Drooping Willows Fern Gully

As spoken about in the gossip thread, this is a sub-territory creation for Drooping Willows - its very first! Willow Ridge has a number of territory landmarks but its about time an official sub-territory was made. I left who followed Elettra vague. Any pack member may join!

 

She could not remember the last time she had been outside the pack territory and even though she was still within the Drooping Willows, the land seemed like a distant memory. Elettra Archer felt a certain need to get out this morning and with the sun high, providing a bit of warmth on her backside despite the bone chilling winter season, it was the perfect time to get out and around. She breaths deep, pale eyes looking over the open sky a moment to think before her paws guide her off along the shallow creek which ran along the southern edge of their territory. She followed it west, boarding along the edge of the Rise and then the Meadow, moving along towards the lagoon. She could hear a few of her members behind her, tagging along in a happy, relaxed stroll. Whether they were here to just make sure she was safe, had interest in a hunt, or simply wanted to keep together finally as a pack should, Elettra was not certain. Within this thin strip of forestry between the Marsh and the Meadow, once lived her allies within Whisper Caverns. She couldn't remember the last time she had seen Narime. Didn't even know if she was alive anymore... didn't know Nina had died ether. Perhaps soon she was due to die, Angier, too.... Her jaw clenches at the thought, though literally shakes her head to rid herself of the ill thoughts. The winter was hard enough on her already without that bullshit.

Drooping Willows had always been known as the least enclosing forest in Relic Lore, stretching from the Lagoon's water edge to the foothills of the Riddle Heights. 'At the edges of the Lagoon, a small creek turns into a trickling stream as the earth dips down into a gully, creeping along through the forestry. Underneath the cloak of the willows and along the stream's edges, grow a collection of brilliant green ferns and mosses which seem to glow under the few rays of sun which reach them here. There is a odd warmth here and quiet comfort.' Even in the dead of winter, the vegetation oddly clung to life within the gully. Here, a scurrying of creatures under the protective growth stops Elettra, her ears perking to the frantic noises. 

(This post was last modified: Jan 08, 2017, 03:35 AM by Elettra.)

Wind and snow, take me home

It seemed like such a long time ago the magpie woman had witnessed the dark queen rise and venture beyond the entrance of the den last, or beyond the perimeters of the Archer kingdom at that. Yet, today it seemed the ebony woman was adamant about giving her limbs a good stretch that exceeded these usual restrictions she put upon herself as smoldering amber irises watched the inky silhouette saunter past in the distance between the barren willows frosted with winter's icy artwork, her path mirroring the natural flow of the shallow creek that followed the southern border of the Ridge territory. 

Swarthy limbs soon found themselves trudging through snow yet to be trampled down for easy travel in order to fall easily in stride behind the woman, no sense of urgency filling her steps as paws crunched against the gathered flakes where the regal woman had stepped prior to leave her prints in the snow. Content to just follow in the shadow of the other to who knew where. Gradually their travels shifted westward to trace the edge of the Ridge and start heading toward the beginning of the lagoon, not once drifting far enough to leave the never enclosing presence of the willow forest. What had drove El to wander out this way? Once before Enoki had managed to trail the matriarch out this way and now having followed her here again; with some other members in tow this time, she wondered if this was simply a place she enjoyed to come and gather a breath of fresh air.

Regardless of El's reasoning for venturing here, the Ashrelle was content to follow in silence with the sound of her paws being the only indication of her presence for the time being. Soon the wolves take a small dip into what seemed to be a gully of sorts, nose twitching curiously at the scent of vegetation that filled her nostrils while attentive gaze picked up on the hints of vibrant green standing out starkly against the sea of white. "How interesting." the magpie mused coming to settle her ivory painted haunches into a seated position beside her dear friend as the odd warmth of the area began to seep beneath her thick winter coat, an ear rotating between a forward facing and sideways position with each echo of scurrying bodies beneath the ferns and the faint crepitating sound of flowing water moving beneath the top layer of ice that blanketed the stream.

Word Count: 413

Ashbash 2016 - Ian Schneider 

Black ears turned back to the sound of footsteps coming closer and closer behind her. She knew she had been followed by at least one member of her pack, though had not turned around to see who it was. With the wind coming at Elettra it had made her even less likely to know who it was following her and on her way here had made it a kind of a game on who had been her silent protector. Was it Ravenna, who had been known to follow in her mother's footsteps both figuratively and physically? Or was in @Sven, who loved his grandmother likely more then anyone else in his family other then his very own little sister? Or Enoki, her friend of many years who may have caught sight of her while going out for another one of her many accomplished hunts? Or @Renier who often guarded the borders and was hell bent on keeping the pack alive and well now that he had returned yet again?

Finally, a voice spoke up and soon the wolf was settling next to Elettra's side. The Matriarch smiles, turning her head to greet her friend with a touch of her nose at the woman's shoulder. "Its warm here, even in winter. Perhaps this is where much of our small prey survives over the winter." Elettra spoke this out, regarding the little scurrying sounds under the thick undergrowth. Within the mosses and ferns, surely their was many burrows to keep them protected and hard to catch. Rats, mice, squirrels, moles and whatever other little creatures there may be. It was far more lively in this little patch of land by the lagoon then it was elsewhere in the still, silence of the cold winter. 

-tosses Renier in-

For one more day

Other than a small interaction with a raven over some carrion, he had had a rather quiet day. The borders were well enforced, and a good enough amount of caches not to fret too much. So the Lyall took to strolling solo among the willows, thinking about venturing a bit further.  Maybe, take a good look at the creek. The sun was out today, and he doubted it would be frozen over. Still it didn't hurt to see. It was better to find a prevent a problem rather than fix it.

He had not gone far when the figure of Elettra caught his eye. She was heading out of their territory, and in the same direction. It seemed a good sign to him she should be out and about. It was a lovely day with the sun out in full force, and it was nice to see her taking advantage of that. Why it appeared she had a follower, he decided to tag along. An informal escort of sorts. Though, the further they went he wondered was she going to the lagoon? It was in the general direction, but it seemed something else was there. Something much different.

At an easy pace there was a strange warmth that did not belong to the sun. The snow was growing less, and the ground more green. Why he realized they had stopped, his gold eyes had found the ferns, and giant leaves. He could only stare dumbfounded. What made this so?

His red tipped ears cup forward, hanging on to Elettra's every word. With a gentle clearing of his throat to enlighten them to his presence, he moves closer, taking the other place beside the matriarch. Soon seeing for himself there was many a home here for the smallest of creatures. "It doesn't seem real," he murmured. It was beautiful, and despite its strange nature the warmth felt good. "Have you been here before?" He asked, tilting his head in the Archer's direction. How had he not known about this place?

(This post was last modified: Feb 14, 2017, 07:36 PM by Renier.)

There is a rabbit's nest nearby. +1 Health

Enoki Ashrelle

The gentle touch of El's muzzle to her ivory-clad shoulder warranted a smile to adorn Enoki's facial features before her body leaned off to the side in order to bump her shoulder against the dark queen's in a silent greeting of her own. An ebony ear upon the top of her head swiveling toward the other woman when she began to speak about the odd warmth that kept the cold at bay and made this unusual yet beautiful place a safe haven of sorts for the smaller creatures that scurried about the still green foliage. It definitely seemed odd and at the same time surprised the skilled hunter. How had she missed such a place teeming with life?

The magpie had just begun to part her jaws in order to comment in return when the sound of a throat clearing caught her attention instead, smoldering amber gaze flicking away from the greenery ahead to take in the familiar face of Renier while his tawny frame moved in to fill the open area along Elettra's available side. His own comment about this new discovery mirroring the very thoughts she had only moments ago before asking a question directed at the Archer woman. "I know for a fact I haven't seen this place before. Some hunter I am for missing this." Enoki jested with a light chuckle, the plumage of her tail thumping lightly against the small collection of flakes that still managed to dust the ground around her rump despite the radiating warmth.

Word Count: 252

Ashbash 2016 - Sebastian Unrau