Wild Cherry Orchard Black Horse & The Cherry Tree

@Iopah

A content sigh escaped Enoki's blackened muzzle as she laid lazily underneath the branches of a cherry tree to escape the light drizzle that fell from the clouds above, her belly filled to the brim with the trees delectable fruit. Resting her head upon her front paws, she gazed out upon the expanse of ground that was littered with the tiny fruit; some picked at by the birds that used these trees for nesting and some pits left by her own doing. It had been some time since the female could say she had a full belly. Since her departure from Relic Lore a year ago food wasn't as bountiful, nor so readily available.

With another content sigh, Enoki licked the last bit of cherry juice from her jaws and pushed herself up to a sitting position after giving her body a good stretch. "Now that felt good." She chuckled to herself as she scanned her surrounds, slightly bummed that there wasn't another wolf around to converse with. It had been a good solid week and a half since her return to the Lore and some how she's only managed to come into contact with two wolves, one of which was the leader of Magnolia Glen back at the secret falls and the other being another male by the name of Kato.

She often wondered since her return what had changed in the passing seasons. Who was still around, what new packs may have formed, what other rouges have stumbled upon this land of treasure? These thoughts continually floated across her mind, but with a quick shake of her head, Enoki returned to the current moment deciding that a couple more cherries couldn't hurt as her amber orbs focused on a couple uneaten ones that lay by her paws.

(This post was last modified: Aug 12, 2014, 01:44 AM by Enoki.)

@Enoki

She woke to the light strumming of rain and sighed in relief. The heat had been driving her to exasperation. Too hot to hunt, too hot to be hungry even. It made some wolves sleepy and some restless. Unitas was of the restless variety, and Iopah had had to give him a guided only a few days ago just to keep him occupied. Now with the rain falling in a light mist he would be tucked away safe in the den, the child hated rain. Today at least, she wouldn't have to keep tabs on the pup. She rose gracefully and let the rain cascade over her coat, washing away the dirt and dust. She slipped through the thicket, reassured by the quiet sounds of her packmates stirring. The border was already occupied and she nodded a silent greeting to Mirren as she passed.

Reaching the meadow she paused, taking a moment to savor the fruity dampness of the cherry orchard. Some of the fruit was beginning to rot, and while it was disgusting to walk through, the scent was intriguing. They smelt much better than they tasted. Today the smell was subdued by the rain, and she dropped her pale muzzle into the long grass, her whiskers flicking over a softening ruby globe.

Her sensitive nose caught a trace of something else. Nose to ground still, she stepped forward following the trace of the wolf. Her head went up and her features schooled themselves. Her tail drifted up imposing, though the effect was marred by the water that slicked her coat against her sleek form. She barked roughly and pressed farther into the orchard.

It was the sound of another wolf's bark which seemed to echo across the tiny falling drops of rain that brought the bi-colored female out of her gluttonous daze from her belly full of juicy cherries. Her ears perked forward in alert as her body rose to stand at full height, unaware of whom the sound may belong too. Was it another loner, or pack wolf? Enoki didn't know, but expected the worst as she tensed the muscles in her body with nervousness, ready for whatever may happen in the coming moments.

Lifting her head a bit she let out a short, light bark in reply. A light bark that said 'I am here'. No threatening tone to it, but it was under toned with slight nervousness as the female found herself yet again caught off guard just like with the Magnolia Glen leader. Phineas was his name she believed and was also the first time she had come into contact with that wolf. Silence rang after her bark and once again the only sound to be heard was the light falling of rain which was already starting to dissipate after doing its job of freshening up the Lore and the small chirps of birds enjoying this small bath from heaven. A couple drops fell overhead onto her muzzle, as if she needed to become any more soaked and with a quick shake of her pelt Enoki freed herself of the excess water, though she appreciated the dampness. A much needed bath after traveling from the Vale to the Northern portion of Eden and It put a nice dent in the heat of summer that could make any wolf irritable.

It was then that a scent could just be detected on the small breeze that quickly whispered through the orchard. The scent was unmistakably that of a wolf, female at that. But the smell was still too faint to determine the status of said wolf. Again the question remained, friend, or foe? Loner, or pack wolf? Still given this unknown factor, Enoki stood at the ready to greet this mysterious guest. Hopefully things will go smoothly and she could see another day in Relic Lore without conflict among the wolves that called this place home like she hoped to finally do so one day.

(This post was last modified: Aug 13, 2014, 04:39 PM by Enoki.)

@Enoki

The ground was littered with cherries brought down by the birds and the subsiding rain. It was a veritable minefield. She did the best she could in making her way. Weaving and picking her way along toward the scent. Every step being given careful consideration before slipping an ivory foot into the grasses. She was the wrong color to be careless here. By no means was she a vain wolf, but there was something demeaning about meeting a strange wolf while stained the attractive color of rotting cherries. She'd rather be smeared with mud.

A bark reverberated back at her through the orchard. Her rain streaked head lifted, pointed in the direction of the bark and her dark nose confirmed it. She didn't counter with another bark. The direction was pinpointed now and she had no problem leaving the other disconcerted by her silence. Her pace increased now, exchanging speed for discretion. By the time she approached Enoki her feet were an unbecoming shade of bubblegum under under the thick mud that concealed the color.

The other was waiting for her, standing at the ready. Her steps slowed, leaving her scrutinizing the loner from the shelter of a tangled cherry tree. Enoki's stomach bulged and her lips and jaws were stained crimson. Iopah's nose lifted to scent, still watching the younger female intensely. Nothing. Her muzzle lowered and she considered the other woman in puzzlement. What meal had she eaten that still freshly bloodied her? Her gaze dipped to the cherries at their feet then snapped up in realization.

Her shock at the discover made her blurt out, "Aren't they bitter? They used to be."

@Iopah

Upon the approach of the older woman, Enoki allowed her frame to slink below the height of Iopah's. Her body language expressing she was submissive in a respectful aspect, as was common notion when a low ranked wolf such as herself was confronted by a higher ranked one. And without a doubt, this stranger was indeed of much higher rank than she. One whiff of her scent could determine that. With a quick glance at the new comers paws, a small smile could just barely be detected under her black muzzle as she mentally joked at the woman's newly acquired bubblegum tinted shoes. Easily brushing aside any nervousness that Enoki once felt. Wary, yes. Nervous, no.

As Iopah studied her features, an obvious look of puzzlement filtering over her own features, Enoki gave her head a curious tilt to the side when she glanced downwards at the small fruits that had currently been feasted upon. It was the look of shock on the older female's face and the sense she put two and two together that made the Ashrelle female emit a soft chuckle while she blurted out her question. Taking a soft tone to her voice, she gave a small nod of her head before speaking in return. "Well, yes some of them were and some of them weren't." she paused her speech for a moment to make another soft chuckle, clearly amused by the current situation.

"It's hard to tell when it's the first fulfilling meal you've been able to eat in some time." Given the strange look Iopah had given her, she wondered what exactly her face may look like to this female. In her mind she imagined it must have looked like a fresh kill with the way the juices must have stained her fur. To test her theory, Enoki gave her muzzle a quick lick and like she thought, her taste buds were greeted by the sweet and tangy juices.

@Enoki
couldn't help but notice that Enoki is from the "south", would she have lived anywhere near south dakota?

Such an introduction was very uncharacteristic for Iopah. She could feel the encounter slipping from her control and remained impassive, trying to regain the upper hand. She had after all asked a question. Even if no forethought had gone into she could at least be reserved as she waited for the answer. As she stood waiting Enoki yielded before her. With the lone wolf folding, and Iopah waiting sternly over her for the answer, the universe shifted back into some semblance of normal.

Enoki responded in a roundabout fashion. Yes and no. It answered nothing. A single damp ear swung, the wolf equivalent of a bored sigh. Iopah was not satisfied with the answer and she stood waiting with an expectant air for the rest.

It should have been obvious. And when Enoki answered it was. Iopah had been a pack wolf for too long. She'd forgotten about the twisting desperation. The hunger she'd felt in the recent famine paled in comparison. It would drive a wolf to eat anything. Sour cherries. Bear scat. Wild apples. Crabapples is what they were called in the southern mountain ranges. Iopah still remembered the sharp, tart taste of them and swallowed heavily. There was little she could do for this girl but give advice.

"Watch the ravens. They can lead you to food." Her head tilted down to Enoki, feeling sorry for her and her plight. "Are you from here?"

@Iopah
That's where I'm trying to base her off of, but since I personally don't know much about SD i'm constantly Google searching things.

Enoki's ears couldn't help but lay flat against her skull as she noticed the look of distaste pass across the pack wolf's face, clearly dissatisfied with the answer she was provided with. Yes, the female did feel a small ball of shame in the pit of her stomach that mingled with the slowly digesting cherries for having to scavenge the poor source of calories to silence the roaring hunger. It was below Enoki to mimic the behavior of an animal too belittled to hunt for themselves. She was a wolf, a powerful animal that hunted near the top of the food chain. Not some buzzard that had to have some other animal do the work for them to survive. Yet, in this dog-eat-dog world there were moments where pride was forced to the side and the drive to survive made even the most proud of animals succumb to the hunger and do what must be done. Even if it meant foraging like a deer among the fallen cherries, crabapples, or what have it. Upon hearing the older wolf speak once more her ears pricked forward instantly to pay attention, taking in whatever vital information may fall from her lips. But the advice that did happen to fall was rendered nearly useless in the aspect that Enoki already knew this information. Every wolf, well almost every wolf knew that ravens were reliable 'pals' if you would on helping a wolf find a kill. Some legends that the she wolf heard as a pup told of a bond between bird and wolf, both looking out for the other when times were tough. Though not wanting to offend Iopah with her good hearted advice, Enoki dipped her head in thanks. "Thank you. I appreciate your helpful advice." It was her next question that seemed to catch Enoki by surprise. Nobody had asked her before where she reigned from. She knew not if the older female was asking out of pure curiosity, or not. "I am not. I originally hail from the mountains of Calarosa, to the south of here." She paused her words for a moment as she lowered her haunches to the ground to gain a more comfortable sitting position despite the small mounds of fruit that she could feel poke and prod at her hindquarters, being vigilant at keeping her head level just below that of Iopah's. "I was around these lands a year ago for a couple months before departing to continue my journey. More specifically I was near the territory belonging to.." Again she paused as she jogged her memory to bring forth the name of the pack and matriarch that she had spoken to during her time her last year. Then it clicked. "Willow Ridge I believe it was. I spoke to Elettra at the time." It was also then that Enoki realized that she still knew not the name of the wolf she was talking to. How rude of her not to have introduced herself to the older female. "I'm Enoki Ashrelle by the way, my apologies for not introducing myself to you sooner." With that being said, she dipped her head in the form of a wolfish bow before glancing back up at Iopah.

Khalliysgraphy @DA & CathleenTarawhiti @DA - Table by PuppyThief

(This post was last modified: Aug 14, 2014, 05:57 PM by Enoki.)

@Enoki

It didn't occur to her that her advice was already known. She remembered starving herself and following the ravens for a meal. It was so long ago that she couldn't remember where it came from. A lesson from her mother? One of many certainly. Or perhaps a trait she had learned from Kele. In the months leading up to that day they were each others shadow. So, she thought herself a benefactor and when Enoki nodded in thanks a pleased smile crossed her face.

The question had not been idle. Knowing what sort of land Enoki was from would allow Iopah to direct her to a similiar landscape. Or even just give her pointers about hunting in this land that was likely different than home. It was quiet attention that schooled her features. This young woman was no threat, had not trespassed, and was respectful. Iopah was not expecting the shock she was in for. Her eyes fixed themselves on Enoki like hooks. Only the widening of her pupils showed that the answer had been heard.

The Calarosa was not home. It was in the backdrop, but she had been there. Enoki continued speaking. The words filling the air, unregistered. The Calarosa was not a land she had simply traveled through on her way to nowhere. Furtive trips made with Kele and her sister and brother. Her head pulled back and to the side, and regarded Enoki with a mix of curiosity and animosity. They would have been rivals. Her brother had died on her mountain. Her reminiscing continued, each new thought more prying and dark than the last. A familiar name (Elettra's) snapped her back. She stepped back, now listening closely to this wolf that she may have shared a past with.

Ashrelle. She played the surname over and over. Her mind skidding and looking for purchase, something to giver her a clue as to this wolf. Had she ever meet them? Had she fought with them? Had her parents? Very likely. They squabbled with everyone. A pale hindfoot shrewdly lifted and pressed into the dirt behind her. The cherries were completely forgotten now. If this went sour, and it very likely may, she wanted to make a quick escape. "Iopah Barberi. From the Black Hills." Whatever this Enoki knew of her family it was probably not good.

@Iopah As Enoki spoke she couldn't help but notice the ever changing expressions on Iopah's face once the name of her home fell from her lips. One minute you could see curiosity, the next animosity as she continue to speak words that never quite registered with the female until a familiar name was spoken. Little did the bi-colored female know that before her stood the enemy of her house hold. Ashrelle wolves had fought long ago with the kin of Iopah, a squabble over territory that had ended with Enoki's parents having to give up Kele, her older brother to end the feud and bloodshed. It wasn't even until she was a yearling that the pack flibbertigibbet reached her ears of the forced adoption. Every wolf within the pack eventually was told the tale. Kele. That name she always remembered when she was told the story by the pup sitters, but the importance of that name bestowed upon her by her parents. The name of her brother she never got to meet. And Barberi. The name of the un-trusted. Amber orbs focused on Iopah as she awaited for her introduction, white tipped tail thumbing quietly among the rotting cherries that littered the ground around her slender frame. At last the older woman answered and it was a surname Enoki had to take a minute to dissect and make sure she had not heard her wrong. Barberi. Barberi? Did she really hear her right? Though it was many moons ago the story of war first tickled the fur of her ears, she remembered clearly the name each pup was taught to never forget and never trust. As this piece of information found its way into a permanent spot in her mind, the she wolf gave a quick shake of her head, glad that the rain had started to drizzle down again. Giving her an excuse for her action before she met Iopah's gaze with her own once more, pushing the memories aside."It is a pleasure to meet you, Iopah Barberi." Her words held sincerity within them, but speaking that surname had left a bitter taste in her mouth. The younger wolf wondered if the very wolf before her had anything to do with the tale of old. Was she old enough to have been apart of it? Had she killed any of Enoki's kin or vise versa? What had become of Kele? So many questions floated across her mind, but the black woman gave a silent thanks that the darkness of her face mask did well at hiding emotions not meant to be detected. "Black Hills?" She paused for a moment as she processed a way to question this enemy without causing problems. Enoki needed validation. "The name sounds familiar. By any chance are they the Black Hills located just below the Calarosa Mountains?" This question was simple at best, but deep down beneath her smooth spoken words was a clue to just who this wolf was. She looked upon the older wolf with an equal amount of animosity and curiosity, awaiting the answer that would ultimately decide how the relationship would go between the two wolves. Or would it? Word Count: 529

Khalliysgraphy @DA & CathleenTarawhiti @DA - Table by PuppyThief

@Enoki

She wanted it to be an amazing coincidence. Perhaps some other Calarosa mountain range, one with no famine and no humans. One that existed far from the misery of home. Then this wolf before her could be a benign stranger and in only a second Iopah could be explaining the amazing coincidence that didn't connect them.

She wanted to be wrong. Maybe she had heard wrong, the words obscured by the rain. It was starting back up and around her tiny drops beat at the leaves and against the ground. Maybe she remembered it wrong. It was so long ago, and in that time she could have confused the name. And this wolf had a homeland with a similar enough name to trigger her sudden memory.

The rain dripped onto and along her face as she hoped and prayed for any of those things. It seeped into the darkening fur over her shoulders then ran down her legs. Enoki was taking her time considering Iopah's words. There was no sign of animosity, despite the tense watchfulness. The rain washed the concealing mud she had purposely stepped in only minutes ago. Under the disguise her feet were stained blood-red.

The Black Hills located just below the Calarosa mountains?

Her soaked paws flexed at the telling question, blunt nails gripping the damp earth. None of her wishes had come true.

The question had given her a slender window of opportunity, either intentional or not. A yes or no answer. A yes would brand her. It would make Iopah her parents daughter, and she would become whatever immoral creature Enoki expected her to be. Or she could shrug a no, 'Gee, I've never heard of the Calarosa.'. It was easy in theory to deny her past, the part she had played, and her parents.

She lifted her head, heavy and streaked with rain, to stare levelly at Enoki. Her eyes, down to the exact shade of deep gold, were her fathers, but the intensity that shone in them now was wholly her mothers. "Yes, those Black Hills. You don't have to pretend, I'm sure our paths crossed."

If she had been able to place Enoki's last name she wouldn't be so defiant now. She didn't know this was Kele's younger sister. He had ceased to be an Ashrelle the day he was taken. Iopah had never asked and he had never spoken of it. There was no way for her to know she was speaking to the sister of a ghost.

(This post was last modified: Aug 23, 2014, 11:56 PM by Iopah.)