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Post by Tahoma on Apr 25, 2010 18:18:10 GMT -5
Lazy brushstrokes of white painted the cerulean heavens blanketing his world. Kaji found himself comfortably lounging in the shade beneath a forgiving high elevation pine to escape the not-so-forgiving heat of the late midday. It was approaching twilight, though slowly, and his midday drowsiness was slowly beginning to subside.
His curious saffron eyes blinked open, only to be inundated with the fur from the tip of his tail and he quickly recoiled and closed his eyes again. Right. Tail. Move. He flicked his tail away from him as if it had insulted him and shook his head as he opened his eyes again. The world seemed whitewashed beyond the darkened shade that surrounded him and he blinked a few times to adjust to the bright light. Ah, summer. He had finally lost the remaining bit of his summer coat which made the heat that much more bearable but still, he much preferred the silent wonder of winter.
Kaji smelled and heard the pups playing not too far away and smiled inwardly. He caught the faint scent of other pack members but did not see anyone nearby.
The large grey wolf slowly rose his hind legs and deepened his body into a long stretch with his tail sticking almost straight out beyond him. A full body stretch complete with a rather satisfying yawn. Licking his maw, Kaji shook out the debris from his fur and plopped his bum down to think. What to do?
Itch! An attack of a random itch made his ear twitch and he automatically pulled his right hind leg up to rid the itch behind his ear. With a satisfied expression Kaji headed down from his shady hideout to explore the territory he would call home for, what he hoped, was the rest of his life.
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Post by Kaziph on May 10, 2010 9:45:49 GMT -5
Always her temperament had been more vicious, more openly aggressive if even slightly provoked. She preferred no company to friends and liked to roam the vast expanse of her father's land with only the beating of her own heart at her side. It was a comfortable life, in some sense. She loved her father dearly, but Beryl had been finding it harder and harder to be around him and the new cubs. Especially when she happened to glance into the stream and saw there the near identical reflection of her mother staring back at her. It was eerie, and she doubted Cass or anyone else for that matter would want to be around her. If she had to see herself more often than occasional glances... she wouldn't want to.
Yet she had come in again from the outskirts to check in with the group, even if from a distance. They didn't have to see her; she just wanted to catch a glimpse or scent of them. It was while she was creeping along under the peak of a ridge that she discovered one of the newest members of the pack, Kaji. She remembered him best from the last clan hunt, working as partners.
Her eyes narrowed for a moment and she was tempted to leave, for he hadn't seen her yet… but then she recalled his kind eyes and humor, and instead of trotting away the black she-wolf came closer. A grumbling growl was issued in greeting, and her acidic green eyes flashed as they fell upon Kaji's frame. She stopped a few feet off, tassel hanging in an unsure position. She was more dominant, surely, since she had been in the mountains longer, but she had never tested this male's aggression, and so she hovered, caught between emotions. |
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Post by Tahoma on May 18, 2010 20:22:37 GMT -5
A drawn out summer ballad wound its way through Kaji's mind as he sniffed and picked his path through the mountain packlands, learning it's terrain as best he could. If this was to be his home he expected to pick his way through as many corners, crevices, and caves as possible.
A warm summer zephyr carrying a familiar scent playfully teased through his fur and invaded his nose, making his ears perk. He glanced up while still sniffing at the earth, casually glancing around for the owner of the scent. He hadn't seen Beryl since the hunt and had wondered where she had found herself.
When she growled in greeting he slowly lifted his head and his tail twitched from side to side in response--greeting her in return. His saffron eyes were welcoming yet questioning at the sight of her. He woofed softly at her. Fancy meeting you here. Out for an afternoon stroll in the backland? A glint of humour danced in his eyes and his tail stayed low. She was more dominant than he and there was no reason for him to challenge her position. He, who hardly knew anything about this pack, its lands, or history, would be foolish to assume a more dominant position than he deserved this soon in the game. Besides, he was content where he was in the pack for now.
She looked troubled, or at least he perceived her to look troubled. Perhaps she was the happiest wolf alive. He had never been great at judging emotions of unfamiliar wolves and even subpar at best with his own family. On a more serious note he tilted his head while watching her. Where's your favorite place on this land? It seems large enough to hide many secrets and treasures. He wasn't ready to delve into any history that could potentially distress her, if she was troubled (he reminded himself), so he changed the unspoken subject.
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Post by Kaziph on May 19, 2010 16:59:10 GMT -5
Her ears twitched at the sound of his voice. It was calm, friendly. Not dominant. Her own tail curled a bit at the end, but not obnoxiously so. Fancy, indeed, she grumbled back in response. No, she wasn't just happy-go-luckily running around the so-called backwoods of Kameskai. She'd been hiding, running, keeping away… right? Or was it something else? She didn't think she had much of a bone in her tall frame for outright exploration. Normalcy was nice.
I was simply… walking. She didn't have an adequate way to respond. Then he was asking another question, tilting his head like an overgrown puppy. It bothered her, on a shallow level. She was looking for a reason to be rude. Her lip curled a bit, but she managed to keep it down after a moment of internal struggle. The question resonated deeply within her. Thoughts of her mother instantly came to mind. Hadn't Epitaph always been hiding? She knew the land as well as Cass, and perhaps some of the darker, more sinister corners even better. Beryl was beginning to know them too. My favorite place? she murmured uncertainly.
Her pause was brought about by her wandering thoughts. What was indeed her favorite place? Probably, truth be told, she didn't have a favorite place. The mountains, I suppose. Beryl turned her muzzle toward the higher altitudes near the northern part of the Kameskai territory. There are many places to hide… things… there. |
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Post by Tahoma on May 26, 2010 1:39:04 GMT -5
The mountains held an alluring comfort to them that Kaji very much enjoyed, and recently seemed to recognize. He felt as if each step he took bound him to the land and made it more familiar to him.
Beryl was also comfortable company, though he kept enough of a distance to stay merely familiar. He looked north in the direction she indicated and his tail twitched a bit. The mountains were always a place I admired but never had the chance to get too close to until now. His eyes danced with a hint of a smile and sparked with the novelty of the peaks, shale covered slides, and higher altitude flora.
He glanced her over briefly, growing increasingly curious about this fem and her role in the pack. Hide things. Like treasures?Or memories... He half communicated this to himself. He was always up for a good adventure.
Well I plan on exploring the lands further and if you'd like to join me the company would be welcome. He didn't expect conversation but he was definitely up for companionship to take the edge off of the whole being alone thing.
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Post by Kaziph on May 26, 2010 9:39:23 GMT -5
Beryl was, needless to say, hesitant. She had not planned on scouting out an excursion with anyone, let alone with one the newest members of clan that she was not very familiar with. It was completely against her nature to buddy up to just anyone, but for some reason when her acidic green eyes flashed across the space between and met his… she decided that it wouldn't be such a bad idea. So long as, she told herself, there was not too much conversation.
The dark wolf nodded and turned away from him, taking a few sliding steps across the rocky terrain. Like treasures, indeed, she thought to herself. Dirty treasures that kill and maim the innocent. Isn't that right? I shall come, for now. Her voice was gravely, not essentially pleased but not outright mocking or disgusted. Lead the way, she rumbled.
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Post by Tahoma on May 27, 2010 21:44:06 GMT -5
There was a lightness in his step as Kaji made his way deeper into the mountains. He couldn't help but feel as though his companion may not be enthusiastic, which made his eyes light with a wolfen smile.
He walked on without saying a word, happy to take in the sights. As his paws took him along the earth he noticed a rock formation and a little cave. His curiousity overcame him and he veered his path toward it, bouncing slightly on his feet as approached. Some random smells assaulted his nose as he moved closer. He wanted to identify every single one.
Kaji glanced back at his companion and then back toward the cave. Wanna play a game? Without waiting for an answer he ran up to the mouth of the cave and stuck his nose to the air, catching the scents wafting around it. |
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Post by Kaziph on Jun 26, 2010 10:47:57 GMT -5
All too soon they came up a cave, or rather a shallow depression of some sort. The footing had grown rockier, harder, and they were passing from the foothills into the ridged mountains. Then he was speaking, looking playful, and suddenly the brute had darted forward and threw his nose toward the opening of the cave.
Beryl snarled and leapt after him, not answering his question about playing. Don't you know anything? she snapped irately, springing to his side and butting his muzzle away with her own. You don't just stick your nose into caves! There could be something living in there. But curiosity touched her too, and as the scents wafted up from the darkness, the she-wolf found herself wandering what exactly lay in the depths. |
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Post by Tahoma on Jul 10, 2010 22:28:43 GMT -5
The summer warmth was chilled effectively by the upper elevation climate--though not by much. Kaji jumped ahead of his companion to begin his own game of "name-that-smell" with or without her. He half expected her to walk away. But then she did something more unexpected and moved quickly to push his maw from the mouth of the cave.
As he had not expected that to happen he felt the snarl on his teeth before he could suppress it; and he was immediately rueful of his reaction. He cast his eyes downward and half-tucked his tail, with the tip twitching in apology. Sheepishly he glanced at her and point his muzzle toward the mouth of the cave, though not as far forward as before and sniffed half-heartedly. I can't tell what that is.
He tried desperately to change the subject and focused on the mystery scent floating from the cave, mingling with the smells of warmed shale, upper mountain foliage, and the faint ammonia tinted urine of mountain voles. What he smelled was musky and almost bitter to his nares.
...Hanging by a thread...
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Post by Kaziph on Jul 11, 2010 14:02:02 GMT -5
His change of demeanor startled her again, and as he dropped his eyes and lowered his bushy tassel her ears laced back against her own head. Shame? No, surely not that. Why ever was there a reason to have such a feeling?
A moment after she spoke, she responded. Ruefully, but again calm. Neither can I, truth be told, she murmured softly. The dark she-wolf glanced at the brute then, letting her acidic eyes travel about his frame. Were all outlanders like this? All strangers so difficult to get a reading on? No, she corrected herself. Certainly Keeya wasn't, and neither had that brute, Jaden been. Just this fellow here. She snorted and then inhaled again. She didn't know the scent. |
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Post by Tahoma on Aug 1, 2010 21:57:20 GMT -5
His intense saffron eyes did not stray from his hidden quarry as his companion noted that she could not identify the scent either. His fur stood on end, as though he was chilled, because of his recent actions but he tried fervently to calm his pulse. That wouldn't help figure out this odd scent now would it?
Stilling his muscles, locking his legs in a position halway between a run and a statue he leaned forward and worked his nose a little more.
The musty scent of the earth mingled with the dusty shale and surrounding vegetation surround the pair and the wind shifted ever so slightly to take the scent away. Frustrated, the young wolf did perhaps the only unreasonable thing he could do.
A mischevious spark flashed across his eyes as he glanced at her, subtly positioning himself between her and anything that may race out at them. Staring intently into cave, trying desperately to make out any shapes he could from the distance he stood, he acted on impulse, lowered his muzzle, and released a firm and mildly loud bark.
In the second between anxiously waiting for a reply and deciding the scent was nothing something stirred within the cave and kaji perked his ears forward and his eyes widened. What if that was the single most stupid thing he had ever done? How fast would he be able to push her out of the way and get her on a path to safety?
As these thoughts raced through his brain the creature began to emerge, hurriedly...
Kaji lowered himself into a defensive position as it came toward them...
(ooc. I can leave it at that for now, to keep the string moving, or reveal what it is before you post Beryl; just wanted to give you the chance to have her react if you wanted ;0) ) |
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