Exploring (Open to all)

[Fierfly]

  Fierfly kept her ears swiveling back and forth, searching for a sign of anything. A fresh, chilly, spring breeze swept up her back, urging her on into the New Land.
  New Land, she had to think of a better name to call her new home-perhaps it already had a name...well, it was new to her, and therefore New Land was appropriate.
  She paused in her slow lope and lifted her nose, searching for the faintly familiar scent of other wolves. Nothing. The wind was at her back, and she was heading into the New Land, if anything, the other wolves would scent her first. She began trotting again, keeping her senses alert for any sign of shelter, food, or potential friends or enemies. She paused again and stared at the towering peak. What was it about the mystery of the old Mountain that drew her to it? She had seen it nearly every day of her life since she was born, and it had always fascinated her. Some deep magic about the mount pulled her to it, onto a new life.
  She paused again, hesitated, and threw back her head and let up a strong, calling howl, asking for any other wolves in the area. Suddenly regretting having given herself away, but eager to learn about the peak that called to her, she alerted her ears again, waiting for an answer.

[Rykett]

Azi:

The warm weather brought flowers blooming through most of the valley. Clouds drifted lazily across the sky as songbird tweeted their delight to the world. 'What a lovely Spring day' many would say. Not Azi though. She picked her feet up high as she padded carefully through the Barrens. Mud, dirt, dust, and pollen were abundant in this season. Those were four filthy substances that Azi absolutely loathed.

Mud squelched so disgustingly under her paws. Dirt and dust were an absolute chore to clean from her fur. Finally pollen... oh pollen. It stuffed up her nose and made the air harder to breath. Spring was definitely one of Azi's least favorite times of year.

A howl rung through the warm air. Azi, who was currently combing through her fur with her teeth, raised her head in response to the call. She rose graceful from her sitting position, considering whether to pay the wolf a visit. No doubt whoever it was, they would adore her beauty. Azi figured gracing the wolf with her presence would be no trouble.

[Fierfly]

Fierfly:

Fierfly brought her ears again to alert as the gentle sound of light, quick paws drummed the earth. Another wolf was coming. Again she scolded herself for making herself known to possible enemies with her howl. Her first instinct was to hide, but the low brush with the violet flowers would do little to hide her flame-colored pelt. She weighed her options. It could be an enemy, cross with her for invading their territory, though she hadn't sensed any markings for a border. Or maybe someone just wanted to cause trouble or-

Or...perhaps this was her chance to learn about the New Land. To learn why the peak called to her the way it did. She hesitated, and then shook herself over and forced herself to walk on slowly towards the quick tripping sound of high trot. Head and tail down, ears low, eyes averted and submissive, she finally came to a stop on a small ridge, waiting for the acquaintance that would either save her, or kill her.

[Rykett]

Azi:

A wolf appeared on a ridge above Azi as her graceful pawsteps heralded the creamy tan she-wolf's arrival. It been a while since Azi had interacted with other wolves, so she missed the way that they gaped at her beauty. She stood erect as she called a greeting, "Hello!" The small word held no aggression, but instead the tone was friendly yet expecting. Azi didn't approach the submissive female. She just waited for the wolf to advance and send her adorations of Azi's amazing appearance to the long elvish ears that flicked forward in anticipation above Azi's head.

Through nature often warred against Azi to coat her fur with filth, the she-wolf fought back to rid her pelt of it. She often succeeded by vigilance in remaining groomed and clean. Now was just as it was always, with Azi's coat glossy and smooth. It appeared free from noticeable dust and dirt.

[Fierfly]

Fierfly:

The young she-wolf gaped at the new arrival. She had seen coyotes and foxes, but the only other wolves she'd interacted with had been her own parents. She'd always considered them good wolves, and as all wolf cubs did - she'd thought her parents were some of the bravest, most beautiful and handsome wolves in the world - though she had no other associates to compare them to, now she did. The creamy tan fairly glowed in the sun, accented with the purple and violet of the she-wolf's tail and ears and the sprays scattered throughout her coat. She held her head high, but her tone was friendly and her expression eager, as though she too were glad to have found another wolf to talk to.

Encouraged by the vixen wolf's friendly demeanor, Fierfly pricked her ears forward and worked her way over to the new arrival. "Hello," she whispered, still keeping her head lower than the new-comers, to assure her that she had no intentions of claiming higher authority or demanding submission. She considered her options for a moment, then decided all she could do was trust that the she-wolf was friendly and could help her. "My name is Fierfly, what's yours?"

[Rykett]

Azi:

There it was. There was the expression of utter and complete awe in response to Azi's beauty. She smiled at the admiration in the other she-wolf's stare. Azi returned the female's gaze. Her lavender eyes met the sparkling blue gems watching Azi.
Fierfly, as the wolf called herself, seemed a gentle wolf. Her whispered greeting spoke not only 'hello' but also of the other she-wolf's personality. It did not surprise Azi that Fierfly was shy in the presence of one so glorious and magnificent as Azi.

In response to the brown she-wolf question, Azi's words sung through the air, "The name's Azi, darling." The lilting tones of Azi's voice prolonged the word 'darling' as was Azi's way of speech. 'Darling' was her favorite nickname for other wolves and Azi didn't hesitate to use it on Fierfly. The tan female studied the other she-wolf. She immediately noticed the state of Fierfly's pelt. Azi let out a breathy gasp. "When was the last time you groomed yourself?" her melodic voice asked in dismay, "Such a lovely pelt as yours deserves some pampering, though it still couldn't measure up to mine."

[Fierfly]

Fierfly:

"Azi, what a pretty name," Fierfly mused to herself. She liked the female immediately, or she thought she did; Azi seemed a capable wolf, friendly and forward and down to business, and she was sure Azi liked her too, that is if the "darling" thing had any significance.

Relief and hope flooded Fierfly's chest. Azi was, or could be a friend. Friends meant safety, someone to teach her about the New Land and why the Great Mountain called to her the way it did. She wagged her tail lightly, eager to learn all Azi knew about the territory.

She stopped, puzzled at what Azi said next and looked over her shoulder at her pelt. True, it was a bit dusty, several soot stains from the forest-fire she'd escaped from remained, defacing her flame-colored pattern down her back. But what did she care? She was not a vain wolf and it did not hinder her progress and it even helped hide her bright coat for a bit of camouflage, although with her coloring, camouflage was next to impossible and at most would deflect the eye for a half a second if at all. Now if her paws were covered and clumped in heavy, spring mud, that would require attention, she needed her paws and claws free to feel and sense and cling to the earth, but a bit of dust never hurt anything.

The last words sank in and Fierfly dipped her head, feeling bashful and thinking. She was flattered that Azi thought her pelt was pretty enough to waste time on pampering it, but she was slightly caught off-guard that she stopped to express her own magnificence over Fierfly's. Her guard coming back up, although still wanting to trust and be friends with Azi, she shrugged and lightly, carelessly ran her tongue over her fore-right paw. "Oh, it's no big deal, a little dirt and soot never hurt anything."

[Rykett]

Azi:

”A little dirt and soot never hurt…?” Azi echoed in horror, “Darling, dirt and soot are the very essence of filth. Would you say that mud coating your pelt is nothing? Your scent is stronger as it mixes with filth. Dirt and soot doesn’t camouflage you as well as many wolves believe. Besides, what male would fall for a female that’s so ragged, dirty, grimy, disheveled, muddy, unkempt, and grungy as one that’s covered in filth. You need to clean yourself!”

As Azi passionately explained the importance of remaining spotless, her eyes were fixed on Fierfly’s. After her lecture, her gaze wandered to the surrounding landscape. The searching lavender eyes found and focused on a narrow, nearly nonexistent stream trickling through the barrens. ”Follow me, there’s a stream over there that we can use.” Azi took a step towards the water then she remembered that she never needed to walk again. She had a power!

Azi focused her energy as her eyes fixed on the location that she wished to teleport to. She took a couple deep breaths as she felt the power welling within her. A buzzing feeling filled her chest and spread to the rest of her. She felt like she was vibrating with energy though no sign of her internal gathering of power showed until her power mark glowed. The white light suddenly flashed with a soft pop. When the light died, Azi no longer stood beside Fierfly. She called from beside the creek, ”Hurry up, darling. I’m not going to wait all day!”

[Deleted]

Eclipse padded along, making flowers grow. He picked up a nice poppy and carried it along. He picked the flowers that he found pretty. Eventually he had a bouquet of pretty flowers. Eclipse found a stream, and used it's water to cool his sore paws. He lapped some water, and used the water to water his flowers. Eclipse was just about to leave, when he saw two females. He froze, and wondered if they had noticed him yet. He set down his flowers, and carefully used his wet paw to clean some dust from his face. One female seemed a little dirty, but Eclipse thought she looked good. She also had a fire like stripe. He picked up the flowers and walked over. "Um, hello? I'm Eclipse, who may you two be?"

[Fierfly]

Fierfly:

The she-wolf could only stand there and gape after Azi finished her lecture. Her muzzle had glowed and then...and then...she didn't even know what had happened. Azi's scent soon came back to her from the direction of the stream she'd pointed out. Head still spinning at the idea that Azi had - she still didn't know what - Fierfly sent her paws spinning. It felt good to run, her long, light legs flexed and pumped as they propelled her toward the stream. This, she knew, she was a runner, it was in her blood, but what Azi had done...Just what on Earth had she done???

Fierfly made it to the stream and hesitated. She needed camouflage, she'd always been taught that the earth was the best camouflage of all, but perhaps Azi was right. If the scent of smoke only emphasized her presence, then it would be best to wash it off. She dipped her head and lapped some of the water before plunging her muzzle in, maw open and reaching back to comb through her pelt over her shoulder. She didn't care for pampering, it had always seemed to her a waste of time. The water tickled her skin beneath her fur and she had to admit that it felt good, but Azi's speech about war against constant filth seemed to her futile. If you live among dirt, you had better get used to it. But Azi was older, and seemed to live here at the Mountain, maybe cleanliness was required, some symbol of respect or rank, or maybe just politeness. Whatever the case, she wasn't about to disregard any advice that would help her in this new place.

She mulled over Azi's speech again, and almost chocked when the last part repeated itself in her mind. Males? She suddenly felt skittish and afraid. Was a pack nearby? Had she crossed over onto a territory? Was Azi bringing her into a pack to be introduced to males? She hoped not. Her trust for Azi was quickly becoming critical, was it even safe here at the Mountain? Had the fantasies of a foolish pup brought her into a danger she couldn't hope to fight or understand? She didn't know.

Fierfly forced herself to remain calm. She didn't know anything yet, and she never would know anything if she ran from every wolf she met. She decided to stay with Azi, for now at least. Until she found out what had caused her to run without being seen to the stream. She raised her head to look at Azi and was both startled and intrigued to see a perfectly shaped paw-print on Azi's chin. A birthmark? She was about to ask when another voice reached her ears. A deeper, male voice.

Fierfly felt her muscles clamp and coil, ready to spring and send her running at the first sign of danger or hostility. She was a stranger here, and already she'd met two wolves. In this strange place, you had to keep clean for reasons she didn't understand. Azi could move more quickly than she could. Eclipse as he called himself (another handsome name) had come without warning since he was upwind. She didn't understand this new world. She just didn't understand.

[Rykett]

Azi:

Azi couldn’t help but smile at Fierfly’s astonished expression. It felt good to have another thing that made Azi better than all others. This wolf had obviously no knowledge of this valley. What pup born and raised here had not heard of the powers? Fierfly must be new. Azi decided it would be her responsibility to play mentor to this newcomer. She would enjoy bossing the tan and fiery red wolf around as she introduced the wonders of this land. Of course, Azi could present the information as if she had a part in deciding the beauty of the valley.

”Now, don’t you dare drown yourself, darling!” Azi snapped as Fierfly spluttered under the water, ”If you did drown, you wouldn’t have a chance to learn anything that I, Azi the magnificent scholar, have to teach you! Now that you’re wet you should scrub your fur. Like this,” Azi proceeded to dip her paw in the water to clean it then massage Fierfly’s tan fur with a practiced, wet paw. ”If you’re going to clean yourself, you better do it right!” Azi said imperiously.

The voice of the male made Azi jump as Fierfly tense. She swiveled to face the male and instantly relaxed. She gasped dramatically. ”Oh, I had no idea that wolves so handsome existed,” Azi said flirtatiously, ”My name’s Azi, but you can call me your angel.”

[Deleted]

(Rykett , Rykett...)
Eclipse backed up, his two different eyes both glanced over at the firey one. He looked at Azi as she said he could call her 'your angle'. He shied away from her, to the other female. "Um, hi?" he said softly. He looked at Azi, and and flicked his tail. "Um, I'm good with calling you Azi." he said quietly. Eclipse put his flowers down in front of them both. "Um, if you would like, I could accompany you." he said. He said, his tail tucked slightly. He lowered his head and nudged the bunch of flowers forwards. Then he grew a rose that mimicked Firefly's coat, and one that mimicked Azi's. He gave one to each respective female. He tried to hide the black side of his face, he looked like two different wolves had been mashed together. A black and a white wolf, and where they met, a gray line had formed.  

[Fierfly]

Fierfly:

The young she-wolf felt her ears jerk and twitch backward into a more aggressive position. She may have been a stranger, but she knew how to groom herself, she'd been grooming herself since she was only 3 seasons old! She suddenly felt her ears relax and return to where they had been, Azi was only trying to help. She was taking her under her wing, she was going to teach her about the Mountain! She was just trying to instruct her correctly, just trying to be motherly, and Fierfly decided that she could accept that.

She hesitantly let her flame-blue eyes look up at Eclipse. She froze and gaped at him in awe, his eyes were different colors! She'd never seen anything so fascinating! Except perhaps Azi's strange magic that got her to the stream first. She cringed slightly as he shied more towards her, but continued to study him. She wasn't sure she would call him handsome - although she had to admit his eyes captivated her - but she did think him shy, not unlike herself, and kind at the very least, that was what really mattered.

Her eyes grew wide at the modest, but lovely bouquet. She hadn't noticed that much plant life around, some modest brush certainly, but nothing so gr-
She leaped to her feet, water still dripping from her muzzle and she stared, eyes so big you could see the whites of them. Roses were growing right in front of her! No plant grew that fast she was sure, and certainly not in this forsaken place. She looked from Azi to Eclipse, Eclipse didn't seem the least surprised and even like he was concentrating. Was he making them grow? Surely not-
One beautifully matched her coat in the fiery reds and golds and fading into brown near the bud. As Eclipse offered it to her she could only stare. It was certainly rude of her but she couldn't help it. Azi could flit to a place on her own will and so quickly that she could not be seen, Eclipse controlled plants and somehow caused them to grow and in the strangest, most interesting ways. He -what was the word?- manipulated flora. What was this magic that they had? Her eyes darted up the Mountain and felt its magic tug at her again. This land was full of magic.

Feeling overwhelmed she looked back to Azi. For all she cared, Azi was her Alpha, or at least ranked higher than she did, she was both older and more experienced and certainly she would insist that Eclipse join them. Fierfly was fine with that, all she wanted was answers. No, not true, she was terribly overwhelmed. She could feel her head spinning and her legs trembling. She shyly accepted the rose and eased herself back down to the stream to groom to let the older wolves talk their plans out. She'd thrown herself into this strange world, and she would stick it out...just not right now.

Overwhelmed she ran her tongue over her right-fore-paw and let her washing go at that. She was sure Azi would get after her later, but at the moment she didn't care. Worn out, afraid and confused, but also excited beneath her turmoil. She laid her head down and felt her clamped muscles relax as she almost fell into a doze to escape the whirlwinds around her.

[Rykett]

Azi:

Azi's lower lip stuck out in a pout at Eclipse's dismissive response to her flirt. 'Well, you are playing hard-to-get, aren't you?' She thought as the male placed the bouquet that he carried down. At his next words, Azi's disappointed frown immediately morphed back into a flirtatious smile, "Now, of course, you can join us! Why wouldn't we want such a noble, dapper male such as yourself to keep us company?! There should definitely be enough time for the two of us to get to know each better." Her light purple eyes followed Eclipse's movement. As he pushed the bunch of flowers towards them, Azi's creamy paw gracefully scooped up the bouquet.

Admiring the flowers, the female's melodic voice floated through the air, "I suppose you possess Botany? Such beautiful flowers could only be grown by a masterful artist of the Power." Eclipse's multi-colored eyes were focused on the dirt at his paws. Two green buds pushed out of the reddish brown dirt. They weaved upwards in a manner that seemed slow to Azi, yet was unimaginably fast for a plant's growth. The sunlight accented the light green of the stem and outlined the soft color in a bright yellow. The stems seemed to harden into a dark green as brown thorns emerged from the trunk of the flower. The flowers opened. The roses seemed to rotate as petal after petal grew into being. They completed their growth as Azi spoke, "I take that as a 'Yes.'"

The rose that grew to copy the color palette of Azi's coat pushed into the sky. The base color was white like Azi's underbelly. The edges were a lavender while deeper violet streaks ran along the petals. The creamy tan colored the center and the base. Azi accepted the rose with a smile. She held it gently between sparkling white teeth. Then she inserted it into the center of the bouquet that she held against her fluffy white chest with a paw. "Well, you are a charmer, aren't you, darling?" She said with a dazzling grin that displayed her long fangs.

Fierfly had stumbled away, overcome with the new reality that was quickly becoming apparent. Azi glanced over at the young she-wolf as she rested by the stream. Azi could not quite understand why Fierfly was reacting the way she was. Surely after Azi's teleportation to the stream, the presence of the Power was obvious. Azi, as one who'd spent her whole life within the valley, never gave one thought towards how strange their powers would seem to other wolves. She just didn't comprehend how Fierfly was so shocked. The creamy tan she-wolf shifted towards the younger female. Was she sleeping? Azi shook her head slightly loftily and spoke with some disdain, "Darling, I don't believe that you want to be dozing off at the moment. It's the middle of the day and you can't learn anything while you're asleep!"

[Deleted]

(Rykett)
Eclipse blushed under his fur. "I.. I'm still learning." he stuttered, tripping over his own words. Dose she have to smile like that? It's making me crazy.. he thought, but smiled when they said they wouldn't mind. "Thank you both." he said, gold-blue eyes sparkling. He wandered over to the water, and used his paw to wipe his face clean. The white side of his face was rugged, elegent, and more of a prince charming look. The black side was more ruggedly handsome, the dark blue eye glittering a deep blue, much in contrast to it's golden brother. The grey line was more like a thin strand, and didn't impress. He grew some grass at his paws, bright green and lush looking. Some moss popped up, and he tore it up. It was soft, springy, and looked absorbent. He covered his paw and put it in the water, it came out sopping wet, but it was great to clean one's fur with. Moss uses: Cleaning he thought, deciding to make lists of plant uses.