Grizzly Hollow Would You Ever Rescue Me

@Veho <3 // Clear 1*F, -17*C 9AM // I'm excited about this thread will play out :D

Nearly three weeks had passed since the tawny female had been accepted into Grizzly Hollow, and she had yet to even come across one other wolf. Though that may have been due to her purposefully going in the opposite direction when she came upon a scent trail. Okay, so she may be a little bit antisocial, but that was how she'd always been and it wasn't likely going to change anytime soon. However, when she awoke she was greeted with not precipitating snow, but instead a clear day, though it was still a little chilly for her. With a yawn and a shake of her pelt, Yvly crawled her way out of the den she had found somewhere in the center of the territory. It would take a while for her to migrate to sleeping in the communal den where the rest of the pack slept during the nights. Yes, it was a little colder sleeping by herself, but she was more comfortable on her own right now, and that was what really counted.

Sauntering from the mouth of the den she had claimed as hers, the tawny female basked in the weak winter sun's rays that filtered down through the canopy above. It was nice to not be snowed on for a change, and she'd make the most of it. Maybe even do a border run. Even though she was still new to the pack and had yet to gain a role within the ranks, she ran along the borders every couple of days to top up the scent markers. Yvly may have not been doing it completely out of a sense of duty to her pack, as it was more of a way to stay out of sight from the majority of the pack members. Plus she just simply loved running, it was one of her passions, and one she did well. She had recently been thinking of asking either Wacipi or Merlin if she could train in a role, but wasn't sure which she would like. Scout and hunter were the two most obvious choices, but she wasn't sure if the leaders already had other wolves trained in those roles.

These thoughts flew around her mind as she trotted along Grizzly Hollow's borders, scent marking the ground or neighbouring brush whenever it was needed.

 

387 words

Yvly Doramor

imagine we are higher than the arrows,
casually we're breathing with the pharaohs,
tragically we fall just like the arrows.

Yvly’s asocial spell was about to come to a close. In truth, the alpha would have liked to approached their newest recruit much sooner, but had been caught up in caring for the pack. Not only was it filling the cache, but monitoring supplies in his medical den, and keeping an ear out for Rook and Quil. The former leaders hadn’t asked for his presence, but should he be needed, the medicine man wished to be ready.

On this early morning he struck out with no aim other than checking his boarders, when he caught a fresh scent on the wind. Faint, did not smell too much like himself or Jynx, and he knew. The Maceio broke into an easy lope, tracking down the newest member of Grizzly Hollow without too much effort, his broad frame carrying him easily across the snow.

Upon approach, he greeted the younger wolf with a soft chuff, not wishing to startle the female with his approach. “Good morning, Crystal,” he rumbled softly, tail flagged high above his back as he closed the gap between them. “I am most pleased to see you strengthening our borders!”

Good work should always be praised, he often thought. “I do apologize for not seeking you out sooner. Have you been comfortable within the pack, thus far?”

OOC here!

The tawny female's comfortable loneliness was disturbed by a gentle huff from behind her, and she swiftly came to a stop, head turning on her shoulders to face the grey and brown leader. Noticing his tail waving high in the air above his back, Yvly lowered herself accordingly to the submissive standards that were needed for this situation: tail tucking in down to her ankles, neck curling downwards closer to her chest and dark amber gaze averting to the side. "Sir Merlin," She greeted back, happy that he had chosen to use her preferred nickname. It was always the little things with her, and so because of that she didn't mind showing her submission to him. Tawny ears twitched at his praise, welcoming the kind words that he spoke. She decided that she very much liked this wolf. He was nice to her.

Yvly acknowledged Merlin's apology with a slight cant of her head, noting that this was the second apology from him in only two instances of them meeting. He seemed to apologize a lot, which wasn't necessarily a bad thing. "There's no need to apologize, Sir Merlin," She said softly with a rare smile. "The time gap has given me the ability to explore the territory and familiarize myself with some of it... though I have yet to converse with a fellow pack mate..." Her words trailed off at the end, and she stared sheepishly at the ground. Maybe he wouldn't think too badly of her anti-socialness? He didn't seem to be a wolf that was stern, but maybe she had yet to see that side of him.

270 words

Yvly Doramor

imagine we are higher than the arrows,
casually we're breathing with the pharaohs,
tragically we fall just like the arrows.

Shallow water has trapped several fish in a small pond. Hunt Opportunity

Sir Merlin.

He could get used to that, the wolf decided with a chuckle, tail dropping by a few inches as he was acknowledged. It was still a practice, really, displaying dominance, making sure his rank was noted – but once formalities were over, he saw no reason to press his family for anything further. His tail waved behind him in a friendly arc, ears cupped forward as the young woman explained what she’d been up to since joining the pack. Fine work – and while he might have preferred her to be a bit more social, the medic was well aware not everyone found words as easily as he did.

Closing the gap between then, he reached forward to bump her jaw with his nose, trying to lift her gaze back up. There was no reason to be ashamed. “Well, when you are ready, I am sure you will find a partner to chat with,” he assured his subordinate, his pale eyes twinkling. “But on the topic of packmates, there is something I must explain to you. Merlin is my moniker – I use it outside of the territory, and among strangers. We do this to protect our packmates. Amongst the safety of our own, you may call me by my given name, if you like. I am Veho Maceio,” he hummed softly, hopping he was conveying this as well as Rook had in the past. “Your given name is Yvly, yes? I assume you wish for your moniker to remain as Crystal – and I will continue to call you by this name, as it is preferred, yes? At least until you tell me otherwise.”

The male paused, allowing a moment for the tradition to settle in. “Do you have any questions? About this, or the pack on the whole?”

OOC here!

Yvly was internally thankful when Merlin dropped his dominant posture to a more neutral one. She, of course, still kept her stance partially submissive out of respect for him, but it wasn't as extreme before and as he gently bumped her jaw with his muzzle she lifted her gaze up so she was now staring at his chin and not the snowy ground. A hesitant glimmer of a smile crossed her face at his words. Maybe she would go out and seek a fellow pack mate after they parted ways, and of course after she finished her border patrol. A good way to start anew was to do something she wouldn't normally do: get out of her comfort zone and talk to others.

Tawny ears pricked when the grey and brown leader continued speaking, revealing that his real name was, in fact, actually not Merlin, but instead Veho. It took a moment or two of thinking to understand all of what he was saying, and she gave him a curious look. That was one thing that she hadn't come across before, using an alias outside of pack land. Actually it was a pretty good idea, not revealing pack member's real names to protect them even further. "That's quite right... Veho," the tawny female responded with a nod of her head. She was completely fine with him calling her Crystal inside and outside of pack lands, as a moniker and her real name. Maybe she should just introduce herself as Crystal firsthand to avoid any of the trouble that came with using a nickname.

"I think I'll call you Veho from now on, within pack lands, of course," Yvly said with a twinkle in her eyes, striking up a mock deal with her leader, "As long as you continue calling me Crystal." There was still a glimmer in her eyes as she thought of anything she would like to ask Veho, settling on the question that had first popped into her mind. "Was it you that came up with this tradition?" She queried curiously, not putting it past the grey and brown leader to think up something as brilliant as that.

360 words

Yvly Doramor

imagine we are higher than the arrows,
casually we're breathing with the pharaohs,
tragically we fall just like the arrows.

She was not the first wolf looking to start a new life with a new name, nor was she the last, Veho suspected. If Crystal was the calling she wished to go by, the alpha would be happy to oblige. “You may call me either,” he clarified – it was no part of a bargain. Her wishes would be respected regardless of which name she summoned him by. “But you must call me Merlin outside of the territory and among strangers. This I insist, as it is both law, and for my own and pack safety.”

Making sure this was clear, he inclined his head and hummed softly. As much as he wished he could take credit for such a clever game, it was not his to claim, though if Yvly was aiming to inveigle him, she wasn’t doing a terrible job. With a small smile, the male shook his head. “No. It was our founder and former alpha, @Rook Lyall, who came up with the measures. He even gave me my name,” Veho replied fondly, something a bit wistful in his expression. Oh, he did so miss time spent with that man. But this was neither here nor there, and he cleared his throat as he tried to shake the melancholy like dust from his thick grey pelt.

“Is there anything else I can assist you with while I am here?” he asked, brow raising. “And, while I think of it, are you still interested in either of the roles you mentioned when you were at our borders?”

OOC here!

"Of course," the tawny female nodded to show that she understood when and where to use Veho's moniker. She could tell it was a big part of the pack to have an alias to go by in foreign lands, and didn't wish to upset him or Wacipi by failing to follow the rule. Usually she resented having restrictions placed on her or being told what to do and what not to do, but in this case it was simply using another name, and she could deal with that. Yvly noticed the forlorn expression on Veho's face as he explained that it was not him, but another that went by the name of Rook, who had come up with the tradition. If it wasn't for the look on Veho's face she would have asked more about this Rook Lyall as she had yet to meet him, and there seemed to be a tight connection between Rook and Veho. She herself didn't have any friends, hadn't even thought about making any in a while either. It just seemed more trouble than it was worth, in her opinion.

Yvly couldn't think of anything that the grey and brown leader could assist her with at the moment, and so she gave a shake of her head, not feeling the need to verbally answer. She had already spoken more in the past few weeks than she had since leaving her birth pack. It was unusual for her to talk so much, but it would be quite rude to simply ignore what others were saying, especially as they all talked so much. Her tawny ears perked up at the mention of her interest in a role within the pack, specifically the two she had mentioned while at the pack border. The tawny female's tail wagged excitedly. Gaining a role within a pack was a big thing, and it would give her something to do that was her job to do. It made her feel important, in a way. "I have given it a bit of thought, and yes, I still wish to pursue either the hunting or scout role, if I am able to do so."

360 words

Yvly Doramor

imagine we are higher than the arrows,
casually we're breathing with the pharaohs,
tragically we fall just like the arrows.

It seemed, for a few quiet moments, that Crystal’s curiosity had been sated, and the larger wolf was preparing himself to make his departure. There was plenty for an alpha to do, after all, and if his packmate was uninterested in his company, he was not about to foist it upon her. If he were honest with himself, Veho had been more withdrawn since his partner had taken a leave of absence – he could not blame @Rook for it. Grief did strange things to a wolf, no matter how old or how young, no matter how expected the death might have been. It seemed the man and his father had a very tight bond, and who was he to question any of this?

But something left him feeling a little more hollow and a little more tired – the chilled kiss of loneliness upon his nose as he rested in the medical den all on his own.

After a few moments, though, his subordinate spoke back up, bringing his attention back to the present. Rounded ears tipped forward, intrigued by her request, and Veho bobbed his head, trying to encourage her. “Yes, of course!” How wonderful, that Wacipi was able to find such a hard-working individual, and bring her to Grizzly Hollow. “We are in need of either. Tell me, which speaks to you more? I can give you tasks to earn your roll, and such a title will be yours.”

OOC here!

Yvly felt much more hopeful about her request of a pack role at Veho's interested reaction to her words. It wasn't that she was shy, though sometimes it felt like that, but there was just something she disliked about asking for something. Doing so made her feel less in control of the situation, therefore leaving it open to something unexpected. But those were just irrational fears and thoughts brought on by her anti-socialness. If she was out more and met a variety of different wolves then she could be forced out of her secluded nature. At least that way she would then have much more experience in dealing with them.

If she chose the scouting role then she would have to meet with other wolves in an attempt to form pack alliances. No ducking out of those situations. But there was just something about the thrill of the chase, blood pumping through her veins, danger at every turn that pulled at her instinctual side. Hunting was what kept wolves alive, and she felt great satisfaction in catching prey. To go with the role that would strengthen the side of her that was weakest, or go with what was familiar? It was a very difficult decision, one that she wished she could have all the time of the world on, but Veho needed an answer, and she couldn't refuse that.

"I think..." Yvly began softly, brows furrowing as she went back and forth between the two, "I think I want to be a scout," she concluded, locking in her decision. Part of her leaving her birth pack was to work on her weaknesses, and choosing the scout role would be doing that decision justice. Dark amber eyes glanced at Veho to gauge what his reaction to her choice would be... to see if he agreed with her or not.

308 words

Yvly Doramor

imagine we are higher than the arrows,
casually we're breathing with the pharaohs,
tragically we fall just like the arrows.

(This post was last modified: Feb 01, 2016, 01:02 AM by Yvly.)