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 Posted: Mon Sep 15, 2014 11:15 pm
 Igneous was weary from travelling, and he was unsure in this new place. He didn't really know where to find much of anything, and though he had passed a small hidden pond a couple hours ago, water was what he was after. It had been a long voyage so far this day, and he was certainly thirsty, if not simply tired. His paws ached, but it was negligible. At least he was used to being on his own. It had been a few years he had been away from his parents, and though his old pack was lost, Igneous persevered.
He had stopped for a few moments to rest, seated on a large rock overlooking a small field half-surrounded by trees. It wasn't much, but it was nice in the late-afternoon summer light. Igneous had no idea where he was, but perhaps if he were to run across another, they could help him out. He was a bit difficult to get along with at times, as his quiet sternness was a bit off-putting, but the fiery colored wolf knew that he would be required to be expressive and cooperative no matter what, seeing as he was the one that needed the help. The breeze tickled his whiskers and he lifted his muzzle a little to sniff at it tenderly. There wasn't much he was picking up, but it was nice to rest, and so he gazed about the field as he sat atop the rock. It was warm underneath him from the high sun and he felt safe enough closing his eyes a moment and taking it all in without sight to throw off his other senses.
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Posted: Mon Sep 15, 2014 11:26 pm
 Aduial was very much out of her element.
The daughter of alphas in her old home, the dark-furred female had grown up thinking of herself as something of a princess. She was delicate, polite, refined and graceful. All of which served her well within a pack, but none of that helped her one tiny bit out on her own.
She'd had a rough time of things lately. Her pack had been caught in fighting with an enemy, and she'd barely gotten away from that danger when the ground had rumbled and the sky erupted in smoke. And then her only friend through the whole ordeal had...well. What mattered now was that Aduial was alone, she was lost, and she was frightened.
But she was still an alpha's daughter, and she'd be damned if she allowed herself to fall into any sort of self-pity or helplessness. Draug Faroth, her home pack, was made up of strong hunters and warriors, and she'd learned the necessities of survival there. On her own, she could at least strive to make her homeland proud until she managed to find other survivors.
Assuming, of course, that there were survivors. It wasn't something she liked to dwell on.
Just at this moment, a more pressing concern was upon her. She was thirsty, hungry and tired. It was easy enough to give in to the last of these, but she knew if she stopped now she risked never getting back up. No...she had to keep going until she found water, at least, and hope that she had enough strength to find some food.
And so with those priorities firmly affixed in mind, the she-wolf continued her search.
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Posted: Tue Sep 16, 2014 12:05 am
The large, yet skinny male noticed that the breeze had changed slightly once he had his eyes closed for a few moments, and there was now the slightest scent of his own kind on it. He opened his eyes and blinked for a few seconds, gazing about again, feeling sort of weird for letting down his guard, now. He couldn't know if it was a male or a female, friendly or not. His sleepy gaze picked up a dark shape, not actually that far away from him, and he watched for a moment, his tail twitching a little bit.
Although Igneous had been thinking about the possibility of running into another, it had been so long since he had actually interacted with one of his own kind that now he felt slightly nervous. He was skinny from being on his own and travelling so long, it was hard to find hunting in these new lands, and all he'd managed so far was scavenging very nervously off a bear-kill and a bit of scrounging about for scraps and as much as he hated to admit it, some roots and berries. His uncle had taught him about the edible plants that had been in their lands, and he was happy for finding a couple where he'd ended up here.
As he watched this other wolf who seemed possibly to be just as lost of himself, he slipped off the rock he'd been resting on and began moving through the grass.
"Hello...!" He called quietly at first. It had been a while since he had exercised his voice, and it came out crackly and hoarse. "Hello!" He called again, his voice stronger this time. "Excuse me...are you from here?" Igneous called to the other, fearing getting too close as he paused again, his ears and his tail lifted, awaiting a response. He hoped that this other had heard his calls.
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Posted: Tue Sep 16, 2014 1:05 am
Aduial's ears swept forward, petite muzzle lifting upward as she tried to sort out the source of the sound. Ah -- there. A wolf so brilliantly colored she could have almost mistaken him for the fires she had run from just a short time ago. The thought gave her chills, but she steeled herself. Stop being silly, she thought firmly, and took a few tentative steps closer to the stranger. He seemed friendly enough, and given the rough time she'd had so far, a friendly stranger seemed like a gift from above.
"I'm afraid not," she said, in response to his inquiry. As she drew closer, she took a moment to size him up, noting his lean frame. So here was another wolf in need of a meal. When she spoke again, it was in the tones of gentle formality that she had always preferred to use -- painstakingly polite. "Am I right in assuming that you, too, are lost?"
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Posted: Tue Sep 16, 2014 1:22 am
Now that he was closer, Igneous could tell this was a female. It wasn't that the thought occurred to him long before she spoke though, but her movements gave her away just seconds before. So she wasn't from here either...why did that not surprise him? It seemed as though these lands had indeed fallen upon the same hard times, and it was a bit unsettling, to say the least. "I'm sorry." He said quietly, pausing in thought for a moment. He was sure that there was a delicate way to go about things, but it had been too hard to think on that plane most days.
"You must have lost a lot as well then. Nevermind being lost." Igneous stated, his ears falling slightly and his tail resting against his hind legs. "I am, indeed." He responded to her question. Well, maybe they could help each other out. It was hard to find anything out here with things the way they were, but two wolves were better than one, and any wolf knew that. She seemed nice enough, and she obviously wasn't startled of him.
"So I guess you don't know where to find water, either?" He questioned the female bluntly, shifting his weight as he stood near her. It occurred to him also, that he was being rude. Which he took no pause in thinking aloud,
"I'm being rude..." The large fiery male said, lowering his head a little. "My name is Igneous. I am a son of no particular note, from a pack of well...also no particular note." He trailed off again and lowered his head a bit further into a sort of bow, his tail heaving a half-hearted wag. He was not ashamed of having a simple, non-noble heritage, not one bit. It didn't matter now anyways, as he was sure they were all long gone after the disaster.
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Posted: Tue Sep 16, 2014 1:34 am
She chuckled a little at his introduction, deciding immediately that she rather liked this fellow. He was the friendliest face she had seen since fleeing her homeland, at any rate. "We all come to lose our manners in times like these, I fear," she said, gravely, but followed it up with a soft smile. "My name is Aduial. I was..." she hesitated. Suddenly, her pack and position didn't seem to matter much. And for all she knew, there were still enemies afoot, even here in this strange land. "Well. Just now I suppose that's of little importance. I came this way hoping to find some water, and perhaps some food and shelter. Maybe together we could fare better?"
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Posted: Tue Sep 16, 2014 1:05 pm
Igneous liked her little laugh and smile. It was warming to his heart, and it had been a long time with those as well. It seemed as though she was hiding something in her hesitation, but it probably wasn't very serious. She seemed nice enough.
"Pleasure, Aduial." He gave her another little nod, flicking his ears forward again and offering his own little awkward, lopsided grin. "I'm sure that's not a half bad idea," He paused. Igneous had not always had the best sense of humour, but he couldn't help himself when he thought of joking. It was strange all the things one forgets when spending so much time on their lonesome.
"I'm sure we could fare better...so long as your promise you're not a psychopath..." He trailed off, lowering his gaze to his paws as a funny-sounding laugh spewed forth from his muzzle. That hadn't had much exercise lately, either. Igneous looked up at this new acquaintance sheepishly, realizing his so-called joke likely hadn't been that funny.
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Posted: Tue Sep 16, 2014 1:55 pm
She chuckled politely at his joke, though her eyes were serious. A psychopath, indeed. Was it wise to trust the first stranger she met? She could think of no other alternative.
Vaguely, in the back of her mind, she wandered what Cern would think about this. She disregarded the thought. Thinking about him just made her miserable, now that she didn't know whether he was alive or dead.
"Which way did you come from?" She asked, finally, bringing them both back to task. "If there was no water from your direction, and none from mine, that rules out two paths we could take."
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Posted: Tue Sep 16, 2014 6:51 pm
The large but slight male had to consider for a moment, which direction indeed. He had been seated on that rock for quite some time, actually, now that he thought back on it, judging by where the sun was currently. "Well...I guess it was probably NorthWest that I headed out of." Igneous said, slightly unsure. It seemed correct though, if he thought about where the sun had been while he walked today.
"What about you? Don't suppose you came the same way or you woulda snuck up on me." He said flatly, twitching an ear back and shifting his weight again.
"I like your thinking though, that does make it a sense easier." He gave her a little nod. He had thought for a moment that a sad expression had passed her features, but as soon as it'd been there, it was gone, and he didn't worry too much about it. It was rough out here as it was, leave it at that.
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Posted: Tue Sep 16, 2014 11:00 pm
"No...I've come from the east, for sure," she said, slowly. The sun had been in her eyes for quite a while now, suggesting that she'd been steadily traveling west.
It seemed to her that there were two viable options -- either they could head north, bearing east as needed to evade the ground Igneous had already covered, or they could bear south. She was hesitant to go that way. She wasn't entirely sure where home was, but she knew it was south of here, and the image of ash and devastation were still too fresh in her mind. Perhaps that was weak or irrational of her.
But surely there had to be water somewhere north of here?
"Let's try heading north," she said, finally, a bit hesitantly. Would he think this was a good idea? "And keep our ears and eyes out for prey."
Not only would they make for a meal, the prey would likely know where the water was located.
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Posted: Wed Sep 17, 2014 1:11 pm
Igneous watched her as she thought very carefully over what she was saying. And there it was again, that fleeting of pain in her expression. He felt bad that something was bothering her, but it was no place of his to ask, and he liked to keep emotions separate from duty anyhow.
"Well if you're sure." He said, adding his typical courteous nod. "North it shall be then..." He trailed off, his large form shaking in the moment before he shifted his weight. Igneous did not want to admit to, nor, obviously, did he enjoy feeling so weak. He had a proud form before the disaster, and he hoped to return to that if he could ever find a place to settle in. He didn't particularly care if it was on his own or with a pack, but he pined to feel healthy and whole again. Whole make take a lot more work than healthy, but it would be good once he got there.
"You seem like you would be a good hunter. Pretty strong..." Igneous trailed off for a moment. He didn't want to sound rude, and it was true both of them could stand to gain some heft back, but she was pretty strong looking compared to most females where he was from...
"You're very strong looking for a female, I mean." He said. He couldn't guarantee she wouldn't take it the wrong way, but she seemed pretty level headed, and she had also laughed at his stupid joke.
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Posted: Thu Sep 18, 2014 3:04 am
She started forward, moving with a surprising amount of grace for a wolf who was under such harsh conditions. It wasn't precisely intentional: It was simply a side effect of spending much of her childhood practicing until it became second nature. As a pup, one of her favorite games had involved coordination, walking through a forest floor stepping only on fallen leaves but without making a sound. It had made her light on her feet, and silent as a shadow when she wanted to be.
His comment caught her by surprise, and she let out a genuine bark of a laugh before looking a little embarrassed. "Truly?" She glanced at him sidelong, eyes sparkling. "It's funny that you would say that. Where I'm from, I was considered a rather weak hunter indeed."
Oh, if her brother could see her now! How she had grown from a little delicate pup who cried over a thorn in her paw!
Oh...but her brother. Storm clouds gathered over her brow. Would she ever see him again? Would she ever see any of them again?
"My pack prided itself on the hunt," she clarified, trying to get her mind off that depressing line of thought. "We lived in harmony with our forest home, tending to the creatures that lived there, ensuring that our practices were efficient and compassionate toward the living things that gave us sustenance. So there was much training to undergo, and many days spent in the forest learning. I suppose anyone would become strong, under the circumstances."
Then, eager to shift the topic away from herself, she turned an eye toward him while still heading north. "And what of you, Igneous of No Particular Note? You seem quite capable yourself."
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Posted: Thu Sep 18, 2014 6:27 pm
While Igneous couldn't help but be a little startled at her laughter again, he was enjoying it. Aduial was proving to be pretty good company, and he was pleased to have bumped into her. He was intrigued about the possibility of hunting with her, perhaps they would make a good team. Igneous took care of himself just fine, he supposed. He was neither proud nor disappointed by his hunting skills, as they were efficient enough to keep him from growing far too thin. He had grown slightly worn and tired looking, but the bulk of him was still there. The fiery male had always had a strong determination in everything, and in survival he felt no different.
He shrugged a little and turned to her with a slight smile, "I keep myself fed, suppose."
Igneous was quiet for a moment as he considered what she said.
"You seem so burdened by where you came from." He muttered quietly. Perhaps it was a bit out of place, but he felt like maybe it would be alright to say. Okay, so maybe he hadn't thought it through before the words passed his tongue, and now he was kind of ashamed for saying it. He hadn't meant anything by it, really, and wanted to try and justify himself. He laid his ears back and looked to her kindly.
"What I'm saying is...your home sounds lovely. And I can understand why you would be sad or angry, or any combination of emotions..." Igneous trailed off thoughtfully, swishing his tail along behind him as he thought of what to say next, "You should replace that grief with hope, Aduial, is all I'm saying. I'm sure you will find peace in what you are looking for if you are hopeful." Igneous had no idea if this was helping or not, in fact, he was scared that she would turn tail and ditch him completely, but in order to form bonds, you needed honesty and trust with the other.
"As you say, you are strong. And with others, you can only become stronger." He nodded. He wanted her to feel comfortable, like she had an ally in him, even though they had just met. Connections to others were important to Igneous, and his awkwardness made it hard to convey any other way than just saying it flat out.
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Posted: Thu Sep 18, 2014 7:35 pm
Burdened?
His words seemed to pierce through her, and oh, there it was, those emotions digging into her heart like claws. She felt something rise in her throat, choking off whatever she had been about to say, and she looked pointedly at anywhere but this bright-furred wolf so he would not see the pain in her eyes.
For so much of her puphood, she had thought of leaving the pack, of heading away somewhere on some grand adventure. And now everything was gone, and she might never see any of them ever again...
"My...my parents," she said, haltingly, by way of explanation, "My family, my friends. Everyone I've ever known. I have not seen anyone since..."
Fire, smoke and ash. Cinders falling from the sky, their beautiful forest home burning.
She swallows hard and steeled herself. It would do no good to break down now. There was no time to grieve. There had been no time when she fled, and there had been no time since. She had been concerned above all with survival, and everything else must take second place.
"You are a kind wolf, Igneous," she said, finally, still not quite daring to look at him for fear she might fall apart. "I admire your courage. I truly hope that you are right."
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Posted: Fri Sep 19, 2014 12:41 am
Igneous had honestly been hoping to help her feel better, not upset her, and he felt sort of bad for saying anything. He was just of the opinion that positive thinking helped one to stay focused and to work through things. It helped the days along easier to have something to be hopeful for and look forward to.
"I don't mean to rouse painful thoughts in you, I just thought it might help. You will see them again, I promise. You have memories of them to stay with you every day, and that's what counts." He added, wagging his tail a little at her. "I think if you need to be upset, that is okay, as long as you don't let it control you. Be determined for your future, and it will all work out." The fiery-furred male said, pausing there and lifting his muzzle to the breeze a little.
"Thank you..." He said quietly, laying his ears back with a shy grin and trailing off. "You're quite courageous as well, miss Aduial." He gave her a little nod.
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