Heartleaf Creek no more dreaming like a ghost

She had stopped recognising her surroundings a long time ago. The jagged peaks of the mountains had vanished into the distance, her path swallowed up by dense forest which seemed to envelop her more tightly with every step she took. She kept company with the birds that inhabited the branches above, growing accustomed to their individual calls; some bright and cheerful as they darted about, others crying a melancholy wail from their perches somewhere in the distance. In all this time she'd not seen, heard or smelt any sign of another wolf. It did not trouble her particularly, she was quite content with her own company, and the thought of a confrontation with a creature larger and more aggressive than her was a situation she would rather avoid. However, this isolation meant that she was left with only her own thoughts to entertain her. The same things seemed to tumble constantly around in her mind - memories of the pack that she had left behind, the uncertainty of her future, and of course, the mysterious disappearance that had sparked it all. Her thoughts all led back to that one event, no matter which path they had taken. In her young, foolish mind she had entertained the thought that perhaps one day they would be mates and would raise a family together. It was only a fleeting concept, but it had appealed to her. She could imagine spending the rest of her days by his side. But this small fire of hope had been extinguished when he vanished, without a trace, during a hunt. When the pack returned, they did not speak of him. The young wolf who had been her closest friend and only confidant, had simply ceased to be part of her life. After that, there was nothing left for her there, with her pack. She did not leave with the idea of finding him - his trail would be cold, even if she had known where it had begun. Nevertheless, occasionally the dappled light falling against leaves, or the figure of a deer caught unawares by her presence would trick her, and for a moment her heart would cease beating and her mind's eye only saw the lanky brown wolf she once knew. And then the sun would move in the sky, the shadows would change, and the deer would bound away in alarm. The shadows would go back to being shadows, the deer a deer, and the figments of her imagination would be just that - her imagination. Lost in her thoughts, she had failed to notice the bright rays of sunlight falling directly ahead of her. It was not until she had reach the very edge of the forest that she realised she had found herself suddenly out in the open. In front of her lay a wide creek, babbling gently and serenely. She paused and instinctively thrust her nose to the wind, hoping desperately that she had not dropped her guard long enough to wander into hostile territory. Tentatively, she padded forward to the creeks edge, eyes roaming along the bank of the other side in an effort to avoid detection. Satisfied that she was alone, she dipped her head towards the cool water and began to lap at its surface. Perhaps she would remain here tonight, and let the peaceful melody of the gentle creek lull her to sleep.

The large gray-pelted male raced along the grassy floor, pale eyes locked almost desperately upon a plump rabbit. He wasn't sure how long he'd been chasing it or how far away he'd gone from the mountain, but the scenery around him hadn't changed much, and that gave him a bit of hope. Besides, when he caught the stupid lapid, he'd bring it back to Amelie. She needed food. The mountain held its own sort of prey, but when he'd wandered to the falls, he'd foolishly decided to chase after the rabbit.

A few times it had dipped into a hole, only to resurface a few yards away from him. Silly rabbit. Besides the rabbit scent, he could smell Swift River. It wasn't faint, but it didn't overwhelm him either. Perhaps he was going a bit too far, and his heart worried for his mate, but he knew that Makita would keep a watchful eye on her until he returned. He felt himself beginning to tire, his endurance trickling into nothing. He hadn't the speed to catch the rabbit quickly, and had simply hoped that in time it would wear down. But from what he was feeling and seeing, the rabbit might just win the battle.

The sound of water filling his ears, knowing now that he was approaching the creek, though what part he was unsure of. The rabbit slipped into another hole, and above it the alpha stood, chest heaving waiting for the rabbit to resurface either here or another hole within eye shot. A moment passed, and perhaps, a bit foolishly, he stuck his foreleg into the hole, only to feel the fluff of the rabbit a mere foot down. Something had stopped up the hole, and it wasn't the prey. With a snarl, Alexander stepped back, and fell into a crouch, staring at the space. His scent was probably still easily detectable, but he hoped the stupid hare would take the chance anyway.

The moment he saw the flash of gray, he jumped, and caught the hardly suspecting rabbit in unyielding jaws. Without a second thought, he bit down, severing the creature's spine and ending its life. It was quite a hefty rabbit, now that he could feel it, and knew that his rather long run wasn't completely foolish. With a deep breath, he wandered then towards the creek, intending to take a short rest before making the journey back to the mountain. Dropping the body at water's edge, he leaned forward, taking a few laps as he watched the water turn a slightly dark color as it washed some of the fresh blood from his muzzle. His eyes kept going, however, discovering a few lengths down, a pale female taking a drink as well.

Alexander adjusted the rabbit to be at his other side, away from the female. He rose up, fluffy tail beginning to rise over his back, and he barked, ears perking up, hoping to catch the girl's attention. <b style="color:#51b85f">"speech."

She had done it again. She had been so submersed in her own thoughts that she had completely forgotten her surroundings. A sharp bark brought her violently back to reality. She jumped, skittering backwards from the water's edge instinctively. Raising her head, she now saw who, or what, had disturbed her. The wolf was huge. There was no two ways about it. Double her size, at least. Her eyes darted from the blood covering his white muzzle, to the dead rabbit at his feet, and heart beat a thunderous rhythm in her chest. She was not skittish or weak by nature, but she also knew she was a small wolf, and a creature that size could take her to pieces without much effort. She gingerly took a few steps backward - she might be small, but she was fast, and his bulk would slow him down. She could outrun him if she had to. She had been addressed, but had no idea what to say. Her mouth opened and closed ineffectually for a few moments. "Hello," she finally managed, "That's a big rabbit." She knew it was ridiculous as soon as it left her mouth. It was possibly the stupidest string of words that she had ever formed. "Sorry," she added, quietly. As she spoke, she used the opportunity to continue slowly stepping backwards. If she was going to have to run, she wanted to put as much distance between herself and her pursuer while she could.

Not once did he take his eyes off of the wolf by the creek, waiting for her to speak or at least run away. Perhaps he should have just spoken. Barking could be threatening, especially when it came from him. Bending down, he took the rabbit in his jaws, and moved a few steps along the creek towards the female, only to sit again. This time he dropped the rabbit between his paws. He wasn't too worried at this point, as it appeared as though he'd given her quite a fright.

<b style="color:#51b85f">"It is. I chased it quite a way. Wouldn't do that for a skinny rabbit." He tried to put some kindness into his voice, which wasn't too hard. Alexander even threw in a smile, and a good-mannered wag of his tail. As she apologized, he noticed her retreating slightly, and his ears twisted back. <b style="color:#51b85f">"There's no need to apologize, miss. I don't intend to cause you harm...If that's what you're thinking, at least." He chuckled, and dipped his head. <b style="color:#51b85f">"I'm Alexander." Perhaps if she knew his name it might ease whatever she could be feeling. He hadn't faced many ill-tempered wolves in his day, but he was sure that they wouldn't bother giving their victims their names. Right? <b style="color:#51b85f">"speech."

The candid and genial manner in which the other wolf addressed her was unexpected. She had assumed from his outward appearance that she would be met with hostility. In her experience, she had found that it was always a good idea to prepare for the worst scenario, and that one could never be too careful when it came to strangers. It seemed though, from his placid demeanour, that she had encountered something of a gentle giant. "Oh," she responded, a little dumbly. "That makes sense". She remained quiet as he reassured her that he had no intention of harming her. Despite his non-threatening manner, she still kept a close eye on all the subtle changes in his body language. A smile, a gentle wag of his tail - he certainly seemed harmless enough. In spite of this, she decided it was nevertheless a good idea to keep her distance, for the time being. As he introduced himself, she bowed her head slightly; she had been taught from a young age to show respect to everyone she met, no matter who they were. Small gestures such as these were simply second nature to her now. "I'm Liadan," she replied, "I hope I'm not trespassing on your territory, I was sort of in a daydream and found myself here". She frowned, an expression of slight guilt flitting across her face. "I tend to do that a lot," she added.

The female looked a bit lost, perhaps in more than one way, but he could only wonder if it had something to do with his size. It had been awhile since he'd spooked a random passerby with his sheer size, but he supposed that there could be a another first time for everything. It was quite embarrassing, for Alexander at least. But he hoped to win this female over somehow. For the time being, he kept his distance, just in case his mass was the reason she acted in such a strange way.

<b style="color:#51b85f">"Liadan, pleased to meet you," He replied, appreciative of her own polite gestures. <b style="color:#51b85f">"But no need to worry. My land isn't here, but up on the mountain. There is a pack around here, but I'm unsure as to whether or not you could have passed through their land." The male couldn't help but chuckle slightly, and added, <b style="color:#51b85f">"Though, if you had, I'm sure you'd know by now." The smile prickled along his muzzle. <b style="color:#51b85f">"speech."