chin up lil pup

[Magnus]

Maggie had seen two black bears this morning and the sun behind the heavy-hanging clouds he was sure wasn't even far past its crest. Dew clung to his spiky fur as he meandered, mismatched gaze keen as it searched ahead for anymore threats. Bears in spring were dangerous because of the cubs but bears this time of year weren't to be trifled with either, especially when it came to resources. It put Magnus in an annoying position, because he was hungry but hunting anything substantial was just asking for a brazen and hungry bear looking to pack on the pounds to chase him off.

Instead, he trotted with cheerful steps to the river he'd not noticed until recently. The rain made it hard to find the scent of water, but once he'd noticed it Magnus had made a beeline for it. Something to thirst his quench would be good enough for today, he thought with persistent optimism and crouched by the river's edge to lap at the babbling brook. His ears twitched, half listening to the gleeful gurgle of the cool water running over the smooth stones lining its banks, half listening for any encroaching presences.

[Lucian]

He could not recall how many hours had passed nor could he tell how many miles he had walked. But as the mountains turned to forests and the forests into plains, Lucian was sure that his journey was nearly at its end. After all, this had to be far enough, shouldn’t it?

Blue eyes cast a solemn gaze to the sky. It cried, with lights droplets of rain falling ever so carefully down against the earth. The pitter patter of the drops so soft against his ears, but noticeable as he stood in silence. It wept, just as he might’ve done so, had he had the chance.

But instead, the blue man hardened what little resolve he had as his legs pushed forward. Onto better things, he stoically reminded himself, the past no longer mattered.

Not long after, Lucian stumbled across a river. It’s bubbling sound a welcome reprieve against the dancing rain along his back. However, by the edge lied a crouching silhouette—one that he could not mistake for anything but another wolf.

He paused, a cautious twitch of his ear as he stared. He hadn’t thought this area would be inhabited. Much less populated enough to cross another wolf. But alas, fate’s slimy hands had fooled him yet again.

Cautiously, he let out a soft ‘boof’, one loud enough to announce his presence as his paws pushed forward.

[Magnus]

A soft woof caught Maggie's attention, gaze flitting upward to land on a wolf as blue as the evening sky, just before the sun's absence sucked the color out of everything. He grinned, cheerful despite the rain as always, and waved his tail agreeably. All could drink at the river. Magnus wouldn't chase this stranger away-Instead, he gave a coltish frolic, leaping away from the riverbank and trotting lightly to stand more directly across from the blue wolf, eyeing him curiously. "Far from home?" He asked.

[Lucian]

Lucian kept one eye trained on the river, and the other locked and loaded on the stranger. His peripheral vision tensing and straining as he tried to keep both of them under his control. It wasn’t that he was fearful of the other man or what the stranger could do, but Lucian was cautious nonetheless.

One could never be too sure, after all.

Although the prancing and frolicking did throw the blue-toned man for a loop. In fact, the sudden change in stance and behavior caused his full attention to glide towards the man, as a single ear twitched against a falling droplet of rain.

Odd, he thought, cheerful even.

’Far from home?’ He asked.

Lucian merely nodded with a grunt, his tongue moving gently to lap at the bubbling stream.

“Much,” he confessed in a low tone. Blue eyes rose to meet the heterochromatic stare of the other, “And yourself? You from here?”

[Magnus]

So stiff, so wary. But Magnus didn't form any annoyance, that the blue wolf didn't meet his energy. He stepped into the river, letting his front paws settle into the silt of the riverbank, his back toes nice and dry.

The blue wolf wasn't from here either. "Not at all." And he could have let it drop, there, but he didn't, because Maggie loved to hear chit-chat as much as a flock of sparrows loved to chatter. "I'm Magnus. Any reason in particular you're here, now?"

[Lucian]

There was a slow roaming of his eyes as they trailed from the man’s face to his legs and then to his paws. Paws, in which, were now standing against the soft sediment of the river. Lucian could only imagine the oozing sensation the man could be feeling, the soft squish of mud and dirt between his toes. The thought nearly caused Lucian to squirm.

But alas, he swallowed the discomfort down with another lap of his tongue against the cool, bubbling stream.

It seemed neither of them were locals, but instead, perhaps, two peas in a pod one could say. Wanderers, nomadic, vagabonds in their own right. Lucian settled against the onslaught of questions, finding his own nerves pacifying against his recent assumption of similarities.

“Lucian,” He returned, a delicate nod of his head bobbed in greeting. The man’s haunches bent, and slowly, he fell to a sit against the bank. It seemed like he may be here a while.

He shrugged, “Obviously, I went where the water was,” he offered nonchalantly, perhaps a bit callously. Though the initial taste of his words felt foul against his tongue, and he sighed, reluctantly but defeated in this silly desire to be abstruse.

“I apologize, that was…” Lucian shook his head, whether from a loss of words or from the droplets of rain overhead, he wasn’t even sure. “Guess you could say I needed a change and a nomad’s life chose me in return.” A pale blue gaze shifted against the slate-gray clouds and the miles of trees and grass that lied ahead, “Can’t say I know really where I am, but figured it was a good enough spot as any to take a break.” It was a good enough explanation, he thought. There was no need to delve into the nitty gritty, and the pain-staking feelings that also accompanied his departure from home.

“What about you? Anything you looking for out here?”

[Magnus]

Lucian, was the man's name. It suited him-Elegant, Magnus thought, eyes keen on his face, zipping to notice every minute movement. His tail maintained a slow, lazy, relaxed sway behind him regardless.

He didn't notice the perceived rudeness, not until Lucian pointed it out. Maggie gave a short laugh, bubbly and carefree. "Don't be, I shouldn't have been so circuitous." He conceded lightly, angling his head with curiosity as Lucian went on to explain his 'nomad's life.'

Secretive, but not too secretive. Lucian was a well-balanced wolf, Maggie thought with a note of approval.

and you?

Magnus shrugged, before grinning toothily. "Looking for a butterfly to chase." He murmured in reply. His actions weren't guided by much more than whimsy and instinct, shaped by what survival skills and logic he had from his savior. And that was good, for Magnus, for now. Things would change, as they always did, and he'd welcome it wholeheartedly.

[Lucian]

The more the pair of them spoke, the more at ease Lucian began to feel. It was a short conversation, and one that did not delve too deep beyond the surface, but at times, that was all one needed. A normal conversation. One where you did not need to relive the personal traumas that shaped and formed another wolf.

He smiled—actually smiled—at the stranger’s words, finding the grace in his tone to be as forgiving and as kind as he had once wished his mother’s words to have been.

Not angry, pointed, nor critical.

But generous, kind, and understanding.

The grin upon the stranger’s face caused Lucian’s head to tilt, and when the words followed promptly after, his brows pinched. A butterfly? The blue man took a moment to wrap his gaze at the world around them. One perspective would be an empty and desolate valley, one that housed no butterflies ever. The only other perspective Lucian could see was that it was winter and all the butterflies that could’ve been, were dead.

Surely this man knew that, no?

“I hate it to break to you, but I don’t think you’ll be finding a butterfly to chase for a while,” he responded regretfully. He was an odd one, wasn’t he? “I do hope you find your butterfly though, if that’s any consolation.” Maybe in the Spring.

Lucian rose to a stand, ready to take on the rest of the world and resume his lonesome journey. “The nomad’s life is calling, I get itchy if I stay in one place for too long,” he confessed. “It was good talking with you, stranger, I wish you and your endeavors well.”

And with a final goodbye, Lucian began to push down the river and towards the east.

//attempted exit

[Magnus]

He wasn't the kind to point out petulantly, no, not like that, it's a metaphor. Instead, Magnus waved his tail all the harder, amused at the inside joke with himself, and nodded an understanding farewell to the blue fellow. An odd guy, he decided, but a fun conversationalist.

"See you around, Lucian." And Magnus started the other direction. Best not to push the luck of a positive encounter.

fadeee