Hawk

The summer sun down on the Valley below without relent. Cicadas droned in the trees and heat rose in rippling currents from the scorched earth and rocks around Hawk's paws. The wolf currently lay beneath the meager shade of a leaning cedar tree, his silvery gray sides rising and falling rapidly as he panted to try and cool down.

'I should probably head to the forest, ought to be cooler there.' The thought crossed his mind, but the effort it would take to move his sluggish paws from here to there almost seemed not worth it. Hawk sighed and shifted his emerald gaze behind the cliffs, and out towards the blanket of green that covered so much of the Valley. A patch of darkness caught his gaze then, and he realized with a note of excitement that a gathering of storm clouds had formed on the horizon. Relief, it seemed, might be on the way.

Nyx

The scorching heat of the sun beat down on Nyx, as she forced herself to continue on through the hot canyon. She desperately wanted to lay down on her back and cool off. However, she is a lone wolf and it might not be the best idea to do that. Her tongue is is hanging out her mouth as she pants, black claws tapping against the dusty ground. She contemplated laying down to rest several more times, but the thought slowly passed as she continued on her way. Way to where? She doesn't exactly know. She just wanted to go anywhere but here. Letting out a long and slow sigh, the trek through the Canyon will be a long, tiresome, and exhausting journey, and of course. Hot. Very hot.

Hawk

-clack, clack, clack...-

Hawk's ears swiveled to the faint, dull clack of claws striking in rhythmic fashion against stone. Instantly his lolling tongue vanished and all thoughts of the incoming storm were swept aside as he focused on the sound of those footsteps. Slowly, Hawk raised himself up, bits of dust falling from his gray and silver hide. Green eyes trained themselves in the direction of the approaching steps.

Moments later, the source of the sound was revealed; a wolf of strikingly beautiful design rounded the bend. Her coat was a unique blend of black and white, with some of the same silver he carried dusting her back and tail. And those eyes! Her pale orbs stood out in stark contrast to the deep ebony fur that encircled them, and Hawk couldn't help but admire the female.

"Hey." The soft woof was accompanied by a gently wagging tail. Having lived most of his life in the secluded Aspen Grove pack, Hawk rarely ran into outsiders, and hadn't learned to be more cautious or guarded with strangers.

Nyx

The black in Nyx's coat attracted the heat. The blistering heat was going to give her heatstroke at this point. Still, she continued on. She'll find a forest eventually, hopefully with a lake she can drink from. Nyx paused in her step at the sound of a male's voice. Her ears perking up, and her head turning in the direction of the male. A male wolf.

He didn't seem to be threatening, more curious than cautious. "Hello," came her quiet and soft reply. Catching her breath after walking for miles under the burning sun surely is exhausting. She stayed standing, ears on high alert, and gaze trained on the male. Dust and sand blew between where they stood, and Nyx had the urge to shake out her coat. However, for now, she resists doing just that.

Hawk

The male squinted and his dark fur billowed as the wind swept between them, tugging at their coats and casting another layer of dust against them. Somewhere in the distance, a deep rumble of thunder echoed in the skies, heralding the coming of a storm and a possible escape from the relentless heat. But it was still many miles away, and Hawk's mind was now upon something new.

His tail wagged a little steadier when she answered back in that soft voice of hers, and he responded in turn, "I'm Hawk, son of Crow and Hulia. Of the Aspen Grove." His words were formal, but his tones had turned more friendly, "I don't think I've seen you around here before?" His nose twitched as he said this, and he dared a single step forward, trying to catch wind of her scent. As inexperienced as he was with strangers, Hawk still knew not to abruptly approach another without invitation.

Nyx

Nyx didn't know of a Crow or Hulia, nor of an Aspen Grove. Those names were unfamiliar to her and didn't ring a bell in the slightest. She watched him take a step closer, thankfully at a far enough distance. Keep out of her personal space until she deems him trustworthy, or even friendly. Being cautious around strangers has gotten her this far, and she'll be dammed it a friendly face will be her end.

"Nyx," she offerered her name, keeping her tone friendly. Tilting her head to the side, she continues on. "I have never been around here before, I'm sure that is why you haven't seen me before." Passing through the Canyon was a very bad mistake because she's been melting under that blasted burning sun for hours now. Its a wonder she hasn't passed out from the heat by now.

Hawk

The wind shifted slightly, bringing a wisp of her scent to his curious nose. Everything about it was foreign to him, and as far as he could tell, she didn't seem to carry any pack banner. A loner, perhaps? His gray jaws parted, "This must be your first time in the Valley then?" His head quirked to the side too, while his tail continued to sashay lightly behind him, "I could show you around, if you'd like?"

At this point his jaws parted again, not to speak, but to pant. His coat held no solid black patches, but the deeper tones of gray swirled across his back were enough to absorb an unbearable level of heat. "..Somewhere a little cooler than here?"

Nyx

"Yes, I suppose this is my first time in the Valley. This Canyon, too." The Valley didn't ring a single bell, it was as unfamiliar as the mention of those two wolves and Aspen Grove. Nyx was unbelievably happy when he offered to show her around, hopefully out of the Canyon. Her fur was thick and fluffy, not made for this type of weather. Her tail wagged slightly at the mention of somewhere cooler.

"Yes, thank you. That would be great. A miracle really if its out of the Canyon." She glanced up at the sky, before looking back at Hawk. The urge to shake out her fur of the dust and sand finally won over. Plus, Hawk didn't seem like her wanted to maim her and that was good enough for her. Shaking out her fur, her entire body shook. Dust and sand visible as it went into the air around her. "Lead the way."

Hawk

Hawk chuckled in response, dropping all precautions as he eased into conversation with the new wolf, "How about somewhere with a little more water and a little less heat then?" The tail was still moving behind him, albeit with a little less gusto simply because it was just too hot out to wag it any faster.

Holding back the little prance he wanted to put in his step for the joy at finding a new friend, Hawk turned about and proceeded down the trail he'd been on, "This way, there's a bit more shade." He kicked off at an easy pace, moving along a side-trail that had a little more cover from scraggly cedar trees and clumps of rugged shrubs that managed to survive in this sweltering location.

Nyx

"Yes!" Nyx beams a little to excitedly, she'll finally get out of the boiling heat! That was an excellent idea. A little more water and a little less heat sounded like a miracle to Nyx. Her tail wagged once last time before as she follows after Hawk to somewhere a little cooler.