The day was brisk, and Gideon found himself surprisingly refreshed by it. It was not too cold, nor was is overcast, and for the first time in a long time the air around him was free of that bone-chilling damp. The world was well-lit by the golden morning sun, just now beginning to melt away the frost of last night's sleep. He stopped in his morning jog to stretch out a knot in his back. This nook was not his, he lacked any manner of strength to defend it, but he liked it all the same. There was enough small game here to feed him and there were plenty of tangles and nooks to tuck himself away into at night. He'd slowly startled whittling away his favorites to decide on a permanent home. The one downside was the visitors. He considered them as such only because to some degree his considered this place 'his.' He would not voice it aloud nor admit to why he was perpetually unhappy to see new faces, but the dour personality and bad weather had so far done the job of driving them away. He feared this beautiful day, and the optimism it was bound to create. He kept one eye always to the horizon and an ear cocked behind him as his ran along his daily path, just seeing what the new day might have in store for him. He was not one for being startled, or appearing affected either, and an unexpected visitor would probably do both. "Talk" "You" Think

Saying that life without Ara, and without her sons was lonely would be a wild understatement. Days had blended together into a seamless, bland pattern - seasons passed, and nothing changed. Though she grew older, she felt as though she'd been standing still as time passed her by. It'd been some time since she'd wandered far from Fiori's territory, and with the slight chill of winter slowly passing by, she felt invigorated enough to begin scouting out herbs once again. Many would not be blooming yet, though some often did bloom this soon in the season. Her wandering was rather aimless, though she rarely found herself at a loss for how to return back home - today, it seemed her paws had brought her to the Redbud Nook. The forest was still young, though seemed to be growing with each year that passed. She'd only visited it a pawful of times, and but today the scent of budding redbud flowers filled her with warmth. A faint smile appeared, brief but true, as she passed by one of the young trees. The floral scent here, mingled with earth and bark, was enough to mask the traces of visitors that had once passed through. But one scent in particular was quite strong, and her head would lift slightly from its low position to sniff at the air, tasting for it. A few long strides brought her to see him, quite a ways off in the distance, and her posture - which was already quite neutral - became even more so, her tail curling deftly near her back paws and her head dipping to the ground again. The last thing she wanted, ever, was a fight.

The early spring splendor was promptly spoiled by the arrival of another, though he'd expected no less. All the same, Gideon let out a small sigh and lowered himself into a tail curling stretch. Best to work out that frustration now, right? Thankfully the creature looked disinterested in spoiling anyone's day, and for that he was grateful. As it was, he sat downwind of her for the moment, curled beneath the roots of his current den, one of the few oak trees to have survived the apparent desecration of the original grove. It stuck out like a sore thumb, a fact he frequently languished under, but it was cozy and spacious and he simply could not give it up. He stood in the mouth of the den just then, eyes peering just above the tallest tuft of grass in the hillock that separated them. If she did not notice him he was more than prepared to allow her to go along her merry way with no disturbances on his part. Part of the reason he liked this place so much was that it attracted sorts like himself, peaceful creatures looking to relax or escape. Then there was the frequent chipper sort, and he'd decided that he disliked them most of all. Regardless, he hoped the woman would pass by without much fuss. He continued to sit in waiting. "Talk" "You" Think

She couldn't help but feel drawn to the stranger's scent. Though she usually kept to herself most of the time, deep down she craved the company of others and didn't shy from a good conversation. Warily she continued onward, nose to the ground as she got the scent ingrained in her head and trailed after it.   Though she didn't intentionally seek to disturb him, or even to approach him, she was curious as to where he was - and, truthfully, who he was. As she wove through the redwood trees, she caught sight of him there, nestled in the roots of a tree. He appeared to be a younger wolf, with a muted but quite lovely coat. For a moment she stared, admiring the soft palette of colors that adored his face, wondering what other patterns his fur might hold. "Oh," Ara would exclaim softly, for though she'd been following his scent she hadn't expected him to be.. there. Her eyes widened in faint surprise. "I didn't expect you to be there." The woman took a few steps back from the tree, eyeing him gently.