Like a Deer (Tagged)

[Calypso]

@shiver
Kiara;

Spring had taken over the valley. A mix of snow, rain, storms, sunshine, floods, and blizzards. Nearly all know of the dangers that spring brings when it pertains to weather. Each day is unpredictable and all must keep an eye out for any signs of weather-related dangers. In the case of one particular plot of land, one of the small territories of the valley, snow and ice were more dangerous and tended to be more common.

But that didn't mean that any who came to that territory couldn't have some fun. On the edge of the land, covered in the long grass that the territory was named for, as well as bits of snow and ice, was generally peaceful at the moment. All except for one little figure that would pop up out of the grass, and then descend back down into it. This occurred multiple times, each time producing what sounded like a playful giggle from within the grass. The small figure, white and light rust in color, appeared to be a little canine, one that was very scrawny and didn't have much meat on its bones. But regardless, the little creature seemed to be enjoying itself.

The wolf pup, a young she-wolf of less than a year, pranced through the long grass of the border like a young fawn, unaware that she was even on a territory. Each time she would jump and appear above the grass, her multi-colored eyes were open and scanning for anything of interest. She felt no need to constantly be on alert of her surroundings, which was not the best of ideas considering not all wolves of the valley were good like she was. But in her mind, who would ever want to attack a pup? Such a naïve thought.

As she sprung up through the grasses, her paws landing on the ground and only staying there for a moment before they pushed her up again, she paid nearly no attention to where exactly she was going or her surroundings. Eventually little Kiara misjudged the flatness of the land. Her paw went down farther than the rest, for she had reached the side of a hill. Her balance was lost and her legs fell from under her. The little pup stumbled down the hill with grunts and whimpers, the world seeming to spin around her. As she neared the bottom of the hill, she hit a tiny incline and she felt herself flail through the air for just a second before she collided with another creature. She fell to the ground with a thud, and for a moment she was going to giggle at the ridiculous fall, but she focused on whatever it was she had run into.

(I hope that's a good start >.< Might as well just throw her into him...literally.)

[Deleted]

Valor was heading home. After the strange encounter with Daisy in the Forest of Love, the steadfast runt decided that wandering had brought him nothing but weariness and loss of innocence. Maturity gained, the pastel green dwarf had set the course for the meadows of Eternal Snowfall. After being so disconnected the young wolf was worriedly curious about the happenings of his home pack. Unlike the newest, most robust packs Secluded Sunrise And Midnight Silence, Valor hadn’t heard much concerning Eternal Snowfall. Even it’s evil counterpart Frigid Plague still had a reputation as a mysterious and strong force with a strong leader. To be frank, Eternal Snowfall was dying. Always the optimist, Valor hoped that he could discover the source of Eternal Snowfalls decline and build the pack up to once more be a key player in the valley power economy.

The small male was making a good pace along the outskirts of the Long Grass Territory When with a startled lip and thrashing branches a smaller wolf came hurdling down the slope and into his side. With a surprised grunt he rolled uncontrollably with the stranger tangled in his legs. Heads spinning, the mess of fur came to a halt at the base of a ravine. Nauseous and on edge he stumbled to his feet, lavender eyes wide, fur bristling.

A pup, albeit not a very young pup, was before him. She was a cream and russet color, her fur dusted in dirt and debris from their descent. She probably didn’t mean to have bowled him over, but he tried not to assume anything, it was simply rude. He’d let her explain and then he could judge according to her response.

”Ah-er....hey,” He spoke before clearing his throat awkwardly. Since he was only a few inches larger than her, he didn’t know quite how to address her. An equal? Or as an adult addressing a child?

[Calypso]

Kiara;

At first she wasn't quite sure what she had run into. Her eyes looked up from her sprawled out position on the ground and she saw what looked like a wolf, but it was small. Very small. Not a lot much bigger than herself, really. But it looked like an adult? She tilted her head in clear confusion at the smallness of the wolf. Was he a pup like her? Maybe he would want to play with her!

She rolled herself over, pushing herself up and standing in front of the male. Her multi-colored eyes scanned over him for a moment, just taking in what he looked like. Light green fur, a white stripe and spots going down his side, light purple eyes, and abnormally small. Somehow, his pelt confused her, though perhaps that was just because her own family didn't have any of these odd-colored pelts. Their furs were of natural wolf colors, just not regular patterns. But this male had the odd green color, patterns, and was small. For a moment she just stared at him, wide-eyed, full of curiosity, and her head titled to the side, causing her ears to sort of flop off to one side. After that moment was over, a large smile appeared over the little female's face.

"Hello!" she barked happily, prancing once or twice over to him, but not bowling him over as she had before. She stopped right next to him, looking slightly upwards at him. "I didn't mean to hit you! I was just having fun, " she giggled, trying to extend her neck to make herself as tall as him. She found that slightly pushing her front paws up off the ground and just barely getting balance on her back ones allowed her to get eye-level with the male. Her nose was nearly touching his and her large blue and green eyes were locked onto his own. "Why are you almost as small as me? Are you a pup too? Do you want to play with me?!"

(In case you can't tell, she is very open, blunt, and doesn't care about personal space lol quirky pups are fun to play as)

[Deleted]

Valor was rather taken aback by the pups quick and complete recovery. One moment she was splayed, spread eagled across the crunchy forest floor. The next moment she had spring to her paws, shaken out her ruffled fur with a smile on her face. Blink and you miss it. While she was very cheery, she was not an oblivious ditz. He could clearly see the gears turning through her wildly flicking eyes as she appraised him. After doing so she pranced up to him and lifted herself the few inches up to his level, uncomfortably close to his face.

”Ah, well that’s good,” He chuckled awkwardly. He didn’t know what to say. He was on a mission so he didn’t really have time to play, but she seemed to be alone. Should he tell her he was an adult and not a pup or would that simply confuse her. Power, sometimes it confused him. ”I’m actually a year old...” He was about one and a half...nearly two. ”I’m just small...and actually I’m
Heading home...do...do you have a home?” He looked around, not seeing it smelling any other wolves nearby.

[Calypso]

Kiara;

The small wolf seemed slightly uncomfortable, but she didn't really notice or, if she did notice, didn't care. She still had a smile spread across her face, one that hadn't left through all of this. She did hear his first two comments, but didn't really think much of them. She just slightly lost balance on her back legs and stumbled a little. She now stood regularly on all four legs, but still was looking up at him. Then she heard his question about whether she had a home.

"Yeah! I live in an old hollow tree stump! There's an old wolf that takes care of me! I haven't seen him in a long time, though. He told me he was going hunting and didn't come back, so I went out to look for him. I found him next to a river not too long ago and he had his head in the water, but he wasn't moving, so I decided to let him sleep! I know he needed some rest." She giggled, jumping back away from him playfully. "So I came here to play!"

When she jumped back, she had leaned the front half of her body downwards, her rear lifted in the air and her tail wagging above her, her tongue lolled out. Her face looked excited and playful, but she didn't necessarily look all that healthy. When she bent down, her ribs lightly poked out from her sides and her legs were quite thin. It didn't seem to really affect her much, though, mentally at least.

[Deleted]

Valor listened to the young pup, lavender eyes growing ever wider as her nonchalant story developed. The poor, innocent, naive child didn’t know that her dear caretaker was dead. A sudden swelling in his chest took over the pistachio green make’s heart, telling him fiercely to take care of this pup. Putting on a smile, Valor moved closer to the little wolf.

”I think he knows how grown up you are, and wanted you to have your own adventures!” He chirped, hoping he could persuade her to move on. ”I’m Valor by the way. What’s your name?” The dwarfed male prompted, his mind whirling and spinning as he thought of what to do for this abandoned child. Her parents were gone, her caretaker dead...and yet she was so chipper and alive. He admired her hopefulness. Of course it was only a product of naivety...

Valor hoped that he could take her with him back home...maybe Shiver and Piala could help her out better than he could.

[Calypso]

Kiara;
The little wolf's ears perked as he said what he did. The old wolf thought she was grown up enough to have her own adventures? He had never told her that before. But if what this wolf said was true, then he wouldn't mind the fact that she was exploring! That brought a smile to her face knowing that her caretaker did want her to explore rather than wait at the tree stump for him.

The small wolf then introduced himself as Valor and asked what her name was. "I'm Kiara!" she said with a giggle and a wag of her tail. She looked up at the male, even though he wasn't too much taller than she was. She then thought about something. "Are you on an adventure to?" She tilted her head slightly, large multi-colored eyes full of curiosity. If he really was out here on an adventure, maybe they could adventure together! She wasn't sure whether she should say that or not, especially if he said he wasn't on one, though. She still remained hopeful.

[Deleted]

A pang of sadness and guilt throbbed below his collarbone, an ache for this pup and the necessary lies he was feeding her. Necessary? When did lies become acceptable to him? He had always valued truth and honesty, but he would lie to spare this Kiara tears. He vowed to tell her soon enough. ”A lovely name for an explorer like you!” He complimented the excitable creature. She certainly had energy...

Was he on an adventure? ”Of sorts,” He answered, shuffling his paws in the dirt and debris. He was heading home after a lonely jaunt around the valley. He had been searching for ways to help those wolves with no home...but now he realized his homeland heedvthe most healing. Eternal Snowfall, the most ancient pack in the valley, no mortal wolf remembered its founding, it was as if it had always existed. But now it was growing old with its frail Alphess Piala. Valor knew that in order to keep the snow falling they must strengthen what Eternal Snowfall stood for. Strengthen the ranks. ”I’m actually heading home, would you like to accompany me?” He offered the branch of friendship to the pup. If she would come with him he would find some wolf to properly take care of her.

[Calypso]

Kiara;

His compliment to her name brought out a toothy smile and another tail wag. The small white and chestnut brown pup heard what he said about going back to his home and she seemed confused for a moment. She looked around them, almost as if she was looking for something, before her gaze turned back to him. "Where is your home?"

Almost as if her question had answered his, she turned and started walking in the direction that she thought she had seen him walking in when she ran into him. She had thought about it for a short amount of time, but in that time she had considered a few things. There wasn't any reason that she shouldn't trust him, right? What about her going with him? Would the old wolf really not mind? Then again, he wanted her to explore. He thought that she was grown up. That's what Valor said, so it had to be true! She glanced back at the male, wondering where it was they were going.

(When we make a new thread of them getting to Eternal Snowfall, what season would it be, since on the site it's Winter and this was made in Spring?)

[Deleted]

(I would keep in in spring for the sake of the plot and timeline, I’m going to have Valor Exit for now, I’ll start a thread at the border with Tiago)

Valor banished the feelings of guilt from his mind and heart, banishing them away. They were not useful in this situation. He was doing the right thing. When did doing the right thing become difficult? ”My home isn’t too far from here...” He shook out his pistachio fur once more, freeing himself from the remaining dust and debris, setting his wagging tail to a steady, friendly rhythm. ”If we start now we should make it by nightfall.”

Valor liked this little spark Kiara. Her optimism and passion for adventure was truly a breath of fresh air compared to the other wolves he had met on his trek. She made him feel young, but yet still adult. He felt...needed. The small wolf padded further into the brush, tossing his head over his shoulder with an encouraging smile. ”You coming Kiara?” He chuckled. He was going home, and unlike when he left, he wasn’t alone.

-exit Valor-