Cedarwood Forest buried in teeth

@Veho and/or @Yvly, but anyone else in the pack welcome as well :)
At the border, Early evening, Heavy snow - 23 ° F, -5 ° C

oula whitebark.
with a hunger that feeds the fire

The cedarwood forest was a different place than she had left behind that autumn. Winter's grasp had taken hold, a stark reminder of the months that had passed. The needled evergreen boughs did little to hold back the heavy snowfall, big fluffy flakes drifting between the trees to settle over her dappled grey shoulders. The snow lay in a thick blanket between the trunks, where Oula occasionally found herself wading elbow deep through a drift.

Nothing would stop her though, with dull sage eyes fixed on the snowy path ahead and her sturdy limbs working tirelessly to push herself onward. She wanted to be excited to see her pack, her children, her... ...whatever it was Veho was. But a deep fear had gnawed on her the whole way back south. She had been gone far too long. Would things be as she had left them? Morbid thoughts consumed her mind, constructing the worst case scenarios in disturbing amounts of detail. It wasn't an entirely unfounded fear. Though she hadn't found Rook - another thing she regretted - she'd instead discovered things she wished she hadn't.

She paused at the border, hesitating before she slowly tilted her head towards the heavens. A long, clear single note trailed from her muzzle into the dark sky. It felt wrong to stand and wait at the fringes of her home like any other vagrant, but again she didn't know what she would expect to return to. She stood rigidly, head held high more out of habit than pride. Inside she felt tired, carrying the bone deep ache of travel and the weight of a heavy heart. She didn't have anywhere to return to, Grizzly Hollow was the only thing she had left.

The single note interrupted his search for a gift for the trio. He knew he'd left the pretty rock around here somewhere, but now it was nowhere to be found... busy suspecting one of Pru's children of mischief, it had taken a few heartbeats for him to realise that he recognised the voice. At first he had dismissed it as something that Veho or Yvly could deal with, but not only did he happen to be close to where their visitor stood, it was Oula.

His heart leapt into his throat and he thought instantly of the triplets, of how they would take the news that their mother was back. They'd be happy, right? It was normal to be happy when a parent came back. Why did he feel weirdly numb about it?

"Ou - Oula?" he called as he drew closer, the familiar grey woman coming into view. Instinctively Tomen's tail drooped in respect, for while she did not bear the Hollow's scent, he thought of her as their leader still. He was about to proclaim his pleasure when something about her demeanour... well, it seemed off. Taking a few careful steps forward, head lowered and ears back, he went to touch his nose to her chin in greeting and warmth. "Is everything okay?"

There is a family of deer nearby. Hunt Opportunity

The Tawny Leader stood beneath one of the many cedarwood trees, watching idly as the snow fell heavily around her, the tree providing partial cover from the falling flakes that blanketed the ground. It was comforting just standing there, observing as the world went on while she did nothing, reminding her that no matter what happened the world would keep moving forward. As wolves they had to keep up and try their best to fit in with the ever-changing world. She was brought out of her reverie by a long and clear howl, tawny ears perking up as she moved her head to glance in the direction of its source. The sound was familiar, though it took her a few moments to remember the name to the howl. Oula.

Yvly padded forward into the heavy snowfall, her coat becoming whiter as she weaved through the trees to the border. She had not been very far from it and so appeared not long after the howl had reached her. Dark amber eyes surveyed the scene, seeing Oula stand on the other side of the border in a rigid pose and head held high. Alternatively, Tomen's posture was more respectful and submissive. This peeved her off just a tad, though she could understand why. Oula had lead before her, and so Tomen might still think of her as a higher figure in his life. Her tail curved over her back as she lifted up her head, ears flicking forward as she glanced momentarily at the yearling before staring at the creamy-coloured woman. "Oula," she said slowly in a neutral tone, "You've come back."

271 words

She knew that howl. Pip's head lifted up in a jerk, showing more animation in that moment than she had over the days since her siblings' abandonment. Oula was back. A quiet, hopeful part of her heart piped in that perhaps her siblings would return as well. Maybe they had not meant to travel so far off. Maybe they had not meant to leave without warning, without inviting her long, without even a kiss goodbye. One morning, she'd woken to find Oula gone as well. And she was back on the territory's edge asking for an audience.

The more realistic and hurt part of her heart warned her not to get carried away. Just because the previous leader returned did not mean her siblings would. They were made for the sea - perhaps it was to the sea that they had finally returned.

Plucking herself off the floor, the mute female gave a quick shake to send flurries flying from her coat and raced to where her howl had come from, her lithe frame speeding through the trees and over snow-covered obstacles.

@Tomen and @Yvly were already there. Automatically, Pip pressed delicately against her current leader and offered a quick lick to her chin to show her submission while the commissures of her lips pulled back in a closed-mouth smile. The mute's tail wagged gently and continued on as she took in @Oula. She longed to run over and greet her long lost packmate as she normally would, but felt the uncertain tension between those already gathered.

Hoping to ease at least some of the thickened atmosphere between the gathered wolves, the mute gave a few large hops to get through the worst of the drifts in the most goofy manner possible. Laughter, she found, did much to alleviate bad moods.

(This post was last modified: Dec 05, 2016, 03:05 AM by Pip.)

Amaryllis paused in her drink, freezing half way as her head rose up at the howl that echoed in the cedar woods. Was that...Oula? Had she finally come back from wherever she had ventured off to? Relief swelled in Amaryllis' heart at the thought as she spun away from the creek, having still worried over the once leader despite Yvly's explanation as to why she had gone. It still hadn't settled with her quite right.

But as she trotted towards the borders, where the howl came from, it as clear she wasn't the only one who responded to the howl. Tomen, Pip and Yvly were all there already. And it was easy to tell the tension in the air was thick, as she arrived not long after Pip attempted to jump through some high snow drifts. Despite smiling at the girl's attempt to ease the tension, she knew that alone might not do any good right now. Bumping her shoulder against Yvly's in greeting yet staying by her side, attempting to keep relaxed, Amaryllis nodded towards Oula calmly. While she still respected Oula and was happy to see she had come back, Amaryllis hated the gloom that hung over everyone and just wanted it gone.

"Oula, it's good to see you again," She decided to speak warmly, hoping like Pip to alleviate some of the tension. Yet there were conflicting emotions and thoughts raging in her head. Part of her could tell Yvly, while having liked her well enough, wasn't overly happy to see the former leader. And Yvly was her closet friend in this pack and she didn't wish to upset her. Yet Amaryllis herself was telling the truth when she said it was good to see Oula again. She had hoped Oula would come back, even briefly, just so everyone could see she was alright and not off hurt or worse somewhere.

…perhaps he was getting slow in his old age.

Old.  Old.  Fah!  Since when had sixteen seasons become enough to consider a man old?  Surely, his father would take great insult to such an assessment.  Still, perhaps he was slow, nevertheless.

But he knew that call, and there was very little that could stop the alpha from tearing across his territory, racing from one side to the other like a yearling with spring fever burning up his heels.  Even as he ran, he was not quick enough, for several members of his pack beat him there.  Tomen, Yvly, Pip, Amaryllis – all the adults, practically.  Where were his children, in the midst of this?

Up to no good, his mind supplied readily, and he knew that to be utter truth.  He’d have to find them afterwards.  But first-- 

“Oula!” he greeted the woman heartily, bounding by his comrades to the wolf’s side.  That Yvly might not be happy to see the former alpha did not seem to occur to him in that moment as he brushed his cheek against his former co-leader, pink tongue flashing out to lap underneath her chin.  It was good to see her, safe, sound, and in one piece.  “Oula, you’re back.  I am so very happy to see you,” he hummed, tail wriggling behind him.  “Please, please, do not wait outside our borders.  Come inside.  Welcome home.”

@Yvly

oula whitebark.
with a hunger that feeds the fire

"Tomen!" She smiled, an expression that pulled at muscles that had gone unused for too long. She sighed, nuzzling the boy's crown in return for his warm greeting. "I'm fine, just a little tired is all," She assured him, not wanting him to worry and in part trying to convince herself.

She did not need to wait long for another of the pack to appear. Her angled eyes locked on Yvly's amber irises, yielding a fleeting moment of a silent power struggle as she took in the other woman's posturing. The clipped tone used towards her was not missed either. There was no mistaking who had taken her place and held it in her absence, and while it wasn't a surprise there was still something uncomfortable about it.

Something hot and ugly coiled in the pit of her stomach. Oula's muscles tensed and the short brush of her tail stiffly swayed like a frozen branch in the wind. It was impossible to pull her gaze away from the other female, and unconsciously her paws squared beneath her and her shoulders held taught like the string of a bow. With better rest and a fuller stomach, a clearer head would have prevailed and she might have stood down realizing the futility of the situation.

The only thing that prevented her from doing something she would truly regret was the sudden appearance a little russet wolf bouncing through the snow towards them. Though Pip made not a peep, the spectacle was enough to break the trance. Immediately Oula dropped her guard, surprised at first, then truly happy to see the little omega alive and well. Amaryllis was the next to arrive, and at least wore the pretense of being happy to see Oula had made it back in one piece.

While things were no less awkward than before, at least her attention was divided enough to avoid the elephant in the room. "Yes, it's good to see you, all of you," She answered back. But there was still something missing... Several somethings. Oula's eyes flicked between them, hesitant and the question on the tip of her tongue.

Oula's ears pricked upwards when she heard Veho's voice, her tail swinging with reckless abandon. "Veho!" She swiftly closed the distance between them, returning his happy little licks with a few to his temple. "I've missed you, I'm so glad to be back home." She sighed, her face brushing past his cheek to bury her nose in his grey mane. She allowed a few moments to pass, enjoying the warmth of his fur and breathing the scent of cedar sap and moss that clung to his skin. She hadn't realized how much she missed simple contact, and the presence of the pack, even if not all in attendance seemed overjoyed with her return.

She pulled away, lingering concern etched across her cream and silver features. "The children, are they...?" She began, not quite able to voice the rest of the question.

Oula's spirits seemed to raise just at the sight of him, her greeting and nuzzle well received by the dark boy who crooned softly at her touch. He didn't even get time to hope that they might have a brief moment alone together to talk before he heard @Yvly's cool voice from behind him. Tomen glanced back at the current leader of Grizzly Hollow to see her looking... a little strangely at the previous leader of Grizzly Hollow, and when the boy's eyes turned back to Oula's face, he saw the exact same tension there.

Suddenly and uncomfortably aware of the power struggle which was now going to happen within the pack, Tomen took a cautious step back, not sure who to be more submissive towards. Yvly had stepped up in Oula's absence just like Oula had stepped up in Jynx's just like Jynx had stepped up in his mother's, but somehow he saw Oula as the more rightful authority here. Maybe it was because she had had the pack's children, which made it all more official, somehow? Uncomfortable and not wanting to contribute to the tensions, Tomen's tail tucked slightly and he lowered his head and ears, keen to avoid offending either of them, but attention was not on him.

Pip arrived and almost as quickly leaped into her bouncy and cheerful manner, clearly trying to defuse the situation with her antics. For his part, Tomen smiled at her efforts, tail wagging in greeting of his friend, unable to keep from giggling at her goofy behaviour. Nobody else seemed to laugh though - and so he went to her, rubbing his chin over her crown and bumping her cheek affectionately, eager to partner with the only other wolf who was as likely as himself to want to avoid any drama. He'd wanted Oula to come back but hadn't really considered how that might change things. Wolves only ever seemed to leave the cedarwoods... only Lyalls ever came crawling back.

A smile was offered to Amaryllis and then to Veho, the sight of whom brought a sigh of relief to the young wolf, for certainly the Macieo would be able to maintain order and stop this getting weird. Unsurprisingly, the grey wolf welcomed Oula with great enthusiasm, inviting her home, and Tomen's ears perked as the woman asked after her children. He would have answered if not for Veho's presence, who deserved to be the one to say that all was well, given that he was their father, so instead Tomen just smiled and wagged his tail in reassurance in case Oula glanced his way - the trio were fine, were thriving. Tomen could only imagine how happy they would be to have their mother back.

nins just observing, feel free to skip her.

Oula's call came as a great surprise to Nineva, who expected that the woman would never return at all, just as her every predecessor had not. It mattered little that she'd left children behind; after all, half the mothers the girl knew of, including her own, hadn't let younger, dependent lives affect their decisions to disappear. She wasn't entirely sure how to feel about this change in pace, but her stomach was not riled with the varying emotions that her packmates felt. As the young woman trotted along the pack's threshold, she felt absolute calm.

Of them all, Oula held a great deal of qualities that Nineva admired. To have her back would be worthwhile, but she would not hold out hope and therefor her joy was greatly limited. This could just be a short stay, as Rook's many 'returns' proved to be.

Slinking through the trees, she did not come close to any of them, instead observing at a comfortable distance. She saw it all; the mirth, the hesitation, the relief, the unease, the tension. It was clear that if she truly stayed, Oula's presence would cause ripples. Nineva thought it fascinating. She would be a part of that, some day very soon, the struggle for dominance. It was best to start learning now.