Drip, Drip, Drop

[Deleted]

A light spring rain blanketed the grassland, creating a thin mist that clung close to the ground. The grass that grew here was a deep green, growing prosperously in the fertile, moist soils. Spring was a time of new growth and new beginnings, and it was clearly evident here. While most animals had been driven undercover to get away from the rain, one creature was still wandering through the meadow, drenched to the bone but determined to keep going.
    Mesec was hungry, tired and wet. He had been traveling for months now, almost non-stop, surviving off only infrequent meals. His stomach growled at him, but there was little the pup could do to quell it. He had not had a meal in almost a week now, and the last one he had had was barely more than a few mouthfuls. He was thin and haggard, and the rain was only making his mood worse. He was normally a rather positive character, but he was finding it more and more difficult to stay optimistic as his future felt more and more bleak. He was not sure how much longer he could last like this before his body would just give out under the stress and strain. Yet, he felt his strange pull to keep going, and he was not sure that he would have made it this far had he not felt that unseen force. It gave him hope, as though his time was not over, at least until he found out where he was being pulled to. He did not know how he knew, but he could not help but feel that he was getting closer to his goal.
    Mesec strode through the long grass, their leaves stroking his body as he passed them by, leaving small drops of water on him, only adding to his already drenched coat. His light grey eyes were pointed at the ground, seeking out a path and making sure he did not trip over his own feet. He let his exhausted legs carry him onward, forward, not questioning the direction they took him in, just accepting that was where he was going to go. He abruptly stopped, and looked around. As he ventured further north, he had noticed the scent of wolves growing stronger and stronger. He had not seen another of his kind in months, so it had taken him a while to recognise the scent again. He sniffed the air, but did not smell anything out of the ordinary. Not that he expected to, as the rain was quickly washing away any noticeable scents. Yet, he had the creeping feeling that he was not alone, so he stood still, flicking his ears around to catch any noise, so no thing - or no one - could sneak up on him. The rain dampened any noise that would be made in the meadow, but Mesec strained as hard as he could to hear anything, even the slightest sound. If it was a rabbit, then it could spell his first meal in a week - if it was something else, well...he would have to deal with it when the time came.

[Stormy May]

Mist breathed in the damp spring air. After having been given a home with Eternal Snowfall and being fed well, it was like she had been given new life. The gathering dew soaked her silvery fur, but she had not a care.

She had decided to take a day or two and explore the land with new eyes. Everything was even more beautiful to see and take in when food and survival weren't the only things on your mind.

Will Piala be angry with me for leaving without notice? Mist pondered, the idea only just now crossing her mind. It wasn't entirely her own fault or thoughtlessness, however. It was her wild soul, a soul that demanded to see the world and all it had to offer. It wasn't as though she wasn't grateful, for her new family meant the world to her, but growing up packless and alone gave her a nasty habit of wanting to travel, at least to constantly be moving about when she was able.

Mist's attention snapped to an animal-like creature standing in the tall grass a bit away. Another wolf? Could it be Don or Mest?

In any other occasion, she'd be too afraid to make a simple sound, but with the oh-so-little yet oh-so-big chance of it being family, she called out.

"Who goes there?"

She had gone for a tone of question and authority, but instead created a sound of fear and uncertainty. Maybe her voie just refused to betray her true feelings.

[Deleted]

Mesec jumped at the sound of a voice. He automatically turned in the direction of the sound, eyes peeled for whoever had made it. Sure enough, through the grass he spied the unmistakable form of a wolf. While its silver coat was difficult to pick out through the rain, blending in with the grey skies, there was, nevertheless, another creature in the meadow with him. Its question was demanding and blunt. Had he stumbled across another pack's territory by accident? Was he about to be driven away by its members? He was not sure that his exhausted body would be able to get away in time if it came to that, although he was not sure this would be the case. While the question was full of bravado, the voice asking it was much less confident, nervous and shaky. The young wolf was slightly confused, but he was sure he would find out soon enough.
"Oh, uhh, I do - Mesec," he called out across the grasses. "That's my name, I mean," he added for clarification. He stepped closer to the wolf, taking in its scent, tail low and wagging. Female. Young. As he drew closer, he noticed that she was smaller than him, but evidently better fed. While he had no real reason to be afraid of a wolf as small and thin as she, he was in a poor state and in no shape to take any wolf on, no matter their size. He tried to avoid confrontations anyway, preferring to keep the peace rather than test it. He stopped a metre in front of her, and shook his coat as the rain continued to fall. "Who are - what's your name?" he asked, trying to be as friendly and courteous as possible. "Sorry," he added sheepishly, embarrassed about his slip-up.

Stormy May

[Stormy May]

As the wolf, Mesec, repeated his name, her confidence fell. She had been so sure, so hopeful, that after all this time she'd found at least one of her brothers.

Mesec had a similar appearance to what she had been just days ago. Bony, fragile, and would give anything for a bite of food.

"M-my name is M-Mist," she said, her shy stutter returning with her disappointment. "Are y-you lost? A p-pack of good w-wolves is a b-bit that way. I-d be g-glad to take you th-th-there." Mist habitually let her head fall a bit lower to th ground. It wasn't as if she'd done someghing wrong, because she knew she didn't, but there was always that linhering suspicion; the fear of everything going wrong.

"Have you b-by chance met a-a wolf or t-two by the n-names of Mest and D-Don?"

[Deleted]

(Woops sorry, I just assumed that she was well-fed because you said she didn't have to worry about food and survival anymore xD my bad~)

The demeanor of the female changed dramatically, and she replied to Mesec with a pronounced stutter. He was slightly taken aback, not prepared for the sudden shift in her whole character. He felt sorry for her, though, as he listened to her speak, her head dropping in the end. There was no reason for her to be so nervous, around him of all wolves. He was still only a youngster, and did not think he could ever cause another to feel intimidated or nervous.
    "Nice to meet you, Mist," he said, slightly awkwardly, unsure how he was supposed to respond exactly after all this time. "Good wolves?" he asked questioningly. "I don't really know...I mean, I'm not really sure what you mean. Although," he sighed, his fatigue showing, "it would be sonice to be part of a pack again." He looked around quickly, before continuing. "So...maybe, you know, it would be good to meet a pack." Her next question was a bit odd. Why would he have met these wolves? He had only met her now, after all, and was new to this land. "No...sorry," he said gently, hoping he would not bring her mood down any further. "I've only just arrived here. I've been traveling for moons. In fact...you're the first wolf I've seen in a long time," he said, his excitement of their encounter showing. "You...you have no idea how good it is to see you- er, see a wolf." He quickly corrected himself, biting his tongue.

Stormy May

[Stormy May]

(Nah, it's fine. I could've phrased it better)

Mist's hopes fell even more at his answer, but she became curious when he told her she was the first. Who was he? Where had he come from? He had sounded so ecstatic over her showing up.

Mist took notice of his weak frame. How could someone so young like her... how long had he been alone.

"I'd be g-glad to take you to Eternal Snowfall, m-my pack. I haven't exactly h-had a friend in a long t-time, either." Her stutter was settling down a little, her nerves calming down a bit. She hurt for him. He must've seen some kind of pain to be all alone.

"And m-maybe..." she thought recklessly, her heart bigger than her mouth could manage to speak. "We c-could maybe b-be... friends?"

She was shameful that she'd said it, but excited all at once. She hadn't ever really had a friend. She'd only played with her brothers as a pup, and traveling alone after being abandoned had't exactly gotten her many a friendship. Mist, however, was tired of being alone.

[Deleted]

Mesec felt as though Mist was becoming more relaxed with him, and he sat down to rest his tired legs. When she had first called out to him he had been wary and cautious, but now he could see there was little to worry about from her; she seemed perfectly friendly. She even offered to take him to her pack of "good wolves" (whatever that meant, he was not sure), and he grinned. As long as there was food there and a warm, safe place to rest, he would be happy. Of course, if they were all as friendly and generous as Mist, then it sounded like the perfect place to settle too.
    She surprised him, though, when she asked if they would be friends. She had seemed very nervous and embarrassed to ask him, and he was not sure how he should answer. They had only just met, after all, and he really knew very little about her. At the same time, he longed for company and she had been so welcoming to him, and there was really no reason he should turn her down. What the hey, he thought, why not! "Yes, of course we can be friends!" He stood up in his newfound excitement, tail wagging, and stepped closer to give her a friendly nuzzle in recognition. "I really don't know much about this place, but I feel this strange attraction. I don't know where it's taking me, I don't know why I feel it, but I'm glad it has taken me here."

Stormy May

[Stormy May]

Mist was a bit startled at first when Mesec nuzzled her. She hadn't been around other wolves in a while, much less had them show affection, but after a moment, she welcomed it. She realized how much she had missed it. She pondered what her brothers would think about her having a male friend, and giggled at the thought. She couldn't wait to find them and tell them all about today and the days before.

His next sentence had confused her. "Are you n-not from around here?" she asked. While she had grown up alone, she still remained in the same general area. She'd been at the mountain all her life; could retell most legends by heart, knew all about White Wolves and the Power. Never had she met anyone from outside the mountain.

[Deleted]

Mesec felt Mist tense momentarily at his touch, but the feeling faded and he hoped that meant she was comfortable with the gesture. She giggled to herself, but he did not know why. Was it because he had nuzzled her? He felt himself grow hot with embarrassment, but tried not to let it show. He knew he was only trying to be friendly, but maybe he had just made a fool out of himself instead. He mumbled some form of apology, although it was barely noticeable. He could not bring himself to say anything more legible. She seemed to move past this however, and asked him a question.
"Oh, no," he said, shaking his head. He supposed it would be odd, but she seemed more shocked than anything. "No, I come from the south. Far to the south. I think I mentioned before, but I've been traveling for many moons." He paused to think about his journey, surprised at how long ago it felt when he thought back to the beginning of his long trek. He looked down to the ground, suddenly saddened. "It's been a long, long trip," he said softly, haggardly, his fatigue suddenly showing. He looked back up at Mist and, looking into her light blue eyes, quickly shook himself out of his gloomy mood. He did not want to bring her down, after all she probably did not want to listen to him and his self-pity. "But I'm here now! I come from grasslands like these, but the grasses were different and the smells, too. I'm excited to see what this land his in store for me and...well, what this pull means." He paused at looked at her more seriously this time. "Do you feel it too? The pull?"

Stormy May

[Stormy May]

Mist listened to Mesec with interest and empathy. She couldn't get over the fact that he was struggling, just as he had been. She could feel his sadness and share in it, but she didn't want to trouble him further with stories of hard times.

As for the "pull" he mentioned, she hadn't considered it much. Most of her short life she'd traveled back and forth between the mountains and the forests, unable to move on. Something about it just kept her here. Perhaps it had something to do with the White Wolves and the Powers. "Th-that pull is something I believe every w-wolf feels."

She thought for a moment. "Shall we g-go? The rain's m-making everything dreary."

[Deleted]

Mist passed over the majority of what he had said, to tell him about the pull. He was not sure why she had done that when she had asked him about his origins, but maybe she felt the topic was too heavy to discuss. He did not mind in any case, for he did not like to talk much about himself. What she did say, however, created more questions than it answered. If every wolf felt that pull, what did that mean for him? Did that mean all wolves eventually came here from the lands all around like he did? He had not felt it when he was really young though, only after he had become separated from his pack. "Oh, right...I still don't understand it, but I feel like my journey hasn't finished yet. It's like...it's like there's somewhere I'm supposed to get to, some kind of end point." He looked at her and smiled. "Maybe I'm supposed to find a pack...maybe there's more to it."
    Water dripped into his eyes and he blinked them away before shaking his coat. As though reading his mind, Mist suggested that they go elsewhere to get out of the rain. He laughed. "Yeah, I think that's a good idea." He looked around, however, and could not see anywhere they could shelter from the rain. The mist was so thick that it was difficult to very far ahead. Mesec looked back to Mist questioningly. "Uh...where do we go from here?"

Stormy May

[Stormy May]

Mist scanned the horizon in sudden frustration. It seemed that this was as new an area to her as it was Mesec. "I d-don't know any places we can take sh-shelter, but I can lead you back to my pack f-fairly quickly. If there's any luck, the rain's headed opposite that d-direction."

Mist felt bad that this was the most she could offer, but it she had to help somehow.

Her mind kept drawing back to the "pull" Mesec mentioned. She hadn't noticed it before, but the more she thought about it, the more real it became. It was as if the mountaind whispered her name; beckoned her closer. Maybe it truly was the Power and the White Wolves, and their divinity almost pulsating throughout the land.

"I understand what you're saying about this endpoint... I guess there's one for everyone, no matter how small or insignificant. I wonder if mine will be finding my brothers, or if it will be something more than that. Maybe... oh. I'm sorry. I'm rambling, aren't I?" She chuckled to herself. "I think Lunar Meadow is the next stop."

[Deleted]

Mesec wagged his tail, smiling at her even though their options were limited. Although the area was bleak and it did seem as though they would only get wetter, he did not really mind. They were wet already, what were a few more raindrops? "Oh, it doesn't matter," he said, hoping to cheer her heap. He could not help but hear a hint of frustration in her voice, and he hope she was not annoyed with him. After all, he probably made her stick around in the open longer than she had originally planned to. "I'm sure you're right, the rain will probably move away soon...and if it doesn't, well...I guess we'll make the most of it, won't we!"
    Mist then seemed to drop into thought, and Mesec waited patiently for her to come back to the present. He looked up at the sky, but it was just grey. Nowhere he looked, in fact, did it seem as though the rain was going to let up. It would not matter for much longer, though, as Mist suggested they move onwards, to a place called 'Lunar Meadow'. He stood up and moved next to her so they could set off together. "Well, I guess there's no way of knowing what the end point will be yet. I'm sure you will find your brothers, and I will...figure out whatever it is that awaits me in those mountains." He looked at her and smiled. "What I do know is we'll never get there unless we get going. Lead the way!"

Stormy May