Oak Tree Bend The New Now

It's Christmas! Everyone gets dead stuff!!!
Ok but yeah this is for @Serach

These days he spent every waking moment moving. This wasn't so much by choice as it was by necessity, as Larkspur preferred to not dwell on his own negative thoughts. Although it wasn't exactly an easy route to take, it brought him some sort of peace and a place within his pack. He got to enjoy small, short interactions with his packmates as he made his rounds, though was usually quick to quietly slip away and return to hunting small game. It wasn't as satisfying as taking down an elk or a boar, but Lark didn't mind it much. Being busy meant not thinking of his old home, it meant not thinking of the future. In Oak Tree Bend Larkspur thrived in the present. Without dread or regret or fear, he felt small slivers of happiness returning to his life.

The ground was covered in a thick mist as the sun attempted to warm it away. He had had a good morning, taking it upon himself to gift some of his smaller kills to those who may have needed it. A plump rabbit to @Naira and her sleeping children, a large bone for @Mako and a small mouse for his sister @Marina to eat (or play with). For a sleeping @Aponi and @Lila , a marten. He even dropped something off for @Sahalie , who he decided he liked better when she was doing anything not-bothering him. She got a lemming that had been unlucky to cross Lark's path. He did his best to not wake anyone, slipping away from his packmates before anyone dared to stop and attempt a conversation with him.

(This post was last modified: Sep 29, 2016, 10:23 PM by Larkspur.)

Summer was gone, that much was for certain. The heavy mist on the ground and the chill of the wind was more than enough to tell Serach that fall was here. Soon enough the sun would rise less and less, a behavior that was mirrored in Serach's own desire to wake. But despite his longing to lounge about, those days were were behind him. He had risen early, stretching his limbs with a run with the dual purpose of making a loop through the interior section of the pack's territory. He was willing to concede a few yards of territory around the external borders, but not within and near the communal den. It wasn't other wolves he was worried about, but after the bear encounter a few weeks ago, he wasn't taking any chances with any new neighbors, no matter their species.

Tongue hanging out of his mouth, he was panting from the exertion of his run as he walked back towards the den to see what the rest of his pack was up to. The sounds of their sleepy rustlings made him happy, and he was looking forward to joining them when he saw movement. @Larkspur was up and about, and as the Bend leader approached, the scent of blood struck his nose. It was a lodestone and made his mouth water with hunger. With a low woof, he called out to Larkspur, tossing his head to indicate the other should follow so they could talk away from the others. "You've been hunting? See anything worth rallying the pack together for?"

He caught Serach's eye, and for a brief moment panic set in. Had Sahalie told the leader that he'd left the Bend? The time had been brief, and although a few days could barely be considered abandoning his pack, he still could feel the guilt twisting his insides. He hadn't returned with Sahalie, Kino, and Ruenna, but no one had really pestered him as to why. Fearing both that his hesitance might give him away and that he may insult his alpha, Larkin quickly made his way to the man's side. He was met not with hostility, but just simple, idle conversation. He looked away, licking at some of the blood on his maw. Not thinking himself as a high priority, he hadn't eaten yet.

"Yes, I like to get an early start," as he walked alongside @Serach , it dawned on him how little he really knew of Oak Tree Bend's leader. He knew of him, which was in the same way that he knew most of the Bend's members, but not much of who the man was. Sahalie had always told him their whole pack was lax, he could only assume that the alpha was the same way.

Could he really trust the girl? She didn't have any reason to lie to him, but for some reason he felt as if her view on things might have been a little bit... skewed.

"I saw a few deer making their way out of the woods," he mused, "But they're probably lone gone by now..." he trailed off, his ears flattening at the loss of a good hunt. "I'm still learning everyone's faces," it wasn't entirely the truth, but a little white lie wouldn't hurt anyone. "They'll be back around soon, maybe next time I won't find a big pile of sleeping bodies," he offered a side smile.

There is a deer that was killed by a lynx nearby. +10 Health

Maybe they can find the deer kill? I'll leave that up to you to decide.

Any hesitation on Larkspur's part was lost on Serach - the leader was too busy looking over and taking silent tally of his sleeping packmates, turning his attention back to Larkspur only once the other man approached. They hadn't had much of a chance to get to know one another since the older man had joined the Bend. Something to remedy, the pale furred leader thought as they fell into step and Larkspur began to explain what he had seen earlier while on his hunting adventures.

Brow furrowing, Serach grunted and nodded his head. "That's a shame. We really could do with another hunt, now that we've got some more adults. We had one earlier in the summer with mostly inexperienced yearlings and Triell was injured. We really haven't been able to do anything big since then," he responded. "Food's a pretty good motivator to wake them up," he chuckled, returning Larkspur's smile with a smirk of his own. Jokes aside, he made a mental note to round up the pack for some kind of activity - hunt or otherwise. Larkspur was not the only new face around the Bend these days and they could all do with bonding, especially with winter coming up soon.

"Speaking of youth, how did the trip to Hearthwood River go? I hope Sahalie, Kino, and Ruenna weren't too difficult to handle," he asked as he guided the pair east of the den, towards the creek that fed their territory and the Sierra Hills.