Stonewatch Timbers In with the new

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Sylva’s brown gaze turned to meet Raela’s, just as the larger female smiled back at her. This small gesture made the Yearling a little more confident herself as she bobbed her head up and down. “Is it like hunting hares?” Sylva did have some experience in hunting the small and fast balls of fur, her diet having mostly consisted of them in the time she had been alone. Birds on the other hand, she had zero experience with and she was terrified that she would screw up, yet again costing them both a meal. It was one thing to mess up when your alone, for you had only yourself to worry about. Hunting with someone how ever required teamwork to reap the reward.

Teamwork...something Sylva hadn’t had the honor of performing for so long, the prospect both scared her and interested her. It felt so natural to be among others and she wanted to savor it as long as she could. She shook out her fur one more time, to dislodge any snow before setting off after Realia, her gait being a  mix between trotting and hopping as she tried to navigate through the snow as she followed.

As she became more use to the uneven solidness of the snow, her stride became more fluid and confident as she meandered behind Raela. Brown eyes flicking toward the trees as she sniffed the air, unaware that Raela was watching, she was happy as they moved, carefree in her strides and just letting any worry melt away like water.

As the silence passed Syvla’s gaze was intent on Raela’s actions. Watching how she moved and sniffed the air, Sylva tried to copy it, keeping her muzzle in the air and constantly on alert for the scent of the Pheasants. Caught a little off guard by the question she stuttered slightly “Oh, um n-no.” She paused for a moment S-she’s actually curious? the thought baffled the young wolf for a moment, so used to only worrying about herself, it felt odd and yet gratifying for someone else to be interested.

“I came from further north...past..past the Cursed Woods.” These woods were not in the regions of Relic lore and the name was what Sylva had deemed them due to what had happened to her family up there. Her tail moved toward her legs as she thought about that forest and a small but scared whimper did escape as she closed her for a moment, shaking her head as she tried to clear it.

”It’s ok Sylva, you're far from there..” She whispered, mostly to herself but still audible to where Raela could have heard it if she was listening. The black wolf took a deep breath as she opened her eyes slowly and looked around. her heart beat slowed back down to a normal pace as she looked toward the large female “S-sorry, just...yea...but no...I um..” She rambled a little on about nothing really in particular, the rambling being more of a way for her to calm herself further, eventually she settled for awkward silence as she stared at a nearby tree that became very interesting.

ThoughtSylva’s dialogue

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OOC: Raela hunting 2/4

The way the young girl seemed to loosen up and even smile warmed the Queen's heart. At her first question, a simple, "Sort of," fell lightly from her mouth. It wasn't so terribly different on its face; both creatures had to be carefully snuck up on, but pheasants had to be caught in mere seconds where rabbits could be chased for a decent ways along the ground. She would elaborate further when they had finally found the darn things. The question itself though, immediately revealed that the dark pup had no knowledge of the subject, and likely would have failed at her hunt even if she hadn't fallen into the snow. 

Well, Raela was all the happier to be here to teach her then. Any glance the older woman stole toward the child only served to deepen her smile. The lone pup had to sort of jump here and there to make it through the snow; either that or she was very set upon doing it for fun. Either way, it was adorable how light and happy her step had become. She might not have been focusing as hard on the task at hand, but that was just fine. When Raela finally spoke, the slow uncertain reply was predicable. She couldn't be out here alone for very good reasons. That much was unlikely. 

Still the grin eased from the matriarch's face to grow into a more solemn expression. These 'Cursed Woods' were something she was not familiar with, but the name told her all she needed to know. Raela's pace slowed, and she watched as the poor girl seemed to shrink away. The whimper turned a single orange ear backward, and her brows lifted with concern. It was in place to hear the whisper; one that made her heart sink. She had known it would be sad, and the words seemed to state that even if she was missing from somewhere, well it probably wasn't a place she needed to return to. Raela of all wolves could identify with that. The agouti-pelted female remained quiet as her companion stuttered again; mind already working to change the subject. 

"Don't worry about it," she said softly. "I'm from far away too, but I live just west of here." Her tone lightened with the shift in focus, perhaps giving the girl something else to think about. If she wanted to pelt Raela with questions instead, the Queen was all ears. She let the silence seep in between them once more; tipping a quivering black nose to the sky. The scent was definitely growing stronger to the north, and so her creamy paws picked up their eager stride in pursuit of the prey. 

            

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The small female’s ears pricked and angled toward Raela as she revealed that she had come from far away too. Brown eyes turned toward what she thought was the rest, trying to imagine what laid beyond the ridge and trees Was it more trees? stretched as far as the eyes could see? A small sigh of longing escaped Sylva as she turned her black head toward Raela “What's it like?”“ she inquired as she focused on the older female, her fairly short attention span drifting away from the previous subject with some ease. her question how ever, was fairly vague and left the confines of ‘What’s it like?’ open to interpretation.

Noticing Raela’s muzzle pointing toward the sky, Sylva followed suit, giving the air an experimental sniff. Nodding as though she knew what they were doing, though it was fairly obvious that she lacked experience in scenting the air as for a split moment, she had started south. Quickly she changed course when she realized that Raela was heading the opposite direction. She took off after the larger female, this time however her stride was more confident than before. As they trended over the snow, she looked toward Raela “So, How will we do this when we find them?”

ThoughtSylva’s dialogue

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OOC: Raela hunting 3/4 

Just as she'd hoped, the black-furred yearling appeared to be sufficiently distracted by her words. Raela felt bad for dampening her joy from moment's before, but it was a necessary evil. She had to at least try to find out where the girl was from, or if someone was missing her. Thankfully, she was also interested enough by the Queen's words that she posed a question. Taking it as probably meaning her home now as opposed to her old one, Raela turned her gaze back to the lone kid and smiled a little. "It's on top of a small mountain covered in trees; with quite the view." Her tail swayed once or emphasis – she really did like the territory, just not the memories and the death within it. This child didn't need to know any of that though. 

As she veered north, the woman heard footsteps hurrying suddenly toward her. She'd been so focused on following the scent that the youth's accidental direction change had gone unnoticed, but Raela chuffed in amusement all the same when she realized. Draven's disappearance had wounded her; just as the loss of all the pups had – the way they changed. This girl was charming that part of her; beginning to fill the great hole they'd left. Raela padded along swiftly, her tail practically floating over the snowy ground below. As the scent grew stronger and stronger, the pack wolf's movement's slowed. She had a hunch that her company would catch on; they were close. 

The pair descended a small slope, and just as Raela began to ponder explaining how to kill their chosen prey; the yearling decided to ask. The older wolf reined in her pace to a gradual walk. "We're almost there," she began in a softer voice. Perhaps building on the child's previous experience was the best course of action. "You have to stalk pheasants, just like with hares." Hopefully that much was easy to grasp. "But you only have a second or two to catch them before they fly away. You'll probably have to jump and get one mid-air, so get as close as you can." Sunshine eyes studied the youth's face for understanding. It was always a bit more difficult to hunt things that could fly. One could not run down a bird until it got tired like they did an elk.  

As soon as she expressed some level of understanding, Raela lowered her head and resumed their walk. The birds would appear between the trees any second now; probably in a clearing. She stuck to the thicker groves of pine trees, slinking closer until that very first tiny movement gave away the creature's position. She froze, glancing immediately to the girl and indicating her find with a nod of her head. An almost inaudible whisper parted her lips. "Try to head that way a little, if we come from different directions we might have a better chance." She really wanted to make this work for them; the kid needed a good meal. 

            

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Sylva’s muzzled bobbed up and down in understanding as Raela explained the similarities between hunting hares and pheasants. As she went into describing the differences, Sylva’s eyes went a little wide at the thought of leaping into the air to catch something. This will be interesting… Nodding again, Sylva set off after Raela, the prospect of a meal made her instinctively quieter..

As soon as Raela froze, Sylva copied her actions, poised with one paw raised as she waited. Nodding in understanding to Raela’s explanation. It made perfect sense, they would split up and ambush the prey from different directions. A small smile formed on Sylva’s muzzle as she turned away. Hunting with someone was natural for a wolf, something she had been deprived of for quite a while, being able to embrace that nature felt so reliving.

Stepping quietly and slowly, Sylva moved toward the other side of the clearing, using the trees for cover and sticking to the dark shadows that they cast. The ebony furredl wolf resembled a small phantom as she maneuvered herself, black and brown fur mingling with the shadows cast by the large trees. Coming across a good spot, just opposite of the other female’s position. Ears pricked as the pheasants were intent upon something. Maybe seeds? Sylva speculated as she slowly made her way into the clearing. trying to get as close as she could.

ThoughtSylva’s dialogue

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OOC: Raela hunting 4/4

The Queen of the Crest tracked her young hunting partner with focused golden eyes. It seemed that her plan had been fully understood and agreed upon quickly, good. The faster they got this over with the less chance they had of being discovered. As long as the yearling didn't go too far and reveal her scent, things could proceed as planned. While her student slipped silently over the snow, Raela turned back to her own approach. A steady breath flowed in and out of her lungs and she locked on target. There had to only be a handful of the things, and definitely one brightly colored male. Her paws picked carefully through the snow; grateful that all the noisy leaves and sticks were well buried by winter's cold. The only problem was that the second she broke with the treeline, all bets were off. There were no leaves to cover her approaching figure, no forest floor to blend with. It was all stark white and that made things more difficult. Time was ticking. A dark shape shifted in her peripherals and she stared at the yearling. They were nearly in place, and she was doing a good job so far. When Raela's sunshine eyes found the creatures again their heads were still down; greedily pecking at something under the snow. 

She took another step, keeping her spine level with her neck. The paw hovered mid-air as the male's head shot up. She was just a stride from sprinting distance, but the startled noise the bird made told her that she probably wasn't going to get the chance to get much closer. The females stood at attention; little beady eyes searching the trees and the shadows for the source of his agitation. The Pheasants were all on high alert; if they didn't see the wolves they were still liable to take flight in fear of the unknown. The encounter from earlier still had the critters well shook-up. 

It was a split second decision – Raela knew better than to push her luck. The young one would hopefully launch herself just as soon as the matriarch did in instinctive coordination. Raela's back legs tensed and she lurched forward; tossing up the snow and completely blowing her cover. The prey sounded off in terror, spreading their wings and whirling away. Amidst the flying snow and flurry of feathers she spied her target. The closest tawny hen was already inches off of the ground. The predator was closing fast, and with any luck the other one was coming at a different angle. Startled and frantic, they flapped up and down in a desperate bid to get airborne. The agouti-furred female's legs reached to full extension as she raced across the treeless glade. Her aim was true, and in only a few strides she was a single lunge from the pheasant. It was arcing upward, seeking refuge in the sky. Raela hauled her front limbs up, tucking her paws back and springing after it – parted jaws reaching hungrily for anything they could grasp, perhaps a leg or a wing or a... tail. 

Her sharp teeth snapped shut on its tail feathers, but she knew that grip would not last long. Gravity claimed the both of them and the hunter landed on all four paws. As soon as she plunged into the cold snow the Queen of the Crest released her hold and dashed forward with legs outstretched. The bird squawked, struggling against the snow and fleeing her attacker with the intense energy of pure horror. A snarl crinkled the predator's muzzle and she pounced on it, finally catching the creature's thin neck in her teeth and clamping down. The spine snapped easily, and as soon as the little crunch made itself heard Raela tossed her head back and forth to be sure of its departure from the world.

She really did hate causing the other creatures pain, so at least being able to end it quickly was preferable. Heart still racing and head light from adrenaline, she dropped the food and turned to see how her partner had gotten on.    

            

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Sylva’s hazel gaze locked onto one of tawny feathered raptors, she licked her lips as she stood in the shelter of the trees. Unaware of just how close she could safely get before alerting the birds, she opted to stand still, her muscles tensing as she prepared to bolt out as soon as she caught sight of Raela. This would all depend on what they could do together. Her head jerking toward the taller male as his attention focused on the trees near her. Instincts screaming at her to charge in, but she held herself until she saw Raela’s signal.

THERE!Her mind hollered as the larger female kicked up a torrent of snow while dashing into the clearing and toward the panicking birds. Sylva shot off from her hiding place, the fur along her small but lithe frame rippling as she did what she was born to do. Run. She sent up a dusting of the snow into the air as her brown gaze locked onto a tawny speckled female pheasant. The bird was frantically beating her wings as the ebony predator came close. Seeing the white fangs and black jaws of death closing in spurred the bird to renew her efforts and slowly she started into the air, that's when Sylva pounced.

The small wolf tucked her paws against her body as she left the ground, her light frame allowing her to raise a good distance into the air. Eyes locked on the bird and jaws opened she snapped them closed as the managed a tenuous grasp on one of the pheasant's wings just as gravity dragged them both back down.

Sylva spit out feathers as she landed, dropping the bird from her grasp before lunging out to sink her fangs into the squawking and clucking piece of prey, silencing it quickly and letting it fall to the ground. Sylva’s blood roared in side of her veins, pumping adrenaline through her as her pupils were wide as she drew her lips back in a snarl, searching around the clearing for more prey. Though after a few moment’s roving, she realized that the other pheasants had escaped and slowly she calmed down. The Yearling’s usual demeanor returning as she reclaimed herself from the instincts of a predator. She gave her fur a shake while turning her attention to Raela.

ThoughtSylva’s dialogue

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Her intense focus had not allowed for multitasking. When Raela's brilliant yellow eyes found the girl again she was snarling, seemingly searching around the place for any more of the tasty birds. Best of all, the crumpled form of a hen lay near her feet, and Raela beamed. Success! The older woman turned her whole self, wagging and releasing a joyful bark in wordless celebration. Her front paws stamped the ground in a sort of play bow. Now the two of them would have a decent meal, and more importantly, the girl had valuable hunting experience under her pelt. The Queen recalled this feeling; the same sort of pride that came with teaching Draven how to hunt. 

The rest of their potential victims were long gone; probably certain to stick to the trees for a little while now. They had learned a lesson too – probably. On the minds of prey, one could never be sure. Some appeared never to learn. Either way, Raela ran her tongue over her now slightly bloody maw. The red liquid was a tease to her stomach; it was begging her to actually get to her meal, and she would. But first- "Heyyy nice job!" She complimented sincerely; the glee still evident in her lighter voice. She observed the pup for her no doubt excited reaction, but another set of thoughts slowly dawned. What were they to do now? Just eat and go on their merry way? Could she even do that in good conscience? 

Her smile faded some with the realization. She had to try. When her voice found the cold air this time, it was much more serious. "You know, if you're looking for a home, you can come back to my pack with me," she started, some level of pleading evident in her yellow eyes. Perhaps it wasn't obvious that she was a leader with just that sentence, but perhaps it didn't matter just yet. "We could always use another set of teeth." A smile crept warmly over her ivory muzzle as she glanced at the downed pheasant. 

            

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An excited thrill ran through Sylva’s fur when she looked down at the pheasant. She had caught this bird, with help, guidance and her own instincts, she had caught and killed something beyond a mere hare. her head cocked slightly to the side when she heard a happy sounding back and glancing behind her in time to see Raela’s play bow. She grinned before yipping in joy and mirroring the action a little too quickly, her muzzle taking a face full of snow as she suddenly sneeze when the small white flakes tickled her now.

The ebony wolf fell backwards onto her haunches when she heard Raela’s praise and she couldn’t help what happened next. A broad grinned formed on her face, a genuine smile, no masks, no shyness, no fear, just pure, undiluted joy. She soon stood and bounced through the snow a little before turning around to catch Raela’s next comment.

Sylva froze in the snow, her mouth hanging open a sit slowly dawned on her what Raela was offering. She slowly started to shake, in pure excitement she squeaked out her thoughts on the matter “You hear that Sylva? Someone actually does want us with them! We won’t have to be alone any more!” Tail wagging and limbs bouncing SYlva nodded “YES! Yes! Yes! and YEA!”

It was at that moment that the bouncing wolf’s stomach decided to put in it’s two cent and her belly ended up rumbling. Lost in her excitement, Sylva actually got startled by the sudden noise and with a squeak of surprise, she slipped and landed muzzle first in the snow. Quickly she pulled herself up and quickly tried to play it off as though nothing happened, though she did look down with a scowl “Alright, sheesh.” she muttered before glancing toward Raela with a grin “Can...we eat first?”

ThoughtSylva’s dialogue

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Whatever reaction she had expected, this was not it. The child was visibly shocked, but that abruptly melted away into ecstatic, unbridled glee. Her bouncing and yipping had Raela laughing out loud. The pup might have been talking to herself, but it was the sort of odd that was just that; nothing freakish or potentially dangerous like Urien's. Her laughter only grew as the yearling tumbled once more into the snow. She had expected some sort of reluctance on the girl's part, but if instead she got explosive happiness – that was just great.

Her ears pricked ahead to make sure the young one was still okay; she was quite resilient, Rae would give her that. One final question slipped past her lips, and Raela nodded. It was about time they had some food. They had worked hard to catch it, after all. "Of course," she answered, turning back to her own meal. She sunk her teeth into the bird's feathers; ripping them out in mouthfuls. The meat was delicious as always, and even better tasting when she knew the lone yearling was finally getting some of it as well. Her tail thumped at the snow with contentment. She had done well today, and being able to bring the dark youth under her wing instead of being forced to leave her wandering the wilds rekindled the warmth in her chest. 

Once more she could have a student to teach, and perhaps the void the Lagina children had punched through her soul could be mended in time. Perhaps... 

-Fade-