Feeling Restless

[Ashara]

The first rays of early morning sunlight woke a chorus of singing birds. The song of these birds was what woke Astra so early. It was only dusk and already she was up on her paws, wide awake and full of energy. Normally the singing of the birds would annoy her but today she didn't really mind what she did mind about though was the fact that no one else was awake. 

She paced around listlessly wanting company and at the same time not wanting to wake anyone. After a while was went to the stream. Once there she lowered her head to drink. She lapped up the cool water until she was no longer thirsty then she made her way back only to find still no one was awake. She sighed, 'what to do what to do? ' she wondered whispering the words to herself.  She shook her head and gave a loud sigh. Hunting? She wasn't hungry why should she.

After a while she started to look around trying to think of something to do to rid her of the boredom she felt and do use the spare energy she had coursing through her veins. First she saw Mudslide mountain but no she wouldn't go there what was she? A pup, no and she didn't have any either so what entertainment would she find there. She lowered her eyes to see Silent Cave. She gave a shudder, she was most defiantly not going there. Next her eyes fell on the distant Forest Mountain. Should she go there? She thought about it for a few moments but no it was too far away not even she was prepared to travel that far on her own. It took a last turn of her head to see it, Rocky Mountain.

The moment her eyes fell on it she knew it was the right place for her to go. Normally only young male wolves were the ones that sought adventures and challenge here but for some reason Astra found it was the right place for her to go. She leaped to her feet one full of nervous excitement. She started off towards the mountain with a lively spring in her step. She was eager to see what lay on the mountain, ready to experience the thrill. 

Her paws carried her to the east towards the mountain looming up ahead of her. She still didn't even know what she wanted up here, why she was even going here but she never stopped, never wavered not for a moment. Her curiosity about what lay on the mountain was now awakened. She had never bothered to think about it but now things were different.  Her mind raced wondering what she might encounter on the mountain. She had never heard of anyone going to the mountain and coming back but she always assumed that Caden himself must have been there.

Finally she reached the mountain. She wasn't tired yet no but the journey had been longer than expected so she sat down looking up at the mountain, resting and getting her breath back. The mountain looked much bigger from up close and in a way it scared her.

After a few minutes when she had her breath back  she got to her feet. She gave a last look back the way she had come as if to check that no one was following her. She turned to face the mountain. It started off as just a gentle slope but then it got far far steeper.

She started off at a trot up the gentle slope. Down here it was still grassy and going wasn't much harder than on straight ground. As she went on she slowly became aware of this places seeming lack of something. She couldn't really figure out what it was but it gave her an eery feeling so she continued to trot but a little faster now.

It took her a while to realize what it was that was bothering her. When it finally hit  her she came to a stop. She gaze around only to confirm her thoughts, there was no life up here. Grass and small bushes yes but other than that not even soothing as common as a rabbit was there and those were always found wherever there was grass. She shook her head as if to free herself of the thought and kept on going slowly up higher and higher.

After a while the way got stepped and the grass got less and less until there were only a free tufts here and there. Astra had to slow to a walk because of the steepness. The ground was hard and cruel to her paws, loose pebbles littered the ground. 

After another while she came to a particularly almost straight slope. She stopped for a moment looking upwards. You couldn't just climb up here, jumping from some small ledges was the only way up. Mustering her courage Astra leapt onto the first ledge. Pebbles rolled downwards but the ledge didn't break so slowly she made her way upwards  carefully from ledge to ledge. Once of twice she almost fell but every time she regained her footing and managed to stay upright and not to follow the pebbles path. 

After what seemed like an eternity she finally made it to the top, for what she saw here she could never have been prepared. She inhaled sharply, now nothing but fear coursed though her veins. Forgetting the stepping stop behind her she stepped backwards away from the terrifying sight before her. For a moment she plummeted downwards but not long one of her flailing paws managed just about to dog itself into the edge of the top ledge. She clung on for dear life , raising the other paw to dig it into the ground beside the first one. Feebly she scrabbled with her back legs trying to climb back onto the ledge but she needed another ledge to manage it the slope was too slippery. She gave a long loud terrified and high pitched howl wishing that she hadn't ventured so faraway from where the other wolves in her pack were.

[Paint]

Astra was not the only wolf who was awake.

Bandit had fallen into an insomniatic pattern once again. She would drift off at odd moments when the sun was streaming down through the glittering russet leaves, but she would snap to twenty minutes later feeling only a little better. At night, she simply roamed. A living zombie of a wolf, Bandit felt the dullness creeping into her usually fiery eyes with the lonely nights and the impending battle. It made her shudder beneath her black and white pelt, something that she never let show to her pack. Because, for now, it was her pack.

So she had caught a fresh scent as she passed the dens and dipped her nose to the ground, wondering who was awake at this hour. With a frown Bandit searched her mind. Astra. Where on earth was she going? Bandit felt something compelling her to find the younger female, a gut feeling you could say. She started forwards, occasionally dipping down to catch the scent and stay on track. Eventually she worked out the direction and began loping forwards to the Rocky Mountain.

She herself had often sought the challenge of a mountain climb when the rest of the world seemed deadly silent. She knew these tracks through the pebbles and the jarring rocks, having cut her pawpads a fair few times, she knew now where to step. Although she was not nimble as a mountain goat, or gutsy as a cougar, she had a sharp memory and strong legs and they drove her upwards steeper and steeper until a shriek escaped Astra's mouth somewhere above her.

"I'm coming, Astra!" Bandit called, picking her way upwards, pushing herself. She slipped slightly and managed to find her footing again but she reminded herself to keep watch beneath her paws. Grimly determined, she made her way up, saw the flailing black female and got herself a good foothold on the ledge above her, grabbing her by the scruff as a mother may have done to a pup and pulling hard to help her back up.

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[Ashara]

Finally safe. Astra opened her eyes, in her fear she had squeezed them tight shut. She looked up at her savior, Bandit. Her breathing slowed as she calmed. Questions filled her mind, Why was Bandit here?, How had Bandit heard her?, Had Bandit.. followed her?. Instead of asking she merely said a relived "Thank you" once she had her breath back.

It probably hadn't been hard to pull her up, she was small and light and she had been scrabbling hard with her feet but without help she probably wouldn't have made it. Now they were at the top of the steep slope again Astra looked around.

She gave her head a sharp shake something was wrong. Hadn't she seen wolves skeletons? She was sure she had but now all that lay before her were a few miserable piles of bones that looked like an exploring wolf might have taken a snack up here and never cleaned up. She shook her head again recalling the images, they seemed so vivid so real.

"Its to early" she muttered squeezing her eyes shut again.

[Paint]

In one deft movement the two wolves were back on level. Bandit felt her breath a little heavy in her chest but it soon passed. She rather took for granted how in shape she was. Must be all that night-time wandering, she thought, trying to see the positive side of her insomnia. For one, she'd just saved Astra's life.

"You're welcome. And yes, you're right, it's very early," Bandit refrained from scolding the female. She was, after all, an adult. Bandit followed her eyes to the bones scattered nearby and raised a brow, seeing the fear emanating from her. She rather hoped that she had been scared enough not to wander by herself.

"I would be careful the next time you decide to wander into dangerous territory by yourself. I had an uncle who lost his memory after a nasty fall from a mountainside," she expressed genuine concern as the memory came back to her. She herself had not seen or witnessed it, but she had spoken to those who had. A frown crossed her face. "But at least you're okay. Why are you up here all alone?"

[Ashara]

Astra eyed the bones for a moment longer as if expecting them to change back into what she had imagined them to be. After staring at them long enough to realize that this wasn't going to happen she visibly relaxed. She looked away from the bones and towards Bandit.

She nodded her head to Bandit remaining quite while she told the story of her uncle. Only now she realized how lucky she really was to have been saved. Maybe she could have clung on for a little longer but eventually she would have had to let go. She could have died. She shuddered knowing that it was true, what a foolish wolf she had been.

She nodded in agreement, at least was was okay not hurt or worse. She took a deep breath before explaining. "I woke early this morning, I was bored' she started off knowing that if she stopped at that it wouldn't be enough "I was never up here I wanted to see what it was like" she continued. Finally she hung her head "I was foolish I should never have gone here but I was just seeking an adventure" she explained to her Beta.

[Paint]

Bandit watched Astra's expression change with some concern. But she seemed to be genuinely sorry. Perhaps she would be more careful when exploring next time. The black and white Beta softened a little.

"It's okay. I'm glad I got here in time. I was also up early," she replied, glancing out across the lands. She didn't want to say what she was thinking deep down. To lose Caden and then to start losing pack members... it would be too demoralising. Instead she powered through this thought, being thankful instead.

"It's always better to wake some. Or wait," she continued, but remembered her own solo explorations. Sometimes in the pitch black of night, if the moon was hiding, Bandit had climbed these very mountains. "Or, just be a little more careful."

She smiled.

"Adventure often finds you when you least expect it."

[Ashara]

Astra smiled slightly hearing Bandit's last words. "Being more careful and also not half asleep would probably have done the trick" the small black she-wolf chuckled looking up at Bandit. She only began to realize it now how lucky she had been. This could have ended in serious injury and maybe even death for her. Now she was full of relief! It was pretty sure for her now that she would never try to go climbing any mountains as dangerous as these again for a while and if she did she would make sure to be fully awake.

She looked downwards for a moment then back up at bandit, "Do you think we should head back?" she asked. "The others are sure to be waking up any time now. They'll be wondering where we are" she added.

[Paint]

"I think that sounds like a very good idea," Bandit responded with a nod, turning to see the way before her and assess her best route downwards. She glanced back at Astra and wondered if the small female had any real idea of what was going to be happening so very soon. She frowned.

"We have a time of hardship coming upon us soon. Help me gather the pack for a good, hearty hunt- I believe we are in need of some teamwork and a filling meal."

Bandit knew that it was usually the Beta wolf, under the Alpha's orders, that led a big hunt. But she was alone, ruling the roost, and she wouldn't at all mind a little help along the way. She smiled a little at Astra and began to lead the way back down the mountain, ears flicking backwards to check that Astra was following safely.

OOC. Finished? Or would you like to do one last post? (:

[Ashara]

[Finished I'll say since I don't have the time to post at the moment.]