[ P ] Friends in weird places

The woods were thick with fog at the early morning hour, where light mist littered the air and the clouds overhead cast a gloomy backdrop. It was something out of a horror story, but I reveled in it. I sat within the confines of the trees, soaking in the fresh air, the silence. Ah - the silence. It was overwhelmingly brilliant. It was something I could not put into words, not that my mind could do such a thing. If I could feel anything close to real emotion, maybe this is what it would feel like.

Even so, a smile could not be coaxed upon inky lips. Stoicism blanketed my entire being, seeping into my aura. But it was only a few minutes that I could enjoy the serenity when a weird flapping sound came about. It was followed by little twitters from a bird. It made a brow quirk and seaglass eyes to snap to attention. Another bit of rustling, and a bird fell from the tree limb a short distance from me. It landed with a soft thud. Surely it was thankful that the sod was moist from the light precipitation.

Something prompted me to stand and investigate. I approached the little, pale colored bird as it struggled back to its feet. But around its wings were various vegetation and twin-like tree vines that wrapped around so tightly, it could not use its wings. I observed it for a long moment as the creature was frightened by my presence. It thrashed, but to no avail, and horribly slow on two twig legs. So i gave a warning growl to calm the little beast. The bird froze. I took a moment and realized it was not just any bird, but a dove. I sniffed at it. Male. My brow furrowed and I muttered a few words.

"Where did you come from,"

It took a while but I was able to free the bird. When the good deed was done, I nodded curtly and turned to make my way back to the serenity I so craved. But a dove's tweet sounded, curling in the air as the little thing began to pitter patter after me. I stopped, chin twisting over my shoulder to look at the thing with unamused eyes. A quite growl sounded to shoo the thing away but it just kept coming, then pecked at the longer strands of my tail. I turned to face the thing again, pivoting entirely to observe this dove once more.

"Can I help you,"

Drone-like tones drawled with a flat tone. It jumped and fluttered his slightly injured wings and landed atop my back, nestling in the scruff of my shoulders. My head leveled forward, a surprised look on my face - actual surprise. Eyes slightly widened, brows raised, and mouth ajar, I wondered what in the world was happening. This bird was making his home on my body. It gave another dove's purr, and I was swept away with the flow. I turned again, returned to my original spot, and sat. In this position, it shifted to my shoulder, then nestled again.

I didn't dare look at it.

She was wandering a little too far from home again.

But it was important, this time, Dahlia would say once she returned back home to Mom and Appa. There was this scent; a new one, that peaked her curiosity and she just had to find out what created it. So she followed it, and soon enough the crashing of waves disappeared behind her and an almost eerie silence instead took over. She still hadn't left Aberdeen, at least she didn't think so, but maybe there was some kind of border that she may have crossed.

Oh well - she was here now, and she was so close!

Her trail was dusted in a few feathers that clung to her nose when she sniffed at them. Many more minutes passed as she snuck down the trail, and then another wolfs scent mingled with the unknown creature. However, Dahlia didn't possess alarm bells of reason, and instead curiosity swarmed within her blood as she broke through some foliage and bright green eyes landed upon a pitch black wolf.

Familiarity swam in her green eyes, but still she wasn't entirely sure who this was...

But what was most curious was the fact she had a little bird nesting on her!

Emerging from her little hiding spot, the large yearling approached the woman without any sense of caution, instead her blue head tilting to the side as white eyebrows lifted in awe.

"You have a beautiful friend there," she observed politely, though every bone in her body wanted to stretch up onto the unknown woman and sniff at the bird. "How did you train it to do that?!"

manip + code: clae