Wild Cherry Orchard The Gravity of Tempered Grace

@Huddy

Backdated to 15th if that's alright?

It was hunger that finally drew the fiery shewolf away from the thickets; that and boredom. Hunting among the dense bramble was absolutely atrocious and besides, there wasn’t actually anything keeping her there; Nothing but bad memories… She’d become quite decent at hunting rabbits and other small game in her time as a loner, but she longed for the thrill of a pack hunt and the taste of fresh venison. Right now, she’d take just about anything though, no matter how old.   Wandering through the Blackberry Fields however, she had found no traces of anything edible, fresh or not. Even the berries were long gone, apart from a few, half rotten and frozen beneath the snow. Not exactly a feast for a hungry wolf. She doubted things would be better in the Orchard, yet she wandered on, with no better options available. Again, she was struck by how familiar these lands looked, completely unchanged from her childhood; Except from the intense lack of lupine life. It was odd, like walking through a dream, only she hadn’t actually dreamed of this place for well over a year. But she knew it still, from the crippled young saplings around the edges of the grove, to the towering matriarch at its center. Though she had been away for half her life, barely a breath had passed for the long-lived trees. But of course, in exchange they were stuck here in the same old field while she got to wander far and wide; Score one for me...!   Weaving in and out among the tree trunks, nose low above the ground, the wolfess sought for even the smallest sign of life, hoping that hunger would draw some lone prey animal to the Orchard, as it had her. But when she finally found tracks, they were not at all what she’d expected; Wolves! Word count: 307 ”Speech" Thoughts

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(This post was last modified: Jan 17, 2021, 11:31 PM by Flair.)

Fine with me!

Well if you wanted honesty that's all you had to say

Huddy’s stomach was still well-lined with Elk, making him feel fat and happy. The food gave him more energy than he’d had since waking up in these strange lands almost a week ago, so he’d decided to look around for a rabbit or two. He wasn’t sure how long they were planning on staying in the Orchard, it all depended on the migration of the herds. If they went south, Hudson and his companion would as well, same thing for north, east or west. At least until spring, when more prey would emerge, they would be at the mercy of the Elk. Therefore, he wanted to try and create a cache to tide them over in the meantime.

As he was moving, the scent of a foreign wolf flew by him on the breeze. He paused, heading lifting from his downward sniffing position to look around to see if he could see them. He thought he saw a flash of ginger fur, but couldn’t be certain. “Might as well come make yerself known ‘nstead of puttering around. I probably won’t bite,” he called lazily.

Ashbash 2016 - Ian Schneider 

You discover a half-eaten deer carcass. +5 Health

She really shouldn’t be so shocked, there was a reason after all that Relic Lore had been so teeming with wolves in her youth. However, on her route back she had gotten the distinct impression that the land was abandoned, having come upon no fresh signs of wolves, even as she came down from the Lowlands and into the Lore proper. Yet here, just like in the Woodlands, were the sudden signs of recent activity, as if wolves had just dropped right out of the sky; Bizarre...!   Caught up in her own musings, she failed to notice the owner of the tracks approaching among the trees, and the sudden voice made her visibly startle. Hackles rising in her shock, she spun around to face the stranger, head lowered defensively. A dark figure was standing further into the Orchard, watching her with a seemingly casual air. Still, her initial shock made her answer back sharply: “I dare y’ to try!” She squinted to get a proper look at him among the trunks. His black fur made him stand out starkly against the snow, but only as a dark silhouette.   With the wind at her back, she struggled to smell him too, nostrils flaring wide in her continued attempts. Then she caught the scent of something else entirely, and her stomach knotted up in its emptiness, mouth instantly starting to water. Her attention faltered for just a second, eyes glancing in the direction where her nose told her food could be found, but then she snapped back to the stranger, taking a few steps forwards on stiff legs; “’nd you’re the one hiding ‘n the trees!” She lifted her ears slightly towards him, doing her best to ignore the tantalizing scent off to her side; “Why don’t y’ come out?” Word count: 298 ”Speech" Thoughts

dawnthieves.de

Well if you wanted honesty that's all you had to say

“I dare y’ to try!” a female voice called out. Ancestors, he hoped this one wasn’t like the snot nosed brat he’d encountered his first day here. She called out to him, telling him he was the one that needed to come out and he almost chuckled. ”Pretty sure I’m th’ one who asked first, but alright,” he said. He turned in the direction of the voice, her russet pelt growing more and more in focus the closer he got. He’d never seen someone who looked like they’d been kissed by fire, but he supposed there was a first time for everything. He could smell the deer on the wind, and by the flaring of her nostrils and the way she glanced in its direction, he knew she could too.

Hudson sat down on his haunches, watching her with unconcerned eyes. “Happy now? If ya want that, by the way, go ahead ‘n take it. Got my fill yesterday on an elk anyways,” he said. He wouldn’t be a dick to someone who was hungry and alone, unlike some wolves

Ashbash 2016 - Ian Schneider 

Her muzzle wrinkled in a silent growl at his answer, ears flicking backwards at the amused tone. Still, she supposed it was better than him attacking her outright, especially if she wanted a chance at the nearby carryon. Amber eyes watched intently as the black figure emerged from the trees, her body ever tense, in stark contrast to his nonchalant manner. The male was larger than her, but with a similar, square build. With the perpetual loner’s defensive instincts, she judged him as a possible opponent, feeling less than optimistic about her prospects.   Yet, the swarthy man remained unconcerned, going so far as to take a seat to demonstrate his ease in the situation. Flair was less than pleased with this apparent sense of superiority – however genuine it might be – but when the stranger offered her free access to the carcass, her pride was loudly overpowered by hunger. It helped some that it apparently wasn’t his kill either, though she still remained alert as she walked over to make her claim, eyes constantly sweeping back to make sure he remained in place.   Once she was there though, she could no longer control herself, gorging down on the measly remains as if they were a feast for kings. Her pricked hackles slowly relaxed back down as she ate, ears now forward, so she would hear any movement from the stranger. After a while she paused, glancing back at him over the carcass, tongue running along her yowls. With a good amount of effort, she managed a: “Thanks.” Voice raspy from lack of use; “I haven’t had deer this fresh ‘n a long time!” Word count: 272 ”Speech" Thoughts

dawnthieves.de

Well if you wanted honesty that's all you had to say

It wasn’t that Hudson thought he was better than the she-wolf, it was just that he didn’t much care as long as she didn’t try and make a move at him. The man didn’t usually start something if someone didn’t mess with him first, and while she certainly looked at him warily she hadn’t made a move and, therefore, he had nothing to get his knickers in a twist about.

She slunk past him, her amber gaze staying on him until the last minute, then she dug in like a wolf her hadn’t eaten in weeks. And, perhaps she hadn’t. She didn’t smell like she was part of a pack or traveling with anyone, so it was very possible this was her first meal in a while. He paid no mind to the sounds of her horking her meal down, instead he sat idly and looked around them to make sure no one else wanted to try and steal the meal away. His attention turned back to her as a raspy voice filled the air, his silver gaze meeting her fire-dipped ones. She offered a thanks, explaining that she hadn’t had a fresh meal in a while just as he’d suspected. He allowed a small smirk to lift the edges of his lips, “Feels good goin’ down the gullet, doesn’t it? He’d felt the same way just the day before.

“I’m guessin’ yer travelin’ alone?”

Ashbash 2016 - Ian Schneider 

(This post was last modified: Jan 23, 2021, 12:38 AM by Huddy.)

She was a suspicious nature - something that must have come from her father’s side of the family for sure – and it was only heightened by a year of travelling alone, having to fight others for almost every meal. But she wasn’t unreasonable, most of the time anyway, and as more time passed between her and the dark stranger without any hint of aggression, her alertness quelled a bit. The hardy meal was also taking quick affect, making her feel warm, lethargic, and a little sick; Shouldn’t have had so much so fast on an empty stomach… Her mom would have chastised her for sure, however, she wasn’t here.   The silvered male on the other hand seemed to understand fully, giving a faint smile at her words. Flair blinked at him, brain working a little slower with all the blood rushing to help her digest; Gull...? I’m pretty sure this was a deer. She glanced back down at the carcass, mostly just bones now, but definitely ungulate. She shook her head a little, concluding that she must have misheard or misunderstood. The next question was easy enough though and she nodded, licking her lips and swallowing to lubricate her throat before answering: “Yeah, been by m’self a while now.” It wasn’t something that bothered here mostly, at least not in the daytime, and the other man was alone too after all; in this moment anyway, she thought she could make out the scent of others on his fur but wasn’t completely sure.   The territory was unclaimed anyway, and he hadn’t been hostile with her; Unlike some others… She glanced back towards the Thickets, thinking briefly of Nia and her mother. Her attention returned to present company quickly however, and she offered: “I was actually born hereabouts, just came back recently… I’m surprised to find it this deserted.” She didn’t really think this random stranger would have any answers to the apparent disappearance of the Lore’s packs, but she figured it was worth asking. “Name’s Flair, by th’ way,” she added, deciding that an introduction was a fair enough trade for the free meal. Word count: 353 ”Speech" Thoughts

dawnthieves.de

Hi hello I'm sorry I'm a trash can and haven't replied to this sooner pls don't hate me

Well if you wanted honesty that's all you had to say

The woman confirmed that she was by herself and had been for a while, apparently. He gave a nod of understanding, especially considering the lands they were in which seemed to be devoid of any pack life despite being ripe for the picking. Pretty much all the wolves he’d come across had been alone, and all of them from some other land. That was, until she said she’d actually been born there. He couldn’t stop his brows from raising in surprise, an obvious look of incredulity in his expression. “I didn’t think there’d been anyone here b’fore. We ain’t seen hide nor tail of any pack wolves, seems like a ghost town everywhere. Was it just you n’ yer family, or were there more?” he asked curiously. This was some interesting new information.

The redhead introduced herself as Flair and he grinned, deciding the name suited her just right. She certainly seemed like a spitfire. “Th’ name’s Hudson,” he replied to her introduction.

Ashbash 2016 - Ian Schneider 

(This post was last modified: Feb 12, 2021, 09:23 PM by Huddy.)

It's no problem <3 I haven't had much energy to post lately anyway.

Her stomach gurgled as it worked to digest the deer meat, and she couldn’t suppress a yawn, letting her eyes slip closed for a moment; She was confident now that this stranger wasn’t planning on attacking her. When she opened them back up, she spotted the clear surprise on his face, cocking her head slightly in response; Huh…! So he didn’t have any answers, as she’d expected. Instead he asked questions, and feeling contented, and a little drowsy, Flair thought she might as well answer, taking the opportunity to relax in the relative safety of amicable company; Been a while since I’ve had any of that…   The fiery wolf nodded at Hudson’s introduction, flicking an ear at the name which had an unusual ring to others she’d heard. Her tongue slipped out to lick her chops before she spoke again, her tone lazy; “Oh naah, this place used t’ be crawling with wolves. Our pack was just west o’here, in th’ thickets.” She paused to gesture back over her shoulder, catching a quick glimpse of the distant woods before she turned back to Hudson; “But there were others all over here, beyond th’ mountain too I believe.” Her muzzle flicked at the silhouette of Serpent’s pass, rising above the trees to the east; “That’s why I’m surprised it seems so empty. Y’ say you’ve met no pack wolves at all? How far about’ve you been?”   The question was serious enough, Flair had come back here expecting to meet wolves who’d known about Secret Woodlands and the past of the Lore, yet she asked it in a casual manner, increasingly lethargic from the meal. She raised a hind paw to scratch lazily at an ear, keeping her head tilted as she watched Hudson. Finally she added, still in that lazy, nonchalant manner: “And if you weren’t born here, then where’d y’ come from?” Word count: 312 ”Speech" Thoughts

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