Turtleback Lake On The Front Line

For @Naia <3 Some PP in here, let me know if any of ya' is not okay with it :)

DATED: 4/28

"I am the shadow, and the smoke in your eyes" ORREN BARANSKI The sun was making its way onto the sky, bathing the dark trees and grassy hills in golden light, and reflecting off of the water in sharp shimmers. Early that morning, while the light was still diffuse, @Maksim had sent Naia down along the southern bank of the lake to scout the land, and Orren, feeling the itch of adventurousness after having stuck with the group the entire day before, had asked to come with her. To his luck, neither his parents nor the scout had had any objections, and the two had set off. The first few hours had been mostly silent, sleep still clinging to them both, but now that the sun had been warming up the air for a few hours, Orren was finally starting to feel awake. He walked right at the edge of the water, having slowed his trot for a moment to inspect the stony bank. The small, cold waves licked over his paws, making him grimace, but he stood his ground as his nose was lowered to the bank where he was studying a set of tracks. Unsurprisingly, the vast lake attracted a large amount of wildlife, the aspiring hunter had found quite a number of tracks from many different species through the morning, though most were day-old. These too had only vague traces of scent, and Orren sighed lightly, straightening up and gazing out over the water. It was an impressive sight, he'd never seen such an enormous body of water before, and it was dotted with lush, green islands, many of which were home to large colonies of birds, both in the tall tries, and nesting along the water; If only I could get out there! It would be a veritable buffet, the fat waterfowl unable to escape the quick wolves. But there was a reason that they had chosen to nest out there, with no connection to the main land, the islands were a safe haven, free of land bound predators. Orren certainly wasn't about to attempt swimming out there, having grown up at the banks of the large, unpredictable Cut Rock River, he'd developed a healthy respect for water; Still, it's a shame! Word count: 364 Thoughts ”Speech”

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Although they had left behind a home surrounded by water, the air that hung over the lake felt stagnant and strange to the River woman, who was used to the sounds and scents of the Cut Rock rapids.  Naia had enjoyed seeing her young companion’s eyes grow wide when he took in the vastness of Turtleback Lake, a body of water so large that it enveloped not one, but three islands inside its aqueous embrace. The petite lady had waded out into the quietly lapping waves, walking into the frigid water up to her chest. She glanced back at the fire-eyed yearling on shore, knowing that if he joined her and stood in the same place, the waves would barely lick at his belly. When had Orren gotten so much bigger than her?

The honey-eyed woman followed her companion’s gaze, watching him appraisingly as he sniffed at the shoreline and then looked longingly out to the islands. Naia had a scout’s stamina and was confident in her ability to swim out to the nearest island should that be what she wished to do, but of course she had Orren to consider. As much as she longed to explore an island previously untouched by wolfkind, Kisla would have her hide to line her birthing den if she knew Naia put Orren in that kind of danger. She shot the yearling a conciliating half-smile, assuming the same desire was on his mind. “Perhaps one of the eastern islands will be closer to shore,” she speculated, hopefully renewing the boy’s passion. They couldn’t lose heart when the day had only just begun! Naia swiped a paw over the surface of the water playfully, splashing Orren in an attempt to lure him into the surf to play.  

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"I am the shadow, and the smoke in your eyes" ORREN BARANSKI Persimmon eyes drifted from the water-bound utopia, falling instead on the slender scout who'd dared to step further out into the lake. He smiled at the sight of her, half covered by water and gazing out at the islands just like he had been, but to the same time a shiver ran down his spine, and he shook out his multicolored fur; despite the fast approaching summer, it was still too chilly for him to crave a dip. He was also acutely aware of his larger size, and though he was immensely proud of his bulk, he also knew that it would way him down considerably at any attempt at swimming. Her high voice brought his attention back to her, just in time for him to see the 'attack' though his reflexes were to slow to bring him out of the water's path. With a snort he shook his head to get water out of his ears, droplets raining around him, obscuring the useless tracks he'd been studying. His eyes narrowed, for a moment glaring out at the nimble scout with a murderous glimmer, then his face split in a bark of laughter and he sprang out into the shallows of the lake, large body making quite a splash as he landed. The cold made him gasp, but he didn't slow his hunt; if he should have a chance at catching her, he needed to act quickly, her much smaller body giving her a great advantage over him in speed. If he could manage to get to her though, his victory would be pretty much secure, though he was still lagging a lot in reaching his father's strength, his muscle had grown in considerably during their journey. Instantly caught up in the game, Orren chased through the water, hardly feeling the slowing effects of the pressure. In the back of his head was still the reminder of what danger the liquid could pose, but as long as they stuck close to the shore, there should be no risk. Teeth bared in mock threat, he barked at his teacher: "You'll pay for that!" Word count: 352 Thoughts ”Speech”

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Naia’s eyes lit up with mischievous glee at Orren’s reaction to the splash. Little she may be, the Timber woman had grown up in lands much further north than Relic and still had the thick skin to show for it. The trick is to keep moving, she recalled from somewhere deep within her frost-coated memories, and a laugh escaped her as she looked to Orren, all but frozen and dripping. Child of summer! The scout opened her mouth to instruct him to jump around a little, to thaw his muscles and get his blood pumping.. but a better idea struck her and she closed her mouth without speaking. Why tell him if she could show him, and perhaps extemporize a lesson while she was at it?  She lowered her head to protect her neck—obvious rumble posture—and let loose a playful, growling challenge.  She had no doubt it would stop the boy in his tracks as he charged toward her, as clearly he was expecting her to run.

The petite woman’s chin barely hovered above the surface of the water in this pose, and when she spoke the movement of her jaw created ripples in the still shallows. ”Then make me pay!”  There was a wicked gleam in her eye, and she grinned in her best impression of the evil villainess from the stories she told the Orren and his siblings as pups. Her tail switched back and forth above the water, her gaze and posture exuding casuistic confidence. She knew that this skirmish was over before it began, but perhaps Orren didn’t know that. Typically a small, swift opponent meant trouble for a larger, bulkier wolf like Orren, but in the speed-encumbering water the longer-legged combatant always had the advantage.

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There are several fresh rabbit tracks in the mud. Hunt Opportunity

"I am the shadow, and the smoke in your eyes" ORREN BARANSKI He pushed forwards with all his might, long, still slightly lanky, legs sloshing out of the water with each leap, before sinking back in with large splashes. In his effort to reach Naia before she had time to react, he failed to pay close attention to her body language, simply assuming that she would run and never stopping to consider any other options. Such, when she emitted her playful noise, the charging male widened his eyes in surprise as he realized his error. Astonished expression morphed into panic when the ramifications became clear, his paws skidding against the rocky bed in a desperate attempt to slow his advance, but with little success, he had build up too much momentum. Naia looked prepared for anything, as she stood there with her neck protected and legs placed far apart in the shallow water - that in fact reached all the way to the tip of her lowered muzzle. Still, as Orren came tumbling towards her, he had a second to think that: She probably isn't prepared for this. She called to him in challenge, apparently not yet aware that he had lost control of his forward motion, and he made an attempt to warn her; "Naia, watch..!" But he had no more time, and with a, very un-manly, shriek - that he would later hope never to emit again, certainly not in the presence of Aleksei - he crashed towards her, the cold water enveloping him and stealing his breath away as he fell, with a mighty splash. His last thought, before losing his balance, was an unlikely hope that the slight female would managed to dodge in the last second, or he would collide with her. Word count: 285 Thoughts ”Speech”

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Orren's facial expresion, courtesy of off-white.eu

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It took the scout only a split-second to realize that Orren did not have control over his forward momentum, and even if she hadn’t realized it the young man shouting her name would have done the trick. On land she would have been able to dodge the barreling youth with ease, but submerged up to her chest, she knew there was hardly any point in trying. Her reaction was to ‘hit the deck’ so to speak, ducking down beneath the water’s churning surface to press her body against the sandy lake bottom. She protected her face by tucking it downward, burying her nose in lake muck, and she felt Orren’s paws graze across her back as he was no doubt tripping over her crouched form. The buoyancy of the water offset Orren’s weight, so Naia reemerged at the surface no worse for wear.  Since she had ducked underwater she had missed Orren’s tumble and comical shriek—which the boy would no doubt be grateful for—but she shot the youth a wide, amused smile to see him standing there drenched to the bone.

It only took Naia a moment to realize she must look just as drenched, and probably even sillier than her companion as she was covered head to toe in lake muck. She then barked her laughter at herself as she looked down at her own reflection on the water’s surface—she was unrecognizable! One more quick dive underwater relieved her of the smelly grime, and then she waded back toward the beach in order to shake the water out of her pelt. “I think I got what I deserved,” she chuckled, flinging the heavy water from her fur. A strong breeze brought goosebumps to the tiny lady’s damp body, but also upon the wind was a curious scent. “Smell that?” she asked Orren, turning her quivering nose into the breeze. The smell was sulfurous and strong enough to make the scout wrinkle her muzzle in disgust. Now what on earth could smell like that?

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Love it!! <3 So adorable.

The water was freezing, it's embrace forcing the air from his lungs and making him gasp, filling his mouth. A rush of panic made his body act, almost on its own, his head foggy while his legs scrambled to regain traction on the slippery mud, finally pushing off to free his head of the icy grip. Another gasp filled his chest with fresh air, pain shooting through it and all the way up his throat. Coughing hollowly, the drenched yearling staggered a bit before finally finding his balance, standing with his feet far apart and muzzle trembling slightly, right above the water. After a moment like that, he gulped a new breath of air, this time without feeling it burn in his wind pipe, and shook his head and body to free it of the worst water. Then finally, did he look up, just in time to see Naia, with a face dark and dripping with mud, study herself in the rippling water. She was the first to crack, laughing loudly at her own reflection, and Orren was quick to follow, dark lips splitting in a wide grin as a joyous laughter build up within him. A few happy barks escaped him before another coughing fit broke them off, but he was still smiling after it finished, shaking his head lightly at both their fates. Meanwhile, Naia had cleaned the worst dirt off her pelt and was making her way onto the bank. The heavier boy eagerly followed behind her, more than happy to leave the cold; I think that's quite enough water for today! Copying his mentor, Orren shook the water from his fur, showering the bank in thousands of tiny droplets, and smiled at her comment; "I'll say so, we both did!" Then he finished drying himself, rubbing his forehead and muzzle with a muddy paw. His flaring nostrils caught the peculiar scent a only a second after his more trained teacher, and he curiously lifted his snout high in the air and sniffed intently. Unlike the scout, the Baranski prince couldn't identify the smell, nose and brows wrinkling at its strength and sour tone. "What is that?" He answered her question, glancing down at her face that was similarly twisted. It smelled a bit like rotting meat, but with a mineral note, not like something living. Gripped by curiosity, the young swashbuckler didn't wait for an answer, but eagerly began fallowing the scent, trailing away from the lake and through a thin line of trees, back towards the mountains. The sandy dirt below his paws changed to coarser gravel as the smell grew stronger, residue of yellow-cream limestone dusting his moist paws. Finally he cleared the last trees, and stopped flat in his tracks, head jerking back and up like a scared deer. The large clearing was filled with the sour mineral scent, a large barren area stretching between him and the last out runners of Serpents Pass in the distance; and right in the middle of it was a large, still pool of water, steaming lightly in the cool air. Word count: 514 Thoughts ”Speech”

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Naia shook her head, unable to answer her young student’s question. “I’ve never smelled anything like it,” she told him honestly, eyes lighting up and she realized that they would be learning something new together this time. The scout followed eagerly along behind Orren, proud of the young man for tracking the scent so efficiently. Naia was reminded of one of she and Orren’s first lessons; when she followed behind Orren as he tracked an injured rabbit beneath the moonlight. The Timber lady liked to believe that that night was when Orren realized his true calling, for after that evening the young man went hardly a day without hunting or tracking.

The stench had gotten nearly overpowering when Orren finally halted. Naia drew up beside him to get a good look, and it wasn’t just the smell that took her breath away; the pool was as beautiful as it was putrid, with shimmering green lakewater curiously ringed in gold. “It looks like an eye!” Naia pointed out, though with that yellow ring it was not a wolf’s eye so much as something.. feline.  A lynx, or a cougar perhaps. Heat radiated across Naia’s face as she stepped forward, and she noticed that the scenery behind the Eye shimmered slightly, warning the pair of the heat that emanated upward from the pool.

Naia backed away from the pool, knowing it was a curiosity that the two of them would report back to the Baranski leaders. It was a pity that it was here really, as Naia was rather hoping to suggest that the wandering pack settle somewhere along the lakeshore.. As it was though, she would hate to have to smell this stink night and day, and the Eye itself looked to be an extraordinarily dangerous feature to have around when they were trying to raise pups. “I can’t decide if it’s beautiful, or really disgusting,” the Timber woman laughed to her companion.

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Even from this distance, he could feel the heat, brushing against his fur. His persimmon eyes twinkled, captivated by the unearthly sight, while his whiskered kept twitching, nose still scrunched up against the sharp stench. The pond was almost circle round, the water rippling very lightly as if stirred from somewhere far below the bright, teal surface, and all around the edge was a broad, amber ring, slowly disappearing down into the darkness of the seemingly bottomless pool. Naia came up next to her pupil, taking in the scenery as well, her face mirroring his awe. The bulky boy smiled down at his teacher, relishing in the joy of their shared discovery. Her comment made his eyes turn back to the pond, head tilting to the side as he considered. At first it was hard for him to see what she was getting at; It's... Water! His mind wasn't really geared for this type of creative thinking. But as he followed her a few steps closer to the peculiar pool, he began to see what she meant. "Yeah..." He said, a little hesitantly, eyes narrowing, both as a shield against the heat and to get a different perspective; "You're right. Kinda like a lynx!" His memory drifted to that one morning in early spring when he and Aleksei had chased those pesky cats away from a fresh kill near the Cut Rock River border. The image made him smile again, all bite a little sadly; I wonder if we'll ever get to do something like that again... The heat had intensified significantly, even over this short distance, and Orren's ears flattened back against his head, body lowering involuntarily in an attempt to get away from the high temperature. Still, he did not follow Naia as she retreated, too curious about the strange phenomenon. Instead he crept closer on his stomach, blinking rapidly when the hot air hit his eyes. His nose was beginning to desensitize to the rancid smell, and he tried to identify the other scents in the area, noticing a distinct lack of fresh life signs. Whatever it was that caused the strange yellow ring at the water's edge, it clearly repelled most animals; Not so weird with that stench! The yearling inched his way closer to the pool, feeling like the fur on his face was starting to sear off when he finally reached the brink. He took a deep breath to gather his courage, the quickly stretched forwards to touch the water with his nose. Honestly, what had he expected? He knew it was hot, his entire body had tried to warn him, yet he had to feel it for certain. With a small yip, Orren jumped backwards, jerking his head up and shaking it violently while he danced away from the pool. His eyes watered slightly, but the worst pain faded pretty quickly, despite the rising steam, the water had not quite been scalding, and as usually, most of the lad's reaction was for show. He stopped once he'd backed a long enough distance to handle the heat, raising one paw to rub his nose. To Naia's comment, his answer was simple: "That's easy, it's gross!" He didn't have much in way of aesthetic sense. Still, he found their discovery very interesting, and smiled, a little sheepishly, at his mentor; "But it's cool!" Word count: 558 Thoughts ”Speech”

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