Broken Timber Pines Strange Birds

@Arion <3

- late morning - Partly Cloudy, 11 ° F/-11 ° C

Snow and cold, they had aid that was what winter meant; So far… Pretty accurate. One thing was for sure, it was boring as *$%]! The snow made it harder to move around, restricting the young shewolf to the area right around Secret Falls. And now that she was big enough to actually leave the territory and explore, that pissed her off greatly. The falls were deeply uninteresting, they were just water… As a young pup they had been her favorite place, but now that winter had mostly frozen them, reducing the roaring water to a dull trickle and killing off most of the animals that had lived at its edges, there was nothing drawing her to the place. The rest of Broken Timber Pines followed the same pattern, after all it was nothing more than toppled trees. There was nothing more to see, and so, no more reason to move at all.

That was why, today, Nalda was simply lying on a rock near the den, lazing in a spot of sunlight that had fought its way through the cloud cover to attempt and warm up the earth. It didn't have much success, the air was biting, and despite her fur having grown out lush full, the young Zamora dearly missed the warmth of summer. This sun spot was the closest she would get, for months yet they said, and it wasn't nearly enough. Glaring up at the sun, the girl sighed heavily blinking at the light that seemed even sharper, despite being further away; Traitor. She snorted and lowered her head to the cold stone, curling up tightly and covering her nose with the bushy tip of her russet tail; I just wish I could sleep all this winter away!

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"Speech" Thoughts

I'm so sorry, I didn't see this until last night! <3

Like Nalda, the little smudge was not fond of the stupid white stuff falling from the sky. It was pretty—he would give it that—but it was still a nuisance. It was cold and damp, and it stuck to everything. The worst part was that winter had just begun, which meant he was going to be surrounded by the irritating snow for a few more months before it melted away and spring arrived. For now, even though he wanted to avoid the substance completely, he was going to have to put up with it. Maybe even… embrace it? Ugh.

He flopped around inside the darkness of the den, his icy blue gaze focused on the ceiling as a disgruntled sigh spilled past his lips. He was debating on sleeping the day away because he really did not want to confront the snow that was waiting for him outside. Would his mother notice if remained confined within the den walls? Surely she would understand his reluctance to venture out into the frigid temperatures…

Another sigh escaped him as he wriggled in frustration against the ground. As much as he wanted to remain in the warm(ish) den Arion knew he couldn’t stay there all day. Sleeping wasn’t on the agenda for the day; neither was sulking. Grumbling to himself, the boy pushed himself onto his stomach and dragged his sorry fluffy-butt out of the den. His pale orbs blinked frantically at the sudden rush of light—the sun was unexpected but welcome surprise, although he was disappointed to see that there was still a layer of white covering the ground. Wrinkling his muzzle in annoyance he glanced over to see the russet-coloured Nalda curled up on a rock in the sunlight. Taking a few steps in her direction the boy settled his hindquarters on the ground, his head cocked slightly as he observed her. “Hey girlie,” he greeted softly with a lop-sided grin etched across his dark maw as he kicked some snow in her direction, hoping some would disturb her sun-bathing.

@Arion - Sorry this took so long, I've been kinda MIA for the last month -.-

She managed to achieve some semblance of warmth within her cocoon of fur. That was until it was destroyed by a sudden attack of wet particles, landing square between her ears. Nalda's head jolted up, her tail uncurling in a quick swoosh as she lifted herself halfway up to shake off the affronting snow. Her eyes blazed with fury as they scanned around, soon landing on the shadowy lad, identifying him as the guilty party. His crooked smile and trilling greeting elicited a snarl from the girl, though her bristled fur began to settle as she realized what had happened. "Ari." She grumbled, though the shadow of a smile tugged at the corners of her lips as she slumped back into a seat on the bare slap of rock.

Of anyone who could have disturbed her in this moment, Arion was probably the best possible option – which didn't mean that she wasn't in this very moment contemplating her revenge for the snow throwing – but at least she wasn't poising for escape. All the other members of this supposed pack where not only hopelessly uninteresting, but horrendously annoying. At least Ari brought a bit of distraction, in this monotonous existence. Nalda stretched lazily, casting a quick glance around them to make sure they were actually alone. "Where are the wonder twins?" She drawled, referring to their two other age mates, who, blessedly, had not been around to bother her this morning. The girls might mean only good, but that mattered little to Nalda, who had no stomach for their antics. Ember might have her moments, though they were few and far between; Farther and farther it seems… But Bracken! Ech..! Polar opposites, the two pups had never really gotten along, the Reinier girl with her nimiety of energy and, it seemed, complete lag of brain to go along with it wholly incompatible with Nalda's penchant for quiet observation.

While waiting for his answer, the slate and russet girl eyed their surroundings again, this time not looking for possible disturbers, but a chance to get back at the raven boy for his rude way of rousing her. There was plenty of snow, blanketing the landscape, but the trick was to take him by surprise; This will take some tinkering…

word count: 377

"Speech" Thoughts

Because of work, my activity will fluctuate every other week. For more information and OOC preferrences check out my profile

There is a family of deer nearby. Hunt Opportunity

no worries!! <3 @Nalda

The russet creature before him was a strange one. She was not like the ‘wonder twins’—in fact, she was the polar opposite. She had a sharp tongue but a quiet demeanour about her, which only heightened his curiosity. As much as he adored the sisters, it was nice to slip away and be alone with his thoughts—it seemed that Nalda had similar thoughts.

“Dono,” he responded with a uninterested shrug. “Probably wreaking havoc seomwhere,” he added with a playful roll of his eyes. Most days Arion would  be jumping at the chance to join them, but today was different. Today he wanted to steer away from the chaotic, high energy that came along with the sisters. Was this what growing up does to you—gross! Maybe something was wrong with him… maybe he was delusional. Whatever the case, something was clearly not right with him. The little shadow definitely was not ready to become an adult—no freakin’ way.

Shuffling his paws awkwardly, he glanced around their snow-covered surroundings as he searched for something else to add to the conversation. He was good at being silly; being immature; however, he was not so good at being serious and having—groan—conversations. “It’s nice when the dens aren't so busy,” he commented absently, almost to himself, as his blue gaze was focused elsewhere. Moron. If his fur wasn’t so dark, the russet girl would’ve seen his cheeks blush crimson as his ears flicked back. Drawing his lips tight, the boy refused to allow anymore words to fall from his tongue. Clearly he shouldn’t be carrying a conversation—he was utterly useless in that department.  

(This post was last modified: Jan 28, 2016, 07:17 AM by Arion.)

"Mhm…" She drawled as the only response, attention preoccupied by her search of the area. It wouldn't surprise her if the girls in this very moment were burying each other in snow somewhere; The very thought made her shudder. She wondered why Arion wasn't with them, he was usually game for any sort of mischief, but she didn't want to ask, as it might sound like she wanted to be rid of him, which she didn't; Not yet at least! They had a score to settle, and she might just have found the way.

With slow, lazy movements, the russet pup reached out her forelegs, stretching thoroughly after her doze in the sun. Her dark golden eyes had returned to Arion, showing no sign of the plan brewing behind them. She got to her feet, walking towards him in an insouciant manner, careful to appear as if she had no specific target. There was a goal to her stroll though, as she had noticed the dark boys unfortunate choice of sitting place. One of the few trees that were still standing around the clearing of the Pines den site was only a few steps away from the raven pup, one particular, thick branch reaching out high above his head, piled with snow. It was hard to hide a snicker as Nalda made her way, nonchalantly to the base of the tree, eyes still on Arion, as if she was paying deep attention to his words. "Oh very." She agreed, a little too much enthusiasm in her voice; "It's hard to think with all that noise." Ever since the three litters had been united in one den, the contemplative pup had been hard pressed to get a moments peace. Often she lay awake at night for hours, after the others had finally passed out from exhaustion, enjoying the quiet.

Now though, she had reached her mark, and allowed the sneaky grin to appear on her face as she locked eyes with her target. Quickly, she bumped her hip into the tree trunk as hard as she could, feeling the jolt radiate through her body. Then she swiftly pulled back, jumping out of the way as snow rained down over them.

word count: 369

"Speech" Thoughts

Because of work, my activity will fluctuate every other week. For more information and OOC preferrences check out my profile

His toes wriggled absently in the snow as he tore his focus away from the russet girl. It almost felt… odd without having the ‘wonder twins’ lurking over hid shadow, following his every move—or vice versa. As nice as it was to have constant company, it was also a nice change to be on his own—which meant getting to know those who kept their distance (aka Nalda).

When she spoke, he didn't really know how to answer her. Keeping his lips tight, the boy simply nodded in response, his pale eyes narrowed slightly as he observed the coy movements of the girl. She was definitely up to something, that was for sure, but what? Payback, most likely, for the spray of snow he sent her way as a greeting. That was mild compared to what Ember and Bracken would have done to her—as a team, the sisters were ruthless. Arion was a little more well-behaved than them when he was on his own—just a little. “It's the wonder twins that cause most of the nose,” he suddenly piped up with a lop-sided grin placed across his maw.

As the words left the tip of his tongue Nalda swung her hip against the tree closest to him. The action caused an avalanche of snow to fall from it's branches, showering the shadow in the icy substance. He yelped in surprised, followed by a curse word he shouldn’t know, as he leapt back in a feeble attempt to flee the snow. “Hey!” He shouted in a mixture of both irritation and amusement. Well played, Nalda. His blue gaze sought out the russet female, glinting with mischief as he plotted his immediate revenge. He lunged at the snow between them, using his paws to push it upward and send the snow back into the sky.  

(This post was last modified: Jan 31, 2016, 06:23 AM by Arion.)

The girls head tilted back, a tinkling laughter lifting to the sky as her victim fought, unsuccessfully, to escape the frozen assault. Snow rained down over Arion, his indignant exclamation only fueling Nalda's victorious chortle. It was the small things, that one second of clear panic in his eyes, pure joy. Then of course came the aftermath, which was never as pretty. Her head had just come down, golden eyes narrowing as she attempted to focus on the carnage, when the retribution hit; A frozen wave flying towards her face, faster than she could retreat. She shrieked, pitifully, ducking her head and flattening back her ears. This was all she had time to do, before the snow hit, tiny flakes sticking in her coat  and sending shivers along her body.

She shook herself rigorously, spitting as if her mouth had been filled with dirt, even though only a light sprinkle of relatively clean snow had touched her lips. No doubt the smudge was laughing at her, just like she had him moments before. "You'll pay for that Celencio!" She snarled, steadying herself to glare at him, mouth twisted into a half smile; Alright, let's PLAY! Time was over for subtleties, no way he would allow her close enough for another sneak attack, now she needed to be fast. With the skill that came from many hours studying her age mates fighting – rather than participating – Nalda hastily skimmed the vicinity, eyes locking on a particular clump of snow, just in front of the fallen trees, just a leap away. A wicked grin spread across her face, tail twitching excitedly.

In one, swift motion, she sprang to the pile, knowing full well what hid underneath. Creamy paws scooped at the snow, clearing away the worst weight, and then nature did the rest. Despite their youth, the pine saplings were strong, only biding their time, bended under the snow, until spring melted it away and they could rise anew. Nalda had simply helped speed up the process. With their tops cleared of snow, the springy young trees shot back up into an upright position, flinging the remaining snow in Arion's direction. The fiend did not stay to witness the results this time around, rather she quickly slipped under the pine log, sprinting away into the forest, tail flying high behind her; Your move!

word count: 390

"Speech" Thoughts

Because of work, my activity will fluctuate every other week. For more information and OOC preferrences check out my profile

:D

Perhaps the sparrow-coloured girl was not as dull — and stuck up — as he had originally believed. It seemed as though without the presence of the ‘wonder twins’ the withdrawn red-head was able to step out of her comfort zone. Or, maybe she just really wanted to harass the Celencio. Either way, Arion was just happy that she was done being so dang serious, even if it was only temporary.

He could hardly restrain the laughter that bubbled past his lips as he bounced on the balls of his feet before her, impatiently awaiting her next attack. A glimmer of mischief flashed in his pale eyes as he studied her russet frame, his lips pulled into a sly, crooked grin. She shouted in response to be showered in snow, her snarl cutting through the cold air. Another burst of (super manly) giggles consumed him as he observed her, his brows narrowed as he waited to see how she would react. This, of course, was foolish — it would have been much wiser for the boy to run off, using the nearby trees as protection, instead of allowing himself to be an easy target. She moved with precision, cutting through the snow as she sprang at a lump of snow, releasing the pine sapling from it's weight. His mouth fell into a perfect ‘o’ as panic settled in, his paws scrambling (and slipping) over the snow in a feeble attempt to escape her attack.

He wasn’t quick enough.

Snow cascaded over him, drenching his obsidian body as he continued to clamber at the snow, a low growl forming in his throat. As he pushed through the snow, another thought came over him, and he quickly fell quiet. Arion knew he could get out easily — the snow was soft and he was already half-way out — but Nalda didn’t know that. With one last whimper, he fell completely silent, his lanky legs folded into a couch beneath the cover of snow. If everything went according to plan, the red-head would think he was buried beneath the snow and hopefully would come to his rescue… only to get a face full of snow.

Despite herself, the serious girl was consumed by excitement, a giggle of her own bouncing between the trees as she ran, consumed by a freedom she rarely felt within back borders. Her ears were turned back, listening alertly for when he would, surely, come barreling after her. For now she could still hear him struggling against the snow, glee filling her at the thought of him, covered completely in her frozen volley. But then the sounds receded, and rather than paws hammering against the forest floor in her pursuit, the woods grew eerily silent. Nalda slowed to a halt, panting slightly, grin frozen on her face; What gives? She kept still, expecting to hear him closing in; Any minute now… But still nothing.

Slowly she turned, looking back at the path she had plowed through the snowy underbrush. She craned her neck, strained her bat-like ears, but there was no sound. He definitely wasn't following her; Why? They were just in the middle of such fun and then he just, gave up? On springy paws, ready to spin back and jump off into a sprint at any moment, Nalda retraced her steps. As she neared the clearing she became more tense, expecting an ambush, but still the dark boy did not appear. "Ari?" The rust tipped girl called, tentatively, peaking out into the clearing. She saw nothing but a pile of snow, the result of her last attack, but no signs of life. "You chicken out?!" A little louder now, as she freed herself of the last trees and stepped out into the open. A frown settled on her face, ears starting to slack; I thought we were having fun…

word count: 280

"Speech" Thoughts

Because of work, my activity will fluctuate every other week. For more information and OOC preferrences check out my profile