Hearthwood River the deficit mounts

The girl excused herself with the same delicate politeness which Craw had become accustomed to, and he watched as @Lachesis turned to her, offering soft gratitude which Craw's straining ears managed to catch. The spider watched her dark shape retreat into the forest almost with something like reluctance. He hoped he would see her again, and soon.

But this was why he had come, to talk to the ghostly wolf in front of him, and Craw's attention diverted itself back to the Heartwood leader appropriately as the invitation was made. Craw took it up unquestioningly, moving to walk alongside the other pale wolf, noting how their paws were turned onto a direction following the borders and not at risk of crossing them - but no matter. They were still getting to know one another, so he took no offence - this time.

Ears lilting forward at the easy opening question, he smiled, a casual roll of the shoulders to indicate that there was nothing to worry about. "Very well. We will continue to be comfortable even if the weather grows more harsh, I think. I am not concerned. How is Hearthwood faring? This is your second winter in this place, correct?"

The pale healer sincerely hoped that a friendship would blossom between the two wolves, so next time the spider paid him a visit he could show him more of Kingsfall—and Hearthwood. For now he wanted to ensure the alliance was sincere, although his doubts were quickly diminishing. Out of the other pack leaders he had encountered during his time in Relic Lore the silver wolf seemed to be the most level-headed and the most diplomatic—just as Maksim had been. If there was any wolf he wanted an alliance with it was the one beside him.

“That is good to hear,” he commented with a wide grin, genuinely pleased to hear that @Craw and his pack had been doing well. Winters on the tundra weren’t always a breeze—during his first winter on the reserve some of their pack had not made it to spring due to the alarmingly cold temperatures. For once, XIX was thankful for the abundance of trees that shrouded them. At least Craw and the Whitestone wolves had the monadnock to protect them from the windchill. “Yes, it is,” he started with a soft nod, his pear gaze scanning the trees around them before he allowed words to drip from his tongue once more: “We are doing… okay. A former member found their way back to us recently, which was a nice surprise. However, we have not acquired too many members since winter arrived,” he admitted with a soft roll of his shoulders. Secrets were still important, but in order to gain trust it was necessary to share some information. 

(This post was last modified: Dec 20, 2016, 03:06 AM by Lachesis.)

stick with those who stick with you

That not was the okay kind of 'okay'. Craw hummed a low note of understanding as @Lachesis continued, appreciating how the fellow leader had shared that little hint of vulnerability. A sign of trust. The spider would make sure to show he deserved it.

"We have been fortunate, though I am concerned about the group growing in the forest to the south of us... I don't know whether to treat them as a benign presence or a threat." He chose to leave it at that, not wanting to dive into the depths of his pack's current issues without being sure that Lachesis was interested. Last time, the ghost had hinted that he was similarly aware of the lowland presence, and it would have been a lie for Craw to say that he wasn't keen to learn if Hearthwood knew anything more about them. But he wasn't going to come here and make demands from such a young relationship.

No, he would do the opposite.

"My pack made a kill of musk ox about half a moon's turn ago, and it has provided well for us. I could send two of my wolves with a leg - as a gift for these hard times, if you would accept it. Additionally, we could combine our strengths and enjoy a hunt. I've always found effective bonding suits fresh meat and full bellies."

this thread w/ drestig takes place before this one, but b/c it's not finished i'm being trying to be as vague as i can >.>

His lip curled at the mention of the other group. Truthfully, he liked the expanse being home just to Hearthwood and Whitestone—another pack meant a decrease in hunting grounds for the two packs. Trust—it was important if Lachesis wanted this alliance to flourish. The Whitestone wolves were a strong presence in the tundra; it would be foolish to withhold information from them. “If it’s the same group I’m thinking of, their leader approached us a few weeks ago,” Lachesis responded, a frown still pressed neatly across his pale maw. “My co-lead, Kisla, knew him and his mate.” He paused, racking his brain to bring their names to the surface: “Drestig and J-something, I believe.” Another pause, his chartreuse gaze falling to the silver spider beside him.  “Hearthwood is here if you need help with them. The expanse is our home, too—any trouble of yours is trouble of ours.” Even though it appeared that Kisla had a good relationship with Drestig and his mate, Nineteen had to look at the bigger picture. The Whitestone wolves were a formidable ally; it would be unwise to cross them. They were also closer to the river wolves, which meant they had a bigger impact on them than the wolves south of the monadnock.

The spider’s words came as a surprise and Lachesis was grateful for the offer. “Only if it will not be of an inconvenience to your pack, Craw,” he responded, dipping his head to show his gratitude to the silver wolf. “And a hunt sounds like a splendid idea.” What better way to solidify an alliance than to hunt alongside each other? 

stick with those who stick with you

The ghost had not struck Craw as the confrontational type, so the hostility underlying @Lachesis' words regarding Askan's little crew took him by surprise. It was a welcome surprise, though, particularly as the Hearthwood leader not only saw fit to share what he knew about the group, but to offer their support. That had gone remarkably well. The offer of a combined hunt was made all the more necessary, and as he was mulling over what had been said about their lowland neighbours, Craw nodded at Lachesis' remarks, a small gesture of the snout meant to dismiss any of the white wolf's doubts. "Certainly, I would not offer if it was otherwise. I shall talk with my pack and get back to you on a good time for the hunt."

But as important as feeding hungry bellies were... a Hearthwood River wolf had finally seen fit to divulge more information than Craw had expressly asked for, and he latched onto it eagerly. "Your co-lead knows the leading pair, you say?" Craw hummed quietly at the thought, and all its implications. "In a friendly way? You are not favourably aligned with them yourself, then? It's not my intention to tear apart any existing relationships in this place," though he would not at all complain if he managed to, "and I would not expect you to become hostile with them just because we are... though knowing you are supportive would be greatly appreciated."

<3 @Craw

“Thank you,” he responded instantly, his features soft as he studied the pale male at his side. “I know my twins will be looking forward to a hunt with their neighbours,” he added with a sharp grin, his tail flicking in amusement. The idea of strengthening the alliance between Whitestone and Hearthwood with a hunt was a brilliant idea. With the monadnock’s growing numbers, XIX did not want to step on any toes. He valued their friendship on both a personal and business level.

“Yes,” he confirmed with a quick nod, his brows furrowing before more words dove off his tongue: “Drestig came to see Kisla to announce that he had found a place to settle. I do not know much about their relationship, just that they knew each other before she joined our previous pack, Cut Rock River.” Another pause, his lips twisting into a deep frown. “I do not know him myself, nor do I care to. They lingered far too long before settling down and are too close for comfort.” While he trusted Kisla’s judgement he was wary of these wolves and was not keen on aligning with them. “I do support whatever you decide to do—and Hearthwood will as well. Drestig took his time seeking us out; I do not owe him anything.” He shrugged as he spoke. Lachesis had made a point of meeting with Craw soon after the Whitestone wolves settled for the sole purpose of establishing an alliance. Drestig could have done the same, but instead he lingered in the shadows, trying to go unnoticed in the lowlands. XIX did not trust him. The silver spider, however, had never given the ghost a reason not to trust him. They had been honest with each other, slowly sharing more information about each other’s packs as they established their relationship. The pale healer knew that it would be foolish to get on Craw’s bad side. 

stick with those who stick with you

There is a moose carcass that has been scavenged by coyotes nearby. +15 Health