Cedarwood Forest A new start...

OO: Hehehe, -tags Volkan!- :)

Snow...Snow...More snow! Vlarindara had lifted herself to her feet after Borden had passed by on his way to finish his rounds of...whatever it was that he did in the mornings. The white female let her eyes wander across the snows before she stretched, the plumed tail curling over her back. With any luck..they might be expecting more members of the pack in the next few months.. little toddling members! If there was one thing that could be called her weakness, it was puppies. Vlarindara absolutely ADORED the little things. Then again.. she had a penchant for wanting to help the occasional lone yearling or...heaven forbid, lone pup wandering about. After stretching, the female shook herself vigorously, sending snow flying every which way. Talk about cold... SHe could see her breath in the air, but, that really didn't bother her.. she had a fur coat, afterall!

The female trotted off, taking care to rub her fur on the same trees on which she could smell Bordens markings. Not to overright them, but reinforce the scent marks, to warn any passing wolf that there was more than one able bodied creature willing to defend these lands. After she had left their territory, the white she-wolf stopped and turned before glancing back over her shoulder. Amber eyes looked about for any sign of her pack mates before she turned and kicked up the speed, racing towards the river. After Raigo's near death experience with the rushing waters of a river near their old den, she didn't want to underestimate the river near her newest home. It was well into morning by the time she stopped near the banks of the rushing water. She had run into Angier here not too long ago, but found herself saddened that he hadn't stayed.

The water wasn't running all *That* fast... so she decided that there was time for a bit of fishing, at least.. if she could manage any in the waters near the new den.. There had always been fish farther east. Her paws carried her into the swirling and splashing liquid, and into the center of the river where she lowered her head to inspect the goings on under the currents. Aha! So there *WERE* fish in these waters! She wagged her plume of a tail before those long legs began firing like pistons, sending her out of the water in a hop.. then back into it with a splash. The commotion the white female was causing sent quite a few smaller creatures scattering about, most just wanting to escape the wolf standing in the middle of the river having a bit of fun.

<blockquote>Head held high and eyes wide, Volkan picked her way lightly through the forest. As she wove in and out of tall, age-old trees with thick trunks that stretched into the clear blue sky, she found her mind swimming. There was so much to take in in this new place! First, that wolf from yesterday, the big male whose name she couldn't quite remember. For the past hour she'd been racking her brains trying to figure out what the damn big guy was called. Had he told her? Or was she just stupid?

Well, she was sick of trying to figure it out. <b>"Whatever,"</b> she breathed, steam puffing from her nostrils like dragon's smoke. There was still a thin layer of crunchy snow on the ground, though the sun shone bright overhead in the clear morning. The yearling female's attention panned wide to take in the scenery all around her: this forest was different from the one she'd been in yesterday, though she had only followed the river in one direction. Now she could see through the trees for some distance --

-- Which helped her spot the white wolf in the near distance very clearly. She stopped for a moment, wishing to remain silent, but again, just like yesterday, her heart began thumping incessantly in her chest. This place was pretty much <i>swimming</i> with wolves! First, yesterday, and now this?! Realizing that she couldn't hold herself back -- and that there was really no reason to at this point, since she was severely lacking in the acquaintance department -- Volkan started forward again, this time with a renewed sense of confidence. She could scent that the wolf ahead was female, which made her far less intimidating than the dude yesterday. Bushy tail swishing excitedly, the dark young female strode forward just in time to glimpse the stranger throwing herself into the water.

By the time she reached earshot of the female, she realized what she was doing: fishing? This intensely spiked her interest; she could feel her stomach turning from hunger and realized she hadn't tasted fish in what seemed like forever. Not since uncle Bolero had taken her fishing as a pup...

<b>"Hey--"</b> she began loudly, hoping she could get the stranger's attention. <b>"Hey you! With the fishing! Aren't you... aren't you cold?"</b> She stood staring with her head tilted slightly, tail swishing gently at her ankles. No way <i>she</i> was going in that water... not until there was grass, and not snow, on the ground.</blockquote>

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Vlarindara lifted her head after having dove for a fish, the flopping thing held in her jaws as the frigid liquid dripped from her face and neck. Amber eyes blinked at the black wolf surrounded by white before she shook herself and trotted up onto the bank near the female before lowering her fish to the ground. It was a modest size, and would need more than just one, or even ten to become a halfway decent meal. "Cold? No...I can't say that I am. It's colder when you leave it... the water seems almost warm if you stay in it." She felt herself slipping back into her more normal 'maternal' way of thinking, and she let herself look the yearling over from head to tail before lowering her head to the fish she'd just caught. "Would...you like something to eat, perhaps?"

She couldn't smell anything on the other female that denoted pack loyalty of any kind.. perhaps she might be able to offer this onyx furred canine what she hadn't been able to offer others? A Home.. A place of refuge and safety. Then again, there were only three of them... but there was something to be said by safety in numbers.

Volkan watched the female drop her catch softly to the ground, dots of blood seeping from the seconds-fresh fang punctures on its sides. She had to fight not to stare at it -- and instead focused her attention fully on the wolf before her. That was to say, above her; this girl was larger than Volk was, and her coat was... wow, it was really white. The dark female felt like a ragged runt in comparison, though the other wolf's size didn't scare her. She didn't seem confrontational, and so Volk smiled somewhat, studying her face as she spoke.

<i>"Would... you like something to eat, perhaps?"</i>

The yearling's eyes got big, though she might have tried to prevent it. Her tail picked up its wag as she glanced briefly and longingly at the fish on the ground. At length she nodded, first a decisive confirmation, then a series of excited affirmations. Of course, of <i>course</i> she wanted some! <b>"...Yes. Yeah, I mean, if you want. But you don't <i>have</i> to. It's not like I'm starving or anything."</b> No, she didn't want to seem too weak to this stranger. She was young, and she'd travelled far, but that didn't mean she couldn't fend for herself. In fact, it meant the opposite, right? Now was as good a time as any to start standing up for herself, to start making her own way in the world...

...Buuuut maybe not right now. Because hey, free food. <b>"Thank you,"</b> she added sincerely, and a little apologetically, as she offered the other a smile. <b>"I'm Volkan, by the way."</b>

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She felt the chuckle escape her muzzle as she lifted the fish and deposited it in front of the yearling before stepping back and settling onto her haunches. "It's no problem at all...I don't mind sharing my meals...I remember what it was like.." The female turned back to the river where she crouched and began sating her thirst of the crisp waters before she lifted her head and glanced at the yearling. She had yet to further comment on the mention of remembering what it was like. Remembering what what was like? Vlarindara shook herself off, divesting herself of the last of the water that had accumulated on her fur. The white female moved over towards Volkan before settling down in the snow and turning to lick her haunches and further dry herself. "Might I ask what you're doing in these parts?"

<i>ooc.</i> gonna be short - i'm on break at work :[

From the minute the white female began nosing the fish in her direction, Volkan's pale blue eyes followed it fervently. She could smell the blood and the meat, and it was enticing. With <span class='word'>ersatz</span> hesitation, as she didn't want to seem <i>too</i> hasty, she bent down slowly and licked it first before digging in. Though once her teeth had sunk in, there was no going back. She stripped the meat easily from the bone and chewed slowly, letting the taste fill her senses. It was just like she remembered...

Plopping down to the ground without even realizing it, Volkan relished in the feeling of the cold snow against her belly. Her ankles and paws ached; she'd been traveling for what seemed like such a long time. Laying down to rest hadn't been much of a priority for her. But she wasn't too lost in relaxation to hear what the stranger had asked her -- the inevitable question, she assumed, that had to come her way sometime.

And, to be honest, she wasn't sure how to answer it.

<b>"Mm--"</b> she began, swallowing a bite of fish, <b>"I... left my home. To the south. Uh... I don't like to talk about it,"</b> she added apologetically. It was only partly a lie; Volkan didn't like to talk about it because she didn't know how. And besides, there was no way in hell this stranger was getting the full story right off the bat. No, now that she was becoming an adult, Volkan had to be guarded, had to be careful...

<b>"...But now I'm here,"</b> continued the dark yearling after a moment, smiling pleasantly at last while licking her chops. <b>"How 'bout you?"</b>

(This post was last modified: Mar 10, 2011, 06:37 PM by Volkan.)

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OOC: Hehe, No worries! ^.^ Bad Rambling Vlar is Bad! -facepalm- I really don't know what's come over her.. >.o

Seeing the wolf well...wolf down the fish made Vlarindara smile, and she got to her feet before trotting back to the river. She had heard the young females comments, and question in return, but wasn't exactly sure how to go about answering such a thing. Technically, she wasn't on their pack lands, so there was no reason to mention Borden and Jaysyek, was there? Her eyes and ears were pointed into the frigid waters before she began hopping around again, lifting her front paws clear of the water and crashing back down. It took the large female a few tries, multiple odd little hops and quick ducks of her entire head beneath the surface before she emerged once more with a fish in her jaws. She did hate fishing..she was so bad at it! This fish was slightly larger than the previous one, and after setting paw on the bank and shaking vigorously, she returned to where the black female lay.

Once more, the fish was deposited in front of the yearling before Vlarindara hopped a few yards away to shake once more. That being done, she returned and settled her rump in the snow before speaking. The fact that she was soaked, and that her fur was matted and hanging down helped to show off the odd scars that told her tale. The one over her shoulder blades in particular was void of any fur and comprised of thick, wrinkled skin. When she turned to pick balls of ice from the pads of her hind paw, the other side of her shoulders was visible - along with the fact that the large scar went *through* the females hide.. "I lost my pack when I was a little over a year old.. Just about your age.. A hunting accident with a bull elk - I hadn't dodged fast enough and he clipped me with his antlers." Which..might explain the scar over her shoulders. "When my birth pack moved on to better hunting grounds, I fell behind and couldn't keep up. Another pack found me one night where I'd attempted to hollow out a hole for myself in the snow. At first, I was terrified that the wolves who found me where going to eat me!" She laughed, her overlarge ears laying gently along her rather thickly furred neck.

Vlarindara continued on after cleaning out her toes and reclining back against the snow to continue their conversation. She had her hind legs stretched out to one side of her, and her forepaws crossed in front of her.. odd to cross her paws - but it was comfortable. "They fed and cared for me along with the pups the alpha's had had...It was odd, I guess for a pack to take in a sick yearling such as myself... The grizzled old wolf who was my primary caretaker had once been a mother - I never asked what had come of her own pups...but she seemed quite attached to me." There was a soft look of remembrance on the ivory wolfs face before she shook her head and continued. "I lost track of them in a snowstorm when I was about a year and a half old.. I ran into a small pup who had been left behind much like myself and took him in..more like a pesky little brother than anything. We arrived here in Relic Lore.. And eked out a meager living by ourselves.."

"As...far as now...I met a wolf who cared for me while I was ill..still recovering from the injury I'd sustained while hunting. Other things complicated it.. of course.. but he helped me even while I was trying to help Raigo. Eventually...He found a mate and left his home...to find a new one. Raigo and I were invited to come along.. so we did." She blinked, then ducked her head with a throaty chuckle. "I apologize.. I hadn't meant to ramble on in such a way... Are you still hungry? I'm sure we can perhaps find something more substantial than fish for you to eat..." Oh, how embarrassing, she had just blurted out her entire story... but perhaps..it was to put the yearling at ease.. She really didn't know why she'd done such a thing. "Perhaps... a place to sleep for the night?" The taste in the air spoke of more snowstorms, and she couldn't let the yearling wander off without at least offering shelter for the night. She knew of a hollowed tree nearby that Volkan could use.. if not coming with her back to the pack den... but then, Borden may have a problem with the female staying a night then leaving..Though Vlarindara would have loved to help another as she had been doing since she got here. "Oh! Where are my manners...I haven't introduced myself.. My name is Vlarindara.. but you can call me Vlar, if you wish."

(This post was last modified: Mar 10, 2011, 07:42 PM by Vlarindara.)

<i><b>ooc.</b> sorry about the wait! busy weekend :[ </i>

<blockquote>Volkan had gone back to munching on her fish and was so engrossed in its metallic, heavenly taste that she'd hardly noticed the white stranger's absence, even while waiting for an answer. Luckily, she looked up from her meal in enough time to realize that the female had taken to fishing again - Volk secretly hoped that she was fishing for another catch for <i>her</i>, but felt a small pang of guilt. And her wish was granted; soon enough the other wolf dropped yet another fish right before her eyes.

<b>"Oh-- you don't have to, thank you--"</b> she tried to say through a mouthful of fish. After cleaning off the bones of the first one, she pulled the second one toward her. And at length, the stranger began her tale.

Volkan engrossed herself in her eating to avoid staring at the stranger as she spoke, but she couldn't help but glance up at her every now and again. With wet fur, the dark female could see the white one's scars... and as she explained what had happened to her in the past, a storybook of images flooded her mind. She kept at the fish, picking it with her front teeth, but her mind was animated with the story of the other wolf's past. She imagined the fateful hunt, and being alone after being so injured... having been abandoned. How very sad...

She listened to how the stranger had been found, taken in, and then all too soon lost again. While still being Volkan's own age... the dark wolf turned her eyes up to the female, allowing herself to really study her for the first time since she'd began telling her her story. Was she just like Volkan herself, a few years in the future?

As the story took a more recent turn and the dark female recognized the name Relic Lore, she snapped to attention, drawn from her musings. All of a sudden she began spouting off names and informatoin, things that Volkan knew she had to remember. She kept a careful tally in her head: a wolf and his mate had cared for her and another wolf, Raigo, a puppy...

<i>"Perhaps... a place to sleep for the night?"</i>

<b>"Hm--"</b> Volk hadn't expected the female to address her and was slightly startled; her ears stood at attention and her tail thumped the snowy ground lightly. She realized that she'd left half her second fish uneaten. <b>"Oh-- I-- yeah, maybe,"</b> she responded tentatively. <b>"I mean... thank you for this, this is great. I'm very grateful,"</b> she tried to <span class='word'>aver</span>. <b>"<i>Maybe</i> I could stay here for the night... I was thinking about exploring a little more, since I just got here... but that does sound nice..."</b>

Unsure of what else to say, she returned to eating the fish - although all the talk of the past had got her thinking about her own history, and the thought of that wasn't exactly conducive to her appetite.</blockquote>

(This post was last modified: Mar 13, 2011, 08:05 PM by Volkan.)

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OOC: XD It's fine.. I was away this weekend to. x3

Vlarindara felt the smile curl on her muzzle as she glanced back the direction of their den. She hoped that Borden wouldn't mind her bringing someone close to them.. even it if was just for the night. "I could..take you back to my pack for the night. We could offer you something more to eat.. a place to stay..shelter.. if you'd rather.. I could show you to a more secluded bit of forest to kip in for the night." The white female got to her feet, shaking herself slightly before she glanced around, then back to the onyx female in front of her. "I don't feel the alphas would mind having a guest.." Hopefully.

Volk continued eating slowly, though now it was more for appearances rather than to sate her appetite. Because she hadn't been eating very thorough meals, her stomach felt small, and couldn't eat very much without feeling full. Or maybe it was the thought of what had happened to her in her own past that killed her desire to eat. Either way, she felt fine, and picked at the fish.

<i>"I could..take you back to my pack for the night..."</i>

The dark, rugged yearling's pale blue eyes narrowed slightly, though a pleasantly surprised smile crossed her visage. Her head tilted quizzically and her thick tail swept the ground in a slow wag. This female... wanted to show her to her pack? Shit -- Volkan hadn't even realized that she was on pack territory! Or was she? There were so many unfamiliar scents haunting this place that for all she knew, it could simply be swarming with Rogues, or alternately, completely claimed by established packs. And why did Vlarindara want to bring <i>her</i> to meet the pack? What was so special about <i>her</i>?

Perhaps it was because her new acquaintance had once been in the same position... and wanted to "pay it forward," so to speak.

<b>"...Alright,"</b> she spoke at length, after a short pause in which she'd considered the above, <b>"If it's just for tonight. I'd love to get a tour from someone who knows the area."</b> She didn't mention that tomorrow she'd take off again, for she still wanted to explore Relic Lore for as long as she felt. This was really her first time being a Rogue, and while she never dreamed she'd be off on her own like this, the feeling was growing addictive now that she was around other wolves. <b>"But for now... lemme catch <i>you</i> a fish."</b> The words came out almost without her permission, and they surprised her. <i>Volk, you can't fish...</i> <b>"Because... thanks,"</b> she added, icy eyes finding her white counterpart as she smiled genuinely. Perhaps... meeting new wolves wasn't so bad after all.

And if she was going to change, she'd have to learn to help others out, even if she didn't want to. She got to her paws and wasted no time in crossing to the river's edge -- but once she reached it, she stopped and peered downward. It didn't look deep, and her uncle had taught her to swim months ago, so... no big deal, right? She glanced back at Vlar in confirmation before leaping into the water with a splash.

(This post was last modified: Mar 14, 2011, 03:03 AM by Volkan.)

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