Post by Pavane on Mar 2, 2015 19:13:36 GMT -5
Ikuna, a male wolf
Nonkene, a female wolfdog
~*~Two-River Fork~*~
The fallen leaves are wet with rain, and though there's a chill in the air, it hasn't turned to ice... yet. There's still some time before winter truly comes, and Ikuna is making the most of that time, padding through the forest to the edge of Ute's territory... and beyond. His steps grow quieter, remembering the caution of a wolf alone in the wild.
Nonkene needs no reminder of that caution. She's some distance past Ute's border - moving parallel to it rather than approaching or leaving - when she catches a glimpse of the other's presence. Her head cocks to the side, curious, and then she changes her path to intercept.
Hmm? What's that? Ikuna's stealth may be a little rusty, but he's spent those years in frequent patrols. His head lifts, sniffing the air before he gives a low wuff of challenge. ...oh wait. He's not guarding a territory any more, just passing through what... may or may not be someone else's.
Faulty challenge or not, Nonkene emerges from the brush in response to it... or maybe just to get a better look at Ikuna. "I didn't scent any markers." Her tone is casual, curious perhaps - her ears are perked, her hackles unraised.
Ikuna shakes his head, a wry twitch of his muzzle. "No. This is not my... pack's... territory." His own posture is the easy confidence of one used to command, head raised and tail straight out behind him with the slightest upward curve at the tip. Still, he's trying to remember who he is now instead of who he's been for seasons. "I'm just a lone traveler. Is this land yours?"
Nonkene frowns a little, looking at Ikuna... and then past, to the vague distance of where he came from. "Why did you leave?" she asks, returning her attention to Ikuna. "I wouldn't think they'd kick you out. Not Ute."
Ikuna has a polite smile for the prying questions of someone he doesn't quite recognize... until the end. She knows his pack. Not that there aren't outsiders who do that - he's made plenty of introductions over the years - but a wolfdog, with red-and-white fur, who knows Ute... "Nonkene?"
Nonkene laughs a little, giving herself a shake that fluffs out that fur. "Yes, Ikuna." Her tone's playful, like a child teasing a stolid parent, and she dips partway toward a playbow before she rises upright again and her tone turns serious once more. "So what happened? Did someone challenge you?" Now there's a tiny bit of fur-bristling.
It is. It actually... is. Ikuna's too surprised to do more than stare at Nonkene for a moment, a stunned expression with a smile sneaking in around the edge of it. "Oh." There's more of a smile, and then... he shakes his head. "No. I just... decided it was time." A wry half-smile. "I'm getting old. And... I wanted to see my sis- to see Tala again, and Ahiga."
Nonkene's fur settles again, though she frowns slightly at the talk of Ikuna's growing years. Still. "Do you know where they are?"
Ikuna shakes his head. "Not really. I thought... I might trace back to where we lived before. Perhaps they're there - or perhaps I can pick up the trail somewhere along the way." His smile is a somewhat sad one. "It's worth a try."
Nonkene listens carefully, then nods. She considers about half a second - certainly no more than that - then smiles. "I'll come with you." She steps forward on nimble paws, closing the distance and aiming a headbump toward Ikuna's shoulder as she pivots to stand by his side. Ready!
Ikuna's surprise at Nonkene's decision to join him (without even asking him first!) has him off-balance for her approach. It's a good thing he's sturdily built, or he might go tumbling as she bumps his shoulder. She's a lot bigger than she was as a pup! As it is, he blinks a lot and ends up staring sideways at her for an entire two or three seconds before... he laughs. "You're so much like your mother, sometimes." He leans over and licks at her cheek, nuzzling in to her gently.
Nonkene grins as she tilts her head to nuzzle back to Ikuna. Her curled tail begins to wag, pleased with her success - because, obviously, that was a yes. It certainly wasn't a no! Just... a comparison to her mother. "You mean, how she was... before?"
Ikuna sighs. "I suppose I do." He lowers his head. "I kept hoping that... things could be better again. Like they were when I was a pup, before..." How far back does he need to go to find those happy times? How about before, "...my parents died."
Nonkene tilts her head, and nuzzles gently at Ikuna's cheek, up to lick at one of his splayed ears. "Will you tell me about it?" she asks as she nuzzles gently, her bulk leaning against his. "While we travel to see the places you used to live... tell me about it was like?"
Ikuna lifts his head again, observing Nonkene. For a long moment he just looks at her... or at least looks toward her, his thoughts... well, some of them are casting back over those many years, the many events of his life. Eventually, he smiles, just a little. "I never was much of a storyteller," he says, and takes a step forward - the first step of this journey to be made with company. "But Chewy was. She had all sorts of stories to tell us..."
Nonkene steps forward too, keeping pace with Ikuna as they head out to their future... which is also his past. They'll find out what's become of the places where he used to live... and perhaps discover some old friends along the way. The future is yet to be written - but the past will be passed on.
Nonkene, a female wolfdog
~*~Two-River Fork~*~
The fallen leaves are wet with rain, and though there's a chill in the air, it hasn't turned to ice... yet. There's still some time before winter truly comes, and Ikuna is making the most of that time, padding through the forest to the edge of Ute's territory... and beyond. His steps grow quieter, remembering the caution of a wolf alone in the wild.
Nonkene needs no reminder of that caution. She's some distance past Ute's border - moving parallel to it rather than approaching or leaving - when she catches a glimpse of the other's presence. Her head cocks to the side, curious, and then she changes her path to intercept.
Hmm? What's that? Ikuna's stealth may be a little rusty, but he's spent those years in frequent patrols. His head lifts, sniffing the air before he gives a low wuff of challenge. ...oh wait. He's not guarding a territory any more, just passing through what... may or may not be someone else's.
Faulty challenge or not, Nonkene emerges from the brush in response to it... or maybe just to get a better look at Ikuna. "I didn't scent any markers." Her tone is casual, curious perhaps - her ears are perked, her hackles unraised.
Ikuna shakes his head, a wry twitch of his muzzle. "No. This is not my... pack's... territory." His own posture is the easy confidence of one used to command, head raised and tail straight out behind him with the slightest upward curve at the tip. Still, he's trying to remember who he is now instead of who he's been for seasons. "I'm just a lone traveler. Is this land yours?"
Nonkene frowns a little, looking at Ikuna... and then past, to the vague distance of where he came from. "Why did you leave?" she asks, returning her attention to Ikuna. "I wouldn't think they'd kick you out. Not Ute."
Ikuna has a polite smile for the prying questions of someone he doesn't quite recognize... until the end. She knows his pack. Not that there aren't outsiders who do that - he's made plenty of introductions over the years - but a wolfdog, with red-and-white fur, who knows Ute... "Nonkene?"
Nonkene laughs a little, giving herself a shake that fluffs out that fur. "Yes, Ikuna." Her tone's playful, like a child teasing a stolid parent, and she dips partway toward a playbow before she rises upright again and her tone turns serious once more. "So what happened? Did someone challenge you?" Now there's a tiny bit of fur-bristling.
It is. It actually... is. Ikuna's too surprised to do more than stare at Nonkene for a moment, a stunned expression with a smile sneaking in around the edge of it. "Oh." There's more of a smile, and then... he shakes his head. "No. I just... decided it was time." A wry half-smile. "I'm getting old. And... I wanted to see my sis- to see Tala again, and Ahiga."
Nonkene's fur settles again, though she frowns slightly at the talk of Ikuna's growing years. Still. "Do you know where they are?"
Ikuna shakes his head. "Not really. I thought... I might trace back to where we lived before. Perhaps they're there - or perhaps I can pick up the trail somewhere along the way." His smile is a somewhat sad one. "It's worth a try."
Nonkene listens carefully, then nods. She considers about half a second - certainly no more than that - then smiles. "I'll come with you." She steps forward on nimble paws, closing the distance and aiming a headbump toward Ikuna's shoulder as she pivots to stand by his side. Ready!
Ikuna's surprise at Nonkene's decision to join him (without even asking him first!) has him off-balance for her approach. It's a good thing he's sturdily built, or he might go tumbling as she bumps his shoulder. She's a lot bigger than she was as a pup! As it is, he blinks a lot and ends up staring sideways at her for an entire two or three seconds before... he laughs. "You're so much like your mother, sometimes." He leans over and licks at her cheek, nuzzling in to her gently.
Nonkene grins as she tilts her head to nuzzle back to Ikuna. Her curled tail begins to wag, pleased with her success - because, obviously, that was a yes. It certainly wasn't a no! Just... a comparison to her mother. "You mean, how she was... before?"
Ikuna sighs. "I suppose I do." He lowers his head. "I kept hoping that... things could be better again. Like they were when I was a pup, before..." How far back does he need to go to find those happy times? How about before, "...my parents died."
Nonkene tilts her head, and nuzzles gently at Ikuna's cheek, up to lick at one of his splayed ears. "Will you tell me about it?" she asks as she nuzzles gently, her bulk leaning against his. "While we travel to see the places you used to live... tell me about it was like?"
Ikuna lifts his head again, observing Nonkene. For a long moment he just looks at her... or at least looks toward her, his thoughts... well, some of them are casting back over those many years, the many events of his life. Eventually, he smiles, just a little. "I never was much of a storyteller," he says, and takes a step forward - the first step of this journey to be made with company. "But Chewy was. She had all sorts of stories to tell us..."
Nonkene steps forward too, keeping pace with Ikuna as they head out to their future... which is also his past. They'll find out what's become of the places where he used to live... and perhaps discover some old friends along the way. The future is yet to be written - but the past will be passed on.