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Thank you for starting, and no worries on the wait. ^__^ wc:519
Dresden was thankful for the bout of sunshine the day seemed to be bringing. It provided a welcome warmth that the lone canine knew would become more and more scarce as the autumn days dragged on. He was determined to enjoy the calm, warm weather while he could, adopting a leisurely pace as he traveled. His feet and Stanger’s hooves had taken him all across the lands, in any direction that seemed to strike him as he set out each day. Today was much the same, save for the subdued steps that allowed him to take in the sights of the strange land. The warrior traveled silently beside his stallion, Stranger, reins lightly gripped to lead the horse along. The soft crunch of leaves beneath their feet was yet another reminder that autumn was slipping into full swing, a signal to the man that he would have to find a suitable area to hunker down in for the approaching winter. His ceaseless wandering would do him little good when the snows finally came.
As the male continued his relaxing saunter through the woods, he eventually came upon the scent of another canine. It was a fresh scent, and Dresden’s curiosity seemed to awaken. The warrior seldom had had the opportunity to run into anyone native to this area, but he was not averse to dropping by for a quick chat. Perhaps this individual could tell Dresden a little about this region and what he should expect come the change in seasons. With this in mind, he quickened his steps and followed the path the scent laid before him.
He was led to a small clearing within the trees, browning grass and falling leaves decorating the area before him. There were two figures occupying the clearing, one a pale mare lingering at the clearing’s edge. Stranger seemed intrigued at the sight of the other equine, lifting his head and exhaling a light sigh. Dresden tugged gently at his reins, eying the dark bay horse. “You behave yourself now,” he whispered to the stallion. Icy blue eyes turned then to the figure at the center of the clearing as he came to a halt a few paces past the tree-line. It was a young girl, dappled in color with various browns and creams with bright blue eyes focused intently upon the book before her. What was even more interesting was the bow lying across her lap. It seemed new, showing little signs of wear. Dresden scanned the area briefly, but saw no trace of arrows anywhere.
The male raised an eyebrow at that. What was she expecting to do with a bow and no arrows? The male’s own bow was slung across one shoulder, worn down and nicked from frequent use. It rested against his quiver filled with hand-made arrows, many of which he’d had to craft on his lengthy journey. He hesitated for a moment, wondering if he should leave her be, but he hadn’t come out here to slip away without a word. “Hey there, little lady,” he greeted, summoning up a smile that seldom graced his lips anymore.