Dogwood Strath Edge of the Unknown

For @Chan

- 17/1 Morning, Overcast Clouds, 10.4 ° F, -12 ° C

She’d felt inexplicably drawn towards the mountain since she first laid eyes on it in the distance. In her entire childhood in the Lore, she had never crossed that barrier, never gone to explore the lands beyond despite knowing they were there. She never had the time. And now – it wasn’t like she was exactly eager to brave the icy heights, after all she had come south to escape the harsh winters up north – yet she was heading for the pass all the same. Perhaps, now that she was fully free to do as she pleased, she longed to satisfy that old curiosity; Or maybe I just have a death wish!   After leaving the Cherry Orchard, she’d followed Heartleaf Creek south, along its familiar, winding path until it veered east, into the thick forest along the mountains base. Avoiding the sharp peak of mount Dire itself, she figured that if she had to traverse the pass, the lower southern stretch would be her best option. So, she continued along the curve of the creek, following it into the old growth of the Sacred grove. Hitting the split in the waterway, she decided to cross over into the Grove proper, hoping to take advantage of its rich animal life and fill her empty stomach. And so she did, coming upon the carcass of an unfortunate juvenile deer, succumb to the elements.   However now, her luck seemed to have run out. Having slept snuggly among the roots of an old oak, she had awoken early to attempt her scale of the pass, only to walk herself into this dead end. With gradual inclines rising on both sides of her, the shewolf had thought she’d found an easier pathway up into the mountains, not able to spot her mistake in time in the sparse morning light. And now here she stood, hackles raised in frustrations, staring at an almost vertical wall of rock, with no option but to turn back and find her way around; Unbelievable! Word count: 333 ”Speech" Thoughts

dawnthieves.de

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

Chan was undergoing his usual due diligence in trying to figure out what the hell had happened to his family. When dawn broke, he had been forced to turn around and head back toward his mountain home for a good day's rest without having crossed upon a single soul, much less answers. It was discomforting to live in a place so void of one's own ilk, and was slowly wearing on Chan despite his mental fortitude. Like most wolves, he thrived only in the company of others.

At least he had Nash, and knew that Lila was around and healthy.

Already having scaled a portion of the mountain's base, Chan was traveling the curve of top of the stone wall that the young woman stood before. He didn't notice her until the footing became so thin that he was forced to the edge, and her bright red fur caught his eye against the gray snow.

"Hello," he greeted, peering down at her with friendly curiosity. Maybe this trip won't have been a waste after all! Chan could certainly hope.

"You new here?"

CHAN EASTFALL

Sorry she's such a sourpuss >.>

What did she even need to climb that bloody mountain for? It was an idiotic idea, and she should have never even humored it. Yet here she was; What a moron! She glared up the stone wall again, giving it all the blame for her bad decisions, when she caught a hint of movement. Squinting through the dawn light, she noticed the other wolf, just as he looked down and saw her.   On the lower ground, with obstacles on three sides, Flair instantly felt threatened, hunching her shoulders and tugging her chin instinctively. But the younger male didn’t press his advantage, instead calling down rather cheerfully; Easy enough for him… Still annoyed by her own bad decisions, she snapped back quite harshly: “No!” Her ears flattened against her scull and she looked away, discomfited. She didn’t need a guide if that’s what he was asking anyway. And yet…   With a small grumble, she admitted reluctantly: “Well, yes… In a way.” She glanced back up at the young man, face set in a sour grimace. A long time as a loner had made her naturally suspicious of any strangers, and a lifetime as the outsider had made her vary of any approach, no matter how friendly it seemed at the beginning; Mock me, I dare you! Word count: 215 ”Speech" Thoughts

dawnthieves.de

Chan's got thick skin ;3

Despite the ferocity with which she answered him, that single word was exactly what he wanted to hear. Chan began to move, memory and eyes searching for the easiest way up or down, whatever let him have a conversation with this stranger. It was likely where he himself had come up, to the North of her little dead end.

"Were you trying to climb up?" Chan asked; far be it from him to assume.

"I can meet you down there." If only it was something he could jump. Oh well. "Were you born round here too?"

His eagerness was evident in both his movement and his speech; she seemed temperamental and he definitely didn't want her taking off before he could find anything out about her.

CHAN EASTFALL

Oddly enough, the younger wolf did not seem in the least put off by her sullen tone, nor did he appear to even hear her attempt to adjust her answer; He certainly didn’t tease her about it. Instead, he seemed invigorated, pacing the ledge as he called down to her again; Well duh…! She thought at the question, but managed to keep the words from her lips, instead offering a more diplomatic: “That was the idea…” Her eyes swept the stone wall again before flicking back to the tan wolf, feeling a slight tug at the side of her mouth at his eagerness; He’s gonna end up falling off of there…   But the boy was clearly well accustomed to heights, having now issue continuing the conversation while he scampered about. Flair Tilted her head sideways, puzzled by his apparent eagerness to speak with her; Does he think I’m someone else…? He’s question seemed to deny that, while also offering a clue as to his own identity; Born here ‘TOO’!   Flair sat back on her hunches so she could keep looking up more easily, shaking her head a little. She glanced back over he shoulder and shrugged lightly, calling back up to the stranger: “I’ll just have t’ walk around.” It seemed a little excessive for him to trek all the way down here, just for her sake. “And I was born ‘n th’ Thicket, west of here. Never been ‘cross th’ mountain before.” Word count: 243 ”Speech" Thoughts

dawnthieves.de

Nice, Chan thought. If she was going his way already, it really just made things easier on him.

"I'll show ya the nearest path up, it's kind of hard to spot," he spoke down the cliffside, and finally began to make some ground north along the trail he'd been walking. He would slow to a stop only if not followed, but otherwise would oscillate between checking the way ahead and looking back at her to speak.

"It'll be worth the hassle, I can vouch for that. The Winters harsher but nothing beats the view. Though, maybe I'm just biased, since I was raised up here."

It was only fair to give her as much information as she gave him, especially given that she had been so guarded. He didn't know where the Thicket was, but that didn't mean much given that Chan had only just begun to explore West of the mountain this year.

"Y'know I'm goin' to the peak anyways, and it's always best to climb with someone who can have your back. Y'know, in case you get taken out by a rockslide or fall into a crevasse."

If only he were exaggerating.

CHAN EASTFALL

(This post was last modified: Jan 22, 2021, 03:22 AM by Chan.)

Well, he sure was persistent. Flair was prepared to turn around, not to fuzzed about getting up the slope right here and now; Maybe I’ll just give up this whole mountain thing… But there was something, if not endearing, then at least amusing about the younger boy’s enthusiasm. With a huff of mirth, she got to her feet, to follow along, tracing the edge of the cliff while keeping an eye on the tan figure as he expertly navigated the icy rock up above.   It seemed this lad was quite the talker too, and rather fond of the mountain. Flair almost shuddered at the thought of growing up in those heights, remembering her last two years in the north with no pleasure. But then, the strange boy would probably feel equally turned off by the idea of the tight and brambly thicket; Why do so many wolves choose to live in the dumbest places? Of course, she had been headed up the mountain on her own, far be it for her to criticize this boy for offering his expertise.   Warmed somewhat by his honest openness, Flair didn’t feel so ticket at accepting the help anymore; If he knows a safe path, I’d be mad to ignore it! And so she trudged on, feeling her tail giving an amiable swish in time with her step. “Sure sounds like a lovely place.” She couldn’t help but drawl as he described the dangers of the climb, but a friendly smirk accompanied the sarcasm; “Can I trust y’ to catch me if I do?” Amber eyes jumped briefly to his broad shoulders, before she added more pragmatically: “Or at least, not push me?” That slim smile remained on her lips though, showing she was joking, mostly at least. Word count: 294 ”Speech" Thoughts

dawnthieves.de

Chan was happy to see his company oblige him, his own broom-like tail sweeping back and forth at a contented pace. Her sarcasm only caused him to chuckle with amusement, and the teasing was returned with a wink as he promised, "I'll try my damnedest on both counts."

Of course, the woman truly did have little to worry about. Chan was very much a vigilant and reliable hiking partner, strangers or not. The mountain was stained with enough corpses, and each one had taught him a lesson in respecting the environment's power over the animals that inhabited it.

"What'd your pack call themselves? It's hard, trying to remember everyone from that long ago..."

CHAN EASTFALL

(This post was last modified: Jan 24, 2021, 02:51 AM by Chan.)

There was something unusually chill about this odd mountain wolf. After a year as a loner, Flair was much more used to the prickly nature other strays tended to display, fighting for survival every day. This boy had no such qualms though, even returning her sarcastic jokes with a playful wink of his own. It was almost unsettling. The fiery shewolf had gotten so used to guarding herself, to answer any new encounter with force to prove her self-reliance. But this was the second time in very few days she had been met with kindness; Maybe this place hasn’t gone completely to hell…   She followed along easily, glancing back and forth between the stranger and her own road ahead, ears perked to hear his next question. She bit her lip then, walking in silence for a moment. There was something especially vulnerable to her, talking about her childhood pack. But then, she had already told him where it had been, and his interest seemed genuine enough in trying to refamiliarize himself with the land. Finally, she answered: “Secret Woodlands, after the Thicket of Secrets. And yours?” It was a question asked mostly out of politeness, other than their allies immediately to the south, Grizzly Hollow, Flair hadn’t known much about any of the packs of Relic Lore. Her parents, of course, had had to maintain alliances far and wide, but it had never been something that interested their wily pup, who preferred simply to cause mischief around the Eden’s.   After another beat, she looked up the mountainside, again shivering a little at the thought of growing up in those altitudes. “Was it far from here?” She stopped for a moment, lifting a paw to clean a small lump of ice from between her toes; I really can’t wait for spring! Word count: 300 ”Speech" Thoughts

dawnthieves.de

They were moving at a good pace, and he could hear the water swirling with ice through the tributary ahead. It meant they were almost to the makeshift steps that once saw far more traffic from their kind.

Her pack, the Secret Woodlands, didn't sound familiar at all, though the name itself indicated to him that he had been in the majority. It interested him, even as a child of the Lost Lake, thinking of living in a secret thicket, and Chan found himself musing over what it could have been like.

"Fallen Tree Cove," he returned when asked, "once you hit that ridge up there," Chan swung his muzzle to gesture, "you'll see it. There's this giant Lake hidden up there, in kind of a valley. That's why it's best to cross here, you get to rest before going back down."

He paused when she did, and tossed down, "I'm Chan by the way."

CHAN EASTFALL