March 109
It was spring, a night in the spring of year 109, to be exact. HailWing laid outside her den underneath a makeshift leather canopy, one side of the cloth nailed to the barrack and the other tied around a nearby sapling. It was meant to provide shade on sunny days, but HailWing spent enough time there that it had stopped being a strategic location to hide from the sun when she wanted to be outside and started to be something of a favorite spot. There was a particularly comfortable patch of grass and foliage from the last fall here that had been kept preserved through the winter by the cold temperatures and snow.
Abigail was on her bed, sprawled underneath a threadbare blanket, lulled into a deep sleep by alcohol and boredom. HailWing didn't know why, but nights like this -still and quiet, distant stars shining much too brightly for it to be so late- made her uncomfortable. No, perfect nights like this weren't meant to be spent looking up at the stars. They were reserved for surprise centipede attacks and inebriated festivity and frivolity between the depressed and lonely, or desperate attempts to make such a difficult existence bearable. Or that might be how the humans would put it. They would prefer their cities or their farms, with lanterns lit through the night in a prosthetic world of plastic and metal, as far away from nature as possible.
HailWing got up. If she hadn't, she would have fallen asleep outside, looking at those pretty stars. She had a nasty habit of rolling around when she slept and sleeping in that particular place would have caused a rather nasty fur day to wake up to. Hail stretched, yawned, and traveled uneasily and a bit tiredly to a better location. There were places that she could never fall asleep in, places that had too many memories filled with determination, blood, and sweat. When she visited the training field, for instance, Hail always got the feeling that there was something that needed to be done, some exercise or practice required before she went back to the den. That was the ideal place for lazing about when she didn't want to risk sleep. With that in mind, HailWing went there, assured that there would be no disturbance or undesireable thing there at this time of night.
Her tail swished bath and forth and her brow was furrowed into a tired expression that, no matter how little sleep she had gotten the night before, she would never show in the morning. There was an allure to that sort of undignified behavior at night. No one was there to see. No matter what she did, it wouldn't hurt her reputation the next day. It was strangely liberating. At night, she could show a part of herself that not even Abigail had seen. A HailWing weary from trying so hard and never getting anywhere.
It was spring, a night in the spring of year 109, to be exact. HailWing laid outside her den underneath a makeshift leather canopy, one side of the cloth nailed to the barrack and the other tied around a nearby sapling. It was meant to provide shade on sunny days, but HailWing spent enough time there that it had stopped being a strategic location to hide from the sun when she wanted to be outside and started to be something of a favorite spot. There was a particularly comfortable patch of grass and foliage from the last fall here that had been kept preserved through the winter by the cold temperatures and snow.
Abigail was on her bed, sprawled underneath a threadbare blanket, lulled into a deep sleep by alcohol and boredom. HailWing didn't know why, but nights like this -still and quiet, distant stars shining much too brightly for it to be so late- made her uncomfortable. No, perfect nights like this weren't meant to be spent looking up at the stars. They were reserved for surprise centipede attacks and inebriated festivity and frivolity between the depressed and lonely, or desperate attempts to make such a difficult existence bearable. Or that might be how the humans would put it. They would prefer their cities or their farms, with lanterns lit through the night in a prosthetic world of plastic and metal, as far away from nature as possible.
HailWing got up. If she hadn't, she would have fallen asleep outside, looking at those pretty stars. She had a nasty habit of rolling around when she slept and sleeping in that particular place would have caused a rather nasty fur day to wake up to. Hail stretched, yawned, and traveled uneasily and a bit tiredly to a better location. There were places that she could never fall asleep in, places that had too many memories filled with determination, blood, and sweat. When she visited the training field, for instance, Hail always got the feeling that there was something that needed to be done, some exercise or practice required before she went back to the den. That was the ideal place for lazing about when she didn't want to risk sleep. With that in mind, HailWing went there, assured that there would be no disturbance or undesireable thing there at this time of night.
Her tail swished bath and forth and her brow was furrowed into a tired expression that, no matter how little sleep she had gotten the night before, she would never show in the morning. There was an allure to that sort of undignified behavior at night. No one was there to see. No matter what she did, it wouldn't hurt her reputation the next day. It was strangely liberating. At night, she could show a part of herself that not even Abigail had seen. A HailWing weary from trying so hard and never getting anywhere.
Emeraldwind let out a slight yawn, trekking sleepily along the paths between the barracks. It was a fairly cold night, but what could he expect of a night in newly dawned spring? True, he'd rather be laid out on his soft furs in his nice warm corner, sleeping as he should want but it wasn't meant to be. Derek had woken up in the middle of the night, to nightmares that always started in spring and were no mere dreams. So far, Emeraldwind had been careful enough so that Derek 'forgot' what they were about, but tonight he'd managed to become melancholic over the lingering feelings and began to play songs sad enough to lower the ever-happy wolf into somewhat of a funk. So he left, albeit reluctantly, and set out into the night.
Stopping just outside the training grounds, he sighed. His hopes had been to find a wandering wolf like himself to play a game with but he seem to be out of luck tonight. Unaware that he was just a few minutes ahead of another wolf coming from the opposite direction, he was about to turn and leave when a tiny flickering light was caught in the corner of his eye. Attention successfully grabbed, he watch the little light blink and buzz, his mind realizing what it was, but still not making it very believable. A lone firefly... in spring? Such things didn't come out until summer when the heat of the nights drove wolves and riders to the little ponds and lakes. But that logic didn't stop the little bug from floating about his head and drawing him dazedly into the training field.
Losing himself in a private little game, Emeraldwind ran after the bug tongue lolling out as his maw fell into a wolfish grin. Sense dictated that he would never catch it this way, that he should just wait and let it come to him... There was no fun in that though! He'd often been called out as an idiot or immature for his often lack of thought before actions, but Emeraldwind followed his own private philosophy of "Just live life...". And with that in mind, he took after the bug with renewed vigour, jumping and flipping over himself until he became tired. Settling on the ground, he sat and panted for a few moments, breath actually misting before him. The firefly seemed to notice his pause and did the oddest thing, landing squarely on his nose. Not that the wolf minded any...
Mood brightened considerably, his ears swiveled as they picked up the sounds of another wolf. Turning his head to sniff the air disturbed the firefly and he drifted upwards and away, towards the other wolf.
HailWing walked in a kind of daze toward the Training Field, dragging her reluctant legs in that direction for what seemed much longer than it actually was. When she reached the track -the one that encircled the Training Field, she yawned, oblivious to any other wolf or human presence that might have been there. As ever it was with yawns, her eyes clenched shut and her muzzle stretched open as far as it could. If one had a sense of humor or just a vivid imagination, one could associate that expression with that of a lion roaring. In that state, head drooping and nearly touching the ground and eyelids barely open, she kept her pace. It was only when an unseasonal firefly decided to fly in her direction that she payed any attention at all to her surroundings. Hail moved her head to follow its erratic pattern through the space, catching something rather peculiar in her peripheral vision.
It couldn't be! There was no way! There was a reluctance in her muscles that exceeded fatigue that made it incredibly difficult to turn her head toward that unexpected gray and green blot. And it was! Another wolf was there looking at her, watching that disgusting display of sheer lack of manners. For a split second, she didn't know how to react. No one, and she meant no one had ever seen her act that way... until now. HailWing's immediate impulse was to retreat in the opposite direction, hoping that the other wolf either hadn't noticed who she was. In that way, she could escape with what little dignity she had to begin with. But there was no mistaking it now. She'd waited too long. They had both noticed each other and their was nothing to do now but think of an adequate excuse, something that, at this moment, was being incredibly elusive.
So, in a futile and still more desperate attempt to seem dignified, she straightened her posture and donnedd her most ruthless and serious expression. What kept Hail from threatening or asserting dominance or any such typical thing was the fact that he was bigger than her and also this information that would cripple her reputation should it ever get out to the general public. Greetings, She said in a serious, but not domineering tone. It is surprising to see another about so late. It wasn't like her to have the first word in a conversation. In any case, HailWing wanted to make it clear that she wasn't threatening and that to blackmail or use this information for any other ill intentions wouldn't be necessary.
It couldn't be! There was no way! There was a reluctance in her muscles that exceeded fatigue that made it incredibly difficult to turn her head toward that unexpected gray and green blot. And it was! Another wolf was there looking at her, watching that disgusting display of sheer lack of manners. For a split second, she didn't know how to react. No one, and she meant no one had ever seen her act that way... until now. HailWing's immediate impulse was to retreat in the opposite direction, hoping that the other wolf either hadn't noticed who she was. In that way, she could escape with what little dignity she had to begin with. But there was no mistaking it now. She'd waited too long. They had both noticed each other and their was nothing to do now but think of an adequate excuse, something that, at this moment, was being incredibly elusive.
So, in a futile and still more desperate attempt to seem dignified, she straightened her posture and donnedd her most ruthless and serious expression. What kept Hail from threatening or asserting dominance or any such typical thing was the fact that he was bigger than her and also this information that would cripple her reputation should it ever get out to the general public. Greetings, She said in a serious, but not domineering tone. It is surprising to see another about so late. It wasn't like her to have the first word in a conversation. In any case, HailWing wanted to make it clear that she wasn't threatening and that to blackmail or use this information for any other ill intentions wouldn't be necessary.
