White Fir Notch Walking on a wire

Time for a pack meeting! We have a lot to discuss. @Jynx @Emrys @Ambrosia @Sylva @Witchhazel @Nascha @Ryker - Leaving it vague as to whether @Ainashi (Zilas) has been accepted back or not until that thread progresses. The secound round of posts won't start here until that is known. We're using the pack RE: White Fir Notch, a winter storm has scared away much of your prey. 

1/6/2017
Weather:
9° F, -13° C
Blizzard Conditions
5:51 PM

Snow had begun to fall heavy earlier in the afternoon. Raela no longer saw the white powder as a thing of beauty, even as it painted the trees and the ground with its pristine luster. No, they were being buried alive in their gorgeous mountain valley; suffocated by the lack of prey and treacherous footing. At first it had not seemed so bad. At first she'd brushed it off as her own anxious mind worrying a bit too much when the caches were growing thin and the scents of prey fading. Now her children were starting to get hungry; they all were. 

The Notch Queen could have cursed at the sky as it grew dark that evening, and on the inside she did. The agouti-pelted woman had managed to track down her mate for a long discussion on the situation, but not before calling their brood nearer to the den. It looked like the weather would turn any moment, and the last thing she needed was to repeat Minka's misfortune and have her own children vanish into the storm. The memory lit a spark of panic in her for a few short moments, until each juvenile voice reassured the concerned mother that they were still within the borders. Minka had not been neglectful to her knowledge, which only made the possibility of their loss more nerve-wracking. Kova's sister Noble had never been found. 

Gent knew this too of course, and he provided that small bit of security she needed, especially in times like these. There were many dilemmas facing the Notch now; especially with the recent arrival of additional mouths that were in no condition to feed themselves. Sylva had returned to them, at least. These recent events were turned over and examined between the leaders as they sat tucked back into the old bear den, occasionally glancing outside to monitor the storm's progress. It took a while for the wind to pick up, and by then the two Alphas felt that they'd said all they could. They would need to consult with the others, and by the time they were ready and the dusky light was faint, they would have called the pack in anyway on account of the ferocious atmosphere. 

It was the matriarch who rose and pushed a few steps into the frigid world. Through squinting yellow eyes she could see the fir trees as they swayed in the gales; illuminated shades of dark blue by the very last of the cold sun's light. She hunched her shoulders and called out, forcing more volume into her song than normal in hopes of it carrying over the growing blizzard. Raela howled several times for good measure, urging her subordinates to come and take shelter. The grizzly den's main area had been slowly widened over the course of the seasons they'd been here for this very purpose. It was still snug with this many inside at once, but Raela imagined that the others would be thankful for the warmth tonight. The injured would be safe enough in the medical den while nature threw its tantrum.

Though the air tussled her fur and nipped with bitter cold where it had parted, worry forced the woman to remain at her post until at the very least, each of her puppies appeared in the white mist and were subsequently ushered inside. Her ears were tense, hoping to catch the various responses to her summons and use them to reassure herself of their owners' safety. If they were going to make it through this first winter in this new land, they would need everyone. The food supply would be even slimmer once the tempest was over. 

(This post was last modified: Jan 06, 2017, 01:39 PM by Raela.)

            

As the weather slowly got worse over time, Ryker soon found out why some animals either left the lands or hide during the winter. The foul winds that were pushing against him as he tries to trudge through it, in an attempt to finish his patrol, swept through him bitterly.

So when he heard his mother's voice, just barely over the winds when she first howled for him and his sisters, Ryker howled loudly back towards his mother, to ease her sense of panic that he could detect in her tone. He knew she would want them back and soon, given how this weather was quickly turning sour. His eyesight was bad enough as it already was. This thick blanket of snow that was being whipped around wasn't doing him any sorts of favour and it covered up the usual scent trails he would fuse that helped him back to the den.

So squinting his eyes, he pushed his way through the wind and snow, hoping he was going in the right direction of his mother's now numerous calls. He sent up his own answering howl, telling her he was heading back now and not to worry about him.

It had become more obvious to Emrys as the days passed and winter seemed to go on forever that the prey seemed to be seeking not only warmer temperatures but more food. He was traveling further to try and find food to bring back to the pack since he couldn't collect and medicinal plants for their stores. Still he didn't give up now that he had so many counting on him to help get them through the winter. It was lucky that he hadn't had the chance to start his daily task of finding food. After checking the stores in the infirmary, it had not escaped him that it seemed Sylva hadn't been around for a few days, and checking on Jynx.

He'd just started his trek to the border when he heard Raela’s call and wondered what it might be about. She was calling everyone so it had to be important. Turning back the way he'd come he swiftly made his way to where her called had come from. Once there he found the alpha to be the only one there. Emrys gave her a polite bow before finding a place to sit and wait for the others to arrive.

(This post was last modified: Jan 07, 2017, 03:31 AM by Emrys.)

Please see Kajika's OOC profile for OOC preferences, thank you.

Though Witchhazel usually dipped outside the borders once or twice a day to wander a mile or two, those were usually just for pleasure and one normally couldn't find much-- in the past day or so, when staying inside, the femme realized those outside excursions were needed. There was barely if any prey at all in the deep snows of the valley; all Witch had been able to find today was a nest of a couple mice -- and that was her first "catch" since the rabbit she'd given Ryker days ago. She'd gobbled one down herself before pulling out three others -- it would have to do.

She pulled her shoulders out of the hole she'd had to dig to get these buggers, noticing just how bad the snow was picking up; and it was only the beginning of Winter. 

Coincidentally, the sand-pelted woman had been seeking out the alphas when the matriarch summoned them all -- measly as the prey was, she still intended to use it to feed the pups. In such a time of hunger, the future of the pack had to be fed. If Gent and Raela wanted to give it to someone more fit so be it, but Witch could feel good knowing she'd at least tried. 

At the order, her paws carried her from a leisurely stroll into a purposeful canter through the snow as fast as she could muster -- around the tails of the rodents, the witch was able to sing a call back to the frazzled-sounding Raela telling her she was on her way, but there was every chance the angering blizzard had eaten her muffled call.


Thankfully, she made it to the bear den she barely knew without too much pause -- she'd only fallen once into a drift and had to claw her way out -- but approached with her head and tail close to the earth, but muzzle darting out to put the prey at her alphess' paws before entering and finding a warm spot close to Emrys. The wind and snow had penetrated her coat and chilled her to the bone, and with a shy smile she aimed to warm her violently shivering body against his pale one. 

Don't mind Jynx. She's not in a great mood.

With the events of recent days now behind her, Jynx was now considerably calmer. But she was still tense, on edge. Prey had been harder and harder to find within their home, and now that winter had settled in, the animals had vanished completely. The caches would only sustain them for so long, before they too, were empty. Desperately, the huntress searched each and every corner of her home, far and wide for any source of food. It was not uncommon of her to go out like this two, if not three times a day. But each time, her efforts yielded nothing. There was the option of the creek that flowed through the heart of the valley, but she didn't bother with it. Fish were unlikely to be found at this time of year, and even if they were, the water was thickly frozen over. With each failure, the darker her spirits became. There were more of them in the pack now, and the pups still remained their top priority. Add on to that, the effort Emrys was putting in to fill in her shoes for her while she mended, also weighed heavy on her soul. It made her feel disgusted to no end, knowing that she, the best hunter in the pack, could still not do her job to her full potential.

If things had been bad before, then today, they had just gotten worse. The blizzard seemed to herald the onset of the harder times ahead for the pack. She had spent the entire day out searching for prey, her only reward a few measly, old scraps of leftovers. When the gales of wind swept through the valley, accompanied by blinding sheets of white snow, the resourceful young wolf had still been hard at work. She was shoulder deep in snow, her head buried in a self dug opening. Snow was no hindrance for a wolfs keen nose, and she thought she had smelled a trace of a mouse burrowing deep under the surface. Almost finished with trying to excavate her tiny snack, Raela's summons carried through the wind. Abruptly, she pulled her head out of the small tunnel, her russet crown and muzzle dotted with a white sprinkling of snow. She was not surprised her queen, and friend, was calling for a meeting. Releasing a strong, high pitched howl in reply, she assured the others that she was safe and on her way. Reluctantly abandoning the chase, she sifted through the snow drifts as quickly as possible, to reach the den in a timely fashion. Her progress was delayed by the chest high, thick snow, which she had to push through with more effort than normal. Jynx normally loved the winter season, but this was ridiculous.

Flaming eyes squinted against the blowing snow and wind, she arrived later than she would've liked, the tawny coloration of her fur nearly obscured by accumulated snow. Tucking into the den, she breathed a sigh of relief, happy to be inside and out of the storm. Blinking away the snowflakes from her eyes, she surveyed those who were present. Raela was already inside, to whom she chuffed affectionately. But when her eyes landed on Emrys, or more notably Witchazel and the way she was huddled up to him, her spine stiffened. Forcing down a growl on the verge of emerging into the open, she pricked her ears forward. The eye contact she set firmly on the other female was enough of a sign that she was too close for the seconds liking. Without missing a beat, she waltzed up and wedged her body firmly in between that of the cream and rust female, and her companion. Adding in a soft and harmless, but still obvious slam of the hip to hers; a sign of dominance. The display was not meant to be rude, simply a clear means of asserting her position in regards when it came to herself and the white healer, to which her feelings for were evolving. Blame it on winter hormones and her less than stellar mood recently, but if Witchazel needed a body to use to get warm, then Jynx had no objections lending hers. But not Emrys', whose ear she turned to nibble groom gently, while waiting for the rest of the pack to arrive. 

(This post was last modified: Jan 07, 2017, 03:18 AM by Jynx.)

Trudging through the strong winds that pulled his fur everywhich way, Ambrosia squinted his good eye as he tried to see through the whiteness that was snow. He had heard the call to return to the den and though he had not really been sleeping in the den often - sleeping near the entrance at best so he could leave early without waking anyone -the male knew it would be best to follow the call and go.

By the time he had arrived, three others had already made it to the den before him, along with his alphas and they were all settling into the den. Glancing over to towards the three that were shoulder to shoulder, Ambrosia decided to creep to the other of the den, sitting with his tail curled around his frozen paws and trying to kerb his trembling shoulders. He hadn't gotten to really know any of the others yet so he wasn't sure how they'd react if he pressed up against them for warmth. And to do so to the alphas, well. Ambrosia didn't wish to push his luck.

So he'd sat in his own corner, slightly hunched over and miserable due to the cold and they patiently waited for the others to arrive.

He did not move as Raela had gotten to her paws and braved the wild winds outside to call for their children and pack. His own ears strained forward until all three young voices joined the howling gusts, before they settled back down against the plush fur of his nape. Winter's charm had worn off a long time ago for the leviathan, who in his younger days had adored the challenge it presented. Now, it was just another thing to guard against, an ephemeral beast who had to be watched closely lest it snatch up those under his protection.

Still, while small things would clench at his heart (like his children being out in this storm now), overall the king did not fear the season. Fear would do nothing for them, and with the experiences of what could all go wrong, he felt they had learned enough to keep more than their heads above water this time around. Regardless, it was sink or swim time, and he intended on doing more than just surviving.

He watched them filter in, and far from missed Jynx's display as she forced herself between Emrys and their newest member. A flick of his ears showed his discontent with this; there was nothing Witchhazel had done to deserve such unfriendly treatment, and the huntress' possessiveness of her male counterpart was out of place in the general atmosphere of their pack. He puffed his cheeks and issued a low chuff of warning to play nice, before rising to his paws. It had not gone unnoticed that Ambrosia had chosen to sit apart, and regardless of whatever his reasoning was, the king padded to his side before plopping back down, leaning against the scarred man to share his warmth.

Lucia had already been heading back, because to heck with this weather. Hunched against the strengthening winds and their frigid bite, she fought through the snow at a pace that was nowhere near what she wanted it to be. When she heard her mother's call, she wished all the more to hurry, not wanting to have her parents worried over her, but what could she do? A frustrated sigh escaped her muzzle, the cloud it left immediately whipped away by the wind.

Then she heard Ryker's responding howl, and realized just how close her brother was to her. Taking his lead, she tilted her head back and fought the gales to send out her own I'm coming song, before angling her path. She knew Ryker's shortcomings as well as his strengths, and wouldn't just leave him to the mercy of the lashing snows.

When she found him, she fell into stride at his side. Pressing against him in solidarity, she made sure he stayed on track as they headed back to the den. They would likely be the last to arrive, but they'd get there all the same.