Iridescent Lagoon summerset

for @Mouseling only.

Things had stalled again, something off about the leadership dynamic between Hagar and Avella, along with the former's health. He always looked run down, didn't appear to have the constitution of an alpha. It shouldn't be Clouse's problem, but as long as @Rashina chose to call the Willows home, it was.

But, what if they were never stable? The thought often caused the young man to wander. This time it brought him back to the vivid waters of the lagoon, where his lookalike grandfather had once reigned. As he walked the shores he thought of the Archers before him, of his mother and siblings at the Dell, even of @Malien and the last time he'd come across the oddball.

What he didn't let himself think about was @Loach, nor about how much he missed him, nor how permanent the distance between them was beginning to feel.

The sand next to his paw shifted, and he was pulled out of his thoughts by the scuttling of a crab.

"My bad," he murmured with amusement, taking a step back from the hideaway he'd inadvertantly caved in. If only his own problems were so simple to recover from. The crustacean sunk back into the silt and disappeared from view again, as though nothing had ever happened at all.

Mouseling wandered the perimeter of the lagoon most of the day, sniffing out what prey he could catch in his tired state. He had filled his belly with mice and paused to take a small rest by the water. The sun warmed his fur, though it was much cooler by the water than his time in the nearby meadow.

He was crouched on the shoreline, drinking from the lagoon. His ears perked up at the sound of a voice. Mouseling glanced around, swiveling his ears to pinpoint the source. He stood up straight to get a better look.

His breath stopped when he spotted another wolf along the water's edge. They seemed distracted by something on the ground, taking no notice of him. Perhaps Mouseling had been too bold to assume he could wander freely in this land.

He wanted to avoid catching the other wolf by surprise. “Hello,” he woofed across the water, in hopes they were friendly.

Clouse wasn't expecting to be answered, but a voice reached him all the same, causing his head to lift and ears to perk. Quicksilver eyes scanned for the source and landed upon a wolf who matched the sands they both stood upon. His head tilted briefly, and then he looked side to side, gauging which direction would be quickest to circling round to the stranger's side.

Maybe this little someone could help him out, no? He jogged the banks, eyes reliably jumping to the other wolf as he spoke across the waters. Dark features carried a smile, and his tail wagged, hopefully a welcoming demeanor.

"I'm Clouse. Who are you?"

Mouseling was surprised at the wolf's smile. Having spent so long being chased by pack wolves, perhaps he had finally found a place that would welcome him. Still, he kept his guard up. He wagged his tail as well, but bowed his head to avoid looking too bold.
"I am Mouseling," he replied. "Is this your home? Are there many more of you here?" The question sounded dumb as soon as it left his mouth and he winced. Of course he lived here.
He watched Clouse come round the edge of the lake and turned to meet him half-way.
Mouseling's eyes flicked between the black wolf and the trees around them. He did not smell anything but he worried that more wolves could be beyond the tree line.
This didn't look like an ambush, thankfully.

Mouseling. Well wasn't that just adorable. Clouse couldn't help a toothy, amused grin. Not maliciously intended, but not exactly benign upon his features either.

"Kind of," he answered honestly, voice lowering in volume the closer they got to each other, until finally they were at a reasonable distance for normal conversation. He slowed to a stop a few yards away, allowing the stranger to decide for himself just how much space he wanted. Given how much thinner and worn the other appeared, he personally didn't feel threatened.

"I've got some family here I'm visiting. We're closer to the mountains, where the trees droop."

His muzzle motioned in the direction he spoke of, before he lowered down onto his haunches. Occasionally, his tail would lift and drop in a wag.

"You lookin' for others?"

(This post was last modified: Jul 02, 2023, 01:34 AM by Clouse.)

Mouseling looked to where the wolf pointed. So there were packs here, after all. At least he had not intruded on someone else's territory.

Upon hearing Clouse's question, he realized he didn't know what he was looking for. Mouseling was tired. He wanted to rest and not be hungry anymore. Was this the end to his wandering? Mice and rabbits could only sustain a wolf for so long, but the idea of being with others again made him nervous. He shifted his weight restlessly.

"I'm not sure," Mouseling admitted. "It has been a while since I was in a pack, but I don't think being alone suits me very well. I am sure that's obvious."

An honest answer, or at least, so it seemed. Was that self-consciousness peaking through, or just directness? Clouse considered the wolf a moment, then stood again, almost abruptly.

"C'mon then, Mouse. Let's get you fed."

Perhaps it would seem like charity, but it very much wasn't. The group was in need of numbers and Clouse in particular had many reasons for wanting to see the Ridge up off the ground again. The more indebted this guy felt, the more likely he'd stick around. Small or not, another set of jaws could always help.

Clouse motioned and took a step toward home, but did pause, willing to answer questions or otherwise talk further if that was what Mouseling preferred (and if his stomach allowed him the time for it).

He stepped back at the sudden movement. He perked his ears. The idea of eating something other than mice made his stomach growl, reminding him he was far from full. His hunting that day had done little for his hunger.

"Thank you," he said. He ducked his head and wagged his tail. He figured it must be kindness on the other wolf's part. Why else would Clouse aid such a scrawny wolf like himself?

Mouseling trailed behind Clouse. He kept his head down as they walked, watching the wolf's back paws.

"You said you had family here, but your pack is near the mountains.. Are they not part of your pack as well?" He hoped it wasn't too invasive to ask.

Clouse was pleased that he didn't need to goad the other wolf into coming. He kept a pace that was relatively quick, but hopefully not taxing to Mouseling. As a traveler himself, he'd certainly gotten a taste of starvation several times, and remembered the weakness it had caused well.

"Oh uh," he thought back a brief moment to what he'd said, the clarifications that hadn't been made.

"Nah. There's just the one group. Well, here. In the Lore. Do you know... ?" he looked back over his shoulder at the younger man, pace slowing briefly before deciding the half-asked question was irrelevant, as was his family's far-reaching history here.

"I'm visiting my family in the Willow Ridge pack, which is under the mountains. I was just, checkin' out the Lagoon. Scouting, I guess."

That didn't really matter either, did it?

"What about you? Got any family you care to talk about?"

Mouseling nodded. He tried to absorb as much as Clouse shared, but his brain was feeling a little muddled. His joints were starting to ache from the pace. He decided to ignore it in favor of getting the journey over as quickly as possible. Exhaustion could be slept away once his belly was full again.

"Not anywhere nearby.," Mouseling replied. "My.. family is far south of here. For all I know they could be disbanded, or up and left their territory." He said the word family like it was a bad taste in his mouth. It sort of was to him, anyway.

"The lagoon was lovely. I'm surprised no one has settled there," he added after a beat of silence.