Stormcloud Moor ghost town

This thread will qualify for random event points according to this update.

There was something innately unsettling about Stormcloud Moor.

The moorland seemed to stretch on as far as the eye could see; an endless sea of grasses and low growing shrubs sprouted up in uneven tufts and clumps, the colours varying between shades of green, brown, and beige depending on their stage of decay. The hardier plants able to thrive in the dense and infertile soil provided some depth to the otherwise flat, featureless landscape, whilst the thick white fog which rolled down from the mountains simultaneously sought to strip every feature away.

As the cloud cover thickened and visibility worsened, the lone wolf travelling south through the moor found himself reliant on his other senses to help navigate the rugged terrain. The thick air smelt damp, as if rain had recently passed through the northern realm, though the ground remained dry and firm beneath his paws suggesting that the rainfall had collected somewhere further down the sloping moorland.

Tempted by the prospect of fresh water nearby and not wanting to throw away the opportunity to quench his thirst, the large male deviated from his previous path slightly to continue downhill. The gentle pull of gravity guided him onward through the shroud of thick fog until finally small pockets of rainwater began to form amongst the tufts of dying grass and the serpentine hiss of a hidden stream reached his listening ears.

(This post was last modified: Sep 25, 2022, 01:58 PM by Artemus.)

Lana had so far relished in the solitude that this region offered. There was no one to worry about displeasing, only the rising and falling of the sun, the rain, the moon, her stomach to feed and the world at her paws. But as the days passed, she had found that she was not entirely alone here. The lack of packs and strange weather patterns seemed to have brought loners trickling into the lands, and as late summer wore into autumn, Lana was keen to know who her neighbors were. After all, she enjoyed her freedom, but she had no desire to be a pariah. At least, not here.

And so, when she caught the faint scent of another wolf, she followed out onto the moors until his scent was fresh. Through the mist and down a narrow depression that held the beginnings of a stream, she followed, walking with care. Lana knew that the man must be close, but the cloying fog and odd landscape made it difficult to see or hear, and at last she stopped, feeling rather defeated. Should she turn back? She had a bit of a proud streak about her tracking skills, and the moment stung.

A shiver ran down her spine then, and she turned, peering into the mists. Was someone there after all, or was it just her mind playing tricks on her? Or something else entirely? "Hello? Someone there?" She called out with a voice carefully even and bright, deciding to settle the matter. As her voice rang out into the quiet, she was not sure it had been the right thing to do at all.

Hello! I hope you don't mind if I toss Lantana in here  c:

Currently traveling with Loach, Llinnea, Clouse and Claw.

The large wolf pricked his ears up at the faint hiss of the nearby stream, and blindly swivelled his head to face towards the noise. Lowering his muzzle, he followed the sound, along with the increasingly pungent scent of damp earth to guide him more directly towards the trickling water. Artemus knew that he had located the stream when his dominant forepaw clumsily stepped into it, causing a small shudder to run down his spine at the shock of the freezing water suddenly drenching his hot aching paw. Lifting his wet paw up from the stream, he licked at the droplets of water which fell from it, tasting it.

The water tasted fresh, certainly safe enough to drink. So his paw returned to the uneven surface of the moorland and his head lowered to allow his tongue to lap at the trickling water, only managing a couple of refreshing mouthfuls before the scent of another wolf suddenly hit him. Instinctively his fur bristled, feeling a little more agitated about encountering another wolf when there was such poor visibility. Caramel eyes darted around as he lifted his head again, droplets of water falling from his wet muzzle as he tried to get eyes on the stranger. Fortunately, the other wolf lurking in the shroud of fog was polite enough to call out to him, which put the male somewhat at ease.

"Over here." His voice replied, his tone much more serious, though not entirely unfriendly.

The large male adjusted his paws, steadying himself upon the tufts of dying grass, as he waited with a growing anticipation to see who would emerge from the eerie fog.

As Lana listened, the hairs along her back prickled. She hoped she had not roused any restless spirits. There was an answer to her call soon enough though, and she let out the breath she'd not realized she was holding.

So there was someone else here. She had to admit it was a relief, for surely a hungry beast would not answer so plainly. Peering through the mists, she chose the direction she thought the sound had come from and made for that way, picking her way down the moor step by step.

"Ah, hello!" she said when she finally spied him, materializing out of the fog. Not a ghost, though, but a seemingly normal mortal man, much to her relief.

She stopped not too far, nor too close, enough so that they could see one another and speak, but not too close for comfort. He was a large, rather imposing male, but his air seemed neutral enough, on guard but not hostile. She could hardly blame him.  "It's been a while since I've ran into many other wolves," the tricolor woman volunteered, hoping he might say whether he had friends nearby or not. Her tail swayed behind her in a casual, friendly manner.

Currently traveling with Loach, Llinnea, Clouse and Claw.