Secluded Spring pagan angel and a borrowed car

Not very far outside of WFN's borders. @Namir only. || Late morning, Fog, 53 ° F, 12 ° C

Hawthorne Riverflow

The lovesong of the buzzard in the dogwood tree

It was the never the gray and black child's intent to pass over the musky borders of her home. She had never done it before but something about the fog had caused her to get a bit mixed up. Usually, if something went wrong she would have called for someone but there was too much excitement out here. News trees to sniff with new prizes to be found. Perhaps out here she could find a bigger and better prize. With all this fog it would take work.

Without fear, she bounded onward. Actually there was never any fear in her young heart. She had never been scared or even worried of the world around her. There was only curiosity blooming within. Hawthorne had too much of a want to see more. Nor had she ever been scolded for her adventures. She did not understand that there could very well be consequences to her actions.

The Riverflow girl found herself at a rather small stream, far different from the one back home. Regardless it still had the squishy mud that she loved so much. Very carefully she moved forward. Each front paw was delicately placed in the squishy earth. Hawthorne yipped softly as it felt cold between her toes. Even if the substance was cold she still wished to play with it. In typical Hawthorne fashion, she shifted her weight back and forth on her front paws in the stream's muddy bank.

Little Crow couldn’t quite put a paw on why she’d been lingering around the area. Sure, she came and went – it wasn’t like she’d made herself a little camp on the edge of a pack. That would be stupid. And she was a lot of things, but she sure wasn’t stupid. The yearling’s tail whipped back and forth as she hovered in the fog. Her choices were limited: stumble around where she couldn’t see (relying on only her nose to keep her out of pack territory and away from strange wolves) or find the spot she’d camped for a few days after meeting Arwyn. No angry mother had coming storming down across the spring to maim her then, nor had she brought down an angry dorp to chase her out, so it seemed like a pretty safe bet, now.

Except she didn’t quite make the same way back.

It was a stream, not the pool itself, though Little Crow decided quickly she could probably follow it back to the spring. Small paw prints littered the way, indicating a puppy – of course, she assumed it was the little white cub she’d met a few weeks back. “Arwyn?” she called, squinting into the fog. She could barely make out the shape of a pup, though it seemed to be the right size, and sex. “Ain’t seen you in a while. Trouble sneakin’ out?”

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

Hawthorne Riverflow

The lovesong of the buzzard in the dogwood tree

The voice spoke a familiar name but in no way did she know it. It was her mama, Emrys or Jynx but it sounded like an adult. Her head tilted as she stopped her squishing. Orange eyes working to pick out the form from the fog. "I'm Hawthorne." She definitely was no Arwyn. The girl was her friend, though and it seemed that this wolf may be a friend of a friend. Which in turn made the Riverflow girl feel as though it was her friend too.

Hawthorne moved closer to the shape in the distance, offering a small yip to let the other know where she was. "'M not sneakin'." A puppy giggle followed her words. The Notch child was positive she hadn't been sneaking around. Did anyone know she was out here? Maybe, likely not but Hawth didn't count that as slinking about like a snake. That kind of action was reserved for games of hide and seek.

The closer she got to the form in the fog the more she realized that this was indeed an adult she hadn't met. It only caused more curiosity to bubble up within the Riverflow's chest. "Whatcha doin'?" Her voice was lined with innocence as her head tilted to the side. Perhaps she was here to squish and squash the mud too.

The wolf with orange eyes turned around – whoops. Wrong puppy! Still smelled like the same pack, though. Sisters, maybe?

Or a situation more like her own?

Little Crow shook her head, quirking an eyebrow as the child introduced her. “Well, ain’t that a mouthful?” she rumbled, mouth twisting to one side as she watched the puppy toddle closer. Her stubby little tail was wiggling, and if the yips were any indication, Hawthorne was quite pleased with the situation. Had Arwyn been saying good things about her? It was supposed to be a secret, though. Either way, she really shouldn’t be complaining that the little girl wasn’t screaming bloody murder for her Ma or the pack – a loner was no match for either of those things.

“I’m Lil’ Crow. Was tryin’ t’find somewhere good t’bed down, I guess. Was near the spring before. Lots of food, and all that.”

Oh, maybe she was talking too much. What if this one went back to her parents (The alphas? One alpha?) and told them there was a loner around, eating food, seeking shelter. Her tail swished through the thick fog, paws prancing in the squishy mud. “What’re you doin’, huh? Y’allowed t’ wander ‘round out here?”

Hawthorne Riverflow

The lovesong of the buzzard in the dogwood tree

"Ya can call me Hawth if ya want!" It was usually a nickname that her mama called her but she assumed that this new friend could call her it too. The nickname certainly wasn't a bad one that was for sure.

Her tail kept swaying behind her gray and black form as the adult talked on. She sure was saying a lot but at least it was all good stuff. There was no anger, concern, or sadness which was usually a green light for Hawthorne to keep chattering too. "Lil' Croooow!" She dragged out the Os in a small puppy howl as a grin grew on her face. What a fun name to say! "Food? Nauja teach me how to find! I's can help?" She looked up at the yellow-eyed female. Hawthorne could already imagine how proud the dark sea wolf would be if she put her new found skills to the use.

Wide ears raised up towards the dreary sky as Lil' Crow asked some questions. The Riverflow offered a small shrug. "Explorin'. Dunno if I cans be here." She admitted as the faintest bit of a frown pulled on her youthful face. "In trouble?" Hawthorne's voice had grown small as she awaited the new adult's answer.

“Hawth? Sure. What’s a Hawthorne, anyways?”

As Crow meant something, she assumed the kid’s did, too – or she was named after something, the same way Namir had been a tribute to her mother’s closest friend. She glanced back down at the orange-eyed pup; clearly, no one had ever taught this kid stranger danger. Which was fine by her. Being a loner got, well, lonely after a while, and she didn’t mind the company. “Nah, y’ain’t in trouble,” she assured the youngster. “Not with me, anyhow.” Couldn’t really speak for the girl’s parents, but that wasn’t really her problem, neither.

Besides, that wasn’t the part that had caught the dusty female’s attention. She’d said something about food, and Little Crow’s stomach damn near roared at the very idea. That loner thing? Made it hard to get food, too. And while she highly doubted this kid could actually hunt, maybe this Nauja fella had taught the kiddo about pack caches. (Man, Nauja was a mouthful, too. Did anyone in this pack have a normal name? Or a short one, even?)

“Anyhow, y’said somethin’ ‘bout food, right? Could go for that. Ain’t much ‘round here, not ‘fer me. Y’got a secret place or somethin’?”

Hawthorne Riverflow

The lovesong of the buzzard in the dogwood tree

Well that was a silly question if she had ever heard one! "Me." She was a Hawthorne. Duh. She had like just said that too. Her new friend really needed to listen better.

Hearing that she wasn't in trouble was a huge relief. Her small wag and smile returned. This was a very nice adult indeed. Perhaps just as nice as her own adults back in the Notch. Hawthorne's mind drifted to wonder if this was a friend of one of her pack mates. Surely she wouldn't be in trouble if she was with a friend of Emrys' or mama's. Which would explain why Lil Crow had said that Hawthorne wasn't in trouble with her.

"Uhhh." She looked around and sniffed at the air. The Riveflow didn't think they had any secret places out here to store those delicious meals. Those spots seemed to be tucked deeper within the Notch's territory and Hawthorne wasn't close to the heart of her home. "I can hunts!" The young girl declared proudly. She really wasn't all the great at it but oh well. It was the thought that counted.

Hawthorne took off a few yards down the stream with the idea that Lil Crow would follow after her. "Whatcha wanna eat?" She hadn't seen a whole bunch of different animals but she did know that mama had hunted different kinds of meals.

The wolf rolled her pretty sunshine eyes, mouth quirked sideways at the child’s simply answer. It seemed simple and terribly obvious – and exactly the sort of thing childhood Namir would have said if someone had asked her what a ‘Crow’ was. But she was an adult now (whatever that meant), and clearly beyond such silly answers. At least she could humor the girl. Wasn’t mean or anything, not like her father’s mate or those other Crow’s Crossing wolves.

After all, Hawe was offering food, and how many wolves (adult or not) offered her that?

With her slim tail wagging behind her, the yearling fell into line and allowed the girl to lead the way – she wasn’t entirely sure what that said about her as a wolf, but Little Crow wasn’t horribly bothered about it. “Iunno, don’t huntin’ sound like an awul lotta work t’you? I mean, no offense, but we’re jus’ two wolves.” She cracked the child a sideways grin, hoping she’d appreciate being considered some sort of equal. “Y’ain’t got no secret spots? My mama always used to have places, jes’ fer me an’ her. Never did mind if I went in alone. ‘er with a friend.” Or maybe she didn’t notice. Her Mama didn’t seem aware of much, especially as got older. “I ain’t had much luck huntin’ ‘round here, anyhow.”

Hawthorne Riverflow

The lovesong of the buzzard in the dogwood tree

Huh, well she hadn't really thought about that. It was a lot of work to do this whole hunting thing. Especially when Hawthorne could usually just get someone to bring her something to eat. "Dunno 'bout any seecrit spots." Hawthorne looked back at Lil Crow as they moved along the stream. "Help me find one? Mama won't be mads, you're a friend." Then they could both eat if they managed to find one. The Riverflow girl knew that those special spots were usually well kept in the Notch. Thanks to the work of her pack mates and mama she would likely never know a day of being hungry.

Her nose went to work sniffing out a meal. How hard could it really be? All the adults made it look way too easy and Hawthorne had faith that she could do the job just as well. Not to mention she had a new friend who was helping her out! It seemed Arwyn was making some nice friends out here and for a moment the Riverflow girl felt jealousy twisting in her gut. That didn't matter for too long because now Hawthorne had the same friend.

Puppy tail swayed behind her black and gray form as they squished along the muddy banks of the stream. This whole lost thing was turning out to be pretty fun.