Hearthwood River brave this storm together

RE: Flash flooding has caused local landslides – Midnight, Heavy Rain, Thunder & Lightning, 5°C 

The deep rumble of thunder caused Lorcan to jump awake. Dark lashes fluttered open as his head uncurled from the warmth beneath his tail, allowing his golden eyes to peer out through the haze of rain which plummeted in sheets to the sodden ground below. Through the darkness of the night and the heavy rain his bright eyes could barely make out the world around him – until a sudden flash of lightning illuminated the forest and caused in eyes to widen in panic. 

Stepping out tentatively from beneath the canopy of the large sequoia tree he had taken shelter beneath earlier that evening, Lorcan pressed his russet ears flat against his head and made a swift dash towards Inna’s den nearby. Lingering at the entrance, his agouti fur quickly growing slick and heavy with rain water, the father sniffed anxiously around the den before quietly pushing his head inside to check on the two females which slept inside. To his relief they both seemed completely undisturbed by the harsh weather outside, curled up in warm birthing chamber with his daughter nestled comfortably into the soft fur of her mother’s side. Not wanting to wake them, Lorcan refrained from entering the den to join them. 

Too anxious to sleep, with the thunder still rolling ominously through the dark slate grey clouds above, the agouti male lingered outside the den for a moment as he considered joining his other pack mates in the communal den rather than return to his usual sleeping spot outside. Before he could make up his mind though, the sound of prey fleeing through the underbrush nearby caught his attention. Concerned by the sound, as he believed himself to be the only one awake at such an hour, the subordinate felt compelled to investigate despite the incessant rain. 

Stalking cautiously through the maze of trees which lead in the direction of the apparent disturbance, pale paws were soon slick with mud as he made his way in the direction of the river which ran along the outskirts of the territory. The mud beneath paws grew thicker and deep puddles began to litter his trail as he pursued to investigate, causing his paws splash loudly against the water as he moved. It didn’t take long before the thick mud rose up past his ankles and forced him to stop in his pursuit of the prey. However, it was as he paused, glancing down at his stained paws to try and figure out the best place to step to turn himself around without slipping over, that the sound of raging currents reached his ears.

Glancing across to the river through the dark silhouettes of the trees, his golden eyes widened as he noticed the river had burst its banks. Russet ears flattened against his head as he stared at the water for a moment, watching as the rain crashed against its already-frothing surface. With lightning still flashing in the distance and thunder still echoing through the trees, the male was under no illusion that the rain was likely to stop anytime soon. That only meant the situation was going to get worse. A whine whistled in his throat as he glanced back in the direction he had come from, his thoughts suddenly falling to Inna and Oksana who were curled up beneath ground – completely unaware of the flood spreading towards them – and then he thought of the other mothers and their pups and his fellow pack mates which surely also at risk. He couldn’t just do nothing, what if something were to happen, what if a pup were to drown?

Lifting his head to the dark sky, a howl shattered through the hissing rain, desperately urging everyone to wake up – "Wake up, the river is overflowing!!"  

@Lachesis @Otter @Inna @Mace @Aytigin @Lilya @Aleksei @Laike @Kisla @Lekalta

(This post was last modified: May 31, 2017, 01:02 PM by Lorcan.)

# P O R C A N

sometimes, two people have to fall apart to realise

how much they need to fall back together

After making sure that her daughter was well fed and comfortable Inna had curled around her tucking her into the soft fur of her side to keep her warm. It wasn’t long before she had joined Oksana in slumber as she had done every night since the ebony pup came into the world. Inna didn’t know when the storm started to rage outside but deep inside the birthing den she continued to sleep without being disturbed. Though as the days passed since she’d given birth she’d been sleeping more soundly than usual which was why she was thankful to have Lorcan so close to her and their child. It helped her to let her guard down enough she could sleep without worry and get the rest she really needed.

Inna slept through the heavy rain and thunder, it wasn’t until the distressed call of the tawny healer that she woke up. She lifted her head and looked to the mouth of the den realizing just how powerful the storm outside was. It should have drowned the call out but Lorcan’s distress of over the river was enough to counter that. The clear notes had reached her ears causing them to swivel forward on her head in alarm. She listened as they soon died out before turning her attention back to her slumbering daughter who remained unaware of what was happening.

A whine escaped the mother as she Looked down at Oksana wanting to stay with her but she needed to know just how serious the situation with the river was. If it was too bad she might have to move the pup to a safer location. As much as she wanted to stay with the ebony pup she knew she couldn’t give up on her pack duties just because she was now a mother. She still had to prove herself to them and now that Oksana was born she had no more excuses.

Once again she found herself carefully removing herself from her daughter's side and pulling the fur over her to keep her warm. A kiss was placed to her daughters crown before Inna turned and left the den to find the father of her children. Rain pelted her as she. quickly weaved her way through the trees her paws carrying her in the direction of the river. The weight she’d been carrying with Oksana was now gone allowing her to move a little more quickly. However, as she neared the river she had to slow her pace as she felt the mud start to pull at her paws the water from the river having reached a significant distance from it's banks and saturating the ground.

It soon became impossible for her to run at all but she kept going as she thought she saw a figure ahead who she assumed to be Lorcan. Giving a short bark to announce her presence she hoped to get one back as she continued on pulling her feet from the mud as she went.

(This post was last modified: May 20, 2017, 07:23 PM by Inna.)

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

 

Mace will be more involved in later rounds, most likely. Or he might make like an Attaya and drown who knows.

Mace Attaya hated thunderstorms.

It was an embarrassing thing for a grown man to admit, but ever since he was a child, he'd hidden himself away when the sky began to crack and flash. He feared almost nothing more than the temper of the sky. Three and a half additional years of life did nothing to cure him of it. He was brought back to his infancy by the boiling clouds and the lash of lightning across the sky, and he was reduced to a wide-eyed cub lost in a storm. He had always hidden away because he knew that Maksim wasn't going to be there to save him like he had before. Now, he knew Maksim would never be there again.

So had it been a simple spring thunderstorm, Mace would have remained underground in an abandoned fox den, crammed in with his limbs jammed awkwardly against his body in an effort to stay dry and out of sight. But tonight was no ordinary night, and he was shaken to full alertness by a howl that rose above the sound of wind and rain outside in warning. With a grumbled oath and a great deal of swallowing and trying to keep his legs from quivering, Mace extricated himself from the hole in the ground and ventured out into the downpour.

It was too dark to make anything out. He relied on his nose and the scent of his pack, which pooled and ran like water across the ground in a confusing but nevertheless manageable trail, to guide him. Tonight he sought the den of the leading female. Inna no doubt had Aytigin or Lorcan nearby to ensure she was safe from the storm, and Lachesis would likely be with the other mother in the pack, but Mace had yet to meet a wolf who devoted themselves to Kisla. He hadn't met the matriarch officially, and wasn't sure he would even be welcomed in her presen or tolerated at all, but he struck out to find her and her whelps all the same.

He never made it that far. He came upon the swollen banks of Hearthwood River long before he located the alpha female's den, and the world shrunk away from him as his pale eyes lit upon the river. A flash of lightning above illuminated the rushing water and he felt the dreadful th-thump of his heart as it skipped a beat. He willed his limbs to move, but couldn't find the strength. He was rooted there, staring at the river at his paws, the bank thick with mud and threatening to wash away under his feet, and all he could do was think, it's happening again.

Fear froze him there and his mouth went dry and his eyes were wide and unfocused as thunder pealed overhead.

(This post was last modified: May 20, 2017, 08:59 PM by Mace.)

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

slight pp w/ @Lilya <3

Despite his own den being nearby the ghost had taken a liking to nesting with the blue-eyed sparrow and their daughters when his eyelids grew too heavy to stay open. Sleep was not something Lachesis succumbed to often, for the night called to him and lulled him away from the confinements of his den (and Lilya’s). Afternoon naps were more his style, for the night offered a type of freedom that the day did not possess.

The days were growing warmer as spring finally settled into the Lore, the sun becoming more abundant as the foliage began to flourish once more. Prey, too, began to return as the temperatures increased. Slowly life was returning to normal after the relentless winter that plagued the lands of Relic Lore; persistent and unforgivable.

The crack overhead roused the ghost from his slumber, his chartreuse eyes ripping open as the entrance to the sparrow’s den was illuminated by the light in the sky. His heart thumped rapidly in his chest as he scrambled away from the agouti’s side. Immediately he was greeted by a sheet of water, a frown cutting across his dark lips as he narrowed his brows. Another roll of thunder sounded, followed swiftly by a flash of lightning. The surrounding trees lit up with the sky as the rain continued to fall. Within seconds the ghost was soaked to the bone, his legs beginning to tremble as he turned to retreat back into Lilya’s den.

The river is overflowing.

The howl stopped him in his tracks, panic surging through his chest. This could not be happening again… Lachesis would not be chased from his home a third time. They could beat the river… they had to.

The river king returned the call, his voice echoing through the trees, beckoning the river wolves from their slumber. “Seek higher ground!” Disaster would not strike the river wolves once more. Lachesis would do everything possible to ensure they did not have to flee the Kingswood. This was their home—they were not going out without a fight.

XIX ducked his head inside his mate’s Lilya’s den, water dripping from his chin as he beckoned for her to follow him. “Grab Lilliana,” he instructed, his eyes falling to the pale form of Lavender nestled up against her sister, “the river is flooding. We have to go now.” Without further hesitation Lachesis lurched forward, reaching for Lavender’s soft scruff before retreating from the security of the den. 

stick with those who stick with you

Aytigin wasn't a fan of the rain. It wasn't fear or worry that drove him to dislike it, but rather the discomfort of the mud between his paws and the annoyance of his fur soaked to his pelt. Not to mention it made it harder to catch prey, and it made it near impossible for the already-clumsy wolf to walk successfully without sliding in the mud now and again. The only upside was that the dirt that clung to his fur afterward kind of blended in. It'd really have sucked if he'd been born a white wolf, like Lachesis.

The thunder was unpleasant, too, as it was keeping him up. He'd been trying to get some sleep underneath the shelter of one of the hollowed-out redwoods where the land was lower and flatter, but was failing miserably at it. The chocolate-colored wolf had actually been about to doze off when an alarmed howl echoed through the air and he leapt to his feet, banging his head on the roof of his shelter in his haste. He winced, cursing his height, and shifted out from underneath the shelter he'd found. He was immediately hit with an onslaught of pounding rain, and the roar of thunder, and the rumble of the nearby river.

It took a second for him to realize that he'd had it backward - the thunder was rumbling; the river was roaring.

That couldn't be good.

He took off at a sprint toward the river and slid to a stop when the mud got up to his mid-forelegs and he couldn't proceed any further without swimming. "What the f-" he began, his hazel eyes scanning the expansive, swollen river in something akin to panic before he chased that away. There were things to do. He did a mental stock in his mind of who would likely be with who - Lorcan was almost always fairly close to Inna, and Lachesis definitely had Lilya. That left Kisla, and while Lekalta might be nearby, Aytigin didn't want to take the chance on losing one of the puppies to the river.

So he turned and ran down the bank toward where he remembered Kisla's den being. He didn't get far, however, as a black shape stood in the mud ahead - it took a moment or two for Ayti to recognize it as Mace, the wolf he'd spoken to at the borders not too long ago. The older man seemed frozen, eyes glued to the river, and Ayti loped over to him, trusting that Kisla and her children would be okay for the moment being. For now, Mace was stuck, panicked, right beside the rapidly filling river.

"Mace!" the dark wolf called, squinting his gold-tinted eyes to block out some of the rain. He approached the black wolf and bumped his shoulder against his flank. "What're you doing, man? Staring at it isn't going to stop it, y'know." He tried for a joke, but it fell rather flat and instead he glanced around, trying to find something they could do to get to either Kisla or higher ground. "We're on the wrong side of the river, pal. We should probably find somewhere a bit safer to stop, don'tcha think?" He brushed against the Attaya's side, trying to comfort as well as bring him back to reality.

The woman had finally managed to get herself down to sleep, letting her paranoia of the health of her daughters settle down for only a couple minutes before insanity struck. She surprisingly was looking towards the outlook of the summer, and hopefully, the warmer weather. Winter had seemed to drag on forever through the Hearthwood… she hoped that such season lengths were not normal for the lands. It had been, after all, the first winter she’d spent within the River territory. The sparrow was resting somewhat peacefully, the occasional twitch as she tried to ward off the memories.

Lilya and the children were both awoken by the crack of thunder, hearing their soft high pitched cries in protest sent her into a protective mode, wrapping herself around them as much as she could when Lachesis stuck his head out of the den… and then that howl. She instantly found herself panicking, obeying his command as she grabbed ahold of Lilliana’s scruff, following Lachesis without delay while doing her best to protect the cub from the weather outside, keeping her head down to try and protect the girl with her frame... a huge part of her worried that removing the girls from the den so soon, especially in the weather conditions that had presented themselves, would hurt them.. or cause them to get sick. At the same time, it was a hell of a lot better than them drowning.

As he stared down at the raging river, watching at the water burst over its crumbling banks, his golden eyes widened in panic. The male felt his stomach begin to churn anxiously inside him, but a muffled bark breaking through the sharp hiss of the heavy rain stopped him from dwelling on it any longer. Russet ears perked forwards as his muzzle swung in the direction of the sound as his golden eyes narrowed to focus on the dark figure that was approaching him through the haze of rain. “Inna?” He barked back hesitantly, lowering his head and hunching his shoulders over as he tried to push his cream paws through the thick mud which had now encased them. 

Slowly he managed to pull one paw out of the mud at a time and place each one step forwards in order to slowly approach the figure. His sides heaved and his muzzle wrinkled as he fought hard against the mud, not only working to get each paw free but also focusing on not slipping over with every step he took. Eventually though, Lorcan was able to close the distance between them and the flash of those deep orange eyes through the dark confirmed to him that the shadow was indeed @Inna. For a heartbeat his tail lifted to sway once behind him in relief but then it fell limp a moment later. If she was here, who was looking after their daughter?

Golden eyes widened as he stared at her, his expression comparable to one someone might show when they suddenly feared for their own life.  He didn’t have a chance to say anything before another howl echoed through the dark forest of sequoia trees – Lachesis given instruction to seek higher ground. The dark fur along his back bristled and his russet ears pressed back against his head nervously. “Inna, where’s Oksana?” He murmured, his tone anxious as if this was some nightmare he didn’t quite believe. “Where is she?!” He asked again, this time his voice growing louder with panic. He stared across at her blankly, his paws instinctively pushing through the mud to reach her, as if he’d somehow spot the tiny pup concealed at her paws.

Lorcan looked her up and down, his head swaying from either side as he searched in the dark around her but found nothing. He felt his skin turn cold and the world around him seemed to fall completely silent as he heard nothing but his own heart beating frantically inside his chest. “W-we need to get her. Someone n-needs to get her!” He stuttered, a frown falling across his face as he moved forwards to brush past Inna in the direction that she had come from. 

Desperately he tried to quicken his pace, lean muscles rippling beneath his agouti pelt as he struggled through the mud and rain. Eventually he managed to force himself into a run, working tirelessly to keep himself moving through the difficult terrain, however, with the rain still falling heavy as it did, it wasn’t long before his paws slipped and skidded, throwing the father forwards into a deep muddy wallow. Limbs splayed awkwardly either side of his body and thick mud now coated his stomach, chest and face as he lifted his head to peer in defeat at the sodden path ahead. Another rumble of thunder sounded overhead as Lorcan attempted to collect his limbs from underneath him, paws slipping all the while. It was then as he struggled to stand back up that he finally thought to lift his muzzle to the sky once more to howl a cry for help. 

“Someone needs to get Oksana, she’s all alone, please!”

(This post was last modified: May 31, 2017, 02:24 PM by Lorcan.)

# P O R C A N

sometimes, two people have to fall apart to realise

how much they need to fall back together

It wasn't the first time in her life that it had rained as hard as it was that night. She'd curled herself around her daughter to keep her safe and warm until Lorcans distressed voice reached her. Inna had to know how bad it was which was what had led her out into the storm. She hadn't wanted to bring Oksana with her for her own safety so she did her best to make sure she would be safe in the den until her return.

Once outside the rain pelted her body as she desperately made her way to where Lorcan was but as she placed each paw on the ground she realized it was much soggier than it should have been. A moment was taken to look back toward the den as she considered returning to Oksana to make sure she was okay. To know for sure and to know that Lorcan was okay she had to go on and soon she reached him. Rather she had gotten close enough to see his figure in the distance band she barked to let him know she was there.

Inna wasn't sure he had heard her over the storm until it seemed he was looking at her and then she faintly heard his voice say her name through the rain. She tried to move toward him but the mud kept her from moving closer. Her ears perked in the direction of the river, she could hear it rushing behind Lorcan. Finally the father of her children reached her after pulling his feet from the mud. Before he said anything to her however Lachesis voice rang through the trees over the storm. ‘Seek higher ground’. Inna was reminded of the story that the pale healer had told her about Darkwater Rapids and that some of the wolves had been lost. Her thoughts went immediately to her daughter she needed to get to her.

Her head turned back to Lorcan as he asked about their daughter, “She's in the den, safe for the moment,” she assured, “I need to get back to her.” Inna's voice had taken on a panicked tone. She started to turn back to the den to get to Oksana but Lorcan had pushed past her trying to get to their daughter. Inna was soon close behind him as the progress he was making was about as fast as she was able to go. Then he started sliding and soon going himself in a mud wallow covered in mud. She needed to get to her daughter but she cared about Lorcan too so she stopped just for the briefest of moments. “Are you okay?” She called to him and once she was sure that he would be okay her only concern was her daughter and where to take her, “I will get Oksana and take her somewhere safe please come find us as soon as you can.”

That said Inna turned an regrettably left him to get to her daughter as quickly as she could. By the time she reached the den she was soaking wet and muddy but more than the the water was creeping closer to the mouth of the den. She dove inside to find the little black tuft still sound asleep under the fur she'd left her covered with. Without wasting any time In a uncovered her and picked her gently up in her jaws. When she was sure that she had a good grip on her daughter she slipped back out of the entrance and started for higher ground.

~Table by Jacqueline

(This post was last modified: May 31, 2017, 03:26 PM by Inna.)

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

 

For several minutes that passed in what felt like hours, Mace stared at the swollen river. He contemplated the likelihood that this would be the end of Hearthwood River, and was terrified by the possibility. A single flood had devastated Deepwater Rapids and the Attaya family both, rendering Mace unable to face such a disaster without freezing on the spot. His eyes were wide as he considered how history might repeat itself, and how this might break the Baranski family more thoroughly even than the death of its patriarch.

He didn't snap out of it when Aytigin first addressed him. He didn't even hear the man, so transfixed was he by the water at his paws. Mace remained unresponsive until the touch of the chocolate wolf's flank on his, at which he started as though burned. The bank fell away at his feet but he pulled back just in time to avoid taking a spill. His ears flattened against his domed head as he glanced at Aytigin, and there was no hiding the raw fear brimming in the pale expanse of his eyes.

He was brought fully back to his skin when Lorcan's panicked voice rose about the din of the storm: Oksana! Mace didn't spare time analyzing that tone of voice nor realising that it held much more concern than just a healer for a cub; he was already turning and stumbling away from the thrashing river. We have to get to here! he shouted over his shoulder at Aytigin, and then he was off, unaware if the brown wolf was following him or not.

By the time he reached Inna's den, she had already been and gone. He shoved his head into the depths, wholly heedless of any form of privacy in that moment, and found Oksana missing. His heart clenched fearfully in his chest—what if a fox had got to her before one of the Hearthwood canids?—and he pulled back out into the downpour to howl an urgent note that said, without a need for words, that she was missing from her home as well.

Not sure why font is so huge, but sorry for giant font. x_x

(This post was last modified: Jun 11, 2017, 03:33 AM by Mace.)

gorgeous set by kydnt