Hearthwood River Keep Holding On

Despite having braved the cold and headed out on her own towards the end of the previous winter Inna hadn't been looking forward to it this winter. She was older now which meant more responsibility especially now that her mother had left to visit family. Inna would have liked to have gone with Kisla but she understood why she couldn't. Everyday her mother was gone she tried to do her best to do what she knew her mother would want her to do even though there were still days she didn't feel like doing anything at all. This happened to be one of them but she had done her hunting managing to catch a couple of birds to add to the cache. She had even managed an hour or so of patrolling but now all she wanted to do was curl up in the den and sleep the rest of the day.

She knew that wasn't an option for her since she felt like she should be doing more now that winter was upon them. She was thankful that the sun was out as she picked her way through the forest in search of anything that would be helpful for the pack. It gave some warmth while she tried to find more to bring back to the caches. Inna didn't like the idea of bringing so little back when there were puppies to feed. Hopping over a fallen tree she noticed a small cluster of bushes she thought could be hiding a small creature, she was hoping for a rabbit. At the bushes she looked for scents that there was something in there. She dug some of the snow out from under them and stuck her head under to see if she could see anything.

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RE: Keep Holding On - Lilya - Dec 04, 2016

@Inna

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Lilya felt incredibly apprehensive about everything that was going on, the fall in numbers, temporarily being bumped into a leading role, how the pack was going to survive the winter. It reminded her often of her birth pack, a thought always in the back of her mind as she prayed that war would not fall upon them too. These wolves were good and honest and what she’d gone through as a pup was the last thing she’d wish upon the River. She had to remain optimistic, and at the knowledge that a woman she’d like to consider a friend was leading a pack to the north, as well as another pack she’d met alongside Lachesis… she felt a little better about her odds of keeping any threats at bay.

For now, she was within the lands, sniffing for prey actually, seeing as they would all need to be on their best lookout for food sources with the harshest months of the year nearly upon them. The snow had already started to fall and it crunched beneath their paws, her icy blue eyes forever seeking something to interact with, whether it be friend, or foe, hunted, or hunter. It would be something to keep her mind busy instead of letting herself fall deeper into her introverted tendencies.

It wasn’t very long before she found what she’d been searching for, a soft smile falling on her lips. The woman was also searching for something, a yearling… one that Lilya had definitely seen but had never directly talked to. “Perhaps if we search together, we’ll find whate’er it is yer lookin’ for, and maybe what m’looking for too?” She asked in a whisper as she politely made her presence known. She kept her voice soft in case there was prey in the area, doing her best to not scare away any attempts at food. “M’name’s Lilya.” Introductions were out of the way, in case the girl didn’t know her name.

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RE: Keep Holding On - Inna - Dec 06, 2016

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After the effort she took to get under the bush as much as possible she was greeted with the disappointment of effort wasted. She couldn't see any sign such as a scent or track of so much as a mouse. Inna pulled herself out from under the bush and shook her coat of the snow that had fallen on it while she'd been under it. Inna was starting to think that her suggestion to Lachesis of hunting in the Lowlands might not be a bad idea at this point. She knew she couldn't keep returning with such small amounts of prey when they still had so much of winter to get through.

The crunch of snow alerted Inna that there was something in the very same part of the forest as her. She hoped that it was something she could catch and bring back to the cache. For a moment her disappointment at not finding anything under the bush disappeared. However when the one responsible for the sound, Inna was sure, came into view her hopes fell. As it turned out it was a woman, one of her packmates who she'd seen around but hadn't had the chance to really talk to but it seemed she would now.

“I don't think we'll find it here,” she whispered back taking her cue from the other woman, “That is if we're looking for the same thing but I don't mind searching together two sets of eyes are better than one, right?” Having someone along might make the hunting a little easier since there would be two of them. She did hope this woman who had introduced herself as Lilya could work as well with her as Lorcan. “I'm Inna,” she introduced herself in return in case Lilya didn't know her name. Besides it was polite to tell one's name during an introduction, at least Inna thought so.

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Re: - Spirit of Wildwood - Dec 06, 2016

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

RE: Keep Holding On - Lilya - Dec 06, 2016

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The girl seemed to have been searching for something, and based on current weather conditions and the state of the caches, she was willing to bet that what they were looking for was one in the same. “I’d be willing to bet we are.” She whispered back, and after Inna introduced herself, and Lilya flashed her a wide grin and a soft nod, her nose put to work as she started to sniff around. It was then that the scent started to float toward them, catching her nose as her head raised. “Ya smell that, Inna?” She asked, the unmistakable scent of deer, blood and all.

She’d fight for it, if she had to, because if there was the smell of blood with that deer, than something must’ve killed it and she hadn’t heard a call for a pack hunt… She glanced at Inna, a soft motion with her head before she started to creep, careful not to disturb or alert whatever might have brought it down of their presence… if it was still there at least. If they did have to fight for it, then you can bet that they would win, even if it required calling for backup. Or… perhaps Lilya was just being a bit paranoid around the matter.

As she got closer, she caught the scent of lynx, but it was fading fast and that made the woman more confident that it had fled after taking it’s full, leaving extras for the wolves to eat and attempt to save for the rest of the pack.

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RE: Keep Holding On - Inna - Dec 08, 2016

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The woman was offering to search with her and if they were looking for the same thing it could make the day a little better since the bush had been a bust. By the Lilya’s words they were in fact looking for the same thing, “We should search it out together then and hopefully we'll have better success.” The next words out of her pack mates mouth only confirmed what Inna had hoped and lead her to raise her muzzle to snuff the air for the scent that Lilya had indicated was there. It was a scent that couldn't be mistaken and the ebony girl couldn't believe she had missed it before, “I do and it seems strong,” she confirmed. Something had killed a deer and by the strength of the scent Inna could tell it wasn't too far from where they were.

The question was what had killed the deer and was it still around? Inna knew they needed the meat for the pack and at this point she felt it was necessary to do what it took to get it. With her mother and father gone she felt that it fell on her to do what she could to keep the pack they had built and the land they had claimed safe. Inna caught the indication to follow Lilya which she did as quietly as she could knowing it was important to approach as stealthily as possible. She didn't want them to lose the element of surprise as it could give them the upper hand if they did have to fight for it. The memory of her mother's words about Lynx and her conversation with Nightingale about the same came to her making her extra cautious.

All worries seemed to be unfounded as they came closer to the kill because the scent of Lynx was there but it wasn't strong anymore. It seemed that what was left of the kill was theirs for the taking, “It's seems we've come across a little luck,” she said quietly to her companion.

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RE: Keep Holding On - Lilya - Dec 12, 2016

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It was how it should be, wolves working together in order to achieve a common goal. Those were the points of packs right? They had safety in numbers, a family to turn to in times of crisis, and most importantly, they were all looking for the same things in life. It was why it was important to find a place for a wolf to fit in, not just a pack to bide them the winter months. Sometimes, what one packmate overlooked could be found by another packmate who hadn’t been in the area as long. Honestly, Lilya didn’t blame Inna. It had been a slight change in the wind that had brought the scent to them, at least she was pretty sure.

Lilya only gave a soft nod and a wide grin in return as they both headed towards the source of the scent, finding it in little to no time as her grin grew slightly on her maw. “Seems we ‘ave!” She agreed as she sniffed at it a little more. “I reckon we should take it ter da pups first. Whatcha think? ‘N warn th’others ‘bout the lynx.” She suggested it, not completely certain how to structure the food hierarchy. The pups were growing but with winter coming, the hunters needed the strength to find food for the pups… it was complicated.

Winter was just starting to fall, so surely they still should be able to find a decent amount of food, given that they had less mouths to feed now than they had before.

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RE: Keep Holding On - Inna - Dec 12, 2016

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The scent had brought new hope to Inna that the day wouldn't be a complete let down as far as bringing meat back to the pack. She didn't know how much would be there if any but she knew they had to find out. They were in the beginnings of the winter months and every little bit they found or caught would help them get through. Even though she hadn't been in Hearthwood during the end of winter the previous year she did know there might be a time in the future when prey became scarce so what was left of the deer could change things for them when that time came. Inna tried to not let the fact she hadn't caught the scent sooner bother her and hoped that she would have caught it had Lilya not been there.

It was a short journey to the location of the scents origin and once they reached it the carcass wasn't hard to find. Inna was glad to see there was something left that they could take back to the cache. Her gaze went to Lilya as the woman spoke about what they should do which Inna thought the question through. “I agree, we should let the pups have some first because they are growing and will need the food. Lachesis will need to know about the Lynx in case he wants to do something about it.”

Inna didn't know if he would want to since their numbers were so low and it would make things more difficult if one of them were to be injured dealing with it. She felt it might be best to keep an eye out for now and do something if it became a threat to them but that was something Lilya would have to talk over with him.

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RE: Keep Holding On - Lilya - Dec 13, 2016

One or two more posts from each of us and I think we're good to archive <3

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Completely proud of her find, she kept her eyes focused on the prey, occasionally glancing at Karina before the woman answered her question and she nodded, definitely willing to let Inna take charge of the situation, although Lilya needed to talk to Lachesis anyway, and could inform him. Take out two birds with one stone, right? “Let’s haul it back and then I had to speak to Lachesis about something, so I could tell him about the lynx when I seek him out?” She hoped the woman would be alright with that, though she understood if she wanted to take charge seeing as she was the one who suggested speaking with him about it.

The pups were growing, and they’d both gone through a lot, especially with Karina abandoning them like she had, and taking Bennet with them. It was cruel in Lilya’s mind. It was cruel to raise them as your own only to take your child with you, and not the ones you raised… or to leave to begin with, to put that division between the family they knew and themselves and make them wonder where they went wrong. No, Lilya had very strong feelings on the matter. “We can get it to the cache and then call for the pups? Then while they eat, I can find Lachesis.” She needed a structured timeline to work with, so she laid one out and looked to Inna to see if she agreed.

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RE: Keep Holding On - Inna - Dec 13, 2016

Sounds good.

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Inna was happy they would have something to bring home to the pups and maybe have some left over for the adults once the pups had finished. She felt it was most important they get the nourishment and the more they had the better their chances of getting through the winter. Inna had given Lilya’s question some thought since she knew how things worked in a pack but with the condition the pack was in she felt some exceptions could be made though she did hope Lachesis would feel the same. Inna nodded as the alpha spoke, “It might be best if you speak with him then the two of you can discuss what might need to be done about it,” explained Inna, she felt there shouldn't be any time wasted in the matter of the Lynx.

Inna could only imagine the pups reaction to what they would be bringing back to them and even though she didn't know them well she did like doing things for them. It reminded her of the times she would play with Orren as a pup and while it made her miss him she knew how happy it had made her a and she hoped it was the same for the pups. “I think that would be a good idea, he needs to know about it as soon as possible so I don't think it's something that can wait until I can speak with him.” Besides Inna felt it was probably Lilya’s news to give anyway since ahead had found the scent first.

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