Secret Woodlands fade to black

For @Naira first for a few rounds, and then open to @Nina and SW members.

With the meeting closed, Phineas had taken his duty as seriously as any could – with a brief nod of farewell to his pack mates, the ivory male had slipped away from Willow Ridge, moving swiftly in the direction of where he was told Secret Woodlands was. The pressing matter was sickening, and pushing all other thoughts from his mind, Phineas held a blank mind from then on – the days past with little thought and his only stop was to quench his parched throat with a quick drink. Sleep was far in between, usually with him con fining himself to a secluded area and catching an hour or two of rest.

He was to seek out a she-wolf called Nina. Of course, he had never met this she-wolf before, but apparently she was on friendly terms with Willow Ridge and Elettra. Upon delivering his message of the gathering of packs within Relic Lore, he was then to head southwest and seek out the Grizzly Hollow pack – again, a pack he was not familiar with.

Finally, the scent of a pack border came to him, and pausing, the male took in his surroundings. The foliage of the land was thick, and the thicket he had slipped through had slowed his pace greatly. Still, there was no mistaking that he was near a pack.. whether or not he stood at the doorstep of the correct one was undetermined, and tilting his muzzle back, the Ridge male allowed a beckoning howl to escape his muzzle, an urgency to his tone. He was anxious to return to Willow Ridge and aide Elettra in any matter he could.

(This post was last modified: Mar 14, 2013, 03:03 PM by Phineas.)

She was not usually one to butt her nose in to other peoples business, but what was the stranger doing calling for a leader out here? And with such an urgent tone? She had been by the Secluded Spring many a time since her return and only on one occasion had she come across the lingering scent of the creek wolves, yet now she focused, familiar scents, though not the same - wafted to her on the breeze, causing her hackles to itch and her muscles to stiffen. Some among them had known her brother, and perhaps there was even the faintest trace of him there. What was a ghost doing leaving a scent?

Curiosity was not something she often left un-sated and so, cautiously, she picked her way forwards through the twisted thicket, not quite as at home here as she found herself in the Ghastly Woods. This was much too messy for her liking, but she could see how it would make a nice hidey-hole for those who did not want to be found. The white male stood out in stark contrast to the gloom that surrounded him, and he looked anxious, ready to leave at a moments notice.

The scent of a pack was stronger here, laced heavily with the familiar scent of Nina. An ear flicked back, then forwards again while she contemplated whether she should simply eavesdrop from a distance or make her presence known. It was clear she was from a pack, though not this one. Keeping her tail low and her posture as slack as she could manage a small, quiet bark left her lips, hopefully not loud enough to draw the attention of the residents. She hoped to be gone before any who lived here showed, and tied her up with formalities and conversation. She had another pack to visit yet before she could make her way back home.

The scent of another caused the male to stiffen – the smell was not of the Thicket though, it did not hold the forested perfume of those that would live here. Instead, it was decidedly of a more open air, though unfamiliar to him. Blinking, the large male’s gaze swept around the area once more, his eyes decidedly narrowing before he finally tilted his head back to catch sight of the she-wolf, just as a low bark ushered past her lips.

He regarded her momentarily – her tawny pelt was well groomed in health and her body well fed. Briefly, the ivory male pondered the absolute number of packs that were in the local area, though he held little interest or concern for them. His allegiance lay with Willow Ridge, and not once since he had sought Elettra upon her borders did he regret his decision to remain with them.

She was a pretty thing, more so from the radiance of confidence that exuded from her than anything else, and Phineas finally gave a tip of his muzzle to the stranger in hesitant welcome. He was uncertain if she belonged to this pack or not; perhaps she was new within its ranks and had yet to fully smell of them. But he was no fool to believe that this was the she-wolf he sought. “I am looking for the Leader of this pack.. Nina. Do you know of her?” Introductions were overrated, after all.

(This post was last modified: Mar 14, 2013, 03:11 PM by Phineas.)

I'm assuming you wanted me to post here, as you tagged? <33

The woodlands pack was certainly coming along better than she had expected, even if one of her members, of whom she had trusted dearly had ended up leaving them. Durai had been one of the wolves that Nina had helped gain entrance into the Creek pack…who knew what it would have been like if she had not been there. They had also lost Sloane, as he had gone to make a family of his own with his dearest Narime, but in turn Koda, her own mate, had returned and soon he would be leading by her side once more. It seemed today her daily hunting trails(which most times ended up just being attempts) would be canceled, for an urgent call caused her ears to twitch, her body instantly turning in the direction of the voice.

She had not had many problems with her borders, as they were already heavily marked, thanks to Hollow’s constant border runs. It now felt odd to her to be answering to other’s calls though, especially one that was directly made for her. And so, with quick steps she made her way towards the edge of her territory, slightly worried at what could await her. Surely it would not be one of those awful infected wolves that had already come across her border. That had been a terrible scare within the pack which had stirred tension, and that was exactly what Nina did not want.

With a short sigh, she came upon the borders, her tail instantly swaying above her back and stance tail, the scent of the Willows and an airy scent penetrating her nostrils. A follower of Elettra then and….Naira? Tilting her head, she briefly remembered the lady’s scent on the loner that had ended up passing away and into the heavens. She held back her questions from the gray lady as she turned towards the creamy male, his back turned to her, and his words reaching her ears. "That would be me you are looking for," she stated calmly, her one good eye staring at the pair in front of her.

It seems when you're around, my life is complete.

His words were to the point and she had to appreciate them, a small smile crossed her face at the mention of Nina’s name. Somewhere between happy and strained, but there none the less. She got no further than a nod in response to his question before the one eyed tawny wolf herself arrived on the scene. Her tail began a low wag at the other woman’s approach, although a new layer of caution was added to her stance as her eyes darted from one back to the other. She was confident, yes, but she was also very far from home with a young son nearby.

"Nina." her greeting was low and smooth the small guarded grin tugging at the edges of her lips. "I wasn’t aware there was a pack so near, I’ve been invited to the Cedarwood, it would seem my son made friends with one of their young ones..." Her amused tone conveyed how unusual she found it all, but none the less, it was enough to explain why she could be found so far from home with the scents of so many marking her pelt.

Careful not to give away too much more than was necessary she turned her attention back to the pale coated man. "I was surprised to hear someone calling for a pack in what I had assumed was neutral ground, but I supposed there is much to miss of goings on in the lowlands when you live atop a mountain." She moved to take her leave, answer to her unasked question found. Unless his news regarded more than just the new pack in the thickets, she would continue on her way.

His company only had time to give a nod to his question before the she-wolf he sought swept toward them. He was impressed at the swiftness of her response to his cry, and as she lifted herself as queen to these lands, the ivory male allowed his large figure to shrink in submission toward her. She was not his ruler, but he tread far too close to her territory to not initiate his respect; something the other she-wolf seemed hesitant to do, though not unwilling.

His bright eyes shifted between the two females – the robust health of the unknown woman was hard to miss, especially next to the more slender and fragile appearance of the one dubbed Nina. Her missing eye was the first he noticed, but the male did not dwell on such things, hardly being stranger to witnessing a wolf with a missing appendage or part. If anything, it told of her strength to remain as a leader with such an injury.

His ears twitched at the mention of the Cedarwood – a land he was to scout out next. Her response stirred a stoical shrug from the wolf – he knew not how long the pack in the Thicket had thrived, nor of the pack the stranger lead. He held one concern and with a dip of his muzzle to gain attention, the male cleared his throat before continuing.

“Elettra sends me on business. A group of wolves are settled within the valleys of Relic Lore, and seem to carry the disease of the foaming mouth. One of our own had his life taken by them and Elettra advises caution. She will be holding a valley-wide meeting for the pack leaders to attend and has asked me to come here and extend the invitation.” There was a small pause before the wolf rolled his shoulders back, his eyes settling upon the unknown female he had found first. “I am to seek out the Grizzly Hollow pack next to inform them of these events.”

Her one eye quickly darted back towards Naira upon hearing her own name muttered on the woman’s lips. Nodding her head to the other female, the woman listened to what her old friend had to say. Upon the information that was provided, Nina did not miss the underlying notes within her tones and it caused a small smile to twitch on the edges of the golden brown lady’s lips. Though her next words pleased the alpha highly. It had been her idea to stay as secluded and away from the other packs as much as possible, and thus far everything had gone smoothly for the Secret Woodlands pack. The girl had not forgotten the female that had died in front of her eye though, and Naira confirming that she was residing in the mountain did not help her racing mind.

The only thing that brought her attention away from the former Poisoned lady, was the male, who quickly grabbed her attention with a tip of his muzzle, his submission prior to so being noted quickly in the back of her brain. His voice was deep and her ears perked in interest as he began speaking. It appeared as though Elettra had some trouble with the ill ones as well, taking from her, as Nina had feared would take from her. When he concluded with this information, the golden woman nodded her head, her voice smooth, "I shall be there, along with two others from my pack. Thank you for relying this information onto me, sir." She tipped her muzzle to him in thanks, an indictor also for Elettra as she had been the one to send him. Nodding towards both of the wolves in front of her, she patiently waited for them to take their departure if nothing else was to be said.

It seems when you're around, my life is complete.

There was a question in Nina’s eyes, down deep, but it was there. If she did not have her son waiting a short ways off, nor a meeting of her own to make she may have stayed to catch up with the one eyed wolf, but as it was, she still needed to make it back to the mountain before spring. When the lighter male began to speak again she took pause, combing through the words for anything of note. A meeting for all the pack leaders would include Poison Path and Swift River she had no doubt, and there was no love lost between them yet... It would take much consideration before any of the wolves of Nomad’s Pass would come to such an event.

"I travel to the Hollow pack, I can bare the message for you. No doubt you are eager to return home with such grave tidings in the air." She offered quietly, thoughts drifting back to the scent that had washed over them when she had first met @Mapplethorpe, the coyote he encountered later and the memories. It was enough to hasten her own journey. It wasn’t just the mountain that suffered this pestilence, and with no deep chill of winter to end the madness, it was going to be a tough year ahead. For all of them.

With a quick nod to the gathered, she merely waited for confirmation of whether or not to take this news with her before taking her leave. She, perhaps had the longest journey of them all, and while she would not break a promise to her son, their steps would be more purposeful from now until they returned to their Pass.

[exitish? one more reply each will make 10]

His message delivered, the one-eyed she-wolf took the news as he had hoped: with acceptance and agreement to attend. His muzzle bowed once more before the ivory male drew himself up, his fiery eyes darting to the other she-wolf as she spoke with an offer.

He paused, hesitant to accept such at first; after all, Elettra had sent him to deliver these messages, and he held no trust to the other female. Yet, she seemed honourable enough, and given the Secret Woodlands leader’s acceptance of her presence, Phineas found himself grateful to the offer. He shifted his weight then, his muzzle dipping courteously once more in the direction of the unknown female. “Such a favour would be appreciated greatly,” he spoke, his tone humble. He wished nothing more than to swiftly return to the lady Elettra’s side and aide her through these times.

Clearing his throat, the male began to shift his figure, readying for his travel back home that would take a few days time. “The meeting shall be held in the Wildwood in seven days time.” There was a small pause in his words as his gaze drifted between the two females. “Stay safe, both of you,” he murmured quietly, his chest rising and falling with the memory of the news of Kanosak’s death. He had known the male very little, but he had considered him a valuable asset to the pack and a kind wolf. Little did he know that the she-wolf beside him might not have been so grieved to hear the news of his passing.

With a small moment of silence stretching between them, Phineas dipped his muzzle in farewell, his pale figure twisting as he swiftly took to the path that would lead him home and to the side of the lady he so desired.

(This post was last modified: Apr 03, 2013, 12:25 PM by Phineas.)

Her attention was drawn from Elettra’s man to that of Naira. Her request taking Nina slightly off guard. From what she had known about the woman, she never did a favor without asking for another in return. Though, the golden lady wasn’t quite sure what the alpha’s intentions were with the information she was delivering. When Phineas accepted this, she remained silent, nodding in the other woman’s direction when she started on her way. Just before her leaving, the Willow man in front of her said his final words, and with it came Nina’s own words of peace, "As to both of you." She then watched as both of the wolves took their leave and with their disappearance into the thickets, the leader backed into her territory once more and turned.

She expected to be seeing both of their faces quite more now, and she would have to gather her own group for this meeting they would be attending. No doubt there might be tension between the packs, but now was no time for them to divulge and stick with their grudges. They would all have to work together if they wanted to stop this plague from tainted the rest of their lands. None of them wanted their families to fall because they wouldn’t be able to settle their disputes for a few days. And so, she lifted her head, a message for Sloane and Hollow. In six days time they would start their trek for the wildwood, a place where she hoped, peace would be able to reign over the packs for a few hours. Then nodding her head in acceptance, as if reassuring herself that it was for the best, she shouldered her way through the thickets, her golden form quickly disappearing into her home.

{End}

It seems when you're around, my life is complete.