|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
 Posted: Fri Apr 02, 2010 4:38 pm
AIM log between Milorganite & Nikui
"Well, here we are." Drover's bright orange tail swished behind him as his feet padded onto the prickly grass of the plains. For the past half hour of walking, the sand had slowly been giving way to rubble and stunted bushes, but now they were truly out of the desert and back into hospitable land. It had taken longer than Drover had expected to get out of the desert--one of those pesky, unpredictable sandstorms--and he had been starting to get worried that Nanaka would think him a liar or fraud. But here they were, in the grasslands full of small mammals and, more importantly, fresh, flowing water.
He turned to look at the female he'd been leading, feeling a bittersweet pang that she'd probably be on her way now. "Y' know which way you're going now?" He wouldn't want her to turn around and get lost again immediately.
---
Nanaka was beyond thrilled to be in the grassy area of the plains. Her tail was wagging frantically behind her, and she trotted up to some greener grass to flop down into it happily, rolling onto her back like a pup would. Her tail still wagging, she looked up to him thankfully--no, she had never thought of him as a fraud or a liar. Far from it, he had rescued her from that god-forsaken desert.
Her smiled faded, however, when she heard the male's last comment--was he going to up and turn around to head back to his own home, what he was familiar with? Rolling onto her stomach, her legs splayed out, she stumbled over what to say mentally for a moment, before..."Cant you stay with me?" She blurted, which really hadn't been what she was going to say..
"I-I mean..I like your company..a lot, and..I..well. You said it was lonely in the desert, didn't you?"
---
He tilted his head from side to side, watching as she flopped onto her back. He liked when she acted like that, even if he would feel a little silly joining in. It was nice to be around someone who didn't take life so seriously all the time. It wasn't that he didn't like to have fun, but, well, sometimes that pesky survival got in the way.
"Well..." he started slowly. He knew what he wanted to say but he was a bit too stunned to believe he actually had the opportunity. He had every reason to say yes; none to say no -- it wasn't like he had any obligations holding him back. "Yes, if... If you're sure that's what you want." He just didn't want to hold her back, from taking her own journey and finding that pack she had been looking for.
---
That bright smile returned to her maw and she was up to her feet in an instant, a new energy rushing through her. She stepped back up to him, tail wagging and ears lower as she nudged her muzzle underneath his with a playful whine.
"So you'll stay with me?" Maybe she could loosen him up a bit, make it so he wasn't so survival-set and know that with another wolf, life was easier--even a childish, ungraceful wolf like herself. She just wanted to hear it from him, though...so that she knew she wasn't taking it wrong, and that she wasn't being overly hopeful. Nanaka adored company, and though he had already changed quite abit over the time they'd spent together--she just didn't want to see him go, even if she knew it'd happen sooner or later.
---
"Heh..." He chuckled, a bit nervously, at her sudden influx of energy -- and the manner in which she was rubbing against him. Alright, so he'd be lying if he said he hadn't been interested in her from when they'd first met, but that was casual interest, the sort that came up when a male hadn't seen a lady for awhile. He hadn't really thought she'd return it, or that his own casual interest would turn into something more like a longing.
"Yes," he said finally, firmly, nuzzling her cheek-to-cheek. "Yes, I'd love to stay with you, Nanaka."
|
 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Posted: Sun Apr 04, 2010 9:43 am
It wasn't a lusting she had--she wasn't sure what it was. She'd been alone for so long that she couldn't pinpoint what exactly it was about him that lured her in...but when he agreed, she just couldn't help herself, and just wanted to be excited about it.
They didn't know each other well--but she felt that she had learned enough about him to trust him...or so she hoped. After another nudge of her nose to his muzzle, she then took a step back--slightly embarrassed, but her tail was still wagging, and the returned nuzzle had made her smile.
But..now what..."You wanna go find somewhere to settle for the night?" It was still kind of early--but she wanted to find a nice dinner, some cool water, and a nice grassy place to stay for the evening so they could get a headstart on..whatever they were going to do tomorrow. How long was he going to stick around, she wondered...but didn't bother questioning it right now.
---
He had no concrete plans, and rarely ever did, so Nanaka probably could have suggested just about anything and he would have agreed. "Sure," he answered, taking in the scene before them. He didn't know this area well, but it couldn't be that hard to find a shelter. "What are you lookin' for?" He glanced up at the sky. They had lots of time before sunset; if they wanted, they could probably even find a copse of trees.
Well, if she wanted. Drover hadn't spent much time in the forest but he knew he preferred open land. It certainly wouldn't kill him for one night, though.
---
"Oh..I donno," she shrugged a bit, but made her way in the direction of the lusher foresty area, though she paused when she realized--she had been on the outskirts near the desert before, now she was dragging him into an area that he might not be comfortable with.
Sitting herself down in contemplation, she looked back at him and smiled, unsure of what to say.. "Unless you just wanna' explore this area. So we dont go too far from both places we're pretty comfortable with," she could do plains...forests were just where she was raised, so she knew it better, but with their mutual experience in these areas she was sure they'd be fine.
---
Drover shrugged lightly. "Up t' you, sheila," he said. He wouldn't want her to sacrifice comfort on his account; he wasn't accustomed to comfort anyway, so there was no need for it. "Might be nice, though," he said with a smile, "explorin' unfamiliar territory. Ain't many wolves out here."
Most packs occupied areas in the forest, or near the mountains, and at least one pack wandered the desert, but Drover didn't know of any wolves who lived in this area. They would have it all to themselves--all the space, all the prey; no one informing them where they could or couldn't stay. It could be... nice.
---
The split grounds of the forest and the plains...well, she didn't like being out in the open. But she supposed they could dig out a makeshift den pretty quickly. Maybe she was being overly excited about all this? Nanaka wasn't sure. But her tail continued to wag, excited that he had actually agreed to stay with her...again, overly excited. But she didn't mind showing it--even if she was a little...embarrassed about acting like a pup.
"Let's..uhm, we can look around this area," she murmured, tone softer and less...well, excited. She really didn't want to freak him out. Slowly, she made her way in the opposite direction of where they'd come from, pausing to make sure he was following her. Maybe they could find a hollowed out tree or something of the like.
---
Drover nodded his agreement, trotting after her; he didn't notice her change in tone or when she paused briefly. He zigged and zagged at a lopping pace across the grass, his nose to the ground, ears and tail perked cheerfully. He wasn't looking for anything in particular, just getting used to the scent of the land, taking in any important information.
Then, sudden, a twitch in the grass, and the hard thump of two comparatively huge hind feet. Maybe it was Nanaka's childlike enthusiasm, trickling through into his own psyche, but without thinking Drover took off on the trail of the fleeing lagomorph.
This was no mere bunny rabbit, it was a hare, heavier and more dangerous than the typical small prey of wolves. But Drover wasn't thinking about that; he simply wanted to chase.
---
Flicking her ears when he began to sniff the ground, she cocked her head and watched as he moved in the zig-zag fashion. Cocking her head this way and that, she jumped when he took off--hearing the thumping of whatever it was running.
Opening and closing her mouth for a few moments, she blinked, confused, before breaking into a sprint after the two. She'd never seen a hare before--just rabbits, the little things that were cute and bouncy and easy to kill. But this thing...from what she could see of the blurred form bolting away...was huge. And didn't look as welcoming and friendly as a rabbit at all.
"Drover?!" She was confused, really, as to why he had taken off suddenly--this thing looked like a monster rabbit that had possibly eaten a few rabbits itself. How creepy.
---
Misinterpreting her yell, Drover assumed the blur of peach fur he was just registering on the edge of his vision was willing to join in the chase. "To the right!" he called back, offering instruction. If they could rush him from two sides, one of them could grab the hare before it had a chance to react -- otherwise it would end up underground, or cornered, and usually in those situations the wolf lost. As long as the animal's feet left the ground before it knew what was happening, they would be fine.
The hare was turning at angles a wolf could never hope to match, but now that it was running from two predators, its chances were limited. His tongue lolling out of his mouth, Drover had a feeling they might just win this one.
---
Panting already, she sped up her pace as her paws thumped to the ground faster than she ever figured possible. She was small, light...and pretty graceful when she wanted to be. Except she hoped her clumsy streak didn't kick in, or they'd be SOL...
When she was instructed to go to the right, she did so without thinking, speeding up more as her legs began to burn. Faster, faster--and the hare leaped up into the air, giving her a chance to snap at the large creature's hind legs, rather she slammed her head into it as her jaws clamped just on air. Though, she had head-butted it...and thrown it off balance, sending the hare into flips and rolls in mid-air. When the creature hit the ground, dazed, she skidded to a a partial stop a foot or two past it...hopefully Drover could take it from there, since she was just as dazed as the poor hare was.
---
"Ah, ah!" His four feet all ended up in the wrong places as the drama unfolded in a manner her hadn't expected; suddenly Nanaka had shot past him and he was on top of the hare. He reacted, for all the good it would do; his fangs slammed down on whatever was closest, which happened to be the base of one of the creature's ears. Then he, too, managed a stop, and the hare managed to regain its facilities. It started to kick at the air, mighty feet whooshing in space, but Drover held the animal away from his body, trying to avoid the flailing limbs. Unable to risk releasing the ear for fear the hard-earned prey would escape for good, he tried to communicate what needed to be done--"Krrrl it." A lucky blow glanced off his throat and he tightened his grip; hopefully Nanaka would be up quickly.
---
Nanaka, still dazed, managed to get to her feet and regain her composure--only to see Drover with the hare flailing and kicking at him. It made the most horrible noise...sounded like a human child screaming. Folding her ears back, she managed to catch his second command...
How was she supposed to get to it while it was flailing like that?! She opened her mouth to try and catch her breath, pausing for only a moment, before lunging forward at an opening from the hare's flailing...after it had kicked Drover in the neck, of course. Snapping her maw against the hare's back, she heard a crunch before it went limp and the screaming stopped. Keeping hold of it even though Drover had hold, she panted heavily against the hot fur of the hare, blood seeming to explode into her mouth.
Carnivore, yes. But she hadn't expected that much blood--must have hit an artery or something. Finally releasing it, she plopped onto her butt and smiled, figuring it wouldn't recover from a broken spine.
---
He had his ears pinned back against the noise -- this was a horrible way for a hunt to end, a bit dishonorable, really, but the final blow was still quick and merciful to the dying beast.
He waited until Nanaka released her grip, just in case she hadn't bit down completely, but was satisfied when she backed away, dropping the small corpse onto the ground. The soft hair was twisted every which way, the animal's distorted back stained with red, but such was life for a wolf.
Drover looked down at their impromptu meal, breathing heavily; then up at Nanaka, back in her splayed, puppy-like sit, grinning at their victory. Suddenly, he started to laugh. The whole situation was a little ridiculous -- their sudden, successful hunt, and the manner in which it came about.
---
She couldn't help but laugh as well. It was kind of ridiculous...Drover had run after the hare like a pup chasing a bug. But really, she didn't mind at all. But now she was tired--and she wasn't sure where they were--but that wouldn't stop her at all.
"You're crazy," she chimed, licking her maw and wagging her tail, "I dont think I've ever moved that fast in my life!" Hares were damn fast. She'd never even seen on before this--mutant rabbit was all she had to say. She continued to wag her tail before looking down at the corpse--it wasn't all that small. Not for her, at least.
"Do they taste good..?"
---
Drover moved forward to lick her maw, too -- after all, he'd only grasped a thin ear, while her face was covered in arterial blood. That was his justification, anyway.
"Yeah, them buggers are fast," he said, referring to the mammal at their feet. "I don't know about good... There's a lotta sinew in 'em, but a lotta meat, too. They taste better than lizard."
To demonstrate, he pressed a forefoot into the hare's body and gripped a hind leg in his mouth. It came off with a rough tug, and he dropped it in front of Nanaka with a wag of his tail, hoping she appreciated the best part.
---
Blinking at him at the lick, she smiled once more and watched as he yanked off the leg. It looked meaty--looked good. She licked his cheek in thanks before flopping onto her stomach, splaying her legs out behind her while her front paws gripped at the meat. She began to dig in, ripping the fur off only to spit it off to the side.
Taking a bite of the actual meat, she was surprised at the taste. "I've never had lizard," she said behind her mouthful, obviously not having a lot of manners to boot. "You eat these a lot?"
---
He watched her take that first bite before realizing that he needed to eat himself. He also lowered himself to the ground, and set in on the body of the hare. It was just important to him that she was pleased with his offering; if he'd made her run faster than she had in her life, the result should be worth it.
She seemed pleased as she bit into the haunch. He himself didn't have the best manners; the strip of meat he had bitten off dangled from his mouth as he replied. "When they're around," he said, swallowing. "But they're fast, and tough; hard to get a good young one without a few in on the hunt."
---
"They're good," she hadn't eaten in a while, okay? Anything tasted good when hungry enough. Giving a light, rumbling purr, she continued to wag her tail and rip off the meat bite by bite. Even the muscle tasted nice, and usually she was bothered by too much muscle. The only problem she had was that it felt like it was burning her mouth--the poor hare must have run its heart out.
"Not something I'd want to eat every day," she admitted, tearing a chunk off of the leg, mimicking his look by having the meat hang from her mouth as she paused to think about what they had previously been talking about. Where were they? Looking around, it looked like more of the desert-y area, but she could also see the trees speckling the land too...so they weren't too far.
"Wanna dig a den around here?"
---
He, too, continued to munch at his chosen selection, nosing the corpse a little closer to Nanaka in case she wanted more. There was plenty there for a modest meal for both of them. When she glanced around, he mimicked the action, though he wasn't sure what she was looking for.
Sated, he stood, giving his muscles a loose shake. "Sure, sure…" he said absently, looking now more closely at the surrounding area. "We should find a hillock, tuft of grass, something… something to dig in to, keep out of the wind."
---
Looking back up at him, she finished off the leg before pawing at the rest of the corpse that the other had left, picking at what looked good until her stomach seemed content. Wiggling her rear up into a playbow, she stretched before moving to stand up completely.
Licking her lips, she trotted up to him and absently licked at his mouth, cleaning off what was left of his meal. "Lead the way," she chimed, wagging her tail and perking her ears. Like hell if she knew where she was going. She tried to lead the way earlier and it ended up in a mad-dash for dinner--which she wasn't complaining about in the least, of course.
---
Drover nudged his nose to her cheek in thanks. Her presence made him softer; smoothed out the severe rough edges he usually had. He glanced around, choosing to head toward the more wooded area. The thicker vegetation would keep them both warm... Though if one den was all they were digging, they might be warm enough without.
"This way," he said, moving ahead at a slower pace than before. He was tired from chasing the hare and his full stomach protested a move. The body they could leave for scavengers to pick; Drover did not mind sharing with the locals, and food here seemed plentiful enough that there was no reason to bury leftovers for fear of sudden famine.
He didn't look back. By this point, he was assured that she would be following him; and he was content with that much, for now.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Reply
