Dead-Drop Escarpment Small World

OOC! For @Kuru and @Neha 

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Word Count: 296

It had been a rough few weeks.  The weather was getting progressively worse, and Anaia could see the mountain.  Her memories from the previous winter – avalanche, Craw, Morganna, Kajika – made her fear its shadow.  She didn’t want to get injured again, and she didn’t want to run into the Cove wolves.  Her guilt from abandoning them had driven her to aimless wandering, after all.  Then again, that’s how she met Kuru.

She skirted the area, staying to the base of the mountain itself as they headed further south.  She didn’t specify any reason to stay off its slopes, and Kuru had yet to ask.  It was a good thing they were together; the snow had gotten heavier and she wouldn’t be able to hunt without her friend.  She was sure she wouldn’t still be alive if he hadn’t found her by that river. Still, as she was continuing to recover, her thoughts began to turn towards packs again.  It would be beneficial for both of them to find one to join.  She wasn’t sure which one, or where any even were… she didn’t want to go back to the Cove.  She’d liked it there, and the wolves had been kind…

Except that one… that one with the lame eye… She shuddered at the memory of the man, of finding the body… She was frightened to face him again.  Though he’d never been cruel to her – she’d never given him the chance – she knew the look in his eye when he uttered that promise to Kajika. He was a man who had killed, and would kill again.

She’d left not long after that.

But now was a time for new beginnings.  If she could start anew with Kuru at her side, maybe she could face the future.

"Speech"  Thought

Word count: 227

Kuru loped alongside Anaia, maintaining a wolf-length of space between them. He sensed his companion had no desire to climb the mountain beside them. He said nothing, though; he was in a quiet mood. The gray man was content to listen to his mind.

Kuru was glad to be traveling. He'd grown to really enjoy being a walking wolf. Though Anaia had expressed interest in finding other packs, the younger wolf shared none of her sentiment. Strangers were threats more often than not. Of course, his pale friend had proven an exception, but Kuru doubted packs were looking to recruit in the prey-scarce season.

He wasn't exactly opposed to the idea, though. If we do find friendly wolves, I think I could learn to trust them. The tensions of his puppyhood had made him wary. But this forest had brought good things, and allowed him to start forgetting the past. Kuru knew two things: this place was better than his old home would ever be. And he could be happy as long as he had his best friend.

He focused his attention to Anaia, listening for labored breathing or uneven steps. "Maybe we should stop for a bit. I can scout for a point ahead where we can stop tonight," Kuru offered. He glanced at his friend, the mountain, and back at the other wolf.

"Speech" Thought

Sorry for the wait here.

 

Neha continued to be reclusive, drawing into herself. It was the middle of winter and despite that, she had shown no interest in teaming up with a pack once again. She lingered near the base of the mountain she once called home, delving occasionally into the forests towards the east. She wasn't certain if she would go back to pack life again, or live out the rest of her days as a lone wolf. Her thoughts seldom went to the Cove and less so to Draven. With her heart iced over, as far as she was concerned, love was a foreign thing to be avoided.

Over the months her normally near petite frame had lost a noticeable amount of weight. More than what most would consider healthy for a wolf, let alone in the middle of winter. Her normally plush, well groomed winter coat had gone neglected, now disheveled and unkempt. The runaway princess looked and even acted (at times) much more like a feral wolf than the poised one she had been brought up to be. A classic example laid in the form long, winding path deep in the snow. Tufts of fur, dried blood and paw prints told of a fast paced, violent struggle. She had been fortunate enough to catch a hare out in the open, foolishly popping out of it's burrow early. And it had been a nicely sized one at that, but speedy too. Desperate for an easy meal such as this, Neha had tore after the animal through the snow. This rabbit had been feisty, and it showed. But amidst the crook of some gnarly tree roots, the lone female lounged, with the partially eaten carcass tucked between her front legs. Noises up ahead....the direction of which she was unsure, got her attention. Then a distant voice. She tensed up, aligning her head with her back, while hardened brown eyes searched the landscape for the wolves she knew were out there.

   

 

(This post was last modified: Jan 31, 2018, 03:00 AM by Neha.)

Neha can often be found close to Aleister's side and therefore may appear in any of his threads.