Turtleback Lake storm chaser

@Nauja || Mid-morning, Freezing fog, 12 ° F, -11 ° C

He wasn't sure where he was but he was also positive that didn't matter much. His eyes had never been the best but he had made it this far in life. He had made it this far alone, too. What was one more day or one more year? Nothing. He went where he could get by. A mixture of following the herds and following the water. It had done him good so far so it surely wouldn't fail him now.

He had found himself lost in the morning fog. While it was mildly frustrating he wouldn't admit that. Something felt good about going in this direction so he'd keep walking till he found where he was. With his weaker eyesight and fog, he wasn't sure how long that could take. Perhaps he was simply moving on a whim. There might only be bad out here and his hopes for something good could be just that. Hope.

Vasu sighed softly about ready to turn direction with a new hope. He needed food. Some shelter would be nice too but he wasn't completely worried about it. Yet there he found himself approaching something that had been good. Too good to be true. If he could see it right there was the outline of a shore. A large lake? It didn't smell like the ocean. There were shrouded land masses in the water. Islands? Was he dreaming? If he was he did not want to awaken from the fog of his dreams.

For the first time being in this land she caught the glint of water and it wasn't just a small creek or puddle.  It was a much larger body of water, not as big as the ocean she loved but it was more water than she'd seen in the longest time.  She couldn't help the joy that overcame her a wide smile crossing her dark features as he picked up her pace.  There was still a lot of ground to cover between her and what she could only assume was a lake by its size. Nauja didn't care about the distance she wanted to reach the water, to put her paws in it and feel it wash over them and through her fur.

It was a ridiculous desire really considering the lake was probably frozen but that thought hadn't crossed the Seagull's mind.  Her desire to feel the water on her paws was too great for her to care about a silly thing like ice. Racing across the Tundra she reached the lake in a shorter amount of time than she thought it would take. The disappointment when she did finally realize that she wouldn't be able to put her paws in the water causing the smile to fall from her face.

Slowly she walked toward the water only to be stopped when she discovered that she was not the only one on the shore.  Reaching her muzzle out she took in his scent finding that he too was alone.  She cautiously moved closer until she was a safe distance before she finally spoke to him. “Is it so frozen you can't stick your paws in for a brief moment?” It was an odd question she was sure, the water would surely be too cold but it had been so long.

(This post was last modified: Feb 22, 2017, 11:39 PM by Nauja.)

Please see Kajika's OOC profile for OOC preferences, thank you

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

He didn't notice anyone else. He was far too focused on being able to see a large body of water. There he was on the shore. Exposed and unprepared for company. So when someone called out to him he stared for a moment. His eyes did their best to make out her approaching form. She was dark with a set of fiery eyes. She wasn't familiar.

His ears perked at her question. Did she want to go in? He did too but going into the water in the winter didn't seem very smart. "It's cold." He spoke softly. Voice a bit rough from not using it as often as one might. He wasn't what else there was to say. Even if he hadn't gone into the water himself he was positive it'd be a bit chilly. She might not die from it but there was always the chance of catching a cold or losing a toe. His eyes went back to looking out into the foggy distance. The islands were calling to him but he knew he'd never make it. At least not in this weather. But he was aging too so the possibility of never making it was certainly real. It worried him. He had always been an old soul but he was still getting to used to the idea that he was physically getting old. Vasu would ignore it for now. He was still healthy and until otherwise he would live the fullest life possible.

"Do you live here?" He asked as his grey-blue eyes looked over to her. If she was so interested in the water perhaps she had a tie to it. While he hadn't smelt any pack borders that didn't mean she didn't live here alone.

the ghost in the corner of the room
knows how you’re feeling
‘cause you’re dead to him, too

To be honest she was surprised to find someone at the lake since she hadn't run across many wolves in her travels.  There had been more lately but with winter she thought a lot of loners would have found packs.  Nauja might have too but she didn't want to have a repeat of what happened in Grizzly Hollow.

From where she stood she couldn’t really tell if their was a small margin at the edge she might be able to at least drink at. Maybe even slip her toes beneath the water's surface until she couldn't take the cold any longer. She nodded at his response, “Too cold to enjoy the water through your fur.” She commented almost absentmindedly.  Her gaze drifted to the water ears coming forward looking for the sound of the water lapping at the shore but it wasn't there, “The water is much too still in winter,” she added to her previous statement.

Nauja shook her head, “No, but the islands look like a good place to make a home on the water.” She did miss it so much and as she looked the islands over she wished she could get to them.  It was much too cold to try and make it to them even if the lake was iced over.  She let her orange gaze returned to the stranger, “Are you from around here?”

(This post was last modified: Feb 23, 2017, 12:37 AM by Nauja.)

Please see Kajika's OOC profile for OOC preferences, thank you

She took his little tip and all he did was nod his head. Wanting to put her toes in the water was one thing but wanting to let the water run through all of her fur sounded much more dangerous. A higher risk of sickness and death was possible that way. He watched out of the corner of his eyes to make sure she wasn't about to dive into the water. While he didn't know her he wasn't about to let her seal a death wish if he could help it.

A very tiny smile lifted his lips at her words. So she saw them too and he hadn't been having a bad vision day nor was the fog playing any tricks. "Agreed." Vasu's voice was neutral but there was a certain look in his eyes. He would love to set up on one of those islands if he could but he wondered how safe it was. Would he be flooded out again? Would anyone join him on an island in the lake? He figured it best to not stay on an island again. Visits would be nice but perhaps somewhere close to water would be nicer than in the water.

"Far from here." He looked back to her with a gentle smile. Vasu counted himself lucky to meet such a nice wolf after being on his own for some time. "Do you know of any packs?" It was worth asking. If he really needed somewhere to go maybe she'd point him in the right direction.

the ghost in the corner of the room
knows how you’re feeling
‘cause you’re dead to him, too

All the ice and snow made her wish for spring to come sooner than she would be able to hear the lapping of the water.  If she closed her eyes she could almost imagine that she was back on the shores in Bella Coola.  A light breeze to ruffle the fur along her back and down her chest, all that would be missing would be the scent of salt on the air. The land was dead now, the sounds gone muffled by the snow and all it aimed to do was put her into a funk.  She was glad that spring was coming nearer to them which had brought other thoughts to her mind.  Ones that she didn't see dwelling on when she would not get that this year, she huffed at that as she once more looked across to the nearest island.

Her words about the island had brought a smile to his face and he stated he agreed with her, this made her even more curious about him.  “If could would you?” She asked her head tilting slightly. Would he make a home one of the islands and live their happily near the water hearing the lapping of water as he fell asleep. “Do you think it's possibly to be happy living away from the mainland?” She'd never lived on a island, always the mainland even in Bella Coola but who was to say things couldn't be different.

“Me too,” she said with a small smile, “By the sea,” she added to clarify just how far, do far it had become out of reach for her.  All her efforts to return home to her family and the sea with its salty air. She shrugged when he asked about packs, “A couple I don't know much about them,” she told her weird mood caused by finding the lake leaving her not really in the mood to pretend she knew all there was to know about the packs. “There are two in the lowlands I don't know what they are called and one further south, Grizzly Hollow but I don't know it's exact location.”

(This post was last modified: Feb 23, 2017, 01:18 AM by Nauja.)

Please see Kajika's OOC profile for OOC preferences, thank you

His eyebrows raised at her question. She was rather interesting. "I have before but it's dangerous. I'm not sure if I'd do it again." He spoke rather soft. The thought of the storm still bothered him. He always wished he had done more even if he had done everything he could. "I do believe it is. It's much more unique than living on the mainland but it's well worth it." That was the most he had spoken in a while but it was worth it. She had asked a question and he thought she deserved a full answer.

The sea. He liked her already. Well, she had been proving to be good company even before she mentioned the sea. "Miss the sea?" He asked kindly. "If you need help looking I'll lend a paw." His tail swayed happily behind them. Maybe if he involved himself with someone who shared a common interest he'd feel more alive. More or less he felt like a ghost. He drifted from place to place with no goal in mind. Vasu wondered if it was by chance he ran into her or if the fates were trying to give him something. Either was he was grateful.

"Ah, thank you." His silver and black head nodded in appreciation. Those were rather broad and vague clues but he assumed that was better than nothing.

the ghost in the corner of the room
knows how you’re feeling
‘cause you’re dead to him, too

Her brows rose when he mentioned that living on an island could be dangerous, “in what way is it?” She didn't see it.  Looking at the islands in the middle of the lake it looked so peaceful out there surrounded by the water. He'd also said that he didn't know if he could do it again which she felt meant he'd done it before. She smiled though when he said that it was unique and worth it, “What was your favorite part about it?” She asked as she tried to imagine what it would be like to live on an island, “Was it like the ones there?” She asked pointing with her nose toward the ones on Turtleback lake.

She nodded maybe a little more emphatically than she should have, "I miss it very much,” she confirmed.  So much so that she often felt lost without it always being that stable presence in her life.  If nothing else was the sea was always there with his comforting scents and sounds. Her features brightened when he said he'd offer her a paw to find the sea. “I have been looking for so long to find my way back to it but I haven't been able to find it.  Your help would be very appreciated.” Any help that he could give her to find the sea would be welcome.  She had made up her mind before returning that she would give up but she had new hope and she couldn't throw it away if it meant she might see her family again.

"It's my pleasure,” she said when he thanked her for the information on the packs.  She knew it wasn't much, very little actually but hopefully it was a start for him.  “Sorry I couldn't give you more,” she added because she did wish she could give him more.

(This post was last modified: Feb 23, 2017, 02:36 AM by Nauja.)

Please see Kajika's OOC profile for OOC preferences, thank you

"Floods usually but if a fire strikes then you could be stranded." He left out the part that the fire had happened to him. "Famine could happen if you don't learn how to ration and perhaps fish." Vasu was sure he could have listed reasons all day but it seemed pointless. As long as she got a general idea that danger was out there than he had done his job. There was no need to scare her more than needed. Not that he was intentionally trying to scare her.

He looked out to the islands and did his best to take in their features. "The peace." He shrugged softly to her first question before moving on to the next. "For the most part." It was hard to tell since he wasn't actually on the island. The Stormwright wasn't sure how different islands were from one to the next. He hadn't been on very many. He had partially kept his distance from them since his home had been ruined.

"How would you like to look for it?" His eyes looked over to the dark female again. "You want to split up and meet somewhere or stick together?" It was her call really. Vasu wouldn't mind either. While some company would be nice he figured he might get more done alone. Not that she really seemed to be much of a distraction. The dark female seemed to know what she wanted.

He smiled and shook his head. "No need to be sorry. Any and all advice is nice." It was the truth. Without knowledge of what was around he had to trust the kindness of strangers.

the ghost in the corner of the room
knows how you’re feeling
‘cause you’re dead to him, too