Willow Ridge seems like it's been forever

HALLO — @Enoki @Ravenna @Nicolò @Eskil @Adeltra @Romanov @Elle

Sven's paws hit the ground. The verdant grass beneath them no longer burned and prickled against his pads. Instead the blades were soft, verdant, familiar. His ragged, scarred throat raised into the warm summer breeze as the wolf breathed deeply, inhaling the scent of the willows, the rise, the herds and his family. Ravenna and Enoki, Niccolo and the soft breath of new life. He had feared they would all be gone, that he'd return to nothing but ruins, reminiscent of the ones he'd always explored on the mountain's peaks. It seemed instead, they were just as he left them, and that was immensely comforting to the man.

Had he not recovered from the crippling insecurities of his childhood, he might've taken this as a sign that the pack was not just functional without him, but better off. Perhaps he would've returned to his father in the south with his tail between his legs, or sought comfort at @Sahalie's heels. Now? He could feel nothing but pride, and gratitude to those who dwelled amongst the long boughs of the forest that had defined his life. It took all of his strength to not cross those clear markers, to walk right back into his home as though nothing had changed.

Hopefully, he would have the blessing to do so. The scars that littered his massive frame would be testament to the veracity of his claims, the reason why he had so suddenly vanished from them when they'd needed him most. But guilt still festered within, and he would understand if he was met with anger and blame all the same. Whatever it was awaiting him on the other side of that musk boundary, he was eager for it regardless.

Further and further his head tipped back, the song tunneling with strength and clarity through the air as he called out to the wolves of Willow Ridge; I am home.

Quick as lightning, the magpie lifted her head from its position between her outstretched paws the moment her ears were filled with the notes of a song that hit far too close to home with its similarity to that of a man the Archer was unsure she'd ever see again. A flutter in her chest threw off the steady beating of her chest and for a moment the regal woman actually believed that Sven had returned to them, but uncertainty had become a lingering inhabitant of the umbrella canopied forest. For a moment the piebald woman remained frozen in place while the children played idly near by, her mind trying to coax her up onto her paws and investigate as a proper alpha should considering t a call had been made at their borders, but ice ran thick through her veins and left her body frozen in place.


Had it not been for the sudden nip from her son to the side of her cheek to grab her attention; unaware he had been trying to engage her in a round of wrestling for minutes now, Enoki may have remained frozen in place for hours. Smoldering amber irises blinked rapidly to rid the spell that befallen her and her head angled to glance at the gradually changing features of her son's face. The ring of white around his eye becoming more prominent as his own piebald genetics grew in. "Sorry Roman, Mama has to go." The sudden shift in his expression to display a deep frown of disappointment tugged on the mother's heartstrings, but she had a job to do and with their numbers so fragile and thin she couldn't afford to not answer the call and allow a fresh able body to slip through their paws. Be it the ivory seed of Skoll or a complete stranger.

With an affectionate nudge to his cheek and a parting kiss to his crown, she arose to her feet, at last, giving her mismatched pelt a shake before stealing a glance at her two daughters happily engaged in chasing a dragonfly about the heart of the Ridge which warranted a smile to grace Enoki's marred snout. "Watch your sisters while Mama is gone okay?" A quick, short howl to alert the remaining adults to keep tabs on the children she was off at a sprint toward the border where the howl had come from, a mixture of emotions gnawing at her insides the entire way. What if it was Sven? What had happened to him that forced him to stay away for so long, to lose so much blood. The memory of the details Ravenna and Nicolo had shared with her easily sent a shiver down the length of her spine that she could play off as the breeze should anyone spot her. 

Distance continued to melt beneath her flying paws and worry mounted higher in her gut until a pale silhouette on the horizon warranted a gasp to fill her lungs. There was no mistaking the pearly white fur with the hint of a smudge to their snout. A sea of scars both old and new couldn't disguise the young Archer from the woman that had known him since his first breaths as a pup. The wave of emotions that came crashing in nearly drowning Enoki. How she wanted to just throw her weight into his and smother that face in loving licks; a new side brought on by her new title as mother, or graze her teeth against his skin in rough bites and scold him for making them worry so much. It was a 50/50 chance how exactly she would react.

For now, though, her pace gradually slowed to a standstill until she was standing before him, eyes wide and body once more frozen to the spot. Tongue unable to form any words aside from letting a low pitched whine slip through her lips. He was home.

(This post was last modified: Jul 29, 2017, 08:48 PM by Enoki.)

Adeltra had been perfectly content to chase after the dragonfly with Elle. She was just the slightest bit faster than her sister, though it was just a smidge. Even that smidge, however, put her ahead. She grew closer to the insect, preparing herself to leap and capture it when suddenly a call rang into the air. The young Archer tripped in surprise, tumbling into a heap on the ground before quickly rolling to her paws and giving herself a good shake. A frown etched it's way onto her lips when her mother told Romanov to watch them. Then, she was off and the girl gave a snort. She wanted to know what was going on too! It wasn’t often that something like this happened, and with the second howl that rang into the air from Enoki she knew she had no time to spare.


She planted her yellow-amber gaze on her sibling firmly and stubbornly. “Imma follow Mama. You stay or you come,” she said, turn immediately turned and began running the way she had went. It wasn’t long before she heard other pawsteps following, a small grin curling onto her lips. She knew her brother was curious and she also knew that he knew that when she set her mind on something her willpower was something to be reckoned with. She ran, her mouth open in a pant, until she saw the form of her mother and another white wolf. Curiosity flared in her chest and she considered running right up and asking what was going on, but something about her mother and the man stopped her. Instead she ran to hide behind a willow, nudging her siblings behind her and shushing them. Her ears strained forward, eyes squinting in an attempt to sharpen her vision. She didn’t want to interrupt, but she still wanted to know what was going on.

A young deer has been separated from the rest of its herd. Hunt Opportunity

It was not a surprise that his call would be answered quickly, and her could all but feel Enoki's paws beat against the membranophone that was the earth as she raced toward him. His ears quivered with eagerness as he waited, wishing for her or Ravenna more than the rest. It was their reactions which would matter most to him, and they who he missed most dearly. When at last he saw her dappled frame materialize from the gold and emerald gilded forest, there was little about her features that gave away exactly what was occurring behind those eyes.

It was the whimper which seeped from her jaws and crossed the air between them which urged him to move. Steadily at first, and then at a jog, his unevenly-scarred legs brought him to her. For once in his life, submission came naturally. His ears smoothed back and his tail curled at the tip as his muzzle sought her plush chest. He was sorry, so very sorry that he'd been taken away from her at all, much less when she was on the verge of birthing her first litter into a sparse pack.

So wrapped up in greeting the woman who was once his co-lead, he did not notice the child hiding at a distance, spying upon them.

"It wasn't my choice," was the first that he could say. "I came back as soon as I was able. I'm sorry, Enoki. I wanted to be here."

(This post was last modified: Jul 29, 2017, 09:26 PM by Sven.)

Still, no words managed to free themselves from behind the tightly sealed wall of her lips as the sound of her escaped whine urged motion on Sven's behalf, smoldering eyes softening to a degree while watching the slow approach until the sensation of his snout burying itself into the plush fur of her chest in such a submissive manner unlike the Sven she use to know shattered the ice that left her paralyzed. Unbeknownst to the mother that her trio of children had disobeyed her words and managed to follow the magpie to the border, currently hunkered behind the trunk of a willow to avoid detection from the two adults.


"Sven.." Enoki's voice cracked, a sudden dryness claiming her throat while the corners of her eyes acquired a more watery state of being, her head craning down to drape it along the lowered man's nape in order to bring his pale body closer to her own in what one could only assume as a wolf's version of a hug while he confessed his sincerest apologies for disappearing. "You had us so worried. Ravenna and Nicolo searched endlessly for you. They followed your blood...so much blood.." Her eyes closed tightly and her grip on him did as well as if to reassure herself that he was here. In the flesh and okay, alive and breathing, another whine passing over her inky lips. 

The next set of words filling the air just a touch above a whisper. "I wanted to search so badly, but I couldn't with the pups." Guilt was still present for the woman at how useless she had become during her pregnancy and even after while tending to the needs of the children, the pack slowly crumbling around her while she remained den bound for what felt like an eternity. Finally releasing her hold and taking a step back she adorned his face with a few affectionate licks, another testimony toward how much his lack of presence affected the woman, before giving him some room to breathe freely again. "What happened?"

Pale yellow orbs snapped open at the sound of a familiar call echoing off the borders. It took his mind a moment to sort through what he was hearing before he was on all fours. The dark Archer took a moment to regain his facilities before he made his way towards the borders, a rush of adrenaline coursing through his system. It seemed silly that after all these months that Sven would return to them, but Nicolo would not complain. After all the blood they had found when he had gone missing, he was a miracle that he was alive. As he made his approach, he gave an approving look towards his daughter. Despite the fact that he knew that his children had been spending time with his wife before anything had disrupted their quiet and he doubted Enoki had encouraged her tagging along, her actions reminded him very much of both of his sisters. The charcoal man could not help but be proud of her. Never the less, he could not spare her any words, as his mate’s questioning began and he needed to make his presence known. He stepped out behind the willow trees and trotted next to his mate, who was embracing their long lost nephew. Yellow orbs took in the scarred form of the boy, a deep frown pulling on his lips. Whatever had kept Sven from them had been serious but Nicolo would not intervene. He wanted to hear the man’s answer to his mate’s question. So all he did was offer a timid smile towards his nephew in hopes that his presence had not rattled this meeting’s mood.

WesternStock @ DA, KYghost @ DA & Dawnthieves.de - Table by PuppyThief

She welcomed him with an embrace, and he felt a warmth begin to spread from his chest. Normally heat was associated with anger for the young Archer, but this was wholly different and quite unusual. It brought back memories of sunning stones and @Leotie's perfume, and of hunting lessons with @Attica, just the two of them. As she spoke, this feeling was amplified by her words. Worried, searched endlessly... there had been so many small anxieties gnawing at him since that fateful day he'd been chased away from the pack, that he hadn't been willing to expend energy on but were now surfacing only to be plucked away by the piebald woman's caring teeth. He had thought maybe they wouldn't look for him at all, that they would just accept his absence and move on as they had each time his parents had vanished. But they hadn't. They'd not only noticed but missed him, worried for him, searched for him as they had Isolde and Angier.

He couldn't help but let out a pleased, thankful whine as he nuzzled closer to the alpha, tail swatting the air lazily behind him. Then she pulled away, in time for him to spy Nicolo approaching, and ask that million dollar question. His uncle did not speak, but was looking at Sven expectantly, and that small smile of his was easily returned. There had been tensions between them before his disappearing act; Sven's whole life, actually. But Nicolo had proven several times over that despite his shortcomings, his priorities were greatly in order. That he now stood as alpha in Sven's stead, evident by the strength of his markings, despite the chaos that both tragedies and blessings had overwhelmed the Willows with was a testament to this that would erase all remaining doubts within the pale Archer's mind.

"A few weeks before it, I had chased a pair of rogues from the Rise. Didn't want them hunting our prey, figured they were just trying to make it on their own and wouldn't be back. I was wrong," his teeth bared at this point, his anger clear.

"They brought friends and targeted me when I was hunting alone. Chased me South, toyed with me rather than kill me. They'd strike and open me up, then take off and let me flee again." It had been horrifically humiliating, and he clearly didn't enjoy admitting to the tale now. He knew that it was the Ridge's right to know, however, why he had vanished when they had needed him. Especially his family.

"They almost bled me out. I could hardly walk when... Skoll found me. His... pack took me in, healed me up. As you can see," he motioned toward his flank, with its many deeply apparent scars, "it was quite a bit of work. But as soon as I could travel again, I came back. I promise, I wanted nothing more than to be here for you all. For the pups."

He'd taken time only to exact his revenge on that small roving pack. Striking as they slept, three of them were dead before the other two even woke. He'd then won that battle, against them both, but not without the freshest of cuts that were only just now healing throughout his coat.

"How are they?" he then asked, tail beginning to wag behind him once more as the snarl vanished from his face.

The girl had thought that she’d been rather well hidden, but she was proven wrong as her father entered the picture. Their eyes locked and for the moment the girl froze, eyes growing wide as she prepared herself for a scolding. Yet, it never came. Instead an approving look passed over her features and a grin made its way onto her lips and a subtle wag made its way to her tail. Boy, she loved her papa! She remained hidden, listening with rapt attention to what was going on. The pale man’s name was Sven, it seemed, and he’d been hurt. There were a lot of words that he used that she still didn’t quite understand, but she knew enough to understand that he had been hurt badly. But...why did Mama care so much? Obviously he wasn’t a stranger to Enoki, but what was he to them?


A mention of pups was given and the girl looked briefly between all three adults, assessing whether or not it was the right time to come out. It seemed like the situation had calmed down enough and so the little Archer took off at a bouncy puppy trot, amber-yellow gaze focused on the adult in curiosity. “Good!” she inserted with a bright grin, her gaze flickering to her mother. The grin faltered for a moment and she took the smallest step towards Nicolo, “Mama, you mad? she asked.

He wasn't exactly sure why mama wouldn't focus on him. No matter how much he wiggled about or reached a pale paw out towards her own. It seemed he was going to have to go to extreme measures. He placed a nip on her cheek. Roman was well prepared to give another until she spoke to him. Those were the last words he had wanted to hear! He displayed his displeasure with a deep frown etched onto his boyish features. Not even her nudge and kiss would wipe away his disappointment.

As if that wasn't bad enough, she was leaving him in charge to watch his sisters. The young Archer knew well enough that keeping Adeltra down was a chore. She was always so rambunctious and headstrong. "Mmkay, mama." He agreed regardless and splayed out onto the floor as the piebald form of his mother disappeared. A heavy sigh left him before his sister turned around. Without missing a beat he raised his head, oversized ears raising towards the sky as she announced her new motive. His mouth opened for a moment before he gave chase after the dark form of his sister. "Waaaait!" The Archer boy called out as he tried to gain some speed in order to reach his sister's side.

It was his luck that she decided to stop behind a willow tree not too far from the gathering of adults. Romanov skidded to a stop, almost ramming into his sister. Silently he took up a spot on the other side of the tree. Transitioning amber eyes peered out from a black and white face. There was his dad, mom, and some big man who Roman was positive he'd never seen before. Like his sister, he was able to pick up that the male was injured but everything else was a bit too much for him to keep up with. He was content to stay hidden behind the large tree while the adults talked. He'd actually rather prefer to round up his sister and head back to the den. It was him Mama had put in charge to watch over. A small look of confusion passed over his face. What a conundrum for a boy to be in. But he was still watching his sister. She was over on the other side of the willow tree. Right? As his eyes looked over expecting to see her dark for still spying he noticed she was gone.

Anxiously he scrambled over to the other side of the tree as she was walking away. His heart sped up as he gave chase towards her. Luckily it wasn't very far he had to run. As Adeltra sided by their father he crept towards her side. He had done his part and watched! It wasn't like they had exactly been told to stay at the den either so they couldn't possibly be in trouble. Right? His eyes awkwardly scanned the small group as a shy smile adorned his inky lips. "Hi." He whispered softly. Such a less than grand entrance for an Archer.

lemme know if i need to fix anything<3

It's Only Dark.