the pair continued on into the forest, the deeper they went the further they got form the ravaging claws and teeth of a hungry pack nearby. Juris wouldnt waste time hunting, how foolish would it be to waste time chasing rabbits, with those long legs of theirs, they were meant to exhaust any predator in pursuit. Lazy some may call it, but thinking smarter not harder was why Juris was still alive. Energy spent on such a small quarry was a waste, there wasn't enough meat on the rabbit to make up for the effort that was lost chasing it. Especially when Juris had grown accustomed to easier prey in the bush below.
Autumn was here and winter was on its way. The air aws cool and the drizzle began to stick to the ends of his fur. Water ran from the tip of his nose, rejuvinating his body but stiffening the ends of his toes. It was good to have Zafira here, where they could huddle in the bush on such a cold oncoming night. It was a good day, there would be food and now a source of heat for the night....one could say he made out like a thief tonight, one more day of survival was a victory.
He chirped a few small woofs from his mouth, trying to catch Zafira's wandering attention. He would show her the bounty that the shadows and shrubs would provide for them. When they came to the darkest part of the forest, where the crumbled leaves stuck to the mud below like downy in one's fur, he scratched out for a decent sized rock. Juris used his paw to overturn the rock, and as he did, roaches began to scatter. He was quick to pick them up one by one with his mouth, crunching their exoskeletons to pieces in his jaws delightfully. He tried not to mash the rest with his paws, but squish them enough for Zafira to have a chance and catch them. Yes he was eating bugs, though this was only the first course meal! As he swallowed without haste his eyes met hers, waiting to see what judgement she may reveal with just a glance. But he continued. "Bugs aren't the only meal, the ground is littered with it. Especially in Autumn, where things begin their long sleep for winter..." His nose touched the ground, both excited and anxious. Below them there were a plethora of creatures deep in torpor. Moles, rats, snakes - you name it! When a scent caught his interest, Juris began to dig quickly into the dirt, pulling up helpless moles and even a snake, euthanizing them with just a few ravaging snaps of his jaw. Juris never captured more than he needed, there was no need to gorge. But alas, he offered Zafira half of his find, hoping that she had watched his strategy so that next time they could dig together. "Sometimes in the underbrush, the birds will lay their eggs in spring, and if your lucky enough to find them, they are the best to eat...." However foolish he may seem, digging in the mud and turning over rocks - Juris was a healthy wolf with a thick coat and steady paws. He must be doing something right.
Night crept upon them quickly, an owl overhead invited the oncoming darkness with loud screeches. The moon was waning and however the tempting it was to howl in joy, Juris refrained. Typically, night was the best time for a rogue to wander - but he had been traveling for so long...it was time to sleep.
He looked to Zafira, her captive blue eyes were something he began to grow fond of. "The clouds will cover the moon soon, and the fog will be thick. We should stay in the brush tonight, it will be the safest. Juris snorted, rain drops already began to fall and roll off the end of his nose, he licked the rain from the side of Zafira's face, whining with slight excitement. It was the first time in a long time he had a fellow loner to bunk with. No matter how much he denied his need for social interaction, he was stiill a wolf - and being around other wolves on the rare occasion could be celebrated.