Bramble Falls not the same

After more than a month lingering around the territory of the mountain wolves - Jethro believed he had a decision to make, and a complicated one at that. He’d spent too long there without actually allying himself with the pack officially, and the time was coming that he’d have to stay or split for good. They seemed like good folks, no doubt, but that didn’t mean he could make it his home. That was without even considering Nori and.. the confusing mess of feelings going on there.

To distract himself from it, Jet opted for one more excursion on his own, then he would decide. Though, he was fairly certain he already knew what the choice would be.

He’d followed the same path down from the mountains that Chan had shown him before on their trip to visit the other pack, but upon reaching the base of the mountains he’d taken a northern turn. Jethro had been going for longer than a day when the distinct sound of water reached his ears. With summer and warmer weather in full swing, a swim sounded nice - so he’d followed it.

The waterfall was an amazing sight when it became visible amidst the trees. The water flowed from some unseen source high in the mountains through a series of falls and pools, culminating in a pool at ground level that beckoned the dark one forth.

With nobody about to watch or judge - that he knew of - not that it mattered anyway, Jethro launched forward with an excited yip, leaping into it and submerging himself without a second thought. He discovered it was not as deep as he thought, though, and promptly arose from the water to slosh forth, positioning himself beneath the falling water and resulting misty spray as much as he could so it would wash over him.

And damned if it didn’t feel fucking amazing.

Thirsty from walking, Scully too had been drawn to the area by the sound of moving water. As his harlequin body forced the greenery to part, sunlight shot through the thinning canopy to tell him a clearing was near. He picked up his pace, excited to drink, and approached the waters edge at a jog. First he bent his head to sate his thirst; it was only when he raised it again did he realize another was present.

Scully's silver-dollar eyes locked onto the dark wolf beneath the falls, water soaking their fur and accentuating the musculature below. A wry smile crept ever upward upon his muzzle as the Archer sat back and took in the rather attractive view. This place was just full of hunks, wasn't it?

The sound and feel of the water was quite possibly the best thing he’d ever felt, physically, at least. The dark one allowed his eyes to close, as he remained motionless. Whether it had been rain, rivers, or a waterfall, water was one of the few things Jethro had that he associated with comfort, safety, or assurance. He could not accurately recount how many times he’d done something like this to clean wounds as a pup or yearling. Or how many times he’d hidden in the falls back home, or the muddied embankments further along the river, avoiding those that would’ve had no concerns about inflicting more.

At the time, it’d been done out of instinct, fear, and desperation. Now though, he could do it just because he wanted to. Because it felt good. That realization, among many things as of late, was new. And it was arguably almost as gratifying as the feeling of water washing over him. The dark shape tilted his head back to enjoy the sensation of the spray on his face and chin. Jethro would not have minded if he could stay like this forever.

-blissfully unaware for the moment.

The stranger was oblivious to Scully's presence as the water doused them, leaving the Archer ample time to appreciate the features that could be made out through the falls' spray. The more time that passed, however, only lead to a buildup of questions and ponderings. Most pressing being; what color were those eyes?

Scully stood and let out a bark, sharp enough to hopefully pierce the waterfall's rumblings, and took a few tentative steps forward. If the stranger proved to be too pissy, he'd need to turn tail. It was unwise to dive in before knowing if you were swimming amongst dolphins or sharks, after all. His tail wagged high in the air while his chest slipped down, forelegs bending down into the water. The message was clear, if the other looked; Scully wanted to play.

(This post was last modified: Oct 13, 2021, 05:13 AM by Scully.)

There was a sound, one that seemed incredibly distant amidst that of the thundering waterfalls and Jethro’s reverie. One that might’ve otherwise gone ignored, were it not so strangely out of place. For the briefest of seconds, the dark shape wondered if he’d possibly imagined it. If the sound was some remnant of a memory long ago that his mind decided to conjure up at that exact moment, but it wasn’t.

His eyes snapped open, and a brief visual scan revealed another darker-toned figure awaiting a little further along, down at the water’s edge. The guy had adopted an odd, half crouched sort of posture, his forelimbs sinking just slightly into the water. How long had he been there? More importantly, what did he want? At least, his posture didn’t suggest hostility - quite the opposite.

It almost looked... playful? Jethro couldn’t recall ever witnessing such a thing. He tipped his head slightly in bewilderment but remained otherwise motionless, skeptical of the stranger’s motives despite little evidence thus far to substantiate the feeling. ”What’s.. up?” He spoke, going for nonchalance, but unable to keep a trace of confusion from the greeting, as well.

Scully wasn't expecting the man to appear straight up confused. After all, what wasn't clear? Bemusement trickled into his own features, mainly the knitting of his brows. He stood back to his full height, regarded the waterlogged other, and took a few steps forward. Silt slipped up between his toes and water soaked his legs. Let's try this again.

He lifted his forepaws and kicked them forward, sending a spray of water toward his intended playmate. It wouldn't reach the other, much less make a difference next to the waterfall's soakage, but hopefully the message would be clear.

Then, with more emphasis, he lowered his chest and raised his rump again, wagging his tail high in the air while his maw nearly submerged. The guy had to get it now, right?

(This post was last modified: Oct 13, 2021, 05:27 AM by Scully.)

The other guy didn’t answer him, at least.. not with words. All Jethro got in return was a slightly confused expression, one that likely mirrored his own to a degree. Was this guy a mute? He stood out of the water, for a moment, and then sauntered forward a few paces.

Though there was still some distance between them, the other then lifted his front paws before bringing them down upon the water, send a splash and a small wave of water in Jet’s direction. It didn’t quite reach, and paled in comparison to the spray and waves generated by the falls. The strange guy then moved to adopt the same half crouched position as before, crouching so that his chin was just above the water, while his rear and tail were up higher. Said appendage waved amicably.

Clearly, the guy meant no harm. But what he wanted, Jethro didn’t have a damn clue. The dark one tipped his head, opting to venture forth two steps, expression morphing into something between apologetic for his lack of understanding, and bewildered. ”Do you.. not know how to swim? I can... try to help, if you don’t.” That was the closest thing he could gather from the awkward display. Maybe the guy just wanted to enjoy a swim, but didn’t know how?

The stranger remained perplexed, and all Scully could do was mirror the confusion expressed on his eye-catching features. Handsome but thick, was that it? What, did he need to teach him how to play or something? Well, at least he had his full attention regardless of the apparent misunderstanding between them. The answer to that simple question was clear now, jade green eyes cutting through the pitch to gaze back at him.

The other spoke soon after those few steps closer, and the words elicited a bark of mirth from the silver-splotched wolf that devolved into hearty, belly-deep laughter.

"Oh my gods - I can swim just fine," Scully spoke as well as he could through the peels and a toothy grin.

"You don't speak body language or something? Never romped?"

What was it with this goofball? Who tried to swim with their face? Oblivious to the darkness in the other man's past, he could only find humor in the situation. Thus, shamelessly, he continued to snicker away and shake his head in mock disappointment.

So the stranger wasn’t a mute, that much was made obvious by the hearty laughter that emanated from him mere moments after Jethro had posed the question. Clearly, there was something incredibly amusing to him, about this situation. He could comprehend how this misunderstanding might be amusing to any normal wolf, and flashed a wry grin at that, but focused on the declaration that the guy could in fact swim. Something the stranger confirmed through his amusement, and with a broad grin. ”S’good, cause I’d be a terrible instructor,” the dark one admitted with a loose shrug.

It was the stranger’s turn to pose an inquiry, and Jet was caught between being offended at it, or feeling proud of the fact that he’d managed to so profoundly amuse someone, even if it was unintentional. While Jethro had shared in the amusement of the misunderstanding to a small degree initially, as the guy laughed on, irritation grew more prevalent. This situation was vaguely reminiscent of the many occasions he’d faced as a youth, where his cluelessness and helplessness often provided entertainment to others - a triggering reminder of times long past.

At the two questions, all he could offer was a pointed, ”No.” There was still some distance between them, but Jet did not let his gaze fall away from the other, narrowed eyes maintaining a renewed focus. ”Not that kind. Never had time for any of that dumb shit," the dark one offered in addition, a new edge and something resentful in his tone. Had the other seen his scars?

The guy hadn’t done anything to suggest hostility or warrant an outright threat, but if he didn’t cut the mocking laughter, Jet supposed he might be tempted to do more than just romp a little. He wondered how funny the guy would find it, to have his face held under the water for a while.

The shift in the other's tone did not go unnoticed, and it snagged Scully's attention like a lure. His silver eyes narrowed marginally, the machinery that was his mind anticipating a shift of gears. With his own unresolved issues seeded firmly under his skin, he was left working with a hair trigger and fed strongly off those he interacted with. Knowing this about himself, he removed himself from the water, turning his back on the stranger to seek more solid footing before giving his tongue free reign.

He traveled a few yards before stopping to shake out the water from his thick, grayscale coat. Time was taken, without care as to whether or not the individual to his back thought himself ignored or dismissed. The Archer assumed that, with the amount of water between them, he would be given plenty of time to react should things spiral.

"More likely y'got your ass beat every time," he tossed into the air offhandedly after a second good rattle to free the last of the droplets clinging to his pelt, hoping that his company's ego was as sensitive as his own.

The jab was a pushback to the perceived attitude the shadow had given him, maybe even a dare. He was just as available for a pissing contest as he was a wrestling match, if that's what this kid wanted.