Paradise Falls a man for all seasons

note to self: before speaking with finley
for @Toklo <3

you make a fine shrine in me

Something inside Isla had become a yawning chasm. Something beneath the surface shifted and had been pulled taut with a force greater than her own.

Isla had come to expect her life to be in a constant state of change. Yet this one had left her all the more bitter. Still she stirred awake at sunset and set out for the borders of the Falls. She had hopes that with peace restored among the pack (now that those of the Cove had departed) she might not be bothered for the evening.

It was why she picked up her pace. A walk into a trot that fed into a run. The cool air rustled through her black and grey furs. It all served to rile her up further instead of release steam.

She weaved through trees in a sprint, unprepared for anything that might cross her.

(This post was last modified: Mar 06, 2024, 01:56 AM by Isla.)

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Toklo had spent the day getting more acquainted to the surrounding area. He felt that he knew the basics of where the territories were, where to leave marks and where the nearest caches were. The only problem now was the fact that he hadn't met with all of the members of the pack. Sure, he had met with Marigold and Galen for a bit, but he hardly knew anyone else.

He decided then that he was going to spend the rest of the day trying to get to know another pack mate. Following his nose, he noticed the scent of a female. He gave out a howl trying to help find her.

---

i am a dark red liver stretched out on the rocks

All the poison, I convert it and I turn it to love

A call.

For her?

It would have perplexed her enough in her usual moods. Now it only continued to rile whatever had come over her. Enough that she turned her course for him at once. Her sprint slowed into a stalk as she thought she neared him. New, his scent unfamiliar with its subtle complexities.

She spotted shades of deep grey and white through the rich-colored trees. He seemed neither tiny nor overly large. Unremarkable in many ways, but she had come to learn she better liked those who might be average. Was he truly though?

A deep bark escaped her as she sought to draw his attention to her now.

---

Toklo jumped at the sudden bark, the hair at the scruff of his neck standing on edge. "Woah! Hello!" Toklo yelped, "You must be Isla?".

He took a moment to look over the female, admiring her gorgeous fur. Her stormy blue eyes were starring daggers into him, making him deeply uncomfortable. He looked away, bowing his head in submissiveness, not wanting to make this interaction more hostile.

"Please forgive me," Toklo said, "I never meant to startle you. My name's Toklo and I am recent member to the pack. I wanted to get to know the rest of the other pack mates better, and you were the nearest one.".

He went up to her and licked her paw in greeting.

---

i am a dark red liver stretched out on the rocks

All the poison, I convert it and I turn it to love

She liked him at once. Only for the way he lowered, how he went so far as to meet her paws in greeting. Her tail, while arched above her, still waved in what might be considered excitement.

An electric kind of look worked its way into her gaze.

Toklo, She hummed his name in her husky voice. What do you do? She tried to imagine him as a guardian but faltered at the thought. Surely if he had been so quick to appease her, he was no grand warrior. A scout? More diplomatic than her, she imagined. Maybe a caretaker, if he appeased to the yappy children.

At least he was spared from her foulest moods so far.

---

He found it odd that she hadn't returned his greeting. "It's a pleasure to meet you too Toklo!" He chuckled to himself.

"Oh! Um...My nose! I have the best nose that you have ever seen!" He said. He took pride in his skill to be able to pick up scents easily. "I can pick up a week old deer scent a mile away, and tell you how old it is or if its a prime target for hunting." He loved being able to talk about his skills. It made him feel like he could contribute to the pack.

He took a risk by asking her "And what about you? What do you to for the pack?"

---

i am a dark red liver stretched out on the rocks

All the poison, I convert it and I turn it to love

She looked at him hard and pointed now, as if she might spot just what made his nose so special. It looked like every other nose to her but...he flaunted a skill supposedly. A prime hunt scouter it sounded like.

Isla had been prepared to test him on it until he had returned the question to her.

Isn't it clear? Her tail had not lowered and it waved like a valiant banner over her spine. She had done this song and dance before with much more aggression. Now? She had not decided how rough she wanted to be with Toklo.

I'm the nightwatch. She clicked her teeth towards him, nothing more than an empty show. It could be more. She had a desire to wrestle him down but she had done so good so far by not drawing too much ill attention towards herself. Would she scare him off? Oh she hoped not...

---

A look of confusion went on Toklo's muzzle. "No...no it isn't. I mean, don't get me wrong, you are very intimidating and I wouldn't want to come across you if I was an opposing pack or a bear, but I don't just base my opinions on outward appearances, even if they are very beautiful and stunning appearances.".

He couldn't necessarily decipher Isla's feeling were about him. So he instead went to business and asked "While you're out here, can you help me by showing me the edges of the territory? I want to make sure that I don't leave it and that no one oversteps their boundary.".

---

i am a dark red liver stretched out on the rocks

All the poison, I convert it and I turn it to love

She had never been warned that she might be disarmed by kindness.

Lies and trickery would have been one thing. However he seemed only openly confused yet serious in the way he said beautiful and stunning appearances. Something about it prickled at her hackles as if she could not stand the overstimulation from it all. Frustrated by herself, frustrated by him now. She had considered tolerating him. Now she had to decide...

Fine. She huffed, fur fluffed out enough that she shook it before she practically stormed off. Keep up! Barked sharply as she picked up her pace. She intended to drag him along for a ride if he could handle it.

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Now this is what he was waiting for! He immediately sprang up and went off like a bullet. "Hey! Wait up!" Toklo yelled out, tongue now flopping in the wind from excitement. He still hadn't gotten quite accustomed to this new area yet, even after a couple days exploring, so it wasn't a surprise that almost immediately after he went after Isla, he just as quickly was losing her.

Eventually he had gotten so tripped up on rocks jutting out and tree trunks fallen on the ground, that he lost sight of her completely. "Isla? Are you out there?" Toklo said. "Why is everyone here so incredibly fast on their feet in this pack?" Toklo thought, having almost had the same experience with @Marigold .

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(This post was last modified: Mar 07, 2024, 05:10 AM by Toklo.)