What's Next?

[Sierra]

Sierra smiled at Tristan's comment. She hefted the unstrung bow hanging from her shoulder. "We can hunt on the way." Sierra lived in the wilderness - preferred it to the concrete of the city. There was a slight sting of regret as she thought about what she'd left behind. But there was no reason the two lives couldn't be one. Though Elyse and Marta would not survive long out here. They were born to the concrete, born to necessities that were not so much.

Once out of the wake of the ancient one's origination, or rather the wolves visions the signs began to slowly dimiish. The flower still glowed and warmed her face. But the chitter of animals was once again heard, and the wolves still sounded in her head, but they were farther away, gone to their own hunts. Back to the wolf world they knew, while their human friends dredged onward. Never followed even though he'd been told to stay home, Sierra didn't send him back the pup wouldn't listen. So she welcomed him back to the group with a thought. He wasn't as impetutant as Stinging Nose had been, but Never was never going to give up no matter what. Sierra should just stop trying to persuade him to listen when he didn't want to. He thought of her as a pup and like all wolves did. She welcomed him back home.

As they walked Sierra strung her bow. It was like second nature. There would be bird or varmint to catch on their walk as they headed in the only direction they had. But as the glimpses of the ancient one failed Sierra began to doubt herself.

[Tristan]

Sierra procured them another hunt, but Tristan was in better control of his faculties this time. The smell of the kill did not incite a frenzy. He took the time to spark a small fire in order to at least warm slices of the meat. The remainder was shared with their 4-legged kin or discarded for the scavengers. 

Then as he was clearing the fire of its final heat, a strange scent flared his nostrils. It was like a long-lain log kicked from its place in the creek. It was of moss and mushroom. Yet a floral aroma was intertwined. It was something of old age, but not death.  

He studied the distance as though he expected eyes to be peering back from among the trees.

[Sierra]

Food wasn't scarce in the woods. If you knew how to hunt Sierra thought to herself. She wondered how Marta and Elsye would do in the woods with only what they could carry. It had been her life for so long she barely thought about it. And here with Tristian, it felt real. The city wasn't a place for wolves and that was Sierra through and through.

The hunt had been good and there were edible berries nearby that added to the sustenance, though Never turned his nose up at them. The images running through his head were of things that wolves thought were gross. Though Sierra still had trouble deciphering that fact.

Something old lingered by, Tristan looked out into to the trees. Her eyes darted quickly in the same direction and Never was alert and staring in the same direction. Whatever it was had pulled the attention of their likes, which meant it probably knew they were there too. Was this the thing the wolves were so excited about? Sierra stood up but that was her only movement. "Shall we go see what it is?" There was no fear in Sierra's voice. This wasn't something to fear. The wolves hadn't feared the creature, it had been an old friend. And they weren't here to hurt the forest or animals. The mystery pulled at Sierra and she wanted to go but she would heed Tristan's words. It felt right.

[Tristan]

Tristan perched on the edge of his seat, “I think it wants to see what we are,” he said. The brush rustled not unlike the disturbance of rowdy rabbits, but you know, bigger. Tristan had the sense that they should come to their feet in respect, but fuck that. Mysterious or not, Tristan spat out a seed and grabbed another berry.  Finally, he called out: “You going to show yourself or keep pissing in the bushes?” He smirked, wondering what Sierra may do. She had her own two feet and could explore as much as she wanted. Tristan wouldn’t stop her.

[Sierra]

Tristan didn't move instead calling out to whatever it was in the trees. Sierra didn't move. It wasn't fear that stayed her place, but perhaps it was more afraid of them. And her moving could scare it away. "We won't hurt you." Never took that particular moment to give a soft bark. Though he was not being agrressive, Sierra wasn't certain the pup wanted to find out what it was. He was scared.

Sierra bent down and picked up the pup at her ankles and moved back to sit with Tristan. "We are friends of the forest." Never hid behind Sierra's arms and growled even as she tried to calm the pup down. "Never won't hurt you. We won't hurt you."

A thought occurred to her, though she couldn't really know for sure if it would even work Sierra thought new images broadly, much like she would if she were searching for wolves in the area. We won't hurt you. It's safe. Friends. Maybe both words and images would suffice to bring their guest out to meet them.

[Tristan]

The thing that presented itself stepped over the bushes as though they were twigs. It was taller than even his Uncle Ülfar, and for a man who was a troll, that was saying something. Tristan had the impression that the creature was male, but he wasn't exactly sure. It had long hair that twisted like vines curling down its back. Another mop twisted from its chin, which probably contributed to the masculinity of the figure. Tristan absently scratched at his own beard out of habit, stroking his chin thoughtfully. 

He wasn't afraid of the creature, for despite its size, Tristan wasn't exactly sure about either its speed or its intelligence. Yet it carried a hefty bag slung across his shoulders. Yet from its eyes gleamed a frost of intelligence. 

It looked at them, and Tristan waited for someone to do something first. The pups sniffed the air, but they seemed no more interested than they would of any other walking tree-man. 

Whatever the creature saw in them, it seemed as disinterested as the pups, and he turned and began to walk away, ignoring them completely. Tristan frowned, sniffing derisively as the dismissal.

[Sierra]

Sierra started at the appearance of the tree-like creature. The images of the ancient one from the wolves had done it no justice. But then what a wolf sees and what a man sees were two separate things. Sierra snapped pictures of the tree while it walked away from them. She could have followed, maybe they would, but it turned like they didn't matter. The pictures would remain with her forever, even with the pictures she would get a bad rap if she ever spoke of walking trees. Insanity was the most likely scenario considering her choice of companions.

Sierra whispered. "I don't think he wants us to follow him." She turned back to Tristan, "What do you think it means that the ancient ones return?"

[Tristan]

Tristan bellowed a rumbly growl. The ground seemed to fall to stillness as the creature departed. Did it even speak their language? Did it have ears? Tristan didn't recall noticing either way. The camera snapped, and Sierra would probably follow if Tristan made a move himself. The creature reminded him of the Gray Lady, although there was absolutely nothing alike about them at all. Creatures such as they were innocent enough in appearance, but he knew the tales, tales of warning. Ones that said keep your distance. Let ancient things wander. The silent warning was woven into his skin. 

Then a question crawled unbidden into his mind: "Is it ancient? Maybe we are the ancients and it the new."

Interesting idea. What would be the implication? Old things coming again? New things lost?  Who cared in the end? Sierra's question was the bigger one. "Either it means the world is about to start over or it means it's about to end." 

They rested a while longer, having found the object of their search. After a while, he held out the strange plant left behind. It continued to pulse warmth and light. The one in her hair continued to glow. Much more and the thing would spread across the woods faster than wildfire.  

Interesting.

But they had a life to return to. The creature could have the trees. The wolves would know if some ill fate betook it.