Glad to be somewhat distanced from the delusional (to put it lightly) pirate wolf whom he had encounter a few hours prior, Cypress and matching bird took a detour in the direction of the tainted river. The previous events were still fresh enough in his mind to virtually block out most of what was happening around him - to the extent that he seemed to be almost in a contained capsule. It would not even occur to him that he was being followed, so in turn, he took no measures to prevent it or even look behind him to see if it was true. The thought didn't even cross his mind, actually, as it was dwelling on more grave things; the fact that the crazed wolf whom he had met was from Mount Shadow.

The sight of a wolf in such a state was enough to encourage him to take some active measure in the fight against the sickness, and that fact that it was a member of his own pack made the situation even more dire. If wolves were suffering so upon the Mount, how were the other packs faring? The leaders, even? Such thoughts sent cold shivers up the small male's spine, and Tom offered a comforting coo that dismissed the thoughts for at least a brief moment or so. While it did not succeed to completely clear his mind, it banished the useless worry that threatened to cloud his thoughts and judgement, lest he do something rash and impulsive.

Gaze fixed upon the lake now considered "taboo" for all residents of the valley, Cypress squinted to scrutinize its every shape and detail — it seemed, apparently, that he expected to see some sort of sign: "Cure here!" or "X marks the spot: antidote," that was only discernible by the most particular of eyes. No such markers were found, however, but hey - it was worth a try, he thought with a shrug.

Fruitless searching does not exactly stimulate the mind, however, so the silvered wolf was soon weary of it in favour of other activities; namely something constructive. This turned out to be further travel downstream towards Rosewood Glen, for no reason in particular than to simply scout for strange signs that would perhaps mean something in terms of sickness and cure. While he found no indications of anything, except perhaps the laziness of squirrels when it came to burying their old acorns, it was a few moments before he realized that he was not indeed alone. Tom, too, was clueless to the other's presence, as his eyes were built for day and day alone; thus his position was safely nestled among the small wolf's shoulders as before.

Making no attempt to mask his approach as his intent was not to creep, Cypress soon caught the glimmer of fur caught in moonlight and matched his eyes with the form of another, albeit stranger (to him) wolf. He paused a short distance away and uttered a soft bark, "Still searching for a cure, eh?" It was only after the words — faintly Scottish in accent — were spoken that Cypress realized that he did not really know if they were meant in truth or jest.

cypress frostfur

ooc. I had a Pocahontas song stuck in my head yesterday. :D Cypress- I'm assuming she knows his name. (:

ic. February began to wander around aimlessly, still not knowing where in the world she was- she didn't like the swamp too much, that was for sure. Then, the pup noticed Cypress's departing form a few ways ahead of her. Her tail began to wag, and she scampered after him, lanky features letting her easily catch up to him. She was about to call out a greeting when an idea came to her head- she could follow him! It would be a perfect opportunity to practice her stalking technique, and besides, the adult and his odd bird interested her, and she wanted to know more about them.

Silently, she creeped through the undergrowth, white belly fur barely brushing against the dirty floor (she didn't want to get it dirty). Soon, Cypress left the swamp, though the place that he had emerged through was still unfamiliar ground. However, Fei didn't let this bother her- the thrill of following the experienced male was just too exciting for her to feel worried. As the one-sided duet (after all, Cypress might not know that he had quite an unproportional shadow) continued to traverse on, the sun had begun to sink, casting the Salvajes into beautiful autumn colors.

February stopped for a few seconds, breathing in the sweet air, admiring the beautiful view, and then she picked up her pace, and resumed her game of follow-the-leader. Soon, another wolf had come into view, and Fei watched, facinated, as the male went to greet him, talking about a cure. The arctic pup's tail began to wag- she knew about the cure (if it was the one that Chogan and her was looking for). Not able to resist being silent any longer, she emerged from the undergrowth, tail fanning the air energetically. She grinned happily at the two older wolves, pure white fur glowing in the moonlight.

Puffing out her chest, she looked at Cypress proudly, "Meester Cypr'ss, Ah followed yew all the way!" Then she turned to the other brownish male, and grinned. "'ello! Ah'mma Fei! Who yew waitin' for?" After all, he looked like he was waiting for someone.

Yay, lovely posts everyone. :) And -pokes Brit- That wasn't what I call slow, hee. :P

Luck. Destiny. Even misfortune, on Cypress' part. There was no way of telling why the small, dark male had stumbled upon Poet, but Poet wasn't about to question it. Gladness played brightly on his features, and he offered the stranger his biggest lopsided smile. He had wanted company, and here it was! Subtly he did a little visual-sweep of his potential comrade, studying without staring. The male's coat was pitch black and yet peppered with silver, almost like a the shadows around the Glen - dark and deep, but glazed softly by moonlight. Very striking. But what was even more striking about this guy was the bird perched on his shoulder. The young Novian blinked at the feathered creature, brows quirked, face curious. He had never seen a wolf with a bird for a companion before... Unless this guy didn't know the creature was sitting on his back, of course. But that seemed highly unlikely, didn't it?

The tawny youth couldn't keep the sheepishness out of his smile, eyes, and voice as he answered the stranger's accented question. "Well, actually, I'm, er, just starting," he confessed, shrugging and rolling his eyes skyward in a "Ah well, I'm a bum!" kind of way. He wagged his tail and bobbed his head. "I'm Poet." The rather neat-looking bird caught his attention again, and the question flew to his lips before he could stop it. "Oh, you do know there's a-"

Thankfully, a distraction came in the form of a fluffy white puppy, and stopped the wolf from finishing his absolutely lame question.

Blinking in surprise, he eyed the kid as she tumbled out of the brush, blue eyes bright like two shimmering crystals. You couldn't help but instantly like this kid, what with the way she trotted right up and spoke in her cheery little voice. Poet smiled dotingly down at her in a "big brother" kind of way, his smile becoming a grin at her words. Gee, was it -that- obvious that I wanted company? "Well, uh, I guess I was waiting for you!" he replied playfully, swishing his tail at the little Fei. "I mean, I really wanted company. 'Cause, I'm about to go-"

The arrival of yet another wolf cut him off again, and he found himself blinking into the blue eyes of a wolf he knew - Tiamat! He hadn't seen her since they, along with Lasair, had played a hearty game of Crow Bowling by the lake. The mottled boy smiled broadly at his ivory friend, tail flailing in a warm welcome. "Hey, Tiamat!" His gaze flicked between Fei and Tiamat, and he noticed that the pup looked like a miniature of the pretty Creeker. Both slender, both as white as rays of moonlight, and both with clear blue eyes. He enjoyed this private realization with a secret smile. Oh, the burdens of being an extremely detail-obsessed wolf!

His gaze passed from bird-wolf to little moonbeam to bigger moonbeam, and he nodded slowly to himself. They looked like a perfect band of adventurers, ideal for... going upstream, perhaps? Now, if only they would agree. "I was considering traveling upriver, actually," Poet explained, though nobody had really asked. "To see if I can, erm, find what's poisoning the water," he added, lips twitching in a smile. The plan sounded a tiny bit silly when you said it aloud, but he batted away the feeling, reminding himself that it had been Sinistra's idea in the first place. And after all, there wasn't a silly bone in Sinistra's body. ..Or so the tan youth thought. "I was wondering..." He paused and took a breath, eyes rotating full-circle once more. "Would you guys like to go with me?" Damn that little squeak that had snuck into his voice! And then a soft shine took over his eyes, and he found himself unleashing The Sad-Puppy Stare, something he hadn't used for months. He didn't mean to, of course, but there was no stopping The Sad-Puppy Stare once it got started. Its powers were mighty indeed.

I might be a bit slow as I move back to college and get settled once again. :)

Awaiting the multicoloured wolf's response to his somewhat rhetorical question — though it wasn't quite rhetorical, more sarcastic, but at the same time it wasn't really anything in particular — Cypress tilted his head pleasantly. He was actually quite curious as to what exactly this wolf was doing out at night in the Glen, though he supposed that it was his own business regardless of the smaller wolf's curiosity. What Cy did receive - in addition to a brief epxlanation - was a friendly greeting and a name, to which he replied in a similar fashion. "Pleased to meet you," he began with a wag of his tail, rotating his silver-crested head slightly to give Poet somewhat of a "once over" to establish his appearance for future reference.

The spirited yearling (or so he appeared, to Cypress's eyes) seemed slightly transfixed by Tom and his peculiar choice of perches, but luckily enough for him the query was interruped midsentence by the excited exclamations of none other than February. Blinking down at the pup blankly, it dawned on him (even though she had said it aloud rather bluntly) that she had been following him since their encounter in the Swamp. No words escaped his lips as they seemed to be somewhat frozen in surprise, still in disbelief that he had failed to notice the youth creeping behind him. Smooth, pal... Cy's conscience quipped sarcastically in the manner similar to an online ":P" smiley, a thought that he dismissed with a light brush of his muzzle along the pup's back. She was definitely a clever one.

Apparently continuous sentences were not to be Poet's talent that day, as another young question was halted partway through by the entrance of another familiar (albeit older) face. Tiamat was greeted with a friendly woof and nod from Cypress, allowing Poet to continue and finally complete a few phrases without being cut off. His plans, apparently, were to trave upstream in search of a possible reason for the water's foul qualities. Ironically enough, it had once crossed the male's mind that it could be a contaminant that was tainting the lake; thankfully for him, he was not alone in the number of wolves who sought to actually investigate - Poet apparently one of them.

Briefly scanning what had become a decent sized party to determine if others wanted to speak first, Cy took the initiative and piped up. "That's a fair plan," he said cheerily, flashing a smile in Poet's general direction, "I'm in." With that he concluded and skimmed the faces of February and Tiamat to see what they had to say, occasionally reaching over his shoulder to playfully nibble at Tom's feathers. "Ah, and this is Tom—" indicating the bird upon his shoulder, he fell silent.

cypress frostfur

ooc. -feels meek-

ic. She proudly puffed out her chest when Cypress reacted, grinning at the two wolves. She turned to blink at Poet (she figured that that was his name, because she had heard someone introduce himself as that before Fei had popped out of the undergrowth). Almost stupidly, she stared at the brownish adolscent, confused by his reply. He was waiting for her? How was that possible? He didn't even know February. Maybe he had the sickness that so many other wolves in the Salvajes was victim of. Then, the male continued, and Fei's mind was filled with the sound of, ooooooooh. Before he could finish, though, another white wolf had come out.

She wagged her tail- February had always liked fellow white-pelted wolves instinctively. Better yet, the female had the scent of Silver Creek- February could get to know her! She dipped her head at the female in greeting, tail thumping the floor, watching her greet the other two males. She grinned at her, though her face fell visibly at the sound of the two words- "little one." Indignantly, she automatically replied, "I'm not little!" which was laughable, because February was actually smaller than most her age.

Then, she lowered her head in shame, flattening her ears- she hadn't meant to be so rash. "Er, Ah'm sorry. I'm called Fei!" She brightened within the few moments afterwards. When you were her age, it was impossible to be too sad for too long. Curiously, she changed her gaze from Tiamat to Poet just in time to hear him explain his plan, not that she knew he had a plan. She tilted her head slightly, confused- the water was poisoned? She did a sweeping gaze around the area, frowning. It was a good thing that she hadn't been drinking water from around here lately.

"I'll go with yew guys!" she exclaimed, straightening her arctic figure importantly. It sounded like fun; besides, Cypress and his birdy were going. February couldn't help but laugh when she realized that Poet was doing "puppy eyes" that were remarkably similar to the ones that she used to do. Obviously, she hadn't seen someone Poet's age do the common puppy action (even though he was only a few months older than she was).

Sorry for the slight wait! :)

Breath abated, Poet waited for an answer (or three answers, rather), hoping for the best but ready for the worst. Traveling upriver to get to the root of the problem was a good idea, a logical idea - most of the credit to Sinistra, of course. And yet there was still that niggling fear in the tawny boy, the voice that whispered It's a stupid plan, they'll never go with you. Poet had not been born into the world a naturally confident creature; he had gone on many adventures, but had tediously planned them out and took every precaution possible. He hadn't been a fearless lion as a child and wasn't a fearless lion now. Perhaps one day he would be able to shake away the "What if's" and "Maybe's" and just live boldly and freely, but this was not that day.

Much to the Novian's relief, all three of his fellow wolves wanted to go with him. He released the breath he'd been holding and air whooshed out from between his teeth. Cypress? Check. Fei? Check. Tiamat? Check. Smiling broadly, he yipped lightly and wagged his tail at each new companion, clearly a very happy creature. "Oh, cool!" he exclaimed, his youthful voice rather high. Bright brown eyes studied each wolf, from the strong dark features of peppery Cypress, to the petite delicate form of the snowy pup Fei, to slender and graceful Tiamat. They formed a slightly unlikely party, what with every fur-color under the rainbow, but a nice one at that. Even Tom, the bird seated on Cypress' shoulders, added a dash of 'Cool' to their group.

If he were Freaky Green Eyes, he might stomp a paw dramatically and name them the 'FWAACB' society (Four Wolves and a Cool Bird), but he was not, in fact, Green. He lacked that creative craziness that was wild and yet extremely likable at the same time. Nah, only Green could pull something like that off. Shrugging his marbled shoulders, the youth smiled and nodded once to the group, clearing his throat. "Well then, I guess the four of us-" Oops. Tom! Shooting the bird a sidelong glance, he cleared his throat again and amended his statement. "Uh, the five of us, I meant, should get going." And then the Epsilon turned, nose pointed in the direction they'd be traveling, and took a step forward. He paused, though, after that, twisting uncertainly to glimpse his comrades one more time. Poet was not often put in positions of leadership, and felt sort of awkward and unsure. Inhaling deeply, he pushed aside his inhibitions and loped forward. They would travel along the river, going north, until they found what they were looking for. What that was, he wasn't sure, but he supposed they would know it when they saw it. And besides... Four pairs of eyes were better than one! Five pairs, you mean. Tom. D'oh! Chuckling sheepishly to himself, the timber wolf drummed the earth with his paws, knowing his companions would soon be right behind and next to him.

I might be a bit slow as I move back to college and get settled once again. :)

It was in tense silence that Cypress eagerly awaited the responses of the other wolves in their impromptu gathering. First to reply was the snowy pup that he had learned to call Fei and had followed him here after their meeting with Arsenio and the water-sickies, piping up with an enthusiastic affirmative. He was quite amused by the way she held herself with the air of great importance, and the posture brought a little smile to his muzzle as she stood with anticipation. A cute one, indeed.

Next in line for speech was Tia, who also agreed but with a different motive entirely; while Fei had come along for the company and hope for adventure, the Creeker was clearly determined to find a cure. It was good to know, then, that others were as serious as Poet and Cy as to make an active strike against the bizarre sickness. Even if they happened to find nothing, the effort required to travel upstream and investigate was a prime example of their dedication - a dedication to do something instead of linger around and mope or contemplate the end of days in the Salvajes.

Turning to see that everyone else had indeed chosen to tag along, Cypress held his gaze on the yearling that had started it all and brought up the idea in the first place. He was clearly pleased that each of them had said yes, if not a tad embarrassed that he had forgotten to include Tom as one of their number when announcing their group. The bird of course didn't mind much, as his sight was considerably lessened in the moonlight and would probably not be doing much scouting anyways. Perhaps if they came to an open area free of obstructions the bird would have better luck.

Taking a step in Poet's direction and checking to see if Fei was close behind, Cypress followed the Novan in stride and swished his tail once or twice, eager for their little mish-mash of packs to be finally on the road.

ic. Fei wagged her tail when she realized that every single one of them were going to join Poet on his little expedition- it was quite exciting, though a little pup like Fei couldn't exactly put a paw on how important this might be. Still feeling dramatically important, the young pup spun around in a few impatient circles, giggling quietly to herself so that she wouldn't bother the rest of their little group. As soon as she stopped, though, she carefully observed the group of older wolves, tail thumping the floor behind her. Each of them seemed supremely determined to make a difference, and feeling energized, she began to thoughtfully glance at the undergrowth nearby, wondering if any of them would hold the cure.

She couldn't help but notice with a frown, though, that she had Chogan seemed to have already tested every single type of plant around the area... already. Then she switched her attention back to the group staring at Tiamat- Tia- as if suddenly noticing the meaning of the female's words. Their figures were surprisingly similar- the same pure white, and the same slender, petite frames, and though Fei's eyes were brighter than the dark blue ones of the other female, they were quite similar indeed. She grinned at Tiamat, though soon she turned to gaze at the brownish-colored Poet.

Her face brightened once he suggested the group of them get going, and wagging her tail, she bounded off after him and Cypress, keeping their pace. February walked right behind the bird-owning male, wondering where the sickness could possible come from. Maybe a rotting bird in the middle of the river, or perhaps some sort of human factory thingymajig?

No problema. :) -hugs everyone-

The quartet traveled in silence for a while, even though Poet could hear the occasional sweep of a companion's breath and the soft scuffling of paws on earth. He smiled peacefully as he traveled, his tail curled into a letter "C" that swayed lightly with the rhythm of his steps. There was something comforting about traveling with others; he had spent many weeks after leaving his birth pack wandering alone, just a lone figure naked and vulnerable, and so terribly young to be a solitary nomad. Although he hadn't minded the lack of company at first, it had eventually got to him. That was why he had accepted Tobin's offer of shelter and a home, wasn't it? For Poet hadn't thought too highly of pack-life, after living in the disgrace of an establishment that his birth "pack" had been, and only the tug of loneliness had led him to Nova Mountain.

It was easy to think and reminisce when the traveling went so smoothly and easily. And so the Novian's mind wandered separate paths than his paws, thumbing through memories that had gradually collected the dust of Time. He didn't focus on one particular memory or another, he simply skimmed large chunks of his personal timeline, just browsing. Brown eyes scanned the moonlit area, darting to one of his comrades now and then. He smiled at the sprite of a puppy, Fei, enjoying the whimsical feel she brought to the group. He turned his thoughtful smile to Cypress then, thinking about how glad he was that the likeable male had come along. And then Tiamat received a glance and a smile, even though the look on her face seemed slightly worried, or troubled, or something. Poet quirked a brow, wondering what had his pretty friend upset. It took many minutes for him to decide that it was probably the valley-wide sickness - a very upsetting topic indeed.

But at least they were doing something about it. Or trying to, at least. Tiamat's mind seemed to be hovering on the same general topic at his, or so her question led him to believe. He looked to the snowy wolfess again, eyes bright and mouth parted to give an answer. But no answer came, for Poet suddenly realized that he didn't really know what they were looking for. Again feeling uncomfortable in the position of leadership ('cause he had started this whole thing, after all), he cleared his throat, eyes flitting to Fei and Cypress in a nervous, inquisitive way before landing back on Tia. "Well, uhm..." Suddenly Poet wished Sinistra had come with them. Sinistra would know what to look for. "I.. I hadn't actually thought of that," he admitted, his tail drooping a bit and his face taking on a bashful air. "But maybe we should look for, um, anything unusual. Anything unnatural." His tail wagged as he regained a smidge of hope. The idea had flown from his lips involuntarily, but it wasn't all that terrible after all. Kind of basic, kind of stating-the-obvious, but not too terrible. Hopefully he eyed each of his companions, awaiting further ideas. They would probably have better plans than the earthen-toned Epsilon. Paws still drumming softly on the ground, his track still next to the river and headed north, he waited eagerly for feedback, input... anything.

I might be a bit slow as I move back to college and get settled once again. :)

As most of those he knew were either still pups or well on their way to adulthood, Cypress had never really been exposed to the traits and habits that came along with the teenage months. Poet was a charming example of this age group, and the ex-leader found himself smiling inwardly at the yearling's vivacity and general optimistic attitude. He himself could be quite negative indeed — to the point of utter pessimism at times — but thankfully the presence of the younger Novan had buried this tendency somewhat.

However enthusiastic, Poet seemed to be slightly uncomfortable in such a position of leadership, even if the only duty of this title was to literally lead; but Cypress sympathized. In times of mysterious illnesses and other strange occurences, he didn't blame the wolf for hesitating, but he had to give him credit for actually trying. Cy was loath to let him struggle, however, and offered a suggestion of his own after Poet mentioned a search for anything unnatural. "Or human influence," he piped in lightly, nodding in the lead wolf's direction, "As some seem to think it's because of them." Nymphe had told him, he believed.

The name brought about a short wave of nostalgia as Cypress recalled the names of those he had met from Nova Mountain over the months. First and foremost had been its charcoal leader: the quirky Sinistra, of course. Starchaser was another noteworthy one, and a good acquaintance indeed, if only due to their fitting personalities and common love for all things celestial. It wasn't surprising, then, that both earthbound wolves had chosen homes as close to the stars as possible (as he did not know of Starchaser's move).

Wandering amongst his thoughts as well as the thinning growth of the Glen, Cypress looked down ever so often to make sure that the sole youngster of the group was following, and had not faltered due to their pace. A similar glance was also sent to his companion, who rested as content as ever, slipping in and out of consciousness until something worth waking up for broke the silence.

ooc. Not a good post coming up. D: -blames essay-

ic. To tell the truth, February wasn't quite as determined and interested in finding the source of the sickness as the three older wolves were, she couldn't help it. There were just more interesting things, like the rabbit that was hopping by them, not too far away. She stared at it, her gaze so intent that she had missed half of the ongoing conversation that came from the adults behind her. So they were looking for something different, unusual? February's mind began to wander as she imagined glowing blue water flowing from a human city (she had only heard stories about humans and their homes, ans so the image that her mind painted was quite amusing).

She blinked her thoughts away and scolded herself for losing her concentration when she was supposed to pay attention to something so important. Her tail wagging behind her, she continued to bound after the adults, deciding not the join in the conversation, for she had no idea what she could say that would make sense. Since February didn't know much about the situation, she wouldn't be able to say something that sounded smart, and would probably be seen as an annoyance, and she didn't like that. True, all of the wolves were nice and kind, but Fei couldn't help but think that since they were so serious, they might act otherwise for this brief moment of time.

February was beginning to feel slightly tired, but she forced herself to go on- she didn't want to hold them back. Her bright blue eyes scanned their surroundings carefully, and she soon began to busy herself in searching for anything that was out of the ordinary. Maybe she'd be able to find something that'd show that taking her along with them was actually a good thing.

Yes, yes. xD Ah well! Oh, and I know I sorta described them traveling a distance that was kind of unrealistic, in this post. But I wanted to get to the really interesting part. >:D

The support of his comrades, while silent, was enough to soothe the anxious wolf's worried mind. He returned Tia's smile with one of his own and flicked his tail back and forth, his way of saying "thank you" to his ivory friend. Sometimes there was more substance to lupine body language than words could capture. Poet offered Cypress a similar gesture, brown eyes meeting the male's golden gaze for a split second. He turned to the snowy slip of a pup, February, and smiled and wagged his tail. She seemed distracted, more engaged by the passing scenery than the conversation, but her bright and youthful presence spoke for itself. Yet again the mottled Novian found himself feeling thankful for the company, and for these three wolves in particular.

Rosebushes coasted along on either side of the small group as they traveled forward, though the bushes were becoming more scattered and sporadic. It dawned on Poet that they were leaving Rosewood Glen, and ultimately the valley itself. The realization struck him mightily and left him wide-eyed with wonder. Of course he had planned on traveling as far north as needed, not stopping until he either found the cause of the water's foulness or he walked off the earth's edge itself. But now that it was actually happening, he needed a moment to adjust. This would be the first time he'd set paw outside the Salvajes in seven months, and the anxiety was strong. The will to help his ill friends and loved ones, however, was stronger. Poet glanced again at the wolves around him, nodded resolutely, and continued his northward jogging. They were animals of the Salvajes, all four of them - erm, five of them, counting Tom - and they would be back soon.

Determination renewed, the mountain wolf turned to the darkest of the group, ears cupping forward to collect the words from the wind. Now, this was something curious! Human..influence.. Instantly the youth's brow fell over his eyes, and he wrinkled his nose in thought. Hu-man? Poet had never heard this word before, and knew not what it meant. But apparently it was important, and had something to do with their cause. The tawny boy remained quiet for the time being, mulling over the interesting word, chewing it like gum. "Hu..man.." he repeated hesitantly, tasting the word for the first time. After a moment he decided he didn't like it. As interesting as it sounded, there was something suspicious about it, something different and unnerving. He fought back the shudder that shimmied up his spine.

Tiamat also spoke of this "human" thing, and Poet felt quite in the dark. Fei hadn't said anything about it, but he suspected that she knew about "humans" as well. Feeling like the kid watching from the sidelines as three other kids played a game, he looked to each of his comrades, brow knit. "What is a-" But the question never fully left his lips, for at that moment, a strange and poignant scent wafted past his nose. He stopped abruptly in his tracks, eyes wide as he lifted his nose to the air and sniffed. Poet had never smelled such a smell before; it was entirely new to his nose, and it both excited and scared him. His heart skipped a beat. "Hey, that scent!" he exclaimed, a note of fear in his voice. And with that the wolf launched into a sprint, paws kicking up the dirt as he ran wildly forward. As great as his fear was, his curiosity was greater.

I might be a bit slow as I move back to college and get settled once again. :)

Humans? Oh yes, he knew humans. It was, after all, due to the mammals that he was destined to reside in the Salvajes, as there was no other way that a wolf could cross the cold Atlantic. Frowning at the thought of them, Cypress caught Tiamat's comment and shook his head lightly to clarify. "Not here, but North, maybe." He wasn't the best at geography by any means (unless it was the mapping of the stars), but had caught scent of them when first arriving in the valley more than a year ago. It had been scarce more than a small settlement rather than a bustling metropolis, but it was a community all the same.

While the Creek female had seemed to understand his previous words, Poet appeared somewhat puzzled by the word, and Cy was ready to answer his question when it was prematurely halted. The young male had caught a scent on the wind, and after a brief moment the Frostfur also smelled it - unmistakeably human in nature. Feeling his blood stir from the taint that he had not been exposed to for a long time and the memories that went along with it, the older wolf almost came to a stop, watching as Poet suddenly sped off in the smell's direction. Alarmed, Cypress darted forward and caught up in a few measured bounds. "Careful," he hissed lowly out of concern rather than irritance to the young Novan, for even as they continued tendrils of smoke rose over the horizon - the telltale signature of human development. It was night, so most would likely be asleep in their beds, but there was always a risk when lingering so close to their homes. Poet of course couldn't know any better if he hadn't even heard the word before.

Slowing his pace to a standstill, Cypress turned to make sure that the others were either directly behind him or quite close behind, as it wouldn't bode well to become lost this far North. He wasn't gravely concerned for the elder of the two, but February was a young pup and the journey had surely been tiring for her.

ooc. sorry for the wait. D:

ic. The young pup pursed her lips, sticking out her tongue in attempt to get rid of the bitter taste of ashes- the taste that she associated with humans, after all, the beta had told her that humans were the ones who had set her old pack on fire- ears flattened as she remembered Autumn Moon- true, Silver Creek was quite appealing, but the beautiful forest, her golden homelands, would always be the place she admired the most. However, Fei didn't let her thoughts linger on that for too long, because she knew that soon enough, these lands would be where she belonged, and the place that she loved.

Just when the young child was about to whine about long this was taking (for she had been feeling quite weary for a while now), Poet claimed that there was a strange scent in the air. February lifted her head from her position some distance behind the three traveling adults, energy briefly sparking her blue eyes as she began to look around, nose wrinkling. February had never scented humans exactly for it had always been muddied by the edge of ashes, but somehow it seemed vaguely familiar to her. "Whazzat?" Ears twitched, and she managed to bound closer towards the older wolves before feeling her tiredness swamp her figure once again.

Maybe this round and one more, and we wrap it up? :)

Almost there Almost there Almost there Almost-

"Careful."

Instantly, Poet ground his paws into the earth and screeched to a halt, spraying mud and grass in the process. His wild sprinting did not roll to a gradual stop, oh no; it ended as abruptly as it had begun. Cypress' one-word warning did the trick. Fear and curiosity had fought for purchase within his heart, but now only fear prevailed, cold and paralyzing. It was in a creature's nature to fear the unknown, and Poet certainly didn't know anything about humans. Eyes wild and wide, his gaze snapped to and fro, searching desperately for the ebony face of Cypress. As if performing some crazy tap dance, he flailed around, bent on locating the male who had warned him.

When at last he quit feeling so disoriented, Poet realized that Cypress was right near him, only inches away. And so was Tiamat. And February. Relief surged through him, and he didn't stop to wonder why he was feeling such relief at all. His heart still beating inappropriately in his throat, he tried to focus on the feel of his friends by his sides. Suddenly he realized that he was one slice of "bread" of a Tiamat Sandwich, and it was all he could do not to snuggle up against the snowy Creeker for warmth and comfort. He felt safe, there, with his three comrades, and decided that he wouldn't be moving for a good while.

No matter how safe and comfortable he felt pressed up against his friend, the word that Tiamat spoke penetrated his shaky armor, sank into his bones like winter frost. "Humans." Talk about the heebie-jeebies! Poet shuddered like it wasn't the middle of a particularly hot summer. But he knew he couldn't ignore the sight before his eyes forever. Smoke rose in great curled plumes, wrapping the sky in dark ribbons. Even from their position on the ridge the trees blocked a lot from view, but still a few disturbing things could be seen. Great pieces of rock carved into odd rectangle-shapes squatted among the trees, and tiny squares of soft light peeped through shadow. But more than these strange sights was the smell, the pungent odor that filled the nostrils of the young brown wolf. This same odor that had stirred such curiosity within him now evoked only fear, and wonder.

Speaking in a hushed, far-away tone, Poet said something that hadn't even registered clearly in his mind, yet. "They started the sickness..." That smell those lights those rocks that smell oh! "..Didn't they?"

I might be a bit slow as I move back to college and get settled once again. :)

It was Cypress's anticipation of the younger wolf's reaction that prevented him from making any further movement or comment, lest he startle the Novan any further. While he was concerned for the other's safety, disturbing the yearling to the point of absolute chaos was hardly a solution as opposed to the only marginal chance of injury that was possible from their exploring. Humans were crafty, indeed, but a confused wolf was a vulnerable one especially in a completely foreign and alien environment.

Thankfully Poet seemed to catch on rather quickly and ceased his somewhat reckless running, exchanging the behaviour in favour of level-headedness. Cypress liked that. What came next, however, brought a strange expression to the older wolf's maw and he found himself wrinkling his brow in thought. He wouldn't put it past the humans to do something to the water, but a conflict raged within his mind whether or not it was intentional. The Frostfur's muzzle parted after a moment's hesitation, but it was in this pause that his words were drowned by an unmistakable sound — the sharp, harsh bark of a watch dog.

Small as he was, Cy was still not fearful of the brute itself, but the attention that its noise would gather if it continued to betray their presence. "We've lingered too long," he began in a hushed whisper, quiet but stern as his molten eyes scanned the surrounding cover. The bray had been close, but if they left quick enough they could escape without much fuss — before any of the people would come to investigate, anyway.

He shot a sudden glance towards Fei and realized that she looked rather tired, so the Scot narrowed the distance between them in a single bound and craned his neck down to receive the pup in his jaws. If she would rather run along he would allow her, but they were better off leaving in relative haste, but he gave her the option all the same. On second though, a trip in his muzzle would hardly be a comfortable one anyways.

ic. Ears twitched when a response came. Humans. Humans were what she had scents. The young child's lips curled instinctively, and her paws kneaded the floor nervously. No doubt that she was scared- February had seen the horror that the two-legged creatures could perform; they had burnt down her old home, and she wouldn't put it past them to do the same thing to the Salvajes- they were that dangerous, and February knew it. She shook, partly out of fear, but mostly out of weariness. Her limbs ached, and she would hardly be able to make the journey back. The group had traveled quite a distance, which was both good and bad for the pup. On one hand, she felt like she couldn't take another step; on the other, this would boost her stamina for sure.

Neck fur bristled when she heard the strange bark that sounded kind of like a wolf, but not really. She instinctively glanced up at Cypress, worried. The male seemed to think that it wouldn't be too smart if they stayed her any longer. Limbs aching at the thought of having to run, she felt instantly grateful when the black male picked her up with his jaws. Tail wagged briefly, and though she knew that it would probably be a bumpy ride- they had to get away relatively quickly, and if she had to run, she would hold them back considerably. She murmured a quiet "Thank yew," to the male, before falling silent, thoughtfully deciding that they needed the quiet.

Woo, great thread, all. I think we can end it here, unless anyone objects and wishes to post again. :)

. . .

Even though none of his comrades actually provided a verbal confirmation of his guess, he knew the answer deep in his heart: Yes, they caused the sickness. He wasn't sure how, he wasn't sure why, but he knew that these mysterious "humans" had something (if not everything) to do with the plague torturing the inhabitants of the Salvajes. The insecure male was rarely so sure of his own theories, but this was one he would swear by. When intuition whispered so firmly about something, you couldn't just go ignoring it. The sureness of this discovery did not bring him feelings of contentment, however, as right as he felt he was. The whole business shook him to the core, planted a fear so deep he fretted he might never laugh or grin again.

The shrill cry of a wolf - no, not a wolf, something different - shattered his thoughts with one sharp blow. Fear flared up and spread through him like wildfire; Beware! cried his heart, Oh shit! hollered his mind. Poet snapped out of his trance, his eyes widening and his muscles jerking alive. Cypess' ominous words struck a cord of truth deep within him. Yes, they had lingered too long. They were no longer safe. The timber wolf nodded spastically in agreement; he certainly wouldn't be the one whining or throwing a tantrum about leaving, no sir.

And then they were off. After capturing one last glimpse of the strange square shapes and the milky squares of light, and after taking one last swig of that pungent human scent, Poet turned and launched into a brisk run. Long legs scissoring, he caught up with Cypress, who held little Fei by the fluffy scruff of her neck. As he ran alongside the peppered male, he shot him a quick glance, a glance that spoke volumes of his appreciation and gratitude. Cypress had saved him from tumbling wildly into the place of humans, and Cypress had saved them all from potential danger by getting them moving once more. And then he put on a burst of speed to catch up with Tiamat, whose elegant ivory tail currently bobbed in front of him, a ghostly white banner leading him through the shadows, leading him home.

I might be a bit slow as I move back to college and get settled once again. :)