STUCK IN YOUR WONDERLAND
He wasn’t impressed with his catch in the slightest. The tom that hung from his black and ochre tipped muzzle was large, yes, but it was also thin. The old bird probably wouldn’t have made it through the oppressive winter that seemed to hold the forest in a deadly grip, predator or no predator. Ramos was no hunter and had nearly lost this turkey entirely when he tore out of the undergrowth after the large party that was already getting ready to roost as the last dim light of day deserted the surprisingly clear sky. The only reason he had managed to sink his teeth into it was that it couldn’t lift off the ground fast enough to escape the great cream brute’s jaws.
Ramos honestly preferred scavenging to hunting as a loner. It expended less energy which he was in dire need to conserve, especially in winter, and didn’t soil his coat. He had tried to carry the bird as far away from his pale neck and chest as he could to minimize the cleanup he would have to do but the thought of the blood and feathers that speckled his fur made his skin crawl. The brute could’ve stayed where he had killed the animal and cleaned himself there all in one go, however, he wasn’t going to risk that. Even the loners in his homeland knew better than to make a commotion and stay on scene, he wasn’t about to test the pack wolves of this new land. Besides, he had stumbled across an ancient tree earlier in the day felled in the blizzards that would make for a makeshift den overnight.
Though, apparently, his path of flight was not the smartest choice he had made that night. It was the scent that first caught his attention and then the sight of the small, dark female made him halt.
you’re disgusting. your fur is a mess. you look like shit.
Panic flared up inside of his belly, burning and twisting his guts more than hunger ever could. He mentally checked himself over. His thick fur was in place, he knew that much, as the wind wasn’t strong enough to have tangled or matted it. But snow still clung in small patches to his underbelly and he could feel the feathers and blood dotting the extremely pale hairs of his broad skull and thick neck.
The oddly familiar stranger most likely would’ve noticed him by now and so he pushed forward closer to her. She was tiny, black with silver flecks, and had eyes that were nearly a dead ringer for the girl she had met in a cave system further south. He cocked his head as he studied her with curious yellow-green eyes, wondering to himself if perhaps they were related or, if not, if all the females here were this small. Ramos’ most primal instincts stirring deep within in the presence of the mature she-wolf made his mind turn a little darker and tainted the desire with a vein of disgust. She’d rip birthing his pups if they took after his line. Even the blood in his mouth seemed to turn sour at the thought and he spat out his prize into the snow with a flick of his ochre ears and stump tail as he attempted to chase them away.
"Decent night for a stroll." He kept his posture neutral and non-threatening as his voice rumbled up from his massive chest. This she-wolf had a more... normal feeling about her and he didn’t want her to feel threatened in his presence. Just like hunting, a fight wasn’t worth the energy expense. "What’re you doing out here by yourself, love?"
RAMOS :: BOUND TO NONE :: LONER