Cedarwood Forest A Knock at the Door

April 3, Late Afternoon, Clear skies, 25F/-4C
@Maksim

This decision hadn't been easy for the woman, all night she had laid awake while @Tokino slept soundly beside her. In the end it had been the sound of his even breathing and the gentle nudging that originated from her belly that had made up her mind. Slipping away unnoticed by her partner had been easy enough, she had taken to leaving the territory for an hour or two at a time the last few weeks since the warmth had returned. The easy exercise calmed her, cleared her head of her worries and allowed her to focus on the future, one that would soon be here. So it was slowly that she moved through the great boughs of the Cedarwood, careful not to place her paw in a puddle of slush that might cause her to slip. While she had always hated the obnoxious stuff her pregnancy had brought out a more careful side in her, she was constantly reminding herself there was more than just her now.

Last time she had stood in this position she had been slimmed from the harsh winter, and now her belly was round, speaking clearly of her expectancy. Coming to a halt in an almost identical clearing as last time the alpha raised her tawny muzzle to the air and called for Maksim. Their last meeting had been cut short by Titan returning home, but it had been pleasant enough and Minka left with the impression that he was a good man. Astra too, a sweet thing though she seemed much shyer and less sure of her position than her male counterpart. So it was with a pleasant anticipation that she waited, but with a troubled heart of what she would have to ask of them.

fate hasn't finished

MINKA LEIGH

with you yet

by Sarah

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KING OF CUT ROCK RIVER

IF YOU DO NOT FIGHT YOU CANNOT WIN

Déjà vu struck Maksim as a familiar song called out to him, rousing him from his afternoon rest. Minka Leigh. How long had it been since he saw her first? Several moons ago, if his memory served him correctly, at the beginning of winter, before the awful cold seeped in and dug its claws into the Lore. Rising from his preferred haunt, he shook himself in an attempt to displace his grogginess. Stretching with a yawn, Maksim rolled his shoulders before setting off to seek the woman who had allied her pack with his own. Whisper Caverns … he wondered, briefly, how Titan was doing; had his mother returned home?

Minutes ticked by, Maksim trudging through the remaining snow and slush in order to find Minka. He was glad that winter was nearing its close, that all this blasted snow would melt away and everything would flourish once more. The herds would return, plants would sprout and blossom and cubs would arrive. There was much to look forward to. Stepping out into the clearing where Minka stood, he gave a brief wag of his tail to show he was pleased to see his ally once more. “Minka, it is a pleasure to see you. What is it you need, my friend?” The agouti king hoped nothing too serious had occurred. Had Titan gone missing again? Had she been bested in a rank challenge and ousted? No doubt the copper woman was pregnant, which would leave her in quite the predicament if that were the case.

we are shining in the rising sun, as we are floating in the blue

The few minutes it took Maksim to arrive gave the woman a chance to properly study the surroundings, last time she had stood here had been after the first winter storm. The trees were green as ever, though as the snow melted some stray needles were visible upon the earth. The scent of these trees certainly was unique and the wolves of the pack surely carried it with them everywhere they went. What scent would her children carry? Where would her and Tokino settle? Would they smell of rivers, or pine or of ivy and moss? The daydream brought an absent smile to her maw, so long she had dreamed of the day when she too would become a mother.

The sound of pawsteps through the snow brought Minka's attention back to the meeting that was at hand and she turned to face the approaching male. Her smile intensified at the sight of him and her tail wagged softly behind her, it seemed that winter had not affected him too strongly. Bowing her tawny head in respect to her ally she countered, "A pleasure to see you as well Maksim, I trust you and Astra are well?" Little did she know that she was no longer within the pack and that Maksim had taken a new mate. Much had changed, which is exactly why she was here now.

The business was not pleasant and a more serious expression crossed the woman's face as her tail halted behind her. Taking a deep breath she steadied herself, trying to smooth out her thoughts so she could explain the man why she had come to his borders. After a moment she decided where she would begin before launching into her monologue, "A few weeks after our meeting Titan's mother and our old alpha Narimé returned home, she was very weary from her travel and has taken the winter to recover. In her absence her mate Sloane abandoned us and has yet to return, and a man named Ash and his mate Namara joined the pack, Ash taking the place as male alpha. Since then I have taken another man within the pack Tokino as my mate and we decided that in respect to Narimé and her family we would leave to found our own pack so that she could once more lead Whisper Caverns. I openly told Narimé and Ash of our plans so they would know we weren't abandoning them and to hopefully leave on good terms, but Ash grew enraged when another woman in the pack decided she would leave with us. I fear for what that rage will do, I could tell by his stance and the look in his eyes he would have no problem with murdering myself, my mate or my future children if we stayed." Minka slowed now, taking a moment as she felt shaken even thinking about the happenings of that meeting, of the fear she has felt ever since. Her golden eyes closed for a long moment before looking back to Maksim, her intentions of this meeting becoming clear. "Tokino and I will be leaving Whisper Caverns in a few weeks time, and it is with a heavy heart I urge you to dissolve the alliance between Cut Rock River and Whisper Caverns, Ash Hervok cannot be trusted."

fate hasn't finished

MINKA LEIGH

with you yet

by Sarah

click!

KING OF CUT ROCK RIVER

IF YOU DO NOT FIGHT YOU CANNOT WIN

Minka spoke of Astra and Maksim couldn't help the frown that pulled at his lips. If the agouti leader knew where the wolf who was once his equal had gone, he would seek her out and try to bring her home. Alas, the butterscotch lady disappeared in the midst of a snowstorm and left behind no traces. “Astra was bested by Kisla Tainn, who now stands beside me not only with her rank but my heart, too.” A little spark of something danced in his eyes, hope for what the future would bring to Cut Rock River; healthy cubs that would carry the Baranski name further through the ages.

The agouti leader fell silent as the rust woman before him began to explain her reasons for showing up at his borders. Judging by her body language, it certainly wasn't good news. He lifted his chin slightly. Titan's mother had returned to Whisper Caverns, which was good news, yet his father, a wolf called Sloane, disappeared and had not returned. Any man that abandoned their child deserved no sympathy—a child was a commitment for life. Two names crept up that Maksim did not wish to hear once more and he scoffed, his muzzle wrinkling in distaste. Ash and Namara. Mates. That pair deserved no happiness. It was a shame they had not fallen and died on their precious mountain that they knew so well. Not only that, but Ash was leading the neighbouring pack? They would be run into the ground with a leader like that.

Minka continued, stating she had taken a male by the name of Tokino as her partner. What she said next made Maksim's blood boil, not because she had decided to leave and start her own family but because of the Hervok bastard's reaction. His lip raised momentarily, though no snarls rumbled in his broad chest. She fell silent and the River leader allowed her a moment to compose herself before she continued, asking him to cut the alliance with Whisper Caverns. “Namara and Ash are wolves I have no desire to be linked to,” the Baranski explained coldly, “I would not care if a bear took a shit on their corpses. Consider my alliance to the Caverns over as soon as you leave the place that is led by that honourless cretin.”

He paused a moment, gauging her reaction before continuing. “I only ask that you return here when you depart the territory, to rest safely before you continue onwards to stake claim to your own home.”

we are shining in the rising sun, as we are floating in the blue

Minka's head tilted ever so slightly to the left at the man's frown, had something happened that she was unaware of? It was his words however that brought a smile back to the tawny face, "Well it seems that congratulations are in order, I wish all the best to you and your Kisla." Perhaps this is why Astra had seemed so unsure of her rank at the last meeting, was she already aware of Kisla's intentions? It was the way of the wolf after all, those who wished to lead would have to assert their dominance over their subordinates and if they would or could not they would not be alpha for long. When Minka had arrived in the Wildwood she had never dreamed of leading, only wished to perhaps at most pursue the rank of lead huntress, but the fates had a funny way of showing you what you were truly capable of. Now she couldn't dream of falling back into her old ways when taking orders was her second nature. Maksim's reaction took her by surprise, while she wasn't sure what exactly she had expected of him this was definitely not it. So venomously he had changed at the mention of Ash's name, but this was not the same type of anger that caused Minka to fear the Hervoc man. This was the anger of someone who was looking to protect another that they had sworn alliance to. At his words the golden eyes widen slightly and a humourless chuckle slid from her jaws, "I take it you've had dealings with the pair in the past." So innocent they had seemed in their first meeting, looking for a family they had claimed and so the Lagina woman had accepted them with open arms. So foolish it all seemed now, she had allowed them into their home, given Ash a role of power and now he was twisting the pack against them. Maksim's offer brought a warm smile to Minka's face and once more she bowed her head down in respect. Raising it a warmth that had long since been missing from her eyes returned, "I would be honoured to rest within your pack borders as I'm sure my mate and our followers will be as well." The current dealings had taken away much from the woman, including bits of her trusting personality, Ash had forced her to see the bad in wolves when she used to see only the good. "And I vow to send word as soon as we establish the pack with our whereabouts and that we with any luck settle safely." Strange how before a few months ago Maksim and Minka knew not of each other's existence and now he had become her strongest ally.

Vinyonga @DA & Dawnthieves.de - Table by PuppyThief

(This post was last modified: Apr 15, 2014, 12:48 AM by Minka.)

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