Larkcall Lowlands I thought I had memorized you

For @Risaela!

January 13; Early afternoon; Light snow; 5* F, -15 C*.

The coyotes that had infested the area just a few seasons ago had done him in. Perhaps then it had not been his time to make his mark on this part of Canadian wilderness, but now there was nothing but snow. Snow for days. All Rajan had seen during his trek back to the southwest was pristine blankets of snow. Virgin, without scent or prints.

As he descended from a low knoll, he ducked his head down and laid his ears back, trotting only until he was able to recover a slow gait on the more level ground of the lowlands. He liked it here; for the most part, he could spot potentially dangerous situations from afar or at least recognize it if he were properly looking.

The light snowfall, however, masked his senses. Every so often he had to stop and take a look around and make sure he had not done some loop-de-loop in the snow or accidentally turned about. His coat, though in remarkable condition despite not having a moment to fully groom himself, was caked in frost. His whiskers had minuscule icicles clinging to their ends, and his breath rose from him like wisps from wildfire smoke.

The last time he was here he had been on a mission to find a pond and a particular flower; and, while this was still his primary objective, he now had another thing to worry about: others. It had been several days since he had seen or even heard from anyone - sketchy stranger or otherwise. It worried him. He heaved a deep sigh and let a short howl lift from his throat before he frowned. Today, he assumed, would be just like any other. No answer, no commotion, no other sign of life out on the northern reaches of the barren, Relic Lore tundra.

// @Rajan - I’m so excited to thread with him!

Snow, snow, snow.

Ris wasn’t sure she liked snow. Perhaps she had before, in the past, but now? It was cold, and it made even light travel more difficult. Her paws felt numbed and her nose and ears were stinging slightly from the bitterly cold windchill. And perhaps it wouldn’t have been so bad if she wasn’t already feeling cold in her chest.

Talking with Mako had helped, certainly, but it wasn’t quite enough to nullify the ache and fear that she was overwhelmed with. Her best friend was missing, and though she was bound and determined to find him, her mind had conjured up imagery of big cats and bloodied snow.

She almost blended in with the surroundings, with the dusting of snow across her silvery fur. She had always liked it out there much more than in the forest - it made her feel free in a way the trees did not.

So she relished in that feeling - took comfort in it. There was no telling where Can was, and sometimes she needed to calm down. It had only been a few days - not weeks and weeks. He was probably perfectly fine and she was just worried for absolutely no reason whatsoever.

The young wolf was so caught up in her thoughts that she nearly missed the howl that traveled across the tundra. A darker figure stood on a hill, not too far away, and curiously, Ris lifted her own head to call back in return - bell-like and wispy. It was odd to see someone out here like this - was he okay?

When his head had leveled, he blinked the wayward snowflake from his eye. A brief shake of his head did him one better in clearing the snow that had found purchase on his frost-nipped muzzle and crown. His ears came up, neutral and forward like they usually sat on his head, but he had not expected his call to be answered. Though slightly muffled from with weather, it came to him as if it were merely a clear, summer evening, which meant that she was close.

Her own song was light on the ears, youthful, perhaps, and it summoned from him a twinge of curiosity that he hadn't felt in ages. Atop his perch, he scanned the lower grounds, squinting but not finding anything or anyone at first.

"Hello?" he used his words now, wondering if might help him to further locate his conversation partner. Even if his voice was rough from disuse, it still matched his image of the large-statures, nomadic royal from elsewhere. "Are you... close?"

you're all here indulging your particular vices
& so I've come to indulge mine

It appeared he couldn’t see her, and she really wasn’t a fan of shouting, but in this circumstance... “Yes,” she called in return, paws gliding easily over the frosted ground as she approached him, hoping it’d be easier for him to see her the close she became. She certainly didn’t want to startle him.

Silvered eyes scanned over his mottled fur when she got near enough. Even snow-capped as she was, he didn’t blend with the landscape. Not so great for survival out here, she thought. Maybe that was why Can didn’t want to be out in the open.

Her tail gave a slight wag when she deemed herself close enough. He sounded absolutely regal, and she didn’t want her own shaky, stuttery voice to wreck the conversation. But... well, she couldn’t have everything how she wanted it.

“H-hello,” she said, silvery eyes meeting gold as she greeted him. “Are you lost?”

Eventually, the soft sound of footfalls came, and with it the silvery form of a young woman. He swallowed, watching her as she drew closer, within earshot at first and then just close enough to hold a conversation. She stuttered, and he immediately assumed that she might have been cold. Since he had traversed onto this part of Canadian terrain, he hadn't seen anything that could serve as decent protection from the storm.

"Are you lost?"

He focused on the youth again, looking her over and letting his eyes graze over everything about her that made her... her. She wasn't anyone he recognized, but he was appreciative in that moment that he had found another soul to weather the snowfall with. There was a patient shake of his head and a quick clearing of his throat from the cold, "Not lost." His breath billowed from his nostrils and the slight space between his parted lips, "I'm wondering if... you've seen a pond around here? Somewhere?"

you're all here indulging your particular vices
& so I've come to indulge mine

Well, yes, she was cold, but that didn’t really effect her speech. Unfortunately, that was not the issue Risaela had with the way she talked. Of course, she had gotten better with it, but there were always times when her tongue would trip over itself and mess up her words.

It was strange that he hadn’t asked for or offered a name, but she would let that slide for now.

His request was also a bit odd. A pond in this weather? She supposed Edge Stone Pool would be okay. It was a lot closer than Kettle Pot Pond, and would probably offer better shelter from the snow in that pit.

“I can bring you to a p-pond,” she assured with a small smile, letting her tail wave slightly. “We’ve got a couple on the Lowlands, b-but one is further away.” She turned then, aiming to lead him to the place she had in mind. It’d probably be frozen over, but maybe that was what he wanted in the first place.

Silver eyes flicked back at him. “What’s... what’s your name?” she inquired, a bit curious.

She offered to fulfill his request of bringing him to a pond - two ponds, in fact - and he considered this newfound information carefully. He would need the locations later when the spring thaw awakened the green earth beneath them. For him to obtain the prize of a particular yellow flower from these much needed ponds was crucial, but not at this very moment.

The prince gave a nod, and after she had asked him for his name, he shakily straightened himself. His winter pelt made him bulky and, as of late, quite ragged and rough, but his voice, now that it was starting to warm up after having not been used for some time, was genial but still sluggish from the cold.

"My name is Rajan," he managed to give her a kind smile. It was then that he noticed how her eyes were like ice, colorless but twinkling against the dull snow-covered landscape. "And, I'm far from home. Are you?"

you're all here indulging your particular vices
& so I've come to indulge mine

She would have no idea of what the man was looking for or why. Even if she did know it was a flower, she would certainly find it strange - though the yellow bit would pique her interest. Yellow and blue were her favorite colors, after all, and it’d been a while since she’d seen anything particularly yellow.

A smile formed on her maw as she looked up at him. It was nice that conversation could take one’s mind far from the negative thoughts and feelings that might have been experienced lately, even if it was about something as trivial as finding a pond or two.

Rajan was an interesting name, to say the least, but Ris was willing to bet that he was an interesting fellow. He certainly spoke like one. “I’m Risaela,” she responded, embarrassingly proud that she hadn’t stuttered on her own name. “My home is near here. I live in a small p-pack. Wild Rye Fields.” The younger wolf was proud of her home, and it showed. She stood a bit taller, her tail wagging a bit more.

“C-can I ask why you’re lookin’ for a pond?” she inquired then, looking up at him as they walked.

She told him that she lived nearby with a small band of wolves. Not bad... At least she had others to depend on. Once upon a time, Rajan had had his mother's Adviser and loyal subordinates that made up their pack in the north, but it had been such a long time seen he had seen them last. He supposed by now that they were faring just fine; after all, he had managed this far without them and was more than relieved to be without their judgments and needs to play matchmaker for him.

His eyes took her in, noticing how proud she became at the mention of her affiliation and territory. He had been like that once, young and boastful. Unlike an adolescent Rajan, though, she seemed more humble. He appreciated that.

"Pleased to meet you," he lent, his soft smile never leaving his muzzle. His tail gave a low wag as she asked him why he was searching for such a small body of water. He shook out his coat again, staring across the tundra behind her before meeting her gaze again. Something about him seemed to turn playful, as if the timbre of his voice shifting in tone and the slight spark in his golden eyes would slide him into a play bow at any moment, "Do you like flowers, Risaela?"

(This post was last modified: Jan 15, 2019, 06:21 AM by Rajan.)

you're all here indulging your particular vices
& so I've come to indulge mine

A nearby creek is full to the brim with fish. +3 Health