Bramble Falls and I Floated Out of Here

<blockquote><span style='font-family: Times'><span style='color: #42432d'><span style='font-size:30pt;line-height:100%'><i>M i <span style='color: #948853'>t</span> s u</i></span>

<font style='margin-left:20px;'>The</font> marbled gray's nomadic heart told him wandering was healthy. His large physique took to the ride effortlessly as his burly legs crawled atop the mountainous climb. It wasn't a climb, really. He was traveling southwards, leaping from step to step, cool water jumping onto his silvery pelt. He was well hidden here - oddly he could survive anywhere. Mitsu's gray fur managed well in all seasons except autumn. Lost in the foggy, mid-morning mist, he was nearly invisible, enclosed beneath the slew of waterfalls. He was unheard too. If he were to call out amidst the raging stream an echo wouldn't form to push his voice along. All at once he was completely alone, breathing the scents of nothing but cleanly aqua blue water.

<font style='margin-left:20px;'>There</font> were hundreds of peachy salmon dancing below the mossy rocks. Swiftly, they swam against the robust current, seemingly growing stiff legs and hopping from short fall to fall. Some wriggled between crooks, and others found holes to tunnel through the dense stone. Most were fresh, and plump with millions of eggs. Others were frail, slow, and pitiful to watch. The large wolf had killed off a couple at his first notice, but he realized there were simply too many ill fish to clean. His belly was extended already, hanging as he hurried through the wet air. He came here for exactly the reason, to quench his desire for water, and his trembling stomach. Mitsu had grown tired of the fawn, rabbits, and ground birds back in the Wildwood. The Falls were much more interesting.

<font style='margin-left:20px;'>He</font> took great note of his surroundings. His copper eyes flashing around when he wasn't watching the migrating fish. The sun, an enormous, hot sphere placed a shine on the water through the weak mist. The temperature increased slightly, but it was still chilly out. His soles were nearly numb from the spring's lack of fever. Most of all, Mitsu noticed the stair-like fall's drop becoming greater. Occasionally, his pads would give way to the forever slick bedrock, and he'd slip down rather than step. It was indeed a beautiful morning.

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healing hands of love, like the stars shiny shiny from above.
a hand in the pocket fingering the steel.
the pistol weighed heavy.
his heart he could feel was beating

The morning air kept the she-wolf alert, the sound of her claws scrapping the ground in time with her heart-beat. She felt isolated in the world. As if she was the only one awake, or better, the only wolf for miles. Still, she didn’t feel lonely. She often felt alone, but now, when she should feel it most, she felt nothing but contentment. This morning, when she was sprawled out on the ground, happy from a perfected sleep, she had made the choice to learn. She had wanted to explore and exam the life-style of animals around her, and had leapt to her paws and raced off in excitement. Her fur kept her totally hidden from the naked eye. She was camouflaged until completely transparent, something she wanted to be. She could be the star of the show her entire life, with a seductive purr and a wink of the eye. A blue ribbon winner when it came to strength and beauty, now nothing but a shadow. Her thriving health only added to the nature of the beast, it was in her system to overcome all obstacles, or die trying to be the best. That moment, she was nothing but ordinary, overcoming nothing but a thirst for adventure. Her mouth was closed and she breathed softly, her body built to endure long walks. Of course, had she been noticed, she couldn’t be forgotten. That was why she was all but one with the wild, relaxed and floating. She didn’t want to be the one watched. It was her job now to be the examiner, and no one could get in her way.

At her paws ran a trail of army ants, crawling over on another for hours. She had been chasing them for quite a long time, hoping to find their home. So far, she had been nothing but a failure. Still, her hopes were high. She’d stalk after them all day if she had to, no matter what the cost. She didn’t know what she expected out of the journey, a tunnel full of brown crawling insects. It was quite pointless, wasted energy on an empty topic. Still, she was determined to finish the task started off a bored mind. The race had taken her far past what she was expecting, once again making her way towards Bramble Falls. It was a second home here, her attention rising from the pesky creatures at her paws, towards the magnificent water.

The water was not all she saw though.

Instead her attention had been grabbed by a large male, one she had never seen before. She pursed her lips and glanced back down to the scavenging ants, unsure where to actually go. It was a choice she had to make, and though so much effort had been put into finding the home of millions of brown specks, the man seemed more interesting. She pushed herself off the path unwillingly, head not lowered in submission, but in curiosity as she inhaled his scent. He smelled of the wild, of pure loner. He was not claimed by a pack, but instead wandered alone. That was admirable, for Treena looked sickly when she had no pack to rely on. He did not look sickly.

Drawing away from the background she had practically stapled herself to, she no longer was unnoticeable. Quite the opposite, her body was finally in full view. She swayed towards, cautiously, but dominantly and unafraid, as if more scared of startling him then actually a fight. She sat down where the sun hit best, feeling the warmth against her body. Choosing not to watch him, and make herself known, she let out a soft exhale. That small noise grew into a beaming smile, catching the light and reflecting a twinkle of shimmer. <b>“Nice morning, isn’t it?” </b>

<blockquote><span style='font-family: Times'><span style='color: #42432d'><span style='font-size:30pt;line-height:100%'><i>M i <span style='color: #948853'>t</span> s u</i></span>

<font style='margin-left:20px;'>His</font> pace was dragging now that the rocks were steeper and slicker. His claws dug into the moist clinging moss, hoping there would be enough traction. The sun grew more intense, and with that he huffed misty pants into the spring chill. Though his limber legs were icy, his back was near hot and burning. Mitsu wasn't aware that the sun was bearing all it's light, he wasn't aware of the cold seeping through his skin, he was only aware that it was life and life was good. He wasn't traveling just for the sake of different sights, but for this vitality that loomed overhead. He was indeed a loner, and somewhere within this free sense of wildness, he knew something was absent. <i>Home.</i> He missed love. Not the love he felt from wandering and seeing, but the translucent love that was shared. The warmth from not only the sun, but from the beating heart of a pack. That magical, unpretentious sensation was what drove him from the Wildwood - and partly the uncouth meeting with Ice.

<font style='margin-left:20px;'>A</font> brisk hum, something feminine, wandered into the drum of his right ear. The gray wolf paused in his step before glancing to the side, his copper eyes feasting on the voice's creator. Excitement caused his bulky body to tense for only a second, and thereafter, he pricked his ears and stumbled down from the mountainous rocks. She was healthy and devoid of any dirt that decided to asperse. She was lean and toned with fine muscle. But most of all she smelt of that love, the many she loved. They were entwined in her fur, creating a distinctly different aroma. She didn't smell the same as Ice though. Mitsu guessed they weren't of relation, but they both smelt of others, of <i>love</i>. At this instant, Mitsu grew intrigued, not exactly by her but of her own relations. This time, rather than standing awkwardly, he decided that she was worthy of friending. He sat politely and dipped his head. <span style='color: #948853'>"It's a lovely day indeed, Miss."</span> His voice was spoken clearly over the waterfall's impolite roar. His tail bobbed to-and-fro for a moment, and stilled. He glanced at his chest before speaking again. <span style='color: #948853'>"I'm Mitsu."</span>

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healing hands of love, like the stars shiny shiny from above.
a hand in the pocket fingering the steel.
the pistol weighed heavy.
his heart he could feel was beating

Mitsu? It was a unique name, one that matched the handsome marbled wolf quite well. She was fond of his fur. The colouring was an attention grabber for sure, she couldn’t break her gaze. Much like her own pelt he seemed like a painting, but more abstract with so many different shades and shapes than herself. The rising sun had a fantasy impact among the falls, like a setting from a novel. It was too perfect, it couldn’t be real. Not even her realest dreams ever looked so magnificent. Yet, more beautiful than her surrounding were the male’s eyes. His eyes were so full and bright. She seemed in a trance drifting off into them. She couldn’t find the right words to describe them, such a vivid copper. Each passing second she fell deeper into their grasp, her body falling limp. To say she was attracted to him would be misleading. She merely found his figures admirable, envied his coloured eyes. He could be a vicious killer, or born with a fifth leg. Whatever creepy personality trait he may own, it didn’t change his beauty. Though, his voice brought her back to reality soon enough, she was still quite daft. In the cold chill of morning, she gave a small smile that seemed to light up the forest like a fire and shifted her weight. <b>“Well Mitsu, I’m Treena, from Poison Path Pack.”</b>

She wasn’t sure he’d care about the last part, but introducing just her name felt bleak. Acquainting yourself with a stranger was a foundation of good social skills, and doing so was quite easy. Yet, knowing whether or not it was appropriate to ask certain questions could make things tense and awkward. Treena managed to say, “I’m fine with giving out facts” without really saying it. She’d much rather make him sub-consciously infer no danger would come out of curiosity, instead of standing their waiting for something to happen. Plus, adding her history was like a mini-story, not a very exciting one, but it gave some more information. It changed the way she viewed herself. Her lips were parched, but not dry to a point of disturbance. She was just thirsty, not dehydrated. That stopped her from turning her back on the stranger and walking for a drink. She doubted he’d surprise her by suddenly attacking, but she wasn’t stupid. He was large, and with size came weight and strength, even starved and bruised. All it would take would be for her to let her guard down, and then she’d be eating dirt and crying for mercy.

That was a stretch.

Making herself venerable wasn’t an option though, especially not now when she needed her health most of all. She’d fight if she had to, and maybe leave a dent or so in him. She’d just rather not test the theory, figuring her body was still sore from training. <b>“I really didn’t mean to bother you, if you’re busy I understand.” </b>

She wouldn’t take it personally if he left. If he wanted, she’d go back to her ant-adventure and he could return to whatever business he had here. <b>“Don’t feel inclined to stick around and keep me company. I don’t plan on doing much anyways. But, I don’t bite, and it is quite lonely up around here. I was just climbing the mountains over there,”</b> Her ginger muzzle lifted as a pointer towards the dangerous hills above, <b>“when a colony of ants caught my attention. Silly as it sounds, I’ve never really seen how hard they work. It’s magnificent.” </b>

Another smirk curled around her lips, but this one was distorted, almost dark. It still looked completely heavenly on her narrowed muzzle, but almost improper, like it belonged to Rhysis instead. <b>“I can connect to how they feel. Living in the forest has always been a sheltered life, the only danger what may be hiding in the undergrowth.”</b>

<b>“The Mountains are a different life. Each step you take could be your last, but you still must be quick and confident, or what use are you? You are always being watched, not by others, but by yourself.”</b> She shook her head, as if erasing the thought from her mind. <b>“I do apologize. It is such an inappropriate time to be speaking of such things, but I am curious myself. What brings you here?”</b>

OOC: Good ol' Treena can't stop talking C: I think they are getting along though, which is good :D