Venture out of the Valley

[Skyler]

On a quest for knowledge, one cannot stay in one place their entire life. She was old enough now to venture out of her home pack lands. She was nearing her third year of life and she had learned so much as well as so little. A change of scenery was something she needed more than she could hope to know.

Between her father's shadow lurking around every corner. The new life in the pack. As well as her estrangement from her mentor. She needed to get away for a while. Skyler needed to do things on her own to help in her growth. She was capable enough to get food, she was cautious enough to travel carefully. She could be okay from the safety of the pack for a few weeks, right? One way to find out, right?

The hybrid moved carefully on the lip of the prairie. There had been a fire earlier in the year...there was still evidence of scorching here and there. A singed dead tree...dead patches of grass...black soot. But under it all there was new growth. Plants that needed fire to germinate...sprouts for grass...all sorts of vivid life coming out of the ash. Her only qualm was that it might be hard to find food in such an open area. Her sad brown eyes looked over the landscape, there were a few places to hide. Some scrub here and there on the outskirt. She would find something when hunger took her.

Her pale gray fur glistened with a few brown and pink scales as the afternoon sun hit them. It was warmer here than in the valley, but it was pleasant enough. Her thick tail dragged a little behind her, as usual she was hunched over in a constant submissive state. It was odd though, she had no one to submit to here. As if realizing it she consciously lifted her posture, attempting to look more confident. She breathed in, there was no evidence of a pack. She would not be run out of this area for the moment.

She took a moment to open up her leathery wings. Her good one seemed almost elegant with the color combination...but her left wing was grotesquely crumpled and deformed, half the size of the other. Her ears pinned back on her head. She was embarrassed by her bad wing...and she had been hurt by her father for naming her Skyler....as if to salt the wound of never being able to soar among the eagles.

She shook the shadows out of her mind and kept walking. Her partially webbed feet left mild paw prints in the soft earth. She didn't really have a plan for her wandering. She just needed something different to try to add to her growing wealth of knowledge.

[kasmira]

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[atrb=background,http://i1218.photobucket.com/albums/dd415/Somatra1/kback-4.jpg] [scrolly:h(308), w(340),sy] It was a nice day, and the autumn sun shone brightly in the air, nicely warming her bright purple pelt. The prairie was close to the valley, at least close enough for a little day trip, and the storyteller enjoyed traveling anyways. To meet new wolves, make new friends, it came so easily it could be a hobby. But it wasn't really, more of a talent, and she enjoyed it thoroughly. Her vibrant green eyes spotted a patch of ash, as well as some dead grass, and she noticed the beautiful wildflowers that grew here seemed less abundant. She puzzled over this for a moment: What had happened here, to the beautiful land that was almost a home away from home? Sadness bloomed in her heart, and the earth Lupuse decided to do her possible to help. The traditional long, swaying grasses the prairie usually had spread out all around her, and she extended her growing powers as much as possible. It covered the ash, and looked much more fertile, and for several meters all around her, in a perfect circle, the grass swayed in the fall breeze. Next came the little pink, yellow, blue and purple wildflowers that usually bloomed here and she scattered them everywhere possible. Their scent perfumed the air, and even if she knew they would die come winter, hopefully their seeds would spread and they would bloom again next spring. She continued walking, and a long trail of grass and yellow wildflowers followed her, about a meter or so in width. However, after so much growing and use of her powers, the storyteller felt drained and tired, and so she stopped, flopping down with a contented sigh. She would nap, and then hunt before returning to her homeland, the Lumera Valley. However, as she drifted off with a contented smile, satisfied she'd done what she could for now, her green eyes spotted a figure in the distance...[/scrolly]

[Skyler]

She was about to move on when she felt a weird presence behind her. The fertile ash around her seemed to tremble, she turned around ans saw new grass and flowers sprouting. Somehow she felt like nature was being cheated, being rushed to do something it wasn't ready to do. It didn't take her long to see the purple lupus in the middle of some of the new grass. Oh. That explained it. She assumed that this wolf had some power over plants.

Wait...she recognized the scent. It was a wolf from the Children, Kasmira? She wracked her brain, she thought the name was right so she stuck with it. She turned and moved over toward her, her stance lowering back to it's submissive state again. In her eyes, she was below all members of the Children, so she would submit to them all. Maybe coming to the prairie and lingering wasn't a good idea. Of course her pack would venture out here now and then, it was right next door.

She came closer and cleared her throat, maintaining a respectable distance. Would she make her go back to the pack? She didn't want that, she had her own agenda to keep too. And unless Reynard or Yueh were going to drag her back home, she wasn't going until she was ready. "Are....are you alright?...Kasmira?" She downcast her eyes, trying to be respectful.

[kasmira]

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[atrb=background,http://i1218.photobucket.com/albums/dd415/Somatra1/kback-4.jpg] [scrolly:h(308), w(340),sy] Kasmira awoke with a start, her green eyes focusing on the younger wolf before her. In a submissive stance, yet with the pack smell of the Children on her... Odd, the Lupuse knew she wasn't one of a high rank, and therefore couldn't have much power over this lone wolf. She still felt tired, and drained but in a more content sleepy way. She was certain she could still easily find her way back to the valley, the prairie was so close and she'd traveled this same route many a time. The winged wolf seemed so familiar, and she remembered seeing her at pack meetings and what not, but had never spoken to her face to face. She was certain her name started with an "S".... Her brow furrowed for a moment as she thought. Sky? No, that was the Keiyou she'd met... Somatra? Of course not, she'd recognize her anywhere. Seth, Satinka, Scorch.... Ah yes, Skyler! She remembered now, it would have been awkward not knowing a fellow pack mates name. She stretched and sat down, facing the forlorn looking female. "Oh, quite alright, Skyler, just a little tired, but it will soon pass, I'm sure." She didn't much know what to say next, unsure of what mood the other wolf was in. "And you? Enjoying the day so far? It's not hard to tell autumn is here." Smiling, she politely continued. Kasmira would always start up a conversation with small talk, it left the other wolf plenty of space to say what they wanted. [/scrolly]

[Skyler]

She shifted uneasily. She didn't like small talk, she was not good at it. Heck, she was not very good at talk in general. She didn't want to be rude, but she had not really intended to talk to another pack member. She was trying to get away from the pack...meet new wolves. She was too nice to say anything though.

"Oh....I guess it is a nice day. I'm just...walking I suppose. Seeing new things. I don't get out of the valley much." She paused, she was surprised how easy that bit of conversation came out. Maybe she was getting a handle on socializing after all. Her thick tail twitched lightly as she glanced around nervously.

It was her turn to push conversation, right? She glanced over her shoulder, "Looks like a fire hit not long ago...it's good for the land though...makes it fertile." She recalled seeing the few sprout-lings where she was not long ago. Her pale coat ruffled a little in a gentle breeze.

[kasmira]

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[atrb=background,http://i1218.photobucket.com/albums/dd415/Somatra1/kback-4.jpg] [scrolly:h(308), w(340),sy] The storyteller could sense the discomfort in the other wolf, and tried her best to be as open as possible. It was true that conversation was harder than it looked, and she had met wolves who were on both extremes: Extremely friendly wolves, like herself, and sometimes anti-social wolves, or downright rude wolves. However, she knew Skyler was anything but rude, maybe a little shy. She glanced around the prairie for a moment, and spotted bald patches, yet also new growth. "Yes, I didn't know there had been a fire until today, how odd, I wonder how it happened. That's too bad, the prairie was a beautiful land, but as you said, from an end always rises a new beginning." she smiled at these last words, they rang true for Kasmira. "I enjoy traveling, it's always fun and exciting, and lets you meet new wolves. I know we're from the same pack, but in a way, we've never spoken before, so you're pretty new to me." she chuckled lightly. She'd mastered her social skills at a young age, while her sister Zippora had perfected her fighting skills. The earth Lupuse had never caught on to such activities, and she was glad she'd had such open parents. Since small talk seemed to be going well, she decided to ask a popular question. "So Skyler, just out of curiosity, how did you come by the Children?" Her eyes were alight with friendliness, and a grin spread on her white maw.[/scrolly]

[Skyler]

She raised a curious brow at Kasmira's outlook on things. They were basically new to each other aside from being in the pack, it was a prospect that she had not considered. However, they knew each others names, and they had a similar scents due to the pack scent. SO maybe it wasn't quite the same.

Her ears went back at the innocent question. It was hard for Skyler to grasp that not everyone has been in the pack as long as she has. She looked away, becoming very interested in a blade of grass that she tapped with her partially webbed paw. To be honest the only other wolves that even knew about her past were Aurora, Nocth, Reynard and Yueh. "I...uh....was born into it." She knew that not many wolves in the pack even knew her father. Yet after the last pack meeting they might at least know of him.

She quickly tried to shift the focus back on Kasmira, floundering a little as she went, "Yea...ah...you? I mean how did you get here?" She felt the blood rush up her neck as if she were blushing. She was embarrassed yet she didn't quite know why.

[kasmira]

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[atrb=background,http://i1218.photobucket.com/albums/dd415/Somatra1/kback-4.jpg] [scrolly:h(308), w(340),sy] OOC: SO sorry it took me so long to answer, Cy! The female was beginning to notice that the younger wolf was hesitant about talking about her past, and she respected that decision. However, a memory flitted into her mind of the last pack meeting... That white Keiyou, who'd threatened Reynard, the one Skyler had seemed so afraid of? Could there be some relation? Brother? Uncle? Father? Old friend? She didn't quite know, and wasn't about to make rude assumptions or bring it up, so she ignored the memory for the time being. "Oh, wow, so you've been with the Children for a while! I joined in the spring, I've always been a social wolf, and the Children seemed a friendly, open and welcoming pack that took care of its members, and so it has been, for me. I've met so many different wolves there, and I'm glad I joined. I don't suppose you've met Somatra? She's another Lupuse, like me, quite fun to be around, one of the first wolves I met when I first joined." Kasmira realized she was talking about herself a lot, but felt that Skyler wasn't quite ready to yet. "So, seen any dragons in the valley? I haven't, but I wouldn't mind seeing one someday, as long as they're friendly enough." She grinned and winked. "Recently, my older sister, Zippora, came to join, so that was a surprise... I haven't seen her in a long time, so it's nice to have her near... It's funny, how different we are, mum used to call us sugar and spice. Do you... Have any siblings?" she continued. She didn't grow so sad thinking about her deceased mother anymore, only happy memories and joyful times.[/scrolly]

[Skyler]

Skyler thought that this female was similar to another she had met. Somatra. They both seemed to like to talk, and to be overly friendly. One might suspect that they were sisters themselves. However, according to her story, she and Somatra were not related. "There are many lupuses in the pack it seems." She let her mind wander to a certain gravity lupus she had encountered what seemed to be like ages ago. She wondered what he was up to, and for a moment she seemed sad to be walking away from the pack lands, even if it was just for a respite.

She felt a chill go up her spine as Kasmira seemed so excited at how long she had been in the pack. To her, the pack had never been friendly until Reynard took over, and even then there were few that even gave Skyler any mind. And then there was another heart stabbing question that seemed so innocent to anyone other than Skyler. She flinched a little before speaking,

"I had siblings. I'm the only survivor out of two litters." Her words were sad, yet blunt. She barely even remembered her siblings, she was never attached to them. There was little emotion in her body aside sadness. Insecurity and sadness. Two of the things she was very knowledgeable about in her short life.