Sex: MaleSince dad had returned things were a lot better. Dad was gonna be all right mom said, and Seejay was growing on him. The best thing was now he could wander a lot further. One reason being his legs were more willing, and for the other it seemed they'd come to a new stage in their life. A stage where they didn't have to be at the den most the time. Vareth was going to take every bit of advantage of it. He was not as cautious as he once been. After all the world was only getting bigger and he felt he had every right to see it. He was certain going on a little adventure wouldn't harm no one. He was pretty sure his older siblings had done it all the time. Right now he was only following the shape of the lagoon. Familiar trails spawning different direction. Assuring him the adults came this way often. He might have stopped just to take it in. Until he came across a brown rabbit. It was then his logical thoughts were thrown aside, and he gave full chase to it. Bounding after it with no remorse. How great would it be if he got it? Everyone would be impressed over that. The problem was in this wild chase he became further east, slipping away from the lagoon, closer to a meadow.
There had been a change in the Ridge. One of which was significant enough for the young Archer to grasp the significance of. Daddy was in charge...not Sven. For now. The reason why the sharp minded Freyja understood the shift in leadership was because she had been at the den with Mum when the pale leader made it back. To say she was shocked by his condition was an understatement. There was so much blood...too much. His eyes were all wrong. He looked nothing like the man she knew. She may still be young, but even she knew with injuries as severe as his, and his sight impaired, that he had to take the back seat for a while.
But at least on a lighter but ironic note, around that time, the hoards of coyotes infesting the lands were gone. Her father was often busy looking after the borders or driving the vermin away. So when one day he returned without a lingering stench on his fur (likely from a scuffle), he assured her that the danger had passed. The wolves of the Ridge could all breathe a great big sigh of relief. While Freyja had always been on her best behavior and never placed a toe outside her own territory, her curious little heart began to wander. What else could be out there? Was the world outside just as lovely as her home? As much as she loved her willow trees, she couldn't just stay home all the time. She needed to see more.
Her parents had said nothing about not venturing past the borders now that the coyotes were gone. Still, Freyja took no chances until it was time to act. When she was certain that everyone else was asleep...including her twin brother, she stepped silently, sneakily over their slumbering bodies and outside. She followed a well known trail to the borders, and with only a brief moments hesitation, stepped into the unknown. She promised herself she wouldn't go far...that she'd be gone only a little while. With the willows at her back, fading into the distance, the land changed. Gradually the forest thinned, giving way to an open meadow. Unconcerned with her location at the moment, a movement by her paws caught her eye. It was a field mouse, scurrying for cover in the grassy vegetation. Hardly a snack, but her little hunters instinct kicked in. She chased after it, surprised by the turn of speed of such a tiny creature. One stride ahead, it darted into a small bolt hole in the earth. She stopped short, jutting her elongating muzzle in with a low growl of frustration.
The rabbit was a worthy foe. Any ground he gained it easily put that much more between them. Darting back and fourth in front of him, in quite the teasing manner.If he'd been a little older maybe he would have been able to keep up the pursuit. But his throat was beginning to hurt from panting, and he regrettably settled down to a walk. Stupid rabbit any way. Perhaps dad could help him get it some time. The idea made him smile. Dad would be up for that surely, and he wouldn't have to think about how he had failed.
Bu then he noticed he wasn't exactly close to home any more. In fact nothing really looked that familiar. Oh great. Why had he come this way? Why had he chased that stupid rabbit. He wished Sedna was here. She would probably laugh at his predicament. Something about serving him right. He huffed at the thought. What would mum tell him to do? His nose yes! It would guide him. He just had to follow his scent and none of this had ever happened. A sudden growl froze him in his tracks. "Sedna?" He questioned, trotting closer to the source. Where he suddenly spotted a light colored pup. He was about to rush her when he realized she did not smell right! Putting the brakes on fast he managed to stop just a few breaths distance from her.
A voice she didn't recognize filtered into the air behind her. A flinch that ran from the base of her neck all the way down to her hips jolted her back to reality. No one had been there before! She had assumed she was all alone out here. What if it was one of the adults from the Ridge? Oh then she'd be in so much trouble! Worse yet, it could be a sinister loner. Or what if by some slim chance, a coyote had snuck their way back? Though, the Archer never had heard the feral canids utter so much as a word before.
With a huff and a bracing of her little muscles, she backed herself up, prepared to face whomever or whatever had caught her out in the open. As she turned around, pale blue eyes initially hard, she scanned the long grass. There! A form of ginger and black not far away. Another pup...her own age. She relaxed visibly. He shouldn't be any threat. Her blue eyes squinted, scrutinizing. "Whoever this Sedna is...you got the wrong wolf." The blonde youngster faced him directly, exhibiting no signs of fear or intimidation whatsoever. Only that calm composure she was infamous for adopting at all times. "Just me."
"Yeah, twas why I stopped," he matter-of-factually stated as if he hadn't done such a stupid thing to begin with. Standing all cool and collected like he was going on two instead of five months. It seemed to be what she was doing, and for some reason he didn't want her to think he was a dumb boy. Or just walk off. It was nice to meet new wolves like his mom seemed to do all the time.
"I'm Vare, and well I almost got a rabbit. Is that wut you're doin'?" He then dared to walk closer, giving a single wag of his tail as his dark nose crinkled down and then smoothed out. He hadn't smelled a wolf like her before. The scent reminded him of some trees, and water. "Do ya live close by?" He didn't think there was a pack this close to his own. But she had to have a mom and dad like him. Or at one point. He opened his mouth, thinking about retracting his words. If she was like SeeJay and had just been left or whatever it was... But his mouth merely hung open for what better thing could he say?
One corner of her mouth twitched up in a smirk. Sizing this guy up, she liked him already. Matter of fact, straight to the point. Bold, but not overly so. As the two young wolves stood facing one another, little would they know that there was blood shared between them. That was a discovery for another day, perhaps.
Receiving a name, the young Archer found it only fair to return the gesture. "I'm Freyja...Vare." She raised a brow while he stated he had been in pursuit of a rabbit, and asked if she had been doing the same. She gave a small shake of her head. "Naah, not quite." Stepping just to the side, the small hole in which she had stuck her muzzle flashed. She gestured back to it with her nose. "Was chasin a measly mouse. Went in there." Her prey was long gone by now, quite surely well out of reach. And for such a tiny snack, it was hardly worth the effort trying to dig it out. She chewed her lip thoughtfully. He too, smelled like trees and water. But different than home. "Not far...I came from that way..." She pointed with her muzzle to the west, sitting relaxed as ever even as he stepped closer. "Never been out this way before." Her blue eyes twinkled with mischief. "Pulled a fast one. No one knows."
The young boy's brows lifted just the slightest in surprise. She wasn't frowning? That was new...different. But good. "Freyja," he tested because the way it sounded didn't seem simple in the least. Yet it slipped off his tongue and there was a half, proud smile that followed.
When she motioned to her own target, he didn't hesitate to walk over. Giving it a good sniff. It was tempting to go after it. But mice seemed to have much longer tunnels than rabbits and they were really darn hard to catch. Always finding an escape route just before his teeth closed in. He kinda felt by her tone she was gonna leave it so he turned away. Besides this girl, unlike the other, lived pretty close and that interested him. "What's it like?" His wondering came to voice, and his dark ears twisted back. Again he wasn't sure if he should be blurting such things. If this might be something she wouldn't share and he shouldn't be asking.
The sudden look in her eye, as she confessed, made him go wide eyed. Impressed."How'd ya do that?" He couldn't help feel she had a secret. It wasn't like anyone knew he was right here, but he hadn't had to sneak out. He might just have to in the future.
Lowering her haunches to the ground, Freyja eased herself into a comfortable position. She rolled her neck from one side to the other, working out a slight kink in the muscles gotten after pursuing her prey. So, Vare wanted to know what her home was like, eh? The glint in her pale blue eyes remained. "Well...it's beautiful. Vast. It's a spacious sort of forest and our den has an amazing view of the land." Her smile grew. "But the best part I'd say, are the trees. They are tall, and in the spring and summer their leaves droop down like a great wispy curtain. Called Willow trees, I think." She tapped the ground with her paw...she wanted to hear about his home now.
But first, she had one more question to answer. How she managed to sneak away from home without anyone knowing. Smugly she replied with a roll of her shoulders. "Easy really. I just waited until night, when everyone is asleep. Fast, fast asleep. I made sure to be extra quiet and not to bump anyone either. A lot of it was timing." Her ears pinned back briefly, her eyes squinting in thought. "Though...I am sure they know by now. Dad won't be happy..."
Vareth was all ears. Eagerly eating up this new information. He thought he knew what kind of trees she was talking about but wasn't sure. These sounded more special. Didn't it all? "Sounds nice. So yer from Willow Ridge ten?" He knew about the place. Sorta. It was where is mother had come from. She'd grown their a child and he wished he could see it for himself.
Luckily she didn't mind sharing her tricks. He leaned forward, amazement in his gaze. He hadn't really thought of that so it was rather clever of her. He wasn't sure if he could pull it off. Once he went to bed he usually fell asleep pretty quick. He couldn't imagine getting around everybody even if he stayed awake. He was sure his parents would hear him, and if not than his aunt or uncle. "Whoaaa," was all he said at first. Maybe she could catch a mouse or something if she was so sneaky. The boy frowned at the indication her own dad would be mad. "You aren't too far..." He pointed out, but the sentence fizzled out. He didn't know her father and maybe he did get really ornery about it. "I try to stick close to the lagoon and mine don't seem to mind. I mean if I don't get back they'd come lookin'. Have you hard of the Scowle?" He doubted it but all the same was still not sure how many words he should throw at her. If his home could compete with hers. He felt so.