SSWM Word Count → 514 :: A wild Vesper appears! Anyone is welcome to respond to this. I don't mind any nastiness and "omfg coyote" at all; a hint of conflict might be fun, even if Ves is not here to cause trouble. :3
The slender coywolf sped through the forest, small paws falling softly on a carpet of fallen snow, leaves, and conifer needles. She skirted the deadfall and dodged a lump of snow dropped by a pine bough unable to hold the weight. The air was crisp with the late January winter, and she was feeling energized after a long night’s rest in a den she had all but forgotten in the rock. It was one she had made use of when first crossing the mountain range, during a summer so recent but one that felt like many years ago.
She paused and took a moment to stretch, lest she get a cramp in one of her old wounds. She had a myriad of scars for her age, and while she preferred not to acknowledge the fact, they had their toll on her after a while, especially after her long run to reach her destination. Just on the northern tip of the range lay the gathering of wolves that she had been sent to investigate—and that she had wanted to come see for herself, a motive that was perhaps stronger than the new rank driving her actions.
The rumors that she had heard about this pack were vague, and as far as she knew none of her own comrades had actively come to check it out. They seemed to keep to themselves, which was something that the coyotes could relate to, but for the sake of the naturally wary Aquila and the rest of her clan, let alone to satisfy her own burning curiosity, Vesper wanted to know more.
She loped along again, pausing only once at a stream that assumedly branched off from the larger Pictou River. Water bubbled underneath a frozen barrier, causing her to wrinkle her nose impatiently. Her claws skritched against the thin layer of ice before she struck it with both forepaws; immediately the cold water soaked her legs and caused her to yelp. She drew back quickly, shaking each limb at a time, then with a glance at her surroundings, she smirked. She dipped her nose to lap at the chilly, refreshing water then lifted her head again, droplets glistening on her whiskers.
And then the Optio set off on the last stretch, soon climbing over the final snow bank between her and the foreign territory. Her lean patchwork body slithered down the opposite side of the pile, and she landed lightly on all fours outside the strongly-scented borders. There was something oddly familiar about the dominant smell, but it was interlocked with enough others to give the presence of a whole family rather than just its head. Curious, she sniffed again then gazed beyond into the lands. It was a far cry from Inferni, that was for sure, and something else certain was that her dormant wolf blood wanted to sing to this place.
Giving her head a shake, Vesper paced once along that small section of border then seated herself a safe distance from it, tipping her head back and letting a cry burst from her throat.
<style type="text/css">
.vestper b {font-weight:bold; color:#697d87; letter-spacing:1px; text-shadow:#bab1b5 1px 1px 2px;}
.vestper p.ooc {font-size: 11px; text-align:left; padding:0px 30px;}
.vestper p.ooc + p {padding:0px 5px;}
.vestper .wc {text-transform: uppercase; font-weight:bold; color:#697d87; text-shadow:#bab1b5 1px 1px 2px;}
.vestper p {text-indent:25px; padding:5px 20px; margin:0px;}
.vestper {width:500px; margin:0 auto; background-color:#b9c0c2; background-image:url(http://i.imgur.com/hZRG5.png); background-position:top center; background-repeat:no-repeat; border:1px solid #000000; padding:370px 0px 4px 0px; font-family: georgia, sans-serif; font-size:12px; color:#6e7073; line-height:16px; letter-spacing:.5px; text-align:justify;}
</style>
[/html]