Hearthwood River ghosts rise from the flames

ohai, i'm back for some fun and just gonna start by throwing mojave at a pack.  this is set on/near the borders, however you want to play it. :)

With the steadfast approach of shorter days and cooler nights at hand, Mojave found herself back in the midst of Relic Lore without actually realizing it.  Then again, her little summertime adventure had taken her elsewhere, more than likely drawing nothing more than a big circle around the entirety of the region.  She'd bailed on Deacon without mention and he probably hated her for it, but there had been little time for her to articulate or even begin to figure out just how to admit that she hadn't quite been ready to commit to somewhere.  And so, she had balked at it and fled when he had been willing to wait around for her.

Nevertheless, that looming disappointment that she cast on herself was inclination to stay away from the place altogether.  Instead she had relied on her own wits to get her by and forged yet another path to somewhere else.  There she had relied on the company of strangers and of their kindness, though in time she rather able to wear out her welcome on more than one occasion.  And by the time she had come back to the vistas of Relic Lore so unknowingly, she had resorted to scavenging where small game eluded her and large game were too much to handle.

So threadbare and worn, miserable and thin, she scarcely paid mind of the monolithic sequoias overhead.  They obscured the sun on such a hazy day, lending to the coolness she felt in the breeze.  Though her fatigue was evident, Mojave pushed ahead until she reached the fringes of what she could only guess was a pack.  One that had been around for a while, no doubt, given by the scent markers that were strong.  They did not waiver as she found the edges of the riverbank, and it was there that she was overcome by thirst.

Hope you don't mind me popping Mak in, @Mojave. 

"I haven't seen a loner in these parts for some while," the king mused from beyond the border.

Stepping forward to approach the rather scruffy woman -- no, girl -- Maksim watched her with a cool, thoughtful expression. It was hardly even autumn, and this wolf already looked as though she had seen the worst of winter. Poor, wretched little songbird ... "There are some that would claim ownership of whole forests and lakes, who would take great offence at the sight of another wolf finding respite in their lands." He offered a surprisingly gentle smile. Mayhap, long ago, he would have been such a hard-headed fool. Life had taught him well, though, and the father knew better -- the father knew what it was to lose lives over such things. "Lucky for you, I am no such man."

He had always had a soft heart for youngsters, after all.

Drawing to a halt behind some invisible line, the lord gazed upon the peasant with a curious tilt of his head. What had she been through to wind up in such a sorry state? She smelt of no pack -- at least, there was no recent scent --, but she was young. Given the approaching season, and its severity in the years passed, Maksim very much doubt she would last long. "Where did you come from, girl?," he voiced in a low, gentle rumble. "And where are you going?" She had made no effort to call for the leaders, so he presumed she was simply passing through. Perhaps, he could sway her ... and if not, then he would at least rest knowing she had quenched her thirst. That, however, was probably the least of her worries.

(This post was last modified: Aug 31, 2015, 07:31 PM by Maksim.)

we are shining in the rising sun, as we are floating in the blue

Not at all!  Quite happy that you joined in. :D

So caught up in slaking that thirst, Mojave did not notice that she was no longer alone in the dense wood. She startled, springing away from the first sound of his voice as though it burned. But her hackles were swift to rest, body sinking towards the muddy earth. Though it may have only been a handful of days since her last true encounter where there was an exchange of words, Mojave felt like it had been a lifetime. It amazed her, truly, that she could wander through such dense woodlands of distinct allure and wonder without finding another. But there were always signs that life existed, whether it came in the form of left behind tracks or the remains of their quarry half-buried and sussed out.

Her jaw set uncomfortably at first as she stole away a look of him, but it turned back to the waters as she laid her worries to rest. He wasn't there to drive her away for finding a suitable place to drink. He wasn't there to assume she was some vagrant looking to raid their caches and rattle a cage or two. That was a welcome sight, as the faint memories of a rather uncouth decision still lingered in her mind. It seemed less of her kind to resort to the lesser talents of their cousin coyote, but the entrance she had sought had been denied. Not all extended consideration or compassion, and she was acutely aware of that.

"The north, and east," she answered him when the last of his questions lapsed into silence. "And I don't know, I haven't decided. Maybe I'll hang around," she went on to say. Of course that hardly explained her idling about, drinking from waters that so evidently crossed further and deeper into a territory that she had no doubt was his own. Then again, her statement left much to be desired upon a second consideration, leaving her to hastily add a rejoinder. "I mean, not like, here, but you know, maybe in the woods north of here. They're nice." She offered him a watery smile, wondering if her own ability to have a social blunder in any situation would cancel out his good graces.

Maksim watched her with an amused expression. She leapt into the air like a hare, the skinny little lass, and she bristled like a squirrel's tail ... if only for a moment. Perhaps having children of his own had mellowed the enormous Mackenzie, but the king took no offence from her startled show of warning. She rectified it swiftly, after all, and sunk down to the muddy, loamy ground.

That was a refreshing sight to see.

He rumbled a chuckle. She was quick to add on to her mention of "hanging around" that she did not necessarily mean here, but the neighbouring woodland that laid unclaimed by the king and his followers. Maksim appreciated the girl's taste in nature, and what was considered nice. He'd seen some rather unpleasant territories in his time, after all. "Ah, yes, I would agree that they're quite the sight," he mused, "though they can be dangerous. Where there is prey, there are predators, after all, and Kingsfall has no shortage of those." Ones that wouldn't mind fighting wolves to the death for choice meals.

"And winter is coming," he continued after a pause, to watch her expression. Was that the kindest thing to say to a loner? A vagrant should always know such things, after all. Yet, judging from the girl's age, the aging king could not help but be concerned that the only winter she knew of was one with family, with warmth. How wrong he could be, though. It wouldn't be the first time he'd met a youth with a past far from perfect.

we are shining in the rising sun, as we are floating in the blue

He seemed to take heart to her, but whether or not it was because she was so bedraggled or awkwardly charming was beyond her.  For all Mojave knew, his kindness may have stemmed purely from pity.  If she were a little more worse for fear and older, she herself would have thought that she made a miserable wretch.  But time had not entirely demolished her enthusiasm for the world, even in spite of the negative impacts that came along.  Life was swift like a river, and like any river, there were falls and bends that came.


"Well, I'm no stranger to danger," she said, holding back a faint smile at the ha-ha she found in rhyme.  "But I'm sorry for creeping so close to your home... I'm just tired, wanted a drink."  Of course, adrenaline had once again negated the weakness she felt.  But that too would come to an end eventually, though she had no clue when.  Same with winter; though she knew it were coming, Mojave did not know precisely when it would arrive.  The nights were already crisper and cooler, the leaves slowly turning through the days... and well, she didn't quite know what she needed to do with herself.

As long as she didn't wake with snow covering the ground some morning or afternoon, she figured she was doing okay.  Her inexperience didn't know what to make of his emphasis about it {mdash} it could have just as easily been a veiled threat beneath his guise of warmth just as much as it could have been an offer, that silvery strand of hope catching her internet from afar.

(This post was last modified: Sep 06, 2015, 05:24 PM by Mojave.)

He still kept his gaze on her, humming thoughtfully at her words. No stranger to danger, eh? He could not help but smile weakly, unsure as to whether or not he should take that with a pinch of salt. "You are still young, girl," he finally offered up, "and while I mean no disrespect, there are many dangers that are a stranger to you." Maksim gave a soft sigh, shaking his head. He appreciated the tenacity of younger wolves, with their whole lives ahead of them. He did not want to see this one cut short.

"Worry not, I don't stake claim to the whole river. And you have not crossed my borders, so I see no reason to send you running." Of course, were he in Cut Rock River still, he would not know who to trust, who was a scout come searching for weakness and who was a loner simply looking for a home. How very glad he was that he and Kisla had made the decision to move their family, for their own safety and sanity. "Though I suppose I should introduce myself, and give you the name of this place. I am Maksim Baranski, leader and founder of Hearthwood River." Lord of the Redwoods ... yes, that was a most fitting title.

"This forest is Kingsfall, as you may have gathered. It rewards wolves greatly for finding it. It's a humbling place -- you never really realise how small you are until you are standing beneath the trees." He paused, as if for emphasis, before continuing. "Never realise how short your life is." Why live it recklessly? Why live it with the constant threat of death? "Apologies though, I haven't even had the courtesy of asking your name ..."

we are shining in the rising sun, as we are floating in the blue

A lynx has left behind the remains of a deer. +5 Health

if this seems a bit off the rails, it's because i'm kind of jacked up on cold medicine. literally have acquired a cold in the last 48hrs when it's been so hot and humid you can't breathe ughhhh. ;___;

And when he moved on towards introductions, the thought that maybe she had a chance dawned on Mojave. As Maksim spoke, she listened and gathered what little bits of information that he passed on. Likewise, she also found herself drawing attention away from him to the sequoias that towered over them, perhaps for once noticing them and just how truly tall they were. He was right, she did feel rather small in comparison to such trees. She felt very young as well, thinking that they were so old was truly the entire reason they grew to be so tall and regal.

But her examination of such was cut crisply short as he trailed off, a veiled question lingering at the end of his voice. "It's Mojave," she offered in return, briefly lightening up at the inquiry with a smile. It had been a while since anyone cared to know what her name was, too. Though for all of the pitfalls she had encountered, there had been plenty of good too. Not everything about her was miserable, though it certainly seemed that way now. For as natural as the smile came to her, she also felt its touch as well.

"You and your pack must be very happy to live here," she went on to say. "Seems like it's pretty safe here, anyway." And there were no doubts that its borders were well maintained either; after all, she had been found easily, versus making some grave error. Astute wolves were a good thing, especially if they were of the friendly sort. She had been driven away for less, but had also been tempted in by unsavory sorts. This was a vibe she did not pick up from Maksim, not in the slightest.

blah, teeny tiny ;;

She introduced herself as Mojave, a name Maksim was quick to store. She was polite, offering kind words with a smile. The river lord could only smile in return. Happy and safe, yes. But under siege from a dragon, perhaps. Casting his gaze up momentarily to the evergreens that dwarfed the leader, considered a titan by his own kind, he nodded in agreement. Damn the dragon that threatened the gryphon and his family, this was their home. Should he find cause, he would cast out the man with blackened scales without a moment's hesitation. "The forest keeps us safe," he replied, focus shifting back to the young female, "but our bonds are what keep us safer."

"Family here does not stop at blood. We live together and protect one another. If one falls, we all do our part to help them stand again. Regardless of how long they have been with us, or how short." He watched her, for a moment pausing his words. "Where a herd of elk would flee at the ambush of their family, we will defend our own." Another pause. A small smile. This moment in time almost had to be fate. Had she not wandered here unintentionally, and had he not chosen this path for his patrol this morning, their paths would not have crossed and this meeting would never have happened. Funny, he thought to himself, how the stars should align like so.

"And we would gladly take you as one of us, should you share our beliefs." A quiet pause. "That family lives on. It's all that lives on." Oh, how his philosophies had changed with age and parenthood, how the lives of his children had swayed his outlook on life and all that it included. Where he had once been a hardened guardian, a protector to the heirs of another family, he now stood as understanding, with experience to help him see things clearer.

we are shining in the rising sun, as we are floating in the blue

*HAMMERS THIS OUT BEFORE WORK OMG* >___>;;;

As he spoke, he may as well have illustrated some sort of foreign, fantasy world to her.  Of course, that wasn't to say that she didn't have some sort of concept of what family bonds were.  Once upon a time, she knew full and well what that meant.  And truly, it was safe to say that they did not forget those things.  They were social creatures at heart, even when their beastly nature reared an ugly head bent on destruction, or some other negative connotation.


It was a romantic notion she decided, though it hardly was writ so eloquent in her thoughts.  Maksim's words were saccarine and smooth, but she also found that they were genuine.  His emphasis hit strong notes in her, thought it took a moment for her to crest over that to realize what the real emphasis was in that.  "You're offering me a home?" she said, though the voice did not sound like it came from her at all.  It was an absent response that pulled her back towards reality sharply.  His offering, and perhaps even his openness surprised her.  "Even though you don't know anything about me?"

She believed in family, truly, but this was a bit of a strange interview.  It was nothing like what she recalled in memory of her uncle seeking strengths and weaknesses.  But then again, all of that may as well have been a lifetime ago to her.  Not that a lifetime was truly long in her case, certainly not compared to the much older and seasoned canine.  As far as anyone could have been concerned, Mojave was still nothing more than an overgrown youth, still finding and feeling out her way in the world.