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Bella awoke to find herself surrounded by trees and abandoned by everything she once considered "familiar". The Aurean wolf looked around her, sniffing the air for familiar scents and smelled nothing. Last night's rain had erased anything close to a scent trail she might have found otherwise.

A mound of dirt, freshly heaped, covered the land a few yards from her and she put her ears back and whined. Her world was turned upside down with the death of her pack leader--a human who had raised her. And now she was to fend for herself.

She shook her thick, coarse fur free of the morning dew that had collected in it overnight, and then sniffed the air intently. With a reluctant look back at the grave, she trotted away into the woods, finding a rabbit trail and began eagerly to follow it. She was a natural hunter, and her black fur meant she blended into shadows quite well. Only her golden eyes would stand out--and if any caught her gaze, they would be paralyzed. She would find out shortly just how well they worked.

Neji was just plodding along, mostly like he normally did. Since he had recovered from his acid burns he was going out and about as much as he could. He still didn't look 100%, his coat was patchy and the scarred flesh below was definitely obvious. In his few years of life he had been through a heck of a journey, but the bird masked wolf wouldn't let it get him down. If anything it gave him bigger spirits and a much happier go lucky attitude.

So here he was, prancing through unknown lands like a high stepping pony. He had a squirrel hanging from his mouth, by the tail of course, so as he pranced it swung back and forth and thwacked against his jaw. Not that it meant much, the wolf was bigger than most grizzly bears. But, he took his size like he took everything else, with a big ole smile.

But his nostrils caught the scent of something and he paused, one paw up in the air and canted his head so that the squirrel swung sideways like a pendulum. There was a wolf! His whole body started wagging, tail first then moving up until all you could see was a black blur. And then he was off, dashing through the woods, making branches quake and birds fly. He was really horrible at this, but he was SO excited!

She'd found the rabbit after a few hundred feet of careful tracking, only to find it starting to run as the ground beneath her started to shake. Surprised and unsure what was heading her way, she pricked her ears up and felt the fur along her back rise.

Was it a threat? She didn't know, but it was coming at a good pace. She sniffed the air as she drew back into the shadows once again, a small whine escaping as the rabbit disappeared into a hole. There went her breakfast.

Neji just kept galloping until he broke the underbrush line and bounced into a proud stance. But...no one was there! That was so uncool. His ears drooped and he whined, he wanted to make new friends!

He sighed and seemed to sag, shoulders rolling down and tail dipping where it's tip brushed against the ground. And then it came, the big belly flop, it probably moved a few smaller debris but it was definitely pitiful. He grunted and flopped again this time on his side, the squirrel still in his mouth.

Life was so boring when you couldn't make new friends!

Bella watched as black-furred, golden eyed, creature pranced into the clearing and then looked deflated. But it was the squirrel hanging from his jaws that made her at last step out of the shadows from which she hid.

She pricked her ears up at him and wagged her tail gently. Was he friendly? Or would he attack? She wasn't sure; her own kind--and he looked remarkably like her own kind with the black fur and gold eyes--tended to attack her.

She whuffed at him to get his attention.

Neji was just laying there pouting, which was kinda pitiful because he sure did look like a sad puppy. But then he heard something and shifted his head. NEW FRIEND! It was an instant response that had him up on all fours and wagging his whole body again.

He woofed at her in response and then was up on his hind legs pawing at the air, he was definitely a friendly! Goofy...but a friendly. Maybe... That squirrel was still swinging around his head and when plopped back down on all fours he was back to wagging every part of his body again. He's a nice wolf!

Bella caught his enthusiasm, her tail wagging harder, her ears pricked forward and then she went into a playful half-crouch. Who needed food when a romp--one that she hadn't had in forever--was in order?

She whuffed at him again, then whined eagerly. It was then that the squirrel that was being flung around turned to a toy, rather than a meal, and she was trotting towards the big oaf, trying to be coy about her intentions by half circling around behind him.

Neji plopped down on his front with his butt in the air, tail wagging high above him. He woofed and bounced a bit on his front making a dust cloud before he was pouncing forward slightly on his chest and slapping the ground with a paw. Come and get him Bella!

But then she's circling him and he tilts his head sending the squirrel spinning again. What was new friend doing?! He's curious and flicking his tail from side to side but not quite as enthusiastic because he's confused...this was weird play!

Bella flicked her ears, and then her disposition changed the slightest bit: her tail lowering an iota, a gathering of her rear hindquarters before she launched herself forward.

She charged forward, springing forward to grab the squirrel out of mid-air, in mid-swing. And felt her jaws grasp it, just briefly.

Neji blinked at her and then he was foiled! New friend was after his squirrel! He was just frozen before popping up on all fours and dashing off a few yards. He plopped down on his chest again and tossed the squirrel in the air. He figured this game out!

Bella paused to shake off the landing and then, went down into her playful half-crouch, her entire rear wiggling with her tail wagging. She whuffed a little and then leapt for the squirrel again.

What reservations she had about Neji were, for the moment, forgotten as she learned to play.

Neji was being rushed! He bounced up and then over Bella, before forcing himself in a roll and landing on his stomach. He was a big beast, but he was graceful despite his size and past injuries. Still, he was all body and awkward limbs so he was laying on his back flailing his legs like a upside down turtle.

His tail thump thump thumped and he let out soft play growls but the squirrel was momentarily forgotten. This game with new friend was fun!

Instinctively she went into a half crouch as Neji soared over her and then landed. But seeing him momentarily upside down, she couldn't resist...

And promptly pounced on him with a playful growl. She forgot about the squirrel as well, for the moment, as she snapped at his paws--careful to miss and occasionally batting at them with her own, large paws. Though her paws were easily dwarfed by Neji's exceptionally large ones.

Neji whuffled with the pouncing of Bella but he didn't try to throw her off. He did wiggle beneath her, shifting from side to side as she nipped at his paws. He was grinning around the squirrel and batting lightly at her.

For a beast of his size he was definitely gentle, he knew how much he could hurt a smaller wolf. He however, was starting to punch at her with his muzzle and continued to make those "rawrarrra" sounds. He hadn't gotten to be much of a goof lately, his pups were grown and while he was a goof with Bella he still had been recovering.

Seeing the squirrel come into view again, Bella lunged for it once more, jaws closing over thin air as she missed once more.

And then noticed the patchy spots of Neji's coat. She'd been too focused on the squirrel and a potential meal, before being side-tracked by playing, to note too much his appearance.

She leaped off him to nose at one such patchy spot, and gave it a quick, tentative lick. Was it painful? What had happened to him? And furthermore, what could possibly injure a creature of his bulk?

Neji watched her come at the squirrel and it dawned on him that she was after his food! He whuffled and tossed his head a bit before dropping the squirrel.

But by then she'd taken notice of his healing wounds and he grunted lightly at the lick, it wasn't exactly pain free but he tolerated a lot. He watched her and blinked before rolling on his stomach. He shifted and wagged his tail lightly before pushing the squirrel towards Bella. He didn't necessarily need the squirrel anyway.

Then he just rested his head on his paws, play was kind of tiring.

She almost whined, a short, light note, but then he was nudging the squirrel at her and FOOD!

She wagged her tail in thanks and then pounced on the squirrel, making short work of the meal. Play was tiring and had gotten her more hungry. But at least now she had something in her stomach.

And she was eager to help Neji. So with a short growl meant for him to "stay", she ran off into the woods again, to find that rabbit.

((okay, dont wait for posts from me or anything. what i'm doing is throwing a line for you guys to take if you want. If you reply, send me a pm or txt so I know!)) Auroch wasn't too terribly far away. The territory's edge, marked by a crystal pillar and a river, taunted him. He was already soaking wet, and had crossed at least ten times. After every few trips, he shook off, but never crossed to the opposite shore entirely--until now! He pounced about, ecstatic, then glanced around like a scared squirrel and ran back into the boundaries. Clearly he'd never left home long. There had been the Yashins, but... That was technically a gate in the heart of the land. He stared at the opposite riverbank hatefully.