Broken Timber Pines Under covers staying dry and warm

P for @Eirian, violent thunderstorms have overtaken Relic Lore.

For once the thunderous falls were drowned out by the crash and boom overhead. Despite the lengthening days, one might mistake the imposing dark as a mid-winter 'morning', dark and ominous with none of the white powdered coating left on the ground to pick up and reflect what little light the stars might offer. Instead, the flash of lightning lit the ground in bursts and angry cracks of thunder voiced the heavens displeasure. Surely this boded ill for the coming season. Storms this intense usually weren't seen until well into summer.

With such foul weather there was little threat of anyone daring to cross into pack territory for fear of being struck by a stray bolt of lightning. There would be no point to collecting herbs, for they would rot and spoil what she had managed to claim in the weeks since she had made herself at home, and any prey would find themselves warmly tucked up in their hollows, dens and thickets. She had every intention of doing just the same.

Beneath a felled tree, she had found herself a reasonable set, perhaps once inhabited by a badger before Eek moved in and excavated it to make a little more room just in case. For now it was a luxurious hole in the ground with enough room for a mother to birth and raise and comfortably raise a few children, or for two grown adults to fit comfortably within while still allowing some space to spare. For now she lay just outside its opening, sheltered by the once proud cedar that leaned against its brother as though it had the strength to right its fallen comrade, and she watched dry and warm as the rain pelted the already once battered terrain. Oh look. Hail stones.

Plop! came the first drop of rain squarely on the bridge of Eirian's snout marking the beginning of yet another in a set of who knew how many thunderstorms that recently plagued Relic Lore. Citrus eyes cast their gaze skyward toward the broken canopy where an accumulation of dark grey-washed clouds swirled with the threat of releasing the heavy downpour clutched just behind those bloated flood gates. A sound likened only to disapproval was emitted from the russet lead's lips as his skull lowered to return his gaze back to the dimly lit graveyard of arbor souls, a flick of his tail in annoyance following before creamy paws picked up their former pace in hopes of returning to the safety of his den before the storm truly released its rage upon the inhabitants below.

Not even a few yards of damp earth managed to slip beneath his hardened pads before the sign he was too late flashed across the sky and illuminated the world below in a blinding hue of blue. Seconds later its companion rang loud and clear forcing Eirian's rounded ears to press firmly backwards. The trembling growl of thunder filled the depths of his eardrums despite his best efforts at protecting the sensitive appendages from the sound, ebony lips partially lifting in a minor growl that only sounded like a purring kitten in comparison to the roar of the angry sky above. Then the real beast finally made its presence known, showering the still sodden earth and any creature foolish enough; like Eirian, to be caught in its wake with another onslaught of pelting rain. But even then the storm was not finished with its bag of tricks yet, the rain soon accompanied by battering hail stones.

Lids narrowed against the sheets of downpour and hail the russet agouti male trudged onward while keeping an eye open for the first sign of potential cover from the storm until it yielded, the strands of his fur already growing heavy with the weight of the rapidly collected rain water as if his pelt was a sponge and who knew how many tiny bruises he would acquire from the stinging jabs of falling stones. This way and that his gaze scoured the landscape finding no form of shelter suitable for a wolf of his bulk, a grumble of agitation vibrating his vocal chords until another round of thunder cracked and a sizzling bolt of lightning lit up the sky. The Asurn could have sworn it was still daylight outside just moments ago, but the oncoming storm seemed swift at dousing the rays of sunlight leaving the world in a blanket of darkness.

Lids of silver eyes were beginning to drift shut when the next bolt lit up a foolish pack mate actually out trudging through the belting stones of ice and mud. A smirk crossed her face, well hidden under the cover of the fallen tree that served as a stoop letting him almost pass before a loud woof was issued forth over the sound of pelting rain. The dark woman stood, a defiant tilt of her chin to draw attention to her location before turning to head underground and give the leader some space. She certainly wasn't getting herself wet because he was too stupid to read the weather (although whether that was to blame on his age or arrogance she had little care to figure out).

"Down here, there's plenty of room." she offered almost dutifully as she moved to make herself comfortable, the extra little scrape out where she stored her herbs set to her back. Had he been just another subordinate, or maybe even Iopah she might have let him pass by without so much as acknowledging his existence but since it was he who had invited her here she felt almost obligated to look out for him in this instance. "I finally met Koda," she mentioned casually, waiting to gauge the younger wolfs reaction.

The young lead cursed himself under his breath for being foolish enough to be caught up in such foul weather, regardless of his excuse 'The borders need checking, rain or shine.' floating about his mind, another wince contorting his facial features as the onslaught of hale and rain remained relentless during his search for a temporary shelter. It was then, though, that his saving grace released a loud woof that managed to surpass the sound of the falling rain drowning his eardrums. Creamy limbs halted in their tracks and russet ears pivoted forward to catch the call better before bright citrus eyes leveled their gaze on sudden movement to his right, the figure as dark as the daytime night spare a pair of glowing silver orbs that now enveloped the world, but Eirian knew already whom had come to his rescue. Eek.

Without hesitation his paws set back into motion with a new path of travel set, shaking his fur free of as much moisture as he could possibly manage to ring out before descending into the woman's carved out nook in the world. "Thanks for the shelter, it's appreciated." Eirian spoke after adjusting himself to curl up comfortably against the opposite wall from which @Eek now laid, the hint of a smirk almost twitching one corner of his lips at the memory that came forth in regards to a similar situation. It wasn't all too long ago it seemed that he had been coped up with a different dark coated female during a bout of bad weather. At least this go around there was plenty of available space for one another.

Casually glancing around the area his nose gave a twitch when his sights fell on the exposed leaves of some of the herbs tucked at Eek's back, internally groaning. Of course she dabbled in that stupid medic stuff. The art was seen as useless to the Asurns, the method of letting nature take its course and filter out the weak wolves from the strong; with or without the help of the Asurns themselves, a far better one than praying some foul tasting plant would save their pathetic lives. He would have made his scoff known had Eek's next words not caught him by surprise beforehand. "I finally met Koda," A scowl instantly wrinkled the handsome features of Eirian's face. "And what do you think of the former lead?" An obvious tone of distaste present in his baritone voice.

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

Sharp silver eyes observed the way the leaders nose twitched, smirk painted openly on her face as she could all but imagine the thoughts running through his mind. She had only told him she knew herbs, much as she had so carefully chosen her words with Koda - didn't seem like the pack had a healer, always had an affinity for it... Perhaps it would be doing them both a favour to explain to him... His scowl seemed to indicate they might just be on the same page - she might be cutting off her own paw in the longer term but for now... Well perhaps if she took care of a few of his problems he'd help her with some of her own down the track?

Oh and what did she think of the former lead? "He must be in some measure of pain, he sat fairly readily to carry out our conversation, asked me for plants that speed up healing," she wondered if this was news to @Eirian or not, and passed it off with a casual roll of her shoulders. Yes, perhaps now was as good a time as any... "Thats not my specialty but it works in my favour to play the part. It would seem he has his eyes set on your rank, although I think he's a bit beyond it..." She might have been showing her hand a little early but with things as fragile as they were, perhaps she wouldn't get a chance later on.

The answer Eirian was graced with caused brows to arch skyward in both curiousness and mild surprise at the mention of Koda being in some form of pain, obviously enough so to readily seek out the newly recruited ebony she wolf for a method of speeding up healing. From his own encounter with the aging male at the boarder there were no visible signs to any injury or pain, but then again had the roles been reversed and the russet male had some form of injury he too would pretend like hell he was in tip top shape if only to keep up such an illusion. Especially if he was returning to a place he still thought of as his kingdom.

A single ear flicked forward as Eek's words filled the enclosed den again to further relay on the subject of the fallen king, the way her tone of voice spoke That's not my specialty causing the faintest beginnings of a smirk to adorn the leader's inky lips. So she wasn't a healer, but still had a knowledge of how to use the nose burning plants in another manor then from his assumptions. Just what fashion exactly remained a mystery. At the mentioning of the fallen king setting his eyes upon the crown that now rested upon Eirian's head, though, an obnoxious snort erupted from him. "He's a fool to think he stands a chance against me and even more so from this useful tid-bit of information you've provided me. Koda is old and injured on top of having to go against not one but two buffers before he can think of challenging me."

A sinister glint momentarily reflected behind his citrus gaze. "That old dog would have to recover from whatever this injury of his is first, though, before he could begin climbing back up the ranks. Yet if some how there was a way to prolong his recovery," A moments glance toward the stockpiled herbs nestled behind Eek's back to plant a seed of suggestion. "I'm sure there will be a handsome reward for those who swear loyalty to me and keep me at the top." Where I rightfully belong.

Oh there it was that streak of pride she had seen down in the Glen. She could have giggled were she not so in character. She knew herself to be no brawler, instead her strength came in subtle manipulation, planting ideas in other heads as though they were their own and maintaining an innocent facade so as to never fall under suspicion. She had let the second slip today but she was about to give up the game entirely. She never liked to put all her rabbits in one cache.

Eek pretended to ponder his proposition as though that hadn't been the purpose of pulling him out of the hail in the first place. Prolonging Koda's recovery wasn't something she was entirely certain she would need to intervene on, but Eirian didn't have to know that. "Cougar bites are nasty things, they can give you trouble for years," she suggested with a smirk, a silent agreement without having to speak the words like some eager minion. "But this pack has nothing that I want, nothing you can give me. Why shouldn't I just go to Iopah?" You can't get something for nothing, you know... Oh there would be a high price to pay for her obedience indeed.

Ah, so it was a bite from a cougar that had hindered the former patriarch's progress during his royal journey beyond the walls of his precious kingdom. According to @Eek , a wound that took years to properly heal if done right at all and the diagnosis was like music to his russet ears warranting his charcoal lips to mirror the smirk that began to play on the dark woman's lips. Yet just as quickly as the smirk began to form it was whisked away from his handsome facial features to allow a neutral expression to reside within its place as she spoke further. Citrus eyes narrowing slightly behind partially squinted lids. Nothing came for free in this world and thus it shouldn't have came as a surprise to Eirian that even something so small like minuscule information revealed moments ago came with its own price tag.

For a brief expanse of time the copper toned man remained silent, contemplating his choices of payment and which among that list could appease the manipulative woman best despite his lack of knowledge on just what exactly the woman was wanting. Clearly asking bluntly was off the table for this negotiation. A low hmm rumbled against Eirian's chest before the russet agouti male finally broke the silence, meeting those colorless eyes of hers head on. "You probably should go to her, but why go to Iopah when I can make you Iopah?" It was a ballsy offer if the woman could read between the lines; which he didn't doubt she would, that held little percentage for success, but the Asurn male wasn't one to turn away from a possible plan based on its risk of failure.

There was nothing uncomfortable about the silence that stretched between them, the cogs in the copper man's head clearly turning over as he tried to work out just what it was that Eek might want. Perhaps the conclusion he was jumping to would be a logical one for a more power hungry individual but Eek had little want for all that responisibility anymore. She laughed at his offer, knowing she was in the perfect position to do so if she wished already. How cheeky of him to offer what was already within her reach. "You think that's what I want? To be a miserable wretch leading a band of disloyal strangers? A wolf by my side that isn't my mate with no future to protect?" She couldn't help but laugh again. "I've already got that..." her tone suggested he try harder, but with the weather letting up she was aware that she was running out of time and the younger wolf may not possess the patience for her games that a more seasoned individual like {Roman} might.

But dare she voice her deepest desires? Oh hell, why not? She never did like getting her paws dirty like that. "I want a child."

Let him make of that what he will.