Hawk

Hawk's tongue was hanging long from his gray jaws, and his side heaving quickly in an effort to keep himself cool on the trek from the Canyon to the lush expanse of marshland just southeast from there. He'd planned to stop at the Lake, but after catching the scent of humans... Hawk didn't chance it. He wasn't sure about his new comrade, but two-leggers were a bane to his pack, and he didn't want to risk crossing their path today.

Careful eyes scanned the waters for any signs of murder logs, and upon not seeing any, Hawk approached the quiet waters and let his paws sink into a patch of soft moss. He dipped his head and lapped at the cool liquid, quenching a deep thirst before turning to Nyx, bright eyed and enthusiastic, "How about this? Still a little hot, but there's plenty of water to go around. This is Galar's Marsh."

Nyx

Nyx's tongue lay hanging from the right side of her mouth, panting and breathless from the heat. Her white eyes scanned the water before she dipped her head down as she deemed it safe. Her throat was as dry as the desert and instant relief washed over her as soon as she began lapping at the cool water. She dipped her paws in the water before laying down in it to cool off.

"Galar's Marsh is a life saver." Literally. Nyx thought she was genuinely going to die in the Canyon from the heat.

Hawk

He stood sentry while Nyx first took a drink, even though he was sure the coast was clear and there were no large gators nearby. While she quenched her thirst and let her paws soak in the cooling liquid, Hawk spoke explained, "It is, not only for water, but a great place to hunt. My pack usually comes here, at least once a month in search deer or beavers."

Not far off, the boom of thunder tolled across the Valley. Hawk turned his head, looking up to see a line of clouds rolling ominously through the sky, and looking much closer than they had back at the Canyon. The stormfront was fast approaching, but not quite quick enough for Hawk; the emerald-eyed wolf finally stepped forward himself and lowered his head for a drink, then followed Nyx's idea of laying down in the gently lapping waters. Putting the storm out of mind, he turned against to the she-wolf, "This is probably a silly question, but you must be a loner, if you're new to the Valley? Do you have any friends or family here?"

Nyx

Nyx turned her head to look at Hawk a she spoke, before her attention turned to the coming storm. Laying in the cool waters was relaxing and pure relief. However, the coming storm might male it no so relaxing anymore for the wolf. "Your pack comes here often to hunt, I take it?" Nyx asks, turning her head from the sky and back to Hawk.

Nyx thought about it for awhile, she didn't have any family members or a pack in the Valley as far as she's aware. "No," she finally says. "I don't have anyone I know here. I am a loner."

Hawk

He nodded to her question as a smile tugged against his silver-gray mug, "Frequently enough. I'm usually the harrier, like my dad. Chase the prey about, try to keep angry adults and herdmates away from our target, that kind of thing." Hawk's panting began to subside as the cool waters soaked into his coat, washing away dust and sand. It was certainly relaxing, but he didn't let it lower his guard - the wolf was constantly scanning the water around them, just in case a gator tried to size them up.

An ear swiveled in Nyx's direction when she spoke again, and a moment later he again looked her way, "There is room in my pack, if you're interested? My cousin just took over leadership there, I'm sure he'd be happy to accept you." Maybe it was a bit forward to offer this so soon to a wolfess he didn't know, but then Hawk wasn't known for being shy.

Nyx

Nyx's ears perked up at the offer of joining a pack, but the lone wolf wouldn't accept the invitation so soon. She hardly knew Hawk. She wasn't even entirely sure if his pack would accept her.

"I don't know," Nyx responded. "We just met and I don't even know your pack members." Perhaps if he asked her another time, she may consider it. But right now, it's a no from her.

Hawk

Hawk's tail was on the precipice of a happy wag, excited about the prospect of bringing Nyx home with him, and finally having someone other than his siblings and cousins to hang out with. But that bubbling excitement was quick to fade as Hawk realized a few words too late that he'd overstepped his bounds.

'Hawk, you idiot! Get to know her first! His perked ears slid back and he hastily responded, "Oh right, no - I'm sorry, that was a little too forward, wasn't it?" Just then, a brilliant flash of lightning lit up the dark clouds that were rolling ever closer to their direction. Thunder roared shortly after. As embarrassment crept into the young wolf, he swallowed his discomfort and did what he could to smooth over his blunder, "Looks like it might be cooling down a little sooner than we thought, heh? I should probably be getting back to the pack before the storm hits..." His words trailed off a moment, "...maybe I'll see you around?"

Nyx

"It's alright, uh, don't say sorry. No need for that. But, yes, just a little." She felt a little guilty at his blatant disappointment and embarrassment. Her ears slid back a bit before she forced them to stay perked up.

"Um, okay. I'll see you around, I suppose! It was nice meeting you." It truly was, but Nyx wasn't ready to join a pack at the moment. Nyx stood up from the lounging and shook out her fur.

Hopefully she'll see him again, someday.