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 Posted: Sun Feb 23, 2020 11:22 am
 Winter had settled thick in the redwoods. Snow was drifted high against one side as the winds had been harsh a day or so ago. Romping through the thickest of the snow was a still young black and white wolf. Her blue dye markings standing stark against her darker coat. Star Skunk as her father had called her, mostly cause of her markings reminding him of a skunk. Though she didn't have the same offensive smell when angry or scared. But she took this name to new heights as she tried playing 'hero' though most her antics landed her in trouble. Today she was romping through the trees, kicking up snow and whatever else laid beneath her paws. Stopping a moment, Star Skunk took a look around with light green eyes. This was an unknown bit of land she had yet to explore. Given that her parents didn't let her go off exploring that much. They lived in another area of the woods, father was more the loner then anything else, but was around for the kids until they had all grown up. Sniffing around, she had found the scent of other wolves. Was there more in this area? A pack perhaps? It certainly smelt like there had been many moving through the area at the very least. Ears perking up slightly, Star Skunk leaped off into the snow to follow the scent of others. Perhaps this was a chance to meet others? She could only hope so.
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Posted: Sun Feb 23, 2020 12:11 pm
 The last two weeks had been some of the roughest the Scout known as Hidden Fox had to endure. Sure the thought was exhilarating stepping into the fantasy of new land but it overwhelmed him once his paws touched upon the alien beauty of Irithyll. Maybe he should have been more cautious eating that fruit but, his lesson was well learned. Having not shunned the idea entirely, Fox decided if they were to visit such a land once more he'd attempt again. For now, he simply concentrated on his duty as a scout seeking out mislead wolves or listening for signals from other avian crows. Speaking which, he pondered where Light in The storm had flown off to just a moment ago. Perplexed his swived his ears listening to the calmness of the wood with the settling of winter. Some songbirds had been making an appearance including some bright red ones. Their songs were simplicity yet bringing such a serene feeling in the young male's heart. Then he paused smelling something different. "Took you long enough" came the voice of his companion. The larger avian crow chuckled, "That place we visited really messed up your senses huh?"Fox rolled his eyes, "You're not amusing me Storm. You knew there was a female near the border all along"?"Yep. Hence why I took off and let you stand confused" Storm chuckled. Hidden Fox held back a growl to himself hunkering downward as he crept toward the other wolf's scent. He wasn't in the mood for play, rather he'd rather find out who she was along with her purpose being this close to the Crows territory. Moving quietly he wiggled himself through the snow listening as he neared her location. Ending up behind some thick Holly bushes he paused downwind of her. The first thing that came to mind is her coloration, dye, simply everything. Oh, how he wanted to greet her but he had his job to do granted by Big Bad himself when he was just a pup. Still staying behind the thick holly bush he spoke hoping not to frighten her, "Who are you treading this close to our pack's territory and what is your purpose". He felt rather stern speaking like a tough male but he was performing his job as the more experienced Scouts had. His instincts though urged him to show himself so she herself could see who was stalking her. Fox was torn momentarily leaving himself wide open as his head popped up gingerly above the bushes, "Hello there. Sorry I didn't mean to sound so stuffy". This could be a dangerous game he started playing but, he wanted to know who she was.
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Posted: Sun Feb 23, 2020 12:36 pm
Skunk has stopped along her trail to rub up against the rough bark of a tree. Her side had started to itch and the bark was a good enough thing to scratch it. Stopping from what she was doing, her ears flicked around as she caught many soft sounds around her. Her striped tail flicked slightly as she glanced around. There was no one there that she could see to start. It was only when the voice wafted through the air in her direction did she stand a little taller in the snow. Granted it only made her paws sink lower through the drifts. "Um.." She had started before the holder of the voice came out of his hiding place behind her. "My name's Star Skunk, or just Skunk if you wish." She smiled a toothy grin, meaning nothing by it. Turning around, dramatically in her own way kicking up the snow around her paws she looked back towards the strange male had had sneaked up upon her. Given that he was down wind she wouldn't have smelt him. Skunk was one for the flare of dramatics and wanted to try and get flashy, even if most times she fell flat on her muzzle. "As for purpose.... Do I need one? I am just out here exploring and found a trail of scents and was just following them." She gave a bit of a shrug as she glanced over her own shoulder as if there were something that. "What about you?" clearly she had not heard the part about being close to a pack's lands.
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Posted: Sun Feb 23, 2020 2:48 pm
As she responded his smile generated curling upward with a subtle wag of his tail. Ears always laid back he tried his best to be attentive. So, her name was Star Skunk or Slunk for short he noted quickly. The same could be spoken of him being a "Hidden Fox". The thought was amusing the two of them both carried two names. His companion well he was in a league of his own with a more elongated title. Before he could make his own introductions though, Light in the Storm beat him to the answer. Walking out with a head-bobbed stride the smaller crow simply Iddled his way up to the larger smaller female. Tilting his feathery head he genuinely smiled, "Nice day to be in the snow." He chuckled to himself standing beside his companion, "This young gent seems to be excited to meet you Ms. Skunk though I do think he's a little shy". He chuckled again bowing his head to the younger female, "Meet Hidden Fox or Fox as I call him the novice Scout for The Crows". Making eye contact with Star Skunk along with Fox extending his wings he introduced himself, "Who am I you ask? Why I am Fox's faithful companion; Light in the Storm".Hidden Fox's jaw dropped after his own introduction was stolen by a bird. He was miffed momentarily leaving himself a little dumbfounded. It took a few moments until he could re-train his thoughts. "Alrighty, now we know who each other is..." he coughed trying to ignore Storm, "purpose I meant by you being close to Crow Territory. If you were to step in any further then you are, I'd have to bring you in for a trial much like my father had to go through". Trying to change the mood that seemed rather tense, Hidden Fox noted before how Skunk was quite playful. He couldn't resist sitting still as a tree as his paw grabbed some snow carefully. Still watching her without even blinking he tossed snow at her with an impish grin. Being sneaky he laughed out loud and jumped upward kicking his own feet out till he landed behind the base of a nearby tree. "Surprise!" he yelled out wagging his tail, bet you weren't expecting that"!
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Posted: Sun Feb 23, 2020 3:08 pm
Skunk watched as a bird approached her, speaking to her and introducing the wolf before her and himself. For a moment it could be said that Skunk had looked like something had broken inside her before everything came back into focus. What really snapped her out of the stooper was the snow that landed its mark in hitting her. Shaking her head she had barely heard what Fox had said about being taken to his pack and a trial that would be taken. But first things were first she still sat there and pointed a paw towards the crow. "Would you be sad if I ate the ball of feathers there?" It was clearly a joke, as she made a jump towards the Crow before using her tail to throw snow towards Hidden Fox. "Also, what type of trial would I have to take if I was found on Crows land?" Dancing a bit in the snow, she leaped at Fox looking to try and tumble with him through the drifts. Kicking up more snow as she did, hind paws kicking some towards Light in the Storm. This was the most fun she had had in ages, but she was still perplexed at the bird that stole the show and curious of this trial and pack thing. While she wouldn't intentionally wander into one, but it did seem that was rather close. Perhaps she could just nose her way in and avoid an sort of trials? In the pit of her stomach she knew she wouldn't have special treatment... But! For now she was more interested in playing with her new 'friend'.
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Posted: Sun Feb 23, 2020 5:08 pm
Light in the Storm perked a brow at Skunk's comment. True she was a born wolf with teeth that could eat him whole without blinking. Rolling his eyes he chuckled once more backing up from the crazy female who currently tackled his companion. "Haha very funny" he spoke aloud giving distance to the two wolves at play. It wasn't that he wanted to prove fate wrong but, Light in the Storm certainty knew when things could get dicey. Fox, on the other hand, was immersed in a bout of play with this new lady he had just met. His offer on the floor to initiate play exploded into full out chaos. Paws flailing, they both tumbled toward the Crows Territory as snow sprayed everywhere. Pushing his weight into the roll, he purposely managed to stop them right before the border. Was she trying to sneak into the pack? Determined not to let his guard down, he wasn't giving the other scouts a chance to take her to the alpha. Instead. Instead, he laughed aloud and kicked away from her using his feet to kick up snow from front to back. Now it sprayed just about everywhere leaving the ground bare from where he stood. Panting he captured a quick glance of her movements then leaped to the right again kicking more snow. If he could distract her from the boundary line. "You're something else Skunk!" he laughed with toothy appreciation, "I haven't had fun like this since I was a pup". Laughing again with a wag of his tail he longed to know more about this silly female. Other then Strawberry, the females in the pack had never captured his attention. Far as his companion might serve him right if she ate him. Shaking his head he scolded himself for the thought, "Actually Light in the Storm has a purpose in the pack so it's not wise to eat him otherwise he'd be missed." Thinking to himself, "You owe me Storm".
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Posted: Sun Feb 23, 2020 5:39 pm
Over they rolled ever closer to the pack lines, Skunk came to lay on her back panting in the snow. Her darker fur tangled with small sticky balls. Rolling over she shook what snow was clinging to her coat before she was showered again with snow as Fox cleaned out a spot. Again she shook the snow off her coat, sneezing in the process when yet AGAIN she was pelted with snow. Dashing to one side she found a spot to kick snow at Fox in retaliation. Dashing away from where she could assume was the pack line she stopped between a couple trees and sat down. Her sides were heaving from the play that had been engaged. "I was always considered the crazy one of my family." she giggled slightly as her own tail gave a wag, dusting the snow behind her. "So your pack favors birds, huh? Most times they are just challenging prey." She gives another look at Storm, tilting her head to one side. Standing she rubbed up against the tree to her side to get at an itch that was bugging her. Simply scratching it never seemed to solve the problem. "So Fox, are you good at running as you are tumbling?" Star Skunk asked as she traveled forward, around the male bumping him with a shoulder. When she came around to his other side, pointing away from the pack lands, Skunk took off kicking up snow in front of Fox's face. If he followed her or not was up to him. But she would be sad if he elected to stay behind, they were having so much fun after all..
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Posted: Sun Mar 15, 2020 12:20 pm
He stopped mid-play seriousness painting over his impish smile, "Crows, birds they are sacred to the pack. They bring us a word of fortune, misery, danger. and most of all companionship. Well for me anyway. We don't harm crows or other birds". Grumbling silently to himself he wondered if his stern warning would scare her off. Instantly, he wagged his tail leaning inward, rump raised to the wind. "Enough about birds for now. Oh, I can run, trust me..." he taunted her watching her movement slowly drift away from his stance.
Before he knew it though, he was still in play-stance with snow kicked in his face. Immediately he bounced upward following after her keeping a visual on that invisible pack line he couldn't stray from. Big Bad had accepted both him and his sister from their father's request to join the pack. Disobedience was not taken lightly within the pack rank. He was in no way able to make rules of his own so this farce still had to be corralled with careful determination.
Picking up speed he tore off after her, eyes never leaving that stable line he walked daily. Pushing his head outward, paws stretched out he moved in behind her grinning before leaping over her with a graceful glide through the air. Laughing he took off running with a turn of his head, "How's that" he yelled then purposely showed movement down so she could catch up.
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Posted: Sun Mar 15, 2020 12:59 pm
Skunk still didn't really get the concept of hanging around with birds. She supposed they had their uses, since they could flu where wolves like herself couldn't. Shaking her head a bit as she had tore away from where they had been tumbling through the snow. He tore after her and sailed over her head. Though it appeared that he was trying to keep within sight of his pack lands. After he leaped over her and took off again, she slowed a little before making a sharp left to run along side the line he didn't seem to want her to cross.
"That was ok. But I sense you are holding back." She said as she came to sit near one of the many trees around them. "Like you don't want to get too far away from the pack lands. Surely they won't mind if you take time away from it all."
Scratching at her ear with a paw, Star Skunk watched Hidden Fox. She wanted to know more about this wolf from a pack. She's only ever had her family around, though her father was not there all the time. It was just mostly her mom and her siblings. There hadn't been too much of a family dynamic to Skunk. She wondered how a pack worked. Lost within her own thoughts, she didn't realize she had started just staring off into space. Forgetting where she was...
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Posted: Sun Mar 15, 2020 3:51 pm
Something flew by in a quick dash landing on a branch near where Hodden Fox had slowed up. Saved your hide again. Fox peered up at the tree giving his companion a grin. He knew full well the crow was keeping a vigil from a distance unless he desired being devoured or tortured even. Fox being amused his companion took way too much to heart sometimes. Well, he did make some bad decisions in the other land they traversed in. Still, they returned almost unscathed. He clung on that fact of Russet taking a nasty fall.
He stride brought him directly to stand next to her, "holding back? How so?" he queried wondering if she had knocked the wind from her lungs too hard. Too much craziness could rattle even the strongest thoughts. Firmly he settled himself upon his haunches till he basically almost touched her in closeness. "Star Skunk... Mind if I call you Star? " he asked rather politely, "I'm not too nervous about leaving the pack territory as long as it's not too far. Another reason Light in the Storm hangs around really". Leaning in closer, his paw was trembling as he placed it lightly to rest on hers. Fox was a grown adult with nothing to lose other than his pack's respect.
"Star.... What's on your mind right now?" he asked concerned with those brilliant sea hued orbs settled upon her.
Hidden Fox even just meeting her knew something weaved uncertainty within her mind. Perhaps, all this talk about the pack made her nervous? Not wanting to seem impulsive, Fox certainly didn't want to jump to conclusions. In truth, he desired to learn more about her even if she suited herself a lone wolf. Dreaming she'd accept joining his pack was whimsical to others seeing she was brand new. Deep down within Hidden Fox almost felt there might be a soul connection due to her interest in him.
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Posted: Sun Mar 15, 2020 4:24 pm
Star Skunk blinked her way back to her own body as it seemed that she had drifted away in one means or another. Shaking her head she glanced at Hidden Fox as he had come to sit beside her. Her head was still a little foggy before she realized that he had placed a paw upon hers. Ears flicking she gave a small glance to the paw before looking back up to him.
"i thought I had said you can call me Skunk. Everyone else does, cause I can be a little stinker sometimes." She grinned looking to tackle him into the snow before the question of what was on her mind came around.
"Was just thinking how this day has gone past so quickly." She mentioned as it did seem that the night was drawing closer. "Seems only five minutes you stopped me from entering a place I probably shouldn't have. Not without really knowing what was going on, to be thrown into the fray and doomed to fail."
Laying in the snow, she glanced up at the skies that peeked through the branches over head. Star Skunk thought back to where she would have to go for the night. Really she was settled to just sleep here for the night, the snow was deep enough at points to make a very cozy den. And she would hopefully stay out of the sights of others as well.
"I wouldn't mind meeting up again, sometime. When you aren't bound to your pack lands." She gave him a grin, one that spoke of trouble and fun. "What do you say?"
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Posted: Sun Mar 15, 2020 5:44 pm
He himself had fallen into a daze wondering what his mind was thinking without him. He'd even ponder his heart was doing most of the dirty work over his intelligence. Crafty. Well played,heart. Ears perking up he listened quietly to her words as they flowed inward much like a free-roaming stream. She was trying to be impish but her thoughts were betraying how she was acting. The night was indeed incoming as the sun burrowed back for another slumber. His coat was exceedingly warm in this season so a brisk wind wasn't a bother. Still, he moved in closer to her so their body heat would keep them regulated.
"Skunk...excuse me" he spoke with a scolding playful voice, "There's a saying that time flies when you're having fun. I firmly believe that" he frowned with a sigh, "But if time goes on in continuation it means that we'll definitely see each other again should day and night allow it". He mused a bit before leaning in closer with the wind as an alibi, "I was never forcing you to join the pack. Its something you'd have to do on your own, remember?" He turned to look directly in her eyes with his own shining orbs, "I'd love to join up with you again when you are able. Storm up there is always my lookout, so he has my back if I were to go on a walk, run, whatever, with you".
Suddenly, in the distance, a nearby crow sang aloud... return to the pack.
Hidden fox's ears dropped in disappointment laying fully on his head. This moment he dreaded left him saddened but, the pack was his command. Turning to look at Light in the Storm he nodded before facing Star Skunk, "I need to return to the pack. There seems to be an urgency calling even the scouts in" Then he paused thinking, "Meet me here in a week or day before? This is my Scouting area for the next month so it shouldn't be a problem". His tail wagged happily as he stood on all fours. Before he dashed off he seized the moment with a quick lick on her cheek. Then dashed off toward his pack land shouting back, "I'll be waiting for you!"
Then he vanished like the Fox he was with only the flying crow above him giving his location away.
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Posted: Sun Mar 15, 2020 5:56 pm
"well of course, but if you hadn't stopped me I would be been neck deep in wolves. Some perhaps not so friendly as you." She poked at him playfully as her ears went up at the sound of a crow calling in the distance.
She knew that she would have to part ways with him at some point, but this seemed too early. Frowning slightly, Skunk glanced back into the direction that laid the lands of the Crows pack. Seems that was one of their calls and Fox saying something confirmed it. Seems those of his pack were calling back their scouts and runners. Sighing inwardly as the warm space that was beside her now filled with cooling air, she looked up at him again.
"I look forward to it, maybe one of these days they will let you have free time to do what you want?" It was a long shot sort of thing, but she only smiled as he gave a quick lick to the side of her face then vanished. Taking to her own paws, she watched as his shadow vanished from sight. Shaking her head she turned to find the deepest snow drift she could to hollow out a sleeping spot.
"Next time you won't be getting away that easily." she chuckled to herself, feeling that the next time she won't be letting him go. The feelings inside her warred to go after him, but what he had left her with she had to think. Was she ready to dive into a pack? Or did she want to remain as she was, a loner. Hard thinking needed to be done, very hard.
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