Empress Riffle Get me out of this haze

If she was worse for wear before she was disheveled now. Ribs were prominent beneath her coat, and it was looking dull and rough. Why she wasn’t completely fatigued, it wouldn’t be long till she’d have no energy. So it was here she decided to rest, until a solution surfaced. A muskrat more particularly, and she had the time and patience to wait. By chance or something more she’d scented one along the creek, and unlike the beaver they still had to come from their lodge to get food.

Close but, not directly where her prey would see her she was perched at a base of an empress tree. Dark, ears and gray eyes on the little trail to and from the hole in the ice. Just one meal was all she needed to get through she told herself.

(This post was last modified: Feb 09, 2023, 04:00 AM by Torrent.)

Auburn perused that same stretch of bank, just out of sight but walking in the stranger's direction without knowing she lie in wait. Were her pelage lighter, he might not have noticed her at all even as the trees between diminished and began to reveal her. Dark fur with waves of silver throughout caught his eye and caused him to pause, assessing before continuing along. She was focused on something right at the river's edge, fishing perhaps?

He moved closer, ready to give a friendly wag of his tail if the other looked his way. Her scent smelled just of her and snow, and she didn't appear to be in the best of shape.

"Any luck?"

Just like that she was seeing a different kind of face before her, and she did her best not to look his way. Then he spoke, and the frown was evident on her lips despite his wagging tail.

“Luck? No, I don’t feel that follows me.” It was senseless wasn’t it? Randomly appearing and disappearing without reason. Especially since he had arrived, but be it self preservation or what not,she wasn’t going to mention it. He was larger than she was and didn’t look as bad. No need to make a situation catastrophic. She was sure he probably was just trying to be nice, even if not exactly helpful.

“Do you have such a thing?”She posed the question more seriously than she might have under different circumstances. She didn’t want to sound scornful or disgusted. ”Maybe something better?” She attempted to speak softer, to let it mar her facade. He wasn’t catching her at a good time, but it wasn’t his fault. Or she told herself, so she’d stay civil.

(This post was last modified: Feb 09, 2023, 05:00 AM by Torrent.)

His curiosity was mild and meant affably, and yet she met him with thorns. Without being pricked, he could feel a whisper of the pain they could inflict. Rather than take offense, Aub wondered what kind of environment had encouraged their growth, as though she were another one of his plants. He didn't come any closer after recognizing the lack of welcome, and lifted his green eyes only to gauge just how agitated she appeared to be before returning them to the river and its ice. Her dark form was kept just within his peripheral, in case the scales tipped.

Did he? Auburn struggled to discern if she was speaking specifically or generally, and was relieved to be given a second query to guide him.

"Maybe some has found you. I've got venison stored not too far from here, actually."

It truly was a matter of luck in his opinion; he and his father had happened to come across and bring down one of the past spring's fawns just the other day, stashing it beneath roots and dirt at the base of a tree a bit closer to the Backwater. The walk would be short, if she was up for it.

"I don't mind sharing."

She was sullener than she thought. If it were not for her hunger she would have likely fallen asleep so should she be surprised? Still, her sharpness didn't chase him away, though she noted he gave her space in the moment. A thought she appreciated. Maybe, he was smarter than she'd first thought.

Her head cocked; brows pressed together in befuddlement. Had she heard that right? He had food he was telling her about? It was obvious that was just what she needed. She grimaced. “Sorry, I was hoping to get a muskrat and I can’t think straight." Self-preservation at an all-time high. He could just be pitying her but that wasn’t important. She’d take his kindness and his meat too. What other choice did she have?

"I don't mind sharing." It was then she really looked at him, noting his green gaze matched his actions, inviting, and warm. She almost thought she'd seen them before, but no this was a different wolf. This one was silver, and his ears more pointed. "Ok, but I will have to do something for you in return." It was then she stood, offering a wag of her tail this time, and a sheepish smile of sorts meaning what she said. How she would do so she hadn't the faintest idea, but it would be one favor she planned to pay back. He may have just saved her life.

She apologized, and Auburn took that as a good sign that she might be at least a touch more comfortable with his presence now. Rather than give her words, his tail wagged in what he hoped was a forgiving manner. Acknowledging it too directly would feel like confirming that she had something to be sorry for, which Aub didn't quite agree with; he was sure she had her reasons.

He was happy when she accepted, and he chuckled.

"I think good conversation is worth a meal," was his counter-offer, nodding with his head to motion for her to follow. They could haggle if she so wished, but Auburn wasn't looking to gain anything. As he saw it, he had no reason not to share this surplus resource with someone who needed it.

Regardless, he would lead his acquaintance to the base of a towering pine and disturbed earth, promptly setting about unearthing the remains.

"My name's Auburn. What's yours?"

Whatever luck, or fate she was grateful he was an easy-going fellow She half snorted, her humor still intact despite it all.

"What do you consider a good conversation?" She could carry one to a degree, but always felt like she rambled about things of no relation. Right this moment she wasn't thinking her mind was the most reliable of things. Just following him was taking a good part of her concentration and physical energy.

Fortunately, as he'd told her it wasn't far, and once they reached the tree she sat.  She thought of offering to dig but felt like he wouldn't have let her to begin with. She let her eyes rest on him, blinking black dots out of her gaze.

Auburn. Interesting name for a wolf with little of the color, and maybe the question lingered upon her face. She wasn't sure, as scents started pooling into her nose. The venison, and other wolves she tried to sort out.

"Torrent," she offered still looking a little dazed...confused.

     

(This post was last modified: Feb 19, 2023, 10:52 PM by Torrent. Edit Reason: code ????? )

When she moved, Aub was better able to see just how faded the other wolf truly was. It concerned him, but he tried not to seem pitying. He didn't want to affront her and cause her to refuse the assistance, and certainly didn't want to be someone to make anyone feel any worse about their situation. Had he met his father earlier, he might have already learned that this was a deeply-ingrained Eastfall trait. As it was, he remained to think himself a particular worrywart.

The answer to her joking question (right? or had she wanted a response?) was pretty much any conversation where neither party left upset. That felt awkward to say though, and hoped it had been rhetorical. This would get easier, surely, once they were settled and she was hopefully reinvigorated by a meal.

'Torrent', she said. He liked that.

The carcass gave way in chunks easily enough, and he pulled out a meaty shank for her before taking a small strip of flesh for himself. He wasn't particularly hungry, but thought she might feel more comfortable if he was eating as well.

He lowered down onto his stomach and chest, his silvery tail tapping the ground subtly, and he chewed thoughtfully. There was plenty he could say, but the priority was to get food in his company first. Auburn would let Torrent guide the pace.

“I’ve looked better,” she mustered knowing how terrible she must appear now. She’d been worse too and had made it out. Something she almost wanted to add but did not. She was regretting saying anything now. Maybe, he wasn’t listening too closely. She could hope.

He had no reply for her question but she was ok with that. It was nice not to wrack her brains further. She focused on the scents again, trying not to drool as he gave her a fair chunk. With whatever self control she had she let her teeth sink in, holding it and slowly reclined after he did. Only then did she rip a piece when he had.

It was the best thing she’d ever eaten and she forced herself to chew steadily, savoring each morsel. It wasn’t going to fill the hole but it would ease it radically.

Half way through she felt much better. Less aches, and less haze. What made this wolf so kind? Generous? She shifted between the two words thinking they usually worked together so maybe he was both and not one or the other. He did not seem expectant but she didn’t forget the conversation part. “You live ‘round here? Or you have an ongoing traveling service to those in need?” There was humor in her tone, even if she didn’t much feel it.

”You aren’t alone are you. “ Like me. She should have stuck with the guy from the tundra. Or the other one. She’d never been certain if it would have been more or less trouble.

     

Auburn did chuckle at that, a soft sound only audible for the stillness of winter around them. Not at all, but that would be a wonderful occupation, wouldn't it? He could only dream of being so useful, though, surely lacking any special qualities that would be needed of such a wolf.

'You aren't alone are you.'

It wasn't a question. At times Aub struggled with know what others intended with their words, but these ones hit with clarity. His gemstone eyes briefly sought her gaze, before finding their usual place anywhere but- her shoulder, the trees, his own paws.

"I've actually been staying up on the mountain. We're here on something called an 'exchange,' to let the kids get to know their neighbors."

That was really all she had asked, but he felt as though perhaps there was more to be said. He searched his thoughts, coming up with, "you do look exhausted. I'm sure others could look far, far worse in the same position, though."

It was a compliment, Auburn-style and likely difficult to discern for those unaccustomed to him. What he meant to say was that he thought she had a magnetic air about her regardless of how starved and travelworn, but those words got lost on the way from his mind to his mouth.