Red Fern Forest [bwp] only can get better

Bolder and more aggressive did not make a good addition to any enemy, nevermind a coyote. The she-wolf licked her chops worriedly, naturally not liking the sound of that. No sane lone wolf would. She was cautiously optimistic that she might be fortunate enough to avoid a run-in on her journey to find her family... but how long could her fortune last her? Has this been a problem for a long time? She asked, curious. Her father hadn't forewarned her about a bold gang of coyotes, as she thought of it... But he had been in a pack in his time here, so perhaps it had slipped his mind.

Looking at the tough, affectionless male before her, she felt a little safer. In not knowing of his {wise} avoidance of the critters, she could only imagine that this wolf made a meal out of at least one of them when they came through. He seemed the sort to kick ass first, ask questions later—and was kind enough to warn a passing stranger of them, to boot. Starhale could not help but picture herself among him and his (definitely cool) friends, ridding the wilderness of this threat...

Before returning to reality, eager to hear what was up with this strange lot of coyotes.

Now the loner looked worried. Her colours quickly shifted to vibrant yellow and muddled brown as another question rolled off her tongue. His brows snapped together as an initial response, his chin tipping softly to one side. His weeks had muddled together, and it felt as though the coyotes had always been around. A few weeks, he answered after a brief pause, his posture relaxing as he found himself growing more comfortable in her presence. He knew that she was no threat to him—or he hoped. She could still be full of shit and turn on him, so he couldn’t let his guard down completely. Hawthorne, or Askan, would skin him if they learned he had been too trusting.

They only steer clear of pack borders. Everything else, it seems, is fair game. Another shrug; his favourite method of responding, or getting his point across. He wasn’t inviting her to join the Edge wolves; heck, he didn’t even know if she would fit in with them. He was just making an obvious statement. Strength was in numbers—even the stupidest wolf could figure that out.

His nose twitched as regarded her once more, his expression softening (only slightly, of course). Who you lookin’ for?

(This post was last modified: Jun 04, 2018, 01:52 AM by Sachiel.)

ridge is a mature character

aka he curses a lot due to his frustation with his memory loss

x

ridge associates colours with moods/feelings & uses them to describe others

Not too long, it sounded like. But also not long enough for them to have left, either. If it was worth mentioning, they might still be lurking... but her sunny disposition returned as he brought mention of them avoiding packs. Sure, she didn't have a pack, yet, but she would! It made sense for them to avoid packs, too; their canid cousin was no match for them. One on one, they often fled. It was no wonder some of them had it in their head to band together.

Starhale didn't catch an invitation in his words, though she had not expected one either. He didn't know her, did he? Not only that, but she would have felt guilty to turn him down... she did not want any of her loyalty to be shortlived, be it to pack or friend, and so if her aunt was not with them, even if it guaranteed her safety, Starhale did not want to betray their trust in her for lack of longevity if she found what she was looking for. That just means I need to find my family, she said in her next breath. Starhale knew she could count on them...

His next question was one she ought to have expected, and was glad to hear, because she had totally forgotten that this nice stranger might know her family himself. Her tail beat against the earth as the flighty Tainn realized this, shifting on her hindquarters antsily as though he held a treat for her—which, if he did know anything, would mean that he was holding her favorite of treats (other than food)—knowledge. Oh! You might know her! Maybe! My aunt, her name's Sahalie!

A frown almost creased his tawny features as she mentioned needing to find her family, but it quickly swallowed it before it could make an appearance. Instead he nodded. Her colours had quickly shifted back to soft amethyst and daffodil; she had resumed her previous optimism. Good for her, he couldn’t help but think. He wished he could be that optimistic, but the tawny Selwyn couldn’t tell if it was a foolish trait or not. Sachiel knew he was better off being cautious and realistic. It left less room for disappointment.

She was dripping with excitement at the boy’s question, causing the colours that surrounded her to grow brighter. Louder. It made him squint as an initial response before he smoothed his features out, his head tipping from side to side as she expelled more words off her cherry tongue. An aunt? He blinked, his ears cupping forward. The name that followed brought back memories of a chocolate-coloured female and orange leaves. His head snapped back as realization dawned on him… how had he not made the connection sooner?! Aside from the splotch of white fur in the middle of her forehead, the dark-coloured girl’s pelt was nearly identical to her… aunt? He had not known that Sahalie had siblings… but then again, he didn’t know much about his former packmates.

She used to live south. With me, he started as the initial shock wore off, but I left. Then I found out the pack disbanded. Sort of. Apparently some of 'em moved west; over the mountain. He shrugged. I don’t know if she was with 'em though. He didn’t know where any of them went. Except for Castel. She was six feet under. His father was somewhere on the west side, too, and his mother? He didn’t know and he didn’t care.

ridge is a mature character

aka he curses a lot due to his frustation with his memory loss

x

ridge associates colours with moods/feelings & uses them to describe others

There is a deer carcass being picked over by three coyotes. They spot you and become territorial of their kill.

He knew her! It took Starhale a beat to process this information, but she absorbed every last bit of what he said as he spoke, rapt. What drama! He knew her once. That was enough; but that pack had disbanded, oh, shoot, but wait, there was more! Some of them moved over the mountain, westbound...

She was overjoyed. Everywhere else she had gone, they had not known the name at all. And here was this perfect stranger, who knew so much—

Her joy was shortlived as she heard the high-pitched eee-yip of the 'yotes he had spoken of. Fearing she had endangered him, Starhale took one solid step forward, ears cupped backward as she listened to the mangy scavengers. You've helped me more than you know, she hummed in thanks, her tail swaying. You should go home, you'll be safe there—I'll try and distract these guys, it was the least she could do. Starhale was not a strong wolf by any means, but she was swift, swifter than most—and she turned on her heel, mustering up the nerve to race toward them.

And that was what she did seconds after, barking and snapping loudly. Her challenge certainly confounded them to start with, and then it made her their sole target as she dove toward their carcass. All eyes were upon her, and all three coyotes gave chase with a vengeance as she attempted to steal away with a scrap of fur.

She appeared absolutely thrilled with the information he had provided her, even though it had not been much. Sachiel wished he could have given her more, but he hadn’t stayed in the Vale long enough to figure out where the former members had gone. He didn’t really care, either. Aside from his parents and the now decaying Castel, Sachiel hadn’t been close to any of his former packmates. He remembered most of their faces, as they were tucked away in the back of his mind, but their names evaded him. Sahalie, however, had been a name (and face) that had stuck out to him. She had cared for the other cub in the pack—the one that was always missing. Maybe she had gone off with him…? Or the silver male. His uncle.

His thoughts, however, were disrupted by a sound in the distance. More precisely: sounds.

Shit.

He was hoping that they had gotten lucky without encountering any coyotes.

Just as he was about to motion for the girl to follow him she spoke up, announcing that he should head home and she… she what?! It took everything in him not to roll his eyes as she flung herself in the direction of the coyotes in a feeble attempt at scaring them off.

Maybe she was dumber than he had initially thought…

With a defeated sigh he flung himself in the direction of the girl and her suicide mission. She was never going to find her aunt if she just tossed herself at coyotes… dumbass! C’mon Mudpie, he hissed as he shoved the closest coyote out of the way with his shoulder, I can go home later. Let’s get you out of here, huh? He cheesed as he flicked his nose toward the mountains, encouraging her to follow him as he sprinted past her.

ridge is a mature character

aka he curses a lot due to his frustation with his memory loss

x

ridge associates colours with moods/feelings & uses them to describe others

They were fast, these mutts, but she held tight to her prize as she sought to make as clean a getaway as she could. When one nipped at her hock, she was able to answer with a kick to its face and a proud snort. That had been luck, truly; but had it been a wolf, she would not have attempted that at all. In her peripheral there was the figure of—she shot him a bewildered look, but his explanation was sound, and her demeanor turned appreciative.

It was an offer she really couldn't refuse.

And Mudpie? What a nickname! She loved mud—how did he know?—

She slapped the slab of skin in the face of an approaching coyote, effectively blinding it for the moment as she sprinted swiftly after her new friend—yes, she had done it, she had earned herself a friend and beaten the odds! She could not help her own smile as Starhale arrived near his side, following his lead as he had requested.

(This post was last modified: Jun 04, 2018, 02:59 AM by Starhale.)

Despite her lack of brains, at least she listened to him instead of refusing his request to help. He would not have offered a second time if that had been the case. If she wanted to get beat up by a trio of coyotes that wasn’t his problem; he had his own problems to deal with. Instead of responding he offered her a sharp nod as he barrelled through the crimson ferns, his gangly legs carrying him quickly through the sea of red. Fortunately he had glanced over his shoulder at the right moment—just in time to watch her slap one of the coyotes with the piece of meat she had collected. Stifling a laugh the boy continued forward, zigzagging through the foliage as he sprinted toward one of the nearby creeks. The water (and mud) would mask their scents and erase their trail… he couldn’t bring a group of coyotes home with him, Askan would be pissed.

Fade — thread complete.

ridge is a mature character

aka he curses a lot due to his frustation with his memory loss

x

ridge associates colours with moods/feelings & uses them to describe others