><Count your Blessings><

[Renred]

All things considered, he knew he had made it out okay. He had escaped the fire that had consumed his territory; the screams and smells of the night let him know that many were not so lucky. Each time he heard a fox cry out his heart skipped, and he scented the air frantically for his mate, whines in this throat. He never did smell her, though; Tia, it seems, was elsewhere on that horrible night.

Where she had gone was the question, though, and Renred had set off to answer it immediately. Weeks -- months? -- later, though, when the last of the soot of the grasslands was disappearing under snow, the red fox had had no success. A few false scents here and there, but they were all old, and he could not trust them. He slept alone, hunted alone, and felt the pains of it.

He never gave up, though. He and Tia often spent weeks alone -- it made sense that they would spent more alone after the fire swallowed their territory. However, each day that passed made him more acutely aware of her absence, and what it could mean. He desperately needed to find his mate, or else be overwhelmed with grief, justified or otherwise.

The sun had barely risen and the fox was already on the move, scenting the ground and air for either prey or Tia, whichever came first. Snow floated through the air and settled on his coat, and his feet crunched on the snow and ice of the early morning. He did not feel the cold thanks to this thick red coat, but he did feel like a snow beast in some ways -- he had not made any dens due to this travels, and so had woken up coated in snow. It still stuck to his fur.

With a large yawn the fox paused, ears perked and swiveling. Nothing but the chirps of winter birds. It should be peaceful, he supposed -- but he was missing someone to share it with.

((Go forth, Nicole!))

[Tia]

// Tia indeed had wondered on the night of the fire. She had been distracted. Sucked into a hunt. She just kept following the trail until she found her prize. Of course, shortly after she found herself at a bit of a loss as to where she was. Leave it to her to get herself lost.

As she discovered this, the sun had been drooping toward the horizon, so she merely found cover in some brush and curled up for the night. She had slept well, exhausted by her ridiculously drawn out hunt. What had she been thinking? Perhaps her fur was meant to be blonde rather than red.

When she woke, she had begun to seek her way back only to find the scent of smoke on the breeze. Her skin prickled unpleasantly as her mind instantly began to panic. Was Renred safe? She'd bolted about, searching for him, but too fearful of the flames and smoke to get much closer. Instead, she merely paced the edges of land she had deemed to be safe from the reaching fingers of flames. Not once had she managed to catch her mate's scent. Perhaps that was good. Perhaps he was safe. Perhaps he had done something similar to what she'd done and wandered off for a bit. She could only hope so. Though she found it hard to believe that he would do something as thoughtless as she had done.

The days drug on and blurred into weeks. Beyond that, she was unaware how much time had passed. It seemed like forever. Her sole purpose, aside from keeping herself alive, was to find her mate and reassure herself that he was, in fact, well and alive.

The day started just as any other. She woke from the cover of a different set of brush and surveyed the area. All she could see was covered in snow. She could feel it covering her as well and she absently shakes in attempt to dislodge it from her fur. She sighs into the early morning air and sets off in search of food, eventually locating a small rodent. Not much, but it would have to do. She sprung herself upon the unsuspecting creature and methodically devoured it.

All the while, her nose quivered. She was always aware now. Trying to sift through the scents and the freezing air. She knew the second his scent reached her, she'd know it. She had it committed to memory. Little did she know, she was gradually getting closer to her goal. The wind shifts and she stiffens, promptly dropping what remained of her breakfast. She sniffs at the air, tentative. Were her senses deceiving her? She breathes in that familiar scent only a moment longer before breaking out into a sprint in it's direction. \\


((Rawr, I'm a wee bit rusty. Hope that makes sense. X3))

[Renred]

((It's fine; I'm rusty too))

He could hear it -- a mouse, skittering around some distance away. Foxes were known for their stunning senses, and Renred briefly diverted his attention, stalking almost like a cat. Soon he could see the creature, takings its time to groom itself in the early morning. It had settled on a patch of ice, and perhaps thought itself safe, thought that every other creature would slip and slide away from it.

Renred sneaked as close as he dared, then pounced. His paws caught the mouse perfectly, but as his back paws slipped and gave out, he grabbed the struggling in his jaws as fast as possible. The fox flopped gracelessly onto the ice, the poor mouse in his mouth being crushed in the mean time. The fox's jaw ached from the fall, but on the bright side, he had a small meal.

The male carefully walked to a clear patch of ground to munch on the meal. Every few bites, though, he paused, scenting the air. Just in case. The wind was not with him, so for his meal, he smelled nothing. Leaving barely more than a skeleton, the fox rose, stretched, then padded forward a few steps, sniffing the air.

He then froze, ears perking even as his tail drooped. He loped forward a few paces, sniffing furiously. He then let out an excited yip. He had been right! She had survived. She was okay. Renred had known she would be. Thinking on it, he hadn't quite smelled her before the fire, so perhaps she hadn't been near at all. Maybe he had been foolish to worry.

Renred wasn't concerned either way. With a loud yip the male charged forward, running as fast as he could toward his mate. With luck, they wouldn't run straight past or even into each other.

[Tia]

// Oh, she was so pleased she could dance. That is, if foxes could dance.. She barrels onward, her own gleeful yips answering his. Little eyes scan the surroundings, searching for that familiar face.. Watching all the little bushes and twigs zip past as she ran on.

And, of course, they had no such luck. Tia was notorious for running into Renred. It seemed to have become habit. A simple fact of life. Within moments, she's bounding straight into the male, winding up in a tangle of limbs and fur. A split second before the collision, she had spotted him and she yapped happily. \\


((........ Umm... wow. That was bad. So sorry.. o-O))

[Renred]

There was something to be said about watching where one was going, and slowing down to look before plowing blindly onward. Renred, however, was so caught up in his excitement and relief that he didn't slow down at all. He didn't even yip for his mate, not wanting to waste precious breath on rushing to her. He needed to make sure she was all right, make sure the fire had not done any damage, see where she had been, caught up.

Then the two collided. Renred let out a startled yelp when they collided, thrown backward and crashing to the ground. Thankfully his head hurt too much and he was too surprised to fight off the invasion. The fact that he was now literally surrounded by Tia's scent helped matters as well. The male blinked, shook his head, then looked at what had hit him. He then laughed, though it only made his headache worse. It was a miracle they hadn't cracked each other's skulls open.

"Things never change, do they?"

He licked Tia's ear -- erm, or what he thought was her ear. It was kind of hard to figure out considering they were laying in a confusing heap on the ground. He didn't care, though. He wouldn't have cared if he had brain damage. His mate was safe, uninjured judging by her scent and look, and judging by the collision, had not changed at all. It was enough to make him content.

((I had fun with it. That's all that counts ))

[Tia]

// Renred's yelp is echoed as she feels the effect of the impact. You'd think she'd learn to pay better attention to where she was going. But, with the long absence of her mate's company, she'd grown a little frazzled and that certainly didn't help matters.

From what she could see, he appeared to be in one piece. That was good news. His scent surrounded her as well and it put her mind at ease instantaneously. They were both unharmed and reunited once more. Well, perhaps unharmed wasn't the right term.. Her snout was a bit sore from their head on collision. But, she was assured that no /lasting/ damage had occurred.

She feels his tongue greet her and she returns the favor, aiming for his cheek. Only then does she try to comprehend the mass they had become. She laughs breathlessly and shakes her head, feeling the throb in her nose, "No, it seems they don't!" \\

((Yay! =B))

[Breeze]

A tiny part of Renred -- the part not focusing on Tia -- was relieved when Renred's headache slowly dulled. No permanent damage, then. That would be a disappointment, what with the coming of winter. He can't think about that for long, though, instead grinning when Tia licked him on the shoulder, though her eyes were focused in the general direction of his face. Well at least he wasn't the only one who couldn't aim when they were tied together.

"Well, except for our territory -- it kind of burnt to the ground, though at least not with us in it."

The male smiled, as much at the morbid joke as at the truth -- that they were both safe, alive, and unharmed. Territory and fire be damned, all that mattered was their health. However, there was the problem of them being in a canine knot.

"Now let's just see if we can untangle in one piece."

The male laughed as he twitched his legs, one stuck under Tia, one flopped over her tail, the others in the mountains for all he could see them. He cast Tia a quirky smile.

"You first."

((I think I've been reading too much XKCD... I'm imagining her magically getting pregnant from them colliding and getting tangled, LOL))

Edit -- Fail, Breeze, for posting logged in. Fail.

[Tia]

// Yes, the 'no permanent damage' bit was a very good thing. She was certain her nose would feel tip top within the hour. She hears the news about their territory and shrugs. She hadn't really given their territory any thought. Just the fox she was currently entangled with. "Oh well. We can find a new place to live. Or renovate what's left."

She grins, her tongue hanging from her jaws. She had to agree with his perspective. The only thing that was important was each other. They could always find a new territory. Her attention returns to Renred as he points out their current tangle. She giggles, trying to bend her legs a bit, trying to make sense of where they were. For the most part, it seemed she had landed on top of him, so his suggestion made perfect sense. She swipes her tongue at his face again and begins to fish her legs from the pile they'd created and replace them upon the ground. After a couple missteps and an accidental paw in Renred's side, she manages to pull free and stand eagerly at his side. She promptly nudges him and begins prancing around him, a bundle of energy, as always. \\

((Haha!! That would be fantastically hilarious. And I'm glad I saw your edit.. I almost replied logged in as well. X3))

[Renred]

Renred couldn't help but laugh at Tia's suggestion of renovation. There really wasn't much left to renovate, unless they could find a use for a burnt tree and ashes all over the place. He much preferred the idea of finding better territory -- perhaps there was something the fire hadn't destroyed, away from the wolves? They generally didn't bother the foxes, granted, but these were desperate times. Best not to overlap territories or hunting grounds.

The fox grinned throughout the untangling, even when he was stepped on. Once Tia had pried herself loose, the male rose and shook himself off, snow flying from his coat and to the ground. Not that it mattered -- the snowfall had picked up again, and Renred turned a look of bemusement to the sky. Hadn't they had enough last night? He woke up feeling like he had been buried under an avalanche.

"Looks like we may want to find a den or something, unless we want to turn into snowfoxes."

He chuckled to himself and turned to Tia, ears perked and tail twitching.

"But it's up to you. I wouldn't mind getting some more food -- all I had was a pitiful mouse."

He drooped and whined pitifully for effect, though the amusement in his eyes was unmistakable. Really, he didn't care what they did, so long as Tia was by his side.

[Tia]

// She would have to agree with his reasoning... There was likely little to be salvaged since the fires, but because she had yet to see exactly the extent of the damage, she figured she would offer anyway. Well, there wasn't anything special that tied them down to that one plot of land, so they could just as easily find a new spot to call home.

She echoes his movements to dislodge some clumps of snow as she found she had several stuck amongst her fur. Giggling at his statement, she noses his shoulder. "Yeah, I don't really like waking up in a snow drift."

At his whine she fixes him with a sympathetic gaze, feeding off his fake pitiful moment. "Aw, you poor thing. I didn't even get to finish mine," she teases, snapping playfully at his tail. \\

((Hope that works. I'm sick and my boyfriend's distracting me. X3))

[Renred]

((Haha, awww, I hope you feel better! If you're too sick to RP I totally understand))

Renred laughed at Tia's statement and nudged her in return. "Yeah, I've heard it's an unpleasant experience."

He wouldn't quite say he had experienced it -- after all, he hadn't been quite buried. It just seemed that way when he had just woken up and forgotten that he didn't have a comfortable den to sleep in. One would think that he would recall these things, but then he had had a one-track mind -- find his mate.

Not that his one-track mind seemed to have changed, with how all he could think about was 'Hunt with Tia! Eat with Tia! Run with Tia!' The fox grinned at his own thoughts, then laughed at Tia's response. "Well at least we know we're important to each other, eh?"

He appreciated knowing that, actually. It would have been a harsh blow if he had been searching for his mate and she had smelled him, but decided to finish her food first. The male snorted at the thought.

[Tia]

// That wasn't to say she'd woken in a snow drift exactly... But it certainly seemed like a good exaggeration. Either way, being surrounded by snow as she slept wasn't her favourite. They'd definitely have to make it a point to construct at least a temporary den soon.

She grins hugely at Renred's statement, bouncing a bit. "Yep." She bumps his flank lightly with a little wink, "Don't think I could live without 'cha."

She pauses, evaluating her state of hunger. She wasn't stuffed but she certainly wasn't starving either. Perhaps they could begin scouting a new plot of land and then check out their new hunting grounds. "Were you wanting to hunt or shall we start looking for a new home?" she questions, somewhat teasingly. "I'm fine either way," she adds, figuring he'd turn it on her to see what she'd rather do. \\


((Nah, I'm good. It's just a nasty head cold.. And I was a little too fuzzy from taking NyQuil after he left to reply. ;P I'm feeling better today. It seems to be on it's way out.))

[Renred]

Renred smiled and brushed Tia's cheek in return. Though he could tell Tia was delighted to see him -- the whole "failing to check where she was going" scenario was a good indication -- it never hurt to have some confirmation. He didn't actually say anything in return, though; there was loving and then there was sappy, and Renred figured he had done enough of the latter that day.

At Tia's question he went to open his mouth, then grinned sheepishly when she cut in that she didn't care. He was being forced to make a decision, then. He preferred keeping tabs on his mate and making sure she was happy, but it seems she was preventing that. He thought quickly, and decided to go with priorities. He could go without food. But with the snow picking up, he doubted they could go without a den.

"I say we find a permanent den, then. I can survive without some food, but I don't know if I could survive sleeping outside in this weather."

He chuckled softly; in fact, his winter coat would probably help him survive, but it never hurt to exaggerate a bit. Besides, he was certain Tia shared his opinion. He turned towards the trees, scenting the air.

"I doubt the prairie has anything, so I'd recommend the woods -- the trees will provide okay snow cover on their own anyway. What do you think?"

One thing Renred believed in strongly: no matter how right you thought you were, you always asked the mate's opinion.

[Tia]

// She would have agreed with their border-line sappy behavior had he vocalized it. They had gotten the mushy bits over and they could move on to more serious business. Not that there wouldn't still be teasing. She viewed them to be a pair of goofs. Of course, she thought herself to be more of a ditz than her mate, but that was a given.

At his sheepish grin, she merely winks in return. How well they'd gotten to know each other.. In her mind, she had reached similar ideas to his. Personally, she was satisfied enough hunger-wise to put off hunting for a bit and seeing her dislike for bunking down in the snow, despite the fact that they would both be able to survive exposure the icy cold environment, she certainly preferred the warmth of a den.

Her head bobs in response. The trees were good. Good cover from snow in winter and provided shade in the summer. Overall, a smart choice. "I think that's great." She pads up next to him and sniffs delicately, taking in the scents as he had. "Maybe something near water again," she adds as an afterthought. \\

((Their other territory was near the river, wasn't it? I forget. X3))

[Renred]

There was a good reason, besides common courtesy and love, to ask one's mate what they thought about things. And that was because they were often smarter than you are. Renred blinked with surprise when Tia mentioned having a territory near water, and then remembered. Oh yeah. Their territory was right near the river. Hence why it had been relatively easy for him to escape the flames, though it would have been nice if their territory had been on the safe side of the river.

"I didn't even think of that." He chuckled at the words; water was a rather important thing to have nearby, and it was rather silly of him to forgot to consider it. "Perhaps we could find the river we used to live by and follow it? I'm pretty sure it goes into the forests at some point..."

Geography, unfortunately, was not his strong point, and so he hoped that they found water near trees before then. That or that Tia had a far better sense of location than he possessed. He sniffed the air once more, this time trying to smell any water. Unfortunately for him, almost everything smelled like water, thanks to the wonders of winter. Renred smiled at himself for his own silliness.

((Wow, sorry, crappy post x.x ))