She, Who Walks Alone (Open)

[Stormy May]

Sigma padded through the low grass as it faded out into the approaching lake. Spring was fresh in the air and flower buds were poking from the thawing earth around her feet, waiting anxiously to burst open and reveal their beautiful bloom to the world. She smiled at the brightest buds, welcoming them to the world as she made her way past them. Spring was her season of birth, and she'd come to love flowers with all of her heart, as if the Mountain had gifted her with joyful ties to her past in the form of living things, so delicate and gorgeous.

She made her way down to the lake and dipped her dark head towards the water, staring into the deep green eyes of her own reflection as she lapped the cool liquid up. The lake still retained the icy bite of winter, but after a long day of travel, it felt amazing. She watched tiny fish dart fearlessly about her with interest. She loved watching the world come back alive after its season of hibernation.

Sigma found herself resting by the water's edge, curled up and letting the sun shine down on her body and filling it with warmth. She had let her eyes fall slack, trusting in the world around her to hold her in safety on such a lovely day. Before she knew it, she had fallen asleep in the soft bed of green.

[Deleted]

Bishop, after meandering his way through the plains, had only recently discovered the comforting lake he'd been using as a rest stop for a day or two now. Though it did carry multiple canine scents, it had been quiet so far, which surprised him. He knew it was only a matter of time before he bumped into some pack or another wolf who wouldn't be too keen on his presence.

For now, though, the male enjoyed the serenity- that is until a new scent hit his nostrils. Jerking his head up, the large canine shot a rapid glance around from his spot atop a boulder and noticed a stranger down shore. Uh oh. Gulping, he shrunk down, watching the female as she took a few sips of water before laying down. The stranger, it seemed, was alone just like him. While admittedly, Bishop felt a tug of curiosity, his cowardice convinced him against investigating. Already thanking the heavens she didn't seem to notice him yet thanks to his down-wind position, his mind darted for signs of an escape route.

Maybe if I'm really quiet... Holding his breath, he did his best to get to his paws without causing too much noise. His clumsiness, however, was quick to screw him over. As he went to hop off the boulder, he tripped over himself and ended up face-first in the gravel below with a loud thud. Oh great. This was the end. Definitely the end. He remained motionless, teeth clenched, eyelids squeezed shut, and hindquarters still in the air; only hoping his clumsy commotion hadn't attracted the unknown stranger's attention.

[Stormy May]

Sigma woke with a start from her unexpected slumber. She lifted her head and lazily scanned her surroundings to find a dark, fuzzy mass with its nose in the gravel. She blinked a couple times, clearing her vision, and found that the dark mass was indeed a wolf. He was quite large, much larger than her, and enough for it to be a bit intimidating.

"Hello," she said with a yawn, slowly rising from the spot in which she had been curled up. She stretched her limbs, shivering as the sunlight hit her back. "What brings you here, and for what reason have you found your nose among the stones?" she didn't bother trying to filter authority or fear into her voice. He didn't seem to have any harmful intent, and she had no reason to show dominance. Her voice was lazy with sleep, for that matter.

She stared into the male's eyes- they were the color of olives, yet another beautiful living thing. She had wished many times that her coat or was the color of flowers- a pale yellow, maybe. Instead, it was a dark blue, like the shadows, where life did not dwell.

[Deleted]

Crap, crap, crap, crap. The male found himself rapidly thinking in a panic as the stranger directly addressed him. Her tone, however, was disarming. Perhaps she meant no harm, after all. "I- uh-" Bishop croaked hoarsely, pausing to clear his throat and blink up at her before letting his hind end finally flop back down to the earth. Snorting some dust from his nostrils, he lifted his head and shook it, then looked over at the stranger once more.

This she-wolf, he noted, had an unusual fur color- compared to his own, that is. He'd spotted a few wolves around here already with odd color combinations, but it still somewhat surprised him. It would take some getting used to, he supposed. What a strange land. "Heh- I'm really not sure." The male finally replied hesitantly, his gaze sweeping from her's, to the ground, then back again in a nervous fashion. His mind could think of a million other things to say, but his maw chose silence. He was just wandering the area, honestly, but for some reason his tongue simply wouldn't form the words.

"S-sorry about, uh, waking you. I'm a bit new around here. I don't want to cause trouble... I-I can leave if you want-" A raspy, awkward chuckle escaped Bishop's throat as he flattened his ears and held his head low in a respectful posture. This could be her territory for all he knew, though her non-authoritative tone may have already said otherwise.

[Stormy May]

Sigma listened to the wolf's frightened speech with interest. What in the world had made him so afraid? She let out one last yawn. "Nonsense," she said, trying to ease his fear. "I'd have slept the day away had you not come along. I'm Sigma. What's your name?" She'd hoped that getting past the formalities would help ease his fear and lessen the tense air around him.

This wolf intrigued her. He was so large, and fearsome-looking, yet he shied away from her, a being much smaller than himself. Surely something must've put that fear into him. Her eyes wandered to his flank, where two scars shined bright against his dark fur. Ah. She debated it for a moment, wondering if it was worth the trouble of asking, then decided against it. Instead, she moved her eyes back to his face, awaiting his answer.

[Deleted]

The wolf's ears swiveled forward at the female's words. Sigma was her name, apparently. A pretty name, that was fitting with her kindly demeanor. Okay, maybe there really was nothing to worry about around her- at least it seemed that way. If it was a facade, it was a well played one, and Bishop let himself relax a bit.

"Sigma?" He repeated, blinking at her before finally cracking a half smile. "My name is Bishop. It's nice to meet you." He introduced himself with a polite dip of his head and shifted a bit until he was back in a comfortable sitting position. It had been a good while since he'd had pleasant conversation. At last, he sat up straight, though his ears were quick to flick backwards to keep his naturally submissive expression. "So, uh, is this your pack's territory?" He wondered aloud, glancing left and right. She didn't act territorial, at least, or even smell like she palled around a pack, but he figured he might as well ask anyway. Better safe than sorry.

[Stormy May]

"Pack?" she asked, and gave him a small chuckle. "I'm afraid that I belong to no pack, and neither does the very earth we stand upon, so far as I am aware." Bishop, as he'd declared his name was, eased into a sitting position in front of her, and she followed suit, taking in her surroundings yet again. Bishop kept glancing in every direction, like he was ready to spring up and bolt at the slightest hint of danger. She wondered yet again why he was so fearful.

"Is it a pack that brings you here, or perhaps something else?" She asked him.

She wondered about him- was he born here or far from the mountain? What was his story? What was his future? Sigma often found herself wondering about these things, and how intriguing it was that every wolf had a story, no matter how small or grand. They each had a fond memory, a past, present, future, and fate. She wondered what this union was to bring, or if she and Bishop would ever lock eyes again in their lives. It was all so interesting and unpredictable... it was thrilling.

[Deleted]

Sigma's words confirmed Bishop's initial thought, and admittedly allowed him to huff a subtle sigh of relief. Packs were always such a bother when it came to strangers, he had learned. In response to the female's first statement, he simply nodded and let his posture become less tense.

The stranger intrigued him. She was kind and friendly, much unlike the loners and packs Bishop had happened upon in his travels. There was something about this place that was different from anywhere he'd ever been, and he liked it.


Sigma's question shattered his train of thought, and he blinked at her. "Oh- no, not really." He stammered, pausing to gather his thoughts. He really didn't know why he was here. Just wandering, so he thought. A pack, though, a pack really didn't sound too bad. He enjoyed time alone, and yet hated loneliness at the same time. "I'm just wandering." Was the answer he chose, following it with a brief, awkward chuckle.

Gaze shifting once more from the ground up to the she-wolf's eyes, he tipped his head slightly in curiosity. "So, you're alone, too? I don't meet many other wolves who are like me." Bish murmured with a huff, looking down again and letting his tail flick idly.

[Stormy May]

Her eyes flicked across the lively scene behind Bishop. "Most find a pack convenient," she explained. "To them, it's a new home, or a new family. Maybe for some it's just a place to rest for a while, or just trying to find a nice place to lay down and die. I can't seem to settle on any one place, I guess. My soul is meant to wander."

Sigma stood and shook the grass from her thick fur. She began pacing through the plants, taking in their overwhelming scent. "Why would I want to settle down? There's so many places to see, things to do, wolves to meet. If I belonged to a pack, I'd have never met you. Quite a funny thing, how simple decisions like that can completely change one's story."

[Deleted]

Bishop sat silently, finding his gaze to drift downwards occasionally as he did well to listen. She was certainly right about the pack concept- but at the same point, he couldn't quite understand why one would want to wander alone their whole life. Sigma's sudden pacing quickly shattered his train of thought and he returned his gaze over to her.

"Yeah, but, don't you get lonely spending so much time on the move?" Bish asked quietly. He knew he sure did, but he wasn't about to say so. "Plus it isn't always safe when you're on your own..." He added, throwing a cautious glance behind him. "I don't think packs are all that bad... having a real home and not having to worry about looking over your shoulder every three seconds... heh." He let out another sheepish chuckle, uncomfortably making small circles in the dirt with a forepaw as he spoke.

[Stormy May]

Sigma thought about it. He was right, in a sense. "Lonely?" she repeated. "I... I suppose, at least once in a while. Don't get me wrong, I love talking to others, but it can be a bit much, don't you think? Balance out the socialization and serenity. I'm perfectly happy."

Was she happy, or was she tricking herself into believing she was? She hadn't seen, much less talked to many other wolves since she left her home to travel. The solitude was seeming unbearable at times. But she couldn't stay still; it just wasn't in her nature.

"As for the danger," she chuckled a bit. "I'm small, strong, and quick. I think I can handle myself well. You seem like you could be quite a fighter, so what makes you so afraid?"

[Deleted]

((amg I am alive. Sorry 'bout that, things got busy /cri/))

The male's ears twitched at Sigma's words, and his gaze slid downwards in thought. "Yeah, that makes sense," Bishop admitted with a sheepish chuckle. Still, he held back from speaking what he fully thought. A pack was a romanticized idea in his mind. Having a home and constant security, plus the consistency of comfort. Why wouldn't someone want that?

The female seemed so sure of herself and confident; traits that Bishop surely lacked. Maybe that's why she was so content out here. Eventually, he resumed eye contact. "Oh- afraid? I'm not really afraid. I'm just- cautious. You can never be too sure of things... I just would rather not fight with anyone..." He murmured quietly, speaking with some hesitation in his voice. He hated conflict, honestly, and wasn't a good fighter anyway. He almost tends to act more like a deer, choosing flight over fight in most circumstances, and constantly getting backlash for his wimpy behavior. He always did well to keep his head down when the drama and sparks flew. Why, though, he didn't really have an answer to.

[Stormy May]

Sigma looked on to Bishop with interest. He indeed was the pear on the apple tree, and it wasn't such a bad thing. Having insane-minded violence-ridden wolves every time you turned around would certainly make you mad yourself. That was their difference, however- she was a nomadic traveller, destined to wander the lands alone but always searching for company, and he was in search of a safe place full of life, but wary of interacting with others. It was a splendid conundrum with a sad reality.

"There's nothing wrong with peace. If a pack is what you are looking for, I hear there are many across the valley. Surely you can find one that suits your taste?"

She found herself settling back onto the warm rock where she had first been aroused from her sleep. Some of the sea had fled, and the sun had already begun its slow descent.