Sacred Grove and i've hung out with girls

RE: Viorel, it's the middle of the night and you're too cold to fall asleep.
Middle of the night, Light snow, -4F/-20C
@Clover

Just so i can get a bit

The dark teen had tossed and turned for the better part of the night before giving up and getting up in a huff. Between the light snow falling and the extreme cold Viorel just couldn’t sleep and it was frankly exhausting trying. Who knew trying to sleep could make you more tired? It probably would have been smart to find another wolf from their little band to share heat with, but when the Valle had looked for them they either didn’t have room in their hiding spaces or were nowhere to be found.

Instead he had decided to try to trot until his muscles generated some more heat, and hopefully wear him out until he could sleep. But, he wasn’t going to just do this pointlessly. Viorel had been spending his days trying to scope out the territories that surrounded their future pack site. He figured the more he knew about what was around them the better, it wouldn’t do them well to discover too late that their pack den was surrounded by areas prone to flooding for example.

Tonight he headed south east, towards the area that they had woken up in. But, he found himself somewhere else entirely, somewhere….strange. The trees here seemed to almost be, he couldn’t even describe it. Almost like the whole area was trying to tell him something but couldn’t talk. It was a completely different feeling than the woods that he had found Clover in, instead of a negative threatening presence, this seemed to be...very soothing. Viorel’s eyes were wide as he looked around the grove, what had he found?

Nostalgic

Clover sat with her eyes closed, feeling the thrum of the ground beneath her paws and cool breeze blowing through her fur, whiskers twitching as the snowflakes fell on her raised muzzle. She had been unable to sleep and so made her way to the grove where it was oddly peaceful, hoping it would be enough to calm her mind down. Thoughts of what was to come had filled her mind for most of her waking moments, and the unsureness of what the future held filled her with unease. She knew whatever would come her way she would get through, but she was lonely without the comfort of her family, and she could only hope the wolves she was with now could become her new family.

Her eyes opened as the scent of another wolf was carried along the breeze, head turning to survey her surroundings to see who it was. By the edge of the grove she spotted him, and her lips curved up in a smile, not expecting to see him out so late, but happy to see him nonetheless. Her paws carried her closer to where Viorel stood, and she woofed out a soft greeting to him. "Couldn't sleep either?" That would have to be the only reason he was out so far from where the group had bunkered down, unless he had specifically been searching for her, but she was sure that was not the case.

Just so i can get a bit

Viorel had been so distracted by the strange sensation of power in the grove that he had missed Clover’s scent heavy amongst the trees. His yellow eyes moved from bough to bough in awe. What had he stumbled upon here, and why was it here? Not only had he missed the signs that his friend was nearby, but every thought of how cold it was, and his lack of sleep completely vanished. Instead he felt peaceful, at ease. The teen let out a deep sigh, as if a heavy weight had been lifted off of his shoulders, it felt good here. He liked it.

His eyes landed on Clover only a moment before she greeted him, and he responded with a huge grin. It seemed like he wasn’t the only one who had been pulled to this strange place, funny how this kept happening to them. Shaking his head softly he groaned a little, ”Nah, something about tonight was just too cold.” Which, was a little odd, because he had definitely lived through colder nights without an issue. Whatever it was about this night, the chill had seemed deep, all consuming, at least it had been until he had stumbled into this grove.

Looking away from the white woman to the trees again he couldn’t help but murmur, ”What is this place?”

Nostalgic

She made a face at his words, the expression somewhere between a frown and a grin, caught between wanting to agree that the night seemed oddly cold, but also just happy that he had come out to the same place she was at. She had definitely survived colder nights, but something about this one sunk into her fur and bit at her skin, and she was of half the mind to request that they bunker down somewhere together for the night instead of retreating to separate locations. But something inside her baulked at that idea, and she was too hesitant and unsure to voice that thought out loud.

Clover glanced around the grove at his question, offering up a half shrug to show that she was unsure of the answer. "I'm not sure, but it feels very peaceful here." Her gaze returned to him, a small smile on her face. "I came here to try and quiet my mind from thinking about everything that's happened," and what will happen in the future. She blinked away a snowflake that had fallen onto her eyelashes, feeling the coldness of where it melted against the skin under her eye. "Was it just the cold that brought you out here?"

Just so i can get a bit

Clover’s expression was unreadable, but Viorel didn’t look too much into it. They were becoming close friends for sure but it would be foolish to claim that he knew her extraordinary well. It had only been a little bit less than a month ago since they had met in those eerie woods, and yet everything had changed since then. She made no comment about why he had come here, although the more he stared into her dark amber eyes the more he felt something, strange. It had to be this grove, surely.

The half shrug didn’t give Viorel much information to go on, it seemed like they were both flying blind here. Looking out towards the dense foliage around them he nodded in agreement, ”It’s peaceful but also...it feels strange, just in a good way you know?” The Valle didn’t know how else to explain it and hoped that Clover would know what he meant, because he wasn’t sure he could really elaborate on that statement.

Looking back to her with raised eyebrows, ”Everything that’s happened?” She wasn’t having second thoughts about the pack and their… agreement, was she? Tilting his head a little bit to the side his brow furrowed, ”I...don’t know. I couldn’t sleep from the cold, but it almost felt like this place was calling to me. Like I was supposed to end up here tonight.” So much of what had happened to them had seemed so random, so up to chance. Had it all been meant to be this whole time?

Nostalgic

A smile graced her features at his comment, also feeling the same way about the grove. It did wonders to set her mind at ease, even if the apparent thrumming beneath her paws was something quite unusual to her. "I know what you mean." She did not have the words to explain exactly how it made her feel, but it seemed they were in some sort of agreement regardless of their ability to express what they felt.

She nodded at Viorel's question, taking not of his raised brows at her words. "So much has happened in such a short time, and I just... needed some quiet to make sense of it all." Clover had no desire to change her mind on her decisions, but she knew she needed to make sure she felt happy with everything that had already happened before she could fully focus on the future. She hummed softly, neither a noise of agreement that it was fate that had brought him to the grove, but also not denying it. She would chalk it up to coincidence, and a happy one at that. "Well I'm glad you're here." Her lips lifted up in a smile, hoping that he felt the same way.

Just so i can get a bit

Her response didn’t necessarily settle worries that she had changed her mind, though he couldn’t disagree that everything was happening quickly. Sitting next to her, he pressed his side against her gently. Nibbling gently on her shoulder he smiled, "I'm glad I'm here too." Looking forward across the grove, rather than at her eyes he murmured, ”I know it’s quick,” he shuffled uncomfortably. He wasn’t sure there was a good way to say this, so he just blurted it out quietly, ”Are you changing your mind about everything? Is it too much?” he would understand if it was, but it would suck for lack of a better word.

He was silent following the question, and the moment seemed to stretch out forever. It was like he could count every breath, every heartbeat and it lasted until eternity. If Clover said it was all too much he would do what he could to support his friend, that much he knew for certain. He just hoped that even if having pups with him would be too quick this spring she wouldn’t choose to leave the pack. He wasn’t used to feeling this way really, and he was still so young it was all hard to distinguish. She was a year older than him, but they were both young wolves, would she run from everything?

Nostalgic

She returned the gesture of affection, her cheek brushing lightly against his. Clover was pleased that he felt the same way, thrilled, even. Daresay she might even consider him a friend, and even though they had not known each other for very long she knew she would already give as much of herself as he or the others required of her. A small part of her in the back of her mind warned her that it was dangerous, giving so much of herself to others that she did not know as well as her own family, but she was an adult now, and she had made up her mind to stick with them, through better or worse.

Her mouth opened in a surprised and silent 'o' shape, brows furrowing slightly as she stared quizzically at Viorel, taken aback by the abrupt change in conversation topic. She was silent for a few moments as she mulled over his question, clearing her throat softly as she finally closed her mouth. "Nono, I'm not changing my mind. I stand by what I told you earlier, and I still want to stay with you and the others." Clover offered up a smile, only slightly dampened by the fact that she was now wondering why he had brought the question up in the first place. Had she given some indication of thinking otherwise? "I am happy here, with you... and the others," she said with a gentle nuzzle of her muzzle against his shoulder, hoping to reinforce that she was not going anywhere anytime soon.

Fade on your next post?

Just so i can get a bit

When her cheek brushed against his Viorel felt a bit of hot blush creep along his neck, and he was thankful for his dark pelt in the night. He was not used to feeling this uncertain, his whole life had been practically laid out for him back home. He would become an adult, maybe serve for a year or two as a scout, be matched up with a powerful lady from another pack and go make his own. He was still making his own pack he supposed, but this was certainly not how he thought that it was going to happen.

One thing he knew for sure, he was happy to have Clover with him while he figured it out.

Closing his eyes when she touched his shoulder he breathed, ”I’m happy with you too.” Then blinking them open he rushed to add, ”And everyone else too, my family.” Blushing hard again he feigned a yawn, although he truly was beginning to feel tired for real. Looking towards some of the more dense foliage he gestured with his muzzle, ”Should be warm enough with both of us to stay here for the night, get back to everyone else in the morning.” He stood, then hesitated before adding, ”It is pretty late already.” She wasn’t going to think he was like creeping on her was she? Ugh, things were easier at the Estuary with his ‘floozies’.

Nostalgic

A warm feeling spread throughout her body at Viorel's words, and a look of amusement appearing on her face when he hurriedly spoke again. He seemed somewhat... embarrassed? No, maybe flustered was a more apt description. She was unsure why, but did not feel like pressing him about it as she could begin to feel the pull of tiredness in the back of her mind. By the looks of his yawn she figured he too was starting to feel tired, and she was about to suggest that they head back when Viorel spoke up, offering a different suggestion.

Clover blinked once, taking the time to think, briefly wondering why he would choose to sleep in their current location rather than return to the others. But at the same time, the thought of sleeping curled up next to Viorel with no one nearby brought up a feeling that she could not quite describe. "Sounds like a good idea," she said with a warm smile before making her way to the dense foliage Viorel had pointed out with the intent of curling up nose to tail tip, and falling asleep next to him for the night.

FADE

(This post was last modified: Mar 07, 2021, 12:43 PM by Clover.)