[FIN-Sum] Welcome (Cloudberry x Tiger Eye x Scree Slurry)

[FitzRoyal]

Bloop, bloop, bloop.

The greenish, brown thing slowly jumped across the clearing. Beady black eye surveying the area for danger. It stopped. "Riiiibbit". The throaty cry echo'd throughout the area.
Scree Slurry tracked its progress. Body prone, the fuzzy brown pup hunkered down and waited for his moment to pounce. He'd never seen this creature before, but he was sure he could best it with his mighty prowess.  

[FitzRoyal]

The midmorning sun was delightfully warm against Tiger Eye's fur as she lounged on a nearby log. Stretched out, her luscious brown coat glimmered in the sunbeams. The wind cast a soft breeze, to counter the summer warmth, and it was all Tiger could do not to fall asleep in contentment. Instead she watched her son frolic with his newest playmate. She loved the little pup, but it had been a few year since her last litter and she'd forgotten just how much energy caring for the young ones required. She couldn't wait to be back at the pack where Scree would have more than just her eyes keeping watch over him. It was unfortunate that her daughters weren't coming too, but Echo had been more than a gentleman and would make a wonderful father. It was not her right to take all the family away, and Tiger Eye had always thought it was better for girls to stick together. So it was just her and Scree. Though he was more than enough for her at the moment. Yawning, Tiger kept one eye on her son and let the other drift closed. It was a good morning.  

[FitzRoyal]

The creature took a huge leap, clearing a larger distance than it had before in one of its jumps. Scree blinked in astonishment before bouncing into motion. He'd obviously been spotted, the hunt was on! Paws too big for his body, Scree scrambled the remaining distance between him and his prey, barking at it the whole way, "Stop! Creature! You are mine, creature! Stay still!" He was gaining on it, one more leap and...

too slow.

With one mighty jump, the toad disappeared into the underbrush. Scree almost followed it, his momentum driving him forward. It was close - but at the last moment he managed to backpedal enough not to end up in the bush.

"Nooooo!" Scree whimpered before crouching back down, trying to glimpse his prey through the foliage. After a few minutes of looking for his greenish / brown enemy, Scree spotted something. It wasn't his enemy....what was it?

Squinting the pup stared at it for a moment, then his eyes widened. Two blue orbs peered back at him, every so often blinking out before relighting.
Scree yelped in fright and screamed "Moooooooom!" as the blue orbs raised up to a great height and peered down at him.
 

[FitzRoyal]

Cloudberry was far from home, far from his mother and sister. But it had been his choice, and this was his journey. It had been days, weeks probably, since he had seen another wolf, never mind talked with one. He didn't want to admit it, but loneliness was biting at his heels and melancholy was starting to overcome his usual sunny disposition. Perhaps that's why the happy squeals of a pup drew him in like the scent of fresh meat. It was almost an unconscious decision and before he knew it Cloudberry was just steps away from the clearing where the pup was. And that's when rational thought kicked back in. What if there was more wolves here, its father and mother...or perhaps an alpha. What if these were not the friendly sort who'd be fine with a lone wolf. Or worse, what if these were one of the cannibal packs that his mom had scared him with as a pup...

After a minute of pondering, and coming up with scenarios more terrifying than the last, Cloudberry knew what he would do. Nothing. He would just take one little peak at the pup and then go. No harm, no foul. Hunkering down, the wolf belly crawled closer to the area he had last heard the cries, ears twitching for any surprise attacks. An attack came immeiditaly, but not in the form of another wolf. A toad loped out of the underbrush, landing on the top of Cloud's head, before bouncing off further into the forest. Cloud blinked in surprise. Then slowly blinked again as he realized he had been caught. The pup who he had been longing to take a glimpse of was right in front of him. Golden and Green eyes widened. Ooops! Cloudberry slowly stood, just as the brown fuzzball let out a high pitched shriek that made him wince.  

[FitzRoyal]

Tiger Eye, admittedly, had only been sorta paying attention to Scree, but at his cry she was on her feet and in motion. Three leaps and she was across the clearing, her son beneath her feet. Hackles raised, eyeteeth showing, she was 100% in protection mode and ready to take down this stranger. Who, thankfully, hadn't moved since Scree had first cried out.  

[FitzRoyal]

Cloudberry twitched an ear, and blinked slowly at how fast the female had appeared. He hadn't even been aware that she was around, and suddenly she was in front of him, all teeth and fangs. It was all he could do to hold his position and not retreat a step like his instincts were telling him too.

He waited a moment, letting her take him in. Before slowly wagging the tip of his tail tentatively. "Sorry, I seem to have frightened him. It was not my intention, I assure you. I just wanted to see him." Cloud kept his tone neutral, no highs or lows and as calm as he could be. He definitely was not inclined to fight with the she-wolf.  

[FitzRoyal]

Body still stiff, Tiger Eye looked over the male, taking in the fact that he was only about her size, though he looked healthy and well fed. Her ears swiveled as she focused on listening for any others in the area. Tiger was not confident that she hadn't been trespassing through other pack lands. She had looked for signs, but hadn't noticed any and had assumed this would be a safe place to rest. But where there was one wolf, there was bound to be more.

"Why? Why were you wanting to see my son? Are you alone?"  

[FitzRoyal]

Are you alone, a tough question for Cloudberry to answer. The answer, of course, was yes. But the question was whether Cloud wanted to reveal that. If he said no - well confrontation or her retreating would be the result...and either way, Cloud would be once more left without conversation. Yes, on the other hand, could lead to, well, being attacked if the she-wolf was accompanied by others and itching for a fight....or it potentially could result in a real interaction. So the question was whether Cloud was willing to take the risk. He pondered a moment.

"...I am alone, and have been for quite some time." He gently smiled as his eyes drifted down to the pup hiding between his mother's legs. "It has been quite some time since I've seen another wolf -- and far longer than that since I have seen a youngling."  

[FitzRoyal]

Tiger Eye eyed the male, before dropping her snarl and giving herself a full body shake, releasing the tension she had been holding. She didn't fully trust the male - but from the softening of his eyes when he looked at Scree, she surmised that he was being genuine at least. Tiger reached between her legs and grabbed Scree by the tuft of his neck and gently raised him up, giving the male a clear look at the pup, before retreating back into the clearing. It was an invitation but also a way for her to get back to the familiar area. She trotted back, ears still swiveling, and leapt onto her perch. This would give her a height advantage if he decided to do anything. Laying down, she gently set her son between her front legs. "Stay Close Scree." She glanced back as the male entered the clearing almost timidly.  

[FitzRoyal]

Cloudberry slowly followed the duo into the clearing and watched in amusement as the mother jumped onto the log, and laid down. Smart. Clearly he was at a disadvantage here. He waited as they settled, looking around the small clearing and scenting the air briefly to see whether they were indeed alone. The brown female hadn't said. "Soooo....are you with a pack?" Peering around he couldn't see any signs of others, but you never know.
 

[FitzRoyal]

Tiger Eye raised an eyebrow and looked down at the male, surprised to feel a small tinge of satisfaction. It was rare for her to look down at anyone since all of her packmates leaned towards the large size. She was regular sized compared to most other wolves, but the smallest in the pack. So at the moment she felt somewhat powerful. "I am, but no need to fear - we aren't the type to attack lone wolves....nor are they with us at the moment. It's just me and my son, Scree Slurry. I go by Tiger Eye." She dipped her muzzle in greeting.  

[FitzRoyal]

Relieved they were alone, Cloudberry took the opportunity to sit as well. Facing Tiger Eye. "Apt name, your mother chose well." It wasn't the first time he had seen mismatched eyes - but her bright orange eye and light blue eye were the brightest he had seen. Barring her son of course, who seemed to have inherited the characteristic. "I am Cloudberry, though feel free to call me Cloud. Why aren't you with your pack...wouldn't it be better to raise your son with them?" Curiosity edged Cloud on, he had never heard of raising a pup away from the pack. Perhaps the alpha killed off the pups or something? Very odd.
 

[FitzRoyal]

"Of course it would be...but Scree was born far from here and far from them. We are headed back to the packlands - though it will be another turning of the moon before we arrive I suspect. Thankfully we haven't come across anything I couldn't handle." She left the yet unspoken, no need to provoke fate. "I tend to wander, and well, Scree kinda just happened." She shrugged, unconcerned with what Cloud thought of her. She lived as she pleased and nothing would change that. "What's your story? Where's your pack?"  

[FitzRoyal]

Cloudberry blinked slowly, processing that. It wasn't often that a pack allowed its members outside of the packlands for fear of losing its members slowly, one by one. "My pack, well my sister and my mother, live far from here. I doubt I shall see them again. But they are both strong and I'm sure they will thrive together." Cloud frowned slightly, thinking of the family he left behind. "...but I'm on a journey to find my mate. They understand."  

[FitzRoyal]

"Find your mate? As in you are looking for one, or you had one and you lost her?"