Turtleback Lake Hang you up, Pull you down

i crashed my car into the bridge, i watched, i let it burn

Phoenix Avalon

Phoenix knew she should stick closer to the edge but something more was driving her on, a pressure building in her chest and squeezing her lungs, sending her further and further from the safety of her pack. She'd be back, she promised herself, just a few days to get some air, that was all. It wouldn't be like the last time, she was bigger now. No big bad wolf was going to bring her down.

Or so she told herself as she waded into the icy water, stopping with her toes submerged and second guessing herself. It was pretty damn cold in there. Did she really want to risk catching her death for the sake of a fish? Nah, and so she retreated, tail waving lazily at her back. It was nice to be able to see the sky again, to feel the sun. She closed her eyes and turned her head skyward... until the niggling of an itch sent her head jerking with a snap towards her shoulder, but no matter which way she turned she couldn't quite reach it.

The yearling had continued east on his venture around the mountain, keeping it firmly on his right in perpetuity. The tundra he had found himself in only a few days prior gave way to first tree-like shrubs, then proper trees, and finally a sandy and rocky shore. Wheat yellow eyes observed the immense size of the lake before him. With spring on the way the waters were no longer frozen, and after dipping a paw into it, Nevrakis concluded that it was still cold as hell. There would be no swimming for him today, or any time soon, for the matter.

He opted instead to walk along the shore of the lake, taking note of the multitude of islands scattered within it. Nevrakis did a double take as his eyes passed over a dark shape in the distance, initially assuming it to be an oddly-coloured rock, but coming to a different diagnosis when it moved. Speeding up his pace to a fast trot, the yearling made his way over to the darkly furred wolf, giving a soft bark as he approached so as not to startle her if he had come up unnoticed. "Hello," Nevrakis said with an amicable wave of his tail, head canting to the side curiously as he noticed how she was making snapping motions with her jaw towards her shoulders. Maybe she had fleas?

i crashed my car into the bridge, i watched, i let it burn

Phoenix Avalon

It wasn't until a voice came to her that she realised just how close she was to the rye fields. Maybe she should... go visit? But then again, it was probably better she didn't. The face wasn't a familiar one, and his scent was all his own so she smiled, her shoulder twitching as she heaved a sigh of relief. "Make a habit of sneakin' up on strange girls or what?" She verbally jabbed, the grin at the corner of her mouth betraying her tease. "You're not from around these parts huh?" Not that she'd know who was from around these parts anyway. It was worth asking anyway.

I'm so sorry for making you wait so long D:

"Oh, no I... um, sorry... I didn't mean to make you uncomfortable or anythin'..." The yearling babbled incomprehensibly, ears twisting backwards apologetically as he spoke, completely missing the teasing expression on the other yearlings maw. However, when she continued to speak he lifted his gaze to glance at her. She was not... angry at him? The tension eased from his shoulders at the realisation his head was not about to be ripped from his body. "Uh no, just passing through, really." He let out a nervous chuckle, deciding to firmly plant his rear end onto the sandy shore before he could do something else stupid. "... And what about you?"