straighten the rudder

Anyone welcome! Song inspiration: Crying Lightning (acoustic) - Arctic Monkeys

It was a foggy winter morning that Quick waded through following her pit-stop at the lagoon. Though she had still no plan of action she managed to continue north, roaming on by force of habit. She carried on, a pale automaton on skinny stilts, until the open fields gave way to a forest whose cover she accepted graciously. Rising above her the trees seemed to welcome a weary traveler, giving cover without crowding while the clouds in the air found rest comfortably between each column. It eased her anxiety to weave between the trunks, letting her gait grow lenient with ample width and leisurely placed pawsteps. She remained alert for a while as she languidly maneuvered the forest, white ears raised to catch any approach while her nose quivered for incoming scents. But pleasantly she became aware that there was no one in her company, and her vigilance was given a rest.

She was carefree for the first time in a while, meandering the forest for as long as she pleased. The haze prevented her from spotting the sun but she could tell time was passing her laziness by as the fog began to dissipate, leading her discovery that the terrain was beginning to elevate in a uniform fashion. Quick narrowed her silver eyes at the anomaly but refused to hesitate in the wake of difference. Instead she climbed the rise, feeling the steepness dig at her fatigued muscles until the terrain flattened once again and gave way to an incredible sight.

As audaciously as she could the snowy-coated female approached the eastern edge of the limestone bluff, craning her neck forward to peer over the precipice. Snow-topped trees emerged from the fallen fog below and the land extended onward and onward, an almost endless rising and falling, trees disappearing and reappearing all the way to a mountain ridge that seemed to define the edge of the world. Her eyes scanned the horizon meticulously, turning her head steadily north. An unfamiliar feeling warmed her chest, prompting her to feel strange, as nothing had woken in her barren heart in months. Was it hope returning to her? Quick wondered, but did not dwell, in case the feeling was only fleeting. She wanted to enjoy it while she could. For a silent moment she continued to stare, thirst in her starry eyes, happy to let her worries catch her when they would.

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It was Naia’s favorite time of morning. The sun had just broken through the tops of the cedar trees to dissolve the thick fog surrounding the forest, giving Naia the impression that the entire forest was rising out of the earth—born for the first time for only her eyes to see. Light steps carried the delicately built female toward her regular watchpost on the side of the bluff. Aspiring to be a scout for Cut Rock River, she saw it as her duty to know everything that went on in the forest, big or small. It was her goal to at least know by scent every wolf that set foot among the cedarwoods—she had no intention on relying on another, even a packmate, for information she could easily collect herself. It was this sort of dependence that had caused her to miss Shade’s return to Pitch Pine Trail, and consequently miss his death. She knew logically that an entire border patrol is a much too large a task for one wolf—something was bound to slip through—but she still felt like a failure for not being at her beloved leader’s side when he took his last breaths.

She had to admit to herself, patrolling at the limestone bluff was so pleasant that it was hardly work at all. The view alone was breathtaking, and in addition most wolves that traveled the forest for any amount of time inexplicably found themselves here, attracted by the beauty of the overlook and the curious scents that wafted in from the lagoon. All Naia had to do was sniff around here a little, and she already had a pretty good idea of the number of wolves in the forest and how long they had been here.

As the tawny girl arrived at the edge of the bluff, she realized that she was not alone here this morning. A few wolflengths away, a snowy stranger stood like an ice sculpture, surveying the territory below. For a fleeting moment Naia thought it could be her friend, Nineteen, but no—this pale stranger was taller than him, her ivory hue more saturated, and of course she was female. ”Hello,” Naia greeted her softly, hoping not to startle the newcomer. ”It is beautiful, isn’t it?” She flashed her usual dreamy grin. ”Are you just here to see the sights, or do you have other business in these woods?” The words might have been interpreted as a threat if spoken by a pack wolf with a different inflection, but Naia’s tone was musing and airy, as if she was just wondering aloud to the strange female.

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OOC|| Hey there- welcome to RoW! This is my cheerful, happy-go-lucky little Naia, and I think a dose of her is exactly what Quick needs. Just a note, she’s in the middle of a Join thread with CRR so I’m leaving her pack status vague in this thread. ||

Look Out!

A fight broke out between two male mountain goats. Hunt Opportunity

Thank you very much :) I'll keep Quick from asking any pack questions then, haha, to keep it simple!

The distant brays of angry prey roused her from her daydream, sending her silver eyes flickering in their general direction for a moment. She twitched a pallid ear, trying to rid herself of their echo, and nearly returned herself to her business had she not caught the faintest scent of a new arrival, and something like paw-steps in the snow. Holding her breath Quick allowed the silence to consume her, remaining motionless as she discerned whether or not she would indeed have company. An easy word, rolling from the stranger's tongue through the fog, gave her the answer. Hello.

Guard raised she craned her neck in the direction of the newcomer, her metallic gaze concealing her thoughts as though coated by impassible glass. She assessed the situation swiftly, not wanting to stare too long. The stranger was slight of build and adorned in a coat of russet and browns and artfully accented with streaks of black. As she continued speaking her voice wafted through the still air like ribbons of silk. It was reason not to be on edge as Quick had become, but certainly not reason to trust her. Lowering her head slightly she made no move to decrease their distance, only tilted her cheek toward the other so she might listen more carefully to her question.

She returned her eyes to the drop-off, considering an answer. The other wolf might've thought her daft for the length of time Quick took to respond. Neither option was explicitly applicable. The alabaster-coated female wasn't here on business or pleasure. Her appearance in this territory was actually horribly pointless, but Quick would not admit that out loud. "See the sights," she chose after an awkward beat, her voice hardly above a whisper. "This is my first time seeing any of it," she attempted with more projection, regretting the words as they passed through her teeth. It was weakness to admit she was unfamiliar with the territory, she'd done it now.

When her jaws clicked shut she had no intention of speaking again, displeased with her own performance, until she realized how rude it was of her to refuse conversation. To carry one gracefully was a princess' commandment. Clinging still to a broken identity, Quick found herself with no choice but to improve the air around her, lest she bring any more embarrassment on her yet-unspoken name. Angling her body only slightly more toward the small stranger from the woods, she broke the peace once more with a quietly suggested, "And yourself?" It was the best she could manage.

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It took the snowy stranger so long to answer that she might as well have been an ice sculpture. When she did speak, she barely turned toward Naia, and the tawny girl was slightly taken aback. Perhaps the ivory female didn’t want company..? It was so common for Naia to encounter lone wolves that were desperate for conversation, she tended to forget that occasionally wolves were loners by choice. ”See the sights,” she finally uttered in a tone so low that she could have been merely talking to herself. ”This is my first time seeing any of it,” she admitted, a little louder this time but then snapping her mouth shut as if she was embarrassed to have spoken at all. ”Then you are definitely in for a treat, come spring…” Naia replied warmly with an eager wag of her tail. The snows had stripped the trees bare and blanketed the Wildwoods in sameness, but spring would return the lands to their former diverse brilliance.

The strange female seemed to open up a little more, turning slightly more toward Naia as she returned the question. The Timber girl took a few steps forward, drawing even with her companion in order to look out over the bluff. ”I love it here,” she replied just as her honey eyes found the sparring goats. She smiled a wry little grin. ”There’s always something interesting afoot.” She didn’t ask anything more of the icy female just yet, choosing to focus her quiet attention on the fighting animals below. If one damaged the other, she and the reserved loner might win a meal out of this opportunity. After a silent moment, she offered her name to the pale stranger. ”I’m Naia,” she told her simply, letting the words hang in the air between them. The loner had the chance to share her name if she desired, but Naia made no direct request for the information. If she was more comfortable concealing her identity, so be it.

Particularly loud braying from down below drew Naia’s attention back to the fight, which only seemed to be intensifying. The larger animal had the decided advantage, attacking again and again while the smaller animal scrambled to defend itself from the onslaught of blows. The fight would be over soon, and the two wolves would have missed their opportunity. ”Interested in taking advantage of their distraction?” Naia asked with a sideways glance at the ivory female. ”There’s a small path cut down the side of the bluff—we could make it to their position pretty quickly.” Due to the steepness of the bluff the snow had gathered only in patches, allowing an advantage for the two wolves looking for a quick way down. Naia nodded in the direction of the trail. The path's inchoation was nearly impossible to spot unless you already knew where to look.

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Come spring. She smiled without humor. Would spring come? The way the winter had greeted her at this new land's doorstep it didn't seem to want to give up its icy grasp. Logically Quick knew this was just a bump in the road. The thaw would come and life would begin anew. The days would grow hotter, and longer, and she would reach her third birthday. All would come, if she could just get through this blistering winter first. She abandoned her pessimistic thoughts easily to listen to the tawny wolf offer the land more praise. Though hesitant it did pique her interest to find out if this place could be better to her than others had been before - or if this small female was just optimistic as Quick had never been.

Naia introduced herself, tone unchangingly pleasant. The Arctic wolf was becoming less averse toward the decreased distance between them and made an effort to reflect her equally. She could be nice and easy-going too, couldn't she? With a small attempt at a smile she responded back, "Quicksilver. Quick." The name felt foreign on her tongue even if it was her own. Having chosen it herself when she couldn't recall her given name following the accident (which she still could not, to her displeasure) she didn't feel like the identity quite fit, like her pieces didn't match. Normally she would have been frustrated by now, but Naia's warm energy prevented her from it. She chose the name, she could choose who she wanted to be. And now she wanted to be Naia - or at least, in some way kind of emulate her positivity. That sounded better to her than identity theft.

Her white ears perked naturally to the loud sounds coming from down the bluff, which had grabbed Naia's attention as well. Now that her fur lay smoothly along her spine she was able to offer the other wolf a smile at her invitation, silvery eyes gleaming with interest. "We should," she agreed. What lone wolf would turn down a meal, anyway? Her tail twitched as she glanced down the steep edges of the bluff, eyes trailing the ridges to find the path Naia had spoken of. "If you lead the way I'll be right behind you," Quick said, looking back toward her. "There's two of us and two of them, but I think the odds might still favor us."

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As the ivory lady spoke her name, Naia was reminded for an instant of her hero from Pitch Pine Trail, who was also named Silver. Silver had been a little rough around the edges, but she was a delightful companion once she let down her guard. Perhaps this Quicksilver-- or Quick, as she seemed to prefer-- was also worth the effort it took to break through her icy exterior. At the mention of a hunt the snowy female cracked her first smile of the conversation, and Naia returned the gesture effortlessly. Food was a sure topic to connect two lone wolves. The tawny girl wagged her tail at Quick's verbal agreement, turning to face the direction of the path. If memory served her correctly the hidden trailhead was only a few wolfslengths away, but memory could sometimes be a tricky mistress. Quick spoke again to comment on their odds, and Naia glanced over her should with an amused look. ”Indeed. We have the teeth.” To illustrate the point, she flashed her pearly-whites in an silly grin before turning back to the task at hand.

After a moment of sniffing around the edge of the bluff, Naia wagged her tail to signal her success. ”This way,” she directed, squeezing herself into a small opening between the briar bushes. The spiney branches scraped annoyingly down her spine as she wriggled through the underbrush, though she knew that as a slightly larger wolf Quick would be experiencing even more discomfort. ”Ugh-- don't worry, it gets better,” she promised her companion through gritted teeth, and just as she spoke she emerged from beneath the leafless underbrush. She quickly stepped out of the way so her partner could exit as well, offering her an apologetic half-smile. She then turned to survey the bluff, shaking once to dislodge debris that had lodged in her coat during the crawl. From this side of the briars the small game trail was clearly visible, cutting a steep but manageable path down the side of the ridge. Luckily the goats were still wrapped up in their fight, ignorant of the approaching danger. ”So here's my idea,” she began somewhat hesitantly- though she was no stranger to leading pups in practice hunts, chasing larger game had never been not her forte. ”We follow the trail down to their position, and then split. You circle around the pair and approach from downwind, then lunge for the smaller of the two animals.” Quick was the obvious choice as the first attacker: her pelt would blend easily with the surrounding snow and allow for a less detectable approach. Also she was the larger of the two-- the goats together would pose less of a threat to a wolf of her size. ”The larger animal will most certainly bolt-- likely toward this game trail, where I will be hidden. I'll catch it when it passes if I am able, and if not I'll come assist you with the smaller animal.” When she finished speaking she turned to Quick, waiting for her to either agree or amend the plan.

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OOC|| So.. I'm thinking both our characters could be eligible for some Skill LP here (successful hunt with 2+ wolves). The thread would have to be 15 posts, which is a little longer than usual, and 8 posts would have to be focused on the actual hunting-- so we will have to draw it out quite a bit. Want to give it a shot though? I think the 8 'actual hunting' posts will start once they start stalking/moving into position... so probably like in the next post.

Oh! One more thing: Naia's in CRR! Yay! So feel free to have Quick ask pack questions now!

Also, just have to say I think it's funny that Quick is hunting the same mountain goats in two different threads. |

(This post was last modified: Jan 08, 2014, 07:09 PM by Naia.)

I'm totally down for some hunt LP! If it's 8 posts total we could each have a targeting post (2) then 2 chase/attack/hunting (6) and then one of them taking down their kills (8) and that's not too horrible to draw out :) I actually got the "two mountain goats fighting" thing thrice, believe it or not haha. Quick is a very lucky girl apparently but since her pack thing is taking a little bit to get around I'm all for more health and life points!

A little minor PP of Naia leading them down the game trail, I hope that's alright? I'll have Quick rush from her hiding spot in this one, and then actually chasing/attacking in the next two.

Naia's clever comment wrung a crooked grin from the pale wolf, giving a snort of laughter as she set off behind the tawny female. How pleasant it was to be in good company, Quick thought, feeling the cold on the front of her teeth, prompting her to relax her lips and cover them from the wind. Her expression settled, this time not into a stoic mask of ice but into a light-heartedness she hadn't worn in a long time. Not even the scratch of branches against her back could displease her at the moment, even prompting her to joke back, "I'm sure I've seen worse." She pulled free of the underbrush's icy fingers, yanking their hold from her fur and giving a quick shake to right the pattern of her fur again while her partner did the same. It seemed they had come to a pause here. Stepping forward she noticed the trail, and let her metallic eyes sweep from the cliffs down toward Naia while the wolf made her proposal.

Quick nodded without hesitation. "I couldn't have said it better myself," she agreed. Naia proved herself to be sharp of wit and mind, assessing the situation swiftly and creating a plan of action suited to their observable needs. With luck (and teeth) on their side they would end up with a goat each and perhaps enough left over to cache, which was more than fortunate given the violence of the winter upon them. Determined, she followed Naia down the bluff's side, careful to watch her step so she wouldn't slip on ice and warn the goats of their approach. Her heartbeat quickened in anticipation of the hunt, muscles tingling as adrenaline began to buzz in her veins.

When they reached the bottom of the steep pass Quick met her companion's gaze, gave a small nod of reminder that she recalled the plan and would follow through, and then turned toward a rise of snow that had fallen from the cliffs above to shield her while the found an advantageous spot. She licked her nose and paused, holding her direction the moment a gust of snowflake-speckled wind rushed at her. So long as there was no sudden change in the breeze, her cover would not be blown. Buckling at the knees she crouched belly to the snow, concealing her dark nose behind the snow that coated the terrain below the bluff and slowly moved toward the fighting goats. A sharp eye was necessary to pick her out of the landscape, her white coat disappearing into the flurries. Nothing but her ink-rimmed eyes would warn of her approach, and by the time the goats noticed her steel-strong gaze they would be in trouble deeper than this snow.

The cracks that rang through the flurries grew louder as she approached, their testosterone-driven distraction music to her ears. Quick located the larger of the two, narrowing her eyes. The goats rotated erratically as they swung their heads, though she remained toward the rear of her target. No sudden movements, and their plan would have little hitch. Her nose wrinkled, wanting to bite into flesh, but she couldn't spring until her eyes found the tawny wolf hidden by the trail. When she picked the difference between Naia and the limestone bluff, Quick inhaled deeply, feeling her ferocity warm her legs for the charge. Her eyes locked on the larger goat, who had backed up to charge the smaller goat once again. When he reared, ready to deliver a blow to his lesser, Quick erupted from the snow cover like a torpedo, sending them both to scatter.

OOC|| When you put it that way, it does sound easy! Quick seems like a lucky wolf the keep around..

If you can wait, and if you don't have other plans for her, Naia will offer to vouch for Quick if she wants to join CRR after they hunt. Maksim would for sure be impressed with the pair of them presenting him an entire goat or two. And things are about to start getting really crappy around ROW for lone wolves.. /tempting..

Don't even sweat the little baby PP's, a hunt is sort of complicated to keep completely PP-free.||

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Naia's own spirits rose when she heard Quick's soft snort of laughter from behind. It was rare for her to run into a loner that appreciated a joke; often they were of a more serious nature. The Timber lady even dared herself to hope that her snowy companion might grow fond this area and wish to settle down. Maybe the emotion was a little premature, but she liked this new girl from the start and thought it was quite possible they could be friends. Perhaps Quick was feeling the same way, because she sounded considerably more upbeat when she spoke again-- especially for a wolf currently having her spine attacked by briars. Naia chuckled quietly at her hunting partner's tongue-in-cheek comment. Yes, they had probably both seen worse, and most likely would see worse before the day was over. Naia was an optimistic lady, but even she couldn't delude herself into thinking she would make it away from this hunt without a scratch.

After explaining her idea, Naia did not have to wait long for Quick's approval. She beamed at the ivory lady's praise, relieved that she was able to come up with an acceptable plan of attack. Maksim would be proud, she mused. As a devoutly pledged follower of the Cut Rock River leader, her alpha was never far from her thoughts. Well.. he'll be proud when you kill it! A look of resolve replaced the smile on her features, and with a nod to Quick she continued to lead the rest of the way down the ridge. The air seemed to grow heavier with every step toward the jousting pair, and Naia watched her footfalls carefully as they neared their prey. Quick nodded to her-- a wordless signal that it was time to part-- and Naia's lips twitched in the smallest of smiles as if to say, good luck. Naia felt lightheaded as she watched her companion disappear. Her own adrenaline surge was kicking in.

The air was deathly still as Naia waited for a verbal hint of how Quick was progressing. Naia took advantage of the short quiet moment by finding a position near the gametrail to lie in wait. She placed herself directly in-line with the pair of goats and the path; should a goat come charging straight for the trail, it was likely to trip over her as it fled. She crouched down beside the path, wishing there was just a little more underbrush on the windblown ridge to keep her hidden. Naia listened to the brays of the goat pair as they clashed, ignorant of their ill-fated destiny. She stiffened suddenly as she heard the commotion begin, hoping dearly that this was indeed the moment Quick had chosen to reveal herself. If the goats had heard her hunting partner's approach and bolted, it would far lessen the odds that each of them would end up with a kill. With every nerve in her body on high alert, Naia waited for a sign that an animal was approaching her position. She would only have a moment's chance when it appeared, and she was going to be ready.

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Quick's going to try for Hollowheart Keep, but if that doesn't work out CRR seems like a very popular place so I might try her there next!

The moment she emerged from her snowy cover she had gotten the goats attention. Their heads turned almost in unison, looking from each other to their attacker. It was a snarl, ripe and ready to taste their blood, ripped from her throat that sent them into panic. She could not keep the delight from her demonic grin as she ran after them, pale paws pounding against the snow-coated valley. Her muscles burned in the pursuit, gaining speed quickly to scare them out of common sense. It was very hard to keep a clear head or a good plan when the devil was breathing down your back. She didn't expect it to be difficult to outsmart a pair of terrified goats, especially given the quality of her hunting partner. Quick nearly had them where she wanted, preparing to come upon the smaller goat and herd it away... when her pawpad caught on a slab of ice beneath fresh powder, sending her tumbling forward.

She frightened the larger goat, who had been heading quite nicely for the tawny wolf hidden by the game trail. A growl rumbled in her throat as she righted herself, quickly as she could. The Arctic female scrambled to get her paws in order, and lunged after the larger one, jaws snapping. She had to at least get it headed back the right way. She would not allow herself to be the one that ruined the hunt. Both her and Naia would make their kills, even if her heart burst in the attempt. When the goat dodged her canines, rearing away from her, she too lunged away. Quick had faith that the smaller wolf would manage to catch it, now that she had corralled it back toward their hunting grounds. As long as it didn't get too far, it was still possible. And speaking of...

Her metallic eyes burned white hot as she adjusted her target, locating the smaller goat who had begun to flee away from the bluff. Quick would not let him go. Not a chance. Her shoulder ached, having taken the fall for her when her leg gave out, but a little ache wasn't going to stop her from sinking her teeth into some tasty goat today. Again she flew forward, her lope nearly ground-breaking as she sprinted in its hoof prints. She would catch up, she would...