Wild Cherry Orchard [BWP] it's always been hazy

I feel numb, born with a weak heart

It was a cooler night, which Vaken could appreciate. Having travelled from the blackberry fields south towards the wildwood, the young wolf decided to rest. He had been having an eventful few days and it was draining him, physically and emotionally. The adrenaline from his anger was wearing off. He had tried to fight two of his friends recently- an astronomical amount since he really only had a handful of allies to begin with.

He had escaped, and fought more coyotes than he could count. Things weren’t going great for the impulsive yearling. He was desperate to prove himself as a strong wolf, but he knew he wasn’t. He wanted to be dominant and strong like his brother, but it was hard to celebrate his victories when they felt so hollow. His emotions confused him. He was not a leader, but the idea of submitting to a wolf made him shutter. How could he be expected to respect an alpha, when he struggled to respect his own friends?

He collapsed to the ground bitterly, curling up along the cherries. He knew it would stain his fur, but the troubled wolf did not care. Running away from home had seemed like a good idea at the time, but he felt more lost than ever beneath the starry sky.

I guess I must be having fun

(This post was last modified: Jul 19, 2018, 07:33 PM by Vaken.)

currently travelling with Circe (she can jump in any of his threads)

Namir had hung out in the northern part of the forest for the past month or so. She didn’t have a reason why, not really – it didn’t seem any safer from coyotes than the mountainside did – but here she was. The lake was nice, too, but she drifted away after a time, as she always did. Two packs around one small body of water was way too many wolves to be comfortable.

This part of the forest, though. It was empty. Peaceful. Scavenging was a little easier.

And it wasn’t lonely – that would require a wolf to actually desire company – but it felt safe in its solitude. The young woman had half a mind to utterly ignore the wolf lost in his own thoughts in the orchard, but he seemed to be rolling in cherries, and… Was that a trick she just… Didn’t know about?

Namir lurked underneath a nearby cherry tree, keeping the trunk between herself and the yearling. “What’re ya doin’?”

Curiosity hadn’t killed her. Yet.

I feel numb, born with a weak heart

A little chirp of shock escaped Vaken’s closed mouth, he had not been expecting company. The surprised look in his face only lasted a second as he realized another wolf had snuck up on him. Lifting his head, he scanned her body language for any chance of threat. She was larger than he was, but she didn’t seem hostile. That was comforting. Once he decided she was not an enemy, he dropped his face back to the ground and smiled. 


Shifting his weight, so the small wolf now laid on his back like a dog, he gave a boyish grin. “Makes me smell better than dirt," he playfully snickered, squishing a cherry along his spin and wiggling. “Kinda looks like blood too,” he noted, looking at the stained fur along his flank. “Maybe it will keep the vermin away from me."

He wasn’t being serious- he knew that nothing would stop the coyotes from attacking. He was feeling lighthearted though and that kept the jokes rolling.

I guess I must be having fun

(This post was last modified: Jul 19, 2018, 06:23 PM by Vaken.)

currently travelling with Circe (she can jump in any of his threads)

“I dunno if I agree with that opinion,” Namir sniffed, eyes slightly narrowed. And then she sniffed again, trying to determine if she could actually detect a difference. The fruit smelled slightly sweet, but the earth had its own heady flavor. There was nothing wrong with it, as far as she was concerned. And the earth didn’t rot. The cherries, though… She was pretty sure those would start to stink after a day or two out in the hot sun.

That was good to remember, though. Rancid berries probably disguised the smell of a wolf.

“It might.” That, she could agree with. “Ain’t gonna come near here if y’start stinkin’ like a rottin’ berry patch.” Namir huffed, ears falling back as his comment sank in. “So they’re here too, huh? Th’ ‘yotes?”

edit: OOC: speak of the devil

I feel numb, born with a weak heart

It took a lot to insult Vaken. Acknowledging his stink was barely scratching the surface, making the young wolf chuckle wholeheartedly. He did smell, and he knew the cherries weren’t going to help him at all. He needed a bath.

Rolling back over on his stomach, Vaken slowly stretched and brought himself onto his paws. “I haven’t seen any tracks here yet,” he explained, glancing over his shoulder. “Chased me here from the mountain though- and they’re everywhere else.” He gave a subtle shrug and tilted his head. Just because he couldn’t see them, or smell them, didn’t mean they weren’t around. They seemed to be attracted to any sound, and now that the two wolves were conversing he was sure they’d make an appearance.

I guess I must be having fun

(This post was last modified: Jul 19, 2018, 06:45 PM by Vaken.)

currently travelling with Circe (she can jump in any of his threads)

In the distance there is a large pack of coyotes howling.

Yet, she thought grimly. That said a lot. He hadn’t detected them yet, but he clearly expected to, right? Else he wouldn’t have said that. Meant it wasn’t just her – which was relieving in some sense, but not really, because it meant there probably wasn’t anywhere really safe in the forest. If it was just her, she could hide. She knew she could. But if it were everyone? Everywhere?

Namir had only just stepped from around the tree to comment on the recent infestation when the tell-tale song of offkey coyotes drifted through the small cherry grove. Her ears flexed backwards as she scowled. “Dirty fuckers ‘re everywhere,” she huffed, careful to keep her voice quiet. “Swear I’ve gone every which way ‘cross this damn forest an’ they’re everywhere. Everywhere!”

Why?

She glanced at the yearling, sizing him up. Not really liking her odds, either. “Sounds like more than us,” she noted, looking in the general direction of the song. “Reckon y’ain’t much of a fighter, neither, huh.”

Not so much that he could do as much as four wolves, anyways.

I feel numb, born with a weak heart

Vaken couldn’t keep the laughter from bubbling up in his throat. Reckon y’ain’t much of a fighter, neither. He ran his tongue across his lower lip and made an unsure face. He normally wasn’t- but recently? “Probably shouldn’t be,” he confessed, reflecting on his last few days. It hadn’t even been a full week and he had gotten into two fights with wolves, and a bunch of little spats with the coyotes. Clearly, he wasn’t built the strongest, but he definitely wouldn’t call himself a lover. Did that make him a fighter?

If the numbers weren’t on his side, he didn’t stand a chance. That’s all that mattered in this situation. He didn’t fight if he thought he would lose, the yearling knew how to pick his battles. Keeping his voice to a dull whisper, Vaken lowered his face closer to the female like he was telling a secret. “Between you and me,” he cooed, nervously looking over his shoulder. “I’m not much protection."

He pulled his face back and offered an apologetic smirk.

I guess I must be having fun

(This post was last modified: Jul 19, 2018, 07:22 PM by Vaken.)

currently travelling with Circe (she can jump in any of his threads)

“….if y’think I’m gonna give up my hide ‘fer yers, kid, y’all got another thing comin’.”

Namir gave him a dry look, trying to determine if the kid was just admitting that he wasn’t much of a fighter, or asking for some kind of martyr. Seemed kinda surreptitious to be the latter, though, so she decided to assume the former, and not get into a second argument. That could wait until there weren’t a whole hoard of coyotes a hollow down the way.

She ground her teeth, taking a moment to try and figure her way out of this. Definitely not going towards the vermin, so that would mean heading back east. Didn’t have any food to drop and delay them, so…

“We’re gonna roll ‘round in those cherries again, kid. Th’ stinkier, th’ better.” It had worked with Blue Eyes and the lake, though that made them smell more like nothing instead of a walking compost pile. It would probably be better than ‘wolf smell’, though. Confuse the coyotes long enough to put good distance between them. Hopefully. “I ain’t fightin’ a pack.”

So she slunk over to where Vaken had been basking only moments earlier and dropped to her side, cringing as overripe cherries squelched beneath her coat. This was the worst – no, this was the second grossest thing she’d rolled in. The worst was definitely the elk shit. That stink had worked though, so… “C’mon. Quick.”

I feel numb, born with a weak heart

The she-wolf didn’t need to tell the boy twice. Prancing over to the pile of squished berries, the already stinky mutt added a second coat to his fur. He had already covered himself pretty well, but he wasn’t going to cut it short. He wanted to be thorough. He was going to absolutely reek after this, but it didn’t bother him. Truthfully he kind of liked it. He enjoyed the squish it made under his fur and the way the cherries splattered. He was accustomed to his stench so the smell didn’t bother him. The berries weren’t anything he hadn’t already smelt.

He made sure to be quick, rolling back and forth sporadically. When he felt confident, he stood back up and jerked his head. “We better get going soon,” he agreed, twitching his ears when the second round of howls moved closer. “Don’t think I could fight off the coyotes looking like this even if I had to.” He glanced down at his smelly, sticky, tainted red fur. It did not feel the best, but it looked even more ridiculous. He was glad his legs were black. He’d be cursing himself if his entire body had been usually white- imagine looking like a pink wolf. He snickered, but turned his attention back towards the female, waiting patiently to begin running.

I guess I must be having fun

(This post was last modified: Jul 19, 2018, 07:44 PM by Vaken.)

currently travelling with Circe (she can jump in any of his threads)