Umbra Copse wandering in the shade

@Tikhon <3 Cas is the temporary lead female of Quaking Vale, and she's freaking the freak out.

RE - Magpies have overrun the forest!
Patchy rain possible
58 ° F, 15 ° C

---

Cas was not a leader. She had believed that Sahalie's leadership was an unalienable thing, that couldn't be changed. Of course, it was nothing but that - a belief. Like a human child believing in magic, or a pup believing in Paradise. Castel had been perfectly content playing the part of second-in-command; she loved backing up Sahalie and Alastor. But the world had changed, for a brief moment in time. Sahalie was busy with Laurel, and had given the silver-dusted girl the leadership position for the time being.

Which she was happy to help with. It was just that she had no experience, and she was terrified of screwing Quaking Vale up. The more rational, logical side whispered at her, asking just ho much trouble she could cause in the short few weeks that Sahalie had stepped down. But the larger side of her, the side that was flipping out, was picturing forest fires and chaos and mayhem.

It was silly, but Cas had always had an active imagination.

She had left the territory for a brief spell, hoping to find solace from the screeching magpies that had perched themselves in all of the trees around them, but she could find nowhere that wasn't filled with the overwhelming birdsong. Not to mention, it had been raining off and on all day, and Cas' pelt was damp and sodden. All-in-all, this was definitely not one of her favorite days.

Life is short.

The thought rose, unbidden, to the forefront of her mind, and she sighed deeply when she realized she was completely ignoring her own beliefs and philosophies. Living a worry-free life was important to the girl, and she was breaking all of her rules as she wandered through the shadows, imagining all the things that could go wrong. Perhaps, instead, she should be focusing on what could go right with her brief leadership period. Maybe this wasn't a bad thing.

Maybe she just needed to stop thinking.

A flock of magpies had settled down to roost on the ground in a clearing ahead of her, and Cas wasted no time in sprinting out of the bushes, barking and howling and waving her tail to frighten the birds off. It worked; the flock shot off into the misty air with screeches and caws loud enough to wake the whole forest, and Cas was left behind, on the ground, laughing her head off.

Poor Cas!

He had decided to stay in the copse though he had almost made up his mind what he was going to do. The deer had put some weight back on his skeletal frame but not enough to give him the bulk he once had. He still needed a place he could go to recover. The good news was that he now had a little more energy so that he could catch and kill prey instead of eating what was already dead. Truthfully he was rather tired of eating the carcasses that he found, it had been a nice change to eat that first freshly caught rabbit .

Staying in the copse allowed him to not use up too much energy when he still had so little to waste on travel the other part of him was still considering joining the pack whose lands lay in the same area. He knew it would be good for him but he so needed to find Lorcan and let him know that Laike couldn't be trusted. He did not want his brother to end up as he had because of their brother.

After the winter that had seemed to last forever he'd been hoping for better weather but like many of the previous day's it was raining. It wasn't a constant rain just here and there but it still dampened his coat. He'd grown tired of the rain and near constant dampness that he carried with him as he hunted.

The day was made worse by the constant calls of Magpies, he'd never really liked the birds. When they found their way into the forest they filled it with their sounds and were reluctant to leave. They had woken him early that morning and as he moved through the trees he considered trying to catch a few for his morning meal. He didn't know if he would be able to since he still wasn't himself.

As a clearing came into view through the trees his ears caught the sounds of barking and howling. This piqued Tikhon's interest his paws moving him closer as the birds became louder clearly angry as they flew through the trees overhead. His gaze went up following a few of them as they flew over his head until he heard the laughter. Finally he stepped out into the clearing in full view where he found another wolf, a female, on the ground laughing, “You've certainly upset them,” he commented to announce his presence.

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

A sudden voice behind her caused the girl to spin on her heels to face the newcomer. Almost as soon as she spotted him, however, she relaxed, a smile on her lips and a sway in her tail. She wasn't aggressive in the slightest, nor was she scared. She'd just been a little startled, is all, and it took about a half second for her to realize what the stranger had said.

Laughter pealed from her lips and she shrugged her shoulders. "Kind of the point, actually. I was just having some fun." She padded up a little nearer to the loner, her tail still beating in rhythm behind her. He was older than her by at least a year, with a pelt of browns and tans and creams and blacks. He was bigger than her by quite a bit, but that came as no surprise, and his eyes were pretty much the opposite shade of her own. That, and he didn't look as though he wanted to harm her - which was quite nice. Not to mention he had been the one to initiate conversation, which was also nice.

"I'm Cas, second - er, I guess, alpha - female of Quaking Vale," she greeted, feeling it necessary somehow to introduce herself with her name and title nowadays. Probably because she was so proud of her second position within the pack. Yes, she had been the only other female in the pack at the time of its founding, but the fact that Sahalie and Alastor still let her keep that position with a number of other, more capable women in the pack made Cas feel as though she was somehow special. That maybe her position wasn't just one of convenience, but one of camaraderie. That maybe she was wanted, or even perhaps needed or beneficial within the pack.

Maybe she wasn't a lazy, useless sack of fur.

She cleared her throat and offered the loner a smile. "What's your name?" she asked, tipping her head to the side. Perhaps she should be concerned with a loner so near their borders, but Cas liked to look on the bright side. Maybe he was looking to join - she didn't want to scare him off with unnecessary aggression, if that were the case.

It was clear as he spoke yesterday startled the woman which had not been his intention but it was done. He kept a nonthreatening posture so she would know he didn't mean any harm. It wasn't like he was in any condition to do her any harm anyway. Tikhon had also noticed she carried the same scent as Kuwindwa which was a happy surprise. Perhaps she could give him a little more insight into the pack he'd been lingering around as he considered joining them if only for a short time. He had not yet made his mind up on the matter.

A small smile tugged at his commissures as she laughed, “I supposed it would be,” he agreed, “Nothing wrong with having a little fun especially if it upsets them when they have been so loud all morning.” Turnabout was fair play after all. If he were honest he couldn't remember the last time he had fun. His life had been all about getting through each day without finally giving up. He supposed that was why he’d stuck around the forest for as long as he had. The pack it held gave him hope but he didn't want to join if he couldn't finish his mission to find Lorcan.

She offered her name and rank, she was alpha and the happy surprise only got happier. Of anyone could help him she could, “It's a pleasure to meet you,” he said as he bowed his head slightly in respect of her rank. “My apologies for forgetting my manners,” he said his smile growing a little wider. Maybe this would be the day that his life would change for the better, what would Laike think of him now? It didn't really matter, his brother had left him for dead and he hadn't died. Instead he had made it far enough to join a pack. That was if he made the decision to join, Tik was still unsure of what he should do which was why he was glad to have run into the alpha female.

He brought his gaze to meet hers when she cleared her throat. “Tikhon Artemieva from Artemus valley,” he replied when she asked his name. The thought that maybe hearing his last name might strike a chord with the woman. Maybe she had heard of Lorcan and could help him to find his brother or maybe she'd heard of Laike. Not that he was in any real hurry to run into that betrayer anytime soon.

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

Cas snorted lightly at his comment about the birds, and she flicked her tail. "Yeah, they've been little douchebags lately," she agreed in direct opposition to his formal tone, a smile forming on her lips as she watched the magpies flitter back down and light themselves upon the branches of the trees overhead. They were still screeching annoyingly, and Castel secretly wished they'd come back down. A magpie didn't count for much of a meal, but perhaps they would get the message if she wrung the neck of one of the damn winged mice in their flock.

The way this man spoke was rather funny - it sounded almost as though he were trying to impress some sort of royalty or something. He apologized for forgetting his manners, of all things. As though that mattered to a free spirit such as Cas, herself. She shot him a crooked grin, one ear perking up further than the other. "No need to be so formal," she said, nudging his chin up with her own muzzle as he dropped it down. "I'm only the temporary alpha. A stand-in, really. Normally, I'm the second female in the pack."

He introduced himself, then, and Cas' banner raised to wag happily behind her. Unfortunately, she would not know the wolves he hoped to meet, but she did like his name quite a bit. "Tikhon Artemieva sounds like a song," she announced, her tone sing-song as she said his name. The girl had a habit of her voice being songish and lilting as she spoke, transforming her words into a musical harmony. It was all the better when the words she had to utilize actually sounded lyrical on their own.

"So what are you doing here?" she questioned casually. She wasn't overly into chasing loners away, even so close to their borders. The Vale was a haven, so as long as they weren't being aggressive, there was no need to start a fight. "It's not like this corner of the woods has much to offer. Are you lost?"

He laughed when she expressed how she felt about the Magpies and their behavior that morning. “If I were feeling more like my old self I might have made a few of them breakfast already but they are much too quick for me right now.” Perhaps in the future when he was feeling better whenever that might be he would get the chance to make a few of them a meal. Until then he would have to opt for things that didn't fly. He silently hoped she had taught them a thing or two about being so loud for the both of them. Though probably not since they we still creating quite a racket.

He was a little surprised to find out that she was the alpha female of the pack he'd been considering since meeting Kuwindwa. Once he did find out he tried to make up for his informal approach by apologizing for forgetting his manners. Then she told him he didn't need to be, “Only if you insist,” he said offering the woman a wide smile. She also informed him that she was only in the position temporarily, “It's a big change I hope it's going well for you. I'm not sure it is a responsibility that I would be comfortable with, at least not right now.” His confirm had taken white the blow during his time alone along with the rest of him.

After he told her his name he grew amused as she told him that his name sounded like a song. As she repeated his name in her sing song voice he did have to admit that she was right. “I haven't heard that before though I think having it sound like a song is better than it sounding like something that isn't so pleasant.” Maybe it would leave a good impression on the woman if he ever did make the decision to join her pack. He was having some trouble but mostly because he feared he would not be able to find his brother if he joined a pack and not necessarily the one he'd been hanging around.

He wasn't surprised when she asked what he was doing in the forest. Tik didn't have to think about his answer either so immediately he answered her. “I wandered here in search of food and ran into Kuwindwa after speaking with her she extended an invitation to join. I just haven't made up my mind but decided to stay on the area until I do.” He kept his response as honest as possible so that she wouldn't think he was up to something that could harm her pack. He shrugged as she asked if he was lost, “I might have been before I came here but mostly I'm trying to recover from a winter on my own.”

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

There is a deer that was killed by a lynx nearby. +10 Health

The stranger laughed at Cas' attempt at humor, and the girl waved her tail, pleased with herself. Apparently, she hadn't lost her touch from when she first joined the Lore - even now, after so much change and responsibility had wriggled its way into her life. "Tell me about it," she told him, a bit of wistfulness weaving into her tone. "Not nearly quick enough to catch one of these things right now. Just because I'm lazy and getting kinda fat." She was neither of those things, though she had put on a bit of weight since she'd been feeling better. For the first time in months, the thought of food no longer made her feel sick to her stomach.

"As a matter of fact, I do insist, sir," she declared in a fake supercilious tone, raising her chin up and snorting softly. "Alpha's word is law, after all." A smirk crept onto her lips, and she burst into laughter, falling silent only to listen to what he had to say. "Thanks; I think I'm handling it alright. At least I have these birds to take my frustration out on," she reasoned, grinning slightly.

He seemed to be alright with her singing his name, and she gave a little laugh in response. "It sounds way better than my full name. Castel Noor sounds like a haughty little prick, doesn't it?" she questioned, wrinkling her nose. "I much prefer being just Cas." Or Cassie, but only if your name was Niles Archer-Lyall. She wasn't exactly sure how she'd feel about someone else calling her by that specific nickname - it was rather special.

"You met Windy?" she asked brightly, tail wagging a bit harder. Windy was a wonderful wolf - it was so nice that the man before her had met the older woman first. Apparently, the large female had invited Tikhon to join the pack, which was perfectly fine. "You should join," she affirmed, tipping her head to the side with a smile. "I mean, if you want. It's not good to be on your own, and Quaking Vale is supposed to be a haven for loners who need help. Besides," her voice dropped to a conspiratorial whisper, "we have plenty of food, if you're hungry." A wink punctuated her words. The man was a bit too raggedy for her liking; perhaps with some food, he'd feel better.

The way she'd described the birds had been in Tik’s opinion rather accurate for they had caused enough ruckus for one morning and they were still going at it. His low weight and lack of energy was what kept him from chasing down a few of the winged menaces, and that was how many it would take to satisfy his hunger in a good day. It seemed weight was her problem as well though at the other end of the spectrum from himself. “I believe you're being too hard on yourself, you do not look to be overweight at all.” He of course might not be the one to judge considering the lack of weight he sported. “One day I will catch at least one, then I will know I am in good condition again,” he missed as he watched one of the black and white birds fly from one tree to another.

He offered a dip of his head at her words, “Then I shall do what pleases the lady,” he said with mock grandeur in his tone. Which he felt went right along with hers but then she her next statement struck something inside him though he could tell she hadn't meant it seriously, “Yes it is,” he stated almost absent-mindedly as his mind went back to the day he'd been banished from his pack. He shook that from his mind as she went on to talk about how she was doing in her new found position. “Your welcome and I'm glad to hear it but I am sure having an outlet for your frustrations certainly helps,” he said a smile crossing his features once more.

She believed that his name was like a song and the dark agouti had to admit that when she said it in her sing song voice she wasn't wrong. “Oh, I don't know I think it sounds rather unique,” and not in a bad way. He'd never heard of a female with such a name which brought a nice change to the man. She however had a nickname that she prefered more, “Well then I shall call you Cas.” He had no qualms calling her by her nickname as he had often been called by his when he'd been at home.

“I did and she was rather helpful.” It was only his unsure mind that had kept him from letting the woman drag him home that day. It was an invitation he hadn't wanted to refuse but at the same time he'd had so many questions he wasn't sure she could answer. “I have been considering taking her up on her offer.” He'd spent quite a few nights unable to sleep since meeting Kuwindwa knowing he needed to make a decision. “Being on my own has certainly taken it's toll and I do feel Quaking Vale would be a good fit for me.” He could not help but laugh at what she said next, “I think it's rather obvious I am hungry,” he pointed out.

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

Castel laughed a bit at his compliment, wagging her tail in return. "I'm not fat," she corrected, glancing at her flanks - which were just beginning to fill out enough to where you could no longer count her ribs and see her hipbones. She frowned, noting that Tikhon himself was far too thin for any wolf to be. A pang of pity hit the young girl, and she nodded her head. "Perhaps that day will be sooner than you think." If he were to join Quaking Vale, they would fatten him up in no time.

He played along with her dramatics, which Cas greatly appreciated. Her lips twitched back up with a smirk, and she flourished with a flick of her tail. "You certainly shall," she proclaimed, large ears angling forward to pick up his reaction. For a moment, he seemed almost solemn, and Cas frowned just a bit before he carried on with the conversation. "Yeah - if there's one thing these damn magpies are good for, it's taking out your frustration. Although, it doesn't help that they're the ones that cause the frustration in the first place," the girl teased, tail wagging.

The young wolf laughed and nodded. "Unique is right. I dunno what my dad was thinking when he named me." She wondered if her mother had anything to do with the naming process. After all, the woman had died in childbirth, and Cas' father had hardly even mentioned her name. It made it difficult to figure out where she came from. "Can I call you Tik?" she asked, tipping her head to the side.

"Yeah, Windy's great," the girl replied with a grin. She nodded her head. "If you ask me, I think taking her up on that offer is a good idea. But, y'know, it's not like I'm the alpha or anything." She smirked sneakily. "You should totally join. We'll have you fattened up in no time." She brushed her shoulder against the lone male's as she passed, intending to head back into the territory. "You might want to take some time to think about it, but you are welcome to the pack. And, while Sahalie and Alastor might not mention it to you at the border, I have a personal request." The girl took a deep breath through her nose and glanced over her shoulder at the man. "Will you be kind to your packmates, if you do decide to join?" Tikhon had given her no reason to think otherwise, but she wanted to be sure.