Secret Woodlands Dreaming of Me

@Korrin, @Rose (@Lyanna?) or anyone else who want to join :)

- Morning, Sunny - 11 ° F/-12 ° C

A rust red head was turned to the sky, eyes closed as the distant sun reached her face through a crack between the branches over head. Was there a faint warmth in its rays, or was she just imagining it. A light sigh fell from dark lips as the healer opened her copper eyes, returning her gaze to the forest floor; Still covered in snow despite the clear skies beyond the thicket roof. As much as she longed for spring, the air was still chilly, and any signs of new life were hidden under the frozen blanket. Aideen looked around her icy home, her breath forming tiny clouds in the morning air. Despite most plants being in hibernation, her tasks as a healer were far from dormant in these months: there were colds to care for; @Nina's aching joints – although she'd rather handle that herself; The pups to look after; As well as making sure everyone got the proper nutrients now that prey was both scarce and starved by the winter. And the second's responsibilities did not end there. Every day she made an effort to check the borders, seeking out the Woodland queen to aid her in her leader duties and receive lessons on how to govern a pack. The days were long and busy, and often ended in her collapsing in the den, slipping into sleep almost before she had time to tell her man goodnight. But the tricolored woman was happy, she was feeling both hopeful and even excited for the future, enjoying spending her time caring for her pack. Today she wans't looking for Nina through, as she made her way through the center of Secret Woodlands. Rather, she was seeking out the pack members who she knew less well, hoping to form a stronger connection with them; Especially the youngest. Word count: 305 Thoughts ”Speech”

Dawnthieves.de

Hope you don't mind me jumping in on this. <3

As his time within the Woodlands lengthened, he grew more anxious. It was hard from him to be away from his wife for long periods of time, especially with no knowledge of where she was or if she was alive. It was almost as if it was a repeat of Treena all over again. Nina would tell him nothing and he found that no one else within the pack would know anything either, so the man kept his mouth shut, not wanting to create any trouble for his sister. When he spent time with his sister, he also became more aware of her declining health. She had always seemed to be the healthier of the two of them and so he questioned her stress level. Granted, he had not spoken with anyone within the pack except for simple pleasantries but it was something he needed to inquiry about. He made his way through the thorns, becoming more accustomed to Nina’s way of living. The shadows fit him well and the irony of his sister’s choices amused him greatly. When the scent of a woman he had come to recognize as Aideen crossed his path, he considered following the trail and ended up doing so. The woman spent quite a bit of time with his sister from what he understood, so they must have been good friends. He followed her trail easily until he happened upon her. She was a small little thing, pretty and happy. Ash found that most of the wolves under Nina’s rule were exactly that. They had some reason to be happy and he figured that the golden brown lady must have been doing something right to have all these wolves life in harmony. What had transpired before his arrival before war had not been acceptable and she had not deserved what they had done. The multi-colored woman seemed to be wandering and so he took a chance to speak, ”Is there someone in particular you are looking for, ma’am?” He was polite, just as he always was here. It was his custom. These were not his wolves and he had no right to demand their submission. Today, he just wanted a simple conversation and perhaps some much needed information.

Burtn @DA & Dawnthieves.de - Table by PuppyThief

 

I think I've finally seen the light..in you.

A young deer has been separated from the rest of its herd. Hunt Opportunity

Usually the growing boy spent his time either following his father along the borders or in solitude. He enjoyed it, for he was not much of a social creature. Today, the boy had trailed away from his father, seeking peace and quiet within the dense thickets. He was almost a yearling. When would he be able to ask for a role? How did you even go about asking for a role? Maybe he should ask his father about this. He knew of the position of guardian, and his understanding of it was that they protected the pack. Korrin wanted to do that. He was already fiercely protective of his immediate family. It seemed like the best fit for the silent boy. His russet ear flicked attentively as he heard his father's voice and the boy decided to seek him out and see who he was speaking to.

Within the depths of the thickets, Korrin watched them. He had seen the woman frequently, out and about mostly with his aunt. Sometimes he saw her with the leader of the pack. She was pretty, and seemed nice. All the women within the pack seemed this way. Who was she to his father? A friend? Korrin usually was not a curious boy, but this made him curious. If he was completely honest with himself, she made him curious. So he walked towards the pair and nodded a greeting at them both, smiling slightly. "I hope I'm not intruding. Dad. Ma'am."

"speech"

Very welcome both of you! <3 @Ash @Korrin

She was more than a little surprised when a voice sounded from behind her. It seemed she had been found by one of those she had looked to find. Aideen turned to face the other, an easy smile on her face as she dipped her head in greeting. "Ash," She said, happy surprise in her voice; "You will do." Nina's brother was one of the wolves she had been thinking about, and while he wouldn't have been her first choice, she would be very happy to get to know him better as well. The former leader of Whisper Caverns still had an authoritative air about him, even if he now carried himself with the humility expected of a lower ranking pack member. The mere sight of him was intimidating, a strong, dark brute with sharp narrow eyes, and a resonant voice that would always be heard when he chose to use it. That day on the borders, Aideen had been more than happy that she could leave the talking to Nina and wouldn't have to confront the Hervok personally. Since then she had revised her impression though. She thought back to her first meeting with Nina, back then she had found the queen equally intimidating, even if her physical form wasn't quite as impressive as her brothers. But she had come to know the Woodland matriarch, realizing what kindness lay behind the strong, regal air. And Aideen had changed personally as well, since then. The shaky girl who had brought an injured Coal to the borders on that winters day was long gone, and in her place, no small amount of confidence had build up. The petite healer had bloomed in her time in the Woodlands, and she no longer felt quite so anxious about facing a man like Ash. Especially when she looked into those deep green eyes, seeing something very familiar. So she sat down on the still frozen ground, wrapping a bushy, fox-like tail over her paws and smiled at the Hervok, explaining cheerily: "I had some rare free time, and I figured I should like to get to know you and your family a little better. Unfortunately I never had the chance to visit the Caverns…" It occurred to her then that speaking of his lost home might not be the best idea and she quickly moved on; "But from what I've heard Nina speak of you, you are very close." Another voice piped up then, and the medic's head turned to see Ash's son join them, a fresh smile on her face. The boy, well, was not much boy to speak of anymore. Big as his farther, though with a lighter coat that could probably be attributed to the mix with his mother's genes. Of course he still lagged some in reaching Ash's brawn, but it was a sure promise that he would get there within another year of growth. Yes, right beside him like this, it was not hard to see the father in his son, and Aideen could only imagine that Ash was proud of his boy; Who wouldn't be? With a welcoming flick of her tail, the vixen assured: "Not at all Korrin, I would be happy for you to join us." A strapping young boy indeed. Aideen felt a strange flutter in her chest looking at him, a longing that she could not quite put a paw on; Or at least wouldn't, not right now at least. Instead she focused on the youth, smiling amiably; "How are you liking it here? Have you settled in well?" Word count: 595 Thoughts ”Speech”

Dawnthieves.de

PLOT WITH ME!

Aideen seemed quite…pleased to see him and Ash found himself again reminded at how happy everyone seemed to be in Secret Woodlands. The thought of this made pride swell within his chest at his sister’s success. His face remained stoic at Aideen’s greeting, though he was slightly amused by her answer. Of course, he would do. They remained silent for a moment before Aideen continued to speak. At the mention of the Caverns, Ash shifted slightly, his already narrow jade eyes narrowing even further at the topic she had chosen. His lips thinned into a firm line as she continued, seeming to decide that her words had been quite innocent. Of course she would think her words were innocent. Everyone is so damn happy here. However, at the mention of his sister, a hint of a smile twitched at the corners of Ash’s lips. So she doesn’t know what I did to Nina then. None of them do. It had been so long ago, but the large brute still remembered and he blessed his sister’s heart every day for forgiving his transgressions. They had grown closer as time had gone on and their wounds, both physical and mental, though those had taken longer, had healed. His words were soft, ”Yes…I truly believe there is nothing stronger than what my sister and I share.” Ash’s voice was firm and sure of himself. After all, the two of them were bound by a secret and the only man who knew of it was long gone. The arrival of another voice perked him up, bringing a true smile to the usually stoic man’s face. He turned to see his son’s form, almost a mirror of his own, as well as his greeting. The thought almost made him snort. Korrin needed to branch out more in order to be able to communicate with others. Hopefully, his sister’s pack would be able to provide that to him. His ears perked up at the brown woman’s voice and he cringed mentally at her words. He suppose they were well but…, ”I believe that we’ve settled in well here. Nina has made it quite easy for us…but I miss my wife and son…and of course, Nina has allowed me to continue searching for my missing daughter.” His mossy green eyes watched Aideen closely for any reaction to indicate that she had any information on any of his family members. After all, he missed them deeply and he wanted them back before he truly lost his happiness.

Burtn @DA & Dawnthieves.de - Table by PuppyThief

 

I think I've finally seen the light..in you.

@Aideen @Ash Sorry I let this die loves <3 life got crazy.

Aideen asked him if he was settling in well, but before he could open his maw to answer, his father spoke up. He looked at his father, barely having to lift his chin now to do so, and listened to his words. Yes, they were settling in well. Well enough , he added to himself. His father spoke the truth, for the man did miss his absent family. The boy saw it in the way that, at times, his father would get this darkness in his eyes – a strange darkness. Korrin now realized it was strange to him because he had rarely seen the emotion in his father when he was a child.

His father was sad, and that gutted him. Because, as time passed, that look was becoming more and more familiar. Korrin was sad too, because he missed them as well. He wasn’t close to his half-brother, but the man was still family. Who he truly missed, who he ached for in the dark of night to hold him like she had done countless times before, was his mother. But as close as he was to his father, he would never speak with him of this. That part of his heart was off-limits. So the child too looked at the woman before him, wondering if she had the answers him and his father so desperately seeked.

"speech"

(This post was last modified: Apr 14, 2016, 12:20 PM by Korrin.)

@Ash is up <3

Seeing the two next to each other made her smile, the boy a younger, paler version of his father. It was a short-lived expression though, as she noticed one more thing they had in common, the same dark, haunted look in those green Hervok-eyes. With happiness blooming in her own chest, it was hard for the wolfess to remember that not everyone was as well off. But of course, the loss of their old, and for the kids only, home and subsequent split of their family was bound to weigh heavy on the Hervoks. Still, for a wolf who madly wanted to help everyone and keep them happy, it was devastating to see the hurt of those faces; However well hidden it might be, it was not invisible. Ash seemed to brighten a bit when he spoke of Nina though, which made Aideen happy, her tail wagging softly behind her as she listened. It was true, she knew very little of the siblings' past history, it was not something Nina spoke of openly, and the younger woman simply assumed that they were the same as herself and her brothers, the only reference point she had. The brown man's words confirmed as much in her mind, bringing a fresh smile to the vixen lass' lips, at least there was this bit of joy in his life. And more still, as he smiled brightly at his son, making warmth spread in Aideen's chest. At least part f the family was still together. But it wasn't enough, as she was reminded when ash took it upon himself to answer her question. Narime and her oldest son had declined the invitation to stay in the Woodlands, for reasons the medic knew little about. Nina had talked privately with the former Caverns queen after the pups had been settled in, and then she had left, her plan unknown even to her mate it seemed. Aideen's smile fell once more. While there was little she could have done in regards to the adults, she felt guilty for @Nineva's disappearance. They might only have been part of the pack for a short time when the oldest girl decided to run off, but that made them no less her responsibility. "Is there still no news, about your daughter?" She asked, brows furrowing. Like everyone else, she had looked, but it was clear that the child did not wish to be found, all she could do was continue to seek out every clue when she was out, and hope that the girl had found shelter somewhere safe. Copper eyes shifted to the boy, still a child even if he didn't look it, his expression carefully stoic as his father's. Still he had chosen to stay silent, and she hoped it meant that he felt the same as Ash. She wished she could do more, but at least the home Nina had offered had been well received. Word count: 487 Thoughts ”Speech”

Dawnthieves.de

PLOT WITH ME!

Korrin remained silent but there was no doubt in Ash's mind that his son was paying attention to everything that was being said, especially since it had to do with his family. Unfortunately, Aideen made no comment on his wife's whereabouts and Ash figured that he would have to turn his attention to her mate. Perhaps he would have more answers than her, especially since he was closer with Nina on a leading level for quite some time. He needed information so that he would know whether or not his wife and step-son were coming home anytime soon. The Hervok was comfortable in his living arrangements but it was not anything close to the happiness he felt when he had Narime next to his side. All he wished for was for her to return to him. Aideen did, however, make inquiries about his daughter, sinking his heart even further. Putting on the professional air he had perfected, he spoke briskly, "No, there has been no progress in our search for her, but we will continue searching until we find something." Ash's was voice was firm and his mossy green eyes had hardened. He was not fond of talking about what he did outside of pack borders with his son around. While it was known that he went out to search for Nineva often, it just a reminder of the spat they had a few weeks ago over Nineva's search parties and Ash's failure in finding her. He did his best to divert the conversation, "So how long have you been in Secret Woodlands?" His eyebrow arched up, truly curious as to how long she had been under his sister's rule. If she spent so much time with Nina then she must have been with the Woodlands for quite some time for his sister to like her so much.

ALP-Stock @DA, Della-Stock @DA & Dawnthieves.de

I think I've finally seen the light..in you.

 

The female second of the Woodlands unfortunately added no new knowledge about the whereabouts concerning Korrin’s mother and brother. Really, he had expected nothing less. It seemed no one knew anything concerning them, not even the queen’s close confidante. Why was his aunt being so secretive? Maybe they needed to head straight to the source…

The boy’s attention was brought back to the conversation when Aideen asked about his sister, and Korrin’s gaze narrowed and he looked away from the woman before him. No progress had been made, unfortunately, and Aideen’s questioning only deepened the wound within him. Would his sister ever be found? Would she ever come back home? These were the thoughts that haunted him at night. Ignoring his father’s words, the boy turned his attention back on Aideen. She had a glow about her, a peace…making her even more beautiful to the boy. His ears perked at his father’s question. Yes, he too wanted to know more about this woman. But not only about her. Her mate was an interesting enigma to the boy, and maybe by gleaming more information from his wife, it would be easier to open a path of conversation to figure out his mother and brother’s whereabouts. "And your mate, how long has he been in the Woodlands?”

"speech"

(This post was last modified: Jun 14, 2016, 11:43 PM by Korrin.)