Larkcall Lowlands like diamonds in the sky

Random Event: A meteor shower overtakes the sky! @Cheedo @Odin -Pack Activity: This thread will serve as a scouting opportunity prior to their pack hunt. They are traveling through the lowlands and will be out near Traitor's Tor.  Scouting post 1/?

Three days travel and the majority of it had been done at night due to the blistering late summer temperatures. Wraith mourned the fact that the lowlands were so lacking in shade with only a few spares trees to hide under during the hottest part of the day. The leader's coat was patchy in half-shed disrepair without @Piety to tug the excess fur. One thing was for certain; he couldn't wait for winter.

The lowlands were peppered with tracks from a herd of caribou heading westward and the male felt they were falling behind. Cheedo, to her credit, was good company and he let her lead the scouting mission for the most part, offering advice only when it suited him. Odin was a comforting presence and one he was content to rely on. With the way the herd was traveling, Wraith suspected the three of them would have to turn the caribou back towards Whitestone to spare the rest of the pack the long hunt. Especially if Cyril was going to be joining them, it made little sense to make the poor boy travel halfway across the Lore only to run out of stamina by the time it was actually time to hunt.

Dusk was settling now and the sky burnt a brilliant orange along the horizon ahead of them while a deep blue-purple encroached from behind. Interestingly enough, Wraith noted the trail of a falling star just in his periphery. Glancing up, his maw fell open in awe. "Look," he murmured to his companions, indicating for them to follow his gaze skyward. "Hopefully it's a good omen for the upcoming hunt." As he looked on, more and more falling stars became visible, burning in the sky as they dove towards the horizon. They seemed to be guiding them in the same direction as the herd. Had the caribou seen signs of it earlier and followed the meteor shower this far westward?

The male stood and nudged Cheedo and then Odin to join him. "Let's get going. I fear they're pulling ahead of us too far."

(This post was last modified: Aug 22, 2017, 03:56 PM by Wraith.)

Scouting Dem 1/?

It had been quite some time since she'd been away from the Monadnock as long as they had been this time. The last time was when she traveled to Hearthwood to deliver the news of Mittani's banishment. She wasn't used to traveling at night like they had been but she'd quickly become accustomed to it and this time she and Wraith we're joined by Odin.

They had been following tracks of a herd that was heading west Cheedo leading them. Her tracking skills were coming into good use as she led them in the direction of the herd. However, Wraith feared they were falling behind, the small agouti shared that fear. As she lead them across the tundra in search of the herd she kept her ears directed towards Wraith for whatever advice he gave her. She soaked up everything he said in order to improve upon her skills as not only a hunter but as a scout as well. One thing she had come to after coming to the Monadnock was that there was always learning and improving to be done. She wanted to be the best and that meant taking any advice she received to heart.

As dusk settled in around them and the sky changed in color Wraith directed her and Odin's attention upward. There she saw many bright specs falling towards the earth. She'd heard about this and knew it to be a meteor shower. Cheedo hadn't ever seen one and it caused her to stop and stare skyward for a long time amazed by how pretty it was. “Let's hope,” she agreed, “It's not everyday you see something like this after all.” The darker the sky became the more stars she could see falling to the Earth as she continued to stare.

It wasn't until she felt Wraith's bump that she moved, “I can scout ahead and see if I can spot them,” she suggested as it could at least give them some idea of how far ahead the herd was.

(This post was last modified: Aug 22, 2017, 05:15 PM by Cheedo.)

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

@Wraith & @Cheedo sorry for the hold up.
Scouting dem 1/3

Where have all the good guys gone?

Odin Archer

Oh, the boy could walk for days if you let him, and he had no problem with the relative silence that came with such a long scouting mission, their energy was better conserved for things to come. It gave him time to wonder after his sister, well, sisters now... and brothers. He supposed they would be about the same size as Cyril, and he wondered how his mother was juggling them all with her additional responsibilities in Torbine? (who was he kidding, she probably foisted them onto poor Renier to deal with while she saw to more pressing matters). He wondered how her plans were progressing and wondered if he'd ever hear of the outcome of her ambitions through the grapevine? He wondered if his Nonna would be proud.

But he was pulled from his silent pondering as Wraith told them both to look. His singular eye turned skyward, his lips pulling down on one side seeing none of the good omen that Wraith seemed to see. All he saw was fire, and danger, and a reason to turn back towards home right this second. The wolves of Torbine were a more superstitious bunch than those he had encountered in the Lore and while he didn't want to admit a little of it had rubbed off on him the lights in the sky just rubbed him as all wrong.

But it seemed he was the only one to think so. Biting down on any rebuttal he might have for the optimism of the others he managed a grunt in response, his strides lengthening as much as his bulk would allow, after all - he wasn't exactly the fastest wolf in the lore, but he wouldn't hold the others with his own shortcomings.

Scouting 2/?

It felt good to be out on the open tundra as the season was turning. Though the weather was still too balmy for his liking, Wraith was grateful to have good company and purpose. The male was always happiest with a goal to work towards. So much of his and Piety's time had been devoted for uniting their pack that now it felt good to just be part of one. Even if this was just a scouting mission, it was working towards a smaller, easily attainable goal. Recently, Wraith had felt like so many goals were so far in the future and so out of reach that he needed something immediately gratifying.

At @Cheedo's offer to scout ahead, the brute inclined his head. "Go on then. We'll be on your heels. Come back when you see them. We don't want to drive them farther off." With her leave to go, Wraith turned towards @Odin and smiled.

While Wraith could feel it in his heart, he knew Odin could never be legitimately claimed as his son per his mother's wishes. But that would not stop the male from acting like a father. It was a bond forged through their time together when the lad was just a pup. As such, he could never quite hide the sadness when he saw that one remaining eye.

Still, he chuckled and strode forward to brush shoulders with his son in all but name. "Your mother's cynicism has carried through, I see. It'll go fine. The stars have always held good omens."

(This post was last modified: Oct 09, 2017, 08:48 PM by Wraith.)

Scouting Dem 2/?

The meteor shower was truly a sight that Cheedo was glad that she had the chance to see. She could have watched it for quite awhile but she also knew there was a job to be done. They were on the trail of some migrating Caribou, catching one would benefit the pack. For so long she had only had to care about herself and making sure she was fed. Now she had a pack and as she looked at her two companions she couldn't feel luckier that she had found the home she had. Cheedo felt she had grown so much in the months since she'd joined Whitestone and some of that she owed to Wraith and Piety for their support.

So when her alpha said that it was time to get going she was ready to do her job and offered to scout ahead in search of the beasts they were trailing. “I will be cautious to not alert them,” she told, “And return as soon as I have information about them,” she stated. With a nod to Wraith she set off in the trail of the Caribou moving swiftly. To cover some ground before she would have to slow her pace. She didn't want to run into them at a full run.

This was just another thing to help in her role which she was just as determined as ever to earn. Mostly though she wanted to do this for her pack because she knew the winter could be harsh on the tundra. Once she felt she had covered enough ground she slowed and put her nose to the trail following it quickly. When the scents seemed very fresh she became more cautious and slowed her pace even more so that she could get as close as she could without alerting the herd to her presence.

(This post was last modified: Sep 26, 2017, 09:30 AM by Cheedo.)

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Scouting dem 2/3

Where have all the good guys gone?

Odin Archer

He was grateful for Cheedo's offer to scout ahead, truly. Speed wasn't his forte and with the herd already so far ahead any change of course to cut them off would only work in the small party's favour. Wraith's brush was met with a playful shove. For all that his paws were throbbing and breathing without panting was all but impossible, he wouldn't let it show beyond the comical lolling of his tongue. He even managed a smirk at the mention of his mother's less than stellar view of the rest of the world, another glance thrown at the burning sky. "They keep goin' an' there'll be no stars left for omens, good or bad." He lowered his head once more, but he was unable to leave it at that. "Nothin' good come's from a fall," he quipped back with a dry huff of a laugh under his breath, wondering if the dark male would catch the weight behind his words and all that they could allude to, Craw at the forefront of his mind.

But wasting breath on talk of stars and omens wouldn't get them any closer to the herd now would it? His mouth set in a determined line as he tried to pick his feet up just a little higher to try and close the gap between them and their quarry. Hopefully, Cheedo would be back soon with good news.

Scouting 3/?

"That so?" Wraith challenged with amusement, giving in to the temptation to nip at @Odin's ear. "Then why is it, I wonder, they call it falling in love? Come on, son. Don't let your mother's way of the world discolor even that." While he would be more than happy to launch into a full-blooded spar with the lad, they had work to do. Best not to force @Cheedo to run all the way back to them with news. Eager to meet with her, he nudged Odin onward and continued himself.

Thinking of Morganna brought to mind a curious strain of thought. He wondered if the boy ever knew the pair had been more than just Alpha and Second. "There was a time I'd loved your mother. Did you know?" he asked quietly. Without waiting for a reply, Wraith carried on lest he lose his nerve for it. "That season, she had you and your sister. Ugly times in the previous pack. Willow Ridge. Threats all around from family and the like. It wasn't to my taste and Morganna and Craw had felt the same. It was what drove us so far North. As if the farther we'd run, the less bitter it would taste in our mouths to think of it." The alliance between Morganna and Craw, well, Wraith wasn't certain if there was ever love in it. Their mating was...mutually beneficial.

"It was a foolish sort of love," Wraith admitted. "One I thought could have the chance to be one sung among the stars, but it was not your mother's way, as you know," he said with a wry smile. "I'd been used and was happy enough for it at the time. And then, through Morganna, I met Piety and things changed. She's it for me, Odin. There's no other. I don't want you to close yourself off to the possibility that there's someone out there for you, too. Faith and trust can carry you farther than forever remaining closed off and wary, son."

He felt foolish for saying it all. And maybe he was revealing too much. Certainly more than Morganna ever wanted insinuated. As far as she was concerned, her pups were hers and hers alone. And despite promising he'd not stake claim to them for political reasons, he couldn't help the connection he felt for them after they were born - especially with Odin. And the boy was old enough now to decide if it was a truth he wanted for himself.

The black brute shook out his fur as if to dispel the unease he felt with sharing. "Come on. We should find Cheedo." Wraith led the way in the direction the female had run, following scent in the dark of night.

(This post was last modified: Oct 09, 2017, 08:49 PM by Wraith.)

Scouting 3/?

The small agouti covered the ground swiftly and quietly as she followed the trail of their prey. She remained aware of her surroundings and how close she was getting to the herd. The last thing she wanted to do was scare them further away after she and her companions had traveled so far to find them. She did not want to let Wraith down knowing how important this was for their pack. The winter they'd had the previous year and Cyril came to mind. He was a growing pup and it would be his first winter, what if it was a bad winter and they didn't have this meat.

She kept the light color of her coat in mind as she crept low to the ground to get a little closer. She wanted to observe the herd before reporting back to Wraith what she had found. What kind of scout would she be if she returned without any information. Cheedo didn't expect to see any really young Caribou, they would all have grown quite a bit over the past months but they wouldn't be too big for the pack to take them down. Finally when they came into view she did take note of a few younger ones that she saw. What really drew her attention were a couple that looked injured or sick. She couldn't be sure in the dark but they weren't getting around like the others.

Just as carefully as she approached the small agouti left the herd to their grazing and resting. When she felt she was far enough away she increased her speed to return to Wraith and Odin with her findings. She finally found them still moving along in the direction they'd been traveling all night. As she came nearer to them she slowed to a walk and met up with them. “The herd isn't far ahead now and there are a few that would make good targets,” she told looking between the two men.

(This post was last modified: Oct 10, 2017, 04:17 AM by Cheedo.)

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Scouting 3/3

where have all the good guys gone?

Odin Archer

Falling in love... "Pah!" Sissy stuff. What good did it do anyone? He had watched his mother tear herself apart in front of his very eyes, he knew that she hurt and there was nothing he could do to take it away. He showed his attentiveness with a turned ear while his nose kept track of Cheedo's trail, he didn't have an eye to spare to turn his head and make sure that he wouldn't trip over his own paws in the process.

"I think yer wrong." He stated blankly when Wraith had said his part, tongue rolling around in his mouth as he considerd how best to continue. "I think she loves you an' Piety a lot, otherwise she wouldn't try ter be so strong in front of yer. She's the same with the pups. Doesn' want anyone ter worry. She'd wait til she thought we were sleepin'..." He wasn't meant to see it himself, and he suddenly closed his jaws with a click. It wasn't his story to tell.

Like a fresh wind from heaven itself, he was saved from speaking on the matter further by Cheedo's arrival. His jaw remained clenched shut as she gave her report, knowing that they couldn't possibly drag anything they caught out here back with them, no matter how big the two males were. "We gonna head 'em off before they go too much further then?"

(This post was last modified: Oct 12, 2017, 07:21 AM by Odin.)