Thinking; Open

[[Midnight]]

Obviously, adult wolves didn't come here too often, to this muddy hillside. Unless they were a mother, with pups, since to the younglings it made for great entertainment.
Taya could remember having something like this, back at home, where her mother and grandmother would always take her to play. They raised her well, she realized. They were always making sure she had resources to play with and to learn from. She was civilized because of them...well, as civilized as unique Taya would ever be, anyhow.

Maybe someday, Taya would have the opportunity to take her litter of pups to the Mudslide Mountain. Or, maybe she was just destined to be mateless and even rather friendless for the rest of her life.

Wow, I'm negative today... she thought to herself, squinting against a little bit of sunshine as she looked up at the cloudy sky. It didn't look like rain just yet, but it would be coming later for sure.

No wonder I have barely any friends in this pack - I hang out in the wrong places at the wrong time!

[smilies]

Ebony padded paws carried the lithe canine form swiftly down the seemingly endless incline of mud, inflamed muscles bunching and releasing repeatedly, footprints marking an evident trail in the warm mud, after kicking it up to be swept into the frigid winter breeze. After miles of running, his body ached to stop, his muscles screaming out in pain, but instead of giving into the throbbing within his limbs, he let it sink in to his very being, enjoying the liberating feeling. But he paid no mind to it, just let his body take hold and run with the pain and adrenaline that pumped through his veins. Vibrant green eyes peered steadily in front of him, watching where he'd place his paws soon after his gaze shot ahead, only to repeat the process. But as he continued on, his peripheral vision seemed to pick up another sight, different to the ones he'd been taking in through out his entire run. He slowed to a walk, being sure to keep a steady gate as to not slip in the liquid dirt.

His chest heaved as he fought to take in ever last ounce of oxygen, the frigid winter air stinging the leathery walls within his nares. His tongue lolled from behind his blackened lips, because despite the coldness that accompanied the season of winter, he found that he was rather warm with his thick serving as protection from the bitter cold. As he caught his breath, he turned his head slowly to the side, allowing his gaze to sweep over the female for the first time since he'd stopped. Gathering his muscles, Caden started forward in a slow walk, figuring now was a perfect time for company. His ears flicked as the mud squished beneath his paws, but he didn't mind. Personally he liked the sensation of the warm goo seeping between his pads on his paws. He figured maybe this female felt the same way.

As the she-wolf's expression became known to him, he could easily tell that she was deep in thought, and his curiousity gave him the urge to question about what exactly ran through her mind. But if there was one thing he thought everyone deserved to keep to themselves it was their thoughts. "Hello," he murmured in a surprisingly even voice despite the oxygen he lacked in his lungs. His muscles buzzed as the adrenaline began to drain from his veins. He'd decided to stick with a casual greeting instead of popping up out of nowhere with a few witty selection of words. "Enjoying the mud?" he asked with a smirk, respecting the wolf for sticking out the seemingly never ending task of later having to rid themselves of the mud that would later cake to the lower portions of their bodies.

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[[Midnight]]

To prove how nippy the seasonal weather was, Taya's steady breath formed vaporized clouds around her face before they would disappear in the breeze seconds later. As she turned her gaze to the approaching Alpha, she saw that it was the same thing for him. At least neither of them were shivering yet, since Winter hadn't become harsh; their pelts were think enough to keep out majority of the cold. It certainly would progress to worse days, however, and Taya knew nobody in the pack would be looking forward to that. Thankfully there weren't many pups in the pack, and virtually no elders. Thriving might be easier this year.

Taya flashed a friendly and respectful smile to the earthy-colored lupus. It was a shame that she hadn't gotten to know Caden better, he was her Alpha, after all. Hadn't he basically resurrected the previous Dancing Stars? She didn't like to hear too many of that depressing and shadowy history, but she obviously knew most of it. Dancing Stars had a lot to owe to this lone male. Perhaps other original wolves would have tried to take over, but they needed someone like Caden right now. They were doing just fine with him holding the reigns.

"Hello, Caden," she greeted eagerly, dipping her head sideways a bit. "I suppose you call it enjoyment. It's sort of a mixture of joy and sad reminiscent feelings."

The white and brown-pelted female flexed her nubby toes in the mud, letting it squeeze inbetween them. Again, it brought a double dosage of emotions to her thoughtful mind.

"I was thinking about myself as a pup again. Mud used to be my fancy," she said with a small chuckle, looking down at her toes with a frown inducing that she was still thinking hard.

[smilies]

He listened intently as the female spoke, realizing that he could easily relate to a lot of the feelings she currently posessed. He nodded his head when she finished, a small smile worn across his maw. His eyes were glazed over ever so slightly as he reminisced to his own past, remembering the joyful care-free days as a pup. He released a sigh, and allowed his mind to divert to the present. He turned his head to look at her, vibrant green eyes studying her sad, but slightly joyful expression. Of course, he could understand where she was coming from. Who didn't want to go back and visit the past? Life had been so much easier then, when they were younger. Nobody was worried about mates, or pups, or a rival pack. Then again, Caden Valley had been like that, before Duke decided to invade. He released another sigh, his breath visible by his own eyes for just a moment, until the frigid, winter breeze carried it away.

"Yeah, I miss those days," he said with a smile, lowering his gaze to stare into the seemingly endless pit of dark mud that clung to every inch of his chocolate brown fur. "Life was so easy," he murmured. He didn't want Taya thinking that he didn't like, or appreciate being Alpha, because he did. In fact, he wouldn't trade it for the world. There were just times when he needed a break. Everyone needed a break now and again, right? Caden, despite his high-ranked position, was no exception. But especially now, he had to be extremely alert, and aware of everything that was going on in the pack and in the valley. There was an unspoken tension between the Stars and Moons, and Caden wasn't sure how long it would be until that tension erupted into something more disastrous.

He shook his head slightly, only visible to the eyes that were oh so carefully watching. He turned his attention back to Taya, tipping his head ever so slightly to the side. He was here with her now, so he'd focus his undivided attention on her. It looked like she needed someone to talk to at the moment. "So what brings you out here?" he questioned, curious as to why the female was all alone. Maybe she was troubled, or just needed someone to talk to. In any case, Caden was always a reliable shoulder to lean on, as was his nature.

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[[Midnight]]

There was certainly no need for Caden to be worrying about her now, or whatever was running through his mind at the moment. Her problems, she realized, weren't problems at all, but simply a simple wish of the future, all to come in due time when she worked and fought harder for it.
Caden was such an amazing Alpha, though, the way he cared so genuinely. So she smiled appreciately at his company, her eyes bright and without worry.

"I've been hoping to find some company when my paws started to bring me here," she replied to the earthy-pelted male, glancing down at the muddy ground as a gesture.
"What about you, though, Caden? Itching for the dirt as much as me?"
She smiled good-naturedly, her tail wagging while her ears laid respectfully flat.

[smilies]

Caden smiled. "Paws brought you good company," he said jokingly. It wasn't meant to sound conceited, though it seemed to come out that way. He laughed it off as to not sound arrogant. Then he released a sigh, allowing the smile to fade ever so slightly, the corners of his blackened lips remained turned up in a smiling position.

He let out a short but hearty laugh as Taya stated her next response. "I'm a male. What male doesn't itch for dirt every once in a while?" he questioned, turning his gaze upon her, his eyes showing his careless expression. With a sigh, he lifted a front paw from the chocolate colored mud, and then placed it in another spot, allowing his weight to transfer to that one paw. He said nothing as the mud sunk between his toes, enjoying the cool liquid squishing between his toes. He took a sharp breath, sniffing the air. "Hmm..Spring should be coming soon," he murmured, more to himself than to her.

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[[Midnight]]

She giggled at his comment. How true. Males seemed to love the dirtier things in life compared to females. She caught his careless glance, and felt a little more at ease now. There was no need for her to feel so anxious or out of place. She wasn't about to lay down in the mud or anything, but she positioned her stance until she was standing as comfortably as she could.

"Hm. Sort of feels like it already is here," she replied, sifting through couples in her head. There weren't necessarily that many that she knew of; especially considering how big the pack was. Still, there would be pups. How fantastic! It's just a shame that another year would pass by and she herself would still be pupless.

"I can't wait for it to officially roll around. Nothing like Spring fever," Taya said with a smile, tail wagging once more. "Not to be rude by my asking, but have you found yourself a mate this year? Would be nice to seem some Caden-look-alikes around here."
If anyone deserved pups in this valley, it was Caden. He would make a wonderful father. After all, he's the one who basically brought back to life half of this valley, blessing the old Dancing Stars with new strength.

[smilies]

The corners of his blackened lips lifted as her giggle rang through the air. It was always sad that laughter was contagious. It made him happy that he'd lifted her spirits, even if it was only a fraction. She seemed much brighter than she'd been when he'd first come here. He nodded at her first statement. In a certain way it did feel like spring had already arrived. Wolves were pairing up and sooner or later there would be notifications of new pups in the Dancing Stars land. Even with the ecstatic news of new members and new life, he couldn't help but feel a pang of loneliness. With a sigh he decided not to dwell on it. Anybody who would be alone this spring would feel the same as him. What he was feeling was nothing new, or even anything to linger on. And it comforted him to know that he wasn't the only one who'd be alone.
Maybe not having pups would be a good thing. There'd have to be a protector around here to keep injury away from the new bundles of fur. He should be that protector. After all it was his duty. There was always a silver lining to the bad things in life.

"I just can't wait for warmer weather," he muttered, the tone of his voice secretly cursing the bitter cold winds that swirled around them. He shivered for a moment while taking in her questioning words. He laughed when she finished talking. Caden-look-alikes. He sighed and shook his head, not in a sad way, but more in a matter of fact manner. "No, I'm alone again this year," he said, unconciously leaving a smile on his face. He didn't want her feeling sorry for him. He wasn't even feeling sorry for himself, so why should she?
He shrugged, feeling the need to add to her words. "I'm still waiting for the right wolf," he told her, the smile slowly running from his face as he peered down at his paws. "Maybe someday you'll see a smaller version of me," he added with a laugh.

For moments, he said nothing allowing his answer to sink into her mind as well as his. With another sigh, he turned his head to lay his green eyes upon her. "And what about you?" he questioned, his head tipping instinctively to the side in a quizzical manner. "Surely you've found someone to share the spring time with." The sentence was more a question than a statement, and once he'd spoken it, he wished he could take it back. If she said no, he would feel bad for putting out the overconfident notion that she would be able to find someone so easily.

[/blockquote]

[[Midnight]]

Oh how she wished it really was that easy. To just turn around one day, see someone standing near by, and now in heart that they were your soulmate.
But reality was much harsher than that. No fairy tales in this valley.
Her ears swiveled a bit and she found that she was actually a bit embarassed to be called out as a lonely female. Than again, she was just your average Omega.

Hey, it wouldn't be all so bad! She would get to pup-sit every once in a while. How delightful and priveledged that would make Taya feel.

"No. Like you, I'm searching," she replied with a smile on her face. What was life if you relied on love to make everything better? She didn't want to be that type of wolf.
"I think my problem is that I haven't socialized enough. As you can see, I tend to be in the wrong places at the wrong time. What males would come looking for a female in a mud pit??"
Than she laughed heartily, shaking her head for a moment.

[smilies]

He let silence pass between them while he considered her words. He sighed deeply. Everyone seemed to be so set on finding a mate, almost like they absolutely needed one. He wasn't sure if it was just because spring was here if there was just another reason. Caden knew plenty of wolves who lived the solitary lifestyle and got on fine. However, he himself knew the kind of loneliness that lingered in his heart.

"Most males don't exactly look for love," he told her. Most males had too much pride to actually go looking for a significant other. "But that doesn't mean they can't stumble upon your path," he told her with a smile. "Look where it brought me." He peered down at the mud that was slowly beginning to cake to his fur. The water would be too cold to get it off. He'd have to put up with it.

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[[Midnight]]

The silence was just a bit awkward. As she watched his face and heard him sigh, she figured he was either thinking that same things as her, or the complete opposite and had an opposing opinion. So now she was stuck wondering, did she say something right or say something wrong? Or at least she wondered until he spoke up again

Well, sure, they may not all necessarily go looking for females like Taya... But that wasn't really her point. She needed to stop hiding in stupid places and get to know some more packmates - that was the only way to meet someone really worth her time.
The comment about them crossing paths made her smile and suddenly she wanted to stop complaining about her own problems and start talking positive. Always makes moods better.
But where to start?

She noticed Caden took a wandering glance at his muddy fur, and she had to swipe a look at her own. She chuckled.
"I think it's a good look for us. Gives us some more character, huh?"

[smilies]

It was as if he could feel the akwardness radiating off her. Truthfully the silence didn't bother him. There was never an awkward silence to him, there was just...silence. Apparently not all wolves felt the same way. Well, he couldn't blame her. Any wolf would consider this to be an awkward silence. He knew she was probably pondering the words he'd just spoken, so he stayed quiet, allowing her the time to do so while wondering what exactly she was thinking about the seemingly insensitive words.

He smiled as she broke the silence with her statement. He peered down at the caked on mud around his legs, a short laugh breaking from his maw. "Yeah, I guess...If that's how you look at it," he told her jokingly. "I think it gives us an edgier look," he told her with a smirk, peering up from his legs to cast his gaze upon her.

[/blockquote]

[[Midnight]]

Taya slipped a bit on the mud, with the sloping landscape. But she caught herself quicker than a prairie dog, and shifted her weight so that her legs were taught and her posture was straighter. Caden must be getting bored by now, standing here making small talk with her. Maybe she could take this as an opportunity to help her hard-working Alpha out.

"Well, do you want to take a quick run to get our blood pumping? Or maybe get a good group together for a hunt," she suggested politely, but watching him hopefully.
She wouldn't mind a bay at the moon, either, but obviously that was hours away, since sundown wasn't close to coming yet today.

Maybe Roan and Oberon would want to join, Taya thought secretly to herself. The only two wolves in the pack that she had ever had a real conversation with.

[smilies]

He watched her begin to slip through the sopping mud and his first instinct was to reach out and catch her but she managed to do so herself before he could even flinch into action. His ears lifted from his cranium as she began to speak again but his tired eyes remained on the chocolate colored mud under his feet. A smile stretched out upon his maw before a small laugh escaped through his blackened lips. "Anyother day I would love to, but I'm exhausted right now," he told her honestly, not wanting to disappoint her or hurt her feelings but his aching muscles couldn't bear to go for another long run.

"But, I do want to get out of this mud...Maybe go for a walk?" he suggested quizzically. He was more intent on a cool down than a warm up. Not bothering to wait for an answer he pushed himself slowly to his black padded paws and turned his head to look at her. "Coming?" he asked, allowing his gaze to remain on her for a few more seconds before wheeling around and beginning his trek out of the mud, looking over his shoulder to see if she'd accompany him.

[/blockquote]

[[Midnight]]

Hoping she hadn't put him on the spot, Taya quickly gave an understanding nod and smile. Of course, she began to slide down the mud after him; a walk would be much more relaxing than a hunt, that was obviously true. She watched Caden's back with perked ears. It must be hard to be the Alpha of such a pack when you were working alone. No wonder he was nothing short of pooped out.

Still, it seemed a lot of wolves were having pups this year. That's a great thing.
"I wonder if Falling Moon is having as much pups this season as we are," she wondered out loud as she strode confidently towards Caden's side. That was something to be considered - with the expansion of both packs, would more land be needed by both sides? Yikes.
But she didn't voice those thoughts out loud for Caden's sake - that was still months away if it ever happened, and Taya had a tendency to overthink things. Besides, Caden probably already considered that himself, as resourceful as he was.
"It must be hard for some of these wolves to move on.... To lose their home and loved ones in that terrible earthquake. I even feel for the Moons."
A frown came to her face, and she subconciously began walking a little tad slower, still keeping pace however with the Alpha.