Quarry's Rush {BWP} First step to nowhere

It felt like a long time had passed since he had seen the mountains and though they were hidden behind the trees, Solas had seen it peeking through here and there. If he had been more awake and less hungry he might have felt happy at seeing them again. All he could feel was mild disgust and dread. They were the mountains his search had begun on and now he couldn't stand the idea of climbing the side only to find that Tulip wasn't there.

A sigh of resignation broke past his lips as he padded slowly through the trees. Solas needed to sleep but even knowing that he kept walking, kept moving. The sound of water broke into his daze and lifting his lowered head he gazed towards the source and blinked. When had he started traveling next to a river? How long had he been simply walking aimlessly?

The river didn't have any answers for him as it wrapped itself around the many rocks in it. Neither did the birds that fluttered and chirped overhead and there was no one else around, that he was aware of, to ask. Shaking his head at himself the stormy male padded to edge of the water and lapped at it. He didn't quite feel thirsty but he knew he needed water and since it was there he might as well get a drink.

(This post was last modified: Sep 20, 2018, 03:48 PM by Solas.)

Couldn't resist

I don't care if heaven won't take me back

Askan wasn't exactly sure why he'd returned here. His last trip to Quarry's Rush had been anything but peaceful and he had very little interest in letting history repeat itself, but he had to know if the coyotes remained. He didn't think they'd still be in the same spot, pacing back and forth along the riverside as they tried to figure out the safest route. Rather, it had been awfully hot and dry as of late, it just made sense to stay near a constant source of fresh water.

And so he prowled along, his senses as sharp as his gaze. He half expected to come across the stink of death, but when he breathed in deep all he could smell was cool tang of water, as though the quarry was inviting him to take a dip. As if he'd be that gullible. The Selwyn continued on, meandering closer to the river until it came into view, a silver streak that cut through the dried forest.

And there it was, with not a coyote in sight. Good, just how Askan liked it. The river wasn't so close to the Shallows that he felt the need to claim it as his own, but he didn't want coyotes hanging around just in case they got bold and decided to wander a little further south. Slowing to a stop, it didn't take him long to notice the dark stranger that lingered by the water side. From behind he couldn't tell who it was from sight alone, but his scent was more than enough for Askan to realise he'd stumbled upon yet another stranger. Where were the friendly faces these days? If Askan didn't know better he would have wondered if everyone was avoiding him and his neck of the woods.

OOC: And I am totally okay with that :D

One of his ears twitched as the sound of pawsteps broke through the sound of running water. He might have missed it in his previous daze but right now he was aware that he wasn't alone anymore if he had been, to begin with. Coyotes would have been on him already, and a fox would have kept on its way, while prey would have run, as far as he could tell this was another wolf. Solas normally would have turned teeth bared and a growl in his throat but in his current state, he simply looked over his shoulder to see who had stumbled onto him.

Seeing dark fur hope flickered to life but it was quickly extinguished as the stranger was too big, and his fur though dark wasn't black, and his stature was bigger than Tulip's even if the other male was smaller than his own larger form. Almost immediately Solas felt the urge to start asking questions. To see if he knew about the dark-furred female. He didn't instead he silently stepped to the side a quiet invitation for the other man to get a drink if that was what he wanted. Not that there was anything stopping him. The questions could come later because the stormy male was almost certain that he would receive the same response that everyone else had given him.

After a moment of silence, the scent of pack drifted to him and Solas glanced around. Was anybody else going to be showing up? He was fairly certain that he hadn't crossed any borders, he hadn't been that out of it. Am I in your hunting grounds? He questioned his voice tired. Hunting areas didn't have to be in a pack's borders and he knew that well. The mountain had been his even though he had lived by the lake.

(This post was last modified: Sep 18, 2018, 06:07 AM by Solas.)

I don't care if heaven won't take me back

Good. The stranger offered no stiff greeting or awkward small talk, he got right to the point. The man asked a valid question, the sort that was actually rather telling. Loners tended to be dismissive of the concept of hunting grounds but the same couldn't be said for pack wolves. From scent alone Askan could tell that the stranger was a loner, but the fact that he understood proper etiquette made it pretty obvious he'd been in a pack at some point his life. At least he had that going for him.

Askan strode closer and only came to a stop when the water lapped at his toes. They stood parallel to one another, just out of lunging distance. But Askan doubted it would come to that, unless the stranger said something really stupid. His tail relaxed a little as he stood, collected and calm. He always used to get so defensive around strangers, these days he'd simmered down a bit and only got pissy if he was in a particularity bad mood. For now he remained neutral and ever observant, those bright yellow eyes of his never missed a thing.

"We're close, but not quite."

Askan didn't like to shift and change their hunting grounds, but with all of the coyotes it was a necessary evil. The water ways in particular seemed to be a haven for coyotes, hence the Edge wolves avoided spilling blood here if at all possible. When things returned to normal they could reassert their claim over the woods surrounding the Shallows, but for now all Askan could do was grit his teeth and bear it.

"I wouldn't hunt here though, there's a lot of coyotes in these parts. Too many." It seemed like a natural assumption to make.

Even as he asked the question Solas thought that the answer would be a 'No'. If he was in the packs hunting area he would have expected the stranger to be a bit more...hostile. On top of that he would have run into a pack wolf sooner and seeing as how he hadn't and no one else had shown up. Even tired he could still connect the dots and the other wolf told him he was right. The stranger walked up to the water closer but out of reach should things go less than pleasant. Solas had no desire for things to escalate and he firmly believed that if it came down to it he would be taken down like a mad dog. Because there was no way he would be able to take on a healthy pack wolf in his current state.

"I wouldn't hunt here though, there's a lot of coyotes in these parts. Too many."

A snort of dry amusement escaped Solas as he sat down, and if he would have had hands he would have been rubbing his eyes like one would if they had a headache. "Seems like they're everywhere. He sighed shaking his head before motioning with his nose to the mountains in the distance. There in the mountains, the forests on the other side, and even further. He hated the coyotes even when he had been in the Cove. Now they seemed to pester him more and more and all he could do was keep moving so that they didn't find him and decide that he was an easy target. Truthfully he was surprised that the times that he had encountered them they hadn't left more permanent marks.

But for all I know they're gone now. He had been gone for so long that he couldn't possibly know if the coyotes still haunted the areas that he spoke about.

(This post was last modified: Sep 20, 2018, 03:25 PM by Solas. Edit Reason: Spelling )

whoops i summoned yotes

I don't care if heaven won't take me back

Askan hummed in acknowledgement. That sounded about right. For the longest time he had assumed that the coyotes were simply endemic to the east, that the north, south and west were completely unaware of their strife. But after he'd wandered off north to pay a visit to Wild Rye Fields he's learnt that wasn't the case, that if they coyotes had managed to infest the Falls then everywhere else was fair game.

Turning around slightly, Askan looked to the mountains. There wasn't much to see, the treeline obscured most of it from view but it were tall enough that he could still make out the snow topped peaks in the distance. He'd never scaled the mountain before, he had no reason to but he couldn't help but wonder what was up there. He supposed the loner might know, he might as well ask, right?

"The mountains, tell me about them." It was more of a demand than a request. "Are there packs up there?"

As to whether the coyotes remained in those locations, it was neither here nor there. Askan wasn't going to trot off on any adventures anytime soon. The Shallows was his home, his fort, he had no reason nor desire to leave it.

(This post was last modified: Sep 19, 2018, 07:03 PM by Askan.)

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

OOC: well good going :P also a mild curse ahead

Where hadn't the coyotes gone? As far as he could tell they were like an epidemic spreading across territory after territory. Chasing away the prey, stealing it, and overall making things more difficult than they needed to be. Solas had no idea what had caused this madness but it was affecting everywhere he went and some weren't above using it to their advantage.

The dark stranger looked at the mountains in question before demanding to be told about them. The stormy man tipped his head in silent contemplation. He didn't necessarily have to give him the information that he wanted but there was no real need to keep it from him either. Giving an internal shrug Solas began to speak giving him the information on the pack's first details about the mountains themselves could come afterward.

On the Mountain Dire there is a pack on the other side near the base that call themselves Clearwater Tarn. To the south on Riddle Heights is a pack by the name of Aurora Heights. In between them at the lake is Fallen Tree Cove. That's where I was befor... His words were cut off as a growl broke the air. Solas blinked the stranger hadn't been the one to make that sound and he hadn't done it either. Getting to his paws he scanned the area around them trying to find the source only to see three coyotes stalking towards them. Speak of the Devil.

Well shit. He grumbled staring at the smaller canines.

(This post was last modified: Sep 19, 2018, 07:49 PM by Solas.)

I don't care if heaven won't take me back

Three packs settled on one mountain range? That sure sounded crowded. His homeland had been claimed by the Selwyns and by them alone, a few packs had tried to set up nearby but were soon persuaded to move on. He supposed he couldn't really compare the two ranges, now could he? Things worked differently in Relic Lore and with as big as the mountains seemed there was more than enough room for three packs, probably.

Askan quirked a brow as the stranger stopped mid sentence, he opened his mouth to prompt him to continue only to snap it shut when rumbling snarls reached his ears. Coyotes, though this time they were on his side of the river. With no water to act as a barrier between Askan and the mutts, he had to agree with the loner's sentiment. Had Reyes been by his side he would have been more inclined to bring the fight to them, but as things stood... Askan huffed, more than a little frustrated. He hated having to retreat, to let the coyotes think they had won, but what else was he supposed to do? Reyes would no doubt throw a-well deserved- fit if Askan stumbled home all battered and bruised.

The coyotes were all puffed up and bold as they inched ever closer, not quite brave enough to close the distance in one fell swoop. But they would, if given the opportunity.

"This way." Askan was offering the loner an escape, a chance to save his fur. He could take it or leave it, the Edge Lord didn't care, either way Askan was heading back to the Shallows.

OOC: Fade with your next post?

A sense of danger was a wonderful way to wake oneself up and Solas suddenly found himself wide awake and very aware of the three snarling canines that were obviously not afraid of the wolves. He only had two options as far as he could tell and one was to fight, which was a very very stupid idea and the other was to run. That might at least stop him from gaining any new shiny wounds.

One ear twitched as he heard the strangers frustrated huff. Good that made two of them. He took a slow step back as he kept his eyes on the snarling forms that were growing bolder. Solas glanced at the other's offer. It was something he hadn't expected. Not unwanted but unexpected. The stormy male didn't know the area and here he had someone who was offering to guide him. He couldn't exactly say no to that and he really didn't want to wind up trapped with his back to a wall facing a bunch of coyotes on his own.

After you then. Solas muttered as one of the coyotes snapped its jaws at them with a sharp click. The coyotes would probably stay with their kill after the two of them left that was only good thing about the current situation as far as he could tell. It would have been a heck of a lot nicer if they could have taken the kill from the mutts but at the moment that was only a dream. So for right now, he would follow the stranger.

(This post was last modified: Sep 20, 2018, 06:01 AM by Solas. Edit Reason: Coding )