Blackberry Fields no i don't have a gun

@Laurel @Minka @Kova

As the regal woman peaked atop the ridge, he then noticed the black pup at her feet. Instantly he knew that if he or Laurel made the wrong move, an angry mother would be after them as well as a pack close behind her. Glancing over to Laurel, he made sure that she saw him as well, so she knew to watch herself. Hopefully this girl would tread lightly and not doom them both. The first thing out of the alpha's maw was a gentle chuckle. The breath that Tobius didn't know he was holding, released from his chest as he began to listen to her words. Noticing the message she held within her words, he knew she meant business and wasn't one to mess with. She then motioned for them to follow and she'd answer what she could. Glancing to the girl at his side, he followed the regal mother and hoped she'd be able to answer his questions.

They walked further away from the territory that they were once yards away from. He knew what the alpha was doing and knew it would be something he would do if he was in her situation. As they walked, he moved closer to the alpha to begin to ask his questions. Clearing his throat, he looked to her as his smooth voice broke the silence. "I'm looking for a man by the name of Ash. I've been told he lives in the cavern meadows." He began, pausing slightly as he thought about the location Athena gave him. He didn't quite understand the way she said 'cavern meadows'. How could caverns be within a meadow? "I'm trying to relay a message to him," he finished, his blue eyes glancing over towards the leader. Would she knows this Ash or where to find him. He truly hoped so or Athena's time might be running out.

Kova stuck next to his mother as the wolves began to walk. He didn't exactly know where they were walking to, but as long as he had someone with him Kova was unafraid of where they might go. In fact he relished the chance to see new places. For now though the child watched as their territory stretched before the three wolves. The bushes of blackberries were still a healthy green, but many of the berries were either dried up or gone. Most were eaten by things like birds, small mammals, and Kova. He loved those berries, and seeing them slowly disappear as summer turned to autumn made the boy sad. The male began to speak about something that made Kova cock his head in interest. If he's sending a message then is that his pack role? Kova sniffed the air once more to assure himself that the man he still had no name for was not of his pack. Once another pause stretched between the adults voices Kova voiced a question of his own. "Are you a scout?" His question is directed towards the dark male before Kova returns his attention to the other she wolves. He wondered slightly what or who this "Ash" thing was. He could imagine that word being the name of an animal, or perhaps a wolf's name. After hearing about his relations outside of Lore someplace from his father, Kova had quickly gotten used to odd sounding names. Also the word cavern struck him as weird. Kova knew what a meadow was, but a meadow cavern was something completely new to him. "Hey what's a cavern?" Kova asked once more waiting for a pause in the conversation to voice his inquiry.

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Ooc: oops! I didn't know you were posting Arya! Let me know of you want me to change this.

Laurel's nerves wavered following the silence that preceded Minka's acknowledgement of her previous visit. She hadn't meant for the statement to sound suspicious- but it did make her a rather shady character when she kept popping up with no intention of joining. Embarrassed, she followed behind everyone else obediently, keeping her head respectfully low and resolving to keep her mouth shut- unless she was spoken to,of course.

She was going strong, comfortable taking position in the back, until Kova opened his mouth to ask a question. "Oh!" before she could stop herself, Laurel pipped up to answer."A cavern is like a large room made of rock. It's usually underground or in a cave- kind of like a den but harder than dirt, and there's sometimes water in them and bats-" her mouth snapped shut on her tongue before the rambling could go on any further.

" A-actually, your highnesty-" Laurel's eyes widened in-fright at the blunder. Truly she had meant- "your majestness- ah- I mean your Ladyship, I was wondering if you could tell me anything about the strange power in a grove south of the Falls that rest on the side of the mountain, though I'm sure Jaime's request is much- uh, actually, never mind, if you'd please." Why? she gaped internally, Why couldn't I have a smoother tongue?! Graceful tact?! Was all the admirable skills just used up on my siblings? Why was I left with curiosity and a running mouth? WHY?!

Laurel dared not to look at any of them. She felt ashamed, not knowing even the appropriate title for the leader she was addressing. If her family were here, would they be disappointed, or would they simply shake their heads and dismissively apologize for her mistake?

(This post was last modified: Oct 02, 2014, 04:31 AM by Laurel.)

It pleased Minka that both wolves followed her lead without question and began to walk at her side, the farther from the border they got the more the mother relaxed. She knew of course that if she called members would be their speedily to aid if she needed it, but as this was Kova's first meeting she would rather not resort to that. There was a confidence in her stride that the woman had grown into when leadership had first become hers, it suited the tawny fae and no longer she felt self conscious about her decisions. It was easily that she moved through the familiar territory, that is until James mentioned @Ash. Freezing in her spot it was as if her blood ran cold, first with shock and then with a cold hatred that she reserved only for that man.

Turning towards the dark loner the golden eyes flashed with anger, perhaps unreasonable or perhaps not. Hackles raising slightly she growled, "Why do you come here asking for that monster? The caverns lie a few days south of here but as for Ash Hervok I could not tell you whether he still leads." Never before had she felt such spite towards another, but the beast had threatened her while she had been pregnant, and not just her but her children as well. As far as Minka was concerned the man could rot in hell until the end of eternity and he would be exactly where he belonged.

It was Kova's question and Laurel's subsequent answer that calmed the woman slightly, her hackles lowering though she still eyed the man warily. Smiling briefly down at her son she allowed the other woman to answer his question, especially since her answer was exactly what she would have said. Flicking one tawny ear back towards the loner she heard the fumbling and turned to look at the woman in curiosity, since when had she become so intimidating it made others this nervous? Smiling encouragingly at Laurel she shook her head, "Please, just call me Minka. As for the grove I wish I had more answers for you but I've only been there once myself. I can say I did feel the same power as you put it when I visited the place." She smiled again swiftly trying to put the woman at ease before turning her gaze suspiciously back to James. Who had sent him here searching for Ash, and what was this message?

He waited for the woman’s response, but it wasn’t what he expected. ”"Why do you come here asking for that monster? The caverns lie a few days south of here but as for Ash Hervok I could not tell you whether he still leads” He cringed on the inside, but stayed smooth on the outside. He didn’t expect her to react this way at just a name, but then again he didn’t do much of his research before asking for directions from a pack that obviously hated this ‘Ash Hervok’. Luckily, Laurel’s answers to the little boy’s questions saved him from even more rampage and anger from the mother. Though, she did give him viable information about where he was located that he could certainly could work with.

”Please, just call me Minka. As for the grove I wish I had more answers for you but I've only been there once myself. I can say I did feel the same power as you put it when I visited the place.” As she dropped her name, he was about to apologize and make things between them, less heated. But he could still feel the burning of her eyes upon his coat. ”I’m sorry to have upset you, Minka. I need to find him to simply relay a message to him from a friend and pack member of his that is currently in trouble. I have not come here to stir up any trouble.” He announced, his eyes flickering to Minka’s to reassure her that he spoke the truth and really would rather avoid making anyone upset.

As he thought about any other questions that he could possibly ask this woman, the thought of asking about the woman that was currently in trouble came to mind. If he wanted this Ash to believe what he said, perhaps it would be better if he had some information about her within the Lore if Minka knew her that is. ”Would you, by chance, know of an Athena Moon?” He asked, hoping that this name didn’t strike a nerve in the dark woman as well.

There is a family of deer nearby. Hunt Opportunity

A little growl slipped through Kova's maw as Tobius ignored his first question of whether the man was a scout or not; instead attentively listening to the boys mother. Kova detected the note of anger in her voice, but did not question why she was angry with him. Instead he wondered how the dark man had annoyed her so. Kova looked to Laurel as she answered his second question about caves. His deep blue eyes widened in surprise as Kova opened his mouth expressing a silent "wow" at the thought of a big den of stone. The stone he thought of as sandstone since there was a lot of that kind of rock in their territory. The walls of sandstone Kova was imagining were as tall as the tallest blackberry bushes in their territory. He could see the stone swallowing up all the light like their den did, but couldn't see any water being in there as Laurel said there would be. Why would water be in a cave? His question was kept within his head as Kova began to listen to the three way conversation between the adults. Mostly his attention was now on Tobius and his mother since she still seemed a bit agitated by something the black wolf had said. Kova overheard the name of a wolf Tobius was looking for and tilted his head curiously before glancing up at his mother. Who was Athena Moon? he wondered while waiting for her to answer. "Speech"

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Laurel was glad, for once, that her talking out of turn had a calming effect on the situation, however slight. The response she had gotten from Minka- a warm, encouraging smile- was enough to calm her nerves at tad as well. There were only two types of Leaders that Laurel had ever known in her young life; that of the noble and just kind, and that of the power-hungry. Laurel was relieved to- for now- put Minka in the noble category. Of course, she'd have to follow up on this Ash person and see whether he was to be put in the opposite category. The dark female knew life wasn't that black and white, but for the general, if she was going to live here, she would have to know about the other wolves that lived here.

Like Jaime, for example. He seemed respectful and genuine enough, even though he was apparently looking for a man who may or may no be the most exemplary alpha. Though she could understand that if those you loved were in danger, some wolves would do anything to contribute to their rescue. Keeping this in mind, she gave a polite nod to Minka in acknowledgement of her answer, and settled her own thoughts. What Jaime had a hand was expressly more important, and- if she could help it- she would be the last wolf to interrupt such a mission.

She felt her heartstrings twitch and wished that- in whatever way- that perhaps she could help him

Minka was suspicious of the dark male James to say the least, and his apology meant little to her she wanted only the explanation. One was given but it only raised her guard more, any friend of Ash's was no friend of hers and no friend of the Downs. Raising her eyebrows she murmured cryptically "Any friend of Ash's was already in trouble from the moment they met him." She herself offered no explanation for her words though she met his apologetic gaze with a slight bit more softness than before. After all it wasn't his fault that his friend was foolish enough to think that the Hervok beast could possibly help her any more. The name he next presented stirred up a slight memory though she couldn't think of the wolves face, "I know her by name but have never met her. She resided within the Caverns while I was a member while she recuperated from a fall along with her daughter. At the time I was recovering from an injury myself so we never crossed paths and I'm not even sure when or on what terms she left the pack." That time of her life had been dark, returning home from the Ridge with extensive injuries with no trust in their own healer to find the man she loved gone. Needless to say, meeting their refuge had been the last thing on her list to worry about.

Glancing downwards she noticed Kova's silence, it was unusual of the boy who was typically so full of questions. He seemed intent to just listen and seeing his curious face Minka chastised herself silently for losing her temper. Her children were so impressionable at this age and she didn't need them growing up around anger and shouting; she didn't want them to have hatred in their hearts. Smiling she did her best to reassure her son without words that everything was alright before turning her attention back to the adult conversation.

"You were hurt once?" Kova asked innocently as he glanced to his mother with worried eyes. She looked totally fine right now, but a bit of anger welled up inside of him. Nobody gets to hurt mother. the prince thinks quickly before glancing towards Tobius suspiciously. So far, the dark male was the one making his mother agitated. So Kova decides to keep an eye on the stranger. Even as the scent of a nearby deer herd starts wafting into the boys nose making his belly rumble. While there was a lull in the conversation Kova pokes at his mothers leg then looks up at her imploringly. "Who is Athena and Ash?" He asks in a hushed voice. The child had pretty much figured out that those words were other wolves names. However he was achingly curious as to who they were and why they were at all important to his family. As Kova was just a child, he imagined this Ash fellow as a big monstrous wolf with angry eyes. The pup imagined Ash as big as a mountain with an evil grin plastered onto his maw. Especially with the way his mother spoke of the man. A shiver ran down his spine as Kova shakes his ruff and looks towards Laurel who looked as if she were also being left out of the conversation. Kova kind of wanted to go over to the other girl and chat with her, but he dare not step in between Minka and the darker male. Not with the way things were right now. "Speech"

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