Daybreak Peaks you can't imagine the stars that align

For @Clouse <3
Subterritory Name: Glacier Caverns
Parent Territory: Daybreak Peaks
Lat/Lng: -42.1634, 6.32813
Picture: https://unsplash.com/photos/RRyIZg4i4Hg
Description: This cavern has taken on the cold touches of glacier living that Daybreak Peak provides. Although the cavern seems cold year round, it is most certainly a sight to see during winter when ice forms thickest around the walls and leaves icicles hanging from the top. It is uncertain just how far back the network seems to go, but it's not advised to wander beyond where the light touches...

They had to head back home, but there was no reason they could not see a few sights along the way.

It had teetered into the late morning when they reached this point where the mountain seemed to yawn awake. The light seemed to reflect off of what little could be seen in the mouth of the den. Not to mention the colder air that pushed out from the cavern's opening. Others may have thought better (or at least twice) before they dared to tempt fate with such a place.

Loach, on the other hand, turned his orange eyes out behind him. Clouse! He barked out warmly, tail swayed behind him. Lookit 'ere... Loach decided to be the ultimate gentleman and take the first few steps into the cave's mouth.

Eyes blinked as he adjusted to both the sudden coldness and the soft rippling of light against...ice.

(This post was last modified: Jan 24, 2023, 10:43 PM by Loach.)

Clouse was quite satisfied with their trip already, and still it wasn't over. While time tried to run away from them, they pushed just a little further in spite of it. Chasing after Loach's lead, he'd sidetracked briefly to follow a peculiar smell before his companion called out to recapture his attention. He lifted his head and peered up, where a few yards higher the other wolf was poking his nose into some kind of cavern. Clouse eagerly climbed to Loach's level and followed him into the murky opening.

The walls were practically crystalline, and shone despite the shadows which drenched them. Clouse's lips parted, a soft "oh," uttered without intent. While features of ice were of course familiar, he'd yet to come across something quite like this. It encapsulated them, played different tricks with the light than it could in direct sunlight. The colors were gorgeous, inviting.

"... alright. Maybe you won."

This was probably his favorite discovery so far.

Loach offered a soft tcht of his tongue against his teeth at Clouse. Good natured, of course.

I'd say we won. For it was the both of them who had managed to come across this place and now were witness to its glory. As far as his nose could tell, nothing seemed to wait for them deeper within. Or if it did, it seemed far too deep to be of concern for now. You think anybody ever seen this before? He blinked the icy reflections of light from his sight as he looked for Clouse's shadowed form.

At once he imagined what kind of things might make a home in here. What would the others think of this weird cavern?

Nah, he didn't want to live in a place like this.

Every little sound was carried into the glacial cave's depths, echoing faintly as it faded away. Even the silken butterscotch of Loach's voice bounced off the glass walls around them, enveloping them in his warm tones as he spoke. Clouse couldn't help a stupid little smile crossing his features, mitigated with a playful roll of his mercury eyes. He did indeed still feel like a winner, no matter how many suns had now set since their meeting. That was verging on ridiculous, right? What would be next, a full moon? He was pretty certain he hadn't maintained an... intimate relationship past three-quarters of the Moon Mother's turning. Yet, already he was getting the feeling that this particular companion would see him through a new record...

"Who can say?" he answered, the awe still clear in his voice. The world was very old, according to his grandmothers three. He could easily conjure caricatures of their ancestors, mumbling about moonlight leading them as they dove deeper into the darkness. Clouse was glad to be away from them.

"I wanna know how far back it goes but... probably not a good idea?" he turned away from the sights to return to Loach's side, blizzard gaze seeking his sunset eyes.

Very not good. He laughed warmly, listened to it bounce off down the broken stretches of mountain walls. Whatcha gonna do if you find a bear, hm? He teased and reached with kind teeth towards Clouse's ear. An obvious sign of affection towards the other man.

Still he wandered a little bit deeper. Icicles hung from the ceiling and he dared to look up at them. Thick and sturdy, he imagined. Yet he certainly did wonder just how long they lasted for. It most certainly seemed for the best that they didn't live here.

Do you like the cold?

A little chit chat, a little bit more of feeling out one another. It would be vital to learn if they wanted to...continue this. Whatever they decided this was.

"Thought that was what I was keepin' close to you for," he jested in return, leaning into Loach's playful touch to give him an equally-affable shove with his shoulder. Of course, the truth was hopefully that they'd both be making mad dashes for the exit if that what-if were to come to fruition. He didn't much wanna find out if he'd be willing to stand down a grizzly with only one other wolf, even if it was weakened by hibernation.

Do you like the cold?

Clouse rolled his shoulders in a shrug.

"Better than it being too hot," he mused, "guess ice is pretty... more excuses to snuggle."

A wink for his attractive friend.

"You fancy the mountains?"

(This post was last modified: Jan 28, 2023, 05:34 AM by Clouse.)

Aye! That man was lucky he was so handsome...

Loach snorted with a soft roll of his eyes. Then was given the opportunity to be flustered. Which was not an emotion he wore well. Quick to flip his gaze away like a schoolboy made to blush. Clouse had been the first to make him feel this way in a very long time.

I like 'em when they got water. He snorted with a lazy grin. Places that let me fish and swim are what I like. Hence the split and the time they had spent at the Wellspring further south. Ain't too picky beyond that. And he meant it. Hills, fields, stones. None of it mattered as long as water was present.

You know how to swim? Had they talked about that? He couldn't remember, but he drifted a bit closer to Clouse again. Seemingly embolden by the beauty in this place to be a bit more touchy.

Clouse had begun to suspect as much, the other man so natural upon the banks of the Split, as though he'd been born and raised there. Perhaps that was just the view from his rosy glasses, but now Loach confirmed his preference. Lucky for them, the land was filled with bodies of water. Maybe, they'd get to see them all together.

He leaned into Loach's proximity, pressing his cheek to the other wolf's salt-and-pepper jaw briefly as if in welcome.

"Definitely. I have relatives who live right on the ocean, cousin's feral brats woulda had me drowned if I couldn't," his tone was jesting, but the claim really wasn't unrealistic. While most descendants of Torbine favored order, there were certainly those who thrived far too well on chaos - and both had sects who were particularly cutthroat.

It was his turn then to conjure a query, not needing to ask if Loach could handle the water. He looked up at him, wondered if he should keep things light or let the ambience guide him a bit deeper. The important thing to remember was not to ask anything he wasn't comfortable answering himself. He chickened out instead.

"Wanna stay the morning here?"

They should rest, before making the trip back.

(This post was last modified: Jan 29, 2023, 04:07 AM by Clouse.)

He offered a low, rolling laugh. The kind that spoke of understanding, mutual pasts! Loach was positive his very own siblings had tried to drown him once or twice. Such was the way of the ocean it seemed.

With you? A thoughtful hum, a teasing look in his eyes. O' course. A wide toothy grin broke his humored features. He only drifted away from Clouse to touch along the icy wall for a moment. Dared to see how stable it really was!

Maybe when the weather warms, we see the coast.

Loach realized it was a very bold thing to say, but he let the fantasy hang in the air.

The young Archer smiled knowingly at his playful tone, tail whipping back and forth at sooty hocks. That grin of Loach's warmed his chest and caused his stomach to flutter with fond feelings. While the other wolf drifted and mused, Clouse spotted a dip in the ice that would make for a good place to rest. He flopped down into the divot, shifting and pushing with his paws to find comfort.

It wasn't exactly a question, but it was only due to the assurances already made that Clouse didn't feel as though acknowledging were the same as committing.

"The world is our oyster."

Whether or not that took them in the same direction would still be seen, but it was hard not to hope that this could last that long. Clouse was having a difficult time thinking about that though, much less vocalizing as much. Words spoken out loud made things real, solid and unavoidable even when they didn't pan out. Especially when they didn't pan out. He patted the ground beside him with a paw, motioning for Loach to join him.

"C'mere."

(This post was last modified: Feb 01, 2023, 04:22 AM by Clouse.)