Cedarwood Forest third act

Hurrying along through the trees, Borden began to scope out the plot of land that served as Cedarwood Forest. He had never ventured this far before and everything was new – the bark on the trees were different, the river rushing along somewhere nearby offered a change in atmosphere, and the scent of pine needles mentally sent him into a mood to explore. With the little bit of the forest he had set out to claim he hoped it would be ample enough to provide his pack with what they needed. The shelter he had discovered was sufficient for now; the water from the river seemed to be sticking around since its return at the start of the season, but the game inhabiting the region was the factor that made him worry. Spring was usually a time of abundance, and he anticipated the woodlands would offer a variety of prey compared to the pikas, mice, and mountain goats he had survived on for the past three months.

Once every two dozen steps or so, he made sure to rub up against a tree or raise a leg and thoroughly mark the area. He was sure to also etch his claws along the trunks and the soil between the roots of the towering cedar trees. Visual as well as aromatic markings were in order; he wanted to be sure that those who stumbled into his territory would think twice about trespassing. Just like he had done for Alexander, for the wolves of Midnight Plateau, he would piously guard these borders and chase off anyone who managed to slip through. Since his departure from the pack den, he had managed to establish one-fourth of a wide ring around it by mid-afternoon. Setting his nose to the ground the bridge of his snout wrinkled as he took in the scent of a lone wolf. The stranger, presumably a male, had just been there but he had been quick to run off upon hearing Borden’s advancing steps.

Marking was a tedious task. He wondered how his father or Honijo or even Alexander managed such a chore. Relieved to find the banks of the river, he stopped and took a moment to take a deep breath. At least a quarter of the job was done and life here would be more manageable. His patrols – and the paths his eventual scouts and guards would take – would consist of a course that simply led him in an uneven circle, not back and forth or up and down like the trails he had traveled around the base of the Dire Mountain.

Ears held high and tail waving proudly behind him he strolled along the muddy trench; every fiber of him alert as he strained each of his senses to fully take in his new home. The sounds of the forest were still foreign, even strange, and every single rustle of a shrub or unexpected noise – like the creaking of the trees or the gulping of the fish in the river – made the hair along his spine stand on edge. Sidestepping a large stone he stopped and lowered his muzzle into the water to quench his thirst; thirst was probably toying with his mind and he couldn’t afford to lose his concentration in memorizing the land ahead of him.

Well, what do you want from me?

Aisling hadn't wandered so far from the hill before. Wait! That wasn't entirely true. She had gone to that scary burned-looking forest. This place was probably closer than that place. In fact, it was much more welcoming too. The air wasn't as cold as it had been then, nor as white, and the trees weren't all blackened and broken. She could even hear the water running not far from her paws. "It looks fairly clean." The sound of her feline companion flooded her ears, breaking the silence that had surrounded her. Her eyes searched the intact trees, and she spotted the grayish feline in the distance.

Obviously there was water over there. "And a wolf." His words, once off-handed and normal toned, were now dark and slightly angry. Aisling, hardly perturbed by his comment, stepped foward, trying to ignore the furious hisses in her mind. What was wrong with this one? He usually wasn't so adament. She kept a few steps behind the tree that her feline companion sat watching in, and peered around it, finally seeing the water, and the wolf that Pangur had spoken of. "What, so you thought I was lying?" His irritated voice vibrated in her ears again.

<b style="color:#388d10">"No," She said, unaware that his voice was only in her mind. <b style="color:#388d10">"I just thought he'd be scarier, the fuss you were making." A small smile formed across her muzzle, and she aimed her eyes up at the invisible cat in the tree. "Don't make so much noise, Aisling. He'll eat you." The grayscale bobcat sounded as if such a wish could come true. Aisling merely huffed, and scooted closer to the tree, not that it would make much difference for her vision. <b style="color:#388d10">"speech."

O O C | Yay! :D Aisling is Borden’s 15th acquaintance. <3

Once he had licked his lips and gotten rid of most of the water that had soaked his chin, he seated himself next to the large rock he had been careful to avoid. A silent sigh escaped his nostrils and he cast his gaze over to the other side of the river. The place was beautiful for the first few days before spring, and he hoped the forest would become even more charming in the weeks to come. The sun filtered by a thin cover of silver clouds shone down upon him; hopefully soon they would be replaced by more meaningful clouds (perhaps those that brought a healthy dose of rain to Relic Lore) or just be scarce all together. Relic Lore could benefit quite a bit from a rain spell or two, Borden thought; it would rid the ground of what little snow was left and would encourage the plants to grow (if the temperature warmed up just enough during the day).

Oblivious to the spies who stared at him from behind and within a nearby tree, he wrapped his tail around his hind legs, not wanting to move from his spot just yet. His ears pivoted to the sides atop his head and he closed his eyes to absorb the sounds of the woodland behind him. It would take a while to become accustomed to his new home, but for now he wanted to relish every bit of ‘newness’ he was given. Soon enough, he wouldn’t have to be so aware of each little singular sound. The word “no” was picked up somewhere to his side and his eyelids quickly withdrew from over his dull yellow-green eyes. Someone was near…

He scanned the area in front of him first before turning his head towards the general location where the sound came from followed by a murmured statement that he couldn’t exactly pick up. Borden’s head tilted curiously as he eyed the tree closest to the riverbank, his eyes going up to its branches at first before lowering to its trunk. “Hello?” he called out.

Well, what do you want from me?

:D!

With carefully tilted ears, Aisling noted the sound of Pangur disappearing. The non-existent sound of rustling leaves and sticks, and his tail whisking away. She could only assume that she'd managed to offend him again or he decided to keep watch from a different location. Of course, no matter where he hid, she'd be able to hear him if he chose to speak. Her black nose twitched, and Aisling fell into mild sense of discomfort, knowing now that she was alone with this strange wolf.

But the invisible cat wouldn't be of any true use if the creme girl did end up in trouble. All he could do is comfort her or lie to her, as if he was trying to help. But such silly thoughts couldn't trouble Aisling's mind. It wasn't like she'd ever actually gotten into a fight. She had absolute faith in her best friend. Besides, what reason did any wolf have to be mad at her. She wasn't doing anything wrong, right? The pale girl started, and slid behind the tree when she heard the earth rusting near the water.

Oh no! The big wolf had seen her. Making herself as small as possible, she hunched behind the tree, orange eyes wide, waiting for the wolf to leave so she could make a run for it. When the rustling stopped, she thought she had a chance, until she heard him speak. She squeaked, surprised. His voice sounded kind, well...Not angry. With a deep breath, she peered around the trunk of the tree, ears flat against her head, <b style="color:#388d10">"Hello." Aisling gulped, keeping herself low to the ground. Somewhere in the back of her mind she heard the muted hiss of Pangur. <b style="color:#388d10">"speech."

(This post was last modified: Mar 02, 2011, 01:48 AM by Aisling.)

Hello,” he repeated back, though this time it was more of a genial tone rather than a questioning one. One of his ears swiveled back and he quirked a brow. The face of a white wolf peered out from behind the tree and he managed a simple smile. He must have skipped over a portion of territory during his initial round about the place, or she simply walked over his markers. No big deal though… He’d just have to remember to go back over his path before he went back to the den tonight.

A forepaw inched forward and Borden got up before turning and glancing around. When his gaze settled back on the ivory female, he wrinkled one side of his nose before his muzzle went back to the way it was, smooth and composed. “Just passing through?” he asked, raising his right paw curiously as he stood. “Or… do you live here… or?” His tail rose to some extent in a friendly wag. Sure, he was to be the alpha and owner of this place, a small portion of this evergreen forest, but he had no intentions of scaring her away by arranging himself into a rather dominant stance. She was already close to the ground with her ears pinned back and he had done nothing more than address her.

Well, what do you want from me?

He said hello again, but this one was a proper hello. Her shoulders shifted anxiously, and, while she remained crouched, allowed her ears to swivel upwards out of simple curiosity. He was smiling! That was always good. "He thinks you smell good." The cat inside her mind chuckled, and Aisling flinched. Couldn't Pangur Ban just be quiet for once? At least now? Her nostrils flared and she couldn't stop staring at him, like if she blinked, she'd die.

The big wolf was asking her questions now. And somehow, she was supposed to answer him. Cautiously, she tested her jaw. It dropped a bit, and her tongue slid over her teeth, before disappearing so she could shut her mouth again. So far, so good. At least she could open her mouth. This time his tail wagged. Aisling was tempted to jump up and yell to Pangur, but since she couldn't see him, she didn't move. He was a nice wolf! How could wagging possibly be taken as something else? <b style="color:#388d10">"I-" Her voice cracked, and she sunk a bit closer to the ground. <b style="color:#388d10">"I live on that hill near the berries. But this place is nice. More...Cover." She nodded slowly, then started. <b style="color:#388d10">"You don't live here do you? Oh, please don't eat me! I didn't mean to trespass, I just! Just!"

Her legs simply could not longer hold her, and she rolled onto her side, legs splayed in all directions. Sounds of further irritation emanated from the invisible feline. If she was gonna die, at least it would be here, rather than up on the hill where everyone would be able to see her. Maybe he'd cover her with sticks out of kindness...Though that would be a little weird.<b style="color:#388d10">"speech."

A measure of silence followed his question before his companion’s stutter answered him. Borden listened intently, giving a small nod as he took in the information. A hill… near a patch of berries… He ought to check out the area sometime, perhaps find out if it’s anywhere near here. She returned the nod then offered him her own question before seemingly panicking. Her petite figure, which had dropped closer to the cold soil, toppled over and she laid there at his feet.

His eyes widened in surprise. “Oh!” he exclaimed. “M-miss… I… It’s okay.” His ears dropped to the sides of his skull, feeling terrible for frightening her. He probably should’ve asked how she was before wondering if she was “visiting” the area or from this part of the forest. He sighed quietly and stepped forward to nudge one of her forepaws with his muzzle. “I’m sorry, I don’t mean to intimidate or startle you. I do live here, b-but, I’ve… my family and I have only just arrived.” A whine escaped from his throat and he tried to manage a reassuring smile, “Please get up; you didn’t seem to mean any harm so no harm done, really…” His eyes brows rose and he sat down, “Besides… I’m quite sure one would enjoy having you to stay for a meal rather than be served as one.” He wanted to chortle at the statement, but decided against it, one thing he didn’t want to do was make it seem like he was mocking her rather than making a light-hearted joke. Instead, he gave her his warmest, most amiable smile.

Well, what do you want from me?

She shuddered in fear, eyes smashed shut, waiting to feel him gnawing on her legs or something, but all she heard was his voice. "Get up, stupid..." Pangur hissed, and she could almost hear his eyes rolling. Slowly, her eyes opened, and she flinched when he nudged her paw. At that point, they dropped, and she rolled onto her side, staring up at him nervously. He seemed so kind, yet he was quite...Big. Not too much bigger, but anything larger than herself made her nervous. Goodness, even Pangur Ban made her nervous at times.

Although delayed, she obeyed Pangur's command, and got back up on her feet, though she instantly sat, and still was a bit hunched over. So he didn't really own this land...Or he did. He said family. Her family was in a pack, so she could only presume that this was a pack too. Her brows furrowed in intense thought for a moment, and the prodding hiss of her feline friend rattled her brain, "Remember that nice girl you met looking for her obviously dead friend?" Aisling sniffed, then looked at the male. Family. Hm. <b style="color:#388d10">"Are you Jayse's mate?" Her tail wagged suddenly at a million miles an hour, and it was as if she'd never been frightened of him in the first place. Of course, her guess was a long shot, but a shot nonetheless. Besides, Pangur seemed to know everything. <b style="color:#388d10">"speech."

Curiously, he watched as she straightened up and sat down. Borden waited to hear what she was going to say next, but of all the things that could have fluttered off her tongue or through her teeth, he didn’t expect that. His eyes widened with surprise. She knew Jayse…

Unveiling that simple fact with a direct question only made him mentally take a step back, rather than spiral into thought and shock. “Y-yes,” he replied with an astounded smile. A part of him wanted to know how and when they had met, but, really… why bother? She was apparently in a happier mood and he didn’t want to pester her with any more tedious questions. “I’m Borden,” he smiled, his own tail waving about behind him.

Eyeing her quietly, he bowed his head in greeting. “It’s a pleasure to meet you, Miss…?” His words drifted off at the end in hopes of learning her name, gaining her acquaintance. It seemed that his mate had left quite an impression on her and he merely wanted to do the same.

Well, what do you want from me?

This was wonderful! So Jayse hadn't found her yet, but she had found Jayse's mate! And since they weren't near the mountain, did that mean...? Aisling kept her mouth shut about that for the time being. She was still just so excited about finally meeting this male, and the hope of actually having a home where she was loved. <b style="color:#388d10">"It's so great to meet you, Borden!" The pale girl grinned, her smile reaching all the way up to her eyes.

<b style="color:#388d10">"I'm Aisling, and..." The temptation to be honest and just introduce Pangur was tempting. She was honest with Jayse, was she not? <b style="color:#388d10">"My friend Pangur Ban is up in the trees." She muttered the last words, but tried to look hopeful. <b style="color:#388d10">"speech."