Sacred Grove Like a Whirlwind

- Evann, you are caught in a vicious snowstorm.

Time seemed to pass with increasing pace as the days grew longer; Paradoxically! Spring had arrived, and life continued, herds once more passing through The Wildwood, feeding the wolves after months of starvation. Life in Hallowheart Keep had grown quiet as summer neared - a nice change of pace after the turbulent early spring - everyone gathering their strength and mending their wounds, preparing for the arrival of the new pups. Evann was looking forward to the time when the young would be introduced to the pack, she enjoyed spending time with children; And now that all the others have gone... The only yearling left was Nova, the more reserved of the bunch; who she had yet to spend much time with, sadly.


But while the pack was quiet, it left much time for the young wolfess to ponder; and to feel lonely. Despite her hardest efforts, she had yet to feel fully like a part of The Keep, her urge to prove herself still as strong as when she was first accepted into the pack. But opportunities to show her worth were not exactly abundant, and she found herself wandering off the territory more and more often; not because she wanted to be alone, but there wasn't anyone she particularly wanted to be with either.


It was on one of these excursions, taking her south through the woods, looking for prey, that the sable girl was surprised by a sudden snow storm, forcing her to seek shelter in a hollow under a dead tree. She'd pushed herself p against the far wall, tucking her muzzle under her tail and watched the dancing snowflakes for several hours before she finally fell asleep.


And this morning, she awakened to clear skies and warm sunshine. Stretching thoroughly as she exited her cover, she turned her head north; Time to head home... A light sigh escaped her as she thought it, but she put on a smile; HOME.


Word count: 325

”Speech” Thoughts

PLOT WITH ME!

Didn't they get enough snow during the hellish winter that just ended? How could there be anymore left in reserve up in the sky? It seemed impossible, yet it was happening. The night before Iopah had watched it in disgust. Even safely in the thicket with a full belly she hated it. Her hackles rose and fell with each vicious gust of snow. It was too late in the season for this nonsense and Iopah slunk away from the border to seek out her den, unwilling to even watch it.

The next morning she was relieved to be met with light and warmth. Through the narrowing patch in the thicket canopy were clear skies. There was no sign of the freak snowstorm from last night, lucky for Iopah... and unlucky for anything caught unexpected. All the prey with their thin spring/summer coats in a snowstorm? Prime scavenging opportunity. She hurried back the border, coming across Miccah to explain her plan. It shouldn't be but a day or two, and then she planned to return with as much meat as she could drag. She headed south. It was the direction she had come from years ago, and she knew it well enough to pinpoint likely scavenging areas.

It was going reasonably well. She was finding the small stuff. A snake, couple frogs, and a handful of tiny birds. Such fare didn't bother Iopah; she eat it all with no hesitation. Better she ate on the go than from the pack caches later. Her full stomach only rebounded her efforts to find something better. There was no way she prancing back with a jaw full of minuscule birds. There had to be something bigger.

Her head jerked up in surprise, having caught a trace of Evann's scent. That was not something she would be eating. A Keep wolf, her memory supplied. She'd had a few run-ins with the Keep wolves before, none of them truly unpleasant. True, they were competition, but they respected Secret Woodlands border, and Iopah had agreed to do the same for them. What was this one doing so far from home? Subtly she raised her questing black nose, glancing about to catch sight of this newcomer.

(This post was last modified: Aug 11, 2014, 02:53 AM by Iopah.)

Yes indeed, home. Though she'd never really come to consider the Ghastly Woods her home. The Keep wolves were reclusive, most of them content to share a pack only for the benefits of food and protection, but not socializing much with the rest of their pack mates. This had been good enough for Evann when she first came to the lands, starved and weak, Hollowheart Keep had been a welcome haven, safe from the weather and from enemies, and with plentiful caches to help replenish her depleted muscle and fat reserves. This was the main reason she was still loyal to them, she owed @Mapplethorpe her life, for taking her in despite her state and allowing her the time to grow strong again and prove her worth. Still, her steps were less than swift when she started heading north, her route taking her through several detours to check on different trails she came across; It WOULD be nice to have SOMETHING to bring back! Most of the branches proved fruitless though, like herself, most animals had sought refuge from the storm and apparently had yet to come out. As she drew farther north, and her nose let her west, out into more open land, she did come across some minor animals who'd fallen prey to the storm; mostly birds, though there was a few snakes in between. Happy enough to take nature's leftovers, the sable lass filled her belly with the frozen meat, briefly considering bringing some of the critters home with her, but dismissing the thought as she imagined Sagacity's face at the sight of them. She was beginning to get tired - her stamina was still weak, especially with the gained weight - and considered stopping for a small rest when she heard the stranger's soft footfalls in the snow. The wind was carrying away from her, so she hadn't noticed the other before, but now her ears perked, heat swiveling in direction of the noise. She noticed the light form after a little while of searching, her coat serving as excellent camouflage against the snow; As opposed to mine..! Evann stood still, posture carefully neutral and observed the other for a little while, then she raised he voice, a secret part of her happy to get another excuse to postpone her homecoming; "H-hello there!" Word count: 387 Thoughts”Speech”

Burtn @DA & Dawnthieves.de

The brown and soot wolf had been found finally. Searching through the melting snows, likely set on the task as herself. Iopah hung back, letting the cool and wet breeze ruffle her coat, the only part of her to move. Finding and approaching were two different things. She let her pale and grey coat disguise her while she considered her next move. While this was not Sagacity, Iopah was sure that she was a Keep wolf. One from their hunt together incidentally. That curiosity sated she should turn and go home. Iopah and Sage were not friends, they simply had a mutual understanding. Iopah let her gold eyes sweep over Evann's form, sharp hunter's gaze picking up on the permanent bend in their tail. There was even less tying her to this unnamed Keep wolf.

Her mind was made up, weight shifted to her hind legs to take her away from here. And then she was addressed. Hello there! Her head lifted alertly, swiveling to look directly at Evann. Caught off-guard by the tone of her greeting than the suddenness or volume. Sage was calculating with a certain slyness, somehow Iopah had been expecting that from all the Keep wolves. Certainly not this open greeting. Her body held the roughly neutral position from when she was spying unseen on Evann. Coat slicked back, tail dipping by her hocks. Only her sharply forward ears gave away her intensity. She took a few steps forward. Her tail lifted to swing cautiously, stating her benign intentions.

"I remember you from the hunt." She called out. Small talk was not her forte. She couldn't speak and say nothing of importance. "I have't seen any of you since. I trust everything is fine wherever home is?"

(This post was last modified: Aug 11, 2014, 02:50 AM by Iopah.)

It seemed the pale shewolf had been about to leave when Evann's words reached her, but now she came closer, tail signaling a carefully favorable state of mind. The brown girl lifted her head slightly, waving her own tail slowly around her hocks. As the other spoke, she studied her more closely, finally feeling her scent on the air, recognizing the tell tale signs of a Woodlands wolf; and one she knew. A pale smile crossed Evann's lips as the light dame voiced her own recognition, fading again when she asked about home; Fine... I guess so. Clearing her throat lightly, the sable lass attempted another smile, dipping her head in a more formal greeting; "Y-yes, I remember you a... as well. You f-fought w-well." The cream and grey fae and her pack mates had helped ensure the fall of their mutual prey back then, and Evann was truly grateful for the help; That meet was much needed. Continuing, this time managing to keep the smile on her face as the subject turned to Hollowheart Keep, the plump wolfess said: "Ah y.. yeah, we l... like t-to keep to ourselves, b... b-but all is... well." She managed to speak the first part in a cheery tone, making a joke of The Keep's isolationist ways, but as she came to reassure the other of their persistent, she couldn't help but falter a bit, and she hoped her stutter covered up the hesitation. WE..? She thought to herself; Is that truly how it is? But that was a question better kept for more private moments, and with a little effort, the salt and pepper lassie managed to give the Woodlander another smile. Feeling the pressure of the conversation on her shoulders, Evann quickly moved to return the gesture, flicking her ears at the other; "I... I hope th-the same is t... true for y-you?" Even as she struggled with herself, the brown fae was sincere in her wishes for the wolves of Secret Woodlands, she would hate to think that anything bad had happened to her closest neighbors; Hopefully they're at least as good as... The Keep wolves. Word count: 356 Thoughts”Speech”

Burtn @DA & Dawnthieves.de

@Evann

She had been hoping for a scrap of information about this pack. It had become something of a game all on it's own for Iopah. Her natural curiosity had not been dampened by her agreement to not search them out. That promise still held on both ends, besides the general directional she didn't know the location. Every time she encountered a Keep wolf that curiosity flared back up and she resort to the only available option she had left. Smooth talk them into giving too much away. Iopah had many talents. She was driven, with a hunters keen eye capable of picking up minute reactions, but she was not subtle.

Her attempt at information failed again, and Iopah sighed. Her shoulders fell slightly and her approach staled. She listened to Evann from a distance, picking up on the unexplained hesitation. Had something happened? She thought to the first time she met Sage and the cold she had been given. From her safe distance she studied Evann again, making no attempt to soften her inspection or come any closer. She was offered a smile that Iopah only gave a lukewarm reception to. Evann worked to continue the conversation and Iopah wet her lips. What of the Woodland wolves?

"We lost members during the winter." She said. No attempt at sarcasm this time. Sarcasm had failed her last time with Sagacity, but by keeping her mouth shut no one had been the wiser. She had a strong suspicion that Evann may not had been entirely honest, so it was defiance that made her state it so firmly, accusingly.

The grey dame was not exactly cordial, not that Evann could blame her; they knew nothing about each other, and though their packs were on somewhat gracious terms, the secrecy of The Keep didn't exactly inspire confidence. She kept her distance, returning the sable shewolf's smile thinly. Evann tried not to let it affect her, maintaining her friendly expression as she listened to the other's words with pointed ears. Having grown accustomed to the Hollowheart Keep way of holding back information, the harsh honesty made her jump slightly, ears shying back, posture lowering as if the pale woman had physically struck her. Her struggling smile finally fell, and she looked at the other with an almost apologetic gaze. The situation was so unexpected that she simply kept staring, silently, for quite a while, mind buzzing as she tried to figure out how to respond. In the end, her long learned defenses shot up, the gruff tone making her anxious, which she again tried desperately to hide, so as to not appear weak. Her ears returned to their upright position, shoulders lifting, and her tail stopped its light wagging, even though she kept it low. Meeting the opposer's amber eyes, she raised her wrinkled her brows slightly, adopting an almost sympathetic expression. "Yeah, it... was a t-tough one." She said, dismissively, letting her gaze drift slightly as if her interest was fading; though in truth, her entire attention was on the other wolf. Hidden behind the careless facade, Evann's heart was beating wildly, a number of terrible scenarios running through her brain; What should I do?! Maybe the best course of action was to simply leave now, before the tension escalated further... But the thought of returning to Hollowheart Keep did nothing to quell the young fae's growing angst. Looking back to the other, she tried to asses her, speculating on whether this could evolve into a fight; that was the last thing she wanted! Noticing how the light-pelted woman studied her own figure openly, Evann opted to do the same; they were quite similar in size, the Woodland wolf posing a much more athletic build than her own, chubby frame. That being said, it was possible that the brown lassie's newly gained weight could give her an upper hand if it came to blows, she clung to that hope, knowing that it was very unlikely that she could outrun the other in the event of an attack. Her best bet was to try and diffuse the situation, the question was how. The nervous woman never had been good at feigning attitude, and her affected aloofness was already crumbling under her worry; So what should I do, WHAT SHOULD I DO?! She couldn't completely double back in her attitude, that more than anything would be a show of weakness, so what then. Finally, she parted her jowls again, this time speaking with an attempt at a lighthearted tone; "But I... I'd like t-to think w... we all c... c-came out st... st-stronger in the end." She tried another smile, once more lowering her shoulders a tad; That's right, laugh it off. Composing herself into a posture that she hoped conveyed both friendliness and strength, she considered sitting down, but she didn't dare, she still feared the whole situation might explode on her. Word count: 551 Thoughts”Speech”

Burtn @DA & Dawnthieves.de

@Evann

The woman could do nothing but stare and Iopah was stuck waiting it out. Time ticked by and the snow melted around them, but neither female shifted. The other seemed to need a moment to compose herself and Iopah wouldn't leave while the stranger's gaze rested on her. No, Iopah would never be the first to drop her gaze. Evann's facial expression was blank, so Iopah looked down the rest of her again. She seemed healthy and well-fed. No trace of illness, the excuse Iopah had attributed to the stranger's hesitation. Perplexed her eyes landed back on her face, waiting.

Evann came out of her surprise. It was clear Iopah was not a particularly eloquent speaker. Her intended meanings were lost, words came out much rougher than they were meant. Likewise, she sometimes missed the subtle nuances in the words of others. But she was a hunter and where the spoken word failed her, she picked up on the body language of those around her. The gruffness in Evann's response was overlooked she was busy watching Evann, reading the defensiveness. When the girl turned to gaze at something, Iopah did not turn to look with her. Was Evann nervous because of her?

She felt bad, she firmly reminded herself that these were the neighbors that she actually preferred. When Evan spoke again, Iopah suppressed her derisive snort, instead tilting her head. "I've never liked that phrase. I don't care how strong it makes me, it still sucks." She paused, blinking mildly at the name-less wolf. The distance was still too much between them. Iopah shimmied forward a couple steps, ears folded demurely against her head. It wasn't that she couldn't hear well enough, but she wanted to at least try to make an effort. She offered out her name hopefully. "I'm Iopah." Maybe they could take this conversation from the beginning, so to speak?

@Iopah *cringes* this took... Way too long -.-;

Oh was she a mess! Even the smallest conversation had her emotions straining, anxiety filling her every fiber, brain reeling with far-fetched, worst outcomes. She could barely keep herself from shaking, and though she tried to keep her composure, she knew her uneasiness was showing. Attempting to maintain a level head, Evann made a point out of keeping her eyes on the Woodlander, studying her down to the individual hairs of her pelt, trying to predict her next move. It took some time to come - possibly as a reaction to the brown lass' own hesitation - and while she waited, her worry only grew. So when the response finally came, she was once more thoroughly surprised. The pale wolf's voice was in no way unpleasant, her words, though disagreeing, seeming to encourage discussion. Evann's ears flicked, her head tilting slightly en mirror of the other's; She's not mad..? Not at me at least... Her smile, even though still nervous, grew a little; her anger seemed to be directed only at the snow, which was something the sable girl could fully get behind. The creme pelted woman offered yet another surprise in stepping closer. Evann's initial reaction was to take a half step back, but then she stopped and held her ground; her opposer's demeanor was not aggressive, in fact she seemed calm and favorable. Her words supported that image; an introduction. Evann felt herself relax, tensed muscles loosening. She leaned back on her hunches, her small smile more easy, the tension had visibly defused between them and she was relieved. Feeling a little silly for her overreaction, the brown speckled shewolf had to fight an impulse to stare at her paws. She didn't want to be impolite though, and she still wanted to keep her eyes on the other, just in case, so she centered her gaze on the bridge of Iopah's muzzle, not quite meeting her eyes; "It's n... nice to m-meet you Iopah. I'm Ev... Evann." Her voice was soft, lined with a hint of her embarrassment, but backed by true friendliness; she truly wanted to get along with the Woodland wolf. After a short pause, she added in a serious tone: "Yo... you're right about th-the winter. I'd rather h... h-have been w-without it." She didn't know what else to say about it and grew silent, watching Iopah expectantly. Word count: 393 Thoughts”Speech”

Burtn @DA & Dawnthieves.de

@Evann that's ok! this thread is getting old though...
maybe an exit from you, then I throw one together for Io?

When Evann stepped back slightly, Iopah's gaze shifted to the side. Her own forward motion stopped and she waited, acting distracted for a moment. There was really nothing to see in this sunny clearing and her eyes lifted idly into the woods beyond. Her borders lay to the north, and within them, her hungry pack mates. No matter how much she strayed, she would always go back to them.

Her tawny ears were the exact opposite of her disinterested demeanor, they twisted alertly in the sable woman's direction. She wasn't ignoring Evann, rather purposely making little of Evann's nervousness. When the woman gave an indication of her comfort, Iopah would turn her attention back. To stare her new acquaintance down would do no good. The wind blew softly and the huntress, with nothing else to do, lifted her nose into it. Before the day ended she would have to be home, meal or not.

Finally the conversation continued and Iopah turned smoothly in the others direction once again. A name was offered in the woman's halting way and Iopah smiled in amusement. She wasn't laughing at the other woman, but rather the awkward situation they had found themselves in. There was a brief pause that Iopah waited in, tail high and twitching lazily behind her. Iopah nodded in agreement, looked around at the melting snow and added, "I think that was the last of it for this year, now we only have to endure the summer." Golden eyes crinkled at her little joke, she was looking forward to the warm weather. Once her amusement faded she looked idly at the other. Like Evann she was running out of niceties to say. Clearly no information was forth coming from this interaction and her attention was jumping ahead to the task at hand. If she knew this was the last time she'd met a Keep wolf certainly she would have put more effort into the continuing the conversation, but as it was they seemed to have run out of things to say to each other. "I hope to see you again, perhaps there will be another elk involved."