Fallen Tree Cove Dragging my bones

OOC: @Vespertio -figured I would have Anthem be gone for the past week before coming back home to 'regroup' and maybe talk to his leader

Anthem was weary and tired. He felt that he had worn himself out in the past days. After losing what little members they had leaving behind just Vespertio and himself he had been told to go and search for members. He had gone and searched but he hadn't found any. Having been so focused on his mission and knowing that there were caches within Fallen Tree Cove territory he had just purely searched and put off his hunger. Now he was suffering his stomach a hard knot. He had failed but as he crossed the edge of the territory he found a new scent lingering. Apparently Vespertio had succeeded though. He let out a sigh of relief they would survive now that they had more wolves. Hopefully they didn't vanish as well. The thought had a sour taste in his mouth. Throwing up his head Anthem let out a howl to let his leader know that he was back for now though it held a weary pitch also telling the listener that he hadn't succeeded. 

Sighing Anthem walked towards the nearest of the caches that he had helped to create and dug up a enough so that he could fill his stomach. Covering the cache back up he took his meal a ways away before laying down to enjoy it. He would eat and then go rest. The sun was hanging low in the sky sending harsh shadows across the snow. Teeth snapping through frozen flesh Anthem slowly began to pull bite sized pieces off so that he could snap them up. His stomach gurgled at him greedily now that it was being filled and he figured that should anyone come looking for him they would hear it first before they saw him laying among the shadows.

I am the Anthem we sing,

  

My sister the Angele we follow,

     

My brother ,Nathaniel, our guide

Together we shall not stray.

The agouti patriarch had been resting within the safety of the den when the call rang out on the air and jerked himself out of his dreamland, head lifting to twitch his ears at the familiar howl. Anthem had returned and by the weary tone was unsuccessful in finding members to keep the pack alive. Had the man himself not managed to recruit not only one but two new members this news would have added more weight to his shoulders. Alas, that was not the case tonight. Rising from his current position and shaking out the debris that managed to collect to his pelt his body was off in the direction the call had come from, paws flinging the snow beneath his lithe form while jaws parted slightly to allow the warmth of his breath to cloud before him with each exhale he made. Minute after minute flew by like the trunks of the pine trees he passed until the scent itself of the stormy man reached his nose and his pace only slowed enough to follow it until he heard the snapping of jaws long before he saw the only other man in the pack nestled in the shadows enjoying a much deserved meal.

Skidding to a halt he almost would have collided with the camouflaged male if the sounds of his eating didn't forewarn the agouti man. A small smile soon began to spread over his lips as he padded closer, giving him a nod of recognition before settling into a seated position before Anthem. "Anthem. I'm glad to see you have returned in one piece with or without the company of another." He spoke while the golden pools of his eyes scanned over the stormy man in the form of a visual inspection to make sure all was good. The last thing he needed was the loss of another member and thus he made sure to keep a close eye on all of the current members. If they needed to put on weight he made sure they ate like he had with Haine who now began to fill out and was slowly reaching towards a healthy weight. Now while looking at Anthem he was glad to see the man filling his own hunger, noting the small change of body mass most likely due to the man starving himself while fulfilling his quest for his alpha. They could rest for now, but soon Vesper would be set to leave on another trip to scout for the missing members and alpha female. He would find them. One day.

There are several fresh rabbit tracks in the mud. Hunt Opportunity

Anthem lifted his head from his meal when he heard the sound of paws against the ground. Snapping another quick bite of his meal he jerked his head back as he abruptly stood when Vespertio nearly collided with him. Chuckling under his breathe he lay back down so that he could continue to eat. He hadn't really thought that he had been lonely but he had missed the comforting presence of his friend, because that was what Anthem thought of his leader. The smaller male was one of his few friends and he wasn't going to go vanishing on him like the others had. 

I'm glad to be back though I will likely leave again to look for others within a couple of days. The pack needed to have more wolves within in it in case some disappeared again. The thought left a bitter taste in his mouth. He didn't know why they had left but he knew that he would hold them accountable if they ever returned. Taking another bite he wondered at his thoughts. He had used to be so neutral and now here he was being cranky that Athena and the others had left when not so long ago he had done the same thing. Glancing at his companion he swallowed quickly. It seems that you were lucky in finding others to join us if the scents at the borders were of any indication. Looking at what little was left of his meal between his paws he gave Vespertio a questioning look, asking withou words if he wanted some if not Anthem was going to make quick work of it.

I am the Anthem we sing,

  

My sister the Angele we follow,

     

My brother ,Nathaniel, our guide

Together we shall not stray.

Black tipped ears twitched to and fro as Vespertio listened to his friends speak of soon departing for another recruitment trip, his head nodding briefly in response before taking a deep breath. It was probably the first true breath he had taken in a long time with the world spinning a million miles an hour these winter days. Between searching for members both lost and potential new ones, keeping the territory clear of danger, the borders strong with his claiming scent and making sure the pack had enough to eat at night there seemed to be hardly any time left in the day to just relax and breathe. To be himself. Now as he exchanged words with Anthem there seemed to be a couple seconds worth of time to finally breathe and put some of the stress temporarily into the back of his mind. "Rest as long as you need to before and give me word once you decide to depart again." His golden eyes settled on the dark face of his companion before drifting away to glance at the shadow play around them, their lengths gradually increasing the further the sun lowered behind the distant horizon in contrast to the rising of the moon and her glorious beams of pale moonlight, an emblem of the night.

The next string of words to fall from Anthem's lips soon brought his gaze back to rest on his dark tinted mask, a small shake of his head and a soft smile to dismiss the offer of food before the patriarch cleared his throat to add his opinion to the statement that lingered on the crisp air. "I think its more so I was lucky the two new members found our borders and wanted to join our ranks despite the depletion of wolves within them." A somber look then passed over the agouti man's facial features as his head craned up and away to glance at the spherical shape glowing in the night sky partially secluded behind the canopy of surrounding pine trees. Keeping his gaze here his jaws parted to speak in a more serious tone while the points of his ears moved to press against the fur along his skull. "I fear for the pack, my friend. I want us to be a force to be reckoned with and to become a name muttered by all, but how can I bring us to be so if our numbers drop like flies?" His gaze did not drop from above as his mouth closed to allow the stormy man a chance to comment if he had any input.

With his mouth full Anthem didn't try to respond at first, seeing as it would come out in a garbled mess. Swallowing he spoke. I'm thinking that next with the next trip I will head farther north. That way i won't run into as many of the packs in the surrounding areas but hopefully more loners. It was his plan at the moment and once he felt ready to leave again that was the way that he would travel in. Hopefully he would be able to find at least one loner to join the pack. If he kept coming back empty handed he was going to have to do something to make up for it.

He glanced up at Vespertio who as he spoke had slowly looked up to the night sky. Well then let's hope that we continue to be lucky. He spoke softly if they didn't have the wolves to maintain the territory then they would have to relinquish their hold on it until they gathered more members that is if they even wanted to come back to this area. Silently anthem waited as his leader spoke some more. He looked at the remains of his meal and considered what to say before he said anything. Maybe we have to not only get the pack's name out but your name out as well. Others flock to those that they believe will lead them right or have similar goals in mind. If you want the pack to be known decide were we stand. Do we take in everyone that comes looking for a home or do we only accept those who have skills we need? Are we enemies or allies to certain packs? Why?  Taking a breathe Anthem paused. He wasn't trying to lecture Vespertio so much as try to get his thoughts across no matter how mish mashed they seemed. He looked at Vespertio straight in the face not out of disrespect but to see the results of his 'speech'. Do you understand what I'm trying to get across?

I am the Anthem we sing,

  

My sister the Angele we follow,

     

My brother ,Nathaniel, our guide

Together we shall not stray.

His tawny mask lowered from its held position towards the sky as the rounded ears atop his head began to hear the words tumbling out of Anthem's mouth, mulling over them as they came. The swarthy man was making some valid points with each statement he made and the words were making the agouti patriarch properly think. They were still a newly developed pack unlike the others that had come to be further established within these lands. The names of their leaders and pack itself were known by all and when mentioned they knew exactly who one was referring to. Nobody knew of Fallen Tree Cove aside from the members currently residing within its territory and possibly the other pack that had claimed a portion of the mountainous region. Taking note of this Vespertio made a small check list of sorts in his mind to get the word out about the pack eventually. For now his main focus was securing their numbers.  

It all made sense to the agouti man and his head nodded in recognition to the stormy man before him, a small trace of a smile pulling back the ebony lining of his lips. "I do see the point you're trying to make. It looks like we have our work cut out for us, don't we, Anthem?" A small wag of his tail followed his words, a sense of relief lifting some of the weight from his shoulders knowing he had someone that understood what was going on and had an idea of what to do. There was hope for the pack if the rest of the members eventually gained the same mindset as the men did now. If they all worked together there was nothing the pack couldn't do. They would indeed be a force to be reckoned with.

It seemed that he had been able to get his friend to think so Anthem remained silent as he watched the expressions on Vespertio's face. It was good to know what you stood for and what the pack you were in stood for. If the two things didn't match up then there would be some issues when the two goals crossed paths. Anthem knew that he stood with his friends and family and he tried to keep them safe when he could but he was aware that he wasn't always going to be able to do that. Life had made sure that he was extremely aware of that. His thoughts were starting to take a dark turn when Vespertio spoke.

Not even realising that he had looked down to the ground with a frown on his face he looked up his expression relaxing. Guess we do but we'll manage it I'm sure. Thinking about how to get the word out the stormy male realised that what better way to keep two of his friends safe than to try and get their two packs to get along if not to become allies. I have a friend to the west of here in Oak Tree Bend do we have anything going on with them? It would be a good way to get your name out there if we could become their allies or at least be on neutral terms with them. Plus if they didn't have space for any loners they might send them towards The Cove.

I am the Anthem we sing,

  

My sister the Angele we follow,

     

My brother ,Nathaniel, our guide

Together we shall not stray.

A small wrinkle of his brows appeared noticing the sudden glance down and frown that rested on the man's face after the patriarch had spoke his share of the questions Anthem had asked, but it was short lived as the stormy pelted man lifted his head to speak again. Facial features relaxing into a more neutral expression. I have a friend to the west of here in Oak Tree Bend do we have anything going on with them? It would be a good way to get your name out there if we could become their allies or at least be on neutral terms with them. Another valid point falling off the tongue of the dark male. And indeed there was something between the two, or so would soon become something once the agouti man made time to trek over the mountain to wherever this Oak Tree pack called home. 

Silver, a founding member of Fallen Tree Cove had come to Athena and himself one day with a member of the pack in question. A raven colored man whom wished the two wolves could leave in peace and perhaps form an alliance between the packs if the former Cove woman was allowed departure. As heartbreaking as it was for the ivory woman to let her friend and pack mate go it was decided by both alphas that she was free to go as she wished, to be with her evident lover where he placed his loyalties. Vespertio hadn't heard a lick since that day from either, but hope still bubbled beneath the surface that things would work out. An ally was far better than an enemy to a pack so small in numbers. Nodding his head, a small smile once more appeared on his inky lips. "Actually there is with them. Our former member, Silver, left with our permission to join their ranks and there was word about a possible alliance forming. Eventually I will need to travel to their lands to speak with the alphas myself and see where we officially stand. As allies or enemies. Of course he was hoping for the more positive answer.

Anthem's ears pricked curiously. One of their members had gone and joined them? Likely one of the scents that had been at the borders but hadn't remained long enough for him to meet her.  It looked as if all signs were pointing to the two packs being allies. No packmate would want to be aggressive to her former pack especially if permission was given. Plus with his friend Phyrrus among them it likely would tip the odds in their favor. Hopefully the Bends leader didn't have other ideas. He nodded and gave voice to his thoughts. Well then with Silver and my friend Phyrrus among them hopefully our chance of a friendly relationship with them is a little higher. 


He considered the fact about Vespertio leaving on a diplomatic meeting and he felt a little bit of worry trickle down his spine. The other pack was obviously larger than theirs if the scents on Phyrrus were of any indication and he let out a soft sigh. When you go take someone with you when you go. He spoke looking once more into his companions face his eyes showing that he wasn't going to let this go. He didn't want to come back to find that Vespertio had gone alone and had wound up injured or worse. He hoped that it wouldn't happen but he wanted the assurance especially when he would be leaving within a couple of days and he wasn't sure when this meeting of Alphas would take place. He didn't doubt the other mans abilities but there was always going to someone that was a little bit better a little bit faster than you and mistakes did happen.

I am the Anthem we sing,

  

My sister the Angele we follow,

     

My brother ,Nathaniel, our guide

Together we shall not stray.