ORWYND
everyone who isn't me is an enemy

Fuck this snow. Orwynd was just as bitter as the air in these lands. The cold stung his nose and dried his eyes as he traveled through the tips of unfortunate trees. It would’ve been quite the spectacle if the male wolf wasn’t cursing to himself. He had been traveling for days now, searching for some relief from the weather. By the looks of it, he had yet to find that reprieve. Here the clouds were heavy and dark but they held their contents still. Complaining about the landscape he found himself in did little to aid his position, but at least it made him feel better. Oh, how he’d love to bury his woes in the comforting warmth of another. However, that too didn’t seem to be a possibility. A familiar ache began to form in his gut causing him to halt. Hunger was his only companion.

Orwynd changed his mindset to one of hunting nature and turned his nose upwards. Saliva almost immediately began pooling on his tongue as the familiar scent of prey drifted towards him on the breeze. However, it was not as pungent for there was something else on the cold draft. Another wolf. A plaything. Orwynd smiled and began searching for the stranger under the guise of searching for a meal. He trotted through the maze of tree tips, his claws clicking softly. The aroma of pine and ice became thickly tainted with the odor of wolf. He was getting closer.

She had had a fun day of skating around on the ice a day prior, and now she continued on exploring more of the North. She was getting used to the snow, finding the landscape here was pretty and completely different then what she was used to. Everything was white and wet and sometimes a little annoying, but the scenery and breathtaking displays of ice in some places made up for that. The frozen lake she had been on was one of the most beautiful places she had seen so far, with the glowing blue lights under the ice and the intricate spiraling ice pillars and arches that sat upon it. Now, she was in a place where it seemed only the tops of the trees were visible. She had never seen anything like it, and she wondered if it was even possible to dig down to the base of the trees. What if a hidden world sat beneath the snow? While she was tempted to find out, putting all that effort into digging that much was off-putting. So she didn't even try it. Instead, she took her time walking around and investigating what she saw. Molten gaze was wide as she looked at every tree she passed, trying to guess what the rest of them might look like beneath their icy prison. She imagined the pines under the snow were gnarled and weathered, forever frozen in giant blocks of ice. So focused on her exploration, she wasn't quite aware that she was being followed. "Talk" "You" Think

ORWYND
everyone who isn't me is an enemy

Soon enough Orwynd’s light footsteps brought him within view of an oddly colored female wolf. She was just ahead, seeming to take in the spectacle around her with wondrous eyes. The male brought himself between several trees and the stranger so as not to reveal himself quite yet. He too was drawn to the marvel of this place and couldn’t help but admire her ability to appreciate it as he would’ve liked to if he hadn’t been so sour. Picking up pace Orwynd wove between the treetops in a large circle around the female so that when he finally stepped into the open he was directly in her line of sight.

He feigned surprise and turned towards her with a gentle wag of his tail. “Oh I’m sorry, I certainly wasn’t expecting company here.” Orwynd turned to look over his shoulder imitating curiosity as if he hadn’t been following her. “It is quite a sight though, I’m glad I’m not the only one enjoying it.” He raked his face gently against one of the snow-covered pine branches, rubbing the scent into his fur and allowing the green needles to sift through the hair on his cheeks. “You happen to see any rabbit? I’ve been looking.” Orwynd said with a smile, gears shifting in his head as he decided what he wanted to do with the she-wolf.

The fiery babe put her nose to the ground, checking to see if any prey had come by. She wasn't the best tracker or hunter, but when she couldn't catch her own food, she had other ways of obtaining it. Focused on trying to track down a scent, she didn't notice that someone was nearby until she heard the gentle crunch of snow ahead. Her crown shot up, molten gaze finding a male coming out of the trees. He turned to towards her, surprise in his eyes as he spoke. When he glanced past his shoulder, she peered past him for a moment to see if there had been anyone else with him, but it was just them two. She watched him, curious but not overly so. There wasn't anything extraordinary or fascinating about him. He looked plain, just like any other ordinary looking wolf. But who knew, maybe he had other qualities that made up for his lack of a beautiful coat such as hers. "I'm afraid not. I was just about to try and track something for myself." "Talk" "You" Think

ORWYND
everyone who isn't me is an enemy

The wolf offered a smile and lifted his nose to the air just slightly to take in her scent. “A stroll then?” Orwynd proposed, taking a few curious steps away from her. “Perhaps the two of us working together would earn something far more substantial. I’m in the mood for a good chase.” His voice was friendly if a bit challenging. Would she accept? Nose to the ground to sniff for potential prey, Orwynd took several steps further from the she-wolf to see if she would follow.

There was the stale scent of caribou here and he was sure with a small jaunt he’d be able to track a few down. They were thick in these parts. Saliva coated the male’s tongue at the thought of a fresh kill. “My name’s Orwynd.” He turned his amber eyes to her and allowed his tail to gently sweep back and forth behind him in a peaceful gesture. “Aside from an empty belly, what brings you to this natural splendor?”

"A stroll then?" The babe nodded. That was mostly what she had in mind. Her venture to the North had been on a whim, but she was glad she had decided to do it. The Northlands were far different then what she was used to, and all the snow and ice made beautiful displays so far. He suggested an idea that Paradise considered. Something bigger then a rabbit sounded better and more promising. She watched as he moved away with his nose to the ground to sniff out a prey scent. She herself wasn't that good at tracking, but she copied him anyway as she followed a little behind him. The man told her his name was Orwynd, the babe nodding her head to him in acknowledgment. "Paradise. And I came up North to explore the lands, to see how different they are compared to what I'm used to." She lifted her head again, trying to taste the air for prey scent but couldn't find much. She did manage to detect a bit of something, but she didn't know what it was. Caribou wasn't something she had ever seen before. "I'm from the South lands, you see. So far, I am not disappointed with what I have seen." She walked forward, hips swaying as delicate paws hardly left their marks in the snow. Molten gaze glanced at him for a moment as she stopped beside him. "And you?" "Talk" "You" Think

ORWYND
everyone who isn't me is an enemy

Paradise was the curious wolf’s name. A strange title for a beautiful - albeit unusual - looking girl. The wolf rolled his shoulders and set to task differentiating sour scents from fresh, painstakingly aware of the approaching female. “The South, eh, fire wolf? Far from home.” He quipped, admiring the way her intricately marked fur accentuated her femininity. The orange and black streaks reminded him of wildfire and as her muscles moved under her pelt, those flames danced. “I’m just a lonely bachelor knockin’ about in the wild.” The laugh that came forth was genuine. “Traveling the coast, you see. I hear the waters run warm further South. That’s my destination. I have plans to see all that I can along the way.” While Orwynd did not dislike the cold entirely, he was not at all fond of it. The idea of year-round warmth sounded rather appealing to the man. Others would surely flock there to escape the bite of winter, both prey, and hunter alike.

Orwynd was not at all ashamed about how he flexed the muscles in his back in a display of masculinity as he took the lead on their hunt. “And where would my lady's travels end, hm? Have you a destination?” He asked as they traveled through the dainty maze of pine. Every so often Orwynd would repeat the process of rubbing his fur into the green bristles, making it known that is was his scent that was mingled with the sweetness of the she-wolf’s. The wolf was almost so entranced by the delectable smell of his newfound companion that he almost didn’t notice the scent of prey grow just slightly more pungent. They would soon find a collection for four caribous separated from the main herd. One would be lagging painfully, a bull with a dislocated hip. How unfortunate. Orwynd would think with a wolfy grin.

“The South, eh, fire wolf? Far from home.” Fire wolf? She couldn't help but puff her chest out with pride. That was the second time someone compared in that way. The other male she had met the other day had called her "Little Flame". Hmm...perhaps there was a title she could work in for herself at some point, maybe work in a reputation for herself. She had hated living in solitude her whole life, and despite her fire colored coat, she hadn't felt as confident up until recently. But perhaps that would all change soon, especially if she could earn herself a reputation among the lands, be it good or bad. He continued on to say he was just a curious bachelor, and she could relate to that. She had come out here because of her curiosity, and she was a bachelorette. Never loved. Never bred. Never really thought about it. She had been a hermit up until recently. He mentioned wanting to head south at some point, molten gaze studying him for a moment. "What you heard is right, the waters are much warmer. It doesn't freeze as it does up here. Maybe a little snow once in a while, but nothing compared to this. It's why I stayed there for so long," She watched him as he took the lead, noting how he seemed to flex a bit as he did so. She could barely stifle the giggle that threatened to come out. Boys, they seemed so...determined to show off in some way. She noticed it with the male that taught her how to ice skate, and now this one. "I plan on returning to the South in the Spring, but I'm not sure where in the South yet. A pack took residence in the lands I had been staying in since I came here as a pup, so." She shrugged. She hadn't quite thought that far yet... He would rub himself against the pine trees, the babe watching as some needles dropped into the snow as they continued on. She was always glad for the company, however naive she might be, she was always the fearless individual. She supposed that came with living a life in solitude, however, so she didn't think much of it. She was exploring and making friends or rather...attracting men to her. She wasn't doing it on purpose, but hey, she was fine with whatever attention she could get. Paradise forged ahead, weaving around the trees nearest to them as she looked around her. The treetops seemed like they would be easy to reach considering the rest of them were beneath the snow. The tops of them gently scratched her back as she moved beneath them, gently caressing her which in turn, sent a shiver down her spine. She swore she felt more sensitive during her season, and the back scratch felt good. Besides, who didn't like a good back scratch now and then? Returning to her new companion's side, she paused when the foreign scent of caribou hit her. She followed his gaze to the small herd, curiosity lighting up her amber gaze. "Are those...deer?" She tilted her head slightly in confusion. They almost looked like deer...but...not quite like the whitetails she was used to seeing down south... "Talk" "You" Think

ORWYND
everyone who isn't me is an enemy

Paradise confirmed the rumors that painted the picture of Orwynd’s fantasy. He had been in the far Northern lands for the last several years after an exploration as a teenager brought him here from his birthplace in the Northwest. Now, as a mature male, he was far more than ready to see what both the East Coast and its inhabitants had to offer him.

"I plan on returning to the South in the Spring, but I'm not sure where in the South yet. A pack took residence in the lands I had been staying in since I came here as a pup, so."

Orwynd turned his ear to listen to the she-wolf and released a pleased grunt. Perhaps he would visit her in the South after her wanderlust side had been soothed and he could try his paw at tending to a different ache should she allow it. “From what I can tell you'll enjoy the North while you're here.” His deep voice rumbled as they walked. “You’ve got a voyaging look about you. Perhaps you’ll find a reason to stay past Spring? At least for a while.” Orwynd suggested, watching curiously as she pressed her lithe body under a pine tree branch. The needles scraped through her vibrant fur and the male couldn’t help but imagine it was his teeth sifting through her fiery hair. Orwynd half expected the green foliage to sizzle at her touch.

He was fantasizing about the act when her voice startled him from his thoughts. He cleared his vision and focused on the beasts just ahead. Her ignorance of the creatures gave him an opportunity to not only teach, but impress her with his knowledge as well. “Sort of.” He said, predatory eyes instinctively sighting in on the injured male as he limped after the rest of his small herd. “They’re caribou. Think of them as deer with an attitude problem and an affinity for long distance running.” He snickered, coiling his muscles as he advanced to a trot. The two hungry wolves were in for a long pursuit and he was sure Paradise would enjoy the sights and experience as they ran down their meal. “Hope you can keep up.” Orwynd teased over his shoulder as the herbivores spotted the predators. As they galloped away with fearful snorts and rolling white eyes, adrenaline seared Orwynd’s veins. Ancient instinct propelled the wolf into an all out sprint. In frenzied excitement his paws ate up the ground. The hunt was on.

“From what I can tell you'll enjoy the North while you're here.” She glanced at him for a moment, well he wasn't wrong about that. She did quite enjoy it so far, though the cold climate left her feeling colder than she would have liked, especially at night. Bedding down in old abandoned dens or even under the cover of trees when she couldn't find one wasn't very pleasant. The ground here was too cold for her liking, and she'd wake up freezing her ass off and stiff until she warmed herself up with a run. " “You’ve got a voyaging look about you. Perhaps you’ll find a reason to stay past Spring? At least for a while.” She kept her gaze on him, a thoughtful look in her eyes. Well, it wouldn't hurt to stay a little while when Spring rolled in...but she also wanted to go back to see Spring roll in after such a harsh winter. She supposed she'd have to think about it, and maybe a reason would come up that would get her to want to stay longer. Maybe if she didn't get the chance to explore the whole north like she wanted, then perhaps that would be her reason for staying just a bit longer. Who knew, maybe it would be different here in the Spring time as well, but she wouldn't know that at this moment.

He answered her question about the beasts ahead of them, molten gaze studying them as he explained what they were. Caribou... Huh, she had never seen one before. They were certainly a lot bigger than what she was used to, save for the bison that lived there for as long as she could remember. When Orwynd sped up, it took her a few moments to realize and follow behind him at a brisk pace. He was heading towards the small group, so she practically followed in his paw steps left behind in the snow. "Hope you can keep up." She narrowed her eyes slightly at him, a mischevious grin parting her lips as she flashed pearly teeth at him. At first, she wasn't sure about his being so loud. Normally, she tried to hunt as quietly as she could but...she was always alone, so she had to be quieter to not spook the prey, even then she would be unsuccessful because sometimes they'd get away. But now? There were two of them, and the chances at catching food was greater than her chances had she been alone. "You're on!" She challenged back, throwing herself into gear as she raced along. She propelled herself as fast as she could, kicking up snow behind her as she moved. The babe managed to catch up to him, throwing a grin his way as she matched him step for step.

"Speech"||"You"||Think

ORWYND
everyone who isn't me is an enemy

The pace in which the injured bull was able to keep asounded the wolf and only intensified his hunger. It was an awkward sight, hind leg dangling helplessly. Orwynd could smell the fear in the urine expelled down the creature’s hocks. The ground was a blur beneath the male as he bolted. The pounding of blood in his ears was deafening as he became weightless across the tundra. His blood branded his muscles in a deep burning stamp as he pushed them to their limit, closing the distance between the prey the wolves were after. Orwynd’s jowls ached with the desire to tear into the flesh of the bull and he could not contain the eager yip that burst from his chest.

The wolf could sense Paradise beside him, the awareness of her presence and the consciousness of leading their hunt nourished his instinctual frenzy. Orwynd did not know how long the chase was, but as he neared, the bull’s frantic pants came out in rolling clouds of steam and were thunderous like roaring waves. Orwynd lunged and grabbed a mouthful of earthy skin and fur on the creature’s haunch. Dirt and blood coated the wolf’s tongue; a barbaric growl ripped from this throat. The large bull struggled to maintain his pace with the wolf hanging onto its side. The wolf could not see his companion but shook his head violently, tumbling beneath the bull’s spindly legs. The beast faltered and began to tumble to the ground.

Orwynd fell with it. Predatory hysteria overcame the male and he ripped violently at the skin and muscle trapped between his teeth. The bull bellowed and thrashed. The wolf will have wished he had paid more attention to where Paradise was positioned when the beast’s life ebbed away, but now the desire to kill was all that filled the forefront of his brain. Hooves flailing, the caribou fought for his life. Eyes rolling, gasping, hair falling in clumps from his skin, blood painting the snow a delectable shade of crimson. Orwynd leaped for the bull’s throat, violently shaking his cranium from side to side, tearing through cartilage and muscle. The male’s snarls matched the maddening bugles of his prey as he finally raised his eyes to Paradise.

The babe's paws drummed the ground, creating a thundering symphony with that of her companions and the bull they were after. Her eyes fixed on their chosen quarry, watching as it sped ahead of them but she could tell it was losing ground. Its damaged leg dangled uselessy behind it and she could smell the fear emitted from the beast. She knew that it knew it would be dying today, made clear by its rolling white eyes and the way it tried to lose them, but they all knew it wouldn't be able to keep up this pace for long. Though she ran alongside Orwynd, she allowed him to take the lead. She wasn't the world's best hunter and having hunted alone for so many years, she was more than glad to have someone else to hunt with and even more so to let them take the lead. Who knew, maybe she could even learn something from him.

As he forged on ahead, she was having trouble keeping up. She wasn't used to running in the snow, and already she had managed to run into a drift and hidden obstacles buried in the snow. While she didn't fall, she was slowed down considerably. Still, it didn't keep her from trying. She watched as Orwynd caught up to the beast, and by the time she managed to catch up, he had brought the animal down. The bull writhed and thrashed as it tried to kick him off, so she decided to try to go for its throat. She got close, but she barely managed to nip its skin when it thrashed its head towards her, its antler cutting her right shoulder and causing the girl to yelp with surprise. Of course...she should have been paying more attention, but she had been far too excited with the thrill of the hunt that she wasn't. She backed off, glancing at her shoulder to see a shallow cut that bled, but it wasn't as bad as she thought it might have been. Shortly after her failed attempt, Orwynd had managed to grab hold of the bull's throat, ultimately ending its life. When he was done, he raised his head to look at, and the girl offered a small wag of her tail. She was embarrassed that she had gotten herself hurt due to her inexperience, but she would learn from for future hunts. "Well done, I've never hunted with anyone else before. It was fun!"

"Speech"||"You"||Think

ORWYND
everyone who isn't me is an enemy

The wolf’s eyes were fixated on the blood staining the female’s fiery pelt. His gut tightened pleasurably at the sight, growling in admiration though the sound was muffled by the caribou’s throat. Heavy pants racked the male’s body as he felt the life ebb away from the groaning bull. He held tightly, yanking hard on the windpipe for good measure as the beast died with fear in its eyes. It wasn’t until Orwynd lifted his head to praise Paradise for her aid that he realized her muzzle was clean. Confusion flashed in his amber eyes as they traveled back to the blemish in her pelt, realizing then that the blood was her own.

"Well done, I've never hunted with anyone else before. It was fun!"

Orwynd revealed a rather bloody smile and rolled his eyes playfully as he made his way towards his companion. “You would’ve had more fun if you kept up,” The man brought his nose to her wound and gave it a few firm platonic licks, tongue tangling with skin and fur. Her blood was earthy, wild. Their proximity sent chills down his spine, causing the fur on his shoulders to bristle. Orwynd’s eyes lifted to meet Paradise’s and the man grinned rather smugly, “Snail.” He teased with a final lick to the shallow cut. She would be fine.

The wolf’s concern dwindled as quickly as it rose as he turned from her back to the freshly killed caribou. He reached down and fastened his teeth to the skin on the bull’s buttocks, the softest and easiest part to consume. Because the kill had been made almost entirely on his own, Orwynd had no qualms about taking his rightful place to feed first. Paradise would best learn to become a better hunter quickly if she had plans on staying in the North. It was an unforgiving bleak land and she would need more than mice and the occasional rabbit to keep her health. The meat was hot against the male’s tongue as he gobbled mouthfuls of muscle. Blood saturated his chest and face and gathered underneath him in the snow. A red throne. After several bites, Orwynd swung his rump to the side; a silent invitation for the inexperienced female to join their feast.

“You would’ve had more fun if you kept up,” A sheepish grin crossed her features as he approached her. She was trying to keep up, but she was far too inexperienced in the snow. And with her being inexperienced as she was with hunting, the snow made it many times harder. "Hey, I'm not used to the snow alright? Run on my turf and I can run circles around you though," Was she confident about that? Hell yes. She raised herself in the Southern lands. While she still wasn't a great hunter there, she knew she could do a lot better there. There was no snow or hidden obstacles to stop her. She knew almost every inch of the southern lands. Where to find the best prey. Where to set up an ambush if she needed to. How to wear down her prey. She had stamina. She could run the open terrain without losing her breath. But here? Forget it. When he started to lick her wound, she startled just the slightest bit. The touch was unexpected, and when his eyes rose to meet her own, she could feel her heartbeat quicken its pace for a moment. "Snail. He gave her shoulder a final lick before turning away from her. Nobody had dared touch her like that before. Or any other way unless she asked. Like...if she needed help getting her foot out of stupid gopher holes and stuff. She was speechless for once. The babe still processing the male's bold approach. She watched as he started to tear into the caribou. The babe glanced at her shoulder and gave it a few, swift licks before wiping her tongue across her lips. When she returned her attention to him, he had shifted a bit and she took that as a cue to join him. Even if an invitation wasn't offered, she would have invited herself, anyway. The babe approached the caribou's stomach, and she eagerly tucked in and tore at the flesh. She was a bit neater while she tore off flesh. She didn't like being covered in blood and gore, let alone in the dirt. She knew she'd have to groom herself really, really well after this. And if she ended up getting too dirty, she'd be looking for a place to bathe, even if she had to return home to do so. Pearly teeth tore at flesh and muscle, eventually exposing more of the caribou's insides. Her muzzle and some of her face started to stain with blood, but she didn't mind so much at this moment. After a few bites, she glanced at him after swallowing some of her meal. "Thank you." She didn't wait for a response before taking another bite. She'd let him think about what her thanks was for. Whether it be for spending time with her. Hunting with her. Cleaning her wound...perhaps all of those things. Perhaps none. It didn't matter to her. She was just glad to have some company for once in her lonely little life. "Talk" "You" Think