Spectral Woods Having a Hard Time with Free Time

RE: Andromache, the cache you had created has been raided but there are no scents or footprints to identify the culprit.
@Oliver She isn't too far from the OTB border but she is still a respectful distance away:)

Roma descended the side of the mountainous terrain that surrounded her home at the Lost Lake. This time she came down on the east side, having already explored the west side. That was where she had stumbled upon the eerie grove where Naia told her the horrible story of the Slayer children. Roma realized that she missed the company of the friendly she-wolf and decided that she would make the trip to visit the woman at her border one of these days. After all, Naia had promised to welcome her for a visit even if she didn't plan on joining Cut Rock River. No, Roma couldn't do that. She had a duty to her sister and she would stay with Athena at Lost Lake until her sister decided to go elsewhere. Roma was bound to her now.

That didn't mean that she couldn't explore the surrounding land in her free time, however. And Roma found that she had a lot of free time these days. Her sister's pack was still small and Roma hadn't taking a liking to the other members; Vesper could be annoying and Silver wasn't around very often. With so much time on her hands Roma had managed to fill up a cache for the pack with plenty of prey, but this morning she had discovered her cache empty and ravaged. Someone had robbed her, but there was no scent or footprints for her to follow. Resigned to the fact that she could not get revenge on whatever had stolen from her, Roma decided to go back to work re-filling the cache, which is what brought her to the woods on the east side of the Lake.

These woods were almost as eerie as the grove had been; there was a silence that enveloped Roma as soon as she entered the woods and a fog wrapped itself around her large, stocky legs. Are all the forests around the mountain so creepy, Roma wondered, bewildered by the oddity of her new home. Not easily scared, the woman was undeterred and continued through the woods on her mission. She had scented deer in these woods and she would find them and see if she could catch one of them on her own. That would certainly fill up her cache. Determined and driven by boredom, the woman continued on until she came across potent scent markers. A pack territory. Roma gave the territory a wide birth, and was relieved to find that the scent of the deer was not heading into that territory. She continued to follow the scent, making her way around the border.

He had done it- Oliver had completely scoured the Spectral Woods for herbs and medicines. Careful, he had only taken why he thought might be needed- after all, it would be best if the various places in the area were allowed to regrow. So now the small man considered- considered ranging out of his new comfort zone.

He wasn't going to touch the forests that were in the south. No way. Only as a last resort. The red hills to the east, he could get on another day. Today, he considered going towards the mountain. It was one of those rare free days for a wolf, so if he was going to expand his search area, it might as well be today.

So Oliver, after taking inventory of the stock he had, set out towards the mountain range.

He didn't have to go far to regret his decision.

There, near the borders, but at a respectable distance, was a large she-wolf, the color of pale wheat and storm clouds. She was following- as it seemed- the scent of prey. Oliver furrowed his eyebrows, unsure of what to do in this situation. This other wolf wasn't trespassing, nor did she seem to want to- but she was rather close, and, to Oliver's dismay, she did not hold the scent of his packmates. It was another frustration to see that her path would cross his.

If he was bigger, this probably wouldn't be an issue- but he wasn't, and he didn't know her, and his past experiences with large ladies that weren't of the same affiliation left him rather jaded. So, his decision to travel towards the mountain was up in the air- immobilized by indecision, Oliver simply waited to see if the other would notice him.

He hoped that she wouldn't.

Roma paused as her acute sense of smell caught the scent of another wolf nearby. She wanted to continue her hunt for the deer, but instinct wouldn't allow her to turn her back on a potential threat. Quickly the well trained she warrior spun around to face the new arrival. She raised her head and tail confidently, hoping to ward off any idea of a fight. She was pleased to see that at first glance the male wolf was rather lanky and smaller than her. She also noticed that he was on the other side of the border and carried the same scent as the border markers. He belonged to a pack and Roma's first assumption was that he was there to defend his borders.

Her muscles tensed, ready for a fight if it should come to that, but she kept her face calm and resisted the urge to curl her lips back and reveal her sharp teeth. Then, she took in her second impression of the wolf. He didn't seem aggressive at all. He certainly wasn't in any stance that would pose a threat to her. If anything, he seemed hesitant or reluctant to even address her. Was he afraid? Roma knew she was large and that her size often intimidated other wolves but he was a pack wolf on his own territory. He certainly had no reason to fear her. Reassured that the whole situation could be handled without resorting to a fight, Roma relaxed her posture just enough to convey to the male that she meant no harm. Then in a loud, clear bark she called to him from where she was. "My name is Andromache. I was following a herd of deer hoping to refill my raided cache. As far as I am aware I have not crossed your border and I assure you that I have no intention to." She leveled her icy blue gaze on his brown one, hoping to gauge his reaction and better understand him. She wanted to find out if it was fear that she sensed coming from the pack wolf, after all. And if it was, then why.

She noticed him. Oh well for hoping.

It gave him relief to see that she wasn't immediately aggressive towards his smaller form. Simply on edge as any lone wolf might be. Though her stature was large, and the way she swung around gave off the impression of a warrior's training, the words out of her mouth were respectful- certainly a tone Oliver had never heard addressed to him directly. Put at ease for the moment, he stepped neutrally out of the borders in order that he might speak to her from a shorter distance.

"Well then, good day to you, Miss Andromache,"- a mouthful of a name, but Oliver made sure to pronounce it correctly- after all, what wolf would want their name warped? "I'm sorry your cache was taken advantage of- it must have been disappointing to expect a good meal and have it not be there." Coming a little closer, he sat and gave a small smile to put her at ease, noticing that Roma was about his own age.

"I wasn't worried about you crossing our borders- only wolves who've lost their good minds would do that. I was worried about crossing your path- you seem rather intently following that trail. I'm going towards the mountains myself, to search for herbs." While he talked, Oliver made sure to keep his voice relaxed, friendly, but also firm. He didn't want to give the impression that his pack were pushovers- even if he was smaller. He also made sure to sit well away from the trail Andromache was following, so as to not mingle the scent of deer and wolf and confuse the trail.

Roma tensed as the small raven-colored male crossed the border, but as he spoke she was eased by his tone. He addressed her very politely and even apologized at hearing the news of her cache. When he admitted to being worried about crossing her path, Roma wondered if it was fear that she had sensed coming from him earlier, but the firmness of his voice indicated otherwise. With how he approached her and addressed her, Roma could not come to any other conclusion than that this wolf was friendly and kind. He was even considerate enough to distance himself from the trail she was following, so as not to mix the scents.

With a warm smile Roma dipped her head in acknowledgment. "Well I am glad that you realize I mean no harm to you or yours." She studied the man and then glanced towards the scent trail of the deer herd. She had a choice: she could either follow the scent trail and try to find some prey or she could offer to accompany this man to the mountains. She had already caught plenty of prey for her pack, and the pack was small and every member could fend for itself. She certainly yearned for the company of another. Her relationship with her sister was complicated and she was merely an acquaintance of Vesper and Silver. And soon a certain portion of the mountains would be claimed as pack territory by Athena. Certainly, it was Roma's duty to guard the area around Athena's territory. Having weighed the options carefully, the would-be Guardian came to her conclusion.

"You can call me Roma. I live with my sister and two others in a place in the mountains and have gotten to know the area well. Perhaps, I could accompany you and help you find what you are looking for?" Roma offered a gentle smile to go along with her offer. "What was your name again?" Her icy gaze landed on the brown eyes of the male wolf, inviting him to answer.

He returned the soft grin. "Oliver Carmond, Miss... Roma, yes? A fine sounding nickname if I do say so myself." The small man took the liberty of drawing closer to a potential friend. "I'm glad to know that I'm apparently good enough company for such a trip." At a respectable distance from her side, Oliver's tail gave a relaxed wag, confident enough that if something should happen to him, his pack would come looking for him...they would come looking for him, right? Not willing to let such matters enter his mind, he took Roma's invitation as a sign to go ahead with his plans.

He was content to let her lead of course- he had never been to this mountain range, and if she lived up there, she must know it's path better than him. "You live in a pack up there, in the mountains? Do you find it hard to draw breath sometimes?" Thinking ahead, Oliver used the second question as a front to make the first seem as blind curiosity- what he really wanted was some information. If there was a pack up there, and it was new, then perhaps he would have some news to deliver to Triell. That would certainly be something.

Of course, his intentions were not unkind. Roma seemed like a nice wolf, and if anything the inquiry was for her own best interest. If the two of them established some form of first contact, Oak Tree Bend might new allies. And Oliver would be able to show his worth.

Is it just me, or does Oliver seem to be getting more....silver tongued?

Word of the Day

Roma noticed that Oliver drew closer to her, but she didn't mind. She had never been one to fear the advances of a man, whether they be innocent, aggressive, or intimate. "Well you are for now unless you prove otherwise along the course of our journey." Roma's eyes took on a playful light before she winked at her raven-colored companion. Then she set off at a steady pace to make her way back through the woods and towards the mountain, happy to take the lead.

Walking alongside her, Oliver asked "You live in a pack up there, in the mountains? Do you find it hard to draw breath sometimes?" Roma smiled, realizing what Oliver truly wanted to know; he certainly wasnt as pusillanimous as she had previously thought. The Moon woman did love to play these sort of games. She had belonged to many packs and had spent a lot of time observing and participating in the politics of it. "Yes, I do actually. This is my first time living so far deep in a mountain and if I over exert myself I quickly become short of breathe. I assumed i would simply adjust but perhaps you know of a herb to help me along?" Roma gave her companion a sly smile and a knowing gaze. Having used the second question to ignore the first, she simply wanted to let Oliver know that she knew how this game was played. Still, she was not opposed to answering his question. She was smart enough not to reveal the exact location of her pack; luckily, their den was well hidden. But her pack was new and alliances with neighboring packs could be useful, especially with the pack on the other side of the mountain, Cut Rock River, feeling hostile towards Athena. Of course, Roma knew she would have to discuss this with Athena before Oliver, but there was nothing wrong with making her pack's presence known.

In a kind but firm tone, Roma answered the question that Oliver really wanted an answer to: "Yes, there is a pack forming in the mountains. It is lead by my sister, Athena." Roma warily eyed Oliver, awaiting his reaction. Hopefully he would react better to the mention of Athena's name than Naia had.

Yes he does and me and Roma both love it! haha <3 By the way, I hope you dont mind the small pp I did (having Oliver start walking) If you do just let me know and I will change it! :)

(This post was last modified: Nov 05, 2014, 04:57 PM by Andromache.)

That's okay!

Oliver's grin grew larger as he realized Roma had caught on to his game- how delightful to find a good natured, intelligent wolf in the woods. Of course, just because she knew about the game, didn't mean that they had to stop playing. "Athena? I once remember being told that is a name for those with great wisdom. Quite promising."

Promising indeed. He'd have to alert Triell before initiating any sort of diplomatic deal, but if this Athena did indeed live up to her name, perhaps he would be seeing more of Roma after this little trip. Oliver doubted he would get to know the location of her family- past the general 'on the mountain'- but that was okay. The best way to get things done was deliberately- and if that happened to be the slower route, then so be it.

"I think there is one plant known to open up airways- the scent lavender hyssop, if I'm not mistaken. Otherwise, most plants seem to make breathing harder when taken in too large amounts." How did he know that? By nearly dying the very same way. Of course, Oliver had taken instruction from Galley on which plants helped and which did harm, but when he came across the a new herb or two, it was done mostly for the sake of knowledge. "Adjusting seems to be your best bet. Lavender hyssop doesn't usually grow on mountains. Personally, I'm hoping to find some Wormwood or Solomon's Seal. I can't be away for too long though- wouldn't do to have everyone think I up and disappeared."

(This post was last modified: Nov 05, 2014, 09:26 PM by Oliver.)

Roma smiled at the explanation Oliver provided for Athena's name. "Hmm, yes I have heard that. Actually, I have travelled very far in my four years and have met many different wolves of all sorts of different beliefs. One of them was a kind, but cooky old man, who was a self-titled..." and upon using the title that the old man had always introduced himself by Roma adopted a deeper tone laced with self-importance, trying to imitate the voice of her old friend "...'Expert in the Art of Divination by Name'." Roma couldn't help but giggle as her brain was flooded with memories of the silly old wolf. She would always hold him dear in her heart because he had been the one to direct her towards Art, her most treasured companion, and for that she would always be grateful. "He would tell me many names and their meanings and do you know what he told me my name foretold about me?" Roma asked, but did not allow her companion the opportunity to guess; for, he never would have been able to. "He said that Andromache Moon would be a guardian of women and a ruler of men." Roma's icy gaze sparkled with excitement; she did not really believe the old man, but there was something exciting about his mystic beliefs.

"I wonder what he would have foretold about your name..." Roma pondered but quickly shook her head to dislodge the thoughts. "Well, in regards to the herbs you are searching for, I know where to find them. One will be at the base of the mountain and the other will be higher up among the cliffs." Roma smiled pleased to be able to properly apply herself to his services. Art had been the one to teach her about herbs. Roma was certainly no medic, but Art had always prattled on about how important it was for all wolves to at least be familiar with the things that lived and grew around them.

I wonder what he would have foretold about your name... Oliver was confident that he knew. His pleasant façade didn't slip, but inside his ego faltered slightly. He would probably say that my name foretold of a wolf who was always small, both in height and in influence. The voice Galley had so generously burned into his conscious argued otherwise. If that was the case, why would I ever invest so much time in you? Okay, so Galley wouldn't exactly use the word invest, but Oliver didn't have time for an internal lecture, so he ignored it. And he dare not speak his opinion out loud- it was obvious that Roma cared for this character, and didn't want to insult her.

Besides, she didn't leave any time to dwell on the subject- the larger wolf had already jumped ahead to the locations of the herbs he searched for. Oliver was slightly impressed- the majority of the wolves he had met in his travels didn't know such information well enough to repeat it straight off the press. Though a climb did not sound enticing to his small stature at all, he was confident that Andromache knew trails well enough to keep them both from danger. "I ask, who taught you about medicinal plants? I don't often come across wolves who know them just by name." In fact, I daresay, Oliver thought to himself- most wolves wouldn't care either. That's probably why medics are so sparse and hard to come by. How lucky for Oak Tree Bend that I came by.

This up and down ride of his ego was too much for him, so Oliver shut it down and looked to the mountain straight ahead, listening for what was sure to be an interesting reply.