Umbra Copse Think Twice

Outside of Quaking Vale's borders. @Sahalie and/or @Kino , please let @Kuwindwa post first!

They hadn't been far from the borders, but also far enough for Larkspur to offer their new member-to-be some information. He briefly told the woman how Sahalie had intended to take over Oak Tree Bend, but ended up deciding to start a new pack with Alastor instead. There was more to the story, of course, but Kuwindwa could ask either of their leaders herself if she really wanted to. Truth was, Lark hadn't been really involved enough to know the whole story. He told the woman of their healer and Alastor's brother, Draven. There was a quiet boy that he hadn't really formally met by the name of Niles, and then Castel. They were all yearlings, or mostly-yearlings, as even Sahalie had insisted that she wasn't old enough to start a family. He made a joke or two about how sometimes he felt as if he was babysitting, and how being around a bunch of younger wolves made him feel old. But in the end, they were all his family. It was all he had anymore, and at the very least he could be content with his group.

Larkspur kept most topics off of himself. When they did come, he offered vague details and gently steered the conversation another direction. For the last leg of their small trek, he decided to walk in silence. It would have done well for him to pay attention, less he get them both lost in the mist.

Soon the fog cleared and the large, shivering trees loomed above them. "We're here," he finally said, a strange wave of familiarity washing over him. The last wolf he'd ever brought to a pack's borders was his granddaughter Parsnip, but ever since then she'd run off. Hopefully back home, back where the young girl belonged.

Lark sat down and let Kuwindwa have a moment to inspect the borders of Quaking Vale. After an appropriate time had passed, he howled for one of his alphas. Above them, the trees seemed to shiver in greeting.

(This post was last modified: Apr 18, 2017, 01:10 AM by Larkspur.)

Kuwindwa walked almost shoulder-to-shoulder with Larkspur, taking in the smattering of information he could offer her and filing as much of it away as she could before she would meet the pack proper. She remained mostly silent but for the occasional observations, and her questions remained few and far between. She did not ask why Sahalie would choose to split from her pack, and when he joked she offered him smiles though they were rarely large and less than a flash. Outwardly stoic as before, only those who had been familiar with the woman would have recognized she was nervous. Inwardly her gut was roiling. Doubt was lodged deep in her and its removal would take more than a few gentle tugs.

We're here.

Kuwindwa returned to the present, her step pausing. Larkspur went on ahead and made himself comfortable. Kuwindwa licked her chops, the first and only indication of her apprehension. Head lowered, the woman stalked forward, her eyes inspecting the trees. Larkspur was right. The fog wasn't so thick here. She could see and smell the way the woods were beginning to change. She snuffled softly at the snowy ground, nosed the underbrush, then turned sharply to Larkspur as he called his leaders. A shiver of anticipation seemed to fill the air around Kuwindwa as she waited, one paw raised slightly – the same paw she'd injured only a short time back. Her tail waved once, ears pricked, and finally she padded a few feet from her escort before seating herself.

It wasn't like how she sat before Larkspur earlier. She sat straight and tall, chin level with the ground. Her paws pressed together and her tail swept over them. She was the picture of poise and expectation. She was a soldier at attention. And her heart was hammering her rib cage fearfully, crying at her to run like a pup. Flee far, far away...

She only knew what Larkspur had told her. How far could she trust his words? How long would it take for the circle to break? Even uncertain and afraid, Kuwindwa spoke evenly: "Thank you for bringing me here, Larkspur." She didn't know how this would end. She hoped it would end well. All the same, it was a tangled thread she had followed, the faintest hint of a connection to anything, and she had him to thank for her surge of courage. He couldn't possibly know that, and she didn't even turn her head when she spoke to him, but she was grateful nonetheless.

A lynx has left behind the remains of a deer. +5 Health

If I ever leave I could learn to miss you

After the discussion he’d had with Cas he’d started to doubt himself a lot more. Was what he was doing truly okay? Did he need to be doing it another way, was he being too harsh or too uncaring? God, it was all so frustrating! Just when he’d thought he’d gotten it together he’d come to find out he was still mucking everything up. He knew he needed to talk to Hal but he was nervous to. He felt like he’d failed her. This was supposed to be her haven, her place of refuge and what she’d always dreamed of and he’d been making a mess of it by being himself. Alastor sighed, biting at the bone he was chewing on harder. Frustrated growls came from his jaws as he gnawed then, finally, with a snarl he tossed it away. With a groan he rested his head on his paws, a deep frown marring his maw.

Larkspur’s howl rang into the air, summoning him and Sahalie and he sighed again. Honestly he wasn’t feeling much like doing this at the moment but he was a leader now, he had responsibilities that he had to uphold. He couldn’t simply let them go because he was feeling upset with himself. So, he lifted himself to his paws and gave himself a shake before setting off to the borders. He arrived a few moments later, surprised to find someone having accompanied Larkspur. He looked between them curiously, surprised anyone would be willing to trail after the grizzled old man but to each their own he supposed. The man’s attention turned the woman, noting she wasn’t much behind Larkspur’s age and leaning toward a mix of their appearances. Though her bright bronze gaze was the thing that set her apart.

Alastor’s tail lifted to flag behind his frame, offering his show of placement but he allowed a friendly smirk to travel onto his maw. “Hello, my name’s Alastor Leigh. Welcome to the borders of Quaking Vale. I suspect my co-leader will be here shortly,” he said, offering a nod of his head in greeting.

With sentimental boy as my nom de plume

I seriously debated waiting for @Sahalie but... meh. xD I got carried away. Sorry!

They didn't have to wait long. Another male appeared first, and he seemed to be a change from the smaller wolves she'd encountered more often since she'd come to the Lore. He was tall – as tall as she was, or taller. His pelt was darker, reminding Kuwindwa of wet ash, and his eyes were a peculiar blue she hadn't seen in a grown wolf's face before. What struck her most about him however, was his youth. Larkspur hadn't been kidding at all about... babysitting. The boy before her couldn't have seen his second year yet... he was so fresh and young. Her face remained stone, betraying nothing as the new wolf – Alastor – spoke his greeting.

The churning in her gut didn't lessen. Rather, she became more uncertain. How could he lead a pack? Just what did Kuwindwa hope to accomplish coming here? Her eyes became steely, narrowing, and she made no immediate move to acknowledge this new wolf. Then she remembered what Larkspur had said to her before, and she reconsidered. The wolves of Quaking Vale were so young according to the pale gentleman, and that was a frightful thing. Kuwindwa wasn't as young as she used to be... easy for her to forget that. They were young... not stupid. They were teachable. She could be a mentor as much as a defender. She could serve a purpose. Her sharp eyes remained boldly on Alastor, as direct as she'd first been with Larkspur. The bronze did not waver even when her head shifted so her chin would dip lower than Alastor's, forcing her eyes to lift to even look at him, a subtly respectful movement.

"Hello, sir. I am Kuwindwa Mapinago," stated the woman evenly, though she would rather not introduce herself twice if Alastor's aforementioned co-leader – the Sahalie Larkspur had mentioned she suspected – appeared. Her name was a bitter reminder, and the less she spoke it, the better her mindset would be. All throughout this briefest exchange she remained firmly planted, barely moving but for the blinking of her eyes and subtle shift of her sides as she breathed.

@Larkspur I suppose you're next? To make this easy we could stick to a posting order: Me -> Lark -> Kino -> Kuwindwa

Larkspur was not usually the sort of wolf to call for her. Usually she just showed up at his tree, on his rock--or now it would be his rotten log. To his credit, the man seemed in better health since they had arrived and seemed to thrive with the mountain of busywork set in front of them as they tried to tame their new home. He was not at his log as often as he had been a fixture of the knotted, old tree of her childhood. Larkspur was out and about, but usually not doing anything that required attention from her or anyone else. Part of her knew what it meant--his howl--before she even arrived but the other part of her wondered if the sensation fluttering in her chest was just wishful thinking.

If the stone-hued loner at their door had been surprised by Alastor's age, surely Sahalie in her strange, stubby version of ephemeral youth would be a shocker. She was like a portly, dark bombshell dropped suddenly on their meeting. Literally speaking, though, the girl strode out from the bright aspens as calmly as she could. Her golden eyes betrayed her: radiant and sharp as they bounced from familiar to unfamiliar face and back again. That the massive woman carried no scent of other wolves besides Larkspur was as plain as day. Sahalie caught the tail end of her name: an extended jumble of syllables she couldn't begin to wrap her tongue around. As first impressions faded, though, Sahalie was only left with a vague reminder of Spieden's comforting, bewildering size even if this unknown woman's confidence betrayed the memory. In spite of herself, Sahalie looked excitedly to Alastor at her side, her gaze shimmering as if to say we're saved. There might have been a quiet, gleeful squee from her mouth. The sound a teenage girl might have made.

Because they were, after all, just kids.

Larkspur could mitigate their ignorance with his gruff attitude all he liked, but what Sahalie wanted more than anything else was some one a little more levelheaded to balance his advice. This woman looked the part: collected, if a little nervous--that would fade in time, it was situational she was sure--but ripe with age. At least, these were the things she thought she saw, and the prospects excited her so much she forgot to let her own nerves of the moment get to her.

The Tainn daughter tried to remember the sort of things other leaders would say in these moments. She had seen her fair share of border interactions and then some, but the words flew out of her head suddenly. Taking a deep breath, she looked amicably back at Larkspur and the seated woman with the impossible name. "You've been busy," she teased, "Seems like you brought us something nice."

And to the lady: "I don't know how much you've heard from Larkspur, but we're brand new here. Mostly. I've lived in the area my whole life...but uhm. Quaking Vale," she jerked her muzzle back over her shoulder at the white sticks shaking in the breeze, "Is going to be a sanctuary. You can help us build it."

sounds good 2 me

Larkspur nodded to @Kino as the boy approached. This time he paid more attention to his leader than the pale woman beside him. This was, after all, the first time that the boy had been met with a stranger at his borders. Although he and Alastor could rarely get along, and mostly opted to ignore each other (unless something called for them to speak and do something together, which is rarely did), Lark couldn't help but to feel a small flicker of pride within him. He wasn't sure where he and Sahalie stood now, but if anything, the both of them seemed to be doing well.

Kuwindwa said nothing past her name, which is about when Sahalie came marching in. He wondered what the older woman thought of the two alphas, knowing very well that if someone had brought him to the duo before them, he would have laughed. But Larkspur could have considered himself a changed man. He couldn't shake his general irritability most days, and still preferred to keep to himself, but had clearly flourished in his new home. Some days he doubted it and wondered how long it would last. He tried not to think too far ahead, doing better to focus on the task at hand.

He let Sahalie do her small spiel before finally speaking. "I found her wandering in the mist and offered her a place here. Kuwindwa says she's a good hunter, I figured we needed another one," he immediately thought of Castel, whom he often thought of as their weakest link. She had struggled during their trek to find Quaking Vale, which worried the silvery man. Bringing someone who clearly seemed to be in better health seemed like the best option for them.

If I ever leave I could learn to miss you

Alastor could see it keenly in her gaze, the judgement she harbored there. She held his gaze in what felt like a challenge and he began to feel a certain aggravation rising within him. His gaze narrowed sharply. He wouldn’t be disrespected like this, not at the borders of his own home. If she didn’t like the way they ran things here then she’d better pack up and head out quick before he showed her just what this young’un could do. But then she seemed to decide for the better and allowed herself to lower a bit, his posture relaxing just a fraction. Good.

The thud of pawsteps came and his head turned, taking in Hal and all her peppiness. She seemed determined this time, but the excitement still managed to escape her in the form of a squeal and he couldn’t tell if he wanted to ram his head into a tree or laugh. Then, her greeting had turned into what was pretty much an outright acceptance and he blanched. She hadn’t even really heard anything from the woman and she was outright accepting her? He knew they were supposed to be a sanctuary but even sanctuaries had requirements, right? But, his own recent actions came to his mind and he forced himself to bit his lip and stand tall to say he agreed with her decision. At least Lark was able to clear up that she was a hunter, that made her a little more valuable. If this what Hal wanted and thought was a good idea then it must have been. He wouldn’t stand in her way.

With sentimental boy as my nom de plume

It wasn't a challenge. At least not directly. But Alastor would have his work cut out for him if he wanted every ounce of Kuwindwa's respect. Movement beyond Alastor's tall figure was what it took to shift her eyes fully, their weight falling on a second wolf. Kuwindwa's eyes widened a fraction; next to those already present, this little lady was a dwarf. Was this Sahalie? The youthful demeanor of the young woman had Kuwindwa further questioning what she was doing here now, but Sahalie was ebullient, her golden eyes already glistening with welcome. Kuwindwa didn't know whether she should build a wall against the warmth she felt toward that look or welcome it wholeheartedly. Old habits die hard. She wanted to hate that look. This girl was young, naive, stupid. Just like I was. She couldn't hate her for it, even if she tried.

Even Sahalie's frame gave the giant woman pause. Sahalie was just a little round, but certainly not pregnant... she was still so puppy-like, as if she were still growing. If nothing else, the little leader, so bubbly and kind would be well-protected. Alastor looked almost dismayed by the openness of the female, and if she had been in a more comfortable position Kuwindwa may have smiled.

As it was, the warrior's inward monologue was harsh, judgment firm as her face, yet... there was something endearing in the innocent gleam she perceived in Sahalie – the way she gathered herself before she spoke, the eagerness barely hidden in her voice. The way she forgot to offer her name (although Sahalie clearly assumed Larkspur had told Kuwindwa, which he had). Kuwindwa's sharp bronze eyes softened, becoming less like harsh metal gleaming before she gently inclined her head toward Sahalie.

"I found her wandering in the mist and offered her a place here. Kuwindwa says she's a good hunter, I figured we needed another one,"

Larkspur's words prompted the smallest nod of confirmation, and a glimmer of determination flickered to life in her eyes.

"And more," she interjected, "I trained to be a guardian." Her gaze flicked between the wolves that might potentially become her leaders (and charges) before explaining, "Larkspur told me some things on our way here. Quaking Vale sounds-" too good to be true. "-promising. If you'll have me, I will serve you well – I can promise that. I will do all I can to help you build whatever sanctuary you envision." The latter part of her statement seemed directed more at the petite woman. Kuwindwa was a little at a loss. She had never had to join a pack before, though she had always had to prove herself, prove she was deserving of a place in the ranks. She did it not for any avarice on her part, but for the sake of her own worth. Was this so different? The slightest uncertainty splayed the woman's ears, and her gaze finally lowered completely to rest on her own white forepaws. She felt smaller than she ever had before in her life, even if she didn't look it. "If I do not prove true to my words, then you may do with me what you please." At least I am used to running.

@Larkspur

When she went to flash Alastor at her side an eager grin she was confronted with his doubtful expression: lip between his teeth. Clearly, there was something he was holding back. Guessing the nature of the problem was not hard. Alastor probably thought that she was being too hasty—which was typical—that she knew nothing about this woman. Inwardly, she disagreed, having already seen so much of the woman from her posture and her expression. Larkspur was a tough nut to crack, scrupulous and unimpressed, and if this loner was already here it spoke volumes about her. Of course, Alastor couldn't see that because he didn't trust Larkspur the way Sahalie did. The men tolerated each other. Her eyebrows arched as she stared up at Alastor momentarily, before turning her muzzle back to the woman.

The words that came from her mouth were informative but not transformative. Such a large wolf as this one would, of course, have been trained for defensive tasks. Not surprising at all. She didn't seem overly taken with their cause—not something Sahalie could fault her for, some days it felt like Alastor wasn't—but maybe that would come in time. Perhaps a sanctuary was not what she was used to, where ever she had come from. And their were promises thrown about that reminded Sahalie of how Alastor had behaved at the borders of Whitestone Monadnock: he had only his word to give. Her eyes slid sideways, hoping he might catch the "sound familiar?" jibe in her eyes. There was no need to be so critical of this woman. Alastor had been just as helpless and useless when he dragged himself to the doorstep of Oak Tree Bend. Sahalie had seen enough loners seeking a home to know this was a fine example.

"D'you have anything you'd like to add, Al?" she said, pointedly looking at him now. "Anything you want to ask her?" Sahalie had made her mind up but this was still a democracy between the two of them. If he absolutely hated this woman she would not force him to bear her presence. Her offering of a stage for his opinion was certainly more than he had granted her at the claiming.