07-14-2012, 01:10 AM
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It was early morning. Dew sprinkled itself upon the foliage. Fog still caressed the hillsides, and the sun caused the water-dropped landscape to glisten quite beautifully. The black and white wolf-dog puppy emerged from her den, a rocky cavern embedded in the side of a valley. Her companion, the mighty bear Mato, snored soundly in the back of the cave. Alastar's maw opened wide, and a small squeak accompanied the yawn that escaped her jaw. Her day was beginning.
The yawn, naturally followed by a stretch of both sets of legs and her back, signaled the start of her day. Mato would not awaken until much later. He enjoyed spending the night catching fish still, and probably did not return to the den until well after midnight. Alastar, however, was snuggled into a ball of fluff in her corner promptly at sundown, a habit she had formed since Mato took her in. When she was traveling alone, the little pup traveled at night, so a larger predator would not surprise her. So instead of crashing at dusk, she promptly found a bush or rock to sleep on until the sun sank beneath the horizon, giving cover of night to travel by yet again.
The opposite sleeping pattern took over when Mato, who happened to be semi-diurnal with his sleep schedule, adopted Alastar as his inner species little sister. It did not take long for the pup to become accustomed to being active during the day again; in fact, she found it rather easy, and smiled largely to herself as she pranced down the valley, following the streams and branches that led to the sea. Mato had only taken her to the salty body of water a couple of times, but today Alastar was bent on seeing it herself, and trying her paw at tackling some salt water fish. Fresh water was great and all, but there was just something about that salt that she loved, and most of the time when Mato promised a tasty salty dinner, it didn't quite make it back to the den.
Alastar trampled playfully through the water, giggling as it soaked her fur. It made her look like quite the mess, but it did not deter her spirits. Scents of the morning bombarded her eager nose. There was a certain aroma of fog that Alastar adored, but she could not describe it to another were she asked. Mato's musty, piney...odor still wafted around Alastar herself, which gave her confidence. She felt that as long as she smelled of Black Bear no larger predator would dare defy her.
Then there were the other subtle smells that the young wolf-dog had yet to master naming; the water, of course, but it was difficult to describe as well. There were small animals, such as chipmunks, squirrels, and various feathered birds that Alastar could track, should she so desire. Different berries had different scents as well, or so said Mato; the carnivorous canine had little interest in plants, but Mato insisted that, when Alastar was able to shift, the berries would be delicious, and Alastar would thank him.
At last, after perhaps an hour of sprinting, play hunting, and tackling the defenseless water, Alastar smelled the sea. Its salty, airy aroma made her small body quiver in excitement. Mato was far away now, but she did not care; there were not too many predators that ventured out of the forest. As the wolf-dog ran faster to the sandy coast, she quickly jumped up a rock formation, looking out over the vast blueness. Her heart swelled, longing to further explore it, but knowing she could not until she was much older. Even Mato did not dare go too far from coast. He warned in deeper water, there were creatures called sharks, and possibly even seals, that would make a little puppy into a quick snack.
The idea made Alastar scoff. She puffed out her chest and let out a howl, though it was weak. Growling in frustration to herself, she forced out another, much deeper call. It was not much louder, and definitely not that much more projected given the sound of the waves on the coastline, but the pup nodded then in satisfaction, that it was a howl decent enough for a future ruler of the realms. She stood proudly on top of that rock formation, eyes closed as the sea's wind caressed her fur. Her ears swiveled and she listened to everything. Gulls called above the waves, those annoying birds, she thought. The waves were still louder. It calmed her to an extent, but suddenly the fur on her neck roused, and a low, threatening growl grumbled in her chest. Two new scents graced her nose. One was of a bear, she could tell from its likeness to Mato's, only the scent had been tinged by the sea. Perhaps the bear had been swimming? The other smell was unfamiliar. Well, mostly. It was canine. Her little experience with other wolves told Alastar that, but there was no more she could tell about the dog, or wolf, from its smell.
Hurriedly she took a note of the wind; Alastar was downwind of the new smells, so she bounded down the rocks, hiding between two of them. She stuck her head out, watching the coastline, waiting for the source of those new scents to reveal themselves.
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Alastar
One of the most adventurous things left us is to go to bed. For no one can lay a hand on our dreams.
OOC Text:
Word Count: 897
It was early morning. Dew sprinkled itself upon the foliage. Fog still caressed the hillsides, and the sun caused the water-dropped landscape to glisten quite beautifully. The black and white wolf-dog puppy emerged from her den, a rocky cavern embedded in the side of a valley. Her companion, the mighty bear Mato, snored soundly in the back of the cave. Alastar's maw opened wide, and a small squeak accompanied the yawn that escaped her jaw. Her day was beginning.
The yawn, naturally followed by a stretch of both sets of legs and her back, signaled the start of her day. Mato would not awaken until much later. He enjoyed spending the night catching fish still, and probably did not return to the den until well after midnight. Alastar, however, was snuggled into a ball of fluff in her corner promptly at sundown, a habit she had formed since Mato took her in. When she was traveling alone, the little pup traveled at night, so a larger predator would not surprise her. So instead of crashing at dusk, she promptly found a bush or rock to sleep on until the sun sank beneath the horizon, giving cover of night to travel by yet again.
The opposite sleeping pattern took over when Mato, who happened to be semi-diurnal with his sleep schedule, adopted Alastar as his inner species little sister. It did not take long for the pup to become accustomed to being active during the day again; in fact, she found it rather easy, and smiled largely to herself as she pranced down the valley, following the streams and branches that led to the sea. Mato had only taken her to the salty body of water a couple of times, but today Alastar was bent on seeing it herself, and trying her paw at tackling some salt water fish. Fresh water was great and all, but there was just something about that salt that she loved, and most of the time when Mato promised a tasty salty dinner, it didn't quite make it back to the den.
Alastar trampled playfully through the water, giggling as it soaked her fur. It made her look like quite the mess, but it did not deter her spirits. Scents of the morning bombarded her eager nose. There was a certain aroma of fog that Alastar adored, but she could not describe it to another were she asked. Mato's musty, piney...odor still wafted around Alastar herself, which gave her confidence. She felt that as long as she smelled of Black Bear no larger predator would dare defy her.
Then there were the other subtle smells that the young wolf-dog had yet to master naming; the water, of course, but it was difficult to describe as well. There were small animals, such as chipmunks, squirrels, and various feathered birds that Alastar could track, should she so desire. Different berries had different scents as well, or so said Mato; the carnivorous canine had little interest in plants, but Mato insisted that, when Alastar was able to shift, the berries would be delicious, and Alastar would thank him.
At last, after perhaps an hour of sprinting, play hunting, and tackling the defenseless water, Alastar smelled the sea. Its salty, airy aroma made her small body quiver in excitement. Mato was far away now, but she did not care; there were not too many predators that ventured out of the forest. As the wolf-dog ran faster to the sandy coast, she quickly jumped up a rock formation, looking out over the vast blueness. Her heart swelled, longing to further explore it, but knowing she could not until she was much older. Even Mato did not dare go too far from coast. He warned in deeper water, there were creatures called sharks, and possibly even seals, that would make a little puppy into a quick snack.
The idea made Alastar scoff. She puffed out her chest and let out a howl, though it was weak. Growling in frustration to herself, she forced out another, much deeper call. It was not much louder, and definitely not that much more projected given the sound of the waves on the coastline, but the pup nodded then in satisfaction, that it was a howl decent enough for a future ruler of the realms. She stood proudly on top of that rock formation, eyes closed as the sea's wind caressed her fur. Her ears swiveled and she listened to everything. Gulls called above the waves, those annoying birds, she thought. The waves were still louder. It calmed her to an extent, but suddenly the fur on her neck roused, and a low, threatening growl grumbled in her chest. Two new scents graced her nose. One was of a bear, she could tell from its likeness to Mato's, only the scent had been tinged by the sea. Perhaps the bear had been swimming? The other smell was unfamiliar. Well, mostly. It was canine. Her little experience with other wolves told Alastar that, but there was no more she could tell about the dog, or wolf, from its smell.
Hurriedly she took a note of the wind; Alastar was downwind of the new smells, so she bounded down the rocks, hiding between two of them. She stuck her head out, watching the coastline, waiting for the source of those new scents to reveal themselves.
.
I wish I was strong enough to lift not one, but both of us.
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