke Tirek, tail faintly wagging in a friendly gesture. He did not mean to startle anyone, but could completely understand the one track mind of hunger.

“You look like you have travelled far, and your legs are weary,” he continued, wandering closer still with friendly gestures. “I can understand the frustration of an easy meal, just out of reach.”

He raised his head and perked his ears, vaguely showing off his own capable body. He waited patiently for her answer, always alert.

Over and over again, she leaped, her teeth only just grazing the leaves surrounding the ripened cluster of red cherries. Her attempts were all in vain, for no matter how hard she tried, she just wasn't tall enough to grab hold of the branch she was targeting. Pivoting her ears back, she dropped down to all four legs again, grumbling in annoyance. With a glare filled of frustration and longing, she began to move away. Perhaps it be best to find a shorter, more manageable tree where she could pick away at the fruit. It was pointless in expending her energy like this.

She had barely taken three steps away in the other direction, before she was stopped. There, just in front of her, amidst the brush, was another wolf. His beaming white coat made him hard to miss amongst all the green foliage, unlike herself, who could easily blend into her surroundings in most conditions. She stopped short, azure eyes blinking in momentary surprise. She had not been expecting to run into anyone else out here. Had she been able to blush, she would've been at this very moment, now that this complete stranger had seen the ridiculous position she had been in. Finally, she found her voice after the wolf asked if she would like some assistance. "If you don't mind? I didn't see any others that looked ripe enough to pick yet." She admitted, while taking a moment to glance back at her former target. Perhaps this pale fellow would have more success in reaching the cherries than she did. He was larger than her, after all.

He seemed to be friendly enough, at first glance. As she sniffed, she could smell no traces of any other wolves mingled amongst his fur. He was a loner. By contrast, Ryka bore the scent of Black Thorn Downs, and a near constant blend of the various herbs she gathered on a regular basis. "I appreciate the help, thank you. I did just return from a bit of a journey, so I'd hate to waste any more energy than I already have." She managed a small smile, stepping back and towards the side so the white wolf could have a go at fetching the cherries. While he had not yet proven himself to be a threat, the gray and brown female remained at a distance, just in case. She already knew of at least one pack of wolves who didn't harbor any friendliness towards Minka's newly formed group. She couldn't be sure if this stranger had bumped into them or not yet. Hopefully for her, he hadn't.

With a quiet nod to the other wolf, Tirek padded gently towards the cherry tree. He noted the female stepped back, keeping a wider berth from him. As she moved slightly upwind, he caught the deep scents of wolves not here; herbs and wooded plants mingled with deep sweet fruits, and the well-known musk of pack.

He stopped just under the bows of the tree, glistening fruit just above him. Taking a moment to gather himself, the white wolf bunches his haunches under himself, and surged upwards to snatch not at the cherries, but at the slightly lower limb of the branch. Landing on the ground in a plume of dust and leaves, Tirek then began to vigorously shake the branch caught in his teeth. The fruit clattered to the earth, cherry by cherry, til the limb was bare. With the food now in easy reach, he let go of the branch, it whipping upwards to smack into the rest of the tree, sending even more ripe cherries down to them.

The white wolf turned to the female, smiling proudly and calmly moved away from the treasure so that she could eat in peace. Deciding to settle down in the shade of the grove, Tirek paused to flick a long strand of bark from his teeth. They had eaten bark during one long winter at home, but this wolf had never appreciated the taste of it. Especially when there were greater prizes to be had in this rich forest.

The female looked towards him, hesitating for a split second.

“I can understand why you would be wary of me, but rest assured I will do you no harm,” he spoke steadily. “Please, enjoy your meal. I will remain here.”