White Fir Notch Flower On The Wind

((For @Ryker (and siblings/parents?) and any other White Fir Notch member that wants to check out/up on Witch <3 ))


Victory!

Finally, finally, she had something to bring home to the pack. On her third attempt of the very day, having just crossed the borders back from her slight and short-lived excursion of the day, Witch had just dropped off a few loose feathers she'd found to her private den when the scent of rabbit hit her. The Quinzel woman had herself convinced it was the very rabbit Emrys had seen her lose just days ago, and in a flash she'd darted after it haphazardly, throwing up snow in her wake and making quite a scene of her pup-like excitement. 

But she'd got it. Somehow, she'd found the pale coat of the thing in a patch of thinner snow, and without hesitation launched herself at it with a growl of premature celebration. Obviously, it'd had warning and bolted, but her long legs and thick pads skimmed the snow with ease and she fell upon the creature with a flurry of ivory fangs. 

Now, she trotted towards the communal den with her head raised and tail wagging high in great pride, the kill held high for all to see and, most importantly, claim. She didn't want to take the rabbit for herself, but instead show that she was not useless weight that they would carry over time. 

In particular, she followed the scents of pups -- she'd met Lucia already, but not the siblings she could smell throughout the territory -- in hopes that one of them or their parents would be the first to see her gift. It was they she needed to really impress if she wanted to get anywhere -- it was their opinion that could kill her, banish her, or welcome her with open arms. 

Having headed back to the communal den, Ryker had flopped onto the floor and curled up in an attempt to warm his cool body. He had spent the morning doing patrols, like his father had shown him.

His stomach rumbled and he wondered if he should go out and see if there was anything to catch.His sisters and he had gotten small hunting lessons here and there or simply picked up things from chasing animals they saw and following instinct. They were always successful, Ryker less so due to his poor sight but he knew the adults sometimes caught things and gave them to the younger wolves.

Yet the mixed scent of a wolf and rabbit caught his attention. Ryker wasn't to to so draconian to assume the food was always for him so when he poked his head from the den, he greets the other wolf with a gentle yip.

"You're one of the new wolves right?" He asked as he stepped from the den, his tail over his back in a gentle wave as it wagged back amd forth. "we haven't met yet but Lucia keeps going on about all these new wolves that have joined so I'm not sure who you are?" He had noticed the new scents scattered around the den and other places and hers had been among them. He then offered his own name. "I'm Ryker."

Luck really was on Witch's side today, and the first she came upon was none other than a pup -- assuming all the pups were the alphas, the ivory woman trotted up to him with her own tail wagging behind her; before even returning his question, the femme shoved her muzzle forward with a grin, dropping the rabbit at the boys paws. Only then did she step back and settle to her haunches, sitting high-held and proud of her accomplishment as she finally introduced herself. 

                               "Witchhazel Quinzel -- I am indeed a new wolf. Nice to meet you, Ryker."

Bicolored eyes roamed the little boy curiously -- growing up on the coast, back when she first joined around three months of age, there were only a few pups she'd ever known. Since, well, growing up, she hadn't actually seen any cubs; one day, she wished for her own, but to do such a thing would mean either kissing some serious ass in the pack -- again, mostly the alphas -- or becoming an alpha herself. To lead was the newest of her skills, limited to pack hunts and travel buddies, but come Spring she would really be evaluating her life to see if such a thing could be really possible. To lead a pack -- wasn't that everyone's dream, even if instinctually? To lead, to reproduce, to never bow to another wolf again. 

The ginger-crowned female mentioned nothing of the rabbit, sure he would know it was his to claim, but instead wandered to another topic. 


                                                                                "So, what kind of skills are you interested in? I was a herbalist and a botanist back in my home pack."