Like a river, lead you home

Her tawny ears flattened against her skull, nose wrinkling in confusion. What wolf would step on so many packs to create his own and dare set up camp so close to others? Had she known of this Rook Lyall's age, Amisun might have understood his actions better - but knowing little of him, or Grizzly Hollow, or the other dangers that lurked so close, she could only swallow her confusion and accept wholly the resolution to leave. Kisla and Maksim were absolutely right. With children on the way and snarling faces on the other end of every border, it was the right thing to do.

There was quiet, then one of the yearlings spoke in agreement - and then the sonic boom. Her heart ached for the family that was Cut Rock River's foundation, watching as the three siblings rounded on one another, their voices packed to the brim with emotion. A sympathetic smile pulled on her muzzle, pale eyes sweeping across them. Voices continued, aiming to quell the fire among the three Baranski youth, but Amisun only turned her head toward her name when it was spoken by the young pale healer.

She gave a slow nod, mind already reeling through their stores to prioritize the plants within their infirmary. Ami had no way of knowing where their travels would lead them, what plants were available on the way and what trials they would face between then and now. They would have to make a choice and live with it. "Between the three of us, we will be able to carry plenty," she murmured with a delicate optimism. Perhaps if they couldn't take it all they could at least destroy the rest, lest one of their enemies benefit from their uprooting. The dark thought made her stomach twist.

Her pale eyes sought her leaders, holding Lachesis' question at the forefront of her mind. They would need to know where - and also when.

 ♦♦♦♦♦

Naia listened to her leader with rapt attention, her honey eyes speaking her silent approval to her friend and King. She certainly would have provided a scout’s counsel to the lead couple if they had asked, but likely Maksim knew her well enough to know what she would suggest without even having to ask. Of course they would leave the Cedarwoods behind, lest they would have all the happy memories here drowned in blood and pain. Jynx, just a hair too eager, piped up nearly before the words were out of Maksim’s mouth, leaping onto the bandwagon with gusto. A small smile twitched at the edge of Naia’s mouth, remembering what it was like to be so young and desperate to prove yourself. The Second remained quiet, knowing it was not her place to speak until after Kisla had added her piece.

Orren spoke out indignantly, only to be quickly corrected by his brother and opposed by his sister. Trust the youth of the pack to voice the concerns everyone was thinking but nobody wished to speak aloud. Kisla finally spoke, though still rater reserved in her reassurances for her children. Naia imagined there was a lot on her mind, with her first litter at such a volatile age and her second on the way—on the way while they were on the road, no less!

After everyone jumped to correct Orren, Naia wanted to tuck the boy under her chin and protect him from judgement. After all, pups came out of the womb knowing that if someone tugs on something of yours, you tug it right back! Of course Orren was far too tall to tuck under her chin and much too old to appreciate being defended, so Naia gave him the comforting, supportive shoulder-nudge of an adult. “Imagine the adventure..” she murmured, only loud enough for the fire-eyed child to hear. “I’ll show you a thing or two about scouting,” she promised, hopefully planting a seed in the middle-child’s brain. Sensing her opening in the conversation, she stood to address her family.

“This scout suggests eastward travel to begin, and then a northward trajectory along the Pass,” she began, all too aware that the other River scout was absent. Perhaps Maksim had sent @Bastet on ahead? "The Downs have mounting tension with their western neighbor and have even suffered an unprovoked attack. We should steer a wide arc around the Secret Woodlands wolves.” Eventually settling in the north would of course be the only option, for only enemies and overcrowded territories lay to the south. The Timber woman had entered Relic from the north and remembered a thing or two about the land up there. She could already feel her paws itching to rediscover the territory. “This scout also suggests leaving as soon as possible,” she added quietly, approaching the taciturn Kisla. She pressed her face against her leader’s cheek in a silent gesture of love and devotion. It was near Kisla’s time, and as her trusted Second, Naia would do her very best to make sure she delivered in the safety of home, wherever that may be.

♦♦♦♦♦  

(This post was last modified: May 04, 2015, 01:28 AM by Naia.)

And finally, here comes Bastet!

She moved with the tactfulness of a mouse, overly cautious as to where she stepped and how far she wandered as slender limbs moved toward the border of her home along a path well traveled. It had been nearly a week since her return and yet she had spoken to no one, not even Lachesis, for fear of the accusations that could have easily been tossed around since her lengthy departure. The dark dove had felt different since becoming the packs second Scout, she felt a desire to leave the land more often than before and when she returned, her paws yearned to feel the soil of a different land between her toes once more. She was uncertain of what this new feelings of wanting meant for her--perhaps she was selfish for craving more--but she knew that leaving behind Cut Rock River was absolutely out of the question, she owed her loyalty to Maksim and Kisla and would do just that.

A familiar howl woke her from her thoughts and she listened with interest, noting the urgency in both Kisla and Maksim's tone, before raven colored limbs brought her back to the center of the land with a swiftness that she had begun to master. It didn't take her long to come upon the clearing, but nervousness slowed her legs down to a walk as she neared the clearing where the meeting was held, only to pause just short of where her presence could be sensed by those who had already attended. From this distance she could hear many voices, some of which she recognized and others that were foreign to her, and the concern that laced it made her heart flutter in her chest as she listened without making herself known about what this meeting was about. Having been a member for quite some time, the dark woman knew of the differences held between her pack and Whisper Caverns but this news of more packs, potentially two more, was new to her as square ears perked with interest greedy for more. Rook Lyall the name was familiar and yet she could not quite put a face to the name, but the predicament he put them in was enough to fuel a rage within her that had since been buried--he was a traitor and a forever enemy in her eyes to this family.

What Maksim and Kisla suggested next surprised the woman even more--they were expected to leave this land behind in search of another to call home, perhaps in a land much further away where the family could prosper--and alone at her spot the raven woman was unsure what to think about this suggestion. It was a tall request to have so many followers simply leave behind everything that had been worked for and yet Bastet was not foolish enough to understand that staying where they were could mean potential more harm than leaving behind the cherished memories that were forged here.  She sighed, her head held low, as one by one the others objected to being uprooted from where they were born and before long the voices of sensible adults regurgitated what she had been thinking all along; moving was good for them. Her heart jumped in her chest when  @Lachesis spoke, repeating what so many others had said already and she felt her heart melt from the knowledge that spilled from his tongue. She knew, that regardless of what she was feeling while she was away from her home, she could not leave behind what she had worked for hard to achieve, which included her spot as third in the pack and her position in Lachesis' heart.

No sooner did @Naia 's words bellow across those in attendance did the dark woman make herself known, and she could not hide the fact that she had heard everything the others had said from her face. "Would you mind if I accompany you in leading them to our new land Naia?" she asked with a nervous grin, knowing the woman would probably be wondering what had taken her so long to answer Maksim and Kisla's call. She was prepared in that instant to help her family in what ever they needed, should that be utilizing her skill as a Scout or giving support as one of the pack's long standing members in preparing the youth for what was ahead of them. Either way, she was ready for long trek to her new home.

Avatars by Becca! Thank you!

Unnaturally quiet during all of this but still sticking close to Lachesis’ side, listening in on anything that Lachesis or Maksim would say. They were the two he really knew the most along with Karpos so it was only promising that they be her top priority. Soon, once they moved, she would know her other comrades but for now. It was odd, really. To see Lachesis talking proudly, comfortably and with ultimate strength behind it was no doubt thrilling and uplifting. In some alternate universe she would have been super proud to see him grown up but instead she was elated. Happy to see that he had thrived on without her – and while somewhere she was sad that he had done such – but also worried that her presence wasn’t even needed.

 

Even as Bastet arrived she didn’t connect the two. Busy trying to listen to what was being said, while casually looking to Kisla. It didn’t take super smarts to realize that in Anastasia’s absence Kisla and Maksim had become a thing. It would seem that everyone had moved on and she was left on the outskirts of the world. Nothing that she couldn’t live through, she was sure. Ana was always meant to uplift and treasure, not usually grasping a hold on something great for herself aside from seeing the lives of her lived ones blossom. Children to be born, as Kisla had said, in which Ana could only find happiness and hopefully through all the stress of their relocation everyone would soon find their happiness. 

i'd love more threads, so message me if you'd like one!
looking for friends, potential love interests and role-inspired threads!

Hope nobody minds me throwing this in here, figure it's about time we wrap this up :3

"I'm the type of boy who is always on the roam " ORREN BARANSKI Aleksei's snarling reprimand only served to further enrage his younger brother. The first born liked to think of himself as an adult, clinging to the rules and hierarchy of the pack like they were his very livelihood; but Orren was his diametrical opposite, to him laws were restraints, things that served no purpose other than to restrict his freedom and complicate his life. Every word falling from his brother's maw only made the copper pelted lad want to snap back, roar at him to realize that this was bigger than respect, that this was honor. But before he could, Karina joined in the shouting, and his glowing, persimmon eyes turned to her. Their sister was usually a shy, quiet girl, but Orren knew of her wild side - probably because he was usually the one to bring it out - and hearing her yell was no shock to him. Her words were though, not the initial insult, but the repeated cry: dead, dead! Dead... When she finished, he wanted to yell back, to tell her that it was not about whether he liked the place or not, that it was about defending what was theirs and fighting, rather than fleeing, but he had lost his voice. Instead he stared dumbly as his gentle sibling buried her face in the fur of their mother, the first sting of guilt hitting his heart. The fire slowly drained from his eyes as he listened, first to Lachesis, who spoke with calm sense, and whom the young Baranski respected; and then to his mother, who was gentle, yet firm in her wording. He thought of the new siblings in her belly, so soon to be born, and he heard Karina's words in his head again; Dead before they're even alive..! And suddenly he felt tears stream to his eyes. Embarrassed, both by his former outrage, and now by this sign of weakness, he moved to bury his face in the fur at his mother's neck, ears flattening back against his thick skull. "I know mom," He mumbled remorsefully, squeezing his eyes shut to fight back the tears; "I'm just... I'm scared." The final admittance was whispered close to his dam's ear, meant for no one else to hear; He couldn't even imagine the shame of anyone else finding out about his terror; Especially Alek... And his father. His fearless father, who was strong and proud, yet wise enough to realize that leaving was the lesser of two evils. Once again in control of his emotions, Orren lifted his head to look at his sire, ears still lain back, and eyes now glowing with penance. He felt a nudge at his shoulder and glanced sideways, feeling a sad smile tug at his maw as he saw Naia there. She whispered reassurances, and the young man nodded softly, appreciating her gentle support. Then his bright gaze turned back to the king in front of them, his father. He met the Mackenzie giant's stern, green eyes, his own ember's wide, ears flat and tail slightly tucked. After standing like that for a moment, the boy sighed lowly, and with the lightest purse of his lips, he bowed his head; "I understand," He said, voice yielding; "I'll go." And he did, and he would, it was the better option, the safer one. But he would always remember Cut Rock River, and the circumstances that had driven them from it. Word count: 571 Thoughts ”Speech”

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(This post was last modified: Jun 08, 2015, 12:51 PM by Orren.)

PLOT WITH ME!

Her left ear twitched, listening to the voices around her discuss the plans and the limited options available to them--most seemed willing to start their life anew and then there were some who didn't. She stared momentarily at Orren, listening while he disagreed with the rest of the pack and felt her ears fall flat to her skull, he was probably scared and had every right to be. Cut Rock River had always been his home, he had been born here and Bastet remembered the moment that Kisla had given birth to them, all of them growing taller by the day with their own personalities peeking through. She knew that with time, the young lad would be happy to have left the land where so much drama surrounded them, especially with their numbers currently at a stand still.

Her attention shifted to Maksim and Kisla, watching and waiting for their next move. She had no idea where they would be going but assumed that her leaders had chosen a perfect place for them to start over without the threat of danger on both sides--she would follow them for as far as they would go. Her legs were itching for the adventure and wondered how soon they would able to make it to their new home, she wanted nothing more then to rebuild her den so that she could scout out the land, perhaps find out what neighbors, if any, would be a benefit to their new home. Without hesitating, she came to Lachesis' side and gave his shoulder a soft nudge wanting to stick near him for the long journey ahead of them. She wouldn't dare lose him from her side.-Fade out-

Avatars by Becca! Thank you!

It was settled then. A nod was given to Naia, and the honeyed she-wolf lifted her muzzle to nudge the underside of her mate’s chin, her tail giving a quick swing through the air. He had dreaded this discussion from the moment they had made the decision to move forward with it, and now it was over.. and the others saw the same logic they did.

With the discussion settled, the lead female gave a sober nod to her pack mates, pushing away from the side of her beloved and trailing along to the side of each of them to offer a gentle nudge of encouragement. After greeting each, the pregnant she-wolf gave a gentle sigh, her eyes drifting over her pack mates. “Everyone should take what they want and can carry – we will be leaving soon.”

With a stolen glance to her mate, she made to beckon him away with her – to steal over the den they had raised their first litter once more and to give a proper and heartfelt goodbye to the home they had come to love. Whisper Caverns, Grizzly Hollow.. the two packs had finally chased the pack away from what they had come to love, and she vowed quietly that they would never be placed in such a situation again.

Brushing her shoulder against the side of Maksim’s, Kisla fell to silence, her eyes drifting back to their pack mates as they scattered amongst themselves, each seeking out to tie up their own loose ends and grab what they could. Cut Rock River would become barren of life now – but it would forever remain in their hearts.

sparking up my heart