Cedarwood Forest Take Me Home Refugee

April 13th, just before midnight, about an hour and a half after this thread ends.
@Maksim, @Tokino, @Inali, @Erebos, @Ryka, @Lugh
There is a lot of pp in the first paragraph, anyone feel free to pm me and I'll change it.

The last two hours ran like a loop through Minka's mind, so much had changed in just a couple of hours. She no longer had a home, an official pack, she was a loner who was soon to become a mother and had wolves who looked to her to make decisions. It almost seemed like a blur now, herself Tokino and Inali had left the caverns, the other two making sure her back was covered to protect the expectant mother from any attacks Ash might attempt. Silently they had made their way into the night and it was without hesitation that Minka took the lead moving wordlessly into the meadow before stopping to call for Erebos. When the grey man joined them the golden eyes had locked with the orange and she had said simply, "It is time." Taking a rather roundabout way towards their destination which the former alpha kept to herself in case Ash or any of the others had decided to follow them they had stopped briefly in Whisper Marsh. It had been 10 days since Minka had met with Lugh and Ryka and though she had told them it would be a few weeks before she called on them it didn't take long for the pair to join with her and the others. The group stopped for some hushed introductions and finally it was explained where they were going, "Maksim leads Cut Rock River to the northwest of here, we have met before and he has had previous dealings with the likes of Ash Hervok," the name was practically spat from her muzzle. "I have told him of our plans and he has offered us refuge for the time being, I believe it is wisest to take him up on it." It was decided they would in fact take refuge and without a word again they started moving. The journey would have taken half an hour maybe moving at a good trot but the wolves previously of Whisper Caverns were all slightly on edge and as such moved with a slow suspicion through the dark. Nearly an hour later they stood among the proud cedarwoods with a respectable distance back from the clearly marked borders. Taking the time to check the area to make sure they had in fact not been followed Minka moved slightly forward from the group pausing for one final moment to play the happenings through her mind, documenting them. Then her voice rang through the night and all around them, once more the woman was calling for Maksim.

Vinyonga @DA & Dawnthieves.de - Table by PuppyThief

click!

Speech.

So much had happened in so little time. She was homeless once again. It had been so long, almost a year, so the feeling seemed...foreign. Inali followed Tokino and Minka, her paws itching to move faster. Not because of fear, but of excitement. She had left one home, but would soon have another. She was sad though, for she was leaving Yuka behind. Yuka, her special young Knight...who probably now hated her. Not only was she leaving Yuka behind, but Nari and Ash and Titan. The adults had been her friends...and now, she knew nothing of where she stood with either of them. Not even Titan, though, not that they were so close. But that wasn't the point. The point was that she was leaving family behind...for a new one. Shaking her head to gather her thoughts that were running all over the place, she observed each new member as Minka stopped and callled for them. One that seemed not too far from Tokino's age, the other two a young man and a young woman.

Introductions were made, and Inali sent a welcoming smile to all. These would be her new family, and it would be horrible if she started on the wrong paw. They moved slowly and the pace slightly irritated the scout. But, she guessed she knew the problem. Minka was afraid. Afraid that someone from Whisper Caverns would come and harm them all somehow - namely Ash. She wasn't afraid of the man, persay. He was scary, yes, but he had been a friend. Still was, she supposed. She trusted him, but it seemed she was the only one that held the emotion.

As they continued their trek, Minka spoke of their destination. Inali's smooth steps faltered slightly before she regained her footing. Maksim's?!. Why, that was where Naia resided! A smile graced her maw, barely visible in the surrounding darkness. Her steps became slightly more bouncy, and her chest grew warm. Was there a possibility that the woman would be there as well, with Maksim, greeting them? She hoped so.

They finally stopped, a respectable distance from the borders. Sitting on her haunches, the petite loner awaited for what was to come.

(This post was last modified: Apr 23, 2014, 11:05 AM by Inali.)

what you don't know, won't hurt you

Tokino Lagina

what you can't see, won't blind you

Tokino had kept behind Minka since leaving the cavern to keep and eye on her and make sure nobody would attack his mate while they scurried out of Whisper Caverns territory. Once they hit the markers and passed the cloy scent of cave wolf the gray man began stepping up his speed to reach Minka's side. A side glance towards her helped the Lagina wolf to see that she had some destination in mind, that Minka hadn't just been running for the sake of running. The red she wolves movements betrayed the fact that she had a plan. So leaving the pregnant she wolf to take control he kept to her right ghosting the queens movements with his own.

Narrowing his icy gaze Kino listened as Minka called for another wolf. He smirked realizing that she had been very busy getting ready for their leave of the caverns. A friend of yours eh? Tokino lifted his silver crown and flagged his banner tipping it over his dark gray back when a silver and white wolf joined their little party. He cast a steely blue stare towards the blazing orange eyed newcomer before turning back forward to continue traveling. Kino made it clear who was the top dog when it came to the male side of the rankings.

They were in the Marsh now, and once more Minka stops to call, only this time she calls a pair of names. Tokino stood stiffly beside his woman taking the chance to nose at her belly quickly where the pups squirmed. Licking her stomach once then looking at the gray and white male Erebos once more, Tokino only turned his gaze when a pair of wolves appeared.

A smaller sized brown and white male seemingly traveling with a mid sized brown and gray female graced their little group's presence.I am Tokino Lagina, mate of Minka. Respect me and I'll respect you got it? Tokino immediately shifted into a dominant stance squaring off his shoulders and flicking his ears forward towards the newcomers warning them not to come too close to Minka. You might know them Minka but I don't trust them yet... He thought silently while surveying the nucleus of a pack that had formed in such a short time.

"Maksim leads Cut Rock River to the northwest of here, we have met before and he has had previous dealings with the likes of Ash Hervok," the name was practically spat from Minka's muzzle. "I have told him of our plans and he has offered us refuge for the time being, I believe it is wisest to take him up on it." Tokino glanced towards Minka his own eyes narrowing a bit in appreciation. For Maksim to come right out and help a fledgling pack with no territory meant that he was trusting them a great deal. Kino would have to personally thank the honorable male at a later date. He nodded to Minka glad that she had things already organized. All he wanted was for his pups, Minka, and Inali to stay safe. If Ash were to attack he would have no choice but to defend.

Quickly the pack got moving once more. In an hour they had reached the border where finally Kino would have the chance to rest. Unfortunately for him his tail was still pretty banged up from the fight with Narimé. The gray man could barely sit without wincing in pain. Grooming the bald places upon his haunches and shoulder Kino kept and eye on the wounds received form the fight much earlier. However in the end the gray man wound up lying his body between Minka and Inali comforted by his best friend and mate's presence.

All of this was well outside of Lugh's area of experience, and thus was tinged with a layer of excitement and intrigue. He was not one of the cavern wolves making a secretive exodus, and if he was he might find this all more serious than he did. In the previous days he had spent his time by the lake and marshlands towards the south, resting his travel-weary paws and collecting what sustenance he could alongside Ryka. Even with her as his den-mate, it had still awfully lonely compared to what the Whelan was used to, and Lugh was ready to join in a pack.

He had been anticipating the day Minka would come back for them, and at her call he quickly sidled into the group. A male, Tokino, asserted himself and Lugh respectfully kept his head low, nosing at Tokino's and Minka's chins in a subservient gesture before settling into a place at the rear of the procession.

Lugh had never been in this part of the forest, and while the rest of the group seemed tense and alert, Lugh couldn't help his childish gawking at the places they traveled through. It took a great deal of effort on his part not to peel of and investigate every interesting scent that they crossed. He could smell the perfume of white cedar, the earthy undertones of the pack that lived here. It was a brief enough trek towards the place they would be taking refuge, this entire exodus an alien concept to Lugh that honestly excited him. Maybe it would be like one of the big Whelan family reunions? His tail wagged as he waited quietly for the Cut Rock wolves to appear.

Sorry for the wait!

The time had finally arrived. Just as promised by Minka to whom she and Lugh had pledged allegiance to not so long ago, her call rang through the air. Ever since her arrival here in Relic Lore, Ryka had kept to a relatively small area, making Whisper Marsh her temporary home. Times were about to change, and she took comfort in the fact that soon she'd have a permanent home again, hopefully with wolves who she'd be happy to call family. Moving along by Lugh's side, she met up with Minka and the male who introduced as Tokino, who firmly asserted his dominance. She folded her ears back, lowering her head to offer him a humble nod. "Of course, sir." She replied softly. There was no need to start off on the wrong foot here, and Ryka wasn't one who ever deliberately disrespected authority. Two other wolves were with them...one a grey and white male, and the other a smaller russet female. To both of them she cast a quick, yet somewhat nervous smile.

Silently, attentively, she listened to Minka's plan for the evening. They were to meet up with the leader of yet another pack. Maksim. Apparently she and this unknown male were on friendly terms with one another...enough so that he was willing to accept a small band of travelers like themselves within his home temporarily. She noted with a raised brow how the name Ash Hervok was said with disdain. She didn't know what the man had done to earn himself such a bad reputation with Minka, but judging by the way she spoke, Ryka already was getting an idea of what kind of wolf he was. Her blue eyes narrowed, the skin around her muzzle crinkling. She knew all too well the likes of such individuals. An image of Terro, her savage cousin flashed before her eyes. Suppressing a growl, she in silent agreement turned to follow the others. Like a ghost lost in the night, she moved soundlessly, flitting in and out of the shadows. Her pricked ears, stiff legged gait and the occasional pause to double check their surroundings were all indicators that the she wolf was on high alert. They may be among friends now, but as a small group, they were no match against an enemy pack at full strength. She would not let any harm come to her new family to be.

Meadows and marshes vanished, replaced by a thick assortment of regal cedar trees. The forest was open and roomy, yet oddly quiet at this dark hour. She knew they had to be close...the smell of other wolves was growing stronger. Before they got too close to the borders, Minka had stopped and sent a lone howl into the night air, calling for the leaders of Cut Rock River. Grateful that she could now rest her weary paws for a moment, Ryka sat on the cool earth, lingering close to Inali's side. It was a subconscious thing she did, perhaps the instinct to bond, perhaps it was some unknown warm vibe she gave off in the fact she was just another female of whom she might be able to relate to. Waiting with her eyes peering into the forest ahead of them, Ryka hoped it wouldn't be long until someone greeted their arrival.