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 Posted: Wed Mar 04, 2020 1:26 am
❦ Afternoon lay lazily over the forest, draped across the expanse of trees not unlike a puma over any sufficiently pleasing branch. The day had been warm, and now those animals that looked upon the approach of night as the coming of certain doom stirred from varying degrees of post-prandial stupor, shaking the sleep from eyes and ears, coats or feathers.
The small things that skittered and rustled through the undergrowth began to make their way home: to their burrows, or nests, or thickets; to their waiting mates, or to broodlings with beaks stretched wide in imperious demand.
And the bigger things—those predators that would welcome nothing greater than a plump mouse, fattened on seeds—well ... they did not always wait for the cover of night to begin their murderous, cruel onslaught upon those lesser animals.
Such was the case, deep in the woodlands, where a fallen oak had cleared away enough of the canopy to reveal, if one looked up, a cheeky little peek of brilliantly blue sky, devoid of any more than the frailest wisps of clouds. More interesting, though, was the way the sunlight streamed through that opening, as slow and sweet and rich as honey, great shafts of light in which motes of dust and pollen floated and drifted and danced together, like the spirits of the world given forms that consisted of nothing he could see, nothing but light ... !
Then an errant walnut struck the young wolf a bruising blow to his shoulder, and the yearling abruptly reversed from where he had been standing, nose lifted as though about to break, at any moment, into a howl; where he had been standing, contemplating ... things. Things he maybe shouldn't have—
THWOCK! THWOCK! —wasted his time on—
His ears twitched and at the last possible heartbeat he slipped sideways, dancing around beneath the tree and barking his delight at his newfound squirrel friend. "Hi! Hey, I love how you throw things, you're so good at it!" the yearling yapped joyously. "You even hit me once or twice but I know you were just showing off, so don't worry, I'm not mad! We're friends, right? So friends don't stay mad at each other, either!" Speaker-to-Stones' logic was, in his own mind at least, unassailable.
"Say, can you teach me how to throw things, too? Can you, can you? Please? We're friends nowww, c'mo-o-on!"
The squirrel regarded him for a long moment, its tiny black eyes as reflective as dewdrops snared in a spider's web. It seemed to consider, glancing back towards the hollowed-out portion of the decaying tree that provided the squirrel its shelter. Then, it began to descend, deliberately, climbing down the great old crumbling bark head-first, all while the young wolf romped and leapt and yelped, overcome by a heady brew of excitement and frustration.
In this state, the yearling didn't even get to witness the squirrel's approach—although, if he had, his excitement might well have launched him into space.
He noticed its presence, in fact, just as the squirrel reached down from where it still clung to the bark with three clever hands and feet. He watched the funny little big-tail throw back its twitchy little head, and—
and sank its incisors into the tender leather of his nosepad.
The yearling recoiled with a yelp, whipping round to flee so swiftly that for a moment, he could not find the least purchase within the slippery leaf, and spun, crying, in place, while the squirrel snorted its satisfaction and, tail held rigidly aloft like a banner, it returned to his hollow.«word count: 596» ⚜
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Posted: Sun Mar 15, 2020 8:52 pm
 Big Bad had, finally, given her permission to explore with the latest Scout party. He had to, for she was not only a Gossip for the pack but also a Scout. It was necessary to finally stretch her legs! Her protective father could get over his concerns for all she cared; she was finally, unquestionable, old enough to begin her duties.
She had immediately headed for the forest; an unknown land of greenery and warmth she had long dreamed of. The Redwoods was everything but -- death lurked around every corner and the trees ached for better days. Even while the pack lived on the edge of the Redwoods they weren't exempt from the edge of cruelty. She had always wished to see the healthier sea of trees -- or a sea in general, which was her next stop.
Her paws bounced against the warming earth, feeling how Spring had slowly begun to thaw the dirt and muck. Her tail wagged an unknown rhythm and her throat rumbled in a hum. The day was lovely, no matter where she was, but something about the new scenery really pushed the message of beauty and life. She could see it in actuality; squirrels chattering with their brethren, buds slowly blossoming against the cold, the sun illuminating her path through the canopy. Why did the pack live in the Redwoods? She loved her home -- she always would! -- but this was a nice break from the desolation she was so used to.
She was lost in her thoughts, her hum growing in volume and tail wagging faster with each passing minute. Her song almost reached a crescendo, pitch accelerating unti-
A yelp rang through the forest.
She froze, head snapping towards the direction. They were close! Many of her pack would have chosen a different path. Prepare to raid, avoid, or calculate what truly they could benefit from if they approached the stranger, but not Strawberry Fox. No -- she was excited. A new friend, a hurt friend. Her face contorted as she rushed towards the sound, barreling through bushes until she skidded to a stop at the sight of pale browns and creams. Oh! There he was!
"Are you okay?!" She yipped, frowning as she circled the wolf. "What made you make such a sound? Oh no!" It didn't quite dawn on her that she was rushing at the male faster than he probably could comprehend. She bounced paw to paw, ears lowered and a worried whine escaping her.
Poor guy!
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Posted: Tue Mar 17, 2020 2:41 am
((HFKDSJKGH I LOVE HOW THEY'RE BOTH JUST. SO EXCITED. SO FRIENDLY. BEING SO EXCITED AND FRIENDLY AT EACH OTHER))❦ Though anyone in their right mind would have been frightened half out of their fur on sight of a strange she-wolf crashing through the underbrush straight for them, Speaker-to-Stones and common sense were no longer on speaking terms (and may honestly have never met in the first place).
The yearling spun round to her, still making little yipping cries deep in his throat, presenting his bitten nose for her inspection without so much as a heartbeat of consideration. If he knew how lucky he was that he had encountered her, and not one of her packmates—or any rogues out for blood—or, well … anyone, really … well.
Then something seemed to register with the young wolf, and his ears rose as his little nubbin of a tail began to wag furiously. “You!” he barked, joyous if a trifle shrill with excitement, “I haven’t met you before! You’re pretty, so I would have remembered. Hi! My name is Speaker-to-Stones because I talk a lot! At least, that’s what my dad said. And my mom. And my brothers …”
He frowned for a moment, then shook himself physically, as though the bad mood that had nearly settled its heavy mantle over his slender shoulders had a manifest weight that could be dislodged. “So! What’s yours, huh? What’s your name? We’re friends now, and friends introduce themselves to each other!”
Speaker-to-Stones cast the squirrel-hole, hitherto forgotten in his friend-making zeal, a dirty and vaguely accusing look. The squirrel, on the other paw, did not seem in the least chagrined, only twitching its tail like a man briskly dusting his hands. “Acorns,” Speaker growled, low. “What a dirty trick! And we were getting on so well too. Well, I’ve got a new friend now, so you can keep your numb duts! I mean—your dumb nuts!!”«word count: 301» ⚜
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Posted: Thu Mar 26, 2020 11:07 pm
Strawberry Fox yipped in turn to his, bouncing over to inspect his noise. Poor thing! Her ears folded and she bounced paw to paw, freezing almost comically as he shouted out his greeting. Her ears perked, her tail stiffened, and for a moment it seemed as if he had pressed a pause button. Excitement riddled his next exclaim and she was back to movement; paws shuffling and tongue lolling out in mirrored joy.
"Me!" She barked, twirling. He offered his name and she returned a bright smile, tail wagging a mile a minute. Speaker-to-Stones! What a nice name! A long name.... maybe one that ought to have a nickname, but a good one! She enthused her appreciation for the title with a bark, tossing her head upwards with the sound.
"A good name! A long one! I might find myself stumbling -- I know, I'll call you Stones! Do you like that, Stones? I'm Strawberry Fox! You can call my Strawberry, Fox, even hey you!" She could have howled as he announced their new budding friendship. A friend? Already? And she had just left the pack to travel! Wasn't she lucky?
"Numb duts? Oh! A squirrel got you? That's no good. Have you eaten squirrel before? They taste as bad at their attitude.... Anyway! What are you doing out here?"
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