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DotW RP: Two Friendly Loners

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LESter66:

The storm had blown in quite suddenly.  Kestrel had smelled the rain coming, but the first fat droplets landing on her face had taken her by surprise.  Within moments it was a full-blown downpour complete with distant thunder and lightning.  Kestrel took off running in a random direction, laughing out loud with the pleasure of stretching her legs and the feeling of the rain pelting her skin.  She loved storms.  She finally took what little shelter there was to be found in a small stand of scrubby trees as the violent center of the storm passed overhead, but she was already soaked through and it didn't make much difference.  She sat and watched the lightning and rain through a screen of leaves, content.  When the rain became a mere drizzle, she set off again, full of energy and wanting to move.  After only a few minutes she came across a scent trail.  She stopped in surprise as she recognized Stallion's scent.  He had passed by here not long ago.  His scent trail showed he was headed for Blutwald.  For a wild moment she planned to follow him- if she ran fast enough, she could probably catch him before he entered the territory.  Then she shook the thought away, telling herself he probably wouldn't appreciate that anyway.  She followed the trail the other way instead, curious as to where Stallion had been coming from.  After a few minutes, she came to a wall of rock covered in vines and stopped, slightly confused.  Stallion's scent stopped here...  Then she recognized the scent of another wolf nearby as well and froze, immediately on alert.

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MatrixPotato:

The silver shewolf stayed inside the cave for a little while longer, waiting for the rest of the storm to pass before making her way toward the entrance. When she was sure the coast was clear, she emerged from between the vines. She almost didn't notice the other wolf standing only a few meters away. Thea halted and blinked at the other shewolf in surprise. She hadn't smelled her because she was soaking wet and quite muddy on her underside. It masked her scent well.

"Oh, hello." Thea greeted uncertainly. This other wolf looked confused as well. Had she been seeking shelter from the rain? It didn't really look like it, since she was already soaked. Perhaps she had a den nearby.

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LESter66:

"Um," stuttered Kestrel, suddenly conscious of how bedraggled she must look with her soaking wet, muddy fur.  Finally she found her voice and smiled sheepishly, lowering her ears and tail to show she was no threat.  "Um, h-hello...  I'm sorry.  I didn't scent you until...  I didn't mean to intrude..."  She stood there dripping and watched the other she-wolf carefully, aware that she had possibly just intruded on her den site, and ready to leave quickly if she wasn't welcome.  A small voice in the back of her mind wondered if this was Raven, Stallion's love.  'But wasn't she with a pack..?' Kestrel thought, confused as to the stranger's identity.

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MatrixPotato:

Thea waited patiently for the other shewolf to speak. She did seem awfully shy, perhaps that's why she was a loner. Thea gave her a calm smile after she had stuttered out what she had been trying to say.

"Oh, don't be. It's alright, I was only taking shelter while the rain passed." She dragged her eyes over the other wolf's form again. "I see not all of us were that lucky though." She said with a chuckle and an apologetic wag of her tail. She stepped aside, shifting some wet leaves under her paws, as if to give the other wolf permission to enter the hidden cave. It wasn't really Thea's anyway. She only used it from time to time, like her other dens.

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LESter66:

Glad she hadn't actually intruded on a den site after all, Kestrel smiled and dipped her head gratefully before stepping into the cave out of the drizzle.  She shook some of the water from her pelt and almost sat down to lick some of the damp fur smooth, but stopped herself and remained standing, looking a little awkward, like she didn't know what to do with herself in the small cave.  "Um," she said again, and mentally kicked herself.  'Geez, leave a great first impression why don'tcha, can't you speak?' she berated herself.  "Thanks."  She gestured vaguely about herself at the cave with her muzzle.  "I'm Kestrel."

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MatrixPotato:

As the shewolf stepped forward to enter, Thea used her tail to hold open a few of the fines, so as not to add their wetness to the female’s already soaking coat. She gave her a smile as she passed and let the vines go once she was safely inside. They could still see one another, as the vines weren't that dense along the entrance.

Thea was about to walk away when the other wolf spoke up again. She smiled again and touched her chin to her chest, creating an almost regal pose- though for Thea, it was just a comfortable way to stand.

"You're very welcome. It's not really my cave anyway." She said with a chuckle. "I'm Thea. It's nice to meet you, Kestrel."

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LESter66:

"Oh, I see," chuckled Kestrel, relaxing a little.  "Well, thanks anyway, Thea."  'Well, I guess she's not Raven then,' she thought, then suddenly she realized she recognized the way Thea was standing, with her chin tucked in...  "Oh!" she said without thinking about it as the dots connected in her head.  She poked her head through the vines to look harder at the other she-wolf.  "Are you and Stallion related?"  Then as her thoughts caught up to her mouth she blushed, realizing a question like that, out of the blue, might seem strange.  "I met him the other night.  I followed his scent here," she explained.

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MatrixPotato:

Thea blinked. She too had thought they were related at first; their similar structure and mannerisms sure did make it seem plausible- but Thea didn't have any littermates, and the only other sibling she knew of was an older one, that went by the name Riley. Obviously, that wasn't Stallion's name, so Thea shook her head at Kestrel's question.

"No, I don't think so. He and I met just before the rain hit. We took shelter here and he left only minutes ago." Thea explained.

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LESter66:

"Oh, I see," said Kestrel, honestly surprised.  The similarities between the two, especially now that she was looking for them, were very striking.  She stuck her head out of the cave through the hanging vines.  "Well, perhaps you share an ancestor somewhere along the line," she suggested with a smile.  She blinked away droplets of water from the vines which had landed on her face, then suddenly looked as if she had just realized something.  "Oh, I'm-  I didn't mean to-"   She scooted backward and sideways through the leaves to make room next to her in the cave.  "Here, come back in if you want," she offered.  "There's room.  Or, maybe you were on your way?"  'Idiot, that makes it sound like you don't want her here,' she scolded herself, and quickly tried to recover, stammering, "I-I m-mean, if you WERE that's f-fine, but stay if you want to!"

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MatrixPotato:

Thea cocked her head. It certainly seemed as though they came from the same region; it was definitely possible that she and Stallion shared ancestors, but most northern wolves looked the same. It was just how they were built there, so again she doubted the possibility of them being related. For some reason, she didn't want it to be true. The thought actually surprised her. Why wouldn't she want family? She frowned for a moment and then it was replaced by the nonchalant smile again, coming back to the conversation at hand.

"Perhaps we do." She said. A new determination to figure it out for sure set in her mind. As the other wolf spoke again, she gazed toward the field she had come from before. Where had she been going earlier? Thea honestly couldn't remember. Maybe she could stay in the cave for a while longer. Everything was soaked and if she waded through the grass, her legs and belly were sure to get soaked as well. She shrugged and loped back toward the cave.

"Can't hurt, I guess." She said, dipping her head and pushing through the fines and into the cave.

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LESter66:

Glad that Thea didn't make fun of her shyness the way some wolves might have- or maybe she just didn't notice, her thoughts seemed far away- Kestrel watched as the other she-wolf settled back into the cave.  They both looked out at the world through the screen of vines for a while.  Suddenly, as the last shreds of clouds from the storm were blown away, the sun was shining again, setting the wet world to shining like jewels.  Suppressing a little gasp of pleasure, Kestrel leapt out through the vines, laughing as she scattered shining droplets everywhere, and looked around at the glittering leaves and grass.

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MatrixPotato:

As the two sat in the cave, awaiting the sun, a silence passed between them. It was a little awkward, but Thea didn't mind so much. She was used to the quiet- well, not the quiet, but rather the absence of conversation. It wasn't really quiet. The birds had since begun singing their songs and the bugs followed in suit with theirs. After a while the clouds broke and the sun reigned supreme again. Thea nearly jumped when Kestrel laughed and leapt out of the cave, prancing about in the sparkling water.  She hesitantly followed behind her, staying out front of the cave. A small smile traced her lips as she watched the overjoyed shewolf.

"Having fun, are we?" She said with a chuckle. Thea realized that she really hadn't had fun like that since she was a very young pup. Even though she was a young adult, she acted much older, sometimes forgetting that she was allowed some fun once and a while. She grinned and hopped toward Kestrel, joining in on the splashing. The droplets around them almost seemed like stars, but during the day.

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LESter66:

Kestrel's smile widened when Thea, after pausing a moment as if considering it, joined her in her little celebration of the sunlight after the rain.  She sensed the other wolf's reserved nature usually kept her from doing something as puppy-ish as splashing in puddles.  With this in mind, she suppressed the urge to splash her, turning her attention to a single blade of grass, which she leaned forward to study with great interest.  She watched as beads of water slowly rolled down its length and soaked into the ground near its stem.  She snuck a glance up at the other young wolf, noticing her scars, wondering about her past.  She straightened up and took a deep breath of the after-rain scented air.  "I've always loved the rain.  It's like..."  She paused, trying to find the right words.  "It's like, somehow I feel like the world gets a new start every time...  You know?"

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MatrixPotato:

Well, so much for not getting wet. After the splashing had settled and Thea found herself standing beside Kestrel, examining the dew droplets on the grass and flowers, her legs and underbelly were almost soaked. But Thea didn't regret it. Her tail was wagging at a steady, calm pace behind her and a delicate smile traced her lips.

"Hm?" She said, looking up at Kestrel who had spoken. Thea thought for a moment about her words. Then her smile widened into a toothy grin. "Yeah. Almost like the world took a bath." She said with a laugh.

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LESter66:

Kestrel laughed at the thought.  "Exactly!"  She shook her body, scattering droplets from her fur, and looked Thea up and down.  She laughed again.  "Sorry, I suppose your idea in using that cave was to NOT get wet," she chuckled.  The realization of how relaxed she felt hit her quite suddenly- total relaxation, when she was around anyone else anyway, was a rare feeling for her.  She paused to examine her own feelings.  She had almost forgotten what it felt like to enjoy the company of someone else.

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MatrixPotato:

Thea smiled and, on cue, gave a light shake in response to Kestrel's. She wasn't entirely soaked, but she was wetter than she would've liked to be on her belly. But nonetheless, she would dry, so she merely shrugged.

"Oh, no big deal. It's better than being completely soaked." And it really was no big deal to Thea. Sure, her fur was a little messy, but the sun was out and it would dry her fur soon enough. Perhaps if she found a rock she could sprawl out and sunbath later.

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LESter66:

Kestrel recognized a bit of her own philosophy in the measured way Thea responded to being wet.  Her mood suddenly sobered, and she absentmindedly sat down, apparently oblivious to the dampness of the ground.  "Yeah, isn't that the truth," she said, the barest hint of a growl in her voice at odds with her still mild expression.  She stared off in a random direction without really seeing anything- in her mind's eye she was seeing only the past.  "You take what you get because you just keep telling yourself, "It could be worse, it could be worse...'"

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MatrixPotato:

At Kestrel's sudden shift in mood, Thea's smile faded. She knew exactly what Kestrel was talking about. The past was a heavy thing for more wolves and it weighed heavy on their minds. Thea was no exception, either. She glanced back at the scars on her thighs; they were still quite noticeable, but only if you looked directly at them. Her gaze turned back to Kestrel, who seemed to be reliving past experiences or traumatic events. Thea couldn't help but feel for her.

"Quite true." She agreed, voice still light but sadder now. "But the way I see it," Thea stepped forward and stood beside Kestrel, looking out toward the field, where the sun cast brilliant rays onto the sparkling grass. "where ever there is shadow, there must also be light. We just have to remember to find it when things seem dark."

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LESter66:

Kestrel shook her head sharply and then smiled, as if the physical action could shake away dark thoughts.  She watched Thea's face in profile as the other she-wolf looked out over the glittering world, and could see her empathy there.  Clearly she was also thinking of her past.  "That's a good point," she agreed.  "Shadows come from light...  I guess all bad things happen for a reason," she added, smirking and rolling her eyes in acknowledgement of how cliche and uncomforting the words were.  Then she paused.  "Although..."  She trailed off as if thinking better of saying something.

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MatrixPotato:

Thea nodded and set her gaze back on the shewolf beside her. She too took a seat, ignoring the wet grass beneath them. She was already wet, so it didn't matter much.

"It is a tricky subject. But for some, if not for the bad experiences, they wouldn't be who they are today." Thea's smile dimmed slightly. She was still quite the shewolf she used to be when she was younger, but she was cautious now; afraid even. "They help us to be thankful for the pleasant times we have." She said.

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LESter66:

Kestrel nodded enthusiastically as Thea put into words what she hadn't quite been able to.  "Yeah, exactly!"  She paused, thinking, then continued, "I mean, it makes sense that your past would help shape your personality, but..."  She smiled self-deprecatingly and said, only half-joking, "Sometimes I think it's a little ridiculous, looking at how everything I am now...  Comes from..."  She trailed off, at a loss for words once again.  She bit her lip in an expression of concentration, then finally said, "I don't know, it's like, I'm not really a wolf-  I'm just... my past.  A collection of things that have happened."

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MatrixPotato:

Thea dipped her head slightly, completely understanding Kestrel's comment. It was a hard thing to get over one's past, and to not let it define you was an even harder challenge.

"I understand. I was that way too, for a long time. But, I set my sights on the future." She raised her gaze to the sky. "Our past is only part of what defines us. We still have the rest of our lives ahead of us."

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LESter66:

"Yes... but even if the future is bright...  And I'm not saying I don't think that, really," Kestrel began, then clarified, giving Thea a quick smile, trying to keep the conversation from getting too heavy.  "But even if it is, that doesn't change the darkness of the past.  I'm not sure if a wolf can ever really be rid of those shadows completely."

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MatrixPotato:

"No," Thea replied sadly. "I don't believe so either." She looked out at the field again and let out a small sigh. The past didn't necessarily haunt her as bad as it did anymore, but there were times when she would see his face and just start crying.

Thea frowned. This was a horrible topic. She stood abruptly and nudged Kestrel, her smile returning. "Well, let's not mope. We've got a new day ahead of us."

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LESter66:

Kestrel jumped as Thea nudged her, slightly startled as she was jerked from her retrospection.  Then she smiled and got to her feet, happy for the change of topic.  She shook to get rid of some of the water in her fur, but aware that she was just going get wet again she didn't try very hard.  "You're right," she said gratefully, the relief she felt mirrored in the other wolf's face as they both emerged from their darker thoughts and back into the sunlight.  She took a deep breath through her nose, wondering if there might be any small prey nearby.  "Would... w-would you like t-to hunt with me?" she asked timidly.

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MatrixPotato:

Thea cocked her head in thought. She hadn't eaten for at least a day; yeah she could go for a meal. She nodded happily and hopped a few steps forward.

"Sure! What should we hunt? I think I smell some deer nearby." She said, lifting her nose to the air.

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LESter66:

Just like that, a combination of uncertainty and a flashback to her past sent Kestrel reeling mentally.

"Too small to help take the damn thing down, don't know why we let you eat at all," an old packmate's voice growls at her from the past through her memory.

"Um," murmured Kestrel uncertainly, her lack of confidence evident, "Well, I guess we could try..."

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MatrixPotato:

Thea noticed Kestrel's sudden shyness after she mentioned the deer. Her smile faded slightly. Maybe she had had bad experiences in the past with them.

"There's also rabbit if you'd also have that. No pressure; we can hunt whatever you like!" She said, trying to sound reassuring.

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LESter66:

Kestrel felt embarrassment flush her skin beneath her pelt, anger at her own timidity rising to the surface.  'Weak pup,' she berated herself harshly.  'I thought you always told them that if they would let you help, you'd be able to?' she reminded herself, still thinking of her old pack.  She forced herself to stand straighter, and did something she rarely did- looked Thea up and down quickly, judging her strength and size.  She smiled, warming to the idea of the thrill of a big game hunt even as she said, "No, it’s okay!  Let's give it a try!" she enthused, trying not to let it show it was a big deal for her.

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MatrixPotato:

Thea watched as Kestrel seemed to be fighting an inner war with herself. She waited patiently until Kestrel answered her again, giving her the go ahead. Thea smiled and nodded. "Alright! Let's go then!" She said with a wag of her tail.

The silver wolf led the two of them through the forest, coming upon the grazing doe. Thea sank low to the ground, waiting for Kestrel's input.

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LESter66:

Automatically slipping into a submissive role as was her wont, it took a moment for Kestrel to realize Thea was waiting for her analysis of the situation.  She swallowed and crouched low next to the other she-wolf.  With her concentration focused on the deer instead of her own appearance, her nervousness showed clearly in her expression.  "She's pretty small," she whispered, voice barely audible to avoid revealing their presence to the doe, "but she looks healthy.  Do you think we can take her?"  She had very little experience hunting large game and honestly wasn't sure.  "I'm pretty fast," she added as an afterthought, not bragging, just thinking it might be relevant.

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MatrixPotato:

Thea nodded at Kestrel's comment. Indeed she was small, small enough for two shewolves to take her out, or at least that's what Thea thought. No, she was sure of it, and Kestrel's added comment about her speed assured her even more that they would be able to. "Yes, I'm sure we can." She said, voice a small whisper. "Since you're faster, I'll distract her, get her to focus on me. When you see an opening, take it. Is that alright?" She whispered, glancing at her companion.

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LESter66:

Once again the other wolf's words brought memories crashing down into Kestrel's mind's eye.  

"You're faster, so you should be the one to chase them while they're still fresh- pick our prey and separate her from the rest.  I'll get downwind, and... a male is saying.  The first one... the only one... to ever treat her like she was worth something...  But then...

Kestrel forced herself to focus on the present, shedding the memories like a too-heavy winter coat once spring is come.  "Yeah, that sounds good," she whispered back to Thea, planting her paws and setting her jaw as if gathering herself up.  "Are you ready..?"  The doe turned her back to the place the she-wolves were hiding- the perfect chance to catch her off guard.  "Now!"  The two predators leapt up and raced together toward their quarry, Kestrel veering to the side while Thea aimed straight for the prey.

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MatrixPotato:

Thea could see a small distraction in Kestrel's eyes, but soon enough the female was ready and rearing to go. Once they noted that the doe was wide open, the two sprang to action. Thea dashed toward the doe and gave a light bark. The doe startled and kicked up, narrowly missing Thea's head. She chased the doe around the field to give Kestrel the right opportunity to strike. She swiped at the cervids heels to slow it down some as well, seeming to toy with the poor creature as she waited for her hunting partner.

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LESter66:

Kestrel let Thea run the doe for a little- not just because it would be easier to take her down when she was not only panicked but tired, but also because she enjoyed watching the other she-wolf.  She was a beautiful and strong huntress.  Suddenly the doe stumbled a little- the chase was beginning to wear her down.  Kestrel took the opportunity, easily putting on a burst of speed, her long legs carrying her small body swiftly across the space between her and the prey until it seemed there was nothing in the world but tan fur and the smell of sweat and fear and meat.  She made the leap, her jaws closing squarely on the doe's throat.  Hunter and prey crashed together to the ground.

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MatrixPotato:

Thea was actually quite taken aback at how quickly Kestrel had zipped out of the bushes. It was as if she wasn't there and then the next moment she was, jumping on the doe with ease. She regained her composure and quickly latched herself onto the hide of the doe to give Kestrel a hand in taking her down. She was on the ground in moments, the two shewolves firmly holding their places.

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LESter66:

Kestrel could feel it when Thea added her weight to the doe as well, and within moments she was down- another moment, and she was dead, the spark of life leaving her as her eyes stared blankly upward.  Already the taste of hot blood and the smell of meat was making Kestrel's stomach growl.  She smiled a red, dripping grin at Thea, her usual nervous reserve forgotten in the thrill of the hunt.  "Great work!" she enthused, panting a little as adrenaline still flooded her system.  "That was... fun!" she added, searching for a better word but unable to find one.  It had been quite long while since she'd eaten venison and she licked her chops, looking over questioningly at Thea as if to see if she wanted to eat first.

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MatrixPotato:

When all was said and done and the doe's lifeless carcass lay between the two shewolves, Thea returned Kestrel's grin with one of her own- though significantly less red. "It certainly was." She agreed. Fun might not have been the best way to describe it, but it was exhilarating to hunt with a friend. Hunting was much easier with a party. Thea gave the shewolf a nod, a visual that they could both eat at the same time.

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LESter66:

Kestrel nodded back at Thea, her heart warmed by the respect the other female was showing her.  They moved together to the kill and began ripping away the hide.  It still felt a little odd, but good, so good, to stand by the carcass side-by-side, eating together, sharing the choice bits of meat and organ.  It had been ages since Kestrel had eaten anything as rich and nourishing as the liver of a deer- her pleasure showed in her features as she tore into it, offering the other half to Thea.

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MatrixPotato:

The two ate side-by-side, and Thea too felt joy in sharing a meal with another being. It was a peaceful experience and it also quenched her hunger, which had suddenly peaked when she felt the blood of the doe on her tongue. It was mostly silence while they ate, but eventually Thea lowered onto her belly and her light face became stained with red. She decided to eat as much as she could, because she may not get another meal like this for a while. She hoped that Kestrel was doing the same.

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LESter66:

It was some time before the two wolves had eaten all they could from the carcass.  Between the two of them, there wasn't much left of the doe when they were done.  Kestrel stretched out comfortable in the damp grass in a well-fed, happy haze.  The sun was finally breaking through the clouds now, a watery light, but still warm.  She looked at Thea.  It seemed like ages ago that she had first met her taking shelter from the rain- had it really just been hours?

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MatrixPotato:

Now plump and quite full, Thea lay out in the cooling grass near the almost naked carcass. She licked her muzzle, now only faintly stained red from their meal. Between the two of them, it hadn't taken them much time to clean it apart. However, there was still enough for a few scavengers if they happened to pass by. Thea noticed Kestrel's gaze and she turned to give her a smile.

"What a day, huh?" She said with a chuckle. It had only been a few hours, but Thea already felt quite comfortable around Kestrel. Perhaps it was the meal, or perhaps the two were just meant to be friends.

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LESter66:

"I know, right?" agreed Kestrel, rolling over into a more comfortable position with a contented sigh.  "I haven't eaten like this since...  In a long time."  She grinned at Thea.  "Thanks again.  For everything."

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MatrixPotato:

Thea smiled pleasantly at her companion, happy that she was able to help the young female out. "You're welcome." She said. It wasn't every day that she found a friend.
:icondomain-of-the-wolf:

(Back when Thea was a loner) Kestrel stumbles upon Thea after a thunderstorm and the two get friendly and share a meal together<3 GOOD TIMES


Thea © MatrixPotato
Kestrel © LESter66
Copyright Statement 1 by Sophibelle
© 2014 - 2024 MatrixPotato
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LESter66's avatar
Haha we started this soooooo long ago I'm glad we finished it!  ;)