Willow Ridge Keep bringing boys home

Back-dated December 13th, directly after this thread. Since they will be going into the pack, anyone may spy though this is mostly intended for Blitz to join the ranks.

Hours had passed. The pair had taken a few pit stops to get a drink and lick their mouths of the bits of herb that got caught up in them as they brought their collection back with them from the edges of the Cedar forest. Had they been too far within them, it would have taken far longer to get back home, days, if they had been in the heart of the former Grizzly territory. Ravenna never allowed herself to travel that far however, not without calling out to her pack to let them know. As late morning turned into late afternoon, the pair, one of silver and one of black, came to the borders of Willow Ridge.

With a waving of her tail and a smirk on her lips, filled with the bark of cedar trees, she silently insured @Blitz that everything would be okay with crossing into pack territory so as long as he stuck to her side. He did, after all, travel all this way with her with a mouth full of sticks and root. She walks on through then beyond the territory line, making way into the direction of the pack den towards the heart of her home. Of course, she had no intention of bringing Blitz that far in. He was her friend, sure, but she had not seen the man in so long and he was still a rogue in her territory. She did not wish he, nor anyone within her ranks, to feel uncomfortable. So after a few minutes she comes along one of the pack's caches and stops, settling down the strips of bark down onto the earth and stretching out her jaw with a yawn. "Job well done." She speaks, shaking off her snow flaked pelt. They had been lucky that the snow had slacked up in the hours it took them to get here, though now it seemed like it was picking the pace back up again. Perhaps the gods had been looking out for the pair on their travels.

She'd been out away from the territory hunting when the snow started. At first she thought that it would be a light snowfall nothing to get too upset about but she'd been caught in a snow storm before and she'd gotten lost from her pack. Sure that had been a long time ago before she had the experience that she did but she didn't fancy taking the risk. Her hunting trip had been less than successful, not even a scent had caught her interest.

Well that was until she reached the border and a strange scent reached her alongside Ravenna's. Leotie was no stranger to visitors in pack territory. During her time In the bend there had been a couple so she didn't go on alert right away. Instead she quietly followed the trail of her leader and the stranger. She was curious more than anything.

She soon found them near one of the caches which made sense if they were in need of see kind of care. Leotie kept her distance allowing the pair their privacy but close enough that it Ravenna needed her she would he there.

Feel free to notice her lurking

(This post was last modified: Jan 08, 2018, 02:26 AM by Leotie.)

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

There is a rabbit's nest nearby. +1 Health

He was thankful that the trek back wasn't a terribly long one. Blitz trailed alongside Ravenna the whole way, memorizing the path that led them away from the cedar forest and to the willows. Quite frankly, he was happy to put that place behind him. Being there made him feel closed in. On the way, he knew that they would have to cross the borders to deliver the supply of herbs to the infirmary where they could be properly stored. The thought alone of crossing another packs boundary as a rouge, put him on edge. He expressed his apprehension to the silver woman, albeit calmly, so as not to appear as a pansy. He told her of the time he did this once before, but only out of over protectiveness towards Pip. And he nearly got his face torn off for it. At least this time, he had an escort. Who, luckily for him,just so happened to be the Alphess.

His mouth full of a plentiful assortment of cedar bark and various other plants he knew nothing about, his acid green eyes took in his surroundings with awe. Willow trees dotted the landscape, their curtain like branches though bare, still a sight to behold layered in frost and ice. This place was more open...spacious. He sensed with it an unspoken demand for reverence, his paws treading on historic soil. Humbled, the ink blot could only imagine the beauty of this place at the peak of spring. Not his usual confident self, the sea wolf padded deeper through the unknown almost warily. The lowered tilt of his hind legs and tight droop of his tail was classic body language of a wolf who was on edge. Upon arriving at the den, he deposited his half of the herbs gently on the ground. "Thanks. I was glad I could be of help." A darkening of the clouds overhead caught his gaze. "Ah...well shit. Better get those inside." He suggested, fidgeting from one paw to the other. As he tipped his head back down, a flash of agouti fur caught his eye. He flinched only once, like a naughty child caught raiding the cookie jar. Hunkering down an inch lower, his pink tongue swept over his lips in appeasement, in case they didn't take kindly to his breach into Willow territory.

Ravenna could smell Leotie near, though otherwise did not do anything about it but twitch her nose to the scent. It would be obvious for members of her pack to be around, given the fact that they were in the territory limits. That and Leotie was becoming a well known scout along the borders. Ravenna's attention moved from the herbs which Blitz mentioned maybe needing to be put away before the snows made them lost in the earth. He flinched a bit when he caught sight of Leotie, causing Ravenna's eyes to follow. She waved her tail and turned back to Blitz who obviously, and with reason, was nervous being beyond pack lines as a rogue. It was a good trait to have, as Ravenna had come across a loner or two that had not seemed to care so much about law and order.

"Where will you go now, with the storm and all?" She questioned her friend curiously, wondering if he had any plans now that his option of going back up his seaside home was no more. A part of her wished he would stay, of course, but never had been one to try and push the manner with others. She wanted wolves who wanted stability, settlement and a duty. She still did not know if Blitz was ready to settle down with a new home after loosing the last.

Leotie was of course curious about this newcomer that Ravenna had with her. She wondered why the alpha had brought him across the border though she knew it was not her place to question. She still kept her distance especially when she saw the male flinch when he caught sight of her. The Agouti woman gave a nod of her head at Ravenna's tail wave. She would only approach of this male seemed to be dangerous which he did not at this point.

She couldn't hear everything that was being said but when the word storm drifted her way she looked up at the sky through the snow that was already falling. It certainly looked like the snow was into stay for awhile. Once she was sure Ravenna was safe she'd take shelter in the den for a nap until the storm was over. For now her blue gaze rested on the man once more as she took in his posture. Leotie sat back on her haunches next to a nearby tree to show Ravenna her continued support, at least she hoped the alpha saw it that way.

(This post was last modified: Jan 20, 2018, 11:03 PM by Leotie.)

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

His acidic eyes lingered on the agouti female in the distance a moment longer. Breaking down her body language. There was no quivering of her lips, no raised hackles. In fact, she even seated herself beneath a willow tree. All signs that she was merely there to keep an eye on him, while by Ravenna's side, in the Ridge. He dipped his dark head only once, in a respectful sort of gesture to her, acknowledging her rightful place in this pack. Turning back, he gently nudged half of the herbs inside the very entrance towards the den with his nose. But he would do no more than that, unwilling to enter a private space he had no rights to. He could at least get the plants away from the snow.

Ravenna's voice and the question that accompanied it brought him back to attention. Where would he go? He drew his head back up from the mouth of the den, staring at his paws thoughtfully for a moment. "To be honest, I haven't given it much thought yet." Ever since his return to these parts of the Lore, Blitz had been focused on his own survival. On just getting by. Not on where his next home would be, and when. Now that the silvery alpha raised the question, and with a kicker of a snowstorm in the mix, his gears were turning. It was the middle of winter after all. The sea wolf couldn't very well continue on his own like this. Not at this time of year.

Slowly, a memory came rushing back to him. Of the day they first met, when she was only a youngster. She had been kind to him that day. Kind enough to extend an invitation to him to join her pack. His eyes flickered back up. "Your home...it's...there's something about it, now that I'm seeing it for myself." He admitted, but without dripping sap all over his words. He looked her square in the eye now, fully recalling everything she had told him that revolved around the near collapse of the pack, and towards it's gradual strengthening. "Do you still remember our first meeting, Ravenna? What you offered me that day?"

(This post was last modified: Jan 20, 2018, 10:05 PM by Blitz.)

Out of the corner of her eye, she could see the woman still there, watching only with curiosity. It was a trait which any member under her ranks to have, to keep an eye out for their leader and be there should they need assistance.

Watching as Blitz scooted the herbs into safety, Ravenna did the same with her half, shielding the strips of bark and root from the snows, not necessarily because it would kill them, being hardy herbs, but so they wouldn't get lost in the thickening snowfall.

The black wolf then looked back up, first to his paws at he said he had not given it much thought and then those green eyes turned to her, like the color of newly sprouted greens at the beginning of Spring. After traveling to hard and long looking to find his home, only to be unsuccessful, it was a wonder he didn't know what to do with himself just yet. "I do remember..." She spoke, her silver eyes meeting his own gaze. "I was so curious and afraid of the Whisper Caverns. The falls just outside were so beautiful though. You helped teach me to swim better and caught us a fish to eat. I enjoyed you and knew the pack would... I said that you could come live with us, if you wanted?" She paused after her little story, looking to Blitz hopefully.

(This post was last modified: Jan 20, 2018, 10:35 PM by Ravenna.)

She was keeping a respectful distance, this new wolf seemed harmless enough and Ravenna seemed to trust him. All good things, still the alpha was her friend, or at least she hoped they were forming a good friendship. She was there as both subordinate bit more importantly a friend in case Ravenna needed something. The distance in which she'd chosen to stay was far enough she was out of ear shot so they could have some privacy.

She saw the male looking at her, he did for longer than she felt necessary but the nod he gave was returned. She watched as they worked, she wasn't sure exactly what they were doing but they both seemed to work well together. She could also see they were talking and for the slightest of moments she wonder what about. It seemed to be a good conversation but most of all she couldn't help wondering what Ravenna thought about the man.

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One more post from each of us and we can wrap this up?

As he had hoped, the silvery woman did indeed recall what had happened that day. How he met her inside the abandoned caverns and told her of his troubles. That he was looking for a way home. Then the trip to the falls. He nodded his head slightly in confirmation, recalling with crystal clarity the events of that day. They had enjoyed themselves so much, while learning from one another at the same time. The pastime of swimming and fishing at the falls had been a relaxing experience while he, a foreigner, made a new friend. "That's right...I enjoyed that day. You did too." He pointed out by the tone in her voice now.

"I wasn't expecting to be offered a home back then...not so soon. I wasn't ready to settle. When I found out my sisters were here as well though...then I had no choice." His green eyes drifted away from hers, only to sweep across the backdrop of the landscape admirably. Resigned to the fact that he would not find his way back to the ocean, Blitz was ready to set down new roots, just as Pip had done. And he was certain, that this was the place. The falls and the lagoon weren't too far away, which would make for a welcome retreat when he wished to reminiscence. Having caught the hopeful look in her eye, he turned back to her. "If...that offer still stands, I would love to have a place in your pack." He bowed his head then as a symbol of his loyalty. "Let me help you make the Ridge stronger."