Thicket of Secrets Forget Me Not

<blockquote>Before the sun touched the sky, and little eyes opened upon a whim the she wolf took a moment to depart from the forest enclosure. The trees leaves had not changed to the stunning reds,golds oranges of fall she knew it would be coming. That meant winter's white coat would once again come upon the lands. Unlike last time this winter they had many a mouth to feed, and she wanted to be ready. So with a mind to look for possible game, she could not help but be drawn to the thicket in which she had met her mate. A delicate smile, her head held in an elgant manner, there was a studying look to her mismatched eyes staring into the thick vegitation that was the thicket. She had been here a bit, but she did not know all of it's secrets, and wondered if by chance she might discover something new today. Quickly as she paused, she strode onward letting the greenery eat her up. Silently she walked in the dim lighting much like a ghost making the rounds of an old haunt.</blockquote>

(This post was last modified: Aug 23, 2011, 04:37 AM by Jaysyek.)

The dark of the night masked the hewolf's dark body as he crept through the shadows. The starlight was all he needed to make his way, as it shimmered off of the top of the landscape in nearly every direction. The scent of the dew in the surrounding thicket was appealing, although it reminded him of brighter times. More alluring was another scent; one that was not quite so familiar. In fact, it was completely foreign, absolutely nothing that should be a reminder of anything. But it was so tempting...

The pads of his paws rise and fall on the forest floor silently. In the distance was a ghostly figure; had it not been for her curious scent or the sound of her carefree stride, she may have made it through the thicket undiscovered. He pauses, unconsciously holding his breath as to not make a sound, concerned that his heartbeat could uncover his location as he stood hidden.

<blockquote>She breathed in the cool air like it might have been a cold drink, letting it pentrate her lungs, and body. It wasn't like she didn't appreciate summer, and it's heat. Who would really disagree it was more pleasant when the sun slept. Her eyes had adjusted to the dim setting, she made notes of this part of the thicket, seeing a familiar stone den she stopped briefly staring at it. It was there she had seen Ozera, and Alexander for the last time. Eyelids flutter, her breath stilling. There was much she had not made right at that meeting, and would never be able to. Another regret. Yet if she worried about it she'd die, and if she didn't worry she'd die so did it matter if she kept score? Brows press down, wrinkling her eyes closed. She tries hard to dismiss the what if's in her head, but really they get stuffed in the dark caverns of her mind and slowly she continues her eased pace unknowing someone is there for the time.

The air rather still in the thick of the things, she does not smell the male, not right away. She walks eyeing the glory of earth around her with her head held angled up, and suddnely her chest pushes into flesh. Her pale body jerks to violent halt, her eyes trying to see what the shadow hides,but all she sees is shadow.</blockquote>

His cold eyes begin to strain, but blinking was not an option. Neither was breathing or moving. The sight of another body was nearly breathtaking in itself. Though he was postured defensively, at this point he didn't know which direction this encounter would take. The ghostly figure was female, and at this observation the thick muscles in his back begin to twitch, a signal from his instinct to relax, though to what degre he was unsure. She was somewhat larger than he - taller, leaner. It wasn't until he saw her eyes that his curiosity was ignited. Two different colors? Such a rarity meant that he was not alone in his imperfection, but unlike the ugly scars on his body and soul, her eyes were <i>perfectly</i> angellic. This being was no threat; the tip of his tail flickers as if to attempt to wag. Now he knew nothing, thought nothing, except that this encounter was somehow very personal. With little forethought, his lungs sucked in enough air to blow the forest down and took a step forward.

<i>Forward</i>, toward progress, he thought. The nature of this notion of progression was still oblique, but so was everything else in his life at this point. Stepping toward her, flickers of light that had made it through the tree tops dance across his back. He would feel warmth as he moved from the shadows closer to her - he did not know whether is was from her alarmed, mis-matched eyes or from rays of sunlight that randomly protruded from the canopy.

<blockquote>The end of her snout wrinkles, nosrils stealing in his scent. It isn't anything she knows, and she traps it in her chest for a temporary moment still a little stunned. She struggles to see him clearly, and her silver brows sets firmly against her eyes, as if that would help her make out who she had exactly stepped into. The dawn does not yet tell her, though she sees the end of his tail twitch. She is still unsure, and part of her brain tells her to merely run, run back to Grizzly Hollow. Quietly the male cloaked in coal moves closer, and she instinctively her weight leans more upon her hind limbs, away from him. He makes no rush moves, and the slow rising of the sun reveals more of this stranger. She sees his eyes are cold like steel, and mountain stone. He is not pure black for there are also hints of silver in his pelt, which seems tight over his thick muscle. Her own breath is stuck somewhere in her jaws, and she feels her wears swivel atop her pale head, and she volunters a step backward. <b>"I'm - sorry,"</b>she appoligizes in a gentle whisper feeling a little <span class='word'>footle</span> while still lingering near the dark stranger.</blockquote>

(This post was last modified: Aug 25, 2011, 10:50 PM by Jaysyek.)

He was frozen. In space, in time, in his mind. The sounds of her words echoed through his head, but he could not find a reply. His eyes were zeroed in, unable to see anything else, as if they were drawn to hers by gravity. It was as though the only light left in the world was shining down on her ghostly figure, and all other things faded away into a dark periphery...

Blinded by her presence, he became absolutely unable to make any decisions - like what to do now that her bright eyes felt like a part of him. Although he could not think with his mind, his soul was screaming from inside him, and he did the unthinkable: submit. Without breaking his gaze, he slowly lowered himself to the ground until his belly felt the damp, cold earth.

<blockquote>Her silver brows were raised slightly still a little stunned. A second her eeyes draw away from the stranger's, briefly looking around the thicket to break the intimate contact. Yet hers can't help but return to his gray stare, because she's unsure if he's even blinked once. <b>"Em,"</b> the soft sound erupts from her throat, and slides from her open lips. He isn't moving and she isn't. The silent moment seemed like a brief eternity to the she wolf, and she too was lost in what she should do because her paws, though she tries, will not move any further.

The male cloathed in coal, and dark ashen tones inches closer to the ground his eyes still locked onto hers. The points of her ears tip backward in a swift motion, and her mouth is closed. Only wolves of her pack have submitted to her, and surpise is evident in her intelligent eyes as she looks down to him. Usually she might have stepped away afraid, but instead she's curious. There is something that holds her to him she can't find an explanation for.<b>"I promise I'm no spirit."</b></blockquote>

Immediately he observes that his posture creates an awkward energy. He rises, ears swiveling posteriorly at the sound of the leaves rustling behind them.<b> "Be that as it may, your presence is compelling, still."</b> <i>No spirit at all</i>, he thought, breaking his iron glare. He takes a few gradual steps backward before turning to face the dawning sun. <b>"Forgive me, I am taken by your sparkling eyes,"</b> he spoke softly. Scanning the horizon, he paused for a few moments before looking back to her. He took in the scent of the morning dew that covered the ground in what seemed like a blanket of diamonds. <b>"It was not my intention to be so intrusive..."</b> The tip of his tail flickered as he considered her reaction.

(This post was last modified: Sep 01, 2011, 12:05 AM by Kade.)

<blockquote>The male rises, and she uses that moment to take another step away from him, not to further violate his space if he wishes to depart. However, quietly she studies his face, and body with the help of the sun's light. He looks even more streaked with silver than before, and she wonders if she is seeing scars upon his body. He is too young for scars, she thinks but some how they do make him look more aged, more mature like he has seen, and been through to much for his time. Quickly her ash colored ears twitch at his deep tone, and the corner of her lips flinch in an almost smile. His eyes part from hers, and he moves away this time. She stands frozen also looking to the rising of the gallant star. She is taken back by his next sentence, and faintly flattered. This time, a subtle grin edges on the side of her cheek. Words are lost she was never one to know what to say after a compliment.

The grin stays upon her cheek when he returns his gaze. She gently shakes her head though. <b>"Intrusive? No, you just surprised me,"</b> she answers in a warmer tone. <b>"You aren't looking for someone are you?"</b> She asks, her left brow raised in question. Every lone wolf she meets is usually inclined to be looking for someone or something. </blockquote>

He was relieved to see the emerging grin on the female's face, which immediately allieviated his sense of awkwardness. <b>"I wasn't really looking for anyone, but I have certainly found someone, haven't I?"</b> The male's wide head cocked to the side a bit as he playfully posed the rhetorical question. <b>"I was actually thinking that I've been missing the thrill of a good hunt, my stomach has reminded me all night..."</b> he replied softly to her, a grin emerging on his own face. He had lived off hunting small game for some time, and it had been a while since the last time he had a full belly. <b>"I'm Kade,"</b> he said, opening himself up to her. He realized that here was an opportunity: perhaps this female with the stunning eyes could benefit from a hunting partnerhip today, and he knew that, between the two of them, it would be nearly impossible to go home hungry tonight.

The fall morning air was warming up as the sun climbed higher toward the clouds, and a gentle breeze blew through his damp coat. He looked to her, and he knew the warmth that she sparked inside of him was shining through his steel-colored eyes.<b> "Perhaps you would like to join me on a hunt?"</b> He knew this situation could be potentially embarassing, but the dark male was eager to get to know the ghostly shewolf, and what better an ice-breaker than a mid-day hunt? He was not familiar with much, if any, of the terrain, but he didn't really care now if he appeared inexperienced in her presence, because he was enjoying this encounter like a pup enjoys the first day of spring after a long winter.