Charred Ash Draw the leading steed

For @Naira and @Triell <3

He had a few things on his mind and allowed those things to dwell as he marked borders. Rubbing against some of the chard trees or doing business where necessary. The tawny male had to wonder if he was jumping the gun at all. He was just so eager to be a functioning cog in some great machine that he couldn't help it if he worked non-stop and barely slept. He was still healthy and didn't show signs of tiredness but within the upcoming weeks, his pace might slow more. He might find himself in a routine within the Draw. When that day came perhaps he'd be less of a frenzy to deal with. Today was very obviously not that day.

The new second trotted around the borders until he made his way back to the communal den. Scents of everyone lingered freshly. He was always smiling when he approached the den because there was usually a ninety percent chance he'd find at least one wolf lurking. Kerberos knew he was looking for two wolves today, though. His leading lady and sir. With a short howl (in case they weren't nearby) he asked for their presence. He did not demand for them to appear. The male was aware they may be busy so a very polite request was all he put in.

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and i confess, i'm only holding on by a thin thin thread

Naira

Naira nosed at the newly created cache, pushing snow back over the chunk of meat she had managed to tear from the abandoned carcass. She was hard of hearing, so it was pure luck she caught the sound of @Kerberos's howl, pushing the last bit of snow into place before she made her way back to the den. There he was waiting and she greeted him with a smile, a nudge and a wave of her tail. He had also called for @Triell but she couldn't be sure where the dark wolf was. They could be waiting a while.

"Thank you, for taking such good care of the children," she had noticed how Reiko seemed to shadow the man, and how he handled the extra burden with ease, even Treyah had taken a liking to the man. If it weren't for Kerberos and Maera they would still just be a little band of loners trying to make it through the winter. "Is it something I can help you with or would you rather wait for Triell to join us?" She was more than hapy to wait but if she was going to stand still for too long she would have to fetch her stick to save her joints from stiffening now that she was up and about.

Truth be told, Kerberos was not expecting the lead lady to show up first. He was still happy with it nonetheless. Her nudge was met with a respectful lick to the chin and very soft whine. Her compliment made a huge smile spread across his face. "It's my pleasure, Naira. I'm still trying to figure out what Treyah likes to do but Reiko always seems eager to hunt or patrol with me." The tawny man hadn't had much time with the younger girl but he made sure she felt included when she wanted.

He shook his head at her question. "Your word is just as good as Triell's, but it will need his approval." Kerberos addressed it confidently. "I was actually wondering about doing a scouting mission in the surrounding areas. I met a few pack wolves as a loner and figured I could go touch base with those I could find and inform them of our place. With it still being winter I don't plan to be gone longer than necessary." His tail swayed happily behind himself. It felt good to be able to work out things that might benefit the whole group. "I know I said I would do it but if you have someone better in mind I'm all ears." A small grin spread across his lips.

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and i confess, i'm only holding on by a thin thin thread

Naira

It was all so easy once again, and perhaps it was the way she had mellowed in her old age, or maybe she just didn't care so much anymore, but she felt this little family was going to be one that stuck around. A harder, younger Naira might not have thought to trust such friendly wolves so easily, nor let the familiarity of a name draw her in, now though, well she realised a little better each time that if wolves were going to leave then they would, and hadn't she done the same herself more than enough to let it slide if others chose to do the same? "Do you have itchy paws or something?" It was a good natured tease as she raked through her memories of this side of the mountain, wondering where the best place to start might be for the aspiring scout.

"There used to be a pack in the Willows, to the east, south of the Grove, just below the mountain, and there was one in the marsh south of us too. From there, north-west to the Cedarwood as well, and then north of them in the thicket had been a pack as well. Her sister had been in the Cedarwood, she wondered if she still was? And Nina had loved that thicket... "It's been some years, of course, and whether or not they still stand..." she shrugged. No doubt there had been changes in management and others had vanished entirely. At least it would give him a direction to aim for.

Perhaps had he not realized it was a kind gesture he would have been sent into a flurry. A need to explain why he was eager to scout out again. "Not exactly." He smiled kindly and let his eyes drift to her paws before meeting her eyes again.

He listened with interest as she gave him a mental map. He nodded eagerly. The willows rang a bell but the rest were fairly empty to him. "I met a Renier of Willow Ridge when I was still a loner with Maera. We hunted together and he was polite. Might be good to go see them and discuss an alliance of some sort? Or even just let them know that we've settled here officially." He racked his brain for more names and places. "There was a guy named Askan who said he lived with a pack a good while north from here. He also warned me about these Whitestone wolves who are supposedly nasty." He shrugged his shoulders. "Not sure if that's true or not, I haven't personally run into them." His tail wagged happily with his small bundle of information.

"The willows might be a good place to start? I'm not sure how far they are but they can't be extremely far out if I ran into one of their wolves out here." His words were eager but he would allow Naira to give her opinion on the matter.

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sorry guys <3

they say we're crazy, it's who we are

The howl of Kerberos broke his reverie. Old memories, and clinging torments drifted aside. He had went for a morning walk to get a drink, and check on things. Everything seemed quiet within the Draw, so at his second's request he began in his direction. There had to be reason, but he didn't let his mind wander. It'd be better to keep step, and try to get their swiftly.

He wasn't too late. Their conversation drifted through the the woods, and he caught a few words here and there. Hardly enough to know exactly what they were talking about. He wasn't worried. If something had been wrong it would have been made clear. Suddenly closer he caught Kerb's last question. The willows might be a good place to start? The Tainn had to wonder if it was a scouting mission or simply something else. Orange-yellow eyes fell upon the pair. "It would be the place to start if you intend to scout?" Voice announced his arrival, and rapidly his dark tail beat behind him. The Tainn brushed up beside Naira, a wide smile evident, but his eyes fell upon Kerb. He hoped to understand fully what he intended to do.

(This post was last modified: Feb 01, 2017, 10:25 PM by Triell.)

are you with me through it all?

glitter & gold

Naira

Not exactly, she managed a smile in response. She couldn't fault him if he did, she, herself was a nomad at heart, wandering wherever favourable tides would take her. It wasn't a life for everyone, but the adaptability it gave her was probably the only reason she still survived today. That the willows still stood wretched her heart in two directions. "Just be cautious," she warned with a strained smile. An alliance might be too much to ask of that particular pack, unless things had changed since that blundering idiot dragged one of their youngsters days in the wrong direction. She couldn't blame them for reacting as they had, but she had also lost her mate to the conflict, shadows of dark memories clearly danced across her face.

She was broken from her thoughts as Triell joined them, his cheerful tone enough to drag her from her memories. She offered the dark Tainn an apologetic smile as she considered all that this could mean for her, and them. Perhaps they had chosen the wrong place to settle, maybe they should have gone further north? Not to the Ghastly Woods, she couldn't live there again, but perhaps to the spring or even down to the lagoon? Anxiety beginning to mount she shifted her toes through the snow, trying to ground herself, to remind herself that everything was okay, after all, hadn't she been the one to bring up the Willows in the first place?

Why hadn't she checked as they past? How could she have forgotten?

It didn't take long for Triell to appear and he caught on to what was being said quickly. He caught Naira's warning too. Kerberos nodded his head in full understand as his eyes moved on to the dark alpha. "I was just talking to Naira about scouting around the surrounding areas." He said in a rather excited tone as his tail swayed. "To inform close by packs that we have set up a home here in the Wildwood. I figured it might be best for us to reach out so they don't stumble upon us and get shocked." He explained his plans in a calmer tone to show Triell that he was completely serious about all of this.

His eyes flicked over to Naira to notice she was a bit fidgety. The dark tawny second could feel his lips pull into a frown slightly. "Naira? Are you feeling alright?" The Draw wolf's eyes bounced from Naira to Triell and back again. He didn't think anything he said might have been upsetting. Kerberos was fairly certain he had kept everything he said business like with no personal affairs involved. Besides, it was kind of hard to have personal feelings about what he was talking about. At least on his end it was.

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I just wanna stay in the sun where I find

"I see no reason to stop you then. I think most packs are pretty neutral around here, but it would be good to know. Especially what ones remain, or have come along." At one point all the packs had banded together to destroy a common enemy. Swift River hadn't exactly had any strong allies except for Copper Rock Creek. It was merely because Corinna knew Ruiko. He was part of the family that had helped her too.

It was only Naira's difference in smile did he wonder for a moment what had caused it. Question lingered in his gaze, meeting her amber pair. It was something else pulling at her. Kerb's worry became evident when he spoke, trying to catch their eyes. Was it the last time she had lived here she was thinking about? The Keep? Her mate, her other children. Fear wanted to grip him, but he couldn't let it take its hold, if it was already surrounding her."Naira, he genlty spoke. "We'll see if there are changes the years have brought." So much of the Bend had changed, it could mean the same over here. Kerb was going to find out. Was there something specific he could do while on his mission? Something that'd help her find some peace?

are you with me through it all?

There is a deer that was killed by a lynx nearby. +10 Health